Westward Ho

This week, Phil West and J. Sam Jones talk Leagues Cup (again), as Lionel Messi continues to move through MLS teams and will now go to Frisco to face FC Dallas. They also talk transfer window and how the U.S. is faring in the Women's World Cup.

This week, Phil West and J. Sam Jones talk Leagues Cup, including a Lionel Messi-led dismantling of Atlanta United, plus general fanning about all the good things the tournament's brought so far. They also touch on the All-Star match and LAFC's reloading.

This week, Victor Araiza and Phil West dig into the upcoming Leagues Cup competition, preview the All-Star Game, and give some attention to Miami's two new signings to assure that they don't go under the radar.

This week, Phil West talks to Andrew Urban, new CEO at The Striker, and Mariano Caceres, new Chief Revenue Office at The Striker, about the next phase for the publication where every day is a soccer news day. They also talk about Gold Cup, the Rose Bowl El Trafico and a weekend that includes the Other Cali Clasico.

This week, Phil West talks to Mike Turner and Mason Turner of River City Ramble, reviewing the surprising first half of 2023 for St. Louis City SC, and contemplating whether they'll land a home playoff game. They also discuss the All-Star selections, the further development of Barcelona West, and the U.S. team's international incident against St. Kitts and Nevis.

This week, Phil West talks to Alex Windley from Bleacher Report and The Heron Outlet; she gives the Miami perspective on the Lionel Messi story that's gripping all of MLS. They also discuss Concacaf Nations League, the Berhalter announcement, and the USWNT Women's World Cup roster announcement.

Sam Jones joins Phil West for an Eastward Ho version of Westward Ho, wondering if Messi to Miami is the biggest storyline in the East for the second half of 2023. (The answer might surprise you.) They also touch on Concacaf Nations League and the quest for a USMNT coach.

Who's got CCL fever? Phil West talks to fellow Striker writer Justin Ruderman from León, where he'll be covering the first leg of the CCL final between LAFC and Club León on Wednesday night. (He'll also have you for the second leg on Sunday night from the Banque.)

This week, Phil West talks to his Striker colleague Victor Araiza about Houston Dynamo's start to the 2023 season, including whether than can advance in the U.S. Open Cup now that they're in the Elite 8, how Hector Herrera's working out, and who Aliyu Ibrahim (or is it Ibrahim Aliyu) is. They also talk about the current Liga MX final between Chivas and Tigres, and how Phil's daughter got into a Chicago Fire hype video.

Ahead of Austin FC's midweek match in Seattle, Phil West talks to Sounder at Heart's Jeremiah Oshan about the Sounders' apparent resurgence in the MLS standings, the recent bounce out of the Open Cup, some young players embodying the team's “next man up” ethos and comparisons of Cascadia turf.

This week, Phil West talks to We Are Austin TV's Hernan Gonzalez about Austin FC's current woes and what the fans are feeling. Along the way, they inadvertently forecast a Josh Wolff replacement, ponder life for Cristiano Ronaldo had he signed for SKC, differ on the recently-unveiled parley jerseys and talk about the most miserable Hernan in the MLS universe.

This week, Phil West talks to The Striker's Samuel Reno, covering LAFC for the site, just hours before the MLS Cup champs host Austin. We talk about the Western Conference final rematch, the team's march through CCL and what all they might win in '23. We also visit the Generation Adidas Cup, the U.S. Open Cup and whether it's going to be a Hot Messi Summer after all.

This week, Phil West talks to The Striker's LA Galaxy writer Alex Ruiz about the club's puzzling 2023 start. They discuss why things have been strange, what's going on with Riqui Puig, who's replaced Kevin Cabral as the most frustrating Galaxy player and who is the best Galaxy Twitter mom. They also get into early MLS MVP talk, St. Louis's torrid start and even a little Premier League talk just for fun.

This week, in preparation for the first Houston vs. Austin match of the year (but not the first Copa Tejas match, we'll explain), Phil West talks to Victor Araiza about the Dynamo's offseason moves and his evolving feelings about head coach Ben Olsen. Victor also asks Phil some questions on Austin FC to do it Striker MLS Podcast style, and then they talk about CCL, MLS Next Pro, and the newly-refurbished Shell Energy Stadium.

