Tuesday morning just before 9am. While the team slowly and somewhat bleary-eyed made their way to training at the arena, Collin Benjamin was there a long time before them. "Collo" was well into his first individual session of the day with fitness coach Markus Günther. Individual training following his serious knee injury was on the agenda. The Namibian shattered cruciate ligaments during a friendly between Namibia ans Swaziland: "Of course it was a huge shock for me", remembers Benjamin today.
 
The times of pain and bad thoughts are finally over. Benjamin is on the verge of resuming first team training sometime next week: "I have worked hard towards that step for a long time." Countless hours in the gym without "the lads" has not dented his enthusiasm though: "No of course not" smiled the utility man. When you are sidelined for so long, a lot of things go through your mind. You have to try to stay positive. Collo found a lot of comfort at home: "My wife and kids were an enormous help and have been very important during that time." Benjamin is 31 years of age, so not a novice anymore. Years ago he suffered a similar injury. Collo learned his lesson from those dark times. He told us: "Yes, true enough. I know what it is like having to battle your way back into contention. That experience helped me though my current injury lay off."
 
His contract was due to expire at the end of the current season. Despite him being seriously injured, the club reached agreement with Benjamin on an extension of a further year. Not because they felt sorry for him being out of action, but for the right reasons: "He can play in various positions and every team needs such a player." Praise indeed from head coach Bruno Labbadia.
 
Faithful HSV servant
Collin is a friendly man and a model professional. Labbadia again: "The contract extension does not only reflect our trust in him, but also reflects his special identification with HSV." That special relationship is underlined by his statistics. Collo has been at HSV for ten years. In 138 first team matches he has scored 13 goals - a fine record by any standards. Collin Benjamin has a clear goal when he resumes first team training next week - his 139th game for his beloved HSV.
 
After a long and painful road to recovery, Collo is finally back in business

That is something to warm the hearts of all HSV fans

Welcome back Collo, we've missed you!