Pablo MASCHOENNI Wednesday afternoon. Pob's happy Wednesday, sir?
How are you happy Wednesday? Spent doing well?
Bud appreciate the time.
Brian Wilson Beach Boys passes away today at the age eighty two. First concert I ever saw Pobs Beach Boys when I was eleven years old. First concert a young Pablo Mastuotdi attended.
Oh man, you're not gonna believe this.
I can't wait.
Run dmc.
Okay, you know what, that's cool. That's a good answer. That's that's a cool answer.
You know you can. You can impress a lot of people with that one. How old were you?
I was in the sixth grade, okay, all right?
And where was this?
And that was in Phoenix, Arizona.
Phoenix, Arizona. Okay. Did you ever go through a Beach Boys phase?
I didn't. I always liked the music, just never never followed them to know when they were going to come into town or if they were still touring at that time.
Okay, all right, fair enough, all right.
Before we get to your club, I want to ask you about the US men's national team, who got their heads kicked in last night and have now lost four straight five and five under Prochattino.
We have the World Cup.
One year away, but I thought Diego showed well when he was able to hinterer at halftime. So just curious as your thoughts as to where we're at with a gold Cup. Of course, I want to know your thoughts on how Diego played and where we're at with the US men's national team one year away from the World Cup.
Yeah, you know, I think I think it's been a tough start under Pochattino, and I think a lot of it has to do with him still trying to figure out who are the guys that he can rely on, right And I think when you're adding such a big number of MLS players into the pool, there's there's going to be moments where it's it's not going to go well. There's no continuity, there's you know, I think he's still trying to, you know, fine tune the way they want
to play. And at the international level, you just don't get the luxury of having practices every week and every day, so you got to come together quickly. And again, because it's a relatively young team, there's a lot of guys that you know that just in self preservation mode. They're not really experienced players that are going to guide the younger players. And so I think that's a big part of why it's been it's been a bit of rough going. There's a lot of figuring out to do, both from
the players and the staff. But as far as Diego, you know, I think, you know, one of the things again that that make me the most proud of his growth has been his mindset. And you know, I think with attacking players, we typically say they're good when they're scoring goals. They're good when they're making plays, creating chances given given assists. But but again, there's soccer is a very low scoring game, right, And so what else do you bringing to the table when when when when you're
not doing those things? And and Diego just brings a ton of energy, a ton of passion, a ton of focus, and a real commitment to defending right. And I think and and those are the conversations that I've been having with them over the last couple of years. Is just like every coach in the world can find the players that can do those things. It's like, how are you going to separate yourself from the rest of these guys? All over the world, you know, to put yourself in
the spotlight. And again, even though he didn't score a goal the other night, just did a great job of getting around the ball, you know, clean with his decision making, you know, it just as aggressiveness, and he brings this like energy to the team, you know, and I think that's something that every coach in the world can hang their hat on because they know, regardless that they're scoring and insisting, which is what they're on the field to do,
if nothing else, they're bringing great energy, great pressing, great great attitude. And so I think he's in a fantastic way. And you know, this gold couple will be really important for both Diego and the team. You know. I think this is historically a tournament that the US has done really low in. I think they'll they will do well. I think these games, these to warm up games, you know, showed the coaching staff and the players of what playing
at a really high level looks like. And you know, I don't think they'll confront too many teams that are like these two teams that they played, so I think they should be able to learn from those games and put together a good run in the tournament. That I think they should have a good chance of winning.
At Donny On earlier, he was on the broadcast for Turner last night and I asked Dunny if he believes Diego is legitimately in the mix for a roster spot for the World Cup, and Dunney said, he thinks he can start. He thinks he, you know, has the eye approach a Tino and his staff. What's your what are your thoughts on that whether or not Diego has a legitimate chance of not just making a World Cup roster, but maybe actually sneaking into that eleven and upping his personal pedigree.
