WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.800 --> 00:00:04.120 Big weekend in the world of football or soccer, whatever 2 00:00:04.160 --> 00:00:08.080 you want to say, both on the local scale, national scale, 3 00:00:08.080 --> 00:00:11.160 international as well. RSL with three points, they're now on 4 00:00:11.279 --> 00:00:13.759 beating in three straight games. The US men's national team 5 00:00:13.839 --> 00:00:17.039 falls to Mexico in a Gold Clup final. Nobody better 6 00:00:17.039 --> 00:00:18.960 than our next guest to walk us through all of it. 7 00:00:19.039 --> 00:00:22.679 Brian Dunseeth, the legend himself. Monday afternoon, Donny, Happy Monday man. 8 00:00:22.719 --> 00:00:23.320 How are we doing. 9 00:00:25.280 --> 00:00:28.199 Out in the beautiful state, the great state of New Jersey? 10 00:00:28.359 --> 00:00:31.839 Staring out the window the skyline over the Hudson to 11 00:00:32.039 --> 00:00:35.759 New York City and getting ready for tomorrow's semi finals 12 00:00:35.840 --> 00:00:39.399 to the Club World Cup between Flaminensa and Chelsea. 13 00:00:39.960 --> 00:00:40.920 Wow, very nice. 14 00:00:41.320 --> 00:00:44.320 And I like to say, I'm from the right coast, Donny, 15 00:00:44.399 --> 00:00:48.640 You're from the left coast, So what's it like for 16 00:00:48.759 --> 00:00:51.679 a left coaster to be existing in my ecosystem? 17 00:00:51.759 --> 00:00:52.920 Back in the East coast? 18 00:00:54.280 --> 00:00:57.399 They all are really loud, Like, why is everyone yelling 19 00:00:57.439 --> 00:00:59.520 all the time out here? I know, I know you 20 00:00:59.560 --> 00:01:01.439 guys are on top of each other, but everyone's just 21 00:01:01.520 --> 00:01:04.920 screaming all the time. There's not a lot of pleases 22 00:01:04.920 --> 00:01:07.920 and thank you and not a lot of acknowledgment. I 23 00:01:07.959 --> 00:01:11.640 said thank you today and I got a hook back 24 00:01:11.680 --> 00:01:15.000 at me. So, yeah, I'm surviving. I like to look 25 00:01:15.040 --> 00:01:17.439 people in the eye and say hello, sir, thank you 26 00:01:17.519 --> 00:01:21.719 man hold doors for people. That's not always reciprocated out here. 27 00:01:21.760 --> 00:01:24.280 Well, maybe being back east will give you more empathy 28 00:01:24.400 --> 00:01:25.840 for dealing with someone like me. 29 00:01:26.079 --> 00:01:26.599 Is that fair? 30 00:01:27.920 --> 00:01:30.159 Yeah, that's fair. Okay, I probably need a couple of 31 00:01:30.200 --> 00:01:31.280 years before I figured that. 32 00:01:31.200 --> 00:01:35.920 Out right, the unnecessary shots fired, Donnie, all right, let's 33 00:01:35.959 --> 00:01:39.480 start with let's start with what Diego Luna just showed 34 00:01:39.519 --> 00:01:41.439 the world during this Gold Cup run. 35 00:01:43.280 --> 00:01:45.840 Yeah, listen, I know the final didn't turn out the 36 00:01:45.840 --> 00:01:48.920 way if he wanted it to. I'm of the term 37 00:01:48.959 --> 00:01:52.959 belief that finals are never as fanciful as we all 38 00:01:53.079 --> 00:01:56.200 kind of hoped for. And as I say that, I 39 00:01:56.239 --> 00:02:00.799 do recognize psg Inter was probably the most ex fun, 40 00:02:00.959 --> 00:02:04.480 free flowing five MIL Champions League final that we've seen 41 00:02:05.000 --> 00:02:09.159 in a long long time. But listen, I think at 42 00:02:09.159 --> 00:02:12.400 the end of the day, what Diego Luna has done 43 00:02:12.400 --> 00:02:16.280 in these last six weeks has captured the imagination of 44 00:02:16.400 --> 00:02:20.280 fan base that was had a bitter taste in their 45 00:02:20.319 --> 00:02:24.240 mouths because of everything that it transpired with a couple 46 00:02:24.240 --> 00:02:26.479 of players that were available, a couple of players that 47 00:02:26.520 --> 00:02:29.319 weren't available, and on top of that, quite frankly, the 48 00:02:29.360 --> 00:02:32.960 disappointment of not only Nations League, but Copa Medica a 49 00:02:33.080 --> 00:02:37.360 year ago. So he's allowed us, along with Elie Tillman, 50 00:02:37.439 --> 00:02:42.080 I think Sebastian Burholz, Tyler Adams, Chris Richards in particular, 51 00:02:42.639 --> 00:02:47.840 to maybe dream about watching players that would live and 52 00:02:47.919 --> 00:02:50.439 die for the badge. And I keep saying this and 53 00:02:50.479 --> 00:02:52.719 