Emma Hayes and US Soccer have begun a coordinated programme to overhaul the fitness approach for a central defender sidelined by a fresh calf injury. The short-term aim is to resolve the immediate problem and reduce the risk of recurrence; the longer-term goal is to preserve availability ahead of a busy international and club calendar.
The injury and its immediate impact
Naomi Girma suffered a calf problem in training that has taken her out of the upcoming set of international friendlies. The issue is being treated as a soft-tissue recurrence rather than a traumatic injury, which has prompted both the national federation and club staff to review load, recovery and conditioning protocols. The player will not travel with the squad while the medical teams complete diagnostic work and outline a phased return to running and football activity.
How the joint plan is structured
The arrangement places the player at the centre of a single, shared plan that both sides have signed off on. It brings together the federation’s sports science staff and the club’s medical and performance staff under a common set of objectives: reduce pain, restore tissue tolerance, rebuild strength and reintegrate football-specific movements. Monitoring will use objective measures where possible and progress checkpoints will determine when intensity increases.
Key elements of the revised programme
- Initial control: Focused on symptom relief and early movement to avoid stiffness while protecting the injured fibres.
- Strength rebuild: Progressive eccentric and concentric calf loading designed to restore capacity without over-stressing delicate tissues.
- Load monitoring: A stepped increase in running volume, sprint exposure and weighted strength work tied to measurable milestones rather than fixed dates.
- Neuromuscular work: Exercises to restore balance, proprioception and the rapid force production needed in defensive actions.
- Return-to-play gates: Objective tests and specialist sign-off before return to full team training and match minutes.
Why the collaboration matters
Coordination between national federations and clubs has become routine where player welfare and availability are at stake, but the speed and level of integration here underline how both parties view the problem. The shared plan reduces the risk of conflicting programmes and ensures the player receives consistent messaging and load management. It also allows both teams to align on acceptable steps for reintroduction into high-intensity activity.
What this means for selection and minutes
The player will be assessed against the federation’s return-to-play criteria before being reconsidered for international selection. In the immediate term, absence from the scheduled friendlies removes a chance to build match sharpness, and minutes on return will be managed to avoid spikes in load. The club will retain day-to-day responsibility for supervision while the federation sets the return gates, so minutes are likely to be conservative until all tests are passed.
Next steps and monitoring
Expect a staged process rather than a single announcement. The first phase will focus on clearing pain and restoring basic running; subsequent phases will target high-speed running, change of direction and competition-specific scenarios. Regular updates will come through medical channels as the player moves through each gate, but the defining feature of the plan is its emphasis on measured progression rather than an expedited timeline.
Emma Hayes and the club medical team will continue to liaise with federation staff as rehabilitation progresses so both parties can agree on thresholds for match exposure and training intensity.
