WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.440 --> 00:00:04.320 So first off, did you have the final four? Did 2 00:00:04.360 --> 00:00:06.240 you have this final four as your final four in 3 00:00:06.280 --> 00:00:06.839 the Gold Cup? 4 00:00:07.480 --> 00:00:10.320 No, definitely not. I did think the US of Mexico 5 00:00:10.359 --> 00:00:12.679 would make it, but I also thought Canada and Panama 6 00:00:12.720 --> 00:00:15.839 would be there. I mean, look, I said there was 7 00:00:16.280 --> 00:00:19.960 the Tuesday last week, the final group day of B 8 00:00:20.280 --> 00:00:23.519 and C, the Canada group and the Panama group. To 9 00:00:23.600 --> 00:00:28.440 put it sort of where people might actually understand. I 10 00:00:28.839 --> 00:00:31.440 thought that that was either going to be concer chaos 11 00:00:31.879 --> 00:00:35.000 or chalk just boring. Hey, it's what we expect, and 12 00:00:35.039 --> 00:00:37.880 it was basically not boring. Necessarily, there were some good games, 13 00:00:37.880 --> 00:00:41.359 but it was basically what we expected, right, and then 14 00:00:41.399 --> 00:00:46.119 the quarterfinals working chaos, that was not what we expected. 15 00:00:46.200 --> 00:00:48.920 All three of the matches involved teams go to penalties, 16 00:00:49.679 --> 00:00:52.399 and the Mexico Saudi Arabia match, which involves a guest 17 00:00:52.399 --> 00:00:54.679 team Saudi Arabia. I'm not sure they really want to 18 00:00:54.719 --> 00:00:56.679 be here. The government wants them to be here, but 19 00:00:56.719 --> 00:00:59.079 do the players after a long summer, does the coach 20 00:00:59.200 --> 00:01:01.399 after you know, going to the next round in Asian 21 00:01:01.479 --> 00:01:05.599 qualification instead of qualifying directly. Probably not. I mean they 22 00:01:05.640 --> 00:01:09.560 went to some nice like San Diego Austin and northern California. 23 00:01:09.599 --> 00:01:12.840 There are worse places in the US to visit. But yeah, 24 00:01:12.879 --> 00:01:15.959 but when you look at this quarter the quarterfinals, I 25 00:01:16.000 --> 00:01:18.040 look like, over and over again, I think those of 26 00:01:18.120 --> 00:01:21.120 US who keep track of CONCCAFF and look at our region, 27 00:01:21.599 --> 00:01:24.000 I think we just kind of you almost end up 28 00:01:24.040 --> 00:01:27.239 feeling like, hey, maybe the critics are right and it's 29 00:01:27.359 --> 00:01:30.319 just the US and Mexico and even Canada maybe can't 30 00:01:30.319 --> 00:01:33.120 get it done. But then you look and you say, well, 31 00:01:33.879 --> 00:01:38.640 every team that was playing another CONCACAFT team held extremely tight, 32 00:01:38.879 --> 00:01:41.640 played a great game. And then Ondudas and Guatemala, two 33 00:01:41.719 --> 00:01:45.920 teams that have not been to this stage, in Honduras's 34 00:01:46.000 --> 00:01:49.719 case since twenty thirteen and Guatemala's case since nineteen ninety six, 35 00:01:49.920 --> 00:01:51.599 all of a sudden are back on this kind of 36 00:01:51.680 --> 00:01:54.280 big stage, in this final four. And even if you 37 00:01:54.359 --> 00:01:56.719 end up with the US Mexico final and people say, oh, 38 00:01:56.760 --> 00:01:58.879 the Gold Cup always ends up like this, I think 39 00:01:58.920 --> 00:02:02.159 you can still totally reasonably say, yeah, but we enjoyed 40 00:02:02.159 --> 00:02:03.879 the ride. You know, so I thought it was a 41 00:02:03.920 --> 00:02:07.280 special quarterfinal round and not at all what I had forecast. 42 00:02:08.360 --> 00:02:12.240 So Guatemala, what does this mean for the evolution of 43 00:02:12.319 --> 00:02:14.680 their program and where it is to be back here 44 00:02:14.719 --> 00:02:16.639 in the first time in almost three decades. 45 00:02:16.840 --> 00:02:19.439 I mean, and even even in three decades ago. You know, 46 00:02:19.439 --> 00:02:21.400 you're talking about a Gold Cup that was just so 47 00:02:21.639 --> 00:02:24.479 wildly different. You know. Now we talk about this tournament 48 00:02:24.479 --> 00:02:27.199 that this year is smaller because it's only taking place 49 00:02:27.240 --> 00:02:29.520 west of the Mississippi. But in nineteen ninety six it 50 00:02:29.560 --> 00:02:33.240 took place in Anaheim, La and San Diego, and it 51 00:02:33.280 --> 00:02:36.000 was all in January and there were only nine teams. 