Stuart Holden joins NBC crew to call midweek MLS clash

Let’s be very, very clear. Stu Holden remains on the road to recovery and will be rejoining Bolton Wanderers soon enough.

But that doesn’t mean we won’t be able to hear from him as part of an excellent double header Wednesday on NBC Sports Network.

Following “Football at Fenway” at 7pm ET between AS Roma and Liverpool -- which features a star-studded broadcast team of its own -- Holden will join John Strong and Russ Thaler from Buck Shaw Stadium in California for the 1030pm ET kickoff between the San Jose Earthquakes and Chicago Fire.

Holden is jazzed for the opportunity, but also champing at the bit to get back on the field.

@thegoalkeeper @NBCSportsSoccer thanks! Excited for it! Just to clarify it’s not full time gig, still continuing my rehab and back in fall!

— Stuart Holden (@stuholden) July 21, 2014

Holden was injured this winter playing for Bolton and was slated to miss between 6-9 months while recovering on surgery to fix ligament damage in his right knee. That puts his return sometime between September and December, though certainly there won’t be any rushing back for the midfielder who turns 29 on Aug. 1.

As for that ‘little’ match-up between American-owned European giants Liverpool and AS Roma in Boston, NBCSN will have a who’s who of their broadcast crew on point:

NBC Sports Group’s lead Premier League play-by-play announcer Arlo White calls the Liverpool-AS Roma match joined by former U.S. Men’s National Team midfielder Kyle Martino, who will offer analysis from “between the benches.” Rebecca Lowe will be live on the field at Fenway Park to host pre-game, halftime and post-game shows joined by former Jamaican national team player Robbie Earle and former English footballer Robbie Mustoe.

Soccer never really left us after the World Cup, but it certainly is back.

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