Uncovering the underbelly of American soccer
0:00 - Taylor and Travis give an update on the show and discuss some of the things they've been watching and reading while live soccer has been off the airwaves. 12:59 - Yael Averbuch West discusses Techne Futbol and the importance of individual work in player development.
Taylor and Travis do their best to answer your listener question! Who is the next dual-national that could help the national team that wasn't involved in our youth national teams? Here's a link to the Kim McCauley article I mentioned: https://www.sbnation.com/2020/3/19/21183601/building-a-better-usmnt-together-football-manager-fm20 Why don't we see more college coaches making the jump like they do in football or basketball? What are the best non MLS-affiliated USDA programs? Who's the best classic target forward coming through the ranks that's not already a pro? If Liga MX and MLS combine at some point down the line, what will that look like and is it a good thing for American players? Has there been any hint that NWSL clubs are going to launch concerted academy initiatives? What do you think of the sleeping giant that is the Canadian men’s national team? If Don Garber tasked you with selecting the locations for the next MLS expansion teams, where do you put them and why? Why does the Olympics only allow for the U23 men to play but there is no age restriction for the women’s team? Do you think this is open to changing? Are there athletic scholarships for NAIA?
Taylor and Travis break down the 23-man squad Jason Kreis has assembled for Olympic qualifying. Who are the notable omissions and what do they say about the state of the program? Who will be knocking in the goals? Who should start in midfield? Will there be a goalkeeper? All that and much more!
Who are the young players to watch in the 2020 USL Championship? The Athletic's Jeff Rueter joins the podcast this week to break down the league's relationship with player development, names to know for this season, and much more.
Joe Lowery joins this week's podcast to chat about some of the up-and-coming young U.S. players to watch ahead of the start of the 2020 Major League Soccer season.
Taylor and Travis take a long look at the US U20 women's national team ahead of the start of the 2020 CONCACAF Women's U-20 Championship. They break down the roster, discuss some potential key performers, ponder coach Laura Harvey's possible tactics, and much much more. They also get into how this might be Sophia Smith's tournament and what that might mean for her career going forward.
Taylor and Travis take a look at eleven youngsters currently playing (or, in some cases, not playing) in Europe and try to figure out 1) where they stand with the USMNT right now and 2) what they need to do to increase their chances of getting called into the March camp. Players discussed: 1) Gio Reyna (Dortmund) 2) Richie Ledezma (PSV) 3) Chris Gloster (PSV) 4) Alex Mendez (Ajax) 5) Konrad de la Fuente (Barcelona) 6) Ulysses Llanes (Wolfsburg) 7) Chris Richards (Bayern Munich) 8) Indiana Vassilev (Aston Villa) 9) Timothy Weah (Lille) 10) Christian Cappis (Hobro) 11) Emmanuel Sabbi (Hobro) Honorable Mention: Josh Sargent
UVA Men's Soccer Performance Analyst Carl Carpenter joins the show to discuss how Video Analysis and Performance Analytics are used to find an extra edge on the field in college soccer. They also go deep on the prevalence of performance analytics in college soccer, how in-game data evaluation can turn a game on its head, how modern technology is changing opposition scouting, and much more.
Taylor and Travis go deep on the US men's and women's U20 national teams. Up first, they take a look at the women's team and discuss the hiring of Laura Harvey, roster updates in advance of U20 World Cup qualifying, and who might be the key performers for the squad as they attempt to make it to the World Cup. After that, it's on to the men's team. They've been training with the senior national team and had friendlies against Mexico. What do we make of Anthony Hudson's tenure thus far, and how might the squad evolve in advance of U20 World Cup qualifying this summer? All that, plus some senior men's national team chat as well! Which young players are we most excited to (hopefully) see get some minutes on Saturday.
Travis talks to Maryland men's head coach Sasho Cirovski about the proposed 21st Century Model that will be up for vote this April by the NCAA. The men's Division I season would be dramatically changed for the better should it pass, and Travis and Sasho get into the nitty-gritty of what could happen.
