1 00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:04,359 Speaker 1: Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where I survived Vegas, 2 00:00:04,600 --> 00:00:08,520 Speaker 1: survived Arizona, and just arrived in Los Angeles. Try to 3 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:11,080 Speaker 1: keep up, y'all. It's Monday, March third, and on today's show, 4 00:00:11,080 --> 00:00:12,600 Speaker 1: we're skipping the news to get you right to my 5 00:00:12,640 --> 00:00:15,600 Speaker 1: interview with Boss Nation GM Dome guasc. We talked about 6 00:00:15,600 --> 00:00:18,680 Speaker 1: building a club from scratch, getting into coaching at age fourteen, 7 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:21,439 Speaker 1: and how to pitch players in the post draft era. 8 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:23,920 Speaker 1: Plus should his son be afraid of the Green Monster? 9 00:00:24,280 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 1: I gave him a pop quiz to see how much 10 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:28,160 Speaker 1: he knows about his new hometown. That interview's coming up 11 00:00:28,240 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 1: right after this. Joining us now, he's the first general 12 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:40,239 Speaker 1: manager for NWSL expansion team Boss Nation Football Club. The 13 00:00:40,280 --> 00:00:42,960 Speaker 1: former head of management for women's football at Barcelona. He 14 00:00:43,000 --> 00:00:45,680 Speaker 1: also previously worked at Barca Academy Head of America, where 15 00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:48,519 Speaker 1: he led the strategy for recruitment and development across the continent. 16 00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:53,000 Speaker 1: His son's favorite player is Alexia Puteis. It's Dome, Guasc Dome, 17 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:54,160 Speaker 1: thanks for joining us. 18 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:57,000 Speaker 2: Thank you for having me, Sarah. 19 00:00:57,040 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 1: You're the first representative for the Boston team we've had 20 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:01,440 Speaker 1: on the show. I have to start with the obvious. 21 00:01:01,720 --> 00:01:04,240 Speaker 1: The last time fans heard from the Boston team reps 22 00:01:04,280 --> 00:01:06,759 Speaker 1: back in December, sounded like there might be some big 23 00:01:06,840 --> 00:01:08,920 Speaker 1: changes to the team name in branding. So do you 24 00:01:08,959 --> 00:01:10,600 Speaker 1: have any updates you can tell us. 25 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:15,320 Speaker 2: Look, I have some colleagues that are putting its tremendous 26 00:01:15,319 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 2: effort on that end, and I know sometime soon we'll 27 00:01:19,160 --> 00:01:24,080 Speaker 2: have some news to the public that's hopefully we'll get 28 00:01:24,080 --> 00:01:25,120 Speaker 2: everybody excited about. 29 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:29,840 Speaker 1: Okay, okay, we're excited. You spent thirteen years at FC Barcelona, 30 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:32,360 Speaker 1: most recently as the head of management for women's football. 31 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:35,319 Speaker 1: The Spanish women's national team won the last World Cup 32 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:37,679 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty three. I imagine the women's game out 33 00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:40,399 Speaker 1: there is hotter than ever, so what a time for 34 00:01:40,480 --> 00:01:42,560 Speaker 1: you to leave what drew you to America in to 35 00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:43,400 Speaker 1: the NWSL. 36 00:01:44,480 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 2: Look, honestly, it's been always a leak that it has 37 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:53,280 Speaker 2: stanned out to me being someone that like once I 38 00:01:53,400 --> 00:01:55,400 Speaker 2: got to grasp in the women's game, I knew I 39 00:01:55,400 --> 00:02:00,400 Speaker 2: wanted to dedicate my life to it right and regard 40 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:02,920 Speaker 2: as much as it is growing in Spain and especially 41 00:02:02,960 --> 00:02:05,400 Speaker 2: being at Barcelona. I felt very fulfilled, but at the 42 00:02:05,440 --> 00:02:09,240 Speaker 2: same time, I had that desire of at some point 43 00:02:09,280 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 2: stepping away from from Barcelona, and yeah, well I'm born 44 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:17,080 Speaker 2: and raised there, a fan for my entire life, and 45 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:20,959 Speaker 2: that was sort of my dream job. At the same time, Yeah, 46 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:23,960 Speaker 2: I'm an ambitious person. I like to grow, I like 47 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:26,800 Speaker 2: to develop, and I wanted to do that right outside 48 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 2: of that safe umbrella that I had built with the 49 00:02:30,480 --> 00:02:35,120 Speaker 2: thirteen years plus being there. And in that regard, obviously 50 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:37,440 Speaker 2: it had to be the right step, right. I didn't 51 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:41,440 Speaker 2: want to just do it for any other job, and 52 00:02:41,680 --> 00:02:43,480 Speaker 2: it had to be the right one. And in that regard, 53 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:46,200 Speaker 2: I always like in my mind, while I had no 54 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:50,840 Speaker 2: timeline for that step, in my mind, the US obviously 55 00:02:50,919 --> 00:02:54,080 Speaker 2: always stood up high. As you mentioned before, I had 56 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:56,920 Speaker 2: lived here before, so I had been here with my family. 