CARSON, Calif. – Todd Dunivant has put the worst of 2014 behind him, embraced the really good parts, and expects to again contribute this year for the LA Galaxy.
The veteran left back was limited to eight competitive appearances last year by two major injuries, an abdominal tear in March and a groin tear in September, and watched from the sidelines as Robbie Rogers made the position his own as LA drove to their third MLS Cup title in four years.
“It was frustrating,” said Dunivant, who turned 34 the day after Christmas. “It's hard to go through a season like that where you work so hard to get fit, and after a tough injury and surgery, and then you come back and you get injured again. It takes you right back down. It's hard, obviously, on your body, but also kind of your psyche.
“But I was able to feed off the team's energy and the fact that we were doing so well. You don't want to disrupt that, you don't want to let your own frustration seep into the team and let anyone know those kind of things are going on. You just try the best that you can to integrate yourself in the group and keep the tide going. And we were able to do that, and we won a championship.”
Dunivant was ready to go by the playoffs but never got off the bench, a decision he fully understood. He's staying fit during the offseason and wants to make sure Bruce Arena knows he can be trusted when the 2015 campaign kicks off March 6 at StubHub Center against the Chicago Fire.
“I had plenty of rest during the season that I didn't want, during injury recoveries and surgeries and that kind of stuff, so I didn't need as much time to rest and recover and I've been able to stay active, stay running,” Dunivant said. “We did some traveling to family in the Midwest, so it's not exactly the most ideal place to be running outside, but I did my best. My plan is to come into preseason fit and strong and ready to compete and ready to help the team.”
Dunivant has been the Galaxy's first choice at left back since returning to the team in 2009, after Bruce Arena took charge, making 152 league starts in five seasons and playing a key role in LA's title runs in 2011 and 2012. He was a Best XI selection in '11.
“That's kind of been my trademark, my reliability and my consistency and just being kind of a no-brainer to put on the team sheet,” Dunivant said. “And when you're injured and that's taken our of your hands, it's not like you've lost your spot because you were beaten or somebody took it from you. It's frustrating when it's out of your control, but on some level, there's also peace with that, because there's really nothing you can do about it.
“My job is to be that reliable option again and to give Bruce that option that I'm healthy, available, and I can bring my experience and all my qualities to the team.”
He and Rogers give LA considerable depth on the left, but he's not thinking they're in competition.
“I'm willing to bet that if Robbie and I are both healthy, we'll both be on the field, one way or another,” Dunivant said. “Whatever that means, however that looks, I'm not sure, but I'd like to say that if I'm healthy and available, I'll be on the field, and I think the same will be true of Robbie.”
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Retirement, he says, is still off in the distance.
“I'm absolutely full steam ahead for this season, and then beyond, if things continue to go well,” he said. “This career of ours is pretty short, and the more you're in it, the more you see it, the more you realize how brief this window is that you get to play this game, and when you're done, you're done. So I'm certainly going to play as long as I'm able to play and able to contribute regularly and be a quality play for the team.
“I want to be out there. That's my goal, that's my intention, and that's my thinking going into this year. And I'm certainly not thinking this will be my last.”
