Christian Chaney - Drogba, Raul & Fuego Fallout, Chaney reveals all! - E6

Christian Chaney joins Jamil & Dom in the Back Stick studio this week. The striker has had quite the career spanning across various clubs in the USL Championship and USL League One. The conversation covers Chaney's reflections on his playing style, and the importance of mentorship from legendary players. We discuss the dynamics of coaching and how management styles can impact player performance. Chaney shares personal stories about playing in his hometown with Fresno Fuego, memorable matches, and his biggest achievements on the pitch, including a heartfelt moment with his family he will never forget. And as always, we round off by taking Christian Chaney through extra time on the Back Stick Podcast. 

00:00 Intro & DC Nights Out 

03:17 Didier Drogba & Carlton Cole Influences

09:02 Grounding & Mentoring Young Players

11:40 Managing Big Personalities in a Locker Room

14:49 Navigating Managerial Relationships

18:58 CV Fuego: Returning to Hometown Club

24:18 Villyan Bijev Destroyed Jam at Tormenta

27:13 Fuego 2022 Fallout

34:44 Building Confidence Through Adversity

37:21 Is Chaney Misunderstood?

40:29 Chaney vs Jam Funny Story

43:47 Extra Time:

49:07 Nights Out With Chaney

52:56 Proudest Moments for Chaney

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Transcript

Jamil Roberts (00:00)
Hello everyone and welcome to the Backstik Podcast. I'm Jamil Roberts and I'm joined here as usual by Dom Ocas. Dom, how are you pal?

Dom Okus (00:08)
Yeah, I'm good bro, I'm good. I'm super, super excited for this episode. Obviously before this we've just been chatting to our guest who you'll introduce in a second, the energy's been incredible already, so I know this is gonna be a good one.

Jamil Roberts (00:22)
Mm-hmm

and Listen if you haven't heard him you've heard of him if you've been around yourself For for any of the last four or five six years so Introducing mr. Cheney Cheney. How are you mate?

Chaney (00:38)
Yo, what's up my guys, what's up my guys? What an honor, what an honor to be here. The back stick, my favorite.

Jamil Roberts (00:46)
Yes, sir, we're taking over the game. are we're taking over the game. How is that? How's the offseason started, bro?

Chaney (00:50)
I see it, I see it.

Dom Okus (00:50)
Come on.

Chaney (00:53)
It's good,

good. Off season's been pretty well. It's always hard, you know, after the season ends the way it does. So you need a little bit to take a break and, know, just kind of reflect, relax, you know, let the mind wander a bit. But it's been good, it's been good. A lot of travel.

Jamil Roberts (01:09)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm and you're as we were just chatting here before the show you mentioned that you're in in Virginia right now You're you're close to a Dom's old neck of the woods in DC. So if you didn't know Dom is actually a DJ So if you need any recommendations of where to go this weekend Mr. Dom Oakes take it away

Chaney (01:23)
TJ don't.

Dom Okus (01:31)
Yeah, I got you bro, there's a few players, it depends, what kind of music are you into?

Chaney (01:35)
Well,

it depends, you know. I'm a little bit more of slow paced man now. I'm a little bit older now, so the night life's not really my thing as much. But if I were to go out, if I were to go out, I would say where would you recommend I go in D.C.? How about that? What would you recommend? I would say I like a mix of things though, because you know, my Latin background, I like some reggaeton. You know, I love a good R &B. That's who I am, you I'm old school, raised by my mama, so. What do you recommend, bro?

Dom Okus (01:43)
Hahaha

feel you, I feel you, I feel you.

Yeah, so if you're on a little more of like a grown vibe, then I'd recommend a place called The Park at 14th. Dope vibe, yeah, dope vibe, good music, know, people dress nice, it's a nice little vibe. If you're looking for a little bit more of everything, then I'd go to a place called Decades. It's got like three different floors of different types of music. So you'll catch some Latin music in there, you'll catch some hip-hop, some R &B, you'll catch some house. So a good little vibe, so those would be my two recommendations.

Chaney (02:10)
Park at 14.

Ha.

Decades, decades,

Dom Okus (02:31)
Yeah, decades bro. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Chaney (02:32)
that sounds like a vibe, that sounds like a vibe, decades. Okay, you got big smile on your face when you said decades, bro. Let's go stompin' grounds.

Jamil Roberts (02:34)
Mm-hmm. Safe Free Stories.

Dom Okus (02:40)
I got some...

Jamil Roberts (02:40)
He's flipping the

questions already back on you.

Dom Okus (02:45)
You know what it is yeah? You know what it is boys? I got some stories in decades but I can't say them on the pod right now because you know this is about you my bro this is all about you so you know maybe when we... yeah exactly exactly 100 %

Chaney (02:56)
Yeah, facts, facts, facts. Well, maybe that's the future. That's the future, where you let a guest come and question you a little bit.

Jamil Roberts (03:03)
There we go, bring him back for the Dom

Oakes episode. Presented by Christian Chaney.

Chaney (03:07)
in my... Hey!

Dom Okus (03:07)
Exactly, Exactly.

Facts. Facts, facts, facts.

Jamil Roberts (03:12)
That's

funny that's Well going from that listen As I said before he's a larger than life personality around us o league one and the USL in general So I remember I first came across across you when you were in Fuego that would have been 2022 And my first impressions was I've honestly

Chaney (03:35)
22 here.

Jamil Roberts (03:40)
didn't know who you were going into the game, didn't really know many players in the league, it was my first year in League 1 and I just remember seeing this absolute fuck off unit up top and just coming off and the centre-arms going yeah he's a handful, jeez

But aside from that, that's pretty much, you know, I would just kind of sum up you as a player, mate, because playing against you, that's what we think you're a ham for, you're a lot to deal with, but you get in the right place at the right time, you score goals. Is that what you kind of say about yourself?

Chaney (04:17)
Yeah, I like to sound a little more diverse though. A lot of people think of the post-up nine, know, just lay the ball off, get in the box type of guy. I don't know, I'm known for a few, know. Nah, but nah, I would describe my game as that, know, in and around the box, know, natural, like just instinct. I can't even tell you how many times I hit the net without even knowing where the ball was going. You know what I mean?

Jamil Roberts (04:27)
Nah, you got- Nah, you're- I'm not saying you're not techy, my boy. I'm not saying you're not techy.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Chaney (04:45)
It's one of those

things that I picked up at a young age. But yeah, I guess I would say that's my little drogba-ish.

Dom Okus (04:55)
funny you

said that I just unmuted to say who do you think you play like and you said drug boy that's a shout that's a shout

Chaney (05:02)
I mean, that's...

I'll give you a story real quick. So when I was younger, I was like, I like to say, you guys know Derek, if you guys are running the league, you know Derek Gebhard. Gebhard, number 17 for my team. Yeah, I know, know. He's old Mr. Madison. Someone else took over. But... No, no, but that's what I'm like. That's one of my best friends, one of my brothers. And I used to tell them, like when I was like, when I first signed with Sac Republic, I was like...

Dom Okus (05:06)
Let's do it.

Jamil Roberts (05:12)
Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah. Mr. Madison.

hahahaha

Mm-hmm.

Chaney (05:30)
180 skinny, like run in behind, like quick type of player, you know? And then when I got there, my head coach at the time was Paul Buckle. He's now at the GM for like Hartford, whatever, whatever. He was making, he turned me into like this post up nine, like, like Drogba was there at the time. Carlton Cole was there with us after Drogba had left. So like, he's trying to like image me after them, you know? And I became this, you know, get it, lay it off.

Jamil Roberts (05:55)
Okay.

Chaney (05:57)
play, get in the box type of player, you know, and it took me a long time. I didn't play a lot because it took me a while to adjust the back to goal, to having to check my shoulder and know, stuff like that. So it took a while, but.

