James Sands just had a hell of a week. In just a seven-day span, the 22-year-old New York native logged three full 90s – two for club and one for country.
He tallied some serious miles in his cross-country journey, going from Queens to Phoenix and back in just a matter of days to hold down the number 6 role for the Pigeons and the Yanks against some serious competition in each affair.
It started last week vs. Nashville, where head coach Nick Cushing lauded Sands’ performance as “a 10/10”, as the gaffer poured on the praise for the young midfielder while naming him Man of the Match on the day.
Flash forward four days and James is thrown into the starting lineup vs Mexico in Arizona, getting his first cap since 2021. He absolutely ran the show from the get-go, linking play from back to front with a confidence and composure usually reserved for players many years his senior. On a day when many young USMNT players struggled to find a rhythm, Sands was basically a walking metronome.
Then comes Saturday night back in Queens vs FC Dallas. On a day where he could have easily been rested (like his compatriot, Jesus Ferreira, was for Dallas), Sands slotted right back into the midfield and right back into his usual groove. It was another really impressive performance from the homegrown, and another three points for NYCFC.
After the match, I had the chance to ask James how he was feeling after such a busy week.
“Yeah, I’m a little tired but [that’s] normal.” He asserted calmly. “It was a really good experience for me to go with the national team. I had to be back for the game today, but the way we played today makes it a little bit easier. When you’re moving the ball … it’s less running for me, so that definitely helped.”
But it wasn’t just a big week for the homegrown hero; it’s been a really big couple of months for ‘The Guy from Rye’ since his return from Rangers in the Scottish Premiership.
Since being recalled from his loan, Sands has been thrust straight back into the starting lineup for NYCFC, given the captain’s armband to lead his boyhood club, and of course, has performed well enough to return to the USMNT setup. As far as homecoming is concerned, I’d say that’s about as good as you can ask for.
I asked him what these past few months have meant to him, and what all this recent success has done for his confidence:
“It’s good right now. I’ve been playing long enough to know that for all your good moments, you’ll go through some tough moments.”
He continued, “How it ended in Scotland maybe wasn’t the best moment for me … so for that low moment, now I’m in a high moment. I’m sure I’ll be in another low moment at some point, so for me it’s just about staying even keeled”
How’s that for wisdom? The maturity of this young man continues to be wildly impressive, as his character boasts nothing but class, and his confidence lacks anything you could consider cockiness – only calm self-assurance and self-awareness.
But beyond Sands holding down the midfield, there were a handful of really dazzling performances on the night for NYCFC, the most notable of which was the showing of Santi Rodriguez.
The Uruguayan ditched his usual No. 10 position to fill the widely-discussed center forward role to impressive effect, netting twice on the night in fine fashion on his ‘City debut as an out-and-out striker. It was a convincing enough performance to quell the cries (at least a bit) for a new number 9 before the MLS transfer window closes on Monday.
Other important contributors were Gabriel Pereira and Talles Magno, who occupied each flank in their own unique fashions. “GP” in particular was an ever-present threat to the Dallas back line, providing a divine assist to set up Santi’s second, and forcing a save that resulted in Magno’s goal with a shot from close range. He was also unlucky to have a first-half strike called back for a razor-sharp offside ruling by VAR, denying him his third goal of the season.
Overall, the three-headed monster of Talles, Santi, and GP proved too hot to handle for Dallas, as the output we saw on Saturday was far more threatening than anything we’ve seen this season. I’d be shocked if Cushing deviated from this setup after such a display, which perhaps finally settles the question of how this talented side will line up in the attacking third moving forward.
NYCFC returns to action next weekend in Ontario, where they’ll face their former captain, Sean Johnson, and Toronto FC in a star-studded affair up north.
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