June 10, 2025 • 9 mins
Seattle Sounders FC Head Coach Brian Schmetzer joins Dave Softy Mahler and Dick Fain to talk about the team’s loss in Vancouver last weekend and where players’ heads are at with the Club World Cup and the tournament starting against Botafogo this week.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Ten testing live from the R and R Foundation specialist
broad Jest Studio. Now back to Sofie and Dick powered
by Emerald Queen Casino, the Betty and Capital of the Northwest.
On Sports Radio nineties three point three kJ R FM.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Alrighty, boys and girls, we're back here on a Tuesday
night at the Virginia Mason Athletics Center. Danny Sprinkle, good
week for him, huh, head coach of the Husky basketball team,
joining us coming up at six pm tonight, but joining
us right now on the radio show. This is proof
positive that this guy will be here, win, lose or draw.
Tough questions, happy environment, difficult environments. If there's ever a day,
(00:39):
ever a week where I would if I'm Brian Schmetzer
and telling guys like you and I to take a
hike and sing it out, why let's skip it, I'll
pokcat next week, it'd be this one. But no, he's
a man of his word and he's with us right
now on the radio show. Brian Schmeetzer, coach, how are
you good?
Speaker 3 (00:53):
But remember you threatened me last time, so I had
to be on the show.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Yes, and I'll threaten you again if you ever skip this, Joe,
I'll kick your ass, all right, I'm telling you right now, no.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
I'll never walk away from hard questions from Dave Softy Maler.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
I love it. Well, let's just start with the obvious then, right,
Obviously not what we were hoping for, not what we
thought we would see in a three nothing lost to
Vancouver last weekend. And you face this question, I think
Brian in the postgame press conference, and I think it's
a fair one to ask. And if you agree, please
tell us do you think your players, for lack of
(01:29):
a better question, were fully focused on Sunday given everything
going up going on with the club World Cup pay situation.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Well, the wheels fell off the bus. I mean you
could maybe say that Minnesota blip on the you know,
bump in the road, whatever, this the wheels completely fell
off the bus. And I believe that, yes, the players
were distracted. They said, you know before the game. I
(02:01):
mean we messaged it all week starting you know, the
first day we came back from Minnesota. We said, hey,
you know, let's try and write the ship. But you know,
I think they're human and it affected them and you know,
to get two red cards, silly red cards to not
generate enough offense. Something was off, So you know, they've
(02:25):
opened themselves up to that question.
Speaker 4 (02:28):
So if they were affected in an MLS game based
upon this player pay situation in the Club World Cup,
how worried are you that in the Club World Cup
game they're going to be affected by this?
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Well, we're hoping. We're hoping, Dick and I haven't gotten
an update today. We're hoping that there's actual resolution in
the pay situation.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
Now.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Resolution could mean that the players got what they wanted
or something close to it, or it could be that
they didn't get what they were asking for or something
close to it. But at least there's resolution and then
they can start to focus. So that's my hope that
(03:14):
something does get done, and you can bet your bottom
dollar that tomorrow that's you know, I'm gonna ask them
the same hard questions.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Yeah, well, let me ask you this, Brian, because I
think we asked you a week ago, and again, Brian
Schmetzer is with us on the radio show. I think
we asked you last week. Are you concerned about players
just simply skipping out and not showing up for these matches?
And you said no, you know, once the competitive fires
get starting to get although juice. They'll be there and
they'll be fine as we sit here a week later.
(03:45):
Do you still believe that or is there any part
of you that is now even remotely concerned that they
won't want to take part in this thing?
Speaker 3 (03:53):
Well? I think there. I still stick with what I said, softy.
So if you look at the Vancouver game as an example,
you know, so we give up a soft goal. We're
just not playing good defense. We give up a soft
goal to go one nothing down right before halftime, fortieth minute,
we talk about some things, we talk in parentheses about
(04:16):
a few things at halftime, and they come out fired up,
ready to go. And I thought the first five minutes
were good until Knew who loses his concentration, pulls a
guy down. Red card. It was a red card, But
I thought they responded in those first five minutes. I
thought I could see a difference coming out of halftime.
