Adelaide United captain Travis Dodd is recovering following groin surgery in the A-League off-season.
The surgery went well, and Dodd was satisfied with the nature of the operation.
“It has been almost three weeks since the operation and I-m feeling pretty strong. It has been an intense rehab program so I-m looking to get back out on the park and start running by the end of the week,” he said.
However, Dodd remained sceptical on whether he would be available for the Reds’ Round 1 clash with the Newcastle Jets on August 6.
“It-s touch and go at the moment,” Dodd said.
“We-ve got just over five weeks until we kick off and I guess it depends on how well I respond to the running and work my way back into training.”
The 30-year-old has never missed a round one affair in his five seasons at Hindmarsh Stadium, but Dodd clearly felt the effect of playing 22 of the past Reds’ 23 matches.
Dodd also added that he felt it was odd that his side was still leader-less off-field following Aurelio Vidmar’s job change to lead the Australian under-23 side.
Vidmar’s assistant of three years Phil Stubbins has been filling the whole left, but Dodd says the sooner the coaching role is permanently filled, the better.
“It is strange and not ideal preparation going into the season, but the club is going through the right process to make sure that they get a good coach with good credentials, and a person who can take the club forward,” Dodd said.
“It-s our (the players-) job to get on with it and when the coach is appointed we-ll back them 100 per cent.”
The Reds first pre-season match is against Adelaide Galaxy on July 7, followed by matches against Wellington and Perth, before finishing the practice matches against the North Queensland Fury on July 30.
