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NEW YORK RED BULLS MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 24, 2016

Jesse Marsch

Harrison, New Jersey

NY Red Bulls - 1, Montreal Impact - 0

Q. If I can reiterate the question since we saw each other at training on Thursday, you had a rough start to the season. You battled back from that, and now you've clinched officially a playoff spot for the MLS Cup playoffs. How good of a feeling does it feel right now to do that?
JESSE MARSCH: Yeah, I think it took us 31 games to get to first place. It took us 31 games to solidify a spot in the playoffs. After 7 games, it was a big hole that we dug and a difficult moment for us as a group, but we've always tried to use tough moments to make us stronger, and I think that's been a hallmark of this team is that, when things get tough, they respond. They don't back down.

It would have been easy again -- it wasn't a 2-0 lead, it was a 1-0 lead, but the confidence we had on the field, the ability to just take care of the moment when they were throwing things at us, everything was under control and the group was focused, and they knew how to take care of the game.

So feel very proud of our group, but we'll say that this is only the start. So I think it's really key for us to keep pushing to get a top two seed and then set ourselves up for success come playoff time.

Q. We don't have to talk about two dropped points tonight. You guys were able to hold on. What was the key to seeing this thing out tonight?
JESSE MARSCH: Maybe 1-0 instead of 2-0. Maybe that's our recipe. Yeah, we knew Piatti got away from us a few times in the first half. We didn't do well enough with that. I think we made some adjustments at halftime to make sure that he wasn't going to be getting out on the run and causing us trouble.

We felt strongly -- the phrase I used at halftime was urgent patience. So we wanted to keep pushing the game, but not do it in a panicky way, and know that as a group it was going to come. So felt that the concentration to make sure that we didn't let the game slip was at a very high level, and we showed a lot of maturity.

Q. I know Daniel Royer will be getting a lot of attention for the goal tonight, but in terms of the high press, in terms of what he brought with the work rate, you had to be pleased with that?
JESSE MARSCH: Yeah, watching him slide around, make plays, cover ground, compete -- he's good with his feet. He's a good soccer player. He's adjusted to the way we play almost immediately, and it's been fun to watch him. I think he's made our team better. He gives us more options.

Right now I think it's hard to use all our attacking options in the way -- I feel like Gonzalo Veron's been in a really good way, and not getting him into that game, I wish we could have found a way to use him. So he'll be ready for Tuesday. But I think that, yeah, Danny's been a big addition. He's been a big addition.

Q. It looked like tonight was a physical match. Were you prepared for that? How did you prepare for it?
JESSE MARSCH: Well, we thought that they were going to make a strong emphasis on being very compact and sitting deep and going on the counter, which they did. We didn't manage certain moments in the first half, but I thought second half the game was pretty much totally under control.

And then, yeah, I mean, when you get late in the year, it's going to be combative. It's going to be physical. Teams that are desperate, that's one of the ways to try to get themselves going and into the game.

Again, we know this is part of the blueprint when you play the Red Bulls, to be physical, to try and be hard on Brad, be hard on Sacha. So that part, we weren't surprised.

Q. Drogba is a key guy for them. You guys did well against them. Collin, Aurelien did well there. What did you think of how Aurelien did today, and where would you guys be if you didn't make that trade to get him?
JESSE MARSCH: Listen, he came in at a very shaky time for our team, and he adjusted to how we play. He's loved being here. He's committed to this group in every sense. I mean, it was like the first day he stepped out on the practice pitch, it was like he'd been here the whole time. So he's been a savior in many ways.

So I think the fact that he's healthy all the time, that he's a competitor, that he understands the league, that he's committed to trying to figure out our tactics and do things the way we want to do it means that it makes us a better team. So for sure, he's been a big, big plus since he's been here.

Q. (No microphone)?
JESSE MARSCH: Yeah, I think that he's such a physical defender that, when he plays against guys like Drogba, that feeds into his strengths. So I thought that he did very well with Drogba. He won most of his battles. Drogba didn't really find the game too much.

I thought him and Damien, the way they moved and their understanding of how to play with each other was very good. So in the end, very pleased.

Q. Jesse, congratulations.
JESSE MARSCH: Thank you.

Q. The win propelled you and NYC FC into the playoffs. I know I'm getting a little ahead of myself, but let's say you two teams do meet in the playoffs. What do you think that series would be like?
JESSE MARSCH: It would be electric. It would be incredible. I played in some playoff series against the Galaxy when I was with Chivas, and the feeling of those games was incredible. You know, I want to congratulate New York City and credit their coach. I think Patrick Vieira has done a very good job with that team. So I mean, that's a big accomplishment for their club.

I think everyone in the league would be hoping that we would see each other, and if we do, that would be big. It will be big with emotion. It will be big with tactics. It will be big with competitive will on the field, and that's an exciting possibility. So right now I think the key for us is to try and get that bye and then set ourselves up for success.

Q. Now the No. 1 seed in the East is very much a possibility, how do you balance? Tuesday you go down to Guatemala with the Champions League. Are you expecting a lot of squad rotation to focus on MLS more?
JESSE MARSCH: Yeah, that was the big emphasis in the locker room, trying to congratulate them for a big accomplishment, but also to let them know that we've got another big accomplishment that we're just knocking on the door on. So we have to make sure that in all ways we enjoy this tonight but that we prepare ourselves for Tuesday, knowing that it won't be easy going down there and that we have to find a way to advance.

So it would be a big week. It would be a big week for our club if we could make the playoffs and solidify our quarterfinal in the Champions League. So that's our goal.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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