57 00:02:56,919 --> 00:02:59,359 Speaker 2: In fact, my son was born here in the States, 58 00:03:00,680 --> 00:03:03,320 Speaker 2: so it was like sort of a familiar environment for 59 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:07,000 Speaker 2: us on one hand. On the other hand, it's where 60 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:10,640 Speaker 2: women's football has always been big. At the same time, 61 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:14,480 Speaker 2: there's still a lot of room to grow and progress, right, 62 00:03:14,520 --> 00:03:17,840 Speaker 2: So it's the right combination of those two things. And 63 00:03:18,480 --> 00:03:21,480 Speaker 2: I would say especially it's the fact that this is 64 00:03:21,520 --> 00:03:25,560 Speaker 2: across the board, right, It's across the entire league. It's 65 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:29,600 Speaker 2: a league where, hey, across the board provides I would say, 66 00:03:29,800 --> 00:03:35,800 Speaker 2: the highest level of environment in the world, right, Like, well, yeah, thankfully, 67 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:38,160 Speaker 2: and it's a greate that it's growing everywhere. It's great 68 00:03:38,200 --> 00:03:41,960 Speaker 2: that it's growing in Spain, my home country. There's still 69 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:45,800 Speaker 2: a huge gap between certain clubs, right and Barcelona where 70 00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:49,760 Speaker 2: I was at, too many other clubs in the league, 71 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:52,800 Speaker 2: and honestly, I don't think the league is doing enough 72 00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 2: to improve that. While here we have a league that 73 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:59,360 Speaker 2: it's hey, not only across the board, and the standards 74 00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:02,400 Speaker 2: are definitely higher across the board compared to the rest 75 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:06,040 Speaker 2: of the world, but there's still also the ambition of 76 00:04:06,840 --> 00:04:08,920 Speaker 2: this is not enough, right, we have to grow, And 77 00:04:08,960 --> 00:04:12,680 Speaker 2: that's how I see things that this is what excites me. Yeah, 78 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:15,480 Speaker 2: we perhaps might be in a better place than other 79 00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:18,960 Speaker 2: clubs and other leagues. There's still a lot to do, 80 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:21,560 Speaker 2: and there's the ambition to do that, right, So that's 81 00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:23,360 Speaker 2: what attracted me the most. 82 00:04:23,880 --> 00:04:25,760 Speaker 1: You said, as soon as you got into the women's game, 83 00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:27,279 Speaker 1: you knew that's what you wanted to stick with. 84 00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:31,240 Speaker 2: Why I feel it's still pure football, you know, it's 85 00:04:31,279 --> 00:04:35,120 Speaker 2: still player center. While obviously we want. We wanted to 86 00:04:35,200 --> 00:04:38,240 Speaker 2: keep it that way. And while we're excited about that 87 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:43,760 Speaker 2: it's growing also as a business, it still keeps that pearness, 88 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:47,440 Speaker 2: that that essence of the football because a lot of 89 00:04:47,480 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 2: those players, unfortunately when they were growing up and they 90 00:04:50,320 --> 00:04:53,040 Speaker 2: were fighting many things, they were doing it for the 91 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 2: love of the sport and not because they wanted to 92 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:00,480 Speaker 2: make a living, because they saw that very hard and 93 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:04,760 Speaker 2: it would hardly happen. And like in living especially at Barcelona, 94 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:09,080 Speaker 2: right in being surrounded by by those top players that, yeah, 95 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:11,640 Speaker 2: as much as their top players, at the same time, 96 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:16,120 Speaker 2: they're just people that loves playing football, right, That's how 97 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:19,960 Speaker 2: I would describe them, and and it still gives that 98 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:22,480 Speaker 2: essence and obviously want to be part of that. That's 99 00:05:22,520 --> 00:05:25,880 Speaker 2: how I like what makes me fulfilled, right, the part 100 00:05:25,920 --> 00:05:29,360 Speaker 2: that hey, we're doing something more. It's not just a business. 101 00:05:29,760 --> 00:05:34,960 Speaker 2: It's something that we're gathering community, We're changing society. We're 102 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:38,599 Speaker 2: like just providing a platform for many kids that would 103 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:41,400 Speaker 2: have it very hard in life to to just have 104 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:43,360 Speaker 2: it a little bit better, right and building have it's 105 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:49,040 Speaker 2: building behaviors and like creating role models for little gals 106 00:05:49,120 --> 00:05:50,880 Speaker 2: that in the past did not have that, right, So 107 00:05:51,040 --> 00:05:55,159 Speaker 2: all those things that excite me a lot make me 108 00:05:55,160 --> 00:06:00,640 Speaker 2: feel fulfilled, right and yeah, so that's that's that's the 109 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:01,279 Speaker 2: the reason why. 110 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:04,560 Speaker 1: I mean, what's it been like adapting to life in Boston. 111 00:06:05,400 --> 00:06:09,359 Speaker 2: Look, I still I'm working on that. I've been here 112 00:06:09,480 --> 00:06:14,280 Speaker 2: for I would say two months ish, right, So still 113 00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:18,760 Speaker 2: again working working on that, especially obviously now being being 114 00:06:18,800 --> 00:06:21,039 Speaker 2: that a lot of people tells me like, you've come 115 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:25,400 Speaker 2: in the worst moment. The way I see this, it 116 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:29,800 Speaker 2: cannot get worse, right, so exctly getting better, getting better. 117 00:06:29,839 --> 00:06:32,000 Speaker 1: So also you just want to stay inside and work, 118 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:35,719 Speaker 1: which is great. Just eyes on the prize, stay focused. Okay, 119 00:06:35,800 --> 00:06:38,000 Speaker 1: this is very unfair to do to you after just 120 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:39,920 Speaker 1: two months, But I'm going to give you a Boston 121 00:06:40,040 --> 00:06:42,440 Speaker 1: speed round and see if you know the answers to 122 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:44,359 Speaker 1: these questions, and if not, these will be things for 123 00:06:44,400 --> 00:06:46,279 Speaker 1: you to work on because everyone's gonna expect you to 124 00:06:46,279 --> 00:06:48,719 Speaker 1: know them. Okay, what is the Green Monster? 125 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:50,960 Speaker 2: I don't know. I'm going to know the answer to that. 126 00:06:51,160 --> 00:06:53,479 Speaker 1: Okay, So the Green Monster is the big outfield wall 127 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:55,800 Speaker 1: at Fenway Park where the Boston Red Sox play. 128 00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:59,280 Speaker 2: Okay, yeah, I've driven by a few times. 