Extratime Abroad: Austin FC

Greetings from sunny Austin, this is Extratime reporter Cahal McAuley and I've recently swapped the narrow streets of Ireland for the open plains of Texas.

While I'm thoroughly enjoying getting swept away in a haze of barbecue, tacos, and heatwaves in the state that gave us Friday Night Lights, I've begun to yearn for my days of reporting under the Friday night lights of home in the League of Ireland.

While nothing can fill the hole left by witnessing games at Tolka, Richmond or Dalymount, I've decided to do the next best thing during my time in this foreign land and my try my luck on a new league: Major League Soccer.

The MLS has often been met with disdain by its European counterparts, particularly with regards to the format which is more which is more in line with U.S. sports along with the idea that the league is little more than a retirement home for the continents washed-up players.

While it's true that many players long past their glory days have decided to see out their careers on the beaches of Los Angeles and Orlando, the MLS is increasingly becoming an option for younger players with the likes of Federico Bernardeschi and Riqui Puig recently choosing to move across the Atlantic well before the twilight of their careers.

In terms of format, the league consists of a regular season and playoffs, much like that of the National Football League and National Basketball Association.

The MLS is centered around competitive balance meaning that all teams have some chance of victory. This is done by implementing salary caps, roster limits and a draft system where the weakest teams get the first pick of young talent.

This prevents any teams becoming so dominant that the league loses its competitiveness and becomes predictable, something certain European leagues could take note of.

My focus will be on Austin FC, the 27th team to join the MLS. The league announced that Austin had been granted a franchise in 2019 and the side played its first season in 2021.

Academy Award winning actor and Texas native Matthew McConaughey is a member of the investment group that owns the club and regularly attends matches at the Q2 stadium.

Austin's debut season in the MLS was far from successful with the team finishing second to last in the Western Conference, winning just nine of 34 games and finishing as the lowest scoring side in the league.

However, manager Josh Wolff has transformed his side into one of the most dangerous attacking forces in the country with Austin going from the lowest to the joint highest scoring team in the MLS in a matter of months.

Austin or the Verde as they are also known, currently sit second in the Western Conference, nine points behind star-studded Los Angeles FC who they face at home on Friday.

Now you might be wondering what business a website that focuses on Irish football has reporting on a foreign league, but don't worry, I've got it covered.

Dundalk native Jon Gallagher has become a regular feature and fan favorite of the Verde since signing for the team before their inaugural season.

Gallagher was born in County Louth but the 26-year-old also spent time in England, Singapore, Jamaica before playing four years of college soccer with the University of Notre Dame in Indiana.

Gallagher signed a contract with the MLS and was selected as the fourteenth overall pick in the MLS Superdraft by Atlanta United with whom he spent three seasons, including a year on loan with Aberdeen.

The Dundalk man has been lauded for his versatility on the pitch which has seen him play multiple positions and allowed him to make over 100 club appearances in U.S. soccer and will see him be a key player in his side's push for playoff success.

Other notable Irishmen in the league include Los Angeles Galaxy defender Derrick Williams, who signed from Blackburn Rovers with three caps and a goal with the Republic of Ireland, and Orlando City midfielder Jake Mulraney, a former youth international who spent nine years on the books at Crumlin United.

Anything but a win on Friday against Gareth Bale and Giorgio Chiellini's LAFC will realistically end the Verde's chance of a first round bye in the play-offs, but a post season spot is all but guaranteed as Austin FC sit 14 points clear of eighth place Vancouver.

So if your regular football schedule isn't quite doing it for you anymore or you just want something new, why not come with me as I trade the familiarity of the League of Ireland for the unknowns of American soccer.