By FRANCO PANIZO
This was surely not the way John Brooks wanted to start out the new year.
Hertha Berlin announced on Tuesday that Brooks is set to miss 10-14 days of their winter camp after picking up a medial ligament sprain in his left knee during Monday’s training session. The U.S. Men’s National Team centerback had an MRI scan to determine the severity of the knock, and it was ruled that he would not travel with the rest of the team to Turkey later this week for the remainder of their preparations.
Brooks, who turns 21 later this month, has been in and out of Hertha’s lineup this season due to a combination of poor performances and injury. He has seven starts in eight appearances and has scored one goal, but recently lost his spot in the lineup after a subpar showing vs. Werder Bremen.
Hertha Berlin are currently in sixth place in the Bundesliga and ended the first half of the season on a three-game winning streak. They return to league play with a road game against Eintracht Frankfurt on Jan. 25.
—–
What do you think of make of this development? Think this will severely hurt his chances of reclaiming a starting role during the second half of the season? Hoping he makes it onto the U.S. World Cup roster and becomes cap-tied?
Share your thoughts below.