US Soccerwise | USMNT’S Young Stars Shine Against Chile

0:00Well, everybody, welcome back to Soccarize. And going to be special episode lined up for you. U.S. Men's Special Team undefeated in the window. Eight goals and two games under Mauricio Puchettino. And his second cycle as the young kids have dominated. We talked a little bit about the Peru game on Monday. We are going to dig into everything we have seen with this group halfway into this cycle with a matchup against Mexico on the horizon. And do so. We have two special guests who have been on this show before, but not together. And of course, to talk U.S. Men's Special Team, we had to talk to two people currently located in Canada. Because that's the only way we do things here at Soccarize. So for starters, we have one of my co-hosts on this show. Set it back for Toronto FC. And of course, for the U.S. Men's Special Team, Mr. Walker, Xererman. What's up, Walker?

1:02It's going on. It's, yeah, it feels weird to be considered a Canadian at this point. But yeah, happy to be here. And then farther east, I'm guessing on the map, but I think I'm right there. We have Mr. Vanny Sartini, former coach of Vancouver White Gabs, current general manager and coach of Halifax Wanderers. And for my guests on this show. Beautiful. Yeah. Thank you. Yeah. You know, you can treat me as American, Italian, Canadian, as you like. You know, we're a season of the world here. I do think the heart of the American game is in Canada. So this all makes sense. This all works for us. But again, I don't have the caps of Walker, but I worked for U.S. Soccarize. So, you know, I do say there's a link there. Two USS F fans. We'll just say that fans of the Federation, no matter what, first and foremost. So we're going to dig into what we saw last night in the game. We're going to sort of look forward a little bit to Mexico, because that's sort of the reason a lot of people play for the U.S. Men's Special Team.

2:05It's a chance to play against Mexico in front of a crowd. That big game. And of course, Canada coming up on the other side of it. If you're looking for some breakdown on the U.S. Women's National Team roster, myself and Jordan did that yesterday. So it's on our NWSL show. You can go and listen to that one. Ashley Sanchez back into the team, the huge news. And now the U23 roster coming out as well. That will be playing in Atlanta at the new training center. So a lot of analysis there. And we'll have more coverage as we head towards those two friendlies against Spain. But big reminder, before we dig in, we are still giving away tickets to the U.S. Men's National Team Games coming up. So we have tickets for the Mexico match on Saturday in Phoenix and then the Canada game in Minnesota. We're partnering with American outlaws there. We are buying you tickets for the games. We'll be doing the same for the two U.S. Women's National Team Games against Spain. So head over to our Instagram account, Sockerwise and our Sockerwise, well, so account and sort of tell us why in the comments that you should be going. Have you never been to a game before? Do you have friends who have never been? We are trying to get people in the stadium for the first time to experience the beautiful game.

3:11The atmospheres have been awesome so far in Orlando and St. Louis and coming off the World Cup. We want as many people to experience Socker as we can. So we'll pick winners. We'll DM you. But go into the comments and sort of tell us why we should pick you and you get an opportunity to go to one of these two games coming up. And then the two women's national team games after that. The U.S. is coming in undefeated in this window because it was a four to victory over Chile after the four won win against Peru. Let's start general. Then we could dig in a little bit on this game. Walker, we're going to start with you. Overall thoughts across the two games across the camp. The call ups everything you've seen from afar of sort of what this has been for the U.S. I think it's been a pretty perfect start when you look at the goals and objectives that I'm sure was laid out from Pachitino staff, which is get young players experience, get them into the system, get them acclimated to the U.S. Monsatial team jersey to the training style and obviously get them game experience while also trying to win the game. And so they managed to do that in explosive fashion.

4:16Like you mentioned scoring a goals between the two games. A lot of young guys trying to prove their worth trying to show that they deserve to be a U.S. Monsatial player and they're certainly giving the staff things to think about as they move on throughout the cycle. Then you said you worked in U.S.S. have you worked on coaching development, you also worked on youth development as these young players come into the system. What do you make of sort of the ideas that the federation has of getting these players on the field and as Walker set up to speed. Yeah, I think it was like the perfect way to start a new cycle. You know, it's when you when you get into the national team and right after the World Cup, you always have eyes on the rise or not. Okay, at least two years for the Copa America, but the big prize is in four years. So, you know, there's a lot of young talent now in the United States. There's a lot of talent in MLS. So I think, but you know, it perfectly to give a lot of opportunities to these young players that they responded very well. I think the team also played actually I would say nice brand of soccer, the thing that we saw at the World Cup more or less with some kind of variation.

