Andrius Velicka has begun training with the rest of the Rangers squad and is relieved to be back among his team-mates, but has asked supporters for understanding and patience while he recovers from a horrific injury sustained when on loan last term.
Velicka was offered the opportunity to head across the border to Bristol City on a season long loan to kick-start his career at Ibrox. The ex-Hearts striker arrived at Rangers for around £1 million after playing almost two-and-a-half full years non-stop with various clubs including Viking, Kaunas and Hearts, and was rested when he first arrived at Rangers. Back then the club was spoilt for choice up front and last summer Walter Smith let Andrius go on a lengthy loan to regain full fitness and first team experience which would have been doubtful at Ibrox given the success of Miller and Boyd.
Sadly the striker suffered a horrific cruciate knee ligament injury only five minutes into his first match with Bristol and was ruled out for the rest of the season. Now though, Velicka has finally rejoined the team for pre-season training but is aware that breaking into the first team is still a long time away, and wants time to get back to full fitness before being able to fight for a place up front with Miller, Lafferty, Naismith and Fleck.
Andrius, speaking to RangersTV said: “It is nice to be back in amongst the boys but at this stage I am still not fit enough to play. I am not ready for that.
“Even so, it’s really good just to be training with the team again because I was out for so long with my injury.
“It’s the type of problem which takes time to heal and you have to work very slowly and carefully when you are recovering.
“I don’t know if I’ll be able to play in our pre-season matches or not because I still need more time to get back to my best.
“I only had my first full session last week and from that point of view, it is important not to rush things but I feel much better now than I did even just two months ago.
“Kevin (Thomson) and Steven (Naismith) have had the same injuries and they give me hope I can get fit again because they have done it but it took them time to do it.
“I watched Thommo working hard last summer and it was a long process so I know it’s the same for me as I try to get back into the Rangers team and I need time.
“It is nice to be back in amongst the boys but at this stage I am still not fit enough to play. I am not ready for that. Even so, it’s really good just to be training with the team again because I was out for so long with my injury.
“It’s the type of problem which takes time to heal and you have to work very slowly and carefully when you are recovering. I don’t know if I’ll be able to play in our pre-season matches or not because I still need more time to get back to my best.
“I only had my first full session last week and from that point of view, it is important not to rush things but I feel much better now than I did even just two months ago.
“Kevin and Steven have had the same injuries and they give me hope I can get fit again because they have done it but it took them time to do it.
“I watched Thommo working hard last summer and it was a long process so I know it’s the same for me as I try to get back into the Rangers team and I need time.”
The full interview with Andrius will be broadcast tonight on the Blues News show on RangersTV.tv at 7 p.m.
