Kalil El Medkhar - The Face Of FC Tulsa’s Rebuild, FC Dallas MLS Experience & A Kentucky Wildcat Standout! - E11

FC Tulsa’s new signing Kalil El Medkhar joins the boys in the studio this week! A former college standout with the University of Kentucky, we explore his college career, as well as his already impressive professional career with MLS powerhouse FC Dallas, to Loudoun United and his more recent signing with FC Tulsa. The conversation covers Kalil's transition from college soccer to the professional game, his experiences with team dynamics, and the challenges of playing at a professional level compared to college soccer. We discuss the importance of team chemistry, the impact of college rivalries, and the complexities of MLS contracts. Kalil shares insights on his playing style, expectations for the upcoming season, and reflects on his college career, highlighting the significance of teamwork and personal growth.

00:00 Intro & West Ham's New Manager

02:48 2025 FC Tulsa Expectations

06:09 Loudoun United & DMV Living

08:15 Kalil's Playing Style, Cody Gakpo?

12:06 Kentucky Mens Soccer Reflections

18:19 Marshall vs Kentucky Soccer Rivalry

23:54 FC Dallas Reflections

26:22 Will MLS Ever Be A Top 5 League?

30:37 FC Dallas Reflections

38:41 Extra Time with Kalil Elmedkhar

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Transcript

Jamil Roberts (00:00)
Hello everyone and welcome to the Back Stick Podcast. I'm Jamil Roberts and I'm joined here as usual by my co-host Dom Ocas. Dom how are you mate?

Dom Okus (00:09)
Yeah, good, bro. Feeling good. Obviously, I'm representing West Ham right now. We've got a new manager. I'm so happy about that. And of course, happy to talk to our guest that we have here today.

Jamil Roberts (00:16)
Ha ha.

Yeah mate, and it's a pleasure for me to introduce a former rival in college of mine, but a good friend has come out of it. So, Mr. Kalil el Medkhar, how are you mate?

Kalil Elmedkhar (00:30)
Good man, good to talk to you guys.

Jamil Roberts (00:34)
Yeah mate, it's a pleasure to have you here man and as I mentioned, obviously we were sort of rivals you could say in college and obviously I'm sporting, for those watching on the YouTube, I'm sporting the Marshall gear today. Khalil's a former Kentucky Wildcat, so yeah, it's pleasure to have you on. Dom, just want to double click into what you said there, so obviously how you feeling about the new manager down at West Ham?

Dom Okus (00:34)
Big shit, bro.

Yeah, good. Obviously we got rid of Lobotecky, who I think they're saying is the shortest serving manager in West Ham history. So a bit of a shocking stat for him to have. But I'm optimistic, man. I'm optimistic. think Graham Potter, you know, he didn't do too great at Chelsea, but I think with all that was going on at the club there and all the signage they were kind of make, I like his philosophy. I think we'll give him time. He's quite charismatic. So I'm excited. I think...

Kalil Elmedkhar (01:23)
you

Dom Okus (01:31)
though I think David Moyes has done a bit of a disservice to the fan base and our expectations now are super high. I still go to my best mate and he said our expectation should be to be in Europe as a West Ham fan. So I was like okay so being Europe means in the top seven and I was like so he thinks it should be Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City, Liverpool, Spurs and whoever else and then us.

And I'm like, as a West Ham fan, think the expectations should be top off. Anything above that is exceeding expectations, I think. So long drawn out for me, but yeah, I'm happy and I think, and I'm looking forward to kind of what we can do for the rest of the season.

Jamil Roberts (02:13)
Yeah, love that, that. And Kalil, who do you support?

Kalil Elmedkhar (02:17)
Honestly, dude, it's crazy. I really don't even watch that much soccer, but I would say Liverpool, honestly. Yeah, I would say Liverpool.

Jamil Roberts (02:22)
Really? Yeah, okay.

Well, yeah, okay. That's, that's disappointing because I'm a United fan. And as we speak, it's just come through on my phone that at the time of this recording that Bruno Fernandes has just put us up 1-0 against Arsenal. So I am buzzing right now. Yeah.

Dom Okus (02:31)
hahahahah

So in the FA Cup, there you go,

there you go, there you go.

Jamil Roberts (02:48)
But anyway enough about all that so clearly obviously you've like I said mentioned before you're a college standout Down at UK and then you know your career is taking you to Dallas is taking it to Loudoun and now it takes you to Tulsa so Your Tulsa's first sign in the offseason and just talk to us about that and your kind of expectations I know you said that you've just moved you've just moved in you're getting settled so you know obviously you were the first sign in of the offseason so what

does that bring a sense of expectation for you or do you think that that's just something that a vote of confidence from the club that they put faith in you from the beginning?

Kalil Elmedkhar (03:22)
you

Yeah, I mean I was honestly talk like talking to Tulsa even from last year and it was something that really interested me It seems like they're You know, I mean they're going through a little bit of a rebuild But I kind of look at it almost like Kentucky where it's a like a program that hasn't really you know Done the best in the last, you know, four or five years But I can just tell from like the staff and stuff like that that, you know, they're really

Hungry for it and stuff like that. And yeah, it's obviously a vote of confidence to be the first signing of the off season. If there's any expectations put on me, they're put on by myself to be honest. I don't think anyone's gonna put any more expectations than I'm gonna put on myself. So I'm really excited for it. I think it's gonna be a good challenge and also a really good opportunity.

