April 11, 2025 • 8 mins
Bruce and Dave discuss the MLS schedule change drive and how D.C. United balance intent and tactics to get back on track.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Here we go, Here we go. It's first eleven for
this Friday. We get set for DC and out of
FC Cincinnati at seven fifteen on iHeartRadio, the iHeartRadio app
and you can sync with Apple TV as it's a
home game at Audi Field and DC and I believe
me looking to respond after a bad day in San Jose.
Dave Johnson along with her Bruce Moria. We will get
(00:21):
to DC and IED and how they do respond. But
first let's talk about Major League Soccer deciding to postpone
any schedule change. There's been talk trying to align with
the European schedules, not really the world calendar. It's not
the same in South America and Mexico, but trying to
align with the European calendars. Talking now that they'll investigate more,
(00:42):
but the earliest any change would come would be twenty
twenty seven.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
A R.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Bruce Moriy. Basically, what they're thinking is starting the season
late July or early August, play through mid December, then
take roughly a five week winter break through the beginning
of February, and then conclude the season late May or
early June. Uh It's it seems somewhat possible because right
now we start at the end of February and we
(01:08):
go into to November. But really, when you're talking about
regular season games and there are so many cities where
the weather is so harsh even in November and December,
on one side, it doesn't seem feasible. So what is
your take?
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Well, I I think you know, it's a great idea.
It's been a long time coming, and we all want it,
we all want this, but you know, is it is
it out there and it's not, it's not really being considered.
But then you know, again, you and I talked about
this this morning. It is being considered, and they're in.
They're there, they were they're going to possibly get it
on the on on the calendar. The the thing that
(01:45):
intrigues me is if it gets on the winter caare
excuse me, the calendar of Europe, the European calendar. Will
that allow us to get it? Seems in the Champions League?
And again people are gonna say, what are you crazy
putting an MLS team in the Champions League? Why not?
Why not? You know, if our league becomes viable and
people see what we're doing here in the United States
(02:05):
and that's in our World Cup. You know that is
going to really give some punching power to the decision makers.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Well, and again, your good friend and teammate, Alexi Lallis,
he was somewhat disappointed that if you're going to change it,
change it coming out of the twenty twenty six World Cup,
and then you could sign some of the World Cup stars,
and so he was disappointed. If I understood his reaction
on social media that if you're going to postpone the decision,
(02:34):
postponing to twenty twenty seven, in some ways doesn't make
sense because if you're actually going to do this, why
not doing out of the World Cup that you're hosting.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Yeah, he's right, you know that he's kind of going
down the path that I was originally thinking is they're
just kind of throwing it out there and let the
wind settle it. No, I think he's right. You know,
I don't think Alexi's right on everything, but on this one,
I think he's all right.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Now. You know, it's a situation that we grew up
of an age with the old North American Soccer League
with Pele and of course Johan Krouf, and that we're
talking the seventies into the early eighties, and the belief
then was you got to finish by Labor Day and
get out of the way of the NFL. And I
remember when Major League Soccer started in nineteen ninety six
(03:20):
and our season was creeping September, in October, November, and
I'm thinking, I don't know if this is going to work.
And I've been pleasantly surprised because yes, you know, I
think about in October of ninety eight, over twenty thousand
at RFK Stadium for a playoff game. So clearly it
shows even in a competitive marketplace, soccer has defined its
(03:45):
own niche. It is defined its own audience that will
support the team. But again December in Colorado, Minnesota, Boston,
even Philadelphia. I have concerns about.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
That, Dave. I mean, I know, you remember this game
two years ago, maybe three years ago in Denver World
Cup qualifier against Costa Rica, and there was five on
the field and they were going to play this game
come hell or high water. And this is when the
United States took the games to Minnesota and this crazy weather,
(04:22):
h you know, for the tactical advantage. And I remember
watching that game in Denver and I remember looking at
the scorers table, and Saneil Galotti, our president, was over
there saying play the game, don't blow the whistle. I'm
telling you he's not our president anymore, but not because
of that, but I remember that very very keenly.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
Well. Also, what part of the argument here are as
I look at it is, does switching this calendar really
make Major League Soccer a better league? And I think
they're some other issues are like any league has issues
and issues sounds like a strong word that that. I
(05:08):
don't know if changing the calendar really will make Major
League Soccer a better league. Your thoughts on that.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Only if you only only if you get Major League
Soccer into Europe. So you know why why wouldn't you
see know, every every team you know, Belgium, Portugal, you know, uh,
you know name the league Scotland has, has teams in
the Champions League or in Europe every year and so
and so if you're on that calendar, you know, why
(05:38):
don't you know? The world is one place?
