Defender Sam Vines
On the draw with Miami
I thought it was a good fight from the guys to come back. We started the game well, we were up 1-0 at halftime. Messi came on, he changed the game, but we fought back. Cole got a good goal, good ball from Calvin, and I thought we did well to fight back. Hopefully that pushes us for San Jose away.
On the team's effort to come from behind in numerous games this season to earn points
It shows good fight from the group, we're still learning about each other and still learning as a team. The coach has done well to create a good atmosphere to make us all work together and to show that fight and that grit every single game. Away in Miami, that's not an easy game. Away in San Jose, this weekend's opponent is not gonna be easy game. So as long as we show the grit and fight, I think we can we can get results and points.
On the upcoming match with San Jose
There's a lot of transition in all these games. So I think this week we'll be working on that to stay compact, and just finishing all of our chances. It's a difficult game going to San Jose. Any away game is difficult. Hopefully we can come out and start the game well and get a result early.
Head Coach Chris Armas
On the draw with Miami
We've said this, our first game at home against Nashville ends up being a draw that feels like a loss in some ways, this is a draw that you feel like you're coming from a winning position into a losing position to draw, and with what the challenge was on the night, which was a tough one, especially the way the game was going in the second half, to get a good goal back and walk away with a hard-earned point, I think the guys feel really good about that. And I've said it before as a coach, you can tell them certain things, you can show them certain things, but they need to experience those things. You don't have to convince Messi of anything right now. But [convincing] a young team that they're good at that together, that what we're doing is working, nights like that I think helped them all grow a little bit so I think it's a big positive in many ways coming from that game. I just was joking with one of the young guys, Kimani [Stewart-Baynes], he comes into the game, imagine what that means for him--where was he six months ago? What was he doing? He was in his development. But him, Lamine [Diack] gets minutes, makes a difference when he comes in. Can't forget that Oliver Larraz is a young player that's coming in, what does that mean to him? You'd have to ask him, but I understand what it means for those guys. And you can keep going. Seb Anderson, he's playing games with the second team, lots of training with us, but he steps up on the night. Obviously Yapi and Moïse, as well. We're still a young team with a lot of work to do. And I think this is what training is all about and how we try to get better every day.
On Zack Steffen wearing the captain's armband for the first time
Is it an easy call? Yes. Did we think about a few guys? Yes. But in the end, once you decide it, we can't go wrong with a few different guys, I'm not laboring over that decision. He's a leader, guys respect him. He's got a good voice when he talks, people listen. On the night, imagine the magnitude of the game for some of the players and Zack's been around, he's been in big games, big moments. Does the armband affect him in an emotional way too much? I think he was pretty steady on the night. We have Djordje, we have Maxsø who leads the backline, Cole Bassett--you got a bunch of guys that you can say 'Hey, does anyone else make sense for this?' For me, it was hearing that it was a nice honor for him as he said.
On the lack of Colorado representation in Team of the Matchday honors this week
If people recognize that we're doing good work and the players are worthy of it--I'm sure that some guys got considered--you can only pick 11 players along with the coaches. I think it's always nice for a player to get recognized, Djordje Mihailovic gets the shout last week, and I know our guys are getting considered, Moïse and Maxsø, I'm sure their names have come up during the year, I'm sure Cole for performance slash goal [against Miami] it comes up. My players and myself included, what matters most to us is getting results, doing all the controllables--we can't control that directly. It'll come. There'll be some of our names that show up on there along the way I'm sure because we have a nice group and some guys are gonna start making some noise.
On keys to collecting three points in San Jose this weekend
Look, it'll be a tough game. In their building, a team that is think is playing pretty good, a team really hungry for points. If I'm them, I'm thinking 'Hey, we gotta get our points at home against Colorado.' Fair enough. But for us, it's going to be about resetting. If we have some momentum in us, can we use that a bit? Ride the wave of some positive stuff going on, some confidence that we can take with us knowing we can play with anybody. But on the day, we'll have to be at our best. I know this. If we're slipping 5%, we're finished. I know this. So can we be better in the attack? Can we be better in attacking transition? Can we continue to be getting defensive transition, to get better on all set piece moments? And then defensively can we be organized. We got a couple of goals from being a little bit open and stretched this past game. I can tell you one thing, we have to keep the process going, stay on track, get better at all the things that make us good and make us, us. And I think we'll have a chance. But we'll have to earn that and that takes a good team.
