October 24, 2025 • 8 mins
Seattle Sounders FC Head Coach Brian Schmetzer joins Dave Softy Mahler and Dick Fain to talk about facing Minnesota in the first round of the playoffs and a major injury.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is Duke of Duke Seafood and this hour is
brought to you by Duke Seafood.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Why don't you make it a Duke's Night tonight.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Reserve your table today at.
Speaker 3 (00:07):
Dukeseafood dot com.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Now back to softiand Dick on Sports Radio ninety three
point three KJRFM.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
We're back on a Friday night. Brian Schmetzer with us.
Hey Brian, did you get your Duke's Gift card in
the mail? By the way yet? Did they send that
over to you?
Speaker 4 (00:25):
No?
Speaker 2 (00:25):
I did not get my Duke's Gift card in the mail.
I'd love to have a Duke's Gift card because they
have great food and great people.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
That's a hell of a promo. By the way, Might
I just record that and play that on the air.
It's on the way. I'll take care of it. It's
on the way. How are you, man? What's going on?
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Well? Pretty good? I was just ribbing Jackson a little
bit or giving him a hard time. I mean, you're
interrupting date night. I mean it's Friday night. I'm sitting
here the day off. This better be a good interview.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Yeah, well, what does date night consist of? Because for me,
and my wife date night. Means were in bed by
eight o'clock on a Friday, by the way, So how
about for you and Christine.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Well, Christina and I are you know, a little glass
of bread and some chee and crackers and some stuff,
and we're watching, you know, just some bad TV on
the TV, and then I'm paying attention to Miami Nashville.
Miami just scored. Of course it was messy, just scored,
but it was a good goal. So we're just having
a nice evening, nice quiet evening.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Well, coach, you're back where you belong. The playoffs. That's
pretty much where the Sounders are always are every year
because of you, largely because of you Minnesota in the
first round, but they got you twice this year. What
do you think about the matchup overall?
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Well, I mean, look, the game here in Seattle was
kind of like they had the drama with you know,
the whole cash grab and the Club World Cup, and
the team might have been distracted those couple of games
leading into the Club World Cup. And then we went
to Minnesota, Dick and we lost one nothing, but you
knowistically we dominated you know, possession chances, everything, and they
(02:05):
got a goal on a good free kick. I'm not
going to take anything away from it. So we played
them pretty even at their place, and that was still
when they had you know, Oloase, the guy that they
sold over the English champion, the Premiership championship. So I
mean we feel pretty good, we feel confident that we
can match up with them.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Well, Brian Schwetzer again is with us on the radio show,
and let's go back and talk more about what happened
in those two losses and kind of what you really
learned about their style in those two games.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Well, they had those two particular games, softy, good question.
They were really five three two or five to two three.
They really sat back, they relied on their set pieces.
The last four or five games of the year, they've
actually come out of their show a little bit. They're
pressing a little higher up the field. Look, they've done
(02:55):
some good playmakers. It's not like they can't play, so
they're not. It's just the team that people might expect
where they're just going to drop off and you know,
let teams have possession. They've actually you know, put their
foot on the gas a little bit and press teams.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
So we GEO fenced this question and answer here. Nobody
from Minnesota can listen to the answer here. So what
do you do to break down their defense?
Speaker 4 (03:17):
Coach, Well, we have to do a really good job of,
you know, trying to play through the middle first, narrow
them a little bit, then play outside sometimes.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
You know, some of our fans have seen the you
know possession where we go from side to side and
it's kind of slow. Well, we want to make sure
that we do the most or the best with our possession,
always having an eye for where the goal is as
we're possessing the ball. So a lot of the stuff
we've been working on, Dick has been in the attacking
(03:49):
third of the field. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
Well, Brian Schwetzer again is with US Sanders Minnesota Game
one playoffs Monday night, six pm over on nin point
fifty am by the way on Monday night and Pedro
de la Vega going to be out. What's the story
on him? What happened? How long is he out for?
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Man? Yeah, that was a tough one, Softie, because he
was really you know, coming on it's a cracked pateller
patella excuse me, and he had surgery to her parrot.
Now his pateller tendon was okay. He just tore a
little chunk of bone off and they stitched it back together.
(04:29):
And he's going to be out four to six months probably.
You know, I'd say six months just because it's a
pretty good injury, but you never know. I'm keeping my
fingers crossed, and he's you know, available to us early
next year. But certainly was a blow to the squad.
But we've got a deep squad.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Well let's talk about that depth. Is it just Rothrocks
stepping in there on the on the left wing? And
if so, how will your instructions for how he plays
maybe differ than what you would do with De la Vega.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Well, Paul's different. I mean, he's all just work and
work and run and work and fight. Pader out a
little bit more technical ability. But you know, Paul's done
fine there. He's he's been really good in that position.
