HULL CITY: Bullard admits he'll need reserve run before returning
JIMMY Bullard says he will need a couple of reserve outings to regain his fitness when he returns for Hull City in "three to four" weeks.
Talk of an imminent return from injury has been well wide of the mark and sadly, a long-awaited comeback is more likely to now come in March.
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Jimmy Bullard chats to the media yesterday
But with a spring quickly returning to his step, Bullard is adamant he can still play a leading role in City's survival fight.
Nine weeks on from suffering medial ligament damage at Aston Villa, the £5m club-record signing is inching towards a playing return.
Full training is expected to be resumed within a fortnight and providing no set-backs are encountered, the Tigers' trip to Everton on March 7 looks like being the fixture circled on his calendar.
Progress may have been slower than expected, but Bullard is desperate to resume his pivotal role in Phil Brown's escape plans.
"It's feeling better, the last two weeks I've come on leaps and bounds," said Bullard, who will watch tonight's clash with Chelsea from the stands.
"Two weeks ago if you'd have asked me I'd have been a bit worried, it just felt a bit crappy to be honest.
"But I've been through this before where some weeks you don't feel great and then you get a little bit of a good feeling.
"I'm at one of those ones now where I'm feeling good again."
Perhaps understandably, Bullard is less forthright than manager Brown in plotting his return.
The City boss had optimistically hoped to see his play-maker back in action by now but keen to see a smooth return, Bullard is taking it one step at a time.
"I'm aiming to have a good week of straight-line running and hopefully by the middle of next week I can start twisting and turning," he said.
"That for me will be a big thing because if I can twist and turn by then without any instability, I'll know a lot more and be able to get a ball out.
"I'm at nine weeks now so I've probably lost a bit of fitness so it should take a game or two in the reserves as well.
"I don't want to come back sluggish, I want to come back and hit the ground running and sharp."
18 Comments
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by heard it all, before
Tuesday, February 02 2010, 7:44PM
“Great that Bullard is on the way back, it will should it work out, be like signing a new player.
Bullard 's not to blame for being injured..City took a chance unfortunately it backfired, but there's hope city certainly need it and at least he is a fighter...The bell in Dartford will miss your business though!!”
by Rob, Hull
Tuesday, February 02 2010, 6:20PM
“I agree Mark. Surely Jimmy's influance on the younger players is worth somethng as well. He has had abig impacton young Tom Cairney and I'm sure he is glad Jimmy signed for us. Does anyone remember the season that Fulham survived it was Jimmy Bullard that the reason and he will do the same for us! UTT”
by Mark, Hull
Tuesday, February 02 2010, 3:03PM
“Im not a City fan ... Im from Hull but have supported Arsenal all my life.. so this is from a nutral point of view!! You would already be relagated if it wasnt for Bullard when he returned from injuriy for a short spell youpicked up points and I have no doubt in my mind the same will happen when he returns from injury! Pompy and Burnley are already down In my oppinion its either wolves or hull to complete the 3 teams for the drop..... With Bullard you will stay up without him you will go down”
by gjh, WG Durham
Tuesday, February 02 2010, 2:42PM
“Getting very nervous about this situation! Not sourcing a replacement in the window is the biggest gamble City have taken!”
by John, Gosport
Tuesday, February 02 2010, 2:35PM
“A waste of money? A gamble, more like, which may, or may not, work out. There is no doubt that JB is an extremely talented player who sets his team-mates and the crowd alight, but quite clearly he is prone to injury which is why Fulham moved him on. Good business for them. I guess football management will forever be a matter of risk taking. If PB pulls off a good signing, and it works, then he is a maestro, if not, then he takes the blame. I hope JB proves us all wrong, not only for him but for all of us who are mesmerised by his talent. Then, we can all cheer and look forward to our next year in the prem.”