Attakora eager to get his national team career back on track

After more than six months of frustration recovering from a concussion, defender Nana Attakora has returned to Canada’s Men’s National Team fully recovered and eager to get his national team career back on track.

Attakora missed most of the season for the San Jose Earthquakes with a concussion suffered in May. He was on the roster for the CONCACAF Gold Cup in July, but his recovery wasn’t coming along as well as he’d hoped and had to pull out of the squad.

“It was one of those injuries where you couldn’t rush back. I was going to hurt myself if I did,” Attakora said after Canada trained in drizzly conditions on Wednesday in Bad Waltersdorf, AUT. “I tried to come back but my body was telling me no so I just had to take a few weeks.”

Given the seriousness of any head injury, Attakora essentially forced himself to be patient and only come back when healthy and cleared by his club’s medical staff.

BROADCAST ALERT: Fans can watch the Canada v Czech Republic friendly live Friday on Sportsnet One at 11.00 ET / 8.00 PT and the Canada v Slovenia friendly live on Tuesday on Sportsnet One at 12.00 ET / 9.00 PT.

After the conclusion of the Canada camp, Attakora says he’s looking to find a place to train over the MLS off-season but now appreciates even more what it means to do something he truly enjoys.