New York City FC: The importance of signing Tayvon Gray
New York City FC recently announced the signing of 17-year-old Tayvon Gray. Despite his youthful age, his signing is vital for now and the future of the club.
There is no doubt that New York City FC is heading in the right direction. After a successful regular season, the team will return in 2020 with the majority of their starting XI. Yes, a new head coach is needed, but the first team will predominantly remain the same.
There are, however, some players that the club must replace, including Keaton Parks, whose loan deal will end, and Ben Sweat, who was taken in the 2019 MLS Expansion Draft by Inter Miami CF. Plus, the Pigeons must add a few players for depth, especially at the full-back positions and in the midfield.
Despite those needs, on November 26, the club announced the signing of 17-year-old Tayvon Gray to a Homegrown contract. While some may wish for an MLS-ready player, the signing of Gray is both important and strategic. The U.S. U-17 International could not only make an impact on the pitch, but off the pitch as well. One could assume NYCFC made this signing for the future as well as the prospect that he could be impactful in 2020.
Firstly, the young defender is versatile. He can play as a right-back, center-back and as a holding midfielder. His versatility as a player gives the club options at those positions. It is vital to allow Gray to continue his development as a multi-position player. It could help the team down the road, as well as providing Gray with the ideal learning experience as he understands different roles within the team. Once ready, as a multi-position player, Gray could cover multiple players in cases of injury and even allow rotation among the starting XI.
Perhaps most pertinently, Gray is young. There is plenty of room and time to develop. Training with the first team will provide opportunities to learn what it is like to be a professional player. It will also challenge him, therefore encouraging him to hone his abilities. In addition, he will soak up knowledge and experience from veterans all around him. Even if he does not play right away, the training and knowledge gained will lead to improvement.
Moreover, recently appointed Sporting Director David Lee said Gray ‘had interest from clubs abroad’. This discloses that others already see the youngster’s potential and talent. Therefore, it was rational and wise for the club to sign him now. This gives Gray a chance to grow as a professional while still at home. If he faces tribulation, he will have the support of his family within spitting distance. Plus, if he does develop into a solid and formidable multi-position player, and develops quickly, he will be an option for New York City FC, either as a starter or off the bench, which is unlikely to be the case in Europe.
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From the club’s perspective, the interest in Gray, and his anticipated evolution could lead to a healthy profit. This will obviously release funds for potential acquisitions, but it also shows the path for future young players coming through the New York City FC system. Seeing academy products sign Homegrown contracts and flourishing because of it will only inspire younger prospects to do the same. Recently, Homegrown defender Joe Scally was sold to Borussia Mönchengladbach and will join the club in 2021. Gray may one day follow in his footsteps. Suddenly, New York City FC would be viewed as a stepping stone to Europe, and that can only be positive.
With everything said, Gray is still young. There is a chance fans will not see him play a professional game in 2020. Predicting the trajectory of young players is extremely difficult and there are plenty of pitfalls as they look to break into the senior squads. But his signing provides three crucial opportunities: to continue his development at a higher intensity, for NYCFC to possibly sell him in the future, as was done with Scally, and to show local and academy players that they can sign Homegrown contracts and flourish as a result, potentially earning European moves later in their careers.
New York City FC: Best-rated starting of 2019 season. dark. Next
For now, the addition of Tayvon Gray is good for New York City FC. He is a talented youth player and has the potential to be a vital asset in the club’s chase to glory. But for the future, his signing could mean everything, and that is where the real value is.