James sands Put the ball on the penalty spot, Went back eight steps and waited for the whistle.
NYCFC Sports Director David Lee told The Post, “an identity of James’s growth over the years.
With his team under the pretext of a trophy, Sands tossed the ball up, trapped it in the net and kicked it back at once for good measure. The NYCFC U19s were national champions of the US Soccer Development Academy, and Sand was the matchwinner.
That moment was about three years ago and Sands’ pro career was barely going on.
Now, Sands is taking a different kind of opportunity, which sets him apart in the club’s brief history.
The 20-year-old Sands has signed an extension with the NYFC, making him the first home player to do so with the club. The extension is for five years.
“It’s just a wonderful feeling for me, because it’s a result of all the hard work I’ve done over the past few seasons,” Sands was quoted as saying in the post in The Exclusive Interview.
“And I think this detail also shows how they want me to develop in the future and I think it’s more as a leader, so I’m going to take the next step for this club . “
The growth of sand has accelerated in the last few seasons.
After signing his first professional contract in 2017 and sent out on loan the following year, Rye Moolah emerged as a starter in 2019 and has since been a stalwart in the center of the park. His playing last season ranked him number 6. MLS ’22 Under 22 List, And even convinced NYCFC that they would fix club captain (and fellow defensive midfielder) Alex Ring to extend outfits Austin FC.
The Sands’ ascension improves the club’s chances of lifting its first trophy, but it means that its expansion will likely be more of a value-rider than a blood pact. European clubs are Already circling around the sand, And when the right offer comes, then it will move forward.
“I have shown interest in playing in Europe, and the coaches, the clubs understand all that,” he said. “And I think they are very good about getting young players in Europe … now it’s just about finding the right team and the right club where I can really succeed.”
Fellow homegrown Joe Scally had not yet played a professional game, when the club agreed to sell Borussia Mönchengladbach in 2019. Gio Reyna jumped straight from the academy to Borussia Dortmund at the age of 16. Sands’ lengthy new deal looks nicer than an outdoor bout. Those paths, even with the Cavettes, are likely to not see the entire expansion.
Nevertheless, NYCFC has secured a decisive player, at least for the short-term future, and the importance of a rundown-up in a club so young as to develop young talent will not be lost. Five players have been signed to the homegrown contract through just six seasons, and seven more academy players are expected to travel to Orlando on March 8 for Precision Camp. If you are good enough then the route is clearly there.
“Personally for me, being a homegrown, coming from the academy, I feel that I have little responsibility to pave the way for the next homeguards,” Sands said. … “So it’s a bit of pressure on my shoulders, but it’s pressure that I’m really happy to accept and deal with it.”
Sand is no stranger to that feeling. The youth who used to sit in front of academy meetings and win with their crisp tackles were insisted on signing in the first team four years ago. A team consisting of European luminary Andrea Pirlo and David Villa was coached by Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira. A reserved teenager needs to make an impression.
“He’s a quiet man,” former Sands academy coach Matt Pilkington said. “But he doesn’t play like that.”
It took time for that assertiveness to appear. In the early games there was a suppleness on the ball, Sands said, as he showed distinctive nerves and fear of messing up in front of his larger, more decorated European teammates.
“I look a bit broken,” he says, adding that he now starts with Pro Life.
You wouldn’t know that now. He is amazed in 34 league starts in the last two seasons (it would have been more if not more for a broken leg last season), and now feels more comfortable directing traffic in his middle position. You can see him moving the bomb a little further in 2021, but that missing piece is exactly what shows his ability.
Sand never scored in the league, Rarely touches the ball in the opponents box And the defensive midfield trailed in terms of their upfield passing in terms of the elite. And yet, his coaches have relied heavily on him, and going to a higher level seems inevitable.
“He has become a very important player for both [ex-coach] Dome [Torrent] and for [head coach] Ronnie [Deila], And I think there’s a testament to that, “Lee said.
European Club (At least from Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands) Will likely target Sands where his offensive game ends.
However, Lee complicated the job of building a competitive roster, though he told The Post that he is “delighted” when players earn big moves and “work closely with all our players to realize their goals” We do”.
Until then, Sands will work to correct the club’s Postson disorders. And the club must be preparing for his departure.
“It’s just become a part of the job,” Lee said. “… Hopefully, continuous work is already underway to produce the next James.”
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