Mike and Jose are back for another episode of Across the Pitch. Tonight, we take a look at the Torres and Craig loan, the new Union kit and Sons of Ben items, and the upcoming CCC match. #Doop
Allstate Insurance Agency-Debora Sigler 6750 Iroquis Trail #3, Allentown PA -Specializing in insurance for Auto, Home, Renters, life and much more! Get a quote today by calling 610-395-6100!
Vinny’s Pizza 6750 Iroquois Trail #7, Allentown, PA 18104 Discover a new favorite by trying the top pizzas in Allentown. Plus pasta, salads, calzones, sandwiches, and more! Check out their menu for their daily and gameday specials at https://vinnyspizzarestaurant.com
Stuffed to the Grills 6750 Iroquois Trail #5, Allentown, PA 18104 Offering a unique twist on a traditional sandwich shop. HOMEMADE Hot and Cold sandwiches, Salads, Appetizers and Baked Goods. Available for catering events, family functions and more! Check out their menu and their daily/weekly specials at https://stuffedtothegrills.com
Manscaped Get 20% off by using the Code “AATSPORTS” at http://Manscaped.com
Hey everybody happy Friday night today is February 16th 2024 this is across the pitch it’s just a Twan gig tonight it’s myself Mike Barrera and we got our uh Bolivian Tom Bogard in the house Jose Nunes Jose how you doing today I’m doing okay Mike uh just man busy with work
Busy with some other stuff with the family and obviously just continuing this awesome journey of you know taking on more and more reporting I guess for for the union and and hopefully people are enjoying it people are entertained people are feeling like they’re connected with the team in a way right I
Know you and I are not access journalists we appreciate the AES that we’re given But ultimately we can you know we don’t want to lose it or anyway in any way shape or form but we want to provide everybody the best we can so we we are just very happy and and hopeful
That people are enjoying what we’re putting out I agree and for once we have something fun to talk about we have a game to talk about now exciting we’ve been saying for like how long now you know we’ve been talking about these wh ifs and these hypotheticals and these
Loans which we’ll talk about tonight as well we got two players out the door today but still we have a game next week so what are your thoughts now The Season’s almost here just give me those initial butterflies in your belly right now um man it’s it’s tough you know it I
Don’t even know if you can count this yes it is cars in the background because I have my son who is almost four uh watching cars in the background um the way I feel man it’s it’s tough right it’s it’s you want to be excited about the game you want to be
Excited about the season coming up but it’s also so and I think Kevin Conca which much credit to him obviously been doing it far longer than you and I have in terms of reporting and covering the team put it best of like you know is it
It’s hard to get excited for this in a way uh just the same team if not even lesser especially when you think about you know we’re going to talk about it uh Taurus leaving and now well Brendon Craig and now Taurus uh departing the squad it’s it’s it’s it’s just very
Tough to be excited but I I’m also want to give a shot to some of these young guys who are joining so it’s hard to tell man I’m I’m so split I I want to believe but I also know that it’s hard to believe if they’ve tried this climb
Year after year with the same equipment and hoping to reach the Pinnacle well let’s ask a really important question first Dan who joins us and says what are we drinking tonight Dan I have a I have a two for one I got coffee with honey just black coffee with honey and then
Jose you kind of put me in the mood for a little uh Modell tonight little Modell so I got I got a little beer a little coffee somehow that keeps me functioning every single day so how you I know you saw you posted online that you were drinking something weren’t you Jose just
Some bourbon uh big old rock inside of it I’m trying to get it within the light uh just a nice sport it’s been it’s been a long week everybody just um work and a lot of family stuff just uh yes larsy uh Dan so no it’s it’s it’s
I don’t know man it’s it’s tough to get excited but also The Season’s here though it hasn’t been that long since I sat in that room for the press conference on December 13th asking Jim curtain and erns Tanner like what are the trades gonna look like
What are you gonna do about the three guys that came in and obviously two of them are out so it’s such such an interesting uh Dan be careful it’s Jillian um not Jill um it’s an interesting situation that the union find themselves in so I don’t know man
It’s it’s I don’t how about yourself how are you feeling after you’ve watched and and heard from me some of the stuff that that has happened and is happening so I’m glad Jillian’s here because she’s a big fashion person myself or like just like myself and right now I got a lot of
Fashion going on so as you can see I have the sons of Ben rain jacket on I I haven’t worn it on the show as you know I wear a lot of my stuff on the show as much as I can I haven’t worn it yet so
If you guys haven’t gotten the a Ben rain jacket it’s pretty nice I love it I wear it pretty much every day Jose also we have revamped thanks Johnny by the way who was in the comments right now we have revamped our logo so we have some
Stickers to hand out this this in the tailgate very clean stuff but also Jose as you know I’m a sons of Ben member and I just got my sons of Ben membership kit and there’s Valerie Valerie by the way we had a little surprise for you later I
Have a surprise Jose does knowbody yet I have a surprise for you later so just a small a small little thing but you know the Suns of bet kit came out right the members members got their stuff so we got some stickers we got some patches we
Got a pin I’ll show you the scarf in a second we have a little temporary tattoos as well so just a little cool things for in the kit but the scarf came out really nice you got the I’ll turn it this way little Suns of Bend logo first
We got the snake right right here that’s the palomi special no palomi I believe helped to design this yeah so if I can kind of go this way the sons of Ben it reminds me very much of of the 2019 version of the scarf the way it’s lined
On the edge for those of you who have been around as long as I have as a member so Jose you know I think you’re right I think a part of me is kind of dreading the and Dan loves the SOB scarf so do I I think the scarf came out great
Um I as much as I am kind of iffy on the players situation all these you know it’s it’s still the fun energy of a new season you don’t you don’t know what’s going to happen right you don’t know and the new kits came out by the way which
We will discuss very soon as well so that’s something we to get excited about um so I think overall I’m just ready to start the season Mike I do have a question for you though in terms of that sun sa Ben kit yeah uh and and maybe everybody who’s listening watching uh
Find Mike at the tailgate and this is the challenge does the temporary sticker can it be a tram stamp you need to try it you don’t got to tell me twice give it a shot and if you see Mike at the tailgate ask him to show him show you
His uh sun saben tram stamp temporary one at that I’m do temporary it’s only for a few for a week or so um no yeah it’s it’s pretty cool I like I like that they try to make it different every year and I actually like this year’s I think
Probably the best so far so and Jillian says I love the rain cat I thought about getting it Jillian you gotta get it it’s great it’s comfortable I wear it all the time definitely definitely do now Ally brings up a point says I feel like we’re we’re set for fifth or sixth place
Finish shame because the kick combo the season is one of the best I’ve seen deserves better so you know what I think let’s segue right into it Jose let’s segue right into the kit and now Valerie I want I just want you to prepare yourself here I need you to keep
Yourself calm for me personally anytime you look at a new kit you can’t just look at it on the table you have to look at it on top of somebody on a player so I went on to the Union’s Twitter page and I found Julian coranza beautifully
Decked Out in the union kit so Valerie and Jose calm yourselves right at this point to me personally I’m going to tilt this way to me I think it looks great I love the cuff of the blue cuff on the sleeve I love the the T of Snak skin
Tire track vibe in the middle I love this new kit Jose how about you yeah I’m a I’m a fan um though as as more kits got revealed over the last couple of days I would say that um this this kit is up there uh but I’ve seen
Better ones ones um uh that that teams have released I really do appreciate the center stripe coming back um though this picture is not fair because you could put julan coranza in a garbage bag and he could probably sell it to you so there’s that um there ultimately
Ultimately I I think it’s fine you know I think a lot of people were hesitant to accept the center logo in terms of the the center Shield or whatever you want to call it the the crest of the club and the middle and then the Adidas logo at the top which
