Nashville SC kick off their sixth MLS campaign and their eighth as a professional club on Saturday.
For the first ever, they go into a season without Gary Smith at the helm. Instead, former US Men's National Team assistant BJ Callaghan will lead the team, promising a new era of a more youth-focused, possession-oriented, modern approach.
What's the ceiling for this club? Will the coaching and player changes lead to more success, or will the playoffs be out of reach once again? Let's dive in.
Nashville SC's roster changes
It was an incredibly busy offseason for Nashville. General manager Mike Jacobs overhauled the squad more than any time before, with 13 players departing in the offseason and a new group brought in.
Players out
- Anínal Godoy: One of the first players signed ahead of Nashville SC's expansion season, Godoy was a crucial player on the field and a leader off the field. His option was declined and he joined San Diego FC in free agency.
- Randall Leal: The Costa Rican attacker had a breakout season in 2021, but was never able to revisit that form with injuries brutally derailing his career. Nashville bought out his contract, and he subsequently signed with DC United.
- Brian Anunga: The former Charleston Battery destroyer was another expansion signing and carved out a role for himself as a solid defensive No. 6. His limitations in possession were obvious, though, making him a tough fit for Callaghan's system. He signed with FC Cincinnati after his option was declined.
- Shaq Moore: The 2022 World Cup veteran was signed for nearly $2 million, making him one of the most expensive fullbacks in the league. He was never truly able to live up to expectations in the attacking half of the pitch, and was offloaded to FC Dallas to clear space from the salary cap.
- Sean Davis: The former New York Red Bulls captain was signed as a free agent in 2022 and was an important player for Nashville. Elite against the ball, he struggled to consistently make a difference in possession. He was traded to LA Galaxy in the offseason in exchange for Gastón Brugman, and stunningly had his contract bought out earlier this week.
- Other departures: Dru Yearwood (out of contract), Amar Sejdić (option declined), Brent Kallman (out of contract), Ben Martino (option declined), Joey Skinner (option declined), Forster Ajago (option declined), Lukas MacNaughton (DC United), Elliot Panicco (waived), Woobens Pacius (loaned to Tampa Bay)
Players in
- Eddi Tagseth: The former Liverpool academy player was signed from Rosenborg this winter and projects to be a key starter for Nashville, either in a central midfield role or more advanced out wide.
- Gastón Brugman: The 2024 MLS Cup MVP was acquired in a swap deal for Sean Davis, bringing Nashville much-needed ball progression from a deeper area of midfield. BJ Callaghan has referred to him as "the quarterback". He'll be a crucial piece of the puzzle if he can stay healthy.
- Andy Najar: The 2010 MLS Rookie of the Year was brought in from Olimpia in Honduras. An incredibly experienced player at the MLS level, Najar projects to be a ball-playing right back for Nashville, and will be key to their more aggressive approach.
- Ahmed Qasem: Nashville's most recent signing, Qasem is a Swedish youth international with nearly 90 appearances in the Swedish top flight, and has played in the Europa League against top European opposition. While he's still integrating with the team, he should be a crucial part of their attack.
- Other arrivals: Bryan Acosta, Jeisson Palacios, Brian Schwake, Matthew Corcoran, Chris Applewhite
How will Nashville SC play under BJ Callaghan?
Callaghan took the Nashville job last summer and immediately promised a more aggressive, front-foot style of play that emphasized playing with the ball, creating scoring chances, and giving young players a real shot, something they didn't consistently have under Smith.
And how has it gone? That's tough to say. There were certainly improvements during his 11 matches in charge last season, which was impressive considering how little the roster he inherited fit his preferred style. Here's what Eliot McKinley had to say in his season preview for the always-excellent American Soccer Analysis:
Looking at the types of passes that Nashville made more often than other MLS teams shows Smith’s teams’ penchant for long balls down the wings. This was mostly maintained by Rumba Munthali in addition to a lot of passing around the defensive half. In a limited sample size, Callaghan’s players were more likely to play more passes around the midfield. Callaghan also had Nashville pressing more in their attacking half, as their Per100 against (a proxy for high pressing that compares actual - expected passing per 100 passes) went from -0.8 to -1.38, indicating a more robust high press.
