KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Bobby Convey's return to training has been slower than expected, but manager Peter Vermes remains far from shutting the veteran left winger down for the season to let his sore hamstring heal.
"We're slowly bringing him along," Vermes told MLSsoccer.com after Thursday's training session, in which Convey did some light running but did not take part in any scrimmages. "He has a good day, then he has a bad day. So we're just trying to manage things and get through to where he can have a week of good and then get through it."
Convey, who joined the club in the offseason from San Jose, has missed Sporting's last four league matches with hamstring tightness after sitting out seven matches earlier in the season with a series of calf strains.
But while he has set no timetable for Convey's return and will continue to take a gradual approach, Vermes does expect to see him back on the pitch in 2012.
"I wish I could tell you when he'll be back," he said, "but I think he'll be back by the end of the season, for sure."
No claim on Eidur
If nomadic Icelandic forward Eidur Gudjohnsen signs with Seattle, Sporting Kansas City will have no objections and demand no remuneration.
The club had an interest in Gudjohnsen at one time, Sporting manager Peter Vermes told MLSsoccer.com on Thursday, but never made a formal offer. Earlier this week, Sounders GM Adrian Hanauer confirmed to MLSsoccer.com that Gudjohnsen would be training with his club.
"We looked at him, but it never materialized," Vermes said. "It's not our philosophy to try to hold back a guy from another team. If we're not going to sign him, then it doesn't make sense for us to then hold him so nobody else can sign him."
Steve Brisendine covers Sporting Kansas City for MLSsoccer.com.
