CARL Fogarty is to undergo an Alan Shearer-style cruciate knee ligament operation in a bid to put him back on top of the motorcycling world. And the Blackburn rider could not be in better or more experienced hands when he begins the recovery process after next week's surgery.

For Fogarty will be under the direction of Mike Pettigrew, the man who - as Blackburn Rovers physio - ensured that Shearer came back just as good, if not better, than before.

"It's an old injury. Carl fractured his femur a couple of years back and there has been wear and tear," said Pettigrew, who has his own private practice.

"The knee has never really been stable since.

"But we have been pushing to get it done because Carl wants to make a big push for the world championship next season."

The operation to reconstruct the anterior-cruciate ligament will be carried out by orthopaedic surgeon Peter Turner in Worcester next weekend. After Shearer had his operation, it meant Pettigrew working seven days a week for months with the England striker.

But the same fitness demands - no running, for example - are not needed for motorcycling and, while Fogarty and his physio have a lot of hard work ahead of them, he could well be back on a bike within six to eight weeks.

"It's very similar to what Alan had to have done but we expect Carl to be back a lot sooner," added Pettigrew.

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