Burke Fahling admitted it was strange to join FC Tucson on loan.
But it didn’t take long for the former Charleston Battery midfielder to fit in. Fahling has played in 17 matches for FC Tucson, starting 14 of them. He’s become a part of the team, even volunteering at the club’s “Barrio 2 Barrio” events.
Still, Fahling’s stay in Tucson will be temporary. He’s due back to the USL Championship club at the end of the season.
“It’s a little different just because in your head at first you say, you think like ‘This isn’t permanent.’ But it’s a long season, so you get very close to the guys,” the 25-year-old Fahling said. “I mean, it is my team, it’s the team I’m on, so honestly it’s the same as being not on loan, it’s the same as this being my club. So I like it here and I enjoy my team and the coaches … it’s fun.”
FC Tucson’s Burke Fahling clears the ball after taking down Forward Madison’s Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu during their April 16 match.
FC Tucson head coach Jon Pearlman said Fahling, who played at Memphis and Seattle University, has been excellent for the Men in Black.
Fahling played 27 times for Charleston last year but they were overloaded at his position and changed coaches.
FC Tucson (4-11-4) will take on (6-11-4) on Saturday in Cary, North Carolina.
“He’s been one of the hardest workers on the team, high work rate, consistently excellent in his duels, can play multiple positions, really has been a great move for us and has a great attitude and really just done great work,” Pearlman said.
Pearlman said he wished they had Elijah Wynder, who was on loan from Louisville City, longer this season. Defender Eric Kinzner, on loan from Tacoma, has done well.
Like Fahling, Kinzner is from Washington and came up through the Seattle Sounders’ system. Seattle director of player development Henry Brauner is from Tucson and played for Pearlman at Sabino High School before moving on to Pima College. He also worked for FC Tucson.
“Guys coming from the Sounders system are very disciplined, hard working, fit very well and that’s why Burke and Eric are so successful and we will certainly continue to look that way for opportunities for guys that don’t quite fit their MLS mode but really can be great (USL) Championship or League One players,” Pearlman said.
Corner kicks
FC Tucson midfielder Louis Perez and forward/defender Donny Toia were selected to the League One Team of the Week. Toia played both matches last week on defense and Perez scored a goal and tallied an assist in their 2-1 win at Northern Colorado.
FC Tucson will host a watch party for Saturday’s match at Brother John’s, 1801 N. Stone Ave., at 4 p.m.
The club has announced two changes to its schedule. FC Tucson’s postponed home match against North Carolina FC, will be played Tuesday, Sept. 20 at 7 p.m, and the club’s match at South Georgia was moved up a day to Sept. 16, a Friday.
