Florent Cuvelier: Walsall injury hell made me consider retirement
Saddlers midfielder Florent Cuvelier cannot wait for the season to get under way – after admitting he considered quitting the game amid his injury hell.
Cuvelier is desperate to put his years of injury misery behind him and is eager to get going after the club’s pre-season bonding trip to the Lake District.
The 24-year-old said he now wants to string a long run of games together to shed the tag of being an injury-prone player. “I want people to see Cuvelier and just think ‘he plays every week’,” said the Belgian. “I just want to go out and realise my potential. I want to go out and show how good I can be. Last year I was close but I had more to give. Hopefully I will show that this year.”
He added: “I’m counting down the days and have been for a while. I’m really excited for the season to start. We have to everything we can to make sure we are better than Bury on the opening day.
“Our first couple of fixtures are difficult so it’s important we start well.
“I think the league will be a lot stronger this year.
“There have been some very good teams come up and some good teams come down so it will be interesting.”
But the Brussels-born playmaker shed light on his injury hell, adding: “It has been so difficult with injuries. I have had four years of it, non-stop.
“I can’t explain how difficult it is and how mentally challenging it is. There have been times when I have thought about giving up. I am human. My dream and passion has always been to be a professional footballer. But when you get injured and then you come back and get injured again – it’s almost impossible to say how it feels. It is really, really difficult. I hope I can play every game this year.”
Cuvelier said he loved the boot camp on the hill around of Lake Windemere, and believes it could play an important role for the season ahead: “It was a really good way to show that mentally you are much stronger than you think you are. It was brilliant.
“It’s really interesting because their are times in your life when you think you have been pushed to the limit.
“But when you have that support around you, when your team mates are roaring you on, you can go further.
“It was fascinating to see how your mind can trick you and learn that you can actually beat your mind.”
