GAELIC FOOTBALL: Don't call me injury prone.. I'm just on a run of bad luck; NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE 2002: DUBLIN STAR IS BATTLING BACK TO FITNESS SAYS IAN ROBERTSON.

Byline: Jackie CAHILL

SIDELINED Dublin star Ian Robertson last night insisted he's not injury-prone, just unlucky.

Robertson, a versatile and gifted player, has been dogged by injury in recent years and is currently battling back from a serious knee problem.

Rated as one of the most important Dublin players during the Tommy Carr era, the Ballymun Kickhams man has a battle on his hands if he wants to make this summer's championship.

He's just looking for a break - but the rub of the green has certainly eluded him in recent years.

Take last summer for example. Robertson started against Offaly in the championship, scored a crucial goal, but struggled for his form thereafter.

But what we hadn't fully considered was that during the week leading up to the game he'd been involved in a training ground tussle with Ciaran Whelan.

He recalls: "Ciaran tackled me from behind in training, we both went down and it just hasn't been the same since.

"I just never seem to get an injury-free spell, I'm back for a few weeks and then gone again."

Robertson's is also tiring of the prophets of doom who are only too quick to write him off when problems flare up.

"I actually don't believe there's such a thing as an injury-prone player, and when I see myself described like that it drives me mad," he says.

"What does injury-prone actually mean? Is it some sort of weakness in the body? It just doesn't make sense to me.

"It's just bad luck, pure and simple, and I wouldn't put my problems down to anything else.

"I know I've had loads of injuries, but I feel very strongly about this."

And if you don't believe in the bad luck theory, think again.

Dublin City University qualified for the Sigerson Cup weekend for the first time ever this weekend.

It happened to coincide with the first time in nine years that Robertson hasn't played football with the institution.

Sod's law eh? The Dubs star smiles ruefully.

A fully-fit Robertson was seen as vital to Dublin's hopes of championship glory last summer.

And even though the injury hampered him, he refuses to blame it for his subsequent poor form.

"I did okay against Offaly, but after the game it was very sore," he says. "The full extent of the injury didn't become apparent until after the summer.

"Noel McCaffrey and John O'Byrne sat down with me, we talked about it and took it from there.

"But personally my form during the summer was nothing to do with the knee, I just wasn't at the races.

"During matches I wouldn't have been thinking about the knee, and it was nothing to do with that - I just didn't play well."

Robertson bowed to the inevitable and went under the knife again in November amid fears that his career was in doubt.

Cartilage had worn away and had to be replaced with cartilage from another part of the knee.

"John operated on me, and I'm not sure when I'll be back to be honest," admits Robertson.

"It's been just over three months now and I'm doing some work in the pool and a few weights.

"I was on crutches for a month after the operation, and that's not too bad because I can't stand being on them."

Robertson is currently studying medicine in DCU - he's halfway through a six-year course after already completing six years in physics.

"That's 12 years before the time I get out - it's a long time," he notes.

"People even say to me that I changed to medicine because I'm fascinated by injuries, but I'm doing it because I like it."

Just turned 26, Robertson played league for Dublin as far back as 1994, before sampling championship atmosphere as fringe youngster a year later.

Featuring prominently in 1996, he made his All-Ireland debut against Meath the next year.

But even at an early stage injuries were niggling at him.

He recalls: "Even in 1994 I picked up a groin injury and was gone the whole summer, in fact it kept me out for six months.

"I've had a lot of problems over the last three years, and during 1998 and 1999 I had ankle problems that required two operations."

Shin, ankle, groin and knee problems have robbed him of months of what should have been a glorious career to date.

Roberston refuses to reveal the exact amount of times he's been on a surgeon's table saying quietly: "A lot."

He made the switch to full-forward for the '99 championship, and saved Dublin with 1-1 to salvage a replay against Laois.

Four further points from play helped nicely as Dublin cruised through the replay.

He's been on the edge of the square ever since, but now faces a real battle for his place with the emergence of some gifted new forward talent in the capital.

"Am I envious? No, I think it's great because we need more players," he insists.

"There's no point worrying who's there because I have to get myself fit before I worry about things like that.

"The main thing for me is to get back playing and then I'll be happy because being out drives me mad and I really miss it.

"You always look for a way to get back, but sometimes you wonder if you'll ever be able to play again, he says.

"But I won't rush back for the summer - if I make it in time okay, but if I don't, I don't.

"I've been speaking to Tommy Lyons and I'm still involved with the set-up.

"But the hardest thing is watching games and going to training when you're not involved."

Unfortunately, it's something Robertson's well used to at this stage.

CAPTION(S):

SUPPORTIVE: Tommy Lyons; GOAL-DEN BOY: Robertson has scored important points for Dublin in the Championship; RUB-A-DUB: Dublin star Ian Robertson has been receiving rather too much attention from the medical team in recent years; UNLUCKY DUB: Robertson has been hit by several injuries in recent years