January 11, 2023 • 41 mins
We all know we finish every episode with a segment of AskAFP… but how about a full episode? On this week’s show, we replay some of the best AFP questions. We cover things ranging from the MLS, World Cup question all the way to which city has the best bagels!
Have you joined Patreon? Get ad-free episodes and access to discord: https://www.patreon.com/afootballpodcast
Follow @AFootballPod on Twitter! While you're there say hello to @DesaiDevang, @EmpireGass and @SeanKeay.
If you enjoyed today’s show, please rate A Football Podcast 5-Stars on Apple Podcasts. See you again next week for an all new AFP.
Have you joined Patreon? Get ad-free episodes and access to discord: https://www.patreon.com/afootballpodcast
Follow @AFootballPod on Twitter! While you're there say hello to @DesaiDevang, @EmpireGass and @SeanKeay.
If you enjoyed today’s show, please rate A Football Podcast 5-Stars on Apple Podcasts. See you again next week for an all new AFP.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:22):
Hello, and welcome to AFP.My name is being Decide. I'm joined
as usual by David Gass and SeanKay guys holiday season doing some lookbacks,
looking back at our beloved Asking ifP section, some great questions from our
Patreon members, from Twitter, fromeverywhere this year. But it got heated
(00:45):
at times, some bad takes,some really bad takes being disclosed. But
yeah, we had David shame himselfregarding its bagel options as one of the
highlights. But I'm not even rollingmy eyes because it you like, your
your point literally makes no sense,Like, get out of here, bro.
You came at a whole country,you came at a whole city,
(01:07):
man, And I think there's gottabe repercussions for that. It's all I'm
saying. For fairness. The countryI came out is like the size of
New York City, So color mescared. Not I love. I love
the fact that we came out oftwenty twenty two being like, you know
what, let's bring the bagel debateback for twenty twenty three. But yeah,
(01:27):
ASKFP is a great one. Aswe talk about all the time is
that it's basically a live version ofour discords. So it's it's great,
great answer some great great questions anduh and yeah, and and be the
voice for the people they need toknow answers and we give it to them,
and you guys do a great job. It pushes us to be better.
(01:48):
It does, it does, andwe will always have David's incredible Nick
Contratti impression that still scares the It'sreally good. It's really good. We
love you. Yeah, ask AFPwould be possible without our wonderful listeners.
So many great questions this year,and there's some fun ones, but there's
also some really head scratchers in agood way about MLS, about the national
(02:13):
teams. So yeah, I hopeyou enjoy this compilation episode. Major thanks
to producer Greg for everything that hedoes for us, but also for putting
this together. So yeah, Ihope you enjoy the special ASKAF compilation episode,
(02:34):
A favorite on our discord. SMcGinnis asks. In the NHL and
I think the NBA, it's commonfor established players to include limited no movement
costs when they sign free agent contracts. The no movement costs tends to include
the smallest of teams they cannot betraded without their explicit explicit permission. If
you are an established MLS free agentwith an option, which five teams would
(02:54):
you include on your no move list? Sporting and lifestyle criteria acceptable? So
it's time to name those teams youhate. Pretty talent combo for our Julian
grassol. Yeah, so five teamsI would not play for basically, Yeah,
(03:17):
and and once again, lifestyle mightfit into it. Yeah, so
let's play that cart mine mine hasprobably hedged in this act that like I
I'm it's also city based on mydestroying the organization necessarily, but I think
I have my five. I thinkI have it. That's good. I
can go first. Yeah, I'llgive a brief exclamination as to each free
(03:42):
city. New England is number oneon my list. I would not go
to the New England Revolution. Idon't like that entire setup in Foxborough.
I hate the Patriots, I hateit all. So I just wouldn't go
there. Um, so that's numberone. Number two FC Dallas not necessarily
again for like the club it stuff. I kind of like there's what they're
doing is kind of cool everything aroundthe arena, and like the club itself
feels ghosty and kind of empty.Bad vibes don't like it at all.
(04:08):
So FC Dallas is on my listas well. Kind of similar, but
I don't think I want to goto Houston either. They got some bad
things about Texas in general, shoutsto Greg Abbott and those clowns down there,
but I just don't think I wouldwant to live in Texas. And
it gets really hot, well,I mean everywhere it's going to get hot
in this world as we fry underunder the microscope. So there's two Texas
(04:30):
clubs. I'm not gonna put Austinin there because I'm a I'm a phony
hipster. So I'll leave Salt Lake. Salt Lake. I love the mountains.
I've been there. I was therewith EFC. It was the great
place to be in for like fortyeight hours. But I don't think I
want to stay much longer. SoI think Salt Lake would probably be on
my list as well. And thento end it, this is tough.
(04:50):
This is tough because I think nowI'm legitimately choosing cities. I don't mind
that much, but I think Columbus. I don't necessarily have anything bet to
say about Columbus or Cincinnati, really, but Ohio It's another one of those
places I generally try to live enough, so I think those are my five.
I like Columbus as a city,but Cincinnati is my first one that
(05:11):
I would say both for city andthen for like, yeah, it's getting
better, but what am I goingto trust that club? So I wouldn't
do it yet, so I'd rathernot get involved there. I'd say both
Florida teams, because how you feelabout Texas is how I also feel about
Texas, but also how I feelabout Florida, so I wouldn't I wouldn't
(05:32):
do Orlando in Miami. I don'tthink i'd even survive in Orlando. I'd
melt before a game even started.So those ones are simple. And then
you know what I think, I'dsay both New York teams. Who,
yeah, I already live here.I'm already here. I don't need it
to bring me back. Obviously,I don't have a fan, you know,
(05:53):
like playing for the Knicks would bemy dream if I was an NBA
player. I don't have a connectionto either of the teams in that retrospect,
and it's just they don't similar towhat you said about FC Dallas,
they don't impact the market right,like, they're not really a presence.
And so if I'm going to playon a professional soccer team, like,
I want to feel like a proathlete in this city. So I think
(06:15):
I throw them both down there.My first inkling was to say both LA
teams, because LA is a trasholl. But I mean, I'll never forget
being stuck in Carson, California duringFourth of July fireworks, stuck on a
bus that didn't move for two hoursbecause there's no way to get out of
there. Moving on, Peter pasks if you had to leave the current
(06:42):
city that you live in, Sofor David, you New York and devang
Toronto, where would you move thatwould fulfill your sporting needs? I guess
because I forced David to go firstthe last time I had a tough Is
he anywhere in play like the world? I guess is that this possible?
Yeah, yeah, I don't knowthe ramifications, is what Peter's asking,
(07:04):
But yeah, I was gonna goWest Coast because I've lived there before.
But I also really liked the factthat things started earlier because I'm an early
riser in general. But watching soccerand like Europe was impossible. Really it
was really tough over there, soI can't in good conscience pick their West
coast. Honestly, the East Coastisn't bad. It's not the worst time
(07:29):
zone. If you're a fan ofa lot of different things, like I
am, so I think i'd probablystay in the Eastern time zone. And
I think i'd choose New York becauseI'd like to have access to a lot
of different games, different leagues,and I think New York, how could
you go wrong? To be honest, I don't think I have the character
to survive in New York, butI would treat. But you could go
(07:53):
to a next game once every threeyears when someone gives you a free thing
exactly average price four hundred dollars.See the Islanders for some reason online Island,
right, Yeah, you go toh I don't even know what they
name the stadium. Um, Iwould say something, yeahs are a I
(08:13):
would say, because I don't careabout a ton of those other sports.
NBA is the big one that I'ma fan of. Toronto would be up
there because I love Toronto, butI was leaning the three cities that popped
in my mind first, or MexicoCity because you have like more to six
teams there, so you're constantly havinggames and teams and all that type of
(08:35):
stuff. Lisbon because you've got twomassive teams there. Plus everything's within an
hour train. And these are twocountries as well as the third one that
I'm gonna name, which I guesswould be Milan, which are all like
the sport is like everything, right. There are newspapers that are just about
soccer. It is the cover ofevery advertisement, like there are no other
(08:58):
stars in anything but sides the soccerplayers. And you have multiple teams in
all those cities, so you cansort of you always have something going on.
Plus they're okay time zones, soI would say the only other one
is in Australia. They're like obsessedwith sports. Sport is what they call
it. Oh Matt, mate,I love sport, but I don't watch
any of the things they care about. And then you're like two and a
(09:22):
half days ahead of everything else.Like I was there during Champions League and
I was like, oh cool,Like you've a liverpools on Wednesday, and
then I wake up and it's likealready happened a day ago and I didn't
notice, and I was like,I can't figure out the time zones here
we this is the big one.Our dear friend and overlord Clay asks,
can you guys name and list outyour top ten all time Toronto see designated
(09:46):
players. So I've sent you aheadof time so you didn't have to do
all of the all of the dps. I'll go through them for everyone.
