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The Colin Coward Podcast 11 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:56,120 Speaker 1: presented by the Fan Duel Sports Book. Hi, Everybody, Wednesday 12 00:00:56,160 --> 00:01:00,720 Speaker 1: Morning Podcast. Greg Berhalter, head coach US men's national soccer 13 00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:04,640 Speaker 1: team they have officially qualified for the World Cup, is 14 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:07,920 Speaker 1: going to be joining us today for a lively interview. 15 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:11,679 Speaker 1: I am a defender of all things Greg Berhalter, fending 16 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:16,720 Speaker 1: off the radical sports fans of soccer in America. He'll 17 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,720 Speaker 1: join us in about ten minutes. So Reportedly, Frank Vogel, 18 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:23,800 Speaker 1: a good guy who's won a title, is out of 19 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:27,559 Speaker 1: a job with the Lakers at the conclusion of the season. Listen, 20 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:33,720 Speaker 1: this is an unwinnable task when I can identify by 21 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:38,399 Speaker 1: the third game of the season your primary weaknesses. No 22 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:42,200 Speaker 1: elite three point shooters, too old of a roster to 23 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:46,640 Speaker 1: defend the three and old expensive rosters mean more injuries 24 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:50,640 Speaker 1: and longer to heal. If I can identify that three 25 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:55,840 Speaker 1: games in, Frank Vogel has no shot here. Let's be 26 00:01:56,560 --> 00:02:01,920 Speaker 1: totally honest. What the Lakers are asking the next coach 27 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:06,840 Speaker 1: to do. It would be asking an accountant to fix 28 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:12,400 Speaker 1: the books at Enron. There is no easy out once 29 00:02:12,720 --> 00:02:18,880 Speaker 1: Russell Westbrook, whoever okayed the deal, no easy answer for 30 00:02:18,880 --> 00:02:21,880 Speaker 1: the next coach. Now we know one or two things. 31 00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:24,800 Speaker 1: Vogel is going to be out, and so is Westbrook. 32 00:02:25,240 --> 00:02:27,519 Speaker 1: But you could put Erik Spoelstra in this. You could 33 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 1: put Ty Low in this or Greg Popovitch. There's real 34 00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:34,680 Speaker 1: limitations here. Coaches, as you know, have no leverage and 35 00:02:34,880 --> 00:02:38,800 Speaker 1: virtually no say in this league. I watched for years 36 00:02:38,840 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 1: in Indiana as Frank Vogel took Roy Hibbert and Paul 37 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:50,280 Speaker 1: George and gave Chris Bosh Lebron James Ray Allen d 38 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:54,600 Speaker 1: Wade coached by Eric Spoelstra fits in the Eastern Conference playoffs. 39 00:02:55,480 --> 00:02:59,680 Speaker 1: I watched Frank Vogel go into the bubble the only 40 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:02,600 Speaker 1: time in league history the young teams flourished in the 41 00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:07,440 Speaker 1: playoffs and old teams eroded win a championship with old 42 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:13,600 Speaker 1: Lebron and frail Anthony Davis. Don't tell me Frank Vogel 43 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:20,280 Speaker 1: can't coach. It's interesting what's happening in sports. Kevin Durant 44 00:03:20,320 --> 00:03:24,359 Speaker 1: had ultimate leverage and power, and look at what he's 45 00:03:24,520 --> 00:03:29,959 Speaker 1: created in Brooklyn. Since the day he and Kyrie arrived 46 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:32,640 Speaker 1: with the Nets, they have won fifty four percent of 47 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:37,600 Speaker 1: their games. That's thirteenth best in the league. Aaron Rodgers 48 00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:41,000 Speaker 1: ultimate power in Green Bay. They now have the worst 49 00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:45,760 Speaker 1: receiving corps in the league. And Lebron James as much 50 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:48,839 Speaker 1: power as any NBA star, and he and his camp 51 00:03:48,920 --> 00:03:54,000 Speaker 1: wanted Westbrook. Now he doesn't want to leave LA, his 52 00:03:54,160 --> 00:03:59,040 Speaker 1: family doesn't want to leave LA. And there is no short, 53 00:04:00,120 --> 00:04:05,480 Speaker 1: quick fix to this mess of an aged roster. Be 54 00:04:05,720 --> 00:04:10,960 Speaker 1: very careful about demanding power because people with it generally 55 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:16,240 Speaker 1: use it much their downfall. Listen, same shit, different day. 56 00:04:16,279 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 1: You've heard about that, You've heard that saying before, same shit, 57 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:22,760 Speaker 1: different day. This is same shit, different coach. There's no 58 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:27,480 Speaker 1: fix here, the NBA forces you to make trades with 59 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:32,400 Speaker 1: virtually equal salaries. You're just taken on bad contracts the 60 00:04:32,520 --> 00:04:36,520 Speaker 1: minute you get rid of Westbrook. And so you know, 61 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:39,839 Speaker 1: I've told people there was an old comedian named Jackie 62 00:04:39,880 --> 00:04:43,520 Speaker 1: Gleeson and at one point he was as powerful as 63 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:47,920 Speaker 1: anybody on television, like Johnny Carson in the eighties. Powerful, 64 00:04:48,279 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 1: and Jackie Gleeson used to say, if you've got power, 65 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:53,920 Speaker 1: you don't really need to use it. People get out 66 00:04:53,960 --> 00:04:57,440 Speaker 1: of your way. Kevin Durant had power, Aaron Rodgers had power. 