soccer season without the services of veteran midfielder Frank Ming, because of an injured Achilles' tendon.

Ming recently ruptured the tendon on his right leg, which connects the calf muscles to the heel, while chasing a ball during a game of squash at the Devonshire courts.

"I was just sprinting after the ball and heard a pop and knew right away it was something serious,'' said Ming, a former Bermuda international and a fixture in the Zebras' midfield the past 14 years.

Two hours of delicate surgery followed the next day as Dr. Joseph Froncioni worked to re-attach the injured band of tissue and it will be six to eight weeks before the cast is removed.

Still, Ming was optimistic that he would be able to return, possibly in the new year for the second half of the season.

"I think I'll be back,'' he said. "(But) it's frightening how it (Achilles) just went like that.

"I don't know how it will feel after the cast comes off, it will take quite a bit of rehabilitation.'' While the same injury currently afflicting the 29-year-old Ming is often career threatening, there are many who made full recoveries and returned.

Manchester United and former England captain Bryan Robson, whose colourful career has been littered with injuries, is one who has been able to return after being stricken by a bad Achilles injury.

Also making a miraculous recovery was American football player Lawrence Taylor, a linebacker with the New York Giants.

"I doubt it (will be career threatening),'' added a confident Ming. "I still have a few more years left in me.'' One person hopeful of a swift recovery for Ming is new PHC head coach Alfie Eve, who recently inherited the reins of coach from Jack Castle, now with Second Division Wolves.

"I don't know if it's me ... whether I'm a jinx or what. It seems like I'm always having to start the season without a key player,'' said Eve. "It's fortunate, though, that this has happened in pre-season and affords us the opportunity to try and find a player to replace him.

"We don't know if we can get someone to do the things Frank has done for us, as he has been a very intricate part of the team for the past 12, 13 years.'' After winning the Charity Cup, League and FA Cup titles during the 1991-92 campaign PHC struggled last season in what was termed a rebuilding year, again taking the Charity Cup, but finishing fifth overall, modest by their standards.

This year may see more of the same, with young players such as Ottis Steede, Raynel Lightbourne and Dano Outerbridge still trying to create a niche for themselves.

Ming was one of the more experienced members -- skipper Mike Dill is another -- being counted on to aid in the grooming of the youth and the latest mishap may stall that process somewhat.

Said Eve: "You never want to lose players of experience as they are the backbone of any rebuilding process.

"We don't have a clue as to who will replace him at this point. It's just something we'll have to deal with.'' The return of Anthony (Rango) Stovell from Paget has given PHC extra experience in midfield and he and Ming have worked together effectively in the past. There are also number of junior players anxious to break into the senior squad whom Eve can look to.

FRANK MING -- The stylish PHC midfielder will miss at least the first half of the new soccer season because of an achilles tendon injury.