December 5, 2025 • 42 mins
Tom and Tab react to the USMNT's very favorable World Cup draw, breaking down the matchups with Paraguay, Australia, and likely Turkiye. They get into why expectations for the team are now raised, and how the draw will impact the team selection and lineups. Tab tells a couple of incredible stories about qualifying and preparing for the 1990 World Cup, and how much different things were for U.S. Soccer.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:07):
What's going everybody.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Welcome back to Inside American Soccer and we are here
for episode four, a special episode reacting to the World
Cup draw that just happened. Yes, the United States has
learned their group stage opponents. We're gonna break it down,
what all of it means, what all the permutations are,
what we're excited about, and Tab, we are excited.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
I'm your host, Tom.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Boger, joined as always by Tab Ramos, one of the
US Soccer's best ever players, very successful USU twenty youth
international coach.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Tab.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
The ping pong balls bounced weirdly.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
FIFA decided that they are going to be the authority
on peace and gave out a prize to Donald Trump.
Kevin Hart was there because he needs a job. He
doesn't work enough, and so he had to be there.
Why wouldn't he be. Wayne Gretzky's there, did not brief
himself on how to pronounce Kurosaw, among others, And there
was a whole lot of cringe in the ninety minutes
before we got to the World Cup draw actually happening.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Tab, you were invited to go.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
To the draw, but we we kind of held you
back because you were you were here to do this,
So I got to tell you it's snowing in Washington,
d C.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
And that was a very very long ordeal.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Tap are you disappointed that you're sitting here and you're
not still filing out of the Kennedy Center?
Speaker 3 (01:12):
And you know, there's there's very few things that are
good about getting old, but this is one of the
good ones that you know to not go to stuff
like this. I mean, where do we start, right, Kevin Hart?
I mean, I know you're saying he needs a job,
but you know, I on YouTube, I see him. Every
other commercial is Kevin Hart, So I don't I don't
(01:33):
think he needs a job exactly. Yeah, obviously, Wayne Gretzky,
there's not a lot of hockey being played in Kurasau,
so he's likely not knowing not knowing that name, right.
But overall, I have to say, you know, pretty uh,
pretty happy day. I mean, we we got the absolute
possibly the best row we could get. You know, we're
(01:53):
playing teams. We know, I think Group B I'm sorry,
Pot Too was gonna be the one that was gonna
dictate where we went and how the how this was
gonna go. And by getting Australia in that group. I
think we we ended up being in good shape. But yeah,
overall it's a little bit of a circus. I get it,
(02:14):
and uh No, I'm happy to be home and not
be in DC right now.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Yeah, I agree.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
I think the snow coming in uh in early December
and DC really set the tone for what the day
would be. Listen, we want to get to the soccer,
that's all you and I really care about. But I
also wanted to just get to the soccer the whole
time during the draw. So because FIFA decided to do
what they did, I'm gonna take a minute here to
shred the pomp and circumstance and everything that just happened.
(02:40):
It's it's good to joke about. I'm glad we laughed.
That's the That's the best way to get through the
misery of of.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
What that was. Honest to God, who is this for?
Who asked for this? Who wanted this?
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Outside of maybe Johnny and Fantino, maybe maybe the United
States government, maybe a couple of other really powerful people.
Does any average fan want any of that? Does any
average fan want Rio Ferdinand doing skits jokes within the
arena that did not get a single laugh?
Speaker 1 (03:10):
The entire time.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
I was cringing the entire time the fact that FIFA
is making a peace prize. Why, I don't understand who
is this for. I don't understand ol FIFA can continue
to be so out of touch. The best way I
can sum it up is my expectations were low, but
my god, they still did not come close to that.
So TAB, let's finally get into the soccer. All right,
(03:34):
I've had enough of the Red Guard, but the Tom
Brady jokes everything else. At least you kill O New
was funny. That was the bright spot.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
But let's talk.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
About some soccer. The United States leading Group D.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
They got a very very favorable draw Australia, Paraguay and
the UEFA playoff winner, which will be one of Turkey, Slovakia, Romano,
Romania or Kosovo. Now I sound like Wwayne Gretzky. So
TAB big picture thought, what a favorable draw?
Speaker 3 (03:58):
Well, I think you have to say that, right and
always always with the disclaimer that every game is tough,
and you're gonna go to the World Cup and it's
not like these teams are going on vacation. This is
the real deal, right, so every game is going to
be difficult. Having said that, I think, if you know,
Turkey is likely the best of the European group that
we can potentially play, and if we play Turkey, these are,
(04:20):
you know, Paraguay, Australia, Turkey are three of the last
five opponents we've had already this year. So I think
we're in a great place. I I you know, I
like our matchup with Paraguay, although I do feel Paraguay
in a one off will be much more difficult than
they were in a friendly game in the middle of
October in the US. You know, Australia obviously we played
(04:43):
them in Colorado. Australia is Australia. They're a hard working team,
give nothing away in terms of the fact that they
have good players. But we're better than Australia. There's no
other way to say it. And then we'll see what
happens with the Turkey group. If they get through, Turkey
will be the difficult They already beat us, but I
think we beat ourselves a little bit more than Turkey
(05:04):
beat us when we played them. So the reality is
this is a very good group for us, and it
forced me to look past this group and say, hey,
you know, we likely don't have a really tough matchup
until round of sixteen where we could potentially beat Belgium
meet Belgium. So I think this is a great draw.
This is a great draw.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
I do think it's important to eco what you said.
I don't want to sound disrespectful to these other teams.
They're all here on merit, they're all really good. There
are nothing There is no such easy game at a
World Cup. You know that better than anybody. But there
are harder games, and there was a whole lot of
harder opponents on the board here. Just again Australia Pot two.
We avoided Columbia, Croatia, Uruguay, Ecuador, and a handful of
(05:49):
others that I think would have been more difficult than Australia,
particularly after the United States. Just speed Australia and I
thought they were very handedly the better team, and like
you said, like just just kind of no two ways
around it. I think this is a better team, and
I think Neutrals would say the same with no disrespect
to Australia, right, Like I'm trying to threat walk the
line here that I'm not sounding like we're jumping for
joy about this as if it's going to be a cakewalk,
(06:10):
but it could have been much much harder. Norway was
in Pot three. We avoided Norway again. Paraguay are a
good team. They're a very very feisty team. They defend well,
they play well in transition. They have some special players
that can hurt you in attack, but they don't have
Holland right, like, this could all have been worse and
tad I right before the show, we were double checking. Okay,
(06:31):
if they win the group, they have to win the group. Right,
If they win the group, then who do they play
in the round of thirty two? Okay, who would they
play then in the round of sixteen?
Speaker 1 (06:37):
So our first.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Takeaways are like, this is going to be a massive
disappointment if if they don't look good in the groups,
Like I think that they have to win the group.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
I think there's no doubt that's what has to happen.
We'll be the favors in the group to win it.
And you know, here's one thing I look at. You know,
we in ninety and now go I'll go a little
bit into this later on, but in nineteen ninety we
hadn't qualified to the World Cup for forty years. But
since nineteen ninety you look at all the World Cups,
(07:09):
we haven't really had a US team play a game
in the World Cup that they're supposed to win and
not win it. I mean, you know, we listen, we
criticized teams, right, So you can go all the way
to nineteen ninety eight World Cup and we can talk
about we lost a round two to one. We likely
likely were the favorites in that game, but I'm not
(07:31):
sure by how much in our minds we were favorites,
but I'm not sure by how much. But then if
you look at the World Cup before, we weren't favored
in any games we won one, and the World Cup
before that we had three Europeans in our group. We
definitely weren't favored. And then you look at the World
Cups ahead of that, and there hasn't been American teams
have always come through in the World Cup. And if
(07:52):
we just do what we're supposed to do in this one,
we should be in first place in this group.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
I completely agree.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
And when we're talking about to draw on the abstract, honestly,
the only way that you could make an argument that
there was an easier path would have been because every
group has to have at least one European team, which
is why when Paraguay came up in Pot three that
Pot four had to be one of these playoff winners
for the European So like that's going to be a
stronger Pot four team. But the United States got favorable
(08:21):
draws in Pot two and Pot three. The only other
way that this could have been argued of, like you know,
pick your dream kind of draw, maybe if you got
Scotland in Pot three and then like Cape Verney in
Pot four. But again, like that's splitting hairs, and the
expectations for this group, for this team has to be
to win the group. For me, I know it will
be from recent Patino, the staff in the locker room.
(08:43):
They hopefully would have felt that same way no matter
who that they drew, but particularly now, the pressure is
going to be on and it'll be like I think
back to the twenty two World Cup against Wales, expected
to win against Iran, expected to win against England. It
was a really it was a good draw, but it
was okay. They have to take the game to us.
And in these games again, particularly Australia and Paraguay, the
(09:04):
United States, the impetus is going to be on them
to break down the other team, to implant their will
on the game rather than reacting to the other team.