52 00:02:36.199 --> 00:02:38.639 So you're just talking about a different idea. Really, this 53 00:02:38.719 --> 00:02:41.879 has never been done before by Guatemala. The other thing 54 00:02:41.919 --> 00:02:44.360 that they've never done before is made the World Cup, 55 00:02:44.479 --> 00:02:47.000 and that's been the focus for Luis Fernando Thena, the 56 00:02:47.000 --> 00:02:49.919 Mexican manager, since he arrived in twenty twenty one, late 57 00:02:49.960 --> 00:02:52.879 in twenty twenty one, and so this is almost like 58 00:02:52.919 --> 00:02:56.800 a happy footnote. You know, this is almost like I 59 00:02:56.840 --> 00:03:01.319 just think that the momentum that they generate from this tournament, 60 00:03:01.400 --> 00:03:05.800 even if they lose handily tomorrow against the US, you know, 61 00:03:06.479 --> 00:03:08.439 it's gonna give them a lot of confidence. In the 62 00:03:08.479 --> 00:03:11.400 toughest group of World Cup qualification. The format is that 63 00:03:11.639 --> 00:03:14.560 there are three groups of four teams. The top team goes. 64 00:03:15.039 --> 00:03:18.639 The two teams that are best ranked a little confusing 65 00:03:18.840 --> 00:03:22.840 in second place go to a playoff. So I think 66 00:03:22.840 --> 00:03:25.439 that they feel good about keeping that dream alive now 67 00:03:25.719 --> 00:03:28.240 and just being in this stage means a huge amount 68 00:03:28.280 --> 00:03:30.759 to Guatemala. You know, it's the biggest country in Central 69 00:03:30.759 --> 00:03:32.879 America by some margin, and I think in the US 70 00:03:32.919 --> 00:03:35.919 we sort of almost overlook the migrant community of Guatemalan's 71 00:03:35.919 --> 00:03:38.879 in the US because we talk about Mexican immigrants, even 72 00:03:38.879 --> 00:03:43.759 on Gordon immigrants El Salvadora Salvadoran immigrants. But as we've 73 00:03:43.759 --> 00:03:46.080 seen at the Gold Cup, there are huge amounts of 74 00:03:46.080 --> 00:03:48.759 Guatemalan people that live in this country, that travel to 75 00:03:48.800 --> 00:03:51.240 this country, that are excited about this team. They've been 76 00:03:51.240 --> 00:03:53.599 showing up at all the stadiums. I don't think that 77 00:03:53.639 --> 00:03:57.159 Guatemalan team themselves thought there would be anyone in Minnesota, 78 00:03:57.240 --> 00:04:00.080 and yet they're worth thousands and so, you know, I 79 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:03.159 just think that it's a really special moment for this team, 80 00:04:03.520 --> 00:04:06.120 but also the culmination of a process. You know, there 81 00:04:06.159 --> 00:04:08.680 are very few countries that make the semi finals of 82 00:04:08.719 --> 00:04:12.000 their continental tournament. However easy or difficult you want to say, 83 00:04:12.000 --> 00:04:14.879 that it is without some sort of long term plan, 84 00:04:14.919 --> 00:04:17.199 and when you look at what Tenna has done to 85 00:04:17.639 --> 00:04:19.879 empower some of the local players, but also to bring 86 00:04:19.879 --> 00:04:22.439 in some of the US born recruits, make sure that 87 00:04:22.480 --> 00:04:26.040 team meshes, make sure there's good synchrony there. I think 88 00:04:26.079 --> 00:04:30.160 has been really smart in a way. You say it's 89 00:04:30.160 --> 00:04:32.279 not a surprise for manager that's won a gold medal 90 00:04:32.839 --> 00:04:35.439 with Mexico. That was a long time ago, and I 91 00:04:35.439 --> 00:04:38.319 think there are some real criticisms about how he managed 92 00:04:38.319 --> 00:04:41.399 that his last couple of the gamechi stops. But now 93 00:04:41.439 --> 00:04:43.800 he's got this Guatemala team in the semi finals in 94 00:04:43.920 --> 00:04:45.600 believing that they might be able to make the World 95 00:04:45.600 --> 00:04:47.439 Cup for the first time ever, which would just be 96 00:04:47.600 --> 00:04:50.639 huge in this region. You know, if they're back in 97 00:04:50.639 --> 00:04:53.199 the US next summer. We think the crowds are good 98 00:04:53.199 --> 00:04:55.959 this summer, they'll go crazy next year. 99 00:04:56.639 --> 00:04:59.399 Who is the biggest disappointment in this tournament to date 100 00:04:59.439 --> 00:05:00.000 so far. 101 00:05:00.959 --> 00:05:05.839 Well, until Sunday, it was pretty clearly Jamaica. Right until 102 00:05:05.879 --> 00:05:09.879 Sunday was pretty clearly Jamaica. Because Jamaica, with their project 103 00:05:09.920 --> 00:05:12.720 and their new recruits, everyone thinks that all that that 104 00:05:12.800 --> 00:05:15.879 they can do it. Steve McLaren not exactly an experienced manager. 