Stephen focussed and back in the Hunt for first team action

HE’S back, as bubbly as ever and determined to make up for lost time. But it looks as if Stephen Hunt will have to show some more patience before he gets to pull on the green shirt again.

With Giovanni Trapattoni starting Damien Duff on the left against Norway tonight, Aiden McGeady standing by and Keith Treacy also likely to come off the bench, it seems Hunt’s international exile could continue for a while longer.

It’s been a year since Hunt last won a cap, when he came off the bench as an 80th minute sub in the first leg of Ireland’s World Cup play-off against France at Croke Park last November. Four days later, on a night of huge controversy in Paris, there was only frustration to add to the heartbreak for Hunt as he failed to see any action in the second-leg game which ended Ireland’s World Cup dream.

But the frustration would deepen into something much more enduring, as a serious foot injury incurred the following February ruled him out for the rest of the season at Hull and then postponed his debut for Wolves whom he joined in the summer — until just a couple of weeks ago.

The recovery period was necessarily protracted, he explains, because the foot injury was an uncommon one — although fellow Ireland international Damien Duff had been there before him with a similar problem.

“Lisfranc’s I think it’s called,” he says. “I can’t explain the science of it but basically the foot collapsed on one side and I had to have a screw put in through two metatarsals for four months. Then when you get the screw out you’ve got to let the bone grow back as well and make it strong. It takes time, but it’s fine.”

Ironically, the damage was done when Hunt was playing for his old club Hull against Wolves.

The 29-year-old can afford to smile now, but it’s been a long road back.

“At first, I played four or five games after that with a local anaesthetic just to kill the pain,” he recalls. “I also had it x-rayed and scanned and there was nothing really showing but then I saw a specialist and he spotted it.

“The physios at Wolves are exceptional. It’s as well they’ve helped me back ‘cos I’ve needed the games. They helped me back for the last four or five games which have been like my pre-season I suppose: Man U twice, Arsenal, Man City and Chelsea. It’s been difficult for me but it’s nice to be back and every day I’m getting fitter.

“I maybe lost a bit of weight and I may need to bulk up a bit more since I’ve come back. When I was at Hull I was quite stocky. I was in and did a lot of weights, had a personal trainer. But since I’ve been at Wolves, I’ve been worrying more about my flexibility and need to start doing a few more weights.”

Was the mental part of the recovery as important as the physical? “Yeah, of course. I think the most important thing is that you’re mentally strong, especially during the bad days. You do running and the next day you might be a bit sore so you’re a bit disappointed. It was slow coming back and even after my comeback, in my first couple of games, I’ve had a bit of a back problem: I had an injection in it just to settle it down. Thankfully that’s gone away and it’s only now that I’m beginning to feel like a bit of an athlete. I feel good now, so happy days.”

Hunt recognises that, while he’s been away, the competition for wide places has only intensified for Ireland.

“Yeah, a lot of lads have come through, but there’s always players coming through for Ireland,” he says. “It’s healthy competition but I’m here this week feeling fresh. I’ve had four months at my club where I haven’t had many days off — training and getting treatment and seeing everybody everyday — so I think three or four days away will help refresh me with my club as well after basically being in the treatment room every day.”

Did Trapattoni stay in touch? “Yeah, I’ve had a couple of text messages from him. It gives you a lift, makes you feel a little excited. Just ‘How are you?’ or something like that. It helps you to keep on going though the dark days when you’re injured. It’s been good.”

And being back in the Ireland camp can only help.

“It’s a real buzz to be here,” he enthuses. “Maybe not for the boys who have been here for the last couple of games but for me it’s different. I want to play and I can’t wait.”

But not for the first time, Hunt might find he has to wait just a little bit longer.