Taylor and Travis review the 2020 NWSL Draft on location in Baltimore. Who did the best, who made the big moves, and what will the future hold for many of the draftees? Plus, which college programs will have to do some rebuilding to challenge for the title next season.
Taylor and Travis discuss the strangeness of the 2020 MLS SuperDraft as well as, as Travis put it, "the players and teams that did things." After that, we take a look at the upcoming NWSL draft. What moves have already taken place amongst the various teams and which players are most likely to go in the first round? We've got some ideas! Sophia Smith, Ashley Sanchez, and many more get some mentions For 20% off a TDS Premier subscription, go to http://topdrawersoccer.com/subscribe and use discount code "podcast"
Taylor and Travis take a look at the upcoming MLS SuperDraft. How different will it be this season, who are the key players who could be involved, and what might the top teams in the draft be looking for? After that, we briefly discuss the most notable/exciting youth inclusions in the latest USMNT roster. Uly Llanez y'all!!!!
Taylor and Travis discuss the DA showcase in Floria before turning their focus to the men's and women's college tournaments. On the women's side, they get into the penalty shootout that saw Stanford emerge victorious once again. On the men's, Georgetown took home the title for the first time in school history. How did they build that program and what comes next? All that and much more! Reminder! Our listeners can get 20% off a TopDrawerSoccer premier subscription. Go to topdrawersoccer.com/subscribe and use the promo code “podcast” and get 20% off.
Taylor gives a brief review of the recent events in the both the women's and men's D1 soccer tournaments. We'll discuss both the women's and men's finals in detail on next week's show. For now/for the bulk of the show, Travis talked to Wake Forest men's head coach Bobby Muusss about his team's tournament so far, as well as what the semifinal against UVA may hold.
Taylor and Travis discuss all the action so far in both the men's and women's D1 soccer tournaments. On the men's side, it's mostly gone as expected, but on the women's side there's been a surprise run. 15:52 - Speaking of, in Part 2, Travis talks to Washington State women's head coach Todd Shulenberger about his team's run to the College Cup.
In Part 1, Taylor and Travis review the big matches that have already happened and preview those soon to come in both the women's and men's D1 college soccer brackets. In Part 2, Taylor talks to Steve D'Adamo (Director of Tournaments for the Richmond Strikers) and Jay Howell (Executive Director, Richmond Strikers) about this spring's Jefferson Cup. As promised, here's a link to the site where teams can find out more about the event and apply to participate: http://jeffersoncup.strikerstournaments.com/application-information
ESPN broadcaster Jonathan Yardley joins the show to break down the men's Division I tournament field, contenders to watch, MLS prospects to know, and much, much more. Check out Bill Reno's 2019 Bracket Challenge: http://bit.ly/2D2PiTg
Taylor and (mostly) Travis preview the start of the 2019 NCAA Division I Women's Soccer tournament by taking a look at the top 8 teams, as well as a few others who could make deep runs. Teams discussed: 1) Florida State 2) UCLA 3) UVA 4) South Carolina 5) Stanford 6) BYU 7) UNC 8) USC They also discuss some individual players that are most likely to get NWSL Draft consideration later this yea/early 2020. Reminder! Our listeners can get 20% off a TopDrawerSoccer premier subscription. Go to topdrawersoccer.com/subscribe and use the promo code “podcast” and get 20% off.
Adam Belz of the Scuffed Podcast joins this week's show to dissect the USA's performance at the Under-17 World. What is important, what isn't and what did it say about the issues facing the US Soccer Federation in general.
J.R. Eskilson joins the show to review the first two games for the United States at the U17 World Cup. What went right (not much), what went wrong, and how to keep perspective as the U.S. looks to stay alive in Brazil.
Stade de Reims goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce discusses life in France's Ligue 1 Feminie, where she moved after playing for the University of Miami earlier this year. Find out what it's like to be a young American (woman) playing abroad, how it's helped her grow as a player and person and some insights on developing as a goalkeeper.
