Hany Mukhtar couldn't believe it, nor did he agree at the time.
At the team hotelin Bradenton, Florida, in January 2020, before the team's first preseason training session, Nashville SC first assistant coach Steve Guppy told its best player not only had he misused one of his better qualities, he wasn't using it enough.
Guppy showed Mukhtar video clips from his stint atBrondby IF in Denmark.Mukhtar made a stepover dribble just six times in three years. Four of which were in midfield.That was normal for him previously at Hertha Berlin, Austria's Red Bull Salzburg and Benfica in Portugalhe was a central midfielder, known for his give-and-go's and link-up passing with teammates in the middle channel.
But Mukhtar's new chapter with Nashville would be different. He'd be molded into an attacking player, starting with upgrading his dribbling tricksunder Guppy, knownfor his wing play in the late 1990s and early 2000s with Leicester City and Celtic, among others.
"'He was like, 'If we can bring you to doing that, you will reach your next level,' " Mukhtar recalled Guppy saying. "As a player you try toI wouldn't say go against the coach but youtry to explain to them, 'Hey, I've come so far without doing that. Like, why now should I change mygame?' "
The past 12 months haveprovided an undisputable reason. The 26-year-old Mukhtar of todayisn't the German designated player Nashville signed in August 2019 for just under $3 million. From a midfield playmaker on an expansion team to one of the league's best 11 players, Mukhtar has evolved from a connector and creator to a creator and goal-scorer.
"I'm honest with you,I was expecting a lot of things, but to becomea second striker, I wasn't seeing that," Mukhtar said. "I practiced my whole life for being a midfield player, and in the peak of my career, there is a change. You have to adapt. You have to take it and do the best with it."
BIG INVESTMENT: How Nashville SC's persistence pays off signing USMNT defender Shaq Moore
STAR POWER: Nashville SC's Hany Mukhtar, Walker Zimmerman among 26 voted to 2022 MLS All-Star team
Thatadjustment was a season-long process in 2020 and Mukhtar wasn't yet convinced Guppy's vision fit his strengths. Mukhtar's first-year impression inMajor League Soccer waspromising, albeit fragmented.
In his central attacking midfield role, Mukhtar posted five goals and four assists in all competitionsa stat line weighted by the start-stopCOVID-19 pandemic season and Nashville's virus outbreak in July 2020, which prevented it from playinginthe bubble at the MLS Is Back Tournament.
Mukhtardidn't score his first MLS goal until Sept. 12 against Atlanta United. But days before, a word from coach Gary Smith would become"a game-changer," he said.
"I wasn't really playing good andI wasn't scoring that much," Mukhtar said. "Gary told me, 'We brought you here so that youmake something special. We don't want you to play from A to B. We want you to make something out of it."
Mukhtar scored three goals and an assist in the final two matches of 2020. Butthe turning point came in Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs against No. 2 seed Toronto FC, in the 108th minute of extra time,convincingMukhtar that Guppy's vision for him would elevate him to the next level.
Toronto center back Chris Mavinga turned the ball over in Toronto's half.Daniel Rios collected and made a lead pass to Mukhtar. Three Toronto defenders surrounded him as he dribbled toward the penalty box. Two stepovers froze the defense. Mukhtar took the shot. Goalkeeper Quentin Westberg deflected it before Rios scored the game-winner.
"From that moment, he was like a changed man. I've never seen anything quite like it," Guppy said. "And then thenext preseason,he was a different animal altogether. In training, his1v1 work, there was like a spring in his step."
Mukhtar had daily 1v1 sessions with Guppy, cutting inside and breaking wide. Off-the-ball movements and runs behind the opposing back line. Free kicks and wide free kicks. In the film room, Guppy put together game tapes featuring Mukhtar's isolation sequences with defenders.
But it was a July 3 meeting with the Philadelphia Union thatunlocked Mukhtar as a goal threat. Smith changedformationsfrom his default 4-2-3-1 to a 3-4-3, which pushed Mukhtar from the midfield trio to a part of a three-man weave with CJ Sapong and Randall Leal.
