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Injury-hit Ralph in desperate bid to save career
BY SEAN A WILLIAMS Assistant Sport Editor
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Damani Ralph is in a gruelling fight to save his professional football life.
RALPH. it's tough when you are doing something that you love and at a time when your career is booming and then to have it all swept aside
And following four surgeries in two years on a ruptured left knee, the striker could very well be embroiled in a losing battle as, at best, his progress is measured at a frustrating snail's pace.
But he won't quit. Ralph, the former Harbour View frontman, is determined to go for extra time on his daunting mission to return to full fitness, and ultimately to the field of play.
But all that hinges precariously on what the best of modern medicine can do for him and his will to soldier on in the face of enormous odds.
Ralph's two-year nightmare started when he sustained the injury in his first season with Russian Premier League champions FC Rubin Kazan.
"In the first season I got the injury, and I thought that the off season would be enough rest, but on my return to the pre-season I had a lot of flare-ups and there were days when I had to be missing training to alleviate the swelling and the pain," lamented the 28-year-old former St George's College student.
With growing pain and discomfort, a scared Ralph headed for Germany for help in 2006.
"I went to see a doctor in Germany and did an MRI scan and was diagnosed that I had some damaged cartilage in the knee to the extent where there were exposed bones.," he told the Sunday Observer.
At the time, he claims, the doctor recommended microfracture surgery - the very kind that England cricketer Andrew Flintoff was said to have done on his right knee recently. "What they do is bleed the knee which is aimed at promoting the growth of the cartilage in the knee," said Ralph, as he recounts the shocking details of the medical procedure which he did three times.
The fourth and final operation which was done last year is called Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation, or ACI, and is a procedure to treat areas of cartilage damage in the knee.
Ralph, who transferred from US MLS franchise team Chicago Fire for a reported US$2 million fee in 2005, said he is not yet ready to pen the obituary of his career, but was quick to concede that it is under serious threat.
"To say my career is finished, I don't know because it has been a long road and process and I have begun to do some things like light jogging on the sands and that's not bad, but that is totally different from competing at a high level," he said.
"I am supposed to see my doctor in October when I return to the (United) States and we should be starting a programme to push the knee to see how it responds to heavier work. So I won't say the career is over yet, but it is definitely in jeopardy," admitted Ralph.
Fully aware that his injury is career-threatening, the bustling forward went into a depressive slump in the first year-and-half of the real life nightmare, but found his inner strength and family support to pull himself up.
"It has been very depressing, I went through a whole period of depression and if it wasn't for my family, my girlfriend and friends I don't know if I would make it through.," Ralph explained.
"It's tough when you are doing something that you love and at a time when your career is booming and then to have it all swept aside. but now I am in a much better place than I was a year-and-a-half ago, having put my life in perspective," he noted.
In 25 games and two goals for FC Rubin Kazan in the 2005/2006 season, Ralph had a promising start to life at the Russian club when his career was derailed.
"It wasn't the best start in terms of scoring, but my performance in the field was good. I was really looking ahead to the new season and in that pre-season that I got hurt, I already had four goals, so I was really excited going into the second year," said the MLS Rookie of the Year of 2003.
But Ralph is a man with his head properly screwed on. With his professional football career in limbo and the possibility of a disastrous end, he put plan B in motion.
"For the past year I went back to the University of Connecticut where I started my studies to finish by bachelors degree in economics so that I could have a plan B to safeguard myself for the future," he said.
Also, a future in coaching could be on the cards for the six-foot, one-inch striker.
"Coaching has crossed my mind, but I think I would want to do it at the youth level because I think that's where it counts more," he argued.
Ralph, who is capped 18 times as a senior Reggae Boy, longs to be back in a Jamaica shirt.
"It is very disappointing to be out of action, especially when I watched the Gold Cup the other day, but the best I can do right now is just support them in any way I can."
Ralph made his debut for Jamaica in an August 2002 friendly match against Grenada and played his final international in a friendly against Australia in October 2005.
But his most memorable moment in a Jamaica jersey was the Boyz's historic 3-0 win over El Salvador in a World Cup qualifier in San Salvador in 2004.
"I thought the team work was particularly good and a performance I was happy to be a part of," said Ralph.
And for those fans who have constantly wished the player a speedy recovery, Ralph says thanks.
"I want to say thanks to the fans for their concern and support, and if there is an ounce of chance left for me to play, I will be fighting for that chance," he concluded.
Ralph started his American playing career at Meridian Community College in Mississippi where he scored 59 goals in 45 matches.
After two years with Meridian, Ralph left for the University of Connecticut where he continued his dominant play. During his two years at Connecticut, he scored 28 goals and had 11 assists, and was a Hermann Trophy finalist in his senior year.
Ralph was then drafted 18th overall by the Chicago Fire in the 2003 MLS SuperDraft and quickly earned a spot in the starting line-up and finished the season with 11 goals and six assists in 25 games. In scoring 11 goals, Ralph broke the MLS record for goals scored by a rookie, previously held by Rodrigo Faria, Josh Wolff and Jamaican-born Jeff Cunningham, and was deservedly named MLS Rookie of the Year for his accomplishments.
In his second year with the Fire, he scored 11 goals again and added three assists to lead the team in scoring.
After actively pursuing a move to Europe almost from his first day in Chicago, some of the clubs that reportedly showed interest in the Jamaican included English sides Sunderland and Bolton.
In 2004, rumours swirled that Ralph would move to the Spanish club Malaga, but MLS turned down a reputed US$1 million transfer offer.
However, in 2005 Ralph finally secured his long desired transfer to Europe. The contract was due to run for three years with a reported starting yearly salary of US$650,000, but was cut short in 2007 with a year to go.
