We are live today with our friends at Beer Bar in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City, Utah.
One sixty East, two hundred South.
The home for all RSL watch parties every match, no blackouts. They do have Apple Television of course. Nick Romondo, the legend himself, part of the ownership group here. They've got an event coming up on Thursday, will tell you about. But RSL back at action, welcoming in an old friend coming up on Saturday, it's the return of Chico Orongo.
Last week, in interesting week, RSL went up to Portland and want at Providence Park and then done in by one wonder strike against one of the best teams in MLS, Cincinnati, one nil. Our next guest, the head coach of RSL, Pablo Match Joanny. On a Tuesday afternoon. Pop's happy Tuesday, man, How we're doing.
How are we doing?
Happy tuesdays?
Ben's doing well.
Just prepping for this game at the weekend.
Yes, sir, yes, sir.
So before we look forward, let's just talk a big picture. Since you and I haven't spoken for a little while prior to that loss.
Again, since now that you guys have.
Gone five games unbeaten, and that Cincinnati game.
Man, that's a good team. We'll get to it.
I felt like you guys were really bright and really good. But soccer's cruel where one moment can decide a game, and you guys did that to Portland, Cincinnati did that to you.
It's kind of the deal.
But how do you feel like things are shaping up over the past five, six, seven games where you guys have seen the forum really turn around?
Yeah, I think you know, that break halfway through the you know, at the halfway mark was was a great time to kind of reflect, digest and and and really learn from some of the the moments in the first part of the season. And the guys came in with a wonderful attitude and really, you know, the vibe around the training training field was was was palpable, you know, and I think it was a noticeable difference. And then then the results, you know, manifested themselves in a way.
We're validated the work that we were doing in the training and I think, you know, this league is so you know, it's it's such a streaky league. You know, you get on a good run of form, you have a lot of belief and the mistakes that we are making. You know, in the first part of the season we were cleaning those up, defending set piece as well. Even when we weren't defending set pieces as well, we still
found a way to win a game. And so, you know, I think confidence and belief are are critical to sustaining good performances and and good results and so and like you rightly pointed out this week, and I thought we the guys played a fantastic game and and we were you know, we were done by a wonder strike. And that's a part of it that hasn't changed the mind of the mentality. And in today's training, the same same type of energy that you know and and in real
focus that we've had in the last few weeks. So really optimistic to where you know, where where where.
The group is right now, and and with the window opening up, and you know, the addition of some players and into a group that is is is confident at the moment, I think, is you know, a welcome sight.
So before we get back to Cincinnati, let me ask you about poor Lynz. Let's kind of hone in on some of these games in a vacuum I hadn't maybe maybe I.
Knew and I just forgot.
I didn't realize it had been eight years since RSL was able to get a league win up there, and.
That's that's a good team.
And you know, you guys were able to snatch three with a late goal, kind of like Cincinnati did to you. But what do you like most about that performance? And what can a road win like that do to kind of solidify the group?
Yeah, you know, I think you know, coming off of the Houston game, I felt like in the second half, we we we struggled to find a way to get the ball back once we turned the ball over right, So our defensive shape was a bit compromised at moments, and so we doubled down on that during the week, and what I saw against Portland was a team that knew exactly how important the structure was going to be
and the roles within that structure. And more importantly, I think defending for the way I look at defending is it's it's just merely a mechanism to win the ball back. It's not a it's not a tactic. Right you defend because you don't have the ball. And so when you when you frame it from a perspective of we want to win the ball back, because then we want to
control the game with the ball. I thought we did a really good job of that game of being dominant with the ball and being so disciplined and dominant defensively, and then taking your chances that come and and and obviously there weren't a ton of real clear chances in that game, but Yogo took his chance and game set match. And so, you know, going into the Cincinnati game, it had a similar vibe where and Spence I think too, this is a product of now you're you're on the
You're you're going down the home stretch. Every game is going to be tighter, every every game is going to be defined by the slightest of margins, and so that that that's where I think in the Portland game, we did a really good job. We were really disciplined and capitalized on the moment that presented itself.
