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NEW YORK RED BULLS MEDIA CONFERENCE

October 1, 2016

Jesse Marsch

Harrison, New Jersey

NY Red Bulls - 3, Philadelphia - 2

Q. How gratifying is it to see your team fight back like that?
JESSE MARSCH: Yeah, first, I think Philly's a good team. They came in here, they played hard. They made it hard on us, kept coming at us. I thought overall it was a really good game. A good game for the league and a good game to watch, and a good game to be a part of.

For us, I think to get smacked in the mouth twice, right? I mean, to go down and then even when it seemed under control at 2-1, and for them to deliver another punch and for us to get stronger, right? I think we got stronger as the game went on, we got better. We were more committed, more focused, more concentrated, and then it leads to us eventually getting the win.

So I told them after the game that for two years we've talked so much about getting better when things got tougher. And I think watching that tonight, I was really impressed with our group. I was really impressed with their commitment, with their sharpness, with their competitive will, with their heart and character, so much in there that we've been trying to be about for two years. So I think this group's coming together in a good way.

Q. Jesse, congratulations again. It seems like every time we turn around you have the lead for at least a half hour, we'll see what happens in the end of game. But do you recall during your coaching days or playing days literally every time there is a playing date, a new team takes the lead in the division or conference?
JESSE MARSCH: It's hard to recall all the years of different battles. When I was at Chivas, we always had really good battles with Houston. When I was with Chicago, we had battles with Columbus and with Dallas, sometimes with New York. So, you know, I mean, I think when I watched last night's game, I see a New York team that's very good and very committed and organized. I like that.

Obviously, we're all rooting for Houston to get points so that we can set ourselves up. But I think that team is doing well, and it's driven us. It has driven us in so many different ways. The bad start, the giving up leads, to being tested by other teams doing well. It has made us hungry, and it has made us drive to do better, to get better, to be the best.

So that's where we're at right now, and we're going to stay focused on that, and we're going to stay focused on ourselves. But I think we're being pushed by a lot of different things right now, and our group is responding.

Q. Just when the match started, first 13 games coming in as a coach you're just kind of wondering when the team's going to maybe lay an egg or start to have a bad match. The way this game started, was there any worry in the first 10, 15? Did they look flat, did they look energized? Did you see that in the beginning?
JESSE MARSCH: No, in that moment, it was like, all right, come on, let's go. Let's see what we're made of. That's where we're at with this group. I believe in them. I trust them implicitly. I just believe in these guys right now. So for me as a coach, it's just trying to feed them the right information. Get them as regenerated and healthy and focused for the next match. Come up with clear game plans and let them do what they're doing.

So that's what's been the key, I think. You guys have heard me say this many times, but the more they take over, the better we are. It's my job now to figure out how to reinforce things but also how to let them continue to take this. This is their team, and that's my job right now.

Q. Talk about Dax tonight, goal and two assists. We know normally he's there to help stop the attack from the opposition. But when he goes out and plays offensively, how important is that as well from him to get at least that production going?
JESSE MARSCH: Well, I said when we were giving up the two-goal leads, I thought that Dax would be a very important element, because his experience, his savviness in the middle of the field, his understanding of what games are like, his understanding of what each moment of the game requires is one of the highest levels of any player in that position in the league and potentially any player in the league.

So, listen, I want to also talk about Sean Davis and what he's meant to this team and how he's helped us get to this point of where we are. But when you have a player like Dax who is our captain, our leader, our experienced guy on the field, our lynchpin, our anchor, right? He's incredibly important, and he's going to be the piece that helps us ultimately get over the hump and find a way to really push to go after the championship.

Q. How do you compare Brad's form, not just this year but since he's been with the club to anything that you've seen as a coach or a player?
JESSE MARSCH: Well, what a great goal. I mean, talk about a confident take. I mean, he just ran after that. I have the perfect angle for it, and I'm thinking to myself, just nice and easy (laughing). I mean, he absolutely buries it. So, I mean, his form, his confidence, and I'll say, so much of it stems from his leadership. He's stepped up his leadership in such a big way. The times he chooses to speak, the things he says, the commitment he has to this group, I mean, has led us. It's led us in so many ways.

It's obviously led to him having clarity on the field and confidence. So he could have had another, but he's been fantastic.

Q. There is no surprise over the consternation about how you guys have finished off games when you've had the lead. Tonight it seemed your team put a premium on getting the ball deep and really professionally seeing the game out, passing the ball around and killing the game off. Was that a message to your guys over the last few weeks?
JESSE MARSCH: Yeah, showing maturity in that moment. Not being panicked. Committing to still play, committing to find the next goal, knowing how to kill the game by possession, and by how to handle throw-ins, goal-kicks, all of it. Just game management. And obviously I thought tonight that that was done at a very high level.

And the only thing in there is maybe we gave a few too many free kicks at the end, which allowed them to put balls in the box. I'm not sure that all of them are free kicks. But we've got to know that those can provide shaky moments, and if we can stand guys up, that we'll have a better chance of handling it at the end of the game.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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