Taylor and Travis break down the US U17 World Cup roster. Who is in, who is out, and who will need to have a strong tournament to help the US make a deep run. They also preview a few other potential head-turners at the tournament, and answer some U17-themed listener questions. Some of the players Travis previewed are: 1) Adil Aouchiche (France) 2) Sebastian Esposito (Italy) 3) Efrain Alvarez (...Mexico) 4) Pablo Moreno (Spain) 5) Matias Palacios (Argentina) 6) Steve Mvoue (Cameroon) 7) Johan Mina (Ecuador) 8) Talles Magno (Brazil)
Jeff Kassouf of Equalizer Soccer joins the show to discuss the next stars of the NWSL, the status of the US Women's national team coaching search, and much more!
Taylor and Travis start off by analyzing the 25 names included on Jason Kreis' 25-player squad for the US U23 national team ahead of its upcoming friendly against El Salvador. Who's in, who's out, and who could still surprise in time for the Olympics? After that, T&T do their best to select the 21 players they think are most likely to end up making the Raphael Wicky's squad for the U17 World Cup later this month. Lots of names suggested but only a few can make the cut!
Travis talks to Mexico international (and former US youth international) Jonathan González about how he became a professional player, what his time in Mexico has been like, and what advice he would give youngsters considering a pro career. He also gets into the decision he made as a dual national to represent Mexico and gives additional advice to players out there faced with a similar decision. The interview with Jonathan starts at 16:49. If you'd like more information about the Alianza Showcase, you can find Travis' article explaining all the details here: http://bit.ly/2mEXNzb Prior to the interview, Taylor and Travis discuss the showcase itself, why it exists, and what role it plays in filling in some of the cracks in the US Soccer landscape. There's also some dual national chat in there as well, mostly focused on what could be done to keep talents like Richie Ledezma and Diego Pepi from wandering over to El Tri.
On this week's show, Virginia women's head coach (and USWNT assistant) Steven Swanson breaks down his team's early success in the 2019 DI season, the quality of the ACC, his team's attacking playing style, and some of the keys to this summer's World Cup triumph in France.
Taylor and Travis attempt to cure their USMNT Blues by taking a prolonged look at the next generation of talent coming through. The U17 World Cup starts in late October. How is the team preparing and who are we most excited to see in that competition? The U23s face Olympic qualifying in the spring of 2020. How big of a deal is the qualifying process, should they call up all age-eligible players, and which U23s might get looks at senior level in the near future? The U20s have started a new cycle with Tab Ramos still in charge. Who are the next big names listeners might want to keep an eye on? Hint - League One might be the place to be! All that plus listener questions and a somewhat extended Mighty Ducks 2 analogy!
Taylor talks to Ira Jersey of The League One Fun podcast about the best young players currently employed by each and every USL League One side. Ira also provides excellent insight into the teams themselves, their playing styles, and how these youngsters have risen to the top of the league. Here's a link to their site on the Beautiful Game Network: https://www.bgn.fm/league-1-fun/
Travis talks to Soccer America's Mike Woitalla about the start of the 2019 Development Academy season, as well as the changes that have been implemented for the upcoming campaign. If you'd like to learn more, here are the links to a few of the articles discussed in this episode: https://www.socceramerica.com/publications/article/83318/crossfires-bernie-james-details-his-disappointmen.html https://www.socceramerica.com/publications/article/83165/boys-development-academy-shakeup-us-soccer-move.html https://www.socceramerica.com/publications/article/83223/the-das-new-tiered-format-the-stigma-of-relegati.html REMINDER! For more club and player-centric DA previews, check out TopDrawerSoccer.com AND save 20% on a subscription with the promo code "podcast"
Taylor and Travis (mostly Travis) preview the 2019 college seasons (both men and women) by taking a look at some of the performers they think could be primed for big things in 2019. There's also some time spent on what will happen at UCLA with their former coach under indictment, who might be national team caliber, and much much more! If you're looking for any/all college soccer content, you can find all of TopDrawerSoccer's Division I preview content here: http://bit.ly/2KTwURP
Taylor and Travis are back together (via the internet) to discuss the brights starts for both Gio Reyna at Dortmund and Sergino Dest at Ajax. They then move on to breaking down the appointment of Kate Markgraf as GM of US women's soccer and the promotion of Earnie Stewart to Sporting Director. What will the new positions require, who might take over the vacant men's GM job, and what are the major challenges to come. Lastly, T&T answer listener questions, including which young Americans could make their Bundesliga debuts/get the most minutes this season and do American fans care more than other fans about youth national team players? Plus, they give some advice to any youth soccer coaches who might be listening!
