Thomson thrilled at Gers comeback

[Dietspam 733]

Rangers midfielder Kevin Thomson came through his comeback match against FC Nuremberg unscathed and is looking forward to getting more game time.

Thomson had been out for eight months with a cruciate ligament injury and endured a tough rehabilitation regime.

"I knew I was going to get on but waiting for it lasted for ages," Thomson told the Rangers website.

"It was nice to get on for the last half hour. My performance wasn't great but it was great to be back out there."

Thomson injured his knee in an accidental collision with Kilmarnock striker David Fernandez in November last year.

The former Hibs player had been in impressive form at that point but the injury meant he missed Rangers' league and cup double.

Now that he is once more kicking a ball in anger, the 24-year-old is keen to feature in manager Walter Smith's team.

"I hope that can be the launch pad for a good pre-season," said Thomson.

"I hope to be involved again when we play SC Wiedenbruck on Tuesday. The trip has been a bit stop-start and my knee has been a wee bit puffy as a result.

"But we'll keep icing my knee up, take every precaution possible and hopefully I'll be able to get some more minutes under my belt."

Good to see him back. He, as a lot of players do, has gotten better the longer he's been out. Hopefully with Barry away now, Kevin can fully come out of his shell and be the player everyone thinks he is.

[ManchestGer 347]

Good to see him back, hopefully he can stay fit and refind his previous form

[Boab 73]

Jul 28 2009 By Gavin Berry

THEY said he's a future Rangers captain. They said his return will cushion the blow of Barry Ferguson's departure. And they said he was the man the Ibrox legions couldn't wait to see back in Light Blue.

But all Kevin Thomson is interested in is simply winning back his place in Walter Smith's starting line-up.

Thomson has been heralded by Ibrox greats past and present since a sickening cruciate knee injury at Kilmarnock last November brought an agonising and abrupt end to his improving season.

It couldn't have arrived at a worse time, with the former Hibs skipper showing just why Rangers had shelled out £2million to take him along the M8.

But for all the hype - Record Sport columnist Mark Hateley believes he should soon take the armband while team-mate Pedro Mendes insists he can fill the void left by Ferguson - Thomson is keen to do his talking where it matters most.

He was hitting brilliant form before his crock shock and despite all the ringing endorsements during the nine months he's been out, this modest player reckons he has to prove himself all over again.

Pre-season friendlies are seen as nothing more than a fitness exercise but, for Thomson, coming on for the last half-hour of Rangers' 2-0 win over Nuremberg in Germany on Sunday must have felt more like a World Cup Final.

Thomson, though, is taking nothing for granted. He said:"It was good to get back but I've been out for nine months so I was a bit rusty. I was just delighted to get back out playing.

"People underestimate how good a feeling it is to go out there and play football because that's what we're paid to do. I'm going to have to prove to everyone I'm good enough to get in there and play again and fingers crossed I can do that.

"All the boys are in the same boat, it's a fresh start to the season and certainly I don't rest on my laurels over what I achieved before I got injured.

"The manager has got a lot of good players in the squad and competition for places and if that isn't the case at a club like ours then there's something wrong.

"Any boy in the squad would be silly to say they'll just walk into the team. I thought I was playing good football before I got injured but I won't rest on my laurels.

"I've had some nice press recently but I know when I get back fit if I don't hit the ground running it will be the usual flak and I'm big enough and ugly enough to take that on the chin and answer any critics.

"On paper we've got as good a squad as anyone and if we can all gel together and stay injury free then I'm looking forward to trying to strike up a relationship with Pedro Mendes and Steve Davis.

"Hopefully we can build on what they did last season and what we achieved the previous season and go on to more success.

"The more games I get the quicker I'll be up to speed. Whether I'm going to be ready for 90 minutes for the SPL kick-off on August 15 depends on how many matches I get under my belt.

"Everyone says you look great in training but it's out there on the park where there's nobody who can really drag you through it that you need to do the business. I'm up for the battle and getting as many games as I can."

Thomson revealed a twist of fate saw him return to action.

He said: "I actually wasn't going to play on Friday night against Sortfreunde Lotte so it was a wee bonus when the game was called off.

"Because of the flying and the other travelling my knee was a wee bit puffy and if there's any fluid at all we don't take chances. Then when it was to be rescheduled for the Saturday I was going to play half-an-hour but that was also postponed so I was a bit disappointed.

"But I always knew there were three games planned for this trip and that there might be side-effects with travelling so I was delighted to get my half-hour against Nuremberg.

"It was hard work out there, the park was sticky and although our boys had a six-week break I've had nine months off.

"It will take some time to get my mind and body firing again and the more games I play - with another one coming up - hopefully the quicker that will come.

"My knee felt fantastic when I woke up on Friday morning and then when I headed to the game there was a wee bit of puffiness so it's just a case of keeping on top it."

As well as Thomson's comeback in Germany, fellow cruciate victim Steven Naismith signalled his intentions with the opening goal in the 2-0 win over Nuremberg.

Naismith picked up his injury in April 2008 but didn't return until January this year and struggled to get up to speed before the end of the season.

But Thomson reckons they will both deserve their place in the team after the long slogs in the gym to battle back. He said: "Steven and myself helped each other through it when we were in the gym because that's the hardest part - getting through that daily routine when all the boys are going out.

"I was always in seeing what he was doing and what stage he was at and vice versa. We used to always laugh and joke, some of the exercises are the worst in the world so when he came in and saw me doing what he used to do we'd have a chuckle.

"We helped each other through the rehabilitation but when you get to where we are now it's down to how you get on top of things. I'm pretty sure we'll both be fighting for places in the team this season."

http://www.<No links to this website>/football/spl/...86908-21553038/

Seems quite level headed.

[papaguy51 912]

He told a reporter on FIFA.com that his knee was 'puffier than usual' in the days before the first pre-season game that got called off.

I'm no expert on this type of knee injury, but is all puffiness and fluid build-up normal? Or are we doing our usual and rushing him back?

[Poetry_In_Blue 1,043]

"I hope to be involved again when we play SC Wiedenbruck on Tuesday. The trip has been a bit stop-start and my knee has been a wee bit puffy as a result.

"But we'll keep icing my knee up, take every precaution possible and hopefully I'll be able to get some more minutes under my belt."

This bit sticks out, but I don't think it will be anything to worry about, and I don't think Walter will rush him back, if he was going to then KT would have probably started the match.