Ritchie Jones and FC Edmonton forced to part ways due to knee injury

Ritchie Jones in action against Tampa Bay in 2015. PHOTO: NASL

On Tuesday, FC Edmonton coach Colin Miller said the team could be making “one or two changes” during the NASL break.

The first one was made Wednesday. Midfielder Ritchie Jones, who did not play a single minute in the spring season due to a serious knee injury, and the club came to a mutual agreement to part ways. Jones simply needs more time to heal.

“We brought Ritchie into the changing room at the end of the spring season and it was quite emotional,” coach Colin Miller said in a release. “He has been with us for a number of years now and was a terrific football player for us, both on and off the park. He has been a great ambassador for the club and he is a model professional if you can say that. It is a big loss to the club and a big loss to the changing room, for sure. He is class, personified.”

Miller said that, when healthy, Jones was the “best box-to-box midfielder” in NASL. He added that the injury is not forecast to be a career-ender, and that he hopes Jones can eventually make a full recovery.

Jones scored seven times in 44 NASL matches.

The Eddies trained Tuesday with several absences; fullback Eddie Edward is back home in Ottawa (personal), while defender Pape Diakite should be back training on Friday. As well, midfielder Cristian Raudales, who was hurt midway during the spring season when he fell awkwardly on the patchy turf in Jacksonville, is set to return to training this week.

Miller said that, if new players are brought in, they’ll have to provide something unique to the Eddies.

“I don’t want to make a move for someone who’s like a player we already have here,” he said. “We are in a good spot (one point out of first spot in the overall standings), we like where we are.”

And, Miller said that other clubs have also approached the Eddies about some of the players on its roster, as well.