OH NO: Heartbreaking moment as Sunderland prospect confirmed will be sidelined for longer time than expected after sustaining brutal injury.
Sunderland U21s assistant coach John Hewitson has described teenage striker Jake Waters’ latest injury setback as “heartbreaking.”
The 18-year-old suffered a serious knee injury during Monday’s Premier League 2 match against Liverpool. Ahead of Friday’s Premier League Cup loss to Sheffield United, the Black Cats provided an update, indicating the injury was “significant” and would likely result in an extended period on the sidelines.
Tragically, Waters has already overcome a similar injury earlier in his young career. After Friday’s match against the Blades, Hewitson expressed confidence in the player’s resilience, saying: “It’s really heartbreaking for Jake because he’s dealt with this before and worked incredibly hard to regain full fitness. I see him every day in the gym, doing rehab and training on the pitch. The medical staff have been fantastic, and unfortunately, an innocent incident on Monday has caused this setback. But he was strong enough to recover the first time, and I have no doubt he’ll do it again.”
Echoing Hewitson’s sentiments, academy manager Robin Nicholls also voiced his belief in Waters’ ability to bounce back. He stated: “This injury is incredibly unfortunate for Jake, especially after he completed his previous rehab with such dedication. The timing is tough, but Jake has the character to tackle this challenge head-on and come back stronger. We fully support him throughout his rehabilitation. Before his first injury, he was the sixth-highest scorer in the U18 Premier League, which earned him an early professional contract with the club.”
Waters endured an 18-month recovery after his initial knee injury and only returned to competitive action this summer, playing in a pre-season friendly against Hebburn Town.