Dean Smith was coy about the timescale it would take for Alan Judge to return to action after Brentford announced the Irishman was to undergo a second operation.
The 28-year-old suffered a double leg break at Ipswich over 12 months ago and, although he had returned to non contact training, it was decided that he would undergo surgery again to return to 100 per cent.
The decision to operate will mean the midfielder will not return this season and Smith only wants Judge to return fully fit, rather than at 80 per cent.
He said: “It’s one of those things that we knew might happen. I think as the ground was getting harder, he was feeling things that he perhaps shouldn’t have, and only felt at about 80 per cent.
“He went to see the specialist and the advice was to go and have the operation. As disappointing as it is, it’s something that we half expected anyway.
“It will delay his return to the team but we want him to return at 100 per cent and so does he.”
When pushed on a timescale for Judge to return to full fitness, Smith batted it away saying: “I think that’s a question you’ll have to aim at our medical team rather than myself.”