Jamil Roberts (06:01)
Bit more of a back to goal kind of striker.

Do you think that,

do you think that paid off in the long run for you obviously? like do you, do you sort of, what did you prefer, I guess?

Chaney (06:17)
I mean, I prefer goals, man. I don't care how they come. You know what I mean? But at that level, it's like not sneaking down on the one, but even at championship level, I think it's a little bit different of a jump to where it's like you have a job that you have to do, where it's like you got to trust that the players next to you are going to get you that ball because they're going to do their job. And the manager obviously, he wants to see what he wants and you have to do what he does or you're not going to play in the next man's head if you have a chance.

Jamil Roberts (06:19)
Yeah, yeah, fair enough.

Mm-hmm.

Chaney (06:44)
I

had to adjust my game and adjust my physicality so I had to put on weight, gain muscle, know what I mean? Learn how to let the ball stick, you know, stuff like that. it was definitely a change and I had a lot of players around me, obviously, the best of the best that could help me, you know what I mean? Like worked with, like, know, Drogba was there, I worked with Carlton Cole a lot. Me and Cole, we were really good friends at the time. There's a player like Samuel Choa, you know what I mean? I've had players like Juan Cofa. Robert Earnshaw was my assistant coach at Fresno.

Jamil Roberts (06:51)
Yeah, yeah.

Absolutely,

Chaney (07:14)
You know what I mean? Obviously through all of them, I was just a sponge, trying to be as good as I can, learn from them. When you're at that level, when they come from where they came from, you just shut the hell up. You do what they say.

Jamil Roberts (07:28)
Exactly.

Dom Okus (07:30)
Yeah, mentioned Colton Cole there. So for those who don't know, I'm a West Ham fan. And my brother grew up playing in the academy. And he always speaks very fondly of Colton Cole as someone who takes younger players under their wing and all of that kind of stuff. So did you feel that when he was kind of working with you?

Chaney (07:35)
okay.

Yeah.

Yeah, bro,

when he came in, was, know, obviously towards the end of his career, he had just left at the Celtic. I think he was playing in Scotland. I can't remember where, but he had just came directly over to SAC and we had him for the 2020, season, 2016, 17, something like that. can't remember. But as soon as he came in, they sat him in a locker right across from me. we had a lot, you know how locker rooms are, but he was the in front of me.

They have it, he had two lockers, you know what mean? The guy's 6'6", bro. And the big time player, so they ain't put nobody next to him. So he had the little spot next to him, and I'm directly in front of him. And just, you the personality that I am, I'm just, you know, I'm the guy that's, like, everyone's afraid to talk to him and whatnot. And I walk up to him and I say, damn, you can still run. You know what I mean? Like, damn. I'm like, you sure you can still run? I said, you gotta understand this. They make you run in this league. He goes, mate, I train once a week. I train once a week, fuck all that.

Jamil Roberts (08:36)
Mwahahahaha!

Dom Okus (08:36)
Ha

You

Chaney (08:46)
Bro, I never, and have in mind, I'm like the rookie kid. I'm the kid that's like not supposed to be saying anything to anybody, you know what I mean? In the locker room, picking up the gear after training and shit, you know, like, but for me to have done that to him, I think it kind of like let him know, okay, I like this kid, you know?

Jamil Roberts (09:01)
100

% 100 % there's there's definitely a balance because we've all been the young kid in the change room, right? there's definitely a balance between being a little shit and You know like Letting them know that you've got a bit not just on the pitch with like what you can do But you can contribute in other areas as well Yeah, and and let's be real because I know that there's probably people listening to this my boys that were back around when I was 18 19 20 21

Chaney (09:07)
Of course, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yeah, yeah, Exactly, exactly.

Jamil Roberts (09:31)
I crossed the line more than a few times and got a few beat downs because of it.

Chaney (09:33)
haha.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, bro. But see, that's what's different too to this game, bro. Because like, Koli would be like, bro, shut the fuck up already. Like, shut up, you know? And then in training on the field, he'd come and he'd hit me. And the one time he trained, he'd wait for it. He'd wait all week for it, bro. And then he'd be like, remember this, on Monday. Like, bro, fuck, next time on Monday, bro. know, like. But nowadays, nowadays, that doesn't exist, in my opinion. I think the game's missing that. You know what I mean?

Jamil Roberts (09:43)
Yeah

Mm-hmm.

Yeah, yeah.

Nah.

100 % agree. had had a kaza'a on just now and we had this conversation with him as well about how and it's funny that you say that about the American game because our comment was that the way that kids are treated in England now in football growing up are so different so it's interesting to see how you think it's the exact same in the American game as well.

Chaney (10:23)
exactly, I mean like I said, I also grew up like, I don't know how old you guys are, I'm 30 now, know? So like when I was playing, I played in Mexico as well, and Mexico was big over there, like bro they shaved in heads bro, I had my head shaved. Like you ever seen me bald? Nah bro, nah, nah. They shaved in heads. Yeah, bro you look on Facebook, you'll find a couple bro.

Jamil Roberts (10:39)
You

Dom Okus (10:42)
We gotta get a picture of that. We gotta get a picture of that.

Jamil Roberts (10:46)
Hey, you're asking me to clip this up in a reel my boy

Dom Okus (10:51)
Ha

ha ha ha ha ha!

Chaney (10:52)
Hey,

don't even, hey, understand, I don't get embarrassed too often, bro. It's like, Lever hate me, it's like, but, so I'm saying, then, like, it was different, it was hard, it was rough, it was rugged. If you're a player that's young, coming through, and you're trying to dribble and meg someone, you're getting clapped, bro. Like, you know what I mean? You take too many touches, you're getting clapped, and like, and then you gotta go pick up all the balls after training, after you're angry and mad and this and that. Nah, bro, it's different, the game was different. But.

Jamil Roberts (10:57)
Ha!

Dom Okus (10:57)
Hahaha!

Jamil Roberts (11:12)
Yeah?

Yeah, 100%.

Chaney (11:22)
even though I didn't grow up.

Jamil Roberts (11:22)
Maybe that's some grounding that kids are missing now.

Chaney (11:25)
It's different now, bro. I coach high school now, man. It's not the same, bro. It's not the same.

Jamil Roberts (11:33)
Coach Chaney man, I'd love to see that

Chaney (11:37)
I'm a coach, I'm a coach at heart. I'm a coach at heart.

Jamil Roberts (11:39)
Mm-hmm. Now he's a man of the people we know that and Just kind of touching on that that character once again So we touched on a second ago how you know, you're a big personality and you know someone that's not fazed by some, know Big players or big names necessarily in the changing room. So do you think that now you're a senior player in a changing room that it takes a certain type of manager to sort of get the best out of you to sort of allow that personality to come through

On and off the pitch because I feel like you're someone that if you're restricted you'll tell them like Let like leave me the fuck alone. Do you know what mean? Like is that is that how it is?

Chaney (12:09)
Bye.

Yeah, yeah,

of course, you know, that's I mean, now that's that's definitely how it is, man, because I mean, that's part of reason why I chose Madison in the first place, you know, coming from Fresno took a lot for me to leave my hometown, you know, and thinking about like the coaching staff and the way of the city and the people like, you know, the first thing that he came to me and said, Matt Glazer, he was like, and I think personality wise, as far as like, what's just what you're saying, letting me be who I am, letting me letting my personality come through, you know, knowing the right medium to where

you get the best out of me, where you're gonna let me be me, but I'm not gonna fuck you off. I'm not gonna take the piss with you. It's a respect thing. And I think with him, it came down to that. And the reason why I was there for these last two seasons is because of that respect that he's shown and the willingness he was to let me lead the way I lead. Because everybody's different, you know what I mean? And I'm always the first person up when it's time to play. You know what I mean? I'm always the first on the field, the last person to leave, kicking balls, having fun, it's always on the pitch.

