photo by ISIphotos.com
By FRANCO PANIZO
Charlie Davies looks set to take the next step in his remarkable comeback by resuming regular training with French club Sochaux in the next week or two.
Davies sat down with Sochaux's website and gave an update about the progress he is making at the Cap Sport Rehabilitation Center in Cap Breton, France, where he has spent the last two-and-a-half weeks rehabbing. According to Davies, doctors have told him he continues to make excellent progress, and Davies believes he will return to training in the near future.
"I'm outside running at a good pace, as far as jogging, cutting, agility and playing with the ball," said Davies. "I'm starting to dribble and trying to get the movements back. By the end of next week, I'll think I'll be pretty confident to end up joining the team again in training. That will be probably a bit frustrating in the beginning, to train with the guys, but each day that I get to touch the ball, it will become easier and easier. So I can say that things are going well."
Currently rehabbing at the same rehabilitation center as Chelsea duo Ashley Cole and Michael Essien, Davies' said his main goal is to be sprinting by the end of next week, and the U.S. international also admitted that he's confident about playing in some matches before the end of the season.
"I definitely feel that I'm able to get back towards the end of April. I feel really confident that I'll be back to myself as far as physical able to run, cut, shoot and do everything that I could before," said Davies. "Right now it's just continuing day by day. I put pressure on myself to try to come back."
Barring an injury setback, it seems quite likely he’ll be back by the WC. Full training by end of March and then nearly all of April and May to get full fitness back. There is a question of whether his top end speed will ever come back, but if he can get close, then his hunger should take him over the top. EJ and Charlie are speedsters, but I’d rather have a hungry, aggressive CD than a slightly faster but passive alternative. We have no good alternatives. I think he’ll be in the starting lineup, as far fetched as that seemed a few months ago.
It would be the ultimate to have him make it back, and make the World Cup!
GREAT Hangover reference!!
The story about Dempsey being on the bench is non-existent. The story is by Luke Cyphers, and the story only reports that Dempsey is traveling with the team.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/world-cup/story/_/id/4982628/ce/us/us-midfielder-clint-dempsey-knee-travel-fulham-italy?cc=5901&ver=us
Nice job on mischaracterizing the report, Brian S.
(SBI-To be fair, the story was truly mischaracterized by some of those shadier websites that are known to re-hash and change around stories.)
Where is this story?
My thoughts exactly. Minus all out sprinting and practicing with the team how much more could one do in rehad. If next week he begins to practice with the team there’s no reason he doesn’t see the pitch in April and definately with the US in the May friendlies.
I just had a day dream of Charile coming on as a 75th minute sub in the USA-ENG game on June 12th and scoring the game winner. Don’t wake me up. Don’t.
Reading this and earlier reading the story of Dempsey back on the bench for Fulham has made for a very good day. I hope he can pull this off!
uhhhh did anyone read his daily routine?? every sentence starts with “and then i go to the ____ gym” from 9 am until 7 pm. what a machine!
if you need to preface your comment with “i am prepared to get flamed,” then keep it to yourself
great news for charlie. you got 3 months son!
Gooch has to be close to returning to Milan. dempsey is going to be on the bench for fulham today.
hopefully a month from now we’ll get more positive news on gooch, davies, holden, and jones
chuck,
Not a flame at all. You bring up a good point. What’s good is that Charlie has discussed the impact the accident has had on not only himself, but others and he has pledged to be a voice going forward.
Charlie, break Ashley Cole’s other ankle while you’re in there.
Seriously, The media hyped up
a Golf player in the name of Tiger woods who played on a broken shin or whatever……….but it would not come even close to a Davies goal vs England. Just like the athletic abilities if Golf do not come even close to those of soccer.
He’s a champ!
Great News, Just hoping Gooch comes back because Milan really need a centerback. He definitely would have had playing time if he wasnt injured.
Fantastic news. Great start to the day.
it’s a satchel, Indiana jones had one
I am prepared to get flamed again,
I am glad he is back and I hope that he ( or anyone US ) scores the winning goal against England.
BUT, I also hope he looks beyond the glory now that he is everyone’s sentimental favorite after getting into a car with a drinker,
so that he uses his increased fame to teach others that doing so is NOT a good idea. Maybe teaches others the unsung hero is the guy that stops the drinker from driving.
Cant speak… Still…holding…breath. Stay strong Charlie.
A+
Man i was thinking that. Maybe a laptop bag. Giving him the benefit of the doubt.
As far as recovery goes he was lucky (relatively) that no major knee ligaments where damaged. I think he had something happen to same ligament that Clint injured (PCL?) which is not as bad i’ve heard as an MCL or ACL injury. The rest of the injuries like the broken leg and facial injuries are things that really do not affect a soccer player to much in this day and age. 50 to 20 years ago he would have been done I think.
