After Sporting Kansas City dropped a 4-2 result to the Houston Dynamo in their U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal – one that was perhaps even more lopsided than the score indicated – head coach Peter Vermes delivered a strong message to his team.
“I thought some players gave everything they had. There were other players that didn’t give everything they had. More so, I think a couple guys gave up in the game,” Vermes said. “I don’t think we had enough on the field unfortunately to get the job done — I say that now, not thinking that going in.”
Per Sam McDowell of The Kansas City Star, Vermes wouldn't name names, but indicated a few SKC players are about to struggle for playing time.
“They’re going to find themselves very, very, very, very, very far away from the team and trying to get back in,” Vermes told reporters. “They’re going to have to do some real proving.
“It’s not just my evaluation. It’s other players’ [evaluations] as well. Our team and our club is not built on that type of attitude. That won’t be tolerated.”
