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Ono … he’s no certainty for Wanderers

The Western Sydney Wanderers have not yet decided whether Shinji Ono is fit enough to play in their upcoming match against Melbourne Heart.

Coach Tony Popovic said the team would use Friday’s training session to decide whether Ono had recovered from a minor groin injury to play in Saturday’s A-League match.

“We’ll decide after training, when we sit down with the staff and come up with the team for tomorrow,” he told reporters in Sydney.

Popovic said players who return from injury often need to be eased back into the game.

“It’s not easy if you haven’t had many minutes (on the field). Training is one thing, but playing is another.”

He predicted Youssouf Hersi, who made a comeback in their last match against Wellington Phoenix after five weeks on the bench with a foot complaint, would not find peak form until next year.

“I don’t think his fitness now will be up to scratch for another maybe four to six weeks,” Popovic said.

“He’s training well but it will take him a bit of time to get him back to where he was before the injury.”

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