I were live today at the Snowmobile show out here at the Mountain America Expost Center. It's about a mile and a half south of where the soccer club calls its home at America First Field. That the Riots have come on by and say hi, big match coming up on Saturday. The lads are back at it Saturday night against Veck Vancouver and with a win, RSL would set a single season point record for the club, breaking the record held or a set in twenty twelve when fifty
seven points was the mark. They would have fifty nine if they went on Saturday, making Pablo mash to Any the greatest manager in the history of RSL. Porter. I have not heard from Trey, who is our RSL guest today, former of that position, Our friend Jason christ Oh hi Jason, Happy Friday. How are how you doing, Bud.
I'm fantastic. What a terrisfic introduction that was, sens I appreciate it. And this might be a very phone call.
Oh oh you know what. I you managed that twenty twelve team. That's on me and I know the RSL that I'm sorry, Jay, that's on me that I need to be better. There my bad.
Okay, I'll allow it.
Thank you.
Funny. It was good, good fun.
Okay, hey, look I'm doing this for five hours today. I have to have a little funner. I'm gonna go crazy. Thank you for your time today on a Friday. But give me your thoughts on what that record would would say about this group because you had, you know, five six really elite years here and fifty nine points. There's a lot of points. What would that record mean?
Jay, I think it's awesome. I think it would be incredible, you know, And if I was the coach of the team, I would be easing it as a big motivation for the players because it is writing your name and the history books. We had some pretty good teams back in those days and we won a trophy. So it's an opportunity, I think for these guys to really make their mark, and they're all aware of it, and hopefully they come out tomorrow night and show that they're ready for it.
So I had Pablo on this week and he alluded to the potential of seeing as close to a first choice eleven as you can as you can get right now on Saturday, because look, with the schedule being what it is, sometimes Saturday, Wednesday. Saturday, we see Diego sit and then coming off the bench, and then we'll start on Saturday, or Chicho sit on Wednesday and start like there's been a lot of shuffling out of necessity because
of the schedule. Do you think we're going to see a first choice eleven coming up on Saturday, the eleven that we could potentially see come playoff time.
I think it's going to be a really strong lineup and an interesting one with a couple of guys playing in some different spots, but it's a lot of quality players in the attacking half of the field. We're probably only missing Vera. What I would say is one of my one of our thinking is strongest eleven just to
his suspension. But I'm excited to see how this group operates tomorrow, and I hopefully they bring everything together because you know, known, I still think that this team has a higher potential than what they've shown in any game in the second.
Half of the season.
You reference Vera, so I got to follow up, and Pablo, you know, alluded to the fact that he feels like you know, Brian responded the right way in our conversation this week, but it's the second straight year, Jay, And look, I'm sure he's gutted because he's not just out on Saturday, he's suspended for a playoff game. And as you know, from a player's perspective, like that's everything you want to
play in the postseason. So he is being punished. But look, man, that's the second straight year, Like, you can't do that, you know, I would imagine the message has been sent from your vantage point. Has the communication been very clear about what I perceived to be a really unacceptable act for the second straight year.
Absolutely, Kurt and I sat down with him last week, made it very clear to him that that action.
Will not be tolerated going forward.
It was disrespectful to himself, was disrespectful to his team, It was disrespectful to the club.
Probably most important, it was.
Disrespectful to our fans pay their money to come and see a product on the weekend, and they don't need to see if somebody spit and somebody else's safe. So that type of action will no longer be tolerated. And he does feel very apologetic about it, and he was making he held up his hand and took accountability for it. But I think it's just important that he does. All this is the second.
Strike, so that you know that that does leave a hole. You know, it's not just what he brings on the back line. I mean he takes a lot of free kicks. There is that, you know, the corner kick situation when Pablo has the cornerkick taker play it short to Brian so he can just have a crack with that laser left foot. How do you replace a guy like That's
what's the plan of along the back line? And is there even somewhat of a decent attacking option that can make up for what he does on that back line or is it straight just you know, we got to go with the best defensive central defender that we have to make up for what Brian you know, the vacancy that he that he leaves.
Yeah, I mean, I'll be clear again, I'm a big fan of Bryan's you know, I do like the I do like that he's that tough guy.
Do like that he puts some fear at the eight components attackers.
I really like his left foot, what he's capable of doing in possessions ball. We don't have another player like that, so we do lose something by not having him out there and again speaking to to how his decision affected our team for multiple names, it's just not a great situation. But last weekend, our last game that fanote, Phil Quick came in and played out less center back spot and did a really solid job. Again, so we feel good about the fact that we've got guys that can cover
it out over the field and be so obstopical. It's because to continue his consistent performances which he's put together really over the last six games.
