Manchester City’s dominance of English football is helping their affiliate clubs to be successful around the world, using their expertise on the pitch as well as off it, New York City FC sporting director Claudio Reyna said.
New York City FC are part of the City Football Group, with Manchester City being their flagship club, alongside Girona in the Spanish top flight and Melbourne City FC in Australia, as well as clubs in Japan and Uruguay.
The American side played their first Major League Soccer (MLS) match only in 2015 but they already have two second-place and one third-place finishes in the Eastern Conference.
That instant success, Reyna said, was largely thanks to help, not necessarily financial but at all levels, from the Premier League champions at the head of the “family”.
“We are a family of clubs at City Football Group and we all have direct links back to Manchester,” Reyna told Reuters in an interview.
“It is great to be able to have more insight, tap into the network that Man City has. From our coaches being able to go over and learn from their coaches in their academy, or have their academy director coaches come over here and support us to exchange out ideas.
“There is a sharing of scouting information at all levels. For the first team, it is very useful. It is great to get information, to learn. There is a shared philosophy of how to play football and how to get things done at City Football Group on the field and off it.
“In Manchester, Pep (Guardiola) is obviously doing an amazing job, and we all want to be playing soccer like that.
“One thing I have learned from day one is the organisation that our chairman has trickles down throughout his teams. The plan is this, and there is no adjustment from that.”
NO ORDINARY FEEDER CLUB
Big Premier League clubs have often had feeder clubs in Europe where they have sent their young players to gain valuable experience, such as Manchester United with Royal Antwerp in Belgium or Chelsea sending youngsters to Vitesse Arnhem in the Netherlands.
However, the relationship New York City have with their Premier League giant associate is not simply City using New York and the other clubs in the group as an opportunity to blood their next generation of talent.
“We have had a few players in the past,” Reyna said. “We had Angelino, who City have recently re-signed from PSV (Eindhoven). He spent his academy years at City and he spent six months here in New York.
“But it is not just Man City, it is relationships across City’s entire group. For example, we have a 20-year-old Argentine here, Valentin Castellano, who we signed from our sister club Deportivo Torque in Uruguay.
“Having that relationship is a big benefit for us. He has scored five goals this year.”
FOCUS ON FUTURE AND PRESENT
Well into the 2019 MLS season, NYCFC hold the best points-per-game record in the Eastern Conference, while they possess the best goal difference in the league despite playing at least three games fewer than anyone else in the division.
Yet, with Manchester City’s wealth of expertise to turn to, Reyna’s plans for New York City go far beyond success on the pitch.
“We invest into the first team as well as the academy,” Reyna added. “We started from scratch in all aspects from a training facility to our academy and obviously our first team.
Other news - News
Other news
- 14:00 Mario Balotelli to MLS? Alessio Sundas Pushes for NYCFC Move in Bold Career Revival Bid
- 12:00 Etihad Player of the Month | Thiago Martins Scoops May Award
- 10:00 Italian Agent Alessio Sundas Aims to Revolutionize MLS with European Talent
- 08:06 Eight City Players Called Up for International Duty in June
- 12:30 Alessio Sundas Eyes MLS Revolution: After Balotelli, Gattuso Could Be Next
- 01:09 Hannes Wolf’s Late Heroics Rescue 2-2 Draw for NYCFC in Thrilling Comeback Against Nashville SC
- 19:00 NYCFC Aim to Reset vs. Nashville: “Time to Show Consistency” Says Jansen
- 18:00 Jansen Eyes Strong Start vs. Nashville: “Scoring First Changes Everything”
- 17:00 NYCFC Aim to Bounce Back Against Nashville SC: Jansen Calls for a Return to Identity
- 16:44 Mario Balotelli Eyes MLS Move: A New American Dream in the Works?
