Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Episode 100: TRANSFER Tuesday - What can we do?!
85 Plays10 days ago
Southampton – It's supposed to be tactics Tuesday, but we got a little sidetracked! And who can blame us! What do you think will happen in this transfer window? Let us know!
Follow us on social media:
X - https://x.com/GSPNSouthampton/
Youtube -https://www.youtube.com/@gspnsouthampton
TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@gspnsouthampton
Instagram – https://www.instagtam.com/gspnsouthampton
Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/gspnsouthampton.bsky.social
Sponsors and Advertising
Zencastr
Built for quality - Designed for growth
A new era for creation is here.
The only complete audio + video platform to get best-in-class recording, intuitive editing, AI-powered growth features, and top-tier distribution tools — all in one place.
Get started for free!
We highly recommend it!
Global Sports Podcast Network - Creating the world’s first network of 30-minute daily podcasts for the world’s biggest sporting export, the English Premier League.
For advertising and sponsorship details or to learn more about the scale and demographics of our audience – email Ken Davies, VP Business & Development at:
ken.davies@globalsportspodcastnetwork.com
www.globalsportspodcastnetwork.com
Copyright | 2024 | Global Sports Podcast Network | All Rights Reserved
Recommended
Transcript
Introduction to Hosts and Holiday Chaos
00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome to the Daily Southampton, part of the Global Sports Podcast Network. It is Tactics Tuesday. My name is Greg Elliott and I am as always joined by my wonderful co-host, sounding better than ever, Zach Ingo Finch. How are you doing, Zach?
00:00:24
Zak
uh good evening good afternoon good morning uh yeah i'm good mate it's i'm starting to come out of the haze of whatever the holiday period's been because like i i still don't really know what day it is all i know is that it must be record as of time of recording monday because i've been told i need to put the bins out and that that shows you where my head is at uh
00:00:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
like
00:00:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
well I'm not even that caught up on what day it is yet. We've been trying to behind the scenes set up recording times and dates and yeah I
Preparing for New Year's Eve
00:00:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
don't know I don't know what time it is.
00:00:55
Zak
it's is is It's still very much sort of like we're in the holiday period of we will do whatever whenever.
00:01:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm on run number three tomorrow like it's just
00:01:01
Zak
Whenever we've got some free time we'll record something. oh
00:01:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's that time of year.
00:01:10
Zak
It really is. yeah I spent a lot of my day a lot of my day cleaning. We're hosting some friends New Year's Eve tomorrow. I'm very excited for that. But the because of that, I suddenly looked around at my house and thought I need to sort this place out after an extremely sport-heavy, wow, Christmas and weekend and this and the other.
00:01:29
Zak
I'm looking forward to and looking away from
00:01:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:01:33
Zak
uh whatever's coming next in the boring domestic life and looking at what's going to go be in the horrendous saint's life where we lost again
00:01:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, we go in with hope.
Diving into Tactics Tuesday
00:01:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, right it's Tactics Tuesday, so I'm going to try and loosely keep this based on tactics, but let's face it, it's neither of our areas of expertise. But speaking of tip runs, the January transfer window's coming up. We're going to have some rubbish to get rid of, right?
00:01:59
Zak
right that is a thing
00:02:01
Zak
I don't know how I feel. I almost feel like would it have been better to go the entirety, if if we're going to go down, would it have been better to go the entirety of January transferless apart from selling?
00:02:15
Zak
So we don't end up getting on board more players that we're going to end up who are going to end up. My worry is, is anybody that comes in needs to deal with the fact that relegation could actually be a thing and that are they happy playing in the championship?
00:02:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
We've talked before right about who who who wants to come in this hopeless situation.
00:02:30
Zak
Because what I don't want
00:02:35
Zak
Yeah somebody that wants six months of Premier League football but is also happy.
