Cushing on Sands: "He acquired great maturity in Europe"

James Sands made his new debut for New York City FC against the Chicago Fire. A game that was however interrupted due to a cramp. Nick Cushing isn't worried about his player's condition:

"He's fine," explained the head coach. “He just had cramps. He hasn't played much football in the last two, three months and we know the nature of MLS is very intense. He started cramping and finally needed to break away. I think you see him giving us control in the game, you can see his understanding of how we want to play and how he really contributes to our build. I can see the maturity he has acquired from being in Scotland, and playing in the Champions League, Europa League and Scottish Premier League. He is constantly talking and solving problems; he's helping other guys and he's definitely taking a leadership role in the team."