MY YEAR OF ‘AWFUL’ PAIN

THERE have been false dawns but Robbie Brady is hoping he can finally put an ‘awful’ two years behind him.

Little did he know what was around the corner as he prepared for the World Cup play-off with Denmark around this time in 2017.

First, there was that crushing disappointment of a 5-1 trouncing at Aviva Stadium to snuff out dreams of playing at the finals in Russia. But worse would follow two weeks later when Brady (left) suffered a knee injury in a clash with Harry Maguire, then of Leicester City.

After a year out, his return to action for Burnley was hampered by niggling injuries and hamstring issues.

He then missed the start of this season after breaking two ribs.

“It’s been awful to be honest,” said the midfielder, sporting a noticeable scar across his left knee. You think everything is going to be perfect as soon as you have been stitched up and you’re nearly going to be ready to go.

“The surgeon told me it was going to be close to two years before I’m back to my best, not that I believed him for a second. I just thought what does he know!

“Things piled up and it was one thing after another and you have to have patience.

“It has been a learning curve and I have picked up a lot of different traits over that time. both mentally and physically to make myself the best that I can be.”

But Brady said he never contemplated a loan move away from Burnley in a bid to get more games.

“I always back myself to force my way into the team,” he added.