NEW YORK RED BULLS MEDIA CONFERENCE

October 19, 2024

Sandro Schwarz

Press Conference

Columbus 3, New York Red Bulls 2

Q. Just talk about what you saw from Donkor playing out of position tonight?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Yeah, it's also very difficult. So Ronny Donkor, we said this a lot of times, he made very good steps individual in his development and it's also not so easy against Columbus when you after 30 minutes, 50 minutes, you concede them two goals. Then to have the right moment in some forward defending situations. But at the end he's an important player for us.

And so we had the situation with the injury of Kyle Duncan, which is not good for us, and then the situation with Nealis and how we can decide and then next Sunday, next Monday, I don't know when is the next game to be honest.

THE MODERATOR: We'll know tomorrow.

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Tomorrow is the next game?

THE MODERATOR: We'll know time and date tomorrow.

Q. Shortly after going 2-0 down, you had a chance to speak with the entire team, Cornell went down, what was the message at halftime? There was a clear change in terms of the team's mentality and is there any update on Andres Reyes, who left the match injured?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Yeah, we have to check an consideration but I think it's not so big, a big topic now. I would say he would be also able next week but we have to check him the next days.

This is what I mentioned when you have the result 2-0 against us so then it's necessary to change something, also, from my side, and I have this responsibility and we did these changes during the first half and we had also in the first half our moments.

So we had some winning balls in the opponent's half where we had these chances. And especially the second half, this was then our phase, our game, our identity, our philosophy. And what I can repeat especially then with our supporters, this was then also the reaction after the game from our fans, our supporters, this is what we need.

Q. I came over from Ghana to watch the game especially. Donkor is very important to the team and also got to know about Mohammed, as well. How important are African players and for that matter, Kenyan players to your squad?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Yeah, I would say every person is important, and it's not only the topic of he comes from USA, from Europe or Africa.

But I would say every person is important with his character and especially then with his quality and Ronny, what I said, it's good to see him in this spot, and then also in the second half when he played the six position. He played forward. He broke some lines in a build-up situation, it's good.

But I don't want to talk now about African or something like that. This is person, good persons. Ronny is a good person. I hope I am also a good person. I am from Europe. We have a lot of good American guys, a lot of good persons with good character. So it's good.

Q. I wanted an update on Noah; he wasn't on the roster. And the second part of the question, you touched on it, there were two different halves. It kind of was similar first half like they play against NYC FC.

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Yeah.

Q. My question is, what do you need to do in order to avoid that going into the playoffs?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Yeah, we have to avoid the individual mistakes in these moment, especially now in this part because this is now playoffs. These games, the decision is in small details in every situation, and this is what we have to avoid in these moments and to be strong in our defense. Because this is the main part that gives the whole team confidence when you be strong in the duels, in your personal duels against your opponent. And this is what we have to do now for the next game and this is what we have to prepare.

And the other question, Noah, in the morning he had some problems during our activation session and then we don't want to take the risk now for today, and hopefully we will see he will be ready in the next week.

Q. Dylan Nealis, suspended from a red card, he's going to be back, of course for the playoffs against Columbus. How much is that going to be a dynamic where you pretty much have an entire squad missing -- you'll be missing a Kyle Duncan, of course, is going to be out with injury, and you have three other people. But now you're going to have pretty much a full lineup defensively. How much is that going to help down the road, especially a team where mistakes like did you today proved costly?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Yeah, we talked, also, so many times about his performance from Dylan Nealis and I said every time, he's a very reliable player in a lot of good moments, and it's good that he's back now in the next week.

So we will see then if it's possible in the starting lineup directly but it's good to have then more options in this position for the right fullback.

Q. Obviously that's why you made Forsberg captain. He gave you two big goals tonight to try and level the match and try and get that win. How important has he been since returning from injury?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Yeah, very important, also, that he has also the feeling to score, to make assists, to make the responsibility in the penalty, and it's good for the whole team. It's very important as a character and also with his quality with the ball, against the ball, in his leading, in the communication, directly, also the reaction in the locker room when he says something to the guys.

So it's good. It's good that he's back now, and also be ready then to play for 90 minutes.

Q. A big effort from your squad today, unfortunate to not find that third goal to find a match winner or get the one point, but what can you take from this game now that you know that you're going to be facing Columbus in the next three matchups, seeing that you saw some of their bench players? And on the performance of O'Connor and the performance of him being able to find some experience before the playoffs.

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Yeah, way said is when you make simple mistakes individual in our defense, then for sure then we will have no chance against Columbus. Because of his quality individual, they can punish directly these moments.

But on the other side, and this was the game today, when you see when we are active, when we play intense, when we play strong in these duels, when we play forward and when we use our dynamic actions, with the ball, against the ball, then I would say we are able, also, to have a chance against Columbus.

Now at this moment it's good and after this 2-2 was also not our feeling now to save and secure this point because we have known, also, the results from the other stadiums. So it was clear only for us the feeling now and it was more important today to have this feeling against Columbus to create this feeling.

The game start next week 0-0 and hopefully after 50 minutes, it's also 0-0, and then I think we will have a good chance.

Q. It's often stated that in head-to-head games such as this, there will be some time between, that the losing team has a bit of an advantage in knowing what they need to correct. What are your thoughts on this specific game?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Yeah, it's clear, we will analyze very serious who you are whole coaching staff, this game, all situations, all phases, and for sure we will use this game and we will use other games. Depends on the structure which we will play next week, and then we will analyze and we will prepare.

But for me, it's not only the tactical. It's for me more check he can with our supporters to be ready for these playoffs because we qualified for the playoffs and we deserve it, for sure.

So I know the last weeks, especially after Leagues Cup was not the best. But for me, was then the situation now today to see the second half, to feel the second half with the whole team and the whole staff, and now it's our job to be ready first game in Columbus. New competition. All guys told me, it's my first experience with these playoffs but all guys told me, okay, it's now a new competition. That's good.

Now the competition is against a very good team, but I'm sure, and Columbus knows as well, that they know, okay, we are also a very good team, a very strong team when we showed our whole quality on the pitch.