The Soccer Journal Podcast

New York City FC made it two straight home wins by beating New England, but it wasn't the prettiest or easiest win over the Revolution at Yankee Stadium. That gave us lots of angles to explore as we discussed this work-in-progress NYCFC team. Hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan and producer Andrew Leigh praise the performances from players like Julián Fernández, Alonso Martinez, and Keaton Parks, pl...

The first New York City FC win of 2025 arrived at the home opener and it gave us plenty to discuss. We start with a rundown of all the festivities at the home opener meant to mark the 10th anniversary of NYCFC's on-field debut, with pod producer Andrew Leigh providing a boots-on-the-ground perspective on the nostalgic night at Yankee Stadium that included visits from Andrea Pirlo, Kwadwo Poku, and...

It's home opener week for New York City FC and that means it's a time for anticipation and nostalgia on the Hudson River Blue Podcast. Before getting into all the excitement and build-up to the first NYCFC home match of the 2025 season, hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan break down the 1-0 away loss to LAFC. That means attempting to understand the lack of decent NYCFC scoring chances, trying to fig...

New York City FC's drama-filled, chaotic 2-2 draw with Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF to open the 2025 Major League Soccer season gave us lots to unpack. Hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan cover big points like the gut-punch Miami equalizer in the 10th minute of second-half stoppage time, Mitja Ilenič's clever set-piece goal and Messi-trolling Cristiano Ronaldo celebration, and the first big in-ga...

It's the dawn of a new Major League Soccer season and the Hudson River Blue Podcast has one more big preview-centric episode to get you ready for a new year of New York City FC soccer. We start by discussing two players who won't be on the 2025 NYCFC roster, Santiago Rodríguez who is about to join Botafogo in Brazil, and James Sands, who just suffered a rough injury while away on loan in Germany....

We're collectively on high alert for a Santiago Rodríguez transfer away from New York City FC, with rumors intensifying that the attacking midfielder could leave for Botafogo in Brazil's Série A. Episode 25 begins with an unpacking of all that a Santi sale would mean for NYCFC and some attempts to figure out what's actually going on with his rumored big-money move. The Santi talk leads our hosts J...

This week Pascal Jansen met the New York City FC media for the first time since becoming the team's Head Coach, so this episode starts with close readings of some of what Jansen – and NYCFC Sporting Director David Lee – had to say in their preseason press conferences. That included Jansen laying out his goals to give his team more edge, intensity, and sense of invincibility, a "bulletproof mindset...

New York City FC will compete in both the US Open Cup and Leagues Cup in 2025, but it's not so cut-and-dry for a lot of other Major League Soccer teams. Both those Cup competitions just got new and slightly complex qualification criteria, and we spend the early part of Episode 23 trying to make sense of who gets into the Open Cup, who gets into Leagues Cup, and who gets left out. Given that we're...

The transfer market is hot elsewhere in Major League Soccer, but there's not a lot of exciting transfer movement going on around New York City FC. This episode starts with an attempt to get to the bottom of why we've seen so little transfer activity from NYCFC during this offseason, an offseason that has seen lots of big-name talents – like Wilfried Zaha and possibly Miguel Almirón, to name two –...

The 2025 preseason officially started for New York City FC, with the team jetting off to Santa Barbara, California with a 34-player preseason roster, but a roster that does not include striker Jovan Mijatović. The 19-year-old is still in Europe and not joining up with his teammates for preseason while rumors swirl about a potential loan transfer from NYCFC to a European club. Hosts John Baney and...

Matt Freese has been overdue for a call-up to the United States men's national team, but Mauricio Pochettino's first January camp as coach finally sees Freese get a chance with the USMNT . We have a lot to say about Freese's opportunity and our hopes of seeing someone from the NYCFC roster grow into a regular presence with the USMNT, maybe in time for the 2026 World Cup. Episode 20 also includes m...

There's no easing into a new year, as the first Hudson River Blue Podcast episode of 2025 had a lot of ground to cover. That happens when news of a new New York City FC coach and James Sands's second departure break on New Year's Eve and Day, respectively. First, hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan discuss the reported arrival of Pascal Jansen to replace Nick Cushing as NYCFC manager. There's talk o...

Episode 18 of the Hudson River Blue Podcast is also the final episode of 2024, so end-of-year reviews are top of mind for hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan. Before the conversation turns to a review of 2024, there's news to discuss and it's about Leagues Cup. The tournament between MLS and Mexico's Liga MX is changing in 2025 and our episode starts with a discussion of one major change that's been...