So with the Cincinnati game, and I talked about this with a couple of people afterwards. I didn't leave that game, Pablo with you know, with my head down about the form. I hope you felt the same way. Cincinnati is one of the best teams in MLS. They lead the conference in points, and I felt like you had the better of it. I know Diogo certainly will want one or two of those chances back. And I don't know much about this Luca or Orlano kid. I think that's how
you say it. But yeah, first, first of all, I mean, it was one of those goals where you just.
You got a tip the cap, there's nothing else you can do. Well done.
But overall, as you went back and reviewed it, did you feel like you guys had the better of it? And then what went through your mind when you watch that kid score with that left peg?
Yeah, you know, when I went back and watched the game again again, it was a lot of the sentiments I felt during the game where the first half it was it was a little bit you know, transitional. They
had some chances, We had some chances. But I think in the second half we really put our foot on the gas and did a great job of keeping them pinned in to their defensive half, creating number of opportunities on their goal, defended transition moments really really well, and you know, I think and on the goal, we actually
defended the transition moment really well. And again I think, like you said, you have to tip off your cap, because to hit a ball with your left foot from that part of the field and go across the goal to the far post, I mean, just the angles of that ball have to go in front of in front of Oheita on the left side, and then it's going to go in front of Glad and then it's got to go in front of Rafa and so it's one of those like one in a thousand shots that you're
going to score, and on this day, he caught it perfectly and the stars the line. And so I think oftentimes as a coach, you get you look at the result and you have this bad feeling in your you know, bad taste in your mouth with with how the game went. But it was one of those flukey moments and it's where I felt like, there's no way these guys are going to score on us tonight, especially the way we
controlled the second half. So again that that's the whole thing about sports, and that's why it's so amazing, is that you never know which moment it's going to cost you the game, and and you just got to be prepared for anything. But I think the overarching feeling of the game was a terrific execution of the tactics and the only thing that let us down was that the goal and not not being able to score goal. And so, and I've said this a lot this year. It's been
our boogey men this year. We've we've created quite a bit. And uh, you know, but I don't think and not that I don't think, I know, it hasn't changed the mindset and the belief within the group. And I think that's the most important thing.
How is I heard somebody on some soccer show and you know, who knows if they know anything about you know anything, And you're the guy that watches these players play every game and you're you know, obviously every training you see things that none of us do. But I feel like there's maybe some concern about the partnership between Diego Luna and Diego Gonzalez, just because they're both skilled in unique ways.
That might be similar to each other.
How is that partnership going, What what's that process like? Because they're they're they're so skilled, I would imagine when it clicks, it's going to be really special.
Yeah, you know, I think I think it's it's been a bit of a disjointed year where I think you know, Diego had a hard time at the beginning of the year finishing his chances. In recent weeks, he's buried a couple Diego was gone for for a month with the national team, and now you know, they're both coming into the team in a real positive way. And it's really
about learning that, you know, get that chemistry right. You know, I think Diego is a really good positional player that need balls played into him to be able to then play forward. And Diego's more of a guy that is just off the cuff, right, And so sometimes it's hard with Diego because he is a very instinctive player that
makes plays. And you know, but what I've seen in the last you know, two weeks that the guys that have been are the last week that the guys have been together, has the amount of communication between two of them, not only in games, but in training and getting that understanding back because now we're playing with a bit of a hybrid two striker system with Gozo and Willie Gatta and or r ePol, and so the idea is to have these creative players underneath, but to have players ahead
of the ball that they can pass to and combine with and create goal scoring opportunities with so I think it's still you know, we're we're essentially a week into this this process, a week and a half, but I see I see some growth, and I think, again, if you have quality players, they're they're able to solve problems in real time on the field, and that's what you need in order to continue to getting results.
When you talk about the kind of new approach with the attack with Gozo Orgatta, then pol when it comes to lineup decisions, obviously, when you have three games in seven days, you're gonna you're going to stagger to make sure the minutes aren't overwhelming for one striker or the other. But what do you like most about the three that you name the gotta goes on Peel and what do you kind of instruct them to do to take advantage of the creative flair they have behind them with Diego and Diogo.
Yeah, great question. You know, I think in order to give Diego and Diego the kind of space that they need to operate in. Whereas the first part of the season, Diego and Diego were cramped because we didn't have stretch ahead of the ball, right, And I think when you have two strikers that are willing to run without the ball.
