NEW YORK – Sean Johnson has heard the talk, that he will struggle to play under Patrick Vieira’s system at New York City FC because he’s not good at playing the ball with his feet.
Fake news, says Johnson.
“The common misconception is because a player over the course of his career doesn’t play a certain way that they don’t have the ability to do it,” Johnson said at the team’s media day in Manhattan Thursday. “The coaches I’ve had in the past didn’t necessary want to play that playing style. You do what the manager asks.”
The 27-year-old said he’s played out of the back when he was called up multiple times by former US national team manager Jurgen Klinsmann.
“Jurgen Klinsmann was the first coach that I had who really stressed playing out of the back,” he said. “I was called in multiple times to his camps and if I wasn’t able to do that, I wouldn’t have been a part of that.”
The secret to successfully playing out of the back is being comfortable doing so and that’s increasing day by day for Johnson on the training pitch.
After a conversation with NYCFC assistant coach Rob Vartughian, Vieira was confident Johnson would fit in well in his system.
“We looked at his background, we really scouted him and we knew he was capable of doing it,” Vieira said. “It’s just about how can we make it easier for him. It’s my job and the staff to find ways to help him to understand what we’re trying to do.”
For his first six years in Major League Soccer, Johnson knew just one team – the Chicago Fire. But in the span of a few rollercoaster hours on Dec. 11, Johnson was traded to Atlanta and then to NYCFC.
Johnson, who hails from the Atlanta area, doesn’t look back at what could have been with Atlanta United, though he is pleased with the buzz there, citing the 55,000 fans for the club’s opening match.
Rather, he said he’s thrilled to be part of NYCFC, who are MLS Cup contenders after making the playoffs in their second season.
“The business and the nature of professional sports is something you have to deal with as a player,” Johnson said. “For me, I don’t look too much at the past. I’m really happy with how things have turned out.”
Johnson lauded NYCFC’s “incredible resources,” from the coaching and technical staff, who have helped his adjustment to a new club, and from City Football Group's commitment to “giving us what we need to go on and be successful,” as one reason he’s happy to be in the Big Apple.
“It’s a big difference from what I experienced in Chicago,” Johnson said.
So, too, is playing for a potential contender. Johnson started all 176 games he played in Chicago, but was in net for just one playoff game in his seven years with the Fire.
Johnson believes playing for a winner in NYCFC could be the launching point to getting back into the USMNT fold.
“It all starts with building a successful foundation with the club and having success as a team,” Johnson said. “It’s not something I’ve had over the past six years as far as team success.”
