Head Coach Adrian Heath
On the group after the first win of the season…
“Well, good. There’s nothing like winning games, instilling a bit of confidence in the group, lightened the mood up. I actually think we’ve had a good start when I look at the three teams we’ve played. Couldn’t have been much more tougher. So, to have five points, it sets us up nicely for the game this weekend.”
On his delight of having five points in three games…
“Yes. Certainly with the two games on the road at Philly [Philadelphia] and in New York. Never easy places to go. The fact that you look where they are, both near the top of the table as well. Have we played as well as I would like? Probably not yet. I don’t think we’ve put in 90 minutes together, that we’re capable. But yeah, I’m certainly pleased with five points in three games. I always talk about two points a game. If we can go and get a result this weekend, we’ve have eight points in four games, which that will be a good start.”
On Dayne St. Clair against the Red Bulls…
“Yeah he was called upon in three or four big moments, and didn’t let us down. Obviously, had the goal gone in from the penalty or had they scored from the penalty, goals change games. You’ve heard me say it a million times. The fact that it was so early on. The fact that the crowd were in the game at the time, it was a big moment for us. He actually came out with a top-class save before that, early on from Lewis Morgan, that was bending away from him. He had two or three occasions when we needed him, he didn’t let us down. I’m not surprised. He’s a good goalkeeper.”
On Kevin Arriaga…
“We’ve been delighted with him since we got him in. I think that after our first training session in Portland, one or two of the staff raised our eyebrows at each other and we thought if that’s a sign of what’s to come, then he is going to be a great pickup for us. What we’ve seen since hasn’t changed our mind. He’s incredibly athletic, good in both boxes, could close the ball down really well, good passer of the ball. He’s got a bit of everything, really. He’s had a great start.”
On the San Jose Earthquakes…
“It’s never easy and never predictable with San Jose. They’re a mixed bag. The first game against the Red Bulls [New York], the score line really didn’t reflect the game. They had a lot more play in that game than people would’ve thought. Obviously, then they come and get the three-three against Columbus and played a man down. This weekend, they go to Philly [Philadelphia], which we know is never easy. We know what’s coming. They’re very very athletic. They play a certain way. They don’t change an awful lot. They don’t deviate away from what they’re good at or what they believe they’re good at. At times, they make it very difficult for you. We have matched up really well with them over the last few years. If we don’t play and we don’t treat them with the respect that they deserve, they’ve got a really good coach, highly thought of, and they will come in with a game-plan, so we have to be ready for it. If we play well, we’ve got more than enough to win the game.”
On expecting the style of play known to San Jose…
“I would think so. they haven’t really changed it much in three or four years that Matías [Almeyda] has been there. I don’t think they’ll change it too much, maybe tweak it a little bit. They have changed the shape a little bit, from game to game, but ultimately it’s what we do is most important. Allianz Field. It’s up to us to take the initiative to get them on the backfoot, try and get them uncomfortable, and hopefully go and win the game.”
On seeing former players Ján Gregus and Fransico Calvo…
“It will. Last week or the week before, it seemed like everybody that has left us is scoring goals. Ethan [Finlay] got a couple and Calvo [Fransisco Calvo] got a couple. We say it every time and we mean it; we wish them all the best when they’re leaving. We don’t make any decisions for personal reasons. It’s what’s right for us at the right time and no doubt they’ll want to put a big performance on at the weekend. I don’t think we expect anything else.”
Midfielder Kervin Arriaga
On his thoughts on the win against the New York Red Bulls
[SPA]: “Primero, alegre, agradecido con Dios por el primer triunfo del equipo. Creo que el equipo va de menos a más. Creo que hemos trabajado bien y esperamos seguir cosechando triunfos.”
[ENG]: “First, happy and thankful to God for the first win for the team. I think the team is moving up. I think we have worked well and we hope to keep getting wins.”
On why he had a good performance in New York
[SPA]: “La verdad es que no lo pienso en lo individual, lo pienso en lo grupal. Creo que todo el equipo hizo un gran trabajo. Como te digo, creo que estamos trabajando bien y se ha notado en estos cursos de las jornadas que van en la liga y esperamos seguir mejorando y seguir creciendo.”
[ENG]: “Honestly, I don’t think about the individual, I think about the group. I think whole team did a great job. Like I said, we’re working well and you can tell from the results of the matches of the league and we hope to keep getting better and keep growing.”
On how he views the standard of Major League Soccer
[SPA]: “La verdad es que es muy superior a la de nuestro país. Las canchas son mejores y el nivel del juego es más rápido. Se nos está haciendo difícil adaptarnos pero paso a paso, ahí vamos de a poco."
[ENG]: “Honestly, this is a superior league to the one in my country. The pitches are better, the level of the game is much quicker. It’s becoming a little difficult to adapt but step by step, we’re going little by little.”
On Dayne St. Clair’s performance
[SPA]: “No, la verdad que un gran juego, un gran juego. Nos salvó muchas veces. Creo que parte de la victoria es gracias a él, y después a todo el grupo.”
[ENG]: “No, it was a great performance, great game. He saved us a lot of times. Part of the victory is thanks to him, and then the rest of the group.”
