It’s been six months in hell, says Osaze

Osaze Odemwingie

Nigeria striker Osaze Odemwingie has relived his six-month injury nightmare at Stoke City just as he is back in training in a bid to regain full fitness.

Osaze has been sidelined since last August after suffering a serious knee ligament injury in City’s 1-0 win over the Premier League champions Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium and he resumed training with Stoke squad on yesterday. “It has been tough but the medical staff have been brilliant and helped me enormously,” he told Stoke City website.

“Hearing the fans sing my song and looking forward to seeing me playing again is brilliant; that feeling that somebody is waiting for you is fantastic.”

“It’s been just over six months now but these injuries can be nine months, so I’m really happy that I’m back training.

“I played a few small-sided games last week and Tuesday, and tomorrow I’ll be back in the fold and hopefully I’ll be ready as soon as possible.”

Odemwingie admits he has been driven along the road to recovery by the expertise of the club’s medical staff – and the backing of the fans.

He added: “A few months ago I couldn’t walk properly, I struggled to get my knee fully extended.

“Not being able to walk slowly in the park with your family and kids to playing with top professionals is a big jump for me and I’m really looking forward to it. That’s what I’ve done for the past 12 years of my life, I got used to it and it was hard to adjust.

“But I’ve got two little kids at home and I’m at a place where I’ve really been looked after well and people want to see to me so those things made the journey back to full fitness a bit easier.”

The manager Mark Hughes added: “Peter has worked extremely hard with our medical staff and is now in a position to join in with the group. It’s fantastic to see him looking so well.”