Byline: JOHN GIBSON
SHAY GIVEN has emerged from his injury hell which plagued him for
18 dreadfully depressing months a changed man with a much more cautious
outlook on life.
He admits his recent persistent groin problems, which resulted in
two operations, have radically reconstructed his thinking.
Where once he felt invincible, Given now takes nothing for granted
in a career which can be over in the split second it takes to meet a
physical challenge.
Like the one from then West Ham striker Marlon Harewood that put
him in a London hospital for a week and triggered his agonising fight
against injury which was totally alien to him.
However, after a year and a half of torture, Given happily assures
me that he's never felt physically better than he does right now.
His personal nightmare began at Upton Park in September 2006 when
Harewood slid in on the brave Given as he raced out to collect the ball.
"I suffered a punctured bowel and I've never experienced
such searing pain in my life," he told me.
"It was like being knifed. I knew it was bad. I couldn't
breathe and I was panicking.
"I had to be carried off and I kept passing out in the
dressing-room. I was wracked with pain and didn't know what to
expect. I couldn't travel home with the lads of course. I actually
underwent a major operation and stayed in that London hospital for a
week.
"I honestly believe all my groin problems started that day.
I'd never been troubled before but after that I had constant
setbacks."
It ended with Given having to fly to Germany for an operation on
both sides of his groin and having to miss the 11- match run-in to the
end of last season.
"I sailed through so long without injury I'd forgotten
what it was like," admitted Given.
"I hate every minute I'm unfit. I'm a bad spectator
at matches and a bad patient. I don't like it.
"Flogging yourself in the gym while the rest of the lads go
out on the training pitch eats away at me. I desperately want to be with
them.
"But I'd done myself no favours coming back from my West
Ham injury.
"I was playing but wasn't training properly and I had
constant problems with my groins.
"In the end I had to call it a day, give in, and get over to
Germany to put things right once and for all.
"The fight back to match fitness was a tortuous road and you
do think about the worst-case scenario.
"I've never heard of a player having to retire through a
groin injury, but doubts have to be pushed to the back of the mind.
"Thankfully, I'm now feeling great.
I'm pain-free and can kick the ball off the ground or out of
my hands without feeling a sharp pain. It's such a relief."
A tension-free Given stormed into the new season with a man-of-the
match display in the terrific 1-1 draw against champions Manchester
United at Old Trafford and his penalty save that sparked off the 1-0
victory over Bolton.
However, if Shay is not quite mentally scarred, his outlook on life
has radically changed.
"I simply don't want to look beyond the next match
because I don't want to tempt fate," he said.
"I no longer take it for granted that I'll get a free run
of matches because in football you don't know what is round the
corner.
"However, I do feel I've earned a little bit of
luck."
"It was like being knifed. I knew it was bad. I couldn't
breathe and I was panicking. I had to be carried off and I kept passing
out."
CAPTION(S):
AGONY: Given picked up a horrific injury after this challenge with
West Ham's Marlon Harewood
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