In the next two months, Mukhtar went on a tear, netting seven goals and seven assists, including the league's fastest hat trick scored from the start of a game (16 minutes) in the second-fastest elapsed time (six minutes) on July 18 against Chicago Fire FC.
Seattle Sounders and U.S. men's national team midfielder Cristian Roldan said Mukhtar's threat comes down to his positioning. One of Mukhtar's most dangerous areas with the ball isin the pocket, the areas just behind the opposing midfield, tucked in from the sidelines.
In the pocket, he's so comfortable and it's very difficult to get the ball off him," Roldan said."His first touch is sublime, gets him out of pressure, gets him out of trouble a lot of times and he's so direct. I think thats what the difference is between him and a lot of players is, yeah, he can play in the pocket, he can turn and play that penetrating pass, but he also dribbles at the backline and that's what makes him really tough to defend.
Midway through last season, when it came time for the 2021 MLS All-Star Game, Mukhtar felt his production was overlooked.
Despite totaling seven goals and three assists when voting ended July 21, Mukhtar fell short in the voting.
However, when Los Angeles FC's Carlos Vela and LA Galaxy's Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez were replaced due to injury, MLS added the Galaxy's Sebastian Lletget and Miami's Rodolfo Pizarro who, although U.S. and Mexico internationals, combined for two goals and four assists at the voting cutoff.
Mukhtar would miss out again on accolades in December, finishing second in the league MVP voting (11.8%) to New England Revolution midfielder Carles Gil. With four goals and 18 assists, Gil was the conductor of best team and the best offense.
I feel like I needed to do more than a lot of other players to be recognized in the All-Star Game or in the MVP talk," Mukhtar said. "… Even though I had a great season the whole year, they started (mentioning me) towards the end of the season. You know what I mean? Then players like, I don't want to say names, but they were in the talks from the beginning. I'm already in a more difficult position because for people, they just saw me in talks later.
KEEPING UP: The Nashville SC 2022 MLS schedule: Here's all 34 regular season matches
Mukhtar said he's chalked up 2021 all-star and MVP campaigns to motivation. He's a 2022 all-star and after 21matches played, he's on pace to surpass his 16-goal tally from last year. He's scored 12 goals in MLS and 15 overall.
After becoming the club's first designated player, Mukhtar doubled down on Nashville in May, signing a contract extension through the 2025 season.
This year for me personally is to show myselfthat I can do that again. That it wasnt luck," Mukhtar said."I have that quality to do it again. But you have to stay humble because Ive had bad years and was on the bench at Benfica and Salzburg, really I was in and out of the team. Now (in Nashville), Im starting and thats what you train for your whole life. Enjoy the moment. Thats what Im doing right now.
For stories about Nashville SC or Soccer in Tennessee,contact Drake Hills at DHills@gannett.com. Follow Drake on Twitter at @LiveLifeDrake. Connect with Drake on Instagram at @drakehillssoccerand on Facebook.
