Futbol W: NWSL Interviews + NWSL Moves + Alexia's Next Challenge + Top 5

23:28Sarah Schupansky:I mean, and just a couple of names here, Ali Sentinel, Giselle Thompson, the future of the U.S. women's national team, the future has already arrived. I want to stick with Ali Sentinel here and I'll stick with you, Ali, because of what you just mentioned with the players. She just arrived and it's unstable. How hard could that be for her, regardless of her talent?

23:47Esme Morgan:Yeah, it's difficult to come into an environment where the coach had just gotten fired or released, and your sole purpose was to get into the team, get into the squad, get into a groove, get into some consistency or stuff. This is our third team in a couple of years. It's really difficult to find that stability as a player in order to perform well and be successful and develop properly the way that you should want to develop. And I think that, you know, obviously at this level we're professionals. We got to handle the situations as they come. And, you know, she's the type of player that's definitely going to swim.

24:24Esme Morgan:She's not going to sink under this pressure. She's going to take this on. I guarantee it. And the club just needs to find, you know, take the time to find someone who can really implement what they want to implement. And the expectations, the identity, the culture, this environment that they want to create for the team to just latch on and make sure that they apply that to the field and the games because we haven't seen that. That's been so inconsistent in a while. And it's just not fair to the players or the staff because this is one of the best clubs. They deserve a good coach. They deserve a good team.

25:02Esme Morgan:It's a wonderful city, and I think that they have the backing. They have the investment. They have the support. They have the fans. They just need the personnel in the right positions in order for it to run properly.

25:13Sarah Schupansky:I think the fans are rightly upset, though, and impatient. I mean, the consistency word, you know, five years in, I mean, point to a season where there hasn't been some problem or some inconsistency, right? I mean, last year you've got your star player, your hometown player, Alyssa Thompson, leaving on deadline day, uprooting a lot of those long-term plans. Coaching changes year over year. I mean, I think we're starting to see it from the fans, the unrest, that this is not good enough. And whatever happens next, it has to last. I mean, this half-year coaching stint, players coming and going, it has to last.

25:50Sarah Schupansky:And I don't know, you know, this is multiple regimes, so it's not like you can point to one person or another. But there needs to be something consistent and lasting, and it's got to start with playoffs. And there has to be a foundation built in L.A.

26:03Esme Morgan:And sometimes when you do have those coaching changes or player changes, that gives players an opportunity to kind of, you know, fuel that fire again, to motivate themselves, to get out there, to really impress the coach. And it kind of, you know, allows them to have a fresh slate and a fresh start. And to be able to have that, I think for some players, I know it's tough in the middle of the season, but that might motivate them even more. And then they'll, you know, find their identity and find, you know, find that consistency again and find their willingness to want to, you know, be a part of the team and hopefully be successful.

26:40Sarah Schupansky:Yeah, I just hope someone like Ali Sentinel has the time here at Angel City to continue to develop her very impressive talent in her very short career, moved around a lot in the NWSL. Speaking of young impressive talents, when we come back on Football W, another guest on the show, Gotham FC's Sarah Schepanski, hangs out on the pitch with our Ali Krieger.

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28:41Esme Morgan:Welcome back to Football W. We are now joined by Sarah Schupanski of Gotham FC. Welcome to the show. Thank you so much for joining us. Firstly, how are you doing? Great. How are you? Good. Thanks. We're so happy that you're here with us. You're just, you know, the night before a big game tomorrow, but the NWSL is finally back after the World Cup break. What was the main focus for the team during that time? Yeah, I think that we definitely wanted to utilize that time to our advantage.

29:13Sarah Schupansky:We had a pretty good first half of the season, you know, but we wanted to come back for the second half even stronger. Our organization does such a great job of bringing in extraordinarily talented players, but you can bring in as many talented players as you want if you don't play as a team. And if you don't play cohesively, then you're not going to get the results that you need to. So I think our focus was just that, to make sure that we know what we're going to be putting out onto the field after this break came to an end. And I think we're really confident in what we put together over the last couple of weeks.

29:45Esme Morgan:And you talk about confidence because you came into the game against Utah and immediately had an impact on Esther's goal. Can you take us through that play and what you thought in that moment?

