901 FC’S Pirmann says it’s all about the team now
Less than 24 hours after officially taking the reins, Memphis 901 FC interim head coach Ben Pirmann said the team was taking things one day at a time and focused on two things: effort and execution in the remaining four matches of the season.
“If we put in an honest shift, and we work as hard as we can, that’s step one,” he said Thursday. “Step two is our execution piece. Whether it’s a tactical game plan, individual or group accountability within the technical set, we go forward from there.”
Pirmann was named interim head coach Tuesday after the club announced former coach Tim Mulqueen had been dismissed. Under Mulqueen’s tenure, the team recorded 11 wins, 11 draws and 24 losses.
Coming off a tough loss at North Carolina FC and having a mid-week coaching change has made it “a long couple of days” of self-reflection, Pirmann said.
“We’ve all looked in the mirror,
we’ve all held ourselves accountable and the only way to make that right is playing as hard as we can, fighting for the city, fighting for this club,” he said. “We’ve all put our hands up and said nobody’s been quite good enough.”
Pirmann said he wanted to see the players focus on what they can do for the team for the next 21⁄2 weeks.
“I told them yesterday, ‘We’re all here for 18 more days and then we have no idea what happens,’” he said. “Everything’s about the team right now. It’s not about ourselves.”
Forward Cal Jennings, who scored both of 901 FC’S goals in Sunday’s 3-2 loss, said the team was focused on the upcoming visit to Louisville and playing for one another for the rest of the season.
“We’re just really trying to focus day-by-day. Obviously there’s been some changes but it doesn’t change our job. We have to continue to work hard,” he said.
Memphis 901 FC will travel to Louisville this weekend to play Louisville City FC, which has seven wins, two draws and three losses since the restart, on Saturday.
“We know they’re on a streak and they’re doing really well,” Jennings said. “We’ll look to do our best and get a result out of it.”
Pirmann said he saw Louisville as one of the standard bearers for the league but still expected results from his club.
“I do expect us to win. I expect us to go out and play with the passion that this city and its citizens deserve,” he said.
Pirmann joined Memphis 901 FC in December 2018.
He served as head coach of Detroit City FC of the National Independent Soccer Association for six seasons and as an assistant coach at Michigan State University for eight seasons.
He will be considered for the permanent coaching job and club ownership will be watching the results gained under Pirmann’s leadership for the remaining four matches of the 2020 campaign, said sporting director and goalkeeper Tim Howard.
“It’s his car to drive now and we’re going to sit back and observe,” Howard said.
Pirmann said Thursday he wants the job full time.
“Who wouldn’t? It’s an unbelievable city, it’s an unbelievable club, there’s great leadership, the fan base, I say, I think it’s the best in the championship,” he said, but added his job was to focus on closing out the season.
“My job right now is just to support these guys, put them in the best spot to succeed and make sure our fans and our club are getting absolutely everything they’ve come to expect.”