Daniel Sturridge is happy to be back – and ready to prove to the doubters that he has the strength for the fight ahead.
The striker has not appeared in Liverpool colours since August, but returns today against West Ham at Anfield.
Since suffering an injury on England duty he has been on a journey that has taken him across America in a seemingly endless fight for fitness – and with it, the taunts of both mental and physical fragility.
But the 25-year-old said: “I know they say I’m fragile, yeah.
“I could say a lot of things about other people’s lifestyles, but who am I to judge someone else’s life?
“I feel that in every job some have luck, some don’t. In football, there are some who are lucky not to be injured and some who are unfortunate to be injured.
“I’ve had my spell now, and I am hoping I can push forward from this point. I know I get stick. All I am saying is anyone can have an opinion, they can broadcast their opinion, but I have faith in myself, I have faith and support from my team-mates, and my family give me support.
“I’m grateful to God for all I’ve been given, I am not stressing about anything any more. I only listen to the opinions of people I care about.
“Everyone has opinions on everything in life, it’s just opinions.”
Sturridge could also point out that he played more games last season than he had ever done in his career, and perhaps that intensity has taken its toll on a young man who has never been so fiercely in the spotlight.
He admits that could be a factor, but believes his absence has only strengthened his body and mind.
Back in action - Sturridge returns to training:
He added: “Becoming a top player is about adapting to the demands and the game time.
“I played a lot of games, I played in a long season with Liverpool and went to the World Cup afterwards, and that was the first season I played such an intense programme.
“I came back for pre-season and picked up an injury, which hindered everything going forward, but it’s in God’s hands. I don’t really worry about what people say any more.
“The last few months have been a nightmare, looking on from the outside, watching the lads play and not being part of it.
“But if there is one positive then it is good for the mental side, because it allows you to assess things differently, look at how you are going to approach the game, and how you deal with things.
“That’s one thing I have learned from this period – the mental side, I’ll have a very different approach from now on.”
And as if to prove the point there are two moments when his face visibly lit up. The first when he is surrounded by the kids of St Paul’s Juniors, where Sainsbury’s has chosen to launch its partnership with the England star in promoting its Active Kids campaign, which promotes healthy lifestyles.
The second when he talks about scoring a goal. He said: “It’s different to anything else. The elation – you don’t see the reaction of the fans, you don’t hear anything, you are just in the moment and you feel in a daze.”
Sainsbury’s Active Kids is back. Vouchers can now be collected and donated to schools and groups to exchange for sports and cooking equipment and experiences. Sainsbury’s Active Kids helps children eat well, move well and live well https://activekids.sainsburys.co.uk
