Injury rules Jerome out for Birmingham City

Nov 23 2007 By Colin Tattum, Birmingham Mail

CAMERON Jerome has been ruled out of Birmingham City's match against Portsmouth tomorrow.

And Garry O'Connor is a concern to caretaker manager Eric Black.

Jerome had a hernia operation 10 days ago and Black said: "Cammy is progressing well. He has been in doing some bike work but it is too soon for him tomorrow.

"We hope, however, that he will be fit with three or four days' training behind him for Tottenham a week on Sunday.

"Garry has had the birth of a baby to contend with the last few days and he has done little if no training for a couple of weeks because of a groin problem.

"So there are one or two issues we have before selecting the team."

Stephen Kelly missed Ireland's internationals due to a knee injury but should be fit, while Neil Danns has an ankle problem.

Mehdi Nafti, who suffered a terrible whack in Blues' last match, against Villa, played for Tunisia in Austria on Wednesday but will still have to be assessed, said Black.

"We have got a rough idea of what we want to do," said Black, giving no clues as to whether he will field a 4-4-2 formation as Blues try to arrest a run of poor form that has yielded six defeats in seven games.

"We have to assess the full impact on the internationals who have returned first.

"I know Johan Djourou came off for Switzerland due to concussion in the week.

"Mikael Forssell played the full 90 minutes for Finland against Portugal, Fabrice Muamba the full 90 minutes for England under-21s, we will see how they are."