Under Callaghan, Nashville will press much higher than they ever did under Smith, opting to try and force turnovers close to goal instead of sitting deep and inviting pressure. This comes with risks and will leave Nashville open at times, but it will make them much less passive.
They'll also look to routinely create chances with the ball. This is a platitude that gets thrown around all over the place, but it holds up with Callaghan. He's meticulous about how he wants his team to advance the ball in the final third, emphasizing patterns from more central areas and intentionally avoiding lumping in crosses from the corner flag, a tactic Nashville have resorted to many times in the past.
The emphasis on being the protagonists and creating clear chances sounds really nice, and it should get fans excited for 2025. Putting it in practice over the course of a 34-match season is a different thing entirely. How effectively Nashville can implement Callaghan's tactical vision, and how effective that tactical vision is against the top-tier teams in MLS is arguably the biggest question of the season.
What formation will Nashville SC play?
This is a bit of a trick question. Callaghan has pushed back on the idea of using one formation, and has instead emphasized maintaining similar principles of play across multiple different shapes. Nashville will use several different formations over the course of the season, and will even change shapes within a game.
Ben Wright
For most of preseason, though, Nashville have used a 4-2-2-2 formation. This has allowed Hany Mukhtar and Sam Surridge to attack from central areas, with a pair of central midfielders setting the tempo and two wider, more box-to-box midfielders adding support. The fullbacks, particularly Andy Najar or Julian Gaines on the right, will get forward to support the attack and provide width. In possession, Nashville will spend a lot of time in the 3-2-5 shape that has become popular around the world.
General manager Mike Jacobs has done a great job in the offseason of adding depth at multiple positions. Players like Matt Corcoran and Bryan Acosta provide much-needed cover in midfield, and they have a wealth of talent on the wings. Ahmed Qasem is an exciting young winger who can beat players on the dribble, something the Coyotes badly needed to add. Tyler Boyd is rehabbing from a torn ACL, but his reintroduction in the summer will be a huge boost to the club.
Having multiple starting-caliber wingers gives Nashville flexibility with what shape they use. Callaghan also used a back three at times last season, giving Nashville yet another option. While the offseason was a busy one, the Coyotes head into 2025 with more depth than they've ever had before.
Who are the key players in attack?
No surprise to anyone who's watched this team over the last five years, but Hany Mukhtar is crucial to this team. Even after a down year in 2024 in which he logged eight goals and 10 assists, the 2022 MLS MVP goes into 2025 looking revitalized and more comfortable in Callaghan's system. He closed out last year with three goals and three assists in the final seven matches, and should produce at a similar rate in 2025.
Sam Surridge is another key piece of the puzzle. The former Nottingham Forest No. 9 did well with little service last year, logging 12 goals in 28 matches and finally giving Nashville a high-level striker. With Callaghan's system creating more chances, Surridge looks like a main beneficiary.
Alex Muyl is an unlikely name to be on this list, but the 29-year-old is coming off a career-best five goal, two assist season. While those numbers aren't the most impressive on their own, all five of those goals came after Callaghan took over, and his system has emphasized Muyl being a late arriver in the box and getting on the end of chances.
There are other players who will have key roles. Eddi Tagseth looks like a fantastic signing, whether he plays in a wide role or more centrally. Jacob Shaffelburg may not be in the starting XI, but he will have a major role as a change-of-pace option off the bench. Qasem and later Tyler Boyd will both completely change the pictures once they get fully acclimated and recovered, respectively.
Who are the key players in defense?
