Neil Young in Intensive Care After Smeltz's Boot

Neil Young in Intensive Care After Smeltz's Boot

Do a few of you remember a few months ago when some comments on here about "Smeltz's Foot Was Near Player's Faces Too Often" (aikenmike you'll probably remember, we spoke at the time from memory).

Well if you boys think it's a joke, have a read of this:

http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/129354,courage-of-deathdefying-jet-neil.aspx

Courage Of Death-Defying Jet Neil

Aidan Ormond
May 20 2010 11:19

EXCLUSIVE: Newcastle Jets keeper Neil Young says doctors told him he was �basically dead� after complications arose from surgery to fix a broken nose earlier this year.

After Young was booted in the face by Shane Smeltz in an A-League game against Gold Coast United last January, the keeper had blood pouring out of his nose on the pitch.

It was confirmed he's broken his nose but an antibiotic taken following the incident affected the 30-year-old West Australian's internal organs and doctors had to remove his large intestine.

This is when the scenario turned life-threatening and Young's nightmare really began.

"I spent eight weeks in hospital with half that time in intensive care. They basically said I was pretty much dead," Young told au.fourfourtwo.com today.

"My white blood cells stopped producing and my bone marrow stopped, so I was as close to that [death] as I could be.

"Things went downhill pretty quickly. It was pretty scary to be honest with you. Losing all that body weight and not being able to stand up and having to use a walking frame.

"That was the worst part of it, I suppose."

Young wasted away, losing 22kgs during his horror ordeal.

"I'm now through the worst of it," he added after playing a round of golf yesterday.

The glovesman bears no ill-will to the Kiwi goalscorer. In fact, the keeper has a DVD with the fateful incident on it.

"The ball was there, he's gone for it," said Young. "I basically copped it. If I was Shane, I would've done the same thing.

"It's all part of the game. If you don't want to get kicked, don't play."

Young is back in training but isn't anywhere near 100 percent as his Jets teammates began their pre-season preparations this week.

By early July he may be ready to resume full training but at the moment he's helping out the other Newcastle keepers with drills - and just happy to be back with his teammates after his death-defying ordeal.

But he added of training: "The more I get involved, the more dangerous it could be if I cop a ball in the stomach."

Young did not get his chance to become a professional footballer in the A-League until he was 30 years old.

And after years slogging away in the second tier of Aussie football, he took his chance with both hands. He impressed so much before the Smeltz incident, the club extended his contract till the end of next season.

The Jets climbed up the ladder thanks in no small part to the calming influence of Young in goals last season, Young's first as a pro.

But as Branko Culina's side went on their late season finals run, Young was left to fight for his life.

Not that he's letting it get him down. He only sees the positives and the positive for him is it's another test of his character.

He added: "It's not good but it's another challenge for me. It's just a bigger challenge than last year, that's all.

"Like last season, I'm starting from behind and trying to get my spot back [from Ben Kennedy]."

The talented West Australian paid tribute to the Jets and his family for helping out in what was clearly a distressing time at the John Hunter Hospital.

"The club flew my wife and kids over and my sister and dad flew over," he said. "And Branko [Culina] has given me a few phone calls to cheer me up and the PFA got involved.

"And my wife was strong. She was my rock. Without her, I would've been stuffed."

Should we start a list of things Muscat have done on the football field that have harmed a players career?

Fact is, it was an accident.  And there were some unexpected complications results from that.  I don't think anyone would have predicted that.

unless Smeltz forced the antibiotic into him, this is nothing to do with him.

Are you suggesting that Shane Smeltz is akin to Lynard Skynard?

Large intestines removed..
Damn.

Poor guy, glad he's alright..

I'll let Honkey from 4-4-2 sum it up:
"And why was he on the medication genius? Just for sh!ts and giggles?"

I'll let Neil Young himself sum it up:

Well said that man ^^

You can have a serious reaction from antibiotics for the flu. I feel for the bloke but an antibiotics reaction is not Smeltz's problem, get it in perspective.

If he wasn't booted in the face in the first place, then he wouldn't have needed the medication.

And and for Frankie Mac's comment: Why don't you form your own opinion on the matter, instead of hiding behind Neil Young's quote.

As I said a few months ago, Smeltz managed to get his boot into a few players' faces around that time Jan/Feb. He wasn't charged, but the question was raised about it.

If you can't face it and discuss it in a civil manner, don't bother.

In saying all that, at least Neil Young is getting better.

?

Its horrible for Neil Young, but it has nothing to do with the incident. Keeper got a boot in the face diving at a Strikers feet going for the ball and breaks nose. It happens all the time, Smeltz didn't intend to wallop him, it happened.

The fact that he reacted to the antibiotics (while awful) has nothing to do with Smeltz, this was as likely to happen if he broke his nose walking into a door.   

It is similar to when someone breaks another players leg in a legitimate but hard challenge. It is horrible, but it sometimes happens, and you don't punish the other player for it.

can't we just ban this twat?

He'll blame Smeltz for being a thug but ignore the deliberate swings Langerak took at three players this season and got away with.

Is it possible to ban him from the internet altogether?

I chuckle so much at diego's son.

But then we would miss the LOLs. Also can't you just wait for the condescending post on Monday night when the Aussies win 1-0 and 40k show up that he is just waiting to deliver (Is it pre-written DS) while ignoring the fact that it is likely that no other team wanted to come all the way down to Aussie when it is pretty much the wrong way for everyone and we were simply the best they could get?

Frankie Mac - I'm waiting for DS to get back on here to point out it's nor ironing, it's irony

Diego is right.

Plus it was bought up as a problem towards the end of the season. Smeltzy just bought more attention to it when he had that period of doing it.
Young said that it was fair enough Smeltzy went for it.
Does look a tad sus when you watch it though, Does look like he tried to kick him.Stefan2010-05-22 21:10:24

I blame NIKE!!!!

I blame New Zealand's hesitation to join CONCACAF.

another pointless argument with DS

Yeah, after all it's such a weak confederation, what with the same two teams qualifying every year.