Hibs star Bamba 'will be ready for Falkirk'

Published on Thursday 26 November 2009 08:37

HIBS boss John Hughes today insisted Sol Bamba will be ready to face Falkirk on Saturday despite having a second injection in his troublesome knee.

The big defender has been bothered by a niggling knee problem since the start of the season and took a jag around a month ago to reduce inflammation in the joint.

However, the former Dunfermline star, having played three games in a week after missing the first Edinburgh derby of the season, was given another injection earlier this week.

But Bamba was expected to resume training with his team-mates, including Moroccan ace Merouane Zemmama who has been out since the win over Aberdeen almost a month ago, to prepare for the visit of the Bairns.

Hughes, though, admitted that while there was no immediate concern over the Ivory Coast internationalist's fitness, the situation was one which would need to be monitored.

Bamba was forced to pull out of the clash with Hearts at Tynecastle after hurting the knee in training the previous day but was able to travel and play for his country as they completed their successful World Cup campaign with a 3-0 win over Guinea before playing another 90 minutes in a friendly international against Germany, a match which ended 2-2.

And, although he arrived back in Edinburgh just 24 hours beforehand, Bamba was back at the centre of Hibs' defence as Hughes' side made it eight SPL matches without defeat in a 1-1 draw with St Mirren in Paisley.

Hughes said: "I don't think Sol was at his best against St Mirren but you have to understand he'd had a really hard week. He didn't train on the Friday and we did contemplate resting him because of all the travelling he had done and the fact he'd played two full international matches. But we felt we needed his physical presence in there and I was delighted to see him strip and show the character we are looking for, particularly in the horrendous conditions all the players experienced."

Although Bamba trained on Monday, he had a second injection the following day and has rested since. But today Hughes insisted there was no risk in him taking another jag.

He said: "It's just inflammation, to make sure there's plenty of lubrication in there followed by a couple of days' rest. It's not steroids or any of that stuff. It's a wee knee problem, but it's not swelling up. His programme might have to be a bit different to others to keep him ticking over and eventually it may be that he needs a wee tidy up."

Bamba is desperate to play both in the African Cup of Nations in January and again in the World Cup finals next summer, goals which Hughes wants to see him meet but, he warned, he doesn't want that to be at Hibs' expense. He said: "I want him to go and star in both of these tournaments but he also has to be performing for Hibs."