ROSS BARKLEY has been hopping mad while battling his way back from a nasty foot injury.
The Chelsea midfielder revealed he could only use one foot at times during nearly three months out.
But he returned with a goal yesterday in his first appearance since mid-October as Chelsea brushed aside Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup third round.
Barkley said: I was trying my hardest to pass the ball in training with my right foot but it was that painful I just had to train with my left foot.
“Some days I would have to come out of training because it would be really painful, but for the last two or three weeks I have been pain-free so I have been putting in the extra yards.
“After training I have been doing double sessions fitness wise so I could stay on top of it with me not getting games for a while.
I have put in a lot of hard work and I was grateful to get a start and get a goal. Hopefully I can kick on from here and get back in the side by continuing to work hard in training. Hopefully with a goal I have put that thought back in the managers mind.
It is tough to be on the side watching games. You want to be on the pitch. But I had trouble, I had fine chips on two parts of my bone in my foot so it was really painful. I just had to bide my time and keep working hard.
I couldnt really kick the ball with my right foot so I was training with my left. But now I feel good and I am ready to get back in the side and keep working hard.
It felt great to just be back on the pitch. I havent played for a while. After I injured my foot I had a setback for a while, I was in pain until probably a couple of weeks ago when I became pain-free.
Barkley, 26, has endured huge highs and lows this season– scoring twice for England in October then suffering injury and falling out of favour with boss Frank Lampard.
He said: Yeah, but I always stay positive in my mind. Everyone has setbacks and every footballer doesnt like being in the stands watching a game. You want to be a part of it and it leaves you frustrated.
You have to take every chance you get. We won the game, kept a clean sheet and I got a goal, so hopefully that puts a thought in the managers mind to get back in the side and help the team.
Barkley is trying to get back in the good books with Lampard after being spotted out on the town the night before training.
The Liverpudlian is hoping to win back his managers trust through his performances on the pitch.
Barkley said: I have got to keep scoring with every chance I get. Last time I went away with England I scored a couple and then I came back and got a setback.
“So it was frustrating from that side of it. But to come back and score today is good for my confidence. I will come back into training on Tuesday ready to kick on again.
