By Chris Wright

Remember Thomas Vermaelen? Y’know, the guy who’s Achilles injury was supposed to keep him out for ‘a couple of weeks’ back in September?

Vermaelen underwent surgery in January to remove a tendon in his heel that was believed to be the root of the recurring problem, though the centre-half has admitted that he still doesn’t know when he’ll be able to resume training – let alone make a return to the first team.

He told Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad:

“I relapsed six times, that was hard. Every time I had a goal to come back, but that was then broken again and again.

“I am now cautious. It is frustrating that I cannot play. I had never been injured for so long. On some days it’s mentally very tough but I see this as a test. Perhaps it is also good for my career and it will make me stronger mentally.

“I feel no trouble in the Achilles tendon itself, but the muscles around it still need to be made stronger. I do not know when I will be back.

“At first they said I would need four or six weeks after the operation. But it soon became apparent that it would last longer.

“I’m not even in training. I’m still working on my exercises to come back. This is a tough mental test.”

Thank God that Seb Squillaci has stepped up to the plate, eh?

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