Swindon Town

TOWN boss Paolo Di Canio has revealed that striker Andy Williams will be absent for up to one month after sustaining a calf injury in Saturday’s win at Bury.

“He will be out for around one month,” he said. “I realised straight away when he told me what he felt because I had the same problem, I had the same feeling and then the scan confirmed what I thought.

“After the game I said to him I am not magic man but the way you tell me how you are feeling now in this delicate situation, if you want to come back stronger you can’t stay in bed for two weeks, regenerate the fibres and go straight in. You have to work, make elastic, make it strong, work on the fitness then come back strong.

“One month can be three weeks, can be 33 days . I say one month because for me it took one month. For him he may be stronger it might be three weeks but we have to check gradually.”

The manager went on to tell the media at Wednesday’s press call that with Williams sidelined, Town would have to adopt a slightly different approach to matches.

He continued: “He is a main striker that has played every game. For his characteristic for his athleticism even if he doesn’t score many goals is the one that when the break is on, stretches the opponent when he attacks the space. Now we will have to play with a different characteristic on the field. We have the ability to play differently,  help people to get involved in a different way, go through different mechanisms and use our strength in a different way but it is a fact that Andy Williams was crucial to the way we play.

“Even if he didn’t score many goals the way that we prepare the chance for the others to score a goal. During his month out we don’t have one game or two games; we have six games. For one player, to change the approach and belief for the others - obviously he is not Diego Maradona - but this is a chain.”