‘I was scared to hear the words’: Portsmouth favourite addresses injury concern as QPR anguish continues
The influential midfielder tore the MCL in his left knee against QPR in March
It has been three-and-a-half months, yet Ebou Adams is still feeling the ramifications of his Loftus Road anguish.
The raw emotion which spilled out following the 6-1 defeat may have long since calmed, but the damage sustained to his left knee continues to be a lingering reminder.
The popular Pompey midfielder is battling to be available for Tuesday’s start of the pre-season programme with a trip to Woking (7pm) as he recovers from that agonising QPR injury.
Adams suffered a grade two tear to his MCL towards the end of that March clash, yet opted to see the game through and remained on pitch for the final whistle, albeit clearly distraught.
Determined to help the Blues’ relegation scrap, he then returned ahead of schedule to feature against Leicester and Coventry, while in late May started for Gambia in a 3-1 defeat against Iran.
However, the knee issue continues to be of concern for the former Derby, who is currently rehabbing outside, yet has still to be involved in full training with his team-mates.
As ever, though, best not to write off Ebou Adams.
‘As a player, as a human being, you think the worst’
He told The News: ‘At QPR I went into a tackle, my knee got stuck in the ground and, as I got up to move again, my knee didn’t feel right. I was fine running straight, but, as soon as I turned, I had done something big.
‘The boys during the game were asking are you okay? I said I’m done, I’m done. As QPR scored their fifth and their sixth, I didn’t want to come off, I wanted to get through it.
‘My emotion at the final whistle was a mixture of both - my injury and the result. I’m a little kid, I love playing football. The enjoyment of doing what you are doing. When an injury and a result doesn’t go your way, you forget things like that can happen, it strips you away from the moment you are torn.
‘I was scared to hear the words “You are out for the season”. As a player, as a human being, you think the worst and, at the time, I was thinking I am pretty much done, I can't move, I can’t swing my leg, that leg is sore, I can’t control the ball.
‘I probably should have come off, but my mindset at the time was I can get through this, it’s not that serious. In the realistic world, though, I was in a very, very tough place.
‘It turned out I had an MCL injury, a grade two, and you end up fighting to get back fit to help the team, it was a sticky situation, you are pushing and pushing and pushing. You have to let your body heal and sometimes big injuries don't take any quicker.
‘I realised I was ahead of schedule and I spoke to the knee specialist and they said “Look, you're not going to do it”. I told them with the situation we were in, a relegation scrap, I needed to help the team.
‘The Coventry game was when I came back into the team, I knew straight away I was nowhere near. It was an unselfish thing, but you have to realise that sometimes you’re probably putting the team in more danger than you are, you don’t know until you are out on the pitch.
‘The gaffer said “I’m not playing you again, it’s a big injury so you’re taking a back seat”, which was hard to hear, but I needed it.’
Rehabbing at Fota Island
At times on Pompey’s training camp at Fota Island, Adams worked alongside Jacob Farrell away from the rest of the group, following a different training programme.
This week marks the start of their friendly schedule with Woking (Tuesday), Aldershot (Wednesday) and then Bristol Rovers (July 18) on the agenda.
Certainly Mousinho’s selection preference for the two non-league fixtures will involve handing 45-minute outings to most members of his squad in each game.
It remains to be seen whether Adams is close enough to full fitness to be considered for duty at this stage of the summer.
‘I am close, but the physios want me back 100 per cent’
He added: ‘I went away internationally in May, I was fine. I played against Iran for 90 minutes, fine, then I was sore after the game. I spoke to Pompey again and it was a case of you’re going to have to take a back seat once more and make sure you are ready.
‘They are just being cautious with it, because, while we have time now in pre-season, I’m going to use it. During the season I think we'll have a different approach.
‘As far as I know, I should be okay for friendlies, I don’t want to be too far behind, I’m doing some tough running, some tough testing. I am close, but the physios want me back 100 per cent.
‘At the time of QPR last season, I didn't want the team to get relegated, so I put my body on the line. Sometimes it can be stupid if it doesn't work.
‘If it does then you will be saying “hero”. But I don’t really care what title I get, I just want the team to do well.’
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