S1 Ep12 | Cooper Sanchez: Beating U9s as a U3???

The first team’s Teen Titan comes crashing into the pod this week, Cooper Sanchez makes Guuuzan show history as our youngest guest so far! Our resident recent retiree recollects the past two seasons with the rising star, from them training together for the first time to his series of starts under Manager Martino. Coop also takes us on his journey to becoming a young pro, crossing the seas and training with opponents twice his size as a three year old. Can Coop make it through the podcast without getting a yellow card? Only one way to find out…

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:00

I'd love that you referred to yourself when you were 14 as a little boy, as opposed to now we're grown man. What are we what are we going with?

SPEAKER_01 0:08

An older I would say an older little boy, maybe a little bit.

SPEAKER_02 0:14

The physicality is coming a little bit, so welcome back to another episode of the Goozan show. Well, Joe, we are joined by a very special guest uh here in studio, uh, fresh off his 18th birthday earlier in the year. Uh, none other than Mr. Cooper Sanchez. Coop, welcome to the show, bud. Thank you. Thank you, Brad. I'm excited to be here. Excited to have you on. We appreciate you joining us. I mean, Joe, we're just catching up a little bit and you know, chatting with the about the uh the fact that he's closer to my son's age than he is to to our age, you know?

SPEAKER_03 0:55

Seven years older than his oldest is nuts to me now.

SPEAKER_02 0:58

That's related to I mean it just speaks volumes of of your progress, uh obviously as a footballer, um, but just you know, your ability to learn and grow, you know, talk about what it's been like the the last few years from you know coming into the academy, but then I don't even want to say fast track because everything that you have experienced, you've earned. Nothing's been given to you. You've earned it with hard work, with determination. Um, you know, I was fortunate enough to train with you a little bit over the last year or two, and and I saw it firsthand. And and I think, especially in today's, you know, football world that we all live in, young players sometimes, you know, they are given things that maybe they haven't earned, but I can I can speak uh firsthand that that everything that you've experienced has has certainly been earned and and rightfully, um rightfully so.

SPEAKER_00 1:55

Yeah, first of all, thank you. That means a lot, it means a lot. Um no, honestly, it has come a little bit fast. Um obviously I started in the academy um and then at 14 I started training with the twos. That was like a big a big shock to me. Um, you know, the physicality of the league. I was just a a little boy uh trying to, you know, keep playing, keep progressing. So uh no, when I started with them, I I was given opportunities obviously to to debut with them and to train with them, and yeah, that went well. And um yeah, a big thanks to all the two staff that was here, uh Steve Cook, um Jose Silva, um for you know giving me that opportunity. And then yeah, after that, um obviously I started getting involved with the the first team a little bit. Um speed of play was you know very fast when I first started coming in. I was like, wow, like this is a a whole new level that I I need to reach. And yeah, like you said, I think every day I just come in and you know work my hardest and uh try to beat the next man out, kind of in my position, I would say. Um that's the that's the goal at the end of the day. And yeah, no, it's been it's been a great a great process, and yeah, just keep going.

SPEAKER_02 3:02

Love that, man.

SPEAKER_03 3:02

Coop, we'll get into your full journey here in just a bit. Jay sat in that chair probably what, two months ago now, I think it was. He said that in his first training with Brad, Brad called it, he said somebody marked this weasel at the back post. Call him a weasel dog. In his first senior training, what are some of your early anecdotes? Out of love. Share it, share. What are some of your early anecdotes, your first experiences with this guy out of training?

SPEAKER_01 3:25

I would say crazy. Oh gosh. Okay, let's go.

SPEAKER_00 3:28

Nothing bad. Like he always had passion. Always had passion, and which is which is good in training, always in small-sided. I think we played a lot of small sided under Gonzalo, so that was a big one. Uh, you know, kind of man marking. Um, when I was young, I kind of lost my man a couple times, and yeah, maybe got yelled at here and there. But uh no, I mean that that helps me uh get better, and yeah, no, Brad was great.

SPEAKER_02 3:51

So love that. Hey, you hear that?

SPEAKER_00 3:54

Just cut that part of the clip.

SPEAKER_02 3:55

Brad Brad was great. That was it. Um I I'd love that you referred to yourself when you were 14 as a little boy, as opposed to now we're grown man. What are we what are we going with?

