Zamora to miss five months – Cruel blow to a man in the form of his life

It has been a bad season for injuries already with Manchester United’s Antonio Valencia suffering a horrible injury that will see him miss most of the season.

Suffered

The other nasty long term injury was suffered last week by Fulham striker Bobby Zamora. He will be out for five months after suffering ankle ligament damage as well as a broken leg, in the 2-1 victory over Wolves.

You have to feel really sorry for the twenty-nine year old striker who over the past season has finally fulfilled the potential and promise he showed as a youngster at Brighton nearly ten years ago.

Impressive

After scoring a very impressive eighty-three goals in one hundred and thirty six games for the Seagulls, Zamora was given his big chance in a move to Tottenham.

Things didn’t work out for the big man at Spurs where he made just eighteen first team appearances and found the net just once in an FA Cup tie. He moved on to West Ham where he fared better but still didn’t set the world on fire.

Scored

He scored forty goals in one hundred and fifty-two appearances for the Hammers and then moved on to Fulham.

In 2008-09, his first season at Craven Cottage, he continued in much the same vain as the last few years with just four goals.

Alive

However, last season, Zamora finally came alive and bagged nineteen goals to play a major part in helping Fulham to a fine mid-table finish in the Premier League and an appearance in the Europa League final.

His form gained the attention of England manager Fabio Capello who was going to include the twenty-nine year old in his thirty man provisional squad for the World Cup until an Achilles injury ended his chances of playing on the biggest stage of all.

Cap

Earlier this season, on 11th August, Zamora won his first England cap in the friendly win over Hungary, putting in an impressive second half performance as a substitute.

Three goals in four games for Fulham suggested that he was continuing to perform at the very highest level and that another fine season and further England caps lay ahead. Then a tackle from Wolves midfielder Karl Henry caused the damage that led to Zamora needing surgery on his right fibula last Sunday.

Hoped

It was hoped that the injury was a clean break some four centimetres above the ankle and that Zamora may return before Christmas. Unfortunately that is not the case.

Fulham manager Mark Hughes explained,

“The operation showed ligament damage so we’re probably now looking at five months. We want to help Bobby get back quickly and there are no concerns over his ability to get back to the level he was before he got injured.”

Shame

It is a real shame that a player who has suffered a few years in the wilderness should suffer such an injury blow just as he was enjoying the best time of his playing career.

I really hope that Mark Hughes is right and that Zamora can return this season and produce the sort of form again that has made him one of the most feared strikers in England.