CARSON, Calif. – It’s not quite time for that proverbial ride into the sunset, but the LA Galaxy’s Todd Dunivant knows it’s fast approaching.
The 34-year-old left back, who recently announced his retirement, will be playing in his final regular-season game at home Sunday when the defending MLS Cup champions take on the Portland Timbers at StubHub Center (4 p.m., Fox Sports 1, Fox Deportes).
But true to his understated, business-like approach to the game, Dunivant’s focus is on the present. The future can wait, as far as he is concerned.
“First and foremost this is a big game for our team,” he said Tuesday. “That’s what I’ll be focused on obviously. It will be a great night for me, but it’s all about the team and it’s an important game for us.
“We’re in the midst of a playoff race.”
It has been a difficult time for the popular veteran. He hasn’t played since a one-minute stint in a 5-2 victory over San Jose on July 17 and he hasn’t gone a full 90 since a 4-1 win over D.C. United on Aug. 27, 2014. Abdominal injuries have limited him to just 10 appearances combined in the last two seasons. He has appeared in 282 career regular-season games, including 269 starts, and has won five MLS Cup titles.
Dunivant, originally the sixth overall selection by San Jose in the 2003 MLS SuperDraft, is in his second stint with the Galaxy. He originally came to Los Angeles in a four-player deal just before the 2005 season and then was re-acquired from Toronto FC in exchange for allocation money in 2009.
The native of Wheat Ridge, Colo., had been a mainstay on the Galaxy’s back line before injuries took their toll and Robbie Rogers emerged as his heir apparent. But Dunivant never lost his resolve to be as prepared as he could be, nor did he lose admiration from coaches and teammates.
Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena said he’s always been impressed with the former standout at Stanford.
“Obviously, I think everyone would like to go out in a blaze of glory,” Arena said. “It’s been tough the last two years because of his injuries. But he’s one of those people where he’s proven what he’s needed to prove on the field. And off the field he’s been a terrific citizen for all the clubs he’s served in the league. He’s been a representative for the (players) union.
“He’s just a good guy that’s prepared for life after soccer. He has a Stanford degree, he’s intelligent, he’s well-respected. He’s still an important part of our team and I think he deserves the respect and applause for the kind of career he’s had and the way he’s conducted himself as a person and a player.”
Dunivant, who said he feels healthy and is hopeful of playing this weekend, said he isn’t ready to offer any career perspectives at this point. But he also admitted the sense of finality to his 13-year career is growing stronger.
Until that day comes when he does bid farewell to the game he will concentrate on the task at hand.
“You play this game your whole life, you’re out here and you kind of do things by habit,” he said. “I can’t really break the habit of playing the way I do, train the way I do and always pushing to play. That hasn’t changed.
“From a mindset standpoint for me it’s not that difficult to stay focused on the now rather than thinking on your past career, all that stuff. We’ve got a lot ahead of us.”
And his post-career ambitions? Those can wait, he said, at least for a little while.
“I think I want to stay in the game,” he added. “That’s the one part I do know. I’ve done this for too long. I love this game too much to step away from it, and hopefully there’s opportunities to come out of that.
“That’ll be a decision I’ll be looking to make in the next couple of months. Right now the focus is on the game.”