NEW YORK RED BULLS MEDIA CONFERENCE

June 18, 2021

Gerhard Struber

Press Conference

New York Red Bull 2, Nashville SC 0

GERHARD STRUBER: Hello, yeah, I think a massive win this night against a very difficult opponent. I think we played from the first, second very good in our pairings. I think we have many, many good moments against the ball. I think I can see the whole time synchronized pressing. I think I can see also, this was also today the next step to come better in our position, come better in better position moments with control. Yeah, when we change our shape a little bit, it was very fluid today and yeah, I think it was the next step. I can see the boys, they handled the situations very flexible on the ball.

Right now we can see Fabio's first goal. I think it's very important for his confidence. The result in the end give everyone a big, big self-confidence for the next big games and also I think that the performance, I think the performance today was very, very good, yeah, and it was in the end a result that we deserved with our style of play from the first second until the last second.

Q. Curious, you mentioned the fluidity of the midfield and the choice to -- just curious about the choice to put Tom Edward in the midfield, more of a fullback and he also played center back against Orlando. A new position for him today and a position where he was fairly important to the team the way it was shaped. If you could comment on that decision.

GERHARD STRUBER: Yeah, I think this is a good one with Tom Edwards. I think he can handle more positions. This is for the whole team very, very good to see that. I think, yeah, he was very important in our situation on the ball. I think he is very calm on the ball. He has a very good feeling to find spaces and he's very clean on the ball. I think this was a very good performance from him, and yeah, he showed me he's also ready in the six, he's also ready in the position of the center back and his main position, he's normally a fullback, yeah.

Yeah, in our situation, all the situations with Cristian Casseras, we miss him with the national team, we have to manage that, and yeah, every single player on the pitch showed me today we are ready, we are flexible enough to change sometimes the position and sometimes the shape in a very good way. And this was not easy to handle for Nashville.

Q. I wanted to ask you about Patryk Klimala. Seems like he's going to be a very important player on the offensive end, and also Fabio has been a really good player in this tournament, these couple of games, and he's been assisting in a lot of goals. How important do you think it's going to be for him moving forward this first goal in MLS?

GERHARD STRUBER: Yeah, I think for every striker, it's important in the end to score goals. And but I think I can see today that Patryk and Fabio, they have a good connection together. They make many, many good movements. They are -- I think it's very difficult to manage the game from Nashville. Very interesting, Patryk with his outstanding movements and with his pace what we have. I think, yeah, it's not easy to handle. And yeah, and Fabio I think today, yeah, it was very good for him, the score and this give him a big confidence for the next big games, and yeah, for the whole team I think it was a good feeling that our strikers make a very good job in the end. Also they help us with the right goals at the right time.

Q. How satisfied are you at this moment the way the team has come together since your, I would say, your being upset at the loss at the Galaxy. It looks like you have really gotten them to come together and they have started to gel well as a competitive side.

GERHARD STRUBER: Yes, I think also we can remember our whole preseason was very difficult, was from the whole COVID situation, yeah, a challenge, not only for us, also for other teams. I think for us, it's so important that with so many new players, with so many new young players from different cultures, I think it's game time very, very important, and I think right now, we make the necessary steps. But of course I think we stay in this moment also in the start points. I can see so many good topics what we realize right now, but we also have many to-dos to improve, and also today, yeah, and I think yeah, we are on the right way.

But I think I realize the whole -- the big quality from many players in my roster, and we have to bring every game a different level, a higher level, and in the end, a higher standard. And this is what I expect from my players. I think today was the next benchmark and I think right now, it's the right time, also a way to pick up points, and realize a big performance.

Q. You mentioned about Andres Reyes gelling to the team, what do you think of his performance tonight? Do you think he was more comfortable?

GERHARD STRUBER: That was a very good performance. I think he has a little bit fitness topic in the end, but I think for him, it's also not so easy. He has not so many game time the last few months. Right now we can see how important this is, his performance. He is absolutely a high potential in my roster, and yeah, this was the reason why we pick him up and he is right now a very important player in the here and now, but also for the future.

And I think, yeah, right now we can see a good performance from him. But I expect that from him. This was for me not a surprise. He have to make the necessary next steps in the next weeks, and then it's for me the necessary or the right steps when he can bring constantly good performances. Today was a good picture from him.

Q. You talked about synchronized pressing. It seemed like the build-up play was a lot out wide and it seemed like you had a good pace and tempo. You guys were playing very fast and quick and putting them under pressure. Were you pleased with those aspects of the match?

GERHARD STRUBER: Yeah, I think it's always good when we have on the ball more control and we can create better positions when we lose the ball with a better staggering and a better counter-pressing. And I think today, I think was also in the build-up a good next step. Yeah, I think we can do it better with more efficiently in the end, but I think many, many players show me in the build-up good moments, and then what is the consequence, it's easier to go and synchronize moments to press the ball and I think we have so many overloads, and also our last line shift in synchronized moments, we have the right triggers.

Yeah, it was very good to see. Yeah, but we have to bring this performance. We have to reproduce this performance on Wednesday against the next big opponent.

Q. So far you're doing quite well the games at home. On the road, it's a very different story. How do you take what you see tonight against a Nashville, against a very good side like New England, who is very tough to play. Can you elaborate on that a little bit?

GERHARD STRUBER: Yeah, I can remember the time, New England, and also I can remember the first 30 minutes when we play not in under load. And I think for us the minutes in New England was in our hands and we played very, very well. I think in every away game, my team show me very, very good moments. The problem was more that we was not constantly good over the 90 minutes away.

And I think, yeah, right now we are one step further in our process and I hope that we can realize also a way in the next games good performances. I think my team is ready, ready, also, to pick up points away. And yeah, we have to reproduce this performance also away, and this is I think the big challenge and the big motivation for everyone that we pick up points away. It was also in New England the first half very, very close on the same level. I think my team was the first 30 minutes clear like the opponent.

But next Wednesday, we have to bring that over the whole time and then I think it's also very difficult for New England against us.

Q. Since you have been with the team, you really haven't had the opportunity to enjoy the fans. How do you feel today because the fans were supporting the team and they were giving a lot of energy to the players. I think this is your very first real experience with the fans. How do you enjoy it?

GERHARD STRUBER: Yeah, I enjoy it. I think this is -- football is a sport for fans, and not only for the TV but in the stadium. Right now I can feel the energy and I can feel the atmosphere. This is not only for me but this is for everyone in the stadium, for every single player, for the coaching teams, for the whole staff, for the club, for everyone it's necessary that our fans are back and this is football what we need.

We need atmosphere, and yeah, it was a very, very good feeling. And yeah, also the fans give my players a good feeling, the right energy in some difficult moments. I think today, yeah, it was a very good connection between my players and our supporters.

Q. How happy were you with the striker partnership with Fabio and Patryk? They seemed to work well in this match so far, especially for the goal.

GERHARD STRUBER: Yes, very happy. But this is not only -- I think the goal is a big picture, and but for me, it's always important that my strikers work also very hard against the ball. This is our style of play, and I think both players are ready for many, many sprints for high intensity, and also I think in the end we need the strikers in the box and we need the strikers dangerous, and today they showed me that. Yeah, it was very difficult I think for Nashville to manage the defense against Fabio and Patryk.

Also with Caden and Frankie, with Dru with Tom Edwards, with scenario Davis, I think we make so many good passes in the last third and I think today, yeah, many things go in a good direction. Yeah, today we are happy but tomorrow we have to recover and then we have the next big game. This is I think our big goal; that we are happy today, and tomorrow, we have to bring the right focus for the next challenge.

Thank you. Thank you for your time.