Extratime

The final episode of 2016 is on deck as the gang will return to the studio next week to kick off 2016. First Andrew and David discuss new years resolutions. And then they talk to the pros.

Juan Agudelo talks about being a young upcoming American attacking player. The pressure that comes from the media, the decision he has made, and his future with the national team. He also sings the theme to his favorite Disney Channel show and projects the future of the USWNT midfield.

Last but not least the Andre Blake stops by after robbing some more of Juan's goals. Andre discusses how he ended up between the posts, his path out of Jamaica, his favorite "Andre Blake Says No" save, and his barber Keegan Rosenberry.

 

 

Direct download: ETR_Holiday2_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:00am EDT

The guys are away but no fear there is plenty of MLS content to consume. Andrew and David hold court at MLS Cup with a few stars of the league to talk big picutre, their 2016 experiences, music choice, what its like to celebrate winning a title and so much more.

 

First Andrew sit down with Philadelphia Union duo CJ Sapong and Keegan Rosenberry. They talk all about working under Jim Curtin, the culture Earnie Stewart is building, working through your rookie season and more.

 

In the next segment Andrew and David are joined by Sacha Kljestan he discusses his love of Queen, battle for playing time as an American in Europe, changes in the USMNT, and all things Red Bulls.

 

Look out for the second holiday special with Juan Agudelo and Andre Blake on December 29th and Sirius XM FC Ch 85.

Direct download: ETR_Special_1_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:30am EDT

This is it for 2016! Well, not quite – ETR will keep your holidays humming with two more episodes on Dec. 22 and 29 – but it’s the last time the guys sit down to talk soccer in the flesh before heading their separate ways. First up, Andrew, David and Calen reflect on 2016 then get down to the business at hand: drafts, signings, rumors and player movement in general. Who’s up for grabs in Re-Entry Stage 2? Why is Dave so giddy about Honduran international Alberth Elis? What’s up with Oscar Romero to Atlanta? Could Batman make a return to Minnesota? Is FC Dallas killing it or are they killing it?

In the second segment, the guys look ahead to 2017, starting with the CONCACAF Champions League, which is clear as mud. Then they tackle the US national team under Bruce Arena. What’s January camp going to look like? What’s the overall theme of the program? Who’ll get a shot that needs one and who’ll be the player who makes fans scratch their heads? MLS predictions? Oh, we’ve got those, too, even if it is guesswork at this point. 

The mailbag – errrr, post – gets started with some Bob Bradley discussion, then quickly shifts to an MLS Cup solution and an ode to Seattle. Finally, who’s odds-on favorites to win 2017 MLS Cup?

Direct download: ETR_Dec19_2016_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:02pm EDT

Don’t blink or you’ll miss something. No, really, you almost certainly missed something this week. Maybe it was the MLS Expansion Draft, in which Atlanta United and Minnesota United grabbed five players each then turned around and started flipping them for players, GAM, TAM and draft picks. Maybe it was the rumor mill, which saw the 2017 expansion sides making noise domestically but also internationally. Andrew and David take a look at the moves, the rumors and the players already in to take a stab at what each team’s first-ever MLS season might look like.
 
They weren’t the only team grabbing headlines, though, as the LA Galaxy named a new head coach from within then traded for the rights to Jermaine Jones. First, what does Curt Onalfo’s appointment mean for the Galaxy philosophically? Are they going to play the kids? Second, what should they do with their two open Designated Player spots? Could Jones be one of them? Then the guys run through the rest of the rumors — too many to count — and give the list of available MLS free agents a look to see where the league could find veteran value in 2017.
 
In the mailbag, a parade in Seattle, then some big news on the expansions front. MLS announced the parameters for teams 25-28 on Thursday. What were those parameters? What do they mean?
Direct download: ETR_Dec15_2016_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:48pm EDT

The guys are back from MLS Cup, where the Seattle Sounders became the league's 21st champion in their eighth season. The Rave Green have been waiting for this moment, one that didn’t look likely in 2016, and celebrated as such despite failing to register a shot on goal. Toronto FC, meanwhile, know it’s a missed opportunity, one that might have gone differently had Stefan Frei not reached back to paw out Jozy Altidore’s extra-time header. Calen Carr joins Andrew and David as they reflect on a beautiful MLS weekend in Ontario. 
 
