CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA CONFERENCE

March 29, 2023

MAREN HAILE-SELASSIE

Press Conference

Q. Just four games in, you've made a pretty smooth transition. How have you done that?

MAREN HAILE-SELASSIE: Yeah, it's been four games and three of those I played, so yeah, I had preseason which was not very easy. I had an injury which I had to deal with, so took me some time to get on the pitch but I feel like I adjusted really, really well and really quickly. Also the guys made it easy for me so yeah, I feel good and I hope to continue like that.

It's really nice here in MLS. I think it's bigger than in Switzerland obviously. The games I would say is more physical, it's going more back and forth, running a lot, strong guys. But in Switzerland, it's probably more tactical.

I feel like I adjusted really well but I feel like I still have room to improve and I want to give my all every day, every weekend.

Q. How important is it to you in terms of your success thus far, I know you speak after the NYC FC match how much you were hampered by that injury preseason, in terms of being yourself on training and on the pitch, has that changed since you've been able to go full go?

MAREN HAILE-SELASSIE: Yeah, it was probably my first injury which lasted a little bit longer. So it was a new situation for me. But we knew it was -- we were always in talks with the medical staff. We knew that we have some time because the preseason was really long, so we took our time to really recover well, and then obviously I needed more than two weeks in training. Then after that, I was 100 percent back in the team and yeah, I hope to get even better day-by-day, week by week and then we are going to see.

Q. Was there frustration that you felt at that time and how did you get through that?

MAREN HAILE-SELASSIE: I would not say frustration, because if you could choose to have an injury during the season, it would probably be in the preseason. I knew I had some time and took my time. I didn't want to let it stress me out because I didn't want to see the medical guys again after a few weeks.

We took our time and I was relaxed about that. We knew the schedule, so in the end it came really good.

Q. One of the players said you are the most impressive player he saw. Who is the person you are most impressed to play with and the ones you like and that you have seen on the team? And what do you think about the young players that this team has?

MAREN HAILE-SELASSIE: Yeah, they are talented but they know that they have to work because one thing is to be -- to have a pro contract but the next thing is to really break through and to have minutes and to leave your Marc on the team. So I think they know that they have to keep working and keep being focused and then it's going to come good.

Q. What is your natural position and do you like to play the most in your professional career?

MAREN HAILE-SELASSIE: I'm a winger who can play on both sides left or right. Nowadays right-footed wingers would prefer to play on left to cut in side and have options but I can play comfortably on both sides. Wherever the coaches thinks is the best for the team I play there.

Q. You, Brian and Chris Mueller seem like you've formed a nice connection as the three attacking mids; why do you think that your three styles complement each other well?

MAREN HAILE-SELASSIE: In the last game, you can see we had a connection, but it's still building. Every day in the training it's still building where it's tactics, finishing, and still have to improve the connections but obviously when you have good players on the pitch, the transition is easier to get to know each other quickly, so I feel like with these guys, we understand each other pretty well and of course you can't forget Shaq, who is in the moment not available but when he's coming back I'm looking forward also to play with him because he's a great player, too.