And anything less than six points from those two games
is going to be a very big disappointment and it's
going to be heavily criticized. And obviously, weird things happen
in one game sample sizes, but that's the World Cup, man,
that's the pressure that's here.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
And like you said, if they.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Topped the group, they would face in the round of
thirty two one of the third place teams, because this
is an expanded World Cup, it's not just the top
two to get through. They it's too difficult to try
to figure out who could one of the third place
teams could be. If they win that, then they, like
you said, would be set up for Belgium. And while
Belgium are really really good, that's still avoiding Spain, France, Germany, Argentina, Brazil,
(09:49):
whoever as a potential.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
Like the path to the quarterfinals is wild.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Yeah, But so here's where it gets a little interesting, right,
because coming in first place in that group gives you
that headway to first you draw a third place team
who knows obviously we can say what groups, but it's
so hard to speculate a third place team. I'm not
so many teams right, so there's too many years. But
you likely are supposed to win that game. You win
(10:16):
that game, and now you meet Belgium. But here's the
interesting part. If for some reason we end second in
our group, which I think would not be where we
want to be or we deserve, you potentially meet Argentina
right after your first you play, you play a G two,
which would could be around, could be Egypt, could be
one of those teams, but then you would play Argentina,
(10:38):
so instead of Belgium, you'd have Argentina. So I think,
you know, all teams look at this. You know, uh,
when you start the tournament, obviously you always you're gonna
get the same line one game at a time, you know,
the whole thing. But the reality is we for us
to have a good pathway, we have to end first
in our group. And this is something that we can
(10:58):
it should be favored to.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
To do absolutely, And obviously we're all gonna intimately learn
every detail about these teams. Again, like you're gonna watch
the coaching staff, We're gonna be watching the other team
in like warm ups and stuff after having studying them
for so long, knowing what they're gonna do, even in
the little small side of games. But these are already
opponents that the United States knows very well. Again, if
(11:22):
we're assuming that it is Turkey that gets out of
that playoff lost to Turkey in June, then they beat
both Paraguay and Australia over the last two breaks in
October November. So these are three opponents that they will
have already played within the last twelve months leading into
a World Cup, which.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
I think is pretty unique.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
I have not done research to definitively say this, but
I doubt that this is very often the case in
the history of the US. So is there extra challenges?
Is there extra I guess comfort, particularly for the two
teams that the United States beat. I'm like, oh no, Like, yeah,
we just saw it. We're not talking in the abstract
about hey, what will mcgil moron look like against Joe
Scalley or or insert any defender because.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
What we just saw it.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
Yeah, you know, I think you're exactly right, And I
think not only I think should we be looking at
this group because here's where the excitement goes, right, because
we can talk about our group, and now we can
continue to talk about teams that we've already talked about, right,
And so the reality is we're favored. We have to
do our job and pressure comes with that and that's
(12:24):
not easy, right, And that's not us being too hard
on the US team. This is the reality of the
teams we have in front of us. We hope that,
you know, thirty five years from han't qualified to a
World Cup, that we're in a better place and that
we should be able to take this group in first place.
Now I haven't said that. Let's think about the fun
of this World Cup, right, Seeing Brazil against Morocco, see
(12:44):
in Portugal against Columbia. I mean, these are matchups we
don't normally seems like I'm excited about this. This is
gonna be amazing.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
I really am too.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Like hell, even even like I was watching the draw
with some people and like when Haiti got drew in
group with Brazil and Morocco in Scotland, I at first
you're like, oh, man, like that is a real uphill battle.
But I'll like their World Cup final was getting to
the World Cup. What an incredible team in for Haiti.
Even if they lose eight nothing to Brazil. They're gonna
enjoy every second of that. And I just think that
those kind of things are beautiful. You talk about cape Verde,
(13:16):
you're talking about curus out some of the other matchups. Again,
we will we'll dive into that a little bit later
as well. But like Franz Senegal, it's gonna be all Norway.
That's the same group.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
And by the way, I'll say this about Haiti. So,
there was a player we had at n JSO four,
Duke Lacroix, who plays for Haiti, and so after the
clave to the World Cup, I texted him, Hey, Duke,
is so great to see you at the World Cup.
There's gonna be amazing. And now I'm gonna have to
text them again to say, hey, you're playing for Zil
my man, how great is that? Right? I mean? This
is this is He and Fafa are two of my
(13:46):
favorite guys that I've ever coached, and I'll be so
happy to see them there.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Yeah, one more thing before we dive into each opponent
really quickly, because we won't know exactly who the the
third opponent is. It can be Turkey, Slovakia, Romania, Kosovo.
Obviously Turkey is the strongest of that group then probably Slovakia,
but Turkey would be the heavy favorites. And if you're
(14:10):
ranking who who do you I guess not want to
see or who is I think the strongest potential opponent,
it's Turkey with a bullet and then it's I think
it drops off several tiers.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
If there's an upset here.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
This has the possibility of becoming the easiest group.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
Yeah, without question, because Turkey is not an easy opponent.
You know, I had the fortune of working for Beshiktaj
about a year and a half ago. I did some
work as a North American and South American director of
scouting for them, and I have to tell you I
had the chance to attend some games. I attended Beshita's
(14:49):
at Gilea Tassarai. I got a chance to be on
the field on some of those games where the stadiums
are on fire. And I have to say, these players
play under a lot of pressure there you to it.
They're good players and I think Turkey could definitely definitely
make a run if they get into this World Cup.
I mean, if you're Turkey right now, you're thinking, man,
we got to get through this playoff because if we
(15:11):
go to the World Cup, we're gonna be first place
in our group. I mean, if you're them, you have
to think that, right.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
It's a great way to put it. That's a great
way to put it.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
As By the way, if you're Paraguay, I think you're
saying the same thing. I think you're saying, Okay, we
got we We we got a group here where we
can be in first place and avoid Spain two. So
it's not just us saying that this is gonna be
and this is the fun part of being in a
group like this, where I think anybody can win and
anybody can be in any position. We just happen to
(15:38):
think that we're the better team.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
No, And I'm really glad you brought that up too,
because obviously, well we're talking about Australia, Paraguay all what
favorable matchup. Literally every POT two team was hoping to
draw the US Canada of Mexico, not because of disrespect,
but because that's a hell of a lot better that England, Brazil.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
France, Argentina.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
Right, So let's let's refocus back on the United States group.
We're gonna take a very quick break, so we're gonna
dive deeper into the two opponents we definitely know, and
then I think we're just gonna assume that Turkey is
the third and we're going to talk about that again.
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Boger tab Ramas wherever you get into podcast.
Speaker 4 (16:16):
We'll be ready.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
All right, welcome back, and right before we dive very
deep into the three or three issue World Cup opponents
at the group stage. We've spoke on the show previously
that depending on the group draw, that could maybe influence
the last couple of roster spots, given there are a
lot of good options for the twenty six man roster,
So tap today initially, Again, we are less than an
(16:53):
hour after this World Cup draw happened. Is there any
players in particular that you feel might have gotten a
slight to their World Cup chances based on this group
in that the United States are going to have to
break teams down probably and have more of the ball
than say they got a much harder group.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
Yeah, I mean one comes to mind immediately, and that's Giorna.
I mean, he had his game against Paraguay. This is
where we thought, Okay, Giorreyna is back and I think
if you're the coach, you were thinking, hey, you know,
had we drawn two European teams and maybe an agent team.
Everybody's in the picture still. But now you know you
drow Paraguay, and you know that you have players who
(17:31):
have been successful, gbing one of them. You know. I
think if anything, this this makes even more of a
case for Giorrena than any other time, right, I mean,
this is this is one, but I think in general,
if you look at the roster for that game, it
was a little bit of a heavier MLS roster. I
think Aaronson played that game as well. I think there's
a lot of players that now will potentially some players
(17:56):
that could potentially be rescued because of this draw, because
I think we can be successful with a lot of
different combinations of guys.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
Now I do too.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
I think the only thought that I have based on
that is this probably increases the chances of four center
forwards beyond the roster, just to have different options with
different combinations of the TAC tab like you said, and
also there's going to be given what the pool is,
there are guys like Patrick godga Among and Brian White
and Hodgie Wright, is in quite the physical presence that
those guys are. But having an option of all right,
(18:28):
it's the eightieth minute. They're sitting deep, we're just putting
balls in a box. We need somebody who's in aerials, right,
whether or not they were going to be one of
the three forward like, So I think that that could
be a boost that instead of I don't know, a
sixth center back, you bring a fourth forward.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
So that's the only thing that comes to mind for me.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
Yeah, and uh, I mean you have to look at
this and you just mentioned which is a great point.
You just mentioned the eightieth minute, but potentially you played
Paraguay in Australia, what will they do against you. Chances
are they're going to sit back and counter both of
those teams. So now if you're gonna play a team
that sits back, this is where you need those guys
that break a team down, right, And you're gonna need,
(19:08):
like you said, additional forwards, but you're also gonna need
likely to potentially think about using Way as a winger.
You're likely gonna have to open up teams. So I
think there's a lot of possibilities with these teams because
we're gonna have to. We're the favorites to win these games,
and we're gonna have to open teams up, which, let's
be fair, we have not been great at that when
(19:30):
we've had a chance, and so but yeah, so I
do agree with you on that, and I think I
think even Turkey for that matter, I'm not sure that
Turkey go all out on us either if they're the
ones that come out of that group. So we're in
a situation where we're likely gonna have the ball on
the opposing side of the field and we're gonna have
to do something with it.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
Yeah, I think that is the big takeaway here, and
I'm very interested in that. I think that that beats
the alternative of bunkering and trying to hit and counter
against one of the superpower in the world at Egg
At some point, if they want to get to where
they where they're going, they're gonna have to beat or
at least played very well against one of those powers.
Look for the group stage, they open against Paraguay in
a quick scouting report. Again, people listening to this probably
(20:13):
watched the game against Paraguay, so you're probably very familiar.
What I think that they do best. Can tap feel
free to jump in wherever you either disagree. I think
that they are are very good in transition, They are
excellent defending, and they are just they don't give you
anything easy. You have to earn every blade aggress against
this Paraguay team. The work rate even on set pieces there,
they're going to be really difficult to kind of get
(20:33):
an opening on. This is going to be a very
tough team in the literal sense, as we saw with
that kind of you know coming together at the end
of that Paraguay game that revolved around Alex Freeman. So
I think that those are the pillars for this team.
A couple of players that that should scare the United States.
