Fans and admirers of former Asante Kotoko and King Faisal defender Shilla Illiasu are beginning the new year with perhaps the best news ever as GHANAsoccernet.com gather that the stalwart defender has started training after a long injury layoff.

Illiasu who was admired my many for his intelligent play and perfect sense of judgment as a center back nearly got his career truncated due to persistent injuries to the knee.

But Hmaza Mohammed who is close to the former Black Stars defender has disclosed to Ghanasoccernet.com that Illiasu has started training in his home town Tamale to relaunch his career.

The 30-year old who played for the Black Stars at the 2006 World Cup in Germany missed out of action after a few years of an unsuccessful career in Israel.

He got injured in 2008 and has since been struggling with the chronic injury but Hamza say he has been training with former Premier League campaigners RTU for the past two months.

“He has started training for the past two months and we hope he continues like that. He is doing well at training and we are very happy seeing him back on the field. He raised our hope but the number one enemy of football nearly ended his career,” Hamza said.

“Illiasu had been one of the most promising players in Tamale and a lot of people were looking up to him. But the persistent injuries have not been friendly with him at all.”