AUSTIN, Texas — Austin FC kicked off its third season by holding its first official training season of the 2023 season on Monday morning at St. David's Performance Center.
The Verde and Black welcomed in a handful of new players after losing a few key pieces from the team's historic 2022 run to the Western Conference Final.
Following Monday's opening practice, KVUE chatted with head coach Josh Wolff, new striker Gyasi Zardes, goalkeeper Brad Stuver and defender Julio Cascante.
Transcripts from those interviews are below.
Austin FC is scheduled to open its 2023 campaign on Saturday, Feb. 25, against MLS-expansion team St. Louis City SC. The game will begin at 7:30 p.m. inside Q2 Stadium.
Head Coach Josh Wolff
Wolff on the addition of striker Gyasi Zardes
"Zardes is obviously up to speed. You see him out here. Really good familiarity with Gyasi. He got acclimated into Austin rather quickly. Got his family here. So, he's in a great space. Obviously, his record speaks for itself. He's a goal scorer, he's a selfless handworker, and he fits really nicely into our group, and he'll fit really nicely into our group, I think, and it will give good competition at the forward line."
Wolff on Ruben Gabrielsen leaving and Leo Väisänen expected to take his place
"It's unfortunate. We're going to miss Ruben. Ruben brought such great personality and charisma to this group. He brought an on-field leadership, as well as an off-field leadership. So, we're going to have to address those things as the season goes. I think his situation is what it is. I mean, family is priority, regardless of sport or anything. So, we understood that, we worked with him, and we wish him the best where he goes. Leo comes into us as a guy we're quite familiar with. We were certainly in lines for him previously, so we're quite familiar with the player and comes at a good age. Comes from a good pedigree and his family, as well. So, very technical on the ball. Will certainly give us some good orientation when we do have the ball, and his soccer acumen is quite good. So, orientating and organizing the back line will be a strength of his."
Wolff on setting new goals and expectations after historic 2022
"Yeah, we'll define those with the players as we work through the pre-season. But what I know from this business, and what most players and coaches alike are familiar with, last year was last year. There was great success, and we were pleased with the progress we made from year one. But year three is going to be much more challenging than year two. We're not sneaking up on anyone. We've obviously had some players leave us. We've had some players come in. So, trying to acclimate our players to our ideas to the city, to our standards and norms are what's now necessary in the coming months. But we want to be a team that's making the playoffs. We want to compete for championships. Four competitions this year. MLS, Open Cup, Leagues Cup and Champions League, so we need depth, we need character, we need a lot from our players and our staff throughout this entire year. It's the longest season ever in MLS history, starting right now and ending in early December. Eleven real months of a season, which is going to be difficult, but we're building depth and quality inside our squad."
What differences are there in playing for different cups in a season?
"Well, I think there is a difference in that it's an elimination phase. It's a tournament. Leagues Cup. Open Cup. Champions League. Those are games now where you're playing home and away in some of those competitions. So, there's an elimination process to it. There's a finality to those games and results. So, the league, there's 34 games, there's the understanding of what the playoffs will look like, but I think each competition is unique in its own way. The history of the U.S. Open Cup in our country. It can. It certainly can. And there's going to be a different layer of schedule congestion I think this year, give the amount of games we plan to play and would like to play. So, again, utilizing the roster in a robust way is going to be critical. We are going to need to use 20 guys in the first month of the season. There's just no two ways about it. We can't log the minutes that are required to play six or seven games in the first month. So, utilizing different starting groups, obviously some of our young guys, some of our new faces. It's going to be quite critical to maintain freshness, health and positive results."
Will there be an elevated role for Owen Wolff this season?
"I would think he's got more than an opportunity, as with all the other players, but he needs to play, he needs to perform like everyone else out there. I think there's good competition in the middle of the field. He will push Pereira, Valencia and Ring for minutes, for sure, as will many of our newcomers. So, we look forward to getting out on the field. As we say all the time, the players that we've brought here will show us a little more about them and we'll learn about them. And for us, it's how can we maximize their best qualities, and certainly make them better while they're in our environment."
