Boro striker Mido ruled out for season after hernia op
Mido has had a badly disrupted first season at the Riverside
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Friday, 04, Apr 2008 08:52
Middlesbrough forward Mido has been told he must sit out the remainder of the 2007/08 season after undergoing a hernia operation.
The 25-year-old has been experiencing discomfort recently as a result of the injury, and the Teessiders decided to act quickly in order to alleviate any long-term risk for their big-money signing.
Mido joined Boro for a fee of £6 million from Tottenham Hotspur last summer, and immediately became an instant hit with the club's fanbase when he scored twice in his opening two games for the club - including one in a 2-2 draw against bitter local rivals Newcastle United.
However, injuries have prevented him making much of an impact throughout the rest of this season after he suffered a pelvic bone injury in October that kept him out for three months.
It is thought the hernia operation may be linked to this earlier problem.
The Egyptian international, who missed the Africa Cup of Nations as a result of his fitness problems, has started only eight league games since his move.
And manager Gareth Southgate believes it is pertinent to have Mido back fully fit and firing on all cylinders for next season, rather than risk him again over the next few weeks.
The player would have been unavailable for at least the next game - at home to league leaders Manchester United - because of a three-match suspension following his sending off against Arsenal last month.
And with Middlesbrough almost assured of their top-flight place for next year with six games still to go, the club have erred on the side of caution.