Chicago Fire Head Coach Ezra Hendrickson, defender Rafael Czichos, and goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina deliver their thoughts on Saturday's 0-0 draw against Inter Miami in the Club's 2022 regular season opener.
The Fire return to action next Saturday, March 5 (5 p.m CT), in their home opener at Soldier Field against Orlando City SC.
Chicago Fire FC Quotes
Chicago Fire FC Head Coach Ezra Hendrickson
Overall thoughts on tonight’s match…
I thought we came out and played really well the first 10, 15 minutes of the first half. We were moving the ball. The speed of play was the way we want to play. In the middle of the first half, I thought they got a hold of the game and got the better of the game for about 15 minutes but then towards the end of the half, we regained control of the game. So, I thought first half was really, really good.
Second half we got a little gassed towards the end but the guys put in the effort. It's a point on the road. We'll take it. But we know that there's some stuff we need to work on. I thought the speed of play at times got us in trouble and we didn't move the ball quickly and they could turn us over and counterattack against us. So we have to clean up some of that stuff.
On his debut as a head coach in MLS and his thoughts on Xherdan Shaqiri…
For me, I've worked hard to get to this position but I'm not satisfied. I want to be very good at my job. I've always been someone who stresses success and who wanted to put in the work to be successful. So I'm happy to be here. I'm excited but I know that there's a lot of work that I need to do still to make sure that this is sustainable.
As far as Shaq, it's good to have a special player like that on your team. You know, as a coach that always brings joy to you. I thought he played well today. First time playing with the team. He's still learning his teammates and his teammates are still learning him. All in all, I thought he played some good set pieces, played some good through balls, played Stani (Stanislov Ivanov) in the first half, one-to-one for the keeper and those are the things you expect from him. He's just a special player that I am happy to have him on the team.
On how he thought Gaga Slonina played and the shirt Slonina was wearing under his jersey that said “No War In Ukraine”...
Gaga, he is a 17-year-old, but he's got the mind of a 30-year-old. He's a very conscious individual. I didn't see his shirt or the writing, but I expect stuff like that from him. He's very conscious about world events and what's going on around him in society. Very, very, very experienced 17-year-old as far as his mindset.
I thought he played well tonight. The thing with Gaga, he’s a very good goalkeeper and when he got called upon tonight he came up big for us. We're happy to have him because he's one of the bright young goalkeepers in the league.
On how much the team is talking about the world events taking place right now…
The guys are very conscious about it. In this day and age with all the media outlets, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, what-have-you, that stuff is out there. It’s not something that goes unseen or unnoticed, you know, so they are very aware of the situation. You know, they are humans. So they feel for people who are -- who finds themselves innocently in war situations.
I myself I'm very conscious about what's going on in the world and how things are sometimes unfortunate for people who have no bearings or who have -- innocent people, innocent civilians, and stuff like that. But we have a job to do and we have to continue to do our jobs and just hope and pray that things get better over there.
On how Shaqiri evolved between the first and second half…
Well yeah, what I was saying is it's the first time he played a game with us, so the players are still trying to learn him and know his movements, where he's going to show up, the different little pockets, the little spaces that he likes to show up in, and that will come. I think a lot of times even in the first half, even we had more of the possession, we missed him on some of those. He made some very, very good runs out of midfield behind the defense but we didn't find him or we were too late with the pass.
In the second half, on the whole, they had more possessions because maybe we turned the ball over a lot. I think we got a little fatigued midway through the second half and that's something we have to work on because it's just the first game of the season. All in all, Shaqiri, he's always going to ask for the ball. I demand that from him. He has to be on the ball as much as possible. We're a team that wants to possess the ball, and him being on the field and getting us the ball is going to help us do that and help us control games, so it's just going to be a matter of his players, teammates, learning him and him learning his teammates until we correct that and we're better at finding him the ball.
On the status of Carlos Teran and the numerous fouls and contact on Shaqiri tonight…
Well, Teran, he's got an injury right now with his hamstring. I don't know when he'll be back but hopefully sooner rather than later. As far as Shaqiri, if it's a foul, it's a foul, doesn't matter who the player is. So them being fouled -- fouling him a lot or teams wanting to play against us trying to foul him a lot is something the referee has to control. I could be on the sideline and scream all I want but I'm not the guy with the whistle in the middle of the pitch.
But I think some of it was unnecessary tonight. Some of it was late and some was called and some were not. That's something that the refs have to look for because teams are going to use that as a way of slowing us down. Whenever he gets the ball, it's a foul and makes the game choppy and makes the game not entertaining and that's not what the fans show up to the stadium to see, a bunch of unncessary fouls. It's soccer so there are going to be fouls but I thought at times they were a little excessive tonight and they were able to get away with it.
