Jozy Altidore is ready to get back on the field, even if he hasn't shown it publicly.
"You don't see me banging my head against the wall at home just sitting there waiting to play," the Toronto FC striker told reporters on Monday. "There's nothing you can do about it. Everybody's got to deal with it."
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Altidore was referring to the protracted format of the MLS postseason, which includes a long layoff for a FIFA-mandated international break. But the 28-year-old hasn't played for TFC since Nov. 5.
On that night, both Altidore and strike partner Sebastian Giovinco earned themselves one-game suspensions for separate incidents in a 1-0 loss to the New York Red Bulls (TFC advanced to the Eastern Conference final due to the away goals tiebreaker).
Toronto has since played to a 0-0 draw in the first leg of the conference final against the Columbus Crew, with the team's forward duo watching from the sidelines. Both players are expected to return for Wednesday's second leg at BMO Field in Toronto, but Altidore would be lying if he said the issue of rust setting in after a 24-day layoff wasn't a concern ahead of the crucial match.
He's just not prepared to use it as an excuse.
"There's not much you can do, actually," Altidore said of the fight to stay sharp while sitting on the sidelines. "You can't really replicate matches and match fitness and game-like scenarios, you can only get them in games. But we're all professionals, we've all played for quite some time, Seba and myself [are] guys who missed that game because of suspension.
"There aren't any excuses in terms of making sure that we're ready come Wednesday night."
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In that vein, Altidore said he's not worried about any bigger expectations for him and Giovinco when they return to the field. As TFC's top two goal scorers, they will be counted upon to give a spark to a team that has uncharacteristically been held scoreless over its last 198 minutes of play.
"Every game you play there's pressure," Altidore said. "There's no difference between the pressure in this game, between a world cup qualifier, between a knockout game in another league — there's always pressure. We've got to be able to deal with that."
Between his suspension and the United States' failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup (and the subsequent booing he and American teammate Michael Bradley have received at every U.S.-based MLS venue), it's been a rough couple of months on the field for Altidore. The striker says he isn't ready to dwell on the negatives when there remains the possibility to succeed with his club side.
"Things aren't always going to go your way, that's life," Altidore said. "It was disappointing, obviously, what happened with the national team but that's behind me now. Now for me the focus is here on Toronto and trying to give everything I can to try to help us be as successful as possible.
"When I say it's behind me, obviously it's not something you forget but you've got to try to look forward and try to take advantage of the next opportunity."
That comes Wednesday, as Altidore and TFC have another shot at hosting the MLS Cup final.