Defender Williams Adjusting Well with Rapids

By Brian "SoundBite" Jennings

It’s been a few years but that's cool, West Indies/Caribbean drawl is back in Colorado with defender Mekeil (pronounced ME-kell) Williams joining the Rapids this offseason.  A strong fullback from Trinidad and Tobago who is able to play both sides of the field, Williams is fitting in well with his new teammates and is starting to impose his physical style on the field.

The guys are cool, they make you feel comfortable, and so far everything has been great,” Williams tells C38.  “I think I’ve settled in well with the guys-building relationships.  The biggest adjustment for me is the weather, the altitude-it’s crazy-maybe sometimes the pace of the game in practice.”

Mekeil has begun finding that pace more to his liking and saw his first MLS start at home against potent offensive players like Robbie Keane and Gyassi Zardes in the recent win over the Los Angeles Galaxy.  He admits that understanding where he fits in Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni and the staff’s scheme has been pretty straight-forward.  “Coach makes sure that everyone understands what he wants and where we should be.  They’re not asking anything much different from any other coach.  It’s all about buying into the coach’s philosophy and doing exactly what he asks building up from the back.”

“Good defensive shape behind the ball, that’s the most important to always be organized behind the ball when we don’t have the ball,” explains Williams, who isn’t shy about getting forward to provide crosses into the box.  “I’m a defender first but anytime I have the opportunity to go forward it’s a pleasure and a joy for me and I look forward to the opportunities.”

Don’t let that eager smile fool you though when talking about attacking with the ball, Mekeil knows why he is in Colorado and what he concentrates on while part of the backline.  “The most important thing for or a defender is a start position.  You always need to have good position behind the ball, even when we have the ball, you need to have good position.”

“For me is my positioning and when I get the ball what I want to do with it.  You need to have an idea what you want to do with the ball before you receive it.”

Williams admits he’s been looking forward to the opportunity of playing in MLS and Colorado is a place he feels comfortable and enjoys being part of in that goal.  “The MLS is a great league, and the ideas (the Rapids) have for the club going forward are great stuff, and I’m comfortable with the opportunity and to be a part of it.”