I must stay patient to make a successful return – Wilfried Bony

by Graeme Jackson

Wednesday Apr 04, 2018. 10:30

Ivory Coast striker Wilfried Bony says he must stay patient if he is to work his way back to full fitness following a season-ending injury.

The Swansea City attacker ruptured his cruciate ligament in the right knee in a Premier League match against Leicester City in February.

The 29-year-old says he must be patient and work diligently through the rehabilitation process to ensure he doesn’t return as a diminished player.

"Of course I am frustrated with the injury, but that's the rule of football. You cannot complain about the rules of football," he said on the newest episode of The Swans Show.

"The most important thing for me is not to give up. My head is always up. The injury is coming, I did not chose that.

"It was maybe too soon or maybe pushing myself too much. I did not play for nearly eight months after the Africa Cup of Nations. It is always difficult without a pre-season or without a friendly game.

"After four or five games it was going well and then I got an injury again. The most important thing is to focus on what I'm doing now, encouraging the team and to tell them it is very important to stay in the Premier League and do my rehab properly.

"I need to take things step by step and come back in a good period.

"The first five or seven games were quite difficult, then things started to go quite well, then Everton, when I was injured right at the start.

"I need to learn about it. I was feeling tight. I pushed myself to help the team, maybe I should be more clearer than that and say 'it is tight there' and I need to stop.

"I need to learn that because I am still in school. But the leg is going well. I will work to get back to my best."