Crooks: Kwadwo Poku Is The Most Dynamic, Electrifying Player On NYCFC

By Glenn Crooks
» More Columns

It was just a 15-minute cameo, but when rookie Kwadwo Poku made his Yankee Stadium debut for NYCFC on March 28 as a substitute against Sporting KC, he immediately became a fan favorite.

"He's got power, he's got technique, he's got the ability to run a guy and he's a good finisher," said New York City head coach Jason Kreis prior to Thursday night's 3-1 win over first-place D.C. United at the Stadium. "He's a player that opponents have to fear a bit."

The atypical Thursday night MLS kickoff drew a capacity audience of 28,262, and Poku was given the rare opportunity to start a match for New York City. Subsequently, he terrorized the top team in Major League Soccer, leading the home side back from a 0-1 halftime deficit.

Poku assisted on Tommy McNamara's fifth goal of the campaign just six minutes after the interval to equalize. He then beat 2014 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Bill Hamid at the near post with a low drive to provide the clinching goal in the 88th minute. The goal secured an essential three points for the expansion side.

"The coach (Kreis) asked me to get the ball more and create chances for the team," said the Ghanaian, whose idol is compatriot Yaya Touré, from sister squad Manchester City FC. "This has been a tough season for us – the staff and the players."

In a league where expansion teams are unaccustomed to the postseason, NYCFC had playoff expectations from the outset. That stems from the high-profile signings of David Villa, Frank Lampard and Andrea Pirlo, but also from a coaching staff -- led by Kreis --that has a record of success and lacks the patience that is often necessary with a budding project. With the victory on Thursday night, NYCFC is still four points shy of a playoff spot.

The 23-year-old Poku has now started only four of the 24 matches in New York City's inaugural season. He failed to be chosen for any minutes in seven matches. Yet he leads New York City with seven assists, and in the quartet of matches where he was selected in the XI, the Bronx side has scored at least three goals in each contest.

Furthermore, New York City averages 2.3 goals per 90 minutes when Poku is on the pitch.  When he is seated alongside the other reserves, NYCFC scores an average of 0.8 goals over 90 minutes.

Let's compare Poku to Mix Diskerud and Ned Grabevoy, who have been favored ahead of Poku consistently this season in the midfield.

In 640 minutes, Poku has fashioned two goals along with the septet of assists. In twice as many minutes, Diskerud has scored three times but has nary an assist. Grabevoy has no goals and one assist in 1,430 minutes. All three have played attacking midfield roles for a majority of their minutes.

So why has Kreis been so reluctant to play Poku more frequently?

"We still think he's got a long way to go with his overall game," Kreis told me on Thursday night in the pregame of our WFAN broadcast. "He needs work on the tactics of things, and sometimes where he positions himself defensively."

On the defensive side, according to Opta -- the statistical master of MLS -- Poku has a 100 percent rating in the tackles category, which is defined as "the successful takeaway of the ball from the opposition in a ground challenge."

Diskerud has won 89 percent of his ground challenges while Grabevoy is at 85 percent

Ironically, we may not have witnessed Poku's heroics on Thursday night had it not been for a quad injury suffered by Lampard at the end of training on Friday.  More than likely, Lampard would have started and Poku would have been called on as a reserve for the 14th time this season.

"I wasn't sure after Frank's injury," said the humble Poku. "I was ready as always."

Poku is the product of the Asante Kotoko Academy in his hometown of Kumasi, Ghana. The academy also produced Samuel Kuffour, who won 17 major titles as a defender at Bayern Munich. Poku moved to the States in 2010 to play for the NPSL's Georgia Revolution, followed by a one-year stint with the Atlanta Silverbacks of the NASL.

New York City acquired Poku on a transfer from the Silverbacks, but also had to settle with the Seattle Sounders, who owned his MLS rights.

Consider that the Sounders put in a discovery claim just ahead of NYC, but failed to offer Poku anything other than incentives for a contract. Seattle agreed to take a conditional 2017 SuperDraft pick in exchange for one of the league's most promising newcomers.

In essence, Seattle gave Poku to New York City. Perhaps Sounders general manager Garth Lageway was providing his good friend Kreis with an expansion gift.

Lageway and Kreis worked together for seven years to build RSL into a traditional MLS power.

With all due respect to Gonzalo Pineda, imagine Poku sitting in behind Clint Dempsey and Obafemi Martins, with Osvaldo Alonso holding the Seattle midfield.

Instead, Poku is adored by his New York City supporters and teammates. He is the most dynamic and electrifying player on the roster. And with Khiry Shelton sidelined since May with a knee injury, Poku is the only player on the squad with legitimate breakaway pace. He can stretch a defense, which will aid Villa and Pirlo, who will gain more attacking space with Poku's presence.

When Lampard returns, Kreis will have more difficult decisions to make. But one verdict should be certain: No. 88, Kwadwo Poku, has earned his spot as a full-time player.

Throw-Ins

-When I asked Shay Facey about his size (he's 5-foot-9) and how it may work against his desire to be a first-team choice at Manchester City, he had a quick and valid response.

"There was a guy who won the Ballon d'Or, Fabio Cannavaro – I think he was shorter than me."

Cannavaro is also listed at 5-foot-9.

-Kaka will be making at least two appearances at Red Bull Arena before the MLS season concludes.  He was recently named to the Brazil roster for an international friendly at RBA versus Costa Rica on September 5. Kaka will then return with Orlando City FC for a regular-season match against the Red Bulls on September 25.

Glenn Crooks is the color commentator for New York City FC on WFAN and the former head soccer coach at Rutgers University. You can follow him on Twitter @GlennCrooks and glenncrooks.sportsblog.com.