All right, So you were a guy who once upon a time made a living scoring goals. You had ten
for the Rally Flyers once upon a time. Then you move over to the Dallas Byrne and obviously with RSL you were one of the great strikers of your time, at one point having the all time MLS goal scoring record where you know, you scored your hundredth I think with us at RSL, and so you are uniquely qualified to talk about where we find ourselves with Chicho who at one point Jay it felt like he was going to smash Savos record and potentially win the Golden Boot
in the league. And when you guys went, that went with that stretch of fifteen matches unbeaten. There were games where he'd only score one and you'd be like, what's wrong with him? He's only scoring one goal. He was as hot as any striker we've ever had here, but he hasn't scored since mid July. And I'm not telling you anything you don't know. And Pablo also alluded to this, if you want to lift a trophy, number nine is gonna have to look like the number nine that we
saw back in June and in the spring. Where are you at right now with your confidence level in Chi Joe as we approach Saturday and then after that it's playoff time?
Yeah, Bubbo and I think about this pretty regularly.
It's the rest of the staff.
Pablo has said that he thinks jo Us had a tremendous couple of weeks of training. It's been fortunate probably for him to be able to really work hard and not be concerned about keeping Treshess for the weekend, so he feels like he just in a really good spot. I spoke to cheachout today just about sort of the Spiker's mentality and how it is sometimes where you just go through stretches where nothing seems like it can go right.
It just gave him a couple of ideas about how I thought, perhaps you could you could get that first one, that first goal. He and I both believe that that first goal may come in a really ugly way, and if it does, it won't matter how it goes in, and lotly matter that it does go in. And then I think that he will have in the back, because
that's just how the life of the striker is. You can go really bad for a long time and then you can have one take bouncer away, and all of a sudden the flow is back, and now you're scoring every game again. So you know, if I still and I think everybody still believes that he has that editing, that it's coming at a minute, and once it does, I believe that we're gonna see, you know, the teacher that we need going.
Forward, and you haven't corrected.
I think Papa also, he said, baby bitch, I think that you know, our chances of winning MLS Cup without him playing as fast are very vinimal.
I left one team off your pedigree, and I don't even what is the New Orleans Riverboat Gamblers, Jason.
Wherever were pulling these up from. By the way, I was gonna mention that I'm not sure that Rowley's fire statistic was correct, or the Riverboat Gamblers with a team that was in themilarly back in the day the us I SL I played for the Orleans Riverboat Gamblers during summer of Black College.
Heres, Okay, I'm learning new things about I just did I just searched your name, and I'm pulling up the stats, and I'm pulling up your bio, and I'm learning something new about you, Jason. And I've known you for twenty years. I guess you can always learn new things about people you've known for a long time.
Well, thank you for being so interesting, Spence. I really appreciate that.
Well, you know, I'm interested. I care, Jason, And you know what, I don't get enough credit in the community for how much I care. I need you to start spreading this word for me.
Please, Okay, I will hear biggest proponents.
I've sensed the sarcasm in your voice, all right, Jay. You know it's interesting. Sometimes players are traded, sometimes they're let go, and the fan base of the club it's kind of like a feeling of good riddance. And then there's Demir and everybody loves Demir. And you know, at the end of the season last year, I was on the road for the playoff match somebody I felt somebody
grab me on the shoulder. I turned around. It was Demir and he said, I just want to thank you for interviewing me all year, and I was like, what, you know, like it was the first time a play because look, man, I know the deal. I'm sure you got the text from Tren today and you're like, oh, great, yeah, I guess I'll do it. Nobody wants to do this stuff. I know that, but I appreciate it when you know, you spend the time to spread the message of the community and fans. But no player has ever done that
on any level in any sport. But that's just kind of who Demir is, isn't it. So what would you say to RSL fans is we're preparing to welcome Demir back coming up tomorrow night.
Well, first I have to disagree with your sentiment. I would tell you that I absolutely enjoyed.
Doing this, okay, noted?
Noted, Just so you know then that I would say that, you know, everything that I've heard about Demir is that he is top, top, high class individual, incredible professional, terrific leader, legends of the club. Unfortunately never had the opportunity.
To really work with him or really speaking to.
Him in death. But I know that he's a legend of the club, and I know that we are very happy to be welcome back here for the first time. I think there's gonna be a little ceremony either before the game or at halftime out with Tim and mister Kimball are president, so it could be happier to have him come back and hopefully the fans.
Off there and show their support.
And appreciation for everything that he has given to this club.
All Right, we already talked about the potential of seeing the eleven coming up tomorrow night, and this is Pablo's own words, not mine, that we could potentially see come playoff time. So we have this really embarrassment of riches in the attack that you and Kurt and the staff
are put together for Pablo's disposal. So I wonder if you could just generally speaking, walk us through what the plan is, you know, with Diego and Diogo and Dominic Marks, who can Lachland Brook and obviously chie Chow and Matt Crooks, and there's Anderson Julio, you have this group of five, six, seven attacking players that are all really talented in their
own ways. How's the progress coming to formulate what that will look like, both with the eleven and then the available off the bench as well.
I'll repeat what I said earlier where there's gonna.
Be a little bit of a twist.
It's main get that I'm really interested to see how how it works out. It's something that we haven't seen with the combination of these players, so it will be interesting to see to see how that works. I think the competition is really rife for starting positions right now. You know, if I look at the guys that are in the lineup, and I'd say there's three guys there that would be starting in a whole lot of other MLS teams. That's the way I will continue to So
now it's about, you know, put up or shut up. Basically, if you perform in the team and the team plays, I think here's the lineup for the next week, and that's just how it's going to.
