Post by DJ on Aug 1, 2007 23:17:05 GMT 10
Mrdja: My Misery Is Behind Me
EXCLUSIVE - Nik Mrdja believes he is finally over the long-term injuries that frustrated both him and Mariners fans since the A-League began.
The highly-rated striker has been plagued by injuries, and has seen little game time in the blue and yellow of the Mariners.
Mrdja was expected to make a fully-fledged return last season, but his injury woes continued and eventually led to the short-term signing of Damian Mori.
Incredibly, the 28-year-old did not play competitive football for a staggering 434 days – he played no part in the 2005/06 season and completed just 256 minutes in 2006/07.
Declaring himself fit, Mrdja believes that Mariners fans can expect big things from him.
“I’ve definitely had a hard couple of years and it’s been great to get back on the park,” he said.
“I’m feeling a little bit tight in some areas - but then again, it’s probably because I haven’t really done this sort of training in the past couple of years.
“I can’t even remember what it feels like to be 100 per cent. I’m getting better in games so I’m improving every week.”
While he feels strong, Mrdja admits his body is still re-building itself. Both his knees have undergone surgery during his career.
“My right quad is still not as big as the left one,” he says. “There’s about a three or four centimeter difference in circumference.
"It’s nothing like my left one but it’s actually already grown three centimeters. The stronger my quad gets hopefully the less I’ll feel with pain niggly injuries around the knee.
"Because I’m a left-footer, my right knee would take a lot of impact when I was shooting in the pivotal spot. It was after all the years of running at full speed and then stopping suddenly.”
While he is yet to score in the Pre-Season Cup, Mrdja has played two full matches so far, and replaced Adam Kwasnik for one half in the Mariners’ meeting against Queensland Roar in Orange.
But theMariners' crushing 3-0 win over Sydney at weekend is greeted with grinning understatement.
"It wasn’t too bad." he said. "We had a very hard week leading up to that and I just happy to get through it after such a solid week of training.
"We were doing some pretty torrid runs so to perform after a hard week like that is all good and I’m really happy.”
Mrdja has welcomed the arrival of fellow striker Sasho Petrovski, and says along with Adam Kwasnik, a three-pronged attack is a possibility this season.
“I see it [Petrovski’s signing] as a strengthening of the squad," he said.
"We definitely needed another striker here and I was keen for another striker to come in to play up front with me, because it helps both of you to be as good as you can be.
“But no one has any assurances and with Lawrie you have to earn your spot. We’ve got more players now and we have to fight to keep our spots."
He added: "I’m definitely right to go now and want to play every week so I just have to make sure my form’s good enough.
"I want to have a big season and maybe take the club one step further than we did in the first season."
EXCLUSIVE - Nik Mrdja believes he is finally over the long-term injuries that frustrated both him and Mariners fans since the A-League began.
The highly-rated striker has been plagued by injuries, and has seen little game time in the blue and yellow of the Mariners.
Mrdja was expected to make a fully-fledged return last season, but his injury woes continued and eventually led to the short-term signing of Damian Mori.
Incredibly, the 28-year-old did not play competitive football for a staggering 434 days – he played no part in the 2005/06 season and completed just 256 minutes in 2006/07.
Declaring himself fit, Mrdja believes that Mariners fans can expect big things from him.
“I’ve definitely had a hard couple of years and it’s been great to get back on the park,” he said.
“I’m feeling a little bit tight in some areas - but then again, it’s probably because I haven’t really done this sort of training in the past couple of years.
“I can’t even remember what it feels like to be 100 per cent. I’m getting better in games so I’m improving every week.”
While he feels strong, Mrdja admits his body is still re-building itself. Both his knees have undergone surgery during his career.
“My right quad is still not as big as the left one,” he says. “There’s about a three or four centimeter difference in circumference.
"It’s nothing like my left one but it’s actually already grown three centimeters. The stronger my quad gets hopefully the less I’ll feel with pain niggly injuries around the knee.
"Because I’m a left-footer, my right knee would take a lot of impact when I was shooting in the pivotal spot. It was after all the years of running at full speed and then stopping suddenly.”
While he is yet to score in the Pre-Season Cup, Mrdja has played two full matches so far, and replaced Adam Kwasnik for one half in the Mariners’ meeting against Queensland Roar in Orange.
But theMariners' crushing 3-0 win over Sydney at weekend is greeted with grinning understatement.
"It wasn’t too bad." he said. "We had a very hard week leading up to that and I just happy to get through it after such a solid week of training.
"We were doing some pretty torrid runs so to perform after a hard week like that is all good and I’m really happy.”
Mrdja has welcomed the arrival of fellow striker Sasho Petrovski, and says along with Adam Kwasnik, a three-pronged attack is a possibility this season.
“I see it [Petrovski’s signing] as a strengthening of the squad," he said.
"We definitely needed another striker here and I was keen for another striker to come in to play up front with me, because it helps both of you to be as good as you can be.
“But no one has any assurances and with Lawrie you have to earn your spot. We’ve got more players now and we have to fight to keep our spots."
He added: "I’m definitely right to go now and want to play every week so I just have to make sure my form’s good enough.
"I want to have a big season and maybe take the club one step further than we did in the first season."
