OBAFEMI Martins’ agent has branded Newcastle’s medical staff “woeful”, and claimed the striker’s hernia problem was only spotted after he travelled to Italy to see a specialist.

After missing the last threeand- a-half weeks with an injury sustained during last month’s 3-0 victory at Portsmouth, Martins will be examined again tomorrow to see if he is fit enough to resume full training.

If he is, he could make the substitutes’ bench for Saturday’s home game with West Ham, but if he isn’t, he will be booked in for surgery at the end of the week.

An operation would sideline him for around a fortnight, and leave Magpies manager Joe Kinnear with just two fit strikers for this month’s crucial relegation battles with West Ham and Blackburn.

Andy Carroll, who spent most of last season on loan at Preston, played alongside Michael Owen in last weekend’s FA Cup tie at Hull, with Kinnear unable to name a recognised centre-forward on the bench.

Martins’ return would guarantee a much-needed alternative, but the striker’s agent, Dapo Kujore, has claimed his client would be fit already if Newcastle’s medical staff had identified his hernia injury earlier.

“The Newcastle medical staff are woeful,” said Kujore.

“Oba has been having this problem on and off and they failed to spot it.

“It was only when he went to Italy that the correct diagnosis was made, and he will have the operation this week.

“Look at the entire team.

(Mark) Viduka is injured, Alan Smith is injured, Nicky Butt is injured, and so many players. Even when (Alan) Shearer was playing, how many times did he end up on the treatment table?”

Newcastle’s medical staff are hopeful Martins will be able to avoid the need for an operation, as a similar course of rest and recuperation will enable Joey Barton to return to full training on Monday.

It was initially feared Barton would require surgery when he crumpled under the challenge of Wigan midfielder Lee Cattermole on November 15, but the England international will return to training at the start of next week and could even be involved in the trip to Blackburn on January 17.

The same is true of fellow long-term absentee Alan Smith, who has not made a single senior appearance this season because of a longstanding Achilles injury.

Smith will also train at the start of next week, although a first-team return is likely to remain some way off as his fitness levels will have dropped significantly following the latest lay-off.

Ironically, Smith is one of the players who could be offloaded this month as Kinnear attempts to raise funds during the current window.

But the Magpies manager’s plans have been hit by confirmation that he is unable to sell Spanish misfit Xisco because of FIFA regulations.

FIFA rules prevent any player from playing for three different clubs during the course of a single season.

The £5.8m signing from Deportivo la Coruna is almost certain to remain on Tyneside for the second half of the season, and Kinnear remains committed to ensuring Shay Given stays with him despite the goalkeeper’s much-publicised unease.

Kinnear is hoping Given will still be a Newcastle player on February 2, but Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc has emerged as a possible replacement for the Irishman.