June 27, 2025 • 10 mins
With Dave Johnson, U.S. Soccer Hall of Famer Bruce Murray has the plan for D.C. United and the USMNT going forward in the Gold Cup.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Here we go, Here we go. Dave Johnson along with
US Soccer Hall of Fame with Bruce Murray. It's another
episode of First eleven. A lot to get to as
DC and I are returning to play, and we have
some time. We've got a big Gold Cup quarterfinal weekend
coming up as well, and a Club World Cup continues.
Who would have thunk? Who would have thunk? We've been
talking about this much soccer in one summer, and of
(00:23):
course Major League soccer, everything's going on. I remember, and
I know you do too, Bruce. In nineteen ninety two,
we were thrilled to have one game US game at
RFK Stadium against Ireland on that rainy night. Did you
play in that game? Do you remember that?
Speaker 2 (00:39):
I did? I played in that game and it was
a magical game. Roy Wigerley scored a goal three to
one win against Jackie Charlton's Republic of Ireland.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Who had a great Euro eighty eight, as I remember,
if I got the dates correct. But the point being,
and I know this is a history lesson for so
many of you, so many of you you probably not
alive back then, but it just it's just how you
should appreciate all this soccer, because once upon a time
(01:10):
it was it was not that way. And I thought
about it today as we've got Major League soccer at
DC United returning and all this great competitions, all these
great competitions going on, and you know, once we lived
for one game that would show up at RFK and
then we wouldn't see another game for another six months.
All right, let's quickly hear from head coach Troy la
(01:31):
saying on the injury situation, Christian Beneke at training this week.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Yeah, Christian has been back in training this week, so
that's been fantastic, and so is Peglow and so is
Jackson Hopkins. So you know, I talk about all those
three guys at the same time because we've been this
in those three guys for different periods of time. But
it's it's fantastic. I have Christian fantastic, have Peglo fantastic.
I have Jackson back in full training. The expectation for
(01:55):
this weekend is hopefully they can be a part of
the roster. There's still a little bit of a question
mark there, so I don't want to fully commit to
saying that they will be, but they've made really good
progress this week, and I'm really optimistic about the weekend
for them.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
So again, no guarantees about tomorrow against Nashville. Gain will
have the broadcast for you at the seven fifteen. Our
coverage starts on the iHeartRadio app and you can sync
with Apple TV now. Bruce Murray, you were doing some math.
You think DC and it needs twenty three out of
forty five points to make the postseason? Is that correct,
(02:29):
math professor?
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Yeah, based on last year and throwing an extra point in,
I believe that there's forty five. Well, I know there's
forty five points to play for, but I believe twenty
three added up to their eighteen would get them over
the finish line. And to me, if you look at
that as a as a goal, it's doable. If you know,
(02:54):
if you look at it like as oh, man, look
what we've already not accomplished this year and being negative
about it, then it's gonna it's gonna spread through the squad.
I like the way I'm looking at it. I think
Troy la saying feels the same way.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
Bruce. I appreciate that, man. I like optimism. I think
it's much better than cynicism, which I think is far
too prevalent. This and many things in our life right
look at it with positivity because the opportunities there, and
that's that's the approach that we're taking one hundred percent.
So when I speak to individuals, when I speak to
the team, we look at the reality of where we
(03:31):
are right now, which of course we want to be better.
But the reality of where we are right now is
as we're twelfth in the table, we have fifteen matches left,
seven out of the fifteen or against teams that are
around us right now, so those those matches are going
to be even more important. And we're a part of
a quarterfinal cup competition that the club hasn't been a
part of since twenty thirteen. So there's plenty of things
(03:51):
in front of us right now that we need to
look at. Last season we finished and we're a point
shy of making the playoffs, and this is very disappointing.
This it's still in front of us to accomplish that.
