Foreign Exchange: Three questions with Jeremiah Oshan of Sounder at Heart
Ahead of Austin's match at Seattle on an unusual-for-Lumen-Field surface, we got some Sounders answers from one who knows them very well.
It's finally a game day again! And it's a late one in Seattle, with the MLS Season Pass stream starting at 9:30 pm CT, as Austin FC vies for a third straight win in league play and a perfect June.
And, as we learned and shared on the latest Emergency Podcast, expect the match to be played on the grass laid out over Lumen Field's notorious turf for the Club World Cup matches taking place there earlier this month.
That news came from Jeremiah Oshan, founder of Sounder at Heart, the best source for Rave Green info. I submitted info for their opposition scouting report feature, which included projecting that Robert Taylor would start given Myrto Uzuni's questionable hamstring.
Also, Seattle's coming off a less-than-optimal Club World Cup run where they lost three games on said grass in their home stadium; to paraphrase Ferris Bueller's Day Off on Austin FC's behalf, "We didn't even have a Club World Cup run; we have to envy yours."
Jeremiah was gracious enough to give answers to three questions we had. Here's seem insight on the other MLS green.
How was the Club World Cup experience for the Sounders, and how do you expect them to be in their first game back — flat and disinterested, or remotivated for league play and ready to beat a more beatable team than the three they've just faced?
The Sounders definitely sound like a team feeling like they built some positive momentum, despite losing all three Club World Cup matches. They were competitive in each one while playing three world-class opponents. The big test obviously comes this week in their return to league play. I’d like to think they’ll come out motivated, but we’ll see.
The Sounders aren't sending anyone to the All-Star Game; given the team they built during the offseason, how much of a surprise is that (from the start of the season perspective; I'm guessing you might have expected it at this stage of things)?
I wouldn’t say I”m surprised that they didn’t get anyone into the All-Star Game, in part because it’s such a crapshoot. That said, I think Cristian Roldan is one of the bigger snubs and Albert Rusnák had a solid bid as well.
Perhaps related — what has your impression been of Jesus Ferreira, and why is he not adjusting as well as I assume the front office hoped when they signed him?
Ferreira has definitely been a disappointment, at least from a production perspective. We figured he’d provide a bit more scoring punch, but he’s been both more of a playmaker and a more cerebral player than we expected, too. He seems to have won over Brian Schmetzer, anyway.
Verde All Day is a reader-supported online publication covering Austin FC. Additional support is provided by Austin Telco Federal Credit Union. You can comment here if you’re a subscriber, or reach out via Bluesky.
Nico Estévez provided some welcome news about the lineup ahead of Wednesday's match. He also admitted that there's much work to do between now and the season opener on Feb. 21
Simon Becher scored a 16th-minute goal to provide the difference between the two teams. Offense, in the absence of key attackers, continues to be a concern.
It's finally a game day again! And it's a late one in Seattle, with the MLS Season Pass stream starting at 9:30 pm CT, as Austin FC vies for a third straight win in league play and a perfect June.
And, as we learned and shared on the latest Emergency Podcast, expect the match to be played on the grass laid out over Lumen Field's notorious turf for the Club World Cup matches taking place there earlier this month.
That news came from Jeremiah Oshan, founder of Sounder at Heart, the best source for Rave Green info. I submitted info for their opposition scouting report feature, which included projecting that Robert Taylor would start given Myrto Uzuni's questionable hamstring.
Also, Seattle's coming off a less-than-optimal Club World Cup run where they lost three games on said grass in their home stadium; to paraphrase Ferris Bueller's Day Off on Austin FC's behalf, "We didn't even have a Club World Cup run; we have to envy yours."
Jeremiah was gracious enough to give answers to three questions we had. Here's seem insight on the other MLS green.
How was the Club World Cup experience for the Sounders, and how do you expect them to be in their first game back — flat and disinterested, or remotivated for league play and ready to beat a more beatable team than the three they've just faced?
The Sounders definitely sound like a team feeling like they built some positive momentum, despite losing all three Club World Cup matches. They were competitive in each one while playing three world-class opponents. The big test obviously comes this week in their return to league play. I’d like to think they’ll come out motivated, but we’ll see.
The Sounders aren't sending anyone to the All-Star Game; given the team they built during the offseason, how much of a surprise is that (from the start of the season perspective; I'm guessing you might have expected it at this stage of things)?
I wouldn’t say I”m surprised that they didn’t get anyone into the All-Star Game, in part because it’s such a crapshoot. That said, I think Cristian Roldan is one of the bigger snubs and Albert Rusnák had a solid bid as well.
Perhaps related — what has your impression been of Jesus Ferreira, and why is he not adjusting as well as I assume the front office hoped when they signed him?
Ferreira has definitely been a disappointment, at least from a production perspective. We figured he’d provide a bit more scoring punch, but he’s been both more of a playmaker and a more cerebral player than we expected, too. He seems to have won over Brian Schmetzer, anyway.
Verde All Day is a reader-supported online publication covering Austin FC. Additional support is provided by Austin Telco Federal Credit Union. You can comment here if you’re a subscriber, or reach out via Bluesky.
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