(Associated Press)

If Jack McInerney was attempting to veil his real feelings about his time under Peter Nowak, well, he probably was going about it all wrong.

McInerney vented a little Wednesday, when he spoke to reporters at PPL Park following a two-hour training session.

The 19-year-old striker, who went from No. 7 overall SuperDraft pick in 2010 to being overlooked on the 18-man gameday roster six times this season, said he was "pissed off" with his playing time under Nowak.

He added that all could have been tempered between he and Nowak if the outgoing manager, who was fired a week ago, had spoken to McInerney about his roster decisions.

“It was really frustrating because Peter really didn't talk to the players all that much," McInerney said. "He wouldn't let us know why this is happening or why that's not happening. It was tough, not dressing for six games and not knowing if you're playing bad, or if he's teaching you a lesson or what he was doing. You just really questioned going to practice, questioning yourself every day whether you're good or not. You didn't know what was going on in Peter's head."

"It made me pissed off, really."

McInerney said he hasn't played a match as motivated as he was Saturday, in a 1-0 loss to D.C. United, since his high school days.

"I just came out having the mentality, 'This is my opportunity. It could be my last one.' I just took full advantage of it."

McInerney, who got the start in interim boss John Hackworth's lineup Saturday, played 72 minutes. McInerney said it was the best he's felt on the pitch since getting 90 minutes in the second leg of the Union's 2011 Eastern Conference semifinal series against Houston.

Now, before anyone gets testy about McInerney's public decrees of distaste, the kid did say Nowak spoke to him, Danny Mwanga and Amobi Okugo at the SuperDraft back in 2010 and promised nothing. So McInerney said he knew nothing - playing time, starts, anything - was guaranteed.

But at a certain point, McInerney said, enough was enough. McInerney said he even considered requesting a trade.

“I would say those five or six games I didn't dress, like I said – I was questioning myself, whether it was time to make a change or a time to move on," he said. "I stuck it out and I got a good opportunity last week."

Hackworth said Wednesday "if it isn't broke, don't fix it," concerning his lineup for this Saturday against visiting Sporting Kansas City. So take it for what it's worth, but you can probably expect McInerney to get another start ... and it's deserved.