Injury-plagued Swan Alex Johnson is providing some timely inspiration for his Sydney AFL teammates heading into the finals.The classy defender hasnt added to his tally of 45 senior games since the clubs 2012 grand final win over Hawthorn.He played in every game that season, but has since undergone five knee reconstructions and several other operations.In the past four years hes made just one brief reserves appearance in a NEAFL game in which he re-injured his knee in round one of the 2014 season.To the joy of his watching teammates, 24-year-old Johnson ran laps of the SCG on Wednesday, his first run outside on grass for 906 days.They gave him a round of applause before he set out on his first lap of the iconic ground and at the end of each circuit.Hes been through an extraordinary journey and weve sort of witnessed a lot of the lows that hes been through over the past few years, midfielder Kieren Jack said.He didnt know that we were all going to come out and watch him.He did a couple of five minute runs and it was just great to see him with a smile on his face out on the SCG running around again.It was great for him to do and it was great for us to see.Johnson has spent this year and part of last season working as a backline coach for the Swans reserves.Jack said the Swans had drawn inspiration from Johnsons efforts on Wednesday as they prepared to face GWS Giants in Saturdays qualifying final.Alex has inspired us throughout this journey, his attitude, the way he comes in and presents himself, Jack said.He gives energy all the time which is a really hard thing to do for someone thats in his position.Whenever some of the players are feeling a bit down, you gain inspiration from what he does. 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In conversation with?Robbie Fowler, who talks about his love for sport, the importance of practice and to never lose touch with the game one loves.How has sport shaped your life? Ive played football for as long as I can remember. It has probably made me the person I am. I never had the intention of doing anything other than sports, so I practiced and practiced hard.When you set your mind to do something, I think it makes you a more spirited person. If youve got ambitions and you go for it; I think thats all Ive done. Ive sorely wanted to play football, and Ive tried everything I could to get where I was. It obviously took a long time; it didnt happen overnight. But everything Ive done was down to football.Ive travelled the world, and Ive seen just about everything. Its all through football...some wonderful places of the world that I have visited, and its all from working hard as a kid, to get to where I wanted to be.Do you think sometimes people underestimate the value of sport in a persons life?I think it depends on where you are, in what country. Certain countries value their education more; I feel that I have had a wonderful education out of football. Ive seen certain things that I thought I would never see, and through football. You cant obviously do without an education also, but its not about the job aspect alone. Any involvement in any sport is also healthy. It keeps you fresh, and your mind and body active.Look, not everybody is fortunate enough to go and do it professionally. But I have no doubt in my mind that if I werent playing football, I would have been in some other sport. I always wanted to stay in shape - through sport, any kind of sport. Whether youre walking, running or jogging, I think its final.As you started off playing football, who were your biggest influences?My parents played a huge role in helping me at the start. Coming to Liverpool, we had a coach called Steve Ayre, who was a massive player there. He has achieved everything, and was my first coach. He helped me get through the teams. He was tough, but fair. He was fantastic.When youve got parents driving you on, and when you have coaches like Steve Ayre, theyre always striving for you to be the very best you can. With their help and with my own ambition and desire to do well, I became the player that I wanted to be.How important is team spirit in a sport like football?It is important without a shadow of doubt... in football, and in team games. Individual sports are different because you are on your own, but in a team game, it is massively vital. You need your five or seven or 11 players with you. Were all fighting for the same outcome, and with that team spirit and togetherness that you have to have. We see it all the time with kids, and even with players. Even at these European Championships, youve got all the best players - dont get me wrong; theyre all excellent players - but you still need a team around you, and its massively important.What are the two best memories of your playing career?I think the first one would be making my debut. That took years and years of hard work...years of practice to get where I wanted to be. It is never easy being a professional sportsman - whether in cricket, golf or football. There are many hours of practice that have gone in before that. So before anything, making your debut is certainly one, and obviously having made your debut, you want to be successful. You want to win things.I thinnk winning my first trophy as a professional footballer was special.dddddddddddd To make your debut is brilliant, but to actually win your first trophy, when there are thousands of people who have tried before but havent really done it, that gives you so much satisfaction.One moment that stands out from your career is when you tried to convince the referee in an Arsenal-Liverpool game that David Seaman hadnt fouled you when you got a penalty? Did you dive?Did I dive? No (laughs). It was one of those moments where you run for the ball and lose your footing. It certainly wasnt a dive, and I didnt think it was a penalty at the time. The more I think about it, the more I feel it probably was a penalty, because I ran into him. I could have got injured really badly.So my jumping over, losing balance and falling over was probably a good thing, because I could have hurt myself, or I could have hurt the goalkeeper. It certainly wasnt a dive, but...(smiles) youre the first person to have said that! Ive been called many things, but Ive never been called a diver. So I dont really like that (smiles).How was it being a part of the European Championships when they were played at home in 1996?It was brilliant. What was special about it was that it was at home; we played all our games at Wembley. No matter where we were - in the hotel, on the way to London, the support that we got with people coming out of their houses... it lifts you as a player. It makes you want to do that little bit more. It reminds you that its not about you or your team, its about the country.We as players stuck together, and the country got behind us. Its probably the best tournament that England have had since they won the World Cup in 1966. The team spirit was then absolutely fantastic, as was the atmosphere from everyone within the country.You have now seen football from a different perspective??How do you think the game has evolved since your playing days?It is very difficult when you retire - dont let anyone tell you (anything) different. Youve suddenly gone from being a top-class player in a top-class team to doing nothing, and thats difficult. It really is. This is why I like doing what I do now. I work for Liverpool football club, doing television shows. It keeps me involved in football.So, even when I am not playing anymore, I still like to keep myself involved in the game. I think its massively important. Maybe your advice to the youngsters will help them become the future Robbie Fowlers and the future Decos. Thats what we really want - we cant play anymore. But we can still help the next generation.What would your advice be to youngsters in India who might be picking up the sport? Whether you are playing football, cricket or golf, or anything, the first thing is to try. Whatever it is that you feel comfortable in, just give it everything. Practice is massive...I cant really stress on how important that is. Listen to your parents and your coaches. Listen to people who have may have been in that position. Understand where you could go right and identify the wrongs. Try and improve that.?You think of all the Messis and Ronaldos - these type of players - they have forever practiced. They dont wake up and suddenly become a great player. They have practiced everyday - from the time they were children till today. ' ' '
