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 After a week's absence, Stephen Brandt's Manager Chat's with Mike Share is back. This week, the club travels to Maryland and Pennsylvania, to play Charm City and PA Stoners. Among the topics this week, Mike talks about stadiums, playing back to back, and what it is like to get relegated. Also Mike tells us the best player he's ever been on the field with. As always Buffalo City FC is for the fans, if you want to have your questions asked next week email Stephen at sbrandt@buffalocityfc.com
It's been a couple weeks since our last chat, what can you say about the progress of the team on the field?
I am very pleased with the team in general. Every day we are learning and you can start to see this slowly on the field. All my players work hard in training and I feel this shows in the results that we are picking up. Hopefully we can continue this over the weekend.
We play back to back this weekend, for coaches in general, what kind of tips can you give to guard against second day tiredness?
 Too be honest this is new to me. In Europe back to back games in one weekend is unheard of, you might have two games in three days but never back to back. I feel this harms the game and the quality of it. Team wise I feel we are fit and strong enough to play back to back games. We also have the quality in depth in our squad to compete at every game and go for the win.
So far, how have you viewed the quality of the national league we play in?
I think there is not much between most teams so it is important that you win most if not all of your home games. Like this on away games you can try and pick wins and draws up. As a person I always go for broke so we will be trying to pick 6 points up this weekend. It will be very difficult but i have every belief in my players.
Is it still a good time to sign up for camps? And if so, where can I get information?
Our soccer clinics run from June 29th till August 28th. The clinics are for all ages, boys and girls and we will also be looking for players to send to Europe who have the ability to play pro when they are older. Information can be found in the Bee newspaper, Buffalo Law Journal and our website www.buffalocityfc.com. Also several thousand brochures are in shops, supermarkets and schools.
How would you describe how Charm City plays?
 I do not know much about Charm City besides that they are a very good attacking team, I think like ourselves they try to play the game in an attacking fashion which in my opinion is what the game should be played in. I am good friends with Patrick Crawford the owner of Charm City. We talk a couple times a week on the phone and I know he has the same values as me regarding the football (Soccer). I am sure it will be a very difficult game and anything we can take from the game will be a bonus.
Likewise, what can you say about PA Stoners?
The Stoners are National Champions, that just shows how strong and good of a team they are, it will not be easy playing them at any time especially the day after we have played Charm City. Sadly this is life and we have to try and grind a result out. Every game is not easy so it will be no different this weekend. As i have said many times i have every belief and faith in my players and I know they will give their all in every game they play for me and the club and as a coach you can not ask for anything more.
Obviously, facilities for sports are big things for fans, how would you rate the soccer fields you've seen in this league?
I thought the FC Revolution facility was second to none, the field was small but the facility was great especially the surface to play on was perfect. I recently made a scouting trip to watch Erie Admirals and i thought they also had a nice complex and although they have told me their field is not the best I personally felt it was not bad. It is always harder to maintain a grass field then turf.
Ok, now onto the fun questions, you've played in a lot of cities and stadiums, what was the best stadiums you ever played at?
 That's hard. I have certain Stadiums that have special meanings to me. Especially as in England you normally meet at the Stadium every morning before training. I liked Bramall Lane (Sheffield United). Although it wasn't new it still looked new, you also only have had to look around to understand the history of the club and what the club was about and meant to people.
Who's the best player you've ever been on the field with? (playing with or against)
I would say Wayne Rooney, he is also one of my favorite players. He has everything aggression, passion, talent, I always enjoy watching players that love the game. You can just see what it means to them.
There is a lot of pressure on managers to keep teams up in the leagues, but as a player, how uncomfortable is it to get relegated (past experience, or from friends)
 I have never experienced relegation, but what other players have told me it is one of the worst feelings as a team. Not only do you feel that you are going to lose a year in a lower division but also you feel you let the fans and club down. The closest i have had to that feeling is losing out on promotion in Spain. To have worked hard all season and then to fail at the last hurdle is also a bad feeling. You have to start the next season from scratch again. This is why I really appreciate teams getting promoted the following season after that kind of dis sap ointment. It is hard to motivate yourself.
Buffalo City Football Club is Buffalo's premier soccer organization since 2008. Combining a winning tradition on the pitch with a standard of excellence within the community, BCFC remains the height of achievement in professionally run sport. For more information please visit www.BuffaloCityFC.com
All Buffalo City FC photos are courtesy of Jason Feltz / Typeworkstudio Photographics.
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