Here we go, Here we go. It's first eleven for this Friday. We get set for DC and out of FC Cincinnati at seven fifteen on iHeartRadio, the iHeartRadio app and you can sync with Apple TV as it's a home game at Audi Field and DC and I believe me looking to respond after a bad day in San Jose. Dave Johnson along with her Bruce Moria. We will get to DC and IED and how they do respond. But first let's talk about Major League Soccer deciding to postpone
any schedule change. There's been talk trying to align with the European schedules, not really the world calendar. It's not the same in South America and Mexico, but trying to align with the European calendars. Talking now that they'll investigate more, but the earliest any change would come would be twenty twenty seven.
A R.
Bruce Moriy. Basically, what they're thinking is starting the season late July or early August, play through mid December, then take roughly a five week winter break through the beginning of February, and then conclude the season late May or early June. Uh It's it seems somewhat possible because right now we start at the end of February and we
go into to November. But really, when you're talking about regular season games and there are so many cities where the weather is so harsh even in November and December, on one side, it doesn't seem feasible. So what is your take?
Well, I I think you know, it's a great idea. It's been a long time coming, and we all want it, we all want this, but you know, is it is it out there and it's not, it's not really being considered. But then you know, again, you and I talked about this this morning. It is being considered, and they're in. They're there, they were they're going to possibly get it on the on on the calendar. The the thing that intrigues me is if it gets on the winter caare
excuse me, the calendar of Europe, the European calendar. Will that allow us to get it? Seems in the Champions League? And again people are gonna say, what are you crazy putting an MLS team in the Champions League? Why not? Why not? You know, if our league becomes viable and people see what we're doing here in the United States and that's in our World Cup. You know that is going to really give some punching power to the decision makers.
Well, and again, your good friend and teammate, Alexi Lallis, he was somewhat disappointed that if you're going to change it, change it coming out of the twenty twenty six World Cup, and then you could sign some of the World Cup stars,
and so he was disappointed. If I understood his reaction on social media that if you're going to postpone the decision, postponing to twenty twenty seven, in some ways doesn't make sense because if you're actually going to do this, why not doing out of the World Cup that you're hosting.
Yeah, he's right, you know that he's kind of going down the path that I was originally thinking is they're just kind of throwing it out there and let the wind settle it. No, I think he's right. You know, I don't think Alexi's right on everything, but on this one, I think he's all right.
Now. You know, it's a situation that we grew up of an age with the old North American Soccer League with Pele and of course Johan Krouf, and that we're talking the seventies into the early eighties, and the belief then was you got to finish by Labor Day and get out of the way of the NFL. And I remember when Major League Soccer started in nineteen ninety six and our season was creeping September, in October, November, and I'm thinking, I don't know if this is going to work.
And I've been pleasantly surprised because yes, you know, I think about in October of ninety eight, over twenty thousand at RFK Stadium for a playoff game. So clearly it shows even in a competitive marketplace, soccer has defined its own niche. It is defined its own audience that will support the team. But again December in Colorado, Minnesota, Boston, even Philadelphia. I have concerns about.
That, Dave. I mean, I know, you remember this game two years ago, maybe three years ago in Denver World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica, and there was five on the field and they were going to play this game come hell or high water. And this is when the United States took the games to Minnesota and this crazy weather, h you know, for the tactical advantage. And I remember watching that game in Denver and I remember looking at the scorers table, and Saneil Galotti, our president, was over
there saying play the game, don't blow the whistle. I'm telling you he's not our president anymore, but not because of that, but I remember that very very keenly.
Well. Also, what part of the argument here are as I look at it is, does switching this calendar really make Major League Soccer a better league? And I think they're some other issues are like any league has issues and issues sounds like a strong word that that. I don't know if changing the calendar really will make Major League Soccer a better league. Your thoughts on that.
Only if you only only if you get Major League Soccer into Europe. So you know why why wouldn't you see know, every every team you know, Belgium, Portugal, you know, uh, you know name the league Scotland has, has teams in the Champions League or in Europe every year and so and so if you're on that calendar, you know, why don't you know? The world is one place?
Now?
Why? Why? Why could that not work? And in fact it is working this year. Look at the Club World Cup and you'll see the Seattle Sounders, you'll see in her Miami.
In all right, well, this will be a talking point at least for the next two years, because Major League Soccer has made sure of that a talking point. This week, DC United see Cincinnati. You know, after the forour one loss to Orlando and the way the team responded against Columbus. Not concerned. I have to be concerned with a six to one loss. Your thoughts on what must be going through that locker room right now, is they approach a game.
Yeah, there's can't you know, you can you can kind of raw route up as much as you want and we're all together. No, that's not the case. Uh, you know, you start look, you start thinking about your job, you start thinking about, uh, you know, what we can do better. I'm listening to the coach, but I don't know if that's exactly how I see it. Yeah, that's all happening right now. So let's not sugarcoat it saying that, saying that this group uh has the ability? All right, it
has the ability. But you know one thing, I mean again, I don't want to talk about where the players should play and what they should do, but the coaching staff clearly now can see, uh you know what a what a jet type league this is? Uh, and they're gonna have to figure out how to how to play the way they want to play. But sometimes you're gonna have to You're gonna have to suck it up, and you're gonna have to play, uh to the other team's strengths.
In others, you have to you have to figure out you know this, Okay, every time they get the ball, they are in full flight. We better put people behind the ball, pack it in and maybe we'll get a breakaway here or there. But that's what you have to do. You have to accept that fact. Okay, we're gonna have to be a defensive, structured team at this point, and and so we and so we stop the bleeding. But
you know, when we stop the bleeding, we do. We do have guys, right, but they're all just coming together first year. There's so many new players. I would urge the fans this is not a panicky time. You're not as capable of result any week.
Yeah, it's too early to panding, but I think the point in short is there's got to be a balance between to impose your will but also maybe modifying your tactics so you're not in a situation where you're conceding six goals. We'll see how this develops as DC United takes on FC Cincinnati. That'll be Saturday night at Aldi Field again on iHeartRadio, the iHeart app, and you can sync with Apple TV. And thanks for your time on first eleven