The long saga of Charlie Davies is taking another turn - this one, back toward home.
Davies, the former Boston College and US men's national team standout, has reportedly signed with the New England Revolution, bringing him back to MLS for the second time in his career. Davies scored 11 goals in a stint with DC United in 2011. Davies is coming off an unsuccessful tenure at Randers FC in Denmark, in which he failed to score in a first division game in two seasons.
Davies' story is well-documented: in 2009, he was a rising star for the US national team, impressing for Sochaux in France's Ligue 1 and scoring some memorable goals in international competition. Davies was a key player for the US in their run to the Confederations Cup final in 2009, and scored an incredible goal at Estadio Azteca against Mexico in a World Cup qualifier.
All of that promise came crashing down in October of 2009, when Davies was severely injured in a horrific car accident in Washington, DC, just days before the US's final World Cup qualifier. Davies made an impressive physical recovery to be able to play soccer again, but has never gotten himself back on to the radar of the US national team.
Davies' reputation among US fans certainly took a hit due to both the circumstances surrounding the accident and some odd events that followed. On the night of the accident, Davies violated team curfew and got into a car with a driver who had been drinking. He was also party to a later lawsuit that sought to hold the nightclub liable for overserving the members of the party, something that didn't sit well with many. Additionally, one year after his accident, he was apparently pulled over for traveling over 100 MPH in France.
That said, Davies has also shown admirable work ethic in recovering from life-threatening injuries, and by all accounts continues to be a great teammate. He's also demonstrated personal growth over the past 18 months, buying a home in his native New England and marrying his college girlfriend while continuing to work on rehabilitating his career.
While this is a bit of a flier for the Revolution, it seems like a great move for Davies, which could give his career a much-needed jolt. Stability, playing close to home, and a chance for more first-team playing time could help Davies break out of his scoring funk. While the days of Davies as national team prospect are probably over, he certainly still has a lot he could accomplish as a professional - and playing for his hometown team could provide some extra motivation.
The deal should be finalized sometime on Friday. The Revs travel to Kansas City on Saturday, but Davies is unlikely to be on the roster until at least next Saturday's game, August 17, at home against Chicago.