(04:36):
I think I still believe that we've got an experienced
group of players, and Steph Fry the captain, and Christian
and Albert and you know, guys that have been around
this club a long time. We set the buy pretty
bar pretty high, so I'm expecting them to come out
and play with intensity and smarts and do a better
(05:00):
job well.
Speaker 4 (05:00):
And certainly a part of a coach's job is to
motivate and get their team mentally ready. But it's not
all your responsibility to motivate and get your team ready.
How about the captains? I mean, what type of responsibility
do the leaders of your team have to help you
out in that sense and get your team ready to play?
Speaker 3 (05:19):
Dick, That is such a good question because you know,
I brought it up after the game, you know, a
little bit more direct than during the week, you know,
because during the week it was we or you know,
you guys got to stick together, you know, kind of
stuff like that. But you know, I challenged some guys
after the game and said, you know what, you guys
have to start with yourselves. It's your standard. What standard
(05:43):
do you want to play to? And Steph Frye has
been the best goalkeeper in this league for many years.
I've said it all the time, and he's got to
raise his level. He's got to hold his teammates accountable.
Same thing with Christian, same thing with Albert. Those guys
have to get themselves right first. But then, you know,
(06:04):
make sure they hold their teammates to the same standard.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Well, Brian Schmeetzer is with us on the radio show,
and you mentioned that you kind of called them out
a little bit. I know what I would say if
I were the head coach and I'm not in charge,
it never will be. But I would say, you guys
embarrassed yourselves on Sunday night, and I would wonder and
actually hope, Brian, that what happens Sunday night in Vancouver, well, actually,
in a backwards kind of way, help you this Sunday
(06:30):
against Botafogo. Do you buy that that this will be
a motivated, humiliated, embarrassed group of professionals that will come
out on Sunday now and maybe, in a weird kind
of way give you an even better effort than they
would have.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
I tend to agree with this softie in some backwards way,
it might motivate them. But to Dick's point and to
everybody else watching or listening or whatever, it shouldn't come
to that. I mean, these guys are pros, they get paid,
they they need to get the job done.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
Let's talk about bodofolgo real quick. I mean, what type
of team are they compared to an MLS team, and
who worries you on their side?
Speaker 3 (07:10):
Well, they are. They are the South American champions. They
have a tremendous talent pool, and they are you know,
they're in a league ahead of us. You know, I can't,
I can't sugarcoat it any other way. But again, what
I expect is for us to come out and be competitive.
(07:32):
They've got a bunch of good players, Dick. They've got
players top to bottom, up and down the roster. They
got young guys, they got some old guys that have
some experience. But I don't care. I mean, I just
need my guys to show up and play as well
as they can because I know they can play good soccer.
I know they're competitive, and then we'll try and make
(07:55):
a game out of it.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Brian, we're kind of running out of time. I was
going to ask you a question about, you know, the
enthusiasm for the tournament and all that, but that doesn't
really seem to be your problem. And it's not your
job to sell this thing. It's your job just to
go out and play your ass off starting on Sundays.
So if you disagree, feel free to jump in. If not,
we can move on. But the most important stuff, the
injury updates. Jordan Morris, is he going to be available
(08:17):
at all this weekend or in this tournament? Whatsoever?
Speaker 3 (08:21):
Not this weekend? Maybe the last game. But softie, look
this is I'll jump in in the last in your
last comment real quickly. It's PSG, It's Athletico Madrid and Bodafogo.
Our Seattle fans are probably never going to see our team,
the Sounders play in a legit tournament against some of
(08:41):
these opponents, the other guy, the other teams that are
playing in Seattle, some good teams as well. For true
soccer fans, I think they should come out.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Yeah, love it all right, man, Hey, go have fun
this weekend. Kick their ass. Put Sunday night behind you,
and we're talking a week all right, Niks coach.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
All right, take care guys, see it all right, man.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Brian Schatt with us on the radio show. How about
that admitting you thought the team was distracted on Sunday
against against Vancouver. We're gonna break. Danny Sprinkle is not distracted.
