Callum Lang made his long-awaited return from injury in Pompey’s 3-1 victory over Millwall on Saturday.
Callum Lang is confident that his hamstring concerns have been resolved following surgery earlier this season.
The 27-year-old completed his much-anticipated comeback on Saturday, coming off the bench at the hour mark in Pompey’s 3-1 win against Millwall.
His arrival was his first appearance in more than three months since suffering a recurrence of the hamstring injury that kept him out for a substantial spell during the second half of last season against Norwich City in the second game of the campaign.
Despite being ruled out for 4-8 weeks, Lang underwent surgery in August to rule out any more difficulties in that area, which would keep him out for an extended amount of time.
And the former Wigan Athletic player believes it is a choice that will benefit the Blues in the future as he attempts to put his injury issues behind him.
Callum Lang discusses hamstring injury.
Speaking after his comeback in Saturday’s 3-1 victory against Millwall, he said: “It was really frustrating because when I signed, I hit the ground running after coming off the back of a very frustrating year at Wigan.” Since signing, I haven’t looked back.
‘I think I owe a lot to everyone here, and I really enjoy playing here. The club is ideal for me; I adore football and want to spend as much time as possible on the pitch.
‘I’ve had a couple injuries since coming here, which has been upsetting because I’ve always considered myself a strong player. That’s just football, and I need to get my head around it so I can look for myself and stay on the pitch.
‘I hoped I’d be able to avoid surgery, but in the end, it was the best decision to ensure that it’s solid now, and fingers crossed that there will be no more difficulties.
‘It was the same hamstring, and I believe this was the third time it had happened, so surgery was recommended. It was a difficult few weeks, both on and off the field.
I would want to state I am completely confident in it. It was difficult to recover from the previous season. I felt like I had a lot to show after my injuries last season, so doing it again was extremely painful.
‘I’m just eager to do more on the field and in my career. According to what I’ve been informed, the risks of the operation are far reduced, so it was a no-brainer for me because all I wanted to do was stay on the field and play football.
‘I think the procedure will help me do that. If I hadn’t had the surgery, I would have returned sooner, but I believe the risk was reduced by the surgery, so fingers crossed.
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Callum Lang’s Return Plan
John Mousinho stated before the game that Lang could play up to 50 or 55 minutes upon his comeback.
The popular forward was named on the bench before coming on at 61 minutes to finish the final half-hour.
Despite completing his comeback, the 27-year-old has made it plain that his minutes will still be limited as he works his way back to full fitness.
‘That was the plan, maybe 30 minutes,’ he explained.
‘I’m not sure what the rest of the week will look like; my minutes will most likely need to be limited for the first week or two, after which they should ideally allow me to obtain a few more.
‘It was a great feeling, goosebumps to be honest. Growing up as a youngster, wanting to play football isn’t something you think about often. Coming on, this is one of the finest feelings I’ve ever experienced in football.
Adrian Segečić, a popular Portsmouth attacker, was dealt a devastating blow after his remarkable return from injury against Millwall.
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