Coming Do you live from our Elliot Avenue studios of Sports Radio ninety three point three KJRFM. This is Saunders Weekly with your host Jackson Felds. Good evening, everybody, Welcome into Sounders Weekly. Jackson Felts here, Good to be with you on this absolutely beautiful Tuesday evening. Back to being on a Tuesdays here for Sounders Weekly every Tuesday from seven to eight pm. We've joggled the schedule around for the first couple months of the season because of the sill Kracken.
Unfortunately, their playoff road here is over after a loss there in Game seven to Dallas last night. So Sounders Weekly back to being on a normal Tuesday schedule seven to eight pm. Jackson Felds here to talk all things Seattle, Sounders FC Soccer. Good to have you with us. Well, there is a lot to get to tonight. We're going to shuffle a few things
around, do a couple different things coming up in a few minutes. You're going to hear the voices of both Sounders fullback left back right now Cody Baker and general manager Craig Wible. There's news to share here in just a moment coming up towards the bottom of the hour, we're gonna shift things up and you're gonna hear from Ari Lillienwall of MLS soccer dot com. He'll take us
around the league, will preview the sounders next two matches. There are two this week we'll get into in just a moment, and then we're also gonna go around the sound with Andrew Harvey to come at Defiance picked up a win on Sunday. He'll tell you about that, and then we'll wrap up the show tonight with a nice good conversation with Jason Farrell. He is a former Sounder who is now the head coach of Ballard FC and Ballad FC's season.
They play out of Inner Base Stadium here just north of downtown. Ballad FC season starts on Thursday against Vancouver Whitecap's Uniteteens. So Jason will join us to talk about everything he has going on with Ballard and give us a thought or two on the job. His former coach, Brian Schmitzer is doing, of course with the Seattle Sounders, so there's a lot to get to. Let's go back words for a second. I mentioned two matches for the Sounders.
Seattle plays at home tomorrow night, This is gonna be over on nine fifty KJR AM tomorrow night where the Sounders will be hosting Austin FC. Austin's a team and r you'll tell you more later, but Austin's a team that has had a lot of struggles this year. They're in a bad spot, they're injured, but coming off of the last season where they were second place in
the Western Conference, so tough year for Austin. They come to town tomorrow and then the Sounders go on the road on Saturday to Vancouver and that's going to be a match at the Whitecaps same time. And both of these matches, including tomorrow's it's going to be a seven o'clock Provident Swedish prematch show and a seven thirty kickoff I mentioned, you can listen to that on Sports Radio nine fifty KJR AM. So we'll talk to you on nine fifty am tomorrow
for Sounders and Austin as well as on Saturday. You know, also watch the matches of course on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV listen in Spanish language on Lay thirteen sixty. So tomorrow and Saturday hosting Austin headed up to Vancouver.
That's what's ahead for the Sounders. We'll talk about it later on with Ari, but the news of the day and we'll get into what happened against Houston in a moment relates actually because Cody Baker, a short term agreement player for the last few games who's played in Open Cups, he started in the match there against Houston, the one nothing win, which we'll get into. Cody Baker this morning has been signed by Sounders FC as a new homegrown player.
Now let's get to some details on that really quick before we dig into just exactly what it all means. It's a four year contract with club options for two and twenty seven and two thousand and twenty eight. This is a guy who's been a Sounders FC academy product. He's played with the Coma Defiance
since two and twenty one. I mentioned he's played four first team matches, and you know, it's just great to see this kid be able to work through this system, get time and you're gonna hear from Cody Baker in just a moment and just work hard and earn himself a first team contract. He's so deserving of it and the work that he's put in over these last few matches filling in for knew Who, Who it sounds like will be involved in the match tomorrow against Austin. That's great news, so will Leo Chew,
by the way, he's back from his midfoot injury. So Chew and knew Who back. But Cody Baker is filled in for Knew Who and Kellen row now for a while. And he's just done a great job. He's done a job every single game and he's filled in quite admirably. So of course he has more than earned himself this contract. And congratulations to Cody Baker, the young kid who has made his way through this system and is now the Sounder's newest homegrown player. So he was part of that one nothing win there
in Houston, and that was a game. I mean, listen, there's two ways to look at it. There's the frustration part of it of you were a man up for at least one man up for so much that match and it took nearly fifty minutes of being a man up for the Sounders to finally get a shot on goal. Very simply, that is not good enough.
