Rams Academy star O'Brien inspired by Kanu's career

MARK O'Brien has had a few weeks he will never forget.

His world was turned upside down last month when he was told he would need heart surgery to repair a faulty valve.

How would that affect his future football career? Would he play again and how soon?

Four weeks on from the operation the promising young Derby County defender is on the road to recovery and fully focused on resuming his career.

He now has a long-term professional contract which he signed on turning 17 last week and the three-and-a-half year deal has boosted his confidence that he can fulfil his dream.

O'Brien is determined to bounce back and admits to taking inspiration from the most recent high-profile footballer to enjoy a successful career at the top after undergoing heart surgery as a young player, Nwankwo Kanu.

The Nigerian striker joined Inter Milan in 1996 but a routine medical revealed a faulty valve in his heart.

He was 20 at the time and there were fears his condition would end his career but Kanu recovered to represent his country in the 1998 World Cup finals and has gone on to play for Inter, Arsenal, West Bromwich Albion and Portsmouth.

Twice he has been named African Footballer of the Year.

"To see somebody like Kanu, who has had a heart operation, and to know he has played in World Cups and the Premiership and is still going strong now is definitely an inspiration," said O'Brien.

"He has enjoyed a fantastic career and hopefully I will be able to do the same.

"Only last week, our physio found out that somebody had the exact same operation as me and is back playing non-League football.

"To hear that was also uplifting.

"That is two players who are still playing after heart surgery."

Defender Ross Smith is back at Ebbsfleet United and playing again almost a year after he was forced to retire.

Smith had just signed for MLS side Colorado Rapids when he was diagnosed with a bicuspid valve in his heart.

The 29-year-old had heart surgery but is back in action in the Blue Square Premier.

A number of people at Derby County had already started to talk about O'Brien before he appeared for the first team at the age of 16.

The centre-half, a Republic of Ireland youth international, was earmarked as one for the future when he came on as a substitute in the final game of last season at Watford.

Rams manager Nigel Clough praised the youngster's performance and described O'Brien as an "old-fashioned defender" – a player who attacks the ball, heads, kicks it and enjoys defending.

Then came the shock news that O'Brien needed heart surgery.

He recalls his heart rate being high in pre-season training.

"It was pre-season training and when you are not up to full fitness you expect your heart rate to be up – but my heart rate never came down. It just stayed high," said O'Brien.

"Other than that, I didn't sense anything was wrong. I was still training and playing.

"When the routine scan came back and they said they had noticed something, that's when I started to ask questions. I asked if this was the reason why my heart rate was so high.

"I had more tests and then more and more details came out about what was wrong with me and what had to be done.

"Each time I went to see consultants the timescale for the operation came down.

"I was told I would need to have it done in the next 20 years, then it came down to 10 years and then in the next two weeks!

"It was a shock but I just wanted to get it out of the way so I could continue my football. I needed to have it done for my football future.

"Once I thought that, then I had no doubts in my mind whether to have the operation or not."

O'Brien said it was an emotional and worrying time for his family.

"They have calmed down a lot since the operation," he said. "They were worried about my career but they were mainly worried about my health.

"We also have a lot to thank the club for.

"If I'd not been at Derby and just been back at home, the problem might not have been spotted.

"So my family are thankful to the club for noticing it and getting something down about it.

"They are really appreciative of what the club has done for me."

O'Brien says everybody at Derby has been really supportive both before and since his operation.

"They've been great – the players, the staff, everybody," he added.

"When I was in the hospital I was getting cards and phone calls.

"One card was from the Academy and all the lads signed it and there was another card signed by all the first team.

"The gaffer also rang to see how I was getting on.

"When I returned to the training ground they were all so happy to see me and asked how I was doing."

O'Brien is looking forward to the day he can return to training at Derby but knows he must take things step by step.

He will be monitored constantly in the coming months.