OverDrive - Mihailovic on what drew him to TFC, characterizing his play, and the Montreal-Toronto rivalry

Episode Date: August 8, 2025

TFC’s newest signing Djordje Mihailovic joins us on a Mail it in Friday to discuss his move to the club. Mihailovic talks about what drew him to TFC and if the 2026 World Cup was a consideration. He also chimed in on the Montreal-Toronto Rivalry!

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Bell, back to school, just got better. from tariffs to trade deals the markets are changing is your portfolio ready for what comes next for all your questions you need a money guy calvin the money guy will help you develop a financial plan that includes the right levels of diversity the best way to navigate uncertain times with strategic advice from kelvin you can not only protect your investments you can grow them don't wait call 416 457 plan or visit ask kelvin dot caa The league's cup break is over for TFC, and also the designated player drought that lasted a long. 40 days is over. As an $8 million purchase for Georgie Mahalovich has brought the U.S. men's national team forward to Toronto, and we're very happy to bring him on the line now here, on the phone with us here on Overdrive. Georgie, it's a pleasure, man. Welcome to Toronto.

Welcome to Overdrive. Hey, thank you. I'm excited to be on the show. It's great to chat with you, man. You're arriving at a very interesting time for this football club. but a very interesting time in this city, of course. Just what was the appeal, I guess, to this project for you that made you feel this was the right time, this is the right move, and this is going to happen right now for me.

Yeah, for me, and I've said it a few times now, that when I think of Toronto FC, I think of trophies, I think of winning, I think of MVPs, the number 10s before me. When I first joined the league in 2017, that season, Toronto became the first team to win a treble. So when the name comes to my mind, I just think of those good moments in history for the club. And this idea came about maybe a week or two ago. And it all happened pretty quick, though, this last weekend. So I'm just really excited to join this historic club.

Well, I'm with you. I came to the city also that year 2017 and watched, you know, went down to BMO and watched. the Reds play, you know, those three years, the heyday of Javenko and Josie and, and, and, and, you know, Bradley, like, the heyday of Toronto FC. So, like, how can you guys get back to that glory? What's the plan here? I don't know if that's a, that's a question for me in particular. I'm part of a little piece of that puzzle, I think. But I guess it's, it's that getting that feeling of ambition back um yeah like you say the those players you mentioned are are all serial winners um a couple of national team for the u.s u.s national team legends um juivinco those guys are top players one of the

best that this league is seen and and yeah you you get you get those types of players together um with the right mentality the players that know what it means to represent toronto and and i think I'm going to learn that over the course of my time here, what it means to represent this club. I have a teammate already, Jonathan Osir, who was there at that time when they were winning all those trophies, so I look forward to talking to him about what it really means to represent this club. But yeah, it's about having that inner drive to bring that club back to where it belongs.

It's a real unique situation for you because you're looking for a big season, two impressive seasons to play your way into the US men's national team and, you know, of good performances here in Toronto can raise your stock for being in Maricio Pasatino's outfit for next season in a city in which two big American internationals of Michael Bradley and Josie Altador were absolute superstars. Have you spoken to them? Were they amongst the first phone calls? Like just how does it feel to be now kind of in that category and repeating a process or following footsteps, I should say, that they've taken? Yeah, I took that thought into account. how it can play a role in that selection next year.

But for me, that is the ultimate goal for a soccer play to represent their country in a World Cup. And in order to do that, I think I have to be an environment that's pushing myself to become better, an environment that's pushing to win all the titles in the season. And, yeah, when this transfer was announced, Josie did message me telling me, congratulations that I'm joining

an amazing club. Of course, he has so much success here. But yeah, I'm joining an incredible club and like you said, to have those national team players play here and also at the time, they represent the country as well. So it shows that maybe that path

is going to work for me. You should hit Josie up for bills tickets, and if he gives you a few extra, you should toss him to my man, Al's brother. I would love that. I would love to go out there. Georgie, how would you describe you know your game and what you're going to bring to the Reds for the TFC faithful who will be down at BMO to take in the action. I don't really know how to answer that question.