This week, Phil West talks with J. Sam Jones, who covers Atlanta United for The Striker, about his new Rankings of Power column, as well as the start of the season for the Five Stripes. They also get into the new playoff format, how MLS is doing in CCL, and Leagues Cup. Also, if you wanted to test your Duran Duran knowledge, there's something here for you as well.

To answer our questions about how MLS Season Pass was in its first weekend and how it will evolve, Phil West talks to Jillian Sakovits, one of the many hosts for the new Apple TV soccer endeavor. They talk about building the plane while it flies, storylines from the first week, and everything they're looking forward to this year, including a look at Atlanta United, a team Sakovits knows quite well from her prior broadcasting work. (There was also a cat involved.)

Continuing a tradition started on Moontower Soccer, hosts Jeremiah Bentley and Landon Cotham join Phil West to draft the teams they believe will make (and just miss) this year's playoffs. You can determine if one of them is in danger of being beaten by the “Leftovers” (teams 22 through 29). They also touch on some storylines intriguing them as the season starts.

This week, host Phil West digs out from an ice storm and three days without power to talk to Cameron Collins of two Sounders fan entities – Gorilla FC and the Alliance Council. They talk about the Sounders' recent abbreviated trip to the FIFA Club World Cup, issues with a new jersey sponsor despite Collins' belief that it's their best jersey ever, and perhaps some shared schadenfreude over the L.A. teams' recent travails.

Westward Ho returns for 2023 with Jeremiah Bentley and Phil West sitting down with The Striker's Benjamin Virgen for one last hurrah; Ben's leaving his post as LAFC beat writer for a grand new adventure. We talk about LAFC's prospects for 2023 even as they deal with an exodus of players, nod to the upcoming launch of MLS on Apple and the Coachella Valley Invitational, and discuss the Galaxy supporters' protest over Chris Klein being Chris Klein (and why that's so problematic for some).

After an unplanned hiatus, Westward Ho's back, with Matt Pollard from Last Word on Soccer joining Phil West to talk about Gyasi Zardes moving to Austin FC after spending most of last season with the Rapids. They also talk about the Sounders in the FIFA Club World Cup, whether it's C.J. or J.C. who's the presumptive No. 1 pick in the upcoming SuperDraft, and a World Cup final for which Phil reveals himself to be a heartless France fan.

This week, Mike Turner and Shjon Campbell from the Soccer Capitol Podcast join Jeremiah Bentley and Phil West to talk about the debut of St. Louis CITY SC's new stadium, the ongoing roster build (including Friday's expansion draft), why it's CITY and not just City (or why it needs City in the name at all) and other aspects of St. Louis fandom. Also, just days before the World Cup starts, they talk World Cup.

The entire 2022 MLS season comes down to its two No. 1 seeds, LAFC and the Philadelphia Union facing off in MLS Cup on Saturday. Phil West brings David Gass (of Extratime, MLS Today, and MLSSoccer.com fame) on to talk about the final matchup, Don Garber's State of the League address, the upcoming USMNT World Cup roster announcement — and a little bit of love for Austin FC to round things out. Follow the show at @westwardhocast on Twitter Follow Phil West at @philwest Follow David Gass at @empiregass

This week, Phil West is joined by San Antonio-based broadcaster Katie Goodman, who has been covering Austin FC this season. They discuss the upcoming Western Conference Finals matchup between Verde and LAFC, get into the proposed new playoff format (and all its games), the possibility of San Diego (and San Antonio) getting an MLS team, and a weird balloon that Fox will debut on Thanksgiving.

This week, ahead of the big Austin FC-FC Dallas semifinal showdown, we do it Striker MLS Podcast style, with Jon Arnold and Chris Bils joining Phil West for a half-hour packed full of knowledge ahead of learning which Texas team will take on LAFC for an MLS Cup date.

This week, Landon Cotham and J. Sam Jones join Phil West to break down the 2022 MLS Cup playoffs. They imagine an alternate universe in which the current Wooden Spoon winner gets a second chance entry into the playoffs, marvel at Chicharito's new playoff shoes, and ultimately and unanimously crown a winner.

This week, Jeremiah Bentley and Phil West talk to Sarita Patel from Vancouver Whitecaps FC about that team's remarkable surge into a Round 0 playoff match this Sunday at Minnesota. They also consider the rest of the Decision Day drama about to unfold (including the other two win-and-you're-in matches), dive into Thursday's Leagues Cup announcement, and discuss St. Louis' bold plan to roll with what they're calling a “Designated Team.”

