D.C. United Head Coach Ben Olsen
On how the match would have played out in snowy conditions:
“It wouldn’t have been a pretty game, that’s for sure. It would have made the game sloppy. It would have been a lot of 50/50 balls, but this is what it is – the game has gotta go on sometime. You know, I think we’ve done our part and we’ve changed games.”
On what his main concern is regarding the decision to postpone the match:
“My concern is that my boys wanted to play, and I thought it was a playable field at this point. But it isn’t, so we gotta regroup and come back tomorrow and do it again.”
On the disappointment over the game being postponed:
“I’m upset. I’m upset because I have some guys that I knew by the look in their eyes that they were ready to go today. It’s time to get this thing going, and I thought we had a good chance today and now we got to go back. But that won’t be an excuse – we’re pros, we’ll get some sleep and we’ll go back and do it again tomorrow.”
On if he felt as though the game should have been postponed:
“I thought they did a good job and cleared the field. Again, it wasn’t going to be pretty. This was not going to be a pretty game. But that doesn’t mean you have to cancel a game.”
On what it means to have 11 buses of fans travel up to New York for the game:
“They [the fans] mean a lot to these guys. They inspire our group and I think that’s part of the reason why they were ready to go tonight. So, they went up there and thanked them. I feel terrible for them – they gotta go back tonight and tomorrow, they took off work. I feel terrible for them and I thank them for coming out. They always got our back. Hopefully, some of them can call off another day of work – we’ll see if those bosses in D.C., cut them some slack and stay one more night.”
D.C. United midfielder Chris Pontius
On if he was surprised by the decision to postpone the match:
“I mean, after they make us come here for the game, our fans traveling up, yeah I’m surprised [that the game got postponed].”
On whose idea it was to thank the fans personally:
“I think me and Lewis were heading out there. We talked to [assistant coach] Chad [Ashton] to get the rest of the guys to come out. They made the trek up and I don’t think most of them will be able to make it up tomorrow, which is unfortunate. It was a great showing by them today, so like I said, I just wish the game was being played right now.”
On physically making it up to the stands to salute the fans:
“I was following Will Chang and we were trying to figure out a away to get up there to them. I mean, to bring 600 people up to a game, an away game, to have it shut down like that, it’s incredible and they deserved us coming up there and thanking them like that.”
On if he has ever played in weather like the one tonight:
“No, but it’s just part of the game. You got nature on that. The field, once they shoveled it off, it looked fine. It’s going to be a different game – it’s going to maybe be a game where possession isn’t a huge factor, it’s not going to be the prettiest of soccer. But it’s still playable, from what I saw out there.”
On the current mood of the locker room:
“Well, I think for us as a team, a lot of the guys in the locker room are angry. But I think you gotta bottle up that energy, that anger and use it out on them tomorrow.”
