VANCOUVER, B.C. – The Vancouver Whitecaps received a major boost to their playoff aspirations this week with the return of talented midfielder Gershon Koffie to full training.
The Ghanaian is already targeting a return to action against San Jose this weekend (10:30 pm ET, MLS LIVE, TSN in Canada). Koffie has missed the Whitecaps' last 10 matches after injuring his ankle during the Aug. 10 home win over Sporting Kansas City. The injury was more damaging than first thought, and the midfielder spent weeks in a recovery boot, which was finally removed on Sept. 26, allowing the next stage of his rehabilitation to begin.
"[There's] not much pain," Koffie told reporters at training this week. "I feel a little bit. The doctor told me I would be feeling a little bit, but it's not serious. I've been working on my fitness since I got out of the boot, and I'll still be doing it so that the physical coaches can measure my fitness, but I feel good. My ambition is to play or to be in the 18. I've been working towards it. I'll do what I can, and the rest will be on the coaches. But I think if they put me there, I'll be in the mind to play."
The loss of Koffie from Vancouver's midfield was immediately felt, with the Whitecaps going winless in their next four games. The team have since got themselves back into pole position in the playoff race, boosted by excellent performances from their new two-man defensive midfield shield of Matias Laba and Russell Teibert.
Koffie said it has been hard to watch the action from the sidelines, although he admitted Friday night's win for Vancouver over Seattle "made my weekend."
"Not a good feeling because I can't be part of the team," Koffie said. "So me watching it is not a good feeling not playing, but they win, so I'm happy. [The team is] coming together as a family. On the field, you obviously have to work for your teammates, but off the field we've been together, and that's helping us."
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Koffie's availability is both a major boost and a bit of a headache for Whitecaps coach Carl Robinson. Three straight wins make it difficult for Robinson to change the lineup It's a selection dilemma he is more than happy to have, however, and he has been delighted to see Koffie training this week and pushing for a place in game-day squad this weekend.
"We've missed Gershon," Robinson admitted. "Rusty [Teibert] has stepped in and been fantastic for us and fantastic for me, but Gershon's a different type of player. He's raring to go now. Obviously we're on a very good run at the moment, and he wants to get back into the mix, so he'll definitely come into the equation."
