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The Failed Italian Job
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Episode 56, Daily Manchester City - Join Jools and Keelin as we break down yet another loss for Pep Guardiola's side and assess what that means for City's Champions League campaign
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Transcript
Introduction and Match Recap
00:00:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome back to the Daily Manchester City Podcast on the Global Sports Podcast Network. We're here today to discuss what was unfortunately yet another loss for City, this time 2-0 away to Juventus in the Champions League. We'll get into what went wrong and what City have to do to salvage their Champions League campaign.
Keelan's Disappointment and Key Moments
00:00:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Excitedly joining me to do just that is my Celtic companion Keelan McNamara. Hi Keelan.
00:00:35
Keelin
Jules, I appreciate the alliteration, but yes, we are gathered here today to mourn yet another garbage loss this season, so... I wish I could say I was looking forward to getting into it, but I'm just not.
00:00:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that's a great way to start the pod. But yeah, I totally understand. Seven losses from the last ten would bring a man to his knees, as they say. It was by no means an eventful first half. City were in control of the ball and territory but couldn't break down the wall of the old lady. Near in half-time, Hylin Harland was played in smoothly by Kevin De Bruyne, but just didn't get enough purchase on the chip.
00:01:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
De Gregorio saved very well. The second half ah livened up somewhat but it was mostly much of the same. City looking to impose themselves on the game and Juventus looking to brick swiftly whenever they had the chance and the Italians did just that and got their awards 10 minutes after the restart. Federico Gatti who I slammed hard before the game of course put in a worldie of a performance had his acrobatic volley saved well by Ederson ah before the ball was reworked to starlet Keenan Yildiz who found Dusan Vlavic and the Serbian talisman got just enough on his header at the back post to get it over the line. UVA doubled their lead in the 75th minute. Timothy Weyer son of George who briefly played for City of course broke through got his cross in the second time of asking and picked out the totally unmarked substitute Western McKinney who with his own acrobatic volley, settled the match.
City's Struggles and Critiques
00:02:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
City had them some half chances here and there, Kevin De Bruyne are now really missing, Gundo are nearly finding the top corner from the edge of the box, Bernardo finding himself in space but getting swiftly shut down. Thiago Marta's defence and D'Gorio in goal had all the answers to secure the biggest win of Juve's new manager's tenure.
00:02:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
This means Pep Guardiola's side have lost seven of the last ten as I just mentioned, as many losses as City have suffered in the previous 105 games. An absolutely crazy statistic. And another harrowing stat is that since the start of November, no team in Europe's top five leagues have conceded more than the 21 goals let in by City. It can't go on like this.
00:02:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
But with all of that positivity out the way, and at the risk of again sounding like a broken record, broken record, broken record, what went wrong in your eyes, Keelan?
00:02:59
Keelin
everything basically you know ladies and gentlemen i'm not even going to waste your time with trying to contribute non-original thought go back and listen to the last 10-15 episodes because you're going to get the exact same breakdown as we're going to give you this evening on this episode just absolute garbage again to be honest you know the first half was one of the most dire things you will ever watch in your life neither team really interested in breaking down the other Tiago Modus Juventus were a typical Italian team, 10 men behind the ball, defensively resolute but nothing pleasant to watch whatsoever. City weren't great in the ball, no movement in behind, you know, just crab football side to side to side to side to side again.
00:03:46
Keelin
no penetration, no willingness to make that second man running behind. ah Just nothing really, nothing inspirational, nothing fun about it, just pretty miserable, to be honest. Second half City were a bit better, you know, de Broglie got on the ball more, started trying at least trying to put a couple of things in. But then like you said, Juventus get a break, you know, Yielders, who was one of their best players by a mile,
00:04:14
Keelin
put in a brilliant ball following the rebound from Gaddi, Dusan Blahovic, who makes no attempt to get anywhere near him.
00:04:26
Keelin
Rico, loose to his credit, is kind of caught in two minds, but Vardial absolutely disgraces himself. ah He puts in a header, Edison, more by luck than by ability, stops it, but then it drops over the line because he has no idea where the ball is. Unfortunately, that's 1-0. And then, as we both know, 1-0 down is a death sentence against an Italian team because they are not going to let you in behind to try and equalise. They're just not going to do it.
