MLS Conference Call (July 3, 2001)

MLS Conference Call Guests: Miami Fusion midfielder – Ian Bishop San Jose Earthquakes Head Coach – Frank Yallop MLS Deputy Commissioner – Ivan Gazidis Ivan Gazidis’ opening comments: “Tomorrow night is going to be a great night for us again. July 4th seems to be a soccer night that we take control of every year. We’ve had some great attendances in the past and we are expecting that again tomorrow night. We’re pretty excited about the way things are lining up. “In the All-Star voting, U.S. national team members continue to lead the voting. It’s incredible that we have a defender leading the voting, but we do in Jeff Agoos. That’s both because of his contribution to the U.S. national team and their defensive record in World Cup qualifying and also the way that he has brought his leadership to San Jose. Jeff fully deserves that and it’s really an amazing accomplishment for a defender to be the leading vote-getter. Voting will conclude this week and the starting lineups will be announced on July 12.” Ian Bishop’s opening comments: “To be honest it has been a strange experience for me, but I’m enjoying every minute of it. We started well, even though we were not complete as a side in the first six or seven games, but now we’ve come together. It is probably a testament to Ray and the coaching staff, but we go on the field and we don’t think we are going to lose a game. “Even the Columbus game where we had five players out, we said as long as we get the ball and do our stuff we are going to score goals. It ended up 4-3, it probably should have been more convincing win but we lost Pablo, Carlos and Ivan and we knew it was going to be hard. We just feel that when we get on the pitch we can outplay anybody. We feel we can go anywhere, and that as long as we are on our game we can get a result. “It is going to be a big game tomorrow, they are at the top of their division and we’re at the top of ours. There is going to be fireworks, not just for the Fourth of July, but on the field as well. We trained at Spartan Stadium this morning and it is similar to England in a way. It reminds me of West Ham, where the supporters are right on top of you and it makes for a great atmosphere.” Frank Yallop’s opening comments: “I guess I better pinch myself to begin with. To be in the position that we are in at the moment is a bit of a dream to be honest. We started out the season before the draft trying to build a team that could play together and compete in the league. From that day on, we’ve just got better and better and have really grown as a unit. Obviously we have added some great players with Landon joining us, and Jeff Agoos has already been mentioned as being a great player for us and a great leader also. “The guys that were here last season had some tough times. We’ve got them believing in themselves again and got them believing that they can play soccer and enjoy the game again. They have really taken that and run with it. “We won the first game in Los Angeles, and that was great. Then we lost two in a row, and maybe some doubts were creeping in. Then we went on an unbeaten run of 11 games and that says a lot about the players. They go out every game expecting to win or at least draw. “The Miami game tomorrow is a great matchup. They are so free flowing and they can hurt you from a number of positions. It is a tough game for us. We’re not a defensive team at all, but we don’t concede a lot of goals. The guys have bought into everything we’ve asked them to do. We’ve had a number of guys that have really gone above what they thought they could play like. It’s not easy coming into a team that is new and playing they way they have. “I’m really happy with everything. To think about myself coaching in the All-Star game would have been a joke to start the season. The way it’s gone though has just been a fantastic. I know Ray’s troops are ready to go and it will be a tough game. I just feel real proud of what we’ve achieved so far over here and hopefully we can keep it going and be a challenger at the end of the season. “I feel that myself and Dominic (Kinnear) are so close to our playing days that we can really relate to the players. We talk to them quite a bit and I feel that they can come to us at any point and that I would know where they are coming from, the same goes for Dominic. Our door is always open and the players like that. We can already figure out what they are going say next because we’ve all been there as players. It’s been a good transition for us, and I think if you asked the players they would tell you they enjoyed it. They’ve really turned it on and played well for us. I can’t complain about anything so far.” Yallop on what Ray Hudson has done to fuel Miami’s resurgence: “He’s done a great job of identifying who can play with each other. Ray’s done a really great job of figuring out how he wants to play, and then putting the pieces into the system he wants to play. He’s a great character, and all the players want to play for him. In just about every position, with the exception