While Josh Williams remains a longshot to be a permanent member of the Columbus Crew, he still relishes the opportunity he has been given.
Word of his signing came on Thursday and was a surprise to everyone, including the former Cleveland State midfielder.
“Out of nowhere they called me,” Williams stated. “It was a dream come true.” William’s only time with the Crew came in the 2010 preseason, having played in a handful of exhibition matches as a guest player.
Time was of the essence as the Akron native would have just one hour to get the contracts signed and back to the Crew’s front office. “Luckily I got them in with 10 minutes to spare,” Williams added.
Williams praised the work of his former coaches, especially that of CSU Head Coach Ali Kazemaini. “He took the professional approach to practice and training,” Williams commented. “He treated us like professionals. It definitely helped me prepare for this.”
His coaches also had praise for Williams, who started a total of 74 games for the Vikings between 2006 and 2009. He would finish his CSU career with 12 goals and eight assists.
“As a coach it is always good to see the players that have played for you move on to the next level of play,” Cleveland Internationals PDL Head Coach Denzil Antonio said. “Josh is ready to take the next step to see if he is ready to become a professional athlete.”
