Blackburn Rovers: Big Ryan Hedges update could spell good news for one player in particu
Hedges’ injury could finally open the door for an Ewood Park teammate
Speaking on Tuesday, head coach Jon Dahl Tomasson revealed that the hamstring injury forced the winger off barely ten minutes after being introduced as a half-time substitute in his side’s clash with Ipswich Town on Saturday, could keep Hedges out of action for three or even four months.
That, it goes without saying, is a major blow for Rovers for a number of reasons. Tomasson has stressed the importance of having experience in his side on a number of occasions in recent times.
Yet despite being only 28-years-old, Hedges is the oldest player currently on the books at Ewood Park, so his presence will no doubt be a miss in that respect.
Indeed, it is also worth noting that Tomasson is working with a small squad once again at Blackburn this season, so the blow of having any individual out for such a length of time is only going to be enhanced for him.
However, in football, one player’s disappointment can often bring about an opportunity for another, and this setback for Hedges, could hand that to one player who has been waiting for such a chance at Blackburn, for quite some time.
How have things gone for Dilan Markanday at Blackburn so far?
During the same 2022 January transfer window that saw Blackburn complete the signing of Hedges from Scottish Premiership side Aberdeen, they also brought in another winger for the right hand side of their attack, in the form of Tottenham’s Dilan Markanday.
But while Hedges has gone onto become a regular feature for Rovers up until now, making 68 appearances in all competitions, things have gone rather differently for Markanday.
The former Spurs prospect picked up an injury on his Rovers debut in January 2022, that meant he did not feature again until the final game of that 2021/22 season, in what proved to be Tony Mowbray’s final match in charge of the club.
Following the appointment of Tomasson as head coach that subsequent summer, Markanday impressed in the cup competitions for Blackburn at the start of last season.
Yet despite calls from many for him to be given a chance in the league, the winger was handed just one substitute appearance in the Championship before being sent out on-loan – somewhat ironically in this context – to Aberdeen, for the second-half of last season.
Even that spell though, would not work out for Markanday, who managed just three substitute appearances for the Scottish Premiership side.
Returning to Blackburn for the start of this season, things did seem to be looking for the 22-year-old, as he started the club’s first two league games of the season, even scoring in the opening day win over West Brom.
However, since then Markanday has managed just two substitute appearances in Blackburn’s last six outings Championship.
Now though, the injury suffered by Hedges, means that Markanday’s own career path, could be about to take another twist.
What could Hedges’ injury mean for Markanday at Blackburn?
With Hedges now set be absent for a considerable amount of time at Blackburn, the club are going to need someone to step into to fill his void over the coming months.
That of course, could be a role that falls to Markanday. The winger returned to the starting XI for Rovers’ 5-2 win over Cardiff City in the third round of the League Cup, deservedly getting on the scoresheet in that victory, after an impressive performance.
Given he was making that impact at Championship opposition, he may well have played his way into the mind of Tomasson as he plans for Rovers’ upcoming league outings, especially given the need to fill that wide void out wide with Hedges out.
Of course, Markanday is not the only that Blackburn do have to step into that role, with Brighton loanee Andrew Moran also producing a standout performance against Cardiff, and Tyrhys Dolan on the books as well.
But with Tomasson stating after the game that he is hopeful Markanday will be fit for Rovers’ clash with Leicester City in the Championship on Sunday, after going off with ten minutes to go against Cardiff with what is hoped to be cramp, it does appear as though the 22-year-old is in contention for more opportunities in the league again.
Indeed, Hedges is going to miss plenty of matches given how long he is out for, so the need to rotate in that period, and the risk of other injuries or suspensions, means you imagine there will certainly be more chances for Markanday to stake a claim for a place in the starting lineup.
Should that happen, then given Tomasson has shown he is willing to stick with a player unless they give him a clear reason to be dropped, there may well be an opening for the 22-year-old to enjoy an extended run in the side.
Given he has been at Ewood Park for almost two years now without getting such a run the side, it seems that while Hedges injury is undoubtedly a blow for Blackburn, for Markanday this now presents him with an opportunity that he surely has to do all he can to take, in order to make the next step in his career.
