Transcript
Killian Ginnity: Merry Wednesday. This is the Not A Pundit podcast, but you already know that. I'm Killeen Ginnity and I'm delighted to be joined, as ever, by Nathan Byrne and Conor Glenn. And gentlemen, how are yous?
Conor Glennon: I tell you what, Newcastle are flying again. i cannot complain. we we We'll probably touch on that later. It was a ropey little second half, but it's it's not often we get that amount of goals.
Conor Glennon: So I am in flying form. Now, our red friend again. how are you, my man?
Nate: I'm great. One more week closer to to the end of the season.
Nate: yeah, I'm doing well, lads. How you, Gillian?
Killian Ginnity: Yeah, I'm all good. um Sunderland had a game. Now,
Conor Glennon: Bye.
Killian Ginnity: yeah ah I think, Conor, you summed up the weekend's Premier League quite succinctly. If you haven't seen our social medias, come follow us. I'm not up on the podcast. um with ah Well, that's the title race over with the Liverpool 2, Man City 0.
Conor Glennon: Yeah, it's it's hard to see past it at this point. Look, they deserve it. They're arguably the best team in Europe right now. and Newcastle have them um in the Cup final. I'd be worried about how that's going to go for us. I'm not going to lie and much what a rather it spurs in that final. think it would have been the the final of desperation or the the desperation derby, whatever you want to call it. But yeah, no, you have to give it to Arna Slott.
Conor Glennon: I Like I said, when when he came in, I didn't know much about him. and Yes, he inherited a very good squad from Klopp, but I think he's had to handle a lot of politics.
Conor Glennon: like like The contract situation for multiple players isn't easy to navigate. um I know Salah's having a last dance level season, but i mean even take him out, they're playing very well in every position.
Conor Glennon: um But yeah, I don't know about you boys, but look, here we are, tail end of Feb, and we're saying the league's gone, but it just is. i can't see ah
Killian Ginnity: Nate, you got very hopeful after the Plymouth results. You thought Liverpool were going to wobble. What are you saying now?
Nate: Over debt my dead body is the league over, as Arteta said today.
Killian Ginnity: and
Nate: and You know, I love his enthusiasm. man I think it is over, personally, now. and If they slip up, it will be hilarious, and I pray that they do.
Nate: and boy yeah, they're just... the The league has just been atrocious, I think, quality-wise this season. Like, it really has. Yeah.
Killian Ginnity: but See, that's the thing. I think the league is over because oh the weakness of other teams rather than the strength of Liverpool. at Liverpool have been very good, but like if Nottingham were a little bit better, they could have had Leicester year this year.
Conor Glennon: But this also stinks of the last time Liverpool won it, there was an asterisk against that league title. And, it you know, it was the COVID Cup. And, I mean, it look, I think we're all sour grapes, to be honest. the Look, it's been a poor season. I will agree with that in terms of, you know, the Man City capitulating hasn't helped the the kind of levels of sexy football out there. But you can only beat us in front you and they're beating everyone left and right.
Killian Ginnity: ah The only thing only thing is like Arsenal, like at one stage it seemed like they were going to actually give them ah a bit of a run in when City were dropping off, Arsenal were kind of getting there and then there was the big points difference.
Killian Ginnity: And now they're losing to the almighty Graham Potter's West Ham. Like they didn't sign any strikers in January and then immediately lost Havertz for the rest of the season.
Killian Ginnity: Nate, they're the masters of their own capitulation here.
Nate: I know, they're kicking themselves, they didn't get Evan Ferguson on loan, they came on against them on the weekend, that would have been nice. and Yeah, like, they didn't invest, it was, the league was still there to be won, and if they did invest, they could have meant it a challenge, but To be honest, I'd be very frustrated if I was an Arsenal fan.
Nate: And, you know, the league is in sight. like to Like, going back to last week. and and And your board just chose not to invest. So I'd be really annoyed.
Conor Glennon: But it just makes no sense. It's like even, you know, you can say at the Havertz injury was destroyed broke the camel's back. But to be honest with you, they shouldn't have put themselves in a position that they're that reliant on one person who isn't even, you know, firing on all cylinders, yeah banging in goals left and right. Like, it's...
Conor Glennon: ah There was enough talent out there to get. like You look around, even outside of... you know I know they were linked Ollie Watkins, and that probably would have gone through if if if the Duran transfer didn't it didn't happen. But ah I think you look at players like Ossiman, who are available out there. like i mean the That name hasn't come into the equation. like i mean It doesn't even need to be players on that level. like Even if they were they wanted to invest in an extra body that could...
Conor Glennon: bring three or four goals. Like they didn't have to spend 80 million. They didn't even spend eight. They spent nothing like to, to not replace it just makes no business sense at all. And on Nate's point, like there's it's almost worse being within touching distance of the league than being a hundred miles away.
Conor Glennon: Cause like you, like it, I just, I really feel for Arsenal fans. Um, because there was such potential there. I don't know about but you, Cillian, but like it just, I cannot understand why they didn't invest.
Killian Ginnity: Yeah, like when you... Like, they've done it in the past with the likes of a Lacazette or Aubameyang where you kind of bring bring a player in, kind of going, okay, there's a shelf...
Conor Glennon: Bring someone like, you know,
Killian Ginnity: Yeah, there's a shelf life here, and I'm ah i'm okay with that. Whatever I'm putting in here, I'm not going to get back, but whatever performances I get out of it, that's all I'm expecting. I'm not expecting to turn a profit.
Killian Ginnity: Um... Yeah, like it's short it's just a little bit kind of... ah I don't know. The arrogance of Arteta has got to me this year. like He has bought into his own hype, majorly so, and and seems to not want to take any of the burden of the bad results. like They had the chances and they didn't take them.
Killian Ginnity: um On a weekend where they should have been taking West Ham and... really shortening that gap towards Liverpool. They didn't do it. To the point of their recruitment, it's not like they were banging in goals before January either. It was obvious that there was
Conor Glennon: from the summer they needed to bring someone in on like, i
Killian Ginnity: Yeah, there was always always a space for some form of goal scorer. Like, they should have kept in Kenya now, in retrospect, because at least they would have given them something.
Killian Ginnity: And that was one one of the things, as we discussed last week, having that something different is ah so crucial in football, and especially now that you just can't rely on having a Havertz, who's not a striker.
Killian Ginnity: Jesus, who's not a striker anymore. He's more of a winger because what City did with him. He physically is just not up to being a a front man and in a Premier League side. um Does it put question marks over Arteta's long-term position in Arsenal, Nate?
Nate: Yeah, like, I'll be honest, lads, the Hazard thing is 100% just an excuse. Like, genuinely them having no shikers just an excuse. We're talking about a team that went 10 or 11 games in a row winning by headers. Like, you know what I Like, so let's um let's not act like he was banging in the goals beforehand and he's such a huge miss.
Nate: and I think Arteta's been a spoofer since day one, personally. and Like, we're talking about a lad that hasn't won a trophy in, what, five years?
