HRB Podcast

Finally, there's a new episode of this podcast that starts off with a discussion of a New York City FC win. A winless streak reached its final stop in Utah thanks to a set-piece wonderstrike from Nico Fernández Mercau and another goal from striker loanee Luighi, who might be playing his way into must-buy territory. Hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh also spend time on the important subplot from the 2-0 win over Real Salt Lake: the return of Alonso Martínez. There's reaction to the basics of his return, but there's also some speculation about what happens for NYCFC at center-forward once Martínez is 90-minutes fit, and as Luighi continues to impress. Be warned, the show isn't all sunshine, as there's also a revisiting of the heartbreaker of a 2-1 loss at home to New England that immediately preceded the win over RSL. There are questions asked about some lineup choices made, the marking on Dániel Gazdag as he scored his 93rd-minute winner, and the team's consistent inability to get wins at home and to avoid conceding goals in stoppage time. Before diving into a preview of the 35th Hudson River Derby, there's a brief New York City FC II interlude, given MLS Next Pro is hitting its Decision Day, and given that the IIs just won their own version of the Hudson River Derby and are pushing to clinch a playoff spot, while also signing new players — defender Gabriel Mendonça — and while seeing high-level executive appointments made for the next iteration of NYCFC II, with New Jersey MLS Next Pro naming its first club president ahead of NYCFC II's relocation to Middlesex County, New Jersey in July 2027. Speaking of New Jersey, the episode rounds out with a nice Hudson River Derby preview before the Red Bulls from Harrison cross the river to play NYCFC at Yankee Stadium for the first time since 2023, and what might be the last time ever, pending location of any of these derby matches played during the 2027 MLS sprint season. Red Bull was just stuck in a winless streak of its own, has conceded a ton of goals this season, but only two points separate RBNY from NYCFC, with a playoff spot and playoff positioning very much at stake in this latest rivalry match. All that means you should expect a hectic pace of play, a lively atmosphere, and multiple goals in a rare Friday night edition of the derby. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode of The Soccer Journal Podcast kicks off with discussion of a positive result in what's still a negative moment for New York City FC, as host John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh weigh the mixed bag that was a 0-0 draw at home with league leaders Nashville SC. The good: It was a clean sheet, the first NYCFC kept in months, so there's praise for the defensive work and talk of the importance of Thiago Martins, who was healthy and out there for all 90 minutes against Nashville even after limping out of the previous match in Toronto. The bad: Another match and another failure to get a win, now seven played without one. It's hard to see the positive side, NYCFC unbeaten in three straight, when it's been so long between wins, and when it was a hang-on-for-dear-life variety of a scoreless draw with Nashville. There were, however, undeniable positives in the return to the squad of both Aiden O'Neill and Alonso Martínez, with O'Neill looking as smooth as ever in the midfield over the final 20 minutes of the Nashville draw in his first action since the summer's FIFA World Cup. There's also the symbolic return to the bench, with no intention of actually playing according to Pascal Jansen, for Alonso Martínez, who made the squad but still awaits his on-field return. With the storylines coming out of the Nashville game put to bed, it's on to the close of the MLS transfer window, and the final moves made by NYCFC this summer: Loaning out Seymour Reid to Sporting Kansas City, and picking up a draft pick and some allocation money for an international slot. Most of the talk is focused on Seymour Reid reuniting with former sporting director of NYCFC, David Lee, out in the midwest, as we wonder how Reid will fare stepping into more minutes on a team in full rebuild mode. Transfer talk also includes some money supposedly coming New York City's way with Santi Rodríguez returning to MLS and joining Columbus Crew, though with the $6 million fee paid by the Crew diverted from Botafogo instead to the teams Botafogo owes money to in MLS, namely NYCFC and Atlanta United. It's complicated. There's also an update on the state of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, which in 2027 will welcome back all 27 MLS clubs based in the United States, with the full slate of teams eligible set to return to the tournament for the first time since 2023, after MLS reduced the number of first teams to participate in the 2024, 2025, and 2026 editions. There's universal praise for the league's full return to the Open Cup, as well as for the tweaks to the schedule, though we continue to wonder how Leagues Cup and Open Cup will fit together in the new summer-to-spring MLS calendar, once it debuts next July. The episode wraps up with a double-preview of the week's two crucial NYCFC matches, first the home meeting with Jack Harrison's New England Revolution, then the quick turnaround trip to the mountains in Utah to face Real Salt Lake on Saturday night. This kicks off an important stretch for NYCFC and the consensus is the club should be targeting a minimum of four points collected from these two games, but John and Andrew fill you in on what to expect from the Revs and RSL and make their own predictions for this week's points totals. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

There's a lengthy history of Major League Soccer changing its playoff formats, and a report from The Guardian indicates another significant change is coming when the league switches to a summer-to-spring calendar for the 2027/28 season. In this episode of The Blueprint, hosts John Baney and Trey Fillmore talk through the many different ways MLS Cup has been handed out through the years, and weigh whether or not the Australian rules football-inspired approach on the table for 2027/28 is the right one, or the best version of a possible MLS Cup Playoffs. Even going back to the league's earliest days, too many teams qualifying for the postseason has been a talking point, since eight of the 10 original teams qualified for the playoffs in the inaugural 1996 season. Trey walks through the history of the league's big playoff format changes through the years, which included two-legged aggregates, single elimination setups, through to today's version that includes an early best-of-three round before shifting to all one-and-done knockouts. It's discussed in tandem with the way the size of the playoff field has changed, with the introduction of "wild cards" and a growing number of playoff participants, leading us to the current moment in which 18 of the 30 teams in the league play postseason soccer of some form. The history is informative, and then it's on to trying to understand the hows and whys of the proposed new format. John is tasked with doing the explaining of this new format, and plenty of parts of that system sound appealing to your hosts, like rewarding the very top playoff seeds and creating more "games of consequence," something new MLS commissioner Larry Berg has stressed as a priority. The episode wraps with John and Trey further discussing what they like and don't like about the proposed new playoffs, and what they'd do if they were MLS commissioner and it came time to create their ideal versions of the MLS Cup Playoffs. It's a way more complicated and nuanced topic than a professional sports league's playoff system has any right to be, but this episode, and this infographic mentioned and referenced in the episode, should help you form a better understanding of the latest playoff approach. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The wait goes on for a New York City FC win, and it's a second straight episode that starts with talk of a 1-1 draw on the road. Hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh react to the tie in Toronto, impressed by the Nico Fernández Mercau finish, but also questioning some of the personnel choices made by Pascal Jansen and wondering about yet another defensive lapse that cost the team points. While there's not much positive coming out of the Toronto match and what's now a six-match winless streak across all competitions for NYCFC, there's unquestionably good news in Tayvon Gray signing a contract extension, with a nice discussion had about his development and his importance over the years and in the years to come. Then it's on to injury talk, as player availability, or lack thereof, continues to prove costly for New York City FC. Two players who only recently returned from injury absences, Thiago Martins and Keaton Parks, seemed to exit the Toronto game with new or worsening injury complaints, and that's on top of an injured list that continues to contain some of the more important contributors to the 2026 team. Alonso Martínez is working on a comeback, but how much of the current winless struggles are related to all the players out injured, and is there enough depth to withstand the many and multiplying absences? It's the close of the summer transfer window, too, and the crew weighs in on the moves made and not made by New York City and its sporting director Todd Dunivant. While a last-minute move doesn't seem likely, questions linger about new Designated Player Bénie Traoré, though there's hype for Luighi, and plenty of relief that Nico Fernández Mercau looks set to remain with NYCFC at least through season's end. The episode wraps up with a preview of the Friday night meeting with MLS Supporters' Shield leaders Nashville SC set to be played under the Yankee Stadium lights. Nashville scores in bunches, has conceded the fewest in the league, and boasts a stacked roster, so how much optimism is there for a good New York City FC result? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

There's still no New York City FC wins to be discussed but there is a huge bit of transfer talk to start this episode, with the reports that New York City FC got offered up to $25 million by Sporting Kansas City for Nicolás Fernández Mercau. There's so much to be said about the reported offer and the fact that NYCFC was willing to accept it. The intrigue is multiplied by the fact that this big offer came from another team in MLS, and specifically the team now run, on the soccer side, by former NYCFC sporting director David Lee. Hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh wonder what this whole affair means for the relationship between Fernández Mercau and NYCFC, what it could mean for the rest of the 2026 season, and how both team and player move forward from here, even if Fernández Mercau stays put and doesn't move to Kansas City, which seems more possible by the day. It's a lot to unpack, given that it's among the wilder MLS transfer rumors to come along. After The Nico Saga gets its due, it's back to on-field matters, and New York City FC's back-to-back away trips to Cincinnati and New England. Neither was a win, and one was a truly crushing loss, with NYCFC beaten by Evander in second-half stoppage time in Cincinnati. While that match ended in brutal fashion, it did include a promising, if imperfect, performance from new striker signing Luighi, who has integrated much more smoothly than the club's other new attacking reinforcement, Bénie Traoré — though, while concerns are raised about Traoré's slow start, no one is ready to write off the team's newest Designated Player just yet. From Cincinnati it's on to the 1-1 draw with New England, a scrappy comeback result that required Pascal Jansen to make a double-substitution in the 40th minute after his team made a very rocky start at Gillette Stadium. The double-sub gets a lot of attention, as does the influence of James Sands and Matt Freese in grabbing at least one point to stop what was a four-game losing streak. Next, it's time to break down the report from The Guardian that MLS will introduce a new playoff format for the 2027/28 season, and it seems quite complicated. We do our best to weigh some of the pros and cons of the new Australian rules football-inspired system that expands the playoff field to 20 teams, with a double-chance round for the league's top seeds. There's some appreciation for the single-table concept that isn't so hung up on Eastern or Western Conferences, but consensus is that the the whole new playoff system feels needlessly complex and like yet another unproductive change to the competition made by MLS. The episode wraps up with a preview of NYCFC's weekend trip north to play Toronto away, a team suddenly in form and gaining in confidence, and gaining on NYCFC in the Eastern Conference standings. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It was two losses for New York City FC in a span of four days, and it's now been three losses in a row, so hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh begin this episode by diving into the loss freshest in the collective conscience: The disastrous performance in the second half of the 3-2 loss to Philadelphia Union at Yankee Stadium. Your hosts try to get to the root of the collapse against the Union, from costly individual errors to the bigger-picture problem of this New York City FC team being severely bitten by the injury bug. The squad is thinned out and also trying to integrate or re-integrate a number of players who are returning from injuries, or who are brand new to the team and the league. The loss to Philadelphia was bad but it wasn't the only loss to cover, as NYCFC also completed its latest Leagues Cup three-and-out by falling 2-1 to Club Necaxa. Struggles in this new version of Leagues Cup continued, with Pascal Jansen's squad finishing near the bottom of the table of all 18 participating MLS teams for a second straight year. What is it about Leagues Cup that continues to trouble New York City FC, and what were our bigger-picture thoughts on the tournament, its format, and how it should change in 2027 and beyond? From Leagues Cup to a special segment about the big story broken by New York Soccer Journal's Michael Battista: That New York City FC II of MLS Next Pro will be relocated to Edison, New Jersey, rebranded, and set up as a new club that's commercially controlled by Hometown Soccer Holdings, with home games to be played at a new 6,500-seat multi-purpose stadium at Middlesex College. Michael joins the show to discuss his story, the potential for a new pro soccer team to stand out in this part of New Jersey, and how the Hometown Soccer Holdings initiative to rebrand and relocate MLS reserve teams might ultimately play out. From there it's onto a double-preview for another two matches to come for NYCFC later this week. First it's the dangerous-in-attack FC Cincinnati, who New York City visit at midweek and who have the MLS leader in goal contributions, Evander, who also happens to be a particularly lethal NYCFC opponent. From Ohio to Massachusetts as we also get you ready for New York City's Sunday afternoon trip to face Jack Harrison and the New England Revolution. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