5:26The tactics that we saw the World Cup, of course, there's some things to, you know, to improve like I think it was like the word to expose and transition a couple of times in both games. And about, you know, I think it's massively, positively the two games. A lot of a lot of offensive stuff that went well. A lot of players that did very well. So really good. Walk I wanted to ask you this one as we're halfway through this camp for fans to think about. Vanny mentioned sort of the openings in transition. And I'm curious as fans sort of process a group that has never played together because it was an 11 that never played together on Saturday and then 10 changes to the starting lineup on the second game. What comes quicker? Is it against the ball? Is it with the ball? Is it low block defending? Is it attack? Like what should fans expect to hit first as they watch a group that doesn't know each other that well? I think defensively it should be a little bit easier to get your tactics and order. But what's surprising to me is we actually saw so many incredible combinations with the attacking players.

6:34I think that's what was the biggest surprise from you over the two games is yeah, we knew that they would bring the energy. We knew that they would bring a high press kind of, you know, getting post you know system like into their veins. We know he wants the energy. We know it was a press higher the field, especially against opponents who might not be able to break that press. But for me, how much it was clicking with the four or five six offensive players as they entered in and around the penalty box was was really clever. A lot of good movement. A lot of good unselfish extra passes to runners and it looked like they had a clear idea of how how to be in the final third but also had the freedom to express themselves. So that was the big surprise for me. Yeah, it feels like G.O. Rain has been at the center of a lot of that. He's the only player who carried over starting in the two games. He's 23 years old and he's the veteran on this team and all the players keep talking about it. I'm not surprised that you maybe that he's already in that role when you were playing with him as a 19 year old, not that long ago.

7:34Not very surprised. I mean, G.O. is one of these kind of generational prospects that we've had in the system for the last couple of years. And his name's certainly been in and around the headlines when it comes to what what are some of the most important players for the national team. I think for him, it's when he's playing well and when he's fit and healthy, he's a difference maker. And so I think, you know, the biggest struggles for him have been well documented, which is availability and minutes of health and in all those sorts of things. But I don't think anyone's questioned his out now ability on the ball, his vision, his technique when it comes to his clever assists or his ability to break the line with the pass and is finishing with a shot. It's good to see him get a lot of minutes. I'm glad that he got the back to backstarts to kind of get to a rhythm. And I'm sure we'll see more from him this window. He has started six games in the last like five weeks. He has started six games over the course of three years before that. I think it is. Then what like what do you make of what you do with a player like that, both from a health point of view, but then also what he is good at and how you try and get it into the team.

8:39Yeah, yeah, I agree with what Walker said before about the combination and the interchange of position. And I think that a lot is done because of the course of the system that Puccettino wants to create, but also of the characteristic of the players and rena is a central piece of it, because if you if you talk about him, what is he is a winger is a 10 is an eight is an offensive eight is an a 10, you know, maybe you can play even as a full snide sometimes. And you know, it's like a is a guy that even during the game was like, you know, always change interchange in position in the first game with Tillman in the game against the Chile with with bare halt there wide inside. And that allowed I would say the other players that were players that are really good in, you know, not giving point of reference to the to the to the opposition, you know, the midfield three yesterday was Mehmeti, Brooklyn Reigns and Sebastian Berhalte, they were always interchange in position and actually Sebastian went to play wide on the right when they switched with with this.

9:46This way of having this player that can move a lot and yesterday they have also hold as a as a as an number nine that is someone who really doesn't make doesn't give point of reference to a defender. If the technical quality is there and he was there, he can be really, really funny and I think that I would say, Geo can be kind of the center, the center of the project and maybe you you already seen it because it was the only one who started both the games. There's these moments, especially yesterday in the first half where the game feels very simple for Geo like he's waiting and he doesn't mind waiting where the speed of play felt high from Mehmeti and Brooklyn Reigns right early in their national team careers, but there's some buildouts in the first half where it's just you get the ball to Geo's foot and he'll just assess it all. But he wasn't overly aggressive in feeling like he had to break the game open and that's where you know I think in my mind these two games and I said it coming into the camp with Donnie like there's things he's doing right now they're just normal soccer things where we just haven't seen do that because he hasn't played a lot of like just moving within a deep block and being connected to a group and playing in the opening 45 minutes and then there's these moments that you see in a game yesterday where the game's so easy for him sometimes and it's more of a when he finds an answer verse.

11:03If he can find an answer as long as he can be out there and it feels pretty special right now to watch him sort of do his thing because Walker has said he's been around this conversation for a long time. We just haven't seen him fully healthy and available for this stretch of of games. He is also a leader now because everyone is seven years old. That's the nature of this team. But let's start with one player who was not available for the game yesterday. Tim Reim was honored in St. Louis his hometown 38 years old he announces his national team retirement in the press conference I think it was after the game 86 caps across 16 years with the national team two World Cup two nations league championships or wins whatever we call it Walker pretty like I deal way to go out having played the World Cup and now in your hometown which is so rare on the field with your family it's you know it's kind of dream stuff for a guy who's been a huge part of the program. Totally and it's it's a great story and it's it's unique in the sense of him doing it a lot of it after the age of 30 or I think it was something like 60 caps or something like out of the 86 were after 30.

