SoccerWise - Groundbreaking NWSL Offseason + Chris Armas (KC)

Episode Date: January 15, 2026

It is the first show of 2026 for Jordan & David and the news is flying across NWSL. They sit down with the new coach of KC Current Chirs Armas to talk about his new role and what he is looking to bring to the team. They also run through the biggest stories across the league from Lindsey Heaps heading home to Denver to San Diego's record trade, and Angel City's rebuild.5:40 Lindsey Heaps Joins Denver Summitt17:55 Sam Coffey Signs In Manchester22:20 NWSLPA Files Grievance On HIP Rule In NWSL27:30 San Diego Trade For Ludmilla While Cascarino Looks To Move33:40 Angel City Rebuild With Emily Sams45:40 Chris Armas Interview

Hey, everybody, welcome back to Soccer Wise, David Goss. And for the first time in 26, Jordan Angeley, alongside me for our big NWSL show, a lot to talk about, a lot to do, Jordan. We've hung out actually since our last show. So in mentally for me, I was like, oh, we've been doing this. We've been talking about NWSL. And then I realized we haven't brought it to the people. Yeah. We hung out in Colorado, which was amazing.

Sky High, Colorado. Yeah, we found a place with excellent gluten-free pancakes. Excellent, yes. Yeah. But I, you know, it's only January 14th, so I still feel like we can still say, Happy New Year. I don't mind that.

I have no, like, what is it? What's the Statue of Limitations on that? Yeah, yeah. And no qualms as well. I think there's, like, a very famous Larry David thing about it, where there's, like, a hard cutoff line of when you can and can't stop saying. I like saying congratulations and happy things to people. Me too.

I'm also notably a belated birthday person. Okay. Like when your birthday pops up on my calendar, I'm excited. Then I realize the next day I never sent to anything. As I remember that, I have to send my sister-in-law, happy birthday from yesterday. So there you go to do that. And I'll just say one thing that does irk me is when people say happy new years, plural. You know what?

What's with the S? It shouldn't be in there, right? It's just a new year. It's a great point. You can use it on New Year's Eve. it's like offside. So we didn't add it to our, you know, things, our New Year's resolutions for 26, but maybe that'll be for 2027 that people just say happy new year, just singular. Just one year. Well, we have a lot to be happy about on this show. We have some massive news to go through,

like one after the other, after the other, and we've got a big guest. We are going to be talking with the new head coach of Kansas City current Chris Armis, someone you know very well. someone I know very well and someone who is now part of the NWSL sphere, which seems weird to say and is going to be a whole mental thing. I said to you before we got on, we're going to talk about Denver. I think of Chris Armist as a coaching Colorado. It's been really hard to keep those two things separate for me over the last 24 to 48 hours as we put this together and planned it. But we're really looking forward to that interviews. That will come at the end of the show.

and we will talk about a lot of the big moves that have happened, a record transfer for Ludmila, a record trade for a defender in Emily Sams, a big transfer coming for Sam Coffey as she heads overseas to Manchester City. And of course, Colorado's own heading home as we find out that Lindsay Heaps is going to be a player for the Denver Summit in their first season in NWSL. So a lot to hit and a lot to talk about,

and we're going to go through all of it as we head towards our interview reminder off the top. The season kicks off on March 13th. So we've got about two months. Preseason rosters are being dropped right now as preseason gets a little bit closer. Training coming up for a lot of the teams. And then they will all travel. We talked a lot about the Coachella Valley Invitational and what that will be for a lot of these teams.

We have Gotham who will have head over to London and play in the, and I wrote it down, so I didn't get it wrong, FIFA Women's Champions Cup. because of that we got news over the last 24 hours that the NWSL Challenge Cup will be moved. So instead of being preseason, it will be in the middle of the season. The report is it might be at a neutral site instead sometime in June. I have to say I love this. I hate All-Star games. I like All-Star festivities.

This is the answer. You do like a high leverage game that you can play in advance at a place so everyone can prepare for it. I wouldn't do it at a neutral site. I would say, like, which champion you want to choose. Maybe this is the shield winner and is a way to like push value of the shield alongside the championship and say every year the shield winner hosts the NWSL Cup champion in the middle of the summer in a big event and we build it out as a whole week. Maybe it's a Wednesday night game and you just do a week of, you know, enjoyment and

activations and all that stuff and maybe you bring players from around the league for events and whatnot. This I'm a fan of. Yeah, I like that. And NWSL people that work in events are like, hmm, should we just take that and run with it? They're either happy about that or they're like, gosh, you just put another thing on our plate. But I like that idea because when we went to MLS All-Star this last year, it is fun, right? The All-Star game itself is not the highlight.

The highlight is all the things around it. Yeah. So this, you could put a game that actually means something. There's a lot on the line. There's money on the line for players for winning it. There's a trophy. but you also can make it into something a little bit bigger. I like what I'd like what you're thinking there.

Yeah. Throw a skills challenge in on Tuesday night before. You can throw an awards dinner in there as well so that Jordan has something to get dressed up for and host. And whatever other events you want to do around that, this is where it should be. So that will be the first set of games, though, is the 13th with no challenge cup, no big game, the week ahead of things. Let's dig into the news that's happening somewhere. what on the field, at least about players who are going to play on the field. And let's start in Colorado. We all saw the video come out. You sat down with Lindsay's parents to help unveil to

them first who would be joining the team and then help unveil to all of us on the outside of the world. What was that experience like? What's the last 48 hours been like as it's finally become public? It does. It feels like it's been a long 48 hours. That day when Denver announced it there was so much everyone was just hyped i think you know whether you are a denver fan or you're a fan of nwsl to have a player like lindsay heaps come back to nwsl there was some real you know just buzz about it and a lot of people texting me i just got a text today from jill boyden about it saying you know this is so great for the league and congratulations it's it was crazy to be a part of this goss because lindsay knew for a while she was you know coming back

And to keep this from your parents, like, one, I am not a good, I'm not a good secret keeper. So if you guys have secrets, do not tell me because they just drive me crazy. And so when she asked me to be a part of this, because I've known Lindsay since she was 15 years old, I was playing professionally, and she was this up-and-coming player with the Colorado Rush that would train with all the pros during the winter, during the off season, because she could keep up with us. She was just, and she craved more. She wanted to get better and challenge herself with all these, Paulo de Piccolo, Colin Warner, myself.

I'm trying to think of all the other people that played. So I've known her forever. So, and her parents know me as well from my time with the U.S. Women's National Team and just being around Colorado. So when she asked me to be a part of this, I was just so honored that I, you know, it's not Lindsay telling her parents. it was me and I couldn't believe that I got to do that and I practiced a lot, Goss, to make sure I said that sentence correctly.

And their reaction was the best. You know, this is, I think it goes down as one of the best announcement videos I've seen just because of the way that they reacted and it was just, I cried like every time I watched it. It's, uh, it's, it's this like wholesome moment, as you said, I wouldn't be able to make the decision without talking to my parents. So that's the part that I find most impressive is that Lindsay was able to figure it out and then hide it from them. Probably helps that she lives in Europe. And so maybe every time they brought it up, she could look away and you don't notice if you're on the phone as much. But it also, I think for me watching, it feels like this is the

point, right? Like you guys all put together this group to build a team so that all of these players could come home. And Lindsay, it, you know, was a pie in the sky. I think for a lot of us from the outside saying like, well, if you're going to set it up, obviously you want Sophia Wilson. Obviously you want Lindsay heaps. Like those are the players you think of first. But it felt like this is the point, right? Is Colorado is a is a hotbed of women's soccer and now players can play at home.

