As Manchester United’s longest-serving player and one of only four Englishmen to play in each of the last two World Cups, Phil Jones has achieved a lot in his career beyond building a catalog. unfortunate injuries.
And despite going more than a year without playing, Old Trafford still has a future for the defender.
Jones has been repaired after his latest problem requiring knee surgery and, after being included in the Europa League squad last week, will be recalled to a squad. United Premier League for the second half of the season.
Phil Jones remains Manchester United’s only outfielder since their victory in the 2013 Premier League title under Sir Alex Ferguson (pictured)
The 28-year-old has not appeared in more than a year but could still be important this season
He will first be into the field of training every day to work with physios and fitness instructors. Working with the rest of the group and sampling under-23 games is the next chapter.
‘Hopefully he will regain fitness sooner rather than later and be available to play,’ said Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
The Manchester United manager is aware that Jones is the only survivor of the last team to win a title but at 28 he is not too old to try to help United again.
He was hugely popular when he signed as a teenager from Blackburn in 2011, 10 years ago in the summer.
The beginning of a remarkable life at Old Trafford made an early comparison with the legendary Duncan Edwards. Sir Alex Ferguson said: ‘I think he was probably one of the best players we ever had’ because Jones showed power and control and looked comfortable playing anywhere in defense or midfield.
Who knows what he could accomplish without letting his body down over the years.
Twenty different illnesses over the past decade have been limited to 224 games in the first team – less than half the amount possible.
All United managers during his tenure – Ferguson, David Moyes, Louis van Gaal and Solskjaer – have been seen to suffer from a combination of back, knee, ankle, shoulder, toe and shinbone issues.
Some were due to real bad luck – he once came up against Huddersfield after zero pressure on his hip and couldn’t feel his leg – and partly down to a natural will to win.
Jones has been injured in the back, knee, ankle, shoulder, toe and shinbone of his time at Man United
‘Phil puts his head down where people can’t put their feet up,’ David May, a former United defender, assessed.
An incident against Stoke in 2014 that saw him hit the ground with his head after a bloody challenge by Jonathan Walters summed up his competitiveness.
‘An injury is a pity – the worst thing for a footballer,’ said Solskjaer, who sticks with Jones during his longest retirement.
Jones, who has the most average position in the middle, last played in an FA Cup match at Tranmere on 26 January 2020.
The last injured defender played in the FA Cup victory at Tranmere Rovers in January 2020
First, he tried to overcome his knee problem without surgery, staying in Manchester to follow a personal training program in the summer while United were in the Europa League finals in Germany.
When that didn’t work, it was decided to seek a long-term solution and get a job. Jones was left out of United’s Premier League squad in October to focus on a rematch and finally light is now at the end of the tunnel.
With two and a half years left on his contract, Solskjaer was not interested in moving him away from Old Trafford.
Jones has been scattered in some places with his injuries coinciding with a difficult time for a club struggling to recapture Ferguson’s glory years.
Jones signed a new contract in February 2019 in the first months of Solskjaer’s tenure
But within United, his influence and experience are highly respected. One of Solskjaer ‘s first tasks as manager was to give Jones a new contract. He hasn’t paid yet – but he still thinks he could.
‘He was great when I came in so I wish him back the squad as soon as I can. He has worked so hard to recover, ‘said the manager.
As well as being a Premier League champion, Jones has won 27 England captains between critical lay-ups and was on the bench when United won the FA Cup in 2016 and the Europa League the following year.
He was also selected in both the 2014 teams (top right) and the 2018 England World Cup
Mentally it needs to be strong to overcome all injuries that have passed along the way, aware of outsiders pointing the finger.
He has used yoga and pilates to try to help physically. ‘I’m lucky enough to be strong in my mind,’ he says.
‘People can make up their own ideas. People can talk. In the end I have won the Premier League, been to two World Cups, been to Euros, played in the Champions League, won the Europa League, the FA Cup. They are stats. That’s what I did. ‘