Conor Glennon: well it's not too long ago we we were comparing him to our our good old friend Gareth Southgate and he he's the Premier League equivalent of of Southgate all all talk no action no trophies
Killian Ginnity: Oh, he's better than Zoutgear. At least he has something to coach him.
Nate: Well, like, that's the thing is he's looked good in the documentaries, but it hasn't really transferred over to the pitch, has it? So, like, as I said, and I hate to bring up Eric Ten Hag again, but he won two trophies in the same period that Arteta didn't.
Nate: So, leave that there for you, boys.
Conor Glennon: well the The other thing that I suppose hasn't really been talked about is Edu departing is a major part of this. like I do think if Edu was still there, they probably would have brought someone in. like they Again, they didn't even need to full-time sign someone. Just bring in someone on loan that can like bring a couple of goals to the table. like You're not looking for ah an Isak or a Haaland here. like i mean you know it's it's It just defies belief that I don't even know, was it arrogance or were they just so caught up in in looking at the league that they they're just panicked? you know i mean they Because I know their ownership aren't exactly the biggest spenders and probably were like, look, this is the level we're or giving commercially. and know while They didn't feel like it was worth bringing in that player. But to me, I think anyone would helped the situation.
Killian Ginnity: Not the biggest spenders. How much did they spend on rice?
Conor Glennon: ah Yeah, but I mean, like, you know, his start his
Killian Ginnity: Look, they've got return on that investment, but like...
Conor Glennon: yeah historically, though, they don't like, ah you know.
Killian Ginnity: the
Killian Ginnity: But they went out and bought Havertz, and they went out and bought Jesus. Like... Arteta's been backed. like
Conor Glennon: Yeah.
Killian Ginnity: And the thing is now, he's, what, six years in the job? but This is his team, and it's his team that he put together of bottle jobs. They're all bottle jobs. Season after season, as soon as they things start to get a little bit hot and heavy and, oh, you might get excited, bottled it.
Killian Ginnity: They are probably worse than Tottenham for bottling.
Conor Glennon: Oh, no. no yeah
Nate: I don't know, Vettapo.
Conor Glennon: Come on, now.
Nate: The thing is...
Killian Ginnity: No, Tottenham have done it for longer, but Arsenal, realistically, have been stronger every time they've bottled it.
Nate: But the thing...
Conor Glennon: But you put Arteta's arsenal in any other league, and you'd be like, God, they're so consistently successful. Yeah, they're not winning the major trophy. I do think there's a bit of the Premier League microscope on on this. If... Do we...
Conor Glennon: if
Killian Ginnity: This was a year to win, and they didn't do it.
Conor Glennon: do
Conor Glennon: Well, they're just waiting for the next you know they're waiting for the next ball. Puma have a new football in the Premier League next year. Arteta will be fine.
Nate: But like the thing is, like if you look at their squad, they don't have depth across the board. like They've spent a lot of money and they haven't really strengthened where they need to. like When you look at both their backup fullbacks, they're both natural centre-backs, which you know doesn't really suit the system in my opinion.
Nate: And then when you when you go into midfield, like they're buying an agent, Jorginho, and They bought Marino from Sociedad. It's like very ageing side, in my opinion.
Killian Ginnity: Plus, Moreno is not as good as all the Arsenal fans keep trying to make him out to be on Twitter. He's a grand player. He's not the second coming around. Like, they I think they're trying to seek out positive positives when when there is none, just because it's a reasonable performance.
Conor Glennon: Sounds like United fans.
Killian Ginnity: um oh I think.
Nate: No, we're fed up a dinner now.
Killian Ginnity: um But like the other kind of ah big team in this equation that needs to be mentioned again is is City. I know Pep has had the extension, Conor, but it can't keep going like this, can it?
Conor Glennon: I mean, I think the thing that summed up the City game for me was that De Bruyne shot that went out by the corner flag. like a There is so much wrong with that club. I do think, look, it's a case of Pep is going through his own personal issues, which were we won't touch on. But like he's got other things going on his life. You do wonder, is he distracted from a player personnel perspective?
Conor Glennon: They have played so many games over the last three, four, five years that I do wonder, is it catching up to them? um You look at players like De Bruyne, where i think the reason he is falling off a cliff so much is that he's arguably played an extra season worth of games in there compared to other players. And that's happened multiple points in his career.
Conor Glennon: So I do think they're almost a victim of their success. um in the way that you see it sometimes, you know like players that burst onto the scene, you know, 15, 16, by their late 20s, they're done because they've played so much football in that time that it's, that would be normally in a ah full career.
Conor Glennon: So I think it's a mixture of things. and Look, City are by no means dead. They're having an off year. Look at the players that they still have. There's some incredible talents there. They still have one of the best strikers in the world.
Conor Glennon: And so they have the Ballon d'Or winning midfielder. you know I wouldn't be crying too hard for them, but it's I think it's just incredible to see the drop-off.
Killian Ginnity: Nate, you'd be really worried where they'd be if Haaland wasn't there because like, ah yeah, we there's lots of big names in that side, but there's a lot of players I'd be getting rid of if I could.
Nate: Yeah, and but to be honest, Haaland hasn't even been great. I personally think their downfall needs to be studied badly because it it's like they've gone off the cliff. but it's I don't understand it.
Nate: Watching them, they've just reverted from everything that they usually are. like I've always referred to City as a very boring team to watch as you know what you're going to get. You're going to get the square passes. You're going to get the little movements, the triangles.
Nate: All that's gone. like like Where is it gone? and it's It's baffling to me. and And they don't seem to even try to get it back. m I wonder, is Haaland maybe a bit, is he part of the issue in terms of trying to feed goals into him? and
Conor Glennon: As in they're two kind of playing one way, ah like their only way to score is get the ball to Haaland.
Nate: Well, like, yeah, is that what they're trying to do? is like Can they fit him in that system that they're so used to? Because like we haven't seen that for months now, have we?
Killian Ginnity: It's like what I used to say about Ronaldo.
Conor Glennon: He's still racking up big numbers though.
Killian Ginnity: It's like what you say about Ronaldo was like, to make him work, do you yeah end up having to give up a lot more? um And maybe Haaland is that same kind of thing. there such like when he When he arrived in, and he is a gold-scoring freak, but he's also he was also such a...
Killian Ginnity: like it was the opposite of what they had before like they were used to having like aguero smaller defter more technical and then you just have this big galloping glute up top and it does become a little bit of get it to him and let him do whatever it needs to be done um plus conor i know you touched on like pep's kind of potential for being um distracted You'd wonder about the coaching staff and the relationship with the players, because it seems like some of these players are bereft of confidence. And when these, it seems like a lot of them, say like a Grealish, yeah, they have an ego, but it's an ego that needs to be stroked and it needs to be kind of moddy coddled and minded.
Killian Ginnity: And without that, they just seem to be lost.
Conor Glennon: Well, I think you know Fergie was a master of it. he You hear any of the his ex-players, he didn't treat one of them the same. And as annoying as that can be you know for the likes of Cantona getting away with things that a Gary Neville never would, it's what needs to happen. And I do think you're right in the fact that...
