Whenever you pick a player of the month, it’s always possible that their head will explode.* For this reason, it took some pained thought and concentration to decide this month’s player: He’s a hot young prospect who can go far in this game, but it’ll all be for naught if he has only a torso with head shrapnel up top. That said, it’s a necessary risk of being a blogger and I’ll just have to take it on the chin.
So, who is my player? I’ve inevitably revealed it in the headline, but don’t read that part, will you? Thanks. Right, so this player is young and plays some attractive football; he’s scored a couple goals and in our times of struggle, he’s come out with something to show for it. He’s tried to lift the team even though he’s not always going to be able to yet, but his hard work and effort has won the hearts of fans. Luis Gil, you’re my (and here’s where you imagine I’ve got a big, booming voice): PLAYER … OF … THE …. MONTH!
In all seriousness, it was inevitable that Gil would get this (ahem) “honor.” (Which isn’t to say I don’t think it’s a good thing, but it’s not exactly the sort of thing you’d typically call an honor, now is it?) Little Luis scored his first professional goal on August 6 against New York Red Bulls, and with that goal, he also won his first goal of the week. A beautiful strike that caught the keeper out, it was the icing on the cake of a solid performance. His second professional goal also came in August, scoring in the 3-2 loss to Houston Dynamo with his head, proving he at least has some flexibility.
Sometimes, when you watch a young player, it’s easy to get frustrated with them because they show a certain naivety or they lack vital consistency. This month, Luis Gil has proved that he can be a consistent player at this level (that will be a longer term assessment, though) and he’s showed that he can very much compete at this level. His movement off-the-ball is among the best in our squad, and while certain other midfielders nearly a decade his elder have failed very much to impress, Luis has grabbed his opportunity with both hands.
It’s probably the case that we won’t get to see Luis Gil playing for Real Salt Lake in five years. As a young player showing big promise, it won’t be long until big clubs come knocking. Arsenal FC have already come once, before he signed his MLS contract, and if he continues to perform consistently, it’s hard to imagine that other clubs won’t also be calling Jason Kreis and inquiring about his availability. At a top-rate club, he can develop into the top player he promises to be — and while certainly we can hope he stays, it might be a bit selfish on our part. The level of play in the MLS is not what it is in the top clubs in the top leagues in Europe (though, of course, the MLS is always improving) and the money involved will make a sizable difference.
If he were to go, it would be hard to blame him much. Unlike the disaster that was Freddy Adu, Luis Gil hasn’t been bundled with pre-packaged fanfare and streamers. He’s quietly gone about his business and let his performances on the pitch do his talking. It’s always a concern that early praise will inflate a player’s ego, but Luis Gil has showed a grounded quality that’s all too rare. By even staying in the United States, rather than shooting off to England to train at one of the world’s best academies, Luis Gil demonstrated just that.
So, let’s cherish his performances while we have them. He can help lead us to glory in the short term, and in the long term, we can look back and proudly say that he first played in the Claret and Cobalt, that he was brought along by the best backroom staff in Major League Soccer — that he, for a time, was ours.
* For the record, I don’t think it’s possible that my naming anyone anything will cause their head to explode. At the very least, I hope that's not the case.
Comments