Coventry City midfielder Carl Baker has said that he loves football so much that he sneaks extra training sessions against the wishes of his manager.
The 28 year Baker was troubled by a hernia which he had repaired in Munich, Germany earlier in the season and so missed a few games while he recovered, but he is now back and fighting fit.
Baker admits to being a football addict and says he can't get enough which is why he either stays out on the training ground when everyone else has gone back in , or he sneaks back out again to have private shooting practise.
"I don't want games and training to end at the moment," said Baker to the CT, who manager Aidy Boothroyd has had to rebuke for over training.
"When training ends I am gutted because I want to carry on and the gaffer has to tell me every day to come in because I stay out shooting or practising something. All the first team lads were told to go in last Friday and I took my bib off and sneaked round the back to do some extra shots and the gaffer went mad at me for staying out but that's just because I love my football so much and can't get enough of it at the minute.
"I feel the fittest I have ever been and really good within myself. I am made up that I got that hernia operation done because that was troubling me earlier on in the season and now I haven't got any worries about that and I can just get my head down and train hard."
Talking about the game last weekend in which Baker was awarded the Man of the Match for his performance in the much needed 2-1 win over Crystal Palace, he said, "I think Saturday was my seventh game on the bounce now and I am feeling really good for it."
Baker was surprised at being given the Man of the Match award, thinking he had played better in other games, but he said, "I am happy to get it and I'll take it."
"I thought I did alright but the way we played with me on the right, I had to tuck right in and it is hard to get on the ball because you are doing a lot of defending and trying to keep your shape rather than attacking, but it is a case of doing a job for the team and if you are winning then you don't mind it one little bit."
Baker then revealed that there was time for debate after the game before celebrating the long awaited win.
He said:, "I don't think Saturday's win was the best performance over the last month or so but even driving to the game I thought to myself that I don't care how we play as long as I am driving home with three points on the board."
"When we first got in the dressing room we were a little bit frustrated that we conceded the goal and made it as tight as it was. We have been working very hard on managing our games, and we should have seen it out 2-0.
"Keiren Westwood wasn't happy because he wants to keep clean sheets and that's a good sign that we weren't happy and all had our say. But once we had that we were buzzing and everyone chirped up in the changing room.""We obviously know the fans haven't been happy and it has been a burden on our backs so I am made up that we have won now and we can forget about the run we've been on kick on and try to get moving up the table."
Picture copyright of Covsupport News Service. Credit CNS/SB