00:04:56
Keelin
They basically put 11 men behind the ball. City never looked like breaking them down. Never looked like they have any interest in breaking them down. Then they launch another counter attack. Timothy Wayatt plays in a nothing cross.
00:05:09
Keelin
Nobody thinks to stay in the box to try and defend it. And then Weston McKinney scores a certain pick. If that doesn't sum up the season so far, nothing does.
00:05:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah, exactly.
00:05:21
Keelin
Weston McKinney.
00:05:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well put. Yeah.
00:05:24
Keelin
oh
00:05:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Western McKinney. Yeah. Who would only just come off the bench as well. So. um Well, he touched on Kevin De Bruyne. I think that was a slight positive, so I'll stick with that for now. His scoring boots might not quite
De Bruyne's Role and Offensive Stagnation
00:05:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
be on after returning from injury, but he's looking sharp and creating chances, which is needed now more than ever. His health and fitness um and how he should be managed is always going to be a talking point, even by out yeah yours truly, but he's still good to drop right now, considering the option, surely.
00:05:57
Keelin
I mean, Kevin de Bruyne could have one leg and at the moment he'd be better than anything else we have. To be honest, James, with how bad we are, I'd rather just shut Kevin de Bruyne down because I just don't think it's worth putting him out there. It's clear that he's in pain, that he's suffering. He needs a haircut as well, but that's a very different discussion.
00:06:19
Keelin
You know, he's clearly in a lot of physical pain and he's pushing it's not like he's pushing himself beyond because we're at the top of the Champions League or we're pushing to be leading the Premier League. What is Kevin De Bruyne putting himself through this for? For nobody else to want to take the mantle? For no one else to want to put themselves forward and change the game?
00:06:41
Keelin
Frankly, I'd rather just shut De Bruyne down and let the sack of crap try and survive until January because I'm fed up with us. I'm sick of De Bruyne trying to drag these buying average players along with them because if they have no interest in trying, why should he?
00:06:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah, fair enough. um I've seen some fans turn in on Harland, but I think that's ridiculous.
00:07:04
Keelin
Yeah, that's
00:07:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Just because he just because he couldn't add to his 46 Champions League goals from 45 games, you know that doesn't make him the issue. As we've been saying, since we started this podcast, he relies on service.
00:07:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
And speaking of which, alongside Kev, we did see Grealish moved into the middle, is what we've all been crying out for. How do you think he fared?
00:07:25
Keelin
Yeah, he was okay. he he He was decent in the middle, but again, with Jack Relish, I come back to the same problem we all have with Jack Relish. I don't see a £100 million pound player when I look at Jack Relish. I don't see a difference maker. I don't see a game changer. I don't see someone who I see when he gets the ball, and I think, okay, Relish is going to run now.
00:07:51
Keelin
He's going to run at this defence, he's going to commit, he's going to try and break this the lines in between. There's just no game changing from Jack Grealish. And truthfully Jeremy Daku isn't game changing much on the left either, so it's not just Jack Grealish.
00:08:07
Keelin
but I mean, I think of Man City teams gone by, Junz, you know, Riad Mares, Leroy Sane, Raheem Sterling. Players that would at least get the ball and run and try and break in behind and at least take a pot shot, do something. But these players, nobody wants to accept the responsibility. Nobody wants to take it on. Nobody is thinking, do you know what, we're 2-0 down here in the 85th minute.
00:08:36
Keelin
Let's at least try, you know? Novel concept, I admit.
00:08:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:08:41
Keelin
But let's at least try and force the issue. Let's try and make the home team uncomfortable. And again, I could point it on Jack Ralish, but I'm going to point it on everybody. Nobody is willing to try and force the issue here.
00:08:54
Keelin
Nobody's willing to try and do anything different. And now it's seven losses in the last 10, a 70% losing rate.
00:09:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. um And you have to feel that that is surely by design, right? These players are intelligent, trophy-laden, world-class talents.
