WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.040 --> 00:00:03.240 Pablo MASCHOENNI Wednesday afternoon. Pob's happy Wednesday, sir? 2 00:00:03.240 --> 00:00:06.040 How are you happy Wednesday? Spent doing well? 3 00:00:06.080 --> 00:00:07.240 Bud appreciate the time. 4 00:00:07.280 --> 00:00:10.080 Brian Wilson Beach Boys passes away today at the age 5 00:00:10.119 --> 00:00:13.160 eighty two. First concert I ever saw Pobs Beach Boys 6 00:00:13.199 --> 00:00:15.880 when I was eleven years old. First concert a young 7 00:00:15.919 --> 00:00:17.320 Pablo Mastuotdi attended. 8 00:00:18.480 --> 00:00:21.480 Oh man, you're not gonna believe this. 9 00:00:21.719 --> 00:00:22.280 I can't wait. 10 00:00:23.239 --> 00:00:24.079 Run dmc. 11 00:00:24.320 --> 00:00:26.839 Okay, you know what, that's cool. That's a good answer. 12 00:00:26.879 --> 00:00:28.239 That's that's a cool answer. 13 00:00:28.320 --> 00:00:30.280 You know you can. You can impress a lot of 14 00:00:30.280 --> 00:00:31.600 people with that one. How old were you? 15 00:00:32.759 --> 00:00:35.000 I was in the sixth grade, okay, all right? 16 00:00:35.000 --> 00:00:35.759 And where was this? 17 00:00:36.920 --> 00:00:38.920 And that was in Phoenix, Arizona. 18 00:00:38.439 --> 00:00:40.719 Phoenix, Arizona. Okay. Did you ever go through a Beach 19 00:00:40.719 --> 00:00:41.320 Boys phase? 20 00:00:42.840 --> 00:00:45.640 I didn't. I always liked the music, just never never 21 00:00:45.719 --> 00:00:47.399 followed them to know when they were going to come 22 00:00:47.399 --> 00:00:49.960 into town or if they were still touring at that time. 23 00:00:50.600 --> 00:00:52.479 Okay, all right, fair enough, all right. 24 00:00:52.520 --> 00:00:54.479 Before we get to your club, I want to ask 25 00:00:54.520 --> 00:00:56.759 you about the US men's national team, who got their 26 00:00:56.799 --> 00:00:59.600 heads kicked in last night and have now lost four 27 00:00:59.640 --> 00:01:02.240 straight five and five under Prochattino. 28 00:01:02.359 --> 00:01:03.560 We have the World Cup. 29 00:01:03.520 --> 00:01:08.079 One year away, but I thought Diego showed well when 30 00:01:08.120 --> 00:01:11.879 he was able to hinterer at halftime. So just curious 31 00:01:11.879 --> 00:01:13.439 as your thoughts as to where we're at with a 32 00:01:13.439 --> 00:01:15.120 gold Cup. Of course, I want to know your thoughts 33 00:01:15.120 --> 00:01:17.000 on how Diego played and where we're at with the 34 00:01:17.079 --> 00:01:19.760 US men's national team one year away from the World Cup. 35 00:01:20.879 --> 00:01:24.959 Yeah, you know, I think I think it's been a 36 00:01:25.040 --> 00:01:29.079 tough start under Pochattino, and I think a lot of 37 00:01:29.079 --> 00:01:30.840 it has to do with him still trying to figure 38 00:01:30.879 --> 00:01:32.799 out who are the guys that he can rely on, 39 00:01:33.200 --> 00:01:35.799 right And I think when you're adding such a big 40 00:01:35.879 --> 00:01:39.079 number of MLS players into the pool, there's there's going 41 00:01:39.159 --> 00:01:40.959 to be moments where it's it's not going to go well. 42 00:01:41.000 --> 00:01:44.680 There's no continuity, there's you know, I think he's still 43 00:01:44.680 --> 00:01:47.200 trying to, you know, fine tune the way they want 44 00:01:47.200 --> 00:01:49.760 to play. And at the international level, you just don't 45 00:01:49.760 --> 00:01:53.159 get the luxury of having practices every week and every day, 46 00:01:53.959 --> 00:01:57.280 so you got to come together quickly. And again, because 47 00:01:57.319 --> 00:02:00.640 it's a relatively young team, there's a lot of guys 48 00:02:00.680 --> 00:02:03.760 that you know that just in self preservation mode. They're 49 00:02:03.760 --> 00:02:07.159 not really experienced players that are going to guide the 50 00:02:07.200 --> 00:02:09.800 younger players. And so I think that's a big part 51 00:02:09.840 --> 00:02:13.240 of why it's been it's been a bit of rough going. 