129 00:06:59,520 --> 00:07:01,640 Speaker 1: Try to hit home run over the Green Monster? Okay, 130 00:07:01,920 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 1: who is the hick from French Lit? 131 00:07:04,120 --> 00:07:08,679 Speaker 2: Look, I definitely need to improve my okay, my Boston knowledge, 132 00:07:08,720 --> 00:07:11,920 Speaker 2: and that is something that I will even put on 133 00:07:11,960 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 2: the team because they told me they had shown me 134 00:07:14,840 --> 00:07:16,480 Speaker 2: a few of this stuff. But the fact that I 135 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:17,880 Speaker 2: don't know, I'm getting ashamed. 136 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:21,080 Speaker 1: So the hick from French Lick is Larry Bird. Have 137 00:07:21,160 --> 00:07:22,680 Speaker 1: they told you about him? Yeah? 138 00:07:22,720 --> 00:07:25,320 Speaker 2: Oh no, Well of course I know Larry Bird Okay, 139 00:07:25,560 --> 00:07:29,640 Speaker 2: is a myth, a legend, definitely one that I know. 140 00:07:30,080 --> 00:07:30,600 Speaker 2: What about? 141 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:33,200 Speaker 1: Do you know what sport the Boston Fleet play? 142 00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:37,560 Speaker 2: Of course I've been to their yeah, this season up 143 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:40,240 Speaker 2: in Lowell, so yeah, of course hockey. 144 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:42,280 Speaker 1: Okay, we got that when we love that, you know, 145 00:07:42,320 --> 00:07:44,240 Speaker 1: the women's sports one instead of the men's sports. We 146 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:45,360 Speaker 1: actually love that on the show. 147 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:47,480 Speaker 2: That was the first thing I did like. Actually when 148 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:51,080 Speaker 2: when I came to Boston was back in December when 149 00:07:51,120 --> 00:07:52,880 Speaker 2: they played their first game, right, So yeah, it was 150 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:56,960 Speaker 2: up in Lowell watching them. Unfortunately they lost that one, 151 00:07:57,040 --> 00:07:59,760 Speaker 2: but I had a lot of fun and looking forward 152 00:07:59,840 --> 00:08:01,240 Speaker 2: to go there with with my family. 153 00:08:01,240 --> 00:08:04,040 Speaker 1: The actual love it. Okay, two more, what's the special 154 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:06,320 Speaker 1: kind of bowling that they do in Boston. 155 00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:08,640 Speaker 2: Bowling, that one I don't know. 156 00:08:08,880 --> 00:08:12,360 Speaker 1: Okay, it's called candle pin bowling. In my opinion, it's 157 00:08:12,360 --> 00:08:14,560 Speaker 1: fore inferior, not as fun. But don't say that to 158 00:08:14,600 --> 00:08:17,160 Speaker 1: people in the Boston area. Okay, all right, just pretending 159 00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:22,320 Speaker 1: between yes. And then finally, what's your dunk in order? 160 00:08:22,800 --> 00:08:26,000 Speaker 2: My dunking order is I would say very European one. 161 00:08:26,240 --> 00:08:30,880 Speaker 2: It's express a shop. That's my my dunking order. I 162 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:35,240 Speaker 2: can't say to that. I've been to the original Dunkin 163 00:08:35,280 --> 00:08:38,959 Speaker 2: Dunnuts already. I live in Quincy, so that's where I'm moved, 164 00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:41,880 Speaker 2: so it's in town right there, and that was one 165 00:08:41,920 --> 00:08:44,880 Speaker 2: of the first things that I did. My son loves Dunnuts, 166 00:08:44,960 --> 00:08:49,440 Speaker 2: so there we go, in his case, and he loves 167 00:08:49,520 --> 00:08:50,840 Speaker 2: the show very ones. 168 00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:53,560 Speaker 1: There we go. If you need to find a real 169 00:08:53,640 --> 00:08:57,480 Speaker 1: coffee shop, feel free. Don't let those Boston folks make 170 00:08:57,480 --> 00:09:00,240 Speaker 1: you go to Dunkin every day. There's better coffee out there, Okay. 171 00:09:00,360 --> 00:09:02,640 Speaker 1: Don't judge all of American coffee by Duncan. And I 172 00:09:02,640 --> 00:09:04,840 Speaker 1: know people are gonna yell at me, but Duncan is 173 00:09:04,880 --> 00:09:06,280 Speaker 1: not my jam. 174 00:09:06,559 --> 00:09:09,120 Speaker 2: Okay. I know, Samu is one. Just to half ye 175 00:09:09,400 --> 00:09:12,920 Speaker 2: sunking coffee's right, which I have to agree to hair 176 00:09:13,280 --> 00:09:14,000 Speaker 2: on that web. 177 00:09:14,160 --> 00:09:16,200 Speaker 1: Yes, that's a smart person to make happy. 178 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:18,280 Speaker 2: That's it. I'll deal with it. 179 00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:20,800 Speaker 1: You'll figure it out, you'll get used to it. Okay, 180 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:23,240 Speaker 1: So let's get to how you started with soccer, because 181 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:25,120 Speaker 1: I read that you not only were playing as a 182 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:28,640 Speaker 1: young kid, but you started coaching at fourteen. How is 183 00:09:28,679 --> 00:09:30,800 Speaker 1: that not a typo? How did the coaching bug bite 184 00:09:30,840 --> 00:09:32,040 Speaker 1: you at fourteen years old? 185 00:09:32,640 --> 00:09:36,560 Speaker 2: Honestly, it was I didn't even have that in my mind, 186 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:38,520 Speaker 2: you know, like the thirteen year old that was only 187 00:09:38,559 --> 00:09:41,640 Speaker 2: focused on like hopefully of making a career in football. 188 00:09:42,200 --> 00:09:46,200 Speaker 2: And honestly, like at that time, I remember in my 189 00:09:46,559 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 2: club they changed my coach. Thinks we're not working out 190 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:54,320 Speaker 2: that much with him. And in the interim time, the 191 00:09:54,320 --> 00:09:58,400 Speaker 2: director of the academy replaced the coach that we had, 192 00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:01,280 Speaker 2: and I was the kind of the team. I spent 193 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:03,480 Speaker 2: a lot of time with him on like trying to 194 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:06,040 Speaker 2: figure out, okay, what did not work with the old coach, 195 00:10:06,280 --> 00:10:11,439 Speaker 2: what should we do to arrange it? And then we 196 00:10:11,559 --> 00:10:14,720 Speaker 2: just kept this relationship where it was very close, very honest. 197 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:17,160 Speaker 2: After every game we would speak about the game and whatnot. 