MetroFanatic: Dan, you helped the United States qualify for the Paris Olympics, but it looks like you are not in the mix to go there. Is that right?
Daniel Edelman: I haven't been called into the two camps that they've had so far in the senior camp that they were giving opportunities to the U23 players, but I wouldn't say that my opportunity is completely gone. I think I still have a chance to make that team. I know there's a camp in March and it's definitely a goal of mine to still try and make that team. I have to be in good form with Red Bull and be playing and doing well there. And I think I'll get an opportunity and if not, then I just have to keep working hard. But I'm really hungry for that spot and I want to keep working and try to get a chance there.

MF: Last year you formed a pretty good partnership with Frankie in the middle of the field.
DE: I love playing with Frankie. We really built something special last year. I think me being a guy that would protect the back line, he would more push on forward to press the deep line six of the opponent. And I would love winning the ball and just focusing on getting him the ball and letting him do his work and play those over the top passes and just be creative on the dribble. He's so good at those sharp and nifty turns. But I really relied on him. I think he can say the same in terms of when he's doing his offense and in the attacking half that I'm there to back him up defensively and vice versa myself. I think he's really gotten so much better at his game defensively and really realizing to put in the extra work and make those recovery runs because I can remember a few times last year where I would lose the ball or pass it to the other team and he was there to back me up. And that was something that wasn't really asked of him that he really grew to get better at. I'm excited to be playing with them this year.

MF: You talked previously about scoring more goals, but you did have two assists in a playoff game.
DE: That's something I want to continue to try and build on. It's definitely important, as a six in the Red Bull style of play, it's tough to get those goals and assists, but I think it's something I'm capable of. I want to continue trying to elevate myself with that. There's obviously so many responsibilities as as a six, because it's such a big gap in midfield and you don't want to ever leave that space. That's where danger can come, and part of my job is to make sure that that space is confined. It's a sacred space for for me to make sure everything's under control. But I want to be able to try and get some top-of-the-box goals and it runs in late, and then get some more assists.

MF: So speaking of the six in the Red Bull system, there is Tyler Adams. That's the archetype, right?
DE: You want to emulate that. I definitely look up to him and what he's done and how he's done it. He's the captain of the senior team right now. He's gone to Leipzig, Premier League, he's done it the right way and it's super exciting to watch someone like him that's played here at Red Bull Arena. He's a young guy playing on an older squad team with a bunch of veterans and he was still able to thrive in this system and be quite the player. It's definitely someone that I'm trying to follow in his footsteps.

MF: People say that if the number six goes well, so does the rest of the team. It's probably even more true in the Red Bull style?
DE: I think every player has a responsibility to do their job. I don't think one position is harder than the others or anything like that, but definitely the six is definitely the spot where if it's exposed, there's so many tricky tens in this league that if you give them time and space, a lot of danger can happen and chances can come. So, it's definitely important that the six, be it double pivot, or if we have one pivot, that they're always keen on that space. You've got to be aggressive and you've got to win those balls and second balls and it's constantly a dogfight in that spot.