BY SEAN A WILLIAMS Assistant Sport Editor
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Damani Ralph is in a gruelling fight to save his professional football life.
RALPH. it's tough when you are doing something that you love and at a time when your career is booming and then to have it all swept aside
And following four surgeries in two years on a ruptured left knee, the striker could very well be embroiled in a losing battle as, at best, his progress is measured at a frustrating snail's pace.
But he won't quit. Ralph, the former Harbour View frontman, is determined to go for extra time on his daunting mission to return to full fitness, and ultimately to the field of play.
But all that hinges precariously on what the best of modern medicine can do for him and his will to soldier on in the face of enormous odds.
Ralph's two-year nightmare started when he sustained the injury in his first season with Russian Premier League champions FC Rubin Kazan.
"In the first season I got the injury, and I thought that the off season would be enough rest, but on my return to the pre-season I had a lot of flare-ups and there were days when I had to be missing training to alleviate the swelling and the pain," lamented the 28-year-old former St George's College student.
With growing pain and discomfort, a scared Ralph headed for Germany for help in 2006.
"I went to see a doctor in Germany and did an MRI scan and was diagnosed that I had some damaged cartilage in the knee to the extent where there were exposed bones.," he told the Sunday Observer.
At the time, he claims, the doctor recommended microfracture surgery - the very kind that England cricketer Andrew Flintoff was said to have done on his right knee recently. "What they do is bleed the knee which is aimed at promoting the growth of the cartilage in the knee," said Ralph, as he recounts the shocking details of the medical procedure which he did three times.
The fourth and final operation which was done last year is called Autologous Chondrocyte Implantation, or ACI, and is a procedure to treat areas of cartilage damage in the knee.
Ralph, who transferred from US MLS franchise team Chicago Fire for a reported US$2 million fee in 2005, said he is not yet ready to pen the obituary of his career, but was quick to concede that it is under serious threat.
"To say my career is finished, I don't know because it has been a long road and process and I have begun to do some things like light jogging on the sands and that's not bad, but that is totally different from competing at a high level," he said.
"I am supposed to see my doctor in October when I return to the (United) States and we should be starting a programme to push the knee to see how it responds to heavier work. So I won't say the career is over yet, but it is definitely in jeopardy," admitted Ralph.
Fully aware that his injury is career-threatening, the bustling forward went into a depressive slump in the first year-and-half of the real life nightmare, but found his inner strength and family support to pull himself up.
"It has been very depressing, I went through a whole period of depression and if it wasn't for my family, my girlfriend and friends I don't know if I would make it through.," Ralph explained.
"It's tough when you are doing something that you love and at a time when your career is booming and then to have it all swept aside. but now I am in a much better place than I was a year-and-a-half ago, having put my life in perspective," he noted.
In 25 games and two goals for FC Rubin Kazan in the 2005/2006 season, Ralph had a promising start to life at the Russian club when his career was derailed.
"It wasn't the best start in terms of scoring, but my performance in the field was good. I was really looking ahead to the new season and in that pre-season that I got hurt, I already had four goals, so I was really excited going into the second year," said the MLS Rookie of the Year of 2003.
But Ralph is a man with his head properly screwed on. With his professional football career in limbo and the possibility of a disastrous end, he put plan B in motion.
"For the past year I went back to the University of Connecticut where I started my studies to finish by bachelors degree in economics so that I could have a plan B to safeguard myself for the future," he said.
Also, a future in coaching could be on the cards for the six-foot, one-inch striker.
"Coaching has crossed my mind, but I think I would want to do it at the youth level because I think that's where it counts more," he argued.
Ralph, who is capped 18 times as a senior Reggae Boy, longs to be back in a Jamaica shirt.
"It is very disappointing to be out of action, especially when I watched the Gold Cup the other day, but the best I can do right now is just support them in any way I can."
Ralph made his debut for Jamaica in an August 2002 friendly match against Grenada and played his final international in a friendly against Australia in October 2005.
But his most memorable moment in a Jamaica jersey was the Boyz's historic 3-0 win over El Salvador in a World Cup qualifier in San Salvador in 2004.
"I thought the team work was particularly good and a performance I was happy to be a part of," said Ralph.
And for those fans who have constantly wished the player a speedy recovery, Ralph says thanks.
"I want to say thanks to the fans for their concern and support, and if there is an ounce of chance left for me to play, I will be fighting for that chance," he concluded.
Ralph started his American playing career at Meridian Community College in Mississippi where he scored 59 goals in 45 matches.
After two years with Meridian, Ralph left for the University of Connecticut where he continued his dominant play. During his two years at Connecticut, he scored 28 goals and had 11 assists, and was a Hermann Trophy finalist in his senior year.
Ralph was then drafted 18th overall by the Chicago Fire in the 2003 MLS SuperDraft and quickly earned a spot in the starting line-up and finished the season with 11 goals and six assists in 25 games. In scoring 11 goals, Ralph broke the MLS record for goals scored by a rookie, previously held by Rodrigo Faria, Josh Wolff and Jamaican-born Jeff Cunningham, and was deservedly named MLS Rookie of the Year for his accomplishments.
In his second year with the Fire, he scored 11 goals again and added three assists to lead the team in scoring.
After actively pursuing a move to Europe almost from his first day in Chicago, some of the clubs that reportedly showed interest in the Jamaican included English sides Sunderland and Bolton.
In 2004, rumours swirled that Ralph would move to the Spanish club Malaga, but MLS turned down a reputed US$1 million transfer offer.
However, in 2005 Ralph finally secured his long desired transfer to Europe. The contract was due to run for three years with a reported starting yearly salary of US$650,000, but was cut short in 2007 with a year to go.
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