Sporting Kansas City Head Coach Raphael Wicky
Thoughts on the win…
I have to say, it feels good to sit here after a win. It's been too long to wait for this, but I'm very proud of the reaction of the team. I think the results we are coming off of, or at least the last one, it's not easy to react like that. I'm very proud of the reaction, the way the team competed today and how they put a great performance on the field. With the great performance, obviously came a good result, an amazing result.
On the teams reaction in the short week…
I would be lying to you if I was sitting here and said I expected exactly that. I hoped that, because I've been a player myself, I've been in these shoes, I've lost 6-0 as a player. Of course you want to show a reaction right after that, but I would be lying to you guys if I said I was expecting that. You never really know before the game, but I'm really proud of them.
On the tactical switch from the Portland game…
The game plan against Portland was not to sit, and not at all step out. That wasn't the game plan, that was just something that happened. Something was missing, then their first shot went in, and then the courage was not there. So, we spoke and I said, no, we don't need to chase every single ball and press every single ball high, but we want to put pressure on the opposing team. Creating and having that mindset, and I don't think it has to do with the system you play, but, we want to go after them, but in the right moments. But, from the beginning, we want to step forward and not step backwards. The other thing was a technical choice. To play Taylor (Calheira), who every time he came in, I think he added something to our team. I think he deserved this game, and I think he did a good job. I'm also happy about the reaction of Manu (Garcia) coming in and working and playing some good attacking balls.
On playing two strikers…
It’s their strengths to go in behind teams, and to go in one-on-one. So, our plan was to stretch, and to play. To stretch the team, to go in behind them. Again, with having a second striker there, I think it helped as well. If one drops, the other one can also attack the space. So, I think that worked well. When you have these guys on the field with pace, and you can find them, then quite often, it is dangerous. In transition as well. If you have speed when you play, when you win a ball, and you have fast transition, that helps.
On getting Zorhan Bassong back…
I'm very happy to have Zo (Zorhan Bassong) back. Hopefully he stays healthy. Zo is a very important piece for us in multiple positions, his personality, his energy, his physicality. It was not nice not to have him all season. We had him for a half an hour in Salt Lake. So, I'm happy that he is back. Hopefully he stays healthy. He can help us again Saturday, and then again in 10 days. But, again, we have to be careful with him with these short turnovers. He’s had a lot of injuries, but I’m very happy with his performance. I think he helped us a lot. Also, Jacob Bartlett came in as well, and did a great job replacing him with a great energy, and I think that's what we need. We need the guys who don't start to finish the job, and they did a good job today.
On getting two wins over the LA Galaxy this season…
I cannot say it has anything to do with the Galaxy. I honestly think that is random. I think our performance today was good, our mental state was really good, the way we started the game was good, the energy was good. That's how we want to start these games, and how we want to go into these games. I'm just happy the way the team reacted.
On the performances of Capita and Taylor Calheira…
I'm happy with their performance. I think for Capita, it was very important to get this goal. Coming in after games, in a new team, doesn't know the people, we are not in a great stretch, it wasn't easy for him. That goal was very important for him. To his health, I don't know, I have no updates, I hope it's nothing serious. I didn't want to take a risk in the second half, because again, we have a game in three days, and another one in 10 days. Calvin, I think, has had chances in many games this season at home and away. He creates these chances, and I'm happy for him as well, that he got his first goal. I hope he can keep producing, because we need, we need more players than Deki (Dejan Jovelic) to be dangerous and to get assists and to score goals.
On the mentality about not conceding early…
There was not a specific comment before the game, hey, let's not concede early. It’s just the way we want to play, the way we want to go out there with the energy we want. The team set the tone from the beginning, tried to press them, but also tried to play, and found good moments. When you start well, when you have a good action, maybe you win your first duel, for an attacker, maybe you shield your first ball, you get a foul out, that gives you confidence. When the team defends together and feels, hey, we can steal some balls, we are aggressive, that gives you the confidence. With that, I believe, as well, that you play better. It's the complete opposite of what we had four days ago in Portland, where we went out there, we were not stepping up, and then the first shot goes in. We couldn't react in that game. Against Seattle it happened the same way. There wasn't a specific comment from me, it's just that we wanted to go out there with energy.
