Injured Leicester City prospects look to Liverpool star and Enzo Maresca for encouragement.
Will Alves and Sammy Braybrooke are back on the pitch at Seagrave as they continue their recoveries from ACL injuries sustained one month apart in the winter. Will Alves and Sammy Braybrooke are drawing inspiration from Leicester City first-team players, development squad teammates, and Premier League big names as they enter the final stage of their ACL recoveries.
The pair, possibly the greatest prospects in City’s academy, both tore knee ligaments in the winter, putting their ascent through the ranks on hold. Both had played in cup matches for Brendan Rodgers in the months preceding their devastating injuries, as they worked their way up to a permanent promotion to the senior team.
Both had surgery and have been working their way back for the past eight to nine months, battling the mental problems that come with such long-term disabilities. Both are back in light training and looking forward to game action in a few months.
They stated they spoke to Sammy Braybrookand James Justin, two first-team players who had ruptured ACLs in recent years, to support them on their path, while Braybrooke noted drawing inspiration from Darwin Nunez, who suffered the similar injury when he was 18 but is now prospering up front for Liverpool. Wanya Marcal and Kasey McAteer, their development squad teammates who are now starting frequently under Enzo Maresca, are also inspiring the duo.
“I always look at people who have done their ACL and I watch them play and I think if he can, why can’t I?” Braybrooke told Foxes Hub. Ricky and JJ are members of our team. Darwin Nunez completed his when he was 18 years old.
“There are so many to look up to and try to emulate, even people like Wanya and Kasey, who we played with last year.” It’s encouraging to see. He appears to appreciate young players, especially with the new management.”
“It was good to talk to them (Ricardo and Justin) so they can warn you of what’s going to be difficult,” Alves continued. It was great to be able to speak with those two. We knew what was going to happen.”
Part of their comebacks has been overcoming the mental challenges of such a protracted rehabilitation, which has been aided by their ability to draw on one other.
“The first couple of months after the injury and operation, I was looking outside and watching everyone train and thinking I couldn’t see myself being able to run around and do that again with the way I was feeling,” Alves, who is one month ahead of Braybrooke, said. It’s fantastic.
“I waited for ages for my knee to feel normal again,” Braybrooke added. Until then, I’d always wondered if I’d be able to do the same race again. It’s a mental war rather than a physical one. Your body is capable of doing so.”It’s strange doing things for the first time, but once you’ve done it, you realize you can do it and you feel normal.” I don’t think I could have done it if we were doing it on our own.
The aim for the two now is to gradually increase the intensity of training before going onto the pitch with the development team, and to build on the promising positions they had attained previous to their injuries.
“We were both there.”
“h in and around it, maybe looking at loans, just men’s football, which is what you wanted,” Braybrooke explained. “We were both in our better periods, and it appeared that this was going to be the beginning for us.” We have to start over, but we both feel we’ll get back to where we were and continue from there.”We’d want to return as soon as possible, but we’re not in a hurry. We’d rather take it gently and be prepared. We’ll hopefully be on the pitch before you know it.””It was such a frustrating time because it was such a good period for myself,” Alves continued. It was inconvenient because of the timing.
“Hopefully, we’ll be able to do so soon.”
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