Soccerish

This Thanksgiving special opens with the biggest story in American women’s soccer: the Trinity Rodman decision. Christina explains the business realities — the salary cap, the DP conversation, and how league structures affect player movement — while Lori breaks down what it feels like to face a choice like this during a championship run.They also revisit the key tactical moment from the NWSL Final: Hal Hershfelt’s injury and the delayed substitution. Lori explains how Washington’s hesitation shifted momentum to Gotham and influenced the winning goal.From there, Christina and Lori look ahead to the MLS semifinals — San Diego’s stunning expansion-year surge, Inter Miami’s form, and what Messi’s output means at this stage of the season. They close with the USWNT’s upcoming camp under Emma Hayes and what she’ll prioritize in the final window of the year.And yes, it’s Thanksgiving — so Lori is “bringing the vibes,” Christina is grateful for finally getting her hair cut, and both hosts take a moment to reflect on gratitude, rest, and the massive three-year runway ahead: the Women’s World Cup, Men’s World Cup, and the LA Olympics.Happy Thanksgiving — and buckle up, buttercups.Chapters (mm:ss) 00:00 Cold open — “Millions of hats” and Christina’s first haircut in a year 00:34 Thanksgiving intro — What Christina and Lori are grateful for 01:44 “Illuminated year” — Lori on work, balance, and unstructured time 02:15 Friendsgiving plans — Lori brings “the vibes” 02:52 Vibes era — Women’s sports and CBS Championship atmosphere 03:46 Record breaker — Most-watched NWSL match ever 04:29 “We have arrived” — San Diego → KC → San Jose 05:29 The catwalk — Stadium setup and matchday design 05:55 Trinity Rodman — The crossroads 06:40 Player reality — Compartmentalizing during a championship run 07:34 “Generational talent” — Why Lori hopes Rodman stays 08:58 Equal pay to star power — How we got here 09:45 Super League vs NWSL — Parity and the DC Power offer 10:52 Should NWSL adopt a DP rule? 12:26 Salary cap realities 13:40 Locker room dynamics 15:00 Players Association — Protecting parity 17:19 The league is evolving 19:07 Wild West window — Prospects and overseas movement 20:10 Why internationals want to come 20:41 Melting pot future 21:04 Hal Hershfeld injury — The turning point 22:49 The delayed sub — Momentum shifts 23:48 The “gingerly step” — Goal sequence breakdown 24:27 Coaching lessons 24:54 MLS playoffs — Miami and Vancouver–San Diego 25:18 Expansion shock — San Diego hosting a semi 26:07 Messi in form 26:54 Rising expansions 27:08 USWNT — Emma Hayes’ final camp of the year 27:38 Roster management 28:50 Italy preview 29:32 Holiday sign-off — “Buckle up” 29:52 Thanksgiving close

This week on Soccerish, Christina and Lori are joined by former USMNT striker, CBS analyst, and “Call It What You Want” podcast host Charlie Davies for a fast, honest look at a pivotal moment in American soccer.They preview the NWSL Championship between Gotham and Washington — two very different teams with clear strengths and real questions. Can Gotham handle Washington’s physicality? Will Ann-Katrin Berger steal the spotlight again? And is Trinity Rodman healthy enough to change the match on her own?Charlie also breaks down the USMNT’s evolving identity and why the real tests come in March against Portugal and Belgium, not in November friendlies.And they dig into the seismic changes reshaping the domestic game:• MLS preparing to shift to a fall–spring calendar• USL pushing ahead with promotion and relegation• Why these moves finally put U.S. soccer in step with the global gamePlus: the origin of Lori’s “Shut Up, Steve,” and a brief detour into her Tony Meola hair era.Soccerish at full speed — big matches, big changes, and a national program growing up in real time.New episodes every Thursday.Chapters (mm:ss)00:00 Cold open — Christina and Charlie bond over North Andover and ice cream spots 00:43 Welcome — “1-2-3 go vs 3-2-1 go” and show preview 01:32 NWSL semis — Lori on Gotham/Washington momentum and the Yellow Brick Wall 02:39 VAR chat — the razor-tight offside in Washington’s match 03:24 Gotham’s heroics — Ann-Katrin Berger’s “matrix save” 07:12 Travel panic — Christina freaks out about flights; everyone is flying into SFO 09:01 Picks — Christina leans Washington for the NWSL Championship 10:31 Gotham case — defensive strength vs. season-long inconsistency 10:56 Charlie arrives — “I finally made it to Soccerish!” 