Post by Macmoish on Sept 17, 2010 7:49:09 GMT
Croydon Advertiser
Darren's Rangers return
By daniel jones
DARREN Ambrose is targeting the crunch clash against fierce rivals Queens Park Rangers for his return to the Palace first team.
The 26-year-old has been sidelined for almost a month with a badly bruised bone in his leg, but is on course to be ready for the London derby at Selhurst Park on October 2.
Ambrose was at the centre of a summer long transfer saga that saw him come within minutes of joining former boss Neil Warnock at Loftus Road before CPFC 2010 pulled the plug on the move.
The Eagles top scorer last season has since pledged his allegiance to the Palace shirt by signing a new three year contract and is champing at the bit to be back fit and firing by the time the Hoops visit SE25.
"There has been one game that has been the target for me ever since the injury and I don't think you have to think too hard to work out which one it is," he told the Advertiser ,after another tough day in the treatment room.
"Ever since we saw the specialist and were told there was no break, the time-scale was six weeks.
"Hopefully I am bang on time with that, if not a bit ahead, and that should mean I will be able to play against QPR.
"There will be a bit of extra spice to that one with all the connections between the two clubs and after everything that happened in the summer.
"It would be a great game to come back for, but to be honest I just want to get back as soon as I can and start helping the team."
Ambrose - who found the net 20 times last season - suffered the injury during an accidental collision in training. After initially trying to mask the severity with pain killers he was forced to go for an x-ray with serious concerns that he may have broken his leg.
"It was the day before the Ipswich game," he recalled. "We were doing a crossing and finishing drill and I smashed into the keeper.
"My first reaction was that it was broken. The pain was really bad, but then it settled down a bit.
"I was desperate to play the match the next day so I asked for a pain killing injection and tried to run on it.
"But in the end we decided it wasn't worth the risk.
"Then over the weekend it got worse and I had to go for a scan. They thought it might be broken but thankfully the results showed it was just severe bruising, with a few tiny chips out of the bone just below the knee.
"It's a strange injury and all we can do really is rest the leg and work on the rest of the body to make sure I'm in the best shape possible when I get the all clear.
"Our physio Alex Manos has been fantastic and is with me all the time in the gym or on the treatment table at the training ground.
"I'm working as hard as I possibly can to get back, I'm a terrible watcher anyway and I just want to get back out there and do my bit to help the boys."
Ambrose's frustrations were intensified as he was so keen to put his difficult summer behind him.
After signing his new deal he was desperate to show the Palace fans just how much the club meant to him and had started the season in typical fashion with a goal in the opening day win over Leicester.
"I was just absolutely gutted when it happened," said the free-scoring midfielder. "I had a great season last year and didn't get injured once.
"Then we had the issues over the summer, but they were all sorted out and I'd had a good pre-season. I got the goal against Leicester and more importantly we got the win and I was just keen to kick on and build on that.
"So the timing wasn't good, but I suppose in a way it's better that it's happened now and not at crucial time of the season like Christmas or at the back end.
"At least this way I can come back and still help the side have a successful campaign. It's been hard watching us struggle like we have in recent weeks.
"It's one thing losing when you are playing, but watching your side lose and not being able to help out is even more frustrating."
His family have been doing their best to keep Ambrose's spirits high during his lay-off and with two young daughters to keep his eye on there's no chance of him ever getting bored at home.
"My wife and girls have been great, they always are," he said. "My eldest turned three this week and my youngest is a little terror so they are keeping me busy.
"But I'm just desperate to get back on the pitch. It's been a tough period, but hopefully there's light at the end of the tunnel now and I'll be back in action soon."
www.thisiscroydontoday.co.uk/sport/Darren-s-Rangers-return/article-2652255-detail/article.html
Darren's Rangers return
By daniel jones
DARREN Ambrose is targeting the crunch clash against fierce rivals Queens Park Rangers for his return to the Palace first team.
The 26-year-old has been sidelined for almost a month with a badly bruised bone in his leg, but is on course to be ready for the London derby at Selhurst Park on October 2.
Ambrose was at the centre of a summer long transfer saga that saw him come within minutes of joining former boss Neil Warnock at Loftus Road before CPFC 2010 pulled the plug on the move.
The Eagles top scorer last season has since pledged his allegiance to the Palace shirt by signing a new three year contract and is champing at the bit to be back fit and firing by the time the Hoops visit SE25.
"There has been one game that has been the target for me ever since the injury and I don't think you have to think too hard to work out which one it is," he told the Advertiser ,after another tough day in the treatment room.
"Ever since we saw the specialist and were told there was no break, the time-scale was six weeks.
"Hopefully I am bang on time with that, if not a bit ahead, and that should mean I will be able to play against QPR.
"There will be a bit of extra spice to that one with all the connections between the two clubs and after everything that happened in the summer.
"It would be a great game to come back for, but to be honest I just want to get back as soon as I can and start helping the team."
Ambrose - who found the net 20 times last season - suffered the injury during an accidental collision in training. After initially trying to mask the severity with pain killers he was forced to go for an x-ray with serious concerns that he may have broken his leg.
"It was the day before the Ipswich game," he recalled. "We were doing a crossing and finishing drill and I smashed into the keeper.
"My first reaction was that it was broken. The pain was really bad, but then it settled down a bit.
"I was desperate to play the match the next day so I asked for a pain killing injection and tried to run on it.
"But in the end we decided it wasn't worth the risk.
"Then over the weekend it got worse and I had to go for a scan. They thought it might be broken but thankfully the results showed it was just severe bruising, with a few tiny chips out of the bone just below the knee.
"It's a strange injury and all we can do really is rest the leg and work on the rest of the body to make sure I'm in the best shape possible when I get the all clear.
"Our physio Alex Manos has been fantastic and is with me all the time in the gym or on the treatment table at the training ground.
"I'm working as hard as I possibly can to get back, I'm a terrible watcher anyway and I just want to get back out there and do my bit to help the boys."
Ambrose's frustrations were intensified as he was so keen to put his difficult summer behind him.
After signing his new deal he was desperate to show the Palace fans just how much the club meant to him and had started the season in typical fashion with a goal in the opening day win over Leicester.
"I was just absolutely gutted when it happened," said the free-scoring midfielder. "I had a great season last year and didn't get injured once.
"Then we had the issues over the summer, but they were all sorted out and I'd had a good pre-season. I got the goal against Leicester and more importantly we got the win and I was just keen to kick on and build on that.
"So the timing wasn't good, but I suppose in a way it's better that it's happened now and not at crucial time of the season like Christmas or at the back end.
"At least this way I can come back and still help the side have a successful campaign. It's been hard watching us struggle like we have in recent weeks.
"It's one thing losing when you are playing, but watching your side lose and not being able to help out is even more frustrating."
His family have been doing their best to keep Ambrose's spirits high during his lay-off and with two young daughters to keep his eye on there's no chance of him ever getting bored at home.
"My wife and girls have been great, they always are," he said. "My eldest turned three this week and my youngest is a little terror so they are keeping me busy.
"But I'm just desperate to get back on the pitch. It's been a tough period, but hopefully there's light at the end of the tunnel now and I'll be back in action soon."
www.thisiscroydontoday.co.uk/sport/Darren-s-Rangers-return/article-2652255-detail/article.html
