FC Dallas will have World Cup-winning midfielder Denilson available this weekend when they play host to D.C. United at Pizza Hut Park, after the club received word his work visa has been approved.
It didn't seem likely the Brazilian star would figure in Saturday's match, but FC Dallas received official notification on Thursday that he would be eligible. To clear a senior international spot for Denilson, FCD also announced on Thursday that fellow Brazilian Marcelo Saragosa would go on the season-ending injury list because of knee problems that have plagued him for much of the season.
Still, Hoops head coach Steve Morrow said Friday that Denilson, who recently turned 30 years of age, will not be in the first team for the United match.
"I don't think he's ready to start at this moment. We had a long chat yesterday about his physical condition and wanted a few days to assess that. I think he sees himself as not 100 percent at the moment. But he's not far off, which is a big positive for us," Morrow said. "We want to be fair with him and not send him out there to start a game that he's not ready to start. We'll get him involved in some capacity tomorrow. He will be on the bench and hopefully, we can get him some minutes on the field. We want to get him at 100 percent fitness as quickly as possible."
"I'm very happy that I will be able to play and to be able to debut in a competition that's new for me," Denilson said on Friday. "I'm anxious to start playing, to be able to help my teammates and to be able to play my game. I want to do as much as I can to help my team and do what my coach asks."
Denilson admitted that he told Morrow that he doesn't quite feel at full strength.
"I was sincere in letting him know that I am missing some game sharpness since it has been some time since I have played an official game," he said. "I don't know if my fitness level is at 90 minutes yet. Hopefully, [Saturday] I will have the opportunity to play in the second half and from the moment that I enter, I can do my best."
A member of the Brazil team that captured the nation's fifth FIFA World Cup title in 2002, Denilson last played for Saudi Arabian side Al-Nasr. Before that, he played in France, Spain and also in his native land of Brazil.
It has been at least three months since he played in a competitive game but Denilson expects a completely different atmosphere on Saturday.
"The last time I played an official game was a reserve game over three months ago," he said. "I had been playing with Palmeiras in friendly games there in Brazil with players who weren't called to the first team against teams in the second division, but it's not the same."
Once Denilson does hit the field for his debut, Morrow expects to see a player ready to prove something.
"I think he feels that he's been out of the spotlight for a year now and sees this as a big challenge," Morrow said. "We think he has the potential to be the best player in the league. He feels that as well and wants to prove that to everybody."
Denilson doesn't think he has anything to prove. "Not everyone, but a majority of people already know how I can play," he said. "They know how I am and that could make it more difficult for me on the field, but it's nothing that I'm afraid of. I'm prepared for what is coming."
Even though he has trained just a week with FC Dallas, Morrow has already been impressed by what Denilson has shown on the practice field.
"He's shown some great stuff in training this week and I think when we can get him close to 100 percent, we're all going to see what a quality player he is," Morrow said. "He sees it as a big challenge and wants to do something big for soccer in this country."
Earlier in the year, when FCD was looking to add Argentinian midfielder Pablo Ricchetti to their roster, it took some time to gain approval on his work visa. So, Morrow was pleasantly surprise when the paperwork for Denilson took only a few days to turn around.
"It took just a few days, which was a big surprise for us," Morrow said. "Sometimes it happens like that. I've never understood the process. It probably depends on what kind of backlog they have."
Steve Hunt is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
