Show notes for the December 29, 2020 episode of the Capital City Soccer Show, your independent source for news, analysis and interviews about Austin FC, hosted by Landon Cotham and Jeremiah Bentley.

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SWOONTOWER OPPONENT SPOTLIGHT: Houston Dynamo with Victor Araiza – Moontower Soccer: An Austin FC Podcast

In preparation for Saturday's match against the Houston Dynamo, the Crugnolas sat down with journalist/podcaster/writer/reporter Victor Araiza of Deportes Nation and Deportes Houston, formerly of our very favorite independent soccer news website The Striker, to talk about Austin's neighbor to the east and fellow Copa Tejas competitor. Check out the episode to hear Victor's thoughts on:  Houston's recent resurgence Whether he feels the national discourse around the team is accurate What the keys to a successful season are Who the most important players on the team are What the local narrative is around Houston and more, including a meta-discussion around media and changing the narrative to grow local support for a team in a soccer city.Follow Victor's work, and listen closely to the end to see if you can hear #1 in our hearts, Hiro Crugnola, joining in the conversation. Support the showSupport the show

Five Players In

Austin FC has acquired five players since the last recording. The most notable addition in the group is midfielder Alex Ring from NYCFC. The club also added utility man Hector Jimenez from Columbus Crew SC, defebder Jhohan Romana from Guarani and a pair of goalkeepers. Andrew Tarbell is the apparent starter, while Brad Stuver is expected to provide depth.

Joe Corona Out (and the Layun Rumors Never stop)

Joe Corona was gone in the blink of an eye. As noted by Tom Bogert, Corona was taken in the reentry draft by Houston Dynamo, terminating his short “career” with Austin FC. We discussed the wisdom of using an expansion draft selection on Corona. We also briefly discuss the neverending Layun to Austin rumors.

A Potential Starting XI

Landon recently tweeted a potential starting XI for Austin FC based upon the players we have so far. We went through the lineup and where the potential weaknesses and needs for future depth are.

The Supplemental Roster

Austin FC has 15 signees. There are 20 slots on the senior roster. Does that mean we’re almost done signing experienced players? Of course not, because it’s MLS. We discuss the supplemental roster (slots 21-30) and some successful players on other supplemental rosters including Richie Laryea of Toronto and Tristan Blackmon of LAFC.

Upcoming Dates

Domestic free agency is now open. International players from Mexico and South America should be available soon. We also provide the briefest of previews for the MLS SuperDraft on January 21.

Los Verdes Fundraiser for Central Texas Food Bank

The show closed with a call to action to raise funds for the Central Texas Food Bank. Los Verdes have raised almost $6000 for the cause with a holiday fundraiser that ends on December 31. As an incentive to donate, the group will be giving away three exclusive Austin FC albums.

On the Next Episode

Landon & Jeremiah will be back next week with more player and club news. In the meantime, check out the offseason timeline and the 2020 Year in Review at CapitalCitySoccer.Com.

This episode was brought to you by FVF Law