Bailey Wright intends to play a role in Rotherham United's battle against the drop even though his season has been cut short by injury, according to Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray. The Australia international suffered serious ankle ligament damage during the Millers' Good Friday win against West Bromwich Albion at the New York Stadium, and was back at the Academy of Light this week wearing a protective plastic boot.
Boss Tony Mowbray does not expect Wright to play again this season given that ankle ligament injuries generally take between six and eight weeks to heal and the Championship campaign ends in three weeks' time. The 30-year-old will undergo rehab work with Sunderland's medical team through the week on Wearside but will also return to Rotherham to support the South Yorkshire side as they look to keep clear of the relegation zone in the run-in.
The Millers are currently 18th in the table, three points above the bottom three and with a game in hand of their rivals, but cannot afford to relax just yet. Mowbray said: "Bailey is going to do some rehab here, he's going to work around their matchdays there and have his face around their dressing room.
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"He's enjoyed his experience [at Rotherham] and he's said they've had a bit of a curse around centre-halves - everybody seems to be getting injured - but they are fighting really hard and they have had some decent results in recent weeks. As we found when we went there [Sunderland lost 2-1 at Rotherham in February], you have to be 100 percent bang on it against Rotherham because they are definitely going to be that, and they are a very committed team.
"He hopes they can stay away from the bottom three. I don't think he's going to play again this season.
"It appears to me it'll maybe be June [before he is fit] - it's one of those that takes six to eight weeks, and the season is going to be finished in three weeks. He won't play again, I don't think, but that's me being a bit presumptious because he's wearing a pot and based on what our physio has said about how he has damaged his ankle ligaments."
Wright was in and out of the Sunderland team in the first half of the season, and he joined Rotherham on loan on deadline day in January for the remainder of the campaign. He made eight appearances for the South Yorkshire side, including six starts.
He is under contract with Sunderland until the summer of 2024.
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