After a slow off season New York City Football Club has had a busy January signing a new coach and two important midfield options. The new faces are key to the preseason beginning this week in Florida.
After an extensive search NYCFC has found their man in Ronny Delia, a man with tile winning experience in Europe. Delia won the Scottish league title twice wile managing Celtic and joins NYCFC from his managerial position at Vålerenga. He should pick up where Dome Torrent left off and seems to prefer the same attack minded offense that lead NYCFC to top of the Eastern Conference last season.
“When I come in, it’s important to continue to build on what’s already proven to be a strong foundation and to get some of my ideas across. The way I want to play and the way NYCFC has played is very similar. I’m a very attacking coach. We want to have the ball as much as possible, but also try to be direct when you have those opportunities,” Delia said in his first interview as coach. “I’m really looking forward to getting going and getting to know the players in preseason and begin my time at NYCFC. I’m ready to see our supporters and hopefully we’ll have a wonderful relationship. I’m going to do everything I can to play good football the City way and I’ll give everything from myself to the Club and I’m sure we’re going to achieve fantastic things in the future.”
Delia has a fantastic reputation for developing young talent and that should prove very handy for NYCFC who have many players under twenty two on their roster. Two such players have just been added. Keaton Parks made his loan from Benfica permanent electing to stay at NYCFC for the extended future.After earning his spot in the starting eleven last year the twenty two year old has high hopes for 2020. “My goal for this year is simple – I want to win a trophy. We definitely have the talent to win one and that’s what I want to do with NYCFC. I’m confident we have the squad to do it.”
Another off season signing in the midfield should prove important in order to spell Park and Maxi Moralez. The club just announced this weekend that they had acquired Gedion Zelalem from Kansas City. The former Arsenal man was once heralded as the future star for the USMNT , and, although his career may not have turned out as he had hoped, at just twenty two he still has plenty of promise. He has good pace, a keen eye for passing and very good technique. He is versetile and can play across a number of positions. He should be the perfect man to spell an overworked Moralez in the midfield. “I’m really excited to be joining New York City FC. The Club has established a culture and style of play that I’m really looking forward to being a part of. I know they had a great season last year and the team will only go upwards from there. It’s also a great city to live in, but mostly I’m ready to win a lot of soccer matches in 2020.”
In addition to the new head coach, NYCFC also has added former player and fan favorite Medhi Ballouchy to the coaching staff. Ballouchy was already working with the Academy coaching the U-15s and should slide effectively into an assistant role for the first team.
It remains to be seen what the new draft picks, Jesus Perez and Felicien Dumas, from Thursday’s draft will add to the equation but with the preseason underway and their first match at the Florida Cup against Corinthians this Wednesday the team will have to work hard to integrate all the new pieces into the puzzle. Florida Cup will be the first chance for the new identity under Delia to emerge. With a hectic regular season schedule, US Open and CCL matches slated as well, the club will have to use every new signing to their advantage this year and build off a very good 2019. The club has all the starters returning from last year and have only really lost Ben Sweat from the regular line up. Hopefully they can pick up where they left off last year and give the fans and New York City some, fresh exciting soccer.
