FRISCO, Tx. — After more than nine months of recovery and rehab from a torn ACL, FC Dallas forward Cristian Colman has been back in first-team training, ramping up his intensity as the MLS season nears its final stage.
Colman tore his ACL on Oct. 3, 2018 in training. Prior to his injury, Colman was slowly entering a rhythm under former coach Oscar Pareja, starting the last two matches and playing a strong role in the team’s two road results, a 2-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps Sept. 23 and a scoreless draw at Portland Sept. 29.
It has been a tough road to recovery for Colman, who was cleared in May for on-the-field activity.
“The most difficult part was the mentality,” Colman told Pro Soccer USA through a translator. “Just trying to gain confidence in myself again, jumping, moving, hitting the ball. It was a lot of things, but the hardest one was getting back into the right state of mind. That took me a little bit.”
It’s difficult for a player to come back from an injury, but adding to the challenges for Colman is the addition of a new coach in Luchi Gonzalez. With a new coach comes a new system and figuring out a new style of play. Colman has an opportunity to impress Gonzalez on the offensive end and knows that’s his next step for the 2019 MLS season.
“Right now more than ever I’m trying to keep myself at 100 percent to be on call for Luchi and help the team get in the playoffs, which we need,” Colman said. “We have some tough games coming up, even more, when they’re on the road. We have to get the points. That’s my goal right now, stay at 100 percent and be available for the coaching staff.”
Colman has been playing with Dallas’ second team, USL League One side North Texas SC. In 266 minutes, Colman has produced seven shots, with four on target. The second team experience, paired with the time watching from the sidelines, has given Colman a different perspective of the game and what he needs to do to improve on the field.
“It helped me see how different soccer was watching outside the pitch,” Colman said. “I did that for a long time. It helped me a lot to see all the movements, of how I as a striker need to move and react, it helped me a lot.”
For Gonzalez, adding Colman to the mix can potentially help a struggling attack. In the last two seasons, Colman’s expected goals (xG) per 96 minutes sits second on FC Dallas, at .33, behind the 2019 season of Dominique Badji, who’s xG sits at .34 according to American Soccer Analysis. Colman has shown he can get into positions to score, but his end product has struggled to come along. The finishing problems, combined with the mental comeback from an injury, makes the prospects of Colman providing an instant impact unlikely, but Gonzalez likes to have the option available.
“That’s not an easy injury to come back from,” Gonzalez said. “I’ve been through in myself and it just takes time in terms of confidence, getting over the mental obstacle of cutting and landing and being light-footed. He’s an explosive, powerful-type player, so he needs to be confident in those actions for him to be successful. He’s there and he’s competing with the second group. We’re going to assess if he’s going to play anymore into the second group so that he’s fully competing with the first group. Then it’s open competition from there.”
Now, Colman is raring to get back going with FC Dallas. After months on the sidelines and training, he’s ready to attempt to make an impact, something the team needs from the former young designated player.
“Truthfully, I feel great,” Colman said. “Thanks to God, after almost eight months, to return and incorporate myself in the second team, which is a team that still plays at a high level, it helped me to recover physically, tactically, mobility-wise, everything. I gained more confidence as I got on the pitch more and more. I feel like I’m at 100 percent right now.”