Yedlin ready to put 18 months of pain in past

DEANDRE Yedlin has opened up on his injury nightmare as he prepares to return and fight for his place in the Newcastle United starting XI.

The USA international has revealed he was plagued for almost 18 months by an on-off groin injury which regularly flared up on match days.

Yedlin decided to undergo an operation once the Magpies had secured Premier League safety last season.

Now – after completing an intensive training session at the club’s Benton base – the 26-year-old (right) has spoken of his desire to make up for lost time and win his starting place back.

Yedlin said: “For nearly 18 months leading up to (the operation), I was having off-and-on pain in my pelvic region and it reached the the whole pre-season. Now, I am point where it became kind of getting closer and closer. tough to play. “It is just about going out and “I got an MRI on it and basically proving every day what I can do in the conclusion was I training and hopefully having an needed sports hernia surgery, a opportunity in games.” bit different to groin repair. Yedlin arrived on Tyneside from “The recovery for it Tottenham in August 2016 and managed was meant to be to rack up 95 appearances in quicker than it three years at the club. was – there has The USA international was a regular been some scar starter for the Magpies last season tissue issues but he admits the physical and and things psychological impact of his recurring like that, so injury at times hampered his it has been performances. a bit frustrating, Yedlin continued: “It was tough and it was a bit confusing because it especially would come and go. with the “There would be months I would new head be playing with it and take painkillers coach coming in. before the game and try to get “You are trying to through it, then there would be prove yourself but times when it didn’t bother me at all. I was not really “Even in warm-ups I would be with the team thinking, ‘It is going to be tough to make it through this game.’ Once the painkillers hit in, you cannot really feel anything anymore and then adrenalin hits in but, yeah, it is tough.

“As a player you don’t want to stop and then lose your place but you also have to do what is best for you and for the longevity of your career.

“At the end of last season, when we had secured safety, I decided it was worth getting it looked at.

“I am not young anymore but I still have, hopefully, some years ahead of me and I just wanted to get everything sorted.

“Hopefully now I can just look forward and will not have issues, at least with that part of the body, any more.”

He went on: “I sat down with the club’s medical staff and they were great about it.

“I think it is important you feel comfortable, especially when you are having surgery and going through rehab and things like that, so I give credit to everyone who has been involved in the process.” Dr William Meyers carried out the operation and Yedlin worked closely with the club’s physios before making his return to full training at the end of August. The defender’s recovery has taken longer than expected but, despite the delays, the full-back is convinced he made the right decision.

It has been a bit frustrating, especially with the new head coach coming in Deandre Yedlin (on his injury)