The Everton defender has opened up on the struggles he faced as a child
Jarrad Branthwaite could play in today's match against Arsenal in the Premier League
Jarrad Branthwaite could play in today's match against Arsenal in the Premier League(Image: Tony McArdle/Everton FC)
Jarrad Branthwaite is a crucial part of Everton’sdefence and is one of England’s most exciting prospects at centre-back. But his repeated absences due to a groin injury have been felt by Sean Dyche’s side this season.
Branthwaite has returned to the team recently though, starting the last six Premier League matches for the Toffees and he could play again in this afternoon’s match away at Arsenal. But this is far from the only rough phase the 22 year-old footballer has faced.
There was a chance his professional footballing career could have been over before it began. As a teenager, Branthwaite was diagnosed with a knee condition called Osgood-Schlatter disease.
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It’s a common cause of knee pain in growing children. The pain from Osgood-Schlatter’s comes from a pulling of this tendon on the bone and the growth plate underneath, causing inflammation.
It occurs most often during growth spurts. Branthwaite suffered from it too when he was playing for Carlisle’s academy on a scholarship. In an interview earlier this year, he said: “Aged 14 I suffered from Osgood-Schlatter disease, which was a huge setback at that time. I was out for 18 months.
“The first 12 I literally couldn't do anything, I was in that much pain, and then the last six months I was building back up but I still couldn't train on artificial turf through the week because it was such a hard surface.
“On Saturday, we'd train on grass and I'd play maybe 20 minutes of the game on Sunday just to stay involved. It was a difficult period because once my scholarship ended they said they hadn't really seen enough of me and they'd give me a four-week trial to show myself.”
Branthwaite was reluctant to go ahead with it but credited his dad Paul for changing his mind. He went on to find his favoured position at centre-back while playing for them.
Branthwaite said: “I didn't really want to do that but again my dad said I should give it my all and then I'd have no regrets. I was a central midfielder until the Under-16s at Carlisle and it was one game where I played for the reserves where it changed. I moved into centre-back and I played well and enjoyed it.
"Ever since then it's where I've played. If it wasn't for that game then maybe I wouldn't have moved and I wouldn't be here so it shows how little things in football made a big difference.”