QUOTE SHEET
Chicago Fire 2:1 D.C. United
Match Recap
Chicago Fire FC Head Coach Raphael Wicky
On leading MLS in the most goals scored in the first 15 minutes…
“It's always important to come out strong. It's true that at home here, especially, we came out strong in almost every game, created chances, scored goals, it always helps, obviously. We struggled a little bit sometimes away from home to come out strong. Ideally, we would like to come out strong every game, put pressure on the team, on the (opposing) team and create, and obviously early goals always help you. In the end of today, it was a very, very tough game. I expected it, I expected it not to be very pretty, and that's why I'm very happy with the result and with the way the team fought themselves into the games and fought until the end. I think these are important games to win.”
On staying healthy during the pandemic…
“I think everyone, including me, everyone needs the reminders often, all the time, because it's human that sometimes you think, I'm hanging out with my family, I'm hanging out with my teammates and I can be a little bit careless, but that's not the case. All of us need the reminder, we're trying to do that. So far, we were very disciplined and we're lucky, but it's something you have to get used to it. We have to, it's not, 'OK, we have to do it for two more weeks, for three more weeks.' It's, right now, it's the normal life and we have to be disciplined and take this virus serious, and so far the team is good. But yeah, a reminder, almost every day, we need a reminder.”
On the significance of finding ways to grind out results…
“I mean, look, you have all seen now quite a few games from my team. I'd like to have more control over games, we usually have, we usually play a little bit more on the ground than we did today. But I think these are the games, we knew it's going to be not pretty, it's a tough opponent. Whenever a team has a coaching change, you know that they have a little bit of a boost, there is a new situation for every player, every player wants to show up and has a new opportunity. We knew it was not going to be easy. We have a lot of guys missing, so have a lot of other teams as well, that's not an excuse. But yeah, look, we have played, so often, very well and in the end, we drew or we lost games, and today it wasn't the prettiest of our games, for sure, but we got the win; and that's in the end today, the most important (thing). I think for everyone who stepped in for all the players who weren't there or didn't play (for) a long time, I think it's just important for that group. I'm proud of the group, I'm proud of the guys who stepped in who now since, some of the guys since seven months, they didn't have a game besides maybe one or two intrasquad games, and they did really, really well. So I'm happy, I'm happy for the guys.”
On the qualities of Álvaro Medrán…
"I mean, we all know the qualities of Álvaro, they're above average, they're amazing. He's an amazing midfielder and a very, very important player for our team. I'm actually very happy that Álvaro was able to put in such a performance in a game like this, which is not his game; you know his game is on the ground, short passing, finding the free men in between lines. It was tough today, but he actually fought 90 minutes and gave a great example that that's what we expect from him. I never doubt his qualities, never. I think, since I'm here, he was an important player for us. He had a tough last year with not enough games, we spoke about him in the beginning of the year, he didn't play since May 2019 until the friendly games in January, February. That's a long time with no football and we had to bring him back to a level, and we're bringing him back to a level. You see his performances, he's a very good player."
Chicago Fire Defender Boris Sekulić
On if he’s finally feeling settled in Chicago...
“It was interesting and weird. The first few months were very hard, we had lots of problems to do normal stuff, like me and Luka finding an apartment. To train after three days then they closed everything, so it was weird for us but now we are playing again. We have one more month to keep our goal and try to go to the playoffs.”
On the team’s confidence and the playoff picture…
“Yes, for sure. We have to start taking points in our away games. Last few games at home we have been playing good and won, the last three games I think. Still, we miss points from away games, now we have two days to recover and try to win against Minnesota.”
On how much the team speaks about COVID-19...
“Well, definitely. We talk about this a lot. It is very important that now we keep safe. We need all players, we have lots of games. So, for sure we need all players, it’s very important to be healthy and to be safe. As I said, we talk about this a lot. We talk about this with the doctor and with our coaches. For sure we need all players. We were lucky we didn’t have some big problems in our team and I hope it will stay like this until the end.”
On his goal and Álvaro Medrán's importance to the team…
“I think we were very dangerous on set pieces in the last couple of games. We’ve scored some goals. Today we scored two goals from set pieces, it’s a very important part of our game. We all know that Gastón, when he’s here, and Álvaro have a good cross. So, we are preparing very (well). We are doing this every week. So, for now, it’s going okay.”
Chicago Fire Forward CJ Sapong
On playing a full 90 minutes tonight…
“It was tough, can’t lie. But I really take pride in my mentality and the way that I approach the game. A lot of credit to my teammates as well. The communication was great. The intensity from the guys next to you, in front of you, and behind you was where it needed to be. It gave me the feel I needed to be able to put the shift in and I am just happy to get three points.”
On his goal and how it felt to score that early for the team…
“For me it’s a personal achievement to be able to come in, to start after I have not started for a while. That goal was, I think, just a testament to the work that I have put in. I do have a lot of things going on and soccer is my escape, my channel to happiness. Whenever you can, you know, achieve something personally but then also provide an impact for your team is always a good feeling.”
On Álvaro Medrán’s progress and his impact on the team…
“It’s hard to pinpoint individuals really, because in the midst of everything we’ve been dealing with, credit to every single person on this team for the effort that they put in every day. With protocol and schedule changes, it’s a lot to deal with. Even more credit to these guys that have come from different countries and been hit with the absurd nature of reality that they’ve had to go through to be able to play soccer. So yeah, he has done well, nothing against him but I think every single person has done well from the staff to the front office to the players.”
On his last few months, with everything he has going on…
“It’s been a whirlwind for sure, externally. But I give credit to the different practices that I have taken on throughout my career and my life. I am pretty fortunate to say that I’ve been able to stay pretty grounded through it all. I’m somebody that when trial and tribulation hits me, I kind of try to transmute that into something positive. It ends up actually providing fuel to the fire. Whether it's trying to get fit, NICU appointments in the morning, and in the day FaceTime appointments with doctors, talking to the BPC (Black Players for Change) trying to understand how we can actually initiate change as opposed to just saying words. It’s a lot but I truly do feel like it’s my duty. When you are able to put effort towards things that you are passionate about, it becomes pretty fun, honestly. It doesn’t mean it’s not hard but I think that’s what we all need to go through to be able to maximize our potential out here.”
