Ex-Premier Leaguer eager to hit pitch
Former Crystal Palace midfielder looks forward to more time on pitch in MLS
Jordon Mutch wanted a change of environment. He got it — and he didn’t.
“It’s been great — the weather’s been like England,” the Vancouver Whitecaps’ midfielder said jokingly after a damp, chilly practice at UBC earlier this week.
“This morning was nice and wet with no wind, so it was a nice morning to play football. This city is great — very similar to being in England, to be honest. The time difference is the only real change.”
The time difference — and playing time.
Mutch, a former England under-21 international, had seen his playing time dwindle with Crystal Palace after joining the Eagles on a £4.75-million transfer in 2015. He played 30 games for Crystal Palace, but made only four appearances last season — most of it on loan to Championship side Reading — and none this year.
He joined the Whitecaps on loan at the beginning of this month, seeing 20 minutes of effective action in Vancouver’s 2-1 win March 10 in Houston. So far, the move has been exactly what he’d hoped for.
“I wanted a change of environment and I felt like it fit perfectly … especially missing two years of regular football,” the 26-year-old said of his move across the Atlantic. “(Not playing is) obviously difficult. But it happens to hundreds of players over various leagues. I’ve played in that league (English Premier) and I’ve proven myself, so it was disappointing to not get the opportunity at Crystal Palace.
“But when you don’t get an opportunity somewhere, another opportunity arises somewhere else. I’ll be looking to take this opportunity and make the most of it.”
The six-foot-one, 180-pound Mutch looked confident in the March 10 match, subbing on for Russell Teibert in the 70th minute, and flashed some of the talent that made him a Premier League player for 10 years during training this week. He banged home some long shots in scrimmage, including a dipping shot from 25 yards that went over keeper Brian Rowe before ricocheting off the crossbar and in. While the MLS doesn’t have the skill level of the Premiership, the track meet style of play demands its players have a high level of fitness. Mutch said he’s ready for whatever is asked of him.
“It’s an open game, a lot of counterattack football, but very similar to English football,” he said. “I want to play anywhere. As long as I’m on the pitch, playing and helping the team for our goal, I’ll be happy, whether it’s offensively or defensively. I’ll bring the best I can in whichever role it is.
“It’s a change … but you know what? We’re all blessed as footballers to visit these places. It’ll be nice to have a change of environment to just the U.K., so I’m excited for what’s coming.”
NO NERVES FOR NERWINSKI
First, it was Ignacio Piatti. Then it was Alberth Elis. Now it will be Josef Martinez, Miguel Almiron and Hector Villalba. It’s been a Murderers’ Row of opponents for Whitecaps right-back Jake Nerwinski to keep in line this season.
“It doesn’t matter who’s on my side. Those guys are all quality players,” he said. “The first game, I did what I could to stop Piatti … And for the most part, I think I did a pretty decent job.
“The second game was a little tougher. (Houston’s) wingers are some of the best in the league. I got beat a few times — badly — and I watched that tape over and over to see what I do to be better at that.
“Atlanta is going to be pretty similar to Houston — they’ve got good guys up top, attacking on all ends, and they’re going to come after us.”
Nerwinski’s hoping for a different type of game than the relentless, endless pressure the Dynamo put the Whitecaps under, but the same end result would be fine with him.
“It’s not ideal,” he admitted. “We don’t want to do that, it’s not our game plan, it just so happened that was what the game was like. Hopefully we’ll have a little more of the ball this next game, but if not, we’re just going to have to weather the storm again.
“But I think it’s important that we got the three points out of it. We got hammered, but we stayed tight, we stayed strong and ended up winning, so that’s all that matters.”