CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 19, 2021

Raphael Wicky

Press Conference

Montreal 2, Chicago Fire 0

Q. What happened with Gastón Jimenez and Ignacio Aliseda?

RAPHAEL WICKY: Yeah, I mean, like the media already said, they broke some team rules. I'm not going to go into specific. That's between me and the team. They broke some team rules which I don't accept. No one is bigger than the club. No player is bigger than the team.

Yeah, there are certain rules to follow if you don't follow them, and that must have consequences. That's what happened yesterday and that's what we decided to do.

Q. Is this the first time that they have broken this rule or is this part of a pattern?

RAPHAEL WICKY: No, this is the first time.

Q. And then just how concerning is it for you guys, for the club, that two of the designated players broke this team rule, and then weren't really available for you guys today?

RAPHAEL WICKY: Yeah, look, it's disappointing. It's disappointing when certain players, doesn't matter if it's a DP or if it's a 17-year-old. There are certain rules you have to follow. There are certain things we don't want players to do, and that's disappointing if these things happen. And if these things happen, then they must live with the consequences.

But of course, from our dps, especially from our dps, we expect more. But that would have been the same if it would have been a player that was not a DP. It doesn't really matter. We expect people not to do that.

Q. You gave Gaga a run-out today. How did you think he did, and second of all, with the playoff hopes of this team kind of very slim at this point, do you think we're going to see more of him in an effort to build toward 2022?

RAPHAEL WICKY: Yes, we decided with the staff together to give Gaga a few games. We spoke as well with Bobby. Bobby had a good season so far for us. We spoke with him, and we told him that we want to see Gaga. We trust in Gaga.

We see Gaga every day and we decided to give Gaga a few games. How many games that will be, we have not decided. He did really well today. I felt he did really well from the beginning till the end, and he showed again his potential.

Q. As a coaching staff and a club right now, given the reality of the standings, how are you all balancing that push for playoffs versus what the team could look like in 2022. Is that thought even present for you or are we thinking about that too far in a media sense? Is that even part of the process at the moment mentality?

RAPHAEL WICKY: No, that is not really a part of my process, at least. Look, I'm a coach and I take it game-by-game, and I want to win the actual game.

The next game is Wednesday. So I'm thinking of Wednesday, how can I win the game, and not yet for 2022. Yeah, that's how we approach the games, and I think that's okay like that.

Q. Going back to the first topic will, Giménez and Aliseda be available Wednesday?

RAPHAEL WICKY: Yes, they will be available. Yes.

Q. Okay. And then how is Francisco Calvo coming along? What's his prognosis?

RAPHAEL WICKY: Yeah, Francisco is in rehab, recovery. That will take awhile. He will not be available in the next week. In the next week he will not be available, and then we will see how he is in five, six days. But this will probably take awhile.

Q. How long has Guti been shut down for? Do we think we'll see him again this season?

RAPHAEL WICKY: I hope but I cannot give you an exact answer to that. It's a little bit of a weird injury. Every time he tries again, he still feels some pain.

So the medical staff is trying everything but we have to be careful with the kid and so that the injury actually doesn't get worse. I think that's important, and Guti in the end when he played in New York, and then also when he trained, he actually trained with that little injury, certain times with pain and that's not what a 17- 18-year-old should be -- his health is way more important than getting games right now. But I hope we see him again.