SINGAPORE - He may have joked about going out on a limb and shouldering responsibilities for the Lions at the Suzuki Cup, but forward Gabriel Quak was certainly not laughing when he felt his left shoulder pop during their 2-1 win over the Philippines on Wednesday (Dec 8).
"The pain was probably a nine out of 10, and the sound was shocking," said the 30-year-old, who had come off worse in 55th-minute challenge with Justin Baas.
Remarkably, after going through the excruciating pain and having his shoulder popped back by the team physiotherapist, he played for another five minutes and created an opportunity before being replaced by Song Ui-young.
Quak is now a doubt for next Tuesday's match against Timor-Leste and the rest of the Asean Football Federation Championship, but if his determination is anything to go by, opponents would be smart not to rule him out.
On Friday, he told The Straits Times that the injury was actually a recurrence of the dislocation and complete labral tear he suffered during a friendly against Morocco 'A' in Dubai on Nov 16.
Then, the Lion City Sailors player thought his Suzuki Cup was over before it started, as a doctor recommended surgery and he was told he could be out for three to four months. But following intense rehabilitation and strengthening exercises, he had other ideas.
He said: "I feel I'm an important part of the team and I didn't want to shortchange the country, so it was a risk I was willing to take with the full support of my club.
"About a week after the injury, I felt okay as I was able to do light training and make passes. I spoke to Coach (Tatsuma Yoshida), who told me he needed me. So, even if it was a 1 or 2 per cent chance, I wanted to see if I could make it."
Against all odds, he did, just three weeks later. After being rested in the 3-0 opening win over Myanmar on Sunday, Quak started against the Azkals and showed no signs of discomfort.
He was easily the best attacker in the first half as he displayed the crowd-pleasing array of dribbling skills that have made him the best local player in the Singapore Premier League in recent years.
Such is his regard for Quak that Yoshida has insisted the player remain with the squad until the end of their campaign. The Japanese said: "Gabriel worked very hard to make a good comeback. Usually he plays as a winger but he played more as a No. 10 against the Philippines and gave us good positional advantage and created a few chances. He will stay with us until the end."
As he approaches his 31st birthday on Dec 22, the fleet-footed player explained his shift in mentality that has led to him scoring 32 goals and 22 assists in just 72 matches for club and country in the past three seasons.
"I'm no longer playing for myself," said Quak, who is playing his fourth Suzuki Cup since his tournament debut in 2014.
"I'm playing for my country, family and friends I grew up with in the team. We did badly in the past three editions, getting knocked out at the group stage, but we feel we can achieve something special this year. I just want to give my best for the team and contribute, which is why I don't want to give up so easily even when I'm injured.
"I have no regrets about playing and dislocating my shoulder again, and I would hate to miss the knockout rounds if we make it. While it is still early and we can still get better, I feel the team are finding our flow and we can achieve something special."
