'It's an easy kop out': Portsmouth skipper sets record straight on injury blame game

Marlon Park dismissed the injury conspiracies and insisted: You can’t control these things.

Leading scorer Colby Bishop has become the latest casualty this season after hurting his left ankle in Tuesday night’s 2-0 victory at Burton.

Elsewhere, Regan Poole is out for the campaign, while Connor Ogilvie, Tino Anjorin, Anthony Scully, Josh Uluwayemi, Josh Dockerill and Liam Vincent are also sidelined.

Pack himself has recently recovered from ankle ligament damage, while fit-again Tom Lowery was 19th man at the Pirelli Stadium.

Some supporters have accused training ground pitches and the medical department of contributing towards the lengthening injury list.

Not so, according to Pack - especially as nearly all have occurred in matches.

Pompey’s skipper told The News: ‘It’s an easy kop out for people to blame the medical staff or training pitches without any knowledge of it.

‘When you look at it, it has just been one of those things. As footballers and management staff, there’s nothing you can control.

‘I am not privy to the whole medical side of it, but my one, for example, was contact and then an ankle, Connor Ogilvie was a match-day, Colby’s was in the game. With Regan’s ACL, they are always the ones most unfortunate and inconspicuous as well.

‘Tom Lowery at the start of the season, Anthony Scully, they were in matches. Although Tino’s was different, it was a muscle injury and it’s documented that he’s had a few struggles over the years.

‘The worst ones as players are the muscle injuries. If they kept happening, everyone would be looking at the schedule, the programming, are we doing too much? But with these ones, what can you do? Colby’s what can you do? You can’t control those things.

‘At the same time, it’s probably a good thing these aren’t muscle injuries, but it’s still a bit frustrating at the minute, although one of those things. 

‘The only training one I can think of is Yengi, which was a similar injury to mine. Saydee fell on him - if he falls on you then you’ll do well to get up!

‘The new medical team have been first-class. I’ve been really impressed with the whole medical department and, from my experiences, they are really, really good.’ 

Pack damaged his left ankle following a challenge from Wigan’s Charlie Wyke at the end of September.

That sidelined him six League One fixtures, although Saturday’s Northampton trip will represent successive starts since his return.

He added: ‘You don’t play the amount of games I’ve played without playing through some kind of injuries, but the day after I was in a boot and couldn't put any weight on it.

‘He caught me high and I’ve half ridden it and then, on the landing, have gone over it. It’s a combination of a bit of impact and then the landing.

‘It was a bad tackle, although I don’t think it was malicious or anything. It was a clumsy tackle from a striker. They were behind in the game - and unfortunately I was on the receiving end of it.’