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The National Pundits LOVE Albert Rusnak (Feat. Jeff Rueter) - Ep. 104
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Coming off two straight 1-0 victories, the Seattle Sounders have a golden opportunity to keep it rolling with Minnesota United's Matchday 17 visit to Lumen Field. We're joined by Minnesota-based journalist Jeff Rueter of the Athletic to talk about the Loons' 2025 form under rising head coach Eric Ramsay. We also talk about Albert Rusank and the Sounders from a national perspective.
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Lobbing Scorchers is a production of Just Once Media.
Lobbing Scorchers is a Seattle Sounders and MLS focused show brought to you by Sounder at Heart. Hosted by Major League Soccer's Ari Liljenwall and Producer Noah Riffe. Join us as we lob our scorching takes on the American soccer landscape, Seattle Sounders, Major League Soccer, USMNT and more.
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Transcript
Podcast Introduction and Guest Introduction
00:00:00
Speaker
This episode of Lobbing Scorchers was previously recorded and streamed live on YouTube.com slash at Lobbing Scorchers. If you want to listen or catch these episodes live, see the video, and see all the rest of our content, go to YouTube.com slash at Lobbing Scorchers or LobbingScorchers.com slash YouTube.
00:00:22
Speaker
Well, sir, we got a scorcher today. Gonna be real scorcher today. What? The scorcher today? Well, it's gonna be
00:00:43
Speaker
Good evening, everybody. Welcome in to another episode of Under the Lights. I got a great show for you all planned this evening. We got Jeff Reuter from The Athletic.
00:00:57
Speaker
He's going to join us in just a minute here to preview this weekend's matchup against Minnesota United. We're going to be talking about another Seattle Sounders win. We did the postgame live last night, but let me give some more thoughts on that game versus San Diego FC.
00:01:15
Speaker
ah We're going to, we might even do a little all-star ballot later. was thinking about doing that. And I got a couple other topics lined up as well. So it's a jam-packed show.
00:01:28
Speaker
Got a lot to get to. ah But before we get into all of it, I'm like the video like the video subscribe to the channel rate five stars write reviews do all that stuff uh help us with the algorithm uh all right let's get into it let's just get right into it like i said big show hey tom uh we'll get to the next segment uh at the end we'll do a next segment for you but that means you have to stay up and watch all of it ah Let's get right into it.
Jeff Reuter's Soccer Journey
00:02:00
Speaker
We have got a very special guest this evening once again to preview Seattle's upcom upcoming opposition and we'll be talking about some national storylines from around Major League Soccer as well. Let's bring him to the stage.
00:02:12
Speaker
We have got Jeff Ruder. Senior writer at The Athletic, yeah covers Major League Soccer, covers the ah the game globally as well. One of the best in the game.
00:02:23
Speaker
Very excited to have him on the show tonight. ah Jeff, thank you so much for taking the time to join us, talk some Minnesota United, talk some Seattle Sounders, Major League Soccer. How are you doing this evening? I'm good. This is great. like this is It's weird. I don't get to do night podcasts anymore. like Everyone's always like, here are your hours. Here's our corporatized way to do it. And it's like, no, this is...
00:02:43
Speaker
This is where the magic happens. Like, I'm so good to be back. Thanks for having me, man. Yeah, no, it's the upshot of being a ah West Coast show. We can stay up late. And it's like, you know, we're the originators of MLS After Dark out here. yeah um themen Jeff, excited to talk about this ah game with you. It's a matchup between two teams that are pretty high up on the table right now. So I'm excited to watch it. But before we get into all that, I do like to give our guests a little chance to talk about their background and the work that they do.
00:03:13
Speaker
ah So why don't you just give us the, ah the abridged version of your path to the athletic and then what is your day-to-day role is there as a ah senior writer? I got the title, right?
00:03:23
Speaker
Right. You did. Yeah, you did. Yeah. Um, I guess I appreciate that. um No, I mean, it's, I am a homegrown of the Minnesota United podcasting system.
00:03:34
Speaker
um They got no solidarity payments. They never do. And yeah, so I started off, I was going to Loon's Games in 2015 with my brother and, Uh, we were talking at halftime and some guy nudged me and was just like, Hey, sounds like, you know what you're talking about and you have a good rapport, whatever, do either of you want to hop on and, you know, come onto my podcast. I need a guest host until I can find a real one. My guy just quit the nature of fan podcasting.
00:03:56
Speaker
And so I hopped on for a few episodes. My brother didn't want to do it. Um, Glad he didn't in hindsight. And, uh, yeah, so I started on being that regular host in the two United fans show. And then Wes Burdine and I launched the 55 one podcast, about two years after that, I was writing independently for the 55 one, which was our local website.
00:04:15
Speaker
Um, doing some, you know really good work at the time. And, uh, yeah. And then eventually started freelancing for the guardian ESPN, uh, the athletic launched in 2018. um Yeah.
00:04:26
Speaker
And then I've been on staff since 2019, got promoted senior in 2024. And right now I cover MLS, NWSL, men's, women's national teams, international club. i was watching the conference league final with like working intention, like an absolute sicko yesterday. ah So, you know, it's a bit of everything at this point, but it's a lot of game coverage and it's a lot of kind of like big picture stuff.
00:04:48
Speaker
you know What does all of this mean? Try to do the 10,000 foot look on a lot of things. So it's been a weird, fun path to get there and kind of a weird point plateau right now to be at where it's just like, yeah, and I just watched the conference league. And then like I'll go to a ah press conference with Emma Hayes two days later. But it's ah it's been a blast, man.
00:05:05
Speaker
And it's ah very, very grateful for what I get to do. That's a, ah you know, I never knew that origin story. And that's one of those ones where it's like just a random moment of fate, it seems like. Like, yeah do you ever think about like your entire path in life was sounds like created by just like a random fortuitous moment at a soccer game?
00:05:27
Speaker
Some guy on his third strong bow in Blaine, Minnesota. Yeah, I i think so. i do think about it. I think that website's launch was crucial. And I think I would have tried to like, get involved with that. But I had a little bit of an inroad because I was, you know, I think Wes and I did our first podcast. It was like an overlap. There was an older Minnesota show with Wes and then Bruce McGuire called the Denord podcast. And we did like a crossover episode, like it's a 90s sitcom.
00:05:50
Speaker
And yeah, it was it was really cool to meet him at that time. And I got into the website with him and Brian Korsstedt. But Um, yeah, I mean, just can't take it for granted. Right. Like, like you said, like it was just, if I went to a different section that day might've ended up a different place. So, um, I have no idea what else
Minnesota United's Season and Tactics
00:06:06
Speaker
I would have done. I got a degree in playwriting. So this is much better than the alternatives I had.
00:06:11
Speaker
Playwriting. I was an English major. uh, you get it. I was, was going to be, I was going to be, but then I realized I could get out in seven semesters instead of eight if I did a theater arts program.
00:06:22
Speaker
So I did mostly English classes and called it playwriting and they're like, whatever. but so ah All right, Jeff, let's get into ah Seattle Sounders versus Minnesota United. The way I like to start these off when we're doing our kind of scouting the opponent portion of these interviews is I like to give my perception of the team as an outsider.
00:06:44
Speaker
love that. I have watched. Okay. So you yeah you'll tell me if it matches up with what is actually going on with the team day in day out. ah You're not like on the loons beat every day, but you're still very plugged in with the team. You know what's going on.
00:07:00
Speaker
Yeah. And it's actually really nice. Like nationally, I can't stress enough. Like if you're not in an MLS market, I don't know how I could do this job because I go to loons games and I will often, if I'm not in the box, I'll stand at like the top of it so I can watch how the team use width. But then you have your like baseline. So it's easier to scout other teams.
00:07:15
Speaker
when they come to the stadium so i still go but yeah you're right like i haven't been a ah loon's beat writer for four years now yeah wow that's let's go that's where you cut your teeth it is um yeah minnesota united all right my my impression of minnesota united is that they are they're having ah very very good year so far that is not really it's but it's quietly they're not really getting talked about that much ah when you're talking about like the teams that are near the top of the table their name doesn't come up with the other teams that are up there it feels like as uh as often but they're clearly doing something right because they're third in the west right now uh but as i was i admittedly i'm guilty of it i haven't watched all that much loons this year i know the basics but i can't say that i've been watching super closely week in week out there are too many teams this league i Exactly. Yeah. But like I'm a sicko for the whole league. I'd like to think my knowledge of every team is pretty good, but so there's definitely some that I know better than others.
00:08:15
Speaker
And despite how successful the Loons have been this year there, I would say on the end of teams that I haven't followed as closely as I i probably should be following them closer because things are going pretty well in the twin cities.
00:08:27
Speaker
ah But what stuck out to me, Jeff, when I was doing a little bit of research, digging into Minnesota United, how did they get to third in the table? That's what I was trying to figure out. Sure. it they It seems like they are employing some tactics right now that are highly unique, almost historically so when you look at the history of MLS, at least the recent history.
00:08:49
Speaker
And what I mean by that is ah they apparently have a passionate hatred for possessing the ball. They don't want it. They don't want it. They want you to have it. If you want the ball, you take the ball. Minnesota. it's Right. Yeah.
00:09:02
Speaker
You can have it for like 70% of the game most of the time. And we're just going to dice you up on the counter and be so hard to break down that it doesn't even it's possession without purpose. We'll let you knock the ball around all day.
00:09:17
Speaker
But so that those tactics in themselves aren't that novel, but ah Just the amount that they have leaned in to those tactics and that strategy is, it's well, it's really unprecedented.
00:09:28
Speaker
I'll let ah ah the armchair analyst, Matthew Doyle, take it away. He laid it out in his in his column about our preview column for the games this weekend. I'm just going to read how he sized it up. I'm doing a Matt Doyle impression. I'm really excited. We do a lot of Matt Doyle impressions on here. I'm not going to do his – I'm not going to do it. just going to read what he wrote.
00:09:50
Speaker
he said He said, consult any MLS database you can find, and this year's loons will be bottom of the possession charts. doesn't matter if you go back five years, 10 years, 15, or 30.
00:10:00
Speaker
Eric Ramsey's side will be propping up the entire table with just 38.3% the ball, mostly served them well as their third in the West entering the weekend, but they've also got some limitations because of their allergy to knocking it around, which we'll touch on below.
00:10:15
Speaker
ah Jeff, I'm very curious as someone who has watched this team a lot more than I have. What do you think of these tactics, first of all? And what is the reason? Is there a reason? Personnel or just Eric Ramsey's beliefs about the game?
00:10:31
Speaker
Why are they leaning so, so heavily into this anti-possession strategy? I think, yeah, it's twofold. um And they're very chaotic neutral with their possession. Like Doyle said, it's 38.3% possession. It's also 38.3% field tilt.
00:10:47
Speaker
I have the their stats up in front of me as well in Opta. um which means And field tilt is like that comparing the attacking third touches between each team. So it's not even like, they're just like, we're going to set off, sit off the ball as long as we can, but like Red Bulls, like think about them. Like they try to win the field tilt and they have like a very advantageous field tilt to try to keep the ball in that area. Right. Like this isn't that, um, I think part of it is personnel, right. To be fair, like they have two good transition goal scorers who are,
00:11:12
Speaker
also okay at doing hold-up work, which gives each other time to work. They are like the first fully functional strike tandem. Two, true strikers that I've seen in MLS in quite some time as well, which works. But it also means you have one less body for defensive or midfield lines, which also help you with possession, right?
00:11:28
Speaker
So you can see where some of those trade-offs come from. um They're quick. Kelvin Yeboah and Tani Oluwesheye And they're good at scoring and they are pretty selfless. Both of them are the type of personality where if their team won and they got an assist, they'd be happier that their team drew and they got a brace. So that mentality generally plays well.
