Coventry City signing Charlie Wakefield is determined to make up for lost time through serious illness and injury by getting his career back on track in League One.
The former Chelsea Academy star, who has FA Youth Cup and UEFA Youth League medals to his name, saw his upward trajectory at the Premier League club stall after spending months on the sidelines, first with a chronic hamstring injury and then a potentially life-threatening lung problem.
But the winger – described by his former Stamford Bridge coach Adi Viveash (now assistant manager of the Sky Blues ) as the fastest player he’s ever seen – is now looking forward to a bright future with Mark Robins ’s side.
“I have had bad, bad injuries in the past with my hamstring and lung etc, which is completely behind me now,” said the 20-year-old, reflecting on a traumatic and mentally testing last two years.
“I had stem cell treatment on my hamstring and then the physio told me to have ten days off and rest at home following the treatment.
“They suggested going away if I wanted to, so I went away with my girlfriend on holiday for five days and then when I came back I was on my way to the training ground on my second day in to my recovery and I just started getting chest pains on the motorway.
“It was a crazy experience. I didn’t know what it was at the time. I thought the worst because I was wondering what was going on and that it was all I need after what I had been through.
Rushed to hospital
“I ended up being rushed to hospital with a collapsed lung which they quickly sorted out. That kept me back for two months bed bound, just sitting in every day.
“But look, you have got to take it all in your stride. I have stayed really positive and you have to be mentally strong because sometimes it can break people if they have been out for a while.
“You have to stay in the right mindset and zone.
“I always say to myself that everything happens for a reason and I believe my time will come if I am patient enough, and then it’s up to me to take it, which I know I will.
“That all happened back in November 2017, so it has been a while since the injuries, which is good and they are all past me now.”
He added: “Those things happened and they’ve made me stronger as a person and a player.
“I have missed a lot of football and even if you are training every day you can’t train match fitness.
“I need to be playing every week otherwise I am not going to be up to speed.
“Even now I am getting games but I am still not fully match fit. As soon as I play ten 90 minutes consecutively, week in and week out, then I will start to feel that I am back to full speed.”
Born in the seaside town of Worthing in Sussex, Wakefield started out at Brighton and Hove Albion before joining Chelsea’s Academy aged 12.
But his protracted injury and health issues meant he parted company with the Blues last month after a number of trials at London-based clubs including Charlton, QPR and Millwall.
Asked how his move to City came about, Wakefield revealed it was completely out of the blue.
“It was a last minute thing,” he said.
“I was training at Millwall on deadline day and I got a call come through very late on to say Coventry wanted to sign me so I got straight on the motorway to get up here and make it happen.”
He added: “I had a few opportunities. I had a chat with Chelsea because I was coming to the end of my contract and it was a mutual thing because I felt the opportunities might be limited there.
“Plus I had missed a lot of game time so when you put those together I felt it was time for me to move on, even if it meant dropping down a level because I thought I could go to another team, get in the side and play well and hopefully work my way back up with whoever it is.
“Chelsea told me I had been injured for a very long time and given me a contract while I had been injured and it was difficult for them to give me another.
“So I said that was fine and, to be fair, they have been very good with me. Neil Bath (head of youth development) tried to help me out as much as possible.
Not being arrogant
“I went on trial to a few clubs because I had missed so much game time and people hadn’t seen me play, so they felt they couldn’t just sign me.
“Even though I didn’t want to go on trial because I didn’t feel, not being arrogant, but I felt I was better than that.
“But you just have to get on with it, act like a triallist and to be fair, wherever I went I did really well and there were opportunities for me.
“But like I said, it came right down to deadline day and I had to make my mind up.
“I got a call from my agent while I was training on the pitch with Millwall to say ‘Coventry want you.”
So was it an easy decision?
“Yes because I knew with Coventry that I’d be straight in training with the first team and looking to get my opportunity to break into that team, so it was a no brainer,” he said.
“Also, I had worked with Adi Viveash before and I have got a great relationship with him. He knows how I play so when I put it all together it just made complete sense.
“He has developed me into a better player and he knows how direct I am and what he wants out of me. And because it is a first team opportunity, that’s what I needed, to show everyone what I’m all about.
“Going into any first team is what I wanted but when you have got Adi as well, who I have worked with, it definitely swung it for me.”
'My time will come'
City fans are yet to see what Wakefield has to offer, having only seen a few glimpses from the bench in his first three senior games.
“I have got to be patient,” said the rapid wide man, who is using the Under-23s to get his match fitness to where it needs to be.
“My time will come. The boys are doing extremely well at the minute.
“I have come in and we have won two and drawn one which we potentially should have won.
“While the boys are doing well I am happy for them but I will be waiting to take my chance when it comes.
“I know I can play in front of a crowd for this massive club and do well, and I just can’t wait to show everyone what I can do.”
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