November 13, 2025 • 55 mins
Fresh from a statement 4-0 win over the Portland Timbers, San Diego FC has booked its place in the Western Conference semifinals — and the city is buzzing.
With an international break giving us a brief pause in the action, Behind the Flow rewinds to where it all began: the final chapter of our behind-the-scenes documentary series, Episode 10: Preseason.
In this special re-air, Darren Smith opens the show with reflections on that emphatic win against Portland, looks ahead to next week’s semifinal clash at the Snapdragon against Minnesota United, and sets the stage for a look back at how the story started.
Originally released in July 2025, Preseason captured San Diego FC just weeks before their debut match — when the new training facility at Singing Hills opened its doors, Mikey Varas led his first sessions with the team, and Tyler Heaps put the final touches on the inaugural roster.
From those first touches at training to the playoff push that’s followed, this episode is a reminder of how far San Diego’s journey has come — and how much further there is still to go.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Lies the famous fun to whistles going San Diego simply sensational.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Hey everybody, I'm Darren Smith and this is Behind the Flow,
the podcast that takes you inside San Diego FC's first
season in Major League Soccer. The playoff journey continues. What
a night it was at Snapdragon on Sunday, four nil
to SDFC in front of more than thirty two thousand
passionate supporters, and we became the first expansion team ever
(00:40):
to win a Round one, best of three series. And
next up it's the Western Conference semifinal Snapdragon Stadium. What
a scene it's going to be Monday, November twenty fourth
against Minnesota United. With two dramatic games between these sides
during the regular season, I can't even and predict what's
(01:00):
going to.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Happen in this playoff game.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
We have the goalkeeper of the year, the newcomer of
the year splitting and both sides scoring from the halfway line.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
It will be a crazy night.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
But rather than pick the bones out of that just now,
and with the international break giving us a little bit
of breathing space, we thought this would be the perfect
moment to look back at where it all began.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
When behind the flow first launch.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
The opening ten episodes tracked how the club went from
just an idea to their very first game, and explored
the vision, the culture, and the people who helped shape
this club from the very beginning. In this episode that
you're about to hear, we're going to take you back
to match day one, Sunday, February twenty third, twenty twenty five,
San Diego FC's first ever MLS game away at the
(01:49):
defending champs LA Galaxy. You're going to hear from fans
on the road, to Carson supporters at one of the
great soccer pubs in San Diego, Bluefoot, the watch party
there North Park, and from the people who built this
club from the ground up, the moment it all began.
(02:11):
All right, so we're good, Let me grab the tape.
Are you ready?
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Good? What's it play?
Speaker 4 (02:28):
It's Sunday, February twenty third, twenty twenty five. It's been
twenty one months since it was announced that San Diego
would finally be joining Major League Soccer. That was less
than two years ago, just six hundred and forty seven
days to build an organization, construct a world class training facility,
(02:49):
recruit a team, and detract a fan base and it
all comes down to this match Day one, and what
an opening fixture they've been handed as DFC traveled to
the home of the reigning record holding champions MLS Superpower
and regional rivals La Galaxy for the members of the
(03:10):
club's official supporters union. It's been a long wait.
Speaker 5 (03:14):
Good morning. My name is Matthew Boose and I am
the president of the Riptides, And yeah, I'm sitting here
at my house kind of getting some stuff packed, getting
some stuff ready for our trip out to Carson, LA
for our first ever away game, and send here very nervous,
(03:40):
trying not to exert myself too much right now. This
is going to be a long day of making sure
everybody has a really good time.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
The rip Tides, like the other club supporter groups, have
sold out their ticket allocation, which means eight thousand of
San Diego's most hardcore hype fans are making the four
hour trip north to Los Angeles.
Speaker 5 (04:05):
It's pretty wild to think that just a couple years
ago we started up, not only Riptides, but SDFC came
to form, and yeah we're I'm just sitting here looking
at all the discord messages for Riptides kind of starting
(04:25):
to roll in as everybody's waking up and getting hyped
up and whatnot.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
One of those posting on the group chat is Vanessa Bejadan.
Speaker 6 (04:35):
I'm getting ready and the last thing I have to
do is put on my jersey before I head out
and head to Dignity Health.
Speaker 7 (04:46):
For this game.
Speaker 6 (04:48):
Watching it in person here in Carson, California, It's going
to be epic. You know. I can and I cannot
believe that we have finally needed here. I have butterflies,
butterflies of excitement, of nervousness, and what am I nervous about?
(05:10):
I have no idea. I'm trying to save my my
more jumping excitement for in the crowd, screaming, singing, chanting
to show everyone who's watching this game in person and
on TV like San Diego's here, We're here. MLS has
(05:33):
started this season with San Diego FC, and we are ready.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
Many of those who don't have tickets to the game
will descend on one of San Diego's many soccer bars,
bars like the Blue Foot in North Park.
Speaker 8 (05:58):
Hie, this is Paul Hutchinson.
Speaker 7 (06:02):
I am one of the couch sensors on Fuzzy from
the Foot which is a podcast that comes from the
Blue Foot neighborhood baron lens in the hearts of San
Diego's glittering North.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
Bark Paul is a transplant to the city from the
northwest of England and a long suffering Bolton fan. But today,
seeing his favorite bar packed out, surrounded by soccer Matt
friends who are about to see how long held dream
become reality.
Speaker 9 (06:28):
He can't help but feel his loyalties shift a little.
Speaker 4 (06:31):
But like many, he's not over the optimistic about San
Diego FSI's chances.
Speaker 7 (06:36):
I mean, probably the toughest away game that they could
have been given for their first game. That's you know,
carry to a building and all that, and let's see
how they do. And yeah, it's a little bit of
a free hit for them, I suppose, And yeah, see
if it all pans.
Speaker 4 (06:53):
Out, whatever the score, it's a historic day when loser draw.
This is just the beginning of sdfc's MLS store. As
the team steps onto the pitch to warm up around
the bar, chance for Irby and Chukirosana begin one hundred
(07:29):
miles north back at the Dignity helped Sports Barking Carson
kick off approaches and the atmosphere in the away stand
is Electricity.
Speaker 10 (07:40):
Career joining us for today's man Prison of Bioladello injuring
the visiting San Diego FC s a take on your ten,
twenty four and six time less champion.
Speaker 4 (07:54):
How.
Speaker 11 (08:05):
Oh Man. Seventeen minutes until game time, you can tell
everybody's like really NC and just really ready to go.
The whole crowd up here is watching the players warm
up on the field, drinking some beers and really can
enjoy the music. They're living it up. You can tell everybody,
including myself, it is just in awe of the moment,
(08:28):
really just the moment that we all work so hard
for it. It's really surreal to see our team finally
on the pitch for our first ever game. Words can't
explain how much this means to me and I'm sure
the rest of all of San Diego. San Diego this
for you.
Speaker 12 (08:46):
We did it.
Speaker 13 (08:49):
And we are underway on Sunday Night Soccer.
Speaker 8 (08:53):
The first ever match.
Speaker 4 (08:54):
For San Diego FC away at the Ragning Champs the
La Gallice. In February twenty twenty five, San Diego e
(09:18):
FC became the thirtieth team to enter Major League Soccer.
Now the largest professional league on the planet. But this
is more than just another football club. At least that's
the hope of the club's co owners. Under the leadership
of Sir Mohammed Montsour, Right to Dream is an organization
promising to rock American soccer to its foundations with a
(09:39):
revolutionary approach to coaching and youth development. Anchoring the project
in the local community is the Sequan Band of the
Kumiga Nation, the first ever Native American owners in men's
professional sports, and as the only MLS club officially sanctioned
to recruit out of Mexico. I mean, this thing could
(10:00):
really fly, that is, if everything goes to plan. In
this episode, preseason finally gets underway. Sporting director Tyler Heaps
puts the finishing touches on the squad and coach Batas
welcomes his players for the very first time. The clock
is ticking. The countdown to Game one has begun. Captured
(10:21):
in the final months before the twenty twenty five season
kicks off, this series follows sdfc's race to field their.
Speaker 9 (10:27):
First ever team.
Speaker 4 (10:29):
I'm Adrian, gotta say, I'm Mark and this is behind
the flow. The origin story of San Diego FC It's
(10:58):
the morning of January twenty twenty five, and the California
sun is beaming down on the newly minted Sharp Healthcare
Performance Center at Singing Hills. This site has been a
hive of NonStop activity for the past fifteen months, but
today all is quiet. Construction crews have paused their work
(11:19):
to mark a special occasion. As DFC staff and members
of the Sequan community sit together under club branded canopies.
They give Tribal Chairman Cody Martinez a round of applause
as he takes the stage.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
General membership, team members, members of the FC operation and
community partners. Everyone that's here, welcome for joining us today.
This is a very special day for Sequan and indeed
for Seego County as a whole. Today's event is a
special event as we bless this new project in our
(11:58):
Kumii tradition, blessing the future use of this facility with
smoke of the white sage, songs and dances and prayers
of the Kumai people passed down from our ancestors. I
want to again thank you all for being here today.
I especially want to again thank the general membership further
(12:18):
support vision and belief in this long term investment for
the tribe. We are truly making history here today. Twenty
twenty five marks one hundred and fifty years since the
creation of the Sequan Indian Reservation, the original one square
mile of land created by Presidential Executive Order in December
(12:39):
of the year eighteen seventy five. We are here to
bless a new chapter in the history of this land,
a new beginning that will support future generations in sport
and education. Congratulations to all of our Sequon membership here
today on this amazing accomplishment.
Speaker 14 (12:57):
And at this time, it is my pleasure to introduce
Councilman j Me.
Speaker 9 (13:00):
The break.
Speaker 4 (13:03):
Tribal elder, Uncle Jamie and his niece emerged from inside
the buildings where they've just now completed their ritual blessings.
Speaker 9 (13:13):
Thank you Chairman.
Speaker 15 (13:14):
At this time, I'm gonna go ahead and I'm gonna
offer this sage in all four directions. I'm that's the
creator to bless me, to honor everybody here today with
some kind words and words that are meaningful and purposeful,
because I acknowledge not just our community, but the community
of right to dream and how important they are too.
Speaker 4 (13:36):
Is Jamie strikes a match and lights the bunch of
dried sage in his hand. The aromatic smoke gently swirls
around him. His lips move silently offering a prayer to
the tribe's ancestors.
Speaker 15 (13:53):
When me and my niece were walking around, we got
to the east side over there, and it felt so peaceful,
it felt so serene, And I knew then that our
ancestors above us were rejoiced in this perfect union. Our
ancestors above is they knew that the right to dream academy,
the Monsur family and the Kumya nation were exercising or
(14:16):
committing to this perfect union, that this was the right
thing for our people. Maybe one day we'll see a
couple of Kumya young men or women running these fields
and practicing. Maybe one day they two can exemplify what
that right to dream is. Because that's why Knight was created.
