The Loons are back in Blaine, and preparations are well underway for 2024. Interim Head Coach Cameron Knowles and Minnesota-native Caden Clark step aside in this episode to discuss the season ahead, as well as the new roles they find themselves in.
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As the official healthc care provider of Minnesota United Aline of health is focused on keeping our loons in top condition and with expertise in Orthopedics Sports Medicine Heart Care and More Alina has the team to keep your family in the game too the experts at a
Line of Health take the time to get to know you as a whole person helping you achieve Wellness for your mind body and spirit it’s an altogether better kind of healthcare learn more at alinah health.org Hey everybody and welcome back to another episode of sound of the loons officially episode number two of 2024 and so much to talk about we’re only a handful of days into preseason for Minnesota United and I get to welcome inter room head coach Cameron nolles cam
I’ve gotten to talk to you A lot of times and now I get to say a head coach at the beginning of your name but with the first team instead of the second team so you’re no stranger to being a head coach and running things but first
Of all how are you doing how’s the transition been just give us a little Lowdown heading into uh this preseason yeah it’s been great I mean obviously it’s you know an un unexpected um transition but you know the first three or four days of preseason have gone really well the attitude that the
Players have come in with uh the fitness level of they’ve come in with you know we’ve really been able to just get on with things um and so it’s been it’s been a great uh great first you know four days to the preseason so when you
Found out that you were taking over this interim head coaching role and I don’t know how that all transitioned or how that went about for you as far as you know you know how much you knew in advance before of course all of us knew in advance but when you find out that
News what changes for you sort of what’s your mentality any sort of switches in your brain like how you’re already a planner and organizer you know what you’re doing when you’re at the helm so what changes for you well I mean you know we’ already been in the process of
Of planning out some of the preseason anyway you know I knew I was going to be coming in and and in an assistant role really with the first team um to start off the preseason so some of that was already in in in play we lost a couple
Other staff members as well and so just trying to get everyone on the same page of what do we need and how do we execute so that the players see on on day one that everything’s buttoned up and you know the training is going to be good
The testing is going to be aligned um and we’re not going to skip a beat and so it was just figuring those little details out you know speaking to some of the senior players on the team as well you know to talk to them and just say
Listen I know this is unexpected I know we’re starting preseason and you know I think it was probably what 10 days or something at that time when I found out um but you know let’s let’s just get on with it and so from from day one from the first meeeting we
Had um like I said earlier they’ve just been excellent and when you look specifically at the way you even ended 2023 I mean you were part of the first team staff and you had already been around the first team quite a bit anyways you know I mean the integration
The cohesiveness the working with first team players with the twos so was it a smoother transition for you having been on the bench for the end of 2023 in that capacity did it not matter like because you already know all the guys what was that a smooth transition for you yeah I
Would like to say it’s smooth you know I mean there was a familiarity I’ve been around a lot of the players before um obviously the end of last season when I first came here and I was working primarily with the first team you know three seasons ago there still a lot of
Players from from that group um and as you mentioned you know the back and forth between the second team and the first team so I think there was familiarity for the returning first team players and like I mentioned the other day after training there’s familiarity for the young players that are coming
Into the preseason as well you know we have a number of uh second team and a few you know u19 Academy players coming in so there’s a familiarity for them to come into the group it’s not as as daunting as well so it’s been a good level from the returning players and the
Senior players and also a good level from from the younger guys as well what has the attitude been like from the groups and coming back in I always know I mean there’s always this energy right when everybody gets back in the building together regardless of it’s 20 below
Outside regardless of what the coaching situation there’s just an energy about the players and the staff when they all get back together again what’s the attitude been like yeah listen fantastic the the like you say everyone you know they come back in and on the first few days they’re in different places at
Different times doing their medical testing and you know the first time they get in the locker room together and they start sharing stories about you know what they’ve been doing in their offseason and might be the first time some guys have communicated with with each other for months you know so the
There is there’s an excitement there’s an energy there’s a newness to it um you know there’s a lot of new staff as well which are bringing a new energy to the group and so it’s it’s been great I mean the players been really good to work with they’ve been really receptive um to
