WASHINGTON – The start of the 2011 season certainly didn’t go as planned for D.C. United defender Jed Zayner.
After enduring and pushing through the rigorous preseason schedule, the sixth-year veteran went down with a hamstring injury in the first game of the season against the Columbus Crew and hasn’t returned since.
His recovery time was then extended when he re-aggravated the injury a few weeks ago. However, Zayner finally returned to full training this week is ready to go if called upon for Friday’s matchup at Houston (8:30 pm ET; Fox Soccer).
“[My] body feels great — just a little rusty with the feet, the movement,” he said. “Feeling pretty fit and ready to go 90 minutes. It’s all up to Ben [Olsen].”
Recovering had been a slow and frustrating process for Zayner, who looked ready to return earlier before suffering a setback.
“It’s aggravating, especially because I really don’t have muscle injuries much," Zayner said. "To strain it and then re-strain it was just the most aggravating thing in the world.”
The return of Zayner would be a huge boost for a defensive back line that has performed unevenly so far this year. Though rookie Chris Korb (at right) has started all five league games in Zayner’s absence and held his own, the experience Zayner offers would give the starting lineup a boost.
“It brings stability,” assistant coach Chad Ashton said of a possible Zayner return. “He’s obviously a guy who knows players in the league. He knows tendencies of teams, he’s not seeing them for the first time, and that’s a real tough adjustment as a rookie.”
Another asset of Zayner’s experience at the back is his ability to be vocal and let players know where they need to be. Getting back into the mix, he’ll look to bring that aspect of his game and help the defense remain organized.
“That’s something that I would think I pride myself on is being attentive at every play and being really vocal with that," Zayner said. "I would hope to bring that to the team and give them a little more juice in that area.”
Of course, though he’s now fit and training with the team, a busy stretch of the season is approaching and Ashton said that Zayner’s minutes will be managed closely. Being cautious with injuries, especially at the beginning of the season, is paramount for having a healthy starting XI over the entire season.
