Ian "Pepe" Goodison

SAN PEDRO SULA, Honduras- Dr Charles Roberts on Tuesday allayed fears that Jamaica’s defensive anchor, Ian Goodison will be ready for Jamaica’s CONCACAF Group B World Cup qualifier against Honduras here on Wednesday.

“If everything (his recovery) continues as we expect he should be ready and could have light training as early as Tuesday,” Dr Roberts said yesterday.

Goodison, a crucial part of the country’s defensive pillar during its historic qualification for the 1998 World Cup finals in France 1998, was the victim of a horrible challenge from Mexican captain Rafael Marquez. The injury left the tough defender motionless for a while but he managed to return to the field after treatment and soldier on to the end.

The defender who famously waved away attempts to be substituted in a World Cup qualifier in 1996 after being injured and stayed on to score in a historic winner over Mexico, suffered “a badly contused and abrased right inner thigh and inner leg as well a sizeable swelling on his lower leg and damaged ankle was left hobbling after the game.

“Since the injury on Saturday we have employed all the management elements – rest ice compression and elevation as well as electrical physical therapy modalities, in other words ultrasound and electrical stimulation,” Dr Roberts explained.

He added: “He was withheld from training yesterday will again be withheld today while we proceed with the same treatment.”

A crucial part of Goodison’s recovery according to Dr Roberts is the players mindset.

“Mentally he is a strong as ever and is prepared for the task at hand and that is going to be a major component in the recovery process,” he said adding that physically “majority of the swelling has been controlled as we have done compression bandaging as well”.

The player himself appeared never to have been in doubt about his readiness for the encounter which Jamaica cannot afford to lose if they are to remain a contender for advancement to the final round of qualifiers.

"You can't hold back when you are playing for your country, if you're going to hold back then it makes no sense playing for your country," said Goodison on Saturday night after the game while requiring support to climb the stairs but was still looking forward to the game.

Technical Director Rene Simoes said Goodison told him he will be ready.

“Goodison told me he will play and the doctor is confident he will be ready as well,” Simoes said yesterday of the player who will turn 36 before the end of the year.

Captain Ricardo Gardner and emerging midfield warrior Rodolph Austin are expected are expected to be ready also after being minor injury concerns.

“Gardner had an adductor muscle strain, commonly known as groin strain which we have been treating at home before the Mexico game. He played on Saturday with negligible discomfort.

“Him being left out of training was more precautionary than anything else. Additionally, the players who played all of Saturday’s games were rested,” Dr Roberts said of Gardner.

Austin he said has been having muscle fatigue “solely in the lower limbs” but should still feature.

“What we have been doing is giving him rest and light massage. We are also optimizing his hydration and electrolyte repletion. We are not worried about him (being available),” Roberts said.