August 13, 2025 • 10 mins
The Captain of Charlotte FC, Ashley Westwood joins the show, as he talks about the club's recent unbeaten streak in MLS play, how hard it was watching Sunday's match on TV, how they have responded after losing Patrick Agyemang, & more
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The captain of your red hot Charlotte FC squad, Ashley Westwood,
all around good guy as well, joins us again here
on the Mac and Bone Show.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Ashley, what's going on man? How you doing?
Speaker 3 (00:12):
Good morning? I'm not in another fight on the way
to work.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Do you do you ever get into like a road
rage situation? Do you get mad because you get mad
on the pitch and stand up for your team or yourself?
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Do you ever get mad on the road? No?
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Never, The wis does not for me at home?
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Okay, Oh you're the late man, missus. Westy must be fiery,
all right. I respect that. I respect that. What was it?
Speaker 3 (00:48):
That's what I do on the field. I have to
let it out on the field. I'm not allowed at home.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
That's it, you know what. That's actually me.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
That's actually me on the radio, Like I can't act
a fool like this at home and get away with it.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Westy. You know what I mean. I can relate to you.
That is hilarious.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
So what was it like, man having to had a
yellow card accumulation so you had to sit out the game?
Speaker 2 (01:09):
What was it like? Where where were you at watching this?
Were you there?
Speaker 1 (01:13):
Were you on your couch and what was it like
just having to kind of be a fan for the night.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
It's horrible because you're not in control. But it was Listen,
we didn't we didn't know the boys. Admit they didn't
play very well to start with, but I think the
sending off. After the sending off, the game completely changed
and they controlled the game and there's going to be
one winner. So a huge result was that five wins
on the spin now, so we're in a good spot.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
West Kalina's the raigning MLS keeper of the Year. But
having said that, his performance the other night was that
the best you've ever seen him in the net?
Speaker 3 (01:55):
H No, I think even last year he was. Last
year he was zational, and I think we saw the
other night that kind of that's back to what we
saw last year. I think some of the stays he
poured off. I think the one that got deflected the
near post was the biggest.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Say for me, oh yeah, that was that. That react
his reactions, man, were on point.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
The other night.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
It was and we needed it too, the way that
game was going, we needed it. But that's a sweep
of Cincinnati, and to do it without you, without Pep
bl I mean, it feels like you guys got your.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Are you got? Are you back? Westy? And maybe you
never lost it?
Speaker 1 (02:33):
But I think as a fan, I'm kind of back
with that confidence in you guys, like man, you can
make noise in the playoffs, like is your confidence it?
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Did it ever leave you?
Speaker 3 (02:43):
Guys?
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Has it been there all along?
Speaker 1 (02:44):
And it's is your confidence that back to where you
believe you can contend for a championship?
Speaker 3 (02:51):
No, we never we never lost it. We knew listen,
not running May and June was it's it's probably the
hardest one I've ever been on in football, when you're
away from home that many that many times, and it's
not just it's different to being in England where you're
traveling two hours and there's no time difference, there's no
there's no climate difference. Well, here's completely different. And we
(03:12):
were it was Saturday, Wednesday, Saturday, Listen.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
It was.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
It was tough, but we knew, we knew what we
had in our in our locker room. And I think
you see just looking at I, it's the first time
I've looked from Afar and I saw the other night
the squad that we've got the start eleven it's button
that could compete in most leagues in Europe, so we
need to We never lost the confidence. We just need
to start start showing it more often and away from
(03:38):
home like we did the other night.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
How impressed have you been was Zaha's ability to create
not just for himself but his playmaking for others on
the team.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Listen, I knew, I knew the minute he walked in
what what Wilf can do? And lessen people were, people
were saying stuff, But I've always I've always stood by him.
