Out of contention since last May, Julien Rodriguez has been back in training with the squad for 10 days. He is enjoying every moment before returning to competitive football.
«I’ve been longing for this for a moment.» You can hear the relief in Julien Rodriguez’s voice, as he rejoins his team mates in training, he has been back around ten days. His long absence, after it was decided his ankle needed an operation last May, is coming to an end.
It’s an injury that brings back old memories to Julien, of when he was 17 years old and suffered a bad sprain and then came back too quickly. «That’s just part of my life and career as a football player, even if I do regret what happened now » he confides in us.
Much more at ease now, he is back at work and is getting better by the day. «Things have been going well since the start of the week. I’ll have to keep working like that for a good few weeks to get back to any decent sort of level.»
«The reasons that caused the operation will not leave Julien’s ankle unscathed. You’re speaking about cartilage, ligaments, there will be pain but Julien knows and he will just have to deal with it. But, he can’t let that disturb his performances. That’s why his return was delayed. We’re talking about top level football, because any part time footballer would have been back two months ago. His ankle wouldn’t have allowed him the type of effort and performance he will have to, and is now able to, put in.»
Any return to competitive matches is down to Erik Gerets but he’s «fit for duty» now. «He’s down a lot of fitness work over the last month. His ankle has been fine for 10 days now and he can take part in normal training sessions , indicates Christophe Baudot the club doctor, he has a smile on his face now and is ready if the coach decides to pick him. He’s able to play at this level now, there was no way we were going to play with his health or drop is level of play by telling him he was fit when he clearly wasn’t é»
The player is holding himself ready. «I’m giving my all in training so that the coach can see I am able. He will make his own mind up and I’m available to the squad. We’re all working hard for this club and it will be important to achieve our objectives together. We are about 25 in the squad and everyone will have to put in the necessary effort » he explains.
Even though he was far from the pitch, Rodriguez stayed close to his team mates, bringing his experience and support to them in the good as well as the bad times. A sign of the professional attitude of a player who has kept a close eye on the progress of his colleagues. «We had a tough time when we were playing a match every three days with the Champions League and the cup competitions , he judges, we managed not to lose in the League which is a good thing, now we have to pick ourselves up. I saw everything from the stands, it hasn’t been easy to deal with but that’s how it is. I just had to get on with things and try and bring what I could to the squad, notably in the dressing room.» Soon, it will be out on the field that he will be giving his precious help to the team.