198 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:19,720 Speaker 2: And one day he comes to me and says, hey, like, 199 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:23,400 Speaker 2: do you want to be a coach? And I was like, 200 00:10:24,800 --> 00:10:28,440 Speaker 2: I've never thought about it, right honestly, But he said like, yeah, 201 00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:30,920 Speaker 2: you know, you talk a lot about you. I can 202 00:10:31,000 --> 00:10:32,840 Speaker 2: tell you like it a lot of the football part, 203 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:36,000 Speaker 2: analyzing and what's going on. And you know, we got 204 00:10:36,000 --> 00:10:40,120 Speaker 2: this group of moms that want to bring their five 205 00:10:40,200 --> 00:10:42,360 Speaker 2: year olds, but we don't have a coach for them. 206 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:46,080 Speaker 2: So I thought that you could be a coach for 207 00:10:46,120 --> 00:10:48,440 Speaker 2: them because I think you can handle them, right, You're 208 00:10:48,640 --> 00:10:51,160 Speaker 2: mature enough to do that. And he said to me like, 209 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:53,240 Speaker 2: and I'll be by your side helping you out. And 210 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:56,520 Speaker 2: that's how I started making I remember thirty years a 211 00:10:56,520 --> 00:10:59,720 Speaker 2: month doing that coaching them. 212 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:02,720 Speaker 1: Not that for fourteen. What do you really need to buy? 213 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:04,400 Speaker 1: Like a milkshake? And that's it? Right? 214 00:11:04,480 --> 00:11:07,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, it was great. It was great. I'm and I 215 00:11:08,000 --> 00:11:12,000 Speaker 2: remember like that. That's sort of how the back like started. 216 00:11:12,120 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 2: I started liking it. And I remember when I turned sixteen, 217 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:20,360 Speaker 2: the club faith for my first license, which would be 218 00:11:20,520 --> 00:11:23,480 Speaker 2: sort of now the with a zero license, and at 219 00:11:23,520 --> 00:11:26,680 Speaker 2: that time I was more serious about it, but still 220 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:32,280 Speaker 2: probably wanted to still be you, meaning my pathway was journalism. 221 00:11:32,440 --> 00:11:37,520 Speaker 2: That's not where my focus had always been, and that's 222 00:11:37,559 --> 00:11:41,400 Speaker 2: where I went to college at first for But I 223 00:11:41,440 --> 00:11:43,720 Speaker 2: remember I had to do college for two like I 224 00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:46,800 Speaker 2: had to do journalism plus another. 225 00:11:48,120 --> 00:11:48,920 Speaker 1: Major subject. 226 00:11:49,120 --> 00:11:51,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, major in the college in the in the school 227 00:11:51,679 --> 00:11:54,240 Speaker 2: that I went to, and I chose politics, so I 228 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:58,000 Speaker 2: would do morning politics and then I would do afternoon 229 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:01,360 Speaker 2: evening journalism. The only issue was that I had a 230 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:05,760 Speaker 2: team I was coaching, like coincide with the journalism classes, right, 231 00:12:05,760 --> 00:12:07,880 Speaker 2: so I would miss like I think it was every 232 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:12,560 Speaker 2: Tuesdays and Thursdays. I would miss classes journalists to go 233 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:16,080 Speaker 2: coach my team because I loved it. But I saw 234 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:19,920 Speaker 2: it as a hobby, right. It was something that especially 235 00:12:19,960 --> 00:12:22,640 Speaker 2: like in Spain, you cannot unless you work for a 236 00:12:22,640 --> 00:12:25,160 Speaker 2: big club. When you're in the youth soccer. That's a 237 00:12:25,160 --> 00:12:28,120 Speaker 2: hobby where you make some extra but then you have 238 00:12:28,240 --> 00:12:31,160 Speaker 2: to find a real job, right, And my dad was 239 00:12:31,200 --> 00:12:33,560 Speaker 2: all into that, like, hey, you have to have a 240 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:37,160 Speaker 2: real job. So I did that, and I remember, like 241 00:12:37,240 --> 00:12:39,560 Speaker 2: my clique moment was one day I met with a 242 00:12:39,600 --> 00:12:43,880 Speaker 2: professor who called me to his office and I had 243 00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:46,839 Speaker 2: never met with him because he only did one class 244 00:12:47,080 --> 00:12:49,920 Speaker 2: on Tuesdays and I had never gone to those classes. Yeah, 245 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:52,880 Speaker 2: so he told me, like he was like, yeah, I 246 00:12:52,920 --> 00:12:56,679 Speaker 2: thought you had create college. But then I asked your 247 00:12:56,840 --> 00:12:59,360 Speaker 2: colleagues and they told me that no, like you're only 248 00:12:59,400 --> 00:13:02,400 Speaker 2: missing Mike classes and some others. Like he's like, yeah, 249 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:04,960 Speaker 2: you're not going to pass, and like, yeah, I'm sorry 250 00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:08,280 Speaker 2: that I have this team that I'm committed to. I 251 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:11,520 Speaker 2: love it. I feel very responsible. I feel like, yeah, 252 00:13:11,520 --> 00:13:14,040 Speaker 2: I have that commitment with the kids. I cannot miss 253 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:16,040 Speaker 2: out on that. Like and he's like, yeah, then you're 254 00:13:16,080 --> 00:13:18,480 Speaker 2: not going to pass. Like it's fine. And if next 255 00:13:18,559 --> 00:13:23,960 Speaker 2: year it coincides again with my kids coaching, I'm not 256 00:13:24,000 --> 00:13:25,000 Speaker 2: gonna pass either. 257 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:27,040 Speaker 1: Right, And so you just knew that soccer was like 258 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:28,080 Speaker 1: where your heart was. 259 00:13:28,440 --> 00:13:31,400 Speaker 2: That's it. And you know, he told me you should 260 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:33,040 Speaker 2: think about what you want to do in the future. 261 00:13:33,200 --> 00:13:35,800 Speaker 2: That's what I did. In fact, I quit journalists, my 262 00:13:35,880 --> 00:13:40,160 Speaker 2: quit politics. I jumped into sports sciences against my dad's will, 263 00:13:41,400 --> 00:13:44,160 Speaker 2: just because at the time I wanted to be a coach, right, 264 00:13:44,640 --> 00:13:47,200 Speaker 2: which changed a lot throughout my career, and here I 265 00:13:47,240 --> 00:13:51,000 Speaker 2: am in another position. But yeah, it's been always in 266 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:54,400 Speaker 2: my blood being always a fan, being always playing, and 267 00:13:54,400 --> 00:13:55,440 Speaker 2: that's great and around. 