Miguel Morone, but in Quiso and Diego Gomez, I think
are three different makers, difference makers going forward to potential
(20:56):
difference makers. And then the US can exploit this team
by killing them with the ball and breaking them down,
shifting them around. Yes, they have an incredible work rate
and an incredible engine. Make them earn it, make them
make them have to at every point scrambling side the side,
possession it with purpose, but not letting them off the hook,
not giving them a chance to really, you know, establish
(21:16):
that lower block keep them moving around and doing so
with the ball.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
Yeah, no question. I think what I'll add to that
is the mentality of the Paraguay and player right because
you look at the their three they're the sort of
their three neighbors to the south, southeast and west are Uruguay,
Argentina and Brazil. They they have been neighbors to the
(21:42):
three countries that win absolutely everything in South America for
the last one hundred and twenty years. And they're not
afraid and they know they have to fight. And I
know that we can be going into this game thinking
we are the better team against Paraguay. But I can
tell you that not for a second are they gonna
be sitting in Paraguay thinking that they can't win this
(22:02):
game against the US, because they're thinking, you know what,
they just beat us and they're not gonna beat us again,
and that's gonna be that's gonna be difficult. Now let's
take the other side of it. And you mentioned, you
know players I can see so and and and al Maron.
You know, these are good players. These are like world
class good players. And I look, I know al Moron
(22:23):
didn't have a great season this year at Atlanta. But but
we know what he's like. We know when the lights
get turned on at the World Cup, that's where the
real players show up, and I think he's one of
those players. This Paraguay team will be more than a
handful for US, and we're gonna have to do a
lot of work to break them down.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
And particularly those three players.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
They can their best in transition, and that is where
what part of it is. They're gonna sit deeper and
again be difficult to play against. But that invites the
US forward, which is how they're gonna have to try
to break them down, so at any moment giving space
to Almroner and see So in particular. But Diego Gomez
is really good at this too. Now with Brighton, those
are three players that can hurt you in transition, so
that those are the things that the US have to
(23:04):
look out for.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
That is the opening game, So I'm extremely excited for.
So we're talking about the opening game, let's talk about
starting eleven's tab. I'll go first.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
I don't think this is any different than than what
I've previously written, so I'll run through quick Freese and
goal back three of Miles Robinson, Chris Richards, tim Ree midfield,
four of desks, Adams Tessaman, Anthony Robinson, dual Ten's of
pool sickond Wea and I could probably be talked into
Tim Leek Tilman particularly for this game, or Jill Rayner
for this game. I think Jill Rayner for sure will
(23:33):
play a part, whether he's able to start or if
he's coming off the bench for a significant chunk. And
then Balgon up top. So that's the eleven that I have.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
Yeah, and now we'll go with I think something similar
to what I've had. I'm gonna go with freezing goal
and and in the back with I'm gonna go Freeman
Richards and Miles Robinson. Uh. And I could go with
McKenzie there too, one of those two the four uh,
in front of them. I'm gonna go Desk on one side,
(24:02):
Robinson on the other side, if he's healthy, if not
totally fine, going with Arstin he's done a great job.
In the center. Is gonna be Adamson McKinney. You know
McKinney is at a good level. Again, it could be
testament if we need a little bit more feet again. Uh.
And then Tillman and Polistic right behind Ballaghan. But but
that could also be Waya there, and it could also
(24:24):
be Giorina. There, so a lot of options. I think
Waya in a game like this where we need to
open up an opponent, it's likely that way I may
get put out as a as a wide player, more
as a wing back than than than one of the
guys up top.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
Yeah, the only the only issue is that like I
toyed with that as well, but like death is still
good an unlocking defense and being really creative in type spaces,
So at least for for what same way I might
not have in that that biggest strength of the combo
of Death and way on the right flank or in
the right channel as well would be pretty strong. So
that's Paraguay. Next opponent is Australia. What do Australia do well?
(25:01):
They defend, They defend very well. They are they are
difficult to play against. It's a different brand of defending.
It's more it's more rigid, I think than Paraguay's. And
they also were going to try to open up in transition.
I don't think that they're as good as Paraguay, particularly
in that regard. But this is a team that's gonna
defend very well, not be afraid of the moment. They
did give the US a decent game. I don't think
(25:23):
the US played particularly great against Australia and they're probably thinking, okay,
with with a better lineup, with a better performance.
Speaker 1 (25:29):
This should be easier. Some players that concern you for
Australia ness roy Iaran Kunda, a young player for Watford,
and the goalkeeper Matt Ryan. That again for a for
a Pot two team, it could be, it could be
much worse.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
How the US are going to have to exploit this
team possession and pressing, both breaking teams down, but immediately
counter pressing when the ball is lost. And again, even
more important than I think against Paraguay is don't give
this team a moment to rest. Continue to put them
under pressure with and without the ball, and chances will come,
and it's about getting it past Matt Run.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
Not a lot to add to this Australia team. I
really unfortunately, I you know, obviously don't want to be
disrespectful to any team. They're all good teams. And I think,
by the way, I commend Australia for going into the
Asian Federation to get more competition because They could have
stayed on the Oceania side and played New Zealand every
(26:27):
year just to go to the World Cup, but they've
done a better job to get more competitive. Having said that,
I think Aaron Kunda, as you said, could be dangerous.
He's a nineteen year old. By the World Cup next summer,
with a little bit more experience, a little bit stronger,
he can be a handful. But man, there's just not
a whole lot to worry about overall. I mean, we
(26:48):
can come up with the names, but I think it's
they're not at the level we are. This is a
team we should be and if we play our game,
the only way Australia is gonna beat US is if
they outwork us. And I don't see a US team
being at worked at home in a World Cup.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
I don't see it. I could couldn't agree more.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
You talk about qualifying, so part of the reason that
they wanted to go through Asia because Oceania you only
get through with the playoff, I believe. Orry previously it
was with the playoff when it was a thirty two
team World Cup. And like you said, they're they're getting
much more difficult opponents, so then qualifying through Asia is
no small feat. In the final round of qualification, they
(27:29):
finished second in their group of six to get direct
qualification World Cup, finishing and buying only Japan. But they
had only sixteen goals in ten matches, and some of
those matches include two against Bahrain, China, Indonesia, which just
kind of shows they don't have the same kind of
edge going forward or the players that can really really
hurt you when concerned. This is going to be a
(27:49):
team that's built defensively. But you know, they still finished
bying Japan and struggled against that team, and I think
Japan is more of a comparison to the United States
than Australia is. Again, there are no easy games the
World Cup, but the US has to be very very
happy with that. And then the third opponent will be
again the winner of the playoff between Turkey, Slovakia, Romania,
(28:10):
Romania Kosovo. Let's just assume this is Turkey, because we
can always change this and talk more about it when
when this uh, when of these playoffs happened in the spring.
But right now, let's work on the assumption at Turkey.
My first question here before even diving into it, I
think Turkey would be the hardest of the three three opponents.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
I guess I wasn't a question. That was just a statement,
wasn't it.
Speaker 3 (28:32):
Yeah, well I was. You finished that, and then I
was waiting for the question.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
Ok, new Jersey question, you know, opinion. Yeah, yeah, that's my.
Speaker 3 (28:44):
Now you following your line of questioning, that's you're yeah,
Turkey will be Turkey would be the most difficult. And
and by the way, so.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
I'm saying, I'm saying over Paraguay in Australia.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
Yeah, yeah, creak, Okay, I agree with you. I just
think that this team is uh has played a lot
of big games. Obviously, they lost to Spain six or
seven zero in one of the games, let's not forget
and European qualifying, but they did well in all the
rest of the games, including their last game against Spain.
You know, they have Arta Ghouler, one of the youngest player,
youngest best players in the world. And and yeah, that
(29:23):
would be if they come into our group, that would
be the toughest team to be in our group, and
we end with them. So it's likely that we're going
into that third game already knowing that we likely have
six points. And if you have six points going into
the third game. Now you're playing to try to avoid
our being on Argentina side and being more with Belgium
(29:43):
for your year second, so you're now afforded to take
a few chances.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
Agreed, But that will be that in that scenario would
still be very crucial tin to finish first and that second.
So I think that will still be a really important
game in s like there's sometimes in the past where
that third game becomes a dead rubber because everybody knows
where they're qualifying, or you're you're playing against a team
that you're either vastly inferior to or superior to, and
that both teams can pretty safely assume, all right, that's
(30:11):
gonna be the firs place team, that's gonna be the second.
This group is wide open that as we've said fifteen
times already, and if if it comes in where Turkey
and the United States have both sitting on six points,
I think both will really go at each other for
this game to top the group.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (30:23):
Talking more specifically about this team, I think that they
do a lot of things well. They possess well, but
they do set pieces like hawkdan Chanoglu is one of
the best set piece takers in the world, and that
is a very important quality at a knockout round at
a World Cup tournament. There's Channoglu, who's obviously very very good.
You talked about Art Goulair their best player, Keenan Yieldaz
(30:45):
maybe could be their best player as well of Juventus
khan Ujan Erkankoku. This this like young core that's going
forward again and lu is the veteran, more veteran presence.
But this like young core of Gulair, yield As, Uzan
Andku those are some players, man Like. This team has
a lot of talent.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
And Chinoguo has got the shot from mid distance. I
mean this guy can hit a ball. I mean he
can hit a ball like very few people in the
world can. No, this is a this is a dangerous
team with good players. But they have to get through
those groups, and you know, in Europe it's it's it's
hard to get out of groups like this. If they do,
they will be the team to beat in the group.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
For US, I totally agree on that front. The United
States lost to Turkey in June. That team, it's just
call it what it is. They were in a very
bad way at that point. And they're in a much
better spot right now. That team didn't have Christian Polisk,
that team was not playing the three four two one
that has worked so well. They did not seem to
(31:44):
have an identity. So while Turkey was much better than
the United States on the day, it was only to one,
I think Turkey was more than that. Like I thought
that they were in control, but then friendly has happened
and there's a lot of subs. But I think this
would be a very difficult opponent. And while they looked
much better than us, you've gotten better since that that point.
So I think that that is a very important part
(32:05):
as we continue to establish first place in the group
has to be the expectation. There is legitimate pressure on
this group to succeed, and the fun part about having
a favorable draw is thinking about the possibilities. But it's
hard and it's gonna be pressure to actually go on
and do it. In nineteen ninety things were a little
(32:36):
bit different from the United States program.
