Toronto FC return to the pitch on Saturday in San Jose for their first match in two weeks, but for defender Marvell Wynne, it has been a much longer wait. Wynne is back with the Reds after missing the last six games due to international duty with the United States at the FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa, and is eager to get his first taste of game action since TFC's 3-0 loss to Houston on May 30.
"I can't wait," Wynne said. "Just watching the game being played, you always feel that you could do this, or do that, or make a difference. Hopefully I can come back, make a difference and get an assist or something in the game."
Wynne didn't receive any playing time during the Confederations Cup, but the 23-year-old was happy to add the tournament to his growing international resume that also included call-ups to the USA side during last autumn's World Cup qualifiers, and playing for the USA team at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
The Confederations Cup, however, was the most notable for Wynne in terms of team results. After the United States lost its first two matches, the team salvaged a berth in the knockout round following a 3-0 win against Egypt, and then delivered a shocking semifinal upset of Spain, at the time the top-rated team in the FIFA world rankings. The USA then took a 2-0 halftime lead against Brazil in the tournament final before eventually falling by a 3-2 final score.
Wynne hoped the USA's strong finish would build momentum for both the team's path to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and also to help further develop awareness of the national team in the crowded American sports landscape.
"It was great," Wynne said. "It definitely brought our team together during and afterward, knowing that we can compete with the best teams in the world. Hopefully we keep moving forward and keep raising our level.
"We all made jokes like, 'hey guys, we made the final, we'll be the talk of the town for three days, so let's milk it.' Everyone knows soccer is coming up in the States, through the youth, the kids all playing soccer."
After going through a rollercoaster of emotions with the USA in South Africa, Wynne returns to a TFC side that experienced similar ups and downs in his absence. The Reds were 3-3 without Wynne, a record that included the highs of winning the Nutrilite Canadian Championship tournament, and the low of their most recent match, a 3-0 rout at the hands of Real Salt Lake on June 27.
The bye week came almost directly at the midseason mark for Toronto FC, which interim head coach Chris Cummins felt was ideal.
"The rest came at the right time for the lads. We haven't changed too much in what we're doing, we just wanted to recharge the batteries." Cummins said. "Not just players but the staff as well. It's a long season, we've had a lot of games and it takes its toll on everyone. This weekend going in we're fully fit, everybody's fit and raring to go."
Cummins said he gave some players more time off than others, due to fitness or family situations. Perhaps the most notable situation was that of midfielder Amado Guevara, who was given time to visit his family and newborn baby daughter in his native Honduras but had his return temporarily put on hold due to the tumultuous political situation in the country.
Guevara was back for Thursday's training session, however, and will be available for selection this weekend in San Jose.
"I've been speaking to him nearly every day," Cummins said. "It's a worry obviously down in Honduras with everything that's going on there. He's so keen to get back [to Toronto]."
After their week off, TFC sit in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with 22 points, and are just barely holding onto a playoff position as they stand eighth overall in the Major League Soccer table.
The struggling Earthquakes, who sit last in the Western Conference, are theoretically an ideal opponent for a club that wants to improve their position. But the 'Quakes are 2-1-2 over their last five matches, and have a winning 3-2-2 record at home.
TFC, conversely, is 1-3-2 on the road this season, 1-5-1 against West clubs, and are 0-1-1 all-time against San Jose. Toronto dropped its only previous visit to Buck Shaw Stadium, a 2-0 result in last season's finale.
If the Reds are to reverse all of those statistics, defender Nick Garcia's insider knowledge of the Earthquakes could be invaluable. Garcia was traded to Toronto from San Jose on June 9 after serving as the 'Quakes captain since the start of the 2008 season.
"I have the luxury of knowing all the guys I'm playing against," Garcia said. "I need to stay focused for 90 minutes and be ready to go to help the guys around me. ... Having been in the midst of what they were trying to do, I have a pretty good idea of who's healthy and who's not, and knowing some of the guys' tendencies.
"For us, going into San Jose, we need at least a tie, if not a win. It's not an easy place to play but I think it's definitely a doable situation for us."
Garcia noted that he will be spending an extra day in San Jose to finalize some housekeeping and moving matters so he can officially leave the city behind, but earlier in the week, it was questionable as to whether the veteran defender could even be able to make the trip. Garcia sat out Monday and Tuesday's practices with mild groin and adductor strains, but did take part in most of TFC's training exercises on Thursday.
The veteran defender said he is "pretty close" to being at full strength.
"We're working on getting me ready for Saturday so that's the most important thing, regardless of what I do at training," Garcia said. "Fitness-wise I think I'm pretty good."
With Garcia available, the only Toronto absence on the weekend is midfielder Sam Cronin. The rookie star is away on international duty with the United States in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. The U.S. side is 2-0 thus far in group play, and have already clinched a spot in the knockout round. The USA also plays on Saturday, facing Haiti at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
Ali Gerba, TFC's other Gold Cup representative, is currently tied for the tournament lead in goals with two. Gerba has provided all the offense for Canada in 1-0 wins over Jamaica and El Salvador that sent the Canucks through to the knockout round.
Canada's success means that Gerba, who was unavailable to TFC until the July 15 transfer window, now won't be able to wear the Toronto red until at least the club's July 25 match in Columbus.
Mark Polishuk is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
