New England Soccer Journal’s The Goal
Sports
About
New England Soccer Journal reaches the pulse of the region’s soccer scene in a vibrant new way, thanks to The Goal podcast with Matt Langone. Each episode features dynamic guests from across the sport’s spectrum, with a focus on prospects.
Episodes
- Behind NESJ's Best of New England Rankings
Matt Doherty and Matt Langone discuss the methodology behind their "Best in New England" rankings for the 2026 and 2027 boys and girls soccer classes, incorporating scouting, coach input, and college commitments. They also touch on specifi…
- Boys club soccer spring preview
Matt Langone and Matt Doherty discuss the boys club soccer spring season, including MLS Next and ECNL postseason qualification, top New England clubs, and college recruiting trends. They also cover the transfer portal
- Tufts Coach Kyle Dezotell
In this episode of The Goal Podcast, host(s) welcome Tufts University men's soccer coach Kyle Dezotell. They discuss his experience winning the national championship, building the team, NESCAC strength, and future program plans. The conver…
- James Proctor, Director of Boys Soccer at Masters Academy International
James Proctor, the director of boys soccer at Masters Academy International, joins hosts Matt Langone and Matt Doherty to discuss the development, recruitment, and program vision of the new soccer academy.
- Takeaways From the ECNL Florida National Showcase
Matt Langone and Matt Doherty discuss the ECNL Florida National Showcase, highlighting promising teams and players, recruiting opportunities, and the performance of New England clubs, with a focus on the 2010 age group. The episode also in…
- MIAA Season Recap
Matt Langone and Matt Doherty provide an in-depth recap of the 2025 MIAA high school soccer season. The discussion covers key highlights from championship weekend, standout teams and players, and reflections on the season's surprises and a…
- 2025 NEPSAC Recap
Matt Doherty and Matt Langone discuss the conclusion of the 2025 scholastic soccer season, including key highlights from the NEPSAC boys and girls championships. The discussion covers the dominant performances of the Taft boys team and Mou…
- NEPSAC Tournament Preview
Matt Doherty, alongside Matt Langone and Mike Zhe, offers an in-depth preview of the NEPSAC boys and girls soccer tournaments. They discuss the upcoming matches and potential top teams, and they speculate on the brackets, with special atte…
- MIAA Playoff Forecast
Patrick Donnelly and Matt Doherty delve into the MIAA soccer playoffs as the postseason approaches. They discuss the top contenders and potential upsets in each division for both boys and girls soccer. Patrick and Matt dive into specific t…
- MIAA Mid-Season Check-In
Matt Langone is joined by Matt Doherty and Pat Donnelly to discuss the current high school soccer season, providing a mid-season check-in on MIAA boys' and girls' teams. The conversation covers early impressions, standout teams, and player…
- NEPSAC Soccer Midseason Report
Matt Doherty is joined by NEPSAC experts Matt Langone and Mike Zhe to discuss the state of high school soccer as of October 1st. They review surprising performances, key matchups, and standout players from September, and preview what to ex…
- Nico Calabria of the National Amputee Soccer Team
Matt Langone and NESJ writer Matt Doherty interview Nico Calabria, the captain of the U.S. Men's National Amputee Soccer Team. Nico shares his journey growing up playing soccer on crutches, his rapid rise in amputee soccer, and his global…
- Prep Soccer Season Preview
Matt Doherty is joined by Matt Langone and Mike Zhe to discuss the upcoming prep soccer season. They delve into both boys' and girls' teams, offering insights on teams to watch, key players, and preseason predictions. They spotlight top co…
- Kicking Off the High School Soccer Season
Matt Langone and Matt Doherty dive into the onset of the high school soccer season in Massachusetts. They discuss preseason preparations, the excitement surrounding the new season, and top teams to watch out for. They highlight the impact…
- UMass Coach Fran O'Leary
Matt Langone and Matt Doherty chat with UMass Men's Soccer Head Coach Fran O'Leary. They discuss the upcoming 2025 season, the success of the 2024 season, the team’s impressive clean sheet record, and the challenge of replacing key player…
- Observations From the Club Season
Matt Langone and Matt Doherty recap the 2024-25 club soccer season, discussing notable performances, standout players, and key learnings from their coverage. They delve into the success stories of various clubs such as FC Stars, Scorpions,…
- NIL and College Soccer with Charlotte Belanger
