Honda’s rare injury forces indefinite delay

Keisuke Honda‘s hamstring injury is one that the club’s medical specialist has only encountered once previously in 30 years.

An injured Keisuke Honda signs autographs after the match between the Melbourne Victory and Wellington Phoenix last week. Picture: Getty Images

Doubts surround just how long Keisuke Honda will be sidelined with Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat revealing the Japanese superstar has suffered a hamstring injury that the club’s medical specialist has only encountered once previously in 30 years.

While it has been suggested Honda will be sidelined for at least a month Muscat, speaking for the first time since the news broke on Thursday, said there was not enough data available to give an informed return date because of the rarity of the injury.

Honda, who had missed the past two games because of hamstring tightness, trained during the early part of the week and did not appear to have any issues before feeling a slight problem on Wednesday. He was subsequently sent for a scan, which revealed the situation was more serious than first thought.

“I am not a doctor so I am dealing in facts,” Muscat told the media yesterday as the squad wound up its final preparation for the game against Western Sydney Wanderers at ANZ Stadium tonight.

“It is a bit of a freak (injury) in terms of where it is. The specialist has only seen it twice and the radiologist has never seen one before.

“Keisuke is now 24 hours into his rehab and is already working diligently to get himself back in order.

“But, I don’t know when it (his return) will be because there is not as much data on this type of injury. I am being as transparent as possible because we have to err on the side of caution as well as look at the interests of Keisuke.”

Muscat said he was not happy losing Honda for so long, but that went for any of his players.

“You don’t like losing any player to injury,” he said. “It is disappointing but you have to move on. What it does is give an opportunity for someone else to step up and prove themselves.”

Victory have named Spanish midfielder Raul Baena and German defender Georg Niedermeier in their squad for the Wanderers match and Muscat says they are both shaping well.

“Things are starting to come together during this very busy period with all the games,” he added. “Losing Keisuke hurts but my focus is on the rest of the players and tomorrow night’s game.

“Raul and Georg are in the frame and we are facing a team that is likely to be very desperate.”

The Wanderers are coming off a 2-0 loss to Melbourne City — a result that has put coach Markus Babbel and the side under scrutiny. Wanderers fans are not happy, with the club’s supporter group (Red and Black Bloc) walking out of the City game 10 minutes into the second half in protest after several members were evicted for having a go at their players.

Muscat wasn’t buying into the situation yesterday: “It is dangerous to expect anything. The reality is we are concentrating on ourselves,” he said.

“I do know they have played some good football this season and we have had some entertaining battles with them in the past.”