It could be another two months before Chance Myers is back to full fitness, but Sporting Kansas City manager Peter Vermes likes the veteran right back's progress as he continues to recover from the torn Achilles tendon that ended his 2014 season.
“He's got to kind of get through the everyday training and things like that, and he's not there yet. He has, I would say, a couple of months,” Vermes told reporters in a conference call on Monday from Tucson, Ariz. “But the great thing is that yesterday, he was in training, running down the side and crossing balls and doing all that stuff. It just wasn't where there was any competing with someone else. So we're not there yet.”
Vermes stressed that the two-month estimate wasn't for Myers' return to competition, but for him to fully resume his starting role.
“When I say 'a couple of months,' I mean, 'He's to the place where he can go play the full 90,'” Vermes said. “I could be off a little bit. It all depends on when he gets back to everyday training, how fast he recovers and can deal with whatever pain he has and how he gets back acclimated to playing with us.”
Myers, who enters his eighth season with Sporting and is the club's longest-tenured player, was injured in May in a match against Toronto FC – one of four season-ending conditions Sporting had to face last season.
In Vermes' high-pressing system, the fullbacks bear a good deal of the load at both ends of the pitch.
“It's definitely a position where we need to be extremely fit, especially with the style that we like to play,” left back Seth Sinovic said later in the conference call. “We're counted on a lot to get forward and involved in the attack – and obviously, defensively we have to be on cue as well. So there are a lot of demands at that position physically and mentally as well because we need to organize the team, be balanced, pinch in when we need to be pinched in. There's a lot that goes into that position.
“Fortunately, Chance has played that position quite a bit and has tons of experience. From what I've seen, he's come along really well, progressing really well, and we'll be excited to have him back whenever he's ready to come.”
Sporting, who will return to Kansas City on Tuesday after closing their first session in Arizona with a 4-2 scrimmage win over FC Tucson, expect to have both center back Ike Opara and Graham Zusi available when the regular season begins in March.
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Opara missed most of the 2014 season with a chondral defect fracture in his right ankle, and Zusi has been recovering from a stress reaction in his foot.
“I think Ike's done a good job of surviving through this first phase because he had to kind of go through the soreness, the days when he had a little bit of pain and all that type of stuff,” Vermes said. “So that piece was important for him. He got through it. I didn't want to play him in either of the two games yet. I thought it would be good to put him through all the training sessions.
“Graham's a lot further ahead. He should start entering training when we get back.”
Steve Brisendine covers Sporting Kansas City for MLSsoccer.com.
