Why the FA may stop Birmingham City star playing against Coventry City on Saturday | OneFootball

Alex Cochrane may not be able to feature in Saturday's West Midlands derby

Birmingham City may be without the services of first-choice left-back Alex Cochrane for the upcoming trip to Coventry City, as his availability mainly hinges on that of the FA's current concussion protocols.

The 25-year-old sustained a blow to the head in the second half of Blues' dramatic 1-0 win over Swansea City at St. Andrew's @ Knighthead Park on Saturday lunchtime.

After colliding with Swans winger, Ronald Pereira, after which the defender could be seen visibly with blood pouring from his face, he was replaced by Eiran Cashin with 10 minutes of normal time remaining after staying down for a period of time after challenging for yet another aerial duel.

As a result of the extended treatment, it was then decided by the medical staff at Chris Davies' disposal that Cochrane would be the subject of a fast-paced examination on the field, with the club having to adhere to strict guidelines set by the Football Association regarding a return to full availability for the defender, with a focus on the subsequent recovery following blows to the head becoming more and more prominent following several high-profile incidents in recent times.

Cochrane would have been delighted to see Lyndon Dykes net a crucial 94th-minute winner in B9 that ended a run of three successive defeats in all competitions for the West Midlands side, as they moved up to eighth place, accumulating 10 points from the first 18 available.

This, coupled with Coventry's goalless draw against Leicester City in the M69 derby sees the two local sides head into the upcoming televised fixture level on points, although Cochrane will face an anxious wait regarding his personal chances of taking part in the fixture.

Why FA rulings could stop Alex Cochrane from playing in Coventry City vs Birmingham City

Since the 2011/12 season, the FA have advised clubs at all levels to follow the strict Graduated Return To Play (GRTP) protocols, in order to successfully manage concussion injuries, regardless of their severity.

Such rulings state that a player can begin 'light jogging' or 'stationary cycling' after a fixed rest period of 48 hours, whilst football, jumping or spriting-related activities are prohibited during said timeframe.

It is then advised that players can partake in activities from football-themed to non-contact training, and that they do not partake in any contact training until 14 days after the incident. Those who have suffered concussion injuries are then given the all-clear three weeks after sustaining the initial injury if they have shown no further signs following a week of returning to contact training.

This could be a significant blow for Blues when it comes to calling upon the services of Cochrane once again, depending on how severe his blow to the head against the Swans turns out to be.

However, he could be offered a reprieve due to the Enhanced Care Settings, which state: "In some settings, such as in professional clubs, international teams and academies, there may be an enhanced level of medical care available with a team of healthcare professionals experienced in sports concussion management who take responsibility for an individualised, structured, multimodal, multi-disciplinary management plan which allows a closer supervision of a player's care and graduated return to play (GRTP).

"In these instances, a shorter timeframe for return to play (RTP) may be possible but only under strict supervision by the appropriate medical personnel as part of a structured concussion management programme."

The former Brighton and Hove Albion man was one of Birmingham's most consistent performers in League One last season, although his start to life in the Championship hasn't fully gone to plan.

He sustained an injury in the 2-1 win at Blackburn Rovers on August 16th, ironically another encounter where the aforementioned Dykes proved a late hero for Blues, and missed the following two league encounters against Oxford United and Leicester City before returning to action against Stoke City on September 13th.

Ethan Laird had switched to left-back in his absence to relatively impressive effect. However, with Lee Buchanan still sidelined after suffering an unfortunate knee injury last December, this could also see Jack Robinson move over to the left side of defence, although the ex-Sheffield United man formed a solid partnership on his home debut alongside Christoph Klarer in the heart of defence against Swansea.