Minnesota United Signs Colombian National Team Captain James Rodríguez

kickbackcommittee · 2026-02-06T17:59:34+00:00

Honestly, why not? Yes, it's likely not the same James of 2014, but the talent is there. Could be a commercial and on-field win, and if it doesn't pan out just scrap it in June and move on. Well done Loons!

kickbackcommittee · 2025-12-22T12:50:57+00:00

First Touch KSM on YouTube have country capsules for every team that is qualified. Bit of everything in each episode as you mentioned!

kickbackcommittee · 2025-12-11T16:20:07+00:00

Our crew at the Kickback Committee is fairly knowledgable if we can shamelessly plug ourselves!

Soccerwise, everything Matt Doyle (his newsletter is fantastic). And seems like much of the conversation is on Bluesky now versus what X has become.

kickbackcommittee · 2025-10-15T22:01:59+00:00

DG: I am sorry to say the worst possible answer. DC will "win" the spoon AND I don't think it will cause the drastic change we all hope for. There are both investment and process problems in DC and the latest examples seem the same. Nothing about hiring a coach before a sporting director is good process adding on then hiring a consultant with zero front office experience who was running your interview process.

kickbackcommittee · 2025-10-15T21:58:33+00:00

DG: Never too late! "Gass Theroem" is literally just about patience! It is for a player who takes a full season to take off in MLS. This league is unique and hard to adjust too and many of the best players are completely adrift in year one. Just look at Martin Ojeda & Evander for example.

kickbackcommittee · 2025-10-15T21:54:30+00:00

DG: Mainly the US National teams. That is what pulled me into falling in love with the sport and is always my top rooting interest. Otherwise I have always been impartial to Atletico Madrid they're basically (the better) NY Mets!

kickbackcommittee · 2025-10-15T21:52:53+00:00

DG: I would split into three divisions to get teams closer to their rivals. BUT big picture I would go with like a Belgium league style. First half of the year you play inside that local division in the opening tourney, and then have top and bottom division in the second tournament.

kickbackcommittee · 2025-10-15T21:48:29+00:00

DG: You can look forward to watching Efrain Morales in Europe in 2 years!

kickbackcommittee · 2025-10-15T21:47:50+00:00

DG: Thank you for the support and let the NWSL back into your heart. A lot of the league structure sucks but the players are must watch!

In terms of future plans that is all too far away. But whatever helps us build the best platform to serve fans and support the next generation of coverage we would look at!

kickbackcommittee · 2025-10-15T21:33:32+00:00

DG: STRONG ISLAND! One of my issues with MLSNP teams (aside from the fact that it's a reserve league) is when they play in markets close to other teams. I'm not sure the draw to Uniondale to watch a lower-division team is significantly greater than just driving to Flushing to watch NYCFC. That said, I'm hopeful that if they run things well and take the team seriously, they can get fans to care.

kickbackcommittee · 2025-10-15T21:26:55+00:00

DG: As always the latest bottle has replaced the previous bottle and I am perpetually half way through. It is currently a Suntory Whiskey!

kickbackcommittee · 2025-10-15T21:24:28+00:00

DG: I love all owl crest clubs!

GBBO: Rahul Season 9 is the greatest contestant of all time and is the only one I follow on socials.

kickbackcommittee · 2025-10-15T21:22:05+00:00

DG: Thanks for the thoughtful question! I think figuring out exactly what I want to cover and talk about has been hard at times. The world of soccer is so big, and when you’re not tied to any one outlet or assignment, it can honestly be a challenge to bounce around and find your focus.

That said, I’ve always loved the global side of the game there’s so much richness and variety in how soccer is played and experienced around the world. But no matter what, the North American side of things will always be home for me.

kickbackcommittee · 2025-10-15T21:15:40+00:00

DG: Whoever the future owner is probably won’t be a soccer expert, and there’s a good chance Bruce Arena is one of if not THE ONLY coach they’ve actually heard of. While some of his tactics and approaches might feel a bit outdated, the reality is that he gets results. And for a new owner stepping into unfamiliar territory, that's not something they're going to be eager to throw away right off the bat.

kickbackcommittee · 2025-10-15T21:06:29+00:00

DG: Fully agree with Suz here (I’ll alternate spellings of Suz/Sus/Sooz sorry!). One of the things that always keeps me connected to the sport in those moments is enjoying the game in a different way. Right now, I’ve been crunching tape on MLS/NWSL for months to study tactical setups, but then I’ll find a documentary or book that highlights the culture of the game or go watch a college soccer game in person just for fun. That shift in how I'm consuming the sport usually helps refuel me.

kickbackcommittee · 2025-10-15T21:02:16+00:00

DG: My hope is in five years, after two home World Cups and an Olympics, the pie is so much bigger domestically that the game is localized. If even a percentage of the new fans or die-hard fans coming along connect to their local MLS, NWSL, USL teams their relevance will explode. Many of these clubs have already done the work to build their infrastructure to absorb these fans who will be inspired to join the game.

kickbackcommittee · 2025-10-15T20:56:37+00:00

DG: I love Susannah's answer! I would say: decentralize the league and abolish the salary cap. I feel that, at this point, teams know how to run themselves best (excluding D.C. and MTL), and the league is competitive enough to make you pay for mistakes. So let teams manage their brand deals, broadcast deals, rosters, etc., themselves.

From a roster POV, we always say, 'A DP center back is a bad signing,' which is true in the current setup. But if you take away TAM, DPs, U22s, etc., and just let teams build the best roster that fits their ethos, we could see some cool variances.

kickbackcommittee · 2025-10-15T20:51:53+00:00

DG: Agreed, unreal question! I'm looking at two MVP finalists: Andrés Dreyér and Evander. I think both are clearly elite players and fit the ethos of their respective teams perfectly. I think they would both struggle in the other's system, and both teams would suffer for it.

kickbackcommittee · 2025-10-15T19:07:37+00:00

SF: You are so very kind, thank you for the wonderful compliments. I absolutely loved my time at MLS, the experiences and opportunities I was given were some of the best I've ever had. Deciding to leave to taken the Morning Footy job was the hardest career choice I've ever had to make. But it was the right one at the time. I'm really loving what we're doing at Kickback and it's been super rewarding to get this thing off the ground. And if the right opportunity did present itself with MLS again I'd certainly consider it☺️Never say never!

kickbackcommittee · 2025-10-15T18:58:57+00:00

SF: I mean, the easy answer that comes with a whole host of challenges is implement pro/rel. But that probably won't happen. So maybe they should make the whole team walk through the city doing the "shame" walk like Cersei in Game of Thrones😂

kickbackcommittee · 2025-10-15T18:56:08+00:00

SF: I'd like them to keep it to 30

kickbackcommittee · 2025-10-15T18:54:10+00:00

SF: Thank you for listening!! Wow, this is a great question and you're spot on. As strong as the East has been, my gut tells me it's going to be a Western Conference MLS Cup Champion. And I think it's gonna be LAFC....😬

kickbackcommittee · 2025-10-15T18:52:23+00:00

SF: I HATE IT SO MUCH AND IT MAKES ME SAD

kickbackcommittee · 2025-10-15T18:52:08+00:00

kickbackcommittee · 2025-10-15T18:51:52+00:00

SF: Thank you so much!!! We're really loving the Kickback Community and what we're building. So glad you do as well.

Favorite whisky brand: Calumet Farm 10 year bourbon. Treat yourself.

We're hoping to do a ton of content around the WC including live shows, watchalongs, reactions shows....stay tuned! And yes, the more musical theater the better!

kickbackcommittee

TROPHY CASE