What we’ve been asking of them and they’re really doing a great job of just getting on with it we talked to will trap last week in the first episode of 2024 and of course I mean you know the kind of guy will is right I mean talk
About a veteran leader and somebody just have in the locker room in these types of scenarios and situations whether it’s a regular season or it’s a little bit unusual usual and what you’re the challenges some of the challenges you’re facing and he basically laid it out I
Mean he just said look it’s on us at the end of the day you know that the attitude that we come in with there’s always ups and downs of seasons and challenges he’s been around a long time much as you have so you understand this is a business and and nothing is ever
Maybe exactly as planned how much do you lean on guys like will trap like Michael boxel and and I loved what will said also he talked about being a leader and saying that you know you don’t try to put people in roles that they’re not suited for so if Devon padelford has a
Way of leading and doing certain things that he’s great at let him do that if Kaden Clark has a way of leading and doing certain things let him do that like bringing out the best in each other regardless of how old they are but how much do you lean on some of those
Quality leaders oh absolutely I mean and that’s a that’s a reason why they were you know the first some of the first people that I reached out to you know one to sort of get the pulse of those guys um and to to you know just get the
Pulse of the group as a whole um but they’re they’re a big help you know in terms of setting expectations for coming in at a really high standard you know will always comes in as one of the fittest players and when you have an experienced guy um that is leading that
From day one in terms of their preparation and what they’ve done in the offseason you know it sets a standard for everyone else so you know we’ve been fortunate to have you know a few older guys in the group that can that can lift those guys up that can say listen
Business as usual let’s go and and just get to work so yeah fortunate with that uh you just talked about the mindset of the guys coming in but what’s the physical nature of these guys coming back in did you do a beep test like what
Do we got going on over there in the first few days how did everybody how did everybody Faire in those first few days yeah we do a a version of a beep test um for the guys in the standard overall was quite good um did you make the goalies
Run it no no and and you know what I think everyone everyone kind of wants the goalie in there because they want them to drop out first so it sort of allows everyone else to you know start falling by the wayside but um no the goalkeepers weren’t in it the standard
Was high you could see that in the group you know no one was wanting to be like always with the Beep Test no one wants to be the first one first one out um and and the guys push themselves you know will trap like I said before I think he
Led the group uh Britain fiser actually Young Center back with the second team wasn’t too far behind and we’ve had a couple guys come in recent in the last couple days that have you know missed it on the first day with the the whole team
That have also come in and run it you know with two guys run it together one guy run it on his own today and that’s n the standard for those guys has been excellent as well probably above average for the group you didn’t jump in with
Him you weren’t like hey bud I don’t want you to run this by yourself I’m gonna jump in there if I try and jump in the wheels will fall up pretty quick you should have thrown Manny in there well he’s been trying to run some more yeah
Maybe maybe he’s there he needs a fitness test to see where he’s at I think trying was the key word there I appreciate that we all know how how the body kind of starts to deteriorate after a while so I get it but when you when
You look at your future and how do you navigate your personal space in this in this facet you’ve gotten in this flow and this drive and this Comfort level with the twos and made so much progress and you’re number two and felt like the chemistry and everything was flowing
Then you kind of get thrown into this role at the end of the 2023 on the bench with Shan mcau and then now here you are taking the Helm of the first team where where’s your sort of mindset going into this um I mean it’s funny I just said
This to someone earlier this morning I’m kind of getting to live what I talk about with some of our younger players you know you don’t necessarily an opportunity doesn’t always come when you think it is you might have three four five really good performances as a player and think you should play your
Way into the team but that’s not how it works you know more often than not it’s an injury it’s a suspension it’s something like that that creates an opportunity and then the work that you do before is what sets you up uh for when the opportunity comes and I think
Being in the second team environment with um so much that’s in flux all the time you know every day week to week what the squad looks like training session on on any given day um someone getting pulled out of a training session in the middle you just be have this
Really flexible mindset and and um fortunate that myself and the staff we have a lot of them have had those experiences where they’re adaptable you know and so we just get on with it and put together a good day for the players um and then you know focus on the next
One what are you most excited about heading into the preseason I think you guys take off here to Tucson maybe in a few days and then of course you’re heading back here and then to Coello for um for some games what are you most excited about now that the group is in
