NYCFC interim head coach Nick Cushing is not getting too forward of himself, regardless of his aspect pulling off two very important victories within the house of per week.
After a wretched run of only one win and 5 factors from their final 10 MLS matches, the Pigeons introduced residence one other trophy with a 2-0 win over Atlas within the Campeones Cup on Wednesday. NYCFC adopted that up with a dominant efficiency in opposition to Hudson River Derby rivals New York Pink Bulls on Saturday, profitable by the identical scoreline.
Similar to final 12 months, after they went all the way in which and received MLS Cup, NYCFC seem like overcoming a poor run at simply the proper time. Nevertheless, Cushing is taking nothing without any consideration and will probably be working arduous to maintain requirements excessive.
“I feel now we have to watch out that we don’t depend on the truth that it’s simply going to occur as a result of it occurred final 12 months. It’s a harmful means to take a look at issues,” Cushing mentioned following Saturday’s win.
“One factor the workforce is admittedly conscious of is the final ten video games have proven that nothing goes to be given totally free. … We’re properly conscious that now we have to know and grind out outcomes and play properly in moments once we can and battle in moments that we will’t.”
For the second time in per week, it was Alexander Callens opening the scoring early on for NYCFC, solely this time, he discovered the web within the opening 60 seconds slightly than taking 4 minutes.
The Peruvian center-back continues to be NYCFC’s go-to man for the large event and Cushing could not communicate extra extremely of the 30-year-old.
“I can’t say sufficient about Alexander Callens, in the event you have a look at the run now we have had and now we have had a run of disappointing video games, we weren’t in a shedding second till he went off at 2-2 in Columbus,” mentioned Cushing. “We go on the street and have performances the place we don’t get wins after which he comes again and we get a draw and, after all, the Charlotte recreation is a loss. He’s an unbelievable man, at the start, he’s a man who does and has completed all the pieces to get the performances that he will get.”
Alexander Callens simply turns up for large events. Each single time! #NYCFC 2-0 #RBNY evaluation for @90min_us 🗽https://t.co/HtmUMgf3C2
— Chris Smith (@CJSmith91) September 17, 2022
Cushing did not cease there together with his reward, putting Callens above all different defenders in Main League Soccer proper now.
“In my view, he’s the most effective central defender in MLS, by a good distance,” Cushing continued. “We now have discovered a system the place he can naturally be a striker, a midfielder, and a defender all in 90 minutes.
“He has given the workforce lots in the intervening time. I don’t suppose you come throughout these guys fairly often, I’ve labored within the males’s and the ladies’s recreation and there are a handful of actually particular gamers. I labored at Manchester Metropolis ladies’s with Carli Lloyd and she or he was an unbelievable participant to teach. There are three or 4 in my time that I’ve coached and Alexander Callens is in there. He’s enjoyable to teach, conjures up me, he brings a stage to the workforce that’s the subsequent stage. I couldn’t say sufficient about him.”
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