An episode of The Blueprint spent questioning, speculating, and daydreaming about what comes next for Major League Soccer now that there's a new MLS commissioner in town and his name is Larry Berg. Before the league's future under Larry Berg gets a thorough investigation from hosts John Baney and Trey Fillmore, they start by looking back over the Don Garber era and attempt to sum up his significance to MLS and how the league grew under his tenure, which ran from 1999 through to the end of 2026. From taking over a fragile 12-team league in 1999 and growing it to 30 teams, 23 soccer-specific stadiums, and a $250 million-per-year Apple streaming deal, Garber can point to a lot of improvements over time for MLS and say "Mission Accomplished." It's not all positives for Garber, though, as the league under the departing commissioner dealt with some strained relationships with fanbases, the Columbus Crew relocation saga, and a reputation for being hesitant to change while wanting to protect the MLS owners and their sizable investments. With Garber's reign contextualized, it's on to the new guy, and what the MLS world can expect from Larry Berg once he ascends to the commissioner role. While Garber came from the world of marketing and the National Football League, Berg is someone experienced in private equity and has first-hand soccer ownership experience thanks to his years with LAFC. Early on, Berg as commissioner is focused on improving the on-field quality of MLS as his top priority, particularly when it comes to rewriting the league's roster and spending rules, which he sees as a "flywheel": Better talent draws more transfer and media revenue, which funds more talent. Your hosts discuss the sense of urgency around the potential changes to MLS roster rules, given the looming 2027 schedule shift, the need for a new collective bargaining agreement with the players in 2028, and the Apple deal renegotiation happening in 2029. Berg's opposition to promotion and relegation in MLS is noted, as is a wish that Berg build better relationships with the other non-MLS-exclusive parts of the American soccer pyramid (US Open Cup, USL, MLS Next Pro). The episode wraps up with questions submitted by listeners, including how Berg's legacy might differ from Garber's. Chief among the things Larry Berg should aim to do, according to Trey Fillmore: "Legitimize" the league. Both internationally and within American sports culture, more legitimacy could arrive for MLS if the league's on-field quality, media strategy, and long-term ambitions are all addressed properly by Berg in his new role. There's a lot to digest and consider as it pertains to the new MLS commissioner and his influence on the league, but John and Trey cover a lot of ground while discussing what lies ahead for Berg. Listen to the full episode embedded at the top of this post, or find it by subscribing to The Soccer Journal Podcast feed on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever else you listen to podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Through two matches, Leagues Cup brought plenty of highs and lows with it for New York City FC, and hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh get into all the big positives and negatives to emerge from the win over Santos Laguna and the narrow defeat to Cruz Azul. First, the positives, like keeping a clean sheet against Santos Laguna, a win that included an instant impact from new striker signing Luighi, who looked the part of a true No 9 and had slight roles to play in each of the two second-half goals that got NYCFC their victory. Then, the less positive, meaning the tough 2-1 loss to Liga MX champions Cruz Azul. It was the most imposing opponent of the three New York City is guaranteed to face during Leagues Cup, and the match felt like a true trial by fire for certain players in the New York City FC squad. Some, like defender Max Murray, made a great impression even in defeat, scoring his first goal for NYCFC and looking solid in central defense against a top-tier Mexican side. Others struggled, especially a few of the team's high-profile attacking players, and the negative result means it's exceedingly unlikely that New York City can advance to the Leagues Cup knockouts — though a chance, albeit a slim one, does remain. Given the long odds of advancement and that the team's third Leagues Cup opponent, Club Necaxa, has already been eliminated, how will Pascal Jansen approach lining up his team, knowing there's MLS action coming soon after the meeting with Necaxa? Is it time to empty the bench, or does being mathematically alive cause Jansen to throw everything after a win? After Leagues Cup talk wraps up, it's on to league soccer, first NWSL and the league leaders, Gotham FC. Gotham returned to their usual home field, Sports Illustrated Stadium, for the first time since May 31, and they're now unbeaten in seven games after earning a third consecutive 1-0 win in their Harrison, NJ homecoming. Gotham keeps doing it despite personnel changing on the fly, and your hosts wonder just how high their ceiling might be, given they're four points clear at the top of the table and looking like the toughest defense to crack in the league. Then it's back to MLS and a preview of the Philadelphia Union, who come to Yankee Stadium in red-hot form since the World Cup ended, thanks to a breakout spell of performances from teenage phenom Cavan Sullivan, and from other big changes at head coach and at one of their Designated Player spots, since they welcomed back star left-back Kai Wagner. While NYCFC has had Philadelphia's number in recent years, your hosts are cautious heading into this one, especially since Nicolás Fernández Mercau will be unavailable while serving a one-game suspension for yellow card accumulation. Listen to the full episode, then find more of our coverage at nysoccerjournal.com, or on Bluesky @nysoccerjournal.com, Twitter @nysoccerjournal and @NYSJPodcast, and on Instagram @newyorksoccerjournal. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New York City FC remains unbeaten since the World Cup break ended, but this episode starts with hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh breaking down a disappointing 1-1 stalemate with Toronto FC in the Bronx. From the bright start that featured a dime dropped by new signing Bénie Traoré setting up the penalty for NYCFC's goal, to the rest of the performance, which was an uninspired one from the home team that also featured a costly error before halftime that let Toronto back into it. Also of note: Nico Fernández Mercau, who scored in his fourth consecutive MLS match and is now tied for the MLS Golden Boot lead, but who also appeared frustrated while being substituted off late in the Toronto game, with Pascal Jansen saying he asked for a sub, and with new comments from NYCFC sporting director Todd Dunivant (relayed by Andrew) doing nothing to dispel the rumors that Nico is the subject of an ongoing transfer saga that could end with him leaving the team. Then the show runs through some news, first of the sad injury variety: Arnau Farnós, 2025 MLS SuperDraft pick turned first-team signing this spring, is out for the long-term after suffering a serious non-contact leg injury during training last week, with Pascal Jansen describing it as "quite severe" and one that featured "fractures," plural. The injury bug just does not stop biting. There's also a new MLS commissioner in town, with news breaking that LAFC co-owner Larry Berg will take over for Don Garber in 2027. What will Berg need to accomplish now that he's in charge of MLS? John makes a compelling case for Berg's mandate being "convince owners to spend more money on players," while there's also the matter of trying to get MLS a lucrative new broadcast deal once their pact with Apple expires. The United States men's national team is back in the news, too, because Mauricio Pochettino is back in the saddle as the USMNT coach, signed to a new contract through the 2030 World Cup. Your hosts are not convinced Pochettino will stick with the team all the way through 2030, and they're also not convinced it's a wise idea for the USMNT to try to get a second World Cup cycle out of a coach, given how poorly that approach has gone in the past. The final portion of this episode is all about everyone's favorite mid-summer tournament: Leagues Cup. There's a refresher on the format, which is the same as it was in 2025, and which leaves teams with zero margin for error if they want to be one of the eight squads (four from MLS, four from LigaMX) to advance to the knockout rounds. Then it's time to drill down on NYCFC's first two opponents from Mexico, Santos Laguna and Cruz Azul, and to share expectations for how NYCFC and Pascal Jansen approach these games. Is it going to be a repeat of last season, when a cellar-dwelling Club Puebla side ended New York City's Leagues Cup chances before they could even form? Or will a newcomer like Luighi, officially in the fold now and available for Leagues Cup, make a difference and help spark NYCFC to a true Leagues Cup run? Listen to the full episode, then find more of our coverage at nysoccerjournal.com, or on Bluesky @nysoccerjournal.com, Twitter @nysoccerjournal and @NYSJPodcast, and on Instagram @newyorksoccerjournal. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of The Blueprint, hosts John Baney and Trey Fillmore tackle the big-picture question everyone asks after a World Cup: What happens to American soccer now? It’s all about figuring out what a post-World Cup soccer landscape should look like, and how well-prepared the United States soccer ecosystem is to capitalize on widespread cases of World Cup fever. From the impact of the tournament itself, to the pay-to-play youth system that’s intertwined with American soccer's development and future, to Major League Soccer's role in all of this, John and Trey break down where the US Soccer Federation, American soccer culture, and the overall sport in this country go from here. They start by sizing up the World Cup audience in 2026 when compared to the previous tournament in Qatar, with viewership skyrocketing from the group stage through to the final. The World Cup created a palpable moment, but what does capitalizing on that actually look like, and who in American soccer stands to benefit most from that moment? There's also the concern that things like pay-to-play in youth soccer will hinder the United States' ability to capitalize, which John and Trey dig into, mapping out the layers of American youth soccer, from rec leagues to travel clubs to the MLS Next academy system, while discussing the cost burden at each level. Then there's Major League Soccer, facing its own post-World Cup reckonings as the league considers changing its financial rules — scrapping TAM and GAM, loosening the salary cap, and adding roster flexibility — and eyes a lucrative new broadcast rights deal, one far more lucrative than the league's current agreement with Apple. How confident are John and Trey that American soccer and the country’s soccer culture at large can seize this moment? They each give you a confidence rating to close out the episode. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

