Ike Opara's 20 14 season ended less than a month in. Now the young center back is healed up, working out and looking forward to being right there in the mix when Sporting Kansas City pick up again in 2015.
“That's my goal,” Opara told MLSsoccer.com by phone earlier this week. “There's a lot of pent-up energy, to say the least. I'm excited to be out there running around with the guys.”
Opara had been expected to see plenty of action this past season, his second with Sporting, after a solid 2013 campaign. Instead, he went out in late March with a talar defect fracture in his right ankle, the result of a penalty-area collision in a 3-2 away win over Colorado – and the first in a series of injuries and absences to hit Sporting's central defense in their disappointing 2014 season.
“It was unfortunate last year, going out and seeing the team go through ups and downs,” Opara said. “It hurts to be on the sidelines watching.”
Because the talus is poorly supplied with blood, an injury there carries the risk of avascular necrosis – the death of bone cells in the affected area. That condition ended the career of former Kansas City Royals outfielder and Raiders running back Bo Jackson after a hip injury.
“There's always nerves after injuries and surgeries,” Opara said. “But I felt confident in our training staff, because of how good they are.”
Opara has healed well, manager Peter Vermes told reporters last week, and is expected to be ready to rejoin the club fully when preseason workouts resume.
Opara said he didn't focus on the what-ifs in the aftermath of the fracture.
“It was an interesting injury,” Opara said. “But I've been completely focused on the recovery, doing everything I can to be smart with this. It wasn't easy. It's still a grind. But I'm looking forward to getting over the last humps.”
Steve Brisendine covers Sporting Kansas City for MLSsoccer.com.
