Garry Monk has explained why David Bates has not been featuring in Sheffield Wednesday’s matchday 18.
Bates has appeared just once since his deadline day move to Wednesday, on a season-long loan from Hamburg.
And he has not even made the bench in any of the Owls’ past seven matches in all competitions.
That is despite the fact that Sheffield Wednesday have been without Tom Lees, their centre-back and captain, throughout that period and lost Lees’ early-season partner Julian Börner ahead of last week’s draw with Leeds.
Jordan Thorniley was promoted to the substitutes’ bench in place of Bates, as Sam Hutchinson, a midfielder, filled in for Börner.
And speaking via the Sheffield Wednesday Facebook page on Thursday, Monk confirmed that Bates will not be involved at Blackburn this weekend.
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“He’s been injured,” the Owls boss replied when asked about the Scotland international. “He’s had an injury up in his hip flexor area. He’s been out for the past two or three weeks.
“The plan for him is to be back into training next week. I think, generally, I try to work anyone who’s been over two weeks out, we try and give them a period of time when they do come back of football fitness and the possibility of playing two to three under-23 games to make sure that we tick all the boxes.”
Monk revealed that Börner could return against Blackburn, but Lees must come through Monday’s U23s fixture with Burnley before he is considered for first-team selection.