00:09:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, up until this year, a lot a lot of the squad would have been classed as that. And they're playing and in such a safe, predictable way and they've lost six of the last nine before this so it's clearly not working but like you say someone like Grealish who you think would 100 million would have been spent on a final third game changer which is what he was when he got bought but that seems to have been sucked out of him in a similar way to Bernardo Silva I think and I'm the biggest fan i'm the biggest fan of Bernardo I think he's an incredibly talented and versatile player
00:09:41
Keelin
yes
00:09:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's improved every team he's ever been in, national or club, regardless of what role or position he's been tasked with. ah But well for whatever reason, and like you say, he's not alone. Grealish is not alone.
00:09:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Doc, who is not alone, this is a team thing. But it's just really not clicked for him in quite spectacular fashion, I'd say this year. He's played on the right against UVA. Do you think that's the best place for him?
00:10:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Or in other words, he's been a great servant to the club.
00:10:09
Keelin
No.
00:10:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
What does Pep do with him?
00:10:15
Keelin
i To be honest, and I can't even believe I'm saying this, but that with every game that goes on, more blame is going to have to start being laid at Pep Guardiola's feet.
00:10:26
Keelin
because it's very clear that with Rodri or without Rodri, we have no plan B for how to play. Every single team in Europe and in England knows how we play now, and they know Pep does not know how to play any other way. It's gonna be this safe, boring, one-dimensional shuffling football. And if you can stop that, there's nothing to stop you running through the middle, there's nothing to stop you counterattacking the city team, and there's nothing to stop you outscoring them We are in the most serious trouble I can remember us being in. And Pep Guardiola, I almost would rather he just came out and admitted it. He has no answer for how to fix the city team at the moment. You know, we're putting these academy players on the bench for no reason. Even give one of them a try. Play James Macatee. Try something different. But at the moment, we are vulnerable.
00:11:21
Keelin
Any team in England, any team in Europe can get at us. We are weak, we are hurt and everybody is smelling blood seeping into the water and they are all becoming sharks. We're in real trouble.
00:11:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, i I totally agree. And the what a worrying a worrying factor for me is it's not even like teams are just winning in one way, which traditionally over the last half a decade, it's lep city of 80% and will score two from a break, hopefully.
00:11:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, teams, ah like you say, yeah, well put. Smelling the blood and even matching up city a bit more man-to-man and not being afraid of these players in midfield that are going to pass around them.
00:12:02
Keelin
No fear. There's no respect anymore.
00:12:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
and Yeah, exactly. Yeah. that Yeah, that's what I'm getting at. Until that fear factor comes back, this side to side football, like you say, is not going to break teams down because they're so hungry because they know they can get a chance as soon as they get the ball. it I didn't think Rodry would have been this important to the team, but I think it's clear as day to see just how important he is, considering the the other the other midfielders on offer.
Champions League Challenges
00:12:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
and Yeah, there's just no one that does what he does.
00:12:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
at all and thats yeah that that'll do for part one when we come back we'll look at what city need to do to salvage this Champions League season.
00:12:35
Keelin
No.
00:13:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and um welcome back to the Daily Manchester City Podcast on the Global Sports Podcast Network. So there's no denying it's been a tough old season. In my opinion, the Premier League hasn't completely gone, and but fourth position and an eight-point gap, having played a game more than leaders Liverpool doesn't make for the best of reading. However, the Champions League table makes for a probably Grimmer's scam.
00:13:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
After this matchday City find themselves in 22nd in the 36th strong table with just 8 points from 6 games and also just 3 places away from elimination from Europe's premier competition. Just a season and a half removed from winning it.
00:13:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Qualifying automatically seems out of the question with eight eighth place Lille on 13 points and everyone from Juventus up in 14th on 11 or 12. With PSG next away next and the whole match against k Club Bruges, no gimme at this point either, being they're the only team to beat Villa in the competition and have just beaten Sporting and we see now that went with City. So as a City a genuine risk of not making it through to even the playoff round, Keelan.
00:14:22
Keelin
Yeah, I think that's the conversation at the moment. I don't think City are getting through. And I don't want to sound like a hater, especially against my own team. But I'm going to use a phrase that our esteemed colleague Jack Ward would use. Where's this next win coming from? Because you can forget about going to Paris and getting the win. And to be honest, you might not even beat Club Bruges either because they beat a very good Villa team and they beat a very good sporting Lisbon team.
