Latics hope diet change will boost Danny

Reporter: Matthew Chambers
Date published: 09 April 2015


A SPOONFUL of sugar is the medicine Athletic hope will stop fainting forward Danny Philliskirk going down.

The hard-grafting 23 year old has been left out of Athletic’s past two matches after a dizzy spell against Bradford was followed by a similar turn on the morning of the recent Bristol City game.

Hospital tests showed Philliskirk - renowned as a fitness fanatic who maintains a very strict diet - had low blood-sugar, which is believed to have contributed to his depleted energy in the late stage of fixtures in recent months.

The full results of the tests aren’t yet back, but medical staff hope an adjusted diet with the intake of energy gel during games, will finally help the Oldham-born player back to full speed.

And it isn’t before time for the player Athletic’s next two games are against Sheffield United and Coventry, both his former clubs.

“I hate missing matches and it is very frustrating sitting at home watching the results come in,” Philliskirk said. “I’ll be banging on the door to be involved again now. Dean Holden told me that until the problem is fully sorted, he wouldn’t risk me. If something happened they would feel responsible.”

Philliskirk, whose contract runs to the end of next season, admits that he hasn’t lately been hitting the heights of his game. Operating behind two strikers, he craves more goals.

As a player praised for his team ethic by successive managers, he suggests his role at the tip of the midfield diamond isn’t without its defensive responsibilities.

“I feel like I’ve sacrificed some of my forward play to do defensive duties as well,” he said. “I think some people underestimate the number 10 role in the side. It isn’t a free role at the top of the diamond and you are part of that four-man midfield.

“I haven’t scored as many goals as I would have liked for sure and I do want to put that right. It’s been an up and down season, but hopefully we can finish positively in the final five games.”

twitter: @Matt_Chambers_