Dean Smith admitted he had been left staggered by the progress Alan Judge has made from his horrific double leg break.
The Brentford player of the season suffered the injury at Ipswich in April after a reckless Luke Hyam challenge.
Despite the severe nature of the injury, the Irishman can walk for a time unaided and is already running in the club's anti-gravity treadmill.
Smith said: “It's really good progress and it shows how modern medicine has moved on. There's the injury he's sustained and three or four weeks later he's off his crutches and walking.
“I know he's got the big metal rod in there but it still staggers me to see that and then seeing him doing his running on the anti-gravity running machine.
“I'd like to see him keep his fitness up. I've spoken to him a few times. He went over for the Ireland friendly. He's in good spirits and hopefully he can be back sooner rather than later.”
Judge is also out of contract next summer and the club are yet to offer him a contract extension to give him breathing space as he recovers from his horrific double leg break.
Smith explained: “I don't believe there's been contract talks as yet but Alan knows how much the club think of him.
“I think the fact that Matthew Benham was in his hospital room straight after the final whistle shows what Brentford think of him.”
