Head Coach Adrian Heath
On the workload during a busy stretch of games…
“Yeah, big work load. Plenty of miles on the clock, for sure, over the last few weeks. We try to break it up. We try to make sure that not a lot of people are playing 90 [minutes] and to get through it. I know we’ve spoken to a few coaches over the last couple of weeks, everybody else is in the same boat. We knew it was coming but it doesn’t make it any easier when it arrives because every point is precious, you can see how tight the league table is. So, we have to get through it. I think the frustrating thing is that there’s things that you want to work on probably a little bit more and you just don’t have the time because the last thing the players need to be doing is Sunday’s a rest day, Monday’s a regen day and then you’ve got today, and we’re traveling today. The game’s tomorrow night then you’re back early hours Thursday morning and then you’re back at again for Toronto [FC]. Not ideal but as I say, it’s like that for most teams, you’ve just got to get on with it.”
On Kervin Arriaga running on the side after training and the possibility of injury…
“No, the fact that he hasn’t played 90 [minutes], has he, for the last couple of weeks. His chance is going to come in the next few weeks.”
On what he looks for when making substitutions during a match…
“I’ve said this to you before, America has a fascination with substitutes, more so than anywhere else I’ve ever been. At the end of the day, I want to win a game of football and if I thought that anybody on the bench would go and win us a game, then I would do that. Invariably, you want to put some energy on the field. You want to give the defense a different look. Sang Bin [Jeong] is different than Luis Amarilla. Rey [Emanuel Reynoso] is different than Fraga [Franco Fragapane] when he plays in there, or Robin Lod. So obviously, every decision you make, you want to try and do it. But what I do know is that if you suddenly make four and five changes, sometimes you completely disrupt the rhythm of the group, it takes them awhile to get into the game and understanding what their opposition is doing. And sometimes you can go the other way and you give yourself no chance from when you had a chance. I get people’s fascination with it, but it is a little bit of a strange one to me at times.”
On the fascination with substitutions in the United States…
“I don’t know whether it’s because of your sports and there’s a lot of going on and off. You’ve got guys who come on just to take a kick and guys who come on just to throw it now and again. So, it’s different but I think, somebody said the other week that Pep Guardiola’s made less subs this year than he’s ever done. There’s a couple of games where he hasn’t made any subs, but you just get a feeling when you’re sitting on the side of, ‘I need to change this, we need to get some life on the field’ or ‘if we do change it, we’re going to disrupt it too much because certain players are not as good defensively.’ So, it’s a game that you play in your own mind, but you try and do everything you can to get the result.”
On Emanuel Reynoso training with the team…
“He’ll be training this afternoon. He joined in with us this morning, did everything that we’ve done. He’s done some work, he’s getting a little bit impatient, and I’ll have to manage that.”
On a full training session for Emanuel Reynoso and Bakaye Dibassy…
“Yeah, he worked in and did everything and just did a few little strides out this afternoon. Bakaye [Dibassy] joined in everything as well. So, we’re getting there. Rey’s [Emanuel Reynoso] getting a bit frustrated because he wants to play.”
On if Emanuel Reynoso will play soon…
“We’ll take it day to day. He won’t play tomorrow. But the more he’s training… he’s had an exceptional morning, this morning. His quality has been ridiculous in finishing and in the game. Is there a time that he gets? A little bit of time, I don’t know, we’ll have to see.”
On notable absences for Wednesday’s match at Austin…
“No, not really. [Mikael] Marques, once again, has damaged his shoulder. He’s had two ankle injuries and now he’s damaged his shoulder. He was just in the game the other night and fell on it awkwardly and he’s damaged the socket a little bit. It’s been frustrating for him. But, Bakaye [Dibassy] is now joining in fully. He will train this afternoon, will probably have to get a game together, eventually, to get him some minutes.”
On Cameron Dunbar contributing more to the first team…
“As I’ve said to him, with the games we’ve got coming up this year with the Leagues Cup and everything, he’s going to get games. At this moment in time, I think that Bongi’s [Bongokuhle Hlongwane] picking himself, and I think Joe’s [Joseph Rosales] come in and done excellent so they’ll keep their spots.”
On what went into Patrick Weah’s loan…
“We need to make sure that, a bit like Tani [Oluwaseyi], we’ve been keeping eyes on Tani. [He’s] done really well. They’ve [San Antonio FC] been really pleased with him, but Tani was the first one to tell you that it was a big step up from second-team football. I just think getting Patrick [Weah] away from here might focus him a little bit more and freshen him up a little bit.”
On the opponent he sees Austin FC to be…
“They’ve changed quite a lot; they’ve changed the shape of the team, they’re changing their personnel a lot. The fact that [Sebastian] Driussi has been injured – I think he’s got two goals. This time last year he probably got 14 or something. It makes a huge difference when your better players aren’t in the team. Gyasi [Zardes] has come in and got a few goals of late for his 100th league goal at the weekend. They’re good at home. I think the word that you would use is probably ‘inconsistent’ this year, and they’ve been inconsistent with a lot of things, not only in their results but their team selection.”
On Sebastian Driussi returning to the field on Wednesday night…
“Hopefully not, hopefully not. But he’s a quality player, he’s of the best players within the league, and that’s what you pay him money for. You’ve heard me say it a million times, people who can score a goal and make a goal, they go for the most money in world football, and that’s what he does. He was MVP, was it last year or the year before? So, he’s a quality player. If he’s there, he’ll be an issue for us but we’ve got to get on with that.”