52 00:02:13.319 --> 00:02:16.199 There's a lot of figuring out to do, both from 53 00:02:16.240 --> 00:02:20.120 the players and the staff. But as far as Diego, 54 00:02:20.319 --> 00:02:21.680 you know, I think, you know, one of the things 55 00:02:21.759 --> 00:02:24.360 again that that make me the most proud of his 56 00:02:24.479 --> 00:02:28.840 growth has been his mindset. And you know, I think 57 00:02:28.879 --> 00:02:31.560 with attacking players, we typically say they're good when they're 58 00:02:31.599 --> 00:02:35.439 scoring goals. They're good when they're making plays, creating chances 59 00:02:35.680 --> 00:02:39.520 given given assists. But but again, there's soccer is a 60 00:02:40.159 --> 00:02:42.879 very low scoring game, right, And so what else do 61 00:02:42.919 --> 00:02:46.639 you bringing to the table when when when when you're 62 00:02:46.639 --> 00:02:49.280 not doing those things? And and Diego just brings a 63 00:02:49.319 --> 00:02:52.840 ton of energy, a ton of passion, a ton of focus, 64 00:02:53.800 --> 00:02:56.599 and a real commitment to defending right. And I think 65 00:02:57.080 --> 00:02:59.240 and and those are the conversations that I've been having 66 00:02:59.240 --> 00:03:00.919 with them over the last couple of years. Is just 67 00:03:00.960 --> 00:03:02.800 like every coach in the world can find the players 68 00:03:02.840 --> 00:03:04.680 that can do those things. It's like, how are you 69 00:03:04.680 --> 00:03:07.080 going to separate yourself from the rest of these guys? 70 00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:10.199 All over the world, you know, to put yourself in 71 00:03:10.240 --> 00:03:12.759 the spotlight. And again, even though he didn't score a 72 00:03:12.800 --> 00:03:15.400 goal the other night, just did a great job of 73 00:03:15.400 --> 00:03:18.800 getting around the ball, you know, clean with his decision making, 74 00:03:19.439 --> 00:03:22.199 you know, it just as aggressiveness, and he brings this 75 00:03:22.560 --> 00:03:25.199 like energy to the team, you know, and I think 76 00:03:25.199 --> 00:03:27.719 that's something that every coach in the world can hang 77 00:03:27.759 --> 00:03:30.039 their hat on because they know, regardless that they're scoring 78 00:03:30.400 --> 00:03:32.599 and insisting, which is what they're on the field to do, 79 00:03:33.159 --> 00:03:36.120 if nothing else, they're bringing great energy, great pressing, great 80 00:03:36.199 --> 00:03:39.879 great attitude. And so I think he's in a fantastic way. 81 00:03:40.159 --> 00:03:42.520 And you know, this gold couple will be really important 82 00:03:42.520 --> 00:03:44.560 for both Diego and the team. You know. I think 83 00:03:44.560 --> 00:03:48.159 this is historically a tournament that the US has done 84 00:03:48.199 --> 00:03:51.319 really low in. I think they'll they will do well. 85 00:03:51.599 --> 00:03:54.719 I think these games, these to warm up games, you know, 86 00:03:55.400 --> 00:03:58.560 showed the coaching staff and the players of what playing 87 00:03:58.560 --> 00:04:00.680 at a really high level looks like. And you know, 88 00:04:00.719 --> 00:04:03.240 I don't think they'll confront too many teams that are 89 00:04:03.319 --> 00:04:05.800 like these two teams that they played, so I think 90 00:04:05.800 --> 00:04:08.000 they should be able to learn from those games and 91 00:04:08.319 --> 00:04:10.520 put together a good run in the tournament. That I 92 00:04:10.599 --> 00:04:12.479 think they should have a good chance of winning. 93 00:04:12.719 --> 00:04:15.080 At Donny On earlier, he was on the broadcast for 94 00:04:15.159 --> 00:04:18.160 Turner last night and I asked Dunny if he believes 95 00:04:18.199 --> 00:04:21.120 Diego is legitimately in the mix for a roster spot 96 00:04:21.240 --> 00:04:23.560 for the World Cup, and Dunney said, he thinks he 97 00:04:23.560 --> 00:04:26.120 can start. He thinks he, you know, has the eye 98 00:04:26.120 --> 00:04:29.480 approach a Tino and his staff. What's your what are 99 00:04:29.480 --> 00:04:31.199 your thoughts on that whether or not Diego has a 100 00:04:31.279 --> 00:04:33.680 legitimate chance of not just making a World Cup roster, 101 00:04:33.800 --> 00:04:37.439 but maybe actually sneaking into that eleven and upping his 102 00:04:37.480 --> 00:04:38.519 personal pedigree. 