QUOTE SHEET
REAL MONARCHS SLC 1-1 VANCOUVER WHITECAPS FC 2
RIO TINTO STADIUM; OCTOBER 7, 2017
Real Monarchs
Head Coach Mark Briggs
Feelings after tonight’s game:
“I think it took a lot of weight from people’s shoulders. I think that the performance tonight and the attitude of the players and throughout the whole year has been different class. I’m a little bit wet so I’m trying to get a bit of composure but it’s an unbelievable feeling. I’m proud of the players, my staff, the front office, everyone associated with the club, Mike included, it’s an amazing feeling. I can’t put it into words right now.”
On getting to the shield:
“Me and Mike sat back then during the preseason, and we were a little bit unsure which way we were going to go. Then we play the first game up in Portland, did very well, put on a good performance. It was professional and we had control of the game. And I think that built a lot of confidence and then we were able to take on that good preseason and that first game and continue with that momentum. I think getting that late goal in San Antonio (July 22) was a big moment. And I think the last two weeks the way we have gone to Sacramento and Reno have been crucial for us for confidence for around, for everything. Overall we lost five games, tied six, I think that tells its own story. I couldn’t be prouder of what the players have done this year. They’re a fantastic group. Now we have a mini season, a five-game season that we have to focus on and make sure we get the silver that we want.”
On support for the next five games:
“It was huge. It was so refreshing to walk out and see 8,000 fans in the stadium. Hopefully they can come out and support us for the rest of the playoffs. Hopefully there’s five games that they can come out and support. Let’s try to build on the eight first and try to get a few more on the seats.”
On getting motivated:
“All season we spoke about goals, setting team goals, monthly goals, weekly goals. This was our main goal, the USL Regular Season. So that’s one box checked off and we have to go and get the main one. That’s what the goal is and that’s what we need to work for, continue to strive for. This is fun and this is nice, they can enjoy it and then they have to come down to the grown cause teams will be wanting to beat us now.”
Midfielder Nick Besler
On the preseason moments:
“When we got our group together, when we went to California for a preseason trip, kind of looking around at all the guys we had in the team, we had so much talent. I was looking around and I knew the team was going to be special. And it turns in to what you can do with that talent. You can really see what this team is capable of doing when we hit that nine-game winning streak early in the season. Everyone looked around and thought that we could do this, that we can win the (USL Regular Season Championship) Shield.”
On getting the Shield:
“The fans are going to drive us in this post-season round. We had the most fans we had all year tonight. When we were a man down they picked us up and they pushed us to get the result that we needed. We hope they keep coming out because we are going to need their support. We hope we can get all the fans out there.”
On getting the motivation for the playoff run:
“The (USL Regular Season Championship) Shield is nice but it’s not the big one. The big one in this league is the cup. And that’s kind of how American sports work really. Over in England maybe this would be great in the league. But American sports it’s a little bit different with a post-season tournament at the end and that’s weighted a little bit more heavily. That’s the one we want to win now so obviously we’re going to put in everything we have in, enjoy it obviously and we’re going to get back to work.”
On the win:
“It’s special. The (USL Regular Season Championship) Shield is really to the best team the whole course of the season. We put in so much time, so many hours working as a group. Working outside of practices, building relationships that no one else sees but that makes a huge difference on the field. To see all those hours kind of be rewarded it’s special. Everyone it’s extremely excited.”
Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2
Goalkeeper Mark Village
On his first USL start:
“It’s good. It’s actually my first start in USL ever. I’ve been with the club for three years and this is my first start ever and my debut. What a stadium to be in, Rio Tinto. You can’t complain about the debut here. I feel like I did OK and the team did really well in front of me.”
On weathering the storm against the Monarchs:
“Yeah I feel like we played to our strengths. We held off some of their key players. Unfortunate about the goal that went past me. It was a little bit of a deflection, I think, anyways. Other than that, the guys in front of me played really well. As you put it, they weathered the storm in front of us.”
On getting the goal early in the second half:
“It was huge. It was huge. We knew that they were going to come out. We actually heard their [Monarchs] coach yelling in the dressing room. He wasn’t too happy. We knew that they were going to come out firing. To get that goal right out of the gate was huge for us.”