00:11:45
Speaker
um Michael Boxall gets better with age every single year. Like, I think I saw him absolutely like muscle Brian White off the ball in about the 80th minute when White had come off the bench 20 minutes earlier and Boxee had been on an 80 minute shift.
00:11:56
Speaker
um So he's putting in the best work of his career the last two and a half years. Absolute veteran, one of the oldest field players in the league at this point. Um, the other personnel factor in here is their midfields really bad ah by the standard of like, i thought there might be something yeah explained explain, explain that. No, it's, it's this one weird trick, right? And it's this thing where it's like, everyone focuses on like good midfield play and good defensive midfielders who like to take the ball off of opponents and midfielders like to progress the ball and break lines through the central channel and the half spaces, right? All this is baloney. It doesn't matter where you get the ball up field in their mind.
00:12:30
Speaker
Right. And so they have, um generally two water carriers in the midfield no true hardman but two players who will like sit on the ball a little bit and then say i don't like where this is going i and send it back to the back line they'll recirculate out wide or okay let's end up the channel or let's try to go out to the sprint to the wings for them to run on to right um they don't like doing back and forth passing triangles they don't like trying to bypass a midfield block whatsoever they try to go around it or over it not through it um So you'll see two water carriers and then one creative fulcrum who kind of plays like a 10, but a free roaming 10.
00:13:05
Speaker
um So it's been Joaquin Pereira lately, who I think most systems would say is like a good box to box playmaker. You generally do want him further back in the field, but his finishing is really good.
00:13:16
Speaker
So they've been trying to unleash him in the attacking half a bit more as well. And like keeping him there, which means that they have those two other guys. So it's It's a weird midfield trio. It isn't one of those like classic Peter Vermees, like there's a six, there's an eight, there's a 10 sort of thing that like at the height of SKC, they were running out and it's just very, we have three bodies there and they rotate and the roles are different every single week.
00:13:38
Speaker
I think the ah the next place my mind goes when I see a team that's employing tactics that are so far outside the statistical norm is, well, first of all, I think like like there but there's got to be a reason that most teams don't do that.
Playoff Viability and Eric Ramsey's Role
00:13:55
Speaker
to that extreme so if it is working and they are getting results and they're uh they're high on the table more power to them but i guess the uh the question becomes uh when it comes down to it and you're playing for trophies you're in the playoffs the deep in leagues cup whatever the case may be like is there a point where playing like that uh stops being as Tenable as it might be during the regular season. So my question is, ah when you look at just how ah how they're playing so far this season and how kind of just extreme it is, ah do you buy Minnesota United as a real contender with the other top teams in MLS?
00:14:39
Speaker
depends on the matchups in the bracket. And like, I know that feels like a cop-out, like a wait and see. I don't mean it like a general. I'm saying there's like two or three teams in the West that they cannot get past if they're at full strength.
00:14:51
Speaker
um And you know, one of them, right? Like Seattle has always had Minnesota's number. That's no secret. The 2020 wrestling conference final is like the, the, the highlight slash low light, depending on who's talking about it. But like it's, it's been throughout the,
00:15:08
Speaker
Minnesota's time in major league soccer. There's no opponent that they've played worse than the Sounders. And that's, I think a huge credit to, you know, Brian Schmetzer and the the continuity of of the team shape, even as they're going with a three, four, three more now, like it's a very difficult matchup. The other team that has continually done it until this year, but they're not doing well against anybody is the galaxy with Ricky Pooge. Right. And that's two very different sort of styles of midfield, but you can see that these are teams that know what they want to do.
00:15:33
Speaker
in the heart of the park, right? Whether it is like having a good trio with Roldan and Joe Paolo and Obed and whoever's playing that day, right? Like you you generally like, let's keep the ball moving. Let's move it around, whatever. And and everyone knows what their role is, depending on the combination, right?
00:15:46
Speaker
um With the Galaxy, obviously, that whole thing is just we have a player who you can't take the ball off his foot and he's running around everywhere with it. And every time you think you've got him cornered, he's going to spray it, you know just do a little flick over to another guy and then he'll get on the ball two seconds later and you're out of shape, right?
00:16:00
Speaker
So those sorts of teams will always pose a threat to Minnesota United as currently constructed. But when you look at teams like LAFC, who also want to do a lot of transition work and don't want to keep the ball ah for long, even if you look at Vancouver, frankly, which was a bit of a surprise, but a team that's kind of cross heavy you where they're going to be playing it to wide areas anyway, like, okay, well, that's fine because they're going away from the heart of the park that you're kind of sacrificing.
00:16:25
Speaker
Um, So there's like gambles and trade-offs. I actually do like the Minnesota matchup from their perspective against teams like LAFC and Vancouver a lot more than Seattle. If we're looking at like kind of the relative projected top four right now.
00:16:39
Speaker
um Beyond that, like, you know, you can see where there is potential for an upset where this is a team that could lose a best of three series if they come up against a team that's just like, hey, let's just fortify bodies. Let's keep the ball in the middle of the field.
00:16:53
Speaker
And they don't really know how to take it off of us. Yeah, that's kind of ah how I was thinking of it is like specifically as it pertains to a matchup against Seattle.
00:17:04
Speaker
Seattle is a team that's traditionally very good in possession. That's like one of the hallmarks of their identity. ah Man, Seattle played San Diego FC last night. They might have been the best and MLS team in possession I've seen all season.
00:17:18
Speaker
It was yeah it's pretty unreal to be honest. Like when they have the ball, it's that all right. Well, they have it now. I guess that's just what, ah what life is like. We give up. We can't get it. Yeah.
00:17:29
Speaker
They're not going to make any mistake. They're not good. They never do the thing where they pass it to the other team. When they have the ball, they just have the ball. But it seems like that, like a Minnesota United ah versus San Diego playoff series or playoff game.
00:17:43
Speaker
I would like, I would be worried about that if I was Eric Ramsey. I mean, do you think he's like dug in on this and it's like, we run our stuff no matter what, or playing like looking at this game where you have a team that is a lot more inclined to dice you up in possession. And like, does that change anything or is he more like dogmatic? I guess.
00:18:03
Speaker
Uh, he's willing to be flexible. He doesn't want to be known as a, one of the young coaches. Who's like, uh, I, I, I don't know, a spreadsheet manager. And so I know this is my system that works best. And I refuse to move off of it because the data says it'll work out, right. Like, uh, even our tether or whatever, right. Like he's not that profile per se. He is going to be someone who wants to be pragmatic. He will work with a four man backline. Most often he did last year actually.
00:18:28
Speaker
um But for that matchup, like you could also convince me that this is a team that's working on it. Second look last year, they made a pretty dramatic reinvention from a team that just kind of rolls the balls out and sees what they do for the first 20 games. And it worked for the first eight.
00:18:42
Speaker
And then it really didn't work for the middle 12. But given an MLS's format. You have some wiggle room with those first 20. And then they came back like around the start of August. And they really figured out after a loss of the Sounders at home, actually, um that they figured out this is how we should operate. And it looks a lot more like what you see now.
00:19:00
Speaker
That's very much how Minnesota started to play around start of August last year. So it wouldn't surprise me if there's an evolution again. And at that point, though, they do need personnel because the flip side of this is it isn't just that Ramsey.
00:19:13
Speaker
like designs tactics go around and over a part of it is, I don't think that you can really win MLS cup. If your midfield trio is, um, yeah, I mean, who have they been starting lately because they've had Hassani dots and injured, um, you know, Seattle favorite son, uh, they've been playing, I think, Oh, and Jean, who's a new signing and he's not very used to it. Robin Lude and, Joaquin Pereira have kind of been alternating in that free creative role.
00:19:34
Speaker
Will Trapp's getting a ton of minutes. I think most minutes of the field players this year. um I just don't think that that's a core Carlos Harvey, Panama International, who also plays center back sometimes as well. That's pretty much who they've been rolling out with.
00:19:46
Speaker
And it's just it it isn't a midfield that I think can contend with someone who is as confident on it as San Diego. Like you're alluding to as an example, like I just I don't really think they have the personnel, so it's going to be a big summer for them.
00:19:58
Speaker
But that, you know, it's one of the lower spending on transfer fees organizations and MLS since they joined 2017. But like if the incentive is this is a pretty good year to try to take on the entire West and I think we can you know make a good run to the conference final again or further, like I think that they would recognize the opportunity.
00:20:17
Speaker
Tom, I just sent out the Blue Sky post. ah So thanks for thanks for the reminder. I'm really bad about that. Thanks, Tom. I just sent it out. So re-posted or whatever the the Blue Sky term is. Re-skeet?
00:20:31
Speaker
Re-skeet. It's a night show. You can say that, right? I guess that's what what we're going with. so Yeah, guess. All right. ah Eric Ramsey, that's I wanted to ask.
Eric Ramsey's Career and Future Speculations
00:20:43
Speaker
We've talked about his tactics, but I wanted to ask about your impressions of him in general, because I actually when he was first hired, I read up on him a little bit. But then I actually got assigned that day to do the to pick up the audio from the Zoom call so we could write our little Minnesota United's new coach article. Amazing. So I was like, all right, I'm curious, like coming from Manchester United and he's my age. Let's see what this guy is all about.
00:21:09
Speaker
And ah I'll be honest, I came out of that presser and I was like, and I don't usually necessarily feel like this. feel like an opening press conference. I know a coach press conference. Yeah, we're gonna take it to opponents.
00:21:20
Speaker
We're going to get fans their seats. We're going give them a winning team. Exactly. It's usually all lip service. And you can't really tell much about the actual coach or the guy.
00:21:30
Speaker
But I came out of that Eric Ramsey intro presser, and I was like, that guy seems real sharp. like I think they might have... ah ah done real good here with this hire ah like he was 31 or whatever 32 when they hired him and it seems like he's just this really genuinely ah well thought of up and coming coach not just like he's got a global rep a little bit he literally was coaching for man and you before he came to MLS with and Chelsea so that yeah yeah yeah
00:22:01
Speaker
And then so after he took over, ah the results weren't necessarily super amazing, but, you know, it's his first year taking over the team. He's working with infrastructure and a roster that somebody else put together.
00:22:15
Speaker
Didn't really have a chance to put his own stamp on it. This year, it feels like it's more like his team. And I mean, you know, I can say what I want about ah skepticism regarding the tactics, but yeah the side is taking results. They're playing really good offense and ah they look like they're going to be contending for a top four spot in the West all season.
00:22:35
Speaker
So how how do you think he sort of ah put his imprint on the team in the organization in the time that he's been there and just what, what is it about his style or just how he does it that's made him successful?
00:22:48
Speaker
So, Yeah, I think that he's, but it was interesting speaking with him about like, why did you come to MLS? Why didn't you go to the championship? Like so many English managers do, right? You just start with Millwall or Darby or Swansea, one of those three, always one of those three. And then either they get, they avoid relegation and your career may continue or they get relegated and they'll never coach in England ever again.
00:23:08
Speaker
And you'll never coach anywhere, frankly. Like it's it's incredibly harsh. And he'd seen that happen with one of his peers um who I've signed in football managers, my assistant coach on multiple occasions. ah And he he got the Millwall job, I want to say.
00:23:22
Speaker
And he got relegated and he hasn't coached since. And so he was like, maybe I should go somewhere else, build my stock before I take on England, take on the the you know the richest football system in the world. OK, no problem.
00:23:34
Speaker
um So he was genuinely interested in the opportunity of Minnesota, but also interested in it as like a I have a lot of work to do. And so like it's not like this is the safe landing place to like try it, but also like this is a league that's going world class facilities where I can learn what I want to do at the highest level. So so he's an ambitious dude.
