S04 E03 - New Beginnings

Today Dan Staines @StainesSpurs discuss end of pre-season and the eve of a new Premier League season...hopes, fears and new beginnings.

Episode Transcript

(00:09):
Sorry, Jerry, Hello and welcometo the Varside Spurs podcast, and today

(00:29):
I'm joined by Dan Stains, usuallyon Filthy Shambles with Spooky Dan. What's
your Twitter handle? Yeah, soStains Spurs. How you doing mate?
Yeah? Good mate. So lot'sbeen happening recently, so we're going to
try and get into that and thenlook ahead to the season coming. A
lot of positive things I think we'refeeling at the moment. So it's sort

(00:53):
of the eve of the new seasonand the end of the preseason. What
were your thoughts on the final gameof the preseason versus bar Slona. They're
sort of positive and negatives and doyou feel there's much to get excited about
or maybe you'll being a bit deluded? Would you think No? I definitely
think there's a lot to be excitedabout. I think that was performance wise,
probably the best we've looked all preseason. I just thought like at times,

(01:15):
I genuinely like I've done a tweetyesterday saying, you know, I
didn't realize Barcelona now where lily white, because honestly, like there was times
in that game where the way wewere knocking the ball about would have just
been completely alien to us from lastseason. It was really great. It
was really great to see and Ithink that you know, we started seeing
some promising signs of other people beingable to contribute to goals at least when

(01:38):
you know, if strikers aren't onformed the likes of Skippy getting a brace.
So I think there's lots to bepositive about, and there's obviously some
negatives there. I think we kindof like know what they are and they've
been consistent all through preseason, whichis just that that those defensive issues,
but I think a lot of thatis down to personnel. So once that's

(01:59):
kind of corrected, I think we'llstart to see improvements and that throughout the
season. Yeah, hundred percent.I think when you when you look at
it, there's nothing we didn't expect, apart from perhaps, you know,
in terms of the game going onedown early that you you know, are
dreaded the worst to begin with,because I thought, I'll crap, that's
going to open us up like atin of beans with the with the defense

(02:22):
we add out, but you know, we I think just shows you a
sort of attack is the best formof defense sometimes because we really took it
to them. I you know,a lot of the stuff that we've been
promised we might see, we reallystarted to see happen. I think we're
maybe it's still a game also shortof being fully ready for the season,

(02:42):
but you know, it is whatit is. But there's, like you're
saying, there is a lot ofpromises, a lot of positives there.
And the defensive issues are one becausethose defenders, I think, you know,
are not going to be our firstdefenders. They are quite slow,
but also not unexpected in the sensethat we all kind of knew that one
of the sort of teething problems ofAndrew's new system would be getting done over

(03:06):
the top and you know, andgetting done on the break, you know,
and those those were how those goalscame about totally kind of really expected.
That's why I suppose we've we've we'vebought a player like Mickey van Derven
who is rapid, and we'll beable to sort of mitigate for those sort

(03:27):
of issues really by getting back quicker. But yeah, I thought there was
a lot to be excited about lastnight. You know that even the beating
led them for two one for mostof the game when we brought on some
of the c team. You know, it sounds maybe a bit harsh,
but that's when I think we startedto kind of look a little bit disjointed,
run out of gas a bit.You could kind of feel that about

(03:47):
seventy seventy five minutes we looked likewe'd run out a bit of gas.
But yeah, a lot, alot, a lot of promise there,
and you know, it feels mewith the excitement at least were as you
sort of seem to suggest there,We're not gonna be watching watching that kind
of turgid, defensive style of footballanymore. Yeah, I think if you
look at the just this game,and not just this game so but literally

(04:08):
every single preseason game, I thinkwe've seen a seismic shift in the way
we've been looking to play. Ourpossession numbers have been right up the chant.
The amount of chances we create isyou know, I think before that
game last night, I think itwas close to one hundred chances we've created
in the games before. So Ithink that once that kind of Premier League

(04:30):
match sharpness kicks in, I definitelythink we'll be scoring a lot of goals.
I don't think we'll have you know, I don't think I don't think
that will be the problem of theseason. I think it will just be
a case of people gell into acertain extent. It is still a relatively
new squad and the way of playing, and you know, even if there's
players that have been here for along time, they're all of a sudden,
there's people that have that's the Celso'sbeen here for a long time,

(04:51):
for instance, but during his tenurethe likes of Bursuma and Madison have rocked
up, and there'll be people thathe's not used quite simply not used to
playing with. So there's just stufflike that that's going to continue to app
them. But I just think lastnight as well, just the aggression that
we were seeing from when we thendon't have the ball and the willingness to
get it back. Like there wasmoments when the likes of Solomon would have

(05:12):
the ball and would kind of dribbledribble, you know, do a bit
of a Lucas Moore and lose itthrough trying to dribble one too much.
But he then would win it straightback because he's just like and that was
just great to see that we weren'tgiving up on anything. As you say,
I think there's a bit of tirednessand some people were cramping towards the
end. That was just like leavingthe floodgates open to a certain extent.