SPEAKER_01 4:08

An older I would say an older little boy, maybe a little bit.

SPEAKER_00 4:12

You know, the physical the physicality is coming a little bit. So for sure, for sure.

SPEAKER_02 4:16

I let's get in there. As long as you have the ability, the physicality part, that will come. Uh exactly. The the know-how, the savviness on the field, to to to play the position that you play, center the pitch, to be reliable, dependable, uh, accountable, you know, and and just that have that bravery to to get on the ball. I think those are all attributes that you have. Um and of course there's gonna be mistakes, there's gonna be bumps along the way uh uh throughout your growth period, but um you have all those attributes that that hopefully will allow you to have many more years to come.

SPEAKER_03 4:51

Yeah, thank you. Speaking of Coop, you told the media this year your goal was five starts.

SPEAKER_00 4:55

Yeah, uh that's a goal I set for myself, I think even before preseason started, kind of towards the end of last year. Uh, because obviously I got the start against Miami um towards the end of the year, and yeah, I felt like I could, you know, come in, have my goal is five starts, and you know, I've blown that out of the water a little bit. So now I've set you know new goals for myself and uh for the rest of this year.

SPEAKER_02 5:16

How does that work? You know, talk us through the the mentality side of of a young pro, someone that's kind of come onto the scene. You know, you I love that you set goals for yourself at the beginning of the year, you've surpassed those in in probably record time. Um what is that thought process? And you don't need to share what those those new goals are, right? But what is that thought process as a young pro saying, well, I've reached that. Now I've got to move the needle again and and set new goals.

SPEAKER_00 5:44

Yeah, I think it's the dream, obviously. Um, you know, wanting to play Champions League football, wanting to play in a in a World Cup for the men's national team, I think is the the ultimate goal. So uh having little goals like you know, five starts um and now you know different ones for the rest of this year, uh only helps me to you know keep improving and and keep going and ultimately get to where I want to be.

SPEAKER_03 6:07

Let's go back to the very beginning, the mini cooper, if we will, before hopping the coop was ever a thing. When you first got into football, was it watching a moment on TV? Was it a parent and uncle? How did you get started in the game?

SPEAKER_00 6:20

I would say family. Uh I have three older brothers. So uh my oldest was always he was in college actually when I was born, so there's a 20-year age gap between us. So he was playing at San Diego State, and I kind of just was born into it. I started playing at three, so very young, and I I played against I think I was in U9 at three. So I was always I was always the smallest kid on the field just running around, like kind of how it is now, honestly. So it's honestly kind of crazy to you know watch videos of me when I was three playing against you know bigger, stronger, faster uh guys, and you know, to look at me now, it's kind of still the same a little bit, but you know, like I said, the physicality comes.

SPEAKER_02 6:59

So I mean that's that's amazing. Yeah. Play three years old playing with a bunch of nine-year-olds.

SPEAKER_00 7:03

I mean, the ball was as big as mine. Like, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:06

I was playing with like a size running around in pull-ups, and these kids are like, oh, I'm going into middle school. All right. Exactly. Oh my goodness. Um, yeah, I mean, Coop, when when you talk about obviously your family and your brothers, you know, I'm the youngest of three, and I think that certainly has there's something to be said for that, right? When you're the youngest, you you get driven around to their practices, their games, you know, eventually you want to be doing your own thing. What how how has that changed as you've gotten older? Now you've come into this environment. What are your brothers saying? Like, are they in amazement of of where you're at? Are they, I'm sure, super supportive and you know, they think it's pretty sweet and pretty cool. Um, but how has that journey been?

SPEAKER_00 7:52

Uh, I mean, good. Um, they're always supportive. Um, yeah, I mean, it means a lot. They're they're always supportive of you know my success uh recently, obviously. So uh, but my oldest, I think I was kind of his little project growing up, you know, because there's such a big age gap, and he's actually a coach in in USL. So um he knows a lot about the game and everything, obviously. So I was his his little project, if you want to say. Um, but no, all three of my brothers have been you know amazing supporters and only want the best for me.

SPEAKER_02 8:20

That's awesome. Well, big shout out to him then, because he he obviously the the project got an eight. Exactly. Look where you're at now, yeah. The agent for you, whatever it is right now, give him a little something.

