Some are great. Less are amazing. Few are special.
Mattituck’s senior forward Kaan Ilgin was the best player on the field every single game for the Tuckers en route to their first state championship since 2003 and America noticed. His crafty footwork, determination to score and high soccer IQ culminated into an invitation to play in the High School All-American Game at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh, N.C. on Saturday, Dec. 13 at 3 p.m.
His senior campaign even raised eyebrows at the most elite level. His travel soccer coach for Smithtown Arsenal, Tom Lips, who played professionally in the Swiss First Division, USISL and MLS, confirmed Friday night that MLS teams have expressed interest in Ilgin — the New York Red Bulls being one of them.
“Everyone that’s ever seen Kaan play can agree that he truly has something unique and special,” Lips said. “There’s very few people that can do what he does. He has an innate ability to take someone one-on-one, push it to the end line and finish.”
And even though Ilgin gave a verbal commitment to accept a full scholarship to the University at Albany, he’s considering skipping it all together to try to turn professional right after high school.
“We’re in the process of negotiating some opportunities to tryout for some professional teams,” Lips said. “It’s not an easy task and it has to be carefully thought out.”
“To play professionally has always been my dream,” Ilgin said. “I was going to go to college to get an opportunity like this.”
Ilgin, who moved to the United States from Turkey in eighth grade, attempted to go professional twice before. When he was 15, he tried out for a few youth clubs of professional teams in Turkey.
“I was just doing it for fun,” Ilgin said. “I wanted to see if I could make a team.”
Ilgin tried out for his favorite team while growing up in Turkey, Fenerbahce. He made it through the first few rounds of cuts, making it to the final day but unfortunately no further. He was one of the last cuts made. From there, he tried out for another team, Gencler Birligi, and this time, he made the team; they seemed to really like him. But instead of playing in Turkey for Gencler Birligi, he decided to go back to Mattituck where his parents now lived, understanding full well that he had the ability to play. Making the team brought Ilgin’s confidence at an all time high.
When he returned, he joined Smithtown Arsenal, an elite travel soccer team. That’s when he met Lips.
“I couldn’t have done any of this without him,” Ilgin said of Lips. “I love him so much. He’s done so much for me as a player.”
Lips sent Ilgin to a camp called EDP in New Jersey right before last summer and he simply wowed. Brentford, a professional team in England, asked him to try out. He went to England for a week and Brentford liked him so much, they asked him to come back in July but Ilgin again declined the offer. He decided to compete for the national championship with his Arsenal team instead.
It’s gotten to the point that everyone knows Ilgin’s name. Even though he could potentially try out for a team now, Lips wants him to wait for a few months and get mentally and physically prepared for a level and speed of soccer he’s never really witnessed.
“You only get one chance,” Lips said. “I’ve been there and I’ve played for a long time and it’s a wonderful experience but a lot of things have to happen. Is he fit? Is the timing right? Does the club need a player like him? Is he firing on all cylinders? Is he confident? I see something in him that is very special. He definitely has the raw ability.”
With English being Ilgin’s second language, school doesn’t come easy for him. Trying to manage school and soccer at a Division I school may not be the best option and may more likely become a recipe for disaster. Though Lips is a school-first type of coach, who values education and believes every player should take advantage of a scholarship, he acknowledges every kid is different and college isn’t for everyone.
So with college more than likely out of the picture, Lips’ attention will now turn to trying to prepare Ilgin for the next level.
“I have connections,” Lips said. “I’ve played in the MLS, my friends are coaching at different levels in the United States. The deal is, if he’s pretending to do all the work, I’m going to see right through it. He’s going to have to put in the real soccer homework. You know eating right, resting, and training all the time. When we’re not training as a team, he should still he training and studying the game. He needs to get himself ready and when I feel he’s ready, we’ll push forward. If Kaan gets his head right and he’s serious, I think he’ll have an honest shot.”
