Seattle Reign FC Pre-Match Press Conference • Thursday, March 28, 2024
Head Coach Laura Harvey and Defender Phoebe McClernon
Head Coach Laura Harvey
On the passing of Alan Reed from KING 5 and her relationship to him:
“Honestly, I hadn’t met him a ton, but I think I was just really shocked and obviously saddened to hear about the news. He’d been out a lot recently to training and to our home opener and as you say, sometimes he would just be there on his own and it’s raining hard and heavy and he stays the whole training session and makes sure he gives the Reign some exposure, which was always great. I was just really shocked because I think I had seen him maybe within the week of leading into that. So yeah, obviously really saddened and just sending all our thoughts and good wishes out to his family.”
On how the team is so far with preparation and what are their expectations for tomorrow:
“Since we’ve had the Washington game, just with travel and the fact that every week we’ve lost a day because we went Sunday game, Saturday game, Friday game, it’s been a really short turnaround, so we haven’t had a ton of training opportunities, but I think we’re used to that in this league – the travel can be really difficult, so we’re used to that. I think whenever we play against San Diego, we always know that they have threats and it’s a challenge and it’s something that we’re always prepared for. So yeah, looking forward to the game tomorrow.”
On if she thinks the midfield will be an important factor in the game:
“Yeah, I think in every game, honestly. I think, no matter our opponent, the way our midfield can dominate games or not tends to always be a big factor in how games, not necessarily results but I think performance based, it is really impactful. So, I think for us being prepared that we know that, we know that we know a lot of their strengths, we know a lot of their personnel they’re playing there. So, I think, yeah, we’re just being prepared for what they might bring, difficult when they’ve only played one league game to know exactly what that might look like. But yeah, I totally agree that the midfield battle is always something that in every game, against anybody, it always tends to be a real indicator of momentum and how much you can dominate an opponent.”
On the impact so far from the newcomers on the Reign:
“I think they’ve done fine. I think they’ve done great. I think that we’re asking different things of each one of them and I think each of their journey’s really different – obviously Ji’s (So-Yun) got a ton of experience across the world, Haz (Angharad James) has been in the league so knows a little bit about the league and Lily (Woodham), it’s brand new to her. So, I think we all know that at this time of the season getting points on the board is arguably the most important thing and performances and how we get those points are things that we need to look at as the year continues. So, I think for all three of them, for some, it’s getting used to being back in the league and then for the other two, getting used to what this crazy thing is about and it’s different, it’s different than anything and they openly say that, like it’s very different to anything they’ve played in before. So, I think that’s something that we know about this league, we know that it’s challenging. So yeah, I think that’s where they’re all at.”
On how the team is collectively after the tough loss to Chicago:
“Honestly, we reviewed the game, as we would always do, and I think the overall emotional feeling was that we were disappointed. I think we felt that we did enough to come away with something out of the game. Disappointed with the goals that we conceded because we don’t tend to like to do that very often. I think we probably created more than they did throughout the game, so I think knowing that – after the first game, that was one of our things, we created a lot, we didn’t finish our chances – we then created a little bit of chances in the Chicago game but not as many as the Washington game. I think understanding what we need to do to make sure that we can create those amount of chances in every game that we play. Yeah, just knowing that in those games on the road it’s tough and how do you come away from something like that with a minimum of a point. We can’t come away from things like that with zero. So, I think that that was our reflection and obviously very quickly got to turn our attention to San Diego.”
On the pressure from San Diego:
“I think honestly every time we play them, they come out really fast and aggressive and try and get at us early and I think it always tends to be a bit of tactical chess match initially to find out what each team is doing and how we can expose each other. I think for us, it’s about making sure that we do the things that we know are our strengths and try to minimize theirs as much as possible and obviously in recent years, we’ve done a good job of that. I think in some games we maybe came away with points that maybe we didn’t deserve, but like I said before, I think that’s where – when you can do those things, it’s the sign of a good team and last week we didn’t do that in Chicago where maybe we didn’t fully deserve three points, but if we would have come away with it, no one remembers the performance, they remember the points that you got. So, I think that’s something we’ve got to make sure we take care of tomorrow.”