said it's a broad stroke, but you know, I mean, 54 00:02:52.759 --> 00:02:55.599 you know this past the odd ball test, because as 55 00:02:55.599 --> 00:02:58.960 fandom is a finicky thing and at a bare minimum, 56 00:02:59.000 --> 00:03:02.919 all we want is to see the players theoretically quote 57 00:03:02.960 --> 00:03:05.159 unquote want it as much as we do as fans 58 00:03:05.199 --> 00:03:11.120 when we support, you know, the psychotic, psychopathic sports teams 59 00:03:11.159 --> 00:03:14.680 that we believe, you know, in golf, and maintain the 60 00:03:14.759 --> 00:03:17.759 DNA of what we want to see. So I think, overall, 61 00:03:18.159 --> 00:03:23.120 a really high, huge net positive, even though I think 62 00:03:23.159 --> 00:03:26.639 if Diego was honest, it was probably not the performance 63 00:03:26.680 --> 00:03:29.439 he was planning on having against Mexico in the final. 64 00:03:30.439 --> 00:03:34.439 So from a broader perspective, and I was stunned to 65 00:03:34.680 --> 00:03:37.719 hear that This was the first win Mexico had over 66 00:03:37.759 --> 00:03:41.599 the US in a competitive situation in six years. I 67 00:03:41.639 --> 00:03:45.000 was surprised to have I've learned that it honestly, Donny 68 00:03:45.039 --> 00:03:46.319 felt like an earned result. 69 00:03:46.400 --> 00:03:48.159 I thought Mexico was the better side. 70 00:03:48.879 --> 00:03:51.759 So actually, let me just ask you about that before 71 00:03:51.759 --> 00:03:54.120 we expanded to thirty thousand feet to maybe get a 72 00:03:54.159 --> 00:03:56.240 little bit of a preview of what's next for this team. 73 00:03:56.639 --> 00:03:59.400 What was your take on the run that they had 74 00:03:59.439 --> 00:04:02.199 to the final and your take on walkie watching Mexico 75 00:04:02.400 --> 00:04:03.479 lift the Gold Cup. 76 00:04:04.680 --> 00:04:08.639 Yeah, the run was expected, I guess. I am love 77 00:04:08.680 --> 00:04:11.159 the very few that all we saw this Gold Cup. 78 00:04:11.199 --> 00:04:16.199 There is nothing more than an opportunity to bleed some 79 00:04:16.279 --> 00:04:20.399 players that were less experienced and start thinking about next summer. 80 00:04:20.480 --> 00:04:23.759 Not for starters per se, but for the roster and 81 00:04:23.879 --> 00:04:28.120 impact players coming off the bench. I would gently remind everybody, 82 00:04:28.160 --> 00:04:30.680 and I said this today on CNN International when I 83 00:04:30.720 --> 00:04:34.040 was talking to Tacoy that this is this is a 84 00:04:34.120 --> 00:04:37.720 Mexico team that's quite honestly, this starting eleven we saw 85 00:04:37.800 --> 00:04:40.920 last night could be the same starting eleven at the 86 00:04:40.920 --> 00:04:44.759 World Cup twelve months from now. Basketball Getty Hiviera Getti 87 00:04:44.800 --> 00:04:46.800 has done a phenomenal job with his group of players. 88 00:04:47.160 --> 00:04:49.920 He brought back Rathea Marquez, one of the iconic DNA 89 00:04:50.519 --> 00:04:57.920 players of the recent Mexico's success, who's our age and 90 00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:02.360 ultimately I think deserved to who deserve to win. That 91 00:05:02.480 --> 00:05:05.879 being said again, I think there were some net positives, 92 00:05:05.959 --> 00:05:08.600 but that's only if you're willing to look past the 93 00:05:08.639 --> 00:05:11.639 results and think about what this tournament really meant to 94 00:05:12.920 --> 00:05:16.480 a highly I mean outside of Tyler Adams and Chris Richards, 95 00:05:16.920 --> 00:05:22.120 a highly inexperienced, a group of players that for Mauricio 96 00:05:22.199 --> 00:05:25.240 Pochettino finally got his hands on for the better part 97 00:05:25.279 --> 00:05:27.560 of the last six weeks, unlike anything that he ever 98 00:05:27.639 --> 00:05:36.199 had previous. Because a domestic manager from Espanol, Southampton, Spurs, PSG, Chelsea, 99 00:05:36.879 --> 00:05:39.519 they're used to having their boots in the ground and 100 00:05:39.560 --> 00:05:41.720 working with their players every single day, and if a 101 00:05:41.720 --> 00:05:44.279 player doesn't fit the system, they move the player out 102 00:05:44.319 --> 00:05:46.480 and they bring a player in. That's not the case 103 00:05:46.519 --> 00:05:48.519 with the usbn's national team. With the usbin's