Charlie Davies, one of the most promising US soccer players, was badly injured in a car accident on Tuesday morning and is now listed in serious condition after lengthy surgery this afternoon.
“Obviously, as a team we were saddened to learn this news,” said U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Bob Bradley. “Our thoughts and prayers are with Charlie and his family, as well as the people in the car and the families of the others involved. As a team, we are relying on each other in a moment that has for sure hit us all hard.”
UPDATE: Grant Wahl is reporting that Davies’s injuries are fractures to right tibia/femur, left elbow, facial fractures, and lacerated bladder. The USSF doctor says that Davies’ injuries usually require 6-12 months recovery & long rehab. Due to Davies’s fitness, chance to play high level again improved.
Based on that news, it appears very unlikely that Davies will play any role in the 2010 World Cup. His future as a soccer player is more hopeful, but you have to question whether Davies will be able to bounce back from such severe injuries. Let’s sure hope so.
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{ 33 comments… read them below or add one }
A real sad day for US soccer and especially for himself and his family. I really hope he can come back strong from this. I personally thought he had or still has the most potential out of all of our young players and its really a sad story. All the best for the family of the person that died as well.
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i was very sad to hear this, he is an incredible player with great speed and his partnership with altidore had the potential to be the greatest striker duo in US soccer history. I really hope he is ok and can return to play the game he loves.
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if he broke his femur his bone will heal within a month and the world cup is like 8 months away and since he had surgury itll be like 4 months til he gets back ive researched it but at most 6months with 1-3 months for bone healing and the rest for rehab with the muscles…if that is da problem he’ll be back eventually and since the world cup is 9 months or 8 away he’ll have two months to play club soccer sooo dis sucks but it is wat it is hopefully its not DIS serious
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I’ve been stunned since I first read this news. It’s truly tragic that three lives (and those of their families) were affected. It’s also tragic how a promising club and international career MAY be cut much shorter than it should have been.
A rising star and a promising talent. Terrible, terrible news.
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Even if Davies is able to play again, you have to wonder how much the psychological damage of what happened is going to have an impact on Davies. He was a passenger with a female who died. And if you’ve seen photographs of the accident scene, the SUV was in two halves. That must have been a very traumatic accident.
Cheers,
The Gaffer
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Our prays need to be with him at this time. All of us should focus our thoughts and comments on his speedy and full recovery.
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What’s Freddy Adu doing tomorrow?
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Strangely his name popped into my head randomly today before I heard the news. This is truly horrible and I offer my deep condolences to the families involved.
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Wow, just saw the terrible news. Prayers for Charlie and his family and that of the victim. As my avatar indicates, this is going to be a tough one to accept.
Stay strong Charlie Davies.
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I hate to bring it up, but as an old school Celtics fan, I remember that Lenny Bias’ death basically killed that team, and Boston had to completely change their program over more than a decade to recover from it. Davies was the future of US Soccer and if he’s lost that could really damage the program. These things have bigger repercussions that just the specific player involved.
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I had that same thought. There are similarities, although I wouldn’t go so far as to draw a direct relationship between the two scenarios. I hope this rallies Bob’s men. You often see this in baseball and football when players go down for the year, they put the initials or number on their uniforms.
I know there’s more to this than the World Cup, but let’s be honest, that’s how this story affects most of us. Please, just get well CD….
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I am absolutely gutted by this.
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Thoughts and prayers are with Charlie Davies and his family, the family of Ashley Roberta, and the other passenger in the vehicle (and his family).
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Thoughts and prayers to Charlie and the entire Davies family.
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Prayers for Charlie Davies and all those involved including Ms. Ashley Roberta, the deseased passenger.
I am really dissapointed that Charlie Davies broke curfew. The kid acted immaturely by being out at 3am, and now I hope he can stay strong and piece his life back together.
Nothing good ever happens after midnight. Hard life lesson.
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The fact that he broke curfew is irrelevant right now. It was a horrible accident, and who knows whether it would had been any different whether he had been out 3 in the morning or 3 in the afternoon. He doesn’t need reminding that he broke curfew. He has already suffered the consequences of that decision.
What he needs is the entire US soccer support behind him and his family. Let us show how we as a soccer community can come together behind a fallen player. I encourage everyone to show your support for Charlie Davies whether you can come to the game or not and cheer at the ninth minute. Let’s show how united our soccer community can be.
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I agree Ted. Until we know the full circumstances of what happened, we shouldn’t judge Davies. Yes, he shouldn’t have been out after curfew, but people shouldn’t be judging him until the facts are released. In the meantime, let’s wish Davies a speedy recovery, and condolences to the Roberta family.
Cheers,
The Gaffer
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Im a Swedish fan, supporting Hammarby, the team where Charlie played before going to France.
This is really sad news, i was chocked when first reading about it. Im sure every Hammarby fan sends their thoughts and prayers to Charlie, so do i.
