Kyle Walker upbeat over World Cup chances following groin surgery

UPBEAT: Kyle Walker underwent a groin operation last week. Pic: Simon Marper/PA

Kyle Walker is “confident” of winning his race to be fit for the World Cup after having surgery.

The Manchester City right-back underwent a groin operation last week after coming off in the first half of the 6-3 derby win over Manchester United on October 2.

The World Cup in Qatar gets under way on November 20 and, asked if he was feeling confident or hopeful, the England international told BBC Radio 5 Live: “I’m confident. I feel confident.

As players we have to appreciate injuries are part and parcel of the game we love. My operation on Tuesday was a success and now I can concentrate on my rehab and getting back to full fitness. I will be supporting my team mates every day in any way I can. 💙 pic.twitter.com/BcwIAjkb8B

— Kyle Walker (@kylewalker2) October 6, 2022

“I’ve been through enough in my career now to know my body and know how I feel and I just feel that I can do this. But it’s the human body and I’ve had it cut open, so I’m just going to have to be patient as well with it.

“There’s going to be some bumps in the road. But hopefully, come the selection, I’m included in that.”

The 32-year-old said he was “feeling better than expected and coming along nicely”, and added: “It’s frustrating – I think anyone who’s kicked a ball and played the game will say being injured is the worst.

“But it’s given me a little bit of a challenge, and it’s a challenge I’m relishing, and I’m well above what they thought I would be able to do now, 10 days into it.

“So I’m just ready to get going in the gym and get it strong and get on the pitch running.”

I've kind of said to the surgeon, 'Please mate, you're going to have to do it, because obviously I have a World Cup to do'

Walker, who had a phone call from England boss Gareth Southgate the day after the operation, said he had pushed for the surgery to be carried out as quickly as possible.

He said: “It was a little bit manic where we went down on the Monday, and I’ve kind of said to the surgeon, ‘Please mate, you’re going to have to do it, because obviously I have a World Cup to do’. He wanted to do it on the Thursday.

“He literally picked up his bag and said, ‘I’ll meet you there in an hour’, and he went and jumped on the tube, I got in the car, and that was it – I was under the knife having surgery. But it was needed.”

Walker’s fellow England right-backs Reece James and Trent Alexander-Arnold are also currently nursing injuries.

Reece James is nursing a knee issue (Nick Potts/PA).

Chelsea boss Graham Potter said on Friday that James, who has a knee problem, will see a specialist over the weekend to gauge the severity of the injury.

Walker said of the 22-year-old: “He’s unbelievable – just his personality and how he conducts himself around the place as well.

“Me and him have got probably a special connection. He was one of the few players who texted me from the England squad asking how it went, am I OK, and little things like that mean a lot.

“For me, the sky’s the limit for him. I think we’ve seen that with what he’s achieved so far in his career and he’s only young.

“I hope it’s not too serious, I hope we’re not talking about surgery and stuff like that. But he has the mentality to get back if he can, or if he needs to do the rehab and just make it stronger, who knows, I’m not a physio.”