New England Soccer Today

Training Report: Alston, Bunbury & Jones Present

Photo credit: Chris Aduama/aduamaphotography.com

Photo credit: Chris Aduama/aduamaphotography.com

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – All three players listed on the Revolution’s injury report ahead of Saturday’s clash against the San Jose Earthquakes were present for training on Friday, which took place inside the Dana Farber Fieldhouse.

Jermaine Jones (out – sports hernia surgery) worked with strength and conditioning coach Nick Downing, while and Kevin Alston (out – right hamstring strain) and Teal Bunbury (questionable – right shoulder sprain) participated in passing and possession drills. Bunbury’s status was upgraded after he was listed as “out” for the past two weeks.

Bunbury has trained with the club all week, and on Wednesday, he told NESoccerToday.com that his shoulder was feeling “good,” but that, “it’s not going to be 100 percent within the next week or two, it’s going to be nagging a little bit.”

Here are some other notes from Friday’s training session:

*Jones, Jay Heaps and Jose Goncalves all spoke to reporters prior to Friday’s training. For Jones, it was his first chance to speak to local media since undergoing sports hernia surgery in February.

*Jones on when he believes he’ll be able to return to the field: “I’d say maybe a week, two weeks to go, but fitness will come back if you’re back in the field, and train with the team, and that’s the easiest part.”

*How much was Jones wiling to grit through the pain associated with his sports hernia injury? Heaps cited a situation that unfolded last October in which the Revolution play at Montreal on Oct. 11, then again on Oct. 16 at Houston. Sandwiched in between was a U.S.-Honduras friendly in Florida on Oct. 14. Jones went the full 90 during the first two, and also wanted to start the Revs-Dynamo match. Said Heaps: “He wanted to go Saturday-Tuesday-Thursday, which is almost impossible. But he ended up playing in that (Houston) game, and having a big assist coming off the bench. But that’s the mentality that he has. He’s a gamer, and you’d rather have that than a guy that’s conservative and holding back.”

*The Revolution’s USL affiliate in Rochester kicks off its regular season on Saturday, but don’t expect to see any loanees from Foxborough to be present for the Rhinos’ opener. Heaps had a full squad to work with on Friday, with potential loan candiates Timi Mulgrew, Tyler Rudy, London Woodberry, Sean Okoli, and Trevor Spangenberg all present.

*Revolution owner/operator Jonathan Kraft and general manager Michael Burns were seen chatting with each other at the start of Friday’s training.

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