Chicago Fire FC Goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina
On how it felt to be back on the field and his evaluation of the team’s performance…
It feels amazing, you know, walking out, it's a feeling that you can't recreate in training. I just wanted to enjoy that moment and just be the best version of myself I could be on that field because, you know, hearing that crowd even if it’s not at our home stadium, it's a feeling like no other. It felt to be great on the field and I think it’s a positive step in the right direction for a successful season. Proud of the team and of the effort we put in today.
On him wearing a “No War in Ukraine” t-shirt underneath his jersey…
Yeah, the game is important but there's other things that happen outside life that are above the game, so I think it's about putting the most awareness that we can to making sure that families and victims that are going through this hard time right now stay safe and we can support them as much as possible.
On how much the team talks about what is happening in the world right now, specifically in Ukraine…
I think, you know, a lot of teams have a lot of culture on their team so a lot of people are affected by it even if they don't seem like they are. It's about putting awareness out there and making sure that you're with them and knowing that you're supporting them even if it's just a shirt with a message and just telling them you know that the stuff going on is not okay. Everyone is aware of it and everyone knows what's going on right now.
I think there are bigger things outside of soccer and families that need be kept safe. So it's about putting as much awareness and support as we can into this matter right now.
On if the war hits closer to home for him with relatives in Poland…
Of course, I have family in Poland, so it's pretty close to their home. So I want to make sure that they are safe as well and the quicker that there could be no war, and love and peace in the world, they can stay safe and there's less stress and worry about their safety and everything.
Every war shouldn't be on this earth. I think I believe in that and I'm going to continue to put as positive of a message as I can out there even if it's just wearing it on my shirt after a game.
On his thoughts regarding the backline's performance tonight and Rafael Czichos…
Yeah, I'm proud of the backline, the work they put in. I feel super confident, super comfortable with them in front of me. They do a good job of picking me up when I make an error, and hope I can put that back into them when they make an error. I think Wyatt (Omsberg) and Rafael (Czichos), they are strong and they are big, and they’re a presence in the back, I'm super confident with them. And Bokie (Boris Sekulic) and Jhon (Espinoza) and the guys that come in and do their job when they’re supposed to, and Miguel on the left side. Those back four, I'm super confident working with them every single day. We have a good connection and I think we are going to grow into that in the season.
On the leadership and communication from Rafael Czichos…
It's incredible, if I make a good save, he's the first one to me, and if he makes a good tackle I try to be the first one to him.
I think we can grow the connection to be even stronger during the season and keep more clean sheets but he is exactly that. He's a communicator and he's a leader on the field and he's what we needed. He's a presence in the locker room and guys are comfortable around him. He's a monster on the field and he wants to win, and off the field he’s comforting, he wants to teach you and make you better. I think he's an incredible player and an amazing person to work with.
Chicago Fire FC Defender Rafael Czichos
On the team’s performance and when he was told he’d be captain…
That means a lot to me. It's an honor for me to be captain of this team, of this association, and, yeah, the coach told me yesterday after our last practice that he wants me to be the captain, and yeah, like I already said, it's an honor for me.
The game today, my first day in the MLS, I think we played a really good first half, and then we lost a little bit (of) our shape, our formation the second half. We were too wild, too chaotic, and yeah, we should have made at least one goal in the first half and then the second half would have been much easier for us, but yeah, at the end, we take one point with us to Chicago, so we have to win next week at home against Orlando.
On if he is frustrated not to grab three points tonight…
Yeah, it is frustrating. Normally we should be happy about the point but a little bit disappointed and yeah, I talked to a few players already and they were also disappointed. So we have to improve our game, especially our game in the second half. We have to keep our formation for 90 minutes, not only for 45.
Yeah, that is what we are going to work on next week.
On how much he is personally thinking about what's happening overseas right now and how he attempts to block that out with how big of a deal it is…
Yeah, I think it's a really difficult situation. I don't want to talk about political stuff but I think in the year 2022, there shouldn't be any war. And yeah, especially for me, my wife is half-Russian, so of course it's a big subject at home. But yeah, it's a political thing, and I don't want to talk so much about it.
On his thoughts on Gabriel Slonina in their first official match together…
He was amazing. He saved the game for us late, late in the game. Big save. It was difficult for him. I think at 17 years old, he's one of the biggest goalkeeper talents in the world, and he has a big career ahead.
On what he was expecting in his MLS debut…
Yeah, I knew before that it's going to be physical and fast and, yeah, first half was actually similar to the Bundesliga because we controlled the game with good ball possession. But yeah, second half was like I said already, it was too chaotic and we should have kept the ball way better than we did. It was a little bit different to the European style.
On his excitement to play at Soldier Field in front of Fire fans next Saturday…
I am so excited. Today the atmosphere was great but we only had a few fans here, so I'm really excited to meet, or hopefully 30,000 people at Soldier Field next week. So every Fire fan, if you have time next week, come to Soldier Field. I think we are going to win. We are going to fight for the three points next week, and yeah, we have to improve on for sure to make this happen but we have one week to work hard and that's what we are going to do.
