Kansas City Current MD-1 Press Conference 8/24/24

e e e e e e e e e you e e e e e all right did you find the stream yep there's a streamhub Midway down on left side yeah y awesome wait you can hear us yeah e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e e all right welcome in everybody we're going to get started here in just one moment if you are on the zoom and watching uh and you're a reporter and you have a question just use the raise your hand feature and we'll let you get that question asked we're going to go Ahad and get started right away um and open up to questions first uh all right welcome in everybody we're going to get started here in just one moment sorry about that um we're gonna open up and go first question goes to Thad Bell hey coach uh good to get back to uh league play now after having uh some tournament you know uh extra extra games in there yes we're we're excited and uh it's not just any game and you know it's a game against one of the best opponents uh best teams in the league uh in the good times uh we're we're looking forward to it and like you said it's one of the best teams is it good to be competing against that uh top of the table you know where you're uh you know that have that level of competition with your team yes uh we have a stretch of uh few really tough games ahead of us and uh I I talked to the team and uh if we want to get in the playoff and prepare for for the playoff these are the type of games that that we need to play and uh we uh we need to learn learn from these games regardless of the outcome all right thanks that we're gonna go next to Daniel sper Daniel go ahead hey coach um just curious you've made a series of additions over the last couple weeks um what does it look like for playing time for those players and when can we expect to see some of them on the field yeah I'm going to start with hea first uh her visa uh is not done yet so she's she's waiting on the on the documents uh before she starts playing Jericho is ready uh obviously she's only been with us for a short period of time but uh we expect uh to Ian she's going to be uh she's she traveled with us and uh we you know there's a chance we we see her on the field uh tomorrow and then Alana Alana is already integrated fully and ready to play uh and then some of the players that have been out for with injuries for a little bit longer term like uh eball miss most of this summer and then uh you've got beas Naro I'm just kind of where their uh progress in return to play and maybe potential minutes in the future yes evil is uh healthy and ready uh she's not quite 90 minutes ready at this point but uh she's uh she's available for for minutes she travel with us where beia is recovering well she's uh uh on she started training on the field which is a huge step forward for her with our rehab specialist and uh in the next couple weeks she's going to join the team and start ramping up minutes and then just one last one I I know this summer cup you know the and the women's cup you get those opportunities to kind of Tinker around but you feel like um you guys have set yourself up uh for this stretch run well um with how you performed over there and especially in getting some of the players like Tema and deia um seemed like a little bit more Rhythm and uh connection between the two of them yes absolutely I thought that the games the women's cup the summer cup came in perfect time for us uh uh for for as a team but also for certain individuals or or group of individuals uh I you mentioned themo the I thought they they uh connected very well and I said this before that these players just need minutes together they need minutes on the on the field in the in the training environment but also they they need minutes uh in the game so this game certainly helped us uh in um uh in our process of getting getting on the same page going forward all right thanks Daniel we're going to go back to Thad Bell Thad go ahead hey coach I know you just talked a little bit about the the relationship like between Tima and dein but just how good is it to have dein getting back into where she can be and how close do you think she is at you know Peak dein uh yes I don't know how close she is but every time she uh in the in the last few games every time she stepped on the field showed uh some uh uh some really uh good things and uh uh had direct impact to to the game whether it was a goal assist or some uh uh or influence influence our attack uh she she had something to do with it so that's that's very positive but we're happy uh we can see that she's happy which is very important in order to get the best out of them she she has to be happy she has to enjoy the the the playing D the game and uh uh you know all we can do is just uh wait for the next one and then not game related but have you had a chance to have any thoughts on the new CBA that was announced no I'm just happy that uh that it's over and done and uh the it seems like it's it's a great step forward for for this game and uh and for the league and for for the players for everyone uh it's uh uh it's uh there's some some things that they are very good there and as a as a coach I I don't focus on every little thing I leave that on on CI and uh and our president and our owner the things that uh that mattered for me me the most are probably you know the free agency and what are the players that that are available what are the players that we need to secure like there are only few things that I'm very focused on in terms of the CBA all right thanks that uh coach just uh any thoughts on what to expect tomorrow uh I think it's going to be a great game like I said it's one of the one of the best teams uh in the in the league I I certainly put oursel in the in that group as well and two good teams uh showing up uh I think that uh uh spirit is going to be very motivated they have a new coach uh they uh they're playing in front of their own crowd I'm sure the crowd is going to be great so uh it will be good it will be it will be a good game good show and uh it will be a great test uh for us as a team so I'm looking forward to it all right thanks coach any more questions