00:02:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now we've heard from, and now we've heard from Durridge that he wouldn't be here if he didn't think he could still keep us up which is frankly borderline delusional but I mean also I don't feel like he could come out and say anything else because I think that well yeah we're relegated but we're gonna put it in for six months might get quite a lot of Twitter heat so maybe take it with a pinch of salt so but I don't know
00:02:51
Zak
It's one of those things where
00:03:09
Zak
so it's really It's really difficult because if if that is truly what he believes, my worry is that if we get relegated, is he going to lump through and stay with us?
January Transfer Window Challenges
00:03:18
Zak
Because what I really don't want is that we have another manager that buys another bunch of players during a January transfer window who then, after six months, have realised we're down and then want to leave. like Whoever we get in is going to have to deal with the prospect of plugging in the championship but getting a chance at the Premier League. And like there are some players that I'm happy that I think we stick about.
00:03:41
Zak
thought i've i've I've seen rumours knocking around of of ah ah of a dibbling announcement. I think it was either today or tomorrow, potentially.
00:03:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Although he signed a new contract.
00:03:50
Zak
Also, yeah. And also, unless I completely missed that, sure true.
00:03:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's been in the works for a minute, so that's fine.
00:03:55
Zak
But like obviously, that would mean that either way, it would be slightly more expensive to buy him at the end of the season.
00:03:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:04:00
Zak
But other than that, as because obviously, that's the other thing, is it it it does start to to be what contracts even mean. I feel like if we managed to get Kyle to sign for longer, happy days, but I would be surprised if he's decided his time is up and I wouldn't i would blame him for that.
00:04:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah so that's an interesting situation right because now do we cut our losses and get some money for him selling him in January or as he's one of our best players hold on to him to the end of the season and and then let him go for free i'm honestly in the boat Zach where i don't think anything can keep us up and i'm the optimistic one
00:04:15
Zak
But it's like, who do we who do we get?
00:04:27
Zak
But do we think that will keep us up? is is i I genuinely don't know.
00:04:36
Zak
Yeah, no, you're right. Is this one of those things where like, is, yeah, but is there, I don't know.
00:04:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
like
00:04:43
Zak
You might know this question as opposed to like, it's something I've never really thought about. Obviously like you're awarded, uh, like financial, like compensation based on the position, in the premier league, right? Does that include 18th, 19th and 20th?
00:04:56
Zak
So if we get 19th, are we going to have more money than if we came last?
00:05:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't know, I think so.
00:05:02
Zak
Because if you're likeating if you're a relic great relegated, it doesn't matter. So it's one of those things that is it worth fighting to get 19th or 18 and keep our best players or just, you know, as you pointed out, cut our losses and then kind of go down. It's like, I think we've got some quality championship players maybe in our team. You know, bear in mind, we've sent quite a few of them out on loan. It's just, I don't know. I'm kind of scared for what the window will bring. I was, I was, i was with what I say, talking.
00:05:32
Zak
There was a back and forth with someone in the YouTube comments about the idea of sending from Burritton Diaz back online to Sheffield United. And I think it would work for both parties, both parties like, you know, if if he ends up...
00:05:45
Zak
coming back up and they decide to buy him for a lot of money when we go down. That'll be useful money to have on the war chest. Alternatively, you know he gets football and potentially he can go back to goal scoring. Either way, he stops being a problem conundrum for us. Maybe he'll get some confidence under his belt and they really, really want him back there. So who knows? like there's just there's ah There's so much uncertainty and so much. and And yet somehow I still think that we're going to end up keeping Solomana.
00:06:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
oh yeah i mean yeah i mean at this point he's still our club record signing because ramsdale's bonuses are ah ah the bonuses on ramsdale becoming our club record signing imply that we stay up so i've
00:06:18
Zak
He's got a track with us until like 2026 or something, it so...
00:06:32
Zak
What a world we live in mate, it's very... God, it's got heroin.
