CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA CONFERENCE

July 10, 2024

Chris Brady

Press Conference

Q. We'll get this one out of the way. The Olympic roster came out. Unfortunately despite being involved over the cycle year, not a part of that group. I wanted to know what your emotions are right now after that decision that left you off the roster.

CHRIS BRADY: Yeah, I'm a little disappointed in the decision, and a little confused frankly. I felt like did I enough to put myself in the best position to be included in that roster.

But overall, I'm just pretty disappointed I'm not able to help my country win a medal, you know.

Q. Just in terms of moving on and working into the MLS season, it's going to be a tough three games after last weekend, what do you think the team needs to do to bounce back and get in form, being so close to the playoff picture despite being 13th in the conference?

CHRIS BRADY: I think we have to sharpen up our ability to take control of games. Looking back at our last game, that was definitely a game where we had every right to grab the reins and make our mark on that game early, and we didn't do that and got punished.

I think when games are, like you said, going to be difficult one, I think we have to make our chances count and hold it down as a unit all together. But yeah, like you said, it's going to be tough. Playing away, home, Cincy away, NYC away, Miami, is never easy, but just got to grind out some results.

Q. Tell me how not to lose the focus on the regular season and try to win as much as you can to be in the playoff position, but of course it's coming, the Leagues Cup. So it's going to be like two tournaments. Do you think that this team can compete in both tournaments? What do you think?

CHRIS BRADY: Yeah, you're saying in the regular season and Leagues Cup?

Q. Correct.

CHRIS BRADY: Yes, a hundred percent. Leagues Cup is something that's coming up. We are all aware of it.

But I think our focus is NYC Saturday and midweek, and then the final game before Leagues Cup. So we're not too focused on Leagues Cup right now. But come time for Leagues Cup, I know all the guys will be hyped up. Everybody gets pretty hyped up for Leagues Cup.

I know there's a lot on the line, and it's fun tournament to play different opponents. I think for sure we can get results in both.

Q. Have you seen something about Toluca, one of the Mexican teams that you're going to be on the Leagues Cup? Is there something that you can say about that team?

CHRIS BRADY: I'm not too familiar. I know as a U4 team player in the academy, we went down to México and I went to visit their stadium, but that's the only connection I have to the team. I'm not too familiar with Liga MX. I don't watch it all that much to be honest with you.

Our guys in the front office will pull together some film for us to make it very clear what we need do going up against Toluca. I know they have a big fan base. It's going to be a tough game. But I think we are here at home at SeatGeek; so home-field advantage should help us, fingers crossed.

Q. So don't want to rehash it but obviously feel for you, and watching you up close, and asked, Coach, too, and he was genuinely disappointed. He mentioned that he had a conversation with you about not being selected. Do you feel that helped you, having your coach kind of be genuinely disappointed for that and have your back and have that conversation? Did you take away something from that that maybe lessened the blow, in a sense, him talking to you?

CHRIS BRADY: Yeah, it felt like he kind of had my back and knew what it's like to be in -- I don't know personally, but it felt good. My goalkeeper coach, as well, being included in an Olympic cycle, being selected as an alternate role, he also gave me his two cents.

It helps that there are people here who have been in similar positions and can give their two cents. It means a lot to me. But just disappointed overall. It's hard to hear other people and what they want to tell you about certain situations when your overall feeling is disappointment and confusion.

Q. One of the issues the team has had is the number of injuries, especially to that back line. The most recent game we heard from Frank, like Dean wasn't able to go late in the process. Does that make it for challenging for you just like with different guys out, like communication with the back line getting coordination to happen the way that you expect?

CHRIS BRADY: No, I would say at this point in the season, I'm pretty familiar with everybody and how they play and what they expect from me and what I expect from them. Obviously it throws you for a bit of a loop if last minute you're hearing that guys are not ready to go. But ultimately what they do give us is our roles and we should and are able to plug in different players to different roles.

So for example, if our set piece guy gives Johnny Dean a specific role, but last minute he's not ready to go, we have to put Mueller in that role, it's on me and on the back line and it's on Mueller to know exactly what to do. I think we handled that pretty well from the set piece standpoint. Not just set pieces in general. It does throw you for a little bit of a loop but as a professional, you've got to know what to do. Yeah, it's not ideal.

Q. Just with NYC FC on Saturday, looking at them, they are a team that can score goals. They have done relatively well recently. How important is it to get results against, particularly, conference opponents when you're at home. I know I asked you that at the first point, but just specifically NYC FC when they have Martinez and Rodríguez.

CHRIS BRADY: It will be difficult for us as a back line but also our front line. I know defensively they have been pretty good. Matt Freese has been on a bit of a run for himself and he's doing well.

I think it will be a good game to set if we really put aside the past results and carry it on and move forward as a team or what that vibe might look like. But I think the product on the field on Saturday will definitely show that, and yeah, like I said, defensively, we have to be sound because I know they have quite a bit of threats who like to play tight spaces, make runs, all that stuff. So it's something we are preparing for here this week.

It would be huge because obviously we are in the fight for that playoff line, playoff spot. I don't know, they have been doing well for themselves, so they are looking to keep heading in that direction. So it will be a good fight.

Q. Motivated to go against a hot keeper on the other side?

CHRIS BRADY: Yeah, West Coast gang.