Yeah. Even just talking to Lindsay about it, her, her dream of playing professional soccer. I don't think even her dreams thought that that could be possible playing in her home state for her home. team. You know, she's gotten to represent her country all across the world. She's got to represent some of the biggest clubs all across the world. But to be able to represent something that means so much to you, the place that formed you and shaped you and to do it in front of your parents and your brother and your niece and all those things that I think are really intangible, you could tell

how much that means to her when she's crying in the video, right? And just saying, this is one of the best things I get to gift them. And so it was, it was emotional and it is. It's the point. I hope little girls that are playing at the Colorado Rush or Real Colorado or for the Colorado Rapids now get to come out to games and get to look up and say, oh, Lindsay's from Golden. I'm from there. I can do this. This can be me too one day. Like that is the point. Or the Fort Collins Arsenal. I have to shout them out. They found out, my niece has found out, that Sophia's from Windsor. Yep.

Which is right next door to them, so now they're big Sophia fans. There you go. I like it. Because it's a local. It is, first of all, the Olympic necklace that then therefore shows up

in every photo is such a badass movie. I know. Like, even when you scroll through the roster page, they're the set photos and everyone's kind of the same, except only one person has the Olympic necklace on, which is pretty badass for someone who's won a gold medal.

And she will obviously be the face of this team. won't join on the field for a little while, but this is the player. You build everything around. You've watched her play. You've played with her. You see how this league works. Like, what do you think her impact's going to be like? And how do you think she fits in? It's interesting that you bring up that necklace because I think that's one of the biggest things, right? She's a winner. Think of everywhere she's been, Goss. Everywhere she's been, she's won. And she's found out a way to win trophies at the clubs, at the, with the teams that she's at. So that's a huge thing, especially when you're building something from scratch,

you need to have players who have proven that they can be leaders and they have that drive internally to want to be the best. And so she's going to bring that on the field. I think you're going to see, I have a feeling this is going to unlock joy that from Lindsay Horan that we, or see, Lindsay Heaps. that maybe we haven't seen in a while to be able to say like, hey, we're building this. This is about my, you know, I get to be a part of something bigger than myself here at home.

The joy that I think we're going to see her play in that 10 position, connecting the defense to the offense and being that transition piece, I think that's going to be the big role in her leadership there throughout when she comes into the squad in June. it's really exciting i think one just the quality of player and as you said experience in what she brings but she's a great finisher in transition as a second runner into the box you're playing at altitude against teams that are traveling in that's not a bad spot to be in she's a lead on set pieces so even in games where you struggle you're always going to be dangerous because you know that that's an option you have and i think as you said i think the game will be open in a way here you know leone so

often plays against set defenses. And then at the highest Champions League level, I think games are a little tight, where what we hear about NWSL is how transitional is and how big it is, where you can start to see her take players 1 v.1 and open up space and beat players centrally, which she does a lot with the U.S. women's national team, which I think transfers over. And those are game-breaking moments where for an expansion team, that's always like the hardest part is, okay, can you get cohesive, can you get set, can you be hard to play against, can you be good defensively?

special moments are hard because it's hard to have enough team chemistry to have buildups consistently that break defenses down. So then you're looking to individual players for those moments. And there are a handful of players on the planet who are individual players that can have those moments. Lindsay's one of them, though. And so that feels like the huge benefit you're going to get with her. I could see her role on the field being a little bit bigger than it has been with other teams. more of like a Kenza-Dali role. And what we saw Kenza doing this last year with San Diego, where she really got to rule the

roost, right, do whatever she wanted and make that midfield click. And so I could see that as a way that she could really impact this Denver team once she gets here. But it will be a full roster, of course, on the field. And it's one that we're learning a lot about every single day as players get announced. And then as we said, Lindsay will join in the summer after. after the Leone season. So there will be a little bit of time before she gets there.

Big announcements, Emma Reagan joining, captain of AFC Toronto, a Canadian international and midfield, Jasmine Akey, who just won the Herman Mack trophy this week. So congratulations to her. Stanford graduate, 43 goals, 29 assists across 90 college appearances. 21 goals and 11 assists this year on the way to a college cup final that they lost to Florida State. to put that in context for you. That's more career goals than Sophia Smith at the time.

And she's the first Stanford player to win a Macs since Cat Macario. Not bad company to be in. Not bad company. Coming into the league. Sonis signing from Louisville returning to Colorado. Carson Pickett has signed with this team. And we'd already talked before we went away for the break. Kaylee Kurtz, Ali Watt, Megan Reed.

So it feels like there's a lot of experience in this team, a lot of young attacking talent that could pop. And it feels like we're starting to see the formula come together. It's been interesting watching both Boston and Denver build in the offseason. I know I saw earlier today Boston announcing what looks like all 26 players. I can't remember if it was 26 or 23 that they put out on a roster earlier today as part of their preseason camp. It seems to me, Goss, from an outsider looking in, just different ways to build these teams. Also, Boston had a whole other year to build their team than this Denver side, right? So it's interesting to see maybe their recruitment was a little different knowing that they had that extra time to really look at a plethora of players.

But both teams are coming together and it feels like this Denver team is moving in the right direction. We talked about Lindsay being a winner. Carson Pickett is a winner. One that trophy with Orlando just last year, two trophies with Orlando. You bring in Janine Sonas as one in Olympics with Canada. So some real talent, but players that understand what it takes to not just perform in this league, but on big stages and places where you're going to need leadership in a year where everything is fresh and new. Yeah, I think Nichelle Prince, the final piece for Boston, as we saw announced earlier today. I like that pick up a really good addition for them, but is different from most of them, which has been international editions. Players who have not played in NWSL before or haven't played in a little while, as you said, they had two years to sort of go out and do their scouting and their coach and their sporting director come from that background. We're on the flip side. It feels like Denver has leaned into the NWSL experience. on a little side note that I think that's going to be fun for Boston.

It might be interesting at start, right? Because it is such a different amount of players or different set of players. But I think it's going to add a vibrancy to this league that we haven't seen with just so many new fresh faces. To me, the best comp is San Diego last year. Okay. Where it was a lot of international players that were leaned on as the stars. I think you could look to Utah as well, who after they made the initial,

we're only going to sign BYU and Utah players, overcorrected in the other direction and said, we're only going to sign players who have never played in this league. But also both of those are different because they were existing teams. Like this is all brand new and a fresh start. And so building that culture is going to be completely different for Boston. But I agree with you. And there's a chance that a lot of this is really fun.

Yeah. And they're going to learn a lot quickly. And also they're going to be in. unknown. They're going to be hard to play against early in the season. And if they're able to get some results early, then the confidence starts to come and it's something you can play off of going forward. Let's talk about some of these other big pieces of news before we get to Chris Armis. Let's start with Sam Coffey. That's like, huge. Shattering news coming out of everywhere, leaving the Portland Thorns, signing with Manchester City. The reports are that the fee is somewhere

around $850,000 for her transfer. And then we got the news actually today that she has signed a contract through 2029 to play at Manchester City. So it's one of, I mean, it's obviously a staple player, the cornerstone for Portland. It also now goes into a line of what's happening with NWSL, what's the future of this league, how many players are going to play in it, and all of that, which we can have that conversation as well. But from an on-field point of view, this is huge for Portland. It's huge for Sam Coffey, and it's huge for the U.S. women's national team. Because she, I think, is one of the first two or three names on that list, on that sheet.