You gotta be able to test the goalkeeper more. If you are playing a man up, and I know, Houston dropped back into two blocks of four, very defensive, kind of just said a Seattle, come at us, We're going to defend. And they defended well. But for Seattle, you gotta get a shot on goal quicker than nearly fifty minutes after going up a man. But then the Sounders go up two men, and yeah,
it takes a little bit again. But finally, and this is the other way to look at this game, finally you get the great goal from Paul Rothrock, who you're gonna hear about from Craig Wible, the Sounders general manager in just a moment as well. Paul Rothrock three goals in three games, I joked on the postgame show, build the statue. Now, I mean, this guy is quickly become, you know, kind of like a cult
hero in a sense. I mean, a young kid who is formerly with Toronto's system, made his MLS appearance, a first MS appearance nearly a year ago while playing with Toronto. Now he's here with Seattle up from Tacoma, and this is a short term agreement, and boy, he has made all of his time worth it with these performances. Three goals in three games and
he gets the game winner in the eighty seventh minute. The fight of that team to keep pushing, pushing, pushing, and Paul Rothrock is at the back post on alextrobond Cross in the eighty seventh Seattle scores that they defend, they win. They escaped Houston with three points, and yes, with that three points, they stay at first place in the Western Conference above LAFC. So good a situation for the Sounders. Yeah, they lost in the Open
Cup, they're eliminated from that. Yeah, they lost a sport in Kansas City, but they continued, they fought, they got the win in Houston, and here we go into a new week against Austin and Vancouver. So congres. That's to Paul Rothrock. Congrats to Cody Baker. What do you say? We hear a little bit from Cody Baker out at training earlier today in The Sunshine, Cody Baker talked about signing his new contract and being officially
the Sounders' newest homegrown player. It's been incredible, obviously, and soccer things can change fast. I was coming off an injury, getting minutes again with Tacoma, and then all of a sudden, you get the opportunity to play first team and yeah, it's been it's been great. What was the feeling signing that deal as the club's new homegrown player? Oh, I mean it
was. It was just incredible because obviously being at the club for so long, it's something you always dream of. So when you're finally able to put pen to paper, it's an amazing feeling. You know, these last few games, you know, do you kind of get the feeling like I belong at this level? You know, with playing playing you know against you know, and with first team guys. Yeah, I think you always have to
have confidence in yourself no matter what, love what you play at. And I mean obviously there's very talented guys around me, and you just have to be confident when you play. I've been this is my theory of training with them, So I've been around him enough. I'm confident. With the injuries to situations to knew Who and Kellen Rowe, how much more do you expect to be playing here in the near future? I mean, I'm not sure. I guess that's not in my control. Obviously, knew Who and Kelen
are both coming back, so that's really not my focus. My focus is being out here training looking as such as I can, and just putting in good performances. That's Cody Baker, the Sounders newest homegrown player, signed to the first team today on a four year contract with options for twenty seven and twenty eight two, twenty seven, twenty and twenty eight. Great to hear from him, and yeah, I cannot wait to see more of him and
more appearances there with the first team. But you know, Cody wasn't the only one we talked about this news with Sounders general manager Craig Wible was out at training two and we talked to Craig about the news with Cody Baker, who also asked him about Paul Rothrock mentioned three games, three goals, including the game this last weekend in Houston. So a lot of good conversation about
the young kids with Craig Wible. Here was our conversation earlier today. Craig, let's just start with the news today signing Cody Baker to the homegrown contract.
Thoughts behind that deal. Yeah, Look, Cody's a great story, not only like his individual work ethic and what he's done, but it's a reward for him, it's a reward for the club, because we have so many people involved in each player's development that I can't tell you, like how many people are smiling around the club right now having played a part of his
development and getting him to this point. And what's key is for Cody is our first team staff came to me and that's that's the relationship that we want to have in this club, is our development staff gets players to a point where the first team staff is asking for them to be a part of this every day. So it's it's obviously an individual award to Cody, but from a club perspective, this is an awesome day. We've seen a lot of
him in the last few weeks, specifically in these performances. What have you
looked at his game? Well, well, you've seen a lot of him in a position that most normal clubs wouldn't ask him to play because he's he's primarily a right sided player for anyone that's followed him for years with the Defiance and with our youth, but he's done a great job on the left filling in and he's din he's been consistent, you know, and that's kind of what we've seen from Cody for years is just consistency and consistent improvement as well.
