Live today seven to seventy West Riverdale Road in Ogden, thirteenth Dannuel Memorial Day Weekend tenth sale.
Come on by and say hello.
We are giving away a really nice cooler, a Lone Mountain one ten qt cooler from Pittmaster Supplied Company in a draw name coming up at five o'clock. We'll get back to some college football storylines with Matt Brown. Do some NBA in the five o'clock hour. But let's switch gears now. Rayle saw Lake welcomes in. One of the best teams in Major League Soccer. Vancouver is the opponent coming up on Saturday. Our next guest chief soccer operator,
technical director. He has several different titles, Kurt Schmidt, what is your preferred title? I guess I'll just ask you. Since I feel like I've got seven different answers, you.
Can you can just call him a sporting director.
That's the title, sporting director.
Okay, Sporting director Kurt Schmidt on a Thursday afternoon. All right, some exciting news for Diego. I mean it means you guys are probably gonna miss him for a while. But Diego Luna called up to the US men's national.
Team roster for the Gold Cup.
Kurt, what does this mean for Diego and what does it mean for the club.
It's it's obviously a huge, huge opportunity for Diego, and we're very excited for him.
He's earned his work and his play.
And to to have the level with both the national team and with US to catch the attention of the national coaching staff is massive for him. And you know, he knows every every chance he gets to impress is an important opportunity to grab and hold on to. So we're really excited for him here. He's earned it, he deserves it, and we hope he does really well.
So from what I understand, players report June first, do you have well you probably know how long are you going to be without Diego?
Basically the entire month of June and the first.
Few days of July.
Okay, so it's.
A tournament, so of course at the on the US's advancement, but that's the end of the tournament.
Yeah, for sure.
So the Gold Cup typically, and you'll have to educate me here just based off of my recollection, Like I can remember before Kyle or Nick and even Tony. I think Tony had a Gold Cup experience before you know, Kyle and Nick became consistent with the US men's national team involvement.
The Gold Cup was kind of their first experience.
Is it fair to say that this is just kind of more of an opportunity maybe for the staff with the US men's national team to get a look at some players that they wouldn't otherwise get a look at. Is that kind of fair to say?
Yeah?
I think, I mean, it's like a obvious up to them to use it how they fit. But it is a really competitive environment in which they can test some guys who they haven't seen maybe at the highest level and their most important games at this stage. So yeah, it's it is a little bit, you know, I think experiment is maybe the wrong word, which is the word that almost almost was in my head, But it's something where they can let guys prove themselves essentially.
So, Kurt, is it fair to say that you listen to this radio show for four hours every day and you never miss a moment?
Is that fair to say?
Are we being honest here? It would be nice?
I'm only asking asked, did you have a chance to listen to your head coach on this radio show this week?
Yeah, I didn't.
I didn't listen to it live, but I was, I was, I was sent it later.
Correct, Okay, fair enough.
So I'm glad that somebody's sent it to you, and I guess it's it's my little Birdie, my little buddy, my little Birdie.
I'm glad that it was sent to you.
You know it? Yeah, you know?
Fair enough? Fair enough, because I did want to get so.
Pablo caught me entirely off guard with this, and my guess is you're aware of it, because I mean, hell, you run the show. But he hopped on and said that as a result of this new ownership change, he's been told that they're not really interested in moving on from younger players, and they're not interested in selling players that you guys have identified and developed.
Now does that mean you'll never do it? Of course not.
If somebody wants to write you a five hundred million dollar check for Diego, my guess is you're going to take that.
But can you shed any light on what.
Pablo articulated as a bit of an ethos change for the club now that they're new ownership in charge.
Yeah, I think. Look, every conversation.
That I've had with with Uh. With new ownership has been really positive and they've been fantastic to work with, to talk to, spend time with. And what I think is fair to say is they're they're interested in making decisions that help us win. And and that's something that obviously, you know, myself and Pablo and everyone else in the front office is really excited to hear and we couldn't ask for anything more. So that obviously, you know, along with that, there's no absolutes.
You know, we're not going.
To say we'll never do this, We're always going to do that, et cetera, et cetera. You know, every situation presents a different set of variables, but the end result and the prison through which we need to look through those decisions is going to be does this help us win? Does this help us be successful on and off the field? Is? Does this help us become a team and a club that the community can be proud of?
So how do you balance that, Kurt? And of course it's going to be case by case. And I was being facetious with a five hundred million dollar number for Diego, but there there is still a number, you know, there there's a number that exists for young players that make sense for the organization, even if the ethos is no longer,
we identified develop and move on. So when it comes to your role, and then obviously you have Jason, and you have Tony, and you have your staff and the synergies with ownership, what are the dynamics that you balance when making these decisions even if the walking line now is we would refer to hang on to our better players.
