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MLS PLAYOFFS MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 23, 2016

New York, New York

THE MODERATOR: To Seattle Sounders head coach Brian Schmetzer, and middle fielder Christian Roldan. We are going to begin this session with a few comments from our participants from the Sounders, followed by a Q & A session. After our Q & A session from the Sounders, our participants from the Rapids will join us, and we'll repeat the same process. I'd love to start with head coach Brian Schmetzer. Brief comments on the game last night and what you're looking forward to as you head into leg two on Sunday?

BRIAN SCHMETZER: Lauren, we want to thank you for being so nice and friendly to us. Thank you for having us on the call. How about that to start?

THE MODERATOR: Thanks, Brian.

BRIAN SCHMETZER: Okay. Obviously, from our side of things we were happy with the win. You know, it's the playoffs, and you have to win games to go through. So starting the series with a win is very important. I was very happy with the resolve of the team because going down 1-0 certainly wasn't in the plan.

But give credit to Colorado. They came out and got a goal, and then my team was able to respond and score two goals to put us in charge of the second leg.

What I felt wasn't maybe as good as we wanted to be, I think the layoff was good and bad for us. I think the layoff was bad for us in the sense that I thought we were a little rusty. I think some of our touches were a little off. Some of our passing was a little bit off. So I think that had a little bit to do with the fluidity of our play, though we did end up with 53% possession, and we created eight good chances, 15 shots on goal.

So I think in the end it was good. We had 22 open play crosses, but I think our overall play could have been a little bit better. But you balance that out with that two-week break, the 16-day break, and it was able for us to get Jordan healthy, Andreas Ivanschitz had a few minutes last night. Brad Evans has been fighting through some injuries, so that little additional break was good in some instances as well.

Moving forward, looking ahead to the match in Denver, I think we're just excited. I think our team has been a pretty good road team. Since we've taken over, we've scored in every single away match that we've played. And I think that it's going to be a good match.

This is the MLS playoffs. I know Pablo's a very good coach. I'm sure he's going to watch the film. He's going to make adjustments. He's going to make tweaks. We're going to do the same thing. So I think from a fan perspective, I think the atmosphere in the game here in Seattle was a good game, a good soccer match, and I'm sure in Denver it will be a good match as well.

THE MODERATOR: Cristian, your initial thoughts of the game last night and looking ahead to the second leg?

CRISTIAN ROLDAN: Yeah, I thought we had bits and pieces or spots in the game where we controlled possession, and we were dangerous going forward. But give credit to Colorado for coming out and not packing it in with 10 players behind the ball. From the very beginning we felt they were trying to pressure us from playing out of the back, and it worked for some ties for sure, but other ties we were able to play through.

And they took care of their one chance. It was an unfortunate deflection, but our team responded very, very well, and I think we had numerous chances to maybe even put the third goal in.

You know, I think it's going to be a very difficult game in Colorado. They're very good at home. But we're a pretty good road team, and hopefully we can bring the same amount of energy and commitment from the group on the road.

So it should be an interesting game. We have two really good teams that are here for a reason, and hopefully we come out on top.

Q. Brian, obviously you were a head coach in a previous incarnation of the Sounders for quite a while, and then served under Ziggy for a long stretch as well. To what extent did you doubt if you'd get another chance to be a head coach again? Did you ever wonder if that was going to happen for you?
BRIAN SCHMETZER: Well, I hoped I would get another shot at it. I suppose I can answer it that way. Obviously, we don't have crystal balls and we can't predict our futures, but I always hoped I would get another shot at becoming a head coach. I think if you look at it, I had an interview in Montreal and in Dallas, Seattle was always a job that I coveted the most. It's my hometown, long history here. So the way things worked out, I'm very pleased.

Q. Brian, everybody talks every year about the away goals rule in the playoffs, and given all of the drama that we've seen this year in particular, I wonder what you make of it at this point?
BRIAN SCHMETZER: Well, I mean, for some people it's a good rule, for others, it's not. I don't mind it. I mean, we were the beneficiaries a couple years ago against Dallas when Ozzy scored a road goal. We had been on the wrong side of the score line as far as road goals with L.A. in 2014.

