Amos Pieper is often asked how he’s getting on at the moment. “Things have been better, but given the circumstances,” he answered hopefully. The broken ankle that the 25-year-old suffered at the end of November in training is the worst injury in his career so far. Due to the fact that the schedule for rehab is heavily dependent on the healing process, Pieper has had to learn to be patient.
“It was tough for me to accept the diagnosis,” the centre-back explained. “Especially given I put so much work in during preseason in the summer.” Even though Pieper doesn’t think in years, he’s quite glad to leave 2023 behind. Following an ankle operation in summer, a red card in the DFB-Pokal and muscle problems put a further dampener on 2023, with his broken ankle completing a draining year. I was finding things really, really tough for a short period because I simply couldn’t believe the duration of the injury,” Pieper added. “Things quickly got better again as the operation then went well.”
As Pieper is still on crutches, his teammate Jens Stage takes him to training every morning at the minute. However, the two Werder players go their separate ways after that. “When I see the boys putting their boots and heading out to the pitch whilst I can’t do that yet, I realise how much I miss football,” explained the U-21 European champion, who is instead working behind closed doors with rehabilitation coach Marcel Abanoz and physiotherapist Florian Lauerer. “On the other hand, it’s also doing me a lot of good because the team offers me help on every occasion.”
In order to cope with the situation in the best possible way personally, Pieper has set some short-term goals. First there was the operation, then came the healing of the scar, and next he is due to get rid of his crutches. “I’m not a patient person and have really had to learn because such a situation simply requires patience,” Werder’s number five emphasised. “We are all really pleased with how the break has healed. “Now the X-ray appointment is schedule, which will then determine how we proceed from there.” Following that, Pieper can set his next goals and then there will be finally be his return to Bundesliga action.
