It did not take Gabriel Slonina to leave an impression on Adin Brown when the latter joined Chicago Fire as goalkeeping coach in 2020. The former New England Revolution and Aalesund goalkeeper and Portland Timbers coach had spent time working with young stoppers from ages eight to 12 and collegiate prospects at University of Portland, though maybe none like the 15-year-old he was presented with in Chicago.
Brown was excited to work with the talent who a year previous became the youngest player to sign a professional deal in the MLS since Freddie Adu, but with veteran goalkeepers in the shape of in the shape of Kenneth Kronholm and Connor Sparrow, he perhaps did not expect to feel Slonina's ire quite so quickly.
The young glovesman wasted little time showing his hunger to succeed. One of Brown's first sessions with the US youth international saw the duo make eye contact and Slonina's displeasure was clear.
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"The first time basically was during the physicals, meeting all of the players and started pre-season in Chicago in a bubble that week, so that was my first experience with him," Brown told football.london, "I still remember meeting him and being like 'this kid is really 15 years old?' because he came across so mature and wise beyond his years.
"That's my initial impression and as I got to know him, what you saw is what you got. He was very intense and dedicated from the first time I met him. I remember how hungry he was. The first small-sided games we went into, I put the veterans in goal and he gave this look like 'wait, I'm not going in?'. You could tell from early on that he was very hungry and wanted to be thrown into the mix quite early."
That should not suggest that Slonina has an inflated ego due to his rapid progress. Rather than offend, he has been taken under the wing of his elders in the Fire squad.
Brown added: "So, before I got here, Kenny Kronholm, he played a lot of his professional soccer in Germany, they'd already had a relationship. You could tell from very early on Kenny had started to mentor Gaga and help him along the way. I think Gaga over the years, whether it was Kenny, Connor Sparrow or if it was Bobby Shuttleworth, our goalkeeper over the last two years - he picked up bits and pieces from each one of them and made it his own.
"He's a very likeable kid as well, he's very humble and down to earth and so it's very easy for the veterans to like him and put them under their wing. Even when he did take over the starting position late last year, the veteran Bobby, he still supported him.
"That's a tough position to be in for a goalkeeper that's in his thirties, and a 17, 18-year-old takes over your position. Because Gaga is who he is, I think he's supported him and he was very helpful in his continued development."
In 2021, the teenager became the youngest goalkeeper to start an MLS match, having just turned 17. That opportunity against New York City FC came with starting stopper Shuttleworth unavailable with a knee injury, and after Kronholm had already been ruled out out for the season.
Hi car breaking down en route to the match and having to get an Uber to complete his journey could not even disrupt his progress. A clean sheet and some impressive saves later, the Chicago Fire coaching staff knew Slonina was a 'gamer'.
"He rises to the occasion," said Brown. "That's when we knew we had something special and it was one of those where we weren't going through a great patch as a team, so at one point we decided to throw him in, see how he'd do."
While there is a degree of luck involved in Slonina receiving his opportunity so young, there's little doubting the effort the Addison, Illinois native put in the work to earn it, too. Throughout the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns, Slonina ensured that he would maintain his professionalism.
That has carried on through his short career as he not only puts in extra work to improve his physical condition but also in mental preparations and through assessing video footage. Brown is not surprised he is finding success.
He said: "Almost half way through my first year, he really dedicated himself, especially once COVID started and we were all in shutdown, he tried to find ways to better himself. It was a tough time for everybody but he dug deep and realised this is something he really wanted to do and found different ways to stay fit.
"Especially when we couldn't train, different ways where he could still get his sessions in and improve. That started his road to being the professional he is. He's always the first in training and one of the last to leave and he's always doing the extra work and finding the extra thing that will help him reach that next level. That's going to carry him very far."
Brown added: "I feel like we make each other better. He's one of these kids that the way he is and the way he works and the way he goes about his day to day, he just makes those around him better and I think he definitely did that with me. You could see how he was striving for the best and that made me want to be at my best. That's something really special to have as a player and a person.
Brown doesn't believe he's worked with anyone else like him: "He's very special in the way he goes about his day to day. His work ethic, his attitude and he's only 18-years-old - which is wild."
Now, with 16 clean sheets in 44 MLS matches, it should come as little surprise that transfer rumours soon found their way to Chicago. Chelsea and Real Madrid were both interested in a move for the youngster, and the Blues had hoped to seal a deal for Slonina in the early parts of 2022 before the club was sanctioned.
Under new ownership, Chelsea were eventually able to seal the £12 million deal, with Slonina set to arrive at the start of 2023. Slonina has already spoken about how much he is looking forward to working with Edouard Mendy, describing it as 'incredible' that he will be able to analyse the intricacies of Chelsea keeper's activities.
His current goalkeeper coach would not be shocked if Slonina planned to compete for the No. 1 shirt from the off, however.
Brown said: "I wouldn't be shocked. That's just who he is. But he would do it in the most respectful, 'I'm just here to work, I'm just here to get better and I'm going to show you what I'm capable of and if you choose me, I'm going to give it everything I've got' way.
"The way he is, he's very humble, hungry and just a good human being. Everything he does, the way he competes and everything, it's intense but it's in a way that is very respectful to his teammates and everybody around him."
Certainly, Brown can see Slonina reaching the very top.
He said: "From my standpoint, because of his work ethic, because of who he is, I wouldn't bet against him. A lot has to go right, that's the nature of the position, only one guy plays and a lot has to go right for you to get your opportunity. I wouldn't bet against him from what I've seen and what he's been able to do and his mentality and his work ethic."
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