SportSpyder - The Latest FC Dallas Podcasts

Afterburn Soccer Show - September 28, 2026

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 14:54:55 GMT

Thanks again for your support through this season.

The highlights of this episode:

FC Dallas win over LAFC 1-0.
FC Dallas are second in the west.
FC Dallas got a coach fired (sorry, LAFC).
John Gall out as North Texas HC.
No game next week.
While rumors abound, Musa bought a house.

Thanks for your support! We love our FC Dallas family!

Afterburn Soccer Show - September 28, 2026

Nathan J. Hill — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 14:54:00 GMT

3rd Degree the Podcast #376

3rd_Degree — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 09:00:00 GMT

This week on 3rd Degree the Podcast, you win some, you lose some. Your hosts - Peter Welpton, Dennis McGowan, and Buzz Carrick - break down the FC Dallas win over LAFC. A win so annoying to LA that they fired their coach! A win built on quality defense. A win that got FC Dallas into 2nd place in the West. Is it time to start worrying about Coach Eric Quill getting poached by someone with deep pockets? There was a new Job in town; how did he do? Plus, Petar Musa says he wants to get back to Europe! Is it time to panic? Good thing FCD is off this weekend.

On the losing end was Dallas Trinity, who got rolled by the defending champs, Lexington SC. Yes, some chances went missing, but Lexington had too much for the Golden Girls to handle. Perhaps Coach Nguyen could have gone at this one differently? Trinity is also off this weekend. They too will be missing some pieces soon.

Plus, in North Texas SC news, John Gall was not retained.

LIVE Tonight at 7 PM CST: FC Dallas Win & LAFC fire their head coach.

Mon, 28 Sep 2026 21:54:22 GMT

Welcome back to the Afterburn Soccer Show.

It will just be Nathan and MrCoov tonight as we break down a busy weekend of action and news for FC Dallas and North Texas SC.

For starters, FC Dallas got the job done with a solid 1-0 win over Los Angeles FC at home. Both teams were missing key players, and while there is always a controversial call or two, Osaze Urhoghide’s towering header was enough to seal the win at home. The result pushes FC Dallas to 2nd place in the West, a huge result and climb.

Following the loss, Los Angeles FC fired their head coach. What an effect that this team has over their rivals.

North Texas SC also made the departure of John Gall official. We’ll have more about this later in the week, but the move made sense to provide a change at the club. Gall concludes a very solid tenure, and no doubt, he will find other places to land in the soccer landscape.

We will hit these topics and others.

See you in a bit!

Afterburn Socer Show - September 23, 2026

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 15:36:39 GMT

Thanks, as usual, for your support, for listening in, for commenting live as we break down all the latest news for FC Dallas and North Texas SC.

Thanks to Todd for popping us a few questions and comments as we looked back at a somewhat disappointing 0-0 draw at home for FC Dallas over Austin FC. We spent more time thinking about the future of North Texas SC. Who will stay? Who will go? What is the future of the coaching staff? How will they begin to construct a competitive roster next year?

Lots of unknowns!

But we do close with predictions for a big match this weekend against Los Angeles FC.

Afterburn Socer Show - September 23, 2026

Nathan J. Hill — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 15:36:00 GMT

A Bitter Weekend: FC Dallas Draw; North Texas Crash Out

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 23:00:08 GMT

Hey, folks, welcome back to Afterburner soccer as we pick up the pieces from a not-so-great season for FC Dallas and North Texas SC.

Heads up - Jose and I will be live tonight to look at the weekend and especially get a head start thinking about the future of North Texas SC at 7 PM CST.

Soccer can be a cruel sport.

Have the more talented squad? It won’t matter if your guys get snake bit in front of goal.

Be full of vibes and ask for more buy-in and belief from your boys? It won’t matter if the bounces don’t go your way.

Build a tactically cohesive roster to deploy your genius formation? One injury can destroy your season.

Of course, you may not lose. You may get those bounces and those vibes and that tactical brilliance coming together, even while your roster is still full of half-baked pieces left over from previous managers. This is the ridiculousness of soccer. It’s like rolling dice and hoping you land the fabled 20.

For Eric Quill, he rolled the dice at home on Saturday night against a depleted and inferior Austin FC side. His squad put out a near 2xG kind of performance, and it wasn’t good enough. They settled for a draw, a draw which communicated to the league and the world — soccer is a cruel game.

FC Dallas won the Copa Tejas despite not getting all three points. It’s a bitter consolation prize with all things considered. You take the points, of course, but it showcases the work to be done for FC Dallas on a vital stretch of matches ahead, especially if they want to keep climbing that table.

North Texas Crash Out

Let’s just lay it out there - North Texas SC began the day in clear control of their playoff destiny, and by the end, they had, cruelly and sadly, watched it slip through their fingers.

The Colorado Rapids 2 are the worst team in MLS Next Pro, and North Texas SC, this mis-match of guys from the first team and homegrown and SuperDraft picks and project pieces, couldn’t get it to click, once again. In all honesty, they didn’t choose to give up a go ahead golazo kind of goal. It just happened. Soccer, again, is cruel like that. The Rapids got the bounce on the night.

Go back in time. Had North Texas closed out a win, up 2-1, against Dynamo 2 two weeks ago, we would not be having this conversation. North Texas SC would have punched their ticket to the next round. Instead, this is a team, despite its talent, that gave up goals. Gave up moments. Gave in to being less than special.

It’s a really difficult result to swallow, even as guys like Slade Starnes kept fighting to the very bitter end.

