Preston boss wants more accountability from personal trainers

Paul Heckingbottom took over at Preston almost exactly 12 months ago

Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom has criticised a personal trainer for an injury sustained by Daniel Jebbison.

The Canada forward, on loan from Premier League Bournemouth, missed the draw at QPR because of an ankle injury stemming from a private fitness session.

The 21-year-old is likely to be out for a month.

"I'm really angry about that," Heckingbottom said.

"There's a growing trend of footballers to work with people from outside.

"It's an accident, I get it, but it's not happening any more with any Preston players."

'Not punishing Preston any more'

Heckingbottom cited an example of goalkeeper Freddie Woodman, now at Liverpool, who got injured like this last season.

The former Sheffield United manager says he has no problem with players doing extra work to help their own game, but he is unhappy at the lack of accountability felt by their trainers in these private sessions.

"These guys work with these players and they post their work all over social media and they want to promote their business," Heckingbottom added.

"They're happy to take the money, but they don't give us any money back when they injure the players in their sessions.

"They'll not be posting on social media that Jebbo's out for a month, so I'll tell everyone that when they work with players they can put them out as well.

"If we injure players or they get injured in a game or in training or in our gym, then it's on us but it's us that suffer.

"Other people are happy to post all the positives and take the players' money, but they don't get any of the negatives out of it.

"So they're not punishing Preston any more, it's not happening."