29:57Sarah Schupansky:Yeah, I mean, the buildup from the team was amazing. I think that we always work on the fluidity of our positioning, and we always make sure that we know how to interchange roles and everything like that. And Midge did a great job of just clearing the space with that run. And I love that negative touch backwards and looking to slip in behind. Usually it's a little bit of a bigger ball, but I literally just saw Esther put her hand up, and I was like, it's worth a shot. You know, it's a Sarah Gonzalez. So the chances of her getting something on it are pretty high. And thankfully it held up for her and she took a beautiful touch around the keeper and finished it so well.

30:33Sarah Schupansky:But honestly, I just appreciate any minutes that I get onto the, on the field. And when I get out there, the players that around me are only supporting me and encouraging me to do my best. So the confidence comes from that. It comes from the staff and my teammates, just allowing me to be myself and encouraging me to be myself. and honestly encouraging mistakes to be made and everything like that. Like if that ball didn't come off and Estera didn't get there, we didn't get the goal, I might have heard it from a couple people behind me. But for the most part, it would probably just be next one, next one.

31:06Esme Morgan:So, yeah, that's probably where that all stems from. And last year, you know, you proved that you belong in this league. And this season, it feels like you are playing with that confidence. where have you noticed the biggest growth so far in your game from last year into the season

31:23Sarah Schupansky:I would certainly say just my awareness in general has definitely improved that's something that I think I didn't realize was going to be such a drastic jump from the college game in the college game you can take five ten touches and and nobody's around you yet here you have to know what you're going to do with the ball before you get it and playing in an environment as competitive and as ruthless as Gotham's day in and day out really prepares you for when you get onto the field and you're faced in those situations those high pressure scenarios where you have to have an idea of what you're going to do with the ball before you get it so yeah it's credit to the environment they create that I'm able to improve on that but that's something I'm always constantly trying to work on because this league does not give you any time on the ball I can tell you that much

32:09Esme Morgan:and we know not only have you had a lot of fun on the field recently but more so you've had a pretty incredible summer away from the field as well we've seen you everywhere we've seen you on the red carpet at the tony awards we've seen you driving the zamboni with the islanders hanging out with the knicks players during a world cup match and checking out the lpga how incredible is that? What experience did you have the most fun at?

32:36Sarah Schupansky:Oh my goodness. That is an impossible question. I can't even, now that you just read it back, wow, I have been all around the ball lately. But yeah, the team and our management really does an incredible job of making sure that those opportunities, the opportunities of being in New York are something that our team can take advantage of and we're constantly being offered these incredible experiences and uh me and kaya harper love to take advantage of every every single one um yeah i would say the zamboni was honestly priceless just because that's been a dream of kaya and mine for the longest time um and then the golf simulator i'm surprised that that came out intact after we were done with it because we were just really really bad um but then uh yeah emily tish just

33:28Esme Morgan:we don't have any clips of that we don't have any clips of that that tonight yeah that is for the

33:34Sarah Schupansky:best that is for the best but yeah um even the tony awards like getting to meet jamis winston he is just an incredible human being who um showed such support for women's sports in general so um that was just an awesome experience that came out of that as well i honestly couldn't tell you a favorite, but the fact that our team does such a great job of making sure that those are available to us and making us really feel like a part of New York is really special.

34:00Esme Morgan:Something else that's really special is that Sam Kerr, one of the best players in the world, is now joined officially at Gotham, another dynamic attacking option. As someone who also likes to create a lot of chances, how exciting is it to have a player of her caliber also join you?

34:19Sarah Schupansky:Yeah, I mean, her finishing ability is ridiculous. Just from the couple of days she's been in training, the way that she can strike a ball and the accuracy and precision that comes with that strike is honestly admirable. And I can always ask her a couple of questions on how she got so great at it. But the way that I love to create an assist, it's honestly so exciting to have a player who's as capable of finishing at finishing as she is. I don't even know the fact that I'm playing with a Sarah Gonzalez and Sam Kerr is kind of surreal. But it's also just credit to the club for being able to bring in such talent.