And I always want to win every game, whether we're down two goals or we have a red card, I'm still going to be upset. I'm still going to want to win. So that's just who I am. And I think the fact that he lets me be that, but also lets me be the jokester that I am. I like to have the banter in the locker room. I like to take the piss with everybody here and there. But then when it's time to play, I play. think that does matter in my career at this point. I don't know how many more years I have left in this game, but definitely the coach and

the way that they manage their team is definitely a factor in my decision making though.

Jamil Roberts (13:53)
Yeah, 100%. And I think when you touched on Madison, not just as you know, the coaching staff and whatever, I definitely get the sense of when I go and play at Madison, that they're so embracing of their own players, right? Like the fans are, you know, it's always a packed house. Anytime you go to Madison, they seem to love you guys. It seems like an amazing place to play football, but I don't know, Dom, was you about to chime in there a second?

Dom Okus (14:24)
Yeah, I was just going to say, when you talk about management style, has there been a time when the management style didn't work for you? Obviously, everyone can see the kind of 15 minutes in, you've got a strong personality and you've got strong beliefs, which I think is a good thing. But I'm sure there's some managers who didn't love that. Yeah, yeah, 100%. I'm sure some managers didn't love that. So like, has there been a time where your personality's clashed with a manager? How do you deal with that?

Jamil Roberts (14:38)
Not enough personalities left in the game,

Chaney (14:49)
yeah, plenty of times, you know what I mean? I mean, to this day, you end up where you end up based on certain circumstances and careers, you know what I mean? And the hardest part about now, like being in the level we're at, is not knowing, for instance, if I leave Madison or when I left Fresno, not knowing truly what the coach is gonna be like. There's a lot of new managers, there's a lot of managers that have been here, that have been there. You can't really get a good vibe on how they are as a manager, how they are with players, because...

quite frankly they just don't stick around long enough in these things. So it's like with us, they could go to the locker room and say, hey coach, how was Chaney in the locker room? How was this? How was that? So in terms of me having those problems with coaches in the past, it was always like, yeah, we're gonna respect you. You're gonna do this, you're gonna do that for us. We want you to be our player. Then you get there and it's a whole nother situation. You know what I mean?

And that alone, just stepping into the game, just signing your first day there, just seeing how it's not the same, that could throw you off with the manager as well. And I mean, like I said, managers have to manage everybody. I've not always been the biggest player in the room. I've almost never been the biggest player in the room with the names that I've had around and stuff. So it's always been me having to kind of scratch my way to the top, fight for what I had, trying to get the manager's attention, trying to figure out what I got to do to make him have that trust and faith in me.

Even though we've had butted heads, I haven't always had the freedom to be the Chaney that you guys have known me to be the last few years. I had to work my way to that. So when I was in the champ before, was always a little bit more different. was always more, I have to pick and choose my moments, whereas now I'm just, I'm me, I'm whenever I want to be. It could be good, could be bad, but before, yeah, I definitely had managers where I had to be a little bit different.

Jamil Roberts (16:34)
Yeah, yeah, this is me.

Chaney (16:44)
Lock it away for a little bit.

Dom Okus (16:46)
And do you feel like that affected your performance? Like, do you feel like you're at your best when you can just fully be yourself?

Chaney (16:48)
Yeah.

Yeah, like

I said, it also comes down to like you being confident, you know, you've been comfortable as a player who wants to be on the field uptight thinking everything you do or whatever you do wrong, that's it. You know what I mean? You want your manager to have faith in you, like, he's going to fuck up, okay, but when he gets it, it's going to be working, you know? Like that's the confidence that I think each player wants, you know what I mean? Unfortunately, not all 11 get that all the time, you know what I mean? Or not all 18 get that all the time, so.

Jamil Roberts (17:02)
Mm-hmm.

Dom Okus (17:20)
Yeah,

I think the player I see that with the most that I think is unfortunate is Pogba. I think he has a very unique personality. He's an amazing player, but he's not everyone's cup of tea with what he does on the pitch from like the dancing, the basketball shooting sleeves to the way he dresses, the dyeing of the hair. But if people just let him be Pogba, I think that's when you get the best Pogba. But when you criticize him and want to scrutinize him

Chaney (17:32)
Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

Dom Okus (17:50)
for every little thing that he does, it's going to affect the way he plays on the pitch.

Chaney (17:54)
I agree man.

Jamil Roberts (17:54)
Yeah, I

think I think that's something that people forget as well You know when you strip everything back and just hearing you sort of talking about it at the end of the day like You can come off with this persona and this and that and like at the end of the day like it's not a persona That is you right? I'm not saying that it's it's whatever that is you but what people don't understand is there's so much more that goes into Scoring 15 20 goals a season than just putting the show on and crossing the white line. Do you know I mean?

Chaney (18:21)
Yeah.

Yeah, 100.

Jamil Roberts (18:24)
Like people just,

I think people are fooled sometimes into thinking that it's that simple and in reality, what's your personal life like? What's your relationship like with the manager? Are you feeling comfortable in the changing room? Can you speak to this person, this person? I, you know, has this person got my back if I do this, if I say this? Do you know what I mean? There's so many things that go into then when you cross the white line and you look at the other 10 people on the pitch with you and the subs and everyone in the stands.

Chaney (18:37)
Mm-hmm.

Jamil Roberts (18:54)
if you're actually comfortable to perform to your best. And I guess, you you talk, when you sort of wrap that up and you know, you sort of, you would say you feel at home, right? Like you feel at home at a club, you feel at home, whatever. And I wanna kind of just transition that into when you actually were playing at home in Fresno, the spell that you had with Central Valley Fuego. So.

Chaney (18:54)
Exactly.

Jamil Roberts (19:21)
You know, how did that move come about? Because you came from Nisa, right? Before you went up to Fuego. So what was that like, being the hometown kid, obviously the first year- Was it the first year of Fuego?

Chaney (19:33)
The first year returning with the name Fresno Fuego since they took it away in 2018 or 19. Yeah, 18. Yeah.

Jamil Roberts (19:36)
Yeah. Mm-hmm.

So what was that like, obviously, being the hometown kid, the number nine, obviously taking that mantle on and trying to, you know, take the club, your hometown club, where you wanted it to go?

Chaney (19:51)
Yeah, well, coming into it, was like a blessing to me because I was at a tough point after COVID and then COVID here when I was in Charlotte, I was left without a club. After COVID, nobody really wanted to offer new contracts. I couldn't go back overseas at the time. Things happened to where I was kind of left without a club. So I was just like Sunday league in it. Ended up in Nyssa only because...

Fuego had reached out to my agent and he was like, hey, well, not even my agent, me, they reached out to me personally, because I knew almost everybody that was starting the club. And they said, hey, we're bringing Fuego back. And I'm like, nah, there's no way. Like, hell. He's like, yeah, we're buying the right to the name, because they had to buy the right to the name, because the franchise bought. So they bought it back. And they said, but you have to have some type of team if we're going to assign you as one of our first signings. I was like, all right, well.

That call happened like on a Wednesday. I was playing a Sunday league tournament on the weekend and that same Sunday I Thought I'd call hey, I need you to come to LA like the Los Angeles force wants you to play so I ended up doing that all to end up what you're talking about like with the Fuego Jersey, bro So it's like when I finally got that first game I'm thinking dang I could I get my career back You know what I mean? I could I could do this for another five six seven eight years, you know, cuz I thought at that point I was done

At that point, I'm looking for a job. I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to do next. Cause you know, I don't know if you ever been without a club at the age I was at. it's a very not good feeling to have. It's like, holy like, damn, what's going to happen now? You know, like I didn't think it was going to end this soon. So when Fuego came and I finally put that, Jersey on and, the first game I started, I started actually my bag. So the first game was on the road in Greenville. I scored a brace. My first game of the game, my first.

