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Bradley to undergo foot procedure during Toronto FC break

MichaelBradleyTorontoFC2-DCUnited2004 (USATodaySports)

By CAITLIN MURRAY

Toronto FC is making the most of a bye week, with midfielder Michael Bradley taking the opportunity to address a bothersome nerve issue in his foot. The minor procedure had been previously scheduled for the break.

“It just means he’s just got to get off it for a week,” manager Ryan Nelsen said of Bradley resting his foot after the procedure, according to the Toronto Star. “This was always planned, to do it at this time when we have a couple of weeks off.”

The injury is something that Bradley has had “for a long time” but hasn’t prevented Bradley from playing, Nelsen said without specifying the injury.

“You can play on it, but it’s annoying,” Nelsen added. “He’s had a procedure to take care of that — it was always going to be done over these two weeks.”

The timeline should allow Bradley to be back for Toronto FC’s May 3 home match against the New England Revolution. Bradley did not train with the team on Thursday.

Bradley has been dealing with some minor issues that have affected his playing time in recent weeks, including two weeks ago when he missed a loss to Colorado. He went the full 90 in a loss to Dallas last weekend, but appeared to struggle a bit.

Meanwhile, Jermain Defoe looks to be improving after missing the last three TFC matches and is expected to be back for the May 3 match.

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What do you think of this news? Think Bradley can put this issue behind him? Think Toronto FC will play better when they return from break?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. It’s interesting to read the “indispensable debate” about Bradley these days. It’s so much better then the “nepotism” debate from not so long ago. How many not-indispensable people are former nepotism people? I’m glad it sounds like this isn’t a big issue. We are better with him and I look forward to seeing him with the armband someday.

    Reply
  2. Just a guess, but sounds like plantar warts or something of that nature. Cutting the warts out is a minor procedure that keeps you out for a week or two. You can play on them, but they are a nuisance.

    Reply
      • Well I’m not too familiar with that.. but if it has a one week recovery time then that’s my guess also

      • The comment by “Michael” below guessed plantar warts. That might actually make more sense because they’re not saying what the injury is. Both neuroma and warts are fairly common, but no one wants to admit to having warts. Eww.

        (Also, Nelson, the manager, said that he’s been treated for it before. So maybe MB tried some of the OTC wart removers, which only work 50% of the time.)

      • P.S. definition of “total soccer nerd”: willing to analyze and discuss every detail of the most vague information, down to and including whether or not a player has plantar warts.

      • Yea but I heard a soccer player who has a history of planter warts can only thrive in a double pivot 4-4-2 due to the lack of mobility required by the inverted role supported by a dual threat # 7 … but only in western Europe due to the pitch conditions, but only in the southern part due to the humidity factor… it must be true cause I read it on the interwebs

      • Kyle Beckerman pairs better with a player who has plantar warts, whereas Jermaine Jones excels playing alongside a neuroma sufferer.

      • There’s also injected-antigen therapy, which can cause a few days of pain that you can live with if you ride a desk but would be hell if you’re trying to play soccer.

        Or so I’m told…

  3. Any USMNT fan who isn’t a little concerned is in denial. Not saying there’s any reason to panic of course, but no doubt Bradley didnt seem himself against Dallas. Here’s hoping the procedure is successful and the rehab timeline goes as planned…

    I will admit being one who questioned Bradley’s constant appearances in the last cycle, despite inconsistent play. But he has become, without question, the most important player on the USMNT this cycle. The entire team plays on a higher level when he is on the field, and it is very obvious, both in terms of results, and observing the way the team plays. And I agree with the above poster that our chances against Germany and Portugal (and I’ll add Ghana, whose central midfield is very tough) are slim without Bradley.

    So to say that our most important player is having a foot surgery less than 2 months from the World Cup match against Ghana with some time off/rehab time included is no big deal just is not accurate.

    Reply
    • Could you please enlighten us on the details of this surgery? Because I am aware of a number of surgeries that have very brief recovery times—as in, a few days. (From the limited info we’ve been given, it sounds like a neuroma.)

      Reply
      • Can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic or not. Obviously I don’t know any details or what surgery he’s having, and feet aren’t my field. And sure, like you said, there are many surgeries with recovery of only a few days. But in the world of medicine there are no guarantees, and our bodies are extremely complex. And the foot is pretty important for a soccer player. If it makes you (and me) feel better, they seemed to have planned for this and had it timed so MB could recover for the WC, assuming no complications.

      • It just seems to me that the risks of the surgery could be far lower than the risks of playing soccer. Thus, every fan is always concerned about injury and this barely adds anything to that.

      • I like what basketball great Bill Walton once said. It’s only minor surgery when it is on someone else.

  4. If the Canadians screw up Bradley’s foot by rushing back too soon or the like, I swear to Pele, we will invade that country…..

    Reply
      • I’m sure Bathists consider the Second Iraq War a victory.

        Oh… That’s right… Their armies were routed on the field of battle, they were driven from the halls of power, and and a different and “democratically” elected government stood up and governs the country.

