Player Leadership Key In Revolution's Turnaround
Porter specifically praises Gil, Polster, and Ivacic.
New England Revolution head coach Caleb Porter credits members of his leadership council for helping spark the club’s recent turnaround.
The Revs have won four of five after a 0-3-1 start to the season. They currently sit 10th in the Eastern Conference, just one point from a playoff spot with a game in hand.
Matt Polster, Aljaz Ivacic, and Carles Gil are a big reason for the positive run of form.
“Matt, Aljaz, and Carles, those three guys are great leaders in their own ways,” Porter said. “They’ve been a big part of this thing turning around, because they’ve taken control. When your team takes control and takes ownership, then you start playing in a much better way. Good teams aren’t good because the coach is controlling it, it’s because the players are controlling it and taking ownership every day.”
Porter noted that this belief stems from previous teams he coached, saying, “I think in any good team, the good teams I’ve had, they’re led from within.”
While he picks the lineups and determines the tactics, the players are the ones on the field during training sessions and games.
“Of course, I’m always going to, as the head coach, do my best to influence the team, to serve the players, to organize them in the right way, and to help them tactically and psychologically. But really, the best teams are internally driven,” Porter said. “They have guys in the locker room that are an extension of me, guys that care as much about the culture as I do, or more so.”
Porter said that there are other players who have stepped up throughout the season.
On Tuesday, he spoke about Tanner Beason, who has been vocal since joining the starting lineup. Beason’s ability to speak English and Spanish is valuable as he looks to keep the team organized.
While leadership can look different, Ivacic believes it starts with serving as a good role model.
“I think first is being an example,” Ivacic said. “Anyone can talk, but not many people can act. So, you need to be the best on the field. The attitude has to be right every day in training, show up first, [not] late or the last one.
“You have to lead by example first and then talking-wise, you need to make sure everyone is dedicated every day. Sometimes when they’re tired, you push them, so that’s what we’re trying to do.”
The Revs have certainly been better in recent weeks, but there’s still work to be done.
Porter explained, “We don’t want to be a 10th place team, so why would we be happy with that, satisfied with that, and feeling great about that.”
The Revolution have a chance to rise in the standings on Saturday when they face Toronto FC. To do so, Porter believes the team need to stay “focused and hungry.”
Ivacic agrees.
“We won the last three games and had three clean sheets, but we are still not where we want to be,” Ivacic said. “I know we are still in 10th place [in the Eastern Conference], so we are not in the playoff zone or higher in the table, and that’s where we want to be. To achieve that, we need to win the next one and the next one, and that’s the mentality we need to have.”