WEBVTT 00:00:04.750 --> 00:00:11.769 You're listening to Raising Anchor on 990 WBOB. 00:00:17.989 --> 00:00:20.690 Welcome to the Raising Anchor Soccer Show with 00:00:20.690 --> 00:00:23.769 Matt Entrekin and Jason Carey. Your home for 00:00:23.769 --> 00:00:26.429 news, analysis, and everything Rhode Island FC. 00:00:27.250 --> 00:00:29.570 Each week they take you inside the locker room, 00:00:29.890 --> 00:00:32.109 inside the practice, and inside the storyline 00:00:32.109 --> 00:00:40.130 shaping RIFC. And welcome to another episode 00:00:40.130 --> 00:00:43.289 of the Raising Anchor Soccer Show. It's a special 00:00:43.289 --> 00:00:45.869 one for all of our listeners as we have our first 00:00:45.869 --> 00:00:48.229 player, interview, and profile of the season. 00:00:48.549 --> 00:00:51.729 And I'm joined right now with RIFC defender Omadi 00:00:51.729 --> 00:00:54.789 Joop. Omadi, welcome to Raising Anchor. Thank 00:00:54.789 --> 00:00:57.049 you. Thank you for welcoming. Thank you for having 00:00:57.049 --> 00:01:00.479 me out here. It's exciting. This couldn't have 00:01:00.479 --> 00:01:03.000 been more better of a timing. We've got World 00:01:03.000 --> 00:01:05.560 Cup action ahead. But I want to make this as 00:01:05.560 --> 00:01:08.060 much about you as I can today. And that's got 00:01:08.060 --> 00:01:10.439 to start at the beginning. Your love of the game. 00:01:10.859 --> 00:01:14.379 You know, you're born in Dakar, Senegal. And 00:01:14.379 --> 00:01:16.819 all I know next is that somehow you made it to 00:01:16.819 --> 00:01:19.620 Florida. You're playing with the USL2 side in 00:01:19.620 --> 00:01:23.480 Sima Aguales in Florida. What's the story for 00:01:23.480 --> 00:01:26.469 listeners that want to know how we got from an 00:01:26.469 --> 00:01:28.790 African country into playing USL Academy ball 00:01:28.790 --> 00:01:33.310 in Florida? I mean, I started playing soccer 00:01:33.310 --> 00:01:36.750 very young. So obviously, it's my dad's favorite 00:01:36.750 --> 00:01:41.890 sport. So as soon as I was born, he got me into 00:01:41.890 --> 00:01:45.750 it because it was just right when Senegal were 00:01:45.750 --> 00:01:48.290 making their first ever World Cup. That's literally 00:01:48.290 --> 00:01:51.310 when I was born. So at that time, my dad was 00:01:51.310 --> 00:01:56.180 really into soccer. at a very young age he get 00:01:56.180 --> 00:01:59.540 me into it so I remember us playing together 00:01:59.540 --> 00:02:03.260 whenever he's done work back in the balcony of 00:02:03.260 --> 00:02:06.000 our little apartment so yeah that's basically 00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:09.180 how I got into soccer. So it's a young age that 00:02:09.180 --> 00:02:11.599 you fall in love but curious there's always that 00:02:11.599 --> 00:02:14.879 moment where a player says this can be more right 00:02:14.879 --> 00:02:17.199 like I can do something bigger than this it can 00:02:17.199 --> 00:02:20.060 go pro maybe it's collegiate The next thing I 00:02:20.060 --> 00:02:23.539 see, you're at Monteverde Academy. Is that where 00:02:23.539 --> 00:02:25.740 you started to see the bigger vision of where 00:02:25.740 --> 00:02:27.719 you wanted to be in the sport, or did that come 00:02:27.719 --> 00:02:32.340 later at your time with Clemson? I think that 00:02:32.340 --> 00:02:36.020 came really early, actually. I was really good 00:02:36.020 --> 00:02:39.780 at school. So, you know, I was trying to kind 00:02:39.780 --> 00:02:41.800 of maintain the things, but I always thought 00:02:41.800 --> 00:02:43.819 of, you know, I always want to play soccer. You 00:02:43.819 --> 00:02:46.139 know, as soon as people started coming to my 00:02:46.139 --> 00:02:47.860 parents' house and telling him he need to put 00:02:47.860 --> 00:02:50.919 me in an academy, I was maybe five or six, but 00:02:50.919 --> 00:02:52.759 I didn't want to be in an academy because you 00:02:52.759 --> 00:02:54.360 would have to pass the board to someone else, 00:02:54.360 --> 00:02:58.360 and I obviously didn't want to do that. But yeah, 00:02:58.500 --> 00:03:02.639 I think as soon as like maybe 10, 12, you know, 00:03:02.860 --> 00:03:05.259 I think it started going like, I can really make 00:03:05.259 --> 00:03:09.090 this and all. try to really go as far as I can. 00:03:09.469 --> 00:03:12.169 So yeah, that was way before I got to Montverde, 00:03:12.289 --> 00:03:15.810 Sima or even Clemson. You know, I remember talking 00:03:15.810 --> 00:03:18.409 to Ugo and one of the things that was made clear 00:03:18.409 --> 00:03:21.110 to him by his family was that you can be a soccer 00:03:21.110 --> 00:03:23.189 player, but you have to get that education as 00:03:23.189 --> 00:03:25.289 well. How important was that for you and your 00:03:25.289 --> 00:03:27.569 family to make sure that you achieved not just 00:03:27.569 --> 00:03:29.770 your goals and your accomplishments on the pitch, 00:03:29.810 --> 00:03:32.900 but also your academics? It was really important 00:03:32.900 --> 00:03:36.219 I think I got in trouble a lot for that because 00:03:36.219 --> 00:03:40.400 my mom was you know more about on the educational 00:03:40.400 --> 00:03:43.580 side and my dad was a little bit understanding 00:03:43.580 --> 00:03:47.259 like I can do both so he was just trying to find 00:03:47.259 --> 00:03:50.659 the middle so when one word come and offer for 00:03:50.659 --> 00:03:53.860 me to do to be playing soccer and also get my 00:03:53.860 --> 00:03:57.469 education you know I think it was just the perfect 00:03:57.469 --> 00:04:00.409 path for me to take. So yeah, but education is 00:04:00.409 --> 00:04:03.330 really important to my family. I heard a lot 00:04:03.330 --> 00:04:05.710 about your family's support and involvement in 00:04:05.710 --> 00:04:08.909 the early years. Who else helped shape the soccer 00:04:08.909 --> 00:04:10.729 journey for you, especially in those younger 00:04:10.729 --> 00:04:13.650 times? Was it coaches? Was it teammates? Was 00:04:13.650 --> 00:04:15.729 it mentors beyond the normal circumstances? Is 00:04:15.729 --> 00:04:18.149 there someone you would put on like the Mount 00:04:18.149 --> 00:04:20.129 Rushmore of influences that you had back in those 00:04:20.129 --> 00:04:23.699 days? it's gonna have to be my dad if I'm being 00:04:23.699 --> 00:04:26.160 honest with you you know even though my mom would 00:04:26.160 --> 00:04:28.740 say no to me not going to play soccer my dad 00:04:28.740 --> 00:04:31.079 would find a way to make an excuse saying that 00:04:31.079 --> 00:04:33.360 he would take me to a restaurant go get food 00:04:33.360 --> 00:04:35.959 but no we're not going there we going to actually 00:04:35.959 --> 00:04:39.300 still took a circle soccer tournament or anything 00:04:39.300 --> 00:04:41.899 that we would find to play so yeah my dad really 00:04:41.899 --> 00:04:45.779 pushed me you know through a lot a lot of hard 00:04:45.779 --> 00:04:48.860 times you know yeah I would 100 % say my dad 00:04:49.399 --> 00:04:51.399 I'm going to ask this question a couple times 00:04:51.399 --> 00:04:53.819 through the show today, but what were the lessons 00:04:53.819 --> 00:04:55.339 that you learned at this period of your life 00:04:55.339 --> 00:04:58.000 that still kind of echo true today? More soccer 00:04:58.000 --> 00:04:59.600 specific, but again, if there's something out 00:04:59.600 --> 00:05:01.480 there that we need to hear, what were those lessons 00:05:01.480 --> 00:05:08.560 like? I think it's just whatever you are doing, 00:05:08.620 --> 00:05:11.920 you have to really believe in it. I think the 00:05:11.920 --> 00:05:15.319 fun is going to come and go. But, you know, if 00:05:15.319 --> 00:05:17.199 you believe if you don't believe in anything 00:05:17.199 --> 00:05:18.839 you're doing in life, you might as well not. 00:05:18.860 --> 00:05:20.939 do it at all. So I think that was the belief 00:05:20.939 --> 00:05:24.220 that I've had, and I always will have. It doesn't 00:05:24.220 --> 00:05:26.180 really matter much what people on the outside 00:05:26.180 --> 00:05:28.920 say, you know, it's what you want to do, what 00:05:28.920 --> 00:05:31.240 you want to do, you know, and what is, what do 00:05:31.240 --> 00:05:33.959 you believe in. So that's, that's, that was really 00:05:33.959 --> 00:05:38.519 my, you know, my straight thing, honestly. All 00:05:38.519 --> 00:05:40.579 right, well, then let's move into this, right? 00:05:40.879 --> 00:05:42.819 Setting the table here for a second. So bear 00:05:42.819 --> 00:05:47.120 with me. It's December 2022. You've finished 00:05:47.120 --> 00:05:49.500 three seasons with the Tigers, earning multiple 00:05:49.500 --> 00:05:52.319 accolades, including a national title along the 00:05:52.319 --> 00:05:54.579 way. We're going to get back to that. You've 00:05:54.579 --> 00:05:56.939 just signed a Generation Adidas contract, joining 00:05:56.939 --> 00:05:59.980 the ranks of legends such as Josie Altador, Kai 00:05:59.980 --> 00:06:03.000 Kamara, owner Michael Park, and of course, fellow 00:06:03.000 --> 00:06:05.660 teammate JJ Williams. And you're entering the 00:06:05.660 --> 00:06:09.199 2023 MLS Superdraft. Yeah. I've heard from some 00:06:09.199 --> 00:06:12.019 players amongst your teammates that sometimes 00:06:12.019 --> 00:06:14.959 the Superdraft is a bit of a surprise. And then 00:06:14.959 --> 00:06:17.060 I've also heard that some people already know 00:06:17.060 --> 00:06:19.259 where they're going. Maybe not the priority order, 00:06:19.480 --> 00:06:21.779 but they kind of already know through agent conversations 00:06:21.779 --> 00:06:24.839 and coach interviews. I need to know. Now we 00:06:24.839 --> 00:06:27.620 know as this is going on, we know that Charlotte 00:06:27.620 --> 00:06:31.339 FC trades up for the first pick. Yeah. You walk 00:06:31.339 --> 00:06:33.480 listeners through, did you know that you were 00:06:33.480 --> 00:06:36.540 going first overall in the 2023 draft or was 00:06:36.540 --> 00:06:38.319 there a little bit of surprise still in that 00:06:38.319 --> 00:06:43.339 decision? I knew 100 % I was I think going to 00:06:43.339 --> 00:06:47.240 go go to Orlando because we spoke with Sunless. 