Has been sort of a Mainstay for Adidas especially with different competitions that have come and gone I think Germany over the last year or two has been wearing a center badge like that I think yeah Puma has done it with Manchester City I know that for sure so this this
Gets absolutely fine I enjoy it I do however and and I mentioned uh on Twitter and it’s totally an opinion you know I I commend the creative Squad that put this together the collective rather I think it it’s a wonderful first it’s a wonderful attempt
I think it’s beautiful but I also I you have to criticize Adidas there is no reason why an authentic kit that has all of the details should cost as much as a car payment for somebody and then if you get the if you get the replica Mike
You’re missing so much detail that is almost embarrassing you know right like you’re missing the logo I think behind the neck I think you’re missing the blue uh sort of I don’t want to call it piping but Stripes behind the back and and some the the sleeves also the the
Color uh edges on the sleeve yeah so it’s it’s it’s not it’s not ideal especially when you have a $100 difference it really should not be that difficult to to find something I’m going to pull up some comments here because one comment in particular actually
Brings up a great point so first of all the crest in the middle bugs me but it’s really solid some great comments coming in not a Hu huge fan of centralized logo Ally says um Jillian loves a kit Dan loves a kit Pat hello how you doing
Happy belated birthday Pat I know was about like last week or so oh Todds is well is also with us from the free kick how do I miss that you guys are live can you guys recap everything I missed Todd it was just Jose actually bragging about
You for the last 20 minutes I had to tell him to stop it was that bad um who whoa whoa whoa whoa Mike yeah bring up Todd’s comment again sure sure sure whoa this is that’s a comment from X oh he has a little free kick oh yeah Twitter
Does comments now you didn’t realize that that I did not realize that I keep on telling people get on Facebook on YouTube to talk with us and you’re we’re Liars you’re making me a liar well it’s new it’s still new but valer brings up a good point she says the raincoat seems
To not fit curvy women and I want to bring up a point about the new kit with the crest in the middle I say kby women I spoke with I spoke with one of our female friends and they said the crest in the middle may not be as
Appealing visually to the female fans of the union and I said that’s that’s a great point I don’t have that problem but you know it’s it’s something that people are noticing with the crest kind of being right smack in the middle there I I must admit I think my favorite one
And and again I think that the union is absolutely fine or great uh obviously I I’m not the most like broad shouldered person but I feel like the kit would be fine I’d be intrigued to see how it pulls on the crest right on the chest
Right because of the the the not the man spread as you think but you know the shoulder spread in terms of of how tight it gets across the chest but if if we can bring up a picture Mike uh Orlando City their 10th year is uh this year
They’re celebrating their 10th Year and that kit on the right lighting has a hue of purple with a beautiful brand new logo with the three-headed U lion plus a beautiful uh Roman numeral 10 x for those that don’t know uh Roman numerals um commemorating the 10th year which I’m
Trying to Circle back in my mind five years ago I don’t think the union did much for the 10th that I can recall certainly not a special kit like this uh I I still think it’s a great kit don’t get me wrong but this bring yeah bring up in a second yeah go
Ahead keep going yeah if you watch if you look at this kit and and Orlando has many more issues in terms of branding so something that’s not quite purple it’s not the end of the world especially when their Stadium just got the word inter within it obviously they they share
Inter Miami and Orlando sort of the same a similar fan base or a similar area but this this kit is is really fascinating though you know circling back to the union kit I I I wish everybody that is going to the kit release a lot of fun
Though man that is that is such a difficult task to uh to go through in terms of like 10 if you get an authentic $195 is a lot for a kit now this this is what I’m talking about it has a hue of purple obviously the purple on the
Sleeves and this is the I’m guessing the authentic authentic one with all the patching yep on the center above the L of Orlando on top of the a rather would have a Roman numeral X logo that says the 10th anniversary so this is I think
This is very sharp I’m also a big fan that if you want to unbutton that thing you can a little bit doesn’t do a whole lot but It ultimately has that illusion of you know classy classic type of look so to me that’s a winner though I’d be
Eager to hear others who uh are in the chat to share you know what their opinions are who has the best I know who has the worst who do you I’m I’m about to bring up my favorite and I really hate to admit that it’s one of my
Favorites but I want you to tell me your worst uh one as I continue to kind of go through this online uh I think the worst that was displayed over the last couple of days has to be Columbus OH looks like Charlie Brown it is it is absolutely a Charlie
Brown kit which you know it’s Ohio so what can you do it is it is what it is I suppose but I’m gonna guess which one you like Mike you listen if you don’t if you haven’t seen your the Columbus one literally picture Charlie Brown’s shirt
Yeah in a in a kit that’s quite honestly what it looks like I’m still saving mind and bringing up so I can overlay onto our screen so you got to bear with me one second here I I think yours say New York City no R it’s probably Red Bulls because you
It’s red bulls isn’t it it’s good I knew it’s Red Bull I’m trying to save it on my computer real quick um I’ll bring up the comments in a bit guys I know you guys are popping off here I’m sorry I I love it I love the look I like the
Backing I think the the crisscross lines like have this musical vibe to it I know they just had the hip-hop Jersey so it kind of has that like staticky music I hate that I love it but I kind of love it I’m sorry I’m sorry I don’t like
Seattle I’m sorry I don’t like Seattle but go ahead Jose I don’t like the tram Stampy New York Red Bulls thing on that on that New York one the apparently according to you I like tra stamp so that’s well I just want to see you have
One um but hey all in all you have to commend Adidas in a way right some of them are great some of them are not great some of them are just down right awful but what I think a lot of people can agree on is that they tried different things
And I feel bad for not a multi-billion dollar company in Adidas but I feel bad for the different creative groups that got together to create these kids that did not ultimately get to tell the story the way they wanted to when that eafc leak
Came out right you I feel bad I know two or three people people who are or have been part of them and they say it’s an awesome experience to go through it so for for their you know years of work to be blasted out because someone pressed
The wrong button server side uh was was was sort of frustrating and and I I just want to say I feel bad um and Valerie brings a fantastic point it’s comical the lengths that folks go to or marketing folks go to or or through to try to create something out of nothing
If you look at the New England kit and and I sent this image to uh Jillian uh Kyle and and Todd how the marketing actually talked how the red dots that go up and down the Jersey signify the crates of te that’s matched against the harbor does the ripples that came from
The the the the Boston Tea parted towards the revolution it’s like just say that they’re dots like you don’t have to you don’t have to give me a history lesson just tell me it’s dots or or you don’t have to pretend it’s okay well I mean that’s that’s the thing is
You want your jerseys or your kits whatever to have some sort of meaning to the city I I saw some comment as as you’re talking I’m not even on the screen right now I’m kind of going through like the the browser of MLS shop and all that stuff to look at these
Jerseys but I’m about to pull up the Minnesota Jersey right now the Minnesota jerseys are I think might be the favorite across the league I mean I like the Red Bulls I just mentioned them but I think Dan in the comments I just mentioned it was the
Red Bull jersey he he’s or the Minnesota Jersey rather and I agree and I’ll bring that up in a second but um I I I get it they want to find some sort of symbolism behind it to make it feel more connected I you know what actually funny I saw
Will frell uh release the uh like a little teaser for the lafc jersey and somebody mentioned it reminded them of the green galaxy galaxy Jersey which I agree with I actually kind of thought that too like it looks like the Galaxy Jersey from before A little bit a little