If we can accomplish that target of making the playoffs,
if we can accomplish making the from quarterfinals to semi
finals in the Open Cup as a next step, that
(04:13):
we're taking the right steps towards having success in twenty
twenty five.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
Okay, you heard Troy was saying appreciating Bruce Murray's optimism,
and he noted, you can point to certain moments of
this season the DNA of this club, whether it's comeback
wins or comeback ties. You know, Chicago jumps out when
Jacob Rrole scored that wonder goal the win over f
C Cincinnati. But consistency has eluded this team. And it's
(04:41):
encouraging to hear that Ben Tech game Peglo Hopkins might
be returning, but more over, Bruce, in your mind, regardless
of who's playing, to get those twenty three points, how
do you achieve that consistency?
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Well, yeah, you have to go out and go for it.
You have to. There comes a certain time in the
in the season where you say to yourself or a
big game national team, look, you know what, I'm a professional.
I have to go out there. I know what the
coaches are telling me, and I have to stay within
the program. But I also have to if I'm a
(05:15):
guy who can take people on, I gotta take them on,
even if it's two guys in front of me. I've
got to do that. You know, i e. Jack McGlenn
or or Quinn Sullivan type players wingers in this league.
And I think that's what you have to the mentality
you have. You stay within the program, but you got
to go rogue at times during that in a big game,
(05:36):
you gotta take chances. We have the same problem with
the national team and everyone's playing it safe. It doesn't
work right.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
So that that's a when we say sense of urgency,
that really has to come from the players. It's not
about raw ross speeches from the coaches. It has if
I hear what you're saying, it has to come from
how the players express themselves on the field.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
They do, That's exactly how it is. And the locker room.
You know, there's if you want to talk about urgency,
there's no you know, more urgent player on the field
than Troy Lsay. I don't know if we watch him
up and down the sideline, you know, he looks like
a player out there. You know, the coach can't get
it done. The players have to eventually, you know, come
together and say, look, we're all pros here, we're good,
(06:19):
we're talented players. Let's go out and let's start, you know,
with one win and then let's start to stack him up,
because all of a sudden, if you can do that,
you know you get three or four in a row,
or two or three in a row, that twenty three
point goal gets closer and closer.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Well, and that's why it's encouraging to hear a Peglow.
And we don't know again if he's going to play
against Nashville that he is coming back. Because when I
think of players that you're talking about, I think you're
describing it's a Peglow or are he's healthy a parani?
I mean, we've seen his ability to seize moments and
sees and change games.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Well, I agree with you, Dave. If you think about
the game back in New York, Uh we played Red
Bull the first time. Peglow had two just ridiculous goals
and you know he made he wasn't a difference. He
won the game. And and so if Peglo is healthy,
that's that's when one one part of being a really
good player is somehow learning how to ride challenges stay healthy.
(07:18):
He's a young player. Maybe he doesn't quite understand that yet,
but I I there's just nothing but upside with Peglo.
He's been fantastic.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Uh. Randall Leal, you had a chance to speak to
him this week. What was your takeaway from what what
he was talking about from a player perspective, Yeah, I.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Mean he's saying everything that we're saying right now. I
just uh with with Leal. I can tell that he's
on the cusp of being a full time player and
they're trying to find him more time. In every game
we play, Leal's in the lineup, He's coming in for
you know, significant minutes.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
So they're putting uh the onus on Leal. I think
he's got himself in better shape to be on us
with you. I think you know, you can see the
way the fitness, he's got more, He's got more air,
more oxygen as the game goes on. So I think
Leal is going to be one of those players that
we're going to be relying on Dave because he's got
great feet and he has great ideas. Right now, they're
(08:16):
not quite coming off, but they will.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Christian Vinzeki again might return. But again, it cannot be
about Okay, Ben Tech is back, all the problems are solved.
How how can this team? We talked about individual expression,
but how can this team be you know, more dynamic
and attack. And again the players take on initiative. Is
is it, you know, overloading one side of the field.
(08:38):
What what will make this team? Quite frankly, that was
not very dynamic on the road against Real Salt Lake.
