RSL went to San Diego over the weekend and got a result three to one over the expansion side, who came here earlier this year and actually beat ral saw Lake. Our next guest scored a wonder goal, a great, great strike. Sam Junk joins the show on a Monday afternoon. Sam, how you doing, buddy, I'm doing great.
Thanks for having me on.
I appreciate the time. So we got to talk about the goal. Did you know that you so? I always find it fascinating to talk to soccer players that scored goals the way that you did over the weekend.
When you struck it, did you know that you had put.
It on frame? Did you feel that good about it? Right instantly after you struck the ball.
I felt like I got good contact on it. The difficulty with shots like that is there's a lot of people in and around the box and a lot of times get blocked when it's on frame. This time it didn't happen, and so fortunately went into the side netting.
How much of a relief was that result?
I mean, we'll get to some of the other story Lion's but the start has been rough, it's been up and down. So how good did that feel Sam to go to San Diego and get that three points, it felt really good.
We've been in need of a win and it's never easy to win away, and to be the first team to win in San Diego was special.
So tell us about yourself a little bits. First time we've been able to have you on the show. You're one of the new players. You were acquired from uh you were required from Dallas and the Anderson Julio deal.
Tell us about yourself grown up?
When did you first start playing soccer and how do you feel about, you know, landing here with RSL.
Yeah, I started playing maybe around six years old, just recreationally, and got more serious as time went on. Really excited to be here in Salt Lake, and I feel like me and my fiance are settling in here and calling it home now.
So instantly, of course, it was probably a little bit jarring. It's kind of the interesting thing when you're a pro athlete, you don't really have control over where you live. Did you know much about our market or is most of the dynamics about Utah pretty new to you and your fiance?
Most of it's pretty new. I had a little bit of an idea of what it might be like, because I actually thought when I was leaving Houston that I might end up in RSL, But you know, I ended up in Dallas and that was that. And now two years later the opportunity came up again and it happened this time, and so we've gotten more familiar with the valley and you know all that Utah has to offer.
This time around, you are competing with Alex for that spot.
What's it? What's it been like to uh?
And look, when it comes to healthy competition, of course, that's something Pablo wants, and the season is so long, you want multiple options at each each position. But tell me about that kind of positional battle that you and Alex are kind of fighting for.
I think it's been good. I feel like the left back position has been a strong one for us this season, and the composition is good. Alex is a great player, and I think that we've both pushed each other to be at our best, and you know, I think that's helping the team this season.
Tell me what specifically Pablo is asked for from you when it comes to that positional battle and the other things you're expected to do for the.
Club, So specifically for that position. They want us to not just be defenders, but to provide some help in the attack and to get forward. And it's a physically demanding position. They want us to provide a pretty high output, usually the highest of the team in terms of distance covered and running back and forth. And you know, it's a position where we do a little bit of everything, and you know we we play on both sides of the ball.
So far through the season, through at the start of the season, you know, it has been a little bit up and down. Tell me what you feel like, you guys excel at when you're getting points.
What are you doing well.
I think that we're a team that brings energy and grit, and I think we showed that in this past game because the first half wasn't easy. They had a lot of the ball and we were kind of weathering the storm for a lot of the first half. But we were the team that struck first and then we carried that into the second half where we kind of grew into the game and put the game away.
We saw another brace from Diego Luna Sam and that young man star continues to shine and continues to rise. What's it like training with him? What's it been like to be his teammate and tell us maybe your thoughts on how he continues to evolve and really rise up the ranks as a genuine legit superstar in Major League Soccer.
It's been great. You know, you always want to play with great players on your team, and he's been somebody that's been doing a great job for us this season. Funny story is he actually played with my little brother growing up when they were both playing for the center of the Earthquakes, and so I knew about him a little bit. It's kind of funny to be playing with, you know, people that my little brother has played with
or against now in the league. But yeah, he's been somebody that I think has shown that he can produce at the club level and now on the national team level. So it's really exciting to see kind of where his career takes him.
Just one brother, what's the family dynamic? Like he grew up where you're a southern California kid, right, So is your family still there and is it just you and your one brother?
No, I'm the middle of three boys. So I've got my little brother, the one that has played with Diego, and I've got an older brother. Nobody actually lives in California anymore. My parents and my little brother, they currently reside in nearby Cordelaine, Idaho up north. Sure, and my big brother is actually going to be returning to California to be nearby UC Davis, but currently he's in Beaverton, Oregon.
Very does who put a soccer ball at your feet?
First? Was it Dad? Was it mom? Was it your brothers? How'd you get involved in the game?
I had to think that I saw my big brother playing. He played all sorts of sports, soccer being one of them, and I saw him playing, and so I got involved when I saw that.
Did you play any other sports? I mean, you're legitimately six feet tall. Some of these soccer guys are like five to five and they only played soccer.
Did you play any other sports?
I played a little bit of basketball. I did a little bit of swimming growing up, but otherwise it was intramural you know, baseball, football, those kinds of things, but primarily soccer basketball.
Did you have a soccer hero growing up that you wanted to be in, a favorite club that you like to watch growing up?
I think the one that inspired me the most was probably Ronaldinho. The things that he did on the field and with the ball were just, you know, they looked magical, and I always liked to watch his YouTube videos and try to recreate them, and I think that's what really inspired me.
