Trials are no joke. Just ask veteran U.S. international Oguchi Onyewu, who trained with New York City FC at the grotesque height of their defensive woes in mid-2015, only to be shown the door.
Fast-forward to the current preseason, where the competition for a roster spot with the Bronx Blues is, far and away, tougher than its ever been. In the coming weeks, we’ll break down everything you need to know about the four currently unsigned rookies, as well as NYCFC Academy prospect James Sands. But today, let’s get acquainted with the five trialists joining them down in Jacksonville: Ben Sweat, Connor Brandt, John Stertzer, Roberto Louima, and Michael Farfan.