Yeah, you know again, I think from a coaching perspective, I think you want predictability, right, predictability and he like behaviors as a person and also behaviors as a player, And I think Diego comes every game he plays. You're going to get a ten out of ten effort, a ten out of ten commitment, at ten out of ten attitude.
And I think when you're kind of looking at the roster, at the pool of players, you know, you have some attackers that have a lot of goals but currently don't but they don't necessarily bring the energy to the team. So I agree with Gunny. You know, I think Diego has a legitimate chance, but I think starting for that team has a lot to do with form going into the tournament as well. So there's a lot of other players that can potentially, you know, take a spot or two.
But one thing I think you can't do is leave a player like Diego Luna off that national team because he's a spark when he comes in and he's a great player when he starts. So I think he's putting himself in a really good position to be a part of the twenty twenty sixteen.
Over the past twenty four hours or so, and for our listeners perspective, Pablo played in the World Cup for the US men's national team.
Did you plan in two yep? Okay, very nice two thousand and six.
That's right, that's right. So we've heard from some former teammates of yours. We've heard from Landon Donovan, We've heard from Clint Dempsey, and then after Alexi Lallis was done giving his take on Tariff's in the Southern Border, we also heard him criticize some players who decided not to
show up for this Gold Cup run. And you know, It's interesting because the Gold Cup, of course, is much much different than the World Cup, and in years past it is known as kind of this platform for players that aren't necessarily among the first choice players for the World Cup to show what they can do. And it was a World Cup appearance from Kyle Beckerman and Nicki Rimando back in the day that kind of was a
conduit for their World Cup experiences. Do you share the sentiment that players like Weston McKinney and Christen Polisic and I think Tyler was hurt, but a lot you know, maybe six or seven of the potential starters for the World Cup team and maybe eleven or twelve of the potential eight team for the World Cup team are not playing in the Gold Cup. Do you believe they should be as we are literally one year away from the World Cup in our region.
Yeah, I mean, you know, I could see I could see both sides. Spence and one. These players in Europe have ruling schedules. And again, if if they if they compete in this and they don't have a break right because right now is there is their break between seasons, then they're then they're probably putting themselves at risk from an injury perspective, I also understand the fans perspective and ex players perspective that, listen, we're a year away. We
still don't know what we have. How are you not a part of this group, forming the identity, the core base of this team that's going to compete on our home soil in a year's time, Right, So I understand both, and I think the truth is somewhere in between those two things. And I don't know where they're at physically. I don't know if they're shot. You know, there's a lot of things that we don't know. So it's easy there, you know, it's easy to kind of sit at the
thirty thousand feet level and say they should. But obviously we don't know the details as to the whyse and and so from a you know, from a player perspective, I can only imagine that they're just spent, right, and they don't feel like one it's going to be conducive to the next run in because their season next year is going to be just as important to them making the national team and actually playing at a really high level because the expectation is that what the McKinney, You know,
Polissice uh, moussa, these guys are aren't playing at an extremely high level if we're going to have a chance to make a great run of the tournament. So uh, you know, uh, it's I'd be cautious to say one way or the other. And and I but I agree with both camps. I agree with both camps that I've been in kind of both camps, and so it's it's
not an easy one. But but what it does do and I always look at the silver lining and say, well, it gives an opportunity for guys like Diego, guys like MS players Brian White that are doing well to show their goods, you know, in the absence of these other guys. And so the onus is on now these players that are in camp to show real well and win and
win the tournament. So now you start, you know, putting you know, seeds of you know, putting seeds in the coach's minds as that I'm capable of playing, and all of a sudden, the pool becomes more competitive versus just having six or seven players that are locks.
Is it a commentary on our overall depth and talent pool that without our best five or six players, we look so bad.
Is that?
Is that a commentary that maybe the Diego was great? I want to be clear, and I think he's got a bright future. But I don't know if it's an indictment on MLS. I don't want to go there. But what does it say to you about our talent pool that when our top shelf guys aren't in there, we seem to look so lost.
