In our profile series, some of the FC Bayern World Squad players talk about their experiences during this year's World Squad tour. On the flight back to Germany, Canadian defender Tate Asante and forward James Lackay from Australia sit down together and reflect on the past week. They talk about the games against Inter Miami and D.C. United, their time in New York and also tell us what they miss most about home. You can also keep up with the latest World Squad news in our live blog.
Tate Asante and James Lackay from the FC Bayern World Squad
Hello everyone, we're Tate and James, number 19 and number 9 of the World Squad. We got to know each other during the tour here and have become really good friends.
The World Squad on a sightseeing tour of the US capital Washington D.C. in perfect weather.
We travelled a lot last week, from Cary to Miami, then to Washington and then on to New York. It was exhausting, especially with all the waiting around. But it was also good for us as a side, we had time to get to know each other and are now returning to Germany as a real team.
After the TST tournament, we flew to Miami, where we were scheduled to play against Inter Miami that evening. However, the match was postponed until the next morning due to a heavy thunderstorm. Unfortunately, we weren't able to finish the game and it was abandoned in the 69th minute with the score at 0-0. We then travelled straight on to Washington, where we played against D.C. United the following day, winning 1-0.
Training with a view: The backdrop of New York's Central Park is a sight to behold.
I (Tate) think we put in a good performance in both games. Of course, there are always points that can be improved. Considering we've only been a team for just under three weeks we gave a good account of ourselves. If you compare the games against Inter Miami and D.C. United, we improved from one day to the next. Everyone is ready to work on themselves, I (James) have to start scoring goals, but I'm sure that will happen soon.
After the win against Washington, we still had half a day for a sightseeing tour of the city. We visited the US Capitol, the Lincoln Memorial and the George Washington Monument before travelling on to New York by bus. For me (James) it's the first time I've travelled outside Australia and when we arrived in New York at night I didn't know where to look. What a backdrop! Lights everywhere, I've never seen anything like it!
Playing at Common Ground, a football pitch on top of a New York tower block.
On Saturday, we visited the FC Bayern office in the Rockefeller Center and had a light training session in Central Park in the afternoon. In the evening, we went to Common Ground, a football pitch at the top of a New York tower block, where we were able to have a kickaround and enjoy a great view over the city.
Although the time here with the lads is great, we both miss home and especially our families. I (Tate) also miss my friends, we text every day - and I also miss my dog, I really miss him a lot. I (James) feel the same way, I miss my friends, my parents and my mum's food. Don't get me wrong, we really enjoy being here and travelling with the World Squad, but we can't wait to see our families and friends again.
But for now, we're excited about all the other things that await us in Germany. We're currently on the plane back to Munich and are looking forward to training at the FC Bayern Campus and, above all, the match against the U19s.
Best wishes from the plane,
Tate & James
Check out part 2 of our series here:
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