Open Cup Quote Sheet

Here is the official quote sheet from tonight's game. The game summary, boxscore and notes can be found in the previous post.


U.S. Open Cup Play-In Game
Quote Sheet
Tuesday, MAY 27, 2008 -- LA GALAXY 0, COLORADO RAPIDS 1
Colorado Rapids Coach Fernando Clavijo

Opening Statement...
“I thought that in the first half they [Galaxy] played very well. They had a couple of very good chances from some very good players. It was nice to see Ruiz back out on the field. I thought that we were fortunate in the first half. I thought in the second half we made some adjustments and did not give the room that we gave in the first forty-five minutes. I thought in the second half we created enough chances and played better than we did in the first half. I thought that we were creative and had a great finish from Casey, who is coming back from a torn ACL and hasn’t played eighty minutes in a long, long time. We did enough to come back with the three points.”

On Connor Casey’s play coming back from injury...
“We expected him to play forty minutes, to be honest with you. He is six and a half months from ACL surgery and we all know how difficult it is to come back. Sometimes you may be physically fit to play, but mentally sometimes it takes a little bit longer to get back. He holds the ball extremely well and he gives us a chance to get forward. We are not yet in sync with him, but overall I think he did very well and I am very glad. Hopefully tomorrow he is not too sore and we can count on him for Sunday against Dallas.”

On changes made to the lineup this season...
“I think we have a very talented roster. We don’t have a super star, but we have a very hard working team. When you look at some of the younger players like LaBrocca, Kimora and Clark coming off a reserve season and give them an opportunity. Everybody feels that they have a fair chance to play. I felt that today in the first half we were a very competitive team and in the second half we produced well and played well and I am extremely happy for some of the younger guys.”

On the change in goalkeeping to bring in Preston Burpo...
“We had to make some decisions very quick. Our second goalkeeper is going to Germany with a sports hernia and our number one goal keeper Coundoul is in Senegal right now playing. We were very fortunate today. We have to give value that we have brought to the team someone with experience, and give him the confidence in the first game to be able to get a shutout was a good opportunity to show to the team and to himself that he can get it done.”

COLORADO RAPIDS FORWARD CONOR CASEY
On the goal…
The ball went out wide to Cooke. He swung it into me. I think I got between a defender and was able to get a piece of it and direct it back post.

On playing 90 minutes…
Great, it’s great. I was out almost seven months. It’s a good way to come back, you know. It wasn’t pretty, but it’s great to get 90 minutes under my legs, score, and help the team win.

LA Galaxy Head Coach Ruud Gullit...

Opening Statement...
We gave some people to opportunity to show themselves. Of course it was a pity that Alvaro was not able to go. I think our problem today was mostly in the midfield. We could not control it and there were players there that usually sit on the bench and we gave them a chance to show themselves and they had some difficulties today. The first half was ok. With Ruiz it was reasonable, and we had incredible chances and did not score. The goalpost was all-time against us and then in the second half we saw players who have not played a lot have a setback because of conditioning and that is normal. I think in the second half we did not play well at all.”

On what the team needs to do to turn things around...
“I think the thing that is good is to see the players that think that they need to play to show themselves. Of course the big miss for us was Alvaro because he is very important to us in the midfield. We could not play him because of knee problems which he was already out for. Also we know that we have to play Toronto on turf. Of course we gave the journalists ammunition to say that we cannot play without these two [Beckham and Donovan]. We did not want it, but I do not think its true. I think the biggest problem we had today was in the midfield. If you see the chances we had and you don’t make them. If we made them than it would have been a whole different ballgame. Now everyone is going to write that we cannot play without these two. Well we will accept it for this week.”

On there being a silver lining to losing today’s match...
“I would rather have played in the Cup. The only thing that you have to know is that if we had won this game we would have had to play against Toronto and then play again on Tuesday again on turf. We have issues we players on turf. For that reason it is ok, but no I am disappointed by the fact that we are out because we wanted to continue in the Cup. We know that a lot of teams don’t take it as serious as other games. Today Toronto played with players who usually don’t play. We did it also, but we had to for various reasons. I think it is a shame.”

On if the team is missing leadership without Beckham and Donovan...
“It is not the leadership. The most important thing is the midfield. I think we were very weak in that department. I thought attacking wise we were ok. We still managed to create so many opportunities today but we did not come through.”

On what today’s game taught him in preparation for Saturday’s game against Toronto...
“For me it has because at least now I know what you can rely on and what you can’t but I am still not happy with the fact that we lost a game that we did not need to. It was not necessary.”

On the play of Carlos Ruiz...
“I think the first half was ok but you can see that he is still not yet match fit. He was happy to get in the game. I am worried now that he has to play with his own country, when I see that he is not yet fit. Hopefully he comes back well and they don’t use him the whole game. That would be a pity. He has already had setbacks from previous operations when he went back to his country and played a match there and we all know what happened after that. I would rather he stayed here. I think he did some good things, but if he was really match fit is another thing. I am happy with the way that he performed especially in the first half.”

LA GALAXY DEFENDER ANTE JAZIC
On playing the full 90 minutes for the first time this season…
“It’s good to get 90 minutes, it’s just unfortunate that we lost the match. I thought that we played well in the first half but then our level dropped drastically in the second half and they punished us.”

On not capitalizing on their chances in the first half…
“Those are the kind of games where if you don’t kill off the game early it gets more difficult and obviously we didn’t put our chances away and they punished us toward the end. It’s unfortunate, but that’s soccer.”

On the disappointment of being knocked out of the Open Cup…
“This club wants to win trophies so when you are eliminated from the U.S. Open Cup it is definitely, almost a tragedy I would say. But now we just have to focus on the season and in the end this year is about making the playoffs and winning the MLS Cup, that’s the ultimate goal, so we have to turn our attention to that.”