Bit put this up in a second but I saw er’s comment again as I’m saving stuff and not actually reading the comments I saw Eric’s comment earlier saying he’s worried that this is kind of the highlight of the Season that perhaps the kit is kind of what we have to look
Forward to this year are you Astic as Eric as our buddy Eric no I don’t think so you know I think there’s that saying right of like you know do the same thing over and over again you know it’s sort of insanity and then how do you expect
Different results with it all and I think that’s valid but also have to Comm in like and I know this is a line that Jim drops over and over again I’m not here to defend them or or put him on a pedestal but like they have been the
Leaders in points over the past five years with what they have been doing yeah that that is sharp yeah that is NI yeah it’s it’s really cool so you know for them to suddenly change and do something different it’s just not going to happen especially when and I have no
Information but I’m just inferring here it’s tough to see how the union could pull off a $9 million signing when they just built brick and mortar outside of the stadium with those beautiful soccer fields that are there as well the fac as well as the facility
That’s coming up they are just tied I think they are just tied right now in terms of spending because they have to recoup some money from that so it’s it’s it’s tough and and this is just me and fairing again like I I just don’t see where the money would come from outside
Of sales and I I don’t think we talked about it since you know the window closed but you know julan caransa is probably going to sign a a contract predated to start in January or get traded for pennies uh in whatever the the secondary window or the summer
Window I should say for clubs on July 1 so it’s it’s tough to see where the union can scr up the money to do something like that right now and yeah we’ll see but yeah I don’t I don’t think I’m as pessimistic as Eric though I I probably just sounded like you know
We’re ready for a funeral for the season well I mean let’s talk about some of the moves we make and uh Todd bring you bring up a good point that is last year I have I have the other one on the way just bear with me here as we talk about
That um I do think that we have to discuss the depth that has left this team with Torres being gone and now and now Brandon Craig officially gone with El Paso um so you put out the S the the news earlier this morning I believe about hen tourus let’s
Talk about him first what was your is is the Brendan Craig loan done or not done yeah put cavat to that according to MLS it is approved for MLS according to El Paso it is still pending league and federal approval what federal approval means I don’t know i’ I don’t really I’m
Not sure maybe it’s something to do with his age or across state lines I have no idea he’s 19 yeah according to that’s according to their um to their sources so when we asked somebody from from the MLS side they said we don’t know the rules of USL to that level there might
Be something still pending for them but for MLS side it is 100% approved for them so again that’s kind of the one caveat with the Brandon Craig loone but let’s start with with Torres I think he was kind of possibly the more impact player of the two what were your
Thoughts on his official departure and can you share some of the notes from your from your uh post earlier today yeah so the way this unfolded was really interesting I was actually uh finishing up dinner with the kids and and someone reached out to me uh that is reliable
And said hey uh just heard this from someone within the Chilean team uh univ catholica out in Chile they said hey someone from the team just told me this and I know you’re a Philadelphia guy uh do you know anything about this so then that got my engine going and you know
Moving and shaking and whatever so reached out to three other people another two went ahead and said something that like yeah it’s it’s happening and and lo and behold you know then you see reports from Chilean newspaper saying that it’s done um that it’s that it’s that it’s alone uh
Through 2024 or the entirety of 2024 uh I had it and and Mike you know this because I shared it with you but we actually had I had it pre-written and Mike had reviewed it uh yesterday at around was it 8 o’clock at night yeah around there it
Was about 8 o’clock at night but I didn’t post it since I wanted to to run it through the right channels and and some other stuff that I I have to do to make sure that I’m being courteous and and doing my part um but having had two
Sources at the time of writing a third one overnight um this morning I just felt absolutely comfortable with it and and of course we saw some more reporting from some other folks or faces the the the guy from the inquir certainly posted about it and and some other folks so
Yeah I don’t know it’s an interesting move and and I think more than than anything clarifies that that last year’s transfers were an absolute failure right with with perea and now Tor is gone but Damen low being the only one so though in baseball batting 300 makes you an
All-Star I don’t think that appes for socer yeah but I’ll I’ll turn it over to you what did you think about it so I’m gonna bring up this comment here from Ally and I’ll show you guys in Minesota Jersey in a second I know I messed up that I
Apologize it’s a Friday night bear with me here so Alli says Torres will be the you know he’ll be basically gone rafanello steps up Craig is gone and then we have Maka step up and Craig didn’t play anyway and I’m want to kind of touch on that in terms of what the concade
Article posts as well as kind of our projection for this year yes we didn’t really add anybody significant and I think the union are banking heavily on players like rafanello MCA Bueno clearly Jack mcglinn um you could argue Leon flock Quinn Sullivan dare I say the great from man
From Pei himself Chris Donovan I think they are kind of looking as last year as that earning of the stripes for these young players Quinn Sullivan yeah Dan I love Quinn I hope he’s having a big year this year I think they’re kind of saying okay last year those young players that
We had kind of developed into their they got some veteran status now and now although we haven’t added anybody significant yes like guess you could say Kai Vagner and bedoya coming back as a significant one they’re just kind of saying well their experience is now
Greater and they can kind of take it to the next level also for what it’s worth I mean you could argue argue bbo is basically like a new player when we barely saw him last year we can’t say that he’s been with us for anything significant I mean how many how many
Minutes he play Jose I mean a minimal amount we really don’t know what he can do he I don’t think he’s I don’t think he’s played even I don’t even think he’s play two matches worth a time let alone one I could be wrong folks in the chat
And this is why we love doing it live yeah take us a task give us information I don’t think Ty biva has played more than two matches I don’t think he’s played more than 180 minutes last year no and real quick Jose I’m just sorry this this is the Jersey my apologies
Everybody it’s awesome they’re both awesome they’re both great anyway I corrected myself there so Eric’s Point here I going to bring up his comment as well in a second you’re further proving my point spend little and you need to hit on every Money Ball Target you have
That on top of rookies taking steps forward that have almost zero guarantee of happening can I use Eric’s point to segue into your other post from this afternoon regarding scouting can you want to talk about that because I think it’s a good point that we should discuss
As well since we’re talking about money ball and the development of players go ahead Jose yeah earlier today I posted as well I had been sitting on this information for maybe I don’t know Mike you you tend to review I tend to share my stuff with you I know I I share it
With other people for like hey like how does the copy sound does it read well is it coherent right any thoughts additions Etc I think we I sat on this you saw this a week and a half ago two weeks ago uh when I heard about this but uh
Roberto gimenez who uh has been the head of Scouting For The Academy is departing um he as my understanding as I’m told by sources is that he’s joining us soccer uh which is an awesome step it’s it’s it’s an incredible vote of confidence in the work that the union have done or
That he has done and hopefully there’s some sort of transition period that makes sense to share that knowledge or whatever um but you know it’s it’s just another Academy piece that’s moving and it’s it’s interesting that it’s happening all in such quick succession though you cannot fault the man uh for
Wanting to make a make a move to US soccer think about what’s around the corner in 2026 right so it’s it’s it’s a very good time once in a lifetime frankly for a lot of people that they can be part of a host Nations Federation for a World Cup whether it’s scouting or
Coaching or Olympics for example like it is such a fascinating time to do it so yeah we had been sitting on that information for a little bit but it felt right as I heard from a fourth person uh earlier this week that this was happening so I I just want to make sure