(05:32):
But I think that you know andseems to be getting into him, which
is, you know, great tosee. I think he's obviously very forthright
in the way that he wants toplay football or wants us to play and
I don't think he'll accept anything otherthan that, to be honest, you
think what he's done with him inwhat a month, month and a half,

(05:53):
you know, we look like atotally different team, and you and
you can you can see that we'vegot like we had under Actually me and
Richard got this kind of swear boxthing if we say Pochettino's name, So
I'm gonna have to put pound inthat in a second. But if you
remember back to under Poettino he hadyou could tell there was a style that

(06:15):
there was a way of playing underthe last two managers that hasn't really been
that evident apart from just sort ofyou know, low block, but but
you feel that there we have nowsort of got an identity. I think
everyone's going to know what our identityis sometimes it's going to work really well
for us. Imagine there'll be sometimesover the sort of first other season in

(06:36):
particular, where it might actually workagainst us as we kind of stuff before
it all clicks into place. Butyou know, I think we'll as fans,
will buy that if we feel thatthere's clearly really exciting evidence that when
this does click, it just youknow we're going to be onto something here,
and I think I think we willdo. I think you know that

(06:57):
we've spent quite a lot of money, by the way, we'll come on
and come on to that in aminute, but we've addressed some significant areas
and like you mentioned about Madison,Look, I think Madison is just going
to be a phenomenal asset in thisteam. If Kane stays, which hopefully
he does, he'll be licking hislips to the prospect have been on the
end of some of his crosses.So actually, should should we just like

(07:20):
looking at yesterday's team, some ofthese will probably be first teamers as well,
and we can sort of reflect onthat. But should we just sort
of go through the team and justsee what you think, whether you think
they're going to be around what youhaving to feel where they played last night,
So we start with the carrier.Were your thoughts on him? I

(07:41):
think, just genuinely, I thinkhe's not going to be a candidate for
best goalkeeper in the world, butI do think he's going to be a
steady enough keeper to at least beable to offer us what we need in
our system. I definitely think he'ssomeone who's more suited than I think we
saw that last night in spades where'she's definitely more comfortable with his feet Hugo
was, and as much as likeI think anyone outside of Hugo to Reese

(08:03):
is going to be a down gradein terms of shot stopping. I think
on his day he was the best, one of the best in the world
when it comes to that side ofthings. So I think we will probably
see a downside in that respect,but in terms of how we want to
play, and ultimately he's still hemade some really good saves last night.
Still I think he's going to be, you know, no difference and most

(08:24):
of the other kind of like decentkeepers in the Premier League if you like.
So, yeah, I think there'slast night was quite encouraging for him.
I think he needed that because Ithink that some of the other preseason
games people have maybe been questioning hima little bit, and that's just natural.
That's going to happen when you've gota new goalkeeper and it's such a
key position. I mean, Iseem to that then when if you were

(08:45):
looking at Twitter last night, butthey seemed to cop a bit of flak
from some supporters, don't I don'tknow why. Okay, he's at times
maybe he's not making quite the rightdecision, but I think there's going to
come. I don't think you're goingto get He's still relatively young, and
I think, you know, heclearly is going to be a really good
prospect, you know, a reallygood player going forward. And I think

(09:09):
we've just got to be a bitpatient. He's got to find his way
into not only Arlie but I stylea play as well. But you know,
there looks like he's a really goodkeeper there. So we're just gonna,
like with a number of them,we're just gonna to be a bit
patient. So we're moving on toPorrow. What do you think about him?

(09:30):
I thought he's starting to actually settleinto that kind of inverted right back
sort of role. Quite well now. I think he's actually done better than
I thought he would do. Ithink even defensively last night, he was
getting in the right position a lotof the time too, especially in the
second half, to try and toshield the ball, see it out,
nip in front of people. Wherehe's got that kind of I don't know

(09:50):
if it's quite Kyle Walker levels,but he certainly does have that recovery pace
where he's very quick, and Ithink that will get him out of jail
a fair few times this season.But I just think he's so effective when
he joins him with the attack,and I think that ultimately, as much
as you could probably get. Youknow, someone like Emerson Royal who's more
defensively minded or secure, you wouldprobably say, I think for what he

(10:15):
offers going forwards almost like but youare benefiting enough from that to have him
there, So I think that,yeah, I think he'll probably be the
first choice. I don't know ifthat's just going to be because of the
amount of money we've spent on himthat it's a bit like, can you
try and see how what you canget out of this guy, because we
have just dropped like forty million onhim. But yeah, I think I

(10:39):
probably him leaning towards what you're sayingactually that he'd be first choice and might.
I mean, I think it's goingto be very close between the two
of them, and and Emerson hasdone really well in that position. Would
not be surprised to see him startthe first game of the season at all?
No, I wouldn't know. Buthaving said that, like you really
suggest there that they're going forward andof the system we're looking at, borrow

(11:01):
fits it better. He can learnthat what he wants is the you know
these because they seem to sort ofcome in, don't they the fallbacks and
create overloads. So I think hewould be better suited to that. He's
got a better cross, better eyefor a pass. So whether that all
just sort of gradually sort of ifyou're like sort of metamorphosize into his position

(11:26):
over over a little bit of time, or whether he'll be in from the
off, I really don't know.It's going to be a tough one to
call, but either either I thinkwill do a good job. Yeah,
I agree. I've been really impressedwith Royale and I think a lot of
people would should be. Like,I think he's come a long way since
when he first joined. I don'tthink he's an extraordinary player by any stretch,
but I definitely think that he's he'snot really doing anything but wrong is

(11:48):
he just doesn't do anything particularly eyecatching going forward. But that's not really
a problem when he's potentially going tobe second choice about last night's captain,
Eric Dyer. Yeah, I thinkwe all really like Eric Dyer obviously,
you know, but last night wasnot a good show for him, unfortunately.

