‘Win as many games as possible’ – Timmy Tillman on LAFC’s playoff heartbreak, a new era under Marc Dos Santos and USMNT hopes

GOAL: You've got a new coach who's also the old coach, with Marc Dos Santos being promoted from assistant. What are you expecting from him, and how's the vibe around the guys?

TILLMAN: Yeah, what I think is good about this year is that we don't have too many changes on the roster. That will probably help Marc as a coach, but also us as players, just to work better, have a better environment, have a better knowledge of each other, and just a better understanding on the field. I think there's going to be some kind of changes. What I'm hoping for is that we are just playing a little more aggressively, just in general. And a bit better in possession, I think that's what we can improve on.

GOAL: It seemed like you guys were very direct towards the end of last year...

TILLMAN: Exactly, yeah, we have to find better solutions in possession sometimes. And yeah, that's what we have to work on and focus on. And then we'll see what happens.

GOAL: And to round it off, what are the expectations for this year?

TILLMAN: Win every single game! No, that's just the goal, and obviously it will be very hard. Yeah, the goal for us as an ambitious team in the league is just to win as many games as possible, compete for trophies, and just see how far we can go.

GOAL:  Obviously, it was a tough end to last year for you guys, losing on penalties in the playoffs. How was it recovering from that?

TILLMAN: It always takes a little bit of time to just realize "Okay, it's over," especially playing playoffs. It's like boom, out of nowhere, the season's over. You're ready to go until December, and then at the end of November, it's over. Out of nowhere. It was a very sad and disappointing end. But that's just how it goes sometimes, and I think especially because we are staying together, that will help us, that will make us stronger and prepare us for next season.

GOAL: What was it like being back among the U.S. squad after an absence from the team?

TILLMAN: It was cool. It was a great experience. It honestly came out of nowhere. We were practicing with LAFC at the time when they called. And Steve [Cherundolo], I think, answered the call. And then Steve came up to me during practice, like during training, yeah. He walked up to me, and he was like, hey, Timmy - he was talking to me in German - but like to translate, it was like, "You just got called up for the national team."

GOAL: How'd it feel?

TILLMAN: It was a great feeling, a great boost of confidence, especially at that part of the season when we were in the playoffs. Just going to camp, it was super easy to fit in. The team spirit was incredible. It was a lot of fun. 

GOAL: Had you talked to Pochettino before? 

TILLMAN: I've been watching games. My brother was there. So I've met him, but I never really spoke to him before. We've said hi and everything. But yeah, we didn't really speak to each other until then. And yeah, at the camp, we spoke to each other. We got to know each other better. 

GOAL: And how were those conversations, if you don't mind me asking?

TILLMAN: He's a really nice guy, very humble. I remember one conversation where he told me he knows he's probably not a tactical genius, or anything like that, but he knows people, and he can work with people. And that's what he's doing at the national team right now. I think you could tell by the way we're playing right now, or, like, accepting that we are representing our friends, our families, the whole country, and just fighting and representing that. He put that on the minds of every single player. That's what I really like about him.