00:23:51
Speaker
um He's also very personable players. As you've alluded to, he's around our age, right? He's in his young 30s. So a lot of players would say like, okay, it's, um you know, he could be one of the boys, whatever. And so how are you going to have authority in a locker room, right? And he always kind of stops as short of that. He likes rapport, but he is still going to stop short of like going out for, you know, a happy hour or whatever after the season ends and all that sort of stuff. Like he's going to be very, um,
00:24:18
Speaker
very much leaving some of that to his assistants, but also really trusting his captains like Boxall and trap and really like they're kind of the liaisons and Robin load. They'll have their meetings kind of like how Berhalter was doing with the men's national team for a while with that, like leadership core where it's like, I have my, my kind of surrogates where I understand what's going on in the locker room without having to like hang out and kick my feet back. Right.
00:24:38
Speaker
um And tactically, like his I think his he's still learning what really moves him. But one thing that he told me last fall when I sat down with him during the like five month break between the first and second round of the playoffs, I asked him just like, you know, that that whole like system.
00:24:55
Speaker
soccer Like, are you someone who like really eventually wants to get to the point where in 25 you're installing like a really strict thing? and He was like, honestly, I don't think fans come for that. Like, I don't think fans come to watch the chess game. Like they want to see someone take a wild shot. And it was like right when like prime Barkley's was like becoming a big meme.
00:25:10
Speaker
And he was just like, yeah, it's like fans want that sort of stuff. And I want my players to know, like, I know that you grew up wanting to do that. So do it if you can do it, but don't lose us games doing it. And so it's like finding that sort of happy medium of all of it. So like he he's someone that's really endeared himself to a lot of players in an organic way and not in the sort of like, how do you do fellow kids sort of way, which I think will always play a lot better.
00:25:33
Speaker
How long do you think he is for Minnesota? Because when I look at it, like if he keeps on this trajectory, i I'm having trouble honestly seeing any way like some really big club doesn't swoop him up.
00:25:48
Speaker
Yeah. But at the same point, we said the same thing about Wilfred Nancy after 2023. Right. And he's, he's still in Columbus. And part of that, again, is like what the coach wants. And I think, Nancy sees a lot of value in staying at Columbus for a while until he feels like his project, however, he'll define that himself, right.
00:26:03
Speaker
Is done. I think with Ramsey, he is still, he recognized opportunities. He was linked to the Southampton job, you know didn't want it. I wouldn't, it's fine. Like, I think I'd rather coach MLS than a recently relegated team, but that's just me.
00:26:16
Speaker
Um, But I do kind of have a difficult time. Let's see if if they won a major trophy this year. So they're in the quarterfinal of the Open Cup. um I don't think they'll get the shield at this point. And they have MLS Cup to play for possible still up to play for it, still to play for for the LA Galaxy as well.
00:26:33
Speaker
um So if they won one or two of those, it might be. a lot quicker that he'd feel like he could go but i think that he wants to give it two full years maybe three um i didn't get the sense that he was just like no like a like like just kind of taking jobs yeah total mercenary about it thank you yeah don't said merchant and that was just like categorically wrong so i use that term a lot too yeah yeah it doesn't seem that way about it i'll say that All right, i'll be I'll be interested to see how long he is how long he is in the league. Because and when you got a 32-year-old former Man U assistant who's like like, if he wins a trophy, like you said, i think his stock his stock is going to be real high
00:27:19
Speaker
Well, and Ten Hag got a job now, too. Right? Like, don't forget, like, that might actually matter, because I think usually the head coach someone was an assistant under, they're kind of, like, assessed as, like, a do we see success there? And if Leibkizan's willing to give Eric Ten Hag the job, like, I think it's easier for, like, I don't know, Portsmouth in two years if they're pushing a or wrecks him because he's Welsh, like, to look and say, like, hey, there might be opportunity here.
00:27:44
Speaker
joined by Jeff Reuter, senior writer at the athletic. Uh, if you guys have, uh, any questions for Jeff, drop them in chat. And if they're, uh, if they're not stupid, I'll, uh, I'll relay them to him. Uh, we, we, uh, we haven't had any chat questions yet.
00:28:02
Speaker
So you can ask a stupid one. You can ask stupid questions. Ask, ask whatever. till We get other questions. The stupid ones. We got a, we got a national writer here who is would be happy to answer your questions.
00:28:12
Speaker
Um, What was my next one? ah This Julian Gressel trade. yeah What do you think of it? Because the whole, whatever was going on with him at Inter-Miami, I wasn't really sure what was going on.
00:28:24
Speaker
I was like, is he playing pro soccer this year? Is he a podcaster? Unclear. Still feel like he, like, it's not like the last time he played, he looked washed. He's not that old. And at the, yeah, at the peak of his powers, and frankly, I've seen nothing to suggest other otherwise. This is one of the best. Yes.
00:28:44
Speaker
some of the best wide service that I've ever seen in MLS, to be honest. Yeah, I agree. And it's just, it adds such like a ah unique dynamic to any team that he's on. just yeah He's a specialist. He's such a specialist and he is so good at that one thing. He was incredible at it ah for Atlanta United. He helped the crew win MLS Cup. He did it when he was on the Whitecaps as well.
00:29:08
Speaker
And really, it's a guy that ah for years I've been like, man, I would love Seattle to get that guy just because he's so good. He's so good. And and he's, ah he's always, always seemed like a great tactical fit as well.
00:29:22
Speaker
But now he's on Minnesota United. He scored a goal. Was that his first game? Second game? Like a second game. Yeah. Second score to go in his second game. ah How has he looked so
Player Trades and Team Impact
00:29:31
Speaker
far? And just what do you think of what this trade, do you see it as a big ceiling booster? Maybe does it not move the needle as much? How do you size it up?
00:29:41
Speaker
I think, look, it doesn't fix the midfield issues. Right. And that's not every move has to address your biggest need. Right. you don't always have to draft for need at the top of the board. um And I think that ultimately they they wanted more flexibility with what they could do at right wing back and a little bit more help with like that playmaking, especially outside of midfield, because, again, scary midfields can't have that.
00:30:02
Speaker
ah That's their whole thing this year. I don't it's been their whole thing since Ozzy Alonzo left, honestly, which is just hilarious when you compare it to what's happened in Seattle since Ozzy left. But I digress. Um, the, the Gressel thing helps a lot because Longwane hasn't been a natural fit at right wing back. Boggy Longwane is a South African international. He's a converted center forward, played some right wing as well. So he's fully right back now.
00:30:27
Speaker
Yeah, and he's been playing as, like, it categorically lines up as a back five. Like, it's one of those where it's like, okay, is this Antonio Conte 3-4-3, right? Or, no, this is, like, a true, like, he is a right back, right, who runs up the wing and provides all of the width.
00:30:41
Speaker
And he looks bored. There was a time... um What team were they playing against? And he... was dribbling out to end a game, whatever. And he was far from the corner.
00:30:51
Speaker
And so he just started doing dribbling tricks like right at midfield. And then he got kicked, which good. ah But like, that's, that's the sort of thing. It's not a natural fit for him. He could be better as kind of an auxiliary striker. Or if again, in a new shape, you see something of like a three man frontline, he'd be a good kind of off ball runner um who could also finish in his own right. I think he's the second leading scorer in their MLS history already, which happened really quickly.
00:31:14
Speaker
Yeah. So there's opportunity there. And I think Russell is a more natural tactical fit. I think he has more um restraint, ah whether he's playing against Inter Miami or he's ah playing against his non-ex employers. He still like is very willing to recirculate and keep the ball um moving within their own half rather than make a stupid mistake that'll ship a goal, even if it's a blowout. right like that Like that kind of player where he's going to be really big picture about it.
00:31:43
Speaker
um so i i think it's just a really good fit one of those players you don't expect to see available and only a few clubs like granted like miami had to eat a lot of his salary right and and there's the waiver process with all that as well with the buyout but um i think that there was a very thin number of clubs that could still afford a senior roster slot as well as the salary necessary to bring in gressel so that really limits your pool of suitors and um you know, he's a guy who likes to win. And I guess Minnesota looked like one of the best opportunities to him.
00:32:14
Speaker
Yeah. When I saw that trade, I was like, Oh, that, Oh, that's a good, yeah that's a good fit. Yeah. That's a good fit for the loons. All right. We got a few in, in, ah in chat here. Here we go. So let's knock these out.
00:32:26
Speaker
ah We got one from PK ah is Dane St. Clair. Okay. He looked like he got kind of banged up last night, last game. Do you have any updates on the status of Dane St. Clair for this, uh,
00:32:37
Speaker
I have no updates on his status, but I will say he's been looking really good this year. And so there's every understandable reason, like, look, Dane's one of those goalkeepers. He's a, he's a Maryland goalkeeper actually. So like Zach McMath and Zach Steffen, um, sometimes they have random little 10 game spells where they look like they haven't played much goalkeeper lately. Right.
00:32:56
Speaker
And it'll be in the middle of the season and it will cause results. And he had a couple of those spells 2023. And since the start 2024, and since the start of twenty twenty four um And Lunes fans would be like, what changed between 2023 and 2024? Right. But like, ah since then he has looked more comfortable.
00:33:13
Speaker
He has looked more assured and like, just like has that sort of like command of area and eccentricity and stuff that will play. So um big loss. They don't really have a good backup at this point this year.
00:33:25
Speaker
um But yeah, I would say check Andy Greeter and John Martholler. They're the ones going to training every day.
00:33:32
Speaker
This one's from North Sound. Jeff, any Aussie stories? ah Yeah, you tell yours and then I can tell mine. yeah I have a famously good Aussie story. was going to say, you'll have a better one. I promise. Because I think by the time, like it was one of those things where it's... His his heart was... It was no joke, the whole Cortezone thing. like His heart was Seattle, right? And so it was a very different sort of post-hype.
00:33:53
Speaker
um um i i But I will say the way that... the locker room talked about him, like the first interactions with him was they had, it was like him and Ike Opara came in within a week, right? Which is just like an insane influx of like late twenties, 10 MLS best 11 thread every single year, defensive stout to bring in a year.
00:34:17
Speaker
And the work of like Ozzie and Ike, like, more than anything else, probably transformed Minnesota United as a club, like yeah all together, having that professionalism.
00:34:27
Speaker
um He was one of the first guys to work with the Academy kids and like Minnesota's never had a good Academy. ah They've punted on their Academy twice already since going to MLS. So they're on the third try of an Academy in the last.
00:34:40
Speaker
eight years, not a good rate, but Ozzy was like there working with the young kids, uh, like the family sort of family friendly atmosphere. Minnesota is being a smaller market and all that sort of stuff. So nothing really audacious. He's got the first goal in Allianz field history. So like that's the thing that he'll, yeah, that's the thing that he'll, he'll always be beloved for by Minnesota fans. And yeah, to date, he's still the only actual defensive midfielder the club has employed since coming to MLS, which is also a weird thing for him to hold on to.
00:35:10
Speaker
Yeah, I think, ah honestly, if I were naming my all-time favorite Sounders, he if he's not one, he's like in the top two to three. There's other candidates. Who's your top This is an entire episode. like We actually did. We literally have done content on this on ah Mount Rushmore. But it's got to change, right?
00:35:30
Speaker
like I mean, yeah, I don't know. like we we eliminat it We did all field players for it. But um on my personal one, Ozzy's on it. Ladero can't not be on it. And then beyond that, there's just so much. There's so many guys that have yeah cases for it. I'm sure I admit like naming just those two guys. There are like 10 other guys that people are going to say I should named. No question. Yeah. but yeah But ah my Aussie story, I'll keep it. I usually go into the details on this story, but. ah he ah He one time ah screenshotted one of my articles and posted it on his Instagram because there was ah there was something in there about his injury history. And at that time, he really wanted a new contract and really didn't want...
00:36:15
Speaker
he didn't want any narrative out there that he was injury prone. And so he screenshotted it and wrote this caption that was like, I've been taking injections in my knee every day to be able to play and lay my heart on the city. That's not a good thing to admit, by the way. I mean, I, yeah, no, I mean, exactly.