SPEAKER_03 8:30

Speaking of family, Cooper, you then at was it age six, you moved to the Netherlands? It was I think it was nine. Age nine. Yeah. Could you tell everybody? I mean, you you showed off that deep cut story on the the fan event that we had the other night. How did you end up in the Netherlands and how did that impact the person in the footballer that you are today?

SPEAKER_00 8:49

Yeah, so I was in Seattle where I'm I was born um before, and then uh I actually went to Columbus Crew and played there for a year under my oldest brother, was the academy director there, so kind of made it a little easy. And then um they actually got rid of their younger age groups, and I was too young. I was already playing two years up as a U-12, so they only had U15, so it was kind of a big jump. So we were kind of looking to you know try something new, and uh we looked at Europe and my dad got a job there. Uh so that's what you know made it able to you know go over there. And uh I did not have a club when I went over there, so I was trying out for different clubs, um kind of amateur clubs because of you know FIFA rules a little bit, and then I ended up at uh FC Utrecht. Uh and then yeah, I made a lot of you know good connections there. It was a little hard at first because you know, not speaking Dutch, um, but most of the kids actually spoke English. Um, but I still talk to some of them to this day, and uh that experience was amazing. It's a total different world in in the footballing aspect of it, um, different style, different everything. So I think that only helps me in you know, being able to adapt to you know new experiences with whether it's at L United, the national team. So yeah, I think it's helped me a lot.

SPEAKER_03 10:03

If we go down to some of the granular aspects of it, what was so different? Was it the way that they see the game, they're scanning, they're passing. You even told me that you faced off against Ajax a couple different times, too. Some crazy names.

SPEAKER_00 10:14

Yeah, those Ajax uh games were always the best, um, always back and forth. Um, because in New 11 we had two games going on at the same time on two different fields, but it was the same against the same team. So we had two teams each, and it's a cumulative score. So you play each other, yeah. You play each other. This is the first time hearing it. You play each other one time each, and it's a cumulative score. So those games were always, always nuts, and always back and forth. And yeah, there's some there's some great players that have come into their first team now that are from there as well.

SPEAKER_03 10:48

So you could be mid-match on your field, you hear the other field erupt, and you go, Oh, they've gone two up. We gotta get into this. Yeah, we gotta press. You're scanning on two places.

SPEAKER_00 10:57

Exactly. So it was it was a bit of chaos, honestly, because we were so young. So there was no real real style, it was more like, you know, who's the best player, like uh 1v1s all over the field, and whenever you can score a goal, score a goal. So no, it was a great experience.

SPEAKER_02 11:12

That's unbelievable. I mean, one, you learn something new every day in the football world, but but two, uh, when I hear you talk about that story, I hear you talk about the travel and the willingness to to chase your dream, right? You you talk about wanting to play Champions League football, but going from Seattle to Columbus, Atlanta, Holland, you know, all over the world chasing this dream of of wanting to make it as a footballer at such a young age. And you know, in my experience, I I've seen players go to Europe and whether it works out or doesn't work out, maybe after six months or a year or two years. Um you know, what what for you is is you know, when you look down the pathway, what is the the the next step, if you will, um in in your story? Where where do you want your story to go?

SPEAKER_00 11:58

Yeah, I I don't want to put a timeline on it. I think I've said before. Um, but I think becoming a a main player for you know this team is the is the first goal. Um being a starter every week, um, becoming you know a part of the the city more, the fans, um, being loved here. Uh I think I already am a little bit, but uh the fans have been great. So I think just keep going with that and you know wherever it takes me. Yeah, I think Europe's the goal. Um, but I'm not gonna put a timeline on it.

SPEAKER_02 12:27

Love that. Love that. Obviously, we've got a a big summer here, right? In terms of you know what's happening with the World Cup uh here in in the US and in Mexico and Canada. You know, you've represented you know the the youth national teams uh at at various levels. What what is that what is that feeling like when you're going away and and representing the youth national teams and and you're away from the club scene, get a little bit of a break from from what's happening in the club environment, you go there, put that shirt on, you come back, you know, you know the World Cup is here this summer. What what does that do in terms of inspiration?

