Exclusive: WalesOnline spoke with Aaron Ramsey about his return from injury and South Wales derby heroics
By Glen WilliamsAaron Ramsey said he "
can't wait" to get back playing for Cardiff City and is on course to return in the new year.
The Bluebirds star enjoyed a stellar start to the campaign, scoring three goals in his first six appearances after joining from Nice in the summer. Erol Bulut's side were just clicking into gear when Ramsey suffered a knee injury in training after the 2-0 win over Swansea.
It means he has missed 15 of Cardiff's 21 Championship and Cup games this season, but without him his side have coped admirably, sitting in 11th place but just three points away from the play-off spots. For the latest Bluebirds stories delivered straight to your phone, join the Cardiff City WhatsApp here
But it's never easy for a competitor like Ramsey, who is desperate to get out and help his side. Asked by WalesOnline if it was tough having to take a watching brief over the last three months, he replied: "
Yeah. It's never easy. I just can't wait to get back out there and help my team-mates to get this club to where I want it to be.
"They are doing OK. We have shown what we are capable of doing, have come up against some really good teams and more than held our own. Maybe we haven't quite got across the line in some games but we have shown a big step forward from the last couple of seasons.
"This is an important period for us and there are a lot of points up for grabs. We need to take care of these games and going into the new year then, you know that there is a final push to get the job done. It's definitely an important period for us."
City have seven games between now and New Year's Day, with manager Bulut having said that Ramsey is targeting a return in January. Asked if he is on track to return in the new year, Ramsey said: "
Yeah, I am hoping so if everything goes well over the next few weeks.
"I am in and amongst it every day. I go to all the home games and I went down to Southampton. That's important, that I'm still part of the team and have a big part to play. I will do that until I get back."
It's the first time Ramsey has spoken since he scored in that memorable South Wales derby triumph over rivals Swansea. He netted from the spot minutes after Ollie Tanner had rifled home a stunner from the corner of the box to make sure of the three points and the bragging rights.
For Ramsey, those were the sort of nights he dreamed of when he sealed a return to his boyhood club.
"
That was one of those moments that I wanted to experience again, to score and to do that," he said of the derby win. "
It made it all worthwhile. It's definitely up there with one of the best games in terms of atmosphere and emotion that I've been involved in.
"There was a few years bottled up there, you could just see how much it meant. The relief, the excitement, just all of it. Just seeing the bodies in the crowd going mental, it was a good night!"
Ramsey is hoping for more memorable nights at Cardiff City Stadium in the coming years and not just in the Bluebirds shirt. He will be fit again for Wales' Euro 2024 play-off tie against Finland in March, the winner of which will take on the victor in the clash between Poland and Estonia in the Welsh capital.
The Wales captain spoke of the importance of having the Red Wall behind the side in March, just like they were for the World Cup play-off ties against Austria and Ukraine in 2022.
"
If someone said to you before that you'd be two home games away from qualifying then you'd have snapped their hands off," Ramsey said of the Euro play-offs.
"
For us to be home again in front of the Red Wall will be huge. Finland are a good team, though, we can't underestimate that, we are going to have to be fully focused on that and hopefully we will have another game to look forward to then.
"The Red Wall is huge. We have had so much success there in front of our fans, this will give us the best opportunity to win the game and qualify."
Ramsey was speaking at the launch of the Sky Up Digital Hub initiative in Eastmoors Youth Centre in Splott. Splott has been ranked the 12 most deprived area in Wales, with 42 percent of children and young people living in poverty. Eastmoors Youth Centre sees 150 young people accessing the hub each week.
Ad Sky have teamed up with Cardiff Council’s Youth Services to launch the initiative, which provides young people with access to free Sky WiFi and a range of new technology devices including Sky Glass, tablets and laptops, as well as facilities for Esports, music, coding, programming, virtual reality and augmented reality experiences in the newly-refurbished centre.
For Ramsey, it's a brilliant scheme. "It's great," he said. "
What Sky have done here is massive. The amount of technology they've brought in here and given opportunities for kids, it's only going to benefit all the kids here.
"The way the world is going, it's only going to get stronger and bigger. It's important to educate and give them opportunities to do this. It's only going to benefit them in whichever profession they choose to go into in the future.
"My kids would love it, but it's about getting the balance. Too much of one thing is never so good. I see some of the games they are playing and they can get pretty active in those games, so that can be a positive as well. So it's about getting the balance right."
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