Speaker 1 (32:38):
You said earlier in the show, that was the first
World Cup that we qualified. Forward forty years. You were
part of that team. You guys got a very hard draw.
What is the differences?
Speaker 2 (32:46):
And I guess what is you know, going back to
that moment in that time, what were you kind of
you know, remembering from those days or what comes in
mind between the difference between then and now.
Speaker 3 (32:56):
Yeah, really really interesting actually, because you know, it sort
of sets me back. I start to think about the
fact that we are thinking right now about we're going
to be disappointed if our team is not in first
place in a group in a World Cup. And back
then we were trying to qualify to World Cup when
we had not been to a World Cup to forty years.
(33:17):
So you know, for us to even say that we
thought we could qualify would be exaggerating because we didn't
think we could qualify until probably until we had one
game left. So but but here's here's the neat thing,
and this is this is what I love, you know,
the part about how much soccer has come along in
the last thirty five forty years. You know, we were
(33:40):
playing World Cup qualifiers at Saint Louis Soccer Park, which
I think was called the Budweiser Park or something at
the time, and you know it, I think the capacity
was about six thousand people and I and I remember
the first time, I remember the first time we pulled
in with the bus with the US team and we
saw no more tickets and we sold out Saint Louis
(34:01):
Soccer Park. That was a big deal. I mean, you know,
there are a lot of big games that I've played
that I forgot. You know. People come up to me
all the time, hey remember this, remember that? And I
don't remember a lot, mostly because I'm old, but I
don't remember a lot. But I tell you what I remember.
I remember the day we sold out Saint Louis Soccer Park.
That was a big deal, so to think. And then
(34:23):
we went on. We qualified to the World Cup. It
was it was practically a miracle that we did. And
then we got drawn into a group with three European
teams including the host, so it was it was almost like, yeah,
thanks for coming, but you're going to be Your tickets
are already set for you to go home, like before
the first round is over for everybody else. So and
now look at where we are, right forty years later,
(34:46):
we're hosting a World Cup and we're the leaders of
Group D and we're hoping to win Group D. I mean,
I couldn't be more excited about how far this has
come along.
Speaker 2 (34:56):
And but I know you won't say it yourself, is
your humble guy, but like that the foundation, like where
we are, those expectations, the foundation was laid by you
and your teammates in that era. So I'm sure it's
particularly sweet and prideful and just honestly probably surreal to
your point to iblike of oh my god, we sold
six thousand tickets to a World Cup qualifier, or you know,
(35:18):
you tell me what the feeling was around the team
of echoing like smaller countries that qualified for this World Cup,
of like, hey, Curras, how much much different the United
States but still in their their football and development. We
talked about Haiti, curs Ou, Cape Verde, insert a lot
of these other kind of small teams that are making
the World Cup for the first time, and that final
game to qualify for the World Cup was their World
(35:40):
Cup final.
Speaker 1 (35:40):
And then you're just kind of happy to be there.
Was that part of the feeling for your group.
Speaker 2 (35:45):
Again, as competitive as I know you are and know
all of them are, it was so important just to
get there, right.
Speaker 3 (35:50):
Yeah, I mean we you know, such a different time.
And by the way, I'm so excited about countries like
Cape Verdi and Currosaw to Haiti because I know I
know that feeling. I know the feeling they have, and
it's it's a tremendous feeling. It's you know, of accomplishing
something that nobody thought you could and and and that's neat.
(36:11):
And that doesn't that doesn't necessarily mean money or anything
like that. All it means is like you're happiness, a
memory that you have for the rest of your life,
you know, And that's I think that's the most important part.
So I'm I'm very happy for those players. Yeah, and
for us, I mean to just to show you the
difference of where we were. I mean, John Harks and
I used to drive together, this is before the World Cup,
(36:33):
maybe six nine months before, to prepare for a game.
Sometimes John Harks and I used to drive across to
Brooklyn to play for the Brooklyn Italians for a couple
hundred bucks a game. So so people want to compare
sometimes and they say, oh, this player, how can you
can play Compare a player from the past a player
of today. You can't. You can't because we had nothing.
(36:57):
And from there you're supposed to land the contract that
like a big European club. How would that even happen.
We were. The fact that we even got there was
an absolute miracle. And the fact that you know, John
Harks ended up at Sheffield Wednesday, I ended up at
Figueras and then at Bettie's and Eric Winola, I ended
at Bochum or wherever else. I mean, these were all
little miracles. More than anything else I need.
Speaker 2 (37:19):
Did anybody recognize you when you were playing for the
Brooklyn Italians and like, Hey, what the hell are you
doing in this league?
Speaker 3 (37:25):
Yeah, of course we were a big deal. We were
a big deal in those leagues.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
Could you imagine showing up for again, I know it's
not exactly Sunday League, but it certainly ain't professional. Could
you imagine showing up and I'm warming up and like
is that fucking tabraight?
Speaker 1 (37:40):
Are you kidding me? What am I to tell you?
Speaker 3 (37:42):
I tell you where? It help and help in the
sense that we played our home games at Brooklyn College
and the turnfield. The turn field is so hard, But
that wasn't the most difficult part. The difficult part was
that people would hit you with umbrella as is you're
going down the side. So the fact that we were
the fact that we were known a little bit helped
(38:04):
us to not get hit with an umbrella when you went.
Speaker 2 (38:06):
To, Oh, my goodness, proper football man that is in
this country.
Speaker 3 (38:14):
I would like to tell you a better story about
how great it was, but it really was.
Speaker 2 (38:18):
No, that's that is the best story. That is the
best story right there. Again, I just can't put myself
in the minds of like some other player that's getting
a hundred bucks or something.
Speaker 3 (38:25):
It's like, oh my god, you can, by the way,
by the way, six months later we were playing against
Bozzio in Rome at the World Cup.
Speaker 1 (38:35):
Unbelievable, Oh my god.
Speaker 2 (38:37):
If there was no better way to tell how things
have James, Whereas now you know, you look at Pulisic
and McKinnon and everything that these players have, and I've
grown to again starting with the foundation of what you guys,
what you guys built. We're talking about Pulisic playing in
the Milan Darby not playing for the Brooklyn Italians getting
ready for a work up.
Speaker 1 (38:58):
It's just delightful. Yeah, this has been great.
Speaker 2 (39:01):
There's been there's been if just really quickly to talk
about some of the other teams.
Speaker 1 (39:07):
Here at the World Cup.
Speaker 2 (39:08):
We're obviously focused in the United States We've got to
look around right now, I've seen some betting odds come out.
Spain are the betting favorites, followed in order by England, France,
Brazil and Argentina. So those are the five favorites according
to the book makers. And then in terms of group
of death, there's a couple options and group of death
is going to lose a little bit of its luster
now where you can get be third place and qualify,
(39:31):
whereas in the past it was only the top two
at the previous World Cups. But for me and you,
you tell me what the group of death is, it's
either this one England, Croatia, Ghana and Panama or France, Senegal,
Norway and then the winner of a playoff that will
be Bolivia Iraq for sure now. But the France, Senego, Norway.
Part of that is what makes it the group? What
(39:52):
could make it the group of death? Which one of
those do do you believe is the hardest group?
Speaker 3 (39:57):
Wow? That's that's that's a good and those groups being
potentially the most difficult, And I agree with you, group
of death is kind of like a tough turn when
three can qualify, right, I'm gonna have to go with
the France, Senegal, Norway because I think if any of
those three teams get hot, including and I will include Senegal,
(40:17):
if any of those three teams get hot, they can
go win the whole thing. And so I would pick
that group slightly over the England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama because
that will be a very that's a difficult group, the England, Croatia, Ghana,
Panama because it's so even. You know, England always disappoints
a little bit at World Cups, especially in first round,
(40:40):
and because of that they probably drop a couple points
and I think because of that, this will be a
crazy group.
Speaker 2 (40:46):
I feel as for our other co hosts Mexico or
with South Africa, South Korea and then a European team
to be determined later. And Canada are with a European
team to be determined latter that could be Italy, Qatar
and Switzerland. I don't think that that was the worst
case scenario for Canada, but it certainly won't be easy.
And I was with Jesse Marsh this week ahead of
(41:08):
the draw and his what his messages to the locker
room to the team is it's not just about getting
out of the group, which they that is the ultimate goal.
It's we want to top the group because if we
topped the group, we get to stay and play in
Canada moving forward. So that's that's where things are set
for the other co hosts for the World Cup. Again,
we will be talking plenty about the World Cup.
Speaker 1 (41:28):
That is what this show is.
Speaker 2 (41:29):
We are focused on United national United States national team.
Everything is built towards the World Cup. I'm sure we'll
talk a little bit of Mexico in Canada here and
there along the way. But tap, this was fun. I'm
glad that we did this much more efficiently than the
World Cup draw itself. I'm sorry I didn't bring in
a word for you. I probably should have brought something,
made up, something for us, but I came empty, and
(41:51):
I'm sorry.
Speaker 3 (41:51):
I think I think we needed an award. I think
an award to the tallest guy would have fit today.
Speaker 1 (41:55):
For me.
Speaker 3 (41:57):
It would have been perfect to go with the celebration.
Speaker 2 (42:01):
I think that would not have been the most absurd
thing that came from the day. Listen, Thank you, everybody,
Thank you tab first, and foremost, thank you to iHeart
everybody listening. Please rate, review, and subscribe. Inside American soccer.
We will be back very soon. We got a lot
of fun stuff planned coming up, so again please subscribe
and thank you very much for Lis
What's going everybody.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
Welcome back to Inside American Soccer and we are here
for episode four, a special episode reacting to the World
Cup draw that just happened. Yes, the United States has
learned their group stage opponents. We're gonna break it down,
what all of it means, what all the permutations are,
what we're excited about, and Tab, we are excited.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
I'm your host, Tom.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
Boger, joined as always by Tab Ramos, one of the
US Soccer's best ever players, very successful USU twenty youth
international coach.
