Episode 92: Ricky Thrash and Darren Ambrose

Our resident soccer expert Ricky Thrash guest hosts this episode with Vanderbilt women’s soccer coach Darren Ambrose. They discuss the meaning of soccer in Darren’s life, the rise of the women’s soccer program at Vanderbilt, and the state of the global game.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:34

industry across the World Cup approaches and extending financial world academics I mentioned a thousand times during your view and for the viewers it's holding that uh well we have a couple of branching on a couple episodes ago an expert uh from Germany and uh inter-semitism in the software world we turned it over to Ricky because he was much more knowledgeable on the subject uh I am and so we're gonna do that again uh for this episode so uh Ricky and Darren take it away the next thing I'm gonna do is just hit uh stop on the on the recording but this belongs to you guys now take it away thanks Andrew appreciate that appreciate that coach uh really excited to have you here special thanks to Andrew for giving us this platform to just kind of clear out and and talk about and talk about the world's most popular sport um the beautiful game and uh I know we've got a big summer ahead um with so much going on but I want to you know before we kind of get into that I'd love to a have a bit of a recap on last season because um it it just was a historic run um but but before we even start there what's your story coach like where let's you know maybe uh give me the give me the give me the 30 000 foot view give me the elevator pitch but I know that this game has meant so much to you in your life and and and just kind of maybe shaped your upbringing but you know darren ambrose where are you from and what is what is the game of football or soccer meant to you um when people talk about about the game it's such a big statement the game has changed my life it has been my life since I could walk um I've been a player um I've been a player from you know the age of seven eight nine on teams and um transitioned that into coaching I've never known any part of my life without the game and that is such a when I think about the game and what it's done for me in terms of I met my wife through the game I've um I've traveled the world through the game I've got so many friends around the world because of the game.

SPEAKER_02 3:07

So for a for a guy who came out of a small mining village in you know in in you know north central England um I'm incredibly indebted to the game. And that that's that's such a big question but when you think about it where would I be without the game and I don't know I wouldn't be sitting here with you. So I I do think it is the it is you said it earlier the world's game and when we've traveled to South Africa and other places that I think my kids and you know players that have gone on those trips have realized that the the it is a language all of its own and it it unites people across cultures um you know and I've tried to to you know make sure our our team and our players understand that no matter where they go in the world. And my daughters lived that my daughter um in particular Madison up in Boston has realized that when she's in you know she's in law school but when she's been in different jobs and law officers and all these things she can bring up the sport she bring up the game and her background and it's a connector and she never played at a at a she played rec team but she's into it she loves a game like it just is a it's just a natural connection to so many people.

SPEAKER_01 4:19

That's awesome. That's awesome man well I know that you um you're such a great coach and and I feel like you know obviously you're you're a tactician you have all of these technical things that you're able to do but to me as an outsider looking in I think that one of the things that you do so well is um you bring your team together. You connect your team and you you I feel like every year it's almost like it's a Hollywood script or something. You know it's like uh you got the the roles that these players are playing and and and it and it even goes beyond the sport but you know thinking about like this team that you had last year where you know we talked about like um just in private conversations of you know the heart and the hammer you know thinking about some of those some of those players on the team and the role that they played what are your reflections on on last year's team for those listening um just so you know I mean Andrew mentioned it uh we had a run to the Sweet 16 two years ago um that that you know was you guys eliminating the number one seed the defending national champion uh in in Florida state on their ground you know in Tallahassee um and then you follow that up with a deeper run into the NCAA where you take the mantle of a of a one seed uh in the tournament run to the elite eight uh win the SEC reflecting back on that team give us just you know what are your thoughts on it what's the lore from that team do you have any favorite stories anything you want to share no I just think I've I've been around this is my 30 I think we were just talking today it's it's uh 33rd or 34th year 26th year as a head coach I've been fortunate I have a lot of great teams and incredible people that I'm still in touch with but I've I've the last two years in particular there's been a change in I wouldn't say a change I would say an advancement um in uh in the nature of our team and the dynamic and it's the foundation that's been laid by the teams before them there's no doubt we we do build teams I think we connect people very well it is the X factor when it comes to competing um the closer a team is and the deeper the relationships and the greater the belief the the further they can go.

