NEW YORK RED BULLS MEDIA CONFERENCE

October 15, 2022

Gerhard Struber

Press Conference

Cincinnati 2, New York Red Bulls 1

Q. Just talk about what happened at the end of the game. What were they doing or was it defensive lapses on your part? What made the difference down the stretch for them?

GERHARD STRUBER: Yeah, it was in the end two times not in the detail on this level of the game like they want. And I think controls over long time the game in many directions, but you can see some small details decide in the end, you are in the next round or you step out.

And today, I think this was, yeah, even the mistakes in the end, they bring us on the loser street, and this is hard to accept. This is very, very painful now for everything we play at, but this is also a big learning moment or a big moment to grow. This is I think a big hit in the face today and yeah, especially when we look back the last week, the last days, the last few days, how we prepare the situation today from the match plan, from the mindset in all direction, I can see the group of players, they was very close. They invest everything. But in the end, you cannot go for a second with a relaxing moment or you are not clear enough to clear the ball. I think, yeah, it's hard but this is the reality of the moment.

We have to learn. We have to grow in moments like that. It's not easy.

Q. It seems like the game is pretty even up until Lewis Morgan's goal. Can you explain what was the injury? What happened to the team after that? It seems that there was no answer for Cincinnati's pressing. Was it something that the team was doing or something that was lacking on your side trying to get back into the game?

GERHARD STRUBER: Yeah, I think he is a groin injury. He was completely out after his super shoot, what he did. But in this direction, yeah, it was some moments a little bit from the mental standpoint, a little bit overloaded, how we create after a lead the next moment for us, and I think we can see also that Lewis struggled a little bit with his hand and get the big hit against them. I think they play hard but on a fair level but they bring us a little bit out of control with some successful in-fights, and we struggle in this moment, and we have not so a good set up, and always against the ball.

But most of the time, they don't realize something. I think this was more a mental topic for one or another player, and in these moments, was not so proactive like before. But we fight back. We hope in the end, the mistakes what we did, I think -- can run so easily and can pass so easily inside, or how we create a penalty, this learning, this is hard to realize, but the boy group is young. Yeah, this is for the whole team hard, yeah. But we can see the group is learning. It's a development group.

Protecting the momentum, this is our challenge. Of course, I think when we start in certain moments, we can see that we cannot hold our levels. This is the reality. My roster has a big trust, but some players cannot realize always on this level what this game needs, a performance, that will help us get to the next round. This is also a little bit the reality, but I think we have a big roster of players; they have a big chance for development, and also games like that help them. This is hard but these are the learning moments. But this is a development group, and not a group they are finished in the professional world. Play against Vazquez, it is not easy to handle him. I think against him, a very, very good moment, and of course, I think it's a special topic how he create these moments for his team.

I think, of course, it's a good thing, big congratulations to Cincinnati. They have also a very good season and they score today two goals, one goal more than us.

Q. Just after Morgan's goal, shortly after the second half began, just can you talk about if you guys maybe let your foot off the pedal a bit, could you have maybe created a little more offensively after that?

GERHARD STRUBER: This is of course what we want but know Lewis Morgan is a special player and we lose a special player. We cannot bring a 1-1 change on the same level, like what they did, they bring Santos in. This is not at the moment the situation what I wish, yeah. But in the end, I think what changed the game, this is the reality, the small things where we are not on the level what we want, and we are not sharp enough in these moments, and it's not -- yeah, this is very, very hard to find after a game like that. Always the answers, yeah.

I think we have to look deeper in this game, what we do better, what could we do in moments like that better. But of course, I think the game a changed with their mistakes, and I think in this direction, I hope the players learn, the players grow, and realize what's going on in games like that.

Q. Multiple times in the season you've said to be patient to the fans, the wins are going to come. In training, many pundits were picking Cincinnati over the Red Bulls.

GERHARD STRUBER: I think, first of all, my team, with this set up what we have in this season played a very, very good regular season. We was in the end in fourth place, and I think we was today very, very close to jump into the next round. This is a fact.

On the same time, we have to realize and of course I understand our supporters, they was here today. I understand, and that they have a different expectation, especially when you wait so a long time for a trophy. On the same time, we have to realize which resources and with which players we go in a season. And this is the feeling, yeah. I have so much in my coaching so big a trust in players what we have at the moment, yeah, but trust in performances right now and also in the future much more, when they grow and when they development with the good set up.

On the same time, we have to realize when you play a team like Cincinnati, with experienced players coming from the playoff experience -- from generally pro the professional football world, then we can bring them under pressure. We can bring them in situations that they have also a problem against us.

But the game that they show us at the moment with our group, what we have at the moment, we are not ready to win this game. I think this is the reality. We deserve more today. I think my boys invest everything, but in the end, with mistakes like that, you cannot jump in the next round, and I think the goals they pick up were very cheap for them. It's hard but it's the reality.

And one more time, I have big trust in this group of players that they can make the big next step in the next season when the players are together one more time, the chance to grow together, I think the team work, the spirit, the energy, also the principles how we live our world of football is clear. It's a clear signal in the end, and of course, I know the experts, especially, they have also special answers, why not.

But I can live, we are very, very good with them. I think it's always when you work with a very, very young group, you have ups and downs, and in the end, we are growing. I think the first season was very, very hard to jump in the playoffs. In this season, it was much quick in the playoffs, and yeah, and now, I think the next jump and hopefully the club can hold the group together, and then it's I think for the coaching team in the next season, yeah. So the next big jump was possible, and I think in the end, you can speak maybe a little with more reality about the trophy.

Q. Obviously you just mentioned wanting to keep the group together and grow next season. Do you have any specific goals for the off-season? What's your mentality going into the break and what do you want to see built on for next year?

GERHARD STRUBER: My plan was very clear we stay in the playoffs and we go in the next round. This means I have right now to handle management with my coaching team what is the next step with this group. We have to reflect the whole season. We have to be also critical with ourselves, what could we do better, what we need in the future, which resources we need that we have in the end a higher chance to be in the playoffs and to be together with a group of players that have a realistic chance to speak about the trophy.

I think in the next season, this should be the goal, and I think hopefully the group stays together and then I think I have a very, very good feeling with new players that you can be the end a very, very successful team again.

One more time, I am very proud of my boys. How we grow in this season with difficult moments and difficult times, the group was always close together, and of course, my coaching staff, my whole staff was a big support for my players, also for me, and in this direction, I think, yeah, we are ready for the next big jump with this young group, and we will see what the next time brings. Right now, we are disappointed for this game today.