E. RUTHERFORD, N.J. - It's been an excruciating month for Mike Magee. More painful than the right knee sprain that's kept him out of the New York Red Bulls lineup since Aug. 16 has been the helpless feeling he's had since suffering the injury in a collision with D.C. United goalkeeper Troy Perkins.
He's had to sit and watch his team win just once in their last six games and find themselves once again in a dogfight just to make the playoffs.
"You have no idea, there's nothing more frustrating," Magee said. "Obviously if the team is winning and things are going well, the locker room is fun and it makes it more fun for me. With a couple of injuries and the team's not doing as well, I want to help the guys out. I'm sick of riding the bike, I'm sick of doing squats. I just want to play."
But Magee is back. Following his first full week of training, Magee has been taken off the injury report and is available for selection for Saturday's critical game against the Columbus Crew at Giants Stadium.
How important is this tilt? The Red Bulls are currently in fifth place in the Eastern Conference, four points out of a playoff spot with six games to play. They do, though, have two games in hand on fourth-place Kansas City.
D.C. United has already clinched a playoff berth and the Chicago Fire can all but wrap up the East's second this weekend. That leaves four teams battling for two spots. Red Bulls boss Bruce Arena has told his team that they can make the playoffs with three wins.
"At the end of the day we've got to get three points," Dema Kovalenko said. "You don't have to play pretty. You don't have to do 10 passes and a goal. If it's an ugly goal, it's an ugly goal. But we've got to get a result."
Magee couldn't have returned at a better time for a Red Bulls team that has been ravaged by injuries and suspensions. Arena has had six different starting lineups in the six games he's been on the bench for and he's guaranteed to field a different XI against the Crew.
Starter Todd Dunivant is out with a strained left quad and captain Amado Guevara is serving a one-game suspension after being sent off with a second bookable offense against New England.
But Magee is back, as is Youri Djorkaeff, who has been sidelined with back spasms. They were both part of the playoff push a year ago when the MetroStars clinched a berth on the final day of the regular season.
It's a desperate situation Magee isn't looking to duplicate.
"Every year we're kind of looking at going to the playoffs the same way, we don't have a comfortable lead or anything to be happy about," Magee said. "It would be nice if we could rest guys and this year it's the same thing. We're looking at six games away from the end of the season and we're in a must-win situation. It's not ideal but at least we have a chance."
Dylan Butler is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
