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Kickoff: Injury Update on Seattle Sounders Goalkeeper Stefan Frei
1.1k Plays10 days ago
A scary injury to goalkeeper Stefan Frei overshadowed a well-played 1-1 draw against the Columbus Crew on Sunday Night Soccer. While we await an official prognosis on the star backstop, the Sounders will look to get back in the win column in Matchday 23 when they take on Western Conference foe Sporting Kansas City. We also talk about the USMNT final vs. Mexico in the Gold Cup.
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Lobbing Scorchers Kickoff is a Seattle Sounders and MLS focused live morning show. Join Ari Liljenwall and Niko Moreno live on YouTube every Monday, at 8am Pacific to kickoff your week with the inside scoop on the Seattle Sounders and Major League Soccer. Hosted by Major League Soccer's Ari Liljenwall and Pulso Sports' Niko Moreno. Grab a coffee as we talk about the American soccer landscape, Seattle Sounders, Major League Soccer, USMNT and more.
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Transcript
Introduction and Episode Overview
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. Why the scorcher today? Well it's gonna be a scorcher.
Match Recap: Seattle Sounders vs. Columbus Crew
00:00:43
Speaker
Good morning, everybody, and welcome in to another episode of Lobbing Scorchers Kickoff. I'm Ari. That's Nico. oh Oh, we had a little mess. Yeah, we we we we are working with some new tech. New tech. Nico's got of mike i'm a I'm Ari. That's Nico.
00:01:05
Speaker
we We have got a big show for you here this morning. The Seattle Sounders played the Columbus crew to a 1-1 draw on Sunday night soccer yesterday Lumen Field.
00:01:16
Speaker
Obviously, the match and the result overshadowed by what was... Very scary situation with Sounders goalkeeper, Stefan Fry, ah coming off his line to try and claim a free kick into the box from Diego Rossi. Huge collision with the Columbus crew player and was down on the field for several minutes and eventually ah had to be ambulanced off the field.
00:01:41
Speaker
ah So we're going to talk about the updates with ah Stefan Fry. We actually have some very positive updates.
Impact of Stefan Fry's Injury
00:01:49
Speaker
up that way this morning we'll talk about the game itself maybe hit a couple other scores from around MLS maybe hit some USMNT if there's time and as always you guys got ah questions or topics that you want us to hit go ahead and drop them in the chat ah but Nico before we talk about this Stephen Fry situation in the injury update how you doing here this morning you you got your mic set up Yes, we finally got the mic set up. Obviously, we're getting used to it, so I can't move so abruptly because it's attached to the phone. But man, the sound has gotten a lot of praises. I've used it in a couple other shows and apparently makes ah one big difference. It does. Our audience had you know mentioned it. and So here we are just trying to give the audience what they want. And well, today, you know, it's going to be
00:02:42
Speaker
You know, it's good to talk about the positive updates on Stephen Fry, but it was a scary situation, man. It was ah a finale there for a good game that we were not expecting, and it kind of damper a little bit of things because once you get in a situation like that where, you know, it's ah it's a player, but it's a person's well-being kind of goes into risk, just everything goes out the door.
00:03:13
Speaker
I think it was the scariest situation I've seen on a soccer field. I was at ah MLS Cup in 2022, LAFC, Phil Union, when Maxim Crapo had a compound fracture on that on that play at the end of that and MLS Cup. which oh yeah that was ah That was scary, but there's something different about ah a head injury where until you get the update, you just don't know.
00:03:37
Speaker
what What the outcome going to be So yeah I mean like you said It ah it really kind of put a damper On the whole occasion But yeah Especially when it's so dramatic right I mean it was that collision And then it was the what they call it Fencing position where He just kind of tenses up I mean That just you could Hear the entire Stadium just gasp Yeah absolutely It was it was something insane as quiet as I've ever heard Lumen field. So and let's, ah we'll, we'll get to the ah situation with the referee trying to keep the game going. I gave my thoughts on that on the ah post game live last night, but let's, let's get the positive update out there. First and
Sounders' Tactical Analysis
00:04:21
Speaker
foremost, I'm going to share it on the screen right here, written up on MLS soccer.com.
00:04:26
Speaker
Stephen Fry injuries, Seattle Sounders goalkeeper back home resting. Uh, seattle sounders goalkeeper stephan fry back home resting after suffering a head and neck injury in second can half stoppage time uh and he has posted on both blue sky and twitter you can see his message right here he says still trying to figure out what happened at the end of the game with an emoji so he's making making jokes that's a great sign love to see that says i'm incredibly grateful to all the staff that looked after me and happy to be back home resting now what resonates is all the messages calls and love i've received from so many of you
00:05:00
Speaker
Thank you, truly. It means more than I can put into words. I feel the support and I'm thankful for every single one of you. So just, I mean, great to see that. What a relief.
00:05:11
Speaker
ah You know, like there is so much uncertainty kind of coming off the game in the immediate aftermath. So just to know that he's back home, he's gotten his treatment and that he's he's posted on Blue Sky. He's making jokes.
00:05:25
Speaker
Great to see. Great to see all of that. ah Yeah, then especially because, I mean, like you said, ah you know, you were being assessed for a you know, head and neck injury. it It looked like as he was being, you know, carted into the ambulance, he was moving and, and you know, that was a positive. And he seemed to be conscious, which obviously is something that's good.
00:05:49
Speaker
But you never know, you know, ah until now, you know, we and still i but i want to. I wonder what the process to, you know, full recovery is going to be for Stephen Fry. I'm sure, you know, taking a game off, if not two, but, ah you know, it's good to see that at least, you know, his home, everything's okay. But I wonder, you know, what's the process? What's the protocol moving forward?
00:06:13
Speaker
Yeah, absolutely. ah Brian Schmetzer, after the game, he praised Columbus head coach Wilford Nancy for encouraging the referee Izmir Peckmik to end the match.
00:06:25
Speaker
ah With only seconds remaining, both clubs agreed a final push for all three points wasn't worth it, it says here. And then you have Schmetzer's quote. Schmetz was visibly emotional in the postgame presser. He said, Wilfred, I appreciate what he did because the ref wasn't going to stop the game.
00:06:39
Speaker
Everyone knew that the game should have been stopped. Good on him. So thank you, Wilfred. And then for Nancy's part, he says, I hope that everything's going to be okay with Fry. Our job is not easy when you see a situation like that. Again, football is not the most important. We stay positive and hopefully everything's going to be good for him.
00:06:56
Speaker
So let's ah let's talk about that aspect of it, Nico, because I thought that was the craziest part of the of the whole situation. Evidently, what happened is the referee came over and was like, all right, we're running the corner kick.
00:07:10
Speaker
Let's do this. And Schmetz was like, I don't think that we should do that. And then Wilfred Nancy, you could actually see on the on the broadcast footage. He was also like, we're not we're not doing that.
00:07:21
Speaker
This is over. So I said it last night on the post game live, but credit to Wilford, Nancy. i already had a lot of respect for him as a coach and what, ah what the type of soccer he's able to get his team to play and all that.
00:07:35
Speaker
But I think that just shows that he's a class act and it shows the type of person he is. And I'm glad that common sense prevailed in this situation. There's absolutely no way that that corner kick can be taken.
00:07:48
Speaker
If it did get taken, I guarantee you Diego Rossi, whoever took it from the crew, would have just bopped it to the other side of the field and called it there. But still, it's the principle of it that bothered me. Like, I don't know what we're what we're doing, like, keeping the game going, even for one corner kick in that situation. Like, imagine if, like, Columbus had scored off that. Like, I don't know. It just feels like a situation where you got to like, use your common sense, use your discretion,
00:08:16
Speaker
and ah The ref, I mean, he called an okay game, but just way off with that. ah Nico, what do you like what did you make of that? what What was going through his head to even be considering that? I can't figure it out.
00:08:31
Speaker
ah Man, I think that you know common sense at times varies, unfortunately, for you know different people. and Not just the referee, but you know there were some...
00:08:46
Speaker
I don't even know what to call it, just inhumane comments, you know, that were made to me in my social media, you know, after praising Wilfred for, you know, just...
00:09:01
Speaker
and He heard what was going on with Brian's matter. It's not like the referee approached him. He heard what what b Brian was pleading with the referee, and he makes the...
00:09:12
Speaker
move He's the one that initiates the, hey, yeah, I don't want to do this. I don't want to i don't want to play. And in terms of what the referee's thinking, my guess is he went by the book.
00:09:25
Speaker
And sometimes you just got to grab the book and throw it out. And that's what he was doing, right? He's thinking, ah you know, there's – we're already in overtime, but there was time missing, so I got to add three or four minutes. Yeah.
00:09:38
Speaker
And I got to resume play in the corner kick and give Columbus a chance to, you know, put the ball into play and decide to do whatever it is that they want to do.
00:09:50
Speaker
So to that point, I'm like, okay, if you have no,
00:09:57
Speaker
and not even common sense, it's just a general sense of empathy towards not just Stephen Frye, who was unconscious that just got ambienced out by for everybody, everybody everybody else that that's part of that team.
00:10:12
Speaker
Do you think that Christian Rodin is going to be able to defend a corner after his brother, right? I mean, this this is a family. This is a group that, you know, Stephen Fry, and I said this yesterday, ah you know, when I was asked about it, Stephen Fry is – more than a goalkeeper. He's a role model. He is a a captain. He's a leader.
