SAINTS SUPPORT INJURED KEEPER BAZUNU
SOUTHAMPTON boss Russell Martin has backed Gavin Bazunu to come back stronger after the goalkeeper ruptured his achilles tendon.
The 22-year-old was injured during the warmup ahead of Saints’ 3-0 win over Preston in midweek and has now undergone surgery that will keep him out until 2025.
Bazunu - a £12m signing from Manchester City in 2022 - had started every Championship game for Southampton this season.
“Gavin has now had a huge setback, a huge disappointment in his life,” said Martin. “There will be some really dark and lonely moments during these next nine, ten months.
“When you dream of doing something and you do it every day but then that’s taken away and you don’t expect that, it’s really difficult to deal with.
“We will support him but we also have to accept there are going to be moments
where he feels that but how you deal with disappointment will define everything you do.
“I’ve said to the guys so many times, your career is just never linear. You can’t have it all your own way. I don’t know anyone whose career just goes upwards and upwards. Maybe Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, but even they will have had setbacks.
“That goes for life and in football - how you deal with disappointment and tough moments define you, I think, as a person and player. And knowing Gav, I’ve got no doubt he will come out of the other side stronger.”
Martin added that the operation had been a success. “How quickly we managed to get the operation done is really fantastic,” he said.
“I spoke to Gav before the operation and he wasn’t in a good place. But already last night, he was way more positive.”