Conor Chinn, Jordan Cila, Alex Comas, Rodrigo Faria, Jose Galvan, Corey Hertzog, Mike Nugent, Jorge Rojas, John Rooney. And the list goes on.
Sean Davis has joined a unique, if not ominous, list of U.S. Open Cup goal scorers in Red Bulls history, players whose moment of fame turned out to be pretty much the highlight of their career, and they were out of the league shortly after the applause died down.
This time, however, there seems to be something different. Davis has much more to his game. He has a calmness on the ball and a vision of the field that has impressed the coaching staff. Basically, the 22-year-old Davis looks like he’ll be here for awhile.
“Every time I step on the field I just want to keep the level high,” Davis said. “I want to make as much of a difference as I can.”
In the Red Bulls’ first game in the Open Cup, Davis replaced Sacha Kljestan at the half of the fourth-round match against the NASL’s Atlanta Silverbacks Tuesday night at Red Bull Arena. With 20 minutes to play, Davis ran on to a back-heel pass from Mike Grella and curved a shot into the lower left corner for the final goal of a 3-0 victory.
It was the kind of goal that, in other circumstances, could earn him more playing time. Unfortunately, three of the team’s core players – midfielders Dax McCarty, Felipe and Kljestan – are ahead of him. McCarty was elevated to captain this season and Felipe and Kljestan were acquired in the offseason with high expectations.
“It has been difficult because we have seen Sean do well every day,” Red Bulls coach Jesse Marsch said following the victory over the Silverbacks. “I know for him he has had to have patience and he has got a very good attitude about it and he understands that the three players in the middle of the field that are playing ahead of him are all doing quite well.
“They are good players and he is learning from them every day. But he has established himself with this group. I think every guy on this team was really happy to see him score that goal and everyone is behind him. It hasn't been easy for him, but he has kept a good mentality and he was rewarded for it tonight.”
Davis understands the situation. In fact, he relishes it. He believes the competition in practice will only make him a better player.
“I really think it’s an ideal situation for me,” he said. “I have three guys I look up to that I’ve learned a lot from. Coming from preseason I’ve come a long way. I’m embracing this and it’s a good situation for me.”
Davis has split time between Red Bull II and the senior team. Having some place to play rather than sitting on the bench will greatly aid his game and make a further impression on the coaching staff.
“It’s difficult and it’s unfortunate for Sean,” Red Bulls II coach John Wolyniec said. “My guess would be that in a lot of midfields he’d get more time. Having said that, he’s a kid that’s been in our club, it’s his first year and he doesn’t have to start every game, but at some point we’d like to get him more time and more games. The good thing is we have a good team. Even if he’s just in the 18 he’ll still get in games.
“There’s nothing better at a young age than players in front of you who are doing well. To fight for it and to have to put in the time, whether it’s a year or two years, putting in the extra work, that’s more valuable than just stepping on the field. Some might see it as a problem, but it’s probably really not.”
Davis and defender Matt Miazga are homegrown players who have come through the Red Bull Academy and make the senior team. That’s something the organization is very proud of as it looks to build the club from within. Still, with veterans anchored in both positions, Davis and Miazga could face roadblocks for considerable playing time.
“That moment hasn’t come yet, and I’m not sure when it will. I’m just going to keep competing in practice, try and make the coaches think about it, try and put myself in the conversation and go from there,” Davis said. “I definitely appreciate the praise they’ve given me so far, but I’m just trying to develop. I know I have those three guys ahead of me. We’ll see what the future holds, but for right now I’m content for where I’m at, I’m happy for the team and they’re doing a great job.”
While Miazga joined the academy right out of high school, Davis took the college route. It was a decision he has not regretted.
“There was some talk about me potentially signing, but after evaluating it with my parents, it just didn’t seem like the perfect situation for me,” Davis said. “Looking back on it, it was the right decision. Going to Duke was one of the best decisions I’ve made. I was able to grow a lot there as a person and as a player. After my senior year of college I felt really prepared, and things worked out perfectly.
“They really monitored me every summer while I was at college, keeping tabs on me, which I really appreciated. I learned a lot through those summers. It was good to keep sharp and get some time with the first team and figure out that this is really where I want to be.
“They created a great culture. The homegrown players have really paved the way for the younger guys now. They know that they’ll get the opportunity if they work hard. It’s the perfect situation for the academy. You need to have players that you can look up to, to know that there is a path for them. The coaching staff and (sporting director) Ali (Curtis) have done a great job bringing in players throughout the summer and showing them what the level is like here.”
Davis, who was part of the Red Bulls Under-23 team that won the NPSL championship last year, was born in Long Branch and grew up in Holmdel. He also spent his sophomore and junior year in residency with the U.S. national team in Florida. This season, the 6-0, 165-pound Davis has played in three games (76 minutes), with one start.
Wolyniec sees Davis more as a defensive midfielder with attacking skills. That’s why he can spell Kljestan so easily. It’s a skillset that has impressed teammates.
“Sean's a fantastic player and a guy who has a really bright future here,” McCarty said. “He’s probably going to take my job sooner rather than later. He's done very well in training and USL games. He's earned his minutes. (Against Atlanta) he came in and didn't miss a beat. He had a tremendous finish.
"That third goal was so important for us. We haven't scored three goals in a game this year. We've had so many opportunities to do that and it's just been so frustrating. When you have a team 2-0 you never know what might happen when you let a team come back into it. We got the third goal at a time that was so crucial because we were kind of losing our way a bit. Sean helped out a lot with possession and his soccer brain, and that finish was top class. The kid has a bright future here like I said.”