        Hell of a “victory”.

    • No. If we invade, the Canadians will bomb the Baldwin compound and Satan will rise up through I fissure in the earth and our plans to execute Terrence and Philip will be foiled.

      Reply
  5. Facing Germany and Portugal without Bradley would be an impossible task. Really hoping this is not a lingering issue going into Brazil.

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    • Facing Germany and Portugal without Bradley would be an impossible task? Respectfully disagree with that assessment. Not a single man on the USMNT who is indispensable, with the possible exception of Julian Green. In any case, we are stacked in the midfield with the only problem being how to set it up tactically to create the best chemistry possible. Mikey-Cakes is obviously a key player for the USMNT and a first-choice midfielder, but it is possible that a Bradley-less USMNT with other chemical combinations in the midfield might turn out to be more productive than a midfield with Bradley. I actually would like to see Klinsmann try some new combinations in the send-off friendlies.

      And I will add as a huge supporter of Jermaine Jones, that if Jones comes into the May camp from Turkey in average to weak form then Klinsmann should drop him from the starting line-up like a ton of bricks and try other combinations without jones. Such as MB and Jose Torres/Joe Corona. That said, if Jermaine Jones is at his yellow-card beast best, then I think he will be more important in the Group of Death then Michael Bradley. Just my opinion.

      Reply
      • Eh, I’m not reading this right Biff. Your Green statement is ambiguous. I think Jones could be more important on defense so in regards that that half of the game yes. But Bradley makes that midfield go both ways and not just defend, It won’t be Costa Rica bad as we can plan but its still not good.

      • I am a Besiktas supporter, and Jones showed well against Fenerbache. He picked up an early yellow, but played smart throughout. With Besiktas challenging for the 2nd Turkish Champions League spot, I expect he will continue to push himself every week.

      • It’s what he does. I’m glad he is doing well. Keeping Galatasaray out of the Champs league is kinda a big deal.

      • This is nonsense biff. Bradley is our best player. Without him we struggle to generate anything. There have been plenty of games to point to as an example of this.

      • these games you are referring to we were also missing the likes of Dempsey, Donovan and some of our European players! Bradley is a top 4 player on our team but I don’t think we couldn’t function without him! He’s a boss in midfield, but we have enough talent there to make things happen if he’s unavailable!

      • @fifawitz1313: Read the statement again that I was responding to, and read it slowly and think about the words.

        *Facing Germany and Portugal without Bradley would be an impossible task.*

        Sorry, I don’t buy it, that without MB the USMNT does not stand a chance against Portugal and Germany. That is hyperbole at its worst. The USMNT is not a one-man team and is not going to crumble in Brazil if MB is absent. And, as I said, it is possible the team might even be better without Bradley in the starting line-up.

        And if Bradley is starting, as I agree he most likely will be, I am not convinced that he should be playing as an attacker. I think he is better staying back. I don’t think he’s good going forward with the ball at his feet, especially against WC competition. We have better attacking midfiedlers than MB and I think it would be a mistake to play MB in that role.

      • What your saying is that we should go fall straight into hopelessness without Bradley then I agree. Impossible is a strong word.

      • If your argument is that the US can be stronger if Bradley plays something other than the box-to-box/playmaker/#8 midfielder role then I can agree.

        But I don’t see any scenario where the US could actually be better without him playing.

      • Biff, think about what you just said.
        If you want to make the point that the team without MB can’t win, ok, that’s plausible- yet not a desirable situation.
        If you want to make the point that MB is better as a deep lying midfielder where his decision making, passing, positioning, spacing, and coming into the attack late makes us better? I actually agree with you there.
        But to say we may be better off without MB in the starting 11 is just Cuckoo’s Nest buddy.
        If you’re saying that to overstate your point that no one guy is irreplaceable that’s one thing…
        But if that’s really your opinion…. as Chris Berman would say….come on man….

      • Let’s get real here. Both Germany and Portugal are top teams–Germany is, what, #2 and Portugal #5? Even with Bradley it may be difficult to get any points from these two games. How long have you been following the USMNT? I think that Bradley is as important to the US as Reyna was in his heyday. He is the closest thing we have to an indispensable player.

      • “”Bradley is our best player.””

        Let’s face it, Bardley is a bum. On top of that, he ain’t fit and Klinsi needs to drop him from the 23. I’d take Wombach over this bum Bardley.

      • Not true. Bradley didn’t play during the Gold Cup and that was some of the best soccer I’ve seen this team play.

        We’ve never had anyone good enough to be indispensable. Bradley may be our best field player of all time but we can play well without him, as we have many times. Jones is also a very good #8 and if given freedom to play his natural position rather than sit back (ie pair him with a #6) I think he’d excel.

      • biff, I think you’re headed in the right direction but push your point too far when you suggest that Jones could be more important than Bradley.

        JK said it best: they are the “spine.”

