safc.com catch up with Paddy McNair on his road to recovery.
The former Manchester United midfielder suffered a season-ending knee injury against Hull City in November, but he’s now back out on the grass and aiming for a pre-season return.
Paddy, firstly how is your recovery going?
PM: “I went out running last Monday and I’ll be honest it was a little weird as it’s been such a long time. It felt good, though, and I’ve been out four times now and each time I feel a lot better, so I’m getting used to it and I feel like my rehab is really starting to kick on now which is great.”
After spending so much time in the gym, it must feel like a real step in the right direction?
PM: “It does. Me and Duncan were saying just the other day that it doesn’t feel too long ago that we were coming here on crutches and hobbling about, not being able to do anything. The rehab has gone great and the staff here couldn’t have been better, so I feel really strong at the moment and I’m itching to get back.”
Does the fact you’re now moving freely and starting to run give you phycological boost as well as a physical one?
PM: “The first few weeks up here were tough for me because I’d been at United from such a young age and it was all I’d known, but in October and November I was playing regularly and I felt like I was really finding my feet. We’d started to win a few games as well so the timing was frustrating, but it’s not something you can dwell on and you just have to get on with it.”
It hasn’t helped on the pitch, but has it helped you to have Duncan alongside you going through a similar thing?
PM: “Definitely. When you’re doing little exercises in the gym you’re constantly testing your knee and sometimes it’s a little sore, but if we’re both feeling it you know it’s the exercise rather than a problem. If you were on your own you might be worried about it, but we’re both experiencing the same thing so you know it’s natural and we can also push each other along. It’s helped as we’re the same age and we both have Manchester roots, so we have a lot in common as it is.”
And also the company must have been really beneficial, as being injured for such a long time can quite often be very isolated?
PM: “100%. I couldn’t imagine going through this on my own and I think it would be so much harder to do it, so I’m just thankful – not for the team of course – that we’ve been able to help each other come back stronger.”
Like you said two big blows for the team, but it must have been equally as frustrating for you because you’ve been unable to make a difference on the pitch?
PM: “We see the lads every day and you’re still in and around it, but even now I’m out running I’m still training away from the group and you obviously don’t walk out with them on a Saturday which is what it’s all about. We still feel part of it, though, and hopefully we can help the team kick on and move out of the bottom three before the end of the season.”
Looking ahead to next season, what is the timeline for your return?
PM: “My aim is to be back at the start of pre-season so hopefully I’ll be ready to go alongside the rest of the lads. I think I’ll probably come back a couple of weeks earlier – I want to anyway – because I think I need that extra boost after being out for so long. I want to start next year with a good pre-season behind me so that I’m raring to go.”