I listened to Sam Coffey talked to Sam U.S. a few weeks ago when a lot of the attention was on Trinity Rodman and is she going to leave. And Sam was coffee, I should say, was talking about how going to play abroad, it just adds another tool to your toolkit, right, to your arsenal. I think she used, which she might not be able to use that term anymore now that she's playing in WSL. But I think for her, we have seen her carry this Portland team. Gosh, there were times in this last year where she really carried them. Things weren't going well, and it was one or two plays from Sam Coffey that quickly turned the tide for Portland getting points out of games. I can remember being on the call for a couple of them.

And for her, knowing that she has that in her and saying, okay, I need something different. I need to do something that maybe she's always wanted. wanted to do, dreamt of doing, going to play abroad. I think it's awesome for her. And the opportunities that she's going to have are just different in Manchester. And so I think it's a huge signing for her. But I'm bummed about Portland.

Yeah. I'm bummed because I was very excited to see this team healthy with a new coach. But we don't know who it's going to be. There will be a new coach. That's a guarantee. Yeah. Who that coach is, we have no idea. Her back with the players in front of her.

like a Sophia Wilson back on the field, hopefully a Morgan Weaver, back on the field. At some point, Kaya Hanks, you know, these players that I think could really add a punch to a Portland team who, you know, prove that they were really going to fight and battle and scrap and find ways to get into the playoffs and win playoff games. So that's a big piece to lose, a big leadership piece, the heartbeat of this team, after a year where they lost a lot of veterans now to lose Sam Coffey. in this off season. It'll be interesting to see how they plug what is a very big hole.

I feel safe in saying Sam Coffey's one of the 10 best players in the world. I think you could get a debate that she's one of the five best. I think she's the best defensive midfielder in the world and does things outside of just a defensive midfielder that affects the game, which has grown over the last two years. And I think to your point, you saw a lot of it this year. turns up, you know, on the half turn, goes up field, breaks lines with their dribbling, getting a little bit closer to goal being a part of the attack. That's a massive loss for any team.

And the weirdest part it felt like was, and I guess this is not true, is it felt like she got through the toughest part of like Sophia didn't play last year. They fire their coach. They have all the injuries. They have a lot of their retirements coming into the year. It felt like less unknown for Portland now, even without. coach than there was a year ago. Yeah.

In having Sam Coffey leave now, that throws, I think, the team back into a bit of turmoil and from the outside gives you a sign, like, that's maybe not true. That if Sam Coffey thought they could win a championship, maybe she wouldn't have left. Or what she said to Sam U.S. and what she's talked about, maybe none of it would have mattered, that this is a life experience she wants to have. Yeah. And if you're going to do it, you don't do it the year of a World Cup. Like, you have to establish yourself and make sure you're playing.

So now is the time to do it if that's what she decides. And I think from seeing her game expand over the last two years, I'm excited to see it continue to go. And she's going to have some insane partnerships in the midfield for Manchester City. And I think, unfortunately, and we could talk about the hip rule and all of this, part of the problem is she isn't talked about in the way I just said because she played for Portland and because she plays. Well, and she's a defensive midfielder. And the position she plays.

So would she have even been a hip player? Yeah. But now I bet you, after she performs in WSL the way I expect in Champions League and all of that, that she's going to end up on the top 15 of Ball and Door and Guardian lists and all that type of stuff, which we can talk about here because, you know, on the one hand, Lindsay Heaps comes back to NWSL. On the other hand, Sam Coffey leaves. And then right before we came on to record this, we got the news that the NWSLPA has filed a grievance against the league, saying that the high impact performer rule,

aka known as the HIPP rule, should not be allowed under the CBA. That it's a rule set up by the league outside of the style and jurisdiction of what the CBA set forward. And it was done so without the conversation with the NWSLPA. So now this grievance has been filed against the league and we don't know where this will end or what it will lead to. This seemed pretty obvious coming from my point of view,

which was the NWSLPA has said, add a million dollars to salary cap. We're happy to do that. If you want to spend more money and you want to spend money on these players, here's a mechanism to do it. The league, it seems like, has done everything they can to not do that. So it's not shocking that it ends in a situation where they're at a disagreement. The problem here is, as this drags on,

how do you find the rules to sign the players who would be eligible under whatever rule comes forward because Trinney Rodman's contract has already been voided by the league in the attempt Washington originally made to re-sign her. So it leaves us all in a little bit of chaos in a pretty big moment of the offseason. Yeah, like camp starts for teams in the next couple of days. It's a huge moment, right? And everybody still, you know, I know there was a big talk when the U.S. roster dropped, and Trinity Rodman's name was followed by unattached. You know, that that's someone that I think by this point, she would like to know where she's playing to.

Right. So she can figure out, you know, how to wrap her mind around that and be the best player that she can be. So yeah, it feels like I know they've been working hard on this. It just, it feels like, man, this should have been something settled a long time ago and got into the place where we can move forward. But it doesn't, it feels like it's at a stalemate right now. Yeah. And I mean, all of it's really unfortunate. I think it seems pretty obvious to just raise the salary cap. Then you can go spend the money on the players, whatever you want. I think we talked about it when the hip rule came out.

I think it's pretty wild to take the valuation of players out of the hands of the people you pay to be experts in that, which has always been the weirdest part about this whole thing. This is a hard thing about just adding a million, right? Then you add 16 million of salary caps. across the league. So it's $16 more million. With this other player, like with the other proposed rule, it's basically saying if you can pay for it, you can do it. So it goes from being a league-wide, the league has to find $16 million more dollars to if you're an owner of Utah Royals and you have a player you want to pay for, you can play for the player. So I think that that is, to me, that's where the real Yeah, this is, and this is, my guess is, as every sports league is, this is a commissioner that has owners who are in different pools.

And some owners want to be, quote unquote, protected from having to spend money. Correct. And other owners want to be open to spending money. And I cover Major League Soccer fairly consistently. You've got an owner in Miami who's spending $25 million because he can on players that maybe aren't worth it because there are stupid rules he has to operate within. And then you've got, you know, owners in Colorado and in Vancouver who are spending $1.2 million across the board. Yeah. And this is the nature of a sports league and how it always works.

I think the NWSLPA is doing the right thing, which is there's an opening and there's a wedge. Can we get the higher spending owners to push the other owners over the line and make this money available for everyone, which also from a roster building point of view, I think we should all want to see because maybe some teams say we wouldn't spend. a million on one player, but we would spread it across four players and now we're bringing in higher quality players across the board, or we can resign players. Because one of the things we're talking about here

is like, Emily Sams is moving, and Ludmila is moving. It's just a lot of movement. And if we're saying NWSL is the best league in the world, then the clubs, I think, should be able to, like, build courts. But a lot of that comes with the salary. You can provide those players

and the ability to resign them, is a whole other conversation. But let's talk about some of these other moves. Let's start with San Diego. Ludmila brought in on a record 800,000 intra-league transfer funds, 10 goals last year with Chicago, the Brazilian now who joined about a year and a half ago, mid-season coming out of the Olympics,

now moves over to San Diego. This comes in the context of reports that Delphine Cascarino could be heading to London City Lionesses, entering the final year of her contract. So if you're San Diego and she's not going to stay and you want to get something for her, you would probably have to move her along right now. And of course, London City, the team that's owned by Michelle Kang, which as is Lindsay Heaps's squad. So one comes in, one goes out potentially in this sphere of NWSL.

