Monterey Bay F.C. Holds Annual Media Day, Looks Ahead to 2023 Campaign

SEASIDE, Calif. (Monday, March 6, 2023) – Monterey Bay Football Club (Monterey Bay F.C.) held its annual Media Day last week. A Proud Partner of the Club, Monterey Marriott, hosted the occasion at its downtown location. The Union have worn the white tops from last season in every preseason matches thus far, so while it was the first time in 2023 for returning players, it was the new players’ first-ever time donning both the primary Kelp kits and secondary white kits in full. Thousands of photos and videos preceded questions from the media about the Club’s mindset heading into its sophomore season – and a clear theme emerged among the team’s leaders: unfinished business.

Defenders Morey Doner and Hugh Roberts
On the potential for this team in 2023:
Roberts: “Honestly we have a sour taste in our mouths from last year. We felt that we should have been a playoff team. We were unfortunate to not be in there after the last couple of games of the season. We felt like we were right there so we are itching to get back going. With our core group of guys back, we’re aiming for a top four finish in the conference. We are desperate to bring a home playoff game to Seaside. That’s one of our biggest goals and we know we can do that with our defense especially, but also with our core of attacking guys. Everyone is coming through, continuing to gel, and we’re all on the same page. There’s unfinished business. We have high expectations.

Doner: “The main thing for us will be consistency. Last year we were too fluctuating, we were always up and down. Obviously the first part of the season we were only on the road, but for me personally, one of my favorite quotes that I love to live my career and my life by is ‘keep your highs low and lows high.’ So if bad things happen, don’t get too low, but if good things happen don’t get too high. We need to stay level headed. I just want the group to be focused every week. We have goals on the board for a reason – these are the things that we are looking at to get the best out of each other. Come October, we should be where we want to be hopefully.”

On the goals for the defense:
Roberts: “We have high expectations for ourselves. We finished the season on a decent note, but we know we can carry that on for a full season. Realistically our goal is to be top five, maybe top four in the entire league. We want to be one of the top team’s in terms of shutouts and goals against average as well. We have high hopes for this group, especially with our back four returning and the goalkeeper. We already have that chemistry which is rare in this league.”

Doner: “To have us back as the core is really important, for me in particular, to have that familiarity and just that confidence with each other. That’s really important for me. Going forward, a few teams have left the USL Championship this year so everything is going to be a little bit more competitive. I am looking to emulate last season for myself personally, but Hugh [Roberts] is a great leader and Kai [Greene] has over 150 appearances in the league, so I just want to keep learning. Hugh and the other guys are always communicating – I just want the best for us and he brings that out of us.”

On Doner playing in every match last season:
Doner: “A lot of people don’t know that I started my career late. I only started playing pro when I was 24, so of course that helps, but I look after my body, and take really good care of myself. Sometimes I am very particular about my routine, but I think over the days and months in a season that really helps me become the best player I can be on the pitch. I just want to do what I love and I don’t take it for granted so whenever I am out on the field I give my 100%. I just want to keep doing what I love and keep appreciating every moment.”

On Doner’s decision to return to Monterey Bay:
Doner: “Firstly, Frank [Yallop] has given me a lot of belief. He is Canadian as well, so we have that link, and I think this was one of my best years as a pro. To have that confidence is always important. You want to try to bring yourself to be the best you can be. Frank brings that out of me and now I have rewarded him by playing well, but once you do well you want more for yourself. Coming back here, I want to keep pushing on individually, but also with Hugh and the other guys – we want a playoff game. We want a home playoff game. That is something that we are aiming towards. We really want to represent this community in the best way that we can. That comes with every training session and there are things that we do off the field that not a lot of people see. We are trying to put it all together. We have 85% of the minutes played back this year, so there’s really no excuses. We have the core, we have camaraderie, we have everything we need. Now we’re looking to be consistent and to perform every week.”

Roberts: “Having guys like Morey [Doner], one of the top leaders who holds himself to a high standard helps bring the whole group’s standard to a high level. You have to have people at the top to help keep that standard high and he is one of the top guys here. He was a stalwart last year and he is coming into this year with the same kind of energy. We only had three days before the Earthquakes game when camp started, but guys kept in shape and kept themselves ready. Morey was a great example of that. He showed everybody that they have to keep themselves ready preparation wise both on the field and off the field, both are equally as important. I commend him for coming in strong both mentally and physically because we expect to be flying from the jump next week.”

On one word to describe the defense in 2023:
Roberts: “Tenacious. We are very hungry out there, all of us. We’re hungry to block shots, block crosses, keep a zero on that score board. It takes a tenacious effort. We came together last year halfway through and decided that our performance had been unacceptable from a defensive standpoint. At the end of the day we can’t control the offense, but we can control stopping some of these shots and these goals. And we came together as a back five and buckled down, and it helped the whole group gain confidence out there. We are tenacious out there.”

