CHARLOTTE 鈥 The winger positions are some of the most heavily contested at Charlotte FC with Kamil J贸藕wiak, Andre Shinyashiki, Yordy Reyna, Kerwin Vargas, and McKinze Gaines all vying to claim them as their own.
Gaines got the nod to start against the New York Red Bulls and made the most of it by being one of CLTFC鈥檚 most threatening players on the day. The competition within the group has only pushed Gaines, and focusing on maximizing his minutes is his game plan to keep earning more.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just playing the best that I can every game that I get the opportunity to play. I said it before in an older interview, that iron sharpens iron. That鈥檚 definitely the case, especially in my position, and with the guys we have on the team.
I was lucky enough to get the start against Red Bulls, I mean, that was something I was working for. I鈥檓 really happy to have played the way I did. But there are also people behind me, obviously we have Kamil coming back, so it鈥檚 going to be good. We are going to push each other in training and it鈥檚 only going to make each other better.鈥
It鈥檚 now week two of training under interim head coach, Christian Lattanzio, and the intensity of training is what continues to stand out to the players. But it鈥檚 also Lattanzio鈥檚 willingness to work with the players one on one that has personally benefitted Gaines.
鈥淓very training now is done with a different intensity. Guys are out there fighting, not only to play but fight for positions. Obviously, with new coaches, brings new opinions. But I think every training so far since Christian has been appointed has been led with a different intensity.
鈥淗e鈥檚 actually been probably one of the most influential assistant coaches that I鈥檝e had so far as a professional. He鈥檚 always not only pulling me but other players aside in the team. He鈥檚 shown me areas of my game that I can work on.
鈥淲hether it鈥檚 to go past a guy and beat him and to get a cross in or to pull it back and to get a cross with my left foot, which I鈥檝e probably never done in my career, but he鈥檚 shown me it鈥檚 a possibility and something that I can work on.
鈥淗e鈥檚 been great. I think he鈥檚 not only helped myself to development but also other people on the team.鈥
As the team trains in preparation for their trip to Columbus this weekend, remaining winless still haunts them, but Gaines says the team is using it as further motivation for the Crew.
鈥淲e look at the table and I think we are sitting 6th in the East right now and that鈥檚 never having won a game away. I think that gives us extra motivation to say hey if we keep winning these games at home and we snatch a few on the road there is no reason why we can鈥檛 be sitting comfortably in a playoff spot whenever the season ends.
鈥淚 think this team has quickly established itself as a team that is very tough to beat. You saw that on the weekend against the Red Bulls. So yeah, we are fighting for the playoffs, we are pushing forward, and we think it鈥檚 very obtainable.鈥
