Minnesota United returns to TCF Bank Stadium to take on Columbus Crew SC. The match kicks off a long homestand for the Loons, and a busy month of July. Here's what they had to say before the match:
Head Coach Adrian Heath
On how the rest of the team can step up with players out:
That's the answer: They've got to step up, the people who come in. You don't have a squad of 28 players and not have one out. Eventually at some stage, everybody's going to get used. Now it's an opportunity for them guys who've been on the outside — some of them have been knocking on my door asking the question, 'Why aren't I playing?' Well, here's the opportunity. Come and show us what you can do. Play so well that the manager has a decision whether he takes you out the team when people are back. That's what we've said to the players. Opportunities come along and you have to take them.
On whether player absences even out across the league overall:
Some more than most. Obviously, some teams get more affected than most. With Brent's injury as well for us, to have two or three center backs being called up makes it a little bit difficult for us. But let's get on with it. We know what's coming. It's an opportunity for Big Joe Greenspan and one or two other people to show that they can play at this level.
On Greenspan's work and progress this season:
He started rather well and he's had the concussion since, so this is his first game back since the game against Sporting KC. He's a big, athletic kid and everybody's thought there's potential there. Now for Joe, the next stage is realizing that potential and proving to us that he deserves to be playing on a regular basis.
On any challenges to a lengthy homestand:
The challenge will be the following month when we're on the road for virtually a full month. The way our away form has been it might be an issue. But we can't look that far ahead. Next game — old cliché, I know, one game at a time — but that's all we can concentrate on. We've got an awful lot on our plate tomorrow night against Columbus but hopefully we come through, give ourselves a couple of weeks to regroup and then we'll start to prepare for the next one.
MNUFC Defender Joe Greenspan
On his time in Pittsburgh:
It was really exciting. Just for me, with my journey from being drafted, balancing my naval duties as an officer and trying to make it as a professional soccer player, it'd kind of been a pretty inconsistent couple years with the Rapids and obviously, coming here, my first full season, things didn't start off the way I would have liked. And then getting [to Pittsburgh], getting a run of games and getting my feet under me, some confidence, my first real string of games in two years. It went really well, I thought. I was able to help them, I was able to do some stuff individually for me that really helped me move forward. I'm excited to be back and get over this last concussion and then hopefully have a good opportunity on Tuesday night to show well.
On dealing with injuries this season:
It's frustrating because — knock on wood — I haven't really had to deal with a lot of setbacks over the last five, six years in college and my first years in Colorado. Concussions, especially, you can't really do a whole lot. You're just sitting around waiting until you feel better and the doctors say you can start activity again. It's been frustrating, but it's also a learning process. It's given me time to reflect on the past four or five months, including preseason and what I can do going forward to better myself and make some positive steps.
On getting the start on Tuesday:
I'm a little nervous, first MLS game of the year, but I'm incredibly excited. Every day in training I look at as a great opportunity to come out and prove my worth. Tuesday night, against a good opponent, home game, we're looking to get a good result because it's been a tough couple weeks for us. I'm very excited and I know all the guys are, too.
