All right, we're live today at Tim Dally Nissan. It's forty five to twenty eight South State Street. Got off to a little weird start to the show, got a little loose, was trying to say donors and boosters.
And landed on a board right in between. But we're gonna move on because.
It's Friday, and it's beautiful outside and RSL is at action tomorrow.
Our next guest midfielder for Rayel saw Lake.
It's always a pleasure to catch up with a Mecca and Nelly on a Friday afternoon.
A meta Happy Friday, buddy, how are we doing.
I'm doing well. I'll be Friday to you as well.
Thanks for the time. Man.
First of all, tell me about your off season experience and you know, no big deal of Mecca. You had your first call up for the US men's national team, So tell us about it, man, how was it?
Yeah, it was fantastic. I mean I got the the email I guess that I was going to be called into camp I think just a little bit before Christmas, so it was a nice little Christmas gift and then
obviously the camps early January for two weeks. It was it was a great experience, you know, to meet some of the players, some of the best domestic players in the MLS, some of the best coaches you know, and the coach that you know Chelsea PSG are the top places Spurs and just to be coached by them for two weeks, it was it was a great experience.
I've got to know, what is it like in that moment when that email spills in, Like what goes Because I know that you and anybody that has grown up playing at a high level, this is like the ultimate dream, right, Like the ultimate goal is to represent your country. And obviously I know you have World Cup aspirations and we're all pulling for.
You to make that squad.
But when that email spills in and you realize that that dream is coming true and Macca, what's that like?
Yeah, it's hard to put it into words, honestly, you know, like you get it and you yeah, I had to double check the email to make sure, you know, it wasn't like it wasn't vague or anything like back and I was just you know, so excited and yeah, just like it's a real moment, you know, it was. It was fantastic.
Well, we're very happy for you. Let me ask you what playing against you know, because we've had a lot of players here in our market. You know, Kyle and Nicky and guys went they went to the World Cup, and even prior to that, it was Clinton Mathis and Eddie Pope, and they always would talk about how playing for the national team on that level helped them when they came back to play in MLS. How can these experiences help you be a better player for your club?
Yeah, you know, I think whatever you're playing with with top level players, you just kind of take some experience from them and bring it back to the club level. And I think it also just gives you, you know, an added sense of confidence when you come back to the to the club level after playing with you know, some of the players at the national team who have been dominating it and the MLS for for many many years.
Some that came from Europe came back like Tim Reim I'm playing with them and then obviously coming back to ere ourselves. It just gives you a sense of confidence when you're on the field, and when you have that, you really just play with a sense of freedom and
can really really show your true talent. So I've felt it since I've been back for the past you know, two or three weeks, I've just felt more confident on the ball, more confident in my decisions, and just more confident in everything that I'm doing here at RSL.
So, Amecca, You've been asked to do a lot of things in just a couple of years here with RSL playing a couple of different positions, and you know, carry a few different roles.
Can you play striker? Do you have that in your back pocket?
I actually did play striker in college. I probably could.
Well.
I mean, obviously tongue in sheet because I know Pablo likes you where you're at. But I got to know from a player's perspective, you know, the front office decided to jettison players that represented forty two goals in twenty nine assists last year, and as of now, I'm not trying to be disrespectful to anybody who's on the roster now, but as of now, fans and RSL supporters just waiting for re enforcements to come along after guys like Chi Sho and Andres and Crooks and Anderson were moved on.
Is there frustrating?
Is there frustration mounting among the group that the front office decided to get rid of the bulk of your attacking options and hasn't necessarily brought in a ton of reinforcements yet.
I don't think necessarily, I think I think it's still super early in the season. You know, we've only played we've only played three games, really, and I think we're most focused on the process and creating those chances, because I honestly think in the three games that we've had, we've created a decent amount of chances. You know, in the first game in Costa Rica, we missed three or four big chances. In San Jose, I think we had a next year of almost two, but we oftenly didn't
put any in the back of the net. And then on Wednesday at home against the Coast we can team again. We had thirty shots, eighteen shots inside the box, and we only were able to put one goal in. So I don't I don't think the personal problem. I think it's a bit of you know, like I haven't really been on our side these last couple of games, but I think we're getting into really good areas and the sas just aren't hitting the back of the net at
this point in time. But I do feel like, you know, if we continue to do these things correctly, come Saturday, we'll score plenty of goals. The next Saturday, we'll score plenty of goals, and we'll just continue just to work on our craft to you know, continue to create these chances and then just be more clinical in the box when we have these chances.