That's a great question. I think it's multi faceting. The one thing I'll point to and I think it's a real thing, and and pro and pro soccer really and mass team's a part of that as well. Is the the with the modern game because it's become so so much more physically demanding. The thought is we want younger players, right, We want younger players, which is great because they'll do
a lot of things that older players won't. But what they don't have is the experience to kind of lead and the experience to help these players that are coming into this camp. And so I think that that has been an issue with the national team. And you can do it with young players. It's not that you can't, but they have to be special players that are willing to you know, and I think Tyler Adams is a
good example. I think he's the leader, you know, I think he leads by example, but he's also very you know, he communicates really well and he organizes. But but you know, I look back at our teams when I was playing, and I always had guys that were seven eight years older than I was on the field, and oftentimes, especially when when bullets started flying and we were under a little bit, they were the ones that helped organize the team.
It wasn't the coach. The coach has no connection to the game when it's going on, right, he sets the plan in motion, and I just deal with our national team. We lack a little bit of that experience that can guide these guys, and so it's I don't think it's so much of you know, the talent that I'm talking about is more about experience. And so the younger players can look up in times of duress and see the guy is calm, and hear him communicating, and hear him
don't worry about it. We're going to handle this. Whereas if you have a lot of inexperience on the field, oftentimes they're you know, they're they're they're they're under a lot of pressure, and they're in more self preservation mode as opposed to, you know, solving the problem right, and they're acting more as individuals as opposed to a collective. And so, you know, I think that we do have a group that has a World Cup experience, and now
the onus is on on those guys. Polisage, mckinne. You know, Moosa, these guys that did well in twenty twenty two to really show up in twenty twenty six and and and be not only great players but also leaders and mentors for the rest of the group.
Okay, to your one more thing here, because to your point about the coaching stuff, it's a really good one. I don't feel like soccer coaches more so than any other sport, any any any other sport you call it time out, any other sport that.
Plays over get over here.
And I know that you and your assistants are in communication with players as are running by you or whatever, but it just feels like once the game starts, soccer coaches soccer managers are a kind of spectators.
And I know that's not entirely true, but I know you get my point.
And ultimately, when it comes to what we've done with the US men's national team, you know, even moving on from a guy like Bob Bradley, and then it was Jurgen and then it was Greg and now it's poach. And you know, there's a lot of noise about Pochettino and whether or not he's the guy. I'm like, dude, you moved on from the guy that could have been the guy. It can't always be the coach. But it's
hard to cut players and move on from players. What's what's fair to say about the early returns from Pochettino after ten and does it change the way people should look at the job that Greg did before he was let go.
Yeah. Again, I we've talked about this oftentimes. You know, the coaches is is always going to be the guy that flipped at as when when there's issues that that's that's the problem. And and again, as as I continue my coaching journey, the most important thing for me is is a group of players that have aquisent amount of experience to lead themselves. So if you go all young guys in a game where like you said, coaches cannot call time out, then you're left to the winds of
their experience. Right. But when teams have six experienced players that hold themselves accountable and then bring a lot into young guys. Now you've created an environment where you have coaches on the field right now. I think that's different from other sports where you can have just talent, and talent will see you through because now the coach can call a player, call a time out, and do these
different things. We don't have that luxury, and so what we rely on is one we have a leadership group, right, and a lot of these A lot of the guys in our leadership group at RSL have two three years of experience, right, and then there's a couple others that
have a lot more. But I just think that the dynamic of the team that must have a requisite number of players with tremendous experience to be able to calm the game down when at tech, speed it up when it's lull, when there's roles in the game, you know, like get the guys dialed in on set pieces where we're at times you feel like it's a time to rest, but it's really a time to be focused, you know.
