An ankle injury, an unpopular TV interview, and a lunch with Alan Rothenberg made for a very interesting reception when Eric Wynalda returned to his German club.
Which is the most significant event of Eric Wynalda’s stay in the United States during the Bundesliga’s winter break ?
The choices are many: A follow-up surgery, lunching with MLS czar Alan Rothenberg, or a media faux pas.
Or perhaps it is the suspension of teammate Roland Wohlfarth, who on Jan. 5 admitted he took a diet pill containing an amphetamine. Wohlfarth, purchased by VfL Bochum from Bayern Munich shortly after the injury that sidelined Wynalda, made his confession while playing in Germany’s winter indoor tournaments. It’s the first “doping” case uncovered in the Bundesliga, and he’s been suspended until early March.
So the 25-year-old American, who hasn’t scored a goal in competitive play since that stunning free kick against the Swiss in the Silverdome, returns to Germany in a deep scoring slump, recovering from an ankle fracture, and with one eye on Major League Soccer.
And not, apparently, highly thought of in Germany. During his stay in California, the German TV network SAT1 conducted an interview with Wynalda and his fiancee Amy. During the interview, Wynalda claimed his teammates were jealous of him because he made more money than they did, and Amy said part of his unhappiness was his teammates’ unwillingness to help him adapt.
“I had to cut her off,” said Wynalda. “She was just being honest, and we were talking about things in the past, before the new coach [Klaus Toppmoeller] took over. But it blew up over there, and they’re still talking about it.
“It didn’t help that there we were in sunglasses, 85-degree weather, and people in 32-degree weather in Germany heard what they thought was complaining. Nobody likes to hear the truth, but I don’t think anybody wanted to hear it from an American.”
The remarks were reprinted in German newspapers, and kicker magazine reported Bochum GM Klaus Hilpert stated Wynalda can leave if he wishes.
The Bundesliga season resumes Feb. 18, with Bochum rooted in 17th place, one off the bottom. Wohlfarth’s suspension loads the scoring burden directly on Wynalda, who has not played since suffering a fractured ankle Nov. 19 in a match against VfB Stuttgart.
In Germany, doctors inserted screws and a-plate into Wynalda’s ankle. Dr. Bert Mandelbaum, team doctor for the U.S. team, removed some of the screws during Wynalda’s stay in California, and says his rehabilitation is proceeding well.
“He should be able to go full-out in about a month,” Mandelbaum said Feb. 2. “We put him on a full fitness program for his rehab. He’s been running and working with the ball for a couple of weeks now. He’s done lots of weight-lifting, and he looks stronger than I’ve ever seen him. He’s built like a rocket.”
Says Wynalda, “I don’t want to go out on the field until I’m 100 percent. I feel pretty good, up to 85 or 90 percent. There’s going to be a lot of pressure on me, because I’m really the only forward we’ve got, we’re in 17th place, and what’s going on in the media. But I’m pretty optimistic.”
He’s also optimistic about coming home to play in MLS, which he discussed with Rothenberg during lunch. Should Bochum be relegated, he is free to transfer to another club, but Wynalda doubts a move to MLS is in the cards that soon. Bochum paid $900,000 for him last summer.
“At this time, all I can say is that I definitely want to play in MLS,” he said. “If it is what we’re being led to believe it is, the opportunity to play pro soccer in America is something I want to do.
“At this point, financially, it’s not something MLS can afford to do. A year from now, it might be possible.”
by Soccer America Senior Editor Ridge Mahoney