Josef Martínez: “This could be my last season here.”
Post-match quotes from Atlanta's star striker.
After a very poor performance against Austin FC on Saturday, Atlanta star Josef Martínez spoke to the media and had some interesting things to say.
Q: What happened tonight?
A: The same thing that has been happening for three months.
Q: Coach mentioned the team needs to show more fight. How is that suddenly going to start happening?
A: I don’t know. What we discussed in here [team meeting in the locker room] will stay in here. The team has changed a lot since 2017. They [Austin] came in here and played better than us, so it’s not a surprise that we lost again.
Q: Pineda mentioned seeing a different team against Real Salt Lake on Wednesday. How is that going to happen?
A: Soccer. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. This is poor. We have to apologize to the people that come here to watch the best soccer. It was not the best day for us. The next game is the next game and you never know what might happen.
Q: Have you thought about what this team has been in the past and what it is now?
A: It would be wrong for me to talk about the team that we had here a long time ago. I think this might even be my last season here. I will try to give my best and I think each person needs to think about what they did wrong.
Q: Do you agree with coach that y’all aren’t fighting for each other enough on the field?
A: Yes, actually. A hundred percent. This happened at the beginning of the season too. We play because we have to play, but in training, some players don’t have that energy, some people don’t know what we have to do, or they don’t appreciate the jersey and what we’ve done for a long time. That is the biggest problem. We are professionals, it’s not kids anymore. If you not come here for a hundred percent, then you don’t have to choose this club to play. If you want to bring some guys, it’s because they want to play here, not because of business.
Q: Are you thinking about possibly leaving?
A: I still have one year [on contract]. I enjoy every day because I have to thank God for bringing me back to the field. Sometimes I can play good, sometimes I cannot. Sometimes I can score sometimes I cannot. I put my whole body in the fucking field. Soccer is life and we probably need more different players.