WASHINGTON – Adjusting to a new team can prove a difficultprocess for any player during preseason. Add an early season injury, and thechallenge is that much greater, especially when there’s competition for playingtime.
Such was the fate of D.C. United goalkeeper Steve Cronin.Acquired in the offseason in exchange for Troy Perkins, Cronin suffered afractured wrist early in preseason, forcing assistant coach Pat Onstad out ofretirement and into the starter’s role for a few weeks.
After being placed on Injured Reserve at the start of theseason, Cronin was automatically ineligible for the first six games of thecampaign. Last Friday, for the first time all year, he was back in a D.C.uniform and made the trip to Houston, taking a seat on the bench as Bill Hamid’sback-up.
“It was good,” Cronin told MLSsoccer.com of making his firstroad trip. “When you’re [out with an] injury, especially one you pick up whenyou’re fairly new to a team, you can feel pretty disconnected.
“I didn’t see them [D.C. teammates] for the majority ofpreseason, and you’d get to see them a couple days throughout the weeks andyou’d miss road trips, it’s hard to stay connected. It was definitely good toget back on the road.”
Cronin suffered his injury back on February 10, only a fewweeks into what was a long preseason. Since then, he’s mostly had to work outon his own, although he returned to full training a month ago and even playedin a reserve match against the University of Maryland back in April.
While he’s expected to serve as Hamid’s backup – at leastfor the time being – Cronin will do what he can to help the team right now.
“We have some work to do as a team, and first and foremost Iwant to help the team get our legs under us a little bit, start moving in theright direction,” Cronin said. “As part of that, I’m always pushing to bettermyself every day and doing the little things to make sure I stay healthy andhelp this team the best way I can.”
Cronin admitted that he’s fine with serving in a supportrole for now, but that he’s also ready to go if he’s called upon by thecoaching staff.
“Every day I feel sharper and I feel like I’m about 99percent there.”
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