The world is an unfair, harsh, cruel place.
Todd Kane's knee scans have come back and confirmed our worst fears: ACL, 4-6 month recovery, minimum.
Results of scan. Thanks for all the support I'll come back stronger. pic.twitter.com/ulUZZZ2kXi
— Todd Kane (@Toddy_Kane) April 22, 2016
Long time readers of the blog will know that Toddy is perhaps my favorite youth prospect / loanee in the Chelsea system, a boy who's Chelsea through-and-through, a lifelong Chelsea fan literally growing up on the club since joining before age 8. Cut him, and he bleeds blue. He's won everything as an Academy player while also serving as captain for the U18 and U21 sides. On that famous May 19th night in 2012, he was there, part of the traveling squad, standing right next to John Terry as Didier Drogba rolled home the winning penalty kick.
Recently the 22-year-old had publicly re-declared his undying love of Chelsea, saying that he'd sign a 10-year contract if one was offered even though his opportunities to break into the first-team have been limited. But he was having a very good season on loan in the Eredivisie with NEC Nijmegen, and had even gotten a mention from Director of Football Michael Emenalo in the national press.
"...look at somebody like Todd Kane, who has been outstanding [at NEC Nijmegen] in Holland and should come back and really compete for a place in the squad at right-back. There are signs this will happen and it will feed back to these players who are in the academy, and they will have hope."
-Michael Emenalo; source: Guardian
Hope. Such a dangerous word.
With two years left on the three-year contract he signed last summer, Kane was ready to join up with the first-team for the upcoming preseason before deciding the next step in his career. But he suffered a knee injury over the weekend, with scans confirming the worst possible outcome. He's the second Chelsea player in just a couple months to tear his ACL, with young Kurt Zouma doing so in a game in February as well.
I'm fairly devastated by this news. Sure, our best full back, Cesar Azpilicueta tore his ACL when he was 21 and two years later he was making the move to the big time with Chelsea, but even with the help of modern medicine, ACL injuries can have career-altering effects. This is why we can't have nice things.
Absolutely gutted! Scan tomorrow and praying it's not to bad. thanks for all the support. pic.twitter.com/wXElGWAlsn
— Todd Kane (@Toddy_Kane) April 20, 2016