'I feel his passion': Adekugbe, Ferrari embracing pressure to succeed under Benjamin Mora at York United

TORONTO – After last year’s middling finish and fast flameout in the play-in round, Max Ferrari and Elijah Adekugbe were searching intently for positive signs of progress at the start of the 2024 Canadian Premier League season season.

They seem to have found plenty under the watchful eye of the club's new Mexican ownership group, with team president Ricardo Pasquel and sporting director Jorge Villalpando at the forefront. The Mexico City natives, who relocated to Toronto at the end of last year, each attended York’s early training sessions to get a better feel for the team.

"We could feel as players that there was a positive thing happening here at York," Ferrari told OneSoccer. "And then when we got to meet them in person and we got things going in February for preseason, you could tell that day-by-day, it was getting better.

"They've been great to me and to us players right from the start."

Last season, York United finished fifth in the standings, making it into the league's post-season playoffs but succumbing to a loss against Pacific FC in the opening round. Under then-head coach Martin Nash, the club failed to capitalize on their 'dark horse' reputation and ultimately saw their season ended with little fight.

But under new ownership, players and staff returned with a fresh shot ahead of a new season – and, as Adekugbe described, with "pressure... in a good way."

"Ultimately they're the ones that control everything in the club," Adekugbe said, of the team's new ownership. "They’re the money, the owners, the power. When you see them at training, watching over their investment, you know you have to be on your toes and show that you are a good investment and you represent some of their project.

"Coming into this year, having new owners whose ambition it is to win, which matches a lot of the guys on our team's ambitions... you know now that you're actually playing for something, you're getting support from above and now that carries down to the players."

Of course, if you’ve been following along, you’ll know it wasn’t exactly smooth sailing from the get go. Six games into the season, the Nine Stripes sat precisely where they were the year before – fifth place at an unremarkable 2-3-1. It was at this point that Nash, manager of some two-and-a-half years, was relieved of his duties.

"When a coach leaves, it’s kind of upsetting at one point," Ferrari offered. "But at the other point, [everything’s] for a purpose."

The dramatic turnaround has come, of course, under Benjamin Mora. The Mexican manager had something of a peculiar resume that happened to include Liga MX experience, but also, multiple championship-winning seasons with Johor Darul Ta'zim in Malaysia. Still... he was an unknown quantity in the Canadian Premier League.

But Mora made sure to earn player trust right from the get-go.

"Since day one, we had a chat and he pulled me out... he made it vocal to everyone what he feels this club can be," Ferrari explained. "I think it's very clear, as the days go on, as the weeks go on, what role I have to play for the team and he helps me to know that."

Added Adekugbe: "He asked me about my motivations – about what I want to be and that if I commit to him, he'll help me do that. I'm just so grateful because he gave me that opportunity... since then, everything that we talked about has been happening. It’s just a case of wanting to pay back him and the team for the trust that they’ve shown in me.

"What I've loved about Benjamin is I feel his passion - I feel his passion for the project. I feel his passion for winning and I feel his passion for pushing us to be the absolute best that we can be. In terms of football and ideas, he's so clear in what he wants in terms of how we organize ourselves and I think he's just set an expectation and a standard higher than I've experienced in a lot of my career."

York have only lost one match in nine since Mora came in in early June. They now sit third in the league with 28 points, tied with Forge FC at second and just one point off Atlético Ottawa at the top of the table, with a game in hand. By the end of Matchweek 18, York United could sit in a rare position – at the very top of the table, should they defeat Valour FC on Sunday evening.

In an interview with York fan space Shoes Off for the Blue & Green, just after Nash’s departure, Adekugbe spoke of his desire to bring a little change. Specifically, he said he wanted to ‘Bring the joy back to York.’

Has it happened?

"Last year, the home games didn’t feel special. It didn’t feel like we were connected from top to bottom with the fans and the players and everything," Adekugbe said. "Now, with the Friday night lights… when we come home and play in front of our fans, I want them to have something to be proud of."

"If you talk to any York player, any York person around the scenes, we all have that one goal," Ferrari said. "We want to win a championship this year. So that's what we're all working towards."