The Kansas City Wizards will be without midfielder Davy Arnaud to begin the 2008 MLS season, after undergoing surgery earlier this winter.
The 27-year-old Arnaud was second on the Wizards with four goals and nine assists in 2007, while displaying his usual endless energy mainly on the right side of midfield. But unknown to most, the speedy winger was playing with pain, and underwent micro-fracture surgery some eight weeks ago.
"[The micro-fracture surgery] was something I knew I was going to have to have. I'm glad I got it done. Now I'll be playing without pain," said Arnaud.
The surgery was a predictable outcome of Arnaud's cartilage surgery done last winter.
"They put some holes in the bone where there was some cartilage missing from last year's surgery," the six-year MLS veteran said. "That area scabs over and forms a layer to act like cartilage."
Kansas City head coach Curt Onalfo said Arnaud will be back for the club in 2008, but just not at the opening of the campaign.
"He has a little bit of a road ahead of him as far as rehabilitation," said Onalfo. "He's somebody we'll be able to count on this year but will probably miss several games at the beginning of the season."
Rehabilitation is going well for Arnaud, but, as always, pinpointing a return date is difficult.
"I had my six-week checkup about a week-and-a-half ago, and the doctor was really happy with how it looked and sounded really positive," he said. "[The timeline] depends on how the rehab goes, hopefully sooner rather than later. It has been going pretty smooth so far."
One of Arnaud's golf-playing pals, teammate Jack Jewsbury, had hernia surgery in the offseason as well, but it shouldn't be too long before they can enjoy a game together. But first things first: come Jan. 26, the day players report for preseason training, Jewsbury will be ready to go, but Arnaud will have to wait.
"I started my pool rehab on Wednesday, and I'm doing some stuff outside of that. I should be off my crutches in about a week," said Arnaud. "I can't start running until the 12th week."
Bob Rusert is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