So we think he's got a long ways not a long ways to go, but we actually think he's got a lot more to build upon and he's got a lot more potential. So I think the really neat thing is everyone's seen him play a position that he is unfamiliar with, and he's played it really well. Got to ask you about Paul Rothrock in three games, three
goals, what have you seen from him? Paul's done well. I mean, this is a player who specifically chose to come back here and play for Defiance, and I mean I can't I can't really say many critical things. The guy's a workhorse, He's honest as the day is long. He's exactly what you see. There's no like Paul is a way more talented young me as a soccer player. Like he shows up consistent every day. He's going to give you a little more some days, but he never dips below his
level of performance. The value and a player like that is immeasurable. And you know, we're hoping Paul stays on the same path and that he continues the way he's going, because again, this is credit to our development staff and Corey Sensor for bringing him into the Defiance because he's a player that right now is challenging the way we structure a roster, and he's challenging the way we expect our players to develop, and he's he seems to be doing it
pretty quickly well and continuing on that, right, what more do you need to see from him for him to earn a contract? Like Cody just did you know more? We just need to see it longer, you know. One of the things with Paul as we did watch him when he was at Toronto, we watched him when he was at college, but we want to see it in our environment. And Paul's a wonderful guy. He fits in
a well in the locker room. He's he's done everything correctly. It's just a matter for us of getting to that point where it's a natural transition, as it's been with Cody and so many guys before Cody, where the familiarity of everyone in the organization is important before we make a transition or a decision like that. So in terms of consistency, you need to see like five
five goals in five games. Yeah, like ten, ten's better. I mean, you know, it's there's there's a there's a million ways to look at it. When we play against San Diego, that's a team that you know a year and a half ago, that's who we played against, right from a defiant standpoint, So when we get to see him play against first team competition, that's that's really where our ability to evaluate him is going to
be measured. And he had a great game against the Galaxy, not just because of production, but because of the way he went about his work for the whole game, and obviously does not rain on anyone's parade because what he did for us in Houston is obviously really remarkable. It was a short amount of time, so it's really hard to go back and go, well, it was an amazing nine minutes. Now you know, it's he subbed in and he did his job, and he did it well, and that's what
we want to see. Moral. Yeah, Paul Rothrock there, I'm not sure if if it's gonna be ten goals in ten games. Obviously fun comments there from Craig Wible, the Center's general manager. But listen, you know these kids, Cody Baker, Paul Rothrock, they are impressing us right before our eyes and Cody earned his first team contract as a homegrown player. We'll see what the future holds for Paul Rothrock. But great stuff there from Craig
Wible. All right, let's shift gears here in Sounders Weekly and take a look ahead at what's next for the Rave Green. It's gonna be Austin tomorrow. I mentioned seven pm pre match seven thirty kickoff over on nine fifty kjr AM, so we'll talk to you at seven on nine fifty am tomorrow for Sounders in Austin and then Vancouver coming up on the road on Saturday. Let's look ahead to both of those games with Ari Lillian Wall of MLS Soccer,
and go over to Coma as a win on Sunday with Andrew Harvey. Both around the league and around the sound are next on Sounders Weekly Sports Radio at ninety three point three KJRFM. Now back to Sounders Weekly on your home for Saunders FC, Seattle's sports Radio ninety three point three kjr FM. Welcome back to Sounders Weekly. Jackson Felds here, good to be with you on this
Tuesday night, this beautiful Tuesday evening. Well, I'll tell you Sounders FC and Boeing are teaming up to support the Washington Youth Soccer Community Corner on match days this season, join us in stadium as welcome Washington youth soccer players and coaches to cheer on the Rape Green courtesy of Boeing. All right, we're
switching things up a little bit tonight. Jason Farrell, the head coach of Ballard FC, former player with four Brian Schmetzer will be joining us in a little bit, so we're moving around the league and around the sound of this segment. Andrew Harve, you'll join us in just a moment. But joining us right now is Ari. Lillian Wall of MLS Soccer dot Com. Are good to have you back on the show, my friend, how are you. I'm good, Jackson, thanks for having me. Yeah, good to
have you back on Ari. We have a lot to discuss here with two matches this week for the Sounders. Let's get a quick thought though, Sounders getting a one nothing win down in Houston. The Legend of Paul Rothrock continues your thought on that wild wind that included an hour long weather delay. Yeah, not the prettiest win I've ever seen. It won't be danning much for style points, but that does not matter, that does not matter. You
take those three points by any means necessary. There. I don't think anyone is questioning it, but it's certainly it wasn't the most fun I've ever watching a game. A little bit like point definitely, Well when you go a man up and then two men up and uh, you know they were a man up and it took forty some odd minutes to get their first shot on goal. Yeah, I hear you, there are. Let's turn our attention. What's coming up for the Sounders though. It's Austin FC first at Looming
Field tomorrow night, seven o'clock. Pretty match seven thirty kickoff over on nine fifty KJR AM. So Austin is a team that we've been talking a lot about ari through the course of this season, and how this season has not gone anywhere close to what happened last year when they finished second in the Western Conference. They're coming off of a one nothing loss hosting Dallas this last Saturday. I mean, I know we've we've talked about Austin before, but but
just kind of to go over it again. Why hasn't Austin been able to replicate their success from last year this season? I think There's a couple of factors at play there. I think the main one is just that if you actually worked at their underlying performance numbers last year, they were overachieving quite a bit in terms of stuff like expected goals. They were overperforming what they're known, what the numbers say they should have been, by a lot. And
that's the kind of thing that tends to even out year over year. If you have a year like that, usually you're going to come back down to earth a little bit. I would say that's happened to an even greater degree than I would have anticipated, because you look at their roster going into the season and it was a lot of the same pieces that had them competing up near the top of the standings all of last year. But they just haven't
looked as good offensively. Sebastian Duc was an MVP candidate last year. A lot of people thought he should have won MVP. He's not producing at the same rate. So when you kind of throw in that natural regression with your standout DP not putting up the same production as he was, that's a recipe for struggle, and I think you're seeing that for them so far. The one thing I will say is that I really would read nothing into that.