00:10:33
Speaker
and and you know, he's a brother to to a lot of these people. So the players were going to, I can't even fathom, you know, having to think about marking Rossi or, ah you know, anybody that's going to be coming in for ah a strike and you're thinking about what just happened to Stefan Fry. mean, there were tears in Jordan and, you know, Alex and all of these, you know, players. So when you don't have sort of empathy, that think that's when you don't see clearly. So I'm hoping that this sort of situation does get clarified, but a lot of people really thought that the game should have kept going. kept going And i just,
00:11:17
Speaker
I can't really gasp, you know, grasp that, that sort of mentality. But I think that the referee wanted to go by the book. I think that there are fans that are inhumane and and and and they're just thinking, Hey, we could steal a point in, in, in Seattle.
00:11:36
Speaker
We need it. um, It's just sad. It's it's literally sad that there's a sort of mentality. And look, I don't want to sit here and sound um you know like i'm I'm better than you know people or all these things. It's just competition is one thing, but when whenever you have someone's livelihood at stake, I mean, that should take over everything. and And whether that makes somebody better or not, I mean, that's just for people to just realize if you think that MLS is soft or I'm soft for having this sort of take on it, then, you know, whatever.
00:12:13
Speaker
But I would hope that a lot of people make that choice. And you saw how emotional Brian Spencer was. I mean, he was in tears. He was holding back. I mean, his voice was cracking as he thanked Wilford Nancy, because, you know, it could have been something else. It could have been another coach that, you know, didn't see it that way and wanted the, that corner to be taken. you it was an emotional wreck from the coaching staff all the way to the players. So it's a situation that makes us realize that, you know, there are good in, in people. And if we are better than just the game and the competition, then, you know, we, we should just strive for that. We should strive for that sort of mentality. Yeah.
00:13:00
Speaker
Yeah, just can't relate to thinking about the game in a situation like that, thinking about a corner kick. I was sitting there. I was sitting there like thinking about people in my life that I had wronged so I could like make amends.
00:13:16
Speaker
like that That's where my head was at. So I don't know. It was just like a ah it was a ridiculous situation, I think, for the referee to just not use his discretion and end it off rip.
00:13:27
Speaker
But I'm glad that, it ah like I said, common sense prevailed, and I think the correct outcome took place. And again, I credit... Wolford Nancy ah heck of a lot for that. We all know that he has established a well-earned reputation as like the best tactician, best coach in the league in that way in terms of X's and O's and his system and on the field and all that.
00:13:49
Speaker
ah But we talk a lot about, you know, the man managing and the human aspect of coaching as well and how important that is. and you can see from how he handled a situation like that that he is an expert in that regard as well so uh yeah i i think i said it last night as well but i want to reiterate respect to wolford nasi respect to the columbus crew i think it's an example of them being a well-run classy organization as well and happy to share this positive update as well this morning it seems like stephen fry is in good spirits
00:14:22
Speaker
yeah He made a joke on it on his ah Twitter in Blue Sky, at home resting. So what was a very, very scary situation in the moment seems to be on a ah positive trajectory.
00:14:35
Speaker
so Yeah, and and one more thing, Ari. I did hear from ah quite a few former Sounders, including Nicolas D'Adero. ah He was very concerned. He...
00:14:47
Speaker
You know, said it please send everyone my my best wishes, including Stephen Fry. So I'll bring that up because Victor Rodriguez, you know, all these guys that have...
00:14:59
Speaker
shared the field with Stefan Fry, but more than that is is their lives, right? This is a friend and this somebody that they know. And the fact that so many people were concerned and send their love, whether it was social media, like Hercules Gomez and all of these people.
00:15:15
Speaker
ah But also, like I said, independently, ah there was a lot of concern. You know, Nicolás Sedaro is now in Uruguay. He's completely out of MLS, but the fact that he has that in the back of his mind and he heard about what happened. He saw what happened and he wanted to reach out. I think that, you know, that's just a lot for, uh, Nico and Stefan Fry that, that, you know, as I mentioned, he's such a big part of this community, Sounders wise. I mean, beyond the trophies and the saves and everything, i think that he's really become an icon in, in, in the community in Seattle in general and MLS and,
00:15:50
Speaker
ah that many people that, you know, want to wish you your best. I mean, I think that just says a lot about Stefan Fry. Yeah. Thanks for, thanks for sharing that. It's, it's nice to hear that guys like Nico and V-Rod still have that connection to the team. And those two guys in particular, we know that they're also class acts and great guys. So not surprising to hear, but, but nice to hear.
00:16:13
Speaker
ah Jonathan Mart says, glad Fry is doing okay. Where did all of the messaging of Fry's retiring after the season come from? him yeah ESPN mentioned it in an article, and Jeremiah said their reports, but they've all been false. Yeah, I'm pretty sure that ah that that happened because they use – like AI to write those.
00:16:33
Speaker
That's the only, that, that I've read that yeah ESPN report and that, you know, like once you see how chat GPT works, you can like suss it out. They're definitely, they're definitely doing that. And they, that's why you don't do that.
00:16:48
Speaker
That's why it's stupid. if The tech is not ah perfected yet, clearly. And it's very obvious, yeah ESPN, if you're if you're watching, it's very obvious when you do do that.
00:16:59
Speaker
And when you do do that, stuff like that happens. So you should stop that and probably never try it again. They're not going listen to me, but I'm pretty um pretty sure that that's why that happened.
00:17:11
Speaker
that's why that happened I missed that report. that that That's interesting. It was like an ESPN wire service. There was no byline on it, and it had a line in there that said Fry is retiring at the end of the season.
00:17:25
Speaker
There's been no report of that. He's never said that. they're like Have you heard anything about that? I haven't. like that's It's completely because... Chat GPT saw that he was 39 and just assumed that. And then whoever was just cut and pasting from that and throwing it out onto the yeah ESPN publication didn't fact check it because they don't care.
00:17:44
Speaker
So good job, ESPN. Great reporting. Great organization by blatantly spreading misinformation because you are too cheap to pay someone to actually write your stuff, I guess.
00:17:56
Speaker
Pretty like, oh God, it's... That's just another irritating thing to come out of it, I guess. But ah I guess, Nico, we can we can talk about the game itself a little bit. It was ah it was a good game.
00:18:09
Speaker
ah But anything anything else on on the Steph situation before that? Or should we just ah get into what happened on the field a little bit? Yeah, last thing I'll say was that I thought it was um it was great to see Brian just, ah you know, let his feelings out. You know, a lot of times ah we judge the coach and we judge the the strategist and the motivator.
00:18:35
Speaker
ah But yesterday I thought that he –
00:18:40
Speaker
but was really vulnerable and, you know, he just let it out. So I praise him for, it you know, being so, so candid about the whole situation. And secondly, I thought it was cool that, ah you know, he also brought up the, uh, Diago Jota, right. I mean, we're coming in, we're coming from like a week where we just heard about, you know, the passing of another footballer and, you know, this Sounders team also dealt with,
00:19:05
Speaker
the news of Joe Pablo tearing his same ligaments from, you know, back to a couple of years. And that has hit him incredibly hard, you know, mentally and, you know, just be beyond physically, is just that mental state. So all of it just seems like the way it was wrapped up as there are things that are bigger than soccer, I thought was great the way Brian kind of phrased it and, you know, put it together.
00:19:31
Speaker
absolutely and uh if there was anything else that i took away from schmetzer's presser uh you know he was alluding to sort of what i was referencing earlier of like it's ah it's been a it's been a heavy week on multiple fronts for the steph situation but also the other couple situations that you mentioned and It really it kind of puts into perspective life versus football. And you know Schmetz was talking about just like be good to each other.
00:20:02
Speaker
ah Don't don't sweat the small stuff type message. And that's sort of what I was trying to get at on the postgame live as well. You know, yeah. Do something nice for somebody. if you're if you're engaged in a B for conflict with somebody, squash it.
00:20:17
Speaker
It's probably not that important. These types of situations sort of bring that bring that to the forefront. So I agree. It was good on Schmetz for how he how he handled himself.
00:20:28
Speaker
Good on Wolford Nancy for how he handled himself and the Columbus crew and all that. And hopefully Steph Fry stays on the mend and we'll ah we'll see him back at Long Acres soon.
00:20:40
Speaker
Exactly. All right. Let's ah let's let's talk about the game because it was up until then a really good game. High level soccer being played out there by both teams.
00:20:54
Speaker
ah Two really good teams going at it is what it looked like to me. Hard fought competitive to the to the very last moment. Columbus crew get the first goal from Diego Rossi on a very classic Columbus crew goal.
00:21:10
Speaker
God, the way that they can just slice and dice a defense like that, it's very impressive. They do it week in, week out, and have been doing it ever since Wilford Natsy has been the coach of that team.
00:21:21
Speaker
That was a...
00:21:24
Speaker
you know not great defending but also you gotta you gotta credit columbus for uh the execution on that sequence they set up those tap-ins as well, if not better than anyone in MLS. So I wasn't super shocked to see them get one of those.
00:21:40
Speaker
And I actually think holding them to one goal in any given game, home or away, is ah is a relatively good day at the office defensively. Obviously, you want to keep a clean sheet, but going against this crew team that's that good in possession and that lethal in transition, and then they have guys like ah Diego Rossi who can finish off those chances – They can be tough to stop in that way. So a good goal for them.
00:22:03
Speaker
And then Seattle hits back with what was a very good high level equalizer. What a play by Kalani Kosari Enzi to set this one up. ah He, he wins the ball off that guy out wide and then just makes the run all the way towards the penalty box.
