was out injured today
for the game against Japan. He got injured earlier this week
in training. Apparently it's nothing too serious. He could
actually play against Saudi Arabia
But there are some other things going on around him as well. We
saw, you definitely was missing for the u.s. today, right?
I mean, that was a huge gap, there in the attacking play,
how
how it links up Midfield, and attack
potentially. We haven't seen a lot for the us and we are
seeing a lot for Chelsea and I wanted to discuss and get your
thoughts about his new book, my journey so far, that's coming
out.
He's just turned 24, that'll be a lot of people saying. There's
every need a book, but he has had a battle that eight-year
playing career already write professionally.
Even started so young. So he's won a lot of trophies
played for a lot of big teams in Germany and England. Already
had a lot of big experiences but he's come out and add a pop
at Thomas to call and said he was dumbfounded and
disappointed by Thomas too cool. Not starting him
in the Champions League final second leg against Real Madrid,
which Chelsea got through by the way, in, and ended up
winning the Champions League. They said, the to call told him
he was gonna start.
That's why I left him at against Fulham. A few days earlier,
he's kind of dredging up, all these thoughts and
feelings. You had towards the now, EX See boss. Which
I assume he wasn't when
pull a sick was actually putting this book together so
Nick Mendel I'm gonna come to you what is this, really what's
the point of politic telling us this? I know it's a book and
you kind of generate interest, right? If you say something
juicy in a bit spicy like this, I mean, what does he really
have to gain from this because the other reaction I'm seeing
this from Chelsea fans saying, you know what make just just
focus on the football focus on being fit and focus on
doing something on the pitch. Why are you complaining about
this? So I don't really see what you As
to gain from this apart, from selling books, which is
obviously the aim of the game in this scenario. But
I feel like this wasn't really necessary. That's my thoughts,
what do you think? So,
no, it's not necessary. But if I can add, what I believe is
been a missing component of the larger conversation online.
Since these comments came out, just my opinion guys. Feel free
to say I'm wrong.
I remember getting press materials for this book back in
early August, before the season started, I know, Joe and up.
You and I talked about it for a number of reasons and this book
was going to come out. I think this dude thought he was
getting out of
Chelsea and I think that's why the book has taken so long to
come out and I don't think it's coincidence. These excerpts are
out now, that Thomas total is gone.
I believe it's more of a pictorial
kind of digest of him growing within the game,
less than about his. So people treating it. Like what Roy
Keynes book. I think it's a little bit different than that.
I think he's been waiting to put this book out. I think he
figured he'd be somewhere else.
Didn't we all kind of figure he might leave this summer.
Also, let's be honest, I love this guy as a player. I love
the way he leads, by example, and anger, and that sort of
Clint Dempsey ask, what we'd like to see when he's on
the pitch.
But it's obviously, he's a different sort of cat.
He doesn't think about what other people think he thinks
about what he thinks. And I disagree with that, I think he
thinks re a lot about what everybody, I think. That's
probably what drives a lot of this.
Like, this is, yeah, me, this is his opportunity. I'm gonna
have my say now. Like, everybody has an opinion on me,
and we have opinions on, Christian ballistic. Every
week, I was like, this is my chance my book. Nobody can take
that fright. So, let me
let me rephrase a real, probably not that he doesn't
care. What other people think,
he wants his opinions and his belief, which he knows our
right. And no one else is
to be out there in front center. When you put in a book,
it's unchallenged because it's not a conversation. It's not
an interview, it's not online where there's back.
My book is my story, like I said, what? I said. Yeah, like
his coach, like, his national team. Put there's a lot of
similarities there
there is. And I think, when we look at Christian policy,
right? We like you said, Andy, we all have opinions on him.
We know that his character can be a bit spiky at times. We saw
his comments after the u.s. Morocco game and the summer
when he you know he's not afraid to say things that are
unpopular.
He's a very determined, very
single-minded character.
I just wonder if your
If you're correct Bowl halter,
or your Grandpa coming in, to Chelsea in, you're seeing
things like this coming from him. And you kind of hear,
murmurings of Rumblings that he's not happy this he wants to
play in different positions and all the rest of it.