No easing back into it, New York City FC is back and is already two matches and two wins into the post-World Cup portion of the Major League Soccer season. Hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh get straight back into the NYCFC results, with plenty of takeaways to be shared from the 2-1 win in Columbus and the 3-1 home win over the Chicago Fire at Yankee Stadium. There's Talles Magno, back healthy and reinventing himself once more as a center-forward, and what that means for newly-arrived Designated Player Bénie Traoré. The debut was underwhelming for Traoré in Columbus, but the show tries to put that debut in context, while also focusing on Traoré’s slightly more promising second appearance against the Fire. The unsung, or maybe under-sung, heroes coming out of the World Cup get their praise, including Agustín Ojeda, in the midst of a breakout season. There’s also James Sands slotting seamlessly back into the center of the defense, and there’s still Nico Fernández Mercau, who now plays as a No 10 but is still capable of outrageous, camera-destroying golazos. For the transfer portion of the program, it’s sharing the latest on NYCFC's possible loan signing of Luighi from SE Palmeiras in Brazil. There' also a report, unanimously doubted by the show that claims Nico Fernández Mercau wants to leave the club, following a separate report claiming there’s a team interested in signing him for a $18 million transfer fee. From roster talk to a New York City FC match preview, and this time it's the club's red rivals from north of the Canadian border, Toronto FC. Josh Sargent hasn’t lived up to the $22 million price tag, and TFC is winless across the last 12 matches in all competitions, and winless across six straight meetings with NYCFC. Form and recent history might be on NYCFC’s side, but how does the show see NYCFC vs Toronto FC playing out? Listen to the full episode, then find more of our coverage at nysoccerjournal.com, or on Bluesky @nysoccerjournal.com, Twitter @nysoccerjournal and @NYSJPodcast, and on Instagram @newyorksoccerjournal. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The World Cup ended in New Jersey, and co-host Mark Radigan was there to see it with his own eyes, which is what kicks off this episode, a discussion with his co-host John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh about that 2026 final won by Spain. You hear about the three-and-a-half-hour process to enter NY/NJ Stadium one last time, the pro-Argentina crowd inside that stadium, and the experience of watching Spain dominate en route to a second World Cup triumph. After a World Cup farewell, it's on to more local topics, like the revelation that Etihad Park will host its first New York City FC match on July 17, 2027. One of the stadium's eventual co-tenants, Gotham FC of the NWSL, had a very busy week spent playing twice in New York City. Most significantly, the largest crowd ever to watch women's sports in New York City, 42,175 fans, turned out to see Gotham beat the Washington Spirit at Citi Field, so the show reflects on that landmark night and focuses on the difference it could make for adding to the Gotham fanbase and following. From there, it's into a big block of NYCFC roster and transfer talk. There are confirmed moves made, like contract extensions for two players plus a trade, but there are also lots and lots of rumored moves, whether it's important players possibly leaving the current NYCFC squad, or other names, big and less-big, linked with possibly joining that squad. Mark, John, and Andrew touch on them all and find the logic, or illogic, in each rumor. There are also some injury updates thrown in there for good measure, with some clearer understanding of Kai Trewin and Aiden O'Neill's absences after the World Cup, and how soon we might see previously-injured players like Kevin O'Toole. All helpful information to have since this episode ends with our predictions for the first two competitive matches NYCFC will play since May 23 in Nashville. Listen to this jumbo-sized episode of The Soccer Journal Podcast, then find more of our coverage at nysoccerjournal.com, or on Bluesky @nysoccerjournal.com, Twitter @nysoccerjournal and @NYSJPodcast, and on Instagram @newyorksoccerjournal. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The MLS transfer window is open, New York City FC’s first big signing, Bénie Traoré, is now in training with his new teammates, and the New York City FC roster looks deeper than it did before MLS paused for the World Cup. This episode of The Soccer Journal Podcast starts with our evaluation of that revamped roster, with a player like James Sands back from loan and with a player like Alonso Martínez working his way back to fitness following a long injury absence. How will the starting lineup look now for Pascal Jansen with Traoré and Sands newly in the mix, and with that possible return from Martínez coming later this summer? Maybe more curiously, how many more moves might get made given the transfer window in MLS stays open until early September? We do some Starting XI arranging and consider some positions of remaining need heading into the heart of the summer and transfer season. From there, talk turns to Matt Freese's selection to the 2026 MLS All-Star Game, an honor that arrives right as he’s taking lots of heat online for his role in the United States men’s national team’s loss to Belgium in the World Cup Round of 16. There’s still plenty positive to be said about Freese and his place among the league's best goalkeepers, but we also unpack how the coach’s selections actually got made for this year’s All-Star Game, including comments made by this year’s MLS All-Star coach, Dean Smith of Charlotte FC, that seem to put the focus more on World Cup participation than on stats. The final portion of this episode is our farewell of sorts to the World Cup, including a reflection on some of our favorite big storylines to emerge from the tournament, like Erling Haaland's travels across America and Scotland fans briefly taking over the city of Boston. There are thoughts shared about the possibility of another France-Argentina final and a replay of the 2022 decider, and we discuss some of our personal dream and nightmare scenarios for the very last game of the tournament before it gets played over in New Jersey. Listen to the full episode, then find more of our coverage at nysoccerjournal.com, or on Bluesky @nysoccerjournal.com, Twitter @nysoccerjournal and @NYSJPodcast, and on Instagram @newyorksoccerjournal. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This week on The Blueprint, hosts John Baney and Trey Fillmore step away from the raw wound of the USMNT's Round of 16 loss to Belgium and dig into the story that overshadowed it: Folarin Balogun's red card against Bosnia and Herzegovina and the bizarre chain of events that saw his automatic suspension lifted just hours before kickoff against Belgium. John and Trey walk through Article 27 of FIFA's disciplinary code, and the "suspended sentence" clause that put Balogun on probation instead of suspension, allowing him to play against Belgium. There are scattered precedents to the Balogun ordeal, with cases involving Cristiano Ronaldo, Nicolás Otamendi, Moisés Caicedo, and, further back, Brazil legend Garrincha’s controversial reinstatement at the 1962 World Cup all mentioned. They also break down the VAR protocol dispute at the heart of the original red card shown to Balogun, examining whether officials were even allowed to use slow-motion to review what wasn't actually a tackle attempt. From there, the conversation turns to the messier part of this story: The political campaign waged by the United States government to get FIFA to unsuspend Balogun. That means discussing Donald Trump’s phone call to FIFA president Gianni Infantino and wondering how much, if at all, outside pressure from the US president influenced FIFA's judicial process. The strongly-worded statements from Belgium's soccer federation and UEFA condemning the decision as a breach of competitive integrity indicate there was plenty of ill will being sent towards the United States, but did the surrounding circus really affect the USMNT's performance on the field in the lopsided Round of 16 loss? This episode closes by looking at what precedent this all sets for the rest of the tournament, and what changes, if any, FIFA might make to its red card appeals and to its disciplinary process before the next World Cup. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

One of the toughest episodes of The Soccer Journal Podcast to record, with hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh still left reeling from the United States men's national team's 4-1 collapse against Belgium in Seattle in the World Cup's Round of 16, a result that ended what had otherwise been among the best World Cup performances in modern US men's history. We break down how a team that had ticked off multiple historic boxes at this World Cup unraveled in the biggest game of their tournament. That means lots said about the costly individual errors made by players like Tim Ream, Sergiño Dest, and, most painfully, New York City FC's own Matt Freese. The American keeper's blunder will unfairly define what was an otherwise strong tournament for him, and we're forced to wonder over his future with the USMNT, and how he can put this moment behind him once he's back between the pipes for NYCFC. From there it's on to Australia's own World Cup exit, and a more positive look back at NYCFC duo Aiden O'Neill and Kai Trewin, with O'Neill in particular turning in one of the tournament's most underrated midfield performances — enough to reportedly draw transfer interest in the NYCFC midfielder from the EFL Championship and beyond. Finally, some genuinely good news: Gotham FC's planned move to Queens is official, with the NWSL club set to share Etihad Park with NYCFC beginning in 2028. We chat about the new team coming to the block and how the brand-new Queens soccer stadium might help Gotham once they make the final trip across the Hudson River. This episode closes with another bit of New York City FC transfer chatter, as the rumor mill continues to put in work this summer, with Fabrizio Romano linking New York City FC to prolific Racing Santander winger Andrés Martín. Will Martín add to the summer signing buzz already surrounding the team with the arrival of new Designated Player Bénie Traoré? Listen to the full episode and then find more of our coverage at nysoccerjournal.com, or on Twitter @nysoccerjournal and @NYSJPodcast, on Bluesky @nysoccerjournal.com, and on Instagram @newyorksoccerjournal.  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The FIFA World Cup has seen many changes over its 23 editions, but in 2026, the most controversial new wrinkle is the mandatory three-minute hydration breaks implemented for all 104 matches, no matter if they're played inside an air-conditioned dome or out in 90-degree New Jersey swamp heat. This episode of The Blueprint looks closely at the pausa de hidratación, which hosts John Baney and Trey Fillmore find has less to do with player safety and everything to do with advertising revenue. They dig into the broadcast economics behind the breaks, including how much Fox and other World Cup rights-holders stand to make from ad spots aired during the stoppages, and why some of the official broadcasters, like Telemundo, aren't cutting away to full-on commercial breaks during these controversial cooling breaks. Then there's the strategic and tactical side of the three-minute pauses in each half. Coaches are viewing the hydration breaks as chances to regroup their teams and shift momentum mid-match, with data backing up that the hydration breaks have correlated with in-game performance shifts, somehow turning a sport that's supposed to feature two 45-minute halves into one that now features four quarters of action. The addition of hydration breaks is one big tweak present at this World Cup, but how does it compare to similarly seismic changes made throughout soccer and the World Cup's history? Let's not forget, this is also the first-ever 48-team World Cup, and that expansion is hugely significant on its own. To understand how the tweaks to the 2026 tournament compare historically, John and Trey go back through the many stages of evolution of the World Cup. That means discussing the decades of shifting group-stage structures and the shifting number of teams to participate in each tournament over the years, plus rule changes like the introduction of penalty kicks, the back-pass rule, awarding three points for a win, and so on. Framed against that history, Jon and Trey weigh in on whether the jump to 48 teams is a reasonable evolution of the game or yet another commercially-driven shift, touching on hosting infrastructure concerns and worries about diluting the competition by expanding the field. The conversation tries to pin down what impact all these changes and evolutions of the World Cup have had on the sport of soccer, and looks ahead to what other alterations might be waiting in the years to come. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Time to interrupt the World Cup summer with a healthy dose of New York City FC discussion. That's what you get at the start of this episode of The Soccer Journal Podcast, with a lot of time dedicated to talking about new New York City FC Designated Player Bénie Traoré. Hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney plus producer Andrew Leigh discuss what they like about Traoré, how he'll fit alongside fellow DP Nico Fernández Mercau in attack, and why Traoré might be the one to play at center-forward until Alonso Martínez returns from his long-term knee injury. From there, discussion turned to the swirling reports linking NYCFC with a push to sign USMNT star Christian Pulisic, reportedly offering $10 million annually to pry him from AC Milan. Lots to be said about Pulisic, ranging from speculation about if he'd want to come to MLS in the near-term to what he'd do for NYCFC off the field with Etihad Park's opening looming. Before switching gears back to the World Cup, the show also touches on a separate transfer rumor coming out of Brazil, specifically that NYCFC is reportedly interested in loaning in Vasco da Gama center-back Lucas Freitas. Next, we pivot fully to the World Cup, generally displeased with Mauricio Pochettino's decision to so heavily rotate his USMNT lineup for what would become a 3-2 loss to Türkiye to close out Group D. No one can find the wisdom in benching Matt Freese, and the show wonders what the result means, if anything at all, heading into the must-win Round of 32 clash with Bosnia and Herzegovina. The group previewed Bosnia by looking back at their impressive results in qualifying, and their less-impressive results through three World Cup group games. No preview would be complete without also looking one step ahead of Bosnia and wondering how the USMNT would potentially match up against either Belgium or Senegal, who they'd face in the Round of 16, if things get that far. Listen to the full episode and then find more of our coverage at nysoccerjournal.com, or on Twitter @nysoccerjournal and @NYSJPodcast, on Bluesky @nysoccerjournal.com, and on Instagram @newyorksoccerjournal  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

