Post-Game Quotes
Red Bulls II 1, Saint Louis 0
July 1, 2017
New York Red Bulls II Head Coach John Wolyniec
Q. Thoughts on the game…
Almost any game you watch in the USL, MLS, games look like that. That’s what we want, we want guys in those moments, tight games, every little play matters. Even though its’ tired, hot, humid, you know still fighting, still battling, still finding, way to stay focused on the job at hand and overall we did a pretty good job of that.
Q. Thoughts on if newer additions have caused improved defense…
I think its part an overall thing. Everybody on the team did a lot as far as winning second balls and putting a lot into the game and running and pressing in a good way, so that helps everybody, so when everybody’s contributing we start to have performances like this. I give some credit to Jordan (Scarlett) for sure, the two games that he’s started, I think he’s been pretty solid. But we still had some cracks, we were a little lucky in the end not to give up a goal in a couple instances. I wish on the day we were just a tad bit sharper and obviously I’d like to see us get the second goal because I think we did enough to deserve it. But in a 90 minute game if you don’t finish your chances then you leave yourself out there at the end to the bounce of the ball so to speak. I think we were a little fortunate but that doesn’t take away from the fact that we got a shutout at home and put a lot into the game from everybody.
Q. Thoughts on a more complete performance from Brandon Allen…
I didn’t start him a couple games ago and he got a little frustrated. I think that lit a little spark, you see some of it in Ottawa and I think you see more of it today. I told him specifically that he did a really good job today, so especially we always know that Brandon can score a goal and create some chances but for me it was the other things. Challenging for headers, winning some balls drawing some fouls, connecting with the team, showing up for throw ins. It was the most I seen him show up for throw ins the entire year so he just looked like he wanted more so there is definitely something to be said there.
New York Red Bulls II Defender Jordan Scarlett
Q. Thoughts on the team’s performance…
We had been struggling all season you know. Last season that team really put a very heavy weight on their jersey, so now we gotta get back to winning ways. Try not only to replicate what they do but play our own style of football and just keep doing what we’re doing. Fight through, last game we came close but you know we gave up one goal in 15 seconds but today we really saw it through so I think we’re making progress in the right direction.
Q. Thoughts on the development of his partnership with Hassan Ndam…
It was our first partnership together, unfortunately we didn’t finish it out but we are roommates, we talk about it, we laugh about it, we say we can’t wait, we talk about what we are going to do if he steps and I drop, we talk about it like that. So in the future I think it will work out.
Q. Thoughts on if closeness between center backs has been missing…
I wouldn’t necessarily say that, I would just say that now we are really finding our feet in good moments. But, the center backs on the team are pretty good, just been unfortunate. So I think for me right now I just gotta work together and keep going.
Q. Thoughts on the team’s resolve through adversity…
Coach (Wolyniec), he tells us to let him deal with the referee. If the referee makes a bad call, he’s not going to reverse it so keep playing, keep fighting, let the referee deal with them (coaches). I think that’s him just stamping that into us, that was the key.
Q. Thoughts on coming back from injury…
I feel very passionate you know, three months out that isn’t easy but I’m slowly building my confidence back, I’m open to keep getting 90 minutes and see where it goes from there.
New York Red Bulls II Goalkeeper Rafael Diaz
Q. Thoughts on his clean sheet…
I felt good. Started out pretty hot so it was good to see the guys out here grind it out and good to get a shutout and get the win and get back on the right track.
Q. Thoughts on Ndam’s exit at the break and if that worried the team going into the second half…
We knew they were going to come out with energy in the second half, they were going to make a run and make some switches and that’s what they did putting Bellesky up top, and you know two strikers and they had a little bit more space. We knew that was going to happen and we knew that we had to just be strong defensively and hold off that second wave they were going to push. We had a couple chances, I think if we finished that we could’ve left the game so that’s kind of how the game goes. Its going to teeter totter and you’ve got to be aware of that.
Q. Thoughts on keeping focus despite heat and other variables…
That’s obviously a concern of ours, you know we’ve done it in the past and we keep harping that we can’t be that same team, we have to make adjustments and that’s one of the adjustments we had. Yeah its hot but both teams played with the heat and we just have to keep going and stay focused, the most important thing is to stay focused, its easy when it’s that heat to shut down or take a couple plays off but we knew that we have to really stay focused to grind this one out.
Q. On how to keep the momentum going forward…
Just another good week of training, were probably going to look at some film to see what we did wrong and get after it again, and then we have the game on the weekend and just make sure we continue to focus.