When you look at 2024 I think it’s always exciting when you get to see the team play against someone else you know it’s it’s one thing to be in here and especially how confined our space is with the Dome you know and and you’re working often in smaller spaces
And smaller groups to be able to get somewhere where we can really open the guys up where we can see them in 11 V1 situations where we can start to see them in different uh systems of play and things like that I think that’s what’s going to be exciting because you know
The the intensity of how they’ve trained the last three or four days has been really really good and to see that then translate into a game I think would be um really satisfying yeah I think when um and we’ve all been there right when you’re training in these environments especially during
Preseason and not only are you kicking each other every day but also at the same time like you said you’re training inside it’s a little bit gray out and then you go into a gray Dome it’s just the nature of the Beast until you guys
Can get out of town it just is what it is and there’s a lot of clubs that go through it but there’s something about getting into that fresh air and the Sunshine and then getting to train in a different environment do you think that plays a huge piece again you’ve been
Around a long time time as a player and a coach of just the change of scenery because preseason is long um to to kind of refresh everybody and get people rejuvenated in those different environments yeah I think I think it does I think it’s it’s nice to get the
Group away it’s nice especially when you have um new players coming in that they then have a lot of time around each other to get to know each other you know they get to know their teammates and we have a decent returning core but for
Those those new guys you know to have a bit more familiarity with the group that social time um and obviously to have the good weather and nice fields to be on to train to be outside um and just making sure then that we maximize that time you know
Because we will have to come here in between and then we go to Cella and by the time we get to Coachella you’re really looking ahead to how you’re preparing for that first game of the season so just being intentional specifically with this Tucson trip because that’s our real real opportunity
To load load the guys and then last but not least just looking at mls in 2024 when you look at how how 2023 ended and Columbus Crew and Wilfred nzi and lafc kind of up near the top again the Western Conference kind of you know a
Lot of moves being made in in these this window in this offseason and teams you know shipping players out and getting some players in what do you make of just the upcoming MLS season the growth of this league I know we’ve talked a lot in the past about the twos and the growth
Of MLS next Pro and things like that but when you look at MLS as a whole for as long as you’ve been around it what do you make of 2024 and sort of the growth of where we’re at uh it it’s it’s truly unbelievable I mean the growth of the game in this
Country you know when I first came here to the states for college in what 2000 2001 something like that um you know and where MLS was and then my first experience in mls in 2005 and you know fraction of the teams that you have and even the divisions below you know you
Look at how USL has grown and how MLS NEX pro has grown and just the overall growth in the country but then when you start looking at the stadiums and the training facilities and the infrastructure that clubs are putting around their players it’s it’s unbelievable I mean there’s just so much
Opportunity here as a player and um coaches you know all the staff that that are trying to to work in the game and have a career in the game there’s just so much opportunity now so as you look to 2024 I mean it’s like every year that
Comes before it the league just keeps getting better and better and better and there’s always you know a team a group of teams that are raising the standard in in some way and and um it’s fantastic to see the types of players that are coming into the league to see um how
Teams are strengthening their squads in the offseason and how competitive it will be coming up I mean that’s one thing we know to be true in MLS is you know the the parody there and um when you look at the games you know they’re all going to be competitive there’s all
Going to be a lot of um really good teams buying you know to make the playoffs come the end of the year awesome thank you Cameron nolles I appreciate it I appreciate you taking the time I know you’re rushing in rushing out probably trying to get some
Lunch in before the next session starts so I appreciate you taking the time good luck uh down in Tucson and in Coachella and and on 2024 whatever that may look like um I appreciate you taking the time yeah no worries thank you always a pleasure all right everybody stay tuned
Segment number two coming up of sound of the loons presented by Elina health I’m going to be joined by kayen Clark MN UFC’s March 2nd home opener against the crew will be here before you know it and the excitement only ramps up from there 2024 is packed with big matchups including showdowns with lafc Seattle Cincinnati and more of mls’s finest between the first five and flex five ticket packages there’s never been a
Better way to see the loons games you are most excited about learn more about these awesome deals at mfc.com Ticks all right everybody welcome back to segment number two sound of the loons presented by Elena health and now good to be joined by I would say newcomer Kaden Clark but it’s kind of like newcomer but a to home but you’ve been well traveled for a 20-year-old at this
