Illness delays Dyer's return

Illness will further delay West Ham midfielder Kieron Dyer’s return from a long-term injury.

The 29-year-old has been out of action since breaking a leg in August 2007 but was nearing a return to first-team action and played in a behind-closed-doors reserves match last week.

His comeback was shortlived, however.

He had to be substituted at half-time because of a virus, and it means he has no chance of being in the squad for Saturday’s Barclays Premier League match at home to Aston Villa.

Two weeks ago, Dyer revealed he was targeting a return over the busy Christmas period – but it now looks as though he will have to wait a little longer.

“He’s not ready yet,” said West Ham assistant manager Steve Clarke.

“He played his first game last week but had to come off at half-time because he was suffering from the flu.

“That was last Thursday, and today was his first day back at training – so where he was this time last week, he’s now further back because he’s missed so much training from being ill.

“I spoke to him today, and he’s not so chipper because he’s recovering from the flu and is a bit down.

“He’s been out a long time, and I think any player who’s been out a long time starts to feel a little bit down.”

Dyer had three operations on the broken leg sustained in the Carling Cup match against Bristol Rovers, less than a fortnight after he joined the Hammers from Newcastle.

He was closing in on a return at the beginning of this season but then suffered a stress fracture in training, which ruled him out for another three months.

Progress has been frustratingly slow for the attacking midfielder, but he is likely to have to wait until the new year for a return as Clarke stressed the importance of not rushing him back.

“We hope he can see some light at the end of the tunnel,” said Clarke.

“We need to get some match fitness into him, so we can welcome him back when he’s ready.

“It’s important that it’s when he’s ready and not before he’s ready – because then he’ll pick up more injuries.

“He had no reaction from the game injury-wise, but we didn’t see him for six days after the game – so for me, that’s a bad reaction.”