00:06:47.319 --> 00:06:49.720 They had the first pick back then, you know, 00:06:49.779 --> 00:06:52.040 before Charlotte did the trade and they didn't 00:06:52.040 --> 00:06:54.660 have any international support for me. So that 00:06:54.660 --> 00:06:59.360 was kind of, you know, a block for me. But then 00:06:59.360 --> 00:07:02.240 I've been talking with Orlando. I've played with 00:07:02.240 --> 00:07:04.620 Orlando first team and I knew they wanted me 00:07:04.620 --> 00:07:07.300 had a meeting with them. So they were scared 00:07:07.300 --> 00:07:09.879 that I was going to I wasn't not going to fall 00:07:09.879 --> 00:07:12.319 to third or fourth or whatever they had. So they 00:07:12.319 --> 00:07:16.379 turned it up to get me on a second pick. So yeah, 00:07:16.540 --> 00:07:18.000 honestly, that's what I thought. I was going 00:07:18.000 --> 00:07:20.579 to go to Orlando until like an hour before the 00:07:20.579 --> 00:07:22.920 draft and then Charlotte called. So that's how 00:07:22.920 --> 00:07:25.579 I found I was going to go to Charlotte. Now you're 00:07:25.579 --> 00:07:27.980 from the Carolinas at this point with Clemson 00:07:27.980 --> 00:07:29.939 and all of the other connections that you have 00:07:29.939 --> 00:07:33.480 in that area. Was Charlotte a blessing in disguise 00:07:33.480 --> 00:07:36.060 at that moment in time? Like as a player, does 00:07:36.060 --> 00:07:38.100 your mind shift switch and you're like, okay. 00:07:38.350 --> 00:07:40.529 it doesn't matter a team wants me and they want 00:07:40.529 --> 00:07:42.850 to be that aggressive in taking me first overall 00:07:42.850 --> 00:07:44.970 or was it just like hey there's a lot of attention 00:07:44.970 --> 00:07:46.689 on me i'm going to do the best i can whichever 00:07:46.689 --> 00:07:50.990 team grabs me uh i think when you are like that 00:07:50.990 --> 00:07:53.149 close to being a draft i think i kind of made 00:07:53.149 --> 00:07:56.110 up my mind to like going to orlando because there 00:07:56.110 --> 00:07:58.449 were some calls again in the morning and i was 00:07:58.449 --> 00:08:01.930 almost sure that in anything doesn't happen i'm 00:08:01.930 --> 00:08:04.189 going to go to orlando and i live in orlando 00:08:04.189 --> 00:08:06.649 but then so i had all my stuff i was ready so 00:08:06.649 --> 00:08:08.839 they were like oh yeah you know Before preseason, 00:08:09.019 --> 00:08:10.920 Uber is just going to pick you up. We started 00:08:10.920 --> 00:08:14.139 talking about housing and stuff like that. So, 00:08:14.339 --> 00:08:18.740 yeah, but, you know, then one, you know, an hour 00:08:18.740 --> 00:08:20.920 before, and then my agent called me. I was like, 00:08:20.920 --> 00:08:23.100 oh, I have good news and bad news. I was like, 00:08:23.100 --> 00:08:25.939 oh, what do you mean? He was like, ah, you're 00:08:25.939 --> 00:08:27.759 going to go number one pick, but you are going 00:08:27.759 --> 00:08:30.139 to struggle. So I didn't really think much of 00:08:30.139 --> 00:08:31.779 it back then. I was like, you know, I just want 00:08:31.779 --> 00:08:35.379 to go and play whatever the team is. You know, 00:08:35.379 --> 00:08:40.179 I just got to go and be ready. Only four players 00:08:40.179 --> 00:08:43.279 up till that point, only four African players 00:08:43.279 --> 00:08:45.879 ever selected first overall in the Superdraft 00:08:45.879 --> 00:08:48.679 and you were the first Senegalese player ever 00:08:48.679 --> 00:08:52.000 selected. Is there an impact? Is there an additional 00:08:52.000 --> 00:08:54.000 weight on your shoulders or expectations or maybe 00:08:54.000 --> 00:08:56.460 just pride in the fact that you were picked first 00:08:56.460 --> 00:09:00.320 overall? There was obviously a lot of pressure. 00:09:00.679 --> 00:09:03.799 I think just no one ever traded that much for 00:09:03.799 --> 00:09:07.830 a number one pick. after all. So there was obviously 00:09:07.830 --> 00:09:11.370 immense pressure for me to go and you know, just 00:09:11.370 --> 00:09:14.289 prove that I'm worth it. So yeah, there was a 00:09:14.289 --> 00:09:17.330 lot of pressure on that. All right. So then now 00:09:17.330 --> 00:09:21.129 you're with Charlotte and you know, a lot of 00:09:21.129 --> 00:09:23.389 eyes, a lot of expectations for the first overall, 00:09:24.149 --> 00:09:26.470 but injuries in your first year with Charlotte 00:09:26.470 --> 00:09:28.769 keeping you out of action for extended periods 00:09:28.769 --> 00:09:32.049 of time. As a player who just started and I think 00:09:32.049 --> 00:09:34.879 you played everything but one game at Clemson. 00:09:35.139 --> 00:09:36.899 I don't know if that's entirely true, but the 00:09:36.899 --> 00:09:39.159 point is you played almost every game at Clemson. 00:09:39.399 --> 00:09:42.379 Now you're sidelined and having to watch the 00:09:42.379 --> 00:09:45.759 team go through the action without you. How do 00:09:45.759 --> 00:09:47.720 you juggle that from a mindset perspective? How 00:09:47.720 --> 00:09:50.080 do you get through that adversity when all you 00:09:50.080 --> 00:09:52.299 want to do is validate why you were the first 00:09:52.299 --> 00:09:55.940 overall pick? It was obviously super hard because 00:09:55.940 --> 00:09:58.620 I think You know, ever since I was a kid, everywhere 00:09:58.620 --> 00:10:00.980 I went, it really didn't matter, you know, how 00:10:00.980 --> 00:10:04.139 old I was. Even at Clemson, when I was a freshman, 00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:08.279 I was a starter. So, you know, coming to Charlotte 00:10:08.279 --> 00:10:11.159 and, you know, not playing and then picking up 00:10:11.159 --> 00:10:14.039 injury, which really doesn't really happen because 00:10:14.039 --> 00:10:17.039 I wasn't really missing games at Clemson. So 00:10:17.039 --> 00:10:20.639 that was really a first time experience for me. 00:10:20.679 --> 00:10:23.120 So I didn't really honestly know how to deal 00:10:23.120 --> 00:10:27.509 with it. Yeah, that was it. I just obviously 00:10:27.509 --> 00:10:30.250 didn't know how to deal with not being able to 00:10:30.250 --> 00:10:33.789 be healthy and coping to not be playing. So that 00:10:33.789 --> 00:10:36.610 was a really tough moment for me. Since this 00:10:36.610 --> 00:10:39.330 was your first major injury, you come back. How 00:10:39.330 --> 00:10:42.149 do you avoid that? I don't want to say playing 00:10:42.149 --> 00:10:45.620 scared, but that, you know, that that piece in 00:10:45.620 --> 00:10:47.360 the back of your mind that's like I don't want 00:10:47.360 --> 00:10:50.000 to go through this ever again. What's the adjustment 00:10:50.000 --> 00:10:52.539 mentally? What's that thing that you did differently 00:10:52.539 --> 00:10:55.399 when you got back out to the pitch or was it 00:10:55.399 --> 00:10:58.279 have the trust and confidence in yourself and 00:10:58.279 --> 00:11:00.460 it doesn't change and you just get back out there? 00:11:01.779 --> 00:11:04.419 I think the issue would be confidence at that 00:11:04.419 --> 00:11:07.580 level. So you obviously when you come back people 00:11:07.580 --> 00:11:10.120 started playing and you know the team started 00:11:10.120 --> 00:11:12.549 doing a little bit better. so you're gonna have 00:11:12.549 --> 00:11:14.509 to like catch up with your teammates as well 00:11:14.509 --> 00:11:17.070 and you know get the concern of the coach to 00:11:17.070 --> 00:11:20.070 be playing you again so yeah that was the that 00:11:20.070 --> 00:11:21.870 was the hardest part just getting back to your 00:11:21.870 --> 00:11:23.870 level and building your confidence up sometimes 00:11:23.870 --> 00:11:27.370 in a professional world you know it's games every 00:11:27.370 --> 00:11:29.450 sometimes three days so you don't really have 00:11:29.450 --> 00:11:33.250 time to do that or yeah that was that was the 00:11:33.250 --> 00:11:36.610 harder part too Was there a moment where you 00:11:36.610 --> 00:11:39.509 felt that you were ready and medical just wouldn't 00:11:39.509 --> 00:11:41.929 clear you or they wanted to make sure that you 00:11:41.929 --> 00:11:43.870 were good to go? Sometimes I hear that there's 00:11:43.870 --> 00:11:45.870 always a difference of opinion between the technical 00:11:45.870 --> 00:11:48.470 staff and the players' mentality on this. Which 00:11:48.470 --> 00:11:53.269 way did it go after the recovery? I think it's 00:11:53.269 --> 00:11:55.850 a little bit of both, if I'm being honest. I 00:11:55.850 --> 00:11:59.409 thought I was ready. At the same time, if I was 00:11:59.409 --> 00:12:02.230 playing, I would have not been at 100%. I would 00:12:02.230 --> 00:12:05.659 have been at 70 at max. Sometimes at seven you 00:12:05.659 --> 00:12:08.340 can play in college, but it's definitely a lot 00:12:08.340 --> 00:12:09.860 harder when you want to play at a higher level 00:12:09.860 --> 00:12:12.259 So you have to be at a hundred percent since 00:12:12.259 --> 00:12:14.480 you want to come and prove it. You cannot be 00:12:14.480 --> 00:12:17.639 half and half Fair enough. Well, we got to get 00:12:17.639 --> 00:12:19.580 to our first break and when we return we have 00:12:19.580 --> 00:12:22.279 more questions for Omni Joke Don't go anywhere. 