103 00:04:39.360 --> 00:04:44.000 Yeah, you know again, I think from a coaching perspective, 104 00:04:44.160 --> 00:04:47.000 I think you want predictability, right, predictability and he like 105 00:04:47.639 --> 00:04:50.920 behaviors as a person and also behaviors as a player, 106 00:04:51.000 --> 00:04:54.680 And I think Diego comes every game he plays. You're 107 00:04:54.959 --> 00:04:57.000 going to get a ten out of ten effort, a 108 00:04:57.079 --> 00:04:59.680 ten out of ten commitment, at ten out of ten attitude. 109 00:05:00.560 --> 00:05:03.439 And I think when you're kind of looking at the roster, 110 00:05:03.720 --> 00:05:06.480 at the pool of players, you know, you have some 111 00:05:06.560 --> 00:05:09.040 attackers that have a lot of goals but currently don't 112 00:05:09.319 --> 00:05:12.120 but they don't necessarily bring the energy to the team. 113 00:05:12.199 --> 00:05:14.480 So I agree with Gunny. You know, I think Diego 114 00:05:14.480 --> 00:05:17.000 has a legitimate chance, but I think starting for that 115 00:05:17.040 --> 00:05:19.040 team has a lot to do with form going into 116 00:05:19.040 --> 00:05:21.079 the tournament as well. So there's a lot of other 117 00:05:21.120 --> 00:05:24.199 players that can potentially, you know, take a spot or two. 118 00:05:24.560 --> 00:05:26.560 But one thing I think you can't do is leave 119 00:05:26.600 --> 00:05:29.120 a player like Diego Luna off that national team because 120 00:05:29.160 --> 00:05:31.160 he's a spark when he comes in and he's a 121 00:05:31.160 --> 00:05:34.800 great player when he starts. So I think he's putting 122 00:05:34.839 --> 00:05:37.000 himself in a really good position to be a part 123 00:05:37.040 --> 00:05:38.199 of the twenty twenty sixteen. 124 00:05:38.480 --> 00:05:42.040 Over the past twenty four hours or so, and for 125 00:05:42.160 --> 00:05:44.959 our listeners perspective, Pablo played in the World Cup for 126 00:05:45.000 --> 00:05:46.120 the US men's national team. 127 00:05:46.160 --> 00:05:49.720 Did you plan in two yep? Okay, very nice two 128 00:05:49.720 --> 00:05:50.319 thousand and six. 129 00:05:50.439 --> 00:05:53.680 That's right, that's right. So we've heard from some former 130 00:05:53.720 --> 00:05:56.120 teammates of yours. We've heard from Landon Donovan, We've heard 131 00:05:56.160 --> 00:05:59.600 from Clint Dempsey, and then after Alexi Lallis was done 132 00:05:59.680 --> 00:06:02.240 giving his take on Tariff's in the Southern Border, we 133 00:06:02.279 --> 00:06:06.279 also heard him criticize some players who decided not to 134 00:06:06.319 --> 00:06:09.120 show up for this Gold Cup run. And you know, 135 00:06:09.240 --> 00:06:12.079 It's interesting because the Gold Cup, of course, is much 136 00:06:12.160 --> 00:06:14.360 much different than the World Cup, and in years past 137 00:06:14.920 --> 00:06:18.480 it is known as kind of this platform for players 138 00:06:18.480 --> 00:06:21.199 that aren't necessarily among the first choice players for the 139 00:06:21.240 --> 00:06:23.680 World Cup to show what they can do. And it 140 00:06:23.800 --> 00:06:26.680 was a World Cup appearance from Kyle Beckerman and Nicki 141 00:06:26.759 --> 00:06:28.399 Rimando back in the day that kind of was a 142 00:06:28.439 --> 00:06:31.800 conduit for their World Cup experiences. Do you share the 143 00:06:31.879 --> 00:06:35.759 sentiment that players like Weston McKinney and Christen Polisic and 144 00:06:36.199 --> 00:06:38.560 I think Tyler was hurt, but a lot you know, 145 00:06:38.839 --> 00:06:41.680 maybe six or seven of the potential starters for the 146 00:06:41.720 --> 00:06:43.720 World Cup team and maybe eleven or twelve of the 147 00:06:43.720 --> 00:06:45.720 potential eight team for the World Cup team are not 148 00:06:45.839 --> 00:06:49.040 playing in the Gold Cup. Do you believe they should 149 00:06:49.079 --> 00:06:51.399 be as we are literally one year away from the 150 00:06:51.399 --> 00:06:52.439 World Cup in our region. 