00:36:33
Speaker
But ah he, my name was in it. And, you know, of course in that situation, when, ah when you have like an athlete calling out the writer, no one's gonna take the writer's side it's all know and ever move the evil media is out to get you yes uh but anyway that wasn't like a super fun day on the internet uh but but it has a happy ending because i got a call from pr and they said hey he like didn't realize that was your article like if you when you come out to training today we'll set you up with them and uh you guys uh you guys can uh squash this or whatever
00:37:07
Speaker
I was like, okay, I don't really want to do that. But like, cause you know, Ozzy's like, where was Sounders PR when Drake and Kendrick dropped the first track? It's all could have ended. So I appreciated that. Like he was willing to do that, I guess. But anyway, they, ah they set us up and he was like, Hey man, like, sorry. Like I didn't, if I, he said, if I didn't, if I'd known you wrote it, like I wouldn't have posted that.
00:37:28
Speaker
I think it was the first time he ever made the connection uh, Like the people who are at training every day asking him questions are the same people who like write the articles that he's reading. It didn't seem like he'd ever, he he was like, oh that was you.
00:37:41
Speaker
like the loss Like, sorry, man. You don't all have the hats with the plaquins. But anyway, he would he was like, if I had known that was you, I wouldn't have posted that. Like, my bad. And then we actually hugged it out.
00:37:55
Speaker
so Oh my god. yeah That's great. Okay, so like tell me, what kind of hugger is Ozzy Alonzo? Is he like a kind of like an X shape, you do that, you do that? Is he a fist bump and clap clap? I think it was ah like ah a clap and then a like one of those. Strong.
00:38:10
Speaker
yeah That's captain's material right there. Exactly. exactly Yeah, and it still respect some boundaries, at the same point, we're brothers. That's, yeah. But anyway, that's my, ah that's my Ozzie. That's a good one. That's a really good one.
00:38:21
Speaker
I actually, that's, I told that story recently when I was talking to, i was speaking at a middle school career day where at school where my friend teaches and they, a lot of them were very disinterested, but they liked that story.
00:38:34
Speaker
Is he ahead of their time? The kids don't know Ozzie Alonzo. Yeah, exactly. That's that' sad. Uh, well, I didn't think much. Sorry. Yeah. I'm just realizing that's like, yeah, the kids. Sure. Sure. Sure.
00:38:47
Speaker
Yeah. Um,
Debates on Player Value and Team Strategy
00:38:49
Speaker
all right. We got two people who asked a question on the same topic. One from Pat, one from Jake. I'll just pull, uh, Jake's up here. And actually uh, I was going to ask you about this as well.
00:38:59
Speaker
I don't know how, uh, familiar, familiar you are with the Albert Rusnak discourse that goes on in the, Sounders fan base. I'm a gawker. Yeah, I'm an Albert Rusnak truther, to be fair. Like, I i think he's good at soccer, yeah. And he was on my best 11 last year. I want to say that out loud.
00:39:15
Speaker
Okay, so you went you went that far. You went best 11. I had him over Ryan Gold as my last pick in midfield. All right, so that kind of gets into the question that Jake had here. But he said, Jeff, there's a debate here in Seattle about if Albert Rusnak is worth his DP slot.
00:39:31
Speaker
Do you think Rusnak is really in the conversation for MVP? If not, why are you in the anti-Rusnak brigade? wrong And I would, I guess I would add to that, like, ah what, what do you make of the fact that there's a debate over his DP status at all? Because, like, I honestly, there is a point where I was like, all right, obviously, the people who are saying that he's like, terrible, like in an actively bad player are pretty delusional.
00:39:55
Speaker
But i I suppose there is a debate to be had as to whether this is this guy's worth bringing back as a DP or if ah you should Tam or Walkett, offer him Tam. And if he doesn't, because is he that good? Like, is he, like, as should you be paying him like a Lucho Acosta or something like that? That's like more of a that's more of a debate.
00:40:16
Speaker
I still think, especially with how this season has started and how he's still producing, I think even that has become not a debate, but that's just my opinion. what ah What are your takes on the- Yeah, i am my my distracted look, like it's not that i'm like nervous and can't make eye contact about talking about Albert Rusnok. It is, I am loading my Opta data console to to do some fun with numbers just to back my case because that's a ridiculous clamoring.
00:40:39
Speaker
look at If you look at attacking midfielders since the start of 2024, only three have more non-penalty goals and assists in Major League Soccer competitions. So that includes the playoffs.
00:40:51
Speaker
Evander, Lucho Acosta. Hey, that's fun that those guys are linked together. And Diego Luna, who is the second coming of Christ. So yeah like that is generally good company to be in for Major League Soccer.
00:41:01
Speaker
um If you're looking at the players, actually pulled this because I'm doing our team guide because I have to write about the Club World Cup. Which is too bad, but I am.
00:41:12
Speaker
And I'm going to the Sounders game against Botafogo, which is going to be a blast. Jeff's coming to Seattle. I am coming to Seattle. It's gonna be awesome. I can't wait. ah And I wrote 41.7% of the goals that he has scored since the start last year won games.
00:41:28
Speaker
Yep. Which is one of those things that's like, okay, well, it's just timing is everything, right? But like, if you look at it, that is a rate where very few players who score multiple game winning goals will actually hit that rate. That's like Lucho Acosta level. That's just above Jordan Morris, if you're looking against forwards and wingers or like, yeah.
00:41:46
Speaker
So like, That's a really good sign that someone's worth a DP slot because i would argue that the most important job of a designated player is to greatly improve your team's chances of winning soccer games. Yes.
00:42:00
Speaker
More than anything else. Like, I don't care where you do it. I kind of care. I wouldn't use a TV slot on a fullback ever, but like probably not a goalkeeper either. But like, I think that when you're using them in the right area on the right player, your chances as a team, your ceiling will fluctuate because it depends on the rest the around you, but your floor is going to get higher.
00:42:22
Speaker
You're going to have fewer opportunities to lose games because you just didn't have that game breaker like Ricky Pooge or Tiago Almada. Right. Just like guys who aren't here anymore, I guess. um Like you don't have that guy.
00:42:35
Speaker
You can't win as... close of games. And I think Albert Rusak is that guy. I think that he's been that guy with RSL. yeah So he has a track record. I think that if you wanted to play devil's advocate a little bit, you would point out that he's 30, right?
00:42:50
Speaker
hit 30. he's hit thirty so How long are you extending him? but my See, my argument for that is like, ah he it's it's not like his game is super reliant on speed or athleticism. it's He's a more cerebral player.
00:43:07
Speaker
So that's why I didn't mind them bringing him back when he was 30. Because it's not like a it's not a player that's like, oh, if he's not like max level explosive, his level is going to drop that much. Like he has a game that will age well, I think.
00:43:21
Speaker
Absolutely. He does. and And you've seen it in Seattle, right? Like it's just if you have the right playmaker who knows how to like turn athleticism into guile, right? Because that that makes it a little bit easier if you're like bag of tricks and like knowing the game enough to predict tendencies of opponents and exploit them before they happen.
00:43:40
Speaker
Like that stuff you can't really do in your 20s. Not as well. um Unless you're like a prodigy. So I still think there's a DP contract in there for him. I will say I do understand the hand-wringing about the last offseason.
00:43:56
Speaker
I liked a lot of the moves Seattle made. I thought Craig Weibel had a hell of a window. um I really liked the Ferreira pickup. um I have a series that I do on the athletic called moves I like, which is exactly as it sounds. And I don't try to sensationalize it. And that's just like, I like this.
00:44:13
Speaker
And I got Danny Masavsky right in 2024 feels really good right now. And Jesus Ferreira finally came good. gets San Diego is kind of needing that one. But I like the fit overall, because I think that this evolution of the sounders kind of needed to get.
00:44:28
Speaker
I think that versatility of different looks is going to be a massive help because it's just a little bit harder to do what Atlanta did to Miami last fall and just say, okay, well, I know exactly how you're going to play. And I know exactly how i' going to style it. RSL did it a few years ago. That was scary. Right.
00:44:42
Speaker
So like, you've got to find a little bit more, don't change too much, but make sure that you have a shape that can kind of unsettle opponents based on the matchup. And, and so I thought for a really helped with that. Another guy where it's like between him, La Vega, Roth rock, you know,
00:45:00
Speaker
Paul Arreola, we thought was going to play a little bit more of a role this year, unfortunately. ah But like when you have all those guys, plus Jordan Morris and Rustock, it's like, okay, there's so much you can do with that front four. There's so much you can do with a three and then like one of your midfielders. Like,
00:45:16
Speaker
it's just worth having that flexibility because of the gold cup this year and injuries that always happen and potential for transfers elsewhere. So um I liked the moves a lot.
00:45:29
Speaker
I think you need that versatility. And so I can understand where if someone says i like the versatility too, but are we sure Roosnock is like, I don't think he's ever made the like the top three, top five of mp MVP voting. So yeah, yeah that's prereq.
00:45:47
Speaker
Like fine. But I mean, I would rather have a guy who's proven it for most of a decade already and is still only like 30 years old than gamble on a guy who's never lived outside of Europe before and hope that he hits the ground running.
00:46:01
Speaker
Yeah, so I was actually, i was thinking about this ah this topic today, and I was going to talk about it later, but we're on it right now. So I'm i'm i'm curious your thoughts on ah on this, which is that I think ah i think the main the main reason that moves like...
00:46:18
Speaker
albert rusnak joining the sounders in the first place or them going out and getting uh jesus ferreira they weren't necessarily received that well by all uh not like the majority but a fair amount of the family fan base enough felt like yeah they felt like they were underwhelming and i'm pretty sure that the primary reason for that is because they are coming from another mls team and i don't think there's that much more to it than that.
00:46:43
Speaker
Albert Rusnak had played for Real Salt Lake for a few years, so he was established in and MLS when the Sounders went out and acquired him. And, you know, the anti-Rusnak people, they don't they really don't like it when I point this out.
00:46:55
Speaker
But literally, like always said, just like just pretend the RSL... ah like tenure never yet literally just pretend that he didn't play for ah rsl and they signed him from the air to vca where he was playing before he went to mls uh and and then if they if you just put that out of your mind then you'll look at the production and be like if this guy didn't come from another mls team we would be talking about what a hit this signing was that's a great framing Absolutely true. They know it's true, too, and that's why they don't like it when I bring that up.
00:47:25
Speaker
But I think the same thing i was thinking about how as it applies to Ferreira, you know, there was there's been a lot of discourse the last few weeks because Ferreira took a really long time to score his first goal for the Sounders.
00:47:36
Speaker
And there are people saying that the signing was looking like a total bust. But, you know, I'm looking at it and i'm I'm seeing a guy that, yeah, he hadn't scored a goal yet, but he had done some genuinely good work for this team as a playmaker this year.
00:47:50
Speaker
forest yes its ah He has five assists in league play. Two of those are primary, but like still five assists in league play, seven across all comps because he had a couple in CCC as well.
00:48:01
Speaker
So like the the playmaking production has been fully there. If Jesus Ferreira did not come from FC Dallas, say they got him from name whatever league you want name.
00:48:12
Speaker
Like if Jesus Ferreira came to this team from a different league like that ah with the with the pretty much the same production and pedigree and he had seven assists, all comps, but hadn't scored yet.
00:48:25
Speaker
the The narrative around him, and this is true, would be, damn, this guy's kind of lighting it up with the assists. Like he's really good. I can't believe Brentford didn't sign him. yeah like Yeah, he's doing awesome as a playmaker.
00:48:38
Speaker
and ah like i you know He hasn't scored a goal yet, but that'll probably come. He's got like a good track record. So this is like a really encouraging, awesome acquisition. That is how it would be talked about if these guys didn't come from other MLS teams.
