Socceroos goalkeeper Ryan upbeat after mystery mishap

EXCLUSIVE: Australia goalkeeper Mat Ryan said he was determined to stay positive after a minor mishap disrupted his recovery from knee surgery.

Mat Ryan is back home after spending the weekend i hospital Source: Getty Images

Ryan, 23, was forced to spend the weekend in a Valencia hospital after the knee that required surgery four weeks ago became infected.

He has already been ruled out of his club Valencia's league match against Malaga at the Mestalla on 17 October and is in doubt for the Socceroos' 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Kyrgyzstan in Canberra on 12 November and Bangladesh in Dhaka five days later.

"I was suffering a minor setback with an infection in the knee and had to stay in the hospital for treatment for a few days, but now it's much better," Ryan explained.

"I am back in my home and at the club for treatment and recovery. I feel like I am back on track for my comeback but it will take a couple of more weeks before I am there."

Ryan said he acknowledged that injuries are part and parcel of the game but he is taking the latest setback with the right attitude.

"It's frustrating for sure but football is a lot like life with plenty of ups and downs," he said.

"I focus on my work and my progress day by day and now I am just happy to be out of hospital and back in the club.

"I don't know the reason for the infection. I was doing well in training and followed all the advice from the medical staff.

"The doctors have told me that they don't know why I got an infection almost four weeks after the surgery. I will just call it bad luck, I guess.

"I don't want to rush things so I will stay positive and do all the right things to get back as soon as possible and as strong as before.

"And I tell you I can't wait to be back in goal for Valencia and Australia."

Ryan suffered a tear in his right mniscus while playing for Valencia in a league match againt Deportivo La Coruna on 30 August and was operated on a day later.

He missed five matches for Los Che and the Socceroos' two World Cup qualifiers against Bangladesh in Perth and Tajikistan in Dushanbe in September.

Ryan signed a six-year contract for Valencia after leaving Belgium's Club Brugge in the off-season.