Jack Harrison could make his New England Revolution debut on Saturday against the Houston Dynamo.
The Designated Player recently received his P-1 visa and U.S. Green Card, allowing him to join his new teammates at training. While it will take time for the attacker to reach full fitness, head coach Marko Mitrovic has been impressed with what he's seen so far.
“Jack is a great professional," Mitrovic said. "For someone who missed the whole preseason and played his last game more than two months ago, he came in very good shape.
"Obviously, this is still preseason for Jack. We have to understand that for the last 10 years, the summer and this time of the year, he probably only played friendly games and had training sessions. So, we are trying to build Jack into his game fitness and also get him going with the group to understand what we are trying to achieve on the field and the way we are trying to achieve that.
"But I can see great progress from Jack, and I’m actually very happy with the way everything has gone so far with Jack.”
A winger by trade, Harrison will offer dynamic movement offensively and tenaciousness defensively.
He brings a wealth of experience to the Revs, having logged over 375 appearances with Leeds United and Everton of the English Premier League, Middlesbrough of the English Championship, Fiorentina of Serie A, and New York City FC of Major League Soccer.
“If we divide a game in and out of possession, Jack has a lot those small, successful actions and he knows how to behave in every moment of the game," Mitrovic said. "Wherever the ball is, he is very clean on the ball. I think he has an amazing work ethic and also understanding of the game. I think, in general, Jack will help us just to grow as a team and kind of push us to raise our level."
His role on Saturday will be revealed closer to kick, as Mitrovic was uncommittal on Thursday and Harrison simply told Zolak and Bertrand on Friday, "It would be great to make my debut this weekend."
Regardless of what happens against the Dynamo, early reviews of Harrison have been positive.
"He's a really humble guy," Brooklyn Raines said. "He really shows respect, and he's not a cocky player or anything like that. I think that's good, especially in this environment.
"And on the field, day one, you could already see how much his presence has [added to our team]. I've already gotten to do a few reps with him [in training], so I think he is a great addition to the team. I'm excited to continue to play with him."
