Men of Action

Wednesday, October 16th, 2019 – Detroit City FC 1 Michigan Stars 0
2019 NPSL Members Cup Champions

In the study of history, there are two classic theories, and while they’ve been thoroughly debated and criticized by modern historians, they still feature prominently in discussions about the past.

The Trends and Forces theory posits that events occur as a product of a growing tide or spirit of the age. For example, the American War of Independence and the French Revolution are seen as springing from the increase in rationalism and scientific thinking of the 17th and 18th centuries, which led to the questioning of the Divine Right of Kings and hereditary monarchy.

At the opposite end, the Great Man theory holds that single individuals have the ability to influence the course of history through their words and actions, and are the main drivers of change. The most often-cited examples are Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, and Napoleon.

As with most black-and-white thinking, the truth probably exists somewhere in the middle. Influential men and women are inevitably products of their time and place – there could be no Bill Gates or Jeff Bezos in the absence of the modern global economy, for instance – but there are still certain people who are able to take the opportunities that arise and make a profound impact.

To my knowledge, there are no cities named after Trevor James, and he’s never marched an army across the Hindu Kush, but in less than one calendar year he’s molded Detroit City in his image and taken the team to new heights on the field.

Most noticeable is his calm demeanor and how it’s reflected in the team’s play. They build confidently from the back, don’t panic under pressure, and keep their composure whenever something negative happens. And, as in Wednesday’s match, if a goal doesn’t come right away, they keep pushing and probing until they finally break through.

Another of James’s noteworthy qualities is his tactical flexibility. Quite often, in all sports, the head coach or manager attempts to run a system and squeeze players into it, rather than building the system around those players’ strengths. Sometimes it works, but more often it fails spectacularly.

Coming out of the summer, the highly-successful 3-5-2 formation had supporters singing Trevor’s praises. In the Members Cup campaign, fewer healthy options at centerback necessitated the switch to a 4-man back line. Despite the shift, team play seemed unaffected, and the defense proved just as stingy as it had in the classic season.

He took over a squad with a solid foundation and has turned it into an absolute buzzsaw. Aside from the disappointing Midwest Regional final, the team has been almost invincible. The consistency and improvement in level of play from May until now is unprecedented in club history and bodes extremely well for 2020.

That City’s first trophy as a professional club came against the Michigan Stars, who desperately want everything we’ve built while simultaneously treating us with a bemused contempt, made the victory even more delicious.

At no other time has this attitude come across than in the bizarre pre-match speech from the Stars owner. In it he announced (although it’s been public knowledge for some time) that his team will be going fully-pro and joining NISA next year. It was an obvious jab at City; his between-the-lines message went something like, “We don’t recognize you as a pro club, we think we’re superior to you, and we’re going to act as if we’re the main attraction and you’re just a sideshow.”

The words rung hollow, and in a week they’ll be forgotten. He and his ilk will continue to talk much and achieve little, as is their way. Meanwhile, the great men will continue to achieve great things.