Dynamic enough to to contend for the postseason.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Very simple, very simple, executing plays in the final third.
That's number one. The other thing is playing players open.
When I watch right now, in the middle, you know,
you know, Jose, you know, there's not a whole lot
to pass to, so everyone's playing very very square or
backwards in order to I watched a game yesterday. I
(09:11):
know this is insane, but it was a twenty fourteen
World Cup game Belgium, USA, and I watched that game
and I thought, how like, how good we were playing
players open? You know, we had wingers, we had full backs,
we had guys who are making runs, initiating the ball
to find them. That's what we have to do. You
have to have movement, Dave. You've talked about it up top.
(09:34):
We need players moving to create space so other players
can fill in on that space.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
Well, you bring up the USA in that Belgium game
from twenty fourteen again, DC and IED National art coverage
begins at seven fifteen iHeart Radio app USA. Costa Rica
is coming up this weekend in the quarterfinals of the
Gold Cup. Give doctor Murray your prescription for the United
States from what you've seen so far.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Go out and go for it, and everyone is you're
at You're in the US squad for a reason. Go
out and just play within, within the system. But at
some at some point, you're gonna have to do what
you're good at doing and make sure that happens. Because
this Costa Rica team, this is a good team.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Uh, make no mistake. The game against Mexico the other day,
you know, stalemate, we're celebrating big wins. Now against Haiti.
Uh you know it's to me, to me, we need
a signature win. And and there's only there's only one outcome.
It's a it's a proper outcome or necessary outcome, and
that is the United States winning the Gold Cup. Because
(10:39):
if they don't, all the questions are gonna fly again.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
That's the Hall of Favorite. Bruce Brio. I'm Dave Johnson.
I hope you'll join us for DC and IED on
iHeartRadio app and synk with Apple TV. We start seven
to fifteen on Saturday. We promised eleven minutes or less
your first eleven. Thanks for listening.
Here we go, Here we go. Dave Johnson along with
US Soccer Hall of Fame with Bruce Murray. It's another
episode of First eleven. A lot to get to as
DC and I are returning to play, and we have
some time. We've got a big Gold Cup quarterfinal weekend
coming up as well, and a Club World Cup continues.
Who would have thunk? Who would have thunk? We've been
talking about this much soccer in one summer, and of
(00:23):
course Major League soccer, everything's going on. I remember, and
I know you do too, Bruce. In nineteen ninety two,
we were thrilled to have one game US game at
RFK Stadium against Ireland on that rainy night. Did you
play in that game? Do you remember that?
Speaker 2 (00:39):
I did? I played in that game and it was
a magical game. Roy Wigerley scored a goal three to
one win against Jackie Charlton's Republic of Ireland.
Speaker 1 (00:48):
Who had a great Euro eighty eight, as I remember,
if I got the dates correct. But the point being,
and I know this is a history lesson for so
many of you, so many of you you probably not
alive back then, but it just it's just how you
should appreciate all this soccer, because once upon a time
(01:10):
it was it was not that way. And I thought
about it today as we've got Major League soccer at
DC United returning and all this great competitions, all these
great competitions going on, and you know, once we lived
for one game that would show up at RFK and
then we wouldn't see another game for another six months.
All right, let's quickly hear from head coach Troy la
(01:31):
saying on the injury situation, Christian Beneke at training this week.
Speaker 3 (01:35):
Yeah, Christian has been back in training this week, so
that's been fantastic, and so is Peglow and so is
Jackson Hopkins. So you know, I talk about all those
three guys at the same time because we've been this
in those three guys for different periods of time. But
it's it's fantastic. I have Christian fantastic, have Peglo fantastic.
