Dermot Earley does not know when he will be ready to return for Kildare but he is hoping he will be able to play some part in the Championship.
It has been a tough couple of years for the Kildare veteran after tearing his cruciate knee ligament in 2010 only to suffer the same injury when nearing his comeback last summer.
Understandably the Sarsfields clubman has adopted a patient approach to his recovery this time around and is very reluctant to put a date on his return amid fears that he could come back too soon.
He knows he will not see any action in the Allianz Football League but he is hopeful that he will be ready in time for Kildare's Leinster Championship opener against Offaly on June 16.
"I'd love to play some part in the league but it's not my initial goal. It's coming on, it's getting there slowly but surely. I'm working hard," Earley explained.
"I'm running and twisting and turning. It's just a matter of getting the confidence on it and trying to play as much football as possible. I'll know myself when it's ready.
"People are asking when will you be back, when will you be back - I'll be back when it's ready and that's the thing. I don't mean to put that off and be smart about it."
By the time he makes his return it will be almost two years since Earley last played for Kildare and he could face a battle to work his way on to Kieran McGeeney's team.
Earley does not expect to be handed his place back but he is prepared to work to prove he can still compete at the highest level.
"Hopefully it will be this year and that's the plan. I want to play some part in the Championship. At the same time I have to be realistic. It's a year and a half since I kicked a football competitively," he is quoted as saying in the Irish Daily Mirror.
"I'm 33 years of age and you have to be at your top level to be playing midfield at inter-county level so I know I'm not looking for any favours or anything like that. Hopefully I'll be there on merit."