Note - Apologies for the lack of introduction for this episode. My (Taylor's) microphone appears to have ceased functioning, so no fancy greeting up front. Instead, we're jumping right into Travis talking to Adam Belz of The Scuffed Podcast about what the season ahead may hold for 10 Americans abroad. Listen and enjoy!
From a hotel room in Orlando, Taylor talks to Bobby Warshaw about the 2019 MLS Homegrown game, which both attended but Bobby actually covered. After that, they answer assorted Twitter questions and budget plenty of time for random tangents and strange asides.
Travis talks to SB Nation's Kim McCauley about the 2023 Women's World Cup cycle: who from the 2019 might be in that squad, who are some youngsters who could make moves in the next 4 years, and who might take over as head coach? All that and lots of NWSL chat as well. Here's a link to Kim's article discussing this very topic: https://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2019/7/10/20687886/uswnt-roster-2020-olympics-world-cup-squidward-voice-futureeeeeeee
Taylor and Travis take turns discussing their combined 11 homegrown players that have impressed this season in either MLS or USL (or occasionally both). They are... 1) Brandon Servania 2) Paxton Pomykal 3) Mason Toye 4) Miles Robinson 5) Cole Bassett 6) Gianluca Busio 7) Moses Nyeman 8) Alphonso Ocampo-Chavez 9) Issa Rayyan 10) Ricardo Pepi 11) David Rodriguez
J.R. ESKILSON HAD MADE AN APPEARANCE! Travis is joined by J.R. Eskilson (of TopDrawerSoccer) to discuss the girls and boys Development Academy playoffs and finals, as well as the overall level of elite soccer in North America.
After gushing about Gio Reyna's (now official) move to Borussia Dortmund, Taylor and Travis answer your listener questions, including (but not limited to) what's become of Xuxuh Hilton, how will new NCAA recruiting rules impact college soccer, and why won't DC United sign a talented young midfielder?
Jordan Gardner, Chairman of the Board and Co-Owner of FC Helsingor, explains the process he and his partners went through to transform a Danish 2nd division team into a club that emphasizes youth development (particularly American youth development) above all else.
Travis talks to attorney Miki Turner about the recent news involving training compensation and solidarity payments. What do those terms mean, how has the legal side of the issue progressed, and what might the future hold? All that and much, much more!
With the USA's elimination from the U20 World Cup, Taylor and Travis discuss what comes next for eleven of the team's key players. What did we learn about/what should the immediate future hold for... 1) Timothy Weah 2) Sergino Dest 3) Chris Durkin 4) Chris Richards 5) Sebastian Soto 6) Chris Gloster 7) Alex Mendez 8) Ulysses Lllanez 9) Konrad de la Fuente 10) Richie Ledezma 11) Paxton Pomykal Do they need a move? More minutes? A strong preseason? All the above? We go deep!
