The Wellington Phoenix's star striker Paul Ifill's football season could yet be over.
Ifill says he has another appointment to see a surgeon today "to rule something out" - despite an MRI scan yesterday confirming he hadn't sustained major damage to his left knee in the weekend's home thrashing of Newcastle.
The English-born Barbados international's trying to remain upbeat and hopes he may yet play a part in the remainder of his team's campaign, but he's set to sit out up to eight weeks and wear a moonboot for a month.
And if he needs an operation he won't be able to play again for the Phoenix this season.
Ifill, the side's leading goalscorer, was carried from the Westpac Stadium field on a stretcher early in the match after falling awkwardly but X-rays showed no significant break or fracture to bones just below his left knee and the scan confirmed he'd suffered a ligament damage above the ankle.
Ifill's injury will probably mean more gametime for strikers Dylan Macallister and Chris Greenacre, while young Marco Rojas can expect to be a key player as Ricki Herbert's side looks to shrug off inconsistency and push for a finals spot.
With nine regular season matches remaining, the Phoenix are seventh but level on 25 points with sixth-placed Newcastle and one point adrift of fifth-placed Melbourne Victory.
Their next match is against North Queensland in Townsville on December 27th.
