Inside Soccer
Inside Soccer
Episode 16 - Hall of Fame Great, Marcelo Balboa
Hall of Fame player Marcelo Balboa discusses his early years and the challenges of the early days in soccer, his amazing career, and opinions on key issues related to the game today and in the future. We also bring in a special guest to join in the discussion with Marcelo, a first for Inside Soccer. Don't miss it.
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Unknown Speaker :Welcome back inside soccer listeners summers the thing of the past here we're ramping up to bring you the best experts in the game to discuss the ideas and the topics that you want to discuss this episode's brought to you by top sports solutions. If you have a sporting challenge top sports solutions has your answer. Today we continue our tradition of providing expert guest analysis and inside views no one else will bring you and we have a special surprise when Introduce in just a few minutes, but first I want to introduce our main guest of the day. He's what I would call one of the originals one of the American originals, a former MLS player, US men's player, coach, television talent and overall great person, in addition to being elected into the US Soccer Hall of Fame, ladies and gentlemen, it's my honor to introduce Marcello Bow Bow. Hello, Marcel. How are you? I'm good, buddy. How are you guys doing? We're doing excellent. We're done. Excellent. How are things in Colorado?
Unknown Speaker :no complaint is about 80 degrees. It's probably the coolest It's been a while. There's a nice breeze, great day for a little training. And finally, the The weather is starting to turn. Well, we're not out in 90 degree weather training every afternoon. So we're getting that we're getting that.
Unknown Speaker :Yeah, I wish we were getting there. It's still in the 90s here although I think I saw something that might go That is seven days tonight. So maybe we're getting a little bit of break.
Unknown Speaker :You got a beach we have mountain,
Unknown Speaker :I'll take the beach. See, that's the problem. Everybody wants something they don't want. My daughter and I would be in Montana tomorrow morning if we could get there.
Unknown Speaker :But there you go. And I would be and I would be at the beach for a while. Yeah,
Unknown Speaker :yeah, I'll leave my golf clubs for you, you just and the key to the garage and you just come in and go.
Unknown Speaker :Perfect.
Unknown Speaker :Perfect. There you go. We're about to say my. Alright, so let me before we get started, let me just introduce our our, our mystery guests today. Alejandro Kundera is a local person here in Jacksonville who is coaching soccer, youth soccer and has for many, many years. He's played soccer. He's from Venezuela. And and we've invited him in to also ask Marcello a few questions as we go through this 3045 minutes of podcasts. So welcome.
Unknown Speaker :And thank you. Thank you for having me. And I appreciate it.
Unknown Speaker :Yeah, we're looking forward to it. So and Marcel, I think I've mentioned this to you already. Malhotra listens to the podcast. And we were talking one night on the sideline and I said, Who would you bring on next? And he said, Marcel Ababa, and I'm like, Oh my God, that's a great, that is a great idea. And you and I go back to 2000. I think when I first started with AEG, and yeah, we own the rapids. So that was that was that was great. But
Unknown Speaker :yeah,
Unknown Speaker :look, we're glad to have you. I probably didn't do your introduction, justice. But let me try to add a little bit more before the first question. If I've read this correctly, and my my crack researcher is Mr. Wikipedia. It seems like he played about 15 years and you started out in the NFL, I believe What's your father?
Unknown Speaker :Good? Yeah, I don't even know what league I started in. Okay, honestly Yeah, I
Unknown Speaker :think it was in San Diego
Unknown Speaker :Western Western soccer lines which was an American soccer before it all finally went to USL Yep, I think I play I played in every league possible from the Nomad to the Blackhawks, and then the Colorado foxes and I think I have three there's like three different leagues that I've played in on switch and so you go with what's on Wikipedia.
Unknown Speaker :See, that's why you're one of the American originals you were there during the gunslinging days. I know it says your father played in the NFL. You're at Cerritos for a short time but long enough for him to retire your jersey number three. And you also played and I didn't realize this until I started looking 127 appearances for the men's national team. We're gonna get into that a little bit but that is amazing including being team captain. So and then a transition and To the front office, which you transitioned out of into broadcasting and coaching, which is smart on your part. And you're doing you're doing quite well for yourself. So yeah, we're glad you're here for sure. So let's get started. Marcello, share with our listeners who do come from all over the world. How and where did you get involved with soccer and why did you get involved in soccer coming out of Chicago?