151 00:06:53.480 --> 00:06:55.639 Yeah, I mean, you know, I could see I could 152 00:06:55.639 --> 00:06:58.959 see both sides. Spence and one. These players in Europe 153 00:06:59.000 --> 00:07:04.439 have ruling schedules. And again, if if they if they 154 00:07:04.480 --> 00:07:06.959 compete in this and they don't have a break right 155 00:07:07.000 --> 00:07:09.680 because right now is there is their break between seasons, 156 00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:12.600 then they're then they're probably putting themselves at risk from 157 00:07:12.639 --> 00:07:16.240 an injury perspective, I also understand the fans perspective and 158 00:07:16.360 --> 00:07:19.439 ex players perspective that, listen, we're a year away. We 159 00:07:19.839 --> 00:07:21.959 still don't know what we have. How are you not 160 00:07:22.040 --> 00:07:25.480 a part of this group, forming the identity, the core 161 00:07:25.600 --> 00:07:28.680 base of this team that's going to compete on our 162 00:07:28.720 --> 00:07:32.680 home soil in a year's time, Right, So I understand both, 163 00:07:32.720 --> 00:07:34.439 and I think the truth is somewhere in between those 164 00:07:34.439 --> 00:07:37.399 two things. And I don't know where they're at physically. 165 00:07:37.519 --> 00:07:39.439 I don't know if they're shot. You know, there's a 166 00:07:39.439 --> 00:07:42.360 lot of things that we don't know. So it's easy there, 167 00:07:42.639 --> 00:07:44.680 you know, it's easy to kind of sit at the 168 00:07:44.720 --> 00:07:47.720 thirty thousand feet level and say they should. But obviously 169 00:07:47.759 --> 00:07:50.759 we don't know the details as to the whyse and 170 00:07:50.759 --> 00:07:53.279 and so from a you know, from a player perspective, 171 00:07:53.279 --> 00:07:56.319 I can only imagine that they're just spent, right, and 172 00:07:56.360 --> 00:07:58.639 they don't feel like one it's going to be conducive 173 00:07:58.680 --> 00:08:01.399 to the next run in because their season next year 174 00:08:01.480 --> 00:08:04.600 is going to be just as important to them making 175 00:08:04.639 --> 00:08:07.040 the national team and actually playing at a really high 176 00:08:07.079 --> 00:08:09.800 level because the expectation is that what the McKinney, You know, 177 00:08:09.959 --> 00:08:13.240 Polissice uh, moussa, these guys are aren't playing at an 178 00:08:13.279 --> 00:08:15.199 extremely high level if we're going to have a chance 179 00:08:15.240 --> 00:08:17.920 to make a great run of the tournament. So uh, 180 00:08:18.040 --> 00:08:22.439 you know, uh, it's I'd be cautious to say one 181 00:08:22.480 --> 00:08:24.519 way or the other. And and I but I agree 182 00:08:24.560 --> 00:08:26.920 with both camps. I agree with both camps that I've 183 00:08:27.000 --> 00:08:30.000 been in kind of both camps, and so it's it's 184 00:08:30.079 --> 00:08:32.159 not an easy one. But but what it does do 185 00:08:32.279 --> 00:08:34.519 and I always look at the silver lining and say, well, 186 00:08:34.519 --> 00:08:37.320 it gives an opportunity for guys like Diego, guys like 187 00:08:38.080 --> 00:08:41.039 MS players Brian White that are doing well to show 188 00:08:41.080 --> 00:08:43.440 their goods, you know, in the absence of these other guys. 189 00:08:43.480 --> 00:08:45.600 And so the onus is on now these players that 190 00:08:45.679 --> 00:08:49.000 are in camp to show real well and win and 191 00:08:49.159 --> 00:08:52.200 win the tournament. So now you start, you know, putting 192 00:08:52.480 --> 00:08:54.440 you know, seeds of you know, putting seeds in the 193 00:08:54.480 --> 00:08:57.000 coach's minds as that I'm capable of playing, and all 194 00:08:57.000 --> 00:09:00.240 of a sudden, the pool becomes more competitive versus just 195 00:09:00.360 --> 00:09:02.600 having six or seven players that are locks. 196 00:09:03.320 --> 00:09:07.159 Is it a commentary on our overall depth and talent 197 00:09:07.240 --> 00:09:09.879 pool that without our best five or six players, we 198 00:09:10.000 --> 00:09:10.799 look so bad. 199 00:09:11.000 --> 00:09:11.120 Is that? 200 00:09:11.440 --> 00:09:14.240 Is that a commentary that maybe the Diego was great? 