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Yak Making Good Progress

Physio Mick Rathbone reports on Everton's long-term injury absentees.

Yak Making Good Progress

Everton physio Mick Rathbone remains optimistic Yakubu will be ready for first-team action early in the new campaign.

The Nigerian will meet a consultant in London on Tuesday to discuss the final throes of his rehabilitation from the Achilles injury he sustained last November.

Rathbone believes the striker will be told he is ahead of schedule but warned the 26-year-old will need time to rediscover the levels of fitness required for a 90-minute battle in the Premier League.

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Yakubu himself told evertonTV he is confident he will be back in time for the big kick off but Rathbone says the severity of the injury means the African will not be rushed back to action.

"To say he (Yakubu) is touch and go is a fair assessment," he said. "He's probably a little bit ahead of schedule and we're pleased with him but it's a big step from being with me to actually starting a game in the Premier League so there's a bit of water to go under the bridge yet.

"He's doing really, really well but obviously he had a really nasty injury. I'm going to London with him tonight to see the consultant who I'm pretty sure will give us the go ahead to get him involved in the final stages of pre-season.

"He's trained really hard during the summer, he's in good shape and I'm really pleased with him."

Rathbone was also pleased to report Mikel Arteta and Victor Anichebe - who have both been sidelined with knee problems - are recovering as expected.

Meanwhile, Phil Jagielka will meet with his surgeon this week to decide whether he is ready to step up his rehabilitation from the cruciate knee ligament injury which ruled him out of the FA Cup final.

"Mikel has done a lot of his rehabilitation in Spain during the summer with Joaquin, a Spanish physio who we know well," said Rathbone. "He's been in good hands. He's doing very, very well and it looks good.

"Victor had a bad injury at Newcastle - which we all saw - but he's made good progress too and we're pleased with where he's at.

"Phil is going to see his surgeon on Wednesday. He's now 11 weeks post-op so he'll probably start doing a little bit more work.

"He's on target but if you rupture your cruciate ligament you're going to be out for a given length of time to allow for the healing process.

"They're not going to come back in three months from injuries like they've had and it's a mistake to push them back before that. We need to get them back as quickly as possible but we mustn't hurry them back and they must be fully rehabilitated."

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DAVE HUNTERI keep reading comments about got to buy now and remember last season! Late signings but finished 5th and fa cup final. Have people got short memories. We can't compete with most premier league clubs due to lack of funds Not Moyes' or the boards fault. Blue Bill and the board will back Moyes to the best of their ability. We can't keep borrowing money from the bank or in a few years we may be another Leeds United! Until we get a sugar daddy who 'cares' about the club we will have to keep struggling every transfer window. Surely everybody can see that?

Thursday 16th July 17:08 Report Comment

Pat Fineganwelcome back yak... brennan and clive are right were a couple players away from the top 4. we have a great coach and plenty of heart but we need to fill some places and bolster up some others.

Wednesday 15th July 20:41 Report Comment

brennan finneganI agree with Clive Tayor ie we'll go backwards with no new signings. This is the time to challenge for a top 4 place. To boost the current players a good signing is needed, now with 4 weeks of the transfer window to go instead of 4 hours like last season.

Wednesday 15th July 17:45 Report Comment

William FooteThen we need a few more signings for the start of the season and quick! Remember last year?

Wednesday 15th July 04:24 Report Comment

James WilkinsonGreat news, cant wait for him to start scoring goals again, also everton do need to make signings becasue if last season is any indication we had no depth at all, i agree about mbia, dont sign him, instead we should sign lorik cana, same position and he is available for 6 mil which is half the price, he would be a perfect replacement for carsley. Also wouldnt mind to see naughton but i think neeville is capable of filling the right back role, also would like to see moutinho or defour in the royal blue shirt this season.

Wednesday 15th July 04:04 Report Comment

brian kellyWith them 4 back pos kyle naughton as long as everyone is fit and rodwell and gosling more experianced do we really need a big player on big wages distruptin the dressin room. Were the proper club in liverpool the peoples club blue and proud.