SPEAKER_00 13:05

Yeah, I mean, I'm sure you know um it's a totally different feeling um from club football. Um having you know represented uh the US at at the U17 World Cup last year was uh like a mind-blowing experience, you know, walking out and getting to see, you know, a whole country behind you, um wanting you to succeed and wanting the best for you. Um everyone's families from you know, from New York, from Miami, from other kids in Europe are all coming together for for one nation. And yeah, we're representing our country and uh in a World Cup. And that was just an unforgettable experience, something that I'll keep with me for you know the rest of my life. And yeah, I mean having the World Cup come here is obviously gonna be a big inspiration for me to, you know, wanting even it even more um to be with the men's national team in a World Cup. So I think it's only gonna help.

SPEAKER_03 13:58

Speaking of cups, Coop, if we go back to your journey, uh you told us that uh Atlanta United winning cup in 2018 was a massive inspiration to you coming here. What do you remember about watching the club, maybe some of the big figures who were here at the time that made you say, Oh, this is the place for me?

SPEAKER_00 14:12

Yeah, I think uh when we were looking to come back from the Netherlands, we we looked at Atlanta, obviously right after you guys had won the the 2018 uh MLS Cup and we saw you know the energy, the attacking football, the the the love for the city, the fans, and everything, and we thought, yeah, this is the best place for you know me to develop and and continue to you know keep going.

SPEAKER_03 14:34

How special is that Ben? It feels like in the squad this year, there's so much depth of you guys, the homegrowns, the young players. I think of a guy like Jay after his journey coming back from his foot injury, scoring like that. What a way to come back after such a long recovery, too. How would you describe the bond and the unity that's present in the squad between some of the younger guys like yourselves?

SPEAKER_00 14:53

Yeah, I would say that's the kind of the base of the the team, if you want to say it. Um we bring, you know, the energy, the the fun a little bit, uh the youthfulness, the jokes. Um, but I think it's a it's a really important piece to to the team because we know what the the city's about, we know what the club's about, and you know, we can help the the players that are you know coming from bigger clubs, if you want to say, um, in in Europe and stuff, know what this you know club means to to us and to the fans, and you know, knowing what they deserve to you know come and watch our games and things like that. So I think you know, having the the homegrown core of players is is a great thing.

SPEAKER_02 15:31

The willingness to to take on that responsibility, Joe, is is massive. You know, the the understanding of Atlanta United, what it is as a club, the willingness to say, hey guys, this is the connection through the city, through the fan base. Um, to hear you talk about the passion back in 18 and and the excitement and and the atmosphere, and then choosing Atlanta United and saying, Hey, I want to be a part of that, I I think is is tremendous on so many different levels. So kudos to you, man.

SPEAKER_03 16:02

Speaking of your first senior goal against Charlotte, just like Jay, take me back. I'm sure you'd imagined it thousands of times at home in your head. What was it like getting to live it?

SPEAKER_00 16:13

Uh, I mean, it was kind of like a finally moment, if you want to say. I think I had a couple chances in in games before, and I was like, gosh, I I mean I need to get one here soon. Uh so uh honestly, I don't know how I ended up with the ball. I don't even remember. I kind of just you know pressed through. I think that's what I always do. So I just pressed through and somehow I ended up with a ball, and then once I got the ball, the whole world kind of like stopped. I was like, wow, like I saw the guy sliding in, I was like, don't miss it. If if anything, don't miss it. So yeah, I just I just slotted in and and yeah, I went to go celebrate. And the first person I saw was was Jay running over, uh, super happy for me. So he's been a big uh mentor for me, obviously, being a homegrown and stuff. So uh yeah, it was a great experience.

SPEAKER_02 16:56

When when you look at the homegrowns, right? Obviously, you know, Joe just touched on it, you mentioned it with Jay. But the inspiration to other academy players, the inspiration to to your teammates, right? Because as a young player, you know, it's I almost want to say it's not normal, right? To to be in this position, to to be where you're at, um, to be having the success that you are having. Um what is what is that feeling like knowing that hey, you're not only inspiring your teammates within the first team locker room, but you're also inspiring an entire academy that are looking at Cooper Sanchez saying, hey, I want to be the next Cooper.

SPEAKER_00 17:33

Yeah, I think that's what the the pathway is all about because obviously when I was in a U-12 player, I saw guys like Tyler Wolfe, Caleb Wiley, um, and they made it possible. You know, they put the idea in my head that it was it was possible to you know make it all all the way through the pathway. And I think that's what's you know the best thing about MLS clubs in general is seeing you know homegrowns like like me, uh Aiden, Dom coming through the academy and knowing that it's possible and knowing that you know it's gonna be a grind. Um it still is obviously every day once you get here, too. So um I think that's the that's the biggest part.