I’d argue that it wasn’t just one game where they gave it up, but we saw the challenges with consistency of this team over the course of the season. The problem was larger than one 90 minute run. For whatever reason, this roster, with all of its talent, couldn’t find the balance they needed. There will be plenty of time for Coach Gall and company to look back and think about what is needed to fix it.

In the months ahead, however, there will be a need to make some decisions from the FC Dallas front office. Who among this group gets further opportunities? Who gets a loan? And who comes back for that next year of possibility and development? Keep in mind the spring sprint season will be its own beast, and I have no doubt that newly signed William Gabriel will be one of those important pieces to build around.

We are going live tonight to begin thinking about it, about how FC Dallas will handle some key absences this weekend, and how North Texas SC can turn the corner back into championship territory.

3rd Degree the Podcast #375

3rd_Degree — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 09:47:00 GMT

Surprise! A Monday episode of 3rd Degree the Podcast! On this episode, your hosts - Peter Welpton, Dennis McGowan, and Buzz Carrick - kick off the episode with FC Dallas vs Austin FC. It was a flat, poor game, interrupted by the excitement of a rabbit. Go rabbit!! FCD got a point and brought home Copa Tejas, so there's that. Is there much value to this game? LAFC is next, with both teams missing some pieces due to the international window.

Dallas Trinity was the bright spot of the week, playing their possession-passing game on the road at Fort Lauderdale and getting the 3 points. Some new faces got starts and played well. "Flexibility" was the word from the coach, much to Buzz's chagrin. The Godlen Girls are at Lexington next; will we see the same XI or some new combination?

Finally, North Texas SC put up a stinker at lowly Rapids 2 and cost themselves a playoff spot. NTSC was one of four teams chasing three spots and didn't come up with the goods, so they are now done for the year.

Music by Pappy Check!

It All Comes Down to This: North Texas SC Playoff Scenarios

Sun, 20 Sep 2026 14:17:46 GMT

Hopefully not for the last time this season but thanks to the North Texas SC media team for these amazing graphics.

I am writing this on Saturday night, as FC Dallas concludes a disappointing 0-0 draw at home with Austin FC. Yes, they claim the Copa Tejas for the year, which isn’t nothing, but I echo head coach Eric Quill who sounded frustrated after the game. A late save from a Logan Farrington shot thwarted the full three points that Dallas probably deserved.

At least we will always have the Copa Tejas bunny.

North Texas now gets our full attention as they play their final game of the 2026 MLS Next Pro regular season with everything to play for.

Our boys from Mansfield are traveling to altitude to face the lowly Colorado Rapids 2 to confirm their spot in the postseason. You can argue they are fortunate to be in this position, with all the ups and downs of this long season, or you can argue they should probably be in a higher position with a few more bounces having gone their way. Regardless, this where they are.

Here’s the lay of the land.

Minnesota United FC 2 are just above North Texas with 42 points.

North Texas SC are in 8th with 40 points.

Tacoma Defiance and San Jose Quakes II are below them with 39 points, battling for that final play-in spot.

The possibilities are fairly straightforward. In short, things could go against North Texas SC in such a way that they crash out of the postseason. Or they could go in their favor that North Texas leapfrog Minnesota and avoid the play-in game. None of the final four teams vying for these three spots play each other, so there is the healthy potential for chaos.

On the podcast, Jose and Colin were straightforward - North Texas need to win against the worst team in the Western conference. Any other result opens the door for a disappointing result, and in truth, no team wants to back in to the playoffs. You want to end the regular season with some confidence.

I tried to lay out the various possibilities below:

Best case: Defeat the Rapids 2 and North Texas SC end with 43 points and CLINCH a playoff spot regardless. If Minnesota loses, North Texas gets the coveted 7th place spot, avoiding the play-in game.

Middling case: Draw and PK Shootout, end with 42 points. Unless Tacoma scores a bunch of goals in a win, North Texas would at least get the 9th place spot via goal differential.

Less than Middling Case: Draw, end with 41 points. We would need at least one of the teams below them - Tacoma or the Quakes to lose to get in. 8th or 9th seed final position.

Worst case: Loss, end season with 40 points. Again, we need at least one of the teams below them - Tacoma or the Quakes - to lose. 8th or 9th seed final position.

The teams below/in contention with them:

Minnesota United FC 2: 42 points, at home versus LAFC 2
Tacoma Defiance: 39 points, at home versus Timbers 2
San Jose Quakes 2: 39 points, away at Vancouver 2

Really, North Texas should be positioned well enough to punch their ticket into the postseason, but I’m with the boys from the pod. It’s time to win. It’s time to exorcise whatever demons remain from a very inconsistent season and do everything you can for that 7th seed. If so, who knows what might happen?

It’s time!

Afterburn Soccer Show - September 15, 2026

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 14:39:13 GMT

We are back after a Labor Day break.

And we have a lot on the buffet table as FC Dallas are on a roll, climbing to 3rd in the Major League Western Conference table after three straight wins. The team is clicking. They are dawgs. Quill has this group of guys fighting for every opportunity, and we get to enjoy.

Colin, Jose, and Nathan take time to give some shout outs to the guys stepping up and getting better across the board.

We also break down the playoff scenarios for North Texas SC, but Jose lays it out pretty straightforward - North Texas needs to be the Rapids in Colorado. Win, and they are in.

Thanks for listening!

Afterburn Soccer Show - September 15, 2026

Nathan J. Hill — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 14:38:00 GMT

3rd Degree the Podcast #374

3rd_Degree — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 09:51:00 GMT

This week on 3rd Degree the Podcast, your hosts - Peter Welpton, Dennic McGowan, and Buzz Carrick - almost had a perfect win week to talk about, except that North Texas SC wrecked it.