67 00:04:57,520 --> 00:05:00,679 Speaker 1: Lebron had power. Think about this. Lebron and Heaven Durant 68 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 1: probably missed the playoffs. On any given night, the two 69 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:09,960 Speaker 1: best players in the league. Jannis let's his front office 70 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:16,360 Speaker 1: and his coaches and the culture do their thing. He 71 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:19,200 Speaker 1: comes to play every night as a great teammate. He 72 00:05:19,640 --> 00:05:22,239 Speaker 1: has the best team in the league. Said it before. 73 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:26,040 Speaker 1: Give people power, they're going to use it, and often 74 00:05:26,320 --> 00:05:30,920 Speaker 1: to their own peril. Speaking of the Lakers, I don't 75 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:34,080 Speaker 1: think it's a coincidence that both Kareem abdul Jabbar and 76 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 1: Magic Johnson have attacked Lebron in the last week. I 77 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:45,200 Speaker 1: think the Lakers upstairs are tired of taking the majority, 78 00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:48,680 Speaker 1: the overwhelming majority of the heat in this season and 79 00:05:48,839 --> 00:05:53,839 Speaker 1: last season, and have encouraged maybe a couple of their 80 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:58,240 Speaker 1: own to have opinions. I don't think it bothers the 81 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:02,920 Speaker 1: Lakers one bit. Kareem and Magic have come out to 82 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:07,480 Speaker 1: land blows to Lebron James. Listen. Very few people get 83 00:06:07,480 --> 00:06:10,480 Speaker 1: a career like a Kobe or a Jeter where you 84 00:06:10,560 --> 00:06:13,480 Speaker 1: play for one team. I mean, good god far, but 85 00:06:13,640 --> 00:06:19,760 Speaker 1: one point played for the Jets. It's sad. Elway very unique. 86 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:22,080 Speaker 1: At one point though Patrick Ewing was part of the 87 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:26,240 Speaker 1: Orlando Magic, and achimlajo On a Toronto Raptor and m 88 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 1: J a Wizard. It's sad. I will say this, though 89 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:33,279 Speaker 1: Lebron's career has been unique. He really put jet fuel 90 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:37,080 Speaker 1: on mobility in the NBA. The upside of that you 91 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:39,040 Speaker 1: make a lot of money, you have a lot of leverage, 92 00:06:39,080 --> 00:06:41,000 Speaker 1: and you end up playing with a lot of great players. 93 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:44,560 Speaker 1: You don't have to go through long down cycles like 94 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:48,839 Speaker 1: Kobe did with the Lakers. But there is a downside 95 00:06:48,839 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 1: of that, and that you never really have a team 96 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:54,920 Speaker 1: you call home. I mean, he's bailed on Cleveland twice. 97 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:58,560 Speaker 1: He grew up an Akron, and so you would never 98 00:06:58,600 --> 00:07:02,320 Speaker 1: find the Lakers trying to trash Magic Johnson like this 99 00:07:02,720 --> 00:07:07,920 Speaker 1: or Kobe Bryant right like there's an understanding. Jeter is 100 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:11,240 Speaker 1: a Yankee forever, even if at one point he owned 101 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:15,320 Speaker 1: part of the Marlins. The downside being really mobile. And 102 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:17,120 Speaker 1: I can attest to this because I bounced all over 103 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:20,240 Speaker 1: the country. What do you call home? What's home? I 104 00:07:20,280 --> 00:07:22,400 Speaker 1: don't have a home. Home now is in la I 105 00:07:22,520 --> 00:07:25,680 Speaker 1: just moved here seven years ago. And so Lebron has 106 00:07:25,680 --> 00:07:28,360 Speaker 1: had this leverage and this mobility and this power, and 107 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 1: it's got clear upside. You just get to play with 108 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:32,440 Speaker 1: more great players. You don't have to go through long 109 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 1: down cycles. But the counter to that is who's really 110 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:40,880 Speaker 1: got your back? Pat Riley felt burned, the owner of 111 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:44,400 Speaker 1: the Calves twice felt burned. Members of the team d 112 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:47,800 Speaker 1: Wade felt a little burned. And now the Lakers back 113 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:54,600 Speaker 1: to back ugly seasons, feel scorched. Mobility, the highs are high, 114 00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 1: but you can feel abandoned very quick if things go sideways. 115 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:03,640 Speaker 1: Nobody truly has your back. It apparently made a few 116 00:08:03,680 --> 00:08:07,800 Speaker 1: people upset when I suggested the reason the Rams have 117 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:11,200 Speaker 1: so many high priced stars and other teams can't afford 118 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:15,560 Speaker 1: them is the Rams have smarter people running their organization. 119 00:08:15,840 --> 00:08:19,240 Speaker 1: Let me give you an example, the Chicago Bears. My 120 00:08:19,320 --> 00:08:22,239 Speaker 1: sources have told me for years that upstairs the Bears 121 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:24,960 Speaker 1: don't know what they're doing. So the Bears don't pay 122 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:28,760 Speaker 1: their quarterback justin Fields. They don't pay Mooney, their best 123 00:08:28,800 --> 00:08:32,640 Speaker 1: young receiver. They don't have a top five highest paid 124 00:08:32,640 --> 00:08:36,760 Speaker 1: offensive linemen. Yet they had to let go of Alan Robinson, 125 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:40,439 Speaker 1: Kyle Fuller, and Khalil Mack in the last couple of years. 126 00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:45,720 Speaker 1: Who are they paying? The Rams have top of the 127 00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:52,480 Speaker 1: market Jalen Ramsey, Aaron Donald, Matt Stafford, Bobby Wagner, and 128 00:08:52,559 --> 00:08:57,520 Speaker 1: they're still still trying to make deals. They bring in 129 00:08:57,559 --> 00:09:01,319 Speaker 1: Allen Robinson despite that, who will now be one of 130 00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:05,880 Speaker 1: the higher paid number two receivers in the NFL. Guys 131 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:08,840 Speaker 1: don't like to hear this. So much about guys is 132 00:09:08,920 --> 00:09:15,600 Speaker 1: respect and their professional success. Five percent of guys are smarter. 