NEW YORK RED BULLS MEDIA CONFERENCE

August 14, 2021

Gerhard Struber

Press Conference

Montreal 2, New York Red Bulls 1

GERHARD STRUBER: Yeah, one more time, a very big, disappointing night for me, for my boys. I think we start in the game with a different shape, and also I think -- distances to press and I think a game in the first half, we have I think many things in our hand and we control many things.

Only I think in the middle of first half, a little bit of problem to find the good pressing moments at distance from sixes to outs, and also I think our wing backs are behind and we have not so good a structure to press, and we have a situation with O'Neil, that he is right now back from a long injury and he is not ready for a big game.

And this means for us in the second half, to change, and also the shape in the second half, losing more and more control, and we were not always ready to coming into transitions, and we were not clean in enough moments. I must watch one more time the situations, it's okay or not okay but in the end I think it's very frustrating moment for me, for everyone. I think we give all in the day, and in the end, no points, and a day that will not look very good.

Q. I have to ask you about the end of the match obviously. How is Carlos feeling some how frustrated is he? He made two excellent penalty stops, obviously the third one couldn't stop it, and how frustrated are you with the situations, if you can discuss, referee, VAR, with three consecutive penalty attempts in a row for Montréal?

GERHARD STRUBER: Yeah, what can I say right now. I think that the referee has not a brilliant day and I think Carlos makes a great shot two times, and also the third one was very close that he can safe him. I think, yeah, this makes the situation -- this was the point in the end about this game.

And, yeah, but I think it's not -- in the end the referee make not the great job but in the end I think we have to find more control in this game, and we lose too much the control. We have not always the momentum in our hands. It switched in the first half and second half and it was very difficult today and we realize the team from Montréal are very good especially on the ground to play very quick with some very good key players, yeah, but I think we control many times the game, but in the second half, we lose the momentum too much. We find not always good distances together, and I think this was more the big reason that we cannot bring points home.

Q. Another frustrating result. Obviously you mentioned kind of the decision to bring out Nealis and a few other substitutions at the half including John Tolkin coming out. Were some of those decisions by rotation with some of the fixtures coming up mid week, and do you think just adding on your thoughts, of whether the formation change from those substitutions led to the team losing control.

GERHARD STRUBER: Yeah, I think right now we have to be very careful with some players. They have the last few weeks an overload situation, and we go a critical way with some players with the load and we have to plan the load very careful. And today, we can see Cristian Casseres only 45 minutes. We can see Nealis only 45 minutes. Depending on the situation, they are not -- right now not on a top fitness level, and we have to be very careful and that we bring the boys also on Wednesday on the pitch, yeah.

I think this is right now the most important thing, and this is always in the end depending how is their shape, what can we create the shape, and yeah, this is not always easy to find the right shape for the fit for the players, for they are ready for a longer time, but I have to manage that. But right now our success and our output is very, very low.

Q. Going back to the formation in the first half, do you feel this is something that could be a possible long-term formation or is this just a tactical shift for this particular opponent?

GERHARD STRUBER: Yes, of course, this can be a long-term topic, always a little bit dependent how is the situation with the opponent, what is helpful. And I think we have sometimes when we play in a back three, this is not the first time, but I think the boys make this in a good way, and we have to be always flexible with our shapes, what is in the end the best that we can pick up points.

But today I think it's not only a question of the shape, it's more how is our action in our shape, what we do in the right moment, and I miss this in the second half a little bit from the -- the other player to come good in action.

Yeah, I missed it but I think we have to be very resilient in this moment, and this is not easy for me and for my coaching staff, and also for the players to realize at the moment these results. But we have to be very close together. We have to believe in our identity and also that we build up a big resilience in these moments.

Right now, we have three home games, and I think this is always helpful, maybe play at home with our supporters and then I think yeah, with the referee on the normal level, we can pick up points.

Q. This team has not been able to win since July 3, and today was a very heartbreaking loss. When you walk into the locker room, what do you see in the face of your players? Do you think that they still have belief that they are going to turn things around?

GERHARD STRUBER: Of course I think players have a big belief, but the results, like this today, and also the way of this result, it's clear that everyone is extremely disappointed and it's not always so easy to find the right or special variety in the dressing room.

I can feel that the players left everything on the field today. They fight what they can today and I think this is, first of all, the most important thing. In the end, you need a little bit luck, and you need also official referee team, they can handle special moments in a fair direction. I think sometimes I cannot feel always they have everything in their hands. Yeah, I think -- yeah, but I will not search too much for a reason where I have no influence. I think it's very, very important for us to be very close together. Find a good mindset for the game on Wednesday. Right now, we have to reflect it, and to be very clear for the next game, and this is the most important thing right now.

Q. Obviously a tough run of results. The team is pretty far down the table. Obviously it's going to be hard to get into a big -- maybe a Supporters Shield winning position by the end of this year obviously, but what are the team's goals for the rest of 2021, given the state that they are in right now, where do you want to see the team progress by the end of this season?

GERHARD STRUBER: Yeah, I think it's clear that the playoffs is a clear goal from us, and we fight and we work for this goal. I cannot remember that we speak about the supporters shield or other dreams. We always speak about the big vision, we build up a team with a clear goal this season to come one more time in the playoff, I think this is very, very important.

But we have to grow up and build up a young team in a direction with a typical Red Bulls style, and when we make for us the steps this season, I think with smart decisions in the transfer windows, we can be a team they can make the dream to a goal and then we speak about that, what you say. But right now, I think it's clear, we will drive in the end, the playoffs, and we have 16 games for us.

Yeah, and I think with the fighting mood, with the belief in that, what we do, and also a little bit luck, when this comeback, then I think we pick up the necessary points.

But right now, we have to change the results immediately; or the chance for the playoffs is valid.

Q. Caden Clark, he's been subbed out around the 65th, 60th minute since coming back from his injury; is that building up fitness or is that tactical?

GERHARD STRUBER: I think sometimes Bulls and sometimes it's also a fitness topic, especially when we press and work so hard, and then he has a very, very high load that we be careful, also, with him. He's a very young player, high talented player and we have to be careful with him, and we bring him always back with the fitness and the load what is good for him in the end.

But yeah, I hope he's also ready for Wednesday more one more time to bring a big load, and I think we have to look always in the game right now and also what are coming, and I think today is also very important that we have in the end everyone also ready for Wednesday.

But I think with the yellow cards, it's very clear that we missed maybe Tom and Kyle. This is my information right now.