CARSON, Calif. – This has been a lost season for defender Todd Dunivant, but he's hoping he can salvage something in the final month and make a real contribution as the LA Galaxy take aim at their third MLS Cup title in four years.
It's not looking very good for the veteran left back, who has been sidelined since the start of September with a groin tear and has not yet returned to full training.
“I hope not,” he said when asked following LA's training session Tuesday morning at StubHub Center if he thought it possible he would not get into a game the rest of the season.
“Still not training full-out, but going in the right direction,” said Dunivant, who missed the end of preseason and Galaxy's first two games this year with strained hamstring, then was out from March until August with an abdominal tear. “It's getting better. The tear was bad enough that it's just taking a long time to heal.
“We keep working on it, keep getting treatment, keep getting physical therapy -- all that stuff. I'd love to be training next week. I don't know if that's going to happen or not, but that's my goal.”
The Galaxy would need to beat Real Salt Lake on Sunday at StubHub in the second leg of their Western Conference semifinal of the MLS Cup Playoffs, presented by AT&T (7:30 pm ET; ESPN2, get tickets here), to advance to the Conference Championship, against either Seattle or FC Dallas, if Dunivant is to have a chance see the field again in 2014.
Even then, it might be a long shot. Robbie Rogers has become LA's first-choice left back, and if Dunivant can return, it would likely be as a substitute.
“I just want to be healthy and be available, and whatever happens, happens,” Dunivant said. “It's just about getting healthy and running pain-free. I still haven't been able to run pain-free yet, and that's the biggest thing that I've got to get over.”
Head coach Bruce Arena doesn't think it's going to happen. Asked if he thought Dunivant would play again this year, he replied, “Not likely, no.”
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Dunivant has seen time in only eight games this year, including a half in Tijuana during the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals, and made just five starts.
“It's been so frustrating. I mean, it's been torture, it really has,” he said. “I've had a good run of, I think, five years here of being virtually, totally healthy. So maybe I saved it all up for this year, but it's been excruciating. Mentally, physically – it's just hard.
“Not only are you disappointed for yourself, but you feel like you're letting your teammates down, you feel like you're letting the club down. It's motivation to come back stronger than ever, and that's my plan.”
Dunivant has tried to stay “engaged” with the team, attending all team meetings, being with his teammates in the locker room and during warm ups before training, while providing insights of “things I see in games.”
“You try to stay part of it, but there's no substitute for being out in the battlefield with the guys,” he said. “You do lose something, but I try and contribute any way I can, and, hopefully this year, there's still a way to contribute on the field in some way.”
