In the ongoing saga that is the life, career and knees of Owen Hargreaves, an end to the dramatic and heart-wrenching setbacks the England international has experienced over the last few years may finally have an end in sight.
It’s not as if United supporters haven’t had good news on Hargreaves’ progress heaped upon them every six months or so as a new niggle or additional set back emerges to dash any hopes of his curls on the pitch anytime soon. No, the positive news train has set out from the station only to return immediately back with a leaky gasket (can trains have leaky gaskets?).
Finally, maybe, hopefully, we’ll see, Hargreaves looks set to add to the 1 minute of senior action he’s experienced over the course of the last two years. Just a week ago Dr Richard Steadman, in all his world-renown glory, announced some sort of spiritual break through as the Gods of football awoke from their slumber to show a little mercy upon the knees of the knackered, breathing new life, a hope to Hargreaves that a salvaged career is his just reward to this hellish saga.
Also this week, Hargreaves has returned to full training where he’s impressed Sir Alex Ferguson. The boss, obviously concerned about a relapse, stated:
“That’s the first thing on our mind (relapse) at the moment but having watched him in training yesterday if he continues that way he’s going to give me another selection problem, no question about that”.
Forget for a second where my loyalties lie. I so desperately want Hargreaves to make a successful return. Not as a supporter, not as a football fan, but as a human being. The sheer tenacity Hargreaves has displayed in not chucking it, in pushing through the pain and in proving he’s got weak knees but a strong heart warrants fate in giving him his just reward. If not for Manchester United’s motives, then maybe just for his moxie.
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