00:14:50
Keelin
and we're neither of those things at the moment. So to tell you the God's honest truth, Jules, barring other teams being worse than us, I don't think we're making it out. And i'm I'm shocked because I never in a month of Sundays would have thought I'd be saying that about Man City and the Champions League. A team that won the whole thing two years ago was it? That we might not even make it out of the group stages? But I'll be honest mate, at the moment that's the conversation. I don't even know if we're making it out at the beginning.
00:15:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well luckily, PSG have actually been worse than City in the Champions League this season. and and We'll of course be covering it in more depth closer to the time, but just on that PSG game, it's ah not the same team a PSG team has years gone by. They've still you know still got a bunch of talented players and they're undefeated in Liga.
00:15:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
But in the Champions League, it's been a completely different story for Luis Enrique's side. Since the opening matchday victory against Girona, they've lost to Arsenal, Bayern and Atletico Madrid and drew at home with PSV. So despite beating Salzburg 3-0 this week, PSG are still only 25th, a point and a position away from qualifying for the last 16 playoff round. So as things stand, they're going out. So even whilst they're wounded,
00:16:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
and City R2, how confident are you about the boys getting the job done in Paris?
00:16:13
Keelin
I'm not. At all. I'm really, really not. I mean, PSG might be wounded, but Man City are comatose at the moment. You know, you could put any team in Europe against City, and I don't fancy City against them. Look at this PSG team, look at Virginia and midfield, look at Bradley Barcola and Usman Dembele. Do you trust Kyle Walker up against Bradley Barcola? Because I sure as hell don't. Do you trust Josko Vardial against Usman Dembele? Because I trust that even less.
00:16:44
Keelin
um Again, I don't want to sound like a broken record on this podcast, but I don't see it. I i s see no path and no world where Man City get the win against PSG. I would be shocked beyond anything if Man City even got a draw from PSG.
00:17:00
Keelin
Because not only did City lose to Juventus, who are a worse team than PSG, they looked like a second-rate team against a bad Juventus team. What the hell is this PSG team gonna do to City? Because unless this philosophy has changed, and unless the City team somehow decide to play well again, you show me where City went because I don't see it.
00:17:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
have to hope for um the annual PSG Champions League bottle, which if they lose to City then they probably are out of the competition.
00:17:31
Keelin
And.
00:17:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
So with that pressure on Luis Enrique's head hopefully that could cause some waves.
00:17:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
But we we will see yeah a big, big, big match in the Champions League coming up for Man City. um just ah Just lastly on the Champions League itself, it certainly hasn't benefited City this season, but with just two games left to the group stage, what do you make of the new format?
00:18:01
Keelin
I'll be honest, I still don't like it. um I get and I understand that there have been a lot of upsets like Brest, for example, not going there, but and they've been a real revelation to be fair. They've taken massive advantage of it. And it is great to see teams that would normally maybe make it through make that splash. So I am happy in that regard.
00:18:24
Keelin
But I do think that just like the extra games and the extra sort of like workload this is going to put in teams, I don't think it's worth the change, to be honest. Maybe there's a way of going back to the old group stage. And before anybody says that I'm criticising this because Citi are doing bad,
00:18:41
Keelin
city would be doing bad in the old group stage anyway so we're not benefiting because of that. Maybe there's a way of revamping the group stages to make it more competitive with maybe all like lower seeded teams all in the same group and all the higher seeded teams in the same groups. I just don't love the format and I don't see what it achieves to be honest but that's just my opinion and nothing more than that.
00:19:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah achieves more money for the UEFA executives, that is the fact.
00:19:10
Keelin
yeah exactly
00:19:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
and We'll have another short break but when we come back we'll discuss what Pep and Ilkay Gundogan said after the game.
Guardiola's Perspective and Team Reflection
00:19:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome back to the Daily Manchester City podcast on the Global Sports Podcast Network. So if you'll indulge me, Keelan, I'll just like to get your thoughts on some of the quotes from firstly, Pap and then Ilkay from the interviews after the game.