201 00:09:14.399 --> 00:09:16.039 I want to be clear, and I think he's got 202 00:09:16.080 --> 00:09:18.000 a bright future. But I don't know if it's an 203 00:09:18.039 --> 00:09:20.000 indictment on MLS. I don't want to go there. But 204 00:09:20.240 --> 00:09:22.480 what does it say to you about our talent pool 205 00:09:22.559 --> 00:09:24.639 that when our top shelf guys aren't in there, we 206 00:09:24.720 --> 00:09:25.720 seem to look so lost. 207 00:09:27.799 --> 00:09:30.960 That's a great question. I think it's multi faceting. The 208 00:09:31.039 --> 00:09:32.919 one thing I'll point to and I think it's a 209 00:09:33.000 --> 00:09:35.559 real thing, and and pro and pro soccer really and 210 00:09:35.799 --> 00:09:39.639 mass team's a part of that as well. Is the 211 00:09:39.919 --> 00:09:43.799 the with the modern game because it's become so so 212 00:09:43.919 --> 00:09:49.120 much more physically demanding. The thought is we want younger players, right, 213 00:09:49.279 --> 00:09:52.320 We want younger players, which is great because they'll do 214 00:09:52.399 --> 00:09:54.679 a lot of things that older players won't. But what 215 00:09:54.799 --> 00:09:57.200 they don't have is the experience to kind of lead 216 00:09:57.879 --> 00:10:00.799 and the experience to help these players that are coming 217 00:10:00.879 --> 00:10:03.799 into this camp. And so I think that that has 218 00:10:03.919 --> 00:10:06.320 been an issue with the national team. And you can 219 00:10:06.360 --> 00:10:07.879 do it with young players. It's not that you can't, 220 00:10:07.919 --> 00:10:09.720 but they have to be special players that are willing 221 00:10:09.759 --> 00:10:11.120 to you know, and I think Tyler Adams is a 222 00:10:11.159 --> 00:10:13.159 good example. I think he's the leader, you know, I 223 00:10:13.200 --> 00:10:15.720 think he leads by example, but he's also very you know, 224 00:10:15.799 --> 00:10:19.159 he communicates really well and he organizes. But but you know, 225 00:10:19.279 --> 00:10:21.279 I look back at our teams when I was playing, 226 00:10:21.360 --> 00:10:24.120 and I always had guys that were seven eight years 227 00:10:24.159 --> 00:10:26.879 older than I was on the field, and oftentimes, especially 228 00:10:26.960 --> 00:10:29.360 when when bullets started flying and we were under a 229 00:10:29.399 --> 00:10:32.200 little bit, they were the ones that helped organize the team. 230 00:10:32.320 --> 00:10:34.399 It wasn't the coach. The coach has no connection to 231 00:10:34.480 --> 00:10:37.399 the game when it's going on, right, he sets the 232 00:10:37.440 --> 00:10:40.559 plan in motion, and I just deal with our national team. 233 00:10:40.720 --> 00:10:43.159 We lack a little bit of that experience that can 234 00:10:43.240 --> 00:10:45.080 guide these guys, and so it's I don't think it's 235 00:10:45.120 --> 00:10:48.200 so much of you know, the talent that I'm talking 236 00:10:48.240 --> 00:10:51.159 about is more about experience. And so the younger players 237 00:10:51.200 --> 00:10:53.840 can look up in times of duress and see the 238 00:10:53.960 --> 00:10:56.440 guy is calm, and hear him communicating, and hear him 239 00:10:56.559 --> 00:10:58.639 don't worry about it. We're going to handle this. Whereas 240 00:10:58.639 --> 00:11:00.559 if you have a lot of inexperience on the field, 241 00:11:00.639 --> 00:11:03.799 oftentimes they're you know, they're they're they're they're under a 242 00:11:03.840 --> 00:11:06.279 lot of pressure, and they're in more self preservation mode 243 00:11:06.279 --> 00:11:09.240 as opposed to, you know, solving the problem right, and 244 00:11:09.279 --> 00:11:12.159 they're acting more as individuals as opposed to a collective. 245 00:11:12.240 --> 00:11:16.240 And so, you know, I think that we do have 246 00:11:16.480 --> 00:11:19.159 a group that has a World Cup experience, and now 247 00:11:19.200 --> 00:11:23.039 the onus is on on those guys. Polisage, mckinne. You know, Moosa, 248 00:11:23.200 --> 00:11:26.240 these guys that did well in twenty twenty two to 249 00:11:26.399 --> 00:11:28.440 really show up in twenty twenty six and and and 250 00:11:29.120 --> 00:11:32.679 be not only great players but also leaders and mentors 251 00:11:32.759 --> 00:11:34.080 for the rest of the group. 