Hatters elite player has had surgery after injuring his ankle ligaments just a week before he was set to make his return to action, following his recovery from a cardiac arrest.
The 30-year-old Wales defender collapsed during a Premier League match for Luton Town against Bournemouth a year ago. Lockyer later shared that he was “technically dead” for almost three minutes but remained hopeful of returning to football.
He had been progressing well in his rehab with Luton, now in the Championship, and was about to play for their development team. However, he injured his ankle during a training session.
Luton manager Rob Edwards expressed the frustration of the setback, saying, “He was progressing well, hitting all the rehab milestones, and was in full training. The next step was playing minutes with the under-21s. It was just a week before that, but he awkwardly landed after clearing the ball. It’s incredibly frustrating for everyone, especially for him after all the hard work he put in.
Lockyer, who now has an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) fitted, had previously said he would be “at peace” if he couldn’t play again after his cardiac arrest. However, he always expressed a strong desire to return to the field, including hopes for “just one more” appearance for Wales, adding to his 16 caps. He had spent time with Craig Bellamy’s squad in September.
Under the care of the same specialists who helped Denmark’s Christian Eriksen return after his own cardiac arrest, Edwards noted that Lockyer was nearing the green light for a full return to action.
Edwards, a former Wales international, praised Lockyer’s progress, saying, “It’s remarkable, and it’s all down to him as a person, the fact that everything has gone very well. He’s in excellent condition, and all the specialists and medical staff are very pleased with his progress.” He added, “There’s no cutting corners with this, as it’s so important, but I see no reason why he won’t play again.
While Edwards didn’t give a specific timeline for Lockyer’s recovery, he mentioned that the defender’s return will likely be delayed by “a few months,” as he still needs to complete the final stage of his rehabilitation.
Edwards acknowledged the risk of further injuries after being out for an extended period, saying, “There’s always a chance of other injuries after such a long absence.” He noted that this setback was particularly tough for Lockyer, as it was almost harder for him than the cardiac arrest itself, due to the immense effort he had put into his recovery. “He’s worked so hard and got so close, but he will get there,” Edwards reassured.
The manager emphasized that Lockyer would now need time, and they wouldn’t place additional stress or pressure on him, as he will naturally push himself as hard as possible.
Leave a Reply