national team 104 00:05:48.519 --> 00:05:51.000 in the international window, you get players to the better 105 00:05:51.000 --> 00:05:53.759 part of maybe two training sessions before the first game 106 00:05:53.800 --> 00:05:56.959 because it's travel and recovery, and then it's a short 107 00:05:56.959 --> 00:05:59.000 turn around time until the next game. So this was 108 00:05:59.279 --> 00:06:01.920 Marisio Putcher in the first calendar year of him being 109 00:06:01.959 --> 00:06:04.439 head coached, was the first time that he actually had 110 00:06:04.439 --> 00:06:07.639 the chance to work with a group of players. Unfortunately, 111 00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:09.920 it wasn't the first team and it never was going 112 00:06:09.959 --> 00:06:12.399 to be the first team despite the failure of Copa 113 00:06:12.439 --> 00:06:13.879 Medica and the Nations League. 114 00:06:13.959 --> 00:06:16.800 So as we look ahead to a World Cup that 115 00:06:16.839 --> 00:06:19.160 will be played in our region where a lot of 116 00:06:19.199 --> 00:06:22.040 people who support and love the sport of football or 117 00:06:22.079 --> 00:06:25.680 soccer are hoping that it provides a bump. And I 118 00:06:25.720 --> 00:06:28.120 know that's a narrative that was around in the nineties, 119 00:06:28.160 --> 00:06:30.240 but the World Cup here in the nineties led to 120 00:06:30.240 --> 00:06:33.720 the implementation of Major League Soccer. I want you to 121 00:06:33.759 --> 00:06:38.199 walk us through this process, Donny, what comes next between 122 00:06:38.199 --> 00:06:40.199 now and the World Cup which is less than a 123 00:06:40.279 --> 00:06:43.160 year from now, and then tied into your answer, help 124 00:06:43.240 --> 00:06:47.000 us understand where you think diego now exists in this ecosystem. 125 00:06:47.959 --> 00:06:51.000 So what comes next is there's international friendlies in September, 126 00:06:51.000 --> 00:06:53.519 October November, which I'll be a part of on TNT 127 00:06:53.680 --> 00:06:57.120 and Turner. The soft free Game will be in New Jersey. 128 00:06:57.120 --> 00:07:01.319 I believe it's like September sixth in that region, followed 129 00:07:01.360 --> 00:07:04.360 up by a couple days later in Columbus, Ohio against Japan. 130 00:07:04.839 --> 00:07:07.560 I believe it's September ninth, and then you'll have another 131 00:07:07.600 --> 00:07:11.240 international window in October and another international window in November 132 00:07:11.639 --> 00:07:17.040 before heading into twenty twenty six. The runway is, you know, 133 00:07:17.240 --> 00:07:19.000 ten or so games. I mean, there's not a lot 134 00:07:19.040 --> 00:07:23.720 of games remaining. And that's why Copa America two summers 135 00:07:23.720 --> 00:07:26.000 ago was really really important. That's why Nations League was 136 00:07:26.000 --> 00:07:29.439 really are important. That's why effectively this tournament was really 137 00:07:29.480 --> 00:07:32.120 really important, because you're only going to have so many 138 00:07:32.240 --> 00:07:35.680 chances to play in a height stake. It's environment where 139 00:07:36.759 --> 00:07:39.639 you know you have intense jeopardy. You're not going to 140 00:07:39.680 --> 00:07:43.360 get that in friendly. It's not moveing and you know, 141 00:07:43.439 --> 00:07:46.120 win and move on. It's not one of those situations 142 00:07:46.160 --> 00:07:48.839 where you're thinking about tactics and identity and shape and 143 00:07:49.160 --> 00:07:51.319 if you get it wrong, you're making subs at halftime. 144 00:07:52.639 --> 00:07:55.399 You know, if you've given up a penalty, it doesn't 145 00:07:55.639 --> 00:07:58.000 and given up a red card for Dogzo for example, 146 00:07:58.879 --> 00:08:01.920 you're still you know, there's no jeopardy to miss out 147 00:08:02.000 --> 00:08:05.480 for a quarterfinal against Germany at the World Cup. Right, 148 00:08:05.600 --> 00:08:09.160 So these are all international friendlies because there's no World 149 00:08:09.199 --> 00:08:11.720 Cup qualifying because of the United States, Mexico and Canada 150 00:08:11.759 --> 00:08:17.000 are hosting, which means that bigger picture, there's real, real 151 00:08:17.120 --> 00:08:21.759 difficulty with truly grasping how far along this group is. 152 00:08:21.800 --> 00:08:24.439 Now that being said, Spence, I can remember coming on 153 00:08:24.480 --> 00:08:27.040 the show after I believe it was Saudi Arabia and 154 00:08:27.199 --> 00:08:30.160 South Korea and the final two friendlies heading into Guitar 155 00:08:30.639 --> 00:08:34.399 and the World Cup. I'm saying to you, I am very, very, 156 00:08:34.519 --> 00:08:39.799 very concerned about this group. My fears were alleviated immediately. 