Christian Lattanzio talks to media about psychological components of the game, being united as a group, taking responsibility, bringing the energy at home, and more ahead of Charlotte FC returning home to take on Colorado Rapids.
Okay All right well a major co-host if you Can let anyone in who comes Got it All right as always guys if you have a Question please raise your hand and we Will Get to you guys all right we'll start Off with the Willy p I morning Christian how are you I I cannot hear uh did it again All right well we might start over Morning Christian how are you good Morning will I'm fine thank you you I'm Fantastic Um what can you tell us about uh the Availability of Ashley and Christian Kalina this week A work in progress field uh I wish I Could say Differently that we are Having them back but they are Not quite there yet And so we obviously I have the trust of The performance I trust the performance Department they know that these are Important places for us including Guzman Kurugo For a number of reasons uh experience Ability and Also the position in which they play but Especially for the experience and the Leadership that they bring to the group Uh and so we just have to wait a little
Bit more and that we we have to trust Obviously everybody that is available And I have no problem in doing that You mentioned in Salt Lake uh the Discussions in the training room were Frank in nature uh how has the team Responded to that this week in training And and what adjustments do you feel Like need to be made in terms of getting The final product correct on Match Day Yeah there is a lot of talk about that There is a lot of but I think that uh I Think also that uh We need to put things in perspective you Know and I think that the guys Played at times good football we were Exposed by not doing things that Will rehearse in training in that sense We had a Frank discussion with the boys The boys responded really well and they In the sense that they understood It's not difficult things it's simple Things that we do on a weekly basis we Train on a weekly basis Of course there are so many things when You play a game that you want to Emphasize during the week And sometimes you emphasize something And sometimes some things more than you Do order And you would hope that the things that You emphasize in the past and that you Don't emphasize in that week are Remembered but is uh human nature that
Probably you know you focus on what it Is in front of you and you kind of Neglect a little bit to what you did and Then Focus Then you know you know you know the you Know the moment of the game And there are different explanations of That I think uh we have a number of Young players that they are making Experience that they are playing well For the club but there is is different When you come and play A few games and then after when you play The two three four games in a row and Then you start to build expectations Psychologically is a different picture And we need to allow time to these guys To To come to terms to that psychologically And physically because also this is a League that We know that is quite taxing from A physical point of view for the Traveling for the different surfaces in Which you play And so especially in key position we Have young guys that they are doing the Best and they are happy with the Performance but sometimes they are prone They can make mistakes Uh again the boys responded well they Trained really well and serious uh with A lot of intensity as we want And we made a couple of adjustments
That we want to see in the game and uh We have to move on and keep going and Like I said in the past Even when we had the three results Positive that we need to stay this is Not a moment to talk we are still Building and there will be Moment to talk but not now now we have To you know put the head down and work And to be really United as a group and To focus on what we focus on on Ourselves and what we need to do to to Improve and to get us where we want to Be How difficult personally you know for You I know you want to have a particular Tactical structure and I know that That's important to you how difficult is It to try to make sure you don't try to Tweak too much because you want to keep Some of that same philosophy and how Much of a temptation is it to try to Make kind of wholesale changes whether It's formation whether it's Responsibilities things of that nature Will I think is a very good question This one is the key question because When you are trying to build An identity and a way of playing Sometimes you have to go through moments That are painful And uh And there's always the question of do You adapt the system to the radio that
The place to the system I think long term a club needs to have a Clear strategy for me the most Successful clubs they have a clear Strategy about the way they want to play And find the right characteristics Players that can execute Uh and uh How much you change how much you tweak Is always is a very good point Because at the same time you want to get Results but you don't want to compromise Too much and I think that the boys are Understand the structure they know how To play and they give the best shot and I think in the last game I think there Was a harsh criticism towards the boys I Don't say about me but they can Criticize me as much as they want and I Understand it is part of the game but I Thought the boys were criticized a lot I Thought that they had less energy than The usual And my job is to analyze why is that so There are a number of factors that came Into that and I thought it was more dead Than the lack because even on the third Goal that we concede that we are very Close to score the goal because we put Jalen in a situation of penetrated on The right And then you deliver across so at that Moment my thinking is do I want to Go really defensive and possibly this is
