Ahead of our much anticipated Pay What You Can Home Opener in support of Ukraine, we sat down with the boss, Carlos González, and club captain Drew Beckie:
Q: Saturday is the start of the Carlos Gonzalez era here at Atlético Ottawa – how are you feeling ahead of this new challenge for you?
Carlos: I’m very excited to be here. All our staff are very ambitious as well and those surrounding this project are really good hard-working people ready to make sure that all of our ambitions can become a reality. The initiative by the club on the day is great as, whatever we can do to help is important. For us it’s a special game too as it’s a presentation to the fans and the whole city to show them who we are and what we’re about. But, taking away those elements it’s just another game of football and we are here to take three points, to show a great start.
Q: There has been a local addition to your team this week, with Carleton Ravens coach Kwesi Loney joining your coaching staff. How important was it for you to have someone with an ingrained understanding of the local soccer landscape?
Carlos: It’s fundamental for us. We said from the start that it’s so important to have somebody from Canada, and in this case Kewsi is from Ottawa, so it’s even better for us. He’s going to give us the kind of information we can’t get elsewhere. He’s very important to making things easier, to run smoother, to allow us to adapt to the Canadian style as quickly as possible.
Q: What kind of football can the local fans expect your team to play?
Carlos: I want my team to have personality. I want a team that’s ambitious, that wants to create trouble for the other team. I want them to be proactive, not sit back and wait for mistakes. We are going to be a side that’s very adaptive. I think we’re going to show different phases to maintain an ability to control games throughout. Creating phases and controlling them will give us the tools we need to be able to beat any team we face.
Q: Your squad seems to have great depth across the park, how do you handle such a big group of players competing for limited spots?
Carlos: You’re talking about a key point, it’s vital that there is a competitive edge within the squad. If you feel like someone wants your spot you work harder. It’s the most important thing that makes each individual grow which grows the team. I’m not just here to get good results on the field, I want to develop these young players, to make them know the sport better, to understand the tactical side of the game better too.
Q: This weekend’s opponents are one of the more successful sides in the CPL, with a well respected manager in Tommy Wheldon Jr. How do you feel facing them in your first game in charge?
Carlos: Taking on Cavalry is like the perfect first test, to tell us where we stand at the moment. They are a very good team who always compete for the top positions in the league. I respect their coach, he’s got great experience and has created a very competitive team over there. But the reality is I love this kind of test, it’s a big test and that for me is the perfect way to start our journey.
Club Captain Drew Beckie
Q: How are you feeling ahead of the Home Opener and what are you expecting from this new season?
Drew: We’re feeling really good. It’s a different mentality and atmosphere than in 2021, it’s great and that’s all down to Carlos’ technical and tactical ability. The experience we have in this squad is great too.
We’re so looking forward to the initiative we’ve put forward to bring fans in through the door on Saturday. It was successful last year and we’re excited to build on that and we’re gunna have better results this year which will encourage people to come in. Soccer is growing in this city and we can feel it.
Q: How do you look at the changes to the soccer landscape this country has experienced recently?
Drew: It’s always been right there, at the breakthrough point. We’re past it now. We’re involved in some of the youth clubs around the city and seeing the stature and what they are building you can see a shift towards more investment in the sport. People like Jo David come from what feels like out of nowhere. Those players exist and we need to get more eyes on the game to give them a platform. People want to see local products and the CPL is building for the future. You’re going to get players coming out of the CPL that you’re going to see on TV for sure.
Q: Word to the fans, what can they expect this season?
Drew: We’re going to be an exciting team! We’re disciplined tactically and defensively we understand each other much better. All the guys understand their roles within this team and on the field which is a big thing for professionals in sport – it’s not easy. We have a great mix between young and experienced guys so what you’re going to see is a team that’s competitive in every single game.