You see in our crimea way of life. Night was created,
a dream in the daytime was created to live those dreams.
(14:38):
And that's what these fields are going to represent today.
So thank you everybody. I'd like to call up a
Blueisgold Bobo. My cousin Ernie and my nephew Justin's we
company shared those songs with.
Speaker 16 (14:48):
You, I I, I'm a train im him and I
(15:08):
madam oka hi maday okay I.
Speaker 4 (15:40):
After the traditional songs and dances have been performed, CEO
Tom Pen addresses the audience.
Speaker 14 (15:49):
We've said all along, this feels like holy land, and
to bring right to dream here, it's emotional. If we
can bring the right to dream way to this special
and singing hills with all these brilliant minds that are
here to bring their passion and their creativity, how special
(16:09):
could it be? And it should be the best in
North America and among the best in the world. Literally,
so on behalf of the one hundred and forty employees
at SDFC, the twenty two players twenty three how many
players do we have? Twenty two players, tyler and counting,
and then the tens of thousands who have said yes
(16:32):
to us already, the members of San Diego Football Club,
our season ticket holders, our corporate partners, everybody. We say
thank you to Sequan sharing your land with this project.
Speaker 4 (16:45):
Last to speak is the club's head coach. As Mikey
takes the podium, he clears his throat.
Speaker 12 (16:51):
Thank you, chairman, appreciate you, council members, the Sequan ancestors. Frankly,
hearing the passion and the ancestry and the connectedness there
made me quite emotional. Actually makes me realize just how
grateful I am to be just the smallest part of
(17:13):
this much bigger story when it comes to this Kwan
and it comes to Right to Dream, and every day
I wake up and I pinch myself as I understand
where I'm at right now, and I also understand the
responsibility that that comes with We talk about a blessing. Well,
every day the players and the staff come in here,
(17:34):
we will feel blessed and we will understand the honor
that it will require from us to make sure that
we're a reflection of this Kwan and the history that
comes with the land.
Speaker 4 (17:50):
One man who cherishes the community partnership being built here
in San Diego is the club's majority owner Right to
Dream Chairman, Sir Mohammed Mansour.
Speaker 17 (18:00):
May twenty twenty two. First time when Commissioner Don Garber
was there, I felt the passion of the fans amazing,
and how we were welcomed by everyone, as you know
Egyptian British citizen, of course, you know our partners. How
(18:20):
we were welcomed in San Diego. I mean that was
very touching for me too, because in reality, I am
an emotional man, you know, I'm a person that feels
for people, you know, and having this welcoming, you know,
everything is positive and even the media that you know
I've spoken to were positive, and this really gives us.
(18:42):
It's more of a challenge because then we have to
meet their expectations and get there. So this is the
challenge that we have.
Speaker 4 (18:49):
So what about meeting those expectations? How does he think
the club will do in their first season?
Speaker 17 (18:55):
Can you ask me that question after the first three
games so I can give you a more I mean,
I mean there's hope, you know, I mean expectations.
Speaker 9 (19:05):
We're winners.
Speaker 17 (19:06):
I mean I don't get into anything. You know, we push,
we push, we push.
Speaker 9 (19:14):
You know.
Speaker 17 (19:15):
I mean we want to be a winning team, whether
it be in three years, whether it be in five.
We want to be a winning team that makes our
fans proud and makes the community proud and makes us proud.
So that's the objective. I know the first game is
going to be a tough one with Ellie Galaxy in
Los Angeles. I'm definitely going to be there. Tom Penn
(19:36):
asked me, if I can be there in January. Our
to them will be there whenever they want, so very
exciting times, very exciting times.
Speaker 4 (19:44):
As the ceremony draws to a close, the construction teams
are anxious to get back to work. There's still plenty
to be done and no time to lose. Tom Penn
has been in and out all week watching the finishing
touches being applied to the first team facilities.
Speaker 18 (20:02):
Well, you can hear construction noise in the background.
Speaker 12 (20:04):
You know.
Speaker 18 (20:05):
The staff moved in on Monday, six days ago. They've
been working their tails off to get this right. They
were still assembling furniture. They were hanging TVs on the wall.
Speaker 12 (20:16):
You know.
Speaker 18 (20:17):
Tyler was like, I'd love to have a computer, and
then he and I were chatting in the hallway. Then
you turn around and the computer was there. So it
was happening in real time, boxes everywhere. But it was
a real move in day.
Speaker 4 (20:28):
The complex won't be fully finished for a few more weeks,
but all the essential areas are now ready for tomorrow,
the first day of preseason and the arrival of the players.
Although it's not ideal, it does feel appropriate that they'll
be walking on to a building segment.
Speaker 18 (20:47):
This is a dramatic work in progress where we're finished
on the inside. All the player areas are pristine, but
you're walking through an active site. But it's amazing to
see everybody sort of progressed their way through this project,
which is literal and a metaphor for what we're doing.
Speaker 9 (21:04):
Is this with this whole club.
Speaker 4 (21:06):
The fact that they actually completed this first stage in
time for preseasons is nothing short of a miracle.
Speaker 18 (21:14):
In the state of California. For sure. This is the
fastest construction project ever. So this idea was hatched roughly
twenty two months ago in March and April of twenty three,
and here we are in January of twenty five and
it's done. We did a groundbreaking in November, so that
(21:35):
means in fourteen months, this one hundred and fifty million
dollar project is effectively done. We build a fifty thousand
square foot brand new building done, and we're doing renovations
of the remaining seventy five thousand square feet of existing
buildings for the academy and for Right to Dream and
(21:55):
for the school, and that'll be done in the next
couple months.
Speaker 4 (22:00):
For Tyler heaps, the club's rookie GM. It's already been
the job of a lifetime, but the real work starts
tomorrow when players finally report for duty.
Speaker 19 (22:13):
I think it's just to be here for the beginning
is special, right, And I think it's the land is
special that you can feel it when you walk on.
The views are amazing, but also just the privilege of
us being able to utilize the space the players. I
can't wait to see their faces and their reactions because
the fields are immaculate, the gym is ready, the locker
rooms ready. It's got to be one of the best,
if not the best training grounds in MLS. And that's
(22:36):
a huge privilege and also a lot of pressure on us.
So it's about us now to make sure we hold
true to it.
Speaker 4 (22:57):
It's the next day, and despite the early hour, fans
are lighting the approach to Singing Hills. They're here by
invitation the official Welcoming Committee for the club's players. One
by one, taxis and private cars with tinted windows arrive
and pull into the gated entrance inside the performance center.
(23:17):
In the stylish coffee bar area, an array of fruit
and snacks are neatly laid out. Mike Tyler and their
sporting staff are all there, and they're all smiles greeting
the players as they file in one by one. It's
high fives and big hugs as DFC.
Speaker 9 (23:34):
Colleagues meet each other for the first time.
Speaker 4 (23:37):
Standing back a little from the fray soaking it in
is Tom Pin.
Speaker 18 (23:41):
I don't know if you heard, but one of our
guys from Europe was late getting here because he filled
his gas tank up with diesel gas and his car
broke down on the highway and he barely made it
in here and was in a panic. But we started
a couple of minutes late so he could get here.
So all this transition is happening, right.
Speaker 4 (24:00):
Tyler looks like a kid in a candy store. He
just can't stop smiling.
Speaker 19 (24:04):
Thays like the first day of school. All the players
obviously arrived there in market. We came here today for
the day one of medicals, so a really exciting moment
for the club, an opportunity to get everybody together. It's
been a long time coming in terms of getting all
these players. Now to get with twenty six here, twenty
one contracted players, I mean obviously that means we still
(24:24):
have a few more to go, but really excited to
get the group together, to see them start to interact
and collaborate with each other, and then also to see
the coaches on the field, the coaches and the staff
obviously putting that together.
Speaker 4 (24:37):
Once all the players have arrived, they take their seats
for their first ever team meeting. It's a unique situation
in world football. Each and every one of them is
new to the club, arriving on the same day. Some
have never been in a first team locker room. Others
have played Champions League and World Cups. But either way,
(24:58):
young or old, they're collective. Enthusiasm is palpable.
Speaker 12 (25:02):
I love that. That's an energy there.
Speaker 20 (25:06):
That's energy.
Speaker 12 (25:07):
I know what to do with me, I nobody.
Speaker 13 (25:10):
It's sitting aside beside all you got.
Speaker 3 (25:14):
If you take one thing.
Speaker 12 (25:15):
From this whole preseason, it's that connective.
Speaker 4 (25:18):
As much as possible, mikey Vadis has been planning this
moment for months. Over the next five weeks of preseason,
every second will be crucial to setting standards, building a
team culture, and getting them ready for game one. Well,
they say you never get a second chance to make
(25:39):
a first impression.
Speaker 12 (25:43):
Why are we here why are we sitting in this school.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
We are here to win.
Speaker 12 (25:50):
This is the first divisionfessional football, huge investment. Families are
going to spend all their earnings come to the stadium
to see us to play.
Speaker 3 (26:02):
So we're here to win.
Speaker 13 (26:05):
But how we win and who we win with matters.
We have to play with our style of play exciting
for you, and we have to win with people who
have a character that we behave the right way, We
enact the right way, and carry ourselves around.
Speaker 21 (26:24):
We inspire people the right way. I'm going to give you, guys,
I promise right now what I'm going to do to
you as you're you, and what I expect that fairy
de beas it starts with the intentions.
Speaker 13 (26:40):
We're going to speak to you directly and honestly all
the time. You'll never be guessing where you stands. Sometimes
I'll tell you something that you don't agree with or
you don't like, but at least you know I'll say
it to you and face the things.
Speaker 12 (26:54):
I'll have compassion through. You're not robots, You guys are
going these We'll play football, the fathers, the brothers, your sons.
You're hearing me, so we'll always fire from have a level.
Speaker 4 (27:09):
First, Mike lays out his three top priorities for his players,
and it's not what some might have expected. Be a
good person, have a growth mindset, and embrace competition. It's
the right to dreamway, development first and foremost in every respect.
Speaker 13 (27:28):
If we do these three things together, if we make
this emment together to each other, to each other, then
we are.
Speaker 12 (27:35):
Going to have joy and commonist and science. We will
step on every single pitch knowing we're ready. Does it
guarantee we're going to win going, but it gives us
a better chance every single time.
Speaker 13 (27:47):
We'll know we're together in it, and we'll know we
did the world so that when we arrived to games,
we arrived with smiles on our this feeling good, knowing
we've done everything.
Speaker 4 (27:57):
Mikey's carrying human centered approach catch some off guard. This
isn't your standard orientation briefing. This is something else, though.
Naturally their ears all prick up when he moves on
to the footballinggue side.
Speaker 13 (28:11):
Four moments of the game, ball possession, we lose the ball.
Speaker 12 (28:16):
Ball loss, ball recovery.
Speaker 21 (28:18):
We want to get it back.
