Rodney Wallace is one of a dozen new recruits in line for an NYCFC debut on Sunday evening.
The Costa Rican international arrived from Sport Recife in Brazil earlier this month and featured for the first time for his new club in the 1-0 friendly win over Sporting KC.
An MLS Cup champion with Portland Timbers in 2015, Wallace is excited to return to the league he made his name in and to fight to bring a championship to New York City for the first time.
Ahead of Sunday’s showdown with Orlando City, Rodney is in a determined mood.
He told NYCFC.com: “I’m definitely looking forward to it – it’s going to be a special game for us.
“It’s a new beginning for me with a strong group which is determined to get things started. Let this be the beginning towards winning a championship.
“The chemistry within the whole team is very good. In all of the positions on the field – whether that’s Mata and myself, David and Moralez – whoever is playing. Every single guy who comes onto the field is going to give it 100%, that’s just the type of group we have here.
“We know our gameplan perfectly and the group wants to get this show on the road.”
Rodney also stressed that it’s important not to let the atmosphere become a factor in this season opener.
Orlando City’s new stadium is likely to play host to a party atmosphere in the build-up to kick-off but, according to Wallace, NYCFC must tune all of that out and replicate the work undertaken in preseason on the field.
“It’s important to get a result – especially going away to Orlando,” he considered.
“I don’t think that we should let the other factors affect us.
“It’s important to focus on our plan – that’s going to carry us through.
“It plays into Orlando’s hands if we let ourselves get affected by other things.
“We play our best soccer when we’re following our own plan - we’re in sync and ready to get the game started.”
Wallace has taken great encouragement from his first couple of weeks on the team and is feeling motivated for the challenges ahead.
“The coaching staff are incredible,” Rodney added.
“The way they set it up is in a way which benefits every single player individually and collectively. This helps us to become better – you know that what we’re doing in training will translate directly into what we’ll do in games.
“That’s what motivates me to come out here every day and to do my best.”
