New Ground with Allen & Jalil

082: Eddie Johnson was American's first inner-city star

Talent is widespread, but opportunities are not. Eddie Johnson made his mark on the USMNT and MLS and now runs player development day in, day out. Eddie shares his journey from growing up in Florida to becoming a key figure in American soccer. He reflects on his career, the challenges he faced, and the pivotal moments that shaped him. Now a renowned player development coach, Johnson discusses mentorship, the transition to European soccer, and his mission to change the narrative around youth training—encouraging young players to dream big and highlighting the role of former pros in shaping the next generation. We get into: - Arsenal wins EPL - Winning Coaches in Europe - Coaching changes in MLS - Eddie Johnson’s intro to soccer - Capitalizing on opportunity - Youngest MLS Hat Trick - USMNT Experience - Transition to Europe - Finding his calling in player development - FLOWERS: the unsung Staff heroes

081: Who is your favorite player of all-time? And which American player had the best season in Europe?

Who is your favorite player of all-time? What a loaded question to open up this week's episode. Allen and Jalil also discuss which American had the best season for European clubs. With less than a month away from World Cup play, we gotta check in and see who is in form. We get into: * All-time Favorite Players * Best season by an American in Europe * Weston McKennie's Versatility * MLS heading into the World Cup break * New England Revolution surprising in the East * MLS youth movement * Player pathways * World Cup memories * FLOWERS: Darian Jenkins, World Cup Content Creators

080: Julian Zakrzewski Hall says his fellow New Yorkers have that “grit”

What’s in a name? For Julian Zakrzewski Hall it’s a way to honor his Mother who has been alongside him every step of the way to his breakout start to the 2026 campaign. The New York Red Bulls rising star shows he us wise beyond his years in his conversation with Allen and Jalil. We get into: * Black culture and noteable footballer hair styles * Champions League Final Preview * NYRB Julian Hall wearing his Mom's last name on his jersey * Handling pressure * How NYRB Coach Michael Bradley has impacted his development * What is a New York footballer? * How former pro Cory Gibbs has been Influential * Excited for the World Cup * FLOWERS: Shout out to our Moms

079: Everyone be scoring goals like crazy. Was the 2022 World Cup Final a sign of what we see today?

You get a goal, you get a goal, we all get a goal! The offensive output across competitions has been a topic of conversation the last few months and this week it was in full motion as Paris Saint-Germain F.C. defeated FC Bayern Munich 5-4 in the 1st leg of their Champions League match. Allen reflects on his time connected to the LA Galaxy early in his career as he attended the Cobi Jones Statue Unveiling this past week. Not gonna lie, Cobi's statue is better than David Beckham and Landon Donovan's. We get into: * Can Jalil become elite at pickleball? * Allen at Cobi Jones Statue Unveiling * Champions League 1st leg of Semifinals * San Jose best in the league * 2nd best Whitecaps needs to stay in Vancouver * San Diego FC need to take it one at a time to turn it around * FLOWERS: Siblings & Maxi Moralez - - - If you want real conversations from inside MLS and all things global footy, follow New Ground and SHARE this episode with someone who lives and breathes the game.

078: USMNT & MLS Legend Cobi Jones has always been larger than life

Southern California legend Cobi Jones will be immortalized by the LA Galaxy with a 9' statue outside of the stadium he helped build at Dignity Health Park. Whether it was his dominances at UCLA, launching a franchise and league in the MLS, or becoming the most capped player in USMNT history, Cobi Jones made an impact on and off the field. We get into: * The Statue Unveiling in LA * Becoming the hated LA Galaxy * Then vs Now - Comparing the state of the league * Olympic Festivals and USMNT Experience * Cobi gets flowers for his impact on Black community - - - If you want real conversations from inside MLS and all things global footy, follow New Ground and SHARE this episode with someone who lives and breathes the game.