Callum Wilson has revealed that he is 'positive' there will be a 'good chunk' of games left when he returns to action for Newcastle United.
The striker suffered a calf injury in the 1-1 draw against Manchester United back in December and was initially ruled out for two months.
However, Eddie Howe has since admitted that Wilson is not expected back until later in the campaign after the 29-year-old only came off crutches earlier this month.
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Although the rehab is going 'slower' than Wilson would have liked, the number nine is staying upbeat after a productive week abroad.
"I'm positive that I'll be back this season and have a good chunk of games left," he told co-host Michail Antonio on the Footballer's Football podcast. "I've just got to make sure that when I'm back, I'm back to staying, back to making a difference.
"It's difficult because I was thinking about this question, when you might ask me and when it might pop up and things like that. It's difficult for any player, really.
"When you're injured, everyone writes you off. Everyone is trying to replace you. Everyone is talking about other people coming in to do this, to do that and things like that.
"As a person who is the one who physically can't go out there and play, if I wasn't as strong-minded, it affects some players mentally.
"I think throughout different periods of your rehab, you have to then get away. Hence why I am away at the moment. It's not a kind of jolly up. It's not a week off. It's a change of scenery to keep me mentally engaged in my rehab and to mentally recharge and refresh.
"Throughout the next coming weeks, we will probably touch on an episode of mental health because I feel it is a big part of the game. It's probably at the minute physically and mentally tiring on your body as well as emotionally and all the other things that come with it.
"It's not just about rehabbing physically; you've got to make sure you're staying focused, staying engaged, mentally as well because you're seeing your team do well, do amazing. I can't be a part of that and you know you're not going to be a part of that for the foreseeable future at the moment and it just becomes frustrating and wears you down a little bit.
"I've taken myself away from the club, from the country, for a week or so and just tried to get myself into that place where you can kick on again as soon you step foot back in the country. I'm out here working hard and I've progressed so much over this past week or so that I'm positive I'm back on the track where I need to be now and closer to getting fit."
Despite missing the last six games in all competitions, Wilson, tellingly, remains Newcastle's top scorer this season with six goals.
The tireless Chris Wood has stepped up in Wilson's absence, but the £25m signing has yet to get off the mark just yet following his mid-season move from Burnley.
Although Newcastle had hoped to ease the burden on Wood by signing another forward last month, moves for Hugo Ekitike and Jesse Lingard did not come off so it will fall to the New Zealand international to continue to lead the line on his own in the coming weeks.
Wilson has been supporting his fellow striker from the stands at St James' Park, but the number nine has had some difficult days during his latest spell on the sidelines.
"Since I've joined Newcastle, I've had a good run. I think I'm almost one in two in terms of goals to games but it's been stop-start," he added.
"It's been frustrating. It's not been the Newcastle career that I could see myself straight away having. You've got the number nine shirt, you're scoring goals and things like that but, for me, there's so much more to come and so much more to give that I'm not able to do because I'm not on the pitch.
"It's annoying that I'm so professional day in, day out. I live right, eat right, sleep right and do everything right. I'm probably one of the first ones in and the last ones out at the training ground and then you pick up an injury. That's the most frustrating thing, that you're doing everything right and it still catches you out sometimes."
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