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Now?
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Why? Why? Why could that not work? And in fact
it is working this year. Look at the Club World
Cup and you'll see the Seattle Sounders, you'll see in
her Miami.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
In all right, well, this will be a talking point
at least for the next two years, because Major League
Soccer has made sure of that a talking point. This week,
DC United see Cincinnati. You know, after the forour one
loss to Orlando and the way the team responded against Columbus.
Not concerned. I have to be concerned with a six
(06:10):
to one loss. Your thoughts on what must be going
through that locker room right now, is they approach a game.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Yeah, there's can't you know, you can you can kind
of raw route up as much as you want and
we're all together. No, that's not the case. Uh, you know,
you start look, you start thinking about your job, you
start thinking about, uh, you know, what we can do better.
I'm listening to the coach, but I don't know if
that's exactly how I see it. Yeah, that's all happening
(06:40):
right now. So let's not sugarcoat it saying that, saying
that this group uh has the ability? All right, it
has the ability. But you know one thing, I mean again,
I don't want to talk about where the players should
play and what they should do, but the coaching staff
(07:00):
clearly now can see, uh you know what a what
a jet type league this is? Uh, and they're gonna
have to figure out how to how to play the
way they want to play. But sometimes you're gonna have
to You're gonna have to suck it up, and you're
gonna have to play, uh to the other team's strengths.
In others, you have to you have to figure out
(07:22):
you know this, Okay, every time they get the ball,
they are in full flight. We better put people behind
the ball, pack it in and maybe we'll get a
breakaway here or there. But that's what you have to do.
You have to accept that fact. Okay, we're gonna have
to be a defensive, structured team at this point, and
and so we and so we stop the bleeding. But
you know, when we stop the bleeding, we do. We
(07:42):
do have guys, right, but they're all just coming together
first year. There's so many new players. I would urge
the fans this is not a panicky time. You're not
as capable of result any week.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Yeah, it's too early to panding, but I think the
point in short is there's got to be a balance
between to impose your will but also maybe modifying your
tactics so you're not in a situation where you're conceding
six goals. We'll see how this develops as DC United
takes on FC Cincinnati. That'll be Saturday night at Aldi
Field again on iHeartRadio, the iHeart app, and you can
(08:16):
sync with Apple TV. And thanks for your time on
first eleven
Here we go, Here we go. It's first eleven for
this Friday. We get set for DC and out of
FC Cincinnati at seven fifteen on iHeartRadio, the iHeartRadio app
and you can sync with Apple TV as it's a
home game at Audi Field and DC and I believe
me looking to respond after a bad day in San Jose.
Dave Johnson along with her Bruce Moria. We will get
(00:21):
to DC and IED and how they do respond. But
first let's talk about Major League Soccer deciding to postpone
any schedule change. There's been talk trying to align with
the European schedules, not really the world calendar. It's not
the same in South America and Mexico, but trying to
align with the European calendars. Talking now that they'll investigate more,
(00:42):
but the earliest any change would come would be twenty
twenty seven.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
A R.
Speaker 1 (00:46):
Bruce Moriy. Basically, what they're thinking is starting the season
late July or early August, play through mid December, then
take roughly a five week winter break through the beginning
of February, and then conclude the season late May or
early June. Uh It's it seems somewhat possible because right
now we start at the end of February and we
(01:08):
go into to November. But really, when you're talking about
regular season games and there are so many cities where
the weather is so harsh even in November and December,
on one side, it doesn't seem feasible. So what is
your take?
Speaker 2 (01:22):
Well, I I think you know, it's a great idea.
It's been a long time coming, and we all want it,
we all want this, but you know, is it is
it out there and it's not, it's not really being considered.
But then you know, again, you and I talked about
this this morning. It is being considered, and they're in.
They're there, they were they're going to possibly get it
on the on on the calendar. The the thing that
(01:45):
intrigues me is if it gets on the winter caare
excuse me, the calendar of Europe, the European calendar. Will
that allow us to get it? Seems in the Champions League?
And again people are gonna say, what are you crazy
putting an MLS team in the Champions League? Why not?