133 00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:19,240 Speaker 1: Elon Musk is smarter than anybody in his industry. Steve 134 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:23,080 Speaker 1: Jobs was read Hastings at Netflix. I know it drives 135 00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:27,200 Speaker 1: people crazy. The Rams have a smarter owner, a smarter GM, 136 00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:31,600 Speaker 1: a smarter coach than virtually everybody in the league. You 137 00:09:31,679 --> 00:09:35,560 Speaker 1: start looking at the Giants and the Chicago Bears. They're 138 00:09:35,600 --> 00:09:40,160 Speaker 1: not paying their quarterbacks and they're not in on any 139 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:44,199 Speaker 1: top free agent signings. Think about the Bears. They had 140 00:09:44,240 --> 00:09:47,240 Speaker 1: to let their best receiver, their best pass rusher, and 141 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:49,800 Speaker 1: their best corner going the last two years. Who in 142 00:09:49,840 --> 00:09:53,560 Speaker 1: the hell are they paying? It's all jammed up in 143 00:09:53,600 --> 00:09:57,439 Speaker 1: their front seven defensive league in a league where increasingly 144 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:04,959 Speaker 1: linebackers are a limited leverage unit. I mean the Rams 145 00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:08,240 Speaker 1: and Bengals get to the Super Bowl. Both the weakest 146 00:10:08,280 --> 00:10:12,200 Speaker 1: parts of their teams were linebacking corps and in the 147 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:16,040 Speaker 1: Bengals case, O line and linebacking corps. I know it 148 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:21,600 Speaker 1: drives people nuts, but the NFL has very few elite 149 00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:26,679 Speaker 1: front offices and quarterbacks and O lines and owners and gms. 150 00:10:26,840 --> 00:10:30,760 Speaker 1: The Rams have hit the trifecta coach, GM owner, all 151 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:35,920 Speaker 1: top two percent use the Bears as an example of 152 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:41,880 Speaker 1: the gap between how each franchise can manipulate the salary cap. 153 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:46,080 Speaker 1: It's got a hard floor. It's a hard cap. Looked 154 00:10:46,120 --> 00:10:49,880 Speaker 1: at how the Rams manipulate it and how the Bears 155 00:10:49,960 --> 00:10:58,240 Speaker 1: are overwhelmed by it. So Greg Berhalter does not need 156 00:10:58,360 --> 00:11:00,800 Speaker 1: my support as head coach to the US men's national 157 00:11:00,800 --> 00:11:04,680 Speaker 1: soccer team since twenty eighteen, but I often find myself 158 00:11:04,679 --> 00:11:09,040 Speaker 1: in the crosshairs of the crazies on the internet. We 159 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:12,000 Speaker 1: have a history in this country is when the US wins, 160 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:14,560 Speaker 1: the players are amazing, and when they lose, the coach 161 00:11:14,640 --> 00:11:17,720 Speaker 1: is a bum. And Greg has to have seen some 162 00:11:17,800 --> 00:11:19,679 Speaker 1: of this, and I have come to his defense many times, 163 00:11:19,720 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 1: and again he doesn't need it. But one of the 164 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:27,320 Speaker 1: criticisms that I find really remarkable is, and I do 165 00:11:27,400 --> 00:11:29,760 Speaker 1: think you've done a remarkable job with this, but you 166 00:11:29,920 --> 00:11:35,760 Speaker 1: inherited a culture that was adrift, a roster that was aging, 167 00:11:37,559 --> 00:11:41,600 Speaker 1: and I didn't feel like, outside of Christian pulistic I 168 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:44,880 Speaker 1: didn't know what we were. So let's go to this. 169 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:48,000 Speaker 1: When you first take it over, your first six weeks, 170 00:11:49,440 --> 00:11:53,040 Speaker 1: what was your primary mission, right, just just like you're 171 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:55,559 Speaker 1: taking over a college basketball or football program. What did 172 00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:58,960 Speaker 1: you identify is a problem that you needed to fix 173 00:11:59,040 --> 00:12:03,080 Speaker 1: Greg quickly? It's a great question, And you know, I 174 00:12:03,160 --> 00:12:06,560 Speaker 1: spent a lot of time before my first meeting with 175 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:10,400 Speaker 1: the players just doing background and talking to a number 176 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:12,800 Speaker 1: of players, talking to a number of coaches and trying 177 00:12:12,800 --> 00:12:16,240 Speaker 1: to figure out exactly what was wrong. Reflecting on my 178 00:12:16,280 --> 00:12:19,600 Speaker 1: own playing dates with the national team and what it 179 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:23,920 Speaker 1: came down to, column, it was pretty clear that they 180 00:12:24,040 --> 00:12:27,760 Speaker 1: just lacked a vision. The program lacked something to latch 181 00:12:27,800 --> 00:12:31,559 Speaker 1: you onto and say, Okay, you know, through good and bad, 182 00:12:31,679 --> 00:12:35,040 Speaker 1: you know, through sacrifice, through hard times, you know, we 183 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:39,719 Speaker 1: can always just align towards achieving this vision, and they 184 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:43,040 Speaker 1: lack that. So for us as a staff, it was 185 00:12:43,120 --> 00:12:45,080 Speaker 1: creating this vision of where we wanted to take the 186 00:12:45,120 --> 00:12:48,080 Speaker 1: program and then say, okay, guys, if we say we 187 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:50,360 Speaker 1: want to do this, what is it going to take? 188 00:12:50,400 --> 00:12:53,920 Speaker 1: What do you willing to sacrifice to do it? And 189 00:12:54,400 --> 00:12:57,319 Speaker 1: I think that was impactful. And we've been really intentional 190 00:12:57,360 --> 00:13:01,400 Speaker 1: about you hammering home similar messages and you know, creating 191 00:13:01,480 --> 00:13:04,079 Speaker 1: values and things that we stand for as a group, 192 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:08,040 Speaker 1: and and that that process has been gratifying. And I 193 00:13:08,040 --> 00:13:10,480 