00:12:22.279 --> 00:12:27.159 It's the Raising Anchor soccer show Thank you 00:12:27.159 --> 00:12:29.100 for listening to tonight's broadcast powered 00:12:29.100 --> 00:12:31.889 by sprout co -working For all your business needs, 00:12:32.269 --> 00:12:36.090 large or small, visit SproutCoworking .com. Powering 00:12:36.090 --> 00:12:40.809 990 WBOB, that's SproutCoworking .com. Now, let's 00:12:40.809 --> 00:12:43.190 get back to the raising anchor soccer ship on 00:12:43.190 --> 00:12:47.190 990 WBOB with Matt Entrickett and Jason Cameron. 00:12:48.750 --> 00:12:51.470 All right. back here with Rhode Island FC defender, 00:12:51.730 --> 00:12:54.710 Omidy Jope. Omidy, want to move on from Charlotte. 00:12:55.090 --> 00:12:58.169 The unthinkable happens. One of the rarest moments 00:12:58.169 --> 00:13:01.350 in at least the MLS soccer landscape. You're 00:13:01.350 --> 00:13:05.149 selected in San Diego's expansion draft. Before 00:13:05.149 --> 00:13:07.529 we get to San Diego though, I want to ask, had 00:13:07.529 --> 00:13:10.149 you put down the roots in the Carolinas knowing 00:13:10.149 --> 00:13:12.590 that you had this community around you in the 00:13:12.590 --> 00:13:15.070 Queen City? What was that like from a personal 00:13:15.070 --> 00:13:18.110 level knowing that nobody really knew that this 00:13:18.110 --> 00:13:19.830 was going to happen up until that moment in the 00:13:19.830 --> 00:13:25.549 expansion draft? I don't think many people knew 00:13:25.549 --> 00:13:28.950 if I'm being honest. Obviously the draft is usually 00:13:28.950 --> 00:13:32.210 like that. Sometimes you don't find out until 00:13:32.210 --> 00:13:35.720 the last minute. So yeah, I mean I got a call 00:13:35.720 --> 00:13:39.019 at 5 a .m. saying I got traded You know I kind 00:13:39.019 --> 00:13:40.799 of had a little bit of idea because San Diego 00:13:40.799 --> 00:13:44.100 wanted me to come But you really never sure until 00:13:44.100 --> 00:13:46.519 it happened so I'm pretty sure Charlotte didn't 00:13:46.519 --> 00:13:48.799 know until it happened in last minute So and 00:13:48.799 --> 00:13:52.840 I wasn't protected so which means that San Diego 00:13:52.840 --> 00:13:55.980 can basically pick me for free So and that's 00:13:55.980 --> 00:13:58.870 exactly what happened Is there a bit of pride 00:13:58.870 --> 00:14:02.110 knowing that out of the 500 player pool obviously 00:14:02.110 --> 00:14:04.669 clubs can only protect so many so maybe that 00:14:04.669 --> 00:14:06.330 number is a little bit less but is there a sense 00:14:06.330 --> 00:14:08.990 of pride that you got cherry -picked or does 00:14:08.990 --> 00:14:11.269 it still just kind of not leave a good taste 00:14:11.269 --> 00:14:13.049 in your mouth while you're trying to build a 00:14:13.049 --> 00:14:16.090 reputation and a relationship with one club only 00:14:16.090 --> 00:14:21.970 ripped right out of it? I think I kind of moved 00:14:21.970 --> 00:14:24.549 on from shallow at that point like mentally. 00:14:24.879 --> 00:14:27.519 you know I was alone in Europe and I was playing 00:14:27.519 --> 00:14:31.519 you know I kind of would want it to I wouldn't 00:14:31.519 --> 00:14:33.200 mind staying in Europe and keep playing because 00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:35.860 we're competing for Europe and stop on that team 00:14:35.860 --> 00:14:39.220 on that team I was so I kind of a little bit 00:14:39.220 --> 00:14:42.360 had it checked out honestly going back to Charlotte 00:14:42.360 --> 00:14:44.980 that's something that I think I didn't want to 00:14:44.980 --> 00:14:48.360 do at that point so I was kind of glad I was 00:14:48.360 --> 00:14:51.720 going to be off to somewhere else. So at that 00:14:51.720 --> 00:14:54.279 same day, I had a, I think I have a game. So, 00:14:54.460 --> 00:14:57.259 and I got a call basically saying I won't be 00:14:57.259 --> 00:14:59.840 able, I won't be part of the 11, I think the 00:14:59.840 --> 00:15:02.000 next day. So, I mean, I wasn't really part of 00:15:02.000 --> 00:15:06.080 the team anymore. Obviously MLS is on a different 00:15:06.080 --> 00:15:08.039 calendar system than the rest of the international 00:15:08.039 --> 00:15:10.500 game. How fast did you have to come back and 00:15:10.500 --> 00:15:15.279 report to San Diego then at that point? I think 00:15:15.279 --> 00:15:18.860 I had to, I had to go first and go back home. 00:15:19.070 --> 00:15:23.289 to renew my visa and you know we are still playing 00:15:23.289 --> 00:15:27.509 in Europe but then the transfer window is not 00:15:27.509 --> 00:15:29.470 open yet so we're still playing I think it was 00:15:29.470 --> 00:15:34.409 around December 18 something like that and that 00:15:34.409 --> 00:15:36.509 window is not going to be closed until December 00:15:36.509 --> 00:15:40.429 18 so I still it still was there for the team 00:15:40.429 --> 00:15:43.009 and then as soon as it's closed I think December 00:15:43.009 --> 00:15:46.509 19 I had to fly home renew my visa basically 00:15:46.509 --> 00:15:49.509 and then Four days later, I had to fly to San 00:15:49.509 --> 00:15:52.730 Diego. But this wasn't an opportunity where you 00:15:52.730 --> 00:15:56.009 could stay as long as possible while on loan 00:15:56.009 --> 00:15:58.129 in the, it was the Serbian league, right? Yeah. 00:15:58.370 --> 00:16:00.230 This wasn't an opportunity for you to be as fit. 00:16:00.350 --> 00:16:03.049 You had to stop and then move back. And then 00:16:03.049 --> 00:16:06.009 it was like you had to rush to wait, right? Yeah, 00:16:06.009 --> 00:16:07.950 yeah. It was basically, yeah, you have to leave. 00:16:08.289 --> 00:16:11.590 That's basically what it was. That's how it happened. 00:16:12.750 --> 00:16:15.789 Wild. I want to ask, you know, And I don't know 00:16:15.789 --> 00:16:17.769 if this is because you were already on loan. 00:16:18.289 --> 00:16:20.509 Did you get to have a final conversation with 00:16:20.509 --> 00:16:23.129 head coach Dean Smith at Charlotte at that point? 00:16:23.169 --> 00:16:26.129 No, he haven't. No, no, no. OK, so it was like, 00:16:26.210 --> 00:16:28.649 hey, thanks for everything. But you're a San 00:16:28.649 --> 00:16:31.309 Diego player now. Yeah, there was no talk at 00:16:31.309 --> 00:16:34.990 all with anyone whatsoever in Charlotte. So I 00:16:34.990 --> 00:16:36.730 do not know. I don't think I don't know if they 00:16:36.730 --> 00:16:39.909 took the news well, because obviously, you know, 00:16:39.909 --> 00:16:43.059 it was between my agent and. San Diego stuff 00:16:43.059 --> 00:16:46.659 so yeah there was no talk whatsoever about with 00:16:46.659 --> 00:16:49.820 Charlotte or anyone related. We'll talk about 00:16:49.820 --> 00:16:51.879 San Diego in a second but I want to ask this 00:16:51.879 --> 00:16:54.860 question and sometimes it gets a little dangerous 00:16:54.860 --> 00:16:58.399 to ask but that what if right if you hadn't been 00:16:58.399 --> 00:17:00.840 selected in the expansion draft by San Diego 00:17:00.840 --> 00:17:03.220 you know you would have been on this different 00:17:03.220 --> 00:17:05.839 trajectory do you think about it ever or as a 00:17:05.839 --> 00:17:07.720 professional player do you just have to focus 00:17:07.720 --> 00:17:11.089 on what's in front of you? I mean I don't think 00:17:11.089 --> 00:17:15.029 you can not think about it. There is always a 00:17:15.029 --> 00:17:17.529 what if. What if I went to Orlando instead of 00:17:17.529 --> 00:17:19.869 Charlotte? What if I decided to go to Europe 00:17:19.869 --> 00:17:22.769 instead of going to MLS? All those questions 00:17:22.769 --> 00:17:24.950 you keep on asking yourself, but then you realize 00:17:24.950 --> 00:17:27.950 it doesn't help, so you just gotta move on. But 00:17:27.950 --> 00:17:31.430 yeah, there's always a what if, honestly. So 00:17:31.430 --> 00:17:34.230 then let's get into San Diego you come in in 00:17:34.230 --> 00:17:36.970 the expansion year and you have to prove yourself 00:17:36.970 --> 00:17:39.829 all over First question I want to ask is how 00:17:39.829 --> 00:17:43.569 difficult is it to assimilate and gel as a young 00:17:43.569 --> 00:17:46.509 pro? When you weren't playing a lot of minutes 00:17:46.509 --> 00:17:49.569 in the MLS to begin with and you're playing for 00:17:49.569 --> 00:17:52.369 a team that didn't exist on paper Three months 00:17:52.369 --> 00:17:54.289 prior other than like the financials and that 00:17:54.289 --> 00:17:56.930 there was a stadium. Yeah, what was that experience 00:17:56.930 --> 00:18:01.369 like for you? I think when everyone just came 00:18:01.369 --> 00:18:05.250 the same, I had a similar experience with everyone 00:18:05.250 --> 00:18:07.950 because there was a lot of players down there 00:18:07.950 --> 00:18:11.269 that were playing in Europe as well. So I think 00:18:11.269 --> 00:18:14.549 at first it was a really great experience. So 00:18:14.549 --> 00:18:17.710 it was a lot of learning because it's completely 00:18:17.710 --> 00:18:20.450 different. All the coaching staff, almost half 00:18:20.450 --> 00:18:23.650 of them are from Europe. So it was a lot of learning 00:18:23.650 --> 00:18:27.869 for sure. Did everyone come in kind of on a level 00:18:27.869 --> 00:18:30.130 playing field? Like is there an advantage to 00:18:30.130 --> 00:18:33.170 that? Like were there designated leaders early 00:18:33.170 --> 00:18:35.470 on in that locker room experience when you guys 00:18:35.470 --> 00:18:37.789 were going through preseason? Or was it kind 00:18:37.789 --> 00:18:40.009 of, we're gonna take some time and everyone's 00:18:40.009 --> 00:18:41.809 gonna figure this out as we go along the way? 00:18:42.329 --> 00:18:44.470 No, I think everything was designated already. 