St. Lawrence men’s soccer team is grounded with foreign talent that fits their style of play and is the reason this team continues to find success each season. Players like Jethro Dede ‘19, who won Liberty League Player of the year, learned the game overseas and brought that important aspect of soccer to the SLU team.
Dede’s value to the team is unmatched. “Big players show up on big occasions and make big moments. Jethro is a player that produces big moments,” former team member, Preston Gordon ‘20 stated. “The way Jethro plays the game is at a different level. I think it’s because he got his footwork schooling from the Ivory Coast and France so it translated really well and he’s the best player on the team by far,” Iyayi Imade ‘19 stated. Imade was born and raised in Germany and is one of the most knowledgeable players on the team.
In addition to Dede and Imade, players like Tapshak Augustine ‘19 and Miguel Ridruejo ‘21 have brought different talents. “Tapshak is from Nigeria and is a great player. He plays the game at a very high level,” Imade stated. “He isn’t the tallest or strongest guy but there are things he does that are out of the norm,” Imade added. “You can see that the way Miguel plays is very Spanish-esque. He takes the ball, he passes on the wings, he spreads the ball. It’s a very interesting way of playing,” Imade adds.
The players who have played soccer internationally, including Imade, say soccer is different overseas. The international game focuses more on style and “possession soccer,” which is the style that SLU aims to play. Imade states, “We want to play possession-based soccer because we believe that is the best way to play the game.” This style of play has been a tradition at SLU since the early 2000s and it is not going away anytime soon.
Current and former SLU soccer players had great things to say about foreign members of the team. “They fit right into our playing style. They also bring us a new flare, it’s a flare that only the foreigners bring,” assistant coach Tyler Gallagher stated. “The game comes so natural to them,” former member of the team, Ryan Douglas ‘20 stated. Imade mentioned that having players who can handle the ball and pass at a fast pace are needed for this style of play.
Although the game is different overseas, players from foreign countries are able to come to the U.S. with the skill set that is needed to succeed. They are on a different level than a lot of the American players. “I think in American soccer that’s what’s missing,” Gallagher mentioned. Gordon also stated that “the American game focuses more on athleticism than technique.”
In order for their playing style to be efficient, the size of their home field plays a role in this international style of play. “Sandy Field, characteristically, is very big and wide, so it allows us to play the game we want to play, which is possession soccer at a pace that doesn’t allow many other teams to compete with us,” Imade explained. No matter which player you talk to, they always attest part of their success to Sandy Field.