Socceroos defender Williams vows to rebuild his stalled career

Australia defender Rhys Williams is close to returning to full training as he battles to put a double Achilles rupture behind him and pick up the pieces of his frozen career.

Rhys Williams

Rhys Williams wants to get his career back on track and return to the Socceroos fold. (AAP) Source: AAP

The luckless Middlesbrough defender – limited to just 60 seconds of senior football in the last 19 months – hopes to be match ready by mid-September, but revealed he may have to go out on loan to prove his fitness to coach Aitor Karanka.

A certainty for the Socceroos 2014 FIFA World Cup squad before being ruled out by injury, Williams was also rubbed out of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa by a groin problem and he is hoping his injury curse has finally been lifted.

"It’s all looking really positive … I am feeling stronger and getting fitter with work in the gym and I am certainly mentally stronger," Williams said.

"I am looking to be back in full training in four to six weeks. When I get fit we’ll have a look at a few things and I am open to a loan move.

"I am sure the gaffer will agree to that and let me go and get some games before I come back and challenge for a spot.

"I’ve had a lot of injuries and I understand that I have to rebuild my reputation again. But I have faith in my ability and once I get back playing again I am sure I can pick up where I left off.

"I will keep working hard and I haven’t given up hope yet of achieving my goals in the game.

"I have a lot of good people around me, especially my wife Sas and my new born son Arden and that has helped me get through this.

"It puts it all into perspective when you have children and family to look after and to go home to."

With his contract due to expire at the end of the 2015-2016 campaign, it’s a pivotal season for Williams.

"I need to get things right for sure now," he added. "With it being my last year, come January I will need to be weighing up my options.

"I was due to start training in two weeks but a couple of things came up in and around the Achilles but not directly to do with it and I shouldn’t be far away now."

Williams, who turned 27 in July, concedes that forcing his way back into the reckoning at Middlesbrough after such a long absence will be no easy task.

"The main thing is to get fit before we really look at anything else in too much detail," he said. "I am in the gym every day – the first one in and the last to leave. I am doing all I can do to get back to where I want to be."

Williams was making his first start for 49 weeks for Boro against Barnsley in the FA Cup in January before crumbling to the turf less than a minute into his return game as he suffered a second Achilles rupture on his right leg.

He puts his succession of injuries down to sheer “bad luck” rather than any lingering bio-mechanical issues, explaining: "Even the surgeons said they have never seen a double Achilles rupture in different places on the same side and it’s been a bit if learning curve for those why have been treating me as well.

"I have every belief that I can get through this and come back strongly. You can easily get forgotten in football and that's how I've been feeling lately, but that’s the game and sport in general and you just have to keep going."


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4 min read
Published 4 August 2015 10:12am
Updated 8 August 2015 6:48am
By David Lewis

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