Point so thank you Kaden for joining me first and foremost I know you’re extremely busy at these in these preseason days so thanks for taking the time I appreciate it of course happy to be on the podcast yeah awesome I you know what you probably got do you have
Like any ice Raptor on your legs are you feeling pretty good right now with the gym workouts and the two although I will say will trap spoke very highly of you in the last podcast about how hard you guys have been working leading up to this point so maybe this is like nothing
New for you yeah no we I feel pretty good we uh had a really good group in the offseason um of a couple players will Devin Pat sometimes boxy and Z would come in so we’ve been getting after it um you know the last two and a
Half months so it’s it’s awesome to have you know a group to train with but then your teammates as well so it’s been uh really successful and we all did really well on the fitness test um you know so it’s good to have that that team caderie
Uh you know going pretty early so yeah just had a great off season and body feels good just got stepped on a few times and it’s cold out so you know how that goes yeah yeah you don’t you don’t love that walk between the uh the
Building and the Dome they have it I know how that feels yeah yeah exactly so talk to me about this Fitness Tas I mean I still can’t believe you guys haven’t convinced the goalies to join or like somehow manipulated that you know the fact that they should have to join even
If they have a lower standard of what they need to meet I the fact that like Dane stclair just gets to stand on the sideline and just probably spew jokes and ridicule you guys just doesn’t seem fair yeah I mean I agree with you on that they should probably be in a little
Bit you know it’s not it’s not bad if you’re going to get some Fitness in you never know when you’ll need it you know so yeah well just just to prove that you can but maybe they don’t even care I don’t know what’s the what’s the mindset
Maybe they don’t even care they’re more just like happy that they don’t have to do it so right they’re doing their own thing they’re doing their own thing they’re doing their hey all I have to say is I’ve seen those drills where they just consistently dive back and forth on
Their side over and over again for like a half hour and have to get back up like that doesn’t look enjoyable either so maybe I would take that that trade off for the Beep Test right right so talk to me about your journey I want to because
We you know the first time we’re around with Minnesota United when you were in the mix and then you went to New York but like you know we didn’t really get a chance to talk to you before that moment what was your journey like what was it like playing youth soccer in Minnesota
Then you have the Minnesota Thunder then they get an ml last team like what was your journey like as a youth soccer player in the state of Minnesota yeah I’ll kind of give you the rundown um you know I feel like people have asked me but no one really knows like the whole
The whole story so um obviously I was with Minnesota Thunder Academy um through my youth years and then left the club a year or two and then came back um played in the da as well up until I was 13 I believe and then it it was it was
At a pivotal point where um Minnesota got the professional team um and then we were just waiting like would they get an academy would they not there was rumors of maybe they’ll have my age I was an 03 so I would have been u15 at the time I
Think um and it was like kind of waiting on that and then never happened they went with the 04s so by them starting with 04 is like all my buddies all my friends like they’re gonna be a part of the team and everything so um you know kind of I was
Bummed out of course you want to be at home you want to play for your you know your hometown Club in the academy at that at that time and it was at a pivotal point because thunder or MTA was losing their daip or that was a talk um
In the coming years which they did they went to eastel so it was like okay what what do we do here you know so fortunately enough my dad you know uh we were in contact with a couple MLS clubs um uh barcel Academy of course and that
Was the barcel academy was really like a blind thing it was July 4th weekend in the summer we were like hey let’s just go down and see it they have like a camp like a trial camp where you could just sign up for so we went and did that um I
Did really well and then uh you know got offered a scholarship there and it was kind of like a leap of faith you know it’s brand new it’s brand new it’s where RSL was at their Academy was down there in C Arizona yep cost Grande Arizona nice nice cool July 4th weekend in
Arizona walked out of the airport like a furnace it was awful was the worst thing I’m like what are we doing here you know um it’s in the middle of nowhere as well it’s in Kasa Grande so it’s about an hour south of Phoenix Airport and then
Hour and a half north or an hour of Tucson you know so kind of in the middle of nowhere you got about a Walmart in the town and everything that’s about it maybe a Chipotle and then uh so went down there made the team and I’m 13
Years old at this point and it it’s like do you really pass that up we didn’t know what it was exactly but we knew it it was going to be you know better than what I had here um you know so we did that and that is obviously my decision
At 13 but also family decision you’re 13 years old and your parents are letting you go you know it’s not easy to do uh I don’t think it happens you know that often so you know I’m thankful for them for letting me do that and um it it was