Jamil Roberts (21:29)
Mm-hmm.

Chaney (21:47)
year with Fuego, we beat Greenville 2-0, I scored both goals. Team of the week, Player of the Week, and the following weekend, we played El Paso in the Open Cup. And we ended up smacking them like 4-1, know, Fresno, Fuego, El Paso, crazy game, crazy game. And that was, I think, the moment where I was like, you Fresno's like turning up because we had probably the most fans we've ever had at a game before, bro. We packed up this high school football stadium.

Jamil Roberts (22:08)
Yeah

Chaney (22:16)
And it was, you know it's a football stadium, bro, so I don't know how many people, but it was like maxed out. And it was for me like just surreal that I'm like dang, I'm back in my hometown starting in the Fuego colors. Like my mom's here, my grandmother's here, my niece and the nephews are here. And that alone, I think like is just a blessing because there's so many players in this world that have never had that where they're like playing in front of their fam in front of their friends, people they grew up with. Like it was definitely one of the better feelings that I've had.

Jamil Roberts (22:18)
Mm-hmm

Yeah, Mae, that's... Do know what? All those things that you mentioned at the end there are things that you don't even think about. you you think... I mean, when... I'm sure when the contract's coming around and you're doing pre-season and this and that, you're only thinking about, you know, doing your job and this and that. And obviously it starts well. But when you look up and, like you said, you see, like, your whole family there, your friends that you grew up with, probably people that you...

Chaney (22:48)
You don't.

Jamil Roberts (23:08)
not necessarily friends with but you've known of your whole life you look around and and they're they're right there do know i mean that must be a mad yeah exactly but that must be a mad feeling because like you like at that point like you did it do you know i mean like in in terms of in your town like you did it and you're repping your town like that's that must be a mad feeling

Chaney (23:11)
I've my entire life, yeah. Like, like, what's up, bro?

For sure,

for sure man. And I've done it before, right? Like at the professional level, even at the higher level with the championship with Fresno, but it was like they changed the whole name, the colors. Like I grew up playing PDL and looking up to the Fuego. Like in my Fresno, it's the Fresno Fuego. That was the team that you wanted to play with. I was a ball boy for these kids, know, for these guys at one point, you know? And when they took my name away and I played in Fresno, it was actually called the Foxes at the time.

Jamil Roberts (23:39)
Mm.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Chaney (24:00)
It just, wasn't the same, I swear to you, it wasn't the same feeling that I had when I had Fuego on my chest. Like it was, it different. It was in Fresno, don't get me wrong. It's in our same hometown we played and the same people, not as many, but the same people. But it just didn't feel the same without like Fuego. So like, I don't know, it was different.

Jamil Roberts (24:18)
Bro, one thing that's just come into my head that I didn't even think of before. Did you play away at Tormentor when you smacked us like 5-0 or something like that? When Bijev scored like a hat trick in the first half?

Chaney (24:31)
Yeah, bro,

I have a funny story for that. I didn't play that game. I didn't play that game. didn't play that game. That game was the start of my demise with that coach, with the manager there. Yeah.

Jamil Roberts (24:37)
my days.

Okay,

okay, well We got smacked bijev ripped us apart It was it was my days dom. I don't know if you've ever seen bijev play I came across him first right when I was at SKC 2 and he was at OKC and I thought he was one of the best players in the champ like

Chaney (24:50)
I know, I watched it. I ripped you.

Jamil Roberts (25:09)
Of all the teams that we played I thought 100 % he was one of the best players in the champ and then I saw that he signed for Fuego when I moved to Tormenta the next year and in the scout in the week I'm telling you like the staff didn't even mention him like they they would say like this player this player this player didn't even mention him and I turn around to the gaffer

And said, I think we need to have look at Bzhev, like because I'm serious, like if you let him go, like he'll rip us apart on his own. They're like, they're like, yeah, don't worry. We're aware of him. And I'm like, okay. So then I went and took up on myself to speak to like the right back, the center half and like our holding mid to say like, listen, he's going to operate in these areas. Like I'm telling you, like I know that they're kind of downplaying it, but he will rip us a new one. What happens, bro? He's got our defenders running into each other. He's like him.

Chaney (25:57)
Hey,

Dom Okus (25:58)
Ha ha ha ha

ha ha!

Jamil Roberts (25:59)
You

Chaney (25:59)
the goal he scored that game. my god, I gotta lie. Bro, but he just, he looks like he's unathletic, just doesn't play footy, bro. He gets the ball, he just slulling it through players, bro. Like, like he doesn't, you one of what's crazy, bro, I asked him one time, bro, and I don't care if you hear this, B.J. Aaron Carville, go ahead. He's like, I was like, bro.

Jamil Roberts (26:02)
You

Mm-hmm.

bro, silky silky player.

Chaney (26:23)
Do you think about what you're doing? Like, cause I watch him on the field. I was like, I wouldn't start all the time. So I'm watching him. He plays left man normally. I'm like, I don't think this guy even knows who's next to him right now. I asked him, goes, but I've never once thought, he has the ball. should be here. Or, Hey, what's my defender doing? He literally just thinks, he says that he just gets the ball and then just does what he feels. I'm like, dog, what are you talking about? Like, don't, like, you don't know what's going on. Like, bro, what? And this guy I'm talking to, like he's played.

Dom Okus (26:47)
Maverick. Maverick.

Chaney (26:52)
He's easily one of the best players I played with at the youth level for sure. He sang with Liverpool, played with FC Düsseldorf, played all over the place. And then just says, yeah, I just want to live in Fresno now. I just want to have a family. I don't care about football no more. I'm like, jeez. Imagine being that good. Imagine being that good. No, he was a baller for sure.

Jamil Roberts (27:08)
Mmm, crazy good player.

Dom Okus (27:10)
Wow, wow, but

you mentioned at the beginning though that that game was the beginning of your demise with the coach. So I want to hear the story. What happened with the gaffer?

Chaney (27:18)
haha

Ugh.

Alright, so

Back before my contract even started, like before, so there is some drama going on at Fresno, right? So like we signed like four players. I was like the fourth player. They signed Bijev this guy named Ballardy, Diego, me, you know, like the local guys that they announced first, so all those guys that signed, the guys that wrote our contracts and everything, the, well, first off the GM quit right away. The guy that like started it all. He's just like, I'm gonna go do something else. Sorry, not for me. So that's like,

Okay, whatever. Then we, our head coach, where I haven't, our head coach is a guy local from a college that we had there, Barry Fresno known, like has all his licensing, played in, you know, Mexico, whatever. I go to have a meeting with him before, cause I'm in country. Hey coach. I mean, I know this isn't ideal and I don't know what we have going on this weekend. So far on the calendar from the game schedule we're going to have this weekend off, I have a trip to Cabo.

You know, I have this trip to Cabo. I'm going to Mexico with my family, know, my grandmother, this and that. It was really my cousin's birthday. No, no, no, No, but listen, listen, listen, listen. So then the coach gets fired. Or not fired, the coach quits. So then, and have in mind, this was in like June, but I said this in like February. So then the coach quits, we get a new coach, Milton Blanco. We went on like a little run.

Jamil Roberts (28:28)
Hehehehehe

Okay, I thought you just scheduled a lads holiday for the one weekend off of the year

Dom Okus (28:38)
I was thinking this guy's taking a piss.

Chaney (28:55)
And then they bring in this new coach, Martin Vasquez, former FC Bayern assistant coach, RSL coach, know, big name guy in coaching, played for the U.S. national team and the Mexican national team. I think one of the only players who ever do so. So big name, you know, he's coming in, has this thing. As soon as I come in, we're playing Sac Republic. He comes in first game, Sac Republic Open Cup. We had just won against El Paso, went to Charlotte, tied 3-3. BGF scored an amazing goal, by the way. Crazy that game, too.