11:22 Coaching life — freezing practice, kids’ tournaments 12:11 Career intro — USMNT, Olympics, MLS clubs 14:25 Broadcasting — working with Jimmy Conrad & Tony Meola 14:57 Meola mullet lore — Lori modeled her hair after Tony 15:36 USMNT Paraguay recap — transition into Uruguay preview 16:27 Identity shift — Pochettino’s system, wide-player spacing, Balogun support 18:17 Summer 2026 — belief, injuries, and what’s needed for a run 19:25 Mentality — Charlie on the 2010 underdog mindset 20:10 Confederations Cup — Egypt win, beating Spain, belief they could win a World Cup 22:53 The belief — “We can beat the very best.” 23:11 Statement wins — why Mexico wasn’t enough 23:47 Uruguay — is it a statement win or not? 24:11 Portugal & Belgium — March matches as the real tests 25:25 Shut Up Steve — the Wake Forest backstory and what the USMNT needs 26:28 The brawl — fighting for each other as maturity 27:10 MLS shift — calendar vote and domestic impact 28:26 MLS realignment — why it finally makes sense 31:05 Weather reality — cold markets and scheduling 31:55 Right timing — MLS couldn’t do this before 32:24 Stadium economics — moving beyond NFL dependency 33:42 Fans vs cold — growth vs comfort 34:18 USL pro/rel — intent and pathways for players 36:42 Development — advice for young players and parents 38:00 Coaching kids — foundational ages 6–12 39:10 Writing — how Charlie joined The Athletic 40:20 The book — paused but coming 42:11 Topics — what he writes and why 43:05 Suggestion box — how listeners can pitch ideas 44:31 Final Q — Who wins the NWSL Championship? 45:00 Charlie’s pick — Gotham 46:18 Wrap — US vs Uruguay preview and sign-off

Everyone wants to stop Messi. Danny Higginbotham says that’s the first mistake.This week on Soccerish, the former Stoke City captain and current MLS Season Pass analyst joins Christina Unkel and Lori Lindsey to explain why obsessing over Messi breaks teams before kickoff — and what the real tactical challenge actually is. It’s not about stopping one genius and the game's "greatest player". It’s about denying rhythm, space, and identity to the entire team.Danny also unpacks the myth of the “cold, rainy night in Stoke,” takes us inside Tony Pulis’s infamous training sessions, and explains why long throws and set-piece chaos are suddenly back in fashion.Plus: what he misses most as a player, how hypnosis helped him conquer a fear of flying, and what he’s seeing in the MLS Playoffs.It’s tactics, toughness, and a touch of therapy — Soccerish style.Chapters (mm:ss)00:00 Welcome — Christina introduces Danny Higginbotham, former Premier League defender & MLS analyst02:27 Backstory — Lori recalls their delayed flight from Miami and Danny’s fear of flying03:30 Hypnosis — how Danny beat flight anxiety and what it taught him about control04:37 Home base — the basement games room, framed shirts & two floods06:00 Ref chat — VAR controversy from Cincinnati vs Columbus and what analysts see differently09:20 Pulis era — 6 a.m. bike rides, grind culture & learning to suffer for fitness10:10 Stoke style — the long throw, set-piece chaos & why old-school weapons are back23:45 Messi myth — “Teams try to solve the problem that is Messi… you’re wasting your time.”25:10 Defending the unstoppable — discipline, distance & structure over fear44:42 Game evolution — why slower tempo is bringing back box-to-box midfielders46:20 MLS trends — set pieces, transitions & the return of the gritty team1:08:20 Hypnosis revisited — panic, respect for anxiety & mental resilience1:08:43 Airport habits — Christina confesses she arrives 30 minutes before take-off1:09:22 Playoff preview — Philadelphia vs NYCFC and what to watch for1:09:39 The joy of live sport — unpredictability and why he still loves the game1:11:14 Final question — “Which team is the MLS Stoke City?”1:11:30 Danny’s answer — “Philadelphia Union and Minnesota United.”1:12:00 Wrap-up — Christina & Lori thank Danny and close with next-week’s tease

