|
Castelen: "I'm their biggest fan
at the moment"
Erik Trümpler
Hamburger
Morgenpost
Friday 10 October 2008
When Mladen Petric scored a last
minute winner for Hamburg last Saturday a loud cry of
enormous joy could be heard in the posh area of Ottensen
in Hamburg.
Romeo Castelen had thrown his
crutches in the air and went mad for sheer joy.
It were some good minutes in hard
times for Hamburg's unluckiest employee.
He will be out for another four
to five months, his manager Martin Jol said earlier
this week.
So Castelen is making a virtue
of necessity: "I'm their biggest fan at the moment."
The plague started late last January
in a friendly against Midtjylland.
Castelen got injured and after
an endless number of examination the diagnose was damaged
cartilage which needed surgery.
It was performed in Rotterdam,
but it had consequences.
"It wasn't done well,"
the 25-year-old complains.
During the second half of last
season he made his way back into training, but then
it all started all over again.
"Two pieces had come into
the knee joint, which caused me pain."
On 23 September he underwent surgery
again, and this time the road should lead straight back
into Hamburg's first team again.
Until that moment the grounded
professional needs patience.
Six weeks of absolute idleness
and treatment has been prescribed.
"In the daytime I have to
wear a brace for six hours and at night as well so I
will not bend the joint. I can not do anything that
recquires muscle power."
It's driving the mercury winger
mad not to be able to be on the pitch with his team
mates.
"At the weekend, during the
games it's worst. My family helps me, but the better
part of it I have to deal with alone."
A chat with Martin Jol cheered
him up.
"He knows me from back home
in Holland (Castelen is also from Den Haag). He knows
what I am capable of and he said he is waiting for me."
Most of all he misses the atmosphere
in the stadium.
"I love it when the fans are
cheering. It drives shivers down my spine each time."
Any fears that this inujry could
end his carreer are brushed aside.
"I have always been a fighter
and I want to show that to everyone."
|