Speaker 3 (28:20):
Ball recovery transition.
Speaker 12 (28:22):
Is maybe a little different than you're used to.
Speaker 13 (28:23):
Usually you're used to attacking or offense, defending or defense,
but I changed here.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
We believe that the ball is.
Speaker 12 (28:33):
The most sporting pumps. Why did all the of you
guys started plays. There's a little so here we're on
the ball.
Speaker 4 (28:40):
Smiles break out across the players faces. This is what
they want to hear. It's what attracted many of them
to the project.
Speaker 12 (28:47):
The silent lay starts with an unway ring suit. The
most important work GOO is pursuit.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
Going for the belief.
Speaker 12 (29:00):
We know if the other team wants to do the same.
It's not easy to win games in the highest level,
but it is easy to have a mentality of always
having the intention to go for it.
Speaker 13 (29:12):
So we are going to play a way to yat
taame number one MLS Cup champions. And I'm telling you everybody,
we're right now.
Speaker 12 (29:20):
So that we're very clear when we go there, we're
gonna go beat us aggressive build up, and we're gonna
see what happens. And guess what, If we win, that
locker room is gonna be a left.
Speaker 13 (29:35):
If we tie, we're gonna be quite happy and say
hey we got some If we lose it, it's close.
We're gonna be disappointed, but we're gonna say we're close.
Speaker 12 (29:45):
And if we get our asses games, we're gonna say,
a't okay. We're gonna learn it from this, and we're
gonna get back into training and we're gonna go again
and again and again, because when it clicks, we're gonna be.
Speaker 22 (30:02):
No fear here.
Speaker 12 (30:03):
It's about being bread, it's about being relentless.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
When we get.
Speaker 12 (30:08):
Knocked down, we just get backed up and keep a
living and it's about having a fighting team spirit.
Speaker 9 (30:13):
The players are all in.
Speaker 4 (30:19):
Each of them is looking forward to the first day
on grass, when preseason promper will begin. It's January thirteenth,
twenty twenty five, San Diego ebsi's first ever day of training,
and the region's sporting press has gathered to capture It's
(30:41):
another gloriously sunny morning in southern California. Mikey leads his
staff and players out onto the field, all dressed in
their crisp chrome colored training year. The immediate focus is
on conditioning, which means running a lot of running. At
the start of preseason grooming double fitness sessions are common
(31:03):
at some clubs. Days go by before a ball is
even kicked but not here, and not on Mikey's watch.
He's got less than five weeks to get this group
of strangers reading from the same playbook.
Speaker 9 (31:17):
It's not long before.
Speaker 4 (31:18):
Bags of balls emerge and training switches to quick passing
and hard pressing, the bread and butter of this team.
Speaker 9 (31:25):
This is followed by a.
Speaker 4 (31:26):
Coaching session on team shape. Finally, with the players already
drenched in sweat, it's time for their first game, something
called ninety nine plus one, an attack versus defense exercise.
Mikey is wasting no time instilling his ideas. As the
players head into the showers, they look exhausted but happy,
(31:49):
but none more so than star center back Patty McNair.
As one of the club's earliest signings, the Northern Irishman
has been looking forward to this day longer than most.
Coming from freezing cold Britain training under the California sun
in mid January is just one of many things that
excited him about joining.
Speaker 23 (32:10):
I've played Next One for fifteen years, moved over as fourteen,
so it was just one of the experience something you
I think m OLAS is a league that's you know, screwn.
Every year they'll see the world Cups here next year,
and yeah, I just feel like sen League and I've
always looked out of it from Afar, and I've always
sort of, you know, bo would I like I played here.
(32:30):
So when the opportunity, Kim was more than abi the con.
Speaker 4 (32:34):
But aside from the lifestyle, it was really the right
to Dream style of play that Appealty.
Speaker 23 (32:40):
Yeah, I think it's going to be a possession style team,
so yeah, attacking, and yeah, I think we'll you know,
create a lot of chances. So I think it'll be, uh,
we'll be an exciting watch.
Speaker 4 (32:51):
Patty backs himself to adapt, but the process will be
helped having a few Right to Dream veterans in the
locker room, like Marcus Embarksing and center midfielder Jeppe Deversko,
who's already impressed with his teammate's desire to learn.
Speaker 24 (33:08):
Everybody is new, we see each other for the first time,
twenty five new faces and coaches and everybody around. So
that we are a couple of guys who already knows
the system can be that helping arm with the coaching
staff to implement all the ideas here on the pitch.
It's very important and also to make that transition going faster,
(33:30):
but the guys are very open minded. Everybody really wants
to buy into it, believing in the project, believing in
the style of play, and just been asking a lot
of questions which is themation.
Speaker 4 (33:42):
Jep is one of five players who will be part
of Mikey's senior leadership team, and though he doesn't know
it yet, he'll also be made as dsc's first ever
club captain in the coming days.
Speaker 9 (33:55):
Needless to say, he knows his job.
Speaker 24 (33:59):
I'm gonna be an important player in terms of like
setting a culture, knowing like some of the values behind
their ownership and how they want to do things. Been
in that system for many years and been indicated since
a young age and that so being able to bring
that here with my aids, with my experience both on
but also off the pitch, is something that is really
(34:23):
important for the club. Also, it's not only about the
performance on the team, but also especially in the first year,
to build that culture and get some values within the team,
and it's something that I look forward to.
Speaker 4 (34:40):
Last one in is coach bats who stops to give.
Speaker 9 (34:43):
Us his thoughts on the first few days.
Speaker 12 (34:46):
Training was great. It's everything you could expect plus more
from a first day, right, you're just trying to get
the off season out of their legs a bit. Try
to focus on a few basic concepts that that can
help them start to understand our style of play. We
play at the end of the preseason against MLS champions,
so we got to get it as clear as possible
and as detailed as possible by them. But it'll be
(35:08):
a gradual process, step by step, first focusing on big
picture ideas and basics, and then going from there.
Speaker 4 (35:15):
Mikey knows better than anyone how little time they have
to get ready for the match, but even though they've
planned this preseason in meticulous detail, he's also ready and
willing to evolve his approach with his players.
Speaker 12 (35:28):
Import we have to maximize every second we're on the
pitch because there is a limit to what you can
do with these guys every day, so we have to
make it purposeful. Second, we need to use video and
discussions at the individual level, small group level, and team
level without overburning them cognitively, so managing their fatigue while
(35:48):
still using video. And then, most importantly, we have to
trust them. We have to trust that with time they'll
get more and more adapted, but also that they have
something to offer to the style of play.
Speaker 4 (36:00):
And his staff are working long days, but there's no letup.
Is he feeling the toll maybe just a little yeah, I.
Speaker 12 (36:07):
Mean physically and mentally, Yeah, a little bit knackered. It
was a long day to day pretty much NonStop, but
spiritually super energized because this gives me life. This is real.
This is the honor and privilege that I have, which
is to work for this club and for a partner
with these players. So I'm super excited.
Speaker 4 (36:29):
Also, Tyler is also happy with what he's seen so far,
not just the talent on display, but how the mix
of personalities are interacting. There aren't data points for mentality
or character. Humility and courage are intangibles. Scouts need a
sixth sense for It's something Tyler and his team took
(36:52):
seriously when building their roster.
Speaker 19 (36:54):
Everything we do is people first. Characters have been at
the center of all of our decisions. Look, the football
skills are important, but when you only have one chance
to build this and you only have one chance to
establish a culture, and so that was really key in
how we made decisions early and even today, So making
sure that we don't just sign any player. We signed
the right player and somebody that wants to be here
(37:16):
and somebody that's willing to set the standards high and
hopefully raise them. So I think we've been very particular
with that, and I think we've done so far a
very good job of surrounding this environment with the right people.
Speaker 4 (37:28):
The focus on character will be just as important with
the academy, not just by scouting kids with the right mentality,
but by having first team role models for them.
Speaker 9 (37:38):
To look up to.
Speaker 4 (37:39):
It was a big part of the thinking behind signing
players like Ghana international MLS veteran and Right to Dream
alumni and Manuel Boatank. When we caught up with him,
he's grinning from ear to ear. For him, there's a
feeling of a homecoming despite the new surroundings.
Speaker 25 (37:56):
The first and obviously was you know, China, I've seen
a lot of how Norchaland has played and you know,
with the right dream ties and everything, and just like
the football itself is just like beautiful watching that team
play and the style that they're playing, and I knew
that was something that they were trying to like introduce
in this.
Speaker 9 (38:14):
League and with the coaches.
Speaker 25 (38:16):
So that dream into it, you know, playing a place
where I enjoy the football and then you know right
Dream attached to it is huge being able to be
here on the daily and you know, see the case
impact them in any positive way that I can, and
also learn from them. So it's a great way to
get back from everything that Right Dream has given me
(38:36):
to be able to help his case as well.
Speaker 4 (38:39):
He's been in the MLS for over a decade, seeing
numerous locker rooms and training facilities and experienced the rapid
growth of the league firsthand. But even he is blown
away by his new home.
Speaker 25 (38:54):
Looks like, you know, there's still some work that needs
to be done. By how it is already, it's easily
the best facility I've been in, and anything else in
this league like come close to it.
Speaker 4 (39:05):
All in all, it's been a great first day on
the grass. The team is looking good and the players
are bonding, but there's still some key pieces missing from
the starting lineup, namely a creative midfielder and a white
forward who can share the goals with their Drew King
and Marcus Ingbertsen. It's this position Tyler is working hardest on,
oh role reserved for their second designated player.
Speaker 19 (39:28):
It is no secret and I'm not surprising anybody when
I say this, but scoring goals is the most difficult
thing to do in football, and when you have a
restricted roster with discretionary spend and only a number of
different positions, you normally spend that on goal scorers or
goal contributors. Probably is a better way to frame it.
So we know we have that on the left side
of Irving and we want to get the best out
of him. So we're looking at a right winger that's
(39:50):
probably false footed, that prefers to play in the pocket,
that's a bit of a footballer, but also provides something different,
the ability to run behind, the ability to come short,
to combine someone that's strong, powerful, that can come in
this league and make an impact right away. It's also
no secret that the fullbacks in this league are also
the most underpaid role. It's normally the cheapest position on
(40:11):
your roster. So if you can find a way to
then put your best players against those you probably it
defines success. And so that's the approach that we're taking.
Speaker 4 (40:37):
Just over a week later, we are back at as
dfc's downtown offices in Little Italy. Since the move to
Singing Hills. It's been much quieter here, but not today.
Today the press are gathering again, this time for a
major player announcement. The club are unveiling not one, but
two major first team signings, no surprises for which positions.
(41:00):
A creative midfielder, US national team player and San Diego
native Luca de la Torre, who joins on loan with
an option to buy from Celta Vigo in Spain, and
sat next to him at the krominasuit of presentation table
is Danish international winger and as thefc's second designated player,
Anders Dreyer. Tyler introduces the two new faces to the fans.