Excerpt from:
'Enjoy the moment': The evolution of Nashville SC star Hany Mukhtar - Tennessean
- EvolutionM.net - Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution | Reviews, News ... [Last Updated On: June 12th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 12th, 2016]
- Evolution - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia [Last Updated On: June 19th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 19th, 2016]
- Darwin's Theory Of Evolution [Last Updated On: June 22nd, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 22nd, 2016]
- Evolution - Conservapedia [Last Updated On: June 28th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 28th, 2016]
- History of Evolution | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy [Last Updated On: June 28th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 28th, 2016]
- Darwin's Theory Of Evolution [Last Updated On: June 28th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 28th, 2016]
- Evolution - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia [Last Updated On: June 29th, 2016] [Originally Added On: June 29th, 2016]
- Evolution (2001) - IMDb [Last Updated On: July 5th, 2016] [Originally Added On: July 5th, 2016]
- Introduction to Human Evolution | The Smithsonian Institution ... [Last Updated On: July 7th, 2016] [Originally Added On: July 7th, 2016]
- EvolutionM.net - Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution | Reviews, News ... [Last Updated On: July 12th, 2016] [Originally Added On: July 12th, 2016]
- Evolution - Biology-Online Dictionary [Last Updated On: July 12th, 2016] [Originally Added On: July 12th, 2016]
- Introduction to Human Evolution | The Smithsonian Institution ... [Last Updated On: July 12th, 2016] [Originally Added On: July 12th, 2016]
- Evolution - Bulbapedia, the community-driven Pokmon encyclopedia [Last Updated On: July 12th, 2016] [Originally Added On: July 12th, 2016]
- What is Evolution - explanation and definitions [Last Updated On: July 12th, 2016] [Originally Added On: July 12th, 2016]
- Apps/Evolution - GNOME Wiki! [Last Updated On: July 12th, 2016] [Originally Added On: July 12th, 2016]
- History of Evolution | Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy [Last Updated On: July 12th, 2016] [Originally Added On: July 12th, 2016]
- Recent Articles | Evolution | The Scientist Magazine [Last Updated On: July 16th, 2016] [Originally Added On: July 16th, 2016]
- Evolution - The New York Times [Last Updated On: July 25th, 2016] [Originally Added On: July 25th, 2016]
- Evolution : Pictures , Videos, Breaking News [Last Updated On: August 2nd, 2016] [Originally Added On: August 2nd, 2016]
- Faculty & Staff - Biology | Biology | High Point University ... [Last Updated On: August 8th, 2016] [Originally Added On: August 8th, 2016]
- Evolution (software) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia [Last Updated On: September 2nd, 2016] [Originally Added On: September 2nd, 2016]
- Evolution | Answers in Genesis [Last Updated On: September 2nd, 2016] [Originally Added On: September 2nd, 2016]
- Evolution (2001) - Rotten Tomatoes [Last Updated On: September 18th, 2016] [Originally Added On: September 18th, 2016]
- Human evolution - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia [Last Updated On: September 22nd, 2016] [Originally Added On: September 22nd, 2016]
- Evolution - Wikipedia [Last Updated On: October 20th, 2016] [Originally Added On: October 20th, 2016]
- MyEvolution // About Evolution [Last Updated On: December 9th, 2016] [Originally Added On: December 9th, 2016]
- Evolution of the Web [Last Updated On: December 10th, 2016] [Originally Added On: December 10th, 2016]
- Evolution | Pokmon Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia [Last Updated On: January 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: January 14th, 2017]
- Evolution - RationalWiki [Last Updated On: January 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: January 14th, 2017]
- Tracking the Evolution of Student Success - Inside Higher Ed [Last Updated On: February 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 6th, 2017]
- Ivanka Trump's Beauty Evolution, From 1998 to Today Watch - Us Weekly [Last Updated On: February 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 6th, 2017]
- Lumpy, hairy, toe-like fossil could reveal the evolution of molluscs - The Guardian [Last Updated On: February 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 6th, 2017]
- USM Darwin Day: 'Genesis' a parallel to evolution - The Student Printz [Last Updated On: February 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 6th, 2017]
- Cultural evolution and the mutilation of women - The Economist [Last Updated On: February 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 6th, 2017]
- How Evolution Alters Biological Invasions - ScienceBlog.com (blog) [Last Updated On: February 6th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 6th, 2017]
- Psychonauts in the Rhombus of Ruin Feels Like an Evolution of Double Fine's Adventure Game Roots - UploadVR [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- The Evolution of Accessible Travel: 5 Podcast Takeaways - Skift [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Convergent Evolution: Why Some Plants Became Carnivorous - Science 2.0 [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- The Queer Evolution of Kristen Stewart - Advocate.com [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Gold's Gym Regina rebrands to become Evolution Fitness - Regina Leader-Post [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Late-night hosts on the evolution of Trump: 'Dickish to dictatorish' - The Guardian [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Exhibition charts 500 years of evolution of robots - Phys.Org [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Blockchain: Investment (R)Evolution For Developing Markets - Forbes [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- See the Evolution of the Famed Porsche 911 in 7 Photos - WIRED [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- How evolution turned ordinary plants into ravenous meat-eaters - Wired.co.uk [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- Are Evolution Fresh Drinks 'Poison'? - snopes.com [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- The Evolution and Maturation of HPC in the Enterprise - CIO [Last Updated On: February 7th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 7th, 2017]
