New Columbus Crew addition Julian Gressel: 4 things to know
If it was merely about soccer, Julian Gressel probably wouldn’t be the Crew's newest roster addition.
Gressel, 29, was happy with the Vancouver Whitecaps and likely would’ve signed a contract extension had on-field considerations been the lone deciding factor. Like a lot of athletes his age, though, Gressel has more to factor into life decisions now.
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He’s from Germany, his wife is from Boston, they have two young daughters; and living in the Eastern time zone had become a preference. Doing that while playing for a club with designs on winning the MLS Cup was the tricky part, which is where the Crew — who acquired Gressel from Vancouver in a July 21 trade ― entered the picture.
“If I were to make a decision in a vacuum, I would’ve probably signed the extension in Vancouver,” Gressel said. “They’ve been excellent and tried to help us out as much as they can, but at the same time, we didn’t think that it was something great for us long-term, as a family, and I think that played a part in the decision.”
Ohio’s location and the Crew owning the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference did.
“We were super excited when we first heard about it,” Gressel said. “We talked about it as a family, and even from a soccer standpoint it’s been great. It seems like a great fit, and I know it’s not fully on the East coast, but it’s close enough. I’m back in the Eastern Conference, and we’re in the same time zone. Those types of things played a big role, so I’m just excited to be here.”
The Crew is too, as Gressel prepares for his likely Columbus debut against Club América as a sub in a Leagues Cup match Monday at Lower.com Arena. It will take some time for Gressel to fully absorb coach Wilfried Nancy’s possession-based system, but he’s expected to become a big part of it.
Here are four other things to know about the Crew's newest addition:
Julian Gressel likely to replace Mo Farsi in Columbus Crew lineup
Gressel is a midfielder who’s expected to play right wingback, where Mo Farsi has been a stalwart, starting 21 of 22 games and subbing out only twice.
Still, Gressel said Farsi has already welcomed him by sharing tips and pointers about Nancy’s system.
Likewise, Farsi can learn a few tricks from observing Gressel, whose sublime right foot that sends near-perfect lobs and crosses into the penalty area.
“It’s not about me, at the end of the day,” Gressel said. “It’s about us winning games and as many trophies as possible, and it’s as simple as that. I’m a ‘team’ guy first, and in any way that I can help Mo or any other young player, I am very happy to do that. … For him to even teach me some of the things Wilfried wants, how they play in the system and all those types of things, I think it’ll be a good partnership.”
Julian Gressel gives Columbus Crew additional MLS Cup experience
Gressel and Crew midfielder Darlington Nagbe were teammates with Atlanta United FC when that club won the 2018 MLS Cup. That gives Columbus another player who’s lifted the trophy the Crew would like to win this season.
Midfielder Lucas Zelarayan also led the Crew to the 2020 MLS Cup title, so there’s no lack of playoff experience in the locker room, and that’s no small thing considering the impressive youth movement the Crew are undergoing while continuing to stay competitive.
Gressel, meanwhile, arrives with the primary goal of winning a championship. The Crew’ aggression toward that outcome was another reason he favored the trade.
“It’s about winning at the same time as developing players, but it’s definitely a big emphasis on winning … winning trophies and winning that now,” he said. “I’m at a stage of my career where I love to hear that. Obviously, Wilfried is new here. He hasn’t even been here one season, so there’s still a newness to all of this, as well. So, I’m excited to continue to evolve the club in the right direction to hopefully win trophies.”
Darlington Nagbe, Michael Parkhurst helping Julian Gressel adjust to Columbus Crew
Gressel didn’t arrive in Columbus lacking local contacts. Nagbe’s been a friend since their days in Atlanta and former Crew defender Michael Parkhurst — who also helped Atlanta win the MLS Cup in 2018 — resides in this area too.
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Each has already helped the Gressels adjust to living in Columbus.
“It’s been nice to come here and have a few ‘off’ days to get the family settled into a temporary housing situation and get to know the city a little bit,” Gressel said. “We know some people here … We met with the Parkhursts, for example, who have moved back here after ‘Parky’ retired. Speaking with Darlington and some guys that I know, it’s been a good start so far. Now, I’m ready to get on the field.”
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Crew addition Julian Gressel 4 things to know