252 00:11:34.519 --> 00:11:36.480 Okay, to your one more thing here, because to your 253 00:11:36.519 --> 00:11:39.720 point about the coaching stuff, it's a really good one. 254 00:11:39.879 --> 00:11:44.000 I don't feel like soccer coaches more so than any 255 00:11:44.039 --> 00:11:46.759 other sport, any any any other sport you call it 256 00:11:46.840 --> 00:11:48.240 time out, any other sport that. 257 00:11:48.240 --> 00:11:49.480 Plays over get over here. 258 00:11:49.879 --> 00:11:52.480 And I know that you and your assistants are in 259 00:11:52.759 --> 00:11:55.320 communication with players as are running by you or whatever, 260 00:11:55.440 --> 00:11:58.279 but it just feels like once the game starts, soccer 261 00:11:58.360 --> 00:12:01.159 coaches soccer managers are a kind of spectators. 262 00:12:01.240 --> 00:12:02.879 And I know that's not entirely true, but I know 263 00:12:02.960 --> 00:12:03.559 you get my point. 264 00:12:03.639 --> 00:12:06.879 And ultimately, when it comes to what we've done with 265 00:12:06.960 --> 00:12:09.679 the US men's national team, you know, even moving on 266 00:12:09.799 --> 00:12:11.960 from a guy like Bob Bradley, and then it was 267 00:12:12.080 --> 00:12:15.000 Jurgen and then it was Greg and now it's poach. 268 00:12:16.200 --> 00:12:19.000 And you know, there's a lot of noise about Pochettino 269 00:12:19.039 --> 00:12:20.600 and whether or not he's the guy. I'm like, dude, 270 00:12:20.639 --> 00:12:22.240 you moved on from the guy that could have been 271 00:12:22.279 --> 00:12:24.240 the guy. It can't always be the coach. But it's 272 00:12:24.279 --> 00:12:27.240 hard to cut players and move on from players. What's 273 00:12:27.480 --> 00:12:30.639 what's fair to say about the early returns from Pochettino 274 00:12:30.720 --> 00:12:33.360 after ten and does it change the way people should 275 00:12:33.399 --> 00:12:35.159 look at the job that Greg did before he was 276 00:12:35.240 --> 00:12:35.480 let go. 277 00:12:37.039 --> 00:12:40.799 Yeah. Again, I we've talked about this oftentimes. You know, 278 00:12:40.879 --> 00:12:44.039 the coaches is is always going to be the guy 279 00:12:44.080 --> 00:12:46.720 that flipped at as when when there's issues that that's 280 00:12:47.159 --> 00:12:51.240 that's the problem. And and again, as as I continue 281 00:12:51.279 --> 00:12:55.279 my coaching journey, the most important thing for me is 282 00:12:56.360 --> 00:13:00.720 is a group of players that have aquisent amount of 283 00:13:00.759 --> 00:13:03.559 experience to lead themselves. So if you go all young 284 00:13:03.639 --> 00:13:06.039 guys in a game where like you said, coaches cannot 285 00:13:06.159 --> 00:13:09.120 call time out, then you're left to the winds of 286 00:13:09.600 --> 00:13:15.360 their experience. Right. But when teams have six experienced players 287 00:13:15.440 --> 00:13:18.759 that hold themselves accountable and then bring a lot into 288 00:13:18.799 --> 00:13:21.799 young guys. Now you've created an environment where you have 289 00:13:21.919 --> 00:13:24.600 coaches on the field right now. I think that's different 290 00:13:24.639 --> 00:13:29.039 from other sports where you can have just talent, and 291 00:13:29.240 --> 00:13:31.039 talent will see you through because now the coach can 292 00:13:31.080 --> 00:13:32.879 call a player, call a time out, and do these 293 00:13:32.919 --> 00:13:35.639 different things. We don't have that luxury, and so what 294 00:13:35.799 --> 00:13:39.519 we rely on is one we have a leadership group, right, 295 00:13:39.639 --> 00:13:41.399 and a lot of these A lot of the guys 296 00:13:41.440 --> 00:13:45.120 in our leadership group at RSL have two three years 297 00:13:45.159 --> 00:13:47.440 of experience, right, and then there's a couple others that 298 00:13:47.919 --> 00:13:50.799 have a lot more. But I just think that the 299 00:13:50.960 --> 00:13:55.120 dynamic of the team that must have a requisite number 300 00:13:55.159 --> 00:13:58.879 of players with tremendous experience to be able to calm 301 00:13:58.960 --> 00:14:01.200 the game down when at tech, speed it up when 302 00:14:01.240 --> 00:14:03.399 it's lull, when there's roles