Shavon John-Brown was kind enough to give us some of his time to discuss things this week. He of course had a good game facing New Amsterdam for the 2nd time in this greatly abbreviated season of NISA and has been in the local soccer scene for some time now as well as playing internationally for his Grenada. When asksed about how he, his family etc. both here and back home are, it was a most welcome answer, that all are well. He did find it rather difficult to train during the height of the shutdown due to the Coronavirus, though was able to get in a lot of running. Coach Mendes had all set up on a program during this unusual time to get work in, keying on core workouts, and zoom ones to have all together as best as was possible. Once they were able to again get together it began in small groups then to full team training sessions. As for this year, he would have preferrred a longer season, with more games, now it is a new league (NISA) and all want to play. His thoughts on the Independent Cup were that it was good to get the games in, facing some new teams and it was a step in the right direction. He has been with Grenada's National Team for some years now, so I of course had to inquire as to my fellow St. John's Men's Soccer Alum, Shalrie Joseph. Shavon informed me of his now being with his MLS club's academy, as he is with the Revolution's U-15's. They qualified for the Gold Cup, which will stay valid for next year, as this it will not be contested, and even though it was not asked of him, he was more than happy to reel off the WC qualifiers coming up. We of course wish them all the luck in getting to the games.
Shavon has a number of interesting ties to local soccer, there is SJU & Shalrie, then one of the principals at New Amsterdam owns the Fussbol Project, Brooklyn Italians, curent asst. coach Dominic from SJU as well as the Italians. We have of course known the first year asst. coach at the Cosmos for what seems like decades now as he had been an asst. at SJU and our paths continued to cross over that time often. Shavon had been over in Germany with the Fussbol Project, was home and playing with the Brooklyn Italians and Domenic, scant days after playing the Cosmos at Rocco B Commisso Stadium @ Columbia, NY reached out with their interest in signing him, so no more Germany after that he was readying to return. He had spent time with FC A DARTMSTADT . I always find it interesting how small the soccer world is, it spans the globe and many children of people from my past teams are now playing, many more retired already. These connections are everywhere.
As for the DCFC game that was called off, it was a big game as last year they were the team to keep the Cosmos from yet another title, Shavon was on the Cosmos at that time, but he was away with his National Team, he so had wanted to be a difference maker in those games. I inquired if any team would have an advantage as there are players in common on both teams from earlier this season and last. Though the players are familiar with what the coaching staffs do, if you do the same things he informed, it is readily figured out, also coaches may change things up and it then is all out the window.
Lastly, on the win by Bayern, he felt it was a well played game and that PSG needed to do better with their chances.