of Ian Bishop and Alex Pineda Chacon, they have MLS experience. Bishop is such a good player though it didn’t take long for him to fit in. If you look at their overall team, its very experienced and they have a lot of talent. They have a very, very strong squad. They are playing some unbelievable soccer right now, and it’s nice to watch them play. I’m not looking forward to it tomorrow, but I’ve seen them play a few times and they are a joy to watch. “I feel that we have to shut them down offensively. If we can score first I think we’re a pretty good team. The first 20-30 minutes are important. I’m looking for us to get off to a good start and for us to get all over them a little bit to put them under pressure. We’ll be at home so we need to force the issue.” Yallop on they key to San Jose’s rebuilding process: “It was tough, but from afar I kept an eye on who I thought were good players. Just before the draft I thought we did a good of identifying what we wanted to get and then going out and getting it. Obviously I knew Jeff Agoos, Manny Lagos, Troy Dayak. Zak Ibsen I didn’t really know, but I knew of him as a player and I felt that he had a good character in a game. “Obviously when you are starting out you aren’t too sure of how it’s going to go. We made the right choices and it has worked out so far. I wouldn’t say luck is part of it, but it has all fallen into place nicely. Probably though it’s been good judgment and a little luck, but maybe a little bit of both. “I felt like I could get us organized and playing the system that I felt would suit the players. I’m a 4-4-2 man, and I had to think about who would fit into that. Once we brought the players in they all fit into the system nicely. For us to be at .500 would probably have been a good gauge of where I would have liked to be. Really, before the season started, I just said to the guys that we should be challenging for the playoffs come September. We didn’t want to be out of it by the beginning or middle of August. We haven’t really talked about the playoffs, just that we should get as many points as we could.” Gazidis on whether MLS has achieved growth so far in 2001: “I think we have seen progress on a number of different fronts. For me, the biggest thing is always what is happening on the field. There is a unanimous feeling that the level of play is moving up all the time and that the progression of the young American players is so positive. That’s what everything stems from because people want to see exciting play on the field. “In terms of attendance, we’re up over last year, but I think it’s most important that our season ticket sales are up. That gives you a good basis where you aren’t relying week in and week out on walk up. That provides a solid base to work from. The improvement in season ticket sales is a very positive development. That hasn’t come from big-name signings or anything like that, that just comes from hard work at the grass roots level. We are doing a lot of things this year that we have tried to do in the past, but this year I think we’re doing them better. We are doing them smarter and really connecting in a way that we haven’t been able to do in the past. “Our demographics are up again. I can’t say our ratings have taken a leap forward but they are roughly where they were last year. In the demographic areas that advertisers look for we are becoming more attractive year after year and we feel good about our TV situation going into next year.” Gazidis on the Dallas Burn’s operator situation: “That situation is going toward ownership over some period of time. We’re had some very positive discussions and we feel good about that situation. It is certainly a priority for us to do that across the league, Dallas included. The key is having the right ownership group in place that has the resources and commitment to the league. In the six years of the league, the greatest assets we’ve had are the investors. The quality of investors we currently have on board are people that are able to finance what has to be done to take soccer to the next level.” Bishop comparing MLS and the English Premier League: “I would not be fair to compare MLS to the Premier League. The Premier League has been going for so long. I was in the Premier League when it wasn’t so good and I’ve been there when it has been great. This is new here, it is just starting up and we are all trying to build something here. I came over here to help that in the long run. I’ve been fortunate to come to a side that is doing very well right now. “The Premier League is faster, but it is in a different climate. You can’t come here and play at the pace of the Premier League, especially in Florida. It is just impossible physically. If there is any comparison, there are players I have seen that could cope with the Premier League. For teams in general, if I am being fair, I would say that MLS is comparable to the First Division in England. I have played against some players already this season that I think would fit into any Premier League side.” Yallop on the Earthquakes’ attacking