00:48:52
Speaker
So optically, that's what happens when you when you acquire guys like that. However, this is what I was thinking about. In actual practice, don't you drastically increase the odds of a signing or a trade acquisition hitting if you're getting a guy who already has been ah provenly productive in the league? With Rusnak, one of the reasons I liked the move when they originally made it was because, well, watched him play for years, but also it's like you pretty much already know...
00:49:23
Speaker
what you're going to be getting ah production-wise because you've already seen him do it in the league. Ferreira had 50-plus goals ah in the league before he got here. and played so i actually years ago yeah I actually think that there's like something like strategically smart about sound about a yes Sound in targeting guys when you can that have already been in the league and shown that they can do it. So while it might not be exciting because you're not going out and getting them from some other league that people perceive as superior, you're actually putting yourself in a situation where the odds that you're going to hit on the acquisition are quite a bit higher.
00:50:02
Speaker
and think we've seen that with rusnak and i think that it's gonna when when it's all said and done we're probably going to be saying the same thing about ferreira like what what do you think of that strategy i think that's like the biggest reason i was very excited about the cash cash transfer or cash trade is such a silly way to say we have a transfer market in this league now but only if it's for like good players right like and just like don't start doing like we're gonna spend less than the fifty thousand dollars a minimum allocation money and spend $20,000 on your third goalkeeper just to say piss off to Don Garber's rules, right? Like, it's not that, but like,
00:50:36
Speaker
seeing Jack McGlynn, like that be the next step in his evolution before he goes abroad. That's really fun. Like if sporting Kansas city wants to like bail out the galaxy a little bit with their cap situation and spend a lot, despite the team behind him, not being ready for a striker of his profile.
00:50:52
Speaker
Great. Let them do it. But I think that there's an actual opportunity like the Jesus Ferreira trade where you look at it and trade. I just said it. They won. Damn it, Ari, they got me. The transfer, like it it does help a lot to be able to actually look and say like um he's worth this much to us and the fee is going to be lower because it's MLS and it's our own league. So we're still building the ecosystem. I don't think any team, there's like very few players in this league that I think that if like Seattle called and was like, we're interested in blank,
00:51:24
Speaker
How much is his price? They would give you an eight figure valuation. Right. And think of how many times you've seen an MLS team named Atlanta United spend over 10 million dollars on a like very mediocre Argentine. Right.
00:51:35
Speaker
So like six times. yeah Yeah, exactly. Right. And that's just one team. So like you're right. There is value there because inherently the market hasn't been established enough. to establish a baseline that is higher than the actual return you'll probably get compared to alternatives, right? Like you said, the the fake guy who's just Albert Rusnak, but like with a time glitch who comes...
00:51:59
Speaker
from the air to busy, he is going to be like so much more expensive, right? Because you're competing. Exactly. Exactly. And you're competing at that point, not just for, I think that that player is worth $10 million. dollars You're competing against the club that has that guy saying, yeah, but I know if I wait,
00:52:17
Speaker
until the summer instead of the winter, I can probably get 15 out of a La Liga side. So no, I won't sell him yet. Right. But like with an MLS, I don't know, there's an opportunity there. They have real cash that they can reinvest. Like,
00:52:30
Speaker
Um, and, and if they, sometimes there are teams that just get twitchy and say, we need a new DP because it's like one of three things we can do every off season and that actually gets a fan base excited. Right.
00:52:40
Speaker
There's like three things MLS teams can do from the months for like, if you miss the playoffs from October until March that you can do to actually keep your fan base engaged. You have a new coach.
00:52:52
Speaker
You have a new stadium and you have a new DP. The stadium one shouldn't happen too often. The coach one, unless you're St. Louis, isn't going to happen terribly frequently either or Montreal. But if you are most teams, designated players are the surest way to do it or a jersey. But then he putting a lot of faith in Adidas at that point.
00:53:08
Speaker
um I just think it's a no brainer. Like if you see a player who doesn't quite work in a different system or is available that you wouldn't expect, why won't you want to kick the tires on that? Like it's just it makes no sense to me why that would be.
00:53:22
Speaker
underwhelming unless you're expecting the second coming of Obafemi Martins, right? Like, but at the same point, who's that guy? And is he going to be better value or a better fit than someone who already knows how to take, I will say like the one other thing with Ferreira, I'm not surprised it took this long because it wasn't just that he you got a move with an MLS and he wanted to go to Europe and was so close to going to shot car or what was it? Sporting.
00:53:44
Speaker
It was Moscow. Moscow. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. yeah Last year that he almost went there. It's not that. It's also his first time living away from home. yeah ah he dude Yeah, of course it's going to take a minute for any homegrown to adjust and acclimate like of any caliber.
00:53:59
Speaker
it just It makes total sense. and I think he's got the right people around him. It looks like he's finally yeah on his way to to begging the goals or whatever. Yeah, the ah the timing of him getting his first goal was ah absolutely phenomenal for me individually because we started a miniature firestorm of discourse with a clip that I had talking about how I thought everyone who was calling him a bust was like being way, way melodramatic about the whole situation.
00:54:27
Speaker
And, you know, I, on the live shows, I'm just ripping, I was ripping for like 12 minutes. So yeah, like I, it's just 12 minutes of me being like, yeah, he has some assists guys. He has some assists.
00:54:38
Speaker
He's got a lot of goals. It's going to just call, it's going to be fine. Like I was doing that doing that whole thing. And then the next game, the next game he scored guy. Yeah. you know He heard you. He listened to that in his locker room, just threw on the headphones in just 12 minutes. just yeah i am that i can I can take credit for it for leaving.
00:54:56
Speaker
But like it's like it's it's one of those things where it's actually not hard to predict. like when you like all Literally, all I was doing was just going off track record.
00:55:08
Speaker
So like, it's, it's just funny to me that we've seen situations like that happen like so many times and people just kind of still don't learn. We got Wes in the chat. Wes, welcome in. I think first time Lobbing Scorchers chatter Wes.
00:55:23
Speaker
ah He says just logged on Jeff. Have we already hit Heath to St. Louis? What is he talking about? Did that happen? Or is that just an idea? it's ah It's an idea that people are talking about. What are
Coaching and Team Culture in MLS
00:55:34
Speaker
you thinking? and There are many people who are talking about Adrian Heath to St. Louis City.
00:55:38
Speaker
um Look, I kind of like it. I kind of like it. Tell me why. let's Let's start with that. Yeah. we i'll I'll give you some context. Basically, the idea is St. Louis just fired their coach yeah and they need a coach.
00:55:50
Speaker
And there is a guy who has maybe helped a team outperform in the past yeah compared to ownership investment. And he would like to coach again. yeah He just, ah I mean, you would know better if he was actually a good coach or not, but I do know that he had some pretty good Minnesota United teams when he was the coach and ah they did a little bit of punching above their weight, which is what a club like St. Louis would need to do.
00:56:16
Speaker
And he just seems, he struck me as like his strength as a coach seemed like kind of culture building, like sort of setting a foundation, setting a standard.
00:56:27
Speaker
And like he was really, he kind of built the loons up from the, one of the worst expansion launches ever into like a legitimate team, which I i always thought that that was like,
00:56:38
Speaker
probably not the easiest thing to do. And even if like his like in game decisions and substitutions and tactics, sometimes I was like, I'm not fully sure he knows what he's doing in terms of the, ah ah yeah like the other stuff that you need a coach to be good at.
00:56:56
Speaker
it It seems like a club like St. Louis could actually benefit from a coach of that profile. That's what I was thinking. But what are your takes on whether he's actually a good coach or not? Cause I honestly don't know.
00:57:07
Speaker
Yeah, I think there's there's like good value in what you're saying to like, that's that's what a club like that needs like. ah Cincinnati kind of over. not overcorrected they like there's a certain benchmark you expect a team to hit when you have no culture when you continually are going to the european well and like no one knows what's going on because it's mls and so all they do is they spend all their meetings complaining about the roster rules instead of like trying to navigate around them right like that's cincinnati before chris albright and pat newton right and obviously they got a genuine like franchise changing coach who can be there for over half a decade but
00:57:44
Speaker
I think that most teams would settle for a guy who will stabilize get you some wins you want to one before and maybe in the second year get you into the playoffs and then once it looks like the message is kind of stopped and you move on to your sexier hire that you had kind of in the back of your mind all along.
00:57:58
Speaker
um At this stage of his career, that's probably more likely just because I think eventually Adrian would also like to be a sporting director, like just full time with that. I don't think he got double duty. He was like, it was like one of four guys or three guys. It was like him, Vermees and Bruce Arena at one point. And Bob Bradley, I think we're the only four who had like,
00:58:21
Speaker
both the the sporting director responsibility and head coaching uh i would say if you make him focus on one or the other he'll do better and hey i know players liked him a lot like there are a lot of veterans who yeah like michael boxall and robin load who will say like our careers are much much better because of him um I think, though, like your your concerns of in-game management, like that's a viable counterpoint. And so, too, is like his team's defending when they didn't have two best 11 caliber, like ah a center back and defensive midfielder, and then that year's goalkeeper of the year in 2019. Every other year outside of that, they struggled lot defensively, and they were known to like ship goals at weird times ah for one reason or another. So I think that there's it's understandable why... like
00:59:06
Speaker
Austin, Houston, maybe decided to go and, or not Houston. He was still there in the job, but like Austin and Dallas, whatever. Like I get what they wanted to do differently, but like, yeah, I think in the right circumstance, there could be, um,
00:59:22
Speaker
I don't know. I think it makes sense. I think that there are, you know, how was like a meme for almost half a decade in MLS circles. Like, well, they should just hire Dom Kinnear. Right. Yeah. It's just like he knows the league and he'll, he'll get the boys to listen and he'll, he'll tell them to trust their instincts and it'll work for at least a year and a half. Like, I think he's at that point where like, yes, if if he got the right core of players and could tell them to trust their instincts, like I think they'd outperform what they did under Olaf Melberg.
00:59:46
Speaker
Got a couple from Steve here in chat. Let's talk about these. And ah Jeff, I'll have you weigh in here as well, because I think this is actually an interesting topic. ah The Sounders are great at making solid moves that don't excite their fan base. At a certain point, exciting the fan base is actually important thing on its own, Ari.
01:00:01
Speaker
And then he says, Oh, yeah, that was aggressive. yeah The Ferrer haters were way premature in calling him a bust. Let's see if the Ferrer fans are also premature in victory lapping after he scores one goal with nearly half an MLS season gone. That's coming in hot but uh i'm uh i'll uh i'll i'll i'll take on these uh the first point like uh making moves that excite the fan base actually is important i i agree with that to like to an extent and i actually uh i was advocating for them to like try and make splashier moves like for that reason because i do think it's important when uh to like uh when you're making an acquisition to try and have people actually be excited
01:00:43
Speaker
about it however that should not you like if you're faced with a situation where albert rusnak or jesus ferreira are available you shouldn't not get them based on that and furthermore i would i think like the idea that they never have made like exciting moves i don't think i would agree with that i think nico ladero and raul ruy diaz were both uh very exciting high pedigree moves that uh you know not you know It wasn't like huge names necessarily, but they were players of exciting profiles. And I think even this year, ah Ryan Kent has generated a lot of buzz ah from what he's done on the field, but also ah just when they got him. they that It generated some excitement because of you know where he was coming from, the type of player he was.
01:01:31
Speaker
So ah like I understand the premise, but I just i don't think you can... use that approach to like inform whether or not you acquire a player like the excitement factor can't be like the difference between going and getting albert rusnak if you can yeah or getting it going and getting his who's fair if you can uh and not doing it you still got to do it even if it might not be the flashiest thing And as for the victory lapping thing, I was very clear on the post game live that I wasn't victory lapping. I know that it's only one goal.
