Been a while....Magic Johnson

[ant london]

I thought it was quiet on the MJ front but here is word of "the other" Johnson. I don't care what anyone says....he HAS got the potential to play at the highest level. I just hope that physically he holds up

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Michael Johnson is on course for a September return from serious knee surgery and believes the second major setback of his young career has made him mentally tougher.

City's gifted former England Under-21 midfielder is working through the summer after his season was wrecked by a complicated cruciate ligament injury in training last December.

Johnno, who had been back barely a month following a year out, was warned by the surgeon when he had the operation that it might be another 12 months before he could play again.

Now careful not to rush his daily programme at Carrington, he said: "I won't be ready for the start of season, but everything is going well and we're looking at probably September time.

"I'm working hard and my knee feels good, it feels normal again. It's about building fitness now and not doing anything too quickly. One mistake and you're back to square one or worse.



"But I'm being told 'slow down', and I have to put the reins on and hold back. I've been back to the surgeon three times for check-ups and he's given the all-clear each time. You have to return after six months, so I'll see him in another month or so."

Luckless Michael's latest injury, which occurred in training, followed a painful pelvic problem that took him a year to overcome and ruled him out of most of the 2009-10 campaign.

But he said: "These things make you mentally tougher. I had to stop and my studs got stuck in the turf, it wasn't just the cruciate, but I don't want anyone feeling sorry for me.

"I was out the year before, so when you find out you're going to have 12 months off again it's gutting, but you have been through it before - you know you can get through it again."

[Beeks]

I always thought it was his groin that he has problems with?!

[ant london]

I always thought it was his groin that he has problems with?!

the original injury was pelvis/groin

then he did his knee....which I believe InvisiHiggi reported to us at the time as he saw it "live" in training

[Scatman]

I always thought it was his inability to stay out of pubs and chip shops that was the problem

[Blue Blood]

I still reckon MJ has a big part to play in our future.

Frankly if he hadn't gotten injured and had had 2 injury free seasons with us, he'd be on the plane to south africa this summer.

I hope he can come back from all this and get back to his best!

[HeyMark]

I liked that bit about not wanting people feeling sorry for him.

Was having this discussion a few weeks ago, I'd take a fully fit Michael Johnson in my team over a fully fit Ireland.

Ps. Off topic, but is the guy who does the commenting on that Scunthorpe goal that guy Nick Knowles who does those DIY shows?

[ant london]

Depends what you believe....I heard that desire (or lack of), gambling, drugs, booze and lifestyle/diet were all issues at one point or another

Some of those "rumours" came to me via some very credible sources, others did not but....frankly....I don't know what to believe other than the fact that this last injury was 100% a real and a serious one.

Maybe the lack of professionalism he showed last time took him quite tangibly close to the ending of his City career and that gave him a wake-up call and he's been a lot more dedicated this time around. Hopefully so.

End of the day, he cost us nothing to buy and has huge potential (albeit that, currently, that's all it still is). We should see how he goes this season. If he's then not good enough or has been irreparably damaged then, so be it, we shall sell him. But until we see him properly in action again I shall be crossing my fingers and hoping for the best.

He's certainly shown more in a City shirt than....say....Valeri Bojinov did. So he gets additional patience from me.

[Mike J]

would absolutely love him to get back to what he was.

wonder if old sven has mentioned to bobby how good he is.

[brite blu sky]

Seriously hope he gets back to full fitness over the summer months.. and then training goes well and gets his chances in the team once again.. the whole scenario at City has changed and he will have to be tip top in all aspects of his life.. but he knows the score im sure and it will be a great incentive to him to get back into an even better City side and do the business, he was and im sure still is a wonderful footballer with great talent.

Take your time Johnno and get it right

[Tokyo Blue]

would absolutely love him to get back to what he was.

wonder if old sven has mentioned to bobby how good he is.

I would imagine so. He was very, very good when he was in the first team. With him fit we were in the top 3. He was not the only reason for this, clearly, but I believe he was the major reason in that he brought the best out of the players around him. His loss of fitness also coincided with Elano's slide into mediocrity.

Good luck, Johnno lad.

[BlueMoonAwoken]

I wish he could get his "mind" or "knee/groin" right and get playing i think he has the right build for the midfield and love to see him playing again.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Good words from MJ and when I last saw him at Carrington I was pleasantly surprised at how trim he looked.

He hadnt been out training but he definitely hadn't put all those extra pounds on like he did when he had been out for a year.Hopefully therefore his fitness/rehab work won't take as long as last time and he will come back as good as new.

[Crossie]

He will be an asset when he's back. But it wont be the 2nd coming of Jesus. We have moved on alot since he was putting in occasional good performances.

Its amazing how everyone only remembers the goals, what about all the games where you barely noticed he was on the pitch for 60 minutes.

[irblinx]

There was a massive backlash against the lad following all the Colin Bell comparisons but if he gets back to fitness and the same form he would be like a £20m signing. Even in the Scunthorpe game despite a total lack of match fitness and carrying extra weight you could still see his class, his touch, vision and calmness on the ball are all top notch, yes the oppo weren't up to much but he still stood out from our players. The goal was obviously class too!

[Dubciteh]

Some people claim this guy as the second coming!!! He wasnt even that good when we were shit!

Id like to see him make a comeback but im not holding my breath, i certainly wont be relying on him. If hes lucky and reaches the potential he once had he will prob make our bench at best. harsh but imo true.

[Beeks]

He will be an asset when he's back. But it wont be the 2nd coming of Jesus.

Amen

[razor400]

Some people claim this guy as the second coming!!! He wasnt even that good when we were shit!

Id like to see him make a comeback but im not holding my breath, i certainly wont be relying on him. If hes lucky and reaches the potential he once had he will prob make our bench at best. harsh but imo true.

Nothing like being positive eh mate, you're a miserable cunt harsh but imo true.

[Ted Hughes]

Imo both Johnson & Ireland can (injuries permitting) be absolute top, possibly world class players but neither are good enough to do that on ability alone. They need to also be grafters so extra flair players can fit alongside them. The extra workrate, added to their undoubted talent will be the thing that makes the difference between them being in the top 10% of players or below. Both let that slip & need to get it back. Either that or they both need to start scoring 20 a season.

Paul Scholes wouldn't have been the player he is without the extra effort he put in at their age & he's a better talent than either as a footballer, playmaker & midfield goalscorer. To match him & attain his level of usefulness to a team, both need to put in 5-10% more than he did to make up the difference. They can do it if fully fit as both are physically better than him. Then they would contribute to a team in ways that Scholes can't.

[Vhero]

I always thought it was his groin that he has problems with?!

the original injury was pelvis/groin

then he did his knee....which I believe InvisiHiggi reported to us at the time as he saw it "live" in training

Guys got unlucky written all over his CV..

[Blue Since 76]

Johnno had the potential to be what we've been missing for the last two seasons - a box to box midfielder who can link defence and attack. I'd expect him to have some minor setbacks, hamstring strains and the like, but I really hope he's back. Yes, we've improved, but a good player should just look better in better company.