The headlines were, to put it mildly, a touch alarming at the time: ‘Robbie Brady Falls Down Hole’. And the prognosis for the injury sustained by the Hull City midfielder after that accident at training earlier this month was just as worrying, there was even talk of him missing the rest of the season.
It was with some relief, then, that the 23-year-old reported for international duty this week, having returned to action for his club as a substitute in their game against Chelsea last weekend, and is in contention for a place in the line-up for Sunday’s Euro 2016 qualifier against Poland.
“The training grounds at our place weren’t in the best of condition,” he said in Malahide after the Republic of Ireland’s training session. “I played a one-two and I went to get on the end of it, a divot gave way under my foot and my calf popped. I think there were pictures going around at the time of a hole – but no it wasn’t as bad as that,” he laughs.
“But it was disappointing because I knew it was going to put me out of playing and I’d just had a good run of games. When I went in, I had to wait for two days for the blood to settle down and then go and get me scan. They said four to six weeks, but I got back in just under three so the recovery went well. I think it’s just when I have my heart set on something, I think I’m going to be back no matter what.
“This time I was blessed that it wasn’t as bad as it felt. And I feel great now. I’ve been moving around and doing what I need to do. It’s just about being ready for Sunday. When it happened, this game was the first thing that popped into my head, a game that I really want to be playing in.”
No more than the rest of his Irish colleagues, Brady remains in the dark about Sunday’s line-up, but is aware of the speculation that he might yet to called upon to fill in for left back Stephen Ward who has only just returned after fracturing his ankle in December.
He is, he said, ready for that challenge, should it come his way. “Over the last couple of years, I’ve played there a bit more. If needed on Sunday for left back, I’ll give it 110 per cent. It’s a change, it’s just about concentration more than anything else. It’s working the mind more than the body, just getting the position right. The more I’ve played there, the more comfortable I’ve been. It always helps to learn new things if you’re going to push on in the game, hopefully I can show that in the upcoming games and in the years to come.”