00:22:18
Speaker
And then a really good run by Paul Rothrock, a good awareness to make sure he stayed on side. which God knows there's been issues with that, with the Seattle Sounders this season. So glad he stayed on side and then a great vision and execution by KKR defined him for what ended up being a, ah i pretty easy finish for Paul Rothrock in a similar way that it was a similar type finish to the one Diego Rossi got for the crew.
00:22:44
Speaker
And then from there, it was a, it was a brawl back and forth and uh brian schmetzer talked about it after the game but i like seattle's game plan here and i thought they executed it pretty well and in in general i think i think there's a lot of positives to take from this performance nico like i don't know about you but like anytime uh you're going and into a measuring stick game like this against one of the best teams in mls uh it's a chance to show that if you're in a situation maybe come playoff time or in another big game down the line
00:23:15
Speaker
against a team like this. How do you handle it? Can you compete? Can you, can you hang with them? And Seattle did that. And Schmetzer noted the, the possession splits, which when you have a team that's as good in possession as Columbus, uh,
00:23:31
Speaker
You don't want to seed them the ball as maybe you do in different matchups. So the fact that the split ended up 52-48 in any game against the crew, that's, I think, a good starting point. And they were able to do that. So I thought that was a good sign.
00:23:46
Speaker
And if you know if I was going to critique anything, there was some wastefulness in attack. Jesus Ferreira had the one early. i think I think overall a good day defensively.
00:23:57
Speaker
You give up the first goal, which you never want to do. But holding the Columbus crew to one goal, even when they're on the road, it's just not that easy to do. So the fact that they were able to do that, I think, was a positive sign, especially because you had Alex Roldan starting at center back once again.
00:24:16
Speaker
Jay Bell was available for this game, and they went with Alex Roldan again, which ah I'm not going lie, when I saw the starting eleven I saw that they were starting Alex at CB again, and I was like, okay, I mean, it worked versus Austin FC, which is one of the worst attacking teams in MLS.
00:24:39
Speaker
Is it going to work against this team? The Columbus crew?
00:24:44
Speaker
I don't know. It feels dicier. Just because it's ah it's still a position that he's he had played one time. in MLS.
00:24:55
Speaker
There's always going to be a learning curve there, but apparently not really much of one. I thought Alex was pretty lights out again, to be honest with you. So I don't know if they're going to keep running that. Yaimar will be back soon.
00:25:10
Speaker
ah Kim Ki-hee should theoretically be back soon. i was a little I was a little concerned about it. I'm not going to lie. But then he ended up doing pretty well again. But I guess outside of ah Alex's performance, which I think we off these two games, it's good knowledge to have to know that he can deputize at CB like that and it can the defense can maintain its level and be effective.
00:25:32
Speaker
But what did you just make of the fact that they they did that when they had a natural CB John Bell available? Why do you think they did that? And did you what did you think of the decision at the time? Look, I was just like you. I was skeptical about you know him getting a second go at it.
00:25:49
Speaker
I thought that he played very well against Austin, but Austin was a team that, as we you know talked about during that episode, they're just not that dangerous offensively, something that Columbus is, right? And Columbus also has a lot of movement.
00:26:03
Speaker
ah You talked about that... The way that the the first goal was constructed and, you know, the way they moved the ball and the way that ah there's so much fluidity to Moreira from, you know, center back position, taking space and and being in in dangerous positionings.
00:26:21
Speaker
and the that Rossi, you know, he has all this freedom to move around. Russell Road is a guy that, you know, pressures you a lot. So there was going to be a lot of challenges for Alex Rodin. And i actually said prior to the game that that was going to be, you know, the story and almost what would what would determine whether or not Seattle would get a result.
00:26:40
Speaker
And I thought that Alex was phenomenal in both defending his positioning, his anticipation, ah and specifically, and I think this is why they've been doing this, on the ball, ah Seattle,
00:26:57
Speaker
has been very clear, even in the club world cup, that they're willing to play out of the back, even when they're facing the best in the world. And i think Alex is better than ah Jonathan bell with the ball. And I mean, that's nothing new, ah but I had apprehensions about where he was getting the ball.
00:27:17
Speaker
that is completely different when he where of where he was getting the ball when he plays the fullback position, but he's just adapted so well. So he's just comfortable on the ball. I think that his...
00:27:30
Speaker
Dynamism and his speed, his recovery, some of the things that he does. Maybe he doesn't have the physicality that Bell has, but I feel like his overall ability to cover space has really gotten him going and has really helped this team be better.
00:27:47
Speaker
ah in all fronts, right? i With the ball, off the ball. um There was a play, um and I forgot who is the, maybe it was Gostock that gets a through ball in the 18 and he completely outbodies the player and then takes the ball back and makes a good pass.
00:28:06
Speaker
I just think that Bell had some issues and he's a left-footed player where, where the way they set up the build that I feel like you you kind of need a right footed player next to Jackson Reagan to put Jackson Reagan in his best position to be successful in this build out.
00:28:26
Speaker
And ah with Alex Rodan, that's worked. And I feel like they needed that and was the right footed player that could ah be easier on the ball that could get out of the back. And I think Alex Rodan has checked all those boxes.
00:28:39
Speaker
And again, that concern was going to be on the air, uh, uh, you know, the physicality ah where he positions himself. And he has amended very well.
00:28:50
Speaker
ah Initially in that first goal by ah Columbus, I thought that maybe it was Alex that got caught off guard, but it ended up being Kalani that was just out of position. He gets turned around on that side.
00:29:01
Speaker
I think both fullbacks actually in Columbus's goal, have, you know, defensive woes. I think Kalani is too high. i think that he rushes in the emergency defense and there's two guys to the ball carrier.
00:29:14
Speaker
And then when that through ball goes to not through ball, but the crossing ball goes to Diego Rossi. New is nowhere
Player Development Debate: Rothrock vs. De La Vega
00:29:23
Speaker
to be found. And if you go back in that play, he's,
00:29:26
Speaker
I think he got cut off as well, kind of too far up, but then he's just and jogging towards the marker. I don't know if he doesn't expect Rossi to get the ball there, ah but he clearly was the one guy that was going to get the ball in that far post.
00:29:42
Speaker
And, it ends up being a ah um mistake that caused that specific goal. But electoral Alex Rodin, in that specific play, he was well-positioned. He was marking the right guy.
00:29:53
Speaker
So all of it to say that I think Alex has been very good, almost a revelation there for this team that has such a need for for a guy that could just hold the forward until some of these guys get back. You know, Yemery Gomez-Andrade apparently is far along, and he probably will be back maybe next game, maybe off the bench, get some minutes. So that's a positive. But for now, Alex Rodin has been outstanding. And Colani, despite that,
00:30:23
Speaker
mistake on that goal. I thought he was very good moving forward. I thought that he had a very good game prior to that double yellow that Brian's circle soft. And, you know, I happen to agree, ah but, but he was very good moving forward. It wasn't just that specific play where he, you know, cuts inside and, know, He takes his space, and then he finds Paul Rothrock where he found him.
00:30:44
Speaker
But the entire game, I thought that he found himself in very good positions. I thought that he gets the ball. He gets to just prime assist positions very consistently. So all in all, man, between Alex and Kosa Rienzi and Paul Rothrock, you're starting to see some guys that – are either starting to be clear starters like Paul Rothrock. I think that there is no way that you move them out now.
00:31:12
Speaker
It's going to have to be Paul and whoever else you decide, whether it's Ferreira, whether it's La Vega, or whether it's Ryan Kent. ah But Paul Rothrock is always going to be that guy in because he's earned that starting position.
00:31:26
Speaker
And then Kalani. I think Kalani is making a very good case for, you know, if you need a goal and he could play the fullback before it was just wingback. But I feel like now he's getting used to the fullback position.
00:31:38
Speaker
um And I would agree with Brian in that the game has to slow down for him a little bit. He's too rushed at times, but I feel like those are things that will... eventually come to him.
00:31:48
Speaker
And, you know, that's just credit to this team's depth. We talked about depth. That was the, I don't know, but that was the thing ah going into this season.
00:31:59
Speaker
And I feel like, although the top talent still maybe could be questioned, the depth has been proven, has been tested and has been proven ah pretty consistently this season. Yeah, let's talk about that winger situation because that's the next topic I was i wanted to hit.
00:32:14
Speaker
ah But I did want to say before we get into that, regarding KKR, I agree. like he really You can see the attacking gifts that he has, and he kind of brings a new, different element to that position in that way.
00:32:29
Speaker
And you're right. i think both fullbacks, culpable to a certain extent, on the goal, knew who you have to assign some of the blame there. as well But KKR continues to look very, very good in attack. And of course, the the red card on the second yellow at the end of the game was unfortunate, arguably soft, but ah i i can i can see why it was given. However, I do have petty complaint, if I may.
00:33:01
Speaker
ah realized ah realize this is this is sour grapes, but it's happened twice. This year where Seattle has been in that exact situation, but the other way where the opposing player is on a yellow card and commits the second yellow card offense and the referee doesn't give the player second yellow because they don't want to send the guy off. They both times it happened.
00:33:28
Speaker
Jackson Travis in Colorado and then ah Mark Honich in the Minnesota game, which Seattle ended up losing where he absolutely needed to be sent off based on a second yellow offense that everyone knew was a second yellow offense.
00:33:43
Speaker
Right? Like, it's not like there's any question about that, but you could literally see the refs in real time. Be like, Oh, I already gave that guy a yellow. I'm not, if I give him another one, even though it was a yellow offense, if I give him another one, i have to send him off and I don't want to do that. I don't want to affect the game like that. So I'm going to let it slide.