Wolff on Driussi changing his number from 7 to 10
"I think they just go into the room and they press a 10 on it instead of the 7. That makes sense. I don't know who came up with that. I think that's that's the long and short of it. No, I think it was something that he was, you know, he was interested in doing. And he's changed his number a couple of times so far. So, I think that that helps in some ways. But he is our number 10. He's our engine. He is the best player in the league, in my eyes. And, you know, that comes with responsibility that he showed last year. So, it's another big year for him, important year for him to keep leading and keep growing his voice inside the group. But, you know, I think he, along with the core guys that were here, have a great responsibility to now push on our standards, our norms, what we've achieved and show and demonstrate to the newcomers what what's expected and what we're capable of."
Was Zardes someone Austin FC always targeted?
"Well, I think first he's a fantastic human being, You know, that is part of what we're looking for, the selflessness, his energy. He's a goal scorer. He does not get deterred by missing chances and the rhetoric that can come from that. He knows what he's good at. We are aware of who the free agencies are. We've done a quite a good job of now capturing players in that space. Our fans, our environment, this training center, our stadium helps the recruitment process in that way. So, Gyasi was interested in coming. We were obviously good friends in Columbus and with the national team, and he's got some other teammates that have been here. So, it was an easy opportunity for us to try to capture him. Now it's just up to Gyasi. And, you know, he took that opportunity, and we couldn't be happier."
How do you handle the heightened expectations this season?
"No, I think we got to welcome the opportunity. Welcome that challenge. We aren't going to sneak up on anyone. You know, I think if you want to be a team that consistently can consistently do it, that's part of the responsibility. We're bringing in players to be competitive in all four competitions. You know, we know we have to continue to grow and develop our game model. Last year we made some changes. We're going to continue to make a few evolutions in our playing structure. But, you know, there's a good core here, and we've got to keep building on that. Our staff, coaches, players embrace the challenge, embrace the opportunity and make the most. It's going to be a long season, and we want to you know, like I said, we want to be relevant in all four of those competitions."
Which players do you expect to make more of an impact this season?
"There's a number of them. I think Emiliano is going to have a noticeable uptick in year two being in this space longer, more understanding of our league, his teammates, Austin, Austin FC. I think Daniel Pereira is another one. Now he's had two years of work as a young player in our league. We suffered together, all of us, in year one, but that's also part of what's allowed him to grow. Him having an elevated role and elevated voice I think is important. Again, Jon Gallagher can capitalize on a year, you know, a change in position, but a very strong year and, you know, just continued development growth by the entire team. I think Brad's done a great job obviously establishing himself as a top-end goalkeeper in our league, and how can he continue to grow his voice, as well. Just leadership. We lost a couple of pieces of leadership. We want to pick that up with some character and personality inside the locker room and those are some guys I think that can help."
Why Austin FC went out and got Leo to replace Ruben at center-back
"I think, you hope so. I think, by design, Leo is the starter. That's why we've gone out and got him. And like Ruben, he will arrive here a little later. He'll have to get physically up to speed, but there's plenty of time for Leo to get fit prior to the start of the season. And he comes from, you know, from a good playing structure, a good orientation to how he plays in his club team. So Kipp and Jhojan are going to be competing, you know, and I think we continue to look for another center back as well. So, you know, we mentioned the competition inside our group. In order to compete in these four competitions, we're going to need health. We're going to need, like, we had some, you know, players step forward, out of year one to year two. We're going to need that again in year three to really capitalize on what was a good year two. But, you know, Leo will get here, and we'll see how he, certainly how he transitions. But the expectation is that he's a starter."
What did you do during the offseason?
"I went and saw my oldest boy in Belgium. We went to Paris with Owen, and Tyler went, you know, a little bit abroad, but mostly here in Austin. It was good just to be here with family and get away a little bit. And, you know, I think the World Cup was as entertaining as we all hoped it would be. It was exciting. Once the U.S. was out, we were pulling hard for Argentina, given we've got a couple of really important Argentinians on our team. But it was great. It was a great offseason in that way. And now, you know, myself and staff and these players I think come in energized and ready to go for 2023."
Best round of golf during the offseason?
"It's getting worse. It is getting much, much worse. It's not good. That's not even worth talking about. But I do try and play. I still go, as bad as it is."
Any plans for the international game at Q2 Stadium Tuesday night?