105 00:05:16.120 --> 00:05:18.240 Literally coached England, right and all of a sudden he's 106 00:05:18.240 --> 00:05:20.079 coaching Jamaica and they can't get out of the group 107 00:05:20.120 --> 00:05:22.519 stage and they didn't. They beat wat a loop, so 108 00:05:22.560 --> 00:05:24.439 they ended with three points, but they didn't even look 109 00:05:24.480 --> 00:05:26.920 like they were going to get those. But I have 110 00:05:26.959 --> 00:05:29.399 to say that after Sunday, even though it's a difficult 111 00:05:29.480 --> 00:05:32.240 result and they played better than Jamaica did in any 112 00:05:32.279 --> 00:05:35.560 of their games, Canada has to be a huge disappointment. 113 00:05:36.000 --> 00:05:38.959 They drew with Currasau in the group stage, that kind 114 00:05:38.959 --> 00:05:42.879 of overcame, that survived it. But to me, when we 115 00:05:42.920 --> 00:05:46.600 talked about Canada after the Nation's League, John, it's like, well, okay, 116 00:05:46.720 --> 00:05:49.399 that's cool that they had two good games and they 117 00:05:49.399 --> 00:05:52.439 beat the US in the third place game, but the 118 00:05:52.439 --> 00:05:54.720 standard for Canada has to be trophies at this point 119 00:05:54.839 --> 00:05:56.680 and they didn't come close to it. Right, They're not 120 00:05:56.720 --> 00:05:59.639 in the semifinals, they didn't get out of the quarterfinals. 121 00:05:59.680 --> 00:06:02.839 They didn't particularly close, and I think that, you know, 122 00:06:03.879 --> 00:06:05.560 I mean, maybe it's not fair that they didn't look close, 123 00:06:05.600 --> 00:06:07.560 you know, if that game goes differently with that with 124 00:06:07.600 --> 00:06:10.079 the red card to Schaffelberg. I think you're probably talking 125 00:06:10.120 --> 00:06:12.879 about Canada and the Semis. You're probably talking about US Canada. 126 00:06:12.920 --> 00:06:16.639 But the fact that that that standard has to exist 127 00:06:16.680 --> 00:06:20.240 now for Canada to be that much higher. And then 128 00:06:20.279 --> 00:06:23.160 the way I like Jesse Marsh. I like that he 129 00:06:23.360 --> 00:06:27.199 sort of enjoys to poke the bear, it seems. But 130 00:06:29.040 --> 00:06:31.079 when you poke the bear, you set yourself up to 131 00:06:31.279 --> 00:06:33.879 having these moments where it looks a little silly. When 132 00:06:33.879 --> 00:06:36.399 you said before the tournament that everyone wanted to be here, 133 00:06:36.839 --> 00:06:38.800 and then after the tournament when you get eliminated at 134 00:06:38.800 --> 00:06:40.920 the quarterfinal stage, you say, ah, but I didn't have 135 00:06:41.000 --> 00:06:45.759 my old team. It doesn't really square. I think that Bombito, 136 00:06:45.839 --> 00:06:48.279 the center back was the most important absence in Canada. 137 00:06:48.279 --> 00:06:50.680 That's one that people didn't really talk about because you 138 00:06:50.800 --> 00:06:54.519 end up starting a teenage kid who you know, bummer 139 00:06:54.519 --> 00:06:59.560 for him, doesn't convert his penalty. You know, these things happen, 140 00:06:59.759 --> 00:07:02.160 and think that when when the squad isn't as deep 141 00:07:02.160 --> 00:07:03.639 as you need it to be. In Canada's still in 142 00:07:03.639 --> 00:07:06.439 that process, especially at the back of who are the 143 00:07:06.480 --> 00:07:09.720 better players going to be? You know, you set yourselves 144 00:07:09.800 --> 00:07:13.879 up for these situations. So I think Canada's probably the 145 00:07:13.920 --> 00:07:16.720 biggest disappointment, but Jamaica's right there as well. 146 00:07:17.160 --> 00:07:19.519 I was gonna ask what you thought about this whole 147 00:07:19.600 --> 00:07:24.240 Jesse marsh heel promo wrestling villain, dropping pipe bombs and 148 00:07:24.279 --> 00:07:26.680 waving his finger at the US kind of persona that 149 00:07:26.680 --> 00:07:28.040 he's developed these days. 150 00:07:28.959 --> 00:07:31.439 I kind of think it's fun. Man, look like I'm 151 