Delph hoping to stay injury free

[Rip Van We Go Again]

sportinglife.com

Fabian Delph is hoping two years of injury misery are finally behind him as he looks to win a regular starting place at Aston Villa under new manager Alex McLeish.

Delph made the £6 million move from Leeds to Villa Park during the summer of 2009 and was viewed as an exciting talent by the then manager Martin O'Neill.

But the midfielder has suffered a series of injury setbacks, including ankle ligament damage on the final day of last season against Liverpool.

Delph said: "I think I'm due an injury-free season and hopefully this season coming up will be the one.

"It has been up and down for me since I joined Villa but I've stayed positive and think I've got stronger mentally.

"Hopefully I can break through under the new manager and do him proud.

"I've met him and he seemed really hungry for the season to start and for the lads to push on and do well.

"I also want to repay the chairman (Randy Lerner) for the contract he has given me."

Delph signed a new four-year deal in March which will keep him at Villa until 2015.

[Mr Diggles]

I'm hoping so too, and that he is as good as he looks he could be sometimes.

[JUAN PABLO]

At least he is saying the rigth things  . Hopefully he will be injury free and we can  see what he can do .... 

Be nice If downing was the same ,like  paying Villa back for the time the twat was injured ...

[bob]

I really like Delph, I hope he will get to start and settle in to the team this season.

[Phil from the upper holte]

This is why I don't want to sign Hitz, he could develop into a better player with a few starts

[Mazrim]

This is why I don't want to sign Hitz, he could develop into a better player with a few starts

He's a much better player now.

[supertommykN'iba]

The fact he has barely played has put him to the back of peoples mind, and I think he seems extremely underrated. He is a superb player and I really hope that he gets given that chance to prove it, instead of bringing someone else in ahead of him.

[Le Lapin]

Hope the lad has a great season, but I hope hope he keeps under the the radar of the Dippers, they are going to hoover up any good players for the next few years.

Milner (we can only dream) and himself wouldn't be a bad midfield pairing, but I reckon we haven't seen what Makoun can do yet.

[always be witton to me]

This lad could be a star. One of the highlights last season was his 50 yard pass with the outside of his foot whilst playing left back to put Gabby away. Class

[PaulWinch again]

He has a lot of potential, speaks well and needs to push on this season.

[paul_e]

I think he'll be a great player, he just needs  a run of ten games in the starting line up with no injuries, etc then his talent will show.

I think him alongside Makoun and Bannan would be a great central 3.  None of them are defensive but then none of them are all out attack either.  Once they all got used to playing together I think they'd be great together, all good at keeping it simple, can all pick a pass and all 3 work their socks off.  We'd possibly struggle against sides that came to kick us around the pitch but that's something that can be handled by smaller guys with experience and you would hope it would be a key to training with all of them.

[darren woolley]

I really like Delph This new season is going to be a big one he needs a decent run of games without injury which I think McLeish will give him I can see him being better than Milner in the future he has the ability he just need's to stay clear of injuries with a full pre-season under his belt it will help him in the long run.

[IRISHPHIL]

i think he could be the new gordan cowans

[N'ZMAV]

He could go all the way. Needs a bit of luck. Could do with bulking up a bit. Obviously, not going OTT like Gabby has.

[The Left Side]

Agree with everything said on here, if he stays fit he should get a good run in the team.