00:06:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
seen some other pretty horrifying rumors i've heard that new castle are going to be in the bidding for ramsdale don't know if that's gonna be a January thing or a once picking the flesh off the bones once we go down I don't know yeah
00:06:54
Zak
it's it's it feels It feels very Football Manager-esque, right? like Don't get me wrong, for some reason in Football Manager Crystal Palace always ended up going down, and it is absolutely wonderful to to pick them apart for for cheap. But like for us, I'm genuinely looking at the squad that you know It would be interesting to go back to the Derby team that got relegated for the lowest amount of points and see where all those players ended up and if anyone purchased them all.
00:07:20
Zak
Because I'm genuinely baffled if if some of the sort of our players go for a lot of money. Because quite frankly, you are part of a team.
00:07:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, maybe we'll save that research for a wildcard episode in the future and hopefully we'll be on slightly more points and it'll not be quite as doom and gloom as then.
00:07:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's definitely one player I want to talk about who is definitely going to be in discussion points for most of, if not all of the transfer window. And
Zencastr Promotion
00:07:48
Zak
Yeah.
00:07:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
we will talk about him after our first mentor from our partners.
00:07:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
So here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform. Zencaster came out the clear winner. With 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing that automatically removes all those ums and ahs, it's super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently. If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description to learn more about Zencaster. Okay, so big suspenseful build up. It's gonna be really disappointing that it's our Melbella Cottage app.
00:08:22
Zak
yeah yes.
00:08:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
we saw him and the but We saw him on the bench or against Palace and Jan Bednarek is I think suspended against Brentford.
00:08:26
Zak
We did.
00:08:32
Zak
Mm-hm. Mm-hm.
00:08:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
So do we see Bela Koczap come in? I mean at at this point are the options Bela Koczap or the return of Jack Stevens at which point?
00:08:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Which is the lesser of those two evils?
00:08:48
Zak
Probably silly, we got Ronnie Edwards who we we took from being out on loan to a promising league one side getting absolute minutes and have taken him away to make him train with our first team.
00:08:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay.
00:09:00
Zak
who are looking like a championship team, who, quite frankly, i I hope for his development it was the right decision, and I really hope we start doing something with him, because he's somebody that could get the development. But the answer to your question is, it's it's probably I kind of sit on the fence that I've always sat on it comes to Bennecotch app, which is, like I find it, he's not really played a lot since our relegation season,
00:09:24
Zak
People talk about him being one of our best players, but we were still quite comfortably relegated but that season. And it's it's kind of wild to me that a lot of the stuff that's come out in the media is all to do with him being like, oh, the previous manager didn't like me and they refused to sell me and I want to go to a big club and I ah just want to put myself in a shop window. And it's like one of those things where, like as i as I think I alluded to before, I can't work out if I find it really refreshing that a player is just outwardly saying it and not doing the BS of tapping the badge and pretending they care.
00:10:00
Zak
Or I don't really want him to start playing really, really well and then not be get like immediately let go to like, ah don't know, buy a Munich again or something and then f throw another hissy fit. It's very, it's very much like, do we want people that will play or if you put it this way, if a miracle happens and he gets into the squad and we stay up and partly that's down to his performances. Do you know what? I'll eat my words on it.
00:10:28
Zak
But it's like for me at the moment, it's kind of he doesn't look interested and he only looks interested as sort of a self for his his own career and self improvement and stuff.
00:10:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. No.
00:10:40
Zak
And it's like we are in a situation that needs that.
00:10:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
But if that leads to performances, is that okay? Do we really care?
00:10:47
Zak
I guess not.
00:10:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like if he comes in to put himself in the shop window against Brentford and has a 10 out of 10 world class performance, surely that's still better than Eddie, even if Jack Stevens came on and gave her a 10 out of 10, right?
00:10:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
like
00:10:59
Zak
No, I agree. i think I think my problem at that point becomes a wider issue with just the way that football is nowadays. And that's dumb because that's never going to change. And as I said, I can't work out if I actually just find it incredibly refreshing to be like, oh, okay.
