Scuffed | USMNT, World Cup, Yanks Abroad, futbol in America - #325: Michele Giannone on Berhalter, the USMNT and much more

Episode Date: October 14, 2022

TUDN reporter and producer Michele Giannone joins the pod to talk with Watke and Belz about Berhalter on the sideline, as a person and as a manager, the USMNT's chances in Qatar, Darlington Nagbe as Neo from the Matrix, growing up in Venezuela and much more.----For the full episode, join Scuffed on Patreon for as little as $2 a month: https://www.patreon.com/scuffedPatrons get a private feed for the Monday Review, which is, among other things, a run-down of club action for national team players every week with Watke and Vince. Patrons also get access to our private Discord server, live call-in shows, and the full catalog of historic recaps we're working on. Skip the ads! Subscribe to Scuffed on Patreon and get all episodes ad-free, plus any bonus episodes. Patrons at $5 a month or more also get access to Clip Notes, a video of key moments on the field we discuss on the show, plus all patrons get access to our private Discord server, live call-in shows, and the full catalog of historic recaps we've made: https://www.patreon.com/scuffedAlso, check out Boots on the Ground, our USWNT-focused spinoff podcast headed up by Tara and Vince. They are cooking over there, you can listen here: https://boots-on-the-ground.simplecast.comAnd check out our MERCH, baby. We have better stuff than you might think: https://www.scuffedhq.com/store Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to the scuff podcast, where we talk about U.S. soccer. Our guest today is Miquela Giannone, a reporter and producer for Univision, who has been covering the USMNT closely since January camp, 2018. He's a native of Italy, grew up in Venezuela, and has been in the U.S. since 2011. He has lived in Florida, Mexico City, and Tijuana. Now he lives in San Diego. Miquelay, welcome to the show. How are you guys? Thanks for having me.

It's really an honor to be here. I'm a big fan of your work, and I'm excited to be here. Well, McKellie, that's a, I'm a big fan of your work, first of all. Yes. Second of all, eyewitnesses have had you as among the strongest performance at the Scuff Soccer tournament at the Orlando tailgate. You know, congratulations. I'm not sure how much of an accomplishment that is, but it was clear to me from hearing that

that that you must have been playing the game for a while. When and where did that start? Man, you know what? My main goal, and I appreciate it, your kind words. My main goal was be better than some stage call in Volta Noreo, which wasn't hard. Mission accomplished. Yeah. Mission accomplished. So, yeah, man, and you know what? I was surprised that I didn't suck that much. That was my first time playing in like almost three years. Really? Between moving a lot, you know, just set it. And on the road that much, I haven't been able to play as much as I did. But yeah, man, As an Italian kid, you know, if you're Italian and you don't play soccer, you get kicked out of the house.

You get disowned by your family. So I grew up playing soccer. Can you give us an idea of how, like, what the latest numbers are on how Univision's live soccer watching audience compares to its English language counterparts? Because I think it's easy for people to overlook this. on MLS, it's pretty even between ESPN, Fox and also at Univision, Unimass, or 2DN.

MLS games tend to the numbers tend to be the same. You know that MLS fans are just watch MLS, period. Yeah. But, and you get like 200, 300, 400K per game. Depends, you know, if Galaxy's playing LAFC, those are the teams, obviously, that pull up

the best numbers. But when a Mexican team plays, like with Leaks Cup showcase in LA, when it was first Galaxy against Chivas, that double header, and then L.A.F.C. America, that double header pulled almost 2 million people, which was insane. The other day I did back-to-back Cincinnati Chivas, and then at the next day, it was RSL Atlas, and those games made almost like a million people each. So that's why, why you see League MX and Major League Soccer

pushing for more Leaks Cup, for most Campionics Cup, for most putting more money into CCL and next year this insane summer tournament of the big now how the Leaks Cup is going to be

because here in the US when a team, when a Mexican team is playing it's the numbers are insane. Numbers are absurd. So yeah that's... But on... But on on Teudane or on Unimaz because ESPN wouldn't get as good of numbers

on those games, right? No, against, yeah, the league's cup I remember it was like, we got like 2 million and ESPN got like 250. So yeah, it's a lot. The difference, it's a lot. What about for the national team, like the U.S. men's national team?

I would say it's the same. Normally, like, an average number for the USM&T, it's around a million. people, 1.2. For example, I find that every time they play against Mexico, that number surpasses 2 million, depends.