Unknown Speaker :Well, one, it's in the blood. My dad is Argentinian mom's Argentinian. My dad played professional soccer in Argentina for communicants Jonas and also Argentina Jr. So he started playing there, and they got to a point where they're just getting ready to start and I think it was just the initial phase of and I don't know if it was the North American Soccer League yet, but it was it was right before the NFL kicked in. My dad got an opportunity to come play in Chicago. Go with the Chicago Mustang where he was fortunate enough to meet met Bob Gambler, and they were teammates. So my dad decided to take that opportunity. And 60 I believe it was 65 came there, me and my brother were born in Chicago. And that's kind of the way we we we got here to the United States. If not, we would probably still be in Argentina because that my dad looked at that as an opportunity to to come to the United States and to start something different start a new life. And, and blessed, you know, blessed that he did that because who knows where I would be or where I'd be playing. If, if we stayed in Argentina. So that's kind of the way we kind of moved into into the United States. My mom and dad I mean, they watch TV. They learned English from watching TV, my dad learned more English, playing playing soccer and I think it was in 60 Beginning of 66 that season my dad brought out my mom. And and from there we we've been in the United States ever since.
Unknown Speaker :That's the great American story. I mean, that's, that's fantastic. So, so in addition to your father and your family who outside of your family may have had the most influence in you, for you and developing your interest in soccer here in the United States.
Unknown Speaker :Ah, you know, my dad coached me and till I was pretty much 1819 So between that have to go first and foremost, my dad, my dad was the guy that would come home from work. My dad was the guy that would work graveyard, we'd get home from school, we would do our homework and then we're outside practicing with my dad and listen, it wasn't. It wasn't always good because he would get frustrated, you know, because we're doing our best. But you know, he had he had certain demands. on us that he expected and so every day it was outside with dad sacrificing his sleep for for us being outside and training. So my dad coached me until I was 18 and then at 18 1718 my dad and Todd bowl back in California, coached us both coached me and my brother and I always played out. I never played at my age group I always played up with my brother because I didn't want to play on ton of different teams. So I always chose to play with him. And and again, he was he was another mentor because he was one of those types of player that had so much skill you know, he could dribble he can do everything. The only problem my brother had is he didn't have the the passion or the heart or the stupidity with everyone you want to go with the chase the soccer ball like I would, my dad always used to say that. Between me and my brother. If the wall if there was a wall and the ball was kicked on the other side of the fence, my brother would find a way around it or go around the extra mile to get to that ball. I would be the dummy that would try to break through the wall and run through the wall to get that ball. So, I've had I've been blessed at a young age that my dad took the time sacrifice to train me. And listen, it wasn't all you know, roses all the time because we me and my brother kind of giggle now because back then, my dad had three speeches on the ride home and let me tell you the ride home and 45 minutes to an hour where we played and it was you know, a BNC a you suck today you did this, this is B was your okay, but you need to do better and we rarely got three which was you guys were great today is probably the best. I've seen your place. So the standards were high. The standards are high. My dad was an X player. His expectations were high and we wanted to meet those expectations. So that's kind of I gotta be honest, that's My dad was with it. And my brother were my role model. Yeah.
Unknown Speaker :Alejandro, and I said, I have a question and where you haven't in your mind a plan to be a professional soccer player when you were doing all this.
Unknown Speaker :You want the truth? Or do you want you want me to
Unknown Speaker :know the truth? I know what you're gonna say.
Unknown Speaker :I hate it. I hated school. I was not good at school. I know I'm just being on I struggled in school because learning English from mom and dad and and having the trouble of transitioning from speaking Spanish. To go into English. I struggled in school so bad. I was a C student at best. Sports kept me kept me alive sports because I knew if I didn't have a C average, I couldn't play sports. So you know, it was one of those things that I knew that. At that time, there wasn't an opportunity for us to be professional athletes. There was no professional soccer league. The only thing you ever saw was the Olympic team. And I remember going to Cerritos that Gar High School and seeing the Olympic team play and the Olympic team had Hugo Perez at the time had Ricky Davis had brain gelei. It had those kind of players. And I remember that day I told myself that's what I wanted. I wanted to play soccer, but I didn't know how I didn't know how to pursue a professional career. So the next logical step as you sat down and figure things out with my dad is I had to go to college because there were no opportunities for an American to go overseas and and do those kinds of things. And I got lucky that throughout throughout my career I got I didn't listen I didn't make ODP and I don't know if ODP is is something hasn't been around a while but I didn't make my ODP in California till I was 18 years old. At 18 years old, we went to Colorado Springs, and it was the West versus the East and North to South and Midwest. They had almost like a sports festival, their smaller version of it for the US for the US under 20. national team coach who never showed up at the tournament. And I happen to be a centre back. We won the tournament, I scored three goals throughout the tournament. And when the coach picked the under 20 team that was going to go to Russia, he picked all the players that he knew from the east coast and a few players from the west coast. So at that point, motivated me even more and got frustrated. Well, a few months later, you talked about lucky or being at the right place at the right time. So now