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The boys are back and determined to talk some sense into its audience of 20. Come for Premier League reactions, overreactions, under-reactions, and just some weird ass actions. All the usual topics covered.
Surprise! The boys are back. Bursting with useless soccer knowledge and information, the boys couldn't help themselves and just had to release this to the world*. We talk about match-week 1 and all of the silly nonsense of silly season. *maybe about 20 people or so.
Man down on Rooster and the Devil. So you will get 10-man team content and you will like it. Brad and Mike dance around the topic of soccer through some more word association and then go to some weird places. Hope you trees for the first 1.5 minutes.
Rooster and the Devil Summers' are get weird. Soccer philosophy and current events.
Holy shit! They did it. Relatively virus free (and definitely after it started) so it seems like we'll have soccer for the foreseeable future. We talk about all the crazy shit that went down in the Championship. Welcome to Leeds United and West Brom. Good luck to Fulham, Brentford, Cardiff City, and Swansea. And holy fuck Nottingham Forest. You blew it!! Then we talk about the crazy last day scenarios in the Prem. Chelsea vs. Wolves in a huge game with both Champions League and Europa League implications. Leicester City vs. Manchester United for a Champions League spot (although if Chelsea lose...). Villa above the drop for now. Bournemouth still has a chance. A lot of drama.
Fuck! Jimmy warned us. He went on and on about the succubus that is Jose. And yet. We were temporarily smitten. But we need results from that asshole. #COYS
Our good friend Brian Helder comes to drink beer and talk about Liverpool's season.
The OneGoal guys interview Sebastian Saucedo for the website a few weeks back. In 2019, Sebastian Saucedo (23) surprised many US fans when he left Real Salt Lake, his hometown club, for Liga MX side Club Universidad Nacional, more commonly known as Pumas. Following his move south of the border, Saucedo started scoring goals for his new team as early as January thanks to the scheduling of his new league. Come March, Saucedo was named to the yet-to-be-postponed USMNT Olympic Qualifying roster. With no games coming back in the immediate future, we took some time to catch up with the former RSL Academy stand out turned Liga MX winger. In nearly an hour of complete honesty, Saucedo talks about his early days playing soccer, his success at Pumas so far, why leaving RSL was the right decision, a call from USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter in January and why more American talents out of the ‘97 age group could have made it in Europe.
Why come to Rooster and the Devil to learn about the Bundesliga when literally every soccer podcast that exists will talk about Bundesliga? Well, you probably shouldn't. The three morons are back at it trying to piece together the Bundesliga while thinking out loud. Somehow it devolves into an all-Premier League conversation by about a half hour in. But, as usual, we had fun and it seems that some of you out there have enough fun to tune in with us every week. Soccer is back!
Joey DeZart is a defensive midfielder for Orlando City SC. Joey is originally from New Jersey (shout-out to my home state). While playing youth soccer in NJ, he was recruited by the Philadelphia Union Academy. He had some pretty amazing experiences with that academy, including playing in the Generation Adidas cup in games against Eintract Frankfurt, Athletic Bilbao, Palmeiras, and other youth squads from around the world. After that, he went to Wake Forest to go on to have a prolific NCAA career. Then in the last MLS SuperDraft, he was selected by Orlando City with the 31st pick. After earning a spot on the team, Joey was on the cusp of his rookie season when Covid-19 gunked up the world. But Joey was gracious enough to spend some time on our podcast. For that we are thankful.
Luis Argudo has been in the MLS since 2018. After 2 seasons with the Columbus Crew (39 appearances), Luis was drafted by Inter Miami with the seventh overall pick of the 2019 MLS Expansion Draft. Prior to this, he played for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons after he transferred from Elon University. Great conversation with another Wake Forest product.
Early in Spring 2020, the OneGoal.us guys sat down with Schalke U19 striker Matthew Hoppe. Formerly of the Barcelona Residency Academy in Arizona, the California native discusses his move to Germany in the Summer of 2019, tactical trainings with Schalke, and his transition from the midfield to a forward. Audio edited by the Rooster and the Devil podcast (@roosterdevil).
