Rising coach Rick Schantz was in no happy mood when it comes to critical comments from USL analysts in the buildup to his side’s first 2021 playoff opener.
Joe Malfa, Devon Kerr, and former Manchester United goalkeeper Gary Bailey all raised questions over Rising’s ability to get the job done this postseason, even if the expectation is that they’ll make it past Rio Grande Valley with ease.
“I think it’s disrespectful and I’m tired of it,” Schantz said after training on Tuesday. “We won the [Pacific Division] six weeks ago. The guys have been on vacation for six weeks, and yeah, people can criticize our performances. I understand as a coach and as a manager that the world is always about ‘what have you done for me lately,’ but I think it’s unfair that people don’t look at our full body of work.”
Criticism was particuarly levelled at team captain Solomon Asante’s recent form, as well various spots in the defense.
“This team I know is in trouble,” Kerr said on ESPN+ on Monday night. “They are in trouble because of the fact that they’ve struggled coming into the playoffs. Their formation, the way that they play, everything seems off.
“[Andre] Rawls in goal is great, I mean we know that. The back line has been a mess all season long. I like James Musa. He doesn’t have a quality center-back partner regularly. You don’t have someone at the outside left-back spot that can step up and get the job done. It doesn’t matter how many goals you can score, what can you do in the other direction?”
It wasn’t just Schantz that questioned the criticism.
“I didn’t hear that, but it’s good for him to say that,” Rising left-back Tate Schmitt said. “I don’t really care too much about what people’s opinions are. I just kind of want to do my job and help this team the best way I can.”
“For anybody to criticize our defense, we had what, the third-best defense in the league? It’s unfair,” Schantz addded. “The expecations are so high because of what Phoenix Rising has done, and it’s built such a good reputation. It just seems to be a little bit disrespectul. I’ve told the boys that. It’s us against the world again and that’s just how I like it.”
In fact, Rising’s coach said, those critical comments might well backfire.
“The pressure was taken off us yesterday thanks to everyone else in the media saying that we’re not good, and we’re not going to win,” Schantz said. “We’ll just see.”
“I told the boys today that no one thinks that we can win. This is fantastic. You know, it’s the same thing in preseason. Everybody was criticizing, and what did we do?”
Rising faces RGV on Saturday night in a Western Conference Quarter-Final at Wild Horse Pass.
Injury update
In an update on Tuesday morning, Schantz said that Darnell King is “most likely available for selection” on the weekend, while David Loera remains “questionable.”
Want to hear more? Preview Saturday’s game with Rising Matchday – streaming at 9 a.m. Saturday morning on YouTube and Facebook, and available on demand shortly after.