So and well said there.
So, instead of maybe speaking for you laced in my question, I wasn't trying to lead you. I'll just ask you from your standpoint, as one of the better players on the roster and one of the leaders with the potential of wearing that captain's armband from time to time, what was your reaction to the moves that the front office decided to make getting rid of the bulk of the production up top, Like, just tell me how you feel about that.
Yeah, I mean, obviously, when when it happens, like in the moment, it's a little bit shocking just because you don't expect it at that time, you know, but you also understand that things like this kind of happen in the football world, you know, where transfers happen, things happen during the season that people don't see eye to eye on, and you know, they maybe feel like certain players are better fit at a different club, or I don't fit at this club currently. So like when it first happened,
obviously a little bit of shocked. I think everybody had a little bit of shock when when when it happened. But then you know, kind of just a couple of days after week after, it kind of got past it and we're kind of just focused on how can we now as a as a group, as a collective, focus on, focus on the future, focus on this new season, because you know these players aren't going to come back, so it's kind of done in dustin now and just kind of move on with it.
Tell me, you know, and I guess what I'll say is during training where a lot of.
Us don't get to see what you guys are doing.
So you know, we've seen the games and you point out the chances that have been created, but of course, as you know, chances that are created don't do much unless they're capitalized on. And one goal in three games, as you know, is not going to get it done. So tell me what you're seeing a mecca in training from this attacking group, and whether or not you believe that you guys do have the personnel in that area of the field to start going to start scoring goals and getting better results.
Yeah, I know, one hundred percent we have it. I mean, I think I was with both competitions going on, there was a lot of rotation in the squads and the attacking players. Maybe maybe a little bit of a lack of chemistry and that and that department. But I think in training, you know, the chances we've created in changing they've been finished off. In preseason, I mean, we scored two goals in the game, three goals, another three goals. Everything was falling that and then we come to the
real season and the chances are missed, you know. So I don't so I think as long if you just you know, cantinue to really focus on the little details in training, you know, finishing off every single attack. If we continuously do that, you know, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday comes Saturday, the goals will start to flow in.
As long as each day in training, you know, we're content continuously hitting on what we need to focus on and continuously focusing on those little details of finishing every single attack. So I do think it's just you know, a matter of time before the goals start start flying in. And like I said earlier, I mean, we played three games, we'll probably have another with League's Cup another forty games left in the season, so I think it's just it's just a matter of time.
Is there any silver lining?
And I know the answers probably know because the Conky CAF Champions Cup tournament is a lot of fun and something that a lot of RSL supporters were excited to witness. It's been a number of years since RSL was in this tournament, and once upon a time nearly won the thing. Now Seattle is the only MLS team to win it. But because you guys did lose in the first round of back are what it means is you do not have these midweek games as I'm looking at the schedule for like a month and.
Maybe even a little bit more than that.
Your reference League's Cup that will come at some point. But is there any silver lining to not having such a crowded schedule as you enter MLS play to try to understand how this new group is going to manifest itself.
I mean I think yeah, I think others outside might say like it could be a positive that we don't have these big week games. But I know me personally and the whole team is very, very frustrated with how we with how we went out of Concata Champions Cup. Because I mean, I could speak for it myself. I love playing mid week games, you know, I mean, we play, we play for the games. We don't maybe we don't, we don't. We don't like training as much as we
like the games. Obviously like to play for the game. So if we have a game Wednesday Saturday, Wednesday Saturday, it's better for me, better for the team. Every he likes to compete in that aspect. So I mean, not really a silver lining. I'm really disappointed, and yeah, nothing we can do about it now, but I just wish we took our chances better on Wednesday. Hopefully just something that we can learn from and continue to grow on throughout this season.
What was Pablo's message to you guys after that, because I mean it was it was gutting you guys were on your way and to your point about the chances, I felt like, you know, another couple of goals were coming and then boom, just a rough turnover.
