Mikey Johnston verdict after West Brom winger plays first minutes in five months
The winger made positive steps in his return from a serious injury.
Albion will not take any undue risks with Mikey Johnston as the winger eases his way back from long-term injury.
Star winger Johnston played his first minutes in five months on Saturday lunchtime in a training ground 3-1 defeat to Notts County.
He played the first 45 minutes as a mixed Baggies group fell to a late defeat but a stronger outfit won 4-1 at Shrewsbury Town that afternoon.
It was welcome news of Johnston back in action after his broken ankle at Oxford in late February, which ended his season. Morrison insisted, however, that the 27-year-old still has a long way to go in his fight for full fitness.
“Yes, he's come back,” Morrison told the Express & Star. “He's had a few problems with it and we're just building him up nicely.
“But he's still got a lot to do.
“Yes (progress), but I feel he's still got a lot to do. We need to build him up gradually and not get carried away.”
Albion currently lack natural winger options after Jed Wallace and Karlan Grant exits this summer.
Asked about Johnston being ready for the Championship curtain-raiser at Norwich on August 15, Morrison said: “I think he'll be 50-50.
“So we've just got to keep building him up. I don't want to rush him and then he has another injury. We just need to be careful.”
With Johnston back in action, Albion’s sole senior absentee was attacking midfielder Tammer Bany, who did not feature in either squad on Saturday.
The attacking midfielder, a £3.3million signing 18 months ago, injured his hamstring on the final day of last season, which ruled him out for the World Cup with Jordan and has interrupted pre-season.
Morrison said of the attacking midfielder: “Tammer has been training now for 10 days, so we are just progressing him nicely. He’ll play some minutes maybe with the under-21s, or maybe as the games go on he can feature, but at this moment in time he is just building up his fitness.
“He’s as frustrated as anyone, he’s desperate to play football.”
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