(12:09):
I think he was probably responsible fora few of the goals, just
a sheer lack of I don't knowif it was the fact that it was
a friendly and it was a lackof effort at times, because it literally
looked like he'd given up on tryingto intercepts or tackle people, and the
third and fourth goals especially, buthe just looks so slow, and I

(12:30):
just think, yeah, and it'sjust like Ramero isn't quick himself. And
I don't think you could ever havea pent back pair in again of Romero
and Dyer because pace wise, notwhen you're playing a high line. The
pair of them just aren't quick enough. So I think not a good show
him for him. I think it'sthe crux of it. They're done,
you know, the pace element.You know, that's why we bought something

(12:52):
like Van Derven. Who's who's goingto be able to be rapid and get
back and cover. That's just notthe quality Eric Dia has. He's a
really good leader. He gives everything. He is not a crap defender,
although he does. He's always gota mistake in him. But I think
for this system, he's just goingto be too slow, and I think
he'll be one of the victims.I mean, we may keep him around

(13:13):
for a season because he's contracted endsat the end of this season, isn't
it. I think so. Yeah, he's a good presence, he's a
positive person. I don't see thatthere will be any rush to get rid
of him, but clearly he hedoesn't really fit this system. No,
I think I do think you.I mean, he should be allowed to
see out his last year. I'llbe honest, like if we're you know,

(13:35):
I think that I'm not saying thatI've not been guilty of this.
I think a few of us havebeen guilty of being very heavily critical of
him for especially for the last season. But ultimately he has also been a
really a brilliant player for US attimes in other years as well, and
I don't think that we should forgetthat. And he is someone that properly
loves the club, So you know, I think we know it will be

(13:58):
the end, though, and he'sa premier league level defender in my eyes.
I think he can play for otherteams that are lowered down the table
and still make a good career inthat area. Yeah, and other teams
that sort of play a lower blocksort of style or anything. Yeah,
yeah, exactly. You know,Sanchez really surprised me, and I think
he surprised everyone. Didn't he reallyeven saw someone late of this parish and

(14:20):
the tweeting last night that we shouldsign him up and keep him on for
longer. Yeah, yeah, no, thank you. But you know,
I do think we should get rid. But last night he actually looked really
good at points, you know,Okay, he had towards the end,
I think he were he tired.He made a few critical mistakes, but

(14:41):
I mean that's probably the best I'veseen him play for a couple of years.
Yeah, god, yeah, Imean he was im mental last night.
I don't know what what had happened, to be honest with you,
because we've not seen anything like thatsort of player from him for a long
time. He was making last ditchchallenges, he was playing good passes.
It was just it was it washis all round game. But like you
say, I don't think that weshould be jumping too far ahead of ourselves,

(15:03):
but I think that there's that lastnight is definitely a bit of a
shot window exercise as well. You'vegot to think so, Yeah, if
he's someone we've been struggling to sellbecause we're singingly only had a bid from
Spartak Moscow, which he turned down, obviously, if that, if that
sort of moves, that sort ofperformance last night in Spain, gets the
attention of a few Spanish teams,then we could see him potentially going out

(15:26):
on either alone to buy a straightup purchase or alone whatever it might be,
he could find himself an actual Iwould want him to get a move
that's worked, that's right for him, because I'd never want to see someone
like him go to Russia. Thatwould be horrible. And he's he's a
good guy. I mean, youknow, I know he's had some horrible
stick from some people, but andyou know we've all said, like in

(15:46):
our in our WhatsApp Fred, theguy's not good enough. Okay, he
was decent last night, but oneswallow doesn't make a summer, you know.
And he's but he's a good guy. I mean he saw that recently
where he put hit the Spurs jerseyover the North London his ars red thing
that was in on this kind ofthing. He was doing some kind of

(16:11):
charity event that he was at.You know, So he's fully coys.
You know, he could be verycynical because I think the fans have given
him a hard time and sometimes inthe stadium as well. But I think
he needs a new challenge as well. But I wish him all the best.
Yeah, you know, I don'thate him at all. I think

(16:32):
he's given everything when he can.He's there's been a couple of times last
season where it all went wrong forhim. I felt so bad. I
mean it was I kind of forgotthat the match now, but he just
got absolutely slaughtered and he came on, didn't he as a sub and got
booed on and then boodoff. It'sall for I mean, that's terrible to

(16:55):
see. I felt so bad forhim. And then then a match or
two later he stepped up to theplate, stepped in, did a good
job, and he could have justcrumbled, but he was brave enough.
So you know, I wish it. I do wish him all the best.
I think he needs to change,Yeah, definitely. When he first
rocked up, I have to sayI thought he slotted right in between all
of Viral and Yan and he justfelt like, Wow, these guys look

(17:18):
like they've been playing together for ages. I think it was against Dortmund in
the Champions League game that they justshoved him in on his debut and you
think we've got something special here.And unfortunately, like he just change of
managers and lack of kind of backingof the current manager at the time,
and there's just you know, thingsdifferent, you know, in a different
universe that could have been gone potentiallyvery different for him, but it is

(17:41):
what it is. Yep. Reggiedidn't really make much of him, to
be honest. He just seemed abit of a nonentity yesterday. For me.
Yeah, I thought it's one ofthose where, like I think you
when when it comes to the fallbackstucking in, I think he's actually quite
as well suited to that element ofhe can play football. When he gets
the ball at his feet, hecan pick out a decent past and stuff

(18:02):
like that. But I think he'sso defensively inept that he's just never worth
having in your team because you're you'reyou're defensively you've you're a defender down,
aren't you like you're all of asuddenly gone to a pack free? Yeah?
But yeah, I think I thinkhe will go. Like you say,
another another one probably needs to moveto another Spanish club. Let's be

(18:23):
honest, that will suit him well. Obviously didn't have the best time at
Athletico, but he was injured unfortunately. So if someone else is willing to
take a punt on him, I'msure he'll he'll get get a fairly decent
move. Yeah, he's another onethat's not a crap player, but he
just doesn't suit what we're doing.Skip, we've we've kind of forgotten about
him, but he showed up.He was like pet in Yester last night,

(18:45):
wasn't he. Yeah? I doreally like Skip. I think like
I do think he gets better likemaybe not. I don't think he bursts
onto the scene in the way thatsome young English players do. Whether it's
like a Foden or someone like that, right, Like, he's not that
I don't think we can hold himin that level of course, because but
he certainly is an extremely tidy player, and there's he's definitely always going to