"We may pop in there for a little bit. Not to stick around all night, but always, always incredible to have such talented players, teams. The history with both of those clubs is tremendous. Obviously, Sebastian, maybe a couple of our players, have real history with that club. So any time I think teams like that, players like that, get into your city for spectators, fans and for us alike, I know those clubs will be training here as well to to get in front of them, to see them and kind of see how it's done in their world. But, you know, good opportunity."
Striker Gyasi Zardes
What made you want to sign with Austin FC?
"The most attractive thing was the style of play. You know, as you watched them this previous year, you know the combinations going forward. It's incredible how they combine and get a lot of crosses for the attacking players. But not only that, defensively, as well. How they narrate the game based on their pressure. And you know, that was one thing as a striker that I really, you know, my eyes lit up when they were interested in me."
Zardes on his previous time working with Josh Wolff in Columbus and for the USMNT
"In Columbus, I worked with Josh. A little bit with the national team, as well. Knowing him being the head coach here and how detailed he is for attacking players and having success with previous forwards and opportunities per game, you know, that's something that I thrive on and want to learn from, as well as the players here. Talking to some of the guys, my first couple of days here, they're eager to to get me involved, and I'm eager to learn, especially from Maxi and Moussa, those strikers that are already here. I feel like you learn a lot from the other forwards as well when they're playing and doing exercises. So, I just want to keep getting better as a player and hope that I can help this organization win a couple of trophies."
Zardes on already scoring at Q2 (for USMNT team in CONCACAF semifinal win over Qatar in 2021) and the fans
"Yeah, the stadium is beautiful, but more importantly, the fans, the atmosphere, they bring it each and every single game. Even last year, you know, we played here the Rapids the last game, and I couldn't believe that, you know I think it was the South stand. They were playing music, you know, chanting 90 minutes plus. And I was like, 'Nan, they're not even getting tired.' You know, it's definitely an atmosphere that's well known in the league, around the league now. And I'm excited to be on the other end of it now, you know, them being my supporters and not the enemy."
What excites you most about being in Austin now?
"So being in Austin, you know, it's my first time really living in Texas, living in the South. So, I'm looking forward to everything that comes with it. You know, I have a beautiful family and so far they're enjoying it. They're making friends and setting roots down here. So, that's a big thing I'm looking forward to. But from the team perspective, you know, we have MLS Cup, we have Champions League, which I love Champions League, you know, playing in that. It is the best of the best, you know, in our region. So we want to try to win the Champions League. And then you have Open Cup and then the Leagues Cup. So there's a bunch of tournament platforms that are ahead of us this year, and I'm looking forward to participating in that."
What's it like entering training camp as a veteran as opposed to a younger player?
"Yeah, well, man, my body still feels 23. But to be honest, this is my first since 2015, like 2014 or 2015. This is my first preseason with the team. Usually I'm always with the national team. Yeah, I'm always gone in the past with the national team. So, this is my first time to get in with the guys, you know, start building chemistry and also with the coaching staff, you know, start learning the principles and style of play and all that. So, I'm excited about that portion because it's been a while since I've been able to start with the team from the beginning."
How do you plan on elevating Austin FC's play on the pitch?
"The first thing is it comes down to training, you know, starting to get up to speed because a lot of the players that have been here in the past already have chemistry with players. They also already have the knowledge from the coaching staff and what they expect during games. So, for me, it's getting out here in training, asking questions, watching film and getting dialed in. So when I'm up to speed, when I start playing games, I can be the best me and that can come out within the field and also allow me to create chances to score, allow me to create chances to get assists and, more importantly, allow me to help the team win. You know, I'm super thrilled to be a part of this organization, but I know at the end of the day, you know, you have to win. Or you want to win to create a legacy. You know, you want to win, like I said before, MLS Cup, you want to win Champions League, you want to win Open Cup, Leagues Cup, whatever tournament platform or any game, you always want to win. And as a striker, you always want to score."
What were your thoughts on Austin FC, watching from afar last season?
"Yeah. You know, I've always watched from afar. I watch pretty much all the teams within the league. A lot of the players do. But I knew the first year, you know, come into the league, you got to get adjusted. And I knew after year one, you know, the second year that it'll be different. And, sure enough, it was. You find the right pieces. With any team, you find the right pieces to the puzzle and you get adjusted. But, like I said, I've played under Wolffie before, and I know they pay attention to detail. So, the first go around, it wasn't as good, but the second go around, you know, made a push for playoffs, make playoffs and tried to make a push to win the Cup. But I knew he was going to get the right pieces coming into this season, you know."