When did you know that you were really good at this? When did you know that if you put in the work and had some health luck and did the right things, that you could potentially be a professional player.
I would say sometime when I was a teenager. I started to, you know, believe that I had, you know, the ability and the opportunity to maybe make it. But you know, it's always hard to say because there are players that you grew up with that you think are going to make it for sure, and they don't, right, And so I think what I started to realize was that it wasn't just about the talent, and that there were other factors and other you know, non controllables control
goles that went into it. And I really tried to focus on everything I could control and and just you know, figure out the paths from there. Because I didn't really have anybody for my family that's with this path, so I was kind of winging it and trying to figure it out as I went.
Tell me what it's like playing for Pablo here a new coach, juxtapost other coaches you played for. What makes Pablo Pablo? What's it like playing for him?
It's been awesome. I I really enjoyed it when I was in Houston. I'm enjoying it again being here at oursel. You know, the teams that he coaches, they show a lot of grid, a lot of fight, you know, and not just a strong tactical sense. So I think that there's a good balance there. I like that he's a good man manager. He you know, as the players go through, and knows what it's like to be in our shoes, and so I think all that experience allows it to be the coach that he is.
So tell me your thoughts on where you guys find yourselves and the kind of the conversation at that locker room. With the win against San Diego, you're now four to six, and oh, I think you're the only team in all of Major League Soccer that has not tied a game.
And so you know, Sam, you know the deal. You're a vet.
I think you played in one hundred and forty four games and ultimately some of the best teams we've ever had here have been off to really bad starts, and some of the worst teams got off the great starts. Like it is such a marathon long season. But through through ten games, where do you guys feel like you're at right now? What do you have to do to maybe get more results coming your way.
Yeah, I think that, you know, we feel a sense of urgency knowing that we're you know, getting close to being a third of the way through the season. At the same time, we know that it's a long season, and you know, you win a couple of games in a row and suddenly you shoot up towards the top of the table. And so I think, you know, in the past couple of games, we've gotten back to playing a little bit more the way we want to and
playing more complete games. And I think, you know, the things that we've been doing in training and going into these games, we have to keep doing that and just be continue to be better in our defensive end and in our offensive end in the boxes, and that's the focus that we've been talking about. And I think that everything in between has been quite good. It's just being better, you know, not letting goals in and scoring our chances, and I think we'll be just fine.
Primary transfer window comes and goes, two editions are made, both from SKC, ironically enough, which is kind of a rival of RSLs that battled for the Cup back in the day. So tell me what sort of what sort of kind of access or what sort of experience you've had so far communicated with Willy and Johnny And what are you guys hoping that those two acquisitions do for your team.
Yeah. I think it gives us a big boost offensively getting Willy and Johnny into the team. I think that this past game Will he showed a little bit of his ability and I think that it's very promising what he brings for the team. Johnny's still kind of getting going. He hasn't been training with the team. He's been a free agent, and so he might need a little bit.
But you know, he's been producing in the league for the past seven years or so, and he's a well known name around the league, and so that experience that he brings to the team, and you know what he'll have to attack, I think will be really valuable going forward. We have had a little bit of difficulty producing much as we'd like offensively, and so I think that these guys will be really helpful in that category.
What do you like to do, Sam when you're not playing soccer?
I've read that you and your fiance like to foster animals and at one point, am I reading correctly that you had twelve cats in twenty twenty.
Yeah, something crazy like that, just because we had I think a litter of kittens that was in the process of being adopted out, and then there was another litter of kittens that we were asked to foster or else they were going to get put down, and you know, it was either we take them in or they were going to get put down that day. So we took them in and there was a little bit of an overlap, and but yeah, it's something that we're very passionate about.
We love animals, not just cats and dogs, but we tend to foster or work with those animals. And otherwise, we both my fiance and I both really like nature. I like, you know, walking around Ochre Lake with my dog. I hope to visit the National Parks sometime soon when we get some days off in a row. And otherwise, I've enjoyed cooking some nice meals at home, cooking dinners
with my fiance. We live right by Harman's and so being walking distance to a grocery store has made it much easier to go grab some things for dinner.
And it's been a love for all of our listeners. Are rs listeners. Do you do the social media thing? Do you do the Instagram thing? I think the kids love the TikTok. Sam, is there any anywhere that our listeners can go find your stuff?
Yeah, they can find me on Instagram at s Junka.
All right, buddy, well, congrats on that goal. It was quite a strike. And keep up the good work and most importantly stay healthy. Okay, thank you very much all Sam junk rsel left back.
He and Alex.
Catronos kind of battling for that position. Had a pretty stunning goal. I didn't know Sam had that in him. It was from I don't know twenty five twenty six yards out beat the keeper lower right hand side and was able to get that goal to help RSL get that three one victory against San Diego. The road continues for RSL. They have been on the road for a while. Three of the next four on the road. They're going to take on Vancouver. Who's the best side in the West.
Ride now, Then they'll be in Dallas at Toyota Stadium, a quick trip back to Salt Lake. I guess I should say Sandy to take on Portland, and then there'll be a Dick Sporting Goods Park to take on Colorado. So three the next four on the road for real Salt Lake