Nowak not pleased with Seattle's 'flopping'
After the Union's 2-0 loss to the Sounders at Qwest Field last night, Peter Nowak started out by talking about his team's defense and the effort it gave despite being down a man amid 36,241 green-clad fanatics.
Nowak not pleased with Seattle's 'flopping'
Jonathan Tannenwald, Philly.com
Seattle Sounders 2, Philadelphia Union 0
Marc Narducci | Kerith Gabriel | More from Kerith | David Maialetti's photos | Game stats
SEATTLE - Well, this was one way to make a first impression.
After the Union's 2-0 loss to the Sounders at Qwest Field last night, Peter Nowak started out by talking about his team's defense and the effort it gave despite being down a man amid 36,241 green-clad fanatics.
Then he made a subtle transition. But by the time the reporters in the room realized what was going, Nowak was well on his way through a considerable rant about what he perceived as unfair play by two of Seattle's biggest stars.
From the other standpoint, you've got to say that all this flopping and diving - you see the stats, we had eight fouls and six cards - it's a little bit too much for any of those standards. These guys rolling on the pitch like they got shot. I think we need to recognize that these guys are doing this stuff and they're trying to take advantage of the referees, of the decisions of the referees, and trying to make themselves protected.
I don't know why. I expect Freddie Ljungberg, who scored so many goals and played, I don't know, 80 too 100 games with [Sweden's] national team, and won so many trophies, that he's going to be more honest than he's being, and complaining and whining about every single call, and trying to push the referee to give the yellow cards. For his standards, it's not up to his standards.
We both played the game, and I believe that if you play the game, you try to not only win, but you try to be honest with your effort, and not something like that. I think it's below his standards. But whatever. That's just my opinion.
In most situations, I probably would have dismissed this as having been forged in the heat of the moment. Nowak's team picked up five yellow cards - including one in the very first minute of play - during the match, and rookie defensive midfielder Toni Stahl was sent off in the 41st minute.
But Nowak returned to the matter later in his remarks.
This is a man's sport. I'm sorry, but this is how the men play. Let me see the stats again... eight fouls, six yellow cards. It's a little bit too much, for the standards, as I said, of the guys who are on the field. Even with Freddie Ljungberg, if he would do this back in England with Arsenal against West Ham, I'm sure that 98 percent of the crowd would boo him. This is below his standards and I believe he's a better player than this.
You can hear audio of Nowak's press conference in the player below.
I am certainly not going to deny Nowak the right to say whatever he wants about what he sees in a game. I agree that Alejandro Moreno's yellow card wasn't for much. But from where I sat, both of Stahl's tackles were worthy of bookings, and if you get two yellows you're gone.
There's also no question that the Union clearly intended to be the more physical team on the field, and they were. There were times when they put some really nice passing sequences together, but because they didn't score any goals, the rough stuff will be remembered far more.
A few other things for you to check out this morning. Also in the audio player are postgame interviews with Union CEO Nick Sakiewicz, forwards Jack McInerney and Sebastien Le Toux, midfielder Danny Mwanga, defender Danny Califf and goalkeeper Chris Seitz.
The last track is MLS commissioner Don Garber's interview session with reporters that was held during halftime. Garber discussed Philadelphia's arrival in the league, Seattle's success, the new stadium in New York, the lack of a new stadium in D.C. and a range of other subjects.
Finally, I put together a video of Union fans' pregame celebrations last night. You can watch it in the video player at right. I hope it conveys at least some of the passion and energy that everyone who was in Qwest Field got to enjoy.
Excellent coverage. Well done. Thanks— davidlawrence000- Dang. I'm a little upset at the lack of interest overall by the Philly media of the game in general. Thanks for the coverage--wait until the first home game!— Icemannj
Get used to it coach, you'll see quite a bit of this throughout the MLS schedule. Cindy Crosby on steriods.— potus- Yeah, some of the calls were ridiculous. Seattle was still the better team though.— pencilchair
- Goalie: good article. I got to be honest..your bio (upper left) doesn't scream "expert" but the coverage is good. You should change that to say you played semi pro in asia (no one would know).
- And are you pleased with the crappy play and class your team showed? I have a feeling that you are going to be a flop, Peter. You lack too much class to make it in this league. Anger and crying don't do good in MLS. Ask coaches like Sigi and Dom in Houston to learn more.— kgg06
- Ljungberg is a puss, writhing on the ground like someone just broke his back, when he was barely bumped. the other guy did get a knee to the back, but it was slight, a foul yes, a card NO. But he did the same thing writhing on the ground holding his back. It looked like a coached reaction, because it was the same way Ljungberg held his back. frigging floppers. My 10 year son takes harder shots on the pitch and doesn't go down. Hope DC actually has men on the field that can give and take a bit of tough play, unlike the Seattle women.— lateofphilly
- soccer is zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz— spittooncj
- I agree, I think it is ashame that the yellow and red cards are overshadowing some nice passing from the likes to Torres and Le Toux. Okugo and McInerny both impressed me as well.— jeff518
- Oh, we saw some good stuff. Torres is just a kid at 18, but talented. Morreno showed some good control up front, and Le Toux is going to be a stabilizer. The first goal was nice, Seattle got us confused, and the keep was screened a bit. just need to play together more to know when to switch off players, rather than getting confused. and spittooncj if soccer is a bore to you then why are you posting here, your a waste of oxygen— lateofphilly
- curling is more exciting.— spittooncj
- Spittoon you're full of spit. I played soccer in HS and college and it may be hard for you to understand, but for me and others that have played competitively it is exciting and interesting. Philly has an MLS team and the World Cup is around the corner. It does not get better than that, if you enjoy the world's #1 sport.— rockinrob
Nowak is right, although maybe he shouldn't speak up after the Union's first game, but he's right. Let's stop the diving. I totally agree about kids taking hits better. I've coached little kids who don't flop around when they're fouled. Or, sometimes, when I accidentally step on them. On the other hand, Mr Nowak should keep his own team playing clean, too. Some of those fouls were ugly. Who was it who absolutely clipped their winger? Myrie? horrible— Osager- The knee to the back looked pretty legit. The one in the second half, where the Union player straight tackled the guy going down the wing, the camera showed him rolling around on the ground, stop, look up at what the ref was doing, then start rolling around again. He did it 3 times. Granted that foul was pretty absurd and should've been carded, but the acting was rediculous. All soccer players do it. The Italian league is almost unwatchable. Take the fall, act hurt, get indignant. I do like that kid Torres, and also Le Toux played well.— richards4captain18
Didn't Nowak come out this week and say he didn't want the players coaches to whine about the refs. Does he think whining about other players to the media is well received? Not too wise.
Reach Jonathan at jtannenwald@phillynews.com or 215-854-2330.
