Recapping Thursday's Press Conference

We're two weeks into the preseason and there are many fresh faces at the Sharp HealthCare Performance Center. The team is getting to know each other while hitting the ground running as only 20 days remain until the first match of the season. Below are the highlights from some of the players who were available for interview.

Lewis Morgan

San Diego FC's newest number nine, Lewis Morgan spoke highly about his new city and the team.

"I knew coming here would be an environment that was functioning really well. I think for all the new guys it's been easy to adapt to the group. The manager and the coaching staff have built a squad that's obviously competing on all fronts this year and I think that's testament to the characters that we have in the changing room and as a new guy it's been really easy to implement myself into the group"

Morgan also spoke about being a 'two-footed player', meaning he feels comfortable playing with both feet at any given time. "It's just a tool to get an advantage on the defender, make sure they don't know what we're going to do in front of goal and it's something I pride myself on is being good with both feet."

While missing most of the season last year, Lewis was asked about his fitness, coming into preseason.

Mikey Varas

The San Diego FC newly extended head coach had his hands full the first two weeks of preseason. It's not easy having to juggle contract negotiations, new faces, new competitions, and a different looking squad. If anyone is up for the challenge – it's Varas.

Varas was asked how he's managing team focus without outside distractions, such as the Chucky Lozano contract situation.

"There's no distractions," Varas said bluntly. The guys have taken this on with full commitment to our decision and nobody's even looked sideways one time. They're training, focusing on them as individuals but also as a team."

The competition for a starting roster spot has been fierce. Varas answered a question on what position battles stood out the most during the first two weeks of training. He also added that the club have signed Bryan Zamble, a 17-year-old winger from FC Nordsjaelland who is currently in the Right to Dream academy.

Anders Dreyer

Perhaps the biggest extension out of all the contract talks, as it relates to fan excitement, was to Anders Dreyer. The SDFC star last season mentioned he did not know where his journey would take him in the offseason.

"That's the thing in football, you never know. I remember saying first time I moved from Denmark – I will never come back to Denmark, then I went back two or three times after that. So, I learned from that. You can never say "never" in football, you never know what can happen," Dreyer said.

When I had the last press conference I didn't know what will happen, so yeah, I was open to different things but then when I got to talk with Tyler and Mikey and of course the way we have the dressing room – we are competitive but we are also friends. That's not what you see very often that you have a dressing room like that."

Dreyer was also asked about the Chucky situation. After all, he and Lozano were close. The two DP's produced many game winning goal contributions, something that Dreyer said he will miss about Lozano. Nevertheless, he reiterated that the club is focused and have moved on.

Anibal Godoy

The veteran midfielder came in to the preseason after a tough few World Cup qualifying games. Godoy was asked about the first games of the season being against the Mexican side, Pumas, in the CONCACAF Champions League.

"Everybody knows Pumas have really good players, a really good team, and for us it's a good challenge. It's the first game of the year, it's the CONCACAF. It's a different level...and we have to be ready," Godoy said.

The Panama international was donning a practice jersey with the sleeves cut off. It was in the 80's in El Cajon on a warm, sunny afternoon. Sporting a new tattoo on his right shoulder of the 2026 World Cup logo, he was asked details.

Ema Boateng

The veteran defender, flashing that infectious smile, spoke about his contract extension.

"Very exciting news for me and my family to be back here," said Boateng. "Did really well as a team and we have really good chemistry with the group it's very exciting. I think everyone who has been in this environment wants to stay here so I'm very excited and my family is really happy."

There is no doubt that Boateng bring a lot of important veteran player experience to the squad. I asked him what he felt his biggest contribution to the team will be this year.