National team striker Cornell Glen set the CONCACAF Gold Cup next June as return date to international action as he continues rehab on a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL).
Glen who had suffered a similar injury during the 2006 World Cup encounter against Paraguay, made his return in a MLS fixture against Colorado Rapids in August but suffered a worse case in the first half and had to be replaced. He performed surgery on the torn ACL some weeks ago but has been forced on the sidelines for at least six months. He expects to resume ball work in the next two months and back on the playing pitch in four months.
“Right now I’m just trying to get back a range of motion after the surgery in LA. I’m trying to get the leg extension going again before I can do any kind of strength work,” Glen told TTFF Media on Monday.
Reflecting on the injury, he added “This time it was totally torn and that made it a lot worse. The injury against Paraguay was a partial tear and we felt that after two months or so it was safe to return but in that match against Colorado, it snapped again and that was it. It was massive disappointment.”
Glen has been in Trinidad since the surgery and says he has hopes of playing in the following MLS season but is unsure of his status there with one year left on contract with LA Galaxy.
“The coach has spoken to me and he mentioned that they would like to offer a better deal but I haven’t decided on what the next step is. Right now my main focus is getting over this injury and then I will have a lot of strength work to do because the other muscles around the damaged muscle are totally dead.”
He was able to put some smiles back on reuniting with the “Soca Warriors” during their two match series against St Vincent/Grenadines and Panama, visiting them at the training sessions. But that is a far cry from what he would prefer at this time.
“It was disappointing seeing them out there and not being able to continue after the showing in the World Cup. I also felt I could have gone into the League and keep on playing well. But I’m aiming at a comeback for the Gold Cup. The World Cup helped me to grow as a player. I now understand more of what it is to be a team player and that aspect of my game is better. It was a great learning experience and I thank God that I was able to be part of it before the injury. I have spoken to our head coach and he knows the situation. Hopefully I can get the ACL in shape again, get back my touch and come with a bang,” Glen concluded.
Glen will now shift his focus towards the Under 20 team in action as they go into World Cup qualification this Wednesday against Dominican Republic at the Ato Boldon Stadium from 7pm. Glen was once an integral part of the Under 20s during the CONCACAF final round played in T&T in 1999.
“I think this is an important time for them because a lot of us on the senior team now started playing for the country at this level and we showed some promise from that time,” Glen said.
The T&T team, coached by Brian Williams, went into a live-in camp on Monday and trained at the Larry Gomes Stadium in the evening period. They will continue their preparations on Tuesday before Wednesday’s match. The other teams in the group, St Vincent/Grenadines and St Kitts/Nevis will face each other from 5pm in the first game of the double header on Wednesday .Admission is $10 anywhere.