Matt Langone and Matt Doherty speak with Greg Glynn, founder of Pliable Marketing, and Charlotte Belanger, a freshman at Maine playing for Maine Women's Soccer. The conversation covers Charlotte's journey into NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) d…
- Looking Ahead to the World Cup with Frank Dell'Apa
Matt Langone and Matt Doherty are joined by special guest Frank Dell'Apa, a New England Soccer Journal contributor who covers the Revolution for the Boston Globe. The trio discusses the state of U.S. Soccer as the nation prepares to host t…
- UNH Coach Rich Weinrebe
Matt Doherty and Matt Langone interview the University of New Hampshire (UNH) Men's Head Soccer Coach Rich Weinrebe. They discuss the complexities of building a college soccer roster, particularly in the context of the challenges posed by…
- Project GOAL’s Darius Shirzadi
Matt Langone amd Matt Doherty discuss the impactful work of Project GOAL with its executive director and co-founder, Darius Shirzadi. Founded to support inner-city youth in Rhode Island by combining academic mentoring and soccer, Project G…
- Coach Kelvin Martinez of the Berkshire School
The guest is Kelvin Martinez, the newly appointed head coach of Berkshire School Boys Soccer. Martinez discusses his excitement about leading one of the top prep programs in New England, touching upon his coaching philosophy, the talent in…
- Key Dates in New England Club Soccer
Matt Langone is joined by NESJ writer Matt Doherty to discuss important upcoming dates in the New England club soccer scene. They highlight significant events such as the Girls Academy Northeast Talent ID in New Jersey, the MLS Next Flex e…
- Oakwood Soccer Club’s Marisa Kresge
The guest is Oakwood Soccer Club Girls Academy Director Marisa Kresge. She covers Oakwood's strong performances in the Jefferson Cup, Marisa's transition from college coaching to club directing, and the challenges she faced in her first ye…
- A Look at the 2025 Recruiting Landscape
Matt Langone is joined by NESJ reporter Matt Doherty to discuss the current state of college soccer recruitment, focusing on the class of 2025. They explore the slow pace of commitments due to a multitude of factors including the rise of m…
- NE Revolution Academy Coach Abel Wasswa
In this episode of New England Soccer Journal's The Goal Podcast, host Matt Langone is joined by NESJ writer Matt Doherty and New England Revolution Academy coach Abel Wasswa. Abel discusses his new role as the U14 coach for the academy, s…
- Amherst Standout Niall Murphy
The guest is Amherst College senior Niall Murphy. Murphy reflects on his crucial role in leading Amherst to a national championship in 2024 and discusses the team’s journey starting from their loss in the 2023 national title game. He share…
- Showcase Takeaways and Forecasting the Spring Season
Matt Langone is joined by colleague Matt Doherty, who reports on the ECNL Girls' Winter Showcase in Florida. Despite battling a virus, Doherty shares his observations on the competitive matches, standout teams, and the significant presence…
- 5 Soccer Stories to Watch in 2025
Host Matt Langone and co-host Matt Doherty discuss the top five soccer stories to watch in 2025. They start by highlighting the University of Vermont's 2024 national championship win and debating the team's chances for a repeat. They then…
- UVM Standout Max Murray
Matt Langone and Matt Doherty are joined by guest Max Murray, a standout player from the University of Vermont. The discussion centers around Vermont's historic first national championship win in NCAA soccer, with Murray sharing his experi…
- New Haven Coach Tom Mattera
In this episode of New England Soccer Journal's The Goal Podcast, host Matt Langone is joined by New England Soccer Journal writer Matt Doherty and University of New Haven men's soccer head coach, Tom Mattera. They discuss New Haven's hist…
- Inside the MLS Next Fest: A Deep Dive
Matt Langone is joined by Matt Doherty to discuss the upcoming MLS Next Fest. They talk about the significance of this major showcase for young soccer talent, the participation of New England teams, and the opportunities it presents for pl…
- Rohit Gautam and Bill Altieri from NE MLS Next
In this episode of New England Soccer Journal's The Goal Podcast, host Matt Langone is joined by club soccer writer Matt Doherty, IFA New England MLS Next Director Rohit Gautam, and club president Bill Altieri. They discuss IFA New England…
- NEPSAC Tournaments Preview
In this episode of New England Soccer Journal's The Goal Podcast, host Matt Langone is joined by Siemens Media Managing Editor and Girls Prep Soccer Writer Mike Zhe. They delve into the upcoming NEPSAC soccer tournaments, providing a compr…
- The Journey of a Rising Soccer Star: Eric Klein