00:11:15
Zak
You don't care about playing for Little Old Southampton, you never really have. You just want to do well so you can go off to a big club one day. Which, let's face it, is what like you know a lot of our players have done. and We've dragged a lot of players back. You're looking at, like, Sothea Walker and Lallana and all those kind of people that have played for soil Arsenal and Liverpool after leaving us, after supposedly loving their time here, and then seeing us as some sort of weird retirement home. so Yeah, I mean, if he comes in and he puts in some solid performances, and I'm i'm sure my my tune will change, quite frankly, but I just don't know how much a single defender can do
Impact of Brazilian Players Joining
00:11:52
Zak
yeah to to help galvanize this team into not
00:11:58
Zak
Well, I mean, I was going to say not being being terrible. And the problem is, is it's like, oh, we've not been terrible. But also like at this point, we're on record to be the worst team.
00:12:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
We are currently the worst team. Yeah.
00:12:08
Zak
<unk> sorry Oh, it really is.
00:12:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's really sad, isn't it? All right. Let's try and take it to a slightly more positive tune. Uh, many years ago, it feels like in the last transfer window, uh, we signed two exciting Brazilian prospects to pre contracts who will be joining the club.
00:12:28
Zak
We did!
00:12:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
I presume from the 1st of January. So one of them is a very exciting and dynamic left back in Wellington who I know has already been seen on social media out and about in Southampton and getting himself settled. Do we finally get to see Karl Walker-Peters back on the right and play this exciting dynamic new Brazilian left back?
00:12:55
Zak
I ah ah really hope so, because producing down that right hand side, like, man, it's it's bad that I'm kind of like, I don't really know why we're playing him on the left anyway, because Manning's decent, has been pretty decent for us.
00:13:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. yeah
00:13:12
Zak
It'll be exciting, we'll have to see how it goes. I'm concerned, that position's always been a bit cursed, you know, look at sort of, Luke Shaw, McQueen, Juan Larios. My worry is he comes in and plays a game and like, you know, that is out for a hundred. I just feel like every time we play a left back like that, they they disappear off the face of the earth. So it's interesting to see whether he'll get game time. And I'm sure that conversation's come up with whoever's taken over. And I'd like to think that conversation's come up with Durek, but also
00:13:45
Zak
as me and you have discussed previously, the board seemed unaware they were going to hire a new manager the day they fired Russell Martin. So I don't know how much how much in plan is in place. But I think the idea of an exciting young prospect is always good for football and us in general. It's one of those things where I do find it a bit weird that we're very much all about our academy and like to brag about that. And we've done the standard thing of poaching talent from abroad.
00:14:14
Zak
That is the other side of it, right? I don't know how you feel about that, but like I find it really strange.
00:14:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't know how much more Sam ammo has to do to get a gain.
00:14:22
Zak
Yeah, this is my point.
00:14:23
Zak
like It's so weird that we will go, like oh, the academy is amazing.
00:14:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Why it's like bringing it onto Tulumana instead of Sam ammo.
00:14:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, if
00:14:31
Zak
contract clauses, someone that's willing to go and shout at the manager. I feel like if I'm 17, 18 years old and um someone someone's 25, 26 and you know has had more of an impact and presence in previous clubs I've been in, I would have more of confidence to go and say, you should play me and I'll show you why I'm amazing. and Plus, again, we don't know what happens in training. We we so discussed this time and time again, there could be reasons. Remember, we saw Barrett and Diaz score an absolute cracker of a goal on Open Training Day, mate.
00:15:00
Zak
never materialized after that but but like you know we were like that's exactly what we've been screaming out for and then you put it into play and it's not necessarily the case so I don't know I feel I'm excited for them put it that way that is that a diplomatic way of saying I don't really know how I feel about it
00:15:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
that was the last time we saw him do anything you right yeah crazy look anything that's going to come in and give us a potential boost and give the fan something to cheer about can only be a good thing, right? And fresh faces and changes have to hopefully be one of those things. I want to take a slightly different approach next and reframe the question. But before I do that, I think it's time for a message from our partners at the Global Sports Podcast Network.
