The New England Revolution have benefited from the impressive play of youngsters in 2026, but the coaching staff is making sure that their growth doesn't stop with just one good season.
Peyton Miller has received plenty of worthy plaudits for his play in 2026. This is largely because of his scoring output, as he has seven goals and seven assists.
While Miller has grown as a player, his increased output is also due to a shift in positioning. Instead of playing as an outside back, the Connecticut native has been playing higher up the field as a winger.
Playing higher up the field, he has had the ability to show off his speed, but more recently has been showing his technical skill. Miller's passing skills have been on display in recent matches, as well as his ability on the ball.
“It’s obviously great for a young player to have that level of versatility," Revolution assistant coach Michael Morris said when asked about Miller's flexibility. "When [Miller] was with the [United States] National Team, he played in that fullback/wingback type of position. He has a lot of value there. We can see the threat that he provides in terms of running in behind, opening up the opponent. We also saw the value of some of the final passes that he had in the midweek game [at FC Cincinnati]. Peyton is progressing well. He’s a guy we feel is a high-potential player. But even with those types of players, our standards and expectations of them are very high because he has a ceiling that he’s still continuing to try to reach."
But Miller isn't the only young player who has had a breakout season in New England. Brooklyn Raines has also become a key player for New England. The youngster has become a player who seems to always be in the right place and looks silky smooth on the ball, like he is playing a game at recess.
The Revolution spent a considerable amount of resources on Raines. New England acquired Raines for what could end up being $2 million, depending on conditional add-ons to the transaction. While the price tag might have appeared hefty, Raines has proven the price tag was money well spent.
Additionally, the midfielder got his first senior national team minutes and made two starts for the United States Men's National Team. In a camp that was dominated by youngsters such as Julian Hall and Cavan Sullivan, Raines managed to impress and receive a considerable amount of playing time.
While Raines has been playing well, he appreciates that the coaching staff keeps it real with him.
"I think one of the things I really like about all the staff is they're gonna be real with me," Raines said. "They'll keep it 100%. From preseason to now, I've developed a lot. Obviously, I'm playing every game, but I think whether I do good or bad, being able to learn from those games and bounce back. Then just within training, just continuing to work on my strengths, and then continuing to find and see what I can do better. I'm always looking to get better, 1% better every day. I think all the staff have done a phenomenal job, not only for me, but I think for the group in general."
Sometimes it can be easy for players to reach an initial peak but eventually plateau. After tasting success, it can be easy to think you have it all figured out.
Marko Mitrovic and his staff are pushing players to surpass already impressive expectations. There is the potential that Miller and Raines look back on their time in New England and see how far they have come.
This doesn't just benefit the individual players or the wallets of the club after a big transfer. The mentality that is being coached into players by Mitrovic and his staff is what can elevate a team from just being pleased with making the postseason into trophy contenders.