268 00:13:55,520 --> 00:13:59,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, kids at home, don't skip school. Try to find 269 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:01,440 Speaker 1: find a way to do both. But also if you 270 00:14:01,480 --> 00:14:03,520 Speaker 1: do skip school, you might end up the GM of 271 00:14:03,800 --> 00:14:07,040 Speaker 1: NWSA teams. Just never know. We got to take a 272 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:16,600 Speaker 1: quick break more with Domao when we come back. Okay, 273 00:14:16,600 --> 00:14:18,640 Speaker 1: so let's talk about how it's been with this new 274 00:14:18,800 --> 00:14:21,200 Speaker 1: expansion Boston team. What does your day to day look 275 00:14:21,280 --> 00:14:23,520 Speaker 1: like when the team hasn't signed any players yet, You're 276 00:14:23,560 --> 00:14:25,040 Speaker 1: not gonna hit the field for another year. What are 277 00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:25,560 Speaker 1: you working on? 278 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:28,360 Speaker 2: So Obviously, as I mentioned before, I've been here for 279 00:14:28,560 --> 00:14:31,560 Speaker 2: a couple of months. I would say my first month 280 00:14:31,880 --> 00:14:36,360 Speaker 2: was a lot of planning, a lot of thinking, Okay, 281 00:14:36,360 --> 00:14:39,400 Speaker 2: how do I want to spend my year on, what 282 00:14:39,520 --> 00:14:42,880 Speaker 2: do I have to prioritize at every moment of the year, 283 00:14:43,800 --> 00:14:48,600 Speaker 2: And while at the same time trying to learn about Boston, 284 00:14:48,760 --> 00:14:51,840 Speaker 2: about the culture. Obviously I had not done enough good 285 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:55,200 Speaker 2: of a job we can tell by your survey before, 286 00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:58,280 Speaker 2: but I'm glad at least I could answer the one 287 00:14:58,280 --> 00:15:01,200 Speaker 2: that was related to women's sports. I'm proud of that. 288 00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:06,360 Speaker 2: But anyway, so it's just trying to immerse myself in 289 00:15:06,400 --> 00:15:08,800 Speaker 2: the Boston culture, get to know the people that's already 290 00:15:08,840 --> 00:15:13,000 Speaker 2: working in the club, like we're there, about building the relationship, 291 00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:16,800 Speaker 2: also with with the founders, getting more on the aligned 292 00:15:16,800 --> 00:15:20,040 Speaker 2: with with the vision and and and whatnot. So I 293 00:15:20,040 --> 00:15:21,840 Speaker 2: spend a lot of a lot of time on that 294 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:26,080 Speaker 2: because I knew once I started the execution part, and 295 00:15:26,160 --> 00:15:29,160 Speaker 2: this is where I am nowadays. It's like just back 296 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:31,640 Speaker 2: to back stuff right where I don't have much time 297 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:34,440 Speaker 2: to think. The good thing is I have a roadmap 298 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:37,480 Speaker 2: that I feel pretty comfortable with that I review every 299 00:15:37,520 --> 00:15:40,760 Speaker 2: single week. Okay, where I'm at, where should we be? 300 00:15:41,040 --> 00:15:45,240 Speaker 2: And obviously tweak that. So my time now spend a 301 00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:51,000 Speaker 2: lot on recruitment. Uh, and that means players, but also staff, 302 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:54,480 Speaker 2: right because I think we have to build in even 303 00:15:54,720 --> 00:15:56,920 Speaker 2: bigger roster on the staff side, and a lot of 304 00:15:56,920 --> 00:16:00,320 Speaker 2: people when they talk to me, they think that I 305 00:16:00,320 --> 00:16:02,680 Speaker 2: spent my day on players only, and yeah, that is 306 00:16:02,720 --> 00:16:05,520 Speaker 2: a very important piece. But you've got to get a 307 00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:06,400 Speaker 2: coach correct. 308 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:08,600 Speaker 1: That's an interesting part of this too, because I'm not 309 00:16:08,640 --> 00:16:10,600 Speaker 1: sure how aware you are of some of the issues 310 00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:13,160 Speaker 1: that NWSLF franchises have had in the past with their 311 00:16:13,160 --> 00:16:15,920 Speaker 1: decision making around coaching and personnel, and I wonder what 312 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:18,160 Speaker 1: you've been told about that and how you are planning 313 00:16:18,200 --> 00:16:20,640 Speaker 1: to make sure that NWSL Boston doesn't have the same issues. 314 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:26,720 Speaker 2: Look, obviously that goes first and foremost. Do not give 315 00:16:27,440 --> 00:16:30,960 Speaker 2: power to one single person, right. That applies to myself, 316 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:33,360 Speaker 2: that applies to the head coach, and that applies to 317 00:16:33,400 --> 00:16:39,040 Speaker 2: everyone in the organization. Right. And obviously building processes and 318 00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:43,400 Speaker 2: building a structure that is not based on one person 319 00:16:44,760 --> 00:16:48,280 Speaker 2: or even tool, that is a very big bax. Right. 320 00:16:48,280 --> 00:16:53,080 Speaker 2: Then obviously picking the right ones, and to me, I'm 321 00:16:53,120 --> 00:16:58,920 Speaker 2: looking for the right people that hey, if they're very 322 00:16:58,960 --> 00:17:02,200 Speaker 2: a good professional, that's sort of a plas and obviously 323 00:17:02,320 --> 00:17:05,480 Speaker 2: it is not right. That is the first filter, right, like, Okay, 324 00:17:05,600 --> 00:17:09,200 Speaker 2: what's this person about, what are the values of this person? 325 00:17:09,280 --> 00:17:13,800 Speaker 2: What's the vision of this person within the industry? And 326 00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:18,800 Speaker 2: then will then evaluate the professional side on top of that, 327 00:17:18,840 --> 00:17:21,440 Speaker 2: which obviously is important because especially when we talk about 328 00:17:21,480 --> 00:17:25,200 Speaker 2: staff members, they have to provide the players with different 329 00:17:25,240 --> 00:17:29,119 Speaker 2: resources and the expertise on different areas. But first and 330 00:17:29,160 --> 00:17:33,440 Speaker 2: foremost is okay, who's that person, right, and what are 331 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:37,400 Speaker 2: the values, what's the vision? What is the driver of 332 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:41,600 Speaker 2: that person, right, like what is she or he about? 333 00:17:41,800 --> 00:17:45,639 Speaker 2: And and that to me is very important. And then 334 00:17:45,680 --> 00:17:49,240 Speaker 2: obviously gathering not only obviously the basics that now the 335 00:17:49,320 --> 00:17:52,600 Speaker 2: league is mandating and with the CBA and whatnot, like 336 00:17:52,680 --> 00:17:55,840 Speaker 2: all the background checks, the education piece and all that part, 337 00:17:55,880 --> 00:17:58,960 Speaker 2: which obviously is essential and basic. But then at the 338 00:17:58,960 --> 00:18:02,360 Speaker 2: same time, it's also of getting the references right right 339 00:18:02,440 --> 00:18:05,480 Speaker 2: on everyone that we're bringing on board, like, Okay, they've 340 00:18:05,520 --> 00:18:08,600 Speaker 2: been working somewhere, so how is it working with this person? 