RUUD ADMITS HIS SHARE OF BLAME
In a terrible couple of weeks for the 23-year-old striker 10 months ago he failed a medical at Old Trafford, meaning that his proposed £18.5 million move to Manchester United fell through, and then, less than a week later, ruptured his knee ligaments in training with PSV.
The Dutch striker admitted to laying the blame at the hands of the club staff at PSV, but his drive to play in Euro 2000 led him to make some unwise decisions that make him partly responsible for his predicament.
"At the time of my injury, I was angry with the medical staff at PSV but they weren't the only ones to blame," said van Nistelrooy. "I was, too, because I put myself under too much pressure.
"I didn't listen to my own body with the tension I was feeling over the transfer and the coming Euro 2000. I wanted to get a full glass but that wasn't possible."
Now back in training, van Nistelrooy says that he is taking things slowly and is just happy to be nearing a return to first team action.
"The knee is okay" he added. "It feels good, so I'll continue with my training schedule which has another four weeks of this phase. When I finish that, I'll be able to say more about when I can play a game.
"I was conscious when I was operated upon. When I saw the new ligament coming into the theatre, I thought: 'This is what I came for. This is the beginning of my comeback and my chance for a second career.'
"I know what the word 'desperate' means. I felt desperate at the end of April when I was sitting in the car on my way from the training ground to the hospital to see what I'd done.
"The two things that were the hardest to cope with were missing the European Championship in my own country and also the transfer to a fantastic club like Manchester United.
"That last thing was the big motivation for me to come back very strong and show that I can come back as good as I was before.
"I'm working very hard to achieve that. I'm not ready yet but I've come a long way to be at this point. The hardest part of the recovery was the first five weeks, waiting for the operation, because I could only train my muscles to keep them strong.
"Then, after the operation, looking seven or eight months ahead all seemed so far away, such a long time to cast your mind forward. Now when I think back, everything has gone really quickly. And I think I'll be back in a few months now."