The podcast starts with FC Dallas and their double-win week. Two quality wins versus Minnesota and Portland take the streak to three straight. FCD got it done without much of Petar Musa and even a game without Osazr Urhohide. Ran Binyamin at wingback, Daniel back in net, Logan Farrington is back in form, and Joaquín Valiente is balling out hard. Plus, Peter thinks Shaq Moore is FCD's MVP. Austin is next.

Dallas Trinity won again; they are up to two straight. Cyera Hintzen might have had the best assist we've ever seen in Dallas. Jasmin Hamid is dominating off the right wing, and 17-year-old Meila Brewer signed a contract this week and immediately started at center back. The Golden Girls head to Fort Lauderdale on Friday.

North Texas SC faced Houston twice this week, losing on Wednesday, then getting a tie on Sunday before grabbing some extra points with a shootout win. They are clinging to the 8th playoff seed and could see a play-in game. A result in Colorado against the worst team in the West still matters, or Los Toritos could miss out.

Music by Pappy Check!

Live: Afterburn Soccer Show at 7 PM CST

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 23:36:41 GMT

Welcome back.

We missed you all on Labor Day, but that’s life.

With a ton of soccer action since then, we can celebrate FC Dallas going unbeaten with three straight wins. The boys are getting the job done, at home and away, and it’s so much fun to watch. Even when missing Petar Musa, other guys are stepping up.

Huge shoutout to Valiente, one of the signings of the season.

North Texas SC has a single regular season game ahead of them this weekend on Sunday afternoon. Win, and they will secure their postseason ticket. Of course, if they don’t, their fate is in the hands of a few other results. We’ll try to make sense of it tonight.

We’ll take your comments and questions live.

See you in a bit!

What Wednesday Meant for FC Dallas and North Texas SC

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 18:56:47 GMT

Wednesday was an action-packed night for FC Dallas nerds. For a few minutes, we were preparing ourselves for another set of wins to put in our pockets in what is proving to be a joyful, awesome sprint to end the 2026 season in Major League Soccer and MLS Next Pro. Heck, the combination from Sam Sarver to Santi Moreno is the magical sauce we love from this team and Quill’s never-say-die approach to results.

In that moment, we also witnessed Edouard Nys doing the kinds of things that make him such an intriguing talent for the reserve team, a blast from distance that put the squad ahead in a match over the Dynamo that would have been a huge boost up the standings into playoff contention.

But, this season has been a weird one for North Texas. That euphoria did not last.

North Texas SC would go on to give up another goal, at the 100’ mark, dooming them to not even a singular point at home. That was not good.

Here’s what Wednesday meant for both teams with the end of the regular season drawing rapidly to a close.

For North Texas SC…

Up 2-1 at the 83rd minute mark against a very good Houston Dynamo 2 team, North Texas SC appeared to be in control. They could grind out the game. They could see out the win. Their rise up the Western Conference standings could have gone as high (theoretically) as 5th or 6th with two more games remaining.

But this young side fell apart. This isn’t a surprise. We’ve seen it all season that this group of guys, for whatever reason, have a slow start or give up something late. If there was an easy diagnosis, John Gall would hire you to be on his staff. Youth? Inexperience? Lack of cohesion? All of the above?

The good news is that San Jose Quakes 2 lost, thereby keeping North Texas in possession of that no. 8 seed. In short, they are still in contention for a play-in spot to the MLS Next Pro playoffs with two matches remaining.

The first match is at Mansfield against the Dynamo on Saturday, the second of the double-header this week, who are going to relish playing spoiler. After the way the game ended, both teams are going to be up for this. Dynamo have the chance to rise up to the second seed if they get a win, despite already being locked down for postseason play. But North Texas SC really must win. They need points. They can’t afford to back into the playoffs.

All is not lost if things don’t go well at home, as North Texas have a final away game against the Rapids up in Denver. That’s a tough place to play. Weather and altitude are tricky, but even then, this young side must get points if they want to extend their season with the margins so slim.

That must start at home this weekend.

For FC Dallas…

Right now, the Burn are sitting at 4th place in the MLS Western Conference after the 2-1 win over Minnesota United, and there is everything to play for. With 10 games remaining, the next at home against the Portland Timbers, the sky is the limit for this team. Could they leapfrog Los Angeles FC or Houston in the short term? Absolutely. That road form is doing this team wonders.

Heck, with those amount of points still out there, the Supporters’ Shield is unlikely but mathematically possible. Nashville are well out in front of everyone else at 53 points, but they did just lose. The next run of games are going to be unpredictable, an opportunity for chaos to reign supreme.

In the big picture, this season has been a wild one for FC Dallas fans. We’ve had our moments of hair-pulling frustration with dropped points at home, a weird schedule, and very uneven roster contributions. And then this team reels off tough road point after road point. There is something in this group of guys, something that won’t quit.

3rd Degree the Podcast #373

3rd_Degree — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 09:21:00 GMT

It's a triple-win edition of 3rd Degree the Podcast; all three (currently playing) pro teams brought home the W.

Your hosts - Peter Welpton, Dennis McGowan, and Buzz Carrick start off with FC Dallas, digging into the massive goal-fest comeback against Sporting KC. Petar Musa was great, but is he hurt? Farrington looked sharp; is he back? Ramiro might have had his worst game yet; can he be dropped? FCD is bleeding goals and winning anyway! But why is the question? The window closed, and FCD got a Job. Will the new signing have an impact in 2026? FCD gets a double game week on the road at Minnesota and at home versus Portland, two winnable games.

