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Bishop Aiming to Make Big Impact in Second Half of Season
Sunday, 5th Jan 2020 15:54

Midfielder Teddy Bishop hopes he can make a big impact in the second half of the season having made his first start of the campaign in Saturday’s 2-1 Leasing.com Trophy defeat at Exeter.

Bishop came on as a late sub in the 1-1 draw away against leaders Wycombe on New Year’s Day having suffered medial ligament damage in pre-season in July, then impressed as he started at St James’ Park.

“I’ve only played six minutes really in five months so I was not surprised [I was named in the XI at Exeter], as I’ve been training for a while now, but I was really happy when I found out I was starting,” the 23-year-old said after the match.

“Obviously I need the minutes and to last 75 minutes as I did, that’s the one positive for me.”

He added: “You know what, I actually felt I got better as the game went on, I felt stronger as the game went on.

“That would be because I’ve trained for four weeks now, I’ve got it in my legs I just need that match sharpness back and hopefully I can get that back in the next few weeks.”

Bishop says he tried to be positive from the start of the match: “I said to myself before the game just get on the ball and try and make things happen, that’s always what I’ll try and do.

“I started quite well, I thought, got on the ball quite a lot and maybe died out for a little bit and then my second-half performance I thought I did OK.

“When you come back from injury you can’t tip-toe around and hope you don’t get injured again. If you get injured again, you get injured again.

"You’ve got to go for it, you’ve got to play to 100 per cent, so that’s what I tried to do.”

He added: “I said to myself before the game, ‘Go out there, there’s no pressure, you’re coming back from injury, just have a go. Just run at people, beat people, try and make things happen’ and on another day we could have had a few goals.”

Was it the plan to play an hour or so? “It wasn’t really a plan, I think they were just going to see how I went, so the fact that I have got 75 minutes under my belt is really pleasing.


“There was talk of maybe just doing the first 45 minutes and seeing how I felt in the second half, but to play what I did, that’s good for me.”

The Cambridge-born schemer says he has confidence in his knee: “Touch wood. I’ve felt really good since I’ve been back training. I’ve felt nothing, no niggles anything.

“I’ve done a lot of work, it’s been really tough for the last few months but that should hold me in good stead for the next few weeks.”

Quizzed on whether he feels fit enough to start against Accrington in League One next week, he said: “Obviously it’s up to the manager. It’s how I recover in the next couple of days, get a good week’s training in me and I’ll be ready for selection whether it’s on the bench or whatever I don’t know.”

Asked whether fans may have to be patient with him as he gets back to his best, he said: “I don’t know about patience, when I play I need to put in performances and hopefully today is a start and I can just get more minutes and more minutes.”

Reflecting on his frustrating first half of the season, he admits it’s not been easy but says it could have been worse.

“It would have been tougher for me if it had been a recurring injury, like another hamstring or something,” he said.

“The thing that’s got me through is the fact that I slipped, it could have happened to anyone. I slipped and hurt my knee. I’ve never had a knee injury before, never had a knee problem before, it could have happened to anyone.

“Obviously it was so tough at the start but after the first few weeks I just said to myself, ‘Look, you’ll still have half a season to play’, and that’s what I need to do now.”

Reflecting on sustaining the injury, in the 33rd minute of the friendly against hosts SV Meppen at the Interwetten Cup, he said: “I couldn’t believe it. We were out in Germany, I’d come back from the off-season really fit, I thought I was flying in pre-season, I felt really good and for that to happen I thought, ‘It’s just my luck, isn’t it?’.

“But you can’t dwell on it for too long, you have to just knuckle down and get on with the rehab and go again.”

The injuries which hampered him during the four previous campaigns following his breakthrough 2014/15 season were mainly related to his hamstrings and he says he has had no issue with them for some time now.

“I played the last six months of last season with no problems at all, so I do think I’m over all that. I’m a lot stronger in my body now than I was back then,” he said.

“When I was picking up that injury I was 19, 20. I’m 23 now and I’m a lot stronger and I feel like I can cope with the demands of playing week in, week out. I think I showed that last year. It’s just getting back to that now.”

Has it been a case on working on strengthening that area of your body? “You have to maintain your hamstring and your calf, you maintain that strength throughout the year. But obviously this was different, this was about restrengthening the knee, but I’ve never had a problem with a knee before, so it was something new for me.

“I’ve just done a lot of work in the gym and I’ve been outside for a good while now and my knee’s felt strong the whole time. Credit to the physios who have all worked really well with me and it’s just time to kick on.”

Looking back to the second half of last season he says he was reaching top form despite the team’s struggles.

“I felt that was nearly back to my best then,” he recalled. “I felt like I was playing well. Obviously the team was suffering so it was tough for everyone, but I felt like I was getting back to my sharpest there.

”I feel sharp now, I’ve trained for the last four weeks, I’ve trained consistently so hopefully I can just play games now.”

In addition to Bishop, Freddie Sears also made his first start of the season at Exeter after his ACL injury.

“That helped as well, we’ve done a lot of our rehab together,” the midfielder said. “He was slightly ahead of me in that he had played a couple of [U23s games] but he’ll be a massive boost for the team.

“We’ve missed Freddie’s pace, his experience and his finishing. Hopefully he can get back in it and score some goals.”

Similarly a number of his team-mates have said how Bishop’s attributes will give the Blues something they haven’t had so far this season in the second half of the campaign.

