Injured Devonshire Cougars' star player Domico Coddington is expected to make a full recovery before the Christmas break.

The national team forward suffered a head injury during this month's Martonmere Cup final at Wellington Oval and missed his team's recent 1-1 league draw against Boulevard at the Den.

Coddington clashed heads with North Village's injury-prone defender Damon Edwards in his last outing and since then has been reduced to only practising with his team-mates at the Den.

But Cougars coach Devarr Boyles is optimistic the former Canadian Professional League (CPL) pro will be back in the thick of action in the lead-up to the festive period.

"Domico has completed three full training sessions and is progressing very nicely. We could have had him play over the weekend but we must comply with the diagnosis of his injury," he said.

"Domico is too important to lose, first to his family, the country and finally our club to race him back without taking the necessary precautions. We have a break now and with a few more sessions we are confident he will be close to his best upon his return."

Thanks to a stop-and-go league schedule, Coddington, who had unsuccessful trials at USL outfit Atlanta Silverbacks and Serie C side AS Acireala, has only missed 90 minutes of football and in his absence youngsters such as Moses and Tumani Steede have picked up the slack.

It is impact players such as these who have made life at the Den a little easier for Boyles who already has a trophy under his belt after only a short time on the job.

"When I first took the job I told the group of players that they were already good players before I came and will be better players before I leave. And if we are lucky they will be the best players," the former Bermuda and Dandy Town midfielder said.

"It is nice to work with players who want to improve, whether they are young or old.

"It is always exciting to work with young players as the potential can be limitless, they show no fear. What we have been trying to do is increase maturity/experience by heightening intelligence of the younger players. If our younger players practise well, stay humble and maintain the right life-styles they will have big futures."

Cougars skipper Kwame Steede has also played a prominent role in the team's early success this campaign, Boyles said.

"Kwame is having a banner year in leading the group both on and off the field. We are trying to lessen his personal load and spread this among the team," he added. "Most of our best offensive sequences involve his output, along with the intangibles that don't appear in statistical columns."

Boyles has surrounded himself at the Den with the experience of former Cougars players Cyril (Dago) Steede and Gary (Tuba) Mallory to name a few, a union that has quickly evolved into a winning combination.

"Cyril Steede, Gary Mallory, Micheal Davis, Kevin Simpson as well as myself are the main backroom staff members but there are at least six others that are equally as critical to the developmental formula at the club," he said. "They are all a blessing and I am thankful of them all.

"As far as preparing the group, the main two (assistants) are Mr.Steede and Mr.Mallory who are unflinchingly committed to the club. They both bring a wealth of experience to the table that I'm absorbing."

As for his new role at the Den, Boyles said: "It has been quite pleasant and refreshing; the conditions of work have been provided for in all to be successful.

"My brief at the club is developing the senior team with a few spin-offs into other areas of the club where the focus is not just winning, but building a team through sustainable development."