Derby County interim manager Wayne Rooney has paid tribute to Colin Kazim -Richards for his performance in the Rams' 1-1 draw with Wycombe on Saturday, but says he will have to assess the striker's availability ahead of Tuesday's match with Coventry.
Having joined the Rams on a one-year deal back in the summer, Kazim-Richards was handed his first start for Derby by Rooney on Saturday afternoon.
The 34-year-old responded by producing an impressive performance, which included setting up Duane Holmes to open scoring, and Rooney clearly likes what he saw from the veteran striker, both on and off the pitch.
Speaking about Kazim-Richards after the game, Rooney was quoted by Derbyshire Live as saying: "I thought he (Kazim-Richards) was fantastic for us, he was a presence up there, he held the ball up well, linked play well.
"He ran out of steam a bit at the end, which is understandable, he hasn't played for a long time. He was left out of the squad for the Bristol City game and his reaction was fantastic. He has trained really well and deservedly started.
It
also seems sensible not to commit to using him at Coventry now if there is no guarantee he is going to be match fit, since that could expose him to greater risk of injury, which is the last thing Derby need right now.