Any SPN gets 200, 300,000 people. So yeah, that has to give a sense of people of who's watching, and the people that are mostly watching are Spanish-speaking people, you know, that Mexican family

with the, normally that first-generation kid that is rooting for the U.S. or probably rooting for Mexico also. Or basically, the way I see it is honestly, and this is not a disservice to the people, are ESPN, to Fox. I have plenty of friends there. They're incredible.

But I think our work is better. Our broadcasts are just better. The excitement that our play-to-play guys bring the things that we do, we do for, I've been doing, I did over 30 major league soccer regular season games this year. and even for games like our sporting Kansas City against Houston

every game we do a one-hour pre-game show for the USM&T we have even two-hour pre-game shows when it's a Mexico USMNT game it's 24-7 so I think that people do

take notice out of that you know at least even if you don't speak the language I think you can get and enjoy the content that we're putting on. Or for example, the last MLS Cup. You know, we treated, again, this is not a knock against the people that work at ESPN or Fox because they don't make those decisions. The decisions are made by the network and the front offices and all the suits.

The last MLSCOP, we did two and a half hour pregame show. And ESPN got in late because there was like a NASCAR truck racing thing. going on. Yeah. Yeah. So I think at the end, people just get tired of it. And yeah, I'm really proud of the work that we do. Again, this is not a knock and this is not being me a homer.

But I guess you, as people that watch the coverage, you also kind of agree, you know, with this. I always appreciate those pregame shows, you know, even though I can't really understand much of what's going on to my eternal shame. But they're under different constraints. than you guys, right? Like, they have the, I'm talking about like ESPN and Fox. They have a different, it's a different equation. It's a different market.

But, but so is it fair to say, like, for a national team game, it's like four to one, four Spanish speak, Spanish language viewers to every one English language viewer? Yeah, I will say four to five. Okay. With the national team. And when it's Mexico, it's like, and when it's Mexico, US, like a league's cup type. Yeah, normally the number goes, because. between four to five.

And when it's Mexico against the U.S., 10 to 1. That number, yeah. I don't know if it gets 10 to 1, but I'm pretty sure it gets closer to 7 to 8th, for sure. Could Darlington Nagby really be a starter on any big team in the world? Five years ago, I think he could.

Not right now. Okay. But you know what? Darlington Nagby, it's the most impressive player that I've seen here in the U.S. play live. And you know what was interesting also?

At the MLS All-Star game in Minnesota on the broadcast, we had like on the All-Sour Skills Challenge. We're interviewing players while the All-Sour challenge was happening in between breaks. And I remember we had Sebastian Driesi, and I think the other one was also Emmanuel Reynoso, that we asked, like who's, I mean, you're surrounded by all-year-old, all the all-stars, the best players in the league, arguably, who was the guy that impressed you the most? And both said Darlington Nagby.

I saw him very closely in the MLS, his back tournament that I was there in the bubble on the sidelines. And I think Columbus was during the group stage the best team in the tournament. And this is, what I saw from Najvi, like, you cannot dispossess him. It's ridiculous. He's like Neo in the Matrix. Like he's, he looks like he's moving in slow motion, but he always comes up with the ball. He knows where's to place his body. And I remember, I remember, you know, Greg Berhalter was there at the MLS back in tournament.

He saw the whole group stage, right? And this is a true story. I remember because everybody was under the same hotel. It was a bubble. once you were in, you couldn't leave. So you were running to people all the time in the lobby. You were living basically with the players, with all the,

it was Greg and his coaching staff. And I remember telling Greg, he's like, man, you got to, you got to convince Nagby to go back. And he's replying, I swear to go to this, I swear to go to this what he said. It's like, man, can you imagine that midfield Nagby, Taylor, and McKinney?

That will be something special, isn't it? And I was like, yes, so make it happen. And yeah, actually he tried that was the last time he tried to convince Darlington to come back and just he said no once again. You've had a lot of interaction with Berhalter, right? Yes. What's your general impression of him that you don't get to see in press conferences or on TV? He's a very nice, thoughtful guy. Like every training session, for example, especially if it's a, I've had to cover even the

January camps, which are the worst to cover. Nobody is there. Nobody gives an F about January camp. It's always like me by myself, actually, sometimes. You're just down the road, though, right? Yeah. It's usually like in, they do it here in, in, in, in, where the Olympic, like, Olympic training thing is here by the border with San Diego in

in Tijuana or they do it normally also in LA for the past there I remember my first one in 2018 with Sarakan as Sarakan was still there they did it in Manhattan Beach but they don't it here also close in San Diego so he's a very thoughtful guy like you will every time like normally before every training session you get like 10 15 minutes to get in and shoot some beer roll and see, you know, the warm-up.