And he ends up, like I start the game, I played all 90 and in Sac, they ended up scoring the pen at the end of the game. We lost, the next game he doesn't play me. I come off the bench, I'm like, bro I have like four goals in the last five, like four games, like why am I not playing, you know? Didn't say anything to me, okay, you're the manager do your thing gonna manage your dear thing. Thought it was like a resting thing. Next game I don't play, next game I don't play. I'm coming off the bench, coming off the bench, creating, doing things, I'm like, okay.

Jamil Roberts (29:47)
Mm-hmm.

Chaney (29:55)
So then I approach him, hey coach, like what's going on? No, it's nothing against you. I'm just doing what's best for the team. And you give us something in the second half and starting the game this and then I'm like, all right, cool. So then training happens and I'm balling. I'm like, I have a little something on my shoulder. I'm like, nah, hell no, I should be playing. banging in and goals left and right. And now I'm looking at him. I'm looking at him. I'm like, I only played the last 30, you know, like it's all right. Just give me 30, just give me 30. Just like, just give me 30, just like that.

Jamil Roberts (30:22)
Hehehehehe

Chaney (30:24)
So now I'm like, now I'm angry. Now I'm being a dickhead. know what I mean? Like, this is like seven games in now, eight games in from his management where I'm starting, we're winning games and now we're losing games or we're tying games. I'm subbing off and I'm scoring or we're down one zero. We tied a game 1-1 one. Still I'm subbing on, you know? So then it's like three weeks before my trip and I tell my coach, you remember that trip I told you about? Cause when he first came, I had mentioned it to him. Remember that trip I told you about? goes, Chaney, if you go to that trip, you'll never play again. I was like.

Jamil Roberts (30:26)
you

Mm-hmm.

Chaney (30:53)
Two months ago I told you about it. You said you're gonna honor the agreement that I had with the previous coaches. So like in my head, I paid for Airbnbs already, I'm going. And at the time I was with my ex, my girl. So like we're going as a whole family thing. And then he's like, you're right. I did say you could go. I'm not gonna be upset. Have fun, just make sure you your team know that you're letting your team down. So yeah, so then I go to the boys.

Jamil Roberts (31:18)
no. I'm not mad,

Dom Okus (31:19)
What?

Jamil Roberts (31:22)
I'm disappointed. That one there, innit?

Chaney (31:23)
I go to the, yeah,

exactly. So I go to the team, I go to the team and he's like, I say, I say, coach, hold on coach, you played me eight minutes last match. What are you saying? You played me 12 minutes the match before. I had to come in and save the team. You know what mean? I had to come in when you gave me 12 minutes and we're tight, we're losing two one. And I come in and we tied two two and you played me eight minutes the game and the next game after that. So obviously my importance to you is not of that, know? And obviously, you know, it's.

Whether it's right or wrong, happened. This is the story, you know? So then he says, it's okay, talk to the teammates, whatever. I told my team, they're like, yeah, go ahead. They're like, go ahead, go ahead, go ahead. So then I go and I'm watching the match. As soon as I land, as soon as I land in Cabo, the match starts. So I'm on my phone streaming it. Bijev Goal. I'm like, damn. Bijev Goal. Damn, Sharif Goal. I'm like, damn, what's going on? I'm like, bro, I'm not going against him, but I'm like, aw, shit. If I didn't play before.

Jamil Roberts (31:56)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Ha!

Chaney (32:22)
I'm like, I didn't play before, I'm really not playing what I get back. So, so he held a grudge with me though, bro, for like the remainder of the season until like, for instance, like BD, he got injured and then he was like, we started losing games that he didn't put me in the roster. He didn't put me in the roster the first two games back, three games back. He had this tournament. dang. He had this tournament pretty much where he switched up teams every game. So we had like, like a rack five games and

Dom Okus (32:25)
Heheheheh!

Jamil Roberts (32:28)
you

Chaney (32:51)
he switches up the team. So you're playing with this group and then it switches and then it switches and it counts your individual wins and losses. And he looks at everybody, he goes, if you're in the top caliber right here, then you're probably one of starting 11 players or the players that deserves to play every minute. If you're like, you know, in the middle, then maybe you have some work to do. But if you're at the bottom, you really got to look yourself in the mirror. And he stares me in the eyes and he says, this is the whole group. He looks at me. He goes, and have am I, this is day one after Cabo And I land in Cabo.

At 12 o'clock at night the day before, I'm in training at 8 a.m. the next day. So, you know, it's Cabo. I was having a good time. I come back. I won every single game I played. I'm talking like scoring Rabona, scoring bicycle kicks, bangers, like working my ass off, bro, you know? And it was me and the goalkeeper that won every game. Me and the goalkeeper. And the goalkeeper was on my team most of time. So after, like, he gives you a watermelon.

Jamil Roberts (33:26)
you

Yeah, yeah.

Chaney (33:44)
watermelon and he's like cutting watermelon for everybody and I get my own watermelon, right? So I wait for him to cut it, wait for him to cut it and he walks away and I say, hey, profe! Profe, prophet, and I said like that. He looks, he goes, I say, are you not going to come up the winning watermelon? I said, are you not going to cut the winning watermelon? Like this. He looks, he goes, of course, of course I got you Chaney and he comes and he cuts it.

Jamil Roberts (34:01)
you

Chaney (34:12)
And I might be like, just taking the piss, you know what I mean? Like, cause he was pretty much, was meant to lose, no, I was meant to lose every game. No, you should have seen it. Nah, no disrespect, but you know when a coach doesn't want you to win, bro. You know when a coach doesn't want you to win. You know what I mean? And, bro, I shut, and from that one on, didn't, I was un-rostered the next three matches. Un-rostered, not even the 18, like un-rostered, bro. From that moment on. And that's when I was like, yeah, I can't be in Fuego no more. It's time for me to go.

Jamil Roberts (34:15)
my god, mate you're violating him. You're violating him at this point, aren't you?

Mm-hmm. course, yeah, we've all been there. We've all been there.

Dom Okus (34:26)
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

soon.

Jamil Roberts (34:38)
time.

And dumb.

Chaney (34:43)
No, it was insane,

Dom Okus (34:43)
So

where do you get that like, for want of a better word, some people would say chip on your shoulder, but I think maybe just like real confidence in yourself. Where do you get that from? Where does that come from? Does that come from like something in your childhood, your upbringing? Have you always been like that from a kid? Like what is it that has that energy to you?

Chaney (35:04)
Damn, you want me to get real right now? Let me show you. When I was younger, bro, like had the, I mean, like a lot of people, like a lot of players, bro, I didn't have the best upbringing, you I didn't have a lot in my life, you know? And I didn't like have this confidence, you know? I wasn't always this composed, you know? I didn't carry myself as the way I do now because I didn't have shit, you know? So I was always, you know, living off my friend, hey, could you give me a ride here? Can you do this?

Dom Okus (35:07)
Yeah, yeah, yeah, keep it real.

Chaney (35:34)
relying on others to kind of like help me get through and stuff. So I didn't have the confidence in myself that I have now. It took a lot for me to grow that because of the work that I put in and the things that I've earned, you know, like I've never been given. You know, I've always earned everything in my life. And for a long time I was quiet, you know, I was just taking what was given to me. You know, people would talk shit. I would be like, all right, you know, you know what I mean? I had to, I had to just do what I had to do to get by. They don't want to step on toes. They don't want to, you know, because I needed to survive. So when I finally was at an age or at a

Jamil Roberts (35:57)
Yeah, yeah.

Chaney (36:04)
at a place where I started becoming aware of my talents or just my work ethic, what set me aside from everybody else, I started getting my confidence. I didn't have the best clothes, I didn't have most money, but I knew how to work my ass off, I knew how to speak to people, because for all the times I was quiet, I'm looking, I'm learning, I'm watching, so I'm really good with my words now. So these are things that I'm picking up from a young age to where now, for instance, what you're saying, how do I get that confidence in that situation?

