Wilson Thankful For United's Support

James Wilson is continuing his rehabilitation at Manchester United after suffering a knee injury during his loan spell with Derby County.

In an exclusive interview with MUTV, the striker - pictured above in pre-season training last summer - thanked first-team rehab physiotherapist John Davin and his colleagues for helping him stay positive and on track for a return to action.

It’s good to have you back at United but obviously you didn't return in the best circumstances. How did the injury come about?
Well, I was at Derby obviously and I was quite gutted as I was doing pretty well and playing quite often. But, yeah, it was just in training and it’s just one of those things, I suppose. I’m staying positive, trying to remain positive, as I’m still young and it’s just a minor setback. I’ve still got so much time on my hands.

Did you realise it was a bad injury straight away?
No, I was quite positive from the start really. It took a day to have a scan. I came back to the club to have the scan and, like I say, it put a downer on things because I was doing quite well. But, as soon as I had the scan, I tried to get my head around it straight away and just crack on from there.

You’d just scored a goal for Derby’s Reserves and were close to featuring in the first-team match against Brentford on the Saturday…
Yeah, we were building up to the game at the weekend. It was one of those little eight-a-side games. It’s something that happens, one of those things.

You were previously on loan at Brighton and nearly helped get them promoted to the Premier League. They’re up there again…
Yeah, they’re doing well. It’s tight at the top with Newcastle and I’m really egging them on. I hope they manage to get there this time as they deserve it.

What lessons have you learned from these loans, even if the second one has been truncated?
When I first went out, it was a new experience then. Now I’ve been to two different clubs and I'm gaining experience not only as a player but as a person as well.

Is it very different to being at United?
Slightly, with the facilities and everything. Like I say, it’s an experience going into a group of lads and trying to integrate well with them and essentially play games for the club.

You’re still young at 21. Have you learned a lot over the past couple of seasons?
Everything has been an experience. In the early days of your career, you’re trying to get as many of these experiences as possible. I’m focusing on what I want to focus on – the big goal, which is obviously getting into the first team.

I can only imagine what it must be like being on the sidelines but do you watch the games and the other lads training?
Yeah, I try to. It’s frustrating not to be with the lads on the pitch, to have a bit of a laugh and obviously play football. It’s difficult but I try to see the team as much as I can and go to games and watch training as well.

We often see you around the Aon Training Complex so are you working hard?
Yes, I’m working really hard at the moment. I’m not trying to put a time frame on it or rush anything. It’s just one of those situations where I’m trying to get back and do my thing.

Are you doing a lot of work in the gym or lots of different things?
I’m mostly doing work in the gym. I’m working with John Davin, who is a great character and he’s very uplifting. The first stages of my rehab have been pool and gym-based but hopefully, in time, I’ll be out on the grass.

How helpful is it having a character like John there with you?
It’s brilliant. He’s so uplifting, he’ll join in some of the exercises with me in the gym. It’s great to have him by my side egging me on.

Does he set you any regular challenges?
We have goals. It’s like everything – everyone has goals to work for and I think I need that. Pretty much every young person needs goals to work for and John has been great to have around.

Everyone was impressed by your message on social media, in the hospital bed but smiling and saying you’ll be back fitter and stronger…
Yeah, I was hoping that everything went well with the surgery. It was a very simple surgery, Steve Bollen did a great job in doing that. I just know I’m going to be back to what I was before anyway so I’m just staying positive at the moment.

You came back here to United – was that to take advantage of the great facilities?
With an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament), you know it’s going to be like eight months and that pretty much ruled the season out. So, like I say, there is no rush for me. There are days when you’re just trying to get through it and keep going, I’d say, but I think I’m at the best club to come back to for the rehabilitation.

Have the other United players given you advice, help and support?
They’ve been great. Obviously, they’ve seen me around the place and seen me work hard in the gym. They have been really helpful. Some of them have come up to me and said they’ve done it before or known people who have done it. They give me advice and are asking me generally how I am. It’s really uplifting for me that they show an interest and it definitely makes me feel part of the squad.

Your United debut came early, when you were 18. Was it a bit of a blur when Ryan Giggs picked you?
I can’t thank him enough. Obviously, he believed in me and I believed in myself. I think I showed that on the night. It was a great night for me. I’m obviously having to deal with a few things now but it was a wonderful occasion.

You had a big chance against Middlesbrough in the League Cup in 2015/16 but picked up a niggle in the first half – how frustrating was that?
Yeah, I think I was working a lot towards that game. I knew it was in the cup and I thought Louis [van Gaal] might pick me for that game. I was just working towards that so it was a bitter disappointment but a minor setback, I suppose. I just rolled my ankle before half-time and ended up going off in the first half, which was disheartening really.

You’ve always been a striker but Louis brought you on virtually at full-back at Arsenal when we were defending a lead there…
Yeah, I mean any different position [is okay]. The more versatile you are these days, the more chance you’ve got. If you can impact on a game from a variety of different positions, it’s only going to benefit you.

But do you still see yourself as a striker?
Yeah, I’d say so. I’m still an out-and-out striker. I’d say I am versatile though as I can play different positions. It’s not a problem for me to play in different positions.
Wide forwards are quite popular these days and, with your pace, it’s another role you could fulfil…
Lots of teams play with a central striker and two wide forwards, so I think there are going to be a lot more opportunities for players like me as well. I’ll keep working at it.

You had played lots of football at a young age so could having a break and coming back absolutely 100 per cent fit become a positive for you?
I suppose so. The positives are it’s a break and I can kind of work towards things I probably couldn’t do during the season, maybe. I’m working hard in the gym and that’s something I’ve probably not got the chance to do with games coming thick and fast everywhere. I think it has benefited me in that way. But it’s very frustrating not to be out on the grass every day, knocking the ball about.

Your finishing ability was always unerring at every level – I guess you know you’ve still got that?
Well, I came back in the summer and it was still there so hopefully, when I get back on the pitch, it will still be there. I know it will be.

Do you keep an eye on the Reserves and the younger lads at the club?
I watched the Under-16s play Liverpool the other week, they won, and it’s looking like some good players are coming through. I keep an eye on the Under-18s and Reserves sometimes as well.

It seems you have got the right character to bounce back from this injury…
I think, for anyone, it’s tough to come back from this sort of setback. It depends how you look at it. Like I’ve said a few times, I’ve taken the positives out of it and just not tried to rush anything. I think I’m doing quite well really. I can see progress between what I am like now and what I was like after surgery so I think I’m in the right place at the moment.

Can you take inspiration from elsewhere? Roy Keane and Alan Shearer bounced back from similar injuries…
Yeah, I mean the game has changed with modern science and surgery and recovery. It’s all different. It’s all changed and it’s new. Twenty years ago, it could have been a career-ending injury but I know, in this day and age, it’s just something that happens. I’m staying positive and I am really looking forward to getting back.

Credit: Manutd.com