Speaker 1: think that process has helped us in qualifying for sure, 194 00:13:11,480 --> 00:13:13,720 Speaker 1: Like any sport, you need your star to buy in. 195 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:18,280 Speaker 1: How long for Christian poolsic that you felt a buy in? 196 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:23,000 Speaker 1: You know? I think with Christian, you know, my initial 197 00:13:23,040 --> 00:13:25,560 Speaker 1: meeting with him, I immediately saw a spark in his 198 00:13:25,640 --> 00:13:29,640 Speaker 1: eye and there was you know, there was acceptance, but 199 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:33,920 Speaker 1: like anything, um, it's easier said than done. And I 200 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:38,400 Speaker 1: think it did take a while, um just because everyone 201 00:13:38,679 --> 00:13:41,400 Speaker 1: had a hangover from twenty eighteen and everyone wants to 202 00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:43,559 Speaker 1: win right away. But I knew it was going to 203 00:13:43,640 --> 00:13:46,720 Speaker 1: take some time before this group to could really get 204 00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:49,280 Speaker 1: to where it needed to get to because of our age, 205 00:13:49,320 --> 00:13:53,360 Speaker 1: because of our inexperience. UM. So you know, he's the 206 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:55,560 Speaker 1: first Dan to say about Christian from being such a 207 00:13:55,559 --> 00:14:00,520 Speaker 1: big star, he's the most humble, down to earth, you know, 208 00:14:01,240 --> 00:14:03,560 Speaker 1: well meaning person that you can come in contact with. 209 00:14:03,880 --> 00:14:06,559 Speaker 1: So that's a great starting point. But like anyone, he 210 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:08,640 Speaker 1: wants to be successful. He wants to win on the field. 211 00:14:08,720 --> 00:14:13,800 Speaker 1: And so you know, I think that the reels change started. 212 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:16,319 Speaker 1: I guess in last summer when you know, when we 213 00:14:16,400 --> 00:14:19,720 Speaker 1: won the Nation's League, that the players believed it was possible. 214 00:14:27,480 --> 00:14:31,440 Speaker 1: Golf's first Major is a tradition unlike any other. 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Or text Hope n Y. 243 00:15:57,360 --> 00:15:59,240 Speaker 1: Four six seven three six nine in New York, Tennessee 244 00:15:59,240 --> 00:16:02,880 Speaker 1: Redline one one hundred eighteen visits one eight hundred gambler 245 00:16:02,880 --> 00:16:12,040 Speaker 1: dot in West Virginia. Greg I feel like we're there's 246 00:16:12,120 --> 00:16:14,640 Speaker 1: four stages, in my opinion, and you can slice and 247 00:16:14,760 --> 00:16:17,480 Speaker 1: dice these up and push back, but four stages in soccer. 248 00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:21,560 Speaker 1: The first stage was my childhood. Kyle wrote, Junior's a star. 249 00:16:22,120 --> 00:16:25,680 Speaker 1: We don't have elite international players. We're welcoming the sport 250 00:16:26,040 --> 00:16:29,840 Speaker 1: to America. UM. We have some athletes, but we don't 251 00:16:29,920 --> 00:16:32,560 Speaker 1: have high skill. The second stage to me is landon 252 00:16:32,640 --> 00:16:38,640 Speaker 1: Donovan Clinton Dempsey. It is um tough some guys getting 253 00:16:38,720 --> 00:16:43,280 Speaker 1: international opportunities, capable of making the World Cup and winning 254 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:47,400 Speaker 1: a match. I do think we've moved into a third stage, 255 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:52,520 Speaker 1: multiple players good enough to play internationally can occasionally be 256 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:58,120 Speaker 1: very effective internationally. The fourth stages can win the World Cup. 257 00:16:58,560 --> 00:17:01,680 Speaker 1: I don't think we're there. I think, as Winston Churchill said, 258 00:17:01,720 --> 00:17:03,760 Speaker 1: too bad youth has wasted on the young. I think 259 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:08,920 Speaker 1: really young. How concerned are you about that? Now? You 260 00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:12,320 Speaker 1: got some pushback because you would play some older MLS players, 261 00:17:12,359 --> 00:17:15,119 Speaker 1: and my takeaway was, we're doing that for the obvious reasons. 262 00:17:15,600 --> 00:17:20,520 Speaker 1: Your skill levels really good by US men's historic standards. 263 00:17:21,160 --> 00:17:26,240 Speaker 1: But we've got kids here when I talk about Stage three, 264 00:17:26,960 --> 00:17:30,040 Speaker 1: as skilled as we've ever been. But boy, we lack 265 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:34,119 Speaker 1: some World Cup experience. Do you Is that a concern? 266 00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:39,520 Speaker 1: Not really, because we've gone all in in this generation 267 00:17:39,600 --> 00:17:42,080 Speaker 1: of players, and you know, we'll be the youngest team 268 00:17:42,119 --> 00:17:44,639 Speaker 1: in the World Cup, and it's going to be about 269 00:17:45,560 --> 00:17:50,120 Speaker 1: gaining valuable experience while trying to compete and while trying 270 00:17:50,200 --> 00:17:53,280 Speaker 1: to go as far as we've ever gone before. And 271 00:17:54,080 --> 00:17:56,600 Speaker 1: the good thing about it is we have guys young 272 00:17:56,720 --> 00:17:59,879 Speaker 1: players that are playing in the Champions League. They know 273 00:18:00,119 --> 00:18:02,440 Speaker 1: what it's like to win, they know what it's like 274 00:18:02,600 --> 00:18:05,600 Speaker 1: to win big games. They have high demands from their 275 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:08,760 Speaker 1: clubs to win big games. And it's not it's no 276 00:18:08,920 --> 00:18:10,600 Speaker 1: different with us. We're going to be in in a 277 00:18:10,800 --> 00:18:15,359 Speaker 1: very similar situation. So I think that, um, you know 278 00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:17,480 Speaker 1: this this World Cup, and I think is going to 279 00:18:17,480 --> 00:18:19,600 Speaker 1: be a great experience for the group. Um, you know, 280 00:18:19,680 --> 00:18:21,480 Speaker 1: we're going to be pushing sometimes. I think if you 281 00:18:21,520 --> 00:18:23,159 Speaker 1: don't know any better, you can go out and do 282 00:18:23,240 --> 00:18:26,280 Speaker 1: it right. But once you realize what it takes, it's harder. Right, 283 00:18:26,920 --> 00:18:30,119 Speaker 1: So that may be in our benefit as well. But um, 284 00:18:30,600 --> 00:18:32,760 Speaker 1: you know it's gonna be fun, It's gonna be exciting 285 00:18:32,840 --> 00:18:37,120 Speaker 1: for sure. Listen, you're in a group with England Iran. 286 00:18:37,280 --> 00:18:40,960 Speaker 1: This may be Iran's best team, a