341 00:18:09,359 --> 00:18:13,800 Speaker 2: And yeah, you know, to me, whenever and sometimes might 342 00:18:13,840 --> 00:18:17,520 Speaker 2: be inferred to on people, but whenever there's a hint 343 00:18:17,920 --> 00:18:22,640 Speaker 2: of something not smelling good, I stay away. Like, no 344 00:18:22,680 --> 00:18:25,639 Speaker 2: matter how much I like that person, how good of 345 00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:31,240 Speaker 2: a professional that person is, that that is a very 346 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:34,359 Speaker 2: basic and essential matter, right For sure, I want to 347 00:18:34,400 --> 00:18:38,159 Speaker 2: be surrounded by people that we can trust, that we 348 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:44,760 Speaker 2: can be comfortable with, that we can feel that we're family, right, 349 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:47,679 Speaker 2: and that's what we want to build here. So that 350 00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:49,560 Speaker 2: is how I'm approaching it. 351 00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:52,000 Speaker 1: Have you reached out to any other like gms or 352 00:18:52,040 --> 00:18:54,679 Speaker 1: owners or front office folks from existing teams, either for 353 00:18:55,359 --> 00:18:57,320 Speaker 1: you know, advice on this front or just tips and 354 00:18:57,359 --> 00:18:59,560 Speaker 1: best practices for how to run a team in this 355 00:18:59,640 --> 00:19:00,840 Speaker 1: league the first place. 356 00:19:01,080 --> 00:19:04,360 Speaker 2: Of course, of course, yeah, I've done that and thankfully, 357 00:19:04,520 --> 00:19:07,880 Speaker 2: obviously while working at Barcelona, I was able to develop 358 00:19:07,920 --> 00:19:12,320 Speaker 2: some relationships with some gms. I've developed some more relationships 359 00:19:12,359 --> 00:19:16,040 Speaker 2: now being here. We've even met I think in your 360 00:19:16,080 --> 00:19:21,000 Speaker 2: backyard in Chicago a few weeks back, and yeah, it's 361 00:19:21,240 --> 00:19:24,000 Speaker 2: it's with especially the ones that I had the previous relationship, 362 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:26,239 Speaker 2: because it was easier and it's also easier for them 363 00:19:26,280 --> 00:19:29,439 Speaker 2: to open up to me. And I've been talking to 364 00:19:29,480 --> 00:19:32,199 Speaker 2: them right like, hey, when you compare it, and some 365 00:19:32,280 --> 00:19:35,280 Speaker 2: of them also have experience in Europe, which was good 366 00:19:35,320 --> 00:19:38,960 Speaker 2: for me, like to get there. Hey, this is one side. 367 00:19:39,000 --> 00:19:42,000 Speaker 2: This is the other side, the ups and downs, and 368 00:19:42,320 --> 00:19:45,320 Speaker 2: you know, there are certain things that everybody might talk about. 369 00:19:45,320 --> 00:19:48,040 Speaker 2: There are certain things that it's different depending on the 370 00:19:48,119 --> 00:19:51,040 Speaker 2: experience that each one of them has. But that is 371 00:19:51,119 --> 00:19:55,119 Speaker 2: very valuable to me, and honestly, that's where I spend 372 00:19:55,160 --> 00:19:57,040 Speaker 2: a lot of time, especially at the beginning when I 373 00:19:57,080 --> 00:20:01,080 Speaker 2: mentioned getting immersed right in the in the culture, and 374 00:20:01,119 --> 00:20:03,120 Speaker 2: that is something that I'm spending a lot of time too, 375 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:06,760 Speaker 2: right like, whenever I can been talking to a few 376 00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:09,440 Speaker 2: former players as well that have been in the league, 377 00:20:10,119 --> 00:20:13,040 Speaker 2: just to know, okay, like what was your experience and 378 00:20:13,359 --> 00:20:15,480 Speaker 2: to get to know, okay, well we're the best practices, 379 00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:18,640 Speaker 2: what was the not good practices? Right? 380 00:20:18,760 --> 00:20:18,840 Speaker 1: Like? 381 00:20:18,880 --> 00:20:22,239 Speaker 2: How do we stay away from that? Because I think now, 382 00:20:22,320 --> 00:20:25,560 Speaker 2: especially with the new CBA, one one very big piece 383 00:20:25,680 --> 00:20:29,760 Speaker 2: is Okay, what environment are we creating for the players? Right? 384 00:20:29,840 --> 00:20:33,200 Speaker 2: Because in a league where all more or less will 385 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:36,120 Speaker 2: pay similar amounts because we all have the same salary cap, 386 00:20:36,680 --> 00:20:39,320 Speaker 2: will be all about okay, what's the environment? Like? Right? 387 00:20:39,440 --> 00:20:41,080 Speaker 2: This is a good thing that coming out of the 388 00:20:41,119 --> 00:20:44,720 Speaker 2: CBA because now everybody, everybody has to provide the best 389 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:47,720 Speaker 2: environment to be the most shiny thing for that player 390 00:20:47,760 --> 00:20:50,480 Speaker 2: that's out of contract say, Okay, I want to go there, 391 00:20:51,320 --> 00:20:53,720 Speaker 2: not because they're paying me more, because it's more or 392 00:20:53,800 --> 00:20:55,840 Speaker 2: less the same thing. I want to go there because 393 00:20:55,880 --> 00:20:57,959 Speaker 2: that's the best environment I can be in. 394 00:20:58,400 --> 00:21:01,200 Speaker 1: And that's particularly interesting for you because you're going to 395 00:21:01,240 --> 00:21:04,399 Speaker 1: be the very first GM that has to fill a 396 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:08,919 Speaker 1: whole roster with no college draft, no expansion draft. Like 397 00:21:08,960 --> 00:21:11,960 Speaker 1: for you, it's just vibes, just vibes, you know. So 398 00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:14,840 Speaker 1: what's the pitch to players? How do you build a 399 00:21:14,880 --> 00:21:16,960 Speaker 1: team from scratch. 400 00:21:18,080 --> 00:21:23,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's obviously not an easy job. And obviously when 401 00:21:23,480 --> 00:21:26,760 Speaker 2: I was in the process right of evaluating the move 402 00:21:26,800 --> 00:21:30,480 Speaker 2: and all that, that was when actually I know the 403 00:21:31,080 --> 00:21:33,800 Speaker 2: team was discussing that with the league, like, Okay, what 404 00:21:34,200 --> 00:21:37,639 Speaker 2: acids do we have when we compare them to the 405 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:43,119 Speaker 2: last expansions, right with Bay for example, which I spoke 406 00:21:43,160 --> 00:21:47,119 Speaker 2: a lot to their GM there when when they did that, 407 00:21:47,160 --> 00:21:49,240 Speaker 2: But that was very different, right they had, as you mentioned, 408 00:21:49,680 --> 00:21:52,639 Speaker 2: an expansion draft. They had the college draft, and that 409 00:21:52,760 --> 00:21:55,880 Speaker 2: sort of made things a little easier in the sense 410 00:21:55,920 --> 00:21:58,520 Speaker 2: that they can just go or they have the leverage 411 00:21:58,560 --> 00:22:01,280 Speaker 2: to either nego shape for protection with other clubs, or 412 00:22:01,280 --> 00:22:03,560 Speaker 2: they can just go and say, Okay, you're unfrotacted, You're 413 00:22:03,560 --> 00:22:06,000 Speaker 2: coming to me. You have no say in this, right. 