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Daily Manchester United - Episode 126 - United Airplane Mode
17 Plays22 days ago
Niall is joined by Kieran to discuss the Arsenal and upcoming Sociedad game!
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Transcript
Introduction and Manchester United Surprises
00:00:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello everyone and welcome back to another episode of the daily Manchester United podcast. I am your host for this evening Niall Hannigan and I'm joined by Ciarán McGinley. Ciarán, how's it going?
00:00:19
Kieran McGinley
Going pretty well, yeah. Helped the fact that we got a a point. um And it's a point more than I thought we were going to get especially after Arsenal's drubbing of PSV. But yeah, I'll take it.
00:00:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely. And yeah, we always kind of seem to put up a bit of a fight in these big games. And that was exactly what happened, maybe for 45 minutes of that. But yeah, plenty to unpack.
00:00:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
and Myself and and Tom were on yesterday. um A bit of ah a raw reaction to the match um yesterday evening. But yeah, you were saying you were ah you were flying back from Ireland and you you took a little you took a little ah look at the phone when you landed and said, I think this is a bit too good to be true.
00:00:51
Kieran McGinley
Hehehe. and
00:00:58
Kieran McGinley
thought I'd landed in another time zone. it was like, hang on a minute. No, this this can't be right. But no, um managed to sort of catch up on on what happened. And I'll just start by saying it's a great free kick.
Bruno Fernandes: Free Kick and Leadership
00:01:10
Kieran McGinley
Questions asked to the wall, questions asked to the keeper, but take nothing away that Fernandes, that's a great free kick. And two on the bounce for him so far this season. He's now on so seven goals for the season. say he's now our top goal scorer in the Premier League.
00:01:26
Kieran McGinley
You love to see it.
00:01:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
I know it's embarrassing really isn't it seven goals yeah
00:01:29
Kieran McGinley
I mean, I tried to put a positive spin on it and I realised as soon as I said seven goals, yeah.
00:01:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, you did say about a lot of you know conviction, though. So like it sounds good, but then when you actually listen and you hear Seven, it's like, oh, yeah, that's that's actually quite concerning. But ah yeah, great free kick.
00:01:44
Kieran McGinley
Hmm.
00:01:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Actually, and after we recorded last night, I saw ah Christian Eriksson's post-match interview, and he was like... they were describing the goal and it was like, it helps when the wall was 15 meters back.
00:01:57
Kieran McGinley
Hmm.
00:01:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
So he was, he was loving it. And I think he probably wanted to be on the free kick when he saw how far the wall was back. But yeah, I mean, it makes a massive difference. Like you don't just need to get the ball up as high and up and down as quickly.
00:02:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, but Raya was so questionable as well. I mean, you even looking at it before the free kick, you thought he was a bit far over and he did kind of creepy yard on the run
Arsenal's Missed Opportunities and Raya's Goalkeeping
00:02:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
up, but,
00:02:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, just so far away from it. But as you said, we're going to take nothing away from the goal because they're few and far between um we're going to take it when we get it.
00:02:27
Kieran McGinley
Yeah, we've scored a goal. Excellent. Now, I think I kind of felt for Arsenal a little bit because it was our first shot on target and it happened to be a free kick from a wall that was a little bit too far.
00:02:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:02:41
Kieran McGinley
It's amazing what a yard of a difference can do, but it makes it easier, as you said, to to get the ball over the wall in the first place.
00:02:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:02:48
Kieran McGinley
um And I think at that point, you're sure if you're an Arsenal fan, you're turning around and thinking, well, great, brilliant. this is This couldn't have gone any worse if we tried. But yeah, to be honest with you, I think Arsenal...
00:03:02
Kieran McGinley
from the balance of the game, should have been at least two up in that first half. They were they were all over us, but they they just weren't finding back of the net for for whatever reason. And it was a game where I don't think we were particularly excellent.
00:03:15
Kieran McGinley
I just think Arsenal had an off day against us, which has been happening quite frequently. We haven't won against Arsenal in quite some time. And I had to look back at the last time we had beaten Arsenal in a league game, or at least in all competitions.
00:03:30
Kieran McGinley
if Obviously, when we say unbeaten, we're obviously meaning 90 minutes and that's that. it's cup competition, that's that.