Speaker 3 (00:33):
Tab.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
The ping pong balls bounced weirdly.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
FIFA decided that they are going to be the authority
on peace and gave out a prize to Donald Trump.
Kevin Hart was there because he needs a job. He
doesn't work enough, and so he had to be there.
Why wouldn't he be. Wayne Gretzky's there, did not brief
himself on how to pronounce Kurosaw, among others, And there
was a whole lot of cringe in the ninety minutes
before we got to the World Cup draw actually happening.
Speaker 1 (00:57):
Tab, you were invited to go.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
To the draw, but we we kind of held you
back because you were you were here to do this,
So I got to tell you it's snowing in Washington,
d C.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
And that was a very very long ordeal.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Tap are you disappointed that you're sitting here and you're
not still filing out of the Kennedy Center?
Speaker 3 (01:12):
And you know, there's there's very few things that are
good about getting old, but this is one of the
good ones that you know to not go to stuff
like this. I mean, where do we start, right, Kevin Hart?
I mean, I know you're saying he needs a job,
but you know, I on YouTube, I see him. Every
other commercial is Kevin Hart, So I don't I don't
(01:33):
think he needs a job exactly. Yeah, obviously, Wayne Gretzky,
there's not a lot of hockey being played in Kurasau,
so he's likely not knowing not knowing that name, right.
But overall, I have to say, you know, pretty uh,
pretty happy day. I mean, we we got the absolute
possibly the best row we could get. You know, we're
(01:53):
playing teams. We know, I think Group B I'm sorry,
Pot Too was gonna be the one that was gonna
dictate where we went and how the how this was
gonna go. And by getting Australia in that group. I
think we we ended up being in good shape. But yeah,
overall it's a little bit of a circus. I get it,
(02:14):
and uh No, I'm happy to be home and not
be in DC right now.
Speaker 1 (02:18):
Yeah, I agree.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
I think the snow coming in uh in early December
and DC really set the tone for what the day
would be. Listen, we want to get to the soccer,
that's all you and I really care about. But I
also wanted to just get to the soccer the whole
time during the draw. So because FIFA decided to do
what they did, I'm gonna take a minute here to
shred the pomp and circumstance and everything that just happened.
(02:40):
It's it's good to joke about. I'm glad we laughed.
That's the That's the best way to get through the
misery of of.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
What that was. Honest to God, who is this for?
Who asked for this? Who wanted this?
Speaker 2 (02:51):
Outside of maybe Johnny and Fantino, maybe maybe the United
States government, maybe a couple of other really powerful people.
Does any average fan want any of that? Does any
average fan want Rio Ferdinand doing skits jokes within the
arena that did not get a single laugh?
Speaker 1 (03:10):
The entire time.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
I was cringing the entire time the fact that FIFA
is making a peace prize. Why, I don't understand who
is this for. I don't understand ol FIFA can continue
to be so out of touch. The best way I
can sum it up is my expectations were low, but
my god, they still did not come close to that.
So TAB, let's finally get into the soccer. All right,
(03:34):
I've had enough of the Red Guard, but the Tom
Brady jokes everything else. At least you kill O New
was funny. That was the bright spot.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
But let's talk.
Speaker 1 (03:40):
About some soccer. The United States leading Group D.
Speaker 2 (03:43):
They got a very very favorable draw Australia, Paraguay and
the UEFA playoff winner, which will be one of Turkey, Slovakia, Romano,
Romania or Kosovo. Now I sound like Wwayne Gretzky. So
TAB big picture thought, what a favorable draw?
Speaker 3 (03:58):
Well, I think you have to say that, right and
always always with the disclaimer that every game is tough,
and you're gonna go to the World Cup and it's
not like these teams are going on vacation. This is
the real deal, right, so every game is going to
be difficult. Having said that, I think, if you know,
Turkey is likely the best of the European group that
we can potentially play, and if we play Turkey, these are,
(04:20):
you know, Paraguay, Australia, Turkey are three of the last
five opponents we've had already this year. So I think
we're in a great place. I I you know, I
like our matchup with Paraguay, although I do feel Paraguay
in a one off will be much more difficult than
they were in a friendly game in the middle of
October in the US. You know, Australia obviously we played
(04:43):
them in Colorado. Australia is Australia. They're a hard working team,
give nothing away in terms of the fact that they
have good players. But we're better than Australia. There's no
other way to say it. And then we'll see what
happens with the Turkey group. If they get through, Turkey
will be the difficult They already beat us, but I
think we beat ourselves a little bit more than Turkey
(05:04):
beat us when we played them. So the reality is
this is a very good group for us, and it
forced me to look past this group and say, hey,
you know, we likely don't have a really tough matchup
until round of sixteen where we could potentially beat Belgium
meet Belgium. So I think this is a great draw.
This is a great draw.
Speaker 2 (05:26):
I do think it's important to eco what you said.
I don't want to sound disrespectful to these other teams.
They're all here on merit, they're all really good. There
are nothing There is no such easy game at a
World Cup. You know that better than anybody. But there
are harder games, and there was a whole lot of
harder opponents on the board here. Just again Australia Pot two.
We avoided Columbia, Croatia, Uruguay, Ecuador, and a handful of
(05:49):
others that I think would have been more difficult than Australia,
particularly after the United States. Just speed Australia and I
thought they were very handedly the better team, and like
you said, like just just kind of no two ways
around it. I think this is a better team, and
I think Neutrals would say the same with no disrespect
to Australia, right, Like I'm trying to threat walk the
line here that I'm not sounding like we're jumping for
joy about this as if it's going to be a cakewalk,
(06:10):
but it could have been much much harder. Norway was
in Pot three. We avoided Norway again. Paraguay are a
good team. They're a very very feisty team. They defend well,
they play well in transition. They have some special players
that can hurt you in attack, but they don't have
Holland right, like, this could all have been worse and
tad I right before the show, we were double checking. Okay,
(06:31):
if they win the group, they have to win the group. Right,
If they win the group, then who do they play
in the round of thirty two? Okay, who would they
play then in the round of sixteen?
Speaker 1 (06:37):
So our first.
Speaker 2 (06:39):
Takeaways are like, this is going to be a massive
disappointment if if they don't look good in the groups,
Like I think that they have to win the group.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
I think there's no doubt that's what has to happen.
We'll be the favors in the group to win it.
And you know, here's one thing I look at. You know,
we in ninety and now go I'll go a little
bit into this later on, but in nineteen ninety we
hadn't qualified to the World Cup for forty years. But
since nineteen ninety you look at all the World Cups,
(07:09):
we haven't really had a US team play a game
in the World Cup that they're supposed to win and
not win it. I mean, you know, we listen, we
criticized teams, right, So you can go all the way
to nineteen ninety eight World Cup and we can talk
about we lost a round two to one. We likely
likely were the favorites in that game, but I'm not
(07:31):
sure by how much in our minds we were favorites,
but I'm not sure by how much. But then if
you look at the World Cup before, we weren't favored
in any games we won one, and the World Cup
before that we had three Europeans in our group. We
definitely weren't favored. And then you look at the World
Cups ahead of that, and there hasn't been American teams
have always come through in the World Cup. And if
(07:52):
we just do what we're supposed to do in this one,
we should be in first place in this group.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
I completely agree.
Speaker 2 (07:59):
And when we're talking about to draw on the abstract, honestly,
the only way that you could make an argument that
there was an easier path would have been because every
group has to have at least one European team, which
is why when Paraguay came up in Pot three that
Pot four had to be one of these playoff winners
for the European So like that's going to be a
stronger Pot four team. But the United States got favorable
(08:21):
draws in Pot two and Pot three. The only other
way that this could have been argued of, like you know,
pick your dream kind of draw, maybe if you got
Scotland in Pot three and then like Cape Verney in
Pot four. But again, like that's splitting hairs, and the
expectations for this group, for this team has to be
to win the group. For me, I know it will
be from recent Patino, the staff in the locker room.
(08:43):
They hopefully would have felt that same way no matter
who that they drew, but particularly now, the pressure is
going to be on and it'll be like I think
back to the twenty two World Cup against Wales, expected
to win against Iran, expected to win against England. It
was a really it was a good draw, but it
was okay. They have to take the game to us.
And in these games again, particularly Australia and Paraguay, the
(09:04):
United States, the impetus is going to be on them
to break down the other team, to implant their will
on the game rather than reacting to the other team.
And anything less than six points from those two games
is going to be a very big disappointment and it's
going to be heavily criticized. And obviously, weird things happen
in one game sample sizes, but that's the World Cup, man,
that's the pressure that's here.
Speaker 1 (09:23):
And like you said, if they.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Topped the group, they would face in the round of
thirty two one of the third place teams, because this
is an expanded World Cup, it's not just the top
two to get through. They it's too difficult to try
to figure out who could one of the third place
teams could be. If they win that, then they, like
you said, would be set up for Belgium. And while
Belgium are really really good, that's still avoiding Spain, France, Germany, Argentina, Brazil,
(09:49):
whoever as a potential.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
Like the path to the quarterfinals is wild.
Speaker 3 (09:55):
Yeah, But so here's where it gets a little interesting, right,
because coming in first place in that group gives you
that headway to first you draw a third place team
who knows obviously we can say what groups, but it's
so hard to speculate a third place team. I'm not
so many teams right, so there's too many years. But
you likely are supposed to win that game. You win
(10:16):
that game, and now you meet Belgium. But here's the
interesting part. If for some reason we end second in
our group, which I think would not be where we
want to be or we deserve, you potentially meet Argentina
right after your first you play, you play a G two,
which would could be around, could be Egypt, could be
one of those teams, but then you would play Argentina,
(10:38):
so instead of Belgium, you'd have Argentina. So I think,
you know, all teams look at this. You know, uh,
when you start the tournament, obviously you always you're gonna
get the same line one game at a time, you know,
the whole thing. But the reality is we for us
to have a good pathway, we have to end first
in our group. And this is something that we can
(10:58):
it should be favored to.
