Charlotte 3, Toronto FC 0
Q. A tough result with only two games left in the season, what's the mood like generally speaking with the team right now after another disappointing result and performance?
JONATHAN OSORIO: I would say it's frustrating. Frustrated. We're very frustrated with how this season has gone. We know that we've let our fans down. You know, we let ourselves down in a lot of these games. I also think that you would hope that, you know, a bounce or two would go our way, and it just seems like we can't even make that happen.
So yeah, it's difficult right now mentally for everybody. But what I would say, guys are trying. You know, we're giving it our all, and I think once -- in a game like today when calls don't go our way, two penalties and then we go down with the way the season's gone, and everybody -- the State of everybody's mentality, it's difficult. It's difficult in a game like this, and at this pitch against a team that's fighting, you know, for their lives to get into the playoffs, it's difficult, I would say. So all we can do is look forward to the next game and try to put a better performance in today.
Q. You've experienced great highs with this team and some pretty bad lows. I know everybody is trying to do their best and I think this team is better than its record reflects, but how does this season compare to what you've gone through in the past? It must be a very difficult experience.
To be honest, I've been a part of a few losing seasons, unfortunately, in my career. But I can say honestly, I've never gone through a year like this. I don't know anybody has to be honest. I'm pretty sure none of us have gone through a year like this, and it's frustrating. It's very, very frustrating. There's just so many things, to be honest. It's not just a couple of things. There's many things, and things that are even, you know, sometimes out of your control. That's the frustrating part I think.
And so yeah, it's been tough. It's been a very tough year. But you know, can't feel sorry for ourselves. I think the first thing everyone has to do is look at themselves in the mirror to see what everybody individually can do better and then yeah, we have two games to put in performances that make the fans actually proud of at least these last two games, and for ourselves, we have to play for our own pride as well. Because we can't just back down now because we're not the best and whatever. It's easy to do that. We have to go into these two games with, really, playing with that feeling that there's nothing to lose and everything to gain, and sometimes that's a good thing. That's the mentality we have to go with moving forward the last two games.
Q. What's going through your mind when they make that early VAR decision to give that penalty kick? What does that do to a side that's already up against it?
Yeah, it's really hard to explain. But the best way, I guess, that I could explain it, just it's frustrating. I can't really think of another word right now. It's just frustrating how that can really go either way, and to be honest, I haven't seen the replay of both the penalties, but in real time, at the time in the first penalty, I thought it didn't seem like he got a lot of him and the ball would bounce there and he got the ball, so I don't know. I haven't seen the replay to be honest but it just seems like every call like that goes against us, every one. And so unfortunately this year, we have not had a good mentality. We have been very fragile when it comes to going down a goal. And to be honest, being on the inside, it's understandable because of everything that has happened. I'm not trying to make excuses but with everything that I think people have gone through and the way the season's gone, when calls like that go against you, it's very demoralizing. It's tough to -- it takes real mental strength to come back from that. I thought we showed a little bit of that in the last game against a first place team after going up 2-0, but today we weren't able to do that.
Q. Just curious what it's been like this week having John finally having arrived at the team. I know he's not necessarily working with the team and he's taking a hands-off approach but what it's been like having him in camp, and you know, you work with him obviously with the national team and you know the sort of magic that he can wield. Are you confident that he can help turn this team around much like he turned around the Canadian men's team?
Yeah, I'm very confident he can do it. I've seen it happen. I've been a part of a project that he has taken and turned around. He also has a track record with what he's done, also, with the women's national team as well. Yeah, I'm confident he can do it. I would say this week, he came in on Monday and you know, introduced himself as well as his staff, and you know, he had a very interesting and intriguing first meeting. I think he really caught the attention of everybody, and yeah, since then, he's just been kind of watching trainings and getting to know everybody on the team, everybody in the building, and yeah, he's just doing his due diligence.
He's doing what he should be doing. Yeah, I think I'm confident that he will be able to turn this around.
Q. I wanted to ask you about Luka, a young guy who has had the kitchen sink thrown at him and made some pretty miraculous saves. Just your thoughts about him on and off the pitch.
Great kid. Great kid. Great talent, and he's shown it in the last few games that he's played in, the potential and the talent that he has. And yeah, to be honest, we have let him down on but he's kept us in it. He's kept us in games and he's put in some very good performances for himself. I'm very happy for him. I think he's proven in these games that he can play at this level. Yeah, very happy for him. He's a great kid. He deserves it, and yeah, he's got a bright future ahead of him.
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