He's laser focused, baby, the head coach of the Dogs
getting another big fish over the weekend. He'll join us
next on ninety three three kJ a r f m
Ten testing live from the R and R Foundation specialist
broad Jest Studio. Now back to Sofie and Dick powered
by Emerald Queen Casino, the Betty and Capital of the Northwest.
On Sports Radio nineties three point three kJ R FM.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Alrighty, boys and girls, we're back here on a Tuesday
night at the Virginia Mason Athletics Center. Danny Sprinkle, good
week for him, huh, head coach of the Husky basketball team,
joining us coming up at six pm tonight, but joining
us right now on the radio show. This is proof
positive that this guy will be here, win, lose or draw.
Tough questions, happy environment, difficult environments. If there's ever a day,
(00:39):
ever a week where I would if I'm Brian Schmetzer
and telling guys like you and I to take a
hike and sing it out, why let's skip it, I'll
pokcat next week, it'd be this one. But no, he's
a man of his word and he's with us right
now on the radio show. Brian Schmeetzer, coach, how are
you good?
Speaker 3 (00:53):
But remember you threatened me last time, so I had
to be on the show.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Yes, and I'll threaten you again if you ever skip this, Joe,
I'll kick your ass, all right, I'm telling you right now, no.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
I'll never walk away from hard questions from Dave Softy Maler.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
I love it. Well, let's just start with the obvious then, right,
Obviously not what we were hoping for, not what we
thought we would see in a three nothing lost to
Vancouver last weekend. And you face this question, I think
Brian in the postgame press conference, and I think it's
a fair one to ask. And if you agree, please
tell us do you think your players, for lack of
(01:29):
a better question, were fully focused on Sunday given everything
going up going on with the club World Cup pay situation.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
Well, the wheels fell off the bus. I mean you
could maybe say that Minnesota blip on the you know,
bump in the road, whatever, this the wheels completely fell
off the bus. And I believe that, yes, the players
were distracted. They said, you know before the game. I
(02:01):
mean we messaged it all week starting you know, the
first day we came back from Minnesota. We said, hey,
you know, let's try and write the ship. But you know,
I think they're human and it affected them and you know,
to get two red cards, silly red cards to not
generate enough offense. Something was off, So you know, they've
(02:25):
opened themselves up to that question.
Speaker 4 (02:28):
So if they were affected in an MLS game based
upon this player pay situation in the Club World Cup,
how worried are you that in the Club World Cup
game they're going to be affected by this?
Speaker 3 (02:41):
Well, we're hoping. We're hoping, Dick and I haven't gotten
an update today. We're hoping that there's actual resolution in
the pay situation.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
Now.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Resolution could mean that the players got what they wanted
or something close to it, or it could be that
they didn't get what they were asking for or something
close to it. But at least there's resolution and then
they can start to focus. So that's my hope that
(03:14):
something does get done, and you can bet your bottom
dollar that tomorrow that's you know, I'm gonna ask them
the same hard questions.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Yeah, well, let me ask you this, Brian, because I
think we asked you a week ago, and again, Brian
Schmetzer is with us on the radio show. I think
we asked you last week. Are you concerned about players
just simply skipping out and not showing up for these matches?
And you said no, you know, once the competitive fires
get starting to get although juice. They'll be there and
they'll be fine as we sit here a week later.
(03:45):
Do you still believe that or is there any part
of you that is now even remotely concerned that they
won't want to take part in this thing?
Speaker 3 (03:53):
Well? I think there. I still stick with what I said, softy.
So if you look at the Vancouver game as an example,
you know, so we give up a soft goal. We're
just not playing good defense. We give up a soft
goal to go one nothing down right before halftime, fortieth minute,
we talk about some things, we talk in parentheses about
(04:16):
a few things at halftime, and they come out fired up,
ready to go. And I thought the first five minutes
were good until Knew who loses his concentration, pulls a
guy down. Red card. It was a red card, But
I thought they responded in those first five minutes. I
thought I could see a difference coming out of halftime.