Early in 2020, the OneGoal.us (subscribe to their USMNT newsletter) sat down with promising New England Revolution fullback Brandon Bye. A top ten draft pick from 2018, Bye has featured as a regular for the MLS side and shared about his career and the transition from college to professional soccer in the USA. Leading the interview was OneGoal's head of content Ross Hall, who actually was classmates with Bye back in his college days. Audio edited by the Rooster and the Devil podcast (@roosterdevil).
The interviews on this channel have been amazing. Shocking that we've been fortunate enough to have some amazing guests lately. But this started with three middle aged men rambling about soccer in their basements on the internet and by god, it will always be some of that. We somehow fill an hour and 6 minutes with soccer talk, as we always do. I believe we sprinkle in some Coronavirus shit too because it's really hard not to right now. But we talk about Bundesliga coming back. Soccer documentaries. USMNT drama. And more.
Logan Gdula was gracious enough to spend an early afternoon with us on a Skype interview during our quarantine. Logan is a young player that's on the brink of MLS. He was drafted #13 overall by FC Cincinnati in their first year as an expansion club (last year). He was loaned to Phoenix Rising and sustained an injury. Came back to FC Cincinnati and made the 18 but never saw the field. But was then loaned to Hartford Athletic to play in the USL close to home. In the offseason, he signed with Charleston Battery to play Right Back. The MLS is still very much in the picture for Logan. With a fresh start at Charleston and the expectation of seeing the field a lot, things are looking up whenever we get this thing going again. Logan tells us all about his soccer journey up until his current position. Another great guy with a bright future!
On this episode of Rooster and the Devil, we interview Bruno Lapa of the USL Championship's Birmingham Legion FC. Bruno has a great soccer story. He grew up playing the game in Brazil, spent some time on trial in Portugal, and eventually ended up playing for Montegverde Academy in Florida. From there, he took a path that is traditionally blazed by American soccer youth. He committed to Wake Forest and spent 4 years playing for the University (2016-2019). He was the #10 on the squad, a captain, and a First Team All-American during his time there. After College, he ended up in the USL Championship and was set to begin his first season with Birmingham Legion FC. And then Coronavirus happened. So, like the rest of us, he sits and waits for soccer to come back. Great conversation with a great young man! Am I old now if I start saying great young man?
Hayden Partain is a midfielder that currently plays for San Antonio FC. After spending his college years playing at Wake Forest, Hayden moved to Des Moines, Iowa to pursue his dream of playing professional soccer. After establishing himself with the Des Moines Menance in USL League Two, the USL Championship came knocking at his door. An opportunity to play at Sacramento Republic FC became available and Hayden bought a one way ticket out there. He's been plying his trade in the USL Championship ever since. After 3 seasons in Sacramento (which has one of the best atmospheres in American soccer), he signed a deal with San Antonio FC this offseason. Hayden was gracious enough to spend a quarantined evening with Rooster and the Devil talking about his soccer journey.
Alistair Johnston was drafted #11 overall in the MLS superdraft by Nashville SC. He was drafted to play Right Back after excelling in the position during his Senior Year at Wake Forest. Alistair is gracious enough to talk us through his incredible soccer journey. From youth club soccer in Aurora, Canada, to playing at St. John's in New York City, to his transfer and position change at Wake Forest, and finally to his current place in Nashville. Great conversation with a young player that has a bright future. Thanks Alistair!
After his transfer from the Columbus Crew to Manchester City, and the subsequent loan to German side Fortuna Düsseldorf this summer, Zack Steffen (24) has quickly established himself as one of the top keepers in the Bundesliga. In fact, after 17 games in the Bundesliga, the Manchester City loanee has the fourth-most saves per game out of any keeper in the league, despite missing the last few matches due to a lingering knee injury. The boys over at OneGoal.us caught up with the USMNT keeper last week. They talk about his contact with Manchester City while on loan to Fortuna Düsseldorf, World Cup Qualifying, the upcoming friendlies in March, Nations League, Gregg Berhalter's style compared to other coaches he's worked with, long term potential of USMNT, the possibility of wearing the captain's armband, differences between MLS and the Bundesliga, favorite stadiums to play in so far, his time at Fortuna Düsseldorf, and pathway to Europe from US. We are honored to support the young guys over at OneGoal.us. Go and follow them to keep tabs on all things USMNT.
