Ishmael Miller has revealed he hopes to be back in first-team action by the end of February at the latest after making good progress in his latest rehabilitation from his second knee operation. The pacy striker was set to rejoin first-team action at the start of the season but a complication with his original surgery saw the 22-year-old go back under the knife.
The former Manchester City man has now started running again after spending weeks in the gym and believes he’s a better person, both a personal mentally and physically, after his injury nightmare.
"I feel good," said Ish.
"I saw a specialist on Wednesday and he was very, very pleased with me.
"I went out running for the first time yesterday.
"Realistically I'll hopefully be back for the last few months of the season.
"I'm looking at January/February time.
"Anything quicker than that will be a blessing."
Miller’s original operation saw the powerful striker use a donated patella tendon to correct his anterior cruciate ligament injury. However he was unfortunate to be in the 1% of patients whose body rejects the tendon, with the surgeon this time using his own tendon to correct the issue. In the mean time, the former England Under-21 international has signed a new long-term deal with the club extending his stay until 2014.
"I'm grateful to the club for the respect they've shown me," he added.
"They've put their confidence in me and the manager and chairman have been behind me 100 per cent.
"I'm just trying to come back and repay them.
"Everyone behind the scenes knows I'm looking great - and I was before.
"The way it went was just a blip and when I'm back I'll be fine, and hopefully I'll be even better than I was before.
"I'll be mentally better.
"I've matured a lot over this past year.
"I didn't take football for granted in the past - but when you have to watch other people playing every week the hunger within you is frightening.
"I just can't wait to come back because I think I'll be even better.
"I'm in the gym every day and working on my strength.
"Just before I had the blip I was pushing more weights-wise than I was before I had an injury.
"I feel great, strong and I don't think I will lose that extra yard.
"You see the likes of Michael Essien come back from the same injury and he looks like a beast - like he's never been away.
"This injury has become a bit more common in modern-day football because of the speed of the game.
"The technology and specialists we have now mean it's a big injury but not as big as it was 20 years ago.
"I don't think my injury is going to take away any of my ability and I think I'll be mentally better and more focused."