Quotes: SEA 3, KC 2
Kansas City Wizards Media Relations
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER QUOTESHEET
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2009 -- SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC 3, KANSAS CITY WIZARDS 2
"It was a tough game to lose. Having a lead at home ... that's something we work hard to get, and when we got the lead tonight and couldn't defend it that was really frustrating. I think our effort was good tonight, but we gave up a couple of easy goals in the second half and that was the difference. Now we need to regroup for another home game next week against D.C. United, and we need to play hard and finish our season on a high note."
"It wasn't difficult for me, and it wasn't for the coaching staff. The players played hard tonight, so I think they did a good job of focusing on the job at hand. Despite us getting eliminated prior to our game tonight, we all know it is important to play well at the end of this season so that we can be a better team in 2010."
"I thought he played well tonight. He scored another goal, his second in three weeks, and that's one of the things he brings to this team. As we move towards 2010, Zoltan is a guy we will be counting on to play an important role on this team and challenge for a starting spot."
"It feels good, but it's just too bad that I couldn't do it in a season that we made the playoffs. My job is to score goals. I was just doing my job this year."
"I thought a tie was a fair result tonight, but that isn't what happened. We learned a few more lessons this game. Unfortunately we keep learning these lessons and we're not going to make the playoffs this season."
"Obviously it's an important win. For a first-year franchise to make the playoffs in the first year, it hasn't happened in a long time. Like I said, the scenario was different when Chicago did it because the league was a lot younger. I'm proud of our team, and I'm proud of what we've accomplished. I still think we can play better soccer, but that's just me. I always think we can play better soccer. We showed a lot of desire, a lot of will power, a lot of attitude at times on the field, and that's important to win games."
"We thought we had some chances definitely. We hit the crossbar and Hartman came up with a couple of saves. They played very well, and they have nothing to lose so they can cheat a little bit on defense and encourage their guys to go for it. They scored a couple of good goals, and luckily for us, we had a lot of character. We stuck with it and came back and pulled out the win."
"I've had a lot fun coaching this sport. Last year in Columbus and with Columbus' showing this year, they're a tremendous team. We built a great team there and they'll carry it on. What we're trying to do right now is build the same thing in Seattle. For me, everything's been a different challenge. When it came to LA it was sort of 'hey they're a good team, can you take them to the final level?' and we did it. I come to Columbus and it was 'rebuild the whole thing' and we did it. And now we're starting something new and we're starting to get there. That's what makes life fun. An Irish friend of mine says 'if one doesn't accept the challenges life brings you, it's not worth living.'"
"We came back from being down 2-1, and that's not that easy so we feel good."
"The grass is very good. The pitch was very good. It was small, but the quality of the pitch was very good."
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2009 -- SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC 3, KANSAS CITY WIZARDS 2
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS HEAD COACH PETER VERMES
On the game:
"It was a tough game to lose. Having a lead at home ... that's something we work hard to get, and when we got the lead tonight and couldn't defend it that was really frustrating. I think our effort was good tonight, but we gave up a couple of easy goals in the second half and that was the difference. Now we need to regroup for another home game next week against D.C. United, and we need to play hard and finish our season on a high note."
On playing Saturday after learning the Wizards had been eliminated from playoff contention:
"It wasn't difficult for me, and it wasn't for the coaching staff. The players played hard tonight, so I think they did a good job of focusing on the job at hand. Despite us getting eliminated prior to our game tonight, we all know it is important to play well at the end of this season so that we can be a better team in 2010."
On Zoltan's first career start:
"I thought he played well tonight. He scored another goal, his second in three weeks, and that's one of the things he brings to this team. As we move towards 2010, Zoltan is a guy we will be counting on to play an important role on this team and challenge for a starting spot."
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS FORWARD JOSH WOLFF
On setting a career-high for goals this season:
"It feels good, but it's just too bad that I couldn't do it in a season that we made the playoffs. My job is to score goals. I was just doing my job this year."
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS DEFENDER JIMMY CONRAD
On the game:
"I thought a tie was a fair result tonight, but that isn't what happened. We learned a few more lessons this game. Unfortunately we keep learning these lessons and we're not going to make the playoffs this season."
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC HEAD COACH SIGI SCHMID
On Seattle's playoff-clinching win:
"Obviously it's an important win. For a first-year franchise to make the playoffs in the first year, it hasn't happened in a long time. Like I said, the scenario was different when Chicago did it because the league was a lot younger. I'm proud of our team, and I'm proud of what we've accomplished. I still think we can play better soccer, but that's just me. I always think we can play better soccer. We showed a lot of desire, a lot of will power, a lot of attitude at times on the field, and that's important to win games."
On the comeback:
"We thought we had some chances definitely. We hit the crossbar and Hartman came up with a couple of saves. They played very well, and they have nothing to lose so they can cheat a little bit on defense and encourage their guys to go for it. They scored a couple of good goals, and luckily for us, we had a lot of character. We stuck with it and came back and pulled out the win."
On what the playoff clinch means to him personally:
"I've had a lot fun coaching this sport. Last year in Columbus and with Columbus' showing this year, they're a tremendous team. We built a great team there and they'll carry it on. What we're trying to do right now is build the same thing in Seattle. For me, everything's been a different challenge. When it came to LA it was sort of 'hey they're a good team, can you take them to the final level?' and we did it. I come to Columbus and it was 'rebuild the whole thing' and we did it. And now we're starting something new and we're starting to get there. That's what makes life fun. An Irish friend of mine says 'if one doesn't accept the challenges life brings you, it's not worth living.'"
SEATTLE SOUNDERS FC MIDFIELDER FREDDIE LJUNGBERG
On the comeback:
"We came back from being down 2-1, and that's not that easy so we feel good."
On the pitch at CommunityAmerica Ballpark:
"The grass is very good. The pitch was very good. It was small, but the quality of the pitch was very good."