I have Jackson back in full training. The expectation for
(01:55):
this weekend is hopefully they can be a part of
the roster. There's still a little bit of a question
mark there, so I don't want to fully commit to
saying that they will be, but they've made really good
progress this week, and I'm really optimistic about the weekend
for them.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
So again, no guarantees about tomorrow against Nashville. Gain will
have the broadcast for you at the seven fifteen. Our
coverage starts on the iHeartRadio app and you can sync
with Apple TV now. Bruce Murray, you were doing some math.
You think DC and it needs twenty three out of
forty five points to make the postseason? Is that correct,
(02:29):
math professor?
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Yeah, based on last year and throwing an extra point in,
I believe that there's forty five. Well, I know there's
forty five points to play for, but I believe twenty
three added up to their eighteen would get them over
the finish line. And to me, if you look at
that as a as a goal, it's doable. If you know,
(02:54):
if you look at it like as oh, man, look
what we've already not accomplished this year and being negative
about it, then it's gonna it's gonna spread through the squad.
I like the way I'm looking at it. I think
Troy la saying feels the same way.
Speaker 3 (03:10):
Bruce. I appreciate that, man. I like optimism. I think
it's much better than cynicism, which I think is far
too prevalent. This and many things in our life right
look at it with positivity because the opportunities there, and
that's that's the approach that we're taking one hundred percent.
So when I speak to individuals, when I speak to
the team, we look at the reality of where we
(03:31):
are right now, which of course we want to be better.
But the reality of where we are right now is
as we're twelfth in the table, we have fifteen matches left,
seven out of the fifteen or against teams that are
around us right now, so those those matches are going
to be even more important. And we're a part of
a quarterfinal cup competition that the club hasn't been a
part of since twenty thirteen. So there's plenty of things
(03:51):
in front of us right now that we need to
look at. Last season we finished and we're a point
shy of making the playoffs, and this is very disappointing.
This it's still in front of us to accomplish that.
If we can accomplish that target of making the playoffs,
if we can accomplish making the from quarterfinals to semi
finals in the Open Cup as a next step, that
(04:13):
we're taking the right steps towards having success in twenty
twenty five.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
Okay, you heard Troy was saying appreciating Bruce Murray's optimism,
and he noted, you can point to certain moments of
this season the DNA of this club, whether it's comeback
wins or comeback ties. You know, Chicago jumps out when
Jacob Rrole scored that wonder goal the win over f
C Cincinnati. But consistency has eluded this team. And it's
(04:41):
encouraging to hear that Ben Tech game Peglo Hopkins might
be returning, but more over, Bruce, in your mind, regardless
of who's playing, to get those twenty three points, how
do you achieve that consistency?
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Well, yeah, you have to go out and go for it.
You have to. There comes a certain time in the
in the season where you say to yourself or a
big game national team, look, you know what, I'm a professional.
I have to go out there. I know what the
coaches are telling me, and I have to stay within
the program. But I also have to if I'm a
(05:15):
guy who can take people on, I gotta take them on,
even if it's two guys in front of me. I've
got to do that. You know, i e. Jack McGlenn
or or Quinn Sullivan type players wingers in this league.
And I think that's what you have to the mentality
you have. You stay within the program, but you got
to go rogue at times during that in a big game,
(05:36):
you gotta take chances. We have the same problem with
the national team and everyone's playing it safe. It doesn't
work right.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
So that that's a when we say sense of urgency,
that really has to come from the players. It's not
about raw ross speeches from the coaches. It has if
I hear what you're saying, it has to come from
how the players express themselves on the field.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
They do, That's exactly how it is. And the locker room.
You know, there's if you want to talk about urgency,
there's no you know, more urgent player on the field
than Troy Lsay. I don't know if we watch him
up and down the sideline, you know, he looks like
a player out there. You know, the coach can't get
it done. The players have to eventually, you know, come
together and say, look, we're all pros here, we're good,
(06:19):
we're talented players. Let's go out and let's start, you know,
with one win and then let's start to stack him up,
because all of a sudden, if you can do that,
you know you get three or four in a row,
or two or three in a row, that twenty three
point goal gets closer and closer.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Well, and that's why it's encouraging to hear a Peglow.