00:33:58
Speaker
And that has happened two times to Seattle this season. One time could have cost them. It probably did cost them a win in Colorado because that happened at a point in the game where it was a tie game. And if they, if they were playing that up a man for that amount of time for the rest of the game,
00:34:14
Speaker
I think the odds are pretty good that they end up winning that game. And then the Minnesota game, it probably cost them at least a point in that game as well. and That was early enough in the game, too, where it would have given Seattle a man advantage for ah for the rest of the game. The referee in this situation figures, oh, it's the end of the game, so I can send him off. It doesn't matter that much.
00:34:33
Speaker
This is not how those decisions are supposed to be made. Okay? Like I said, I know it's petty. I know it's sour grapes. But ah if that is a second yellow on KKR, then it's got to be like a consistent standard where ah Jackson Travis and Anthony Marconich are also sent off.
00:34:50
Speaker
All right. that's That's all. i That's all I got to say about that. on That's fair. that You know, that is a fair complaint. I will allow it. ah Yeah, I mean, it's just and like I yeah you can go back and watch the shows. I was whining about this at the time of those calls as well. So this isn't just like retroactive sour grapes.
00:35:09
Speaker
This is sour grapes that I've already had. So like I said, no real issues with the principle of sending KKR off on that. But it's like you got it. You got to Seattle needs to be the beneficiary of that in those situations, too. You can't just call this stuff one way and send off Seattle's guys and then give the other guys passes twice.
00:35:27
Speaker
So anyway, ah that's all I wanted to say about that. But Nico, let's let's talk about this winger situation, because I think this is among the most interesting kind of lineup but discourse that we've got going on.
00:35:40
Speaker
right now I think Lobbing Scorchers kind of inadvertently started some heated heated discourse on this topic because on our last show, Noah and I were talking about how what you were saying that we felt like Paul Rothrock is essentially i don't to me, from my perspective.
00:35:57
Speaker
If we're going by the eye test, it looks pretty clear that in terms of who generates the most danger from that position and who is offering the most end product right now, I don't really see. The other answer, other than ah than Paul Rothrock, Jesus Ferreira scored a couple goals in the last in in the last couple weeks, which is good to see. But I don't think he definitely, i don't think he hasn't been as consistent as Paul Rothrock this season.
00:36:23
Speaker
And if you're if you're going just purely by the eye test in the production in the last few weeks, it really should be Rothrock and Ferreira. But Rothrock, I think it's pretty much fair to say that he is one of those guys and he he showed why.
00:36:40
Speaker
in this game, getting himself into a dangerous spot and then finishing, scoring the goal. He does that sometimes. He actually ah puts the ball in the net, which can be a novel concept at times.
00:36:51
Speaker
So I saw nothing in this game to dissuade me of that notion, which some people didn't like. But I do think it brings up ah an interesting question about the stock of Pedro de la Vega, because right now you have a situation where one of your starting wingers,
00:37:09
Speaker
ah is on a hundred K salary from, uh, coming, coming to the club. I mean, he's a Academy kid, but he was on Toronto FC to playing for Georgetown and Notre Dame.
00:37:20
Speaker
And he's getting starts over, ah your Argentine designated player. You spent $7 million dollars on, uh, which there's nothing inherently wrong with that. If Paul Rothrock is performing to the level that he's, he's been performing, especially the last couple of games,
00:37:36
Speaker
But when when you're talking about your long-term roster construction, that's not an optimum situation to be in. And i I was saying that I ah thought it was weird that De La Vega didn't play at all in the PSG game.
00:37:52
Speaker
Now it's pretty clear that he is like a backup role player, like bit part cameo guy on this team. right now. And that's, I mean, that's not ideal, is it? Like, what do you make of this whole situation with this part of the death chart?
00:38:09
Speaker
Yeah, look, the Pedro de la Vega situation, it's very concerning to me, simply because that is a guy that statistically ah probably is better than, than Paul Rothrock to a certain level, to to a certain level.
00:38:27
Speaker
But Paul Rothrock has um such a high floor and does so many of the necessary things to make the system works that
00:38:41
Speaker
To me, right now, he is without a doubt the starting winger for this team. I mean, we'll we'll talk about the other side. But but to me, some of the positions that he got into yesterday, ah he has dead um that chance in front a goal maybe he should do better with.
00:38:59
Speaker
ah He gets a great ball from Albert Rusnak, and maybe he needs to finish that. And that's where people are kind of going to lay the line is – That's what Rothbard needs to do, right? elevate that finished product in front of goal.
00:39:14
Speaker
But then you go back to the first goal and, you know, he put that one away. So when you have a team that has needed goals and he's one of the the wingers that has provided that, it's kind of hard to get him off.
00:39:26
Speaker
But I'll go back to his work rate and I'll go back to there was a play. in the first 10 minutes of the game where I looked at Jeremiah and i was like, that that's why Brian Smetzer loves Paul Rotherham, right? I mean, there's a ball over the top.
00:39:40
Speaker
He's, you know, battling Moreira. He's moving him. He's pushing him. He gets the ball, ah creates a foul. I mean, those sort of situations is what you want to see out of Paul Rotherham. But I don't want to limit him and I don't want to snub him on how good he is on the ball.
00:39:58
Speaker
He puts that assist, potential assist in the second minute to Ferreira. He creates that and Ferreira should do better with that and should probably put that one away.
00:40:11
Speaker
So by all i test, ah you know, examination by me, I feel like Paul Rothrock's floor is so high that you know what you're going to get out of Paul Rothrock.
00:40:26
Speaker
ah Now, the Pedro de la Vega situation is concerning because you did bring a guy that was talented, that was different, that is one of, well, actually, my opinion, the best 1v1 attacker when it comes to ah being a guy that is going to beat you off the dribble.
00:40:42
Speaker
ah He's supposed to be the guy that was going to be your X factor, your spark plug. He's done it um ah sporadically ah when he's coming off the bench, but I feel like he needs more minutes on the field in order to regain his confidence, in order to get right, to to be more influential for this team.
00:41:05
Speaker
But it's a tough... positional room. I mean, right now by moving Ferrera to the winger position, you just overpopulated that position to an extent that now minutes are kind of hard to come by. So you're in a really difficult situation where you're paying a huge salary to your designated player that right now is on the outside looking in And even if you were to put him instead of Ferrera, I feel like you're still in a position where,
00:41:36
Speaker
you're going to be thinking, okay, if Pedro has a decent game, I'm still going to go with Ferreira for the next one. And that's a tough place to be because if you're going to need De La Vega to be lights out every single time that he's on the field, when what he needs is minutes to get to his top form, then he might never get there this season.
00:41:57
Speaker
So it's it's very concerning. It's almost as if right now, his best value is what can we get for him ah when this ah transfer window opens up?
00:42:10
Speaker
And maybe we it's a win-win situation for the player and for the club where, you know, do you go and get an eight or a six if you are able to move Pedro along somewhere else and you use those funds or part of those funds to go and get you ah a potential senior you know, midfielder to replace a guy like Joe Pablo?
00:42:36
Speaker
Because as much as I really like Snyder Burnell, he's 18 and you cannot, ah you got to wait for him to just develop. So you need a guy that's going to be able to come in and help you out in that center midfield. So do you do that? So it's concerning in in so many ways, because if you don't, you're going to end up,
00:42:54
Speaker
the rest of the season with your designated player on the bench being a super sub where you might not get the best out of him either on the field or when it comes to your overall roster construction. So it's, it's real difficult, man. I see a Pedro de la Vega that ah struggling to get, to hit the floor running.
00:43:16
Speaker
And I think a lot of it has to do with confidence and I just don't know when or where he's going to get it. Yeah, I mean, it's ah at the very least like a ah ah topic that needs to be discussed.
00:43:30
Speaker
ah You know, i know a lot of people feel like ah Brian Schmetzer is sort of snubbing Pedro De La Vega and not giving him an opportunity to show what he can do.
00:43:42
Speaker
i know there was there was stats getting posted around that were very like clearly subtweeting me. Yeah. of like comparing Paul Rothrock to Pedro de la Vega's like underlying numbers and de la Vegas came out actually slightly ahead of Paul Rothrock.
00:43:59
Speaker
But what I saw were stats that were pretty much the same. Like there was one stat in particular. I can't remember exactly what it was, but it was like de la Vega was like a tiny, tiny bit ahead of Rothrock.
00:44:10
Speaker
And people were like, see, like De La Vega is actually the one who should be starting, not Paul Rothrock. Like he came out ahead here, which, okay. Uh, but like, if it's, if it's that close and it's a toss up between them, which the stats that I saw were players whose underlying numbers were pretty much the same.
00:44:27
Speaker
That's the issue. That's the issue. That's what I'm saying. Like, and, uh, If you're going by performance and final product, like and you have to admit, anyone would have to admit it's at the very least debatable.
00:44:41
Speaker
And it shouldn't be. There should not be like a heated debate or heated discourse over who should be getting the starting minutes between the two of them. But there is. So, uh, that's not ideal. It's just not ideal. It's not ideal.
00:44:56
Speaker
And they're going to have to, uh, they're to have to figure out how to manage that. But one, another thing I will say, and I made this point last night, but when you have a situation where, uh,
00:45:07
Speaker
things are roughly equal in terms of the underlying stats and, and stuff like that stuff like expected dog and work rate and playing defense is what's going to win out.
