EDDIE Howe described as “another huge blow” for Cherries the injury sustained by Charlie Daniels – but insisted the problem was “nowhere near as bad” as the issue that forced him to hang up his boots at the age of 29.

Full-back Daniels is set to miss the start of next season after last week having an operation to restabilise his left kneecap, which had partially dislocated in training.

In March 2002, the Cherries boss was forced off with a knee injury in his Portsmouth debut before dislocating his kneecap and chipping a bone under his knee in his first game back on the opening day of the 2002-03 season.

Following around two years of rehabilitation, Howe made his return on loan at the Dorset club in August 2004 before signing permanently three months later.

However, after battling through the pain barrier for several seasons, he called time on his career in the summer of 2007.

Asked if he had concerns for Daniels given the impact a kneecap injury had on own his playing days, Howe told the Daily Echo: “Charlie’s is a very similar injury to mine but nowhere near as bad.

“Fingers crossed, once he does all his rehab, he will be fine.”

The former Leyton Orient talent joined Simon Francis and Lewis Cook in the treatment room with knee problems, while Steve Cook and Andrew Surman are also sidelined.

Discussing Daniels’s injury further, Howe said: “He had an operation after he injured his kneecap.

“It moved out of its joint and it was a painful one for him.

“He had a scan and an operation to put it right. Hopefully, he will be fine in a few months.”

Howe added: “It is another huge blow for us because Charlie has a wealth of experience and understanding of what we want to do and how we want to play. We are going to miss him greatly but it is what it is. We can’t change it now.

“You add him to the other players that are not fit and available. It is a massive loss.”

Meanwhile, Howe praised the work of Cherries’ medical staff, whose swift action prevented Steve Cook’s groin problem from being “a lot worse”.

In an interview with BBC Radio Solent, the former Brighton defender revealed he spent six nights in hospital on a drip after an injection to treat a groin problem led to an infection.

Defender Cook described as “horrific” and “one of the worst days of his life” when he was unable to walk down the stairs at his home. He also said the infection could have escalated in severity and forced him to retire. Discussing the centre-back’s plight, Howe said: “Sometimes, when you are in my position you are not living that injury and that moment like Steve is.

“I was not aware he was in so much pain at the time. I was aware when he went to see the specialist how severe it could have been and how severe it was.

“Touch wood, he is going to be fine now and the medical team acted very quickly to identify the infection because if they had not it could have been a lot worse.”