The backup goal-keeper Andy Gruenebaum has finally joined the team in preseason at Kennesaw after a recovery from hip injury. This kept him out since the 2010 regular Major League Soccer season, and despite of the comeback he has yet to play a preseason
game this year.
Though Gruenebaum has been able to become a part of the camp within the preseason time, but he will not be able to play in any exhibition game as he is still going through the recovery process. The Columbus is scheduled to wrap up their preseason campaign
with a scrimmage against the in-form Huston Dynamos.
“Towards the end of the year, I noticed the catching, but the pain was so minimal I thought it was not anything serious but it would not go away,” Andy said.
Gruenebaum was expected to join the team in the two games CONCACAF Champions League quarter-final series against the Real Salt Lake, but he had to wait long for this moment because of the persistence in the pain. The absence of William Hesmer, because of
an ongoing recovery from a fractured right shoulder made things even more worst for the Columbus. He has been away from the game since the 24th of October 2010. Though, the Columbus were able to draw the first leg without these key lads, but soon
fell down 4-1 in the second leg of the series where they were supposed to take the away-goal advantage.
Moreover, Ray Bruse was asked to take the responsibility between the pipes as an emergency backup, who had a terrible time in the second leg against the RSL that saw their elimination from the CCL. Gruenebaum could not play a single in 2010 MLS regular season
before he got a chance to feature in the play-off matches against the Colorado Rapids, as a result of an injury to the regular starter Hesmer. But he was fortunate enough to play all six games in the champion league group stage. His last appearance for the
Columbus was in United States Open Cup games, where he did also played in a 2-1 defeat against the Seattle Sounders FC.
The Columbus medical staff suggests that the insufficient redeveloped of muscles near the surgery area had triggered the pain again, and has been the very much reason of his prolonged absence from the game. The speculations have been about the surgery which
he had in the September 2009, for repairing the torn hip labrum. However, the defender Chad Marshall who was injured on the 21st of February, he has been recovered well and played for one half against the New England Revolutions.
“Apparently, weak gluteus muscles did me in, they are strong now. Last year, I thought by lifting three days a week and incorporating a lot of legs in there I was getting stronger,” Andy said.
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