Dara O’Shea grateful for support during his lengthy injury absence
West Brom defender Dara O’Shea has expressed his satisfaction with his recovery both mentally and physically from a serious ankle injury.
The Irish centre back suffered a break and ligament damage whilst playing for his country in August but has since managed to return to fitness for his club side, making eleven Championship appearances.
O’Shea missed six months in total and has shared his delight with the Express & Star at how he dealt with the difficult period.
“I’m really proud to have come through it the way I did,” the 23-year-old told the outlet (20 April).
“I think I turned a negative into a positive, I worked on myself, found myself a bit. But physically and mentally too I really had to focus on what was going to get me back to where I am now.
“It was my first proper injury so I was sheltered from a lot of feelings and emotions I felt at that time.
“I’m happy to have come through that and now I’m really looking forward to playing more games, putting in more performances and getting this club back where it should be.”
Welcome Return
It’s always nice to see a player return from a long-term injury, particularly one from the academy and as likeable as O’Shea.
It hasn’t been the season on the pitch that the Baggies would’ve wanted but the return of the young defender who always gives his all to the cause is a bright spark for Steve Bruce and his men to cling onto for the next campaign.
O’Shea completed the full 90 minutes against Blackpool and Nottingham Forest and looks firmly in the picture as part of the current manager’s project.
It might well transpire that Bruce isn’t in the dugout at The Hawthorns come the opening day, in which case O’Shea alongside everyone else in the squad will look to play themselves into the plans of the new boss.
But with Bruce having already earmarked the Irishman as a potential future captain of Albion, it would seem he has already put himself in a great position so shortly after returning from his significant layoff.
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