That's what we're telling them to do is essentially always be looking to hit to running behind the defense, and in doing so you drop the back line another ten yards and then the midfield mine is stuck looking at the ball. And so now you have space for guys like Diego and Diego to combine and to really drive
the ball forward. And I think now having two more options ahead of the game has created a ton of chances for Gozo, a ton of chances for Willie, and more importantly, I think Spence from a psychology perspective is defenses have to really they have more questions to answer. Right Whereas before we had a lot of guys coming towards the ball, it is easy for back line just to squeeze their lines and make the space really tight.
Now when you have guys that are willing to break beyond, and if the timing is right, when the forward stretch our Tens dropped right and in that moment there's a gap to get the ball in turn behind the midfield line and really attack the goal. And so I think that compliment is something that has given us a lot of success in recent weeks and something that we want
to continue to explore. And again, I think once Diego and Diego are firing and all cylinders, I think we're going to be a very dynamic attacking team.
I have not asked you about this next player because I didn't know much about him. But you know, early on in the season, when you were giving Gozo opportunities and he started taking advantage of them, and even when they weren't manifesting on the stat sheet, you know, you could tell there's something bright about Gozo. I don't know that this Kaluscan kid has the same juice that Gozo does, but the more and more I watch him pobble, the more and more I think he might have something here as well.
So I haven't asked you about him.
Before he was with Portland's we talked to Curt and Jason about the acquisition. But from the head coaches standpoint, what have you liked so far about him? What do you think he can be as he fully develops?
Yeah, you know, I think, yeah, I think Noel is a player. I think he's twenty five years old and started late because he was in an international so he's an older college student. When he went to I think Loyal Merrimont, and so he got drafted out. And he's a player that is experienced and beyond his years. You know, he's kind of an old soul, carries himself like a
guy that's been playing professionally for many years. The way he just trains, the way he looks after his body, the way he recovers everything is a ten out of ten. And you know, I have this really interesting conversation that
I'll share with you. Is in preseason. You know, he was playing in the midfield, and so naturally he's a midfielder by trade, and you know, I was he was talking to asking me about his opportunities and I said, well, we got some real physical anomalies in the middlefield with the Mecca and no Haeta, and he says, Paba, but I think the game so fast. I feel like, you know, it's given an opportunity. I can, I can, I can achieve some of the same things in a different way.
And it just expanded my mind. You know, as coaches, I think we get sometimes we get set in our way of thinking. And and so he started, you know, he was playing right back because we had a lot of pivots at the time midfielders, and slowly but surely, with every training session he became a beast in training. And so once he got his start, don't know, a couple of months ago at right back, he's never looked back. And this is a guy spends that spends every afternoon.
He'll he'll ask goes it to go one to be one with them. He doesn't ask another guy. He wants the fastest, the most dynamic player to go one to be one. And so here's a guy that just really cares about his trade. And so I think again, it's amazing how many players come through, you know, come through RSL and and other teams give up on and and and find a lot of joy here. But so proud of what he's been able to do. And and the other part too is it hasn't been easy for him, right,
no one's given him anything. He's had to literally beg and plead for an opportunity. And like you just Riley said, you know, we give opportunities and they take them or they don't. You know, the players take them or they don't, and they grow or they don't. And so nothing's come
easy for Noel. And that's why I think he's he's a long term, you know, fit for for the club as far as like someone that you can rely upon in multiple positions, which is really hard to find these days because the game of football has become so specialized. You know, the fact that he can play right back and then against you know, Houston, and then come and play as a pivot against Portland and really be one of the top performers in that game says everything you need to know about Noel Cowskin.
I'm curious about the anatomy of a position switch. We talk about this in football a lot. You know, our our local team, the University of Utah, their head coach just, somehow, some way has always been able to say, Okay, you were quarterback in high school, but now you're a defensive end, and it for something. He's just really good at it. I'm fascinated by it. And you reference Noel a midfielder by trade who you've elected to play outside back.
What's the mentality there? Is it something you see in training?
Is it a desire just to get the best players on the field, regardless of position. When you decide to encourage a player to switch positions, what does that look and sound.