Conor Glennon: there does seem a clinicalness, if that's even a word, to the City team and the the management around it of, they expect greatness. They're paid unbelievable amounts of money. theyre brought in for unbelievable amounts of money and the the the output is expected.
Conor Glennon: I do think, though, that... I think maybe from a player perspective more than managers, i Just think it's also a case that they're not used to being in this position and they don't know how to deal with it.
Conor Glennon: I think the coaches have been longer in the tooth and around other teams that haven't exactly been Man City. So they've they've seen this. So they should be doing a better job. And for all we know, they are doing that kind of Molly Codlam. But I do think it's a case of, look, we're talking about the 1% of the 1% of players here. Yes, there's Deadwood that needs to go. But a lot of these players have never been in this situation. Or if they have been, it's so long ago, they don't even remember how to get out of it.
Killian Ginnity: One of the things, Nate, that like ah part of the reason why I don't kind of buy any city excuses is one, the money they've spent, but also like when you look at the players have come from their academy and the amount of good players you would presume are coming through and they're not getting the chance. Like at what stage do you just turn around to the manager and listen, we've after spending hundreds of millions, if not a billion on your squad, we spend hundreds of millions on an academy that has proven time and time again now to bring out amazing players why aren't you using them to get yourself out of this rush
Nate: Yeah, and personally I don't think the City Academy was ever created to do that in terms of bringing through the players. like When you see how open they have to selling players, you to wonder was it more of an FFP type of play back in the day?
Nate: You know, how City had it or how Chelsea had it where they bring through a lot of players but most them will go out on loan or or Or be sold That's how I see their academy Like very few players have made a Drew Laugh City academy Like you're talking like a handful
Killian Ginnity: But it's still it's still an asset and a like an area that they should be delving into. When nothing else is working, you might as well try it. Like, United have done it anytime there's been an issue. You kind of try some players and sometimes you get Kobe Menuh and sometimes you get Fosu Mensah.
Killian Ginnity: And, like, you kind of work your way through that. um And City just don't seem to be... Like, I know they've brought through, really, this season, Rico Lewis, but, like... there'll be a whole other bunch of players that aren't going to get the chance when they could be, they can't be any worse than Gundogan.
Conor Glennon: Well, i think there's I think there's a couple of things just just honor that for me is that like you do forget that most players take, even if they're in the city system, it takes them like a solid season to understand the first team system.
Nate: Like,
Conor Glennon: So even if they bring through these players that they've identified, they're still going to have the learning curve of first team pep football.
Killian Ginnity: Yeah, but there's also, like gonna be like... The academy is around and based around Pep's philosophies for but for about a decade now. So, like, there it's now the City way, like, the Ajax way. Like, these players are borderline bread on it.
Killian Ginnity: like so i I just think there's so few excuses. And either by... charges or by Pep taking the initiative something's gotta give for that club to kind of come back
Conor Glennon: I don't know about Nate, but I think he's got enough cash in the bank that he can choose when to walk. i don't I really don't think that city board have the balls to cut him loose.
Nate: um Yeah. To be honest, I don't seem to want to stay there much longer far.
Conor Glennon: but that Yeah, that's a whole different thing, but in terms of like the actual board snipping him at the legs, do you think that think there's a world in which it happens?
Nate: No, no, I think he's done too much for the club and I think, I think like, in terms of how it would look, it would be, it be a disaster because they've just handed him a new deal, you know what mean?
Conor Glennon: yeah
Killian Ginnity: I don't think they can sack him, but there could be a deal done behind the scenes, kind of go listen.
Conor Glennon: any any other team though if you have the the record that they have this season you would be so gone like you would be a distant memory
Killian Ginnity: Oh yeah, like i like this is this what I mean, is I think if he does if and when he does go, it'll be Pep's decision. But whether there's an elbow put on the back of his neck to do so...
Killian Ginnity: will be remain to be seen. But from kind of upper end of the table and Liverpool's kind of title destination now to literally the other end, Conor, um could Southampton break the Derby 15-point record?
Conor Glennon: oh I think it was 11.
Killian Ginnity: Was it 15 points or 11 points? Oof.
Conor Glennon: um It was dire and the there are two of their wins that season were against us. um So, bad memories. Look, I i like Southampton as a club I always have. I really hope they don't they get past that because that's something that sticks with you for a long, long time.
Conor Glennon: um They're not too far off it. There's a long while left in the season. I think they'll be okay. What are you saying?
Killian Ginnity: I don't know. They're on nine points now. the record is 11. Nate,
Conor Glennon: They just need two draws, like.
Killian Ginnity: nas well, they have, they lost 4-0 to Brighton.
Conor Glennon: Or three, sorry.
Killian Ginnity: They're losing to Chelsea. Nate, do you see them getting a win by the end of the year end of the season?
Nate: Do they still to play us? That's the real question. No, they've got... Yeah, I see them getting to the XI. I do.
Conor Glennon: ah they would i even leveling the record is terrible it like surely lads they can get
Nate: i think i think they'll win a game by the end the season.
Conor Glennon: yeah
Killian Ginnity: I don't... I just... I don't know. Like, they're one of them teams... Like, um obviously, they're one of them teams that I don't think anybody particularly hates. Geographically, they're so far away. The only the other people that hate them are Portsmouth.
Killian Ginnity: Like, so... it They're not... they're They're easy to kind of like. and for the last while, they've been, yet again, going back on, like, ah a youth investment and a youth vibe for for their signings. And it's just... It just hasn't worked. And...
Killian Ginnity: if If they do get more than the 11 points, I think be doing well to get the 11, but ah if they get more than the 11 points, they still have to go down as one of the worst sides.
Killian Ginnity: And the players don't really deserve it, if you know what i mean. They actually have decent players. And it might be the best worst side the Premier League has seen.
Conor Glennon: Well, it's hard. you know like Again, we're in that discussion where the the three teams that came up are likely going down. like It's getting boring at this point. like we've We've talked about it enough times that the gap between the newcomers to the league and the existing teams is just so big.
Conor Glennon: And like there's not enough money that can close that gap within the FFP, PSO or world. So like it it's almost nailed on of whoever the hell comes up next year.
Conor Glennon: Maybe it's Sunderland. We shall see. But I'd i'd say they're odds on to go back down any of the three teams to come up. You know, it's it's it's yeah, I don't know. I think there's a bigger problem there.
Killian Ginnity: What do you think, Nate, in terms of, like, the promoted sides? do you think it is becoming a... an unbreakable cycle of this up and down?
Nate: um To be honest, I think it's a bit hard to determine just purely because some of the lower teams are outperforming where they usually are. And then some of the bigger teams are ah way lower than they usually are. I think in terms of where, like, is the gap too big? i don't think so.
Nate: I think you can still bridge that gap. And think a few teams... in recent seasons shown that. I think a lot of it is just to do with squad building on the way up and, you know, canning can you get that right?