Jamil Roberts (04:03)
Yeah, I love that.

Yeah, mate. And to be fair, I've known a couple of the boys that have played for Tulsa in the past, and they kind of echo what you said there. Like, the club is going through a bit of a rebuild. They're sort of trying to find the right formula. So I think signing players of the calibre yourself is definitely the way forward. I think it also kind of speaks to the kind of flowing landscape of the USL in general. Like, know, squads can change so quickly from one year to the next in the USL. Has there been a big turnover?

Kalil Elmedkhar (04:43)
Yeah, yeah, there's been a big turnover with Tulsa. And I mean, you just look at a team like Rhode Island where it was their first year and they were able to get to the final or the semifinal. I don't know, but to do that in your first year, that just shows you, you you get one good squad together and everything could change. So I mean, that's what we're hoping this year.

Jamil Roberts (04:52)
Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yeah, yeah, and you like you mentioned Rhode Island there, you know, another team to mention is Las Vegas because they were tipped preseason to to be way down the bottom of the league and really struggle and they had a really good run. So yeah, you're right. I mean, if you can get the right blend of obviously good people and then good players in the USL, you can definitely go far. think, Dom, we've touched on it before with with with Scouts. If you haven't watched that one with Jordan Skelton.

You can catch the episode below. But we've touched on it before how sometimes in the USL you can have the most talented squad. But that doesn't get you over the line. think, you know, certainly when it comes to salaries and whatnot, they're not life changing. They're not, you know, going to set you up for post soccer. So I think a lot of it comes down to getting the right people involved and in the door, but also just lads that want it, lads that want to win. So, you know.

I think hopefully with the kind of the rebuild down at Tulsa, you you're looking in that direction. You've just come from Loudon and I want to touch on that quickly. obviously that was a little... Were you involved with the club when they still had the direct affiliate with DC United or was that post that?

Kalil Elmedkhar (06:20)
They were like transitioning away from it To be honest, I don't even know what the relationship with DC is It was it was kind of unclear. I mean because to be honest like when I signed You know that relationship was still kind of there or I was told that it was still kind of there and that was honestly part of the reason why I signed was all you know, You'll get opportunities with the first team That turned out, you know not to be the case so

They're figuring things out. mean, what I would say about Loudon is, you know, they have a new owner, new GM who are, they are very hungry. They're willing to, you know, invest money, you know, fix the facilities and stuff like that. So I think they're headed in a good direction. I think the direction they should be heading is away from DC, to be honest. But it was definitely interesting, you know, seeing the dynamic between the two clubs, you know, we're going into the DC facility.

to do a workout that's on the schedule and then they're kicking us out saying, no, we got to use this right now. know, Apple bench press and they tell me to get out.

Dom Okus (07:24)
I don't know.

How do you reflect on time living in the DMV area? I also used to live in that area when I graduated from college. I lived in Arlington, Virginia and I really liked the area. I think it was cool, nightlife, good food and all that stuff. How did you like living in that area?

Kalil Elmedkhar (07:48)
man, I loved it. We were in Reston, Virginia, so it's a little bit outside. But my God, such a nice area. And we were like right by the metro, so we were able to take the metro into DC. was like 30 minutes, but I mean, just so expensive. It's crazy.

Dom Okus (07:52)
Mm-hmm.

It is expensive. is expensive. It is expensive.

Jamil Roberts (08:06)
It's

not like Lexington, Kentucky or Huntington, West Virginia.

Dom Okus (08:10)
Exactly.

Kalil Elmedkhar (08:13)
Yeah.

Jamil Roberts (08:15)
Well, yeah, just just kind of clicking back into Tulsa there. I know we just briefly touched on Loudon, but obviously I've got a little quote here just from the press release obviously saying that The new gaffer mentioned that your versatility was a key asset but for me and I think you'll agree your best when you're Kind of given a bit of freedom and you're able to drift in off that left side on your right on the right peg

So is that where you see yourself making the biggest impact or are you going to potentially be given a different role within this Tulsa system?

Kalil Elmedkhar (08:51)
It's honestly interesting. mean over the last year, you know with Loudon I really didn't play winger much. I was really like a ten most of the year I mean, I still would say my best position is, you know left wing like you said cutting in just like yours is on the right But I mean, I'm honestly Ready to play, you know, where they put me if it's attacking mid or left wing I mean, I think you know their plans for me are on that left wing but

You know, if anything, think over the last year, it's taught me to play a different style, you know, and if I can incorporate that into left wing, you know, that'd be great.

Jamil Roberts (09:31)
Yeah, and just to give any of the listeners that aren't familiar and obviously Dom, Kalil is one of the most techie players when he's dribbling that I've ever seen. When it comes to anyone that I come up against in college, I've seen him violate so many right backs in his time. He's one of them, yeah, where like, I don't mean to sort of blow too much smoke up his ass, but when he's dribbling, like, it's like the balls,

Like he'll he beats people just by like little body faint one of them ones like he dribbles at pace And then it's just that one there and like just sends the defender like yeah, he's a proper silky player

Dom Okus (10:06)
Mmmmm

Kalil Elmedkhar (10:12)
That's so funny like whenever I say like or whenever someone asked me like who's some of the best drivers I've seen I would say you and Milo I remember the game 2019 we played you guys. my god, you guys destroyed our outside. I just want Right that

Dom Okus (10:32)
Amazing. so Jam, if you were going to describe, Jam, if you were going to describe a player that, that Kelly will play his life, what would you say? Cause what you're describing, I'm getting like Coutinho vibes, but who would, who would be a player that you, that you say plays that?

