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Dempsey has moderate ligament damage, may return before end of EPL season

Clint Dempsey 1 (Reuters)
 

Photo by ISIphotos.com

Clint Dempsey is expected to return to action for Fulham before the end of the English Premier League season after scans on his injured knee revealed "moderate damage to a ligament", Fulham revealed on its website on Tuesday evening.

The injury will not require surgery and Dempsey should return before the end of the EPL season, meaning that, barring a setback, Dempsey should be able to recover in time to take part in the 2010 World Cup.

Here is the statement issued by Fulham on the club website:

During the Blackburn Rovers fixture on Sunday 17 January, Clint Dempsey sustained moderate damage to a ligament in his right knee. Following the results of a scan, early indications are positive in that no operation is required. At this stage it is thought that the injury will not prevent him from featuring for Fulham, prior to the end of the season.

That sound you hear is the largest collective exhale in American soccer history.

U.S. national team head coach Bob Bradley expressed confidence in Dempsey's ability to recover in time to play a part in this summer's world Cup.

“The news about Clint's injury is positive, especially given the fact that he will not require surgery,” Bradley said. “We are confident that Clint will be ready to be an important part of our team during the World Cup."

According to U.S. Soccer, the U.S. team medical staff has been in contact with Fulham on a daily basis, and will continue to monitor his progress in the coming months.

What do you think of this development? Think Dempsey can return in time to be an impact player in South Africa? Wondering who will step up if Dempsey isn't ready? Just glad Dempsey's chances of playing in the World Cup are good?

Share your thoughts (and relief) in the comments section below.

Comments

  1. Im curious, was that Blackburn game his best one of the year?

    Its the first Fulham game that Ive watched this year and Dempsey looked phenomenal.

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  2. Sorry meant to quote this that dien’t come out…’That sound you hear is the largest collective exhale in American soccer history…’

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  3. Bornstien? really? Tell me you are kidding. Please tell me you are kidding.

    Or tell me you are die hard Chivas fan and I will consider forgiving you.

    I dont know what happened while Bradley was coach of Chivas that has so endeared his former players to him, but for the sake of USMNT he can not keep this love affair with his former players going.

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  4. Amen.
    I once moderately injured my right MCL when I was in my late 20’s and it took 3 months before I was able to move the knee freely without any lingering weakness. It was another 3-4 months after that before I could claim full fitness despite doing the required rehab exercises daily and strengthening on a bicycle.
    I would expect that Dempsey has access to medical and training support far advanced from anything I could expect on a daily basis. Let’s hope that this can help accelerate his recovery in as timely a manner as possible, if not for the US team then for Dempsey himself.
    Feeling healthy and 100% fit is one of the most important (if not the most) in performing at peak form and the essence from which derives self-confidence. Go Deuce!

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  5. I wonder if they can use Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy on ligmants the way they use it on tendons?

    Many althletes swear by it (woods, H.Ward, T.Polomalu,etc…)

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  6. Isaac, I think along the same for a line-up, but HOPE Jermaine Jones is healthy and can be used instead of Edu.

    Subs being:

    Edu for Jones

    Benny for Bradley

    Beasley/Rogers for Holden

    Dolo for Spector

    Castillo for Donovan (Pushing Donovan up top to replace Dempsey/Altidore).

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  7. Yeah, no thank you to McBride at his point. Not been in the picture for quite some time because he took himself out of it and hasn’t been playing on the highest level that he used to.

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  8. I agree too. What do they mean by “moderate ligament damage”? Is it just a strain, or a partial tear, or what? With a little rehab it should be ok, but if it is a partial tear there’s no way to fully repair it unless you do surgery. Orthroscopic surgery at least, it doesn’t keep people out long. But, still, good news overall.

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  9. I actually appreciate all the amatuer diagnosis. I think it often puts a perspective on something that I know little about..

    And ironically I now think the nagging minor pain in my knee the past month is a degree one pcl issue.. lol. of course i’m not taking as fact, but its worth something none the less.

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  10. Honestly, I’d rather have EJ or Findley trying to run behind defenders creating space for Landon than McBride sitting in the middle pretty much immobile for WC purposes.

    I see no reason for Clint to play for Fulham again this year. Send him to wherever Gooch and Davies are and target the extended camp (May) for his return.

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  11. If it’s a partial PCL injury, we could see Deuce as early as the first few weeks of April. I had the same injury in high school and rehabbed it after 8 weeks.

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  12. With the length of time it took to get the opinion, I hope someone saw him in a Birmingham, AL airport getting into a limo heading over to see Dr. Andrews.

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  13. I can guarantee you that hey would not be talking about ligament damage unless they were seeing it on the MRI scan. They know which ligament. Hopefully, they are correct about it not needing surgery to correct it.

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  14. Je ne me soucie pas de votre avis. Je vais parler n’importe quelle langue que je veux dans n’importe quel endroit que je veux. Vous pouvez aller en enfer et de manger des excréments.

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  15. It was long but it told you exactly what you needed to know. One of those where you don’t want to leave it ambiguous, I just thought it was funny since it was about three lines deep.

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  16. my point was that the US played world class soccer when dempsey played at a world class level, i’m not doubting he was playing poorly in some other games, but when he plays at a high level so does the US (1st half confed cup, US and Dempsey suck, 2nd half both are great, not sure which comes first the chicken or the egg, but I know Holden at this point does not have that effect), but either way, if the US is to have a chance to beat the world powers they need an in form Dempsey, he brings something to the table no one else can outside of maybe LD

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  17. I don’t mean to be a pessimist, but everytime I’ve ever seen someone w/ a slight tear (which I’m assuming this is) and the team says it will heal w/out surgery, the guy always ends up needing surgery… I think he should fly back to the US and get a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews, rather than being used by the Fulham team Dr.

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  18. Dude, before his three goal performance at the Confederations Cup, Holden hadn’t even been CAPPED. People were calling for him to be benched after two poor performances against Brazil and Italy. Then, he had the three straight goals. After that, he had a couple of iffy performances against Mexico, El Salvador, and Trinidad and Tobago, and people wanted his head chopped off and his butt on the bench with Holden starting.

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  19. Who knows what playing condition he will be in if everything falls into place and he can comeback. Bradley has to be willing to take some risks with some young players, and give them a chance if need be.

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  20. well with hull city’s new imports, i doubt jozy will get playing time, and with the cba not really done in mls, i wonder if fulham would bring back mcbride on loan for the spring. I definantly would love to see him on the roster than ching or casey

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  21. It could definitely be worst. From everything I’ve read, this sounds like the best case scenario. I can’t ask for more.

    Get well, Clint.

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  22. sheesh, i think he was just being realistic. these things take time to heal and it can take a long time to get back to 100%. Even with the best doctors, complications and reinjury can be common.

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  23. The most likely World Cup lineup would be this:

    ——————Altidore——–

    ————-Dempsey————–

    Donovan———————Holden

    ——————–Bradley——-

    ————Edu——————-

    Bocanegra——————Spector

    ———-Demerit—-Onyewu——-

    —————-Howard————

    Good lineup. A front four, plus Bradley, that knows how to hold possession, and a back four, plus Bradley and Edu, that knows how to hold up against tough offenses.

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  24. I believe that was before his three goal performance that turned around our confederation cup, the US goes as far as Clint takes us, he is that one player that can take us over the top, our “X” factor

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