ADLENE Guedioura has thanked Tony Pulis for allowing him to travel to a specialist rehabilitation centre in Qatar to recover from a horror injury.

It has been a long road to recover for the Algerian international midfielder, who broke three ribs and had his lung punctured playing for Crystal Palace during a collision with West Brom keeper Boaz Myhill in November.

But the specialist rehabilitation programme in Qatar meant that he was able to return to action on Saturday for the Eagles’ crucial 1-0 win against Stoke City.

The 28-year-old explained: “I haven’t played for almost two months so I have a lot of cramp.

“I haven’t even played any reserve games but I am happy about that because the manager has wanted me around.

“The injury was a major thing, I broke three ribs and had a punctured lung but I feel 100 per cent well again and I won’t have any problem with it in the future.

“That is the most important thing.”

Guedioura added: “I have to thank the club, because they let me go to Qatar for three weeks to do my rehabilitation as there is a terrific centre there where some of the medical staff from the national team are based.

“I’ve known about it for about four years and used to go there once a year as they have amazing machines, good physios who can work with you one-on-one.

“Also it is very sunny, so I got a lot of Vitamin D to help heal the broken bones.

“Going there has definitely sped up my recovery time, there is no doubt about that.

“I think it was also good to get away, because you are not on the side of the pitch getting frustrated watching the other lads training.

“Instead I came back fresh.”

The timing of the injury could not have been worse for Guedioura with Pulis taking shortly after he sustained his injury.

But the former Nottingham Forest player was able to meet the new SE25 manager before he left for Qatar and is full of praise for how his injury has been handled by Pulis and the club.

Guedioura said: “I managed to meet the new manager and say hello before I left for Qatar which was important and I texted him to say thank you for allowing me to go there.

“The manager has been fair and has given me my chance to play despite me being injured when he arrived and I am now looking to push on and get better and better.”

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