Um to share it with folks and you know congratulate Roberto he’s done great over the past four years four and years I can’t remember exactly how long but yeah uh it just makes you wonder right um where where does the replacement come from right is it from within is it from
Outside and if so who do they have the same type of Talent OR I4 talent I should say and and I think when people I don’t think people realize that having eye for talent means recognizing when the talent’s good but also recognizing when the talent is not good anymore
Right when it’s time to discard Talent or not good enough I mean how many times you see a college player’s highlight reel and they say oh my God he’s going to transition great into the the NBA or the NFL or whatever might be and look at look College listen I’m a big college
Basketball guy we all know this right how many times you see College centers like Tyler hansboro for example thrive in college basketball but he just doesn’t have the size or skill set to transition to the NBA it happens all the time um so this yeah to your point
Having the eye for talent now we see Tommy Wilson leaving as well ear earlier this off season these people who have helped construct the union into what they are and who who had this great eye for talent for all these amazing players like we’ve seen so far um it’s it’s one
Of those things where you kind of hold your breath for the next because you’re not going to see it immediately this is not going to be an immediate impact move that we’re gonna say okay in 2025 we see how this was either a great move or a
Bad move it’s going to be 2030 2031 that’s you really begin to see how the development is changing with the union and now just to bring up a few comments here because everybody’s kind of talking about bbo so uh he played 151 minutes Jose he played five games he started one
That’s it yeah that’s a very small sample size and I know that we have some folks here who are very soccer minded um and we’ll we’ll tell you firsthand that 150 minutes is very hard to make an assumption on anybody but also makes you wonder right um what happened in that
Home stretch of the Season where was it really Fitness was Tai really having that hard of a time getting incorporated into the squad but you also cannot take the human element out of it right with everything that’s going on with with his home nation um or
Has been going on with his home nation I should say so a lot of a lot of different factors and and some of them human that people don’t want to accept but certainly uh makes you wonder about the Tactical side in terms of you know fitting in and and and you know
Teammates or or tactics Fitness whatever it may be I just wish him the best of luck obviously the the team needs him needs him to perform he’s he’s making what was it I think it was 700k this year um uh so he’s he’s a big bigger
Earner for the union so he needs to come through and hopefully you know yeah 710k was what he made last year uh guaranteed so um we’ll see we’ll see what happens this year uh we have some interesting competition for bbo and Dan brings up the point of Anderson I know he was the
New York forward they brought back to the states and if you saw I think it was the press conference today or one of the you know the clips from the union today how he’s really seem to be fitting in pretty well with the Union in Camp so
Far so now you think of what’s going on up top you have UA you have coranza still at least until the summer you have Chris Donovan who was just got signed back so he’s gonna be in the mix you’re gonna have Anderson and you’re gonna
Have bbo so you’re gonna have a lot of competition now for the top I’m assuming then with those moves in place Quinn Sullivan is going to go into the eight position on the right hand of the diamond I think everybody has said I know actually speaking of correct me if
I’m wrong Jose dup on the volley pod is that the name of the new show that came out Jimmy King was on it Paul was on it as well correct me if you guys are listening correct me if I’m wrong they had mentioned it as well you know Quinn
Kind of being more comfortable in the back I think a lot of people can agree with that he probably will do better as a bedoya replacement rather than somebody up top so can we get something out of the way of course go ahead all right for for all of those that want to
Pronounce Marcus’s old team correctly I’m going to say it once maybe twice okay this is the third division Spanish team that Marcus Anderson joined us from go r r Mah Hond Rayo mahada I’m reading it in front of me it looks pretty good okay so it’s Rayo
Mahada so yeah he’s he’s definitely a wild card I mean he he’s played he played the again in the sense cinnati match that was live streamed earlier this week and looked absolutely fine so yeah I I I wonder where all these PCS all these PC all these
Pieces uh fit in for the season uh yeah Todd can you leave this as a voice note yeah for for people that played during their podcast yeah maybe it’ll be a a soundboard button for you yeah it’s it’s it’s interesting and and again I think
For the sake of this squad I I the team and and Jim says this over and over again the team goes as far as the forwards go right in terms of scoring but more importantly the pressure that they provide right in terms of what karanza can do off the ball what what
What Mikel UA can do off the ball to pressure Defenders into making mistakes so Daniel can get a second ball or uh bruo gets just an easy airball that someone just you know kicks out of you know out of desperation because they’re being pressured so I hope Tai is is
Ready for it I think that the team has gone have a lot of a lot of a lot of challenges ahead and especially when they haven’t I mean who knows what’s going to happen with the US Open US Open cup but if you replicate an exact schedule to last
Year I’d be hard pressed to think that they do any better uh and I think uh was it Ali who said yeah fifth or sixth place finish I I’m honestly totally okay with that if not expecting it just sneak in and just be a tournament team you know there’s supporter Shields are great
But in this league they absolutely do not matter really I Cincinnati yeah I mean Cincinnati went all out on the supporter shield and and granted some of it was because they were good enough and that’s fair but I’m not I’m not that I don’t I personally don’t put a lot of
Value behind the supporter Shields like yeah you were the best in the season but it doesn’t mean you get that star on your Crest that’s what I want Jose yeah I mean I don’t know that’s that’s I you and I have talked about it right in terms of our rankings last year
In terms of how we rank different tournaments and and I know I like the Continental slash International aspect of some of these tournaments in terms of CCC and I know the the much hated leaks cup because it’s an International Tournament I like that and MLS Cup would be next supporter
Shield and US Open cup I I know people would probably think I’m I’m nuts for saying that especially a tournament that’s over 150 years old but if other teams not going to take it seriously why should the union that’s the problem I see with it Todd says it’s hard to take
The supporter Shield serious when it’s on a balanced schedule allly says Le’s cup is pointless so this this kind of goes back to the ranking we had the ranking we had last year you know what what do fans want the most I think I have mentioned as well um other people
Have I know you probably have MLS cup is what we want the most second to me would be the the CCC the Champions Cup I would put that behind the MLS Cup but if we don’t win the MLS Cup and we win the CCC I’d be pretty happy with the season
Overall just considering the magnitude it has but Le cup for me it’s nice whatever the the the shield I unless we were to win the cup as well the shield just doesn’t have because we already did it you know it just doesn’t have the same vibe to it as well um and some
People have mentioned as well with a fourth place finish or even a fifth or sixth place finish can we win the cup in fifth or sixth place I think one of the biggest things we want to see this year is if they can improve on the road if
The union can be Road dogs and they can go out there and really fight I would feel more comfortable being fourth or fifth or sixth place I really would and you know yeah no I was just I was Tex I was testing the XP it does work that’s
Crazy for the longest time I kept on saying it doesn’t work but it works um you know to to your point Mike and I see some other people rating their their different tournaments um I say I say leagues cup because I like the I like the the competition against the Mex I’ll
Be right there Rafael with against the Mexican teams but I also think about the players and honestly when and I know people don’t like to talk about this and that’s totally fine but if you’re a player and you’re putting your body through all this you want to be rewarded