00:20:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah So firstly, here are Pap's reaction. um I'm just going to run through all the quotes and then get your take at the end.
00:20:08
Keelin
Yes, sir.
00:20:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
So he said, we played really, really good. We missed the last pass in action. We conceded a few, but in some transitions it happens. I'm really proud of these players. They gave everything and they tried. Hopefully we can change the results. I know it is difficult in the Champions League.
00:20:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
We have two games left and the last one is at home. When you go to sport in Lisbon in that moment and Turin and um Paris, our three away games were really, really tough. You have to accept it. When we turn things around, we will not forget that period, that period being this current one. It's not past tense. We will appreciate it more, ah what we have done in the past and what we are going to do in the future. So for now, let's continue to do it. So what is your reaction to this? Is it fairly analysing the game or is Pepi in naive here?
00:20:56
Keelin
Yeah, it's an absolute lie and we all know he's Senate because he has to say it because he's never going to publicly Thank hang his players out to dry, which on some level I do respect that about Guardiola. He you. has a lot of integrity towards the squad, but we all know it's BS. Let's not beat around the bush. City have been terrible the last number of games. We all know it. We all have a pair of eyes on our head and what can't speak can't lie and City have been dreadful to watch.
00:21:26
Keelin
And a lot of that blame lies with Guardiola. That's just a reality. Yes, a lot of the players have been bad, but Pep hasn't shown any willingness to change it. He's still playing the same players in the same positions.
00:21:37
Keelin
So, yeah, it's it's a lie and it's a lie because we can see it isn't the truth, you know? Nobody's that naive to think that City have been playing well. You haven't been playing well.
00:21:48
Keelin
Even if City have been playing well and the results were bad, I could accept that. But there's been
00:21:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Which it was kind of like at the start of the run right you know it felt like it.
00:21:55
Keelin
Exactly. Yeah, you're 100% right Jules. At the start of the run when Rodri was first injured, Citi was still playing relatively well so I could accept that. But don't sit and lie, and claim Citi had been playing well against sporting and against Juventus and in the last number of games because we all know it's a lie. Are you going to tell me that Tottenham game was a good performance? You're out of your mind. No, absolutely not.
00:22:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah i Yeah, I agree with everything you've said there. I understand the reason why he's obviously going to protect his players like that.
00:22:30
Keelin
Yeah, you must
00:22:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
But what but what is worrying about it is if he keeps saying that they've played well and keeps saying, oh, we're just missing this one little tweak or whatever, and then not changing anything on the pitch.
00:22:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
really begs the question whether anything is going to change. Is Pep Guardiola capable of adapting like this? We know how we know how rigid he is as ah as a person and as a tactician. Something's got to change. And do you subscribe to the difficulty of the last three away matches, sporting UVA and PSG, all undoubtedly tricky games, of course, being a cause of the poor Champions League position. Haven't even played PSG yet, so that shouldn't matter. But or should a team as powerful a city be expected to qualify automatically regardless?
00:23:12
Keelin
No, I don't accept because the last was the last season of the season before and City went to Lisbon and beat them 5-0. You know, the one thing that changed from now to then is that our best player isn't available. And the reason our best player isn't available is because it was an unfortunate injury.
00:23:31
Keelin
But the reason City are so poor is that they didn't prepare for their best player being injured, which meant relying on buying average mint failures, none of whom can defend, giving a free run to a defence which can't defend, and then giving a free run to a goalkeeper who can barely stop a shot. That's why we're in the position we're in.
00:23:49
Keelin
But no, I don't accept that it's a tough run of away games. That's the reason we've had tougher away games in one. So I'm absolutely not accepting that as a valid reason at all. And yeah, sorry, just don't buy that.
00:24:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
especially when you and counteract that with the home games have been really favorable as well, haven't they? So I think it is it is it all kind of works its way out, I imagine, on average.
00:24:10
Keelin
Exactly.
00:24:14
Keelin
And you started to interrupt quickly, Jun, so I just wanted to build off something you mentioned. You made a great point, and let's say Pep's right, okay? Just hypothetically. Let's say Pep's right and City did play really well, and it's this one or two final things that are missing.