Go the rest of the way.
Very very interesting generally speaking, how healthy is the group? You have? The uh you have the break, the international break, and hopefully that helped. But as you approach Saturday, are we close to full health?
We are one player away, basically from the fall health. Tony Dango continues to struggle with a little bit of a neuromuscular intrigue that's playing so eight people won't be available.
But for all the other players that that are on a.
Roster aren't active roster, he's the only one that's that's not available to get entry.
That's actually not bad at this point of the season. I think you'll take that What are you hoping to see tomorrow night? To indicate to you and Curt and everybody else in the front office that you got a shot and that that's all that's all you can ask for this time of year. Be one of the teams that rolls into the postseason with a shot, with a chance to win to to to hoist MLS Cup. I perceive you to be in the group of teams that
does have a shot. But what are you lookingoking for tomorrow to emphatically hammer that home.
I'd like to see a complete game. I don't think that in my opinion, I don't think I don't feel we've had a complete game since you know, at least six weeks. I don't feel like there's been ninety minutes where that that was our team out there playing an r away at being dominant. So you know, that's what I want to say. I'd like to see a really
high class performance for night. I'd like to see our biggest players show up and make big plays because actually know that that's what they needed to give them playoff fatality and put the cherry on top of everything. I actually Kajo scored two goals.
To two straight clean sheets, Jay, and you know I'm always careful because of lessons I've learned about this stuff from you and others. To lay the blame or the credit for a clean sheet simply had the feet of the keeper. There have been some very obvious front facing gaffs and mistakes from both Zach and Gavin this year, so it's easy ze four folks that want to be brave online to attack them individually. And I'm not letting
them off the hook. I don't think it's been good enough from either of those two, but those are your two options. How much of the past couple of games with the clean sheets would you give credit to Zach and then talk about how the entire group has participated in defending in order to not allow a goal against either Minnesota or San Jose.
Yeah, I would put I would put those clean sheets one hundred percent. The credit for that goes to the coaching staff, to the entire team for taking on the messages that we're putt in front of them to look for improvements, particular defensive areas, starting with how we press the ball all the way up the field, to how we defend a Peonty box, and by the way, a big one is defending some pieces. So I think those have been truly collective efforts and the credit goes to
everybody involved. I think to have back in the goal for those you know, you do have a veteran guy that communicates well with his back line that seems to palm the group down a little bit, so you know he will continue that situation to save as others. When he performed and the team does well, you continue on your pasitting.
And it does look like to your point, the entire group has bought into what Pablo has asked them to do. And I don't want to single just one player out, but I'm going to and ultimately I do want to expand the conversation because I think Diego Luna deserves a lot of credit for his work rate, and it's something that you know, even prior to your arrival here, I would talk to people and they would bring that up,
like we love the kid. He's obviously incredibly skilled. He's got to participate in the team defensive concepts more it feels like he has. And then he grabs that goal, which you guys needed on the road. So I have a two part question. Give me your thoughts on what I perceived to be a better work rate from from Diego as of late, and now that you've been on the ground for a while, what have you learned about
him after the game. I loved his interview. He said I want the ball because when the ball's at my feet, I make magic happen. I loved it. There's a lot to love about this kid. Give me your thoughts on Diego Luna.
I'm really impressed with you. I'm really you know, he was a player that I was a little.
Bit skeptical on.
To be honest, haven't looked afar And whenever you have a player with that kind of talent to the attack, you have the field it's very typical that they won't, you know, hardest workers defensively. It's also a little bit difficult that draft they could have an ego that's maybe needs to be kept in check. But from my first conversation with Diegos where I am right now with him, he's shown nothing, uh, nothing out of.
Than being pubble, wanting to work hard.
Obviously he's ambitious, but you know, hyping. The most impressive quality about him is what you've already touched on. He worked extremely hard up the ball, does a great job defensively, and that's a credit to him into Pablo or for teaching and learning all of that in a very short order last year.
All right, final thing, Jaille said, you loo after this, after the transfer window came and went and there were five new players brought in and obviously Andres sold for a very pefty price, which of course you had to say yes to. I asked you that hit the week after a close did you trade short term success for the long game approach? And you said no. Do you still feel that way?
Yeah? I do because I was watching things a little bit more particularly than baby Boles, and then I felt like tres tres performance system very much about doing more what's best for on Treans, and so I felt like.
The team was already starting to.
Dip a little bit. I felt that a defensive work was really going down. Uh, he was just not a but I would you know, obviously everybody labeled it as a team player.
I felt like he wasn't.
He wasn't doing that for the team. So I felt in the long run it would be better to have a player in his position than Baltimore into the team concept, that that would help the team PLoP run.
All right, Jason, Well, thank you for not hanging up on me after what many people online are calling a very witty, genius joke and intro to the interview. And I'll be there tomorrow night, so I'll come say hello.
Okay, it was absolutely fantastic.
Oh my gosh. All right, there he is Jason Christ RSL back in action coming up tomorrow night against Vancouver seven o'clock Mountain Time kick. Go to RSL dot com for single game ticket options and let's pack that place tomorrow night.