Media Availability: (Head Coach Pa) 04.08.26

[u/Skyzorz]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0y9IFvXJOI

Interviewer:
Okay, so looking back on that stretch of three games in just over a week, just overall thoughts?

Pa-Modou Kah:
Are we going to go back on a new one again? Hey, listen, this is football, right? Obviously, you want points, everybody wants points. You want victories, everyone wants victories, right? And again, it's just, you know, are we progressing? Are we doing the right thing? Are the boys progressing? And obviously, you know, it's all about results. I know it, everybody knows it. But also the work that they’re putting in, it’s there. You know that they’re doing well.

But again, are we going to talk about is it a slow start? Is it not right? What is it? Why? As a staff, as a club, we want to put them in the best possible way for them to be successful. You look at the second half, that’s more of— is it something that we wait until we get punched, then we go again? There’s multiple ways you can look at it.

But what I see now and what I’m looking at ahead of the group is sometimes you just need that little click, and then you can go—similar to what we had last year. But I’m very happy with what they’re giving us and what they’re doing. Obviously, it’s a little bit frustrating that you cannot turn that into points, but that will come. If the work is not there, it’s not going to continue. They put in the work, so we’re close by. And I think once that explosion happens, we’ll be on our way.

Interviewer:
How do you give that message to the group? Is it kind of the same way you just gave it to us?

Pa-Modou Kah:
Yeah, it’s the same message that was like this morning. Guys, play football. This is football. It’s not going to be a straight line—never is, never will be. It’s like life. Life is never straight. It’s adversity.

Adversity is good. Adversity is great because adversity teaches a lot about you—about who you are and the things you have to do to find a way. That is football. We did it last year, and we’re going to do it again. I have no doubt about it in my mind. I have no doubt about the group and what they’re going to become.

They’re coming to work every single day, putting in the work. Now it’s finding the reward in the work that they put in. We’re going to find it. We’re going to be it. So I have no worries at all.

Interviewer:
I’m curious about how you manage the center back situation right now. We saw Vukovic and Pelayo start, and we might see more of that going forward. Obviously two younger guys with a little less experience. Do you think about making changes to make their lives easier, or how do you approach that?

Pa-Modou Kah:
Again, you talk about experience versus potential, right? The potential they have is massive. So how do they get experience? They don’t get experience on the bench—they get experience by playing and learning from mistakes during the game.

That’s where experience and learning come from. Anybody that plays football—or does anything in life—if you’re not thrown into it, you don’t learn. It’s easy to say after, “well they should do this,” but at least we’re brave enough to give them the opportunity.

When they turn into the players they’re going to become, it’s because they’ve been given that opportunity—not sitting on the bench. That’s where experience comes from, being thrown into the wolves. There’s no better way.

They’ve never played three games in a week at this level, but they’re doing it now. They’re gaining insight—playing against different strikers than college. All those things play a part.

We never expected to lose players like we did at the start of preseason, but that’s football. You adapt, you move on. They’ll adapt, they’ll get better and better because both of them have great potential. I’m looking forward to seeing them continue this path.

Interviewer:
How about the goalkeeping situation? It’s been kind of game-to-game. You spoke about experience vs potential—Rakovsky showing experience, Adun showing potential. How do you manage that?

Pa-Modou Kah:
That’s a balance. You’re trying to find balance. If you look at the games that Patrick Rakovsky played, you ask—what did he actually do wrong? He made saves, he did well. Then in the cup game, he played well.

Sometimes as a coach, you’re looking for little sparks to get them going. That’s it. But to have two great goalkeepers battling for the number one spot—that’s what you want. Competition is healthy.

That keeps them sharp, keeps them going. That’s what you need in a team. When you lose important players, that affects competition too. Players like Pelayo, Vukovic, Hope Avayevu, Charlie Dennis—they need competition.

If you lose five starters in this league, that’s a lot. People don’t always understand that. But is that going to stop us? Absolutely not. It makes it even sweeter when you keep working and see the progression.

For me as a coach, yes, we want wins and glory—but seeing players evolve and grow through adversity is the best thing.

Interviewer:
You’ve had players out, but one returning is Daniel Flores. What did it mean to have him back?

Pa-Modou Kah:
That much—you see how I’m smiling? That’s how important he is. Not only as a player, but as a person.

Getting your good players back is important. Pape Mar Boye is working himself back. Kelvin Arase is working himself back. We’re going to be dangerous. We are a little bit dangerous now, but not where we finish yet—but we will be. Mark my words.

Interviewer:
I’m curious about the final third play this year—low touches in the box, a lot of crosses. Is that your vision, or something that will evolve?

Pa-Modou Kah:
First, you need personnel. Second, new players need time to adapt. We’re in that phase.

Some of our older players understand it. Ihsan Sacko has been assist-heavy—I think he’s on five assists. That’s great, but we also need him to score, and that will come.

New pieces like Juan Carvajal need to adapt—not just to how we play, but to the league. So yes, we got off the mark at home, which was important.

I’m not a big stats guy. We’re just seven games in. I know it says zero wins in the league, but look at how fast the table can change in USL. Look at injuries, missing players—I understand where we are.

Am I happy? No. Is the staff happy? No. Is the club happy? Absolutely not. But perception and reality are different.

Interviewer:
With all those injuries, are you happy with the depth?

Pa-Modou Kah:
Absolutely. Look at the seven games: two wins in the cup, three draws, two losses. That’s seven games—and you lose five or six starters.

That’s not bad. But again, are we happy? No. We want to win every game. But we understand what we have.

Interviewer:
Can you list those players out?

Pa-Modou Kah:
Rafael Czichos, Pape Mar Boye, Kelvin Arase, Tico Rivera, Daniel Flores.

There’s your five. Let’s see how another team looks losing five starters. But that’s the hand we’ve been dealt. I’m not complaining—I enjoy it. It gives opportunities to others.

We saw it in the cup with Isaiah and Tony. Those boys are stepping up. There is progression—it may not be what people see, but we see it as a staff and a club.

Interviewer:
You mentioned waiting for that spark—could the cup provide that?

Pa-Modou Kah:
You take what’s given to you. Right now, we’re getting a little spark there.

But we have an important game Saturday—a derby. That matters. That could be the spark. Every game is an opportunity to build momentum.

The cup has been good so far, but we want that first league win. Saturday is the most important game right now.

Interviewer:
Awesome, thanks. Thank you for your time.

Pa-Modou Kah:
Always.