He's a special player and thankfully is It's proved me
right and he's been carried the he carried the shield
last night. I'm from Pep and I think they'll He'll
start to flourish even more now. Wilf is a is
(04:12):
a top talent and he loves he loves the pressure
to perform, and I'm starting to see the real wolf again.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
Goal involvement in nine straight games, including the game winning
goal on a volley that was badass. We're talking to
Ashley Westwood Charlotte FC. Five straight wins on the spin
is how is how west He and Dean Smith say
we would say five straight here in America six unbeaten
as well in a row West. The thing I want
(04:38):
to know about about Zaha, and we talked to you
about this before, but like he's very passionate, right, like
extremely passionate. And he came out in a presser like
a week or two ago and was kind of like
frustrated because people, you know, take when he's kind of
you know, barking the teammates as a bad thing, and
he I guess he sees that on social media, but
(05:01):
I want to know what it's like in the locker room,
like when he's barking at guys, Hey man, do this?
Speaker 4 (05:05):
Do that?
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Or hey pick it up? Like do you guys?
Speaker 1 (05:08):
Does anybody in the locker room get offended by that?
Does that rub guys the wrong way? Or is that
something that everybody like wants from him?
Speaker 3 (05:17):
I think we we all have a moan. I'm probably
the biggest moana on the field and training. So I've
said it before, it's but it's an English culture. We
we shout, we moan, but we've we've got standards and
if people if we think people are better than what
they're showing them, well we'll say and want them to
raise the standards. It's not. It's not having a moment.
(05:38):
We want people to get better. That's and Wilf's exactly
the same. Is well, Wilf is a winner, he's a
born winner. And I certainly don't mind it. I know,
I'm sure it's it's hard to listen. You have to
you have to grow up, and you have to learn
very quickly if you want to if you want to
make a good living out of this game. It's not
(06:00):
it's not all pats on the backs and well done you.
Sometimes you need a good pick up.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
There you go by the way, Westy, do you think
being in the in the States now for a few years,
do you think that y'all moan more in England? Like
are y'all grumpy or grouchier than we are in America?
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Or No?
Speaker 3 (06:19):
I think we've got a lot of We've got a
lot of English labs about British lads now, and that
class twam as a British ladin we'll moan about anything, mate,
We're moan about the food. Even if the food top class,
we'll still find some to moan about. So I think
we're definitely.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Worse all right, because we can line too. Man, that's what.
I'm honored. I'm honored that we're.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Not as bad I'm moaning about this weather.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
This I thought this was your weather. I guess you.
I guess you were you had enough of this?
Speaker 3 (06:46):
Huh I've changed quickly.
Speaker 4 (06:51):
Ca Well, I was made rightfully, so a big pat
moving on. But how special has Tokuamadi been and what's
his long term upside?
Speaker 2 (06:59):
Uh? Here in os.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Yeah, we we knew. Listen, we knew obviously the club.
The club got an offer that he probably couldn't turn
down for Pat and bad play to the zorn and
on the gaffer they score, they saw something and dian
and he's been phenomenal. I've even even pre season he
was He's got everything. He can run behind, he can
(07:23):
leap you saw for his goal. Will scold the way
he got up above the defender with the header, and
he can do he can do a lot of things.
And yeah, he's he's not. He's not really surprised us.
We knew, we knew what he could do. He attacks
the box well, he scores goal. He's always in the
right area and thankfully now he's got his chance. So
he's and he fully deserves it.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
All Right, We've got a text to your nine to
eight oh number Westy. You can ask the captain it
should be a new feature bow when Westy comes on
and ask the skipper, ask the captain seven O four
five seven oh nine six ten. We have a text
that it says, was was Ashley at home watching that
game the other night? I picture him on the couch,
sipping his tea and screaming at the TV.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
What were you? Did you travel to them? Or no?
Speaker 3 (08:08):
No, no, I was, I was. We don't travel because
there's no point in pain in front of the room,
so that we certainly will be home. But no, I watched.
I watched on the sofa. I had to watch it
on mute because I can't listen to the commentary I had.
I was. I'd admit I was drinking the Medelos, only
(08:31):
had one. I was training the.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
Please tell me you don't turn down everyone else, mate,
Please tell me when you're driving around you don't turn
down sports talk radio though, right?
