Dash interim head coach Juan Carlos Amorós
(on FW Ebony Salmon earning Team of the Month honors) “For us, this is a moment of pride. A moment that we that we want to see more often. I think we haven't had a player earn this award since 2018. This is great for the whole team. When there is success individually, it is normal because the team has been doing well. That's what happened this time, Ebony (Salmon) has been doing really well. But it's all down to her for her work. The other players that are behind her, supporting her, making sure that everyone is pushing in the same direction. Even players that maybe are not playing, or in the team, at training, are pushing each other, they're competing and that's massively important in order to get this individual recognition, it is for everyone. For me it is something we all need to feel part of it, or her teammates are the first ones that should be feeling that way.”
(on scouting OL Reign) “We watch every game but for me, they have a very clear style, they know what they do. They know how they want to play football games. In this case, they ended up winning and coming out on top. As I said at the beginning, what I really focus on is how our team needs to perform and how our team needs to behave in every situation of the game. Trying to focus on us, we know that they have very good individuals. So do we, but for me this is played with 11v11 and we need to be the best team in order to win.”
(on Tuesday’s event with season ticket members) “The event was a brilliant day that the club organized. That shows the direction that the club is going, where the Dynamo and the Dash work together in the same direction, sharing the time with the fans was fantastic. That is the reason why I came here, because of the quality of the fans. How much they are involved with both parts of the club and the support that the Dash had was fantastic. Obviously coming on the back of two victories, it's always great to do those events because players can see how much it matters to people. Their work or having a bit of a close contact with them is brilliant because you know sometimes you see the fans in the stands, but you don't get to know them. Our players are super close to our fans. The event overall that the club put together was fantastic and I hope we can do we can do more. The fans are the reason why we do our job. So, a great, great day.”
(on the competition at right back) “Natalie (Jacobs) has been the one winning that little race between them. (Elizabeth Eddy) could play there, we have (Michelle) Alozie that can play there as well. (Jacobs) is bringing composure on the ball, but still and she came up in a different system and ended up on that counter press that we ended up scoring in the game against Chicago. Haley (Hanson) is a very important player, on the first day she came on as a left back. The other day she came on as a right back, she is very versatile. As well, she has a lot of experience, she is a good defender. There are a lot of things that Haley definitely brings to the table. For me, it has been very close. Obviously, Natalie has been the one that has played the last two games, but it doesn't necessarily say that she will be the one playing in the next one. At the moment there is a very good battle and that's exactly what I want to see at training. If you have people fighting for positions, if you have people that don't switch off, people that give 200 percent and committed to the job. People are creating that competitive environment for the place, who almost don't know who is going to play until the last minute. I think this is healthy and it makes people better know when you are challenged in your life. Not only for the players, but for all of us. I think you try to get better and you don’t get comfortable. So that that's what I would like to have in every position. We are almost in in the situation.”
(on the support from majority owner Ted Segal) “That was massive for me. Ted (Segal) was a big part of why I decided to take this role with the Dash. He was heavily involved in the process when we were talking between the club and myself. For me, him explaining his vision, how he sees this club going forward on both sides. For me it is massive. It's something that I have not experienced either at Tottenham or Real Betis. I didn’t have those experiences where the owner, the president of the whole club was involved in in my hiring. That shows the commitment and where this club is going. We are all very, very lucky to have someone like Ted driving the boat, as we say in Spanish. Obviously seeing him in person, because he's based there in New York and coming around and chatting with him was brilliant. He really enjoyed the game because obviously we won. It was a great day overall. If at some point you have the chance to chat to him about the vision, where the club is going. It's a privilege to be able to work here with the Houston Dash, the Dynamo, because we are the same.
Dash Forward Ebony Salmon
(on earning NWSL Team of the Month honors) “For me, coming into this team, it was important for me to work hard, get my spot, get minutes. That was obviously the main thing for me. To come into the team, the first few games, things weren't going our way. It wasn't exactly how we wanted it. We weren't getting the results we wanted. You can see in the past two games, everything's coming together. We've been scoring goals and we've been getting the results. For me, obviously, as a striker, the one thing I want to do is score goals. I could have had a few more in the last four games. I'm happy with where I'm at and to get this award it's obviously a real privilege for me.”
(on having the support of the technical staff) “The have shown belief in me, shown that they know what I can do. Having the confidence in me to put me out there on the field after not playing for so long. Having the confidence to still put me out there and believe that I can still do what I've done before (score goals).”
(on the key to her success across the last four games) “I know what my strengths are. Probably the first couple of games, it was kind of getting to know the team. Getting to know the players that I was playing with. Then obviously, that kind of comes together over the first couple of weeks in training and in games. We've shown as a whole team over the past two games, what we can do and the connections that we've got.”
(on if she has any unfinished business) “I've obviously got off to a good start. It's not just a good start that I want to have, I want to have a good season, I want to have a good next season. For me, it's just about consistency. Now, I'm going to keep scoring goals in as many games as possible. As a team, we keep getting results, we keep picking up points. Our goal as a team was to make playoffs and I think right now we're in a good position. Everyone can see how tight the league is. We can't afford to drop off at any point.”
(on playing with FW Rachel Daly) “Obviously Rachel's (Daly) a big player in this team. Since I've been here, she has been gone. It would be good for her to come back to the team and to add her quality into the team, it's only going to make us better on the field.”
(on England winning the 2022 EURO’s championship) “That's obviously been a long time coming. England have been there, but not quite there for a long time now. For women's football, but also for English football in general. It's a big thing for us to get that result, one that won the championship. You've seen all the England players say it, but that's not the end. This is the beginning of something. It's a massive statement for women's football and how good and how big women's football can be. It's only going to carry on pushing it in the right direction.”
(on Tuesday’s event with season ticket members) “The fans are obviously a huge part of football. During COVID, everyone saw how much things changed and how fans are a big part of what we do. Just to get to give back to them, see them, meet with them, answer their questions is really good for us. After a game you get to sign things, you get to meet some fans, but you don't really get to meet all of them in that kind of environment. For us as a team and the men's team as well, to take that time to meet the fans and just give back is really special.”
