NEW YORK RED BULLS MEDIA CONFERENCE

May 31, 2025

Sandro Schwarz

Press Conference

New York Red Bulls 2, Atlanta United 0

Q. What is the status on Omar? Looks like a bad foul. Can you tell us his status?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Come on this is the first question after this tough month? I don't know to be honest. He had some problems with his shoulders. This is what we have to check now the next phase, and I'm sure next week we can get a clear answer about his injury.

Q. Nice little win streak. Do you almost wish the international break wasn't coming so you could keep the playing, or do you need that break?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Yeah, we need that break after this month to be honest. Yeah, I don't want to waste my time now because of national break or something like that, so now, it's two days off and then individual work with a lot of guys next week.

But when we look to this picture, not only though game today, we played nine games. We won six, and I would say especially the response after our loss against NYC FC is great and I think it's not only the result but it's way to the result and the development of the whole team, the whole group, how we win the games in our style of play and today also first half very dominant.

We create a lot of good situations in our buildup and two goals, how we scored was really good, and I think that's a good, good picture to see after these nine games, and also the mentality what I said, how we respond after the NYC FC game.

Q. How satisfied are you and the group feeling after putting together this win streak, and what was your message to the group after you walked out of the locker room?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: I'm proud. It's not only to be satisfied. I'm very proud of the whole group, our supporters, that we are going all together in the same direction and also when you have some difficult moments in the season, it's normal, and that we are able to answer directly in the way how we want to play.

And I'm very proud of the whole group, and with all these rotations which we have done, especially the last two weeks, U.S. Open Cup, Charlotte game, all these games, and it's great.

Now we can -- to enjoy it, as well, now, after these three points today and then to keep going after the national break.

Q. Wanted to ask you on the development of your side throughout this month, we've seen Carmona and Edelman making strides, adding the range to his pass, can you talk about overall how pleased are you with your squad after this long May stretch?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Yeah, that was the main part. I agree a hundred percent, especially Wike Carmona against Charlotte, in our pressing behavior, he was so active from the ten position today, as well.

And I would say this was the negotiation part after NYC FC game that we are also very compact with the ball. This was directly the message on Sunday after the game against NYC FC and when we feel as a team the whole responsibility against the ball in our basic behavior. How we scored the first goal today from the far side, Cam come inside and then in a good position, and you have these moments in our transitions; and also to keep the ball in a right structure in our positions, then we are able to have our counter press immediately after losing the ball, this is really, really good, as a team.

And I think that's the main part for me in our development. For sure, it gives confidence for the whole group, for us, when you get the results. But the way, how we won these games in our style of play and our clear idea in our defensive behavior and especially in our offensive behavior to be very compact.

Q. Tactically the setup today featured in the midfield, Emil sort of inverted off the left and Wike as the most central No. 10. Seemed to open more space in front of and behind the Orlando defense. Without giving too much away to future opponents, what was behind that setup?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Yeah, we prepared the structure with Atlanta, 5-3-2, 3-5-2, so that was then for us the main part to bring our right fullback more inside to build up three against two and when the eight position comes out, we can open the space more for Emil in the ten space, and he's directly in the connection with -- with Choupo. And then to bring Wike more in a half space and then Petter Stroud as well, and then we have a overload situation and when it's close in the center, to go outside.

Q. You touched on Peter Stroud. Talk about his performance today. You have someone like Harper who gets a goal and assist and gets Man of the Match but Peter Stroud making plays, setting up Emil, finding space. Felt like he was doing a lot of work out there. Can you talk about what we saw from him?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Yeah, exactly. It's the same feeling which I have of Peter Stroud and sometimes for him it not to seize I with me and sometimes because we want to see the next step but especially the last couple of weeks, physically, everyone knows he's in a top spot in every season.

But now, to have the confidence and to read the situation very good in these moments when we have the ball, and so he's very active. And also then to have the confidence when he gets the ball with the first touch to check the shoulders and to play forward or to switch to the other side. Really good development of him, especially the last couple of weeks.

Q. It seemed like in the first half your team had a lot more possession, obviously the two goals in the second half Atlanta grew into it the game. How did you manage that and were you satisfied with the sponsor did you want to keep piling goals on?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Yeah, this is for sure, we are preparing all the phases in our game. First of all, it's every time the same picture. We have to play very intensive against the ball, and how we scored the first goal it was great.

But of course, then when we have the ball to keep our position, what I said, to feel the responsibility to everyone and also to stay very close that we are directly in our counter-press. When we can criticize something in the second half, then a great safe from Carlos in this moment. This is not to for get that. Maybe then this is the next step to close the game very clear in a right way when you are playing dominant, this is the next step.

But when we are talking for the next step after the national break almost.

Q. Wanted to talk about Cameron Harper, he got the start today, had a quick goal and had the assist. What are you making of his performance as of late?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: I said this after D.C. United in our press conference in Washington, he's a very important player for us, very important, especially with his deep runs. And he's able to solve situations in one against one with his speed, as well, to have these deep runs. He's a hard worker in our defense behavior against the ball in our pressing and to come inside from the far side, how we scored the first goal.

So very important player. It's good. It's good to have him now in a good spot without injury hopefully, and yeah, this is what we have to continue.

Q. With all the positive recent performances you guys have been having, how vital is it to put yourselves in the top four to give yourselves the best chance at the end of the season?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: It's very early, guys. So now it's national break, and now I think we can enjoy this for two days and then to start on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, individual work with these guys because different load, which they had some guys the last couple of weeks, I think this is now the main focus and to keep going.

Keep going. Not think too much about what can happen end of the season. So then we have tee games in June. It starts in Austin, Toronto, Minnesota and then it's the next tough month, July, eight games, Philly week.

We have a lot of games and to find the right solutions for us but now to calm down and not to think too much what can happen end of the season. More our focus, what we need for our development and for our intensity and energy the whole time, and it starts then on Saturday, two weeks in Austin.

Q. Can you talk about the center back rotation? I feel like through this month we saw every combination possible of center backs playing together. Talk about the one tonight and all the center backs throughout this month and rotating them around.

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Yeah, also it's the same after NYC FC, then we switched with the suspension of Noah Elie and Sean Nealis and then Tim Parker, how we played against D.C. United very well in combination with Harper (ph), and then after that the Charlotte game and then we switched to the starting lineup from our U.S. Open Cup game similar.

And today was the argument that we have a left foot in our build up when we want to build up with three, so Noah in the center with his quality to break lines, and between the strikers when he's passing in the center, and then you have on the left side, a left foot and this was the argument today to have this rotation on the side, and Kyle on the right center back position.

Q. You guys have been playing amazing this month obviously. Now this break is coming in. How do you feel kind of now that this is going to stop, and how do you keep this intensity going to try to continue this thing going until the game is starting again?

SANDRO SCHWARZ: Now we can talk a lot about, oh, what can happen now after this break or something like that. That's the situation. It's good now after these nine games, every week in this month, to play Saturday, Wednesday, Saturday, so now it's national break, that's good. But we don't stop to work.

This is also -- it's not that we have the next meeting in two weeks before Austin. We start on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, these training sessions and then I'm pretty sure, and to build up the next step in our development, and what I said, and then in Austin to continue, then we have three games in June.

This is the picture then. And then July, eight games, and then to continue month-by-month.