Beitashour anxious to be in middle of things

Reds midfielder has been out more than seven weeks recovering from lacerated pancreas

As his teammates hooted and hollered over a post-practice game of crossbar challenge at Toronto FC’s training ground on Tuesday, Steven Beitashour methodically continued running drills.

From afar, it looked like Beitashour was getting the short end of the stick. But after lacerating his pancreas during a violent collision with Montreal Impact defender Kyle Fisher during the Reds’ Canadian Championship-winning match in late June — an injury that landed Beitashour in the emergency room, required surgery and initially left him with tubes in his side to drain the wound — the wingback was happy to put in the work.

“I feel like a kid out there running around, just excited to be back,” he said on Tuesday, days after returning to full training.

Beitashour, a staple in Toronto’s midfield five since joining the club after the 2015 season, played 13 of 17 regular-season games before suffering the injury, an issue so uncommon it was hard to say when the 30-year-old would be healthy enough to make his return.

“The timeline was a little bit of an unknown,” he said. “I think that was the crazy part about this, we had no idea how long it would take. I kept hearing possibly 12 weeks, possibly longer so that was the tough part about it.”

So was keeping from going stir crazy while forced to be away from the game, particularly after those tubes were removed.

“I feel like a kid out there running around, just excited to be back.” STEVEN BEITASHOUR HOPING FOR A SATURDAY RETURN

“You’re so far but it’s like you feel closer because you got one step further,” he said. “(Toronto FC staff ) was like, ‘It’s OK if you stay home, you don’t have to come in every day.’ Just for the mind’s sake. I think that was one of the main things, just trying not to come watch and tease yourself, really.”

It took Beitashour less than seven weeks to get back to practice in the end, though he is redirecting any welcome-back wishes until he actually steps foot in a game.

That should be soon. TFC coach Greg Vanney said Beitashour could be in contention for Saturday’s clash against the Chicago Fire, who are six points and two spots back of conference-leading Toronto in the East.

That news is particularly welcome given the Reds suffered a blow to their backline on Monday, announcing that defender Nick Hagglund would be out for six to eight weeks after spraining his left MCL in a weekend win over the Portland Timbers. It’s the second time Hagglund has suffered a long-term injury this year; he tore the same MCL in May and missed eight regular-season games.

Vanney called the second injury “heartbreaking” for Hagglund but hopes the defender will be back in the lineup before season’s end.

“Of all the guys who will attack (recovery) with a positive mentality and do everything he can to get himself back, he’ll be the guy who does it,” Vanney said.

Beitashour doesn’t provide direct cover for Hagglund in the back three, but he has played that position before when need be. Vanney is comfortable with his remaining centre back options — Drew Moor, Eriq Zavaleta, Jason Hernandez and Chris Mavinga — but more depth is always better.

“We have our cover, that’s not out concern, really,” the coach said. “It’s just to try to have as many of our options as possible as we get to the playoffs and that includes getting Nick back into the fold.”

Getting Beitashour back will require the defender proving he is fit, strong and durable. Vanney is adamant the player won’t be rushed back, keen to avoid any setbacks.

When he does come back, he will offer a more defensive mindset than youngsters Nicolas Hasler, Tsubasa Endoh and Oyvind Alseth have brought to the role in his absence. Vanney expects all those players to stay on top of their particular brand of wingback, though, to give Toronto options down the stretch.

“(Beitashour) will make his case, I’m sure, because he always has,” Vanney said. With files from the Canadian Press