NEW YORK RED BULLS MEDIA CONFERENCE

May 14, 2022

Gerhard Struber

Press Conference

Philadelphia 1, New York Red Bulls 1

GERHARD STRUBER: Yeah, expected game is behind us. I think we expect in this game many, many situations with first, with second ball fights, with pressing, counter-pressing, game-pressing and many transition moments and exactly this is coming.

I think in the first half, this was a battle on the same level in both directions. We can see the one around a chance and the one or other save. I think this was a 50/50 situation in the first half. I think our structure, our behavior was very good and we have in many times control.

Yeah, and in the second half, I think we can see after the double yellow for Dylan Nealis, yeah, I would say the pick of mental power from every single player on the field, and this help us in the end to come back with Cameron Harper with the sexy pass in the golden zone.

And Luquinhas played on an outstanding level. And we can see today, especially his dribbling ability from a different planet. And in the end, we score and we are back.

I think of course we can see the out standing mentality from my team and especially Sean Nealis on the pick, what he defend in some moments and how he block moments and how he left, give everything in this game; that we bring the point home.

Today's the result with one point, for me, not the most important thing. For me, it's my group, my boys, the mentality of what they show me. This can only do a team with the right spirit and the right togetherness, and today I feel we are so strong and so stick together, and I think this -- this will help us also in the next difficult task what are coming.

Yeah, I am very proud today of my boys and yeah, I think this point has a bigger value like one point in a normal game.

Q. Obviously some adjustments after the first half, did you like what you saw out of the team? You brought Cameron Harper into the side and brought Omir Fernandez a little further, before the red card, how did you like that?

GERHARD STRUBER: Yeah, the reason is sometimes we have too big distance with the wing backs to the eights or six, they drop out in some moments and the two strikers come always in a very bad pressing angle and.

Then we change to two tens and one striker. This help us to bring more pressure and a better angle to Glesnes and to Elliott and also to Wagner, they have sometimes a buildup with three, and I think two tens and one striker help us in this moment.

But yeah, after that our special event, the double yellow is coming. We change the whole shape three times, and in the end, yeah, I think the big togetherness with coaching team, my boys, make us happy that we have right now the point in the end.

Q. I have a question about Ashley Fletcher and the striker selection. In the injury report that was put out, he wasn't listed in there but was not in the team selection for today. Is there an injury or an issue, or is this a strategic choice to go with two strikers for this game? And the same part of that question is: Why did Patryk Kamala only play 45 minutes?

GERHARD STRUBER: I will begin with Ashley Fletcher. Ashley Fletcher was not ready. He has a little bit a muscle tightness and the situation is when we give him game time at the moment, the risk is so high for a bigger injury and this was the reason that we cannot take him.

Yeah, this is especially in our situation right now, not easy. We come here with some COVID protocols, with some injury players, also cap I tan oh was not on board today and then we are in under load.

I think situations like that show me how other boys take responsibility. When we speak about Patryk Kamala, we can see the last week, he has a COVID topic, and we can see he was not 100 percent ready. And also in this direction, it's important that we go not all-in and make risk. I think in this time, after infection, I think the risk for injury is much higher, and this was the reason that I keep him out after 45 minutes.

Q. Last year when you guys would go down in matches, it was a challenge for you, but now you have straight league games where you concede first and you're able to come back and get points. Can you talk about how your team is fighting back after giving up the first goal?

GERHARD STRUBER: Yeah, I think this was in the last season and in the last few month, always learning moments. When you learn, yeah, you have -- also I think we grow with our mindset. I can see the big belief in so many moments in my team, and you can see when we concede a goal or the boys are very clear in the principles. They don't run after difficult moments like headless chicken on the field.

I can see a very clear understanding from that what we want, in many, many actions. And I think the mental power, the resilience from that what I spoke so often is right now in a completely different level, and this show us games like that, I think this is the best practice example about resilience and a big belief in yourself and in the team.

And yeah, this makes me very proud that my boys are so ready to fight and with the headline, "never give up." You can feel this from the coaching zone, and this is I think one of the most important thing in professional sport.

Q. You mentioned earlier about Cameron Harper and the sexy pass he had today for Luquinhas, and the assist he had against D.C. United in the Open Cup. Is there a possibility, given what's happened with the team lately about COVID and stuff, that he might be able to get some starting minutes or more minutes in the near future?

GERHARD STRUBER: Of course. I think he show me again a good performance. He show me again his willingness, his responsibility what he take when he was on the ball, and also he work back always in sprint mode. Yeah, I think with this performance, he make a big promotion for more game time, of course.

Q. You said that you were very proud of this team fighting back and playing in a very fearless way that will make any coach proud but your next game is at home against Chicago. How do you translate what you've seen tonight into playing in front of the home folks, which has been a bit of a challenge for you and your side?

GERHARD STRUBER: Right now, I am out of energy with this away game, and I have also to find in the next couple days a good setup for myself, and also a match plan and mindset for my boys that we are ready at home.

I think especially games like that show us our power, our quality. I think we can take, yeah, a big weight of confidence from this game, and this help us, also, for the next big challenges what are coming.

Yeah, of course, Chicago is straight ahead, and we like it and we are looking forward for this game in our stadium. And of course we will bring the boys in a fresh situation. I hope also Capitano is back.

And then I think, yeah, we are ready for points at home, and I hope our supporters help us give us the right energy from the 12th man what we want and what we need, and then I think it's on us to make the necessary points at home.

Q. You mentioned how well Luquinhas played tonight. Seems like he just keeps getting better every game that he plays. He keeps doing things to help the team. What specifically stood out for you tonight besides obviously the goal?

GERHARD STRUBER: Everything from him. I think when you look on his body language; when you look on his responsibility what he take; how successful he is in on-ball moments. And on the same time, he never forget his work against the ball and we can see what tackles he has, how he work back, how he sprint back. Yeah, I think in every direction, he is a big win for this club and a big win for my team.

Yeah, and in the end, also, we integrated him very quick and in a very good direction. I think he feel the family feeling in my group, and this helps him to bring performances on this level, and he grow and I think we are not right now on the finish point of his performance. I think he grow; we always bring him in interesting spots, and in the end, yeah, right now he's also sexy when he has a chance to finish. It's very good to see him.

Q. If I can ask you, Sean Nealis had a very good game today especially when he stopped that attempt to make it 2-nil for Philadelphia. How proud are you when you threw him into action last year when Aaron Long was out for the entire season from last year?

GERHARD STRUBER: He was my Capitano today and he go with all his power in front and helped the team in so many directions. He has, yeah, today, I think you can see his outstanding mentality when he, yeah -- sometimes I cannot make no difference between him and Carlos Coronel, how many balls he block in three seconds, in four seconds; and he blocked and he left everything in some moments on the field and do everything that we don't concede a goal.

And in these moments, this is also a domino effect for other players, and he lifts the full mental power in all direction. Yeah, I think he was a big anchor today for this point and a big anchor for my young group.

He is a Capitano what we want when Aaron Long is not on the field, and he take responsibility and ownership in more directions this day. Yeah, he can be very proud of himself, how he handled and managed this game.