Long time friend and former roommate of both roosters, Tommy Heyboer, comes on the podcast to be sorted into his Premier League club. As with all of the sorting hat episodes, we talk about his soccer history and current interest, run through some of the American teams and sports he follows, and ask him what he already knows about Premier League (trigger warning for Brad: "Harry Kane is a twat" - Tommy Heyboer). We also lament Tommy's recently torn ACL. An injury that footballers can often relate to.
I recently began listening to a podcast series called "25 Stories that made MLS". Tutal and his brother Neetol Rahman provide a narrative of important events that have led to what we now know as an established league, Major League Soccer. We're talking wild stories too. Like diving into why the 1984 Olympics was the true beginning of MLS, billionaires betting to double down on the league in a spot where success was no guarantee, the rise of soccer specific stadiums, what soccer development was like in the 90s and early 2000s, Concacaf Champions League, and more. I can not recommend this podcast enough for soccer fans. Tutal Rahman was gracious enough to give us a teaser on this episode of Rooster and the Devil. We hear his breakdown of MLS 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0. Then take an interesting turn down some US Soccer Development wormholes (in true Rooster and the Devil fashion). Overall, this is a great guy and an enjoyable conversation about soccer.
We sit down our friend Michael McCloskey and put the Premier League sorting hat upon his head and let the gods of the internet determine which team he should support. Will it stick? Beyond that, we talk about all the juicy drama happening in the soccer world. From Man City's two year Champions League ban and its ripple effects to some red hot Champions League match-ups, and a new soccer bar experience for Mike. Lots of silliness.
In this bonus episode, we take a deep dive into the fourth tier of the American soccer pyramid with the General Manager of Maryland Bobcats FC, Evan Raimist. The Bobcats are fresh off of winning a United Premier League Championship (UPSL) National Championship in Florida. Now they are gearing up for their first season as a National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) squad. Evan gives us a glimpse of what life is like as the GM of the Montgomery County based, Maryland Bobcats FC and educates us on both the UPSL and NPSL. Then of course we had to ask him about his opinion of soccer development here in the US. He gives us a breakdown of his own soccer journey (shoutout to FC Frederick and Shippensburg University). Tells us about some of the "dream brands" in the US (Providence City FC, Minneapolis FC, Forward Madison FC). Regales us with stories from his experience as a 10 year old at the 2006 World Cup. Then we dream about the future of US Soccer. There's a bright future for Evan!
I'm legit publishing this before listening and the keywords I have been sent are: Rangers FC Salford City Yellow Wall (Dortmund) Basque Region (Pyrenees Mountains) Pablo Escobar Bundesliga United States Soccer Federation Monterrey I'm curious and I hope you are too. Enjoy a conversation among two friends that revolves around the beautiful game.
Leicester and Chelsea tie. Bournemouth over Villa. Sheffield over Palace. Liverpool over Southampton. Newcastle and Norwich tie. Everton comeback against Watford. United and Wolves in a scoreless draw. Tottenham slaying City. Burnley and Arse in an unwatchable 0-0 tie. Bergwijn! FA Cup schtuff. DFB Pokal. GIO REYNA GOLAZO. This is a weak ass effort for this write-up. Does anyone even read it anyway?
We are delighted to have Southampton supporter, Matt Neuhausen, back on the podcast this week. We discuss Southampton's nice run of form. Danny Ings and his fantastic season. The transfer of one of the best Right Backs in all of world football (winky face). Then we relive some recent European play for Southampton. A bit about the finances of the club and some of the details of their structure. We then give Matt the opportunity to make a plea to new soccer teams to pick a squad outside of the top-6. Then we talk about the rest of the Prem, as usual. We then make a hard right turn and talk about the MLS for some time. Including those ugly ass Adidas kits that everyone is so worked up about. Then we rant about horrifically bad franchises...like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Detroit Lions. All in all. A fun conversation.
