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BRADFORD CITY: Rest's done the trick for City ace Nix
A spot of rest and recuperation has been just the trick for impish Bradford midfielder Kyle Nix.
The former Sheffield United starlet is the first to admit he didn't do himself justice in the first few months of the campaign, although there were mitigating circumstances.
Namely a nagging ankle injury, which had hindered him from pre-season and failed to show signs of clearing up when the season got underway.
Nix stoically soldiered on, despite the problem, but things came to a head after the schemer's below-par performance in the televised loss to League Two promotion rivals Darlington late last month.
Following a brief substitute appearance against Barnet the following Saturday, City boss Stuart McCall, pictured right, – who worked with Nix during his stint on the management staff at Bramall Lane – told the Rotherham-raised ace to put his feet up for a few weeks in a bid to rectify the problem.
A scan thankfully revealed no serious damage, to the relief of Nix, who seriously injured the same ankle during a trial stint at Grimsby a few seasons ago.
A few weeks down the road and Nix successfully came through the full 90 minutes of the reserve clash with Middlesbrough earlier this week, despite a minor scare when he took a hefty knock.
But having suffered ill effects from that, Nix is now raring to go again, with his availability a big boost to boss McCall, down to the bare bones in terms of midfield options for most of this month with Nix, Dean Furman, Lee Bullock, Chris Brandon and Joe Colbeck having all been on the sidelines.
On his comeback against Boro, Nix, 22, told Yorkshire Sport: "I enjoyed it. Fitness-wise, it was good for me – although my fitness is good anyway.
"My ankle stood up well; although I got a knock with about 15 minutes left, which I thought was quite bad.
"It was a bad bang and I thought it was in the same place as my injury. I thought 'bloody hell, here we go again!' But it stiffened up a bit and I got some ice on it after training and it feels alright now."
On how his ankle injury first surfaced, he explained: "Basically in pre-season, we had programmes to do, running-wise. In the week before we came in for pre-season, the running got a bit more intense and I went for a run and my ankle had been feeling sore a couple of weeks before.
"I went in to see the new physio and told him about it.
“It didn’t really settle down and I got a couple of knocks on it and played through it in the cup game against Leeds.
“I had also got a knock on it against Rochdale and I just didn’t let it settle down, as we had other injuries and stuff.
“I played in a few more league games and then the gaffer just said I hadn’t done myself any justice with my ankle not being right and he told me to have a few weeks’ rest, which was good of him.
“He just said ‘try and get it right’.”
Despite having put his hand up to play through the pain barrier in the first few months of the campaign, Nix admits he feels re-energised for his spell away from the firing line.
And he is how hoping to kick on and hopefully play a full part in a successful City promotion bid in the second half of the campaign.
Ex-England youth international Nix – out of contract next summer – added: “In my head, the rest has done me good.
“When I was training before and playing with it, I seriously thought something was really wrong.
“The ankle I injured was the same one I hurt a couple of seasons ago when I was out for three or four months with damaged ligaments.
“I thought the problem might have come back, with it being a bit weak. Not playing regularly and not getting a full 90 minutes under my belt, apart from the first game of the season caught up with me and I wasn’t feeling myself out there.
“Thankfully, the scan has helped clear things in my head and I know now it was just a bit of scar tissue and that my ankle joint was stiff.
“I’m going in for manipulation on it from the physio at Bradford and put ice on it straight after training to help prevent it flaring up again and am doing strengthening work on it.
“It’s feeling fine now. If I get back in, it’s up to me to take the chance, same as for anyone.
“I’m looking to stay there when I do, not just come in for one or two games, which happened for the Accrington and Darlington games.
“I didn’t play well enough in those games because of the injury, but it’s fine now and I’ve just got to kick on up to Christmas and do myself justice in the second-half of the season.”
leon.wobschall@ypn.co.uk
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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