Joey O'Brien is hoping to take one last stride towards putting his injury nightmare behind him over the next few days.
If O'Brien manages to play some part in Ireland's Euro 2008 qualifying games against either Germany tonight or Wales on Wednesday, his rehabilitation will be complete.
O'Brien should have made more than the one appearance for Ireland by now - that in manager Steve Staunton's first match in charge in March 2006 - but a long-term tendon problem in his right knee shattered his dreams.
After 16 months on the sidelines, the 21-year-old finally returned to action for Bolton Wanderers just three weeks ago when he played the final 14 minutes of a UEFA Cup tie with Macedonian side Rabotnicki.
He has since started Wanderers' last four games, and now he cannot wait to pull on an Irish jersey again, regardless of whether he starts against the Germans or is on the bench.
'I'm obviously delighted to be back because it's been a long, long time, so it's been great to be involved again with the boys,' said the Dubliner.
'If the gaffer does pick me for the team, then hopefully I can do a job because every player wants to play for their country, and of course I'm no different.
"I've played at all the under-age levels, and then when I made my (senior) debut in the game against Sweden it gave me a taste.
'Hopefully now I can get a regular place, but first I have to hope I play some part in these two games.'
It has understandably been a long road back for O'Brien, and along the way there were many 'dark moments' as he described them, prior to renowned surgeon Dr Richard Steadman finally providing a cure.
'I never thought at any stage my career was over, but I did wonder when I would return, and I spent a lot of nights at home thinking about that,' added O'Brien.
'But there are some great people at Bolton. It was they who kept me going day in and day out through the bad times because there were many days when I didn't want to be there.
'The lowest moments were not knowing what was wrong and whether it was going to be sorted because I was told to rest and that didn't help. Then I had one operation and that didn't help either.
'Then I went to see the main man, Dr Steadman, and he diagnosed the problem straightaway.
'When he opened up my knee he could see exactly what was wrong, and he sorted it out there and then.
'I spoke to him the next day and he felt confident he had sorted out the problem and that I would be back in six months.
'When he said that I had more hope. It took the pressure off and put my mind at ease.'
Finally, on 20 September and after missing all of last season, O'Brien again played for Bolton under new boss Sammy Lee.
'When I played in the UEFA Cup game, it was great to be back out on the pitch,' reflected O'Brien.
'There was understandable relief, knowing it was all over, the end of my nightmare.
'Now all I want to do is play for Ireland again.'
