Training on a glorious Sydney winter’s day could not be further from where Chelsea defender Levi Colwill was this time last year.
The 23-year-old defender injured his ACL on the first day back of pre-season last season, just after the Blues had won the Club World Cup.
Preparing for the Sydney Super Cup, the defender now wants to put himself in a position to be one of the Premier League’s eminent central defenders.
“It was really tough to get my head around, but I’m a strong believer that everything happens for a reason. So I just try and take it in my stride,” he told reporters in Sydney on Monday.
“Seeing the boys on the pitch every day obviously hurt a lot.
“I got over it and I’m back now and I feel like I’m a stronger person mentally and physically and I feel like I’m a better person for it.”
He explained: “I had to find something to keep my head on and try to distract me when I could because it was very tough not doing what you love to do every single day.
“You’ve got to find something new and you’ve to try and add some new characteristics to yourself, which I’d done. And I think that’s my advice for anyone out there, if you’re going through a big injury like that, try and take your mind away from it and try and improve yourself in different ways because that’s the easiest way to try and get over an injury like that.”
Colwill, who looms as a key cog in Alonso’s defence, reflected on his time away, and how no matter how hard you try convince yourself everything happens for a reason, you start to feel “doubt”, especially after it punctuated the momentum after the Club World Cup triumph. [embedded content]
“It kills everything, kills the momentum, and you’re out for a long time. But you’ve got to stay positive, you’ve got to believe in yourself and trust the process, which I’ve done. And I felt like that helped me a lot for when I did come back towards the last few games of the season to be strong and hungry to try and be the best player I can be and help the team the most.”
That means his targets are clear.
“I want to try and take my game to the next level this year. I want to be regarded as one of the best centre-backs in the league this year, 100%.
“I think coming back for the last three games, I think played last season, I think the quality I showed proves that I can be. But I just (have) got to be consistent and show it all the way through this season and hopefully I can help my team and lead them onto good things this year.”
The Sydney Super Cup brings four blockbuster fixtures to Sydney: Chelsea vs Western Sydney Wanderers (28 July), Tottenham Hotspur vs Sydney FC (29 July), and Tottenham Hotspur vs Chelsea (1 August) and Chelsea FC Women v A-Leagues All Stars Women (12 August)— get your tickets now at sydneysupercup.com.au
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