Tuesday 14th July 11:35 Report Comment

Craig Webbto hear that yak, mikel, vic and phil are all making progress is fab news! I just cant wait until all 4 are back fully fit again - just think what we could have achieved last season with a fully fit squad. i have a great, exciting feeling for an improved season! The likes of city and spurs will not be an over ngiht success with all their "big" buys whereas we have a very strong "core" and "passion" which is worth millions! COYB

Tuesday 14th July 09:54 Report Comment

Clive TaylorExcellent news on the Yak and Mikel, the way we are going in the transfer market we need all our injured players back asap. Reports are suggesting that Spurs have offered more money for Kyle Naughton and we are set to lose out. Does this come as a suprise to anyone? Classic Everton. Villa are also reported to be spending £24million this week on two players and we all know about what Man City are doing. We are going to go backwards if we keep missing out on our transfer targets, all the good work that was done last season will be undone. If we don't show more ambition, pay what players are worth we are going to lose the top players WE have.

Tuesday 14th July 09:14 Report Comment

DAVE HUNTERIt will be great to have The Yak back, as long as he doesn't rush it. On a different matter has anybody noticed that when Moyes goes for a lower league player other top managers also go for them. They know the great deals Moyes has done before with lower league players, and appear to just sit back wait for Moyes to find another gem then try and steal from us.

Tuesday 14th July 09:07 Report Comment

John HauI just can't wait we could soon "Feed the Yak" again, hope everything goes well and we did see you for the start of the new season. Also a question over Kyle Naughton according to the Sheffield United OS we had a bid accepted by them, what' going on now? Do keep us up to date with the progress!

Tuesday 14th July 08:01 Report Comment

real realnice ,come on

Tuesday 14th July 03:45 Report Comment

Matty Wilsoncant wait to see yak back in action he will feel like a sort of new player hes been out that long. everton will be looking very powerful next season when everyone gets fit and maybe 3 or 4 new faces and we could be looking at 4th place

Monday 13th July 22:20 Report Comment

Paul Ellamgood to hear yakubu is getting back to full fitness, with his goals we could mount a strong challenge. on a seperate subject - please dont buy that m'bia geezer - he is just a waste of time! one minute he wants to sign, the next hes off to stoke, then hes dreaming of marseille - just tell him to sling his hook!

Monday 13th July 19:53 Report Comment

colin dolmanGOOD NEWS THAT THE YAKS AHEAD OFF HIS SCHEDULE IT WILL BE GOOD TO SEE HIM ON THE PITCH COME ON THE YAK WELL COME BACK

Monday 13th July 19:31 Report Comment

brennan finneganIts great to read all the articles are so positive and those like Jeremy Tinston who think we will become a top 4 club this season. Alas we failed last season mainly because we failed to sign anyone till the last few hours. This caused unrest amongst the squad seeing all other clubs adding except Everton. It took Fell 2 months to settle in and the results were poor. If wed played as in the last two thirds of the season wed be a top 4 club. At least this year we appear to be trying to sign a quality player, so heres hoping we get one in the next few weeks. Sorry to be negative but this is the season to break into the top 4 with all above us losing good players. TOP 4 please.

Monday 13th July 19:18 Report Comment

David GrundyArguably the richest and most talented group of our players ever to sustain serious injuries like these at about the same time. Absolutely essential they all get the best help and advice possible and they do NOT try and speed up the natural healing process by even one day. I can't wait for the day these stars are all playing at levels close to their best again. If we are to break back into the top 4 again this season, we will need them all available for the first team. Best wishes from all Toffees. You are getting much closer but please don't rush this. Much too important. COYB

Monday 13th July 18:40 Report Comment

Jeremy Tinstonexcellent news that the Yak's ahead of schedule, I'd rather you get yourself fully fit for the new campaign b4 u'r return, don't want to rush back and risk further injury that goes for all our players on the long injury list. We're gonna need all of you this season if we're gonna break in to the top4, when we have evry1 back from injury we will be an awesome team top 4 material even if we don't sign any of the so called top players that make high demands. Moysey has proved year after year that we can compete without the BIG summer signings, i don't need to name all the "lower league" players that have be brought in and excelled.. plus all the younger players moved in or coming up through the ranks. we have a quality squad now. COYB's

Monday 13th July 18:02 Report Comment
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