Speaker 3 (08:43):
No, no, no, all mate, I'm always always tuned into
you guys.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
That's a promo, right, Even though we forced him to
say that, I feel like that's a promo right there?
Speaker 2 (08:53):
All right?
Speaker 1 (08:54):
Uh, yeah, I was wondering about that too. You're so fiery.
I was wondering if there was some screaming there. What
do you think about? Uh, what do you think about
life without pep BL? I tried to be I tried
to get my tactics on last week Westy and I
was saying, I think Zaha has got to play the ten.
So clearly Dean was listening to just like you, and
(09:14):
he plays him at the ten, and I'll be damned
if it didn't get real good until he just moved
him back to the wing and put Vargas in the middle.
So maybe maybe that idea stunk. What do you think
is the what's how do you get by without pep bl?
Is there is there a right person to plug there
in that spot?
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Or what do you think.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
He's He's a huge loss. He's been he's been sensational. Yeah, well,
I personally like Wilf on the left. I think the
way the way he comes inside, I like him. They
plays his fruit balls and Beavers played there last year.
Was did a real good job there. We've got Eric
who can play there, so we're listen, we'll we're going
to miss him, but it's time for someone else. To
(09:56):
step up and hopefully I don't think it's as bad
as first fear, so I'm hoping he's back. He's back
sooner rather than rather than later.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
All right, man, Hey, we always appreciate you giving us
some time here. Can't wait to see you get back
on the field. On Saturday night, Salt Lake's coming in
real Salt Lakes seven point thirty uh and you can
get your ticket Charlotte Footballclub dot com. I'm telling you
to wait. His team is playing. The experience, the vibe
(10:25):
at the stadium. If you've never gone, man, you've got
to take it in Westy. Thanks for coming on. Good
luck on Saturday, Man, Thank you Latch.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Thanks again
The captain of your red hot Charlotte FC squad, Ashley Westwood,
all around good guy as well, joins us again here
on the Mac and Bone Show.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Ashley, what's going on man? How you doing?
Speaker 3 (00:12):
Good morning? I'm not in another fight on the way
to work.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Do you do you ever get into like a road
rage situation? Do you get mad because you get mad
on the pitch and stand up for your team or yourself?
Speaker 2 (00:27):
Do you ever get mad on the road? No?
Speaker 3 (00:30):
Never, The wis does not for me at home?
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Okay, Oh you're the late man, missus. Westy must be fiery,
all right. I respect that. I respect that. What was it?
Speaker 3 (00:48):
That's what I do on the field. I have to
let it out on the field. I'm not allowed at home.
Speaker 2 (00:51):
That's it, you know what. That's actually me.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
That's actually me on the radio, Like I can't act
a fool like this at home and get away with it.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
Westy. You know what I mean. I can relate to you.
That is hilarious.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
So what was it like, man having to had a
yellow card accumulation so you had to sit out the game?
Speaker 2 (01:09):
What was it like? Where where were you at watching this?
Were you there?
Speaker 1 (01:13):
Were you on your couch and what was it like
just having to kind of be a fan for the night.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
It's horrible because you're not in control. But it was Listen,
we didn't we didn't know the boys. Admit they didn't
play very well to start with, but I think the
sending off. After the sending off, the game completely changed
and they controlled the game and there's going to be
one winner. So a huge result was that five wins
on the spin now, so we're in a good spot.
Speaker 4 (01:42):
West Kalina's the raigning MLS keeper of the Year. But
having said that, his performance the other night was that
the best you've ever seen him in the net?
Speaker 3 (01:55):
H No, I think even last year he was. Last
year he was zational, and I think we saw the
other night that kind of that's back to what we
saw last year. I think some of the stays he
poured off. I think the one that got deflected the
near post was the biggest.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
Say for me, oh yeah, that was that. That react
his reactions, man, were on point.
Speaker 2 (02:16):
The other night.