That final Salah Liverpool goal against Manchester United was just a gross display of dominance and celebration at Anfield. I hope that Liverpool fans are actually starting to get sad because it's NEVER going to be better than that moment. You'll lift the trophy but you'll regret not enjoying it more. I hope it feels like the last day of vacation for the rest of the year. Yes, I'm bitter. But I shouldn't be because the relegation battle is going to be so much fun to watch this year. Only 8 points separate #8 (Tottenham) from #18 (Bournemouth). Although that stat is a little off because I'm writing this on Wednesday morning and there's a bunch of game-in-hand scenarios going on. But, I'd argue that anyone from Burnley (#14 on 27 points) to Norwich (#20 on 17 points) has a chance at going down. The bottom of the league is competitive this year. Did you see that insane Villa goal in the 94' minute against Watford? That shit was fire. Fun. Fun. Fun.
The first ever couples interview here on Rooster and the Devil. And for good reason. We spoke with Paul and his wife, Emily, because they have been on a couple of awesome England trips where they make a point to check out new stadiums. On their honeymoon, they've visited Old White Hart lane where they saw Fulham play Tottenham. Then they ventured out to the East coast to catch a game at Carrow Road. Emily fell in love with the town of Norwich and probably gives me enough firepower to convince my own wife that a trip there some day would be worth it. More recently, they went to see a Queens Park Rangers game. They described the ground (Loftus Road) as a rough, old school stadium. Then they ventured off to see Fulham at Craven Cottage. All in all. Fantastic trips with some fun stories. It's also nice to hear the female perspective here. P.S. Shoutout to their home supporters bar in Minneapolis, Part Wolf.
Happy Friday! Got a bonus episode for yo' ass. We take you on a journey from NBA to the EPL and discuss where the NBA fits into the English game. Shoutout to all the basketball dudes that love Premier League My fellow NBA writer friend reports back to duty on Rooster and the Devil for the second NBA-EPL crossover episode. My guy Noah Perkins comes on the podcast to reflect upon the similarities between the beautiful game and basketball. He goes on an epic James Dolan rant that brings a tear to my eye. He waxes poetic about Chet Hanks' speaking patois. Then Donald Sterling. David Stern. And how amazing LeBron has been for the NBA. Then we throw on the old Premier League sorting hat and sort this man into house Newcastle. Where he will be force fed information by me. Go magpies!
The mood around Rooster and the Devil has turned a little gloomy with both the Roosters and Devils turning in a poor run of form. Plus, Harry Kane is out for the foreseeable future. As is Moussa Sissoko. Sadness abounds. But we turn those frowns upside down with some talk about the FA Cup. We also predict the future of relegation and give you our picks for the teams going down. Then, Jimmy compares Gyasi Zardes to genital herpes. It's a good one. Thanks for tuning in, folks.
I was a lone rooster this evening so I decided to do something different. I went and grabbed sound bites from the coaches and players of some of the tastier matches over the festive period and added some "commentary" after them. I hope you enjoy it. You'll hear Jose', Frank Lampard, Wayne Rooney, Nigel Pearson, Danny Ings, and more on this episode. For the USMNT fans out there, it ends with a story about Cameron Carter Vickers and another from Tyler Adams off of the US Soccer YouTube channel. Not a typical episode. Hope you enjoy eit.
The boys sit down for a quickie on Christmas Eve between all of their obligations. We ask ourselves a few questions; What are we thankful for in 2019? What are your resolutions for your team this year? Then we have some fun playing Santa and decide who is on our naughty/nice list across the premier league. Then, we rant. Happy Festive Fixtures everyone!
Manchester United followed up impressive wins over Tottenham and City with a clunker against Everton. Will Pogba ever play for United again? Has Liverpool already clinched the title? Jose' and his Tottenham boys' rapid rise up the table. Super Jan. Champions League draw. Europa League draw. City still favorites in the Champions League? Mason Greenwood and his natural finishing ability. A touch on Leicester and Chelsea and auditory worshipping of the swole Adama Traore.
We did it! We booked a Leicester City guest. But we never could have guessed at how cool this guest would be. He's been supporting the club since 1998, so he has seen a lot of shit. That's through several relegations, a quick stop in League One, a couple of years duking it out in the Championship, the return to the Prem, the title, Champions League, mainstays, and now the team that is giving Liverpool the most cause to look over their shoulder. Jason and his twin brother started New York Foxes, which is a supporters group based at Footfall Factory in New York city. They are responsible for building support for the club in the USA and have become a sounding board for others around the US that are interested in building groups in other cities. So much cool Leicester information in this episode. Christian Fuchs shout-outs, Jamie Vardy worship, players that have come and gone, take on the current season, preview of some trips to Leicester, and more.
