Socceroos star reveals ‘bonkers’ extent of injury hell: ‘I’d been … – keepup.com.au


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Socceroos winger Martin Boyle has revealed the extraordinary extent of the knee injury which cruelled his World Cup dream in an interview with Scottish outlet Record Sport.

Boyles chance to play on footballs biggest stage was devastatingly taken away from him in November, as he underwent season-ending surgery to repair a damaged meniscus in his knee, sustained in the Scottish Premiership a month before Qatar 2022.

The Hibernian attacker has now provided new details of how he did everything to prove his fitness before Australias opening clash against France and the astonishing diagnosis provide by surgeons following his operation.

I dont think I can put it into words. In terms of my head space, its been all over the place. But mentally, I have to try and charge on. Hopefully things are brighter when I get back, Boyle told Record Sport.

Eventually, I told myself in Qatar that I wouldnt make it. I just knew. Id had 12 injections.

We even tried PRP (platelet-rich plasma). Basically, we took blood out of my arm and put it back into my knee. There isnt a blood supply at the meniscus so we thought that might work.

I tried everything to get me there, cortisone jabs as well. The frustrating thing is, I could run. I was still running at high speed but in a straight line. And I couldnt pass a ball 10 yards without my knee popping. Id have to stop and crunch it back into place. We tried everything until that final training session before the opening game against France.

After doing nothing for a few days, I got it strapped up and asked for a local anaesthetic to numb it. I just wanted to see if I could get through. But it kept popping whenever I passed the ball. Thats when I lay down and had to admit defeat. I remember just lying on the ground for about 40 minutes. It was hard.

While Boyle missed Australias memorable run to the World Cup last 16 against eventual champions Argentina, the 29-year-old still held hope of returning to action for Hibs following the showpiece event.

But what was supposed to be a routine and brief operation, turned out to be much, much more.

Boyle added: I phoned Hibs gafferLee Johnsonfrom hospital and we talked about being back for the Rangers game after the World Cup break. We thought it was a quick clean-up, a 20-minute operation. But the surgery didnt go as I thought it would. It was a big surprise for me.

The surgeon said hed only really know the damage once he was inside my knee. The plan was just to do my meniscus. They even said they were going to keep me awake for it. But I said: Nah, just put me to sleep. I was lucky they did because it turned into a two-and-a-half hour procedure. When I woke up there were doctors and surgeons round my bed. I knew something was wrong.

They basically said: Weve reconstructed your whole knee.

Apparently, Id been rupturing that bundle of cruciate for six or seven YEARS.

If Id only got my meniscus fixed at that point, Id have come back and my cruciate ligament would have gone next.

It was bonkers. I had to try and get my head around things. It was difficult for me.

If ever relegation-threated Troyes needed a positive result, they got it on Sunday night.

After five consecutive defeats, Patrick Kisnorbos Troyes earned a dramatic 2-2 draw at home to high-flying Monaco in a confidence-boosting display.

Troyes had led after 31 minutes before a quick-fire double from Wissam Ben Yedder gave third-placed Monaco a 2-1 cushion with seven minutes of regulation remaining.

But Ike Ugbo struck in the first minute of stoppage time to put an end to Troyes losing run.

Troyes remain 19th in the standings and two points adrift in the relegation zone, however, Isuzu UTE A-League-winning head coach Kisnorbo feels the team are heading in the right direction.

The team showed great strength of character to come back and equalise in the final minutes, Kisnorbo said post-match.

I reviewed the footage of Monacos second goal and I think its a bit generous.Rominigue Kouame and Ike Ugbo work hard and have been rewarded with these goals.Its good to see and thats one of the positives.

I want to get the best out of my players so that they can live up to expectations in matches.The opposing team was of quality today and kept pushing to come back to score.We were punished at one point in the match, but the teams reaction was very good.

I want my players to continue to be happy and gain confidence for the next matches.Little by little, things are going in the right direction, but we must not stop there.Tomorrow we will resume training.

Remy Siemsen made her long-awaited Womens Super League bow on Sunday.

The former Liberty A-League star completed a dream move to Leicester City in January as Sydney FC recouped a record fee for the Australia international.

Up until the weekends round, Siemsen had not made an appearance due to injury.

The 23-year-old was named in the starting line-up against high-flying Manchester United and capped her debut with a goal in Leicesters 5-1 defeat.

Siemsen struck in the 48th minute to cut the deficit to 2-1 away to league-leading United.

Leicester are at the foot of the WSL standings through 13 rounds.

In the Conti Cup final, Caitlin Foord and Steph Catley came out on top against Sam Kerr after Arsenal defeated Chelsea 3-1, after the Matildas captain opened the scoring in just the second minute.

READ: Aussie duo help end Arsenals title drought

It was Arsenals first piece of silverware since A-League Women Championship-winning head coach Joe Montemurro guided them to the 2018-19 WSL crown.

Montemurros Juventus, meanwhile, played out a 1-1 draw with Inter in the first leg of their Coppa Italia Womens semi-final.

There is no stopping Celtic as they march towards back-to-back Scottish Premiership titles.