00:03:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah.
00:03:37
Kieran McGinley
But we're winless in our last six games against Arsenal, which is two draws and four losses.
00:03:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:03:43
Kieran McGinley
um And that's the longest run since April 1999. Again, it's another, we are making history, but for all the wrong reasons and all the wrong teams.
00:03:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Breaking records, baby. but
00:03:54
Kieran McGinley
It's like, oh no. On a positive note, though, Fernandes has now been involved in ah directly involved in 25 plus goals in each of his last three seasons for Manchester United. For this, he's had 12 goals and assists in all competitions this season.
00:04:09
Kieran McGinley
And only yeah one of three players to have done so for a Premier League club in 22-23, 23-24 and 24-25. ah Any guesses as to who they could be, those two mystery players in the league?
00:04:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
there below him or who's done it before above him this season or over the last few seasons
00:04:23
Kieran McGinley
Above him. yeah well Well, the same as him, 25 plus.
00:04:31
Kieran McGinley
In the last three seasons,
00:04:35
Kieran McGinley
i'll give you I'll give you a clue. One of them's about to win a Premier League.
00:04:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah Salah's one of them and then is it goals and assists is it or just I'm going to say Haaland because he might have got a couple of tap and assists there but yeah okay
00:04:40
Kieran McGinley
Salah's one of them. Yes, it is.
00:04:46
Kieran McGinley
Yeah. It is. And that's courtesy of the analysts as well. Possibly my favorite place for just niche facts. And I love that. I love a niche fact.
00:04:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, the analyst is our third guest on these tactics, to be fair.
00:04:58
Kieran McGinley
but
00:04:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, but yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:04:59
Kieran McGinley
Honestly, honestly, it's a great place. Yeah.
00:05:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
We need to get like an AI voice for the analyst so that they can they can read off these these stats. But then Ciarán be out of a job.
00:05:08
Kieran McGinley
I would. I would be. Otherwise, what would i what would I actually talk about? I know nothing. So, no, I think um you get to half-time in this game and we're lucky to be up.
00:05:19
Kieran McGinley
And although I was on a play when it happened, it was just a case of, no, that can't be right. That's a typo, isn't it? Surely not.
00:05:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, still on airplane mode. Yeah, i I was surprised as well because, I mean, we were really, really bad in the first half. And I mean, the energy when the free kick went in, the place just lifted and you're thinking, oh, like, should we just, I wish this happened 10 minutes earlier when we kind of push it on from here. But then,
00:05:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
in a way, I was also happy that they just went into the changing room. You know, you can look at it both ways where it's either the worst time to score or the best time to score, but um we scored, which is any time is a good time these days. So it was great. And to be fair to them, they did maintain that energy and the the application into the second half. Like they were excellent.
00:06:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
They created a lot more chances, even though we had 30 something percent possession, we had probably more XG actually. And I'm not a big fan of that stat in general, but yeah,
00:06:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
when it's ah when it's in favour of United, i'll I'll talk about it all day, every day. But I mean, it was it was it was clear because, you know, you mentioned in the first half that Arsenal dominated and didn't really create any chances.
00:06:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's been kind of a big issue for them over the past few months. And and the whole talk around Arsenal is not being able to sign a striker to kind of put all those good kind of pieces of play together and to actually put it into the back of the net because, know,
00:06:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know, from from the back line through to midfield, they're really good at recycling the ball, creating kind of sustained pressure, but don't really create any clear-cut chances. And United were the complete opposite, where they were kind of living off scraps, would get a bit of a chance, and just kind of gambled with a few balls into the box. And they really did pay off in terms of great chances, but Raya was too good, I suppose. so
00:07:00
Kieran McGinley
Yeah, yeah and I totally agree. Raya had one of those games where in open play, you weren't getting past him. you Whatever you did, no matter what the shot was going to be, yeah he keeps out that Maserawi shot and you just think, well, there's just no beating him today.
00:07:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:07:16
Kieran McGinley
Summed it up by Fernandes' shot, which you know it cannons off him. He makes that save and it's up in the air, it's spinning, it could go anywhere and he just claws it off the line. And you think, well, yeah, that's that sums up the second half. We had the chances and it's not that we didn't take them, it's that we couldn't.