Like, well, I think too. There's there's a lot of components to it. One is their receptivity to that type of suggestion, right, so like you'll know right away. It's like, what do you think about just you know, training out right back and seeing how it's going. And if you get you know, if you get a you know, a no nod, then you're probably it's not even worth pursuing because if the player doesn't believe in it, you know.
But I think a player that is so hungry to get on the field is willing to do whatever it takes. And so now I was like, yeah, I'll play right back. And so I think that's that's the first part. If you don't you know, because it can't just be the coach's idea because it could be a great idea, but if the player doesn't buy in, then it's never going to work. So I would say that's the most important part.
And then the other thing is like learn ability. You know, what's the player's you know, ability to learn something and and so like like I allude to uh, just when I was speaking about his ability to think the game. He's a learner. He thinks the game. And so when you have really bright soccer players that can interpret space and time. They can essentially play anywhere they want if
they're a willing participant. And so I think his smarts and you know, because he's again he physically you know, if you look at him, you wouldn't think that he's able to cover ground. But we played Houston, who's got one of the most dynamic young wingers in the league, and he shut him down. And so he shut him down not by playing him at his strengths, which is
his physicality, but thinking out smarting the player. And so his positioning was off off the chains and then him working on his one v ones and having a really good idea of when he's going to stab at the ball, and you know, and these are things that you have to constantly practice that. And so if you're willing to learn, if you're willing to make yourself vulnerable, right and put yourself in a position that isn't comfortable, but your desire to be on the first team is so great that
it overshadows it. I think that's that's where you can get players playing multiple positions. But again, the most important person and of these decisions is the players himself.
Give me an update on a Mecca.
I thought in limited minutes over the past couple of matches when he's been available.
I mean, we all know that he's good.
Obviously he's your captain, but how's that progress coming and how close are we maybe to seeing him start and play a full ninety.
Yeah, that's a good question. That's a conversation that we actually had today with our performance coach and thinking about now we have a lot of games coming up, what's the best way to deploy a Mecca to put him in the best position again to not get hurt one, which is the most important coming back from six weeks off, but two to get him performing at the level that he has been performing the last two games, which has
been really, really good. And so we'll look at how training goes tomorrow tomorrow's our biggest load day and seeing how he feels, and then you know, obviously we want to get a Mecca back out there because he's an important part not only on the field, but let in the locker room as well. And so you know, and now you have Pablo Reeves who's playing really well. You have brian O Hade, who I thought did really well in the game at the weekend, so there's going to
be some competition in the middle of field. But you know, Mecca is a big part of the group, both on and off the field, and we want to get him back. So tomorrow we should have a better idea as to how we're going to to utilize him to make sure we put him in the best position to be successful.
Tell I want to follow up about Pablo Luiz because this is kind of a feel good story that I don't feel like anybody's talking about. I mean, before his two knee surgeries and knee injuries, I felt like he
was really on his way to becoming a star. I mean, he was taking a lot of your corners, he was taking a lot of the free kicks, and unfortunately, as you know, injuries have derailed so many careers, and I just wonder what it's like for you to see how Hardy's work to get back to this form and what that means to your club.
Yeah.
No, I think Pablo Reice is a special player. You know, we say that he's got a wand of left foot. He can put that ball anywhere anywhere, you know, to anyone on the field, whether it's on the ground, in the air, if it's lofted, if it's if it's driven to your chest. I mean, this guy, he really is a special talent. And you know what he's been through the last two years. A lot of times we'll just you know, like you said, it'll it'll cut a career short. And it takes a real mental it takes real mental
fortitude to be able to overcome something like that. And I think the game against Portland that he played, I think solidified it to me that that he's on the men and he's on his way back. And I still think he's got, you know, maybe ten percent more to go to reach the kind of levels he was at before he got injured. But man, I'm just taken aback by his resolve and commitment and and his quality and his play that we haven't had right. I think last year our team was a little bit different, so what
we asked from our pivots was different. I think this year, you know, in these last six games that he's played in, has has brought a lot of consistency to the group, but also the relationships with Diego and Diego and finding those piercing balls between the lines where the guys can turn and that's something that we haven't had, so I couldn't be happy for him. It's been it's been grueling watching him, you know, work outside of the group just
to just to get back to full help. And now you're starting to see a guy that's flourishing and really contributing meaningful minutes to helping the team get great results.