So we have Michael Bradley, JosieAlphas, Sebba, Julian Nuguseman Pezuelo,
Torsten Frings, Danny Coverman, Jilberto, Jermaine Defoe, Pablo Piati, Mattias
(10:07):
Laba, Mista, Eric Castley,Carlos Salcedo. Yeah, for since Saltezo
and Jilberto. So let's go.I count ten. I count fifteen there,
so this is for me who's notwho's not making the list? I
have my honorable mentions and these aretop ten best correct, not worse or
(10:28):
hilarious. Yeah, and this istop ten in regards to on field but
also but also including their what theywhat they did or what their signing did
to elevate the club. So wehave to leave five off. Yeah,
but we still have to rank them. But we still have to rank the
most competitive part of this whole fan. But yeah, I'm gonna leave.
(10:50):
I'm gonna say this, Mista off, Eric Castley off, yes, yes,
yeah, yeah, Forson off,Fallo, Piati off, and then
I think I'm gonna keep. Ahshit, I'm gonna keep. So now
(11:11):
I could go. Yeah, SoI have my I have my one through
six. I feel pretty good aboutDo you want me to throw those out
there now? And then we canget back through the list. Sorry,
just like one question, one question? Sorry before you start, did you
say Carlo Salcedo off the list oris he still in? I forgot though,
he's fly. Sorry, he's okay. Sorry, I forgot he was
(11:33):
there. Let's let's start, David. Sorry, So wait, So you
put off Hassily, Mista, CarlosSalzado, Staldo, Piati, and paai
Yah Piati may have been more usefulto winning than Staldo. Wasn't he on
the MLS Cup team technical or liketwenty both off? No? Yeah,
he was, he was on therun. His lasting his lasting impact was
(11:54):
that weird penalty thing he did onPuzzel. Yeah. Yeah, so top
down. I think Michael Bradley,I feel pretty safe putting him number one,
right, Oh, I don't thinkso. No. I think it's
Sevashion, Jivico still sat VP andclub history literally changed the game in this
(12:18):
city. So I think it's Sevashion, Jiminco one, Michael Bradley two,
Josie also your three. Yeah,Alejandro Puzzuelo four. This is where I
would go. I'm gonna put myhand on time out, time out.
Yeah. Did Jiminco come before Bradley? One year after, one year after?
(12:39):
Right? So Michael Bradley signing withthe Foe, Right, those were
the two that happened, correct,correct, correct? And jiw Berto Jilberto
was the third. When they fought, they fought over the three kid and
then Jilberto png it. I lovedit. Michael Bradley changed the entire perception
of the club. He's the reason, okay, and he started everything including
(13:03):
CCL Final twenty nineteen final. Soyou said on field, off fields,
he's done. So, so here'smy take, David. I credit Michael
Bradley for being the leader and createdthe culture at Toronto FC. But the
other stuff that you have said,and once again I'm not talking for Michael,
but Jermaine Dafoe was the person whoset everything into play. Jermaine Dafoe
(13:28):
signed a deal in twenty in theend of twenty thirteen, and only after
that did Michael Bradley join. I'mnot saying that Jermain Defoe was the reason
why Michael Bradley joined, but therewas a time in twenty in late twenty
thirteen where within a week he haddecided that this is the club he's going
(13:48):
and seeing an the ambition Toronto hadof signing a Germaine Dafoe and going out
there and sign a Jilberto is whatI think. And then also the project
of on and big Tim LOWICKI,who's the greatest salesperson in the in the
world, uh promised Michael. ButI think that Jermaine Dafoe was the reason
(14:11):
that the catalyst that started the reasonSabba's there, Josie's there, Bradley's there,
in Signe's there, like Bernardeski's there. And that's why Jermaine Defoe is
number four on my list. Ohmy okay, So I'll stick with that.
Jones down a screed that croziermain Defoe. So then Pezuelo five. I
(14:33):
think also the way Pezuelo left youmade made him moved it down slightly for
me because it didn't then it didn'tdown that it well and then six,
can I just say one more thingbecause yeah, Sean's been Sean's been so
far down. Yeah no, notthat I'm just saying. I mean,
at this point, at this timewe're talking alien signs and crop signs or
(14:56):
whatever. Is that Jermaine Defoe athis age was actually in line with MLS
signings that had occurred aka by aguy like Tim LEWICKI. He was more
Robbie Keane than Bradley was at hisage. And I understand Bradley's American,
but like and Bradley threes and Josiecomes like straight up not because of what
he did for the club. LikeJosie Altdor came to play with Michael Bradley
(15:18):
because they were friends and that's whatconvinced him to come. So I'm just
continuing to push that point, butit keeps from putting Jermaine to phone in
like top four. But but theway that they got Josie also was by
who oh yeah for sure, MartyrFace connected dots you please it dots,
(15:48):
Oh my god, ok, chaos. I love it from five down though,
from five down, it's a mess. It's I think Torsten Franks might
have to be six by stand kindof similar in the sense of like what
it meant that he came and himbeing a name people understood, and like
playing in games. A lot ofthese guys never played in games, right,
(16:11):
But I think Julian to Guzman beingCanadian and being a DP Canadian was
important, but it was just theproject was alved, totally left up and
terrible. So yeah, it kindof takes the luster off. Danny Cooperman's
talk too real and was extremely realabout how bad things were, and I
think that kind of makes it memorableas well, deserving a top ten spot.
When he played, he banged ingoals. I think he got twenty
(16:36):
goals in like thirty five appearances.Like he until twenty fifteen, I think
he was one or two or topthree in TFC all time goal scorers,
which is a whole thing. Uh, Mattias Laba was an MLS player.
I think that's better than some ofthe these other guys on this list,
(16:57):
right, So he makes the listnot because of what he did in Toronto,
and I think coming intent is joeBerto. Joe Berto to me,
could have been great in this league, but he just simply wasn't a great
about Jobert had it all. Istill think Eric Castley got hosed on this
one big hat he did he findit do? He also had one of
(17:17):
the goals of the century, aPusquez near winning right, didn't he right?
Almost one? Yeah? Almost?When I think so does anyone crying
over Piati salteldo, sal sado mistaNo? Okay, no. I was
looking at this list. I foundthe uh some TFC have had more dps
than some other MLS clubs combined.The most impressive part of this list is
(17:38):
the length of the list. Likethat's like whoa, whoa. Look.
I was looking at Chicago Chicago asa lengthy list as well, and like
that's not a club you want tobe in with, But here we are.
So Chicago is the opposite of TFC, which is they have acquired like
the most dps from other clubs inMLS to send out the most jump art
(18:00):
out. I think they traded forFlacco, Fernandez and Freddy Lundberg from Seattle
because they had too many dps.Like Chicago's not been in really good space
with that. But lastly, Iwant to shout out Michael Bradley. He
is a one A one B withSeba. But I just think Sevas's close.
It's not and David is Reich it'svery close. I think it's closer
than some people would have you believe, including Yea. Also, Posuello's number
(18:25):
four because you wont an MVP.So that's that's but remained on our hearts
and mines with that, the firstgame against Seattle remained a book could have
been damn mare with the city therewas but a moment too bad Drake never
actually hung out with him. Oneof our big patron members, Dan h
(18:48):
He asks, who are the bestcommentators in the North American soccer sphere right
now? He says, bonus pointsif you're gonna go regional, But that's
up to you. I I kindof just to mean regional, so I
might just get bonus points already andalready to plug our man Luke Wilman and
at TS and Canada. I thinkwe're lucky to have him do a bunch
(19:11):
of games for us up here,because I think he's quite great. But
I and I actually listen. Ithink I listened to them on Monday,
but the Orlando crew I like quitea bit because they don't bury goals from
the other team, which I thinkis a big problem around sports, and
especially in soccer as well, wherethe other teams scores and it's like a
funeral happened or someone was shot andit's bad. I think there has to
(19:32):
be an adequate reaction as well tocelebrate that. But I think the Evan
Weston Miguel Girotto team at Orlando's prettydamn good. I enjoy when they call
games. I think the Union guysare good. I think Della Camera does
National Games correct me if I wrong. David as well sometimes, but I
think they're solid. It's like theGodfather in the US, right and then
(19:55):
not to pick and I think Ialso recognize because I think I've talked with
you about I talked to Dave aboutthis before, but like not. But
they often throw a lot of Englishcommentators in the mix. I think to
add some quote unquote legitimacy, whichI think is our kick and stupid at
this point of the game. ButI think a couple of the guys I
do enjoy who have British access operatein Austin. I think as Asia and
(20:17):
heely Now in Michael the Hood.I like their their team, and and
Charlotte of course, Eric Krakauer frontof the show as well, and Lloyd
sam So I like what those guysare doing. Yeah, I agree with
you. I also assumed it wasregional, so I went that as well.