On Savannah McCaskill and what she brings to San Diego:
“The biggest areas I’ve seen have changed in them, I don’t know if it’s personnel based or tactical based, but I think they try and possess the ball a bit more and slightly less direct than they’ve been, previously, so maybe that’s an impact of Sav (Savannah McCaskill), I don’t know. So yeah, I think that’s maybe the change, but I think a lot of their tactical nuances and the structure that they try and gain have stayed the same.”
On the team’s fitness going into this week:
“Alana (Cook) is with us. Veronica (Latsko) is with us in San Diego. It will be touch-and-go on whether they can get into the roster or not. We’ve got a couple of players that are question marks outside of those two, but I’ll let you wait and see the availability report.”
On Phoebe McClernon and how timing helped her get into the starting lineup last season:
“Well, I think she got hurt so early in preseason that when we knew the severity of the injury, maybe, we always were looking at a timeline to when the World Cup players went away, making sure that we’ve got her as close as possible to that period, so I think that helped. I think being available the moment those World Cup players went away really helped her get games under her belt quickly where we didn’t have to sort of manage it too much because we had no choice. We were sort of in that period where there just wasn’t a lot of options because of the amount of players that we were missing. So, I think that definitely helped, but I just think the severity of the injury was way more than what we originally first thought when she did it, so just that timing around making sure we got it right so that she had a chance to be fit and available when those World Cup players left. I think it obviously helped Phoebe (McClernon), but it definitely was a big help to the team that time as well.”
On if she was projected to be a starter before her injury:
“I mean, it was preseason and it was early. I think she played a lot of minutes in that period and we were looking at her potentially starting. I think at the time we were playing Lu (Lauren Barnes) at left back, so I think we were looking at what type of balance could we have between Phoebe and Lu and Lani (Alana Cook) and Sammy (former Reign FC defender Sam Hiatt). Yeah, it gave Sammy an opportunity, which she took.”
Defender Phoebe McClernon
On signing a contract extension and what it means to her:
“I think it’s huge. I think apart from just the obvious of job security is the environment that we have here and the coaching staff is obviously amazing and a group of people that I have a ton of respect for and look forward to learning from every day. But, the veteran players on the team as well are super engaging and super willing to help and super willing to take time out of their days, and they’re often busy, to help me become better and I think that’s pretty central to the type of team I want to be on. I feel really grateful that the club has made that investment in me and that they see me with the future of this team and I’m so happy to be here.”
On what the team talked about this week after reflecting from the loss to Chicago in preparation for tomorrow’s match:
“I think it’s always just kind of one of those things getting back to the basics of what we do well and just hammering that home. I think it’s probably abundantly clear that we can hang with any team in this league and beat anybody on our best day, so it’s about maximizing those best days and making them more frequent and just having complete performances. I really do feel like we play decent soccer at points in that game and we just weren’t able to sustain it for the entirety of it, so staying locked in for 90 minutes and just having that grit, even if it’s just coming away with a point, it’s just about staying in it and fighting for a full 90.”
On how the locker room reacted after the loss and what training sessions were like the following days:
“I think we were definitely bummed; it wasn’t a happy locker room. I think that those types of games are ones that we’ll remember long after this game, further down the road in the season as ones that kind of got away from us. I think that that mentality has been reinforced in training over the week. I think it’s been a quick turnaround with another travel this weekend. So, the extent that we could put in valuable minutes on the field, I really feel like we did and really just turning the page and getting our preparation set for San Diego and putting our focus on that while obviously trying to fix the things that we felt we errored on in the last game.”
On Claudia Dickey:
“I think Clauds (Claudia Dickey) is a consummate professional. I think she brings so much in terms of intensity and energy to our team and she wants the best for all of us. I think she will continue to grow in her confidence throughout this season and I think that benefits everybody, especially Clauds, but the ceiling for Clauds is not visible to being so high, so I am super happy that I get to play with Clauds.”
