We Are Soccer Central

This week, We Are Soccer Central heads to the Pacific Northwest as Robert Kerr talks to Jayda Evans of the Seattle Times. Seattle has been a hotbed for successful soccer for a half century thanks to the Seattle Sounders, Seattle Reign, and a plethora of lower league and amateur teams. Jayda has seen clubs at all these levels in her brief time in the Emerald City and she plenty of stories to share with We Are Soccer.

The 2024 edition US Open Cup will be like no other as MLS will enter just 8 teams into this year's tournament. Open Cup expert and senior editor of TheCup.us Josh Hakala joins Robert Kerr to review MLS's unprecedented decision to withdraw their participation from the 100+ year old domestic tournament. Josh describes the move as a 'gut punch to the tournament' and that the USSF was blindsided by the decision.

This week on We Are Soccer Central, host Robert Kerr welcomes Indy Eleven vice president Brad Hauter to talk about how his club is preparing for the 2024 USL Championship Season. Brad pitches Indianapolis as a destination city for athletes, how Indy Eleven has a new stadium development coming along, and the entire scope of the club from the youth level all the way up to the professional ranks for both men and women.

Michigan Stars FC fell in last season's NISA championship game on their quest to repeat as league champions and keep the title in the state of Michigan once again, but that will not stop them from progressing forward both on and off the pitch. Host Robert Kerr welcomes their brand new COO Chris McInally to talk about where the club is going into 2024 and beyond, as well as some of the fun behind the scenes nuggets, like where the team prefers to eat after a gruelling training session.

Another 2024 episode, another new head coach for a local club. This week Robert Kerr welcomes Steve Walker to Oakland County FC in his first interview since taking the job. Steve comes to the Purple and Gold from Vardar's MLS Next Academy Team and from an assistant job at Northwood University. The Mancunian now lives in Saginaw and has an excellent vision for the next chapter of Oakland County FC.

Robert Kerr rings in a new year with a new local head coach. Detroit City FC's new boss Danny Dichio joins the pod this week to discuss what brought him to the Keyworth Stadium technical area. Dichio talks about how his experience as a player in England and an assistant coach here in the States has led him to this point and why he chose Detroit City FC to start his head coaching journey.

As soccer season here in Michigan and throughout the United States is in the offseason, host Robert Kerr leans into his Liverpool fandom for this episode as he documents his journey to Loaded Dice Brewery in Troy to watch last weekend's Liverpool-Manchester United rivalry clash with a bunch of Red Devils supporters. Come join him on his journey through a sports bar discussion about Manchester United's struggles at the back, Liverpool's finishing (or lack therof in this scoreless draw), and much, much more.

Robert Kerr welcomes Michigan State Women's Soccer coach Jeff Hosler to the program to talk about how he led the Spartans to a back-to-back Big Ten regular season titles and the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Jeff touches on his time at Grand Valey State, his coaching methods, and the players that have made the program a consistent winner in recent years.

Head coach Chad Wiseman has the Western Michigan Broncos in the NCAA Sweet 16 for the third time in the last six years. He joins Robert Kerr on the program to tell us all why nobody should be sleeping on his squad after their second round victory over Duke. The Broncos will travel to South Bend to face Notre Dame in the Sweet 16 on Sunday, November 26 at 5pm.

A lot has happened since the last MSC episode, so show editor and producer Jenny Hojnacki comes onto the show with Robert Kerr to discuss what's been missed in the last two weeks. Detroit City FC squeezed into the playoffs on the final day of the season and is starting their search for a new coach. Also, Michigan Stars revived their unique brand of soccer again, high school soccer is getting into the business end of their season, and Robert had the pleasure of doing play-by-play for the Girls' State Cup Finals this past weekend.

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