Analysis in terms of you know, when when an offers do come Look, I think in an MLS, you know, and obviously this happened last year with Andreskomaz. I think when when when someone comes in and offers a significant enough value for or some of your better players, you know,
it does become difficult to turn those things down. It maybe becomes more a question of when and not if in those scenarios, because it's because if you're if you get an offer that represents something that you feel is you know, exceeds the player's current value, that you might not you know, if if if I.
Wouldn't sell him for ten million.
Well then I'm essentially making this in that I'm buying him for ten million. And so if if that's not something we're comfortable with, then we feel we can deploy those resources across two players, or we can you know, spend those resources in other parts of the roster. Then yeah, we still make those decisions. But like I said, I think in the future of those decision points, maybe you know, they could be they can be a when and not
an if. And I think if we receive offers for guys that you know we don't feel value the player appro quickly and don't really let us both replace the player and end up ahead in some way, those those things don't make sense for us.
So as it pertains to the way this could potentially relate to Diego. Obviously, his star has just shot through the roof over the past counter year, and he's still so young, with so much potential. I wonder if you could shed any light to the fan base and folks that are just badly hoping and he stays here for as long as possible about what this potential shift in mindset could mean for the decisions that you have to make for him.
Yeah. I think if if you're someone that does want him to stay here as long as possible. His success with the national team is phenomenal because of the proximity to the World Cup and the chances that he's getting right now with the national team while playing for US. You know, if I'm Diego, I'm thinking how can I
keep doing this? Not how can I change everything? Because obviously what's what he's done up to this point has gotten him into this opportunity, and as you're heading into an important tournament or important series of national team games, you know, him playing as much as possible, at as high level as possible is the best thing for him, right And one thing that I think he's got going for him.
Even relative over and.
Above what some of the other other players in the pool might have, is is the level of responsibility he has within our team. And I think that's that's a little bit of a unique thing for maybe this national team pool that Diego has, I think in his favor. So the level of responsibility that he has within our club and our team is maybe a bit higher than some other guys that might be at bigger clubs that
might have a really different role. And how that changes when you go to the national team and what you're asking of those players in that environment, you know, are they ready to give that? Well, Diego, someone that's shown that you can rely upon him, he can take that responsibility, and so I think him continuing to do that is obviously going to put him in the best position to succeed with with us in the national fame.
And when it comes to the decision as far as you know, either sending him on his way or keeping him here, I don't know.
I'm not in the meetings.
I mean you're behind closed doors, like with the new ownership transition and this supposed new mindset. Do you guys like identify a number that if a club calls and says, Okay, this is what we're willing to do, and that number is hit. It's that simple. Is it a synergistic conversation with his reps? Obviously if he wants to go, and you guys have shown this with other players, if you do not want to be here, then you know, best
of luck elsewhere. But when it comes to the dynamics intertwined in a very very big decision for the club in Diego Luna, what would you say to that based off of conversations you've had with with the ownership group.
Yeah, look, each situation requires something a little bit different, you know, and I know there are some scenarios in which you know, just just name me a number and say, hey, look we will we'll work with you and if we get actual, let you go. But I'm whether you believe
this or not, I'm maybe a very collaborative person. And so I find working working, as you said, synergistically, which I hope is a word with the agent and the player and ownership obviously is the best way to go about it, and to find a pathway that is a win win win, Kurt.
When you do radio four hours a day, five days a week, you invent words and you don't even think twice about it, buddy. So if it's a word, great, If it's not, I feel like it works and what.
Do you need it? So that's going to mean something.
And by the way, what do you mean, believe it or not? That was like a personal shot.
I believe you. I believe you to be a collaborator.
I've I've had a lot of meetings the last few days. But so yeah, but no, I'm a collaborator. I I I lean on my staff here a lot, Tony Jason, you mentioned you know, John Spencer, Louke, Maulhall, and Joe Thomas. These guys, are are massive helps for me and and in the day to day and the things that I do obviously over over and above you know, Poplo and the coaching staff and and everyone is the sports staff. So yes, very very collaborative here.
Do you lean on Trey for anything that's real?
Uh?
Sometimes physically, but but no, just.
Picturing Tray is great.
Trade Tray is great, and and him coordinating with with you guys and and being uh.
Trey is uh, you know.
A strong, strong advocate both for the club and it's players and employees. And I appreciate him for that.
That's enough, good, good talk of Trey. That's we've made his weekend.
That's enough.
Do you feel like you need to lean on me for anything more during your decision making processes?
You know what, I will give that some serious thought and come back to you.
Okay, fair enough, all right, So Diego will be gone for a month plus and as you reference, if the US advances and does well in the tournament, could be more. I don't have to tell you when Diego doesn't score, the goals are hard to come by.
So how are we going to turn this around? Buddy? I mean, ultimately, Pablo also reference, like, look, the group is the group.
