November 21, 2024...York United FC press conference to announce new head coach Mauro Eustaquio (recorded by Rocket Robin)

All the audio from the York United FC press conference where the team introduced their new head coach Mauro Eustaquio. The conference took place in the VIP Lounge of York Lions Stadium on the grounds of York University in North York at 2:00pm.

If I ask the question it's in bold lettering.***

Ricardo Pasquel, Mauro Eustaquio, and Jorge Villalpando

Club president Ricardo Pasquel
new head coach Mauro Eustaquio
general manager Jorge Villalpando

Audio of the press conference... (20 minutes, 25 seconds)
starts out sort of quiet in the volume department.
What does it feel like to take the reins as the head coach?
What made you guys (owners) come to the decision to put Eustaquio in charge?
From your journey starting in coaching when did you start thinking you could one day be a head coach?
What was your reaction and when did you receive the news you'd be head coach?
(for Ricardo) What advantages is it to have a head start from bringing in a new/unfamiliar head coach to bringing in a coach
who's been here for four years and already knows the players and system so well?
Your brother (Stephen) was here Tuesday playing for the national team, how important is it to continue building a family legacy?
(for Jorge) What has impressed you about Mauro and do you have any tips to give him?
Has your work experience involved with assisting Jesse Marsch and the coaching staff in the national team taught you anything?
Will there be anything done now to fill out the technical staff?
Has anyone been chosen yet to coach the League1 Ontario team?
Zoom calls now:
Talk about the changes that have happened to you in the last months. [both his parents passed away within the last year and a half]
(for Ricardo) Tell us about the coaching search you did nationally and internationally?
What is your opinion on your journey as an original CPL player and now the youngest head coach ever?
(for Ricardo) How early do the pieces fall for 2025 ie the U-Sport draft, the players that will be brought in etc?
What lessons have you learned as a technical coach and your brief time as an interim coach (between Nash firing and Mora incoming)?

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There were only about 15 in the room and that included team staff. I received an e-mail to RSVP at 11:55am yesterday so that may explain the light in-person attendance although some journalists were connected remotely by a ZOOM call. I received a tweet from the team about the hiring at 2:05pm which was within three minutes of Eustaquio coming through the door. Surprised the room from what I observed. No leakage!

I asked some extra questions to Ricardo Pasquel when the meeting broke up and the three at the table mingled with the media.
I didn't record anything on my phone so I'm just recalling this from what I can remember.
They were mostly about the League1 Ontario team announced just last week.
Pasquel said the team will be slanted towards U-20 and will be recruited by scouting and open tryouts.
He said they will not have a youth club affiliation...and not in the future neither. [This was after I related that the league (up to now) insists on a local youth club links and told him of previous 'superstar/all star team' members Simcoe County Rovers who came in with an open tryout and poached from other teams' rosters. SCR had bought the licence of Aurora FC so taking their youth club on was a no-brainer. The team has since added the local Barrie Soccer Club to its youth team network.]
He said the club will be attracting players with 'a pathway to professional soccer' as opposed to the soccer scholarships used by many youth teams. My thoughts--that could stand the team in good league finishes better (well not their first year as they don't start in the Premier Division in 2025) than Sigma FC (Forge FC's main L1O team) which has what seems like half their main squad leaving to return to NCAA Syracuse etc and leave the team to finish their schedule with high-schoolers. Ooooh...wait until 2026 (expecting their promotion already) and a last month showdown in the race to finish first (L1O cancelled their playoffs from 2024 onwards).

Also Pasquel confirmed that the CPL team would definitely be playing here at York Lions Stadium in 2025 despite new tenants (the NSL women's league team of AFC Toronto will be playing here too, and I haven't heard yet that MLS NEXT Pro team Toronto FC II is being pushed out...so there's combined 29 home games to schedule around and two weekends pre-reserved for the tennis competitions held here annually).
Pasquel answered that the team is pleased with the response to a midseason decision of having the Friday night games starting times moved to 8:00pm (from 7:00pm) giving a chance for more of the downtown office crowd to get here in time. He's expecting more weekend games but starting times will partially depend on pressures from the league and broadcaster OneSoccer.

Ricardo Pasquel, Mauro Eustaquio, and Jorge Villalpanda hold a team scarf after the conference ended.

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Some pictures I took on the way in to the press room. The school was erecting the seasonal bubble that makes the field
usable over the winter months.

The canvas was spread from both ends of the field.

The stands waiting for the new season.

The work is labour intensive. What I saw most of the time was the workers unfurling more of the canvas and shaking off the rain falling onto it.

One of the doors to the bubble.

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