Dallas Trinity played their best game of the year, rolling over Brooklyn. A small tactical change proved the difference. Castain and Hamid powered the win. Attendance took a tick up. Ally Cook was lost for the season, but now Lauren Flynn might be healthy; does that change things against DC?

Lastly, North Texas rallied because Diego Garcia had a smashing 2nd half to torch Real Monarchs 4-1. NTSC is playing well, but it may not matter with two home games against Dynamo Dos this week.

Music by Pappy Check!

Weekend Recap: FC Dallas and North Texas SC Come Up Big

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 22:13:31 GMT

Huge Petar Musa PK win! Thanks FC Dallas Media Crew!

Are you not entertained?

What a weekend for FC Dallas and North Texas Soccer Club! Both clubs needed wins back at home, and both clubs found a way. Let’s break down what it means.

Note: There will be no livestream today on Labor Day due to other commitments, but stay tuned for a makeup show sometime this week.

FC Dallas: Give the Ball to Petar Musa

For our boys in Frisco, back home in front of a friendly crowd, Sporting Kansas City, the lowly SKC team that haven’t been able to do much of anything, appeared to be the right recipe for a squad that needed home-cooking. This was going to be a dominant performance after two months on the road. The question wasn’t who was going to score a hat trick — but just how many.

And then, well, I turned the game on to see that early goal… and then the second.

If I had a fear after the shellacking in Vancouver, it was that the defense would lose any consistency at all. Yes, that defeat wasn’t entirely on our back line, but we’ve been pretty vocal on the podcast on how the defense can seem to be put together via duct tape. Yes, we have Osaze and Shaq and Nolan. They are quality, but it’s the other pieces that make or break them. Nolan, too, is young, so he’s making mistakes here and there. Our backups are decent and have surprised with a good shift or too, but there isn’t a lot to turn to if any of those guys come up lame.

The defense wasn’t entirely blame for the opening two goals. Our midfield has been woeful, at worse, and disconnected, at best. When Ramiro was out with an injury, maybe we had missed his veteran presence, but the Brazilian hasn’t quite looked confident working his way to full fitness. Midfield turnovers are the Achilles heel for FC Dallas this season, and when your key midfielder is coughing them up, expect a long night.

But the great equalizer this season has been our attack. Yes, Farrington can go hot and cold. Moreno is not at 100%. But these guys time and time again can pull something out of nothing. Look at the late stunner against St Louis City, a result that looks pretty great considering what they did to Vancouver this past weekend.

The team never looked panicked after conceding two goals. Instead, our offense went to work. Petar Musa finished the night with two goals and an assist, tying club records. With plenty of games to go, he is going to break that club record. Bernard Kamungo dazzled on the ball and delivered a delicious assist of his own. Valiente is one of the best bargain transfers FC Dallas had had recently. Kaick got into the action with a blast of a shot from the midfield.

Sporting Kansas City found an equalizer of their own, but for once, FC Dallas were blessed by the VAR gods. After review, it was clear that Musa had been fouled inside the box. He stepped up and slotted home the go ahead goal.

After needing a full 90 to take out the league’s bottom dwellers, I don’t blame you if you are riding some anxious nerves about the coming weeks’ games. FC Dallas have a tendency to play up and down to their opponents. The win is good, but there are troubling signs that need improvement rather quickly if Dallas wants to make a run in the playoffs.

Overall though, it was a splendid show for the fans who had waited a long time to see Toyota Stadium emerge anew from its construction cocoon over the summer. As long as FC Dallas keeps scoring, maybe the defense isn’t our biggest concern.

“We spotted them two goals, and to come back on a night like tonight, after being away from home, to have that happen in the first 10 minutes was tough to take and swallow,” head coach Eric Quill told media. “But they keep proving themselves again and again that they’re never going to turn over and die. They’re going to roll their sleeves up and find a way. Do we want it to be a much different type of game? Of course we do, but it is what it is. It happened. I’ve seen a lot of teams where that game probably ends up 4-0, and you’re in your locker room with your head down. We’re 4-3 winners.”

Heads up - lots of keen observers noticed that Petar Musa went off the field cradling his arm after apparently injuring himself on that late foul that setup the penalty kick. It looked like a shoulder stinger — or worse a separated shoulder. Good news, the Croatian national team called him up for their next set of friendlies, so barring some unforeseen news, Musa may just need an extra day of rest.

The result has FC Dallas in 4th place, locked in a battle with Los Angeles FC and St Louis.

North Texas SC: This Team Still Has Another Gear to Unlock

As for the young’uns, North Texas have been their own source of frustration for us this year, playing brilliantly in one game and then collapsing in the next. After earning a vital road point in St Louis, the reserve side returned to Mansfield in hopes of getting their feet under them. Their razor thin margins mean every remaining match is like a playoff game in its own right. If they can run off a series of wins, they will clinch a postseason berth. Mess around with draws and dropped points, the road gets much more difficult.

On Friday night, though, facing a Real Monarchs team that can be good in its own right, the youngsters played up to their pedigree. Homegrown Diego Garcia, one of the engines for this side for the past few years, continued his long recovery from injury with a goal to follow up Nicholas Simmonds’ 5th of the year. From struggling in the first half to coming out of the gates with a renewed focus, North Texas SC coasted the rest of the way.

Heck, Caleb Swann, who I have penciled in for heavy rotation minutes next year for FC Dallas, scored his second of his career.

Álvaro, the FC Dallas defender brought over from Portugal as a project, scored late for his first professional goal, no doubt making a case to be in the mix for an FC Dallas defensive core that will need talent next season.

