It was not a good year for the USMNT players at Nottingham Forest. For the starting goalkeeper of the United States, Matt Turner, his move to Forest was about playing week in and week out. Sadly, through many gaffes and poor performances, he was reduced to a backup for half of the season.
Turner played only 20 games during the season, but did not leave a good impression. Gio Reyna, on the other hand, came to the club in January after a much-publicized cry for playing time from his camp. Reyna’s loan to the Premier League club proved uneventful, as the talented but stalled American midfielder played only nine games, failing to play in the final three games of the season.
Looking ahead to the Copa America, the tournament could be a coming-out party for Gio Reyna, who, despite having an impactful end with Dortmund two seasons ago, needs to get his club career back on track. For Turner, who spoke about how Reyna improved and learned from his stint at Forest, a good tournament can also mean regaining notoriety to start for Forest or move on as well.
Matt Turner on Gio Reyna’s Premier League Growing Pains
Turner stated, “With Gio, no experience is a bad experience. He came to training every single day with a good attitude. I think you guys saw that. After he came in January, maybe it wasn’t going the best in the beginning for him at Forest, and then he showed up and got player of the tournament at Nations League.
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“He’s working really hard, he is in the form that we all expect him to be. He brings a quality to training every time he steps out there. And he’s really matured a lot. I’ve watched him grow up a little bit, be on his own, a new experience away from sort of his boyhood club as well. Make connections with new guys and it’s been really fun to see him grow on and off the pitch, and get that Premier League experience as well under his belt.”
For Gio Reyna, US Soccer fans are still waiting for his ultimate coming-out party, to truly live up to the high expectations that have been placed on the talented American who at one moment had AC Milan and Real Madrid interested in his services.
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The Copa America can finally be the stepping stone for a club to truly appreciate the talent Reyna has and get his club career going again.