Jamil Roberts (10:32)
To be fair, we had some ballers.

Kalil Elmedkhar (10:49)
you

Jamil Roberts (10:50)
Because

he's not like, Kaleo's not little, you know, he's not like a little Cotino, smaller type, number 10. He's a big lad as well. It's a tough one to answer on the surface. Because when you think about jinky wingers, like ones like Jeremy Doku come to mind and stuff like that, but he's not that sort of like dead still, shift it and move. Do you know what mean?

Dom Okus (10:54)
Mm-hmm.

Jamil Roberts (11:17)
If he's given a bit of pace, he'll he'll jink his way through. I'm sure maybe someone will come to me off the top of my head. can't think right now. Maybe when you're talking about someone who's, you know, ball real close to his feet, good in tight spaces, maybe like a martial or like a Madaweke.

Dom Okus (11:17)
Mmm.

Okay, okay, I'm starting to get a picture. I'm starting to get a picture. Okay, okay.

Jamil Roberts (11:45)
Yay.

Kalil Elmedkhar (11:47)
a guy on Liverpool

Jamil Roberts (11:49)
Gakpo.

Kalil Elmedkhar (11:52)
Yeah, yeah, that's what I was thinking

Jamil Roberts (11:54)
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay. Yeah. Now I think I do know what I think that's a good comparison because he's a bit bit longer than the most as well and especially coming in off the left. Yeah, I can see that and you are you alluded to just then obviously the times when you and I played against each other in college and obviously the sort of the bat and pass back and forth between Kentucky and Marshall during our time. Obviously, I want to just kind of just touch in to 2018.

Dom Okus (11:55)
Get it? Okay.

Kalil Elmedkhar (12:19)
So, thank

Jamil Roberts (12:24)
when you guys had for me the best team I ever played against in college. The team that had you, had JJ, Tanner, Amay Mbeka, I forget the goalkeeper's name, but that was dumb. This team was serious. It was a seriously good team. So just talk to me a little bit about that side, and obviously I've just listed off.

few players there, but just what made that team special because obviously you went on a bit of a run, but you know, for me, like I said, it was the best team that I played against in college.

Kalil Elmedkhar (12:58)
Yeah, dude that was my god that was like the best like that was the most fun I've ever had playing soccer and Going like the

And it's crazy because most of those guys were there our 2017 year and we were just not good 2017. And it really started the spring of 2018. We had 11 players, or no, we had 10 players on the team. And then we had to just a couple guys off campus to train with us and play in our spring games and stuff. So I think that's really where everything started.

Jamil Roberts (13:26)
What?

Kalil Elmedkhar (13:36)
But I don't think any of us really had any idea how good we were gonna be in that 2018. But it really did start in that spring of 2017 where everyone's got so close with each other. And we just grew so much as players and just as people off the field too.

Dom Okus (13:51)
Jam, that alludes to what you were talking about earlier, right? Where it's not so much exactly about how good the players are. I'm sure they were all really talented, but it's like that camaraderie, you really get together, you have a bond, you enjoy going out together, you might be playing cards together in your spare time. And when you have that strong bond, it shows on the pitch, right? It's probably Jam, it's the same for you at Marshall, right? It's like, if you were to pick each individual, were they the best player in their position in the country?

Maybe, maybe not. But the fact that could come together as a team and galvanize then shows on the pitch, you know.

Jamil Roberts (14:25)
Yeah, 100 % you're right. I think one of the biggest things you talk about there is like, were those players necessarily the best in their position in the country? I think, you know, everyone can draw comparisons, blah, blah. But I think one player at the time for me, who was the best player in the country in his position was JJ. And I'm sure he's probably one of the best players that you've played with when we get onto it later on. However,

JJ was a real difference maker and obviously you two linked up like crazy that year. think, you know, we, I remember we would play the game, we'd win and then we'd look and it'd be like Kentucky 3-0, JJ two goals, Khalil two assists or something like that. Like it was crazy. what was that like obviously playing with a player of that caliber and obviously, you know, his style of play. I think you two matched up well with him being a big physical number nine.

Kalil Elmedkhar (15:09)
Yeah.

Jamil Roberts (15:22)
So just talk to me about that little relationship on the pitch.

Kalil Elmedkhar (15:25)
And it was so easy playing with him. I mean just having that big of a dude up there you just You can just like give him a terrible ball and then he'll deal with it and then you could play off of them Yeah, honestly and like that like again that started that 2017 or that 2018 spring, you know, we were just working on our You know, you know working with each other figuring out exactly what he wants what I want

how to get the ball to him. And honestly, every single time I got the ball, I'm like, all right, where the hell is JJ? Let me get it to him. Let me get him in the best opportunity, best chance I can give him. And yeah, I love playing with that guy. Hopefully one day we can join forces again and play. But also, know, Aime Mabika too. Having that dude behind you, you're not too worried about the So I mean, I was never thinking, all right, let me keep possession.

not worry about losing the ball, especially when you have a guy like that behind you. You can have lot of creativity and not be afraid to lose the ball. And it's funny because in 2017, me, JJ, and Aime used to call each other the 25th minute squad because none of us started our freshman year. For them, it was their red shirt freshman year. And we would always sub in the 25th minute, like right on the dot. So we would just call each other that.