00:15:52
Zak
The Global Sports Podcast Network is changing the face of football podcasting with dedicated daily content for every Premier League team, women's football, fantasy football and a daily Premier League wrap up broadcasted in five different languages. This is your one stop shop for your daily football fix. Find GSPN wherever you find your usual podcasts.
Board Strategy and Relegation Risk
00:16:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
okay so as mentioned I feel like the damage is done and we are probably already relegated however as a an ownership and board that are already coming under fire and perhaps rightly so for poor recruitment and getting us into the position we're in now they're not going to be in a position where that's sort of something they could come out and say and sit on in January I don't think they're gonna there's gonna have to be some movement now Obviously we talked about the issues you're going to have about who you're going to be able to attract. But if we take that out of the equation, what, if we were playing football manager and trying to keep ourselves up from this point, what do we need to strengthen our squad to be able to do it? I mean, there's a very obvious answer, right? Someone who knows where the goal is.
00:17:04
Zak
Yeah, it's it's an instinct. It's an instinct for Go. And I think one of the things we need to do as Saints fans is to stop living in the past and being like, I know what the solution is.
00:17:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Even saying someone who knows where the goal is, I felt at risk that we were going to bring that latissier back in for cameos. so
00:17:19
Zak
Nah, not even that. like I wouldn't be surprised if we're like, why don't we go for a permanent transfer of Broya? Or why don't we bring Ings back? We're desperate for that. we We have this tendency to always fall back on when and Saints went through a good spell. Let's bring that player back, despite the fact that Broya basically stopped playing as soon as he realized he wasn't getting a... Well, he thought he was going to get a transfer elsewhere and then didn't.
00:17:41
Zak
Ings had, I think, an opportunity to probably stay before we shipped them off the villa. by but you know I know there was lots of arguments behind the scenes about what went on there.
00:17:52
Zak
It's difficult, but like I think first and foremost, you you get rid sort of some of the players that don't want to be here. You terminate some of those loans that are costing us money, costing them money. So Maxwell Corner, you send him back. No disrespect to the guy. I just don't think it's worked out here. Fine. ah you know Potentially, Brereton Diaz, send them off to Sheffield United for a season and a half. He's clearly happier there. I don't think he can't be happy at the moment, not even being in the match day squad.
00:18:18
Zak
an offer that's big enough for Paul comes in, send him off. and you know
00:18:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's our main focal point with the tactics we play at the moment. So what are we doing instead of that? Are we changing the way we play to actually play to the other striker strengths?
00:18:32
Zak
but I thought the whole point of us bringing in a new manager was to kind of maybe do that. And this is what's really frustrating is it's like, again, the goal of the you know ah ah goal we got was, let's face it, like soft as heck, they should have redone better to clear it. And then afterwards, when we actually had opportunities, we we kind of struggled, right?
00:18:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, but we've talked before that Brentford's the real test, right, because really this is the first time he's going to have been in a position to have a full week with the players.
00:18:59
Zak
Correct, but where I'm at when it comes to you, okay, what want to watch you is the way you know we've had two games. If Onuachi is the the answer to all of our problems, he needs to score.
00:19:10
Zak
For one.
00:19:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I'll do something, anything, really.
00:19:11
Zak
so So, yeah, like, I think i think for me, the the most important part of it, regardless of is to which ship out the people that do not want to be here, the people that do not want to be up for the fight, or the people that I think just their time at Saints have have come to an end.
00:19:29
Zak
right like i feel I feel bad for Jack Stevens.
00:19:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:33
Zak
There's clearly stuff going on in the background that is causing him to whatever. right I don't want to speculate on that. it's not His personal life isn't my business. But from a footballing perspective, he has had two red cards as our captain and has missed most of the season.
00:19:47
Zak
Like, he was very much a key point under Russell Martin. I don't think he's going to be being forward, so potentially it's time to move on. Get some of the wages off the books and then go from there.
00:19:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:19:56
Zak
But I think the problem that I've got at the moment is if, you know, I would end up looking for who is offered to me by intermediaries. That is where if I am if i'm fighting relegation and I am trying to fight bravely, right, I think would be the terminology that's used, Greg.