You know, heyzeus on the other side, we are are
left and right side is a little unbalanced. But you know, look,
I like giving you guys scoops. I mean, Georgia Menungo
(05:22):
certainly has been a capable winger on the left or
right hand side. But Ryan Kent is awfully close. I mean,
we we're gonna make a determination. We had a day
off today, but he's got Saturday and Sunday a couple
more days of training before we take off for Minnesota,
so Kent might be available for even that first game.
(05:43):
So would that would be helpful?
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Well, Brian Schmetzer again with us Monday night, Sounders Minnesota,
Let's talk about kind of your defense looking, what do
you think you'll see from them in the first round?
And is Jamar back and are there any other injuries
that you want to tell us about potentially.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Great, great question. Yes, Yamar is going to be back
for the game, softy, and that's big news. You know,
there was that little spell in the middle of the
year or after the League Cup we were giving up
some bad goals, like some soft goals in my opinion. Look,
I think the last three games in a row, all victories,
some clean sheets. I think we've been pretty good defensively,
(06:24):
and you know, I'm a believer that defense wins championships. Obviously,
you got to score goals, and we've done that this year.
But we get Yamar back for this series, big, big.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Big lift, no question. Well, you've been without Christian rolled
on a few games because he was with the US
national team. Do you think he's locked up a spot
on the World Cup team next week? Next year?
Speaker 2 (06:46):
God? I hope so, Dick. I mean, look, I'm obviously
biased here, but he had done enough in my opinion
to be part of the twenty six man roster. His attitude,
his application, his play this year. I mean ever since
we moved him to holding midfielder this year, he's been
great and he can keep up. He showed in the
(07:09):
Club World Cup he can he can do it against
some of the best club teams in the world. So
why not with the national team.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Yeah, Well, the Mariners are done, so we're kind of
counting on you to heal the wound. Man, So no
pressure on the sound or shoulder.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Got borrow the husky tomorrow.
Speaker 4 (07:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Started the Seahawks. I mean, look, we're still good. The
rain made the playoffs. That's congrats to Laura Harvey and
all that. So we still got some hope, Softie.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Yeah, there's no hope.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Not for me, I hope.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
All right, Hey, listen, enjoyed date night. All right, go
get it, Tiger and we'll talk soon.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
All right, thanks guys.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
All right, French Schmetzer with us on the radio show
John Wilner, who normally is with us on Tuesdays at five,
and we had hockey this week. Uh does he see
an upset brewing at Husky Stadium tomorrow against Illinois.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
We're gonna talk to John about all that and more
next on ninety three three k j r F
This is Duke of Duke Seafood and this hour is
brought to you by Duke Seafood.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
Why don't you make it a Duke's Night tonight.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Reserve your table today at.
Speaker 3 (00:07):
Dukeseafood dot com.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Now back to softiand Dick on Sports Radio ninety three
point three KJRFM.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
We're back on a Friday night. Brian Schmetzer with us.
Hey Brian, did you get your Duke's Gift card in
the mail? By the way yet? Did they send that
over to you?
Speaker 4 (00:25):
No?
Speaker 2 (00:25):
I did not get my Duke's Gift card in the mail.
I'd love to have a Duke's Gift card because they
have great food and great people.
Speaker 3 (00:35):
That's a hell of a promo. By the way, Might
I just record that and play that on the air.
It's on the way. I'll take care of it. It's
on the way. How are you, man? What's going on?
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Well? Pretty good? I was just ribbing Jackson a little
bit or giving him a hard time. I mean, you're
interrupting date night. I mean it's Friday night. I'm sitting
here the day off. This better be a good interview.
Speaker 3 (00:56):
Yeah, well, what does date night consist of? Because for me,
and my wife date night. Means were in bed by
eight o'clock on a Friday, by the way, So how
about for you and Christine.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Well, Christina and I are you know, a little glass
of bread and some chee and crackers and some stuff,
and we're watching, you know, just some bad TV on
the TV, and then I'm paying attention to Miami Nashville.
Miami just scored. Of course it was messy, just scored,
but it was a good goal. So we're just having
a nice evening, nice quiet evening.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Well, coach, you're back where you belong. The playoffs. That's
pretty much where the Sounders are always are every year
because of you, largely because of you Minnesota in the
first round, but they got you twice this year. What
do you think about the matchup overall?
Speaker 2 (01:39):
Well, I mean, look, the game here in Seattle was
kind of like they had the drama with you know,
the whole cash grab and the Club World Cup, and
the team might have been distracted those couple of games
leading into the Club World Cup. And then we went
to Minnesota, Dick and we lost one nothing, but you
knowistically we dominated you know, possession chances, everything, and they
(02:05):
got a goal on a good free kick. I'm not
going to take anything away from it. So we played
them pretty even at their place, and that was still
when they had you know, Oloase, the guy that they
sold over the English champion, the Premiership championship. So I
mean we feel pretty good, we feel confident that we
can match up with them.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
Well, Brian Schwetzer again is with us on the radio show,
and let's go back and talk more about what happened
in those two losses and kind of what you really
learned about their style in those two games.