Jamil Roberts (16:47)
You

That's quality that's quality Dom just to give you a little bit of context He's mentioned obviously I brought in JJ just then big lad when you talk about big lads a Mamabeeca is How tall is he six six six seven

Dom Okus (16:51)
Brilliant.

Kalil Elmedkhar (17:08)
Yeah, it's so funny I like traveling with him we're wearing the Kentucky gear we're going to the airport Obviously everyone is just like they see a massive guy like that. They're like, oh my god He's on the Kentucky basketball team. They're oh my god, can we take pictures? Can we take pictures and then he would just get so

Jamil Roberts (17:30)
That's so funny. That's so funny. yeah, no, and the thing about Amai as well is what always surprised me was he's a big lad, but he's very good with the ball of his feet as well.

Kalil Elmedkhar (17:43)
And he's so fast too. I mean, it's impossible. You you think you haven't beat him and then he just reaches his massive leg and then just tackles the hell out

Jamil Roberts (17:53)
Yeah, well, I mean, I mean both of you know that obviously I like to you know when I'm playing I like to sort of get to the byline or cut in and cross a ball and I just remember playing against Kentucky I always knew I had to put a little bit more on it because you've got this just this tree planted in the middle of the six yard box that was just heading everything away

Dom Okus (18:16)
Long, long, so long.

Jamil Roberts (18:20)
god, right. Yeah, and then just kind of like sticking just last thing to the Marshall side, obviously, you know, I've talked about a couple of players, but you know, we were talking before, just off camera just now, and we were talking about kind of what the rivalry has become between Marshall and Kentucky, right? Like since we left and I think you and I can confidently say that

We it's always been a friendly rivalry, right? Like it's a rivalry built on competition There's never been any bad blood between the two teams or anything and I think it was born out of respect sort of thing but You know, I I talked earlier on but off-camera just about how when I went back and I actually watched Marshall versus Kentucky back in in November and just to see what you know, the legacy that sort of

Khalil and myself left behind on those two programs and how there was thousands of fans at the game. It was packed out. Like for me, like that was a proud moment. And I just to see like what we did to those programs and the rivalry in general.

Kalil Elmedkhar (19:25)
I think that's a and that's what you want, you know when you leave a program is to you know, see it flourish after you leave

And then, you you can see the impression he left on it. mean, I think, you know, when our freshman year, sophomore year, that's when it like really started because we were, you know, really good. You know, I call it like the I-64 rivalry. I think that's the highway they're both on. I mean, it was more because we were close in distance. But now it's just like, you know, these are some of the top teams in the country. like that's where the rivalry is stemming from.

Jamil Roberts (19:48)
Mm-hmm.

Kalil Elmedkhar (20:02)
Yeah, 2018, 2019. You guys got us in 2019. Oh my God. Your team was nasty with like Vitor and Pedro and Paulo and Ned and Milo obviously. was a crazy team. So, Abdul and center back. was So.

Jamil Roberts (20:17)
Yeah.

Yeah, and I know Dom, you obviously know of Ilao as well, another top player that we had that Khalil just mentioned. I reckon he'd be a funny one to have on the pod, you know?

Dom Okus (20:33)
you

Hilarious, we got to, we got to bro, he's one of a kind. I've never met anyone like him, never.

Kalil Elmedkhar (20:35)
Yeah.

Jamil Roberts (20:37)
I know.

Kalil Elmedkhar (20:41)
people areas.

Jamil Roberts (20:41)
Yeah,

yeah, of the nicest dudes, actually, one of the scariest blokes you'll ever come across. But at heart, genuinely, as soon as you come off the pitch, one of the nicest blokes you'll ever come across in football.

Dom Okus (20:42)
is

Kalil Elmedkhar (20:48)
Yeah.

That's a good guy.

Dom Okus (20:57)
and

also had 0 % body fat.

Jamil Roberts (21:01)
my god. Ridiculous. Ridiculous.

Dom Okus (21:02)
Like, remember

when I met him and I was like, it must have been sophomore year college again playing in that that USL team in West Virginia and we're just like messing about, we've got a top stop. I'm like, who is this personal trainer that's playing with us like absolutely chiseled and a baller? Yeah, man.

Jamil Roberts (21:18)
Hehehehehe

yeah, and and you know, he's getting bigger as well I spoke to him about in the offseason and he's been smashing gym and I tell I told him I was like mate You're gonna get too heavy like get out the gym now

Dom Okus (21:37)
Yeah,

funny.

Jamil Roberts (21:44)
Just to kind of round off kind of the the college sort of stuff you may I actually I Actually to be fair, I don't know how to word it other than to say like I think I actually owe you a thank you because for me coming in as a left winger into obviously a new country and this and that For me

When I saw you play in 2017 and 2018 and obviously you sort of exploded a little bit in 2018, for me you were the benchmark. I saw like the numbers you were putting up, the attention you were garnering and that. For me, like, I thought that's the level I've got to get to. I've got any chance of playing at the next level. I sort of looked at yourself, I saw the numbers you were putting up and that definitely for me spurred me on in 2019 to go and put up the numbers.

Kalil Elmedkhar (22:16)
Okay.