00:07:31.519 --> 00:07:36.439 I'm I'm in like a weird space of like both 152 00:07:36.560 --> 00:07:41.639 being of the generation that enjoys like you know, like 153 00:07:41.720 --> 00:07:44.879 Jose Marinos Special One TV was like one of the 154 00:07:44.879 --> 00:07:47.600 first things I remember consuming a soccer content to like 155 00:07:47.680 --> 00:07:50.839 marionette of Jose with the outsized personality, but you know, 156 00:07:50.959 --> 00:07:53.439 he became this sort of like God where you're just like, man, 157 00:07:53.480 --> 00:07:55.720 it's so funny that he's always trying to stick his 158 00:07:55.759 --> 00:07:57.480 finger in the eye of the others. I watch a 159 00:07:57.519 --> 00:07:59.399 lot of Latin American soccer, as you know, there's a 160 00:07:59.439 --> 00:08:01.600 lot of character is like that in Latin American soccer, 161 00:08:01.639 --> 00:08:05.000 and I kind of think that in the US, in Canada, kind. 162 00:08:04.839 --> 00:08:05.040 Of in. 163 00:08:06.600 --> 00:08:08.920 English speaking North America, I think we could use more 164 00:08:08.920 --> 00:08:12.480 of that. So overall, I sort of enjoy it, but 165 00:08:12.519 --> 00:08:14.759 I think like part of the risk you run when 166 00:08:14.800 --> 00:08:17.720 you are a wrestling heel is that when the face 167 00:08:17.800 --> 00:08:21.000 takes you down, everyone really celebrates it, right, And I 168 00:08:21.040 --> 00:08:23.120 think that Jesse's a smart enough guy to know that. 169 00:08:23.959 --> 00:08:27.319 And I think he's smart enough to understands what he's doing, 170 00:08:27.639 --> 00:08:30.000 you know, and I don't. And maybe if you had 171 00:08:30.079 --> 00:08:31.839 him sit down on the record on your show, he 172 00:08:31.920 --> 00:08:34.799 would kind of wink, wink, nudge nudge past it. But 173 00:08:34.840 --> 00:08:36.840 I think you know, you inject him with tru Saram. 174 00:08:36.840 --> 00:08:39.240 He knows exactly what he's doing, and I think he's 175 00:08:39.279 --> 00:08:41.159 smart enough to manage it. But he's also going to 176 00:08:41.279 --> 00:08:43.159 knows that he's gonna have to take his lumps when 177 00:08:43.159 --> 00:08:46.279 the team has a disappointing performance like they did on Sunday. 178 00:08:46.840 --> 00:08:50.919 So if Jesse Marsh is the iron chic and that 179 00:08:50.960 --> 00:08:54.360 makes Murcia Pochettino Hulk Hogan, what have you thought about 180 00:08:54.440 --> 00:08:57.440 the US where they have problems up top, but they're 181 00:08:57.480 --> 00:08:59.799 still finding ways to push through at the end of 182 00:08:59.840 --> 00:09:01.200 the day to get to the semis. 183 00:09:01.360 --> 00:09:03.159 Yeah, but I don't think you can play like that. 184 00:09:03.360 --> 00:09:07.759 I am a real Limerrikan for Pochettino, right, even though 185 00:09:07.799 --> 00:09:10.080 he he seems to have a little bit of I 186 00:09:10.080 --> 00:09:11.960 don't know, he made a weird joke about wanting to 187 00:09:11.960 --> 00:09:14.000 get invited to the White House, So maybe I don't know, 188 00:09:14.039 --> 00:09:17.360 Maybe we don't know exactly where his politics are unlike Hogan. 189 00:09:17.480 --> 00:09:20.399 But you know, on the field, I think the US 190 00:09:20.440 --> 00:09:23.960 has been okay. I in a way, like after that 191 00:09:24.039 --> 00:09:28.399 game against Costa Rica, Bochettino said like, hey, these are 192 00:09:28.399 --> 00:09:30.919 the experiences that we need, and I think he's right. 193 00:09:31.039 --> 00:09:34.519 You know, when you talk about this, the tournament kind 194 00:09:34.519 --> 00:09:37.679 of fundamentally changed for me before it started, where for 195 00:09:37.799 --> 00:09:40.559 many years in the US, I think this tournament had 196 00:09:40.600 --> 00:09:44.000 been built up as the men's national team's test run 197 00:09:44.080 --> 00:09:47.200 for the World Cup. But the Club World Cup takes 198 00:09:47.240 --> 00:09:51.759 two players three players from you Blissit pulls out the injuries, 199 00:09:52.639 --> 00:09:55.639 however serious they are or not mean you're playing with 200 00:09:55.720 --> 00:09:59.279 alternate fullbacks and alternate forward. So you know, all of 201 00:09:59.320 --> 00:10:02.200 a sudden, this changes from a goal cup of must 202 00:10:02.200 --> 00:10:06.879 