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Onyewu making progress on comeback trail

Oguchi Onyewu (Reuters)

With injury woes plaguing the U.S. national team, fans will be relieved to hear some good news about one of the walking wounded.

U.S. defender Oguchi Onyewu was in Philadelphia this past weekend for the NSCAA Convention and spoke with the MLS Insider Blog about his rehab and the progress he has made in recent weeks and months. His insights were encouraging and leave you believing that he will be on the field soon:

What do you think of Onyewu's comments? Encouraged by his progress?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I am 7 months post surgery, 6 months physical therapy for the same injury and I can’t climb stairs on my own. No way he’s back playing that soon.

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  2. According to the original timeline for a full recovery, Gooch will be back mid-March. I’d love to see him at least travel to Amsterdam and let the medical staff check his knee and maybe allow him to do some light jogging and possibly log some minutes on the pitch. But I don’t see him playing against the Netherlands. The best solution for the back line is to move Spector or Cherundolo to the left back position, and have Boca and DeMeritt in the middle. Gooch will be back for the World Cup, and that’s the most important matter. We need him 100% healthy for it, and that means leaving him in Milan to rehab and build his strength, touch, and fitness back.

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  3. It would probably make too much sense. Gooch just doesn’t seem to be a good fit with AC Milan’s back line who are all very technical and are used to playing out of the back in a way that Gooch isn’t capable of at this point in his development. I just hope he can see any kind of decent training time before the cup roles around. We need him as much as any player on the team.

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  4. This is a good point. For me seeing the field at AC means training. Even if he’s only battling Pato et al in training that’s arguably better than what Boca is getting or match play v the earthquakes, for example. I think a min of 6 weeks will be needed to get fully fit.

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  5. Think he’s refering to the horse placenta treatment that Robin van Persie had before they realized hocus pocus doesn’t work as well as actual medical treatment for injuries.

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  6. Well, here’s to Gooch being back, fit and fully game fit by this WC. Because if he misses this one, it won’t matter if he or any of the other injured players participate in the next WC. There’s a snowball’s chance in hell the US will be successful in Brazil come 2014.

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  7. would it make any sense for AC and some serie 2 team to work out a loan in january for a player that won’t be on the team until march? it would be good but not likely.. reserve minutes will do him well once he returns.

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  8. (To clarify, I think he’s one of the more imposing bodies in soccer, and will be glad when he’s back with the Nats booming headers away. On the basketball court he’d be a small SMALL forward though.)

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  9. If he can get back to full training fitness with AC by mid April then I think he’ll be OK to make it to SA. Got to remember there will likely be an extended camp and run-up games before the 23 man team has to be leave for SA. Just don’t know when the Roster has to be submitted to FIFA?

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  10. Milan is playing amazing without him. Gonna be tough for him to get back in the mix. He said he won’t be able to play in March but maybe train in the US camp them. That only gives him about 8 weeks before the WC. I’d call it 50/50. I just hope he and the staff don’t push it and risk further injury. I’d rather him miss the WC and have a longer career than rush back and miss another year.

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  11. I do not know that. Gooch’s strength was never really in positioning and intercepting. He is far better at dominating areas, dominating balls in the area, and dominating players. So long as his injury hasn’t affected him mentally and he’s able to get touches on the ball, he won’t be too much a liability if he doesn’t get serious playing time with AC.

    Players, I find, that need that sort of coverage are more technical players – the passers, shooters, dribblers. While Gooch was getting better at these three, those aren’t the strengths he plays to.

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  12. exactly!…he was not starting when healthy and at this stage might even be harder securing minutes.

    Hope for the best and a speedy recovery but im worried about game shape coming this world cup. A sloppy gooch is a liability in the back

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  13. Great news so far! Hopefully his schedule will go as planned and he’ll be able to get some action for AC Milan before the season is over and be fresh and ready to go for the World Cup.

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