TORONTO – A lot has changed at Toronto FC since Terry Dunfield last saw action for the Reds.
Dunfield, a 31-year-old native of Vancouver, recently returned to full training after sitting out the last nine league games with a knee injury – the Canadian midfielder has not played since Toronto earned a 2-2 draw against the L.A. Galaxy on March 30.
TFC had a respectable 1-2-1 record to begin the Major League Soccer campaign, and Dunfield was a key fixture in the squad, starting in all four of those matches. But then he suffered his injury during practice and he’s watched from the sidelines as Toronto went winless in its next nine matches and dropped to second-last in the overall league standings.
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Dunfield is healthy again and is expected to play in a reserve game away to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds (of the third-tier USL Professional Division) on Friday night. If Dunfield can make it out of that game unscathed, he could be reconsidered again for MLS duty.
"I’m excited and hopefully all of the hard work in the gym will pay off. I look forward to getting back and helping the guys," Dunfield said.
"I’m champing at the bit now and, if things go well Friday night, I’ll be available for D.C. United away (on June 15)."
But Dunfield’s path to the starting line-up is blocked, now more than ever.
Since his injury, the club signed young Matias Laba, and with his DP contract, there’s little chance the Argentine won’t start. Also, Jeremy Hall has solidified his spot as a starter and young Canadian Jonathan Osorio has cracked the starting line-up thanks to a string of very solid performances – he is the club’s second-leading scorer with three goals this season.
Competition for midfield places is at an all-time high, which means it’s not a given Dunfield will regain his starting place.
"Whether I have to bide my time or whenever the (manager) feels right to use me, he knows he’ll get 100 per cent from me," he said. "The most important thing is to help Toronto to win."
TFC assistant coach Fran O’Leary was quick to shoot down suggestions that Dunfield’s future at the club looked murky, reiterating that the Canadian international remains a valuable member of the squad.
"Terry’s been a fantastic pro here — his attitude and his application. It was a nasty injury he picked up (but) he’s been terrific. He’s great in the locker room, he’s great on the field. He’s just competing with other guys. He’s a seasoned pro and he knows that," O’Leary said.
This is the first time that Dunfield has been out with a long-term injury since he arrived in MLS with the Vancouver Whitecaps in 2011. Before that, he was virtually injury free while plying his trade in England with a number of teams, including Bury and Macclesfield Town.
"This is the first time I’ve been hurt. It’s been 40-game seasons for me, six or seven years on the bounce. It’s not easy physically and mentally, as well," Dunfield admitted.
What’s been particularly difficult for the midfielder has been that he’s been forced to watch TFC slide down the standings and been powerless to help.
"We started the season so well. Our first four or five games we were picking up points and playing well, and if anything we gave ourselves something top build on," Dunfield offered.
"I thought we would push on from there but unfortunately it hasn’t happened. But we’ve got two weeks before our net game to work hard on the training ground and that’s all you can do."
Dunfield’s prolonged absence also cost him a chance to play for Canada at this summer’s COCNACAF Gold Cup – he was not named to the team’s preliminary 35-man tournament roster released last week.
Dunfield has been a semi-regular for Canada, scoring one goal in 12 appearances since his debut in 2010.
Canadian Soccer Association technical director Tony Fonseca spoke to Dunfield about his omission, explaining to the TFC midfielder he was reticent about bringing in a player who has spent so much recent time out injured.
Dunfield understood Fonseca’s reasoning and wasn’t bitter about the decision.
"Obviously you want to be part of (the team), but if you‘ve been out for eight weeks just before a tournament, it’s difficult," Dunfield conceded.
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