He was very honest about his opinion that you guys are a couple of editions away from being elite.
But of course those additions.
Can't come for a while until the summer transfer windows open.
And I believe we're approaching two hundred and fifty minutes.
Without a goal, so what gives. Obviously the offense is not where it needs to be.
Yeah, I think that's fair to say. I'm not gonna sit here and deny that and when when it's in black and white. But what I can say is, you know, in Pablo said this a time, so this isn't you know, breaking the ground. But obviously I think, you know, in a lot of these games, I think we do really well from box box, We do really well in the builds, base and getting into the final third, and where we struggle is is in that execution and those decisions making,
you know, in and around the goal. And obviously that's the important part when you're talking about scoring goals, and that's the thing we need to work on. So at the same time as it's disappointing that we're not finishing those chances in the.
Final third, you know, it's important.
That we remain positive about the play.
Up until that point.
And and what it I think helps us realize or get to is, you know, hey, look, this isn't this isn't the you know, a massive shifts that needs to happen to change everything, to throw the baby out with the bath water. There are a lot of positive things happening, and so now how do we get that last five or ten percent? And that's you know, that's what that's that's why Pablo is where he's at because because his job is to work with those guys and to get
that out of him. And you know, whether it's a few new signings or these guys or whoever it is, you know, pablo job is always to get you know, five, ten, fifteen percent more out of out of the players than maybe even they think they have. And I think, I think you can do that. And I think it's just about polishing up from on a team team wise standpoint,
our execution in the final third. So you know, that's obviously what the staff is working on and you know, hopefully we see the fruits of that labor.
Excuse me, So from what I have in front of me, a secondary transfer window opens on July twenty fourth and closes on August twenty excuse me, August twenty fifth. So with those dates, when you look at the potential, let's just operate off a really fun hypothetical curtain. Put zero pressure on you and your staff. If you sign somebody on July twenty fourth, the first day possible, that gives you thirteen matches and ten league matches left. Now that's
not nothing. It's not the entire season, but it's also not nothing. Help our listeners, and quite frankly me understand the processes put in place between now and July twenty fourth to potentially bring in the reinforcements that a lot of people thought you were going to bring in during the primary transfer window. To do that in the secondary transfer window, is it even realistic to expect that maybe the day that it opens, we could have some reinforcements on the way.
Yeah, I think I think that. You know, one of the most important things that I that I think is maybe missing from that thought process or or mind of reasoning, is is that you know, we can't be consistently thinking in short term, you know, with short term mindset, and so you know we can't we can't see the results right now, and you know, make a rass decision as well. Let's just do this. Hopefully this will help us in August and September and you know, and then we'll deal
with the rest of it later. I think it's important that we continue to make good long term decisions and not and not be focused on the short term. But that being said, obviously that doesn't mean we're not looking to add.
A piece in summer. We are.
It is realistic, and we want to make sure that we find the right guy that can fit in and that is here for not six months or eighteen months, but many years, right and is a difference maker for us for many years because you know, hey, I don't you know, I don't need to go looking for a difference maker every window. That'd be a great thing. But but again, beyond that, it's the process, which is what
you asked about, and you know it. And it's a little bit of just a continuation of what we did in the winter, you know, which which obviously we weren't able to get towed in over the line in time.
But now as you get into the summer window in Europe and we're able to you know, get out a little bit more scouting over the past few weeks and see Seymour guys live and we broaden our our net and and Seymore players in summer window in Europe means there's more guys that are available, whether that's free transfers or GUIDs that are just on the move in the European offseason, and so the pool of players that we're
looking at is a lot bigger. So you know, I think the the odds of or the chances or the ease of which doing a deal becomes becomes.
A lot better.
You know, once upon a time, Kurt, in MLS, you could piece together a team with you know, teams or players that weren't necessarily among the highest paid in MLS. And you know, before we had this massive economic boom of owners being willing to write checks for millions of dollars sometimes for bid pieces. You can win a Cup in two thousand and nine with a roster that wasn't necessarily among the highest paid. Of course, that's changed, and
that's good. It indicates growth, It indicates economic and investment. And now I just don't think there's any other way to put it other than if you're going to be one of the best teams in MLS, you have to have an ownership group that is willing to economically invest in the roster.
I've just asked you.
Have you received assurances from this ownership group that they are willing to write checks for good players to help this team grow in the right direction.
Yeah, and look, obviously that's that's a really important question. And you know, I'll say, nobody comes to you and says, here's a blank check, do whatever you want with it, right, But like I said earlier, you know, they've they've come to be and we've had really positive meetings and conversations about this, and they said, look, you know, find the right guy that can help the team win, and that can create a team that can be a difference maker on the team and help us be a club you
know that represents the community. Well, and we'll we'll get that done. So you know, what do I take that to mean. You know, again, it's not a it's not a blank check. And you know you mentioned how things used.