But this is huge stuff. what's your initial reaction of these two pieces of news the move San Diego made and how Lumila would fit? I think she'd fit really well with this group because they create a lot in the channel, but they don't finish a ton. And so now if you have Lujmila as a center forward and then you can push Adjana Leon to a wing position with or without Cascarino, right? You still have Kimiaskanio running centrally.

Barsenas just re-sign and I think we're just like seeing the smallest piece of what Melanie Barsanis can do and you know she was hurt for the majority of this last season. So I think they have a lot of key pieces and there are things that are going to look different from this for this San Diego team really different. You know, I think one of the things for them when they're thinking of a Cascarino is like can we get something out of her in a trade because we or selling her because they didn't get anything for Cailon Sheridan. Yeah. And that is wild to me. One of the best goalkeepers in the league, just they mutually decide to part ways, which is crazy, crazy, crazy.

So you would need to get something out of a player like Delphine Cascarino if you let her go to London and not let her contract expire. I think losing Hannah Lindquist is going to be difficult. I'm going to be really happy not to try to say her name every single game because it's so hard for me to say. I say it differently every single time. So who's going to play in that outside back position with that real attacking mindset? It's going to look different, but I think with some of the pieces that they have, centrally keeping Kenzadali, Lujmila is a handful. I think she's one of the hardest players to play against,

maybe the hardest player to play against in this league, right up there with Shawinga. And with other players around her, I think she's going to really hit the ground run. with San Diego. It's interesting. I, that's an interesting way to phrase it because I think, I think Delphine Cascarino is a better soccer player than Ludmila. And I think Ludmila could be more useful to San Diego this year than Cascarino is. I think San Diego can create chances like you said, whether it's via their system or their other players, which is what Cascarino's best at. And the

thing they're lacking is the thing you mentioned with Ludmila is the ability to put those goals away. And then her flexibility, like can play out on the wing, can play Central, which gives you depth in a way that maybe you don't have because now you only need a backup at each of those spots because Ludmila can fill in wherever you need to on those other ones. The sticker shock on the number, though, hit me when it came out, which is like, that's a lot for a player who hasn't been the best player on a good team ever in NWSL. and some of that's really tough the context to get out of what was Chicago, what was expected of her, what could she do, is 10 goals in a year that Chicago had last year actually unbelievable? Is that, should that be compared to 17 or 18 on another team? All that part's the really hard part to put in context. But if you flip Delphine Cascarino now because you have to for some money that equals close to whatever that 800,000 is,

then it starts to make more sense where this is your fill in here. and I agree with you in that all the other pieces set up centrally what they have, the other young attackers, you go Mel Barcenas, I'll go Giacorli as we always do. But all of them can create chances for a player like Lude Miller. Yeah. So there's a lot to like. I guess what's frustrating is as you come out of a year like that with San Diego, the hope is, okay, here's the base.

How do you grow? And while I think they probably get better this way, it's not the, same as if they just added Ludhila to a team with Delphine Cascarino. That would be really, really nice to do. And I think that's sort of the opening. One other name to mention Savannah McCaskill that they traded to Gotham for about $175,000 in whatever the funds are. I don't like to break them out and have to understand what all the different funds are,

which Savannah McCaskill was a huge part of the way this team played. She picked up injuries as the year went along, became less central to them. I think they proved they could play without her. I love the pickup for Gotham. Yeah. I think she brings a lot of what they've lost in some of the experience in central areas and just high soccer IQ, which can fit into what one Carlos Ambrose does. But Sheridan, Lindquist, and Macaskill, and then potentially Cascarito are four huge losses for a team that re-found their feet for parts of last year.

I agree. And the move for McCaskill, she goes back to, she started her career at SkyBlue, goes back to Godham. It's a great pickup for Gotham. Where does she fit in that midfield? Yeah. Good question. But if she played like she did at the beginning of this year after, you know, coming back from the injury that she had at the end of the year,

there's no way you can keep Savannah McCaskill off the field. She's just, she was playing so well to start the year for San Diego. And I hope that she hits the ground running like that with Gotham because, man, she was just a menace in the midfields. It's going to be a big loss for San Diego. but maybe even a bigger pickup for Gotham. Let's stay in California and let's talk Angel City while we were off gallivanting on vacation wherever we chose to do that.

Emily Sams was traded to Angel City for $650,000 in intra-league transfer funds across all the stuff, which is the record for Defender. It's one of the highest numbers ever for any player inside of NWSL. There's a lot of different angles to talk about in this. Orlando's, hers, and the Angel Cities. Let's start with Orlando, and we got this quote from Seb Hines, who said, Emily requested the opportunity to consider other options, and while she will be missed, we pride ourselves on being a club that supports players,

personal ambitions, or choices on and off the field. She leaves a lasting legacy in Orlando, and we are grateful for all that she's done for the club, and our community. We wish her nothing but success as she begins this next chapter of her career. Defender of the year and Best 11 two seasons ago in which this team set a ton of records. They won the Shield. They won their first ever playoff game on the way to winning their first championship. As she worked her way into the U.S. Women's National team was in the roster and an alternate in winning a gold medal at the 2024 Olympics.

And then this year was still fairly central to what Orlando did. not always playing Central, has had trouble. It feels like breaking into Emma Hayes' group fully and then finishes off losing at home in the semifinals in the shot to try and repeat for a championship. So clearly requesting this move. And I think for Orlando, as bad as this is, it's probably the one position they have depth in. If you assume that Kylie Daner comes back and is available, you also look at what they got from Chivoshi last year.

And I think her ability to elevate and play, which was always an idea. And of course, Hafeela, who rejoined last year after being out most of the year in which they made their championship run. She's as good a defender as there is, but there's also maybe the one spot they could do this at.

Yeah, they had four great centerbacks. I think the difficulty now is you have three, but Nadanner's out with, She's pregnant. So she will be out for, I don't know when she's due. I'm not sure if that was. So she could be out the whole entire year. You have Hafeeli.

Agree. I think she's one of the best centerbacks that has played in a long time. The issue is she's not always healthy. Yep. And so can you rely on her in Shavoshi or, you know, what's now? Now you're thinking about this piece of your puzzle where you had depth and now the depth is gone. and when Hafeeli or if Hafeeli, I don't want to say when, if there is a time where she can't play a couple of the games,

who's that next player up? So I think that's going to be the difficult part for Orlando. But it seemed to me when I saw everything from Emily Sams, it was just about a new challenge. And it does feel like it's a new challenge at Angel City. With Alexander Strauss coming in, he is detail-oriented with how he wants to play. Gus and I think it was difficult for him to come into the middle of the year and try to

implement all the things that he wanted to do. Now Strauss is a guy who wants to play out of the back. He wants to have ball playing centerbacks. We saw the evolution of Sarah Gordon just within those four months underneath him. So now you have two ball playing centerbacks. I guess Sam's plays as a left center back because I think Sarah Gordon, you got to keep her on the right side. So that'll be interesting how those two work for each other or even with the inclusion. of hopefully Savvy King at some point during this year, is this a team who operates out of a three-back with Sam's at the center of that, and Gordon and King as the two outside centerbacks with the ability to get forward

in those internal channels a little bit off. Which would fit both of them very well. Yeah. Yeah. I think on the Sam's side of things, I've never spoken to her, but she went to high school in Florida. She went to college in Florida.

