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Lichaj to undergo double hernia surgery, out indefinitely

EricLichajNottinghamForest5 (Getty)

By DAN KARELL

Eric Lichaj received some devastating news on Thursday that will likely keep him out of consideration for the U.S. Men’s National Team at the World Cup.

Nottingham Forest announced that Lichaj will soon undergo surgery for a double hernia, with no timetable for his return. Lichaj suffered an injury in Forest’s 4-1 defeat to Wigan on March 1, being forced off at halftime by what reports at the time labeled as a groin injury.

Due to the injury, Lichaj missed out on the USMNT’s training camp in Germany and defeat to Ukraine in Cyprus. With an unknown return date, it’s unlikely at this point that Lichaj would be selected to the USA’s World Cup squad, even with their lack of depth at full back.

The 25-year-old Chicago-area native has played 26 times for Nottingham Forest this season since joining the club on a free transfer in June 2013. However, recent injuries have kept Lichaj from seeing the field on a regular basis. Since Jan. 1, Lichaj has made just five appearances for Forest.

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What do you think of this news? Disappointed for Lichaj? Think that he could have made the World Cup squad even if healthy? Which other full backs are still in contention for a World Cup spot?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I had double hernia surgery. Doc will tell you not to exercise or lift anything over 25 pounds for 6 weeks. I had surgery on a Friday and was on an airplane 10 days later (although I had to have people lift my bags for me). Got to 6 weeks and called the doc to ask if I could start running. He said after 6 weeks I could do whatever I wanted with no restrictions. Although, I guess i am far from a professional athlete.

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  2. Hernias suck I had one but if he’s having both done at the same time is the same timetable for recovery. He just have to really rest and he will be good. I just hope he doesn’t push when he sits on he toilet that will set him back or I hope he’s not around funny people because laughter will set him back. Luckily for us he is England no one is funny and their food just runs right through you.

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  3. Feel bad for Lichaj. I’ve felt that the last 24 months he hasn’t gotten a fair shot at a USMNT spot. Hopefully he recovers and gets a shot next cycle

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    • How hasn’t he received a fair shot?

      He received a call up after earning the starting spot at Nottingam and was said to be earning more in the future. And then he hurt himself and was left off the squad.

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      • that was a very late call-up, considering he had already started and played well at aston villa without a callup (2012, maybe?).

        then he had a spell where he was only on the bench for villa, so klinsmann decided he’d rather put gringo torres at LB rather than take a look at lichaj.

        although i think he’d only ever be a backup, i am glad klinsmann finally brought him in. just bad timing for lichaj, as, even if healthy, he’d have to play really well to have a chance at overtaking the other options for brasil.

      • yeah, that was quite odd that Klinsmann would not even give Lichaj a sniff when he was with Aston Villa, yet was happyt, as you say, to play Torres at left back and then convert Beez to left back and then call in Parkhurst for a lot of TLC when he had not even made the bench for Augsburg for four months. I worry some of these odd decisions are going to come back to bite this summer.

  4. Another one down:
    Lichaj
    Cherundolo
    Chandler ?

    Sounds like Cherundolo is most likely out while Lichaj and Chandler are questionable based on current information. It’s not unusual to have injuries keep guys out of the WC; however our outside backs are going out at an alarming pace. Mssr.s Beasley, Johsnon and Evans all need to tread carefully.

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      • I like Brad Evans as a human being, but I hope he is not on the 23 man roster. We need a true RB backing up Cameron at the position.

      • yup. chandler is a better RB and can play RM. We have enough coverage at CM, so Evans should be lower value.

    • Spector is seeing some minutes and is regaining playing form… defensively he lacks pace as does Evans and both are composed on the ball… but Spector’s crosses are much better and his got WC experience.

      Not much of a fan but he might squeeze in for a final roster spot….

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    • I think we have excellent starting fullback coverage with Geoff Cameron and Fabian Johnson, and solid back-up coverage if necessary. Who do you see in MLS better than Geoff or Fabian? I worry more about USMNT central defense in Brazil than fullbacks.

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      • I am not sure that any one part of our back line should be our main worry – or just the collective.

        I dont know that this injury to Lichaj changes much, as he has appeared to be outside looking in on JK’s plans.

    • He hadn’t exactly seized the spot — though he looked good several years ago he looked shaky when called back up, hadn’t been called again. This ends his campaign but bluntly no one’s grabbed the spot and made it theirs. That being said, only Beasley has put his stamp on a spot, so it’s a general backline issue. But this only rules Lichaj out of a chance to make noise and be a sleeper, it’s not like he had earned his way high up the pecking order.

      Reply

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