12:12It's incredible you know 16 years in and around or somewhat involved in the national team from beginning to end that's a long time that's a long time for any career let alone an international career so to test it to him and his hard work and ability to continue to dream continue to believe in yourself like that's not going to happen if you don't believe in yourself to make a second World Cup at age you know 38 or whatever it is so I know is a special day for him I know he was you know obviously we saw the emotion after the World Cup. I think he knew at that point in time like that was going to be it for him I don't think you don't have any good to say I'm going to suit up one more time in a friendly it's like no you want to go out as the captain of a team in a World Cup and say I gave everything I had and and it was a great run so to do it and say Lewis with with friends and family makes it more special and it's it's amazing for him. He was able to continue to play a role partially because of his talent and his soccer brain and what he does well.

13:12Then he the other side is that's a gap in this national team center back is a role that people are fighting to fill and over the course of these two games I don't know that anyone has really state their name to it. Yeah and also Remus also that profile that it was perfect for the way they were playing playing as a left side the center back that become a back three most of the time when the when the attack is when the team is in attack so he can also build up and and help the team building up not only defending as a center back so it's going to be of course harder to feel to feel the kind of shoes I I think there's a lot of you know very good talent. And in this group probably not the same kind of profile of players that the team remains like you know the the only left is probably trusty in the in the guys that the guys that we saw in this in these two games and is I would say less of a calm collected building up player when we when we got from the back is more of a classic defenders so I think that space to you know see what what is going to to be.

14:24The team in the future I honestly I really I really like new Pierre I really think that he has like really really really high ceilings is more of a kind of a classic center back more of a middle of the three if you think about back three instead instead of one of one of the two on the side but you know there's also my it's Robinson that is another I would say veteran I would say we're talking about geo as a veteran but he played a like a he played all the time I think that's a lot of the same thing. I played a lot to and even though is not used too much to play on the left he plays more on the right on the right side as the talent to and also the characteristic like trusty defensively like to play in an aggressive team that can be also transitional team because it's very good also a defender in the space behind it. It's a bit crazy to think that maybe one of the answers to this because you talk about profiles in this middle of it is that Chris Richard slides out of that middle like is it wild to think after the success of the World Cup that that's one of the moves.

15:26Yeah you know you need to try you need to up for me it's the big question mark is to be how Neil Pierre is going to be is going to be growing up and and you know getting getting getting minutes okay it's getting minutes a lot for Philadelphia now maybe you know they're they all talking about a lot of the game. I think it's a move to Europe or whatever but I think it's it makes sense to to try to try different things of course you are talking about that next game against Mexico is for sure is the biggest game of these three games so I would assume that you will probably with the guys that are even more also I would say used to play this kind of game so probably I wouldn't be surprised if they play Richards and and my probably so in this games but we will see. Walker what do you make of sort of where Chris Richard sits with all the unknown around him. I think you know Vanny brought up a good point of how when we go into the attack we we kind of have freed the back there and I think if you look at the profile center backs I think what allowed

16:32to slide out to the left a little easier was we have let us system athleticism up Anthony on the left and then you obviously had Chris on your right. So when you look at maybe a world where you're sliding Chris out to the left yeah you saw the ante there but then do you have is it a Neil Pierre in the middle it changes a little bit and because you have these full backs that are so vertical and they can both go up and down. It kind of does create like are they going to be good enough one to one defenders in isolation and that was one of my fears the world cup was when Anthony goes high and 10 slides out left can we get exposed in transition one B1 and we saw it a couple times even in the friendly is leading up to the world cup so it's a good point and ideally you know you have center backs that are capable of being flexible and fluid in those positions but I think time will tell on if any of these guys fit the bill for for that role. Do you think as they figure it out and I think back to yesterday's game I think you'll struggle more in possession than out of possession to felt like early like what do you think are the biggest attribute you're looking for other coaching staff looks for what is sort of the jumps the players have to make as they get to the national team level.

17:43I think right now under pochettino system that they care more about the athleticism and ability to defend in a high block and a high press then they value the ability to build out with ball because we see a lot of times we're going to drop in someone anyways or build out of three like you can drop in a test and you can drop in a tie their atoms you can. Tuck Freeman in and leave surgeon out wide almost as a wing back there's so many other options to build out. But there's not as many options when you think about center backs who can be very aggressive in my club the field and defend its base and so that's I think that they value that quality a little bit more than maybe quality on the ball at this point. There is seems like you agree because it's also the direction where where soccer is going right now you know like you know if. Until 15 20 years ago of course the the ideal thing is to do everything perfectly tactically at the top intensity until 15 20 years ago it was okay let's focus first on the perfection and then if we get the intensity now I think it's the other way around the intensity is a must and.

