For his own sake he should call it a day.
Owen Hargreaves | 2009/10 Performances
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Well, to an extent that may be true but I don't think that was the point he was trying to make, and neither is it a very good one. It's an injury you can't suddenly get back, it's not like a cruciate or achilles injury where *pop* and it's gone so in that way it's probably easier to know when you are overdoing it and not in the rehabilitation process. But there is a real possibility that the pain won't go away and then it's a matter of if he can play through the pain, and even more crucially, how much of future pain Hargreaves is willing to invest in his playing career.
I blew my knee out (ACL) playing highschool football in the 90's. I had my final year of basketball coming up and I asked the local specialist what my options were.
He told me.
A) I can have surgery now miss the entire basketball season with 6+ months of rehab.
B) My knee was done, I couldn't do any more damage to it. I could wear a brace to play basketball and just deal with the pain and have surgery after.
I chose option B. I wasn't the same player but I helped us finish 5th in the province. However if I banged it or planted on it wrong it would hurt like the dickens (If dickens equals sticking your dick in an electrical socket) but that pain would only last 5 minutes until I walked it off and could get back in the game.
At the end of the day it was just pain. Pain is something you can play through when you know it is just pain.
I believe this is the sort of situation Hargreaves is in now. The damage was done, it has been repaired. Now it is just pain. The question is how severe is the pain and can he play through it?
Once Hargreaves retires, he can go lay on a beach for 2 or 3 years and let the tendons repair themselves properly. You're only in your physical prime once and if you let that opportunity pass you by, there is no going back and if you try you're just going to end up zapping yourself in the balls!
The problem is if he causes himself any permanent problems by playing on in pain. He's been handsomely rewarded already for his playing career, and would probably get a nice insurance pay out if he had to quit, meaning he'd probably not have to work again. He would then have to decide between a healthy rest of his life, or the possibility of putting himself in a wheelchair down the line, because his knees are beyond repair. Yes, a player is only in there prime once, but they are retired longer than they play and they have to be selfish about themselves rather than the team in situations like this.
Obviously, he's bound to feel some pain after being out for such a long time - I reckon though, that, once his knee does get used to being pressured during matches again, he'll be fine - I just hope he will be.
He seems a very intelligent player too - so I reckon he could make a good name for himself as a pundit if he wished to.
It is really a painful admission.
Wonder whether United can claim some compensation through insurance or some thing like in the case of Steve Coppell or Gary Bailey???
Jesus there are some pessimistic fellas on here.
After nearly 2 years out Hargreaves finally makes his comeback and should start his second game in a week tonight, however because he makes what is hardly a shocking admission, that he feels some pain, there's folk saying "he should do himself a favour and call it a day", and the fella above me is already talking about claiming insurance
I'm pretty sure Rio is having some jabs too and changing his training regime, should he also throw in the towel? He's a top athlete at the end of the day and I'm sure that he like many others can handle playing through a bit of pain.
After nearly 2 years out Hargreaves finally makes his comeback and should start his second game in a week tonight, however because he makes what is hardly a shocking admission, that he feels some pain, there's folk saying "he should do himself a favour and call it a day", and the fella above me is already talking about claiming insurance
I'm pretty sure Rio is having some jabs too and changing his training regime, should he also throw in the towel? He's a top athlete at the end of the day and I'm sure that he like many others can handle playing through a bit of pain.
People are being far too pessimistic. I don't know why anyone just expected that the pain was gone. He is still recovering and he is improving as he said himself.
I wouldn't read too much into him still feeling pain and soreness. It's totally normal after you come back from such a long period out. You have to consider that the lad has been out for a year and a half. The surgeon said his knees were in the worst condition that he'd ever seen. The good thing is that the knees are essentially fixed according to Steadman.
He's probably going to need to be managed in terms of the games that he plays, ala Ledley King, but hopefully to not as great an extent as that. But we rotate the midfield a shit load anyway.
He's probably going to need to be managed in terms of the games that he plays, ala Ledley King, but hopefully to not as great an extent as that. But we rotate the midfield a shit load anyway.
His surgery was some time ago - the fact that he is still feeling pain is not a good sign.
If Richard Steadman, one of the worlds finest knee surgeons, says they are the worst knees he has seen in 35 years, then its a very worrying sign.
I just hope the lad wont end up in a wheelchair by the time he’s turned 40.
I tore my medial collateral ligament in my knee before Christmas last year - its still not right now. Its made me realise just how debilitating knee injurys are.
He said the knees were in the worst condition he'd seen pre-op. He's the best in the business at sorting these injuries out. Furthermore, regarding his long-term health, I'm sure that he will have received the proper advice on that. United have always been pretty good in terms of not pushing players to play that aren't fit.
The fact that he is feeling pain is perfectly normal. He's had both knees done, been out of action for 1 and a half years and is now getting back into a high impact sport. Of course there will be pain. But you'd hope the majority of it would subside.
The pain is obviously normal. The operation was deemed a success. He is back playing. He is recovering. How could we ask any more than that?
I totally agree mate.
People are getting worried because, presumably, they thought that he'd be straight back into action, as good as new.
Jesus there are some pessimistic fellas on here.
