September 12, 2009 STOP THE ROAMING Williams to Mac: stay in front of goal
Macoumba Kandji roamed too far into the midfield, interim coach Richie Williams said. Linda Cuttone/Sports Vue Images
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Needless to say, Red Bulls interim coach Richie Williams wasn't happy with forward Macoumba Kandji venturing back into the midfield during the first half of his team's 1-0 loss to the Kansas City Wizards Saturday night.
And he let him know it at halftime.
"Mac . . . was moving around the field too much and wasn't playing as a forward or playing with John Wolyniec up front," Williams said. "You need guys in front of the goal to score goals."
Williams said that he liked the idea that Kandji goes after the ball .
"Some people don't want to do that and that is great," he said. "But he has to stay in front of the goal. I think he did a little better in the second half. In the first half we didn't have too many chances."
Kandji admitted he was out of position.
"I like going to get the ball try to get at people," he said. "But like Richie said, he wanted me to stay up top and combine with John and let Dane Richards have that side and let Ernst [Oebster] have the other side. I think he was right. In some cases he told me I could come back and get it, but most of the time I have to stay and try to hold the ball because we need the ball."
