Tyger Smalls gets comfortable with Charlotte FC, MLS

CHARLOTTE FC

Charlotte FC rookie forward Tyger Smalls, the 14th player taken in the MLS draft, made his Bank of America Stadium debut May 4 against Portland as a substitute.

Tyger Smalls is raring to roar with Charlotte FC.

Smalls, a rookie forward, has come on as a substitute for the Crown in two matches, including last week’s 2-0 win against Portland at Bank of America Stadium. Although he hasn’t gotten onto the pitch much as a professional, Smalls is realizing a dream in MLS.

“I know it’s been a short amount of time, but I’ve enjoyed coming in,” he said Wednesday. “I made my debut in New York but playing at the Bank was just a special experience. I really enjoyed it.”

Smalls, Charlotte’s first round pick (14th overall) was slowed in preseason training by a leg injury but is rounding into shape in time to help Charlotte make a push in the Eastern Conference, where the Crown is sixth in the table.

“I had to sit out for a bit, so it was frustrating,” said Small, a London native who played collegiate soccer at Loyola Marymount. “I’m over it now. I spoke to some of the players, and they helped me get through it. The performance and physio team helped me with getting back. Coming from college I’d been playing only three months a year and I think that kind of had something to do with it. It’s good to be back.”

Small showed his enthusiasm with some fancy footwork in the Portland match by dribbling the ball between a defender’s legs on the attack (called a “nutmeg” in soccer lingo) that got the home crowd buzzing. That’s what makes him an exciting prospect.

“I don’t really think about what I’m doing,” he said. “It’s kind of just instinct. I love taking players on – that’s my game. Whenever I get the ball, I try to go forward so I try to be as direct as I can and push the team upfield.”

That’s also Charlotte coach Dean Smith’s philosophy, which Smalls believes can help him improve as a player. That shared mindset created an immediate bond.

“He’s a top, top coach. I’ve loved working with him,” said Smalls, who played youth soccer with Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Norwich City academies before moving to the United State. “I feel like I’m learning every day, and we have an obvious connection because we’re both English as well and that’s helped a bit. It’s made me feel comfortable.”

Smalls isn’t a starter yet, but he figures earning more opportunities in training will lead to more time in matches and making a difference in the attacking end.
“[Charlotte’s coaches] want me to be direct, to take plays on, especially in training,” he said. “They let me play with freedom and have responsibility as well.”

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