Speaker 2 (11:00):
To do absolutely, And obviously we're all gonna intimately learn
every detail about these teams. Again, like you're gonna watch
the coaching staff, We're gonna be watching the other team
in like warm ups and stuff after having studying them
for so long, knowing what they're gonna do, even in
the little small side of games. But these are already
opponents that the United States knows very well. Again, if
(11:22):
we're assuming that it is Turkey that gets out of
that playoff lost to Turkey in June, then they beat
both Paraguay and Australia over the last two breaks in
October November. So these are three opponents that they will
have already played within the last twelve months leading into
a World Cup, which.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
I think is pretty unique.
Speaker 2 (11:39):
I have not done research to definitively say this, but
I doubt that this is very often the case in
the history of the US. So is there extra challenges?
Is there extra I guess comfort, particularly for the two
teams that the United States beat. I'm like, oh no, Like, yeah,
we just saw it. We're not talking in the abstract
about hey, what will mcgil moron look like against Joe
Scalley or or insert any defender because.
Speaker 1 (12:00):
What we just saw it.
Speaker 3 (12:02):
Yeah, you know, I think you're exactly right, And I
think not only I think should we be looking at
this group because here's where the excitement goes, right, because
we can talk about our group, and now we can
continue to talk about teams that we've already talked about, right,
And so the reality is we're favored. We have to
do our job and pressure comes with that and that's
(12:24):
not easy, right, And that's not us being too hard
on the US team. This is the reality of the
teams we have in front of us. We hope that,
you know, thirty five years from han't qualified to a
World Cup, that we're in a better place and that
we should be able to take this group in first place.
Now I haven't said that. Let's think about the fun
of this World Cup, right, Seeing Brazil against Morocco, see
(12:44):
in Portugal against Columbia. I mean, these are matchups we
don't normally seems like I'm excited about this. This is
gonna be amazing.
Speaker 1 (12:53):
I really am too.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Like hell, even even like I was watching the draw
with some people and like when Haiti got drew in
group with Brazil and Morocco in Scotland, I at first
you're like, oh, man, like that is a real uphill battle.
But I'll like their World Cup final was getting to
the World Cup. What an incredible team in for Haiti.
Even if they lose eight nothing to Brazil. They're gonna
enjoy every second of that. And I just think that
those kind of things are beautiful. You talk about cape Verde,
(13:16):
you're talking about curus out some of the other matchups. Again,
we will we'll dive into that a little bit later
as well. But like Franz Senegal, it's gonna be all Norway.
That's the same group.
Speaker 3 (13:25):
And by the way, I'll say this about Haiti. So,
there was a player we had at n JSO four,
Duke Lacroix, who plays for Haiti, and so after the
clave to the World Cup, I texted him, Hey, Duke,
is so great to see you at the World Cup.
There's gonna be amazing. And now I'm gonna have to
text them again to say, hey, you're playing for Zil
my man, how great is that? Right? I mean? This
is this is He and Fafa are two of my
(13:46):
favorite guys that I've ever coached, and I'll be so
happy to see them there.
Speaker 2 (13:50):
Yeah, one more thing before we dive into each opponent
really quickly, because we won't know exactly who the the
third opponent is. It can be Turkey, Slovakia, Romania, Kosovo.
Obviously Turkey is the strongest of that group then probably Slovakia,
but Turkey would be the heavy favorites. And if you're
(14:10):
ranking who who do you I guess not want to
see or who is I think the strongest potential opponent,
it's Turkey with a bullet and then it's I think
it drops off several tiers.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
If there's an upset here.
Speaker 2 (14:22):
This has the possibility of becoming the easiest group.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
Yeah, without question, because Turkey is not an easy opponent.
You know, I had the fortune of working for Beshiktaj
about a year and a half ago. I did some
work as a North American and South American director of
scouting for them, and I have to tell you I
had the chance to attend some games. I attended Beshita's
(14:49):
at Gilea Tassarai. I got a chance to be on
the field on some of those games where the stadiums
are on fire. And I have to say, these players
play under a lot of pressure there you to it.
They're good players and I think Turkey could definitely definitely
make a run if they get into this World Cup.
I mean, if you're Turkey right now, you're thinking, man,
we got to get through this playoff because if we
(15:11):
go to the World Cup, we're gonna be first place
in our group. I mean, if you're them, you have
to think that, right.
Speaker 1 (15:16):
It's a great way to put it. That's a great
way to put it.
Speaker 3 (15:18):
As By the way, if you're Paraguay, I think you're
saying the same thing. I think you're saying, Okay, we
got we We we got a group here where we
can be in first place and avoid Spain two. So
it's not just us saying that this is gonna be
and this is the fun part of being in a
group like this, where I think anybody can win and
anybody can be in any position. We just happen to
(15:38):
think that we're the better team.
Speaker 2 (15:40):
No, And I'm really glad you brought that up too,
because obviously, well we're talking about Australia, Paraguay all what
favorable matchup. Literally every POT two team was hoping to
draw the US Canada of Mexico, not because of disrespect,
but because that's a hell of a lot better that England, Brazil.
Speaker 1 (15:57):
France, Argentina.
Speaker 2 (15:58):
Right, So let's let's refocus back on the United States group.
We're gonna take a very quick break, so we're gonna
dive deeper into the two opponents we definitely know, and
then I think we're just gonna assume that Turkey is
the third and we're going to talk about that again.
Please rate, review, and subscribe to Inside American Saco, Tom
Boger tab Ramas wherever you get into podcast.
Speaker 4 (16:16):
We'll be ready.
Speaker 2 (16:31):
All right, welcome back, and right before we dive very
deep into the three or three issue World Cup opponents
at the group stage. We've spoke on the show previously
that depending on the group draw, that could maybe influence
the last couple of roster spots, given there are a
lot of good options for the twenty six man roster,
So tap today initially, Again, we are less than an
(16:53):
hour after this World Cup draw happened. Is there any
players in particular that you feel might have gotten a
slight to their World Cup chances based on this group
in that the United States are going to have to
break teams down probably and have more of the ball
than say they got a much harder group.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
Yeah, I mean one comes to mind immediately, and that's Giorna.
I mean, he had his game against Paraguay. This is
where we thought, Okay, Giorreyna is back and I think
if you're the coach, you were thinking, hey, you know,
had we drawn two European teams and maybe an agent team.
Everybody's in the picture still. But now you know you
drow Paraguay, and you know that you have players who
(17:31):
have been successful, gbing one of them. You know. I
think if anything, this this makes even more of a
case for Giorrena than any other time, right, I mean,
this is this is one, but I think in general,
if you look at the roster for that game, it
was a little bit of a heavier MLS roster. I
think Aaronson played that game as well. I think there's
a lot of players that now will potentially some players
(17:56):
that could potentially be rescued because of this draw, because
I think we can be successful with a lot of
different combinations of guys.
Speaker 1 (18:05):
Now I do too.
Speaker 2 (18:06):
I think the only thought that I have based on
that is this probably increases the chances of four center
forwards beyond the roster, just to have different options with
different combinations of the TAC tab like you said, and
also there's going to be given what the pool is,
there are guys like Patrick godga Among and Brian White
and Hodgie Wright, is in quite the physical presence that
those guys are. But having an option of all right,
(18:28):
it's the eightieth minute. They're sitting deep, we're just putting
balls in a box. We need somebody who's in aerials, right,
whether or not they were going to be one of
the three forward like, So I think that that could
be a boost that instead of I don't know, a
sixth center back, you bring a fourth forward.
Speaker 1 (18:44):
So that's the only thing that comes to mind for me.
Speaker 3 (18:46):
Yeah, and uh, I mean you have to look at
this and you just mentioned which is a great point.
You just mentioned the eightieth minute, but potentially you played
Paraguay in Australia, what will they do against you. Chances
are they're going to sit back and counter both of
those teams. So now if you're gonna play a team
that sits back, this is where you need those guys
that break a team down, right, And you're gonna need,
(19:08):
like you said, additional forwards, but you're also gonna need
likely to potentially think about using Way as a winger.
You're likely gonna have to open up teams. So I
think there's a lot of possibilities with these teams because
we're gonna have to. We're the favorites to win these games,
and we're gonna have to open teams up, which, let's
be fair, we have not been great at that when
(19:30):
we've had a chance, and so but yeah, so I
do agree with you on that, and I think I
think even Turkey for that matter, I'm not sure that
Turkey go all out on us either if they're the
ones that come out of that group. So we're in
a situation where we're likely gonna have the ball on
the opposing side of the field and we're gonna have
to do something with it.
Speaker 2 (19:51):
Yeah, I think that is the big takeaway here, and
I'm very interested in that. I think that that beats
the alternative of bunkering and trying to hit and counter
against one of the superpower in the world at Egg
At some point, if they want to get to where
they where they're going, they're gonna have to beat or
at least played very well against one of those powers.
Look for the group stage, they open against Paraguay in
a quick scouting report. Again, people listening to this probably
(20:13):
watched the game against Paraguay, so you're probably very familiar.
What I think that they do best. Can tap feel
free to jump in wherever you either disagree. I think
that they are are very good in transition, They are
excellent defending, and they are just they don't give you
anything easy. You have to earn every blade aggress against
this Paraguay team. The work rate even on set pieces there,
they're going to be really difficult to kind of get
(20:33):
an opening on. This is going to be a very
tough team in the literal sense, as we saw with
that kind of you know coming together at the end
of that Paraguay game that revolved around Alex Freeman. So
I think that those are the pillars for this team.
A couple of players that that should scare the United States.
