FILIPE Morais perched on the edge of the chair; his hands animated, his eyes bright.

We were sitting in the foyer of the plush Scottish retreat where Bradford City were spending their traditional pre-season week away.

It was a period of down-time between the daily double sessions to build up reserves of stamina for the campaign to come.

Morais, for all the hard work, sweat and toil, was clearly enjoying every minute.

He seemed to have spent most of the summer running. Barring a two-week break, during which he got married, the Portuguese winger's off-season had centred around getting back in shape and rediscovering the form that came to the fore during the FA Cup purple patch.

He stayed back after the others had all clocked off to rebuild strength in his knee after the injury that had stalled his progress through the run-in.

Then he reported back for business at his 'fighting' weight – the lightest he had ever been going into the pre-season programme.

Morais was a man on a mission, as he excitedly spelled out in our interview.

The volume may have been turned down low to avoid any sarcastic jibes from team-mates within earshot. But the enthusiasm in his voice still rang through.

Morais talked about Phil Parkinson and the staff always being on his case – and how he needed that. "I'm the sort of player who relaxes if I feel I've done okay," he said. "That's why they push me so hard."

And he discussed the competition out wide. Suddenly his shoe-in starting place was under threat following the recent arrivals of Mark Marshall and Josh Morris – even though they are both left-footed.

On signing Marshall, Parkinson had been keen to talk up his ability to play on either wing. It was another carefully-worded warning to keep Morais on his toes – which the target appreciated.

"I want to raise the bar this year," he insisted. "I love the competition and I'll thrive on that.

"I know I have to be at my best but whoever comes in, I back myself to play ahead of them."

Pre-season interviews traditionally drip with optimism; nobody is going to talk down their chances before a ball has been kicked. Every player is going to be a world-beater – honest.

But Morais seemed genuine in his self-belief. Here was someone desperate to make up for the lost time when he felt so inhibited by his injured knee that he was unable to cross properly because of the pain.

One jinking run, cutting inside the box, and shot across goal in the friendly at St Mirren two days later backed up those words. Morais the marauder looked to be back in business.

Then came the bombshell from Apperley Bridge.

Morais had damaged his knee in a nothing tackle during training. And like teenage striker Joe Brennan the week earlier against Motherwell, a whole season had been swiped away with one savage blow.

Two players at the opposite end of the spectrum – one just taking his first tentative steps as a pro, the other building for a season when he would re-establish his place as one of City's biggest hitters.

Both are now stuck on the sidelines; united in their frustration and helplessness at seeing the next months unfold without any chance of being involved.

For Brennan, an 18-year-old on the cusp of senior football, it will seem that his dream has been ended before it began.

For Morais, all that extra work put in to get back up to speed must feel like time completely wasted as he prepares for a long period of inertia.

Injuries come with the territory and football stops for nobody. Already the hunt is on for another winger to fill the breach.

But it's easy to forget the people behind the names missing from the team sheet and what they are going through.

Suddenly that cordial chat in the Bishopton hotel looks a long, long time ago.