157 00:08:40.159 --> 00:08:43.440 Tim Reen came in, Jedi Robinson, Christian Poliicity, Tyler Adams, 158 00:08:43.600 --> 00:08:47.440 was McKinney, Timmy Weia. You know, they were all fantastic, 159 00:08:47.600 --> 00:08:50.360 and I think we all kind of underestimated their ability 160 00:08:50.679 --> 00:08:52.960 to turn it on in a moment where you know, 161 00:08:53.039 --> 00:08:57.000 big game Bob really matters. So without all that saying, 162 00:08:57.679 --> 00:09:01.639 I can't imagine a world in which Diego Luna, unless 163 00:09:01.679 --> 00:09:04.799 he's injured or unless he's completely fallen out of form, 164 00:09:05.399 --> 00:09:08.840 isn't a major part of what Mauricio Pochettino is planning 165 00:09:09.399 --> 00:09:12.399 with the World Cup next summer here in the United States. 166 00:09:12.639 --> 00:09:16.360 I'm not willing based on last night. I'm not willing 167 00:09:16.399 --> 00:09:18.799 to go as far as to say he's an absolute starter, 168 00:09:19.320 --> 00:09:23.840 but I am absolutely pinning him in to theoretically, quote 169 00:09:23.879 --> 00:09:26.879 unquote be on the plane to make this roster and 170 00:09:26.919 --> 00:09:29.200 be a part of the US men's national team here 171 00:09:29.240 --> 00:09:29.799 in the US. 172 00:09:30.519 --> 00:09:33.279 Let me ask you about the dynamic of the US 173 00:09:33.360 --> 00:09:35.960 Mexico game that a lot of people are up in 174 00:09:36.039 --> 00:09:40.279 arms about this, but Stu Holden during the broadcast actually 175 00:09:40.320 --> 00:09:43.320 said he did not feel that it was a handball. 176 00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:46.120 It was Jorge Sanchez in the sixty six minute. I mean, 177 00:09:46.559 --> 00:09:48.600 you're going to have to help me because his hand 178 00:09:48.799 --> 00:09:51.519 was literally on top of the ball, and my pace 179 00:09:51.559 --> 00:09:57.120 soccer brain says, okay, hand two ball, hand ball, penalty kick, please, 180 00:09:57.600 --> 00:09:59.679 so help me understand what I'm missing here. 181 00:09:59.720 --> 00:10:00.000 Dounniy. 182 00:10:01.200 --> 00:10:05.279 Yeah, you're not gonna want to hear this, But theoretically 183 00:10:05.320 --> 00:10:08.039 it's the correct call, And I'll explain why. There is 184 00:10:08.120 --> 00:10:13.159 an updated adjustment from IFAB about handling inside the penalty 185 00:10:13.200 --> 00:10:16.879 area specifically which is a handball, but they use the 186 00:10:16.919 --> 00:10:21.639 terminology handling what it was meant to do, and this 187 00:10:21.720 --> 00:10:23.600 is the difficulty. And I had this debate today with 188 00:10:23.759 --> 00:10:26.159 a bunch of the guys that I'm with here at 189 00:10:26.159 --> 00:10:29.639 the seas of Club World Cup. If you look at 190 00:10:29.720 --> 00:10:33.559 the problem is, you've got to start with I fab 191 00:10:33.679 --> 00:10:38.720 the lawmakers, and the lawmakers have this really crazy intense 192 00:10:38.919 --> 00:10:43.480 job where they have to talk about the laws of 193 00:10:43.559 --> 00:10:45.720 the game and the things that they want to change, 194 00:10:46.120 --> 00:10:49.320 but then they have to see that and put words 195 00:10:49.360 --> 00:10:51.879 to paper, and then on top of that you have 196 00:10:52.639 --> 00:10:57.120 and I'll just walk through this theory. What is the 197 00:10:57.200 --> 00:11:00.480 laws of the game and how they're interpreted by FIFA 198 00:11:00.639 --> 00:11:04.399 at the national team level is different than what the 199 00:11:04.480 --> 00:11:07.240 laws of the game at the UEFA FIFA Club World 200 00:11:07.320 --> 00:11:12.399 Cup is interpreted versus different than what the Premier League 201 00:11:12.840 --> 00:11:15.879 would say is or is not handling is different from 202 00:11:15.960 --> 00:11:20.080 what Major League Soccer would say is different about handling 203 