Nick Cushing could be forgiven for thinking that fate drew him to New York City Football Club.
“The team did the first preseason in Manchester, and I pinched one of the balls,” he admitted with an impish grin. “He [my son] is sitting on the ball, it's on my Instagram, he's sitting on the ball watching the game.”
That small simple act, while not directly setting Cushing on a path to the Big Apple, is a beautifully concise reminder of how far not just he, but also NYCFC have come in a short time. While many things have changed in that time, one thing has remained constant; a shared desire from the Club and its Interim Head Coach to play exciting and entertaining soccer.
“I was enjoying my tenure as an assistant coach,” he explained. “I'm literally learning every day, and then the phone call comes in, you have to think, okay, these are the objectives. This is where the team is and it's my responsibility.”
Cushing is not new to the role of Head Coach. He served the same role with Manchester City Women’s for a shade over six years and enjoyed considerable success. By nature, every coach has their own ideas, and even small tweaks can feel seismic to a group with a well-established pattern. The 37-year-old revealed it was a slow process
“When I took when I took the role initially, I wanted to keep things consistent,” he said. I think the best thing is to keep everything consistent. Don't change a lot. Keep the training program the same, keep the tactics the same. I had full belief in the way that we worked; myself, Ronny, Efrain, Rob, Mehdi, all worked as one.
“In the end, I think there was an element of I had to step outside of it. You've got to put your stamp on it. I think we wanted to do it in the game in New England [in August]. And it was a bit of relief because we got the win. I think the Dallas game was the first step.”
Although the team has qualified for the MLS Cup Playoffs and secured the Campeones Cup, this period has not been without its challenges. Cushing and his players have been forced to navigate a spate of injuries and difficult form. Through adversity, many positives can emerge, and that’s certainly something the team’s coach subscribes to.
“This is why I really love our organization and in particular here, I love this club because we really work our best when we're really pushed into a corner,” he said. “And I've had so many of these moments here.”
Throughout the half-hour discussion with Ian Joy, one word becomes prominent, however, and that is ‘we’. Cushing throughout his time as Head Coach has hailed the supporters and their role in creating the success that NYCFC has been. Whether it was last year in a rain-soaked Portland, or more recently against Atlas F.C. at Yankee Stadium, the chorus behind the Boys in Blue has ridden the highs and lows like only true family can. It's in that moment of reflection that Cushing crystalizes a simple message to supporters.
“We need you,” he said. “I think if you look at our greatest performances, our big games, those games that we all remember, and those big moments, they've always involved the fans and they've always involved an incredible atmosphere and us celebrating with the fans.”
Nick Cushing was speaking to Ian Joy as part of Heineken’s Pints Before Playoffs. You can watch the full version below.