I had the least amount of minutes in the entire USL, not just the one championship as well, per goal, per assist ratio. I was averaging a goal every like seven minutes. You know what I mean? The guy only played like 15 minutes a match, you know, or an assist, something. So I had a goal contribution every like 15 minutes I was on the pitch. So in that situation, it came from the fact that I, I deservingly should have been playing on the field, especially at this level where I'm like, I'm producing every time, if not every other time I'm on the pitch, you know? And like I say, two.

Jamil Roberts (37:01)
Yeah, it's not just

in your head, it's the numbers there as well.

Chaney (37:04)
It's

exactly it. understand if I'm like this delusional guy that's not doing anything at all, talking shit in the locker room, like I'm not doing anything to prove it, you know? But to all the kids watching, don't follow that. Don't do that. Don't be that. Don't be that guy. You know what I mean? There's other ways to go about it.

Dom Okus (37:16)
So

I've actually got a follow-up question. From just doing a bit of research and talking to Jam, I think that you have a little bit of a reputation in the USL. Do you think you're misunderstood? Do you think people don't, because they don't know you and you come off a certain way, do you think you're misunderstood?

Chaney (37:42)
I think I misunderstood until they see me off the pitch or until you talk to me off the pitch or before the match. Cause on the pitch, I'm sorry, I'm not, I'm a f***ing I'm an asshole. I don't like you. You know what I mean? Ask him I'm killing his, pinching his skin and kicking him and grabbing him and throwing him like, and I know the guy, you know what I mean? So it is what it is. I'm talking shit to everybody. It don't matter. You hit me, I'm gonna hit you harder. You my boy, I got you. Don't worry. That's just the player I am. That's how I grew up. But boy, you talking me off the field, bro.

Jamil Roberts (37:58)
Yeah, yeah

Chaney (38:12)
I'm a lover, I'm a loving guy. You I like to have good relationships, good friendships. I like to connect with people. I like to read people's thoughts and, you know, get to know who you are. That's just who I am. I think a lot, I mean, I guess you could use misunderstood or just like people just don't care enough, you know, but it doesn't matter. You don't gotta get to know me. just, if you want to know me, I'm right here. You know what I mean? If not, you're just gonna get what you get on the field. But definitely misunderstood, I think. And I think a lot of coaches can speak on that as well.

Jamil Roberts (38:41)
Yeah mate, just to kind of extend off of that, I think I've definitely had that direct experience with you this year because I played against you a few times before and I wouldn't say I've ever had a negative perception of you but just, you know, like I said, I use the word handful. We got a guest there.

Chaney (38:53)
Okay.

Say hi.

Sorry lads.

Jamil Roberts (39:09)
No, no, you're right. You're right.

Dom Okus (39:09)
Thank you.

Jamil Roberts (39:11)
No, what was it? Where was I? No, I used the word handful. That was kind of the the kind of phrase, thrown around and I don't think it's a positive or a negative thing. It's just kind of a general a generalization. But this year, and I don't know if you remember the game, but it was the first time we played against us a lot at our place at CHI in Chattanooga and, and you look down, it was like late on the eighth minute.

Chaney (39:36)
Your boots.

Jamil Roberts (39:37)
You look down at my boots, yeah, yeah, yeah. Looked at my boots and

Chaney (39:37)
Your boots. Your boots.

Jamil Roberts (39:41)
you was like, yo, they're cold. Where'd you get them from, In the middle of the game. And then me and him were just talking. I'm trying to tell him where I got my boots from. He's like linking me his IG so I can go send him off the pitch. I give him, like, we kind of exchanged that right after the game, five minutes after, yo, Jam wears good tonight. Where we going for drinks? Da da, this and that.

Chaney (39:44)
you

Dom Okus (39:48)
Ha

You

Jamil Roberts (40:04)
Next thing you know, like me and him were just sat across and it was nice. I remember that night. It was like eight or nine of the Madison boys and probably like seven, eight, nine of the chat boys. And that was the first time where I actually saw for the first time, like Chaney off the pitch and he like, he's, I mean, not that he would lie about himself, but he's a hundred percent right. Like he's, they're two completely different people, completely different people. Like, and it's funny that he says, you know, he'll,

Chaney (40:12)
Yeah.

Yeah

Jamil Roberts (40:32)
bat for his brother he'll do this do that mate I'll never one of the funniest things that I saw this season I can't remember what what moment it was which game because we played against each other four times a season but it was one of the games at your place and I can't remember who had the ball but first off it was the it was the game where we were just sitting in just trying to get a point in the league late on and you got that you scored the pen to win it

Chaney (40:46)
Yeah, snap.

Yeah, yeah,

yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Jamil Roberts (41:03)
at last

minute but in the first half you literally didn't touch the ball like at all and I can't remember who had it but one of your boys got it from you big time I'm talking are you fucking blind pass me the fucking ball I will bully these fucking kids give me the fucking ball now

Dom Okus (41:21)
you

my god.

Chaney (41:28)
Bro, bro.

Jamil Roberts (41:28)
I lost it. I'm on

the other team. I lost it. I'm trying to defend the corner. I'm losing it

Chaney (41:32)
Bro,

I looked at Jamil, I was like, bro, I haven't fucking touched the ball in like 30 fucking minutes. I was like, 30 fucking minutes, these fucks start giving me the ball, look at your center backs. I was like, you think they're gonna take the fucking ball from me? And they're right there, they're fucking three steps away from me, bro. Nah, bro, I'm sorry, I lost it, I lost it. And then I scored the goal and I was like, thank God I didn't fucking miss this pen because I look like a dickhead, bro.

Jamil Roberts (41:38)
He did! He did!

Dom Okus (41:59)
Hahaha!

Jamil Roberts (42:01)
Hehehehehe

Chaney (42:04)
bro, no, was... But that's my personality, though, bro. I went up to him after the game and I gave him a hug and I was like, see? You like, see? You know? Like, no, but that's all I love, bro. And that's also what I think the game is missing, bro. Like, if you're gonna fuck someone off, bro, just understand that you gotta give them some good words after, dog. You gotta be able to take it, too, you know? And I've always said that with my teammates, bro.

Jamil Roberts (42:06)
That's funny man, that's-

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

sure humble humble yourself yeah

Chaney (42:27)
Yeah,

Jamil Roberts (42:27)
yeah

Chaney (42:27)
I've always said that, bro. Like, if I'm fucking me a dickhead, or if I'm not doing this or doing that, you give it to me, okay, I'll take it. I'll take it. Don't get me wrong. But like, that's just how it is. After the game, job done, you know? We're good, we're boys, let's go for a drink. Let's kick it, you know, whatever. I don't like taking things on the pitch, off the pitch. And that's I think certain locker rooms nowadays tend to explode, you know what I mean? Because people can't just leave it. It's too prideful nowadays.

Jamil Roberts (42:41)
Exactly.

Agreed.

Agreed. Agreed. And,

Chaney (42:55)
I actually know who

it is, was Wolfgang Prentice too and I love that kid, bro. I love Wolf. He didn't deserve it. He didn't deserve it. He didn't deserve it.

Jamil Roberts (43:02)
Blessing wash our wolfie man. He's a is he gone back from his loan?

Chaney (43:07)
Yeah, he's back at Oakland, pretty sure. I don't know exactly like to the extent of his contract, but I mean, I would expect that he keep the KDs on like, you know, like six and six this year. It's decent, you know, so.

Jamil Roberts (43:19)
Yeah, love that. mate, that's good. We've pulled a lot out of you there. I think it's time that I pass over to Mr. Ocas over there, who's gonna take us into our final segment of the Backstic podcast. So Mr. Ocas, take Christian Chaney through extra time.