I'd say from play by play pointof view, I think Jake Zivin
in Portland does as good a job. I probably does the best job at
(20:38):
MLS. Tyler Terrence does a reallygood job in Chicago as well. In
terms of analysts or color commentators,I'm a big fan of Jordan Angelie.
I have her on a lot ofthe shows I do because I think she's
a soccer genius and she can explainit so well and it is passionate about
the league. I think Daniel Slaytondoes a really good job for San Jose
as well. They kind of likeslaught her between sideline and commentators, so
(21:03):
I'd say them. I grew uplistening to Glenn Davis and Max bread Us,
and I think both of them doa really good job, so I'd
throw them in there as well.I'm trying to think about other color commentators.
I think there's a few new onesthat have come in that have sort
of added a good a good style, changed things up. Brian Dunsteth is
(21:23):
just awesome at everything he does,so that would be one as well.
I'm glad you put Max in therebecause sometimes he gets forgotten and I absolutely
love Max bread Us. He justbrings joy to my face when I hear
his voice. Incredible. Whiley Dasks if you could be able to fly
on the wall for any Major LeagueSoccer DP negotiation pastor present, which one
(21:48):
would it have been. I mean, Quada mc blanco is is a gem
of a human being at times,not that I can say no time about
his political career, so I'm notendorsing that as a candidate too late him
and him and Ralphamrquez would both beup there. Henri would be a wild
(22:11):
one. But I think the currentVella one might actually be the top,
just because it just what the hellhappened over the last six months. So
I think it'd be really interesting tohear that all the actual conversations. M
yeah, or maybe the current Messiones. Maybe that's what I should say.
Oh, do we think Messi canfit with Posuela? That great question?
(22:37):
If so? Telda couldn't how couldMESSI? I will pick I'll pick
Beckham because I wonder the deal withthe Devil. They made all of this,
the small print. They're still payingfor it to this day in terms
of what was promised and what thedeal was and herbal life and everything,
just all of it. I wouldlove to know what exactly wasn't that that
(23:00):
huge contract? Yeah, big TimLwicki was on that one as well,
right, so there'd be a lotyeah, yeah, a lot of big
chested individuals just pushing just trying toget things over in the in the male
sense. Sorry, um, likejust puffing out chests and everything. But
yeah, I think that's a that'sa very good one. And I think
Latin is the one that I thinkI would be. I'd love to just
(23:23):
know what a negotiation with him is, just knowing how he could just change
his mind on the spot and notwant to do something and then do something
and then just I don't know,it's a it's an interesting one. He's
he's such a character, so Idon't know. Jermaine Defoe is another interesting
one. Another Tim Liwicki one,Oh bloody big deal. Yeah, they
(23:44):
had to take Drake to go seehis mom. It was a whole thing.
Yeah, exactly. There's uh,there's so many interesting ones that But
to get back on the messy one, I think Greg Vanny and and Victor
Vasquez have the inside deal on thatone. So we'll see the Galaxy go
over top of LAFC yet again andget the deal done. I don't know,
(24:07):
dude, Uri Rossel is back ata SKC. He's a lama,
see a guy. Do you thinkthe Galaxy would rather have Douglas Costa in
that DP spot or Alejandro Pezzuelo.Oh, that's no brainer. I just
don't think TFC would have taken Costaback if they Greig had a time machine,
they just would have not filled it. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah,
yeah, of course that's the bigpoint. Or and now I think
(24:32):
the reporting is Singer was one hundredand fifty thousand in allocation money from into
Miami to TFC, so it wasliterally free. I'm pretty sure Dylan Nilis
went for one hundred and twenty fivethousand in allegation this offseason. A gift
card to David Busters and a planeticket to Miami. Thanks to your service
a time now from our dear friendat Facebook Sean Smith. He just wants
(24:55):
to say, Hi, I'm alistener from Western Manitoba and I have a
question for ask AFP. I waswondering if you guys ever think we'll see
Canadian internationals who have had success inMLS or overseas come back to the premier
league to finish their career and wouldthis be a good thing or bad thing?
Thanks? I really enjoyed the podcast. Well now I feel bad about
I was gonna say thank you.Thanks for being a great person, and
(25:21):
we appreciate you listening to Michelle andwe are really glad you sent a question.
I think it would be a goodthing and I hope we do see
it happened. I just listening toDavid's interview with Kamal and the way he's
talking about Atiba and how much helooks up to him, and how much
I would influence he has on theteam, Like it would be quite fantastic
if he did come back to ZPLand played for a season. In my
(25:42):
opinion of I think we will seeit too. I think as there's more
teams and as the league grows,I think there's a great opportunity for this.
I agree with you, and Ithink the ownership piece will be big.
I think people will come back toplay for teams that they own to
help promote them and sort of finishout their careers. Or I think one
(26:02):
of the other things you'll see ispeople going to teams where they sort of
idea that they can then become coaches, which I don't think is dissimilar to
what Killeen he's doing with LAFC.Like, I think you'll see moments like
that where it makes sense for peoplemoving forward. As McGinnis ask regarding Halifax
HFX wanderers, Stephen Hart was letgo this week and there was just conversation
(26:27):
about recruitment being an issue, andso s McGinnis asked, do you think
the recruitment thing is always going tobe a structural disadvantage? Personally, I'd
rather live in Halifax than quite afew other places in the CPL markets.
David, I'm going to push thison you, so I've never been to
Halifax. Yeah, so I'm goingto rely on you here. Yeah,
(26:48):
it's I think there needs to beYes, is there probably a disadvantage in
recruiting to a place that people maynot know a lot about, But I
think that that can be done throughonce again the recruiting process and the education
pieces that are going out in theseplayer pitches or in regards to who they're
they're targeting. Um it, it'sa beautiful place. It's I would consider
(27:14):
it like alongside Pacific in the sortof same realm of like a smaller quote
unquote market with a unique living experienceand a unique group of people that only
sort of understand the brand like whereas opposed to like whatever a York United
or whatever they're You're a suburban thisis who you are. Where's Halifax actually
(27:38):
has rich history that's different from youand I um that they can really learn
and educate and grow, um andand and pitch to players. And once
again, if Pacific can go aheadand do these these things, Halifax can
do the same. So while theremight be a disadvantage, they can use
that difference as an advantage. Ithink down the line, the one thing
(28:00):
that I will say that is adisadvantage for a smaller market, especially on
the East Coast, would be aroundthe academies and the population. You're not
going to have a widespread amount ofpeople to pull froub to build an academy
as a York would a Hamilton,a Calgary, Edmonton, etc. So
(28:23):
that might be a bit of adisadvantage for them, But in recruitment,
I don't know, you could puta real badass two minute like sizzle of
what Halifax has versus others that thatshould blow you away. And I would
add from my experience when you talkto athletes, and you know, I
think one of the tough things iswhen we think of some sports we think
(28:47):
of we're thinking of right, threeleague, let's not even say leagues,
right, We're talking about twenty seventeams around the world where they're well supported
and sold out and everything. AndI remember one time talking to a guy
who would come from leau Gone,not league like first division in France,
came down LS and I asked himsomething one time and he goes, well,
it's fun to play in front offans because except for when we pay
play PSG and Marseille, no one'sever at the stadium. So it's like
(29:11):
there are other things you can sell. And when you're coming to a CPL
level where you know Pacific's done welland Calvary has great crowds, but it
sounded like we heard it from StephenHart and and the team going into the
TFC Canadian Championship game of like flagsin the storefronts and everyone knows who the
(29:32):
players are. Like, I dothink if you build a culture of winning
and expectations in a city where youdo have relevance, then it's like I
think people players want to be apart of that at least for some amount
of time. Maybe they don't wantto live there their whole life, but
I think if you cut like,let's talk Michael bald Simo, right,
(29:52):
he comes out of Vancouver, heneeds the next step, He needs to
play in a team where he plays, and you come to him and say,
come to play in a sold outstadium, be the center of our
team, right, Like, that'smore appealing to me than going and playing
an MLS next pro in front ofno one all the time. So that's
sort of where I think you cansit moving forward. A really cheap one
(30:19):
here from Kansock. Guy sell bench, keep namear MESSI embope, David,
you go first, I do allof them, or I just can say
one. You choose which player tosell, which player to keep, which
player to bench. You're the RPSGOkay, I would probably, Oh this
is hard, I'd probably sell Naymar, I'd keep Embopy and i'd bench Messi
(30:44):
because I'd assume if I bench Naymaris going to be a train wreck.
