Steve Sampson Players Quotations

I felt in the second half the players played with a lot of pride and they showed they weren't going to drop their heads and roll over and that was important. They wanted to show the Dallas fans that we can play this game too.

We talk about defenders taking responsibility. The players that missed clear opportunities also have to take responsibility. That's how you win ball games.

Our players have had the challenge of, like every other club in the country, to meet the physical challenges of travel and on many occasions, Saturday-Wednesday-Saturday games,

I think this team understands that we have to be able to resolve those issues in the first half and bring more energy to the game, and play more tactfully more intelligently. More players have to have better games than what we saw tonight, ... We have to use this game as a motivator for our upcoming matches and I'm sure that they will. This team will show its abilities, I'm sure in the final parts of this season and I'm sure that they will so our fans get what they want to see in the Open Cup Final against Dallas on Wednesday.

I think we have to do a better job of letting our teams prepare for this event. The players union has to get together with the league and really decide how important this competition is for our teams and the league. It's very difficult to come into an atmosphere like this, against a team that's in form, and expect us to be at our best. Our league wants to win CONCACAF championships, and we're good enough. We have to give ourselves a better chance.

While we're here in training the players have done a great job on concentrating and focusing. It's when we get away from this environment that it's tough to relax or really enjoy themselves. Sometimes we almost feel guilty for wanting to laugh, and that's not the way that Doug would have wanted it.

Something has to be done where the champions of MLS are allowed to prepare more effectively. We put ourselves at a disadvantage right from the get-go. Thank God we have players who have been with the national team who are now fit.

The only thing a coach can do is to continue to train, build players' confidence, continue to believe in them, or make personnel changes, ... Players with the kind of experience that we have should be finishing their opportunities...that's what they're paid for, that's what they're here for, that's what they're on the field for.

It's really important that everyone understand this is not about me. It's about the Galaxy and the veteran players on this team who have made an incredible sacrifice.

Their decision to go after Landon early in the game resulted in two yellow cards. This is a guy who takes a lot of beating when he plays for the Galaxy. I think quality players have to be protected - and tonight, he was protected. That made the difference in the game.

It was a very difficult game. I think you could see that the two teams were very tired. You can see that the season is starting to take its toll. But it was important for us to get the three points and this is why you saw the players that we put on the field for the most part that will be the same look on Wednesday.

It's going to be enjoyable to have everyone here for the most part so I can rely on some consistent players, ... I'm not going to use it as an excuse, players going in and out of their national team, but I think any coach would like consistency and it has been difficult but everyone's making sacrifices around the league and now we should have our team in place in preparation for these final matches.

This man, I talked to four or five times a day. Philosophically, we knew where we wanted to go with this team. I'm going to miss those conversations. I'm going to miss his leadership; the players are going to miss his leadership.