San Jose coach Frank Yallop, San Jose defender Troy Dayak, Los Angeles coach Sigi Schmid and Los Angeles forward Cobi Jones discuss their teams run to the MLS Cup and SundayÆs championship clash (ABC 12:30 pm ET): San Jose coach Frank Yallop’s opening comments: “It was a wonderful result for us on Wednesday night [1-0 over Miami in Game 3 of their semifinal series]. It was a real tough series and the Fusion are a great side. It feels good to come out on top of the best team in MLS during the regular season. I’m proud of the way our guys handled themselves and played throughout the series. I’m ecstatic and looking forward to the weekend and the game against Los Angeles and the all-West Coast final. “Both teams were really looking forward to play those last two regular season games of the season and go after that Western Division. We both enjoy playing each other and it’s going to be a wonderful final. It’ll be good.” San Jose defender Troy Dayak’s opening comments: “It’s been a ‘Cinderella’ type of year for me. ‘Magical’ would be the word I would use to describe it. It can’t get much better for me right now. I’m on cloud nine. But we have one more game to play and we know the Galaxy are a worthy opponent. It should be an interesting matchup. I feel confident in our players and I’m looking forward to the game on Sunday. “The Galaxy are a solid team. We’ve played them several times this year and we would have loved to have the opportunity to play for the Western Division but it didn’t happen. They’re a quality team and have an outstanding coach and a lot of guys who work hard. We’re going to have come prepared and bring the best game that we have. They’re going to be pumped up and we have to match their intensity and their level of skill and speed. It’s going to be a great game.” Los Angeles coach Sigi SchmidÆs opening comments: “Obviously we’re excited about returning to MLS Cup. I want to congratulate Frank [Yallop] and San Jose on the tremendous job they’ve done this year in the past playoff series and the turnaround to get to MLS Cup. Frank and I have talked on the phone and one of the things we said to each other was that it would be nice to meet in the final. That conversation came through. It’s exciting and we’re looking forward to it.” “I’m extremely proud of our team and we’ve overcome a lot more adversity than some people have talked about but whatever has been thrown at us this year we’ve been able to deal with and continue to move forward. I’m very proud of our players, especially the guys who are making their third appearance in six years in MLS Cup. We’re making our second appearance in three years since I’ve been coach and I know for Cobi and the rest of them, this is a game they’ve been looking forward to all year.” Los Ageles forward Cobi Jones’ opening comments: “I first have to congratulate all the players and staff on our team and everyone at San Jose. Both teams have done a great job over the year to make it to the final. The opportunity to go to the final again is a great honor for everyone to be a part of this again and to be part of the final. San Jose is a very good team and it’s going to be a battle. Each team will be giving it 100 percent and may the best team win.” Dayak explaining the circumstances surrounding his injury: “It’s quite a long story. I’ll try to make it brief. Years back in 1996 I was involved in a collision with our goalkeeper in a practice game and it was a full speed contact with his knee hitting the top of my head. It basically crushed and herniated two discs in my neck and caused a five-millimeter hole in one of the disks. ôAfter having research done and speaking with several leading neurologists across the nation, I decided to try to come back and play the following season after spending the entire offseason rehabilitating and trying to let it mend on its own. We did that and the following season I came back in 1997 and re-injured it again. The same disc exploded again. We knew right away that we had to go in for surgery. “The surgery took place in October and it took a full year and three months in a neck brace that was holding my chin up to the ceiling strapped to my shoulders. It was excruciating mentally and physically and a very tough time to go through with my family and a child. Once the neck brace comes off there is atrophy that sets in your neck, shoulders, the surrounding muscles and the tissues around the neck where the surgery was performed. ôIt was a hard process to come back from, with neck strengthening and the contraptions that were built for strengthening the neck muscles like the leather helmet with chains hanging weights off it — some pretty scary looking stuff.” “Coming back from that I did recuperate quite fine. I did have some setbacks as far as the fusion was concerned. There was a non-union and it did not fuse all the way through. I had to fight through that for another three months or so. ôThen three games back into the A-League when I did come back and start playing I tore my PCL and MCL in one shot in the third game of the season. I had to subsequently go on and have surgery on that. An infection in the knee set me back another five months so I was out for about eight months with