Red Bulls MF Stammler has successful surgery

Oct 31, 2008 - 2:55 PM SECAUCUS, New Jersey (Ticker) - New York Red Bulls midfielder Seth Stammler underwent successful surgery to repair a torn lateral meniscus in his right knee, the team announced Friday.

Stammler, who had the operation on Thursday, had been playing with the injury since late August. He will need up to four months to recover.

"Since Seth's injury, we have tried to manage it on a day-to-day basis," Red Bulls sporting director Jeff Agoos said. "However, the pain became unmanageable and the decision from our medical staff was to immediately perform surgery."

Stammler, 27, has played in 26 games, recording one goal and four assists this season. Playing both in the midfield and defense, the fifth-year player has appeared in a total of 95 games for New York.

The Red Bulls take on the two-time defending champion Houston Dynamo in the first leg of the teams' Western Conference semifinal series on Saturday.