00:18:44.769 --> 00:18:46.569 I think, you know, as soon as we came in they 00:18:46.569 --> 00:18:48.930 had an idea what their starting eleven would 00:18:48.930 --> 00:18:51.660 look like, you know. who would be the starting 00:18:51.660 --> 00:18:53.640 goalkeeper, who would be the captain, who are 00:18:53.640 --> 00:18:56.339 the team leaders. Now, everything was decided 00:18:56.339 --> 00:19:01.559 already, I think. Everyone kind of knows each 00:19:01.559 --> 00:19:04.559 other. Obviously, they wouldn't select the people 00:19:04.559 --> 00:19:06.700 that they think wouldn't fit for the team, so 00:19:06.700 --> 00:19:08.500 they kind of had an idea of what they wanted. 00:19:10.440 --> 00:19:12.720 Now, the thing I remember the most about San 00:19:12.720 --> 00:19:15.859 Diego in that first year was that not everyone 00:19:15.859 --> 00:19:18.380 understood the vision of where San Diego wanted 00:19:18.380 --> 00:19:21.710 to go. some early surprises and maybe that wasn't 00:19:21.710 --> 00:19:24.369 fair to what you and the guys were doing down 00:19:24.369 --> 00:19:26.269 there. I think a lot of people were like, well, 00:19:26.529 --> 00:19:29.369 there's not those names that people are familiar 00:19:29.369 --> 00:19:32.769 with around the domestic league and San Diego 00:19:32.769 --> 00:19:35.829 comes out the gates flying and almost couldn't 00:19:35.829 --> 00:19:37.410 be stopped. I mean, it went all the way down 00:19:37.410 --> 00:19:40.109 to the end of the season in the playoffs. Were 00:19:40.109 --> 00:19:42.809 you as surprised to see such early success and 00:19:42.809 --> 00:19:44.490 what do you attribute that to at your time in 00:19:44.490 --> 00:19:48.039 San Diego? I wouldn't say I was surprised. I 00:19:48.039 --> 00:19:51.259 think if you came and attend our training session 00:19:51.259 --> 00:19:55.539 and just watch the games, you can tell the team 00:19:55.539 --> 00:19:58.980 is going to go far. Training was as hard as games, 00:19:59.000 --> 00:20:02.420 sometimes even more. So I think it was a lot 00:20:02.420 --> 00:20:04.220 different to what I experienced in Charlotte, 00:20:04.400 --> 00:20:07.720 if I'm being honest. So as soon as that second 00:20:07.720 --> 00:20:10.920 week came in, that team is going to be hard to 00:20:10.920 --> 00:20:14.059 stop in the league, for sure, I think. The system 00:20:14.059 --> 00:20:17.900 was great. So, I mean, coaching staff had a great 00:20:17.900 --> 00:20:22.059 system. So, yeah, it was, I mean, if you never 00:20:22.059 --> 00:20:24.779 play them, you're not, by the time you figure 00:20:24.779 --> 00:20:27.539 out what, you know, what it would be, you are 00:20:27.539 --> 00:20:29.680 down two goals already. So, yeah, it would be 00:20:29.680 --> 00:20:33.380 hard for any team. Why do you think so many people 00:20:33.380 --> 00:20:37.259 were slow to react to what San Diego was building 00:20:37.259 --> 00:20:40.940 there in that time? I think it's just brand new 00:20:40.940 --> 00:20:42.940 team. You cannot really have a good scouting 00:20:42.940 --> 00:20:46.369 report. and you don't the coach never was a head 00:20:46.369 --> 00:20:48.930 coach anywhere else so you don't know what the 00:20:48.930 --> 00:20:50.910 system is going to bring in sometimes if you 00:20:50.910 --> 00:20:54.210 play against an older coach you know how he's 00:20:54.210 --> 00:20:57.890 a good one to play so you get your players ready 00:20:57.890 --> 00:21:00.609 the team ready so i think when it comes to us 00:21:00.609 --> 00:21:02.730 we're just we're just new you just don't know 00:21:02.730 --> 00:21:05.710 what to expect so yeah that's basically what 00:21:05.710 --> 00:21:09.990 it was And what players were kind of your mentors 00:21:09.990 --> 00:21:12.470 or your coaches, not the, of course, coaches, 00:21:12.609 --> 00:21:14.690 but the ones that helped you through that time 00:21:14.690 --> 00:21:16.849 in MLS? Maybe it's a Charlotte player, maybe 00:21:16.849 --> 00:21:19.150 it's a San Diego player, but who were the guys 00:21:19.150 --> 00:21:21.029 in the locker room that were really kind of helping 00:21:21.029 --> 00:21:23.869 you bring out the best version of yourself? I 00:21:23.869 --> 00:21:27.549 think they were really... The locker room in 00:21:27.549 --> 00:21:30.250 San Diego was really a bunch of great guys, if 00:21:30.250 --> 00:21:35.269 I'm being honest. Everyone is great, I think. 00:21:35.420 --> 00:21:37.799 Chucky, you know people might say a lot of things 00:21:37.799 --> 00:21:39.779 about what is happening right now, but I thought 00:21:39.779 --> 00:21:43.660 he was a great guy in our local so But yeah, 00:21:44.119 --> 00:21:47.740 Chucky. There's yet pay Paddy McNer You know 00:21:47.740 --> 00:21:50.799 all us all those great guys they play in Europe, 00:21:50.980 --> 00:21:52.740 you know, they know what it takes to win. So 00:21:52.740 --> 00:21:56.779 It was easy for me to like get to ask any questions 00:21:56.779 --> 00:21:58.539 feel like they had the answer for everything 00:21:58.539 --> 00:22:03.240 almost So when I ask the difficult question San 00:22:03.240 --> 00:22:05.710 Diego flying high we're getting to the middle 00:22:05.710 --> 00:22:08.809 of the season, we're past League's Cup, and we 00:22:08.809 --> 00:22:10.950 find out that you've been waived from the team. 00:22:11.450 --> 00:22:14.289 Were you surprised at that mid -season decision, 00:22:14.390 --> 00:22:17.289 considering how well the team was doing? And 00:22:17.289 --> 00:22:19.349 how do you deal with that as a setback when it 00:22:19.349 --> 00:22:21.549 comes to both being a player and a human being? 00:22:21.750 --> 00:22:24.609 Because I didn't see that coming at all when 00:22:24.609 --> 00:22:26.930 San Diego's doing that well. What was that like 00:22:26.930 --> 00:22:31.170 for you on a personal note? I think it was surprising, 00:22:32.029 --> 00:22:35.940 kind of. at the same time it's business because 00:22:35.940 --> 00:22:39.059 I came in there and I was you know I was playing 00:22:39.059 --> 00:22:43.380 and then you know after eight games in a row 00:22:43.380 --> 00:22:46.579 I had a complete hamstring tear it was a four 00:22:46.579 --> 00:22:49.200 -month injury you know and as soon as I had my 00:22:49.200 --> 00:22:51.720 injury they were like you know we want you here 00:22:51.720 --> 00:22:54.559 but you know you're also holding an international 00:22:54.559 --> 00:22:57.539 spot so it's gonna be hard to have a player that 00:22:57.539 --> 00:23:01.339 is holding an international spot that out for 00:23:01.339 --> 00:23:03.740 that much long time you know the league is not 00:23:03.740 --> 00:23:06.519 going to wait for us none of those things so 00:23:06.519 --> 00:23:10.099 and we had a limited amount of players so that's 00:23:10.099 --> 00:23:12.420 basically how it happened and i was yeah i was 00:23:12.420 --> 00:23:16.279 surprised but yeah it is it is kind of business 00:23:16.279 --> 00:23:18.680 if i'm being honest with you so if you're not 00:23:18.680 --> 00:23:21.019 not healthy enough to play you know team are 00:23:21.019 --> 00:23:23.299 going to move on that's basically what it is 00:23:24.119 --> 00:23:26.180 All right. Well, we're going to get to our second 00:23:26.180 --> 00:23:27.839 break. And when we return, we're going to jump 00:23:27.839 --> 00:23:31.059 into all of the RIFC action here with defender 00:23:31.059 --> 00:23:33.240 Omidy Jope. Don't go anywhere. It's the raising 00:23:33.240 --> 00:23:38.819 anchor soccer show. Fans, as the weather becomes 00:23:38.819 --> 00:23:41.000 more and more unpredictable, be sure to check 00:23:41.000 --> 00:23:44.779 out 990 WBOB's weather page for all your temperatures, 00:23:45.059 --> 00:23:48.039 storm and travel info. Stay prepared for whatever 00:23:48.039 --> 00:23:51.579 Mother Nature has in store with the 990 WBOB 00:23:51.579 --> 00:23:55.000 weather page. Now, let's get back to the Raising 00:23:55.000 --> 00:23:59.200 Anchor Soccer Show on 990 WBOB with Matt Entrickett 00:23:59.200 --> 00:24:03.819 and Jason Carey. Here with Rhode Island FC defender, 00:24:04.079 --> 00:24:06.960 Omidy Jope. Omidy, we want to get into the most 00:24:06.960 --> 00:24:09.119 important part of your journey and that, of course, 00:24:09.119 --> 00:24:11.519 is with the Amber and Blue here in Rhode Island. 