that as well. [Assistant coach] Dominic [Kinnear] and Frank gave me a call in preseason and the rest is history now.” Dayak on how he felt after scoring the goal on Wednesday to put the team in the championship: “I really felt like everything stopped and time stood still for a minute. Actually it stood still when the ball was in the air in the box. It came down to who wanted the game the most and I didn’t care if the keeper was going to come out and bash my teeth down my throat. I just knew I had to get to that ball. I felt like I was hanging in the air looking down on everyone for an hour. I was lucky to get to the ball and place it in goal.” Yallop on Landon Donovan’s slow incorporation into the team and how he has developed: “From Day 1 when you see Landon training you think ‘special talent,’ He didn’t join us until right before the start of the season when we played Los Angeles. Our whole preparation for preseason and building up to the Los Angeles game was done without Donovan. We had Dwayne DeRosario and Ronald Cerritos up top. ôHe had to get used to the guys and we had to get used to him. It was nothing by design. It was a point of getting him in and getting him settled. He was a little down when he first came over. It was a tough experience in Germany for him and he was coming in here with the so-called ‘pressure on his shoulders’ for a young man who was only 18 at the time. ôBut he handles everything so well and he’s a joy to work with everyday. I’ve seen the player grow into a real top-class professional, especially internationally. I think he has done ever so well when he has played for the United States. I’m proud to be his coach. Every single day he puts so much effort into being a better player and that’s why he’s doing what he’s doing.” Yallop on whether Donovan’s playoff performances stem from the confidence gained through national team starts: “I think it all comes hand-in-hand. He’s getting starts now with the national team but you look at him for our team and he’s one of our best players. When he’s not playing we miss him and when he’s playing we’re a good side. He has grown in confidence throughout the year. When he does do well he doesn’t get excited and get out of hand. That’s why he’s a good player. I feel the sky is the limit for Landon. ôEach of the four goals he scored in the playoffs were world class. You won’t see a better goal anywhere in the world. He can finish. All he needs to do is stick them in with his head now. He’s got everything. We’re just looking forward to having him in the final and having him next season and see where we go from there.” Schmid on the importance of this championship game to the Galaxy organization: “For our team, everyone who works with the Galaxy and for the people of Los Angeles, it’s very important to be able to return to MLS Cup. In the past the Galaxy has had the reputation of being a team that plays pretty good soccer but sometimes in key moments doesn’t have the heart or fortitude to win the big game. That’s something we’ve talked a lot about this season and I think we’re still an organization that plays good soccer but I see this team step up and put forth the character that is needed to win those big games. ôFor our organization it’s important that we put some trophies in our trophy case. We’ve now put ourselves in a position where we’ve won one trophy in the CONCACAF Champions Cup and we’re in two finals with MLS Cup and the U.S. Open Cup. I know San Jose has different plans but we would certainly like to add to that hardware.” Yallop on the importance of this championship game in the direction of the Earthquakes organization: “I wasn’t with San Jose last year but from the day I got the job you could feel the organization was on the downer. It was four years without any success and that’s tough for fans and people who work with the club to deal with. You need to see some light at the end of the tunnel. ôThis season has gone so well for us and I feel the confidence in the community, in the office and in the stadium. Wherever you go people are talking about us and enjoying the soccer. The two playoff games we played at home, against Columbus and the Fusion, our crowds were wonderful, loud and exceptionally knowledgeable. This organization has a chance to try to win a cup here. What’s to stop us doing that? That’s what we have to look at. Los Angeles has done it since Day 1. This organization needs to get somewhere on L.A.’s stature where we can be competing for trophies every season.” Schmid on the importance for the Galaxy of making the breakthrough in MLS Cup: “I think a little bit of a turning point for us was the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Even though we won on penalty kicks against D.C. United, that was the first time we had beaten them in a big game and you could see everybody seem to grow an inch or two with that victory. ôThen we started the league season poorly and we lost our first two games and came back from that. We won games and said ‘hey, we slipped but here we are again’. You could see the team grow a couple of more inches there. I think various victories along the way have helped us grow in our confidence to helps us feel we can win that