The Jamaica international has been ruled out for the season having seriously injured his knee in their defeat at West Bromwich Albion at the weekend. The injury is not believed to be an ACL issue, but is cruel enough to have ruled him out for six months – which would date his recovery weeks into the Owls’ next pre-season.
Bernard was enjoying a strong second season having re-signed to Wednesday in the summer. Younger players have every chance of making a positive recovery from serious injuries and with this being the 24-year-old’s first serious problem it is hoped he will make a stellar recovery. The centre-half will go under the knife on Thursday.
“It’s a big one,” Röhl told The Star. “He will be out for the season, it will be six months at the moment. Tomorrow he will have surgery. It’s a tough one for us. You can prepare a lot of things but you cannot prepare to have three centre-backs out. When you have five centre-backs in the squad, three players that can play centre-half. You have three out and it is not a usual thing.
“It’s a tough one. We will help him and now I cross my fingers for a good surgery tomorrow and a good recovery. What it means we will see after his surgery. At his age, such a big one, it is not easy to take but we will stick together, help him and hopefully make him stronger.”
Asked how Bernard has taken the setback, Röhl admitted there was a degree of fear but maintained the club would fully support his recovery both physically and mentally. The German coach retired early from his own playing career having undertaken a flurry of surgeries as a young man.
“He is a little bit scared,” Röhl said. “It is his first operation and you never know what it means. From my experience the first one is always a little bit strange, you have it for the first one, the drugs and all these feelings. When you have more surgeries you get used to it but the first one is always nervous. Let’s see how it works and what they find. We will support him and we will find a solution.”
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