Financially that the the way that makes you the most money every win that the union had last year for leagues cup meant that they got $150,000 to SPL split across the team and then if they if they would have won the whole the whole thing they would have made $3
Million which is a lot more money than what the other competitions do so it’s it’s difficult for me to not want the players to earn what they’re worth sure especially when they play that much but I also see where you know the tradition of 150 years of of you know tournament
In terms of the US Open cup you muting I well actually real quick as as you’re kind of fixing the microphone there for me I also look at what would be the most impactful for the Union in terms of the perception of the team from
The city I think a lot of times fans want to say well the union are part of that big four the Flyers the Sixers the Phillies The Eagles I don’t think the union will actually get to that until we win the MLS Cup because frankly if we
Win the Champions Cup the union fans are going to be excited but will the city of Philadelphia be excited for us probably not because half of them don’t really understand the whole concept of the Champions Cup where to Todd’s Point the club World Cup because you have to sit
There and you have to explain you know this whole thing to these non soccer F every time I’m work people are like oh the union still playing what’s this tournament what does this make sense for American non soccer people say they win the cup the MLS Cup
Yes or no they didn’t okay they still kind of suck so M look look no further than having to he American fans of the NBA learn what the inseason tournament was and how it worked I know you remember that the madness that was to listen to people I like wait so you’re
Telling me these matches in the middle of the Season don’t count for the main record but they count for this other competition that’s folded in it’s like yeah that’s soccer keep going Mike I’m gonna get something for my kids super quick no it’s fine I I think the NBA is
Trying to get the excitement of soccer I don’t know if this is officially in the works yet somebody who knows basketball as well as I do please chime in the LA Clippers owner has mentioned having a wall behind one of the Nets to essentially have these this soccer type
Environment I know we see sometimes from the the foreign leagues having these Euro fans just go crazy in their stadiums and it builds that soccer environment in a basketball stadium if you look at college basketball if you want to go to the Cameron Indoor or anywhere in in these major Blue Blood
Arenas the college fans are about as equal to soccer fans fans you can get we don’t just we just don’t have that in the NBA and I think the NBA is trying to to change the way fans enjoy the game CH change the way fans they see the game
Dan says Cameron is amazing I feel like Dan is a good college basketball guy to talk to if you ever see me at the tailgate Dan we gotta talk oh my God we’re talking about this again holy but no I I think I think I think when you try to explain it
To them you know for the NBA they’re trying to they’re trying to change the way people perceive it but again that’s kind of a sep thing to separate day I thought the inseason tournament was cool but they just want to make it more soccery and I just don’t think it’s
There I don’t think NBA fans care enough to be there yet is my is my thing no I don’t think so either and that’s that’s where the you know the marketing has to come through right like how how do the union themselves Market this within within the the region of the
Leagues Cup come and watch this team face another team that’s not from this league but doesn’t count towards its own league right they just got to figure it out so uh I I don’t know man I I still do want Continental success but at the expense I think the union just has to
Be thoughtful about and Matt the George actually set this from the Delo times during the end of season press conference and just flat out asked Jim are you going to be or do you feel like you’ve earned the right to be more choosy about the competitions you want to win and I know
Last year actually very loud I was very loud to you and to Dave of like listen when you haven’t won anything you have no right to be choosy then we went through a 55 Game season and realized holy smokes had they just focused on one or two it may have been a
Completely different story altoe but who knows well it’s a thing I we we okay so this is a great segue into what we should talk about today and and people chime in the comments please kind of share me share your thoughts on this topic I did not feel like Jim curtain
Properly used the depth that he had last year in terms of all the competition we saw andrees perea basically disappear we felt like bbo clearly didn’t get enough minutes he only had 151 minutes and it seemed like he just ran the players into the ground I we saw the Jacob gleson
Injury late in the year as well maybe that had something to do with him playing endless minutes entirely I’m hoping that this year Jim has a different approach into how he uses his roster and actually use the depth because the one good thing with our depth and we didn’t even mention your
Bolivian Brethren uh hamir bashio as well on this roster we have a lot of young players Mak makana never played it as well Dan a great Point Matt real barely played we had so much young depth that we just did not use I wonder if curtain now uses that a lot more this
Season to alleviate these older players from these injuries who are playing Just endlessly because maybe if we do that we can finally get over that that hump because we have the energy to do so go ahead Jose yeah and man and that’s just it right like I’m I’m really intrigued
On to how the team focuses its effort um Jim will tell us and really any fan who approaches him whether it’s an Acme at waa or wherever in the city or even at the stadium if you run into him he’ll probably tell you he wants to win every single game which
Is absolutely true but when you think about the personnel and the that needs to happen I just don’t see a world where a gln plays every single game without re you know reinjuring himself with that hernia right or and Alejandra bedya plays the minutes that he played the last couple of years
So it’s it’ll be interesting and and again like listen we try to be as as partial as we can um impartial I should say as we can but ultimately we care about this team and we want them to succeed because it makes covering the team fun I can’t imagine IM being
Colorado last year how difficult it must have been to to cover that team but ultimately man like it’s it’s gonna be a long season and and you and I and and others who are in the Press are here for it uh we’re still waiting to hear about press credential so who knows what
Happens in terms of that um but we’re we’re just man hoping for the best it’ll be so so interesting to see how it goes you know what’s funny a lot of people in the comments right now we’re gonna put Dan says Jim needs to learn the trust
The new players quicker I think that’s a great Point how many times have we seen players come in davo for example and he just doesn’t trust them and he just gets thrown to the bench and never sees any minutes Dan mentions you have to know when to rotate the squad Steve mentions
Learn from past mistakes and learn to trust the bench 100 per. I think one thing we saw don’t ever don’t ever ever pick Stephen again never never Stephen is a Cowboys fan okay Steve you’re off the show don’t even gone bully hours gone he’s not he’s not
Joining again he he also works at her Sinus I never want to see him again I don’t want to see him again all right bye Steve so one thing I’ve noticed last year that we didn’t see from Jim the prior year was his break from the diamond right we we said poor Stewart
Finley he didn’t get to enjoy three in the back like he should have yes that’s a Todd Lewis comment right there 100% Todd Lewis comment shout out to the best podcaster from Maryland so one thing I think that we saw last year was the fact that Jim finally said okay I’m want to
Switch the formation up and he had some he had some luck doing that I think this year the next evolvement of Jim curtain has to be the use of rotation has to be the subs I know Eric Jo jokes about it all the time that bedo is going to play
177,000 minutes that has to be put to bed I want Eric at the end of the year say oh my God B doya was used correctly that’s what my goal is for this year is to see Eric happy at the end of the year but no I think it’s a great point I
Think you do have to Jim has to evolve and he has to trust these players you don’t have a bad roster you have some really good talent on here I mean look at odada look what he’s doing overseas we didn’t touch the kid again it’s to these points and
Everybody everybody’s saying this trust the players but go ahead Jose listen all all I say all I want to say is that you know I man I do I have no information I haven’t even begun digging but maybe that’s the next project what’s gonna happen with odada you know he’s he’s is
He gonna be a mid-season reinforcement because the loan runs out like I don’t know we have no idea so it’d be great to have another midfielder suddenly pop up in fit you know with Fitness in the middle of the season so uh yeah man I
