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MLS CUP

November 22, 2009

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON

THE MODERATOR: We'll get started with head coach Jason Kreis of Real Salt Lake, the 2009 MLS Cup champion, as well as goalkeeper Nick Rimando on it. Coach, you want to start with a few opening comments?
JASON KREIS: Where to begin? Obviously, extremely, extremely pleased for the players first and foremost. They've put in so much work over two years most of them have been together now. Started off with a dream and an idea about what this team could look like and would look like overtime.
What we saw this year was that at certain points in the season and in certain games we saw what we were capable of. We saw when we played our best soccer we were one of the best teams in the league. So now it's nice to say we are the best team in the league.
THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. Did this play out the way you expected it to?
JASON KREIS: Yeah, unfortunately, it did a little bit. Don't tell the players I said that. No, I thought the first half was almost exactly like I was hoping it wouldn't be, but thought chances were that it would.
L.A. I thought sat back a lot. Looked to counter attack a lot. Played very direct. You know, you could see it from their goal kicks, putting it into our third. And every free kick opportunity they had, putting it into our box and making it difficult on us.
We didn't settle down as nicely as I would have liked us to. And we didn't possess the ball as nicely as I would have liked us to. But in the second half I thought we did a much better job. My honest opinion was that we deserved to win that game, so I'm glad that we did.

Q. What did happen in that second half? Was fitness a factor do you think for you guys?
JASON KREIS: Well, you have to say fitness if you consider injuries and sickness, yeah, because we had to make two subs by halftime. One for injury, and the other one due to an illness that Will Johnson had taken on last night in the middle of the night. So he gave us everything he could.
But you don't typically have to burn two subs by halftime. The guys that came in did a phenomenal job. Ned Grabavoy and Clint Mathis, these guys played fantastically for us and were a big part of winning this game.
I think that's one of the most gratifying things for me is that there are so many players now over the course of the season that have contributed to this championship.

Q. Describe your level of confidence heading into penalty kicks, especially after having to go through this last week?
NICK RIMANDO: Yeah. I think me and all the guys knew if it came down to penalty kicks we were confident just going back from last week. We handled business in Chicago. But I really think we could have won this in regulation, we were that good in the second half and kept possession, and really played some good soccer, and unfortunate not to get a goal. Then we scored some and the penalty kicks, that counted.

Q. How important was the change of system to the Colorado game?
JASON KREIS: I think it was very, very important. I think that it was a good decision by us. It was not an easy decision to take. You know, systems are one thing. So I give our coaching staff a half pat on the back, then I give the players three pats on the back because it was their change in mentality. It was their willingness to take on the message that we gave to them over that 18 days whereby we said it hasn't been good enough.
We believe that you guys are good, and what you've done up to this point, quite frankly, is unacceptable. Now it's time for you guys to hold your hands up and be better, and they took that on full throttle and have been fantastic for me ever since.

Q. You've been in Utah long enough to know about the history of sports there, lot of runner up finishes. What do you think this means for the state? Are you proud to be the coach that finally got a team in Utah over the hump?
JASON KREIS: I think it would give a small indication of what it means by how many people were there tonight. I thought it was outstanding fan support. I was walking down the Fish Market today and I must have seen a hundred Real Salt Lake fans and maybe five Galaxy fans. So I think that was an indication of how well supported we were tonight, and how important it is to the people of Salt Lake City.
Over the next couple of days we'll get another indicator of how important it is to Salt Lake City. I have a feeling that it's really, really important, and a really big thing for Utah. We have to feel proud of that that we've helped to bring that to them.

Q. Talk about the switch at halftime and the adjustments that you make? Certainly it seemed like you guys were on the back foot to finish the half?
JASON KREIS: Yeah, as I said, for me it wasn't so much about the switches we made, it was just about the mentality of the group being able to calm down and play soccer. I thought we were just too often trying to thread those very narrow passes in through things through the middle. Robbie Findley was offsides a few times. We needed to play out wide and be a bit more patient.
The switch, the one personnel decision that was made was made by the player. Will Johnson could no longer carry on. So he let us know that. He was sick all night last night and into today with food poisoning, and gave us everything he had. But his tank was empty after 45. So Ned Grabavoy came in. And for me, he was fantastic. Absolutely fantastic.

Q. How long do you think it took your team to adjust to Javier going out to early?
JASON KREIS: It took a little bit. I mean, Javier's been a very, very important player for us. In all of our good moments at Real Salt Lake, he's been a central figure. He's been somebody that we like to get the ball to. He's our play maker for a reason. So it was difficult when he went down, and it did take a little bit. But in the end, I think the guys adjusted well and carried on.
THE MODERATOR: Now joining us are Captain, Kyle Beckerman, and forward, Robbie Findley. Kyle, would you like to just share some of your general comments?
KYLE BECKERMAN: I thought we played our hearts out tonight. We played our style of soccer. When we play our style it's pretty fun to watch, I think. It's fun to play. We create some chances, and it was fun tonight. Went longer than we would have wanted.

