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Hey, we are back, and let's bring in Alexi Lalas, Fox Sports analyst. And Alexi Lalas does not have to work these friendly games, but the U.S. team is back in action. And Lexi, great to see you. Looking good.
Good to see you. Are you encouraged by what you saw? Is after, especially after last night's one nothing win with a lot of new faces. Yeah. Reminder: This is the first time that we are seeing the U.S.
Men's National Team since the World Cup this summer, and it's a really unique two and a half week window with four games. That's never been done before.
So we were all kind of curious to see how this would play out. I don't think it could have gone better for Mauricio Pochettino, who has been brought back as the new head coach, and a collection of incredibly young but incredibly talented players that are, you know, arriving for the first time on. The scene. I think, I think a lot of people demanded change, and I think Mauricio Pochettino wanted to give that change, and I think he did.
So the results were great, but even more importantly, I think it gives us a new sense of excitement and confidence going forward. That there is a whole crop of young, talented players that can not only Play really good soccer, but can do it at a level and be really comfortable. That was what was amazing throughout this two two weeks. Was how comfortable some of these teenagers were the minute they stepped on the field at the international level for the U.S. Julian Hall, you're talking about, and you're also talking about Kevin Sullivan.
Do you? It was amazing the confidence that they felt and the impact that they had. I mean, all scored in almost in all but one game. Yeah, I think both of those players. If you're power ranking where these young players come out of this window, yeah, I would probably put Kevin Sullivan ahead of Hall.
I mean, look, Hall scored goals, and that's there's nothing more valuable in the game. But I, but and. But I think when it comes to Kevin Sullivan, he is at a position of need out there on the right wing, and so I think it looks even better because not only did he score and become the youngest in history ever to score for the U.S. Men's National Team, but his activity got even smarter as the four games wore on, and so I think he's got a. I mean, I think you can make an argument right now that if everybody was there, all of the players were there for Mauricio Pochettino, and it was a game that was.
Meaningful in a competition, that Kevin Sumlin's got a real good shot at starting. I'm not sure that Hall does because Balogun would be back and Ricardo Pepy would be back.
Now it's a good thing though. There's there's competition and a lot of these young players are knocking on the door and saying, "Hey, look at me." Here's what Chris Richard said: He's a stalwart in the back for the team. Cut fifty. What surprised you about these kids when in training? Yeah, I mean, I think coming into camp, you realize that a lot of these kids have a good PR.
I think you guys always get to have good PR, then.
So you kind of go into it with, you know, trying to give them the benefit of the doubt. And but I think the thing is that when you see it every day in training, you see why they have such good PR.
Now they work really hard. They keep their head down. They ask a lot of questions. Ultimately, they take a lot of pride in playing for the national team. And I think that's something that can sometimes be lost.
You know, there's now with social media, people like to do a lot of things for clout. But again, I think when these guys play for the national team, they they love it. I think you saw the celebrations. I think you see just the little group that they have together. You know they really just love each other, but they love playing for their country.
See, I love when when I'm I'm always a sucker for that. Kevin Sullivan went to his chest. He said the USA crest on his chest after he scored. He loves the country. I think people love that when when players show that.
Yeah, I think you know. This this is a generation that has grown up and has watched this U.S. men's national team has watched it do good things, but also has watched it falter sometimes at the high at the highest level. This is also a young generation, and this isn't me grumpy old manning it. I'm incredibly proud of this that has been given absolutely everything, all the different pathways and all the different resources.
And I think that there's an appreciation that has been instilled in this generation for what they have and that they can do more. And I think that more importantly, they're excited about being given the opportunity to do more. But to your point, they come in, and I think they feel that this is representing a country that they love. They they understand the responsibility of that, but more importantly, they embrace that opportunity of representing what I feel is the greatest country in the world. And I think that shows in their play, and I think it shows in their behavior.
So both those players, Julian Hall with the Red Bulls, and and Kevin Sullivan are in the MLS right now. Do you think they'll stay?
Well, Kevin Sullivan's already done a pre-deal to go over to Europe with Manchester City.
Now, what'll be interesting is with Manchester City right now, a lot of stuff going on off the field with them. But where he ends up, is he good enough to stay and compete at Man City, or does he get loaned to a a different club somewhere, which is normally what happens where a lot of these young players. I think eventually a lot of them will find their way over. But I want to stress this, Brian. You know, going to Europe is actually easier than it sounds.
But going to a place where you are playing, where you are comfortable, where you and you know, if you have a wife or if you have a girlfriend or you know, whatever that you, the other people that aren't actually kicking a ball are comfortable, and also that just because you know, there seems to be this theory that if if you if you touch the tarmac over there at you know Heathrow or Charles de Gaulle, that automatically you're a No, that's not the case, and so I think it was interesting to hear Chris Richards talk about you know these these players and you know the marketing that they have and how smart they are. Part of that marketing and part of that is you know agents making sure that they are going to the right place, not just to go over to Europe. Yes, it's a stepping stone oftentimes, but you still want to make sure that it's strategic where you are going to have a long term career that is successful, Alexi. The key is playing, right? Doesn't come down to playing.
