Media Day with Petter Villegas
March 19, 2002

MF: Petter, what's the deal with the hair?
Petter Villegas: (laughs) I didn't have time to fix it for this weekend.

MF: You've been criticized a lot for your erratic play.
PV: The best players in the world are not one-touch players. The best players have special skills and can do special things on the field. I might not be one of the best players in the world, but I try to do creative things on the field, and sometimes they don't work your way, and that's the way it goes.

MF: Are you still starting or coming off the bench?
PV: So far, I've been playing from the start of the games that we've had in scrimmages that we've had in Italy. I think I'm in the lineup for Saturday. I don't know otherwise.

MF: There was some talk that you might be leaving MLS. There was a story that you weren't happy with your defensive responsibilities, that you wanted to be traded. Are you happy to be here?
PV: I'm happy. I'm happy because I have a job, I'm playing, I'm doing what I love doing. Sometimes you're not happy with things that are going around, but you have to do what you're supposed to, I'm doing what I'm supposed to. I said a lot of stuff and people weren't happy with things I said, but that's the way I felt. I tried to get out of the situation where I wasn't getting what I wanted, and nothing came to an end. But I'm still here, and if I'm playing somewhere, I'm gonna do the best I can to try to help the team win games.

MF: You said that you might be missing a shot with the Ecuador National Team. Do you think you're good enough to play for a team that made the World Cup?
PV: From what I've seen, I think I deserve a shot to be in that team. I have a goal of the National Team, but I don't focus on it. In the future, maybe, I'll be on that roster.

MF: Petter, why did you switch to #8 this year?
PV: 8 is my favorite number since I was a little kid. Billy Walsh had it for so many years, I couldn't get it. And now that he's gone, #8 is available, so I took it.

MF: Do you know that a player considered worst in MetroStar history, Edmundo Rodriguez, wore #11 and then switched to #8? Bad luck?..
PV: (laughs) No, that's all in the head. You're wearing your favorite number and you go out there and you can be the best player with that number.

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