00:24:12.140 --> 00:24:14.960 Got to ask the first question. How did you get 00:24:14.960 --> 00:24:17.559 connected to Kano Smith and the club? And what 00:24:17.559 --> 00:24:20.539 was the allure of joining the Rhode Island FC 00:24:20.539 --> 00:24:26.680 football club in the championship? I obviously 00:24:26.680 --> 00:24:29.380 didn't really know much about Rhode Island but 00:24:29.380 --> 00:24:32.259 I think when I was in Charlotte when I at some 00:24:32.259 --> 00:24:34.200 point they wanted me to come along because I 00:24:34.200 --> 00:24:36.920 didn't wasn't studying many games in Charlotte 00:24:36.920 --> 00:24:41.440 so I think I had an idea on the team and it was 00:24:41.440 --> 00:24:44.619 the first year then so but back then I definitely 00:24:44.619 --> 00:24:46.779 didn't want to you know come all the way down 00:24:46.779 --> 00:24:48.599 it was my first year so I didn't want to come 00:24:48.599 --> 00:24:51.660 all the way down to Rhode Island so yeah and 00:24:51.660 --> 00:24:56.490 that's how we kind of tight in touch, I would 00:24:56.490 --> 00:25:00.089 say. So, yeah, and then, you know, when this 00:25:00.089 --> 00:25:03.670 thing happened, it just happened. It's interesting 00:25:03.670 --> 00:25:06.170 because we've seen the technical staff and some 00:25:06.170 --> 00:25:08.609 of the roster decisions that they've made. It's 00:25:08.609 --> 00:25:11.210 always about the relationships in the championship 00:25:11.210 --> 00:25:13.410 level, whether it's something from three months 00:25:13.410 --> 00:25:17.289 ago or it's an academy run in five or six years 00:25:17.289 --> 00:25:19.970 prior. There's nothing like that for this one, 00:25:20.069 --> 00:25:23.079 right? This was just the technical staff. understanding 00:25:23.079 --> 00:25:25.519 your attributes and the skill sets that you bring. 00:25:26.220 --> 00:25:29.799 How hard did Kano have to work as a GM to get 00:25:29.799 --> 00:25:36.039 you to this team then? I wouldn't say he worked 00:25:36.039 --> 00:25:38.279 hard. I think I made it pretty easy for him. 00:25:41.259 --> 00:25:45.319 Let's just say that. They don't put him up with 00:25:45.319 --> 00:25:50.500 many competitions. He called me and I was like, 00:25:50.619 --> 00:25:52.400 you know, I'll kind of some considerate, you 00:25:52.400 --> 00:25:55.420 know, I'm trying to Focus on staying healthy 00:25:55.420 --> 00:25:58.000 at first right now because I'm still coming from 00:25:58.000 --> 00:26:02.400 a long -term injury. So whenever I'm ready to 00:26:02.400 --> 00:26:05.299 Be playing again. Oh, you know, I'll make a call 00:26:05.299 --> 00:26:08.660 and then I'll come down and we'll see I don't 00:26:08.660 --> 00:26:11.140 want to sugarcoat this but obviously MLS is in 00:26:11.140 --> 00:26:14.160 a different caliber than the championship. Were 00:26:14.160 --> 00:26:17.279 there hesitations or reservations in coming into 00:26:17.279 --> 00:26:20.940 Division 2 time or was it just more about you 00:26:20.940 --> 00:26:22.940 getting those minutes at this point and building 00:26:22.940 --> 00:26:26.099 your resume back up? I think it was more about 00:26:26.099 --> 00:26:29.480 just me being healthy. I think I really needed 00:26:29.480 --> 00:26:34.019 to be healthy. and then playing more, more, more 00:26:34.019 --> 00:26:36.980 games as much as I can. I think that was my first 00:26:36.980 --> 00:26:39.779 thought. There is nothing that make me happy 00:26:39.779 --> 00:26:42.059 more than playing games. So I really didn't care 00:26:42.059 --> 00:26:44.619 much if it was MLS or any other team. I think 00:26:44.619 --> 00:26:46.839 as soon as some course started coming in, you 00:26:46.839 --> 00:26:49.259 know, I told my agent, if it is MLS for me to, 00:26:49.259 --> 00:26:51.900 you know, be playing a couple of games, I really 00:26:51.900 --> 00:26:54.640 don't want to do it. I need to get my legs going 00:26:54.640 --> 00:26:57.500 and I just want to play. I really don't care. 00:26:58.640 --> 00:27:03.140 As a defender, have you noticed a significant 00:27:03.140 --> 00:27:06.079 drop off between Championship and MLS? I won't 00:27:06.079 --> 00:27:08.900 pretend like it doesn't exist, but we always 00:27:08.900 --> 00:27:12.619 see these physical, you know, smash and grab, 00:27:12.799 --> 00:27:15.220 you know, beat up kind of games. We've seen you 00:27:15.220 --> 00:27:17.880 tested multiple times since joining the squad. 00:27:18.339 --> 00:27:21.839 What is the difference between MLS and USL for 00:27:21.839 --> 00:27:26.019 you currently playing in the Championship? I 00:27:26.019 --> 00:27:31.220 think MLS. I think it's hard. The games are, 00:27:31.220 --> 00:27:35.420 you can manage MLS games a lot easier. But I 00:27:35.420 --> 00:27:38.440 think sharing friendship is just super hard. 00:27:38.759 --> 00:27:41.380 Like I never get talked as much as I get playing 00:27:41.380 --> 00:27:44.319 USL games. And that says a lot as a defender. 00:27:44.839 --> 00:27:46.880 And everybody just be coming after you. I don't 00:27:46.880 --> 00:27:49.440 know, last game I got maybe five, six times as 00:27:49.440 --> 00:27:52.200 a defender. I mean, doesn't happen in MLS for 00:27:52.200 --> 00:27:55.160 sure. So yeah, it's a complete different. I think 00:27:55.160 --> 00:27:59.440 MLS is more organized, you know. people trying 00:27:59.440 --> 00:28:04.420 to maybe press less, you know, there is less 00:28:04.420 --> 00:28:08.680 lock, less defensive recovery. So yeah, I think 00:28:08.680 --> 00:28:10.940 when it comes to physicality, yourself is just 00:28:10.940 --> 00:28:14.099 different unless it's more managing. So yeah. 00:28:15.099 --> 00:28:17.599 As a defender, especially when calls don't go 00:28:17.599 --> 00:28:22.200 your way, how noticeable has the refereeing and 00:28:22.200 --> 00:28:26.660 the lack of support technology like VAR Ben in 00:28:26.660 --> 00:28:28.799 being a defender and getting the calls that you 00:28:28.799 --> 00:28:33.460 need in this league. And don't get yourself in 00:28:33.460 --> 00:28:35.299 trouble, by the way, because we don't want you 00:28:35.299 --> 00:28:38.220 getting fined because USL Pro finds out. Nah, 00:28:38.240 --> 00:28:42.220 it'll be fine. I think it's very similar. I don't 00:28:42.220 --> 00:28:44.380 know, you know, why people are complaining much. 00:28:44.539 --> 00:28:48.940 I think MLS refs and the USLR are very similar. 00:28:49.220 --> 00:28:52.049 You know, sometimes you might... have good ones 00:28:52.049 --> 00:28:54.230 sometimes you might just have bad calls you know 00:28:54.230 --> 00:28:57.289 I think it's part of the game and I try to focus 00:28:57.289 --> 00:29:00.430 less on you know the bad calls if I'm being honest 00:29:00.430 --> 00:29:03.470 and just focus on the things you can control 00:29:03.470 --> 00:29:05.410 it's always not gonna go on your way especially 00:29:05.410 --> 00:29:08.589 when you're playing our way so yeah you're just 00:29:08.589 --> 00:29:11.710 gonna have to manage and just expect worse every 00:29:11.710 --> 00:29:13.410 time so you're not gonna disappoint yourself 00:29:14.769 --> 00:29:17.809 On a personal note, so take the player out of 00:29:17.809 --> 00:29:20.369 this for a second. How have you enjoyed Rhode 00:29:20.369 --> 00:29:23.109 Island so far? I ran into Clay the other day 00:29:23.109 --> 00:29:25.190 and he told me he wasn't sure he could handle 00:29:25.190 --> 00:29:28.529 another rainy day on his day off. Has New England 00:29:28.529 --> 00:29:33.329 weather gotten under your skin yet? Yeah, let's 00:29:33.329 --> 00:29:37.029 just say that it was really cold in January when 00:29:37.029 --> 00:29:38.529 we first got here. I think that's the coldest 00:29:38.529 --> 00:29:42.069 I've ever felt. So yeah, but I think you know, 00:29:42.069 --> 00:29:44.549 I'm managing, you know, my girlfriend is here. 00:29:44.569 --> 00:29:47.789 So she's helping me kind of You know smooth it 00:29:47.789 --> 00:29:49.690 out a little bit. So it's always great to have 00:29:49.690 --> 00:29:53.930 company with you like this So no conversations 00:29:53.930 --> 00:29:56.630 with your agent that any future moves just it 00:29:56.630 --> 00:29:59.289 nothing in the north It's got to be warmer temperatures 00:29:59.289 --> 00:30:02.720 and better better weather There's no conversation 00:30:02.720 --> 00:30:04.440 much as such. I think right now, I just told 00:30:04.440 --> 00:30:08.299 him I just want to focus on having a great season, 00:30:08.440 --> 00:30:10.119 whatever it is, until the end of the season, 00:30:10.220 --> 00:30:12.500 where it is halfway. I think the focus right 00:30:12.500 --> 00:30:14.920 now is helping the team get back to where we 00:30:14.920 --> 00:30:18.119 deserve to be. I always like to do a shout out 00:30:18.119 --> 00:30:21.500 for any restaurants or any locations you visited. 00:30:21.599 --> 00:30:23.440 Any sites and bites that you want to give a plug 00:30:23.440 --> 00:30:25.740 to that you've enjoyed so far with your time 00:30:25.740 --> 00:30:29.619 here in the Ocean State? We went to the California... 00:30:31.279 --> 00:30:34.680 California taco. Yes. Yes. It was shout out to 00:30:34.680 --> 00:30:37.039 them, you know, gave us great food. So yeah, 00:30:37.180 --> 00:30:40.099 shout out to California tacos. You know, it's 00:30:40.099 --> 00:30:43.599 fun fact with your time in San Diego, they invented 00:30:43.599 --> 00:30:46.440 the California burrito and it's the only place 00:30:46.440 --> 00:30:49.000 in all of New England I've ever found that does 00:30:49.000 --> 00:30:51.680 the San Diego style of like Tex -Mex. So I'm 00:30:51.680 --> 00:30:54.000 glad, I'm glad we could bring you some, some 00:30:54.000 --> 00:30:56.779 comfort food from your time back in SoCal. That 00:30:56.779 --> 00:31:00.339 is true. That is true. All right. Well, I want 00:31:00.339 --> 00:31:02.960 to get back in then to you as a player here and 00:31:02.960 --> 00:31:06.039 specifically your type of soccer. I did as much 00:31:06.039 --> 00:31:08.960 tape review prior to you joining Red Island FC 00:31:08.960 --> 00:31:10.420 when you first signed. I want to know a little 00:31:10.420 --> 00:31:11.799 bit more about you watched a lot of your time 00:31:11.799 --> 00:31:15.640 at Clemson and Kano called you something very 00:31:15.640 --> 00:31:18.440 interesting when you first got signed. He called 00:31:18.440 --> 00:31:23.220 you a unicorn and I think he was hinting at the 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:26.099 scarcity of finding a left -footed defender in 00:31:26.099 --> 00:31:28.619 this particular league at this particular strength. 