For the last six months, all Steven Taylor has known have been a mask and his hotel room.
But after his stint in India, Taylor is out of his two-week quarantine and ready to lead the Wellington Phoenix back into the A-League playoffs.
"It's good to be back, I've missed them,” Taylor tells Newshub on Friday, after his first training with the club since his return.
"I did the warm up and a few exercises with the boys. It was good to get the cobwebs and get to go again."
Taylor says he is good to go for the Phoenix’s next game on Sunday, if Manager Ufuk Talay and the trainers allow it.
"We've got three games in a week. I'd love to play every game but I've got to listen to them, they're in charge.
After the uncertainty of last year - which prompted his move to India - Taylor is extra keen to get back on the park for the Phoenix.
"I was gutted, of course. I was gutted to leave," Taylor says.
"For me, it was about playing. There was no structure for the A-League until I moved to India."
"I think a few weeks after I got there it all happened, with moving to Wollongong, getting the fixtures and that all wasn't there when I left."
But now that he's back, the Englishman is eager to repay the faith of the Phoenix fans.
"I've got them [fans] to thank massively," he says.
"They are a big part of why I came back, every game I played they were commenting and messaging me.
"So now it's my time to give back, I'm excited to get back out there and the most important thing is winning, I just want to prove myself as best I can."
And that could start as soon as Sunday, when the Phoenix take on the Brisbane Roar.