we're playing state cup. They just announced that Derek Armstrong and Stevie highway the old Liverpool legend, we're going to be the under 20 head coaches. Well, we're planning today cup we face up against the San Diego Nomad We beat the San Diego Nomad. They're the first team to go to regionals and win regionals. So Derek saw me play he kind of already knew who I was in Southern California. And he gave me an opportunity to to play with the under 20 national team. So at that point there now it started sinking in that I may have a chance of maybe playing this for a living, you know, but remember, I didn't take the pathway that a lot of other people have taken. I went from high school. I played two years in junior college which a lot of people don't know I played at Cerritos junior college for two years because I wanted to play in the under 20 World Cup and I did not want to go to college. Because the college side the university side might have not let me go so I enrolled at Cerritos College for two years and trained and played games there to get ready to play with the under 20 from the under 20 World Cup. I got a full ride to go to San Diego State and the full national team saw me play and invited me into campaign 88 So, again right place right time, but not one time that I say okay, I want to go play because we have no professional leagues we have no professional teams here. It's how do I get myself to Mexico because I thought Mexico would be the best style of play for me. So that's kind of my my little journey of hoping to play I didn't really know how I was going to do it and everything just kind of luckily fell into place with hard work.
Unknown Speaker :Thanks for your answer and adding to that. How much time do you spend training versus plane in we'd your team or yourself? How was that upbringing because he looked like he pretty much were players were on their own at that time. It seems like it
Unknown Speaker :No, it wasn't club wasn't that club soccer wasn't that big yet. So we trained we train back then three times a week and we play a game on Saturday, and we would try to get in and then the tournament's weren't that big. So we didn't really traveled to a lot, a lot of tournaments. So it was basically three times a week with my with our club team. The other three times it was that we trained on a, let's say it was Monday. I think it was Monday, Wednesday, Thursday. Friday we returned with my dad Tuesday return with my dad Sunday we returned with my dad and Saturday we play a game. So it was for us. Isn't it being South American being European? Soccer is in the blood. We live and breathe. I was brought up as a riverplace fan as a young kid as I was born. I was replaced Frank is that to the family supported so it's in the blood. It was in the blood, the passion within the blood. It's just in the US at that time. There wasn't really many places where we can train and practice every day. So I play club I played high school. I even played Semi Pro when I was in high school up in Daniel field and Saturday. They're all up in the mountains, I was playing on Sunday Semi Pro at 1516, I was playing with 2025 year olds to 35 year old kid adults on Sundays to get more games in. So you can practice as much as you want. But at the end of the day, you develop your skills that you practice, you only develop them at high speeds and appointed higher level.
Unknown Speaker :That's an amazing story. I mean, it may sound a little chaotic to the kids and the parents today, but, you know, I would say you had a plan, your plan was to take advantage of every opportunity you had and spend as much time on the field as you possibly could. And, and obviously, you had the support of your father who knew something about the game as well. So that's pretty cool. Let's fast forward a little bit. So now you're in professional soccer. Just generally, what's the difference between those early days and what players are experiencing today, from a player's standpoint?
Unknown Speaker :Well, you know, there's a huge difference. And because there's MLS, we've had the World Cup in the United States that opened up a lot of eyes to a lot of people, but I played. We were playing and high school stadium. We were playing even with the National in the early and the late 80s, early 90s. You know, we were playing in Miami at the Orange Bowl, I believe was the old Orange Bowl. And we were drawing 5000 people. So soccer was a sport that was just coming up. People really didn't know what it was. They didn't really the only thing we saw and remember here in the United States is I was a kid. The only thing I could ever watch was soccer made in Germany, and everybody watched that show on Sundays after the games are played on Saturday, but there was no way of getting a soccer game on TV or anything like that. Fast forward to now I can flip any channel. Now from ESPN Fox because there's Fox to Fox plus ESPN plus Univision to their net, you can catch a game anywhere, and you are being sports, you can catch a game anywhere. So the opportunity these kids have now with the Academy, with all these tournaments, you can play and all these showcases, you can go to back then, the only way we got seen is if a college coach, which was the big recruiting back then would go to the high school games, they would have to go to a high school game and watch you play in order to see you play and maybe give you some sort of scholarship to go and play or if they see you playing state cup. So the opportunity that these young men have at academies that start at 12 years old at the MLS academies started 12 years old, and they're being they're being scouted at 14 now, so back then there was no scouting, they waited till you're a junior, and if you're good enough at a junior they would offer you a scholarship so time to time have changed. I think if you look at the players now they're they're a little bigger than little stronger. I'm not going to say they're more technical because if you look at the group of players we had from tab Rambo's to john Hart, did you go Perez, Eric Wynalda, Ernie Stewart, those guys were very even Roy waggling? Who planning. They were very technical. So I think the difference physically, is there a little bigger, stronger because of all of the and you go with all the stats and data that you can put a GPS on a kid and figure out how much you ran in the game. How many Sprint's he ran? So there's a there's a huge difference of what these young men are very fortunate to have compared to what we have.
