Coventry
City keeper Steve Ogrizovic – the oldest player in the Premiership – has vowed
to continue playing despite needing major neck surgery.
The
41-year-old who has played 598 games for the Highfield Road club will go under the knife
in the next few weeks but has already agreed a new contract with the club if he battles
back to full fitness.
Ogrizovic met with manager Gordon Strachan yesterday before making the decision to play
on.
"I have a prolapsed disc in my neck and it will need surgery at some stage for me
to stay fully active so I have decided to have it done now and play on.
"I have been told I will make a full recovery and hope to be back playing in
October. It is only the one disc and an isolated problem.
"I have talked to the manager about it and we had agreed in principle for me to
play on for another year. The club have been great but they will want to see how I am,
which is fair enough.
"I am confident I will be back. The club are signing a young keeper from Denmark
and they will want some experience around – and I have plenty of that!
"I am sure this will be my last club. It has been a great place to play football
and I certainly don’t want to go anywhere else."
Strachan said club would look at Ogrizovic once he had been under the knife but warned
against anyone writing him off.
"Oggy has a great big heart and has really looked after himself which has stood
him in very good stead. He could have had several months of rehabilitation and then needed
the op anyway.
"This is a setback for him and we will look at his recovery closely. He has done
well this season and pushed Magnus Hedman all the way. If he comes back at the same
standard there will be no problem."