01:02:04
Speaker
I was just remarking that the timing is pretty funny in that ah like, yeah, I'm not validated yet, but I think him getting his first goal combined with what he's done as a playmaker this year, my, my take that he hasn't been a bust and probably won't be a bust is looking a lot better right now than, uh,
01:02:22
Speaker
the people who were crashing out three days ago about how he's a bus because he didn't have a goal yet. So. Sing it. Totally agree. And on the first point, I will say, like, I get what you're saying about, like, are these exciting? Don't you need to excite your fan base? But like, one, you're still here. I'm sorry.
01:02:40
Speaker
Like, there's a certain point where if you're that diehard, it's going to take like an off field scandal to kind of, or the team just being like unbelievably bad for like 10 years. Like, I think there are probably still a good number of galaxy fans,
01:02:57
Speaker
Okay. There's a profile of Galaxy fan that because they were irrelevant for four years, found it very easy to jump ship and go for LAFC, right? Like, that's a weird factor in this hypothetical I just tried to like reference.
01:03:10
Speaker
ah But the fans who stuck with them probably loved the 2024 MLS Cup more than like any of the previous ones because of the weight. And I think that payoff is the intoxicating thing that keeps all of us coming back. Right.
01:03:26
Speaker
But I will say for like. relevance within Seattle, ah kids wanting to play for the Academy and or just wanting to play ball. Right. And like actually like pick it up.
01:03:37
Speaker
You know what does that more than signing David DaCosta like Portland did, who like most people in Portland hadn't heard of before he showed up and they're all like, who? Right. Because there's a learning curve and acclimation with that. This isn't like the NBA where it's like, OK, we just traded for this guy. Look at his highlight package in the same league. We've played him. We know him. Right.
01:03:53
Speaker
um You know, it does more than than that. Having the emergence of Paul Rothrock Like I kid you not like that probably moves the needle more for Seattle specifically having someone who is from Seattle, like actually step in, step up and like suddenly find his best and be like hardworking. I can see myself out there when he's on the field. And like, I think like, I know that there's some eye rolling there's and there's some like, come on, but you didn't spend anything for him. But like that genuinely is,
01:04:25
Speaker
the sort of thing that gets that excitement to a like meaningful, sustainable level. The people who are really upset about which club, which league they brought in are probably already like there.
01:04:37
Speaker
So, yeah, i don't know. like what What you hit on with youth development there, I think is an an an important point. Like what I, what I love about what they've done with the commitment to the Academy and like really developing these players and having them be impact players for the first team.
01:04:52
Speaker
It makes it, it makes the team like really feel like it's, Seattle. Like it's a, yes it's a Seattle team. It's got a lot of Seattle athletes. They put a lot of, uh, time, effort, resources, and money in like having there be like a real Seattle identity um on the team.
01:05:10
Speaker
Like Jordan Morris has obviously been a huge part of that, but you could go down the list like Jackson Reagan, Seattle guy, Paul Rothrock, like you mentioned in this game. Like I thought it was
Seattle's Focus on Local Talent
01:05:20
Speaker
so sick at the game last night, uh, when Stu Hawks got called, it got called on, called into duty,
01:05:26
Speaker
and went out there and helped the team keep a clean sheet and it's like yeah that's why uh that's why you invest locally like that and bring these guys up because you can be in a situation where you have like five center backs hurt and you can put the homegrown kid out there and he's gonna perform so like And if he makes a mistake, I'll tell you what, your fans will be a little more forgiving than if he was a guy that you signed from Columbia for a transfer fee who has a similar background. Right. It's true.
01:05:57
Speaker
Yeah. hu Jeff, I got, I got a couple more for you. I don't want to keep you up too late, but if you, if you do need to jet at any point and and I'm rambling, just ah go ahead. But, uh,
01:06:08
Speaker
I guess ah let's let's hit a couple of other more national storylines. And again, if you got any any other questions or topics you want us to hit, go ahead and drop them in chat. ah But you mentioned you mentioned it very briefly, but like what do you make of what's up with the LA Galaxy right now?
01:06:25
Speaker
like both in terms yeah of uh like just how like historically uh bad this run is but also just the strategy of going all in like that totally all in putting all your chips in the middle of the table and knowing knowing that it's you're gonna pay the bill's gonna come due you're gonna pay a price for it And like, has what's happened to them changed the way you think about that at all? Because I've been saying the whole time, like from the beginning of the season when they didn't start off that well, all the way to when it went fully off the rails.
01:06:58
Speaker
It doesn't say when did it start going well? i Like, I like, yeah, the no, two point. I just, I thought that once it went off the rails, I was like, it's still worth it. It was still worth it.
01:07:09
Speaker
Like sometimes you got to sell out, go get the ring. And if you get it and you pay a price for it, it's worth it. Shiny trophy, shiny trophy, still shiny. You know, I got to say they are like pushing the limits of what, of what I, if I think that trade-off was actually worth it just because of how much it's gone off the rails. Yeah.
01:07:31
Speaker
And like, I get it. Like, I have no issue with them going all in and putting their chips in the table like that. But for it to be this bad, it's almost like they've already sacrificed a lot of the equity they got from the cup. It really does feel like that.
01:07:46
Speaker
Greg Vanney, who just got extended, walked over there and like was apologizing to the fans and stuff last night. That's the type of stuff that was happening when they were doing the Chris Klein out. Yeah, that's right. no That's right.
01:07:56
Speaker
How are they already back in that situation after literally just winning and MLS Cup? I'm surprised they're in that position, not for the reason. I'm surprised that there's this much disdain for it.
01:08:08
Speaker
This is actually one of the most fascinating things for me that's made me like, shit, am I a contrarian? Like, I don't understand all the fervor and upsetness about this shit.
01:08:19
Speaker
Like, it's it's funny, man. Like, if if the league's commitment to parity is as good as they try to make it, you will only win MLS Cup once every 30 years.
01:08:30
Speaker
It doesn't work like that. I know. I'm really sorry, CF Montreal. It doesn't work like that. But if it did, it would still be too long between MLS Cups. So you should probably celebrate them when you get them, is my point.
01:08:45
Speaker
ah I think it made a ton of sense for them to go all in. I think it was reckless in the sense of their inability to keep guys...
01:08:55
Speaker
five through 14 on their roster, which is too many guys to have to like make compromises on for your next season. Right. Like I think that's the part that's reckless, but yeah, if if I had a chance to win MLS cup with a Ricky Pooge guy at the heart of it, I'd do it every time.
01:09:17
Speaker
Cause that's the sort of stuff that like fans are going to love. Fans love possession. This is my, my big thing with like watching Minnesota is like, no team in MLS history has been more allergic to possession, right? And how do you get fans excited? You have to win.
01:09:31
Speaker
If you don't win, you better be entertaining. If you're not entertaining, why are they still here? Right? There's just like, that's the, the symbiotic relationship sort of with teams and their fan bases. And I think that when you get to the galaxy, you did it. And, um,
01:09:44
Speaker
I think you did it in a way that was so reliant on one player that once he tore his ACL, this year was always fucked. But this fucked? This fucked?
01:09:55
Speaker
No, not this
LA Galaxy's Challenges and Strategies
01:09:56
Speaker
fucked. 0-12-4. Yeah, and that's what goes back to the 5-14 issue, right, with their squad management. And that's that's where I think the more interesting discussion lies, and that's not the discussion I've been seeing.
01:10:06
Speaker
um But, like, yeah, they were never going to finish higher than fourth without Ricky Pooge, and even then fourth would have been like, how did you do that? Because that entire team operates around him to such an extent that every player in their midfield is playing out of position right now because Ricky Pooge isn't there, and there are squad limits, so they need to make sure they keep...
01:10:26
Speaker
the spot available for him. And therefore, that you know, whatever your whole midfield calibration, there's no second Ricky Pooch that you can just install and the whole thing operates similarly. um Attackers, Paintsville and Peck look a lot worse without him. I'm not surprised. They're both better off the ball. They're having to do more on the ball. That's just going to happen.
01:10:42
Speaker
every Everyone is worse with more of the ball, given the amount of shares that he has. You can't discount how unique, not just how uniquely important he is, but how unique of a player he is and how difficult that's going to be to like make the whole thing work.
01:10:55
Speaker
when you've already kind of made half of your commitments for the next season before his knee goes. I don't know. I just like, the other thing is if if the guy who won you a championship likes playing for this coach, like, yeah, maybe don't announce the contract renewal.
01:11:10
Speaker
I'm actually... I've actually come to the conclusion that keeping him is perfectly defensible and might even be... It's cromulent. It's fine. It might even be the actively right move because with Greg Vanu, you have a situation where he lives and dies by that club. He...
01:11:29
Speaker
loves the l la galaxy he it's he's a it's a little similar to schmetzer in a way and that like there's i don't think anyone on the planet earth that cares more about the success of the la galaxy than greg vanney and when you have someone who's got like that deep of loyalty and passion and devotion for something i can understand like sticking with them through tough times especially when they just won you a championship But just back to the whole topic of the trade-off, like Seattle people can relate relate to that exact trade-off because when they won Champions League in 2022, it tanked their season. like at And they missed the playoffs for the first time in club history.
01:12:08
Speaker
And ah I said and still say and will always say that there's there's literally not even the remotest, faintest of a hint of a debate about like whether that trade-off was worth it. you Couldn't agree more. You take Champions League over the playoffs any time if that's the trade trade-off that has to be made.
01:12:26
Speaker
But the difference is, like, when Seattle was struggling in 2022 after winning Champions League, ah yeah, like, they lost Joe Paolo with the torn ACL. ah There was a lot of, like, fatigue, additional injuries, and the team just kind of fell apart.
01:12:42
Speaker
And it was bad, but it wasn't, like, that bad. They they ended up at, like, 1.2 to 1.3 points. points per game which is bad but it's like whatever it's not like the worst you were contending until at least the second yeah like it's not the worst and MLS season I've ever seen this Galaxy team has they haven't won a game Jeff they literally haven't won a game that's not 16 games through the season like it just it uh yeah yeah even Even with the knowledge that the trade-off is worth it Like I said, they're like pushing the bounds of like and what I consider to be worth it. And maybe I am getting like way too trust the process of all of this. and like I don't know. I just think there are so many worse mistakes that they could have made if they tried to like panic and course correct. right
01:13:34
Speaker
Where they could try to... I don't know, force a sale for Gabriel pack on the back of his newcomer of the year trophy and hope his value is high enough and bring in a totally different guy who now you have to get used to. Okay. He spends six months being a DP on the LA galaxy, which is yes. One of the few teams in the MLS where that actually has cash aid to international signings, right?
01:13:55
Speaker
ah Beckham and, keen and whatever is Zlatan so like sure if he gets to continue that lineage that's great he's gonna be excited and then all of a sudden Ricky Pooch comes back and it's like okay how do these guys get along do they get along do they fit like you would hope that you did your scouting and like they will fit tactically but personality wise is this the sort of thing where the locker room has sort of shifted like that would be the end of your championship window yeah But a very understandable alternative that I think a lot of fans would have liked to see like, okay, can you just get Griezmann? Can you just get Kevin DeBerno? Whatever the case is like, ah or you let your doctors do their thing. You let your recovery staff do their thing.
01:14:35
Speaker
ah This
The Enigma of Emmanuel Reynoso
01:14:36
Speaker
year looks really bad. But if you're back in the Western Conference final in 2026, you're to be good one. No one's really going to remember it except for as like a nudge nudge sort of joke. Like, yeah, we punted on this year, but it's MLS, whatever. We came back and we made the conference final. Like, I just, there's so much worse that could have happened than what the galaxy have brought onto themselves, which is still very, very bad to be. Yeah.
01:14:57
Speaker
It's just like, uh, I don't know. I never thought like a trade-off in my mind and like that in my mind would even be a question, but at 0-12-4, and it's just like ah the ways that they're finding to lose these games. It's ah it's incredible content for me.
