Head Coach Adrian Heath
On preseason being done…
“Great attitude from the players, intensity of the work has been first class, really good mood from the group. It’s been a really good five and a half weeks, but like everybody, we are looking forward to the season.”
On what has impressed you the most…
“The work ethic of the group, everything we asked of them, we have had a tough preseason, we have probably worked harder than we have in the previous years, and their attitude to work has been outstanding. I thought in the second half against Viking FC, we looked like what we are. Played with a lot of intensity and determination and enthusiasm and all the words that we talk about. That’s been this whole preseason.”
On the depth of the team…
“One of the positives when you have a deep squad, which we have got — if I’m in that squad now, I’m thinking, ‘I am going to have to play well to keep my place.’ That’s not always been the case. Now we have real strength and depth in most positions and healthy competition.”
On adding several new players…
“Kervin Arriaga is someone we’ve followed for more than a year now. We are delighted to get him. He’s 23, big and athletic, six-foot-three. He can play at the back as well as midfield. Bongi (Bongokuhle Hlongwane) came in and shown us he’s very quick and has his best years ahead of him. He’s broke into the South African national team so we were pleased for him. We brought Luis Amarilla back, and he’s been a huge plus for us. You are never really certain when you take a player in from a foreign country on how they are going to settle, but with Luis we know what we are getting. He’s been with us before, and not only is he a great kid, he’s got goals in him. We know if we can supply him this year, we’ve got somebody that can be challenging for the Golden Boot.”
On Amarilla playing with Reynoso…
“The one thing I’ve always said: with the front players we have, if you put the run on, Rey will find you. Rey [Emanuel Reynoso] has incredible awareness, incredible final ball, so for front men and players like Luis who are intelligent and play off the back shoulder of people, he knows that if he puts the right run on, Rey will find him.”
On Philadelphia…
"Firstly, I am a huge admirer of Jim Curtain. I think what he has done there has been outstanding. Incredibly, they have a bit of everything. They have good technical players, they are full of energy, they get the ball forward, they work your final third. They’ve got pace and size in the final third, and they are motivated. Jim has done a great job with them. What they’ve done over the past few years, it’s going to be a tough game for us — it always is there. Opening game of the season. We know what’s coming, and we have to stand up to it. If we do, I think Jim has enough respect for our group that if we play well, we’ve got enough to cause them problems. It’s going to be difficult, but it’s a game we can win if we play well.”
On the makeup of their roster…
“I would be surprised if they changed the way they play. They’ve got a few different faces, few different bodies, but I think what you see is what you get. We know what’s coming, and we have to be ready for it, especially early on. Opening game of the season, that crowd will be ready. We have to be ready and start to dictate the game the way we want to play. Our games against them have always been pretty tight, and I don’t think this game will be any different.”
On what would make 2022 successful…
“Every year that you start, the playoffs in this country is what you aim for. I think we are one of three or four teams that have made the playoffs the last three years. It’s not as easy as people think, and I don’t expect the West to get any easier. I certainly expect both LA teams to be better. They didn’t make it last year, San Jose have made one or two additions, Seattle are going to be there, Portland, so there’s not a lot of spots when you look at that top group. So we are going to have to play as well as we have the last three years to make it. But I think we have more depth than we have ever had, and I’m quite excited for what this group can achieve this year.”
Midfielder Wil Trapp
On being back in Minnesota after preseason away…
“It’s good to be home. Everyone is settling in and realizing that preseason is finished, and now we are ready for the regular season, and it's nice to focus on that from our home base.”
On the experience in Portland…
“It was really good for us to play three different teams. To get those games in for the compliment of our entire group, and to get the full complement of our group together. It has been super informative for us.”
On the attitude of the new players and the entire group…
“The assimilation of the group has been very impressive. And they’ve shown quality, too. You look at the other night against Viking FC and you look at Luis Amarilla’s impact, at Bongi’s [Bongokuhle Hlognwane] impact and these are players that will help us immensely, and Oniel Fisher will help us a lot as well.”
On Philadelphia’s offseason…
“They lose one of their key pieces in terms of [Jamiro] Montero, but they are a group that seems to reload, and they are always just a competitive group. They fight, they battle and they have quality, too. It’s a game we found last year, here at home — that was a difficult one for us, but we can win the game.”
On the approach going to Philadelphia…
“It’s starting off the season in the right manner, and that’s getting points. It would be amazing to win the game, but to step away from home in the first game of the season against a team we know is going to make it difficult, to come away with points is very important.”
