July 31, (THEWILL) – English forward Marcus Rashford is preparing to go under the knife for a surgical procedure to deal decisively with a shoulder injury that affected his game in the Manchester United squad last season. Ahead of the operation, the Englishman penned an emotional note to fans to clarify some accusations of selfishness on his part.
THEWILL reported earlier this month that Rashford’s surgery was necessary to prevent the injury from escalating further. The 23-year-old needed painkilling injections to help him cope with the injury he endured for months last season. Acting on expert advice, he opted for the operation which will see him miss the start of the 2021/22 campaign.
The striker, realising the dismay this has had on some fans oblivious of how long Rashford continuously delayed surgery to play when he clearly was not fully fit, evoked the Englishman to explain exactly why he put off having the operation and why it needs to be done now on a Twitter post. It read:
“When I was 11 years old, Manchester United helped me and my family out of a really difficult situation. I will always feel indebted. When the club needs me, I’ll be there. Any role I can play in helping my boyhood club, I’m going to do it. Even to my detriment at times.
“Having been out of the game recovering from the double stress fracture, and having spent a lot of time away from team-mates and staff who’d been a part of my life for as long as I could remember, I needed to feel part of something again. I needed to feel like I was playing my part.
“I’ve read some call me selfish for holding off getting the surgery this season, but it was never about putting myself first and that’s how we’ve reached this point, and something as a 23-year-old I’ve had to learn the hard way.
“To guarantee I can play this game as long as possible, I need to listen to my body. Everyone has an opinion but no-one knows my body better than me.”
The Red Devils’ striker did not miss the opportunity to address his involvement at Euro 2020, in which he played a limited role which only saw him manage 83 minutes across his five appearances at the continental competition:
“It’s hard to describe the feeling of representing your country. Given the choice, no-one would ever turn that down at such a big tournament. As a little boy or girl, you dream of those moments. I had been deemed fit for the full season, and given my injuries were being managed, what was another couple of weeks?
“Managing the pain, I was training well and found a lot of comfort in the England camp after the Europe League final. In hindsight, if I had known I wouldn’t have played a significant role in the Euros, would I have gone? Hindsight is a wonderful thing.
“I didn’t want to let anyone down but ultimately looking at my performances towards the end of last season, I felt like I was. When I step on the pitch, I always give 100%. Physically, my 100% just wasn’t possible.
“I’m walking away from last season with 36 goal contributions, but more importantly, I’m walking away with lessons learnt. We live and we learn as they say, but what is never in doubt is my commitment to the club and the national team. It’s been a hard one but I’m coming back physically and mentally stronger.”
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
