It's hard to pin down exactly what position Malyk Hamilton plays. The 20-year-old, announced recently as the third player signing by Atlético Ottawa, wouldn't have a definitive answer, either, after filling in wherever he could last season for Cavalry FC. Growing up as a kid in Calgary he played as an attacker, and he was generally deployed high up on the wing during his time at the West Ham United academy. Now, though? Unclear. "I went into (last) season being an out-and-out winger, and as the season went on I played in multiple different positions," Hamilton told CanPL.ca. "I played left-back, I played right-back, I played on the wing. So I think I developed, and I found a position for myself that I probably never would've known I was capable of playing if the opportunity hadn't arrived." He finished with 20 total appearances for the Cavs last year, with his workload increasing substantially in the summer once regular right-back Dean Northover succumbed to a season-ending injury. Having little experience at fullback, though, Hamilton was surprised when coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. slotted him into the backline. RELATED READING: CPL pre-season roster tracker: How each team is shaping up "Not only did I feel I did well defensively, but I was still able to do what I think I'm best at which is going up and down the wing and attacking and creating opportunities," Hamilton said. "It's a position that I think's evolved in world football." Hamilton took it upon himself to learn how to be a wingback, which is a role he sees as the future of world football. He offered the names of Alphonso Davies and Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold as examples of pacey fullbacks who can join the attack. "You hear this story all the time of (Aaron) Wan-Bissaka going to Manchester United," Hamilton said. "At Crystal Palace he was a winger at first and turned into a fullback, that's how he gets his opportunity and his career excels from there." Hamilton pointed out that, from a young age, the most talented players generally take on attacking roles — every kid wants to score the goals, right? That leaves a logjam up front, with perhaps more starting minutes available in other spots. "I think it's something that's developing and providing a lot of young players that have grown up being out-and-out attackers with an opportunity to break into a first team and get minutes," he said. So, perhaps that's where Hamilton will fit best in Ottawa. They already have one winger in Ben Fisk, the club's first signing, and it's possible they bring in a more experienced hand to play at the top of the right flank. Hamilton, then, could sit deeper and attack from there. Regardless of where exactly, though, Hamilton just wants to play. When he left Cavalry — he'd been discussing a new contract with them mid-season, but ultimately chose to weigh his options in the winter — his main desire was to find somewhere he can contribute more. "As a young player, in order to grow and develop you need to play," Hamilton offered. "All the clubs I spoke to, that was one of my main concerns — am I gonna play, how valuable am I going to be to the team, or am I going to be someone that is sort of just another body." Apparently finding assurances of his role with Ottawa, Hamilton is thrilled to be joining a squad with Club Atlético de Madrid's backing. Indeed, that clout was a factor in his choice; like Cavalry was last year, Ottawa is building a brand-new team. Hamilton doesn't know coach Mista as well as he did Wheeldon Jr. (from growing up playing in Calgary), but as a footy fan he has some educated guesses. "It's hard to envision what the philosophy of the squad will be and whatnot without knowing who you're going to be playing with, but again the club being backed by Atlético Madrid, you know how they play," he suggested. "They're a team that works hard, they counter-attack, they also protect the ball very well, so you'd assume that these are things they'd try to implement in our team as well." Hamilton isn't overly familiar with the Canadian capital city, having spent most of his life to date either in Calgary or East London, but he's not a complete stranger. In his brief stint with USL side Toronto FC II, he was part of the contingent that travelled up the 401 and 416 highways to play the Ottawa Fury in May 2018 (a 3-0 loss for Hamilton's TFC II). Did that visit leave any impression on him? "It's funny you ask that, I was just thinking that to myself the other day ... I didn't play that game, but we went up a day or two early and we got to see the city," Hamilton recalled. "It was my first time actually being to Ottawa, it's a very beautiful city. TD Place as well, even the away dressing room was very nice, the stadium, everything about it, I really enjoyed it." Now that the supporters in Ottawa will actually be on his side, Hamilton added that he's thrilled to be able to play there — no matter what position he ends up filling.

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