Refreshed and Ready

PILGRIM defender Niall Canavan has come back stronger following a break from the team after the Port Vale defeat in mid-September.

Niall missed the next four games due to a number of reasons but believes the mini-break from football during allowed him to regroup and come back fitter, stronger and more focussed.

The Irishman is now learning to live with the challenges that come from being diabetic, following his recent diagnosis, and it does have an understandable impact on his profession.

“Physically, I obviously have a bit to contend with now, but it was probably a rough period for that moment of time and, whether that has an effect on that performance, I am not entirely sure, but it looks like it did,” he said.

“To have the break and, obviously mentally, you get to refresh and reassess things and I think I have said that before; it gave me a good time to reflect on what I have been doing so far and maybe make small adjustments.

“Every day with this [diabetes] is a learning day, so the more that I can take, a little bit more at a time and move forward, that will only keep helping me and, ultimately, the team."

As a player, being taken out of the squad it is a tough decision to accept but throughout the whole situation there was a clear line of communication with the coaching staff.

As a result of this, it led to Canavan having the chance to take a break and refresh his mind and body, which is definitely something that has proved to be beneficial in recent excellent defensive performances from both Niall and the team as a whole.

“That has been massive for me, having the support of the staff and they understand that I’m contending with something that is new to me, as much as it is to them,” he said.

“At times, I am going to get it wrong but also times where I have no explanation for what is happening. As long as they know that I am doing everything I can to put myself in the best position, there will always be that little bit of forgiveness for it.”

Niall will be hoping to continue repaying the decision to bring him back into the squad by maintaing his current form in the Sky Bet League Two game at Home Park against Bradford City on Saturday.