New York City FC sporting director David Lee with the MLS Cup in 2021
Given its location, its name, and its profile, there is a strong argument to say that New York City FC is the second biggest team of the 12 owned by the multi-club ownership group, City Football Group (CFG).
Clear at the top is Manchester City, the team coached by Pep Guardiola that recently won its fourth consecutive English Premier League title—its sixth in total under Guardiola— and in 2023 was crowned champion of Europe for the first time.
The Forbes list of the world's most valuable soccer teams places New York City FC at 21st, the second-highest CFG team on the list, reinforcing the idea that it is the next in line after the Manchester club.
The sporting director at New York City, David Lee, has worked with the region’s MLS clubs since 2011, originally as a performance analyst with the New Jersey-based New York Red Bulls before joining City in 2014 as a director of player recruitment, beginning his current role ahead of the 2020 season.
Collaborative Working Dynamic
NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - 2021/12/14: Sporting director Dave Lee speaks during celebration for NYCFC ... [+]
When using this increasingly popular model of running a soccer club, the dynamic between the sporting director and the head coach—in NYC’s case, Nick Cushing—is key to the sporting side of the operation running smoothly, converting recruitment and development plans into practice in training and matches.
“I think we generally try and be much more collaborative and not try to have as much separation [as opposed to] it being my responsibility to build a team and Nick just finds out who the players are when they turn up for training—that I don't think is the optimal way to build a squad,” says Lee.
“We obviously have clear responsibilities and accountabilities. Ultimately, I'm responsible for making sure we build as competitive a squad as we can and that Nick has as much available to him as possible within the salary cap.
“Then Nick’s job is to develop a team, develop the style, and develop the individuals on the training pitch every day.
“So there are quite clear lines of separation. There are areas I don't step into and there are areas where Nick may not step into that I’m responsible for.
“But when it comes to building the team, I believe the right way and the best process is to try to be as collaborative as we possibly can.
“Ultimately, we want to sign players that Nick is really happy with, excited to work with, and fit into what he needs. And that's what we're going to try to do.”
A Shift In Style For 2024?
BRONX, NY - MARCH 9: BRONX, NY - MARCH 9: Santiago Rodríguez #10 of New York City FC dribbles the ... [+]
In terms of what those needs look like, they might have changed slightly in recent months, and even before the 2024 season started.
According to Opta, this season’s average possession per game of 51.6% is the lowest in franchise history, should it remain at this level. Last season’s (52.9%) was the second lowest.
New York City’s struggles in 2023 and at the beginning of 2024 led to a change in style which could be seen as a departure from the City Football Group style that is very much based around possession.
“I think there has been a slight change in style, particularly from last season,” says Lee. “When we sat and reflected on last year, I think there were a number of things we wanted to improve.
“We didn't feel like we were a really aggressive pressing team last year. We spent a lot of games sitting in sort of a mid-block.
"We were a really effective defensive team with one of the best defensive records in the league, but when we did win the ball back we had a larger distance to goal and we weren't as effective in taking advantage of transition moments.
“I think the change is probably more from 2023 to 2024 where there was a real focus for us of how we can develop those areas of our game, because the very best teams, in our opinion, score goals from every phase.
“We've been a really good build-up team, we've created goals, and we still create some fantastic goals. I think the most notable one this year is probably the Red Bull goal, where we build up from the keeper and we were able to beat their press and go sort of half-direct to goal for Hannes [Wolf’s] goal.
“But we knew we needed to be a more effective transition team and I think that also suits some of the players that we have. Santi [Rodríguez] or Alonso Martínez, even Hannes who we acquired this offseason, are really effective in transition moments.
“We had to score more goals this year if we wanted to finish higher in the league, so the trick for us was figure out how we can do that and what are the areas of our game that we need to improve?
“If I look back to maybe the Toronto third goal, that [Andrés] Perea scores, and Alonso’s goal away in Philadelphia—they come from really effective transition moments that had been a focus of what we've been working on from from preseason. Those moments allow you to build and to win more away games and be more successful away from home.
“So I think there has been a shift, I would still want us to be as good in possession as we typically have been, and getting that balance right is something we'll continue to work on.
“But I think we've become more dangerous in transition, while also retaining most if not all of our calmness and quality in possession which are really the hallmarks of what a New York City FC and a CFG team is supposed to be.”
Meeting Expectations
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 15: The Premier League trophy and the Philip F. Anschutz MLS Cup ... [+]
For teams in City Football Group who aren’t Manchester City, it can be difficult to replicate the English Premier League side, which is no doubt the flagship team of the group, in their own leagues.
There are various limitations on the other clubs in the multi-club ownership group, and this is especially applicable in MLS where salary cap restrictions and roster-building rules limit what a sporting director can do.
Much of the work done by the non-Manchester CFG teams is based around doing as much as they can within these limitations to get as close as they can to the style and success of the club at the top of the chain.
New York City has already won an MLS Cup, back in 2021 in just its seventh season in MLS, but success can be difficult to maintain over longer periods due to the league’s attempt at parity via its rules.
For a team in the packed sporting landscape of New York City, and for a team within the City Football Group, there are certain expectations regardless.
For Lee, the starting point for meeting those expectations includes: “A really attacking focus, having a lot of possession, dominating the ball, trying to win the ball back as quickly as we can, and really good positional play that allows us to build up from the goalkeeper.
“The goal for New York and for me," Lee continues, "is to create a team, create a staff, and create a club that is able to deliver those expectations.”
Given all those MLS roster rules, meeting expectations at New York City FC could pose one of the bigger challenges within the group, although clubs like Palermo in Italy and Girona in Spain also have to work within varying international player rules and financial fair play regulations.
“There are challenges for every club in the group, in order to meet the aims of what we [New York City FC] would like to achieve, while also achieving results,” adds Lee.
“We don't want to play fantastic football and lose lots of games. We've got to win games, we want to compete for trophies and deliver trophies to our fans. So my job is to try to find that balance.
“It is difficult in MLS. The roster restrictions are what they are. You are going to have players that you can invest more money in and positions that you are unable to spend as much on.
“Then it comes down to the coaches and the fantastic work they do to develop that style and to develop the players to become as proficient as they can, with a really clear methodology of how we want to see the team play.
“I still believe it is possible to play a version of what the pinnacle of our style of football should look like.”
New York City looks to have turned things around following a disappointing 2023 season and a poor start to 2024.
It has now won as many away games in 2024 as it did in the whole of 2023 and is within reach of a top-four finish in the Eastern Conference that would secure all-important home advantage in the playoffs.
Just as consistency over a number of seasons is difficult in MLS, putting together unbeaten and winning runs within a season is too.
This final third of the season will play a big part in determining what 2024 looks like as a whole, and whether the expectations of both the city of New York and the City Football group are met.