There’s no rest for the weary in MLS, with a sneaky little trade window leading into Tuesday’sExpansion Draft. The guys run the rule over the moves, led by some Atlanta United FC wheeling and dealing, then examine the unprotected lists that ATL and Minnesota United will sift through as they continue to build their rosters. There are some intriguing names, but what’s the right strategy?
 
In the mailbag, Ben 'The Research’ Baer eats Sounders crow for that prediction, and the guys answer some pressing questions.
Direct download: ETR_Dec_12_2016_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:19pm EDT

MLS Cup is just days away, and the guys are on the ground in Toronto to soak in the championship atmosphere. To help set the stage, former Seattle Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid brings his inside knowledge to the table for a championship preview you won’t want to miss. First up, which club and which city has more on the line with a first-ever MLS Cup at stake? What’s MLS Cup week like for coaches, players and fans? What did Greg Vanney and Brian Schmetzer do to get their squad rolling?

In the second segment, the guys dive into a tactical breakdown that’ll get you up to speed on what’ll go down between the lines at BMO Field. How should the Sounders deploy Nicolas Lodeiro? How can Toronto FC get the best from Sebastian Giovinco, who didn’t look like himself against Montreal? Who will come out on top between Jozy Altidore, Chad Marshall and Roman Torres in what promises to be a battle of the titans? What does Michael Bradley need to do to keep the Reds rolling? 

Predictions come first up in the mailbag, with the crew split as Schmid goes with his heart. Then there’s the requisite Landon Donovan MVP discussion and a call for more young American playmakers as the guys wrap it up and prepare for Saturday.

 
Direct download: ETR_Dec8_Cup_Final_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:36pm EDT

The guys save the tactical talk for Thursday in Toronto, where Sigi Schmid will bring his expertise to the table. Instead, it’s time to learn about how Toronto FC and the Seattle Sounders were built with the men who did the building. First up is Toronto FC general manager Tim Bezbatchenko, who explains why the salary cap is even trickier than you think and how he went about putting the pieces together after getting the job in late 2013. What happened with Jermain Defoe? How’d the Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore deals get over the line? How would an MLS Cup victory change the club and the city?
 
After the break, Sounder GM Garth Lagerwey calls in after a trip to South America to dish on Seattle's roller-coaster 2016 season. Next up? Another flight, this one to Europe, then an MLS Cup appearance that nobody thought possible in July. How shocking was it when Obafemi Martins took off in February? How crucial was Jordan Morris’ decision to eschew Germany for his hometown club? Did Luis Suarez help seal the Nico Lodeiro deal? Did analytics play a role in the Sounders (and Toronto FC’s run)?
 
In the mailbag, the Best XI drops and Matt gives his own team of the year, ATL UTD makes a splash in the transfer market and drafts of all different varieties are on the horizon. 
Direct download: ETR_Dec5_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:57pm EDT

We've been at this for 11 months, through preseason, opening day, the dog days of summer, the playoff push and more than a month of postseason action. After all that, the 2016 Major League Soccer season comes down to two teams without a championship to their name: Toronto FC and the Seattle Sounders. MLS Cup at BMO Field will be lit, as the kids say, but will it be as incredible as the Eastern Conference Championship? The guys aren't so sure after TFC and the Montreal Impact played out a playoff series for the ages, culminating in a wild, back-and-forth, heart-attack inducing second leg that had the guys gasping for air. How'd the Reds come back after another early blow from their norther rivals? Why didn't the Impact mark (like, at all) on set pieces? Is Sebastian Giovinco alright or is there an injury issue to watch the rest of the way? Who has the edge on Dec. 10 when the Sounders travel to Ontario hoping to spoil the party?

In the second segment, buckle in for half an hour of new US national team head coach Bruce Arena, who joined Andrew and David for an exclusive interview that you can also watch above. Arena explains how the transition from Jurgen Klinsmann went down from his perspective, lays out the immediate future of the program, evaluates the player pool and task at hand and even manages to reveal a few new nuggets along the way, like which European team offered him a job in the wake of the 2006 World Cup.

In the mailbag, Matt gives his take on MLS Coach of the Year, won by FC Dallas manager Oscar Pareja, and listeners give their take on the playoffs so far and the MLS Cup matchup to come.

Direct download: ETR_Dec_1_2016_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:24pm EDT

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