Exclusive:Portsmouth handed Connor Ogilvie injury frustration as wait for return goes on
News over the defender’s expected Championship return from knee surgery.
Connor Ogilvie’s bid to return to the Pompey fray has been delayed.
Pompey boss John Mousinho has confirmed the defender’s comeback date from knee surgery has been pushed back into November.
Mousinho on Ogilvie return: ‘Not particularly looking at this next run of games’
The versatile operator underwent two surgeries on his knee, which means he’s yet to play a minute’s football so far this season.
The hope when Ogilvie underwent the second procedure in August was he’d missed six weeks, keeping him out until the end of last month.
The outlook was then the middle of October would be the 30-year-old’s return date, but Mousinho has now indicated Ogilvie is still looking at between four and six weeks out of the equation.
That carries his absence up to the November international break, with a two-week halt to the Championship between the home match with Stoke City on November 7 and trip to Bolton on November 21.
Mousinho said: ‘Connor’s out on the grass now.
‘He’s just starting to jog, so he’s not particularly close to coming back into training yet.
‘I guess it’s how you define close, but he’s not particularly looking at this next run of games.
‘I suspect if we can get him out on the grass in his boots within a couple of weeks, then all together we are probably looking at four to six weeks from now.’
The Ogilvie news follows Mousinho confirming today Josh Murphy is on course for a Pompey return at the end of the month.
The outstanding winger was limited to two substitute appearances, before undergoing a second groin operation in August.
Mousinho said: 'Murph had surgery at the back end of August.
‘The original prognosis for him was eight weeks return to play from around August 27, so that’s what we’re still working on.
‘We’re about five weeks in, so I think that another three weeks will be reasonable for Murph.
‘It will be good to have him back, but it’s about keeping him fit.
‘That’s the big thing, that’s the big priority early on.
‘We’ve pretty much done the lot with Murph in terms of making sure he’s in a good spot to come back.
‘Hopefully he does that and fingers crossed he doesn’t break down again.’