On what he knows about San Jose Earthquakes
[SPA]: “No conozco mucho de los equipos de aquí. El profe enfoca más en trabajar en lo nuestro. Puede luego, nos muestra pocas cosas del rival, pero nos enfocamos en hacer el trabajo de nosotros y llevarlo a la cancha que es lo más importante.”
[ENG]: “I don’t know a lot about the teams here. The coach focuses more on our work. Then he’ll show us a few things on the opponent, but we focus on the work we have to do and take that to the pitch, because that’s what’s most important.”
On his possible home debut…
[SPA]: “Estoy contento. Vi algo lindo el primer partido que jugaron en casa. Note algo muy diferente, una alegría tremenda. La gente te apoya constantemente, pase lo que pase, ahí está el aliento del público y creo que eso es algo que motiva a cada jugador.”
[ENG]: “I’m happy. I saw something really nice in the first game at home. I noticed something different, a tremendous joy. The people support you constantly, whatever happens, the encouragement from the fans is there and that is something that motivates each player.”
On hoping the weather is warmer than the last match at Allianz Field…
[SPA]: “No, vala, vala. La verdad que me estoy muriendo. El partido anterior no aguantaba, andaba dos pares de guantes, andaba congelado pero es parte del trabajo.”
[ENG]: “No, no, no. Honestly, I’m dying. The last match, I could not hold on, I had two pairs of gloves on and I was freezing but that’s part of the job.”
On playing alongside Wil Trapp and playing in transition…
[SPA]: “Creo que eso se da más depende de la jugada. Si está por el lado de él [Wil Trapp], quien va al ataque es él, y me respaldo yo que es algo que pide el profe. Y si está por mi lado, pues voy al ataque yo y él se queda respaldando siempre.”
[ENG]: “I think that depends on the play. If the ball is on his [Wil Trapp] side, he’s the one who will move up the attack and I support him in the back because that’s what the coach asks for. End then if it’s on my side, then I go on the attack and he stays behind to support.”
Defender Brent Kallman
On the team after the win in New York…
“Really good. Everyone was really excited and pleased to come away with three points in a tough, really tough away game and really difficult conditions as well. A lot of things kind of stacked against us and so for us to still come out with three points is a big win.”
On the main factors that contributed to Minnesota’s win…
“Well, Dayne [St. Clair] had a huge performance, obviously. But, we stuck together. I think, even when we gave up chances, it wasn’t like we started bleeding and started giving up more and more and more. We were able to stay disciplined, keep our shape, and make them work for everything they got. I don’t think anybody has said this yet, but it’s the first game I’ve ever played in MLS, where the field was completely dry at the start of the game and at halftime. So, it was like playing on field turf. The ball just would not move, which obviously suited them and not us. Like I said, we had a lot of things that were kind of stacked against us, and for us to find a way to get it done, I think it shows really well for the group.”
On Dayne St. Clair’s performance in New York…
“Yeah he was great. He was great. I mean, there was a couple that I didn’t even realize that were as good as they were, and so I went back and re-saw them. Particularly the Lewis Morgan one, in the first half and then at the start of the second half, the foot save too. I mean, those are two absolutely amazing saves to keep us in the game."
On the message sent to the backline regarding the balls played into the channel…
“They did a good job preparing us. They gave us a good picture and idea of exactly what we were going to be facing, especially for me and Boxy [Michael Boxall]. It was really, it was almost as simple as all we had to do is drop. Just drop, drop, drop… because they just play forward. They want to play vertical, they want to get in behind you. So, they prepared us well for it and it was pretty much exactly what we worked on and what we talked about was how it played out.”
On Kevin Arriaga…
“Yeah, he was great. He covers a ton of ground and especially in that game where it was really ugly, you see the ball getting stuck under people’s feet and stuff. Him and Will [Trapp] were able to get a lot of tackles in and win a lot of loose balls in the middle of the field. But, another thing he did that stuck out, in Philly [Philadelphia] too, is late in the game, when everyone is tired, he went on this huge run with the ball. He just ran with the ball like 40 yards. It completely takes the pressure off of us, lets us get out, and kind of reset and help us kill the game off. I think he’s got a really good edge to be able to do something with that.”
On the San Jose Earthquakes…
“I think we’re going to have a lot of opportunities. I think we… this is no disrespect to them, this is what I’ve seen, they give up chances. I feel like if we’re clinical, we can really punish them and we can put up some goals on them. But conversely they’ve shown, they’ve always shown this the past few years, under [Matias] Almeyda, they don’t quit. They’re in every game and they are good when they get the ball, they are good on it. They have players that can really hurt you. We have to be disciplined and when we get chances like I think we’re going to generate, we have to be clinical and put them away.”
On preparing against a peculiar style of play…
“I don’t know. We’ll see. Today was more like a fitness-day. Tomorrow and Friday, we’ll get into more of what they do, so we’ll see. I’m sure, you know, we’ve had a lot of success against them in the last few years so we’ll prepare for what they’re doing right now. We’ll watch video and I’m sure they’ll come up with a good plan.”
On playing against former teammates Ján Gregus and Fransico Calvo…
“I’m sure there’s always a little extra on the line if you play against a former team. Those guys are definitely going to bring it. Jackson Yueill included. Hometown kid, he wants to put on a show for his friends and family, I’m sure. I think we’ll get their best, which is good. It should bring out the best of us.”