She played for Orlando. I think that's a life operative. And then on the other side, I think one of the reasons, Tara Mikion, now Tara Rudd. I was going to say new last name because I do not know everybody's new last names yet. I know. This is the hardest part of the year. I think Rudd now. I think one of the reasons besides how well she's played that she's elevated into the national team picture consistently is the style Washington plays with, which Orlando does it.

And now, as you said, Angel City wants to play that way. Emily Sam's going to be pushed as a player. She's going to have new responsibility. she's going to be outside her comfort zone, which is where a lot of players grow. Not every player, but some. And then the responsibility of the style and what she can show that she's capable of in that, which I think all of that makes sense. And I think there were question marks if everyone's healthy,

she wasn't always playing at centerback because it wasn't always best for the team and all of that, which you just take all those question marks away. And I love what this means for Angel City. like the way they've rebuilt this spine or built it, I guess rebuilt's a bad word to use for a team that hasn't won a playoff game ever. And Emily Sam's a no-brainer for every team out the gate. I love what Sarah Gordon brought. You remember that last year they closed the year acquiring Hina Sagita in a trade

and Neely Martin, who they acquired in a trade with the assumption they were going to sign her as a free agent. And now she has signed her contract extension. And then they went out and they brought in Ari Borgis. like that and then Riley Turenan has signed a contract extension after her what should have been rookie of the year campaign last season that tells you how I would have voted that is up the spine the strength of a team that is a really impressive group and it feels like a lot of them are going to be on a similar soccer brain and it's the best group we've ever seen for Angel City yeah that point right there which is shocking right going into year four

year four, that shocks you because this should be a marquee place to go play. And maybe that's what it'll turn into. And maybe that's what this new shift is, new head coach, Mark Parsons at the helm of figuring out how all these pieces go together as a general manager. And this is the hope for this Angel City team that maybe this can be the start of something really great. And I think when you do that, just kind of like we were talking about Denver at the beginning, Goss, is you have to bring in players who know what it take to win. They did that with Neely Martin. They did that with Hina Sagita. Now they're doing it with Emily Sams. So you're adding a

level of consistency to a group, of grit, of tenacity, and just the mentality of these players who have won championships and knows what it takes to go throughout the whole season with a level of consistency. I think it's going to be really good for this Angel City group. The honest daughter, I thought was impressive to close the year. Giselle Thompson has come on and leaps and bounds. I think she was excellent. Hopefully she'll continue to play because Endo's back. Like this group has some really good players.

And that really good player, though, I think the part that's been tough is it feels like for weeks at a time the games relied on Kennedy Fuller. Or when Endo's been close from returning from injury, it's like, oh, here's the chance. Here's the opening where now that. they can be part of a group where they don't have to carry the game. And I think it's going to get a lot easier for a lot of those players. And the potential for this team is really, really high. I think right now in my book, it looks like the biggest jump.

Like of all the teams that are trying to make moves, and I think I like some of what Houston's done. And I think Houston probably had more, less work to do because they felt like they've done a lot of it. And it's about cohesion. But it feels like this group could take a really, really big jump. They traded earlier today, Macy Hodge to Louisville. I like that move for everyone involved. There's probably not as many minutes in this team.

I like Macy Hodge when she covers ground and makes the game. You could pick a Louisville player and put them in a soccer player body. It's Macy Hodge. Exactly. So I love that pickup. And then Angel City have picked up a couple of players from college. Taylor Suarez from FSU, Karina Ligere from Duke and Carson Cherry,

where now that's your depth, though these players will get a chance to prove themselves, but the game, as I said, is not going to be reliant on them. So a really big offseason so far for Angel City, and we'll see how it continues going. On the Orlando side of things, they've brought Haley Mason to help fill in a little bit for the loss of Emily Sams, and they've done so under Caitlin Carducci,

who has been named the new general manager and sporting director for this club after holding the same role. Everyone has a different title, so I'm going to ignore that part, with the KC. Current over the last few years and replacing Haley Carter, who moved from Orlando to Washington. These are all people who have built good teams. So it feels like for Orlando, this was like, I think for all of us from the outside, it was like, oh, Caitlin Curry, she's going to be the new GM, the moment Haley Carter announced leaving, and that is what ended up happening.

So it feels like a pretty good end for Orlando, at least, in that scenario. And then a couple of other big news pieces. is Kaylin Sheridan, who you talked about, let go from San Diego, our mutual termination, has joined North Carolina. Nerumi has been traded from Washington to Utah, and Washington has signed Canadian defender Elizabeth Tsay

from France as well. Those would have been all things we would have started a show with in a normal week or a normal two weeks, but it's been absolutely insane in NWSL over the last. few weeks with all of these moves. And then one of the big ones as we get ready to bring Chris Armis on the show is the Casey Kern. We talked about Flacko stepping up into the front office and off the field.

And then we got the news, Jordan, that Chris Armis is going to be the one that takes over as the head coach. You worked around Chris a little bit in Colorado as you covered the team. And he was the head coach for the Rapids and, of course, covering MLS for all the years you do. I've covered him for a while. I actually watched him play when I was in elementary school. on Long Island, because he is from Long Island as well.

This is an out-of-the-box move a little bit. What do you make of it and sort of how it came about? I think it could actually be a really good move for this Kansas City team because a lot of people have talked about the other side of things. It just kind of came out of the blue. But getting to know Chris Armis and his style of play when he was here with Colorado, this guy is an awesome human. great man, so intentional in the way that he does things, which I think fits in really well with

NWSL. And his stylist's play is pretty direct. It's pretty high pressing. It's trying to win the ball back high on the field. And what does that sound like to you? I mean, that is Kansas City in a lot of the things that they do, quick transitions going not over the top, but through lines as quickly as possible winning the ball back high in the field, the intensity, the high pressure. I think a lot of those things fit well with what Kansas City has already been doing. It is going to be a big season for Kansas City. They set the points record last year. They said every record did not win the championship.

And now they're looking to do so under a new head coach who we are lucky enough to welcome to the show in Chris Armis. David Goss, Jordan Angeli here with the newest head coach for the KC current, but someone we know very well from a long time. covering all the teams that he's worked with, played with, and everything else in between. The one and only Chris Armist. Chris, thanks for joining us. And equally, thanks for having me. I really jumped at the opportunity to get on with you both, so it'll be good to reconnect,

but thanks for having me. So let's start with this. What has the last two months of your life been like? And how do we find ourselves here? Well, try to zip through it. You know, quite honestly, the night before I was leaving to get on the flight to come to Kansas City, which was about a week and a half ago, I said to my wife, Hun, I, here we go. I'm like, I'm moving away, saying goodbye to my kids who are 21 and 24 now.