On working her way into the starting lineup after suffering an injury before the 2023 season:
“I think just coming back from injury, you’re just itching to play again. So, at that point in the season, it was probably a time where there was a lull in some people’s games and a lull in the sense that it’s a long season and it’s hard to sustain for that long. So, I think timing really played in my favor, especially with the national team players being gone at certain times and I was given opportunities that I needed to get in order to put myself in that position. I think the staff and the whole team recognizes that anybody on this roster on any given day is good enough to make an impact on that field. So, for me, it was just about capitalizing on the opportunities that I got and bringing my attributes, which I think separate me from other players and really trying to showcase that part of my game – not trying to do too much, just tying to do what I know I’m capable of to the best of my ability. But yeah, I think it definitely did help, in terms of the contract extension and putting me in a position to feel confident going into this season.”
On what her first appearance back was like:
“I think you’re always nervous. I remember, it wasn’t the first start, it was just the first game that I was dressing for, but just being overwhelmed with gratitude that I was back in a position to do the things I loved with a group of people I respect and admire so highly. So, it was all just a lot of gratitude. I was just really grateful, point blank, super, super grateful.”
On her gameday routine and what she does to prepare:
“I think recently, specifically since coming back from that injury, I’ve been trying to get my headspace in the best place possible and that includes meditation, visualization, just kind of all those things that you might overlook in the excitement of a gameday that really can matter and can impact you on the field, in those moments. I think I tend to be an overly intense player at times and my intensity can get me into trouble sometimes, so I think leveling that with a little bit of quietness, a little bit of solitude really helps me just center myself for a game.”
On if she steps away from the team to get solitude:
“Our gamedays are broken up to – we have meetings and stuff, so just in between those meetings, finding a little time for solitude. I definitely don’t want to step away from the team. I think being around my teammates is something that builds investment, makes me feel joyful about the position that I’m in and grateful about it, so I definitely don’t mean it in that respect, but just being able to balance my own energy so that I can be in the best position to be the best teammate that I can be. So, say we have pregame meal and then we normally have a break before we leave to go get on the bus, I’ll take that hour and journal, meditate, visualize and just make sure that my headspace is in the most productive place that it can be.”
On how the other starters on the team helped her:
“I think since I’ve been with the Reign, it’s just always been very much so open lines of communication, even when I was out, I was trying to make sure that I was getting the information that would be pertinent when I was to come back. I don’t think I ever really felt behind in terms of our tactical stuff, I think the biggest adjustment was reaction times for me to play in the game, just getting back up to that, like the physicality, all of that stuff and that more so than the on-field relationships was in my head as I was coming back, like am I going to be fit enough to play 20 minutes or 90 minutes or whatever it is that I’m asked to do? Am I going to be able to handle this load? Am I going to re-injure myself? Stuff like that, I think, was more weighing on me, but as far as my teammates, they’re all so supportive and helpful. I think we all want the best for each other and it’s definitely open lines of communication, asking questions is a positive and it is encouraged.”
On her favorite game from last season:
“I guess the semi. I just think the fact of us getting to that semifinal, especially given where we were going into the end of the regular season was – it just kind of felt like we were playing with house money at that point and we could go and be ourselves. It was really fun and I think Snapdragon is an awesome stadium, so I’m excited to play here again. I just love beating San Diego at home, there’s nothing like it. I love quieting a home crowd, it’s a really, really cool feeling that really can’t be equated to anything else.”
On how she plans to contain the pressure from San Diego:
“I mean, they have a lot of weapons. I think you have to deal with a lot of different looks that they give. I personally feel like we’ve worked on a formation and a game concept that allows us to handle the majority, if not all, of their threats. I think it’s, at the end of the day, more about execution of that gameplan than the actual gameplan itself. It’s just, again, focusing on set pieces; I think they have two goals in two games on set pieces, so that’s going to be huge for us. I think Alex (Morgan) is always a threat, I think we’re always going to be aware of her. I think Jadyn Shaw is one of the best young players in the league right now, if not the world. I think that they have a ton of talent on their team and I don’t think we are surprised or unprepared for that. I think that we need to make the adjustments for ourselves and put ourselves in the best position because we also are a fantastic team and have so many weapons and are so capable of creating attack as well as defending the best in the world, so I’m looking forward to the matchup.”