Convey reveals he's been carrying his knee injury all season

Lost in the West Stand · by **Lost in the West Stand** » 24 Oct 2006 10:57

http://www.yanks-abroad.com/content.php ... ws&id=2302

Bobby Convey has revealed that the knee injury keeping him out of the Reading eleven is one he has been carrying since the World Cup.

"I've been injured all season," the Royals winger told YA. "It started at the World Cup, then I was struggling all through the preseason and it got to the point that I couldn't run on it anymore and it just gave out."

The US international has missed Reading's last two games, against Chelsea and Arsenal, having started the first seven of his club's inaugural Premiership campaign, and is now walking visibly hurt.

"I've really been limping a lot and have not been alright," Convey confirmed. "I trained the last few days but it swelled up really bad so I could not play against Arsenal."

"I don't like to look for excuses but I have been limping and I have not been able to run as well as I know I can."

Convey played over two and a half hours of soccer for his country in Germany this summer, where a long domestic campaign finally took its toll on his left knee, he now admits.

"My ligaments were strained a little bit from the beginning," he said. "Then I got some bad bone bruising on the outside of my knee because it was doing too much work."

"After the World Cup I had three weeks to rest it but when I came back at the beginning of the season it just got worse and it is just completely swelling up now."

"I have been getting some treatment for sure but I could not walk for a few days so it has been difficult."

Despite this setback, the former DC United man is determined to get back on the field as soon as possible, starting with Saturday's trip to Portsmouth.

"Hopefully I will be able to play," Convey stated. "I could have played maybe a little bit on Sunday but Steve [Coppell] wants me to wait to be 100% because I will just hurt it more if I come back too early."

"It definitely sucks missing these two games but hopefully I'll come back on Saturday. We'll see."

I guess that explains why he's not been at his best this season

Ian Royal · by **Ian Royal** » 24 Oct 2006 11:00

I'd rather he waited a bit longer to be honest, no point in pretending it's ok and making it worse again.

Hoop Blah · by **Hoop Blah** » 24 Oct 2006 11:11

Well that might explain his below par performances, at least to some degree anyway.

He struggled in his first year through not having a full pre-season, this looks like a repeat of that.

A casualty of a thin squad perhaps?

Wycombe Royal · by **Wycombe Royal** » 24 Oct 2006 11:12

It makes you wonder why we played him in pre-season and for the first 7 matches of this season? Did he not tell the club he was injured (although I'm sure the physio would have noticed) or did they just think it wasn't a problem and would get better despite playing?

Whichever it was it looks like a mistake.

Turns8 · by **Turns8** » 24 Oct 2006 11:28

Isn't this a similar thing to the Kits problem though...when the players get asked are you ok..they all say yes because they love playing so much..pretty much what convey says, he didn't actually stop until the knee gave way.

I don't think the club or physios are to blame, ok the player may have said to fearny that his knee aches abit...which they would have then treated...but it's down to the player to say enough is enough...hence coppell saying he would rather have him back 100% than almost 100%..

Could well explain the dip in form from bobby though and also the amount of games and the world cup wouldn't surprise me if he is 'burnt-out' you have to remember he is still fairly young.

With Murts, Kits, Convey out we are definite relegation fodder!!!! WE'RE DOOMED!!!!!!!!!

Hoop Blah · by **Hoop Blah** » 24 Oct 2006 11:35

Wycombe Royal wrote:It makes you wonder why we played him in pre-season and for the first 7 matches of this season? Did he not tell the club he was injured (although I'm sure the physio would have noticed) or did they just think it wasn't a problem and would get better despite playing?

Whichever it was it looks like a mistake.

Coppell said at a fans forum a couple of years ago he's always treated each game as a cup final and selected players on whether they'd be fit for a cup final.

Personally I think thats a little short sighted but I suppose he has his hands tied by our lack of options in the squad.

Wycombe Royal · by **Wycombe Royal** » 24 Oct 2006 11:44

Hoop Blah wrote:Personally I think thats a little short sighted but I suppose he has his hands tied by our lack of options in the squad.

It's not like we had another left winger in the squad or anything.........

Hoop Blah · by **Hoop Blah** » 24 Oct 2006 11:48

Wycombe Royal wrote:
Hoop Blah wrote:Personally I think thats a little short sighted but I suppose he has his hands tied by our lack of options in the squad.
It's not like we had another left winger in the squad or anything.........

With Little out injured at the start of the season and us playing a series winnable games, Coppell possibly thought he needed more creativity than Hunt can offer.

KC Royal · by **KC Royal** » 24 Oct 2006 12:03

Hoop Blah wrote:
Wycombe Royal wrote:
Hoop Blah wrote:Personally I think thats a little short sighted but I suppose he has his hands tied by our lack of options in the squad.
It's not like we had another left winger in the squad or anything.........
With Little out injured at the start of the season and us playing a series winnable games, Coppell possibly thought he needed more creativity than Hunt can offer.