But I thought, I said, hon, I think I need another two to four weeks. That's what I, because I didn't feel like I had an offseason, emotionally even. You know, the rapid season ended. it was a long, long negotiation that just, that kind of didn't, didn't, you know, these things sometimes don't go all the way through. And then I get back and, you know, get home while things are still in the balance, but then it's not going to happen. So then it's, all right, what's the next opportunity? So now in my mind, it's like, all right, talking through things to my wife, getting on Zoom calls, a couple of interview type things like this to just gauge interest with some different things. Outside of MLS in the league at different clubs.

And nothing felt quite right. But as that's going on, because those things come and then they go, and then you ponder a little bit, I had a, I had been putting off a hip surgery for a long time. So December 8th, I had a total hip replacement on my right hip, which I'm like, you know, every offseason, I try to find an excuse to not do it. But I've been in so much pain for a few years. Then when you have a hip replacement, it's not like you just go for dental visit. You know, you've got to go pre-churgical testing.

It's like all these days, honestly, that lead up to it. And then all of a sudden conversations with the KC current start happening actually mid-November, which I'll get back to that quickly. But while that's going on now, it's imagine mid-November, this starts to feel really good, these conversations. I have a hip surgery coming up. Oh, my God, if I take, if I get this job, am I going to, how can I even travel? It's all going on. And then it's, my wife wants to, the Christmas lights and Christmas trees up and it's madness going on. But if I back up a second, while this was all going on, Jesse Marsh had called me and they just,

I think we all know Jesse, but, you know, he's a friend of mine and a coach at the moment, Canada national team on the men's. side he says look Chris I something came up I know the one of the owners for the KC current went to Princeton University with him Chris Long we talked about some some different roles with our team and different interest and my name Jesse says listen I think you be really worthwhile if you talk to Chris Armist that's the name I think whatever and that was really it I said Jesse yeah I'm definitely interested you know and he's like okay great bang I felt like the very next day, my phone rang, and then I'm on a Zoom call right away,

and the next day on a Zoom call, then I'm meeting with Vladko and right away on a Zoom and the other owner, Angie Long, anyhow, it just moved quickly. Yeah. I store it a little bit. My surgery is coming up December 8th. I have to now get back to Denver, move out of my apartment. On the way back from that trip, stop in Kansas City, meet them in person, blow out. blah blah. This is now like the fourth.

And I'm like, I'm telling my my surgeon, am I allowed to travel a day before surgery? I don't need any blood clots here. Like I'm trying to time is going. And it took me, I got back to New York on December 6th, had surgery on the 8th. And honestly, then when you have a surgery, you're trying to get back from it all physically. I'm doing at-home PT.

And then I came out here again, whatever week and a half ago. So it was honestly a whirlwind, but I had to wrap my mind quickly about getting back into the job. How good do I feel about this job, sizing this up? And then it felt good from the beginning, though, if I'm being honest. Why? Chris, like, why did it feel good from the beginning? When Jesse came to you with a team in

NWSL, why were you like, yeah, I'm interested. What made it feel that way from the beginning to you? Well, Jordan, listen, I'll tell you the truth here. Um, In this off season, I said, you know, to my wife, listen to this business is just crazy. Like, if we just walk through some of the journey, like, you find, I mean, in Red Bulls, I think we did some good work, but they were going to bring in a German coach. I didn't know that at the time with it. And I got let go at three wins, four losses in a COVID season. How should that be? We just made the playoffs.

We won the sport. So we won the sport. It's like two years ago. It's okay. That's what the decision. Go to Toronto on a three-year contract. in, again, 12, 13 games during COVID in a bubble, no home games, or making them move.

All right. But then I'm in Manchester United. And this is a crazy journey. And then I'm like, all right, for the first time now, I took a team that was having a tough time when I got there, and we became a playoff team. I think 60, 62 out of 68 match days, we were in a playoff position from a team that honestly

was having a hard time when I got there. And at all levels, we made something good. And oh, by the way, for the first time I got offered an extension, I'm going to be here. And that felt good to me, honestly, even from my professional career standpoint. And then that falls through because of a negotiation. Come on. And I said to my wife, Han, like, I'm open for anything, anything that I can feel good about the work. And then I start talking about TV.

I'm like, I don't know. Am I going to be excited every day to do this? Maybe. Let me start. I didn't ask any of those questions yet, but it was open to anything. And I was going to tell you this, to be honest, I applied for the Penn State men's soccer opened up. And I said, you know what?

I've coached a women's team at a Delphi University. I've coached a college level. I really enjoyed that. College level. Could I, could that be something? Big, big university, big resources. And it would have, it just happened to be the men's program. But if it was something relatively local on that women's side,

I might have, it was, talks with some MLS teams and assistant coaches, to his USL championship things that I entertained. So I was on the hunt for something meaningful. Yeah. And when that phone call came for the very first conversation, the way I was made to feel, the type of how, the situation what I felt was going on in Kansas City,

some questions that I asked, the standards at which things were being done, the first time I'd be stepping into a situation that was like really this doesn't need an overhaul this needs a fine-tuning success in many ways going on to challenge myself in this way but i got a sense that something special was brewing here high high standards with everything that they did from resources to fan base to the team the style of play everything i felt had an excellence in mind and that was from my conversations and i said you know that's really interesting to me to be part of something

And especially with good people involved, strong culture from day one. And that's what made me feel like this could be something I'd like to be part of. You mentioned in there sort of the wild track that you've gone through. You've worked in three different countries. And you've worked across multiple different leagues. But now it's something completely new in NWSL. So talk to us a little bit about your view on the league, your background with the league and sort of what maybe you've learned from how to pick things up quickly as you've

moved countries and leagues in the past and what you have to do to then to step into this role. Yeah, listen, you know, with the NWSL, my experience in the women's game comes certain years, three years in the women's game in college, but now it's years later. And any time the playoffs were on, championship games are on end up, then I'm tuned in. It's on national TV. I'm tuning in. These types of games in my household, we're tuning in. And it was always following the women's national team and even Vladko, like, rooting from afar.

You know, I think you find some of us in this sport, we're part of this country. We support our national teams. So I'm always rooting and hardened. My era of Mia Hamm and that crew, you know, we were big time supporters of each other. So the NWSL specifically, I couldn't tell you formations and systems and what it was looking like. Because any day off that I had, I'm working seven hours to get my Colorado Rapids team going. But as soon as this became of interest, I downloaded lots of games. I was cutting footage, getting to know, so, whoa, this is really interesting that tactically,

I have to learn a lot about what this league, what it's looking like. but it looked like a lot of fun to potentially be part of. So I would have just a learning curve of the team and the roster, start all over again with that, but then the league itself, as I was just getting really comfortable in the Western Conference in MLS. So no problem. I mean, that's just as, that requires, you know, putting the head down

and just getting to know that, not by asking questions, by just watching the teams play. Is it high press? Is it mid-block? Is it low-block? Is it transition? set pieces, what does that look like? No problem. But to answer the part about three countries, you know, this part of it, what hasn't changed in all the different spots is leadership won't change from my end, how I deal with the people, how players want to be made to feel, how can you coach the individual, tactics, my system and style of play, I mean, in possession and out of possession, that's not going to change. It never has. if I'm working with Michael Bradley and Josie Altador all of a sudden,

there's certain things that I can now put on their plate. They can handle a certain amount of this. These are top, some of the best we've produced in this country. Colorado Rapids, I'm dealing with a lot of young players and youth development, again, because I did it with the Red Bulls. All right, so it's going to take certain IDPs and this type of. But from the skill set of a man. manager and a coach and having a style of play, that was going to be, all right, here we go again.

