OBETZ, Ohio – For the second year in a row, Josh Williams has had a frustrating last portion of the season for the Columbus Crew.
In 2013, it was a one-in-a-million ball to the head in practice that resulted in Williams suffering from a lengthy bout of concussion symptoms. This year, it was blood clot issues that had to be resolved by surgery to move a rib and blood thinners.
But since his July surgery, Williams has been working back to health. And for the first time in months on Thursday, he participated in a full Crew training session.
“I feel good; I got in most of the training today,” Williams told MLSsoccer.com Thursday. “It’s normally a half day of training and then I’m on my own. Today was the first day I kind of stuck around the whole team. I got to get up and down a little and open my legs up, so it felt good.”
Williams finally stopped taking blood thinners Wednesday, and Saturday marks the end of a three-day period to cycle the drugs out of his system, which will clear him for contact.
And while he’s kept his fitness up in the meantime, Williams knows he won’t be an instant selection for the club.
“I’m working on fitness every day, but the guys are playing at such a high level I don’t expect to just come back and walk in,” he said. “I’ve got to take somebody’s spot.”
The Crew are in the midst of a ferocious playoff dogfight in the East, but are playing some of their best soccer of the season. And while Williams is pleased with the team’s progress, he knows it makes his job more difficult.
“It’s such an exciting time around the team; we’re pushing for a playoff spot and guys are playing really well,” he said. “The level of intensity around here, you can tell that everybody is into it. You can tell from the moment we get in until we leave.
“It’s a little bit frustrating trying to work back in when the team is at such a high level. You want to bounce right back in with them. But I’m learning to be patient and just trying to take little things from each day.”
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But Williams says the team being competitive is worth the struggle.
“I’d rather be in this position than wandering into a team that has no chance at the playoffs,” he said. “So this is the best possible scenario to come into.”
The game is still “a little quick” to Williams and he’s not 100 percent yet. But he’s not far off, and won’t have any mental difficulties like someone recovering from a traditional injury would.
“It almost feels like I’m just coming into a preseason,” he said. “There was really no injury; it’s just time off… I’m not thinking about tackles or anything like that. It’s the same mentality I had. I’ll be full-go when I get out there.”
