When Atlanta United signed midfielder Santiago Sosa from River Plate on a multi-million dollar transfer earlier this winter, it was easy to envision the player dominating the ball, picking out creative passes, and serving as a crucial playmaker in a side that desperately needed it.
But when Sosa was asked to define his role in the team under new manager Gabriel Heinze, the first thing the 21-year-old mentioned wasn’t about the passing, the skills, or the creativity. The first thing Sosa he spoke about was positioning and being aware defensively.
“I think my role is to give fluidity to team, to be in position at all times both offensively and defensively and to pay attention when we are in attack,” Sosa said through a translator to media on Tuesday.