A Bit of a Plan for Sporting KC for the Rest of 2024

For the Glory KC is back with the 90th episode of the show! Things get weird as we recorded waaay after dark.

Sporting Kansas City had another rough week. So much, that my co-host preferred we “just get it over with” on Saturday night versus waiting to do a podcast on Sunday. Despite that, we have a lot of thoughts about the losses to Real Salt Lake and the Columbus Crew. I’d like to think it was more about the catharsis of getting some of these thoughts out, while they are fresh in our minds. For a deeper tactical breakdown, check out the Home and Away podcast.

#SportingKC get zero shots on the goal for the first time this season. It's also their worst loss of 2024. #CLBvSKC

— Chad Smith (@PlayFor90) June 23, 2024

Amazingly, it’s not all bad. For years we’ve criticized when SKC just did the same thing over and over and expected different results. At least they tried some things.

There were massive lineup changes in both games including rolling out a 3-4-3/5-4-1 against the Crew. Andreu Fontas seemingly got benched (until an injury). Kayden Pierre made consecutive starts at right back (and may have broken a bone). Both goalkeepers got starts, allowed four goals, and stunningly were some of the better players in those games. Young players got extensive minutes at forward too.

This episode has some venting. It has some rants. It even has a bit of a plan for what we’d like to see from Sporting KC for the rest of 2024, since ownership made it clear Peter Vermes is safe.

We also had to learn a little bit about the Keepers of the Spoon. Sporting KC are dangerously close to the bottom of the table and fans will probably need to read up on how that Wooden Spoon ‘trophy’ works. Is it a trophy? Is there more than one of them? We have the answers, but until then, thankfully, the San Jose Earthquakes still exist.

The Kansas City Current have some nuggets, but we recorded before their game. Double coverage next week!

In the Digital Crawl, we hit a few other topics, including:

• Failed Sporting KC transfer rumor
• SKC Injury Update
• KC Current Injury Update
• Failed KC Current transfer rumor
• SKC U-17s and MLS Next Cup
• Kei Kamara breaking records
• And we snuck in this story:

#SportingKC have little to cheer about, but we can laugh about this at least.

The hand up right before it takes it away… gold!

No goal St. Louis. https://t.co/BrbQngl5fJ

— Chad Smith (@PlayFor90) June 23, 2024

Here is a rundown of topics (and approximate start times):

• Sporting KC lose to RSL – 7:06
• What is the Wooden Spoon? – 28:42
• Then SKC lose to Columbus – 32:09
• My first rant of the podcast – 41:36
• Second rant of the podcast – 55:05
• A bit of a plan for the rest of 2024 – 1:08:27
• Sheena wants you to boycott – 1:14:14
• Digital Crawl – 1:27:08

Upcoming Schedule:

• KC Current at Portland Thorns – Sunday, June 23rd @ 3:00 PM CDT
• USMNT vs. Bolivia – Sunday, June 23rd @ 5:00 PM
• Sporting KC II at St. Louis City II – Sunday, June 23rd @ 6:00 PM
• USMNT vs. Panama – Thursday, June 27th @ 5:00 PM 
• KC Current vs. Houston Dash – Friday, June 28th @ 7:00 PM
• Sporting KC vs. Austin FC – Saturday, June 29th @ 7:30 PM
• SKC II vs. Austin FC II – Sunday, June 30th @ 6:00 PM

We recently turned on “Listener Support.” Don’t feel obligated, but if you have a few spare bucks and are a fan of the pod, we’d appreciate your donation.

As a special gift to For the Glory KC listeners and KC Soccer Journal readers, Backheeled dot com is giving away 30 days of their amazing, independent American soccer coverage for free. If you decide you want to turn that into a paid membership, they’ll give you 10 percent off too. Just follow this link!

Big thanks to Splitter Conspiracy (listen to them here) for our theme music made with the permission of the KC Cauldron.

You can find For the Glory KC wherever you get your podcasts. Search “For the Glory KC” and be sure to subscribe! Here are some helpful links:

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