And he will always, always come and say hi, like, thanks the media, thank the people for being here. I remember one time I moved from Tijuana to San Diego after the Gold Cup 2019. And I remember I was telling him, because he told me he lived in San Diego for a while. I don't remember what were his circumstances, but he lives in San Diego for a few years. And I was speaking with him about that. And then I didn't see him for, and I told him that I was moving.

I didn't saw him for months, then COVID hit, et cetera. And the next time I saw him and he actually was like, hey, how the moving went, like, how's everything, how's the family? I was like, wow. You know, like this guy has a lot of stuff in his mind. And one thing that I'm going to say, he's just a mania. Like he works 24-7, which I think is. it's going against him lately because I think he's overthinking too much things.

But yeah, he's an insane worker. Like I share this story on Twitter the other day. I was speaking with a national team player. He hasn't been around lately, but he's been around for a lot under Berthalter. And after an MLS game, this is the weekend where he was in Scotland You know that the day after Ranger Saltic, that he had dinner with Sands and CCV and Tielman?

Oh, yeah. So I did an MLS game that day, and the game, the player was playing on this game. And then I ran into him and we're talking. And it was like 7 p.m., 6 p.m. where we are at. and for Burrhalter, he was probably like 3 a.m. in Scotland, and he called this player. Like, he called this player and it's like,

hey, I just watched some highlights of the game. Like, you did this, you did that. Like, he wanted to talk. Like, this is something that you could like send a text. Like, hey, good game today. I would have liked to see this, this, and that. No, he, like, called this player, and he wanted to, like, talk in detail

what this player did and did not on this game. On an MLS game on week 28th. It was insane the amount of work that this guy puts into it. So, yeah, I think what people will be surprised is how different he is from what you can see in the media. He's very thoughtful. He's very nice. I'm not saying he's not nice when he's on the media. We've seen joke about it.

Yeah, he's pretty nice. He's pretty nice. but I think it's more thoughtful and less robotic, you know, less robotic and less cliche and always, you know, that coaching speak, that what you see in media. That's, I guess that's my answer.

Like he's a, sorry, sorry, I coach, he's a, he's always like doing jokes. Like, I'm a big sneaker head. So every time I'm wearing sneakers, he's like, oh, I like those. and he would, he would, he would like start talking to you about things that are, you will say, like are mundane. Like, you wouldn't even think that this guy will spend like a minute interesting in something that.

What's the most mundane thing he's ever said to you or talk to you about? Wow. Okay. It's been almost five years. Man, I don't. Okay. That's, maybe not. I have to think about it.

I'll think about it. I'll think about it. I get, let's see if I can. If I can remember something. I would just like a list of the most boring things. Greg Berhalter has ever said to you. I just think it would be great. I think people would really enjoy it.

But that's a, it would be tough to just have that ready to go. Yeah, that's a tough one to keep in mind. Oh, I have, I have, I have a good, I have a good, story about him and sneakers if you want, if you want a good story. That's exactly. Of course we do.

Yeah. So, oh, I have two stories about him to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, to, you an idea what the guy is. Like, he's really a nice, a nice guy. I'm not saying that, but what you see in the media is not. But I think he's, it will be surprised how thoughtful he can be. I was in, this was the game. Do you remember the game?

Well, of course you remember. The Nation's League game against Canada in Orlando, that it was a must win, right? Yep. And we won. I don't remember. I believe. Yeah, and that, and, and, and, I don't remember where we were, but we went to Orlando and I said, man, it's going to be hot in Orlando.

Like, I'm just going to wear shorts and t-shirts. And I was in shorts and t-shirts, and then, you know, it gets night and it starts to get chilly. And I was like, man, what the, what the F? I'm like cold. I was literally in shorts and t-shirt. And the game is about to start. We're sitting in Orlando. You're sitting between the two benches, but on the stands. You're not like standing up like a normal silent reporter that you don't have that in Orlando.

