A lot of people ask me… why Phoenix Rising FC?

The answer is simple: I love it here. I believe in the project. I believe in the people.

But there’s also more to it. Let me explain…

When I was leaving Montreal Impact, I had offers from around the world. They came in from Brazil, England, France, even China. But one stood out. It was different. It was a new club in Phoenix, Arizona and after a series of long conversations with the club’s ownership – most often Berke Bakay, the Governor of Rising who I knew from my time playing in Turkey – I really started to feel like maybe this was the right project for me.

It was a unique opportunity. To be a part of something from the ground up. It also allowed me to become an owner and begin the transition into my post-playing career. You see it’s important to me to be seen not only as a footballer, but also as a businessman and someone who is working on his after-football career. Someone who is thinking about how to see the game, but from a different angle. I saw it as a player, and now – as I was weighing up my options – I had the chance to come to this organization that was going to allow me to see it in a different, more comprehensive way.

But I also had a lot left to give on the field. I wasn’t done playing. And I remember one day, before the decision to come and be a part of Phoenix Rising FC was final, I got a text from Berke. It was a photo of him and our General Manager Bobby Dulle. They were holding the USL Cup.

The text read:

Come win this with us.

That was it.

I was in.