On the team’s ability to control the game…
Every game has a story. Every game is not going to be like that. We started really well and then there was a spell where we weren't bad, but they took a little bit the upper hand, and we fought through that spell. We didn't concede, they didn't have big chances, they had a few corners. But the team stayed locked in, the team stayed focused, concentrated, and I think those moments are really important for this team. That they feel, hey, we start really well, but then we don't concede, or we get through difficult moments. That's what I mean about a story. Every game has a story where you may start well, and then there is a moment where other team gets better. That's football. It's not one team for 90 minutes, always being the better team, or very rarely. For us to stay in those moments without conceding and staying as a team, as a group on the field is really important.
On the team not having any lack of concentration tonight…
That’s with any player, young or not young, experienced, not experienced. I think that's something we try to work on with them. You can work on this on the field, but it's also off the field. You have to work on that. We’re always talking to them, and again, like I mentioned a few times, a lot of things are in between our ears. It’s just really important that we keep working. That the players keep working on themselves to stay concentrated and focused for as long as they can, because that has been a problem in our team.
Sporting Kansas City Midfielder Zorhan Bassong
On getting back on the field…
First of all, I want to say I'm super happy to be back on the field with the guys, especially here at home in the Blue Hell. And of course, we got the win. What a way to just come back on the field and help the guys, you know, I feel like everybody was super motivated. Everybody was on task. We got a big speech from Roger (Espinoza) at the beginning of the game. This really hyped us. But now we just want to keep going. We have to keep showing that this is what we're able to do. I think if we play like this every game, we can do something really interesting.
On Roger Espinoza’s speech…
He said something about how 15 years ago; this team had the same struggles. Not winning and everything, but they were able to change everything. Nobody believed in them, but they believed in themselves. At some point you have to stop listening to what's outside, and you have to do the job on the inside and keep your energy. We're the only one who can actually change our destiny. That was the message, and I think it worked.
On what Roger’s message meant to the team…
It means that anything is possible. Especially in this league, everything can go super fast. You can be at the bottom, but suddenly you can be on top. Now we have two more games before the break, and just winning two games can actually change a lot in the rankings. We have to go game by game and focus on the task. If we keep believing in ourselves, if we keep showing up the way we did today, then we can be doing something really good for the team.
On if he feels like an emotional leader now…
I feel it a little bit. I feel like, I've been on this team for three years now. It sounds crazy, but I'm one of the oldest guys on the team now, so. I feel like some of the guys here need some type of guidance a little bit. I feel like the guys are kind of listening to me and that I gained that respect, and I'm really happy about that. I'm trying to put a lot of energy and a lot of emotion, the best way that I can. When the guys see this, they're getting hyped a little bit, and all of them, they just want to tackle everybody they see. They want to make the last step. You know, we want to run, we want to go forward. This is the kind of energy we need on the field.
On the team’s mindset going forward…
Of course we're happy about the result right now, but now we just have to focus on the next one. We’re happy. Now we can celebrate. We can go be with our families, but tomorrow we're going to go back in the facility, we're going to work on the next game plan for Austin. We just have to keep showing up, keep showing up and just bring a lot of energy. Sometimes we think it's tactics and tactics and all that, but most of it has to come from the mindset, and the mentality that we're going to show every game.
On the gameplan against the Galaxy…
We knew that this is a team that doesn’t like to defend for a long time. We have to play on that, so every time we have an opportunity to step forward, that's what we have to do. We needed to keep doing that, especially after we scored a goal. Keep stepping and stepping and stepping. That is how we dictated the momentum. This is how we set the tempo. That was the plan and that’s how we scored our first goal. Lasse (Berg Johnsen) stepped and then he played Calvin (Harris) in deep, and then boom, Capita scored. After that, we got an opportunity to score again because we kept pressing high. That’s what dictated the momentum. That’s what we have to do.
On the team’s postgame celebration…
Just, you know, water going everywhere. Water going everywhere. People dancing a little bit. You know, my boy Stephen (Afrifa) right here got some dance moves. We're just happy. We’re happy again. This is the first home win of the season so the emotions are high, and everybody's super proud and happy.
