Stuart Holden says U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann wants him on the national team but won't rush him back after being out six months with a knee injury.
Klinsmann recently watched Holden play for Bolton's reserves and they spoke afterward.
''I spoke to him for a good 10-15 minutes after in the locker room and, you know, he made it clear to me that he sees me as part of his plans in the future, but he wasn't going to rush me back in,'' Holden said in a phone interview Wednesday. ''I would assume I'm not going to be involved in the friendlies coming up next month but, you know, I hope to keep pushing on with Bolton, get back in the team here, and you know, that will all fall into place, hopefully.
''... A big goal of mine is to make an impact with the national team and be a big part of that team going forward.''
The United States plays Honduras in Miami on Oct. 8, followed by a meeting with Ecuador three nights later in Harrison, N.J.
Holden played for Bolton for the first time in six months on Tuesday in a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa in the third round of the League Cup. Holden played the full match and said he felt nothing unusual with his knee.
''My knee is going to be stiff for a couple of days after playing games like that. But, you know, it's just par for the course now for the next couple of months as I continue to put more and more work through it and as it gets used to doing that,'' he said.
Holden was hurt in March during a tackle by Manchester United defender Jonny Evans that ripped open his left knee and fractured a bone, requiring surgery to pin the fracture together.
