(Montreal) They say appetite comes with eating. In Caden Clark’s case, the pleasure of playing soccer comes with a renewed confidence since his arrival with CF Montreal.
Few players score a goal in each of their first two MLS games. So rare, that at 17, Clark became the youngest player in league history to accomplish the feat, in 2020, with the New York Red Bulls.
His talent has never been in question, but the paths he has taken since his breakout debut have been rockier at times. His limited playing time with RB Leipzig in Germany and Vendsyssel FF in Denmark has been testament to that, but nothing compares to his time with Minnesota United FC.
Upon returning to North America, Clark thought it was a great opportunity to reconnect with the team that plays about 25 miles from where he was born, but things quickly turned sour.
In a sign of shaken confidence, the 21-year-old midfielder had only one assist in 23 games with the “Loons” this season, before being acquired by CF Montreal in mid-August.
Since then, he has not only helped the Bleu-blanc-noir offensively with two goals and two assists in five games, but he has quietly become a crowd favorite.
“I asked myself, why am I so comfortable here and why am I able to do things that I couldn’t do before? The truth is, nothing has changed. It’s just my mindset to stay calm and have confidence in myself. In Minnesota, it was tough for me. The head coach was asking 10,000 different things of me. That’s where I struggled,” Clark explained after his team’s 2-0 win over the Chicago Fire on Saturday. A victory in which he also hit the target.
Far from the pressure of performing for his childhood team, Clark seems liberated in his new environment. Part of the credit probably goes to head coach Laurent Courtois, who admitted Saturday that he was surprised by the American’s quality and energy.
“Laurent gives me freedom and confidence. I worked hard to earn them and now it’s paying off for both of us. It’s just the fact that he doesn’t ask me to be in a specific place at a specific time. He trusts my game and my ability to play my own style. That’s something I appreciate and I hope it continues,” Clark said.
What could also continue is the pleasure the players have in being on the field. Last week, CF Montreal returned to the Eastern Conference playoff picture with seven points out of a possible nine.
To continue that momentum into the final month of the MLS season, Clark believes he and his teammates will have to enjoy every moment without getting too overwhelmed by the pressure of the playoff race.
“When you put too much pressure on yourself, that’s when you ruin the game in your eyes. We know we have to win and I have to contribute, but if you get caught up in that, it’s never going to happen. You have to accept the responsibility, but it’s still a game. It’s our job, but really, we’re getting paid to kick a ball. You have to appreciate it because when you lose sight of that, that’s when you become miserable,” he said.
Clark’s arrival has energized Montreal’s attack, and teammates Josef Martinez and Bryce Duke have taken advantage. The two players have struggled to find each other at times this season, but Clark’s fire has created better scoring opportunities for them.
Author of the winning goal against the Fire, Martinez has somewhat fallen into the fountain of youth since sharing the field more regularly with his two young teammates.
“I feel old, very old when I play with them. The good thing is these guys run a lot,” said the 31-year-old veteran. “I’m happy for Caden because he’s scored two home games. He’s got a lot of talent, as is Bryce. You have to be ready for those moments.”