CHICAGO FIRE MEDIA CONFERENCE

September 24, 2026

Josh Cohen

Press Conference

Q. What are your feelings like going into this weekend where you are potentially going to get your first MLS appearance in a couple years? And also you haven't had that opportunity to play that much competitive soccer this year.

JOSH COHEN: Yeah, so just -- played a lot but yeah, not recently. And so just trying to just stay true to the process. Keep doing what I've been doing and trust the work that I've been doing up until this point with the team and in trainings.

Q. How excited are you, how much anticipation is there, for you to get that first touch to get that comfort on the ball, and then treat it just like any other game that you've been playing for most of your life?

JOSH COHEN: I'm very excited, you know, just to get out there, and then yeah, like you said, getting that first touch just to get into the game and feel that confidence.

Q. Obviously when you came here, you knew you were here to be the number two, but is it challenging when you don't get any minutes at all throughout two-thirds of the season?

JOSH COHEN: Yeah, it is definitely challenging, but I think that's also a credit to Chris. I think he's gone a great job this year. As a group, the goalkeepers, we work together to push each other and help improve. It's part of the process. It's a little different than other positions in that regard.

Q. Did it help to get these 90 minutes back in July with the second team, even though that was a very strange game?

JOSH COHEN: Yeah, a little bit. It always feels a little bit when you are playing 11s in training versus being out in an actual game.

Q. Talked about staying true to the process but how is "I need to be ready just in case" different from, "Oh, I get to play a game this week," and you can prepare in a way knowing that you are going to be on the field rather than having to be prepared just in case?

JOSH COHEN: Yeah, so it's definitely a bit of a different process. You know, one, you have more of a longer weekly lead-in where you're working with the team. And you're kind of really focusing on the game plan from the perspective that, okay, I'm going to be on the field and communicating about these guys in the moment; and -- and that perspective, versus the other side of, okay, what can I do to stay ready in the "what if" case, where what if something happens? What if I need to come in and be a hundred percent ready for that? But then, also, how can I help the team? How can I contribute to help us get ready for this game, to get the best possible result, when I know I'm not going to be in the 11.

Q. You're one of the veterans in this group. It's been a season where you have had some high points as a group and maybe some lower points, and the team's been through a couple tough games lately, getting losses, and a period not getting wins before that. Can you just talk a little bit about what the atmosphere is like inside the locker room, what the belief -- what the belief in you guys is right now as a group?

JOSH COHEN: I think we still have a very confident atmosphere and strong belief that we are a very good team, and you have this understanding that, okay, you can be a very good team and not be a great team yet and still -- you always still have things to work on.

And so that's been, I think, a big theme this week of, okay, let's get back to some of the basics and make sure that we are all playing together in every moment and staying on the same page in every moment, so that we can get back to winning results and being as good as we want to be and showing that on the weekend.

Q. You haven't played for the first team this season but you've had a front row seat to every game now for several months. Kind of curious, you know, what would you say you've learned from that experience? What do you think you've gotten out of as a teammate, as a leader, as a player, from being in the match day squad every week, even if you are not out there on the field?

JOSH COHEN: I think a lot of what I've gotten has been kind of seeing how we work as not just a group of 11 but a group of 20 on the game days. And then also really understanding, okay, if I'm on the sideline and I'm watching a game, I can get much more into understanding the tactics, and really trying to read the game better than if I'm on the field and have to also focus on being a goalkeeper and doing my job, primarily, and then a little bit of more the team tactics secondary.

So it's been a good opportunity to really try and understand, okay, how does everything play together and really try and get better at picking up the -- you know, the uniqueness of each game quicker, and so, understanding those tactics and how they shift in moments and recognize that immediately.

Q. Given Charlotte is a turf pitch, does that change your perspective, given the ball moves differently?

JOSH COHEN: It mostly changes to where I don't get to wear metal studs. During the warmup, you pass the ball and get a feel for the pitch, and every pitch is different whether it's artificial or grass. Yeah, mainly just the studs versus metals.

Q. You're not at a point in your life where you have a family with you, too. What is the anticipation like knowing that you can say, Hey, your father is going to be starting on Saturday, that's going to be something fun for your kids to watch, I would imagine?

JOSH COHEN: Yeah, it's really exciting. I know my daughter is at an check which age where she understands that a little bit, and that's really special, I think and that's something that's kind of unique and I haven't really experienced much before.

Q. Are you ready for her to give you lessons about what you did or didn't do right?

JOSH COHEN: Definitely. Trying to push her to be more a center-mid.

Q. And one more, Gregg was talking about you having a way about you of helping even when you aren't necessarily in the 11, and he talked about you being a great influence around Chris as a young goalkeeper. Is there anyone in your career that you're trying to model yourself off of in that way, or who taught you to be that guy who is the right influence, even if you are not playing?

JOSH COHEN: Not necessarily anyone in particular, but I think it's kind of a culmination of coaches, other players, and you know, as you progress in your career, you pick up little things here and there. And you definitely learn a lot. I've had, you know, many different coaches over the years, and I've learned -- I've definitely taken with me -- learned and taken with me things from all of them.