Mike Grella never wants to be the centre of attention. As the cameras and journalists descend onto the New York Red Bulls’ dressing room, the 29-year-old is happy to change into his clothes and pass on the speaking duties to teammates like Dax McCarty, and Bradley Wright-Phillips.

Grella’s approach, while perhaps surprising to some, is reflective of a man that no longer feels the pressure to be the focal point of proceedings. That wasn’t always the case though. A standout player in high-school, Grella took the risk ridden path that is a move to Europe, joining Leeds United 2009.

Once there, he was forced to fight hard for a place in the first team. Cup games often became his stage, with Grella feeling the need to perform in whatever time he was afforded. He was then loaned out to a variety of lower league clubs, with the pressure to be the star following him to each new destination. “Knowing when to keep it, knowing when to try something, and getting that balance right is important,” Grella told Yahoo Sport UK in New York. “When you have that pressure, you have that feeling that you need to do something every time you get it.”

Speak to anyone that has worked with Grella, including teammate Dax McCarty, and they will all agree Grella has ‘an x-factor’. It’s an ability to turn a defender, or weave in an out of two opponents. In his youth Grella was used to doing that whenever his will desired. He was the star man, and it was difficult to adjust once in Europe. “I think I tended to do poorly in my career when I thought it was about me,” Grella said. “When I thought I had to score, or when I put pressure on myself to create goals I played poorly.”

That was until last season. Playing with his local club the New York Red Bulls, something changed inside the native of Glen Cove, New York. The one-track approach that dominated his career evolved into something team centric, with the focus now on those around him. “When I go out on match-day here with this team, I just want to win,” he said. “Whatever it takes to get 3 points, whether it be defending for 90 minutes, or getting chances, whatever my role is for that day, I just want to be part of that. I think that puts me in spots to be successful.”

Recording 9 goals in 33 games, Grella helped his team collect the MLS Supporters’ Shield in 2015 and was largely considered to be one of the signings of the season. His turnaround, while not just surprising, was somewhat motivated by change elsewhere in his life. The former Brentford man is now a father, and a proud one at that, having just welcomed his second child with wife Jessica.

“With my son, my wife and I always joke around that he’s like an angel for us, and our good luck charm,” he said. “The thing is it makes you realise that soccer isn’t everything and scoring goals is not everything. As a younger kid I had a lot of success with Youth National Teams and I put a lot of pressure on myself, especially first going over to England. I had to make it into the Championship, or the Premier League.”

The importance of family is something coach Jesse Marsch not only appreciates, but seems to want to foster in his dressing room. The Red Bulls’ head coach is a passionate man, and his mixture of shrewd tactical detail, and motivational speeches has impacted Grella.

“I don’t want to go over the top because I’ll get rung out by the guys, but he’s been a huge part of my success,” Grella said. “He lets me go out on the field and be free, he puts me on the field with huge confidence. He’s the true definition of a man manager. He knows when to push, and when not to push. He knows how to deal with the spirit of the team. He’s great at tactics and the football side, but a lot of it is the social side. A lot of guys have a great respect for him.”

Grella’s teammates also have a lot of respect for him. Sacha Kljestan, a Belgian league winner with Anderlecht, has often been the man to supply Grella this season, and enjoys not just their time together on the field, but also off it. “He’s so good on the ball so the goal for me is to get the ball to his feet,” Kljestan said. “Off the field, he’s a family man and he’s a really good golfer. We always play golf, and he’s always talking crap because he beats me [laughs]. I think if you don’t know him you would think he’s a hard ass, but once you get to know him you realise he’s a bit of a softie.”

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