00:07:31
Kieran McGinley
I think we could have easily been two or three up of this game had we faced anyone other than Raya, who has been great for Arsenal. He's had his ups and downs this season especially. And called into question sometimes his positioning, his decision making when it comes to defending set pieces.
00:07:47
Kieran McGinley
But from open play, his shot stopping is fantastic. He's one of the toughest keepers to beat. And, you know, it took a free kick to beat him. And that's what I'll say about that.
00:07:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, some of those chances, like the Mizrahi one in particular, like we talked about it yesterday as well, but it was it was actually an incredible kind of finish from Mizrahi. Kept it low and hard off a kind of first-time volley from Dalo cross, one of the ones that did did find its target.
00:08:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Reyes took out the leg and just pushed a pass around the post. And you kind of just thought at that stage... We needed the second goal to make sure we were going to win that game because Arsenal were still kind of dominating the ball.
00:08:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
um And you just kind of had that sinking feeling that they were going to score eventually. And then towards the end, it kind of turned into, let's just make sure that we get something out of the game, even though we did have a couple of chances. So, um yeah, as you as you said, just one of those days, I suppose.
00:08:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, yeah, Raya doing his his best Alisson impression during that game. But anyway, let's take a quick break there and I'll be back with a bit more coverage of the match the weekend.
00:09:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Ciarán, I think we have to talk about Bruno. You rattled off a couple of stats there that he's done over the last couple of years. And since he's kind of been at the club, he's been our best player and most consistent player and player that's run around the most. And yes, he's been...
00:10:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
I suppose, conflicting and people have had different ideas of of of him and whether his leadership style is a bit different maybe traditional leadership styles. But in terms of actually showing up for United when we badly need someone, and yes, we are 15th in the league, but if we didn't have him, where would we be?
00:10:24
Kieran McGinley
And that's the worrying thing, isn't it? I mean, when he arrived in that sort of winter 2020, was it 50 odd million pounds? Maybe it was Euros at that point. But either way, what what a turnaround. he in In our recent history, he's been the best signing Man United have made. and Look, I'm just looking at it now. 285 appearances in all competitions, I think this is 93 goals. it it really has been a case of, yeah, we where would we be without him? We would probably be, especially this season, and looking at a relegation dogfight.
00:10:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:10:57
Kieran McGinley
I think I've mentioned before how I think he's the closest player that we have that is world class. And I'm very stingy when it comes to world-class. How would you define that?
00:11:08
Kieran McGinley
You've got to be top five, at least in your position, maybe even top four, top three. I don't think Bruno's there, but in terms of the the raw talent he has and the ability for him to change a game, he's got it in abundance.
00:11:22
Kieran McGinley
He's definitely one of our best players and and has been for some time. And you would think a team like that, managers would come in and build the team around Fernandes. And it's just not worked like that. And I'm trying to scratch my head and get my head around why that hasn't happened.
00:11:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it is really interesting because even when you go back to maybe that that squad under Oli and you looked at that attacking kind of options that we had and even the midfield options as well, they're just, if you go through personnel and player by player, it's just way better.
00:11:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, you know, Bruno doesn't stand out as much in that. Obviously, he's one of our our best players even during that time, but Now it's like he's the only hope for anything, for someone to make a big tackle, for someone to play a through ball, for someone to actually finish first time outside the box, inside the box, free kicks like we've seen over the last couple of weeks.
00:12:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Everyone just kind of stops and looking at him and hoping for something that that he would do. It's like that... that scene from the Incredibles, they're just hoping, just the wee kid looking at Mr.
00:12:23
Kieran McGinley
Mm-hmm.
00:12:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Incredible, but hoping and he does something amazing in front of him because all the players are just kind of looking around for that inspiration. And when the confidence of the team is so low, you need someone who kind of has that,
00:12:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
that good arrogance and fearlessness in a way thinking, well, I probably am the best technical player on the pitch and and I actually can do something about it. and And to actually be brave enough to make those calls because he's looking around as well, thinking who else is going to do it.
00:12:52
Kieran McGinley
Well, that's it as well. you know it's It's one thing to know you're the best player on the team. It's another thing when you're handed the captain's armband and you are expected to lead this team through thick and thin. And it really has been both ends of that spectrum, especially in the last year or so.