An argument to have and make sure that We don't consider oh we keep playing I Still have the trust of the boys that When they go out and play they create Chances and I didn't want to lose that Maybe we were a little bit too open a Little bit uh Lack of energy for different reasons and Then it was A misjudgment from my part and I can Take responsibility of that but it's Because I trust the boys that when we Have our structure of play we create Chances and die back my Strikers in the Back my players to create chances and to Score goals But it's something that I need to take Into consideration if we concede and Then if we're going to see the open Chances I don't like it but if you look at the Goals because I hear about people saying That we play too open but we are always In numerical advantage in all three Goals So it's not the situation where we are Out number three against two Four against three or two against one we Are like six in the Box plus the keeper And they have four three or four so I Would think in those situations that we Can deal with that a little bit better We saw what we should have done better We work on that and then uh and then we
Move on but uh to be we had this spell Of 10 minutes in which unfortunately uh We conceded uh Three goals and then he looks like it's The end of the world uh I don't think it Is and I think that we need to stay Strong in this moment and keep moving on Believing in our ideas of playing and Not to be blind in the sense that I can See there are certain things that I want To do better But at the same time so we had to start Again from Toronto not start again from Scratch you know Appreciate the answers thank you thank You with Hey Christian how are you good Carol Thank you of you I'm good and I have to Give a little personal shout out to Jen Hildreth who's on this call I'm not sure If she's listening at the moment but she Was an intern at the Atlanta Journal Constitution when I was a writer there She's like a young pup and look at her She's calling the game this weekend so I'm really proud of her and I hope You're enjoying getting to know her Christian okay thank you thank you Yeah and uh as far as the team goes you Mentioned um Westwood crew ho and clean I wondered are you is your process would You guys be tempted to get them some Minutes with crown Legacy is that even Feasible within the rules
It is feasible I think and uh Um especially for Christian Uh this is certainly a consideration Because he has been out For a long time longer than us obviously Uh The problem is If they can play minutes you know if They can play mean it's certainly this Is a consideration having a second team Is also good for that so you can keep Players feet also the one that they are No part of the roster on the on the day For different choices And also as part of those uh and part of The real program so that at least they Can have 60 minutes In a control environment You know within a reason but that is Preparing them to the MLS stage Obviously is very different at the level Of MLS and explore to the MLS but uh is Uh it's certainly a possibility of Course and we have now this the the Second team and this great also for this Reason Great and um as far as um tactics I was Just thinking you know last week there Was so much action in each third of the Field and not a whole lot of possession I know you don't want to single out your Midfield but did you feel like that's Kind of where some mistakes were made And possession was lost that could have
Helped Possibly you know you are in a battle When you play a game and the credit to The midfielders of Salt Lake that the Way that they are good players we knew That and uh They they've responded well to the Pressure that they had But our midfielder I thought that yes Maybe could have been a little bit Tidier uh I agree with that we talk About that is is Um is something that we need to analyze Frankly and you know calmly because it's Part of our growing process We want to minimize transitions Especially against teams that they have This ability to counter attack And so in order to do that you have to Be able to control the ball well in Midfield to make to the team to play Together not far from each other and to Move the ball quickly and with accuracy And at the same time to be good in Proactive defending so the Defenders While the game goes on and we are trying To build and create chances they at the Same time they Mark the opponents I thought that And but also Carol there are moments in Which and if you see even the big games I was watching Champions League in the Last couple of days and there are many Situations that they are very similar to