A lot of fun I mean I developed very quickly there um I played up very quickly there and and got in a rhythm in a Groove and then uh uh you know I just hit strides and next year came up played two years up in playoffs as well I was
15 or playing 9s or four years up 15 playing unit te um in the playoffs I scored three goals in three games in the group stage or maybe four goals four games some something along those lines um and then my sport or not sporting director the academy director of barcel
Academy went to New York Red Bulls um the following year so that really bummed me out because he was like main guy like we were like really good like a second dad to me out in Arizona um but then I got scouted from that playoffs to Wolfsburg and the wolburg Scout came and
They invited me for a trial and as I’m there uh the academy director from Barca Academy got appointed to Rebel New York he set it up like hey you’re over there let’s get you a trial at leig since you’re already in Germany so I did a
Week in Wolfsburg a week in leig um did what did really well and that’s where they offered you know the pathway to to to go from to New York uh USL to to leig and then obviously the things changed in between there um of going to the first
Team in New York to develop more get get a year or two uh playing first team and then come over so that was kind of the pathway um they set up for me and I would say you know it was they had a plan it was uh you know set up by by
Both clubs and it was you know I thought it was effective in the time I was there um you know and and trust me I wish I was here at a young age and I sat down with Bill and Adrien when I was you know
15 years old before I signed for uh or maybe was 14 before I signed for New York and it was like this is our plan and they just didn’t have a team for me at the time you know so it made it very difficult uh you know they had forward
Madison and Wisconsin and you got to make that trip every weekend uh for a game and then you know obviously training maybe with the first team I don’t there was it was just like there was no Clarity around it and that was kind of the the hiccup that you know it
They’re they trying to give me an opportunity and a chance but it just just the nothing not everything wasn’t aligned you know and that that kind of made it uh difficult to do when you look back at the the pathway and you you know you restate it right
There what made you feel like this you always wanted to take this pathway as opposed to playing college soccer or like did you know this was always the pathway you wanted to take whether it was an academy whether was over in Europe but with you know a younger age
Group or you ended up in liic or you ended up in Red Bulls but even with Barca like did you always know that you wanted to go in that direction and not do the college soccer thing in the United States or were you still just feeling it out at that point yeah that’s
A good question I got that asked yesterday by by one of my teammates and I think it’s uh I think when I was around 14 15 I kind of knew I could go to another level than uh some of my teammates that were going to top
Colleges like Duke and and the best in the country and um you know I I thought about it and I never went on a visit but the first day the port not the port of the when I’m a junior when I was a junior they could talk to me you know I
Got flooded with every school and it was like it was it was awesome to be acknowledged and and to know that you know they want you and everything and I remember talking to my dad about it and this is right on the time I was going to
I went to Germany already so this is kind of the time of like already been there they really like me so at that 16 point I was like I think I got to go this route and you know my dad love him to death he he didn’t he goes you’re not you’re not
Getting on a plane to go visit a college like you’re just you’re not you know this is New York is New York and liic this is gonna happen you’re already in talks with them you know it doesn’t make sense you know so um do I wish I would
Have of course a part of me you know I think that’s it’s it’s part of everyone’s life you know and I I wish you you could experience certain things of course but I wouldn’t trade it for anything right now right I mean you can’t I mean hindsight is different and
And you wouldn’t trade the experiences you’ve already had I just wondered if that was part of the thought process of the pathway to begin with and not necessarily like you know just the soccer it can just be from like a life perspective or experience perspective or
Like what you even maybe like at high school you know having left when you were at such a young age like what you experienced in middle school and high school and those different sort of like life experiences as a kid uh my nephew right now he plays you know hockey and
He went away instead of playing for his high school team so we have this discussion all the time like but you never know I mean each person’s situation is different and each you know you you got to do what is right for you in those moments I just wondered if it
Was part of the pathway or the discussion of the pathway in the in the beginning I would say no because we kind of positioned myself at barsa Academy because I was going to go to Philly I was going to go to uh other academ Portland as well and uh the barcel
Academy kind of allowed it well Minnesota still retained my rights but if I went there I think we thought that I wouldn’t be tied to a team which gave me more freedom to to go somewhere else in in in MLS or outside as well um so I
