Goals and goals: With all-star nod, Austin FC fullback Jon Gallagher realizes career aim
As Austin FC heads into Saturday’s match at Inter Miami, Jon Gallagher might be the club’s face of persistence.
Spending the majority of the early part of his career playing for Atlanta’s reserve squad and Aberdeen of the Scottish Premiership, then making a position change a year into his tenure with El Tree, Gallagher seemed far from his goal set as a junior at Notre Dame of becoming an MLS all-star.
But he never wavered in his belief in himself, and after a start to this season when he’s been stellar at outside back and led the club in scoring, the league announced he’d been voted to the team earlier this week. Gallagher achieved what he had written down on a piece of paper in 2016 on the South Bend, Ind., campus.
“I don’t think it’s really hit me yet,” Gallagher said this week. “I’m just trying to soak everything in. It’s been pretty surreal, and I’ve definitely been feeling the love from teammates and fans.”
Gallagher credits work with a sports psychologist for helping him reach his goal, but his versatility as a player is rare in the MLS. He originally played on the wing or as a forward before undergoing a position change to defense prior to the 2022 season.
Green energy: The chance to gain some major MLS momentum looms for Austin FC at Miami
Austin FC coach Josh Wolff noted that Gallagher’s willingness to make the switch has helped him thrive.
“Not all players want to hear that,” Wolff said. “But he welcomed it in how he plays and with an open mind, and now I think you’re seeing him execute in an extremely good way. He’s gotten much better over the last 18 months, and that’s put him in a great space with our group.”
It also took plenty of effort on Gallagher’s side to excel in his new spot on the field.
Instead of returning to his native Ireland, he spent the past two offseasons in Austin training and watching film, sometimes going to El Tree’s practice facility twice a day.
“I had to work hard to put on some muscle and watched a lot of YouTube videos,” Gallagher said. “I put in a lot of time when no one was watching, so it’s been really gratifying to get the rewards.”
The MLS all-stars will face English Premier League side Arsenal in an exhibition July 19 in Washington, and Gallagher said the message he’d tell himself seven years ago is a simple one.
“Keep believing and don’t sell yourself short,” he said.
Jon Gallagher: Austin FC fullback earns first-ever MLS All-Star team selection
It's official: Rodolfo Borrell joins El Tree
Rodolfo Borrell is Austin FC’s new sporting director, news that broke Wednesday but wasn't confirmed by the club until Friday. Borrell, 52, will fill the vacant position left by Claudio Reyna’s resignation in January.
Borrell has 28 years of experience in the sport, most recently being Pep Guardiola’s top assistant at Manchester City since 2016. He spent the majority of his career in Barcelona’s youth academy, and he also spent a few years as Liverpool’s academy technical director and reserve team coach.
“He brings an incredibly impressive track record, a wealth of experience and passion for the beautiful game,” Austin FC majority owner Anthony Precourt said in the club's statement. “We fully believe he is the right person to move our ambitions forward and develop the best players, coaches, and staff for the first team, second team, and academy.”
Borrell officially will take over the role Saturday, but he won’t arrive in Austin until a later date after acquiring a work visa.
Borrell confirmed: Austin FC has new sporting director
Brad Stuver is up for an ESPY
For the second year in a row, goalie Brad Stuver is a finalist for the Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award at the ESPY Awards.
As profiled by the American-Statesman in October, Stuver and his wife, Ashley, are actively involved in Current Initiatives’ the Laundry Project, a nonprofit that holds events to provide free laundry services and materials to low-income families.
“I think it’s important that this award gets to highlight athletes getting to use their platform to do good in different ways,” Stuver said. “It gets a lot more eyes on these projects. … There’s a lot of guys in our locker room that get involved in the community in a lot of ways, and I’ve just been fortunate that the work I do is public and fans have jumped on board with the Laundry Project.”
Wolff noted that Stuver has been active in the community at all his professional stops.
“That’s just who Brad is as a human being,” he said. “He and Ashley do an incredible job, and they did in Columbus and New York, too. At the end of the day, it comes from who he is in his core as a human being and how he can bring good to a community.”
Stuver is the only MLS player ever to be a finalist for the award, with the other three nominees this year being paralympic swimmer Jamal Hill, Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday and retired U.S. women’s national soccer team player Lauren Holiday. Jrue Holiday and Lauren Holiday are married.
The award will be announced July 12, while Stuver and Austin FC are playing in Vancouver.
Saturday's match
Austin FC (7-8-4, 25 points) at Inter Miami (5-13-0, 15 points), 6:30 p.m., Apple TV, 97.5
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Persistence pays off for Austin FC fullback Jon Gallagher