Jamil Roberts (22:36)
I did that ultimately got me drafted. So if I don't know how how else to say it other than saying thank you for balling out

Kalil Elmedkhar (22:37)
Right.

Yeah, I I do think kind of thing You know, think like it's good I mean, you know, obviously you don't want to overly compare yourself to other players but you know, you should have benchmark of you know what you're trying to achieve and you know in a little bit of a sense compare yourself to some players especially for a position, know, like winger where I mean, you know goals and assists is what's gonna get you paid So, mean, I definitely do that as well, you know some players in the USL. I'm not gonna name them but

Jamil Roberts (22:47)
you

Kalil Elmedkhar (23:15)
There's definitely some players where I'm like, right, I got a golden assist today. did they get? Okay, they didn't get it.

Dom Okus (23:20)
hahahaha

Jamil Roberts (23:22)
Yeah, and that's it to be fair, that's just football in it like whether whether you're doing it yourself or you're watching your team Dom I know like, know the minute you've probably got Maybe you'll even do it for the team you support So like, you know, you'll be looking say I don't know bow in putting up numbers and you'll maybe look and see like I don't know I'm boy most scored again today and you're thinking fucking hell like, know It's funny like whether it's yourself or for your team is that that competitions all over in it?

Dom Okus (23:45)
Yeah, 100 % that.

100%. No, 100%.

Jamil Roberts (23:54)
Alright, well, I guess that's a good time for us to move on and I get I want to just touch into Your experience down at FC Dallas as well. Obviously you sign there straight out of Kentucky to your deal so I remember actually when I think I think you told me I messaged you asking like what you were doing and this and that and I remember you told me that about two days before it was announced that you were going down there and and I was really confused because

Obviously the draft was coming up and you signed outside the draft. So what

Kalil Elmedkhar (24:26)
Yeah.

Jamil Roberts (24:27)
was that process like? Was that something to do with the homegrown rights that you had with Philadelphia Union? Just talk a little bit about that.

Kalil Elmedkhar (24:34)
Yeah, believe me, I was just as confused as you. I mean, you know, we went to the combine team and I was like preparing for the draft. Oh, dude, it's such a nerve-racking process. Just like, you know, sit around for weeks, just like, all right. There's there. It's just quiet because I mean, the is coming up and then I get a call one morning from my agent and he's just like, hey, like you're going to sign with Dallas. I was like, how is that possible? Like, oh, are they going to draft me? He's like, no, they.

they traded your homegrown rights from the union, so you're gonna sign there. yeah, I signed as a homegrown for Dallas, even though I never stepped foot in the academy there. it's such an interesting kind of process. mean, it has its benefits and its flaws. I mean, it worked out for me where I went to college for four years, but the union still owned my homegrown rights. And I mean, it could kind of screw players over in some.

in some ways, it worked out well for me. Signing with Dallas before the draft, and then going into preseason having a contract, which a lot of guys that get drafted don't have that luxury.

Dom Okus (25:42)
Question I have, and maybe this is a bit of my ignorance, but you say, so Union have your homegrown rats because you come through the academy there, but you're about to get drafted. So if you would have got drafted by Make Up A Team, LA Galaxy, would they have had to pay Philadelphia Union for your rats too? How does that all come together?

Kalil Elmedkhar (25:53)
Okay.

It's like as soon as the draft starts, like your homegrown rights like go out the window. It's weird. I mean, yeah, I think it was like a week before the draft. So the union only had my rights for one more week. and then they made 100 thousand dollars off of me. So good business by them.

Dom Okus (26:06)
Got it. Got it.

Okay, cool. That makes sense.

Jamil Roberts (26:23)
Yeah, it's such a weird process like obviously I was involved in the the sporting Kansas City Organization as well, and it's such a weird Process in terms of like even even the way that MLS contracts are structured, right? Like, you know, you've got like the supplemental the senior roster spots the GAs, you know It's so different from everywhere else in the world

And what I always find, obviously, you know, it's the MLS, right? They want the big stars to obviously get the interest and people watching it. But I do think it's a little bit out of order how you can have lads on, senior roster spots. So, like, lads that are maybe in the 18 every week or even playing every week that could be on 100 grand a year. But then you've got someone on a... not a GA, what's it called? A designated player contract.

Kalil Elmedkhar (27:07)
Yeah.

Jamil Roberts (27:14)
who could be on millions. And that's just the way that the contracts are split up. It's such a weird dynamic, innit?

Kalil Elmedkhar (27:17)
Exactly.

Yeah, and I mean, was talking to some guys in the offseason that I was training with and they're in a position where they're on the supplemental roster making senior minimum or reserve minimum. And they're outperforming guys that are making five, six times as much as them. But the team doesn't want to move them from the supplemental roster to the senior roster. So they're just keeping them on the same contract. So it's almost like you have to

perform double as well to get, you know, from the supplemental to the senior roster and make more money when some of these guys that are already on the senior roster, if they're just playing decent, they'll just keep getting more and more contracts, more and more money. it's, it's, yeah, I don't know. MLS needs to make some changes.

