Football League World
·28 October 2023
Football League World
·28 October 2023
The last ten months has been a long road of recovery for Coventry City's Callum O'Hare, who had to watch on from the sidelines as Mark Robins' side came close to returning to the Premier League five months ago.
On Boxing Day, the midfielder was forced off after just two minutes into the Sky Blues' 3-1 defeat away to Sheffield United and would remain sidelined for the next nine months after rupturing his Anterior Cruciate Ligament at Bramall Lane, which came just weeks after he suffered hamstring problems in the early weeks of last season.
Speaking to the Coventry Telegraph, the 25-year-old described the events in Sheffield as the "worst day of his life", although he can't remember a great deal of the proceedings.
“I couldn’t tell you and even after I’ve watched the video a number of times I still don’t understand what happened.
"I’ve never felt anything like that before in my life. Normally I’d get up and just run, and I remember getting up and running in my head. It sounds kind of stupid.”
“I kind of knew something bad had happened straight away. But yeah, it was the worst day of my life.” O'Hare continued.
The attacking midfielder was full of praise for many who aided his long-term absence, which included the likes of Fabio Tavares and former Sky Blues midfielder Jodi Jones, who now plies his trade for League Two Notts County.
“But yeah, there have been some bad days and I have to big up the physios and all the staff here because they’ve been unbelievable with me every day. And obviously my family, my friends, and obviously everyone here at the club.”
Tavares was also a long-term absentee for Mark Robins, after he ruptured his achilles just weeks after O'Hare's injury in the FA Cup defeat to Wrexham at the CBS Arena.
“It’s been great to have Fabio around and I was only saying the other day that although I am obviously sad for him because he’s been out at the same time as me, but we have helped get each other through it. Honestly, without him it would have been so different. This rehab, it would have been so much more lonely. So yeah, obviously he’s played probably the biggest part in my recovery.”
“I spoke to him (Jodi Jones) a few times. He’s called me and given me advice and told me things to do and to help. If something didn’t feel quite right at some point, I’d message him and he’s like, ‘yeah, that’s normal’. So he’s been a big help and it’s unbelievable to see what he’s doing at the minute, ripping up League Two with Notts County, and I’m so happy for him.”
O'Hare, who made just eleven league appearances for the Sky Blues in their run to the Championship Play-Off Final last term returned to action in midweek in a dismal 2-0 defeat to Rotherham United.
He would gain a crucial 14 minutes of first-team football under his belt at the New York Stadium, despite not being able to bring the Sky Blues back into the contest.
Robins' side have struggled for consistency so far this season, and sit in 20th at present although they are only five points behind the final play-off place.
It is West Bromwich Albion who currently occupy sixth position, and Coventry will be hoping to narrow that gap and climb up the table as they face Carlos Corberan's side on Monday night in a game where O'Hare could return to action in front of the CBS Arena crowd for the first time since this exact fixture last December.