Portsmouth boss sets Bryn Morris a target as midfielder finally starts to make encouraging injury progress

The Pompey midfielder has made encouraging recent progress as he battles back from his long-term injury.

Morris has missed the entire campaign so far with an ongoing abdomen complaint.

He travelled to Munich in October to undergo surgery to the stomach area, but the procedure failed to solve his issue.

The former Middlesbrough man has since moved on to a different fitness programme, however, and it is beginning to bear fruit.

He's now two-thirds of the way into his new regime, with Jackett optimistic it will finally be the end of Morris' perennial problems.

Now his aim has to be returning to match action before the season’s closure.

Blues boss Jackett said: ‘Bryn is eight weeks into a 12-week strengthening programme.

'The abdomen area is very sensitive. It's a 12-week programme of extensive strengthening with different exercises.

‘It's hard work and he is working hard. Hopefully, his body is durable when he does come back, but the abdomen is a tough area.

‘It’s not an area you can put up with a lot of pain and is unusual for footballers – usually, it’s knees and ankles.

‘This one is somewhat unique and if you have pain, it is hard to do sport.

‘Bryn has got his head down and working with a new specialist on a new programme. He does think he is progressing in terms of being durable to get outside and run and do it on a regular basis.

‘It is improving and coming. I am expecting this to be the end of his problems once he gets to the end of this road.

‘I do think he’s got to target being able to play again this season and I do think he'll be able to do that.