This week, Phil West talks to Gio Garcia from LA Soccer Hub about LAFC's Shield run, Chicharito's surprise revelation, LA Galaxy's transformation thanks to Riqui Puig and Gaston Brugman, and some assorted soccer storylines, including which Utah Jazz player would help your MLS and how the Mexico and U.S. looked (performance wise and in their new kits) during the international break.

On a special crossover episode, Phil West is joined by Theo Lloyd-Hughes to discuss the NWSL regular-season finale and the links between the top two leagues in U.S. domestic soccer. They talk about all the big headlines, teams to know and the matches to watch in the NWSL this weekend, as well as predictions for October's playoffs. Then in the second half of the podcast, Phil and Theo do a team-by-team analogy between the NWSL and MLS' Western Conference. Who will be compared to who? Did they make terrible assumptions and do you agree? #MLS #NWSL #MLSCUP #NWSLPLAYOFFS #SOCCERPODCAST #WESTERNCONFERENCE #WESTWARDHO 

This week, Jeremiah Bentley (from a combo airport/spaceport in Midland) and Phil West (from a more conventional Austin office setting) talk to Aron Papernick, host of SiriusXM's Canada FC, about Les Rouges' upcoming international break and World Cup prospects. They also discuss how last week's Vancouver-Seattle match gave Phil some serious Hamlet-Laertes vibes, why you should watch CF Montreal (especially in Montreal during the summer), the widely-ignored 2022 edition of Leagues Cup (and excitement for the 2023 version), and this Saturday's rescheduled Cali Clasico plus the upcoming U.S. and Canada matches.

This week, Jeremiah Bentley and Phil West talk to Ryan Clarke, who covers the Timbers and Thorns for the Oregonian. They talk about a run that's seen Portland get results in 14 of its last 16 matches, including four straight wins, and the reigning Western Conference Champs' playoff prospects. They also discuss his article on “tactile New Yorker” Mike Golub and continued concerns about toxicity in the PTFC front office. Side dishes this week include the MVP race, the Campeones Cup that no one on the podcast actually saw, and five different weekend matches with playoff implications.

This week, it's a meeting of Jeremiahs, as Jeremiah Oshan of Sounder at Heart joins Jeremiah Bentley and Phil West to discuss the Sounders' perplexing season, and are fans okay with the apparently Faustian bargain of winning CCL but missing out on a shot at an MLS Cup title (though many are still hopeful. We also tackle the U.S. Open Cup, the coaching vacancy in Houston, the two Danny Trejos, Chicharito's missed panenka, and guesses on how many goals FCD and LAFC will combine for.

Drake Hills from The Tennessean joined Phil West and Jeremiah Bentley to discuss Hany Mukhtar's MVP-caliber season compared to Sebastian Driussi's MVP-caliber season. Also, Phil and Jeremiah talk about LAFC's slump, Riqui Puig's amazing goal, and why fans pelted RSL players with stuffed animals

This week, we take a trip back in The Striker's time machine to Friday afternoon and Friday night, before and after Austin FC's epic 4-1 win over LAFC. Those shows, in podcast form, help make sense of a match that reignited the Supporters' Shield race and pumped some fresh intrigue into the upcoming Western Conference playoffs. Chris Bils and Benjamin Virgen joined Phil West for a pre-match and post-match show streamed live from Hopsquad Brewing Co. (In the post-match show, they're also joined by Pollo, Austin FC's very unofficial and irrepressible rubber chicken mascot, for an interview.)

Phil West talks to Mike Gray the morning after a rare Friday night MLS matchup involving the Galaxy and Sounders in which Riqui Puig debuted. Phil learns how to pronounce Puig and why there's so much angst from Galaxy fans. They also talk a lot about LAFC and how to beat them, and back into some MVP talk.

Jeremiah Bentley and Phil West reconnect after their respective trips, and Chris Bils — who traveled to All-Star Week in the Twin Cities with Phil — joins the show. They break down the MLS vs. Liga MX format, say some nice things about Hany Mukhtar, delve into MLS Next Pro and expansion a bit, and look ahead to some key matches involving Striker teams this weekend.

This week, Phil West is joined by Steph and Mike Crugnola of Swoontower Soccer. They break down the All-Star Skills Challenge and touch on the All-Star Game, as well as playing a game inspired by the Beats, Cleats and Eats fan fest. They also, in Swoontower fashion, talk about SoFi stadium, shushing goal celebrations and Sebastian Lletget's Instagram account.