Thoughts on how a hallmark of Austin FC is the defensive work that forwards contribute
"Yeah. I mean, a big thing is making play predictable, and that's one thing this team does. Watching them from an opponent perspective, you know, they try to make play predictable and dictate games. Like I said earlier, you know, first of all, one way and then knowing when to press on cues and triggers. And I feel like, as a player, knowing those things, allow your teammates to know if I'm going, they're coming behind me and going at the same speed. So, little details like that make a big difference in games. And, sure enough, they were winning balls in their offensive third and two passes there at the goal already. So, that's a big, I think it's a key trait to the defensive work."
Have you had a chance to try Texas barbecue yet?
"Oh, man. Everybody talks about the barbecue. I haven't. I haven't had it yet. Yeah, I haven't had it yet, man. Just got, I've only been here, I want to say, maybe a week and a half really. Yeah. So, we've been cooking at home, but I have to venture out. I'll venture out. I love this. It's a honey barbecue salmon dish. It's incredible. Yeah, I love salmon. A little bit of pasta. Yeah."
Goalkeeper Brad Stuver
How was your holiday break?
"It was good. We made it back to Cleveland for a couple weeks to see family. I went to a wedding. It was cold. Happy to be back here in the sunshine. Yeah, the lake effect. We got stuck in the hotel for a day just because of the blizzard conditions. So, yeah, I'm happy. This is much-needed change."
Thoughts on the new additions to the team
"It's good. Pre-season, you get to see a lot of new faces come in and join the ranks. For us, it's about integrating them into our system, getting to know them as people and just really just seeing what they're about and seeing how they fit into our system. And I mean, it's day one. We have seven weeks here to kind of gel and get together, but everyone's been great. Everyone's been eager to get out here and train. And, I mean, we had physicals at the end of last week, and I think we were all really excited for today to actually get out on the field and get a little work in."
Thoughts on the addition of goalkeeper Matt Bersano
"So I've known Matt for a few years now. He's part of the players association, as well. He's a great dude, good goalkeeper. I'm really excited to have him and join the group. Excited to have Eric with us, as well. For us, it's always about the goalkeeper union. Obviously losing Tarbell, losing Will, had those guys for two years, so it's a little bit different with new faces, new dynamic in the group, but so far it's been great and looking forward to the year."
After historic year two, what are the club's expectations for year three?
"One of those things where, like we've talked as a club and a collective where that's kind of the standard that we want to be. We want to be one of the best teams in MLS every year. So there's no real added pressure on ourselves. We just have that standard. So, in order for this club and for this team to be seen as a true contender each year, we have to set those expectations now and we have to continuously do it every year. So, for us, it's just about getting the details right, going out this year and building off what we did last year and continuing to show that we are that good. And it wasn't just a one-off."
How do you plan for a bunch of different tournaments this season?
"No, I think it's more of like a next match up. I think when you play these competitions like Champions League and the new Leagues Cup and Open Cup, those are kind of more like MLS Cup playoffs because once you lose, you're done. So there's a little bit more desperation, there's a little bit more emotion that goes into those games. The MLS games, you obviously have 34 games across the season to get to where you want to be at the end of the year. But with these other competitions, it's really like do or die. So, I mean, we're excited. We're excited to be in these competitions because that means that we did well last year and it's another competition for us to try and win a trophy. So I think everyone's really excited to be able to compete for, what is it, five trophies? MLS Cup, Champions League, Leagues Cup, Open Cup, Supporters Shield. Did I name them all? Okay. Five. Copa Tejas? Six. Don't forget Copa Tejas. Six. The one we currently have. But yeah, so I mean six chances to win silverware."
How do you treat the off season?
"For me the off season is for the first couple weeks after the season, it's really just kind of turn your brain off from soccer, really turning your body off from soccer, just the everyday grind that you have to be out, you have to be training, you have to be lifting, all that kind of stuff. You really have to recover emotionally, as well as physically. And, just in the off season, it's about just resetting yourself. And as you build up toward the preseason, it's really about setting those expectations for yourself and kind of getting your body into a spot. We have different guys at different stages in their career and that means different things in the off season. Younger guys want to do a little bit more work to kind of build on, make themselves better. Older guys are making sure that their bodies are ready for the longest MLS season in history. So it all depends on who you are and like, what year, what stage you're at."