Conor Glennon: planning for that future yeah like I think Luton were probably as close as could have been you know they they really gave it a good go and yeah it wasn't enough but you know I just I'm getting sick of it lads like it you want to see the teams that come up be successful not that I want not there's not that there's certain clubs I want relegated from the Premier League but you know it's yeah
Nate: Yeah.
Conor Glennon: like i kind of miss the so bit more of a merry-go-round of yesteryear where you didn't really know who was going to stay up and go down well nowadays it's just like pretty nailed on that it's you know it's going to beat you
Killian Ginnity: think Leeds could stay up next year?
Conor Glennon: i don't know like it's again it's it really is about recruitment
Nate: Thank you.
Killian Ginnity: But like, I think they have the money now and like, obviously they have that kind of pseudo deal with Red Bull and stuff. that i I don't know. I think if all three sides go down this season and obviously United could still change that, um,
Killian Ginnity: I think we might see that cycle to be brought be broken. um But, Conor, Newcastle, yeah as you mentioned it at the top, it was a good result against a very good Forest team, 4-3.
Killian Ginnity: Are you confident now about Champions League push?
Conor Glennon: i don't I don't really know still. you know I know it's the most fence-sitting answer, but you know yeah, we won the game and it was great to see that fight back when we went 1-0 down to the come back with four goals straight in the bounds.
Conor Glennon: But I mean... that second half, we were leaking goals and they were an enough were not scoring good goals. They were defensive errors and I think that eye off the ball is the kind of thing that stops you from going back to the to the top four.
Conor Glennon: Also, yeah this sounds insane, I know, because everyone wants to be in the Champions League and when we were in it, it was really exciting, but like, that really affected us as as a team.
Conor Glennon: you know I don't know if we have the depth to do that. And if we are to get to the Champions League, which again, obviously I want us to, but we really would need to invest. And I don't think we're in an FFP position to invest, to have us in the point where the depth is good enough to compete in the Champions League without ruining our domestic season next year.
Nate: question, when will Newcastle be in a position to invest? Like what what is the parameter?
Conor Glennon: what This is what I mean. like it's
Nate: like Like where is it? like because It's all I've been hearing for three seasons.
Conor Glennon: Basically, the only way we can invest is if we sell someone and use the exact same money plus maybe 10 million. So it's like we're just selling someone ah like an Isak who we cannot replace to find someone who's not as good. like Even with the stats, Isak over the weekend got his 50th goal.
Conor Glennon: And he's had 50 goals in 75 games. Like, that is unbelievable for the for the price we got him at. But, like, if we sell that, there is not a world in which we can afford a player with those numbers.
Conor Glennon: So we're just downgrading. Like, I know for anyone who didn't hear go back a few episodes for a good old family feud between me and the boys on all things FFP, and you'll know where I stand. But it's just lunacy to me that, like,
Conor Glennon: I know Killian's going to say, run your club better, other teams do it, and I know, I know, but like...
Nate: But like i don't understand where the line is for them to like be able to invest more money.
Conor Glennon: the the
Nate: like it so it seems to always be like it It seems like there needs to be dodgy deals going on with youth players to even get the money to buy players.
Conor Glennon: but Well, like the Elliot Anderson transfer, you know like that you look at, or even Longstaff going out, you know yeah potentially other they players too. like i mean it's What annoys me right is i know the and inference around Sela as a sponsor, there is the scandal around that and and the conspiracy theories around that.
Conor Glennon: And our sponsorship, they offered us $35 million a year and we had to take $25 million a year because that's what the adjudicators thought was fair. I don't understand that. like It's not like they were looking to give us $100 million a year. you know like third like If United can bring in those numbers, why can't we?
Killian Ginnity: Because you aren't that big of a club. but
Conor Glennon: But... so like
Killian Ginnity: No, but but to and the but thing is, like, at the end of this year, you might justify a 45 million if you get Champions League. It's like, it has to be a sustainable growth. And if, like, let's let's also be frank.
Conor Glennon: the accountants but The accountant's back in the chat, Nate. He's got his suit on.
Nate: No, i I just think it's a broken system in terms of like, there doesn't seem to be an opportunity for Newfacil to upgrade their team. Like, it doesn't it doesn't seem to exist.
Conor Glennon: like we like And if we if we do if if we do, it'll be one player. And that is not upgrading your team. you know i mean that's That's bringing in one good player.
Killian Ginnity: No, but like... yeah So, I know you said that the investment for Isak was small in comparison to what the output he he gave.
Conor Glennon: yeah
Killian Ginnity: But it was still, what, 60 mil?
Conor Glennon: Yeah, but I mean, but for a player who bangs in 50 goals, to to replace 50 goals in 75 games, you are going to need 100 million.
Killian Ginnity: Like, that's still bonkers money. So, like, if...
Killian Ginnity: not Not necessarily. like if If you had better scouting and infrastructure yourselves, sell him for 100 million. You have an an additional 45 million odd ah to invest off that deal alone.
Killian Ginnity: Split that between two young players.
Conor Glennon: ah champions league A Champions League club shouldn't have to operate like Brighton to be successful.
Killian Ginnity: What's wrong with that?
Killian Ginnity: Well, you've earned Champions League just yet.
Conor Glennon: Well, we were, and we may be again.
Nate: Well, they and were playing Champions League football.
Conor Glennon: yeah like what we're touch and go. If Forrest would just fuck off, we would we'd be we'd be fine. But they're having the season of their lives.
Killian Ginnity: But yeah, look at Forrest. He's had a perfectly good striker there that he's wasted...
Conor Glennon: got it Don't even come at me with that. Every one of us thought he was a complete donkey and he's just found some Michael Jordan energy.
Killian Ginnity: But like if you weren't wasting money having the likes of Callum Wilson around and stuff for now, like is you can't just blame a system that you don't like when there's plenty that you should be taking ownership on and to actually like understand what's going on here.
Conor Glennon: Oh, look, look we're but we're we're far we're far from perfect, but I just don't understand how United can, and this isn't taking Amy United, insert any major club, I'm just picking United because they're lower in the table, but their sponsorship deals aren't adjudicated to be unfair, even though they're placing lower than us.
Conor Glennon: It just... It...
Nate: Well, wea we all know why. like Like, come on. We hear we all know where Sala originates. Like, come on. I think there there is a difference there. like
Conor Glennon: So we just need to get better at making shell companies from other countries.
Nate: No, I just think you just need to get like a company that isn't owned by the...
Killian Ginnity: It's in Dodge. Like, Man United has 25 years of outselling using jersey sales by a factor of 10. Has 20 odd years of pride el Champions League.
Killian Ginnity: They have 20 odd years of selling every little bit of advertising that they can squeeze out of every nook and cranny of the stadium, club and players.
Killian Ginnity: I wonder why it's adjudicated that they're going to get more.
Conor Glennon: Okay, so with that with with with that, okay, then why doesn't the PIF buy 30 million Newcastle jerseys and therefore we can justify an income of jersey sales and therefore increase our available resources?
