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RADOVAN Pavicevic has been released from hospital, but it could be six months before the Jets youth team striker has fully recovered.
Pavicevic had a metal plate and 12 screws inserted in his left humerus after breaking his upper arm in a challenge in the Jets’ 2-0 win over South Cardiff in the Northern NSW National Premier League at Ulinga Oval on Saturday.
The teenager crashed into the metal railing on top of the fence around the ground.
‘‘His arm is in a sling and they have started work on getting his elbow and shoulder moving,’’ coach James Pascoe said last night.
‘‘However, there is still concern around possible permanent nerve damage.
‘‘He lost function in his wrist on Saturday night. That could be due to the swelling and the trauma compressing the nerves. It could take three to six months before that comes back fully.
‘‘Our physio was at the hospital this morning when Rad was released and spoke to the surgeon. They have not given us a time frame.’’
Pavicevic travelled with his father yesterday to their home in Sydney, where he will spend 10 days.
‘‘He has a little program to do across that period and then start a full-blown rehabilitation program,’’ Pascoe said.
The challenge by defender Matt Darr on Pavicevic did not result in a free kick.
Gunners coach Greg Asquith described the tackle as a ‘‘freak accident’’, but it has raised concerns over the proximity of the fence at Ulinga Oval and other grounds.
Under NPL rules, perimeter fencing should be five metres from the sideline and three metres from the byline.
‘‘We do have NPL facilities match-day requirements for all clubs which was implemented at the beginning of the year,’’ Northern NSW’s football operations manager, Alan Nisbet, said yesterday.
‘‘It is a working document because our clubs obviously already have the fields, council fields, they play on.
‘‘What we are doing is working with the clubs as best we can to implement the regulations over a period of time.’’
Pavicevic was the table-topping Jets’ leading scorer.
‘‘There is no doubts that he will be missed,’’ Pascoe said. ‘‘Rad has scored eight goals in 11 games, but that is eight out of 36 goals. Left back Ben Hay has scored five or six, Beau McDonald has six or seven, Brandon Lundy is about the same. We have goals in us.’’
Liam O’Reilly, Cody Carroll and Sam Waller are contenders to replace Pavicevic.
● Central Coast’s Josh Rose and Storm Roux, Sydney FC’s Sasa Ognenovski and Ali Abbas, and Western Sydney’s Matthew Spiranovic and Tomi Juric are the first players to join Alessandro Del Piero in the A-League All Stars to face Juventus at ANZ Stadium on August 10.