What we found in in uh in the game Against Salt Lake so you try to build The play and then they attack you on Contra attack and then in those moments You have to to to respond how do you do That you defend and then you all the Players come back to help This is part of being compact as a team Not just in possession but also not in Possession so to consider control attack Is not the end of the world you just Have to be able to to deal with it and We We felt as a as a coaching staff that we Prepared that in the past weeks to deal With that and and then unfortunately Some things they were not executed like Because if we did I think we would be a Lot less in danger but this is a lesson For us to to learn and for young players To understand and uh and to move on we Put it past us so we learn the lesson And then we move on One one last one I think Carol was back At cam a good bit last week is that I Mean did you were you happy with him There do you still want to move him Around a little bit you know what are You thinking Yeah we support us but we got all I Think said the death Central role is Very important for us also tactically Also without the ball I think he can be Our leader of uh he's quite smart
Tactically understand uh well the way we Want to play so the way we want to press The way we want to defend as a block Is our leader in that I want him to take The role the responsibility to organize Our front players to to defend from the Front And so in that sense I think it could be An important play as well as the ability That he is but by his own standard I Think he could have scored another two Goals in that game I think And Because I rate him highly and the goal That he scored I I'm not surprised that He can do that I think he has another Chance to do that when Camille giving Gives him the ball and there is another One where I think okay Erwin gives him The ball similar to that And I think that Carol has the ability To finish all three of those and that Would be only in the stuff so we also Had our chances where the chances with Care win we are the chances we then so So it's not that we didn't create Anything Um unfortunately This uh Lack of energy that we analyzed and that Because I didn't see this in the week in The week we were pretty energetic and so Maybe we have to tweak something Regarding certain things but the
Performance department is aware and it's An internal discussion that we are Having Thank you you're welcome All right uh let's move on to Mike Good morning Christian I'm going to be a Little bit cool I'm going to be a little Bit quiet I'm in a doctor's waiting room Right now so Uh first off the fact you're going to be Asked question in a minute I I'm gonna Do it right now uh no no my wife it's my Wife's appointment I mean Um you guys are home for the next two Weeks is there some comfort in knowing That there's no travel you have the Supporters behind you uh not pressure For a home game but the opportunity to Take advantage of being at home Yeah I think the the possibility of not Traveling will give us some comfort from That point of view also to play in front Of our supporters as to be as it is for Us a special Motivation extra motivation but always Remembering that is our duty and Responsibility to motivate the crowd and To get them going they are very generous With us but at the same time they are There to assist to a show and they have To we have to put up a show for them we Have to do well for them to deserve the Encouragement and to get them going so It's a it's a pressure and this is a
Responsibility that I want us uh I want Our players to be very clear about that We need to feed our supporters and not Vice versa and then the ideal scenario Is when you have this both both ways These uh positive energy and uh Mutual You know love understanding this is the Ideal scenario but we are responsible to Bring energy to the stadium Second one I talked we talked to Brant Bronco earlier this week and I asked him Obviously the second half in Salt Lake Did not go the way you wanted to that Six minute span and I asked him What is an unhappy Christian latonzio Light addressing his players If you want I'll tell you after your Answer what he said I'm just curious to Know how you would describe your Demeanor uh when things aren't going Well and you're talking to your team Listen I try to be Myself this is the most important thing I don't want to be some somebody that I'm not so I am You know I was born in Italy so we have This passion That probably come from the where we Where we were born everybody's got his Own Roots I am very passionate about Football I'm very passionate about this Football club I'm very passionate about The work that we are doing I'm
Passionate about my players I'm passionate about uh The coaching staff I'm passionate about The front office I'm passionate about Everyone The ownership and so I want us to do Well and for me to do well You can lose games But you have to give every time 100 and You have to give good energy this is a Non-negotiable for me when I when I see Us trying our best and we come short Ability wise or against the team that is Showing that they are better than us I can accept that I am not happy because There is always the competition going on But I can accept that but when I think That we are That we find A team that put more energy than us that Seems to want it more than us I cannot Accept it and then I make sure that my Players uh know that because I for me This is impossible to accept I don't Know what brand said but uh Uh I'm I give you my version and uh Again for me the the most important Thing is that I want my players know That uh That I'm congruent with the message that I give them that and I am myself I don't I would want to lie to them I want to Tell them exactly the way I see things And I see things in the wrong way I'm
