July 10, 2025 • 8 mins
On First Eleven what next for DC United after firing head coach Troy Lesesne and why Dave Johnson and Bruce Murray believe Jackson Hopkins should start.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Here we go. It's another edition of First eleven. I'm
Dave Johnson with Bruce Murray. Yeah, your connection with the
DC United. We get set for the LA Galaxy on Saturday.
We will have that for you on iHeartRadio app iHeart
Sports DC. You can sing along with Apple TV. That's
a ten to fifteen on Saturday. But that's bearing the lead.
DC United after a promising start, the five to two
(00:20):
loss to Nashville in the quarterfinals of the Open Cup.
After the game, head coach Troy Lasain relieved of his
duties as head coach. Of course United right now four
ten and seven in the standings, twelfth place among fifteen
teams in the Eastern Conference. At the end of the day,
it is a business and Troy Lesain knows this. It's
all about results. Frustrating part and get Bruce to comment.
(00:44):
We feel for Troy Lesain and his commitment. He worked
so hard to make it happen. We understand why the
decision made the results just not there. But Steve Goff
noted in the Washington Post that he works so hard
to work on the culture of DC United. We noticed
it at the training facility, you know. Photo galleries celebrating
(01:06):
the history, including alumni of the team and the legends,
celebrating the four championships. Obviously, you know, flying out the
players for the game against San Jose that celebrated the
inauguration of this league back in nineteen ninety six. So
Bruce Murray again, this is just it's a cruel business.
(01:26):
It's just about results. But certainly Troy Lassain's heart was
in this club because he grew up knowing about this
club and he was a fan of this club.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
As unfortunate as to what happened, but you know, he
wanted to try and make DC United a family atmosphere.
He wanted to involve the players from the past. He
wanted to involve you and me, allowing us to access
out on the field talking to players. You know, he's
a super guy, a great guy, and it just it
didn't come together for him here. I still think he
(01:57):
knows quite a lot about the game. I just don't know.
I don't know how the locker room and how it
worked out that way. But I feel sorry for him.
I feel bad for him. He's a great human being.
But you're right, it's a brutal business and he needs
to move on.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
And we wish him the best. And the look he
had success gotting the Red Bulls into the playoffs before
he came here. It just didn't work out here. Listen,
when coaches lose positions in any sport, it does not
mean they can't coach. It just means it didn't work
out for whatever reason in the position. And often coaches
in every sport move on and find success, and we
(02:35):
wish him success. The washing post of reporting, Renee Veeler
from Swiss Clubs for VET will be the next coach,
and that's not been officially now, so we'll see how
that plays out. Until that plays out, Kevin Flanagan United's
director of Youth Academy and player Development will oversee the
team and that includes Saturday against the LA Galaxy. And
(02:57):
this is a moving train, Bruce Murray, any way you
can relate what the players must be going through right now.
Have you been in a similar situation where, look, you've
got forty eight hours to step on a field and
it doesn't matter who's coaching, there's business to take care of.
How do you deal with that?
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Yeah, you have to go back to your instincts. You
go into emergency thinking there's nobody who's running the show.
Kevin's not going to be able to get his message
across in a game. But the team needs to pick
up three points. So you have to go on your instincts.
As a pro. You're there for a reason, and you
have to go out and you have to play the
way you're supposed to play, and you'd be surprised that
(03:37):
you get a what You'll find quite a few times
when they have these coaching changes, there's a lot of
good results, and it's because the players are just playing free.
They're not playing with restriction, they're not playing under some
type of system. They just go out and they play.
It's almost like the streetball. I've been in this situation.
I US men's national team coach got relieved of his duties.
I was in Bermuda and you know we I think
(04:00):
we're going through with Spain the next but Bob Gansler
was relieved at his duties, and uh, it was it
was bizarre. You know, all the players would get together
in different rooms and try and figure out, you know,
how we're going to play. And but it was, like
you said, it's just it's it's not easy. But the
players go back to what they just go out and play.
