Gritty Grella to beat adversity

"I want to be the player I was," Grella said defiantly.

Grella was one of the mainstays of the Socceroos side that reached the last 16 of the FIFA World Cup in Germany in 2006.

However four years down the track the uncompromising midfielder, now 30, was a shadow of his former self and returned from the World Cup in South Africa with a tarnished reputation.

At the end of what he describes as a "negative 18 months" of never-ending injuries, Grella's immaculate game went missing in lead-up matches to the tournament and he performed poorly in the first half of the Germany game before picking up a knee injury that ended his tournament.

As Grella prepares for another season with his Premier League club Blackburn Rovers, he would be forgiven for feeling in the dark about what the immediate future might hold for him.

Amid constant speculation linking him with Galatasaray of Turkey, Rovers boss Sam Allardyce said this week in Sydney that "Grella would be allowed to leave the club if the price is right."

Grella to his credit has not allowed the mounting speculation to affect his pre-season and in typical gritty style he wants to shake off the knee injury and play his part in what is looming as a decisive premiership season for the Ewood Park club.

"In football you get good times and bad times but the last 18 months with all the injuries I have had were a negative part of my career," Grella conceded in Sydney as Rovers prepared for Saturday's Festival of Football clash with Sydney FC.

"I wouldn't go as far as calling it a nightmare but I've always had a positive mentality and I'm doing everything I can to turn it around and get back to be the player I was.

"I still enjoy football and I still enjoy what I do.

"Blackburn paid a lot for me and I obviously earned that right on the field because you don't pay big money for a player if he's no good."

Grella said the thing that frustrates him most since trading Serie A club Torino for the Premier League in August 2008 in a $5 million transfer is his failure to string together a series of top games and show his real worth.

"My performances for the team have been of a pretty good quality," he said.

"But the problem was a lack of consistency due to the injuries I've had.

"I think also that in a lot of cases it was just bad luck.

"I hope to show the people that I can put together a string of performances. That has been the problem not the performances themselves.

"I'm not leaving Ewood Park. The fans have not seen the best of me yet and it is my obligation to change that.

"I've put in a lot of hard work the last 10 days. I'm close to full fitness and I'm feeling good."

Grella was more circumspect when the subject of Galatasaray came up.

"Look, the truth is that I have not been contacted by anyone at the club," he said.

"There was interest during the World Cup but as you know the World Cup is a very awkward time to change clubs.

"And ever since then I have had no contact with anyone.

"I can't give you more information because I don't have any myself.

"All I can say is that I have a very good working relationship with Allardyce.

"I'm very open with him. He knows that if anything comes up I will let him know straight away and then we'll see if what comes up is good for the club and good for me.

"We have had no falling-out, we talk on a regular basis and we have never had any problems.

"I'm not leaving Ewood Park. When I signed the contract with Blackburn I agreed to stay with the club for four years. So for things to change there would have to be an agreement between me and the club."

Grella said he was forbidden by Rovers to talk about Socceroos matters while on club duty in Australia.