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Episode 299: Saints on international duty!
0 Playsin 11 hours
Southampton – We talk today about our saints who have been away on international duty, and how they got on for their countries!
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Transcript
Intro
Shea Charles' Season Performance
00:06:44
Zak
Yeah, he reminds me of at least the way that he's been this season. and Early doors, Matty Fernandes last season, where like he was the one that the like specifically stood out in a team of not great players.
00:06:59
Zak
And for a while, he fell under the radar.
00:07:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:07:02
Zak
Obviously, that didn't happen in the end, hence the reason he's ended up at West Ham. But like I think that Shea Charles has probably been one of our strongest players so far this season. So to see him go away and do that internationally as well is nothing but a positive.
00:07:17
Zak
I'm really looking forward to, you know, hopefully getting, you know, getting a win. but but Not all the games, but getting a win under his belt will hopefully drive him on to kind of carry on and try and do the same with us, right?
00:07:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, look, I think it's great and it's fantastic to see him shine in both in our squad and in the and international squad. He had such a strong season last season out on loan and so it's good see him kick on. he you know He also played for the full 90 minutes against Germany in a a narrow 1-0 loss and he very nearly scored the equaliser. don't know if you saw that. He did pick up a booking in stoppage time, but He picked up a BBC rating in that game of 7.18, which is just against Germany. I know Germany were not firing on all cylinders by any stretch of the imagination, but just goes to show the quality he brings.
00:08:09
Zak
Yeah, and I think as well, well case this this Northern Ireland don't have the greatest team anymore, right? They haven't really ever had the greatest team, but even so, standing out in you know that team as well as he has is nothing but a good thing.
00:08:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:08:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's it. Right, mate. Let's have a little pause, take a little break, and have a message from our partners at Bionique.
00:09:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, mate, and we are
J. Robinson's Under-19 Role
00:09:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
back. So moving on down the list, on Saturday, j Robinson starred for the England under-19s.
00:09:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
He played 67 minutes in a 4-1 win. He didn't get on the score sheet, but good to be in about it. Honestly, the reports on the under-19s games and trying to find anything about them online are as bare-bones as you can possibly get.
00:09:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
so So that is all of the information I've got, but but good that he's there and getting minutes and in the mix. It's a good thing, right?
00:09:47
Zak
For sure. You'd expect him to to be bigger part of the season so far, right? like I think everyone kind of expected him to be the the breakout replacement for Tyler Dibbling.
00:09:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:09:56
Zak
Not quite been that way. and I wonder if we'll start to see him a bit more now or not. like I feel like there's got to be reasons for it. I just don't know what it is. Maybe it's just that he's like a bit too young or doesn't quite have isn't quite up to that level quite yet.
00:10:13
Zak
But everything we've seen of him has been positive. so and you know And I think if you're getting capped internationally anywhere, it means that you are impressed enough right to be considered to be in that part of that international squad.
00:10:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:10:26
Zak
So yeah, it's a good thing.
00:10:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
I agree. i think that he's been probably one of the biggest victims of changing up the system to the way Will still particularly likes with the wide players and the crosses because he's more of like not quite like a creative number 10 but he's also not quite like a
00:10:34
Zak
oh
00:10:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
pacey, drive-up wide winger. someone who just enjoys carrying the ball. He's sort of like, almost like a false nine, I think, ideally. So i think that he's sort of suffered from that. But yeah, I'm sure we'll see plenty of him this season. And, you know, it's just competition for places in the team. It's tough with a squad as big as ours.
00:11:08
Zak
Yeah, for sure. like the As well, like the amount of money we've spent on some of those players, is you know I think it's always going to be a factor in whether people get picked or not. But definitely there's definitely been a lot of lot of change.
00:11:21
Zak
And yeah i think you're right, he has just been a victim of that.
00:11:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Indeed.
Ireland vs Portugal Analysis
00:11:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Also on Saturday, the Republic of Ireland played in a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to Portugal, where the winner was scored in like late stoppage time, which came after Kelleher saved a penalty like deep into the game as well.
00:11:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
We have three players away with the Republic of Ireland, but only Manning starred in this game. He played the full 90 minutes, though, and picked up a booking in the 84th minute.
00:11:53
Zak
yeah
00:11:54
Zak
Man, what is it with our players picking up fuckings, man?
00:11:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I couldn't find what it was for, but I suspect time-wasting, if I'm honest.
00:12:02
Zak
yeah
00:12:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
But he got like a 6.81 player rating on the BBC, which is is pretty good going. Yeah.
00:12:10
Zak
Smallbone played a bit of that game as well. Came on as a late sub.
00:12:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah Yeah, obviously he's out on loan, so I haven't got him written down on my list of Saints, but you're right.
00:12:15
Zak
I'm pretty sure...
00:12:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
he Yeah.
00:12:19
Zak
Yeah, no, I think it should kind of count.
00:12:21
Zak
I don't know whether or not he'll come back. It depends, I guess, on what this season brings, right? But I always think it's important. And I'm pretty sure Will Ferrier used to play for us a long time ago. but don't know if that's entirely accurate.