Don’t know um you I still yeah go ahead I was I still stand by what I said right I still want that Continental success but man being almost at the Pinnacle of it all two minutes away a Gareth Bale away from from winning the whole thing and and
Finally having that first star above the crest technically the the 14th because it has the 13 stars for the colonies on on the shield itself but like to have that first MLS Cup star that would have been incredible man that would have been freaking incredible and it just did not
Happen and now we’re just you know they tried it again without any major investment and it just didn’t work and if ownership did not see that that was the right time to dump in some money for someone that that could just come in and do it I have a hard
Time feeling that this is the year though I I would love to be and I think a lot of people thousands of people would be pleasantly surprised to see a bang out here from am Marcus Anderson or or a Tai bivo who again feels like a
Brand new player so listen I think we’re just very excited for what’s coming on Tuesday maybe we shift Wheels to talking about saisa super quick and maybe just share with people what we have cooking for uh Monday but uh I’ll turn it over to you we real quick before we do start
That I I did not expect this to be this high or this low rather but I’m going to share the gambling perspective on the MLS Cup because listen I mean I feel like the books have a good idea on things they do this all the time so
Inner Miami is at plus 250 to win the entire MLS Cup I think that’s ridiculous but it is what it is the 1 two 3 4 the fifth best odds or I guess you know most likely to win the MLS Cup is the union they’re plus 1600 on
FanDuel I know you saw plus 1400 on I think it was DraftKings right so according to FanDuel and these Sports books the union are fairly favored to win the MLS Cup so they’re seeing something that we’re not seeing maybe I mean and again well we can transition
Now to the Champions Cup on Tuesday and Dan mentions players like CJ only so let’s talk about the Champions Cup uh we’re playing Sopris this time we’re traveling there with fans in the stands we wouldn’t have that last time around if you guys remember that sapra match up
From way back when that’s that’s a match that Kai Vagner just got annihilated and the whole Ruckus ensued so that when is that also when imisa lost a tooth imisa lost a tooth at AA I think no maybe no was it Todd somebody on the chat tell me
When and bu a lost tooth because that was comical that was I mean I’m sure it hurt but like for him to just like spit out a tooth was just crazy Eric’s Eric’s saying I’m calling for MLS Cup this season and Eric says Club America was sooth I think I’m gonna play
Saet right right now live on the show that the unor gonna win the MLS Cup I think I’m gonna do it go ahead Jose as you talk about your preview for sapra here yeah so we’re going to touch on it super lightly right now just maybe do a
Quick rundown but my hope is to on Sunday or Monday I’m actually recording with someone who is extremely knowledgeable and on Costa uh Costa Costa Rican soccer uh he’s gonna get on a zoom call with me we’re gonna record a quick 1520 minute uh segment previewing
The match both in terms of the Union but also um the the hey buddy you want to say hi go ahead say hi hi I mean he stole the show I I can’t even follow that up we’re done he he actually set the cutest thing and this is a
Sidebar and aside for everybody he said Daddy I love it when you do podcasts kids are the best get like this right like the little dad stuff it’s the best go ahead he doesn’t even know what a podcast is he just knows that me talking to people on a video call is a
Podcast so I’m doing a lot of podcasts during the day for work um but anyways we’ll have someone who’s a specialist in surprisa and knows about it talk with us uh on on Sunday or Monday uh but just to give you guys a quick rundown uh
Saisa does have a gosh a fairly strong team they actually just brought on some good players like Luis Diaz uh who was a free agent out of Colorado so that’s an MLs player who’s coming in and uh again looking at transfer market which isn’t the end all Beall but it’s a good starting
Spot that Diaz guy is worth 1.5 million EUR which is a iable amount for some of these players especially within the union so um I think more importantly the the thing that’s gonna be the biggest difference this time around is the environment and Jim agreed spoke about it in the press conference
Uh was it before um Cincinnati um that sort of surprised hey we’re having a press conference the day before at like 1 p.m. and mention like yeah I’m telling these guys this is going to be very different than just a game midco where there’s nobody in the stands and this is
This is going to test that team though you could argue considering that the spine of this team has been around for this long if this team when through cop America uh yeah again not cop Amica I’m sorry kuuba Meda home and away this team should be able to do it
Obviously the result wasn’t you know great against clba Med but in terms of noise they were able to deal with it so hopefully I’m excited for the match everybody programming note broadcasting starts at 10: kickoff is at 10:06 so if you w for Tuesday get yourself a nice drink get situated 10:06
Kickoff time uh on FS2 so uh long way to say guys we will have uh myself and this guest who’s going to join me on Sunday or Monday um we’ll be putting something out probably Monday or Tuesday morning for all of you to enjoy so keep an eye out
On our our social feeds or even the the YouTube um page for that upload uh and and enjoy something more in depth but this aprisa team is very different from what the union experienced a few years ago I hope I’m wrong I hope it’s a romp
Of seven nothing away at supri and and they can just put the Marcus Andersons of the world and theck paranos in the middle but like I just don’t see how it becomes that easy of a ride so real quick I know you mentioned getting a
Drink so I’m GNA I’m G to bring up Dan’s comment he mentions my Zed’s beer cap I also am from the Marlton area Dan originally from Cherry Hill so if you’re in Zeds one day hit me up I’ll meet you there um hey let me just say this about
Zeds while we’re doing the sponsor this this not they’re not sponsoring us but I want to share with everybody Zeds Zeds the owner of Zeds was was ready to send me out to Florida for the preseason match was happy to cover the entire bill so everybody could get good coverage of
The team unfortunately the match producers out in Florida did not come through with my credential up until 8 in the morning the day of the match uh and it was the match against Flamingo so I just want to be very clear with all of you guys we’re not sponsored by Zeds but
That type of commitment to independent uh reporting is incredible so if you ever find yourself at Zeds go and find is it it’s Lori correct Lori white and and her husband Jeff Zeds I wear them all the time I have I just I literally just bought a four pack from
Them tonight for my for my pop so I love Zeds they’re great people I go there all the time um yeah they’re they’re awesome and I wish they would have given you the credential to really be able to prod you know promote them more I know I I
Inadvertently do that every single time I’m on the show I just I just love them they’re good people great place they’re incredible so make sure you you if you can stop there stop there I know they are also supporters of the sons of Ben I believe watch Party Committee whatever
You want to call it yeah so support them if if you get a chance again we don’t receive a scent from them we just genuinely honestly after telling Mike that they were more than happy to send me to Florida and back on on their dime
For a good reporting of the match I am and and and to be completely Fair too and and transparent they’ve offered to do it for a couple matches during the season so there might be in a away game here and there obviously with that duties got to make sure I plan
That out but ultimately Zed’s incredible company in terms of their generosity towards independent reporting I I I I was amazed and and Incredibly thankful for that I agree so as we continue because there’s a couple there’s a couple questions about the game coming up here that I want to touch so I know
Kyle’s mentioned Caesar’s at plus 1400 MGM has has plus, 1500 cira as well DB says FanDuel has the best ODS I agree so I put a $30 bet down it’s right there are such degenerates I am a degenerate $30 bet pays out $55 on plus 1600 on
FanDuel you saw it here first Eric if they win the cup I’m buying you a drink Eric there that’s what that’s the deal that we’re making that’s the add Zs that’s the thing and and Eric’s a South Jersey guy myself like myself so one question here they have is do we play
For a draw away or try to bury them at home that’s an excellent point especially with conaf being chaotic we remember the dog from last year the lost tooth the fights Etc do you play scared Jose and play for the draw or do you