Taylor and Travis briefly discuss the USA's 1-0 loss to Jamaica (Travis was at Audi Field and has thoughts), as well as some of the names on Gregg Berhalter's Gold Cup roster. After that, we preview the US U20's upcoming quarterfinal match against Ecuador: who are they, what will they do, and what can the US do to stop them? We also determine the starting eleven we would most like to see, while keeping Tab Ramos' preferences in mind. Today's show is sponsored by... Open Goaaal USA! Use the Top Drawer Soccer Spring Sale discount code TDS40 to get $40 OFF + Free Shipping while supplies last at opengoaaalusa.com. Techne Futbol! It's the soccer training app for individual players, teams and clubs. Players can train on their own, when and where they want, while coaches track their progress. Download the Techne Futbol app for a free trial or go to technefutbol.com
Taylor and Travis take a look back at the USA's (somewhat disappointing) 1-0 win over Qatar in the U20 World Cup. The Baby Yanks could have topped the group and avoided stronger opposition in the knockout round with a better result. T&T try to get to the bottom of what went wrong and what could have gone better. After that, they pick a possible lineup for the next round by discussing who has stood out (good or bad) for the US in the competition so far. Today's show is sponsored by... Open Goaaal USA! Use the Top Drawer Soccer Spring Sale discount code TDS40 to get $40 OFF + Free Shipping while supplies last at opengoaaalusa.com. Techne Futbol! It's the soccer training app for individual players, teams and clubs. Players can train on their own, when and where they want, while coaches track their progress. Download the Techne Futbol app for a free trial or go to technefutbol.com
Taylor and Travis start off the episode with a U20 World Cup roster update before moving on to briefly discussing some of the younger names included on Gregg Berhalter's provisional Gold Cup roster. After that, we take a look at some of the most exciting young players who will be competing in the World Cup this summer. Here's the list, in case our pronunciation is horrific...s 1) Bunny Shaw - Jamaica 2) Erin Cuthbert - Scotland 3) Patricia Guijarro - Spain 4) Aitana Bonmati - Spain 5) Mary Fowler - Australia 6) Ellie Carpenter - Australia 7) Jordyn Huitema - Canada 8) Delphine Cascarino - France 9) Tierna Davidson - USA 10) Mallory Pugh - USA Honorable mentions: Jody Brown (Jamaica), Georgia Stanway (England), Giulia Gwinn (Germany), Lena Oberdorf (Germany) Today's show is sponsored by... Open Goaaal USA! Use the Top Drawer Soccer Spring Sale discount code TDS40 to get $40 OFF + Free Shipping while supplies last at opengoaaalusa.com. Techne Futbol! It's the soccer training app for individual players, teams and clubs. Players can train on their own, when and where they want, while coaches track their progress. Download the Techne Futbol app for a free trial or go to technefutbol.com
Travis talks to Adam Belz of The Scuffed Podcast about the USA's disappointing loss in the U17 Concacaf Championships... though they did still qualify for the U17 World Cup. So, it wasn't THAT disappointing. Adam and Travis focus mostly on the tournament as a whole, and what they think of the U17 team in its present incarnation. After that, the guys take a look at the US team as it prepares for the U20 World Cup, and discuss their opponents in the group stage. Today's show is sponsored by... Open Goaaal USA! Use the Top Drawer Soccer Spring Sale discount code TDS40 to get $40 OFF + Free Shipping while supplies last at opengoaaalusa.com. Techne Futbol! It's the soccer training app for individual players, teams and clubs. Players can train on their own, when and where they want, while coaches track their progress. Download the Techne Futbol app for a free trial or go to technefutbol.com
It's a show of two halves! In Part I, Taylor and Travis go in-depth on the USA's roster for the upcoming U20 World Cup. Timothy Weah is in and Julian Araujo is out, but who else is in the squad and who else possibly should have been? Plus, our predicted Starting XI and lingering concerns/reasons for optimism heading into the tournament. In Part the Second, we review the USA's progress through the 2019 Concacaf U17 Championships. 20 goals for and 3 against after 4 games is no small feat, but what will the US need to do to ensure positive results against more challenging opposition? We have thoughts! Today's show is sponsored by... Open Goaaal USA! Use the Top Drawer Soccer Spring Sale discount code TDS40 to get $40 OFF + Free Shipping while supplies last at opengoaaalusa.com. Techne Futbol! It's the soccer training app for individual players, teams and clubs. Players can train on their own, when and where they want, while coaches track their progress. Download the Techne Futbol app for a free trial or go to technefutbol.com