options: “It is difficult because I actually have four very good strikers. I might try the old rotation system – that might work the best. We have a lot of games in a lot of weeks and it is up to me to manage those boys the best I can. There is obviously going to be two disappointed players each week because I play with two forwards. Whether I change my system in some games I don’t know, but I doubt it. I just have so much quality up there, and we don’t miss a beat if one of those guys gets injured. Landon can also play in midfield, which gives him another string to his bow. “Dwayne (DeRosario) has been absolutely fantastic. He’s been a revelation this year. He is brand new to the league but he wants to work hard everyday and better his game. He is the type of player we need to get in this league. He might give the ball away three times out of four, but then he does some magical thing that you think nobody could do. He has things in his game he needs to work on, but he does things that some players will never be able to do. I would have thought somebody (from the Canadian national team) would have come to watch him or at least speak to me about how Dwayne has been playing. Dwayne has been doing very well for us in a very tough league. He knows where the net is.” Gazidis on interest in MLS players from European teams: “There is interest from teams in Europe on a consistent basis on any number of young players. I have taken two calls just this morning from player agents in Europe representing clubs that have interest in young players in our league. It is constant. That is just a regular occurrence. We are producing some great young players. If we weren’t attracting that interest, I would be worried about the talent we are producing. I am happy to have the interest and the competition for those players. It is a good healthy situation. “I don’t think the Galaxy would be asked to lose a player in the middle of the season, and I don’t see that as a likely outcome of any of the discussions that take place on any player.” Bishop on playing at the Orange Bowl: “The Orange Bowl was great for me. I didn’t understand at first why we had to play a home game away from home, but the whole experience was amazing. Being without five of your regulars is never going to be easy and the way the lads came in and dealt with it. It showed the strength we have within the club. There was a great atmosphere. It seemed to generate a lot of noise even though it was such a big stadium. I can only imagine what it is like when it is full. The atmosphere was superb. The pitch was lovely. It was like a carpet and if you can’t play there you can’t play anywhere. “With five games in 15 days we can’t really look ahead to this next game. Traveling out to San Jose it was one flight, a couple of games of cards on the plane and before you know it, you are there in a training session. The game is going to come along. In my career all I’ve lived for is playing matches. Training is just something that’s in between. We came here and sampled the stadium. The fans are going to be right on top of us. I enjoy these types of stadiums. The way we play, we’re just going to go out and enjoy ourselves. We never look further than the next game and tomorrow is going to be upon us before you know it. Once you don your colors you just go out there and enjoy yourself.” Bishop on his American experience: “I came here and left my wife and three children at home. That’s the hardest thing I had to deal with. When I first spoke to Ray, I had a chance to go to Sheffield Wednesday or Barnsley and it dragged on for six weeks. After the first phone call my wife said ‘You’ve already left, haven’t you?’ My mind was already in Miami imagining what it was going to be like and I suppose if I haven’t had come I would forever wonder what it would have been like. I’m glad I came. If I could stay here for more than one year, I’ve done the right thing. I’ve spoken to Ray and he’s generated the opinion that he wants me here for next season at least. In my eyes I’ve done the right thing in coming. ôI’m just enjoying myself. I left West Ham when they were in the Premier League and I went down to the Second Division in England with Manchester City. For me it didn’t matter where it was as long as I was enjoying my soccer again. I left Manchester City in the Premier League to come and enjoy my soccer again here and it’s all worked out. The whole thing to come here was listening to Ray on the phone. Although there was a lot of money involved with Barnsley and Sheffield Wednesday I decided against it. I decided to come to the U.S. and start somewhere new, enjoy myself and win things. It’s all about winning. You only enjoy it when you win.” Bishop on what Hudson said to him to convince him to play in MLS: “It wasn’t anything he said. It was just his enthusiasm. You could sense a passion in him and the way he likes the game to be played. I clicked with him straight away. Some people in Miami tell me that I remind them of Ray when he played. Jokingly I say, ‘He must have been a great player.’ You can see it in him at training, as soon as the ball is near him, he still wants to go. His knees aren’t the best right now but he still wants to kick the ball and do his things. It’s just a fire in his belly. “When I’m asked how long I think I could play I say ‘As long as I get up in the morning and I want to go train and I have that desire to go play soccer again.’ It’s like when you were a kid, when you used to take your jumpers off and use them as goal posts and your mom would shout at you to come in when it was dark but you didn’t want the game to end. I feel exactly the same as if I was six-years-old. I want to get up and kick a ball all day and as long as I have that I’ll keep playing.” Bishop on the perception of MLS in England: “The lads at Manchester City were all envious of me. Ray’s phone call came totally out of the blue for me. I thought I had two more years in England. When the Miami call came, Manchester City was struggling and relegation was inevitable. We had two consecutive promotions and you get in the habit of winning and when it doesn’t go for you it’s an uncomfortable feeling and I wasn’t enjoying my soccer. To go somewhere like to the Miami Fusion, it sounds glamorous. When you say to the lads: ‘Do I go to Barnsley or Miami?’ It’s obvious. Some of them have visited me and they see what a good life I’ve got. I appreciate what a good life I’ve got right now. It’s another chapter in my life and my career and I’m enjoying myself. If not, I wouldn’t stick around. The lads who have been over here are 26, 27 years old and they’ve said that at some point they want to come here to play. It’s a good advert for MLS. They watched the soccer here and they think it’s the way to play it. Sometimes in England it’s a bit hurly burley, long ball stuff and 100 miles an hour. For me that’s not the be all and end all of soccer. Maybe it’s the South American influence here. We get the ball out of the back here and play soccer. The lads who have come over like it that way.” Yallop on how adversity at D.C. United last year helped him in his coaching: “Yes, I think it has. Obviously I’ve seen both ends of it with Thomas Rongen (D.C. United head coach). I played under Thomas in 1996 with the Tampa Bay Mutiny and we had a great year and fell right at the end in the semifinals. We felt every time we went out we were going to win or tie. Last year with Thomas (at D.C. United) I went there and saw the other side of things where we struggled for most of the season. I’ve seen both ends of the spectrum. I’ve only been coaching a couple of years so I haven’t really seen the winning side as a coach. We had a winning spell at Tampa when I was there as an assistant. But the way it’s gone here in San Jose, it’s easy, it’s great and I love it. But I know things change very, very quickly in soccer and you have to be prepared for it and with the experience in D.C. I’m ready for it. Thomas Rongen is a great coach and Tim Hankinson did a good job in Tampa as well. I couldn’t wait to get into my coaching career. When I had the chance to do it I did it when I got offered the job in Tampa, I jumped at it. It had nothing to do with the money because I could have gone somewhere else to play and continue to play. But I wanted to stay in the U.S. and help this league. I felt I helped it on the field and with my coaching I could help it off the field. It’s been a fun ride and I want it to continue.” Yallop on the mentality he and Ray Hudson share as head coaches: “In England you get bogged down with no one trying to play because of the conditions. Out here you’re kind of allowed to play and it’s a joy to do that. I don’t have to ask the players to hoof it long or kick the other team to death. We try to play. It’s brought out the attacking side of me. I used to play at fullback but I liked to attack and get involved in the play. Ray has got similar ideas. We both like to create a lot of chances. His unit is more experienced and he can let them play a little bit more freely than my players who are a bit younger. I feel our philosophies are similar. We don’t like to see negative soccer played. It’s worked for both us. Both of us are also organized defensively. We have the two best goalkeepers in the league. I’m really looking forward to the game tomorrow.” Gazidis on the effort to sign Hermann Trophy winner Chris Gbandi: “A lot of discussions were had with him and he’s still not signed any professional contract at this point. We’re still hopeful that if he decided to come out that it would be with us.” Bishop on his first Independence Day game in the U.S.: “Every game is a game of soccer. Once you get on the field you don’t hear the crowd. You’re concentrating on what’s happening around you. The two best teams in MLS are going to meet. In the first game against them we were fortunate to come away with a win and we’ve come a long way since then. I know Frank’s team has everything together. Frank has his team playing good soccer and I think the fireworks that are going to happen on the field are going to outdo anything that might happen afterward.”