I probably I don't know what theselfie right now is for MESSI like,
I don't know what that number is. And Boppy would get you the most,
but you have him for the longest. So Naymar is probably the good
in between a big name, buthas still some more time to play.
So that's that's my three. Thethank it's less exciting because I think I
(31:06):
agree. But so Naymar and Mbopehave beef. That's the word on the
street after that penalty thing, right, so I think all year for a
while. Yeah. Also the sinisterInstagram likes or like Twitter likes for when
someone is hating on the other guyand you're liking that. That's gotta be
day one stuff. You just don'tdo this, guys, you keep your
petty squabbles in house. I don'tlike it, but I think I would
(31:30):
sell Namar to where good question.I have no idea, but I think
Embope is the de facto prime ministerof France as well. So I feel
like you got to keep him messy. I wonder what he's thinking these days,
to be honest, Well, hewas playing tag with Naymar and they
were a pretty good team, somaybe he will refuse to play if Nymar
gets sold. But he's watching Barcelonamortgage whatever future. They had to sign
(31:55):
all these players, and I wonderif he's like, could they have done
this for me? I don't know, man, because they shouldn't be doing
it anyway. It's just them.Our dear friend Vladdie four twenty asks which
non soccer athlete do you think wouldbe an incredible soccer player already? H
(32:16):
do you? Because I don't knowmy answer. Um. I saw a
clip go viral this week of Rafanadal Oh kind of that touch off the
clean volley and popping it up tohis hand which was in the tennis balls
bounce like that is not easy,So I assumed that was going to be
your answer. That's a great pickum. I think Andy Mary played a
(32:40):
bunch, Stan Varvinka played a bit, Gayle Montfez. Perhaps I was going
to pick um Joel Embiid, thoughJoel Embiid nice as like as like a
center back um, really good feet, good in the air, all those
things you would look for. SoI actually interviewed Joel Embiid at one of
(33:02):
the Steve Nash charity pickup soccer gamesthat he runs, and be did not
play, so I can neither confirmnor deny his soccer is he was.
He was talking to me a lotabout on re so I assumed as much,
but people like onri outside of thatas well. But he There's a
picture of me interviewing him and I'mbasically holding the microphone directly with a full
(33:28):
arm straight up, and he isstill slightly crouched over to the right to
speak into it. Like when youthink seven feet You're like, well,
we're all on foot, you know, we're all in the range. But
dam it is wild how tall heis. Luca don Chich We've all seen
in the video of him. Helooks pretty impressive. You'd assume like a
(33:50):
Tony Parker or someone like that musthave played and is a bit more proportional
to it. I've always said,like, you know, in the whole
like, oh, if the bestplayers played this, right, what would
they be? Like, It's like, give me every slot receiver backup college
running with gard and like non bigfive point guard in college sports and start
them in soccer at five and youdefinitely would have a squad. Easy one,
(34:14):
very easy one. We got Josefor life. Asking love it or
hate it Jose Mourinho in the Stormsvideo. I loved it. I honestly,
I think you know Eska how muchI loathed Jose Maurinho. But the
video is great. I'm a bigStormsy fan as well, and I don't
(34:35):
think we align on our club teamsupport. But I do think Jose is
now just relishing the fact that he'sa banter manager, and that's fine,
It's perfectly fun. Jose also alsoone of those people where, like I
think everyone everyone has a reason tohate him, right because even if you
rooted for teams he's coached, youhate him because the way he left or
(35:00):
whatever. But there's not like adeep seated problem that he's like there's something
off field that's wrong with him.He's just a dick in soccer, which
I'm fine with, Like you knowwhat I mean. Yeah, there are
other coaches or other athletes where you'relike, oh, I don't like that
athlete. Also, like they didthis really bad thing that one time or
(35:20):
like they represent this really bad thing. Maurinho is just an ass and so
it's just kind of funny now that, as Devang said, he's sort of
take it. He's a meme andhe's accepted it, and that's cool.
Yeah, I hate the way heended this first career. He has a
dick. But but once again,when he pops up in that video,
you just gotta laugh. You gottalove it. It's it's crazy. Got
(35:40):
some great questions this week, askedme Guinnis. Asked me Guinnis in the
posting Hall of Fame. In termsof questions he gets us every week.
But here's the first one. DG. He asked. Elon Musked recently wasted
forty four billion dollars behind Twitter.If you gave you a mere one billion
to invest in something related, nostrings attached, what will you put the
(36:01):
money towards? A billions nor alittle bit larger than what people normally say
in these things? Right? Ifyou won the LATO, like, it's
never a billion dollars, And Ido think a billion dollars is a number
I don't properly comprehend of, likehow much i'd have to use. Right,
let's say, let's say after tax, he gave you this after tax,
(36:22):
so you have a billion dollars.Okay, well, I'd like to
say, first of all, ifI have to pay that much in taxes,
I don't even want the money.That's a that's a popular trope that
this is this is how you goback exactly the slippery slope, David.
But these are these are Omaga talkingpoints. No one even wants to be
a millionaire anymore because of the taxes. I but here's my answer. In
(36:44):
short, I think I would startlike a Right to Dream type academy in
the Caribbean, and I would develop. I would create a space for great
to bring great young players into them, develop them, sell them. But
also you have the educational component,the lifestyle component as well, And to
me, that would build Conka Calfup because you pull players from all across
(37:05):
the Caribbean and maybe maybe Central America. So you get to help young people,
you get to create something that peoplein the region can be proud of,
and I think you'd actually that's probablythe way you go about growing the
region at best, not building theUS and Mexico up. So all in
all, that's probably my answer.But I can can't really comprehend that amount
of money. Well, you mademe feel a lot worse because that's the
(37:28):
really the answer, and that wouldfacilitate a lot of positive change. I
think I just buy Arsenal to behonest, I don't know if that would
be enough, though I think Ihave to be I don't think it would
be. I have to go inon it with someone else, which could
cause some awful power sharing dynamics.But I also think if you buy a
team for all that money, thenyou don't have anything to spend it to
(37:49):
buy. Yeah. I know it'sa terrible idea and I would be bankrupt
within seconds, but I just wantthat that new owner bounce and be unveiled
at the Emirates with my scarf andwaving to the adoring masses. You could
buy a piece, or you're apart owner, and then you get to
be a part owner, right.No, I might have to reassess,
but yeah, I think a Billionaisshould a massive number. I'm just looking
(38:10):
at these MLS team values and perhapsthat's a better starting point creating my own
club, investing all of the moneyinto making it a superpowers Maginnis also brought
up the heated bagel debate from lastweek still making waves waves across the world.
Across the world, frankly, interms of some of the feedback we've
(38:31):
been getting. Apparently there was aMontreal famous cream cheese brand, Liberte that
is no more. You can't getit there, which is a big deal.
But I think his biggest gripe,asked Magednis David. I don't know
how you were led to believe thisthat they don't put cream cheese on the
bagel and that necessarily makes it nota bagel. That was that something you
(38:53):
were saying, because I think thatis false. None of the bagel places
I went and I went to two, I went to say VR two whatever,
and I went to oh what wasthe other? One? Called a
few blocks away? Another one?It would they gave you cream cheese with
it, but they did not putthe cream cheese on for you. But
why is it? Because maybe peoplefeel like they're getting too much and they
(39:15):
want to control No, it justseemed like that's the way things are done.
Wow, Am I ross going toget his asked for a correction.
He asked for a correction, SoI think you are wrong or this is
more anecdotal evidence that's not factual,and you're using it to builduce your web
of lies. I think that's whathe's getting at Fairmount Bagel was the other
(39:36):
one I went to. Those twoplaces did not put cream cheese, and
they gave you cream cheese to likedip it in, which I thought was
right now I saw it. Restaurantsthey did, like lock sandwiches as like
brunch option but right. But alsothe bagel, it's it's too small,
it's thin, so how much youcan't really cover that much with cream cheese?
You guys, if this is aridiculous conversation, I'm not offending New
(40:00):
York bagels are just so much better. That's a different topic. We went
to bat a lot on this showfrom Montreal, much to the chagrin of
our Toronto listeners, supporting staff Montrealon their run. But I think people
are now believing that we are basicallya Montreal podcast and our defense of their
bagels. His cod is some heatedconversations. But I don't know. I
(40:21):
have to go there now, Iguess to remind myself what it's like and
see for myself what the facts are. Go there and then I will ship
you New York bagels, and thebagels you get shipped will think they will
be thank you. Also fair,very fair, And that's it for today.