Seattle has played two teams recently that we're struggling in Portland and Sport in Kansas City, and they've lost both of those games. So with it being the wild world of MLS, I just don't know that how much their current form really factors into this. Yeah, you mentioned the current forum there Austin. Their last win was on March eleventh. It's been more than two months since they should say MLS win. They of course won in the Open Cup,
but last MLS win was March eleventh. They're two five and four, twelfth place in the Western Conference with just ten points, So that's how bad they've been. And ari as we continue our chart Vision opponent outlook, we look to Seattle's next opponent that's coming up on Saturday against the Vancouver Whitecaps. Vancouver
little bit better than Austin three three and five. Vancouver also coming off of a loss that was against Portland. I believe Vancouver does play tomorrow in Frisco, Texas, so Vancouver has to travel midweek and then get back to Vancouver. But what have you seen from the Whitecaps so far this year? Yeah, they're actually they've been playing at a higher level than I think myself and most people thought. Their record doesn't really show it, their point total doesn't
really show it, and they've they've taken some poor results. They just got beat by Portland, like you mentioned, and they they took a really bad result in called the CALF Champions League where they got basically just steamrolled by LAFC. But if you look at how they've played, they're playing pretty good, attractive soccer and they have some talented players. I mean Ryan Golf he's a good playmaker. They have a young striker, Simon Beecher, he was a
super draft pick I believe, who's playing really well. He's been banging in goals for them. They're relatively stout defensively with it being a Cascadia rivalry game, and I believe the Whitecaps to be a little bit better than their record. I think that's going to be a tough game at BC plays idea.
Okay, so you have a potentially two tough games against two teams that I mean, yeah, they're they're not exactly over five hundred or anything, but yeah, you have a team who's playing well in Vancouver and a team who can be dange dress in Austin. So tough week ahead for the Sounders, and I'll tell you that tonight's upon it. ALEC was presented by Sharp Vision, Modern Lasic and Lens, the official lasic provider of Sounders FC. Well
are you. Let's turn our attention from Cascadia and the Sounders matches to what's going on in the rest of the league. And one of the things that stood out to me was how many interesting upsets there were this last weekend. You had Miami over New England, who he's talked about extensively as a top team in the East, Chicago beating Saint Louis, a top team in the West right now, and then Charlotte upsetting Atlanta blew Atlanta out in Atlanta.
Which of those three results was the most surprising for you? I don't know if it's the most surprising, but I think the most notable has got to be that Charlotte Atlanta result. I don't know how much it says about whether Charlotte's in the midst of a big, great turnaround, but Atlanta at this point they've lost it's either four or five straight games. They got knocked out of the US Open Cup by a USL size. Right, Memphis, they
are struggling. They've given up twenty one goals this year. It's it's kind of like their attactics. Then they can never seem to get into gear despite spending the most money on transfer fees out of anybody. So you know, they're still fourths in the East, but coming off three one loss to Charlotte at home, I just have my doubts about really how much of an Eastern
Conference contender we're talking about with Atlanta United. Wow, interesting there, Well, Garth Lograway and gonzal Plata, they certainly have their work cut out for him. Um. Yeah, rough times there for Atlanta. All right, let's wrap up quickly on Toronto. Things are not going good for Bob Bradley. A loss at Montreal, they lost to Montreal, then the previous Tuesday in the Canadian Championship. You know, how tough are things right now for
Bob Bradley. And when we've been talking about the situation in Kansas City, could Bob Bradley be on the hot seat they're in Toronto. I mean, that's definitely a question that's starting to get asked among their supporters and in the media over there. I can tell you that they have had a catastrophically bad injury situation. They probably have the lenkediest injury report to the most important players
of anybody in the league right now. But that being said, I mean these struggles that they're havn't they date back a few years now, and it's a little surprising to be here and talk of the hot seat and Bob Bradley at this point in his tenure, that was a very touted hire for them.
