Blue City Radio Podcast

World Cup Discussion and NYCFC Midseason Notes The soccer world, maybe even the sporting world is focused on the US, Mexico and Canada as 48 teams battle for the title of World Champion. This week Mike Anderer, Mike Allen and J.R. diBart catch up on all of the action from the first two weeks of matches and share their favorite stories and highlights from the tournament so far. They also take the second part of the show to reflect on the first 15 games of the MLS season for NYCFC and how the summer transfer window will impact the squad including the return of two players back from loans.

False Nines Giving False Hope Stop us if you have heard this before, NYCFC need a striker. Once again a team with so much promise and quality lacks a definitive player in the key role of striker.  Since the departure of David Villa in 2018 the club has really only seen one quality replacement as a number nine, in Taty Castellanos.  Heber had a good season with NYCFC, but he was never the same after his injury. The start of the 2026 campaign was a stark reminder of why having such a gaping hole in the middle of the attack will limit any team’s chances on truly challenging for hardware. This Mike Anderer, J.R. diBart and Mike Allen break the opening game of the season down.  They also share some audio from Pascal Jansen, Tayvon Gray and NYCFC newcomer, Kai Trewin.

Enter Todd Dunivant This was a busy week for New York City FC. First scrimmage of 2026 in the books. Two players out on loan. One player signing confirmed and one rumored. First official press conferences of the season. It feels like the new season is right around the corner because it is.  This week Mike Anderer, J.R. diBart and Mike Allen tackle all the news stories from the club and include some audio from CSO, Todd Dunivant, and head coach, Pascal Jansen.

Justin Haak Officially Departs NYCFC We have all experienced the feeling of not being valued at work.  Value is not about the price tag or cost, it is about the experience.   This week former-NYCFC defender, Justin Haak, made the choice to sign with LA Galaxy.  In the move Haak reportedly signed for a lower salary than offered by NYCFC.   This week the guys discuss the departure of the homegrown player.  They also look ahead at what key positions NYCFC need to fill once they start signing players in 2026.

The Eastern Conference Final For most of the 2025 season a big talking point about NYCFC was the young average age of the squad.  These weren’t players in their prime.  That changed in summer with the additions of Aiden O’Neill, Nicolas Fernandez Mercau and Raul Gustavo.  Even with those players coming in and helping the club reach another Eastern Conference Final it was not shocking to hear head coach, Pascal Jansen, lecture the team on naivete following the 5-1 loss in Fort Lauderdale. This week Mike Anderer, J.R. diBart and Mike Allen break it all down and discuss their opinions on the future of NYCFC homegrown, Justin Haak.

NYCFC Advance To the Eastern Conference Semi-Final NYCFC is a team that knows how to handle adversity.  Their legacy began with the club’s second biggest signing missing the first half of their debut season.  Their championship season was marked with two key season-ending injuries.  Last year breakout rookie star, Malachi Jones, suffered a severe injury mid-season that he still has yet to return from.  Despite all of these moments, the team rises, the team comes together and the bond grows. Friday night was another of those moments as midfielder Andres Perea would land awkwardly breaking both his tibia and fibula in the 70th minute in Charlotte. The Boys In Blue rallied as they often do to hold off the home side and win the deciding game 3-1. This week Mike Anderer, J.R. diBart and Mike Allen discuss the options Pascal Jansen has to build a midfield for the next match in Chester, PA.  They also look back at the key moments from game three of the first round series.