Think that was kind of a thought process which kind of makes me think that I wasn’t planning or you know we weren’t planning on on going to college um you know and then looking back on it now it’s kind of crazy to to make that bet
On a 13 or 14 year old but uh you know it paid off well when you look at your your journey and what you’ve already done and you’re only 20 you know like the life experiences that you’ve already had and the wisdom that you’ve probably gained from lessons that you’ve learned
And different coaches different styles different countries different languages different everything you know that you’ve done to this point what was the motivation what was the deciding factor how after all that did you end up in Minnesota and Al also like what what did you learn from those other experiences
Going going overseas and and playing yeah I answer the first one um I think I just had a time where you know Rebel they own you it’s a big Club Rebel Li State they have top players in the world and I was very fortunate to be there for
The time that I was and it was more or less like I need a game time I was coming off an injury um from New York you know I had a pretty bad back injury that kept me out for a couple months um that I got with the national team and
And I think it was just at a point where I wanted to play you know I need need to play I’m 20 years old you know maybe if I was 30 different story you know you you know so I think 20 years old I miss a year of development because of that
Back injury um and some other reasons as well and I think it was just a time where I sat down with Adrian in the summer they invited me in for training to keep me fit um before I went back to Europe and they like what they saw and I
Think uh you know I I fit pretty well in uh with what he was doing and it was just kind of like that talk and and Adrian’s always been there for me um even when I was in New York um and leic as well we would text or get dinner uh
Just just as a as a role model you know he was for me because he had a great career as well and he’s been through similar things and I think having someone like that is crucial so I was very tight with Adrian and I think uh
You know we sat down in the summer and just talked about you know the game plan going forward and what he thought would be good for me and I talked with my family and I thought as well you know I think coming home and reestablishing
Myself would be would be key you know I think to progress my career um you know instead of going on loan the problem is sometimes when you go on loan to clubs you know they don’t own you and let’s say an injury comes along let’s say you
You know you’re not you’re not informed for three four games you know they they really don’t have any incentive to to not necessarily care for you but you know there’s a different there’s a different um approach to it so I think just having a club that wants to invest
In you and and kind of help you develop your career like I said is is crucial so what’s it been like since you’ve been back I mean and and just looking at ahead now because I know you came back officially like in September but you know you couldn’t really start until
This year you’ve been training in the offseason with guys here but what is it going to be like and how much are you looking forward to being in front of your family being in front of your friends what’s it been like since you’ve been back here after traveling all over
The place what does that look like for you yeah obviously I’ve been home in some offseasons before where you know you have two months and stuff but now it’s kind of like it’s it’s fun it’s great but it’s kind of weird you know I I’ve never had this much time to get
Dinner with I got dinner with my mom last night like random like you know normally everything when I come home is for a week or two days or offseason like I said it’s longer but you’re trying to get everything in so quick you’re trying to see your friends your family do your
Favorite restaurants do everything you can you know so I think uh for me it’s just it’s amazing you know just having your support around you you know I know my parents have sacrificed a lot and they would fly to me to make sure I’m okay in Germany uh Denmark and New York
They’ be at every home game so I think just having that support here obviously I felt it but I think being in season and you know them coming to every game I can look over in the stands and they’re there and and you know it’s just there’s
No there’s you can just calm down a little bit I think and you just have everyone around you I think that’s the biggest thing is just your support system when you played in New York you scored some goals you did really well with the first team there before you
Went to Lei like what do you make of this league I mean you’re still only 20 but you Ser you know when Minnesota got a team you said I think you were 13 correct as an 03 like somewhere in that range right so what do you make of this
League at this point to come back into it you play with the Red Bulls but then you went overseas to come back to where this league is right now heading into 2024 and wanting to be back in in MLS and a part of that yeah I think it’s
Obviously it’s different than Europe you know just different play Styles different levels just just hold it’s a different caliber I would say but I would say this league has really grown on young players I think you know shipping them off you know which they shipped me off as well and and you know
I think I I would be lying to myself if that wasn’t my goal again was to you know help this club do great things and you know obviously progress my career and you know hopefully be back over there um in a couple years time I think that’s that should be everyone’s goal at