Travis talks to Chris Madden, Director of Competition and Development for USL League 2 (formerly the Premier Development League). They go deep on the new league itself, as well as the teams and players that will shape the upcoming season... and possibly US Soccer in the future. Today's show is sponsored by... Open Goaaal USA! Use the Top Drawer Soccer Spring Sale discount code TDS40 to get $40 OFF + Free Shipping while supplies last at opengoaaalusa.com. Techne Futbol! It's the soccer training app for individual players, teams and clubs. Players can train on their own, when and where they want, while coaches track their progress. Download the Techne Futbol app for a free trial or go to technefutbol.com
Taylor and Travis break down Raphael Wicky's roster for the upcoming U17 Concacaf Championships and do their best to figure out a possible starting eleven. They also get into some notable absences and potential key performers. After that, they take a look back at the Generation Adidas Cup to determine the players and teams that stood out (hint: lots of Seattle talk). Today's show is sponsored by... Open Goaaal USA! Use the Top Drawer Soccer Spring Sale discount code TDS40 to get $40 OFF + Free Shipping while supplies last at opengoaaalusa.com. Techne Futbol! It's the soccer training app for individual players, teams and clubs. Players can train on their own, when and where they want, while coaches track their progress. Download the Techne Futbol app for a free trial or go to technefutbol.com
Taylor disrupts Travis' hard-earned vacation time to discuss the new training compensation and solidarity payments policy unveiled by MLS yesterday. How will it change current operational policy, will non-DA academies see any benefit, and many more questions (hopefully) answered. After that, it's on to the Generation Adidas Cup, where the Seattle Sounders have made history... by getting Travis excited about the quality of play at U17 level. Oh, and they also became the first MLS team to make the Champions Division Final. You can stream that match live on Saturday at 7pm eastern over on Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/mls Today's show is sponsored by... Open Goaaal USA! Use the Top Drawer Soccer Spring Sale discount code TDS40 to get $40 OFF + Free Shipping while supplies last at opengoaaalusa.com. Techne Futbol! It's the soccer training app for individual players, teams and clubs. Players can train on their own, when and where they want, while coaches track their progress. Download the Techne Futbol app for a free trial or go to technefutbol.com
Taylor talks to Meg Linehan of The Athletic about the 2019 NWSL rookie class, as well as the league as a whole. How chaotic will things be during the World Cup? Who might be up for Rookie of the Year honors? Why don't Portland and Seattle have more draft picks? All that and much, much more! Today's show is sponsored by... Open Goaaal USA! It's a soccer goal + rebounder + backstop ALL IN ONE! Use the Top Drawer Soccer Spring Sale discount code TDS40 to get $40 OFF + Free Shipping while supplies last at opengoaaalusa.com. Techne Futbol! It's the soccer training app for individual players, teams and clubs. Players can train on their own, when and where they want, while coaches track their progress. Download the Techne Futbol app for a free trial or go to technefutbol.com
Travis talks to Marc Nicholls, the Technical Director of the Seattle Sounders Academy. They discuss the upcoming Generation Adidas Cup, how the Sounders are working to incorporate young players into the professional game, the impact of national team call-ups on the growth of Sounders academy players, and much more! Today's show is sponsored by... Open Goaaal USA! It's a soccer goal + rebounder + backstop ALL IN ONE! Use the Top Drawer Soccer Spring Sale discount code TDS40 to get $40 OFF + Free Shipping while supplies last at opengoaaalusa.com. Techne Futbol! The soccer training app for individual players, teams and clubs.Players can train on their own, when and where they want, while coaches track their progress. Download the Techne Futbol app for a free trial or go to technefutbol.com
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