You got a hungry San Jose team rolling into town on Saturday. They have not won in six matches. They have four draws and two losses. And when you look at the standings, both of you need points. Both of you are right there on the playoff line. They're on twenty nine points around twenty eight. They have a striker, Let's see if I can pronounce his name. I believe it's a cheat show or wrongo. Eleven goals, five assists. He's doing what Chicho does? What sort of extra layer
does his return add? And what are you guys up against coming up on Saturday?
Yeah, you know, I think you know Chios Chicho's a fantastic player, and you know, I think he still has really close relationships with the guys that were here last year. You know, I think it'll be a kind of a mixed emotional game, you know, before the game starts anyways, I think there's gonna be a lot of emotions. I think once the whistle blows, you have two teams that that that, like you rightly pointed out, need points, right, and so I think all that flies up the window.
But you know, San Jose's as a team that thrives and transition, they have you know, they have quite the attacking group of players that that that I haven't played with each other for a long time, but all speak the same language as far as running and moving and the combination play at the top of the box. And then they have finishers and Espinoza and Martinez and and
and obviously Chichos. So you know, I think the game if if, if, if we're cheap with the ball and we give them space, we're going to be We're gonna you know, it's going to cause a lot of issues for us. But if I think we can control the game with the ball as we did in Portland, who's another very good transition team, and defend our box, well I think, you know, I think will be in a good way. So, uh, you know, I think it's going
to be a very exciting game. I think there's a lot of great storylines coming into this game, but the most important thing for us is that we continue to you know, clean up some details and continue to believe as a group and continue to you know, get these points that are going to be critical down the stretch.
How would a young Pablo mash Nerney in his prime do at the MLS Skills Challenge where we find Diego tonight.
I'll tell you what not as good as you're going to see Diego Luna doing tonight, I'll tell you that I don't know, you know, I think there's you know, but Spence, I was just think I was just a role player. I was a guy that just won the ball back and gave it to the players that can do more than I could. And Diego is a real special talent, and you know he's doing he's doing all the work I did defensively, but he's also got a
Ferrari like attack that can create and score goals. So he's operating on a different planet than I was as a players. But I'll be rooting for him tonight, and I think he'll do well in the Skills Challenge for sure.
All right, before I say you lose coming up on on Thursday, the secondary transfer window opens. It is the summer transfer window. I don't want you to get in trouble, Pablo. I don't want anybody to give you a guff for the answer, But I got to ask. I've seen these rumors. I'm hearing maybe a couple of nines on the way. I'm hearing maybe an outside back. I don't know what you what are you expecting when this thing opens? What can we expect to see?
Yeah, no, listen, there's definitely gonna be movement. You know, we've identified quite a few attacking players both in like you know, a nine roll and a nine and a half is what we're calling it. Essentially a guy that can play on the highest line but also combine near the box and is comfortable with his back to goal. So I think those two positions are are positions that you know, we feel like we can continue to improve our group and more importantly, have some some real depth
into our group. You know, I think oftentimes this year where we fell short is is just not having enough firepower coming into games when again, the most important moments and games are in the last fifteen to twenty minutes, right, So I think that that's definitely an area. And I think along the back line as well. You know, I think there's there's a couple of different ways we can
we can we can we can do this. But you know, I think everyone's been working extremely hard to make sure that we're bolstering the group in a way that that puts us in contention for you know, a good run at the end of the season and even in you know,
in this League's Cup as well. You know, this is a tournament that we want to do well in and and and you're playing against monsters like a Club America that are you know, the you know, Central American powerhouse and you know, the really hockey cast powerhouse team with a lot of history. And so in order to compete with these guys, we we got to be able to to make sure that we not only have talent on the field, that we have talent coming into the game to help us secure the results.
Last thing, as the head coach, do you get juiced at the prospect when you're watching tape of these players?
Does it excite you? And then what are the.
Main challenges to ingratiate new players into a locker room?
Yeah?