(19:07):
be one of those players that's goodat doing the dirty work for the most
part and will contribute in an attackingsense every now and then. But if
he starts adding to his game stufflike that last night, he could be
a really good player for us thisseason, especially where you think we've got
one midfield position up for grabs withBent and Core out at the moment,
and you'd think Madison and Basuma aretaking the other two positions, so it's

(19:29):
like loselso and Skip and Sara aregoing to be fighting for that third spot.
And Skip really is probably almost likethe most like trustworthy Premier League player
in that response, but he couldalso be the safest. So it's a
bit like you don't know what you'rewhat you're supposed to do in that respect.
But yeah, really impressive and Ithink he can develop a lot under
rounds, that's for sure. Yeah. I mean, and the way he

(19:52):
was arriving in the box yesterday,I hadn't seen him do that before.
I mean, obviously he scored thetwo goals as well, but that sort
of sort of later rival into thebox and then you know, scoring those
two headers. I thought he hadwell, he surprised me anyway, because
I've never really seen him as thatkind of goal scorer. I thought,
I thought he was excellent. Yeah, no, agreed, And I think

(20:12):
like he must look up to playersas much as we hate them, but
he must look up to the lightsof someone like Lampard and stuff like that,
where that was what his bread andbutter was. He was a center
midfielder that was greater at arriving latein the box. And I think that
that's just if that's a skill thatSkip could develop, not necessarily even to
the same level, but if hecould add that to his game where he's
getting between five and eight goals ina season like that, would that would

(20:36):
be a really good season from Skip. All of a sudden, what about
the sumer He was fantastic? Ithought he just he just completely ran the
game. He's been the player ofpreseason in my eyes. He's perfect for
that number six position. We allkind of called it as well, like
we said, he is going tobe the six under round and straight away

(20:56):
he's played that position and we've notlooked back, and he's going to be
one where you've got to keep himfit as much as you possibly can this
season because I think he's going tobe crucial to the way we play.
Totally different players to under Conte.I can't, I can't believe it.
I mean, this is the busumingwe thought we had got when we bought
him, you know, and wethought we'd got the bargain of the century.

(21:18):
And then last year, you know, there are points where you think,
in blind me, maybe this guyis not what we thought and could
end up being sold or loaned out. But he looks he looks phenomenal.
I think he's going to be oneof the main stays in midfield for the
first team for sure. It justshows like how important having the right manager
with some players is, though,doesn't it? Like I don't know what

(21:38):
the plan was last year because Ican't imagine that they bought him with the
four site that ill excel once Conte'sgone, do you know what I mean?
Like surely that they bought him fourConte and he just never got a
look in. And I get that, like don't get me wrong, I
get that these managers like Conte Marinho, they're very like demanded in terms of
what they asked for and they've gothigh expectations. And you know, Chris

(22:00):
and our WhatsApp was saying like itjust don't understand these things like lacking tactical
understanding and stuff. It's like,he's a fucking great player. Just let
him play and he will run midfieldsfor you. So yeah, don't quite
get it, but more of that, please. Yeah, I mean it's
almost referring back to, you know, talk this sort of debate about whether
Porro and a Doggie could ever bebecause they're considered a wingbacks, could have

(22:25):
been you know, fullbacks, butthey clearly they are professional players. They
can adapt and they have adapted.Yeah, and Basuma is showing, you
know how this system really suits himand yeah, I'm really really excited about
what he'll be this coming season.So let's sell. So, I mean,

(22:48):
he's certainly the player who's had thebiggest kind of redemption arc this this
this preseason. I think we waspossibly hoping for something similar from Tangy and
we've just not seen it. Andhe's obviously going to be on his way
out, and that's that ship hassailed. But I mean the Celso just
looked well suited to this system thatwe play once again as one of those
number eights. They Selso and Madisontogether, I think we can in certain

(23:12):
games. But I think if youthink about like your games like you,
I think you maybe need to bea little bit more reserved against like some
of your your top teams that I'mthinking your cities and arsenals and stuff like
that. But if against certain oppositionwhere we're facing lowd blocks and struggling to
create chances, you just need morepeople who you know, he still he

(23:32):
still can be boxed to box himself. He's athletic enough to do it,
so he can do his defensive duties. He's not a Shire player in that
sense. So I don't see whywe couldn't play the two of them.
And I think that when you're playingmore you know, defensive teams, you're
going to need to almost because youneed to find ways to unlock those doors.
And we've seen that under you know, previous managers without naming them,

(23:52):
that that's when we struggled at times, was against those low blocked teams.
We just couldn't figure it out almost. Yeah. I you know, again,
as you say that that player istotally transformed from what we thought,
would you know, we're all sayingprobably much pretty much sell him, get
rid of you know, he's justhe's not good enough. We're actually seeing
the player that Parchettino wanted, youknow, and this guy has just not

(24:17):
been suited to those defensive managers before. Under this manager, he looks,
he looks the business. He looked, you know, him and Madison.
Difficult to split them really. Ithink they both looked really, really creative.
It was a lovely flicky did yesterdaythen if she saw that earlier in
the game, sort of back hillflick, and it was just he just

(24:40):
looks full of confidence, totally totallytransformed. And and I don't know whether
they will play the two of themtogether, whether that would be too much
of a luxury, whether they'll besort of interchangeable. But but for certain
teams, I think that would beyou know that there would be idea that'd
be really exciting, especially low blocktype teams where you've got to really try
and pick those locks. Yeah,and but but even if you don't play

(25:02):
the two of them and say youget an injury to either one, you've
got one to cover the other.If they're quite similar as players, then
you've you've at least got a bitof a you know, la Celso's like
almost going to be the surprise packagewhere we thought we were only gonna have
the one sort of really creative playerin Madison come through. But then if
you've got the Selso, who's goingto be all of a sudden excel as
well, We've got two, right, So it's like it's just you know,

