They said it: Oscar Pareja and Duncan McGuire share their thoughts after loss to Atlanta

Orlando City head coach Oscar Pareja

Opening Statement 

“Obviously we’re frustrated at not getting the result, but the team that was on the pitch today has a big effort on the game and a commitment to try to do it the best possible way we planned it during the week. But I’m very proud of them. Obviously, the frustration at this point is probably bigger, but we are professionals, and we have to move on. There is a bunch of things that we saw today that left us with the taste that we can bounce back.” 

On how the congested schedule has impacted the team 

“We have to absolve; we have to make a good analysis. I think our path has to be visible for the players. It’s very difficult to do it while you’re not winning games and that’s normal, that’s the national reaction for competition. In this industry you have to win games but at the same time, we have to be conscious of what is happening on the pitch and, like I said, I think the boys gave one hundred and ten percent effort. I saw a lot of good things today, I just don’t want to say, ‘this many games [already]’. No, we have to take it the way it is. It’s our responsibility, we’re professionals. Whatever the schedule is, we have to face it in the best way possible. We’re not getting results but what I saw on the pitch today is way different. I’m very optimistic.” 

On the difficulty of not being able to have a consistent lineup 

“I won’t use it as a way to make us feel better for not getting results. As you mentioned, more visible reasons, but that’s not the way I like it. I think we represent the club that needs to win games. What I want to see is the effort of the players and it was there [today]. It was there, the ideas, the way we do things. Obviously, we have to polish the two areas and be better, but the identity of this team is not lost. The identity is there. With the reference of the many changes we’ve had, it’s normal probably at this time of the year, it’s happening. Not ideal, but we’re all part of the team. Somehow, we have to have a response for our position, regardless of who is starting.”

Orlando City SC Forward Duncan McGuire

Opening Statement  

“We’re obviously disappointed. I feel like it hurts the most because we can see ourselves playing the way we want to play and the results aren’t falling our way. But we’ve got to keep our heads down and push this next week and play for the next game.” 
 
On the frustration of the team being close but not finding a goal 

“It’s definitely frustrating when you have the ball in the opponent’s half that much, especially in the final third and not being able to put the final touch on the ball, it’s very frustrating as a striker and for the rest of the guys. Knowing that we had that much possession in their [Atlanta’s] half is a good sign, I would say. We just have to keep working in practice and repetitions on that and the final piece will come.”  

On what it means to receive a call-up to the U.S. men’s Olympic team 

“It feels good, a testament to the work I’ve put in and it’s really exciting every time you get the call up for your national team and the Olympic team. So it’s an exciting feeling.”