Colorado Rapids: http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Conor-Casey-c9414 out for season with a torn Achilles tendon – MLS News
Major League Soccer Cup champions, http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Colorado-Rapids-c38849, have been dealt a heavy blow as the team’s goal poacher, Conor Casey, has been ruled out with a season ending injury.
The attacker got his Achilles tendon torn in last Saturday’s 4-3 loss to http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Seattle-Sounders-FC-c40474 at CenturyLink Field. The player fell on the artificial turf unchallenged and remained there for some time before being stretchered off the ground.
Furious with extent of the injury, head coach Gary Smith did not spare the hybrid pitch any criticism.
“The surface was dreadful, absolutely dreadful,” he said. “It wasn’t only spongy, it was like running in treacle. The most important play in the game was Conor going off. Can we relate that to the pitch? I think so. I think the pitch moved; there’s no stable
foundation to the turf.”
Infuriated with the condition of the ground, the coach warned Manchester United, who are representing the Barclays Premier League in the World Football Challenge.
Meanwhile, Casey was admitted to the local General Hospital in Commerce City, Colorado. The medical staff ran an MRI test on the player and the results brought bad news; eight months of rehabilitation means Casey will not play a part in the ongoing season.
Casey’s teammate and roommate on the road, midfielder http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Jeff-Larentowicz-c18241, told the media that he felt sorry for the player. Casey had been through different medical tests and rehabilitation programs before and it is a sorry situation that he will go through
the same again.
The former http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Toronto-FC-c40744 player was leading the club with six goals and an assist. His roommate, Larentowicz, remains the second in line with four tallies to his credit.
However, while the first striker remains in the rehabilitation after surgery, the team has to find a way to remain in the league with a matching alternative to Casey. While a direct replacement would be difficult to find, the head coach still has ample options
to choose from.
Caleb Folan will be the first choice for the tactician. With three goals, the shadow striker is third in the listing, scoring three goals with the latest coming in the last match against the Rave Green.
The manager showed full confidence in Folan replacing the lead hit man.
“Caleb will get more football,” Smith said. "I am sure he is looking forward to that. He’s always very heavily in my mind set — I just have to make sure he’s getting the right amount of football as he adapts to the league and as he gets fully over some of
the physical and health issues he might have had before.”
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Andre-Akpan-c5614 are the other three options at the coach’s disposal.
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