The following are quotes from the Sept. 28 MLS media teleconference, which featured D.C. United Head Coach Thomas Rongen, Chicago Fire General Manager Peter Wilt, Chicago Fire Midfielder Jesse Marsch. Thomas Rongen Opening Comments: “This tournament is very important for both Chicago and for us … The winner will allow some prestige for MLS … We are certainly measuring ourselves within CONCACAF with very good competition … I think our draw in the first round against Olimpia on Wednesday might be the toughest in the first round … They are the current Central American Champions and with Toluca and Necaxa and the two teams from Costa Rica, it is a very competitive field … We are here to defend our title … We are certainly on a hot streak … We have won 11 straight and we have very good confidence right now … We understand that this competition is going to be tough and we need to be on top of our game to be successful.” Peter Wilt Opening Comments: “This is going to be our third game in six days … However we did take some precautions as far as overworking the players by resting some of the starters on Sunday in San Jose … We are hopeful that will allow us to be fresh and I think that the team is in a good mindset right now .. We have been focused on this tournament for the last week to two weeks, not that the regular season takes a back seat … We are all very proud of having earned a spot in this tournament … We all recognize the amount of prestige and credibility that can come not only to the team but for the league by doing well in the tournament … In addition there is quite a bit of money involved for the players and the team so I think you can expect to see the Fire put forth its best effort in the tournament.” Jesse Marsch Opening Comments: “We are pretty excited to be here … It is something that has been on our minds for most of the season … It is a great test to see where we are in the season … It is a great opportunity for every club in the tournament to put their mark on CONCACAF … I was really proud of the fact that D.C. did it last year and I would be really proud if we could get another American team, specifically us, to win it again.” “As far as Joe Public goes, we don’t know a whole lot but we know that they are much improved from last year … They have taken more of a professional stance with their club and they are playing players a bit more and have some quality players … We are getting ready to play a quality side and put our best effort out there and I think that is what it will take to win each game .. We are not taking anything for granted.” Rongen on the Depth of D.C. United: “We have always felt good about our depth … This team has shown over the years that they can overcome losses of keys players … This year we have lost manpower during the course of the season … We had some injuries and some players not there due to Copa America and the Confederations Cup but we were able to stay focused and we did a good job … Players like A.J. Wood, Carey Talley and Geoff Aunger really stepped up to the plate and some of our younger players like Antonio Otero, Jason Moore and Chris Albright, as of late, have also contributed … I think that it takes 16 players to win this tournament and quite a few players to win MLS Cup as we have shown already towards the end of this season.” Marsch, as a Former D.C. Player, on the Pride in United’s Organization: “D.C. has always had a bit of pride in the way they play and the way they hold themselves as an organization … When I was there we always felt that we had a great starting lineup and that we also had great talent on the bench … Clearly you can see that a lot of players have left that team have done well in the league and D.C. has done well in replacing those players with good young talent … It doesn’t surprise me at all … It is the way the organization holds itself, it is quality.” Rongen on Geoff Aunger’s Role in the Lineup at the CONCACAF SKY Champions Cup: “No Geoff will not be in the starting 11 … Our starting 11 is as follows: Tom Presthus, Diego Sonora, Carlos Llamosa, Eddie Pope, Jeff Agoos, Richie Williams, John Maessner, Marco Etcheverry, Ben Olsen, Roy Lassiter, Jaime Moreno … We’ll play 4-4-2 [formation] … Geoff has done a tremendous job for us … He does understand role very well … When called upon in the tournament and when all is said and done, he will be treated as he is in MLS [has played 24 games in 1999].” Rongen on Roster Changes: “There are deadlines that we have to meet within MLS as far as releasing players prior to carry into the tournament in Brazil … We have already talked about potentially winning this tournament and what we need to do to get better if we play the likes of Real Madrid, Corinthian or Man United which would be great for either team and for MLS … It is certainly very prestigious and it will put us on the map in the international scene … We are representing the league and we are very proud in doing that … We are probably one or two players short of competing on the highest level … There are some great teams out there and this tournament is our number one priority … If we get through that we will do our best to improve this team if we still feel that we are one or two players short of being a very good team.” Rongen on Recruiting Canadian Talent: “We recruit anywhere in the world … We try to get the best players available … We don’t care where he comes from … We have good international contracts … My NASL experience has allowed me to stay in touch with a lot of players that have become coaches pretty much in all parts of the world … We have a pretty good hold on what’s out there and who we can approach and what players might be available … It’s not an easy process … If he happens to be Canadian and he fits our mold then we have no qualms in doing that.” Rongen on the Importance on the FIFA Club World Championship: “I think that it is very important … I don’t think that people in this country realize, at this particular point, very similar to our success when we won the InterAmerica Cup and it didn’t get a lot of coverage … It was probably one of the biggest, single-most best results by a club team ever in U.S. history … I don’t think that people realize what this would mean for a particular club and more so for the league if we, or Chicago, goes to Rio [Brazil] in January … This could elevate our league and give us the recognition we so well deserve internationally … As an organization we are aware of that … MLS is aware of that … I just don’t know if a lot of other people understand the importance of the tournament.” Wilt on the Scheduling of the CONCACAF Sky Champions Cup: “When CONCACAF was originally talking to us about the scheduling we were pushing for it earlier in the season … The Mexican teams wanted a later schedule so their teams would be in midseason and in better form as opposed to last year when the Mexican teams thought they were caught a little off guard because of their preseason … How it effects us, we know we are in the playoffs … We have been looking at our schedule for a long time … We have tried to adjust our games, our roster, and practices with the schedule in mind … We recognize this is the most important event for our team .. Could it be better? Yes … But we will take the cards that are dealt us, concentrate on this … After Sunday we will return our interest to MLS … As long as we are in the first four in the playoffs, we have as a good a shot as anybody to make it to Foxboro in November.” Marsch on Player Excitement: “It’s the time of the year to play some big matches … It’s been a fun year in our division because its been a tight race all year and it remains to be one … My feelings are lets get it on and lets play some big matches and get ready for a big ending.” Rongen on Impressive Match Against Los Angeles: “This group is so close and cares so much that it is a joy actually to see that we can play without seven or eight starters … Any time we have success everybody enjoys that and everybody cares … We are one, not 24 … They take pride and have a high level of confidence in our ability that when we step out on to the field we have a chance to win most games … It was special because many didn’t expect for us to do that well with the makeshift lineup we had and that we could perform the way we did … It was nice to see the young players respond with a few veterans … Eddie [Pope] was the captain and has become a leader of this team this year … It is a lesson to be learned that if we work hard we can compete against anyone … It was nice for the nonstarters to see that honesty and hard work can get you places … Its nice to see Marco, Jaime and Roy watch the young players work their butts off and get a result against a very good team … We are similar to the big teams in the world that we are very deep in all our positions …We can fall back on any given day, in any position and we don’t lose much … It creates healthy competition … We are very sharp right now.” Wilt on Approach to a Successful Team: “Coach Bradley gets most of the credit for that … We look for players who will contribute not only on the field, but in the locker room and in practice … Players who are dedicated to the team as opposed to being selfish … We looked at D.C. as a model … Frankly, I think that Kevin Payne [general manager] and Bruce Arena [head coach 1996-1998] deserve a lot of credit and they set the standard for not only what Chicago has tried to emulate but virtually what every other team in the league has tried to do … Looking for players that are going to be selfless, work hard, and talented … Certainly the foreign players we have brought in have been a key to our success and our American players … I think that we have done a good job identifying players who would give of themselves for the team … That was the key to our success last year and as we approach this tournament and the playoffs that will be the key again.”