18:47You see even in the in the high highest level game you have defenders that maybe make a wrong read of the play but then they're so good that they can recover and and we need back the ball so I think that is the first thing that. That potchettino will see and also for me it's it's really interesting to understand what they're going to do for what Walker was saying like you know or not isolating the defender very well what I want to do with the with the midfielders because the for me the only two the only big difference in between the two games where the choice of the midfielders a more position on midfielders with mosa and Tyler Adams like they did in the first game or a more. Kind of creating free floating midfield there was me met the rain and we're out there there were like interchange in position there were the game was more fluid in my opinion with the ball but it let you a little bit more exposed when you don't have the ball so that's that's a that's a choice to be made there.

19:49Everyone listening to this show already knows the game ended for two I had like a blow by blow of the goals I don't think I have to give that for every person so I'll start with this. Jedi captain the team on his 60th cap equals and two games as we mentioned four different goalscores in both games and as I said geo ran of the only player to stay in the starting lineup between the two but when you guys talk about intensity to me the spark for a lot of it yesterday felt like Julian Hall up top he's got two goals and two games many you mentioned he does some different things than a center forward he's just 18 years old he started pretty much the whole year for Michael Bradley what do you make of this young player and what do you do. What he's done already. Well it's a really good player like you know it's a guy that is a number nine but he moves like he's a winger and so he attacked the space in a team like this that you know especially the international level because you know when you go to the international level you don't play against teams that are together the entire here and sometimes you know the the quality of the organization of the defense is not the best having someone who can really.

20:57Exploit every space attacking attacking the back plane with the with the other with the other the midfielders underneath the going and then and then plane plane to the midfielders and then attack the space again it's it's really a handful and you know and also two goals in two games so that's also the quality of the fact that is not only the movement is not only the creation but also the the finalization part I think is having a very good season of course that we with the red goals is a top season and I think he deserved the call and and it was really really good in the first two games. I mean dummies have to go down as a says come on. It creates the goal like how does that not get credit to both players. The real assist it's him because I'm the commentator on TV say yeah we don't know if he knew that we're out there was behind you and you're right. I think he was asked policy and he said I knew someone should be. Yeah, you know, so I think he gave credit there. Walker you played against him now you watched him play Justin Ellis got to start in the first game. He also scored in his debut the two of them have sort of taken the Eastern conference by storm in their young years working year for Justin Ellis. What do you make of the different is between them and how they both fit this group.

22:20I think you know the keyword that stuck out to me that the van you mentioned was for Julian Hall at least is movement it's it's very clever it's something that you see from more season strikers and for him to be doing that at 18 and having kind of that you can have a nose for the goal but like the idea of how you move to create that space and then have the composure on top of it to finish your chances when you get it because it's not like he's you know getting a ton of touches on the ball. It's not he's dropping down and combining all that much he's just being very intelligent with how he rotates how he moves. How he's positioning himself in the final third and obviously being unselfish you know as you mentioned with the dummy. To create chances for others so the movement for me is is a great attribute for his age. I think you look at the difference from him and Ellis. I think Ellis is a little bit better in terms of combining he almost more of like a midfielder with how he gets on the ball. He can dribble all the way across the field. He could combine. But very technical and tight spaces has good vision and a good way to final pass and good finishing quality so two guys that have had a great start to their their MLS careers and now their national team careers.

23:27Danny what did you see from Ellis in the first game. Yeah really good. This is after five minutes is good so that's like that's like that's like yeah you know the business card of a number now and then what. What what what I was saying like you know the fact that he can combine very good technically with with the players underneath him and and the game that we're playing in that game. You know Peru was playing much deeper block than Chile so it was a different kind of game that was much less space for attacking behind and that's the reason why he had to drop sometimes even in a deeper position and try to play. And then and then attack the box and then I think it's more his characteristic. I think all is more guy that you know playing against the quote unquote bigger teams that try to to to you know to play and the end the free a little bit of space in behind I think he can be a very good solution for. I watched it back today so he gets a big chance in that first half he gets put in on goal by yeah said yeah he goes to the side of the keeper at the top of the box he takes that one moment which is fine he then stumbles off of that I didn't notice that in person which sort of kills his angle and then he ends up sort of blasting it over the crossbar.

24:44There's like a moment of worry where it's like okay young player like that's a big chance that's sort of what you're on the field for as you said that's the business card for you that you're calling card and then he comes back and he still you know affects the game he he's willing to to make the dummy he scores the goal I think for him and overall for the team right this team. Dominates Peru now in this game they get equalized late in the half they go behind for the first time in the camp it felt like a decent amount of bounce back in collectivity from this group outside of the fight which we can go into for. Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah that's no yeah and also I think it because when we talk about character okay sometimes we forget also that you need quality to do it what the national team did like you know that's like the fact that I think there's a lot of confidence in the fact that especially in the first 15 20 minutes boom they were playing well they were they were they were getting they were playing keep playing and even after mistakes can happen there's a mistake at some point I think there's Mehmet tried to play the ball to

