Presented by:
HEAD COACH ADRIAN HEATH
On the performance over the last couple weeks…
“Obviously there are certain parts of our game we’re not happy about. We’ve been working on the training ground. I think we’ve given away too many opportunities and I don’t think we’ve created enough opportunities, so a bit of both ends of the field really. I feel as though in between both boxes we’ve been very good, our ball movement and circulation of the ball, if you like, has been very, very good. But obviously we’re disappointed and we know that we have to do better and that’s what we’re trying to do.”
On areas of opportunity…
“Overall, as I said, we need to be better in both boxes. We’ve identified certain areas that we think we can improve on, but ultimately we need to get everybody fit and healthy, I think that will help us. But more importantly, trying to keep the belief within the group, belief in what we’re doing, belief in what we’ve done over the last two years is right and hopefully catch a break. But we know there’s nobody coming with a magic wand. We’ve got to keep working hard on the training field, try and identify what we think is going wrong and rectify that.”
On Patrick Weah making his professional debut…
“He nearly came on and scored a goal. He’s proven that, even in preseason when he got a few goals for us, when he’s on the field, he’s got a knack for finding good spots in the box. He was very unlucky with his header, which is something we haven’t seen much of, I’ll be honest. But he had a good start, he was good to get. We’ve had five or six draft picks and couple of homegrowns so overall, we were delighted to get him on the field.”
On what he saw of the midfield pair of Wil Trapp and Osvaldo Alonso last Saturday…
“As I said, I don’t think there’s been awful lot wrong with the way that we’ve played. The movement of the ball, getting the ball comfortably from one end of the field to the other has been good. Them two are very experienced players, they know this league inside out. They played really well which is what we expected and maybe something that we can build on.”
MIDFIELDER HASSANI DOTSON
On what the team can do to get past the slow start…
“I think we need to come out with extra energy. The results aren’t just going to find its way, we have to make it happen ourselves. More intensity on and off the ball, we could be more creative on offense and be a little more resilient on defense as well.”
On the bright spots of the start of season…
“We have a lot of good talent, a lot of young, up and coming talent like Justin [McMaster]. Patrick [Weah] came on and did well and there’s others that haven’t played yet that have been pretty good in training. Also, you could see at the end of last game we were circulating the ball well and we put Austin [FC] on the back foot and just a little lucky not to find the back of the net.”
On what the message from the leaders in the locker room is…
“We’re disappointed with the results but we have to focus on the next one and try not to let the past negative feelings affect this next opportunity to get our first point and hopefully our first win of the season. Also, [the leaders] do a great job of being in difficult spots before and move on to the next play and, I think, that’s been pretty important for us young guys look at after.”
On playing in front of home fans again…
“It was good. It wasn’t as quite as special as the first time because everyone was there but it was nice, despite the result.”
FORWARD PATRICK WEAH
On making his professional debut with Minnesota United…
“It was a dream come true. My whole life I’ve been working on it and always been visualizing and stuff and just waiting for that moment to come. And finally, coach took a chance on me and put me in and it was a great moment for me and my family.”
On making his debut at Allianz Field in front of friends and family…
“That’s everybody’s dream to play at home in front of friends and family. I just, big trust in coach for trusting in me and putting me in the game and he know what I can do. I wish I could have more time, but like, it’s not my decision, that’s coach’s. I’m just here to work hard, listen as much as possible, and learn from coach and then help my team win games.”
On what he saw in the moment where he almost scored…
“That moment, when I go in, I was just motivated to help my team come back because we were 1-0, and I saw Justin [McMaster], he’s a great player, pick his head up and I had to beat the defender to the ball. Unfortunately, it didn’t go in but like I just put my head on the line, I didn’t care if I would’ve gotten a concussion or everything, I just wanted to beat the defender to the ball. And unfortunately, it didn’t go in, but it’s just the start, got to keep learning and working.”
On what he’s working on to be prepared to be called up again…
“It all starts in practice, investing as much as possible, learn as much as possible, and work as much as possible. When coach is ready to call on me and I’m ready, I’m prepared both mentally and physically.”
