FRISCO, Texas --- More than a month after his season ended in the MLS Cup, FC Dallas captain Daniel Hernandez says he’s recovering well from knee surgery and should be available for the team’s preseason camp in January.
Hernandez and FC Dallas lost to the Colorado Rapids in the MLS Cup on Nov. 21, and the 11-year league veteran underwent surgery to remove a portion of his lateral meniscus soon after.
“I’ve been doing rehab since a couple of days after my surgery. I had my surgery about a week after the season and have been on my rehab every day since,” said Hernandez, who started 24 games for FCD in 2010 and all four of the team’s postseason games. “I haven’t had much of a break. I’ve been going in every day, doing rehab on my knee trying to get well for the preseason.”
FCD is slated to start preseason training on Jan. 31.
“I’ll be fine. I would say in another 2-3 weeks, I’ll be good to go,” Hernandez said.
Hernandez appeared in the fourth MLS Cup of his career in November, but he’s come away empty handed in each shot at the league title. He played with New England in 2002, 2005 and 2006 before helping lead FC Dallas to the first MLS Cup appearance in franchise history.
“You’ll feel that the rest of your life, being that close to winning a championship and not being able to win the most important game,” Hernandez said. “That will never go away. I know for me personally, it will never go away. By no means do I feel disappointed or feel like we didn’t accomplish what we were supposed to accomplish this season, and we have a lot to be proud of.”
Hernandez will return to a FC Dallas team that has seen already seen a number of offseason changes, including the losses of Jeff Cunningham, Atiba Harris and Dax McCarty.
“They were big reasons for our big run this year and success,” Hernandez said. “They’re great guys and I wish them success, but that’s the way the business goes. Sometimes a change is always good. I have no doubt that those guys will be successful wherever they go.”