Speaker 19 (41:26):
Thanks Vicky, and thanks everybody for coming today.
Speaker 10 (41:29):
Another exciting moment.
Speaker 3 (41:30):
For the club.
Speaker 19 (41:31):
There's been a lot of first in the last couple
of weeks, and this one we're really excited for. A
big welcome to Luca and honors two players that we
have high expectations for here in San Diego. I'm really
excited to get on the grass and started. It's no
secret that this league is won and lost by difference makers,
and I have no doubt that these two are our
(41:52):
key difference makers for us here in San Diego in.
Speaker 14 (41:55):
The year one.
Speaker 4 (41:56):
The press have plenty of questions, but many zero in
on the longer waited arrival.
Speaker 9 (42:01):
Of a second DP.
Speaker 4 (42:03):
Anders probably isn't a name most fans know coming from
the Belgian but it won't have been a decision the
club took likely.
Speaker 26 (42:12):
Migah the morning and open the football.
Speaker 12 (42:15):
Um.
Speaker 26 (42:15):
What does it feel like to just have a second
dpiece tiny with Anders joining the team now and just
overall finding that right winger that you guys have been
looking for and letting us know that you've been looking for.
Speaker 12 (42:27):
Yeah, it's extremely exciting. He's got tremendous quality left foot,
final pass, goal scorer and instinct combination. He can create
space for himself, he can create for others, and most importantly,
two things that I really love about him is one
he works for his teammates off the ball in terms
of pressing.
Speaker 14 (42:46):
He's willing to be a warrior.
Speaker 1 (42:48):
In that sense.
Speaker 12 (42:48):
And also he wants to get better. He knows that
he still has other levels that he can get to.
Speaker 4 (42:54):
Anders, though man a few words, is quick to agree
the growing quality of the league, combined with the right
to drink philosophy, could be the perfect platform for his developments.
Speaker 20 (43:06):
I think when I've read about the Floodshack and the
new Club San Diego, I was convinced that that was
something I would love to join, and I got the opportunity,
and yeah, it was an easy choice to go over here.
And like Mike, you say that make myself a better player.
(43:28):
I believe I have next level in my game, and
that's something I think I can achieve here.
Speaker 4 (43:35):
But for the local journalists, the big story is the
return of de La. They all want to know how
he feels to finally be able to represent his hometown.
Speaker 27 (43:45):
Yeah, it's a great feeling. It's something that I didn't
really think about before. But it's really special to be
able to play for your city where you're from. It's
not something that everyone gets the chance to do. I
would have loved if this was year ten years ago,
to be honest. Yeah, I'm so happy to be back
to be able to play for my parents and people
(44:06):
have them the whole life.
Speaker 4 (44:10):
Well, he won't have long to wait. With only a
few weeks to go until they play their first game,
Luca and Anders will both be running out in front.
Speaker 9 (44:22):
Of the fans soon enough.
Speaker 4 (44:23):
The question is how will they do what sort of
team will emerge from this preseason and can they compete
straight out of the gates. We give the final word
on preseason to MLS journalist Charles Bohem. While it won't
be playing sailing, he's still canstiously optimistic for the new club.
Speaker 22 (44:42):
Yeah, there's an old metaphor building the plane while while
it's still in the air, right, and there's a little
bit of that happening. I think with San Diego C
they've gone from you know, zero to sixty in very
very rapid pace, especially compared to recent MLS expansion timelines.
And Tyler Heaps joked recently in remarks to media that
(45:03):
he's not sleeping, you know, and it wasn't clear how
much of a joke it wasn't It tends to make
me bearish about their prospects for getting everything right from
the start. That's a fiendishly complex and difficult task. But
I think it does definitely inform the mentality of the club,
the desire to do something unique here. I do think
(45:24):
that San Diego se out of the gates will struggle
because the track record is there. I mean, it's a
well established reality that expansion teams have a very difficult
time competing out of the gates and for them trying
to build not just a squad but an organization from
scratch just in time. So there's something admirable about the
(45:44):
scope of the ambitions here. I do think they'll take
some humbling lessons in the opening months, but they can
do it. I think if you have the right people
who take the right lessons from those early struggles, then
I see no reason why they can't be at least
in the race for the playoffs.
Speaker 9 (46:00):
And while we.
Speaker 22 (46:02):
Wait to see what the full squad looks like, I
think they have every reason to go and chase that.
And the Chatoch beauty of MLS is that once you're
in the playoffs, as we saw it with l Ani
United and INTROM Miami in twenty twenty four, truly anything
can happen.
Speaker 4 (46:23):
It's eight twenty on February twenty second, at the home
of the Galaxy, on the opening night of MLS's thirtieth season.
The clock is showing fifty two minutes play. After a
cage first half. Underdogs San Diego FC are holding the
champions to a nothing nothing score one.
Speaker 9 (46:42):
But all of that is about to change.
Speaker 13 (46:44):
Support one hundred and twenty miles from San Diego to
La Oh.
Speaker 5 (46:48):
It's given away.
Speaker 8 (46:53):
Job the Galaxy.
Speaker 13 (47:02):
This mention side says Sandiego lead.
Speaker 4 (47:08):
A goal out of nowhere, a Galaxy defensive mistake. And
it's the San Diego dps that react the quickness and
Choky takes possession in squares to the Danes Andras Rayan
who makes no mistake in blasting in the opening. And
it's not just San Diego's English speaking fans who celebrated
from Chilla Vista to Tijue. Radios and TVs every year
(47:31):
are tuned in and following every kick of the ball
and back in America's finance city at the Blue Foot
Bar and lounge, beers are flying and the crowd is
jumping as a longtime football follower, Paul our friendly neutral
(47:55):
is beginning to get excited. He's pleasantly surprised with the
quality on this all.
Speaker 7 (48:00):
They've gone and score bab mistake the back and trying
to play it out.
Speaker 8 (48:05):
Sugar got the ball and past it nicely and San.
Speaker 7 (48:09):
Diego of their first ever go in MS.
Speaker 8 (48:13):
Fantastic stuff.
Speaker 7 (48:14):
It's currently one so nothing San Diego with fifty five
minutes gone and now yeah, the place went off.
Speaker 12 (48:22):
It was really good.
Speaker 4 (48:24):
The second half is a San Diego on slack. Their
confidence boosted. It's a lesson in quick, incisive passing and
high pressing, just as Mikey promised. But they're not perfect,
of course. The Galaxy looked dangerous too, and the chances
start stacking up for the home stack.
Speaker 9 (48:41):
As the clock kicks.
Speaker 4 (48:42):
Down, It's LA's turn to pile on the pressure at Bluebook.
The fans stay strong as the match ticks into extra time.
Speaker 3 (48:51):
Five minutes of time. About it on, We're resolutely defending.
Speaker 19 (48:58):
Yeah again.
Speaker 8 (49:08):
A loom forward.
Speaker 7 (49:14):
Yeah, Cauldifly, it's gonna do that, Caulifly, Lamy slack.
Speaker 4 (49:24):
As dm C continued to soak up the pressure until
in the final seconds Galaxy loses the ball. Deep into
added time, San Diego players forget the fatigue in their
legs and launch a devastating attack. Chrome and USU's shirts
swarm forward, led by goal scorer Anders Dragon.
Speaker 12 (49:43):
Clear.
Speaker 3 (49:47):
It just fucking.
Speaker 25 (50:03):
Right on, San Diego.
Speaker 3 (50:07):
Nothing that.
Speaker 23 (50:20):
Rocky path under the grupa.
Speaker 28 (50:23):
Probably beautiful little path, very nicely, Yeah, cracking along, and.
Speaker 4 (50:35):
That is the killer blow. The Galaxy's fade of seal
and s DMC are about to make history and it's
over fun opening night, mikey Boris and.
Speaker 12 (50:51):
San Diego FC and Honors Dryer have announced their arrival
in Major League.
Speaker 1 (50:57):
Soccer and amp FA fashion.
Speaker 13 (51:01):
They take down the defending MLS Cup champion LA Galaxy.
Speaker 8 (51:05):
To know the final, Well, there it is what it amazing.
Speaker 9 (51:14):
My voice is.
Speaker 8 (51:16):
Shut hill away from home saying that not loft, free
air and the champions. Amazing stuff. And it went down
an absolute storming house. Loads of people massiveines that you
hear it.
Speaker 7 (51:30):
It was a lot of funny to you know, pretty
clinical goals. I had that last born at the end
really just sealed it San Diego.
Speaker 8 (51:41):
Honestly the best scene.
Speaker 9 (51:42):
Oh yeah, good stuff.
Speaker 4 (51:43):
God Sandy, I don't know about you, but Paul doesn't
sound so neutral to me right now. In fact, I
think that performance may just have won as DFC a
lot of new fans well, making the existing fan based
their happy indeed, but none more so than those supporters
(52:04):
who traveled to LA.
Speaker 5 (52:06):
This is Matthew Boose, the president of Riptides. I'm back
on the bus driving home from Carson and the.
Speaker 9 (52:16):
Whole bus is electrified.
Speaker 5 (52:18):
Everybody's talking, everybody's watching the repeat goals, playback goals. Literally,
no words can describe the feeling from what we just witnessed.
The team was on point, just like we I at
least have known they're.
Speaker 9 (52:38):
Going to be. They played like they belong here in
this league.
Speaker 5 (52:43):
And then that last magical goal by Dryer. It was insane.
The funny thing is I thought the stands were gonna break.
We were jumping up and down so hard in our
section because it was just so insane. The crowd was
definitely typical La throwing stuff at us and booming us
(53:06):
and this and the other, but everybody stayed pretty poised
and definitely there was a bat la chant that happened
at the end, but altogether it was just insane. Everybody
played their part, which sounded great. I've heard that on
Apple TV. You could hear us like laud and clear.
So my voice is hoarse from all the chanting and stuff.
(53:31):
It was so great. So, yeah, San Diego's here, watch
out MLS.
Speaker 4 (53:42):
And there you had, with less than two years to
launch a new franchise, building a club, an academy, a
fan base, and a first team in record time. The
club announced it's a rival to MLS and the world
with a historic win, and as we know now, it
would be just the first of many plus years America's
finest city has dreamed of first Division men's football, and
(54:05):
boy has this club delivered. Next time on Behind the Flow,
join us for something a little bit different. Starting from
next week, we switch gears and dive into the twenty
twenty five season, following it live in real time.
Speaker 9 (54:20):
I'll be joined by colleagues.
Speaker 4 (54:21):
And guests to discuss the on field action, as well
as keeping tabs on the characters and stories we've followed
since the beginning. Stay tuned and keep following us for
the next chapter of San Diego FC Behind the Flow.
Behind the Flow is a Message Heard production. I'm your host.
(54:43):
Adrian garciamaricis the series producer, is McAllister Beckson.