No, I do, and it's not just for me. It's just the feeling of you know, when I was a player, and and and and some players came new players came in. It did. It did a couple of things. One, everyone was pumped that that, you know, new players were coming in and that they're going to help the team. But the other part, too, is there's a competitive aspect to it. It's like, Oh, this guy's coming to try to take
my position. I gotta I gotta really pick up my game. So, like from my chair, I just feel it's a it's a win win situation. You know. Obviously there's gonna be some players that that might be affected in the short term or you know, if they choose the letter to affect them that way, versus I'm going to compete the right way. I'm going to show and bring the best out of my game to show that I'm up for
the challenge. And so I think there's gonna be there's gonna be some type of effect, you know, into our group. And and I think a big part of that effect is going to be determined by this the form the current team is in when these new players come. And so if these players would have come in the first part of the season, I would have been a bit hesitant to to have higher expectations given that they're coming into an buy. I mean, that's that's not necessarily conducive
to the adaptation of these new players. But now, given the run of form that we've been in and the way we've been playing, and the belief in the group, I feel it's a perfect time to bring in players so that their adaptation into the group and their assimilation will be a bit more seamless. Although it's never easy in our league, I feel it's like the best case scenario to have players come into an environment that is rich with belief and good play so that they can just come in and do their jams.
So I'm really.
Excited about the prospects and uh and and I think, you know, hopefully, you know, we can we can land a couple of these guys and get it over the line sooner than later so that we can all enjoy a good finish of the season.
All right, my guy, Well, enjoy the skills challenge tonight. Good luck and training, and obviously good luck on Saturday against chee Cho and San Jose.
Thanks for the time, Bud.
Thanks Fan's appreciate you, Bud, all right.
Problem Mastrondi, Oursel, head coach for Alsau Lake in the midst of really the best run of form they've had all year.
They did lose over the weekend of Cincinnati.
Prior to that, they went unbeaten in five and as a result find themselves right in the mix.
So San Jose's in town on Saturday.
Obviously the return of Chicho will be of probably the biggest point of interest. San Jose is second in the Western goals scored. You would expect that, but they allow a lot of goals. They're actually third worst in the Western goals scored, So maybe we see we haven't seen a lot of high scoring affairs from RSL this year, but maybe with the way San Jose plays, we will this weekend. San Jose currently is ninth in the West on twenty nine points. RSL is tenth on twenty eight.
So this is actually a sneaky big game for the lads. We're here for the lads, of course, So RSSEL back in action coming up this weekend seven thirty Mountain time on Apple TV. But tonight seven o'clock on Apple Television is the MLS All Star Skills Challenge featuring one Diego Luna, five different events. You can check out some of the
events on Apple TV starting at seven o'clock. We've got the Shooting Challenge, we have the Touch Challenge that sounds weird, the Cross and Volley Challenge, all Start Passing Challenge, and then the All Star Crossbar Challenge, and finally Goalie Wars intense and dramatic. All right, We're live today at Beer Bar one sixty two hundred south right in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. Looks like we have a table full of Ozzy Osbourne fans taking tequila shots.
So we're getting weird on a Tuesday, if you want to come on down and check that out. But they've got a great event coming up on Thursday of this week. It is Pie and Beer Day for some Pioneer Day for others.
It's all right, all good.
So on Thursday at nine am at Smith's Ballpark, the old home of the Bees, they're gonna have a pie and Beer tasting where you can gain entrants for thirty dollars and get access to four kind of combos of pie and beer. They're gonna have kickball tournament featuring a team put together by our very own Nick Romondo. So that's Thursday, starting at nine, but the night before here at beer Bar, starting at seven o'clock, they're gonna have kind of a welcome party. They're gonna have DJs, one outside,
one inside. I can tell you they've rebranded the facility with new signage. They've redone their menu that now includes a breakfast sandwich and turkey sandwich, a bunch of different salads, French dip sandwich, pastrami sandwich, and the famous cotton bottom garlic burger, in addition to the brats that you become accustomed to here at beer Bar, So keep that in mind for Wednesday night. Also, beer Bar is your home of all RSL watch parties, Utah football watch parties, NFL Sundays,
jazz hoops, NBA basketball. Is my favorite place to watch a game here in Salt Lake. So it is beer Bar one six two hundred South in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City.