00:13:08
Kieran McGinley
um And as you said, his leadership qualities have been under fire, especially this season. I think he's done okay. Would I have picked him as the captain? Maybe not.
00:13:19
Kieran McGinley
But then again, I'm not behind the scenes. I don't know how much of a a raw impact he has in the dressing room.
00:13:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:13:24
Kieran McGinley
And that's where the manager will know where that impact is, is being held. And managers have come through. I think it was um Eric Ten Hag who stripped Maguire of the captaincy, if I'm remembering correctly.
00:13:37
Kieran McGinley
So in that period of time, it's taken Fernandes to step in, to be that leader that everyone needs. And I mean, there hasn't been the but leadership struggle.
00:13:49
Kieran McGinley
You know, I think Maguire has, know, understood that maybe he's not the best candidate. In fact, Amram's come in and he's almost thought the same. He's kept the status quo.
00:14:00
Kieran McGinley
He's kept Fernandes as captain. So whether that happens in the next season, I think you would rock the boat too much if you take the captaincy off of Fernandes now.
00:14:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:14:07
Kieran McGinley
Having you know two captain changes in two years is not exactly ideal. But There's clearly something working in the background. There's clearly Fernandes is being a leader in the dressing room and you almost want who you want who you are as a manager. You want to see that on the pitch. You want to see yourself and your tactics being relayed through a player on the pitch who can lead the the rest of the team. And for Amrim, Fernandes is that player.
00:14:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, and and we've spoken about this before. In order to take the captaincy off him, you have to find someone to give it to. him And at the moment, there's no options that are kind of screaming at you in terms of, you know, he deserves the armband in a way. So, you know, you'd have to agree that sticking with Bruno at the moment is is probably the best decision for for himself, but also for the team.
00:14:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I think one thing that's always been kind of, and a criticism of Bruno that's been said, is that he's kind of ill-disciplined in a way in terms of, you know, he does whatever he wants within the team and everyone else kind of has to fill in the gaps around him or stick to the structure. And that was very much the case when he was playing in that number 10 role where, you know, he would go back to the center halves or he would kind of just start randomly pressing a left back or something like that and expect everyone else to kind of figure it out around him. But,
00:15:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
What I've noticed over the past couple of weeks is now that he is part of that two in midfield and because two against three against most teams is going to be very difficult, he's playing a lot more disciplined and he's in that position that he's comfortable with anyway, of being deeper, getting on the ball and actually making things happen.
00:15:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
And you mentioned that you know you want a player to actually embody the manager on the pitch. I think he's really buying into this style and wants it to work for Amram. And he knows that I need to be extremely disciplined to play in this two midfield if I am going to go to do this because...
00:15:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
everyone's trying to learn that position and over the next few months they really need to kind of dig in and understand what it is so I'd be very impressed with him on that sense as well where he's not kind of running around and looking to randomly press and also coming up with the goods when it comes to actual goals for us
00:16:12
Kieran McGinley
i Yeah, I mean, as you said, you want someone who is fully behind your system. And especially when you're bringing in, i wouldn't says say a radical system, but it's different to what United have had over the past few years.
00:16:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
hmm
00:16:23
Kieran McGinley
Even if we've had five at the back under Louis van Gaal, it's not the five at the back that van Gaal had. it's It's a much more attacking. Your wingbacks are the entire width of your team.
00:16:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:34
Kieran McGinley
So that's the system that's being brought in. And hopefully we see that develop over the summer once Amarim has had time. it's I wouldn't say it's a complicated system, but it's a system that needs discipline.
00:16:46
Kieran McGinley
And that's where really the communication is key. Players have got to be on the same wavelength. You've got to have that coverage, especially on the wings. If one wingback is going forward, what does the left-sided midfielder do, etct etc., etc.
00:17:00
Kieran McGinley
That's all things that come to these players personally. once they've been in this system and once they've got to know each other.
00:17:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely. and And hopefully we can kind of see more of that as well with with some more signings in the summer to kind of really fill in those knee but knee niche positions that we have. Because obviously the likes of Dargu coming in is great that he will be a bit of a flyer up and down that left side. And you mentioned that you wanted to kind of an attacking area. So we've seen Ahmad in those positions. Do we go even more aggressive on both wings?
