OBETZ, Ohio – The Columbus Crew announced Monday that after “tweaking” a lingering abductor injury, midfielder Wil Trapp wouldn't be joining this week's US national team U-21 camp in Carson, Calif.
Trapp said the injury likely won't hold him out of any MLS action, but that it wasn't worth the risk of aggravating it with travel and intense training in California.
“It's nothing too serious, but I think with a long schedule going to the camp, and probably two-a-days out there, it's probably better to take care of it at home,” he told reporters after Crew training Tuesday.
Crew head coach Gregg Berhalter – a former national team player himself – knows U-21 coach Tab Ramos, and Berhalter said he called the coach to inform him of Trapp's dilemma.
“It was a discussion,” Berhalter said. “It was, 'Hey, here's this situation. He can probably go, and he can probably be training one day there for you, is it worth it?' And we looked at it, and Tab was gracious enough to agree that it probably doesn't make sense for him to go this time.”
Berhalter said the Crew “want to get [Trapp] right,” and noted the trouble with the timing of his injury. And while he understands why the camp is important, he said Trapp's case warranted a stay in Columbus.
“They want to have a team, they want to have a group of guys together and talking to each other, which makes sense,” he said. “But in this case, I think it made more sense to leave him here and get treatment.”
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Trapp, who captained the United States squad in last year's U-20 World Cup, knows the importance of face time with the national team but also knows the importance of maintaining his body.
“First and foremost, my health is the most important thing,” he said. “So taking care of that is primary. But if I keep playing well, there will be other opportunities, hopefully.”
But Trapp's past play with the national team and rising star status with the Crew will likely give him more chances to make his mark, and Ramos knowing his name can't hurt either.
“It's nice to have a guy in Tab Ramos who knows me,” Trapp said. “It's always an honor to get the call in, and unfortunately I couldn’t' go. But hopefully there will be more [opportunities] in the future.”