01:15:12
Speaker
Totally. I say it's it's almost become like ah like a league-wide bit at this point. Like everyone's like, it is don't lose to him. Don't lose to him. Keep it going. Let's keep it going. yes get And every week...
01:15:24
Speaker
I'll tell you what, I wouldn't be surprised if sporting directors or coaches have like a little side pool going on. Like who gets the first loss to these guys? You can't be the first one. You can't, no one can be the first one. Yeah. I didn't, I don't know when coaches even all get together anymore. Media day.
01:15:39
Speaker
That's sad. Yeah. I miss the super draft. Jeff, a couple more for you here and then I'll let you go. I mean, we're, we're going to be pulling up on like an hour 20 years soon. So, uh, can't, can't stay up all night, but, uh, yeah. Thank you for, uh, spending this much time with us in our audience. and Really, really appreciate it. Yeah. It's been a lot of fun. We'll, we'll, we'll get you back on again soon.
01:16:01
Speaker
Please. And you're going to be in, uh, you're going to be in Seattle for club. It's going to be great. Um, gonna be great du um Okay, all right. I have one that I have to ask back to Minnesota United, which cool i would be I would be remiss if I didn't ask this one, which is on the Minnesota United beat, you had the opportunity to cover who I consider one of, if not the most mysterious players in MLS history.
01:16:30
Speaker
And his name is Emmanuel Reynoso. Ooh, not the guy I thought you meant. Okay. This guy has, i think, one of the more ah like fascinating and MLS legacies of any player that I can think of.
01:16:48
Speaker
he yeah He rolled up in, what what year was it, 2018 or 19 or something? It was 2020. So that also has the mystique, right? like He started playing in empty stadiums and all this sort of thing, besides Texas. so yeah yeah yeah he rolled up with a lot of pedigree from was it boca juniors uh juniors yeah yeah he wrote like uh like nico ladero rolled up as like the number 10 from boca juniors to minnesota united it was a big signing uh at the time and on the field he was just fantastic i mean the uh i think one of the best pure dime dishers i've ever seen in mls the vision and the passing the that the passes he could pick out
01:17:25
Speaker
the through balls, the switches, the long passing, ah the set pieces, just a absolute wizard out there. ah But his time with Minnesota United ended up colored by a lot of very bizarre situations where yeah he would, ah he would just not come back from Argentina in the off season.
01:17:48
Speaker
They'd be like, Hey, right now. So it's time to, we got camp. And he'd be like, i'm not, And then sometimes, sometimes they would be like, no, you really got to. And he was just wouldn't answer. Wouldn't answer at all. Yeah. Where is he?
01:18:00
Speaker
The story, the stories became like, where is Emmanuel Raynoso? And no one ever knew. And that would have been weird enough if it happened one time.
01:18:12
Speaker
Happened like three or four times every yeah There was like multiple times in There was one time where he showed up For the first day of preseason and like oh I have to go get my passport that yeah gone And then he's gone then they're like people are like well did you talk to him do you know where he is They're like no we don't know Right no And so, you know, from the outside perspective, ah my biggest question would always be, you know, where is this man?
01:18:37
Speaker
can ah Can someone go find him? is This is feels concerning at ah at this point. And really, well, first, I wanted to pitch my idea about this, which is...
01:18:52
Speaker
like an HBO style series about Emmanuel Reynoso with him as the main character but like the the storyline of the series is like what he was doing wow while he was away away from Minnesota United and no one knew where he was and you just because honestly like based on what got myself some mate yeah yeah based on what it had did come out about it like it sounded like stuff was pretty crazy at times. Like we don't need to get into the exact, like what he did, but like going to parties, getting in fights, like getting photographed, holding a pistol by a bag of cash. Yeah. Stuff like that.
01:19:29
Speaker
to say hypotheical so So as someone who was covering the team yeah day in, day out while the, while this was going on, I guess, what was that like? And how do you, how do you sort of tackle it as a reporter when you have a really like bizarre situation? like that yeah i think that's that's one where you just gotta like you gotta trust your relationships there and also respect them right so it's like that thing where you don't push too hard and not out in this case it wasn't as a like just just go easy man they'll tell you when they're ready because that doesn't that's not how chat lesson works but like it's more of a oh they're not talking for a reason okay and what i vividly remember because i remember a lot of that was virtual for that first year but by the time
01:20:14
Speaker
he started his kind of Ray no show routine. Like it was one of those, i can't take it. Like 50,000 people came up with that joke. Like at the same time when he didn't show up for camp. So I've made, I've made that joke, hit but it's, it's still good. It's still, it's still bangs.
01:20:28
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. It really, it will play ah for the ages. Um, when that started, i remember there was a lot of eye rolling for a while and it was just like, are you kidding me? This is the guy who almost brought us to MLS cup until stuff happened in Seattle.
01:20:45
Speaker
And 2021 happens and yeah, we hit some, kind of rocky waves, there was a little bit of a turnover with the roster. Kevin Molino left. And i think people kind of have already forgotten how good Kevin Molino could be in the late 2010s through like 2020 between like ACL tears one and three.
01:21:03
Speaker
Like he was so good. and And that was the best he ever looked in MLS. And probably his entire career was like 2020 when they made that run. And so he suddenly was gone.
01:21:14
Speaker
um He went to Columbus, I think at the time. And he was finding it a little harder to have his allies. So there weren't many people in the locker room who were still going to be like, hey, just give him time, whatever. Right. Like a lot of those guys in his corner, maybe at the locker room had already left.
01:21:28
Speaker
um And then he stopped showing up. And at first it was just a Yeah, I know. Total Diva. Like we ran into this with Johan Vanegas. It's ridiculous. Like, but whatever, he'll show up before the season to like a.
01:21:43
Speaker
We're to a point now where we're really upset and like we're assuming that we need to look at contract termination and maybe legal action against this guy or whatever. Right.
01:21:54
Speaker
And i went out to that years. It was 2023 was like the most prominent time of this, I think. And it was deep in the preseason. He still hadn't reported. I don't think he ended up reporting until like April basically, or like March and then didn't play until April.
01:22:11
Speaker
And I, I went to the Coachella invitational, uh, to cover like half a dozen MLS teams at once, which is just such a rare opportunity post super draft now. Um, And I went to interview Hassani Dotson for a like just real quick sort of like he was coming off his own injury and he became a dad. Natal native.
01:22:29
Speaker
Exactly. Right. So I was just like the local angle, right? The twice local angle. I was writing a profile on him and I remember asking him and it was the first time where I saw someone's body language change when I brought up Reynoso and not go in like a like ah whatever sort of like place or like ah frustrated. And like, I hope you don't ask me because I'm going to like punch something if you do say his name because I've heard it too much in bad context lately.
01:22:54
Speaker
Instead, it was like him being like, I want him to know that we are here for him yeah and that we hope he's OK. And it's just like, oh, shit. And then it started to come out that like his family had like history in the barrios and they were being like,
01:23:09
Speaker
The HBO series would have content. I'll put it that way. They would have plenty that they could work with. And once that became the case, the sort of Minnesotan empathy of just like, man, I just hope that you're all right because you're not just your career, like at this point, fuck your career, right? Yeah. like Your life could get like...
01:23:29
Speaker
really damaged. And it like, I mean, the photos came out, they were all over, like it it did get damaged to an extent. He's, he's still playing, but he's like a squad guy in Liga Mequis. I think at this point, I was going to ask if I knew what he was, what do he was back in Argentina now. I think he's at his, um,
01:23:46
Speaker
Is he at a, what was it? It starts with the T, but it's his his boyhood club. ah Tenure, not Tenure if that's in Spain. Anyway, um he's back in Argentina, and I hope that that's a good move for him to be close enough, but not too close, but at the same point, hit it.
01:24:02
Speaker
Was it crossing? ti Tiaris. Tiaris, yeah, okay, good. It did start with a T. ah Okay, it there's some credibility still. But yeah, in a it is a really sad story of like if you have the wrong people in your corner and you get to a point where your own team is going to give you a little bit of leeway and you don't know how to respect it for what it is and you take all of the leeway, like it got really, really bad for him, unfortunately.
01:24:29
Speaker
Yeah, it is. We, we, you know, I'm guilty of, ah I made the Ray no show joke, but, uh, it is sad, uh, because of like, you know, all the stuff you mentioned. And then also on top of that, just, ah excellent player.
01:24:43
Speaker
Like he really, yeah. yeah Like the, the list of guys who you're pretty confident from anywhere on the field could hit it to anywhere else in the field, like on a dime is like so small, like even like some of the best players who were like up against him and like assists, like Espinosa or Carlos Hill, like,
01:25:00
Speaker
and there's something There's something different about a Reynoso dime. I don't really know. I don't know either. I think it was just like the effortlessness. Like it was one of those things where it just like, like i was watching a really good, like foolish baseball episode yesterday where it was just like Hank Aaron's power came from his wrists. And it's one of those things where he wouldn't swing the prettiest. He didn't have like a Griffey swing or anything like that, but like he could just like whatever with anything and always hit it to like deep center for 25. Like,
01:25:24
Speaker
like It's one of those where it's just like, if you just have that strength and that like nimbleness with like your footwork, you can just do whatever you want. And I think he truly could have done with like the right people in his corner.
01:25:36
Speaker
That was the kind of talent where he could have played in any league in the world and started. But,
Team Dynamics and Playoff Predictions
01:25:41
Speaker
you know, really, ah I think Minnesota feels still, you know, I don't think anyone will say many kind words about him at this point among the Minnesota fan base, but I think within the locker room, the holdovers and the organizational back, it was just like a pleasure to play with him and a shame that it ended like it did.
01:25:56
Speaker
Yeah, I do remember it getting to a point where there was quotes coming out of like preseason camp where the players were kind of where they were fed up with it. They were like, we don't want to like it's like you're all either in or you're out. And if you're not showing up, then if you're out, you're out like so.
01:26:12
Speaker
that is uh it's yeah the whole situation was really sad and i did uh i did really enjoy watching him play it is a crazy story that i i think the hbo series is that's one of my they should look into it one of my better takes like uh you give you just give like any good screenwriter the details of that story and just have a showrunner though don't just give screenwriters like have a showrunner to oversee this whole thing from start to end you're the playwriting uh made Yeah, hire me for one episode, right? I'll set the tone episode one and then we'll just set them loose and people with better ideas.
01:26:45
Speaker
ah All right, Jeff, one more topic here for you and ah and I'll let you go, which is just, let's let's talk a little bit about this Sounders game on Sunday Night Soccer presented by... Fun concept, by the way. They're doing it pretty well.
01:27:00
Speaker
ah Yeah, no, I agree with that. And it'll be fun. i don't know if Seattle's been on Sunday Night Soccer this year. think you're going to be on two weeks in a row. It's like Vancouver. and Cause I was watching the Minnesota Vancouver game before I watched the Seattle San Diego, uh, on Wednesday. And they were like, Oh yeah, both of our next two Sunday night soccer involved. The Sounders because Minnesota is playing Vancouver.
01:27:21
Speaker
So they were doing plugs for both, which was funny. Anyway, I digress. I think it's your first dance. Um, what do you What do you make of this of this matchup with where these two teams are at right now?
01:27:34
Speaker
And I guess if I could add on ah a little bit to that, what a what is your more general perspective on the Seattle Sounders as they stand right now, like from a national lens? I think people will be interested to hear that.
01:27:49
Speaker
Yeah, I think for the matchup, I have a tough time seeing Minnesota winning at Lumen until they've done it. Like, I just, I wouldn't, I know that they have that style that's really exploitative when you're away from home and against teams that want more than 50% of the ball. And I know those are two. So like, could this be a time where it could shift?