Midfielder Wil Trapp
On Saturday’s draw against Real Salt Lake…
“I think it was two teams, industrious teams, that were just trying to find moments of quality. We did some good things with the ball, keeping possession, finding good pockets; I think we could’ve done more. Maybe broken lines a little bit more to create some overloads. Overall, I felt like – outside of their [Real Salt Lake] goal, for the most part – I felt our defensive shape was pretty strong. I thought, for the amount of games we’ve played for the guys, the effort’s always there and it was great to see the level of concentration and focus from the guys.”
On the midfield partnership with Hassani Dotson…
“We played a lot together in 2021, as well, which was something we could draw back upon. Our understanding is pretty good. We talk a lot about the game together and that helps when we come on the field. He’s a competitor, man. He does such a great job of putting his best foot forward every game, and making others better around him through how he carries himself and wants to win every game. I’ve really enjoyed playing more with him and for us, he’s an important piece to have back this year.”
On how the team is currently feeling after having a packed May game schedule…
“The workload, again, is something I… I don’t think I remember a month in which I or we’ve had so many games. It’s just about recovering in playing. Our guys have done a really good job in terms of professionalism because you can’t play all these games and be slacking, off the field. I think our guys have done an amazing job to keep the bodies ready, the minds ready, preparing for what’s next. Ultimately, I think players enjoy playing games. Being on the field and training is one thing, playing games is fun because you can reset, reset, reset and play the next one. Ultimately, we have a great opportunity tomorrow night to do so.”
On playing in a tough atmosphere in Q2 Stadium in Austin and pushing out that noise…
“Fortunately, we’ve played in some ‘hostile’ environments already: You think about St. Louis [CITY SC], you think about going to Portland [Timbers] last week, and, winning the games. Those are moments where I think our group has done a really good job of rising to the occasion of what the crowd is bringing. I think it’s a rallying call for us to dig in deeper. We know Q2 [Stadium] is a place where fans do an amazing job of supporting their group, but it’s not something we overthink.”
On what has stood out to him in the team surviving without Robin Lod…
“First and foremost, we have to talk about Bongi [Bongokuhle Hlongwane] and how he’s scoring goals. Ultimately, some of the wins we’ve had purely come off 1-0 wins where Bongi’s helped us win the game. So, when you lose a guy of Robin’s [Lod] quality, you’ve got to have attackers step up, and he’s doing that. And that’s huge. I think also, Fraga [Franco Fragapane] has been an interesting case in the middle of the field to be playing out of position, and I think he does a really good job as well of finding the holes, finding the pockets to make their midfielders deal with him. That gives the next line, Hassani [Dotson] and I, Kervin [Arriaga] and I, Hassani and Kervin – whoever it may be – time and space to make passes. That’s been big for us as well.”
On having Bakaye Dibassy and Emanuel Reynoso back in full training…
“I’ll start with Bakaye [Dibassy], because he’s someone who – the injury being such a freak injury last year, him being such an important part of our group – to have him back, his charisma and energy, he’s just awesome. I think, speaking of professionalism in a guy that just puts it in every day. You just cheer for those types of guys that come on and have gone through a lot and are finally back to it what they love. For him, it’s amazing to have him back. Then, Rey [Emanuel Reynoso] of course. His quality, what he does on the field to make everybody around him better, plain and simple. I think it’s brought such a levity and buoyancy to our group. It’s about getting him fit and hopefully in the games sooner than later.”
On Emanuel Reynoso impatient to get back to playing games…
“If he wasn’t impatient, that would be more of a problem. But, when you’re a guy that loves the game and you just want to be back on the field, impatience is a good thing. I do think we just have to be careful with him. He may look good and feel good, but the durability of a season is serious. So, having the strength and amount of durability in your legs is a whole other beast to do.”
On the quality of Emanuel Reynoso…
“Rey [Emanuel Reynoso] makes the game look easy. He slows things down, he always puts you, as a defender, on your toes. Again, for us to be seeing that – especially after the amount of time he was away from us – it just brings a certain amount of confidence back into the group that I think we haven’t had since the start of the season.”
On reliance on crosses and other items against Real Salt Lake last week…
“I think if you look at it… Kemar [Lawrence] getting behind [Bode] Hidalgo I think was something that he was a young kid that maybe hadn’t been playing a ton. Then, it’s looking at, ‘okay, if their wingers are pinched in and trying to cut off Hassani [Dotson] and I at times, DJ [Taylor] and Kemar are the next logical options.’ Then, who steps to that? If no one steps, then we’re looking to put the ball in the box where Totine [Luis Amarilla] and Bongi [Bongokuhle Hlongwane] and Joseph [Rosales] can kind of crash into the box. I wouldn’t say there was an over-reliance or making it a point of emphasis, but, I think you just kind of take what the game gives you. In the second half, we saw the spaces underneath Fraga [Franco Fragapane] open and then now it’s more preferable that you can actually get the ball in those no. 10 positions and play slip-passes where we have pace with guys like Bongi and Sang Bin [Jeong] and Luis. Again, it was more of what’s being provided.”
