The hardest pill to swallow when it comes to NYCFC
By Cris Italia
On Wednesday of last week, New York City Football Club (NYCFC) fielded a lineup with 14-year-old Maximo Carrizo patrolling center midfield. While Maximo won’t be replacing Maxi Morales just yet, the youngest player in league history got another start in a friendly match vs Minnesota F.C.
By all indications, he has not been pushed around or bullied, both of which may be a concern for someone that young. He held his own and while he didn’t dazzle fans he provided hope for the future, maybe sooner than you think
Gabe Segal who the team just picked from the Kohn II team off of waivers recently started as the # 9 and so if you were wondering what the future holds, this may be your future 9 and 10. Of course, I may be skipping a couple of years, but that feeling comes from an uninspired effort in a 1-0 loss. The feeling also comes from a stagnant transfer season and are fans supposed to just be ok with virtually no movement?
By the time you read this there will be no new signings as their track record this month has indicated. Yes, NYCFC has brought in veteran defenders Tony Alfaro, and Segal, but these are primarily depth moves. It was confirmed that arguably their best defender Alexander Callens is on the move to City Group’s Girona FC of La Liga. In less than a year City Group has loaned NYCFC’s best offensive weapon and signed away the best defender on a free out to another one of their teams.
It’s not easy to watch NYCFC rebuild for a brighter future
My initial thought was we’d see some players get fed to City Group’s new acquisition Palermo F.C. whom they bought after the team gained promotion to Italy’s second division. From what executives have indicated, they wanted to get Palermo promotion within two years if not sooner. Time will tell if NYCFC becomes a full-time feeder team to City Groups European teams.
Here’s the hardest pill to swallow. NYCFC developed an exciting player in Taty Castellanos and within 2 years he wins a scoring title, leads the team to a league title and then gets sent to Girona. Some fans will tell you they are more than fine with this current rebuild. The team was getting old and there was no doubt about that.
So ok as a fan you are fine with 20-year-old Talles Magno as your new #9. Maybe you are super pumped that Thiago Andrade will get a lot more playing time with Santi Rodriguez and Heber gone. As far as I can tell most fans are excited about young Tayvon Gray coming into his own and possibly having a real breakout year.
These are all players to get excited about. Throw in Carrizo as well as newly drafted Malcolm Johnston into the mix. The indication is also that Sean Johnson is on his way to Toronto, which leaves promising goalkeeper Luis Barraza as the starter. All the young and upcoming talent mentioned above have one thing in common. NYCFC will not be their future.
So here’s the dilemma. Maxi Morales was old, Heber not that much younger, Callens and Johnson about the same. They had all one thing in common, they were in NYC to win a championship. The current team is not.
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They suddenly look like a team that can and will be developing players for other teams. So while fans stay positive and get excited about Magno, Thiago and Gray, try keeping a smile when you are faced with the reality of it. NYCFC has every reason to want to get younger. But developing young players and becoming feeders seemingly feels worse than playing older players who want to be here.