HEAD COACH BEN OLSEN
Thoughts on the match
“My thoughts were that it was a pretty much unacceptable performance tonight. To give up two goals that quickly at the start of halves is just something you preach, it comes down to concentration, it comes down to starting the right way and it wasn’t there and then we make life so difficult on ourselves throughout the game. Now we’re always chasing the game, and now we’re always spending more energy and now we’re desperate. There was some good stuff after the fact, but it was after the fact and that part isn’t good enough. It’s easy to play desperate. The trick is to play the way we played after we had those goals scored on us from the start and that wasn’t there and we deserved to lose this game”.
On missing Dwayne De Rosario
“Obviously, Dwayne is a big part of what we are doing, but he played 90 minutes last night. I wasn’t about to fly him across the country to risk any injury with him. Would I have liked to seen him out there? Of course, but we had the guys to do the job tonight, that has nothing to do with it. We had the manpower to get a good result and I thought our mentality was good leading up, but switched off early, two plays, and again it’s very, very disappointing.”
Would Dwayne have played if not for playing 90 minutes last night for Canada?
“Probably not. We have three home games to risk that and then travel on him. Dwayne has played a lot of soccer this year. When some have had breaks, he has gone off to international duty, so I want him fresh for next weekend and we are going to grind him out for our next three home games that’s for sure.”
On his team’s playoff chances
“It’s pretty clear now what we have to do, so there’s a positive. If you think three games is a positive, but why not? We’re going home, were playing teams that are certainly beatable and it’s a big task but it’s one we can certainly do, [but] not if we give up goals in the first minute of each half.”
BILL HAMID
Thoughts on why his team lost the match
“We came out slow and Vancouver ended up scoring two goals really fast.”
“Vancouver was the same team and same style of play as we played last time but they just happened to catch us at an off time. They dropped two at the beginning of both halves. It is what it is…we lost.”
JOSH WOLFF
On lack of concentration at key times
“Concentration is one of the things that’s been harped on for a long time and both goals came quick and, in that respect, it’s very disappointing to lose.”
“You can’t chase games in this league. It’s very difficult to come from behind and to fall asleep 30 seconds into the game. It’s tough to imagine, but we did it twice. We fought back and put in a big effort and we played well the other 80 minutes, so in that aspect we are somewhat pleased, but you can’t put yourself down two on the road and expect to flip the tables.”
Thoughts on overall performance
“I think our performance wasn’t bad. I’m not going to say that Vancouver broke us down. It was two similar plays and we just didn’t deal with it. The other effort and work we put in to get back in the game was great, but it would have been nice to get a point out of it. It’s tough to overcome 2-0 shortly after halftime.”
SANTINO QUARANTA
On lack of concentration at key times
“You expend so much energy trying to get back into the game and when you have two let downs that early on in each half. It’s unacceptable as a group and we hold ourselves to a higher standard than that. That’s stuff you learn when you’re ten years old… you start halves and you end halves well. To come out and have this happen 30 seconds in is silly.”
On trailing the entire match
“You have to put so much energy in trying to get back into the game when you’re down. And then you get a goal back and you’re still fighting and that’s putting a big burden on the team. We fought back, but at the end of the day it wasn’t good enough.”
Head Coach Tom Soehn
Thoughts on the match
“We talked a little bit about what their game strategy was going to be. Knowing their personnel, we thought they were going to sit in and keep it compact early, so it was important to get one early and we did that, we delivered on that. We spent a lot of time talking about it. And the same held true in the second half. We knew they were going to come out with some life because they are battling for a playoff spot and we got after them and got one in the second half and those are crucial moments in a game and we took advantage of that. In the end, they pushed a lot forward and we did a pretty good job of being organized and compact and didn’t give them a whole lot the other way”.
On the win
“I think most importantly, you want to finish the season proud of something and we have put together two results now and performances that you feel like you are competing and the things I have asked of the guys, the little things, they are doing. You want to carry something as the season concludes, carry it into games and know that you can win ballgames, especially in our building because we want this to be a fortress”.
On Long Tan
“He’s put a lot of work in the past two games and I was really happy for him to see the excitement in his eyes when he scored. He’s earned it and he’s given us a lot of life out there. He competes hard and he’s slowly increased his minutes for that, but I am happy for him for getting the goal.”
On the unchanged lineup
“Yes, 3-0 at home, you can figure it out. You don’t need to change too much. You can never look back, you can only look forward at what you have and have to manage next Saturday.”
Jay DeMerit
On two game winning streak
“First one of the season, so it feels pretty good, but there is never a bad time for things and runs like this. There are happy people in the stands and happy people in here and those are all positives as we move forward.”
Differences?
“It’s hard, you feel like when you walk into the dressing room that these games aren’t a lot different than any of the games this season. But sometimes the results go your way, sometimes you battle a little bit harder and commitment at certain points of the games really matters and maybe we are finding that solution now.”
On the magnitude of consecutive wins
“Absolutely, these types of things at any point in the season are a huge positive for the fans, for us, for management, for the club. Those little bits of happiness will carry you through when times aren’t as rosy as expected. But we just need to keep working and keep the same attitude to get better and the light at the end of the tunnel seems a lot brighter.”
On Long Tan
“He has worked hard the past few games and he’s been huge for us. For a young kid to fill those shoes has been fantastic and that should get people excited and him excited for the future.”
On the upcoming road game
“It’s just as important if you look at benchmarks, and nobody wants to have that on our record, so we will carry this victory into Dallas and make sure that we try to keep these same performances going. We know if we won tonight, we wouldn’t be the last place team in the league and that definitely meant something.”
On John Thorrington
“He has been huge for us. You can see how much we have missed him throughout the course of the entire season. He is a guy that has experience, a guy that calms things down when they get a bit crazy and can keep the ball for us when we need to. That’s his role and that has been huge for us.”
Joe Cannon
Thoughts on the match
“It feels great. I think tonight getting those early goals really energized the squad and put the onus on D.C. to really come at us. They had a little bit more of possession than I think we would have liked, but it was just a great effort for the guys. It was kind of a quiet night for me as far as saves go, so you just have to give credit to the guys.”
On a quiet night in goal
“Yeah, I think we have had some games that haven’t been so quiet before so maybe what goes around comes around. To get two wins is great, especially in front of our fans and new stadium, and we are out of the cellar now. We’re moving on up as they say. The new guys have come in and really made a difference and it’s a credit to their patience and work ethic throughout the season.”
On Long Tan
“It’s just great that he could reward himself. He has had such a great year. It’s tough when you have such great guys in front of you like Eric and Davide, and Camilo. He has worked hard all year long, especially in the reserve games and it’s just great to see.”
Long Tan
Thoughts on scoring his first goal
“Yes, it’s my first goal in MLS so I am very happy. I will remember today and we played good. Alain gave me a very great ball so I could score.”
Did you get tired?
“Second half, a little bit tired, but first half was okay. After I scored, we played more defensive, so I got tired running back.”
Thoughts on next game
“Of course we want to win the next game, so I hope I can score next game and help get three points.”
On working hard?
“I haven’t been playing too many games, so I work hard so I can play more games and help the team win.”
On the fan support
“First, thanks to the fans for liking me. Vancouver has a lot of Chinese. A Chinese guy can play MLS.”
On guidance from Eric Hassli
“Eric told me to keep working hard. He said I have been playing well and I will get more games, so I just listen to him and my coach. He has played in Europe so sometimes I say ‘Hey, how am I playing’? So, I just work every day for him.”