“I suppose I am different in that I will just get the ball and try and beat people,” he said. “Maybe I might play further forward now, maybe in the 10 role. I haven’t really played that role much.

“Last year we played in a three and I wasn’t really a number 10. Maybe if I can play that role, anywhere I play I’ll try and influence the game and hopefully have a big impact in the second half of the season.”

Reflecting further on the number 10 role, he added: “I played there as a kid but when I first broke into the first team we played 4-4-2 a lot so I never really played there, so it is definitely a role I would love to play.

"But if I’m playing anywhere on the pitch I’m happy, it doesn’t really matter to me.”


Photo: TWTD



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tractorboybig added 16:57 - Jan 5
well dippo motor mouth is only going to play you every other game if you are lucky.He would not want you gelling or building a rapport with others because it means we might win a game
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norfolkbluey added 17:27 - Jan 5
Great to see Bish back on the pitch. We have missed him a great deal in the mid field where we are lacking the creativity needed to supply our forwards. The reason they are not scoring is this lack of link up quality. Good luck and let's start the process of winning games again.
I do believe we still need a leader in the team and somebody with body strength who sees the game from a wide perspective. I'm sorry Skuse is just not that man decent though he maybe. Forward passing is just not his game. Maybe a sweeper if he is retained. Good luck Bish and don't get injured again!!!
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planetblue_2011 added 17:35 - Jan 5
If you stay fit Teddy you will be crucial to our promotion push!!
We just need that win so we can push on!!
7

forevertown added 20:15 - Jan 5
Glad to see some of the potentially key players returning, I've been thinking about the odd selections and rotation over the busy period the only way I can make sense of it is perhaps PL is taking a hit now to get minutes into the returning players and resting others ready for the important run in as he keeps saying nothing is won in until may and it's a long hard season. Is it a master stroke or has he lost the plot either way we have to back our club!
0

TimmyH added 21:32 - Jan 5
It's like we've gone back a year, I remember him saying something similar at the beginning of 2019 or around this time last year.
2

ringwoodblue added 22:07 - Jan 5
I'm really pleased for Bish (and Freddie) on coming back after long-term injuries but I fear like Huws they will be used sporadically and never get any momentum or continuity in the first team as Lambo tries to keep his entire squad happy even if results suffer.
1

dirtydingusmagee added 22:10 - Jan 5
best of luck to you Bish, still worry though that you pick up another injury, just seem to be cursed .
0

Henrietta_R_Hippo added 01:39 - Jan 6
20 quid on that for as long as PR Paul a.k.a. Inspector Clueless is at the helm he eventually gets rotated out... then back in ...then out again... and so on and so on... NO MATTER how he factually fares & plays.

Oh and we must'n forget either that should he stay healthy & truly start to excel with that potential of his, rest assure that "near penniless" Marvelous football-imbecile Marcus in all merry-go-around traditional likelihood will be looking to cash-in a.s.a.p.!
0

therein61 added 07:36 - Jan 6
Good to see you on the park again "Bish" please stay fit we need you in our mainly ineffective midfield.
1

MurcianITCC added 08:38 - Jan 6
Jeez, some comments on here. I'm sick and tired of your stupid and negative remarks.
Great to have Bish back with him and Freddy fit it'll be like 2 new signings..
0

PortmanTerrorist added 10:00 - Jan 6
Sears and Bishop were arguably the 2 best players (of our own) we had in Championship. If fit and firing, they HAVE to start and show the way to the other also-rans in the squad. Been waiting all season to see our 2 best midfielders in same team but as Teddy suggests, unlikely PL is going to put him in alongside Flynn......not when you can stick another defensive player in there.

Let's be clear, we cannot defend, so we MUST score goals (from open play) so let's get some progressive players on the pitch.
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blrmy added 10:23 - Jan 6
Sorry Teddy, but after watching you and your pissed mates insult staff at a restaurant, and make outrageous comments to women walking past, I take what you say with a pinch of salt.
1

Razor added 11:14 - Jan 6
I think it is fair to say Bish you do owe us.

If you play like you can and did you could make a big difference but beware of the managers stupid rotation policy, you may play one in three even if fully fit!!
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ITFCsince73 added 11:54 - Jan 6
Blrny Agree, massive potential.
But unfortunately has let money go to his head.
Remember him bursting on the scene, within weeks driving a 50k motor. Not bad for a 19yr old.
Has many hangers on, even now.
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midastouch added 13:40 - Jan 6
Fingers crossed for Teddy. Would be nice to see him finally coming good after his bad spell of injuries. But I'm not going to get my hopes up just yet as been too much talk and not enough action from loads of our players for some time now. I know they are only answering questions but some seem like they can talk the talk but not walk the walk! For a long time we've had players that show an encouraging piece of short-term form but few seem to be able to sustain it and have any long-term consistency. Remember Matt Holland, he was there to be counted almost week in and week out rarely missing a game. At the end of the season nobody had any complaints as you felt the club had more than had their money's worth from Matt Holland. The last player we had that was long-term reliable and consistent was Bart (before Hurst came along that is!) but after Bart I'm struggling a bit to think of another one that really stands out in more recent times. Waghorn obviously proved great value for money but he didn't hang around long as he must of known we weren't going anywhere (but down!) under Hurst.
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