Bayern Munich striker Ivica Olic is confident he will be ready for the start of next season after making good progress in his recuperation from a long-term knee injury.

The Croatian international has been sidelined since his season was ended by a serious knee injury in November, but today revealed his training programme would move up a gear in the coming days. "My plan is to get outside and start running a week from now," Olic revealed. "For me, that's the next game."

Olic's last outing came against Hamburg on 22 November, after which a knee problem led to a meeting with renowned specialist Dr Richard Steadman, where it was decided an operation was the only course of action to repair torn meniscus and damaged cartilage.

I've had good days and bad days.
Olic on his knee injury

An intensive rehabilitation programme followed, but Olic admits the worst is behind him now, saying: "I've had good days and bad days. I couldn't do anything at all for four months. The worst time was around Christmas."

Despite the serious nature of the injury, the 31-year-old is confident he will make a full recovery, and is targeting a summer of hard work to get back to the form that delivered 19 goals in all competitions last season.

"I'm feeling good, and I think I'll recover 100 per cent fitness. I have my strength back," he said. "I'm going to keep training while the rest are on holiday. I want to be able to complete the full squad programme from day one of pre-season."