St. Mirren manager provides 'beautiful' update on injured Kenyan forward after six months out

STARS ABROAD St. Mirren manager provides 'beautiful' update on injured Kenyan forward after six months out

Imran Otieno • 07:40 - 25.08.2023

The lanky forward suffered a nasty knee injury back in February and is yet to return to action.

After six months on the treatment table, Kenyan forward Jonah Ayunga is edging closer to a return to action with St. Mirren manager Stephen Robinson providing a “beautiful” injury update.

The 26-year-old hobbled off with a knee injury during St. Mirren’s 1-0 win against Motherwell back in February which ruled him out for the rest of last season.

Ayunga enjoyed a brilliant debut season in the Scottish Premier League, netting seven times including huge goals against Celtic and Rangers.

The former Brighton and Hove Albion forward had joined St.Mirren from English Football League (EFL) League Two side Morecambe FC where he had previously played under his current manager Robinson.

Robinson was impressed with the work being put in by Ayunga as he steps up his rehabilitation following the nasty knee injury that has kept him out for six months.

“You see him running around now and his physique and the size of him. He’s a beautiful looking human being!

“He just excites me when I see him. As a player we’ll be delighted to have him back. He’ll be like a brand new signing for us,” Robinson told Daily Record.

It is however still not clear when Ayunga will feature for St Mirren with Robinson taking extra caution to prevent the injury from reoccurring.

“It’s difficult to put a timeline on it. When you’re coming back from these injuries you pick up little niggles and things along the way.

“We’re still looking at a minimum of six to eight weeks. He looks great and he’s doing well but I don’t want to put any extra pressure on him,” added Robinson.

Ayunga earned a Kenya call up back in 2018 but failed to feature, he is eligible to play for Kenya by virtue of being born to a Kenyan father and an English mother.

Robinson added that Ayunga will feel like a new signing after missing a majority of the second half of last season and will be looking to hand him a new contract.

“He’s someone we’ll tie down on a contract as well in the coming weeks because we see the value of looking after people when they’ve had a hard time.

“But we know the value he’ll bring to the squad when he’s fully fit again too,” added Robinson.