All in all, this was a come-from-behind win, maybe not as dramatic as what FC Dallas had to do on Saturday, but a huge confidence boost with two straight matches against Houston Dynamo 2.

“Really pleased with the three points. We were disappointed to go down 1-0, especially after creating chances in the first half that we didn’t convert,” head coach John Gall told media after the game. “At halftime, we talked about being more aggressive and adjusted our press. I thought we imposed ourselves much better in the second half. We scored early, Diego Garcia came up big and, at 2-1, I felt the game was going our way. It was important to excite the fans in our new home, and I think we did that. We showed how strong we can be going forward, but we still have some things to clean up defensively as a group. We play Houston twice next week, and they’re a dangerous team, so we need to learn from those mistakes quickly. Overall, I’m really happy with the second-half performance. We thoroughly deserved the win."

Standing wise, North Texas SC need every stinking point they can get over the next couple of weeks. They are sitting at 8th place right now, but Minnesota United FC 2 are breathing down their necks. Two wins this week against Houston should put them in safer territory, but it won’t be easy. The Dynamo are a strong team.

Afterburn Soccer Show - Aug. 31, 2026

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 14:43:11 GMT

Hey, folks, as we launched the stream on Monday night, my workhorse Mac mini M4 decided to crash.

But I was able to restart the stream and we got through a fun one, even as a virus hits the Hill household. FC Dallas and North Texas SC are finding results. They may not be pretty. We may have question marks. But we also have joy.

Thanks to Colin and Jose for carrying the show.

On to next week!

Afterburn Soccer Show - Aug. 31, 2026

Nathan J. Hill — Wed, 02 Sep 2026 14:43:11 GMT

3rd Degree the Podcast #372

3rd_Degree — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 09:29:00 GMT

This week on 3rd Degree the Podcast, your hosts - Peter Welpton, Dennis McGowan, and Buzz Carrick - break down the FC Dallas miracle comeback at St Louis City. The good and the ugly. FCD has traversed the epic road slog with a fantastic record and has put themselves in position to make a great push in the final third of the season. 12 games, 8 at home, remain... can they overcome the poor home form from the start of the season? Sporting KC is in town this weekend; could there be a couple of changes in the Los Toros XI?

On the other hand, things are not so great downtown, as the Golden Girls of Dallas Trinity remain winless. Coach Lee Nguyen is playing Luchi-ball, and, similarly, his team struggles to score. Are there some solutions on the roster? And just what is going on with the greater Super League numbers? Trinity gets bottom dwellers Brooklyn next at the Cotton Bowl. Better win this one.

North Texas SC has tied 4 in a row. They aren't great, but they are scrappy and just might sneak into the playoffs. But they should be playing kids anyway. They play on Friday this week, not the same day as FCD. What a concept.

Music by Pappy Check!

LIVE: Feasting on Road Points with FC Dallas

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 21:50:26 GMT

Let’s feast!

I’m combining my normal weekend retrospective with our live show article today, because we have so much fun stuff to talk about.

FC Dallas has laid out a banquet to feast upon, including a come from behind, ugly, messy result in St Louis, 3-3.

In short, I’m very impressed with the way St Louis is taking to the field and the things they are doing. Their attack exposed our defense. This was the second embarrassing defensive performance in a row from FC Dallas (ugh, Vancouver), and it should ring some alarm bells for the club. At the same time, FC Dallas are the new era GOONIES, never say die, squad. Logan Farrington and Sebastian Ibeagha contributed to late equalizers that we probably didn’t deserve but that this team will take.

In particular, even if Sam Sarver hasn’t been an outright superstar, when he gets on the field, he works his ass off and creates opportunities for his teammates. Is it every time he gets on the field? No. But is it enough that he should continue to get more minutes? Absolutely.

At some point, Quill and company need to come to terms with this roster and figure out who is going to get the job done on a consistent basis — offensively and defensively.

We have transfer rumors below, but this team really needs a legit 6. And they need to overpay for that player. They need to zero out the bank account if need be. Surely, such a player who can really help spur the attack and protect the back line is out there?

But a point on the road after being down 3-1? We’ll take it.

North Texas SC also grabbed a massive 2 points on the road with a draw at St Louis City SC 2 and a penalty kick shootout, their third in the row. This is not what I thought would be the marker for this team, but I will take it. They remain in the mix for a postseason spot, especially with some home games ahead that could really drive them up the table.

Slade Starnes, after we did a nice piece on him last week, offered the assist for the equalizing goal. I’m ready for him to be FC Dallas’ next big defender in 2027. His leadership has been key for this young team to stay in the mix of things.

Also, shout out to John Gall for making history with 73 games coached, the most in club history. I hinted on a recent pod that surely there were question marks about whether or not this group of players needed a different voice from a managerial perspective. Guys can tune out their coaches from time to time. It happens. But I think these past three results, 6 points from 2 home matches and 1 road match, shows that Gall has their attention. Starnes would agree.

Do you want transfer rumors?

Tom Bogert reports that FC Dallas is working on a strange deal.

@BorrenErlend 1st. \n\nNo deal set yet and other Euro clubs trying, but Dallas working. Would be U-22 initiative.\n\nJob, 20, has 7g/8a in 20 apps this season ","username":"tombogert","name":"Tom Bogert","profile_image_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/profile_images/2013297606454104064/Eai8kZJL_normal.jpg","date":"2026-08-31T16:17:46.000Z","photos":[{"img_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/media/HRED6TZXYAAtoY3.jpg","link_url":"https://t.co/w2gftRawtv"}],"quoted_tweet":{},"reply_count":15,"retweet_count":15,"like_count":239,"impression_count":30429,"expanded_url":null,"video_url":null,"video_preview_media_key":null,"belowTheFold":true}" data-component-name="Twitter2ToDOM">

Strange for two reasons - FC Dallas doesn’t need a winger. Also, this guy isn’t a 6 and isn’t a wing back.