I know people say, "Well, the training's important," but when you just sit and watch, that's the worst, isn't it? Yeah, I mean, if I had a dollar for every time someone told me, "Yeah, but he's training every day at a high level with insert whatever the the big club is," I'd have a lot of money. But it doesn't. Nothing takes the place of actually playing day in and day out. And if you want an example, Gio Reyna.
Started every single one of these four games this this window. We got a knock on whatever wood you had, knock on wood, because for those that know Giorena, incredibly talented player, burst on the scene at a as a teenager at a very young age, and then has had a series of of injuries that has just constantly knocked him back. And so it was wonderful to see him play game after game after game. He made the move to to France, and where he is playing consistently, but nothing replaces playing. And playing consistently, regardless of what level it is, you have to be playing games.
This episode is brought to you by Nordstrom. For 125 years, Nordstrom has been part of your story—the stylist who found the perfect outfit for your big interview, the first pair of walking shoes for your one-year-old, the tomato soup you shared with your sister at the cafe. These are the moments that make Nordstrom. Nordstrom, big or small, we're here for all of it. Celebrating 125 years with new moments still ahead.
Discover it all in Nordstrom stores and at nordstrom. This podcast is supported by Anthropic, the public benefit corporation behind Claude. Everyone's got a hard question about AI. Anthropic was built to surface those questions and share what it finds along the way, because there's hope in hard questions. Ask yours at Claude AI slash Spotify and keep thinking.
That's Claude AI slash Spotify. You know, they did a survey of college soccer players. They said, "What was the most important element?" And they said, "Play time," because you know it's great to win a championship, but if you're really not one of the top 13 players, you don't see the field. You don't have that same feeling. It's also impossible to replicate, right?
So you can you can train all you want, and you can you know have different circumstances out there. But until you you know you're actually out there and the whistle blows in a real game, that's where that's where you that's where you grow the most. Here's what Landon Donovan, your archrival, said about Julian Hall, Cut Fifty One. I understand where Julian Hall is coming from. I do.
If I take myself out, put myself in his shoes, there are two probably competing, or there are probably two reasons why he doesn't want to solidify. One, I do feel like he's probably tied to his Polish side, and like it means a lot to his mom and like his heritage. I'm Canadian. I'm super proud of being Canadian. I love that side.
The other is though. Let's just be honest. If he's not able to play for the U.S. and I know Poland are recruiting him hard and like want him and whatever, he's trying to keep that door open. I have not been in that situation because the U.S.
wanted me, so I didn't have to think about going to play for Canada. I'm just really struggling with this whole the way the rule is, the way players sort of navigate it and play one side off the other. I'm sick of it. It's your national team, and I can't understand why it's able to be so much. From like a FIFA standpoint, like just bring some clarity to it.
So, so this is what I'm confused at. I always thought the day you play for one team, you're no longer eligible to play for another country. I'm wrong. Yeah. You first off, you can have a one-time switch, and the the specific games that you play matter in terms of if they are actual competitive games going forward.
But you know, all of this, I'm I'm I'm sorry, Landon is so conflicted. He's going to be fine. He's going to be just. And I think he can under even he can understand the situation here. And the situation here is we have more and more players that are dual nationals, and sometimes even tri nationals, if you will.
And in that case, they have multiple countries that they can play for because of their ancestry. And that's that's actually nothing new. I mean, I my my dad's Greek. I could have played for the Greek Greek national team if I'd gone through the process of getting a passport and doing doing all that. And you know.
It is there is a recruiting process, and that's where I think people start to cringe a little bit, and I get it because you do not want mercenary. I think that. Beyond the actual playing, beyond the actual winning and losing, there has to be something that means something to you when you put your hand over your heart and you sing that song and you represent, in this case again, what I feel is the greatest country in the world. That supersedes all of the other stuff, all of the other competition, all of the other fame, all of the other opportunity that comes with it. But I'm also not naive in that players are assessing the situation and saying what is best for my career.
But I'm telling you right now, if it's just about Playing in a World Cup. That will manifest at some point, and usually at the worst possible time on the field. And so, to Landon's point, you want people that want to be there. Yeah. In this particular case, with Hall, you want to go play for Poland.
Fine, go ahead. I would argue that that's actually a step down in terms of the competition and the opportunities. But knock yourself out if that's what you want to do. Really? I think after this window, I think Julian Hall is only looking one place, and that's the U.S.
Men's National. And Mauricio's got to recruit him a little bit. I know it's tough. Yep, absolutely. That's part.
Of his job. Yep, Alexi Lalas, your job is to tell America what's going on in soccer, and you did it once again. You're the best, Brian. Thanks. Back at you, Brian Kilmeade.
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