Speaker 9 (54:47):
Mark Kendrick is.
Speaker 4 (54:48):
The assistant producers, and Rebecca Ware is the field producer.
Jake Warren and Sandra Ferrari are the executive producers. James
Cox and Devil Dias are the production coordinators. Sound editor
is Lizzie Andrews and music composition is by Tom Biddle.
Lies the famous fun to whistles going San Diego simply sensational.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Hey everybody, I'm Darren Smith and this is Behind the Flow,
the podcast that takes you inside San Diego FC's first
season in Major League Soccer. The playoff journey continues. What
a night it was at Snapdragon on Sunday, four nil
to SDFC in front of more than thirty two thousand
passionate supporters, and we became the first expansion team ever
(00:40):
to win a Round one, best of three series. And
next up it's the Western Conference semifinal Snapdragon Stadium. What
a scene it's going to be Monday, November twenty fourth
against Minnesota United. With two dramatic games between these sides
during the regular season, I can't even and predict what's
(01:00):
going to.
Speaker 3 (01:01):
Happen in this playoff game.
Speaker 2 (01:03):
We have the goalkeeper of the year, the newcomer of
the year splitting and both sides scoring from the halfway line.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
It will be a crazy night.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
But rather than pick the bones out of that just now,
and with the international break giving us a little bit
of breathing space, we thought this would be the perfect
moment to look back at where it all began.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
When behind the flow first launch.
Speaker 2 (01:25):
The opening ten episodes tracked how the club went from
just an idea to their very first game, and explored
the vision, the culture, and the people who helped shape
this club from the very beginning. In this episode that
you're about to hear, we're going to take you back
to match day one, Sunday, February twenty third, twenty twenty five,
San Diego FC's first ever MLS game away at the
(01:49):
defending champs LA Galaxy. You're going to hear from fans
on the road, to Carson supporters at one of the
great soccer pubs in San Diego, Bluefoot, the watch party
there North Park, and from the people who built this
club from the ground up, the moment it all began.
(02:11):
All right, so we're good, Let me grab the tape.
Are you ready?
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Good? What's it play?
Speaker 4 (02:28):
It's Sunday, February twenty third, twenty twenty five. It's been
twenty one months since it was announced that San Diego
would finally be joining Major League Soccer. That was less
than two years ago, just six hundred and forty seven
days to build an organization, construct a world class training facility,
(02:49):
recruit a team, and detract a fan base and it
all comes down to this match Day one, and what
an opening fixture they've been handed as DFC traveled to
the home of the reigning record holding champions MLS Superpower
and regional rivals La Galaxy for the members of the
(03:10):
club's official supporters union. It's been a long wait.
Speaker 5 (03:14):
Good morning. My name is Matthew Boose and I am
the president of the Riptides, And yeah, I'm sitting here
at my house kind of getting some stuff packed, getting
some stuff ready for our trip out to Carson, LA
for our first ever away game, and send here very nervous,
(03:40):
trying not to exert myself too much right now. This
is going to be a long day of making sure
everybody has a really good time.
Speaker 4 (03:49):
The rip Tides, like the other club supporter groups, have
sold out their ticket allocation, which means eight thousand of
San Diego's most hardcore hype fans are making the four
hour trip north to Los Angeles.
Speaker 5 (04:05):
It's pretty wild to think that just a couple years
ago we started up, not only Riptides, but SDFC came
to form, and yeah we're I'm just sitting here looking
at all the discord messages for Riptides kind of starting
(04:25):
to roll in as everybody's waking up and getting hyped
up and whatnot.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
One of those posting on the group chat is Vanessa Bejadan.
Speaker 6 (04:35):
I'm getting ready and the last thing I have to
do is put on my jersey before I head out
and head to Dignity Health.
Speaker 7 (04:46):
For this game.
Speaker 6 (04:48):
Watching it in person here in Carson, California, It's going
to be epic. You know. I can and I cannot
believe that we have finally needed here. I have butterflies,
butterflies of excitement, of nervousness, and what am I nervous about?
(05:10):
I have no idea. I'm trying to save my my
more jumping excitement for in the crowd, screaming, singing, chanting
to show everyone who's watching this game in person and
on TV like San Diego's here, We're here. MLS has
(05:33):
started this season with San Diego FC, and we are ready.
Speaker 4 (05:45):
Many of those who don't have tickets to the game
will descend on one of San Diego's many soccer bars,
bars like the Blue Foot in North Park.
Speaker 8 (05:58):
Hie, this is Paul Hutchinson.
Speaker 7 (06:02):
I am one of the couch sensors on Fuzzy from
the Foot which is a podcast that comes from the
Blue Foot neighborhood baron lens in the hearts of San
Diego's glittering North.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
Bark Paul is a transplant to the city from the
northwest of England and a long suffering Bolton fan. But today,
seeing his favorite bar packed out, surrounded by soccer Matt
friends who are about to see how long held dream
become reality.
Speaker 9 (06:28):
He can't help but feel his loyalties shift a little.
Speaker 4 (06:31):
But like many, he's not over the optimistic about San
Diego FSI's chances.
Speaker 7 (06:36):
I mean, probably the toughest away game that they could
have been given for their first game. That's you know,
carry to a building and all that, and let's see
how they do. And yeah, it's a little bit of
a free hit for them, I suppose, And yeah, see
if it all pans.
Speaker 4 (06:53):
Out, whatever the score, it's a historic day when loser draw.
This is just the beginning of sdfc's MLS store. As
the team steps onto the pitch to warm up around
the bar, chance for Irby and Chukirosana begin one hundred
(07:29):
miles north back at the Dignity helped Sports Barking Carson
kick off approaches and the atmosphere in the away stand
is Electricity.
Speaker 10 (07:40):
Career joining us for today's man Prison of Bioladello injuring
the visiting San Diego FC s a take on your ten,
twenty four and six time less champion.
Speaker 4 (07:54):
How.
Speaker 11 (08:05):
Oh Man. Seventeen minutes until game time, you can tell
everybody's like really NC and just really ready to go.
The whole crowd up here is watching the players warm
up on the field, drinking some beers and really can
enjoy the music. They're living it up. You can tell everybody,
including myself, it is just in awe of the moment,
(08:28):
really just the moment that we all work so hard
for it. It's really surreal to see our team finally
on the pitch for our first ever game. Words can't
explain how much this means to me and I'm sure
the rest of all of San Diego. San Diego this
for you.
Speaker 12 (08:46):
We did it.
Speaker 13 (08:49):
And we are underway on Sunday Night Soccer.
Speaker 8 (08:53):
The first ever match.
Speaker 4 (08:54):
For San Diego FC away at the Ragning Champs the
La Gallice. In February twenty twenty five, San Diego e
(09:18):
FC became the thirtieth team to enter Major League Soccer.
Now the largest professional league on the planet. But this
is more than just another football club. At least that's
the hope of the club's co owners. Under the leadership
of Sir Mohammed Montsour, Right to Dream is an organization
promising to rock American soccer to its foundations with a
(09:39):
revolutionary approach to coaching and youth development. Anchoring the project
in the local community is the Sequan Band of the
Kumiga Nation, the first ever Native American owners in men's
professional sports, and as the only MLS club officially sanctioned
to recruit out of Mexico. I mean, this thing could
(10:00):
really fly, that is, if everything goes to plan. In
this episode, preseason finally gets underway. Sporting director Tyler Heaps
puts the finishing touches on the squad and coach Batas
welcomes his players for the very first time. The clock
is ticking. The countdown to Game one has begun. Captured
(10:21):
in the final months before the twenty twenty five season
kicks off, this series follows sdfc's race to field their.
Speaker 9 (10:27):
First ever team.
Speaker 4 (10:29):
I'm Adrian, gotta say, I'm Mark and this is behind
the flow. The origin story of San Diego FC It's
(10:58):
the morning of January twenty twenty five, and the California
sun is beaming down on the newly minted Sharp Healthcare
Performance Center at Singing Hills. This site has been a
hive of NonStop activity for the past fifteen months, but
today all is quiet. Construction crews have paused their work
(11:19):
to mark a special occasion. As DFC staff and members
of the Sequan community sit together under club branded canopies.
They give Tribal Chairman Cody Martinez a round of applause
as he takes the stage.
Speaker 1 (11:36):
General membership, team members, members of the FC operation and
community partners. Everyone that's here, welcome for joining us today.
This is a very special day for Sequan and indeed
for Seego County as a whole. Today's event is a
special event as we bless this new project in our
(11:58):
Kumii tradition, blessing the future use of this facility with
smoke of the white sage, songs and dances and prayers
of the Kumai people passed down from our ancestors. I
want to again thank you all for being here today.
I especially want to again thank the general membership further
(12:18):
support vision and belief in this long term investment for
the tribe. We are truly making history here today. Twenty
twenty five marks one hundred and fifty years since the
creation of the Sequan Indian Reservation, the original one square
mile of land created by Presidential Executive Order in December
(12:39):
of the year eighteen seventy five. We are here to
bless a new chapter in the history of this land,
a new beginning that will support future generations in sport
and education. Congratulations to all of our Sequon membership here
today on this amazing accomplishment.
Speaker 14 (12:57):
And at this time, it is my pleasure to introduce
Councilman j Me.
Speaker 9 (13:00):
The break.
Speaker 4 (13:03):
Tribal elder, Uncle Jamie and his niece emerged from inside
the buildings where they've just now completed their ritual blessings.
Speaker 9 (13:13):
Thank you Chairman.
Speaker 15 (13:14):
At this time, I'm gonna go ahead and I'm gonna
offer this sage in all four directions. I'm that's the
creator to bless me, to honor everybody here today with
some kind words and words that are meaningful and purposeful,
because I acknowledge not just our community, but the community
of right to dream and how important they are too.
Speaker 4 (13:36):
Is Jamie strikes a match and lights the bunch of
dried sage in his hand. The aromatic smoke gently swirls
around him. His lips move silently offering a prayer to
the tribe's ancestors.
Speaker 15 (13:53):
When me and my niece were walking around, we got
to the east side over there, and it felt so peaceful,
it felt so serene, And I knew then that our
ancestors above us were rejoiced in this perfect union. Our
ancestors above is they knew that the right to dream academy,
the Monsur family and the Kumya nation were exercising or
(14:16):
committing to this perfect union, that this was the right
thing for our people. Maybe one day we'll see a
couple of Kumya young men or women running these fields
and practicing. Maybe one day they two can exemplify what
that right to dream is. Because that's why Knight was created.
You see in our crimea way of life. Night was created,
a dream in the daytime was created to live those dreams.
(14:38):
And that's what these fields are going to represent today.
So thank you everybody. I'd like to call up a
Blueisgold Bobo. My cousin Ernie and my nephew Justin's we
company shared those songs with.
Speaker 16 (14:48):
You, I I, I'm a train im him and I
(15:08):
madam oka hi maday okay I.
