New York City FC host Nashville SC on Sunday afternoon.
For this edition of 'The Away End' presented by Berkeley College & Rennert International, we spoke to Jacob Shames, a reporter covering Nashville SC for the Tennessean.
Hey Jacob, thanks for speaking with us. How long have you been covering Nashville SC?
I've been covering Nashville SC since towards the end of the 2023 season for the Tennessean.
What's been your highlight in that time?
The highlight of my short time covering Nashville SC was probably one of the first games I covered, the Leagues Cup final in 2023 when Nashville hosted Inter Miami. It was a moment that went so far beyond what the city had ever experienced in its soccer history and really took it to a global scale with Lionel Messi's presence, and the game itself obviously delivered on that hype. It was maybe the fifth NSC game I had covered in person and to have that be sort of my introduction to the beat definitely wasn't typical.
How would you assess the 2024 season so far for the club?
It's been a disappointment, frankly. Nashville came into the season with hopes of doing well in three competitions — MLS, Concacaf Champions Cup, Leagues Cup — and had the bones of a solid roster, with two MLS Best XI mainstays as well as an experienced coach in Gary Smith. The team had struggled outside of the Leagues Cup down the stretch last season, but you could definitely squint and see how Nashville might contend in the Eastern Conference, it was just a matter of finding their first-half 2023 form. That didn't happen, and ultimately a combination of injuries, a super-condensed, front-loaded schedule, and stale tactics cost Smith his job in May.
To part ways with the only coach in club history, and one who has an MLS Cup under his belt, may have been surprising on the outside especially as Nashville's record to that point wasn't all that poor. But NSC clearly believed Smith had taken the club as far as he could. Once Smith was fired, I think the realistic, short-term expectations for the season changed in a hurry. 2024 almost became a wash, though Rumba Munthali held the team afloat until B.J. Callaghan came aboard in July. While Callaghan's done plenty to put his stamp on the team, much of it positive — Nashville appears far more comfortable playing in possession under him; they're getting touches in and around the opposing penalty box with much more ease — they're almost certain to miss the playoffs anyway.
As poor as Nashville was from June to September, they had plenty of chances still — their loss to D.C. United on Wednesday which effectively eliminated them from playoff contention was their 10th blown lead of the season. With one of the higher payrolls in MLS and Hany Mukhtar and Walker Zimmerman on the roster, there's little excuse for not reaching the postseason — and to be fair, they may well have done so under Smith — but Nashville isn't content to settle for the playoffs as its ceiling anymore. There's reasons for optimism in 2025, as Callaghan already has the club playing decently attractive and effective soccer with a roster that wasn't really built for his style. A few key moves to fill out the roster around Mukhtar, Zimmerman, and Sam Surridge — a midfielder who can really break lines with his passing, for one — and Nashville could be quite good in a hurry.
What do you think will be the deciding factor in Saturday's game?
Honestly, whatever happens with Toronto, Philadelphia, and D.C. United on Saturday. If just one of those teams wins, Nashville is officially eliminated from the playoffs. If not, expect a really up-and-down, back-and-forth game as Nashville will certainly come out desperate for goals. Their game against D.C., which was in the same position, saw seven goals and 50 combined shots, which could be an indication of what we might see on Sunday.
If Nashville comes in mathematically eliminated, though, it's worth looking at what kind of team Callaghan puts out there. Does he look for consistency and added reps with his key players, playing guys like Mukhtar, Surridge, and Zimmerman most of the way, especially considering he's still only had two months with them? Or does he look for the future and give more opportunities to players who might be fighting for future roles like Forster Ajago, Jonathan Perez, Joey Skinner or Julian Gaines?
For any of our fans who might be in Nashville for a game in the future, are there any spots you'd suggest they check out before the game?
Geodis Park is located in the Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood of Nashville, which is a really trendy area with a lot of galleries, restaurants, and breweries. Definitely check out Jackalope Brewing or Diskin Cider, which is less than a mile walk from the stadium. If you go a mile or so west of Geodis you'll hit 12 South, another very tourist-friendly neighborhood with its own row of restaurants and boutique shops. For a bite before or after the game, you won't be too far from a slew of really good taco places and international food on the Nolensville Pike. Edessa is a terrific Turkish-Kurdish restaurant that I'd highly recommend — Nashville actually has the largest Kurdish community in the United States. You won't go wrong at Degthai (Thai) either.
