Wolves star Michael Kightly eyes shock summer return from injury hell
Jun 25 2010 by Bill Howell, Birmingham Mail
MICHAEL Kightly has given Wolves another summer boost by insisting his injury nightmare could soon be over.
The Wolves flier says he is feeling positive at last after missing the majority of last season and visiting Barcelona-based Dr Jose Manual Sanchez to sort his patella tendons.
“The rehab has been going well. I had another injection a few weeks ago and had to rest it for a couple of weeks so I’ve managed to get a holiday,” the midfielder said.
“Other than that I’ve been in near enough every day. I’ve been working hard with the physios and have progressed massively. The specialists are really happy with how things are going which is good.”
Kightly could even return this summer.
“I don’t want to set too many targets. I’d like to be back at some stage of pre-season but won’t be at the start. I’d hope to play some part of a game.
“This injury is quite an intense one and something you can’t rush back from. I’ve been out too long now to rush back and suffer a setback.
“We’re all keen to take things gradually especially when pre-season is such a tough period with double sessions.
“To go back straight into that would put me back. I’ve just got to ease my way back in and hopefully play some part of a friendly.
“It’s an exciting time to come back with the new players and the new season.
“Everyone at the club knows how frustrated I was last year and struggled to deal with it mentally. I’d worked so hard to get where I got – like all the rest of the lads – and then never really got to full tilt and 100 per cent.
“We stayed up so I’ve got another crack at the Premier League and hopefully a good one. I’m feeling a lot more positive now and looking forward to cracking on.”
Mick McCarthy gave Kightly a recent boost by insisting he was his number one winger.
“That sort of thing helps massively. When you’re injured you get very low and hearing the gaffer say I’m still an important player to him is a big boost,” he said.
“The chairman also said some nice things to me at the Player of the Season awards and we had a good chat. I’ve been at the club a long time now and helped get us to the Premier League.”
