New York City Football Club Head Coach Ronny Deila is enjoying every moment of the team’s start to the season on the road.
The Club have been away from New York for seven weeks as they look to navigate a busy schedule including Concacaf Champions League commitments and a pair of road games to kick off the MLS Regular Season.
Saturday will see the final leg of that trip with a game against Vancouver Whitecaps at BC Place, and that has Deila keen to finish things on the right note.
“It's a tough situation of course with all the traveling, with all the games but I love it,” he said Friday afternoon. “We have a good team and I think also that the environment is very good so we enjoy being together. As I said, we want to finish off these seven weeks with a good performance and a win and then we can really look forward to going back to New York and start playing at home again with our fans.”
Elsewhere, there was also an update on new signing Thiago Martins. The 26-year-old joined NYCFC From Yokohama F. Marinos earlier this year and after an adaptation period with the team Deila now feels his new defensive recruit is ready to play.
“He has been here for nine days now,” Deila explained. “Of course, he has also been in Costa Rica and Mexico, but it's been a very come and go situation. I feel he is a top-quality player. I think he is ready to play. He has adapted to the team so he’s coming closer and closer - maybe he starts tomorrow, we'll see. It's good to have so many good options in the back four and especially the center of defense. We need that when we're going to play so many games.”