This one hits different.When Ann-Katrin Berger talks about signing “I love you” to her deaf sister before a match, everything stops — even Christina and Lori. The Gotham FC and Germany keeper opens up about what drives her: surviving thyroid cancer twice, staying calm when the world’s on fire, and why she listens to heartbreak songs before kick-off.She’s, funny, self-aware, and disarmingly honest — from her tattoos to that one-handed save at the Euros that made the world gasp.🎙 Hosts: Christina Unkel & Lori Lindsey🏆 Guest: Ann-Katrin Berger — Gotham FC & Germany NTNew episodes of Soccerish every Thursday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and soccerishpodcast.com.#Soccerish #AnnKatrinBerger #Goalkeeper #Germany #WomensFootball #Inspiration #SignLanguage #DeafCommunityChapters (mm:ss)00:00 Cold open — signing “I love you” & the story behind it 01:03 Welcome — Christina introduces Germany & Gotham FC’s No. 1 02:11 Home base — Stuttgart, Mercedes & Porsche pride 02:52 Car chat — “Get her that dealership deal!” 03:55 Match prep — calm, music & pre-game rituals 05:08 Playoff mindset — Adele, Bieber & heartbreak songs 06:13 Euro 2025 save — “It felt like The Matrix” 08:45 Why the Euros hit different — pride, pressure & depth 09:43 Speed vs. space — adapting to NWSL tempo 11:19 Lori joins — U.S. style, youth systems & boxed potatoes 13:15 Adapting across leagues — Germany, France, England, U.S. 16:57 The modern keeper — footwork, risk & composure 18:03 Advice for young goalies — “Play out of goal as long as you can” 20:55 Positioning — stopping attacks before they start 21:36 The save revisited — instinct, defiance & disbelief 24:37 Off-field life — family, sister & sign language 25:03 Growing up together — learning to connect beyond sound 27:40 Empathy — “Who decides what’s normal?” 28:17 Teaching Christina & Lori — how to sign I love you 🤟 31:19 Cancer & courage — speaking out and helping others 35:08 Tattoos — compass, tree & “All we have is now” 38:15 Reflection — resilience, humor & life perspective 39:27 Playoff focus — facing Kansas City next 41:31 Knockout mindset — “You have to beat them anyway” 41:55 Closing — gratitude, humor & no beer in Germany 43:26 Wrap-up — Lori & Christina debrief, viral week recap 47:22 Weekend plans — playoff calls & Racing Louisville shout-out 47:37 Outro — follow, subscribe & thank-yous

Seattle Reign head coach Laura Harvey joins Soccerish to talk about leadership, burnout, and the boldest tactical experiment in the NWSL: asking ChatGPT what formation to play—then actually using it.Hosts Christina Unkel and Lori Lindsey draw out Harvey’s trademark mix of honesty and humor: therapy sessions, karaoke misfires, and even enduring The Summer I Turned Pretty just to bond with her Gen Z squad.This is Laura Harvey unfiltered—funny, reflective, and redefining what modern coaching looks like.Highlights include:🧠 “I asked ChatGPT what formation to play… and it worked.”💬 Authenticity, leadership, and therapy off the field🎤 Karaoke choices and TikTok dances🍿 “I want my time back.” — on The Summer I Turned Pretty⚔️ Why the Portland–Seattle rivalry is the real deal🕳️ The viral “ghost goal” and lessons in honestyChapters (mm:ss)00:00 Cold open — delayed flights, MLS playoffs & chaos 01:03 Karaoke talk — Adele, Bieber & mic control 02:28 Rolling start — “Wait, are we actually recording?” 