After making an immediate impact early in his debut MLS campaign, Chicago Fire head coach Frank Yallop believes offseason acquisition Joevin Jones "has the talent to really go places."
Of the 13 new additions to the Fire roster this season, Jones' arrival certainly went under the radar amongst the Fire fanbase.
However, a string of impressive performances – at both left back and left midfield – has immediately established the Trinidad & Tobago international as a fixture in Yallop’s team and a firm favorite with teammates and fans alike.
“I think from day one he has shown his quality,” Yallop told MLSsoccer.com after practice at a rain-soaked Toyota Park Thursday. “And it’s not just in matches he’s very good, in training too he’s very clean on the ball, engaged in everything we’re trying to do defensively and offensively, and he’s very easily coached. I’m very happy for him, he’s a good kid and he has the talent to really go places.”
Where that talent takes the versatile 23-year-old remains to be seen, but for now the Fire players are relishing the opportunity to work alongside a man playing so well, and so quickly.
“He’s so creative,” attacker Harry Shipp enthused. “He’s a defender but he’s got a much more attacking brain than most defenders do in this league. He can pick out a pass, he can beat a guy off the dribble and get a cross in. So I think his versatility is going to be pretty big for us.”
That attacking threat has been instrumental in the Fire’s recent resurgence after opening with three defeats, and the danger he presents to opposing defenses is illustrated by the fact he is the Fire’s second-most fouled player (eight) after perennial target Quincy Amarikwa (22).
“He’s played two different spots and done really well at both,” captain Jeff Larentowicz added. “I don’t think it’s easy to go from an attacker to a defender from game to game and he’s done it pretty well. When he’s attacked, he’s set up a goal in San Jose and scored against Toronto, and when he’s defended he’s done really well, so he’s been very good for us.”
The former W Connection (Trinidad & Tobago) and HJK Helsinki (Finland) player has been enjoying life in MLS and Chicago, and admits to being impressed by the standard he has seen in the opening five rounds.
“I think things are going great so far, I’ve had a tremendous start to my season and I want to keep that going,” Jones, whose first MLS goal against Toronto on Saturday was an AT&T Goal of the Week nominee, told MLSsoccer.com. “As a defender, when you assist and you score it’s a big plus to you and it motivates you a lot.”
Jones deputized with aplomb on the left wing for the injured David Accam, a fellow newcomer, in the opening few games, but the Ghanaian’s return to fitness has energized the squad and been a pivotal factor in the Fire’s back-to-back wins against the Philadelphia Union and Toronto FC.
“I think Joevin is a fantastic player. He has technique, pace and he knows what he wants to do on the pitch,” Accam said of his new teammate. “For me on the left wing, it’s also good so we can both help each other develop and also help the club to win games.”
And while Jones’ immediate focus is on continuing the Fire’s upward revival, he also has one eye on this summer’s Gold Cup, in which he sees Trinidad & Tobago mounting a stronger challenge after falling at the quarterfinal stage in 2013 following a 1-0 defeat by Mexico.
“I think we have a better squad this time around and I think we can reach through to the semifinals or the final this time around,” the 37-times capped Jones insisted.