He had a tough first year here in Sweden but came through, im sure he can bounce back from these injuries as well.
Stay strong Charlie
/Hejabajen
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Here is a pic of the young woman who was killed, Ashley Roberta.
http://www4.pictures.zimbio.com/mp/dJsgA3gj3q9s.jpg
Here is a pic of the SUV. It is literally ripped in half
http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local-beat/One-Dead-Road-Blocked-in-GW-Parkway-Accident-64073357.html
@Idahosa, Davies will need 6 to 12 months just to recover. Then, he will have at least another 6 months of rehab to look forward to. Also, he’ll be mourning the death of his friend. Severe physical and emotional injuries like this don’t always heal right, so 2010 World Cup is not going to happen and this may even be a career-ender.
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Charlie’s combination of strength, speed and determination will be sorely missed. He has been the revelation and the face of the team’s recent surge. I see no one who can replace him up top other than Donovan.
I do think that comments about curfew are warranted. Why? There may be another young player reading this. When coach says turn in, turn in. Sure, the accident could have occured at 8 PM but young people feel less grandiose at that hour. I’m not piling on or pointing fingers but reminding everyone that in the real world it’s never to early to contemplate lessons.
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Donovan is no replacement for Davies up front. What Davies had was incredible pace and unpredictability — something which defenders hate.
Cheers,
The Gaffer
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So was this Ashley Roberta chick like an Annie Savoy the soccer players pass around when they’re in DC? She had something going on with Alecko Eskandarian right? What’s up?
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Gaffer, Donovan is no replacement but he’s the closest thing. My point was that Charlie’s asset package was such that only Donovan could be compared.
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This is no time to be thinking about Charlie’s package.
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If you’re looking for deadspin, it’s over THERE….
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It’s no time to be searching for double entendres.
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This is tragic and it will probably affect members of the team and the team as whole in unimaginable ways. Fact is, there are probably team members that knew he was going out to party, break curfew, and some may even have covered up and that’s very hard to live with and other team members may find it unforgivable. This is probably the ultimate test of Bob Bradley’s career.
There is additional responsibility with the woman. When someone takes on star power, there is an additional responsibility because it actually is power and so easy to abuse. You feel like you’re in a bubble and those around you get that feeling too, but you’re the one who got them there. This is not to disparage Charlie in any way, he’s young and had a rapid, heady ascent, probably didn’t have time to get his head out of the clouds. However, this ascent happens frequently in certain careers and at the end of the day it doesn’t diminish the responsibility for the woman’s death and the affect of the accident on everyone it touched, not to mention the mentality and success of the team.
He has a tough road ahead of him and so does the team. I wish everyone in this tragedy the best, it is so sad.
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It’s easy and, indeed, proper to be sentimental right now. But I can’t help but dwell on the curfew thing. anon is right: this is a test for Bradley. It’s obviously time for bed checks. Or shall Bradley continue to allow adults to sneak?
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terrible news for the man and his family
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Where is it yet stated by any surgeon or Doctor or from US Soccer or Sochaux that he is definetly out for South Africa?
The news is dire enough without “the gaffer” – not sure who gave him that moniker – suggested his World Cup is done. There are countless examples of major athletes coming back from worse afflictions in less time.
It’s a major moment in his young life, and we will see what he’s made of. Personally I have spoken with him on mulitple occasions, looked him in the eye and taken the measure of the man. I like his chances to ready for South Africa.
Look at the highly unlikely path his career has taken him via a US university to starting for a substantial Ligue un side at 22 is remarkable in itself.
This is the kind of daytime talk doom and gloom that makes me want to hit someone.
Leave it off, let the young man gather himself and see what he can get done. He’s not just a fit footballer, he has weight trained for many years, has excellent core strength as well tree trunk thighs. He’s compact and explosive and has the perfect physique to heal and regain his strenth quickly.
He has everything to live for, all his team mates both club and country will ralley round and I have no noubt he’ll get after rehab like a man possessed.
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Peter, The Daily Telegraph reports today that US national team doctor Kalbac “hoped Davies will eventually recover and play for the national team again, but his participation in the 2010 World Cup tournament in South Africa, which begins next June, is now in jeopardy.”
Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/international/worldcup/6323585/America-striker-Charlie-Davies-stable-after-car-crash-but-unlikely-to-make-2010-World-Cup.html
Cheers,
The Gaffer
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In the “When it rains, it pours” category” , University of Maryland freshman right back Alex Lee was struck by a car walking across Dupont Circle in D.C. on Saturday night.
The University has not disclosed any details except that his career could be in serious jeapordy.
Jesus H. Christ on a popsicle stick, what the Hell is going on with our boys?
God speed to everyone involved in both horrific accidents..
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New rule: All soccer players must travel by subway and not cross the street (stay on the sidewalk) when traveling in DC.
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