Midfielder Bryn Morris set for injury D-Day as he closes in on end to Pompey nightmare

And Kenny Jackett has challenged the midfielder to have a strong end to the season as Pompey near a clean bill of health

Morris is today due to step up his training return today from the abdomen problems which have besieged his Fratton Park career.

That means the 23-year-old will start working with a football again with an end to the 11 months of issues on the horizon.

Morris underwent surgery in Germany last October to deal with the injury, but that proved unsuccessful.

He has since undertaken a gruelling rehabilitation programme set by a Harley Street abdominal specialist, however, and the former England age-group captain is now quietly confident the work will reap dividends.

Jackett praised the man who arrived from Shrewsbury last year for the work he’s put into getting over his injury woes.

Now the Pompey boss is hopeful he can take the final steps back to boost his midfield options.

Jackett said: ‘Hopefully Bryn has now built it up to a level.

‘If he does get back, which I think he will, he would’ve deserved it because he’s not sat around.

‘He’s not sat on his hands. He’s not a person to sit on his hands and he does work hard.

The proof will be in the pudding in terms of how he goes outside and can get back into training.

‘He’s a really fit lad who works hard in the gym and outside in terms of work-rate.

‘Hopefully, the results will then show and help him in that area to have a really good finish to the season if possible.’

A return for Morris would mean a return for the club’s only current long-term injury absence.

Andy Cannon is the only other player missing at present, with the attacking midfielder eyeing a weekend return from a glute problem.

Morris has been restricted to eight appearances in his Pompey career to date, and played the majority of those games through pain.

So Jackett feels he needs to have confidence in both the problem area and the rehab work he’s undertaken.

He added: ‘Bryn wants that stomach area to be rock solid.

‘It’s not an area you can play with pain. It’s just a very sensitive area.

‘The lower abdomen and higher groin in a sensitive area. If it’s wrong, it’s wrong.

‘We’ve had everything with him. Cameras inside him, operation and scans.

‘But you don’t need a lot wrong to have pain in that area.

‘The idea is to build it up be rock solid for when he comes back.’