Geoff Cameron undergoes hernia operation

Geoff Cameron will be out at least two weeks, and possibly longer. The Stoke City player underwent an operation to treat a hernia, which will keep him sidelined until the end of the month, if not longer.

"It's been troubling him for a while, so the time has come for an operation," Stoke assistant manager Mark Bowen told the Stoke Sentinel.

This is not a new injury for Cameron. He has apparently been dealing with discomfort from the hernia for months, including at the World Cup. Of course, both Stoke and assumedly the U.S. knew of the injury and were comfortable not only letting him play, but that he could play at, or near, his best.

"He started feeling it last season, then obviously went to the World Cup and came back to us still feeling a bit sore.

"These things tend to manifest themselves over a period of months and now the time has come, but it's difficult to say how long we will lose him for."

Two weeks is generally the minimum recovery time for a hernia surgery, although it can take upwards of a month. Cameron had already been ruled out for two weeks at the end of August with what Stoke manager Mark Hughes called "a side injury," which could have been the effects of the hernia. The club has not clarified whether the side injury and hernia are the same thing or different injuries, but it's a good bet that they are the same.

Stoke won't miss Cameron too much, as he has been relegated to bench duty this season, but he is a relatively big absence for the United States. Cameron did not play in the Americans' friendly against the Czech Republic earlier in the month through injury and he is expected to challenge Omar Gonzalez, Matt Besler and John Brooks for one of the two starting centerback jobs.

While there is plenty of time before the Gold Cup, and these friendlies are not especially important, having him in the mix is a plus for Jurgen Klinsmann, who preaches competition. The Americans play a pair of friendlies next month -- October 9 vs. Ecuador and October 14 vs. Honduras -- and this hernia operation puts him in doubt for both.