The Herminator back for Stoke?

Pompey physio Gary Sadler has told The Pompey Site that The Herminator is back in training.

An added bonus to this, after hamstring and tendon injuries have kept him out since July, could be his availability for Stoke the weekend after next: 'the consultant had a look at Hermann and told him to carry on with his rehabilitation.

'He's now back in training with Guy Whittingham's development squad and is hoping to be available for the Stoke game.'

To be honest I would be pretty surprised if he returned to the starting line-up but I would not be surprised to see him take up a place on the bench should he be fully fit - and he has the best part of a week and a half to work on this, granted he cannot get match fit in this time but can work on his overall fitness.

Another man that 'looks' like he will be in contention for this game, having missed the Blackburn defeat after picking up a groin strain against Wigan, is Steve Finnan: 'he's started his rehabilitation work and is on schedule to start running again on Monday.'

Now he is a player that I would expect to go straight into the side as his match fitness will not be low, we just have to ensure that he is over the groin strain or he will just break down again!

John Utaka - who lets be honest has not exactly been missed, has he? - could also return to training next week with Papa Bouba Diop said to be 'progressing well' in his return from a hamstring injury, with Hassan Yebda being 'treated' by the Algerian medical whilst on international duty with them.

So, all in all some decent news on our injured players!

PLAY UP POMPEY!

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