SPEAKER_02 6:37

But I just don't know I've ever felt a spirit around a team like that. It was just palpable and and the thing is I think in in our world it's you know there are days you don't you know you don't want to go to work right I've had those days this past year I I was like every day I look forward to showing up to training and and seeing them and high-fiving and watching them watching them become what they were capable of and and I think that's what we live for as coaches it's it's winning yes we're driven by that but it's also about watching kids maximize what they can be and and maturing in front of your eyes and I just felt that it was very very evident last year and and our staff was awesome our staff our staff was the same they all it was it was it came together very very very quickly but it's really about being a good person it's really having values values that are um you know uh spread across that we have in common that we all want the same things um and they were able to put you know we talk about this a lot you know we above above me and that's something our department has talked about that this team was able to do that they were able to take their individual agendas and put them aside for the betterment of the team and you know the results speak for themselves when you're able to do that.

SPEAKER_01 7:57

So credit to our captains credit to our upperclassmen who made that possible yeah yeah and I know that um you know it thinking about kind of the the seniors who you know have moved on and and you know we we touched on this a little bit just in this like uh this changing landscape of of more opportunities for for our young women to play at the professional level um and and and we're seeing that manifest itself domestically but also you know around the world um yeah you know touch on that and just like what that's meant to your program to have players playing overseas and you know everything.

SPEAKER_02 8:34

Yeah I I think you know obviously in the US we're such a big country and we we've got so many other sports that we lose sight of the rest of the world I think from a even from a cultural and political perspective we we're so consumed with with US everything. But what we don't realize is that you know outside of our borders there's a really big world that other people uh live in and operate and um and the sport like we said at the beginning is is really the the world's game. So the women's game even though we traditionally have been known for developing it right for creating uh one of the the first real pro leagues um now we have two um and they're growing um the rest of the world is caught is is is caught up a little bit and they've also now we've got leagues all over the world in fact women's soccer is the fifth largest sport in the world right now so from a participation um it's it's it's growth is you know is unparalleled so I think that that has now if you if you bleed that down into college um where it used to be hey you you played football you played baseball you played basketball men's sports right you went off to the pros then it became about you know hockey as well and soccer and now on the women's side we've got you know the WMBA we got we got pros we've got we've got pro volleyball we've got pro softball we've got a lot of sports and soccer is obviously a one of those mainstream pro sports for women so I think it's it's affected the minds and the opportunities for all of the elite level club players in this country right now in recruiting 90% if not more of every young woman that sits in my office in the recruiting process says what you know we say what are your career goals where what do we want to how can we help you get where you want to go where do you want to go and the answer is I want to be a pro. Yeah and and that kind of reminds me of you know England in the 80s when I was growing up as a boy at 16 years old 90% of boys who played are like I want to be a pro. And I feel like that's kind of where we are right now with with the elite level female athlete in in soccer. So and and it's attainable for for many not for everyone obviously but it's attainable. It's not out of the realms of possibility now.

SPEAKER_01 10:52

That's great. That's great. And you know I think uh in keeping with this theme of you know the growth of of the game and the growth of women's sports um you know in particular can you talk a little bit about Anchored for her? I know that that was something that was announced during the offseason and how that maybe is going to impact you guys and impact your program.

SPEAKER_02 11:11

Yeah I mean this this really to be honest I mean it starts with even before we got to that the additional investment with the house settlement everything that we you know some more scholarship money came into women's sports which was due and needed and and and you know we've been the beneficiary and as a result you know the last two years you can see the change. You know kids want to go to your women want to be at Vanderbilt they want to come into a program that wins they want to be at a great school and be in Nashville and the the infusion the influx of some more scholarship money has helped attract and retain some of the best and brightest now that we can compete at that national level um but if I think more broadly uh about it you know now you talk about women's sports in general it is it is the next the next big growth of of sport in this country as we've talked about from a professional level so how do you support that from an infrastructure perspective you know it college is actually the proving ground for most pro sports um even today so as we grow these these burgeoning women's professional leagues in different sports you know investing in young women and providing them a platform to grow and and change um and move forwards as we've done for many of the men's sports for years I think it's it's at a critical time and and a great opportunity to see returns like we're in a I call it we're in the human science business. So how do we you know how do we grow these humans and these these people physically emotionally um mentally um and we do it by providing you know facilities platform coaches resources that allow them to maximize their potential yeah and and so for for us you know we got we got you know a new Olympic sports weight room that is predominantly going to be used by most of the women's teams it's state of the art it's it's hopefully we should be open by August or something so and then we've got obviously we've got we've got other initiatives talking about you know soccer and lacrosse stadiums and upgrading track and so I think that there's a there's just a an enormous window uh and the momentum right now around women's sports is enormous and um providing those opportunities for high flyers like we get at Vanneville is I think it's visionary from Candace. I think it's it's it shows that she sees the future for what women's sports is.