25:46play and they do like a counter attack and they hit the post Chile and so those are I would say those are things that of course push a team is going to work and go but those are mistakes that you need to kind of I would say accept it if you want a team that is a team down the front food the team that kind of play in a certain way because playing in this way give you the confidence that even if you consider go okay let's keep playing yeah we're going to score that's a good chance you know that the score again so said burr altar is four goals to assist in his last five games for club in country he is second in 2026 for goal scored for the national team he has six goal contributions goal slash assists which is first for the team so Walker I got like 19 quotes from pochettino post game about said burr altar he said in it maybe I'm talking about him too much because he's kind of falling in love here's the quote he says he is always happy to do anything for the national team I said before that this type of game is priceless and to have a player like him is priceless it's difficult to put a value on so I think Maurice your pochettino is a fan of Sebastian burr altar is what I got from this one 100% and why shouldn't maybe he's a taken advantage of every single opportunity he's got with the national team and if you keep doing that you're going to keep getting called in and for him it couldn't happen to a better guy who's been you know working

27:16his way through both and molest ranks now into international and obviously off to a good start of mills bro and he's doing it all in different ways he's playing sile different positions even in mils bro he's the really developed his set piece capabilities over the last couple years and put himself in the position to get these assists to create dangerous chances for his team so you know he's a big believer of mentality and can get one percent better one percent better he's actually going out and doing it he's spending the time on the training field working on the set pieces knowing it's great. He can be an asset for the team and now every time he steps over the ball you're thinking well could we score like I know it's going to be a good delivery you know it's a it's a great quality and again it's it's because of the work ethic and you see that on the field that anytime he turns the ball over you know he's going to try and get it back as fast as possible. Danny you obviously worked with Seb as he finally broke through and got some full time pro minutes in Vancouver what do you make of his development. Yeah you know I'm you know I'm biased of course you know like when we signed Sebastian he was like a the margin in Austin and then he became like a top player a very important player for us and then after that even a top player is what Walker said is like there's no better guy that you could root for you know like the amount of work and dedication.

28:34And also availability to to do everything because what Poccio Tinsa was the same like when I coached him he played for me as a number eight as number six as a winback he played a fantastic play off game as a right back I guess one what we we be then we be the la of C30 he played a he played right back in the game and and you know it was like amazing and the fact that he did it through developing through the work. What Walker was saying is like you know the little nuggets of things like at the beginning of the 2024 season we had the meeting with our data scientists and analysts at the YCAPs and we say we need to do better in the offensive said plays because the accuracy of the of the crosses on the said plays we need to get better so I remember that we invested all of time. We we called like a kicking coach for from from from Denmark to to come and we invested in technology and you have to give to see how much how many repetitions Sebastian did in order to improve and from a very good set

29:45PStaker that he was I don't want to any pervably but now for me is like he's like he's one of the top 10 said PStaker in the world in my opinion and and it's like it's something really like it's it's a guy that at the beginning of the game you say the XG is going to be like 0.3 0.4 more because it's going to be an assist on a corner or on on on a wide free kick or something so it's I think it's it's getting position in in the national team. Also because of his versatility again yesterday he started as a kind of as in the Tillman role you know 810 then he went played wide on the right and he finished the game he was basically the six so that's that's that's about simple how to for you basically. So let me ask of that though like does he find a permanent role in one spot and does the game states need to fit him in a certain way that can be that can be you know the double edge word in the sense that I think he will always be called and he will always be in the team and we need to see if he needs if he's going to be the starter every single time.

30:57I think the midfield three suited in that suited suits him better than the midfield two like I see more playing like a six and then two eights like he's one of the two eights going there then playing like having you know 10 more offensive player then and then be next to him. Adam's or next to mousse adjust as a as a deeper six but I think that you know if he keeps scoring it's hard to take him out. Walker what do you make of is that the right setup for him that midfield three playing a little bit more possession. Yeah it is for me I agree having a little bit higher as an eight as you know seen as dividends. I just when I think about when we have a full string squad I think it's very hard for him to crack and that's on a slide to him I just think of like a Tyler Weston and a malloc and I like I don't think he's displacing any of those guys if they're healthy and that's again maybe a different type of game can call for a different type of situation and you make that change but

32:02in terms of his ability to contribute absolutely he'll kill contribute whenever he gets a chance that's what's also the best thing about Seb is he is a team guy and he's going to yeah of course the competitor in him is going to want him to be on the field every single minute but he also has the team first mentality that allows him to say okay I'm rooting as hard as I can for these three guys in front of me and when I get my chance I'm going to come in and make a difference so you really get a great player with a great team first mindset. What would you do if you played when you play with someone who has set peace service like this I don't know I guess in Vanne's opinion maybe there's only nine other guys on the planet so he the whole change is a lot it changes a lot when you're in attacking set peace specialist I guess like on the heading end of it so when I look at set pieces I it can go one of two ways if I have a set peace taker that is like Sebastian Burralds or who is very accurate and pinpoint with his accuracy. I know that my job is different my job is strictly an aggressive run that beats my first defender and I'm trusting that he puts it on my head and then I don't have to get much power generated through my own will.

