Darren Eales on Martinez: "It's about getting him back 100 percent"
ATLANTA - Some Five Stripes supporters wondered if a postponed MLS season could help striker Josef Martinez return for at least some portion of the season, whenever it starts back up again.
Atlanta Untied president Darren Eales said Monday morning that there's no rush on their part.
"So for Josef now, it's a long task ahead of him, but he's single-minded, he's focused and he wants to get back 100 percent," Eales said. "And that's the most important thing for us: It's not about how quickly we get him back. The important thing for him and for Atlanta United is that we get him back 100 percent. And knowing Josef, it'll be at 110 percent."
Martinez had his ACL surgically repaired two weeks ago after tearing it in the Atlanta United season opener at Nashville on Feb. 29.
Eales said Martinez is rehabbing at the team's Marietta training facility, which is in accordance with the new MLS procedures in light of the coronavirus pandemic.
The rest of his teammates have also remained in the Atlanta area, Eales said. The team has provided players with spin bikes to stay in shape at home, and they continue to check in with team staff remotely.
Eales said he thinks when MLS gives "the green light" to restart the season, training should not take more than a few weeks to get players back into match fitness.
Given how many of their starters were injured at the time play was suspended, the Five Stripes also have a chance to get healthier all around by the time play picks back up.
"The good news is this time is allowing those players -- whether it's a Miles Robinson, Franco Escobar, Matheus Rossetto -- to heal from those injuries," Eales said. "From our perspective, when we're given that green light when they say we can go back to training that -- aside from Josef of course who has the long-term injury -- the rest of the squad will be healthy. That's one bright spot in terms of this delay for when we come back, that we'll have the whole squad back ready to hit the ground running."