02:45 Welcome — Christina & Lori re-introduce Laura Harvey 03:45 Season grind — 12 straight weeks, coast-to-coast travel 05:15 Performance fatigue — introverts in an extrovert job 06:36 Self-care shift — therapy, leadership coaching, boundaries 09:45 Authenticity — “Be you, or players see through it” 13:34 Coaching advice — women, authority & finding your people 16:34 Generation gap — The Summer I Turned Pretty & evolving 18:09 Tactics — ChatGPT formation experiment (and it worked) 21:47 Deception by design — unpredictable systems & open coaching 24:30 Future of NWSL — expansion, youth movement & loyalty 27:02 Team identity — shifting focus from stars to clubs 28:46 Rivalries — Portland-Seattle, “true hatred with respect” 31:44 Outro — laughter, joy & “best job in the world” 32:19 Post-interview — rivalries, storylines & club culture 36:54 U.S. rivalries — geography, coaching personalities & fan energy 37:17 Ghost Goal clip — Doxa FCW vs. Lansdowne Yonkers 38:37 Law 5 debate — no VAR, no replay, pure chaos 40:33 Ethics — should players admit it wasn’t a goal? 41:25 Ref accountability — zip ties, field checks & fairness 47:55 U.S. bid — Women’s World Cup 2031 & CONCACAF vision 49:09 Summer of Soccer — the U.S. decade ahead 50:24 Wrap — gratitude, growth & watch on YouTubeWatch, listen, subscribe and follow• All episodes on YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@SoccerishPodcast • Show notes & clips (Substack) → https://www.soccerishpodcast.com/ • Shorts playlist → https://www.youtube.com/@SoccerishPodcast/shorts • IG/TikTok/YouTube → @SoccerishPodcast • Audio podcast → https://pod.link/1786871720HostsChristina Unkel (CBS/ITV rules analyst; FIFA referee) & Lori Lindsey (CBS/Amazon/Apple analyst; former USWNT)Contact / bookings📧 info@thesoccerpodcastusa.com 🎬 Red Card Productions

As the NWSL playoff race hits its two-game sprint, we revisit Bev Yanez—head coach of Racing Louisville and the only current NWSL coach who also played in the league. Her philosophy is clear: work rate, honesty, and sustained commitment to the group. From a coaching awakening in Japan’s brain-bending rondos to a midseason reset after a 4–1 home loss, Yanez explains how those moments shaped her leadership—and why Racing now carries her identity for 90-plus minutes.Inside the episode • How Racing built a hard-working team identity • Why Japan “broke” her (and made her better) • Leading a staff of former head coaches • Trust, growth, and ownership in the locker room • The (hypothetical) swear jar — and what it says about authenticityOn the record: Christina Unkel makes a bold call — Bev Yanez as a future USWNT head coach. Do you agree?Chapters (mm:ss)00:00 Cold open — proper English weather & hello again 00:40 Welcome — Christina & Lori re-introduce Bev 02:05 Fun fact — only NWSL HC who also played 03:38 Path to coaching — visibility, licenses, Japan spark 05:51 First months as HC — what you don’t see in the chair 07:49 Identity thread — work rate from player to coach 10:17 Box-to-box — effort as a throughline 15:07 Japan — the rondo shock 23:34 Playoff push — the 4–1 reset & principles 25:31 Calling card — “we work for 90-plus minutes” 27:33 Swear jar — authenticity with a bleep 32:49 Christina’s call — USWNT future 42:50 Outro — thanks & sign-off Watch, listen, subscribe and follow• All episodes on YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@SoccerishPodcast• Show notes & clips (Substack) → https://www.soccerishpodcast.com/• Shorts playlist → https://www.youtube.com/@SoccerishPodcast/shorts• IG/TikTok/YouTube: @SoccerishPodcast-Audio podcast https://pod.link/1786871720HostsChristina Unkel (CBS/ITV rules analyst; FIFA referee) & Lori Lindsey (CBS/Amazon/Apple analyst; former USWNT)Contact / bookingsinfo@thesoccerpodcastusa.com | Red Card Productions

Pablo Bayona Sapag is the founder of Club Eleven, a media company dedicated to telling the stories of American soccer—from grassroots clubs to national team stars.In 2025, Club Eleven turned a 1998 school bus named Woody into a rolling newsroom and museum and drove it 9,000 miles across the country, chasing the U.S. Open Cup and collecting stories you won’t find in a press release.Along the way:A tire blowout outside a funeral homeA block party in Brooklyn with Tim Weah and Allen LazardA USL2 final in Vermont with 5,000 fans—half outside the stadiumA jersey handed over with flare burns still freshA Bayern Munich event at Rockefeller CenterAnd a reminder that soccer in the U.S. isn’t a brand—it’s a habitChristina Unkel and Lori