33:12If someone's less accurate I take the opposite approach and I'm like I'm going to take myself over my opponent one V1 give me a little bit more height a little more loft a chance to have a bigger radius where I can actually out out muscle out play my defender either get a goal scoring header or I'm going to get a little bit more than that goal scoring header or a flick to somewhere else that's dangerous and so it changes it if it's someone who can deliver like said I'm making an aggressive run and saying it's going to be somewhere near here and that's what we saw at the Chris Richards goal is he actually had no defender on them they stacked two guys they're completely zone defending on that corner and he came from a free spot into the most dangerous part of of the of the box there in my opinion which is kind of like that near post middle middle the goal right on top of the six. I mean could have had a better delivery in a better place to fall for from said the Chris with a guy like said where you know it's accurate is the work that's being done. Okay Chris Richards is our top header so we're always aiming for him and he's always making this run is that the conversation.

34:15I think it's a little bit more complex than that a lot of it I think depends on the opponent are they zone are they man where they vulnerable and then I think you look at their deficiencies and then put your best strength in the game. So if they're strong at dealing with the near post I'm going to price in my target to the back post and make that delivery to back post advice first so I use a little bit of cat and mouse. But again it makes a lot easier when you know the ball is going to that you know specific area. Our Michael of ultra moment of the week is Saber Halter service to Chris Richards and it was the winning goal in this game and I was going to sort of talk a little bit about him. Vinnie mentioned as a person so putchutinos quote was he's a very good role model player for the players that arrived for the first time or for the players that maybe are watching from home in the way that we expect the players to behave the commitment of course that is one part of him and what what we expect. Tyler Adams was captain the first game and Jenna Robinson was captain the second I think coming out of this people are talking about that quote saying could set burl to be a future captain the US men's specialty.

35:25Well in terms of leadership in terms of you know how we how he behaves on the field and off the field for sure I would say he's already like quote unquote a captain is already is already a leader in the sense that if the coach says that he's a role model for other players. You you you're going to be one of the player that is listen when you talk about in the when you talk about something on the in the locker room when you have to set an example and so on. Of course that's the other thing that was what he was saying before the captain should be also someone that is always more or less always starting for the team so that so and also a player that is I would say ready to. To you know play every game and to be very very very very I would say and use to play some games there's my cat is the cat sense that is like it wants to say something about it. There's a broader household everyone yeah yeah so I think that for me Tyler Adams is the is the natural choice at the moment to be the captain but you know maybe for the future you never know.

36:35Walker how much does it matter like as Vanny said if said acts the way he acts doesn't matter who has the actual arm band. I mean as a lifetime captain look it can go I think leaders are going to be leaders regardless of whether they have the banner not I think I think that way about myself and in different situations when I'm on team I'm going to. My leadership and my role and my work ethic and my commitment to the team is not going to waver whether I wear arm in or not special season exact same way. Walker felt so strongly about that point that he just blew up his router so walkers Wi-Fi is dead and me and Vanny are continue on without him assume that Walker saying really deep things about everything else as we go through the next few topics we want to look forward to the Mexico game of course but Vanny I I say I. I say I'm impressed maybe that we've gone this long and we haven't talked about Kevin Sullivan who is the most popular soccer player in the history of North America.

37:37So there's you know the the age part breaking Freddy adieu's record as as the young is player and all of that and then there's a quality part which we've talked about on our shows he is not there because he's a prospect he is there because he is productive is a good thing yeah yeah and. And they go even though on the record on the Freddy adieu thing so Freddy adieu was the fantastic record but it is probably in the early 90s where the level of the US national team was made 2000 2006 seven maybe oh three maybe maybe 2003 yeah the level yeah you know like now the you know the global stage and everything to reach top level at 15 16 years old like Gavin did is like incredible and yeah he's doing. And fantastically with the union and it did fantastically in the first game you know he was I think in the. In the first 10 12 15 minutes maybe some it was even tried too much yeah in the games against Peru and then and then when you get into the flow he was able to do what it does for the union to be like a guy not only a winger but someone who who arrives in the box and can be a threat.

38:53Can be a threat can services the win 1v1 interchange in position with with the number 10 and and playing inside very fast is also you know he's he's 17 years old but fights like he played 600 games in conca calf you know you can go 1v1 against him and you know he is going to press you and he's going to is going to back up back off on a fight yeah is. Is an extremely good players if like I would be extremely extremely surprised if the future will not be as bright as we think for him because I think he's he has everything to become really really really really good player for the national team but not only for the national team you know you will see because now yes I'm and city if they if they go to the third division is better to stay is better to stay feel left him I feel. I think someone yesterday tweeted out on blue sky primith argiles going to hate seeing Kevin Sullivan in the in league 1 in 2 years.