A second straight episode that starts off with a dissection of a World Cup win for the United States, though this time it's just host Mark Radigan and producer Andrew Leigh on hand to break down USMNT 2-0 Australia. First up, how a Christian Pulisic-less US side still managed to break down Australia's five-player defensive block, with credit given to Mauricio Pochettino's formation tweak and willingness to play with two forwards in the face of Pulisic's absence and Australia's overly-defensive tendencies. There's also some talk of Matt Freese's performance in goal for the United States, and what a perfect two wins from two games played does for our expectations heading into both the meaningless final group-stage match vs Türkiye, and the World Cup knockout rounds that follow it. Knockout-round talk also leads into some speculation about the opponents and matchups the United States might face in the Round of 32 and beyond, and each of Mark and Andrew takes a moment to reset their expectations for the USMNT: How far do they think the US will actually go? After the United States is sorted, it's on to some New York City FC roster talk. That begins with the big news that James Sands is returning to the New York City squad and signing a contract extension with the team that made him its first Homegrown signing way back in 2017. How does it feel seeing Sands come back for a second time, and how will Pascal Jansen fit him into his squad? Another roster development, though one that's just a rumor at this point, is that New York City FC is trying to sign 23-year-old Ivorian winger Bénie Traoré of FC Basel 1893 in Switzerland. There's background filled in about Traoré, tracing his path from Cote d'Ivoire to Sweden to England to France and then to Switzerland, and Mark and Andrew assess how well he'd fit as both a high-priced Designated Player and in a New York City attack operating without Maxi Moralez and (for now) Alonso Martínez. Listen to the full episode and then find more of our coverage at nysoccerjournal.com, or on Twitter @nysoccerjournal and @NYSJPodcast, on Bluesky @nysoccerjournal.com, and on Instagram @newyorksoccerjournal  Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The United States men's national team looked about as good as it has ever looked while opening their World Cup on home soil with a big win over Paraguay, so this episode of The Soccer Journal Podcast starts with a lengthy discussion of that 4-1 win in Los Angeles. Hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh discuss all the things that went right for the USMNT in the win, like Folarin Balogun showing off his quality with a first-half brace, Chris Richards getting healthy, starting, and playing the full match, and New York City FC's Matt Freese putting in a mistake-free shift in goal to quiet the talk around an open competition at goalkeeper. Beyond the on-field success, there's also what this win does for the hype around the US national team, and the show touches on the potential impact a victory like this can have as the USMNT tries to overachieve, and win over new fans, while hosting the World Cup. One of the stars of that win over Paraguay, Christian Pulisic, is also the recent subject of a transfer rumor out of Italy that claims City Football Group is trying to bring Pulisic to New York City FC. None of the pod trio thinks he's coming, but there are still interesting points made about the intent it would show from CFG to try to bring a star player to NYCFC in time for the opening of Etihad Park. Speaking of the World Cup, it made its debut locally in East Rutherford, New Jersey, with a 1-1 draw between Brazil and Morocco, and it wasn't the easiest match to get home from. Some of the extremely long wait times for shuttle buses and rideshare pick-ups seemed avoidable, if not for the most convenient method for getting to MetLife Stadium priced at $98 per ticket. There are still other, more concrete NYCFC transactions to discuss, like defender Strahinja Tanasijević leaving the club, and like defender Mitja Ilenič having his loan to Polish club Rákow Częstochowa cut short, with the full-back re-joining NYCFC for the time being. There's also one more rumor to cover, this time the potential signing of Toulouse FC forward Frank Magri. Is he the right fit for Pascal Jansen and the current NYCFC attack? Then things wrap up with a big preview of the USMNT vs Australia match in Seattle, which looks different after the Socceroos defeated Türkiye 1-0 to open their Group D schedule. It doesn't look like a comfortable match-up for the United States, especially given Australia's low, well-organized defensive block and their impressive consistency in frustrating. Listen to the full episode, then find more of our coverage at nysoccerjournal.com, or on Twitter @nysoccerjournal and @NYSJPodcast, on Bluesky @nysoccerjournal.com, and on Instagram @newyorksoccerjournal Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode of The Blueprint is all about the World Cup, but not the on-field side of it. Hosts John Baney and Trey Fillmore instead take stock of everything happening around this World Cup before the soccer starts and takes center stage. The hosts spend a significant portion of the episode unpacking FIFA's deeply problematic ticketing process, walking through the use of dynamic pricing, the opacity around what the different ticket categories actually get you, and issues around FIFA's ticket resale portal and process. Then there’s the ill-fated, short-lived reusable water bottle ban. An attempt by FIFA to force the fans already paying premium prices to get into the World Cup stadiums to exclusively buy water, necessary hydration, from stadium concessions, felt like a near-perfect symbol of the tournament's financial absurdities. From there, the conversation gets heavier and shifts to the gigantic geopolitical shadow cast over the World Cup by United States actions and policies. There’s a laundry list of things hanging over the tournament, like the ongoing US military intervention in Iran; the travel bans affecting potential visiting fans from Iran, Haiti, Ivory Coast, and Senegal; and most recently, Somali referee Omar Artan being barred from entering the country and thus unable to work the tournament. The episode closes on a more hopeful note, with John and Trey exploring the promise of the expanded 48-team format and the potential for this World Cup to serve as a possible breakthrough moment for soccer in the United States, though with that breakthrough depending on how the USMNT actually performs. It's a mega-episode befitting the biggest World Cup field in history and also arguably the one with the most baggage surrounding it as the matches kick off. Listen to the whole thing at the top of this post, or find it by subscribing to The Soccer Journal Podcast feed on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever else you listen to podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's finally World Cup week and that means the podcast is in full-on World Cup mode. Hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh begin with the United States men's national team and their final pre-World Cup friendly, which revealed some noteworthy things about the USMNT heading into their World Cup opener against Paraguay. The main intrigue again lies at the goalkeeper position, where New York City FC's Matt Freese started and played all 90 minutes of the USMNT's 2-1 loss to Germany at Soldier Field. Freese's performance didn't silence the ongoing debate over whether Mauricio Pochettino should start Freese or go back to New England Revolution keeper Matt Turner, but we have our own debate over if there is really a goalkeeper competition, or if Freese has the position locked up and fully his heading into the World Cup. Freese gets the most focus, but the broader conversation about the USMNT continues to be one of concern over defender Chris Richards' health, and concern over the performances of each center-back who has tried to replace the Crystal Palace FC regular as his status and availability for the World Cup remains uncertain. Before a deeper USMNT preview, we take a brief detour from the United States and the start of the World Cup to discuss a different World Cup competitor spending time at New York City FC's training facility: The Netherlands, who came to Orangeburg, New York last week to train on the NYCFC practice fields ahead of a friendly against Uzbekistan at Icahn Stadium on Randall's Island. There are plenty of interesting angles to the Dutch squad's visit, including Pascal Jansen of NYCFC's role as facilitator, their accommodations at a hotel in scenic White Plains, New York, and their unique move to play behind closed doors at the also-scenic Randall's Island track-and-field stadium that now serves as a soccer venue thanks to NYCFC's generous 2024 donation to bring a new grass playing surface to the venue. This episode wraps up with a preview of the first United States match at the World Cup against Paraguay, and a bigger-picture discussion of what success will look like for the USMNT at this tournament. How far should they be expected to make it through the knockouts, given the United States is one of the co-hosts playing matches at home, and given the talent up and down Pochettino's roster? Some say quarterfinals, some say semifinals, but we've got our own opinions on it all. Listen to the full episode, then find more of our coverage at nysoccerjournal.com, or on Twitter @nysoccerjournal and @NYSJPodcast, on Bluesky @nysoccerjournal.com, and on Instagram @newyorksoccerjournal. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In a very on-brand move for the topic of this episode of The Blueprint, host John Baney brought in a guest co-host on a short-term loan, as he’s joined by Andrew Leigh, usually of The Soccer Journal Podcast. John and Andrew tackle one of the more persistently confounding parts of New York City FC's approach to building a squad: Their loan strategy. With four first-team players currently out on loan and incoming first-team loanees not a thing since the 2023 season, John and Andrew dig into exactly how NYCFC are using this roster mechanism, and whether or not they're really using it to their advantage. The conversation starts with a focus on the current loan headlines, including the murky future of James Sands after his injury-plagued spell on loan with FC St. Pauli came to an end. Then there’s the legal dispute that emerged from Talles Magno's loan spell at Corinthians, after the Brazilian club triggered a loan extension to keep Talles, but never paid the agreed $850,000 fee, requiring a whole big fight in front of FIFA. Both cases serve as entry points to discuss how the club approaches players they want to move on: Too often defaulting to loans rather than outright sales, kicking difficult decisions down the road at a cost of roster clarity and financial certainty. To fully understand the club's loan approach and how it has evolved, your hosts go back in time as far as NYCFC's expansion era, when they brought in promising youngsters from the Manchester City FC youth system, like defenders Shay Facey and Angeliño. John and Andrew also examine the Taty Castellanos model that NYCFC have tried, and failed, to replicate, and explain why that particular pathway for players has been so hard to recreate. Jovan Mijatović, who signed for a club-record transfer fee but who has been loaned out twice without ever delivering at NYCFC, is brought up as a sort of anti-Taty, a symbol of how the club’s loan strategy can go wrong when it involves a high-priced youngster not hitting their potential ceiling either in New York or elsewhere while on loan. On the incoming side, the hosts wonder why NYCFC is so reluctant to use loans as a squad-building tool in MLS to fill obvious gaps, like the glaring one at striker since Alonso Martínez's knee injury. In the end, the hosts render a verdict: Yes, NYCFC is getting the loan strategy wrong, but it’s still possible to change course and actually make these moves beneficial for players and for NYCFC alike. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As the World Cup fast approaches, hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh begin this episode focused on the United States men's national team and their next-to-last friendly before the real tournament action begins. The conversation starts with some highs and lows from the 3-2 USMNT win over Senegal, but the real heart of the conversation: What Mauricio Pochettino has planned for the USMNT at goalkeeper. Matt Freese of New York City FC made the final 26-man roster for the World Cup, but he was an unused substitute in what was an experimental, 11-substitutes-allowed friendly. What does that mean for Freese's chances to start at the World Cup? Whether he's the starter or not might still be up for debate, but what is certain: Freese will have two other club teammates joining him on the world's biggest soccer stage, as both Aiden O'Neill and Kai Trewin made the final 26 for Australia. There's talk of relief to see Aiden O'Neill back healthy and playing, after he went 67 minutes in Australia's most recent friendly against Mexico following a spell of absences for NYCFC after he went off injured on May 3 against DC United. There's also the simple fact that NYCFC will have three members of their team at the World Cup, a first considering only one previous active NYCFC player has ever seen the pitch at a World Cup. This episode wraps up with three different NYCFC loan situations that had recent news pop up. First, there's Mitja Ilenič, who got buried at Raków Częstochowa and is now reportedly drawing transfer interest from the champions of the first division in his homeland of Slovenia, NK Celje. Then there's James Sands, officially departing a relegated FC St. Pauli, and with his next destination unclear. Might we realistically see him back with NYCFC this summer? Finally, there's the bizarre situation where Corinthians owes NYCFC lots of cash over the Talles Magno loan deal, a discussion that eventually leads back to wondering over the future and plan for Talles Magno, with fresh calls for it to finally be time to move on from the Brazilian Designated Player. Listen to the full episode, then find more of our coverage at nysoccerjournal.com, or on Twitter @nysoccerjournal and @NYSJPodcast, on Bluesky @nysoccerjournal.com, and on Instagram @newyorksoccerjournal Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New York City FC finally reached the two-month break in MLS action for the FIFA World Cup, but not before losing twice in one week while also losing more important players to injuries. First, hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh review the anticlimactic end to NYCFC's run in this year's US Open Cup, a 1-0 loss in Columbus that showed how hard it will be for Pascal Jansen's team to replace what they've lost in the injured Maxi Moralez. It's a loss that your hosts attribute to nonexistent squad depth, exhaustion, and a return to form for the Crew as they looked rejuvenated while playing under a new head coach. The vibes didn't get better from there, as NYCFC followed up their midweek Cup quarterfinal loss with a frustrating defeat to Nashville SC to close out the 15-match slate of MLS games they played before the league hit pause for the World Cup. The chances were there for New York City to get something positive, and they did enjoy a few positive moments thanks to the continually-impressive Nico Fernández Mercau and the resurgent Malachi Jones. Yet this was another game defined by a set-piece goal conceded, an injury-depleted lineup, and a failure to take full advantage of the few key chances that were present while facing the current leaders in the race for the Supporters' Shield. We also take stock of where NYCFC stands now as the league reaches this midseason break, and how our views on this year's squad have changed after 15 MLS matches. That conversation can't happen without providing an update on the many injured NYCFC players, including Maxi Moralez (ACL) and Kevin O'Toole (abdomen/groin) each needing surgery, Keaton Parks getting scratched during warm-ups before the Open Cup match, the list goes on. After going deep on NYCFC in the first half of the show, we touch on New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani securing 1,000 $50 World Cup tickets for New York City residents, and the significance of Mamdani enlisting New York native, Olympique de Marseille winger, and Brooklyn FC co-owner Timothy Weah to announce the discounted ticket offer. The show wraps up by diving into the leaked United States men's national team roster for the World Cup, which includes NYCFC goalkeeper Matt Freese, and also includes a handful of other surprising or discussion-worthy inclusions and omissions. That means we're talking Diego Luna snubs, the value of Gio Reyna and Alejandro Zendejas, the importance of Tyler Adams's health to the midfield, and more. Listen to the full episode, then find more of our coverage at nysoccerjournal.com, or on Twitter @nysoccerjournal and @NYSJPodcast, on Bluesky @nysoccerjournal.com, and on Instagram @newyorksoccerjournal Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In a special edition of The Soccer Journal Podcast, Brooklyn FC midfielder Taimu Okiyoshi joins Andrew Leigh for a wide-ranging conversation about Taimu's remarkable path to being a professional soccer player with New York's newest expansion team. From growing up in Japan to making the move to the United States on his own to play college soccer and chase his pro soccer dream, Taimu walks us through his unique route, beginning with a stint playing at a junior college in Utah, to then starring for Marshall University as The Thundering Herd made a run to the 2024 College Cup. We discuss what he learned from his first professional season, which was split between Rhode Island FC and Westchester SC, and how that difficult year helped prepare him for the challenges and opportunities in front of him as he tries to establish himself with Brooklyn FC and in the USL Championship. After living in Japan, Utah, West Virginia, Rhode Island, and now New York, Taimu has seen a lot, and he's candid, compelling, and honest when discussing topics like living in New York City, the state of American and college soccer, emulating the legendary Yasuhito Endō, and his long-term MLS ambitions. He also sheds valuable light on playing under Brooklyn head coach Marlon LeBlanc and GM Brian McBride, what it means to have a coach who trusts him to play freely and without fear of mistakes, and what Brooklyn is collectively focused on as the club tries to turn their form around following a slow start to life in the USL Championship. Listen to the full conversation, then be sure to find more of our coverage at nysoccerjournal.com, or on Twitter @nysoccerjournal and @NYSJPodcast, on Bluesky @nysoccerjournal.com, and on Instagram @newyorksoccerjournal Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Two away matches and four points collected for New York City FC, so this episode starts with our assessment of the performances in the win over Charlotte FC and the draw with the Red Bulls. There's talk of defensive improvement, an eye-catching substitute appearance from Malachi Jones in the Hudson River Derby, and some missed opportunities to take all three points home from Harrison, New Jersey. There is also some major Maxi Moralez injury news to discuss, as his serious knee injury suffered against the Red Bulls hangs a cloud over all things. There's talk of what the injury could mean for NYCFC's season, and the difficult question of how the club replaces its irreplaceable No 10 is once again raised. The episode closes with a preview of the US Open Cup quarterfinal in Columbus, where a new Crew coach awaits. Columbus is struggling down in 13th place in the Eastern Conference and NYCFC beat them convincingly only 10 days ago, but the trip to Ohio to face a squad playing their first match post-coach firing could be trickier than it seems. We then cover NYCFC's final MLS match prior to the World Cup break, the daunting road trip to face Nashville SC, the current leaders in the race for the Supporters' Shield. Sam Surridge isn't available, but Hany Mukhtar is, and coming off the hugely important Open Cup quarterfinal, your hosts are not expecting much in the final MLS match played before late-July. Listen to the full episode, then find more of our coverage at nysoccerjournal.com, or on Twitter @nysoccerjournal and @NYSJPodcast, on Bluesky @nysoccerjournal.com, and on Instagram @newyorksoccerjournal Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What will it take to make the MLS All-Star Game more interesting? The annual midseason showcase of the league's top players has changed a lot since MLS was born, but it remains a very American sports-coded concept applied awkwardly to the world's game. On this latest episode of The Blueprint, your hosts John Baney and Trey Fillmore go through the long and winding history of the MLS All-Star Game, from its early days as an all-MLS affair, to the foreign super-club era of the MLS All-Stars playing the likes of Bayern Munich or Arsenal, through to the current version pitting MLS against a collection of top players from Mexico's Liga MX. Having the MLS All-Stars play some Liga MX All-Stars hasn't been enough to move the needle and make this annual exhibition more relevant or enticing, so John and Trey also discuss possible ways to overhaul the format of the MLS All-Star experience. They draw some inspiration from other major American sports' versions, and propose creative fixes, like small-sided matches or gamified brackets, with the aim of giving the exhibition some much-needed juice. Then it's time to get into who deserves an All-Star vote based on their work in MLS this season. John and Trey walk through each position of the mandated 4-3-3 All-Star voting formation and make the case for who belongs in the MLS All-Star XI. Trey gets a media vote for this year's All-Star squad, so unlike the All-Star Game itself, this conversation actually means something. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The streak has ended, so the vibe around New York City FC is much improved on this episode of The Soccer Journal Podcast. After seven Major League Soccer matches without a win, New York City FC got one and in emphatic fashion, winning 3-0 on Mother's Day in the Bronx. We break down the hot-and-cold Hannes Wolf's emphatic return to the scoresheet with his first-career hat trick, stress the importance of keeping a second clean sheet of the season, and have some praise for the quietly impressive play of left-back Nico Cavallo. Given that New York City will face Columbus again in just a matter of days, we assess how this win might carry momentum into that upcoming US Open Cup quarterfinal against this same Crew. Next, a slightly unusual MLS Next Pro transfer to discuss, as the young Brazilian center-back João Loiola of Fluminense was finally confirmed as a new NYCFC II signing following a protracted transfer saga. He's officially joined up on a loan to NYCFC II through the end of the 2026 season, but with the MLS squad retaining an option to buy him at the conclusion of the loan, should we expect to see Loiola get his feet wet at the MLS level before the season ends? We also touch on the appearances made by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and USWNT coach Emma Hayes at Gotham FC's recent match against Boston Legacy FC at Sports Illustrated Stadium, a game boosted by a $5 ticket promotion championed by both Mayor Mamdani and Gotham itself. Then it's on to our two previews of the road matches this week, midweek at Charlotte FC, then again on Saturday night at Red Bull New York. It's part of the compressed nature of the schedule as NYCFC navigates a five-games-in-twelve-days sprint before the World Cup break, and your hosts and producer are all over the place in terms of how they expect those back-to-back tests to play out. Listen to the full episode, then find more of our coverage at nysoccerjournal.com, or on Twitter @nysoccerjournal and @NYSJPodcast, on Bluesky @nysoccerjournal.com, and on Instagram @newyorksoccerjournal. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode of The Blueprint, hosts John Baney and Trey Fillmore examine why Major League Soccer is shifting away from its traditional spring-to-fall league calendar. To make sense of the league's switch over to a fall-to-spring schedule, it helps to go back to the origins of the current MLS calendar setup, specifically how much influence things like the North American Soccer League (NASL), the weather, TV networks, and the NFL had on the approach MLS chose to take. What worked then doesn't work as well now, though, and John and Trey discuss how the existing schedule creates costly misalignments between MLS and leagues in Europe on things like transfer windows and FIFA's international breaks. Then there's the impact the decision to move MLS match broadcasts to Apple TV has had, freeing MLS from its dependence on traditional broadcasters, one of the original reasons for the summer-centric schedule. What will MLS look like in this new post-calendar-flip era? There are pros and cons to be weighed, like the new timing of the MLS Cup Playoffs (pro), or the fact that there needs to be a "sprint season" early in 2027 (con) rather than implementing the new calendar right after this summer's FIFA World Cup. The change of schedule will have far-reaching effects on the league, so listen to the full episode to get the full picture of why this is happening and what it might mean for MLS. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Another eventful week around New York City FC means it's another eventful episode of The Soccer Journal Podcast. Hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh (who has a new soccer trivia book out now, which you can check out here) begin by looking back fondly on NYCFC's 3-1 US Open Cup Round of 16 win over their Red Bull rivals. We rate it as a big win, but not just because it knocked the Red Bulls out of a cup competition, something NYCFC had never done before. The road ahead on the path to potential US Open Cup glory now looks downright enticing for New York City, given they travel to Columbus to face the Crew in the quarterfinals but would then, if they advance, get to host a potential semifinal and US Open Cup final, based on the results of the Open Cup draw held after the completion of the Round of 16. The other names left in contention for the trophy aren't necessarily the cream of the MLS crop, either, so are we delusional for thinking NYCFC might be favorites to claim the oldest high-level soccer trophy in America? It might be a bit delusional because, after our Open Cup high, we are reminded of the subsequent low point reached when DC United came to Citi Field and dropped a 2-0 on New York City FC, making it seven MLS matches without a win for NYCFC, and five straight home games without a win, to boot. The level of concern has risen among your podcast hosts, and a lot of the concerns stem from NYCFC's inability to break down teams that stay compact and don't get drawn out defensively, resulting in frustrating, fruitless attacking showings like the one against DC. After we're done dissecting the DC defeat, we run through some quick news items of note, like ex-NYCFC and current Maccabi Tel Aviv coach Ronny Deila being in hot water in Israel for drunkenly sexual harassing a female taxi driver, MLS teaming up with a private-equity company to relocate and rebrand a bunch of MLS Next Pro teams, and Fluminense defender and rumored NYCFC target João Loiola attending NYCFC-DC United at Citi Field and posting about it on his Instagram. Then it's another MLS match preview as NYCFC searches for a rare and elusive victory, so we get you ready for the team's eventual Open Cup quarterfinal opponents, Columbus Crew, as they visit Yankee Stadium for a 4:30 pm ET kickoff on this coming Mother's Day Sunday. It's a jumbo-sized episode with lots of ground covered, so listen to the full thing, then find more of our coverage at nysoccerjournal.com, or on Twitter @nysoccerjournal and @NYSJPodcast, on Bluesky @nysoccerjournal.com, and on Instagram @newyorksoccerjournal. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Introducing a new podcast offering from the New York Soccer Journal: The Blueprint, with hosts John Baney, who you know from The Soccer Journal Podcast, and Trey Fillmore, who you know from the Blue Balls NYCFC podcast. Each episode of The Blueprint tackles a single topic and dives deep on that topic. These topics might relate to New York City FC, or they might be storylines of note from elsewhere in Major League Soccer or from across the wider soccer landscape. In this inaugural episode, John and Trey tackle the question: How do you define Pascal Jansen Ball? They go over the philosophies and tactical principles that guide the New York City FC coach as he sets up his team, from his pressing system to his preferences for patient build-up play and wide overloads. Talk of Jansen's style and approach leads into a discussion of how to explain New York City FC's poor early-season league form in 2026, which has been plagued by late-game collapses and costly concentration lapses. In the end, you get a comprehensive review of Pascal Jansen the coach, tracing his path and progression from the PSV Eindhoven youth system and his tenure with AZ Alkmaar in the Netherlands, to his stint with Ferencváros in Hungary, and then to this present moment here with NYCFC in MLS. Listen to the full episode above or on Apple, Spotify, or Bleav, and be sure you're subscribed to The Soccer Journal Podcast on your preferred podcast feed of choice as we begin to roll out more episodes of The Blueprint in the weeks to come. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

First, in podcast housekeeping news: We are officially now The Soccer Journal Podcast! We thank you the listeners for riding through our transition period post-Hudson River Blue, but we're now all settled into our new permanent name and identity. That sorted, we're back to talking about New York City FC and the doubly disappointing week that included a bonkers, deflating 4-4 draw with FC Cincinnati at Yankee Stadium, then a limp, forgettable performance in a 1-0 loss away to CF Montréal. It's a lot of dissection of how New York City let a two-goal lead slip in the final minutes against Cincinnati, then how flat they looked in Montréal while getting shut out for a fourth straight time when facing the artists formerly known as the Impact. The recurring themes of our discussion: New York City's persistent struggles at the back this season, and their desperate need for more attacking help for Nico Fernández Mercau and Maxi Moralez. On that attacking note, we spend some time wondering aloud about Pascal Jansen's decision to start Arnau Farnós in Montréal instead of one of his three Designated Players, Talles Magno, and what that says for Talles's place in the squad and the current state of NYCFC's depth chart. Then it's on to a future topics, and first up, this summer's FIFA World Cup. We cover the news that New York City will now have five entirely free World Cup fan zones, one in each borough, after soccer-loving Mayor Zohran Mamdani and New York Governor Kathy Hochul teamed up to reverse course on the earlier plan, which only called for two New York City-based fan zones and required paid admission for the one in Queens. At least one facet of the most expensive World Cup ever gets slightly less expensive. Then to close out this episode, we've got a big preview block looking ahead to both the first Hudson River Derby of 2026, in the Round of 16 of the US Open Cup no less, and the next chance for NYCFC to end their MLS winless streak when they host DC United on Matchday 11 in Queens. How optimistic are we feeling about the two matches to come this week? More optimistic than you might expect for a podcast about a team that's winless in six league games! Listen to the full episode, then find more of our coverage at nysoccerjournal.com, or on Twitter @nysoccerjournal and @NYSJPodcast, on Bluesky @nysoccerjournal.com, and on Instagram @newyorksoccerjournal. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Another busy three-game week for New York City FC, but before hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh dive into match recapping and previewing, there's important housekeeping to attend to: The launch of the New York Soccer Journal, the new home of this very podcast. After chatting about the big "personal news" of the new outlet's debut, it's on to an unfortunate revisiting of New York City's 2-1 loss to Charlotte FC at Citi Field. Possession was controlled, chances were created, yet no points were earned by NYCFC, a fourth straight MLS match without a win, and a third straight home game without a win. There's talk of the biggest causes for concern during this winless rut, as well as some eyes turned toward the summer transfer window and what NYCFC might need to add to avoid down spells like this from recurring. The show then switches into preview mode, with two more NYCFC matches to come this week in what is a jam-packed portion of the pre-FIFA World Cup schedule. Optimism levels vary among our hosts regarding the midweek match against FC Cincinnati in the Bronx and the weekend trip up to Canada to face CF Montréal, but it wouldn't be an episode of the show if it didn't end up with official on-the-record prognostications of how this latest three-match week will play out. After you listen to this episode, read up on all the latest news over at nysoccerjournal.com, and be sure to follow us on Instagram, Bluesky, Twitter/X, and Threads. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New York City FC picked up a big 5-2 win over Westchester SC in the Round of 32 of the US Open Cup, and this episode kicks off with an instant reaction to that lopsided win over a local lower-league rival. Talles Magno scored a hat trick of goals, and Agustín Ojeda had three goal contributions: Is this simply high-priced talent doing what it should against a USL League One club, or can we read more into the big performances from Talles and Ojeda? The attack clicked in the Open Cup, but no attacking player in New York City colors had a performance to remember in the 2-0 road loss to Vancouver Whitecaps FC that preceded the midweek cup contest. Hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan and producer Andrew Leigh lament the costly absence of New York City center-back Thiago Martins, marvel at Matt Freese and his eight saves, and wonder where this loss, coupled with the recent loss to reigning MLS Cup champions Inter Miami CF, leaves New York City FC in relation to the elite teams in Major League Soccer. The New York City squad is getting stronger as players return from injury, and that now includes winger Malachi Jones, who completed an inspiring comeback from the severe broken leg he suffered in June 2024. Jones is getting back up to speed, as is midfielder Andrés Perea, who officially is back in full training after the broken leg he suffered last November. We highlight how each player's return to health can help Pascal Jansen put his squad together. Then it's time to preview Charlotte FC coming to visit New York City FC at Citi Field in Queens. Danger man Pep Biel is back healthy and available for Charlotte after missing last year's MLS Cup Playoffs series with NYCFC. Biel, Idan Toklomati, and Wilfried Zaha make for a threatening front line, and we get into what New York City will need to do against them to snap their mini three-match MLS winless streak. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New York City FC earned their first "draw that felt like a loss" of the 2026 season, and this episode starts with hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh trying to figure out how they didn't collect all three points from their meeting with St. Louis City SC at Citi Field. Our focus is on the missed or wasted New York City chances and the team's inability to get the extra goal needed to see out a win. We second-guess a few of the decisions Pascal Jansen made in the second half and wonder how this attack can get it done when they don't get the required moments of magic from their two most impactful attackers, Nico Fernández Mercau and Maxi Moralez. With the draw in Queens put to bed, we shift to discussing New York City's potential path to US Open Cup glory, beginning with their Round of 32 clash with local USL League One's Westchester SC. Given the Open Cup match comes as part of a three-game week, a week that includes one of the longest away trips possible in MLS, just what kind of NYCFC squad will we see out there on the pitch in Mount Vernon? It only takes five wins to lift the Open Cup, but the club has never had much success with this tournament, and we wonder if this will be the year that finally changes, or if we're once again in for more of the same. Injuries are another big topic on this episode, with our crew discussing the serious knee injury suffered by NYCFC right-back Drew Baiera while he was away on national-team duty with the United States U-19s. With Baiera facing an extended absence and with Mitja Ilenič loaned out for the season, how will New York City cope in games when Tayvon Gray might be unavailable or in need of rest? Then it's on to previewing what will be another major early-season test against an elite MLS opponent, when NYCFC flies thousands of miles to play Vancouver Whitecaps FC on the turf of BC Place. We marvel at some of the weapons accumulated by the Whitecaps, legendary star midfielder Thomas Müller included, and do our best to guess how this East vs. West matchup of strength vs. strength will play out. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The HRB Podcast powers on and it's an international break-heavy episode this week, with the conversation starting with the United States men's national team and their pair of friendlies against Belgium and Portugal. The ongoing battle at the goalkeeper position for the United States was of particular interest to our New York City FC-centric selves. Against Belgium, Matt Freese didn't start for the first time in 12 matches and the United States conceded five goals, though only one goal could be, possibly, placed at the feet Freese's replacement, Matt Turner of the New England Revolution. Why did USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino drop Freese from his lineup, and what does that move, and Turner's less-than-amazing performance, mean for The Iceman's chances to start in goal at this summer's World Cup? The field of teams in this summer's World Cup just got clearer, and Freese and the United States now know that they'll face Turkiye in their third and final match of Group D play. We go through the full USMNT group schedule and try to game out a path through the group stage and into the knockout rounds, then set some internal HRB Pod expectations for how we think the USMNT should perform while hosting the World Cup. After the international scene is covered in full, the second half of the show is entirely New York City FC-focused. That begins with a rundown of some random and somewhat dubious transfer rumors to emerge around NYCFC in the days immediately before and after the closing of the MLS Primary Transfer Window. First we sketchy cover a rumor that Nico Fernández Mercau is wanted by the two biggest teams in Portugal, then it's over to a thin report linking NYCFC with interest in signing Charlotte FC star Wilfried Zaha, and our brief portion of transfer chatter ends with a head-scratching rumor linking a young central defender with Fluminense in Brazil, 20-year-old João Loiola, with a loan move to come play for NYCFC II in MLS Next Pro. When done weighing the validity, or lack thereof, of the transfer rumor mill's latest offerings, it's time to preview NYCFC's return to MLS play, when they host St. Louis City SC for the first time ever. St. Louis missed the playoffs in back-to-back seasons, but they're not a familiar opponent for New York City, and they can hurt teams thanks to employing the likes of Marcel Hartel in their attack. