Arsenal’s Kieran Gibbs: I thought my career was over

Arsenal defender Kieran Gibbs admits that he feared his footballing career was over after breaking his foot in 2009.

The 23-year-old left-back broke his metatarsal after a challenge from Standard Liege’s Eliaquim Mangala in November 2009, ruling him out for the rest of that season.

And Gibbs, who is currently sidelined with an injury picked up in the 2-2 draw with Liverpool last week, revealed that he feared the worst after suffering the problem four years ago.

“Breaking my foot triggered quite a lot of my injuries,” Gibbs told the Official Arsenal Magazine.

“It took me eight or nine months to get over that injury, which turned out to be really serious in the end.

“I remember the doctor ringing me. He said he had bad news, and I thought he was going to tell me I wouldn’t be able to play again.

“In fact, he told me I needed to have more surgery, and funnily enough the boost that gave me was massive.

“Coming from a moment when you think that’s it, you’re finished, to one where you realise you can carry on is such a great feeling, a massive relief, and I used it as motivation to approach my recovery positively.”

Gibbs also admitted his frustration at the string of injury problems that hampered his last few seasons at Arsenal, with the defender only managing a total of 42 appearances for the Gunners in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 campaigns.

“Before that I’d never really had injuries, but in the next couple of years I had quite a few and it was really frustrating,” he added.

“I did my knee and rolled my ankle, and later on I had a hernia. I just got on with it and never really listened to any comments.

“I just knew the most important thing was that I got back and let people judge me on my football.”