SPEAKER_03 18:11

It feels like we live in a different era of football right now. You got the digital space too. Everybody's talking in the comment section too. You just graduated high school, you've got school dances going on too. What do you do, Cooper, to keep it? Yeah, the fact that he's got sitting in this chair right now, I appreciate it. How do you manage it all at your age? Is there anything that you do personally to keep yourself mentally and spiritually grounded?

SPEAKER_00 18:33

I would say just tune out um, you know, all the comments and stuff, good or bad. Obviously, like the support means everything to me, but you know, uh fans can be on your side, you know, when uh when everything is going well, and but you know, when things are going bad, they can be against you. So I think it's just kind of you know having a balance of you know, appreciating the support, but also not getting too low when you know things aren't going our way and things like that. So I kind of try to tune it out, just kind of live my life uh trying to finish up school. I graduate yeah next week. So uh no, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 19:06

He's a busy guy, you know. This guy's got homework, he's got finals, he's got tests. You know, um what's uh what's what what's the vibe at home? Mom, mom and dad, you know, brothers, mom and dad.

SPEAKER_00 19:18

Uh all three older brothers are one's in the one closest to me is uh 28. He lives in Charleston, so I go down there quite a bit to visit him. It's nice. I love Charleston, to be honest. Um the next one is 34, I believe. Uh he's still up in Seattle. So I haven't I actually haven't seen him in a while, so it'd be good to you know go and visit him. And then the oldest one's in uh New Mexico and Mexico United, so in Albuquerque. Won't be going to visit him, to be honest. No desire to go to Albuquerque.

SPEAKER_02 19:48

Mom and Dad, are they staying on top of you to make sure you're finishing school? Yeah, yep. All the all the important responsibilities off the field.

SPEAKER_00 19:54

Yeah, uh, yeah. They're I mean, my support system, you know, I come home every day, they they want to know what's going on, you know, what's going on for the weekend, they're excited. Uh they come to every game. So uh they come down to the you know the Mercedes-Benz Club. I see them before the game, after the game. So no, they're they're great. They're just checking on their youngest. Shout out, shout out the Sanchez.

SPEAKER_03 20:15

Speaking of the last name Sanchez, where where does your family background come from? I think everybody, they see you out there in the field and they see the blonde flow just running around, and then you hear Sanchez, and like what's the story?

SPEAKER_00 20:27

My uh dad's side of the family, so the uh Mexican and Spanish, actually. I know I don't look like it at all. I don't speak Spanish either. I get I get stuff for it all the time. So um yeah, it comes from that side of my family, but all my brothers are are dark haired. Um I don't look anything like them. I look like my mom. So yeah, yeah. A little bit weird, but uh it's all right. You look great, Coop. Yeah, thank you.

SPEAKER_03 20:50

Speaking of Coop, the vibe inside the team, it seems like you and Jay are like this. I mean, the celebration for his goal too is incredible. Who do you sit next to in the locker room? Who are the guys that you go to just to poke the jokes when when times are a little bit quieter during a day? Who are the vibe guys, would you say?

SPEAKER_00 21:04

So I'm in between Jaden, Hibbert, and uh Will Riley. So it's like uh kind of a row. That's trouble. A row, a row of homegrown a little bit. So but Tristan's in there somehow, like in between all of them. I don't know how that happens. Seeing your head just holding down the one. Yeah. Need one. Uh but all the homegrowns kind of talk to each other. I talked to Jaden, Will, uh, Luke. I talked to Adrian as well. We play ping pong a lot.

SPEAKER_03 21:29

Well, Coop, we've got some rapid fire for you here, just to switch it up. Before we get to that, though, uh, I know you're a massive Drake fan. We got Iceman dropping soon. How many days left?

SPEAKER_00 21:38

What is it? Or no, it might be only three. For real? It might be the fourteenth. It might I don't I don't know what the date is.

SPEAKER_02 21:46

Just worried about his date of his finals.

SPEAKER_00 21:48

Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_03 21:49

Worried about this for it's in the finals. Those are the two things. Exactly. Rapid fire coop, here we go. Who within the squad would make it the longest on the show, Survivor?

