Bojinov boosts comeback hopes

Mike Whalley

March 29, 2008

VALERI Bojinov has vowed that he will be stronger than ever when he finally makes his return from injury.

City's Bulgarian international is set to return to full training this week as he steps up his recovery from the knee injury he suffered against United at Eastlands in August.

Bojinov's progress has been slow since undergoing an operation in Rome with Sven-Goran Eriksson reluctant to rush his £5.75m signing from Fiorentina back too soon.

But the Blues boss has dropped a strong hint that Bojinov may make his first-team return before the end of the season.

And after the most frustrating campaign of his career, the 22-year-old is determined to grasp his chance.

He said: "At the beginning, when I suffered the injury, it was very, very difficult.

Mentally

"All I could do was make sure I was mentally strong and focus on the things I needed to do come back even stronger.

"It is important to train and to be focused on my rehabilitation, to get back even stronger than before.

"I'm hungrier now to come back and to do well for my club. My motivation is sky high and I'm really looking forward to getting back into the squad."

Bojinov has refused to put a date on his comeback, but with six league games to shoot for after today's match at Birmingham, he is hopeful of featuring at some point during the run-in.

The Blues host Chelsea next Saturday, then travel to Sunderland before home matches against Portsmouth and Fulham and trips to Liverpool and Middlesbrough.

Bojinov added: "I won't be in perfect shape by the end of the season, but I just want to play.

"I'm hungry for football. The important thing for me is that I am close to it now."

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41andnotseenowtreally, Heaton Misery (29/03/2008 at 13:29)

Deja vous with this one methinks. Poss from about 4 months ago ?

Really looking forward to seeing this character in full flow.

Remember watching him casing the pitch before the Wastelands derby in his suit, relaxed with his iPod on. One hour later the poor lad's prostrate on a stretcher. Get back soon son please. We can then confidently go 442.

41andnotseenowtreally, Heaton Misery (29/03/2008 at 13:30)

Please, nobody start using the term 'methinks'. It winds some fellow patriots up methinks.

Brum 1 - City 7.

BigA, Tyldesley (29/03/2008 at 13:46)

Valeri, When you make your reappearance on the pitch fully recovered you will get the biggest welcome anyone has received from the fans. We are all desperate to see what you can do.

Elano's best goal ever (29/03/2008 at 13:51)

I reckon this guy would play on one leg if Sven would let him get away with it. He'll take some stopping when he finally gets on the pitch. Looks very solid. I wouldn't want to cross him.

Look forward to seeing you Valeri. Go get'em tiger!

SvensVCR,cottonopolis (29/03/2008 at 14:38)

Benjani and Bojinov up front.Petrov and Castillo out wide.Elano and Jonno in the engine room.Micah RB,Ball LB,Charlie and Dunny kingpins.Last but not least Big Joe the stopper.4-4-2 formation could be tried against some sides especially at home where attacking football and chances created,have to be the priority next season if not this.

Andy(10), Isle of Man (29/03/2008 at 14:42)

Valeri will be very much a 'new signing' when he finally comes back. Let's hope that he comes back fit and strong as mentioned and that he teams up well with Benji.

Jihai in for Vedran! Surely only because of travelling back from midweek Internationals. I am dying to see us cut loose and give a team a real hiding. Why not today? Brum are organised and they will fight to the end, if we sit back and let them. Let's take the initiative for once away from home.

CTID

Edski Vega, Nottingham (29/03/2008 at 14:57)

Frankly don't care anymore..... read the same story so many times in the past 6 months and expressed how happy I was about it - Not sure we will ever really see much of him now as we HAVE to get big names in in the summer.... I wouldn't be surprised if we were still reading about 'Bojinovs nearly ready to return' this time next year......

gwats0n, sheffield (29/03/2008 at 17:15)

To be realistic, i wouldn't risk him this season as it's over for us regarding europe, pants performance again from our lads, sven an explanation please...

Kevcod, Worthing (29/03/2008 at 18:04)

What a shame that the one player who actually wants to play for us, who's bust a gut to get fit is out of the team whilst we have seven or eight clowns every week who are just going through the motions and taking money under false pretences. I wish you all the best Boj.The rest? I hope you suffer from impotency for the rest of your lives, you swines.

Deano58 (29/03/2008 at 18:05)

Don't know about teaming up with Benjani. I'm looking at Defoe with 8 goals for £9m and Benjani with a grand total of 1 for £3.5m and asking myself whether it wasn't a false econonmy. We have to buy a proven goal-scorer not another proven non-goalscorer. As for Bojinov, looking at previous big money signings like Bradbury, big Bob from Gillingham, whose name mercifully escapes me, right through to Samaras and Bianchi, I'm not holding my breath!

Pivo, Manchester (29/03/2008 at 20:56)

Hopefully he's really on the mend and fit enough to play the odd 20 mins to get his eye in before this season wraps up. The problem is, goal scoring opportunities might be thin on the ground with the current midfield we have in place. Best of luck fella.

tommybates, Manchester (29/03/2008 at 21:04)

Deano 58, the final fee for Benjani will be a £8 mill, if he only plays half the games we will have blown £6 mill,remember at 30 the lad has little resale value.
One thing is certain Sven can't be trusted with more "new" money this summer.

Jesper, Copenhagen (30/03/2008 at 11:29)

We need him badly. We need a player with his attitude and hunger to blow some life into the hapless first 11. Hopefully he will take Vas' place, I cant stand seeing him play that position any longer, while we have Castillo and a few youngsters who can play that position much better. But Id be even happier to see him play with Benjani up front, but as we all know that wont happen with Sven. Then maybe he should ask himself why we struggle for goals. No big suprise really is it?

stuart malcolm (30/03/2008 at 21:08)

Has "In Sven we trust" become "In Sven we fear"?

Fidel Castro. Better on the left than Petrov! (Levenshulme, Cuba) (30/03/2008 at 22:52)

SvensVCR,cottonopolis - If we play that formation against Chelski we'll ship a lot more than six...

Dukinfield Blue, Manchester (31/03/2008 at 08:56)

I can understand some peoples frustrations with City at the moment, the commitment is nowhere near where it should be, the hunger seems to have disapeared and at this moment in time it appears that we are moving backwards a little bit.
However on the good side I do believe in Sven and Frank making the right decisions in the summer but end with the plea that we should believe a little bit in the academy again please Sven. Logan, Evans, Strurridge and Etuhu all to play bigger first team roles next season, if we become a buying club then we risk failing in attracting the best young talent over the world from coming to City.
Just to end it all, In my view if Valeri is going to be half as good as the hunger and desire he displays then he deserves our full support.
Lets ensure he hears unbelieveable noise when he makes his comback and show him how the famous city fans can get behind him and the team. He will come good, dont worry about that.

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