Speaker 4 (15:40):
After the traditional songs and dances have been performed, CEO
Tom Pen addresses the audience.
Speaker 14 (15:49):
We've said all along, this feels like holy land, and
to bring right to dream here, it's emotional. If we
can bring the right to dream way to this special
and singing hills with all these brilliant minds that are
here to bring their passion and their creativity, how special
(16:09):
could it be? And it should be the best in
North America and among the best in the world. Literally,
so on behalf of the one hundred and forty employees
at SDFC, the twenty two players twenty three how many
players do we have? Twenty two players, tyler and counting,
and then the tens of thousands who have said yes
(16:32):
to us already, the members of San Diego Football Club,
our season ticket holders, our corporate partners, everybody. We say
thank you to Sequan sharing your land with this project.
Speaker 4 (16:45):
Last to speak is the club's head coach. As Mikey
takes the podium, he clears his throat.
Speaker 12 (16:51):
Thank you, chairman, appreciate you, council members, the Sequan ancestors. Frankly,
hearing the passion and the ancestry and the connectedness there
made me quite emotional. Actually makes me realize just how
grateful I am to be just the smallest part of
(17:13):
this much bigger story when it comes to this Kwan
and it comes to Right to Dream, and every day
I wake up and I pinch myself as I understand
where I'm at right now, and I also understand the
responsibility that that comes with We talk about a blessing. Well,
every day the players and the staff come in here,
(17:34):
we will feel blessed and we will understand the honor
that it will require from us to make sure that
we're a reflection of this Kwan and the history that
comes with the land.
Speaker 4 (17:50):
One man who cherishes the community partnership being built here
in San Diego is the club's majority owner Right to
Dream Chairman, Sir Mohammed Mansour.
Speaker 17 (18:00):
May twenty twenty two. First time when Commissioner Don Garber
was there, I felt the passion of the fans amazing,
and how we were welcomed by everyone, as you know
Egyptian British citizen, of course, you know our partners. How
(18:20):
we were welcomed in San Diego. I mean that was
very touching for me too, because in reality, I am
an emotional man, you know, I'm a person that feels
for people, you know, and having this welcoming, you know,
everything is positive and even the media that you know
I've spoken to were positive, and this really gives us.
(18:42):
It's more of a challenge because then we have to
meet their expectations and get there. So this is the
challenge that we have.
Speaker 4 (18:49):
So what about meeting those expectations? How does he think
the club will do in their first season?
Speaker 17 (18:55):
Can you ask me that question after the first three
games so I can give you a more I mean,
I mean there's hope, you know, I mean expectations.
Speaker 9 (19:05):
We're winners.
Speaker 17 (19:06):
I mean I don't get into anything. You know, we push,
we push, we push.
Speaker 9 (19:14):
You know.
Speaker 17 (19:15):
I mean we want to be a winning team, whether
it be in three years, whether it be in five.
We want to be a winning team that makes our
fans proud and makes the community proud and makes us proud.
So that's the objective. I know the first game is
going to be a tough one with Ellie Galaxy in
Los Angeles. I'm definitely going to be there. Tom Penn
(19:36):
asked me, if I can be there in January. Our
to them will be there whenever they want, so very
exciting times, very exciting times.
Speaker 4 (19:44):
As the ceremony draws to a close, the construction teams
are anxious to get back to work. There's still plenty
to be done and no time to lose. Tom Penn
has been in and out all week watching the finishing
touches being applied to the first team facilities.
Speaker 18 (20:02):
Well, you can hear construction noise in the background.
Speaker 12 (20:04):
You know.
Speaker 18 (20:05):
The staff moved in on Monday, six days ago. They've
been working their tails off to get this right. They
were still assembling furniture. They were hanging TVs on the wall.
Speaker 12 (20:16):
You know.
Speaker 18 (20:17):
Tyler was like, I'd love to have a computer, and
then he and I were chatting in the hallway. Then
you turn around and the computer was there. So it
was happening in real time, boxes everywhere. But it was
a real move in day.
Speaker 4 (20:28):
The complex won't be fully finished for a few more weeks,
but all the essential areas are now ready for tomorrow,
the first day of preseason and the arrival of the players.
Although it's not ideal, it does feel appropriate that they'll
be walking on to a building segment.
Speaker 18 (20:47):
This is a dramatic work in progress where we're finished
on the inside. All the player areas are pristine, but
you're walking through an active site. But it's amazing to
see everybody sort of progressed their way through this project,
which is literal and a metaphor for what we're doing.
Speaker 9 (21:04):
Is this with this whole club.
Speaker 4 (21:06):
The fact that they actually completed this first stage in
time for preseasons is nothing short of a miracle.
Speaker 18 (21:14):
In the state of California. For sure. This is the
fastest construction project ever. So this idea was hatched roughly
twenty two months ago in March and April of twenty three,
and here we are in January of twenty five and
it's done. We did a groundbreaking in November, so that
(21:35):
means in fourteen months, this one hundred and fifty million
dollar project is effectively done. We build a fifty thousand
square foot brand new building done, and we're doing renovations
of the remaining seventy five thousand square feet of existing
buildings for the academy and for Right to Dream and
(21:55):
for the school, and that'll be done in the next
couple months.
Speaker 4 (22:00):
For Tyler heaps, the club's rookie GM. It's already been
the job of a lifetime, but the real work starts
tomorrow when players finally report for duty.
Speaker 19 (22:13):
I think it's just to be here for the beginning
is special, right, And I think it's the land is
special that you can feel it when you walk on.
The views are amazing, but also just the privilege of
us being able to utilize the space the players. I
can't wait to see their faces and their reactions because
the fields are immaculate, the gym is ready, the locker
rooms ready. It's got to be one of the best,
if not the best training grounds in MLS. And that's
(22:36):
a huge privilege and also a lot of pressure on us.
So it's about us now to make sure we hold
true to it.
Speaker 4 (22:57):
It's the next day, and despite the early hour, fans
are lighting the approach to Singing Hills. They're here by
invitation the official Welcoming Committee for the club's players. One
by one, taxis and private cars with tinted windows arrive
and pull into the gated entrance inside the performance center.
(23:17):
In the stylish coffee bar area, an array of fruit
and snacks are neatly laid out. Mike Tyler and their
sporting staff are all there, and they're all smiles greeting
the players as they file in one by one. It's
high fives and big hugs as DFC.
Speaker 9 (23:34):
Colleagues meet each other for the first time.
Speaker 4 (23:37):
Standing back a little from the fray soaking it in
is Tom Pin.
Speaker 18 (23:41):
I don't know if you heard, but one of our
guys from Europe was late getting here because he filled
his gas tank up with diesel gas and his car
broke down on the highway and he barely made it
in here and was in a panic. But we started
a couple of minutes late so he could get here.
So all this transition is happening, right.
Speaker 4 (24:00):
Tyler looks like a kid in a candy store. He
just can't stop smiling.
Speaker 19 (24:04):
Thays like the first day of school. All the players
obviously arrived there in market. We came here today for
the day one of medicals, so a really exciting moment
for the club, an opportunity to get everybody together. It's
been a long time coming in terms of getting all
these players. Now to get with twenty six here, twenty
one contracted players, I mean obviously that means we still
(24:24):
have a few more to go, but really excited to
get the group together, to see them start to interact
and collaborate with each other, and then also to see
the coaches on the field, the coaches and the staff
obviously putting that together.
Speaker 4 (24:37):
Once all the players have arrived, they take their seats
for their first ever team meeting. It's a unique situation
in world football. Each and every one of them is
new to the club, arriving on the same day. Some
have never been in a first team locker room. Others
have played Champions League and World Cups. But either way,
(24:58):
young or old, they're collective. Enthusiasm is palpable.
Speaker 12 (25:02):
I love that. That's an energy there.
Speaker 20 (25:06):
That's energy.
Speaker 12 (25:07):
I know what to do with me, I nobody.
Speaker 13 (25:10):
It's sitting aside beside all you got.
Speaker 3 (25:14):
If you take one thing.
Speaker 12 (25:15):
From this whole preseason, it's that connective.
Speaker 4 (25:18):
As much as possible, mikey Vadis has been planning this
moment for months. Over the next five weeks of preseason,
every second will be crucial to setting standards, building a
team culture, and getting them ready for game one. Well,
they say you never get a second chance to make
(25:39):
a first impression.
Speaker 12 (25:43):
Why are we here why are we sitting in this school.
Speaker 3 (25:48):
We are here to win.
Speaker 12 (25:50):
This is the first divisionfessional football, huge investment. Families are
going to spend all their earnings come to the stadium
to see us to play.
Speaker 3 (26:02):
So we're here to win.
Speaker 13 (26:05):
But how we win and who we win with matters.
We have to play with our style of play exciting
for you, and we have to win with people who
have a character that we behave the right way, We
enact the right way, and carry ourselves around.
Speaker 21 (26:24):
We inspire people the right way. I'm going to give you, guys,
I promise right now what I'm going to do to
you as you're you, and what I expect that fairy
de beas it starts with the intentions.
Speaker 13 (26:40):
We're going to speak to you directly and honestly all
the time. You'll never be guessing where you stands. Sometimes
I'll tell you something that you don't agree with or
you don't like, but at least you know I'll say
it to you and face the things.
Speaker 12 (26:54):
I'll have compassion through. You're not robots, You guys are
going these We'll play football, the fathers, the brothers, your sons.
You're hearing me, so we'll always fire from have a level.
Speaker 4 (27:09):
First, Mike lays out his three top priorities for his players,
and it's not what some might have expected. Be a
good person, have a growth mindset, and embrace competition. It's
the right to dreamway, development first and foremost in every respect.
Speaker 13 (27:28):
If we do these three things together, if we make
this emment together to each other, to each other, then
we are.
Speaker 12 (27:35):
Going to have joy and commonist and science. We will
step on every single pitch knowing we're ready. Does it
guarantee we're going to win going, but it gives us
a better chance every single time.
Speaker 13 (27:47):
We'll know we're together in it, and we'll know we
did the world so that when we arrived to games,
we arrived with smiles on our this feeling good, knowing
we've done everything.
Speaker 4 (27:57):
Mikey's carrying human centered approach catch some off guard. This
isn't your standard orientation briefing. This is something else, though.
Naturally their ears all prick up when he moves on
to the footballinggue side.
Speaker 13 (28:11):
Four moments of the game, ball possession, we lose the ball.
Speaker 12 (28:16):
Ball loss, ball recovery.
Speaker 21 (28:18):
We want to get it back.
Speaker 3 (28:20):
Ball recovery transition.
Speaker 12 (28:22):
Is maybe a little different than you're used to.
Speaker 13 (28:23):
Usually you're used to attacking or offense, defending or defense,
but I changed here.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
We believe that the ball is.
Speaker 12 (28:33):
The most sporting pumps. Why did all the of you
guys started plays. There's a little so here we're on
the ball.