I get asked all the time, how do I characterize my style of play? I guess, yeah, I'm a player that goes off intuition that goes off of what I feel in the moment. And number 10 is a player that probably has the least amount of time on the ball. And number 10 likes to pick up the ball in the final third. where there's three, four players trying to mark you in a little space. So I have to go off of working and making decisions in a split second. So I try to create for my teammates, create for myself to score goals because that's the fun part of the game is scoring goals.

And I try to create as much as I can for myself and my team. This is a team that definitely needs some goals, as you well know. But this is a country in which you've played in before. You did play at CF Montreal. How would you compare, though, yourself as? the CF Montreal player to where your game is now because it has changed and you do put it back on a lot more yeah it's certainly changed a lot I like to I like to think of myself as still young but I was really young there I was just leaving my hometown club

the first time playing away from home it was completely different but but no I guess I have I hope I have a bit more experience in the game I have a family now there's some much different. But I had a good time in Montreal. I lifted a Canadian Cup with the team. Made a good playoff run in my last year there. I played with a few other Canadian national team players who also made moves to Europe. But now I'm coming. Like you said, I did manage to find the back of the net myself a bit more since. So I think when I got there versus now, I guess that's the biggest differences, is being a bit more clinical for myself and in front of goal. Well, how do you feel about being on the other side of that rivalry between TSC and C.F. Montreal?

It's nice to know that it's not dead yet. My Instagram DMs is sure to remind me of that. No, it's good. It's really good. Yeah, I was taught to hate a certain club when I played for Montreal, and now I'm going to be taught to hate the other club playing for Toronto. So it's good. You mentioned a couple of players that we'll be playing with, though, and also a couple of players that are expecting to have big summers next year

or hoping to have big summers at a home World Cup in Jonathan Osorio and Richelorea. Just speak to a little bit about playing with them and your thoughts from being an opposing player and now being their teammate. Yeah, I'm really excited to play with them. And of course, the rest of the team, like you said, they're going to represent Canada in a World Cup next year. And the whole buzz around the club is going to pick up even more when the World Cup comes to Canada.

But like you said, they're incredible players. They both have had incredible careers so far. So Richie, in particular, being a defender, I did come across him a few times and get a couple hard tackles, so I'm glad he's on my team now. I'm probably going to feel it's still in training. But when you have guys like that that are going to push each other every day in training, it's just going to raise the level as a team.

I've never shared the pitch with Richelorea, but he does seem like the definition of a guy that you would much rather have as your teammate than play against, absolutely. But lastly, on a couple of players that you were referring to that you did play with Montreal that have gone on to have careers in Europe, and one has made a move,

and Ishmael Kone has now gone to the Seraia. Alistair Johnson has had a ton of success and has won a lot of trophies of Celtic. Just to maybe speak to how you've seen and followed kind of those guys' careers and what you think they'll bring, or the pieces that they're a part of for the Canadian men's national team. Because I know you're watching with the American eye,

but you're going to field a lot of Canadian questions now, and we've got some experience with some two guys that are a big part of that team. Yeah, no, we still have a group chat from my time on trial with those guys. And when this transfer went through, of course, that group chat was pretty hot, just talking about the time we spent together, talking about the state of the Kedan national team. My previous coach, Chris, and Canada, coach Jesse Marshall are very close.

So when I was in Colorado, he would always tell me about, you know, Jesse's time with the Canada national team and how things are going. And it's an incredible time for Canada as a soccer country. You've seen the last four or five years the sport has blown up quality all over the world now representing Canada. So I think it's a really exciting time for this nation. And quite honestly, I'm really excited to be in Toronto. So when the World Cup comes, hopefully I'm representing the U.S. at that time,

but it's just going to be a really exciting time for all the countries. Yeah, it is one of the best cities in the world. And during the World Cup, it'll certainly be one of the best places. Don't take it personal, though. If you get the booze, if you're playing down at BMO with the American kid on, the booze are coming, I can guarantee you that. No problem. No problem.

That's what makes this sport fun. Absolutely. Absolutely. Well, Toronto C fans are definitely looking forward to having some more fun down at BMO. and looking forward to watching you. So, George, you appreciate it. Welcome to the City, man, and enjoy it. Looking forward to see you out there on the field.

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