00:45:19
Speaker
And that's part of why I think Paul Rothrock has earned the starting job, even though it's, it's not like De La Vega is like a low work rate player at all. He, runs he runs a lot. He works hard. and I definitely don't fault him for any of that, but Paul Rothrock is like the guru of that stuff.
00:45:33
Speaker
The guy plays as hard as anybody. He runs as much as anybody and he's a dog on defense. So, uh, the fact that they, uh, their underlying stats are coming out roughly the same and he brings all those other attributes at such a high level.
00:45:48
Speaker
That's probably, it's probably going to win out in Schmetzer's eyes. And I think there's like, I think that's justified. Like I don't, I know like people think that we on this show,
00:45:59
Speaker
like cap for Rothrock is like a bit or something. That's really not what it is. It's like, I'm, I'm trying to judge it on the merits. So I don't know that's just how I see it. I know like ah that take turned out to be more unpopular than I probably expected. I thought everyone was, ah was on the pro Rothrock starting bandwagon with us, but I guess not, but I'm going to I'm going to keep saying how I see it. Cause I just, I think that, I don't know.
00:46:23
Speaker
I think it's correct. Anything else? no And I think that there's a lot of, good points to your argument. And ah one of them that I would have to credit Paul Rockford for is that he's just been more reliable, more dependable, right? He just seems to be a very durable guy. And it's something that Pedro hasn't been able to do.
00:46:44
Speaker
Now, my my concern is that this isn't the first... U22 or DP or international that has kind of come and not worked out for the Sounders team. And that to me, is ah it's a, it's a, it's a broader concern.
00:47:03
Speaker
ah Leo Chu came in and, uh, you know, he had moments, but never really hit, uh, his stride or, or what you wanted out of that you twenty two position. Uh, and Emonos Sashini was a guy that was brought in and barely saw the field.
00:47:18
Speaker
ah and And now Pedro de la Vega is a guy that just, it the more time that goes on, the more he seems to get farther and farther away from a starting position. And i just don't know what it is that's not working. What it is that bringing in international players of caliber is not really working for this system. So, uh,
00:47:43
Speaker
I do wish, and this is something that I've said before, I think that there are times where you have to give a guy minutes so he shows you in a consistent base, what it is that he provides you.
00:47:58
Speaker
And I don't think that Pedro has gotten that chance. So that that's where I have a bit of an issue with Brian's measures decisions at the club world cup stage.
00:48:10
Speaker
And even before that, ah whenever you are deciding not to play a guy like Pedro de la Vega, you're essentially not giving him the the, the minutes to get informed and that's,
00:48:22
Speaker
Additionally to that, you're kind of killing his confidence and killing ah what he could potentially be doing for you. so I do feel like there is a need for, at times, you just play your designated player. You just got to play him. You just got to, let's see what you give me. Let's see what you provide me.
00:48:41
Speaker
And I feel like there were chances and opportunities during the Club World Cup that were missed. And you could have tried to figure out a way to unlock Pedro Dele Viga a little bit more. But ah this is something that I do want to try to get to the bottom of is, you know, what is it about not developing young international players when they come into the Sounders ah rather than, you know, the academy guys that do have that Brian Schmetzer DNA and they play Schmetzer ball. And that's great because it'll give you results.
00:49:14
Speaker
But at the same time, it's kind of killing your top end talent because if you cannot unlock and develop these players that you're essentially committing money to,
00:49:26
Speaker
you're going to be limited. You're going to continue to be limited as a team. And then when it comes to playing the top teams in MLS, and when it comes to, you know, like this particular game where you dominated 30 minutes out of the second half, but you still were only able to get draw at home as a result, you started to think, you know, what if we had a little bit more of that end product, more of that higher talent that would put away games like this one. So, obviously we're dealing with a situation where we still have to see Jordan Morris back in this lineup.
00:49:56
Speaker
We still have to see Jordan Morris get in top shape and form to see how the system works. But when it comes to Pedro De La Vega, I feel like you're always going to be missing a huge part of your potential by not unlocking him and not developing into a influential player.
00:50:16
Speaker
I agree ah with the take that there's been more opportunities to get him run and get him minutes than he has been given, which is ah detrimental to to the cause. like even like You need to give him at least enough minutes to get a better evaluation.
00:50:37
Speaker
right So even in the game last night, he comes in for last week. twenty 20. Yeah, last 20. 17, yeah. Give him 30. Give him 30. Bring him on like earlier in the second half so you at least he at least has enough minutes in these cameos where you can get a better value. Like the game yesterday, 20-minute cameo.
00:50:59
Speaker
Did he look super great? No, but like what do we really know... what to make of that one way or the other in that short of a, of a timeframe where, everyone, ah everyone else were evaluated or not everyone else, but everyone who started the game is getting way more minutes for us to be able to gauge their performances on.
00:51:16
Speaker
So it is tough. It's a, it's a tough balance. And I think Roth rock should be starting for this team right now, but there are ways and there should be ways to get De La Vega more minutes, uh,
00:51:28
Speaker
than he's been getting. So like, you got to figure this out, man. Like you can't go in. you It's sort of a, they went through a similar situation with Leo Chu where he wasn't getting enough run to be able to evaluate him one way or the other.
00:51:42
Speaker
And that was kind of an issue his whole time with the team. And I think that is what you hit on with just the general, international scouting outcomes that they've gotten with Leo Chu and now De La Vega.
Potential Signing: Noah Ohio Discussion
00:51:56
Speaker
This is relevant because as you reported, Nico, the Seattle Sounders made an offer, if I'm not mistaken, for a Dutch forward for this U-22 spot by the name of Noah Ohio, which I still, that's a very Lobbing Scorcher's name on multiple fronts. But Noah, Ohio has been linked to the Sounders. They've apparently made an offer.
00:52:17
Speaker
And I haven't got, I'm curious your take on this, Nico. I haven't gotten your take on, on Noah, Ohio, but I'll tell you just my, my first reaction, which is that I think, okay, there is an underlying concern of any player of this profile, specifically with Seattle, just given what we've seen seen with Leo Chu. And now De La Vega, I already would have been like,
00:52:37
Speaker
I don't know. I don't know. But I'll be honest. I'll just be honest. Like well what my first reaction was. And I think I said this last night as well. But Noah Ohio, when you look at his transfer mark, you look at his career, like all the clubs he's played for, the numbers he's put up, the appearances he has and and all that stuff.
00:52:58
Speaker
I've seen a lot of MLS clubs sign you 22 of this exact type of rough profile in terms of their career trajectory and production and future outlook and all that.
00:53:09
Speaker
And it just doesn't usually work. Like I will tell you that like the, the, percentage odds of it being like a smash hit where they're a true impact move the needle type contributor for the first team. There's just not a lot of examples of it.
00:53:21
Speaker
And it's like, uh, players that i could, maybe I'll go down the list at some point of player. It's the exact same idea of guy for, in a lot of these situations, the hit rate is super low, but that doesn't mean that it can't hit.
00:53:36
Speaker
There have been ones that hit Portland is hit on a few guys that are of sort of a similar profile of Noah, Ohio, uh, ah Day on Jovulich is obviously the gold standard, but I think he had a lot more pedigree when he came to MLS than Ohio does.
00:53:51
Speaker
when When we're talking about guys like Noah Ohio, it's projection. It's your your betting on your gambling on future upside. which is inherently risky, especially for a young player.
00:54:02
Speaker
And for whatever reason, the U22 mechanism, the the hit rate on players of this exact profile, it just isn't that high. So that's not to say that no Ohio wouldn't be able to come into this team and, and hit and be a great player.
00:54:18
Speaker
It's just, I, when I look at it, I'm like, all right, the odds are kind of stacked against this. That's how, that's just my, that's just my honest first reaction. So anyway, yeah, ah Regarding your report with Noah Ohio, is there any updates or new information? And then what's what's your take on the potential sign ah transfer and what you make of the type of player and his odds of actually becoming an impact contributor for this team?
00:54:41
Speaker
Yeah, no updates yet. I expect ah this to move a bit slowly for now and then probably pick up um in a couple of weeks. He was obviously with the U21 Netherlands team where he scored a goal.
00:54:57
Speaker
And i think that there are some... um some Some things still to be worked out and to be looked at, ah but at least we know, as we reported, that there is an offer on the table for the player, that there is obviously ongoing and communications and formal negotiations for NOAHIO.
00:55:15
Speaker
I think that there are three things that I like about NOAHIO. the player. One is the profile. He's a big six foot type of striker, which you don't have right now.
00:55:28
Speaker
He's very pacey. He's strong on challenges. ah He is by all accounts. And and what I've heard, ah guy that could play as a target at nine, that, you know, he's good on the holdup play, that he's a great finisher, that he's good on the air.
00:55:43
Speaker
Although he doesn't have a lot of air goals necessarily statistically talking, but the underlying numbers just say that he's very good at just challenging at those spots. um Number two is the age.
00:55:56
Speaker
ah We knew that the Sounders were going to go look for a guy that was, if not proven because of the budget complications, at least someone that has a lot of pro games. And I think that Ohio does, right?
00:56:11
Speaker
He's a guy that's going to be right at the cusp of the U22 initiative ah because of his age. And ah when you look at his trajectory, I feel like there's enough that you could say, okay, this guy's going to come in and he's going to perform. He's going to be a guy that ah has been there, done that. He's experienced beyond his age for a 22 year old because of the European style of soccer.