Kind of go for it a bit and do like the atlas approach where you just kind of had the best possible even and he and he pulled out a tie H I think this team is going to genuinely go for it away from home and here’s why right yes they have
A home opener against Chicago but you got to remember the man who will not be available for Chicago which is Kai Vagner he would be serving his uh suspension from last year his final game suspension from the Bobby wood incident so having Kai on that lineup if it’s
Gonna be Kai I can’t imagine that it wouldn’t be Kai at left back but having Kai in the lineup does inherently make you a heck of a lot more attacking in terms of cross and and buildup and getting out from the back that I just Envision that they’ll
Go for it I don’t I don’t I don’t see how a team sits back on the very first game of their season even if it is a home and away type of situation obviously only seven days away in a match in between uh but I just don’t
Know that the team sits back and and holds back though I I’m also intrigued to see the faces and again such an early test in terms of rotation I wish that the union would have played um their match maybe a week ago kind of like the
White Caps did and and some of those other MLS teams to sort of just get that out of the way um but ultimately I I I just don’t see how they sit back for their very first game of the entire season these guys are going to be
Meaning that the union players are going to be very excited to be out there I think it’s going to be a lot of rust a lot of passes a yard or two away and and not maybe reading one another’s cues despite having been together for at this
Point six weeks seven weeks eight weeks I can’t remember like it’s it’s gonna be it’s gonna be a little choppy But ultimately I I just don’t see how they sit back what do you think I agree I’m bring up Valerie’s comment because she named her cat after Bobby wood so
Valerie if you want to name it after me I give you full permission please I’ll be happy to meet Mike one day um no I I I think I think the rust of of not really having that game time experience this year is is a little worrisome for me as
Well like you said it’s only been about six seven weeks granted the off season wasn’t very long as well so that kind of again puts kind of a weird thought in my mind about how they’re going to approach it but I think you kind of have to set
The tone for the season right off the bat you have to enter this season really just looking to beat the crap at everybody if you want to go back to last year Jillian’s comment where she just kind of want to say I want to throttle people right we didn’t see that
Last year no we I say that as a joke right but it’s true we did not beat anybody convincingly last year and I think we need to I think we need to start the season saying you know what we’re not gonna be afraid to go down a
Goal in at aprisa we’re gonna go out and we’re GNA try to do as best as we can to set the tone for the year and set the tone for the competition and they just put it across the roster this is going to be brand new Union even if it’s the
Same players and even if people aren’t as excited as we could be I want to we’re just it’s a new team New Year that’s that’s how my Approach is I think they have to I don’t think they have a choice but now whether they do or not
That’s a different story yeah and you know what’s interesting is you know Philadelphia Union uh transfer market and and again this is not like scientific but you know sapra has an overall market value of $7.48 million according to transfer market which I’m trying to get there uh
Detailed has a value of 53 million euros uh both I meant to say both Euros so the difference being you know 7.48 million euros versus 53.83 so again if if we go off of The Valleys the union should just really walk through this but obviously we know that that’s not how
The game is played so I really do hope that this team is able to figure it out and and put a cohesive win but man that Chicago game really puts a a difficult knot in the middle of the entire thing right because you it’s gonna be the
First game of the season the fans are gonna be cold because it’s supposed to be 34 degrees or so um though if though if you show up to the tailgate uh and you’re a son of Ben’s member that’s $12 which is $2 more than last year but
That’s okay inflation it is what it is show up enjoy yourselves and then go to the game I it’s it’s difficult to see how Jim doesn’t try to put up a performance for that home game too so to turn around and then played what the following Tuesday that’s a lot it’s a
Short and a lot of flying too on top of that yes a lot of flying so yeah I hope that again we throttle this team so hard the first game that the second game is really more of just just like a you know just a formality more than anything so
Eric I’m going to bring up Eric’s point he mentions the 2020 lafc match it’s an interesting point Eric brings up because not only was that match kind of our validation that we could play with the big boys the league but that was also the match that Jose
Martinez really kind of arrived that was the match that Jacob glesnes had his screamer right that kind of again norian Center back with the rocket to kind of just hush the crowd up I I’m wondering this year who is that Jose Martinez who is that player who’s going to take the
Next Lev we saw Bueno be that last year can I say mcglinn as that player this year is is that is he too has he been around for too long to say that he’s the next one to really take it to the next level because I think we’ve
Seen glimpses of it so far I think in his US national performance he played well he did can we see mcglinn be I mean a formidable midfielder this year to really like change the way this team plays and I think Dan brings up Jack’s X I just it’s one of those things
Where I think he’s due that that’s kind of That’s My Vibe at least I I’m this might be a bold prediction but I I am very much of the thought that Jack mlin maybe actually playing himself into CA uh Copa America instead of the Olympics I think he I think I think he’s
A sure bet for the Olympics but I think if his performances are very good to start MLS and then you know we the the the the the national team has this game now when is it uh chat let me know um they have a friendly that just announced against
Colombia uh I don’t know I I could really see Jack mcglinn being one of those you know potentially playing his way into the the the I don’t know Copa Med it is it is a stretch Ali I I completely understand that but I I think he’s definitely a sure bet
For the Olympics but I I don’t see how he sticks around the with the union for too long Jim has praised him so much to the point that he’s even gone to say I could see him playing in these leagues and that’s what I would suggest
To him so like Jack is probably sitting there thinking like okay and yeah they were matches where he was not really at his best and I think one lafc game last year was was one of them right playing with the big dogs was was tough in that
Specific match I think it was really windy that game too I can’t remember um but I I do believe that he is going to be an incredible player and he already is at his age so I don’t know I I’m I’m intrigued onto what the I don’t know how
Long he stays with the Union hopefully it’s not for too long because I really do think that he has bigger and better things ahead of him and and I’m excited August 10th I’ll actually be out in Rhode Island um watching his brother Connor take on uh heart for athletic
Which is Union 1.5 I’ll say what what is it at this point Cincinnati’s 2.0 so what’s what’s Harford at this point D I don’t even know man all the all the different names and faces so I got to get in touch with actually with the Rhode Island people and and the Hartford
People to maybe line up some interviews but I’ll be out in uh Rhode Island for that match which I’m I’m excited about but yeah I I wonder where Jack fits in and how long he sticks around I I reckon the rest of the season but gosh stranger
Things have happened I I never imagined that Paxton Arison was going to depart when he did yeah and that’s you know speaking of it we can wrap up the show soon too I think we should discuss the lineup that we’re going to look at for next week for Tuesday some people have
Talked about three in the back I think I know I know Jim has mentioned being more comfortable on the road with a diamond he’s he’s mentioned that a few times over last year what’s your lineup for that for that first match against the pre dude I don’t even want to try to be
Completely honest with you I mean I think you could see a lot of what we saw against Cincinnati barring some faces joining for the full 90 right glesnes being one of them I I don’t see how the team feels Comfort or maybe maybe it is a game where they feel comfortable
Because they’re confident that uh just a second Raphael are you all done yeah okay then you can go throw it away thank you in the trash in the thrash in the trash thank you smart uh there’s no more he wants another Ring Pop there’s not another Ring Pop this
