Chicago Fire defender Johan Kappelhof is the only Fire player who has started and played all 16 regular season games this year. The Dutchman has been the mainstay of the defensive line since his arrival in 2016 and has proved pivotal especially when other defenders have suffered injuries.
However, against Colorado last Wednesday, the 27-year-old was given a red card for a high-booted challenge and will not be able to play in the upcoming match against Seattle Sounders FC.
Before the red card, Kappelhof had played the full 90 minutes in 44 of the Fire’s last 45 regular season matches (playing 80 minutes in a 4-0 victory against the Vancouver Whitecaps in July 2017), a streak that also included full shifts in the last 31-straight games.
While his long-lasting streak will snap on Saturday night, Chicago-Fire.com caught up with Kappelhof to hear how he's remained so consistent during his time in Chicago, his thoughts on the Fire's U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 win, and his hopes for the team going forward.
Chicago-Fire.com: How are you feeling after the win against Atlanta United on Wednesday night?
Johan Kappelhof: “It was an important win for us. Open Cup -- it’s an important tournament. I’ve won the Cup in Holland and it’s five games – five games that you have to be at your best and you will write history. It’s an important game for us and I’m glad we won.”
C-F.com: A game like that -- where you're on the road in a hostile environment against a top attacking team (granted without a few starters) -- how do you approach it?
JK: “Like every game, I want to give 100 percent, everything I have. You know, it’s a knockout stage so you have to give everything that game and the whole team will have to work as a team to win. I think we did it yesterday, everybody worked hard, and we defended as a team, and we scored a good goal so I think we deserved it and on to the next round.”
C-F.com: The team has been through some injury challenges on the defensive line this season. What’s been your role in keeping the back line together and performing as a unit despite the fluctuation in players beside you?
JK: “In training we have to talk a lot about what to do in situations. We had some injuries but I think the guys who came in did well. They give everything they have. In training, we worked hard and worked on our concepts.”
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C-F.com: You’ve made 82 of a possible 84 regular season appearances in your time in Chicago. How do you stay so consistent both health-wise and being in form?
JK: “I’ve been like that since young. I’ve played every game and I think I’m just used to that. It’s in my system to play every game, 90 minutes, so it’s nothing new for me. I just like to play every game. I feel good, I feel fit, I feel strong. I’m still young (laughs). But for me, the most important thing is not the quantity but the quality of the game so be good in every game, not play many games but be good in every game. That’s my goal.”
C-F.com: Your red card in Colorado where you came off in the 84th minute snapped a streak of 31 straight 90-minute performances. You also played 90 minutes in 44 of the last 45 matches, how much does that say about the trust that the coaching team staff and teammates have of you?
JK: “That’s of course an important part. The teammates and the coaching staff, they trust me, they have confidence in me and that makes me stronger as well. If there are people behind you, who like you as a player, as a defender, it makes you stronger and more confident, so that’s also very important part. I feel the confidence from the coaching staff and the teammates. They appreciate everything that I do so that motivates me more to give everything in every game and help my teammates, help the coaching staff to be successful. I’m going to keep it that way and give everything that I have for the club.”
C-F.com: Moving on, what are you hoping to see from the team both defensively and as a unit on Saturday night against the Seattle Sounders?
JK: "I hope to see the same (performance as the game against Atlanta), defend as a team. When we don’t have the ball, stay compact or act like a team or put high pressure or stay compact as a team and on the ball, be confident, keep the ball when we need to and finish our chances. I think the guys who will play on Saturday are motivated to keep the streak, the win from (Atlanta), to transfer it to a good game on Saturday so I’m fully confident in my teammates."