00:31:29.000 --> 00:31:31.359 Maybe he also thinks you've got some magic in 00:31:31.359 --> 00:31:34.740 you as well. But I want to ask, what does it 00:31:34.740 --> 00:31:37.799 say about you and what does it take to make a 00:31:37.799 --> 00:31:40.539 great defender not just at Rhode Island but in 00:31:40.539 --> 00:31:45.039 this league overall today? I think just reading 00:31:45.039 --> 00:31:47.960 the game, if I'm being honest, not being scared 00:31:47.960 --> 00:31:52.240 to play. be a leader in the back line. I think, 00:31:52.259 --> 00:31:54.299 you know, games are going to be hard and people 00:31:54.299 --> 00:31:57.799 are going to, you know, be coming at you for 00:31:57.799 --> 00:32:00.099 90 minutes. So, you know, got to stay ready, 00:32:00.319 --> 00:32:03.200 got to stay healthy and be a leader. So, yeah, 00:32:03.200 --> 00:32:05.019 that's what I'm trying to accomplish, obviously. 00:32:05.640 --> 00:32:07.819 You know, I haven't gone out our way much, but 00:32:07.819 --> 00:32:09.599 we will get there eventually, for sure. Believe 00:32:09.599 --> 00:32:12.859 in that. One of the things we love to ask defenders, 00:32:13.000 --> 00:32:16.400 especially in our center back line, is understanding 00:32:16.759 --> 00:32:19.579 the game that they're playing now, is the way 00:32:19.579 --> 00:32:23.259 Kano has asked you to perform different from 00:32:23.259 --> 00:32:26.940 previous coaches like Varus or Smith or in Clemson, 00:32:27.160 --> 00:32:30.519 is it a new approach to the game or is it him 00:32:30.519 --> 00:32:33.759 asking you to do the things you've already done 00:32:33.759 --> 00:32:37.700 exceptionally well? I think it's just asking 00:32:37.700 --> 00:32:40.480 you to be the best version of yourself. I think 00:32:40.480 --> 00:32:42.960 that whatever the game is asking me to do, I 00:32:42.960 --> 00:32:46.000 believe I can do it. So, you know, for me to 00:32:46.000 --> 00:32:48.240 do that. I just gotta be the best version of 00:32:48.240 --> 00:32:50.940 myself and I think that's what the team needs. 00:32:51.019 --> 00:32:52.920 That's what the coaching staff wanted me to do. 00:32:53.380 --> 00:32:57.079 So just gotta get there, honestly. So we haven't 00:32:57.079 --> 00:32:59.059 seen you for a full season yet. We're getting 00:32:59.059 --> 00:33:02.559 close to that almost year marker here. Wanna 00:33:02.559 --> 00:33:05.980 ask, have we seen you at your absolute best soccer 00:33:05.980 --> 00:33:08.500 yet or is there more in the tank to showcase 00:33:08.500 --> 00:33:10.980 to fans when you play in front of them in Pawtucket? 00:33:11.140 --> 00:33:14.420 Where are we at on the full Omidy Jope experience? 00:33:16.799 --> 00:33:18.900 Obviously we haven't gotten there. I think I've 00:33:18.900 --> 00:33:22.279 been quite unlucky. Also coming in this season 00:33:22.279 --> 00:33:25.039 again, missing the first couple of games with 00:33:25.039 --> 00:33:27.140 injury. So I haven't really been at my fitness 00:33:27.140 --> 00:33:30.480 100%. Haven't really felt my legs 100%. So yeah, 00:33:30.480 --> 00:33:34.259 we are very far from the best version of ourselves. 00:33:34.380 --> 00:33:38.079 Not close. Not at all. Now I know you came into 00:33:38.079 --> 00:33:41.200 the season late last year, but the defense was 00:33:41.200 --> 00:33:44.700 one of the hallmarks of the club this year. it 00:33:44.700 --> 00:33:47.240 still feels like the defense is right where it 00:33:47.240 --> 00:33:50.960 needs to be. Where do you and the rest of the 00:33:50.960 --> 00:33:53.539 defenders want to take this team into the rest 00:33:53.539 --> 00:33:56.039 of the season? Because we've seen clean sheets 00:33:56.039 --> 00:33:59.039 so far, we've seen some surprise results against 00:33:59.039 --> 00:34:02.000 us not going our direction. Where would you rate 00:34:02.000 --> 00:34:04.720 this club right now overall defensively? And 00:34:04.720 --> 00:34:08.219 what's that next hurdle or milestone to accomplish 00:34:08.219 --> 00:34:12.000 as a group? I'll say there are just some games 00:34:12.000 --> 00:34:15.840 who get incredibly unlucky. So games we considered 00:34:15.840 --> 00:34:18.579 zero goals and then there are games we considered 00:34:18.579 --> 00:34:20.719 four. So if you're going to be talking about, 00:34:20.719 --> 00:34:22.900 you know, the goal you consider and if you take 00:34:22.900 --> 00:34:24.800 two games, you know, like, oh, we considered 00:34:24.800 --> 00:34:27.099 four in two games. Yeah, you know, there is one 00:34:27.099 --> 00:34:29.039 game you didn't consider at all. So it's kind 00:34:29.039 --> 00:34:32.940 of kind of hard. I think the best thing is for 00:34:32.940 --> 00:34:36.199 all of us, you know, the the back unit to find 00:34:36.199 --> 00:34:38.579 our level, you know, and then for that to happen, 00:34:38.679 --> 00:34:40.900 everyone needs to be healthy and everyone needs 00:34:40.900 --> 00:34:42.800 to be out there. So I haven't been out there 00:34:42.800 --> 00:34:46.909 100 percent. So yeah, that kind of if you want 00:34:46.909 --> 00:34:49.130 to be if you're gonna be a starter you kind of 00:34:49.130 --> 00:34:50.909 play a big roles on the team You know, you got 00:34:50.909 --> 00:34:53.449 to be out there and stay healthy I think as soon 00:34:53.449 --> 00:34:55.429 as I find my level the team is gonna be a lot 00:34:55.429 --> 00:34:58.190 better Not just defensively but offensively as 00:34:58.190 --> 00:35:00.449 well. You can score a lot more I think when I'm 00:35:00.449 --> 00:35:04.110 out there helping the team When we talk to attacking 00:35:04.110 --> 00:35:07.190 -minded players, they set goals for themselves 00:35:07.190 --> 00:35:09.449 or benchmarks that they want to hit. Sometimes 00:35:09.449 --> 00:35:13.530 it's goals assist contributions in general. Sometimes 00:35:13.530 --> 00:35:16.369 it's their passing accuracy. For a defender, 00:35:17.050 --> 00:35:19.989 what are the stats that you want to see yourself 00:35:19.989 --> 00:35:22.630 reach on a personal level? Or what are those 00:35:22.630 --> 00:35:26.000 goals that you have? Is it clean sheets? Is it 00:35:26.000 --> 00:35:28.260 not being stripped off the ball? Is it your tackles, 00:35:28.380 --> 00:35:30.699 your recoveries? Like for Omidy Jope, what are 00:35:30.699 --> 00:35:32.719 your goals that you're looking to accomplish 00:35:32.719 --> 00:35:35.960 individually this year with Rhode Island? I think 00:35:35.960 --> 00:35:40.539 I contribute a lot offensively. You know, so 00:35:40.539 --> 00:35:42.280 obviously I'm trying to I'm not saying I'm trying 00:35:42.280 --> 00:35:45.719 to score, but I think especially as of right 00:35:45.719 --> 00:35:48.460 now, all we need to do is win. I care about clinch 00:35:48.460 --> 00:35:51.420 it, but if I have to take a 3 -2 win, I'll take 00:35:51.420 --> 00:35:53.940 it as of as of right now. So the goals right 00:35:53.940 --> 00:35:56.840 now is just ramping up as many points as we can 00:35:56.840 --> 00:35:59.159 so we can have a home play of game because i 00:35:59.159 --> 00:36:01.539 think that the whole state deserves to have a 00:36:01.539 --> 00:36:04.300 home play of game which we haven't had so yeah 00:36:04.300 --> 00:36:05.880 that's that's the ultimate goal right now just 00:36:05.880 --> 00:36:08.039 ramp up as many points as we can which means 00:36:08.039 --> 00:36:10.219 you're gonna have to score goals to win games 00:36:10.219 --> 00:36:13.139 so what i'm hearing is 10 goals by the end of 00:36:13.139 --> 00:36:15.300 the season from from you right that's that's 00:36:15.300 --> 00:36:20.360 your goal Maybe 10 goals from whoever is playing 00:36:20.360 --> 00:36:22.420 in the midfield. I think JJ is going to find 00:36:22.420 --> 00:36:24.340 his way to get goals, Leo is going to find his 00:36:24.340 --> 00:36:28.199 way to get goals. So JJ, I think if he can get 00:36:28.199 --> 00:36:30.519 the midfielders to contribute more on goals, 00:36:31.340 --> 00:36:34.940 we're going to be really good. Frank was the 00:36:34.940 --> 00:36:40.019 third highest goal scorer in 2024, so it's not 00:36:40.019 --> 00:36:41.860 not in the wheelhouse for a defender to rise 00:36:41.860 --> 00:36:46.099 to the occasion. But I want to talk I told you 00:36:46.099 --> 00:36:47.960 we would go back to this I want to get back to 00:36:47.960 --> 00:36:51.239 your time at Clemson and I want to talk About 00:36:51.239 --> 00:36:53.760 a particular game. So I'm gonna set the table 00:36:53.760 --> 00:36:56.719 again one more time It seems like you have a 00:36:56.719 --> 00:36:59.900 knack for being a part of very big games at Wake 00:36:59.900 --> 00:37:03.079 Med Park in Cary, North Carolina First it was 00:37:03.079 --> 00:37:06.260 defeating Washington and Clemson's first national 00:37:06.260 --> 00:37:09.719 title since 1987 and then it was last season 00:37:09.719 --> 00:37:13.800 ending North Carolina's playoff run and