SPEAKER_04 13:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 13:42

There's an awful lot of men's pro athletes are investing in women's sports there's several have got ownership stakes in and USL franchises you know which tells you a lot too I agree I agree you know I think it's um you know in many ways it feels like it's undeniable um you know and that's both on the domestic front internationally um that we've seen so much growth around the game and and and things that you know I feel like the opportunities are trickling down to even for our players in college during the summer having opportunities to potentially play for professional teams play in tournaments things like that that's yeah tremendously exciting.

SPEAKER_02 14:25

Yeah we we'll be at TST uh next week we got I think we got eight girls playing at TST wow wow so the seven aside with the you know the seven aside tournament that's got the USA legends and um it's you know again it's fun it's a slightly different take on the game but it was televised last year will be this year um great in-person crowds and um yeah I I agree I think there's there's excitement around women's sports and women's soccer in particular right now.

SPEAKER_01 14:55

That's awesome. That's awesome. You know I'll put in a plug just for anyone who is interested I know that you know season tickets just went on sale for women's soccer and you know the the thrashes will be there. You know we're we're mainstay in the stands and yeah I pound for pound I don't know that there's more entertainment value available in in Nashville when it comes to sports and yeah seeing a team that plays the game the right way you guys play a beautiful brand of of of soccer football. So anyone out there listening if you want to have something to do have something for the kids to do to run around you know watch it's it's really it's really uh it's really a great it's really a great show.

SPEAKER_02 15:36

Yeah and I do think this year that that you know we've we've made a big step in investing in our our our game experience our fans in game experience our pre-game experiences I think there's there's some really cool ideas and initiatives um that will that will kind of sandwich the the game so I I'm actually really excited about it. We're just we're just had meetings here this this week actually about some ideas. So yeah stay tuned I think there'll be a lot of stuff rolling out over the summer.

SPEAKER_01 16:05

That's cool. I I have to I have to tell you coach this is I may have told you this before um because I want to shift gears a little bit and talk about um some travel and and just kind of what's going on in the world right now and in in in the world of soccer but you know thinking about like coming to games and and and um and bringing your family bringing your kids so I've got two girls my oldest daughter Janie uh at the time she was probably five and uh you know we we come to the first game of the season this is maybe 2022 2023 and um Caroline Betts it's her it's her freshman year it just so happened that where we're sitting in the stands we're sitting next to Caroline Betts uh who's from Nashville local product so everybody from her high school has like showed up for this game there's an injury at the beginning of the game and all of a sudden Caroline Betts in the game. So everyone from her high school is going crazy and the impression that is made on my um you know five year old daughter at the time she thinks that Caroline Betts is is like it's like Caroline Betts and then messy as far as uh you know the greatest of players it's a for about a year after that anytime I'm watching anything if it's soccer Janie comes in she's like oh is Caroline playing is Caroline Betts in the game I'm like no sweetie Caroline Betts doesn't play for Manchester City.

SPEAKER_02 17:34

She's like oh and then she's like leaves like okay well let me know when the real stars get in but that showed I think that proves the point about young female role models I have two daughters too um you know and I think that if your role model is messy there's nothing wrong with that you know but but but at the same time to a five year old girl seeing a going back in time here right to Carly you know Carly Lloyd to even back to a hope solo to um you know right now Trendine Rodman um people you know people that look like them people that are young women that they have something to look at that could be me and the fact that the fact that kids that that that see that that whether it's Caroline Betts Sid Watts Wojo Macy um if that inspires them to to watch more and to play and to try um because there's a connection to that to that person then then then it's a win.