- From Whoa to 'Wick:' The Evolution of Keanu Reeves - Film School Rejects [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2017]
- 'Goldilocks' genes that tell the tale of human evolution hold clues to variety of diseases - Science Daily [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2017]
- London exhibition charts 500 years of evolution of robots - Chicago Sun-Times [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2017]
- Chimpanzee feet allow scientists a new grasp on human foot ... - Science Daily [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2017]
- 'Evolution To Revolution' As New York Fashion Week Gets Political - NPR [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2017]
- Orangutan squeaks reveal language evolution, says study - BBC ... - BBC News [Last Updated On: February 9th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 9th, 2017]
- Deeper origin of gill evolution suggests 'active lifestyle' link in early ... - Science Daily [Last Updated On: February 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 10th, 2017]
- Horse evolution bucks evolutionary theory - Science News [Last Updated On: February 10th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 10th, 2017]
- From Tara Palmer-Tomkinson to Cara Delevingne: the evolution of the It girl - The Guardian [Last Updated On: February 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 11th, 2017]
- Evolution gives rhyme its reason - Aurora News Register [Last Updated On: February 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 11th, 2017]
- Evolution of in-car audio tech moving at 'speed of sound' - Times of India [Last Updated On: February 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 11th, 2017]
- Scientists solve fish evolution mystery - Phys.Org [Last Updated On: February 11th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 11th, 2017]
- The Difference Between Healthy Love & Unhealthy Love - Collective Evolution [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2017]
- This Woman Was Raped & Forgave Him, So They Did A Ted Talk Together - Collective Evolution [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2017]
- A primer on Darwin Day: Some religious groups embrace 'Theistic evolution' - LancasterOnline [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2017]
- Pokmon Go Eevee evolution: How to evolve Eevee into Vaporeon, Jolteon and Flareon with new names - Eurogamer.net [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2017]
- Evolution of baseball from power to speed has left SBs behind - Chicago Sun-Times [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2017]
- More order with less judgment: An optimal theory of the evolution of cooperation - Science Daily [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2017]
- How the horse can help us answer one of evolution's biggest questions - Raw Story [Last Updated On: February 12th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 12th, 2017]
- China Is Now The World's Largest Producer of Solar Power ... - Collective Evolution [Last Updated On: February 13th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 13th, 2017]
- Community Viewpoint: Evolution, like gravity, is much more than theory it is a fact - Kdminer [Last Updated On: February 13th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 13th, 2017]
- See the Evolution of Movie Magic With Every Oscar Winner for ... - Gizmodo [Last Updated On: February 13th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 13th, 2017]
- How the horse can help us answer one of evolution's biggest questions - Phys.Org [Last Updated On: February 13th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 13th, 2017]
- How evolution alters biological invasions - Phys.Org [Last Updated On: February 13th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 13th, 2017]
- The Evolution of Valentine's Day - Inside Science News Service [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2017]
- Why evolution may be tech billionaires' biggest enemy - The Week Magazine [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2017]
- Russell Westbrook is leading an evolution in NBA rebounding - Washington Post [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2017]
- Eye Evolution: A Closer Look - Discovery Institute [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2017]
- How evolution alters biological invasions -- ScienceDaily - Science Daily [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2017]
- Evolution always wins: University of Idaho video game uses mutating aliens to teach science concepts - The Spokesman-Review [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2017]
- Geneticists track the evolution of parenting - Phys.Org [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2017]
- How this cockeyed squid shines a light on deep sea evolution - Christian Science Monitor [Last Updated On: February 14th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 14th, 2017]
- Cockeyed squid shines light on deep sea evolution - Christian Science Monitor [Last Updated On: February 15th, 2017] [Originally Added On: February 15th, 2017]