operations 00:37:13.800 --> 00:37:17.260 as a club as a whole, really, in November last 00:37:17.260 --> 00:37:19.800 year in the playoffs. I'm not going to ask you 00:37:19.800 --> 00:37:21.679 to tell us which was the bigger moment, because 00:37:21.679 --> 00:37:25.340 I think we know. But has Nick Scardina let that 00:37:25.340 --> 00:37:28.199 loss while playing with Washington go, or do 00:37:28.199 --> 00:37:30.260 you guys still take cracks at each other every 00:37:30.260 --> 00:37:33.289 single day? Every single day. every day because 00:37:33.289 --> 00:37:35.949 he we had one of the one of the Tampa players 00:37:35.949 --> 00:37:38.769 he was playing left back for Washington so when 00:37:38.769 --> 00:37:41.050 they came down to turn you know I was like oh 00:37:41.050 --> 00:37:42.929 he told me that he played on that game I was 00:37:42.929 --> 00:37:44.989 like damn I didn't even notice you you know I 00:37:44.989 --> 00:37:47.269 think so I didn't even even Nick's card in our 00:37:47.269 --> 00:37:50.449 play in that game either so yeah I still I still 00:37:50.449 --> 00:37:53.750 take that version so almost every day so it's 00:37:53.750 --> 00:37:55.849 never going to change probably going to be how 00:37:55.849 --> 00:37:59.090 our friendship would be forever Do you just use 00:37:59.090 --> 00:38:02.670 that as a win for every argument, even if it's 00:38:02.670 --> 00:38:05.250 not related to that moment? Just like, if it's 00:38:05.250 --> 00:38:07.250 a five aside and practice, it's like, yeah, you 00:38:07.250 --> 00:38:09.909 got it today, but I still beat you in 2021? I 00:38:09.909 --> 00:38:12.469 do. I asked him where his ring is, so I told 00:38:12.469 --> 00:38:14.610 him, you know, come home, I will let you have 00:38:14.610 --> 00:38:19.679 a hold of it. All jokes aside. Did you guys get 00:38:19.679 --> 00:38:22.340 to interact? It looked like you guys were on 00:38:22.340 --> 00:38:24.559 Charlotte at the same time. So was there that 00:38:24.559 --> 00:38:27.179 moment there? And if you did, does it at least 00:38:27.179 --> 00:38:30.420 feel good to have a familiar face with you here 00:38:30.420 --> 00:38:31.900 in the locker room now in his first year with 00:38:31.900 --> 00:38:34.480 Rhode Island? Oh, yes, absolutely. I think if 00:38:34.480 --> 00:38:38.420 you were to ask me about... players that I've 00:38:38.420 --> 00:38:41.039 played with or like interacted with if you ask 00:38:41.039 --> 00:38:43.840 him who I would bring you know in Rhode Island 00:38:43.840 --> 00:38:46.300 to be you know my teammates Nick is probably 00:38:46.300 --> 00:38:50.039 gonna be in the top three for sure so I'm extremely 00:38:50.039 --> 00:38:52.659 grateful and happy you know when he once he texted 00:38:52.659 --> 00:38:55.519 me he was like oh do you think do you think Rhode 00:38:55.519 --> 00:38:57.599 Island will need a will need a right back I'm 00:38:57.599 --> 00:38:59.780 like hey let me let me hit up Kano real quick 00:38:59.780 --> 00:39:03.750 and we'll see what we can do So your future is 00:39:03.750 --> 00:39:06.409 also as a player agent. Clay Holstead has done 00:39:06.409 --> 00:39:08.369 a lot of recruiting for this team, so it sounds 00:39:08.369 --> 00:39:11.329 like that's you too. For Nick, I will be that 00:39:11.329 --> 00:39:14.920 for sure, just so I can make fun of him. I can't 00:39:14.920 --> 00:39:16.639 wait to have Nick on the show later this year 00:39:16.639 --> 00:39:20.019 and find out what his answer to this is. But 00:39:20.019 --> 00:39:22.619 really quickly, how important was that title 00:39:22.619 --> 00:39:25.420 victory for you at Clemson? Did that just open 00:39:25.420 --> 00:39:28.340 every door possible for you? And would you say 00:39:28.340 --> 00:39:30.219 that that's the most important soccer moment 00:39:30.219 --> 00:39:32.119 in your life? Or is there something else that 00:39:32.119 --> 00:39:34.320 needs to be accredited as the number one in your 00:39:34.320 --> 00:39:36.780 life? No, I think that was the biggest moment. 00:39:37.000 --> 00:39:42.090 I think it is no wonder. I don't know it's just 00:39:42.090 --> 00:39:44.030 having you know winning with your friends is 00:39:44.030 --> 00:39:46.409 just something different so you know and they 00:39:46.409 --> 00:39:49.650 haven't won in 36 years you know as soon as I 00:39:49.650 --> 00:39:53.610 got in Clemson you know Mike Luna was like oh 00:39:53.610 --> 00:39:56.230 we never play freshman as a starter anymore and 00:39:56.230 --> 00:39:59.170 we haven't won in 36 years I was like I told 00:39:59.170 --> 00:40:01.429 him there's a first time for everything so you 00:40:01.429 --> 00:40:03.929 know as soon as we won it that was the best feeling 00:40:03.929 --> 00:40:08.300 ever. Best moment so far, as you do have a very 00:40:08.300 --> 00:40:11.320 long runway of many more soccer moments. Before 00:40:11.320 --> 00:40:13.980 we go to break, I always love hearing this. Who 00:40:13.980 --> 00:40:16.599 are the two or three guys within the squad that 00:40:16.599 --> 00:40:20.099 are kind of, they're your posse, they're your 00:40:20.099 --> 00:40:22.099 gang, they're your homies, they're your buddies. 00:40:22.599 --> 00:40:24.619 It seems like everyone's always got that one 00:40:24.619 --> 00:40:27.699 or two that makes them a terrible trio. Who are 00:40:27.699 --> 00:40:31.260 your terrible trio? Right now in Rhode Island? 00:40:31.619 --> 00:40:37.309 Yeah, right. Only Rhode Island. Nick 100 % I 00:40:37.309 --> 00:40:42.329 think I have a great relationship with with Karifa 00:40:42.329 --> 00:40:48.110 and Jacob as well Danny I mean I want to say 00:40:48.110 --> 00:40:51.909 it to you I think there is Nick first for sure 00:40:51.909 --> 00:40:54.929 but I have a really great relationship with almost 00:40:54.929 --> 00:40:58.139 everyone when they remake Bad Boys for Life, 00:40:58.280 --> 00:41:00.039 it's gonna be you and Nick on the silver screen 00:41:00.039 --> 00:41:02.840 at one point is what I'm saying. Has to be, has 00:41:02.840 --> 00:41:05.300 to be, has to be. All right, well we're gonna 00:41:05.300 --> 00:41:07.219 go to our final break and then we're gonna talk 00:41:07.219 --> 00:41:09.860 all things World Cup. Don't go anywhere, it's 00:41:09.860 --> 00:41:12.099 The Raising Anchor Soccer Show. Now, let's get 00:41:12.099 --> 00:41:14.820 back to The Raising Anchor Soccer Show on 990 00:41:14.820 --> 00:41:20.079 WBOB with Matt Entrickett and Jason Carey. Alright, 00:41:20.380 --> 00:41:22.860 here with Rhode Island FC defender Amadou Jope 00:41:22.860 --> 00:41:25.960 talking all things World Cup. I feel like this 00:41:25.960 --> 00:41:30.059 is a self -answering question, but how excited 00:41:30.059 --> 00:41:33.380 are you to see Senegal take the world stage and 00:41:33.380 --> 00:41:36.059 grow the game, especially for your home country? 00:41:36.659 --> 00:41:38.920 Do you still get to say and do you get to still 00:41:38.920 --> 00:41:41.199 feel connected to Senegal from a sporting performance? 00:41:42.059 --> 00:41:44.539 Oh, yeah, absolutely. You know, I watch every 00:41:44.539 --> 00:41:47.019 single game Senegal plays. It doesn't really 00:41:47.019 --> 00:41:49.519 matter much. what categories, if I get chance 00:41:49.519 --> 00:41:54.000 to, I'll watch my parents' silver comms. So yes, 00:41:54.059 --> 00:41:57.059 super, super, super connected to the national 00:41:57.059 --> 00:42:00.820 team. A lot of young players always dream about 00:42:00.820 --> 00:42:03.340 representing their country one day. Is that something 00:42:03.340 --> 00:42:06.840 that you're still chasing? If not, what does 00:42:06.840 --> 00:42:09.440 it mean to still represent Senegal on the world 00:42:09.440 --> 00:42:11.940 stage as a professional player here, both in 00:42:11.940 --> 00:42:16.960 America and for Rhode Island? I think I would 00:42:17.809 --> 00:42:21.110 still chase it. I think you just want to reach 00:42:21.110 --> 00:42:22.710 the highest level. And whenever you reach the 00:42:22.710 --> 00:42:24.730 highest level, opportunities are going to be 00:42:24.730 --> 00:42:28.250 open up for you. So if that opportunity presents 00:42:28.250 --> 00:42:31.250 itself, it would be a blessing for sure. But 00:42:31.250 --> 00:42:34.849 yeah, when it comes to representing Senegal here, 00:42:35.989 --> 00:42:39.710 just trying to be my best, represent the countries 00:42:39.710 --> 00:42:44.489 as good as I can. I'm going to get a little political 00:42:44.489 --> 00:42:47.530 here for a second, so bear with me. I just read 00:42:47.530 --> 00:42:50.510 that the US State Department reversed the $15 00:42:50.510 --> 00:42:53.829 ,000 bond requirement that they imposed on certain 00:42:53.829 --> 00:42:57.030 African countries, Senegal among them. What are 00:42:57.030 --> 00:42:59.829 your thoughts on fans finally being able to visit 00:42:59.829 --> 00:43:02.989 and attend the World Cup and get access to the 00:43:02.989 --> 00:43:05.869 games? Is it too little too late at this point, 00:43:05.949 --> 00:43:08.030 or should it have never happened to begin with? 00:43:08.289 --> 00:43:09.849 What are your overall thoughts? Do you have family 00:43:09.849 --> 00:43:11.750 and friends that kind of got locked out, that 00:43:11.750 --> 00:43:15.599 couldn't come? Oh yeah I actually did have a 00:43:15.599 --> 00:43:18.420 friend you know he was playing for Tormenta you 00:43:18.420 --> 00:43:20.519 know and because of all that thing he couldn't 00:43:20.519 --> 00:43:23.599 fly back and have a precision with his theme 00:43:23.599 --> 00:43:26.039 and time so I think it's really unfortunate that 00:43:26.039 --> 00:43:28.059 we are in this situation and when it comes to 00:43:28.059 --> 00:43:31.260 the world of sport you know everyone you know 00:43:31.260 --> 00:43:34.059 it just it just unite people so I don't think 00:43:34.059 --> 00:43:36.679 we should have a World Cup that kind of divides 00:43:36.679 --> 00:43:39.119 nation and stuff like that because it's called 00:43:39.119 --> 00:43:42.010 a World Cup for a reason you know every Every 00:43:42.010 --> 00:43:46.369 France has the right to represent its team and 00:43:46.369 --> 00:43:49.969 support them as far as they can. If they can 00:43:49.969 --> 00:43:52.989 afford it, why not let them do what they can 00:43:52.989 --> 00:43:56.670 do? Want to talk about Senegal's chances here 00:43:56.670 --> 00:43:59.769 in advancing out of Group I. How do you feel 00:43:59.769 --> 00:44:02.610 their chances are? It's a stacked group. France, 00:44:03.090 --> 00:44:06.929 Iraq, Norway, Senegal. Overall feelings before 00:44:06.929 --> 00:44:09.489 the tournament kicks off here. Where do we stand? 