ASN: Jonathan Lewis Thrilled to Be With NYCFC and U-20s

Patrick Vieira, Claudio Reyna, and Tab Ramos all see one thing particular in 19-year-old Jonathan Lewis, and ASN’s Brian Sciaretta spoke with the third total decide within the MLS draft about his busy week.

BY

Brian Sciaretta

Posted
January 19, 2017
9:10 AM

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JONATHAN LEWIS had a fairly large week, it is secure to say. New York Metropolis FC traded as much as the third total decide within the MLS SuperDraft to amass the 19-year-old left winger and on Sunday Tab Ramos named him to the USA U-20 camp forward of subsequent month’s World Cup qualifying event in Costa Rica.

Lewis, a Technology Adidas participant and one of many youngest males within the draft, was extremely rated forward of the draft. He met with New York Metropolis FC membership officers the night time earlier than and senses their curiosity.

“I had a meeting with them the night before the draft,” Lewis advised American Soccer Now from U.S. U-20 camp. “I knew they were interested. I didn’t know they were going to trade up let alone trade for a lot of money.”

New York ended up forking over $250,000 of Basic Allocation Cash so as to draft him. The choice-makers included two of the most important names within the league: head coach Patrick Vieira and director of soccer operations Claudio Reyna.

Lewis was thrilled with the flip of occasions, as he’ll be part of one other speedy winger, Jack Harrison, on a group that options David Villa and Andrea Pirlo.

“They play very good soccer,” Lewis stated. “I am getting into a team also with a legend like Patrick Vieira.”

Not like most younger professionals in MLS, Lewis didn’t get critical about soccer at an early age.

“I started late in fourth grade, actually, and I didn’t start playing in the academies until a lot later,” Lewis defined. “I had certain abilities that were very natural but I always had to work very hard. I was fast and I was good at dribbling the ball. I had a gift at being able to run at high speeds with the ball. I couldn’t shoot, I couldn’t pass, I couldn’t do anything else but that. I had to learn that, obviously. I did a lot on my own.”

Lewis additionally moved round lots throughout his early years on account of his father’s job in logistics administration. He was born in Georgia however moved to Los Angeles after which to Florida. Whereas he watched the game on tv from a younger age, his love for soccer really developed when he moved to his father’s native Jamaica for a couple of years. When he moved again to Florida shortly after, the game stayed with him.

After which Lewis made up for misplaced time. Whereas taking part in for Kenall SC in Florida he scored 20 objectives in 22 video games. As a result of he holds a British passport by his mom, he was in a position to spend time coaching with Bradford Metropolis in England following highschool however as a substitute opted to return stateside in 2016 to attend the College of Akron.

After which issues started to essentially fall into place for Lewis. He caught the attention of Tab Ramos for the U.S. U-20 group and started incomes common call-ups—his first involvement with U.S. Soccer. Earlier within the yr he had participated in a camp with Jamaica’s U-20 group however determined afterward to discontinue involvement with Jamaica and maintain out for a call-up to the U.S. group—which occurred just some months later.

Lewis earned optimistic evaluations throughout his one season at Akron, scoring twice and including 12 assists. As a substitute of returning for his sophomore yr, he accepted the Technology Adidas provide and can now be part of a NYCFC franchise that is aware of he nonetheless wants sharpening however is intrigued by his potential and aggressiveness.

“Jon Lewis is a perfect fit for the way we want to play—he’s a proper winger with pace who can come inside and beat people,” Vieira stated after the draft. “He can score goals. We will have to work with him as he needs to develop his talent but he will be a really good fit for the way we want to play.”

Reyna agreed. Even by Lewis is correct footed however prefers the left wing, Reyna believes that his versatility will give Vieira choices.

“We strengthened positions we needed to and we got Jonathan, who is a player who can fit into our system well and play on both sides of a 4-3-3,” Reyna stated. “He brings velocity one vs. one and good linking up.”

Earlier than Lewis joins New York Metropolis his focus shall be on the USA U-20 group that begins World Cup qualifying on February 18 towards Panama. Since he turned a mainstay with the group final yr, Lewis his tailored properly into Tab Ramos’ system.

“It suits me,” he stated of taking part in for Ramos. “He wants me to show confidence and express myself. I bring a little something different to the team. I can run at players with pace. That’s why I like playing in his system. It’s a very European system. He’s teaching us different styles of play that fit into those countries like Germany, England, and Spain where we can go out there and actually get on the ball and dominate possession instead of the other way around where we are just fighting and scrapping.”

This U-20 group has critical potential. Cameron Carter-Vickers, Christian Pulisic (who’s unlikely to hitch this group however who might push Lewis out of the left wing spot), and Joshua Perez have already got made their first-team membership debuts. Even with out these key gamers, nonetheless, Lewis is bullish on the group’s possibilities and this era of American gamers.  

“I think we’re going to go in and show people we are one of the best, if not the best team on this side of the world,” Lewis stated confidently. “Numerous us have the potential to be gamers in Europe on the excessive ranges or prime gamers in MLS. Now we have a really optimistic angle and trainings have been actually, actually robust.

“We have been doing very properly as a group. Now we have the core of the group and we have now gamers trying in which are working very onerous to get into the squad. We could be a power to be reckoned with within the World Cup and World Cup qualifying.”