Sam-McQueen-Player

2021-2022-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Sam McQueen details mental struggle of his injury purgatory #SAINTSFC

By Kanak Chauhan January 4, 2022

BRAVE Sam McQueen detailed the mental struggle he went through whilst battling his physical injuries - admitting that it “ruined me for a certain amount of time". An ACL tear suffered whilst playing on loan for Middlesbrough in the EFL Cup eventually proved too much to overcome, with multiple setbacks leading to around nine surgeries since McQueen suffered the injury in October 2018. This week the Saints academy product announced his retirement after a three-and-a-half year fight to return to competitive football. In a frank and open interview with Saints’ website, the Southampton-born 26-year-old said: “I didn't maintain a positive attitude. “I became quite depressed and (had) probably six months of counselling which was much needed and helped me a little bit, but I still wasn't able really to be there for my family. “Open and happy to say now that that I wasn't capable at the time to deal with those things. “I thought I was capable to (do) anything. “I thought I was Superman when I was playing football and playing Premier League football. “I was completely unaware that I had no capability to deal with any emotional or personal traumas. “It ruined me for a certain amount of time, and it's taken three years for my mind to start to process it, and start to feel like myself a bit again. “(It’s) new - it’s a new challenge. I’ve not had anything like this before.” Whilst suffering an ACL tear can keep players out for up to 12 months in some cases, it is also associated with a host of complications that can delay or even prevent a return to the field. McQueen’s recovery was constantly hampered, eventually forcing him to retire from the game he loves. He continued: “(It was) Bad luck. Bad timing. Bad management from me. “Week before Christmas, I started getting hot flushes, found out had an infection. So I got rushed up to London to have some emergency surgery to try and flush the infection out of my knee. “I found out the infection had come back, same infection, so I had to rush up to London again. “Had to redo the whole operation, taking ligaments in my other leg to try and use to put the knee right there. “I had that last surgery in July 2019, so from November 2018, to July 2019, it was probably about nine different surgeries I had.”

2021-2022-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Southampton player Sam McQueen makes an incredibly tough decision to retire #SAINTSFC

By Kanak Chauhan January 2, 2022

EMOTIONAL Sam McQueen announced the “incredibly tough decision” to retire from football aged 26. The Saints defender had not played a competitive fixture since October 2018, during a loan spell at Middlesbrough, where he suffered a serious knee problem. Having ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament, screws inserted during surgery to help repair the problem became infected, providing a huge setback to the former England under-21 international. And McQueen has confirmed his time as a player in the professional game has come to an end. He told the Saints website: “This has been such an incredibly tough decision to make, as I so desperately want to play football again, but I have to do what is right for me and for my family. “The amount of time I’ve had not on my feet and not running has caused my body to de-condition to such a level that now when I try to join in any parts of training I continually get muscle tears in certain areas and my knee’s not able to cope, so I was advised I wouldn’t be able to play football for much longer if I did manage to get back fit.” Most expected the Saints academy graduate to be among the list of players released by the club last summer upon the expiry of his contract, but his name was not included. Instead, he was handed a new short-term deal which allowed him to continue training at the club. He was even listed in the club's Premier League squad list for the first half of the season. McQueen added: “The club have been fantastic and the support I have had around me has been amazing. “I’ve had a lot of time to reflect on my time at the club, and that has been nice. It’s made me realise how much a part of my life this club is and how much it means to me. “It’s been like a father figure in a way. It’s given me guidance, it’s given me things to try to achieve, and it’s pushed me and encouraged me.” Born in Southampton, McQueen signed for Saints’ academy at the age of eight. He went on to make 29 appearances at senior level for the south coast side, including three in the Europa League. “I’m very proud of the things that I have achieved here,” he added. “I’m sad that there wasn’t more, but later in life I’ll be able to look back on the memories I have, of playing against Inter Milan, being around a Premier League team and travelling with the squad and the passion of the fans at the games. “Now I’m going to try to make the most of the rest of the life that I’ve got. The world’s my oyster. I can do anything I want really, and I’m excited about that. “I’m sad that football might end, but the options out there in the world I’m starting to open my mind up to and looking forward to it, just trying to cherish it with my family, partner and children.”

2021-2022-Season Daily News

#PLStories- Ralph Hasenhuttl hopes injury plagued Sam Queen can play for Saints again #SAINTSFC

By Kanak Chauhan December 14, 2021

RALPH Hasenhuttl confirmed Sam McQueen is still training at Saints, as he continues to battle back from his injury hell. The 26-year-old, who came through the academy at Saints, has not played a competitive fixture since October 2018, during a loan spell at Middlesbrough, where he suffered a serious knee problem. Having ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament, screws inserted during surgery to help repair the problem became infected, providing a huge setback to the former England under-21 international. Most expected the Saints academy graduate to be among the list of players released by the club last summer upon the expiry of his contract, but his name was not included. Instead, he was handed a new short-term deal which allowed him to continue training at the club. He was even listed in the club's Premier League squad list for the first half of the season. Asked what the latest is regarding McQueen's fitness and contract situation with the club, Hasenhuttl told the Daily Echo: "At the moment he is still with us. "We will have a look. "He gets the chance to work on his fitness. If he ever plays again for us, we don’t know it now. "I will hope it and wish him all the best that it comes back to a situation where he was one time, but nobody knows." Left-back McQueen has played 29 first-team games for Saints across the Premier League, domestic cups and Europa League. The last of those came in a Premier League clash against Man City in May 2018.

2020-2021-Season Daily News

#PLStories- #RalphHasenhuttl says It would be a miracle to see #SamMcQueen play again #SAINTSFC

By Kanak Chauhan July 17, 2021

BOSS Ralph Hasenhuttl admits it would feel like a "miracle" if forgotten man Sam McQueen were to return to a football pitch. The 26-year-old has endured injury hell over the past three years, not playing a competitive game since suffering a serious knee injury during a loan spell with Middlesbrough in October 2018. Having ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament, screws inserted during surgery to help repair the problem became infected, providing a huge setback to the former England under-21 international. Most expected the Saints academy graduate to be among the list of players released by the club upon the expiry of his contract this summer, but his name was not included. Reports suggest Saints are happy to allow McQueen to continue to use the club's facilities to aid in his recovery before they decide on next steps for the Southampton-born ace, who has been with the St Mary's side for close to two decades. Having come up through the youth ranks, McQueen has played 29 first-team matches for Saints in the Premier League, domestic cups and Europa League. Whether he will add to that tally is still unclear, but the left-back was spotted with Saints' first-team squad this week, pictured cycling in the New Forest with the group as part of their pre-season preparations. Discussing McQueen's lengthy recovery, Hasenhuttl said: "His knee is good. He had some other problems, it’s a very long story to be honest. "I’ve never had a situation where I was coming to a club and never see a player playing for two-and-a-half years now. "Since I’m here I’ve never seen him on the pitch. But when you know the infection in his knee and how things were going on then it's even now like a wonder that he’s still able to play football or will be maybe one time able to play football again. "And finally, we don’t know if he will ever return back to the pitch but if (he does) then it's a miracle." Hasenhuttl will later this month take his squad to Wales for a five-day training camp, incorporating friendly matches against Championship duo Cardiff City and Swansea City.