September 29, 2025

Episode 693 – The AFTN Soccer Show (The One With All The Cups - Whitecaps Kings of Cascadia again, Martin Nash, Mark O'Neill, Can Champ preview)

2 hours 36 minutes

We’re back with another AFTN Soccer Show packed full of Vancouver Whitecaps, Major League Soccer, and Canadian Championship chat and interviews.

The Whitecaps may be down to the bare bones in terms of squad selection, especially on the defensive side, but that didn't stop them claiming an 8th Cascadia Cup following draws with Portland and Seattle. We pick over the bones of those two matches, look at the lie of the land for the race to be the best in the MLS West, and have a chat with Whitecaps centre back Mark O'Neill about signing his first MLS deal, his footballing journey, and coming from a three-code footballing family.

We also look ahead to the Canadian Championship final and preview the all-Vancouver match-up by having an in-depth chat with Vancouver FC head coach, and former Whitecaps legend, Martin Nash. We chat with Marty about the final, whether this cup run will help him lose the interim tag, what fans can expect from the team, the players to watch, and Whitecaps memories. It's also a final that will pit brother against brother and we chat with both the Whitecaps Ralph Priso and his brother Huge Mbongue at VFC about what will be a very emotional night for the pair, and get 'Caps coach Jesper Sorensen's thoughts on the match-up.

Plus we hear from Thomas Müller after lifting the Cascadia Cup and hopefully soon the Voyageurs Cup, talk more FIFA shenanigans and music-wise, Hazel O'Connor wraps up her residency as our Album of the Month, we've Britpop songs from Sleeper and Pulp, and The Abs feature in Wavelength with a song about footballer Ralph Coates' hair.

Here’s the rundown for the main segments from the episode:

01.25: Intro - FIFA doing FIFA things

25.20: Whitecaps win record-breaking 8th Cascadia Cup

54.55: Thomas Müller talks Can Champ and Cascadia Cup

63.40: The race to be best in MLS West

72.20: Mark O'Neill interview

90.30: Martin Nash interview

118.40: Canadian Championship preview

133.45: Brother vs Brother - Ralph Priso vs Hugo Mbongue

148.00: Wavelength - The Abs - Grease Your Ralph

...more