That's what it is.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Why sometimes and I believe and I want you're coming
on this, that a jolt does create a response. Maybe
it'll be short term, maybe long term, but because it's
just like momentum when you're winning, when all of a
sudden you're struggling to score, are you're losing, the games
just keep coming And is as hard as you try, Uh,
it's hard to hard to break either good or bad habits.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
No, I would, I would agree with that. You know,
the situation they're in is it's a it's a good
one in a way. I mean, because now everyone's just
going to do what they want to do out in
l a And and you'd be surprised, Dave. I mean,
there's there's so many times professional soccer is really difficult
because you're in a situation where do this, do this,
(05:07):
do this, don't do that, don't do this, don't do it,
and you become a robot, right, And so now you're
going out and you're just letting it rip. And I
think that you're going to see that the way we
play on Saturday, and I think you're going to see
a lot of people playing with a lot of freedom.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Now on Saturday. I mean, I don't want to get
into the tactics. And again it's we're talking you're changing
on the fly. There won't be time to make a
lot of changes. But I think something we talked about
on Wednesday, even though United scored first, a great goal
by Gabrielle Protti, even though they were up actually to nothing,
(05:43):
this team still needs to create more chances. That's an
easy statement, create more chances. Okay, you are a guy
that made your living of chances in scoring goals. Take
me through the mental process that has to happen for
that to happen for DC United.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Yeah, and that's exactly what I'm talking about. Players playing
with freedom take chances. Nobody's going to get punished for
taking chances on Saturday. There's a new you know, they
don't have a coach right now, so they're just going
to play and and you'd be surprised when you do
take chances. If you look at Pirani's goal, he just said,
you know what, I'm just going to take two players
(06:20):
on and I'm going to go ahead and swing and
take a shot, and of course it ended up being
a great goal. I think you're going to because you're
not going to be afraid of losing. I'm watching DC United, Dave,
and I see players that seem very scared to lose
or make a mistake, and that way, you start playing
negative and neutral all over the field. And you go
(06:40):
from a guy on the left wing who's getting ready
to cross the ball, doesn't like to look. He goes
back and the ball ends up at the center back
and you've gone nowhere. So I think you're going to
see players playing completely free and creating chances will come
because it's going to be a little bit street ballish.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
Now, one player do want to celebrate that. It seems
like he's playing and we commented ins Nashville and we've
seen it every time he comes in off the bench
is Jackson Hopkins. He seems to be playing with a
commitment that says, all right, I want more playing time.
So if you're gonna give me five minutes, ten minutes,
I'm just gonna go out. I'm just gonna go out.
(07:20):
Case in point, he takes a shot thirty yards and
you know what, it didn't miss by much. And that's
what I've seen from him, is he's come back from injury.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Yeah, let me just put it completely so that there's
no way you can misinterpret it. Jackson Hopkins needs to
be starting, and he needs to be on the field.
He is an absolute box to box runner. He's strong,
he's got a massive frame. You know, Jackson Hopkins is
gone from a kid to a man in a year.
(07:51):
And you know I'm telling you right now, Jackson Hopkins
needs to be on the field. He needs to be
on the field.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
Well, maybe it'll be on the field Saturday, more time
against the Galaxy again. We will join you at ten
fifteen Saturday night, So go ahead and bring the craffee
and stay up late with us. And again our best
wishes to Troyle, saying this is a real business. We
get passionate, we get emotional about it, but at the
end of the day we deal with people on a
(08:17):
personal level and there's some pain. And we wish again
Troylet's saying every success and thank him for really his
hard working commitment, because I think Bruce, we know he
tried real hard to make it right in DC United,
and no doubt it'll work for him somewhere else. We
thank you for your time on first eleven. Again. You
(08:38):
can find us wherever you find your podcast, Please tell
your friends as we continue on this journey together. Thanks
for listening. And we promised eleven minutes or less and
it was
Here we go. It's another edition of First eleven. I'm
Dave Johnson with Bruce Murray. Yeah, your connection with the
DC United. We get set for the LA Galaxy on Saturday.
