Toronto FC Media Conference

Wednesday, September 29, 2021

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Jacob Shaffelburg

Media Conference


Toronto 3, Cincinnati 2

Q. Have you gotten a sense this season the way you've been working that if you've given a chance, you could start playing and producing the way you have the last few games?

JACOB SHAFFELBURG: Yeah, the team's helped me quite a bit, to have my confidence back from -- I haven't felt like this in a while. So just to have my confidence back and back to doing what I know, it's been great and I think I can continue this with the team.

Q. The last few games from what I've seen, you've formed a really effective sort of partnership with Richie and Jonathan down that left side. From your perspective, why is that sort of attacking trio click? Why is it working so well?

JACOB SHAFFELBURG: I think like originally, Richie and I also work well together. I think I'm not a guy that when you throw in is going to disrupt them. I'm going to listen to them and try to do what they want. I think I just go in with them smoothly, and I just help them going forward. And we're just all clicking at the same time right now, so it's been great.

Q. It looks like you're always on the lookout to break past the last line of defense and Soteldo found you a few times tonight. What's it like playing with Soteldo knowing what he can do with the ball?

JACOB SHAFFELBURG: It's amazing. He's an amazing player and I think I'm just starting to earn his respect a lot more in the last few games, so and we're starting to pass and connect way more and it's been great. It's coming off nicely. We're going to get an assist here soon.

Q. The connection between you and Achara, curious how that came off for you?

JACOB SHAFFELBURG: We've had that connection since high school. So every single time I get the ball on the wing, I always look up for him because I know he's going to be coming late on that far side. And I tried to find him in the first half and it didn't come off. And then the one he looked, I just looked up and saw him there, so I knew I had to put it in the right spot and score.

Q. Did you think given a chance to play, and you're in -- obviously because one of the reason is injuries and whatnot, but did you really think that given a chance to play that you could step up like you have been; that you just needed a chance?

JACOB SHAFFELBURG: I always knew I had it in the back of my head but like I said it's just all about my confidence. At the start of the year, it was up and down. Midseason I didn't have the best confidence. And just coming in that Miami game and just getting my confidence up knowing that I can compete in this league and keep up the pace with everyone really helped me.

Yeah, now I feel like I can do this almost game-in and game-out with how I'm feeling right now. But obviously I've got to reset and look forward to Chicago on Sunday.

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112905-1-1003 2021-09-30 01:40:00 GMT

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