With more than five years of service for his club under his belt and at the midway point of the Dutch Eredivisie season, Johan Kappelhof made the choice to strike out for something new.
The 25-year-old FC Groningen man liked what he heard from Chicago Fire GM Nelson Rodríguez and head coach Veljko Paunovic and took on the challenges posed by a move to MLS in the prime of his career.
So far, he’s met them all. Since allowing four goals on opening day to New York City FC, the Men In Red have conceded just once in their last three outings, and not at all in the last 265 minutes heading into Sunday’s return trip to NYCFC (6 p.m. CT, FOX Sports 1). Kappelhof was named to the MLS Team of the Week following the club's second straight clean sheet Saturday vs. Philadelphia.
“I think Johan is doing great, he’s a great guy like all of the guys we have in our locker room,” said head coach Veljko Paunovic Thursday. “He’s doing very good, he’s trying very hard to adapt and adjust to this league and this country, which for him, his words, it’s great. He really enjoys it.”
"I think it's obvious with our defensive performances the past few games progressively getting better and better and gelling, that's a sign of growth with the team," goalkeeper Matt Lampson said. "Those two guys (Kappelhof and fellow centerback Jonathan Campbell) are absolute rocks and I can trust them with everything. Incredible confidence in them and I know they'll play their hearts out."
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Indeed, Kappelhof's propensity for pouring all he has into each outing is exactly why Paunovic is taking steps to ensure the central defender continues to thrive in his new environment and avoids any potential burnout.
“We have to understand that Johan is coming from the long season playing in Holland and we have to manage that,” he said. “Not only on the fitness level but also emotionally, because every game is emotional, it carries some emotional charge, and we have to understand that for him. But he’s doing great, he’s adapting the best he can and the teammates are helping with that so we are very happy.”