To be an MLS.
I think you know the rules in MLS still necessity efficiency and you've got to be efficient with your roster build and your roster spend or you won't be successful even if you are spending millions at the top end, you know, and you can look at some teams in the league now that are that are exhibiting that when you look at you know, teams like Atlanta and Toronto who have spent a lot of money sort of at the top end of their roster, but you know, aren't
achieving the results that they'd like with that spend as well. So efficiency is important. You mentioned even Vancouver at the top, our next opponent. You know, they're not a team that's spending ten, fifteen to twenty million on transfer fees and salaries for players and are are doing quite well.
So so you know, my goal.
My job is obviously to be as efficient as possible, not just you know, spend as much money as I can possibly spend to see if you know we can we can win the most up. It's how do we build the right team and put the right pieces together so that we can be efficient and compete year in,
year out. And and again you you quoted Pablo, I don't think we're eleven players away from that, right, I think we're one or two different makers away from from being back where where where we were pretty successful last year.
I know Diogo picked up a knock.
How healthy are you guys leading into the match coming up on Saturday against a very good Vancouver side.
Yeah, that's uh, that's still there. But as far as the rest of the injury report, I think guys are slowly starting to come off of it, Guys like Kobe and Brian Arra. You know, Phil Quinn has been in the twenty as well. Like those guys are starting to come back in you know, which is really good. But yes, Diogo's still that is knocked. So these day to day more.
Or less, can you guarantee multiple goals on Saturday night?
Oh? I can guarantee nothing. But but I think but what I've seen in training, what I've seen in training is is really positive and really encouraging. And you know, I think, I think again, even in games when we haven't scored, I think we've been we've been created, we've we've had some good chances. Sometimes it always doesn't always redown to things like like goals obviously, which is important, or even XG because you've got to take a shot to end up with with some XG and sometimes we
don't end up getting quite there either. But I'm actually very encouraged with what I've seen in training this last week. And and you know, the team that we're gonna put on the field, I think is going to be exciting and and you know, exciting an attack, but hopefully you have the same solidity in the back and able to to keep the team to a minimums chances.
All right, before I say you lose one more thing, Apparently Gozo graduated high school today, which is kind of mind blowing. I don't need to ask you about his diploma, but I feel like you got some with this kid, Kurt.
There's something there.
And look, I'm no expert, I'm no scout, so I will leave the particulars to you. But what sort of potential do you think this kid has when it's fully baked, when it's fully formed? What do you think this looks like with this young man?
Yeah, I mean another good question. Look, I think you can find talent all over the place, and there's obviously a lot of different skills or speed. There is one to you one ability of technical ability. You know you can you know, heading into whatever it is. One's one defending. Guys can have different skills. That's different talents. You need one, you know, what we call either an elite talent or a superpower or something like that, something that can carry
you and make you stand out even at the highest level. Still, you know, with someone like Gozo, I think, you know, and this is this is maybe why he progressed quickly, but it's it is obviously his speed and his work rate is something that even at the MLS level right helps him stand out even when some other things maybe aren't quite as polished as you want them to be.
He's still bringing the.
Pace and the energy and the work rate, and that's that's adding value and creating a lot of positivity. The one thing that I think it's overlooked as a talent, and I think that I've always valued and and find and the guys that really are successful at younger ages and are successful for a long time, they have this which you know sounds maybe a little basic, but it's adaptability.
And you know, Gozo, I've seen Gozo's you know, grow up here essentially, which is crazy, but you know, he came in with the U fifteens and was one of the top players and it was kind of like, all right, well, let's see how he does when he gets to the next age group and he's playing a year up, and he does that, and he adapts really quickly, and he's one of the better players there. It's like, all right, well then let's see how he doesn't monarchs, and he
does that. It's like now it's the first team. So his ability to adapt quickly at every level is something that's, you know, for me, is one of the special things about Goozo and and you know, adaptability is maybe another way of saying something that that again I think Pablo says a lot, which is, you know, someone's learning here, someone's ability to learn to receive information and incorporate into their game. You know, if you can't do that, you can't adapt quickly. So his ability to do that is
obviously very good. And so for me, yeah, I'm I'm really encouraged by by that trait that he has. And I think when players have that, you can't really you know, you shouldn't put a ceiling on them because that they can keep going and you know, you're just gonna look dumb if you cap it too early, because because they're going, they're gonna surprise you.
And so those was a great kid.
So I couldn't be happier for him as a person, but he's a good player with a bright future ahead of him.
Court thank you, my friend.
You approached this conversation very synergistically, so I appreciate the time. Have a great weekend and best of luck Saturday. Okay, thank you, Sir Kurt Schmidt, RSL Technical Director, Sporting Director, Chief soccer Officer.
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