Fortune coming to terms with career problems
Published
By Jeremy Butler
England - Manchester United midfielder Quinton Fortune is coming to terms with the problem of having his career with the English champions interrupted by trips home to play for South Africa.
The left-sided midfielder has struggled to push for a first team place since moving to United from Atletico Madrid in August 1999 for £1,5-million (about R15-million).
He feels his frequent journeys to South Africa have reduced his chances of proving to manager Alex Ferguson he is worthy of a regular place in the premier league side's line-up.
"The time away on international duty hasn't helped me," Fortune was quoted as saying in the Manchester Evening News on Thursday.
"But since I have been out (injured) and had time to think about things, I realise you can't make excuses like that when you are a professional footballer. You have to handle all situations at this level.
"In the past I got frustrated and despondent about having to keep going off to play for South Africa and disrupting my United progress.
"But I have got my head around that now. I have to accept it, get on with it and not let it bother me."
Fortune has been out of United's squad since undergoing surgery on knee ligaments he tore against Ipswich on December 23. He hopes to make a comeback next week in a reserve game against Sheffield Wednesday.
Fortune added: "The season started well for me. I scored twice against Bradford City but then immediately had to go to the Olympics with South Africa. I returned from Australia and did reasonably well again.
"I had a bit of a form dip then and also had to go off to play for South Africa again in December against Liberia in Johannesburg. I came back and played against Ipswich and was injured.
"But I look at the regular players in the side and I want to be like them. My ambition is to get into the team and stay there and I am very sure that with hard work I will achieve that goal." - Reuters