Rowdies’ Wheeler sees light at end of injury tunnel

Posted Aug 3, 2010 by Nick Murray

Updated Aug 3, 2010 at 10:37 AM

The seven weeks he’s been sidelined have been the longest FC Tampa Bay Rowdies’ Aaron Wheeler has ever had to sit out, but the light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter for the forward in his efforts to return from a stress reaction in his shin suffered in the middle of June.

“I’ve been running at about 60, 70 percent that last four or five days and did a bunch of cutting today about 70 or 80 percent and there’s no ill effects,” Wheeler said after Tuesday’s practice. “It looks good, I’m feeling good.”

The Rowdies won’t get the benefit of Wheeler’s services this weekend against the Austin Aztex, but there is a possibility he might be able to see some time against Miami FC on August 14.

“That’s what we’re hoping for, as long as there are no setbacks,” Wheeler said. “I think I might get into training towards the end of the week, go in the first half where there’s no contact or anything like that, it’ll come down to that, but either (Miami) or the Vancouver game, I’d definitely hope no later than the Vancouver game if everything goes according to plan.”

Rowdies coach Paul Dalglish is hopeful as well, but is slightly more cautionary about setting a decisive timetable for Wheeler’s return. With Aaron King finding form, scoring twice in the last two games, Dalglish wants to make sure Wheeler is fully fit before he returns so the side doesn’t risk him aggravating the injury.

“We’re trying to get him back as quick as we can, but make sure that when he does come back he’s not going to break down again,” Dalglish said. “Even if it does mean waiting an extra week to get him back safe then we’ll do that because obviously with Aaron King’s form we can afford to take our time a little bit with Wheeler.”

PHOENIX CALL-UP: With the MPS Portland Phoenix’s Premier Development League season over after a 2-1 defeat to Reading United in the Eastern Conference playoffs on Saturday, the real effect of the club’s partnership with the Rowdies may start to become more apparent.

Phoenix right back Paul Nicholson joined up with the team on Tuesday, and according to Dalglish will be with the side through this week of training on the recommendation of Phoenix coach Paul Baber.

“It was important for us with the partnership to trust Paul and look at players that he thought deserved to be looked at,” Dalglish said. “He’s said this kid’s worth looking at, we brought him down last night and he’s going to be here for four days until we leave to go to Austin, and he did well today.”

Nicholson played the most minutes of any Portland player this season, appearing in all 16 games while recording a goal and an assist. A native of Whitehaven, England, he played college soccer for the University of Rio Grande (Ohio), an NAIA school, before earning an invitation to the 2009 MLS Combine.

“He’s a strong boy, likes to compete,” Dalglish said. “We’ll have a look at him tomorrow in some shorter, smaller-sided stuff and judge him at the end of the week.”