Chaney (43:21)
and some clutch rolls and clutch rolls.

Dom Okus (43:47)
So I think our listeners will be familiar with this section. But Christian, I know obviously you've never been on this podcast before. You probably haven't had the opportunity to watch an episode. But like Jam said, this is what we call the extra time. Now I'm your host. And what they've been saying on like, you know, the socials and stuff, they've been calling me Steve Harvey with a skin face. So I'm the host with the most right now.

Chaney (44:03)
extra time.

Dom Okus (44:15)
His face. That's what they've been calling me. I'm going to take you through. That's brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. So I'm going to take you to four questions. The first question, who is the best player you've played with?

Chaney (44:16)
gosh.

Jamil Roberts (44:20)
For all of you lot not watching on YouTube go and watch that clip and see his face

Chaney (44:20)
I can see, I can see, I can see.

Hey, hold on. Get down. Sorry, I'm actually, cat's doing stuff it shouldn't do.

Dom Okus (44:49)
You

We're keeping all these in. We're keeping all these in.

Chaney (44:57)
Damn, you it's

a fucking, it's like a mountain lion, but it's a bobcat. Jesus. Hey! Get the fuck down.

Dom Okus (45:01)
You

Jamil Roberts (45:04)
hehehehe

Dom Okus (45:07)
You

Jamil Roberts (45:10)
you

Chaney (45:11)
All

all right, we back, we back. All right, the best player that I've ever played with. So let me see, it's gonna be between obviously Carlton Cole. was at the end of his career though, you know? Like I never got to play a match with drugs, so I couldn't play with the drug, but it can be one. Juan Pablo Caffa, do know who Juan Caffa is? He's played in La Liga, played at Boca Juniors.

Dom Okus (45:12)
Yes. Yes.

Jamil Roberts (45:40)
yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Chaney (45:41)
He played at Tulsa Roughnecks before he was with me in Fresno, Argentina. bro. This kid, this kid. This man was such a bother. Like his left foot was amazing. But I mean, I would say between Kafa and...

and Carlton Cole, man. Those two, those are two big players, real big, players. Yeah. Yeah. Never, never, never played in, you know, I never played with you guys over across the pond, bro. So I can't really, you know, I didn't, I never played with Keziah Sterling, bro. So I would have said him, you know. Kez, Kez, Kez. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Between them two, man, for sure.

Dom Okus (46:04)
Sick, high level, high level.

Big up Kaz, big up Kaz, big up Kaz. Yeah, 100%.

Jamil Roberts (46:20)
Big up, Kazza. Friend of the pod, friend of the pod.

Chaney (46:28)
But, Koli was someone I was close to as well, so maybe it's a little bit more personal there.

Dom Okus (46:28)
So no more.

for sure. For sure. Kwan Ko is a good player. Obviously he's a West Ham fan seeing him every week. He had a good career. He was a good player. Like say, hold up man. Decent half a goal, couple England caps. He's a good player.

Chaney (46:39)
Yeah.

Yeah, I mean, when

claps, know, good, All right, what's next? What's next?

Dom Okus (46:46)
Yeah, yeah,

Right, who is the best player you've played against?

Chaney (46:53)
I mean, I played against Raul when he was in Cosmos.

Dom Okus (46:57)
Wow.

Chaney (46:59)
Yeah, but he was at Cosmos though, you know what I mean? That's like... Yeah, very proud. He was nasty. Raul, bro.

Dom Okus (47:02)
But still, still, it's Raul.

Jamil Roberts (47:05)
Mate,

could have been in Sunday League and it would have still held the same weight.

Dom Okus (47:08)
Yeah, literally.

Chaney (47:08)
This

is for real. This is actually how I got my contract to Armenia too against him. I was like 17, 18 years old, it was crazy. But yeah, I was playing against him and I don't know if you guys know Jamal Johnson. JJ, played at MK Dawn's, played with me in Fresno as well. Like a winger, bro. The most two-footed player I've ever met in my life. Like the most two-footed player. He took pens with both feet.

Dom Okus (47:23)
Yeah.

Jamil Roberts (47:26)
The... Centermid?

Dom Okus (47:27)
Yeah.

Chaney (47:36)
No, the matches, in matches. Like you wouldn't know what he'd shoot with. was insane. Mr. Top Ten, like, nah, was, he was on my team too, but like when I played against him as well, he was playing with Raul. They were on the same cosmos team together. So I'd probably say him, I mean, easily.

Jamil Roberts (47:38)
what?

Dom Okus (47:39)
best of mud.

Wow

Chaney (47:59)
He just

needed the ball. just needed the ball. Everything else, he didn't have to move or run. was one of those where he'll turn this way and the ball will come this way. He'll touch it there and then he'll do it. It's just silky. Everything was just, you know, he's just playing. Just give him the football. You're not gonna press him because he'll just move it the other way. You can't press him. He's one of those guys where it's like you kind of just got to show him one way and hope he passes it. You know what I mean?

Jamil Roberts (48:17)
Yeah.

Dom Okus (48:17)
Yeah.

Jamil Roberts (48:26)
That's one of the best strikers of all time

Chaney (48:27)
bro.

Easily. Easily. He was so nasty. So I wish I would have had the chance to play him when he was trying. You know what I mean?

Dom Okus (48:29)
100 %

Yeah, yeah,

Because what is he like, Roma jizz?

Jamil Roberts (48:39)
I have a have a similar one with Higuain mate I played him in his last season as a pro and And and he just didn't he was so buffed. He did not care. He walked around the pitch like, know, like similar like one of the best strikers the generation but I just you know, and obviously I'm honored that I shared the pitch with him, however He just wasn't trying anymore. Do you know I mean I would have loved to have seen like them at their pulp

Dom Okus (48:44)
Did you? I didn't even know that.

Chaney (48:48)
well, let's go, let's... Yeah.

Nah, exactly.

taking a look.

Dom Okus (49:09)
Right, we'll keep going because I think you're gonna like this question. If we had to pick three teammates past or present to go on a night out with, who would they be and why?

Chaney (49:18)
Uhhhh

Jamil Roberts (49:20)
Told you my

boy, it's always harder in the moment.

Chaney (49:21)
And what wait wait and why?

Dom Okus (49:25)
and why yeah yeah yeah we gotta know why we gotta know why

Jamil Roberts (49:28)
Wait, we gotta know which

flavours are coming on the night out.

Chaney (49:35)
damn damn damn I don't want to burn nobody here either well I'm gonna give my first one my first one is Coliboy bro Carlton Carlton by far by far my hard time is sacked yeah he was a good one he was a good one so that's that's off the bat yeah him

Dom Okus (49:38)
Hehehehe

Jamil Roberts (49:39)
I

you

Dom Okus (49:45)
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Chaney (49:54)
who do I have on my team this year?

Nah, nobody from this team. I mean, on a night out, where I want a night out, Mitch Osmond is my boy, but he's an Aussie, you know what mean? A night out to him, he's a married man with two kids, so it's a different night out. So I'm not gonna put him in that category, but if we're like a bar hop, like we're drinking all day, or we're going to a camp, or campfire, drinking, that's him, that's the guy.

Dom Okus (50:06)
Yeah, man.

different is different.

Jamil Roberts (50:26)
Bye.

Chaney (50:26)
On

a night out, on a night out I can't. I just gotta give my boys props. know, my boy Mitch Charles has been skipped, you know. What a man, what a guy, what a guy. Bro, I'm gonna say Danny Barrera. I don't know if you guys know him. People in the Champ know who Danny Barrera is. I'm gonna say back in his day, he is at Hartford right now, yeah. He was at Republic with me, then he was at Fresno with me, but.

Dom Okus (50:30)
Salute, salute.

Jamil Roberts (50:32)
Mm-hmm.

