Hargreaves Will Not be Ready
Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, has revealed that Owen Hargreaves will not be ready for the start of the Premier League season.
The England midfielder has been suffering from a series of injuries to both of his knees, which have stopped him from playing more than just one game for United in the last 18 months. The recent setback has been described as a huge blow to Hargreaves who was starting to believe he could get back into the United side.
The team do have enough cover to cope without Hargreaves being able to play. This is something, which they have had to put up with for a long time and some at the club may have been expecting that Hargreaves would not be fit in time for the first game in August.
Hargreaves' determination is admirable because a lot of other players would have given up a long time ago and announced an early retirement from the game. However, the player said last season that he feels he owes it to the club to try and get fit because they have been so good to him during the long spell that he hasn't been able to play.
Admiration
Knee injuries are one of the worst injuries that a player can pick up in any sport. A bad knee injury has the ability to ruin a career because it's the area of a leg, which has to deal with the most pressure and stress. Knee injuries have caused many sportsmen and women to announce early retirements from their sporting profession.
It would have been no surprise at all if Hargreaves had announced his retirement from the game long before this point. However, he has kept going and has won many admirers from within United and other teams because of his determination. He does not appear to be a player who will give up the fight and this setback will not knock his belief or confidence.
The only real problem on the horizon that the player is going to have to deal with is how patient his manager and his club are going to be. There is only so long that they can keep paying his wages and his medical treatment before someone at the club calls a halt to the process.
A New Signing
Ferguson has said that when Hargreaves does eventually get back to a point where his fitness will hold for more than a few games, it will be like getting a new signing into the club.
This is because the side have had to cope without Hargreaves being able to play for a very long time. They already have a group of midfield players who have represented the team constantly over the last one or two years. When Hargreaves reaches the point that he can play again it will be a welcome addition to the team and a lift to the club.
You will be able to find a bookmaker who will give you odds on Hargreaves never being able to play another Premier League game. Avoid this. He seems to be a very determined man and his club do not look as though they are going to pull the plug any time soon.
United will remain one of the favourites to lift the title next season and their chances are only going to improve if Hargreaves manages to get into the team. If you fancy them to win it, then back them and if Hargreaves does get back at some point, he is bound to be h**l bent on making an impact.
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