Nelson had a rough turnover. Boom they score and.
Then there's a counter and I'm watching that game a mecan, I'm just stunned. I can't imagine how you guys felt. What was the message from your head coach after that match?
Yeah, he was pretty disappointed as well, because, I mean it was there for the taking and we just didn't.
We just didn't grasp the moment. So I think he was just reiterating, you know, the points on just to we have to just show up every single day, you know, before the match and training and just put our best foot forward and every single effort that we're doing so that you know, little lapses of you know, judgment or focus don't happen on Wednesdays on we have games, or on Saturdays on we have games, and he made it very clear and very apparent that things like that cannot
happen I'm going forward in the future. So it's again, I hate to say it, a learning moment because it's something that really frustrates me losing that game, but it's just something that with how long the season is, with how many games were, it is something that we just have to learn and grow from and you know, just go with that. Yeah.
So Ultimately, when it comes to the strikers on the roster and we're still getting to know, you know, Forrester and the p old kid, it seems like, you know, there are rumors that additions.
Are kind of on the way in that space.
But one of the things, you know, we have Kurt on, we have Jason on, we have Pablo on. A lot of people are talking about, you know, where will the goals come from? Well, not all the time, it has to come from the striker, right it can come from the group.
So if we remove because.
All the attention right now in Mecca is a lack of goals, So what's going on with the number nine spot? But if we remove that, which of course you can't entirely because it's such an important spot, is there enough support with the midfield, with Mark Zuke and Diego and Diego that you guys maybe can overcome the lack of a season striker to get goals from other places if that makes sense?
Yeah, absolutely, I mean you obviously saw what Diego can produce last year. I mean you have plenty of goals, plenty of sists. Obviously, Diogo and Dominic came in halfway through the season and we're finding their legs. And then this preseason they've been been amazing scoring goals, assisting goals.
So they all have the quality, you know, and I think without you know, like a a season nine, you know, it's going to be a group effort, you know, with with goals and assists and all of them, you know, Diego, Diogo, Dominic, Lachlan Woolfee. I mean, they can all provide it, and I've seen them all provide it and some of the preseason games we had in training, you know, so very confident in their ability to to definitely keep up the goal contributions.
Do you guys follow because every time I fire up, you know, one of these websites with transfers, there are rumors that are SLS in the mix to either make a move to get an MLS striker, bring somebody in from overseas. Do you guys in the locker room follow this or is it just like you got to focus on what's in what's in front of you.
I'm kind of focused on what's in front of you. But obviously, you know, if you're on social media, you'll probably come across it, you know, but it's not something that we really like linger on or react to because you know, it's it's so normally not and in soccer, you know, for things like that to happen, for transfers to happen, so like we'll see it, but it's not anything like, oh no, nobody really makes a big deal
about it or anything. It's kind of just okay, we see it and then kind of just get on with our day, get on with the train and focus for focusing on the task at hand to hopefully, you know, win on the weekend.
This might be an odd question, but do you want to see reinforcements at it? Are you guys anxious to have more experience and season players in that spot up top and number nine?
You know, it's not really my place to answer, you know, but I think it's just you know, you always want to want to have top level players on your team, you know, in whatever position that is, So like, wherever we can get players to just strengthen our team overall, I'm on for it, you know, because that not only raises our team, you know when we play on the weekend, but then competitively competitively in trainings, you know, we're trying
to push each other to be better. So it's always good when you know you have when any type of player is added to tow a squad, because it just raises the level, you know, and the competitive competitiveness within the squad.
You, young man, are good at this.
That is a seasoned season veteran answer at the ripe old age of twenty five.
That's exactly the way you should handle that question.
I'm very impressed, which leads me to this next question, which is it feels like Pablo and Kurt and Tony and I could keep going. It seems like you're viewed as a leader on this group, on this roster, with this group, even though you're only twenty five years old. So I don't know who's going to wear the captain's arm band. All year we had Pablo on and he said, you're certainly a candidate. Have you been told whether or
not that armband is yours? And what sort of leadership role are you asked to take even though you are twenty five and year three in MLS.