I hope you enjoyed this week's episode. If you could be so kind
a rating or a review or bothwherever you get your podcasts would be incredible
(40:45):
for us as we try to getthis pod into more people's ears. We're
on Twitter at a Football Pod,and of course on pastreon dot com forward
Slash a football podcast. Get theshow ad free on Tuesday's get access to
the discord where we're talking foot allthe time. It's a great place,
so I highly recommend it for producerGreg on the ones and twos, and
(41:05):
for Zach and Sean and David.Thank you so much for listening to FP.
We'll talk to you next week.
Hello, and welcome to AFP.My name is being Decide. I'm joined
as usual by David Gass and SeanKay guys holiday season doing some lookbacks,
looking back at our beloved Asking ifP section, some great questions from our
Patreon members, from Twitter, fromeverywhere this year. But it got heated
(00:45):
at times, some bad takes,some really bad takes being disclosed. But
yeah, we had David shame himselfregarding its bagel options as one of the
highlights. But I'm not even rollingmy eyes because it you like, your
your point literally makes no sense,Like, get out of here, bro.
You came at a whole country,you came at a whole city,
(01:07):
man, And I think there's gottabe repercussions for that. It's all I'm
saying. For fairness. The countryI came out is like the size of
New York City, So color mescared. Not I love. I love
the fact that we came out oftwenty twenty two being like, you know
what, let's bring the bagel debateback for twenty twenty three. But yeah,
(01:27):
ASKFP is a great one. Aswe talk about all the time is
that it's basically a live version ofour discords. So it's it's great,
great answer some great great questions anduh and yeah, and and be the
voice for the people they need toknow answers and we give it to them,
and you guys do a great job. It pushes us to be better.
(01:48):
It does, it does, andwe will always have David's incredible Nick
Contratti impression that still scares the It'sreally good. It's really good. We
love you. Yeah, ask AFPwould be possible without our wonderful listeners.
So many great questions this year,and there's some fun ones, but there's
also some really head scratchers in agood way about MLS, about the national
(02:13):
teams. So yeah, I hopeyou enjoy this compilation episode. Major thanks
to producer Greg for everything that hedoes for us, but also for putting
this together. So yeah, Ihope you enjoy the special ASKAF compilation episode,
(02:34):
A favorite on our discord. SMcGinnis asks. In the NHL and
I think the NBA, it's commonfor established players to include limited no movement
costs when they sign free agent contracts. The no movement costs tends to include
the smallest of teams they cannot betraded without their explicit explicit permission. If
you are an established MLS free agentwith an option, which five teams would
(02:54):
you include on your no move list? Sporting and lifestyle criteria acceptable? So
it's time to name those teams youhate. Pretty talent combo for our Julian
grassol. Yeah, so five teamsI would not play for basically, Yeah,
(03:17):
and and once again, lifestyle mightfit into it. Yeah, so
let's play that cart mine mine hasprobably hedged in this act that like I
I'm it's also city based on mydestroying the organization necessarily, but I think
I have my five. I thinkI have it. That's good. I
can go first. Yeah, I'llgive a brief exclamination as to each free
(03:42):
city. New England is number oneon my list. I would not go
to the New England Revolution. Idon't like that entire setup in Foxborough.
I hate the Patriots, I hateit all. So I just wouldn't go
there. Um, so that's numberone. Number two FC Dallas not necessarily
again for like the club it stuff. I kind of like there's what they're
doing is kind of cool everything aroundthe arena, and like the club itself
feels ghosty and kind of empty.Bad vibes don't like it at all.
(04:08):
So FC Dallas is on my listas well. Kind of similar, but
I don't think I want to goto Houston either. They got some bad
things about Texas in general, shoutsto Greg Abbott and those clowns down there,
but I just don't think I wouldwant to live in Texas. And
it gets really hot, well,I mean everywhere it's going to get hot
in this world as we fry underunder the microscope. So there's two Texas
(04:30):
clubs. I'm not gonna put Austinin there because I'm a I'm a phony
hipster. So I'll leave Salt Lake. Salt Lake. I love the mountains.
I've been there. I was therewith EFC. It was the great
place to be in for like fortyeight hours. But I don't think I
want to stay much longer. SoI think Salt Lake would probably be on
my list as well. And thento end it, this is tough.
(04:50):
This is tough because I think nowI'm legitimately choosing cities. I don't mind
that much, but I think Columbus. I don't necessarily have anything bet to
say about Columbus or Cincinnati, really, but Ohio It's another one of those
places I generally try to live enough, so I think those are my five.
I like Columbus as a city,but Cincinnati is my first one that
(05:11):
I would say both for city andthen for like, yeah, it's getting
better, but what am I goingto trust that club? So I wouldn't
do it yet, so I'd rathernot get involved there. I'd say both
Florida teams, because how you feelabout Texas is how I also feel about
Texas, but also how I feelabout Florida, so I wouldn't I wouldn't
(05:32):
do Orlando in Miami. I don'tthink i'd even survive in Orlando. I'd
melt before a game even started.So those ones are simple. And then
you know what I think, I'dsay both New York teams. Who,
yeah, I already live here.I'm already here. I don't need it
to bring me back. Obviously,I don't have a fan, you know,
(05:53):
like playing for the Knicks would bemy dream if I was an NBA
player. I don't have a connectionto either of the teams in that retrospect,
and it's just they don't similar towhat you said about FC Dallas,
they don't impact the market right,like, they're not really a presence.
And so if I'm going to playon a professional soccer team, like,
I want to feel like a proathlete in this city. So I think
(06:15):
I throw them both down there.My first inkling was to say both LA
teams, because LA is a trasholl. But I mean, I'll never forget
being stuck in Carson, California duringFourth of July fireworks, stuck on a
bus that didn't move for two hoursbecause there's no way to get out of
there. Moving on, Peter pasks if you had to leave the current
(06:42):
city that you live in, Sofor David, you New York and devang
Toronto, where would you move thatwould fulfill your sporting needs? I guess
because I forced David to go firstthe last time I had a tough Is
he anywhere in play like the world? I guess is that this possible?
Yeah, yeah, I don't knowthe ramifications, is what Peter's asking,
(07:04):
But yeah, I was gonna goWest Coast because I've lived there before.
But I also really liked the factthat things started earlier because I'm an early
riser in general. But watching soccerand like Europe was impossible. Really it
was really tough over there, soI can't in good conscience pick their West
coast. Honestly, the East Coastisn't bad. It's not the worst time
(07:29):
zone. If you're a fan ofa lot of different things, like I
am, so I think i'd probablystay in the Eastern time zone. And
I think i'd choose New York becauseI'd like to have access to a lot
of different games, different leagues,and I think New York, how could
you go wrong? To be honest, I don't think I have the character
to survive in New York, butI would treat. But you could go
(07:53):
to a next game once every threeyears when someone gives you a free thing
exactly average price four hundred dollars.See the Islanders for some reason online Island,
right, Yeah, you go toh I don't even know what they
name the stadium. Um, Iwould say something, yeahs are a I
(08:13):
would say, because I don't careabout a ton of those other sports.
NBA is the big one that I'ma fan of. Toronto would be up
there because I love Toronto, butI was leaning the three cities that popped
in my mind first, or MexicoCity because you have like more to six
teams there, so you're constantly havinggames and teams and all that type of
(08:35):
stuff. Lisbon because you've got twomassive teams there. Plus everything's within an
hour train. And these are twocountries as well as the third one that
I'm gonna name, which I guesswould be Milan, which are all like
the sport is like everything, right. There are newspapers that are just about
soccer. It is the cover ofevery advertisement, like there are no other
(08:58):
stars in anything but sides the soccerplayers. And you have multiple teams in
all those cities, so you cansort of you always have something going on.
Plus they're okay time zones, soI would say the only other one
is in Australia. They're like obsessedwith sports. Sport is what they call
it. Oh Matt, mate,I love sport, but I don't watch
any of the things they care about. And then you're like two and a
(09:22):
half days ahead of everything else.Like I was there during Champions League and
I was like, oh cool,Like you've a liverpools on Wednesday, and
then I wake up and it's likealready happened a day ago and I didn't
notice, and I was like,I can't figure out the time zones here
we this is the big one.Our dear friend and overlord Clay asks,
can you guys name and list outyour top ten all time Toronto see designated
(09:46):
players. So I've sent you aheadof time so you didn't have to do
all of the all of the dps. I'll go through them for everyone.