take it seriously and win two Ah. Now we are 203 00:10:06.919 --> 00:10:09.639 in this sort of proto development mode that the Gold 204 00:10:09.639 --> 00:10:11.440 Cup is served for a long time. Who are the 205 00:10:11.480 --> 00:10:14.159 players that will impress? Who will in a roster spot? 206 00:10:14.519 --> 00:10:18.919 And when that tournament fundamentally changes, the mandate becomes like 207 00:10:18.919 --> 00:10:23.000 like Porchettino says, we need these experiences, not we need 208 00:10:23.039 --> 00:10:25.960 to win convincingly, and and they're getting the experience. I 209 00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:28.039 think the important thing is to learn from the experiences. 210 00:10:28.159 --> 00:10:30.240 If the US rides their luck again in that in 211 00:10:30.279 --> 00:10:32.519 the in the game against Suatemala and gets through another 212 00:10:32.559 --> 00:10:35.919 penalty shootout, perhaps they didn't learn the lessons they needed 213 00:10:35.960 --> 00:10:37.679 to learn from the Costa Rica game. But I think 214 00:10:37.759 --> 00:10:44.279 time is going to tell about those those results. Forward scoring, creativity, 215 00:10:44.320 --> 00:10:46.720 the things that I think they're looking worse at right now, 216 00:10:46.799 --> 00:10:51.080 asides from whatever it is Max Arfson is doing, sometimes 217 00:10:51.120 --> 00:10:56.159 being great and sometimes being yeah, you know. Aside from that, 218 00:10:56.279 --> 00:10:58.600 I think you're right in saying, like, hey, the forward, 219 00:10:58.639 --> 00:11:00.320 the attack, the goal scoring has been sort of the 220 00:11:00.360 --> 00:11:06.200 most confusing and inconsistent part. Again, like in theory, you say, well, 221 00:11:06.320 --> 00:11:08.600 Baligan's the first forward on your team sheet in the 222 00:11:08.639 --> 00:11:12.840 World Cup, Ricardo Pepsi's your second. Maybe Azamon who's starting 223 00:11:12.879 --> 00:11:15.399 this tournament is the third. But I don't know that 224 00:11:15.440 --> 00:11:17.879 it's reason for long term worry. And I think it's 225 00:11:17.919 --> 00:11:20.039 sort of a credit to por Chatino and his staff 226 00:11:20.039 --> 00:11:22.799 that they are getting this group as far as they're 227 00:11:22.840 --> 00:11:25.240 getting them it's easy to pencil them into the final. 228 00:11:25.320 --> 00:11:28.039 They're clearly not there yet. But if they make the 229 00:11:28.080 --> 00:11:31.559 final and lose to Mexico, I think you say successful 230 00:11:31.600 --> 00:11:35.639 tournament learning experience. Again with the kind of caveat, you 231 00:11:35.720 --> 00:11:38.080 actually have to learn from your learning experiences because if 232 00:11:38.120 --> 00:11:44.399 you don't apply the lesson, oh he. 233 00:11:44.519 --> 00:11:49.399 Froze up, we'll sit with it. Hang on, John Arnold, 234 00:11:49.399 --> 00:11:54.519 get conca caft on substack, and it is mandatory subscriptions 235 00:11:54.960 --> 00:11:58.679 to get this, so basically it is getting concacaft. Get 236 00:11:58.720 --> 00:12:02.120 concacaft dot sub stack dot com. You can catch up 237 00:12:02.120 --> 00:12:05.919 with John that way and you can find out anything 238 00:12:05.960 --> 00:12:08.240 and everything going on in concacap. I do have another 239 00:12:08.240 --> 00:12:11.200 couple of questions for John when he comes back and 240 00:12:11.600 --> 00:12:14.000 tell you what, let me let me do this, because 241 00:12:14.039 --> 00:12:18.000 he has frozen, so I will remove him temporarily. And 242 00:12:18.120 --> 00:12:21.279 my guess is someone tried to call him on whatever 243 00:12:21.320 --> 00:12:25.480 device he's on, and so, uh, he's going to be 244 00:12:25.559 --> 00:12:28.159 dialing back in at any moment, So tell you what, 245 00:12:28.320 --> 00:12:31.720 let me let me do this. I'm going to remove 246 00:12:31.879 --> 00:12:38.639 him and hope that the uh that the madness comes 247 00:12:38.679 --> 00:12:42.720 back in and hopefully you guys can still see me. 248 00:12:43.440 --> 00:12:45.919 I mean that would be a good thing. So hopefully 249 00:12:45.960 --> 00:12:51.559 the transmission on my end is still okay. But uh, 250 00:12:51.600 --> 00:12:53.519 there we all right, So here we go. I don't 251 00:12:53.519 --> 00:12:58.279 know what happened, but he froze. He froze, but he's back. 252 00:12:59.639 --> 00:13:02.000 Like the Uh well, I was gonna make a Marvel 253 00:13:02.039 --> 00:13:04.720 reference and then realize those over my skis whoever the 254 00:13:04.759 --> 00:13:08.240 one that he thaws is Captain America. Yeah, Chrisian ballistic. 