THERE’S a big window that looks out from the gym at Melbourne City, onto the training ground.

It’s a great view of the playing surface. Unless you’re stuck inside.

Corey Gameiro remembers the view clearly. Because that’s when he was at rock bottom, when Melbourne City’s staff found him with his hands up on the glass, forehead plastered onto the window, staring out at his friends running around while he was rehabbing his third knee reconstruction in a row.

The striker has had his last three seasons – at Sydney FC and Melbourne City – wiped out through injury – at 23 years of age.

“These are the things that I’m thinking that are keeping me going,” he explains, seven weeks post operation, “feeling really good”.

“The records I’m going to be breaking: the first (A-League) player to come back from three knee reconstructions. Like (Geelong AFL player) Dean Menzel did.

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Corey Gameiro hopes for more positive football moments. Source: News Corp Australia

“I can’t wait to be the first to go through it and come back out the other side.

“And when another kid goes through that tough time, I’ll be the first to ring and go for coffee and sort them out and say ‘I know where you’re at’.”

It’s why the word FOCUS is written up in his locker and on the whiteboard in the club’s gym, and has become his mantra.

And it’s why he wants to tell his story, because without the overwhelming support of not just his own family and friends, but the football world, he’s been able to cop this bad luck, and convinced he can return to the form that saw him captain Australia’s under-23 side.

Tim Cahill and Corey Gameiro muck around in pre-season. Source: News Corp Australia

“There was some real difficult times,” he told foxsports.com.au.

“It’s important I say this stuff, because people often go through difficult times, and people don’t understand. When you feel like you only know one thing — and football is one of the only things I’ve known — to have it taken away from you, it’s scary and frightening.

“You’re being told you aren’t playing for 9-12 months and you think: ‘what am I going to be doing’.

“You go to some pretty dark places mentally.

“You’re used to your body functioning, being strong and in a certain way and when you aren’t like that as an athlete that’s the toughest part; you feel like you’re somebody else.

“It’s a scary, scary thought.”

He adds: “When you’re in dark places, you do need help. Mine is from my support network. But sometimes if you’re in dark places, you have to accept it, mentally, emotionally and people can’t help you unless they know how you’re feeling.

“Instead of smiling but being hurt inside, and lying to everyone — and myself — say: ‘I’m in a tough place but I’m going to get through it’.”

He had support from Melbourne City, who helped him ride the tough times; had the football world reach out to him, and received some sage advice from his partner.

Melbourne City's Bruno Fornaroli celebrates with Corey Gameiro last year. Source: News Corp Australia

“She makes me want to get up and go to training. She told me: ‘It’s part of your life; it’s not your life.

“I’d never heard that before. The more she said it, the more it made sense. I’m still Corey Gameiro, with my family and friends. That’s a scary thought; I can still be Corey Gameiro (without football).”

So when Melbourne City staff found Gameiro transfixed by training, watching through the glass windows, wondering what might have been, they picked him up.

“They’ve gone through a few dummy spits, I’ve had a few tough days and I’ve come back positive.

“I say sorry, I was in a shit place and they say don’t worry about it, let’s crack on with it. It’s not (really) me, they don’t take it personally, that’s important for me – there’s been a few dark days, I have been in a foul mood.”

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They’ve also helped him with his focus, making sure he isn’t going through the motions when in the gym, they allow him to return to Sydney intermittently, and even to vary up the challenges in the gym.

“It’s very repetitive. But then you graduate by doing a little extra, or adding this or that. To go away from the training ground is very important, and the medical staff have said, let’s go do, for example, the Eureka Sky Tower and run up as many stairs as you can. So my quads are getting a real workout, but not in the same gym. We go off site away from the gym to use other things we can to get the same outcome, but mentally, it’s a new challenge, it’s exciting.”

Staying fresh, mentally, has been key for Gameiro this time as well.

He’s been spotted around the Fox Sports studios this week doing a bit of work experience - not because he’s planning an alternative career, but to keep him stimulated while also planning for the future.

Sydney's Corey Gameiro celebrates scoring a goal while at Sydney FC. Source: News Corp Australia

“Mentally, it’s massive. If your mental side is not right, it starts to affect your training and rehab. When that isn’t going well, emotionally you get a bit snappy and moody, all over the place.

“It took me the first time, even the second time around to understand there’s no point having any negativity.”

And that brings Gameiro back to the message he wants to get out. He approached the Professional Footballers Association and cheif executive John Didulica about doing some media work.

“I’m really glad I did — if you want to do it, you have to put your hand up and go through with it.

“A lot of players in the league (within a football environment), if they don’t know what they’re doing don’t put their hand up and ask. It’s a sign of weakness in the changing room if you ask for help.

“That’s the biggest thing; I wasn’t afraid of putting hand up to ask the PFA.”

Gameiro adds that the support he received was a true, tangible boost — especially from Didulica, but also from places that even surprised him, and that included Twitter, where supporters from rival clubs even reached out to wish him well.

Corey Gameiro and Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold. Source: Getty Images

“Some of the players I had never spoken to and I’m getting phone calls saying ‘I don’t know you but I’ve spoken to so and so and wanted to call you and say how sorry I am’.

“I had managers and coaches form other clubs; Arnie (Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold) spoke to me for 45 minutes.

“To have the support I had makes me think ‘look at all the people who want to see me come back’. When I have all that support it only makes me want to come back.

“It’s not going to just be big for me, emotional, but big for everyone: my mum, dad, partner.”