Asian Cup 2015: Socceroos star Mathew Leckie says club-mandated break improved his form
SOCCEROOS attacker Mathew Leckie revealed that a club-mandated post-Brazil sabbatical to Mallorca two rounds into the season has turned his fortunes around.
SOCCEROOS attacker Mathew Leckie revealed that a club-mandated post-Brazil sabbatical to Mallorca two rounds into the season has turned his fortunes around.
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Struggling to rediscover his 2014 World Cup form for his new club, the worn-out Leckie was hampered by injury at the start of the German second division campaign.
Two rounds into the season FC Ingolstadt sent the Melbourne born-and-raised attacker away with the club physio and he hasn’t looked back since returning, netting four goals and providing six assists with his club top of the table and eyeing promotion into the top flight.
“I didn’t get much of a break and it took me time to adapt being a new club,’’ Leckie told the Herald Sun.
“Then I had a few niggles with my knee and abdominal and the club decided to give me a week off.
“The club sat me down and said you probably don’t know and don’t feel that you need a break but once you do you’ll see the difference.
“We were two games into the season and we had a Cup game which I missed.
“I went to Mallorca, it was all about clearing my head, but I was there with one of the team physios who treated me everyday, and I was in the gym.
“I had the week off but I was still working, making sure I wasn’t stopping.
“And it was funny because I had a problem with my knee which didn’t seem to go away and there was no answer and ever since the break it went good.
“I came back the next week, started the game and scored, and I’ve played with confidence since.’’
Leckie, who didn’t score in Brazil despite impressing, has scored one in 16 Socceroos appearances.
He looks set to start for the Socceroos in Friday night’s Asian Cup opener against Kuwait and the 23-year-old was confident of playing a key support role for talisman Tim Cahill.
“In the World Cup we had chances to score but didn’t and that’s something we need to build on,’’ he said.
“We have the ability to create chances and score, and it’s just a matter of time. When one goes in maybe the floodgates will open.
“We want to play with a lot of tempo. I’ve been working hard.’’
Originally published as Asian Cup 2015: Socceroos star Mathew Leckie says club-mandated break improved his form