Ex Hibs ace candid over Achilles blow that felt like a 'gunshot' as serious injury derails World Cup dream
The former Hibs defender has suffered a devastating injury blow.
Lewis Miller has revealed the gunshot-like pain he felt after the former Hibs defender tore his Achilles in action for Blackburn Rovers.
The Australian international had been a regular for Michael O’Neill’s English Championship team since joining Blackburn from Easter Road last summer. He was hoping to play a role in their fight for survival and then move on to the World Cup with the Socceroos this summer but against QPR last month, his Achilles was badly damaged.
It now leaves him out for nine months, meaning the rest of this season, the World Cup and a sizeable portion of next campaign at Blackburn Rovers have all been impacted. Miller admits it’s been an emotional time for his family but the star who featured at Hibs for three years following time at Central Coast Mariners is not ready to play the victim card.
What injury has Lewis Miller suffered at Blackburn Rovers?
Miller told club media: “It's only been a week now since it's happened. Probably the worst case scenario that could have happened to me, especially the timing of it all, obviously because of the World Cup coming up.
“Obviously, the position that we're in, it would have been obviously good to fight for this club and keep it in the league. That's what I planned to do. Yeah, and ultimately now, I'm kind of just helpless on the sidelines and I can't really do much. It's just a very tough position for myself and for my family.
“There's nothing I can do about it now. I can't play the victim, it is what it is, what's done is done and now I've just got to focus on a very long rehab. Like I said, I'm keen to get that started, and I know I'll come back better than ever.”
Lewis Miller on Achilles injury
“It's not the end of my career but it's definitely a hiccup and definitely something I wasn't expecting. That's football, I guess. I think my family were very emotional, obviously based on the situation we're in and not everyone can go to a World Cup as well, let alone playing in the Championship for a full season.
“They are very good achievements and obviously it's an honour to play for your country, an honour to play for this club. The fact that I can't do that for nine months, which will carry over to next season is obviously a pain in the a*** but it is what it is.
“It’s weird. It feels like a gunshot. It feels like something just, it's gone, it popped. For like that first 20 seconds, I was just sitting there, just kind of contemplating everything that was going on. Obviously I was expecting the worst of the worst and obviously had the scan and everything and it was the worst of the worst. So obviously, that isn't ideal. Like I said, it's pointless feeling sorry for yourself or worrying about what's going to happen in the next few months. You have to focus on your rehab.