[lfc-news] Djibril can win his battle - Echo

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Liverpool Echo, 1 Nov 2004
Djibril can win his battle
By Chris Bascombe, Liverpool Echo

LIVERPOOL'S Djibril Cisse will find inspiration within his own dressing
room as he begins a painful rehabilitation from an horrific broken leg today.

Team-mate Stephen Warnock suffered a fracture of the fibula and shattered
tibia five years ago.

The midfielder was sidelined for 10 months but overcame early fears he'd
never play again to reignite his career.

Warnock was one of the first to reassure Cisse having witnessed the
gruesome scenes at Ewood Park on Saturday.

The French striker was taken to a Merseyside hospital yesterday where an
operation to insert a rod into his left leg was deemed a success.

The 22-year-old will spend the rest of the week in hospital, and while
Liverpool are optimistic he may be training again by next July, it remains
far too early to put an exact date on his return.

For Warnock, the pictures in the aftermath of Cisse's break were painfully
familiar.

"I've spoken to our medical staff and they've told me Djibril's suffered
the same injury I had," said the 22-year-old.

"It was my second break in a year. I had to have a steel rod put into my
leg during the operation, so I know exactly what he's going through.

"The first thing you need to know in these situations is that the doctor
thinks the operation has been a success and there are no complications.

"My girlfriend spoke to Djibril's girlfriend last night and they were all
very happy with how the operation went.

"When I saw the pictures I felt sick. My leg came out at a similar angle.

"In my case, I was out between ten-and-a-half and 12 months, but you really
don't think about playing again at this stage.

"A lot of it is a psychological process. When you get back to training,
running and putting in a few tackles, that's when you know everything is
going to be okay.

"You've just got to be as positive as you can be until then and refuse to
let it beat you. I was determined to do whatever it needed to get back and
play at the highest level and I'm sure Djibril will be the same.

"The fact I managed to come back has proved Djibril can also make a full
recovery. If he looks at my situation, he'll know it's possible and I'll be
around to give any advice if he needs it. It's just a very long process."

Rafa Benitez finds himself painfully short of striking options ahead of
this week's trip to Deportivo La Coruna.

Florent Sinama-Pongolle will be fit to travel having missed Saturday's 2-2
draw with Blackburn due to a bruised calf.

At least there is some good injury news for the club. Both Steven Gerrard
and Antonio Nunez have stepped up their rehabilitation and are now in light
training.

Both hope to be in full training within ten days.


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