But it may not be so strange noting that this young 21 year old with a super Biblical name can play more centrally. Is he a replacement for Santi Moreno, who likely won’t get purchased at the end of the year? Is he just another high value prospect that FC Dallas will want to flip down the line? Or could he learn some wing back?

I don’t know.

I want a DP midfielder, to be honest. Maybe all of those are no longer available?

We go live at 7 PM CST to talk it all out and both commiserate and celebrate a wild week for FC Dallas and North Texas SC. See you on YouTube!

One-on-One with Slade Starnes

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 13:48:36 GMT

Slade Starnes. Photo courtesy of the North Texas SC media team.

In a span of nine months, Slade Starnes, the 6’3'“ FC Dallas homegrown defender, has elevated himself - his game, his standing, his dream.

On November 16, 2025, captaining the SMU Mustangs, Slade led his side to an ACC championship. He was named a MAC Herman Semifinalist for his efforts as a defender and leader. More importantly, his agent got the long awaited phone call, a nod that he had hoped and prayed and, most importantly, worked for — FC Dallas was ready to sign the homegrown to a contract ahead of the 2026 season, a contract inked on January 5, 2026.

Afterburn Soccer had the privilege of speaking with the North Texas defender as his side preps for a crucial match against St Louis City 2 on Friday, August 28.

As a homegrown, Slade has roots in the FC Dallas Academy system, a system that has long served as crucible to develop players at every level of the game, even the World Cup. He got his start with the Dallas Texans, but when injuries disrupted his path alongside a global pandemic, a spot emerged in the FCD U17s, with current North Texas head coach John Gall, then working in the academy system, finding promise and a spot for the stout defender.

What is it that keeps the academy turning out intriguing prospects?

“One thing that FC Dallas does is always try to progress guys to the next age group or next level. If you are good at U14 you are playing at U15, if you are good with U15 you are playing with U17s… and so on,” he told Afterburn. “It’s an onward push up. When I saw guys that were my age that were not that much better than me but a little bit better, they got moved up. I played with Justin Che, Colin Smith, and Antonio Carrera. I was playing in college as a freshman, and they were playing for my dream club. I was right there with them. It shows how small the margins are.”

Choosing college remains a viable pathway for many soccer players with additional time to mature intellectually as well as athletically, something that many Major League Soccer front offices keep an eye on, but for Starnes, he went from Furman College (alma mater of former FC Dallas man Walker Zimmerman) to SMU with one goal in mind.

“Going to SMU, my vision was always to sign for FC Dallas,” he said, noting that the promise of captaining a team closer to Frisco would, he hoped, make a strong case to the FCD front office for a contract.

“Definitely during my college career, there were a lot of unknowns. FC Dallas always watches the college guys, especially the ones they think have a good profile. I knew they liked something about me,” he smiled. “I trained with the first team last summer, playing with the FC Dallas U23s. That was a good experience to see Coach Quill again, as I had trained with North Texas when he was there. Just trying to be memorable, telling the coach, I am going into my senior year. I would love for you to watch me play. I was fighting for myself. In the back of my mind, I had the mentality to go to SMU, do as well as I possibly can, and trust that things would turn out well.”

When the call came, even though it wasn’t always easy to read the tea leaves on how interested FC Dallas was in the defender, it was relief. It was excitement. It was his dream come true.

“I want to be a center back for FC Dallas, at whatever cost. I want to be wearing and playing in the red kit. I know it won’t be easy,” he said, his passion seeping through the Zoom call. “I took the road less traveled. I know that my time is coming.”

He owes gratitude in particular to coaches who continued to invest in him, mentor him, and challenge him.

“100% John Gall,” he said. “When I finished my U17 year, when COVID hit, I was a fringe player. I would come in the last ten minutes to clear out the headers. If we were losing, I would try to go score a set piece. I wasn’t integrated into the main team. When we came back from COVID, Coach Gall was named the U17 coach, and by the end of the season, I was named captain. He harps on me. He pushes me. He asks me to lead in ways that I am not even thinking of. He puts my bad moments at half speed to make an example of me. He is also someone who helped bring me back to the club. He was in my corner. He is someone I am so grateful to have grown under him and now to play and captain under him.”

That John Gall now leads North Texas made the transition much more comfortable, even if it wasn’t necessarily the plan for Slade to spend the year with the second team. The defender picked up an injury in preseason in Portugal. As he returned to fitness, it was clear there was a gap that he would have to work on.

“I missed all the preseason games. I was still involved in training when I came back, but I was still a few steps behind from guys like Shaq, Ibeagha, and Abubakar. These guys are MLS veterans, and when the refs come in to give presentations on the new rules, they are dabbing up these guys,” he laughed. “Me, I’m coming in as a young college center back. Being a center back is about trust. For me, now that I am part of the second team, the goal is to build as much trust as possible.”

I asked him, as many sports reporters do, what his welcome to Major League Soccer moment or pro soccer in general was.

“For Major League Soccer, when we were in Portugal in preseason, I was assigned to mark Lalas Abubakar on set pieces. And it was almost impossible,” he responded. “He holds your arms really strong, he pushes them down, and he slides you across. Luckily he didn’t score. And I was like, I can’t defend set pieces the way I used to.”

MLS Next Pro, likewise, also proved punishing.