00:11:20.240 --> 00:11:24.320 inside the penalty area. So just because you have one 204 00:11:24.399 --> 00:11:28.080 broad stroke of verbalizing what is or is not handling 205 00:11:28.159 --> 00:11:30.639 in the penalty area, it doesn't mean it's applied the 206 00:11:31.200 --> 00:11:33.840 exact same way. So that's number one. Number two, the 207 00:11:33.919 --> 00:11:37.120 updated Laws of the Game was basically taking away the 208 00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:41.679 jeopardy of being in a natural position when you're on 209 00:11:41.720 --> 00:11:44.759 the ground and your hand is extended away from your 210 00:11:44.799 --> 00:11:49.120 body in a natural position. They didn't like watching so 211 00:11:49.200 --> 00:11:52.240 many different penalties be given up because a guy is 212 00:11:52.320 --> 00:11:55.000 sliding because what he's supposed to do with his arms 213 00:11:55.039 --> 00:11:58.200 in a natural position, and that drag arm, which is 214 00:11:58.240 --> 00:12:01.799 not making himself a naturally big being in a natural position, 215 00:12:03.039 --> 00:12:07.200 has been pointed referee it said that's a pKa points 216 00:12:07.240 --> 00:12:10.480 to the spot penalty. So they've adjusted this. But the 217 00:12:10.559 --> 00:12:14.120 idea was if you're falling and your hands in a 218 00:12:14.200 --> 00:12:20.039 natural falling body position, you shouldn't be penalized for that. 219 00:12:20.039 --> 00:12:23.320 That's all fine, But what we saw last night was 220 00:12:23.399 --> 00:12:26.799 something that we haven't seen before. And this is where 221 00:12:26.799 --> 00:12:30.639 it becomes kind of the gray area in interpretation. If 222 00:12:30.679 --> 00:12:32.399 you would have if the referee would have blown the 223 00:12:32.399 --> 00:12:36.799 whistle and said penalty, United States, I don't think that 224 00:12:37.039 --> 00:12:41.360 VAR has enough wiggle room to overturn that and say 225 00:12:41.399 --> 00:12:44.440 it's not a penalty. But by the referee saying it's 226 00:12:44.480 --> 00:12:48.159 not a penalty, I don't think VAR has enough wiggle 227 00:12:48.240 --> 00:12:50.799 room to say to the referee, he's made a clear 228 00:12:50.840 --> 00:12:54.039 and obvious mistake and that should be a penalty. Because 229 00:12:54.039 --> 00:12:56.399 there's a high bar of intervention, and what they're trying 230 00:12:56.440 --> 00:13:00.759 to do is take away var's ability to any referee 231 00:13:00.799 --> 00:13:04.559 a game spence. That's the first time since the updated 232 00:13:04.639 --> 00:13:08.399 Laws of the Game included taking away the jeopardy of 233 00:13:08.440 --> 00:13:11.519 a player falling in a natural position or his hand 234 00:13:11.559 --> 00:13:14.080 being in a natural position, that we've seen a player 235 00:13:14.080 --> 00:13:17.000 in a falling motion put his hand on top of 236 00:13:17.000 --> 00:13:20.399 the ball. So this was a first for everyone, and 237 00:13:20.759 --> 00:13:24.919 I would be shocked if Conky cast and FIFA and 238 00:13:25.120 --> 00:13:28.960 US Soccer didn't have some type of meeting of the 239 00:13:29.000 --> 00:13:31.720 minds to look for more clarity, to have a better 240 00:13:31.799 --> 00:13:36.799 understanding of should this have happened, what is the correct interpretation, 241 00:13:37.679 --> 00:13:40.559 and is this something now we need to include in 242 00:13:40.679 --> 00:13:44.559 verbalizing updated laws of the game. It's very complicated, it's 243 00:13:44.679 --> 00:13:51.279 very nuanced, but I as a broadcaster, completely understand. While 244 00:13:51.279 --> 00:13:54.279 I don't think it fits with the spirit of how 245 00:13:54.320 --> 00:13:57.000 the law was written and intended, if that makes sense. 246 00:13:57.200 --> 00:14:01.440 It does, and it's helpful context because I'm watching wildly confused, 247 00:14:01.600 --> 00:14:04.879 because I was as reductive as saying, like, dude, he 248 00:14:04.960 --> 00:14:08.639 put his hand on top of the ball like that. 249 00:14:08.559 --> 00:14:09.200 You're not the only one. 250 00:14:09.279 --> 00:14:12.080 Yeah, yeah, okay, all right, A few minutes left. Let's 251 00:14:12.120 --> 00:14:14.120 move over to RSL. Here's where I want to start 252 00:14:14.159 --> 00:14:17.679 with the RSL stuff. Based off of your experience playing 253 00:14:17.759 --> 00:14:22.519 internationally and having teammates you know, Clint Eddie, all the 254 00:14:22.519 --> 00:14:25.440 players that you played with that left to go play 255 00:14:25.480 --> 00:14:28.759 for the national team for World Cup cycles, Gold Cup cycles. 