255 00:13:09.919 --> 00:13:13.159 That sounds good to me. Another couple of minutes. By 256 00:13:13.200 --> 00:13:15.759 the way, you have to get concacap dot substack dot 257 00:13:15.759 --> 00:13:17.639 com to get all of John's stuff. And as I 258 00:13:17.679 --> 00:13:22.200 fully disclosed at the beginning of this subscribe have from 259 00:13:22.200 --> 00:13:25.360 the beginning because for all of the diehards and all 260 00:13:25.399 --> 00:13:27.840 of the intel that we need, it is a go 261 00:13:27.919 --> 00:13:29.559 to place for for me. 262 00:13:30.480 --> 00:13:30.879 This one. 263 00:13:31.759 --> 00:13:35.679 We were talking managers and stuff, and since you mentioned 264 00:13:35.679 --> 00:13:37.720 Costa Rica, I wanted to know what you thought about 265 00:13:37.759 --> 00:13:40.399 Miguel Heneda being in charge of Costa Rica wearing that 266 00:13:40.519 --> 00:13:41.440 blazer these days. 267 00:13:42.440 --> 00:13:45.919 That's right, he's got a new patch on his blazer. Nah, listen, 268 00:13:46.000 --> 00:13:50.200 man like Bojos Bojo, and I think that you get 269 00:13:50.279 --> 00:13:54.639 you get all of them, You get the good where 270 00:13:54.759 --> 00:13:57.120 I do think he puts a level of seriousness into 271 00:13:57.120 --> 00:14:02.120 the program and the tactical knowledge is decent, but you 272 00:14:02.240 --> 00:14:04.799 also get some antics and I think you get some 273 00:14:05.080 --> 00:14:09.039 limited flexibility. He's a manager that I've been covering for man, 274 00:14:09.080 --> 00:14:11.279 this is crazy, but like more than a decade now, 275 00:14:11.799 --> 00:14:14.360 because I was I was with him in Chile in 276 00:14:14.440 --> 00:14:17.279 twenty fifteen when he was taking Mexico to Copamerica, did 277 00:14:17.279 --> 00:14:20.279 the Gold Cup in twenty fifteen, which they won. He 278 00:14:20.320 --> 00:14:22.240 gets fired after that tournament because you got in a 279 00:14:22.240 --> 00:14:26.039 physical altercation with a commentator at the Philadelpia airport after 280 00:14:26.080 --> 00:14:28.559 he won the tournament. So these are the things you 281 00:14:28.600 --> 00:14:31.600 get with Miguelada, right, you get some trophies in in 282 00:14:31.679 --> 00:14:36.240 some fights. I think that you know, even in all 283 00:14:36.240 --> 00:14:39.240 that time, he's shown more tactical flexibility than he did 284 00:14:39.240 --> 00:14:40.960 at the start of his career, which you would expect. 285 00:14:41.000 --> 00:14:43.759 People grow, people of alved people get new ideas. But 286 00:14:43.840 --> 00:14:46.919 I still think that Costa Rica would benefit from him 287 00:14:46.960 --> 00:14:51.679 being a little more open to modifying some of his ideas. 288 00:14:52.320 --> 00:14:54.080 But then you know there are some again, like there 289 00:14:54.080 --> 00:14:56.919 are benefits like where I wasn't so sure about him 290 00:14:57.000 --> 00:15:02.519 convincing Kaylor Navas to come back and then novel so fantastic. 291 00:15:02.639 --> 00:15:05.360 Kaylor looks like Kaylor and everything kind of works out. 292 00:15:05.440 --> 00:15:08.639 So I think Hereta has a really good eye for talent. 293 00:15:08.679 --> 00:15:11.200 He's obviously a great motivator. I think players like playing 294 00:15:11.200 --> 00:15:13.240 for him, and maybe that's what you needed in Costa Rica, 295 00:15:13.279 --> 00:15:18.919 where there's been some sort of prickly personalities and yeah, 296 00:15:19.000 --> 00:15:23.039 like well and they got ditched by a really good 297 00:15:23.080 --> 00:15:25.960 manager in a Fato and so you know, and maybe 298 00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:28.440 you just need someone who's absolutely gonna be there, who's 299 00:15:28.480 --> 00:15:32.320 gonna wave the flag ahead of the tournament, and overall 300 00:15:32.519 --> 00:15:35.960 is just a personality. And you know, I think the 301 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:39.639 biggest thing for Costa Rica right now, it's Herretta kind 302 00:15:39.679 --> 00:15:43.080 of distracts from the fact that like this generational change 303 00:15:43.080 --> 00:15:45.840 that Costa Rica's needed for so long is actually happening. 