FT Catolica 1 - 1 U. de Chile Great game, a high intensity classico. Walker was apparently knocked unconscious and stretchered off at 71' with a neck or head injury after a collision in the penalty area that resulted in a PK. Catolica was without their backup keeper, so a field player (Alvarez) had to don the keepers jersey and gloves in Walker's absence. He guessed right on the PK and managed to stop it and the kick off the rebound.
Yeah, it was very dramatic. Alvarez was jumping up and down with joy after the play and the crowd gave him a hero's welcome. After the collision, it looked like Walker went limp almost immediately. I couldn't tell from the angle whether he was awake or not, and the U. de Chile player nearest to him started signalling wildly to the medical staff to come onto the field. I've been digging around the Chilean papers and Catolica fan sites to get more information on Jonnie's condition and the latest information is that he was put into a neck brace and taken by ambulance to the local hospital for further examination. From what I could tell from the broadcast, he was conscious by the time they removed him from the field and was moving his arms. The doctors had removed his shoes (to test his nervous system at the bottom of his feet) on the field, which is always a bit scary to watch. I couldn't tell whether they were just being conservative in their exam, or whether he was having a problem moving his legs.
I read that they kept Walker overnight at the hospital for observation, but he went home on Sunday. Everything is okay, but he's out for a week to insure his recuperation. He went unconscious for 5 minutes on the field and suffered a slight seizure... It says he is recuperating well, though and he'll be back in the game in about two weeks probably.
That's great news. It was a pretty bad collision. FWIW, Walker had been playing pretty well before the injury. Catolica's defense was a bit suspect today on that play and the goal. On the goal, a U. de Chile player served a cross in from the left side, which was deflected towards the back post and 'froze' Walker for a moment. Two UdC players converged on it completely unmarked and it fell nicely to one, who tried to slot it behind a sprawling Walker. He managed to react and get a hand on it as it left the attackers foot, but it still went in. Horrible marking by Catolica. On the play leading up to Jonny's injury, a UdC forward beat three, maybe four Catolica defenders, just outside the box on the right with a lot of skill and bit of luck and went in on goal on a diagonal run. Walker came out to the penalty spot and slid in bravely to take the ball. He actually won it cleanly initally and knocked it away, but the attacker's momentum carried him forward and the two collided with the attacker's knee or quad hitting Jonny squarely in the side of the head. I was a little surprised that the ref pointed to the spot (he was out of position), because Walker had won the ball before the contact and the ref had been letting a lot of physical play and collisions in the box go throughout the game. In any event, the dramatic PK save by Alvarez, and the overall result, were fair for both sides.
I second that... Also, I was talking to my girlfriend (who lives in Chile) and she said that the news (sports report on TV) reported that Catolica had used their 3 subs, and that he was taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure. She speculated that it seemed they were saying he had a concussion.
The player saving the PK was the one called for the trip creating the PK and the collision that knocked Jonny out.
Not that you'd have any first hand experience in this type of thing or anything, right? I guess he owed him one then...
Guess that PK save had a bit'o'help. http://www.planetfootball.com/article.asp?id=114494&Title=Referee+admits+to+penalty+help Also, nice to see Johnny is considered a "star"
He is considered a "star" where??? Not here in Chile. Actually, the same day of the incident, on the news someone was saying "Too bad Walker was injured, he is a good player... no... wait... he is not a good player... well, sometimes he is good... but his work is poor many times. Anyway, let's keep on with the news." Of course, it was hilarious to hear him making up his mind on air! BTW- Walker is not playing this weekend.
Biosoccer... Walker has been voted best goalkeeper for two seasons in a row now... So I don't know what you are watching? Of course he has made some mistakes, but what professional athlete doesn't?? Nobody's perfect and the fact that he's an American playing in Chile -- the press eats him alive when he makes a boo boo unlike when their native players do the same thing. Do you believe everything you read? Lighten up.
No, but I believe in what I see... not because the rest of the goalkeepers are crappy, Walker should be considered a star. You speak Spanish, "En el reino de los ciegos, el tuerto es rey," that's what you are considering here.
In other words, Chilean league goalkeepers are not much. Walker has to go elsewhere before (and if) he can establish himself as a "star."
A head injury that results in seizures and five minutes of unconsciousness is not a one week and back injury. I know it's a different level, but i just spent two nights in ICU with a high school keeper for a similar injury, and have been listening to doctors say at least two months. Now, this may be excessive, but a second head injury, even a slight one, shortly after a bad one, has side effects like death and paralysis, at least according to the neurosurgeons we were talking with (and there were several). Just a way of saying I hope he takes enough time off to fully heal (and I hope he's had an MRI to back up the decision to play).
That's funny. You can only be a star in Chile if you're not in Chile. It sounds a lot like Canada! Could be a joke. Q: "Who's the star player of the Chilean league?" A: "A left back in the Bundesliga!"
If you are Chilean and a goalie yeah, that's my opinion. Walker obviously wouldn't be a star in Chile if he left Chile, but he might get Nats consideration.
Just think of Zamorano and Salas... Zamorano became who he is at Real Madrid and Salas at River Plate. If you are good... you don't play in Chile!