00:17:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
I suppose that's the, how, how the actual formation evolves and the maturity that comes with the squad as well and see if we can actually get to that. But anyway, and enough of the tactics stuff, all that boring stuff. Let's take another break and I'll be back with a bit more of a random topic.
Podcasting with Zencastr
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Global Sports Podcast Network
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00:18:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
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00:18:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
So after that draw, obviously we're going to take a bit of encouragement from that, from the from the Arsenal
Europa League Preview and Manager's Strategy
00:18:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
game. We've got a massive game on Thursday night in the Europa League. Real Sociedad.
00:18:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Kieran, how's the nerves going into that?
00:18:40
Kieran McGinley
I think, yeah, there's nerves. I had to had to think about that. There's nerves. But I think from what we've shown in the previous two games, there's something to be encouraged about. I don't know what it is. We're we're looking okay going forward.
00:18:57
Kieran McGinley
And that that might be setting the scene and setting me up for failure, which plaster me all over socials if that is the case.
00:19:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:19:04
Kieran McGinley
But it seems like there's a bit of a leaf turnover, especially... ah gained in In the last two games, take away the fact in the last in the first 45 against Arsenal, we were nowhere.
00:19:18
Kieran McGinley
But I do feel like once we got that goal and we got the wind in our sails, we were we were looking good. I mean, take the Real Sociedad game in the away leg. We were all over them. Real Sociedad did not turn up until they rewarded a penalty.
00:19:30
Kieran McGinley
And from that point, it was momentum was fully on their side.
00:19:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:19:34
Kieran McGinley
So if Real Sociedad can't afford to do that at Old Trafford and things have not been great at home or away for us this season, let's be honest, we've we've thrown away games and we've let teams play their own style at Old Trafford. And that's what accounted for so many drop points and losses at home this season.
00:19:57
Kieran McGinley
We can't let Real Sociedad do that. if if If they do what they did in the last 20 minutes of that first leg, and they get to do that for a sustained pi period of time, they're goingnna they're going to have a field day at Old Trafford.
00:20:10
Kieran McGinley
We've got to turn up with the confidence that we had, the attacking vigour that we had against Arsenal in that second half. And the only way yeah that happens is if the the confidence builds in the squad.
00:20:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Good.
00:20:23
Kieran McGinley
The inconsistency is also where you never know what United team is going to turn up until ah until the the ball is kicked. And it might not even be until 15 minutes later you think, oh, it's going to be one of those days.
00:20:36
Kieran McGinley
So there's a chance. And... We should back ourselves to to win in front of Old Trafford. And I would love to get a winner in the Stretford end. I would love Xerxes or Hoyland even to get on the score sheet after 20-odd games. Is it 22 now?
00:20:51
Kieran McGinley
i feel i feel I feel for him. If he's the one that gets the goal, so be it.
00:20:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:20:56
Kieran McGinley
um And yeah, i there's nothing stopping us from getting to this ah this next round to the quarterfinals of the Europa League. But it's such a banana skin.
00:21:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah. It's you. I think you hit the nail on the head around the, the confidence levels of the team. Like it's just a really fragile set of players at the moment. Like, and that can swing either way. Like first half, they go into that thinking, oh, it's another day where we're just going to be dominated. We're just going to sit in here and kind of hope for the best. And yes, they defended, you know, with...
00:21:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Lots of aggression and defended well, but there was no way out. Like there was it was like we turn over the ball and then it's a kind of a hopeful diagonal to Garnaccio because we didn't have a left wing. Ericsson was playing there. We had no outlet there. So it was mainly on, on Garnaccio's side on the right hand side.
00:21:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
But then as soon as that goal goes in, completely against the run of play, the players like, ah, it's like there's this pressure just lifted off them. They're playing with a freedom. They're trying stuff in the final third. They're actually backing themselves in the final third as well, dribbling out with the ball from from defense, taking an extra touch when needed.
00:22:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like... It's very difficult when a team is is really struggling to start a game like that, but you really have to nearly fake it in a way to play with that confidence until it actually starts to come off for you.
00:22:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I hope that this is this is the time on Thursday because surely they're coming out of that confidence after the Arsenal game. I mean, the amount of chances that we created in the second half... I can't remember the last time we've created a lot of chances like that. Even if we scored more more in a game, that but they were really good chances and they were well worked as well.
