After New York City FC coach Jason Kreis took long enough to emerge for his postgame press conference following Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Columbus at Yankee Stadium that there was some doubt he ever would arrive, he marched through the press conference room to the podium, barely concealing his anger over his team’s performance as he sat behind the microphone.
It was hard to blame him.
It has been a frustrating year all around for the expansion club. NYCFC made huge splashes in the run-up to its inaugural MLS campaign — the hiring of Kreis, one of the league’s best coaches after a brilliant stint with Real Salt Lake, and the signings of European stars Frank Lampard and David Villa — but have endured far more failure than success since the games began in March.
While NYCFC has plenty of star power between Kreis, Lampard, Villa, U.S. national team member Mix Diskerud and Italian legend Andrea Pirlo, they have lacked substance behind their obvious style.
Villa has been the exception to that, having been terrific all season. He currently is tied for third in MLS with 15 goals. But Lampard���s arrival in New York was delayed in order to help City Football Group’s most important team, Manchester City, and he has suffered multiple injuries since finally showing up last month. Pirlo also did not arrive until last month, on a free transfer from Juventus, to become the team’s third designated player. Diskerud has been a disappointment.
All of those players are primarily offensively focused and 23-year-old Kwadwo Poku — easily the most pleasant surprise of the season for the club — is yet another attacking talent, so it’s easy to see the reason why NYCFC is both tied for sixth in goals scored (38) this season and is second to last in goals allowed (46), only sitting ahead of fellow expansion side Orlando City SC.
“First of all, I think it’s unfair [to expect a playoff berth for NYCFC],” Kreis said. “I don’t think there’s enough credit, or amount of weight, given to how difficult it is to be an expansion team. From my point of view, expansion teams are set up in our league to not be able to succeed, or to take some time, and that’s probably the right way to do it.
“Unfortunately, that means there has to be some patience and a little bit of a longer view which is very difficult to have, and I think I’m probably more guilty of that than anybody in this club about having a lack of patience and wanting to win immediately.
“Yes, we have three very high-profile players. But we had only one until about a month ago, and we had two until [Saturday] because [Lampard] has played two full matches. So I think it would be very unfair to say we spent all this money on three [designated players] and so we should make the playoffs. I think that’s a completely incorrect statement.”
Whether incorrect or not, it’s looking more and more likely that NYCFC will be watching when the postseason begins later this fall. After that, the questions about next season will begin. Something will have to be done about the leaky defense, and Kreis said after Saturday’s game that he is “not so sure that all the players [want to be a part of this team]” — which is no small accusation to make.
It’s clear money can buy plenty of things in the world of football, something City Football Group has proved with its makeover of Manchester City during the past few seasons into a world power. But for a team operating in MLS and under its salary cap, it’s clear it will take more than splashing some cash for NYCFC to become a winner here.