Jamil Roberts (28:11)
Yeah, 100 % and I mean that that just the MLS in general like it wants to be this top five maybe break into that league in the world, but until they Like for me anyway, I think until they move away from things like the draft until they move away from things like salary caps and tiered contracts they never will because It's so confusing and at the end of the day. It just plays into this this model of

We're gonna fill a squad of 22-23 players that are decent and then we're just gonna get two superstars and try play through them Like how is any manager meant to plan for a year or two or three years ahead? When the owner could ring up, let's just take FC Dallas for example The owner or the the GM FC Dallas could ring up the gaffer and go hey I don't know

Gaberge Jesus is gonna be there on Monday. And you're like, well I have to play him. But how does that fit into any plans?

Kalil Elmedkhar (29:15)
Yeah.

Exactly. mean, how many DPs, you know, don't produce, you know, what the clubs are expecting them to, you know, I mean, they're getting paid millions of dollars and the clubs are kind of like, here, figure it out, go, but score goals for us.

Jamil Roberts (29:31)
Yeah, literally.

Who were the designated players at Dallas?

Kalil Elmedkhar (29:38)
It was Frank O'Hara, Jesus Ferreira was one my second year, Alan Velasco, I don't remember really. But I mean, yeah, I I love those guys, so, you know.

Jamil Roberts (29:56)
Yeah, yeah, of course. Is Jesus Ferreira, he, is he, that's the striker,

Kalil Elmedkhar (30:03)
Yeah, he just got traded to Seattle

Jamil Roberts (30:06)
I was gonna ask because wasn't there a lot of talk about him getting a move to Europe at one point as well?

Kalil Elmedkhar (30:11)
Yeah, it was going to be to forget what the team is in Russia. But, you know, obviously with all the sanctions and everything going on there, I think the MOS blocked it. So, I mean, I think it was a good time for him to make a move. mean, amazing player. So good. So I think he'll do really well in Seattle though.

Dom Okus (30:37)
So just quickly taking a step back, talking about going, so obviously I think we kind of skipped over a little bit of you actually getting to Dallas after the draft. So they buy your homegrown rats and then you just told you, right, you're going to Dallas. So just tell us a little bit about that process of maybe speaking to the coach and you moving down there and how you kind of integrate into the team.

Jamil Roberts (30:37)
Yes.

Kalil Elmedkhar (30:59)
Yeah, I I was like more nervous than I should have been. I still remember the first day we had like team physicals and it was like just for signed players and obviously I'm a signed player, know? And there was a lot of like draft picks and stuff that weren't signed and I'm like getting in the line for the physicals and one of the trainers is like, no, this is like for signed players only. I am a signed player. He's like, I'm sorry.

Dom Okus (31:24)
Flipping

now, they don't even know who the sound players are. That's shocking.

Kalil Elmedkhar (31:33)
And

I would say, you know, like walking through the facilities, was shocked. You know, coming from Kentucky, we have, you know, state of the art facilities and stuff. And then I go to the Dallas facilities and I'm like, like this is...

Jamil Roberts (31:46)
SEC money SEC money

Dom Okus (31:49)
It's just not funny.

Kalil Elmedkhar (31:51)
But yeah, Dallas redid all their stuff now. It's amazing. my first year I was like, this is kind of rough. mean, there was like cockroaches walking around and stuff. I'm like, damn, like, man.

Dom Okus (32:01)
well.

Jamil Roberts (32:03)
What? Mate that's the opposite of Kansas City man. Fucking hell we had like, Kansas City is like the US hub, like the US soccer, like the national team hub. So like me walking, obviously, don't get me wrong, Marshall had amazing facilities, but walking into Kansas City was like wow, like I've arrived. Do you know what mean? Like so that's mad that you had that different experience walking into an MLS environment.

Dom Okus (32:05)
Sounds like, sounds like Renato's...

Hmph.

Kalil Elmedkhar (32:31)
Yeah, I mean, the fields were still amazing. Everything was great. All the staff and the players were amazing and they accepted me really quickly and they gave me a lot of guidance. I mean, I would say the one thing for my time there is that I kind of thought it would come to me, the opportunities and stuff like that. But I mean, you have to work for it and you can't look at yourself as like, all right, I'm just like,

a guy from college and I'm making reserve minimum and you know the guy in front of me is making 600,000 there's nothing I can do but once you kind of let your foot off the gas you make it really for them to just you know sack you off basically and you know I had opportunities I played 12 games and honestly like I was just very nervous because I was like all right like this is your chance like do something here if you don't do something then you're gonna you're not gonna on the team.

Instead of looking at it as like, all right, like if you do something, this can get you a better contract. This can get you this or that. I was more looking at like, don't f**k up instead of do something great, you know?

Dom Okus (33:42)
Did you, would you say you had a little bit of like maybe imposter syndrome there in that like you maybe didn't feel like you should have been there until like you was nervous about it when in actuality, right, if a team signed you, they think you're good enough to be there. And so just go and play and enjoy your football. So did you, did you feel a little bit of that?

Kalil Elmedkhar (33:58)
Yeah, for sure. Yeah, I did. I I came from Kentucky where, you know, you're the guy, you you're the, you're the guy that they're looking for for goals and assists and, know, the coach like, you know, wants to come and meet with you every other day for video and stuff like that. And then you get to FC Dallas and, you know, the coaches are meeting with you or, you know, they're not saying, you know, good job on that one play or whatever. And, you know, you kind of have to learn to that. You're not going to get that.

