Throughout 2020, KSN has been following the progress of Gillingham’s Luis Binks as he moved to MLS club Montreal Impact from Tottenham’s under 23 side. 

Back in Medway for Christmas, we’ve caught up with Luis for one last look back on a very strange 2020 for Kent’s newest footballing export as he reflects on what he found when he reached Montreal…

We started by asking who’d given our young central defender the biggest challenges? “Toronto had great players this year with Piatti, Pozuelo (who won player of the year), Akinola, Altidore, so it was also difficult with their fluid movement but also I enjoyed playing against them and it was brilliant to win in Toronto and stop their unbeaten streak as they were going for the record.”

“I’ve had fun playing against all the strikers this year as most of them have been so different in their own ways, some being small and quick some tall and slow some target players, so it’s been so good for my development.”

“I found New York Red Bulls a good side and we struggled when we played them for whatever reason, but I’d say when I watched Seattle and LAFC they looked like the two teams who perhaps could compete in the Championship at a good level even though I never played against them as they were in the other Conference.”

Ground wise, Luis has played in some of the most iconic in America as he remembered, “I really liked the RED BULL ARENA because it reminded me of a typical European stadium but saying that the YANKEE STADIUM or the GILETTE STADIUM where the New England Patriots play were also good, only reason being because of the history within the stadiums.”

The biggest hurdle Luis faced though proved to be the pandemic with him thousands of miles away from home in Lockdown. “It was tough,” he confessed. “I was stuck in hotels for a few months, everything shut, and I was alone, so it was very mentally challenging, but I do believe that made me stronger and forced me to grow up very quickly.”

“There were times I was questioning if I made the right decision as like I say I was so far from home, I was lonely, but it defo made me grow up and for that it made me a better person and player.”

“I missed watching football in the UK on TV like listening to Gary Neville and Carragher ha ha; it sounds silly but just to turn the tv on and have the familiarity of it all. When I got back to this country for Christmas, I saw my mum, dad, sister and girlfriend who are all at my house and then I saw my nan, uncle, auntie and all my cousins but of course from a distance which isn’t great, but I can’t complain!” 

After Christmas, Luis begins a new adventure as he heads for Serie A and a place with Bologna – who incidentally are owned by the Montreal Impact owner Joey Saputo – probably one reason that Luis will head back across the Atlantic to Montreal for MLS season 2021.

“Next year is a big year for me,” Luis said, “2020 was a weird year and very disrupted so it was a year for me to get settled and find my feet so next year is the year I want to really push on as I know there is so much more I can give and the better I perform the better chance I give myself to go on and play at the top which is ultimately where I want to get to.” 

“The Italian is “così” I’ve been doing a bit, but I don’t think it’s until I’m there and living within it every-day, I’ll really pick it up but saying that I’ve changed but Netflix to Italian with subtitles so I pick little bits up so hopefully that helps, but time will tell ha-ha!” 

We’d like to thank Luis for all his help during this year, and we can confirm that KSN will be following his journey onward to Bologna and then back to Montreal in 2021…