Defender pleased with Hull outing
JOLEON Lescott has spoken of his delight at making his return to action in an Albion shirt.
The defender got 90 minutes under his belt in Tuesday’s behind-closed-doors friendly against Hull at the club’s training ground.
It is the first time Lescott has tasted game time since sustaining a knee injury at the start of August in the pre-season friendly at Nottingham Forest, with the City Ground clash marking his comeback after a minor calf complaint.
The two-time Barclays Premier League winner has described the period as a “very frustrating” one.
But there was light at the end of the tunnel on Tuesday as he lined up against the Tigers.
“It was good,” he said. “I was obviously pleased to get 90 minutes and, touch wood, come through unscathed.
“I felt better than I thought I was going to feel, which was a surprise.
“It was a good test because they had a lot of first-team players playing, which is always good.
“It would have been nice to just play 90 minutes against anyone but at such a competitive level and at a good standard was very pleasing.”
Lescott added: “I enjoy being back, I enjoy what I do.
“When you do get to go on the field and play against opposition it’s always nice.
“No disrespect, there’s not as much pressure playing in an Under-21 friendly at the training ground as it is obviously playing in the Premier League.
“But it’s about getting used to situations again or getting out of position to see if you can recover when you’re coming back from injury.
“I felt confident doing all those things and felt strong.”
Lescott spent the first week of the current international break in the US going through a fitness routine with experts he has worked with previously.
And the England centre-back insists he found the trip extremely worthwhile in aiding his recovery.
“It was really good, really beneficial, I had been there before with previous teams so I know what their coach is about and how they work,” he said.
“It was really positive and I feel the benefit of it, but there’s only so much you can do without playing games.”
It now remains to be seen whether Lescott is in contention for his senior competitive Baggies debut this weekend.
Coincidentally, it is former employers Everton who are the visitors to The Hawthorns on Saturday, a club with whom Lescott enjoyed a three-year spell between 2006-09 before sealing his switch to City.
But the 32-year-old is taking each day as it comes and knows his first-team return is not something that can be rushed.
“We’ll have to wait and see, I’m not sure of the manager’s plans,” Lescott said.
“If the manager asks me to play, obviously I would never rule myself out.
“Who knows what is in store, I’m just taking it day-by-day.
“If the manager sees fit for me to be involved at the weekend in some capacity then great.
“Having played for Everton in the past, I’ve got a lot of close friends there, it’s always a special game against them but it will be a tough one.
“I look at the fixtures throughout the season and, having played for Everton and Manchester City, they’re the ones you’re looking at.”