Q. Can you talk a little bit about the adjustments, not just because you had to replace a couple players, but they seemed to have a lot of traction in mid field in the first half, in the second half with some changes? But like Jason said, maybe just a little more aggressiveness, and you guys took control.
KYLE BECKERMAN: Yeah, I don't know what their game plan was, but it seemed like they were just going to try to counter attack. I think they switched their formation a bit to try to match with us in the midfield. But I don't know if they know or they're used to playing that style or playing the diamond.
But we were able to possess the ball a lot in the midfield. When we made the extra pass in the midfield, we were able to really create a lot and get into their half and get pretty deep and behind some of their players.

Q. Given your history with Landon and penalty kicks, do you think you got inside his head?
NICK RIMANDO: No, Landon's been in that position before. Probably with more people in the stands than tonight. I wanted to stay in the middle as long as I could, because I knew he was going to look up and he likes to go down the middle high. I thought he was going to go to the right a little bit. I think just staying that extra bit kind of made him think a little bit.
I was fortunate that he went over, because he usually buries those. But I'm 2 for 2, right? With him (laughing)?

Q. Towards the end of the game it was pretty clear the Galaxy were starting to get really gassed, and you guys had a little more fitness in you and you could keep up with them. Could you tell they were starting to get tired and you thought you could take it to them at that point?
KYLE BECKERMAN: Yeah, you could see a bunch of them starting to cramp up. And I think it just wears on you when you're playing defense a lot and your counter attack is just such a -- you know, it's at a high pace. So when you're counter attacking, you go from defending, defending, defending to now sprint. It starts to take on your legs a bit.
I don't think all of them were out of gas, but they had quite a few players that were gassing at the end. I think when you take care of the ball at the end of matches, you're going to have more steam than the other team.

Q. Do you consider this a victory as a team as opposed to a victory of individuals? And is that some sort of a statement given that you were able to defeat Blanco and the Fire, and Beckham in the Galaxy?
KYLE BECKERMAN: Well, I think since we've had the designated player, I don't think they've won yet, a team has won that with a designated player. I might be wrong, but, yeah, we've really bought into the star is the team here in Salt Lake.
When we work as a team and doing well, it's because everybody's playing well. Yeah, I guess now we start to really -- it pays off, I guess. You buy into things, but you don't really know what the result's going to be at the end of the year or whatever.
But we had to believe it, even though it might not come out to work for us, but it sure did. So it feels great. But, you know, those guys are great players.

Q. How difficult was it to find space behind the Galaxy back line in the first half? And why do you think you were able to have more joy getting behind them in the second half?
ROBBIE FINDLEY: Just like Kyle said. Maybe in the second half they began to get a little tired. Their legs were wearing on them. Seemed like Berhalter, he played me well. He would sit on off me a lot of times and try to make me go in there and get the ball.
But for the most part the corners were open for us, because their wide backs would step up to our mid fielders. And we found success just putting it in the corners.

Q. Talk about your goal a little bit, and just in the second half you guys created a lot of chances.
ROBBIE FINDLEY: Yeah, we went down 1-0 in the first. Heads were up. Nothing that really mattered, but we had had plenty of time to get another one back.
But the ball was just bouncing around on the 18 minute. Fell by my foot, and I was able to get my left foot on it, and put it in the goal.

Q. Right before the game started there was a shot of you from the TV cameras from the bench. We know how intense and focused you are. You almost looked like you were starting to smile. Were you just kind of savoring this moment regardless of what happened? You know, getting the team here, was that a sense of satisfaction?
JASON KREIS: Can I ask you a question first? Did you lose your voice yelling for us (laughing)?

Q. No, no, but I'm very glad you guys won?
JASON KREIS: Yeah, I don't know what to tell you but towards the end of the season things have become really fun for me as they were last year. There is something gratifying about having an idea or a vision about how you want to put a team together and how you'd like them to play. When that comes to fruition, and you get to look out there and see them do that, and be the better team in every game we've played since that last Dallas game away. In my opinion we've been the best team out there in every single game we've played, and played really, really good soccer.
As Kyle said, he plays the game, he doesn't watch. I tell you as somebody that watches, I really enjoy watching this team play when they're clicking. So it has been fun for me. Today before the game, and really almost the entire game, I'm just smiling and having fun.
THE MODERATOR: Congratulations on being MLS Cup Champions.
NICK RIMANDO: Thank you guys for believing in us.

End of FastScripts

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