414 00:22:07,280 --> 00:22:09,040 Speaker 2: But the way I say it, obviously, on one hand 415 00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:12,000 Speaker 2: it's a bigger challenge, which I said before I love. 416 00:22:12,520 --> 00:22:16,359 Speaker 2: But on the other hand, for me, it also opens 417 00:22:16,440 --> 00:22:19,080 Speaker 2: up Okay, yeah, we have to dedicate more resources in 418 00:22:19,160 --> 00:22:21,800 Speaker 2: the recruitment site because now it's all sort of the 419 00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:26,840 Speaker 2: entire world is open to us, and we have to 420 00:22:27,640 --> 00:22:30,560 Speaker 2: now filter that down to the ones that are interesting 421 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:33,439 Speaker 2: to us. That's why we are bringing a director of 422 00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:38,439 Speaker 2: recruitment and we're building sort of a recruitment team just 423 00:22:38,440 --> 00:22:41,040 Speaker 2: because obviously with the changes in the CBA now, it's 424 00:22:41,080 --> 00:22:42,560 Speaker 2: sort of like, hey, if you want to do a 425 00:22:42,560 --> 00:22:45,560 Speaker 2: good job at recruitment, and me as a GM I 426 00:22:45,560 --> 00:22:49,680 Speaker 2: mentioned before, I have a very big job in building 427 00:22:49,680 --> 00:22:52,360 Speaker 2: an entire team, not only on the field but outside 428 00:22:52,359 --> 00:22:56,040 Speaker 2: of it, and unless, like we have people that are 429 00:22:56,080 --> 00:22:58,840 Speaker 2: looking into that and spending the time into that, I'm 430 00:22:58,840 --> 00:23:00,440 Speaker 2: not going to be able to do a good job 431 00:23:00,440 --> 00:23:03,040 Speaker 2: at picking the right players. Right. So, so to me 432 00:23:03,560 --> 00:23:06,200 Speaker 2: that that is a very important piece. That's the first 433 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:11,959 Speaker 2: piece that actually I'm hiring within the sporting structure because 434 00:23:11,960 --> 00:23:14,480 Speaker 2: of that, right because I wants have the time to 435 00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:19,080 Speaker 2: put the time to make those evaluations and then while 436 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:23,439 Speaker 2: I build the rest of the structure, that will be 437 00:23:23,480 --> 00:23:27,240 Speaker 2: the reason why hopefully players want to want to come here, right, 438 00:23:27,320 --> 00:23:30,320 Speaker 2: Not because Boston is a cool city, which it is, 439 00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:33,560 Speaker 2: right and it's attractive. It was attractive to me when 440 00:23:33,640 --> 00:23:38,240 Speaker 2: I like looking at it from the outside, not only 441 00:23:38,320 --> 00:23:40,639 Speaker 2: for the vision that we have for the project, not 442 00:23:40,680 --> 00:23:43,760 Speaker 2: only for the stadium that we'll have inside the city 443 00:23:43,840 --> 00:23:46,840 Speaker 2: and will be a very cool experience to play in, 444 00:23:47,200 --> 00:23:50,000 Speaker 2: but because hey, we'll provide a platform that hey, it's 445 00:23:50,040 --> 00:23:53,359 Speaker 2: not only a safe environment, which hopefully at some point 446 00:23:53,440 --> 00:23:55,920 Speaker 2: that's something that we can take for granted and even 447 00:23:56,119 --> 00:23:59,679 Speaker 2: talk about. Right, and we're only talking about, Okay, how 448 00:23:59,760 --> 00:24:01,280 Speaker 2: much better am I going to get as a player? 449 00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:02,280 Speaker 1: For sure? 450 00:24:02,400 --> 00:24:04,960 Speaker 2: How am I going to get treated if if I 451 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:08,480 Speaker 2: get injured? What's the care that you provide? 452 00:24:08,840 --> 00:24:08,919 Speaker 1: Like? 453 00:24:09,119 --> 00:24:11,199 Speaker 2: Right, Like, how am I going to How are we 454 00:24:11,280 --> 00:24:14,120 Speaker 2: going to prevent that I get injured? Right? How are 455 00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:15,960 Speaker 2: you going to help me stay in the game for 456 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:19,280 Speaker 2: a longer time? Right as a player where instead of 457 00:24:19,320 --> 00:24:22,360 Speaker 2: having to retire it at a futty something I can 458 00:24:22,760 --> 00:24:24,720 Speaker 2: be at four, that can be at something. 459 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:27,200 Speaker 1: Right, sounds like you have been talking to say I'm us, 460 00:24:27,720 --> 00:24:30,000 Speaker 1: I know that that's something that's really important for She 461 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:31,760 Speaker 1: came on our show and talked about like, how can 462 00:24:31,800 --> 00:24:34,640 Speaker 1: there be more intention around keeping players in the game 463 00:24:34,680 --> 00:24:37,479 Speaker 1: longer because you're more thoughtful about injuries and stuff. So 464 00:24:37,640 --> 00:24:39,639 Speaker 1: you mentioned that director of Recruitment, and we heard that 465 00:24:39,680 --> 00:24:41,840 Speaker 1: you have some news to share about that search. So 466 00:24:41,880 --> 00:24:42,920 Speaker 1: what can you tell us? 467 00:24:43,680 --> 00:24:47,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, so we're very happy to tell you that we're 468 00:24:47,280 --> 00:24:54,800 Speaker 2: bringing Edward Gallagher from Brighton in the WSL League. With 469 00:24:54,920 --> 00:24:58,560 Speaker 2: it an extensive search and I have to praise Bloom 470 00:24:58,600 --> 00:25:02,520 Speaker 2: Sports for that too. They helped us with with this process. 471 00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:07,760 Speaker 2: They were very helpful, very thoughtful, very detail oriented, and 472 00:25:07,840 --> 00:25:12,639 Speaker 2: they brought very strong candidates actually, so it was it 473 00:25:12,680 --> 00:25:15,960 Speaker 2: was not an easy an easy process in the sense that, hey, 474 00:25:16,000 --> 00:25:20,720 Speaker 2: we had a few candidates, different profiles still right where 475 00:25:20,760 --> 00:25:24,000 Speaker 2: sometimes you're not comparing apples to apples, but it's one 476 00:25:24,040 --> 00:25:27,760 Speaker 2: profile that can bring something pretty unique and then another 477 00:25:28,160 --> 00:25:31,639 Speaker 2: very strong profile that brings something different. But yeah, we 478 00:25:31,760 --> 00:25:34,840 Speaker 2: ended up going with with Edward which he's been this 479 00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:38,720 Speaker 2: he's been doing this job for for Brighton in the past. 480 00:25:38,760 --> 00:25:42,920 Speaker 2: He also worked for London City leon Esses. Uh. He 481 00:25:43,480 --> 00:25:46,160 Speaker 2: he did some work also at the national team level, 482 00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:50,600 Speaker 2: so and he's been in the game for many years. 