This age um you know I think for me coming back is just it’s just like I said helping this team in the transition that that that they’re in I think you know just being a key player and trying to contribute as much as I can like I
Did in New York I think that’s that’s my biggest goal when’s the last time you played in front of your family or or friends in in Minnesota like a real game maybe you U13 da game I couldn’t even tell you like seven years yeah I haven’t been I haven’t been home for
Like a long time in seven years so this is you know a treat for me to be here yeah so like the first time you walk out at Al On’s field and you step on the field and your fans you know your fans your family your friends and all that
Jazz are in the s like that’s going to be I would I would imagine a pretty cool moment to be able to experience that with everybody of course I’ve already thought about it and you know I just can’t imagine the feeling that it’s going to have um you know I kind of
Already have my first goal celebration you know I might go over to my parents and hug them you know I know where they’re sitting I know I know where the tickets will be so might go over there and give him a big hug you know and
Maybe I’ll get a yellow card maybe I won’t but it’ll be worth it so what is uh what’s it been like since coming back in I know you we just talked about this you’ve been training in the offseason as well will trap you know spoke incredibly
Highly of your core group I mean I think he was like New Year’s Day day after Christmas 7 a.m. this guys are showing up they’re putting in the time putting in the work um you know no slouches in this group what’s it been like to get the guys back together everyone
Officially um for preseason you mentioned the fitness test but what’s the vibe around the group even with some of the uncertainty heading into it what’s the vibe I think the vibe it’s high I think everyone’s excited to get going I think everyone’s excited to get
Down to two on and get some games I think the leaders in the group have done a great job I think cam has done a great job approaching the team and the mindset we should have and I think as a as a coach you know the coach of course you
Have your tactics and and what you want to do but it’s the players end of the day that take the charge I think if you have that you’re going to be successful you’re going to get the job done I think we do have that I think the core players
That we have have been through have been through it before in their career uh they’ve been at the club for a decent amount of time so I think it’s nothing new for us I think it’s just finding an identity and and committing to it and just to have that mindset of you know
Maybe I’ll play a different role maybe someone else will but you know if we all chip in It’s Gonna it’s G to work out and last but not least like how do you see yourself on this team I mean you can play just about any attacking position
But where do you see yourself most effectively contributing to this team in a positive way and what you can do yeah I’ve asked this myself um to be honest of course I love to play the the middle um I play the middle in Red Bull Ley and
And sometimes in New York or New York as well and national team but I also can play out wide with the national team so I think anywhere along those lines um you know I can try to be effective and I think you know I’m I’m not too picky I
Don’t mind either of them you know just just whatever I can can do to help a team and get on the pitch anybody since you’ve been in I know you were around last year too you know at the end of the season um but anybody since you’ve been
Back that you’re that you’ve really like um um you know gotten some good advice from or gotten so I’m not that you’ve not been around professional teams clearly but you know from this group that maybe you’ve really like latched on to like to like any words of wisdom or
Somebody’s Personality yeah I think well my Locker’s next to Will and Robin and then Z’s across from me and boxel as well so I’m in a really good have you gotten more out of Robin like what are you getting out of this guy like he’s very very little very little I talk to
Him a bit but no he’s a really nice guy um but yeah I would just say you know Z and and will have helped me a lot um just kind of day by day and I talked to hanani today about you know I’m coming from a different system so sometimes
It’s hard for me to realize where to be at some moments because I’m so used to you know the high transition running through and behind and and here you know it’s a bit slower and patient and kind of breaking them down so it’s just kind of those little things that you got you
Can I can have the conversations with Pani and he’s giv me some advice today but like I said everyone’s been great and everyone’s helpful and honestly this is a really tight-knit group we have some young players that that make it really fun so I think it’s uh it’s gonna
Be a great year you saying the old players aren’t fun no they’re awesome I mean all I love them they’re great I’m just kidding I I appreciate you taking the time I know you got to rush off to something else but I appreciate you taking the time look forward to seeing
What 2024 looks like for you I’m sure you’re looking forward to getting into some warmer weather and kicking somebody else and not your own teammates for for a little bit but um thanks so much kayen for taking the time I really appreciate it thank you of course all right
Everybody thank you so much for tuning in for another episode of sound of the loons presented by Elena Health we will see you again next week I believe the team will already be down in Tucson so maybe there’ll be some Cactus and sunshine in the background for the next
One but thanks everybody for tuning In