I mean, he's one of the most successful winning as coaches in MLS history, and I think it was pretty expected that he would be a ship studying presence there for them, and it hasn't worked out like that When you have a situation where you spent as much money as they did on transfers for guys like Marenzo and Signe and Bernardeshi and the results have been this poor. Questions are going to get asked and there it's early in the season, but
like they're definitely at that point right now. Oh interesting there, What a what a year and what a situation where you have Bob Bradley on the hot seat in Toronto and you have Peter Vermeise on the hot seat in Kansas City. MLS gonna MLS hard and we will always have it that way. A good stuff is always, my friend. We will talk about Seattle's results against Austin and Vancouver next week and we'll look ahead to the New York Red Bulls match on May twenty seventh. So have a good week, my friend,
and we'll talk to you next week. Sounds good, Thanks Jackson, It's good stuff there. From Ari Lillian Wall of MLS soccer dot com taking us around the league. I'll tell you very quick that Sounders FC Soccer is presented by Providence Swedish, the official healthcare partner of Sounders FC, and from around the league, it's time to go around the sound. Andrew Harvey, who is the voice of Ballard FC. He's our Puget Sounds soccer expert. He
will give updates on both Tacoma Defiance and ol Rain. We will not have an update from him on Ballad FC because once again, coming up next segment, Ballad FC's head coach Jason Farrell will be joining us. Looking forward to that conversation. But for all updates on Defiance and Rain, here is our Puget sound soccer expert Andrew Harvey. Not a bad weekend around the Sound, Jackson to come to Defiance rallied from a three one second half depsit to take
two points from their home match against Minnesota United two on Sunday. Match finished to the four four draw, with Defiance claiming the bonus point four two on penalties. Defiance next go on the road to play the Vancouver white Caps two on Sunday at six pm. That match will air on Apple TV. Ol Rain recorded just their second loss of the season Sunday, dropping a one nil result on the road against the North Carolina Courage on the back of a Tyler
Lucy goal in the thirty fourth minute. The second place Rain will host third place goth MFC this Sunday at three pm Pacific. That match will air on Paramount Plus and should be a good one. I'd tell you a lot more about Ballot FC, but I know you've got the man himself, Jason Farrell coming on later on the show, so I'll let him speak to that. I'm Andrew Harvey, and this has been around the Sound. It's great stuff
there from Andrew Harvey, our Puget Sound soccer expert. Once again, he's the voice of Ballard FC, and I should mention quickly that Andrew's doing something really cool is yere. He's partnered with Ballard FC and the Ballard Food Bank. He will be personally donating twenty dollars for every goal scored through the twenty twenty three season to the Ballard Food Bank. So really cool thing that Andrew's
doing there to make the community better and do his part. So for Jason Farrell coming up a little bit, we hope that he's gonna be telling his boys to score a lot more goals this year, so that Andrew has to dish out more and more dollars to the Ballard Food Bank. But great work
that Andrew's doing there. And we'll talk more Ballard FC with Jason Farrell, who, by the way, played with and played four Sounder's head coach Brian Schmenzer, So of course we'll get Jason's take on what the Sounders and Brian are doing right now. First place in the Western Conference. Jason Farrell comes up next on Sounders Weekly Sports Radio at ninety three point three KJRFM. Now back to Sounders Weekly on your home for sunders FC, Seattle's sports Radio ninety
three point three KJR FM. Welcome back to Sounders Weekly. Jackson Felts here, good to be with you. That's beautiful, God, it's still beautiful Tuesday evening here in Seattle. Thanks again to Ari, Lillian Wall, and Andrew Harvey that previous segment taking us through our sharp vision opponent outlook Sounders. Of course, as we mentioned, facing Austin at louman Field tomorrow, seven
o'clock pre game seven thirty kickoff over on nine fifty KJR AM. So let's tat you on nine fifty AM at seven o'clock tomorrow for Sounders in Austin. Then the club's headed on the road to Vancouver, just up by five. That's gonna be Saturday, same time there, seven o'clock pre game seven thirty kickoff on nine fifty for the Sounders and white Caps. So good to chat both with Andrew and Ari. In that previous segment I mentioned that last segment
there Andrew Harvey, of course, voice of Ballard FC. In just a moment, Jason Farrell, the head coach of Ballard FC and former assistant under Brian Schmenzer with the USL Sounders from a player under Brian Schmenzer with the Sounders. He's now the head coach of Ballard FC in their second season about to start up. He'll be joining us in just a quick moment. Before we get there, I'll tell you Sounder fans, bud Light was brewed to be a delicious and easy to drink beer. Bud Light, easy to drink,
easy to enjoy. Pick up bud Light at your local retailer today, please enjoy responsibly. And there he is. Let's bring him on right now, the head coach of Ballard FC, here to talk about the two thousand and twenty three season ahead and maybe get a thought on how his former coach is doing right now with the Sounders. Jason Farrell joins us right now here on Sounders Weekly. Good evening, Jason. Good to have you back on the program. My friend, how are you. I'm doing great, Jackson,
Thank you so much for having me pleasure. It's a pleasure to have you back on, Jason. We have a lot to go over here, of course, I want to get your thoughts on the work that your former head coach and Brian Schenzer is doing with the Sounders. But we got to talk
everything about what you're doing there with Ballard FC. Because you are getting started in just about forty eight hours from right now, first game of the year there at Inner Bay May eighteenth, Thursday against Whitecaps fc U nineteens, just two days agway, what's the prep right now going on for for you in the squad? Well, it's a good question. The prep is kind of
complex and it's definitely unique too to this level of play we've got. We've got a roster of about thirty guys, and we've got it's probably twenty four to twenty five of them with us right now. You know, they're all most of these guys are playing still in college, which means that depending on the timing of their string lely depending on the timing of their final exams at their schools, we might not have everybody here before before our first game.