But you're very close. Like you're literally sitting next to the bench. And I'm like, the game, I swear to you, the game is about to start. The ball is already on the midfield about to start. They were waiting for the red hat to, you know, the TV was holding the. game for like 30 seconds. And he turns around and he sees that I'm like shaking or like trying to get warmth. And the game starts. The referee blows the whistle. And he's like talking to me. He's like, hey, are you okay? I'm good coach. No worries. Like, do you need something? Do you need

a jacket? Do you need pants? And he's like talking to the to the guys of the, to the guys that are in charge of the, you know, the equipment managers. The equipment. The equipment. it's like, hey, get him some pants or just, the game is already going on. It's like, I was like, coach, I guess you should, you need to like turn around and pay attention to the game. Like, this is a very important game. And he was like more concerned at that point. I'm not saying that he was more concerned about me than the game. But at that moment, he noticed it and he was, and he was like legit concern and given instruction to equipment guys like, hey, find him a jacket or something.

And the game is already started. And those sort of times That's a great story Those are the times that That you That you know Burrhalter is He's so weird man

Like in Minnesota When he went out and he started taking the pictures With fans And the game hasn't even finished yet And my other story We were in a January camp It was a game before I think it was the game

Where Uly Jannes scores the PKE it ends up being 1-0. I think it's 2020. Yeah, that's the generic game before COVID. Uly Jani has scored a Piquets, and before the game, I'm on the middle of the game, and I'm wearing new sneakers or pink with flowers, and the national anthem is playing,

and I'm just like, you know, like National Anthem Pose, looking at the flag, and I have the bench of the U.S. on my back, and then I hear stats, This is the National Ampton plane. I hear steps and somewhere from behind is like, nice sneakers. And he rushes back.

And I turned around. He was Berhalter. It's like, during the National Hampton. Are you telling me, he came up to take off of you and your speakers during the national anthem? But super sneaky. Because I was like two fits away from him,

but he was behind me. So he just took two steps and he like whispering in my ears like, hey nice sneakers and they're like what the fuck that i turned out and he's him is just laughing he's a widow man he's a widow so but but yeah those are two two stories that that people i think you would appreciate how how this guy sometimes is you know it's him how do you the fact that he remembered that you were moving like six months later that is that is pretty impressive i'm really curious what this mysterious gap in his resume is that he was in San Diego for a while. I don't know where that would have been, but we need to get to the bottom of it because yeah, you should,

man. You should. That's your next assignment. Yeah. How do you, how are you feeling heading into this World Cup? Do you think, uh, pessimistic, very pessimistic. Um, when the group state, when the draw came out, I said the US wasn't, uh, passing the group stage. And I, I believe that. especially after watching the last window. I don't think this team can handle international soccer the way they should. And it's not a fall of their own. Like, you know, the players hate it. The coaching staff hate it.

It's just nation-speak. You know, you've been playing Concorda Cuffer for such a long time. And the last time you played a European team was Switzerland, and they just basically, if I remember correctly, it was the U.S. score with Sebastian Leje. the first five minutes or something and it was a destruction. And I don't think this team can

compete in the international level yet the way that they should and that's another conversation about system, about players, but I don't think after I said that at that point and especially after seeing the last window, I'm not confident at all.

I don't think we're passing the group stage. Which first, let me say that. First, I'm a fan of the US MNT. It doesn't matter who the coach is. I'm a fan of the U.S. men's national team. After Italy, that's my nation. And I want them to do well. I'm going to Qatar and I want to enjoy

and live through the World Cup. And the far the U.S. goes, the better for me, you know? Yeah, of course. And if they don't advance the group stage, I'm gone after two weeks. So I'm selfishly rooting against that. And unselfishly as a fan, rooting for the U.S. to go well, but I'm not, I'm not, I'm not, I'm not feeling it right now. Yeah, I don't know how many people are, but what, have you, have you been a Burrhalter, have you been one of those folks that's thought Burrhalter has over-emphasized system? Yes.

All along? Yes. And I said it all along. And it's part of the, when people, sometimes, you know, social media can be a hard place to navigate, as you might know. You guys might know. Super easy for me. See. Just kidding.

You know, I admire sometimes you don't give an F. It's like, it is what you believe in. And that's not. And I admire that, you know, just don't. Oh, I'm very cautious. Very, very cautious. Yeah. And I've learned to be that.