SPEAKER_01 18:29

I agree yeah I want to um I want to shift gears I know you you mentioned um you know the travel that we did to South Africa um and and and also on that trip going to going to London you know and and and for me that was a that was a major you know opportunity I you know I thank you so much for the opportunity but um yeah you know in in doing so I it opened my eyes and I learned so much more about kind of this world of sports how things are structured beyond the United States we've got um you know kind of a really special week weekend match week that's coming up uh in the English Premier League that I didn't know as an American knew nothing about before we went on this trip. In fact we were walking the streets of London you know what was it three years ago to the date and we're outside of Wembley playoff final wasn't it yeah yeah yeah and I'm like what is that like I don't know what's going on there.

SPEAKER_02 19:34

Um for the average American you know I'm thinking about my dad who you know probably doesn't you know know anything about this for the average american like what what is the English football pyramid what what is that what what's happening what's the promotion playoff how does this all work what's going on why is it so exciting uh I I think the history of of the game is important so we know most of these clubs started out as working men's clubs that you belong to years and years ago I mean they were founded in the 1800s and and obviously they grow like everything else they they grew into bigger clubs but they represent uh a city a town right and it's a belonging and I I do believe that you know deep down we all want to belong to something and and and that is something bigger than us. We want to have something in common with somebody else and you find that affinity whether that is because you live by the ground or you live in the city something you can you can you can be proud of or something you can join um a community and these clubs have been around you know for a hundred and almost 120 150 years some of them so I think that there's this deep deep affinity based on his history um that a lot of more modern sports I think about the US there's certainly pride and and deep roots in you go to Philly and you go to get you the you know eagles and I lived there for 15 years. But I think it's it it's it's in in in particular in England the there's a there's the Premier League which is world right it's a world brand everybody now knows the Premier League and the championship is division one and you've got basically a championship then division one and two and it used to be division one two three four and right and and basically you to to get to division one you had to win division two or finish in the top three and you moved up and the bottom three moved down and the financial implications back in those days before the Premier League were were not huge they were they were significant but they weren't today right they weren't the same as today with the TV rights and um and payments so there was a pride factor right there was more money involved there was more visibility bigger crowds uh but today's market with the TV agreements and and media rights and things it's it's enormous um so I think there's there's it goes all the way down when you get past the the new division two so that's the fourth tier then you've got the you kind of got the semi-pro kind of environment, which is it's almost like the triple A, double A, single A baseball, where you've got these guys trying to make it. So you've got these players that are that are still working at the grocery store and still you know working as a carpenter. Like Jamie Vardy Vardy was working somewhere playing part-time and the next thing you know he's winning the Premier League with um with Leicester. So I think it's it's really that everyone's dream right if you you start out in that fifth tier there's an owner if they if they infuse the money into it they can get him into the league um and the full the full professional. So and under that there's another tier of leagues that if you win those you get promoted. So there's always a there's a way up and obviously where there's a way up there's a way down there's a way down and so you're constantly I think some of the more exciting games actually about who's not going down as opposed to who's winning it. I think you might be right yeah so much more at stake yeah did you see the Rochdale did you see the Rochdale York I did I did incredible yeah and I can go back I can go back I mean you look at Watford a couple like Watford did it four or five years ago they scored in this I don't know 97th minute or something and put themselves in promotion but it was there's such passion and pride involved and and the the rivalries are real um very real and very deep.

