Any hopes that Timothy Chandler might feature for the US national team at the World Cup this summer took a serious hit on Wednesday, when it was revealed the FC Nürnberg defender will miss the remainder of the Bundesliga season while recovering from a knee injury.
Nürnberg head coach Gertjan Verbeek broke the news, marking another interesting turn for the 23-year-old right back who was once considered the frontrunner to hold down the flank in Brazil.
While it’s still possible that Chandler will receive a call to the team’s 30-man pre-World Cup camp in May, it will be a race against time for him to regain his fitness after suffering the injury in a loss to Bayern Munich on Feb. 14.
By the time Jurgen Klinsmann’s camp convenes, Chandler will be three months removed from first-team action in Germany, and he has not featured for the US since the team’s opening CONCACAF Hexagonal qualifier more than a year ago.
In the meantime, Seattle Sounders handyman Brad Evans, Stoke City right back Geoff Cameron and Columbus Crew newcomer Michael Parkhurst have all positioned themselves as worthy possibilities in Brazil.
Longtime Hannover 96 fixture Steve Cherundolo – who played the position at the 2006 and 2010 World Cups and was a dark horse to make Klinsmann’s team this summer – is expected to officially retire on Wednesday.