00:56:37
Speaker
um
00:56:40
Speaker
And finally, I think that when it comes to a guy that plays in a league that's very quick, that's very direct, that's very physical as well, that I feel like if you compare some of the guys that have come from that league, have adapted quick into MLS play, um I feel like that's a it's a good way about it.
00:56:59
Speaker
ah But as There are good things. There are things that are concerning. The fact that he's bounced around so many organizations, it's concerning. The fact that he hasn't played over 1,400 minutes necessarily in one specific season is also something to look at.
00:57:17
Speaker
And of course, is what you mentioned, that curb for a player that... that Even Jovlich had when he came into the league.
00:57:28
Speaker
You know, some say it's because of Chicharito Hernandez that was taking some of the minutes. But here's the same situation. Jordan's going to be the guy. And if not Jordan, then Misowski is going to be the guy. So Noah Haidt is going to have to kind of fight for those minutes.
00:57:42
Speaker
And, you know, how quickly can he perform under those limitations is still to be determined. um When you talk about strikers or forwards at that level, you know, I think of Brenner ah for Cincinnati, it took him a couple of years to get there.
00:57:59
Speaker
Jovo is the same thing. yeah. so All this to say that although I think Seattle went with the type of profile player that they don't have, that they needed, that's going to ah but go with with Craig Weibel has told us that he was not going to get a player that he didn't feel that going to come in and contribute and that he didn't have in the clubhouse. He didn't want to just bring another guy that...
00:58:22
Speaker
He could say, yeah, well, you know, anybody else in in this clubhouse could do it. I feel like Noah Haya has a very specific style of play, a very specific profile, and that's a good thing. And I think that the Sounder family should be excited for a guy of this caliber, and we'll see where that –
00:58:38
Speaker
what the final number is, right? You know, we've heard of the $2 million dollar range because of transfer market. ah You know, I've heard that, you know, it's going to be more than three and a half million for the player. So we'll see where that lies. And there we can compare of what type investments Seattle made for this player, because, know,
00:59:00
Speaker
there There will be an issue next year to figure out how to add him into the roster because, as I mentioned, he's at the end line of that U22 initiative, and you're going to have to find a spot for him if you do get him, if he does perform, as we all hope that he does.
00:59:18
Speaker
What's your impression of where things stand as far as the likelihood that this deal actually gets done and know Ohio becomes a Seattle sounder? I know you said the offer is is down, but do you think it's sort of still 50 50 that it gets accepted and that. ah It's up in the air type situation if they're actually going to get this transfer done.
00:59:39
Speaker
Or as you read on it, like, no, this is probably in all likelihood happening, barring some sort of last minute changes or someone backing out or something like that.
00:59:52
Speaker
ah ah For all accounts, and as of this weekend, ah talking to a couple of sources, it sounds like they're confident, but as I mentioned, it's going to be slow and steady.
01:00:05
Speaker
um then Nobody's making any assumptions on on it just yet, but I think the level of confidence is high. um I don't like putting numbers on things necessarily, but I was asked yesterday ah in Spanish radio, I would say that, you know,
01:00:20
Speaker
my confidence level is like at a 70% that, you know, that, that, that things do get done that hopefully, that there is some pushback. I, I, I hear from, fans of that club about, you know, the, the,
01:00:36
Speaker
the amount of money that you're sending ah player of this age ah into MLS, which, as we all know and love, ah gets treated like a lesser league. So it's like, why are you sending this prospect into a lesser league? And yada, yada, yada. So we'll see how that kind of goes about.
01:00:52
Speaker
And Jeremiah O'Shann, of course, ah he ah just sent me a message that he will be a U22 player next year. So that won't be an issue. So that's all good and well, as if you do get this player, by the way.
01:01:04
Speaker
All right. Well, there you have it, folks. 70% likelihood. So it seems like there is a ah more than solid chance that ah Seattle do make this transfer for Noah Ohio.
01:01:17
Speaker
I'm going to keep an open mind. i ah I hope people don't get it twisted. I'm not condemning him to bust status already. I'm just pointing out that... ah I think these U22 spots are the degree of difficulty you're threading on hitting on guys that actually make an impact in MLS.
01:01:35
Speaker
It's a very high degree of difficulty, so we should keep that in mind. It's a higher degree of difficulty than a customary transfer for a more veteran player who's a little older and has more experience. You're hedging a lot more on inexperienced guys just already in general.
01:01:51
Speaker
And then also, i have looked at the list of U22s and gone over it of all the ones that every MLS club has signed. And it's, there's a lot of, ah there's a lot of swings and misses in there.
01:02:04
Speaker
And then you throw in Seattle's recent track record of Leo Chu never really getting run and never, ah never breaking out an MLS. And Pedro de la Vega still yet to do that stuff.
01:02:15
Speaker
ah That just, it's just, there's a lot of uncertainty, but ah I don't want you discount the chance that there is also a a possibility that he comes in and is an impact contributor either right away or may, you know,
01:02:31
Speaker
realistically, it's probably going to take some time. Like you mentioned, even day on Jovo, it's who's held up as the gold standard for you. 22 signings. ah He, he wasn't playing. Although the way I remember that situation, and you you can tell me if you remember this differently, Nico, I remember that being like,
01:02:48
Speaker
Chicharito was playing over him because he was Chicharito and because Chicharito was actually really good in MLS when he was healthy. But I remember Day on Jovulic kind of scoring goals for them for day one to the point where Galaxy fans were like, this guy, i mean, i don't know what you got to do, like playing him and Chicharito as dual strikers because it's not like Chicharito could have been benched at that point.
01:03:10
Speaker
But every time he was getting his opportunity, it felt like he was scoring goals. He just was a little buried on the depth chart with Chicharito being there their workhorse. I mean, do you like do I don't know if the development curve with him was as much as some of the other U22s. I feel like he was pretty good from day one. do you remember that differently?
01:03:31
Speaker
Yeah, no, I agree to a certain level. i think that he...
01:03:37
Speaker
In his first couple of um appearances, he got at least one goal. I remember that. And I do remember that there was a level of halfway through the season and when Javier Hernandez started to fall into a cold streak and he had some injury stuff that he could have gotten in more minutes. But there was another guy, and and i can't remember, but there was a little bit of – I think they were taking it very easy with Joe vol village. I think that he performed, but I think that they were not giving him as many minutes, maybe purposely to just kind of develop him a little bit.
01:04:13
Speaker
um And that's where I feel like, know, how he could have similar obstacles here. Cause like I said, you know, Jordan Morris going to be the guy. And so it's, you know, Musavsky is a guy that has earned all the kind of um goodwill and, and, um,
01:04:32
Speaker
Trust from Bryant Smetzer. So he's going to be the first guys on deck. So where does Noah Ohio fall? And, you know, how quickly can develop them? That's going to be the big question. If this ends up being, you know, the the guy that you do get.
01:04:47
Speaker
Jose makes a good point in chat. Wouldn't Diego Gomez inter Miami be the gold standard for you 22 bought and sold pretty quickly for a hefty fee, but also seriously contributed. Yeah. Inter Miami. It's a good point. Inter Miami in general ah are one of the teams that when I looked at this had, I mean their track record of signing like South american young South American prospects was honestly is honestly pretty incredible. They have a few of them on the team right now.
01:05:15
Speaker
Yeah. And we'll look at the transfer ah price for Diego Gomez. I don't have it here, but I guarantee to that he was a high level. type of acquisition. I mean, this is not a Noah Ohio type of acquisition. no I mean, Inter-Miami was getting the best prospects.
01:05:32
Speaker
Rodondo, Diego Gomez, Segovia. These are some of the best prospects in South America. They're not going shopping at Goodwill or, you know, that they're shopping high end. You know what I mean? So it's obviously going to give you a different type of guy, not to mention a different type of player. Obviously, Diego Gomez being a midfielder, but, um,
01:05:54
Speaker
I do feel like the U-22 strikers, to me, and please correct me if I'm wrong, Chad or whoever's out there, it feels like it takes a little bit longer in MLS than a midfielder or a winger or a defender, you know, for that instance.
01:06:10
Speaker
Absolutely. and And when it comes to a guy like Diego Gomez, you're talking about a ah just a different... level of of pedigree. And as James points out, InterMiami has a cheat code. They can get young stars because they want to play with Messi.
01:06:23
Speaker
That's a huge part of it. They've created like a an environment where it's not even just the young South American prospects that want to come play for them and play with Messi.
01:06:34
Speaker
it's ah It's the Barca boys. And then you have guys like Allende, who's not really like a U22, but is a very well-regarded player. player like from South America and a lot of these guys like Diego Gomez got transferred to the EPL if I'm not mistaken for a ton of money and it's they're they're sort of just playing like a different game with it where they are like I I have a hard time comparing anybody let alone Seattle but if this no Ohio is ah like you said two to three million dollar player and sometimes it just you can money ball effectively
01:07:11
Speaker
But it's ah it's a lower percentage game. It's harder to do. So that's sort of... not the apprehension. I think it's just like the reality of expectation setting and all that stuff.
01:07:23
Speaker
ah Based on what I've seen of MLS clubs, track records with, with profiles like this, it's hard. It's very, very difficult. And we're going to see, I guess, assuming that this no Ohio deal gets done.
Inter Miami's Performance with Messi
01:07:37
Speaker
I mean, Craig Weibel has said that he expects this expectation is on, a on this player, whoever it might be is to be able to contribute right away. So that was his expectation, not ours.