483 00:25:50,960 --> 00:25:53,200 Speaker 2: I actually had the chance to work with him while 484 00:25:53,240 --> 00:25:56,040 Speaker 2: I was at Barcelona and he was at Brighton and 485 00:25:56,080 --> 00:25:59,600 Speaker 2: then obviously that was a very brief work that we did, 486 00:25:59,640 --> 00:26:02,560 Speaker 2: so got did not get to know him really through that, 487 00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:05,439 Speaker 2: but the experience was good. The feeling, like you know, 488 00:26:05,520 --> 00:26:10,000 Speaker 2: as I mentioned before, the personal feeling they through the negotiation, 489 00:26:10,160 --> 00:26:14,320 Speaker 2: you can truly feel and grasp that, so that was 490 00:26:14,359 --> 00:26:17,240 Speaker 2: already a positive, but it was mainly through this process 491 00:26:17,320 --> 00:26:21,320 Speaker 2: he truly showed to be like that person that thinks 492 00:26:21,359 --> 00:26:25,000 Speaker 2: about it from a three sixty perspective, right, Like the 493 00:26:25,040 --> 00:26:28,919 Speaker 2: recruitment piece, so it's not only about okay, recruiting a 494 00:26:28,960 --> 00:26:32,399 Speaker 2: good player for our team, is like, okay, what do 495 00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:34,679 Speaker 2: we want to build as a team, how do we 496 00:26:34,720 --> 00:26:37,280 Speaker 2: want to play? What pieces that we're being But then 497 00:26:37,480 --> 00:26:40,119 Speaker 2: it's not only about the football side of it, but 498 00:26:40,160 --> 00:26:43,680 Speaker 2: also okay, what type of personalities are we bringing in? Right, 499 00:26:43,760 --> 00:26:46,399 Speaker 2: how do we find out about that? How do we 500 00:26:46,440 --> 00:26:49,919 Speaker 2: present the project? And then he was pretty unique. On 501 00:26:50,160 --> 00:26:54,400 Speaker 2: was also as part of the recruitment role, including the 502 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:58,320 Speaker 2: onboarding process and the adaptation process, right, where a lot 503 00:26:58,320 --> 00:27:00,600 Speaker 2: of times we had to think, hey, kind of player 504 00:27:01,880 --> 00:27:05,800 Speaker 2: done and that's it. And having been at Barcelona, that 505 00:27:05,920 --> 00:27:08,439 Speaker 2: was one of the things that a lot of times 506 00:27:08,440 --> 00:27:11,440 Speaker 2: we struggled the most, Like we brought these amazing players, 507 00:27:11,440 --> 00:27:15,600 Speaker 2: but then obviously they needed their time to adapt and 508 00:27:15,800 --> 00:27:18,480 Speaker 2: it was like very different needs. Right, So approaching it 509 00:27:18,520 --> 00:27:23,320 Speaker 2: from that perspective, studying that adaptation early. Right, So hey, 510 00:27:23,400 --> 00:27:26,680 Speaker 2: now let's say in July we start negotiating four players 511 00:27:26,680 --> 00:27:30,359 Speaker 2: that will be free in December, and we get to 512 00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:33,679 Speaker 2: sign someone early, why don't we start already right like 513 00:27:33,760 --> 00:27:37,720 Speaker 2: that process of adapting and all that like, and his 514 00:27:37,920 --> 00:27:39,800 Speaker 2: built to this and the work he's done at Brighton 515 00:27:39,960 --> 00:27:44,080 Speaker 2: has been impressive and we're very happy to handle with 516 00:27:44,160 --> 00:27:44,679 Speaker 2: him here. 517 00:27:45,320 --> 00:27:47,560 Speaker 1: This sounds like such a fascinating group of people to 518 00:27:47,600 --> 00:27:51,600 Speaker 1: work without in Boston. Going to be really cool to 519 00:27:51,640 --> 00:27:54,399 Speaker 1: see what you bring over from Spanish leagues and Spanish culture, 520 00:27:54,440 --> 00:27:56,600 Speaker 1: what he brings over from the WSL, and how that 521 00:27:56,680 --> 00:27:59,400 Speaker 1: all mixes with what we have here in the States. 522 00:27:59,680 --> 00:28:01,400 Speaker 1: Thanks so much for coming on to chat with us. 523 00:28:01,480 --> 00:28:03,399 Speaker 1: Thanks so much for giving us a little peek into 524 00:28:03,440 --> 00:28:05,359 Speaker 1: this team that we're also excited to see get up 525 00:28:05,400 --> 00:28:08,080 Speaker 1: and running. I'll really appreciate the time, Sah. 526 00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:09,960 Speaker 2: Thank you very much for having me. It's been a 527 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:13,560 Speaker 2: pleasure and it felt very short. Actually, next time I'll 528 00:28:13,560 --> 00:28:16,200 Speaker 2: have answers to the your next test. 529 00:28:16,080 --> 00:28:20,240 Speaker 1: On Boston perfect. I'll start writing the questions right. Thank you. 530 00:28:22,640 --> 00:28:24,639 Speaker 1: Thanks so much to Domain for taking the time. We 531 00:28:24,720 --> 00:28:26,560 Speaker 1: have to take another quick break. When we come back, 532 00:28:26,640 --> 00:28:35,080 Speaker 1: we turn up the tunes and roll down the windows. 533 00:28:36,920 --> 00:28:39,040 Speaker 1: Welcome back slices. We always love to hear from you, 534 00:28:39,120 --> 00:28:41,600 Speaker 1: so hit us up on email Good Game at wondermedianetwork 535 00:28:41,640 --> 00:28:43,920 Speaker 1: dot com or leave us a voicemail at eight seven 536 00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:47,120 Speaker 1: two two oh four fifty seventy. Don't forget to subscribe, 537 00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:50,440 Speaker 1: Rate and review, y'all. It's real easy. Watch ninety three 538 00:28:50,520 --> 00:28:54,920 Speaker 1: five KAFM in Los Angeles, rating one hundred percent, jams 539 00:28:54,960 --> 00:28:58,560 Speaker 1: one hundred percent of the time. Review. First thing I 540 00:28:58,600 --> 00:28:59,920 Speaker 1: do when I get to LA and get in my 541 00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:02,520 Speaker 1: rental car is turn the dial to ninety three to 542 00:29:02,600 --> 00:29:05,960 Speaker 1: five KD playing classic hip hop bangers all day long. 543 00:29:06,480 --> 00:29:09,840 Speaker 1: It takes two into Miss Jackson, into Thugus Ruggish Bone, 544 00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:12,760 Speaker 1: into two of America's most wanted. Now I'm not even 545 00:29:12,800 --> 00:29:15,800 Speaker 1: mad about the traffic on the four oh five. Okay, 546 00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:19,160 Speaker 1: a little man, but at least I'm bumping kDa. Now 547 00:29:19,160 --> 00:29:21,880 Speaker 1: it's your turn, Rate and review. Thanks for listening, y'all. 548 00:29:21,880 --> 00:29:25,440 Speaker 1: See you tomorrow. Good Game, Dome, Good Game, Boston Women's Sports. 549 00:29:25,920 --> 00:29:29,480 Speaker 1: You duncan yeah, I said it, unless you're a sponsor, 550 00:29:29,520 --> 00:29:33,680 Speaker 1: in which case duncan holler at us. Good Game with 551 00:29:33,720 --> 00:29:36,920 Speaker 1: Sarah Spain is an iHeart women's sports production in partnership 552 00:29:36,920 --> 00:29:39,479 Speaker 1: with Deep Blue Sports. And Entertainment. You can find us 553 00:29:39,480 --> 00:29:42,440 Speaker 1: on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get 554 00:29:42,480 --> 00:29:46,040 Speaker 1: your podcasts. Production by Wonder Media Network. Our producers are 555 00:29:46,080 --> 00:29:49,800 Speaker 1: Alex Azzie and Misha Jones. Our executive producers are Christina Everett, 556 00:29:49,880 --> 00:29:53,080 Speaker 1: Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan and Emily Rudder. Our editors are 557 00:29:53,120 --> 00:29:56,680 Speaker 1: Emily Rudder, Britney Martinez and Grace Lynch. Our associate producer 558 00:29:56,760 --> 00:30:00,600 Speaker 1: is Lucy Jones and I'm Your Host Sarah Spain stef