- 06:00 Injury Woes for NYCFC Ahead of Houston Clash: Four Key Players Ruled Out
- 04:00 Jansen Stresses Training Ground Mentality as Key to NYCFC Lineup Choices
- 02:00 NYCFC Gets Injury Boost as Keaton Parks Returns, but Caution Remains for Key Players
- 23:00 Jansen’s NYCFC Looks to Build Momentum With Big Night Under the Lights
- 22:20 Seymour Reid Signs Homegrown Deal With NYCFC – A Star in the Making Joins the First Team
- 14:00 Can NYCFC Ride the Momentum? Quick Turnaround Offers Opportunity Against Houston
- 12:00 NYCFC Extends Unbeaten Streak vs. Chicago Fire with Another Statement Win
- 09:51 Mounsef Bakrar Silences Doubts with Crucial Goal in NYCFC Comeback
- 16:00 NYCFC eye momentum: a pivotal home clash to spark an eastern conference climb
- 14:00 Chaos vs. Control: NYCFC and Chicago Fire Set for Explosive Showdown at Yankee Stadium
- 12:00 NYCFC vs. Chicago Fire: Can the Boys in Blue End Chicago’s Scorching Run at Yankee Stadium?
- 10:54 NYCFC vs. Chicago Fire: Key Absences for Jansen’s Side Ahead of Crucial MLS Clash
- 16:00 NYCFC Trio Named to Preliminary Gold Cup Rosters Ahead of Summer Tournament
- 14:00 NYCFC’s Push for Consistency Could Unlock Top-Four Potential in the East
- 03:00 Donald Trump Reacts to NYCFC's New $780M Stadium in Queens During UAE Visit
- 00:01 Why NYCFC Should Start Managing Maxi Moralez’s Minutes More Carefully
- 22:51 NYCFC Extends James Sands’ Loan to FC St. Pauli Through 2026
- 22:49 Why Pascal Jansen Should Consider Resting Maxi Moralez More Often at NYCFC
- 03:00 Jansen Praises Etihad Player of the Month Keaton Parks: “A Key Piece in Our Midfield”
- 01:00 NYCFC Brace for Cincinnati Clash: Jansen Outlines Plan to Stop Evander
- 23:20 NYCFC Hit with Injury Setbacks Ahead of Cincinnati Clash
- 22:53 Pascal Jansen Ready for Packed May Schedule: “This Is What You Live For”
- 19:00 Jansen Calls for Sharpness After NYCFC's 2-0 Defeat: "We Weren’t Good Enough in the Final Third"
- 18:00 MLS 2025: Market Giants Revealed – Messi and Puig Lead the Pack
- 16:00 NYCFC’s Road Form Is a Disaster. And No One Seems to Have an Answer
- 15:28 NYCFC’s Road Struggles Continue in 2-0 Loss to New England, Pascal Jansen: "The Quality Wasn’t There"
- 15:21 NYCFC Fall to New England for First Time Since 2022: "We Need to Be Better," Says Thiago Martins
- 15:08 Inter Miami Edge Columbus Crew 1-0 as Messi and Co. Shine in Front of 60,000 Fans
- 15:06 NYCFC Signs Forward Zidane Yañez to Short-Term Agreement Amid Rising Trajectory
- 15:05 NYCFC Fall 2-0 to New England Revolution Despite Late Push
- 16:00 Set-Piece Specialists: NYCFC Must Stay Sharp as Revolution Rely on Dead Ball Magic
- 14:00 NYCFC Return to Familiar Foe: Round Two Against Revs Promises Another Fight
- 08:45 NYCFC Aim to Turn the Corner: Road Test at New England Offers Momentum Check
- 15:00 Jansen Challenges NYCFC to Turn Control into Goals: “We Need to Do More with the Ball”
- 08:10 Jansen Rallies NYCFC Ahead of Union Clash: “No Excuses—We Perform, No Matter What”
- 14:19 NYCFC to Host Minnesota United Without Four Key Players
- 13:18 Pascal Jansen Emphasizes Control and Resilience Ahead of NYCFC Clash with Minnesota United
- 14:00 NYCFC Aims for Back-to-Back Wins Against Struggling Revolution
- 12:00 NYCFC vs. New England Revolution: Match Preview & Player Availability
- 10:42 NYCFC Prepares for Milestone Match Against New England Revolution at Yankee Stadium