34:59Sarah Schupansky:And I just hope that I can play some great balls in there for her to put away. But I know if they get there, she'll put them away because she is so talented.

35:07Esme Morgan:And looking ahead, lastly, to the City game tomorrow night, it's going to be a brilliant matchup against the Washington Spirit in front of over 40 ,000 fans, which is incredible for for Gotham and New York. How excited is it to, you know, for the group to play in a type of atmosphere like that?

35:31Sarah Schupansky:I mean I think we're all just pretty astonished with with how many people are showing up to watch us tomorrow I think it's even just exciting for women's sports in general I think it broke some kind of record for women's sports in in New York so I think we're just really eager to make the city proud and and do it do everybody that shows up for us justice and it's even better that it's against Washington spirit because I think we've established multiple times that that is a little bit of a rivalry um but the team is just so eager to get out there and and show the fans that constantly show up for us i hope that we can show up for them and really put on a good show because there's just so much talent that's going to be out on that field tomorrow and um i mean i grew up watching baseball games and the pittsburgh pirates aren't the greatest team but it was always so fun so fun to head out to the games and uh the fact that we're getting to play at an mlb stadium It's just surreal for all of us, I think.

36:28Sarah Schupansky:And like I said, we hope to do the city proud tomorrow.

36:31Esme Morgan:Well, I'm sure you will. And you know who I'm rooting for. So I'm really excited to be there and to be in that atmosphere as well. But thank you so much for joining us. We know you have to go get some sleep to prepare for tomorrow, but we can't wait to watch the game. And thank you so much. Good luck the rest of the season.

36:49Sarah Schupansky:Thank you so much, Allie. Sarah Schepansky and Gotham in action this weekend versus Seattle Reign, July 18th, 12 p.m. Eastern on ABC and ESPN. Deportes, stick around on Football W because the Queen will join the show. I know it's Queen Kriegs, but we also have another Queen, Alexia Putellas, with the looming question, why London City?

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38:01Sarah Schupansky:You can bring them along for every inning of the trip. Because the road is better when the whole team's together. And when you book at LaQuinta.com, you can earn Wyndham Rewards points on your qualified stays along the way. Tonight, La Quinta. Tomorrow you shine. Terms and conditions apply. I've spent my life chasing the highest standards, the biggest challenges, the places where ambition has no limits. Because the future doesn't belong to those who wait for it. It belongs to those willing to be elite, those willing to see something others can, to believe before everyone else does. I've been watching, watching a club with no interest in following the path that's already been written.

38:52Sarah Schupansky:A club with the courage to write its own. A club that believes the best stick to come. And that's why I'm here. Because the future isn't somewhere to arrive, it's something you create. And right now, all eyes are on London City. and all eyes on Alexia she signed a three-year deal with the London City Lioness as the two-time Ballon d 'Or winner signing a three-year deal ending her historic run at her home club Barcelona. Putellas was officially presented last week in New York City in our Alexis Nunes caught up with the new Lioness

39:36Esme Morgan:Alexia after 14 years at one club here in New York. I know it's a little ways away from London, but still. How does it feel to finally say to the world, I am a London City player? Oh, finally. Finally, we can say. Yeah.

39:54Sarah Schupansky:Of course, it was a private decision until now. So very happy to announce here

40:01Esme Morgan:that I will play in London City next season. And really excited to start. And Michelle, you're such an absolute goat for the sport, for us, for women as well. Literally, to put it simple, such a pioneer, such a champion as well. But you're also sat in great company with Alexei Puteas. And to know that you own so many clubs, you get to work with so many great athletes. But to have Alexei Puteas kind of seem giddy and excited to play at one of your clubs, is it kind of like goosebumps?

40:30Sarah Schupansky:Absolutely. I was like, it's surreal, right? I mean, it's like the fact that she's sitting right next to me. It's like, yeah, I'm back to being giddy and all you name it. This is really extraordinary, and I'm really deeply grateful for her decision, given knowing what she has done in the last 14 years and decided to join a very early, young club. It's very grateful, but I'm really, really excited. Why did you feel like this was the right step? Because it's very different. I remember when I started in Barça, but being an independent club. So it's a lot of challenges behind that and that made me move on this and I'm super motivated to help the club grow on the beach also off the beach and I will put all my efforts for that and of course being here with Michelle that look every single player that we play we want that somebody invest in us so for me it's perfect to be here we share the same vision we share the same goals we What we want is to make the women's football bigger.

