Highly rated Nigerian winger Hilary Gong is entering his fourth season as a player of Dutch top division side Vitesse Arnhem with a different kind of mentality after overcoming his injury demons.
Long term injuries including two cruciate ligament injuries has restricted the 22 year old to just 13 appearances most of which came as a substitute, but he is enjoying a new lease of life in pre season games.
So far he has started in all of their pre season games, a sign that he is back to full fitness “ Injuries are part of life as a top athlete. Everything has a purpose. This is my destiny”, Gong told regional Dutch newspaper De Gelderlander from their training camp in Zeeland.
“ Everything went wrong for two years. Last season I hit the road again but slowly I do not give up. I keep faith in myself knowing fully well that in football you must go through tough and rough period. With God’s power and Vitesse has supported and helped me in everything. I’m fit now and want to show my qualities”, he said.
With his style of play leading many to tag him as a very similar player to Liverpool star Sadio Mane, Hong says he want to turn his main asset which is his pace into a weapon of success at Vitesse next season.
“ I have to turn my speed into a weapon again. The power is back and the knee feels good. Last season I was able to get some minutes. Not much but that’s a start. Rhythm and ball feel provide confidence. So I have to get playing time and train hard.
“ The basic principle is good football. Work hard and enjoy the Gong Run on the pitch, that’s what it’s all about”, he concluded.