Killian Ginnity: Like, come on, let's just be let's just be realistic and grown up here, Conor.
Killian Ginnity: There's to stop them from doing that. We've seen clubs open up jerseys and merchandise stores in other random countries that are uncheckable. Either yous aren't clever, they aren't willing to invest in yous, or they don't really care.
Killian Ginnity: Like, if they want to do that, they can. But then you're also in the same hand, and you said a couple of episodes ago, you don't want to get into the dodgy dealings and things. Like, you can't have your cake and eat it here, Connor.
Conor Glennon: Well, now I'm a couple of points off top four. I'll take your dirty games, okay? I want back in the top four. Desperately.
Killian Ginnity: No, but genuinely, like, you could be a whole lot more clever. Like, why weren't you over in America doing ah tours and stuff where you know that there's going to be advertisers that you could actually have a decent dealing with?
Killian Ginnity: And if you are going to do a backdoor deal, make sure you're washing the money first. Instead of having ah an obvious ah cover of Sela, why aren't the Saudis going and buying something that's going to be owned by Clearwater Capital, but...
Conor Glennon: Yeah, and just...
Killian Ginnity: make a deal with them over there in LA.
Conor Glennon: yeah
Killian Ginnity: You're going to run a film studio together and all happened to be the Clearwater Capital owns this thing like Snapdragon and is going to and invest in the the shirt sponsorship and stadium sponsorship of Newcastle.
Conor Glennon: Yeah, look, if you're if if if we're going to play...
Killian Ginnity: Like,
Conor Glennon: We're already playing a somewhat... I'm not going to call it dirty game, a grey game, but we could definitely be more calculated about how grey we could go going forward.
Nate: See, I'm annoyed your dirty games aren't working. I don't get it. like i don't it at all I'm annoyed because the fuck is over my team as hell. So, like, I don't know.
Nate: it's a way I think, Killing, you have to admit that's a big flaw in the system currently is clubs can't upgrade
Conor Glennon: you're not you're not gonna get you're not gonna get that suit off him you'll have to saw him out of it
Nate: their teams That's how it is. like naturally like thats whatever it is
Killian Ginnity: No, ah part part of the issue is the overinflated fees. And that issue behind that is the Premier League lost to run themselves. And it's other leagues are not going to take less money from them. So either the Premier League needs to make better deals with one another and get a little bit more insular. or they just have to...
Killian Ginnity: invest in themselves and have better academies. Like, it's one of the ways that City's been getting around it is by poaching younger players and bringing them through, not necessarily to their first team, but through their through their system.
Killian Ginnity: ah You look at Frimpong, Angelino, ah obviously Sancho, and like, he's he can turn money in in that way, but also if they were a little bit more sustainable, they'd be actually using them players themselves.
Killian Ginnity: Like, how can smaller teams have better development, better built squads, and ultimately, realistically, being able to spend as much, if not more money than you guys.
Nate: Because you know why.
Killian Ginnity: It sounds like a you problem.
Nate: you know why You know why.
Killian Ginnity: Oh... problem
Nate: Because it's set up to favour the smaller teams. That's how it's set
Killian Ginnity: oh
Conor Glennon: It is.
Nate: You say, oh, but your question is, how can smaller teams do this and that?
Conor Glennon: It just is, like...
Nate: Is it set up that way?
Conor Glennon: Because it's rigged for them. Yeah. Like, it's the whole point of the thing.
Killian Ginnity: how How is it, how is it favoring this the smaller teams when the small teams get promoted can't stay up?
Nate: Because it closes the gap. It closes the gap. That's how the system is made to close the gap.
Conor Glennon: Like, I'm not saying... Like, I know I said there the gap is massive in the new clubs that just came up. I'm saying the clubs that have managed to survive that original come-up, it is built for them.
Nate: like You're acting like these smaller clubs aren't owned by billionaires as well. like like
Conor Glennon: Yeah, so it's not it's not, you know, dave and Dave and Terry from down the road.
Nate: like We're talking smaller clubs, but half the lower clubs in the Premier League can spend just as much as United could, but they're just not willing to because they don't have they don't have the revenue to back it up.
Conor Glennon: Like...
Killian Ginnity: Yeah, because, like the big,
Nate: So like to me, that's a fair game.
Killian Ginnity: No, like, let listen, ultimately this all comes down to you's ruined it. United and Chelsea ruined it.
Nate: no, no. no Okay, Killian, Killian, just ah quick example, yeah?
Killian Ginnity: They ruined the league.
Nate: I own Crystal Palace, you own Manchester United, yeah?
Killian Ginnity: Mm-hmm.
Nate: We're both billionaires, okay? we can boun we can
Conor Glennon: Good day for the boys.
Killian Ginnity: Class, love it.
Conor Glennon: ye
Nate: We can both spend as much as we want.
Killian Ginnity: Mm-hmm.
Nate: Why am I not going to spend as much as you if we can spend as much as want? Just...
Killian Ginnity: Because, it like, a yeah like if i if I'm a billionaire, I'm going to be a lot more clever with my money.
Nate: not
Killian Ginnity: Why would I be just going and...
Nate: No, no.
Conor Glennon: Oh, don't be a boring billionaire.
Nate: answer Answer the question.
Killian Ginnity: No, no, no, no, but no but genuinely.
Nate: Answer the question. answer the question no no, just answer the question.
Killian Ginnity: No, but...
Nate: In terms of, if you own Manchester United and I own Crystal Palace, and we both have the same amount of money, why are you going to spend more than me?
Killian Ginnity: If, like, it depends on the rules.
Nate: Number one, your asset increases because you've got a bigger fan base. Number two, your revenues are bigger. Do
Conor Glennon: Thus your share price goes up, so your own value goes up. it
Killian Ginnity: Well, see, that like that's that's another thing that you're forgetting.
Nate: you see why this is rigged?
Killian Ginnity: Not every club has floated.
Nate: But do you see why this this is rigged towards the smaller teams? It's because they they'll happily spend the lower budgets because they can spend that money, trust them, but they just don't get the same return as the bigger clubs.
Killian Ginnity: no
Nate: And to me, that's not a fair system.
Killian Ginnity: No, but the the ultimately, there's the other other thing as well, is like, yous, the big clubs, and this is goes for all yous, yous don't know, like, don't know how to spend money.
Killian Ginnity: Yous keep hand over fist.
Conor Glennon: We're not allowed to spend the bloody thing.
Nate: Oh...
Killian Ginnity: No, no, no.
Nate: We can spend our money how we want to spend our money.
Killian Ginnity: What? When yous are spending money, yous are hand over fist, yous are just lubing yourselves up and going, do you know what? Take all of my money on a player that's worth half of it.
Nate: and If i
Killian Ginnity: That Man United tax is real. do you know what? Yous painted yourselves into that corner and you deserve it.
Nate: I... If I want to spend 70 mil on Hoyland, it'll get me two goals. I can spend that. like That's let's up to us to do that.
Killian Ginnity: And you did.