256 00:14:29.279 --> 00:14:33.440 What are you expecting from Diego as he comes back 257 00:14:33.480 --> 00:14:36.519 to club after his experience with the country where his 258 00:14:36.720 --> 00:14:38.279 star has never been brighter? 259 00:14:38.279 --> 00:14:39.960 What do you think that's going to look like for Rsel. 260 00:14:43.840 --> 00:14:50.399 I'm hoping for a double Whammie. I am hoping now 261 00:14:50.440 --> 00:14:53.759 that the Millers have settled in his ownership, that there's 262 00:14:53.799 --> 00:14:59.360 been a divestment of maybe the recent past of decision making, 263 00:15:00.600 --> 00:15:03.759 the fact that the club, it feels as though now 264 00:15:03.840 --> 00:15:06.360 we look back, was preparing for a sale, which meant 265 00:15:06.360 --> 00:15:09.159 that they didn't spend in the international window as expected, 266 00:15:09.639 --> 00:15:12.240 after reaping the benefits and the rewards of the last 267 00:15:12.360 --> 00:15:17.159 previous season of so many players leaving and quite frankly 268 00:15:17.360 --> 00:15:21.720 leaving Pablo in the lurch and needing reinforcement for the 269 00:15:21.799 --> 00:15:24.120 departures not only from a talent perspective, but from a 270 00:15:24.200 --> 00:15:29.480 leadership perspective that this summer there's significant money being spent, 271 00:15:29.639 --> 00:15:32.200 and I don't know how to correctly verbalize a price 272 00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:37.159 tag that would make sense because it depends on if 273 00:15:37.200 --> 00:15:39.000 you want to establish guys, It depends on if you 274 00:15:39.039 --> 00:15:41.080 want to swing for the fences with some of these 275 00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:44.120 young guys. But the reality is I would love to 276 00:15:44.159 --> 00:15:48.600 see a double whammy in which Diego comes back hungry 277 00:15:49.440 --> 00:15:53.519 and frustrated based on that last performance to continue to 278 00:15:53.559 --> 00:15:56.080 elevate his star and build upon what is right around 279 00:15:56.120 --> 00:15:59.000 the corner, an All Star game performance. And on top 280 00:15:59.039 --> 00:16:02.720 of that, look to see this roster calibrated with a 281 00:16:02.720 --> 00:16:06.440 couple of departures and a couple of incoming players. Because 282 00:16:06.480 --> 00:16:10.080 it's insanely obvious to us from the outside looking in 283 00:16:10.799 --> 00:16:15.080 that if real Felt Lake doesn't want to waste twenty 284 00:16:15.200 --> 00:16:18.960 twenty five, that they have to swing for the fences now. 285 00:16:20.120 --> 00:16:23.279 And as I say that, I'm not saying blindfully just 286 00:16:23.360 --> 00:16:26.080 throw money at a product and think that it's going 287 00:16:26.120 --> 00:16:30.240 to fit. I think this summer has to be. You 288 00:16:30.320 --> 00:16:33.600 have to be really, really smart and diligent with your 289 00:16:33.759 --> 00:16:37.000 six month plan, your two year plan, and ultimately your 290 00:16:37.000 --> 00:16:40.799 five year plan, and if you can align all of 291 00:16:40.840 --> 00:16:45.759 those goals and you know, really pull the trigger on 292 00:16:45.840 --> 00:16:48.639 some fantastic players that are going to be available for 293 00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:51.919 half the cost they normally would with regards to your 294 00:16:51.960 --> 00:16:56.120 salary budget hit, your salary cap hit, then certainly now 295 00:16:56.200 --> 00:16:59.279 is the time. But my fear is that if you 296 00:17:00.080 --> 00:17:05.559 day with status quo with this roster, that despite all 297 00:17:05.599 --> 00:17:09.359 of the circulean efforts of that coaching staff, that this roster, 298 00:17:09.920 --> 00:17:13.200 this group of players haven't proven that they're good enough 299 00:17:13.240 --> 00:17:17.119 to date to be a playoff team, which is wild 300 00:17:17.319 --> 00:17:22.000 for me to verbalize publicly considering twelve months ago this 301 