The easy and correct answer is Walker Zimmerman. The U.S. international remains one of the very best center backs in MLS just a few months before his 32nd birthday. A lingering Achilles issue severely hampered him in 2023 and was corrected with surgery in the offseason. Just weeks into the 2024 season, a knee-to-knee collision forced another surgery almost as soon as he'd returned to full fitness. If he can stay healthy for the bulk of the season, Zimmerman will be one of the best defenders in the league, and it follows that the defense as a whole is elevated because of it.
Next to Zimmerman, Jack Maher is entering his sixth year as a professional. Still just 25, Maher has a high ceiling that he's never quite reached. How consistent he is in 2025 is a crucial question for Nashville. He'll be pushed for minutes by both Jeisson Palacios and Josh Bauer, both of whom look capable of starting roles.
Andy Najar will be heavily involved in the attack, but he'll have a huge role defensively, especially with Julian Gaines injured to start the season. He's 31 and has had several injuries over the last several years, so keeping him healthy will be crucial. If fit, he's one of the best full backs in possession around the league.
What's Nashville SC's floor and ceiling?
I think last year was the floor for Nashville. Their dependence on Mukhtar hit an all-time high, and his lack of production doomed essentially the entire attack. They stagnated heavily under interim Rumba Munthali, losing eight consecutive matches in the summer to really put the nail in their playoff coffin. Finishing 13th feels like the bottom, and hopefully it's not repeated.
The ceiling? Who knows. Sure, Nashville could win the Eastern Conference, or even the Supporters' Shield. That's the beauty of a parity-based league. With the top of the East looking like a woodchipper, finishing in the top four might be a stretch. But if Zimmerman stays healthy, Mukhtar gets back to 75% of his 2021-2023 levels, and Surridge keeps trending upward, this team could certainly perform like Charlotte FC did last year, finishing in fifth place and breaking 50 points.
MLSSoccer.com's Matt Doyle has set the over/under for Nashville at 41.5 points. I'm taking the over.
Matthew Doyle
Nashville SC will be good in 2025 if...
- If BJ Callaghan proves to be a top-tier manager who has developed a system that puts his players in positions to succeed, both by repeatably creating quality chances and limiting opponents' ability to attack in space.
- If Hany Mukhtar proves that 2024 was a blip, not the start of a decline, and returns to his prior levels as one of MLS's best attackers.
- If Sam Surridge thrives with more chances and scores well into the double-digit goals.
- If Walker Zimmerman stays healthy and leads the backline to concede less than the 54 goals they allowed in 2024.
- If the new signings integrate quickly and have a net-positive impact on the pitch.
Nashville SC will struggle in 2025 if...
- If Nashville struggle to consistently create and convert quality scoring chances, and Callaghan's tactics aren't able to hold up against the top teams in the league.
- If Hany Mukhtar's 2024 form continues and he doesn't score and assist double-digit goals.
- If Walker Zimmerman has another significant injury, and Jack Maher isn't able to step into a more demanding leadership role at the back.
- If Gastón Brugman misses significant time and can't play more than 1,800 minutes while other midfielders struggle to replace his passing range.
- If none of Nashville's goalkeepers are able to reliably make the saves they should be expected to make.
What should Nashville SC's goals be for 2025?
I answered a lot of these questions in a New Year's resolution story back in January:
Ben Wright
Here are some of the key points:
- Be fun to watch again.
- Continue playing and developing young players
- Get Hany Mukhtar back to form
- Continue preparing to reload even more for 2026
What's your prediction for Nashville SC in 2025?
I have Nashville SC finishing in eighth place in the East with 45 points, three points above the playoff line in my projections.
This is nine points above where they finished last year. Without Concacaf Champions Cup to deal with at the start of the year, without a managerial change to deal with, without over two months with an interim manager where Nashville struggled for direction, and with an improved and more cohesive roster, it doesn't feel unrealistic for Nashville to pick up nine more points in 2025.
I think Nashville should firmly be a playoff team in 2025, while still in the midst of a longer-term rebuild. Anything beyond that is a bonus.
