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Gannon-Doak set for Cherries return before season's end with eye on World Cup

Gannon-Doak underwent surgery on a hamstring injury he picked up playing for Scotland in their World Cup qualifier vs Denmark in November.

The Scot is progressing in his recovery, though, and Andoni Iraola gave an update on when he might be expected to return.

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“I think he's doing well,” Iraola told the Daily Echo.

“He has even done some boxes with us, the first part of the introduction to the group.

“It has been, I think, four months, a little bit more now. And I think the plan, or he should be definitely available after the break.

Scotland's Ben Gannon-Doak is carried off injured during the FIFA World Cup European Qualifying (Image: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire)

“I think he will start training with the group earlier even, but I think it's safe to say that after the international break, I think he will be ready to go and at least help us in this, after, I think we have seven games to finish the season.

“For sure, he also has his mind in the World Cup because especially for the Scottish players is massive. It's for everyone massive, a World Cup.

“But for them, I hear them a lot of times, not talking about the World Cup, and I hope he arrives in a good place there also.”

Gannon-Doak has international teammate Ryan Christie in the Cherries squad, too, who has also had injury struggles this term, but has returned to action recently.

Ben Gannon-Doak. (Image: Richard Crease)

Asked if having Christie in the team will help him stay connected with the national team even if he is not called up in March due to his injury, Iraola praised the togetherness of Steve Clarke’s squad.

“At the end I feel like the Scottish national team, they don't change a lot,” he said.

“They are more or less the same players. They have to play in different positions and some of them, they have like a guaranteed spot.

“I think this strengthens their togetherness and they are speaking a lot of time about the national team.

“I also ask questions more to Ryan because he has been there more time about other players, but I feel this togetherness in that national team that probably is one of the reasons why they qualified.”

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