Michael Parkhurst sat slouched in his chair, physically spent from the morning’s training session. We were in a small conference room with a pitch-side view of a perfectly mowed playing surface at Atlanta United’s training facility in Marietta, Ga. Two-a-days had begun and preseason muscle soreness was at its peak. Parkhurst and his teammates were days away from a two-week trip to Los Angeles for a series of scrimmages.



Before heading west, the captain spoke about the tactical and cultural differences between Tata Martino and Frank de Boer, and how the team is preparing for their CONCACAF Champions League debut on Thursday. He reflected on his time in Europe and revealed just how close he came to leaving Atlanta after the 2018 MLS Cup.



“The cultures are just so different,” said Parkhurst regarding the change in tone around the club. “The South Americans are so loud and they enjoy themselves. 10 o’clock training might...