In this episode of the New England Soccer Journal's 'The Goal' podcast, hosts Matt Langone and Matt Doherty sit down with Eric Klein, New England Revolution II midfielder and the Revolution Academy Player of the Year for the 23-24 season.…
- Introducing NESJ’s Matt Doherty
Host Matt Langone introduces new soccer reporter Matt Doherty. The episode highlights Matt's background, including his experience in sports journalism and his focus on club and academy soccer in the New England region. They discuss the dyn…
- Thayer Girls Soccer Coach Paul Turner
In this episode of New England Soccer Journal's The Goal Podcast, host Matt Langone chats with Paul Turner, the new head coach of Thayer Academy Girls Soccer. Turner, who has extensive coaching experience in high school soccer, shares his…
- High School Season Preview
In this episode of New England Soccer Journal's The Goal Podcast, host Matt Langone speaks with New England Soccer Journal high school soccer writer Patrick Donnelly about the upcoming high school soccer season. They discuss top teams and…
- 2024 Prep Season Preview
In this episode of New England Soccer Journal's The Goal Podcast, host Matt Langone welcomes Seamans Media Managing Editor and Girls Prep Soccer writer Mike Zhe. They discuss the upcoming NEPSAC 2024 prep soccer season, focusing on top tea…
- UMaine Women’s Coach Scott Atherley
In this episode of New England Soccer Journal's The Goal Podcast, hosted by Matt Langone, University of Maine women’s soccer head coach Scott Atherley joins the show. They discuss the upcoming 2024 season, reflecting on Maine’s historic 20…
- MLS Next All-Star Damario McIntosh
Damario McIntosh: Journey to the MLS Next All-Star Game In this episode of New England Soccer Journal's The Goal Podcast, host Matt Langone interviews Damario McIntosh, a 16-year-old midfielder for New England Revolution II, about his socc…
- Brendan Adams: Building a Winner at Bridgewater State
In this episode of New England Soccer Journal's The Goal Podcast, host Matt Langone interviews Brendan Adams, the head coach of Bridgewater State men's soccer team. They discuss Adams' two-decade-long tenure, his approach to recruiting, th…
- NH Player of the Year Santiago Somorrostro
The guest is Santiago Somorrostro, the New Hampshire Gatorade Player of the Year from Nashua South, who achieved the honor twice consecutively. They discuss Santi's high school legacy, the surprise of winning the award, his transition to U…
- Fairfield's Dave Barrett
In this episode of New England Soccer Journal's The Goal Podcast, host Matt Langone interviews Dave Barrett, head coach of Fairfield University women's soccer team. Dave discusses his insights and strategies as a college recruiter and coac…
- UNH Forward Ally Giovino
The guest is Ally Giovino, a forward transitioning from Colgate University to the University of New Hampshire for a graduate year. Ally discusses her bittersweet emotions about leaving Colgate, her reasons for choosing Colgate over other s…
- Frank Dell'Apa on the Revolution, MLS and More
New England Soccer Journal contributor, Frank Dell'Apa discusses the current state of the New England Revolution, their struggles in the Eastern Conference, and the broader context of soccer development and superstar influence in MLS. The…
- The Impact and Journey of 'Welcome to Wrexham'
In this episode of The Goal Podcast, Matt Langone and producer David Yas discuss the television docuseries 'Welcome to Wrexham,' which follows Hollywood actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney as they purchase and manage Wrexham AFC, a his…
- Steve McAuliffe and Brendan Hamilton of South Shore Select
The guests are Steve McAuliffe, Executive Director, and Brendan Hamilton, Academy Director, from South Shore Select. The episode delves into the club's significant transition to ECNL girls from the Girls Academy for the 2024-25 season, mar…
- Loomis Chaffee Coach Scott Halpern
Scott Halpern was named head coach of Loomis Chaffee's soccer teaam in 2023. Halpern previously worked with the men’s soccer program at the University of Connecticut. He joins the show to talk about this off-season, including adding some n…
- Olger Escobar of the New England Revolution
New England Revolution forward Olger Escobar joins the show to talk about the team's training in Florida and the excitement surrounding the new season. Also covered in the show: Olger shares insights into his transition from youth soccer t…
- Shawn Napier & Greg Robertson of the Boston Bolts
The guests are Boston Bolts MLS Next Director Shawn Napier and Director of Coaching Greg Robertson who join the show to look ahead to the MLS season and discuss how the Bolts are distinguished from the rest of the club landscape in New Eng…