Rosicky may miss season start

Czech midfielder struggling to regain full fitness

By Vasek Kadlec   Last updated: 16th June 2008

Tomas Rosicky ITV

Rosicky: Fitness setback

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Arsenal midfielder Tomas Rosicky has revealed he may miss the start of the new Premier League season.

The Czech Republic international has been out since January with a knee injury and underwent surgery in May, ruling him out of Euro 2008.

Arsenal had felt his recovery was going well but the 27-year-old could, in fact, be unable to join the rest of the Gunners' squad for pre-season training.

"It will be yet a long time before I return, but at the start of the new season - some time in August - I will hopefully start with training," Rosicky told CTK.

Euro absence

The Czech captain should therefore regain full fitness in time for the start of their 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign in September.

Despite being ruled out of the Euros, Rosicky travelled to Switzerland to be on the Czech bench for their final group game against Turkey.

Rosicky admits he finds it hard to watch from the sidelines and the experience got even more painful as he saw Turkey score three goals in the last 15 minutes to win 3-2 and snatch a quarter-final place at the Czechs' expense.

"It is always difficult to watch a game from the stand or from the bench," he said. "It is even worse if you throw away such a chance. I have never experienced anything like that.

"Unfortunately, the lads perhaps had it in their minds that they could lose the game. But if we are 2-0 up 15 minutes before the end, we simply have to fight until the end and win.

"The finish was a collapse, as if the guys stopped playing. I am very sad," Rosicky added.

"Petr Cech made a mistake for their second goal and that was probably crucial. Our players tried to play the offside trap for the third goal, although you should never take a risk like that in at such a stage."