QUOTE SHEET
REAL SALT LAKE 1-2 FC INTERNAZIONALE
INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY
JULY 19, 2016; RIO TINTO STADIUM
Real Salt Lake
Head Coach Jeff Cassar
On if the team enjoyed the game:
“Parts of it for sure were enjoyable. What I just told the guys is that there are crucial times in the game where you have to recognize where it is just about locking it down and closing it out. The tough thing is that I said the same thing at halftime. We gave up a set play goal in the 42nd minute. It’s unacceptable. I can accept it because we didn’t work on in and we didn’t have guys that were with us. But it’s more of a mentality. I want our group going forward to be tougher, to be sharper in certain moments of the game. I think when we do that we will be a very, very good team.”
On scoring on a set play:
“It’s great. It’s someone that is prepared to score because the ball gets knocked around and it came right to him and he reacts quickly. That’s what you want from players on attacking set plays is to be ready at any moment. A lot of times balls are set up to be in certain areas to have certain people be on the end of them but a lot of times it doesn’t happen that way. If they are ready for it they can take it and seize that moment.”
On talking with Lalo Fernandez:
“I haven’t said anything to him. But...it happens. Myself being a goalkeeper, it happens. But to make the next step for him it can’t happen. It’s something to learn from. I thought he handled himself well when he was in there. But right there you need to recognize that we need that save that keeps us in it. It didn’t happen tonight. I still have a lot of confidence in him. He has been playing extremely well with the Monarchs and training with us. This is not a step back but it’s just part of the growth process.”
On respecting the caliber of Inter:
“I think that anyone can do it. You’ve seen players in the MLS do that all the time. It happens all over the world. They might happen more with them but it’s about being prepared for anything. A good shot, a bad shot; that’s what I was saying when Jordan Allen was prepared to finish his opportunity. We looked surprised and we shouldn’t be.”
On standout players from the bench:
“I thought that each of them had moments. I thought that the Monarchs players that played with us all put in very hard work. They had moments when they did very good things and worked hard defensively. For our players, they really all had times that they were good. They also had times where they could be a little sharper but that is what happens in these games. This experience is valuable for their growth and their maturity. It’s also important for our team to recognize certain times.”
On Jordan Allen’s performance:
“I thought he did a really good job. We had to take him out a little early since his hamstring was tightening up on him and slowing him down. But when he plays that position he does things differently than our other number 10’s that we have. We’re able to get in behind on those runs from the midfield which cause a defense a lot of problems. Jordan is learning that in areas where he was successful it is tougher for him to be successful. He’s having to play quicker. But he is learning very fast and his ceiling is really high. He’s getting better and better each time out there.”
On Javier Morales sitting this match out:
“His body was a little sore from the game against New England. He had gotten kicked few times toward the end of that game. It was the right move. Coming out of this game we are set up really good for San Jose. Everyone got the proper minutes that they did. Everyone got out without picking up any injuries and I’m really happy about that.”
FC Internazionale
Manager Roberto Mancini
On Inter’s defensive shape:
“We are very jet-lagged still. It was an important game, it was important to defend and I think we did this.”
On his impressions of RSL:
“They are a good team. I know that they changed 4-5 players after the 30 minutes so they are a good team. They play a good game and I think they are going to do good things in the MLS.”
On his team coming to America for pre-season:
“I was here with Manchester City and I think you can work well here. The weather is good, maybe in Italy the weather is too hot at the moment and you can play a good game like tonight here. We can also play a match against Bayern Munich and PSG. Also the soccer is important here it is important for our team.”
On what impressed him the most about his team:
“It was important for the players to finish the game without injury. We are very tired in this moment because of only the three days we are here. And it is not easy to play a strong game.”