So we have Michael Bradley, JosieAlphas, Sebba, Julian Nuguseman Pezuelo,
Torsten Frings, Danny Coverman, Jilberto, Jermaine Defoe, Pablo Piati, Mattias
(10:07):
Laba, Mista, Eric Castley,Carlos Salcedo. Yeah, for since Saltezo
and Jilberto. So let's go.I count ten. I count fifteen there,
so this is for me who's notwho's not making the list? I
have my honorable mentions and these aretop ten best correct, not worse or
(10:28):
hilarious. Yeah, and this istop ten in regards to on field but
also but also including their what theywhat they did or what their signing did
to elevate the club. So wehave to leave five off. Yeah,
but we still have to rank them. But we still have to rank the
most competitive part of this whole fan. But yeah, I'm gonna leave.
(10:50):
I'm gonna say this, Mista off, Eric Castley off, yes, yes,
yeah, yeah, Forson off,Fallo, Piati off, and then
I think I'm gonna keep. Ahshit, I'm gonna keep. So now
(11:11):
I could go. Yeah, SoI have my I have my one through
six. I feel pretty good aboutDo you want me to throw those out
there now? And then we canget back through the list. Sorry,
just like one question, one question? Sorry before you start, did you
say Carlo Salcedo off the list oris he still in? I forgot though,
he's fly. Sorry, he's okay. Sorry, I forgot he was
(11:33):
there. Let's let's start, David. Sorry, So wait, So you
put off Hassily, Mista, CarlosSalzado, Staldo, Piati, and paai
Yah Piati may have been more usefulto winning than Staldo. Wasn't he on
the MLS Cup team technical or liketwenty both off? No? Yeah,
he was, he was on therun. His lasting his lasting impact was
(11:54):
that weird penalty thing he did onPuzzel. Yeah. Yeah, so top
down. I think Michael Bradley,I feel pretty safe putting him number one,
right, Oh, I don't thinkso. No. I think it's
Sevashion, Jivico still sat VP andclub history literally changed the game in this
(12:18):
city. So I think it's Sevashion, Jiminco one, Michael Bradley two,
Josie also your three. Yeah,Alejandro Puzzuelo four. This is where I
would go. I'm gonna put myhand on time out, time out.
Yeah. Did Jiminco come before Bradley? One year after, one year after?
(12:39):
Right? So Michael Bradley signing withthe Foe, Right, those were
the two that happened, correct,correct, correct? And jiw Berto Jilberto
was the third. When they fought, they fought over the three kid and
then Jilberto png it. I lovedit. Michael Bradley changed the entire perception
of the club. He's the reason, okay, and he started everything including
(13:03):
CCL Final twenty nineteen final. Soyou said on field, off fields,
he's done. So, so here'smy take, David. I credit Michael
Bradley for being the leader and createdthe culture at Toronto FC. But the
other stuff that you have said,and once again I'm not talking for Michael,
but Jermaine Dafoe was the person whoset everything into play. Jermaine Dafoe
(13:28):
signed a deal in twenty in theend of twenty thirteen, and only after
that did Michael Bradley join. I'mnot saying that Jermain Defoe was the reason
why Michael Bradley joined, but therewas a time in twenty in late twenty
thirteen where within a week he haddecided that this is the club he's going
(13:48):
and seeing an the ambition Toronto hadof signing a Germaine Dafoe and going out
there and sign a Jilberto is whatI think. And then also the project
of on and big Tim LOWICKI,who's the greatest salesperson in the in the
world, uh promised Michael. ButI think that Jermaine Dafoe was the reason
(14:11):
that the catalyst that started the reasonSabba's there, Josie's there, Bradley's there,
in Signe's there, like Bernardeski's there. And that's why Jermaine Defoe is
number four on my list. Ohmy okay, So I'll stick with that.
Jones down a screed that croziermain Defoe. So then Pezuelo five. I
(14:33):
think also the way Pezuelo left youmade made him moved it down slightly for
me because it didn't then it didn'tdown that it well and then six,
can I just say one more thingbecause yeah, Sean's been Sean's been so
far down. Yeah no, notthat I'm just saying. I mean,
at this point, at this timewe're talking alien signs and crop signs or
(14:56):
whatever. Is that Jermaine Defoe athis age was actually in line with MLS
signings that had occurred aka by aguy like Tim LEWICKI. He was more
Robbie Keane than Bradley was at hisage. And I understand Bradley's American,
but like and Bradley threes and Josiecomes like straight up not because of what
he did for the club. LikeJosie Altdor came to play with Michael Bradley
(15:18):
because they were friends and that's whatconvinced him to come. So I'm just
continuing to push that point, butit keeps from putting Jermaine to phone in
like top four. But but theway that they got Josie also was by
who oh yeah for sure, MartyrFace connected dots you please it dots,
(15:48):
Oh my god, ok, chaos. I love it from five down though,
from five down, it's a mess. It's I think Torsten Franks might
have to be six by stand kindof similar in the sense of like what
it meant that he came and himbeing a name people understood, and like
playing in games. A lot ofthese guys never played in games, right,
(16:11):
But I think Julian to Guzman beingCanadian and being a DP Canadian was
important, but it was just theproject was alved, totally left up and
terrible. So yeah, it kindof takes the luster off. Danny Cooperman's
talk too real and was extremely realabout how bad things were, and I
think that kind of makes it memorableas well, deserving a top ten spot.
When he played, he banged ingoals. I think he got twenty
(16:36):
goals in like thirty five appearances.Like he until twenty fifteen, I think
he was one or two or topthree in TFC all time goal scorers,
which is a whole thing. Uh, Mattias Laba was an MLS player.
I think that's better than some ofthe these other guys on this list,
(16:57):
right, So he makes the listnot because of what he did in Toronto,
and I think coming intent is joeBerto. Joe Berto to me,
could have been great in this league, but he just simply wasn't a great
about Jobert had it all. Istill think Eric Castley got hosed on this
one big hat he did he findit do? He also had one of
(17:17):
the goals of the century, aPusquez near winning right, didn't he right?
Almost one? Yeah? Almost?When I think so does anyone crying
over Piati salteldo, sal sado mistaNo? Okay, no. I was
looking at this list. I foundthe uh some TFC have had more dps
than some other MLS clubs combined.The most impressive part of this list is
(17:38):
the length of the list. Likethat's like whoa, whoa. Look.
I was looking at Chicago Chicago asa lengthy list as well, and like
that's not a club you want tobe in with, But here we are.
So Chicago is the opposite of TFC, which is they have acquired like
the most dps from other clubs inMLS to send out the most jump art
(18:00):
out. I think they traded forFlacco, Fernandez and Freddy Lundberg from Seattle
because they had too many dps.Like Chicago's not been in really good space
with that. But lastly, Iwant to shout out Michael Bradley. He
is a one A one B withSeba. But I just think Sevas's close.
It's not and David is Reich it'svery close. I think it's closer
than some people would have you believe, including Yea. Also, Posuello's number
(18:25):
four because you wont an MVP.So that's that's but remained on our hearts
and mines with that, the firstgame against Seattle remained a book could have
been damn mare with the city therewas but a moment too bad Drake never
actually hung out with him. Oneof our big patron members, Dan h
(18:48):
He asks, who are the bestcommentators in the North American soccer sphere right
now? He says, bonus pointsif you're gonna go regional, But that's
up to you. I I kindof just to mean regional, so I
might just get bonus points already andalready to plug our man Luke Wilman and
at TS and Canada. I thinkwe're lucky to have him do a bunch
(19:11):
of games for us up here,because I think he's quite great. But
I and I actually listen. Ithink I listened to them on Monday,
but the Orlando crew I like quitea bit because they don't bury goals from
the other team, which I thinkis a big problem around sports, and
especially in soccer as well, wherethe other teams scores and it's like a
funeral happened or someone was shot andit's bad. I think there has to
(19:32):
be an adequate reaction as well tocelebrate that. But I think the Evan
Weston Miguel Girotto team at Orlando's prettydamn good. I enjoy when they call
games. I think the Union guysare good. I think Della Camera does
National Games correct me if I wrong. David as well sometimes, but I
think they're solid. It's like theGodfather in the US, right and then
(19:55):
not to pick and I think Ialso recognize because I think I've talked with
you about I talked to Dave aboutthis before, but like not. But
they often throw a lot of Englishcommentators in the mix. I think to
add some quote unquote legitimacy, whichI think is our kick and stupid at
this point of the game. ButI think a couple of the guys I
do enjoy who have British access operatein Austin. I think as Asia and
(20:17):
heely Now in Michael the Hood.I like their their team, and and
Charlotte of course, Eric Krakauer frontof the show as well, and Lloyd
sam So I like what those guysare doing. Yeah, I agree with
you. I also assumed it wasregional, so I went that as well.
I'd say from play by play pointof view, I think Jake Zivin
in Portland does as good a job. I probably does the best job at
(20:38):
MLS. Tyler Terrence does a reallygood job in Chicago as well. In
terms of analysts or color commentators,I'm a big fan of Jordan Angelie.
