But in 2000, the injuries really started to kick in and my elbow gave a lot of problems. At the end of the year I had to take 20 months off before I could come back into the game.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
But, then again, I had to stop because there was too much pain or too much trouble. After I retired I still had one more elbow surgery just to be able to do normal things.
I spent a whole year when I was injured just trying to get my arm back to the point where I could hit a tennis ball for more than 30 minutes a day. I'd hit for 15 minutes and it would feel as if my arm was going to fall off.
I've had so many injuries in my life that it's ridiculous.
I did enjoy football, but the injury factor for me, you know, I had so many issues. I don't know how long my career would've been.
All my football injuries now have arthritis in them.
I've had a couple of years where injuries have not let me develop in the way I wanted. When I was 21, after the European Championship, I had more injuries. Everything has been less continuous and it has cost me more progress. Continuity is what got me where I am.
For most of my career I've been very lucky to have avoided major injuries.
In the past I've had a bad injury, and then struggled when I've got back because I've been unfit.
I played 15 years of hockey, and I got more injured doing two weeks of cheer camp.
I never had a serious injury that kept me out of a big competition. Now everyone has injuries - to their feet or their knees or their backs.