We will have that for you on iHeartRadio app iHeart
Sports DC. You can sing along with Apple TV. That's
a ten to fifteen on Saturday. But that's bearing the lead.
DC United after a promising start, the five to two
(00:20):
loss to Nashville in the quarterfinals of the Open Cup.
After the game, head coach Troy Lasain relieved of his
duties as head coach. Of course United right now four
ten and seven in the standings, twelfth place among fifteen
teams in the Eastern Conference. At the end of the day,
it is a business and Troy Lesain knows this. It's
all about results. Frustrating part and get Bruce to comment.
(00:44):
We feel for Troy Lesain and his commitment. He worked
so hard to make it happen. We understand why the
decision made the results just not there. But Steve Goff
noted in the Washington Post that he works so hard
to work on the culture of DC United. We noticed
it at the training facility, you know. Photo galleries celebrating
(01:06):
the history, including alumni of the team and the legends,
celebrating the four championships. Obviously, you know, flying out the
players for the game against San Jose that celebrated the
inauguration of this league back in nineteen ninety six. So
Bruce Murray again, this is just it's a cruel business.
(01:26):
It's just about results. But certainly Troy Lassain's heart was
in this club because he grew up knowing about this
club and he was a fan of this club.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
As unfortunate as to what happened, but you know, he
wanted to try and make DC United a family atmosphere.
He wanted to involve the players from the past. He
wanted to involve you and me, allowing us to access
out on the field talking to players. You know, he's
a super guy, a great guy, and it just it
didn't come together for him here. I still think he
(01:57):
knows quite a lot about the game. I just don't know.
I don't know how the locker room and how it
worked out that way. But I feel sorry for him.
I feel bad for him. He's a great human being.
But you're right, it's a brutal business and he needs
to move on.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
And we wish him the best. And the look he
had success gotting the Red Bulls into the playoffs before
he came here. It just didn't work out here. Listen,
when coaches lose positions in any sport, it does not
mean they can't coach. It just means it didn't work
out for whatever reason in the position. And often coaches
in every sport move on and find success, and we
(02:35):
wish him success. The washing post of reporting, Renee Veeler
from Swiss Clubs for VET will be the next coach,
and that's not been officially now, so we'll see how
that plays out. Until that plays out, Kevin Flanagan United's
director of Youth Academy and player Development will oversee the
team and that includes Saturday against the LA Galaxy. And
(02:57):
this is a moving train, Bruce Murray, any way you
can relate what the players must be going through right now.
Have you been in a similar situation where, look, you've
got forty eight hours to step on a field and
it doesn't matter who's coaching, there's business to take care of.
How do you deal with that?
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Yeah, you have to go back to your instincts. You
go into emergency thinking there's nobody who's running the show.
Kevin's not going to be able to get his message
across in a game. But the team needs to pick
up three points. So you have to go on your instincts.
As a pro. You're there for a reason, and you
have to go out and you have to play the
way you're supposed to play, and you'd be surprised that
(03:37):
you get a what You'll find quite a few times
when they have these coaching changes, there's a lot of
good results, and it's because the players are just playing free.
They're not playing with restriction, they're not playing under some
type of system. They just go out and they play.
It's almost like the streetball. I've been in this situation.
I US men's national team coach got relieved of his duties.
I was in Bermuda and you know we I think
(04:00):
we're going through with Spain the next but Bob Gansler
was relieved at his duties, and uh, it was it
was bizarre. You know, all the players would get together
in different rooms and try and figure out, you know,
how we're going to play. And but it was, like
you said, it's just it's it's not easy. But the
players go back to what they just go out and play.