It hath arrived. The festive fixture schedule is insane. So many games in so few days. There's a full schedule of games mid-week, followed up by a full schedule of games on the weekend, followed up by some pretty crucial Champions League match-ups next week. Buckle in, folks. There are so many storylines running through the league right now. Ole's continued poor run of form. Jose' the cockeral. Arsenal being booty. Leicester's amazing season. Sheffield United hanging around the top of the league. Wolves doing well in Europa League and in contention for a spot again next year. Everton sucking. Only 6 points separating #5 from #17. Liverpool's continued dominance. Man City looking vulnerable. Captain American at Chelsea. Oh my. So much juice. Like a vanilla milkshake IPA.
The boys grapple with the conflicting emotions that have arisen with the quick sacking of our biological father, Mauricio, and the rapid hiring of our new step daddy, Jose'. Jimmy preaches calm among the Manchester United storm. We talk about the top-4/top-6. Expectations for the rest of the year. Champions League. It was good to be back in the saddle.
Longtime friend and Vicksburg (Michigan) Soccer alum Matt Woodhams joins the poddy this week. The boys attempt to nurture his budding appreciation for soccer as he becomes disenchanted with the NFL. This is the fun part. We take a test to figure out what team would be the best fit for him in terms of support. Then we take a drive down memory lane with him as he and the Devil reminisce about their long faded soccer careers.
Josh Guesman from the Corner of the Galaxy podcast and blog comes into the devil's lair to talk about what it's like covering the LA Galaxy as a reporter. He gives us a glimpse into press coverage from MLS, what Zlatan is like as a person, how the MLS has grown since he started covering it in 2009, and where he thinks it's going in the next 10 years. We also ponder about what the LA Galaxy would look like if David Beckham never came. Then hop over to the El Traffico to talk about the new, exciting rivalry in LA. I'd also like to say that this man has a silky smooth radio voice and is a delight to listen to.
Moussa Dembele, we love you. I'm sorry that I missed your prime. We discuss the current state of Tottenham and Manchester United. Leicester City and how good they look. Pulisic's hat trick and Chelsea. Sergino Dest and why it's exciting that he selected USMNT. We also admit that GGG hasn't yet had the full squad in place because of injuries (Adams and Weah). We ponder about whether being a USMNT fan is honestly worth it. Then other stuff. I also talk about my overactive bladder...you're welcome. I implore to listen to my attempt at rapping like Slim Shady at the end of the episode.
Oh to be 24. Our guy @nicodegallo (I love his handle) is just a delightful man to converse with. He tells us all about his experience with a press pass at the International Champions Cup games. He regales us with stories about how cool the Arsenal players are in person. Yuck. Then we talk about his beloved Man City and their amazing depth. The odd losses early in the season. What it's like to play down an early goal. Then a dive into the USMNT dungeon. And of course; delightful champions league banter. Eventually we talk about his favorite local squad and his experience at their playoff game (Philadelphia Union). It was wonderful. Brad, the main Rooster, also tacked on ten minutes at the end here. I won't listen to it until I hear it on the air so not sure what he ranted about. He did end with Harry Kane rant, which I heard while recording the song, and he sounded angry. We'll see.
Have you ever wanted to jump inside the devil's mind for a full hour? Here's your chance. This man didn't stop talking for 56 straight minutes. It was organized, thorough, and fun. He wrote an outline and switched up the topics to keep it fun. The episode covers USMNT, Manchester United, the Devil's favorite movies, the Devil's top 5 games ever attended (any sport), a thoughtful monologue on referees, VAR, and the way we treat them. Just so much more. It honestly might be my favorite rooster and the devil episode. I hope you like it.
We tasked our #1 fan, Bryan Helder, to come up with 10 questions for us to answer about the Premier League. During this process, you find out which of the boys is left in the stone age in terms of the boxer/brief conversation. Then the episode dips and dives with delightful conversation that touches all parts of the soccersphere, even "Major League" Soccer.