“My attention detail, these little moments, they are what cost you. You can play well 90 minutes, but the opponent slaps your wrist and suddenly scores a goal,” he shared. “Early in the season, we played against Portland away. Our left center back had stepped up, so I shifted over. A midfielder made a run in the middle and scored. These are different examples - at the pro level, the smallest details matter. You get punished if you aren’t taking care of those.

“In my previous career in college, you can get away with those. Working with Coach Matt Hedges, he was my idol growing up, someone I looked up to very much. We do defensive sessions together. He has been integral to my progress.”

Beyond soccer, Slade recognizes off-the-field habits also make a difference. He eschews heading home to lounge around and play video games or just nap after a tough morning practice. Rather, he looks to round out his day with practices to keep him learning, growing, and building relationships. One of his goals is to get better at Spanish, so he can communicate with members of the first team.

Another crucial driver for his wellness, his balance, and his focus is faith, also one of the bits of glue holding North Texas SC together. In an early post-game interview, fellow teammate Nys remarked about the importance of faith in the locker room to bring guys together, one of the ways Slade leads alongside guys like Timothy Ospina.

“I grew up in a Christian household where we can decide whether we live for ourselves or we can live for the One who created us. As I got older in college, I felt like God could do something in my life. Having my identity in how soccer goes is not sustainable but having your identity something that is never changing gives you purpose. For me, having your identity on where the ball bounces on a given day is hard. One week, you are on top of the league. The next you are getting bounced 3-0 at home,” he said. "For me, (faith) is the center.”

That drive has guided Slade Starnes in a challenging year as captain of North Texas SC. Certainly, he is surrounded by talented guys who push each other, from the attacking skills of Edouard Nys to the midfield leadership of Caleb Swann, but the results have been a roller coaster. One game, the team looks dominant and unbeatable. In the next, they collapse in a poor, disconnected performance.

But the season has its bright spots, including a fun 3-0 romp at home to open the brand Texas Health Mansfield Stadium, the culmination of years of investment and planning to expand professional soccer in Dallas-Ft Worth.

“Mansfield is amazing. In college, I used to watch North Texas at Choctaw with little to no replay and football lines. I could feel it in my chest, they needed something more,” his eyes lit up. “Mansfield is everything I had hoped for and more with the live star-spangled banner, with fireworks, with the lights going crazy whenever we score, with music being played, with fans being close to the stadium, with my family right there on the line so I can see them during the game. Mansfield has really been home. For us to get results there so far has been great. Going to a penalty kick shootout with the fans right behind the goal, those things make a difference.”

The presence of fans closer to the action, the intensity, is a needed step up not just for the overall product and experience but for the players. Slade relishes the chance to interact, staying late for autograph sessions, wishing he could give away his cleats and kit without being fined. He recalls signing shirts, cups, and jerseys — anything the fans handed him.

“Coach Gall reminds us that these families are paying money to watch us play. Go out and give them everything,” he said. “They embrace the club. We need to embrace them as much as possible.”

With the fans support, the results have improved, notably a penalty kick shootout win over MLS Next Pro Western Conference leaders Austin FC II at home. It’s not perfect, but it’s a step in the right direction in a season where every step forward has often been met by a step back.

“Having players come in and out is certainly a reason - we haven’t had the same starting lineup hardly ever,” Slade responded on his thoughts on why the team has struggled for consistency. “Nor do we always train with the same guys throughout the week. It’s easy to make that excuse, and at the end of the day that’s the nature of a second team. A lot of the top teams put out the same lineup each and every week. We have a lot of guys who train with the first team until we travel, and then we are coaching them up for an hour before the game. Like in Portland, we struggled in the first half, and in the second half we do better as we get our bearings. Its been helpful in the last two weeks to have Alvaro and Caleb come down, Nick Simmonds more consistently. Personally in my career, I haven’t had it like this before. It’s been very difficult from a locker room perspective. We have to respond.”

Responding, for Slade, starts with the back line, with his defensive focus and leadership. He acknowledges that they have the pieces, including teammates who week in and out push him. Guys like Edouard Nys and Enzo Newman can do things on the ball that force him outside of his comfort zone, and that competition has been good. But in crucial moments, the team must do better.

“For sure, our defensive mistakes,” Slade acknowledged as the priority. “I would include myself in that. Giving teams opportunities to score. We change our formation to a 4-4-2 so we are harder to break down but then we concede set pieces out of nowhere. We give chances for teams to dribble out of the box. It is minimizing mistakes as much as possible. And let Nys and our guys win games for us.”

Despite the inconsistent results, the locker room remains a positive environment. The past week, picking up 4 points at home, is a sign that there is still much to play for. With six games left, four of which are at home, North Texas SC have lots of room to make some noise and climb into contention.

A rematch with St Louis City 2 awaits tonight.

“We know St Louis is going to be hungry. Typically at home, they field some good guys, like Night Pickering who I played with in the FC Dallas academy. We have a strong team as well. We are hungry,” he said. “They are sitting comfortably in fifth place, and we are right on the edge. We are going with that mission in mind.”

Even as they prepare for St Louis on Friday, though, the tall defender is focused on the big picture, the long term, where he wants to be.

“It’s been an interesting year because in the first team locker room, I am a rookie young trying to prove myself, taking any opportunity I can get. Then I go across the hallway to the second team locker room, and I am a captain of the team. It’s been an interesting dynamic. I always try to pride myself to be same person if possible, but it’s just how it is when you have a voice in one locker room and not a voice in another locker room,” he offered. “I hope as the season ends I can be with the first team and in training. Technically, my contract is up in June of 2027, but I have options, and I hope the team sees something in me and extends me for extra time and help me blossom into the player I can be.”

