HEINZE FACES UP TO HIS INJURY

Last updated : 09 October 2005 By Ed

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"That was a few months before I arrived at Manchester United. When the deal got complicated, he helped me from above to ensure I signed for one of the best clubs in the world.

"You see who your friends are at times like these," he said. "Luckily, I've received phone calls from lots of them and it's true that good really does come from bad.

"The injury has demonstrated that people love me. My United team-mates were very worried and that has given me enormous happiness during a difficult period. I've watched what happened on TV about 10,000 times and counting. I'm not angry about it. I've committed harder tackles, I've taken what seemed like worse knocks.

"I'm a feisty player and I've been in risky situations where nothing has happened. God wanted this to take place.

"It's difficult, though, as I was going well. I was settled in the national team, we'd already qualified for the World Cup, and Argentina coach Jose Pekerman was counting on me.

"They say injuries always come at the worst times. I had to work hard to get to the level I had reached.

"But the operation went well, as was expected, and now I have to put all my energies into recovering."