Frankie Hejduk has been on the road to recovery more times than he would like this season, but he still has a clear vision of the paths he wants to follow.
The longtime Columbus Crew defender hopes to captain the team to a second consecutive MLS Cup title in November then be named to his fourth U.S. World Cup team next season.
First, he has to overcome another nagging injury to his newly turned (Wednesday) 35-year-old body. Hejduk will miss his second consecutive match Saturday against San Jose in San Francisco's Candlestick Park with a right quadriceps strain that could keep him sidelined another two weeks.
The injury ruined any chance of him being named to the U.S. squad for the World Cup qualifier August 12 at Mexico, just as left groin and back injuries prevented him from playing in the FIFA Confederations Cup last month. He also sat four MLS games after suffering a right hamstring injury during a qualifier vs. Trinidad and Tobago on April 1.
"I've got to keep thinking positive. It's been one been one of those types of years," said Hejduk. "They're all different injuries but they have to do with each other. There's a little overcompensation here and there from the body. You start leaning to one side too much. It has snowballed a bit.
"I hope it's the last one. It's almost gone full circle -- the hamstring, the groin, the back now the quads. Every body part I've hit."
Fortunately, coach Robert Warzycha has the luxury of giving extra recovery time to Hejduk and forward Guillermo Barros Schelotto, who will sit his fourth consecutive match due to a hamstring injury, because the Crew are winning. They have won three in a row and are 4-0-2 in the past six matches.
"It's the quality of the players and the atmosphere," Warzycha said. "They're just helping each other. It's not rocket science. Every time they go on the field they play as a team. When you play as a team it's much easier, especially for the guys who come in, who haven't played too much."
Schelotto said he hopes to resume training next week and be ready for the home match Aug. 15 vs. FC Dallas or the first CONCACAF Champions League match three days later in Crew Stadium against the Puerto Rico Islanders.
"The team won three games. I've got time for recuperation," said Schelotto. "The coach says to be in excellent condition and don't come back and maybe in two or three weeks be injured again."
Hejduk expressed similar thoughts that he doesn't want to hurry back and cause further damage.
"If everyone's healthy and you have a full team and you're doing all right there's no need to rush into things," he said. "If you're in danger of not making the playoffs or not winning in awhile, of course you're trying to get back quicker than normal. I have to make sure I come back at 100 percent, not 90 percent. I don't want to miss any games. I want to be back as soon as I can. Do I take an extra week here or there? We'll see."
Jed Zayner has been the reluctant beneficiary of Hejduk's misfortunes. He had eight career matches in three previous seasons but has appeared in 13 games and made nine starts this season.
"The team can't wait for him to get back but it's also an opportunity for me to prove myself and also help out the team," Zayner said. "I'm really bummed he's hurt but also there's a 30 percent excitement in me knowing it's my opportunity. I don't like seeing him hurt. I like watching him play and learning from him."
Zayner made the start for Hejduk last week against Colorado but could be back on the bench this weekend with the possibility that Danny O'Rourke will get the nod at right back and Adam Moffat will move into center midfield.
Either way, the spot is being held for Hejduk. He has been a stalwart since joining the club in 2003 except for missing all but four matches in 2006 because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee. The season-ending injury was diagnosed a day after he was named to his third World Cup team.
Hejduk returned in 2007 to start 24 games and capped his comeback in last year's MLS Cup by scoring the insurance goal in a 3-1 victory against New York.
In addition to his World Cup appearances he also played in the 1996 and 2000 Olympics but said the desire is as strong as ever despite this year's injuries.
"This is a sport I love to do. You see it all the time in soccer and every sport, guys get injury-plagued seasons sometimes and this is one for me. I've had injuries when I was 20 also. You have these types of years for whatever reasons," he said. "My goal, obviously, is to try to put myself in position to have a chance to make the 2010 World Cup team. After that I'll reevaluate it again."
He also has his sights set on the upcoming qualifiers Sept. 5 vs. El Salvador and Sept. 9 against Trinidad and Tobago and the home stretch of the MLS season. He understands his goals can't be reached unless he is patient.
"I've had these two-week nagging injuries that are on the verge of almost ready to play but if I do I'm out even longer," he said. "The good thing is there's a lot of the season left and we're playing well, making sure we're there at the end for the playoffs."
Craig Merz is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
