Just back from Fort Lauderdale Stadium, where Charlie Davies trained with D.C. United for the first time. Davies, who was in a near-fatal car accident in Oct. 2009 in Washington, D.C., had been expected to make the 2010 World Cup team, but was unable to realize that dream. He suffered a broken elbow, broken femur, tibia and tibula on his right leg, broken nose, broken forehead and eye socket, ruptured bladder, and had bleeding in the brain.
He has fought hard to get back into shape, and last March returned to the French league, where he plays for Sochaux. But he has been unable to break back into the lineup, so he is hoping for a one-year loan to D.C. United. He is spending one week training with DC in Fort Lauderdale, and the club is evaluating him and then will make a decision on whether to sign him.
Davies said: "Physically I feel great..I've come a long long way, finally feels good to feel physically right. I've done everything I needed to do to get back to where I need to be. Now it's about playing matches, getting match fit, progressing..I think I'm on the right path.''
"There's sometimes where I feel step for step the same, and other times, where I don't feel just as right. My confidence isn't up right now. Once I get that back up, at full confidence, I'll feel exactly the same.''
DC coach Ben Olsen said: "We're all rooting for Charlie. He's come a long way from a horrific accident, and we're all hoping for the best. But we have to be realistic in our job and figure out if he's right for this club at this time. There's no question Charlie will be back, whether or not it's now , 3 months from now, 6 months from now, That's what we're here to find out.''
DC United is here until Feb. 13. They have two scrimmages on Monday, in the morning vs. Canada's U20 team and in the afternoon vs FIU. The FIU game may be open to the public.