01:07:50
Speaker
So I guess we'll see if that ah that pans out. Nico, anything else on Noah Ohio? Yeah, the the other thing, and and and again, not to shut this down or not to get people excited, but the reality is that Noah Ohio is one of the guys that's left from the scouting and the attempts to bring in players to fill this position.
01:08:14
Speaker
Obviously the team has made multiple offers to other players that just by common sense would make you think that those were the guys that they were after.
01:08:26
Speaker
And now they are at no Ohio. So, um, Because of the budget situation and because you're not Atlanta and you're not LAFC and you can't just go out there and just buy the best of the best. I think that the scouting group is doing a great job at bringing in guys that have a specific profile that check several boxes, if not all the boxes.
01:08:51
Speaker
And right now there are no Ohio. So, uh, It is a need for for the Sounders. Their academy um and the way they develop players here in Seattle has given them good fullbacks, good midfielders, but there's never really been an attacking player that has really shined out of the academy that I could think of.
01:09:11
Speaker
ah So this is something that you need to try to figure out is how do you develop these players, these these exact type of players, so that you do have that generational change once Jordan Morris is this off.
01:09:23
Speaker
and and And once you figure out exactly what you're going to with your wing play and all of those things that I think everybody wants to see from this team moving forward. ah Just a few more minutes to go before we call it a wrap on this episode of Lobbing Scorchers Kickoff. Thank you all, everyone, for tuning in, starting your week off with us here as we do every Monday morning. If you have not done so yet, please like the video.
01:09:48
Speaker
I don't know what the ratio is right now, but we got 100 plus people watching and I can't imagine we're that close 100 likes yet. So let's get this stream to 100 likes. I like to see triple digits on these. But ah thank you guys, as always, for for the support and for for tuning in to the show.
01:10:07
Speaker
ah Nico, I guess ah to wrap it up here, we can talk about a couple of the other results from MLS and Match Day 22 that caught our eye. Maybe a little USMNT Gold Cup Final.
01:10:19
Speaker
ah But I'll tell you just from ah looking at the scoreboard and watching a lot of the games on Saturday. The ones that caught my eye were Inter Miami and Houston, San Diego. So Inter Miami, they smash on CF Montreal for one, which is not like a huge accomplishment in of itself.
01:10:39
Speaker
But I guess um'm I wanted to bring a debate that ah discussion that Noah and I were having and get your take on it. Nico, because after Inter-Miami bombed out of the Club World Cup against PSG, we were sort of taking stock of where things stand with the Messi and the Barca boys project in general.
01:10:57
Speaker
And Noah was saying, you know, that he considers it pretty much a categorical failure because they have not won ah Champions Cup and MLS Cup are the two most important trophies, I think, by most people's estimation, and they have not been able to ah to win those.
01:11:11
Speaker
They kind of bowed out of the playoffs unceremoniously last year, and then ah Champions Cup, they haven't gotten that close to to winning. I don't quite see it that way.
01:11:24
Speaker
i think... Underwhelming and disappointing are fair adjectives to use when regarding their total trophy haul. But I do think that you have to acknowledge on the flip side of their shortcomings that they did win when Leagues Cup, which whatever you significance you want to put on that.
01:11:45
Speaker
Some people think that's totally meaningless, but it is a trophy. And ah i do think there is significance and weight to the season that they had last year in winning the shield and setting the point rec points record, ah which that that's where we got into like, how much does the shield really matter? And does the shield carry less weight in MLS? Cause it's not a balanced schedule like it is in other leagues who award their title winners by the regular season champion.
01:12:13
Speaker
i think regardless of whatever, you whatever weight you put on the shield, you have to acknowledge that they had an incredible season last year. And part of the lens that I'm thinking of this through is just like your goal as a team and as an organization, yes, it is to win trophies. That's the ultimate goal at the end of the at the end of the day.
01:12:33
Speaker
But there's also an element to it of like, are you giving your fans like a fun, compelling, entertaining product week in week out where when they go to the stadium, they expect to see some goals they expect to win to win their games.
01:12:45
Speaker
InterMiami last year very much did that. And I think there's value in that. There's value in your fan base just having a fun year where you're just running over every team and racking up 74 points.
01:12:56
Speaker
And when you have a team that's that dominant, like, and you're a supporter of that team, you go into every game, like, all right, good luck to the other team because we got messy in the Barca boys. We score three to five goals every game without even trying.
01:13:09
Speaker
Maybe you're going to put a couple past us, but it's not going to matter because our team, our team is that good in attack. I think like I give a little bit of equity to that when when I'm evaluating the success of their their whole product ah a project.
01:13:23
Speaker
Even though it definitely... like The trophy hall, when you look at it and it doesn't have MLS Cup in it yet and it does it hasn't gotten particularly close to CONCACAF Champions Cup, I think that is definitely ah disappointment relative to what everyone was expecting from Lionel Messi at InterMiami.
01:13:38
Speaker
So, Nico, I'm very curious. like Where do you stand on just your evaluation of... of their whole, their whole product as they come off. What was a, a resounding win over CF Montreal? I know it's CF Montreal, so doesn't count or whatever, but like just watching, watching CF Montreal's defenders try and defend Leonel Messi was just comical.
01:13:58
Speaker
He was just dancing through all of them on both of his goals, hitting these crazy passes, looking like 2011 Leonel Messi against CF Montreal. But ah yeah, what do you, what do you think of where things stand for inter Miami and the Barca boys?
01:14:12
Speaker
I think it in Miami still has a lot to prove. I saw a lot of people ah be very, um I don't know, overreactive to oh on a 4-1 win against a team that has 40 goals against all season.
01:14:25
Speaker
ah By far the worst team in the league, in my opinion. And a game that you started losing by a mistake by Leo Messi of putting a ball into the back line into a Montreal attacker. So um to me,
01:14:41
Speaker
the Lil' Messi project is always going to be judged by trophies. And although it's fun have an entertainment team, and they are entertaining at that. If they don't have anything to back it up with, then you bring in the best player in the planet to play in MLS didn't do what it was going to do, which...
01:15:02
Speaker
by all accounts is getting a trophy. And yes, they got Leagues Cup. We'll see what happens in this, you know, Leagues Cup that's coming up, but you need to win your domestic league. I mean, that's and the objective of every single team, every single season that Lionel Messi has been in.
01:15:18
Speaker
It's about winning that domestic league. And I don't know if they have it. you know There's so many holes defensively for this team. I look at that that midfield with Kramaski and Busquets Agende and Segovia.
01:15:33
Speaker
They're all good on the ball and attacking, but defending, not so much. You got the two worst defending fullbacks, duo in MLS, in Cello and ah Alva. So I just don't know how...
01:15:48
Speaker
They're going to outscore every single team moving up in the playoffs. Maybe they can do it, but they got to prove it. ah They are definitely not top five in MLS in general. If you combine all the teams, ah they're definitely not top five in the East.
01:16:04
Speaker
I think that they have a lot of proof in my opinion. So, Teams like Cincinnati that are so much more balanced when it comes to the entirety of their team, defensively, midfield, attack.
01:16:15
Speaker
You look at a team like Orlando with all the depth, with all the youth, with all the speed. um ah did you the The list goes on. You look at San Diego, despite, you know, a bit of ah um Disorganized performance I think that they They ran out of gas against Houston And Inali man that that That kid is fun to watch I remember when he first Came on MLS before he had that ah we believe ACL tear That that that he he got um He was fantastic He was just a speed abuser I mean he was a pace abuser all day long And he gave San Diego you know a whole bunch of issues But San Diego is another team that you know I feel like you could very easily say That has been better than
01:16:57
Speaker
inner miami in in a longer scale and and more consistently. So ah to me, Messi needs to win MLS. Otherwise, although not a a failure because MLS has benefited hugely from Messi coming over in all kinds of ways.
01:17:19
Speaker
um So in that part has been a success, but... As a team, you know, if you're not winning any championships, then, you know, what are we doing here? Who are we entertaining? I mean, the fans don't want to be entertained. They want to win.
01:17:32
Speaker
You know, as the Philadelphia, you know how good it is to be the non-winner and just be the team that almost got there and that has a great academy and that plays hard. I mean, come on. Now it's about getting some trophies. So at some point that's what going have to judge him on. And I do feel like the window's closing yeah because although I don't believe the reports, Lionel Messi is looking to be loaned out somewhere before the the world cup.
01:17:57
Speaker
I could see a ah future in where he moves on. And then that window closes, not to mention the fact that a guy like Busquets is, Probably that window's about to close.
01:18:09
Speaker
And that's where you get that Rodrigo DePaul possibilities and all of these things. Because if you bring those sort of players, it's a win now mentality. And I feel like that's what you're seeing out of Inter-Miami. We need to win now with this specific group.
01:18:24
Speaker
It is pretty funny, isn't it, that an MLS club with Lionel Messi, Sergio Bursquets, Jordi Alba, and Luis Suarez is like the sixth or seventh best team in the league right now.
01:18:35
Speaker
like You see those clips get posted Messi banging in goals against CF Montreal, and you do see comments that are like, oh, look at this Farmers League defending. What a joke of a league that he plays in.
01:18:49
Speaker
ah Brother, they're seventh in the Supporters Shield standings. Yeah. Put them against FC Cincinnati, they'll probably lose. I'm not like, I was just, i I was just being like deferential to their, ah to their track record. And I've, I've said for a long time that when, when they were at their peak form last year, ah they played some of the best attacking footy I've ever seen played in MLS.