Conor Glennon: And and dapu that's his prerogative.
Killian Ginnity: oh my God, you did.
Nate: Yeah, and we did. we didn't We did, but that's up to us.
Killian Ginnity: Yeah, and now you're and now and now you're hamstrung by that decision.
Conor Glennon: Yeah.
Nate: Let us make that mistake.
Nate: I'm just, I'm not buying into this.
Killian Ginnity: Oh no, consequences to your actions. Man United it have to have consequences for once in their bloody lifetime.
Nate: I'm not.
Conor Glennon: if i if i want if i If I want to give Benny McCarthy 70 million quid to come back and play for Newcastle, I should be able to. That is where I stand.
Killian Ginnity: No, no, no. don't Don't forget, the Premier League brought in these rules to make the Premier League better and much more sustainable. if he's one If you don't want to be part of the Premier League, you just go off and do your Super League and spend all your money.
Nate: oh Oh, it's, it's 20.
Conor Glennon: Don't bring the Super League back up. You know what this does to this part.
Nate: It's 2025. ahway twenty five Are we not going to act like majority of clubs, to be honest, in the top two leagues aren't owned by billionaires? Are we just going to act like that?
Killian Ginnity: No, no, they're all owned by billionaires.
Nate: Okay, okay.
Killian Ginnity: But the whole the whole point of it is to make the league sustainable.
Nate: So it's this thing, this thing, this thing about we've got to save clubs from themselves. I'm not buying that bullshit.
Killian Ginnity: Yeah.
Nate: They're owned by billionaires. They can be saved.
Conor Glennon: And it's also, if we're talking about sustainability,
Killian Ginnity: Oh, the billionaires that are famously in for the long game, are they?
Conor Glennon: but if we're talking about sustainability, I'm not an investor in the team. I don't care if it's sustainable. I don't care if that billionaire loses his house. I want us to play good football with great players.
Conor Glennon: They can figure out their own finances. I'm not so looking for ah people to go broke here, but like we're not these people aren' going to lose their lives.
Killian Ginnity: but No, you know but you are. when when you left When you let them run wild, that's what happens.
Nate: No, no, no, like...
Killian Ginnity: Look at Portsmouth. Look at Anzi McAleary when they had a billionaire oligarch come in and they had Roberto Carlos. They had Gus Heddy.
Conor Glennon: in a league that's Russian that no one cares about
Nate: See, this this is a slight issue I have.
Killian Ginnity: No, no, no. That's not that's not the point. that that's not what that's That's not the point I'm making. What happened? He got sick. He decided no more money. And what happened? They went defunct five years later.
Nate: no, this is...
Killian Ginnity: When you when use are letting billionaires run the clubs that are meant to be the backbone of your league, you are at the will of grown children. And the Premier League have gone and decided to protect themselves. If they're not going to do 50 plus one, they're going to do this.
Killian Ginnity: Ultimately, these clubs need rules. And if you don't like them, go and do your Super League like you've just been dying to do.
Nate: this This is the issue that I have is why aren't we treating... Like, we all love football, yeah? 100%. We can all say that.
Conor Glennon: At this point, I'm starting to struggle with it it's it's more It's more accounting than anything.
Killian Ginnity: No,
Nate: Okay? Okay? Well, we need to treat football clubs as businesses.
Killian Ginnity: it's...
Nate: End of. Like, they are businesses.
Conor Glennon: I totally agree. Yeah.
Nate: is At the end of the day, businesses can need to run themselves. You know, they need to run themselves within their means, and that's up to the people that run that business. It's not up to the people that dictate the league that they're in, this, that, and the other.
Killian Ginnity: No, no, okay, if if we're gonna let them run...
Nate: No, no, no, no, no. Let me finish. Let me finish. In terms of businesses, though, everyone loves the money that's in football. Everyone loves what football is as a commodity. But we're all against letting clubs run themselves. Like, don't understand it. It's so backwards to me.
Conor Glennon: like yeah There's nothing stopping any Fortune 100, 500 company paying a CEO whatever they want. like That may be unsustainable, but but have we seen any of those companies go bust in the last couple of years? No.
Killian Ginnity: but they're they're also all all floated. But, okay, let's treat them like businesses, okay? We're going to treat them like businesses and they have a choice what stock exchange they want to deal in, yeah?
Killian Ginnity: Okay? Let's call that a league. And if you don't like how the league runs and you don't like how that stock exchange rules happen, well, then don't be part of it.
Conor Glennon: If you say Super League one more bloody time.
Nate: But you know the difference, Killian, is the stock the stock market isn't there to confide people in a box on which they can operate.
Killian Ginnity: You just keep saying it. Like, you
Nate: The stock market can go as high as it wants, it can go as low as it wants.
Killian Ginnity: yeah No, no, no, no. if If you, if, if, no, no.
Nate: It does. If you're going to use that logic, come on. Let's...
Killian Ginnity: If, if you sign up for these rules and by going in, like if if a stock exchange come up and says, you know what? Cap everybody million dollars. There's nothing stop you from not doing that.
Killian Ginnity: Like you don't have to deal with that one. You don't have to deal with the Premier League. These rules are brought in. And if you don't like them, don't deal with them.
Conor Glennon: Give me a salary cap any day of the week.
Killian Ginnity: Leave. Leave.
Conor Glennon: I am so in favor of a salary cap, but let me spend how much I want to recruit players.
Killian Ginnity: But that makes no sense.
Nate: It's called free trade, Killian.
Killian Ginnity: you No, no.
Nate: It's literally called free trade. it's least It's the open market.
Killian Ginnity: ah All that's all. that all
Nate: It's literally the open market.
Killian Ginnity: No, but all you're calling for then is massive signing on fees. It's just going to change where the money is going. And.
Conor Glennon: It works in the NFL.
Killian Ginnity: eight
Conor Glennon: It works just fine.
Nate: Let's just run the MLS at this rate, yeah?
Killian Ginnity: no
Nate: Like...
Killian Ginnity: No, you're the ones looking for the MLS.
Nate: No, we're not.
Killian Ginnity: Like, you're the one...
Conor Glennon: No, I'm looking for the NFL, mate.
Killian Ginnity: Yeah, like, you're literally looking for the American model. Massive signing on fees, caps on wages.
Nate: No, we're not. No, we're not.
Killian Ginnity: That's what Conor
Conor Glennon: I am.
Nate: I'm not.
Killian Ginnity: Conor literally is.
Nate: I'm literally asking for an open trade, free trade.
Killian Ginnity: You're looking for free trade.
Nate: Let the gates open. That's what I'm asking for. Let the gates open.
Killian Ginnity: then go make your Super League. Because ultimately, part of the reason why all this was came in was to protect the clubs, not just from themselves, but from untoward owners when all the Americans started coming in.
Conor Glennon: When was the last time you saw a Premier League team go bust?
Killian Ginnity: Because, like, look... Portsmouth.
Conor Glennon: One.
Killian Ginnity: No, they the Portsmouth, they were the last one in the Premier League to go bust.
