NEWCASTLE Eagles owner Paul Blake says the club is in “shock” after player-coach Fab Flournoy was rushed to hospital with a severe chest infection.
Flournoy spent the night in hospital after falling ill yesterday and doctors were running tests on the Eagles chief last night after what has been described as a “serious health scare” for the Bronx-born forward.
As of last night, this evening’s home game against Guildford Heat was set to go ahead as planned, with assistant coach Dave Forrester taking over from the stricken Flournoy. He will also be in charge for the trip to the Essex Pirates tomorrow.
Speaking last night, a relieved Blake said that Flournoy has been advised to rest for the foreseeable future.
“Everyone is shocked and quite upset about it but luckily he is going to be OK. We’re obviously concerned about him because he isn’t well, but it is not as bad as we first thought,” he said.
“On Wednesday he had severe flu symptoms and originally we feared that he might have a blood clot on his chest, which would have required immediate action because it is very serious.
“But the staff up at the hospital looked out for him and it is not quite as serious as we first thought. He is hooked up to morphine and is in a general ward but obviously he’s very tired and a bit weak at the moment.
“They are doing all sorts of tests and there is a thought that it could be chronic fatigue syndrome so we just wish him all the best now.
“I think it has shaken us all up, not least Fab, but we’ll obviously give him as long as he needs to recover from this.” Even in his weak state, Flournoy was desperate to be a part of the action this weekend but Forrester – who took the team for training last night – is in charge.
“The game is still on,” he said. “Dave Forrester will take over as coach for the two games at the weekend. He’s done it before and is an experienced coach. Funnily enough, Fab’s last words to (club chief) Sam (Blake) were that he would see her tomorrow at the game. That is pretty typical of Fab but her reply was something along the lines of ‘If you try and discharge yourself you’re fired’!
“He needs to concentrate on getting better and there is absolutely no chance of him being at the game on Friday night – no chance.”
Flournoy has had wretched luck over the past 12 months with injuries and has only just returned to playing after a long-standing knee ligament injury. He was also checked into hospital over the summer after developing complications from a hernia operation.
Just last weekend a crushed Flournoy was left on the verge of tears after his team were knocked out of the BBL Trophy in the semi-final stage – but news of his health scare puts that defeat into sharp context.
Back on the court there was good news for the Eagles as the Mersey Tigers suffered a surprising defeat to the MK Lions. That gives the initiative back to Newcastle.
