USMNT's Charlie Davies Makes Sochaux's Gameday Roster, But Doesn't Play

USMNT's Charlie Davies May Be Sent Out On Loan, But Not To MLS

Charlie Davies return from a deadly car accident made a significant stride on Sunday as he made his first gameday roster since Oct. 10, 2009. Davies first actual appearance will have to wait, though. Davies did not get off the bench for Sochaux, during a 1-1 tie with Bordeaux.

From the look of it, Davies' prospect for getting on the field are slim at best. Sochaux coach Francis Gillot has said Davies is unlikely to return to a strong enough form to warrant playing time with the first team before the end of the season. Gillot has also suggested Davies may be sent out on loan, likely to a second division team in France.

The obvious question, at least for United States Men's National Team fans, is why not send Davies to MLS? For better or for worse, Sochaux president Alexandre Lacombe suggested that's not much a possibility.

"This is not news," Lacombe is quoted as saying to Francefootball.fr via Google Translator. "I can assure you he will be training with the group in Tunisia (from Jan. 2-7)."

Lacombe also said this was at least partly Davies' choice, saying the 24-year-old would prefer to stay in France where he's familiar with the medical staff and where his girlfriend is.

USMNT's Charlie Davies Makes Sochaux's Gameday Roster For First Time Since Injury

Charlie Davies' long trip back from his near-death car accident took a major step forward on Saturday when he announced via Twitter that he would be on the Sochaux's gameday roster against Bordeaux. The move was confirmed on Sochaux's website. Sunday's match will be the first time he's suited up in 15 months.

Davies has been practicing since April and had even hoped to make the United States' World Cup team, but his recovery has not gone as fast as he had hoped. Although he has played in reserve matches, this is the closest he's come to playing for the first-team side since a fatal car crash on Oct. 13, 2009 that killed a 22-year-old woman, broke several of his bones and lacerated his bladder.

Prior to the injury, Davies had been developing into one of the United States' most promising strikers. He had scored four goals for the U.S., including one at Mexico's Estadio Azteca during World Cup qualifying. He had also scored a pair of goals in his second match ever for Sochaux.

The next step for Davies may be going on loan. The 24-year-old is stuck behind a pair of on-form strikers at Sochaux, Brown Ideye and Modibo Maïga, and prospects for playing time seem limited.

"There are two guys ahead of me in the pecking order who are scoring goals left and right and playing well together as well, so I think he made that comment because if things stay as they are, I'm not going to get that playing time that I need get my form and confidence back," Davies told Ligue1.com.

"But if I could get 15 or 20 minutes and make a difference and turn a few heads and suddenly people would be thinking, Sochaux with Bobby [Brown], Modibo and Davies, have three strikers that can all contribute and offer different things."