So we go through all that in training, but you can imagine when bullets start flying, it's not we can't stop the session, we can't stop the game, call a time out and be like, guys, this is a really bullet moment. So I think the makeup of the team has to be so that you have coaches on the field. If not, then then you're just you're oftentimes flipping the coin as to how they're going to respond. And again that's how players gain experience. And we talk about it,
this is a moment. What do you think about this moment from a management perspective, Oh, we could have done this differently, right, So now it might take six or seven more of those moments for them to finally understand, and then it might take six or seven of those moments for them to be able to communicate with the teammate without feeling like I'm being hard on my teammates. So I think that's that's been the toughest thing. And
so with Poach, again, for me, it's early days. He's trying to figure out exactly the best way to go about it with the team tactically, from from a mentality standpoint as well, and then on top of that, he's trying to figure out the players that are going to be able to help him. You know, just you know, see out his ideas and his style of play. So I'd be I'd be real cautious because again I think Greg did a really good job. It did a really
good job. And everyone and everyone always thinks that the grats is always greener with someone else, and it's the truth is, it's the same players and depending on where there are, where they're at in their soccer journey, will dictate whether or not you have leaders on the field that can that can carry out the plan.
Wouldn't it just be more prudent to find the guy, believe in the guy, and ride with the guy and give them.
Time that that that would be the that would be the sensible way of looking at it. But I think in pro sports again, like and and and I'll say pro sports in a in a social media world, there's just no time. There's just there's just no what you know, everyone wants to plan an orange tree, a seed of an orange tree, and then recruit the next day. And
it's like, well, that's just not how nature works. But we're bucking the nature trend and just demanding that things go They go great from the start, but but there's gonna be a big learning curve. And again, this is Pochatino's first gig as a as an international manager, and that's very unique because you don't have the building blocks to be like, Okay, this is how we play, and
we can train this for the next month. You got camp set, you have two training sessions, and then you have a game, and then you have a training session, then you have another game, and it's like there's there's no time. And that's why I go back to this experience thing, because those guys know how to conduct themselves in a way where like they can grasp tactical concepts really easily because they've seen a million different coaches in their careers and they can apply in real time.
Do you know Alexi Lallas at all.
I do?
Is he as unpleasant of a person as he seems?
You know? I think when he went to TV, he really, you know, like he has this bad image he's you know, and any portrays that I think on the TV, I don't think that's genuinely who he is. I think he does speak his mind, but but my experiences with him as a player are different from what I think you see on the TV.
Okay, all right, fair enough, we don't we don't have to stay in the space. It's getting uncomfortable already. So let's move over to your team, Pablo. Since uh, since you and I last spoke, you hit the road for a couple of matches, and Jason christopped on the show prior to you guys leaving and informed us that Diogo was being left off the trip due to disciplinary reasons. So I have a two part question. Can you shed
any light on that decision? And have you been pleased with his response since you guys decided to leave him home.
Yeah, you know, I think and I talked about this a couple of days ago, and and I think just given where we were at as a team, there's a there's a huge sense of urgency, right, And Indigo had been out for eight or nine days with a with a heal injury, and so it was his first day back, and and we had to the next day, we were traveling to Austin, and and so he was in a different mode than than the rest of the group, right, And I think that wasn't taken into account that he'd
been out for eight days and had to get up to speed. You know, the expectation was that he'd be pick up right where he left off, and that's not real either. So I think a lot got misconstrued with the urgency of the group and what we needed to do and where he was coming off of his injury. So I think that was that, you know, that was a situation. And and so since then his response has
been fantastic. He's been he's been great in training, really focused, doing just doing a lot of great things in training. So I feel very optimistic. And then obviously with Diggle out this weekend, uh, he'll probably play on the left side, coming in where he's the most comfortable. And you know, I looked forward to a very good performance from diegle this weekend.
Good to hear.
Good to hear, because you need him, man, you need him now more than ever. Maybe who else will you rely on in the attack with Diego away? So Diego will be on the left. Who else are we going to see in the attack?
Yeah, we'll more likely see Johnny Russell playing on the right. And again another player that hadn't had a preseason, been six months out and every training session he just gets brought to sharper and sharper. His fitness levels have gone up incredibly in the last you know, three weeks, and he's putting in a lot of work and his qualities kind of speaks for itself. You know, he's been scoring a lot of goals in training, which is which is
something that we've been sorely missing. So really excited to see Johnny and then you know, William Goza. More likely we'll shore up the rest of the front line.
