So he drew less game experience near the start of the season. While that might be the postseason assessment, it wasn’t a preseason consideration.īecause of the laden midfield group, the club’s youngest player was sidelined for others either entering or already in the prime of their careers. And his age gives him a significantly higher ceiling. There’s a reason he’s so important to FC Cincinnati’s future: Amaya can do what others can’t. Additionally, he won 70.5% of his tackles, while the club average was 62.9%. In his rookie season, his passing accuracy (86.6%) was noticeably higher than the team average (78.1%). Defensively, he’s just as consistent – winning tackles and cutting off angles to stifle an opponent’s possession. At his best, Amaya serves as the conductor to any piece of Cincinnati’s attacking play.
The 5-foot-4 midfielder has gifted ball control, passing technique and vision. The amount LAFC offered was too low, and instead of Amaya going to a club a mere 30 miles from home, he joined one in a city he only knew because of the Bengals.īut once he arrived in the Queen City, his talent was apparent. While Cincinnati was on the clock with the first pick at the SuperDraft, LAFC GM John Thorrington walked dramatically across the draft floor to discuss a potential trade in person after trading texts with Jeff Berding, then FCC’s General Manager. That team, LAFC, just posted the best regular season in MLS history. The first impression FCC fans got of Amaya was that another team was trying to trade for him on draft day. Simply put: Frankie Amaya is very good, and only getting better. So, how did all of this happen so quickly? I thought it really helped me improve during the expansion season.”Īs GM Gerard Nijkamp said in September – in similar sentiments he echoed about Allan Cruz – “Frankie Amaya is also our future.” I thought it was a good experience playing like 19 games. “It wasn’t the best for the team, but we just keep our head high and keep on playing. “I think it was a good first season for me,” Amaya said. He finished fourth in MLS’ rookie of the year voting. In his rookie season, which included a brief loan spell at Orange County SC, Amaya made 19 MLS appearances and 15 starts, playing 1,241 minutes. His eventual debut came five games into the season and lasted 14 minutes.īut once he made his first start May 4, he became a mainstay in the starting lineup and a player the Orange and Blue will build around. Considered an asset for the future, his role was initially reduced to fighting for a place in the matchday squad. Picked first in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft, the center midfielder began the season amongst a crowded midfield filled with experienced veterans. He still may be “just a kid from Santa Ana,” but now the teenager personifies the team’s development and potential. The lasting impression from Amaya’s rookie season, however, is that he’s one of FC Cincinnati’s most important players and a cornerstone upon which the club will build around in 2020 and beyond. Initially, that meant earning opportunities and climbing the depth chart. Frankie Amaya entered 2019 hoping to make an impression.
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