Simon Walton on His Recovery
BREAKING your leg just a week into a new job is frustrating enough - but Simon Walton feels he is playing catch-up all over again.
While every other player at QPR is striving to find an extra gear on the training ground and hoping to catch the eye of new boss Luigi de Canio, Walton is confined to the gym.
The Rangers midfielder, whose injury agony came on his home debut against Fulham in early August, has just begun a rehab programme, but knows he is still some way from featuring in de Canio's matchday squad.
"Obviously he won't have known an awful lot about the players, so everyone's on a level playing field, fighting for their place in the team," said Walton.
"I think everyone's working that little bit harder, but unfortunately I don't have that chance quite yet. I'm just stuck in the gym and I'd rather be out on the training ground.
"I'm doing a bit on the treadmill and a bit on the bike. The break itself is 100 per cent healed, but it's about making sure the muscles are working properly again and it's hard to put a timescale on that."
After seeing the £200,000 signing from Charlton in action during the Rs' pre-season friendlies at Wycombe and Harrow Borough, many observers felt he would be an automatic choice this season.
But, since Walton was stretchered off on that Friday evening at Loftus Road, the club have added three faces to their midfield roster - Mikele Leigertwood, Jason Jarrett and Akos Buzsaky.
"After I got injured, there was only really Adam Bolder and Stefan Bailey who could play in the centre, so it was definitely an area that needed to be improved," admitted the 20-year-old.
"I know it'll be hard for me to get back in the team - so I'll just have to play centre-half instead!
"John Gregory showed a lot of faith in me and I'm gutted that I didn't ever get a chance to play for him - then again, the chairman's still here and he's the one who splashed out the money, so I still owe it to him to repay his faith."
Walton was particularly disappointed to miss Rangers' recent win at Charlton, who paid £500,000 to sign him from Leeds in 2006, but allowed him to move on without a first-team appearance.
But the Yorkshireman is setting his sights on getting some Championship games under his belt in the second half of the season - and after that, he hopes, a reunion with his first club.
Walton, who grew up as a Leeds fan, added: "My friends and family aren't around here, so I was away for about eight weeks after the injury and I was able to get to a couple of Leeds games while I was up there.
"There aren't too many familiar faces there now, but I can see everything that's happened has brought them all closer together and hopefully we'll be playing them next year - in the Championship, that is!
