Luton striker Adebayo hints his return might not be 'as long as you'd think'
Forward is making good progress at the Brache
Luton striker Elijah Adebayo has hinted that he might not be out for ‘as long as you’d think’ as he continues to step up his recovery from a serious knee injury.
The 27-year-old hasn’t featured since limping off in the 1-1 draw with Leeds United on April 5, which caused him to miss the final six games of the Championship campaign, as Town suffered a second successive relegation back to League One. Having been named in Town’s 25-man squad when the third tier campaign began by previous boss Matt Bloomfield, it was initially expected that Adebayo wouldn’t be fit until well into the new year, however, having begun to up his training regime at the Brache in recent weeks, it could be that he is able to lace up his boots again sooner than that.
Asked when he might be available once more, the striker, who has 47 goals in 182 matches, told Luton’s official website: "I won’t give too much away, but it won't be too long. There are still some hurdles for me to get over and a few boxes to tick, but it won't be as long as you’d think. I’m trying my hardest to get back out there, in a safe manner as well, but I’m pushing myself and trying to work as hard as I can to ensure I’m back sooner. There’s still a long way to go, I feel like I’ve had good news throughout the process whether it be from Chris (Phillips, head physiotherapist), whether it be from the surgeon that essentially I am taking the right steps.
"I remember him saying to me whatever you’re doing, keep doing it, because it’s been really good and he’s been really pleased with how I’ve applied myself. I’ve tried to come in every day and I want to be better and I know that I will be better than I previously was, but it’s being outside and touching the ball again, starting to do a little bit more intensive stuff is essentially what’s making me smile again and making me remember what I was doing previously before I got injured.
"But you don't get to that without going through the four, five months initially of staying at home and it can get pretty boring. Sometimes you feel like you don't want to do it, but for me it was just, this is a chance to get better every day. So it’s been tough, it’s been hard, but I guess this is why we play football isn't it?”
After a long and at times lonesome road to just get back to this stage of his recovery, then Adebayo was happy to finally take a more active role at the Brache, as he continued: “It’s been going pretty well. I’m starting to ramp things up a little bit and getting to the exciting part of the rehab. All of it’s been a lesson in so many ways, I’ve learned a lot about myself throughout this journey, but starting to real;y get to the fun part.
"Being outside again with the boys obviously, not necessarily in training just yet, but being around it, going out at similar times and then peeling off to do my own bits which is good for the mental side and good for them to see me back out there as well. I’ve done everything I possibly could to get to the point I am now where I'm kicking on and slowly getting ahead of where I'm supposed to be, which comes with a little bit of caution, but it’s been great, I'm enjoying it.”
Meanwhile, discussing the actual injury itself, which saw Adebayo not quite realise the severity of it to begin with, walking off the field and then making his way down the tunnel after the full time whistle, he added: “It almost felt like it wasn’t happening to me. When it happened I said to Chris, can you give me five minutes? Because I guess the adrenaline was just there and I think the initial pain I went through at first was just excruciating and then I just thought, ‘okay, I could probably run it off.’ Looking back that probably wouldn't have been the wisest decision.
"I think the ball was bouncing and I’d usually go to flick it over the oncoming player’s leg or head and I think I’ve just misjudged me flicking it and then I’ve tried to correct it and as I’ve gone to do that my legs just given way. If it was a contact injury it might not have been too bad, I think the fact no-one touched me was a little bit worrying.
"From then it kind of just went dark from there. I just remember it being black and then I got to the side of the pitch and sat down and my knee, as the game went on, was getting bigger. I was still hoping it wouldn't be too bad. A lot of people said to me how come you didn't get stretchered off. At the time it didn't feel like I needed it, I still managed to walk across the pitch at the end of the game, so that was the positive thinking that I thought maybe it wouldn't be too bad.”