Wolves are now looking to have Mike Williamson fit and ready for next season after a troublesome hamstring tendon problem ruled him out for the remainder of the current campaign.
The experienced defender joined Wolves on a permanent basis in January, after a promising loan spell towards the end of last year.
At that stage he was nearing full recovery from a hamstring problem, but this injury has developed with his other leg, and, with Wolves now set for a mid-table finish, the decision has been taken to work towards having him fully right for the start of pre-season.
“Unfortunately it doesn’t now look like Mike will feature this season,” said Head of Medical Phil Hayward.
“His hamstring tendon problem is continuing to cause him issues and he is having difficulty getting up to full speed when he is working outside.
“So we have taken the decision at this point to back off a little bit in terms of trying to get him back for this season and focus on him making a full recovery for pre-season.
“Tendons do often take quite a long time to rehab.
“They don’t respond to exercise and normal therapy in the same way that muscles do and are slightly more complicated.
"Tendon problems are notoriously difficult ones to crack sometimes and this has been a stubborn one."
Hayward says there is no one more frustrated than Williamson himself, but that he should now be able to make the gradual progress that will see him firing on all cylinders for the start of pre-season.
“Mike has been working very hard since he arrived back with us in January,” he explains.
“No one is more frustrated about the situation than he is – he has been working very hard and is desperate to get back.
“The thing with tendons is that they respond best to loading, to rehabilitation and strengthening, but done in a gradual manner rather than being rushed.
“It is a slow build-up, and it has already improved a lot but just not fast enough.
“It is serious for Mike in terms of not being able to play again this season, but I wouldn’t say it is a serious injury and the timescale of pre-season is realistic.
“We would expect him to build up slowly and be back firing on all cylinders for the start of pre-season."
Meanwhile striker Nouha Dicko’s recovery remains on course, having suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury back in August.
Dicko has been involved in some running outside in recent weeks, and added to that by warming up with the players at Compton Park this morning.
"It was good to see Nouha coming out and warming up with the players this morning,” added Jackett.
"Hopefully he can gear for pre-season - that'll be a great one, it'll be like a nice signing for us.
"He's been outside running with the physios but to actually do a warm-up and do some of the passing, obviously at a low-level warm-up stage with no contact whatsoever, will build his confidence up if he just gets around the players for a few weeks.
"And then physically he's got the summer to work and in pre-season can hopefully start competing from day one which is a big thing.
"For Nouha to start from day one with the rest of the players will I'm sure mentally help him.
"He's way ahead (of schedule), which is good.
"The original diagnosis was September time.
“The fact he's that confident and the physio is confident is very encouraging."