SPEAKER_01 23:32

So man it's um it's it's exciting to learn about because you know I think there are when you when you talk about like the passion and the history you know I I grew up in the south so one one of my first thoughts is to me college football and you know the SEC and some of those rivalries and you know not just the SEC the Big Ten the you know what used to be the Pac-12 or you know kind of what's going on the West Coast but a lot of that like um that that deep seated historical rivalry pageantry passion that to me has always felt like the closest thing that kind of runs maybe maybe football in in in England. Yeah I would agree with that. You know you mentioned um you know kind of this this drama at the at the at the top of the table and that you know who's going to win the league but a lot of times there's as much drama if not more drama at the bottom of the table and correct potentially who's dropping down. You know kind of A there is a very interesting for anyone who is uninitiated or does not know um there's a very interesting kind of battle at the bottom of the table this year um and it's down between Tottenham and West Ham. West Ham. Yeah yeah those are two London clubs um you know and shout out to uh shout out to former you know Vanderbilt soccer coach Stacy Ballum Stacy Bale yeah she's sweating she's sweating right now I'm sure she is I'm sure she is I'm sending her some good thoughts right now because it's not looking good um but uh but for for anyone who's uninitiated and and and doesn't know um we've got two points that separate these two teams uh and and uh the last week of the season I think it's structured in a very cool way um could you let the people know because we were able to when we were over in London go to a game that was on the last week of the season we were at Southampton um got to see them play Liverpool and that was a team that knew they were going down they they knew they were getting relegated um and so but but how does the last week how does the last match week work for you know the average American uh let them know and let them know maybe what's at stake uh with some of these outcomes here it's wild um I mean the the top of the table was was one uh you know a few days ago and and that that's I would say more been the case the last few years there's been a few games the last game of the year where it could have been decided or was decided but generally the bottom of the table is where you get to that one spot two clubs are already relegated they're going down and now you get everybody kicks off at the same time um right there are no staggered times which you get through through the year everybody kicks off at the same time because you never know what the implications are um you know so so once you know everyone everyone has basically the same idea and standing as everybody else but those two games I think Tottenham have West uh Tottenham have Everton and uh I can't remember who West Ham have but when they kick off Leeds it's Leeds.

SPEAKER_02 26:47

So basically if West Ham win and Tottenham lose right now West Ham are in the relegation spot and if West Ham win and Tottenham lose they'll splip and Tottenham will go down with a wage bill probably in the hundreds of millions that I don't know they'll be able to afford. Likewise if Tottenham tie and West Ham win Tottenham would stay up I think it would be by goal difference or the head to head because they would be tied on point. So what's at stake are millions and millions and millions of dollars in TV rights and revenue and it is it can be difficult to make it back because your wage bill and the best players don't want to stay so you're gonna thin your roster you thin your your right your your play load so you'll lose probably your best players um and trying to make it back up you you've still got to have a you know quality on your roster right um so it there's a huge drop off and and rarely I don't think it's common for a team necessarily it has happened um but it's not that common for a team to go down and come right back up.

SPEAKER_01 27:50

Sheffield United are a good example of that and that and that's your team that's your childhood right that's your childhood a year ago a year ago today I was flying I just arrived in London to go to the playoff final yeah between Sheffield United and Sunderland I'm diehard and I met my aunt and uncle and all the people from my hometown all came down um I met them in London outside Wembley we we had a you know a couple pints and went to the game and heartbreak to lose and uh yeah and but but it you know there's an example I mean I flew for four days to go watch Sheffield United in the playoff final yeah two years after being stood or a year after being stood two years after being stood outside there with uh with you that's right you know so yeah it's um so that's gonna happen this weekend and someone's gonna feel it um uh and on the opposite side someone will will feel it in the other way and come up you know into the Premier League but that's going on all the way down like all the way down to the to that fifth tier sixth tier who's who's going up who's going down and these are and these are you know kind of life changing you know moments for yeah for these fans in these in these clubs you know like very much so very much so I I keep thinking back it it made such an impression on me I partly because I just I didn't know anything about it you know and yeah you know and you're like Ricky there's almost 200 million dollars at stake yeah for a team that makes it into the Premier League um and what that can mean to a club the exposure the players that you can now sign and all that it and I guess also you know to think about to get that close and then not make it and now you're looking at another year in the second division and trying to you know fight your way all the way back up. Yeah I remember um you know in that in that year it was uh Coventry versus Lutontown yep and we had gone to dinner and we're right outside of Wembley and we're watching the the match on TV and see that it goes to you know overtime and we're at penalty kicks and so we're listening to the crowd roar outside as you know the penalty kicks are going and um Luton town ends up winning. And I remember I can't remember if it was you or um or one of the other coaches but there was kind of a huddle up and like a hey guys as these Coventry fans leave yeah don't say anything don't say anything to anybody there's no like or like no head down next year. Yeah yeah just yeah don't say anything because uh it's not gonna be you know it won't it won't input any uh kind of thing but so last year was the same when Sheffield United lost and we all came out we went into uh the park uh Greenway Park right across from our hotel so that they had live music and I went in there and all the Sheffield United fans were in there and it was like a funeral wow there's a guy on stage playing music trying to entertain people and it is just like I felt for the guy like you have no chance and I I kind of stayed and wallowed in my own misery for an hour to let all the crowd go by because there were thousands trying to get on the train and you just you just kind of hang yeah and I was by myself because my my my uncle and aunts had gone on the buses because I was staying in London. But yeah that was that was summoning so you know I think about um you know it it's it's so interesting just the concept of of relegation of you know teams moving up or teams moving down and it's so it's so different than how we structure things in in the United States you know from a professional sports standpoint. You know like I think about like you know what if the the bottom teams in the NBA had to go down to the G League what if the bottom teams in major league baseball had to go down to triple A like you mentioned and I bet you I I bet you'd see a very different type of game week in week out.