(25:23):
it's just a benefit we didn't knowwe were going to get. Yeah,
let's move on to Solomon that Imean just going to say, I
mean, I know you played forFulham last season, but I didn't.
He just went completely under my radar. I had no idea who the guy
was. Obviously low expectations coming ona free but he actually looks a real

(25:45):
player. Yeah, I think we'vemade a good sign in there, because
I like you, I'd not watchedlike Fulham week in week out, but
I'd say, but I was awarethat he'd been scoring a few bangers for
him since he came in in theJanuary, I think it was or whenever
he came in, but he wasThe goals he was scoring weren't exactly like
tappings either. He's like capable oflike like you know, probably like decent

(26:07):
curlers from outside the box and stufflike that. And I think it's good
to see that he's a bit versatilein terms of playing left hand right as
well. Like he's mainly been playingleft, but last night he was on
the right for a fair bit andwe're going to need that, especially if
Song's going to play a lot andyou need rotation for Kulu as well.
Yeah, he's also got a skillset that a lot of the other players
don't have. He's a dribbler.Yeah, and that you know, Mura

(26:29):
sort of had it. He justlooks a couple of levels above Moura.
Yeah, I think I think Murahad it but got lost as he was
doing it. And it's like,if we can make sure Solomon doesn't do
that, doesn't turn into that,Like he's he's still quite young, isn't
he Like he's like twenty two orsomething, so just you know, make
sure that we mold him properly andhe could be a real player. That's
that's the thing, isn't it.You know, it's hard to get to

(26:53):
get not get carried away, becauseI did this last season, you know,
and I suppose a lot of peopleother people did. Last season.
We finished really strongly, and Ithought we're going to finish second We looked
like we were, We've improved allover and under content. I thought we're
going to finish second year easily.But it just fell apart. So I'm

(27:15):
cautious about getting too carried away,but I'm going to get carried away.
One of the things I think thatwe do have is now we've got a
variety of ways, like you know, dribblers, creative part creative midfielders.
We had none of those under inthe last system because because of the style
we were playing, and at leastnow we got you know, a number

(27:38):
of tools in that sort of creativesense where we could, you know,
if for games not going our way, we can look at how to open
it up in you know, withwith different players that I think are equally
as good as the ones that areplaying and on the bench. Yeah,
No, I think we definitely.I think what we seem to have is
a really good mix of player orof a southern like We've got really good

(28:00):
variety in our tools, if youlike. So you'd like to think that
we're not waiting until the eightieth minuteto make changes because we're just trusting this
rigid process. Like I do thinkthat we'll be rigid in an in another
way, but obviously we'll just belooking to stick to that attacking an element
and intent at all times, whichis brilliant. But at the same time,

(28:22):
I think that we've at least gotpeople to try new things and different
types of forwards and whatever it mightbe. Charleston, I thought he played
all right, to be honest,I know he didn't score, but I
thought he played all right. Likeultimately, I think when it comes to
players like Charleston, I just alwaysthink, like when Kane's not playing,
there isn't anyone in the world thatreplicates what he does. So like with

(28:45):
that, all right, maybe toa certain extent, the likes of Benzamara
and Lewandowski, but you know,let's be real, like you don't they're
they're never coming to England and likeall the rest of it. So like
Richardson, for me, like Ithink he's just a proper cent of forward.
You're going to proper center forwards they'renever going to have lots of touches.
They're always going to have like youknow, to feed off of,

(29:06):
like scraps a lot of the timeif you're up against the lights of Barcelona.
I thought he got involved a decentamount of times, and he was
really unlucky with an effort on goalas well, where he's properly spanned the
defender with a nice touch with theoutside of his foot and then he just
sort of absolutely smashed off his rightfoot and it just went over. And
you think, you know, Ithink he will score goals this season,
Like you know, last season wasa terrible you know, I don't think

(29:29):
he would have enjoyed it himself,do you know what I mean. I
think he knows that it was apoor season from in terms of output.
But I don't think you can neverquestion his effort and his desire and stuff
like that. No, No,I agree. And I think at least
you're seeing that he's not hiding.He's you know, he's showing himself available.
You know, Otherwise you might bethinking, I've got his confidence is
really low, but I think he'sI think he would just click at some

(29:52):
point for him. So yeah,he didn't have his best game, but
he was he was available, heplayed well enough, you know. Yeah.
Yeah, and I think as well, he's never scored more than like
ten eleven, twelve goals or somethinglike that. I don't know what is
highest in the Premier League is,but he's never He's never been a twenty
goal of season striker. So youknow, if he's able to, depending

(30:12):
on how much he plays, ifhe's able to get in and around the
ten mark for him, I thinkthat'll be a good season. Yeah.
Yeah, Parrisage. I mean,he looks like a completely different player.
I mean, you know, he'sgot a year left, but I'd be
very very happy to keep him.Yeah, I don't know what he's a
It's like he's in something. Ihave a comic book where he's gone into
some machine and it's made him tenyears younger. He just looks completely like

(30:36):
like invigorate, reinvigorated, doesn't heIt's more he's a natural position as well
as now I mean, let's befair. Definitely, definitely he's not having
to do as much as the runningup and down when he's in that forward
position. And I get that webought him as that left wing back under
content because that's what he's done inItaly. But let's be real, doing
that in Italy as a completely different, like asked, than doing it in
England, and he'd be perfect foryou know, maybe if you get to

(30:59):
a sort of point where a fewof the players are blown out their house
at seventy five minutes, you bringhim on and he is no loss in
quality. I mean, he's aworld class player and we've got I think
you need to keep him because Madison'sobviously a dead ball specialist. Perisitch is
clearly a dead ball specialist in hisown right, like he takes them with
both feet, like there's not manyplayers in the world who can do that.