00:12:34
Zak
But yeah, obviously, it's going to be difficult for Baz to get any minutes, right? With Nelihar being like, you save but you save a penalty from Ronaldo.
00:12:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean...
00:12:43
Zak
Like, you know you're not...
00:12:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
That puts you right up there. Yeah, for sure.
00:12:46
Zak
You're not not starting the next game, right? Like...
00:12:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Azaz didn't feature in that game either, but we will see him feature later on in this list. yeah Spoilers ahead.
00:12:57
Zak
Oh.
00:12:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Next up, chronologically, obviously talked about Roshlev on Sunday. on Tuesday, Jay Robinson again in the England under-19s.
00:13:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
He came on as a substitute in the 67th minute. and took part in a 7-0 win over Wales, but again, not getting on the score sheet there. So...
00:13:21
Zak
Interesting.
00:13:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
But, i mean I mean, impact off a bench, I'm pretty sure it was already 5 or 6 when he came on, so...
00:13:27
Zak
Yeah, there you go. So at that point, he's just seeing out the game, isn't
00:13:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's it. and
00:13:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, yeah. I've got one more to talk about, but we've got a couple of points to talk about in it, mate. So let's...
00:13:39
Zak
Okay.
00:13:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's have a little break and have a message from our partners at Zencastr and then get into it. Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform.
00:13:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Zencastr came out the clear winner. With 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing that automatically removes all those ums and ahs, it's super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently.
00:14:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description to learn more about Zencastr.
00:14:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Alright mate, closing out my my list.
Ireland vs Armenia Highlights
00:14:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
The game that I do have the most notes about to be fair, but
00:14:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's it was the Republic of Ireland against Armenia which finished 1-0 to the Republic of Ireland.
00:14:22
Zak
hmm
00:14:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Buzunu unfortunately didn't make the cut like you say. He was never going start after Kaleha saved Ronaldo.
00:14:30
Zak
After you save a penalty from Ronaldo, mate, I think it's pretty difficult to to drop you for currently the mixed-choice goalkeeper for Southampton.
00:14:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Indeed.
00:14:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Indeed.
00:14:41
Zak
So I'm not really surprised.
00:14:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's it. But both Ryan Manning and Finnazzas started and finished this game. They got full runouts. Interestingly about this one, me neither of them got particularly good ratings on the BBC ratings that I was looking at.
00:14:57
Zak
Right.
00:14:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
But i did notice that they were voted for by people.
00:15:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I went and took a look on FOTMOB. And actually, Ryan Manning on there got their man of the match with a rating of 8.3.
00:15:08
Zak
Interesting.
00:15:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
So it's interesting the like disparity between stats-based. It says he had a really good game, but like play human perspective-wise, not so much in a game.
00:15:19
Zak
Well, what's bizarre about that is the person with the lowest rating is Will Smallbone, who assisted the goal.
00:15:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:15:26
Zak
Like, it might be it was a hard-won game and people should have felt they probably could have done better. at the same time, like if you if you've got an Armenian player that's going to completely lose his head,
00:15:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:15:38
Zak
What do you expect?
00:15:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, yeah, that's it. So, yeah, so Will Smallbone with the cross to assist Evan Ferguson with the goal for the 1-0 win. And Finnaz was involved in the the moment you previously mentioned of the the Armenian player losing his head with a headbutt.
00:15:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Finnaz got headbutted and the other player got sent off. Just, I don't know if he'd like been in his ear or or what for some of the game before that, but it's...
00:16:03
Zak
Yeah, i mean I mean, seven minutes into the second half to go and like absolutely like try to head...
00:16:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:16:09
Zak
Mate, you can't get away with that anymore. You can barely get away with having too many words. like So, yeah, I guess i guess what can you say about that? but I mean, it's wonderful for, I guess, the whole Irish squad and for those guys to come back.
00:16:24
Zak
But, yeah, it's a shame for the could-have-been-Saint-Sperzian mate as well.
00:16:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes, I saw that he was involved
00:16:30
Zak
who played played the full night. Yeah, it's like
Spurgeon and International Play
00:16:34
Zak
weird. I now like, I can pay attention to his name whenever, whenever like our media do it anything just to see if we missed out on much.
00:16:40
Zak
And don't know. It's hard to, hard to say really. that I mean, arguably at this point,
00:16:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
involved. I feel like judging him on an Armenian performance might not be, you know, might be putting a lot on him personally to carry the country on his shoulders, let's put it that way.
00:16:55
Zak
No, no i To be clear, Greg, I understand completely, but also i just don't feel like I'm going to be looking up like Russian League scores that often. So so say it's the only time I kind of remember he exists is, oh yeah, our media are playing.
00:17:10
Zak
What if Spurgeon's playing for him still? That's what I mean. More of like, let me go and check if Krasnodar or whatever have won the League this year, right? that That's more what I meant.
00:17:21
Zak
But yeah, it was a really good good game for Ireland, right?
00:17:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. but
00:17:24
Zak
Like, like Crack it on.
00:17:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah, third place in their group now, which gives them the chance to to qualify, I think. I mean, I'm not to claim to be any sort of expert on World Cup qualification, frankly and honestly, not even entirely sure if we've officially qualified or not yet, because I just don't pay attention to it in that way. is It just all goes a bit over my head, but...