year old playoff winner. Um. 287 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:43,800 Speaker 1: The English press said it was the easiest group. Kind 288 00:18:43,800 --> 00:18:46,800 Speaker 1: of a shot at your at your team. How did 289 00:18:46,840 --> 00:18:50,240 Speaker 1: you take that? I think it's typical. Um, you know, 290 00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:52,240 Speaker 1: when you when you actually if you look at the 291 00:18:52,320 --> 00:18:56,080 Speaker 1: FIFA rankings, Um, if if Wales makes it as well, 292 00:18:56,320 --> 00:18:59,280 Speaker 1: we'll have the hardest group by FIFA rankings. Um, if 293 00:18:59,320 --> 00:19:02,280 Speaker 1: you add a ball, numbers right. But it's but I 294 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:04,560 Speaker 1: can understand, you know, the English press are what they are. 295 00:19:04,680 --> 00:19:06,840 Speaker 1: You know, we don't have that respect yet from the 296 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:09,800 Speaker 1: English press and that's fine, you know, because we're going 297 00:19:09,880 --> 00:19:12,880 Speaker 1: to have to earn that respect and the World Cup 298 00:19:13,040 --> 00:19:15,399 Speaker 1: is a platform to do that. You know, you have 299 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:21,040 Speaker 1: you know Geoana, Christian Pulisic. Uh. You know Weston McKinney. 300 00:19:22,119 --> 00:19:27,000 Speaker 1: McKinney had an injury. I know a handful of people 301 00:19:27,119 --> 00:19:30,239 Speaker 1: in the soccer press here in the States, but I'm 302 00:19:30,280 --> 00:19:34,280 Speaker 1: going to rely on you on this, um as as 303 00:19:34,359 --> 00:19:39,200 Speaker 1: somebody who watches from outside the bubble. Sometimes my interpretation 304 00:19:39,280 --> 00:19:42,680 Speaker 1: of Weston McKinney is he is viewed as more difficult, 305 00:19:43,520 --> 00:19:45,960 Speaker 1: And I think to myself, well, what does that mean. 306 00:19:46,080 --> 00:19:48,040 Speaker 1: I mean, I got I got six kids in my life. 307 00:19:48,160 --> 00:19:51,639 Speaker 1: They're all difficult. Okay, give me the straight skinny on 308 00:19:51,720 --> 00:19:55,880 Speaker 1: Weston McKinney. Um, where is he ad injury wise? Will 309 00:19:55,920 --> 00:19:58,879 Speaker 1: he be on the World Cup roster? Is he difficult? 310 00:19:59,000 --> 00:20:02,520 Speaker 1: And that may not be a criticism. Most great players 311 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:08,000 Speaker 1: come with a sense of power and a point of view. Yeah. Um, 312 00:20:08,600 --> 00:20:13,080 Speaker 1: so Weston, you know, barring any re injury, you know, 313 00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:16,920 Speaker 1: he's he's he has a very good chance to be 314 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:20,159 Speaker 1: on the World Cup team. He's an absolute star. Um. 315 00:20:20,359 --> 00:20:24,160 Speaker 1: When you talk about the you know, the difficult side 316 00:20:24,200 --> 00:20:25,720 Speaker 1: of it, and this is something kind of you know, 317 00:20:25,840 --> 00:20:29,000 Speaker 1: I'm happy we're talking about it, but because we have 318 00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:32,639 Speaker 1: such a young team, you know, there's bound to be 319 00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:35,240 Speaker 1: some mistakes along the way, right, There's bound to be 320 00:20:35,400 --> 00:20:38,280 Speaker 1: times where these guys mess up, and that's all part 321 00:20:38,359 --> 00:20:41,320 Speaker 1: of it. And and in Weston's case, you know, it 322 00:20:41,480 --> 00:20:43,200 Speaker 1: was a mess up in the in the first window 323 00:20:43,200 --> 00:20:46,040 Speaker 1: of qualifying and we moved on. You know, I think 324 00:20:46,080 --> 00:20:48,880 Speaker 1: he showed how valuable he was after that in qualifying, 325 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:51,359 Speaker 1: and how how dedicated he was to the team. And 326 00:20:52,080 --> 00:20:53,960 Speaker 1: and you know, we're not the type of staff to 327 00:20:54,160 --> 00:20:57,280 Speaker 1: just cast players aside with one mistake. That's not our style. 328 00:20:57,400 --> 00:20:59,920 Speaker 1: You know, we work with the players, We give them opportunity. 329 00:21:00,200 --> 00:21:03,239 Speaker 1: We have clear, you know, values that we represent as 330 00:21:03,240 --> 00:21:05,960 Speaker 1: a group, and players are in line with that. They're 331 00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:08,520 Speaker 1: lying with that. But we also understand that the people 332 00:21:08,520 --> 00:21:11,680 Speaker 1: are gonna make mistakes. But Weston, you know, he's coming 333 00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:13,359 Speaker 1: back from his injury. I had a video, I got 334 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:16,359 Speaker 1: a video yesterday if him walking without without a boot. 335 00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:20,240 Speaker 1: He's making good progress and we absolutely need him when 336 00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:22,080 Speaker 1: he's at his top. When he's at the top of 337 00:21:22,160 --> 00:21:24,919 Speaker 1: his game, we're a much better team. Why what does 338 00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:28,480 Speaker 1: he do specifically, so if you can think about just 339 00:21:28,880 --> 00:21:31,800 Speaker 1: an engine, you know, the engine of your car, when 340 00:21:31,880 --> 00:21:34,600 Speaker 1: he's on When he's on the field, we go to 341 00:21:34,680 --> 00:21:38,720 Speaker 1: five hundred horsepower. I mean, he's powerful. He's he's he's 342 00:21:38,840 --> 00:21:40,960 Speaker 1: one of those examples, you know when you hear Americans 343 00:21:41,040 --> 00:21:44,679 Speaker 1: talk about, oh, if we had an NFL guys playing soccer, 344 00:21:45,119 --> 00:21:49,560 Speaker 1: or if we had NBA guys, He's one of those guys. Yeah, 345 00:21:49,680 --> 00:21:51,600 Speaker 1: that's how elite of an athlete he is. I mean, 346 00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:55,040 Speaker 1: we're at the Cleveland Brown's training facility. He's throwing a football, 347 00:21:55,560 --> 00:21:59,359 Speaker 1: you know, sixty yards, running the opposite direction. He's kicking 348 00:21:59,440 --> 00:22:02,720 Speaker 1: sixty yards field goals. He's you know, he can do everything. 349 00:22:03,200 --> 00:22:08,840 Speaker 1: He's an absolute elite level actlete. In qualifying, I felt 350 00:22:09,119 --> 00:22:13,320 Speaker 1: that in home matches or when we took a lead, 351 00:22:13,560 --> 00:22:16,159 Speaker 1: we play with a great deal of confidence, but you 352 00:22:16,280 --> 00:22:19,640 Speaker 1: have to persevere when you trail or you're away from 353 00:22:19,680 --> 00:22:24,520 Speaker 1: a more friendly environment. I didn't always feel that in qualifying. 