SPEAKER_00 21:59

Ooh. I would probably go with Enea.

unknown 22:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 22:03

Yeah. I think so too. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:05

A little warrior. Or Tomas Yacob. Tommy El Tommy. Tommy. Flacco. Flacco might make it far.

SPEAKER_03 22:12

Yeah. How's his English coming along, by the way?

SPEAKER_01 22:14

Good. They're all, yeah, they're learned.

SPEAKER_03 22:16

I can't lie.

SPEAKER_01 22:17

Good morning to everything. Good morning. Yeah. It sounds good. Yeah, the numbers, everything. It's kind of like Spanish is there. Yeah, a little bit. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 22:24

They're kind of we're kind of teaching each other a little bit.

SPEAKER_03 22:27

There we go. Who has the best nickname on the team currently? And what is it? Ooh.

SPEAKER_00 22:35

No, I wouldn't say me.

SPEAKER_03 22:38

There's also Tristan, right? With Mushu?

SPEAKER_00 22:40

Is that what they call? Yeah, Mushu. Mostly Manu calls him that. I would say, I mean, Manu is the most normal one. Flacco's good. Flugo. I love that. Yeah. Probably him, honestly. Dom it.

SPEAKER_03 22:52

Let's go two for two. If you could be an animal for a day, what would you be and why? I want to know your answer for this too.

SPEAKER_02 22:59

You go first. I don't know. I mean, the options are endless, really. Do you want to do you wanna fly?

SPEAKER_03 23:04

Do you want to be flying could be cool? I feel I was gonna say koala could be kind of a vibe. Yeah, you're just chilling up there in the tree.

SPEAKER_00 23:10

Why would you want to be either you'd be like uh a shark in the ocean or something? Oh yeah. Yeah, that gets us into our next topic.

SPEAKER_02 23:19

Right? Yeah, bald. I'm afraid of you can go anywhere you want.

SPEAKER_03 23:25

I'm afraid of heights. I get up there and I'd be like, oh, let's go back down real quick.

SPEAKER_02 23:29

I would think you're getting afraid of heights if you're fair. If you're if you're flying. Fair. Um that's a good one. I don't know. What would you say?

SPEAKER_00 23:37

I'd probably say bald eagle, honestly. Somewhere something that you can fly. Yeah, yeah. See everything.

SPEAKER_03 23:41

Yeah, see the world. Yeah. Who has the best style on the squad?

SPEAKER_02 23:45

Oh, somebody's getting thrown under the bus here. Because you know where the you know where the next question's going is. Speaking of us the best, we want to know the worst.

SPEAKER_03 23:52

You know who's been throwing fits, by the way. I know. This guy. Look at this.

SPEAKER_00 23:56

I know guys, you know why you can also play it off dogs. Why are you surprised? Why are you surprised? Oh, that's a hard one. Because there's different types of styles. If we're going like classy, I would say Juan Burkle. Um he has yeah, he has some good fits. I can't lie.

SPEAKER_02 24:13

I see I see him up in the cafeteria, and then I'm thinking, okay, all right.

SPEAKER_03 24:17

Well, he's also got like one day he'll have the stash going, the next day it'll be gone and have like a chance. He's changing it over, too. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00 24:24

And then I'll also say Tristan. Tristan's style is good. Yeah. A little bit different. Tristan, yeah, for sure. All right, give me the worst.

SPEAKER_02 24:31

This is what we really want to know. The worst. The worst. Because I think I would have put Tristan in potentially the worst. It's a different style. It's a different style. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 24:42

What is his style? Is it oversized vibe?

SPEAKER_02 24:44

Is it what's the it's vibrant? Yeah. It's got he'll have like rhinestones one day. He'll have like pants that are they look about 45 sizes too big, but they're not. And I'm like, he'll have a sweatshirt. It's got holes all over them. Like, that defeats the purpose of the sweatshirt. I'm like, what's going on here, Trish?

SPEAKER_01 25:03

It is not like the selection of Tristan. Yeah. Uh the worst.

SPEAKER_02 25:07

No, but but to be fair, there are days and I'm like, oh, yeah, okay. Yeah, who are you not having? It's not the worst, but maybe just not your best. Adrian Gill, honestly.

SPEAKER_01 25:20

What did that say about Jim's action?

SPEAKER_00 25:24

It's been getting better, to be honest. So I'll give him that, but I would probably say him. There's that we have some there's some good style on the team.

