By FRANCO PANIZO
The target date for Danny Williams’ Reading return has been set. It is just not any time soon.
Williams is hoping that by November he will be fully recovered from the knee injury that he sustained in March while playing for the U.S. Men’s National Team. The 25-year-old Williams had surgery on the knee in July and has yet to play for Reading as a result. The injury also cost him a chance to compete for a World Cup roster spot.
“I did everything to avoid surgery in the summer,” Williams told GetReading.co.uk on Thursday. “I had special treatment but then it started to swell up again after games or tough sessions, so I decided to have the operation. It’s frustrating. I’ve always said it’s the worst thing when I can’t help the team. But my knee is getting better, and I’m getting stronger.
“Hopefully I’ll be running again soon and could be back training by the start of November.”
Williams is just one of a handful of Reading players currently on the shelves, which is part of the reason why the club has sputtered to a 2-2-1 record that has them in 15th place in the Championship.
Last season, Williams enjoyed a strong debut campaign for a Royals side that missed out on a chance to qualify for promotion to the Premiership by one point. He started 24 of the 30 league matches he played in, and contributed with three goals.
Williams has 13 appearances for the U.S. since 2011. He last played under head coach Jurgen Klinsmann in March’s 2-0 loss to Ukraine, coming off the bench for the final 10 minutes of that friendly.
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What do you think of Williams target date of November for his return? Believe it will end up being later than that? Will he have a tough time breaking back into the Royals’ lineup?
Share your thoughts below.
Hears hoping he returns to his full abilities. CM/CDM may be our deepest position in the player pool but Jones & Beckerman will need to be replaced during this cycle. Having multiple options will help ease the transition.
Bradley, Williams, Diskerud, Powers, Kitchen, Trapp, Stanko, & Canouse will likely all be in consideration by the end of the cycle. Jones, Beckerman, Edu, & Torres will be there at the beginning of the cycle.
You jinxed him … Stank now has a torn ACL! Thanks for nothing Lost In Space
His ACL was torn before my post. Still have high hope for him being back to top form by the Olympics then onto the Sr. Team
looking forward to seeing him back out there.
I got to see the team in person this last summer. The fans love him and he bossed the game.
Hopefully he either lights a fire under Bradley or overcomes Bradley.
The level he was playing at for Reading would have seen him on the plane to Brazil. He was immense. I’m excited to see him reach then exceed those heights after November.
Klinsi, just no more RW for him please…
I certainly hope so. Even if he doesn’t turn out to be amazing, he seems a competent and stable midfielder. You could see it in Reading’s results when he is out. They basically lost or drew without him. They won or drew with him.
It’s a shame its hard to watch the Championship and highlights don’t do much for midfielders.
The one game where Williams “played ” on the right wing for the US was the win vs Italy in Italy and him being lined up where he was was crucial in winning that game.
Hoping for a strong comeback he is needed. URZZZ!!!!