• Slug: Sports-Soccer Lynch, 860 words
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By ANDREW MILLAN
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – FC Arizona soccer player Lee Lynch is a long way from home.

The midfielder joined FC Arizona from his hometown club Limerick, in Ireland, in hopes of one day playing in a top division in the United States.

FC Arizona currently plays in the National Premier Soccer League, which is a 4th-tier league in the United States.

Desert life has been good so far for Lynch, and he’s excited to start his new journey.

“It’s lovely here; my girlfriend came out with me for the first two weeks,” Lynch said. “So I’ve just been traveling around to all the local spots. Just before she went home we went to Sedona, it was really nice, really beautiful. I’m going to check out a few more of the scenic places before the end of the season.”

Lynch started his youth career playing for West Bromwich Albion in England. His experience has earned him respect among his FC Arizona teammates.

His well-respected track record includes playing Europa League and UEFA Champions League qualifiers, an impressive reputation for a fourth-division soccer player.

Since 2010 he has played with several Irish teams, and now he finds himself in the Valley of the Sun.

Lynch wasn’t supposed to the join the team this early in the year. FC Arizona’s owner Scott Taylor had ambitions of moving his team up to the North American Soccer League, had that league been approved this year for second-division status.

However, the league was not granted its requested status. Lynch decided the time was still right for him to leave everything behind in Ireland, and travel across the Atlantic to chase his dream.

“I wasn’t meant to come out until July 1st but unfortunately the NASL didn’t go ahead this season,” he said. “I decided to still come out after speaking with Scott and (coach) Maxi (Viera) and just get used to the surroundings and stuff like that.”

Viera is happy to have a player of Lynch’s caliber on the team. It’s not every day that you can sign a player to your team that has gone through a European country’s top flight.

“He’s bringing the experience of being a first-division player overseas,” Viera said. “He’s a natural leader, he doesn’t like to lose and also he brings to the organization and his teammates honesty in what he does, because this is his life and he puts 100 percent in that.”

Viera also praises the way Lynch handles himself off the field, when the cameras aren’t around.

“He’s a very humble guy for the accomplishments that he has,” Viera said.  “He’s welcomed anywhere because of his character. He’s always extending his hand to help, he’s very generous and always there for anybody who needs him.”

Taylor also enjoys having Lynch on the roster, and is confident the team’s future is in good hands with players like Lynch on the field.

“I think he’s a quality guy; we’re excited that he’s here,” Taylor said. “We’re looking to go to a higher league and that’s one of the reasons he came.”

While the team isn’t in the division it wants to be in at the moment, Lynch is excited to be in Arizona and is happy in the direction the team is heading, despite a slow start.

“We didn’t get the start we wanted the first home game,” Lynch said. “But we got a really good point over the weekend against a really good team. We’re gelling together, it’s going to take time. We have a lot of new players, I think results will come for us fast.”

FC Arizona is starting its second season as a club, and the team plays its homes games at John D. Riggs stadium in Mesa.

Last year, the team had a disappointing ending to their season. They went undefeated during the regular season only to lose in the NPSL West Region Quarterfinals and have their season cut short.

The team looks to have more success this season, and the signing of a player like Lynch shows just how ambitious the club plans to be this season.

For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.

 

Soccer player Lee Lynch came from playing in Ireland’s first division to joining FC Arizona this season. (Photo by Andrew Millan/Cronkite News)