for him all right we're gonna let him go and then we'll be back with de e e e e e e e e e e e all right we're back in here with midfielder deia and once again we'll go ahead and open it up straight to questions if you have a question for it use the raise your hand feature and we'll get you called on uh first hand up was Thad Bell Thad go ahead hey uh just how good is it to get back into league play well morning guys um it's feel good I think like the games that we have in summer uh was a good preparation for get back to the the league now especially if this SE that have been doing so we're so excited and ready to to get back and then uh I feels like the the summer tournaments gave you a chance to just really get back into form you were playing at really a high level uh combining well with other players just how has that been for you to kind of get back to that yeah you know I have the injury beginning of the season so it's not like I injured so took like time for me to get back but not I'm feeling good which is good like we have these games in summer which um helped me you know get back to my form play the the girls play a different girls you know like some play some players left some player came so I think like the special of this team is just like welcome everybody and make everybody com on the team so like for me like every time I play this te like I'm comfortable I'm happy so I think like that helps too you know I that see the the like how we how we play and you know like every time Freedom happening so I enjoy that so it's made made it easier thank you that up next is Daniel sper Daniel hey deia um I was just curious about how your playing relationship with de or with Tema has come along over the summer cup um just kind of talk about how you guys have worked on your connection and uh how you feel like it's starting or if you feel like it's starting to grow um even more um over these Summer Games yeah you know like playe tell me it's easier but especially like in training and games like we we came along you know like we play together we talk a lot to uh on the field outside the field so we Tred to uh to understand each other more like where she WS the ball where I W the ball so I think that that's helped to that conversation that we need to have and like you guys said said like we're doing well good like together so I hope like that continue to stay the season it seemed like that goal uh against Atletico Madrid um the the One Touch passing you all seemed to know where the other was going and you put the ball and it it was like is that kind of the hope is that okay the the more reps that we get in practice and training and in matches and stuff those are the kind of things that just kind of flow and happen as part of what what you've come to expect from each other yeah for sure you know like we train a lot uh during the week like some drills and that's one of the drills that have training with so like uh we if we doing training like I think the game is going to happen natural and like I said like knowing how T wants the ball know how she plays and and yeah I'm just happy to have herbody to me of course not fun seeing my team marking her but yeah it's just fun like and and we just there like to enjoy and keep and then one last one there's been a lot of a little bit of movement uh in the team in the summer window so far just uh uh how do you guys welcome these new players bring them on and then ultimately kind of onboard them into the culture that you guys have created and set so quickly um uh with this team this year oh like I said like when I got here I felt so welcome and like everybody who gets here like UPA other players everybody feel outcome I think like I think like this identity that the team has helps a lot like all the players and of course with the stuff too they they make sure that everybody's comfortable and happy so yeah I think just like help everybody like every game every training and make sure like everybody all right thanks Daniel up next PJ green Fox forward hey Deb um just thinking back to to when you first came to the league from uh from Brazil just uh with uh with you know Timo and then Hilda and jco they all coming to this league for the first time this year can you think back to just the adjustment of uh just coming to America and adjusting to just basic American life and then how the how the game of soccer just kind of lets you still connect with your with your teammates even though that English is like not your first language yeah um for me come to to us was a challenge of course like I want to improve myself sare in a different ways Fitness um mentally because I I always knew like us was you know like they have like a different view of soccer like here like we can find athletes and where I was playing like yeah I was play soccer but like I would like just myself and you know like like day by day but when I came here like of course like I like a better athlete and meeting like new players like playing different players help me to my my soccer like T like you said uh of course I can learn a lot with every place here um day by day and of course like being coached by God but also like help me every day like you know like to PO or something so I just enjoy like playing us and and then uh with uh with loo you know still making moves and and all the way up to like the end of this transfer window just how much does that inspire all of y'all as a whole and like his his whole goal is to keep the competition up just how much does it actually keep the competition up with him always trying to bring in new players yeah that's for sure that's that uh it was special about him like he never let the players get comfortable and always had competition team and of course like not just like competition between players but like in training too uh like we I was like training in high intensity and you can show that in the games so I feel like what he's doing like is a is a great job course but I can see it I'm just happy to play for him and like who that is my teammates all right thanks PJ any other questions for Deb all right well that's it for us today we are in action tomorrow at