So you know, the press is first of all getting everybody here and making sure everybody's healthy and fit to play, and then you know, getting these guys kind of acclimated to each other. We we have we've got about fifteen guys out of the thirties that are returners and you know another fifteen that are that are new to the roster this year. So that in itself is a challenge, but you know, to be able to we're to only have you
know, a week or two to kind of get these guys going. Certainly is is a challenge, but also but also fun and and like I said, it's it's not unique to Ballard FC. The whole the whole league basically has the has the same sort of timing issues that we do. Yeah, USL too. There the league specifically that Ballot FC plays in. Of course, first game coming up in just a couple of days there on Thursday, May team against Whitecaps FC U nineteens games are all home games for Ballot FCR
are there at Inner Base Stadium, gates open ninety minutes before kickoff. Jason. I'm not sure if you saw, but the Ballot FC Foundation beer garden open to all ages and expanded this year. So that's great for everybody who wants to be there. Twenty and twenty three tickets are on sale right now at go ballot fc dot com. But I'm I'm definitely going to enjoy that
expanded beer garden ninety minutes before kickoff. All games have been an outstanding time, Jason, but that's gonna make it even more fun for people I tell you what, the environment at these games is pretty special. Um. You know, obviously it's we don't get the numbers that some of the bigger clubs, obviously the founders, UM. But the numbers we do get, we pack InterBase stadium. Yet we have a beer garden, a bigger beer garden this year. UM. The quality of the of the of the play,
the level of play is is very high. It's a good product. Um. And just as a family friendly environment. Um. You know, it's always funny on BALLARDFC game day, so you don't have to worry about the worry about the weather. Yeah. It's just sometimes I kind of wish I could go to the games and watch as a fan as opposed to being the coach. But I'll take the coaching part as well. Well. Yeah,
I mean you mentioned it kind of great for the family. I remember, you know, just it stands out in my mind that playoff game, seeing all of the families there. That's something that stood out to me was it it's for all ages, and it's affordable too for folks. I mean fifteen dollars general admission tickets, twelve fifty for standing room. It's just it's a
wonderful atmosphere in an environment. Once again, Jason Farrell is our guest head coach of Ballard FC, the USL two team here in Seattle, Washington, playing out of Inner Bay Stadium. But going back to your original comment, I imagine it's kind of interesting for you being it's almost has to a little bit be like a college coach in a sense, because you are head coaching for a bunch of college players who whether they're playing under Clark or Fewing or
anywhere else you know, around our nation or the world. Really you know, but you have to continuously see players graduate from college move on, and you know, we're in a system where you know, the Sounders have a bunch of players who played locally here coming up through the system or drafted guys. But you have to worry about graduating players moving on and then continuing to
almost recruit players back. What's it like being a coach in this situation, you know, having all these colleges here in your backyard, but also managing the NCAA rules and all that situation. Yeah, I think you put up perfectly that we're we're very fortunate to be in Seattle because because it's such a
great soccer town. And you know there's a there's players that you know obviously, UM know who the founders are, no that you know, the Seattle, the World Cup twenty six host city, the rich history here, the fantastic weather during the summer UM. So Seattle sells itself quite a bit for US UM. But then you know, having the pretty amazing soccer programs here in our backyard dub cl University SPU, which we we pretty much try to
get as many guys from those programs as possible. There is a little bit of a rule with regards to the Division one schools, we can only take five players from any one school. I think they do that to prevent maybe the whole dub team, for example, coming and playing for US to summer. The recruiting process is pretty it's pretty interesting because you know, we're trying to put together the best roster possible, but at the same time do it on a very semipro budget. Um you know, for a lack of a
better way to put it. So a lot of it we are really dependent on, you know, watching a lot of video. You know, our our network of coaches across the across the country locally and across the country. You know, one of the things that that we use quite a lot and have been awesome to us point from year one to year two was our players
do a lot of the recruiting for us. You know, one of the things we wanted to make sure we wanted to make sure to do last year was to make sure and every year, is to make sure these players have an amazing experience and even though they're not pros, we want to treat them as much like pros as possible. And I think we did a good job about last year. And so our players, you know, go back to wherever, whatever college campus they might be on, all across the country and