00:44:10.880 --> 00:44:13.320 I think France is going to be really hard to 00:44:13.320 --> 00:44:16.760 beat, obviously, because it's France. But it's 00:44:16.760 --> 00:44:18.300 a world cup. We never know, I think. But the 00:44:18.300 --> 00:44:20.280 biggest game will probably be against Norway. 00:44:20.539 --> 00:44:23.420 So if we can take care of that game, we'll be 00:44:23.420 --> 00:44:26.280 fine. Because I don't think Iraq is going to 00:44:26.280 --> 00:44:31.219 cause much issues. I think we can. Obviously, 00:44:31.699 --> 00:44:33.800 it's three points that you need to get against 00:44:33.800 --> 00:44:36.739 Iraq. But Norway, you've got to. take your chance 00:44:36.739 --> 00:44:39.500 and put it away and then friends whatever whatever 00:44:39.500 --> 00:44:41.539 happened happened but it's unfortunate because 00:44:41.539 --> 00:44:43.739 we're gonna start the first game against France 00:44:43.739 --> 00:44:48.539 so yeah speaking of that match against France 00:44:48.539 --> 00:44:51.039 i don't think a lot of people understand the 00:44:51.039 --> 00:44:54.440 cultural roots between the two nations as a colony 00:44:54.440 --> 00:44:57.159 at one point like i talked some of the day about 00:44:57.159 --> 00:44:58.440 having this interview with you and they're like 00:44:58.440 --> 00:45:00.869 oh well what does he speak i'm like well he speaks 00:45:00.869 --> 00:45:02.210 English because otherwise I don't know how he 00:45:02.210 --> 00:45:04.809 gets on this show but second I know that he speaks 00:45:04.809 --> 00:45:07.130 French and like and they said why would why would 00:45:07.130 --> 00:45:10.429 anyone speak French from Senegal the thoughts 00:45:10.429 --> 00:45:13.449 overall on the France versus Senegal piece do 00:45:13.449 --> 00:45:15.289 you get to kind of root for two countries then 00:45:15.289 --> 00:45:18.889 at that point or is it Senegal or nothing? No 00:45:18.889 --> 00:45:21.190 I can I think when it comes to France I cannot 00:45:21.190 --> 00:45:24.530 root for France you know so yeah I'm not gonna 00:45:24.530 --> 00:45:28.019 do that you know. No, that's not gonna happen. 00:45:28.179 --> 00:45:29.739 It's not like that. I wasn't sure, yeah. No, 00:45:29.820 --> 00:45:31.980 I wasn't sure how that works at that point, so... 00:45:31.980 --> 00:45:35.559 No, not me. You know, maybe people that I do 00:45:35.559 --> 00:45:37.960 not know, that I have Senegalese, have French, 00:45:38.119 --> 00:45:41.460 but not me, for sure. So then, want to talk about 00:45:41.460 --> 00:45:43.800 the watch parties and the experiences. Is there 00:45:43.800 --> 00:45:46.059 any chance that you're gonna get to go see Senegal 00:45:46.059 --> 00:45:48.599 play? They've got two matches down in New Jersey 00:45:48.599 --> 00:45:51.619 at New York Stadium. Have you looked at the bank 00:45:51.619 --> 00:45:53.780 account? Is there an opportunity to go and attend 00:45:53.780 --> 00:45:56.039 any of that? Like do you have do you have Senegalese 00:45:56.039 --> 00:45:58.440 connections with the Football Federation? Like 00:45:58.440 --> 00:46:00.440 walk with me here. Like how do you get to go 00:46:00.440 --> 00:46:04.840 to these games? I think my girlfriend is trying 00:46:04.840 --> 00:46:08.079 push to go. She's more pushy than me. You know, 00:46:08.079 --> 00:46:10.199 I'm saying if it happens it happens, you know, 00:46:10.280 --> 00:46:12.019 but last time we looked at prices. They were 00:46:12.019 --> 00:46:15.460 super crazy. I think it was Almost 2 ,000 for 00:46:15.460 --> 00:46:17.619 the both of us, you know, so yeah, hopefully 00:46:17.619 --> 00:46:20.500 it goes down before then and then we can make 00:46:20.500 --> 00:46:23.380 it You know, she want to experience it. I have 00:46:23.380 --> 00:46:26.440 a data but I'm not like super overly, you know, 00:46:26.460 --> 00:46:30.079 like how she is but If we if we can go we probably 00:46:30.079 --> 00:46:33.000 would make it for sure you guys haven't collectively 00:46:33.000 --> 00:46:36.340 reached out to Kano or Our FCO ownership and 00:46:36.340 --> 00:46:37.840 said hey, it'd be really nice if we could get 00:46:37.840 --> 00:46:39.679 some tickets to one game Like that hasn't happened 00:46:39.679 --> 00:46:42.659 that conversation hasn't happened yet Maybe if 00:46:42.659 --> 00:46:44.320 we get some more wins, they will let us have 00:46:44.320 --> 00:46:48.119 some tickets, maybe. See, that's the sporting 00:46:48.119 --> 00:46:50.500 metric that is the incentive everyone wants to 00:46:50.500 --> 00:46:52.699 hear. If you do well, you get to attend the World 00:46:52.699 --> 00:46:55.639 Cup. True, true. I mean, if they put it out there 00:46:55.639 --> 00:46:57.840 on the board, I think, you know, we're going 00:46:57.840 --> 00:47:01.659 to work twice harder. If you can't make the match, 00:47:01.940 --> 00:47:04.460 are you going to attend any of the local soccer 00:47:04.460 --> 00:47:06.699 festivals, whether it's Providence or Boston? 00:47:06.960 --> 00:47:08.900 Are you going to be out and amongst the people, 00:47:08.940 --> 00:47:11.059 or are you the kind of person that sits at home 00:47:11.059 --> 00:47:12.699 and just locks in on the game and doesn't want 00:47:12.699 --> 00:47:15.460 the distractions around? A little bit of both, 00:47:15.559 --> 00:47:18.420 but I think I wouldn't mind doing it at least 00:47:18.420 --> 00:47:23.760 once. Go have the experience of people going 00:47:23.760 --> 00:47:26.159 to a watch party. I think that'd be an amazing 00:47:26.159 --> 00:47:28.079 experience to have. A World Cup is not going 00:47:28.079 --> 00:47:31.769 to... happen here anytime soon. It doesn't seem 00:47:31.769 --> 00:47:34.610 like so, you know, just go experience it right 00:47:34.610 --> 00:47:37.929 now if you can. Well, we will have to see how 00:47:37.929 --> 00:47:40.889 Senegal does. I cannot wait for all of the games 00:47:40.889 --> 00:47:43.090 ahead for that. I also can't wait for more Rhode 00:47:43.090 --> 00:47:46.210 Island FC action. This team has always historically 00:47:46.210 --> 00:47:48.750 gotten hot in the middle of the season towards 00:47:48.750 --> 00:47:50.869 the back stretch. It's a perfect time. You're 00:47:50.869 --> 00:47:53.289 already doing well now, so I can't wait to see 00:47:53.289 --> 00:47:55.989 what happens in the months to come. Omidy, final 00:47:55.989 --> 00:47:58.920 question of the day. If you could speak to your 00:47:58.920 --> 00:48:02.519 younger self, what would that version of Hominy 00:48:02.519 --> 00:48:05.780 need to hear in his soccer journey, and how would 00:48:05.780 --> 00:48:10.480 you say it to him? I actually haven't thought 00:48:10.480 --> 00:48:16.039 about that. It depends, I think, how young are 00:48:16.039 --> 00:48:19.519 we talking about. You can pick the age and you 00:48:19.519 --> 00:48:24.579 can pick the message. I think when I was maybe... 00:48:27.240 --> 00:48:31.219 Five I would not say nothing else, but you know 00:48:31.219 --> 00:48:34.159 just keep pushing it. It's gonna happen Just 00:48:34.159 --> 00:48:37.000 keep pushing don't I wouldn't say don't do anything 00:48:37.000 --> 00:48:39.000 else with education models, and I wouldn't be 00:48:39.000 --> 00:48:41.019 here if it wasn't for education But yeah, probably 00:48:41.019 --> 00:48:44.219 just keep pushing yourself for sure Well, we 00:48:44.219 --> 00:48:46.639 cannot wait to see what you keep pushing here 00:48:46.639 --> 00:48:49.219 with Rhode Island and your many years to come 00:48:49.219 --> 00:48:51.659 within the professional game Thank you so much 00:48:51.659 --> 00:48:53.800 for joining the show cannot wait to have you 00:48:53.800 --> 00:48:56.849 back on in the future Thank you for having me. 00:48:56.849 --> 00:49:26.510 I appreciate it. Take care. including RAFC news 00:49:26.510 --> 00:49:30.550 at TheBlazingMusket .com. Fans, we thank you 00:49:30.550 --> 00:49:32.889 for listening. We ask you to be kind and courteous 00:49:32.889 --> 00:49:35.349 to your neighbors as you leave the show. We thank 00:49:35.349 --> 00:49:37.030 you for joining us and look forward to seeing 00:49:37.030 --> 00:49:39.949 you again. Until then, I'm your main man Juju, 00:49:40.210 --> 00:49:42.530 and on behalf of the Racing Anchor crew, goodbye 00:49:42.530 --> 00:49:46.510 for now. And as always, we are Rhode Island FC.