Former Portsmouth favourite sent strong message by Blackburn Rovers boss as injury woes continue
Hayden Carter amassed 22 appearances for Pompey during his loan stay in the second half of the 2021-22 campaign.
Blackburn Rovers boss Valerian Ismael believes former Pompey loanee Hayden Carter has to assess everything in his life in a bid to get to the bottom of his persistent injury issues.
The 25-year-old, who became a huge Fratton favourite during his loan stint at PO4 during the second half of the 2021-22 campaign, has endured a frustrating start to the season, appearing in just one of Rovers’ 11 Championship contests to date.
Similar issues have forced Carter to remain sidelined for large parts of the new campaign, something which continues to frustrate Ismael, whose side sit 23rd in the table.
And the Rovers boss has sent a strong message to the central defender - making it clear he has to do whatever it takes to become injury free.
Former Pompey loanee sent strong injury message by boss
Speaking to BBC Radio Lancashire, the Blackburn head coach said: ‘Hayden Carter has made progress but not enough at the moment to play. We hope that we can integrate him into first-team training which would be good for us.
‘The main thing for players is to get consistency, training and playing, it helps to create momentum. Then you can compete.
‘He has everything to play at a high level as a centre-back but it's very important for him to assess everything in his life.
‘On the pitch, off the pitch, to make sure he's taking the right decision. If you have to change something, change it. He has done it.
‘I hope when he comes back he will find consistency. It's clear that we have to manage him much more than in the past. We thought he was stable enough to sustain the effort.
‘Before me, he had the same problem. It's a deeper problem with Hayden and I think he understands now what's going on. He is assessing everything off the pitch and hopefully the next change will be the right one
‘I think it's a bit of everything. It could be the distance you are living from the training ground, your bed/mattress, your food. It can be anything and you must assess everything.
‘Now is the time to assess that and find a new routine you are comfortable with to try and get a new result. That's what we have discussed with him, gone through everything we can influence. Only he can decide off the pitch what he does in his life.’
How injury issues could affect new Blackburn contract
The Ewood Park academy graduate would go on to pen a long-term deal, with that contract set to come to an end in 2027.
And Ismael, who is all too aware of the 25-year-old’s qualities, believes his injury issues could have an affect on any potential negotiations.
‘He has big, big potential if he can stay healthy. He can step up but time is running out at some point. He needs a full season of football and people judge how many games you can start or not, how many times you're injured.
‘It affects everything. It affects your performance, it affects your contract if you're re-negotiating, it decreases your value. It makes everything more complicated for everyone.’
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