New York Red Bulls head coach Jesse Marsch
Q. If I can reiterate the question since we saw each other at training on Thursday, you had a rough start to the season. You battled back from that, and now you've clinched officially a playoff spot for the MLS Cup playoffs. How good of a feeling does it feel right now to do that?
JESSE MARSCH: Yeah, I think it took us 31 games to get to first place. It took us 31 games to solidify a spot in the playoffs. After seven games, it was a big hole that we dug and a difficult moment for us as a group, but we've always tried to use tough moments to make us stronger, and I think that's been a hallmark of this team is that, when things get tough, they respond. They don't back down.
It would have been easy again -- it wasn't a 2-0 lead, it was a 1-0 lead, but the confidence we had on the field, the ability to just take care of the moment when they were throwing things at us, everything was under control and the group was focused, and they knew how to take care of the game.
So I feel very proud of our group, but we'll say that this is only the start. So I think it's really key for us to keep pushing to get a top two seed and then set ourselves up for success come playoff time.
Q. We don't have to talk about two dropped points tonight. You guys were able to hold on. What was the key to seeing this thing out tonight?
JESSE MARSCH: Maybe 1-0 instead of 2-0. Maybe that's our recipe. Yeah, we knew Piatti got away from us a few times in the first half. We didn't do well enough with that. I think we made some adjustments at halftime to make sure that he wasn't going to be getting out on the run and causing us trouble.
We felt strongly -- the phrase I used at halftime was urgent patience. So we wanted to keep pushing the game, but not do it in a panicky way, and know that as a group it was going to come. So felt that the concentration to make sure that we didn't let the game slip was at a very high level, and we showed a lot of maturity.
Q. I know Daniel Royer will be getting a lot of attention for the goal tonight, but in terms of the high press, in terms of what he brought with the work rate, you had to be pleased with that?
JESSE MARSCH: Yeah, watching him slide around, make plays, cover ground, compete -- he's good with his feet. He's a good soccer player. He's adjusted to the way we play almost immediately, and it's been fun to watch him. I think he's made our team better. He gives us more options.
Right now I think it's hard to use all our attacking options in the way -- I feel like Gonzalo Veron's been in a really good way, and not getting him into that game, I wish we could have found a way to use him. So he'll be ready for Tuesday. But I think that, yeah, Danny's been a big addition. He's been a big addition.
Q. It looked like tonight was a physical match. Were you prepared for that? How did you prepare for it?
JESSE MARSCH: Well, we thought that they were going to make a strong emphasis on being very compact and sitting deep and going on the counter, which they did. We didn't manage certain moments in the first half, but I thought second half the game was pretty much totally under control.
And then, yeah, I mean, when you get late in the year, it's going to be combative. It's going to be physical. Teams that are desperate, that's one of the ways to try to get themselves going and into the game.
Again, we know this is part of the blueprint when you play the Red Bulls, to be physical, to try and be hard on Brad, be hard on Sacha. So that part, we weren't surprised.
Q. Drogba is a key guy for them. You guys did well against them. Collin, Aurelien did well there. What did you think of how Aurelien did today, and where would you guys be if you didn't make that trade to get him?
JESSE MARSCH: Listen, he came in at a very shaky time for our team, and he adjusted to how we play. He's loved being here. He's committed to this group in every sense. I mean, it was like the first day he stepped out on the practice pitch, it was like he'd been here the whole time. So he's been a savior in many ways.
So I think the fact that he's healthy all the time, that he's a competitor, that he understands the league, that he's committed to trying to figure out our tactics and do things the way we want to do it means that it makes us a better team. So for sure, he's been a big, big plus since he's been here.
Q. (No microphone)?
JESSE MARSCH: Yeah, I think that he's such a physical defender that, when he plays against guys like Drogba, that feeds into his strengths. So I thought that he did very well with Drogba. He won most of his battles. Drogba didn't really find the game too much.
I thought him and Damien, the way they moved and their understanding of how to play with each other was very good. So in the end, very pleased.
Q. Jesse, congratulations.
JESSE MARSCH: Thank you.
Q. The win propelled you and NYC FC into the playoffs. I know I'm getting a little ahead of myself, but let's say you two teams do meet in the playoffs. What do you think that series would be like?
JESSE MARSCH: It would be electric. It would be incredible. I played in some playoff series against the Galaxy when I was with Chivas, and the feeling of those games was incredible. You know, I want to congratulate New York City and credit their coach. I think Patrick Vieira has done a very good job with that team. So I mean, that's a big accomplishment for their club.
I think everyone in the league would be hoping that we would see each other, and if we do, that would be big. It will be big with emotion. It will be big with tactics. It will be big with competitive will on the field, and that's an exciting possibility. So right now I think the key for us is to try and get that bye and then set ourselves up for success.
Q. Now the No. 1 seed in the East is very much a possibility, how do you balance? Tuesday you go down to Guatemala with the Champions League. Are you expecting a lot of squad rotation to focus on MLS more?
JESSE MARSCH: Yeah, that was the big emphasis in the locker room, trying to congratulate them for a big accomplishment, but also to let them know that we've got another big accomplishment that we're just knocking on the door on. So we have to make sure that in all ways we enjoy this tonight but that we prepare ourselves for Tuesday, knowing that it won't be easy going down there and that we have to find a way to advance.
So it would be a big week. It would be a big week for our club if we could make the playoffs and solidify our quarterfinal in the Champions League. So that's our goal.
