Charlotte FC’s newest signing, Bill Tuiloma, speaks with the media for the first time in blue. Tuiloma discusses why he wanted to come to Charlotte, his time at Marseille, what he feels his strengths are as a player on the field, and more.
Everyone So let's get started with Carol today Hey Bill welcome to Charlotte how are You good thank you how are you I'm good I'm Carol Walton with the Charlotte Ledger Um I just had a chance to speak with Zorin for a few minutes this morning and He he mentioned to me that when he was Talking to you you had seen some video Of Charlotte FC one of them was the um The Columbus Crew game and I just Wondered what impression the team made On you that kind of made you want to Come here Uh yeah uh like Zara said I've seen a Few games I've seen the home opener uh Which was a pretty pretty quarters Pretty cool to watch and have that you Know the stadium being sold out and it's Ill was it an amazing atmosphere and Then also watching the Columbus Crew game and the team having that fire In them and you know obviously being 2-0 Down and going back 2-2 and you know the players were all Fired up and had that you know attacking Mentality of that wedding mentality uh To go to go on and try and win the game And you know that's that's one of the Reasons why I'm here and I wanted to be A part of this uh amazing group of guys Um organization and coaching staff and I'm happy to be here just one more
Follow-up did you have connections to Any of the guys we saw you interacting With couple just casually at practice Uh yeah some uh well most of them I Played against and and uh yeah it was Good to see um it's one of your familiar Faces on on the on one side of the on The pitch because you know I was I was Obviously playing against them and now To play uh with them yeah it's a spot of Smile on my face Thank you thanks Carol Alex go ahead Hey Bill can you hear me yep Hey man how's it going Um I am just curious uh this is Alexander from the Charlotte Observer Um I'm curious uh in your short time Mr Charlotte FC thus far what are your First impressions of Christian latonzio And uh and I mean what do you what do You think about him what strikes you About him Yeah it's been good Um you know I had a had a good quick Talk with him on how he wants to play And you know I like the style on how he Wants to play he wants you know cinebex To be on the ball and have confidence to Play that play that uh play that awesome Being simple and playing you know being Structured and also uh defensive side as You know being strong uh 1v1 with the With the striker and uh you know making Them crucial tackles and making the
Crucial shots uh shot stops uh in front Of the in front of the golf so yeah We've had a great talk and it's been Going really well As he indicated to you how quickly he Expects you to be inserted into the Rotation Uh we haven't talked about that but um You know I feel like that's a that's the Coach question All right thanks Bill yep uh thanks Alex Uh let's go to Steve Hey Bill like Carol said welcome to Charlotte uh I'm interested in your time At Marseille and uh and stuff did you be You are you fluent in French now Yes So I mean the good chance you'll be Partnering with uh Nielsen in that does That give you an advantage uh and and Also more insight onto how he plays uh Yeah um we've been coming communicating Very well and uh obviously I've been I've been in France for almost almost Five years and having a great experience With uh uh one of the biggest teams in League one in the French uh French game And obviously for having a deal uh as One of the center actually speaks French You know also um you know we can help Each other we can also speak in the same Language we speak in French or English Doesn't really matter but uh the most Important is to having a connection
Between incentive backs and computer Communicating very well in the pitch Yeah and Marseille is a unique club uh Even within League one uh with that and You went there you know kind of straight From New Zealand had the trial with Queens Park Rangers what did you learn How did your time in Marseille inform You as a player I've learned a lot especially being Around uh one of the big players you Know Andre geniak Um Andre IU the two brothers uh having Mario lemie now there Steve Madonna as a As the captain and as a youngster going Into that environment I basically just took everything in and Learning from these uh from the Experienced players and putting that Into my game and then hopefully I can do That to the youngsters and uh in this Team too And the last thing is you know coming From Portland which has a very strong Soccer culture and and fan-based Community how important how big a part Did that play into the success of the Timbers Yeah as as you know as you said the the Timbers Army were electrifying and uh at Home games and it was it was it was fun Playing a play at home and having that Having that crowd behind us but Um also I've seen you know Charlotte
Fans who who do the same thing and uh You know I'm excited to see um uh the Saturday and how how the crowd comes out And I know it's going to be a good uh it Could sell out and uh it's gonna be fun Great thanks for your time looking Forward to see you compete thank you Thanks Steve uh let's go to Jess Hi Bill I just wanted to touch on you as An individual player what do you feel Like your strengths are as a player on The field Um for me Um being aware of my positioning and Where the striker is and also where the Ball is Um communicating to my full back center Backs uh and midfielders are you know Helping them out to make sure they're Aware of the player behind him or also I'm comfortable on the ball uh playing Them key passes and uh playing them Simple passes in the game so I think That's uh Some of the things I bring to the game And in terms of last season obviously You had a successful season plenty of Goals as well what for you was a Highlight during that season of play Uh yeah like you said I've scored Scoring goals uh I think it was the most In my career in the year so I scored six Goals uh but uh being Um