SPEAKER_02 32:06

Sure because right now I you know some of those guys that the baseball you know midseason games and even you know the early season excitement leads to midseason kind of I would say complacency but it just it's it there's nothing about the game same in the NBA. And I that's how I feel it's right I struggle to watch them because they don't have the bite and the the the passion there's there's no meaning to the games like hey we don't win this one we got 200 others to play and win. Right right right it's I I like I when I first came over here and I saw I kind of got into the the pro sports here and looked at it I was looking for the dotted line at the bottom of the table right yeah like what's where's your relegation zone? Yeah where's it who goes down like oh they don't they don't go down like I didn't understand I didn't understand conversely I didn't understand the model here I'm like what do you mean there's no consequence you just keep going like there's no edge there's there's the disappointment but it's like hey guys we'll try again next year oh by the way if you finish at the bottom you get the first pick number one draft pick too yeah yeah so so there's actually an incentive there's actually incentive to finish finish at the bottom and I was like that it doesn't make any sense at all to me um and it still doesn't I I you know I think about you think about like the the the Dallas Cowboys if we had an NFL to oh playing in the what's the the one we've got right now the USF US USFL or yeah yeah right so imagine the cowboys finishing part of the NFC East and now you're playing in the USFL next year yeah yeah like what would that do to like you know how many people would show up for those games what would the meteorites be in the attraction of the Dallas Cowboys and and and and how do we welcome the St. Louis Battlehawks to the NFL or whatever right you know yeah yeah how hard how hard would those games be in the last three weeks of the season possibly four weeks of the season when you're playing not only for that game you're playing for the right to exist next year.

SPEAKER_01 34:08

Yeah man and that's a great that's a great point and you know I love um the show Ted Lasso I thought I felt like that was a great entry for you know kind of once again just kind of the average clueless American um you know into into this world of you know like what's going on and I I wish that looking back you know because spoiler alert for anyone who hasn't seen Ted Lasso at one point you know they do get relegated uh the team and um I wish that you know in some ways that they'd gone a little more into that like yeah you know because on the show all the cast of characters that you get to know and love is not like they're getting shipped out of the door but in reality a lot of those casts a lot of that happens yeah that that that probably would have would have had to happen to kind of balance your wages and everything. Yeah yeah but it's it's it's it's a it's a really interesting thing. So you know on Saturday will be um will the will be the the promotion playoffs which yeah you know once again I guess we keep tying things to American sports there have been some American sports esque drama around um around the the promotion playoffs this year too they have I guess uh Southampton has their own spygate um yeah they have their own spygate yeah that is uh that's kicked them out of the promotion playoffs but uh but that's gonna happen on Saturday so we'll see if Middlesbrough or whole city make it up to the Premier League um and then on Sunday we'll we'll find out does Tottenham stay up does West Ham stay up uh who's going down to uh to to tier two I don't know if you have any other thoughts on uh on the league no I you know what I do but when we're talking about this it does make me think back I don't know if you remember this a few years ago some of the owners of the biggest clubs in Europe tried to pull off a super league with backing from the Middle East and the fans stopped that the fans actually stopped it and it it shows you because the problem with that league would have been what nobody goes up or down and that was actually it was actually done and if I'm not I can't remember which club it was it might have been Tottenham actually but there was there were a lot of a lot of fan uh clubs and and supporters groups that really forced owners to rethink that um because it would have pulled them out of the Premier League it would have pulled them out of the FA cut and and that's the fabric of of the country and the league so I just think that there's you know it that shows to me the depth of feeling and the depth of connection um to keep in the rivalries and the meaning behind all the games um the the power of the fans I mean it's so baked into the culture right it's so it's so baked into into everything into every aspect of life and so I I agree with you it yeah I think it would have been horrible you know and and I love um you know I don't know a ton about like the Bundesliga or Germany but it it felt like those are those were clubs like Bayern Munich and and and Bruce Dortmund it's a non-starter this like yeah you know because of the the connection that those fans have to the clubs and and that the what is it the 50 plus one that you know the those clubs are basically like owned by the fans you know in a lot of ways uh so did did you speaking of Bundesliga did you see last week that the smallest there's a club was promoted to the Bundesliga it's the smallest club in history they're at 13500 stadium wow and they you want to look look that up it they just got promoted and they just got promoted to to the Bundesliga and and there's a big story about it because clearly they've they've got to upgrade their stadium they've got all these things but it's it's a town it's a small town in southwest Germany and they just they got promoted that's amazing it's kind of like the whole wrex story though I mean that's another thing um which is which is its own Hollywood drama its own Hollywood drama and you know it's it's something that you know once again I feel like for anyone who wants just you know the passion especially if you love like SCC football or something like that. You would love yeah get into it like the passion and and and wrexham is a great is a great entry point and a really good um way to learn about the the pyramid and how it's how it works how teams flow up and flow down.