in the game, you know, 303 00:14:03.679 --> 00:14:07.480 like get the guys dialed in on set pieces where 304 00:14:07.519 --> 00:14:09.240 we're at times you feel like it's a time to rest, 305 00:14:09.279 --> 00:14:11.159 but it's really a time to be focused, you know. 306 00:14:11.320 --> 00:14:13.519 So we go through all that in training, but you 307 00:14:13.559 --> 00:14:16.639 can imagine when bullets start flying, it's not we can't 308 00:14:16.679 --> 00:14:18.559 stop the session, we can't stop the game, call a 309 00:14:18.600 --> 00:14:20.039 time out and be like, guys, this is a really 310 00:14:20.200 --> 00:14:24.000 bullet moment. So I think the makeup of the team 311 00:14:24.240 --> 00:14:27.120 has to be so that you have coaches on the field. 312 00:14:27.360 --> 00:14:30.559 If not, then then you're just you're oftentimes flipping the 313 00:14:30.600 --> 00:14:33.000 coin as to how they're going to respond. And again 314 00:14:33.080 --> 00:14:35.399 that's how players gain experience. And we talk about it, 315 00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:36.840 this is a moment. What do you think about this 316 00:14:36.919 --> 00:14:39.600 moment from a management perspective, Oh, we could have done 317 00:14:39.639 --> 00:14:42.360 this differently, right, So now it might take six or 318 00:14:42.440 --> 00:14:45.039 seven more of those moments for them to finally understand, 319 00:14:45.480 --> 00:14:47.440 and then it might take six or seven of those 320 00:14:47.480 --> 00:14:49.600 moments for them to be able to communicate with the 321 00:14:49.639 --> 00:14:52.879 teammate without feeling like I'm being hard on my teammates. 322 00:14:52.919 --> 00:14:55.799 So I think that's that's been the toughest thing. And 323 00:14:55.840 --> 00:14:59.200 so with Poach, again, for me, it's early days. He's 324 00:14:59.240 --> 00:15:01.399 trying to figure out exactly the best way to go 325 00:15:01.519 --> 00:15:05.759 about it with the team tactically, from from a mentality 326 00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:07.960 standpoint as well, and then on top of that, he's 327 00:15:07.960 --> 00:15:09.519 trying to figure out the players that are going to 328 00:15:09.639 --> 00:15:12.200 be able to help him. You know, just you know, 329 00:15:12.480 --> 00:15:15.559 see out his ideas and his style of play. So 330 00:15:16.200 --> 00:15:19.039 I'd be I'd be real cautious because again I think 331 00:15:19.080 --> 00:15:21.240 Greg did a really good job. It did a really 332 00:15:21.279 --> 00:15:23.240 good job. And everyone and everyone always thinks that the 333 00:15:23.279 --> 00:15:25.080 grats is always greener with someone else, and it's the 334 00:15:25.159 --> 00:15:27.919 truth is, it's the same players and depending on where 335 00:15:27.919 --> 00:15:30.440 there are, where they're at in their soccer journey, will 336 00:15:30.519 --> 00:15:32.879 dictate whether or not you have leaders on the field 337 00:15:32.919 --> 00:15:34.320 that can that can carry out the plan. 338 00:15:34.600 --> 00:15:37.080 Wouldn't it just be more prudent to find the guy, 339 00:15:37.240 --> 00:15:39.039 believe in the guy, and ride with the guy and 340 00:15:39.120 --> 00:15:39.559 give them. 341 00:15:39.480 --> 00:15:43.639 Time that that that would be the that would be 342 00:15:43.720 --> 00:15:45.799 the sensible way of looking at it. But I think 343 00:15:45.840 --> 00:15:49.360 in pro sports again, like and and and I'll say 344 00:15:49.440 --> 00:15:52.559 pro sports in a in a social media world, there's 345 00:15:52.639 --> 00:15:56.080 just no time. There's just there's just no what you know, 346 00:15:56.320 --> 00:15:59.039 everyone wants to plan an orange tree, a seed of 347 00:15:59.039 --> 00:16:01.039 an orange tree, and then recruit the next day. And 348 00:16:01.159 --> 00:16:03.360 it's like, well, that's just not how nature works. But 349 00:16:03.919 --> 00:16:07.080 we're bucking the nature trend and just demanding that things 350 00:16:07.159 --> 00:16:10.720 go They go great from the start, but but there's 351 00:16:10.759 --> 00:16:13.080 gonna be a big learning curve. And again, this