MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER QUOTE SHEET
METROSTARS HEAD COACH BOB BRADLEY
SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2005 - METROSTARS 1, COLORADO RAPIDS 1
On the tempo of the match:
"I think in the first half we got frustrated, I thought it showed in our movement off the ball, I thought the game slowed down and we didn't do enough to keep the tempo up. At halftime we came out and picked part of it up. You had to play fast on a day like today, you had to push the tempo, you had to be aggressive to run forward and create chances. I thought we had a good start to the second half, we scored a goal, and unfortunately we still sometimes make the mistakes at the wrong time. I thought our overall defending was OK, but still let down following our goal and that's such a critical time in our game, to keep tight, keep pushing the tempo of the game and find a way to get the second one."
On the team's frustrations:
"At halftime there is still a good sense amongst all of us that we had gotten frustrated, we had not pushed the game in the way we like and so for me I thought that the response coming out in the second half was good. I mentioned making a mistake at a critical time. If you keep things tight and keep pushing the tempo, I think the second goal is going to come, but now when you've let them back into the game, it's a little bit harder. We had some half chances after that. Cannon made a kick save on Sergio Galvan Rey, which obviously was a terrific chance. We had one in injury time where they cleared it off the line where Abbe just couldn't get enough on it. So I thought the effort in that regard was good. But you've given them life by letting them back into the game."
On the field conditions:
"I think the players will tell you that the field is heavy. I don't want to use that as an excuse but every time they lay a field down, it's a different surface all the time and as far as what it feels like on your legs and how it takes a lot out of you I really think that had a lot to do with the game. Colorado also had a good game plan and it's our job to be good enough to take it apart."
METROSTARS FORWARD SERGIO GALVAN REY
On his play:
"Yes I definitely needed to get on mark and we needed to get a little mobility. The first half was a little slow and I was hoping come out strong and make some opportunities in the second half."
On the field:
Yes, it takes a little bit to adjust. I think that playing on different surfaces, it will definitely take adjustments. However, I don't think that's an excuse to why we didn't win the game."
METROSTARS FORWARD ANTE RAZOV
On his goal:
"I think Amado had the ball on the side and they were crowding the 18 and there was nothing in the penalty box so I kind of pulled myself out, laid back and luckily it just came right to me. I was lucky I wasn't really running, I was kind of standing still so I was able to get my feet set, get a good shot and fortunately it went in."
COLORADO RAPIDS HEAD COACH FERNANDO CLAVIJO
On the match:
"Definitely the field was something that both teams played the price of. The field was extremely heavy and the grass was long, it was like you were playing in quicksand. Some of the players were cramping up. We were talking about how the fitness is going to be what is going to make a difference."
On the midfield:
"We surround ourselves with a lot of numbers. When we play the midfield, our problem is that we don't get deep enough, we don't get forward enough and from that position. The second half was a lot better, we controlled the ball, and we played the ball around."
On the league's top goalscorer (Colorado's Jeff Cunningham) not being selected for the MLS All-Star Game:
"Every time that I think that I am getting closer to knowing a lot of stuff, I learn something new. It is ironic, but then again unfortunately the way they do things. ... He definitely deserves to play in the game."
