Flo still has a future at Leeds says Wise
LEEDS United boss Dennis Wise has played down suggestions that Tore Andre Flo's latest injury will signal the end of the striker's professional career.
Flo was forced to undergo surgery on his foot this week and is expected to spend eight weeks out of action after a 10-month spell at Elland Road which has been punctuated by injury problems.
Flo broke his foot twice last season, but a previous operation to pin a damaged bone was expected to allow the former Norwegian international to make a serious contribution to United's League One campaign.
Flo, however, has not started a single fixture this term and has now been sidelined after only five appearances as a substitute, but Wise has attempted to calm fears that the striker may now be heading for retirement.
Wise said: "We'll be patient with Tore.
"He may come back in about six or eight weeks and he'll be flying.
"It was important for him in his mind to be right.
"He's the type of player who can change a game and he's got so much ability in his feet. He's got a lot of skill for a big man.
"Tore's going to play an important part for us but at the moment we have to be careful. He's gone off to get it right and I'm sure that in six or eight weeks he'll be back.
"He's going to be very important towards the end of the season – and important person to us. We haven't forgotten about him."
The loss of Flo should soon be compensated by the return of ex-Port Vale striker Leon Constantine, who has begun light training and is working his way back towards the first-team squad.
Constantine broke his ankle during the summer and has not made a competitive appearance for Leeds but he is nearing a comeback, and experienced midfielder Shaun Derry is also on the verge of rejoining Wise's squad.
United's manager has not had use of Derry since January, and the former Sheffield United and Crystal Palace player has taken around 10 months to recover from a serious Achilles problem.
Derry has been training with United's youth team and Wise said: "He's very close.
"He's training lightly in case is flares up but we're putting him into it a little bit."
Derry's last appearance came during United's FA Cup third-round defeat to West Bromwich Albion while Leeds were in the Championship last season.
The 29-year-old signed a new three-year contract with Leeds at the beginning of the 2006-07 term.
But fitness problems have restricted him to 14 outings during Wise's year-long reign.
YEP