And we don't know again if he's going to play
against Nashville that he is coming back. Because when I
think of players that you're talking about, I think you're
describing it's a Peglow or are he's healthy a parani?
I mean, we've seen his ability to seize moments and
sees and change games.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
Well, I agree with you, Dave. If you think about
the game back in New York, Uh we played Red
Bull the first time. Peglow had two just ridiculous goals
and you know he made he wasn't a difference. He
won the game. And and so if Peglo is healthy,
that's that's when one one part of being a really
good player is somehow learning how to ride challenges stay healthy.
(07:18):
He's a young player. Maybe he doesn't quite understand that yet,
but I I there's just nothing but upside with Peglo.
He's been fantastic.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
Uh. Randall Leal, you had a chance to speak to
him this week. What was your takeaway from what what
he was talking about from a player perspective, Yeah, I.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Mean he's saying everything that we're saying right now. I
just uh with with Leal. I can tell that he's
on the cusp of being a full time player and
they're trying to find him more time. In every game
we play, Leal's in the lineup, He's coming in for
you know, significant minutes.
Speaker 3 (07:54):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
So they're putting uh the onus on Leal. I think
he's got himself in better shape to be on us
with you. I think you know, you can see the
way the fitness, he's got more, He's got more air,
more oxygen as the game goes on. So I think
Leal is going to be one of those players that
we're going to be relying on Dave because he's got
great feet and he has great ideas. Right now, they're
(08:16):
not quite coming off, but they will.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Christian Vinzeki again might return. But again, it cannot be
about Okay, Ben Tech is back, all the problems are solved.
How how can this team? We talked about individual expression,
but how can this team be you know, more dynamic
and attack. And again the players take on initiative. Is
is it, you know, overloading one side of the field.
(08:38):
What what will make this team? Quite frankly, that was
not very dynamic on the road against Real Salt Lake.
Dynamic enough to to contend for the postseason.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Very simple, very simple, executing plays in the final third.
That's number one. The other thing is playing players open.
When I watch right now, in the middle, you know,
you know, Jose, you know, there's not a whole lot
to pass to, so everyone's playing very very square or
backwards in order to I watched a game yesterday. I
(09:11):
know this is insane, but it was a twenty fourteen
World Cup game Belgium, USA, and I watched that game
and I thought, how like, how good we were playing
players open? You know, we had wingers, we had full backs,
we had guys who are making runs, initiating the ball
to find them. That's what we have to do. You
have to have movement, Dave. You've talked about it up top.
(09:34):
We need players moving to create space so other players
can fill in on that space.
Speaker 1 (09:39):
Well, you bring up the USA in that Belgium game
from twenty fourteen again, DC and IED National art coverage
begins at seven fifteen iHeart Radio app USA. Costa Rica
is coming up this weekend in the quarterfinals of the
Gold Cup. Give doctor Murray your prescription for the United
States from what you've seen so far.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Go out and go for it, and everyone is you're
at You're in the US squad for a reason. Go
out and just play within, within the system. But at
some at some point, you're gonna have to do what
you're good at doing and make sure that happens. Because
this Costa Rica team, this is a good team.
Speaker 3 (10:17):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
Uh, make no mistake. The game against Mexico the other day,
you know, stalemate, we're celebrating big wins. Now against Haiti.
Uh you know it's to me, to me, we need
a signature win. And and there's only there's only one outcome.
It's a it's a proper outcome or necessary outcome, and
that is the United States winning the Gold Cup. Because
(10:39):
if they don't, all the questions are gonna fly again.
Speaker 1 (10:41):
That's the Hall of Favorite. Bruce Brio. I'm Dave Johnson.
I hope you'll join us for DC and IED on
iHeartRadio app and synk with Apple TV. We start seven
to fifteen on Saturday. We promised eleven minutes or less
your first eleven. Thanks for listening.
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