Why not? You know, if our league becomes viable and
people see what we're doing here in the United States
(02:05):
and that's in our World Cup. You know that is
going to really give some punching power to the decision makers.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
Well, and again, your good friend and teammate, Alexi Lallis,
he was somewhat disappointed that if you're going to change it,
change it coming out of the twenty twenty six World Cup,
and then you could sign some of the World Cup stars,
and so he was disappointed. If I understood his reaction
on social media that if you're going to postpone the decision,
(02:34):
postponing to twenty twenty seven, in some ways doesn't make
sense because if you're actually going to do this, why
not doing out of the World Cup that you're hosting.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Yeah, he's right, you know that he's kind of going
down the path that I was originally thinking is they're
just kind of throwing it out there and let the
wind settle it. No, I think he's right. You know,
I don't think Alexi's right on everything, but on this one,
I think he's all right.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Now. You know, it's a situation that we grew up
of an age with the old North American Soccer League
with Pele and of course Johan Krouf, and that we're
talking the seventies into the early eighties, and the belief
then was you got to finish by Labor Day and
get out of the way of the NFL. And I
remember when Major League Soccer started in nineteen ninety six
(03:20):
and our season was creeping September, in October, November, and
I'm thinking, I don't know if this is going to work.
And I've been pleasantly surprised because yes, you know, I
think about in October of ninety eight, over twenty thousand
at RFK Stadium for a playoff game. So clearly it
shows even in a competitive marketplace, soccer has defined its
(03:45):
own niche. It is defined its own audience that will
support the team. But again December in Colorado, Minnesota, Boston,
even Philadelphia. I have concerns about.
Speaker 2 (04:01):
That, Dave. I mean, I know, you remember this game
two years ago, maybe three years ago in Denver World
Cup qualifier against Costa Rica, and there was five on
the field and they were going to play this game
come hell or high water. And this is when the
United States took the games to Minnesota and this crazy weather,
(04:22):
h you know, for the tactical advantage. And I remember
watching that game in Denver and I remember looking at
the scorers table, and Saneil Galotti, our president, was over
there saying play the game, don't blow the whistle. I'm
telling you he's not our president anymore, but not because
of that, but I remember that very very keenly.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
Well. Also, what part of the argument here are as
I look at it is, does switching this calendar really
make Major League Soccer a better league? And I think
they're some other issues are like any league has issues
and issues sounds like a strong word that that. I
(05:08):
don't know if changing the calendar really will make Major
League Soccer a better league. Your thoughts on that.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Only if you only only if you get Major League
Soccer into Europe. So you know why why wouldn't you
see know, every every team you know, Belgium, Portugal, you know, uh,
you know name the league Scotland has, has teams in
the Champions League or in Europe every year and so
and so if you're on that calendar, you know, why
(05:38):
don't you know? The world is one place?
Speaker 1 (05:39):
Now?
Speaker 2 (05:40):
Why? Why? Why could that not work? And in fact
it is working this year. Look at the Club World
Cup and you'll see the Seattle Sounders, you'll see in
her Miami.
Speaker 1 (05:48):
In all right, well, this will be a talking point
at least for the next two years, because Major League
Soccer has made sure of that a talking point. This week,
DC United see Cincinnati. You know, after the forour one
loss to Orlando and the way the team responded against Columbus.
Not concerned. I have to be concerned with a six
(06:10):
to one loss. Your thoughts on what must be going
through that locker room right now, is they approach a game.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
Yeah, there's can't you know, you can you can kind
of raw route up as much as you want and
we're all together. No, that's not the case. Uh, you know,
you start look, you start thinking about your job, you
start thinking about, uh, you know, what we can do better.
I'm listening to the coach, but I don't know if
that's exactly how I see it. Yeah, that's all happening
(06:40):
right now. So let's not sugarcoat it saying that, saying
that this group uh has the ability? All right, it
has the ability. But you know one thing, I mean again,
I don't want to talk about where the players should
play and what they should do, but the coaching staff
(07:00):
clearly now can see, uh you know what a what
a jet type league this is? Uh, and they're gonna
have to figure out how to how to play the
way they want to play. But sometimes you're gonna have
to You're gonna have to suck it up, and you're
gonna have to play, uh to the other team's strengths.
In others, you have to you have to figure out
(07:22):
you know this, Okay, every time they get the ball,
they are in full flight. We better put people behind
the ball, pack it in and maybe we'll get a
breakaway here or there. But that's what you have to do.
You have to accept that fact. Okay, we're gonna have
to be a defensive, structured team at this point, and
and so we and so we stop the bleeding. But
you know, when we stop the bleeding, we do. We
(07:42):
do have guys, right, but they're all just coming together
first year. There's so many new players. I would urge
the fans this is not a panicky time. You're not
as capable of result any week.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
Yeah, it's too early to panding, but I think the
point in short is there's got to be a balance
between to impose your will but also maybe modifying your
tactics so you're not in a situation where you're conceding
six goals. We'll see how this develops as DC United
takes on FC Cincinnati. That'll be Saturday night at Aldi
Field again on iHeartRadio, the iHeart app, and you can
(08:16):
sync with Apple TV. And thanks for your time on
first eleven
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