The vibes test

Don’t give Weston McKennie any Red Bull

Written by: Rob Conlon
In Juve days, a photo of Giorgio Chiellini yelling at Weston McKennie. It's either a goal celebration, an argument about ranch dressing, or Chiellini is annoyed that McKennie has soiled himself, not sure which

Apart from catching a few USA matches at the World Cup, I haven’t seen a great deal of Weston McKennie on the pitch. I’ve read and heard his name enough to trust Victor Orta and Jesse Marsch’s judgement that McKennie is the right signing to improve Leeds’ midfield, and I’m happy to sit back and wait for Weston to start playing before evaluating whether they’re right or wrong.

For now, I’m more interested in McKennie’s personality. Learning Rasmus Kristensen finds Brenden Aaronson annoying and thinks snakes are “cooler” than spiders told me everything I need to know about Rasmus, just like discovering Maxi Wober drives more sensibly than Kristensen and loves the darts. To play at such a high level, footballers have to be so committed to their professionalism that The Pint Test may no longer apply. A more appropriate exam might be The Vibes Test. Weston McKennie is well on his way to passing.

The Weston McKennie Story’, released shortly before the World Cup, is a good introduction to his backstory. With his dad John a member of the US Air Force, the McKennies moved between states and continents while Weston was a kid, including three years in Germany. The documentary shows a tight, supportive family, and a prodigiously talented young soccer player. It’s all very wholesome, even if Weston has a scar under his eye from being pushed into a TV by his big brother John Jr during a game of indoor gridiron. “I don’t recall a push,” says Weston. “I recall a pick up and slam.”

The moving between different countries and cultures should help McKennie adapt to life in Leeds quickly, especially when he’s got his childhood friend Tyler Adams promising to take him for a Yorkshire pudding wrap (keep an eye out at Kirkgate Market). Tyler hasn’t tried one yet either, and I’m desperate to hear their feedback, particularly after finding a clip of McKennie explaining his favourite foods to Gianluigi Buffon and Giorginio Chiellini at Juventus.

Buffon and Chiellini are totems of Italian football, and as a result, Italian culture. Between them they have represented Italy almost 300 times, winning international tournaments and a frightening list of honours with Juve. Chiellini is extolling the importance of good pasta — if he doesn’t eat well, he doesn’t play well — while Buffon is sitting on an adjacent table with a huge napkin tucked into the collar of his shirt. “We throw in a cookie, or a brownie, or a burger,” says McKennie, “something like this.” Buffon looks like he’s trying not to hear such blasphemy.

They can all agree pizza is great, although McKennie raises more eyebrows by saying he likes to add ranch salad dressing, as opposed to drizzling some olive oil over a slice. Chiellini shrugs his shoulders, laughing and shaking his head. “But what are you saying to me?”

Each to their own. McKennie doesn’t like coffee, which I can’t get on board with, but his explanation why he doesn’t like coffee is by far my favourite thing I’ve learned about Weston. “If I drink espresso, I shit myself.”

Jesse Marsch, you’ve been warned. If McKennie can’t drink an espresso without shitting himself, you’re going to have to keep that Red Bull far, far away from him. ⬢

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