Saturday, March 8, 2008

MIDO REVEALS MENTAL STRUGGLE


Mido has revealed the emotional turmoil that compounded the physical pain of his three-month injury lay-off.
The Middlesbrough striker, who returned from a troublesome groin injury just over a month ago, wants an FA Cup winner's medal to end his miserable season on a high.
Mido, 25, has struggled to regain full match-fitness since returning to the first-team squad - there have even been suggestions he had been carrying excess weight.
But ahead of Sunday's FA Cup quarter-final against Coca-Cola Championship side Cardiff, the Egypt international revealed the true extent of his injury woe.
"Some injuries are really more difficult because you don't know when you're going to be back," said the £6million summer signing from Tottenham.
"It was very difficult emotionally and mentally for me.
"Now all I'm trying to do is to play well for the last 10 games of the season and have a good run in the FA Cup.
"If I can do that, I will be very happy."
Mido came through the biggest test of his match fitness in the last round of the cup against Sheffield United, playing the entire two hours (double check) of a fifth-round replay that went to extra-time.
"It was a big test for me to play two hours," he said, admitting he was "knackered" at the end of the game.
"My injury this season has been a big disappointment for me, especially the timing.
"I have missed the African (Nations) Cup and have missed an important period with the club.
"It came after I started to play well."
Indeed, Mido's Boro career could have hardly begun more brightly, the striker netting in his opening two games for the club.
He has failed to find the net since his return, although it was his shot that forced the decisive error from Sheffield United goalkeeper Paddy Kenny in the previous cup tie.
"Of course I'm not in top form but I'm fighting to get back in top form," Mido added.
"I'm doing everything possible on the training ground to get back in my best form. But it's not easy when you've been injured for three or four months."
A fit and firing Mido would be a huge asset in Boro's dual aim of securing Barclays Premier League survival and winning the FA Cup for the first time.
"To win the cup would be massive for us," Mido said.
"We're really dreaming about it and I think we deserve to dream about it."
He added: "I've been in England now more than three years and I know how big the FA Cup is.
"I think most of the lads here, even the new lads, know how big it is.
"It will be great for us to get to the final or to the semi-final."
Mido is all too aware victory tomorrow will give him and many of his team-mates their first taste of the new Wembley.
"It means a lot to all of us," he explained.
"Most of the players playing here haven't experienced playing at Wembley and I haven't as well, so it's a challenge for us."

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