Miguel Morone, but in Quiso and Diego Gomez, I think
are three different makers, difference makers going forward to potential
(20:56):
difference makers. And then the US can exploit this team
by killing them with the ball and breaking them down,
shifting them around. Yes, they have an incredible work rate
and an incredible engine. Make them earn it, make them
make them have to at every point scrambling side the side,
possession it with purpose, but not letting them off the hook,
not giving them a chance to really, you know, establish
(21:16):
that lower block keep them moving around and doing so
with the ball.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
Yeah, no question. I think what I'll add to that
is the mentality of the Paraguay and player right because
you look at the their three they're the sort of
their three neighbors to the south, southeast and west are Uruguay,
Argentina and Brazil. They they have been neighbors to the
(21:42):
three countries that win absolutely everything in South America for
the last one hundred and twenty years. And they're not
afraid and they know they have to fight. And I
know that we can be going into this game thinking
we are the better team against Paraguay. But I can
tell you that not for a second are they gonna
be sitting in Paraguay thinking that they can't win this
(22:02):
game against the US, because they're thinking, you know what,
they just beat us and they're not gonna beat us again,
and that's gonna be that's gonna be difficult. Now let's
take the other side of it. And you mentioned, you
know players I can see so and and and al Maron.
You know, these are good players. These are like world
class good players. And I look, I know al Moron
(22:23):
didn't have a great season this year at Atlanta. But but
we know what he's like. We know when the lights
get turned on at the World Cup, that's where the
real players show up, and I think he's one of
those players. This Paraguay team will be more than a
handful for US, and we're gonna have to do a
lot of work to break them down.
Speaker 1 (22:41):
And particularly those three players.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
They can their best in transition, and that is where
what part of it is. They're gonna sit deeper and
again be difficult to play against. But that invites the
US forward, which is how they're gonna have to try
to break them down, so at any moment giving space
to Almroner and see So in particular. But Diego Gomez
is really good at this too. Now with Brighton, those
are three players that can hurt you in transition, so
that those are the things that the US have to
(23:04):
look out for.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
That is the opening game, So I'm extremely excited for.
So we're talking about the opening game, let's talk about
starting eleven's tab. I'll go first.
Speaker 2 (23:13):
I don't think this is any different than than what
I've previously written, so I'll run through quick Freese and
goal back three of Miles Robinson, Chris Richards, tim Ree midfield,
four of desks, Adams Tessaman, Anthony Robinson, dual Ten's of
pool sickond Wea and I could probably be talked into
Tim Leek Tilman particularly for this game, or Jill Rayner
for this game. I think Jill Rayner for sure will
(23:33):
play a part, whether he's able to start or if
he's coming off the bench for a significant chunk. And
then Balgon up top. So that's the eleven that I have.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
Yeah, and now we'll go with I think something similar
to what I've had. I'm gonna go with freezing goal
and and in the back with I'm gonna go Freeman
Richards and Miles Robinson. Uh. And I could go with
McKenzie there too, one of those two the four uh,
in front of them. I'm gonna go Desk on one side,
(24:02):
Robinson on the other side, if he's healthy, if not
totally fine, going with Arstin he's done a great job.
In the center. Is gonna be Adamson McKinney. You know
McKinney is at a good level. Again, it could be
testament if we need a little bit more feet again. Uh.
And then Tillman and Polistic right behind Ballaghan. But but
that could also be Waya there, and it could also
(24:24):
be Giorina. There, so a lot of options. I think
Waya in a game like this where we need to
open up an opponent, it's likely that way I may
get put out as a as a wide player, more
as a wing back than than than one of the
guys up top.
Speaker 2 (24:39):
Yeah, the only the only issue is that like I
toyed with that as well, but like death is still
good an unlocking defense and being really creative in type spaces,
So at least for for what same way I might
not have in that that biggest strength of the combo
of Death and way on the right flank or in
the right channel as well would be pretty strong. So
that's Paraguay. Next opponent is Australia. What do Australia do well?
(25:01):
They defend, They defend very well. They are they are
difficult to play against. It's a different brand of defending.
It's more it's more rigid, I think than Paraguay's. And
they also were going to try to open up in transition.
I don't think that they're as good as Paraguay, particularly
in that regard. But this is a team that's gonna
defend very well, not be afraid of the moment. They
did give the US a decent game. I don't think
(25:23):
the US played particularly great against Australia and they're probably thinking, okay,
with with a better lineup, with a better performance.
Speaker 1 (25:29):
This should be easier. Some players that concern you for
Australia ness roy Iaran Kunda, a young player for Watford,
and the goalkeeper Matt Ryan. That again for a for
a Pot two team, it could be, it could be
much worse.
Speaker 2 (25:43):
How the US are going to have to exploit this
team possession and pressing, both breaking teams down, but immediately
counter pressing when the ball is lost. And again, even
more important than I think against Paraguay is don't give
this team a moment to rest. Continue to put them
under pressure with and without the ball, and chances will come,
and it's about getting it past Matt Run.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
Not a lot to add to this Australia team. I
really unfortunately, I you know, obviously don't want to be
disrespectful to any team. They're all good teams. And I think,
by the way, I commend Australia for going into the
Asian Federation to get more competition because They could have
stayed on the Oceania side and played New Zealand every
(26:27):
year just to go to the World Cup, but they've
done a better job to get more competitive. Having said that,
I think Aaron Kunda, as you said, could be dangerous.
He's a nineteen year old. By the World Cup next summer,
with a little bit more experience, a little bit stronger,
he can be a handful. But man, there's just not
a whole lot to worry about overall. I mean, we
(26:48):
can come up with the names, but I think it's
they're not at the level we are. This is a
team we should be and if we play our game,
the only way Australia is gonna beat US is if
they outwork us. And I don't see a US team
being at worked at home in a World Cup.
Speaker 1 (27:06):
I don't see it. I could couldn't agree more.
Speaker 2 (27:08):
You talk about qualifying, so part of the reason that
they wanted to go through Asia because Oceania you only
get through with the playoff, I believe. Orry previously it
was with the playoff when it was a thirty two
team World Cup. And like you said, they're they're getting
much more difficult opponents, so then qualifying through Asia is
no small feat. In the final round of qualification, they
(27:29):
finished second in their group of six to get direct
qualification World Cup, finishing and buying only Japan. But they
had only sixteen goals in ten matches, and some of
those matches include two against Bahrain, China, Indonesia, which just
kind of shows they don't have the same kind of
edge going forward or the players that can really really
hurt you when concerned. This is going to be a
(27:49):
team that's built defensively. But you know, they still finished
bying Japan and struggled against that team, and I think
Japan is more of a comparison to the United States
than Australia is. Again, there are no easy games the
World Cup, but the US has to be very very
happy with that. And then the third opponent will be
again the winner of the playoff between Turkey, Slovakia, Romania,
(28:10):
Romania Kosovo. Let's just assume this is Turkey, because we
can always change this and talk more about it when
when this uh, when of these playoffs happened in the spring.
But right now, let's work on the assumption at Turkey.
My first question here before even diving into it, I
think Turkey would be the hardest of the three three opponents.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
I guess I wasn't a question. That was just a statement,
wasn't it.
Speaker 3 (28:32):
Yeah, well I was. You finished that, and then I
was waiting for the question.
Speaker 1 (28:38):
Ok, new Jersey question, you know, opinion. Yeah, yeah, that's my.
Speaker 3 (28:44):
Now you following your line of questioning, that's you're yeah,
Turkey will be Turkey would be the most difficult. And
and by the way, so.
Speaker 1 (28:53):
I'm saying, I'm saying over Paraguay in Australia.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
Yeah, yeah, creak, Okay, I agree with you. I just
think that this team is uh has played a lot
of big games. Obviously, they lost to Spain six or
seven zero in one of the games, let's not forget
and European qualifying, but they did well in all the
rest of the games, including their last game against Spain.
You know, they have Arta Ghouler, one of the youngest player,
youngest best players in the world. And and yeah, that
(29:23):
would be if they come into our group, that would
be the toughest team to be in our group, and
we end with them. So it's likely that we're going
into that third game already knowing that we likely have
six points. And if you have six points going into
the third game. Now you're playing to try to avoid
our being on Argentina side and being more with Belgium
(29:43):
for your year second, so you're now afforded to take
a few chances.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
Agreed, But that will be that in that scenario would
still be very crucial tin to finish first and that second.
So I think that will still be a really important
game in s like there's sometimes in the past where
that third game becomes a dead rubber because everybody knows
where they're qualifying, or you're you're playing against a team
that you're either vastly inferior to or superior to, and
that both teams can pretty safely assume, all right, that's
(30:11):
gonna be the firs place team, that's gonna be the second.
This group is wide open that as we've said fifteen
times already, and if if it comes in where Turkey
and the United States have both sitting on six points,
I think both will really go at each other for
this game to top the group.
Speaker 3 (30:23):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (30:23):
Talking more specifically about this team, I think that they
do a lot of things well. They possess well, but
they do set pieces like hawkdan Chanoglu is one of
the best set piece takers in the world, and that
is a very important quality at a knockout round at
a World Cup tournament. There's Channoglu, who's obviously very very good.
You talked about Art Goulair their best player, Keenan Yieldaz
(30:45):
maybe could be their best player as well of Juventus
khan Ujan Erkankoku. This this like young core that's going
forward again and lu is the veteran, more veteran presence.
But this like young core of Gulair, yield As, Uzan
Andku those are some players, man Like. This team has
a lot of talent.
Speaker 3 (31:05):
And Chinoguo has got the shot from mid distance. I
mean this guy can hit a ball. I mean he
can hit a ball like very few people in the
world can. No, this is a this is a dangerous
team with good players. But they have to get through
those groups, and you know, in Europe it's it's it's
hard to get out of groups like this. If they do,
they will be the team to beat in the group.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
For US, I totally agree on that front. The United
States lost to Turkey in June. That team, it's just
call it what it is. They were in a very
bad way at that point. And they're in a much
better spot right now. That team didn't have Christian Polisk,
that team was not playing the three four two one
that has worked so well. They did not seem to
(31:44):
have an identity. So while Turkey was much better than
the United States on the day, it was only to one,
I think Turkey was more than that. Like I thought
that they were in control, but then friendly has happened
and there's a lot of subs. But I think this
would be a very difficult opponent. And while they looked
much better than us, you've gotten better since that that point.