Defenders Max Glasser and Alex Lara
On playing professionally close to home:
Glasser: “It’s super nice, family can come to games and they are really enjoying it. Grew up in NorCal, went to school at UC Davis, so I’m staying local. I love NorCal, it’s super nice here and I’m excited to be here. Being close to home definitely played a part in me being here. I’m big on my family having a chance to see me play so I am happy it worked out. I am blessed.”

Lara: “I am excited to be here, I am from Southern California so it’s not too far away either. Being closer to home and having the opportunity for your loved ones and friends and family to come up and see you play and do what you love is definitely a blessing. I am happy to be here.”

On what he will bring to the team:
Lara: “Personally, I want to help out as much as I can defensively. Try to get shutouts and really contribute on the defensive end of the game. That’s what I will try to do all season. My goal is to contribute as much as I can whether that be getting minutes, helping getting shutouts – that’s really what I came here to do. Help the back line by reinforcing what is already here. There is a lot of experience here with Kai [Greene] and Hugh [Roberts] so adding onto that would benefit the whole team.”

On an aspect of the team that has stood out:
Glasser: “It’s a tight knit group, a really close team. Everyone knows each other. That’s a big help at the start of the season and has given me a lot to learn from. Everyone is super helpful and I’ve really enjoyed it.”

On the potential for this team in 2023:
Glasser: “Everyone’s goal is to get into the playoffs, ideally get a home game in the playoffs and I don’t see why we can’t do it. That’s the goal.”

Lara: “I agree. Not only are we aiming to make it into the playoffs, but also to make a run in the playoffs. Everyone is on the same page when it comes to that. We are setting the standard pretty high for ourselves and we’re hoping to accomplish those goals.”

Midfielder Sam Gleadle
On Year 2:
“We learned a lot as a group last year and we brought that big core group back so I am excited to push our limits even more and build on the momentum that we built in year one.”

On having the core group back:
“It’s huge, we have a lot of different guys at different levels of their careers bringing that experience in. We all bring different things to the table that we can all learn from. We will work really well together and work really hard for that goal of playoffs and a home playoff game. We have high aspirations.”

On how the new guys have meshed in:
“Yeah the guys that we have brought in, the two Alex’s [Dixon and Lara], they have been very good and are bringing their USL experience, and Max [Glasser], the rookie, he has jumped in very well and has shown what he is good at really quickly. So all of these little pieces, the gaffer and the coaching staff know what they are doing. Dixon and I have shown a little bit together already, so I’m glad to get more going.”

On his mindset going into 2023:
“Any great team, you have to have those high aspirations and goals. We have a lot of different experience level guys. Guys like Hugh [Roberts], being the captain and everything, he brings a lot of knowledge and experience in. He’s seen the playoffs, he knows what it takes. You have to have those goals. It makes us want to improve every day, every week and every game. There is no losing. If we do get a bad result, we learn from that and the next time we won’t make those mistakes.”

Midfielders Walmer Martínez and Adrian Rebollar
On the biggest difference coming into this year:
Rebollar: “A big difference is that we have a big group of guys returning this season. We know our tendencies and how each other plays. As everyone can remember, the last segment of the season, we were on fire. And we want to start off this season just how we ended it. We showed what kind of team we are and we’re here to prove it in year two.”

Martínez: “Like he said, we are bringing a big core of the group back. We have that chemistry already and that plays a big role. We have unfinished business to take care of. Near the end of last season, we expected a lot more from us. This year, we all have it in our minds that we have one goal and one goal only and that is to make the playoffs and then go as far as possible.”

On the idea of bringing a championship to their hometown:
Rebollar: “It would be a dream come true. We are local guys, we love our community. We love seeing everyone come out to our games. To be able to bring a trophy to the 831, that’s the end goal.”

Martínez: “It’s every footballer’s dream to win a championship and how great would it be for two local guys to win a championship in their city. It would be a big inspiration to all of the kids growing up. I know it’s a big dream for them too. As we continue to live out our dreams, they are dreaming as well.”

On the higher expectations this year:
Martínez: “We are not satisfied with what happened last year. In our heads, we know we have the talent in our group to go as far as winning a championship. Everybody coming in, it’s already set in our minds that we are going to do way better than last year. We were disappointed last year because we know that we could have accomplished great things last year but it didn’t happen that way. This year we have our heads on straight, we know what we want and we’re determined to accomplish it one way or another.”

Rebollar: “These expectations are from everybody, not just the manager, but everyone in the organization. We know we had a rough start at the beginning of last year, but then we really saw what we are capable of. So we are aspiring to get as many results as possible, make the playoffs and then go from there. It’s definitely a different mentality this year. Everyone coming in is buying in and that’s a beautiful thing.”