00:24:31
Keelin
Pep's been saying this the last six or seven games and why are we still playing the same way if those final two things are missing? So either he's lying about City or playing well or he's showing he has no willingness to adapt. Which is the truth?
00:24:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
And ultimately, does that matter?
00:24:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because it's still resulting in the same thing at the moment.
00:24:51
Keelin
Yeah?
00:24:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know It's got like like we've been discussing. for the For the past two months, it's going to take ah ah ah from the top down or from the bottom up, an entire whole club approach to get City back to where they where they should be, I'd imagine.
00:25:09
Keelin
yeah one hundred
00:25:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
so i'm going to move I'm just sorry, I'm just going to move on to Ilkay Gundogan's quotes now, which if you were hoping for something different, you're going to be disappointed. But this is what he said. It's very disappointing. I feel like we did have chances to score goals, but at the moment, it feels every attack we can see is so dangerous. We are feeling a bit careless.
00:25:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
At the moment, it's just not working out for us.
00:25:31
Keelin
Yeah,
00:25:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
If you watch, we don't play bad, we play well and we create chances, we just missed the miss the score, miss the scoring of the chances.
00:25:35
Keelin
100.
00:25:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
If you give away one chance and score, it's not easy to bounce back. It's just trying to find the switch to turn things around. It doesn't feel like we are far off it, that's how I feel. As long as we don't find ah a way to click, it will be tough.
00:25:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
When I watched the interview yesterday, it looked quite raw and impassioned. But when I've relayed these words now, it kind of feels like he's just echoing a lot of pep sentiments. So how how how do you feel about Ilkay's words, especially as a leader in in the club?
00:26:04
Keelin
Yeah.
00:26:09
Keelin
Yeah, and and it's very much a regurgitation of what Guardiola just said. That's all it is. And listen, I don't expect Ilkay Gundogan to come out and say, you know what, my manager's wrong, he's talking out of his ass, we're playing terrible, and we either get it together or we should all ship out.
00:26:27
Keelin
I don't expect Ilkay Gundogan to be that honest. But
00:26:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's a middle ground door, right?
00:26:32
Keelin
There is a middle ground, of course there's a middle ground. And at the end of the day, my concern isn't so much that they're coming out and saying this because I expect the PR media slant, blah blah blah, whatever. My concern is, do they genuinely believe what they're saying? Because that's almost a bigger problem if they really think they're telling the truth.
00:26:54
Keelin
if I would almost prefer it if they were coming out and lying and saying, do you know what, behind the scenes, we know we're crap. We have no answer for this. We're just going to try and survive until January. I would be OK with that. But if they actually believe that this is true and they're believing that they're actually playing well,
00:27:10
Keelin
then there's a much, much deeper problem there because nothing's going to get fixed if they actually think they're playing well. Because let me tell you something, hundreds of thousands of Manchester City supporters will tell you you're wrong for you. And at the moment, I am one of them.
00:27:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, and and just just on the City fans, they've still been, especially the away fans, right still been really, really good doing this run, I'd just like to point out.
00:27:38
Keelin
Yeah.
00:27:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
But um should more players front up in the way that Ilkay did or half did? Would you like to hear more from the players' perspective in a situation like this, or is that a distraction to to the team-mates and the club itself?
00:27:52
Keelin
um I wouldn't necessarily want to hear from them because you're only going to get the same PR spin. you know Nobody's going to come out and say, do you know what? We know we're terrible and we're all to blame and the manager's to blame and we're going to bang heads together and get it right. You're not going to get that from a professional player in this day and age. Nobody's going to be honest.
00:28:14
Keelin
but you know my What's more important to me is that they recognise it behind the scenes and they're willing to get it right. I don't need PR spin from these players, I need action on the pitching on the training ground and right now we're getting neither of those.
00:28:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, definitely.
Closing Thoughts and Optimism
00:28:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
and That's about all we got time for today. A nice cheery episode again from us at Daily Manchester City. um Thanks again to Keelan and thanks for everyone listening. in I hope you're still tuning in on this run. It will get turned around eventually and we'll all be there when it happens, I assure you. But that's it from us from Daily Manchester City on the Global Sports Podcast Network. I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day.