But after spending lots and lots of money on attracting high-profile players and a high-profile manager, Major League Soccer side New York City FC (NYC FC) are treading water.
Last season – their first in MLS – could be easily disregarded. They had teething problems. They were finding their feet. They were dealing with expectation and anticipation.
They failed to qualify for the play-offs but their coach Jason Kreis was still unceremoniously dumped. The franchise owners – City Football Group, who also operate Manchester City and Melbourne City FC – clearly weren’t in the mood to wait around.
They had paid handsomely for immediate success.
They appointed Patrick Vieira as manager and hopes were high that his star-studded line-up could propel their way to the post-season.
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And yet, despite the presence of Frank Lampard, Andrea Pirlo and David Villa, NYC FC have begun the new campaign miserably.
Mark Lennihan / AP/Press Association Images
Mark Lennihan / AP/Press Association Images / AP/Press Association Images
From seven games, they’ve managed one victory and are rooted to the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
Overall, they’re currently the second-worst side in the league.
Lampard is still to play a minute this term due to injury – he’s been an unused substitute in each of the team’s games.
It was a similar story last year when the veteran midfielder made just ten appearances.
His annual salary? 6 million dollars per year. So, that works out at 600k for each fixture he’s played in. Nice work if you can get it.
Pirlo agreed to a discount deal and earned $2.3m in a first season that was best remembered for some less-than-impressive defending during a game against New England Revolution.
Villa, meanwhile, has raked in $5.6m but he provided some rare sparkle for the team in his first season, scoring 18 times in 30 games. Already this term, he’s managed four.
Vieira is finding the going tough in his first managerial post. He’s quickly learning that MLS is a wholly unique place where reputation counts for little.
In keeping with that theme, he dropped Pirlo from his squad for Saturday’s clash against the Philadelphia Union.
NYC FC lost 2-0.
“I was just choosing the best team to try to win football matches, regarding the team we were going to play against and how we can hurt them and how we can defend,” Vieira said afterwards.
A damning indictment of so many things.
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Fairytale of New York turning into a nightmare experience for Vieira, Pirlo and Lampard
IT WAS SUPPOSED to be a dream project.
Big Apple. Big plans.
But after spending lots and lots of money on attracting high-profile players and a high-profile manager, Major League Soccer side New York City FC (NYC FC) are treading water.
Last season – their first in MLS – could be easily disregarded. They had teething problems. They were finding their feet. They were dealing with expectation and anticipation.
They failed to qualify for the play-offs but their coach Jason Kreis was still unceremoniously dumped. The franchise owners – City Football Group, who also operate Manchester City and Melbourne City FC – clearly weren’t in the mood to wait around.
They had paid handsomely for immediate success.
They appointed Patrick Vieira as manager and hopes were high that his star-studded line-up could propel their way to the post-season.
And yet, despite the presence of Frank Lampard, Andrea Pirlo and David Villa, NYC FC have begun the new campaign miserably.
From seven games, they’ve managed one victory and are rooted to the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
Overall, they’re currently the second-worst side in the league.
Lampard is still to play a minute this term due to injury – he’s been an unused substitute in each of the team’s games.
It was a similar story last year when the veteran midfielder made just ten appearances.
His annual salary? 6 million dollars per year. So, that works out at 600k for each fixture he’s played in. Nice work if you can get it.
Pirlo agreed to a discount deal and earned $2.3m in a first season that was best remembered for some less-than-impressive defending during a game against New England Revolution.
Villa, meanwhile, has raked in $5.6m but he provided some rare sparkle for the team in his first season, scoring 18 times in 30 games. Already this term, he’s managed four.
Vieira is finding the going tough in his first managerial post. He’s quickly learning that MLS is a wholly unique place where reputation counts for little.
In keeping with that theme, he dropped Pirlo from his squad for Saturday’s clash against the Philadelphia Union.
NYC FC lost 2-0.
“I was just choosing the best team to try to win football matches, regarding the team we were going to play against and how we can hurt them and how we can defend,” Vieira said afterwards.
A damning indictment of so many things.
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Andrea Pirlo Frank Lampard Major League Soccer MLS New York City FC Patrick Vieira Too big to fail