Head Coach Adrian Heath
On the game and the defensive performance as a team…
“We defended well. We restricted a really good attacking team, especially at home. They didn’t have an awful lot of chances. Dayne [St. Clair] made a couple of saves but it wasn’t the Red Bulls game where Dayne’s had to make three or four top-drawer saves to keep us in the game, so that was a positive. The negative is that we’ve not been too good in the attacking half at this moment in time.”
On a reason of low productivity in the attacking half…
“No, if I knew, if I could put my finger on it, I would certainly work on it and try and help it. We’ve got to keep working hard and do the stuff that we know works and hopefully get a spark from one of them that ignites the other two or three. If we do that, I know this group can score goals because they’ve proved that.”
On Joseph Rosales and his first start…
“He did really, really well. I thought the two Honduran kids were exceptional for us. Then Kervin [Arriaga] stepped up again from where he was in the last game. They can be really pleased with their work.”
On Romain Métanire returning…
“It’s nice that Romain [Métanire] has not been with us for about four months now, oddly in the preseason. It was nice to get him back on the field. We’ll see how he feels in the next 48 hours.”
On excitement to return to Allianz Field…
“They are because it’s proved very fruitful for us in the past. The last game was a disappointment, but not the performance, certainly, in the second half against a really good Seattle. We know we’re going to have to play well. Rob’s [Robin Fraser] got them [Colorado Rapids] well organized. They play with a lot of confidence. Their shape is a little bit different than most teams within the league, but we’re confident that if we play well, we can get a result.”
On the Colorado Rapids so far this season…
“It’s early and at the weekend, they got beat 3-1 at Dallas. In the first half, I thought they were very, very good. In the previous game, they were the better team. These will be two games that they have not won a game as well. We know from playing them last year, that the games have all been tight. I know that they’ll be really well organized because they’ve got a good spirit within their group. It will be tough but we’re at home. Let’s go win the game.”
On training outside…
“This is where we play. We play on grass and we play outdoors. It’ll be nice to see the week out and have a week on grass before we play at Allianz for the weekend.”
On the players' feelings on training outside…
“We’ve got good facilities for indoor training but after three or four months, it does become a real grind. Not only on the body but on the mind. It’s nice to get outside in natural light and on the grass field.”
Midfielder Joseph Rosales
On his first start for MNUFC…
[SPA]: “Bueno, la verdad que me siento muy contento por empezar de titular. He venido trabajando mucho para hacerlo y pues, gracias a Dios por empezar de titular, pero un poco mal por el resultado.”
[ENG]: “Well, the truth is that I’m very happy to start. I have been working hard to be able to do it and well, thanks to God for the start, but feel a bit bad for the result.”
On playing in the 4-3-3 formation…
[SPA]: “Creó el alineación, el técnico ya tenía la alienación como trabajada, y para mantenernos en la nueva alineación debemos trabajarla día a día. Entonces, creo que vamos a mejorar mucho y posiblemente vamos a jugar con esa alienación.”
[ENG]: “I think that the formation, Coach already had the lineup in the works. To maintain ourselves with the new formation, we have to work on it day by day. So, I think we’re going to get better and we’ll possibly play with this formation.”
On if Adrian Heath spoke to him after the match…
[SPA]: “No, no me dijo nada. Estamos aquí para trabajar y esperar lo que él dice y lo que él diga para hacer en la semana.”
[ENG]: “No, he didn’t say anything to me. We’re here to work and look forward to what he says to work on for the week.”
On the Colorado Rapids…
[SPA]: “Sinceramente, no he visto nada de ellos. Siempre veo ya como el jueves o viernes antes del partido. No sé cómo están jugando.”
[ENG]: ‘Honestly, I have not seen anything on them. I always watch more the Thursday or Friday before the game. I’m not sure how they have been playing.”
On the benefit of playing at home this weekend…
[SPA]: “Claro que sí. Es bueno regresar en casa donde nuestros aficionados nos apoyan full y donde somos más fuerte que nunca.”
[ENG]: “Of course. It’s good to come back home where our fans support us in full and where we are stronger than ever.”
On fans inspiring the team to win when at home…
[SPA]: “Mucho porque jugar con los aficionados es bueno y tanto para el rival. Eso como una presión para ellos. Para nosotros, es como una motivación y nos ayuda mucho.”
[ENG]: “A lot because to play with fans is good and even more for the opponent. It’s like having pressure on them. For us, it’s like a motivation and it helps us a lot.”
On personal confidence after starting and with the National Team…
[SPA]: “La verdad que cada vez que voy teniendo más minutos, me siento más en confianza. Sigo trabajando en la semana para poder salir de titular. En la selección, estoy muy contento por hacer mi debut, pero mis debuts han sido un poco amargos pero no pasa nada. Seguimos trabajando para mejorar.”
[ENG]: “Truth is, every time I get more minutes, I feel more confident. I keep working throughout the week so I can start. With the national team, I’m very happy that I made my debut, but my debuts have been a bit bitter, but no worries. We keep working to get better.
Forward Robin Lod
On playing back at home this weekend…
“It feels great. I always say that it’s amazing to play at Allianz Field. I love it. The atmosphere is always so electric. It’s us, the players, who need to perform and give the fans what they want. We need to give the team what we want and show that we are good players and we don’t settle on what we have performed so far.”
On the offense making connections and chemistry…
“All of the players are used to playing with each other, we have to step up and show that we are good players. I’m really disappointed that we’ve only scored five goals so far this season. It’s not enough. We have to show that we’re capable of doing better. Hopefully, we start it out this weekend.”
On having too much pressure after not scoring much…
“I feel like it depends on the individuals. It’s always easier when things are going well and where everybody is happy and then things click. In these moments when you’re a bit down, you have to show your character and get up there. Only the players can do something for the team.”
On the performance of the defense…
“They are giving us chances to win games. They are doing well. Now, it’s just the whole team needs to get better on the offensive end. As for defending, we are doing great as a whole team. We need to give big credit to the defense and now we have to get the other side of the field to get better and score some goals.”
On the Colorado Rapids and focusing on anything in particular…
“Not really. I’m focusing on our game. If we do the things we are good at, I have no doubts that we can win the game. It’s just for us now to perform, as I said.”
