I’M NO SOFTY & JOSE KNOWS IT, SAYS CHRIS
CHRIS SMALLING last night insisted he is brave enough to play through the pain barrier.
Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho questioned Smalling last season, suggesting he needs to be “100 per cent fit” to play when other players put their bodies on the line.
But Smalling recalled playing with two injections in a broken toe at Chelsea last October and made it clear how frustrated he was to miss large chunks of United’s season.
The United defender said: “You just keep playing until physically you can’t and that was the story with the break.
“I had a couple of injections because I wanted to play in the Chelsea game but soon after that it got worse and that’s when I had to have the lay-off.
“You always want to push yourself because you don’t want to let the fans down or the players because they’re the ones you train with every day.
“I think in the Chelsea game I proved that I can play with injections. To be honest, I don’t think any player is ever 100 per cent. There’s always something. There are always going to be some niggles.
“As players, it’s not about always being 100 per cent. It’s about going on the pitch and doing a job. We’re always managing things – that’s why we have so many physios and stretches and whatever – but nobody is ever 100 per cent.”
Despite frustration over Mourinho’s questioning, Smalling insists it has never been personal with the Old Trafford boss even though the Special One has never apologised for calling out a player who had broken his toe.
The 27-year-old believes Mourinho’s comments – particularly after United’s game at Swansea in November when he questioned desire – were more to do with frustrations over losing so many players to injury during a marathon 64-game season.
“I think that was directed at everybody,” said Smalling. “We had a lot of injuries at that time and he was frustrated that quite a lot of players weren’t available. He knew the picture in terms of liaising with the medical staff. He was just as frustrated as those of us who wanted to be on the pitch. “I had suffered the injury and then I played on and there was obviously a break. But I don’t think he knew the full picture then and, once it was cleared up, it was all good.” Asked if his United manager had apologised, Smalling said: “No. It comes back to the manager’s frustrations, as well as ours. “When I’m sitting down with the manager and the medical staff we set out a timeline and then we try to shave it and push and push. “That’s what we are always doing because the longer it takes to recover from an injury the fewer games you play.
“The manager has shown his frustration but we are just as frustrated. They are always trying to push us as quick as we can.”
The big centre-half played against Chelsea on October 23 but did not play again until a week before Christmas. Then, after playing for England against Germany in late March, he did not play again until the Europa League clash with Celta Vigo in early May.
Smalling admits that it has been the worst season of his life in terms of injuries – but one of the best in terms of success, helping United pick up the Europa League, League Cup and a place in the Champions League.
But United’s bad luck with injuries was summed up at the last England get-together when Smalling injured club team-mate Phil Jones in a tackle in training. Then Smalling himself suffered a knee injury in training.
“That’s been the story of this season, unfortunately,” he said.
“I’ve been lucky in previous seasons not to be too injuryprone. Then when you come away with 26 guys you don’t hold anything back, so injuries are going to come.”