by Martin Spinks
martin.spinks@thesentinel.co.uk

GLENN Whelan appears to have survived his groin injury scare and is keen to return to the Stoke City team for Saturday’s Premier League trip to Blackburn.

Whelan has returned to training with no ill-effects and even decided against a precautionary scan on his injured groin.

The 25-year-old midfielder was forced to sit on the bench against Portsmouth last weekend after returning injured from Ireland’s controversial World Cup exit in France. But he reported: “I’ve just had my first training session since the injury and, touch wood, there’s been no reaction.

“I picked up the injury in training before last week’s game in Paris when I did the splits on a slippery surface.

“I did the same thing again in the warm-up immediately before the game. I played in the first half, but I think stopping at half-time meant I got cold and aggravated it. That’s why I came off.”

Whelan went for a scan in Stoke last Friday, but a power cut meant there were no images of the injury.

City boss Tony Pulis gambled on naming him among his substitutes last Sunday – and it wasn’t long before disgruntled fans were chanting his name in protest at his colleagues’ lacklustre display on the pitch.

“Hearing your name being chanted by the fans is a nice thing and always gives you a lift,” said Whelan, “but maybe it was at the wrong time because we had good players out on the field trying to do well.”

Whelan, a proud Dubliner who featured prominently throughout the Republic’s World Cup qualifying campaign, insists there will be no emotional hangover from his country’s agonising exit at the hand of Thierry Henry.

“Yes, I’m over it now,” he declared. “But of course it’s disappointing when you’re possibly 20 minutes from reaching the World Cup finals.

“Everyone was upset at the time and when the World Cup comes around next summer everybody will feel disheartened. But no-one can change it now.

“I’m back at Stoke now and trying to get back into the team because everyone talks about the last game you’ve been involved in ... and for me that was in France.”

STOKE are bracing themselves for approaches from Championship clubs ahead of today’s 5pm deadline for loan moves.

Newcastle are said to be interested in defender Leon Cort while midfielder Tom Soares has been linked with Sheffield Wednesday.