West Brom boss outlines plan ahead for returning frontman

Tony Mowbray confesses he had to tell Daryl Dike to think about his future career before the

striker’s much-anticipated homecoming.

Dike, 24, returned to the first-team fold after more than a year on the sidelines, playing the final

quarter of an hour in Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Millwall.

Dike’s return from a second torn Achilles, his fourth serious injury in three miserable years with

the club, was delayed by a hamstring setback in October.
Mowbray said that he warned the powerful frontman that he couldn’t risk bringing in an eager

Dike too soon for fear of another breakdown, and that the United States international will most

likely play from the bench for the next two weeks.

“He’s only 24 and he has to be careful, look after his career,” says Mowbray. “I had to explain him

how I’d feel if I subbed him in because we needed a big attacker, and he broke down. Fortunately,

he has not and is OK.I believe he will be off the substitutes bench for about a month, and then

when he demonstrates that he can start a game instead of doing 20 or 30 minutes, he will do 60.

It’ll be slow, but he’s a terrific choice for us.”

Mowbray gave Tottenham loan striker Will Lankshear his whole debut at Millwall on Saturday,

while fellow window loan striker Adam Armstrong moved to the left side before Dike’s late

introduction.

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