Head Coach Adrian Heath
On the result against SKC…
“Kansas is never easy, but I thought the lads approached the game in exactly the right manner and I think we fully deserved the result.”
On the timing of the result coming at the right moment…
“Well that remains to be seen. There’s a couple of games this evening and there’s a game that’s really important for us this evening. It looks like it’s put us in a bit of the driver’s seat in terms of we know what we’ve got to do. We know that if we get a draw at the Galaxy, we’ll finish above them. So, we’ll see what happens in the game tonight. But we’ve given ourselves a really good chance. Was it, three wins a draw and a defeat in the last five [games]? So it’s a nice little room for us, but still not done.”
On the importance of momentum heading into the final stretch…
“Well I think momentum is one thing and then having a full complement of players. I think there’s only Justin McMaster who’s not out here in training today. We’ve got 26 bodies out here this morning, so you know, that’s nice. The fact that the front four have played again and have got another 75 minutes together, I think all bodes well for us hopefully moving into the weekend and into the playoffs.”
On the Galaxy season so far…
“Well they started like a house on fire, didn’t they? I think they won their first seven or eight games. When you consider how many players they have brought in - think it was 18 players – that was a great start for them. Probably the last couple of months has not been as good for them, but they are still in there, they’re still the Galaxy, they are still at home. Even though the last few years has not been what the Galaxy have been used to, they’re still a formal opponent when they play at home. So we know it’s going to be tough.”
On their expectations as a club and how it plays in a game like this…
“I’m not sure it does. I do know it’s difficult to play a game when you know you must win the game and we had that a little bit this weekend. It’s difficult from a coach’s perspective because you don’t want players to do what doesn’t come natural because you’re trying to force the issue maybe too early. We know it’s going to be tough they’ve got really good attacking players. Chicharito’s had a great year, they’ve got [Victor] Vasquez, they’ve got [Sebastian] Lleget, they’ve got grandes there. You go through it, they’ve got talented players so it’s going to be a tough game for us. But, I know Greg [Vanney] well enough and he’s smart enough to know that we are coming in there and we’re going to go there to win the game and we’ve got the players to do it if we play well.”
On Emanuel Reynoso’s importance…
“He’s not only got incredible talent, but he’s a good trainer, good guy. More importantly he can do things nobody else can do. I keep on about it, scoring a few more goals. If we can get him in 8-12 goals a season, because we know he’s got 20 odd assists [in him] without a shadow of a doubt every year. He can be what I think is the best player in the league.”
On Reynoso playing in big moments…
“It certainly helps, the one thing about the Argentinian players whenever you bring them in, you know that the pressure is never going to get to them. They probably play in the most intense environment there is. Certainly in one of them in the world. You know he’s playing for Boca Juniors, he was the number ten for Boca Juniors, that comes with a certain responsibility and pressure. So no, coming into Allianz Field, as great as the atmosphere is, he thrives on that type of environment, he thrives in big games, so we’re going to need him in the next few weeks for sure.”
On how to beat the Galaxy…
“We are going to have to play well. We’re going to have to be ready from the very first whistle. Take our opportunities when they come. The old saying ‘goals change games’, if you can get the first goal, the pressure would be enormous on the Galaxy then. Maybe they open up and then we can catch them on the counter. There’s all those things that are going to come into play. But more importantly the one thing I do know, we’re going to have to play well to win the game.”
On how much you are enjoying the intensity of games…
“It’s ok after the event when you’ve got a result. It’s a nice huge relief, but I think it was Greg [Vanney] who said, after we played them here, I remember him saying it’s like we’ve all been at playoff mode the last four or five weeks because there’s so much at stake in every single game. And I said, Vanney, it’ll probably go down to the last game of the season and it did. I can’t remember a year where, in both conferences, there’s been maybe nine, ten teams who are not sure of either making the playoffs or dropping out. So tt’s going to be exciting stuff, Decision Day or Judgement Day, let’s hope we can go in there and give a performance of what’s going to a special day.”
Goalkeeper Tyler Miller
On the vibe of the group after the big win…
“I think everybody was pretty ecstatic. We were obviously very happy with our structure and team shape throughout the entire game, I think everyone was really disciplined. So I think people were happy to pull out such an important result, in a must win game.”
On Sunday’s game being a character win for Minnesota…
“Absolutely. Whenever you go down early in a game, it’s always going to be an uphill battle but our team has faced a lot of adversity throughout this entire season and we’ve always found ways to come back. I think that was just a total culmination of our entire season in one game.”
On what he’s seen out of LA Galaxy this season…
“They’re a good team. They had a really hot start and have hit a really difficult spell in the middle of the season but they’re a very dangerous team. They have, probably, one of the top attacks and one of the most dangerous players in our league. They’re finding opportunities to score in many different ways. It’s going to be a difficult game, but we’re going to have that same resolve and same character and discipline.”
