Michael Bridges - Radio Cumbria Interview

Last updated : 02 March 2008 By Thetashkentterror

Michael Bridges
Former United striker Michael Bridges spoke to BBC Radio Cumbria this evening, Bridges talking about the devastating injury to Carlisle's Joe Garner this week, as well as chatting about his own recent adventures in Australia playing for Sydney FC :


" For anybody to pick up an injury like that is a devastating blow, not just for him but obviously for the club itself because you have had a fantastic season. These things make you a stronger person though and that is what he will be looking to do with this rehabilitation. I was fortunate, I think I was a year older than Joe, I'll have been 20 or 21 when I was first struck with a twelve month lay-off.

" Thankfully at the time when I was at Leeds United we had one of the top physiotherapists in the country, a lad called Dave Hancock, who is now down at Chelsea. I was fortunate enough to have my family close to me and they looked after me. Joe is in good hands, as I much as I never give Neil Dalton praise, he's a top physiotherapist and he'll be on the right track to have the rehabilitation with Dolly because he's seen a lot of injuries in his time, so he's in good hands. I hope he's not still listening because I hate giving that man praise.

" He'll definitely bounce back, definitely, the cruciates, I know a lot of players that I have played with over the years that have actually done their cruciate. I think it was one of these injuries when it first came about that there was no hope, but technology these days, obviously doctors and physiotherapists now-a-days know how to handle these things, they see so many. It's just a case of getting your confidence back, I think it took me two or three tackles to feel right again. Once somebody comes in and clatters you from behind then he'll be back up and running again, don't you worry about that.

" Going to Sydney was a turn up for the books if I'm being honest, but I mean, the opportunity to go half way around the world and play football in 36 degree heat and doing your cool-downs on a beach didn't need much persuading to be honest with you. We got back about a month ago and I'm doing the second coaching badge now with the PFA, so I've got the first one and now I'm on to the second one. Hopefully I should finish that in the next three to four weeks so I'm just trying to get as many under my belt because I want to go into coaching with youngsters.

" I've still got a year and a half obviously with Hull City, it hasn't gone as well as I would have liked it to have gone but the team themselves, we're doing well at the moment. You never now, it was a fantastic opportunity over there in Australia and there are a few teams who would like me to go back. It's a long way though and I still think that I have got a lot to offer in the English game, so I don't want to just turn my back on English football as yet.

" Who knows about coming back to Carlisle? Don't get me wrong, I had fantastic times, you never say never in football but the way the team are going at the minute it would be fantastic to see you boys get back into the Championship. From the Vauxhall Conference, and then the amount of good seasons that they have had, I think the boys are flying, so credit to them, but like I say though, never say never. I'd just like to wish all the boys at Carlisle all the best for the season and get promoted. "