Thursday, October 8, 2009
TAMPA, FL – The 2009 USL First Division Championship Series between the fifth-seeded Montreal Impact and seventh-seeded Vancouver Whitecaps is just two days away from the first leg in Vancouver. USLsoccer.com reviews video interviews available on USLlive.com and stories previewing the series from around the internet.
VIDEO INTERVIEWS
Martin Nash (Vancouver Whitecaps)
On the past month: “I think we’ve got a long off the field all along. We had a lot of changes in the lineups, a lot of injuries. We’ve just kinda become healthier and started to get results on the field, which you just get confidence and it grows, and we started working really well together. We came a long way since the start of the season.”
On Montreal in the NCC: “It wasn’t a great thing for us, but we’re past it now and we’re concentrating on the final cuz I don’t think its gonna help us dwelling on that. I don’t think we need to talk about it. I think if some guys can use that to get them a little extra motivated, great, but I don’t think it’s something the team needs to dwell on.”
On how this ranks in his career: “I’ve been through a lot of teams and I guess this is my fifth final. I think this is the team that had the longest shot to there so it’s quite satisfying to see this team be built almost from scratch at the start of the year. You get a real sense of accomplishment, and a sense of pride to be here and be in the final.”
Nash also discusses what the expectations were coming into the season, the result in Portland, the young guys on the squad and how the upcoming series may play out tactically.
Charles Gbeke (Vancouver Whitecaps)
On the team’s progression: “I thought we peaked at the right moment. I thought we had a lot of young players and it was really difficult, a learning process. But I thought we peaked at the right moment ,and it seems like this team has the heart of a champion – seems like we rise up to the occasion.”
On thinking about NCC vengeance: “To be honest, yeah. But I think we’re gonna keep it for ourselves and make sure we win that thing and we do our talking after we win the championship.”
Gbeke also discusses playing against his former team, how they were not really considered contenders earlier in the year and how the Portland series showed they can score in the postseason.
Luca Bellisomo (Vancouver Whitecaps)
On setting a tone: “Being at home makes a huge difference in this league, so to get that home result, especially since we’re playing there first, it’s crucial. Then we can go on the road and hope to get the result.
On Montreal in the NCC: He craftily towed the company line trying to avoid giving an answer, but the wry smile kind of gives an answer of its own.
Coach Teitur Thordardson (Vancouver Whitecaps)
On his heart skipping in Portland: “Yeah, on some occasions it did actually. The game just went back-and-forth, and quite a bit of stress for players also on the field.”
On the influence of performance against Portland: “It can help a lot. We can build on this because even if we would have liked to have better structure in it, I think we performed very well offensively, and we scored three goals against a team that have been basically impossible to beat during the season.”
On Montreal in the NCC: “Everybody remembers that, but that’s something we just put behind us for a long time ago. From then on we just focused on the rest of the season, and that’s possibly why we are here today.”
On expectations of the series: “I think [the games] are going to be very similar to these games we played against them earlier – tough and tight. And the results can go both ways, basically, and I think that can be the case this time also.
On comparing his two seasons: “The top performances this year have been better than the top performances this year.”
The coach also discusses the growth of the team over the past season as well as the comparison between the stability of last year’s squad and the expected up-and-down nature of his younger roster this year.
Adam Braz (Montreal Impact)
“We’re not gonna change anything. We’re gonna analyze them, we’re gonna know their good points and weaknesses as well. We’re gonna look to win the first game. It’s important we go in with the right mentality away from home, and once we hopefully take care of business away from home, then we can concentrate on the home game. It’s going to be a battle out there in Vancouver. It’s not going to be easy whatsoever.”
Nevio Pizzolitto (Montreal Impact)
“We know what to expect. We pulled up our socks and our mind is focused on the task at hand.”
David Testo (Montreal Impact)
“It’s gonna be an interesting two matches. I think we’re gonna do a good job preparing and [coach Marc Dos Santos is] gonna lay everything out for us and then in the end we just have to do our job. We’re only gonna be able to beat ourselves. I think we’re peaking at the right time. Hopefully, the team with the most spirit, drive and determination who really wants to win is gonna win this thing.”
Stephen deRoux (Montreal Impact)
“The hard part of the season and the playoffs is gone already. This is the easy part I think because of all that we’ve been through, and grown so far during the whole season. Individually, every guy on this team has been through something. Collectively, the team has been through a lot also. It’s no bigger honor than to go out there and beat Vancouver on our home pitch.”
AROUND THE NET
Revenge on Whitecap players’ minds (Marc Weber, The Province)
Vancouver writer Marc Weber reports on the psychology of playing for revenge, interviewing University of BC sports psychology researcher Dr. Peter Crocker about how the Whitecaps should approach the game. The revenge topic stems from Vancouver being on the cusp of winning the Nutrilite Canadian Championship only to lose on a tiebreaker after Montreal, already eliminated, rested numerous starters and were crushed in a stunning team-record 6-1 loss to Toronto FC in the finale of the event.
Full story [+]
Impact’s Placentino is relieved team won without him (Stephanie Myles, The Gazette)
Controversy swirled around Montreal last week when it surfaced that Rocco Placentino would not be available due to his wedding that Saturday. The misunderstanding prompted a letter to the fans from the star player explaining the wedding date had been set prior to him joining the club from Italy.
Full story [+]
Whitecaps’ Haber plays like legends of the past (Marc Weber, The Province)
Rookie Marcus Haber has turned heads in Vancouver, prompting Weber to ask team President Bob Lenarduzzi who the last rookie was to have had such an impact. The answer was the late Dominic Mobilio, followed by a discussion of where Haber is at in his career and his future.
Full story [+]
Impact not surprised to face Canadian rival Whitecaps in USL-1 final (Bill Beacon, Canadian Press)
CP writer Bill Beacon goes from Montreal not being surprised that their national rivals are in the final with them to the affects of the stunning CONCACAF Champions League exit in which they saw a 4-1 series lead fall apart and how they have come back from that.
Full story [+]
Deep bench helped Whitecaps weather injuries (Marc Weber, The Province)
Weber explores how the injuries during the 2009 season may have helped the team strengthen the quality of the youth players, aiding in creating a deeper bench for the playoffs.
Full story [+]