Again, Slade only wants to wear the FC Dallas red in front of a vibrant crowd in Frisco. The timing is on his side with a couple of first team veterans who have contracts running out at the end of the year opening up the need for center backs. And more poignantly, he follows a line of defenders who cut their teeth in Frisco and became something special.

We closed the interview by giving Slade a chance to name his all-time favorite FC Dallas players. It was an easy question, a softball for a guy who grew up loving this club as more than as a player in the academy, but as a fan.

“Matt Hedges. Top of the list. I tell him that, but he kind of brushes it off,” he beamed. “Walker Zimmerman, for sure. A Furman player, too.”

But it’s not just defenders. He marveled at the play of Mauro Diaz in that legendary 2016 season for FC Dallas. He now has a blossoming relationship with Kenny Cooper, a club legend who now he regularly meets for coffee and to glean wisdom and nuggets of faith inspiration.

But one more —

“Zach Loyd. Zach Loyd is my guy,” Slade sounded reverent. “My freshman year, I got to play in high school. I went to a local school called Trinity, and he was named JV coach, who the coaches introduced as a former FC Dallas player. I said no way. He’s a quiet guy, and he would be quiet in training. Now, he started a ministry called Tenfifteen Ministries, based on Romans 10:15, and he is the head coach for the FC Dallas U23s. He is someone in the faith that I look up to. He is so humble. Those are guys who I watched from afar and some of them I am blessed to call friends.”

3rd Degree the Podcast Special Episode - Matt Valentine and Sam Morton, owners of Dallas Trinity and Atlético Dallas

3rd_Degree — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 23:12:42 GMT

On this special edition of 3rd Degree the Podcast, Dennis McGowan sits down with Dallas Trinity's new owners, Matt Valentine and Sam Morton.

While most of the talk centers around the ladies' team, Valentine and Morton expounded on the soon-to-launch men's team, Atlético Dallas, as well. Topics of discussion include tickets and pricing, the game day experience at the Cotton Bowl, training facilities, on-field expectations, accessible pricing, business targets, and fan accessibility.

A very special thanks to Valentine and Morton for not just sitting down with us but opening up about the state of both teams in a transparent way.

Music by Pappy Check.

Breaking News: Petar Musa Is Staying in Frisco?

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 15:57:54 GMT

If you wanted to wake up to good news this morning, more than our latest podcast to drop, you got it.

Croatian Football on X delivered relief to anxious FC Dallas fans this morning that Petar Musa, our Golden Boot leader, is staying in Texas. He will potentially “sign a new, significantly improved multi-year contract” to continue to ply his trade here in Major League Soccer. This is in response to the continual chatter and suggested interest from other leagues.

At 28 years old, Musa is definitely in his prime, but he is also that age where some bigger clubs may not want to meet the high asking price that FC Dallas and company desired. In return, Dallas gets to lock him down, reward him for his leadership and play, and continue to chart a course into the postseason. Let’s see if they can also find another piece or two to help that late season push.

I mentioned on the podcast last night - FC Dallas fans are unaccustomed to having a Golden Boot leader on our roster.

Now, we get to savor his talent even more.

Other News from X:

A source told me that Da’vian Kimbrough, the young phenom who came over from Sacramento Republic to join North Texas SC, did receive a call-up to the Mexico U17s. The bright talent, unfortunately, suffered an injury during a recent match against Austin FC II and will have to miss the opportunity. With that said, the youngster should still be a lock for the U17 World Cup.

What a statement for North Texas SC to continue to help populate various youth national teams through their talent pipeline.

@AustinFCII last week.\n\nShould still be in the mix for the U17 World Cup for Mexico.\n\n#DTID @northtexasSC","username":"afterburnsoccer","name":"Nathan @ AFTERBURN Soccer","profile_image_url":"https://pbs.substack.com/profile_images/1899221004125429760/qNexi7mj_normal.jpg","date":"2026-08-24T16:00:09.000Z","photos":[],"quoted_tweet":{},"reply_count":1,"retweet_count":2,"like_count":4,"impression_count":870,"expanded_url":null,"video_url":null,"video_preview_media_key":null,"belowTheFold":true}" data-component-name="Twitter2ToDOM">

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Afterburn Soccer Show - August 24, 2026

Nathan J. Hill — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 14:44:06 GMT

Afterburn Soccer Show - August 24, 2026

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 14:44:06 GMT

We had a great show last night, with a few audio fixes even though our boy Collin glitched via that cellphone coverage out in Texas.

Once you get past that, this was a great show.

Collin, Jose, and Nathan broke down a full week for FC Dallas and North Texas Soccer Club, including a big away win at Real Salt Lake followed by an utter collapse at Vancouver. Was it just a case of hitting weary legs? Was Quill right to rotate? Should we panic? In short, no.

Collin gave us some hints about potential transfer options, as we await confirmation of Deedson’s move away from FC Dallas and the possibility of other players finding new venues. Lots of uncertainty, for sure, but there is a sense that this team wants to get better and plug some holes down the stretch.

North Texas SC meanwhile grabbed 4 points at home, which is solid enough to keep them in the potential postseason picture. They have a huge away match on Friday against St Louis City SC 2. The good news — four home games follow, meaning this team has the potential to pick up points and fight for a spot if they can keep putting it all together.

We closed out with predictions:

Jose and Collin pick North Texas SC to lose at St Louis; I’m hoping for another road point or two.

We are also feeling confident, for the most part, that FC Dallas can get a point or an outright win at St Louis.

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