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NEW YORK RED BULLS MEDIA CONFERENCE

April 24, 2016

Jesse Marsch

Harrison, New Jersey

NY Red Bulls - 3, Orlando City - 2

Q. Jesse, throughout this lull you've been really preaching staying confident and maintaining the chances that you've created would usually yield. After that first half did you maybe start to think it's never going to happen considering how many chances you put out there?
JESSE MARSCH: Actually, what I told the team at halftime is that it was a similar halftime speech that we've had lately. Don't give the second goal away. It's coming, it's coming, it's coming. And actually, I believed it more at this halftime than ever because it was just impossible for us to continue to create such quality chances and for the ball not to go in.

So on that note, I think it was Bradley's best game of the year, Sacha's best game of the year, Mike's best game of the year, and Lloyd's best game of the year. Right? So they really dictated how we did things in the attacking part of the field, and they were dangerous all night, and they all contributed to the goals. So that was really good to see.

Q. Adrian Heath was saying about officiating, and what was your take on the controversial non-call? Do you think the standard officiating has been a real problem lately?
JESSE MARSCH: I can't comment on it, unfortunately. That's just the way that this works is that I have to be respectful. Not sure what to say about that play. Could have certainly, you could have seen it gone as a red card, but it didn't, and fortunately for us that's a moment where it's good for us and we catch a break which I feel like we haven't caught a lot of. So, yeah, that's all I really have to say about that.

Q. Jesse, what sparked the difference in plays? As you said, the four veterans on the club, leaders in the club, and probably the best games, what sparked that? Also, was there a point after seeing all these opportunities missed early on, that you started thinking perhaps this was a jinx or a curse in some way?
JESSE MARSCH: Yeah, I mean, listen when you're part of this game for a long time, you see certain moments that I try to be true to what I'm looking at, right? And try to remove opinion and try to remove self interests, and now just try to identify exactly what we're looking at and how to make things better and move forward. When I've been looking at things it's not like I look at a bunch of attacking players that have lost their way or have lost their work ethic or desire or commitment or anything, which then leads me to believe that people believe in luck, destiny and fate and all these different things. But for me I believe in what's real and what I know is real is those four guys are real, and they're dangerous, and I see it every day, and they're quality guys, they're quality players, and I knew that they're going to be dangerous players in this league and get us goals.

So did it take reminders at times for all of us? Yeah. But that's normal when you go through stretches like this. It's just that you continue to do the things that we all value and we're going to come out on the other end in a good way.

Q. Jesse, first, about Bradley, obviously he finally gets two goals tonight. You told us at training on Friday that he said to you once he bags one he's going to start milking it and he did. What did you do at halftime to remind him of that or at least to tell him keep going and you'll finally get a couple tonight?
JESSE MARSCH: Really, all I said to them all was don't look at me like here we go again. Look at me like we've got this, no problem, let's keep going. And I think trying to reassure them that we were in a good place. With Brad, I believe in that guy. You know, I told him I believed in him. I'll continue to believe in him. He will score goals and that's that.

Q. Secondly, the supporters started singing Twist and Shout before you even leveled the game, they started singing twist and shout before you even leveled it. Do you feel that maybe there was an assist from the South Ward to help out the players mentally because they started singing? Because usually they sing that song after you guys score.
JESSE MARSCH: Yeah, well, what I heard when is guys came in, the assistants came in and said during warm-ups that the South Ward was packed, and they were cheering them on basically at shooting practice in warm-up. Basically saying, come on, we've got your back. Put it in the net, put it in the net, put it in the net.

So the only reminder I made to them before they went out on the field tonight was go out there and show how much you love this club, how much you love these fans and how much you love playing with each other, and I wanted them to have fun and go after it in a really brave but fun way and get back to the team that we know we can be, and they did.

Q. With the three goals you scored tonight, I've got to ask, was there anything different in the manner which the goals were scored that has been different to the way you guys have been trying to set up opportunities to score? And also, do those three goals, after all the questions you've been taking about all the possession and all the chances and that haven't translated to goals, does it kind of have a cathartic feeling that you and your team can kind of build off of?
JESSE MARSCH: Yes, for sure. We want to use it as a springboard to move us forward in the rest of the season, right? Like this can be a really big night for us. But there is a quick turnaround on Friday, and a really good team is coming to town.

So I think it's a really good time for the team to enjoy these three points and certainly the attacking prowess of the night. Then once we get to tomorrow, it's back to work and continue to push every day, and now we need to use Friday in a really good way to help us to continue to move forward.

Q. How big a result do you think this is for you? The fact that you encountered the same problems much of the game, but came through it strongly in the second half? Do you think it could be a turning point?
JESSE MARSCH: Yes, I think it could be a turning point. I gave, on TV I gave a similar message to what I've been giving at halftime, and I gave one to the team which is don't go down the second goal. Stay after the game. The goals are coming and once the first one comes, the second and third are coming. They proved me right this time. So that's the important part.

Still in these moments where it can seem like we're not getting brake breaks, you've got to find your way to make your own breaks and capitalize on moments, and we were able to do that tonight.

Q. (Indiscernible) seemed like before today (Indiscernible) did you get that sense? Did you see this coming in training? You said you did not stop believing in them. Is this the first time you've kind of seen them at that same level?
JESSE MARSCH: We made reminders to the attacking players to be on the run, to be on the move, and not just want balls to feed. I think they all did that tonight. Sacha tilted the bar a really good way tonight where he was on the move a lot, and I think that added pressure on their back line. It opened holes up and opened up gaps.

Then, again, it's just about training better, pushing harder, and then even at the end of it all, they kind of said to me after the game, you know what? Once we got the lead, we kind of, it felt like us. It felt good to be ahead and it felt like we had more confidence, and we weren't force things as much. Again, that continued to create the danger, and the confidence, and the poise around the goal. So we need to use this in all the right ways to make us a good team.

Q. How good does it feel to see them at that level again, especially Lloyd up against Brek Shea? Not an easy match-up.
JESSE MARSCH: Yeah, listen, like I had the FOX TV crew come and say yesterday at training do you think you just overachieved last year and your players had career years and they can't replicate that? And I said I hope you asked them that. I hope you asked them that. I want them to hear they're not very good. I want them to hear that last year was a fluke right. I don't think it was. I think we can be even better than last year.

But it was good to see it happen today. It was good to see it executed and good to see them with confidence and aggressiveness.

Q. Considering there was a lot of frustration in the first half and a lot of missed plays. Dax was yelling at Zizzo, and then you had the call, the Laryea call obviously, but Bradley seemed to think he had a penalty, Sacha seemed to think he had a penalty. How much did one feed off the other and how much did it affect the way you played?
JESSE MARSCH: Well, yeah. It's not easy when you're not sure what you're going to get from the referee perspective, right? And then continuing to maintain the focus and the attention to the task at hand is important, but at certain times you need to find a way to put pressure on the referee too, but not cross the line and have it be decent and not have a team that's a bunch of whiners.

So it does test the mentality in a lot of ways to be strong, to be real, to find ways to get your message across, if you fell like things aren't going the way they should, but then to stay ultra focused on what it takes to win the game.

Q. At any time did you think it might not go the way it goes?
JESSE MARSCH: Yeah, you've seen it enough to know that in some ways you're at the mercy of certain decisions, okay. But that's something that you have to live with. And if you spend too much time making excuses about it or bringing attention to it, then it can get in the way of what you're trying to achieve.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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