Ageu sends defiant Hearts message after injury woe as he sets target after comeback at Kilmarnock
The midfielder has been out of Hearts action for a considerable period of time.
Ageu is targeting a full 90 minutes for Hearts after making his return from long-term injury against Kilmarnock.
The midfielder who the Tynecastle side paid a record-transfer fee for over a year ago has had an injury-hit stint in Gorgie, suffering a thigh problem earlier this year, keeping him out since February. He was called upon from head coach Wouter Vrancken’s subs bench in Saturday’s 1-1 Premiership draw at Rugby Park, where Stephen Kingsley’s late leveller cancelled out a Joe Hugill opener for the home team.
His return is timely for Hearts after recent long-term injuries to Blair Spittal and Tom Renaud in the engine room leaving Tomas Magnusson and Laurent Mendy as senior options. Ageu admits his lack of injury luck in maroon is a career first, but with their Premier Sports Cup semi-final against Hibs ahead and Conference League matches to relish, he’s keen for past woe to be shelved.
Ageu on Hearts injury issues
He said: “It's my first game since I got an injury. I'm so happy to be back with my teammates and happy for the few minutes that I play as well. I never had anything like that in my life. It was really, really difficult. Now I just leave the past in the past. I'm looking forward and ready to play the rest of the league and the European games as well if I could play.
“I'm in a stronger place now. I’m ready to fight against what is coming. Hopefully it's not an injury anymore. I'm ready to play the rest of the league and help my teammates.”
Ageu’s wife, Carol, has been a source of comfort for the Hearts star. She works as a physio and has been able to provide necessary support during difficult days. He said: “The principal thing was the support of my wife.
“She's a physio as well and she helped me since I got the first injury. Even in the rehab and the emotional support as well. She's the most important person in my life. I cannot be here if it wasn't for her.”
What has Wouter Vrancken said to Ageu?
St Mirren on October 10 at Tynecastle is the next time Hearts will be in action competitively and Ageu hopes to be ready for a 90-minute display should Vrancken require it. He added: “I spoke to him this week as well. It's so good to know the care that they are giving me. Hopefully when we come back from this international break I will be ready to play 90 minutes if he wants.
“They are amazing. Not just the gaffer, but the staff is amazing. The guys really helped me since I came back to the pitch. They helped me when I was outside because of the injury. They were giving me support. So for sure they were perfect about that.
“I know that it is frustrating for the fans these last 12 months and for me as well. But all the time they gave me support. The message that I received was all the time give me strength to pass through this bad time. For sure I will try to give this back for them. I think after the break I will be fit to play like 90 minutes. Because today was a really good experience to see how it was. And for me I felt like perfectly inside the pitch. For sure it's keeping working, getting fit. And hopefully when we come back I can play as well like Saturday. And hopefully I can help my teammates as well.
“As I said to the gaffer, I can play as a six, as an eight, as a 10 as well. In the free space there. Because my academy was playing as a six, when I became professional I played as an eight. So I can play, I feel comfortable playing as a six, eight. So I can give my best for the team playing in these positions. I try to understand where is the space on the pitch when I get in. Because the pressure was really, really high in the first half. And I knew that if we control the build, we can put them on the back part of the pitch. So we tried to do this. Of course that position is six, but I prefer to play as an eight. But for me I can work on both.”
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