354 00:22:24,560 --> 00:22:26,680 Speaker 1: And part of that, to me, it's like the NBA 355 00:22:27,119 --> 00:22:30,040 Speaker 1: young teams do not win playoff series. They don't. The 356 00:22:30,200 --> 00:22:32,159 Speaker 1: crowd has an effect. You get these older guys that 357 00:22:32,200 --> 00:22:34,159 Speaker 1: have been around the league forever. Kevin Durant's going to 358 00:22:34,240 --> 00:22:37,080 Speaker 1: drop thirty a few wherever he plays. But it's a 359 00:22:37,160 --> 00:22:42,320 Speaker 1: young team. How concerned are you? And maybe I'm misguided here, 360 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:47,080 Speaker 1: but I did feel like getting that next level. Greg is, Oh, 361 00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:52,359 Speaker 1: we're down, We're struggling. This is choppy. I gotta make 362 00:22:52,359 --> 00:22:57,920 Speaker 1: a substitution. We're tight. I felt at times in qualifying 363 00:22:58,040 --> 00:23:02,760 Speaker 1: they when it was uncomfortable, they didn't quite have the 364 00:23:02,960 --> 00:23:06,120 Speaker 1: push or the fight. Am I misguided? Do you sense 365 00:23:06,240 --> 00:23:09,080 Speaker 1: that at all? Well? You know that's a tough one. 366 00:23:09,119 --> 00:23:12,200 Speaker 1: I mean, the record speaks for tough with nineteen points 367 00:23:12,240 --> 00:23:14,040 Speaker 1: at home and six points on the road, right, So 368 00:23:14,160 --> 00:23:16,920 Speaker 1: it's hard for me to defend you know, the team 369 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:19,720 Speaker 1: in that respect. But what I would say is when 370 00:23:19,800 --> 00:23:22,600 Speaker 1: push came to shove in our last window, you know, 371 00:23:22,720 --> 00:23:25,639 Speaker 1: we had to go down to Steca and we had 372 00:23:25,680 --> 00:23:30,119 Speaker 1: to play in an extremely hostile environment at altitude, and 373 00:23:30,560 --> 00:23:33,440 Speaker 1: you know we're the third team effort to take a point, 374 00:23:33,760 --> 00:23:37,280 Speaker 1: um us team to take a point off Mexico. So 375 00:23:37,480 --> 00:23:39,959 Speaker 1: what I'd say is that, you know, and we had 376 00:23:40,040 --> 00:23:41,440 Speaker 1: chances to win the game. I don't know if you 377 00:23:41,480 --> 00:23:43,280 Speaker 1: saw that game, but we had number of chances of 378 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:47,240 Speaker 1: win that game. So I agree with you. At times 379 00:23:47,359 --> 00:23:49,640 Speaker 1: we should have been better on the road, and there's 380 00:23:49,640 --> 00:23:52,040 Speaker 1: always circumstances that I can give. You know, it sounds 381 00:23:52,040 --> 00:23:55,000 Speaker 1: like excuses, and it probably is in some regard, But 382 00:23:55,440 --> 00:23:57,119 Speaker 1: what I'd say is that the group got to a 383 00:23:57,240 --> 00:24:00,240 Speaker 1: good point where when we when we need did the 384 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:02,159 Speaker 1: result we got. We got the result we needed and 385 00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:05,960 Speaker 1: we did it you know, our way. Yeah, listen, it's cyclical. 386 00:24:06,040 --> 00:24:09,760 Speaker 1: I feel you have surpassed Mexico over the last eighteen months. 387 00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:14,560 Speaker 1: I feel Canada is surging. I feel you are surging now. 388 00:24:15,040 --> 00:24:17,760 Speaker 1: You know it's we saw this with Germany that got 389 00:24:17,840 --> 00:24:23,600 Speaker 1: old fast. We've seen this with England. What can you do, Greg? 390 00:24:24,359 --> 00:24:27,240 Speaker 1: So you qualify, you feel good? You cross your fingers 391 00:24:27,280 --> 00:24:31,960 Speaker 1: on health. Can the team get better from today until 392 00:24:32,040 --> 00:24:36,720 Speaker 1: the World Cup? How do you tweak it going forward? Yeah? Absolutely. 393 00:24:36,800 --> 00:24:39,800 Speaker 1: We have six more games before the World Cup. You know, 394 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:43,080 Speaker 1: four of them are going to be against opponents that 395 00:24:43,200 --> 00:24:47,320 Speaker 1: we picked specifically because of the World Cup that we 396 00:24:47,400 --> 00:24:50,280 Speaker 1: could meet style of play similar to what we're going 397 00:24:50,320 --> 00:24:53,200 Speaker 1: to see in the World Cup. But it's just time 398 00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:56,280 Speaker 1: together again. The more so if you think about between 399 00:24:56,359 --> 00:24:59,440 Speaker 1: now and the World Cup, there there's about eight months left, 400 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:02,200 Speaker 1: and so we have young players who are going to 401 00:25:02,240 --> 00:25:04,359 Speaker 1: develop in those eight months right there at their clubs. 402 00:25:04,400 --> 00:25:06,240 Speaker 1: They're going to keep improving in those eight months. And 403 00:25:06,320 --> 00:25:08,920 Speaker 1: we're going to be together for six games and that's 404 00:25:08,920 --> 00:25:11,280 Speaker 1: going to make an impact as well. But you know, 405 00:25:11,560 --> 00:25:14,040 Speaker 1: I think we're always as a staff, we're always looking 406 00:25:14,080 --> 00:25:17,359 Speaker 1: to improve. We're always looking to get better. We analyze 407 00:25:17,400 --> 00:25:19,600 Speaker 1: our game and say, okay, what can we get what 408 00:25:19,720 --> 00:25:22,280 Speaker 1: can we improve on? And so we're doing that right 409 00:25:22,320 --> 00:25:24,440 Speaker 1: now and we're going to implement it in June and 410 00:25:24,480 --> 00:25:27,280 Speaker 1: then again in September. You know, Greg, you twenty years 411 00:25:27,320 --> 00:25:30,959 Speaker 1: ago you played on the national team, made the deepest 412 00:25:31,119 --> 00:25:34,840 Speaker 1: run in the quarterfinals and you lost. If I recall 413 00:25:35,400 --> 00:25:38,040 Speaker 1: to a German team that ended up in the finals, 414 00:25:38,080 --> 00:25:42,919 Speaker 1: am I right on that? Okay, take me to that team, 415 00:25:43,920 --> 00:25:49,199 Speaker 1: give me an experience with that team that this current 416 00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:53,600 Speaker 1: roster is capable of matching a secret sauce with that 417 00:25:53,720 --> 00:25:58,480 Speaker 1: team beyond just skill, that there was something there in 418 00:25:58,600 --> 00:26:01,600 Speaker 1: the room that you think you're trying to, by the way, 419 00:26:02,040 --> 00:26:05,200 Speaker 1: create and give to this team. Yeah. No, so I 420 00:26:05,800 --> 00:26:08,080 Speaker 1: have it right off the bat because I thought a 421 00:26:08,119 --> 00:26:11,040 Speaker 1: lot about it and the two thousand and two team 422 00:26:11,640 --> 00:26:14,240 Speaker 1: loved each other. They enjoyed being around each other. We 423 00:26:14,840 --> 00:26:17,520 Speaker 1: cherished every single moment we had in camp together. And 424 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:21,120 Speaker 1: this team is no different. That's the parallel that right 425 00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:25,040 Speaker 1: away like, this team is so close together it's crazy. 