Craig Gordon: Hearts goalkeeper targets return ‘early next season’; ‘Gianluigi Buffon an inspiration’ | Football News

Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon is hoping to return early next season, despite suffering a second break over Christmas.

The 40-year-old picked up the injury against Dundee United at Tannadice Park and underwent surgery 24 hours later on Christmas Day.

Gordon has been rehabilitating since then, but is targeting a speedy return for club and county, with the game crucial for Scotland as they look to reach Euro 2024.

“It was Christmas Day, the injury happened, and I was taken to the hospital that night and put on the ward and I had surgery the next day, so Christmas Day was my surgery,” Gordon said. Sky Sports’ Kris Boyd in an exclusive interview.

“I was staying in Dundee where the injury happened, so it was difficult for the whole family, the children, they didn’t open their Christmas presents until I got back on the road from Dundee. I think it was the 27th back.

“Everybody’s Christmas was a little bit ruined, so I felt responsible, but the kids were happy to see me when I got home from the hospital, and we had Christmas dinner a week late.

“I have to go back and see the surgeon at the end of this month and I will get more scans at that time, and when I do I will have a better idea of ​​how quickly I can get back from this.

“I hope to be back early next season. But, for now, I’m just doing my best between now and then in the gym and I’ll take the doctor’s advice when I see him and then see what the return date is after that.”

Gordon draws on Sunderland’s experience

Gordon’s career almost ended 10 years ago when he was at Sunderland. The guard suffered a torn ACL and was out of the game for two years.

It wasn’t until July 2014 that Celtic gave way back to football and having proven they could come back from the precipice, they re-planned.

“It’s off to a good start,” he explained of his rehabilitation. “Nine weeks now, it’s just to build strength, do strengthening three times, four times a week, try to get to the best place, now the bone is healed, I’m fit enough. place to come back.

“They had to insert a titanium nail along the length of my skull bone. It’s messed up at the top and bottom, and that will stay there so that the bone will have to be shaped round so that it will get a good number. week and I’m just hoping – first, to recover the movement and after I did it again to the football activity after that.

Gordon had been Hearts’ record signing when he joined Sunderland in 2007, but in 2012 a knee problem saw him drop behind Simon Mignolet in the club’s pecking order. He thinks he should hang up his gloves.

“I think at that stage,” he said. “The best thing I did was to accept that it could be the end, and again if I was in the same situation, especially at my age. I have no illusions that it will be difficult to return. I’ve started well but there’s still a lot of hard work to do, and people will ask me if I can get back to the same level as before, so that’s all I use to motivate me.

“I did it in 2012 because I came back and I will do it again. It’s a challenge. It’s not a football challenge. It’s in the gym and sometimes it’s in a quiet place. That’s where I’ll get the strength. come back to give me another chance to go and play again.”

‘Buffon’s greatest inspiration’

Gordon has impressed for Hearts this season – making 58 saves in 16 league games before the injury – and helped the Jambos to third in the Scottish Premiership.

He was also number one in Scotland before his season ended but looked to Italian veteran Gianluigi Buffon as inspiration to keep going.

“Yes absolutely,” Gordon said when asked by Boyd if the 45-year-old, still playing in Serie B with Parma, was an example to follow.

“He’s the biggest inspiration for anyone to still be able to play at a high level and at five years older than me, to still be able to play at that level, there must be a purpose.

“It seems too far at the moment, but you never know. I will try and come back to play as much as I can and see where that takes me.”