Unknown Speaker :So you bring up a couple of things. And then now 100 is another question. But do you think sometimes it's too technical now and I'll relay a story back about the same time I met you. We did some work with Klinsmann. And, you know, you can love him or hate him and buddies Klinsmann and we're sitting around one day and I'm like, you And how can we have so many people playing this game? and relatively we're not that good on a global basis at the time. This is early 2000. And his answer was, it's too structured here. And he said, the best players in the world include himself which, okay, we can argue that too, but he probably fits in there. The best players in the world played in the streets, they played on dirt, they played wherever I just played, they played, they played, they played and you know, for me growing up playing American football, that's what we did. We played in the streets, we run down to my grandmother's back door cut across and I hit you, right, you know, I mean, that was, that's how we did it. And so that was a point. I'm always curious, what people who've been, you know, involved who, who succeeded then and are still involved. Now think about that change and that evolution, and then also the college point, and how that ties into the same question, really, because I watch club soccer Here in this country, and I watch, you know, the, the really focus on the club side of we got to put these kids in college. And I get that and there's a lot of parents and a lot of people that would like to see their kids go to college and play soccer or get a scholarship or whatever. But at some point, I think sometimes maybe lose a little bit of focus as well as to you know, developing players and and, and letting them have a good experience, things like that. But, and I also see, I don't know that I see great now hunters for you too, a little bit. I don't know if I see great recruiting. I see a lot of people out there. I see a lot of these for profit companies, you know, trying to reach out and touch kids and everything else. And the parents are confused too, by the way, they need a league for educating parents on what the hell is really going on with this whole process, but anyway, let me stop there. I'm unloading a lot of stuff and let's get your laundry. Yeah, that's what I do. It
Unknown Speaker :was a lot. Here's my When you go on a weekend, and you go to a soccer game, one of the most common words you hear a coach say, pass the ball, don't dribble, pass the ball. We're taking away something that a kid naturally has been gifted a kid that can dribble, I can't teach a kid how to dribble. That's a confidence thing. That's something he has. I can teach a kid to pass. I can teach all deals, I can teach a kid to run faster. And that's a natural God given ability. So when we're taking away the ability for the kids to be creative, and have that confidence that they can dribble, now they have to fall into a very structure way of playing, move the ball, pass the ball, run here, run there. Everybody's trying to make a name for themselves through coaching youth soccer sometimes, and that's what I see on the weekend. You have to let kids be themselves. You have to let the kids have a natural ability. Let that come out. And let them do if it's dribbling. He's got bass, let him dribble. He's gonna listen. Well, we all learn. Messi learned by dribbling like that. Getting kid He learned when to release a ball when to dribble a guy when he doesn't have to those that's part of the process of what we have. The problem here in the United States is we take that creativity, that freedom away from that kid, and we try to put them in this category that he belongs in. He's a midfielder he needs to do this. No, he can do other things. So the college piece was that I think the college piece, there's always there's room for college, because not every kid is going to be a pro. And I think there's always going to be a few special kids and every state that when they read 1617 should not be going into a college environment. They should be playing at a MLS level, a USL level, and getting training every day, instead of training 20 hours a week. And no, this is no disrespect. I think there's a great place for college in this town and in this country, but there's always a special player too. That should bypass going to college and Go to an environment where they're going to be training everyday with older players. That's why I think MLS now, seeing that, that you 19 level is a good level, but it's not where it needs to be. So now they're talking about building a u 23. lakes. And now this gives this kid an opportunity to be an 18 1920. You keep them killing 23 and see what develops there. They're going to be schooling opportunities where they can finish their school. But again, there are places and there are paths. Everybody has a different pathway. The pathway is not always going to be 17 sign a homegrown contract and you're with the protein. It's not for every kid, some kids are going to have to go to college and planning three years in the mature and then it come out before their senior year. Some will go into the draft, some will go into the USL. But at the end of the day, I think here, we at a younger age, we take away this natural ability that God given these kids and we're changing them to pass The ball, and then all of a sudden now, they're not happy playing soccer. That's why you see parents move their kids to four or five different clubs on average. By the time there it is my opinion.