What does that tell you about his character and sort of
maybe his frustrations, as well as a person? And as a player
Yeah, I think this is somebody who
like every player to get to that point has faced some
adversity and had to overcome that, I think that's just part
of being an athlete and becoming a professional. But
I think to this degrees probably never faced this kind of,
you know, a challenge where he simply. I think it's clear. He
cannot understand why he's not playing.
And you know, whether you're whether Thomas Dougal was right
or wrong. Whether G Potter is going to be right or wrong. He
cannot, he cannot fathom or it. Just can't understand the logic
of. Why am I not playing them? Clearly, one of the best
players in this team, he believes that.
And, and that's necessary. Like, you don't get to
the level that Christian posting is that without believing. I am
going to be or I am already one of the best players in
the world. You whether you are not, you believe
that you are. And so when you are repeatedly and we're going
on, it's over 12 months now. Since he's been a regular
player, it's probably been about 18 since what what
the the FA Cup Final when he got hurt like that seems to have
enough. That was
Like truly the turning point, but that feels like it's kind
of, in hindsight been a big moment for him. And so, yeah,
it's, it's unfortunate and I do Wonder like looking forward
if you're another club, it's obviously he's going to try and
move on either in January or in the summer if you're another
club and he's presented to you as an option.
He's a 24 year old who's already written a book and
kind of thrown a former coach under the bus a little bit.
After the fact after he was fired and got like,
That's not super appealing to me as another club. And
certainly not, another manager who is going to be in charge of
me. Like, if you bring him in,
you don't rate him quite well enough. And he's unhappy, is he
going to do the exact same thing? Maybe it's water off
your back, but it's just another little, it's another
story line. It's another thing for him to be criticized for
that. I think, at this point of his career, with what he's got
going on, he certainly doesn't need it right now. I agree with
you and Nick
when it comes to policy, obviously it was injured for
this game against Japan. An but this is just kind of highlight
how important it is to the US and mentioned a bit earlier.
But
I think no matter what he's saying, off the pitch on
the pitch for the us as long as he's fit and that is the big
question, mark. All the comments are about. Hey this
guy can't
can't stay healthy. You can't say fit I have concerns over
the course of a World Cup if the u.s. to make it through
the group stages. Then can he last
56 games in the space of a couple of weeks? Can he actually
play all three group stage games? I don't know. I can't
remember the last time you played, I mean, every spell
with Chelsea, right? When he was playing wingback the middle
of last season, we had lots of injuries humor. Very did play
three games and like a
week, but that's pretty rare.
So, yeah, given his injury concerns,
that's one thing, but we kind of see his importance to
the US. Right? So even if he is a bit of an issue off the pitch
on the pitch, the u.s. can't afford
to not start him and have him. Be the focal point of their
attack, right? I think he's a heck of a player. I mean that's
the difference. You put up with a lot of that nonsense, because
he's your best.
Your best guy. And I know Aronson, we let we like what
Aronson brings but I think it's been too long mostly because of
Chelsea that we've gotten to see Christian pool stick
anywhere near his best and the minute, you see him again at
his best, you're going
to remember how special of a talent he is.
I don't think there's
I just don't think there's any question there and I forgotten
it too. Right. I was tempted to say well it's like oh well. How
would I feel if Aaron's? It wasn't. They're not as bad as
if I
didn't. See Christian pollice. Can a u.s. shirt
and when I look at him,
It's worth overcoming the nonsense.
I think about Gareth Bale
and what he means to Wales. I think about back in the day,
speaking of getting out of a tricky group, what Bryan Ruiz
meant to Costa Rica?
I might be mixing up my timelines there but
there are players especially with concacaf team and that's
the other thing. I
one quick us Point, Let's Not derail the polis that
conversation, but let's also not forget,
concacaf is underrated and underappreciated. It's still not.
Not awesome. So just because it's undervalued doesn't make
it great and strong all the way throughout and that's why these
friendlies I'm happy. They
scheduled them. That's why I want to see Christian pool
stick in it. Also finally don't forget Greg Burkhalter said
before the game
that If This Were A World Cup game, pull sick would have
started. This is a knock, it's precautionary. He's going to
start against Saudi Arabia, so let's see how he looks. Yeah,
I think that again on the Lawns is important, right? That
I even if there's a slight doubt, we cannot afford for this
guy to be injured.
Adore carrying a knock over the next couple of months and
do anything to jeopardize him, not
being starting, and probably
captain of the team
when they walk out against Wales and Qatar
in