Tajon Buchanan ready to return with Canada heading into FIFA World Cup

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia — Tajon Buchan feels like a race car in red.

The Canadian midfielder has been sidelined since July with a quad injury, but is ready to get back on the field and go for a test drive.

Buchanan, who is playing with Club Brugge in Belgium, could see some action when Canada face Uruguay in an international friendly here Tuesday. It will be the last exhibition game for Canada before head coach John Herdman has to name his squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

“I was injured for two months, so it’s been a tough process but now that I feel good again, I can start training and get some games in. I feel good, so I am happy,” Buchanan said Sunday following a practice session. “I was just in warm-ups in the first game of the season — a (Belgian) Super Cup game — and I took a shot in warmups and I felt something in my quad. Ever since then, it’s been an up and down journey.

“I tried to comeback in training and hurt it again so it was a tough period, but I am good now and ready to play some games.”

A Brampton, Ont., product, Buchanan, 23, is a rising star with the Canadian men’s national soccer team. He spent last season with the New England Revolution, on loan from Club Brugge, and was one of the best young players in the MLS.

This season, he returned to Belgium, but hasn’t been able to gain any traction due to his injury.

Club Brugge allowed Buchanan to join Canada for its training camp during the current international window, but put a ‘Fragile’ sticker on him.

“I think Brugge have done a good job the last few weeks getting him ready to return to play,” Herdman said Sunday. “And for a player, a first injury it takes time to trust your body again. He had some good moments (Sunday) and he fit right back into our structure.”

Herdman understands there is a lot a stake in regards to Buchanan with the World Cup coming up in November. And while he wants to put out his most competitive side against Uruguay, is not going to take an unnecessary risk. Club Brugge wants him back in one piece as well.

“We had a good chat with Brugge to understand the situation, because they know the player better than us when it comes to his return to play schedule. So we have an idea of what we think is safe and it’s now just about speaking to the player and what he’s comfortable with,” Herdman said. “I think we all know the intensity of Uruguay and both teams want to play this game (hard) and that will dictate how much time he’ll get.”

During Canada’s World Cup qualifying campaign, Buchanan went from a support player to an important member of the starting lineup. His ability to attack defenders down the wings helped Canada finished first in the final Concacaf qualifying group ahead of Mexico and the United States.

Buchanan was hoping to get off to a good start in Belgium and be at his best at the World Cup. And while the tournament is fast approaching, there is still time for Buchanan to get back up to speed.

“It was super hard because, honestly, I did not believe the injury was going to be that long and when your missing those games it gets to you,” Buchanan said. “There was a (UEFA) Champions League game that I was not able to play in and that was the toughest thing for me.”

All that matters to Buchanan now, is to be healthy for the World Cup and back in game shape. He had been unable to run during the early part of his recovery.

“As players we deal with that stuff and now that it is over with and that I am back on the field, I want to try to get ready as quickly as possible,” Buchanan said. “The plan right now is to get some minutes — I don’t know how many and that is up to the coach — and after go back to my club.

“Once I am fully cleared, then I can ease into it and maybe come off the bench the first few games. Maybe after that, get some starts and play more minutes. That is the plan going forward.”

Considering Canada will be competing at its first men’s World Cup since 1986, the weeks leading up to the tournament can be perilous for players. While they don’t want to take their foot off the gas for club or country, they don’t want to pick up an injury and miss out on the biggest sporting spectacle in the world.

“When it happened, it was the preseason and the World Cup wasn’t for months,” Buchanan said. “We deal with those things as players and when it happened, I didn’t believe it was going to be that long. I don’t think anybody did and now that, hopefully, it’s finished, and now that I am back on the field, I feel good and I am ready to start playing again.”

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