Head Coach Adrian Heath
On the result at Austin…
“Well, it’s important for us, but in light of all of the other results there and around us, everybody won. So we are as we were but with a game less. We’re that much closer to fulfilling what we’ve set out to do at the beginning of the year but certainly, there’s no room for error, that’s for sure.”
On getting the road result even if the performance wasn’t the best…
“No it’s not. As I always say to the players, that level of performance, is the level that’s acceptable to us all, we’ll, invariable, get results. As I said to the guys after the game, is it the best we played? For sure, no but we’ve had games where we’ve played really, really well this year and we’ve taken nothing from the game. It evens itself out hopefully and here we are with five games to go, we need to win three of them. Two at home this week, it’s a big couple of days for us for sure.”
On what the team can accomplish in the couple of days…
“Not a lot of work, for sure. By the time we get to bed, it’s nearly four o’clock, you miss a night’s sleep. Then the next day, you’re on and off. Basically all we’ve done to the players is make sure they’ve done their regen very good and then start to prepare early, eat the right things, look after themselves. We’ve got six games in three weeks, which, you know, is a tough stretch for sure.”
On needing the result despite Wednesday’s game against an Eastern Conference opponent…
“We’re at the stage now where when you play the teams around you, it can have another effect but with this one, we don’t think there’s a lot of room for error. I’m probably closest to Jim [Curtin] as most of the coaches, got a lot of time for him. I think what he’s achieved over the last three or four years is fantastic. Fair dues to their ownership, they’ve had faith as he’s built. Waited for all them young players to come through. Full of young players, very aggressive the way they play with the ball and without the ball. So we know what’s coming. It’s not going to be easy for sure.”
On the Philadelphia Union…
“Energy. Talent. Well-motivated. They don’t give much away. I think they’re a good team. They don’t beat themselves. They want to play forward, they want to play in your half. We know it’s coming. We spoke about it for two or three days. If we’re not ready then we haven’t listened and we haven’t taken it on board.”
Midfielder Robin Lod
On the result at Austin…
“I mean it’s as a result it’s great, because I think we didn’t play our best, not even close. So, I mean it’s a hard, hard game and I think it’s a good thing to get three points even though we don’t play as well as we can.”
On the quick turn around on facing Philadelphia on Wednesday…
“We go back to play in home and in front of our home fans, so I think we need to give our full effort, as always, and show them what we can do. So, I’m really excited about the game.”
On what the team can accomplish in the couple of days…
“I mean, you just need to reset yourself and recall as good as you can, and just think about the next one, always.”
On the Philadelphia Union…
“I mean the most important thing is to play as good as we can and focus on ourselves. But Philadelphia, as a team, they’re really working hard, running all the time, so it’s giving some troubles, but as I said, you need to give your full effort to match it.”
On what the team has to accomplish from Allianz Field from here on out...
“I mean we have to start well and get the fans behind us. I think if we can do that, they give us so much energy and it helps the players. So, I think we need to just take the advantage of the home field, for sure.”
Defender Michael Boxall
On the importance of the three points on the road…
“I think, when you think about what the stretch of the next ten, twelve days looks like for us, I think when we start off with three points at the beginning, on the road, it sets the tone. Kind of takes a little bit of pressure off these home games, but I mean home games for us, when it’s this tight, we got to win them.”
On facing a third-seated team, Philadelphia Union, from the Eastern Conference…
“I think down the stretch and the position we kind of put ourselves in now, whoever comes into our place, we can’t be having them leave with anything. And I think looking back to the last time they came here, they won that game, so we shouldn’t be letting anyone come in here for a win, let alone back-to-back. So, we got to take care of it.”
On what the team has been able to accomplish on such a quick turn-around…
“Yeah, that’s about it really. Haven’t had a whole lot of time on the training pitch. Just kind of taking care of a few details and film and a lot of conversations off the field of what we’re going to come up against.”
On the challenge of facing an Eastern Conference team…
“Yes and no, but I think the same is for them about us. They haven’t come up against us or seen a whole lot of us, I imagine…and on a quick turnaround where you don’t have a whole lot of time to prepare. But I think they’re pretty locked in to their identity in how they play and for home games or for us, we just need to move the ball well, bring that energy as well, get the crowd into it, and make sure we put away a few of our chances.”
On Tyler Miller and his performance this season…
“I think since he’s come in, I’m not sure you can name a better goalkeeper in the league. He’s been super consistent and that leadership, the distribution as well, and then just having that safe pair of hands behind you, makes me feel a lot more comfortable in my role.”
On anything particular from Philadelphia that the team is keeping an eye on…
“I think that once they get into that final third they’re quite direct, so we need to handle the numbers that they throw into the box. I think set pieces are going to be massive for us too, so we need to be very dominant in those areas.”
On if he’ll get a goal soon…
“I mean, I’m well overdue, well overdue. So, I mean, I’m happy to chip in with the clean sheets here and there, but I mean if I’d like to…I would like one here and there, but I’d rather take a clean sheet than me scoring.”
