Read what Troy Perkins, Felipe and head coach Frank Klopas had to say following Tuesday's training session at the Stade Saputo Field Turf. The team will travel to Kansas City to take on 2013 MLS Cup champions Sporting KC, this Saturday (8:30pm on TVA Sports, TSN690, illico web/mobile, MLS Live).
Troy Perkins
On the team’s recent performances…
We got to stop trying to dig our own graves. Everybody seems to see the negative, but the reality is we’ve gotten points in our last three games. We’re unbeaten, it’s still early in the season and we’re getting points, so we keep moving forward.
On success in KC…
You go to places like that and it demands that you step up your game. As professional athletes, you want to prove yourself against the best. You have to play at a higher level. You want to be tested. It’s a high energy environment and I love playing those types of games.
On the first training session outside and being back at Stade Saputo…
It dropped about 10 degrees when it started, so it was cold and wet. Let’s be honest, the Olympic Stadium is great, but it’s not our home. The atmosphere is not that same as it is at Stade Saputo and playing on the natural surface as well. I know all the guys are really excited about getting back to playing here.
Felipe
Where the team is at now…
After six games, we are not in a great spot, but it’s part of the game. Hard times are part of the game, part of the job, but we just have to keep working harder. We had a good week of training and then came out flat; that happens sometimes. We learn and look forward to play KC. Everyone can give a little more in hard moments. We are all proud to be part of this team and we have to leave it all on the field. The spirit is good and now we have to translate that onto the field. One win changes everything for us.
What to do now…
We work so hard in training, in the snow and rain, and sometimes things don’t always go the way you want. We just have to keep working hard and eventually things change.
On success in KC…
When you play against them, you have to be prepared especially in their stadium. This is the time to go there and play our best game, to get three points and come home unbeaten in four.
On training outside…
Better than being close inside, despite the cold and the rain. You breathe better and it feels more comfortable as a player.
Frank Klopas
On the team’s performance so far this season…
I think if you look at four out of our six games played so far this season, we were the better team and we deserved a lot better, but that’s the game. If you look at the stats and the way we created chances, then we deserved more results, but sometimes the game is like that. We can look at the negatives or the positives. I prefer to look at the positives. We’ve gotten points in three straight games, and a couple of wins and we’re right back in it.
On the SKC game…
We are playing a team at home presses a lot, so we have to prepare for them and be ready. I feel good, the team has shown good things in training and I’m confident. We continue to push the guys the right way.
