BEAVERTON, Ore. – After a long rehab process, Portland Timbers midfielder Will Johnson was thrilled to be back in full training with the first team this week.
"Now I'm excited in the mornings and get to come here and get back to doing what I love," he said after Thursday's training session.
"I want to get back out there as soon as they see me fit," he added. "The rust is a playing time thing, but there's nothing wrong with my heart, there's nothing wrong with my passion and that will carry me a long way and I think I can contribute with those two things alone. The rest of it will hopefully come as we build towards the rest of the season."
Johnson is set to join with the Timbers USL side T2 Saturday against Arizona United SC (7:30pm PT, WEBSTREAM). The plan, according to Timbers head coach Caleb Porter, is for Johnson to play around 50-60 minutes to help get him back to full match fitness.
"I also want to embrace the experience of going down there with those guys, try to teach them, try to be a good pro, a good leader and try to show those guys that have hopes of playing for the first team that you can bridge the gap in what it takes as a pro," Johnson said. "That starts when we travel in the airport [and] at the hotel."
Johnson has been joined in training this week by Timbers teammate Diego Valeri, both joining full team training for the first time since suffering injures in late 2014. Johnson says that having Valeri rehabbing alongside him played an integral part in his recovery.
"One day I remember saying to him: 'I'm just not having a good day,'” Johnson recalled. “He's like: 'Willie, it's OK. I've been injured. I've done this before. You're going to have bad days and good days. You just got to put it behind you and move on.' To have a teammate and special guy like that be able to put his arm around you at times and help that recovery process is good."
Valeri himself was also excited to be back out on the field this week.
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"I'm really happy about this," he said of returning to practice. "I'm ready to train with the team, so that's made me feel good. I'm trying to get ready, get better for the first game."
Valeri also credited Johnson for helping him through the long rehab process.
“It made it easier because you always need [someone] on your side to help you and the trainers were very important, too,” he said.
With both players energetically taking part in small-sided scrimmages throughout training Thursday, the sense of eagerness from the two was palpable.
“I’m 100-percent in the normal training,” said Valeri. “I’m not thinking of the injury, the knee, nothing. It’s fun now. It’s the best part of the rehab.”