big, crucial game. ôFrom the organizational standpoint Los Angeles is a place where you have excellence in athletics whether it’s professional athletics like the Lakers or the run that the Los Angeles Kings made last season in hockey, or whether it’s college athletics with the run that UCLA football is having now. To be considered on that landscape and get your due you do need to win the ultimate goal. If you finish second all the time you’re ignored. From our standpoint as an organization, it’s important to put ourselves on the same level as those other highly successful sports franchises.” Dayak on the difference in the Earthquakes of the past and now and whether there was a time he could pinpoint that the team could make a championship run: “Earlier in the year when Dominic Kinnear [assistant coach] first called me during the offseason, he said ‘Would you be interested in coming out with the Quakes?’ The first question I had in my mind was ‘Who else are they going to get?’ I had watched and played against the team with my A-League team last year and I knew they needed to make some major trades and acquisitions to make that team better. There was a definite question mark coming into the season on how this team was going to perform and whether we could get some of those fans back that we had lost over the years.” “The perspective on me was that a lot of people were wondering ‘Why are we bringing Troy back?’ I had not one but two catastrophic injuries that could have been career-ending especially with the neck surgery. There were a lot of question marks but for me I slowly proved myself game in and game out. I was second or third in minutes played on the team this year. ôThat’s the way the whole team slowly gained appreciation and respect. I don’t think we actually realized how good we were until late in the season. At practice we’re out there playing everyday as hard as we play in a game. I can honestly say it’s the hardest working team in practice that I’ve ever been on and I’ve been on championship teams, Olympic teams and national teams. This team works hard every single practice even if it’s the day after the game. It’s a great tribute to Frank [Yallop] and the coaching staff to get that out of the players. There’s not a superstar on this team and everyone works as hard as possible to win the next game.” Dayak on whether he had a feeling of destiny when he scored the goal on Wednesday to send San Jose into the championship: “I feel like I’m still dreaming and if I am don’t bother waking me up. It’s unbelievable. For me it’s a blessing and I don’t think anyone can quite understand how I feel right now. The emotions that I had at being at the bottom of that pile of players after the final goal will be something I will remember and cherish for the rest of my life. I just can’t say much more about it. A lot of people are saying this was the biggest thing to happen in Earthquakes history.” Jones on what kind of play can be expected on Sunday: “I think with it being a final, there is obviously going to be a high level of intensity and you’re going to see some aggression on both teams. But both teams like to play as well and I think you’re going to see some quality soccer out there and I don’t think fans are going to be disappointed at all.” Schmid on what kind of play can be expected on Sunday: “Whenever you’re playing in a semifinal, intensity and aggressiveness are going to enter into it. Players are going to give it everything they have. But on the same token there is also some good soccer to be seen. When you look at the goals that have resulted in those semifinal games, they are good goals and some good chances being created. San Jose is a very good attacking team and pressures and keeps the tempo of the game high. We’re a team that can deal with that and play along the same lines. I think the fans are going to see a game that is going to be entertaining, interesting and fast and there is also going to be a good level of intensity.” Yallop on whether the team mentioned returning to Crew Stadium for MLS Cup after winning there in the quarterfinal series against the Columbus Crew: “It was mentioned after the game. But it was the first game of our playoffs and we knew there was a long road to get back there. It was immediately forgotten because we had to go back to San Jose to try to win Game 2 against Columbus. When you’re there you think it’d be great to come back. And we’ve played well in that Game One against Columbus. ôIt’s a nice place to play with the big open field. It’s going to be a good game. Both sides want to play. Obviously we’ll be trying to stop each other when the other team has the ball. But once both teams get the ball they want to go forward quickly. It’s going to be exciting stuff. I’m looking forward to the game. I can’t wait for it to be honest.” Dayak on whether the team mentioned returning to Crew Stadium for MLS Cup after winning there in the quarterfinal series against the Columbus Crew: “The thing I remember most about that game was that Columbus was a very hot team going into the playoffs. Everyone was talking about Columbus and the roll that they were on. And after defeating them in their home stadium and in front of their crowd, I remember hearing the fans saying ‘We’ll see you guys in the final if you beat us.’ I do remember people talking about it and it did stick in my mind. Hopefully those people will be rooting for us.” Yallop on the status of Manny Lagos’ hamstring injury: “At the moment it’s sore. It’s day-by-day. Manny has been a huge part of our success this season. It was disappointing to see him pull up like that in the game. But that’s part of soccer. We’re hoping Manny will be available to play on Sunday.” Schmid on the role the FIFA Club World Championship and its subsequent postponement played on the team: “It was something that our team was looking forward to. The opportunity to play Real Madrid in their stadium was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for all of us. To have that get canceled on us was certainly a disappointment. It was something we didn’t want to have happen. Then it was a matter of us trying to adjust since we had a break in our schedule. ôWe tried to give our team some time off which I think helped us. But it’s definitely been a long year for us because of the qualifications for the FIFA Club World Championship [the CONCACAF Champions Cup]. Even with the time off, it still made for a long year. It’s something now that’s behind us and serves as a little bit of motivation because we want to get the opportunity to put ourselves in a situation where we can play in that tournament again.” Jones on whether Crew Stadium has become the national stadium for soccer in America: “I guess you can look at it like that. But when we’ve played in Boston [Foxboro Stadium] it seems to be a stadium where we have good luck with the national team. Between those two stadiums, those are the ones where you’re going to find a lot of international soccer matches for the U.S. But at this point in time, with Crew Stadium being the soccer-specific one, I would look at it as being at this point in time the national soccer stadium for the U.S.” Dayak on what advantage the Galaxy gain by having played in two previous MLS Cup finals: “As we learned early in this second round, playoff experience does matter. Fortunately for us we are very quick learners. Jeff Agoos has a lot of experience in the playoffs and the championship game. I’ve won a championship title myself. There are a few other players who have been in the playoffs. ôBut one thing I must say is that our guys rebounded well after having a jittery first game. We were just a little bit off our mark and maybe it was the pressure of being in the playoffs. But we’re over that now. I wouldn’t say there’s an advantage either way. I know Sigi Schmid is an intelligent coach. ôAs a matter of fact, he recruited me out of high school so we know he’ s a pretty smart guy. He’s going to have his guys ready and I know for a fact that Frank is going to have us ready. So it’s going to be a battle. May the best team win.” Dayak on what it’s like to play for Coach Frank Yallop: “Frank is a player’s coach. There’s no hollering or screaming. When he’s mad he doesn’t really have to scream and yell. Everyone respects him and he’s earned his respect step by step just like everyone else on this team has done for each other. ôThere was no immediate respect for any player on this team. Each and every player earned their respect as we went along. Each of us played our part this season and we all gained respect for each other that way. Frank has been the person who has spearheaded that. His confidence and professionalism transcends over all of us.” Yallop on how much his team will rely on the experience of Jeff Agoos: “Jeff’s experience is huge for us. I feel that his calm and influence spreads throughout the team. But when you look at all our players nothing has fazed them this season. Our team has risen to the occasion every time. I don’t expect anything different on Sunday to be honest. Our guys are ready to play. We know it might be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to win something. We’re ready and focused. Jeff is a part of the jigsaw that fits nicely but he has some good characters alongside him too.” Dayak on how his own teammates view Landon Donovan: “I’m one of those players that absolutely hates new players coming onto the team until they prove themselves to me. Landon proved himself quickly. He’s a first-class kid. He’s not one of those arrogant 19-year-olds. But he is still a teenager and that’s the fact of the matter. ôHe does have the teenager mentality sometimes. But he is well ahead of his time as far as professionalism and he knows how to handle himself on and off the field. I like him a lot and I don’t say that about a lot of newcomers. He’s grown on me and he’s a big part of our team. We welcome him and we like having him here.” Jones on how opponents judge and view Donovan: “Everyone knows that Landon is a quality player. We just have to deal with him accordingly. You can always not like a player because he’s young, good and just coming in. But that wouldn’t be right. You look at him for what he is and he’s a good player. ôOff the field he’s a great guy, fun to hang around with and for us, and players who have to deal with him, it’s about what he does on the field and to recognize he’s