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We begin this episode by talking about the big recent news involving us: Hudson River Blue is shutting down. You get to hear it from us, and we do our best to update you on what’s coming next for our coverage. That coverage is uninterrupted, at least as far as this podcast is concerned. After the housekeeping, it’s on to a deep dive into the epic clash between New York City FC and Inter Miami CF in front of an announced crowd of 45,845 at Yankee Stadium. Miami won for a third straight time against NYCFC, but the 3-2 victory for the visiting Herons was filled to the brim with talking points and controversies. The non-call on a possible handball outside his penalty area by Miami goalkeeper Dayne St. Clair was a major point of contention, and so too was the fact that every in-game break and call from the referee seemed to go Miami’s way. While it was still the first loss of the season for New York City, there were positives even in defeat. We do spend some of our breakdown highlighting the good things that happened even in defeat, specifically that both Nico Fernández Mercau and Maxi Moralez continued their white-hot starts to this season while carrying the NYCFC attack. Once the Miami game is wrapped, we discuss the latest big development at Etihad Park, as the new permanent home for NYCFC in Queens is set to celebrate its “topping out” with the placement of a final structural beam. The new stadium really looks like a stadium, though we’re here griping about having to wait another 16 months or so for it to open. We also fill you in on all the NYCFC players to receive international call-ups for games played during the late-March FIFA international window, and that includes a few players mentioned who should have received national-team calls, but didn’t — looking at you, Jamaica national team, for not calling up Trayvon Gray. The episode closes with a more big-picture reflection on where things stand with the NYCFC squad as the MLS Primary Transfer Window comes to a close on Thursday, March 26. Was it enough to only add one new senior-level player to the roster from outside the club, Kai Trewin? How do we feel about the prospects of an Antoine Griezmann-level star joining New York City during the summer’s Secondary Transfer Window? Transfer and squad-building chats always bring out the strongest takes and emotions, and this was no exception. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New York City FC made it three straight wins by beating Colorado Rapids at Yankee Stadium, so that 3-1 victory and Nico Fernández Mercau's two goals in it are big topics to open this episode. Hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh review the standout performances against Colorado, like Nico continuing his early goal binge, Maxi Moralez picking up yet another assist, and Talles Magno getting a confidence-building goal to seal the result. Discussing the win over Colorado and the club's red-hot start to the MLS season also means stopping to consider: How serious of a trophy contender is this year's NYCFC squad, really? From the Colorado win it's on to a less upbeat topic, as we discuss James Sands suffering another season-ending ankle injury with FC St. Pauli in Germany. Despite a solid year as a regular starter in midfield, it's unclear what the future will hold at club level for the first-ever NYCFC Homegrown, whose loan to St. Pauli expires at the end of June, but who has now had back-to-back Bundesliga seasons cut short by injuries. While the injury definitively rules Sands out, another NYCFC player is in for the United States men's national team, and that's goalkeeper Matt Freese. We discuss Freese getting called up for the USMNT's March friendlies and size up the state of the race for the title of "starting keeper at the World Cup," with it looking likely to come down to Freese or New England Revolution stopper Matt Turner. After a break, we run through the changes made to the schedule for this year's MLS Cup Playoffs. It's across-the-board praise for the decision to stop letting the playoffs be interrupted by a FIFA international break, though opinions are less clear-cut about a Friday night MLS Cup final that also could take place on the chilly East Coast on the wintry date of December 18. Finally, it's time to shift attention to the marquee match at Yankee Soccer Stadium: Inter Miami CF coming to town for a rematch of the 2025 Eastern Conference Final. Is New York City catching Miami at the right time, meaning when they're vulnerable and there to be beaten? Miami is juggling the start of the regular season with the Concacaf Champions Cup, and they've not clicked in league play so far in the early days of the 2026 season. Still, they soundly defeated NYCFC in back-to-back meetings late in 2025, and they've got one of the deepest squads in the league. How much will we learn from these teams playing this early in the season? Get ready for the big Sunday matinee in the Bronx by listening to the full episode and by catching up with more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New York City FC won another home opener, but the way they wrecked Orlando City SC while winning 5-0 surprised even the most optimistic members of our Hudson River Blue Podcast crew. This episode starts with a fond look back at the big win over Orlando at Yankee Stadium, as we attempt to zoom in on what had more to do with the 5-0 scoreline: Orlando's badness, or New York City's greatness? Really, Orlando was quite bad before and after the tragi-comic early red card shown to goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau, but is that the real reason NYCFC looked so good in this win? And will Pascal Jansen's team ever come across an opponent who can finish a match with all 11 players still out on the field? After singling out some top performers and top moments from the Orlando victory, we try to take stock of where NYCFC stands three matches into their MLS season. In taking seven of nine available points to start the year, it means the club is off to its best start since 2018. Have we seen enough to definitively say this team is legit and good enough, as constructed, to win a trophy this season, or is a striker still a must-sign to be considered a true contender? Then it's a brief detour into the land of Leagues Cup, everyone's favorite mid-summer tournament. New York City learned the identities of their opponents – Cruz Azul, Santos Laguna, and Club Necaxa – and the logistics of the three Phase One matches they'll play in this year's tournament. Spoiler Alert: They're all taking place in Harrison, New Jersey, and thus our excitement for the early-August, post-World Cup tournament takes a big hit. Finally, it's time to preview New York City FC's Matchday 4 when Colorado Rapids come to the Bronx. New York City is unbeaten through three matches, but can they rise to the somewhat less-anticipated occasion of an early-season Colorado visit and maintain the momentum that they gained from their home opener? Listen to the full episode to hear where our optimism levels currently reside, then find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It was as wild a win as wins get for New York City FC in their second match of the 2026 season, so this episode begins with lots to be said about the last-gasp 2-1 win over Philadelphia Union. That includes some choice words about the controversial refereeing decisions that influenced the match, from two contentious penalty-kick decisions to the quick-trigger second yellow card that reduced the Union to 10 players shortly before Tayvon Gray's dramatic winning goal. Gray is one of a few players we zoom in on, including Agustín Ojeda and his match-winning assist, and Keaton Parks in his first Starting XI appearance since May 4, 2025. Following a thorough unpacking of the Philly win, the episode switches gears and focuses on the wide-ranging, eye-opening interview given this week by NYCFC president and CEO Brad Sims. We digest some of the biggest things shared by Sims, including why Etihad Park is opening in July 2027 instead of during the 14-match mini-season held next spring, some of the ins and outs of how New York City FC executes player scouting and transfers while inside the City Football Group apparatus, and that the club still might sign a high-priced Designated Player during the current MLS Primary Transfer Window. To wrap up this jam-packed episode, it's a preview of the 2026 home opener against Orlando City SC at Yankee Stadium. Orlando is winless and looking far less dangerous than their 2025 selves, and NYCFC is off to a rare unbeaten start through their first two games: Is confidence too high, or just right heading into the season's first home match? Listen to the full episode, then find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New York City FC started the 2026 season with a 1-1 draw vs LA Galaxy, a slightly frustrating but respectable result while playing thousands of miles away from home. Hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh all agree that the Galaxy game served as another reminder of how badly New York City FC needs to sign a new striker or versatile forward to fill in at the No 9 while Alonso Martínez rehabs from his knee injury. The NYCFC striker situation once again is a big topic of discussion, with Nico Fernández Mercau getting the start at striker vs the Galaxy and enjoying a strong game with a penalty-kick goal scored, but all while not playing like much of a true center-forward. We break down Nico's role and tendencies against the Galaxy and wonder what could make Pascal Jansen turn to Talles Magno or promising 17-year-old Seymour Reid while searching for the team's ideal answer at striker. After diving in deep on the Galaxy match, the pod's attention shifts to NYCFC's soon-to-open soccer-specific stadium and the announcement that Etihad Park will first open for the Summer-Spring portion of the 2027/28 MLS calendar. Is it a wise move for the new stadium to entirely skip the brief 14-match "Sprint Season" MLS has planned for the early part of 2027? With one point on the board, NYCFC's season-opening road trip now shifts to Chester, Pennsylvania, and a Matchday 2 clash with Philadelphia Union. It's a very different-looking Union team from the one NYCFC dispatched to reach the MLS Eastern Conference Final last November, so we lay out what to expect as New York City reacquaints with one of the club's biggest rivals. Listen to this super-sized, season-opening podcast, then find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's a big season preview episode involving bold predictions made about New York City FC and the players we expect to play big roles during the 2026 season. Before the predicting and previewing, hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh put a bow on the preseason. There was one final Coachella Valley Invitational friendly played, and there were many updates about the health of some key members of the NYCFC squad shared by Pascal Jansen. After catching up on the state of the team as preseason ends, we move into season preview mode, and that involves laying down some bold predictions about the season ahead. We each share where we think New York City FC will finish in the Eastern Conference standings, then all call out our choices for who will be NYCFC's top goal-scorer, breakout player, and overall Player of the Season, across the entirety of the 2026 campaign. The big-picture predictions finished, this episode wraps up with our first match preview of the 2026 season, a look ahead to the inaugural Justin Haak Derby when NYCFC plays LA Galaxy. You might know all about Justin Haak already, but he wasn't the only big roster addition made by the Galaxy this offseason. We cover the new faces and dangers posed by LA and each try to predict how we see this first meaningful match of 2026 playing out. Listen to this super-sized, season-opening podcast, then find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The New York City FC preseason is nearing its conclusion and the Coachella Valley Invitational friendlies are happening, giving us more and more clues about how Pascal Jansen might line his team up when the 2026 season kicks off on February 22 in Southern California. To start this episode, hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh revisit the 1-1 draw between NYCFC and LAFC to open the Coachella slate. The review includes some analysis of the first Coachella Starting XI rolled out by Jansen, a lineup that included usual defender Kevin O'Toole as a defensive midfielder. Nico Fernández Mercau scored in a second straight