Latest: Portsmouth deliver encouraging Colby Bishop update as popular striker recovers from heart surgery
Pompey have provided an encouraging progress update on Colby Bishop - but are still not ready to set a target for his return.
According to Rich Hughes, the popular striker is ‘on the road to recovery’ following heart surgery last month.
In recent years, rugby player Nick Iseikwe and footballer Connor Goldson have come back from similar procedures to continue their successful sporting careers.
Given the seriousness of the operation, Pompey insist they will not be putting pressure on Bishop to return to any deadline or timeframe.
Instead they will give the 27-year-old space to recover, with his young family by his side.
Sporting director Hughes told The News: ‘Colby is okay, he’s got a lot to recover from, obviously it’s a big surgery. He’s been in the training ground, he’s moving, he’s getting the steps in, he’s on the road to recovery.
‘We all love Colby, he’s a huge part of the football club, a huge part of the football team, notwithstanding the fact that the priority at this point has to be Colby’s health.
‘He’s got a young family, he’s got a wife, he’s just had a child, he has to get himself right and get himself in the best spot, physically and mentally - then we’ll worry about football secondary.
‘They are people, they are human beings, and he has to be right and feel comfortable. When that’s the case, we’ll integrate him back into the group when he is fit and ready to do so.
‘There is no target. Colby will be working to a schedule to return, there will be no pressure from the football club given the severity of the situation and the severity of the operation. There will be no pressure on him to rush back.’
Since Bishop’s heart issue was made public, the Blues have bolstered their striking options with Elias Sorensen and loanee Mark O’Mahony.
Christian Saydee has also started the last three Championship matches at centre-forward, in the process netting twice at Middlesbrough and earning the praise of John Mousinho.
Hughes added: ‘We’ve got some really good exciting options at the top end of the pitch.
‘Chris (Saydee), Kas (Yengi), Elias (Sorensen), Harvey (Blair), Mark (O’Mahony), we have some good players there and their jobs are going to be to keep it competitive, keep scoring goals, share the load and work really hard.
‘Colby will hopefully come back into the group as a very welcome addition at some point when he is fit and able to do so. We need to evaluate where we are and push on with that.’