Each time now I put together a presentation for myself, update my principles of play, it always seems to change a little bit because I learned from my assistance a lot. Chris Little in Colorado spoke a lot about the game a certain way, and he a lot of times dealing with some of the attacking phase and say, all right, let me take my principle out and add that one because that's kind of what I adopted along the way. So it was just about fine-tuning and then how can this be poured into my new team and in this league? And I think there's tweets, not big changes because actually the KC. Current plays with intensity. They play with pressing. They play with many, many things that translate. And it was another big reason why the job interested me.

Yeah. I feel like it fits really well to how you like to play. But, Chris, a lot of people don't know you, like Austin and I know you. Like, we've both gotten to watch you very closely over the years. If you had to describe your style of play, I know you use some keywords right there that you like to implement. How would you describe your style of play? How would you describe your coaching style when it comes to individual player development or how you like to lead a team? I'm going to try to do this, like, almost in an elevator pitch, like, it's not going to take me that. long. How quickly can I do this for you?

We pushed four ten. All right. Well, so it might be like I get off the elevator, walk the next building and get one more try. You had two different parts. First, for me, there is a coaching philosophy. Forget a tactic, like in possession, at a position. My coaching philosophy is one to have a way. Like, I'm a teacher. What am I teaching? Math teacher, English teacher. So my first part is my identity. having a way. Then, and I'll talk about that way next, and the next elevator, but the next is coaching the individual. My coaching philosophy is to get the most out of Jordan Angeli. How every single day that we show up, how can we help you grow tactically, technically with video. Then how that

fits into the team tactics, coaching the team. That's my coaching philosophy, right? Coaching individual, how fits in the team. And then lastly, probably most importantly, coaching philosophy. You come into my classroom, I want you to feel safe. And then put it in an environment that everything can happen. Because you can get all that other stuff right. Then you create a fearful environment. I don't think it goes anywhere. So my coaching philosophy is having a way, coaching individuals, coach a team,

put it in an environment that people feel safe, that they can learn and grow. That's my coaching philosophy. My style of play revolves around intensity and a team-first mentality. You can't play my football if it's, what's good for me. So it's team first and that mentality of intensity, right? And now, how does that look in the phases? What does intensity look like in the soccer game and my football ideas? It's an attacking, so in the attacking phase, it's this intensity with an emphasis on tempo and verticality. So in the attacking phase, it's tempo and verticality. That's where the

intensity shows up and out of possession, it's an emphasis on pressing and counterpressing. And then the transitions, it's vertical when we win the ball, it's quick reactions when we lose the ball. That's it. So that's my football philosophy revolves around intensity and team first approach. I think we just hit the 10th floor. That's pretty good elevator pitch. And it helps having an MVP in Temwisha Wingo who thrives in verticality and attacking in transition and a lot of the other pieces. You said it. You know, me and Jordan talked about this before you came on.

Like, it makes a lot of sense. From a soccer point of view, we get it. We see it. From your inside all of that. And whether it's game model or the coaching philosophy, all of that, what do you feel has to tweak as you come to Casey Kern? Or, you know, how does it shift going from one league to another? Well, I will be better able to answer the second part of your question,

maybe three months into the job. Like what is really translating? What is not? What have I had to modify? But again, because I have analyzed this team. In possession, this team already plays with. They're not a, if you look at the statistics, possession percentage aren't huge.

However, they score like the most goals. And they, the final third possession, they're a team that plays in transition and can pin teams in. And so possession in the attacking third is very high because they play with, it's all about field position. So the team is already playing. I talk about building speed in my attack. They talk about accelerate the attack. So yes, we play with structure.

We build. And then once we can break lines, we talk about finding certain seams and then attack the space behind the opposite and back line. Again, no one had to explain that to me here because I watched a team play in it. And when I actually met with Black, was, hey, what do you, in these moments, and he, it's just a few different, some of our, our language is exactly. Yeah. It's just a little bit different, but we're doing the same thing. So in possession, I think it's much of the same, but I think some of the ways I'll talk about things, we might even build a little bit differently. Is it a back three? Is it a shallow four? Is it a little bit of both?

But we're going to play with structure. And it's all about this idea, as I say, a bow and arrow. We're going to lower opposition and then release and build speed. Against the ball, they're a team that, before I got here, was a team that played in a high press and mid-block. Very, very well. They scored a lot of goals in transition by forcing and causing lots of mistakes. And I said, does that sound familiar to myself? Yeah, it came through the Red Bull system, high-press, high-octane football,

mid-block, tight, jumping, and, again, to force mistakes. and to try to be dangerous when we don't have the ball. So, yeah, I think that's going to translate because they've done it. Are they comfortable defending in a low block? Yeah. Am I? Yes. It's not, neither is where we really want to be.

We want to be high and mid-block. If we get pushback that we're comfortable being uncomfortable. In transition, I think these moments are always difficult for players. at every level from the men's game, women's game, Champions League, World Cups. That's hard to play fast and slow down and get it right. So the same ways we work on this where I came from, we're going to work here.

But we want to be, how can we get better in these little transition moments? That was always my world. So now, because that's the only, if you want to be good defensively and cause moments mistakes, the only reason we're doing it is to score goals. So this is how good we can get at being that.

And then the last part, which is going to be a big part of the DNA, which I think we can really, really be fuel on the fire here is the counterpressing. Then we have the ball and we have this idea of tempo and verticality, yeah, we're going to lose the ball. Who cares? Let's win it back and have these reactions that are non-negotiable, which, again, they do a lot of that here. Yeah. So to do quite honestly, it was my first day in front of the team. And I stood in front of the team, and I put together a video with some help with the coaches and analysts. And I was initially going to just show a lot of their behaviors and tell them how much I connect with this.

And then I had a couple of Colorado Rapids clips that I showed, you know, let me. And they were like, no, you have to put that in. Because it's important that they see that that is your. Yeah, but, you know, it's my, I don't want to put too much. So it was almost like this little mirror image of here, here is my team in a high press. Come on, we go. We take the last step. We sprint.

Does that sound familiar? Oh, yeah, I know, because this is your team. And I would go back and forth and back and forth. By the three and a half minute video, it was, this is not my football. This is not your football. This is our football. Yeah. Coaches, this is what you've coached here.

I believe this is, we're going to pick up not kind of implementing and jogging. We're going to pick up running because we are seeing this the same way. Partly why I probably got hired here, partly why I was interested. Yeah. I was looking for something to come in and be fuel on the fire, tighten the grips a little bit. Maybe a little bit different little nuances here and there. But this is a, this is come on, let's go. And we, this was what today was about.

And it was honestly a really fun day to be in front of the team for the first time. I mean, I've spoken to all the players two weeks ago, individual phone calls, one at a time. But now today was about in front of the team, you know, the nerves are there. I love it. I loved it. I'm a very lucky person because this is an amazing group of people and a strong culture that again, my philosophy, again, my football philosophy is it revolves around intensity and a team first mentality. So when I saw the room full of this team first, these people, these human beings that are, giving to the team in such a huge way because I can see the way they play and the way they interact. Honestly, it's, it was such a great first day.

