Here is the transcript of the today’s Q&A Session with MetroStars General Manager Charlie Stillitano Monday: Q: Michael Lewis (Daily News): To bring in a new coach for one game… is not fair to the coach? A: I think that is a fair point, Michael. There are a couple of good points that are important here. We would not have made this change just to bring a new coach. We needed a coach that knew our players, and certainly Bora knows the core of our players having had four of them as starters in the ’94 World Cup (Tony Meola, Alexi Lalas, Mike Sorber, and Tab Ramos). He knows the foreign players very well, and believes with our younger and talented players that we have a very good mix. We had a healthy discussion with Bora on him coming come here and could he do the job in a short period of time. I do not have the benefit of 20-20 hindsight, Michael, so obviously only time will tell. He took the challenge knowing he has this short amount of time to prepare for the playoffs. Q: Michael Lewis (Daily News) — I can’t recall the last time Bora coached a club team. He has been mostly a mercenary of the national team level for the past decade. Can he coach a club team? A: The last club team he coached was in Mexico and he won the championship [Editor’s note: After the ’86 World Cup, Milutinovic coached Italian club Udinese and Argentine club San Lorenzo for a short while with little success]. You are right, he has been a national team coach for the past decade. I think the fair answer here is there are special circumstances, particularly in that there are players that he knows very, very well. That is why it was Bora. If Bora was not available. I don’t think a change would be made. Q: Jerry Trecker (The Sporting News) — Charlie, how much did the game in Fort Lauderdale off the field influence your thinking that a change must be made? A: A very fair question, Jerry. I would never just look at one game. We need to look at the season in total. I have said there are many personalities on this team. There are big personalities on this team. It is a tough place to coach. Having said that, the general tone of the team, the demeanor of the team, was not what he had hoped. Alfonso is a real disciplinarian and an excellent coach. But for me, the reason was the team didn’t respond to him as we had hoped. I wouldn’t say that one game, but things add up during the course of the year. I felt the team was not sharp, were lackluster in their performance, and needed to give a better effort on the field. Q: Ike Kuhns (Newark Star Ledger) — There was a rumor about a problem with Alfonso and his assistant coaches. Was this a factor in the decision? A: No. Alfonso was the coach of this team. I think Alfonso would be the first to tell you that if there were a persistent problem with the assistant coaches, they would have been relieved of their duties. I would say this, Ike. There was uncertainty on this team. They seemed to lose their confidence and again, little moments add up during the course of the year.” Q: Peter Brewington (USA Today) — Charlie, this is an exciting move. I am interested in the genesis of the switch again, especially in the players losing confidence. Can you talk on how they expressed this lost confidence and what is some of the thinking of the players right now? Did the players come forward? A: The players have absolutely nothing to do with the decision made here. When I said they lost confidence, you can see it in the way they played. I think all of you on the phone could see that. There was nothing said to me with respect to any problems. The players knew me better than that and they can come to me with regard to a coaching change. We have watched this team since the All-Star break really go into a slide. Again, the team we are going to face in the playoffs we did not play well against at all. The players had no influence and it was a decision made by the owner and myself. Q: Peter Brewington (USA Today) — Can this team be expected to beat Columbus and beat D.C. United to perhaps finish third? A: Well, we have finished in the third and can not finish in fourth. If Miami wins and we lose, we still win the tiebreaker. We are in already. Q: Paul Gardner (Soccer America) — I know you have two players who did not technically agree with Bora, including Tab Ramos. I knew you got other two players who were created by Bora. Bora teams have never been sparkling or attacking teams. The likelihood is you will end with a remotely negative, cautious, and non-exciting team. Is that what the MetroStars want? Is that what you need? A: First, I can only tell you this is a sad day for me because Alfonso is a dear friend. My direct conversation with Tab was a positive one. Even his dad came up to me and hugged me because was a good choice. I also thought there might be some friction between Tab and Bora, but after talking to Tab for a few moments that was immediately dispelled. I understand full well what Bora brings to the table. When you play Brazil or Colombia your tactics must be different that playing Columbus. I do not anticipate he will be playing a negative brand of soccer. This organization and the community needs a win and to make some noise in the playoffs. That is why we got Bora. Q: Paul Gardner (Soccer America) — Is that a win at a cost of playing attractive soccer? A: I don’t think so … this is professional sports and our goal to win. We would all like to win like Brazil and win attractively. I don’t have the benefit of 20-20 hindsight to see right now what will happen. We must wait and see. The players met the decision very favorably and a renewed sense confidence is growing from it. Q: Alex Yannis (New York Times) — I am in the dark about the Fort Lauderdale incident? Can you elaborate? A: I think what Peter was asking before was about four players being fined, and one of those players, Tony Meola, being suspended. A number of reporters have asked me about the playerss action during that game reflect a lack of discipline in the organization and on the team. That is what he was asking. Q: Brian Trusdell (AP) — Charlie, can I understand that Bora, who is one of four candidates for the U.S. national team, is essentially taking himself off the list for coaching the U.S. national team? A: That is up to the national team. Our contractual obligation with Bora is through the remainder of this season. Obviously, that wouldn’t preclude him from doing the national team job. He has expressed an interest in being long term with the MetroStars, but has also expressed interest in the national team job. That will be settled in the next several weeks.