Speaker 2 (02:34):
Well, they had those two particular games, softy, good question.
They were really five three two or five to two three.
They really sat back, they relied on their set pieces.
The last four or five games of the year, they've
actually come out of their show a little bit. They're
pressing a little higher up the field. Look, they've done
(02:55):
some good playmakers. It's not like they can't play, so
they're not. It's just the team that people might expect
where they're just going to drop off and you know,
let teams have possession. They've actually you know, put their
foot on the gas a little bit and press teams.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
So we GEO fenced this question and answer here. Nobody
from Minnesota can listen to the answer here. So what
do you do to break down their defense?
Speaker 4 (03:17):
Coach, Well, we have to do a really good job of,
you know, trying to play through the middle first, narrow
them a little bit, then play outside sometimes.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
You know, some of our fans have seen the you
know possession where we go from side to side and
it's kind of slow. Well, we want to make sure
that we do the most or the best with our possession,
always having an eye for where the goal is as
we're possessing the ball. So a lot of the stuff
we've been working on, Dick has been in the attacking
(03:49):
third of the field. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (03:50):
Well, Brian Schwetzer again is with US Sanders Minnesota Game
one playoffs Monday night, six pm over on nin point
fifty am by the way on Monday night and Pedro
de la Vega going to be out. What's the story
on him? What happened? How long is he out for?
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Man? Yeah, that was a tough one, Softie, because he
was really you know, coming on it's a cracked pateller
patella excuse me, and he had surgery to her parrot.
Now his pateller tendon was okay. He just tore a
little chunk of bone off and they stitched it back together.
(04:29):
And he's going to be out four to six months probably.
You know, I'd say six months just because it's a
pretty good injury, but you never know. I'm keeping my
fingers crossed, and he's you know, available to us early
next year. But certainly was a blow to the squad.
But we've got a deep squad.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Well let's talk about that depth. Is it just Rothrocks
stepping in there on the on the left wing? And
if so, how will your instructions for how he plays
maybe differ than what you would do with De la Vega.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
Well, Paul's different. I mean, he's all just work and
work and run and work and fight. Pader out a
little bit more technical ability. But you know, Paul's done
fine there. He's he's been really good in that position.
You know, heyzeus on the other side, we are are
left and right side is a little unbalanced. But you know, look,
I like giving you guys scoops. I mean, Georgia Menungo
(05:22):
certainly has been a capable winger on the left or
right hand side. But Ryan Kent is awfully close. I mean,
we we're gonna make a determination. We had a day
off today, but he's got Saturday and Sunday a couple
more days of training before we take off for Minnesota,
so Kent might be available for even that first game.
(05:43):
So would that would be helpful?
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Well, Brian Schmetzer again with us Monday night, Sounders Minnesota,
Let's talk about kind of your defense looking, what do
you think you'll see from them in the first round?
And is Jamar back and are there any other injuries
that you want to tell us about potentially.
Speaker 2 (06:00):
Great, great question. Yes, Yamar is going to be back
for the game, softy, and that's big news. You know,
there was that little spell in the middle of the
year or after the League Cup we were giving up
some bad goals, like some soft goals in my opinion. Look,
I think the last three games in a row, all victories,
some clean sheets. I think we've been pretty good defensively,
(06:24):
and you know, I'm a believer that defense wins championships. Obviously,
you got to score goals, and we've done that this year.
But we get Yamar back for this series, big, big.
Speaker 1 (06:35):
Big lift, no question. Well, you've been without Christian rolled
on a few games because he was with the US
national team. Do you think he's locked up a spot
on the World Cup team next week? Next year?
Speaker 2 (06:46):
God? I hope so, Dick. I mean, look, I'm obviously
biased here, but he had done enough in my opinion
to be part of the twenty six man roster. His attitude,
his application, his play this year. I mean ever since
we moved him to holding midfielder this year, he's been
great and he can keep up. He showed in the
(07:09):
Club World Cup he can he can do it against
some of the best club teams in the world. So
why not with the national team.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
Yeah, Well, the Mariners are done, so we're kind of
counting on you to heal the wound. Man, So no
pressure on the sound or shoulder.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Got borrow the husky tomorrow.
Speaker 4 (07:25):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:26):
Started the Seahawks. I mean, look, we're still good. The
rain made the playoffs. That's congrats to Laura Harvey and
all that. So we still got some hope, Softie.
Speaker 3 (07:34):
Yeah, there's no hope.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Not for me, I hope.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
All right, Hey, listen, enjoyed date night. All right, go
get it, Tiger and we'll talk soon.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
All right, thanks guys.
Speaker 3 (07:44):
All right, French Schmetzer with us on the radio show
John Wilner, who normally is with us on Tuesdays at five,
and we had hockey this week. Uh does he see
an upset brewing at Husky Stadium tomorrow against Illinois.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Uh.
Speaker 3 (07:58):
We're gonna talk to John about all that and more
next on ninety three three k j r F
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