304 00:15:46.039 --> 00:15:48.720 So you have all these kids who are under twenty three, 305 00:15:49.279 --> 00:15:52.240 maybe under twenty five in some cases, who are absolutely 306 00:15:52.240 --> 00:15:54.200 the future of the Costa Rica national team, who look 307 00:15:54.279 --> 00:15:57.840 like they'll be very good at the twenty thirty World Cup, 308 00:15:57.879 --> 00:16:00.840 twenty thirty four World Cup, and he's kind of you know, 309 00:16:00.879 --> 00:16:03.039 he in a way provides the cover for those guys 310 00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:06.799 to make mistakes, and Kaylor does too, where it's like 311 00:16:06.840 --> 00:16:09.200 he's drawing all the attention. He obviously cleans up the 312 00:16:09.240 --> 00:16:12.120 mistakes of the back. But you know, the uncomfortable truth 313 00:16:12.159 --> 00:16:14.559 is that maybe you need to finish that generational change. 314 00:16:14.639 --> 00:16:17.120 You're not gonna kick Calvo or Kalo off the team, 315 00:16:17.679 --> 00:16:19.759 you know, because it's good to have leadership. You need 316 00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:21.720 those guys in the locker room if you're going to 317 00:16:21.759 --> 00:16:24.279 get to the World Cup this fall with these qualifiers, 318 00:16:24.679 --> 00:16:27.519 those guys are going to play a part. But ideally 319 00:16:27.559 --> 00:16:30.200 you have someone who replaces them on the field who's better. 320 00:16:30.639 --> 00:16:33.320 They need those players to come. I think Kaylor's replacement 321 00:16:33.399 --> 00:16:36.840 is obvious in Patrick Siquira. The less obvious is the 322 00:16:36.840 --> 00:16:40.840 defensive replacement for Godvo. You saw with Jalen Mitchell, the 323 00:16:40.919 --> 00:16:44.039 center back injured in the US game, they had to 324 00:16:44.360 --> 00:16:47.639 bring a gombola and experience. Put Calvo in the on 325 00:16:47.679 --> 00:16:50.840 the fullbacks side or on the outside, and all of 326 00:16:50.879 --> 00:16:53.039 a sudden, he's a big flashing red light. That's his 327 00:16:53.080 --> 00:16:55.720 attack here, attack here, and the US does it and 328 00:16:55.759 --> 00:16:59.399 you know it leads to some results. So look like Ereda, 329 00:16:59.720 --> 00:17:03.000 he's fun, he's weird, he's himself, but I think this 330 00:17:03.080 --> 00:17:06.240 is a team on the rise. Is he the right 331 00:17:06.279 --> 00:17:09.480 guy for the job short term? Probably? Long term no, 332 00:17:09.920 --> 00:17:13.359 but it's certainly fun to see him in Conker caff 333 00:17:13.440 --> 00:17:15.240 and have him coaching a national team again. 334 00:17:15.359 --> 00:17:17.079 And just make sure that the batteries in the walkie 335 00:17:17.119 --> 00:17:19.640 talkie you are fully charged when you need those, and 336 00:17:19.680 --> 00:17:22.200 make sure that you tell Francisco Calviot, look, bruh, if 337 00:17:22.200 --> 00:17:24.039 you're going to be at the spot, go left or 338 00:17:24.039 --> 00:17:26.559 go right, don't go down the middle because because then 339 00:17:26.680 --> 00:17:28.839 Matt free sits there and just perries it. 340 00:17:28.839 --> 00:17:31.319 It was it was really remarkable that, you know, Freeze 341 00:17:31.319 --> 00:17:33.279 after the game credits the goal, keep a coach Tony 342 00:17:33.359 --> 00:17:36.519 Jimenez for the scouting. But you know, he said, I 343 00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:40.240 was wanting the plane watching penalties, and man, it's a 344 00:17:40.240 --> 00:17:42.599 good thing that like Prince is dying because I think 345 00:17:42.759 --> 00:17:44.359 back in the day he probably would have been reading 346 00:17:44.400 --> 00:17:47.319 a newspaper, but he's studying the iPad, watching the thing. 347 00:17:47.359 --> 00:17:50.559 And I mean, it was really remarkable how good he was. 348 00:17:50.599 --> 00:17:53.319 It's funny because on the TV interviews like, ah, penalties 349 00:17:53.359 --> 00:17:54.640 are my thing, and I'm like, oh, yeah, he is 350 00:17:54.640 --> 00:17:57.039 good at penalty shootouts, and then you look and it's like, oh, 351 00:17:57.039 --> 00:18:01.559 he did a Harvard level research study on penalties and 352 00:18:01.599 --> 00:18:03.799 it showed. I mean, he really seems to know his stuff. 