And, you know, being around the team And what I've always said about the fans And this is something that some fans think That I'm being protective of the coaching staff Or being a Burrhalter fanboy or whatever But I don't care Like I've always said, my resume is there And the way I give information or anything

It's right there, I have a good track record Is that he, I don't feel, this is my way of seeing it I don't think there are gray areas with him. I think it's always being easy to read him and to follow the crumbles and he's the type of work like he does. You know, he's overconfident in his system. He's overconfident in his guys in the way he does things. And you could sense, like the way he starts to get rid of players.

like, for example, the way he started to push out at the moment Michael Bradley, then he did the same with World Trapp, then he did the same with Ewell, then he did the same with Depp, then he did the same with Brooks. You start seeing patterns, right? The way he answers questions, the way he utilizes players. Like the last time after the last, the window, I think it was the window in March, with, for example, Sebastian Legett didn't even dress. Like I said, he's not coming back ever on Robert Hulter.

when you see things, especially on the field, with the John Brooks things, what I meant to say with John Brooks is like, I never said the guy, because I think people got the right idea. I never said, don't ask for John Brooks, for John Brooks. Don't push for John Brooks. I said, guys, it's not going to happen. And you have to accept that fact. I'm not saying you cannot be mad about it, keep asking questions,

but no matter what you do, he's not going to call John Brooks in. And it's the same thing. Was it the pattern of how he moves players out that made you think that? Or was there other things that were going on? What I saw with John Brooks is especially against the game in Cincinnati against Canada. I saw a player that this is my opinion. It's not a word. I saw a player that wasn't clicking with what the coach.

one wanted from him on the field. And he wasn't giving the right vibes, the right eyes. I remember specifically one that John Brooks tries to play a long ball, and he went over the head, I think, at the moment. I think it was Brendan Aronsor or something. The ball almost went to his stance. And Berhalter turns around to yell at him or something, and John Brooks just threw his arms up in the air,

like, you know, like get the fuck out of here, you know? And I just saw a player that wasn't fitting on what the coach wanted. And then you and then again, you see that

both John Brooks and James Sands, for example, gets, those were the two halftime substitutions after that disaster first half in Undutas. So after that moment, those are the little crumbs that, you know, when you do that to a player,

I think that's a, that's a massive flag and a dagger to, to, to, I don't know, to what I was thinking already. I don't know. Maybe, maybe I've been, I'm overthinking all of that, but I've been right. And I don't, I don't, I don't know. So I just, I just think that. Burrhalter is just going to die with his idea he's going to sink with the ship with his idea with his system and if a player is not on line with that he's not going to be on the team it's basic as it sounds

and I do believe that right now he's making a mistake of putting system over the player pool and over the the talent that he has and it's frustrating to watch, and I've been vocal about it, and I don't think the national team, it's a place where you put system over the players that you have. And let me give you a quick example. Italy, my nation, my blood.

Italy has never in their life, never in the history of Italian soccer, play at 352, never, right? the last window, the last Nation's League games, and you can go look at this. They had to play against England and they had to play against Hungary at Hungary. They had different players missing from injuries, suspensions, etc. And Mancini, with three days raining without never playing the system, he switched to a 3-5-2.

They beat England and they beat Hungary against Hungary. That's the way to do it. in my opinion. Like if Italy can do it, and the Italian national team coach, which I'm not a fan, but that's another discussion, you cannot treat the national team as a club.

And I think that's a mistake that Bertholder is doing. And I just throw that Italy example there. Like, you have a national team coach that needed to win two games. The team has been sucking for a long time. He hasn't tried the right mix after winning the euro. They're not going to World Cup after that. disaster. And he said, you know what? The talent, the pool of players that I have with me right now

is better suited to play at 352. They play at 352 for the first time in history. I've heard two, three training sessions. They beat England. They beat Hungary at Hungary. And they're now in the National, in the Nations League Final Four next year. So that is frustrating to watch at the USMNT right now that we don't get to see those plan C, plan B. It feels that we're just stuck. on a gear and it's very frustrating to watch you know that that first half in honduras which you brought up which brooks and sands both got subbed off of after um you know we've talked about Greg velasquez in particular has talked about this a lot on the podcast but this is that was a that was a half where nobody really looked good and and sans was

set up kind of to not that i'm some big james sands fan but sans was kind of set up to fail Brooks, you know, Brooks stepped that one time to sort of fill the gap and got beat and they scored. I don't know, it just seems like a weird, it's weird to run a different formation with a kind of an empty midfield and then essentially clear out two players

because of their performances in that game. I don't understand that. I don't understand how that even squares with the idea of someone who's too rigidly, you know, wedded to their system. I'm not arguing with you, Miguel. I just sort of speaking into the void. I think like I've been reporting in the past,

