It might not be quite a vow on the level of Joe Namath or Mark Messier, but Jeff Cunningham has a promise of his own concerning Toronto FC's 732-minute goalless streak.
"I'm going to guarantee we're going to score this weekend," said the Toronto forward. "It'll happen."
Cunningham might get the chance to back up his words. Should Cunningham play on Saturday against Real Salt Lake, it would conclude a remarkable turnaround for the veteran striker, who thought his season was over as few as 10 days ago. Cunningham left Toronto's 2-1 win against RSL on July 4 with what was thought to be an abdominal injury. The diagnosis proved more serious -- a sports hernia that kept Cunningham out of seven matches and limited him to a combined 27 minutes in two others.
A German surgeon specializing in sports hernias was contacted, but it was thought that Cunningham wouldn't be able to get his surgery done until after the season was over. Reds coach Mo Johnston acknowledged some help from MLS officials in getting Cunningham accommodated.
"It was a tight push to get the surgery done, and it was impossible," Johnston said. "Then ... the league office ended up getting it pushed and we got it done fairly early on the eighth of September."
Now Cunningham is almost ready to return to the pitch. TFC defender Marvell Wynne had a similar procedure last season as a member of the Red Bulls, and was able to be back on the field after only a week. Cunningham is hoping for a similarly short recovery time.
"The best news the surgeon gave me was that I could play after eight days, and it just happened to my against my old club," said the forward, who came to Toronto in a deal from Salt Lake on May 22. "It's destiny, man. Everything's just lining up for us to get a big win here."
Surgically-repaired stomach aside, the biggest physical change in Cunningham is the smile on his face. The forward in good spirits on Friday when he spoke to the media for the first time since his return to training.
"I'm too young to be having season-ending injuries," Cunningham joked. "I'll start doing that when I'm 38."
Cunningham's attitude was greatly improved from his mood after his last game, a 20-minute stint against Chivas USA on August 18. He said he was frustrated by his performance in Toronto's 2-1 loss and felt he was letting down his teammates.
"The last game I played I wasn't up to the standard the team needed me to be at," he said. "I was disappointed. At that point I was just hurting myself and the team."
Now, the striker's confidence has returned along with his health. When asked how much time he thinks he could handle playing, Cunningham joked he needed just "five minutes to put one in the back of the net."
Needless to say, the TFC attack would be elevated by a healthy Cunningham. The club hasn't won in the nine games since the forward's injury, and the 732-minute goal drought is an MLS record for scoring futility.
Johnston said that forward Danny Dichio could be back training within 10 days after suffering a torn foot muscle on Sept. 4, and thus the Reds might soon have their full strike force back together for a late-gasp playoff push. The coach warned that he wouldn't push his forwards until they were fit, noting that Cunningham hasn't played a full match since July 1.
Cunningham hopes, at least, to be available as a substitute against Real Salt Lake. After the long layoff and mentally accepting his injured status as final, the forward is eager to revive his 2007 season -- and hopefully make good on his promise of a TFC goal.
"Every player wants to be out there, but the coach will make the best decision for the team. Even if it's to be on the bench ... just to be part of a positive result, it would be great," he said. "It would make everything I've been through ... all the ups and downs, fall into place. Getting a result [Saturday] would make it all worth it, especially against my old club."
Mark Polishuk is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
