McKinze Gaines speaks to the media on playing friendlies in front of fans, how the team is set on bringing intensity to keep growing from last year, and more.

Recording this computer cool uh McKenzie Gaines here for you everyone uh as Normal normal protocol raise your hand If you've got a question and we will Work around to you let's start with Jorge today McKenzie how are you today I'm good on How you doing good good uh first uh First question to you is um There seems to be a lot of competition In the Ford live this year especially Wingers I mean Vargas looked great in That first half that he played you came On you assisted I just wanted kind of Your thoughts on the competition this Year and how are you looking to kind of Set yourself apart Yeah I think that we have some really Good forwards um obviously you spoke on Uh the role that Kerwin played Um but I think we also had a good Competitive group last year as well Um and I think that I said last year in An interview that no iron sharpens iron And one man sharpens another and that's Kind of the mindset that I have going Into it Um you know I saw that Kerwin had an Assist and That motivated me even more just to go In and you know try to play my role and To be as effective as possible and you Know I had an assist as well so you know I think that we push each other and it's

Just gonna be Um beneficial to the group as a whole Nice and then Charlie just announced That um they'll be allowing people into This game as well just how important is That crowd and from what you're seeing Preseason it seems like the fan base is Really exciting Yeah it's great I think that it just Adds another factor and Um you know We want to build on where we were last Year with playing at home uh we had a Really good home record and Um I think that that's just a testament To how much we like playing in front of Our fans here so you know anytime that They can come out and support us I mean The more the merrier we love having them Out there and we love playing for them And fighting for them Awesome and then last question I know It's Valentine's Day I just wanted to Ask you what do you love most about Being a soccer player Um I think that my favorite part is just How rewarding a profession it is Um it's something that I've put you know My life into and it's really rewarding To wake up every day and to get paid Essentially just to kick a ball around Awesome thanks Mackenzie thanks Mom cool Thanks Jorge let's go to John now

Am I up yep you're up John oh okay thank You uh Mackenzie just having a full Season with Christian as coach just talk About what he brings to the team and What it's like now to be able to have a System implemented over a full season And how far you think he can take you Yeah Christian's great Um I mean even as an assistant coach Last year he is definitely somebody who Impacted my game massively Um and the system that he has in place He preaches two main principles he Preaches you know first intensity and Then Um Quality in your position so I think That Um with last season he implemented a way Of you know that he wanted to play and This season we're building upon that and We're just trying to you know set Ourselves apart from other teams just in The way that we play Um and he likes to say you know if we do The same thing as everybody else that We're not going to get different results You know so we do want to bring a Different way to the intensity that we Play with and we're looking to bring That every single game Um and you know I believe in the the Ideas that he has and the concept of Football that he wants to implement and I think that we can go as far as you

Know we want to go Also with some of the Acquisitions You've made this uh off season most Notably bringing an experienced guy like Ashley Westwood among others um how Excited are you to see these guys on the Field integrated into the team you guys Were so close to the playoffs last year Just do you think that the Acquisitions That you made will be able to sort of Get you guys over the line and into the Playoffs Yes for sure you know I think that like You said we were we were right there Last season and we missed it by a few Points Um I think that the Acquisitions you Know Ash and Enzo are going to be huge For us I think they bring you know big Bits of experience in in some pretty key Areas Um but I also think that you know with Us being able to build on what we did Last year and not having to you know Learn an entirely new game model and uh Get to know 20 odd new players um that We're going to be in a much better Position this season than we were last Season Um I think that we had kind of a slow Start coming out the gates last season And I don't expect that to be the case This season Great thank you very much thank you very

Much best of luck Thank you thanks John uh Willie P I Mackenzie hope you're doing well uh I Know that Christian took a very Personalized approach to kind of Everybody uh over the course of his time As an assistant and I'm sure that's Continued as a head coach uh what was The process like in identifying some of The key things for you to work on and How was that offseason process like for You yeah Um I think that that's one of the Reasons why everybody was so you know Excited for him to step in step up and Take that head coaching roles because we Had all had such good personal Relationships with him as an assistant Um and you know for me personally There's you know a list of things that I Can work on but Um I mean mainly it was all about you Know Um You know the first touch aspect of Everything Um the decision making in the final Third and um it's all stuff that he's Drilled into me and you know also other Players and I think that it's helped me You know immensely on the field What is the key to kind of putting the Final product together is it just reps Or when you're repeated activity what do

You what do you think is is the secret To that Yeah certainly repetition I think that You know it's not a secret that the more Times that you do something the better That you're going to get so it's always Just exposing yourselves uh you know to Situations that you're going to find in The game and Um the more times you do that I think The better that you're going to get it Home Thanks man good luck this year Appreciate you All right cool let's go to Caleb Hey McKenzie what's up man how you doing Good man how you doing good good I just Want to ask you um you guys just missed Out on playoffs last season what are Kind of some things that advantages you To told you that you feel you guys need To kind of take to the next level this Season in order to make that next jump Forward Uh I think mainly it's just you know Building upon what we did last season Um I think that we had a really good end Of the year Um and if we can just build on some of The ideals that we have that will be in A much much better place this season you Know I think that last season we were Kind of chasing it towards the end of it And um I think that with the style of

Play that we have and the way that we've Been able to build and what we did last Season if that's not going to be the Case I think that you know we'll Definitely be in the mix for Um the majority if not the entire you Know season and won't be you know on the Outside looking in come the end of the Season And what I want to talk to you a little More about um Westwood and kopeti how Have they been adjusting as well like How is their personality sort of been Integrated into y'alls and how they kind Of mesh with the group yeah they've been Fantastic I think that you know it's Been as good as it can get from from That side of it I think that both Ash And Enzo have come in and um people have Just taken to them they're real genuine Guys and you know they mush with the Team in terms of how we want to play too You know they Um they're here to work Um they're definitely not here to you Know to just you know kick the ball Around but they want to be here and um That that reflects the way that they Play with us you know we want to be an Aggressive pressing team and I think They fit us like a glove you know and Those gonna round gonna run around Ashley's gonna run around and uh I think They make everybody better around them

And lastly just want to close out on how Excited are you for that Opening match Once again back at Bank of America Stadium for the season yep um I think We're all pumped uh nothing like playing At the bank right 30 000 fans behind you I think that we're all really really Excited just to get started Right thank you so much man good luck With the rest of the season appreciate You all right that looks like that's About it so we'll wrap it up there I Appreciate everyone coming on today and We'll have these assets out for you soon Thanks thanks Mackenzie thanks guys

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