Unknown Speaker :I think it's a good one. I think it's a good one. 100
Unknown Speaker :Yeah, I was gonna change gears a bit. I have one more point about what he said he couldn't say more about that. And I think there's also the fear of coaches of losing games at the youth level. And they special players like Oh, go play defensive state on leaving because he's the best defender but then he doesn't know how to play other positions. And we, as coaches, we want control and so we don't want to have any thing out of our control, which is when the player like yeah, you're right Messi. Never nobody ever told Messi how to draw. If you look at video, Messi playing when I was six years old, seven years old, is the same dribble that he does today.
Unknown Speaker :Right? So nobody does that. Look at look at look at pulisic and I'm just gonna look at pulisic what he does, they didn't talk to us about do what you do by yourself. Figure it out. Let him develop the skill that it's been given to him just like Ronaldo, just like the Boston Neymar. Do you think they told Neymar to pass the ball? In Brazil? No.
Unknown Speaker :It's, it's interesting. He started off with a piece about passing. And look, I've got a daughter who plays I don't even know if she's interested in playing college doesn't matter. But she, yeah, she went to one of these showcases once and I asked somebody I go what, you know, what's this all about? They're like, just tell her to keep the ball and don't pass it. Because the college coaches don't care if you can pass everyone can pass in this country. They want to know what you can do with the ball. So I told her that the car tickets dad, that's not what they taught us to do. I go, I'm just telling you what I heard. But, you know, you just you just said it right there. Yeah,
Unknown Speaker :it's not only in the US, though. I seen it on Jeopardy. I was looking at video of this pain. And they were like these rehearsing these play. From the back we know position and they just pass him back and forward and they're like, in a
Unknown Speaker :pattern play. A
Unknown Speaker :pattern play. But if you start doing pattern play at 12 years old, like, there's no good learning to a theme pattern plays okay for a professional team to have a plan or something. But for younger players, you definitely need a little chaotic environment.
Unknown Speaker :Yeah, but we're talking about we're talking about Barcelona. And when you play for Barcelona, they've already picked the best kid in that area. So those kids already know how to dribble. Now they're trying to get them to understand pattern play ball in ball out where you should be in a game, that pattern will come into play. But that pattern will come into play with the ability that those kids have, it may be an extra dribble, it may be an extra touch, but they're learning where to be in case he gets into trouble. You know, I'm saying so I'm okay with that. Because you've already got the best clubs like dislike real. They've got the best kids in their area. They already they already got the passing down. They got this now. It's about teaching them how we're going to play and then Let you put your own flair, the ability God gave you to make sure you work in that system. Because if I know if I dribble here, and I beat this guy I know to my right, there's going to be a player that if I need to pass or dribble, you know, I'm saying, so I don't mind that. But these kids are special players that they're able to get from all over the world at our level. It's completely different. We're still teaching technical stuff, how to pass a ball, how to trap a ball, you know how to hit the ball with the outside of your foot. So I hate comparing what we do here to teams like in Spain or even in Brazil or Argentina because those kids play every single day. And the street smart that they have. They bring in just like name or the streets Marty had from football and everything else he brought to what professional soccer and it's amazing. So I'm okay with those top top levels, teaching them the patterns already. Because that once they get that done, they move on and then go to something else here. I mean, yeah.
Unknown Speaker :Talking about pulisic he played his first game here in Jacksonville. That was a game. I think Jason brought him up. I couldn't sit down every time he threw the ball. He was awesome to watch. Right and completely. We don't even know how he was developed. I know he went to Germany young play older players. Yeah. And on their estimate, he was challenged.
Unknown Speaker :100 from Pennsylvania. That's the hotbed of soccer in this country from Hershey, right, secret secret.
Unknown Speaker :We haven't told anybody yet.
Unknown Speaker :These, these younger kids, if there's an opportunity, look at the kids that have played a little bit in the US, and then they've left Weston McKinney.
