West Ham United boss Sam Allardyce won't rush back Andy Carroll after he returned to training this week.
Rather than pitch him straight into first-team battle, the club will instead arrange behind-closed-doors fixtures for the England forward.
"Andy Carroll playing football is something we have to take very big care about," said the West Ham chief ahead of Sunday's FA Cup third-round tie at Nottingham Forest.
"Being fit from the injury is not being match fit. I have to be very careful about how and when I play him.
"We'll start promoting games behind closed doors to get his match fitness up, as we will for Winston Reid, and Ricardo Vaz Te. But Andy is the closest."