SPEAKER_02 38:36

So yeah yeah yeah yeah well when they came over what two years ago and they filled UNC's football stadium for a game and like a 90 000 people watching wrexham play you know I I do I think yes money at the end of the day has is is makes the world go round um doesn't guarantee success so as we're seeing with Tottenham and West Ham right now. It certainly does not it certainly does not but it's made for a great story and that that series that documentary on FX about wrexham's rise is is really pretty cool um because they do have a history they actually do have a great history and they're a team that got relegated and got relegated and got relegated and when it fell out of the league and and in comes in comes our our US you know American heroes and Ryan Reynolds and Rob McLenny and they and they've basically they've they brought it back to it is it's a Hollywood script they could be in the Premier League next year.

SPEAKER_01 39:29

They almost made it this year they almost made it this year never been done and it's and it's something that uh you know I mean we keep talking about it and you know is talk about like sports and society that that documentary about Wrexham that story about Wrexham it's it's phenomenal it's as much about that town as it is about the sport you know yeah it's as much about the people that live there their culture their community their connection as it is about what's happening on the anything it's it's the the end product the field is almost secondary to the stories of the club the club treasure the woman who makes the tea the right and if there's another one called Sundal Until I die if you watch that one that's the Netflix one right yeah sundal until I die there's two there are two series and actually one of the in the second series one of those fans has passed away in in the second series and you almost feel it because if you watch it right you watch it you get to know them but it's the cab drivers it's the the shop guy it's all these people that pour their life into the club and especially in particular in that part of the world in the Northeast which is predominantly a poorer area uh working men's you know based on mining and mining and um ship shipyard work um it's a very you know very poor area so it's yeah it's it's a phenomenal uh the phenomenal and like you said entry points to understanding um the the passion around these these games and these teams man well coach I wanna I wanna I don't wanna I don't want to keep you um too long I don't want Andrew to come on and you know give us the hook because he can't he can't stand this much talk about soccer on the on his platform but um I I I want to ask you a couple of quick questions I know we've got we've got the world cup coming up um and you know it's it's hard to not have a conversation about about about soccer without without obviously talking about the world cup yeah what are I mean you've lived in the US for for quite some time. A long time are you still three lions or are we you know are we uh yeah I couldn't I couldn't not you know listen I should I probably shouldn't say this I shouldn't say this publicly in the today's climate but I still have a British passport even though I'm a citizen my family yeah my family would never forgive me um for sure no I I am I I will be through and through and um you know we have a we actually have a pretty good team this year um I was I was looking at the squad it's uh yeah it's it's looking nice it's looking nice I mean yeah obviously you've got three Aston Villa players on you know on the on the squad have you come off of the clouds yet are you no no no i just keep ascending higher coach I just keep ascending higher it's the only content that I've consumed I just keep re-watching the game I'm re-watching the parades it's it's all great for anyone who doesn't know I'm a big Aston Villa fan Aston Villa once again 43 years in the making champions of Europe yet again um they're B-league champions they're B League champions all right it's not the capital C champion but it's Lower KC champions lower KC yeah lower KC that's right that's right but uh yeah we so we've we've added another trophy to the case um you know I think if you are an American who is doing your research on maybe picking a team that you want to root for I can think of no better team than Aston Villa to root for it's a it's a working man's team right based in no no they're in Birmingham it's Peaky Blindest territory there. All right all right you know yeah I didn't say what kind of work you know but it's working man's but yeah well I I know you're excited about the World Cup um I agree I think you've got a do you have a prediction do you who do you think is gonna who who are we looking forward to uh to maybe to maybe make a push to win I mean I think you you still have you can never rule out any of you know the the powers the traditional powers you know Argentina Brazil Germany Spain I do think England have to have England have to feel a little bit like a dark horse coming into this um they've got I think they'll we always think we're a we're a we're a superpower we're not we won one world cup um but I I do think that um we have we have an outside chance to to make a final um and then who knows what could happen.

