Source: Eurosport
Wilko desperate to make Albion trip
Stoke defender Andy Wilkinson has been taking sugar injections in a bid to shake off a back injury ahead of next week's game at West Brom.Wilkinson picked up the injury in the early stages of last Saturday's win over Middlesbrough but played through the pain barrier until half-time when he was replaced by Stephen Kelly.An initial prognosis suggested it could take eight weeks for Wilkinson's back to properly heal but the tough-tackling right-back is so desperate to carry on playing that he has been receiving sugar injections."The ligament had completely torn off the bone in the back," he told the Stoke Sentinel. "And yes, it was quite painful."It came after the first tackle I made. I slid in and apparently twisted the back a bit."It's a completely new injury for me, although I jarred it in training beforehand."They have had to try to re-attach the ligament to the bone with the help of the injections."The sugar solution strengthens the ligament and speeds things up. Without the injections, it would be eight weeks, but now I'm hoping to be back for the Albion game."I want to play every game I can and I'm desperate to be fit for next week."Kelly will be favourite to stand in if Wilkinson does not recover in time for game at The Hawthorns but the on-loan Birmingham man has potentially 180 minutes of action to get through for the Republic of Ireland before that.He told the club's official website: "I was delighted to play on Saturday (in the second half against Boro), so hopefully when I come back from Ireland I will have the chance to play again."Every manager says to you not to get injured when you go away, just because as fantastic as it is for a player, but it must be a real headache for the club."When you go away there is a risk of getting inured, and playing two games in the space of a few days makes it difficult for the manager."However it's also more experience for your players and you can build on your reputation and ability."It's a different style of play but hopefully what I bring for Ireland I can produce on the pitch at Stoke."[LNB]