Conor Glennon: Like if if if we're... if I know, but if we're talking about these drills that hamstring us...
Killian Ginnity: like like Like, let's not forget. so that's not let's not forget.
Nate: But why are we tightening?
Killian Ginnity: it was a billionaire that brought Sunderland down to League One. It was rich people that brought Bolton and Blackburn down the leagues. Like, we...
Conor Glennon: But every time we talk about this, it's it's it's it comes back to the owner's test.
Killian Ginnity: This is...
Nate: But that's football.
Conor Glennon: There is lunatic, shite businessmen out there who earn ungodly amounts of money. And I know we've we've touched on this 10 times, I'd say.
Killian Ginnity: two two of Two of the biggest business businessmen in America bought a club in the Premier League and ran it so badly they were chased out of it.
Nate: Listen, and listen, listen. I'm a United fan.
Nate: Lads, I am a Manchester United fan, so I'm literally unbiased in this opinion that I'm about to give you, okay?
Killian Ginnity: Hicks and Gillette. Do you think they should have been
Nate: if Why not let clubs be run as bad as they can or as good as they can? That is football. That that is literally football.
Killian Ginnity: ah like don't Don't forget, Nate. Your club is the reason for all of this.
Conor Glennon: would Forget it, but that's it's redundant though.
Killian Ginnity: your the
Nate: That's why I'm unbiased.
Killian Ginnity: No, no. The Glazers deal is what ultimately painted out everybody into this corner.
Nate: That's why I'm...
Nate: And I'm the one defending it.
Killian Ginnity: and the lee And the league has got has decided that dash they wanted to protect themselves. And if you don't like it, go and make a new one.
Killian Ginnity: Because don't forget, that's how the Barclays Premier League started.
Nate: So when, when, when did.
Conor Glennon: But boys, non-league at this situation, right?
Killian Ginnity: They wanted more money.
Conor Glennon: There is nothing stopping, I don't know, a Woking type or a ah Newcastle Kimfica paying ah paid a player 500 quid a week and the rest of the team aren't paid.
Conor Glennon: They're just amateurs. Or that if they bring in a bloke for three grand a week. They're allowed just pay players as much as they want. And yes, you can argue it's not sustainable, but that's the game.
Killian Ginnity: Yeah, tell that to collect Glenn Tamplin and Bill O'Rickey. Where is he now? He's literally on the run from prison.
Conor Glennon: Who?
Killian Ginnity: Remember when Bill O'Rickey was signing Jermaine Pennant and Jamie O'Hara and Kevin Fulham?
Conor Glennon: Yeah.
Killian Ginnity: The owner, who put himself in as manager, Glenn Tamplin, is on the run.
Nate: But that's life.
Conor Glennon: Yeah, there's businesses that fail, like...
Nate: That's life, isn't it? That's literally life.
Killian Ginnity: Yeah, and the National League has decided not to protect themselves from it.
Nate: Okay, let me ask you this.
Killian Ginnity: The Premier League has.
Nate: When did Portsmouth go bust?
Killian Ginnity: Portsmouth went bust in 09, 10, 11 and I think 12.
Nate: So it started in 09, did it? Is that when they went bust?
Conor Glennon: Post crash.
Killian Ginnity: It was post the FA Cup win because that's when they had all the massive wages.
Nate: So we are what approximately 15 years on and we're deciding to tighten it even further.
Conor Glennon: And we're living under the cosh of one team.
Killian Ginnity: No.
Nate: Like, why? Why?
Killian Ginnity: why we Why are we typing it further? Because of City and because of Newcastle and all the dodgy owners coming in.
Nate: So you've just admitted that we're doing it to close we're doing it to close the gap.
Killian Ginnity: and i And Chelsea, Amarillo. No, we're doing it.
Nate: but but No, no, we're not doing it to protect clubs.
Killian Ginnity: No, no, that's close.
Nate: You you literally just said we're doing it because of City, we're doing it about Newcastle.
Killian Ginnity: ah you yeah all No, we're yeah we're doing we're doing we're doing it for them, not to close the gap, but to protect.
Nate: So you we're doing it to close the gap. No, no, we aren't. No, no, no.
Killian Ginnity: Because when you're so dependent on some random, like, what is so wrong at saying to a club?
Nate: Those clubs don't need protection. They don't. Like, they literally you don't.
Killian Ginnity: They do.
Nate: Like, they can they can pay off their own debt, trust me.
Killian Ginnity: They do.
Nate: The thing you've...
Killian Ginnity: No, the ownership that can.
Nate: you
Killian Ginnity: And if, and if the, and the thing about it is, like, look at Chelsea under Amparovic.
Nate: it's if were
Killian Ginnity: All the money, all the money, and then suddenly it was gone because of things external to football.
Nate: It's being done to close the gap in my opinion and yeah, that is how I say it.
Killian Ginnity: and you And you are entitled to be wrong, but one of the things that you kind of didn't get wrong last week was Man United and Everton. york actually You you were very downbeat on it and I don't think you probably should have been in the end. Although, Amorin kind of had your same apathy towards his own team ahead of the game.
Nate: and We were 2-0 down. i was on the ropes. and Lucky Bruno free kick and then ah last minute screamer. So I'm not taking hands up in that game. We are still shocking.
Nate: We are terrible.
Killian Ginnity: Do you think Amarin is right, though, to kind of be, like, talking up Moyes as much as he was of it?
Nate: Yeah, I think Moyes has come in and done a great job. I think Moyes feels at home at Everton now. I think there's a bit more and camaraderie around the club. but think they're excited to move stadium. It feels like a new start. And to be honest, I think Moyes is the perfect man to bring them into that new era.
Conor Glennon: I think it's nice for him as well to be you know the last manager in Goodison. He is a serious part of that club's history. I think they said it perfectly. It's it's just familiar to him and in in the best way. you know He's been on the road enough now with a couple of teams. and It's nice to just see him have a nice landing patch.
Conor Glennon: I think it's, but like we were saying last week, they're solid now. It's planned for next year.
Killian Ginnity: How is the kind of general mood on Carrington? Obviously, more redundancies, ah less food, more fruit bowls.
Nate: Yeah, they're already getting sick of the soup. um Yeah, I don't know. be honest, I'm not sure what's happening there with all the redundancies. It just seems to be more after another. and I'd be a bit worried if there was that many redundant jobs in that place. like What's been going on for the last couple of years?
Conor Glennon: Well, that's, yeah I saw Simon Jordan talking about this as well. You know, if you take out the fact that people are losing their livelihoods, there is a certain element of, is there that many people that, you know, Radcliffe walked in and was like, what are we doing here?
Killian Ginnity: Or is it a bit of a musk and that kind of like when he walked into Twitter and then suddenly like, oh, that's what all them people did. Oh, no, I didn't know that. And then suddenly out you have to scramble and try and rehire people after the fact.