40:01Yeah that's the thing but yeah you know it's also big part of this the field of the union what they did right after the World Cup is something incredible. And so it's I think is it can be really like you know the. The guy that can be the the face of the future of the national and you know normally for me and I cover a lot of the youth ranks and people always want to know prospects and where they stand and what they are I try to avoid as much as I can pressure and you know like keying in on specific people like we just talked about Tim Ream went to college got drafted. Went England played most of his caps after 30 and I do think that's going to be an aspect of American soccer always because we can't find everyone because it's not the way the country's built us on the sport is fully built. There is so much of that though that just feels different with Kevin I think a lot of it's his family you know he's younger brother of a guy who I think is a national team player.

41:08His parents are clearly special and just it feels like listen you don't want to put him in any situation but it feels like the rules with him of how you introduce him how you get him involved almost feel different than with any other young player. Yeah yeah it's true the true you know now in Emma less that is very good league if you play against the Philadelphia Union the next game here the coach is going to talk about him a lot. It's not that he's playing there because it's like he's just just to play there but it's true and I really really agree with you on what you said before about the fact of being a younger brother of a very good player like Queen is and because you know even in the growing up is the competition in the family and having a role model understanding immediately what what means to be a professional. And really help a my opinion to for him to be faster in the development than then some other some other play in any any same situation.

42:11So 12 players have made their debut in this camp 11 of them are teenagers and Brian Chwocky the other one you worked at US soccer and part of it was looking at the pipeline and looking at the way it was built. Does this surprise you at all that 2026 this is happening. No it doesn't surprise me in the sense that your soccer put a lot of effort and a lot of work in the fact that the quality of the youth development was going to be the best possible not only directly with really high level programs of the with the national team I can tell you I I know the number of people that work in the youth in the youth development and they try to be I would say on top of things with national teams with the talent identification in US soccer has been always a priority for the Federation so that it doesn't surprise me but also in and directing I think this is the

43:13great victory of what happened like 15 years ago when the US soccer and the MLS they launched the academies and you know because you were talking about all these kids there playing all these kids come from from MLS academies. All these kids they they played in the MLS next and MLS next pro and this is also a testament on the fact that there's a high quality environment in the academies now there's a high quality competition in the MLS next and high quality coaching and that's the reason why you know Kevin Sullivan is probably someone like you know they would have come up in a case because like maybe it's like a is a generational talent but there's a lot of the other guys that you know they come and you know we didn't talk about a lot of Brooklyn range that's not a very good players. Mammett is top players like 17 18 years old playing for the Red Bulls and for the National Team in this way so that's it's really it's really a testament in my opinion on how both the league the MLS is working now where there's a lot of coaches that they've done a problem we're talking about last time also the fact that there's no relegation in our league so it's there's a little less problem on playing now let's play this 17 18 year old is good if it's good to go and that is going to help them.

44:38I'm sure the growth of the national team of the American national team. Batch team specifically spoke at I believe Saturday's press conference after the game and said a lot of credit has to go to the MLS coaches that work with these kids because their ability to on take what he wants so quickly at their age in their first camp he attributed a lot to what the coaches do with them and the thing I said is the other side of that is the bravery of it which it doesn't feel like it from the outside but young players normally lose games early on. And if you're a coach and you play those guys you know some teams make it so you have to that's what Philadelphia does like Ryan Richter has no choice because they don't sign other players but that doesn't mean that it doesn't take risk for coaches to put these players on the field at 16 17 18. Yeah yeah and that's the the same thing that you know some people criticize a little bit Michael Bradley because the team is a little bit up and down the Red Bulls but it's normal if you play this 17 year old but in the long term it's going to be it's going to be good for you. It's going to be good for you and at the same time you need to instill to these young guys the the mentality of winning the game.

45:43Walker was said before a wonderful one-boss game you know the fact that Pocetino changed tactically against Chile in after 35 minutes because he wanted to win the game you know okay well playing the young guys but no you know what is better if I put but out there here is best here and and I help these young guys playing back because you know and so that's that's there's also I would say an aspect of trying to get the result that I I think you will be even more because we know playing against the rival against Mexico next Saturday is going to be even a bigger game in in this terms. Look at you hosting and moving us around the show let's go to the Mexico game coming up on Saturday and as I said we still have tickets to give away so make sure to message us we are trying to give them to people who have never been to a game before or it's been a long time or you know there's a reason that it's been tough for you to get to game so please jump into our comments on soccer wise, so I was so and let us know why you should be going with the American outlaws on Saturday it's 10 p.m. Eastern time out in Glendale it is going to be 90% Mexico fans 10% USA fans it's my favorite game that you know a team that I sort of support plays in I can remember every single one that's been played there's been some bad ones over the years I was at a five.