is 352 00:16:13.120 --> 00:16:17.399 Pochatino's first gig as a as an international manager, and 353 00:16:17.840 --> 00:16:20.600 that's very unique because you don't have the building blocks 354 00:16:20.639 --> 00:16:22.200 to be like, Okay, this is how we play, and 355 00:16:22.399 --> 00:16:24.879 we can train this for the next month. You got 356 00:16:25.039 --> 00:16:27.159 camp set, you have two training sessions, and then you 357 00:16:27.240 --> 00:16:29.440 have a game, and then you have a training session, 358 00:16:29.440 --> 00:16:31.200 then you have another game, and it's like there's there's 359 00:16:31.320 --> 00:16:33.080 no time. And that's why I go back to this 360 00:16:33.240 --> 00:16:35.799 experience thing, because those guys know how to conduct themselves 361 00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:39.360 in a way where like they can grasp tactical concepts 362 00:16:39.519 --> 00:16:42.519 really easily because they've seen a million different coaches in 363 00:16:42.559 --> 00:16:45.080 their careers and they can apply in real time. 364 00:16:46.360 --> 00:16:48.000 Do you know Alexi Lallas at all. 365 00:16:49.679 --> 00:16:49.879 I do? 366 00:16:51.519 --> 00:16:53.919 Is he as unpleasant of a person as he seems? 367 00:16:54.919 --> 00:16:57.480 You know? I think when he went to TV, he really, 368 00:16:57.679 --> 00:17:02.399 you know, like he has this bad image he's you know, 369 00:17:02.519 --> 00:17:06.079 and any portrays that I think on the TV, I 370 00:17:06.160 --> 00:17:09.039 don't think that's genuinely who he is. I think he 371 00:17:09.160 --> 00:17:13.400 does speak his mind, but but my experiences with him 372 00:17:13.440 --> 00:17:16.680 as a player are different from what I think you 373 00:17:16.759 --> 00:17:17.440 see on the TV. 374 00:17:17.599 --> 00:17:19.839 Okay, all right, fair enough, we don't we don't have 375 00:17:19.920 --> 00:17:22.039 to stay in the space. It's getting uncomfortable already. So 376 00:17:22.119 --> 00:17:24.799 let's move over to your team, Pablo. Since uh, since 377 00:17:24.880 --> 00:17:27.000 you and I last spoke, you hit the road for 378 00:17:27.039 --> 00:17:30.319 a couple of matches, and Jason christopped on the show 379 00:17:30.480 --> 00:17:34.119 prior to you guys leaving and informed us that Diogo 380 00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:37.319 was being left off the trip due to disciplinary reasons. 381 00:17:37.720 --> 00:17:39.480 So I have a two part question. Can you shed 382 00:17:39.519 --> 00:17:41.960 any light on that decision? And have you been pleased 383 00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:44.480 with his response since you guys decided to leave him home. 384 00:17:45.759 --> 00:17:49.000 Yeah, you know, I think and I talked about this 385 00:17:49.279 --> 00:17:51.599 a couple of days ago, and and I think just 386 00:17:51.640 --> 00:17:54.480 given where we were at as a team, there's a 387 00:17:54.559 --> 00:17:57.279 there's a huge sense of urgency, right, And Indigo had 388 00:17:57.319 --> 00:18:00.039 been out for eight or nine days with a with 389 00:18:00.680 --> 00:18:03.440 a heal injury, and so it was his first day back, 390 00:18:03.799 --> 00:18:06.599 and and we had to the next day, we were 391 00:18:06.640 --> 00:18:10.839 traveling to Austin, and and so he was in a 392 00:18:10.920 --> 00:18:14.039 different mode than than the rest of the group, right, 393 00:18:14.119 --> 00:18:17.079 And I think that wasn't taken into account that he'd 394 00:18:17.119 --> 00:18:18.960 been out for eight days and had to get up 395 00:18:19.000 --> 00:18:21.359 to speed. You know, the expectation was that he'd be 396 00:18:21.960 --> 00:18:24.359 pick up right where he left off, and that's not 397 00:18:24.559 --> 00:18:28.160 real either. So I think a lot got misconstrued with 398 00:18:28.559 --> 00:18:30.559 the urgency of the group and what we needed to 399 00:18:30.680 --> 00:18:33.440 do and where he was coming off of his injury. 400 00:18:33.640 --> 00:18:37.480 So I think that was that, you know, that was 401 00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:41.480