From RBNY:
After training at Red Bulls Training Facility in Whippany, N.J. on Tuesday, head coach Sandro Schwarz and midfielder Cameron Harper spoke with the media prior to New York’s MLS regular season match against Nashville SC on Wednesday.
News and Notes
• The Red Bulls have posted a 3-0-4 mark against Nashville SC in franchise history.
• New York Red Bulls captain Emil Forsberg was named MLS Player of the Matchday for Matchday 12 after recording two goals and two assists against the Los Angeles Galaxy on May 10. Forsberg joined Antony de Avila as the only players in franchise history to record multiple goals and assists in a single MLS match.
• Defender Omar Valencia has recorded five assists this season, which ranks first among active MLS defenders. Valencia became the first Red Bulls defender to tally five assists in his first 10 appearances with the club.
• Goalkeeper Carlos Coronel has recorded five shutouts this season, which ranks tied for second in MLS.
New York Red Bulls Head Coach Sandro Schwarz
On Nashville SC…
Nashville is a very good team, very aggressive when they start in their midfield pressing and then starts in the high press, clear direction to the goal, clear deep runs with the winger players and Hany Mukhtar as a key player, [Sam] Surridge in box position. So, it's a very good team, very aggressive. And then I would say they were also very good at the beginning of the season, and they played the first game at home, against New England, then against us, our home opener. But for me it’s the whole season is not only the last couple of weeks. What you can see from Nashville very intensive and clear philosophy, clear identity from their head coach.
On defender Omar Valencia…
What I said so many times in this season, especially last year, it starts his development very well. And then, yes, we have seen this in the preseason, and then to play with a lot of confidence and also very smart from our tactical principles in a lot of situations. And this is when you have such a potential, like Omar Valencia it's good that he adapted very quick, very quick, the next step, the next level, and now in MLS, and it's very good, very well.
On return of midfielder Daniel Edelman…
Very happy as a head coach, because he's also a very important player for us, with his mentality, with his defense behavior. He feels always the responsibility for the team structure against the ball and then also with the ball. He's doing good individual steps to build up the confidence in our small spaces when we have to build up. So it's very important. He's our player, our academy player, so it's good now that he's in a good spot, that he came now back from his injury, and now we have to find a good solution, how we handle the load for him individually.
New York Red Bulls Midfielder Cameron Harper
On team catching form….
The last week, last seven days, the game against Colorado Springs and Galaxy were obviously really good. In MLS especially, it's a league with a lot of parity where some teams can do really good. You can do really good. You can go on really bad runs of form. So, when you do want to get two big wins in a row, you want to take that confidence momentum and take as long as you can and as far as you can. So that's also what we're planning on doing. It's going to be a tough mix, two away games against two good teams. You have to look at what you did well in the game. Try to continue it. But you can't get too caught up in what you did a couple days ago. You got to focus on the next one.
On matchup against Nashville…
When we played them at the start of the season, I know their new coach had only been in charge for a few games, and I know that I've looked at their home record, and it's pretty impressive, especially when teams at the start of the season don't do well. You've seen it with New England as well, they can kind of make some tweaks, and, when things can come together at the right time. So obviously, we're playing them in a time where they're doing really well. They're in a good patch of form. We know about what we're getting into. They have, I think in this year compared to years past they're a bit more fluid in their movement, and I think they're got more of a nicer play style this year. So, it is going to be a tough game. They've got some dangerous wingers, you know, Surridge catching form too. They have Mukhtar who's always going to be a good player. So, they've got a solid foundation with some good players up top and I think we're aware of what’s coming.
On busy month of fixtures…
Most years, the month of May is obviously pretty tough. I remember in 2023 we played about 10 games in May, and that was a bit of a shock to my system. So thankfully, years past has kind of prepared me a little bit better in terms of that. It really does become a 24/7 job, especially in these hard months when you play three games a week, especially with all the travel, you really need maximize your recovery. You need to make sure you're eating the right foods. And then I think what's good is, when you need rotation in teams, sometimes guys come in, especially when you need to be fresh. When you have a squad of 20 guys, who can all perform, especially in this month, it's going to set us up really well. With the way Wiktor [Bogacz] came on last game, the way Dennis [Gjengaar] came on last game, myself, all made a difference. And I think that makes the coach have to make a few decisions where he can be he can feel comfortable in bringing guys in, guys out, especially when we are in a tough, tough run of games.