(31:22):
So I think that, you know, if his contract is over at
the end of this coming season anyway, you might as well just try and
keep him for the remainder of thatseason. And I think he'll enjoy it
more than he did last year becausehe's going to be playing in a way
that's much more suitable to him.Yep, I agree, So let's look
forward to the new season before wedo that. Are you happy with who

(31:44):
we brought in so far? Anddo you feel like we're ready for the
season. I think we are probablyfor the amount of games we're going to
be playing, and I would say, yes, we're probably ready. Personnel
wise, I think that if youwanted to be really if you wanted to

(32:06):
be really picky, I think thatwe could probably do with maybe another left
back option in case the Doggie wasto get injured, because I don't think
we should be trusting Session or Regulonin my view. And also another center
back I think would be ideal becauseif you, if you could, you'd
move out all of the ones,like you know, well, say Die

(32:27):
stays, but you'd move out Sanchez, Tang, Ganger, I'd move out
Davis as well, as much ashe's a reliable head. But I just
that's what I think he's going tobe stopping us from. I think Diah
essentially is what's going to stop usfrom bringing in another center back this season,
if you get what I mean,just because the way the club operates
it is like what they won't wantto be paying his wages if he's not
going to play and you bring intaps Over who is only going to play

(32:49):
when Romero is not playing or whatever, do you know what I mean?
So I mean and unless I supposewe do get shot of Tang Ganger,
which looks like you know, thatcould happen. Road On is apparently going
to Leeds. That's the other one. Road don't forgot about him, and
then we get rid of Sanchez hasthree gone, so yeah, there is
it would open up a space forfor another one. And apparently I've also

(33:12):
talked to Well it's gone quiet now, but there was a talk a while
backer back, because it can beAsso who could play left back. Yeah,
I mean maybe that's an alternate option. I mean Van de Ven can
also play. He's played full leftback as well. Yeah, so maybe
that's what we go with, andwe just stick with Davis and you've got
Van de Ven. They're two playersthat can cover the left back position if
you need them to. I'd almostrather Van de Ven than Davis just because

(33:36):
of his pace, because Davis gotslaughtered against Brentford last season in the back
four. So a left back atleast anyway, So yeah, I think
that's maybe where we're only slightly shortobviously, but at the end of the
day as well, I think I'vegot quite a long term view with Vange
and it's like, you know,we've never been there. I think we've
had a reasonably good window, tobe honest with you, like the fact

(33:57):
that we've now got this center back, and we've never been a club that's
we've always been frustrated of not gettingeverything we need in the window. And
when you think it's like a manager'sfirst window and it's a long term project,
then there's more to be added overtime. Would I would expect us
to sign another center back next summerif we don't, now just die is
going to go. There's going tobe a lot of in the in the

(34:20):
last couple of weeks, a lotof outgoings, and then there might be
something opportunistic or rises because you know, in terms of I think I agree
with you pretty much. In termsof personnel, we're there. We've got
what we more or less needed.In fact, we're bloated. So we
do have to get rid of somewho otherwise just won't be able to register
and they're just going to be playingin their reserves or something, so they're
going to need to find a club. But the only thing I would say

(34:44):
is with the season, like thissort of preseason hasn't been their best.
We were supposed to play Roman.We end up playing Line City Sailors,
and we missed one of the gamesbecause of the rain, and it's it's
so I wonder if we're a gameundercooked. But you know, we'll see
I mean, you know, Imean Andrew said yesterday when someone asked about

(35:07):
that, he just said, look, isn't it you know, it is
what it is. We have tobe ready. Yeah, So I think
he would do what he can toget them ready for it. And we
shouldn't ship the bed if it isn'tthe greatest result on the first game of
the season. We just need tounderstand that. You know, we're going
to have to feel a way intoit a couple of games. Shame the
second game, he's man, you, but at least it's at home.

(35:30):
Yeah, And as you say it, like, I fully expect us to
get better as the season goes on. I don't expect everything because but the
problem the thing is, you canlook amazing in preseason, but that doesn't
necessarily mean that's Once we get intocompetitive games, we gets proper opposition.
Like you, all of a sudden, everything looks a bit tougher and not
quite as easy as it as itdid before. But I do think that
we will almost look sharper, willalmost look better than what we have done

(35:52):
because as play, I don't knowwhat it is, but it's premierent,
top level footballers. When you seehim playing preseason, you just see that
it just has a bit more ofa casual feel to it, no matter
who you're playing, and as soonas you get into the Premier League games
that everyone looks better and sharper likebecause it's just that mentality and the intent
and stuff like that, and youknow, if this is a guy that

(36:14):
we want to be our manager fora good few years. Like I think
people we have regressed as a clubin terms of expectations in my view,
So it's like we're not in theChampions League, we're not in Europe.
We finished eighth, So realistically thetarget is going to be top six,
let's be honest, And I thinkthat that means you're going to lose games,
you're going to draw games, andyou're going to win a quite a

(36:36):
few games as well. Don't getme run, but I don't think it's
going to be like what we've beenused to where we win the majority of
our games like easily. Like Ithink there's going to be a fair few
fixtures we go into not knowing quitewhether we're going to win or not.
Yeah right, I'm going to giveyou a hit, you with a sixty
four thousand dollar question, and you'vegot to give me one word answer.
Can stays or goes stays? Yeah? Yeah. I think it's it's like

(37:00):
heading that way, isn't it.I think what is it? Where Wednesday?
Now? The games on Sunday.I know that there's this bids potentially
coming in. If there is abid coming in that there's been reported of
ninety four million or ninety five million, whatever it is. In my view,
if the club weren't accepting for eightmillion pounds difference, if the club

(37:21):
weren't accepting the previous one, they'renot going to accept this. And I
just think as well, like ifyou've only got as fan as a fan
at least anyway, I couldn't careless what we sell him for if he
goes free next year when he endsup playing for the Man United the season
after, I couldn't care less atthis point. I'd rather keep him as
long as we possibly can. Ithink he would more likely go to Real
Madrid if that's the case though,if he's ready for if he's going for