Uh like I said being aware of uh my Positioning and where you know my Strikers are at and also communicating To my teammates and being that vocal From from the behind and making sure Because center backs we see the whole Field and we've got to communicate Midfielders and fullbacks too you know Uh get title for player or you know step Up uh in in those situations thanks so Much appreciate you Thanks Jess uh let's go to Ashley Mahoney Hey Bill Ashley here with Axia Charlotte Really appreciate your time this is a Unique situation to step into in terms Of the the role that you'll be feeling Um with Anton's Death um is this something that you have Ever had to step into before and were You approached prior to his passing by Charlotte Uh no I was in a chair as I wasn't Expecting this uh we had a little talks Uh like about three uh three months ago About this uh but then it went kind of Kind of quiet but um a wrestling piece Event and then my condolences to his uh His family and it was a tough loss for Their family and for this uh for this Club and city Um but yeah um once uh Charlotte Approached me I was uh I was already Interested in coming into this uh coming
To this club and environment to uh you Know prove myself that Um I'm a you know Center back that can Help this team and uh you know go into Playoffs and hopefully one hopefully one Trophies there and that's why I wanted To come out here because I believe in This team and I believe in what uh coach Uh wants uh wants the game Star to be on The pitch And of course you spoke to how quickly You'll find your place on the pitch is a Question for latonzio rather than for You but in terms of how quickly you're Able to adapt with the goose still Coming back from surgery and just kind Of the process of really stepping into a Unique situation how are you adapting What are you doing to prepare and who Are some of them who are kind of guiding You along there yeah I mean obviously The coaching staff uh you know I'm Sitting down with him and watching Videos and obviously is my second second Training session and I'm just trying to Get as much as in as possible because You know we've got a home opener this Weekend and I want to you know be set Before that game and like I said Coaching stuff I've been really good and Um getting me up to date on how to on How we want to play and uh it's been Really well And last but certainly not least how
Familiar were you with Charlotte as a City before landing here Uh not familiar at all uh I'll be honest But I've heard nothing but great things About the city uh the environment the Fans uh and it's I'm very excited to be Here and happy uh to uh to continue my Career um in Charlotte Welcome appreciate your time thank you Awesome thanks Ashley all right we got Lost two people now we'll go to Mikhail First and then we'll finish with Willy p Hey my name is Mikhail with Charlotte FC Brazil nice to meet you and welcome to Charlotte you spoke a little bit about The tells you earlier I wanted to know What you think he can help you achieve As a player Uh be more confident on the ball uh like Like I said before he likes the Cinemax To be you know on the ball and uh and Play Um and almost almost sure that he can Help me on you know on how he wants to Play and I can just take all that in and And hopefully put down onto the pitch And um just I'm just here to uh you know Focus and listen to how he wants to play And how he he wants all cinebex to play And obviously how the you know the whole Team wants to play on the pitch Attacking and defensive side so he's Been doing Um he's been helping me and uh getting
Up to date like I said before uh sitting Down with him and looking at videos and Seeing how you know we want to play How long have you known Dallas wanting To bring you to Charlotte Um be we had a brief quote and that was It and uh you know and I've called of um I had messages from uh zoron and it's Been it's been very well and I was I was Just excited to come out here All right thank you so much All right Willie P final person Bill uh welcome to Charlotte again uh Seeing you out of training today I'll Say this you know the brief part we got To see you look the part at least from a Getting to know the guy's standpoint how Easy is it to to kind of assimilate to This group in particular Uh yeah I felt like you know from the First time I got here I was it was very Welcoming the whole the club and the Players and I felt like you know I've Been here for a little while to be Honest and um I Jarred well with the With the players um you know just having A good laugh off the field but when it Comes down to business side on on the Pitch you know so I was focused and you Know I wanted to work hard like all the Other players that they wanted to do the Same thing too so it was it was it was Really good What has to happen for you whether it's
You know Market steps playing more with The dielson you know what I guess Tangibly has to happen for you to to Make you feel like you're ready to go to Start on Saturday Uh just gonna keep working hard Taking all the information in from the Coaching staff and then put that on the Pitch and obviously communicate with a Deal uh you know like I said in French Or English it doesn't matter it's as Long as I we have that good connection And we both have good connection with Our fullbacks and midfielders to um you Know help dictate on how we play and how We defend Thanks Bill appreciate you All right thanks everyone for the time Bill appreciate you being generous with Your time as well we'll finish there Today Um should have Carol sworderski tomorrow Uh in the Christian entity on Thursday Thanks everyone Thank
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