D.C. United head coach Ben Olsen
On the decision to rest players…
“There’s a lot of thought that goes into it and knowing where our players are at inside the locker room, knowing the physical state our players are in. We were playing the percentages a little bit, considering that Montreal had to go away on turf as well...we want to be the fresher team. All in all, I would have to say it worked out and I’m extremely proud of them on how they went about this game. It wasn’t going to be perfect and we knew there were going to be mishaps in communication and rhythm. But we're a gutsy team and a team with a belief and I never felt that we were out of the game. It’s unlucky that we gave up the fourth goal and if we didn’t give that one up on a deflection, we had a chance to get a tie. In some ways I set them up to fail tonight...but they showed that they were a gusty group of individuals.
On what players impressed him tonight…
“Players like Julian Büscher had a very good night. [Álvaro] Saborío came in and did very well. I thought Kennedy put in a good shift. These were good minutes for Jalen [Robinson] and Kofi [Opare] and some for Rob [Vincent]. Luke Mishu played his way into the game and Collin Martin started in his first game all year so these are vital minutes for them all. So again, all in all, we're disappointed with the loss, but it was a good night in some areas. I think they can separate that quickly and understand that there is a very important game back at home this week.”
D.C. United midfielder Julian Buscher
On tonight’s game...
“The first half we did pretty well, but they already put two on the score sheet by then so it was tough coming from behind. I think we still did a decent job afterwards and did our best. ”
On playoffs
“We’re happier with a win always, for the guys it feels better. But now we are done with this game and go forward to the playoffs and that’s all that matters.”
D.C. United midfielder Rob Vincent
On tonight’s game...
“Obviously we’re disappointed we haven’t come out with any points. I think what we do now is turn our attention to the playoff game midweek.”
On playoffs...
“We’re confident. Obviously take today’s result out of it and we’re still in a good run of form. I think the boys are feeling confident that we can make a real push.”
Orlando City SC head coach Jason Kreis
On tonight’s match...
“[I’m] obviously very, very pleased with the performance. [It’s] not easy to do as players to, sort of, not have an objective in front of you with the opportunity to make playoffs for two games in a row now. So the motivation now comes from within. Self motivation, self pride, respect, doing thing for fans, doing things for ourselves, without the ability to make playoffs. So I think the challenge that was put in front of the players for the last two matches they took on with full bore, embraced it and gave us everything that they could. So I am really pleased with that. My message to the team is that when they do that, when they are fully committed, when there is no sense of complacency within the group, they can be very good. But we are still not a team that can handle any sense of complacency. As you saw in the game today, we got to 2-0 and there was a little bit sense of complacency, then we got to 3-1 and there was a little sense of complacency. So that is happening in the games we cannot have complacency, and it is going to happen during the offseason. There is nobody that will be coming back next season that can have any sense of complacency.”
On comments to the players and what stood out...
“What I said to the players in the room just now, and I think is really important for them to know and for everybody to know but from my point of view, the players deserve thanks for what they give because it is not an easy thing to train the way they have trained since I have been here. To be giving what they give, to make the sacrifices that they make for the club and the community and the fans and for the staff. So I just wanted to let them know that I was very appreciative for what they have done and what they have given over the short time that we have been together. It means something to me and I will always remember it. Then, in particular about tonight's match, I think what I really liked is that I believe for the first time since I have been here there was a sense of urgency about how we approached the first 15-20 minutes of the game. I think that is something that needs to become a trademark of Orlando City Soccer.”
On if the players were auditioning...
“I don’t know about that. I think those are better questions for the players. Clearly if the players don’t believe that every time they step on the pitch they aren’t auditioning then they are getting the wrong message. Every time they train, every time they are around the locker room, every time they are in the meal room, and every time they are certainly playing in matches they are auditioning for their contributions in the weeks, months, years to come.”
On his mark at Orlando City...
“I would say that I haven’t made any mark yet, and I am certainly hopeful that I can. I have fallen in love this community, with this club very, very quickly, and I will be more than willing to do anything necessary to help this club move forward next year.”
On first objective this offseason as head coach...
“The first thing to do is to sit down with the individual players and to review with them what we thought about the year and get their feedback as well as to how they see things and how they feel about how we work. We’re always constantly looking to improve, we’re constantly looking for feedback from the players. We respect these guys a ton and we want to create an environment in which it’s easy to be successful and so we’ll have those meetings a week from now, or 10 days from now and then we go to work, and there’s a lot of work to be done, because as we know, we can feel very good about the last two matches’ results and about the last four matches performances but we’re short, we’ve come up short. We didn’t make the playoffs and so we need to improve. We need to figure out as quickly as we can where those areas are, identify them, and go find the players to fill them.”
Orlando City SC captain and midfielder Kaká
On the team's motivation for winning the last home game...
“I think everybody had the right mentality for this game and to show to our supporters how important this game was, to show them to be confident for the next season. So this game was very important. I think we are just one point from playoffs, which is good and bad, but I’d say that we finished in a good way.”
On what supporters should expect next season...
“That we make the playoffs. I think this is what they expect and also for us it will be a very good year with a lot of motivations, with a new stadium, so we, all of us, we are waiting for a great next year.”
On scoring in the first and last games at Camping World Stadium...
“Oh yeah, but it’s different because the first game for MLS is unique. I know that’s the last game for this stadium but I still think that my history of this club will be forward, so it’s just finishing one chapter of this phase.”
(Spanish) On season recap and going into next season...
“My thought is that we’ve done the same as last season, good things, bad things. We’ve had a lot of injuries this season. We want to have a different season next year.”
On Carlos Rivas...
“Yeah I saw that the last games that Carlos played - he has played very, very good and he showed us that he wants to stay here and that he can be a very important player for Orlando City. Now he needs to understand that he can’t do this just for a period of this year. We need him for the whole season, and I hope this period now, offseason, he can be ready for the next season because he is an important player and he can help us next year a lot.”
Orlando City midfielder Cristian Higuita
On last game...
“I think we started the game off great. It’s a shame that we didn’t make the playoffs, but it was important to make all of the fans happy in the stands. At this point, we are just going to look to next year.”
On his conversation with Jason Kreis...
“Coach had a really great conversation with me. He said that he really thinks I’m going to be looking at getting more minutes. I think I go out and I play and I train, and I think he sees that. I’m really looking forward to being able to step in next year.”
On the team...
“I think we have a really good team here but, I think we need to change our mentality. I think everyone needs to care whether we win or lose and that’s what sets us apart.”
