Omonias Nicosia of Cyprus goalkeeper, Francis Odinaka Uzoho has enthused that he will be back training fully once again in two months, considering that he is recovering very fast from a knee ligament injury he copped during action with the Super Eagles, megasportsarena.com reports.
It was in a high-profile international friendly against Brazil that Uzoho got injured last October at Singapore National Stadium, with a diagnosis ruling him out for eight months, but he has now come out with heartwarming news that he should be back fully at the end of June.
That would mean Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets’ UAE 2013 FIFA U-17 World Cup winning squad’s reserves’ goalkeeper, who is on loan at Nicosia from Deportivo La Coruna of Spain, should be fit enough for the restart of action in the tiny Mediterranean Sea island nation, following the suspension of matches due to coronavirus pandemic.
However, even as he is happy about his impending return to action, Uzoho added during Mega Sports on star 101.5 FM, Lagos that he faced a very scary moment when he copped the injury in Singapore, and it took soothing words from his teammate in the Eagles’ hotel to calm him down, as he felt his knee was broken and he would not be able to play football ever again.
Uzoho declared, with a mixture of pidgin and his native igbo, in a light-hearted style: “It has not been easy, but I thank God, now I am getting closer to full fitness. In about two months, I should be playing again, which makes me happy. E no easi o, but wetin I go do now.
“The injury came at a time I was getting back to top form. In, fact I was doing well in that match against Brazil, until this happened. It was like, wetin be did again now. You no wan mek I play ball again. It was the ligament of my left knee. It was damaged when I fell badly during the match. I knew right away it would take time for this to heal.
“I was enjoying myself, our attack was so good. I didn’t have anything to do for a while in that match; I just dey relax ine kin. Then it came, I had to deal with it, I knew I would be out for a long time, which the doctor confirmed after the surgery that it would be between seven to eight months. I no fit talk again. Wetin I for talk. I just left it up to God to help me out.
“Even my roommate felt for me, but he encouraged me. I bin dey talk say my leg don break, I no go fit play ball again. He just told me ‘Mechonu. Shut up, who told you that.’ I couldn’t control myself, I kept wailing, and he kept telling me ‘Mechonu.’ I just have to thank him.
“I have been receiving treatment and now the ligament is getting better. I am feeling better. I can kick ball now; unlike before. I am six months gone in my eight months recovery period, I just need to work on my strength and, in two months, I will be back fully.”
BiG JOE@JohnsonjoebabaA