Santiago Rodríguez, 23, is just one of a list of former players who have left the 2021 MLS Cup champions. The New York team is in rebuild mode, with no notable signings for the 2023 season and all eyes on 14-year-old Argentine/ American Máximo Carrizo.
For Rodríguez not being able to resign with the team and turning down an opportunity to play for Brazilian side Esporte Clube Bahia has left him training and preparing to play for Montevideo City Torque of the Uruguayan first division.
There is not a look of regret in the eyes of Santiago Rodríguez, who knows his stock is high and that a move back to MLS or abroad is still in the cards. Here is what the young Uruguayan talent told Bolavip about his time in MLS, New York, and NYCFC.
Bolavip: So what has Santiago Rodríguez been up to since his return to Uruguay?
Santiago Rodríguez: Things are a bit different than some of the things in New York, but (Torque) has the same structure of work even though they are two different cultures (United States and Uruguay), I feel fine working and training with Montevideo City Torque, with a group of guys who are really good, I have been treated really well since I arrived, and am really happy with the team and my teammates.
BV: To make it clear to everyone, you will play at Montevideo City Torque this season?
SR: At the moment, I don’t know, (Torque begins their season on the weekend against Danubio), NYCFC contacted me a few days ago and we are talking, but at the moment am going to play for Torque. So am not unhappy about that I like it here.
BV: What happened with NYCFC and Bahia? Both are a part of the City Group family, what broke down with both?
SR: With NYCFC it was a very long contract, and to my understanding the salary was not what I wanted. We could not come to an agreement. For the number of years in the contract I felt it was not the best for me and my family.
With Bahia it was a different situation, it was a loan deal, different conditions than when it’s an outright sale, there were elements in the deal that I considered with my father that I feel are mine as a player, being here in Uruguay, and I did not want to give them up.
BV: You are within the system of the City Group and the deals that have come in are from within that family of clubs, but where would you like to play if it was up to you?
SR: Sincerely, I think, I’d like to play for a team that I feel comfortable in. Being whatever league, of course I’d like to play in Europe, but if we take a look at things am in Uruguay right now and am very comfortable.
MLS and NYCFC
BV: How would you classify your time in MLS and NYCFC? What did you like, what needs to change?
SR: Sincerely I think (MLS) is a very physical league, it took me a bit to get accustomed to that physicality. MLS helped me progress as a player, and it made me a better player as a result.
In my opinion, MLS needs to find a way to become more important, have more relevance. I know it’s behind other sports, and it’s growing, but the league needs to find a way to make it easier for fans to watch the games, follow the teams. Get people more excited about going to the stadiums, make the local teams more important.
The league has top rate clubs, great stadiums, excellent infrastructure for players to train in, and that in the long term will make a lot of difference.
BV: Are you surprised how NYCFC has restructured their roster ahead of the new season? A lot of players have left the club.
SR: I was shocked to see so many players leave the club, there was a foundation in place, when I arrived you felt that the club was structured… This sometimes happens at clubs, especially on a team like NYCFC who has a lot of young players, there is a risk that in any given year you have to start from zero so to speak.
BV: In the end do you feel MLS was a proper steppingstone? You were able to get on the Uruguayan national team playing in the league.
SR: I think it is, it’s a good place to grow as a player. It’s a beautiful league to play in, only thing is when it comes to television, at times it was really hard for my family to watch me play here in Uruguay. They literally needed a lot of options to watch me play. So maybe that is why coaches and scouts are limited when trying to watch games and follow players.
BV: What did you like the most from New York? Outside the pitch.
SR: New York is an amazing city! You really are at 100 percent every moment, I loved and will miss going to Central Park, walking through Manhattan, Brooklyn, just being a tourist in a way.
What I will miss most are the people who worked at the club, even though I didn’t speak English they were always there to help, we would find ways to communicate, and it made the day-to-day fun.
BV: Aside from New York, which city did you like to play in the most?
SR: There were a lot of cities, I loved playing in Yankee Stadium, the fans were really loud, outside of our home, Columbus has a good supporters, or New England in the playoffs, the fans were good at trying to get us lose our focus. Lots of places really. Also, our rivalry with Red Bulls, even though we were very different clubs in style and culture they were difficult matches.