426 00:26:25,560 --> 00:26:29,000 Speaker 1: And that's what you know. That's how you overachieve, right 427 00:26:29,040 --> 00:26:31,760 Speaker 1: I mean the time in the Urine Sports World, time 428 00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:34,720 Speaker 1: and time again, you see stories of teams that they're 429 00:26:34,800 --> 00:26:37,080 Speaker 1: super close as a group and they and they achieve 430 00:26:37,200 --> 00:26:39,680 Speaker 1: great things together. So when you add the level of 431 00:26:39,760 --> 00:26:42,400 Speaker 1: skill we have even though we're young, and you add 432 00:26:42,440 --> 00:26:46,240 Speaker 1: the togetherness of the group, I think we can do 433 00:26:46,680 --> 00:26:50,560 Speaker 1: good things to world. Up Greg there is a balance 434 00:26:50,680 --> 00:26:54,000 Speaker 1: of having a star player and then being overly reliant 435 00:26:54,119 --> 00:26:57,440 Speaker 1: on a messier Ronaldo. And one of the problems of 436 00:26:57,520 --> 00:27:01,000 Speaker 1: that is your opponents can identify that otis Panama got 437 00:27:01,280 --> 00:27:05,320 Speaker 1: very chippy with Polisic. You smartly, I mean I literally 438 00:27:05,640 --> 00:27:08,400 Speaker 1: tweeted it, get him out. I think boom, you pulled 439 00:27:08,440 --> 00:27:10,879 Speaker 1: him out. So you saw the same thing. How do 440 00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:15,880 Speaker 1: you create a synergy on the team where you need 441 00:27:16,080 --> 00:27:18,960 Speaker 1: and can rely on Christian in big moments, but are 442 00:27:19,000 --> 00:27:23,159 Speaker 1: not overly dependent on him. Because it's very clear to 443 00:27:23,280 --> 00:27:25,320 Speaker 1: me over the last since you took this team over. 444 00:27:26,280 --> 00:27:30,920 Speaker 1: He's a target. People are coming after him physically, yep. 445 00:27:31,600 --> 00:27:33,720 Speaker 1: And part of that has to do with his skill 446 00:27:33,760 --> 00:27:36,240 Speaker 1: set and how he's most effective. You know, a lot 447 00:27:36,280 --> 00:27:37,919 Speaker 1: of times he likes the ball to feet, He likes 448 00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:40,280 Speaker 1: to dribble with the ball, so by nature you have 449 00:27:40,440 --> 00:27:43,080 Speaker 1: the ball longer, and by nature you can be fouled easier. 450 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:50,120 Speaker 1: But with him in particular, it's just us understanding team, 451 00:27:50,440 --> 00:27:53,760 Speaker 1: the team, the coaches, and his teammates understanding what makes 452 00:27:53,880 --> 00:27:57,720 Speaker 1: him special and then utilizing him in that way. He's 453 00:27:57,840 --> 00:28:00,280 Speaker 1: very good at arriving in the penalty box, he's very 454 00:28:00,320 --> 00:28:02,720 Speaker 1: good at scoring goals when he does, and that's what 455 00:28:02,840 --> 00:28:05,280 Speaker 1: we need to focus on. And I think, and then 456 00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:09,359 Speaker 1: him understanding that there's no extra pressure on him to 457 00:28:09,480 --> 00:28:12,000 Speaker 1: do more. He just needs to be himself because that's 458 00:28:12,080 --> 00:28:15,040 Speaker 1: good enough for us. And I think once he comes 459 00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:18,800 Speaker 1: to that realization, and then his teammates know how to 460 00:28:18,920 --> 00:28:21,840 Speaker 1: utilize him in the best possible way, he's gonna he's 461 00:28:21,880 --> 00:28:25,440 Speaker 1: gonna shine for us. Greg. Every great team has a 462 00:28:25,520 --> 00:28:29,840 Speaker 1: glue guy baseball football. It doesn't matter that two thousand 463 00:28:29,840 --> 00:28:31,960 Speaker 1: and two team you may have been a glue guy. 464 00:28:32,560 --> 00:28:34,760 Speaker 1: If I said to you in your locker room, who 465 00:28:34,840 --> 00:28:39,280 Speaker 1: gets no press? Who do we not discuss? This person 466 00:28:39,400 --> 00:28:41,960 Speaker 1: may not score a lot of goals, but there is 467 00:28:42,160 --> 00:28:46,200 Speaker 1: an there is a quality about this player that is 468 00:28:46,320 --> 00:28:50,640 Speaker 1: so vital to you as a coach. Yeah. I mean 469 00:28:50,760 --> 00:28:53,240 Speaker 1: we talk about it that all the time with the group. 470 00:28:53,320 --> 00:28:57,160 Speaker 1: But Anthony Robinson is definitely a glue guy. You know, 471 00:28:57,280 --> 00:29:00,120 Speaker 1: he has this way to relate to people that just 472 00:29:00,560 --> 00:29:04,400 Speaker 1: you know, he endears them. Um. Christian rol Dan is 473 00:29:04,440 --> 00:29:08,200 Speaker 1: another guy who just brings everyone together, brings everyone around him. 474 00:29:08,200 --> 00:29:12,040 Speaker 1: He's great at that and um, and overall, what I'd 475 00:29:12,040 --> 00:29:15,280 Speaker 1: say is the group gets along really well together. And 476 00:29:15,800 --> 00:29:17,680 Speaker 1: so you have, you know a mix of the glue 477 00:29:17,680 --> 00:29:19,760 Speaker 1: guys and then you have these the stars with not 478 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:23,720 Speaker 1: big egos, and it makes for a really good atmosphere 479 00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:28,080 Speaker 1: and a competitive but fun group to be around. Uh. 480 00:29:28,360 --> 00:29:31,280 Speaker 1: You know, soccer fans are going to pick apart my interview, 481 00:29:31,320 --> 00:29:32,880 Speaker 1: so I'm gonna be a real novice here. But I 482 00:29:33,000 --> 00:29:35,840 Speaker 1: was a LAFC season ticket holder. Walker Zimmerman was on 483 00:29:35,920 --> 00:29:39,080 Speaker 1: the team and I was watching a couple of matches 484 00:29:39,080 --> 00:29:41,080 Speaker 1: and I turned to a friend and I said, they 485 00:29:41,160 --> 00:29:42,600 Speaker 1: have to figure out a way to get him on 486 00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:47,360 Speaker 1: the World Cup team. I said, his size is unique. 