Speaker 4 (28:40):
Smiles break out across the players faces. This is what
they want to hear. It's what attracted many of them
to the project.
Speaker 12 (28:47):
The silent lay starts with an unway ring suit. The
most important work GOO is pursuit.
Speaker 3 (28:58):
Going for the belief.
Speaker 12 (29:00):
We know if the other team wants to do the same.
It's not easy to win games in the highest level,
but it is easy to have a mentality of always
having the intention to go for it.
Speaker 13 (29:12):
So we are going to play a way to yat
taame number one MLS Cup champions. And I'm telling you everybody,
we're right now.
Speaker 12 (29:20):
So that we're very clear when we go there, we're
gonna go beat us aggressive build up, and we're gonna
see what happens. And guess what, If we win, that
locker room is gonna be a left.
Speaker 13 (29:35):
If we tie, we're gonna be quite happy and say
hey we got some If we lose it, it's close.
We're gonna be disappointed, but we're gonna say we're close.
Speaker 12 (29:45):
And if we get our asses games, we're gonna say,
a't okay. We're gonna learn it from this, and we're
gonna get back into training and we're gonna go again
and again and again, because when it clicks, we're gonna be.
Speaker 22 (30:02):
No fear here.
Speaker 12 (30:03):
It's about being bread, it's about being relentless.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
When we get.
Speaker 12 (30:08):
Knocked down, we just get backed up and keep a
living and it's about having a fighting team spirit.
Speaker 9 (30:13):
The players are all in.
Speaker 4 (30:19):
Each of them is looking forward to the first day
on grass, when preseason promper will begin. It's January thirteenth,
twenty twenty five, San Diego ebsi's first ever day of training,
and the region's sporting press has gathered to capture It's
(30:41):
another gloriously sunny morning in southern California. Mikey leads his
staff and players out onto the field, all dressed in
their crisp chrome colored training year. The immediate focus is
on conditioning, which means running a lot of running. At
the start of preseason grooming double fitness sessions are common
(31:03):
at some clubs. Days go by before a ball is
even kicked but not here, and not on Mikey's watch.
He's got less than five weeks to get this group
of strangers reading from the same playbook.
Speaker 9 (31:17):
It's not long before.
Speaker 4 (31:18):
Bags of balls emerge and training switches to quick passing
and hard pressing, the bread and butter of this team.
Speaker 9 (31:25):
This is followed by a.
Speaker 4 (31:26):
Coaching session on team shape. Finally, with the players already
drenched in sweat, it's time for their first game, something
called ninety nine plus one, an attack versus defense exercise.
Mikey is wasting no time instilling his ideas. As the
players head into the showers, they look exhausted but happy,
(31:49):
but none more so than star center back Patty McNair.
As one of the club's earliest signings, the Northern Irishman
has been looking forward to this day longer than most.
Coming from freezing cold Britain training under the California sun
in mid January is just one of many things that
excited him about joining.
Speaker 23 (32:10):
I've played Next One for fifteen years, moved over as fourteen,
so it was just one of the experience something you
I think m OLAS is a league that's you know, screwn.
Every year they'll see the world Cups here next year,
and yeah, I just feel like sen League and I've
always looked out of it from Afar, and I've always
sort of, you know, bo would I like I played here.
(32:30):
So when the opportunity, Kim was more than abi the con.
Speaker 4 (32:34):
But aside from the lifestyle, it was really the right
to Dream style of play that Appealty.
Speaker 23 (32:40):
Yeah, I think it's going to be a possession style team,
so yeah, attacking, and yeah, I think we'll you know,
create a lot of chances. So I think it'll be, uh,
we'll be an exciting watch.
Speaker 4 (32:51):
Patty backs himself to adapt, but the process will be
helped having a few Right to Dream veterans in the
locker room, like Marcus Embarksing and center midfielder Jeppe Deversko,
who's already impressed with his teammate's desire to learn.
Speaker 24 (33:08):
Everybody is new, we see each other for the first time,
twenty five new faces and coaches and everybody around. So
that we are a couple of guys who already knows
the system can be that helping arm with the coaching
staff to implement all the ideas here on the pitch.
It's very important and also to make that transition going faster,
(33:30):
but the guys are very open minded. Everybody really wants
to buy into it, believing in the project, believing in
the style of play, and just been asking a lot
of questions which is themation.
Speaker 4 (33:42):
Jep is one of five players who will be part
of Mikey's senior leadership team, and though he doesn't know
it yet, he'll also be made as dsc's first ever
club captain in the coming days.
Speaker 9 (33:55):
Needless to say, he knows his job.
Speaker 24 (33:59):
I'm gonna be an important player in terms of like
setting a culture, knowing like some of the values behind
their ownership and how they want to do things. Been
in that system for many years and been indicated since
a young age and that so being able to bring
that here with my aids, with my experience both on
but also off the pitch, is something that is really
(34:23):
important for the club. Also, it's not only about the
performance on the team, but also especially in the first year,
to build that culture and get some values within the team,
and it's something that I look forward to.
Speaker 4 (34:40):
Last one in is coach bats who stops to give.
Speaker 9 (34:43):
Us his thoughts on the first few days.
Speaker 12 (34:46):
Training was great. It's everything you could expect plus more
from a first day, right, you're just trying to get
the off season out of their legs a bit. Try
to focus on a few basic concepts that that can
help them start to understand our style of play. We
play at the end of the preseason against MLS champions,
so we got to get it as clear as possible
and as detailed as possible by them. But it'll be
(35:08):
a gradual process, step by step, first focusing on big
picture ideas and basics, and then going from there.
Speaker 4 (35:15):
Mikey knows better than anyone how little time they have
to get ready for the match, but even though they've
planned this preseason in meticulous detail, he's also ready and
willing to evolve his approach with his players.
Speaker 12 (35:28):
Import we have to maximize every second we're on the
pitch because there is a limit to what you can
do with these guys every day, so we have to
make it purposeful. Second, we need to use video and
discussions at the individual level, small group level, and team
level without overburning them cognitively, so managing their fatigue while
(35:48):
still using video. And then, most importantly, we have to
trust them. We have to trust that with time they'll
get more and more adapted, but also that they have
something to offer to the style of play.
Speaker 4 (36:00):
And his staff are working long days, but there's no letup.
Is he feeling the toll maybe just a little yeah, I.
Speaker 12 (36:07):
Mean physically and mentally, Yeah, a little bit knackered. It
was a long day to day pretty much NonStop, but
spiritually super energized because this gives me life. This is real.
This is the honor and privilege that I have, which
is to work for this club and for a partner
with these players. So I'm super excited.
Speaker 4 (36:29):
Also, Tyler is also happy with what he's seen so far,
not just the talent on display, but how the mix
of personalities are interacting. There aren't data points for mentality
or character. Humility and courage are intangibles. Scouts need a
sixth sense for It's something Tyler and his team took
(36:52):
seriously when building their roster.
Speaker 19 (36:54):
Everything we do is people first. Characters have been at
the center of all of our decisions. Look, the football
skills are important, but when you only have one chance
to build this and you only have one chance to
establish a culture, and so that was really key in
how we made decisions early and even today, So making
sure that we don't just sign any player. We signed
the right player and somebody that wants to be here
(37:16):
and somebody that's willing to set the standards high and
hopefully raise them. So I think we've been very particular
with that, and I think we've done so far a
very good job of surrounding this environment with the right people.
Speaker 4 (37:28):
The focus on character will be just as important with
the academy, not just by scouting kids with the right mentality,
but by having first team role models for them.
Speaker 9 (37:38):
To look up to.
Speaker 4 (37:39):
It was a big part of the thinking behind signing
players like Ghana international MLS veteran and Right to Dream
alumni and Manuel Boatank. When we caught up with him,
he's grinning from ear to ear. For him, there's a
feeling of a homecoming despite the new surroundings.
Speaker 25 (37:56):
The first and obviously was you know, China, I've seen
a lot of how Norchaland has played and you know,
with the right dream ties and everything, and just like
the football itself is just like beautiful watching that team
play and the style that they're playing, and I knew
that was something that they were trying to like introduce
in this.
Speaker 9 (38:14):
League and with the coaches.
Speaker 25 (38:16):
So that dream into it, you know, playing a place
where I enjoy the football and then you know right
Dream attached to it is huge being able to be
here on the daily and you know, see the case
impact them in any positive way that I can, and
also learn from them. So it's a great way to
get back from everything that Right Dream has given me
(38:36):
to be able to help his case as well.
Speaker 4 (38:39):
He's been in the MLS for over a decade, seeing
numerous locker rooms and training facilities and experienced the rapid
growth of the league firsthand. But even he is blown
away by his new home.
Speaker 25 (38:54):
Looks like, you know, there's still some work that needs
to be done. By how it is already, it's easily
the best facility I've been in, and anything else in
this league like come close to it.
Speaker 4 (39:05):
All in all, it's been a great first day on
the grass. The team is looking good and the players
are bonding, but there's still some key pieces missing from
the starting lineup, namely a creative midfielder and a white
forward who can share the goals with their Drew King
and Marcus Ingbertsen. It's this position Tyler is working hardest on,
oh role reserved for their second designated player.
Speaker 19 (39:28):
It is no secret and I'm not surprising anybody when
I say this, but scoring goals is the most difficult
thing to do in football, and when you have a
restricted roster with discretionary spend and only a number of
different positions, you normally spend that on goal scorers or
goal contributors. Probably is a better way to frame it.
So we know we have that on the left side
of Irving and we want to get the best out
of him. So we're looking at a right winger that's
(39:50):
probably false footed, that prefers to play in the pocket,
that's a bit of a footballer, but also provides something different,
the ability to run behind, the ability to come short,
to combine someone that's strong, powerful, that can come in
this league and make an impact right away. It's also
no secret that the fullbacks in this league are also
the most underpaid role. It's normally the cheapest position on
(40:11):
your roster. So if you can find a way to
then put your best players against those you probably it
defines success. And so that's the approach that we're taking.
Speaker 4 (40:37):
Just over a week later, we are back at as
dfc's downtown offices in Little Italy. Since the move to
Singing Hills. It's been much quieter here, but not today.
Today the press are gathering again, this time for a
major player announcement. The club are unveiling not one, but
two major first team signings, no surprises for which positions.
(41:00):
A creative midfielder, US national team player and San Diego
native Luca de la Torre, who joins on loan with
an option to buy from Celta Vigo in Spain, and
sat next to him at the krominasuit of presentation table
is Danish international winger and as thefc's second designated player,
Anders Dreyer. Tyler introduces the two new faces to the fans.
Speaker 19 (41:26):
Thanks Vicky, and thanks everybody for coming today.
Speaker 10 (41:29):
Another exciting moment.
Speaker 3 (41:30):
For the club.