00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:24.839 was a team in the midst of fourteen games, unbeaten 302 00:17:25.279 --> 00:17:29.400 Chico had seventeen goals and nine assists, Andris Gomez was flying, 303 00:17:29.799 --> 00:17:33.440 Matt Crooks statistically wasn't flying but was really really important, 304 00:17:34.440 --> 00:17:38.359 and Diego Luna was ascending into the player that he 305 00:17:38.480 --> 00:17:42.720 is right now. So I know that sounds ruthless and 306 00:17:42.759 --> 00:17:45.960 cut throat, but the reality is that if we also 307 00:17:46.119 --> 00:17:48.079 Lake wants to be a playoff team, they got to 308 00:17:48.119 --> 00:17:51.079 figure this out because this roster and this group of 309 00:17:51.119 --> 00:17:54.480 players that we thought could be good enough to maybe 310 00:17:54.519 --> 00:17:58.000 mimic what last season's performance was so far, they haven't 311 00:17:58.000 --> 00:18:00.559 shown it. And you've got to be ruthless, to be lean, 312 00:18:00.920 --> 00:18:02.720 and you've got to make some big decisions in these 313 00:18:02.759 --> 00:18:03.640 next month and a half. 314 00:18:03.839 --> 00:18:06.559 I agree, well said, but I do imagine Donny the 315 00:18:06.680 --> 00:18:10.240 Kurt's phone is ringing now about Diogo in a way 316 00:18:10.240 --> 00:18:12.799 that it wasn't maybe even a week ago, two weeks ago. 317 00:18:13.000 --> 00:18:17.880 And I've never really enjoyed. While I understand the ethos 318 00:18:17.880 --> 00:18:21.599 of development and sell for a premium, I don't like it. 319 00:18:21.599 --> 00:18:24.240 It's not how I was raised in sport. But I 320 00:18:24.319 --> 00:18:24.680 get it. 321 00:18:25.359 --> 00:18:27.519 I know there's been a bit of a paradigm shift 322 00:18:27.519 --> 00:18:30.599 for the miller's in charge. But what is the number 323 00:18:31.279 --> 00:18:34.480 that is offered for Diego where you just can't say no? 324 00:18:37.200 --> 00:18:42.319 I mean, I can't see. Well, here's the thing you 325 00:18:42.440 --> 00:18:45.160 reference now. RSL kind of backed themselves in a corner 326 00:18:46.000 --> 00:18:48.920 in the best possible way, because Andres Gome is going 327 00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:53.279 for thirteen million. Is one of the biggest outliers that 328 00:18:53.319 --> 00:18:56.440 I've seen in Major League soccer. I still, to this 329 00:18:56.519 --> 00:19:00.279 day cannot believe that Wren offered that much money for 330 00:19:00.359 --> 00:19:03.839 a player that had only shown in a six month burst, 331 00:19:04.119 --> 00:19:06.000 not even a six month maybe a five month, four 332 00:19:06.039 --> 00:19:10.000 month burst. I scored a boatload of goals, but hadn't 333 00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:12.279 done it before and certainly hasn't done it after. And 334 00:19:12.319 --> 00:19:15.920 I know injuries have curtailed some of his abilities to 335 00:19:16.000 --> 00:19:18.759 perform in Liga, and it's a different system and it's 336 00:19:18.759 --> 00:19:23.240 a different mentality playing in France. So when you've sold 337 00:19:23.279 --> 00:19:26.279 a player for thirteen million, that's kind of the base price. 338 00:19:26.880 --> 00:19:29.640 And Diego is a completely different profile, like his athletic 339 00:19:29.720 --> 00:19:33.079 profile is completely different than Undress. You know, we can 340 00:19:33.119 --> 00:19:35.920 talk about positions, we can talk about you know, numbers. 341 00:19:36.039 --> 00:19:39.559 He's not an outlying winger, so he's more of a ten. Now. 342 00:19:39.559 --> 00:19:42.359 If you said to me where can Diego play? I 343 00:19:42.440 --> 00:19:44.519 would tell you Diego could play in any league in 344 00:19:44.559 --> 00:19:47.920 the world. But that doesn't mean that someone's walking through 345 00:19:47.920 --> 00:19:50.480 that door and dropping ten to fifteen million on Diego Luna. 346 00:19:51.440 --> 00:19:54.079 I could see a run from a league a Mechu's team. 347 00:19:54.400 --> 00:19:56.519 I could see Diego playing in Germany. I could see 348 00:19:56.519 --> 00:19:59.240 Diego playing in Holland. I could see Diego a lot. 349 00:19:59.319 --> 00:20:00.759 I mean, I've said the the day I'd love to 350 00:20:00.759 --> 00:20:04.160 see Ryan and Robert Repsham make a