Jake Mulraney is scheduled to see his first action with Atlanta United in Wednesday's friendly against Philadelphia at IMG Academy.
Mulraney, acquired from Hearts in Scotland, is supposed to start at left wingback, manager Frank de Boer said Tuesday.
“I think Mulraney, in my opinion, is one of those players that is close to the starting 11,” de Boer said. “He has to prove himself.”
Mulraney is very fast and a good dribbler. Though admittedly an attack-minded player, he is eager to improve his play on defense, particularly shape and when to press.
“I like the feeling of everyone coming together,” the native of Ireland said. “It’s a good feeling. Go, go, go. Get the ball back.”
De Boer referenced former player Justin Meram when discussing Mulraney’s defensive abilities. He said midfielders or wingers can play wingback for teams that have more possession than the opponent because doing so plays to the player’s strengths on offense.
“Our idea is to try to get more ball possession than the opponent, and then we want offensive players on the team,” de Boer said.
Mulraney said he played wingback a few times at Hearts, where he made 34 appearances the past two seasons.
He said he first heard about Atlanta United’s interest in him in November. He hadn’t tracked MLS, so he didn’t know much about the club or league.
As Atlanta United’s interest intensified, he began to do more research.
“When I looked into it ... wow,” he said. “The stadium, the fan base, the attendance was like top 10 in the world, which is crazy.”
He called Atlanta United player Mo Adams, who was a former teammate at Nottingham Forest when both players were younger. Adams verified Mulraney’s research.
Mulraney arrived in the United States last week, eager for all of the challenges. He has family in Minnesota, so he said he was most excited for that road trip. He loved hearing the Loons’ supporters sing “Wonderwall” after games.
“Just the experience of it all,” he said about Atlanta United. “I’ve heard so much about the club, the league, the country, the city. I’m looking forward to getting dug into everything.”
About the Author