Lindsey dig in with Pablo on what’s growing, and what actually matters heading into World Cup year 2026. It’s grassroots over glossy. It’s the messy, funny, stubborn version of U.S. soccer you won’t get from a press release. Plus how Neil Armstrong took an Argentinean soccer club pennant to the moon.Watch. Argue. Believe.Chapters (mm:ss)00:00 Cold open — rubber, debris, and the birth of a soccer bus00:40 Welcome — Christina & Lori introduce Pablo and Club Eleven02:05 What is Club Eleven — from match-day stories to a bus museum05:10 The Open Cup thread — choosing a roadmap for the year06:40 Meeting Christina — the print mag interview in Austin08:20 Background — Peru → U.S., DC United, and starting Club Eleven12:45 MLS, regional fandom, and missing stories15:20 On the road — Nashville oil leak at a funeral home18:50 Tire blowout — New England detour and making Red Bulls on time21:40 Manhattan stop — Bayern pop-up; Icarus Cup to Vermont in a day24:50 Vermont final — 2,500 in, 2,500 on the hill; flare-burn jersey28:40 “America is a soccer country” — Asheville kids and optimism33:10 The crew — five friends, one bus, 9,000 miles35:20 Funding & vision — the “blank check” bus ideas38:40 Naming the bus — why Woody (and the Neil Armstrong pennant)40:10 Tally — 9,000 miles, 11 Open Cup games, 17–18 total stops42:10 Tuesdays in the lot — Open Cup community and first-timers44:10 Best bars — Phoenix Landing and the Premier League list46:10 Wrap — gratitude, next plans, and sign-offWatch & follow• All episodes on YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@SoccerishPodcast• Show notes & clips (Substack) → https://www.soccerishpodcast.com/• Shorts playlist → https://www.youtube.com/@SoccerishPodcast/shorts• IG/TikTok/YouTube: @SoccerishPodcastHostsChristina Unkel (CBS/ITV rules analyst; FIFA referee) & Lori Lindsey (CBS/Amazon/Apple analyst; former USWNT).Contact / bookingsinfo@thesoccerpodcastusa.com | Red Card Productions

Kansas City Current assistant coach Freya Coombe joins Christina Unkel and Lori Lindsey to unpack the culture, detail, and day-to-day standards behind KC’s runaway NWSL Shield season. Freya also shares the now-legendary story of the Rolling Stones concert that almost derailed an early coaching opportunity—and what that taught her about preparation and accountability. We dig into why moving from head coach to assistant changed player dynamics (“they hate me less now”), and we answer a listener’s question on soccer’s “mysterious numbers”: what a 6/8/9/10 actually do, with KC examples.What you’ll hearKC Current’s blueprint: culture > clarity > ruthless game management“Standards don’t sleep”: work, don’t whine—and double down after you winThe assistant’s lens: relationships, selection pressure, and set-piece/defensive detailPositions explainer: clear, simple breakdown of 6 / 8 / 9 / 10 (no jargon)Chapters (mm:ss)00:00 Cold open — Stones night, dawn flight, and a first-impression test02:00 Stakes — KC’s Shield in September; why this season is different05:20 Origin beat — the MetLife concert story and what it changed10:10 Why KC win — standards, rotation, and game-state control17:10 Inside the staff — defensive detail under Vlatko; clean-sheet mentality19:30 “They hate me less now” — assistant vs. head coach dynamics33:20 Culture rules — train like champs; work, don’t whine36:57 After the Shield — “now is when we double down”41:40 Listener letter — what a 6/8/9/10 actually do (KC examples)47:50 Wrap — playoff look-ahead + where to find moreGuestFreya Coombe — Assistant Coach, Kansas City Current; former head coach at Gotham FC (Sky Blue) and Angel City FC.Watch & follow• All episodes on YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@SoccerishPodcast• Show notes & clips (Substack) → https://www.soccerishpodcast.com/• Shorts playlist → https://www.youtube.com/@SoccerishPodcast/shorts• IG/TikTok/YouTube: @SoccerishPodcastHostsChristina Unkel (CBS/ITV rules analyst; FIFA referee) & Lori Lindsey (CBS/Amazon/Apple analyst; former USWNT).Contact / bookingsinfo@thesoccerpodcastusa.com | Red Card Productions