Not I don't have the the truth in my Pocket but uh certainly I want to be Myself and I want to be honest with them Well if it makes you feel any better That's exactly how he describes you Passionate want this wanting his players To do well so they're they're that's a He has a good read on you Um my last question for you You know what it is Um The catalog of Al Pacino What is his great what is in your Opinion what was his greatest role A Scarface I am by I like sir Pico but Scarface I Love this movie I love The You know what what is the English name Every any Bloody Sunday what is that What is the coach any Any Given Sunday Any Given Sunday sorry and that was Confusing with the YouTube tune but uh Yeah no he's a Scarface is something Maybe because I watched it at the time That I really love his interpretation And and the story of that Of that Cuban immigrants to Florida but Uh yeah this is the one what about you Mike Wow I I for sure had Scent of a Woman For you or or this is an Italian movie Originally without it with gas money so That was a remake of the American one so
I didn't even watch that That's fair enough fair enough and Serpico was a to me a completely Underappreciated and underrated film by A lot of folks it's it's a classic thank You Christian appreciate it thank you Thanks we'll just do two more guys we'll Go to Steve and then we'll end with Sam Okay thanks and as a Georgia grad I'm Going with Dog Day Afternoon myself but Uh anyway uh you brought in yeah right Yeah yeah So but Um you brought Cambridge with you who's Been successful with crown Legacy uh and And stuff I was just wondering what your Assessment was of his play uh Well Brandon is a guy that has been Training with us in Precision that we Know him well he has a very good Character I like I like him and I think The club did well to secure him For uh for our club he has uh I like to to see the person behind the Player you know and I think Brandon is Uh is the committed guy he's a guy that Gives 100 that is very coachable and This is credit to him that is Is flexible in his uh in his uh Listening and learning uh he's committed He has a good football quality of speed Yes technique He needs to improve obviously experience Wise and to play in MLS is different
Than to play in MLS and explore the the Players you play against the more Experienced are obviously better players Uh with uh different characteristics and A little bit more refined and Sophisticated So it was important for him to Experience MLS and to be part of the Preparation of the game and also to Experience uh the the game on the on the Pitch and I think he's only Can only benefit him and the club it's a Player in which we believe he's not the Only one but is for sure given that we Are talking about him he's a player in Which we believe and I think that And we want to develop him in the best Possible way because uh because he's a Guy that there is material to work with Will he be with a legacy on Friday night Or probably because we could recover McKenzie gains Okay well actually Mackenzie what was The The his injury that kept him out of Salt Lake he was a muscular injury and uh That could have been Would develop in something more serious So we decided not to risk him And uh So then He didn't travel they stayed here to to Continue his rehab and fortunately he Could be ready for the Monday session
And he has been training well until Until yesterday so we are uh we are Confident that he will be back on 100 Percent Great thank you thank you Sam Just when I thought I was out they Pulled me back in Um so coach first first question in in About 45 days uh we will be at your one Year mark as coach where do you hope That the team is by then I hope that the team will continue to Grow uh in in being an offensive team And in developing an offensive mentality To play offensive football you you have To start firstly With an attackumentality And this is something that we are Developing uh our Target mentality is Not just when you have the ball but also Offensive mentality attacking mentality Is also when you don't have the ball in In attacking the players and in the Execute Uh the defensive play strongly but I Want to Because I know that there is a lot of Saying a lot of talks but you know in Order to move on you also have to have A fair shot you know uh we brought Three players in One unfortunately since Orlando we Couldn't have and these we know how
Important is Bill He obviously is a player that we brought In to replace Our Anton and then he's still coming to Terms and he came just after the Preseason was uh was done so he missed a Big chunk of the work And then he's uh you know is uh is again Guzman still missing Kalina still Missing and you know when you have that Kind of leadership on the pitch that can Help and solidify The players that they are playing uh we Give us everybody a little bit of Of Confidence boost and at the moment We are you know we are uh Trying to do our best with what we we Want to honor every time the game and I Think the boys did well in doing that We had the lapse of uh let's say Concentration energy uh for 10 minutes That we that it was very costly okay we Considered all the chances but we Created also a few chances ourselves And uh you know people had to take Things into consideration it's very easy To say that everything doesn't work After the result but uh I don't think this is the way and uh we Are trying to go through a path and To be judged you know let's have all our Boys in place and then you know then I