New York Red Bulls Midfielder Daniel Royer
On his goal:
I wasn’t sure. Everything went very fast. I know I touched the ball, but I wasn’t quite sure if the other [player] next to me also touched the ball, but everyone told me that if I touched the ball first, it was my goal. At the end of the day it was not important. It was important that [the ball] made its way into the goal, so I’m really happy.
On becoming more confident within the team:
[My confidence] gets better day-by-day. Like I said in some interviews, it’s a new style, it’s a new philosophy for me which I never experienced in my former clubs in that way so it took some time, and I think that’s normal. I’ve still only been here for just a few weeks, and it’s getting better day-by-day and I’m feeling more comfortable and more confident.
On the importance of his work rate during the match:
That’s our style, that’s how we play. It’s important for us to keep up the pressure and make pressure on the opponents so I think it went very well. I think it was a difficult first half because they tried to close down every space as well as they could. We knew the key was patience, but we still put on our pressure and that was important.
On adapting to the playoff system in MLS:
[The playoff system] is very new. I never had it before at any of my former clubs, and in the former countries I’ve played in, there is no playoff. But I am very curious and very excited and very happy that we made [the playoffs] today.
New York Red Bulls Midfielder Alex Muyl
On being able to see the game out:
I think it’s a little different when we’re at home. We’ve shown that we can hold shutouts at home, and late in the game, we’re still able to have control of the game. I think we put emphasis all week on, ‘when we have leads late in the game, we want to continue to play. We want to put our stamp on the game, we don’t want to shrink and go into a defensive shell, and I think that really helped us tonight.
On grinding out a win in a physical match:
With the way they play, we knew it was going to be a frustrating game because they sit back a lot with nine guys behind the ball, and then look to counter. So it was a frustrating one, but we were able to get a goal which is the most important thing, and then get the shutout. Three points is so important right now.
On the Red Bulls securing a playoff spot with the win:
I’m really just taking it one day at a time. I’m not sure what the situation is going to be during the playoffs, but it’s really exciting to be able to clinch playoffs and at least know that we have a spot there—but, we’re still hungry. We’re trying to end up as high as we can in the table, and now we’re in first, so we’re going to try to not look back.
On learning from the slow start to the season:
It’s a huge statement about the way that this team is. We’re so close, we’re so tight-knit that we didn’t splinter into little groups or start blaming each other, [in the beginning of the season] we actually got closer together. I think it’s a testament to the older guys and the leaders of the team, and also just the overall camaraderie of the squad.
New York Midfielder Dax McCarty
New York Defender Aurelien Collin
Montreal Impact head coach Mauro Biello
Q. Coach, frustration level right now?
MAURO BIELLO: Yeah, obviously, we're frustrated. I think it's not the difficult performances on the road. I think on the road we've done fairly well. I think we were in this game all the way to the end and it was exactly what we expected. Ignacio scores that goal at the beginning of the game, it's a different game.
It's at home where we've got to step it up and where we've been having difficulties. Now we have a quick turnaround with San Jose coming in, and it's an important game for us.
Q. Coach, what makes Red Bull Arena such a difficult place for Montreal Impact? The only time you've ever taken a point was in the CONCACAF Championship group stage match two years ago.
MAURO BIELLO: Yeah, they're a good team. They're one of the top teams in the league. It's a difficult place to play. I think you got to score goals here and you've got to score goals in this league. It's the only way.
When they were having difficulties at the beginning, they were having trouble scoring. So this is what it is in this league. You've got to be able to score goals and sustain, especially on the road.
Q. (No microphone)?
MAURO BIELLO: Yeah, I think, you know, Didier didn't have preseason, and coming in, the ups and downs of the season are sometimes difficult. The second year, it's always more difficult when opposing defenders are getting ready to face him. In the end, he's been getting chances. He had chances at home to score goals, and it's about finding that balance. Hopefully, it will turn for him.
Montreal Impact Midfielder Patrice Bernier
On being in a similar position last year:
Yeah, yeah look you know we cannot look at ourselves because we did let a lot of games go and we had certain games that we could have pulled off victories. We are where we are, we just have to do good things; we have some experience on our team but we have to regroup. It’s easier said than done, now we gave it all today in terms of defensively we had a lot more energy than before and now we have to regroup on the offensive side we just got to find more chemistry and be able to be calmer on the ball and closer to each other. We got to control those momentum moments and we don’t have to suffer the entire game. We have to brush aside this game now and move on. Wednesday we play directly against San Jose and we play a lot of teams that are right below us in the standings.
On the good things from the match:
No defensively we did really well, I mean in terms of doing the job. We wanted to be organized, structured and compact. We know this is a team that plays through the middle and like you said we avoided spaces for Kljestan. We conceded a lot because you know it wears down on you and it’s a type of game that when you, you take that goal you spend so much of that energy defending the goal and it’s just trying to find that energy back to go. We are fine, we’ll find it, we’ll find it on Wednesday. Today was you know a good team, they are very good here and have not lost in a very long time and we had a game plan for this game, especially for them but we go back home and we regroup and get back to playing like we know we can.
On the team’s weakness:
Our weakness before was we always had a lapse of concentration. Even though especially at home we always tend to be very focused and then we score a goal and we be comfortable. We usually take the last time we were here, that was the case we scored early and then we took a goal two minutes later. We just need to work and be a bit urgent. We’re technically sound, we’re a quality team but we’re not always playing to that standard. You know and that’s our weakness right now. I think we’re the only ones that could blame, we do know that, our main guys are the ones that people are trying to stop but we have showed before that it wasn’t always through them we have found times to get them back into the game and we have to go back to that.