preseason friendly, but this time while playing as the team's starting center-forward. The pod is bullish on a Nico breakout in 2026 during his first full MLS season, and his performance during preseason is reinforcing that bullishness. While Nico is looking good in preseason, some key players have been looking on from the sidelines while injured and unavailable to feature in any of New York City FC's preparatory friendlies. It's easy to wonder about how the New York City FC midfield will hold up while both Aiden O'Neill and Jonny Shore are out recovering from injuries, and it's similarly easy to wonder why Talles Magno has seemed so absent since playing that friendly at Austin FC earlier this month. To wrap things up, there are some serious and judgmental takes offered about NYCFC's new 2026/27 away kit, the All Nations Kit. The show has generally positive feelings about the new jersey, but it's not all must-cop sunshine and roses for the new shirt, which gets explained as part of our animated discussion on the pros and cons of those All Nations Kits. Listen to the full episode, then find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Moussa Sylla of FC Schalke 04 looked all set to become a Designated Player striker signing for New York City FC, but instead of wrapping the transfer up, the move went up in smoke and in dramatic and contentious fashion. The first portion of this episode is spent unpacking all the dramatic twists of the Sylla transfer saga. This is the first time in recent memory a New York City FC transfer fell apart due to a medical exam, so there's lots discussed about this Sylla medical, and about Schalke and their fans having very strong and very anti-NYCFC reactions to the transfer breaking down. A ripple effect of Sylla not signing is that it now remains an open and unanswered question of where New York City FC will turn next, to the transfer market or to their own roster, as they try to find a solution at striker to hold them over until Alonso Martínez is healthy again. After lots of Sylla talk, hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh shift to some preseason observations coming out of NYCFC's friendly against Austin FC, and as the team sits on the verge of starting the Coachella Valley Invitational. What players and positions on the roster are we keeping closer eyes on as the preseason games start ramping up, and as the MLS regular season draws closer? Finally, we can't overlook the one big signing that New York City FC did successfully make this week: Sky Scraper, the team's new pigeon mascot. How are we feeling about the club's new big bird in not-quite-Timberlands? Opinions are mixed and varied, but there are plenty of opinions to be had about MLS mascots and Sky joining their ranks. Listen to the full episode, then find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Transfer business has picked up at New York City FC, so this episode is almost entirely about roster comings and goings. The biggest NYCFC move is the first one covered, as hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney, plus producer Andrew Leigh, discuss the new Designated Player striker reportedly heading to New York City FC, Moussa Sylla of FC Schalke 04 in Germany's 2.Bundesliga. We wonder how Sylla's prolific goal numbers from the second divisions in France and Germany will translate to MLS, speculate how this new-look New York City attack might line up once Sylla is in the fold, and cover how Sylla fits on a roster now maxed out on its Designated Players. Sylla's arrival isn't 100% confirmed just yet, but NYCFC did officially announce the signing of Kai Trewin, the versatile Australian central defender and midfielder from fellow City Football Group side Melbourne City FC. Is Trewin the ideal Justin Haak replacement, and what might his best position be once he settles into life playing under Pascal Jansen? The first half of the episode is all about new players joining the NYCFC roster, while the second half is about players leaving or getting even further removed from the NYCFC roster. First, there's Julián Fernández heading back to Argentina to join Rosario Central on a year-long loan. While in past episodes the pod gang was on the fence about whether or not it was wise to part with Fernández, the pending arrival of Sylla and the continued presence of Talles Magno has changed a few minds about the importance of keeping Julián around for another season. Fernández will join another former highly-regarded U22 Initiative signing, Jovan Mijatović, on the list of loaned-out NYCFC players. Mijatović, though, is about to head to yet another different non-NYCFC team on loan, as he's set to terminate his loan to OH Leuven in Belgium early in order to join Eintracht Braunschweig in the 2.Bundesliga in Germany. It's been nothing but struggle for Mijatović since his club-record transfer to New York City FC, and we wonder if the two moves made by former U22 Initiative signings, coupled with the different age and career profiles of the recently-signed new players, indicates a shift in transfer philosophy on the part of New York City FC. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The new New York City FC Sporting Director held his first press conference this week, so Episode 73 starts with a healthy dose of Todd Dunivant discussion. Hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh dissect some of Dunivant's first statements to the press in search of hints of what he might do now that he's in charge of NYCFC's soccer decision-making. Is a goal-scoring forward going to be his first priority on the transfer market, and is Talles Magno really going to factor into the team's 2026 plans? Questions that didn't outright get answered by Dunivant, but questions that left us trying to read more tea leaves. After talking Todd, it's time to talk transfer rumors. More and more reports keep popping up about Julián Fernández potentially leaving New York City during this winter transfer window. São Paulo FC in Brazil and now Rosario Central in Argentina supposedly want to sign Fernández on loan with an option to buy him, but the pod crew remains unconvinced that this is the right time to part ways with the 21-year-old attacker. We wrap up the episode by taking a glimpse at the downright scary 2026 Inter Miami CF roster taking shape down in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The reigning MLS Cup champions shored up in net by signing the Goalkeeper of the Year, replaced the retired Jordi Alba with a former Tottenham Hotspur FC and Spain left back, and are on the verge of adding firepower at striker in the form of a $15 million transfer for Germán Berterame from CF Monterrey. Their squad looks insane on paper and we're already wondering if anyone can keep Inter Miami away from the trophies next season. Listen to the episode, then find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's an episode of comings and goings as the New York City FC preseason gets started. Episode 72 starts with a discussion of legendary midfielder Maxi Moralez coming back for another season in 2026, still going strong as he nears his 39th birthday. Was it the right move to bring back Moralez for another season, and can we expect him to still be as ever-present in 2026 as he was in 2025? While Maxi will be there next season, it increasingly sounds like fullback Mitja Ilenič won't be with NYCFC much longer, as the 21-year-old Slovenian was left off the club's traveling roster for preseason and is reportedly getting loaned out to a club in Poland. Hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh wonder if Ilenič got enough opportunities during his time in New York, and wonder if a move to Raków Częstochowa, reportedly only a loan with an option to buy, is the right one. Preseason is prime time for player rumors and the Ilenič chatter isn't the only transfer talk this episode, as we also cover a report that winger Julián Fernández is wanted on loan by São Paulo FC in Brazil. Do we buy this as a plausible move, and are we ready to give up on Julián after parts of three up-and-down seasons in New York? We wrap up this week's show by talking through the highlights from NYCFC's traveling preseason roster, namely that prodigal son Talles Magno is back with the team and officially taking part in the 2026 preseason. For a second straight episode, we wonder: Will this Talles-NYCFC reunion actually stick, and might he contribute in MLS this season? We also each shout out NYCFC players we're excited to keep tabs on throughout this preseason, from an injured midfielder making his comeback to a promising teenaged striker possibly filling Alonso Martínez's shoes. Listen to the episode, then find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

New York City FC can now say that the club has produced multiple Premier League players. That's a fact because of former NYCFC striker Valentín Castellanos and his big-money transfer from Lazio to West Ham United FC of the English Premier League. Hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney first turn to the resident West Ham expert, producer Andrew Leigh, to paint the bleak picture of where things stand with the Hammers as Castellanos joins the club: West Ham is staring down relegation and has had a terrible recent track record signing strikers and getting them up to speed in the Premier League. Taty going to West Ham also nets New York City FC millions more dollars, reportedly over $5 million, in transfer profits thanks to the sell-on clause they retained when selling Castellanos to Lazio. How should NYCFC spend its newfound Castellanos money? The transfer mill is active in Major League Soccer, even if it's been quiet for New York City FC in the earliest days of new Sporting Director Todd Dunivant's reign. While the moves have yet to materialize, we still have thoughts on what positions NYCFC should most prioritize most on the transfer market before the 2026 season begins. One on-the-fringes NYCFC player with an uncertain future: Talles Magno, who just ended his time out on loan to Corinthians in his native Brazil. Is there any chance we see Talles make a triumphant return to NYCFC and MLS next season? The pod crew is split on that possibility, but we talk through all the potential next moves that might be on the table for Talles Magno as he tries to find a next place to play. Listen to the episode, then find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's our 52nd and final episode of 2025 and it begins with the sad business of discussing the official split between Justin Haak and New York City FC, following the Christmas Eve lump of coal that was the report, now confirmed and official, that he'd sign with LA Galaxy. Hosts Mark Radigan and John Baney and producer Andrew Leigh get into some of the reasons why New York City FC ended up letting their third-ever Homegrown go as a free agent, and on a one-year contract to a team within MLS. The crew also attempts to make some early guesses as to how NYCFC and its new Sporting Director will replace the versatile and elite defensive presence of Haak. Haak's departure was preceded by two new Homegrown players entering the fold for New York City, so there are introductions made to Cooper Flax and Kamran Acito, as well as a conversation about the recent approach taken by NYCFC to making Homegrown signings. Flax and Acito are officially on the roster, but four new 2026 MLS SuperDraft selections who may or may not sign and play for New York City FC. Two of the four SuperDraft picks, including First Round choice Ransford Gyan, get picked out as possible future MLS standouts, with the caveat that it's hard to know if the team's fourth and final pick in the draft will end up signing and playing for NYCFC. Enjoy one last 2025 episode and then find more of our coverage in the New Year at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

We're joined in the first portion of this episode by Glenn Crooks, English-language radio play-by-player announcer for New York City FC since the inaugural 2015 season. He's got a new book just released, "Put It On Frame: Stories and Strategies from Top Soccer Coaches and Experts," so he tells hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan and producer Andrew Leigh about the process of interviewing all the coaches and influential figures of the sport who end up in the book, like Emma Hayes of the United States women's national team and Mikey Varas of San Diego FC. There's talk of some of the things the most successful coaches tend to have in common, and, given Glenn's 11-season stint as New York City FC's radio voice, we also have him tell us what stands out about NYCFC's current coach, Pascal Jansen. We wrap up our talk with Glenn by discussing his reaching the milestone of 400 NYCFC matches called, and by getting his thoughts on the current state of MLS broadcast and media coverage. After our short break, it's just your usual trinity back to discuss what looks like the pending departure of Justin Haak, with his contract talks with New York City reportedly broken down and not looking to end up with Haak and NYCFC reuniting. We each weigh in on how badly New York City FC's front office fumbled the Haak situation, and we seem to collectively hope he doesn't join another MLS squad but instead goes and tests himself at one of the multiple European clubs reportedly interested in signing Haak. Listen to the episode in its entirety, then find more of our coverage at HudsonRiverBlue.com or on social media via Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.