talk about the experience they had. So it was we had a lot of interest in ballad FC this year. A lot of good players that we hit quite frankly had to say no too. So um, yeah, the roster build is is different, probably than than many people might think it would be. But it's but it's it's fun and it's and it's easy because of the success we had last year. Well, let's talk about your roster specifically, and obviously you are returning a bunch of key players, including defensively a large
potion and your captain Alex Mehia Charlie Gaffney. You return a bunch of very key players, but you also have new players. So talk about building this roster in and the names and the faces that you're going to be looking towards forgetting meaningful minutes here over the course of this season. This is always trick question, Jackson. You know I'm trying to pigeonhole you into telling us your
lineup each weekend. You know it's you know, I do get asked a lot about you know, who are who are the players we should be watching? Well, I really do believe in every single one of these players, and they all have amazingly unique, um but interesting stories and are all their
great players. I think when we talk about our returning players are two starting center back from from the end of last year, Christian England and Leo Bernie Lafia Satsane from Lasu Tou in South Africa, our team captain and an international that was playing in Africa a couple of Nations qualifiers during our season last year. He returns. We were very lucky and kind of surprised that he was
available to us. Through the midfield, we've got Bailey Leatherman like like you like you mentioned Charlie Gaffney, Tokato on A Daro who's a CEL university kid from Japan that's an amazing player. And then up front, Yeah, Alex Mehia, Cameron Martin, Joe Dale. We've got a lot of We've got a lot of really good returning players that are going to fit nicely with all the new the new faces we have and the new faces you have. I mean, Ki brisco Is is a name that I think if anybody knows the
University of Washington soccer, they've probably heard that name. But you have you have some other names coming in that are going to kind of accentuate and help build out. I mean, I want to ask you about how you possibly live up to the expectations built from a last year's success. But you have players now that you've added to help get you back to that point and go further. Yeah. Absolutely, We've gotten a handful of a really good defenders,
Ki being one of them. Bend from University of Pennsylvania another another outside back that will that will more than likely play a lot. A kid Luke Thomas who was a walk on at Duke m and had a very good season last year for them. He flew in last week and played a friendly that night and was spectacular, so he'll be a big presence for US. Jeremio Pong who played m for Capital FC in our division last year and tore us
up in a couple of games played at cl University. We were able to kind of take him from Capitol, which will be a huge gift for us. A Jason Bouton from the University of Washington, M Conrad Lee who's who's actually a Ballard kid but plays at Yale. And then Pierre Luca Carnivali, who's also a Balord kid, So we'll have a lot of good goalkeepers to choose from. And one of the players I'm super a couple of players I'm
super excited about this year. Danny Roeblotz, who played locally, played for the Defiant Um for a few years, you know, played in the sounders system there for a few years, which is great. And then we've got a kid from Grand Canyon by the name of Innocent Rode. He's from Cameroon by way of France. That is the real deal. Plays like an attacking midfield that is is going to be exciting for our fans to watch. And then I think the last guy I would mention is Tng June Lee. He's
a South Korean defensive midfielder that is just transferred into CLU. So those the RedHawks fans will see, we'll see him out there this fall. He's an amazing player, a rock solid typical number six that is going to do a good do good things for us as well. Great, well, I mean you mentioned Danny Roblays there. I was gonna ask about him separately, but I'm glad you brought him up. Obviously, ninety pro appearances three seasons with
Tacoma Defiance. That's a player that that certainly Sounder fans know. And before I ask you about your thoughts on the job that Brian Schmencer is doing with the Sounders, you know Jason getting to the West Final last year basically being where this team got in the inaugural season of ballad, I see, how do you possibly live up to the expectations which are now clearly higher as fans saw how far you could go last season. Now, of course you know
fans expect that you can get back there. How do you go about going even further than you did last year. Well, honestly, Jackson, I think the way we do it is bringing in guys like Danny Roeblis and um, you know, Innocent Rode and young June Lee and guys that I mean we had a we had a very talented roster last year. I think this year's roster is not only more talented, um, but deeper. And you
know, again with the dynamic and in league too. Here in the USL, I mean we have there's there's not a lot of games, and there's certainly not a lot of time too. We don't we don't get a six week preseason, you know, and ten friendlies to kind of iron things out. We've got to get up to a good start, and you know, the way we do that is is to try to bring in as many talented players as possible, um get them on the field and not over complicate things.
