Head Coach Jim Curtin
Opening Statement…
“First and foremost a unique game in a lot of ways, obviously the 9 a.m. kick off, the temperature. Credit to New York City FC and my players for pushing through. I’m sure the game probably to the average viewer looked slow on the TV but down at field level the work rate that both teams put in, in really difficult conditions and the soccer that was played while it wasn’t perfect, everyone put their heart and soul into the game so credit to both teams for that.
Obviously at the start of the game there are certainly things going on in our country right now that are far bigger than soccer and I have to say I’m very proud of my players. Throughout the last four months for the leadership they’ve shown; for taking a real leadership role with the Black Lives Matter movement and for educating a lot of our other players on the team. The idea behind today was action over permission and I hope that the league understands that. I hope that everybody can embrace that and wrap their head around it. It was done to show respect, to learn, to grow and to make our country better. From the standpoint of that I’m really proud of our players for everything they did on the field and off the field which was more important on the day.
To the game, a lot went into the last four months in preparation in terms of player’s fitness, their mentality, their mindset to get to this point. We told them to empty their tanks today on the field and I hope they made the city of Philadelphia proud. A good 1-0 win, good to keep a clean sheet. I could go through the list of guys, but I don’t want to single anybody out because every guy to a man gave everything for the club and for the badge. Great way to start the competition but we recognize its only one game. Now we can build momentum as we move into our final two group stage games.”
On how today’s tribute came together…
“It is no secret. From the t-shirt that I am wearing, with the design on the back that Warren Creavalle did, To the leadership of Ray Gaddis and Mark McKenzie, the education they have done talking to our younger players. They have been at the forefront of this movement and this initiative in our league I am proud of them for that. It is a player’s choice and a coach that supports them in everything that they do.
As a team, as one, as the Philadelphia Union, we decide that with this movement it is about actions that you show rather than just talking and the words. I hope the league understands. I hope the people feel honored and respected and that was the intent behind the whole thing.
This whole idea is to educate, to learn and to certainly make changes that need to come in our country right now.”
On the team’s start and progression as the match went on…
“With the layoff I think everybody knows that in the first game back without really having any MLS competition is going to be a little bit sluggish. There was going to be a little bit of rust. Passes that would usually be a little crisper and in front of a guy are a little behind and it slows things down. That is natural, that happens.
I still think, on the day, in certain moments we were able to execute a lot of our principles. At halftime we talked about how the Philadelphia Union wants to be a team the high presses, that plays forward immediately, quickly. Today that kind of had to go out the window because it was a unique game. The temperature made it that way but full credit to the guys for rolling up their sleeves in the hard moments, putting together some good soccer plays, some good moments when it was need to let us rest. Obviously with Andre Blake, knowing that you have the best goalkeeper in the league behind you to bail you out when things go wrong helps as well.
Complete team effort. I couldn’t be more proud of the guys for what they have done on the field and off the field during the last several months together for the city of Philadelphia.”
On how the circumstances felt before the game and once it had kicked off …
“I mentioned to a few of the assistant coaches yesterday at training, it has been a long time since we have played a competitive match and one that was going to be against a very good opponent in New York City FC. We thought, maybe during the course of the week that we hyped them up too much and scared the player a little bit because yesterday’s training session, I mentioned it to Pat Noonan and Oka Nikolov, that they guys looked a little nervous. Fortunately, a thunderstorm came in a cleared our field off and we ended practice abruptly so hopefully that helped a little bit.
Certainly, it was a unique experience for every player that was on the field, for every coach. A nine-a.m. kickoff is something you have not done since you were a young player. I actually liked the kickoff time. The weather, I will let the players speak to that, is something I can’t imagen how it felt out there. All in all, a big three points to start the competition.”
On how injuries effected today’s game plan…
“Injuries are about of the game. Sergio Santos, Andrew Wooten and Michee Ngalina have done a really good job of getting in good shape. Unfortunately, they had little minor injury setbacks. Rather than completely change our team shape that we have been working on the last couple of months, we kept the same shape and had the quality player in Ilsinho that we do and decided to throw up there, that could drift out wide or come underneath Kacper Przybylko.
We were a little bit thin in the attack but everyone came in and their job as professionals is to do what is asked of them and all the guys did everything we need to grind out the big three points.”
On the preparation for the early kick off…
“A lot of discussions went on with the sports science department, with the dieticians, what meal, what food to serve. Just to try and get that right. Sleep habits are obviously critical for these athletes, so we had to get them in bed a little bit earlier. We had a good meal as a team last night.
We then landed on deciding on a specific time that we have a team meal so we were all in the room together. We gave a floating window of 7:00 to 7:15 where they could get breakfast on their own. Eat what they wanted and when they wanted. Specifically, there was a wide variety of food that you usually do not see in a pregame meal.
It was a unique experience for everybody. Because we won will say we got it right and if we lost 3-0 we would have been second guessing things. I am not here to tell you that we have the solutions or the answers, but for a first time through I give all the credit to the players for going through that with the right mind set and mentality. This exercise today, they emptied their tanks physically and it really came down to mindset, focus and mentality to push through on a really hot day.”