Speaker 1 (02:17):
It was and we needed it too, the way that
game was going, we needed it. But that's a sweep
of Cincinnati, and to do it without you, without Pep
bl I mean, it feels like you guys got your.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Are you got? Are you back? Westy? And maybe you
never lost it?
Speaker 1 (02:33):
But I think as a fan, I'm kind of back
with that confidence in you guys, like man, you can
make noise in the playoffs, like is your confidence it?
Speaker 2 (02:41):
Did it ever leave you?
Speaker 3 (02:43):
Guys?
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Has it been there all along?
Speaker 1 (02:44):
And it's is your confidence that back to where you
believe you can contend for a championship?
Speaker 3 (02:51):
No, we never we never lost it. We knew listen,
not running May and June was it's it's probably the
hardest one I've ever been on in football, when you're
away from home that many that many times, and it's
not just it's different to being in England where you're
traveling two hours and there's no time difference, there's no
there's no climate difference. Well, here's completely different. And we
(03:12):
were it was Saturday, Wednesday, Saturday, Listen.
Speaker 1 (03:15):
It was.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
It was tough, but we knew, we knew what we
had in our in our locker room. And I think
you see just looking at I, it's the first time
I've looked from Afar and I saw the other night
the squad that we've got the start eleven it's button
that could compete in most leagues in Europe, so we
need to We never lost the confidence. We just need
to start start showing it more often and away from
(03:38):
home like we did the other night.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
How impressed have you been was Zaha's ability to create
not just for himself but his playmaking for others on
the team.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
Listen, I knew, I knew the minute he walked in
what what Wilf can do? And lessen people were, people
were saying stuff, But I've always I've always stood by him.
He's a special player and thankfully is It's proved me
right and he's been carried the he carried the shield
last night. I'm from Pep and I think they'll He'll
start to flourish even more now. Wilf is a is
(04:12):
a top talent and he loves he loves the pressure
to perform, and I'm starting to see the real wolf again.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
Goal involvement in nine straight games, including the game winning
goal on a volley that was badass. We're talking to
Ashley Westwood Charlotte FC. Five straight wins on the spin
is how is how west He and Dean Smith say
we would say five straight here in America six unbeaten
as well in a row West. The thing I want
(04:38):
to know about about Zaha, and we talked to you
about this before, but like he's very passionate, right, like
extremely passionate. And he came out in a presser like
a week or two ago and was kind of like
frustrated because people, you know, take when he's kind of
you know, barking the teammates as a bad thing, and
he I guess he sees that on social media, but
(05:01):
I want to know what it's like in the locker room,
like when he's barking at guys, Hey man, do this?
Speaker 4 (05:05):
Do that?
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Or hey pick it up? Like do you guys?
Speaker 1 (05:08):
Does anybody in the locker room get offended by that?
Does that rub guys the wrong way? Or is that
something that everybody like wants from him?
Speaker 3 (05:17):
I think we we all have a moan. I'm probably
the biggest moana on the field and training. So I've
said it before, it's but it's an English culture. We
we shout, we moan, but we've we've got standards and
if people if we think people are better than what
they're showing them, well we'll say and want them to
raise the standards. It's not. It's not having a moment.
(05:38):
We want people to get better. That's and Wilf's exactly
the same. Is well, Wilf is a winner, he's a
born winner. And I certainly don't mind it. I know,
I'm sure it's it's hard to listen. You have to
you have to grow up, and you have to learn
very quickly if you want to if you want to
make a good living out of this game. It's not
(06:00):
it's not all pats on the backs and well done you.
Sometimes you need a good pick up.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
There you go by the way, Westy, do you think
being in the in the States now for a few years,
do you think that y'all moan more in England? Like
are y'all grumpy or grouchier than we are in America?
Speaker 2 (06:17):
Or No?
Speaker 3 (06:19):
I think we've got a lot of We've got a
lot of English labs about British lads now, and that
class twam as a British ladin we'll moan about anything, mate,
We're moan about the food. Even if the food top class,
we'll still find some to moan about. So I think
we're definitely.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
Worse all right, because we can line too. Man, that's what.
