Wellington Phoenix goalkeeper Alby Kelly-Heald has been ruled out for the remainder of the Isuzu UTE A-League season as he requires shoulder surgery.
Kelly-Heald will undergo a season-ending operation after an MRI revealed a torn labrum in his left shoulder, having dislocated his shoulder at training early this month which forced the 20-year-old to miss the Round 23 trip to Sydney FC.
CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR TICKETS TO THE ISUZU UTE A-LEAGUE
It means a premature end to Kelly-Heald’s debut campaign in the A-Leagues after the Kiwi youngster made eight consecutive starts following his January bow, keeping a pair of clean sheets for the Phoenix.
“Obviously I’m very gutted,” Kelly-Heald said, with 11th-placed Wellington due to host high-flying Western Sydney Wanderers on Saturday.
“When you start playing you see yourself continuing to play the rest of the season. You don’t anticipate any big injuries or anything like this.
“I’m disappointed I can’t finish the season off with the team, but I’ll be supporting on the sideline.”
New Zealand youth international Kelly-Heald remains hopeful of returning in time for the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Chile in September and October.
ACADEMY FOCUS: Germany international’s vision for youth football amid global ‘trend’ in A-Leagues
“If everything goes perfectly, there are no hiccups and we can get everything done really quickly I think there is a chance,” he said.
“It’s obviously not a high chance, but I think there’s still a slither.
“The rehab process now is strengthening it up until I get surgery and then post-surgery I’ll be looking at something around six months or so. I’ll be aiming for a bit quicker.
“Hopefully it’s not too tough on the mind as well as it is physically.”
With Kelly-Heald sidelined, the Phoenix will rely on former Tottenham youngster Josh Oluwayemi and Dublin Boon to step up.
WONDERKID WATCH: 18-year-old’s unforgettable Melbourne Victory debut written in the stars
Wellington head coach Giancarlo Italiano added: “I’m disappointed for Alby on a personal note because he’s done a lot of hard work to get the number one spot.
“It’s also disappointing for the team dynamic because since he’s come in he’s given us a lot of security.
“But once he’s had surgery he’ll be back in no time and it’s just a small little bump in his career.”