Unknown Speaker :So that's my next question. Hold on, hold on. That's my next question is what are your thoughts about that sort of migration? Of what seems like a lot of quality players who are earning quality time and quality spots in Europe right now? How does that come back to help us here and This country
Unknown Speaker :Um, I don't know if it's gonna help us in this country, but it's going to help the US national team. Yeah, the experience of Western McKinney's getting the Tyler Adams is getting all these players way you can keep going down to the exact Stephen. I mean, Jonathan Brooks miazga all of these guys playing in Europe is giving them an ability to play at the best level possible. And most of these kids are under the age of 23. They could play on the Olympic team and not be an older player on that Olympic team. So there's a way they develop them there the way they have to work the way it's just everything about it is what's making these kids better and making this US national team better. And I believe I'll say it again. The US national team will qualify for this world cup and it's not going to be a walkthrough like Mexico did last time, but they will qualify for this World Cup. They will surprise some people because of the fact that this is a very young, talented, hungry, a team of pride, a team that wants to represent that red, white and blue jersey and take that bad taste out of everybody's mouth that we did not qualify for the last World Cup. We have a habit in US Soccer because I've been in a long time. We have a habit of keeping guys too long in a cycle to get to the point where they're good enough, but the younger talent, we don't want to take a chance with the younger town. So we're going to keep this guy another two years and let them develop that. That's baloney.
Unknown Speaker :Yeah, I've been in other other sports. They call them pipeline pipeline blockers.
Unknown Speaker :Exactly. So for me, now that we have these young kids, it's nice to see these young kids getting this opportunity. Yes, you have to mix in a few veterans but not a lot. And not a lot because you got to let these young kids play because this team is going to grow over The next few years and the World Cup and in 2026, in the United States, I expected them to be at least in the quarterfinals with that young key if everybody's healthy and they get the right draw. That's that's a quarterfinal team to me.
Unknown Speaker :Well, I think I'll tell you what I think. And we're gonna talk about the women's side in a minute, but from the boys side, they really know who those guys are, you know, they're emulating them. They're out there. They're they see now a pathway to go play for a team. They were just watching on TV a year ago, and I think nothing could be better. The second thing, I'm not here to promote, you're gonna love You're gonna, but I'm not here to promote them. But about 15 years after the first quote, I heard him in a meeting say we will not perform well in the World Cup until our team all plays in the Champions League. And you know, you might be right.
Unknown Speaker :I'm not gonna disagree with the best
Unknown Speaker :players in the world are there right? And we're getting there. My point is I feel like we're getting there.
Unknown Speaker :Listen, despite what happened with the Oregon on the US National Americans a good guy, you're gonna get a lot of things that we couldn't do throughout the years going to Italy, bit of Italy there, and all these wonderful things. So listen, I think you're again is it 99 point, right? I think most of I don't think they're all going to play in Champions League, but they have to play at a high level you have to play going to Europe and sitting on a bench is not going to help us or them. Yep, good. kids that are playing. They need to be playing consistently every day and they are right now. Most of the guys that are in Europe are playing so that's a huge bonus for us. And again, listen, you go back to when Mexico ran through the whole clock qualifier. Most of those players were playing in Europe, they're playing in Champions League, they're playing in high level leagues, and they just ran through the table. They ran through the table and qualified so there there is a point to be said that even Juan Carlos A story from Mexico, that the same thing that his players need to be playing in Europe, not all of them can be playing in Liga mekki. Yep.
Unknown Speaker :USA right Champions League at the highest level, you could play soccer. If you compare Champions League game it. It'd be better than most of World Cup games, right? Yeah, yep. The level on the face it. So you are both positive. You are very hopeful about the US team national team future. Is that what you guys said?
Unknown Speaker :100% 100%. I
Unknown Speaker :need that because I haven't been excited about the US national team in a while. And he has to do with what you said. A lot of players just stay there. It's not their fault. If I get big and I want to bet on good. It's just the coaches like finding these players and given the opportunities.
Unknown Speaker :I think what happened is a lot of weird things happen with US Soccer, go back and look at that team. You know, it was very strange to see some of the guys that were there. That team and the thing that Bruce arena did different which surprised me is they played Panama in Orlando, they beat Panama, and Bruce arena and every game leading up to that a whole game in our way game because there's only four days between games. He would always switch between three and five, three and six players for the next game to put some fresh bodies on the field. Bruce arena decided that he was going to reward that team that played against Panama and play them in Trinidad. Well in Trinidad, the field was wet it was soggy the grass was sick. And why would you switch? Why? In your mind, would you reward a player for winning the game at home? To me the objective is qualifying for the World Cup. So do what you've done put some fresh bodies out on that field and do what you normally do. I think Bruce arena got complacent. I think he got too complacent thinking we're gonna beat Another playing a beat team. And I'm gonna let these guys enjoy the roots of the rewards of the victory. Well, you know what? That's the biggest failure in US Soccer history right now that we did not qualify for that World Cup and losing the Trinidad second team. Because he went against what he's done all qualifier, change three to five different bodies. Yeah tired legs. You had guys that were fatigued, the legs were heavy, and it showed it showed and maybe you know what? This group we talked about some guys were shouldn't have been on that cycle should have been replaced by younger players. And maybe they got overconfident too because at the end of the day, we didn't go to the World Cup in Panama.