I'm honored. I'm honored that we're.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Not as bad I'm moaning about this weather.
Speaker 1 (06:41):
This I thought this was your weather. I guess you.
I guess you were you had enough of this?
Speaker 3 (06:46):
Huh I've changed quickly.
Speaker 4 (06:51):
Ca Well, I was made rightfully, so a big pat
moving on. But how special has Tokuamadi been and what's
his long term upside?
Speaker 2 (06:59):
Uh? Here in os.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Yeah, we we knew. Listen, we knew obviously the club.
The club got an offer that he probably couldn't turn
down for Pat and bad play to the zorn and
on the gaffer they score, they saw something and dian
and he's been phenomenal. I've even even pre season he
was He's got everything. He can run behind, he can
(07:23):
leap you saw for his goal. Will scold the way
he got up above the defender with the header, and
he can do he can do a lot of things.
And yeah, he's he's not. He's not really surprised us.
We knew, we knew what he could do. He attacks
the box well, he scores goal. He's always in the
right area and thankfully now he's got his chance. So
he's and he fully deserves it.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
All Right, We've got a text to your nine to
eight oh number Westy. You can ask the captain it
should be a new feature bow when Westy comes on
and ask the skipper, ask the captain seven O four
five seven oh nine six ten. We have a text
that it says, was was Ashley at home watching that
game the other night? I picture him on the couch,
sipping his tea and screaming at the TV.
Speaker 2 (08:05):
What were you? Did you travel to them? Or no?
Speaker 3 (08:08):
No, no, I was, I was. We don't travel because
there's no point in pain in front of the room,
so that we certainly will be home. But no, I watched.
I watched on the sofa. I had to watch it
on mute because I can't listen to the commentary I had.
I was. I'd admit I was drinking the Medelos, only
(08:31):
had one. I was training the.
Speaker 4 (08:34):
Please tell me you don't turn down everyone else, mate,
Please tell me when you're driving around you don't turn
down sports talk radio though, right?
Speaker 3 (08:43):
No, no, no, all mate, I'm always always tuned into
you guys.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
That's a promo, right, Even though we forced him to
say that, I feel like that's a promo right there?
Speaker 2 (08:53):
All right?
Speaker 1 (08:54):
Uh, yeah, I was wondering about that too. You're so fiery.
I was wondering if there was some screaming there. What
do you think about? Uh, what do you think about
life without pep BL? I tried to be I tried
to get my tactics on last week Westy and I
was saying, I think Zaha has got to play the ten.
So clearly Dean was listening to just like you, and
(09:14):
he plays him at the ten, and I'll be damned
if it didn't get real good until he just moved
him back to the wing and put Vargas in the middle.
So maybe maybe that idea stunk. What do you think
is the what's how do you get by without pep bl?
Is there is there a right person to plug there
in that spot?
Speaker 2 (09:31):
Or what do you think.
Speaker 3 (09:33):
He's He's a huge loss. He's been he's been sensational. Yeah, well,
I personally like Wilf on the left. I think the
way the way he comes inside, I like him. They
plays his fruit balls and Beavers played there last year.
Was did a real good job there. We've got Eric
who can play there, so we're listen, we'll we're going
to miss him, but it's time for someone else. To
(09:56):
step up and hopefully I don't think it's as bad
as first fear, so I'm hoping he's back. He's back
sooner rather than rather than later.
Speaker 1 (10:05):
All right, man, Hey, we always appreciate you giving us
some time here. Can't wait to see you get back
on the field. On Saturday night, Salt Lake's coming in
real Salt Lakes seven point thirty uh and you can
get your ticket Charlotte Footballclub dot com. I'm telling you
to wait. His team is playing. The experience, the vibe
(10:25):
at the stadium. If you've never gone, man, you've got
to take it in Westy. Thanks for coming on. Good
luck on Saturday, Man, Thank you Latch.
Speaker 3 (10:33):
Thanks again
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