That's kind of my coaching philosophy with regards to this program, and the thing I tell my assistant coaches is we want to let these guys's talent and a experience kind of shine through and not burden them too much with too many
complex things we're giving them in terms of system or tactics. So you know, bringing in all of these players, all this talent, and you know, kind of getting them, getting them organized on the field and letting them go is our plan to repeat or to go farther than we did last year. And that you said, we also make it pretty clear to the guys that that that is our goal. We're we're we're here to win a championship.
We're we'll wade through all the challenges that we have in this league, in this division to make sure that we are still standing at the at the end of the season, and hopefully you are and hopefully you are the final team standing. We'll see how it goes once again. First game coming up Thursday, just about forty eight hours away at Inner Bay Stadium against Whitecaps Fcunite Teens. Jason, we can't have you on but without talking a little Sounders.
Obviously you played under Brian Spencer, you coach with him as an assistant coach with the Sounders a number of years ago, Sounders first place in the Western Conference. Right now, you know your thoughts on the season so far and how Brian Spencer has done with his team first and foremost. Yeah, I mean, I have a great pleasure of playing, actually playing with Brian, playing for Brian, and coaching with Brian. So I obviously got to
know him very well. And as all of your listeners are, I'm just a massive fan of him as a as a person and as a coach. And it is no surprise to me that they are sitting where they're sitting. Um, there's just there's just a way that Brian has with his guys and they'll go, um, they'll fight for him every single every single game. And you know, obviously last year was a little bit disappointing, you know,
in terms of regular seasons play. But you know, I think true Sounder fans and fans of the sport understood that it was a talented team last year that just had had some breaks and that Brian would kind of get to
get the ship righted again. And he's certainly done that this year. He certainly has, with the Sounders in first place and two matches on the way this week, hosting Austin tomorrow and then in Vancouver on Saturday, Jason, But you know, Brian's gonna do what he's gonna do, and you're gonna do what you're gonna do, and hopefully both of these clubs come out to great success here in twenty twenty three, So good luck here coming up on
Thursday against Vancouver and hopefully we've a chance to talk again as this season rolls on and and see you guys back in the playoffs again. Yeah, yeah, absolutely, Thanks Thanks so much, Jackson, Thanks for the conversation, Thanks for being a fan supportive and yeah, I hope to see you see you out there and as well as all your listeners. Oh you know, I will be out there with the expanded beer garden. That's the least of the many, many reasons to head out there for Ballad FC matches this year.
To innerbate Jason, once again, thanks so much, man, appreciate the time. All right, thanks Jackson talks in. That's great stuff there from Jason Farrell, head coach of Ballad FC. As a reminder, as we said a few minutes ago, twenty twenty three, tickets are on sale go Ballard fc dot com at remember the beer garden open to all ages ninety
minutes before the game start. There's eight games this year and it is a affordable ticket fifteen dollar general admission, twelve fifty for standing, So get in there. Enjoy these games. I can attest you know, it's such an
intimate, small atmosphere. It feels like you're watching a small town at team in England, you know, and just to community team, what they do, the production at halftime, it's it's an outstanding ticket and it's an outstanding time there at Inner Base Stadium. So head out there for the ballot FC matches coming up this spring and summer. Well. Turning our attention back to the Seattle Sounders there once again, we got a couple matches here coming up.
Let's start with the one. Tomorrow, Sounders are going to be at Loumanfield facing Austin FC. That matchual kickoff at seven thirty. The Providence Swedish prematch will begin at seven o'clock and that's gonna be over on Sports Radio nine fifty KJR AM. So we'll talk to you on nine fifty am tomorrow at seven o'clock for Sounders and Austin. You can obviously get your tickets today by
visiting Sounders fc dot com slash tickets for tomorrow's match. You can watch the match via MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV and also listen in Spanish language on l Ray thirteen sixteen, and then of course Vancouver coming up this Saturday. Also a seven o'clock pre seven thirty kickoff up there from BC Place in Vancouver, so hear you from that match on nine fifty am. Coming up on Saturday, same time, same radio station, different locations, looming to
BC Place, So two matches ahead. Hopefully the Sounders can continue this stretch after the win against Houston. It would be great to get a nine point week, wouldn't it. We'll see how this thing shakes out. One final note before we end tonight, and that's the Sounder fans. The next fifty years arts now. The twenty and twenty four will be the fiftieth anniversary of your Seattle Sounders, and twenty and twenty four season member deposits are now on
sale for limited time. Deposits are just fifty dollars per seat. The earlier you place your deposit, the earlier you get to select your seat. So join the legacy of Trophies, communities, and family. Head to Sounders fc dot com slash memberships to place your deposit today. All right, so we'll talk to you tomorrow there over on nine fifty am for Sounders and Austin here at lumen Field and we'll talk to you on Saturday, BC Place Sounders and
Whitecaps. Busy week ahead, so enjoy the rest of it. We'll talk to you over on nine fifty four It and have a good evening everybody. Fox Sports Radio coming up next