SPEAKER_03 25:31

So it's it's the European taste, maybe it's just a little bit more. Maybe a little tighter. Yeah. I don't know. Okay. Fair enough. Fair enough. Coop, this has been a debate on the show for weeks. What scares you more? The ocean or outer space?

SPEAKER_01 25:45

Ooh. Probably the ocean. Let's go. Honestly. Book it. You hear that control room? Book it. Probably the ocean.

SPEAKER_00 25:54

You know what's gonna happen. You're you're gone.

SPEAKER_01 25:57

Crushed.

SPEAKER_00 25:58

Crushed. You're gone.

SPEAKER_01 26:00

You don't know what's gonna happen if you go to outer space. Exactly. Yeah, that scares me. I mean you know what's gonna happen already.

SPEAKER_02 26:06

You might end up on another planet living with God knows what. I know.

SPEAKER_03 26:11

Tristan comes by and a sweater. Exactly.

SPEAKER_02 26:14

A switcher with all the options are endless out there. Um coop, man. We we can't thank you enough. We we know you're a busy, a busy man, a busy little boy, medium boy. I I'm not sure what young adolescent. Um no, we we know you we know you're busy, man. Uh, we appreciate the time. You are an inspiration to uh not just uh young players here at this club, but uh young players uh around the country. I don't want to inflate your head too much, and so I'm gonna stop there with the compliments. Uh keep you humble, stay humble. We know you will. We know you have a fantastic support system around you. Uh, but it's an honor and a privilege to have you on the podcast, man. Uh wish you nothing but the best in the future. In about what are we saying in like four, eight, and twelve years when we call you for World Cup tickets? Don't blink our calls. All right. Don't blink our calls and be like, oh, yeah, I remember those two. Sure, we can get them a couple tickets. Um, but yeah, man, we wish you all the best and and we appreciate you coming back.

SPEAKER_00 27:15

Thank you guys. Thank you guys for the support, and thank you guys for having me on the show.

SPEAKER_02 27:19

Another unbelievable episode. I mean, just listening to Cooper talk about his experience, his journey, you can tell he's got such a level head on his shoulders uh in terms of his maturity, in terms of his understanding of where he's at currently, where he wants to go, uh, and the different steps that he's gonna need to take to hopefully get there one day. And um, I know he's got two massive fans in us from from this show, uh, right behind him. And so many people affiliated, whether it be just Atlanta United or or around the country that are cheering for him and uh his his journey forward. It's gonna be remarkable to keep an eye on.

SPEAKER_03 27:57

It's what you said too, is his journey forward. You gotta think this kid turned 18 in March. He has been one of the most consistent players for the five traps so far the season at that age, showing up every day.

SPEAKER_02 28:08

You you you hear people around the league talk about young players, and there's a few here, a few there, but but his name is in that conversation, and not just a part of the conversation. He he is the conversation. People are are comparing other players within the league to Cooper Sanchez. And um, you know, again, I think that just speaks volumes about who he is as an individual off the field, uh, but more so who he is as as Cooper Sanchez, the player on the field.

SPEAKER_03 28:32

That's it for me, too. I mean, a massive shout out to the Sanchez family, too. You can just tell that he's got all the right values at home. It's something that's instilled here, you know, from the very beginning when you come into the Academy with Atlanta United Javier Perez and all the different people who are behind the scenes of forging these people. You know, you think of Stuart uh at the Atlanta International School as well. They're forging them as not just players, as people. Yeah. And when he comes in here, shoot, that guy transmits as if he's a 29-year-old Captain's Armband type energy. It's crazy.

SPEAKER_02 28:58

I I think where I was at 18, it certainly wasn't in this environment and not playing in the first team of professional football clubs. So uh yeah, we do we tip here we tip our hat to you, uh Coop, and like I said, we we wish you nothing but the best.

SPEAKER_03 29:12

Big time. Yeah, I think it was firing up uh FIFA 17 at age 18. That's as far as I could dream, that's for sure. Speaking of, guys, it's time now to fire up the Brad Guzan mailbag, always delivered on time by the Home Depot. Thank you so much to all the fans for tuning in in what is always an awesome segment to wrap the show. First one, we've got Rob from Dacula, Georgia. What's the funniest thing you believed as a kid? Funniest thing you believed as a kid.