Think that a fairer assessment could be Made And uh you know as I think you've Mentioned multiple times and has also Been mentioned uh Outside these press conferences Um you know we there have been so many Setbacks um in terms of uh injuries Losing players Um specifically because with real south Salt Lake a lot of talk has been about The defense Um who have you Um who have you really asked to step up And be defense defensive leaders and and What are you Um asking of them or telling of them to Get the um the performance that you want Out of our back line So another good question this is um Because he allows me to talk about the Leadership a little bit because I think Leadership is a very spoken subject and Sometimes Uh misunderstood in my opinion uh I mean it's easy to say you know I asked Questions so to be the leader and that's It so I've done my job I cover my back And that's done but I believe I ask Everybody and the football is a Situational game that requires Situational leaders so in set pieces We will have somebody that will take Care of those situation I ask Carol to
Be the leader in organizing ourselves to Press for the front so to give this Defensive strategy at the back I ask Everybody and they are responded they Are responding they understand the Mistakes they made Is something that they know they should Have done better we work on that but at The same time we have guys that as I Said Bill only came at the end of Pre-season so he missed the vital chunk Of our work and he's catching up Adil is A very young guy that you know he is Coming he's very talented we love Adil But he also must be given the chance to Make mistakes because he's part and Parcel of growing up as human beings we Only learn by making mistakes George Marx is doing well but this is another Young player that is entitled to make Mistakes and unfortunately if that Happened in the game you know sometimes You can pay him but he has been doing Well so I'm asking everybody to step up And to take leadership in the moment in Which they can take leadership so when We build from the back when we organize Our defense when we are in attacking so I'm asking role clear role Responsibilities to all of them during The the play it takes time and we are Not unfortunately we cannot count on the Experience of people like Kalina people Like Guzman people like Ashley that also
Can help you with their talking to Minimize or to help them to recognize Situations and to be alert in situation That they might drop a little bit of the Focus because of the young age so again We have to give time to these guys and This the moment of difficulties are also Moment of opportunities where we are we Can build our foundation to go to go Places and we just need to be patient And keep working And and that really in a lot of ways Answers what my final question was was Going to be but I'll give you a chance To put a pin in it coach Um you know you have had a a fan base That's been A little more restless and frustrated uh Than normal at least online Um but you what you say to them Um like why why do you know that that This team can Um can come back and make the playoffs And make a you know really live up to uh The pretty high expectations that we had This year No this is the this is the thing listen I said to the guy to our supporters to Back up the guys Uh because they work they work hard on a Daily basis in training and they deserve Their support this is without the Question uh they go out with uh with the Heart on their sleeves and they want to
Do really well for them and uh And for the fund base that they deeply Love I know this for a fact because we Discuss about that on many occasions at The same time They have to trust the process and the High expectation I as I said Before they are In order to be realistic they have to Wait until we've got all all our players In place And uh because it's uh otherwise it's Not even fair on the the young guys that They are giving the best you know we Have to give them a chance to to play Their game and I think that they are Capable of doing that but remembering That the limited experience that they Have and they have they are building on On uh on a daily basis on a weekly basis In MLS So it's great to have a high expectation We want to go to the playoff we believe That we can still achieve this objective And Just trust the process that the boys are Working really really hard and Well on Uh on a daily basis so if nothing else To give them The support but at the same time I Understand that we have to deserve that And I am looking for no excuses no alibi It just stayed in the facts that uh Probably our more experienced Players
Bar in Iris on a full and Carol uh they Are that is also on the second year and MLS and so just arrive are not on the Pitch and that also is important for the Team because there is a tactical element There is a physical element there is a Technical element but there is also a Psychological element and 12 leaders A all-out uh you know the most Experienced players out of the Out of the squad is is not easy for us Thank you coach thanks for the time Okay thank you thank you guys
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