Meyler to get ‘kid glove’ treatment

SUNDERLAND manager Steve Bruce has vowed to be patient with David Meyler after the Irish midfielder played his first game in eight months on Wednesday night.

Meyler played 45 minutes for Sunderland reserves against Gateshead’s second string before a pre-planned half-time substitution as he continues his recovery from what Bruce yesterday described as “arguably the worst knee injury of its type that any player has ever had’’.

It was a significant step for Meyler, who ruptured every ligament in his right knee in a freak incident in the final league game of the 2009/10 season.

Meyler defied the odds to return to action ahead of schedule last season but his comeback was cut short after only five games when he suffered a fresh cruciate ligament injury to the same knee in a Premier League game at Aston Villa.

Wednesday night’s game was Meyler’s first since that night at Villa Park and while it was a significant milestone, a cautious Bruce has vowed to give the former Cork City player ‘kid glove’ treatment.

“We’ve just got to be patient and give David as much time as we can,’’ Bruce said. “As much time as he needs. We have got to be really careful with him.

“It’s the first step again to a comeback which we hope will be successful.

“This is a huge time for him, and we need to see how he comes through this game first of all.

“I know people will see him back playing, and will hope that it won’t be long before he is in the first team, but this is only the start of what will be a very long process.

“Sometimes after training his knee swells up and we have to make sure we treat him with kid gloves and give him the best possible chance of getting back fit again.”

Bruce also spoke yesterday about the extent of the damage caused when Meyler suffered his original injury.

“It was a horrific injury – I can’t overstate just how serious it was,’’ Bruce said.

“It was arguably the worst knee injury of its type that any player has ever had.

“You couldn’t get any worse, because he severed the lot — medial, cruciate, lateral and cartilage.

“It was horrible, and there wasn’t even a tackle involved. His studs got caught in the turf and as his knee moved with his bodyweight, his leg didn’t.”

Bruce may be unwilling to rush Meyler back but the former Birmingham boss believes the 22-year-old will ultimately make a full recovery.

“If anybody is going to get it done, then he will,’’ Bruce said. “He’s got the mentality to see it through.

“He has got a fierce, burning determination to make sure he does everything he can. Nobody could put in more hours than he has — I don’t know how many hours he has spent in that gym.

“To be fair, he and Fraizer Campbell, the pair of them have worked tirelessly and let’s hope, touch wood, he gets a break and we see David Meyler in and around the first team in the next few months.’’