01:28:09
Speaker
Yes, it could. Right. Like there are, and think Jordan Morris scored a lot of goals against Minnesota over the years. Like that's a change. Right. So like, I think that having him gone maybe gives Minnesota a sort of little more confidence that they can avoid past mistakes, but I still think at this point I'd have more confidence in Seattle.
01:28:25
Speaker
um But I've had confidence in Seattle all year. They were my preseason pick to win MLS Cup. so Oh, hell yeah. Hear that, Chad? Yeah. Yeah. So I'm standing by it. I will say this is the longest in a season in recent memory I can remember where i felt good about my um MLS Cup pick.
01:28:41
Speaker
Yeah, usually it goes off the rails like match day four. yeah Yeah, I think last year I had the crew, which felt really good until the first round of the playoffs. And this year, much better so far.
01:28:53
Speaker
And I think part of that is also like, I knew it would take a little bit of time, but like this is a coach who understands how to like get the pacing of momentum and like, understand not to panic too soon. Right. And throw out the entire plan and keep building to something. So like, I think Seattle is a really good spot. They're fourth in the league and expect goal difference, which is just general underlying numbers, bullshit for like, they're actually better than the opponents they play in terms of chances created and chances conceded.
01:29:20
Speaker
Um, And they're at a level that looks really sustainable, man. Like it's, I still think the Western conference goes through Seattle this year. I think that l LAFC did get a bit of a shot in the arm with Shurundalo announcing this would be his last year. Cause I think there are a lot of players in that locker room who will want to do something for him this year because they've struggled so much in big games under him. So it's like, not just his reputation on the line, but kind of theirs with LAFC anyway, to scale.
01:29:46
Speaker
Uh, yeah. So I think that's different, obviously, to the Galaxy or shit. So like there's there's one less contender to really worry about. RSL fell off in big way. People forget they finished third in the conference last year. like you know So it's just like it's a very different West. You've got Vancouver, but competitive on all fronts. We'll see...
01:30:04
Speaker
Uh, if eventually like there's something yes, for sorenson said last week, where it was kind of like, we have to keep evolving no matter how good we are, because we do recognize teams are starting to learn what we're doing. And we'll see if they can kind of outpace opponents with that.
01:30:16
Speaker
Uh, I still think they have the talent to pull it off, but it's just, it's always interesting. The team that starts the season strongest, I don't think often wins MLS cup, right? Like I I'd have to go back. white caps are not going to win cup this year.
01:30:30
Speaker
I don't think so. I don't think so. Not because they're of like any drop in quality or fall off. It's just the best team usually doesn't. Yeah. And they're clearly the best team. And that's fair. That's totally fair. Like they're going to, they might win CCC, but they're not going to win.
01:30:46
Speaker
That's actually a really good point though. Cause like, I think people forget like in, even in 2023, um,
01:30:51
Speaker
uh, Columbus didn't win the East, much less the supporter shield. You what mean? Like that's, that's kind of one of those teams where as soon as you see it, it's one of those that's just kind of stays in your memory is like, this is a very, very good to like, no, this is a great to excellent and MLS team.
01:31:05
Speaker
Right. And, and they stick with you like 2018 Atlanta, I think kind of had that very about a 2017 Toronto, 2016 Seattle. They're just sort of like versions of these teams that you just kind of retain. It's like, It's like in old Madden games when Madden was good. Right. And they would have those like historical teams that they would bring back and be like, do you want to play against the like greatest show on turf? Or do you want to play against the 85 bears? Like those sorts of teams where it's like, these are the ones that like are kind of the benchmark.
01:31:30
Speaker
That's what Columbus 23 is. But you're right. They weren't the best team for most of the year. And so I think that there is still time for someone else to kind of ah step into this conversation.
01:31:41
Speaker
And I don't know if I would say it's Philly either. I still think that like, are you not sold on Philly? Not, no, I'm not. Why not? I kind am. I'm sold on them as a team that's going to get a lot of regular season points, but I'm also not sold on that ideology as one that wins MLS cup, because I think that we've seen other teams with better squads and more established cores plus coaches. And i'm specifically talking about Jesse Marsh's Red Bulls, not do it where I just think that teams can figure it out, whether it's him, Chris Armis or Bradley Carnell.
01:32:14
Speaker
So I don't think that they'll win MLS Cup either. Yeah, I think ah think that's a good point. I really like what the Philly Union have going on right now. I really like that ah the Jean Jacques guy that they signed.
01:32:27
Speaker
Yeah. He's awesome. And Quinn Sullivan as well. It's been great. ah His breakout's awesome. Yeah, yeah. No, they've got some and like Tybur Evo winning the golden boot race so far. It's just like it's one of those where it's like the meme potential of Christian Benteke winning an MLS golden boot over Messi and Suarez was irresistible.
01:32:47
Speaker
So I'm glad it happened. Like that's one of those things that I'm just like grateful to have witnessed it. Yeah, because I don't think the European mind can comprehend Christian Benteke winning a golden boot, but it certainly can't ID. the concept of Ty Burrivo winning a golden boot over Lionel Messi. So I truly hope that that continues.
01:33:07
Speaker
Yeah. But I still don't believe in the Philly Union as like, I think they're a top four team in the East this year, bar none at the end of the year. Like, I think it's like them, Cincinnati and Columbus are the teams i most I'm confident in entering the bracket.
01:33:20
Speaker
ah But yeah, that's, you know I still think I'd take a team from Ohio over them. Who you got in the CCC final? Do you think the Caps closed this out or do you think they it ends in heartbreak?
01:33:33
Speaker
I think it might end in heartbreak, but I do think I actually have more. if i could only bet If I had to choose a winner from one or the other, I think I would go Caps over LAFC in the Club World Cup playing game that night against Club America.
01:33:46
Speaker
um Look, I think that the run that they've been on, they... They need this feeling again, like they fed off of like where the underdog absolutely no one pays attention to.
01:33:58
Speaker
And we know that we're good. So let's just fucking show them. Right. And that was like their entire thing in February, March, April, May hype train caught them. In a big way, right? Like, and whatever, like they've been like leading,
01:34:12
Speaker
ah yeah almost said extra time. That got said, uh, they, they've been like the, the, one of the like, predamp bring back extra time. Can I just, is is this bring back extra time where I can say that please bring bring it back. and The ecosystem misses it so goddamn much. Like yeah it needs extra time. It
Final Thoughts and Promotions
01:34:27
Speaker
really does.
01:34:27
Speaker
Um, but they would be leading every episode. Uh, if this was a just world. Um, I also think that they are, like the, the Brian White, Sebastian Berhalter, like, I think Sebastian Berhalter is suddenly becoming one of those, like the streets know it guys like Nagby was when he was in Portland, right? Where it was just like, if you know ball, you know that he's actually good at it. He's really quickly getting into that because he's like, he's a superstar, man. Like, I don't know how else to put it.
01:34:53
Speaker
Like, and I don't know how or why that happened, but it did apparently it, I mean, it did happen. He's that good. Blew my mind talking to him. Cause I did a piece with him before the second leg against Miami and,
01:35:05
Speaker
did a one-on-one and we talked about like his dad and all this sort of stuff. And I kind of like, it was just like, Hey, we're going to talk about the world cup. I know you're at the 2022 world cup. I know, you know what happened right after it with a close family friend.
01:35:16
Speaker
We'll get into that. So I was expecting that to be a little tense and he was, he was good about it. Like he addressed it head on, applied directly to forehead. So that was awesome. um But the other thing with him was like, my dad didn't want to roll in my career development.
01:35:28
Speaker
Even when I was a kid, he was like, obviously, no shit. I have to drive you to practice. It's me or your mom. Right. But like, I'm not going to call coaches and say, you got to play my son. I'm not gonna, I'm not going to trade for you. If I ever work in this league right away again, you know i mean Like you've got to kind of earn this on your own. So the first time that they really got reps together was during COVID where Greg was already in the job and Seb was with Columbus and they ended up winning MLS cup this year. That was his first homegrown year. And he was like,
01:35:56
Speaker
It was him and Aiden Morris were kind of the new homegrown midfielders, which is just a hell of a pairing to graduate at the same time. um And it was just Greg and Seb working on a park and in Chicago and just like working on his speed predominantly, which is funny because I still don't think of speed as like one of like Seb Berhalter's things.
01:36:16
Speaker
But when you think about it's probably one of those things where you need to get it to a certain level so that the rest of your skill set sings, right? Like if you eventually can't outmaneuver, run away from an opponent, it's going to be a lot harder to go into your bag of tricks.
01:36:30
Speaker
So I think that he has been phenomenal. yeah i mean I'm glad he got a Gold Cup look. I'm really glad. Yeah, I mean, that's it would have been insane, honestly, if he hadn't with the form that he's in.
01:36:42
Speaker
I mean, yeah, you could just go down the list with what's going on with that team right now, but like ah Pedro Vitae, one of my favorite players in the league, obviously everyone knows about Brian White. so yeah I actually. been One of the best defenders in the league. Yeah. I mean, yeah. Like you can't. Jaden Nelson's apparently like the best winger. I know. It's nuts. Takeoka is like, I think he's like that level of goalkeeper it's just like if he was on my team, I'd probably feel really confident.
01:37:07
Speaker
One of the like, you just kind of know when you feel like I'm a Boardmouth fan. I'd kept Arisa Balaga this year. i was never confident. but Yeah, no, honestly, i think they ah I think they have a great chance of getting it over the line. I don't want to jinx them. It's going to be a really hard game. They're traveling for it.
01:37:22
Speaker
Berhalter's not playing because of a bullshit CONCACAF policy. My rule, if I'm ever FIFA president, is going to be that, like... There's only like certain suspension wins. You can't get a yellow card accumulation suspension in a tournament for a final, ah but you can get a straight red.
01:37:41
Speaker
So don't do that. they got they got They got to do something about that rule. i already did a lot of soap boxes about that because I'm pissed about it. I want to watch. Berhalter needs to be playing in this game like for it to be like a true, the true game that it can be. Who is the actual champion, right? Like, yeah, need because and if they lose, you know, I'm going to be saying, I mean, if Berhalter. You and me both, man. like that so that's yard there's already a baked in narrative there um all right jeff that is all i got for you tonight man thank you so much for taking all this time i mean you just streamed with me for an hour and 38 minutes so yeah yeah we'll absolutely uh get you on here again soon uh and i'll see you in a couple weeks i guess for seattle sounders versus yeah Thanks. Yeah. um
01:38:28
Speaker
Before, before you get out of here, any work with the athletic that you have, anything you got coming up that you want to plug or promote or just anything of that? Yeah.
01:38:39
Speaker
I would say, yeah I mean, one, thanks for having me. Like shows like this are like the the best, the best. So like appreciate being able to come on to a late night recording and hit a couple of highlights quick.
01:38:49
Speaker
Um, The athletic, I mean, like I've covered the Club World Cup, so I'll be writing about the Sounders. I'm kind of the token, like, yes, I actually know and watch the Sounders a lot guy So like, i will, I swear to you, I will try my best to actually convey to the team and not just they are in an MLS team.
01:39:06
Speaker
So as I cover it, that is my pledge. I think that there are others we're focusing on Miami more.
01:39:13
Speaker
And then, yeah, U.S. Wimps National Team's in town, so I'll be doing something there. But Total Soccer Show. I'm on that every Tuesday. Oh, yeah. forgot to mention that. Yeah. That's fine. It's new this year. It's informal. I just happen to show up every single Tuesday. I'm not a Christian on the Patreon. Friend of Lobb and Scorcher's Joe Lowry.
01:39:32
Speaker
man he's awesome yeah yeah with Joe it's Joe and Taylor and I every Tuesday sometimes Graham Riffin as well like it's it's been a blast just to actually be like back to podcasting you gotta miss lot and I say um a lot more than I used to I'm working on it and I probably did too much tonight but you're not to do this so that's always for the best all right well thank you thank you again man much appreciated and uh we'll talk soon sounds good man thanks for having