Matt Hamshaw gives an update on Rotherham United missing man Lenny Agbaire
ROTHERHAM United are expecting new boy Lenny Agbaire to remain out of action for the next few weeks, manager Matt Hamshaw has revealed.
The Millers were unable to put a specific time frame on the centre-half's absence when he suffered severe bone bruising during the August 16 League One clash at Cardiff City.
They still can't say exactly when the summer signing will return but the boss has given an update on what the club are anticipating.
“I think it will be a number of weeks,” Hamshaw told the Advertiser. “It won't be months.”
The 20-year-old, who had been one of Rotherham's best performers in his four games since his switch from Scottish giants Celtic, is undergoing specialist treatment in a bid to speed up his recovery.
He is regularly paying visits to a Cancer Research centre to spend time in an oxygen chamber.
The defender, who signed a three-year deal, is a big miss for the Millers who believe he has the potential to become a leading man in their side.
“It's disappointing and frustrating because he was playing really well,” Hamshaw said. “He's a player we've pinpointed as someone we can build a team around.”
Rotherham signed a new central defender on the eve of last Saturday's clash at Doncaster Rovers and Sheffield United loanee Jamal Baptiste made his debut off the bench in the closing stages of the second half.
“He's a player with huge potential,” said Hamshaw. “I'm a big fan of his. It was tough for him at Doncaster, getting thrown in at the deep end with 20 minutes left of a game where were sending loads of people forward.
“But you see his size and his pace, and I'm sure that over the course of this season he'll be a good asset for us.”
The boss was frustrated by the defeat at the Eco-Power Stadium. His newly-assembled side have impressed in patches but have only four points from five matches to show for their efforts.
“I'm not saying we're playing well, I'm saying we're playing well in periods,” he said. “We've got young players who are learning their way. They will be good players.
“We have to change it quickly. If you don't, there's only one place you end up and we don't want to be in that area. There are encouraging signs.”