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Everton FC's head of medicine Daniel Donachie has left the club.

The respected physiotherapist, the son of former assistant manager Willie, ended his decade-plus period at Goodison last week.

Donachie, who is regarded as a leader in the industry and has been at the forefront of innovative techniques to help players recover from injury, departs at a difficult point for Roberto Martinez’s side.

Problems over James McCarthy’s susceptibility to hamstring injuries continue to be a major concern, and 18 Blues players have been sidelined with similar complaints over the last year and a half.

An in-depth investigation into the cause of McCarthy’s recent absence is ongoing, but will be without any further input from Donachie.

During the David Moyes era Donachie was credited with playing a major part in helping Everton challenge for Europe, despite often having one of the Premier League’s smallest squads.

He is a keen advocate of ashtanga yoga and helped Bryan Oviedo to return ahead of schedule from the double leg break he suffered in January.

Martinez, who himself is a qualified physiotherapist, said today he will carefully assess whether the midfielder is fully fit to figure at Hull on New Year’s Day, after he had to be withdrawn after 45 minutes at St James’ Park on Sunday.