I think that John Brooks goes farther than that. But I'm going to leave it at that because I don't want to keep, I just want to get that to bet. And I've been right all alone. And even if I get calls, messages, and people screaming at me, I've been right all along. And I know that there was. more there

that just those games against Canada and against Honduras but I'm going to leave it at that what is frustrating to me is that again I feel that

we have a really good talented player pool which I think we've overrated a little bit by the way and I heard you've talked a little bit with overhide this player put a little bit and that's part of my discourse about not being ready for

for international soccer, which again, it's not the players will fall, although we have a lot of players played in the highest level of Europe, but as a national team.

It's just frustrating to watch that we don't, again, we don't, what I'm seeing is that I'm seeing ghosts from 2018 and 2019. I'm seeing those ghosts

of a coaching staff trying to implement a system that the players that are not treating the players and their players are not getting it or they don't like it or are struggling to understand. And

when you get hit in the face by a level above Concaath, which is not hard to find in international soccer, then you get this, right? You think it's, again, who has you been beaten, right?

I always tell people, remember, this team came in third in the hexagonal. Below the worst Mexico that I can remember, below Canada, obviously, not winning on the road, not winning on the road, against Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica, all in the middle of generational change. We should have dominated and destroyed everyone in the hexagonal,

just by the talent that we have. And not seeing that was frustrating. And I understand that winning is like a makeup to everything, right? We won in 2020 that incredible Summer Nation's League and Gold Cup. We didn't play well. We weren't played well. Just go back and watch the Gold Cup games. Like Qatar was better than us.

Like Matt Turner had like four, five unbelievable save. They missed the PK. It's true. Jamaica was better than us. Mexico was better than also on the games but we just score and they didn't because again on Gold Cup Mark Turner was unbelievable

and on Nations League final then we have that four bath besides the PKK he had another incredible safe and winning those tournaments and qualifying for the World Cup it was just an ecstasy and something that the fan base was just waiting

to celebrate something especially going back to the World Cup that we've become I think a little bit blind of what this team has been tactically and quality-wise. And that's why I'm not super positive going to a World Cup. Good to see it. My worry is that you sound like you're right.

And again, and again, I'm rooting for selfish professional reasons and unselfish fan reasons, because I'm really am a fan again. After this country has embraced me, I've been here for over a decade. I love the USMNT. And they're my defective team. Without Italy in the World Cup, the USMNT are my team. Without Venezuela in the World Cup, the USM&T, the US is my team. So I wish them the best.

But yeah, I'm very frustrated of what I'm seeing. And I think, again, that Berhalter has done a really good job. And honestly, because at the end, what, you know, what trophies and results matter. But if we look more into depth, we should be better. and we should be ahead that what we are right now, in my opinion. Do you know how many days early you're going to get to Qatar? I'm landing on the 13, November 13. So eight days before Wales.

Yes. Okay. So you'll have some prep time. If it serves some kind of a positive message, my Tudian index is expecting that both Mexico and the U.S. go past the World Cup stage because my return flight is already bought, not by me, by them on December 5th. So that will be the day after the round of 16. I see. So they just assume that that's when the loss happens.

Yeah. I mean, that's the kind of the pattern for both Mexico and the U.S., right? Yeah. Go to the round of 16 and then just get summarily dispatched. Does that mean you get to stay until? then either way? Or are they going to redo your flight? No, man. In Tudian, there's no, that's not just no such day off in Qatar or in the road. No, they're going to put you to work. They're going to assign me to another team probably, because in Qatar is going to be easy, right? All the teams are going to be close by and you don't have to fly. So probably if the U.S.

