Chris Coleman on the long haul back

The latest news on Fulham's injured skipper Chris Coleman does not make happy reading for Cottagers fans, as the player waits to hear whether he has a future in the game. Coleman was injured 10 days ago in a car crash in which he suffered a total of four broken bones, and has since had four operations on his right leg and ankle.

Coleman, 30, has been in constant pain - and doctors are keeping him under round-the-clock observation following his latest bout of plastic surgery.

His wife Belinda revealed further details of the extent of his injuries yesterday. "I'm just glad he's still here," she said. "There was no skin left on his leg - nothing to cover the damage at all. It's going to be a long haul back, but we'll take it bit by bit."

It seems doubtful that the Welsh international will be back in action within a year.

Should he get the go-ahead from doctors, Coleman will need no better incentive to get back to fitness than playing in the Premiership for Fulham - which is almost a certainty for Jean Tigana's first division runaway leaders