Unknown Speaker :No one's immune to the heat as a hot seat and the bright lights. I mean, everybody. Everybody's experienced at some point. So
Unknown Speaker :look, we live off 2002 man.
Unknown Speaker :Yeah, well, I'm looking forward now and that's what happened there happened and there's been a lot of change. And a lot of things happening so we're hoping that you know, it's a new day and everything comes out these guys come out gangbusters and are ready to roll and you know, have a little chip on our shoulder, but a lot of them will be there you know, so that's, it's also an interesting part of this. So let me ask you your question and we're gonna start to back up against the timing so we might do a little quick fire but tell me your thoughts on NW SL, what you're seeing what you feel what you think, is going well, what could they do better?
Unknown Speaker :You know what, I'll be honest with you. I watched the tournament in Salt Lake. And I thought they did an absolutely fantastic job. The commissioner. Everybody did a fantastic job in that tournament. And I think now from what I understand, they're, they're on CBS Sports and CBS, which is fantastic for them. And you know, it's like anything else. It's they've got to be put on primetime. They've got to be put on on a major network. work, you know, to be able to promote themselves promote what they do. And, and what they do is fantastic. Listen, we've got the best women's team in the world. They're more athletic, they're stronger, they're faster, and that's why they've won back to back World Cup. So I think just like anything else, I think you need to be able to put it on a primetime channel and to be able to to be able to see it more because I think before it was on a few other channels and it was difficult to find, unless you knew where it was at. But listen, like anything else. I think it's starting to grow. I think I saw the other day. It's what the angels of Los Angeles is something like that. It's an all women's yeah ownership group, which is absolutely fantastic. You can see that the sports moving in the right direction men and women. And that's all we want. You know, at the end of the day, we want to see the women succeed. The men succeed soccer in general, I'm not talking national team. I'm talking soccer in general. The women are getting opportunities like the men to played professional soccer to live their dream to do something that as a kid we all wanted to do. So I think it's great. It's moving in the right direction,
Unknown Speaker :I think is one of the fastest growing segments of sport there is I mean, if you look at what's happening in Europe, I mean, when I lived there in the 90s, if you mentioned women's soccer, people just started laughing and go, they only play that in the US. Yeah. I mean, they didn't even admit that they played it. And now, not only are the top clubs, fielding women's teams, but other clubs are fielding women's teams. And again, we're starting to see somewhat of a migration of American players going over there to play, which I think will help some things especially when it comes around the World Cup and the Olympics, which is the reload that's needed here to keep driving the interest, I think, I mean, that's really, that's really what they've had and all the other attempts at leagues and not taking anything away from them. It's been hard. I thought the Challenge Cup was easy to watch and fun to watch. They did a good job of producing the games. But yeah, it's growing quickly and it's gonna continue to grow and it's gonna be exciting to watch. So that's interesting. Okay, so,
Unknown Speaker :again, you got the Olympics coming up. That's a huge promotion platform for the US women's national team in the league. So I'm looking at most of the better women that are in the in their on their national teams, and the majority of them are playing in the United States. So again, it's growing, it's moving in the right direction, and I'm excited for them. Okay.
Unknown Speaker :That's why I do a lot. That's why I coach girls.
Unknown Speaker :Good. Okay. I got a whole
Unknown Speaker :table here. Last question for him.
Unknown Speaker :Okay, go ahead.
Unknown Speaker :Do you think your career soccer would have been? I don't know. Like maybe you would have jumped to Europe a bicycle kick in 94. Would I go in?
Unknown Speaker :I didn't know. No. I had offers after the World Cup and Another thing I almost didn't play in the World Cup because I tore my ACL nine months before the World Cup so I was blessed enough to be able to heal quickly enough. And I was very thankful for board to keep me in the loop. And trusting that I would work hard enough to get back to be a starter on that team. So now listen, not bicycle kick was something I had a dream as a kid I thought Pele do it. And to have been able to score it in the biggest tournament in the world would have been awesome. To this day. People still talk about how close it was and what a great shot it was. But I had offers already to go to Columbia. I had offers to go to Turkey. I had offers in a few different places. I after the World Cup, I went to Greece to play at Olympiakos I signed a contract but I couldn't play because they had too many foreigners and the foreigner that they wanted to get rid of wouldn't leave. So I ended up I ended up in Mexico with with wedlock calling me so I had some nice offers. After that. Welcome, so I don't think that bicycle kick if it would have gone in, it would have been a highlight reel that you would have seen for years and years on FIFA, but I don't think it would have gotten me any more money. I don't think it would have gotten me a better team. I think maybe maybe maybe I would have got a Harley motorcycle out of it. You know, as a as a sponsorship as a bike. You've asked about it. Maybe a Schwinn. Who knows?