I love that, Chris. It's, it's cool to even just to have the coaching staff that you have who know this team so well and now we're getting to know you and say, hey, we got to show them that you guys, you mentioned it with vodka. You speak the same language. You got to get on the same page. Even if certain words are different, like you have to speak that same language. What's interesting about this situation,

Chris, is Vako's still there. He's a sporting director now. This is a guy who knows this team so well. How has your relationship developed so far? How much have you leaned on him as you've dug into a lot of video within NWSL just to learn as much as you can about this squad? Well, yeah, he's been really instrumental from the early conversations about me trying to understand what this is all about.

out. So I had, I asked a lot of questions about the team and the style of play and the culture and everything that meant a lot to me. And right away, I can, there was just this common bond where I said, listen, you know, the first thing I said to him is I've, I don't, I've not met you yet. It's an honor. I've always, but I've watched you from afar and when you were the national team coach. And he says, well, Chris, ironically, I used to watch you, blah, blah, blah. And we just said, okay. And then I think we really hit it off when we talked about the culture piece and the people and how to get the most out of people and what that means to each of us. I said, yeah, I think we share similar values here. And then along the way, it's just been more conversations,

more details about, you know, individual players. And then we start talking about the roster and what the needs are. And this and that. And then we get going, I'm like, hey, listen, are you sure you don't want this job still? Because I'm saying, listen, we need this, we need that. You know, like, and he's, but it's been really good because you have a sporting director that he's stepping into a role that he's trying to navigate. But he knows the needs of the head coach and a team. No one, any head coach, but now the role of the head coach, but then what this team needs from a recruitment standpoint. standpoint. And that's been really helpful. So it's been like side by side really, I'm asking a lot of

questions. He's seeing, what do you need? I'm pushing, you know, and he's really been amazing for me because, again, I think it's, I feel like I have another me. You know, I have another person really pulling in the same direction for me straight away. knows exactly what I need, thinks about things in a very similar way, knows a lot. I mean, he, how could I take a job like this if there wasn't someone really strategic about knowing the league, knowing the player pool, globally, domestically, college? So I have this resource next to me, which I think is extremely valuable. So I think it's, you know, I'm in the role now and I think he's going to navigate his new role

and and and but someone I got asked in the media at the um when I had the press conference here one of the local TV comes out and they're like yeah listen you know how does it feel to be filling the shoes of Vladko and like is that intimidating you know like who who would he goes who would want to follow that lead I said well it's a good question but let me think about it I said well I said who wouldn't want to who wouldn't want to follow that lead and get to work with him now what like what should I be intimidated I didn't you know because I might not do as good like what do mean we're in this together like that's if I do well he's doing well he's helping with the roster and yeah it's not like in a separate silo somewhere around here right around here he's right here

bring him in no in the meeting it's he knows what I'm what I'm thinking I'm trying to keep some surprises in there for the everybody but at the end it's hey Vladko because I referenced a few times in the meeting say hey listen I can see what you've done here like this but but the end I'm like do you have anything like what can you help us wrap this up I'm not this has this has his yeah it's that team mentality that you talked about just even with your players right you have that same mentality as a coach like it's not about me as the coach it's about us all of us how we're going to work together. And it's not, I'm not just going to say that. So now all of a sudden, yeah, I'm in this

role and now he's in the background, but what do you got for the team right now? This is, it's not my team. It's not, this is our team. He's, he, if I'm him, he's had this, a real handprint on so much of what's gone on around here. And he's probably, I'm not part of their discussions internally, but I bet he's a big reason why I'm, I'm here. You go back in this game, in this country for a while. I was telling Jordan before we got on, I watched you on the Long Island Rough Riders. You obviously played for some great teams, played for the national team.

You've seen the growth of the game. You've seen the growth of everything. And you mentioned towards the top what excited you was the resources. And one of the things that jumps out to people, whether they're in Kansas City or from afar, is not just from the on field, but the off field, the stadium, the training. grounds the way it's all set up. CP Casey Stadium has been one of a kind, the first ever women's soccer specific stadium on the planet.

I was there for the championship two years ago. I know Jordan's been in the building and seen it all set up. As you think about in roughly two months, kicking off the first time at CP Casey Stadium, what goes through your mind? What is that experience going to be like? And how excited are you to get on the field and see all of this sort of firsthand?

Yeah, listen, I think anyone that knows me knows above all that the culture piece and the people were going to be the thing that swayed anything for me to want to be here. But when the questions are being asked and I'm getting information about what's going on, it's not that hard, you can look online, you can just see and talk to people and then see, you can't ignore that that excellence is at the mind that everything that the owner is. are doing around here and also within these walls with the coaches and this nut but if you just talk about that for a second the stadium the the pitches and training the training the training center here they're building onto it adding a performance center the resources are are immense and then I think you have to talk about the fan base because you know a lot of this without a real passionate fan base, that now is really interesting to me. So when I think about two months from now, leveraging the resources, our ability to prepare in a proper way, very, very professionally,

we have everything that we need. And now you put that into that environment with a passionate fan base that expects winning. They come. They celebrate the game. There's energy. They come. They come with the real passion at a top-notch stadium and fan experience inside the stadium. Yeah. So how do I feel about that? I can't wait. I want to deliver big.

I want to give the fans and the owners and everyone what they want, which is these energetic performances that are entertaining, that are attack-minded, that have goals involved, that minimally has a team that plays fearlessly and goes after it and plays with this intensity that I talk about. And again, I believe that's going to happen because this is not new. And this is not a new style of play. I'm the guy coming in and be fuel on the fire.

So I can't wait. I think it'll be electric. Not thought too much about opening day yet, but I know it's going to be electric. I think there'll be a sold-out stadium. Yep. And it seems to be the case. I can't. can't wait until you hear them chant.

I can't, off the top of my head, I can't think the Kansas City current fans are going to crush me for this. But the chant that they do when they want another goal and it's like something and they're like, we want five, we want six. I can't wait until you are in the stadium and the fans are chanting that as your team scores goals and goals and goals. I love it. I love that because I told the team today that, you know, everything we do is about

scoring goals. We attack the score goals. We run behind opposition backline to score goals. We play forward in transition to try to score goals. We counterpress to score goals. We defend to attack to score goals. That mentality has always helped our teams, me, coaches that I've been part of from the earlier days at Red Bull. Our teams have typically scored goals.

Not always as much as we want, but we do have this idea of attacking football. It is going to be a special season. It was a special season last year for Casey Currant and now the first year under Chris Armis. I think, as you said earlier in the interview, three months into the season, you already set an appointment for a second interview. So we'll talk to you in about four or five months. And we'll break down some games. We'll have you walk us through some tactical stuff. But it's always a pleasure to talk to you.

We're really excited for you. Congratulations on the job. And we'll put it on the calendar for the next one. you guys are amazing thank you for the time really great questions and good to share some time always you know here for you guys the doors are open come come and visit again you know we should visit yes visit we should visit and just get you in in blacko in the same room right next door to each other that's it come on over but um appreciate you both very much thanks well thank you so much once again to chris armas for taking the time to chat with us still waiting for the schedule

to be fully released. So we don't know when Casey will have that first home game and who they will be playing against. But a lot to be excited about all these massive moves that we talked about over the course of this show. It's going to be a big NWSL season. We'll continue to have all your coverage here at SoccerWise. So thank you to Chris. Thank you, of course, to you, Jordan. Thank you to all of you for listening.

And we'll talk to you again very, very soon.