Ethan Kohler was 17 when he first met Marko Mitrovic at a U.S. U-19 camp.

Playing as a central midfielder, he was given a list of eight to ten things to address, including the direction of his first touch, being cleaner with his passes, and anticipating more.

"I was not called back into a camp for two years," Kohler recalled.

But he took the feedback to heart and was ready to showcase his improvement when called up ahead of the U-20 World Cup in Chile. Here, he started four of five games, including 3-0 wins over France and Italy.

"[Mitrovic] always showed that he had confidence in me [and] it makes me have confidence in myself," Kohler said.

Many of the things that Mitrovic told Kohler to work on are now strengths.

The defender had the most touches (109) and successful passes (90) against the Columbus Crew and Atlanta United (101 touches, 75 passes). On Saturday, Kohler went 84/85 on accurate passes and had the second-most touches (93) against Charlotte FC.

Mitrovic showed appreciation for Kohler after the recent 1-0 win, complimenting his composure on the ball and ability to defend one-v-one.

He also noted his overall character.

"He is an unbelievable piece for our culture," Mitrovic said. "He is someone who doesn’t negotiate his effort. He’s always ready. Trust me, he’s one of those guys that when you have a meeting, if you need the right answer, you just go, ‘Ethan what do we have to do?’ He will give the right answer every time.

"He’s so focused and is someone who has dedicated everything to his career."

This is who Mitrovic is as a leader: someone who cares deeply about people and wants to help them reach their full potential. He values those who put in the work.

Will Sands is an example, as the coaching staff believed he could offer more than he was showing.

"[We] talked about how we can unlock Will, that he first believe more in himself but we have to show that we believe in him," Mitrovic said.

The 25-year-old has made 10 straight starts, most recently recording a team-high 11 defensive contributions while playing right back, an unfamiliar position for the left-footed player.

Seeing Sands make several critical tackles on Wilfried Zaha was impressive, but Mitrovic – a natural motivator – still believes he has more to offer.

"I’m happy with how much he’s growing, but I also think that Will can unlock himself even more," Mitrovic said.

Though he has a clear vision for the game, Mitrovic has also proven to be open-minded.

Alhassan Yusuf was a substitute for the first two games of the season, before starting seven of the next eight. He's proven to be a trusted piece as either a winger or central midfielder.

"I would say that I needed more time to learn more about Yusuf," Mitrovic said. "He’s one of those guys that no matter what, he always earns his spot to play.

"I say it many times, he’s one those players that every coach appreciates. He can play many positions...[Yusuf] is a player that doesn’t negotiate effort, doesn’t negotiate his determination, and is someone who’s very reliable."

With Mitrovic at the helm, the Revs are unbeaten in six (5-0-1), a stretch that includes two come-from-behind victories (they've had three in 2026).

The head coach has asked his team to embody a relentless fighting spirit, something they've willingly taken on.

"He's a guy you want to run through a brick wall for," Kohler said. "I think that's the best way to describe him. He would do the very same thing for you.

"He sees that we work so hard. We put everything into it. You see that he's staying late. He's doing everything. He's doing all his due diligence, and he puts his heart on the line as well. It makes it a lot easier for guys to really rally."