run at Diego 351 00:20:04.559 --> 00:20:07.240 and think about the commercial power and the on field 352 00:20:07.240 --> 00:20:09.880 success that he could have in the Championship and on 353 00:20:10.200 --> 00:20:14.319 FX on welcome to Resham. But you know what do 354 00:20:14.400 --> 00:20:20.039 I know? So yeah, I would be really intrigued to 355 00:20:20.160 --> 00:20:25.519 see what the valuation is. But I would also wonder 356 00:20:26.039 --> 00:20:28.400 if I'm a scout and this is going to be 357 00:20:28.440 --> 00:20:30.319 just ruthless for a second, if I was a scouter 358 00:20:30.440 --> 00:20:33.559 a general manager, and I went to watch Diego and 359 00:20:33.599 --> 00:20:36.119 I needed that final box checked against Mexico in the 360 00:20:36.119 --> 00:20:38.759 Gold Cup Final, I'm not sure that box is checked, 361 00:20:39.359 --> 00:20:42.200 so that could be a huge benefit to reale ce Lake. 362 00:20:42.240 --> 00:20:44.440 But I would also understand from a real ce Lake 363 00:20:44.519 --> 00:20:47.960 fan base perspective. Hold on a second, We've we've sold 364 00:20:48.000 --> 00:20:50.039 all of our best players, right, We've let Albert go, 365 00:20:50.160 --> 00:20:51.799 We've let Donni go, We've let you know, for some 366 00:20:51.920 --> 00:20:55.680 Savarino goal, we sold on dress. You know, Chicho went 367 00:20:55.720 --> 00:20:59.960 for pennies on the dollar. Although there's a conversation somewhere 368 00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:04.039 in there, at some point, real Salt Lake fans want 369 00:21:04.039 --> 00:21:06.960 their team kept together and to make a serious wrong, 370 00:21:07.519 --> 00:21:10.200 I'm not so sure that's really possible in the way 371 00:21:10.200 --> 00:21:13.440 that Major League Soccer is built. But as I say that, 372 00:21:14.079 --> 00:21:17.359 there is a blueprint down at LAFC. And again it's 373 00:21:17.400 --> 00:21:21.160 the sight and sounds of Los Angeles. But what John Thornington, 374 00:21:21.640 --> 00:21:25.119 Stevie Tarundelo and probably Bob Bradley as well, deserving credit 375 00:21:25.480 --> 00:21:30.039 have done is spent money on established players, spent money 376 00:21:30.039 --> 00:21:33.559 on young players, develops players coming through the system, and 377 00:21:33.599 --> 00:21:38.680 then constantly rotated and updated their roster to a tremendous 378 00:21:38.680 --> 00:21:42.519 amount of success, continual success. And that's what I would 379 00:21:42.559 --> 00:21:45.160 like to see real sal Lake happen, not just once 380 00:21:45.200 --> 00:21:48.039 every two or three years, maybe compete for the top 381 00:21:48.079 --> 00:21:50.039 four spot in the left. I would love to see 382 00:21:50.079 --> 00:21:54.599 the investment so there's stability and continuous investment because right 383 00:21:54.599 --> 00:21:56.880 now the nuclear arms spending in Major League Soccer is 384 00:21:56.920 --> 00:21:59.759 extraordinary and it's not going to slow down, and you're 385 00:21:59.759 --> 00:22:03.279 going to look at teams spending roughly between fifteen and 386 00:22:03.319 --> 00:22:06.960 twenty million per year just to continue to try to 387 00:22:07.000 --> 00:22:08.640 compete with their respective conference. 388 00:22:09.640 --> 00:22:12.960 Donny, great stuff. Man, have a great call. What an 389 00:22:12.960 --> 00:22:16.039 exciting tournament to be around. And then obviously travel safe 390 00:22:16.039 --> 00:22:17.440 and we'll do it again soon. Thanks brother. 391 00:22:18.359 --> 00:22:20.279 Yeah, I appreciate it. Man. After these two games, I 392 00:22:20.279 --> 00:22:22.359 get back, I get to call rialso Lake at Portland 393 00:22:22.359 --> 00:22:24.599 and then finally get to be back in America first 394 00:22:24.640 --> 00:22:28.599 field and call RSL Cincinnati was with TOOMX, so can't 395 00:22:28.599 --> 00:22:31.079 wait to be back and call Tomorrowslow games, it's been 396 00:22:31.119 --> 00:22:31.480 too long. 397 00:22:31.640 --> 00:22:32.079 Very nice. 398 00:22:32.079 --> 00:22:34.119 The Great Brian dun Seth brought to you today by 399 00:22:34.119 --> 00:22:36.640 Advanced Window Products. You can get twenty five hundred dollars 400 00:22:36.640 --> 00:22:39.359 off when you buy ten windows or more. Local Salt 401 00:22:39.440 --> 00:22:41.799