Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi opened up on the injury hell that saw him miss three months of the 2022-23 season.
The forward, signed last summer from Union Berlin, suffered a groin injury that saw him on the sidelines from January until April. He had blood taken from his leg every week for three months, he said, and the time out had an impact on his family.
His mother was crying "almost every day" and his wife was "always crying", the striker said, as he spoke about how he got through the difficult period by supporting his teammates.
“In life, there are always ups and downs. People that believe more suffer more, but it does not mean that those who don’t believe don’t also suffer,” Awoniyi told Soccernet.ng.
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“There are things in life one cannot control, and injuries are part of them. During those three months when I was injured, I was lucky that my mum and dad were with me in the UK, and that was the first time that they really saw me really injured.
“My mum was almost crying every day because I was on crutches for about a month, and my wife was also always crying. But I am someone who believes that things may go well every time.
“Even if the season did not go well, I will still be Taiwo. Of course, I would be sad, and I’d ask myself questions. I was not happy too, because the injury came at a time when I was beginning to understand myself and the team and get into form.
“When people see me talking about God, it is not because I am a pastor. It’s just because of how miraculously He has always been working in my life. Imagine you’ve been doing great and all of a sudden you’re out.
“The best you can do is to support the team from outside and keep your spirit alive, but there will surely be times when you would feel down and doubt yourself.
“Blood was taken out of my legs every week for three months. These are things that you can’t control, but the good thing you can do for yourself is to listen to the medical staff and believe in yourself.”
How many do you think Taiwo can score next season? Let us know in the comments.
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