01:19:11
Speaker
Like without a doubt, like, I don't think you can deny that. it ah And they still can tap into that level sometimes. Yeah. ah But as it stands right now, they're they're closer to like a mid-table side than a side that's going to make a serious charge at the Shield or and MLS Cup. Their points per game is still high, but they've played a couple less games than everyone else because of the Club World Cup.
01:19:35
Speaker
And also just like, ah especially in the East, which is pretty stacked this year. I mean, I rate Cincinnati over them. ah certainly rate Columbus over them, even though they destroyed Columbus earlier this year. So you don't need to, ah no one needs to point that out.
01:19:48
Speaker
I realized that, but just in terms of like who I rate higher as a club going into these games on a weekend week out basis, ah there's just a lot of teams that you could ah put over them.
01:20:00
Speaker
yeah I put Orlando over him. I really do Nashville. I think that they're making a case. I mean, Sam Sturridge is very slowly becoming a big problem from everybody. i mean, he's probably going to be the golden boot at the end of the year.
01:20:15
Speaker
ah so there's a lot of good teams out there. So I'm with you. And not to mention that Columbus will go and get, their big punch heavyweight that they're missing up top in this transfer window.
01:20:27
Speaker
ah Because if this team still have Cucho, it would be a different story, but they don't. And I'm sure they're going to go get it in the transfer window. And that's going to completely change Columbus as a whole. So they're clearly going to be better. There's not a lot of,
01:20:40
Speaker
bigger things happening for Inter-Miami, despite of what you might hear. Maybe if they do bring DePaul and those reports are correct, I mean, it'll be interesting. But, I mean, he's still ah midfielder coming in for a huge payday here.
01:20:53
Speaker
i don't know how much that changes what UR are not doing. Well, I'll take that back. I think Roger Good-Paul could provide some defensive stability for this team. But other than that, man, I mean, you still got two big old holes with Cello and Jordy on the flanks.
01:21:08
Speaker
So, yeah, I just think that there's a lot to be proven.
USMNT's Gold Cup Journey
01:21:11
Speaker
in my opinion, for this Inter-Miami team. Nico, before we get out of here, let's talk about the Gold Cup real quick. That final was played ah yesterday, USMNT versus Mexico.
01:21:25
Speaker
i didn't watch much of it, but it sounded like a pretty good game. US ends up losing two to one so so ah they could not get Polk, my guy Polk. I call him Polk. I know it's Potch. I call him Polk.
01:21:37
Speaker
poke couldn't get his first trophy ah but i will say you know nico i've been i've made no secret i've been down on the usmnt and the uh golden generation i think that's a uh it's pretty clearly like propaganda at this point uh But i I wanted to say that, and I said it last night before we do before I dish this take. Scott Curtis, $5 super sticker. Thank you so much for the support, man. All right, Scott. First first super chat of the ah of the stream coming right at the end. So shout out to Scott. I wasn't going to say anything. I wasn't going to say anything. We were goose egging before that, but we got one. so that's No, that's fine. That's fine.
01:22:18
Speaker
Goose egging when we've had like 100 people watching for the last 30 minutes. Wow. i'm I'm joking, though. It's all good. guys. Give me another one. Come on. USMNT versus Mexico. They end up losing 2-1. But I i found this ah this Gold Cup squad, and it's not just because it had a lot of MLS guys or whatever.
01:22:37
Speaker
It just seemed like the the guys that Pochettino called in were kind of more reminiscent of the days when this team was more likable and more successful guys that like the the thing with the golden generation right now is like, uh, this team used to be, uh, identifiable with like playing for the badge.
01:22:57
Speaker
They weren't always going to win. They weren't always going to take results, but you never questioned their effort, commitment, and, uh, the work that they were going to put in to try and represent for the country.
01:23:08
Speaker
Right. This golden generation, you just get this air of like, we're above this. we're We're like so good because we play for this club, this club, this club, and that club.
01:23:19
Speaker
And it's like, you guys are not that good. You have been less successful than Dempsey, Donovan, and the MLS boys, Graham Zussi.
01:23:31
Speaker
So what, is where does this like air of superiority even come from? Certainly not anything you guys have done on the field. And so I've been, I've been annoyed with that kind of just whole aura that they have in that way for a long time.
01:23:44
Speaker
And I feel like this gold cup squad didn't, didn't have that as much. I feel like it was, it became sort of like a team that I felt like I could root for it again. So even though they lost to Mexico, That was at least, that was kind of a nice feeling for me personally, just because I've been so soured on the whole federation, the program, the golden generation player pool.
01:24:05
Speaker
And ah it was nice to like watch the USMNT play a little bit in the gold cup and be like, this feels more like a squad I can get behind. Like Diego Luna is doing cool stuff. I'm a big Seb Berhalter fan.
01:24:17
Speaker
So it was, it was nice. um Maximum Dorcas. Thank you for the $2. He says, just for you, Nico. Appreciate you. All right. he got We got two. I'll take that. I'll take that. That's enough. ah I mean, if you guys want to give more in the last four minutes. I appreciate that, though. Thank you. Yeah.
01:24:35
Speaker
Appreciate you, Maximum Dorcas. Nico, any thoughts on the USMNT or just like the Gold Cup in general? Yeah, this what I'll say. i I am with you in the terms of this team at least had that identity of –
01:24:50
Speaker
aggressiveness and in um tempo and intensity that you wanted of a national team. It felt like they were really bleeding the jersey. And, you know, as someone that in South America, and, you know, we've discussed this at ah the Sounders Clubhouse, is that Players have to come and play for the national team at their best because country always comes before club.
01:25:16
Speaker
And I feel like there are a lot of the best players, like a Pulisic or a Weah, that at times think of it oppositely because they're getting... their main money or their contracts depend more on the club than on the countryside. So in that aspect, I felt like Diego Luna to me was the best player for the MLS national, the U.S. Miss national team throughout this competition, because he plays with chip on his shoulder, the size of yeah Texas. I mean, the guy has so much desire, so much one. He's so creative.
01:25:50
Speaker
He, you know, he's a goal scorer. He does it does it all. So, A guy like that is someone that you do want moving forward, but the reality is that this team is an alternative squad. And and not to make it an excuse, it's just a circumstance of what happened.
01:26:06
Speaker
Pochettino... had to play with, I don't want to call it a B squad because I don't like that, that Burbage, but an alternative ah group. Right. And, but you're going to need those top end guys at some point.
01:26:18
Speaker
I mean, Patrick Adjeman, as much as I, I like him and I think that he's going to develop into a really good player. He just didn't perform to the standard that you want your ninth to play at this level.
01:26:32
Speaker
And Mexico did. I thought that, you know, Raul Jimenez was fantastic throughou throughout the tournament. You know, he, I believe, got to the third all-time leading score list for Mexico.
01:26:44
Speaker
I'm a huge Alexis Vega guy. I think he's... and another guy that plays just angry and and and strong and bleeds for the badge. ah so So they were just better.
01:26:54
Speaker
ah Mexico was better. And they they they have the better squad. They had more of a complete group of of their pool players ah in today's day and age for Mexico rather than the United States.
01:27:08
Speaker
The issue that that that I see with this team and is that they don't have an identity yet. And I'm putting that on Pochettino. ah they have not been able to really execute the soccer module that I believe Pochettino wants to play in. And if not just that, execution-wise, look, Guatemala had a fantastic tournament and and and it was exciting and it was cool, you know, the things that we're able to do. But those sort of teams are so limited in talent that the United States and Mexico should have
01:27:44
Speaker
been so much better throughout the tournament. Now, because there is a level of competition that anytime that you play Mexico and anytime you play the United States, it's a win.
01:27:55
Speaker
There's is is a no-lose situation where, you know, a team that has nothing to lose, like the Dominican Republic, giving Mexico jitters at one point during the the group stage, all those teams play to a certain level, but the United States and Mexico should always be able to do better. So,
01:28:14
Speaker
Although this team did have a little bit more of that pride for the United States and and what it represents, the top-end talent just did not...
01:28:26
Speaker
was not enough to beat team like
Conclusion and Thanks
01:28:28
Speaker
Mexico. And that's plain and simple. Now, but the worst part about this, and moving forward and thinking more of a broader aspect, not just Gold Cup, is that we are, I don't know, less than 100 days, I believe, from the ah start of the World Cup.
01:28:42
Speaker
And you don't know who your goalkeeper is. You don't know who your nine is. You know, it Sargent? it Balgan? Fleurin? Is it, ah ah who is it? Still talking about this. It's definitely not Patrick Adjeman.
01:28:55
Speaker
and what about your midfield? it going to be um ah a guy like Adams? And is it going to be guy like Pulisic out wide with way out wide?
01:29:06
Speaker
I mean, there's there's just so many question marks that I just feel like this team... is just not ready because you don't have a core group that is ready and available to play for this national team. So to me, it was a failure of a Gold Cup.
01:29:20
Speaker
I feel like there are things that you can rescue out of this. the The Diego Lunas, the Richards. I thought that ah Freeman was a guy that you're probably going to want to keep in your roster.
01:29:32
Speaker
ah but but But moving on forward, it was it was a failure. It is what it is. You did not win the Gold Cup and therefore you failed. I agree with that. All right.
01:29:43
Speaker
Got to take off on that, everybody. Thank you all so much for ah tuning into the show today. Like, comment, subscribe, rate five stars, like the video, sub to the channel.
01:29:56
Speaker
We'll be back at it with keeping the content churning this week. Nico, thanks for hopping ah hopping on as always. Appreciate you, man. And talk soon. Thanks, everybody. All righty, guys.