        So, which is “more important”: the 4th thoracic vertebra or the 5th?

      • yeah, but I am not saying Jones is irreplaceable either. If Jones for one reason or another cannot start Brazil, I have faith that his replacement will dig deep deep deep and fight like hell and leave his guts on the field if necessary for the win. We are talking World Cup here, folks, the stuff these guys have dreamed of for years since they were little boys and when the ref blows the whistle to start the game magical things can happen and if Klinsmann pulls his head out and actually makes the right roster choices and devise a decent tactical plan I think we crush Germany and survive the Group of Death and I truly believe this.

      • Relax, people, clearly biff is being sarcastic with all these posts, and doesn’t actually believe we’ll crush Germany and that MB isn’t the most indefensible player in the team.

        You had us going for a while there, biff….

      • I won’t begrudge you your opinion, just saying why many would disagree. The same arguments for the WC bringing out the hunger in our guys applies to our opponents.

        I think our best hope would be Win-Win-Draw, with a more likely scenario being Win-Draw-Lose. (In both cases, we survive the group.)

      • @KingGoogleyEye: I think Portugal, assuming that Ronaldo is fit and in the line-up, is going to be our toughest opponent. Ghana I think will be second toughest, first game nerves and all, and I think Germany will be easy pickins. What most USMNT fans are not yet realizing is that Bayern is gradually unraveling right before our very eyes and as Bayern goes so goes the German national men’s team. Bayern in past weeks tied Hoffenheim and then got beat 1-0 by Augsburg and then humiliated 3-0 by Jurgen Klopp and finally was able to score two goals for a win over cellar dweller Braunschwieg. Bayern in the CL put in uninspiring performances against a team coached by David Moyes and Bayern then gets beat Madrid and is again unable to score a goal.

        Philip Lahm world-class Germany fullback is being played as a midfielder by Pep Guardiola. Thomas Mueller, one of the best wingers in the world, is sitting on the bench. And if Bayern fails to move past Madrid to the final next week and then loses to Dortmund in the Pokal cup this is going to create a confidence crisis for Germany going into the World Cup. And the USMNT’s ace in the hole is that Germany is coached by Jogi Low, probably about the most overrated coach in the world. And let’s not forget, we beat Germany last year and now know it is possible even if it was against the b/c team.

        Germany’s defense is highly suspect now. Jerome Boateng sukks and left back is up in the air with Marcel Schmelzter out injured and Gundogan is out and Ozil is in a funk and who plays striker for Germany? Grandpa Mirsolav Klose? Or always injured Mario Gomez? Oh, and let’s now forget Mario Goetze, who is hardly playing at Bayern and when he does get the chance to score a goal against Madrid he kicks the ball straight at Casillas. I repeat: Germany will be our easiest opponent. I think we beat them, assuming we still need the points. If we already have the points, probably Jurgen, unlike what he did with Panama, would go easy on Germany for his good buddy Jogi Low.

      • Which is why the analogy works; i.e., since you’re clearly more fond of your 4th, you won’t mind if I remove your 5th, right?

      • biff should be banned from SBI for stating Bradley is not indispensable. The USA goes the way the Bradley goes or haven’t you been watching?

      • “”The USA goes the way the Bradley goes or haven’t you been watching?””

        Been watching since before you were born, son. I’m telling you that Bardley is a bum (and he’s a crock, you don’t take crocked bums to the World Cup fyi.)

        We play our best sawker without Bardley. Perhaps you don’t remember winning the Copa Oro in Chicago when Bardley was suspended after the semis (red card vs Canada). His replacement, Benny the Bench scored the winner on a cracking strike from over 20 yards out, just the kind of thing we are lacking when Bardley plays.

      • This is a lot of print for a sophomoric terminology discussion.

        Anything is possible. What a person like JK has to think about is what is PROBABLE.

        The probability is that the USMNT is better off with an in form Bradley, Jones , etc. Can the US advance without either player?

        Sure.

        Is it likely? Probably not. Is it possible that the absence one or both of the spine will somehow cause Corona and Torres to produce a super human effort and lead the US to a shock victory over everyone in Group three.

        Again, sure, anything is possible. To paraphrase Jim Carrey, “of course there’s a chance”.

      • Crazy-talk…

        No good team is a one-man team, but there is zero question that we are better with him on the field. The results say so as do the eyes of anyone watching games with and without him in the squad.

        Bradley is the only player in the US squad that can control the tempo of the game against good competition. We’ve looked pretty good at times without Jones in the lineup, with both Beckerman and Cameron doing the holding job in more of a diamond midfield. So if you want to see more potential combinations, better off seeing different partners to Bradley. That said, I think Jones will be important as well.

        No one is absolutely indispensable, but Bradley is about as close to it as it gets for us.

      • Jose Torres or Joe Corona? There’s definitely a Tijuana/weed joke to make here, but I’m not funny enough to make it. Anyway, neither of those guys have any business starting a game in the World Cup. They probably don’t have much business in the squad at all.

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