Goalkeeper Antony Siaha
On the upcoming season:
“I am very excited, working hard everyday. I can’t wait until our home opener on March 11. The chemistry that we have coming back is very important in soccer and the guys that we have coming in are going to really help the team. Personally, I have been ready. This last game against Sacramento is going to get us ready for the opener. I think we’re 90% ready, just need another 90 minutes in and then get everybody healthy.”

On his goals for himself and the team:
“For myself and the defense, our goal is definitely to get the most shutouts, keep that zero as much as possible. And then of course to go as far as possible. We are definitely a playoff team so we are going to make sure we get there this time.”

On fans often mentioning him alongside bagels and where that came from:
“Every time the team gets a shutout, everybody who has a ticket gets a free bagel. So that’s pretty good and it only motivates us to get as many shutouts as we can to give everybody those bagels. Honestly, stuff like that just makes me smile.”

Forward Alex Dixon
On his decision to join Monterey Bay:
“It was nice to be wanted to come out here and it definitely made my decision a little bit easier to know that I would be the first guy to come in outside of the returning core group. I am just excited to be here, get to work and get the season started next weekend. Hopefully we will have some success. What also drew me here was the fans. I watched some of the games, went back and did some research. Plus the good group of guys coming back. Obviously there was some bad luck last year with some of their results, but I thought that we could be a contender. I didn’t come here to do anything less than compete. We have big hopes and big dreams and we hope to achieve those this year.”

On the team’s expectations this season and having unfinished business:
“I picked up on it talking to the guys during the offseason, the guys that were here last year. They had a nice run of form last year followed by some tough games. Obviously that left a bitter taste in everyone’s mouth, so I’ve picked up on that and I’m raring to go.”

On his excitement for heading into the season:
“This is like my 13th or 14th year, but it still feels like year one for me. I am never going to lose that feeling and the home opener next weekend against Hartford, one of my former teams, I am definitely looking forward to that. I want to start the year off with a bang. Three points and nothing less. Playing against a former team is always fun, but I look forward to every game. It’s about going out and competing, and proving to everyone in the league that we are one of the better teams. We just have to take it game by game, week by week, and be the last team standing at the end of the season.”

On the fan support through the preseason:
“The San Jose match three days into the preseason was a crazy experience. I was not expecting the fans to come out in full force like that, so that was definitely exciting. I just can’t wait to see how crazy it’s going to be once the regular season gets started.”

Goalkeeper Carlos Herrera
On heading into year two:
“I think it’s really special to be a part of the core group that was here from year one. It gives the players a sense of pride in defending the badge and giving it everything for the club being that you’ve been entrusted to stay as a part of this group going into its second year.”

On the fan support through the preseason so far:
“I was thrilled with the Earthquakes game. We weren’t really sure what to expect, obviously we expected a lot of support, but it was a rainy night and it was cold. Thankfully it didn’t rain the whole game, but the fans stayed until the final whistle playing their trumpets, beating their drums, chanting – there were a couple of moments in the game where I just had to take a step back, appreciate it all and be thankful that I am in the spot that I’m in.”

Forward Jesse Maldonado
On his excitement for the new season:
“I am very excited. As a player personally, I would like to get on the pitch a lot more, common goals individually. As a group, I am very excited. This is a good group and we have something to look forward to.”

On being a part of the core group that returned this season:
“There are a lot of key players in the core group from last year and they have all said it. There is unfinished business. We just have to take care of it this year. We are looking forward to doing that.”

On the new guys learning about the team’s fan support:
“They can feel the energy, they can see the atmosphere, I feel like they have picked it up on their own. It’s not something we have to tell them about, it’s just something that they can already see from our fans, our staff, everyone. It’s the complete atmosphere here.”

Forward Chase Boone
On bringing back the group and the role it plays in reaching the team’s goals:
“It’s huge for our goals moving forward. Last year we struggled as we had never played together before, but this year we don’t have that excuse anymore. I think it’s going to be great for us because we’ve had a whole year under our belt building chemistry – we know each other. Now we use that moving forward.”

On being a part of the returning group:
“It’s pretty special. It’s really cool to be a part of a team in its inaugural year. Especially here at Monterey Bay, everybody is a family. From our front office to our coaching staff, everybody is a part of it. It’s a huge collective and it’s really special to be a part of. It’s always good to be wanted, especially here. It felt great to be invited back and I am excited to get to work with my brothers and my family.”

On his goals individually and for the team:
“Individually I just want to keep building off what I did last year by hitting the ball into the back of the net and getting some assists. I just want to help the team overall. As a team we have a lot of unfinished business. Our goal is obviously to make the playoffs, but we are looking beyond that as well.” 

On the effect of the fan support throughout the preseason:
“Seeing that we had 5,000 people at our first preseason game against San Jose – we have great fans and we love them. We’re a community team. We do a lot for the community and they do a lot for us. It’s a give-give. I’m really excited about moving forward with the team because we’re only going to get more fans and grow bigger in the area. I’m excited to see where it goes.”