After nearly 2 years out Hargreaves finally makes his comeback and should start his second game in a week tonight, however because he makes what is hardly a shocking admission, that he feels some pain, there's folk saying "he should do himself a favour and call it a day", and the fella above me is already talking about claiming insurance
I'm pretty sure Rio is having some jabs too and changing his training regime, should he also throw in the towel? He's a top athlete at the end of the day and I'm sure that he like many others can handle playing through a bit of pain.
Pain is a threshold that is very individualised and personal. If Hargreaves is still playing through the pain barrier, only he himself would know the limits and how far he would go.
Like many others, the belief is that Hargreaves adds another dimension to United's midfield.
No one is cursing him or wanting him to call it a day. Given the amount paid when United signed him, if, and only if, he decides that he cannot contribute anymore to United's cause; would it be asking too much if there was some compensation insurance in place?
The mental aspect of playing football cannot be neglected. The spirit to go on, despite being down behind has been the cornerstone of many United sides, games and individual players throughout the years.
Having to focus on the game and also managing the pain barrier may be a huge task for anyone to handle. When needing the extra crunch in a tackle, the added spurt of speed, a little more spring in jumping for a header, and the final composure before shooting to score. ALL requires mental, coupled with physical attributes to click before they can be executed.
If part of ones body has still to accommodate some pain in ones knees, would this player be able to go in 100%?
Whatever is being said, the wish is that Hargreaves recover and his pain reduces as he plays more matches.
Hopefully, he would be able to play a part, (however small) in United's fourth title on the trot run-in, and help us win all the remaining matches.
Is he in the squad for tonight?
It was crazy for anyone to think that. It was always going to take a lot of time.
He won't be in a bloody wheelchair! Absolutely worst case scenario for him is that after he retires he'll get a prostetic knee replacement. I'm fully confident on him returning to full fitness now. This is the home stretch and the rest of this season will probably work as a preparation for pre-season for him. I'm also guessing that for the rest of his career here he will to an extent have a specialised training regime.
ManUtd.com
Not playing tonight being billed as good news. I'm dubious about that to be honest - he won't be involved vs Bolton at the weekend, nor Munich on Tuesday, so there really isn't a good reason for him not to be involved for the reserve side tonight. He needs the match practice imo, so I am unconvinced that his non-inclusion tonight is a good thing or a sign that he is progressing positively.
Not playing tonight being billed as good news. I'm dubious about that to be honest - he won't be involved vs Bolton at the weekend, nor Munich on Tuesday, so there really isn't a good reason for him not to be involved for the reserve side tonight. He needs the match practice imo, so I am unconvinced that his non-inclusion tonight is a good thing or a sign that he is progressing positively.
some amount of doom merchants in this place.
hope he gets 70+ minutes in tonight anyway.
hope he gets 70+ minutes in tonight anyway.
Shit, I was looking forward to watching him again this week.
Seems a bit of a strange reason not to play him tonight.
Seems a bit of a strange reason not to play him tonight.
Thought he'd been training with the first team for a while now.
If he's not on the bench for Bolton I will be seriously worried now.
If he's not on the bench for Bolton I will be seriously worried now.
Difficult since he's not playing
Thought he'd been training with the first team for a while now.
as far as i know he'd been doing a day or so with the first team then time with the reserve team.
Oh well that's some slight comfort, thanks.
That doesn't prevent him playing in the reserves though does it.
No, it shouldn't, which worries me. I can't see a good reason to take him out of the reserve game. Training with the first team squad is not a good reason. I would have thought the likes of Obertan and Diouf would be training with the first team, but are regs in the reserve side.
The only reasons that I can see to take him out of the reserve game are that his knees have not recovered enough from the last reserve game, or that he's on the bench against Bolton.
oh just imagine, and think of the boost it would give him just to play the last 10 minutes against Bolton.
I only used that as an extreme situation, if this pain he's talking about is OK to play with for himself so be it, but if it is to his future detriment, then he has to consider his options. Does his long term helath and mobility worth the sacrafice of playing on with or does he retire to maintain that health and mobility.
As for him not playing in the reserves tonight. I honestly think that last week he showed his class, and whilst not exactly being back at his best, showed enough to suggest he can contribute to the first team this year when fit. It may be a reaction to playing again, which isn't uncommon after so long out, perhaps Fergie wants him on the bench on Saturday to encourage him on further, we won't know till Saturday. Either way I don't think him not playing tonight is too much to worry about.
It would be highly irresponsible and dangerous to do that ... United fans would all across hit the big O at once and could throw the earth of it's axis.
in reality they are the only two reasons that I see as being viable for him to be removed from the reserve squad tonight. I know which one I feel is more likely...
..........so perhaps we should just pray and hope we're both wrong.
.... so perhaps we should both log into our fantasy teams and stick Owen H in at centre mid?
already made my transfers for this week, what with RVP back in training for Arsenal.
No go away I'm the only Sharky here
This is great news, if SAF is pulling him from the reserves to train with the first team then it can only be good news, he doesn't take risks with things like this
Soccernet seems to be reporting it that way - their headline story (but, guess not much else going on but, even RVP didn't get that kind of headline). The way their story read is that he is being pulled to train with the first team so as to be available for the run in.
Will be ecstatic if he is available for some games - more so to give Fletch a break if needs it for big games.
Only RedCafe could make Hargreaves moving to full first team training into bad news 
The reserve game has been called off anyway. Waterlogged pitch.
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