doesn't go through a good stage, I'll be assigned to another team for around 16. Because, man, those plane tickets are expensive. Let me tell you that. And you're staying in Qatar. Your hotel is in Qatar, not like Dubai or something. Yeah, in Qatar. Actually, we're staying. I'm staying with the U.S. Soccer Federation did two hotels, one for the players and the coaching staff exclusively,

and another hotel for like family, media members and everything, that you still have to pay. But they help with their TV partners and the media partners. and family, a player family, et cetera, to on another hotel. So, yeah, we're staying very close to the team's hotel in Doha. Yeah. How does it work when you, will you, like, go over to the hotel and you get to interview some people,

or are you kind of on your own, you just show up with their trainings? And how much access do you get, basically? Normally, for the World Cup, it will be the same as a World Cup qualifier or any or an official tournament. You get normally 10 to 15 minutes of each training. session, so you go to training. And normally, like, the day before the game, which is called match day

minus one, it's where the coaches and the captain, or one player gives you, like, you know, the official press conferences. But between, games or, or, yeah, on those, on other days, like, we normally have, if you're a TV partner and you're broadcasting the game

that you need, like, accesses and interviews for features, you will do, like, interview with players, like, one, sit-downs one-on-one at their team hotel normally, yeah, after training, like in the afternoon. They normally train 9, 10 a.m. So, yeah, that's normally what you'll do during the day. And then you work on the features.

Sometimes with 2DN, especially in Univision, because for us it's basically 24-7 soccer coverage, so we have to feel a lot of time on the air. So we're doing a lot of live hits and doing interviews for shows or doing podcasts or multimedia, et cetera, et cetera. So yeah, that's normally a day covering the USM&T will be like going to training, wake up, going to training, first 10, 15 minutes to watch warm-ups, interact with people, with players, shoot some B-roll, the camera, and then you go back, and then in the afternoon you come back to the team's hotel, you do sit down one-on-ones with players, and then you do live hits, stand-ups, interviews, etc., for TDN, Univision. normally if you're on the eastern east coast which is eastern eastern time the last show finishes at midnight if you're in the west coast even better because the last shows is at 9 p.m.

So you end up you finish your workday earlier. But normally, yeah, it's a whole 12, 14 hour day work for when it's that type of tournament. Do you prepare heavily for each of your live hits or is it more of a vibe thing? It depends on the show. It depends on the show because if it's if it's on TUDN or, because their shows are super light so it's more of like vibes and people just want to talk shit about

if you know most of our shows are based in Mexico so it's basically me and or Danny Nora my my co-worker with the USMNT just fighting with the Mexican people that are talking shit about the USMNT and and

but there are some shows that they want they want to like in the main Univision newscast that it's the You know, those newscasts that it's all politics and weather, and then you have like a five-minute, you know, the sports segment, the five-minute sports segment, and you've got to be like super informative. You have like a minute to give like the information of the day.

So, yeah, you have both. What is more relaxing? Because most of the TDN shows are more like nowadays are more like relaxed, more like chit-chat, you give crap to them about Mexico. So they throw it back to you giving crap about the USM&T. And so basically that's about it. So you don't have to do a lot of prep because the prep, you already got it. Like what you saw in training, right?

Yeah. What you spoke with the players on the sit downs one-on-one? So the material just comes to you. But you probably get a little more nervous for the big broadcasts on the Univision. You know what? I get more anxious and nervous like doing this than doing life. TV. I swear to you. And it's because the, I think it's, I'm very self-conscious about the, I'm still about my English and, and sometimes I try and I feel frustrated about, because you have all the

terminology and the way to, to analyze the game in Spanish. And sometimes you don't find the words or the right terminology to explain it or, or put, putting in words what you have in your mind when you have to speak your second or third language. So yeah, I'm very, I'm very anxious. just when I do like these things or when I do work and I work with MLS in English or yesterday that I did the Tom Bogger podcast. Yeah, I'm sweating, almost sweating doing this. You do a better job at English than both of us do. No, no. So because, you know, and this is this part of what you heard in the Tom's podcast, for me, it's been a challenge.

And that's also one of the things that I've learned and that I've, grown in the last two years, especially with the MLS and interacting more with, with MLS people, with Twitter in English, with you guys, trying to be that bilingual and trying to grow as a professional and as a person, because it's giving me the opportunity to meet wonderful people like you guys and interact with you guys. I've noticed now that you do do your social media in English, I didn't think about it because it just felt like, and you do it so naturally, but it's, I hadn't occurred to me that you would possibly be self-conscious about it, but you do a fantastic job.