I have her on a lot ofthe shows I do because I think she's
a soccer genius and she can explainit so well and it is passionate about
the league. I think Daniel Slaytondoes a really good job for San Jose
as well. They kind of likeslaught her between sideline and commentators, so
(21:03):
I'd say them. I grew uplistening to Glenn Davis and Max bread Us,
and I think both of them doa really good job, so I'd
throw them in there as well.I'm trying to think about other color commentators.
I think there's a few new onesthat have come in that have sort
of added a good a good style, changed things up. Brian Dunsteth is
(21:23):
just awesome at everything he does,so that would be one as well.
I'm glad you put Max in therebecause sometimes he gets forgotten and I absolutely
love Max bread Us. He justbrings joy to my face when I hear
his voice. Incredible. Whiley Dasks if you could be able to fly
on the wall for any Major LeagueSoccer DP negotiation pastor present, which one
(21:48):
would it have been. I mean, Quada mc blanco is is a gem
of a human being at times,not that I can say no time about
his political career, so I'm notendorsing that as a candidate too late him
and him and Ralphamrquez would both beup there. Henri would be a wild
(22:11):
one. But I think the currentVella one might actually be the top,
just because it just what the hellhappened over the last six months. So
I think it'd be really interesting tohear that all the actual conversations. M
yeah, or maybe the current Messiones. Maybe that's what I should say.
Oh, do we think Messi canfit with Posuela? That great question?
(22:37):
If so? Telda couldn't how couldMESSI? I will pick I'll pick
Beckham because I wonder the deal withthe Devil. They made all of this,
the small print. They're still payingfor it to this day in terms
of what was promised and what thedeal was and herbal life and everything,
just all of it. I wouldlove to know what exactly wasn't that that
(23:00):
huge contract? Yeah, big TimLwicki was on that one as well,
right, so there'd be a lotyeah, yeah, a lot of big
chested individuals just pushing just trying toget things over in the in the male
sense. Sorry, um, likejust puffing out chests and everything. But
yeah, I think that's a that'sa very good one. And I think
Latin is the one that I thinkI would be. I'd love to just
(23:23):
know what a negotiation with him is, just knowing how he could just change
his mind on the spot and notwant to do something and then do something
and then just I don't know,it's a it's an interesting one. He's
he's such a character, so Idon't know. Jermaine Defoe is another interesting
one. Another Tim Liwicki one,Oh bloody big deal. Yeah, they
(23:44):
had to take Drake to go seehis mom. It was a whole thing.
Yeah, exactly. There's uh,there's so many interesting ones that But
to get back on the messy one, I think Greg Vanny and and Victor
Vasquez have the inside deal on thatone. So we'll see the Galaxy go
over top of LAFC yet again andget the deal done. I don't know,
(24:07):
dude, Uri Rossel is back ata SKC. He's a lama,
see a guy. Do you thinkthe Galaxy would rather have Douglas Costa in
that DP spot or Alejandro Pezzuelo.Oh, that's no brainer. I just
don't think TFC would have taken Costaback if they Greig had a time machine,
they just would have not filled it. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah,
yeah, of course that's the bigpoint. Or and now I think
(24:32):
the reporting is Singer was one hundredand fifty thousand in allocation money from into
Miami to TFC, so it wasliterally free. I'm pretty sure Dylan Nilis
went for one hundred and twenty fivethousand in allegation this offseason. A gift
card to David Busters and a planeticket to Miami. Thanks to your service
a time now from our dear friendat Facebook Sean Smith. He just wants
(24:55):
to say, Hi, I'm alistener from Western Manitoba and I have a
question for ask AFP. I waswondering if you guys ever think we'll see
Canadian internationals who have had success inMLS or overseas come back to the premier
league to finish their career and wouldthis be a good thing or bad thing?
Thanks? I really enjoyed the podcast. Well now I feel bad about
I was gonna say thank you.Thanks for being a great person, and
(25:21):
we appreciate you listening to Michelle andwe are really glad you sent a question.
I think it would be a goodthing and I hope we do see
it happened. I just listening toDavid's interview with Kamal and the way he's
talking about Atiba and how much helooks up to him, and how much
I would influence he has on theteam, Like it would be quite fantastic
if he did come back to ZPLand played for a season. In my
(25:42):
opinion of I think we will seeit too. I think as there's more
teams and as the league grows,I think there's a great opportunity for this.
I agree with you, and Ithink the ownership piece will be big.
I think people will come back toplay for teams that they own to
help promote them and sort of finishout their careers. Or I think one
(26:02):
of the other things you'll see ispeople going to teams where they sort of
idea that they can then become coaches, which I don't think is dissimilar to
what Killeen he's doing with LAFC.Like, I think you'll see moments like
that where it makes sense for peoplemoving forward. As McGinnis ask regarding Halifax
HFX wanderers, Stephen Hart was letgo this week and there was just conversation
(26:27):
about recruitment being an issue, andso s McGinnis asked, do you think
the recruitment thing is always going tobe a structural disadvantage? Personally, I'd
rather live in Halifax than quite afew other places in the CPL markets.
David, I'm going to push thison you, so I've never been to
Halifax. Yeah, so I'm goingto rely on you here. Yeah,
(26:48):
it's I think there needs to beYes, is there probably a disadvantage in
recruiting to a place that people maynot know a lot about, But I
think that that can be done throughonce again the recruiting process and the education
pieces that are going out in theseplayer pitches or in regards to who they're
they're targeting. Um it, it'sa beautiful place. It's I would consider
(27:14):
it like alongside Pacific in the sortof same realm of like a smaller quote
unquote market with a unique living experienceand a unique group of people that only
sort of understand the brand like whereas opposed to like whatever a York United
or whatever they're You're a suburban thisis who you are. Where's Halifax actually
(27:38):
has rich history that's different from youand I um that they can really learn
and educate and grow, um andand and pitch to players. And once
again, if Pacific can go aheadand do these these things, Halifax can
do the same. So while theremight be a disadvantage, they can use
that difference as an advantage. Ithink down the line, the one thing
(28:00):
that I will say that is adisadvantage for a smaller market, especially on
the East Coast, would be aroundthe academies and the population. You're not
going to have a widespread amount ofpeople to pull froub to build an academy
as a York would a Hamilton,a Calgary, Edmonton, etc. So
(28:23):
that might be a bit of adisadvantage for them, But in recruitment,
I don't know, you could puta real badass two minute like sizzle of
what Halifax has versus others that thatshould blow you away. And I would
add from my experience when you talkto athletes, and you know, I
think one of the tough things iswhen we think of some sports we think
(28:47):
of we're thinking of right, threeleague, let's not even say leagues,
right, We're talking about twenty seventeams around the world where they're well supported
and sold out and everything. AndI remember one time talking to a guy
who would come from leau Gone,not league like first division in France,
came down LS and I asked himsomething one time and he goes, well,
it's fun to play in front offans because except for when we pay
play PSG and Marseille, no one'sever at the stadium. So it's like
(29:11):
there are other things you can sell. And when you're coming to a CPL
level where you know Pacific's done welland Calvary has great crowds, but it
sounded like we heard it from StephenHart and and the team going into the
TFC Canadian Championship game of like flagsin the storefronts and everyone knows who the
(29:32):
players are. Like, I dothink if you build a culture of winning
and expectations in a city where youdo have relevance, then it's like I
think people players want to be apart of that at least for some amount
of time. Maybe they don't wantto live there their whole life, but
I think if you cut like,let's talk Michael bald Simo, right,
(29:52):
he comes out of Vancouver, heneeds the next step, He needs to
play in a team where he plays, and you come to him and say,
come to play in a sold outstadium, be the center of our
team, right, Like, that'smore appealing to me than going and playing
an MLS next pro in front ofno one all the time. So that's
sort of where I think you cansit moving forward. A really cheap one
(30:19):
here from Kansock. Guy sell bench, keep namear MESSI embope, David,
you go first, I do allof them, or I just can say
one. You choose which player tosell, which player to keep, which
player to bench. You're the RPSGOkay, I would probably, Oh this
is hard, I'd probably sell Naymar, I'd keep Embopy and i'd bench Messi
(30:44):
because I'd assume if I bench Naymaris going to be a train wreck.
I probably I don't know what theselfie right now is for MESSI like,
I don't know what that number is. And Boppy would get you the most,
but you have him for the longest. So Naymar is probably the good
in between a big name, buthas still some more time to play.