42:02Esme Morgan:And Michelle, what was it like pitching London City to her? Because I'm going to be honest, to take someone from the sunny Barcelona to the grey skies and rain of London. I lived in London for six years and it's not easy sometimes.

42:15Sarah Schupansky:Well, I mean, you know, London actually gets a bad rap, actually. When you live there, it's actually not that bad. There are some bad days, but there are some sunny days as well. Look, this was not a conventional pitch that, you know, you have to come in, we're Team X or we're the best team in London or Spain or France. But this was more actually starting with the vision, what we want to see in women's football. I mean, quite frankly, she has achieved already, you know, a lot and she won basically everything. so I think for me to go pitch and say oh come and you know win another Champions League is not the right pitch right so it was really genuinely about what do we want to see somebody like her who invested her entire life two-thirds of her life I assume in in women's football so what do you want to see and what do I want to see so it's really speaking about vision of course our passion but vision and how do we get there and that's really what our conversation was about and of

43:18Esme Morgan:course michelle has some of her hearts in france some of her hearts in the wsl some of her hearts in nwsl we know that but you chose wsl when i know you could have probably gone anywhere if we could take you in hamica we would take you in hamica you know thank you but why wsl and how is the process of weighing up options you know of course in europe versus nwsl after after an announced

43:42Sarah Schupansky:announced that I left Barca I sit down with myself and I listen myself what I want so and what are my my goals and I look the options and I don't know it was I felt like it has to be WSL because we are I'm not far from my family and Well, I am, but not too much. But I know that the league is improving. It's one of the best leagues of the world. And for me, the most competitive league of the world. And for me, it's very important, these things. Even more in a World Cup year. So I want to compete every weekend. And if you mix everything, that means that you should move to WSL.

44:42Sarah Schupansky:Love to hear from both of them. Obviously, leaving Barcelona, she mentioned, not an easy decision with Alexia Puteas now joining the WSL. And I know we've had this conversation many times before. Jeff, I'm going to start with you on this one. your reaction to her decision to go to WSL versus the NWSL? I get to take the Sam Coffey approach and say I won't be baited into this. Well, take the bait. No, I don't know how. From everything that I know from a reporting side, I don't think the NWSL was ever that realistic. Not from a perspective of what she wanted, not from a perspective. I think that London City doesn't want some of the financials out there and we don't have them yet, but, you know, I think it's difficult in a salary cap league.

45:30Sarah Schupansky:So I don't think that NWSL was all that realistic. I've seen the other reporting. This was always London City. This was London City for a long time. This was not some last minute decision made in June. So, yeah, I think, you know, we will view it through that prism, right, of NWSL and WSL. And I think, you know, you look at a high impact player rule and this is what it was created for. These are the players it was created for. But, you know, the money piece is not always everything, right? So, yeah, I think it's a loss for the NWSL in that sense. But they were never really genuinely in this race, I don't feel like.

46:08Sarah Schupansky:So it's not as if it came down to the wire and they lost out. So I think it's a tough one to say this is some indictment of the NWSL. But certainly it's a loss for them and a huge, huge gain for the Women's Super League. Yeah, her family coming into the equation as well, that's fair. But Ali, correct me if I'm wrong, what makes a player great is someone who is just insatiable and always looking for the next challenge. How does this challenge now come into Alexia Puteas' legacy and career in general?

46:39Esme Morgan:I think she did make the right choice. I think when players are put in situations where they are uncomfortable, that's when they grow the most, which is a new culture, a new country, a new league, a new team. not that the football side of it will be difficult for her at all but maybe off the field right integrating herself into the language and London the city the town the people I don't think that will be very difficult but it's also a new place and I think that we'll just you know have our own challenges exposed to that but on the other hand I do think she made the right decision because the WSL is an incredible league, one of the best in the world.