00:17:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
But no good result for them. Good, solid game. And good to see a couple of Saints having real solid performances in there. so And that's that's it, mate, for my notes.
00:17:58
Zak
yep
00:18:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
So it's been a you know busy international window, even with the you know only seven of our players away. There's still some some standout performances in there and you know a couple of unfortunate, some bit of an unfortunate injury for Kwasi.
00:18:11
Zak
Yeah, for sure. like it's yeah say
00:18:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
It'll be interesting to see what comes of that. But yeah.
00:18:21
Zak
for like For me, obviously, the standout and highlights being Che Charles doing so well, and I hope
00:18:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely.
00:18:27
Zak
And like, I just can't believe that even to this day, we've still got Ronaldo and Messi playing international football. Just insane. Surprised both of them are still in the game. And it's the only,
International Break Conclusion
00:18:38
Zak
like, again, my interaction with international football, think it's even less than yours, Greg, because realistically, we joke about it, but we will like flick through the scores just to see how the different teams are doing in the build-up to like tournaments that I really enjoy.
00:18:50
Zak
But it's good to see our players do well, at least. Even even if like,
00:18:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's great. and And like that Shea Charles performance, you know, literally made front page of BBC football headlines. So it's just, you know, it was such a well-achieved thing. It's just it' great. Good to see that he's going to be getting that back in and getting that level of support whilst away from your country and and having that quality performance can only be a good thing for your domestic campaign as well. Like he's going to come back so full of confidence.
00:19:23
Zak
Yeah, for sure.
00:19:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
But yeah, that's it, mate. That's all I've got on internationals. Any other fun, fanciful scores you want to mention or any ex-Saints that popped up that spring to mind?
00:19:37
Zak
no Not that I can think of. like I don't know if you if you wanted to add anything else about England or like any of the other stuff. i think I don't remember.
00:19:48
Zak
thick a car remember eddie can't remember if anyone else did. I want to say like i enjoy again like i enjoyed looking at some of the Africa qualifiers, mainly because of like you get to see teams play like Cape Verde and the Seychelles and stuff like that, which is always cool.
00:20:03
Zak
But I don't really remember anything like proper... standout-y from our ex-internationals, which really, i guess, shows you how much we've changed over the time, right? Like, I know that you're saying, oh, well, it's still seven. That's still big. I'm like, yeah, but we went from a time where, like, yeah, it was like there was international football going on every single day.
00:20:22
Zak
One of the only other things that i think is a bit weird, which, while on the same vein, and this is kind of a bit of an aside, is that I don't think Sugawara's appeared for ja Japan recently.
00:20:32
Zak
And on top of that, can't remember who the guy is who plays for Coventry, but he has appeared in the Japanese international squad. And I can't help but remember that one of the reasons that he needed to leave was because he was told he needed to play in the top five leagues.
00:20:47
Zak
Hasn't yet then featured. And then also team players from our league are now appearing in the team. Now, I don't know that's just because they've had like Friendlies or whatever, but i still feel like that's just a bit weird that that was supposedly the driving force, right?
00:21:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
by it Baffling. I mean, it could just be, yeah, it's, it's such a strange one. I don't know. It's, it could even have been that he was told that, but it was really just, you know, an excuse in the long run. It's just,
00:21:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Who knows, right, what happens behind closed doors and what's said to.
00:21:19
Zak
Oh
00:21:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's such a strange one.
00:21:23
Zak
Chay McAdams scored there you go but That's another one.
00:21:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
but
00:21:27
Zak
people just Just to rile up the people that think that we should have never let him go and brought him back. And I just also see him equally missing most of the opportunities that have passed to him this year. right like i know that a lot of people...
00:21:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, you want to talk about lack of clinical. if He's the name that springs to mind.
00:21:41
Zak
Yeah, like the idea that we never replaced him. And I'm just like, no, the problem is is we we never really replaced Danny Ings, who was really a replacement for Pelé. And that was really to do with the fact that we had a completely different quality of squad.
00:21:55
Zak
So that's the the only kind of extra thing I wanted to add, if I'm totally honest, mate.
00:21:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's good thing. And look, that but brings us to a close of the the pain of an international break. And now we can cast our eyes forward to to some real football and and look forward to Saturday when we welcome Swansea to St Mary's.
00:22:07
Zak
Thank goodness.
00:22:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
And do you know what, mate? We might just talk about that tomorrow and it'll be really exciting to talk about real football.
00:22:19
Zak
Oh, football. Football's back. It's so back.
00:22:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
But look, until then, that's all we've got time for today. Zach, thank you very much as always for joining me.
00:22:32
Zak
Thank you, mate.
00:22:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you everyone for sticking with us in this international break and catching up with us today as how our Saints did whilst away on duty. e And look, let us know on all the socials. Do you have any standout Memories of the international break.
00:22:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're on all of them. We're on TikTok, X, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Blue Sky, YouTube, everywhere. Hit us up. We'd love to hear from you. Like say, we will be back with a big match preview tomorrow. but Until then, have a wonderful day, of everyone, and we'll see you then.