The best player Minnesota United coach Adrian Heath has ever encountered professionally is a 33-year-old Brazilian who spent the past two seasons playing in the lower division.
Ibson is a bit like a hidden gem, apparently.
"Best footballer, arguably full stop," Heath said after practice Tuesday at the National Sports Center in Blaine. "I've worked with some good players, and I've played with some good players. But I think for natural talent and ability, there's certainly not many better than him."
The coach has praised Ibson, who has played in eight games of 11 with six starts so far this season, in the recent past. But now that the midfielder has likely earned a starting spot for the foreseeable future, alongside Sam Cronin in the holding midfield, Heath gushed a bit more about the former North American Soccer League player.
"He makes other players better, I think. Regardless of the situation you find yourself in as a team, he will always want the ball, and that's not easy," Heath said. "One of the reasons we brought him back in the team with the difficult start we had, we needed people who were going to handle the ball, get the ball and make other people play and take that responsibility on. And it's not easy when you're losing games in football, but he has that much confidence in his own ability, He's prepared to take [the ball] probably anywhere on the field."
Heath said Ibson is a "real pleasure" and "joy" to work with, and he's been impressed with how the midfielder has taken coaching to fit into his role in the system.
"We try to keep him within a structure," Heath said. "You know, it's not easy for a Brazilian guy to play a structured role because of the way they play, but I think one of the pleasing aspects for me is the football side was never a worry. The discipline side of staying in a two in the middle of the park and making other people play, but then having that strength and ability when you lose the ball, he's done fantastic at it."
Full strength
