Philadelphia Union Head Coach Jim Curtin
Opening Statement...
A really disappointing start to the game, not our best first half. Credit to New England [Revolution], they came out and made us really uncomfortable and should have punished us two or three times. I give credit to Carlos [Miguel Coronel] in the big [double] save that he had early. That then led to our first goal, but again we were a little bit loose in our defending. Guys kind of were playing out of position and running all over the place, it didn’t look like us. We got in at half time, we had a talk that we could do better and the guys really responded, in particular Ilsinho getting the goal right out of half-time. I think turned the whole game and made them have to change a little bit, but they present a lot of problems for us with almost four guys up top being very direct, fighting for second balls, but overall a good win for us at the end of the day. It’s good to get some guys going and can’t say enough about this group that’s now had a lot of adversity in some ways on the field and some ways behind the scenes. Every player to a man has stepped up in a big way for us. We have a good thing going right now, but in this league, you have to recognize you can lose it very fast. We have to keep the momentum going, not get complacent, and look to push things forward because again, difficult week with three games in a week but our players showed that fitness wise they can handle it.
On his team’s conversation at halftime...
When I walked off the field, there was two ways I was thinking about half time. I thought about losing my mind and doing the old, because I don’t go to it too often, throw something, get a reaction and go negative on them. But I didn’t think that was right. I thought it was important to stay positive and stay calm. I think we had already lost our minds a little bit on the field and on the sidelines as a staff with our frustration with the referee. At times in the first half, sometimes wrongly we lost our minds because he made good calls, but we just kind of emotionally checked out and got a little flustered, so I decided to stay positive. We said we were lucky at 1-1, but it is still 1-1 and if we still played the way that were capable of, and everybody raises their level a little bit and is a little sharper with the ball and actually is willing to do the running defensively and look like us. Things can change, shifted approaches, try to stay positive at half time, but the players knew, and that’s a sign of a team with great veteran leaders because they knew that I didn’t have to come in and scream at them, they knew that they were poor in the first half and the response speaks for itself in the second half from them.
On being frustrated at halftime...
It’s a group that knows now, so again the work that Haris [Medunjanin] has done for this team, to play three games, 90 minutes and dominate them in a week, Ale [Bedoya] same thing. So the veterans have their finger on the pulse of things, they know when it’s not us, and that first half is not us, we were lucky to have it only be 1-1, and have a good response in at half time starting with Ilsinho making that play and then a lot of our forwards coming to life and doing what they do best.
On the impact of Cory Burke’s absence...
It's confusing for them. Cory [Burke] sent a pretty heartfelt message to the group on our group app that we have and share. I think it hit with a lot of guys, you could tell by a lot of their responses. He’s with us in a way, he wants to be here and you can still feel it. The guys all feel his absence and they wanted to do something special for him. I think you saw that with the tribute when we scored. Life is highs and lows. He’s a great kid and we want him back as soon as possible. He is a great striker for us and I think the guys rallied around that. Emotionally it is tough, you don't know whether it's going to be high or low or take things away. I guess when you win everyone can write it as positive. We can spin it however we want.
On Sergio Santos’ performance...
Yeah he should have had five goals honestly. He has the quality to score and be dangerous. You could see his movement in the box, how dynamic he is. He has that knack for when balls are bouncing in and around there, his movement, it’s powerful, it’s fast. He's good at getting to the near post and he got some good successes from that, got some tap ins. His fitness you could tell we have to work on because again we have a group that all eleven have to be willing to play without the ball and defend as well. So he had a little fatigue in his legs for sure. The adrenaline wears off quickly. He scored two goals in eight minutes, it's a rollercoaster. I think he did fatigue a little bit. With his quality, you could see it, how powerful he is, explosive, fast, can find his own shot, and is a great striker. Great first game for him, but again, we want more, he knows. He actually disagreed. He said he should have had four. So were at least a little bit closer on the same page.
On the relationship with the fans...
It's good. They’re behind us. Win or lose they have been a group that sticks behind us. They're so instrumental in the founding of our club, they mean a ton. I have the Sons of Ben sewn into my jacket. So, again, they are a big part of this club and they mean a lot to us. So just to show a little appreciation for them. There can be negative times for sure. I will stick up for our group and our guys. We do well here, I did the math, and our last fifty at home were 32-11-7. So that's a good home record. We have a good team in this home building and that's because of the Son of Ben. They really push us on.
On Brenden Aaronson’s injury...
He just reached for a ball. He's one of these players that Haris [Medunjanin] challenges with these through balls through the lines to him and I think he just reached for one that was a little too far. Hip flexor. I just spoke with him as he walked out. He was optimistic that it wasn’t serious. Initially when those ones happen and it's something reaching or stretching, and it's non-contact, those are usually the dangerous ones. He felt something wasn't right. I don’t think it’s too long, I don’t want to speculate either so we will see, get some tests I’m sure, but overall I think it won’t be too major. Obviously we have Marco [Fabian] coming back too so.
Defender Jack Elliott
On the team being frustrated at halftime...
I mean me especially I had to calm myself a little bit. Being on a yellow card, continue the go in we did. Everyone was definitely riled up, that help cut it out to the second half. We didn’t go over the top and go rash. We changed the way we played a little bit and the quality came through, and really helped us.
On if the center backs were fatigued...
Yeah I think there was. Anytime we play three games in a week, there is going to be a little bit. It is one of the things you deal with and you get through, by the end of tonight. Thankfully it was closer for us, because obviously we played Wednesday they didn’t. They might have had a bit more in the tank, if it was a bit closer game. So, it was good we finished it fairly early.
On who in the locker room lead the change in momentum in this match...
We knew that first half wasn’t good for us, the energy wasn’t good. It needs to be better in the second half. We all knew wasn’t good for us. As this season, we are looking to win especially home and it was the whole team.
Forward Sergio Santos
On his feelings when he found out he was going to play tonight...
First of all, thanks to everyone for a great, I didn’t know if I was going to go in or not but it was one of those things that I needed to be ready to go in and play the best way I could. I was able to get in there and thank god for a great night, an important night for me in scoring two goals.
On the feeling of celebrating with his teammates...
It was a great night for me, great excitement, I was able to score a goal and was able to do it in front of my daughter. I had a little bit of a tough road so far, couple of injuries, then I got a game with the steel and I was able to score and then I had another injury all over again. So, it was just great to get out there and score a goal, I got to improve physically still but I’m ready to keep going.
On building confidence and how many goals he could have scored tonight...
Maybe not five, but probably four. It was a great night, the four goals didn’t come off for me, you know. The team won so I’m very happy.
On if he felt burdened to score in the match tonight...
It was a great night; it was just one of those where I come into it how I come into every game of my life. Just go out there, try my best and try to score some goals. I was very happy to get the first goal, then I was hoping I was going to get the second and I did. I had some more opportunities, but it was just great to come out here and help the team and get back to it.