Late at night I’ll tell you that uh it’s Friday so bear with me all of you parents who are probably judging that I gave my kid a ring pop at 9 o’clock in the evening shame on you um yeah I don’t know I can’t imagine the team starts off
With the three on the back but stranger things have happened I I’m more intrigued on what happens on the right side I’m convinced that it’s going to be Jack on the left and the right side I would think it’s Bueno yes I was hoping you’re going to say Bueno because
I don’t think Boya can play yet I don’t I don’t think he’s is he fit enough to play he’s only been there for half preseason yeah I mean he joined the second phas right uh what was it I I had shared my report the Friday the week before and then a week
And a half later he was with the team finally so I don’t I don’t know how it as Dan says I was about to say that how I don’t know how it is not Bueno brand new contract extended secured and locked in I just don’t see how it’s not Bueno
Or who else it would be uh but that that’s that’s the position I’m looking at I know it’s going to be caransa at the top Jim has prac UA for the shape that he has come in despite you know missing some preseason with um getting
His green card we know it’s going to be caransa because we’re just trying to squeeze as much out of that lemon before it goes whether it’s or free for some money who knows and then you have g at the 10 left of the diamond will be mlin
With flock out the right side again I think it’s Bueno bruo Martinez and then Kai and I G the right back positions another interesting one harriel it would have to be harriel I would think so I mean this entire preseason he has been throwing balls in there he has been and
Successfully in taking shots assisting I think even scoring himself did he score one during free season I can’t remember so can we that’s a great segue to my next point I think if last year Kyle almany my boy right him and I were very Pro
Olivier that did not work out the way we wanted to so I I need I think this year we need to see Nathan become what we thought Olivia was going to be last year get a couple assists put a couple goals in the back of the net I think when we
Saw them side by side Olivier has some of that footwork and Nathan does not have but harriel is just such a threat on set pieces um and then Todd says Expos Kyle for’s horrible take I listen Todd I’m trying to be nice it’s a Friday
Night you know I’m doing what I can Tod um no I I think that we need to see harriel get more time so that way we can get those set pieces just be even more dangerous than they already have been with glesnes and Elliot and Daman in the
In the middle but I want to see Nathan there and I want to see how him and and and Bueno play on the right side of diamond there and I you know what also with Bueno and Jose Martinez I wouldn’t mind them switching at times in in the
Game and Martinez doing what Dave Dave has been preaching for years using that speed and that intensity and taking man up I mean look we saw that what was that one play this year this past year where he went up the right hand side and had
The assist for whatever it was for one I think julan to maybe use them kind of interchanging in the diamond a bit because you can’t do that with B you just simply can’t you can’t B put booy back at the six and let Jose really run
Up every single time you can do that Bueno because he he’s formidable at the six so I I I want to see harriel I think he’s earned it but again to Todd’s Point Olivier has CCC experience and maybe that Trump’s logic and that’s that’s a different that’s a different ball game
Yeah I don’t know man we we’ll see I think Harel will be very very good this year and I think last year’s for as much as people rag on on leagues cup harriel and wayo are perfect examples of people who took or players I should say who
Took that tournament in in leagues cup took that month to really cement themselves as the future of the Philadelphia Union in terms of what was it did harriel have two or three goals in that month yeah um Reno had like what a goal or two assists whatever buo was scoring his penalty
Kicks from the from the different shootouts as well as just going out there running assisting I know he scored against montere and the the very quick s uh early start so like yeah I’m I’m really really excited uh for for those two but when you look
At the overall picture as we wrap up Mike as we crossed an hour 10 between just you and I God knows how long we would have gone with Dave here um it wouldn’t be across the pitch without going over an hour uh now we’re 10 it’s
Not bad not bad um when you look at the cohesive picture you wonder you know there’s a lot of there are a lot of exciting pieces but can they just put all of those together and just make it happen over a 50 plus Game season who
Knows you know like gosh imagine if that team would have gone further in the US Open cup instead of just you know one and out I I hear you man I do but uh listen we have a lot of to look forward to you have your interview on
Monday with the the sapra podcaster right that’s to look forward to on Tuesday night for the match I will be at brow house Schmidts for the watch party yes you will because you’re depending anything that I don’t I’m not aware of right now if you’re in
Philly go to Brouse I think our friend elv is going to be there I I think she asked Jimmy King to make an appearance as well so if you’re there please stop in say hello um and then next Saturday I’ll be at the game and that’s it I’ll be at the game with
Uh another 17 of my friends on uh Saturday so that should be a lot of fun um I’m not gonna announce what’s coming quite yet but if everything goes to plan outside of the Monday uh release for the interview with the or the the com the conversation with the with Eddie um who
Todd shared his full name with me I I didn’t realize his last name Eddie uh Eddie Mendes uh the guy who knows Costa uh Costa Rican soccer so well I might have a surprise for everybody on Tuesday um not breaking not breaking news uh but an exciting little feature type of thing
Some people know about it who are in the chat but I think if you enjoy the Side Stories I like to tell and and the context and the flushing out of things if everything goes to plan I might have a neat little story uh that you all can read either right before
Kickoff or at halftime so if you follow me if you don’t follow me I should say on on on Twitter uh my it’s right underneath here uh give it a follow and yeah there we go 140 Eric yes um give it a follow it’s I think it’s exciting I think people will will
Like it those that know about it Mike you know about it um probably my brain is just dead so no you know about it uh I think you’ll enjoy it uh people would enjoy it so if it all goes to to plan so keep an eye out on that but ultimately
If all season and I think this goes without saying if you see us at the tailgate if you see us at the stadium if we’re hopping moving make sure you say hello to us we want to meet you we want to say hello I always joke with people I’m your
Your friendly neighborhood reporter like I I I I like to think that you know I’m I’m one of all in terms of you know supporting this team but ultimately I I also like to ask tough questions and and do the reporting you all want to hear
About um so please be excited reach out to us see us reach out on Twitter follow us on Twitter uh Mike has his his his credentials on um on there Mike Barrera both on Tik Tok and Twitter Jose R Nunes 91 on Twitter find us at the game on
Saturday we will not be in Costa Rica but we will however uh be sharing some more content in the coming days and certainly throughout the year I’m I’m really excited I think the I think that the fan base that followed us was in incredibly kind with the content we put
Out last year and I I can’t wait to see how they like the stuff that we have planned for them this year and what we’ve put out over the past two months already oh I love it so first of let’s let’s thank the people tonight Friday night Eric Jillian Kyle Todd not Steve
Not Steve quentes don’t stes I hope you I’m probably missing somebody everybody who joined tonight I appreciate it uh for stopping by and saying hello DB uh just Ally all you guys I appreciate all all the feedback great content and comments tonight we are across the pitch as Jose said he is
Jose AR n91 he also has a substack now so check his stuff out as well I’m Mike R mber 1323 on Tik Tok and Twitter Tik Tok will be revamped starting on the the Tuesday match at sapra or uh you know at sapra at at brow house take a couple
Videos couple pictures throw it together post it on there as well uh besides that we will once the season starts we should be every Monday night 8:45 PM because of Dave Miller’s schedule being what it is we will occasionally have a Friday evening show to just spare him the
Endless insomnia that is his life being in England um but besides that we to Jose’s point you see me at you see the tailgate you better crack open a cold one with me and have a beer because as as as our buddies know the Almony for
Example Todd I I can put them down I might be little but I can put them down I promise you that so again this is AC cross a pitch thank you guys for joining us for an hour and 20 minutes of your night go Union go Union