You know, like not immediately at least you're to have to, you know, show yourself and to get those opportunities. So, I mean, a lot of people that I talked to that, you know, they were at the MLS level and didn't work out and they go to USL, they're like, oh, you know, the coach was terrible and I didn't get opportunities and this and that. mean, I would say like I did get opportunities. just, you know, didn't do enough with them. So, I mean, I own that and you know, I've grown a lot as a player and as a person, you know, going to Loudon.

now that Tulsa, so.

Dom Okus (35:02)
it I like it lots of accountability there. Jam would you say you felt similar when you went to SKC because obviously you was the guy at Marshall and then you go over to SKC which is a different environment do you have similar feelings to Kill Hill that you just described?

Jamil Roberts (35:15)
Yeah, literally, May, I was just about to touch into it. Like, I never stepped foot on the pitch in the MLS, but certainly every day in training. Obviously being around the MLS guys and being around the locker room every day, I think I got in my own head way more than I should have. I approached every training session, like, same, exact same as what Khalil was saying there, like, I can't fuck up today.

Or like if I fuck up then I'm gonna be down with the second team or I'm gonna do whatever and you know I've know, I've touched on it before you know, I was very lucky You know where I was with the first team, you know the majority of the time Certainly like on the the Monday to Friday however

Definitely wasn't playing the same Natural game that I was maybe six to twelve months ago in a martial uniform So yeah, definitely it played it played a role but at the same time I agree with what Khalil said in terms of and it taking accountability for it because Yeah, all right. It didn't go down the perfect pathway right like you know you myself and clear one playing week in week out in the MLS however, I think it's stood us

Kalil Elmedkhar (36:28)
Okay.

Jamil Roberts (36:34)
in good stead since then, because you learn from

those experiences, right? And you realize that you take it as a learning experience and you realize that one bad training session or one bad game isn't gonna be the end of your career. There's always tomorrow, there's always the next game to make it better. So yeah, it's funny you say that, mate, because I had very similar experience at Kansas City.

Kalil Elmedkhar (37:01)
Yeah, and I think a lot of guys do, Where, you know, I mean, it is hard going from somewhere where you know, every guy that gets drafted, they're the guy at their team. And then they go to a completely new environment where, you know, a lot of guys just get sent right down to the second team. And, you know, you feel like you're already, you know, three steps behind. And, you know, you're coming into a team where everyone knows each other. Everyone's been there for years or making millions of dollars. So, I mean, there's a lot at play.

Dom Okus (37:32)
I think about a lot of this stuff and I think about that young players always think about that someone like Rooney Who is that 15 16? Like he's throwing his weight around in training He's basically already thinks he's the best player ever and goes to man United at 18 Thinks he's the best player there and I'm not for one moment saying that that any young player who goes into a new first-team environment should think they're the best player but

When you have that confidence about you, it comes out on the pitch. It's very hard to play at the peak of your game when you're nervous and you're timid and like you're unsure about should I pass here, should I dribble here? Well, if I dribble and I lose it, the gaffer is going to shout at me and then I might not play and he might drag me. Like all those thoughts are going through your head when what's got you to that moment is just what you typically do if you had a defender in front of you. You get it on your back foot and you dribble it.

And if you lose it, you lose it, right? But if you've got the confidence that I'm gonna dribble and you're probably gonna beat him, you're probably gonna beat him. And it's so mad that the psychology is there of, like, if you have the confidence, then good things usually come off. But when you're a bit timid and calculated, usually it doesn't really go to plan.

Kalil Elmedkhar (38:39)
Exactly.

Jamil Roberts (38:42)
that was a lovely little reflection actually. I think I needed that. I've you know, I don't open up about it enough. So yeah, thanks boys Yeah, I feel a lot better man, this you know, I'm going into Monday tomorrow feel a lot better about myself But anyway, I think that's a that's a good time for us to sort of wrap up that portion of the show and I'm gonna pass over to Dom

Dom Okus (38:51)
Little therapy session there.

Kalil Elmedkhar (38:54)
Seriously.

Dom Okus (39:01)
There you go, there you go.

Jamil Roberts (39:11)
where he's gonna take Kalil El Medkhar through extra time on the Backstik podcast.

Dom Okus (39:18)
Hello, welcome. Now, I'm going to take you through a segment that we had on the show since its inception called Extra Time. I'm your host with the most. They've been calling me on social media, know, Steve Harvey with the skin fade. Some of our British listeners have been calling me the Black Note Edmonds. So I'm just going to take you through four questions that we ask each and every guest. The first question is, who is the best player you've played with?

Kalil Elmedkhar (39:46)
Oof, wow.

best player I played with.

would say...

maybe Brendan Aaronson.

Dom Okus (40:01)
F? Pula. Is he Leeds? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Pula.

Kalil Elmedkhar (40:01)
He said, where's he at now? Leeds, yeah, Leeds, yeah.

Jamil Roberts (40:06)
Yeah, player.

Kalil Elmedkhar (40:09)
Yeah, I would say, I would say him. I would put like Ricardo Pepe up there too, just for like, just like a natural finisher where just anything in the box, the guy is just a monster. But I would say Brendan Aaronson just because I mean, I grew up with him in the academy. And I mean, he still is pretty tiny.

He can use his body decently now, but before he would get thrown around. But you always knew he was going to go far. So I would say him.

Dom Okus (40:37)
Hehehehehe

Baller, baller. All right. Who is the best player you've played against?