Ange Postecoglous side routed a 10-man St Mirren side featuring former Isuzu UTE A-League players Keanu Baccus and Ryan Strain 5-1 to restore their nine-point lead atop the standings.

Celtic reached 250 goals in 99 games under Postecoglou, with Socceroos star Aaron Mooy at the heart of another landslide victory.

READ: Ange Postecoglou reaches another milestone as rampant Celtic show no mercy

Mooy collected two assists, teeing up Jota and Alistair Johnston against St Mirren.

The A-Leagues legend has now been directly involved in six goals in his past five league games two goals and four assists.

Elsewhere in Scotland, Kye Rowles was a key contributor in Hearts 3-0 win over St Johnstone.

After sitting out the previous game, ex-Central Coast Mariners centre-back Rowles helped keep a clean sheet, while Cam Devlin and Garang Kuol both came off the bench.

To highlight Rowles performance, he had the most passes (64) and clearances (five) of any Hearts player against St Johnstone.

Kuol almost scored a stunning goal, his effort from the corner of the penalty area hitting the crossbar.

It was a big result as Hearts prepare for two matches against Celtic, in the league and cup, this week.

James Jeggos Hibernian were too good for Livingston in a 4-1 demolition; Hibs sit fourth in the standings amid a three-game winning streak.

Dundee Uniteds woes continued following a 3-1 loss to Aberdeen as Mark Birighitti returned to the starting line-up while Aziz Behich completed another 90 minutes.

It was a troubled contest at Tannadice Park, where Uniteds new manager Jim Goodwin claimed he was hit by a coin during the match against his former club.

Goodwin was sacked by Aberdeen in January and appointed by United on Wednesday. Police are investigating the incident.

For Birighitti, he was recalled by Goodwin having found himself on the sidelines in the wake of his howler against St Johnstone last month.

Yokohama F.Marinos remain undefeated through the opening three games of their J1 League title defence.

F.Marinos came from behind to earn a 1-1 draw at home to Sanfrecce Hiroshima on Friday night.

Kevin Muscats champions have seven points after three rounds two adrift of leaders Vissel Kobe.

For the first time since 2019 under Ange Postecoglou, Marinos are unbeaten after their opening three games. Though this campaign, they finally claimed their first Japanese Super Cup.

Elsewhere in Japans top flight, Thomas Deng came off the bench in Albirex Niigatas 2-2 draw with Consadole Sapporo, while Mitch Langeraks Nagoya Grampus were beaten 1-0 by Sagan Tosu.

In the J2 League, Peter Cklamovskis Montedio Yamagata were beaten for the first time going down 2-1 to Jubilo Iwata.

Mitch Duke and Machida Zelvia celebrated a 2-1 win, while Stefan Mauks Fagiano Okayama drew 1-1 at Mito HollyHock.

There was a reunion four years in the making over the weekend.

Riley McGree and Dean Bouzanis crossed paths at Melbourne City during the 2018-19 Isuzu UTE A-League season.

McGree is now playing for high-flying Middlesbrough in the EFL Championship, while Bouzanis is a goalkeeper for Reading.

The two Aussies went head-to-head over the weekend and McGrees Boro crushed Reading 5-0 to move within four points of second place.

Bouzanis made just his fourth start of the season, but it was a game to forget as his countryman celebrated a sixth win in seven games.

Around the grounds and Harry Souttars Leicester City suffered a shock 1-0 loss to lowly Southampton, a loss that left them just three points above the relegation zone.

In MLS, Milos Degenek was in the line-up as Columbus Crew kept a clean sheet in their 2-0 win over Wayne Rooneys DC United.

Results dont get much worse than Den Boschs 13-0 humiliation at the hands of PEC Zwolle in the Dutch second division.

Zwolle equalled the biggest ever win in a Dutch league game (tied with Ajaxs 13-0 rout of VVV Venlo in the Eredivisie in 2020), and an Australian was involved over the weekend.

Former Melbourne Victory loanee and Olyroo Dylan Ryan came off the bench for Den Bosch in the second half, with the Eerste Divisie side trailing 10-0.

In the Dutch top tier, Mat Ryan kept another clean sheet for AZ Alkmaar, who edged Vitesse 1-0.

The Socceroos captain and AZ are third in the Eredivisie, five points behind leaders Feyenoord.

Jackson Irvines St Pauli extended their winning streak to six games courtesy of a 2-1 win over Paderborn in the 2.Bundesliga.

The Aussie captain completed 90 minutes, while A-Leagues graduate Connor Metcalfe put in a 70-minute display.

But it was happened during the week leading into the second-tier German fixture that left Irvine starstruck.

The Australia international met Manchester United and Brazil star Casemiro at The Best FIFA awards in Paris last week.

Irvine was in attendance as a member of FIFPros Global Player Council, with Casemiro named in the FIFPRO Mens World XI.

There was a wholesome moment between the players backstage.

Casemiro asked: You play for Australia, no?

Yeah, replied a stunned Irvine.

I know, I see you, said Casemiro.

Irvine said, wow!

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Socceroos star reveals 'bonkers' extent of injury hell: 'I'd been ... - keepup.com.au

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