Charlie Davies will return to the men's national team. When - that's the question. (Photo: Newscom)

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Charlie Davies' spirits have been high ever since injuries suffered in a car accident put his soccer career on hold.  His Twitter feed has been inspirational, and when news of a late season comeback with Sochaux started to emerge, there was a whisper throughout the United States-backing community:  "Could he really be ready?"

Today we find out Davies will not return to Ligue 1 action this season, casting doubts on his availability for the World Cup.

Let's wait a second to redress the implications on Bob Bradley's squad.  Let's focus on Davies for a moment.

I've never spoken to Charlie Davies, but I have been through situations like his.  If he wanted to come back for South Africa - felt he was either ready or he needed it - then I was on-board, and for that reason, today's news is a bit crushing.  At the same time, this does not have to be a negative.

Thankfully, it looks like Davies' best playing days are still ahead of him, and it's not inconceivable that he will be the team's most important player in Brazil.  That requires him returning to health in a way that he can not only play but also continue his meteoric rise onto the international stage.

If this "setback" forces him to focus on getting completely right for the 2010-11 season, alleviates the burden that the shorter, World Cup timetable created, then this could be a long-term plus.

However, we are not there, yet.  Davies still has a couple of months to get ready.  The call-ups to the national team camp are weeks away.  After that, there's another month to get ready, should Bradley feel Davies can be ready come mid-June.  If Davies is intent on going, I want to see it happen.

But if it doesn't happen, there's reason to think missing South Africa could be a long-term benefit.

For the United States, Davies is irreplaceable, as Bob Bradley has found out over the last six months.  It's an ironic status since Davies had only been in the first team for roughly six months before that.  While the United States seemed fine in the era pre-Davies, now it's difficult to imagine them competing without the for Boston College Eagle.

Bob Bradley had been comfortable pairing Jozy Altidore and Brian Ching before Davies' emergence.  Seeing how the team worked with a number ten, Bradley has tried Robbie Findley as Davies' replacement - to not avail.

Bradley could do back to a pairing consisting of Altidore and either Ching or Conor Casey, so he could move Landon Donovan or Clint Dempsey into the number ten's role.  Both are certain capable or performing to Davies' level.  The question would then be who takes over on the vacated wing.

Stu Holden's a possibility.  Alejandro Bedoya gives a distinct dimension (that I feel should be in the team, one way or another).  DeMarcus Beasley's experience could make him a favorite.

With a lot of these scenarios, health will be a factor.  And who knows.  These machinations may prove unnecessary.

But as of now, Davies looks like a major doubt for South Africa.

Update:  You have to love Twitter, even if you don't love using it.

Charlie Davies tweeted this a couple of hours before I posted this piece:

Just to let you all know I'm progressing very well & lucky not to have had any setbacks & I'm working extremely hard every day. Believe!!!!!