MetroStars general manager Nick Sakiewicz believes his team has shaken off the stigma of past failures.
SOCCER AMERICA: What reaction did you have to the photo of Lothar Matthaeus lounging on the beach in St. Tropez with his girlfriend?
NICK SAKIEWICZ: It didn’t really factor in. Yesterday [July 17] was a day off for the players, and I’m sure you would have found half of them at the beach or by a pool.
We knew he had a bad-back situation and I didn’t expect him to stay in isolation. The photo was not an issue, for me, personally.
SA: But has he been a positive influence on the team?
NS: He hasn’t been an influence, positive or negative. If he played more games with us and had played well, I could say he’s a positive influence. But I don’t think he’s had a legitimate shot at being any kind of an influence.
SA: Is the Matthaeus situation a distraction?
NS: Our guys are very focused right now, and there’s not enough written about how focused and professional our guys are. They’re to be commended.
SA: You’ve been winning without him. Who have been the key players?
NS: Everyone talks about [Clint] Mathis, and I’m very excited about Mathis, but a guy like [Mike] Petke is having a resurgence. And two of our three backs – Steve Jolley and Daniel Hernandez – were rooted on the benches of other teams. We have three young, excellent defenders there.
Tab [Ramos] has made a tremendous difference in our midfield for the simple fact the guy can hold the ball and knock it around. He’s been a real positive influence on our results.
SA: What has the team’s success accomplished?
NS: We’ve proven we’re no longer the doormat, which is what Octavio [Zambrano] and I set out to do, to change that mindset. We’re not an easy three points anymore but we still have a lot more to prove, that we can sustain winning games.
We have to stay focused and not let external distractions cause a meltdown in the latter part of the season. We can’t spend all our energies on Matthaeus.
by Soccer America senior editor Ridge Mahoney