MINNESOTA UNITED HEAD COACH ADRIAN HEATH
On being back at Allianz Field…
“You look around, great facility, the field is in absolutely magnificent condition. There’s a little spring in everybody’s step this morning and I think everybody is glad to be back here. We’ve got a lot of good memories of this place. It’ll be nice to get back in here on Friday and for the start of, what we know, will be a difficult few weeks. The training has been excellent, the attitude of the players has been terrific. As I said, it’s great to get back and we’re looking forward to Friday.”
On what he takes from the MLS is Back Tournament moving forward…
“What do I take from the tournament? I thought the guys showed incredible resolve, incredible determination, enthusiasm, desire to win games of football. I knew that when we got there we were going to be a little bit undercooked because we hadn’t played 11 v. 11 but we grew into the tournament. From me and my staff’s point of view, it’s one of disappointment. I thought we could have gone all the way, but it wasn’t to be, but look at the positives of which there was plenty.”
On playing Sporting Kansas City two times in the next several weeks…
“It’s never easy and, obviously, we have tremendous respect for not only Peter [Vermes] and his staff, but his team. We probably pinched one when we played them down in Orlando and we’ll certainly have to play a lot better than we did that day to get a result. But I’m confident that we will be better. We’ve had four or five games since then, training has been excellent. We’re looking forward to coming back to Allianz, which our home record is terrific. We’re going to have to play well. We don’t fear them but we certainly respect them.”
MINNESOTA UNITED MIDFIELDER JAN GREGUS
On being back at Allianz Field…
“We are very happy that we can be finally back on this beautiful pitch. Hopefully it’s going to be a great game for us.”
On what he takes from the MLS is Back Tournament moving forward…
“It was a great run. Unfortunately we didn’t end up winning [the tournament] like we wanted but many good things from the tournament. Like I said, good run and we are looking for the next games to follow.”
On playing Sporting Kansas City two times in the next several weeks…
“Kansas is a great team and we need to be ready for them, give our 100 percent and that’s the only way we can be successful against them.”
MINNESOTA UNITED DEFENDER CHASE GASPER
On being back at Allianz Field…
“Everyone is ecstatic to be back. We miss our home, we miss those place and we especially miss all the fans so it is a bittersweet feeling to be back on your home field in this amazing stadium, best in the country, but we definitely do miss the fans so it’s bittersweet, but I’d say more sweet to be back home.”
On what he takes from the MLS is Back Tournament moving forward…
“We’re taking back a lot of motivation. It was a bitter way to get knocked out in the semifinals after having a great tournament, I think that’s reigniting a fire and motivation in every guy on this team to come back out in the next six games stretch to do better and show the league what we are about. We’re one of the best teams in the league and just show it in these next six games.”
On playing Sporting Kansas City two times in the next several weeks…
“It’s always tough to play the same team, especially Kansas City because they’re such a good team. Down in the bubble, although we won, we got lucky in that game. We scored two in the last five or seven minutes in the game. They’re a great opponent, great team and we’re just going to have to focus at practice, stay disciplined in the game. Each guy does their individual job and if the collective unit does their individual jobs then I think we’ll have good chances at winning the game.”
