It hasn't been an easy few weeks for Crew midfielder Alvaro Rey.
Acquired from Toronto FC on June 6, Rey was forced to wait while work visa issues delayed his entry into the country. He finally arrived in Columbus on Saturday, and after his first training session with his new club today, the newest member of the Crew likes what he sees.
"Ever since the first phone call I got, I was very excited," said Rey, speaking through an interpreter. "It's a technical style of play and I like that. I like that a lot. Like I've said since the beginning, I'm very happy. The whole entire staff was welcoming since our first conversation, and I'm excited to be here and do my job here."
Rey profiles as a techical midfielder capable of playing out wide, mainly on the right side. The Crew has been rotating many players in and out of that spot, including Hector Jimenez and Ethan Finlay, but Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter thinks Rey's addition will only help the team.
"At that position, we do have some depth, but it's good to also keep them performing," said Berhalter. "That’s a position that we make changes in often in terms of substitutes.
"We had a conversation this morning about how we play, what our focus is," continued Berhalter. "We showed him some material about what we emphasize, our movements and things like that. It's going to take a while. I think it will take about a month to get him fully into it."
Rey, a native of Seville, Spain, has played in MLS since July of last season, when he signed with Toronto FC. Now on to his second club within the League, Rey says he has gotten a positive first impression of his new city and his new teammates, who have been helpful in helping him acclimate.
"I did my research on Columbus," said Rey. "One of the positives is that we have Spanish-speaking players on the team who speak both Spanish and English. For me, learning English, it's great to have that kind of camaraderie. The city itself is a lot calmer, it's nicer, and it's beautiful. It's different from Toronto, but I like this city."
Rey said that he passed the time while waiting for the visa by doing some training work on his own, but he was happy to finally get on the pitch with his new teammates. Now that he's here, it's clear that he is taking each day as a chance to impress the Crew coaching staff and earn a spot on the field.
"It was a little slow," said Rey on the delay. "Just a waiting game. I wanted to get out here; I was anxious to start training and show what I can do on the field. For me, it was a bit overwhelming at times, but it was okay. Finally, we're here and we're taking care of business."
It's the culmination of a difficult June that Rey hopes will lead to a bright future in Columbus.
"Day one is done and I'm looking forward to day two."
