Gosling targets return before the end of the season
Posted on February 9th, 2011 | 7 Comments |
We signed Dan Gosling on a 4 year contract from Everton in July 2010 but has so far only made a solitary substitute appearance for us against Sunderland back in January.
Gosling has been plagued by a knee injury he picked up while at Everton and the announcement of his return to fitness in January was premature.
Although he only played for a few minutes during the Sunderland game, the knee started giving him problems straight away and he had to have more surgery.
Gosling said:
“The swelling never really went away, so I was constantly fighting an uphill battle really.
“I was back and I felt good, but every day was the same that when I was training or playing it would get really stiff. The fluid on my knee kept coming back and it was preventing my thighs from working, so I was losing muscle all the time.
“They went back in, drained the fluid out twice and there was a big lump of scar tissue which was preventing me from getting full flexion and straightening my leg properly.
“They removed that, so now hopefully it’s done the trick. It feels a lot better already, so I think once the swelling goes down I can kick on and get back to what I was doing.
“The wounds have healed up nicely and it’s now just a matter of being patient with it, respecting the knee, and giving it as much time as it needs.
Gosling is keen to target a comeback before the season ends, although he appreciates the recovery can’t be rushed.
“I still want a few games before the end of the season and will be working as hard as I can to do that,” said Gosling.
“If the knee’s not ready I will have to wait, but if it is then hopefully if I get a chance I will take it with both hands.
“The main aim is to be fit for pre-season though. I don’t want to have any niggles or anything like that. I want to get through it fine and then hopefully get a full season under my belt.
“This year has been the worst one of my life, and i didn’t think I would ever have to go through something like this. But I have, and hopefully I come out the other side more grown up and knowing more about my body.
“It makes you stronger as a person. I’ve had some really tough days but the people closest to me have helped me a lot.
“I owe a lot of gratitude to them and the physios, who have helped work me through it. Everyone has been great.”
Dan Gosling is only 21 though, so hopefully Newcastle will get plenty out of him when he returns to fitness.
NUFCBlog Author: Hugh de Payen
I'm a baby-boomer of the punk rock persuasion, currently exiled in Somerset for crimes committed in a previous life where locals keep trying to poison me with something called 'scrumpy'. Hates sprouts, coat-hangers, Cilla Black, ornaments, Steven Seagull movies and 50 Cent (he's not worth 10).
Hugh de Payen has written 634 articles on this blog.
Actually I don’t mind if Gosling will not play again this season as long as he can successfully heal his injury. He has potential so don’t risk it with early return.