Etuhu criticised over challenge

Preston striker Adam Nowland has criticised his former colleague Dickson Etuhu for the challenge that left him a broken leg. Nowland picked up the season-ending injury during his side's 3-0 victory at Carrow Road a fortnight ago after coming out worst in a 50-50 challenge with the Norwich City midfielder.

Preston striker Adam Nowland has criticised his former colleague Dickson Etuhu for the challenge that left him a broken leg.

Nowland picked up the season-ending injury during his side's 3-0 victory at Carrow Road a fortnight ago after coming out worst in a 50-50 challenge with the Norwich City midfielder.

Referee Nigel Miller decided that it was a fair tackle and didn't award a free-kick - but after viewing the incident for the first time on video the stricken Preston man clearly has his doubts.

Speaking on ITV's The Championship programme yesterday, Nowland cleared Etuhu of any deliberate intent in the lead up to the challenge - but he agreed with interviewer Ally McCoist's assessment that the tackle was “pretty reckless.”

“I know Dickson as an ex team-mate,” he said. “I get on with him as a person and I know he would not go out intentionally to break anybody's leg. But yes, it was reckless at best.”

Nowland now faces a long battle to regain his fitness but told McCoist he was ready for the tough challenges that lie ahead.

“I'm feeling okay and I think I'm over the worst bit now,” he said. “It's two weeks since the injury happened so the discomfort is easing away. It's just the boredom that is getting to me now.

“It's about getting my head right. I've been a bit grumpy and hard to live with recently but now I am just looking for positives and I can't wait to get back into the gym.