What gives you the feeling that this team can achieve even more than last year's squad?
"We have a good base coming back. We have a lot of players that made significant roles last year and we've added pieces. I mean, adding a guy like Dyasi will add some some firepower up top, adding, [I'll] butcher his last name, Leo, in the back line gives us another option in the back but really, like a lot of these players bring something different. And the great thing about how we move forward is we get to keep our base. We get to keep our core group of guys, and then we get to add pieces that are going to make us even better as a team. So you look at the guys that contributed last year, you push them to be better this year and then you add pieces to even make that better. So day one, the level was good. Guys were happy, happy to be back out here and excited to continue going."
Stuver on being a great ambassador for Austin FC
"Yeah, I think Austin has been great for all of us. When we first stepped foot here in Austin, you could tell that the community really rallied around the team, really rallied around the players, and it was our duty to kind of reciprocate that. And each year, every day, it's been getting better and better. We get new fans every day, stadium is sold out every game. More and more kids want to join soccer throughout the community, and it's kind of our job as players to reach back out and be a part of this community. We live here. We play here. We need to be part of this community because that's what it is. It's a community. And the more we can do and the more we can show face and just kind of be part of normal everyday life, the more the club will succeed in the community."
How do you replace a presence like Ruben Gabrielsen?
"Ruben's going to be missed. I mean, his personality was infectious and he definitely had that little bit of fire that you saw on game day. But it's one of those things where, every year, you're going to have new players that take on new roles and every player has a different leadership type. You can see, like Alex Ring, Sebastian Driussi, Julio Cascante, Hector Jimenez, Ethan Finlay, Maxi Urruti, like everyone kind of steps on the field and has a different way of putting themselves out there, whether it's screaming, whether it's Felipe Martins stirring the pot. Like, it's one of those things where, like, it's good to have a balance of everything, but the pressure's not going to be on any one individual to kind of step up and take that role from Ruben. It's just more about filling in as a collective group. Can all of us find a new normal as we go on here? Yeah, we will miss Ruben. We'll miss Felipe. But how can these new guys step in and bring their own thing? Like, not every locker room needs to be the same as what it was last year. It's just about being the best we can this year."
Defender Julio Cascante
Thoughts on losing Ruben Gabrielsen?
"Yeah, I kind of knew about it. And it's hard because you always put your family first. Everything. And, of course, it's going to be a very important miss for us, for the team, for the city, for Austin, but the time that he was here, he was amazing as a teammate, as a player on the field and off the field. And we are grateful for that."
Thoughts on Josh Wolff saying the expectation is for Leo to replace Ruben in the starting lineup
"I think this is part of the journey, right? You move, this is our job. We move from team to team and then we have new players and new teammates and all the time is the same. So the guy that comes here is going to be the same thing that's going to work to try to be the starters and it's going to be the same, same work for everyone."
Cascante on first practice session of 2023
"Well, I feel like it's the first day of school today. I'm so happy to be back. I definitely have a new challenge, right, for this year. And I think everyone in this team as is thinking the same."
Thoughts on added expectations this season
"Yeah, I think everyone expecting either the same or more from us, right? And so we are thinking the same. It's going to be a lot of work. We have to put a lot of work, a lot of patience, of course, to, like, try to make the same thing. And I think we can make it. We have a good team with players that is most important and we're ready for it."
Thoughts on the new guys on the team
"Gyasi, I think everyone knows him. He's a very good player. I played against him and, you know, right away, how good he is as a number nine. And I think he's going to help a lot in the team for his qualities are going to be very important for us. And, of course, Leo is a well center back righty and hopefully he can come and help us as well."
What improvements have you seen from Kipp Keller and Jhojan Valencia?
"Yeah, it's always the same, right? I think they're working for that. They know that there's a gap over there. So they want to try to find the good way to get into the starters. Same as me. I'm working for it as well. It's a very it's a competition between the center backs, but it's always healthy. So I think that's the good part of it."