SPEAKER_02 43:55

Injuries will play a key role in it too it's still the same it's a long tournament a lot of

unknown 44:00

games.

SPEAKER_02 44:00

But I do think the i it's unlikely you're gonna see a you know Uruguay or an Australia or anybody else kind of Canada win this thing in the next couple of cycles. There are still the the top probably five six teams that you would expect to be there at the end. But no I'm just excited to see England and and hopefully have a have a have a good run.

SPEAKER_01 44:22

I should be at the game in uh I think it's the uh Paraguay game in uh New Jersey uh yeah the Giant Stadium so I shall be the I don't before we sign off the last thing I want to I want to throw out there you know you've got um we've got a great offseason coming up I know you mentioned TST um as a way to support uh some Vanderbilt players that are going to be playing you know in a tournament I guess we have to shout out we're talking about national teams we've got to shout out Liv Stafford yeah second camera yeah second camp with team USA I think she's traveling to Germany um if that's correct next week really exciting for her and and that's one of of many awesome players that that that we'll get a chance to see uh you know playing for Vanderbilt but you know for for the Vandy fans out there that are listening how can we support the program what are the best ways to to really kind of yeah support what you're doing yeah I think there are a couple of ways first of all is attendance of games is it just gives us such a a huge boost our NC tour run last year having thousand fifteen hundred eighteen hundred seventeen hundred in the stands for a couple of games it it just the girls it it lifts them um so any anytime you can come to a game bring your kids I promise it will be entertaining it's one thing we're committed to is playing a certain way that is uh you know enjoyable to watch and and hopefully we score a lot of goals each time um you know that's that's the first thing and second is is is get involved in some of the the uh the initiatives like anchor for her as we move forward so that that's always a a huge help to us um but certainly being uh being in and around the stadium on game days is is is really critical for us by season ticket you know 10 games for 40 50 for 50 bucks five bucks a game it it it will be an enjoyable it will be an enjoyable uh evening if you uh if you do come out so and I will say I think that we've got a lot of players who are probably gonna end up playing professionally that you will see first of all at Vanderbilt you know there's there's probably three or four more this year that uh within 12 months you're gonna see on an NWSR roster somewhere or playing uh playing on TV so very cool I love it I love it come on out bring your neighbor bring a friend um yeah but coach man this was this was so great i i mean i'm stopping us here i could go on for the rest of the day talking to you about this um yeah and just about so many things happening in the world but you know i hope that people continue to have maybe the world cup spark some interest and um and just get more into the game you know and get more into into ways that you can support both on a global scale but on a local scale as well yeah um and and I mean you know andrew talks about this all the time about all the ways that so much of our society is reflected in our sports um and so yeah so yeah but it's just thank you for your time thank you for enjoying you know everything you've done for Vanderbilt and uh we're excited to see what what you have in store for us. Yeah we're we're excited for the fall I think our kids are too so hopefully we'll see uh we'll see a lot of uh listeners come on out this uh this fall that's it that's it awesome awesome well thanks everybody for tuning in enjoy the Premier League this weekend there's always some drama both at the top and the bottom so uh yeah yeah tap in thanks