Unknown Speaker :Well, you scored in 2000. A goal of the year correct me was the same
Unknown Speaker :basic 2000 Yeah,
Unknown Speaker :I saw that right after I watch. One.
Unknown Speaker :Very good. Okay, so look, we're here later. We're up. We're up against some time. So we got four more questions. We'll do sort of quick fire. First one is who is your toughest competitor
Unknown Speaker :toughest competitor that too hard because I played Aldo Romario I played against, against coniah I played against poppy skuta. So I would say Because we lost would be a big bet on Romario
Unknown Speaker :that's a that's a great list
Unknown Speaker :you're forgiven forgiven more than one
Unknown Speaker :number two key to being a great defender.
Unknown Speaker :I'm wanting to be a defender having the mindset that you want to be a defender believing that that's your position and you want to play it that's the that's the the key to it because a lot of kids play it but they're not happy because they want to be forward to midfielder understanding that you're a defender that you want to be the best defender in the world, the best defender the United States, believing that that's your position and embracing it. You just killed me at home, Marcel.
Unknown Speaker :I've been trying to talk my daughter plan defender forever. And she's like, no, I like seeing everything in front of me. I like the angles. I like taking the ball. This and I go No, no, you got to. You got to move up. Right. I don't want to I want to be a defender.
Unknown Speaker :Man give me really quick. Well, my dad told me when I was a kid, my dad told me if you're gonna be a centerback you've got to be different. What do you mean? Because you've got to be good on set pieces, you've got to be able to jump higher than most people, your timings got to be better, but you got to be a defender who's willing to go forward and score goals. So that's what's gonna beauty of why I embrace that position. Yeah,
Unknown Speaker :great, great answer. Okay, number three. And you can take a little bit of time on this one, what did it mean to you personally to be elected to the ER inducted into the Hall of Fame?
Unknown Speaker :Whoo, that's, uh, you know, when I started playing, I did not even know what the Hall of Fame was if they had a Hall of Fame, but I wanted to leave a legacy behind for my kids. And I think that was important. So and they had kids they can say, Man, look at Grandpa, that was grandpa who get this stuff. So to be able to leave a legacy behind so that the grandkids you know, you can leave that legacy behind and that was important to me now being in the Hall of Fame.
Unknown Speaker :I guess.
Unknown Speaker :Made me feel more at ease. Cuz I never knew if the media liked me or didn't like me because the way I played I was very hard I tackled. I did things that that most people said I was Rambo, I would self destruct. And so I said that to me, it was finally verifying that the media and my peers
Unknown Speaker :liked me as a player and that I was a good player.
Unknown Speaker :Very good. Alejandro. Last question is a sci fi steel place. Do you still play? Do what do you still play?
Unknown Speaker :I do still play I still play with my my you fourteens I play every Sunday and an adult league over 48 I played Thursday nights I play football and on Monday night I play indoor so I get my my fair share of running around.
Unknown Speaker :Yeah, I can retire later.
Unknown Speaker :I'll always I'll always, I'll always play with my legs allow me and my heart allows me I'll always play. Awesome.
Unknown Speaker :I got to have you here. I'll have is the same way? Well, look, one, you've earned it and deserve to be in that Hall of Fame. And I only knew you as a person really not so much as a player because when we first met, I didn't know that much about the game to be honest with you. But I knew you as a person, and you're a fantastic person you've never never veered from that. And then doing the research for this show, and and just seeing all the things you've done on the field. I was like, Well, of course, he's in the Hall of Fame. He deserves to be there. So congratulations on that. We're going to, we're going to to wrap this but Marcel Ababa, we appreciate you taking time to be with us on inside soccer. We're gonna keep a close eye on those. Those youth players, you're coaching and also the rapids, not one that we get too much out here on the east coast. But now we got a reason to watch and go back to cheering for him. So thank you very much for joining us. And for all of our having a guy absolutely anytime. Actually we'll get you back some time during the season maybe and give us an update of what's going on there. But in the meantime, inside soccer listeners, be sure to catch all of our episodes which can be found on most pod platforms, or at www inside top sports comm we're on Apple, Google, Spotify, I heart Stitcher, and of course, are sort of home at buzzsprout. But we enjoy having you here. And we enjoyed having Marcello, and Alejandro here, that was fantastic, Alejandro, thank you. And we'll see everybody next Tuesday. Thank you.