In order to get over an injury-plagued finish to his time at Ibrox, Filip Helander sat down for a conversation about everything Rangers and his personal circumstances.
Doubt and anxiety were present. He was spending nearly all of his last term on the treatment table, wondering what was going to happen next in his Rangers career, which was coming to an end.
It should come as no surprise to anyone that Filip Helander often turns in 90-minute shows in Odense. The Swedish centre back, who kicked 11 goals the season before and none at all the year before, has returned to consistency without altering his routine.
Being the captain of Odense, who gave him a one-year contract last year, is a milestone he is proud of. Even though his future is uncertain, it is still far better than the uncertainty that surrounded him when he left the Rangers in May of last year.
Some had even begun to question if he would ever return to the field. Helander is content to leave it all behind.
The 30-year-old told Glasgow World, “It’s been good.” “I was out for almost that long, and during that period, nobody knew if I was going to play football or not, among other things. It’s a very pleasant feeling. It took some time, but I now feel fantastic.
“I was injured for the better part of my last year and a half with the Rangers. I was limited in what I could do. It’s sad that recovering from a major injury takes time, as I truly enjoyed my time at Rangers. There are certain circumstances that you cannot control that led to my long-term injury. I haven’t really changed anything, and thus far, I’m feeling well.”
The uncertainty surrounding the source of his conflict only made matters worse. Because of his doubts about the depth of his foot ailment, he waited for five months without knowing that surgery was necessary.
“I was always keeping myself fit and as long as everything felt good, all the other stuff would come by itself,” Helander said. “You naturally worry that things won’t work out when you suffer a serious accident and there were some unknowns at the time.
“I always made an effort to be upbeat, but we thought it would go more quickly than it did. It is a fact that you get scared. Since the injury was so rare, none of my teammates or other athletes experienced it. It was difficult to predict how long I would be out for.
The foot damage was uncommon, therefore it took a while to perform surgery because at first we weren’t sure I needed to. I had to wait for the surgery for more than five months, so that’s why things took so long. We believed that I didn’t require it, but ultimately I did.”
The Swede is as thrilled to see Rangers continue to roll under Philippe Clement as he gets back to form at Odense.The loss of veteran players like Helander, who was replaced by Allan McGregor, Ryan Kent, Alfredo Morelos, and Scott Arfield, served as a kind of catalyst for Michael Beale’s summer revolution.
Together, these players made up the core of the team that took home the 2021 Premiership. The centre back was aware that something was off, but it remained to be seen if Beale would have enough time to right the ship.
“I haven’t spoken to anyone about the new manager but I have watched a few games of course, and read a few bits,” he said. “The team has been continuing after a difficult phase, and the results are wonderful. That makes me delighted to see.
“You knew there would be changes because so many people were departing. You never know what will happen when players depart. It may have required some time back then, and Michael Beale most likely didn’t have that time. Six months later, they appear stronger when you look at them. Naturally, the club had changed by the time I was leaving.”
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