I've heard a lot of good things about him as well

Was at Hartford for a bit? it that guy? He's still at Hartford? Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Chaney (50:56)
Hopefully he doesn't hear this, but he's, now he's, like I said, now he's marrying with children and you know, but hey, Danny Barrera, for one. He was part of that. He was with me, he was with me and Cole at SAC as well, so you know.

Dom Okus (51:04)
Say no more. Say no more. Say no more.

Jamil Roberts (51:10)
Yeah, say not, say less, say less, there you go.

Dom Okus (51:11)
Yeah, yeah.

Chaney (51:13)
And then,

he's a coach in the league now, can't say him, nah, nah,

Dom Okus (51:19)
Now say it man, say it, say it.

Chaney (51:21)
nah, nah, nah, nah, not saying that.

Jamil Roberts (51:23)
This is a lie.

Chaney (51:24)
We got 10 minutes

after this. I'll talk to you 10 minutes after this, you know?

Jamil Roberts (51:27)
hahahaha

Chaney (51:30)
The third one?

Who would it be?

I can't go into too many details.

Jamil Roberts (51:47)
Just need the name.

Dom Okus (51:47)
Unless you want to.

Chaney (51:49)
You know what,

there was a guy, he's Scotland, he's Scottish. His name is Alex Cooper. He was a left back, much like you, crazy whip on the ball. Crazy whip on the ball. But, guy loved the night out. He was always one that you could rely on. It could be a Tuesday night.

Jamil Roberts (51:58)
Mm-hmm.

Menace, yeah?

Dom Okus (52:08)
sick.

Sick.

reliable

Chaney (52:16)
Training on Wednesday morning. yeah, for sure.

reliable, reliable. But I like to think I'm pretty reliable too, you know what I mean? So, but no, yeah. Carl Tinkle, Danny Berra, Alex Cooper, Big Coops. That's my squad, that's my squad. I'm not sure. Yeah, they don't mix well. They don't mix well. We don't mix well. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

Jamil Roberts (52:24)
Okay.

Yeah, yeah, wait, so what was the free so what you got? Cotton Cole Danny Barrera? All right, shout out the boys that's Cheney squad right there

Dom Okus (52:37)
There we go. There we go.

Sick, sick,

Jamil Roberts (52:44)
Nice.

Chaney (52:45)
I don't know, I don't know. I

Dom Okus (52:45)
sick, sick, sick,

Chaney (52:46)
haven't gone out with Jans yet, bro, so...

Dom Okus (52:46)
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Jamil Roberts (52:48)
Not a

proper one, we just had a couple beers my boy but, that we can queue that one up in the calendar.

Chaney (52:51)
Yeah.

That's cute, that's

Dom Okus (52:54)
Exactly.

last but not least what is your biggest achievement on the pitch to date?

Chaney (53:01)
Awesome.

Let's see, let's see, let's see. It could be.

You know what? Nah, I'm not gonna say that. I'm gonna say something that I'm actually proud of, not the biggest, this is just a side note, is that I've scored every penalty kick I've taken at the Fort Madison, in the Fort Madison kick, every PK, like every single one. And I didn't realize that until someone told me that like two days ago. They were like, you know you're the only one that scored every PK he's taken? And I was like, Which is pretty dope. But aside from that, I'm gonna say more for like an emotional thing, not like a.

Dom Okus (53:41)
Bye-bye.

Jamil Roberts (53:43)
That's good man, it's nice.

Chaney (53:46)
like a winning thing, like one for the heart is like playing in front of my late grandfather and my grandmother. Like I got to go back home and play, wasn't the Fresno Foxes jersey, but he got to sit on the stands and watch you play as a professional footballer. know what I mean? he didn't know, like playing professional sports wasn't a job growing up, know, in his era, you know? So like when I was able to do that and he realized the people that were screaming my name, that were buying my jerseys.

He see me score, so he see me doing backflips. When I was younger, I didn't speak the language, I didn't speak Spanish, you know what I mean? He's a Mexican guy, very old Mexican, old school, barely spoke English. And I went to Mexico and came back and I was speaking Spanish. So then after my game, I finally was able to have a conversation with him in his language, like a free flowing conversation with him about the game, about how proud he was in me playing the game and this and that, that just to me, that was like...

All right, know, at least I got to have, you know, he got to see me doing what he never thought anybody in his family was going to be able to do. So that's a big moment for me.

Dom Okus (54:52)
amazing bro amazing and don't downplay becoming a professional footballer right so I think you both are professional footballers and so maybe you take it for granted but I'm not and since I was five years old all I ever wanted to do was be a professional footballer and I think that's a lot of kids all over the world that want to be a professional footballer regardless of the level you lot are the top top top small percentage of people that made it and so the fact that your family even got to sit down and watch you in the stands

and what you play is a blessing, bro. So you shouldn't downplay that. You should be super proud of it, like you said.

Chaney (55:26)
Yeah, facts, facts, facts.

But for me, that's one of my big moments. mean, you have players that are like, winning my first game in Champions League, winning the Europa League. I'm like, nah, I'm going to just choose this one. But that's what it is to me.

Jamil Roberts (55:31)
I love that mate.

May as long as it means

Dom Okus (55:39)
Yeah man, yeah sick man.

Jamil Roberts (55:43)
what it means to you my boy. That's it That's what the question is

Chaney (55:45)
Exactly. I want a Nisa Golden Boot.

Dom Okus (55:46)
in.

Chaney (55:47)
A Nisa, you know what I mean? Shout out Nisa, baby. Where, where, the life, you need a lifeline, go to Nisa. Tell you.

Dom Okus (55:50)
hahahaha

Jamil Roberts (55:50)
There you go.

Dom Okus (55:55)
Sick. Well I've been your host for the

most, that's extra time and I'm gonna pass you back to my boy Jam to close us out.

Jamil Roberts (56:03)
appreciate it mate and that was a good addition that was a mixture of humour in there that was a mixture of real as well from the heart so and I think I think that kind of sums up the whole episode really because I've really enjoyed this one and just to kind of sum it all up there from myself and from Dom Christian we've really enjoyed this one this has been a fun one I had no doubt that it was gonna be before

Chaney (56:12)
This is so...

Jamil Roberts (56:31)
you know we say up and we call on on the mark but i knew it was going to be a good one in this lived up to it may i'm sure a lot of people are they're going to enjoy this one so from us thank you for coming on me

Chaney (56:33)
you

I appreciate you guys fellas. Hell yeah, I appreciate it. know, if there's ever another time where you need to squeeze someone in, just give me a shout, you know? Give me a shout.

Dom Okus (56:43)
Appreciate you, bro.

Jamil Roberts (56:50)
A and you've got

Dom Okus (56:50)
Yes bro.

Jamil Roberts (56:51)
you

a your host and your host and a Dom Oakes episode remember that? Love it love it love it, but anyway Nah, nah, nah anytime of any time. We just appreciate you having you here But it's about that time where I say if you've made it this far. Thank you ever so much for listening

Dom Okus (56:53)
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

Chaney (56:54)
I'll host it. I'll host it. I'll come with some heat. I'm telling you.

Respect the boys, appreciate it.

Jamil Roberts (57:18)
Head over to YouTube, head over to all the socials at the Backstik pod. Like, subscribe, comment, let us know in the DMs, in the comments who you want to hear from next. Hit up Chaney on Instagram, on Twitter, on all of them. Follow him, blow him up. We're gonna get all these clips to you soon, so you're gonna see it. Obviously, as always, you can watch and listen to every episode of the Backstik podcast on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, wherever you get your pods.

Chaney (57:33)
Follow, follow.

Jamil Roberts (57:47)
head over there and we will be there. You will find us, okay? But without further ado, from myself, from Mr. Ocus, and Mr. Chaney, thank you for listening, and we'll see you next week.

Dom Okus (58:01)
Peace.