Doneil Henry has a very calm demeanour these days.
It’s admirable given his situation for both club and country. The Vancouver Whitecaps are fighting for their playoff lives down the MLS season stretch, while with the Canadian national team there is a fierce competition for playing time.
But that doesn’t faze Henry, especially after a trying two years in Europe. The former Toronto FC defender suffered a litany of injuries during his time overseas, including torn ligaments in his knee that ruled him out for more than a year. Eventually, the 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., returned to MLS, with the Vancouver Whitecaps picking him up before the 2018 season.
Upon his arrival in Vancouver, Henry was raring to return to the pitch. However, because the Whitecaps played on turf and he had limited minutes before signing with the Whitecaps, the medical staff wanted to play it safe.
“I had to stay patient,” Henry told Sportsnet ahead of Sunday’s road game against LAFC.
“I had to trust in the Vancouver Whitecaps medical staff. I had to trust in my coach. I wanted to go right away. If I would’ve went, I probably would’ve gotten injured. They monitored me, my workloads, all of the sports science behind everything, [which was] probably something I wasn’t really into before. I really believed the numbers and what [was] really going on and just really trusted my body and trusted that the knee was sturdy and I had a great operation.
“Now it’s more about how many minutes I should be playing, staying consistent and staying on top of my food and supplements and make sure I’m eating and hydrating my body.”
Due to Kendall Waston’s commitments with Costa Rica at the World Cup, the Whitecaps needed Henry to build match fitness so he would be able to start as soon as Waston left for Russia. Henry was sent on a temporary loan to the Ottawa Fury of the USL before returning to Vancouver at the end of May.
Henry has since started 12 of the last 18 MLS matches for the Whitecaps without any injuries halting his progress. But he admits that there is still more work to be done.
“I’m just getting familiar with my craft again,” Henry said. “It’s been a long time [since I played regularly]. I’m really happy to be back playing. This is what I love. This is definitely not all that I can bring to the team. I’m still getting familiar with my body and what my body can take and what I can still do and what I can bring to the table and getting familiar with the pace of the game again.”
Most importantly for him, Henry has been playing in meaningful games for the Whitecaps, although he missed Wednesday’s home loss to Sporting Kansas City, a result that all but eliminated Vancouver from playoff contention.
The Whitecaps have been rather inconsistent with their play on the pitch, which is partially why they are below the red line in the Western Conference. Conceding a whopping 64 goals hasn’t helped matters, although there were positive developments from the team’s 2-1 victory over Toronto FC on Oct. 6.
Henry’s handball in the box gave TFC a brief lifeline. Apart from that error, though, the Whitecaps defence didn’t concede many big chances to Toronto. Expected goals (xG) back up this claim, and while Vancouver has to minimize the amount of shots it allows, there were some minor improvements at the back under interim coach Craig Dalrymple before the Kansas City game.
#TORvVAN xG. Seems just about right considering the Reds' season has gone. pic.twitter.com/BUg436Hjmr
— Ben Baer (@BenBaer89) October 7, 2018
“You have to salute Craig,” Henry said. “He came into a tough situation. [With] five or six weeks left in the season, he doesn’t want to change much and that’s what he always says. He’s just trying to bring more out of the players, motivate them and that’s what he’s done. It’s been tough. But I think it’s a sense of pride for the boys. Guys have to really look into themselves and think ‘okay, what’s next? What do I need to do?’ and to stop feeling sorry for each other.”
Waston has also been integral in Henry settling in with the club. The Costa Rican has been with Vancouver since 2014 and has 113 MLS regular-season appearances under his belt. Being a World Cup veteran and a key player for his country is an added bonus as well.
“You see the way he trains, the way he plays, the passion that he brings to the team, the smile that he brings on his face, that’s exactly what I need,” Henry said. “He’s a good leader, a really motivating guy and a great guy. He’s one of those guys where you talk to him, you listen, we feed off each other’s energy. That’s why he is the captain of the club.”
Vancouver’s final two matches are against playoff-bound teams. The Whitecaps head to Southern California this weekend to face LAFC before closing out the regular season against the Portland Timbers at BC Place on Oct. 28.
Whether the Whitecaps make the playoffs or not, Henry is thrilled with life in Vancouver.
“It’s a beautiful city. So far, the living situation is amazing. The people, the staff, everybody at the club, they make me feel really welcome. I could even see myself actually settling down [in Vancouver]. It’s a beautiful place,” Henry offered.
For now, Henry is just happy to be playing consistently for the first time in four years.
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