Realistically, most players with ACL injuries take around a year to start playing again, and most need a few months after that to get back to proper match sharpness. She is only 26, so I think she'll recover fully - but I doubt we'll see her play much next season, and it won't be until the season after that I'd expect her back to get best.
Whether it's realistic to get someone in on a loan as cover, I doubt. We might be lucky and pick up someone like Diane again - out of contract, and willing to take a short contract as a trial - but I'm hoping for a genuine first choice option coming in, and that's not easy.
At any rate, let's hope Aoife comes back strong and fit.
The issue is, this isn't her first major or long term injury, this I belive is her third, and was definitely part of the reason why we managed to sign her from City in the first place.
If indeed she is out for a year or more, then that might put into question her future with us, as I don't know how long her contract is with us, but since most women's contracts are for about two years, then that might take her to the end of hers.
Do we offer her a new deal based upon not playing for a whole year, with a history of multiple long term injuries??
It is harsh, cruel & cynical, but there will be those at the club paid to make such decisions.
So, putting all that together, surely we have to bring in another CB, Thor isn't good enough, Millie, I think is our best CB, but she has been out herself for a while, & by the time of next season, it will presumably have been nearly half a year or more, since her last competitive game, so she will be rusty.
So that just leaves Caldwell, as our only match fit CB going into next season.....not exactly ideal....(touch wood that she doesn't pick up an injury.)
So I would definitely be looking to bring in a CB, we need depth, and we can't into next season, with just Caldwell and Thor, with questions over Millie.
Surely that would be utter madness, we have seen this season, what relying on people who have a history of long term injuries has done to us.
I don't wish to see Zelem playing at CB next season.
We can't afford to make do and mend, if we are serious about trying to break the triopoly, (if that is such a word, but hopefully you get what I mean) with the "big 3".
It is part of the reason why we jace dropped so many silly points this season, we can't afford to replicate that next season.