I noticed, I appreciate it. Thank you. Michele, I noticed you used the word exigente to explain how you are about espresso. Yeah. And that, I looked it up while you were talking. That means demanding. Demanding. Yes. In English, yeah.

See, that's my English failing me. Yeah, you're succeeding magnificently, I would say. You're, you know, you're an immigrant to the USA. You've lived here for a while now. I feel like, you know, soccer aside, this country needs some encouragement. Can you encourage us? And by us, I mean me personally, about my country. About, oof.

It's been, it's been two years, huh? I remember, I remember being in Mexico. I was still living in Mexico when the 2016 election happened. right? Yeah. And I remember I tweeted something or at that time Facebook was still a thing, I believe. And it was like, like, damn, you really did it. U.S., you really did it, man.

You elect that person. You like, you achieve it. Like, this is something else. And but you know what, until you leave it here, it's not something else. is even like a twilight zone. But I will say that I always, man, it's difficult because you want to be super positive, but these two years

have been so rough on everyone. And now, for example, I don't know, how to put it, but I do believe, still believe, that the US is, If it's not, it was, and it can be again the best country in the world. It's a country where people like me are welcome mostly with open arms. And it's sadly that a lot of politicians lately have weaponized the immigrants on their favors and we know those shits like that asshole in Florida.

but I still believe in this country I've had the opportunity is to leave since I came here and I stuck with it and I do believe that we're that the majority is on the good side and me as an immigrant I've always been appreciative

of what this country has done to me what is going to keep doing hopefully when I get married when I have my kids I want them to grow here. I want them to be American because I think that being an American still matters in the world.

I think we obviously can be infinitely better than what we are. And I know that there are more good people than bad people. And we just got to keep fighting the fight. And I think that even if it seemed that with social media and everything else, because we're living in this hamster wheel of social media that we think that the world is ending every five minutes

and that the youth in this country has become dumber and dumber. I don't believe that. I believe that I have the opportunity to travel. For example, I know this country, like even my own Venezuela or Italy. I've been on every city that major league soccer city and most. And when you travel that much and again, you go to a coffee shop, you interact with people, I promise you to everyone that is hearing this. Try to go outside of your bubble.

This is a huge country. I know that things don't look great on TV, on social media, but go outside, try to meet people because the, the imagination. majority of people are good of heart and are out there. You just got to try to look for it and don't get stuck on this hamster wheel again with social media and TV. And I will never give up on this country. Hopefully I can be here for the rest of my life, my family, my kids to grow here.

And yeah, man, I think the U.S. is the best country in the world. and I stand by it and yeah, just go outside, try to open your horizons, meet more people, and don't get stuck of what your side is just feeding you and you're hitting on your, on your very,

um, that side of your story, whichever side you go, right? It doesn't matter. I don't care. I'm not, I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna, I'm not gonna disrespect you and I'm just gonna, and I'm not just, I'm not gonna give up on you and I'm just, I'm not,

I'm not not going to pay attention to you because you think different than me or you're on the other side, like quote unquote the other side. I like to give people chances. Like this country gave me a chance and you guys are giving me a chance to be on your incredible platform. And yeah, man. You were giving us a chance. And the U.S. is, let's go. USA, USA, baby. I still believe. Great. We don't necessarily believe this World Cup, but just in the U.S. in general. No, I know, I know.

I know. And talking World Cups, talking World Cups, this World Cup is going to be growing pains. 2026, baby. We're living that trophy. We could get lucky. We could get lucky in Qatar. We can be lucky, absolutely.

I think, especially if we get out of the group stage, the round of 16 is not looking as critical as, for example, Mexico that will have to face France or something. So we can get lucky. But we got to get better, fast. Let's take a little break. We'll come back and Waki's going to go deep into his Michaelae dossier. We'll talk about why he was born in Italy,

his move to the U.S. and the challenges of that, his support for Lazio, baseball in Venezuela, Carisma Venezuelano, how to find the best espresso in a new city and more. But only for patrons. You can subscribe for as little as $2 a month by clicking on the link in the show notes. You get the full interviews with Jenny Chu and Jimmy Conrad,

plus the patron-only Monday review every week and access to the Discord, which sort of serves as editorial board and intelligence gathering operation for the scuff podcast. Thank you for listening, and unless you're a patron, we'll see ya.