Fire forward McBride very near return
Veteran striker could be back in lineup as soon as Saturday
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The surgery was required to clean out minor damage in the right shoulder, something that had been building for months and with which McBride played through the first four months of the MLS season.
"He's in full go," Fire coach Denis Hamlett said Wednesday. "He's looking good. We are still being cautious, and working on his fitness and getting his soccer sharpness back."
McBride was unavailable for comment on Wednesday.
Hamlett said McBride's availability is dependent on how he gets through training this week.
"We want to make sure we put him in situations, with the shoulder and bicep, that he has some contact," Hamlett said. "There is a chance (he would be available to play) this weekend."
Despite missing eight games this season, he still leads the team in goals scored with six.
"It's huge having him back," Hamlett said. "Any time you get a player back from our original group, who we didn't expect until later this month, it is good."
McBride has gone through numerous injuries and rehabilitations through his long career in Major League Soccer and the English Premier League. He is famous for the number of facial surgeries he has had to undergo, as a result of his equally famous skill with headers.
So it is no surprise to Hamlett that McBride has found his way back far sooner than originally expected.
"If anybody can come back from this, it's Brian," Hamlett said. "He's a warrior, a guy you knew would fight to get back on the field."
Kent McDill is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