Conor Glennon: just Again, though, like we said last week, at what point are they going to do something that has a positive POR spin to it, even just to manage the bad POR? I saw a stat during the last day or two, whenever this was an announced. they friends In the last 12 months, they spent $246 million on players, and the savings they're going to get from this removing only allowing the first team have access to the canteen, they're saving a million quid year.
Conor Glennon: A million quid is nothing in the grand scheme of things. like The fact that Amorim, as first team manager, is not is entitled to soup and a sandwich when he earns 12 million quid a year is bonkers.
Conor Glennon: i'm not Look, we all come from jobs where you make your own you bring your own lunch.
Nate: you
Conor Glennon: It's not like it's abnormal.
Killian Ginnity: i I want to see a Man United cafeteria lineup of lunchboxes. I think that'd be hysterical.
Conor Glennon: Get the tinfoil out, yeah.
Killian Ginnity: yeah
Nate: Like, I just don't know what's going on.
Killian Ginnity: What do you have?
Nate: and i think, like, he's clearly gone in with a business head on. and Obviously, there's been blowback from people that it's like, you know, it's never nice to see people lose their jobs and especially how many people have done it.
Nate: But there's clearly a reason behind why he's making these decisions.
Conor Glennon: But like, any good any goodwill is going out the window.
Nate: Otherwise, you're like...
Conor Glennon: Like, you know...
Nate: But like I'm getting the vibe he doesn't give a fuck about Goodwill.
Conor Glennon: oh it he does he does ah it doesn't care.
Nate: I think we can all agree on that.
Conor Glennon: yeah
Nate: He doesn't give a fuck about Goodwill.
Conor Glennon: no
Nate: It's just, what's his end goal now?
Conor Glennon: But it's it's yeah unless unless it comes out in the pitch, though, because, like, it's sorry to talk over again, but it's like, it just it at every point, it's like he's looking for a euro under the couch.
Killian Ginnity: See, that's one of the things, though...
Conor Glennon: Like, he cut Fergie off salary. He cut all the ambassadors down. You've now done 400 redundancies or something around that figure. You know, OAP subsidies gone. Canteen subsidies gone.
Conor Glennon: Like, if I'm a player, there is no part of me that wants to move to Man United. Take out your current form. It just seems like a shy place to work.
Killian Ginnity: But I think there could be an overall bigger concern, which is like when you're so painy pinching in this way and you're very, very Excel focused, shall we say. That's what asset strippers do.
Killian Ginnity: Like, is he trying to ultimately turn this club around for sale? Like he was coming in to be the the be all and end all and and then and the new regime.
Nate: now
Killian Ginnity: Is he actually bought in to try and get the Glazers out and so that he can turn a profit?
Nate: No, but ultimately he's done more damage than he's done. we're shy or even worse on the pick since he's come in, you know. We're losing assets, as you said. It's like, I don't know.
Killian Ginnity: No, but like this is what acid strippers do when they're like, they come in and they get a business.
Nate: Yeah, but like...
Conor Glennon: and but they You're going to you're gonna have to you're gonna have to claw United out of the cold, dead hands of the Gleisers. They are not going anywhere, son.
Nate: The way I see it is he wants a lean machine. well that That's the goal. He's a fucking long way away from it. But he wants a lean machine.
Conor Glennon: You're lean anyway.
Nate: and
Conor Glennon: You're not a machine.
Nate: Yeah. and In terms of like penny pinching for like a million on the field, it's like he's a multi-billionaire. you know what I mean? I don't think he's doing it for personal gain. I think there's a mission on it.
Nate: I just would love to know what's going on in his brain. Yeah.
Conor Glennon: Where's all the chat about a new stadium gone? Where is that currently? is there Is that even in the realms of happening?
Nate: Oh, I don't know. I haven't heard about that in a while. Yeah.
Killian Ginnity: ah They got government funding. but Basically, I think until they can offshore the actual cost of it, I don't think it's going to go ahead.
Nate: yeah
Killian Ginnity: So they have a government committed to a certain amount. And unless you can get a sponsorship for the rest of it, like...
Conor Glennon: So the Old Trafford waterfall will remain?
Killian Ginnity: yeah Like, it'll it's it's just, I don't know, like, because Connor, you might know this better than Hasn't he done this kind of thing with like the cycling teams and stuff as well, where he's just like squeezed everything out of them?
Conor Glennon: He's ruthless. He's... Yeah, yeah. Well, you see, where it worked, though, is, you know, his other teams at all points, like, they're not all currently kind of in perfect form, but the results were, whether it was on the road and cycling or on the pitch and other teams, like, he... It's worked before to a certain degree, but he's... he's done it i suppose in a more phased approach especially in the cycling realm it wasn't as just nuclear option scale back everything within you know nine months so i i it just lacks i it lacks logic but i think nate's right in the fact that he probably it's not probably he doesn't give a fuck what people think but there becomes a point where it's like is he just wrong
Nate: But is there a point where we go, he's right in terms of, is is like is this what United needs?
Conor Glennon: Oh, there is. And if he turns it around.
Nate: They need the guts taken out of them. I don't know the answer to that.
Conor Glennon: Get Casemiro out of that club with Anthony and I'll start bowing at his feet of of how he's pulled that one off.
Killian Ginnity: See, that's the thing, when you're and you have so much waste in the playing side that's so overly... ah Like, offering so little and so overly paid, it's very hard to justify any kind of other occultions.
Conor Glennon: Like, like try try tell someone that's been working at Carrington for 30 years, they're no longer able to get food in the canteen, but will pay Casemiro week. Like...
Killian Ginnity: But it's not just that.
Nate: Well, I think the players should go
Killian Ginnity: It's also turning around... It's also turning around and saying, oh, this guy that's been at Old Trafford for 30 years and you, the season ticket holder for 30 years, has seen him every weekend. He's gone because Casemiro wants a foot massage.
Nate: there. I'm going to be honest. The players need to step up here and pay for it, in my opinion.
Conor Glennon: Yeah.
Nate: It's nothing to them.
Conor Glennon: That's nice.
Nate: It's literally nothing to them. And...
Killian Ginnity: And if they f did it, like, fans would get on board.
Nate: and To be fair, play, and I'll give Bruno a little shout out, is it came out out during the week that they cut the tickets to the FA Cup final last year and he paid for a lot of tickets for family members of staff to go and this and that.
Conor Glennon: that' no
Killian Ginnity: That's good.
Nate: So like you know he's stepping up in his captain role and showing a bit of leadership there. But I think if the players had their heads screwed on, they'd come together and foot that bill.
Conor Glennon: It's a great point. Great point.
Killian Ginnity: Really good. And like i've I've been the first to criticize Bruno as as captain. And but that's that's a a good a good thing to hear. But gentlemen, one thing that's not good here is it is the end of ah the this week's episodes.
Conor Glennon: It's good for my blood pressure.
Killian Ginnity: but My thanks to ah Connor and Nate as always. And before I go, I'll leave you with this little bit of advice. Never ask somebody about it politics, religion or FFP.
Conor Glennon: Oh God.
Killian Ginnity: Chat to you next week.
