Coming out of Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Orlando City at Soldier Field, head coach Ezra Hendrickson singled out Gastón Giménez for his performance in midfield on the night during his postmatch press conference.
“He showed me something very, very special,” Hendrickson said. “The way he played today, the ground he covered today. That's what you need to see from your DP, and that trickles down. You know, when the young guy sees your DP making tackles like that and working hard like that, you have no choice, you know, it's contagious.”
The comment was a surprise to Giménez, who heard it for the first time when it was referenced during his call with members of the media on Wednesday afternoon.
“I had not found out that he said those things, but really it's a pleasure to hear those words from our coach,” Giménez said, via Fire Communications Manager and translator Elizabeth Sanchez. “We're all really happy with him, and we have a good relationship.”
In contrast to Hendrickson’s postmatch praise, opinions on Giménez’s play have been divided among the Fire fan base and media through the first two matches of the 2022 season. High expectations will always accompany Designated Players, and Giménez did not shy away when asked about his response to criticism.
“Before anything else, I think opinions are to be respected from every angle from all sides,” he said. “Everyone has their own opinion. Some people will like things and some people will not like things, and that's something that's just a life thing. We get it everywhere.”
“I simply focus on doing my thing and doing my job, and sometimes it comes out well and sometimes it doesn't. But I do know that my intention is to always give the best of myself and to work as hard as possible for this Club and for this team.”
Hendrickson followed Giménez on Wednesday’s media call, and reiterated his confidence in the Paraguayan.
“When I look at Saturday's game, the amount of tackles that he made - the amount of timely tackles he made - the amount of passes that he had intercepted and stuff like that, that's good to see,” Hendrickson said. “Those things can really give you momentum throughout a game.”
The stat sheet also favors Giménez’s early productivity from his two-way role in midfield. The 30-year-old is comfortably among the team’s leaders so far offensive and defensive categories like tackles, duels won, and interceptions, as well as touches, shots taken, and passes completed (according to MLSsoccer.com).
“His leadership on the field is something that we expect because of who he is to the team, and hopefully guys follow that lead,” Hendrickson added. “But I thought Saturday was a really, really good indication of some of the things that he can do for us this year.”
“When you see your DP working that hard to win the ball back whenever we lose it, it can’t help but inspire the rest of the players to even work harder.”
Giménez has partnered with third-year Homegrown Mauricio Pineda in a deeper-lying midfield tandem through the season’s first two matches, and has so far been tasked with prioritizing the role’s defensive responsibilities.
Should he take the field alongside Federico Navarro - who is currently working his way back from injury - in the future, Giménez will be ready to push further forward given Navarro’s more disruptive capabilities in front of the Fire back line.
“I really feel comfortable with both of them,” he said. “I feel comfortable with Mauricio. I really like playing with him and I think he feels comfortable and likes playing with me, too.”
“Federico's characteristics are certainly a little bit more defensive than mine, so if he is able to play or if he comes out, I would likely be forward a little bit more depending on whatever coach wants, and whoever he chooses to play.”
“I think there really is a healthy competition in the midfield where everyone is going in and there's a lot of technical strengths, and I think as we progress, whoever it is that is able to play, everyone will do it the best way that's possible.”
The Fire will hope to build on their pair of season-opening draws and capture their first win of the 2022 campaign this Saturday when they travel to take on D.C. United (6:30 p.m. CT | WGN, CF97 Live, Latino Mix 93.5 FM). Giménez will continue to take the same approach to his preparation.
“Every time I go out, my intention is always to leave everything out on the field and to take the Club as high as possible and to help the team in every way that I can.”