So that's that's my three. Thethank it's less exciting because I think I
(31:06):
agree. But so Naymar and Mbopehave beef. That's the word on the
street after that penalty thing, right, so I think all year for a
while. Yeah. Also the sinisterInstagram likes or like Twitter likes for when
someone is hating on the other guyand you're liking that. That's gotta be
day one stuff. You just don'tdo this, guys, you keep your
petty squabbles in house. I don'tlike it, but I think I would
(31:30):
sell Namar to where good question.I have no idea, but I think
Embope is the de facto prime ministerof France as well. So I feel
like you got to keep him messy. I wonder what he's thinking these days,
to be honest, Well, hewas playing tag with Naymar and they
were a pretty good team, somaybe he will refuse to play if Nymar
gets sold. But he's watching Barcelonamortgage whatever future. They had to sign
(31:55):
all these players, and I wonderif he's like, could they have done
this for me? I don't know, man, because they shouldn't be doing
it anyway. It's just them.Our dear friend Vladdie four twenty asks which
non soccer athlete do you think wouldbe an incredible soccer player already? H
(32:16):
do you? Because I don't knowmy answer. Um. I saw a
clip go viral this week of Rafanadal Oh kind of that touch off the
clean volley and popping it up tohis hand which was in the tennis balls
bounce like that is not easy,So I assumed that was going to be
your answer. That's a great pickum. I think Andy Mary played a
(32:40):
bunch, Stan Varvinka played a bit, Gayle Montfez. Perhaps I was going
to pick um Joel Embiid, thoughJoel Embiid nice as like as like a
center back um, really good feet, good in the air, all those
things you would look for. SoI actually interviewed Joel Embiid at one of
(33:02):
the Steve Nash charity pickup soccer gamesthat he runs, and be did not
play, so I can neither confirmnor deny his soccer is he was.
He was talking to me a lotabout on re so I assumed as much,
but people like onri outside of thatas well. But he There's a
picture of me interviewing him and I'mbasically holding the microphone directly with a full
(33:28):
arm straight up, and he isstill slightly crouched over to the right to
speak into it. Like when youthink seven feet You're like, well,
we're all on foot, you know, we're all in the range. But
dam it is wild how tall heis. Luca don Chich We've all seen
in the video of him. Helooks pretty impressive. You'd assume like a
(33:50):
Tony Parker or someone like that musthave played and is a bit more proportional
to it. I've always said,like, you know, in the whole
like, oh, if the bestplayers played this, right, what would
they be? Like, It's like, give me every slot receiver backup college
running with gard and like non bigfive point guard in college sports and start
them in soccer at five and youdefinitely would have a squad. Easy one,
(34:14):
very easy one. We got Josefor life. Asking love it or
hate it Jose Mourinho in the Stormsvideo. I loved it. I honestly,
I think you know Eska how muchI loathed Jose Maurinho. But the
video is great. I'm a bigStormsy fan as well, and I don't
(34:35):
think we align on our club teamsupport. But I do think Jose is
now just relishing the fact that he'sa banter manager, and that's fine,
It's perfectly fun. Jose also alsoone of those people where, like I
think everyone everyone has a reason tohate him, right because even if you
rooted for teams he's coached, youhate him because the way he left or
(35:00):
whatever. But there's not like adeep seated problem that he's like there's something
off field that's wrong with him.He's just a dick in soccer, which
I'm fine with, Like you knowwhat I mean. Yeah, there are
other coaches or other athletes where you'relike, oh, I don't like that
athlete. Also, like they didthis really bad thing that one time or
(35:20):
like they represent this really bad thing. Maurinho is just an ass and so
it's just kind of funny now that, as Devang said, he's sort of
take it. He's a meme andhe's accepted it, and that's cool.
Yeah, I hate the way heended this first career. He has a
dick. But but once again,when he pops up in that video,
you just gotta laugh. You gottalove it. It's it's crazy. Got
(35:40):
some great questions this week, askedme Guinnis. Asked me Guinnis in the
posting Hall of Fame. In termsof questions he gets us every week.
But here's the first one. DG. He asked. Elon Musked recently wasted
forty four billion dollars behind Twitter.If you gave you a mere one billion
to invest in something related, nostrings attached, what will you put the
(36:01):
money towards? A billions nor alittle bit larger than what people normally say
in these things? Right? Ifyou won the LATO, like, it's
never a billion dollars, And Ido think a billion dollars is a number
I don't properly comprehend of, likehow much i'd have to use. Right,
let's say, let's say after tax, he gave you this after tax,
(36:22):
so you have a billion dollars.Okay, well, I'd like to
say, first of all, ifI have to pay that much in taxes,
I don't even want the money.That's a that's a popular trope that
this is this is how you goback exactly the slippery slope, David.
But these are these are Omaga talkingpoints. No one even wants to be
a millionaire anymore because of the taxes. I but here's my answer. In
(36:44):
short, I think I would startlike a Right to Dream type academy in
the Caribbean, and I would develop. I would create a space for great
to bring great young players into them, develop them, sell them. But
also you have the educational component,the lifestyle component as well, And to
me, that would build Conka Calfup because you pull players from all across
(37:05):
the Caribbean and maybe maybe Central America. So you get to help young people,
you get to create something that peoplein the region can be proud of,
and I think you'd actually that's probablythe way you go about growing the
region at best, not building theUS and Mexico up. So all in
all, that's probably my answer.But I can can't really comprehend that amount
of money. Well, you mademe feel a lot worse because that's the
(37:28):
really the answer, and that wouldfacilitate a lot of positive change. I
think I just buy Arsenal to behonest, I don't know if that would
be enough, though I think Ihave to be I don't think it would
be. I have to go inon it with someone else, which could
cause some awful power sharing dynamics.But I also think if you buy a
team for all that money, thenyou don't have anything to spend it to
(37:49):
buy. Yeah. I know it'sa terrible idea and I would be bankrupt
within seconds, but I just wantthat that new owner bounce and be unveiled
at the Emirates with my scarf andwaving to the adoring masses. You could
buy a piece, or you're apart owner, and then you get to
be a part owner, right.No, I might have to reassess,
but yeah, I think a Billionaisshould a massive number. I'm just looking
(38:10):
at these MLS team values and perhapsthat's a better starting point creating my own
club, investing all of the moneyinto making it a superpowers Maginnis also brought
up the heated bagel debate from lastweek still making waves waves across the world.
Across the world, frankly, interms of some of the feedback we've
(38:31):
been getting. Apparently there was aMontreal famous cream cheese brand, Liberte that
is no more. You can't getit there, which is a big deal.
But I think his biggest gripe,asked Magednis David. I don't know
how you were led to believe thisthat they don't put cream cheese on the
bagel and that necessarily makes it nota bagel. That was that something you
(38:53):
were saying, because I think thatis false. None of the bagel places
I went and I went to two, I went to say VR two whatever,
and I went to oh what wasthe other? One? Called a
few blocks away? Another one?It would they gave you cream cheese with
it, but they did not putthe cream cheese on for you. But
why is it? Because maybe peoplefeel like they're getting too much and they
(39:15):
want to control No, it justseemed like that's the way things are done.
Wow, Am I ross going toget his asked for a correction.
He asked for a correction, SoI think you are wrong or this is
more anecdotal evidence that's not factual,and you're using it to builduce your web
of lies. I think that's whathe's getting at Fairmount Bagel was the other
(39:36):
one I went to. Those twoplaces did not put cream cheese, and
they gave you cream cheese to likedip it in, which I thought was
right now I saw it. Restaurantsthey did, like lock sandwiches as like
brunch option but right. But alsothe bagel, it's it's too small,
it's thin, so how much youcan't really cover that much with cream cheese?
You guys, if this is aridiculous conversation, I'm not offending New
(40:00):
York bagels are just so much better. That's a different topic. We went
to bat a lot on this showfrom Montreal, much to the chagrin of
our Toronto listeners, supporting staff Montrealon their run. But I think people
are now believing that we are basicallya Montreal podcast and our defense of their
bagels. His cod is some heatedconversations. But I don't know. I
(40:21):
have to go there now, Iguess to remind myself what it's like and
see for myself what the facts are. Go there and then I will ship
you New York bagels, and thebagels you get shipped will think they will
be thank you. Also fair,very fair, And that's it for today.
I hope you enjoyed this week's episode. If you could be so kind
a rating or a review or bothwherever you get your podcasts would be incredible
(40:45):
for us as we try to getthis pod into more people's ears. We're
on Twitter at a Football Pod,and of course on pastreon dot com forward
Slash a football podcast. Get theshow ad free on Tuesday's get access to
the discord where we're talking foot allthe time. It's a great place,
so I highly recommend it for producerGreg on the ones and twos, and
(41:05):
for Zach and Sean and David.Thank you so much for listening to FP.
We'll talk to you next week.
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