Abou Diaby believes another club might well have tried to sell him due to his repetitive injury problems, but admits that despite the backing of those around him at Arsenal his path to recovery has been long and hard.
Chatting to The Observer’s Amy Lawrence, the French international spoke openly about the emotional torment that came with staring down the barrel of retirement at the age of 19 following Dan Smith’s horror challenge seven years ago.
“If I was in another club I wouldn’t have this chance,” Diaby said of his return to regular first team action.
“I feel a football club is not for injured players. When you come every day it is to train, to play. But when you are out for a long time, it’s very hard to take.
“You see your team-mates training with a smile on their face and you want that as well. I was sitting on the physiotherapist’s bed.
“You can feel yourself a bit apart from the group. You don’t contribute to everything that is going on around the team. It is a strange feeling.”
Talking about his decision to take a step back from involvement with the first team, Diaby confirmed he undertook training sessions in far flung destinations.
“I have to be honest and say sometimes I missed some games. I watched at home on TV. One year like this, without playing, is difficult.
“I prefer to do my treatment away. I asked permission and the manager let me. I went back to France, to America, to the Middle East. You need to change because staying in the same atmosphere, mentally you will explode.”
Revealing that our nameless former captain helped him keep his chin up, the 26-year-old also made clear that even with positive vibes from teammates his rehabilitation has been frustrating.
“It was getting too much. When you do something and you don’t enjoy it, you don’t see the point of carrying on. Some bad ideas cross your mind. I had to keep going.
“I went through a downward spiral, but I had a really good pre-season and now I am very confident in my body. I am very focused.”
In an age when footballers are fair game for tabloid tittle-tattle, viewed by coaches as numbers on a squad sheet and by chairmen as figures on a bank balance, the faith that Arsenal have shown in a player who has suffered both physically and mentally for nearly a quarter of his young life is something which we Gooners can be proud.
There’s no doubt he’s eager to repay that trust, let’s hope he gets the chance to prove his doubters wrong.
The link to full article is strange email vortex…!
Should be fixed now.
I am proud of Arsenal FC
Why? did you make it?
You know, in a tiny way he did. As do the 60 000 other fans that fill the stadium every week and the millions of fans around the world who buy the shirts sing the songs and celebrate the wins.
In your face Lord Murphy!!!
And murphy when said in swahili = mafi, which means shit.
That was a pointless knob-head comment. Why dod you even bother taking the time to write it? It was neither funny nor witty
twat
“…now I am very confident in my body. I am very focused.”
We have so many options in our Midfield it’s little short of exciting. Wouldn’t mind seeing any of these guys starting! Arteta, Cazorla, Jack, Abou, Ramsey, Coq, Rosicky!
It’s fucking excellent!
Not to mention AOC! After Wilshire, he’s my favorite young gunner wonderkid.
glad to see he does not take for granted how much patience arsenal have shown with him. realistically, it probably wasn’t even justified to keep a player who doesn’t play, but although it’s to early to tell whether it paid off, I’m glad we did, because diaby surely offers something different to our midfield. fair play to him to fight his way back, I hope he can contribute a lot this season.
Let’s hope he doesn’t pull a RvP next season.
Honestly, it was very clear for me for the get-go that he possessed a special touch that would allow him to ‘make it’. Can’t wait to see how he’ll b like at the end of the season, when he gains a lot more confidence and doesn’t dilly-dally too much with the ball like he did last night.
diaby does one too many dribble sometimes that should be avoided.hope wenger is listening. these mini heart attacks we don’t need.other than that he is a TOP TOP TOP player.
This post needs more TOP.
There is nothing I would like more than Diaby to have a stand out season with us. I must admit I was frustrated at wenger for persevering with him when we so easily could have cut out losses and dipped into the transfer m market, but I’m so pleased he is starting to make an impact. Wenger is such a loyal manager to his players and it’s about time that loyalty was given back throughout the team. I support Wenger fully because of things like his treatment of Diaby, we are luck to have le professor and it will be… Read more »
why cant a wanker like Robin Van Pershit repay the loyalty and faith shown in him like Diaby???
Coz of that, he’s a wanker!