353 00:18:03.839 --> 00:18:06.480 And credit to those guys, because I don't think that 354 00:18:06.559 --> 00:18:10.519 Costa Rica realized how scouted they were, especially when there 355 00:18:10.559 --> 00:18:12.599 was a penalty earlier in the game that he doesn't stop. 356 00:18:12.640 --> 00:18:17.000 But then the shootout different different animal there. And I 357 00:18:17.039 --> 00:18:19.359 mean so many great stories from shootouts and Conka Calf 358 00:18:19.440 --> 00:18:23.440 this weekend just really really look like whether you like 359 00:18:23.519 --> 00:18:24.759 him as a way to in the game or not, 360 00:18:25.079 --> 00:18:27.240 we all have fun watching them, for sure, no doubt. 361 00:18:27.400 --> 00:18:29.160 I think he guessed right on all of them, and 362 00:18:29.200 --> 00:18:31.599 I think touched five of the six or five of 363 00:18:31.599 --> 00:18:33.519 the seven. I think he was like right there with 364 00:18:33.640 --> 00:18:37.000 most of them. Before you go, obviously we do have 365 00:18:37.039 --> 00:18:40.920 to talk about Texas Tech football eight and five last 366 00:18:41.000 --> 00:18:44.400 year lost to Arkansas and the Liberty Bowl. And you are, 367 00:18:44.440 --> 00:18:48.640 I believe sixty days away from your season kickoff against 368 00:18:48.759 --> 00:18:51.440 Arkansas Pine Bluff, if I remember, if I remember my 369 00:18:51.599 --> 00:18:56.720 research correctly, do you ever get the chance to go 370 00:18:57.000 --> 00:19:01.119 back and watch home games to Jones at and T 371 00:19:01.480 --> 00:19:04.319 or or do you how you stuck watching him on 372 00:19:04.359 --> 00:19:07.480 TV because you're the busiest man in Conca CAF show business. 373 00:19:07.799 --> 00:19:10.079 I make it to one a year. I've got a 374 00:19:10.119 --> 00:19:14.400 fifteen year old who has decided he's going to Tech, 375 00:19:16.279 --> 00:19:19.039 which is awesome. We'll see, we'll see if that takes. 376 00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:21.039 He's still got a couple of years to change his 377 00:19:21.119 --> 00:19:24.400 mind and you know, go somewhere less academically prestigious obviously, 378 00:19:25.160 --> 00:19:26.640 but yeah, no, I make it. I make it back 379 00:19:26.680 --> 00:19:28.440 to one a year. This year is the one hundredth 380 00:19:28.480 --> 00:19:31.079 anniversary of the student newspaper at Texas Tech, and we're 381 00:19:31.119 --> 00:19:33.400 all getting together for the Okie State game, which is 382 00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:38.079 a big one. So yeah, man, you know, the Jones 383 00:19:38.119 --> 00:19:40.680 and the program itself. All of a sudden, you know, 384 00:19:40.720 --> 00:19:43.359 I think Texas Tech is so funny because it's like 385 00:19:43.480 --> 00:19:45.680 a lot of your your viewers in the in the 386 00:19:45.720 --> 00:19:49.119 South will understand, but you know, like it it's a 387 00:19:49.160 --> 00:19:53.200 nothing in place lub you know, you know, supposedly, but 388 00:19:53.359 --> 00:19:55.160 it's so special to those of us who are there. 389 00:19:55.200 --> 00:19:57.279 And I think, you know, I see you sipping on 390 00:19:57.279 --> 00:19:59.839 an auburn cup, like I think it's kind of similar 391 00:20:00.640 --> 00:20:05.119 but smaller where you know, if you get it, you 392 00:20:05.200 --> 00:20:07.599 get it right, and and but like when I'm in 393 00:20:07.640 --> 00:20:11.160 Mexico or in the CONCAF region and I'm streaming these 394 00:20:12.200 --> 00:20:15.759 horrendous non conference games that they're like what are you doing? Man, 395 00:20:15.880 --> 00:20:17.279 Like why do you care about this? And like this 396 00:20:17.319 --> 00:20:19.200 is our thing, this is like what we care about. 397 00:20:19.279 --> 00:20:21.319 And so yeah, I make it back to one home 398 00:20:21.319 --> 00:20:23.480 game a year being based here in Dallas. This year 399 00:20:23.480 --> 00:20:25.359 it worked out to make that Okie State down. I 400 00:20:25.359 --> 00:20:27.599 was worried it was going to be qualifiers, but it 401 00:20:27.680 --> 00:20:30.079