I will get chills if he walks on the field 6/12 to face the Brits. Even if he doesn’t and makes a cameo at the end of games it will be a huge story. An 85% ready CD9 is on the plane to SA.
What an amazing story and an amazing comeback. Who says miracles don’t happen?
This is amazing, but I still cannot believe it.
Spectra,
We will be wearing white for our home jerseys. Here is a link to the new Home jerseys out May 1st, as well as the Away jersey-Blue (definite) and 3rd jersey-Red (potential).
Charlie why are you rocking the Man-Purse?!? Europe has gotten to you, young one. Someone intervene ASAP. Save him before its too late
Thats great! Lol.
Yeah, I heard Tiger made a cameo as well.
Is there a white jersey like the one we’ve had during qualifying. I like those ones
“Currently rehabbing at the same rehabilitation center as … Ashley Cole”
Wow, I had no idea that Charlie was a sex addict too.
The more I read about this guy, the more I see an ‘F-U, I’m gonna start vs. ENG, and no one’s gonna stop me” attitude. I’m definitely a fanboy, but I just get the feeling that CD9 is going to be back with a VENGEANCE, looking at JTerry and saying “F-U AND the wives you’ve slept with, I’m scoring on your a–, and you can’t stop me.” (Enough expletives, but I honestly think that’ll be his mentality.)
I agree that broken bones are an easier injury from which one returns to form than a knee/ankle. Simply based on the physics of muscle movement, the bones deal with the torque and compression, where the ligaments and tendons withstand phenomenal tensile forces to move the bones. Amounts to less stress on muscles if bones are broken…easier to regain form.
That is the beauty of being young and having a very healthy body. Free of drugs and alcohol does the body good in the rehab process. As already noted different types of injuries heal faster than others. The body can heal itself miracalously but it is his mental toughness that I am worried about. I would like to see how he does in his first game for Sochaux.
I will believe it when I see it, but this is encouraging. Even if he only comes on as a sub in the game against Algeria, it would be a remarkable “Costas worthy” story.
He does not have to be his old self to make it to South Africa. He simply needs to resemble his old self or show that he is on the path to being the same player. He doesn’t even need to be fit to play 90. Along as he can show flashes of the pre-accident Charlie Davies for 15 minutes than he’s on the flight. It’s not like the U.S. has a boat load of quality strikers waiting in the wings.
Start CD9 at the World Cup!
CD9 will be there in time. This is good news.
The only question for me is do I get a DAVIES #9 Home, Away, or 3rd Jersey?
Davies sure is impressive.
And think how inspirational it will be for the entire US team if he does manage to come back for the World Cup. That will be a powerful motivation for the team no matter how many goals he scores….
While what you say is true – leg injuries seem to always take a long time to come back from – what you’re thinking of are KNEE injuries. Granted, Chuck D’s injuries were more severe than your average broken leg. However…I would contend that they aren’t as bad as a severe knee injury in some ways. Once the broken bones have knit themselves back together, it’s just a matter of rebuilding strength in the muscles. While this is by NO means easy, it IS significantly easier than recovering from the damage of a blown tendon or ligament in the knee. At least, that’s my completely non-medical opinion from watching athletes in other sports recover from different types of injuries.
Broken bones are nothing to scoff at, of course. But the knee is such a sensitive, complex injury to come back from that I honestly think that would have taken much longer.
way to go chucky d. get back soon man!!!
He is still a couple miracles short of getting South Africa, but it’s the same tools that got him this far (determination, training staff, fan support, …) plus a little luck that will determine how the next bit goes.
Also, not returning to form is often as much about fear creeping into your game as any physical limitations. The injury did not happen on the pitch, so (given his success so far) I think he has a great chance of making it back.
I’m impressed as hell by what he’s done this far.
Only time will tell. You can speculate and doubt all you want but it’s the positive thoughts that have gotten him this far.
thinking he will be training with the full team in a week or two and getting back to his normal self are two completely different things. i want to be optomistic here, but how often does a player have that much surgery on his legs and return to his pre-injury form? Especially a player who relies on his legs for speed, agility, etc. I just don’t know guys…
Davies, what is your profession! Seriously, this guy is unbelievable.
“Currently rehabbing at the same rehabilitation center as Chelsea duo Ashley Cole and Michael Essien”
nice bonus to be able to rub shoulders with those two
it would have to be all expenses paid of course.
More than a great US soccer story, a great sports story period.
Since I alread have a kid, I would give up one of my testicles to be in stands when he scores his first goal back.
Can’t believe he’ll be on the World Cup squad, barring any setbacks. I believed he could do it, but had doubts he could pull if off.
It would be one of the great US soccer stories.
HE WILL BE IN SOUTH AFRICA COME WORLDCUP TIME STARTING FOR USA VS ENGLAND
Awesome…….(as he said), I’ll feel sorry for the defender that will try to defend him