This week, Jeremiah Bentley and Phil West talk to RSL's Trey Fitz-Gerald, who brings one of MLS's wildest expansion origin stories as well as an explanation of why we were all horribly wrong to bet against them in 2022. We also talk Dejan Joveljic, xG, and a shirtless Vanni Sartini celebrating a Canadian Championship for Vancouver. Visit us at www.thestrikertexas.com for more in-depth coverage of the MLS's Western Conference. 

This week, Jeremiah Bentley and Phil West talk to Alex Ruiz, new beat writer for The Striker covering the LA Galaxy, about the storied franchise and its travails during an interesting-so-far 2022. We also get into Charlotte beating Chelsea (which we all enjoyed), the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge line-up (because who doesn't love a Crossbar Challenge?), and some wild cross-conference matchups this weekend.  

This week, Phil & Jeremiah talk to Benjamin Virgin who is the Striker's brand new beat writer for LAFC! They talk about the potential for this LAFC club to be the league's newest dynasty, the insanity that was this week's Texas Derby match between Dallas and Houston, new DC United head coach Wayne Rooney and upcoming matches for this weekend.

This week, Phil West talks to Sam Jones, who you might know from MLSSoccer.com, for the show's first ever field trip to the Eastern Conference. They talk about Atlanta United's hard-luck season ahead of hosting Austin FC, as well as the most Quakes goal ever scored, which two West teams would be most likely to score eight goals in a match (in any combination), and reveal when the two of them might become co-workers.

This week, Phil West talks to Victor Araiza about all things Dynamo, which this week is Hector Herrera and more Hector Herrera (though, also, planned stadium improvements and upcoming transfer needs). They also get into the Open Cup final four, LAFC's new signings, and Lorenzo Insigne making a fashionable arrival at TFC.

Phil West and Landon Cotham team up to talk to Daniel Sperry, who covers Sporting Kansas City and the Kansas City Current for the Kansas City Star. They talk about SKC crushing the dreams of lovable cupset hopefuls Union Omaha, the things that have gone right with its run to the U.S. Open Cup semis, and what's gone terribly wrong with the '22 MLS season so far. They also collectively raise their eyebrows at the Adrian Heath extension news and look ahead to what should be a wild match between Dallas and Austin.

Phil West is joined by Jeremiah Bentley (the show's new official co-host) and his Moontower Soccer partner Landon Cotham to take a look at where the West is heading back from the international break. They are each certain about three things and unsure about one, and compare notes in a three-dogwalk podcast that also covers the new Apple/MLS TV deal and some important Striker news.

Phil West was on vacation this week, so instead of the usual format, he and his wife do a “tryout” to see if their daughter (who is almost 5) has soccer podcast guest potential. She gives her views on the Whitecaps and Austin FC while playing with a stuffed pig, in a mini-episode heavy on cute and light on analysis.    

Phil West and Jeremiah Bentley delve into everyone's favorite MLS enigma, the San Jose Earthquakes, with Crystal Cuadra-Cutler, President of Seismic Union, The Faultline and  AO San Jose. We also talk a little Paul Arriola and Giorgio Chiellini; looks like one of them will be heading to a World Cup!

It's a full house this time around, as Phil West, Jeremiah Bentley, and Landon Cotham all talk to Matt Pollard and Mark Goodman about the Colorado Rapids. The conversation moves from how a team that started the year with no designated players and no kit sponsor might fare this season, after finishing last year as the surprise winner in the West.

Phil West and Jeremiah Bentley talk to Josh Cacho (@lafcjosh) from the Counter Press Podcast following an epic LAFC vs. Austin FC battle that anchored one of the most MLS After Dark nights on record. They discuss LAFC's prospects, the red card kerfuffle that happened in Kansas City, MLS salaries, and which team is the most zombie team in MLS.

In the inaugural episode of Westward Ho, Jeremiah Bentley and Landon Cotham from Moontower Soccer join Phil West to talk about the Sounders' playoff chances, Nashville's first home win, which team is most likely to pull out a nosedive, and what matches we're looking forward to seeing this weekend, plus an encore to talk about the wildness that was Sounders-Quakes at Starfire.

Welcome to Westward Ho! A new series from The Striker Texas on the MLS's Western Conference, hosted by Phil West and some friends you'll recognize, as well as guests from all over the West's vast territory.