Offseason has fallen across all of Major League Soccer, but this episode begins with a look back at the final match of 2024, the MLS Cup Final that saw LA Galaxy win a sixth Cup by vanquishing the New York Red Bulls. Hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan discuss what a loss in the league's championship game means for the legacy of the Red Bulls franchise, as well as what it means for the always-entert...

It's down to the MLS Cup Final and this year it's between LA Galaxy and...the New York Red Bulls. Yes, New York City FC's fiercest rivals are one win away from hoisting their first-ever MLS Cup, and this episode starts with hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan sharing their thoughts on that uncomfortable possibility, while giving some begrudging props to the success of Red Bull's approach to games th...

A packed episode in which we discuss the two huge developments in New York City FC-land: The team's elimination from the MLS Cup Playoffs at the hands of the rival Red Bulls, and the subsequent decision to fire head coach Nick Cushing. Episode 15 begins with a gut reaction to the news that Cushing is out after 107 games in charge of NYCFC, relieved of his duties by the team. Hosts John Baney and M...

The first-ever MLS Cup Playoffs edition of the Hudson River Derby is almost here, so this episode of the Hudson River Blue Podcast is all about previewing the gigantic Eastern Conference Semifinal at Citi Field. To prepare for the big playoff clash between New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls, hosts John Baney and Andrew Leigh had to turn to an expert of New York soccer and of MLS Cup Playo...

It's the international break for the MLS Cup Playoffs but there's no international break for the Hudson River Blue Podcast. Episode 13 begins with a survey of the playoff landscape in the Eastern Conference after Round One, namely that the top three seeds, including regular season record-setters Inter Miami CF and Lionel Messi, have been knocked out. Can New York City FC suddenly start dreaming of...

New York City FC did just enough to advance in the MLS Cup Playoffs, beating FC Cincinnati on penalty kicks in the decisive Game 3 to seal a first-ever playoff meeting with the rival New York Red Bulls. This special installment of the Hudson River Blue Podcast was recorded immediately following the 0-0 draw turned NYCFC shootout win at TQL Stadium to close out the best-of-three Round One playoff s...

A big win at Citi Field in Game 2 means that New York City FC will play a decisive Game 3 to decide their MLS Cup Playoff series with FC Cincinnati. This episode of the Hudson River Blue Podcast takes a look back at NYCFC's first playoff win of 2024 while preparing for what comes next in yet another do-or-die postseason game, this one on the road. Hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan highlight what w...

New York City FC finds its 2024 season on the brink, so this episode of the Hudson River Blue Podcast is focused on how they got here and how they might still be able to turn things around. Hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan spend much of this episode dissecting NYCFC's 1-0 loss away to FC Cincinnati to open the best-of-three Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs, a match that packed a lot of intrigue...

Attention turns to FC Cincinnati and the MLS Cup Playoffs on this episode of the Hudson River Blue Podcast. Decision Day didn't go New York City FC's way, so Episode 9 begins with a little talk of what went wrong in Montréal in the MLS regular season's final match before hosts John Baney and Mark Radigan shift their attention to Round One of the playoffs. The good news: NYCFC's one home game in Ro...

It's days before MLS Decision Day so Episode 8 of the Hudson River Blue Podcast has lots to say about the potential playoff scenarios that await New York City FC. That includes the uncertainty that surrounds where NYCFC might play the home match(es) in Round One of the MLS Cup Playoffs, thanks to the looming potential for a meeting between the New York Yankees and New York Mets in the World Series...

The vibes on the Hudson River Blue Podcast are good as New York City FC has logged three straight wins with only Decision Day now between them and the MLS Cup Playoffs. Episode 7 begins with a discussion of the workmanlike 3-1 win over Nashville SC, which featured a star turn from Santiago Rodríguez. Santi's two goals have us wondering: If there was an alternate MLS without Lionel Messi or Cucho H...

New York City FC is riding the high of a late-season unbeaten streak, and Episode 6 of the Hudson River Blue Podcast looks back fondly at the team's two recent victories over the New York Red Bulls and FC Cincinnati. There's time spent savoring that 5-1 exclamation point of a win in the Hudson River Derby, with lots of talk about the local New York City products, Tayvon Gray and Justin Haak, who p...