00:22:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
and you know I particularly like the one we spoke about, the Mizrahi one, but you talk about a formation coming together where a left wing back crosses it over to the right wing back on a counter attack. like That's what Amram is looking for, where you have these wing backs that can actually defend, but also have quality in the final third.
00:22:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
And yes, they might be completely different personnel in the future, but that system is working. So they have to take some sort of sort of some sort of confidence from that. So I'm once again going into it, you know, blind confidence, but I think there's actually something to back it up based off what we saw in the second half there.
00:23:13
Kieran McGinley
Yeah, and and the important thing was, is as Tom mentioned yesterday, is when that Arsenal goal went in, yeah, it was a bit deflating. But also, i don't think the players really let their heads drop.
00:23:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:23:24
Kieran McGinley
And that's been stuck that's been such a familiar theme, game after game. we We have a goal, we concede. And whether we're winning or we're drawing at the time, our heads drop. And the players just lose that sort of confidence or that momentum for it could even be the rest of the game.
00:23:40
Kieran McGinley
But I didn't really see that against Arsenal. I think in these bigger games against the bigger teams, you know we this team can and do show up. It's going into a game, though, against Roa Sociedad where both teams are really struggling this season. Both of them have found sort of mid-table form.
00:23:57
Kieran McGinley
So for both teams, they will want to back...
00:24:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
we're dreaming we're dreaming of mid table
00:24:01
Kieran McGinley
will ah Well, yeah, that's true. it's Sadly true. that Nevertheless, both teams here are looking to make a long run into the Europa League because it's the last trophy, really, that they've got any chance of getting their name on.
00:24:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, and I mean, Amram said it best. he He said, nothing could save our season, none not not even winning the Europa League, which, I mean, i just, I love the the rawness of it and just how honest he is as well. Like, he's been so honest since he's come in and he kind of speaks for all fans as well. You know, every time he he speaks in a press conference, you're like,
00:24:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, there's there's not too much kind of sugarcoating there, Ruben. Like you've you've really gotten straight to the point, um which I think is, i think we all want to kind of have have a manager like that.
00:24:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
But um as long as we can kind of pick up the results, I suppose, then but we'll we'll continue to back them.
00:24:54
Kieran McGinley
Mm-hmm.
00:24:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
But yeah, it was an interesting one.
00:24:57
Kieran McGinley
I just think, though, yes, it's it's funny right now and it's a way to sort of humour everybody, but it's also a way to take away from the players. It's almost like he's trying to bring the attention to himself.
00:25:10
Kieran McGinley
And as a manager, when it's not going right on the pitch, he's doing the right thing by say it by bringing the media to him.
00:25:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:25:17
Kieran McGinley
He's almost like it all the deflections away from the team and it's to him. Look, I'm sticking with this tactic. You know, we're going to keep going with this. It's on me. taking that almost response a bit responsibility for the actions of the entire team works when you're being you know hit to the ground because it's taken away from the other players.
00:25:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:25:37
Kieran McGinley
It's taken away the limelight. So he's doing right there. What can't happen is the the brutal honesty and it's not improving. We can take the brutal honesty for now because, as he's already said, this season's a write-off. We've known that since about...
00:25:52
Kieran McGinley
December? Christmas, I think. we We sort of knew if this was it now.
00:25:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:25:56
Kieran McGinley
is that We're not, this is it. This is where we are. um we See you next season. But I think that will wear thin if the results don't come next season. But the Europa League perfect time to set the record straight
Anticipation for European Clash at Old Trafford
00:26:10
Kieran McGinley
about big games and big competitions and and where United stand in that game.
00:26:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely. And it's ah you know it's a European night at Old Trafford. It should be great. Yes, it's on the wrong day, but it's fine.
00:26:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
We'll survive. yeah, there's a lot of things wrong, but there's a lot of things as well, right as well. But ah yeah, look, we'll look forward to that. Ciarán, thank you for joining me on on the episode this evening.
00:26:25
Kieran McGinley
And it's the wrong theme song, but it's fine.
00:26:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
And yeah, find us wherever you listen to your podcasts. We're on social media as well. Check us out, give Ciarán some abuse. And yeah, we'll see in the next one.