CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA CONFERENCE

May 23, 2025

Omari Glasgow

Press Conference

Guyanese

Q. A couple weeks ago, we talked to Gregg and he talked about wanting to challenge you to be making the right decision more often, and we've been seeing you make the right decision more often on the pitch, be it make the pass or when to take the shot. Curious what you think you've focused on the last few weeks as you've gotten more playing time and why you've found that success.

OMARI GLASGOW: The same thing; I'm making better decisions in the final third. That's something big I've been focusing on for last couple of weeks, and just doing what I've already been doing, putting in the work, running and making a final decision.

Q. We spoke last year in New York City after the second team game and there were a lot of your countrymen supporting you. Are you expecting a lot of people to come out and watch you?

OMARI GLASGOW: Yeah, a lot of people have reached out to me about coming to the game. I'm expecting a lot of Chicago Fire fans there that is Guyanese, so it should be a turnout.

It's a good feeling to get the support from the people back home that lives in the U.S. Lately I've been seeing in Guyanese people in Chicago, as well. So it's just a good feeling to know that I'm getting the support from home.

Q. Standing on top of the Guyanese National Team, two big World Cup qualifiers coming up. You were on the preliminary roster. Have there been discussions about whether or not you'll be going, and what are your expectations about those two big matches?

OMARI GLASGOW: The final squad is not set yet. I don't know if I'm going. But if I go, I'm glad to represent my country and to go see if we can qualify for the World Cup. Guyana, we've never qualified, we would be pushing to get into the 2026 World Cup next year.

Q. Connected to your CONCACAF experience, you've played your fair share of matches on some not great surfaces. Reflecting on Tuesday's game, as a player, how long does it take a player to adjust when the ball is not bouncing or rolling like you're expecting it to, and how does that impact the mentality during a game?

OMARI GLASGOW: I think you should try to get used to the pitch in the warmup. So when you get into the game, you're focused in and locked in on executing and not on the pitch. But it's very difficult, especially for our style of play. We want to keep the ball and move it. So we've just got to adapt and play to get a victory.

Q. One guy you've competed a lot in 2025 is Maren Haile-Selassie. Curious what you've learned from him?

OMARI GLASGOW: I learn a lot of the guys. I use this experience as a learning experience from my first year in the MLS and first team. So I've learned a lot from a lot of people. Every day I try to learn.

But Maren, since last year, he's been teaching me a lot of things, to become poised, body positioning, things that I could do better. After practice, he would pull me to the side and be like, you know, in this situation I could have done this and to make my game better.

I appreciate it because getting help from the teammates, it shows that they trust you and they want to see you grow. So that's something I've learned from Maren.

Q. Speaking about that wingback role, we know your ability to go forward but can you describe your comfort level now with sort of more the defensive end of the wingback position? You seem to get more comfortable with taking care of things and making the decisions on when to go forward and when to stay back and cover defensively.

OMARI GLASGOW: I just think constantly playing there, it's given me a lot of confidence and a better understanding because I talk a lot with Gregg about it. So it's given me a lot of confidence and a better understanding.

So constantly training there and playing in matches there, I have confidence and know what I have to do there.

Q. Over the course of the season, we've seen your position change. How has that been for you mentally when you're going into games? How does that change your approach when you change from being in the attack on the wing to maybe someone who is going to start or play significant minutes as a defensive player?

OMARI GLASGOW: I just think it doesn't matter where I go. I just think the same work applies to either position. It depends on the situation in the game, defensively and attacking. It's just about working in either position I play, and do what I have to do to help the team in that position.

Q. We've talked about the work that goes into it; the pressure that goes into it. How hard has it been, and when have you found moments of joy on the pitch the last year, or especially this year as you've been trying to make this jump? You're trying to also find that enjoyment on the pitch, as well.

OMARI GLASGOW: For me, every time I step on to the pitch is a joy. Just win or lose, you've got to -- I'm a pro at what I'm doing, and I like doing what I'm doing. Every time I step on the pitch, I feel joy to represent the Fire and for my people back home.

Q. We saw you playing a lot on Tuesday. Now the prospect of a second game for you in the week. Can you describe a little bit about what the expectations are coming from New York City FC when you go to face them on Sunday?

OMARI GLASGOW: I don't know a lot about the team, but I know the team is a good team. But we'll focus on ourselves and what we're trying to do, not what they are trying to do.

They are a good team and we will give their team respect, but we'll just focus on ourselves and execute on what we plan to do.

Q. Even if you're not super familiar with the specific opponent, from a player's perspective, why do you think you guys have been so good on the road this year? It continues to be a theme that you guys, in a league where home-field advantage historically does matter a lot and does affect teams' performance, you guys are reversing that a lot. From a player's perspective, why are you guys so good on the road this year?

OMARI GLASGOW: It's our identity; we go on the road, we just go and put in the work. We try to take the game and match their intensity and do what is our game plan. I think it's been working so far, and we've just got to keep doing that, and to keep getting road victories.

But I just think together as a team, we've been sticking together, in bad and good times, and we've just been getting results on the road.