Foreign Exchange: Three questions with SixOneFive Soccer's Ben Wright (on Austin FC's U.S. Open Cup final opponent)
Ahead of tonight's battle for a shiny trophy, we talk to the best person we could think to talk to about Austin FC's opponent.
The day is upon us! Tonight, Austin FC plays Nashville SC for the actual U.S. Open Cup — it's not just a tournament title; it's an actual trophy — and there's quite a bit of pomp and circumstance around it.
But now that we don't see Nashville twice a year as we did in the days when they were Western Conference rivals — and locked into an epic 2022 MVP battle that intertwined the teams — you might not know as much about the Yotes (as they are occasionally called) as you once did.
Let's remedy that. We put some questions before Ben Wright, who helms the excellent SixOneFive Soccer, where he let me share some thoughts on Verde, and even took time out from surveying his Airbnb yesterday to record a special-edition Emergency Podcast.
To the questions!
Sam Surridge and Hany Mukhtar have been a dynamic duo all season ... how would you characterize their partnership, and how has this helped Mukhtar in particular bounce back to his best season since his MVP campaign three years ago?
We saw the makings of their partnership really start last year. Surridge was really solid, scoring 12 goals with pretty limited service, and Mukhtar rounded into form at the end of the year. Despite how disappointing the season as a whole was, I think we saw signs.
This year, they've kept it up and added to it. Surridge is an exceptional first-touch finisher with either foot, and while he's not always called on in buildup, he's sneakily good with the ball at his feet and is a better passer than you'd initially expect. And we all know what Hany Mukhtar brings. He's scored 16 goals in MLS this season, tied for his second-best scoring season ever. There were concerns heading into the season that he was on the decline after 18 months of poor performances. He's answered all those questions and then some.
How has the team's Open Cup run compared to its regular-season form? They had a big run of unbeaten matches followed by a pretty recent slump they might be turning around with Saturday's win ...
It's honestly been similar. Even with the poor run in MLS play, I don't think they've played particularly poorly. It might sound like making an excuse, but the data backs it up; they got incredibly unlucky during the stretch where they won just one game in seven. Not much changed about their play on the pitch; they just conceded more than they should have and couldn't finish. In the Open Cup, though, they've shown their best form in every round. They went to Orlando with a fully rotated team and won, they smashed D.C. United and they played the Union off the pitch in the semifinals. They've been excellent in the tournament so far.
How has the team evolved since B.J. Callaghan took over in July 2024, and what kind of X factor might his coaching bring?
For starters, they're much more proactive. Under Gary Smith, they were defense-first, reactive, and lacked many clear ideas going forward. All that has improved dramatically under Callaghan. They're very organized defensively, have clear rotations and progressions in the final third, and are ultra-focused on dictating the game. Even when they don't dominate possession, they press heavily and make it really difficult for their opponents to play through them. Simply put, it's a much more modern approach than they had before, but it's also one that plays into the strengths of every player in the squad. I really think they're one of the better teams in MLS, and they're one year into what they view as a multi-year project to get this roster where they want it.
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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It's Halloween, which means trick or treating, spooky vibes ... and a 4 pm CT kickoff for Verde? We dive into the matinee contest involving the Galaxy with one of our favorite SoCal soccer writers.
The day is upon us! Tonight, Austin FC plays Nashville SC for the actual U.S. Open Cup — it's not just a tournament title; it's an actual trophy — and there's quite a bit of pomp and circumstance around it.
But now that we don't see Nashville twice a year as we did in the days when they were Western Conference rivals — and locked into an epic 2022 MVP battle that intertwined the teams — you might not know as much about the Yotes (as they are occasionally called) as you once did.
Let's remedy that. We put some questions before Ben Wright, who helms the excellent SixOneFive Soccer, where he let me share some thoughts on Verde, and even took time out from surveying his Airbnb yesterday to record a special-edition Emergency Podcast.
To the questions!
Sam Surridge and Hany Mukhtar have been a dynamic duo all season ... how would you characterize their partnership, and how has this helped Mukhtar in particular bounce back to his best season since his MVP campaign three years ago?
We saw the makings of their partnership really start last year. Surridge was really solid, scoring 12 goals with pretty limited service, and Mukhtar rounded into form at the end of the year. Despite how disappointing the season as a whole was, I think we saw signs.
This year, they've kept it up and added to it. Surridge is an exceptional first-touch finisher with either foot, and while he's not always called on in buildup, he's sneakily good with the ball at his feet and is a better passer than you'd initially expect. And we all know what Hany Mukhtar brings. He's scored 16 goals in MLS this season, tied for his second-best scoring season ever. There were concerns heading into the season that he was on the decline after 18 months of poor performances. He's answered all those questions and then some.
How has the team's Open Cup run compared to its regular-season form? They had a big run of unbeaten matches followed by a pretty recent slump they might be turning around with Saturday's win ...
It's honestly been similar. Even with the poor run in MLS play, I don't think they've played particularly poorly. It might sound like making an excuse, but the data backs it up; they got incredibly unlucky during the stretch where they won just one game in seven. Not much changed about their play on the pitch; they just conceded more than they should have and couldn't finish. In the Open Cup, though, they've shown their best form in every round. They went to Orlando with a fully rotated team and won, they smashed D.C. United and they played the Union off the pitch in the semifinals. They've been excellent in the tournament so far.
How has the team evolved since B.J. Callaghan took over in July 2024, and what kind of X factor might his coaching bring?
For starters, they're much more proactive. Under Gary Smith, they were defense-first, reactive, and lacked many clear ideas going forward. All that has improved dramatically under Callaghan. They're very organized defensively, have clear rotations and progressions in the final third, and are ultra-focused on dictating the game. Even when they don't dominate possession, they press heavily and make it really difficult for their opponents to play through them. Simply put, it's a much more modern approach than they had before, but it's also one that plays into the strengths of every player in the squad. I really think they're one of the better teams in MLS, and they're one year into what they view as a multi-year project to get this roster where they want it.
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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