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Toronto FC’s newest signing, Alvaro Rey, comfortably controls a pass from across the field, takes one step, and delivers a perfect, curling cross onto an onrushing Andrew Wiedeman. The forward slots the ball past Quillan Roberts, and Rey steps back into position. Another ball comes in, and Rey, once again, controls with ease and delivers a nearly identical cross into the box.
Such is the style of the club’s Spanish signing. The cavalry is here. At 24 years old, Rey has plenty of years left in him, and for a club looking at establishing long term signings like Matias Laba, Rey could be an important figure for Toronto FC now and in the future. Signed from Xerez in Spain, Rey is the first of Toronto’s major summer acquisitions, though he won’t be the last.
RedNation Online had a chance to talk exclusively with Alvaro Rey in Spanish without the use of a translator, though Rey’s words have been translated to English in this article for your reading pleasure. In this interview, Rey talks about choosing Toronto FC, meeting Ryan Nelsen, his style of play and what his goals are with the club.
“Well, this opportunity sprung forth, to go to a new country, in a new league, well, a new life, and to try to give the best of myself for Toronto FC to complete their objectives,” said Rey, when asked why he chose to sign for Toronto FC.
“I am a ‘banda’ (wing) player,” said Rey. “I can play on both wings, on the left or on the right, and I’m a player that loves to receive the ball to face off against my marking defender and centre the ball for the forwards.”
His crossing ability is one of the most noticeable qualities he possesses. It was certainly on display in the drills Ryan Nelsen and Jim Brennan were running him through, which had him and Ryan Richter delivering crosses into the middle. On each effort, Rey hit the ball with a perfect curl, weighted to dip down on time and created several goals (though Quillan Roberts, who was in net, was also making some pretty big saves!). It’s this crossing ability that Toronto FC will be utilizing, in particular, on the right wing, where it looks like Rey is most comfortable.
When asked what his personal motivation was for making the move to Major League Soccer, Rey was clear that a chance to live in Canada was a major draw.
“My goal is to have a new life,” said Rey. “I want to learn the American style of soccer.”
It’s a style very different to the technical flow of the Spanish leagues. Rey was asked by the assembled media if he knew what he was getting into with Toronto FC, and he was honest about what he knew about the club.
“When I heard about the opportunity of coming to Toronto, right away I looked up (the club on the internet) and I saw that there were problems. But that’s something I relish (because) I wanted to be part of something new, and hopefully with my skills and mindset I can help the team get ahead,” Rey told Sportsnet via translator.
But football and life, so often intertwined, means a player must adapt to more than what’s happening on the field, and in this regard, Rey is embracing the club culture quickly, too.
“I want to learn from my teammates and… Mister Entrenador!” joked Rey, showing off some of the English he knows and calling Nelsen the Spanish equivalent of Señor Coach.
“I want to learn English, and then some!” he added, with a smile, after being teased by a few of his teammates moments earlier.
As for the expectations placed on him by Nelsen, Rey did not shy away from embracing his coach’s knowledge. Unlike other players from Europe, most notably Alen Stevanović, Rey is modest and shows he’s putting the team first.
“I’ve spoken to [Nelsen] a little and he’s told me what he wants from me and what he expects from me,” said Rey. “I’ll do what he tells me for the good of the team!”
From what we’ve seen of Alvaro Rey so far, he could be a very dangerous player for Toronto FC. Nelsen told reporters he didn’t believe Rey was 100 per cent match fit for the game against the Columbus Crew, but when he does take the pitch, Alvaro Rey will have the eyes of the city on his newly minted number 23 shirt – for a player looking for a new life, a strong start is the first step.
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