So I think that that is a very important part
(32:05):
as we continue to establish first place in the group
has to be the expectation. There is legitimate pressure on
this group to succeed, and the fun part about having
a favorable draw is thinking about the possibilities. But it's
hard and it's gonna be pressure to actually go on
and do it. In nineteen ninety things were a little
(32:36):
bit different from the United States program.
Speaker 1 (32:38):
You said earlier in the show, that was the first
World Cup that we qualified. Forward forty years. You were
part of that team. You guys got a very hard draw.
What is the differences?
Speaker 2 (32:46):
And I guess what is you know, going back to
that moment in that time, what were you kind of
you know, remembering from those days or what comes in
mind between the difference between then and now.
Speaker 3 (32:56):
Yeah, really really interesting actually, because you know, it sort
of sets me back. I start to think about the
fact that we are thinking right now about we're going
to be disappointed if our team is not in first
place in a group in a World Cup. And back
then we were trying to qualify to World Cup when
we had not been to a World Cup to forty years.
(33:17):
So you know, for us to even say that we
thought we could qualify would be exaggerating because we didn't
think we could qualify until probably until we had one
game left. So but but here's here's the neat thing,
and this is this is what I love, you know,
the part about how much soccer has come along in
the last thirty five forty years. You know, we were
(33:40):
playing World Cup qualifiers at Saint Louis Soccer Park, which
I think was called the Budweiser Park or something at
the time, and you know it, I think the capacity
was about six thousand people and I and I remember
the first time, I remember the first time we pulled
in with the bus with the US team and we
saw no more tickets and we sold out Saint Louis
(34:01):
Soccer Park. That was a big deal. I mean, you know,
there are a lot of big games that I've played
that I forgot. You know. People come up to me
all the time, hey remember this, remember that? And I
don't remember a lot, mostly because I'm old, but I
don't remember a lot. But I tell you what I remember.
I remember the day we sold out Saint Louis Soccer Park.
That was a big deal, so to think. And then
(34:23):
we went on. We qualified to the World Cup. It
was it was practically a miracle that we did. And
then we got drawn into a group with three European
teams including the host, so it was it was almost like, yeah,
thanks for coming, but you're going to be Your tickets
are already set for you to go home, like before
the first round is over for everybody else. So and
now look at where we are, right forty years later,
(34:46):
we're hosting a World Cup and we're the leaders of
Group D and we're hoping to win Group D. I mean,
I couldn't be more excited about how far this has
come along.
Speaker 2 (34:56):
And but I know you won't say it yourself, is
your humble guy, but like that the foundation, like where
we are, those expectations, the foundation was laid by you
and your teammates in that era. So I'm sure it's
particularly sweet and prideful and just honestly probably surreal to
your point to iblike of oh my god, we sold
six thousand tickets to a World Cup qualifier, or you know,
(35:18):
you tell me what the feeling was around the team
of echoing like smaller countries that qualified for this World Cup,
of like, hey, Curras, how much much different the United
States but still in their their football and development. We
talked about Haiti, curs Ou, Cape Verde, insert a lot
of these other kind of small teams that are making
the World Cup for the first time, and that final
game to qualify for the World Cup was their World
(35:40):
Cup final.
Speaker 1 (35:40):
And then you're just kind of happy to be there.
Was that part of the feeling for your group.
Speaker 2 (35:45):
Again, as competitive as I know you are and know
all of them are, it was so important just to
get there, right.
Speaker 3 (35:50):
Yeah, I mean we you know, such a different time.
And by the way, I'm so excited about countries like
Cape Verdi and Currosaw to Haiti because I know I
know that feeling. I know the feeling they have, and
it's it's a tremendous feeling. It's you know, of accomplishing
something that nobody thought you could and and and that's neat.
(36:11):
And that doesn't that doesn't necessarily mean money or anything
like that. All it means is like you're happiness, a
memory that you have for the rest of your life,
you know, And that's I think that's the most important part.
So I'm I'm very happy for those players. Yeah, and
for us, I mean to just to show you the
difference of where we were. I mean, John Harks and
I used to drive together, this is before the World Cup,
(36:33):
maybe six nine months before, to prepare for a game.
Sometimes John Harks and I used to drive across to
Brooklyn to play for the Brooklyn Italians for a couple
hundred bucks a game. So so people want to compare
sometimes and they say, oh, this player, how can you
can play Compare a player from the past a player
of today. You can't. You can't because we had nothing.
(36:57):
And from there you're supposed to land the contract that
like a big European club. How would that even happen.
We were. The fact that we even got there was
an absolute miracle. And the fact that you know, John
Harks ended up at Sheffield Wednesday, I ended up at
Figueras and then at Bettie's and Eric Winola, I ended
at Bochum or wherever else. I mean, these were all
little miracles. More than anything else I need.
Speaker 2 (37:19):
Did anybody recognize you when you were playing for the
Brooklyn Italians and like, Hey, what the hell are you
doing in this league?
Speaker 3 (37:25):
Yeah, of course we were a big deal. We were
a big deal in those leagues.
Speaker 2 (37:31):
Could you imagine showing up for again, I know it's
not exactly Sunday League, but it certainly ain't professional. Could
you imagine showing up and I'm warming up and like
is that fucking tabraight?
Speaker 1 (37:40):
Are you kidding me? What am I to tell you?
Speaker 3 (37:42):
I tell you where? It help and help in the
sense that we played our home games at Brooklyn College
and the turnfield. The turn field is so hard, But
that wasn't the most difficult part. The difficult part was
that people would hit you with umbrella as is you're
going down the side. So the fact that we were
the fact that we were known a little bit helped
(38:04):
us to not get hit with an umbrella when you went.
Speaker 2 (38:06):
To, Oh, my goodness, proper football man that is in
this country.
Speaker 3 (38:14):
I would like to tell you a better story about
how great it was, but it really was.
Speaker 2 (38:18):
No, that's that is the best story. That is the
best story right there. Again, I just can't put myself
in the minds of like some other player that's getting
a hundred bucks or something.
Speaker 3 (38:25):
It's like, oh my god, you can, by the way,
by the way, six months later we were playing against
Bozzio in Rome at the World Cup.
Speaker 1 (38:35):
Unbelievable, Oh my god.
Speaker 2 (38:37):
If there was no better way to tell how things
have James, Whereas now you know, you look at Pulisic
and McKinnon and everything that these players have, and I've
grown to again starting with the foundation of what you guys,
what you guys built. We're talking about Pulisic playing in
the Milan Darby not playing for the Brooklyn Italians getting
ready for a work up.
Speaker 1 (38:58):
It's just delightful. Yeah, this has been great.
Speaker 2 (39:01):
There's been there's been if just really quickly to talk
about some of the other teams.
Speaker 1 (39:07):
Here at the World Cup.
Speaker 2 (39:08):
We're obviously focused in the United States We've got to
look around right now, I've seen some betting odds come out.
Spain are the betting favorites, followed in order by England, France,
Brazil and Argentina. So those are the five favorites according
to the book makers. And then in terms of group
of death, there's a couple options and group of death
is going to lose a little bit of its luster
now where you can get be third place and qualify,
(39:31):
whereas in the past it was only the top two
at the previous World Cups. But for me and you,
you tell me what the group of death is, it's
either this one England, Croatia, Ghana and Panama or France, Senegal,
Norway and then the winner of a playoff that will
be Bolivia Iraq for sure now. But the France, Senego, Norway.
Part of that is what makes it the group? What
(39:52):
could make it the group of death? Which one of
those do do you believe is the hardest group?
Speaker 3 (39:57):
Wow? That's that's that's a good and those groups being
potentially the most difficult, And I agree with you, group
of death is kind of like a tough turn when
three can qualify, right, I'm gonna have to go with
the France, Senegal, Norway because I think if any of
those three teams get hot, including and I will include Senegal,
(40:17):
if any of those three teams get hot, they can
go win the whole thing. And so I would pick
that group slightly over the England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama because
that will be a very that's a difficult group, the England, Croatia, Ghana,
Panama because it's so even. You know, England always disappoints
a little bit at World Cups, especially in first round,
(40:40):
and because of that they probably drop a couple points
and I think because of that, this will be a
crazy group.
Speaker 2 (40:46):
I feel as for our other co hosts Mexico or
with South Africa, South Korea and then a European team
to be determined later. And Canada are with a European
team to be determined latter that could be Italy, Qatar
and Switzerland. I don't think that that was the worst
case scenario for Canada, but it certainly won't be easy.
And I was with Jesse Marsh this week ahead of
(41:08):
the draw and his what his messages to the locker
room to the team is it's not just about getting
out of the group, which they that is the ultimate goal.
It's we want to top the group because if we
topped the group, we get to stay and play in
Canada moving forward. So that's that's where things are set
for the other co hosts for the World Cup. Again,
we will be talking plenty about the World Cup.
Speaker 1 (41:28):
That is what this show is.
Speaker 2 (41:29):
We are focused on United national United States national team.
Everything is built towards the World Cup. I'm sure we'll
talk a little bit of Mexico in Canada here and
there along the way. But tap, this was fun. I'm
glad that we did this much more efficiently than the
World Cup draw itself. I'm sorry I didn't bring in
a word for you. I probably should have brought something,
made up, something for us, but I came empty, and
(41:51):
I'm sorry.
Speaker 3 (41:51):
I think I think we needed an award. I think
an award to the tallest guy would have fit today.
Speaker 1 (41:55):
For me.
Speaker 3 (41:57):
It would have been perfect to go with the celebration.
Speaker 2 (42:01):
I think that would not have been the most absurd
thing that came from the day. Listen, Thank you, everybody,
Thank you tab first, and foremost, thank you to iHeart
everybody listening. Please rate, review, and subscribe. Inside American soccer.
We will be back very soon. We got a lot
of fun stuff planned coming up, so again please subscribe
and thank you very much for Lis
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