Hartlepool United attacker Anthony Mancini learning to trust his body again after returning from serious injury
Hartlepool United attacker Anthony Mancini admits he is looking to rebuild confidence in his body after returning from a groin injury last week.
The popular Frenchman missed two-and-a-half months following the latest in a long line of injuries but returned from the bench during last weekend's draw with Solihull Moors, producing an impressive cameo late on and almost scoring the winning goal in added time.
The 23-year-old has been a firm favourite ever since arriving as an unassuming trialist in the summer of 2023 but a string of serious injuries have hampered his progress in the North East. Mancini's two years at the Prestige Group Stadium have generally been a tale of a lot of talent but considerably less luck; just when it seems like the former Burnley and Accrington Stanley man is beginning to build up a head of steam, another injury strikes him down. Yet his skill, swagger, flair and creativity have established him as a cult hero at Pools, even if fans haven't seen nearly as much of him in action as they might've liked.
Mancini made his name in the opening weeks of last season. Arriving as an almost entirely unknown entity, he quickly announced himself as one of the National League's hottest properties thanks to a series of dazzling performances, helping to propel Pools to the top of the table. He was so impressive against Southend that the home fans gave him a standing ovation, while he bamboozled Maidenhead's back line and was in the process of doing the same again against champions-elect Chesterfield when he sustained a serious hamstring injury. He returned to a rapturous ovation on Boxing Day but, although he scored a stunning long range winner against Ebbsfleet in January, he struggled to rediscover his form from the beginning of the campaign and it wasn't long before he picked up another injury. His next abortive comeback attempt lasted less than 10 minutes against Southend in March and he ended his first season in the North East having managed just 14 appearances.
In terms of fitness, this season has been considerably better. Mancini was available for selection for the majority of Darren Sarll and Lennie Lawrence's tenures, albeit both men tended to use him from the bench. It wasn't until he produced a spellbinding performance on New Year's Day against Oldham, scoring the winning goal and running the Latics back line ragged, that fans allowed themselves to start believing he was back to his best; days later, he was ruled out with a serious groin injury.
While his body might be temperamental, Mancini's talent is undeniable. Pools could certainly use a bit of his je ne sais quoi between now and the end of the season as they look to end a run of eight games without a win ahead of this weekend's visit of a resurgent Boston United. If Mancini can keep fit and start firing, then Pools should have more than enough to avoid getting dragged into a relegation dogfight. While the mercurial Frenchman admits he's still learning to trust his body again, he insists he's confident he can make it through the coming weeks unscatched.
"I still need to get that confidence in my body back," he said.
"It's normal, I've been injured for a while so it's normal that my brain would respond like that.
"It's not a problem, it will go away. What I've got to do is play games and help my teammates because I know I'm no use when I'm sitting on the sidelines.
"When I'm training and when I'm on the pitch, I'm not really thinking about it. It's just a boundary that I need to overcome, and I believe I will. I feel good and I'm so pleased to be back out there."