Speaker 19 (41:31):
There's been a lot of first in the last couple
of weeks, and this one we're really excited for. A
big welcome to Luca and honors two players that we
have high expectations for here in San Diego. I'm really
excited to get on the grass and started. It's no
secret that this league is won and lost by difference makers,
and I have no doubt that these two are our
(41:52):
key difference makers for us here in San Diego in.
Speaker 14 (41:55):
The year one.
Speaker 4 (41:56):
The press have plenty of questions, but many zero in
on the longer waited arrival.
Speaker 9 (42:01):
Of a second DP.
Speaker 4 (42:03):
Anders probably isn't a name most fans know coming from
the Belgian but it won't have been a decision the
club took likely.
Speaker 26 (42:12):
Migah the morning and open the football.
Speaker 12 (42:15):
Um.
Speaker 26 (42:15):
What does it feel like to just have a second
dpiece tiny with Anders joining the team now and just
overall finding that right winger that you guys have been
looking for and letting us know that you've been looking for.
Speaker 12 (42:27):
Yeah, it's extremely exciting. He's got tremendous quality left foot,
final pass, goal scorer and instinct combination. He can create
space for himself, he can create for others, and most importantly,
two things that I really love about him is one
he works for his teammates off the ball in terms
of pressing.
Speaker 14 (42:46):
He's willing to be a warrior.
Speaker 1 (42:48):
In that sense.
Speaker 12 (42:48):
And also he wants to get better. He knows that
he still has other levels that he can get to.
Speaker 4 (42:54):
Anders, though man a few words, is quick to agree
the growing quality of the league, combined with the right
to drink philosophy, could be the perfect platform for his developments.
Speaker 20 (43:06):
I think when I've read about the Floodshack and the
new Club San Diego, I was convinced that that was
something I would love to join, and I got the opportunity,
and yeah, it was an easy choice to go over here.
And like Mike, you say that make myself a better player.
(43:28):
I believe I have next level in my game, and
that's something I think I can achieve here.
Speaker 4 (43:35):
But for the local journalists, the big story is the
return of de La. They all want to know how
he feels to finally be able to represent his hometown.
Speaker 27 (43:45):
Yeah, it's a great feeling. It's something that I didn't
really think about before. But it's really special to be
able to play for your city where you're from. It's
not something that everyone gets the chance to do. I
would have loved if this was year ten years ago,
to be honest. Yeah, I'm so happy to be back
to be able to play for my parents and people
(44:06):
have them the whole life.
Speaker 4 (44:10):
Well, he won't have long to wait. With only a
few weeks to go until they play their first game,
Luca and Anders will both be running out in front.
Speaker 9 (44:22):
Of the fans soon enough.
Speaker 4 (44:23):
The question is how will they do what sort of
team will emerge from this preseason and can they compete
straight out of the gates. We give the final word
on preseason to MLS journalist Charles Bohem. While it won't
be playing sailing, he's still canstiously optimistic for the new club.
Speaker 22 (44:42):
Yeah, there's an old metaphor building the plane while while
it's still in the air, right, and there's a little
bit of that happening. I think with San Diego C
they've gone from you know, zero to sixty in very
very rapid pace, especially compared to recent MLS expansion timelines.
And Tyler Heaps joked recently in remarks to media that
(45:03):
he's not sleeping, you know, and it wasn't clear how
much of a joke it wasn't It tends to make
me bearish about their prospects for getting everything right from
the start. That's a fiendishly complex and difficult task. But
I think it does definitely inform the mentality of the club,
the desire to do something unique here. I do think
(45:24):
that San Diego se out of the gates will struggle
because the track record is there. I mean, it's a
well established reality that expansion teams have a very difficult
time competing out of the gates and for them trying
to build not just a squad but an organization from
scratch just in time. So there's something admirable about the
(45:44):
scope of the ambitions here. I do think they'll take
some humbling lessons in the opening months, but they can
do it. I think if you have the right people
who take the right lessons from those early struggles, then
I see no reason why they can't be at least
in the race for the playoffs.
Speaker 9 (46:00):
And while we.
Speaker 22 (46:02):
Wait to see what the full squad looks like, I
think they have every reason to go and chase that.
And the Chatoch beauty of MLS is that once you're
in the playoffs, as we saw it with l Ani
United and INTROM Miami in twenty twenty four, truly anything
can happen.
Speaker 4 (46:23):
It's eight twenty on February twenty second, at the home
of the Galaxy, on the opening night of MLS's thirtieth season.
The clock is showing fifty two minutes play. After a
cage first half. Underdogs San Diego FC are holding the
champions to a nothing nothing score one.
Speaker 9 (46:42):
But all of that is about to change.
Speaker 13 (46:44):
Support one hundred and twenty miles from San Diego to
La Oh.
Speaker 5 (46:48):
It's given away.
Speaker 8 (46:53):
Job the Galaxy.
Speaker 13 (47:02):
This mention side says Sandiego lead.
Speaker 4 (47:08):
A goal out of nowhere, a Galaxy defensive mistake. And
it's the San Diego dps that react the quickness and
Choky takes possession in squares to the Danes Andras Rayan
who makes no mistake in blasting in the opening. And
it's not just San Diego's English speaking fans who celebrated
from Chilla Vista to Tijue. Radios and TVs every year
(47:31):
are tuned in and following every kick of the ball
and back in America's finance city at the Blue Foot
Bar and lounge, beers are flying and the crowd is
jumping as a longtime football follower, Paul our friendly neutral
(47:55):
is beginning to get excited. He's pleasantly surprised with the
quality on this all.
Speaker 7 (48:00):
They've gone and score bab mistake the back and trying
to play it out.
Speaker 8 (48:05):
Sugar got the ball and past it nicely and San.
Speaker 7 (48:09):
Diego of their first ever go in MS.
Speaker 8 (48:13):
Fantastic stuff.
Speaker 7 (48:14):
It's currently one so nothing San Diego with fifty five
minutes gone and now yeah, the place went off.
Speaker 12 (48:22):
It was really good.
Speaker 4 (48:24):
The second half is a San Diego on slack. Their
confidence boosted. It's a lesson in quick, incisive passing and
high pressing, just as Mikey promised. But they're not perfect,
of course. The Galaxy looked dangerous too, and the chances
start stacking up for the home stack.
Speaker 9 (48:41):
As the clock kicks.
Speaker 4 (48:42):
Down, It's LA's turn to pile on the pressure at Bluebook.
The fans stay strong as the match ticks into extra time.
Speaker 3 (48:51):
Five minutes of time. About it on, We're resolutely defending.
Speaker 19 (48:58):
Yeah again.
Speaker 8 (49:08):
A loom forward.
Speaker 7 (49:14):
Yeah, Cauldifly, it's gonna do that, Caulifly, Lamy slack.
Speaker 4 (49:24):
As dm C continued to soak up the pressure until
in the final seconds Galaxy loses the ball. Deep into
added time, San Diego players forget the fatigue in their
legs and launch a devastating attack. Chrome and USU's shirts
swarm forward, led by goal scorer Anders Dragon.
Speaker 12 (49:43):
Clear.
Speaker 3 (49:47):
It just fucking.
Speaker 25 (50:03):
Right on, San Diego.
Speaker 3 (50:07):
Nothing that.
Speaker 23 (50:20):
Rocky path under the grupa.
Speaker 28 (50:23):
Probably beautiful little path, very nicely, Yeah, cracking along, and.
Speaker 4 (50:35):
That is the killer blow. The Galaxy's fade of seal
and s DMC are about to make history and it's
over fun opening night, mikey Boris and.
Speaker 12 (50:51):
San Diego FC and Honors Dryer have announced their arrival
in Major League.
Speaker 1 (50:57):
Soccer and amp FA fashion.
Speaker 13 (51:01):
They take down the defending MLS Cup champion LA Galaxy.
Speaker 8 (51:05):
To know the final, Well, there it is what it amazing.
Speaker 9 (51:14):
My voice is.
Speaker 8 (51:16):
Shut hill away from home saying that not loft, free
air and the champions. Amazing stuff. And it went down
an absolute storming house. Loads of people massiveines that you
hear it.
Speaker 7 (51:30):
It was a lot of funny to you know, pretty
clinical goals. I had that last born at the end
really just sealed it San Diego.
Speaker 8 (51:41):
Honestly the best scene.
Speaker 9 (51:42):
Oh yeah, good stuff.
Speaker 4 (51:43):
God Sandy, I don't know about you, but Paul doesn't
sound so neutral to me right now. In fact, I
think that performance may just have won as DFC a
lot of new fans well, making the existing fan based
their happy indeed, but none more so than those supporters
(52:04):
who traveled to LA.
Speaker 5 (52:06):
This is Matthew Boose, the president of Riptides. I'm back
on the bus driving home from Carson and the.
Speaker 9 (52:16):
Whole bus is electrified.
Speaker 5 (52:18):
Everybody's talking, everybody's watching the repeat goals, playback goals. Literally,
no words can describe the feeling from what we just witnessed.
The team was on point, just like we I at
least have known they're.
Speaker 9 (52:38):
Going to be. They played like they belong here in
this league.
Speaker 5 (52:43):
And then that last magical goal by Dryer. It was insane.
The funny thing is I thought the stands were gonna break.
We were jumping up and down so hard in our
section because it was just so insane. The crowd was
definitely typical La throwing stuff at us and booming us
(53:06):
and this and the other, but everybody stayed pretty poised
and definitely there was a bat la chant that happened
at the end, but altogether it was just insane. Everybody
played their part, which sounded great. I've heard that on
Apple TV. You could hear us like laud and clear.
So my voice is hoarse from all the chanting and stuff.
(53:31):
It was so great. So, yeah, San Diego's here, watch
out MLS.
Speaker 4 (53:42):
And there you had, with less than two years to
launch a new franchise, building a club, an academy, a
fan base, and a first team in record time. The
club announced it's a rival to MLS and the world
with a historic win, and as we know now, it
would be just the first of many plus years America's
finest city has dreamed of first Division men's football, and
(54:05):
boy has this club delivered. Next time on Behind the Flow,
join us for something a little bit different. Starting from
next week, we switch gears and dive into the twenty
twenty five season, following it live in real time.
Speaker 9 (54:20):
I'll be joined by colleagues.
Speaker 4 (54:21):
And guests to discuss the on field action, as well
as keeping tabs on the characters and stories we've followed
since the beginning. Stay tuned and keep following us for
the next chapter of San Diego FC Behind the Flow.
Behind the Flow is a Message Heard production. I'm your host.
(54:43):
Adrian garciamaricis the series producer, is McAllister Beckson.
Speaker 9 (54:47):
Mark Kendrick is.
Speaker 4 (54:48):
The assistant producers, and Rebecca Ware is the field producer.
Jake Warren and Sandra Ferrari are the executive producers. James
Cox and Devil Dias are the production coordinators. Sound editor
is Lizzie Andrews and music composition is by Tom Biddle.
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