 Welcome to another edition of Yes We're Here! NYC edition today because we have got Ismail Tejuri Shradi, one of the NYC FC stars joining us on the show. Ismail, first and foremost, how are you doing? How are you coping through this difficult time? First of all, thanks for having me. I'm doing very well actually after these tough times but yeah keep me busy, feeling really good and yeah let's see what's how long it's gonna take but we are in good hands so let's see. It's very difficult for anybody going through this but how difficult is it for an athlete? I mean you've just gone through pre-season, you're a peak fitness, everything's just started in the Major League Soccer season and then pause, complete stop. How is that for an athlete? I think how you say yeah for a athlete is really actually really tough because you come just, you came from the pre-season, very hard pre-season after a couple of weeks of traveling, have a very good work with the team, with the whole squad and then you just get in the games where you was waiting for it. Yeah after a few games we get to stop again. It's very hard for me for every player I think but it is what it is. We have to take it like everyone. We have to deal with this situation right now and yeah to keep us busy, to keep us fit at home, to to go through this and to get back as soon as possible hopefully. So you're on a specific training program from the club right now? Of course yeah we get every week by week a plan from our athletic coach and we have to go through this training and that was a that what I'm doing right now to keep me fit and when we get back to the training to to be fit as as we can. Let's get into the business here okay you're born in Switzerland, you grew up in Austria and you play for Libya, the national team. Like what was behind the decision? I mean you could have played for any one of those countries in a professional soccer in the international stage. Like what was behind the decision to go for Libya? I think how we said yeah I had a lot of Bern in Sweden, grew up in Austria, my parents, my family is from Libya. Yeah the decision was a thing is was easy decision for me because my always dream to play for my national for my nationality and this is Libya and yeah from the family family side they was very happy that I decided to play for Libya and thing is for me the right the right decision to play for the national team of Libya and I'm very proud to play for this national team and hopefully we can have more more positive things coming in the next few years. How was the experience for you playing obviously you played at a very high level in Austria, how was that experience for you obviously growing up there than playing you know at the top level? Yeah I would say that came from Libya to Austria and then I just grew up in Austria where I was a young kid I played for a small team called Fortuna. After one year I came transferred to Austria Vienna is one of the big clubs in Austria and yeah from there I go from all the way up from the caddy from the young under 12 under to the academy from the academy to the second team second team to the first team yeah I go all through the through the through the ages and yeah I just just happy about it to to get through the the old the old teams what is not of course not easy but yeah it was keep me going every day and then yeah just I was happy when I get my first minutes in the professional soccer professional I just was amazing and then I get after a couple of me of course with Austria Vienna I get alone with school Alta I was there for two and a half years was very important for me to get to get some steps really in the professional team to get more minutes than I had in Austria Vienna and it was very important for me for my career so after that I come back to Austria Vienna I had very very very good two years we played two years in the role in the Europa League we had a very good year we came in the group stage so it was a very good experience for me yeah I learned in New York City so yeah I think you might know this through my broadcast and of course we we have a good personal relationship as well and you're one of my favorite players and it's not just because of your ability but we're happy to have you of course in New York City and of course throughout the broadcast I show my enthusiasm for how you play the passion you show but why did you choose to come to New York and to play for NYCFC first of all thanks appreciate that I am one of your players who certainly are yeah thanks my appreciate and yeah so as was that this usually was I think first first of all wasn't easy because you know coming from Europe back in America we have no idea how was everything work but then when I hear very good things of course then I get when I hear that okay in New York City if you want me and are very interested to have me so I was as was very easy decision to just say okay I want to make the next steps I wanted to club myself I think it was the right decision after two years I'm here I have to say this was the best decision ever ever make it well we're certainly happy to have you know I want to know something that a lot of people don't know about you you speak English you speak German and what other languages do you speak yes big English German and Arabic English German and Arabic okay so I speak English and I can also speak a little Germany German because of my time in German as you know so I think that's maybe something the public now know about as well what about something else that you've been doing during this difficult time where you're on lockdown I mean how are you filling your time you reading books watching movies or are you getting creative actually yeah I'm I'm keeping me busy with how I say with trainings now I'm doing a lot cooking a lot that's the thing what I was never think I'm gonna do it so that's that's how I how I keep me busy during my whole day at home I'm cooking now every day almost every day since the lockdown so yeah it's going really good actually I was not think that I'm very good cook us so but if I see what they cook the last few days last few weeks is just amazing it's an amazing new talent that you've discovered I love that what about something that you're missing from the game right now of course the locker room and the training field is something that you would miss because it's day-to-day but what about the game like what do you miss most about not being able to play right now is actually very hard because you have your routine when you wake up you go to you have your routine you go to the facility you meet your teammates you have fun with your teammates you have yeah you will have a good session so I miss all I miss all of this stuff training I miss all my teammates to have fun all together and of course the games especially the home games front of our fans I just miss it a lot it's been now a long time so yeah I miss it I hopefully we can we can come come back as soon as possible but now right now I think it's just to is football is right now not the first team so we have to take care of each other and then if it's everyone to care of each other stay healthy and then after this tough time is gonna come the best time so we can't wait for that and how I say I just miss everything of training games home games so yeah let's see how long it's gonna take but it's gonna it's gonna come the good the good times as well I don't think I could have said it any better myself now there's a bit of breaking news just coming through I'm watching on social media NYCFC will partner with the Yankees or they have partnered with the Yankees and will contribute a 1.4 million COVID-19 disaster relief program for NYCFC game day staff that's for breaking news for people who are watching on right now Ismail to jury Shradi thank you so much I've got mad respect for you for the person you are for the player that you are as well I personally can't wait to see you back out on the field thank you so much for joining us today thank you so much I have thanks for having me and appreciate your work keep it going and can't wait to see you all