This episode came immediately following the absolute slaughter of Tottenham Hotspur at the hands of the Bundesliga giant, Bayern Munich. Gnabry, an ex-Arse player, had 4 goals and claimed that "North London is Red". Tottenham has to remember all of this nonsense for when they march in to Munich and kick their asses in the rematch. But anyway; that's over. We talk about Manchester United in general, their game against Arsenal, Europa League briefing (prior to the tie today), Brad tells us all about his trip to Idaho (#treenerd), his brother comes on, and the final week of Premier League before another USMNT break.
Wow. Losing to Colchester United in the Carabao Cup is pathetic. No doubt. But it's so early in the season and let's all just enjoy the ride. We start off sad about Tottenham and Manchester United for the first 20 minutes but then loosen up enough to dive into Rooster and the Devil after dark with a little role play. A lot of topics are covered. Champions League. South Coast Derby. Wayne Rooney. Troy Deeney. Leicester and West Ham. Arguments over our hatred of Liverpool (except Brad) and Man City. Even Brett Favre comes up. Don't ask us more.
Emi Buendia, from Argentina. He came to City from sunny Spain. He's 5 foot 7, he's football heaven. Please don't take my Emi away. Awwww! That's what Norwich City fans sing to that little South American football guru. What about that win over Man City, eh? We cover a lot of the EPL, UCL, but the meat of this podcast sandwich is talking about the Southampton and the South Coast Derby coming up in the Carabao Cup! We talk about the history, expectation, and choose whether we're Scummers or Skates for the upcoming match-up. I love soccer! It's fully back.
Racist chants in Italy? Double U, Tee, Eff. Let's stop it children. We dive into Lukaku, Eto'o, our war against Taylor Twellman, an apology to Alexi Llalas, and look forward to the Premier League coming back this weekend! A fun meandering episode that gets a tad off topic but I think that's part of the fun. Shout out Art, Helder, and our other three listeners.
Breathe. The season has just begun. We take some time to reflect on the Premier League season thus far and lament would could have been and dream about what could be. We cover the North London Derby and Brad's experience at Flannery's (Spurs bar in NYC) in depth, have Mike's daughter Abby make her first appearance, and talk about our early season overreactions and predictions. Then some Champions League fodder. Then some USMNT chatter because we're back to it and excited about the future. Not sure why but our numbers have been way down and that's a bummer. Not sure how much longer we'll keep this up but #35 is in the books. Let us know if you listen.
It was a somber week for Rooster and the Devil. Two losses from squads they ain't have no business losing to. Are Man City and Liverpool already pulling away? Is Arsenal actually good? Nahhhh. We're going to kick their ass in the North London Derby. Jimmy thinks we'll tie 3-3. But let's fucking go!!! North London Derby's are the best. You can take El Traffico and stick it so far up your ass. This summary is digressing. Which we do, in fun ways, on the podcast all of the time. But we talk about Caribou Cup. Champions League qualifying (Ajax just punch their ticket and the group teams are set (groups to be determined). And other crap! Jimmy's daughter Logan also makes her second consecutive appearance. She's now beating Helder.
Did Neves just score an early favorite Puskas nominee against Manchester United in a devastating fashion? He just may have. What a goal. In the end, a tie in the Molineaux is improvement over last year and Manchester United has been fantastic in stretches of the early season. They could have easily won that game and they should have (cough::Pogba PK::cough). We dance around the Premier League beginnings, show love to Sheffield United and Norwich City (TEEEEEEMU), talk about how much Newcastle might suck, then jump into La Liga and Champions League and have a good time doing it. Then the rants get weird about the Puskas. Jimmy's daughter also makes her first appearance on the podcast at 4 weeks old.
Another lost episode from the boys. We spoke with Paul Peterson about some amazing soccer trips that him and his wife have taken in the pass. But we lost the audio. We need to do some soul searching on interview techniques... But, the boys spoke for about half an hour on all of things you have come to expect from Rooster and the Devil. Deep dives on the Spurs win over Aston Villa and ManU's win over Chelsea. Then we jump around the league before ending with thinking we had an interview coming up for you guys. Oh well. We'll get them back on.
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