Daryl Dike is likely to miss the first half of the English Football League Championship season for West Bromwich Albion, but it isn’t stopping his commitment to being a good teammate.
Dike remains sidelined for West Brom due to an Achilles injury he suffered in mid-April, an injury which is set to keep him sidelined until 2024. However, Dike has traveled with the Baggies during the early stages of the new campaign, remaining focused on helping Carlos Corberan’s squad in any way he can.
West Brom is unbeaten in its last three league matches, which featured victories over Swansea City and Middlesbrough to go along with a 1-1 road draw with Leeds United.
Although Dike’s presence on the field is sorely missed, Corberan praised the forward’s commitment to being a vocal leader on the sidelines.
“With Dike, he is someone still very young but someone who is mature, too, with a lot of experience and with a lot of commitment to the club,” Corberan said in an interview transcribed by the Birmingham Mail. “He was with the team in Leeds, in the dressing room, he was there because he is a part of this. I like when I see the injured players being a part of the process because this fact helps the player to better manage emotionally the situation.”
Injuries have derailed Dike’s development at West Brom over the last two seasons, despite him scoring seven goals in 23 league appearances in 2022-23. He has been reduced to only 27 combined appearances for the Baggies since joining in December 2021, forcing former manager Steve Bruce and current manager Corberan to adapt to life without him.
Dike’s return during the second half of the season could provide a major boost though for the Baggies, especially if they can stay in the top-six race over the next few months. He made an impact in several matches last season for West Brom and surely will be eager to get back to his best with a chance at promotion to the English Premier League.
West Brom sits seventh in the league table through four matches played and welcomes Huddersfield Town to the Hawthorns on Saturday in its final match before the September FIFA Window.
It’ll be a real shame if Dike can’t overcome his injury pitfalls and get healthy for an extended period of time, the talent is there to be a good to great ST in Europe and with the USMNT. Fingers crossed he finds some good luck and good health going forward!