Possibly but Wycombe said what I was going to say. I don't think Convey is one of those players who can play when he's not 100%, as we saw 2 seasons back. I would rather he was left on the bench if he wasnt fully fit. I guess with Little being out, and Hunt being such a good impact player from the bench Coppell felt he had no choice.

Fat_Septic · by **Fat_Septic** » 24 Oct 2006 15:21

No professional athlete wants to sit and possibly have his position usurped by the performance of a subtitute. After Hunt played so well in the Chelsea game, people were already saying he should start over Bobby against Arse. Most of these guys feel the pressure to perform or get relegated to the bench, and you're only as good as your last performance. That may have had something to do with him keeping his mouth shut. I imagine it's gotten bad enough where he finally had to say something.

Apocalypse Now · by **Apocalypse Now** » 24 Oct 2006 15:25

I have to say, if he's been covering this up just to play without telling the management staff, thats a bit poor. He has looked pretty average so far, and thats probably why. Why didn't he get it sorted earlier rather than letting it drag on and hinder the season for both us and him?
Hope he's back soon, but this wasn't great on his part.

Wycombe Royal · by **Wycombe Royal** » 24 Oct 2006 15:26

Fat_Septic wrote:Most of these guys feel the pressure to perform or get relegated to the bench, and you're only as good as your last performance. That may have had something to do with him keeping his mouth shut. I imagine it's gotten bad enough where he finally had to say something.

No one person is bigger than the team and IF that was Bobby's thinking (and I doubt it) then he made an error.

Hoop Blah · by **Hoop Blah** » 24 Oct 2006 15:48

Wycombe Royal wrote:
Fat_Septic wrote:Most of these guys feel the pressure to perform or get relegated to the bench, and you're only as good as your last performance. That may have had something to do with him keeping his mouth shut. I imagine it's gotten bad enough where he finally had to say something.
No one person is bigger than the team and IF that was Bobby's thinking (and I doubt it) then he made an error.

I agree, I doubt that Convey, or any other of our players are willing to sacrifice the team for their own personal glory.

Fat_Septic · by **Fat_Septic** » 24 Oct 2006 16:16

No doubt, no doubt - but if you're a professional footballer of at such a young age, it's because you are absolutely driven and competititve. Forersight is the province of the older, wiser player. I'm neither condoning nor condemning.

imevasive · by **imevasive** » 24 Oct 2006 16:20

From afar its lookâ€™s like it was very difficult for BC to crack the starting 11 for his entire first year (many different reasons for that) but it would be the type of thing you would think about before you sat yourself down for a month for rest. Also, Coppell has a tendency in to want the same 11 as much as possible. It has been posted many times on this board that he is lightweight (we call it soft stateside) that may be an additional factor in his wanting to soldier on.

Top Flight · by **Top Flight** » 24 Oct 2006 16:33

Let's get Bobby fit again.......

It would be great to unleash a fully fit Bobby on the Premiership. I'd love to see how good we can be when everyone is fully fit. I think we have enough cover in wide areas. I think Seol could play on the left with Little on the right and Oster is a quality player as well.

I think it is up front where we really need some cover.

But I'm looking forward to having Bobby fully fit again and he shouldn't come back unless he is 100%. For both his and RFC's benefit. He needs a prolonged spell in the team. Its better he sacrifices two or three more games so that he can play till the end of the season rather than come back 2 games early and then miss more large parts of the season.

My message to Bobby, wait till you are 100% fit. We can wait a few more games if it means we have you fit for the rest of the season. We don't want you missing more periods. Let the injury heal fully.

kingthor · by **kingthor** » 25 Oct 2006 00:40

Convey has heart, which is a quality you want your players to have. You don't want them to give up. Hunt's tenacity is one of his strengths. The same is true of a healthy Convey. Surely, it is better for players to let the coaching staff know of injuries, but at the same time, if any of you were on Reading, would you so easily give up your spot? I wouldn't. I'd play unless it was not possible for me to play. Nobody on a football team wants to watch football. You want to play.

URZZ · by **URZZ** » 25 Oct 2006 00:43

Pleased to know he has an excuse for being piss poor, on the other hand, I do hope to God that this doesn't mean he's going to have a season like he did when he first came to us.

Scarface · by **Scarface** » 25 Oct 2006 09:33

Lost in the West Stand wrote:
"It definitely sucks missing these two games but hopefully I'll come back on Saturday. We'll see."

Can't see it Bobby unless you improve your general effort on the pitch. Hopefully Hunt's recents performances have reminded him of what is required.

Wycombe Royal · by **Wycombe Royal** » 25 Oct 2006 09:40

Scarface wrote:
Lost in the West Stand wrote:
"It definitely sucks missing these two games but hopefully I'll come back on Saturday. We'll see."

Can't see it Bobby unless you improve your general effort on the pitch. Hopefully Hunt's recents performances have reminded him of what is required.

So which part of "I've been injured all season" did you miss? Or in your mind does that not explain his lack of "general effort"? Do you not think that when fully fit he will return to his old self?

Personally I would still have a 90% fit Convey playing than a 100% fit Stephen Hunt. My reason is that all of Hunt's effort he just does not have the skill required to make a significant contribution to us scoring goals.