On the journey to become one of the best teams in MLS…
“We are not there yet, but we do want to be mentioned up there with the top teams in this league. New York City is one of them, Seattle is consistently there, LAFC, Toronto If I leave one off, they are going to put it up on the bulletin board. There are a lot of good teams in the upper echelon of our league. We are starting to get discussed like that and our job know as a club is to not have any steps backwards. We want to continue to push forward and we will do that in a unique way. We will so it the Philadelphia Union way. We will build from within, but we will always have some veteran players that lead us to victories like today.
Overall, this is a good step forward but at the same time you recognize that it is one game and we beat a very good team, but it means nothing if we don’t follow it up with the big victory in our next game.”
On Ilsinho playing in a different position…
“He filled in in an emergency role for sure. Everybody knows he does his damage out wide on the right-hand side. If you do look back at the tape, a lot of our success happened on that side. Whether it was Alejandro Bedoya with the deep run or whether it was Brenden Aaronson with the deep run in behind. Part of that comes with having Ilsinho on the field.
Just the fact that he was out there, even though it wasn’t perfect, he was in good spots that make a defense change. Ronald Matarrita had to change, backpedal and always know where ilshinho was. It cleared space for others. I told Ilsinho before the game to play it like Roberto Firmino, who is his Brazilian counterpart, who does it pretty well at Liverpool, where he has the freedom to drift around the box. Pop up on the right, pop up in the middle behind Przylyko
I think he had fun with it. We didn’t play a perfect game overall but, the three points were big.”
Midfielder, Alejandro Bedoya
On his goal against NYCFC…
“I don’t score often but I am glad that we got the win off that goal. We have just talked about being more calm on the ball, trying to keep it, shift it, move it from side to side and I was able to get on the back of a great switch. I think it was Jamiro Montiero that switched it to me. We talked about it all week that the cut back would be there. Brenden Aaronson made a great run. I played it to him initially and I am not sure exactly what happened. I don’t remember if the goalie saved it or the defender, but it came back to me and I took a touch and cut inside and hit it with my left foot back post, and I am lucky because Sean Johnson got a touch on it but I hit it hard enough that it went into the corner. I am happy for that.”
On his “luxury prison” comment and his experience in the MLS “bubble”…
“It is a metaphor, right? So when I first made that comment, you have to understand that was based of the initial proposal that we had. Where it had us possibly staying for three months away from our families during a pandemic. Not during normal times where the initial first two, three weeks would be spent in our room in isolation, quarantined not being able to leave at all. So the metaphor is right there. Being in Disney, not being able to leave, only meals and possible just to train, being out for an hour. Was it harsh, sure, but if you get to the context of it that is where it came from.
How have I found it? I have found it ok. We renegotiated in our CBA for a plan to agree to come here. That we spend less time here in Orlando and spend more time back at home with our families and kids in market. You have seen that the majority of teams have been ok now in the bubble.
I think it is tough, there is a lot of anxiety here. It is worrisome when you hear about what is going on with Dallas and Nashville. I guess the good thing, for now at least, is that there has not been a case of transmission in the bubble, it was stuff that happened in market. Those are issues, those clubs have to deal with. It is what it is. We are here to do our job, to play. We agreed to come here and it is just to remain positive and optimistic about the whole thing.”
On how getting on the field helps with the anxiety surrounding the current situation…
“It is like anything; you have to think about the mental health aspect as much as the physical. I think the protocols and safety they have put in place is decent, but of course, when that whistle blows, we are competitors.
You step over that white line, and after we did what we did as a team in the show of solidarity with the Black community, everything goes out the window. You just play. We have had a game plan and you forget about everything for an hour and a half, two hours.
Now we are getting ready to go back to the hotel and into our rooms and you hope that the players that tested positive recover and become healthy and that we have no issues down here because then that anxiety comes back in. Of course, it is worrisome, we are human beings. As soon as the whistle blows you kind of zone out and you focus on the game.
Defender, Ray Gaddis
On the show of solidarity by the entire team with today’s tribute…
“For me being a player with the Philadelphia Union organization for a while now it means a lot. For me, within our club it shows how much solidarity we have on the field, first and foremost, and off the field and we have a great coach who has taken a stance with us, as well this organization. It is only going to make us better in the future not just as soccer players but as human beings as well.”
On being a part of demonstration before Inter Miami vs. Orlando City match…
“Last night was a very surreal feeling. It is something that I will always remember to a T. I know a lot of people had sentiments that they had chills in down neck. I think it was a great demonstration from the players, Major League Soccer and the Black players to bring awareness and to continue to further the conversation about the injustice that continues to happen in present day America, but also to show that we are using our platform for the right reasons. It was a phenomenal moment, not just for the Black players but everyone who was able to witness and be a part of it in some aspect in one instance and also it was an educational moment for all of us.”
On how today’s tribute came together …
“It was a collective group of people. Like I said early it is to continue and further the conversation that needs to be had. We first and foremost asked our team were they ok with it because solidarity is key and we want to make sure everyone feels comfortable. Not only did we come together, we have these great shirts that the league is going to be wearing throughout this tournament made by our very own Warren Creavalle, but the initiative came from great leadership, from the top, from our coach, from our captain, from myself Mark McKenzie and Warren Creavalle. Just saying that actions are louder than words, and again, it is to further the conversation and continue to use our platform to be a voice for the voiceless. We wrote on the back of the shirt at the bottom, came up by Mark McKenzie, ‘One name is too many. I think that is a powerful message as well, but it was a collective group effort.”
