Josh Sheehan admits it was 'tough' at times as he recovered from injury which ended his last season at Bolton Wanderers prematurely but is looking forward to be back in action soon.
The 27-year-old joined Wanderers last summer on a free transfer from Newport County and put pen to paper on a two-year deal. He started the season brightly for Wanderers and scored four goals in 20 appearances before his campaign was ended early due to injury.
The midfielder was sidelined in November due to a ruptured ACL and has been on the comeback trail since then. He has travelled with the club to its pre-season training camp on the Algarve in Portugal.
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The former Swansea City trainee has been joining in with the training sessions. He was joined on the sidelines last season by winger Lloyd Isgrove, who was sidelined by hamstring problems.
Sheehan is pleased to be back and nearing a return to action after opening up on his injury recovery and how difficult it has been at times to adjust to being out for such a long time. But he believes having Isgrove out at the same time too has helped both players and hopes he and fellow Welshman Isgrove will be back in action in the not too distant future.
Speaking to the club's official YouTube channel, Sheehan said: “I am feeling really good fitness-wise to be fair. I've worked hard during the early stints of the injury and over the summer I've worked really hard on my fitness and my strength.
“I feel like when it comes to the running now and joining in with the boys, I am feeling up to the pace.
“It is about now more about getting the sharpness of the football side, which will come in the next month or so. I am looking forward to it.
“It was really tough at the start when you first hear the news. Probably the worst period was waiting for the operation.
“In that time, I'd say it was the most difficult because you feel like you are doing nothing, you are just wasting time in a way, even though it’s not your fault as it's more about the surgeon and when they can fit you in.
"Even when the boys were playing, I found it really difficult to watch just because you feel like in that period you're not doing anything. Once you get the operation done, I was always looking forward then. It was always getting to this moment and then to the next, so it's been tough.
“To be fair, being injured with Izzy as well has helped because both of us have been talking to each other in and off the pitch, asking how this session was and how that session was. We’ve gone to the pool together.
“That is the toughest part when everyone is outside and it is only me and Izzy in the gym. Sometimes it’s him on his own and sometimes it’s me on my own and that's the toughest part.
“But you get through it and I am always trying to be positive about injuries, thinking to myself I can get stronger and ready for the next season. It has been tough but I feel like it has helped having someone else being injured with you, but hopefully we will both be back soon.”
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