47:03One Mexico win in the 2009 goal cup final a giant stadium in 180 degree weather there's been some great ones of course the nations league over the last few years and it was a bit of a coming out for the generation that Walker worked with going into 2022 World Cup with with with with with with the McKinney with Serginio desk their personalities really came out in the sort of push and pull against Mexico now you've got all these young players like how do you think marist your budget and deals with this on Saturday. Yeah as I said I think he will be making choices to play the young play the young players but probably to put also the experience player there I expect a tie the radams to play I expect Chris Richards to play probably moosa to play too you know guys that they know on how to be in those games of course G or a now and to help the young players to to set up the tone to know that this is a friendly game but it's still

48:03the you know the biggest rivalry for the US national team to play against Mexico and so I believe that he will be of course it's going to be something in order to build the team develop the team but there will be put a lot of in my opinion a lot of accent and a lot of I would say focus on the fact that you know we need to try to win this game because that's also going to be going to build a certain type of culture in the team when the real games will arrive. Yeah I've talked about this a couple times you know some of the coaches I talked to in youth development style and this is not youth development to see your national team I know that but one of the comments that's you know gets made and I covered the GA Cup for a long time is like one of the things we do is there's moments where we talk about process and we're going to say let's go win Mexico is the effort let's go win moment which is a learning moment in itself because that's what a world cup is that's what a cup America is that's what a gold cup is and so I think you said it Richard's atoms I expect to see I assume geo will get the start once again with the way he's played

49:18in the same way as the team is not in gold freeze I think yeah which is a debate we have to have and not long our conversation which we'll get into let me ask you about central midfield do you think Eunice Moussa gets the start because of experience I think it depends for me tactically what he wants to do yeah so if you want to play on let's say this this treatment midfield where you know start almost as a number eight when we have the ball maybe you can even play Tyler Adam stillman and Berhalter if he thinks that Mexico is going to be a it's going to be a game where you need to play with both Reina and Tillman higher in order to support the number nine I think Moussa will play I think that's that's going to be the the question mark and probably on the left is the pillar and and on the right I don't know because you know like on the right high you know Freeman I think as a right back right center back and I would probably say that this is a game where you know you showcase your magic 17 year old and you play him as a right wing and I mean it's against Mexico it is the position is open now Serginio

50:35Desperate there and I actually thought that was really good yesterday he had a moment early where he actually instigated the press which led to an early chance for hall it then switches over to the left I think the reason he played on the left is because Frank US fell struggled in Serginio that doesn't defend or cover his position and you don't know where he's going to pop up and if that's the case if you have this unknown quantity might as well be the 17 year old who's the future and the face of the team I agree with you the desk is very good but also it's a very vertical player is less crafty than Sullivan it can combine less in the sense you know Reyna can pop out or maybe a midfielder can pop out any any can go any can go more inside so we will see and I would and I would confirm a hole as an number nine in my opinion that would be I agree with you I think all one of the things I love about him is I think the way he shapes his pressure and makes it predictable for the guys behind him he also was going to do it for however many minutes on the field which makes the game a little bit easier for the guys around him and two goals he's he's playing on confidence but it will be something to see because Mexico over the two games under

51:44Rafa Marquez so far I think they've looked similar to the World Cup which is they have a ton of possession there's like almost an overwhelming amount of control but there's no creativity there is no breakthrough and so we start against England the 87,000 crosses and all of that it feels like a lot of that except for Gilbert or more and if it's more against Kevin Sullivan that's a special is there a special guy is there special guy and I agree with you the fact that Mexico the World Cup at least they played a game that was like not too much attacking the space in behind of the of the of the opposition defense so they were relying a lot on the combination underneath the line and then the whole humanity's maybe finding a goal or a cross or or something and you know they we the US will need to be prepared on this kind of again team that wants to possess a little bit more so when they don't have the ball they need to be

52:46probably a little bit more compact than in the next than in the last two games in order to try to trap them and try to win the ball back because I agree with you that you know leaving space for Gibraltar Mora and trying to leaving him to have to have too much freedom in between midfield and and defense could be a problem it is going to be fun one I think it's going to be one that we all look back on in 10 years and say when these two were 17 and this kid was here and this kid was here this was this game and it could set up the region for a long time if not then it'll be the next game which will be US against Canada coming up in Minnesota so we're going to have sort of a fun mailbag episode coming up tomorrow on MLS things with Doyle and Tom Monday will be back with all US MNT reaction from the Mexico game and the next Wednesday we're going to talk USA Canada as well so a lot to dig into it's been really fun as I said we didn't talk all keepers we didn't really talk me about it in Brooklyn

53:50rains we didn't get to talk maybe as much as we'd like about some of the young players or uh Gozo who hasn't gotten as many minutes as I expected true that's why we have this show that's why we have all of our shows that we can do this all the time huge thank you to Walker's Irwin for taking the time to join us until his internet blew up and Vanny appreciate you taking the time to join us enjoy what I assume is a nice fall in Halifax like you hear in Nova Scotia a lot of colors so boom fully fully still really really beautiful yes and yeah always fun having you on thank you to all of you for listening as I said US from international team roster coverage is on our NWSL show this week we've got some special shows we're going to bring on a pinto back on to talk about the Spain games coming up as well some other guest hosts so lots of look forward to and we'll talk to you all again very soon