Kalil Elmedkhar (40:53)
I would say this guy from Marshall University, Jamil Roberts. Nah, I'm just kidding.

man, what's the guy from Seattle? what's his name? What's the guy on Seattle Sounders? I'm looking them up. Hold on.

all right, I'll give you another one. Oh Tyler Adams

Jamil Roberts (41:21)
off player.

Dom Okus (41:23)
Williams.

Kalil Elmedkhar (41:25)
Yeah,

I play against him all the time in the when he was on the Red Bull Academy and I remember those one game where he played he started the game at center back and then he moved him to midfield and then they put him at the nine and Like I've never seen that before in every position. He was just killing us He was just it was just like a different level you're like, my god this guy miles ahead, so I would say him

Dom Okus (41:42)
I'm just gonna this.

Jamil Roberts (41:50)
Yeah, i've heard

i've heard a few people talk about tyler adams being like even from a young age like a freak of an athlete

Dom Okus (41:52)
I'm a little player,

Kalil Elmedkhar (41:58)
Yeah, it's nasty. And then the other one was, man, I forget the guy's name on Seattle, but the other one was Renoso on Minnesota. I remember they subbed me in one time at outside back and I was going up right against him. And in like a minute of me subbing him, he was just like, my God, this guy's nasty. He hit me with like just.

I don't even think, like he didn't even move the ball, he just like moved his body, just like, and it was such a small little thing and it just sent me. It just sent me.

Dom Okus (42:38)
nightmares, he's having nightmares. All right, we'll move on to our...

Jamil Roberts (42:40)
You on about, by the way, just at the start, were you on about Rui

Diaz?

Kalil Elmedkhar (42:45)
Yes, Rui Di- Oh my god, yeah. They subbed me also right back against him and literally- He didn't even start that game. He subbed in like right after me and within 30 seconds of subbing in, he like chipped our keeper from like 20 yards out and just sealed the game. was just like, oh my god. Yeah, he's nasty.

Jamil Roberts (42:46)
Yeah.

Dom Okus (43:09)
Bula, bula, bula, bula. All right, so Ria Diaz, Tyler Adams. Moving on to the next question. If you could go on a night out with three teammates, past or present, who would they be and why?

Kalil Elmedkhar (43:25)
Wow.

Dom Okus (43:28)
Gonna upset some people here I know but it's okay.

Jamil Roberts (43:30)
This

one, yeah, this one's always a big question.

Kalil Elmedkhar (43:34)
Wow, I might immediately went to just three guys from Kentucky. But there's some guys from Loudon too. All right, I'll say J.J. Williams. And if you're gonna bring J.J., you have to bring him a Mabika too. And then I would say, whew, Lucas Bartlett. He's at DC United, that guy.

Dom Okus (43:35)
This is...

Kalil Elmedkhar (44:01)
He's a good time on a night out, I'll just say that.

Jamil Roberts (44:05)
loves it.

Dom Okus (44:06)
Sick, sick, sick, sick, sick, sick. Cool. And just to wrap us up, what would you say is your biggest achievement on the pitch so far?

Kalil Elmedkhar (44:19)
I would say 2018 doing the regular season and then conference tournament champions and then getting to the Elite Eight. Yeah, pro I haven't really like, we haven't won anything. I mean, I don't really look at like individual awards that much. think like, you know, achieving something as a team is much more important. So would say that 2018 team.

Dom Okus (44:47)
Take the one that gave Jamil nightmares. Cool. All right. Well that wraps up extra time. And on that I'll pass it back to you Jamma.

Jamil Roberts (44:50)
Hehehehehaha!

Yeah, cheers for that mate. Nah, I think to be fair mate,

I like that you mentioned that, that obviously the winning something as a team is, you know, you put it above sort of individual achievements because, you know, some lads come on here and they talk about debuts. And if I'm being honest, I thought you were gonna say straight away, obviously making your debut for FC Dallas.

But I'm glad that we kind of come full circle on it because obviously I alluded to, you that was in college by far and away the best team I played against. So, and you've always did, I mean, I think that you were unlucky to not even go further that year. So, you know, it's alleged that you sort of circled back on that. But overall, nah, Dom, I've really enjoyed this one, mate. I think it's been very, very insightful.

to say the least but like I said I feel like it's been a bit of a therapy session for me I feel like a weight's been lifted off my shoulders a little bit so

Dom Okus (45:58)
100 %

Jamil Roberts (46:06)
But anyway

Dom Okus (46:06)
Good, good, we love that.

Jamil Roberts (46:09)
That that wraps us up I think for this episode of the backstic so it's about that time For myself and Dom to thank you if you've got this far, and if you've got this far Why haven't you subscribed yet? So head over to the page on the YouTube you can find us on Apple music Apple music Apple podcasts

Spotify Google Play Amazon wherever you listen we're gonna be there at the back stick pod on all socials to give us a follow Go and we'll leave Kalil's social media information in the in the description here So go and give Kalil a follow And we hope you enjoyed this one because I know that we did so From myself and Dom Kalil thanks ever so much for being in mate. We've really enjoyed it

Kalil Elmedkhar (46:58)
appreciate it guys.

Dom Okus (47:00)
Thank you.

Jamil Roberts (47:01)
Yeah. And again, from the three of us, thanks ever so much for listening this far. And we will see you next week.

Dom Okus (47:12)
See you next time. Peace.

Kalil Elmedkhar (47:14)
Yeah.