out there and do what’s necessary to shut him down.” Yallop on what the Earthquakes’ season has meant to him: “It’s a dream come true. Troy and myself are in similar boats — where you can’t really believe what’s going on. I’ve always wanted to be a coach. My career ended when I was 34 and that was hard to take. The next best thing is to get among the guys by coaching them. I had the opportunity to do that in Tampa [assistant coach] and then moved to D.C. United. I got a phone call about this job [in San Jose] and I thought I should interview just to get my name out there. And then all of a sudden I get a phone call ‘You got the job’ and then I’m nervous. ôBut right from the start I know how I wanted to play and how I wanted my players to carry themselves. And I feel I can scout other teams and see weaknesses. Once we got going a little bit I felt we could get on a roll and start doing real well. I could see the guys grow in confidence. What you dream about doing is getting to a championship and here we are. I haven’t had a day off yet but from the day we [new coaching staff] took over through right now it seems like we haven’t stopped and we shouldn’t. It’s been a long hard road and the Galaxy have been through it as well starting in January. ôIt’s a long hard road which is coming to an end now but we’re all dreaming about winning that Cup. This season has been a dream come true for me.” Dayak on whether the fact that Yallop is just a few years removed from his playing career helps the team: “Absolutely. Frank’s cool. He’s a good guy. He’s one of those guys who is going to tell it to you like it is no matter what. He’s not going to hide things from you. Whether you like it or not, he’s going to tell you and that spurs a lot of respect among the players. ôA lot of times in the past different coaches hide things or play games with the players on who is going to start and who is not. And it gets tiresome. Frank, just being removed from the game a few years ago knows what if feels like to be a player and be jerked around like that by a coach. He doesn’t play any of those games. It’s straightforward. He knows what he wants to do and if he feels one certain player matches up better against a player from another team, he’ll tell him. ôHe goes with his instincts and that’s a big part of our success this year. He’s played by his instincts and has gone with them.” Yallop on the importance of Ronnie Ekelund to San Jose: “You get tons of resumes from players who want to come over [to the United States]. And he caught my eye because he played in England and I recognized the name so I looked into it. He joined the team in preseason and right away it was clear he could play. At that point I was trying to stock up as many quality players as I can, not knowing what the future held. The guys liked him and he could move the ball. He suits us. ôWhen Ronnie is not playing we’re not as good a side. We miss him when he’s not playing. He’s done well this season because he handled that unsung hero mentality from the press. He handles it because he just wants to win games for the club. He’s been a great asset to the club and he’s a wonderful person as well. Ronnie is also enjoying his soccer right now and it’s good to have him.” Yallop on whether Ekelund changes his style with Lagos in the lineup: “Maybe a little bit but we’re not a team that goes to one guy to create. We don’t rely on one certain person to get the job done. We have a number of attacking options that we use and we move the ball pretty well. Things present themselves when you do that. Manny is a productive player but we don’t say ‘Give Manny the ball, Give Manny the ball.’ ôThat would make us one-dimensional. But Ian Russell has had a good season, Ronnie and Richard [Mulrooney] have been good in midfield and our forwards have been great. Then there are the back players. Our goals-against record is fantastic. I’m proud of it. That’s the first thing you have to sort out – your back end. We did that and it’s solid. It’s a good springboard for our attack but there’s not one guy we rely on and it has shown throughout the season in everyone’s statistics.” Schmid on what it felt like to beat Chicago on their home field when a tie would also have been enough to clinch a spot for the Galaxy in MLS Cup: “Chicago is a very good team. We’ve played Chicago six times this year and went 4-1-1 against them. Three of the victories came in overtime but all of the games were tight and tough. ôA tie would have gotten us into the final and would have been satisfactory. But being able to win the game outright is something we’re happy with. Sometimes teams end up being your nemesis and we broke Chicago’s home regular season winning streak and we’ve now broken their playoff- winning streak at home. From that standpoint, it gives you a sense of accomplishment. Winning rather than tying is a better feeling.” Jones on winning as opposed to tying Game 3 against Chicago: “Going into a game like that and knowing you just have to tie going into the final, you could sit back on that and it could be dangerous. But to actually come through with a victory is good going into the final game. It gives you a boost of confidence going into the final.”