CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA CONFERENCE

March 23, 2024

Frank Klopas

Press Conference

New England 1, Chicago Fire FC 1

Q. I know it wasn't the prettiest game of soccer today, tough conditions all around. What can you really take away from a game like this?

FRANK KLOPAS: Yeah, it's always good when you're on the road against, you know, a team that's desperate with the start that they have had but we knew that it was going to be a difficult game obviously because they are still a team that has a lot of quality players, and we knew that they were going to come out and we needed to have a good start in the match and I think that was important for us.

Conditions were not great for both teams obviously with the rain, but on a tough field it helped a little bit because the ball was moving quicker.

I think for us, look, I think we take the point. It's always good on the road to take results. We still feel we could have gotten more out of this match. I think that's for sure. But we go back, we prepare and then we're on the road again in a difficult spot before we come home for a good home stand after that.

Q. We've talked about this squad, it's a new group of people working together. That little dust-up at the end, seeing all your guys fighting for one another, it seemed like everyone really had their back at that moment, and as a coach, how do you feel about seeing each of your guys, new group, still fighting for one another like it's been awhile?

FRANK KLOPAS: Look, I think it's emotions in game. I think both teams were working extremely hard in the end. We, it was a huge belief within our group that we were going to find a way to get that second goal.

And you know, there's a lot of emotions in the game. They also, from their start, there was a lot riding on this game. And it was just great to see that as a team we're together in every situation. Hopefully there's no fine that I have to pay to for in this one because the guys all came together.

Look, I think it's important to control emotions as always, but I think we are all there as a team to support each other, and I think that was good to see from the group. And it just shows the mentality and the attitude that this group has. I think it's great to see that we're there to support each other. When we go, we all go together in moments.

But look, at the end of the day, we still want to let the referee do his game. I think it's important that there's a good flow into the match. But I think when things happen, we need to be together as a team and like we were in moments tonight.