DALLAS - FC Dallas President and General Manager Greg Elliott announced today that midfielder Richard Mulrooney has suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) to his right knee and will miss the remainder of the 2005 season. The injury is expected to sideline Mulrooney for a minimum of six months.
"We feel terrible for Richard, but this team was not built around one player," said Elliott. "While he is a major contributor to this squad and a key member of our family, we will rally around each other and work together to deal with this adversity.
"Richard is in good hands and we are confident that he will be ready and fit come the spring of 2006."
Mulrooney, 28, suffered the injury halfway through the first half in his return visit to San Jose on Saturday evening. He underwent a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) exam on Monday morning, where the tear was confirmed. FC Dallas Team Physician Dr. Shawn Bonsell will perform the surgery within the next two weeks.
Through the team's first seven matches in 2005, Mulrooney had tallied two goals and two assists after being acquired by FC Dallas on January 14, 2005. The 5-9, 160-pound midfielder spent six seasons with San Jose from 1999-2004 and was a two-time MLS Cup Champion with the Earthquakes in 2001 and in 2003.
In the same match on Saturday, defender David Wagenfuhr bruised his right kneecap near the end of the second half. Wagenfuhr is day-to-day with the injury, and will not play in Wednesday's match with Colorado at the Cotton Bowl.