On what a good season for MNUFC would be…
“A good season is obviously making the playoffs, first and foremost, and after that anything can happen. We saw it last year with a team like Portland or NYCFC where a couple things start to go their way and they gain momentum, and that’s what happens in the playoffs. So for us, first and foremost, make the playoffs, give yourself the best possible chance with that playoff seeding in terms of hosting games, and from there, win your home games.”
Forward Luis Amarilla
On how it feels to be back…
[SPA]: “Estoy muy feliz, realmente. La verdad que algo que deseaba, realmente. El año pasado hice una buena campaña, obviamente, para volver estar acá. Siempre fue…mire a volver y bueno estoy acá y muy feliz.”
[ENG]: “I'm very happy, truly. The truth is it’s something that I wanted, truly. Last year I had a good campaign, obviously, to get back here again. It was always… I looked at coming back, and well, I am here and very happy.”
On what he’s most excited about...
[SPA]: “Bueno lo más emocionante para mí, obviamente es, ser las cosas bien. Yo sé que no tuve un gran año el 2020, lastimosamente lo de la lesión, pero ahora estoy acá con la intención de hacer bien las cosas. Me refiero a hacer lo que prometí de ayudar al equipo, de marcar goles. Y bueno yo creo que lo deseos y la predisposición fueron fundamentales para poder estar acá.”
[ENG]: “Well the most exciting thing for me, obviously, is doing things right. I know that I didn’t have a great year in 2020, unfortunately with the injury, but now I am here with the intention of doing things right. I mean to do what I promised the team, to score goals. And well, I think I my aspirations and the history, they were fundamental to being able to be here.”
On how he excited he is to play with Emanuel Reynoso…
[SPA]: “Bueno la verdad que jugar con un jugador así es sumamente importante. Es más todavía que un jugador así, y más a un nueve, que asista, que ve a jugar el equipo. Y sabemos la gran importancia para Minnesota. Un jugador de muy buena calidad y obviamente uno está contento para jugar con un jugador así.”
[ENG]: “Well, the truth is that playing with a player like that, is extremely important. He’s more than a player like that, and more so for a nine, a player that assist, that sees how the team plays. And we know how important he is to Minnesota. A player of very good quality and obviously one is happy to play with a player like that.”
On how much he’s learned over the past few months playing with LDU Quito…
[SPA]: “Bueno Libertadores, SudAmericana, fueron los torneos que me toco jugar. El año pasado le hice de gran manera. Tuvimos un gran año con LDU Quito y bueno, eso también sirvió como para hoy, estar acá, y bueno muy feliz.”
[ENG]: “Well Libertadores, SudAmericana, were tournaments that I had the opportunity to play in. Last year I did a great job. We had a great year with LDU Quito and, well, that also worked for today, being here, and well, I’m very happy.”
On Philidephia this weekend…
[SPA]: “Bueno sabemos que todos los rivales van a hacer difíciles. Philadelphia obviamente es uno de ellos. Me toco verlos jugar, es un buen equipo. Y bueno obviamente estamos trabajando para eso, para hacer un gran año, y contra el equipo que sea.”
[ENG]: “Well we know that all the rivals are going to be difficult. Philadelphia is obviously one of them. I was able to watch them play, they’re a good team. And well obviously we’re working for that, to have a great year and against whatever team.”
_ On the targets he has for himself…_
[SPA]: “Obviamente, un objetivo que tuve. Uno como delantero, su idea es marcar, su objetivo marcar, y hoy por hoy realmente quiero ser bien las cosas. Si el equipo funciona, obviamente, uno va a hacer goles, va a contribuir con eso y dios quiera que me toca marcar y poder ayudar al equipo.”
[ENG]: “Obviously, it was goal that I had. As a striker, the idea is to score, the objective is to score, and right now, I really want to do things well. If the team works, obviously, one is going to score goals, you’ll contribute with that and, if God wants, I’ll be able to score and be able to help the team.”
On what’s a good season for Minnesota this year…
[SPA]: “Clasificar a los Playoffs, apuntar a eso y obviamente también apuntar a un campeonato que es lo que le hace falta a Minnesota para darle esa alegría a la gente, a los fans, y también a todos los compañeros que se merecen un título.”
[ENG]: “Qualifying for the Playoffs, aiming for that and obviously also aiming for a championship, which is what Minnesota needs, to give that joy to the people, the fans, and also all the teammates who deserve a title.”