Because of our nameless former captain I am finding it hard to warm to the nice things some of the players have to say. Got my heart broken already, won’t happen again. For this reason, my reaction is more cynical, and I feel the need to remind you that V Persie had 1 full season with us before he left. Which isn’t the case for Diaby yet. He also said in one interview (during one of his long injury breaks) that playing for Barca or Real would be a “dream”. Let’s wish him the bet of luck and hope he… Read more »
It would be really awesome to see Diaby and Arsenal have an awesome trophy-laden season. He’s such a pleasure to watch in midfield, and I’m glad he appreciates all the unbelievable support Wenger and the club have given. I strongly believe Arsene has a good GOOD heart.
Rightly said too though; one too many dribbles from Diaby sometimes may be cause for heart attacks, and may invite desperate lunges/tackles from opponents. He needs to beware of those.
Up Arsenal!!!
I can’t help but think that RvP might have coloured opinions a little over long term injured players coming back though, it may well have done so with me anyway, Diaby doesn’t strike me as that kind of player but there’s this nagging thought at the back of my mind that says if he stays fit for an entire season, rips it up and we remain potless at the end of the season, how many zeroes are Citeh going to add to his pay packet to overcome any loyalty?
Glad to have him back though.
Sad but true ….Hope he proves a better man than I
Agreed. Money+agents > loyalty.
Nasri, RvP and now Walcott. We have to accept it.
Can never understand the stick Diabi takes from our own supporters this guy hasnt played much but he always showed serious potential.
I remember watching that horror tackle from essien the last time he got injured and how essien didnt get a red card plus 6 weeks extra for it was mind boggling In fact play got waved on …..
Delighted hes back and has a chance to prove his worth. I still dont think we have seen the best of him by a long way meaning theres lots to look forward to.
I hope his “little boy” never shouts.
Off point but…..
He scores with left
He scores with his right
That Santi Cazorla
Makes Nasri look Shite!
don’t even compare.one is Class and the other is a Cunt
Great to have him back, and getting used to his game again. Give him time. Hopefully he will continue to improve – the way Aaron seems to be too. He was pretty impressive yesterday I thought.
Fair dues to the Arsenal medical team. They seem to treat the injury with a view to the rest of the players life, where other lesser clubs treat injuries with a view to the rest of the season. Its called having some class.
When you read interviews like this it hits home just how much it must hurt the boss when a player uses Arsenal for rehab and training then turns their backs on us for the money.
I wish Abu all the best and I hope he repays Arsene and us the fans for the faith we have put in him by playing well and ending his playing career with us.
Now man up and put 6 past ManU
“It is difficult when you hear people call you a ‘crock’ or ‘injury prone’, but at the same time I understand, because the fans want their players to be available and they want their team to win.”
That quote’s for those that gave him all that stick for things beyond his control. He understands your idiocy.
He will always be a legend for volleying that scummy cunt in his face in the carling cup
I would suggest you pay what manager give you. Don’t follow your former nameless captain. He even can not say “Thank you”.
I love Arsenal FC for things like this.
MENDOO–
Ugh I’m too lazy.
This is why it pisses me off when people say arsenal is run like a business. Well… It is, but we give so much support to our players through their hardest times of injury that I think we can be proud of the clubs morals. We may not have won anything or a while, but we are cool as fuck!! IWWT
Exactly This. Mr Wenger is a ecnonomist, yes, and helps run a very profitable enterprise. However, he has multiple times said, screw the money, I believe in . We often give him crap about his penchant for LANS, but isn’t that precisely the loyalty these comments are praising? I think of this support, at the risk of money and roster space, and I see the joy in the pile on of Kos yesterday. This is what a team feels like. If the boys play their hearts out for each other and AFC, and subscribe to loyalty to the boss, I… Read more »
I feel much the same, I have this pride about our club. Of course I want us to win but that Kos pile warmed my heart. It’s funny these guys make more in a week than I do in a year and yet, I’m happier when they are happy.
I’m a fuckn crock myself (tore my ACL and hamstring, one after the other in the last 2 years) and I can relate to Diaby’s frustration and pain of watching your mates having fun and playing. Injury is the single most horrible thing about any sport.
It doesn’t show up, but I clicked like on this comment 101 times.
No worries Abou
Just don’t do an RvP on us!
“You see your team-mates training with a smile on their face and you want that as well. I was sitting on the physiotherapist’s bed.”
This part just about broke my heart. Keep it up, Diaby, glad to see you playing!
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Diaby the invincible!