Philadelphia Union Head Coach Jim Curtin
Opening statement...
"Yeah it was a unique week in terms of preparation. We had guys missing with injuries and suspension. It got stranger last evening with a call from Mark McKenzie recovering from surgery. Again, not something that is is the coaching courses, that's for sure, so i have to give full credit to the players. We talked a lot in preseason with Ernst of improving the depth of the squad. Having the next man up mentality where guys willing to stepping in and have it be as seamless as possible. Listen every player has different qualities and traits they bring to the team and I couldn’t be prouder of the job that Aurelien Colin did today on short notice. Guys getting asked to play in unique roles in Monteiro playing higher up the field. The players executed. It wasn't the way we wanted to press and the tempo we want to play at, but at the same time it was three points. It was an important three points. The performance on the field, we’ll all say, wasn’t our best, but you have to find ways to win these type of games. We did it, 3-0, got the clean sheet at home, it's important. As the game goes on the next man up mentality is seen again with Kacper coming on and does a great job for us. Andre goes out, things you can't predict, and Freese steps in and does his job. That's what we're gonna need. We’re a true team in that sense of the word. We challenged the guys this week, do we want to be average and fight for fifth through tenth or twelth in the Eastern Conference and do we want to move forward. I think we really stepped up to that challenge today. Again, it wasn’t a beautiful win, but it was three points that no one will remember at the end of the year."
On Andre Blake’s injury...
"I just spoke with him, it seems like it's not a bad one in terms of his plant foot giving out, it'll probably be some time. I don't want to speculate and put a time on it. It's not likely that it's gonna be in time for Vancouver. Again, I don't speculate too much, but when a goalkeeper feels something like that, something is off with it so he had to step out. It's not even a situation where Jack can take goal kicks. He felt something wrong enough to leave the game. It's a scary situation for Matt to jump into your first game and replace Andre, but I thought he did a great job. He didn't have a ton of action, but was called upon and did well. We’ll have an update, and get some scans for sure. Andre is a huge piece of our team, so it's a big loss, but we believe in Carlos and Matt Freese. They’re probably gonna have some opportunities in the coming week."
On getting the early goal…
"Huge. We talked all week about Montreal. They haven't given up a goal in the past three games. They're hard to break down. When you do score early it forces them to change what they are excellent at which is being organized, getting behind the ball and hitting on counters. So overall, for Cory to get that goal on the break to punish them when they made a mistake is critical. Goals change games and set the tone for the afternoon. I would have killed him if he didn’t finish because he had a three on one there and I thought the best option was pass, but he took it like a true striker and when it hits the back of the net, no one has any complaints. Getting the first goal against a team that is that organized and behind the ball is critical."
On beating Montreal at home for the first time in 5 years...
"When you wake up at 6 o’clock in the morning to a text that Mark’s about to go into surgery, and you look at Montreal you kind of go, oh, here we go again. It's been a strange matchup for us and we have done poorly against them at home. I think Ernst first game here was against them and we got killed and embarrassed. Every team has one that they don't matchup against, or whatever it might be, but we change that I thought today. It's a big three points for us against a team that has given us problems. We recognize they are not at full strength either because Piatti is not here and we know how he can change the game. But they have a really good attacking group. I wasn't happy with how we managed the start of the second half at all. But the guys stuck together, we gutted out three points and these are the kind of points that go a long way with the group."
On the depth of the team...
"I think we've done a great job in the offseason at acquiring good talent at the top end of the roster, but also now young guys pushing for minutes. It use to be that a red card or injury could change us in a drastic way. Whereas now we have full confidence in the group to step in and have it be a seamless transition. It's different and Marco Fabian bring different characteristics than Aaronson and Jamiro, but if the roles are clear and the messages during the week are the same then it gives confidence within the group and the staff also. It also speaks to the amount that this roster has improved and strengthened. It's still early, we have a long way to go so we won't get too ahead of ourselves. Certainly that is a real improvement that we made this offseason and you're about to watch the improvements further as we go out and watch the Steel play. There's guys that are gonna keep pushing things and that's what a good club has. They have good young players come through, they have a second team that gives minutes. You saw some of the benefits of that. Kacper today, yes it's only ten minutes I wanted to give him more, but because we had to burn two subs you're hesitant, but with the ten minutes that he gets, he's a really good impression on the group. Everybody is stepping up and doing a good job, but we still have a lot of work to do and a lot to improve on. A difficult test now against Vancouver in a busy week to turn around and go win on Wednesday."
On wagner’s red card...
"Silly. Really silly at three zero. Well let's rewind, in his defense I think the ball goes over the endline and it should be a corner kick after Bush’s save. At three zero maybe they don't look at that as closely as they should and it leads to a break. All these decisions affect things in a big way. Now we will be without a left back whose been, in my mind the top left back in the league, for a game. Kai has to do better and be smarter there and recognize the situation. Its three zero , probably two and half minutes left of injury time. He's one v one and doesn’t have to leave his feet. Once you leave your feet you're putting it in the hands of the referee. I think it's a learning experience for him. I'm not happy about it. It's the most angry i've been after a three zero win because we made some silly mistakes and now we will be short handed because of it. But it'll be an opportunity for somebody to step up, but just not a smart challenge there."
On who might start at left back next game...
"The guys are going to fight all week for the minutes. We have Fabinho coming back, we have Matt Real, Mbaizo whose also been getting better and better. Ray has played left back too so we will have to compete for the spot just like we do every week and make a decision to deal with the turf in Vancouver."
Forward Cory Burke
On the first goal...
“I saw the guy turn and took it from the midfield, the defenders went with the guys off the ball and I decided to shoot from afar.”
On having space to shoot..
“If I was the defender I would have not run to the person without the ball but they decided to back off and I took the shot.”
On getting the early goal…
“Once I get the space I have no problem taking the shot.”
On Alejandro Bedoya’s Goal....
“I tried to snap the ball into the goal. Good thing Ale was there to finish it up.”
On playing with new attackers…
“We are all professional players. We train together so when a situation comes, no matter who is there, I am comfortable playing with them. It is easy to adjust and play with the players we always play with. Practice makes perfect.”
Midfielder Jamiro Monteiro
On scoring first goal for the Union...
“It feels really good, for me it has been a long time since I scored a goal so I’m real happy to score my first goal for the club, especially during a home game. I’m very happy.”
On playing at the top of the diamond...
“It’s not a big difference for me, I’m still in the midfield so I played more in the front so it was not difficult for me playing the number 10 position. For me it’s not the first time playing the number 10, so it’s not difficult. For me it was good.”
On playing against Piette...
“No, I just need to be smarter then him, just be faster with the ball, you need to be smarter than him and don’t take any physical contact, so it’s not a problem.”
On amount of career penalties...
“Yeah, not a lot, but every penalty I took was a goal.”
On Cory Burke’s goal...
“The first goal is always important, the first goal can give you more trust. The first goal can change a lot of things. So it was very important for u,s and I think in the first 30 minutes we led the game so it was very important. “
On the importance of winning games and playing attractive soccer...
Yes, it is very important. I always wanted to play soccer and I train everyday with the guys and I see the guys also want to play. It’s good and I’m very happy to be her