Yeah, yeah, I'll be wearing it. But I think it's you know, it's only my third year, but I think I've learned a lot in these three years, and you know, I think leadership is just a you know, an evolving and a growing thing that you have to take with it, you know. So I think previously, I think my first year, in my second year, I think I led very well by example, you know, my actions on the field, my actions off the field. I think I set a great
example for everyone at the club, you know. But I think especially in year one, I didn't really have as much as a much of a voice. In year two definitely grew in that in that department, and even now continuously trying to grow to lead with my voice, you know, because I think there's there's many different ways to lead, you know, with your voice, by example, you know, personal relationships. So it's just, you know, there's not one one tool
that can lead everybody. So it's just continuously to build my toolbox in this leadership role to help the team in whatever way succeed, you know. And I also want to say that it's it's not just it's not just me. You know, we have other fantastic leaders on the team, you know, Jay glad Rafa, Philip Yoga, who are you know, all leading as well. You know. I think the best teams are the ones where everyone on the team is
a leader. You know, you can turn to your left, you can turn to your right, and everyone there is trying to lead each other and holding each other accountable. And I think that's what we we we've set that that culture so far, so I think it's something that's been going pretty well and it's just something that you know, we want to continue with and grow with throughout the season.
What are your personal goals, aspirations, soccer dreams?
You know, I had diego on last year.
I straight up asked him the same question and he wasn't shie And I want to play in Europe. And you know, at the age of twenty five, I Meka, you got a lot of soccer in front of you. And I know you're focused on where your feet are at now with RSL, But when you dream as big as you can dream for your soccer life, what does.
That look like?
Yeah, I think I would love to play in Europe. You know, obviously people always look at the age things. I'm a little bit older and you know, if the timing's right, but you know, I would love to play in Europe if if the stars aligned the right way, the cars fold the right way, you know, and things go well. I've definitely. It's definitely been a dream of mine.
You know, I always love watching European soccer. But you know, really just focused on what I'm doing today and tomorrow hopefully get me to that point, you know, So just really focus on the ins and outs week in and week out, you know, and then if a conversation has to be had of you know, me going elsewhere things like that, then it'll be had when it's when it's the.
Right time, you know, I mecka, please do not refer to twenty five years old as old. Okay, I sprained my ankle in the shower at my age show. You're you're not old, young fella. You got a lot of good soccer. How do you last thing? Before I said, you lose tell us going into tomorrow and look, as you referenced, it is early, nobody's panicking.
Well, I shouldn't say that.
Your your fans are a little concerned after you know, getting stopped by San Jose and losing in the Cocky CAF Champions Cup first round. So while it is early, tomorrow does feel like there's a little bit of weight and a little bit of pressure from your fan base to show that the first three games.
Aren't who you are.
And to back up your point about chances created to get them finished in order to have a good showing. So what's the mentality as you welcome in a Seattle team that made a lot of big time acquisitions during this offseason.
Yeah, chality is always a really really good team, you know, a lot of attacking pieces. But I think it's just more of the same from us. You know, we're always going to have that fight and the determination every single match. And then you know, especially at home. I think last year at home, we we played pretty well most of the time. I think we got a lot of results. I don't think we I think we maybe only last once or twice. So it's just trying to uphold that
standard of never to lose that home, you know. So I think we've prepared the right way, We've had the right mentality and trainings, and now it's just time to you know, go out there on Saturday at two thirty and show what we've been doing. And obviously, I know some of the fans have been disappointed with the results that we've had the last the last three games, but
we pushed those to the path. We're just focused on on the task at hand on Saturday, and it will be better, you know, than the last three games that we've had.
So yeah, Mecca, you're the man.
Congratulations on the call up, Congratulations on the captain's arm band, and best of that tomorrow.
Okay, appreciate it.
Thank you, Meccha and Elly RSL's captain. There you go.
We were wondering who was gonna be and a Meca announces that it is him. He's gonna be wearing it. So RSL Seattle tomorrow. Kind of an underrated robbery game. Craig Wible former RSL GM is up there. Albert Russknack, former RSL Star is up there. Two thirty kick. If you're looking for something to dow on what should be a pretty beautiful Saturday afternoon, head over to oursel dot com for tickets and let's pack that place and hopefully the lads we're here for the lads play a little
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