That's what it is.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
Why sometimes and I believe and I want you're coming
on this, that a jolt does create a response. Maybe
it'll be short term, maybe long term, but because it's
just like momentum when you're winning, when all of a
sudden you're struggling to score, are you're losing, the games
just keep coming And is as hard as you try, Uh,
it's hard to hard to break either good or bad habits.
Speaker 2 (04:45):
No, I would, I would agree with that. You know,
the situation they're in is it's a it's a good
one in a way. I mean, because now everyone's just
going to do what they want to do out in
l a And and you'd be surprised, Dave. I mean,
there's there's so many times professional soccer is really difficult
because you're in a situation where do this, do this,
(05:07):
do this, don't do that, don't do this, don't do it,
and you become a robot, right, And so now you're
going out and you're just letting it rip. And I
think that you're going to see that the way we
play on Saturday, and I think you're going to see
a lot of people playing with a lot of freedom.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Now on Saturday. I mean, I don't want to get
into the tactics. And again it's we're talking you're changing
on the fly. There won't be time to make a
lot of changes. But I think something we talked about
on Wednesday, even though United scored first, a great goal
by Gabrielle Protti, even though they were up actually to nothing,
(05:43):
this team still needs to create more chances. That's an
easy statement, create more chances. Okay, you are a guy
that made your living of chances in scoring goals. Take
me through the mental process that has to happen for
that to happen for DC United.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Yeah, and that's exactly what I'm talking about. Players playing
with freedom take chances. Nobody's going to get punished for
taking chances on Saturday. There's a new you know, they
don't have a coach right now, so they're just going
to play and and you'd be surprised when you do
take chances. If you look at Pirani's goal, he just said,
you know what, I'm just going to take two players
(06:20):
on and I'm going to go ahead and swing and
take a shot, and of course it ended up being
a great goal. I think you're going to because you're
not going to be afraid of losing. I'm watching DC United, Dave,
and I see players that seem very scared to lose
or make a mistake, and that way, you start playing
negative and neutral all over the field. And you go
(06:40):
from a guy on the left wing who's getting ready
to cross the ball, doesn't like to look. He goes
back and the ball ends up at the center back
and you've gone nowhere. So I think you're going to
see players playing completely free and creating chances will come
because it's going to be a little bit street ballish.
Speaker 1 (06:59):
Now, one player do want to celebrate that. It seems
like he's playing and we commented ins Nashville and we've
seen it every time he comes in off the bench
is Jackson Hopkins. He seems to be playing with a
commitment that says, all right, I want more playing time.
So if you're gonna give me five minutes, ten minutes,
I'm just gonna go out. I'm just gonna go out.
(07:20):
Case in point, he takes a shot thirty yards and
you know what, it didn't miss by much. And that's
what I've seen from him, is he's come back from injury.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
Yeah, let me just put it completely so that there's
no way you can misinterpret it. Jackson Hopkins needs to
be starting, and he needs to be on the field.
He is an absolute box to box runner. He's strong,
he's got a massive frame. You know, Jackson Hopkins is
gone from a kid to a man in a year.
(07:51):
And you know I'm telling you right now, Jackson Hopkins
needs to be on the field. He needs to be
on the field.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
Well, maybe it'll be on the field Saturday, more time
against the Galaxy again. We will join you at ten
fifteen Saturday night, So go ahead and bring the craffee
and stay up late with us. And again our best
wishes to Troyle, saying this is a real business. We
get passionate, we get emotional about it, but at the
end of the day we deal with people on a
(08:17):
personal level and there's some pain. And we wish again
Troylet's saying every success and thank him for really his
hard working commitment, because I think Bruce, we know he
tried real hard to make it right in DC United,
and no doubt it'll work for him somewhere else. We
thank you for your time on first eleven. Again. You
(08:38):
can find us wherever you find your podcast, Please tell
your friends as we continue on this journey together. Thanks
for listening. And we promised eleven minutes or less and
it was
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