Reilly hopes Zlatan’s ankle man gets him back on his feet

Meath captain Kevin Reilly hopes the expertise of Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s ankle doctor will finally give him a clean bill of health.

The Navan O’Mahony’s man flew to Sweden in November to undergo an operation on his troublesome Achilles heel.

Professor Hakan Alfredson has also worked on Paris St Germain and Swedish striker Ibrahimovic and the prognosis is good for the GAA defender.

“I’m looking to be back in the next couple of weeks, things are going well,” he reported last night.

“I’m back doing a bit of running at the minute and am trying to build that up. Hopefully I can get back to full training in the next few weeks and am looking forward to the league.”

Reilly, just back from his honeymoon, was able to take in his surroundings during his brief stay in Sweden.

Knowing he was in good hands was also reassuring.

“It was like a who’s who of soccer, a couple of Irish rugby guys as well,” he said of Alfredson’s patients. “[Armagh’s] Ronan Clarke was there as well.

“Ibrahimovic was there, I was over the night after he scored the overhead against England so all the talk was Zlatan this and Zlatan that. There was a wall of photographs full of top footballers.”

The ankle problem, which flared up during last year’s championship, is thelatest in a long line of injuries to have plagued Reilly in recent years. He’s keeping his fingers crossed they’re all behind him now.

“I had a few medium term injuries, which were frustrating, I won’t tell you they’re not. I am looking forward to getting back fit first of all and having a good run at the year. That has been my downfall in past years, where I have been hampered at various stages in the season so I’m looking forward to a good clean run.”

Meath face Louth in round two of the O’Byrne Cup in Navan tomorrow evening with the winner likely to progress to the semi-finals.

Reilly sees no reason why new manager Mick O’Dowd won’t persist with Joe Sheridan in his new midfield role.

“Joe did very well at midfield [against Longford]. He was very much a presence in the middle. I think it’s a possibility.”