SPEAKER_02 29:39

The funniest thing I believed as a kid. Um I don't know. That was that was so long ago.

SPEAKER_03 29:49

It makes me think tooth fairy early on. My parents told me some wild stuff. Yeah, I mean like uh I remember one year I used to get like $40, I think, every tooth, which is a lot.

SPEAKER_02 30:02

Yeah, I need that tooth fairy. Holy cow.

SPEAKER_03 30:05

Then I would wake up and one year I only got a 20. Well telling I only say only, just because as a kid, you're like, hey, what's going on here? And I think my dad said, like, yeah. I think the tooth fairy must have stumbled on his way up the stairs, must have fallen out of his pocket. Like, but you think of Santa Claus too. Like, do you remember when you found out that Santa wasn't real?

SPEAKER_02 30:25

I don't remember when. I don't remember when I when I found out. And by the way, he still is. Absolutely, absolutely. All our young listeners out there out there. Uh absolutely. Um, but no, I I don't remember the the the moment. Um I think there's a especially as you get older, right? And you know, kids, I think they they start to hear their friends talk about it, but there's almost this fear of admitting it just in case. You know, there's this fear of if if I admit that Santa's not you know potentially not real, am I not gonna get anything? Like, am I gonna am I gonna blow Santa's cover here? So uh I think there's certainly uh a year or two that goes by where you know when these kids get to a certain age, they start thinking that way as opposed to oh it's a hundred percent real or or not real or I just get nervous.

SPEAKER_03 31:16

I think Narnia was a big one for me too. Uh you you remember, did you watch Narnia at all?

SPEAKER_02 31:20

Nah, that's that wasn't for me.

SPEAKER_03 31:22

Movie and a half. It was about like you would walk through a closet and enter like another realm, basically. Right. But at age five, I think when it came out after seeing that, I like went home and started opening up like chests in the closet and stuff, and I was like waiting to see if I could. It was like a snow realm that you could go into. Dog, I was convinced. I got home, I'm like, Mom and dad, if you don't see me for two weeks, I'm heading to I'm going into the closet and I may not be back. So here we go. And I would just hang out in the covers and stuff too. Well, big shout out to Rob for that one. Next one comes from Teresa from Marietta, right here in our backyard. If you opened a restaurant with the worst possible theme, what would it be? The worst possible theme.

SPEAKER_02 32:06

Okay. I mean, I'm I'm liking the creative questions that are coming through. Um keeping us on our toes. Um you want to hear mine?

SPEAKER_03 32:19

Yeah, go on. All right. I just saw this now. Go on. What if it was like a road rage restaurant? So all the all the waiters and waitresses are in like a small car and they're going coming by. Oh my gosh, going through your head today. They reel down the window and just cuss you out. Just lay into you. And then they just like throw the food at you and peel off.

SPEAKER_02 32:43

I'm I'm guessing all food is to go. There's there's no dine in option. All food is to go.

SPEAKER_03 32:49

I'm just trying to think of like, yeah, I started out thinking like, what is that one called? Sonic with the roller blades. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Have you ever seen those videos where people just yard sale on their way to the car? They're like, here, here's your and then it just falls on them. I don't know. That just popped into my head. I'll tell you what. You go, I I don't know. Road range. I don't know. What a great name, too.

SPEAKER_02 33:06

That is it, to be fair, that is that's not a terrible idea. It's just it's a bit out there. Um I was thinking more like sixties, seventies diner themed, you know. But uh I think you're still gonna turn away some customers that are looking forward to to going to a 60s restaurant. I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 33:24

What's the special at that restaurant?

SPEAKER_02 33:26

Is that like a a bit of mash? It's like a mashed potato with like a pork chop or something. Okay, you know, just pork chops in applesauce? Yeah, exactly. You ever had that by the way? I have, yeah. Isn't he? I think it's a Midwest thing. Yeah, maybe not. Maybe maybe it's everywhere, but like dip pork chop in uh applesauce? Yeah. Is that how it works though? I don't know. I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 33:50

Well, I heard so much about it, but uh like it just sounds like a wild combo to me.

SPEAKER_02 33:54

Yeah, I just it it came to me. I went I went with it.

SPEAKER_03 33:57

There you have it. Road Raging 6070 special. Yes, mailbag delivered by the Home Depot always on time.