47:21Esme Morgan:I think there is still time for NWSL for her to come to, if that's her choice in three years, hopefully. But I think that was the right choice because Champions League football is also still really important for her. And I think what they are building at London City with Michelle Kang has been a great foundation and she's only going to take it to the next level. And I think that's exactly what the club wants to start representing that, you know, they belong there, that they belong in this league and they belong at the top of the table and they can get there with players like Alexia. So I'm really happy for her.

47:55Esme Morgan:I'm excited for her to start this new journey. I think, you know, she just wants something new too. As players, it's not just about the football. That's what we do, but it's not necessarily who we are at the end of the day. You want more for yourself, just different experiences in life and a new perspective. And I think that's also what she'll gain from all of this.

48:15Sarah Schupansky:Yeah, another big star in Michelle Kang's legacy. I love to see her fangirling there with Alexia Putellas as well. Speaking of Putellas, obviously looking forward to what she can do with Spain. And now the confirmed upcoming friendlies schedule. The U.S. Women's National Team taking on the Spanish side October 10th in D.C. and October 13th in Pennsylvania. Jeff, you were following this for a while. Now seeing it concrete. Yes. Ticket master. We know how to keep our secrets. What is your reaction to see this now? I'm excited. I'm excited about the matchup. I'm excited about the location, selfishly for us.

48:55Sarah Schupansky:I mean, one versus two in the world. World Cup champs, Olympic gold medalists. This is, you know, two teams who absolutely expect to be lifting the World Cup next year. And now they get to play each other twice. The best preparation you can possibly get. And extremely rare. Only the second and third time we'll see Spain on U.S. soil playing the U.S. women. You know, scheduling European opponents is increasingly difficult. So huge game, I think, you know, as good as it can possibly get for a friendly. This comes just months after the U.S. women went to Brazil and now they're looking to play Spain.

49:28Sarah Schupansky:Ali, how impressed are you by how the preparation is going for Emma Hayes' side?

49:33Esme Morgan:Yeah, I think it's extremely smart. You want to, we talk about being uncomfortable. You know, you're putting your players in situations where, you know, you're kind of throwing them into the fire and they're going to have to sink or swim and figure it out. And these are the games that the players want to play. Players at that level, you know, want to play against the best teams in the world. They want to play against the best players in the world. They want to compete and see where they're at. And I think this year out from the World Cup, I think this is perfect timing where you can iron out the kinks and look at the details, whether they be good or bad or indifferent.

50:07Esme Morgan:Make sure that you're on track for that next year to be fully fit and ready. And these are the tests that you want. And as a former player myself, I remember the team getting so excited to play against our rivals, but also the best teams in the world because those are the most exciting and the most challenging. gene and that's why you play at this level so it's going to be exciting like jeff said uh it's in our backyard and i'm so happy that we have an alumni program now with u.s soccer so we get automatic tickets if we're in the area and we want to go you know what i'll see if we have any extras no but thank thank goodness that u.s soccer has that option now because we're all able to go and support the team and share those moments and memories together yeah it's always so cool to

50:51Sarah Schupansky:see all of you in the box just having a good a good old time like always with the u.s women's national team. Yeah, all right, we have a quick minute here for our predictions tomorrow. Citi Field, we're going to have a little anticipation. Your prediction first, I'm going to end with Ali. 3-2 Spirit. I think Gotham's defense has been all over the map from CONCACAF to league play. I think we've got a shootout on our hands. Trinity Rodman, Lacey Santos. It's going to be a high scoring one. I think it's going to be high scoring too. I said 2-2 for my prediction tomorrow. Oh.

51:21Esme Morgan:Allie? I say 2-1 Gotham. Okay. I do think the home crowd is going to help them and elevate them to a new level for the rest of the season. Love it. All right.

51:31Sarah Schupansky:Winner, winner brings cupcakes for our next show because this was our 100th show. Yeah, we only focus on winners here on Football W. Thank you so much for hanging out. Looking forward to a little Citi Field action tomorrow. Can't wait to see that crowd. 40 ,000 fans are ready to go. We will be back August 4th. See you then.

52:17Sarah Schupansky:community support. You're smarter and more focused for drinking Storm. Storm, good energy in, good energy out. Energy for life.