487 00:29:47,960 --> 00:29:50,400 Speaker 1: He is if you look at many of the really good, 488 00:29:50,760 --> 00:29:54,400 Speaker 1: high quality German Germany often has size. And I said, 489 00:29:54,400 --> 00:29:57,239 Speaker 1: I feel like he's just a different body type for us. 490 00:29:57,640 --> 00:30:01,000 Speaker 1: So as I say that again as somebody who loves 491 00:30:01,040 --> 00:30:03,760 Speaker 1: the sport but is far and away, I feel like 492 00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:08,480 Speaker 1: an outsider to the sport. Did that did that constitute 493 00:30:08,560 --> 00:30:12,520 Speaker 1: any importance to you that he just is a different 494 00:30:12,840 --> 00:30:16,440 Speaker 1: type of athlete for you? You know what it came 495 00:30:16,520 --> 00:30:20,840 Speaker 1: down to was his domination in duels. So when there's 496 00:30:20,960 --> 00:30:24,040 Speaker 1: loose balls, when there's balls in the air, when there's challenges, 497 00:30:24,560 --> 00:30:26,880 Speaker 1: you know he's winning them convincingly. And what it does 498 00:30:27,040 --> 00:30:29,800 Speaker 1: is it gives the team is freedom to play higher 499 00:30:29,880 --> 00:30:32,720 Speaker 1: up the field and be really aggressive moving forward because 500 00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:35,280 Speaker 1: you know, anything that comes out, he's going to win 501 00:30:35,360 --> 00:30:38,680 Speaker 1: the ball and win the ball cleanly. And that's really 502 00:30:38,720 --> 00:30:41,760 Speaker 1: important for senate defenders. And Miles Robinson does that really well, 503 00:30:41,840 --> 00:30:44,560 Speaker 1: Chris Richards does that really well. And the guys that 504 00:30:44,680 --> 00:30:47,200 Speaker 1: we have gone to lates, there are senate defenders that 505 00:30:47,280 --> 00:30:50,040 Speaker 1: we've gone to have had those qualities and Walker certainly 506 00:30:50,080 --> 00:30:53,160 Speaker 1: embodies that. Not only that, but I think he's a 507 00:30:53,880 --> 00:30:56,200 Speaker 1: very good leader. You know, he's a guy that people 508 00:30:56,280 --> 00:30:58,880 Speaker 1: get behind and people you know, he can inspire people 509 00:30:58,920 --> 00:31:03,640 Speaker 1: with his performances. During qualifying, you can still experiment, although 510 00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:07,600 Speaker 1: there's an urgency to win. Do you feel like you're 511 00:31:07,680 --> 00:31:10,600 Speaker 1: past the experimental stage? Or will you take these next 512 00:31:10,720 --> 00:31:14,760 Speaker 1: six matches and tweak and keep tweaking up to the 513 00:31:14,800 --> 00:31:17,640 Speaker 1: World Cup and perhaps in the World Cup. I think 514 00:31:17,960 --> 00:31:20,280 Speaker 1: leading up to the World Cup is time is a 515 00:31:20,360 --> 00:31:23,160 Speaker 1: time where we can look at alternate formations. We could 516 00:31:23,200 --> 00:31:27,080 Speaker 1: look at our alternate personnel, how they're fitting together, because 517 00:31:27,160 --> 00:31:29,520 Speaker 1: you want to have variation going into the World Cup. 518 00:31:30,120 --> 00:31:33,040 Speaker 1: You know, you never know what happens. You know. The 519 00:31:33,200 --> 00:31:36,120 Speaker 1: story I'll give you is, you know, with Bruce in 520 00:31:36,200 --> 00:31:37,760 Speaker 1: two thousand and two, that was the team that went 521 00:31:37,840 --> 00:31:40,280 Speaker 1: the furthest of any team in the modern day, and 522 00:31:40,600 --> 00:31:44,760 Speaker 1: in the second round game we completely change formations. Then 523 00:31:45,040 --> 00:31:48,840 Speaker 1: we've done something that we hadn't done before and you know, 524 00:31:49,040 --> 00:31:50,800 Speaker 1: we were able to execute it. And then we did 525 00:31:50,880 --> 00:31:53,080 Speaker 1: the same thing in the Germany game. But the point 526 00:31:53,200 --> 00:31:55,720 Speaker 1: being is that you want to have this stuff rehearse 527 00:31:55,880 --> 00:31:57,520 Speaker 1: that when you go into the World Cup when you 528 00:31:57,640 --> 00:32:01,080 Speaker 1: need to vary your game plan. You know, the guys 529 00:32:01,160 --> 00:32:03,640 Speaker 1: know what to do. Greg. Finally, if I said to you, 530 00:32:04,760 --> 00:32:09,520 Speaker 1: the United States men team is at its very best 531 00:32:09,680 --> 00:32:14,600 Speaker 1: on the field when blank. I think when we're aggressive, 532 00:32:14,960 --> 00:32:17,760 Speaker 1: when we're when we're running behind the opponent, when we're 533 00:32:18,640 --> 00:32:20,920 Speaker 1: on the front foot. I think those are the things 534 00:32:20,960 --> 00:32:22,560 Speaker 1: like when I look at all our games that we're 535 00:32:22,640 --> 00:32:25,200 Speaker 1: really strong, and you know that those are qualities that 536 00:32:25,760 --> 00:32:27,840 Speaker 1: that we have we need to be. We're a team 537 00:32:27,920 --> 00:32:30,160 Speaker 1: that needs to be aggressive attacking. We need to we 538 00:32:30,280 --> 00:32:32,200 Speaker 1: need to get behind opponents, so we need to threaten 539 00:32:32,240 --> 00:32:34,320 Speaker 1: the opponents at all time. I think that's a that's 540 00:32:34,320 --> 00:32:36,360 Speaker 1: a quality that we need that Do you have the 541 00:32:36,440 --> 00:32:39,160 Speaker 1: confidence level now with this young team that you could 542 00:32:39,200 --> 00:32:43,200 Speaker 1: play that attacking style against top four or five World 543 00:32:43,280 --> 00:32:47,720 Speaker 1: Cup teams? It's that's a good question. That's a good question. 544 00:32:47,760 --> 00:32:50,080 Speaker 1: You can get burned very quick now. I think we 545 00:32:50,360 --> 00:32:53,920 Speaker 1: you know it's something where you know you need. I 546 00:32:54,040 --> 00:32:56,880 Speaker 1: think in any type of top level international soccer, you 547 00:32:56,960 --> 00:32:59,000 Speaker 1: need to be balanced. There needs to be like you 548 00:32:59,080 --> 00:33:01,400 Speaker 1: need to control the transition moments right when you lose 549 00:33:01,440 --> 00:33:03,360 Speaker 1: the ball, you need to be able to control right 550 00:33:03,360 --> 00:33:04,720 Speaker 1: and when you win the ball, you need to be 551 00:33:04,760 --> 00:33:07,040 Speaker 1: able to control that moment that you can you can 552 00:33:07,040 --> 00:33:10,920 Speaker 1: attack right away. So that's really important international soccer. And 553 00:33:11,320 --> 00:33:13,840 Speaker 1: and for us we're you know, that's still something we're 554 00:33:13,880 --> 00:33:17,040 Speaker 1: getting better and we're improving in UM. But you know, 555 00:33:17,120 --> 00:33:19,920 Speaker 1: the top four in soccer is a high level UM 556 00:33:20,280 --> 00:33:22,840 Speaker 1: for sure. But on any given day, that's why you 557 00:33:22,880 --> 00:33:24,520 Speaker 1: play the game because you can. You know, they need 558 00:33:24,560 --> 00:33:27,720 Speaker 1: to show up and we need to show up. What 559 00:33:27,880 --> 00:33:30,120 Speaker 1: a pleasure, Greg, thank you so much for time. I 560 00:33:30,280 --> 00:33:33,160 Speaker 1: love this, Thanks for having me. It's great talking to 561 00:33:33,560 --> 00:33:54,360 Speaker 1: Greg Berhalter the Volume. Make sure to check out the 562 00:33:54,480 --> 00:33:57,920 Speaker 1: dram On Green Show. I brought Draymond Green into the 563 00:33:58,000 --> 00:34:00,760 Speaker 1: volume because one of the more entertaining voices in sports, 564 00:34:00,960 --> 00:34:05,120 Speaker 1: unique perspective understands behind the rope. Also chops up with 565 00:34:05,240 --> 00:34:09,000 Speaker 1: guests like Gary Peyton, Zach Levine, Tracy McGrady. Make sure 566 00:34:09,280 --> 00:34:13,319 Speaker 1: download The Draymond Green Show wherever you get your podcasts, 567 00:34:13,520 --> 00:34:17,000 Speaker 1: only on the Volume podcast Network.