(04:36):
I think I still believe that we've got an experienced
group of players, and Steph Fry the captain, and Christian
and Albert and you know, guys that have been around
this club a long time. We set the buy pretty
bar pretty high, so I'm expecting them to come out
and play with intensity and smarts and do a better
(05:00):
job well.
Speaker 4 (05:00):
And certainly a part of a coach's job is to
motivate and get their team mentally ready. But it's not
all your responsibility to motivate and get your team ready.
How about the captains? I mean, what type of responsibility
do the leaders of your team have to help you
out in that sense and get your team ready to play?
Speaker 3 (05:19):
Dick, That is such a good question because you know,
I brought it up after the game, you know, a
little bit more direct than during the week, you know,
because during the week it was we or you know,
you guys got to stick together, you know, kind of
stuff like that. But you know, I challenged some guys
after the game and said, you know what, you guys
have to start with yourselves. It's your standard. What standard
(05:43):
do you want to play to? And Steph Frye has
been the best goalkeeper in this league for many years.
I've said it all the time, and he's got to
raise his level. He's got to hold his teammates accountable.
Same thing with Christian, same thing with Albert. Those guys
have to get themselves right first. But then, you know,
(06:04):
make sure they hold their teammates to the same standard.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (06:08):
Well, Brian Schmeetzer is with us on the radio show,
and you mentioned that you kind of called them out
a little bit. I know what I would say if
I were the head coach and I'm not in charge,
it never will be. But I would say, you guys
embarrassed yourselves on Sunday night, and I would wonder and
actually hope, Brian, that what happens Sunday night in Vancouver, well, actually,
in a backwards kind of way, help you this Sunday
(06:30):
against Botafogo. Do you buy that that this will be
a motivated, humiliated, embarrassed group of professionals that will come
out on Sunday now and maybe, in a weird kind
of way give you an even better effort than they
would have.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
I tend to agree with this softie in some backwards way,
it might motivate them. But to Dick's point and to
everybody else watching or listening or whatever, it shouldn't come
to that. I mean, these guys are pros, they get paid,
they they need to get the job done.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
Let's talk about bodofolgo real quick. I mean, what type
of team are they compared to an MLS team, and
who worries you on their side?
Speaker 3 (07:10):
Well, they are. They are the South American champions. They
have a tremendous talent pool, and they are you know,
they're in a league ahead of us. You know, I can't,
I can't sugarcoat it any other way. But again, what
I expect is for us to come out and be competitive.
(07:32):
They've got a bunch of good players, Dick. They've got
players top to bottom, up and down the roster. They
got young guys, they got some old guys that have
some experience. But I don't care. I mean, I just
need my guys to show up and play as well
as they can because I know they can play good soccer.
I know they're competitive, and then we'll try and make
(07:55):
a game out of it.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Brian, we're kind of running out of time. I was
going to ask you a question about, you know, the
enthusiasm for the tournament and all that, but that doesn't
really seem to be your problem. And it's not your
job to sell this thing. It's your job just to
go out and play your ass off starting on Sundays.
So if you disagree, feel free to jump in. If not,
we can move on. But the most important stuff, the
injury updates. Jordan Morris, is he going to be available
(08:17):
at all this weekend or in this tournament? Whatsoever?
Speaker 3 (08:21):
Not this weekend? Maybe the last game. But softie, look
this is I'll jump in in the last in your
last comment real quickly. It's PSG, It's Athletico Madrid and Bodafogo.
Our Seattle fans are probably never going to see our team,
the Sounders play in a legit tournament against some of
(08:41):
these opponents, the other guy, the other teams that are
playing in Seattle, some good teams as well. For true
soccer fans, I think they should come out.
Speaker 2 (08:50):
Yeah, love it all right, man, Hey, go have fun
this weekend. Kick their ass. Put Sunday night behind you,
and we're talking a week all right, Niks coach.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
All right, take care guys, see it all right, man.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Brian Schatt with us on the radio show. How about
that admitting you thought the team was distracted on Sunday
against against Vancouver. We're gonna break. Danny Sprinkle is not distracted.
He's laser focused, baby, the head coach of the Dogs
getting another big fish over the weekend. He'll join us
next on ninety three three kJ a r f m
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