(37:44):
free, imagine Bendzamon bends Amont won'ttalk about and baby and came together in
that. Yeah, I think he. I think that's you know, he's
seeing that and thinking, what's theworst can happen? Now, I'm going
to get a massive contract off hereor Real Madrid is gonna want me for
nothing? Yeah? I think becausethe Manu is the one that gets talked

(38:05):
about a lot, isn't it.And I think that that's just because you
know, probably the biggest club inEngland, like they're no further along than
us. No, I don't know, I agree, And I don't know
necessarily how much better they're going todo this season compared to last, Like
they could be basically the load ofpreseason games as well, And I know
we can't reach too much into that, but they but they don't look like
brilliant. No. But the thingis with like with it, you can't
always completely dismiss preseason. It's likeArsenal last year, like they completely absolutely

(38:30):
smashed their preseason at the park andthey didn't stop when the season started,
so it was like, oh wow, they really have like kind of continued
here, and then if we've manunited, like you know, they've lost
all their games. But again,like we don't know. If I don't
know who they're picking, ten hardmight be tinkering in and trying things,
and then it'll get serious when thegame, when the proper games start.

(38:52):
So we don't know. But yeah, when it comes to Kane, I
think he will ultimately, you know, he'll go. He'll do. He'll
go where he thinks he's going tobe best for him at the time and
where he thinks he's going to win. When it comes to next summer,
I think, okay, so let'slook forward to the new season. We'll
do the prediction as well. Whatare you most looking forward to for the

(39:13):
season, and if you were tosort of nail your colors to the mast,
what do you think we will achieve? I think I do think we'll
get top six. I don't knowif we'll get the Champions League spot in
top five now, but I thinkthat we can have a fun season.
I think that we can have theway we play, I think we can

(39:35):
have a relatively decent Cup run aswell. How far that goes, I've
not got any clue at this stage. I mean, realistically, I don't
see why you couldn't get to likea semi final or something like that and
then see where you go from there, just because I think that's all about
the draw that you get anyway.But when I say that, I'm thinking
definitely like in a League Cup senseand possibly FA Cup, but I think

(39:57):
the League Cup would be easier toprobably get because it's just less games for
it ultimately. But yeah, Ithink, you know, I definitely think
we'll finish top six of we'll gethigher than what we did last season.
I think it will be tough whenyou've got teams like Brighton and Villa who
were going to be better than theywere last year. And I think I
think Villa are going to be reallygood, not necessarily to watch, but
I do think they'll be effective andthey'll win a lot of games Remy,

(40:22):
so we'll see. I think that'sright. I think the other teams have
around us have improved, so thereis that to factor in, because you
know, obviously not only we improved, and we're playing a different type of
football which is going to take alittle while to settle in. However,
I think that even if you reflectthem last season, there was a kind

(40:43):
of sliding doors moment where we couldhave gone third, and it just fell
apart, and mostly because the managerscouldn't be fucked anymore, we you know,
and obviously Basuma got injured, notpursuming sorry, well Pursumer was injured
as well, but Bentenker, Idon't think you can underestimate just what that
did to our season. We hadRomero injured for a little bit as well

(41:07):
and just wasn't quite the same playerafter the World Cup. There were a
lot of okay excuses, but Ithink that we weren't hugely off it.
It just fell apart. And Ithink eighth not much is going to be

(41:28):
expected of us. A lot ofpredictors are pitching us to be sort of
ninth tenth. I think we'll surprisea lot of people this year, and
with the sort of attacking talent thatwe have, and if we can get
the defense to click, I'm I'mgoing to be bold. I'm going to
say that I think we can finishfifth and I think we will end our

(41:52):
trophy drought with one of the twoCups. That'd be amazing, wouldn't it?
Like? How amazing? With that? I mean genuinely, apart from
maybe the Champions League run, toget to the final like that would be
like the best season in recent memory. If we were able to do that,
wouldn't it But it would be ridiculous, I think if we were able

(42:13):
to achieve that. But I mean, you know, you look at it.
Okay, You've got a number ofstrong teams up there, so you're
going to I'm not sure. Imean, Liverpool fans are a bit worried
about their team. I'm not surethey're going to be brilliant. They're gonna
be a bit better than last season, but I'm not sure they feel like
they're in flux. So okay,let's get let's count it out. So
you've got rights. City will probablywin it again. I hate to say

(42:36):
it, but Arsenal probably going tobe up and around there. Yep.
I don't think Newcastle are going tohave the same season. I think the
developing so, but you would probablyput maybe Menu in there, and then
it's anyone really from Chelsea to youknow, us, Brighton, new Castle,

(43:00):
Newcastle I don't think or as goodas us yet. Brighton I think
look really good, but they're stillnot as good as us yet. We
just you know, you know thatfell away for us as we last season,
and only just if we do whatwe're supposed to, we finish above
teams like that, do you knowwhat I mean? Yeah, yeah,

(43:20):
so, I you know, ifit does go down and there's got a
couple of sort of things that fallinto place for it to go down to
fifth, but it can happen.I fancy that we could finish fifth with
Champions League and why not one ofthe Cups? I think. I think
one of the things that Angel dois he won't approach games like we had

(43:42):
last season where we feeled under strengthsides. No chance he's going to He's
going to go full tilt at thosecups. I think if he doesn't,
pots never cared about him, didhe? That was half the problem,
like I think he did. Whenwe started to get some favorable runnings and
stuff like that, like you gotme, he got to like a final
and semi final wonder him, Ithink. But at the same time,

