PADDY BARRETT admits he is stepping into the unknown as he gets ready to embark on his American Dream.

Defender Barrett, 24, is joining rising United Soccer League side FC Cincinnati for next season having decided the time was right to test himself abroad.

2 Barrett in action for Waterford against Longford Town in September Credit: Sportsfile

But he knows it will be a new experience — both on and off the field — as he has never set foot in the States, let alone in South Ohio.

Barrett told SunSport: “I’ve never been to America. I’m going over and hopefully I won’t be coming back — at least not for a few years.

“I’m going into the deep end and I’ll tread my way through. I’ve no idea what to expect to be honest.

“I’ve looked into it so I know it’s a big city. The club is on the up as well, they’ve sold 20,000 season tickets next season, which is incredible.

2 Barrett in action for Dundalk back in July Credit: Sportsfile

“Playing-wise, I’ve no real idea what I’m letting myself in for. I’ve looked at clips and it looks amazing.”

The Waterford native could never nail down a first-team place in his three years at Dundalk and spent part of last season on loan at his hometown club.

So going from somewhere he knows so well to a place he is completely unfamiliar with will be quite the change.

But while Barrett is happy to step into the unknown, one of the main reasons for that is he knows Cincinnati manager Alan Koch has done his due diligence.

Whereas other US clubs who were tracking Barrett got on the phone for talks, South African Koch — who spent a year at Limerick in 2000 — decided it needed the personal touch.

Barrett explained: “The manager flew over to Ireland to meet me. With others it was texts and calls but the manager . . . because he can only sign so many international players he flew over.

“He went from Cincinnati to Chicago, then on to Israel where he signed the Maccabi Haifa captain Dekel Keinan, and then on to Dublin to speak to me.”

And what Koch told Barrett meant he was ready to jump at the chance.

He urged him to ignore offers from NASL clubs such as Jacksonville, where his old team-mate Ciarán Kilduff plays, in favour of moving to the USL and a potential giant of the American game.

Cincinnati finished sixth in the USL Eastern Conference last term and will learn on December 14 if they will get an MLS expansion franchise.

Barrett added of Koch: “He knew others were interested but was pointing out that other clubs and leagues were standing still.

“Their crowds were around the 3,000 or 4,000 mark. But Cincinnati, they’ve only been a club for two years and the fan base is already over 20,000.

“They play in a stadium that holds 40,000 and it’s regularly full. I’ve played in front of big crowds in European games and this could be the same.

“They have also kept only nine of last season’s squad and he has to have a squad of 24.

“That is good for me because I won’t be the only new face coming in.

“There will be no one established in their position, rather than arriving into a settled team and settled dressing room.

“The club is also ambitious and wants to be in the MLS. That was another factor, the chance to play MLS if things go well.

“I’ve signed for one year but the club have an option of a second.”