As far as the rest of the group. I know you have been banged up, but it's been a minute since your last match. Have you been able to utilize the space to get everybody ready to get ready to go in healthy?
Yeah? Yeah, no, it's it's been great. You know, I think it's it was a tough flog the first part of the season. But again, where where I really leaned into is the belief and and the way the way I I I see belief is in the in the
effort and the commitment and training. Right. So we had we had a week where we didn't have a game and we had three training sessions and those are really hard as a player to get up for because there's nothing at the end of it, right, and and just like the level I mean, there's a couple you know, scuffs in there. There's a couple of bus stoups and guys that are really compete and really want to want to turn things around. And so for me, like, I
feel so proud of this group. Whilst we haven't been able to score goals, it's not from a lack of trying, and it's not not from a lack of creating really good opportunities. It's just that final piece which at times takes you know, a bit of instinct, a bit of luck, a bit of fortune. But the way they've applied themselves and you know, in the last two weeks has been fantastic, and so I'm really looking forward to a spirited performance this weekend against DC.
Only two matches this month based off of these tough sledding and you know, lack of health and such. Do you view that as a good thing or do you view that as something you wish was a little bit different so you can maybe go get some more points.
Yeah, no, you know, I really don't spend too much time on things that are beyond my control. You know, I think you know, Dom won't be available, Loota won't be available, and those are two guys that have been playing playing really well the last few games. So it could be is a good thing and bad thing, who knows.
But what it is is an opportunity for other guys to chip in, you know, stake acclaim in a position, make it competitive so that when everyone gets back, we have a team that's that's even stronger than they than we were when when those guys left the group. So if we have two matches, we got to take them on the right way and make sure that you know, we have fifteen points typically forty five points, we'll see you into the playoffs. That means we need to win
ten games in the second part of the seas. So ten of our seventeen games are at home, right, and this is this is my pitch to the group. This is so it's black and white here. We need ten games. We need to win ten games, right and we have we have we've let ourselves down at home and you know, there's been some crazy things that have happened. However, that we can control our own destiny here and so our
focus is on winning ten games. We have ten at home, those are ten great games to shoot at and uh and then if obviously if we drop any points, we got to make them up away from home, and so we have seven games to do that. Even though it hasn't worked out and the task might be a bit daunting,
I believe that we have the spirit. And then obviously we have another window where we can hopefully, you know, add some add some different players into the roster to hopefully bolster a team that's in really good form.
All right, last thing that I'll set you lose.
I appreciate the thirty thousand foot view and I like it through that prism of understanding what the math looks like. But it does feel like Saturday is bigger than most regular season matches as it is getting late early. Is there any extra added emphasis, extra added weight to go get three on Saturday? Juxtaposed to what you said about the macro approach, Yeah, no, Again.
I think the other the other important thing is is like you know, I'm I was an older player, and I can handle pressure really really well. It's it's not it's that was never an issue. My thing with this group is like completely staying focused on everyone doing their jobs. You know. I think when you're in these moments, you have certain players that want to do more than and
and and forget to do their own job right. So I believe that if we have eleven guys that are all committed to doing their job to the best of their abilities, it'll put us in a great position to win this game at the weekend, as opposed to saying, hey, guys, we really really need this game. We you know, and
and and I got. I'm always careful of the way I speak to them, because again, if I say we really really need to do this, it means they might interpret that as oh, I need to do someone else's job, right, So just to be really clear with them as saying, listen, if you're a center back, just to find the right way, if you're an attacking player, make plays, and and if everyone in the pivot's doing a little bit of everything, and if we have everyone doing their job, I feel
like we'll be in a good position to break the snide, start a good run of games, and hopefully find ourselves in the playoff positions.
All right, buddy, We'll good to catch up with you, pulling for as always, good luck on Saturday.
We'll chat too, Thanks, Ben, appreciate it, Bud.
Hey, Pablo mas JOHNI aresa with a big one. They need points badly