Jack Ross reveals the lengths Aiden McGeady has gone to in bid to spearhead Sunderland's promotion ambitions

Jack Ross has revealed how Sunderland are planning to deal with Aiden McGeady's ongoing injury issue - with the winger determined to continue playing.
Aiden McGeady has been nursing a broken foot to feature for SunderlandAiden McGeady has been nursing a broken foot to feature for Sunderland
Aiden McGeady has been nursing a broken foot to feature for Sunderland

The Irishman - who was named in the PFA League One team of the year earlier this week - has revealed that he has been playing with a fractured foot since the Black Cats' trip to Accrington at the start of the month.

That injury initially saw his impact limited, with Ross concerned that his season may be over.

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But thanks to careful management, Sunderland have been able to utilise the wideman in their recent outings and he looks set to feature once again when Portsmouth visit the Stadium of Light on Saturday afternoon.

Ross, though, will continue to monitor the former Celtic man's injury and admits he would have no hesitation in taking him away from the line of action - even though McGeady himself remains desperate to play his part.

"There's probably different parts to it," said Ross.

"If around the time he had the injury, the medical advice had been was that his season was finished, then we would have accepted that - both Aiden and myself.

"We had to get two or three different opinions on that, but once we understood that there was a chance of him playing that changed our thought process a little bit.

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"Then it becomes a dialogue between Aiden and myself along with the medical department to see if there's a possibility to play.

"We obviously got to that position where we could do so and his contributions in the games he's played has still been good."

"It's a trade-off at the moment," he continued.

If there was a significant deterioration then we would change our thought process on it.

"That's been something we've looked at on a day-by-day and week-by-week basis.

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"We've never made the decision that we will continue as is until the end of the season, or rule him out, we've just looked at it week-by-week and made judgement calls every time we're close to a game.

"His determination to play a part has been evident from when he first had the injury.

"But he's mature and sensible. He's at an age where we can have that conversation and hopefully he feels he can speak openly with me about it.

"I've got a duty of care to him as well. If it was so bad that it was going to affect him, then we wouldn't do that if it would affect his future."

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Ross is not expected to have any fresh injury worries when Pompey come to town - with the Black Cats nearing a fully-fit squad.

"We're edging back to pretty much a fully-fit squad," he admitted.

"Duncan Watmore is the only one remain who remains out as such, he's getting closer as well.

"There's a few out there who have only returned to training this week."