On facing a strong attack from the Galaxy…
“It’s making sure we have a disciplined structure. We’re a difficult team when we have our back four intact and we’re all on the same page and we know what we’re doing. When things go a little array, that’s when we become a little susceptible. It’s the little plays, the set pieces, the corners, the stoppages, where we have to make sure we’re not switching off because all it takes against a quality attack and a player of Chicharito’s status and the other attacking players that they have, is one moment. We know that each moment can really define the game, especially in a decision day battle. It’s going to be a game of moments and we have to make sure we’re ready.”
On if he expects the team to adjust tactically to the LA Galaxy…
“No, not at all.”
On if he expects the Galaxy to adjust…
“I think that they’re going to push numbers forward. They know at they have to win. We want to win, we obviously do and because that’s our fate, we can control our own fate if we win the game. We’re going to play how we always have and that’s being dangerous on the counter-attack and disciplined. When we’ve gone away and have had success it’s been, we’ve had a strong defensive unit and really defend with all 11 players and then found ways to score on counter-attacking goals. Galaxy…I’m assuming it’s going to start off quick, settle in but eventually they’re going to have to throw more numbers forward because they need to win the game.”
On playing in a game of high intensity…
“I love it. I’ve played many big games there [Dignity Health Sports Park] with LAFC and so I know how rowdy that crowd can get. I know how quickly things can change too. No lead is safe there, especially when they are capable of pulling out magical plays in front of their home crowd. But at the end of the day, it’s a 90-minute game and there’s no need to add more pressure to it and pressure is really just something we as athletes build in our head. It’s really just the same game and you have to treat it that way.”
On how Minnesota can beat the Galaxy on Sunday…
“Discipline. Discipline and fight and resolve and sticking to what we’re good at. When we play as individuals, that’s when we are susceptible, when you try to do too much, that’s when things can kind of go away. But, if we play as a unit, we’re one of the hardest teams to beat.”
Midfielder Franco Fragapane
On getting the win over Kansas City on Sunday…
[SPA] “Fue una victoria muy importante para nosotros. Sabíamos que teníamos que ganar. Creo que lo hicimos muy bien y nos merecemos estar peleando el Playoffs. Pero bueno, ahora tenemos una final el fin de semana y también tenemos que salir como salimos con Kansas.”
[ENG] “It was an important victory for us. We knew we had to win. I think we did a good job and we deserve to be fighting for the Playoffs. But anyways, now we have a final this weekend and we have to go out like we did against Kansas.”
On the goal he scored against Kansas City…
[SPA] “Fue un centro de Rey [Emanuel Reynoso]. Me aparece que la agarra Robin [Lod], le pega al arco y justo mete la pierna el defensor y me quedo ahí y no dude y le pegue. Por suerte pudo entrar.”
[ENG] “It was a centered pass from Rey [Emanuel Reynoso]. I think Robin [Lod] got the ball, he shot it towards the goal and just in time, the defender puts his leg in and the ball came my way and I didn’t hesitate and shot it. Luckily it went in.”
On the vibe of the group after the big win heading into an important game on Decision Day…
[SPA] “El grupo esta muy bien. Estamos todos juntos, todos unidos. Sabemos que en Los Ángeles tenemos que salir a ganar. Es un partido muy importante, pero bueno. Queda esta semana para trabajar el partido y para prepararnos para llegar a la mejor forma.”
[ENG] “The group is really good. We’re together, we’re united. We know that in Los Angeles we have to come out to win. It’s a really important game, but well. This week remains to work on the game and prepare ourselves to reach the best form.”
On what he’s seen out of LA Galaxy this season…
[SPA] “Es un equipo bueno, un equipo grande. La verdad que tienen jugadores muy importantes, pero yo creo que nosotros tenemos mejor equipo y sabemos que podemos ganar.”
[ENG] “It’s a good team, a big team. Honestly, they have a lot of very important players, but I think we have a better team, and we know we can win.”
On playing in a game of big importance this Sunday…
[SPA] “Estoy muy tranquilo. Es un partido lindo, que todos quieren jugar. Pero bueno, vamos partidos a partido. La verdad que va a hacer un partido muy bueno y muy lindo para jugar y para ver.”
[ENG] “I’m really calm. It’s a beautiful game that everyone wants to play. But well, we’re going game by game. Truth is, it’s going to be a good match, a beautiful match to play in and watch.”
On how he wins his personal battles against the Galaxy…
[SPA] “Creo que con el equipo que tenemos, tenemos muy buen equipo, la verdad que somos todos buenos. Es un partido…. una final y vamos a salir como tal partido porque necesitamos ganar.”
[ENG] “I think with the team we have, we have a really good team, truth be told, we’re all good. It’s a game… a final and we’re going to go out as such game because we have to win.”
