Photo courtesy of NYCFC
By MICHAEL PENG
NEW YORK — Andrea Pirlo has visited New York City several times before, but his mindset this time around is quite different.
“I’m here not to be a tourist, but to play,” the legendary Italian midfielder said through an interpreter during his introductory press conference with New York City FC on Thursday. “I came here to be a soccer player, that’s my main objective, to do the best for the team and possibly make my team the winner.”
Pirlo officially joins NYCFC as the club’s third Designated Player and inserts himself into a roster that already includes two other international superstars and fellow DPs in David Villa and Frank Lampard. An opportunity like this to accomplish something great in the Big Apple with this group is one that Pirlo is relishing.
“There is every chance this can be a truly important experience,” Pirlo said.
When this experience will exactly begin, however, is still up in the air.
The 36-year-old took part in his first training session with the team on Wednesday and is eligible for selection for NYCFC’s match Sunday against Orlando City, but whether he will make his debut in the Bronx this weekend will not be known until gameday.
“I do not know. It really depends on how things go day by day,” Pirlo said. “I’ve been on vacation for a month, and I did work during that month and I am feeling well, but we’ll see what happens on Sunday.”
NYCFC head coach Jason Kreis said the team is not ready and does not need to make that decision right away, but he said the club is “hopeful” that there will be a role for Pirlo come Sunday.
The addition of Pirlo, as well as Lampard, who has yet to make his debut due to a calf injury, comes at a needy time for the struggling expansion club, as NYCFC currently sits in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, but Pirlo said there is plenty of time left in the season, and he has confidence in his new club to turn things around.
“We still have a long way to go in the season so at this point, we have to turn a new leaf,” Pirlo said. “We have to try to do our best to reach the playoffs, and I’m sure that with all the work we are going to put into this, we are going to be able to reach that result.”
Kreis shared the same confidence and said he expects Pirlo to make a “massive” impact on the team and looks forward to all the benefits Pirlo can bring to the team.
“His experiences are extremely important and vital to what we are trying to do,” Kreis said. “Because as we know in this league, it’s not just about what you can provide to the team on the field, but it’s also about what you can provide to the team off the field as well.”
If all goes well for Pirlo here in the U.S., there is a chance the former World Cup and UEFA Champions League winner could extend his influence even further, as Pirlo opened up to the possibility of becoming a potential ambassador for MLS.
“If I can help the MLS in any way to grow and develop, I will,” Pirlo said, “but I was hired by New York City FC as a player and that’s my first and foremost goal.”
I hope Mix has the notebook out during training.
It’s almost as if the kids have forgotten the old NASL days. That’s not to say that MLS is going down the same path, but I think beckenbauer was not to far removed from European glory either, when he came to play in America. We have to keep our fingers crossed that the big man upstairs knows what he is doing. It is a little scary to hear from a top U.S. Soccer official what exactly it means to break away from FIFA, as if any one of these U.S. Senators would really care so much.
Needless to say, the kids wanna bat the piñata around like we are in the finals of copa oro, which we ain’t!
If Pirlo debuts before Lampard……
You are making a big assumption.
That Lampard WILL debut.
Freddy Adu played well into his 50s and I don’t see anyone saying he’s too old. Pirlo is half his age, this is a good signing for NYCFC
Is your intention to ‘End Racism’ through insensitive comments about Adu?
Central Scrutinizer has no sense of humor. This Adu comment made me laugh so hard!
People, people, yes Rob doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Yes Rob is saying things just to get attention cause he’s clearly missing that in the real world. Yes Rob owns a Pirlo, Lampard, Villa, and Gerard jersey because he secretly loves the MLS. Yes he is incredibly ignorant.
Wait I forgot where I was going
That “petrified traffic cone” covered something like the third-most ground of any player in some unimportant game called the Champions League final about 7 weeks ago.
And anyone who knows Pirlo’s game knows it’s not about speed and constant running.
A petrified traffic cone who started for one of last season’s Champions League finalists?
In twenty years, MLS will be a different league, and attracting big names like Pirlo will have contributed it its development.
Jinx! But you didn’t reply correctly!
This signings are about as relevant as Xavi signing for Al Sadd.
If 20 years in you still need a petrified traffic cone to attract people then you are doing things all wrong.
You have Pirlo going from starter in a Champions League final to “petrified traffic cone” in little over a month? Yikes, that was quite the fall from grace apparently.
Word. It really is baffling how skewed peoples views are all the time on this site.
Just bitter esnobs. It must be depressing.
+100
Still not as fast as Dempsey went from best US player currently and in history, to competely washed up when he moved here.
I think it’s ridiculous as well, but Lothar Matthaus played in a CL final and then was absolute crap for the MetroBulls…so there is that.
Pirlo is an ageless wonder. He’s been the slowest guy on the pitch for nearly a decade but he will still filth most of the league on the tennis sized pitch that is Yankee Stadium, where he’ll barely have to run.
Cant wait for Pirlo to bring his flair to the MLS…should be a good influence on Mix