(44:04):
he was quite happy to field muchweaker teams in them. And I don't
think that we have any excuse todo that when you think like these players
would be happy playing twice a weekif they're in the Champions League, so
they should be happy playing twice aweek when when the cup competitions start as
well. Yeah. Absolutely, I'mjust going to try and play this as
a sort of message from and wemight just finish on if I can,

(44:25):
if I can queue it up.Let's see he's talking about the fans.
Fans are usually the best judges becausewe're the most invested. You know,
Experts and people from the outside canhave opinions, but the ones are matter
the most, of the ones whoyou know are going to be there long
after I'm gone and have been herealong before I came, and you know,

(44:49):
they'll they'll let me know how I'mgoing, and hopefully they'll see a
team that gives them belief and hope, hopefully you'll see a team that resonates
with what they want to see intheir football sides. And that's what I
try and I'm going to try andbring and along with that some success.
What that looks like tangible wiser we'llsee, fans. You have to be

(45:10):
excited by that, don't you.Yeah, I mean, how how refreshing
is it to hear someone speak aboutnot just not just a club, the
way that he's spoken about the club, but the way he speaks about us
as fans and how important we areand how much Lucky cares about what we
think and and i'd say proper footballman. But but he gets it,

(45:31):
doesn't he? Yea does get it. Yeah, And it does just help,
don't get me wrong. It doesalways help when you've got someone who
English is their first language, becausethey can just get they can just convey
their points in a much easier waylike whereas I feel like when you get
people where English isn't their first language, like what we've had for the last
three manage, well four managers let'ssay, then, it just doesn't like,

(45:54):
you know, they just don't comeacross in the right Well. I
thought Pochettina used to be for straightingas hell when his press conferences all the
time, he's always trying to justis he just shit at English? Or
does he know what he's trying tosay? And he knows, he's fully
what he's saying there and it doesactually sound like what it is. I
mean, I think I think theother thing that he's got as an advantage,

(46:15):
he clearly is a motivator and aman manager and and you know,
he really thinks psychologically about the game. I think he understands what makes players
tick and he will go into alot of detail on that and from from
what I believe, there's a newbook coming out on and and some of

(46:37):
the people that have been asked tosort of talk about him are not in
the football world, but are soimpressed by him. They use quotes about
basically that you know, it's thesame sort of thing about man management,
about leadership and all this kind ofstuff. And he comes across as someone
who clearly understands the game but alsounderstands leadership and how to motivate and how

(47:01):
to you know, what's needed interms of, like, you know,
not having people in your team thatfeel like they're hostages that you know,
you will need them to feel likethey want to be there. And that's
why I think where he will get, you know, put the team together,
have people that actually genuinely want to, as he said, get on

(47:22):
the train and be there, youknow, for whatever destination that will be
him. And he's talked about goalsand targets. He said, actually they're
very very self limited. He says, I want us to be the best
that we can possibly be and continueto do that rather than think we've arrived
at our goal and that's it andtake the foot off the gas. He

(47:42):
really understands psychology, and I thinkthat's, like you were saying, the
straight talking. The fact that hedoes speak you know, English is his
first language, does help. Butbut that that communicates really well. I
mean one of the things that hedid at his other clubs he got in
translators because he likes to tell storiesand he is there and I think a
lot of good leaders understand that,you know, you have to create a

(48:04):
vision and ethos, and what youhave to do is tell the success stories
about your club, about what wetry to do, and often that's done
through metaphor and story. As youknow, we understand that well and it
kind of resonates with us better.And I think he's he understands how to
tap into that and that that asidefrom the you know, the incredible attack

(48:25):
in football, that really that thatgives me a lot of hope in terms
of that, you know this foronce we have a man you know,
that really does seem to you know, understand what it takes to make an
organization successful and want and wants itto happen. I think he understands that
this is a big shot for himas well, and he wants it to

(48:47):
be a success. I'm really reallylooking forward to this season. And give
me a few months and maybe I'llchanged my mind, But so far,
allow me to be excited. Yeah, I think we all should be.
I think we've got plenty of reasonto be. And I think that as
long as we're a bit open mindedto the fact that it isn't going to

(49:07):
be all roses all the way through. I definitely think there's going to be
bumps along the way, But Ithink, as you've said, it's much
easier to endure stuff like that whenyou can see the intent behind it is
the right way to go about things, and you're you know, ultimately you've
got someone who is isn't cold,They're very warm in terms of their personality,

(49:28):
and they ultimately seem like a goodperson that you want to obviously do
good things for. And I feellike that in some ways helps us as
fans, because we've got someone thatwe actually want to get behind because he
just have how he comes across aswell. Yeah. Yeah, and you
know, don't get me wrong,I'd be like any other fan, I'm
going to swing backwards and forwards.Yeah, of course we all do because
you know that that's the nature ofthe game. We're emotional and you know,

(49:50):
as fans, and it means somuch to us. It's either do
more or it's glory, one ofthe two. And yeah, and but
I'm just I think we have somethingto look forward to next season, and
you know, and it's about time. You know, it feels world well
overdue. Yeah, now, completelya great mate. I'm looking forward to

(50:12):
it to get started now, right. And on that note, I'm going
to do a quick shout out toRedemption if you haven't got along to their
It's not just full of bearded people, as Chris would would say. It's
actually an amazing place. The peoplethat own it, and he's a great
guy, really into the community area. They have a fantastic sort of standard

(50:37):
range of beers, but occasionally they'redoing new ones as well. They're just
really warm place to go to andit's always a really good atmosphere. It's
never too loud because part of itsindoors, part of its outdoors. Often
the opposition fans will be there andthere's all very harmonious. You know,
it's it's never any kind of nastyvibes there. You haven't got those horrible

(50:59):
cues for the toilets with sticky carpetsand all that kind of stuff. You
know, if you if you canmake it there, it's it's definitely a
good place to go. And onthat note, I'm going to sign off
with kis Well in the store.Haven't no sorry, Jay, Jame