I think it's just part of the rules, and teams and coaches, and we have to deal with the rules. I let the fans be the one to chatter about whether it's a good rule or a bad rule, and we just deal the hand we're dealt.

Q. Cristian, I'm curious, as a player, what is the single greatest challenge about having short turnaround times between matches? Would you say that it's easier or more difficult when you're playing the same team after a quick turnaround?
CRISTIAN ROLDAN: I think the most difficult part is getting our bodies right after a game. There are nicks and bruises that happen in every game, and I think the rest period is definitely the hardest part. But it's the playoffs at this point, and I don't think anybody really cares about that. We just want to play.

So the short turnaround in turn is also a good thing, because we get to play another game very, very shortly in a short span of time. So we're able to prepare very quickly and get back on the field. As players, we just want to play. So this short turnaround is good in a sense, for sure, and especially if you don't get the result that you wanted, if you're losing, you want to see the field as soon as possible. So for us, we just want to get healthy and look forward to the game in Colorado.

Q. I had a question about health. Wondering about the status of Brad Evans, Andreas Ivanschitz, Jordan Morris, how did they come out of the match? Are there any concerns with the quick turnaround?
BRIAN SCHMETZER: No, there is no concern about any of the players. They all made it through okay. We were happy to get seven minutes from Jordan. Obviously the team has been on a decent run of form, so Andreas coming back in and Brad coming back in, I have the luxury of bringing them back in a little slowly. So getting them their first taste of minutes was a good thing. And the short turnaround, like Cristian said, yeah, they've got some knocks and bruises, but nothing that would prevent them from being eligible to play.

Q. Both teams played 4-2-3-1, if I'm right against last night. What is the different on the defense between the Seattle formation and the Colorado formation? What is the difference between the 4-2-3-1 from Seattle, to the 4-3-2-1 from Pablo?
BRIAN SCHMETZER: Well, I think they're pretty similar. The only difference is just based on personalities of the players who are playing in each system. So if I have young Cristian here in front of me, so if I'm looking at Ozzy, Cristian and Friberg, that's different than Jones, Doyle, and Cronin, just based on the personalities of the players between the two franchises.

So I think the tactical demands of each position, the coach's expectations of each position, I think those are pretty similar. I mean, Marc Burch and Eric Miller, those guys like to go forward. We'd like to have Joevin Jones and Tyrone Mears go forward. They have a number nine in Badji who is a guy that can stretch the field a little bit.

Nelson Valdez does a really good job of being a back-to-goal type of number nine. So, again, just subtle differences in personality of the players, but the formations are very similar.

Q. Cristian, it seems like over the course of the season you've been handed more and more responsibility. What has that process been like for you? What have some of the ups been and some of the downs? What's that overall experience been like?
CRISTIAN ROLDAN: Well, at the beginning of the season I didn't feel like the game was slow. I think towards the second part of the season it slowed down for me, and I was able to pick up my head after my first touch and feel less pressure on the ball. I think the first part was definitely a low when we were losing. I don't think that we were playing very confidently.

But now I think with the confidence of Brian Schmetzer and the rest of the team that has on me, and being alongside great players like Ozzy and Nico, those guys give me confidence, and they're able to let me play very freely.

Obviously, there are times where you get yelled at but that's part of the game. That's part of being a part of a good team that wants to win. So I give praise to Schmetzer and the rest of the guys for helping me get through this season on a positive note.

Q. What are your thoughts about the altitude heading into Colorado? I mean, Colorado loves to play it up. I know Coach Schmetzer said it's a mental thing. What are your thoughts?
CRISTIAN ROLDAN: Yeah, I think it's a playoff game, so I think there's more at stake than altitude. People aren't thinking about that when they're on the field. So for us, we're going to just go over there and play our game. Obviously, there's altitude involved, but there is more at stake and people realize it's the same game we've been playing all year. So I don't see the big discussion.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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MLS PLAYOFFS MEDIA CONFERENCE

November 23, 2016

Brian Schmetzer

Cristian Roldan