Nashville SC are back in action after the international break, returning to the scene of their 2025 US Open Cup win for a match against Austin FC.
To get the latest on Austin, we chatted with Phil West of Verde All Day.
Austin FC news, analysis, match recaps, interviews, press conference highlights, and transfer rumors from Phil West and Moisés Chiullán.
Ben Wright (SixOneFive Soccer): There's been a lot of change within Austin FC this year, both in the squad and staff. What's the overall vibe of the team right now, and how ready is the team and market for Jim Curtin to take over next year?
Phil West (Verde All Day): Though this has the feeling of a team that's just going to miss the playoffs (too much ground to make up from the pre-World Cup swoon, and too many home draws rather than wins in this eight-match unbeaten streak), vibes are generally good.
The squad's down to 14 senior players, but those who are here — including converted MLS Next Pro midfielders Ervin Torres and Jorge Alastuey — are bought in to interim head coach Davy Arnaud's system. Their most recent match was the ultimate expression of who they are — they went down 3-0 in the second half after getting to halftime 0-0, but had a three-goals-in-14-minutes flourish to salvage a point.
But, yes, there's definitely excitement for Curtin to come in. He had an introductory press conference in June and charmed all the media members there, me definitely included. I'm very much looking forward to seeing the principles he discussed being put into action. (Though it seems Arnaud was listening, wink wink, as some of those principles seem to be woven into how the team's trying to play now.)
BW: From an outside perspective, it feels like Austin have improved after the World Cup break. Is that fair, and if so, why?
PW: Arnaud instituted a new style of play during the World Cup break — three center backs and two often-inverted wingbacks — and for the first few weeks, it was ineffective and ugly. But that's shifted, and while it's still not always pretty or fun, it is a more effective style of play, and they've been more capable of good stretches to leave them in a better place compared to eight matches ago.
They also had a solid group stage run in Leagues Cup, then due to the labyrinthine Leagues Cup rules, traveled to Harrison, New Jersey, to face a No. 3 Liga MX seed Toluca as the No. 2 MLS seed. Make it make sense, Ben!