00:20:14
Zak
You don't get to really pick the players that you can bring in. You kind of have to hope that someone is offered to you.
00:20:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:20:21
Zak
And again, it's finding people that would be willing to stay with us through potential relegation, not bringing in somebody with the really slim hope that we're staying up. You would need to bring someone that's potentially sees being here as part of a project.
00:20:33
Zak
the Right, we might go back down, but then we might come straight back up and you have a chance to play in the Premier League again. And I think that was, again, some of our biggest mistakes in buying people in the window and absolutely, you know, and bless Paul to like poor Paul. po He was one of those people where he was like the fifth or sixth choice striker we bought and bought him very, very last minute on deadline day.
00:20:55
Zak
you know And he's been good for us but hasn't scored a goal yet. So where I'm at is that you you get rid of the people who do not want to be involved and you stop wasting time trying to give them minutes if they don't want to be here.
00:20:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:21:10
Zak
And you bring in people that do. But my biggest problem is if we're going to do stuff like we're going to give Bella Koch up a gamble, I wouldn't be surprised if considering their recruitment so far, they try and convince people that it's going to be a Premier League thing and we end up with the same...
00:21:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. Hmm.
Preparing for Championship Future
00:21:25
Zak
I just can't see us not being in the same predicament where we buy a bunch of people who as soon as relegation hits don't want to be here because they they've been relegated.
00:21:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:21:33
Zak
And that that's my big concern is that we're going to have to, we should almost, it's upsetting to say we're building to the championship, but like, we've got to break some crazy records to stay up now. And judging by the last two games, yeah, the football has been more exciting.
00:21:45
Zak
Do we think that's going to happen?
00:21:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah All right trying to Try to steer us back Uh to tactics on tactics tuesday.
00:21:47
Zak
You've already said you you believe with that and you're the optimist out of the two of us. so So yeah, get rid of people, bring some more people in.
00:21:59
Zak
Mate, we may as well just scrap that and call it Transfer Tuesday, but carry on.
00:22:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know my last chat
00:22:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
I liked that. You're right. That'll be the title.
00:22:06
Zak
yeah
00:22:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
We saw on Sunday against Palace, our midfield get trampled, basically. and And, you know, maybe that wasn't a surprise looking at the team sheet because we didn't have a holding midfielder on there.
00:22:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
We coming back to a point where even No, I don't think he's really been in his best run of games, where Flynn Downs is still the glue that holds the entire team together. Or do you think that with him coming into his form, if we just started Big Lez, things would have been solid enough?
00:22:47
Zak
I think that he is crazy what a couple of weeks can do, right? Because like I, I was kind of happy for him to go back home to Chelsea and go off London alone somewhere else a couple of weeks ago.
00:22:58
Zak
But he's really sort of proved himself the last couple of games. And I'm like, okay, skip the guy shot.
00:23:04
Zak
Downs two can play an important role. We should not be too reliant on him. If we're going to have two holding midfielders, let's actually bring some holding midfielders in. Why don't we bring Shay Charles back off loan?
00:23:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:23:15
Zak
like Where I'm at, is the new there's a new manager in town now. He could look at the squad we've got, bring brings somebody who's paying very, really well and is quite in quite good form home. It might be they don't want to, I guess, ruin a good loan spell by throwing him directly back into a relegation battle, right?
00:23:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:33
Zak
but you know I think that he was a shrewd purchase that Sheffield Wednesday fans are going to really want to try and make sure they get over the dotted line. He was in with that group of city players we bought, which obviously the problem is, I think is at the time is very much outshone by like a lavier.
00:23:50
Zak
Right, you know, so why don't we try and bring him so we've got some rotation in that area, because I clearly having both for Rebo and Matty Fernandez in that area didn't really didn't really do a lot because you know Palace just pulled us out of the park really.
00:24:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, well, to their, in their defence, neither of them are what I would call a defensive holder midfielder.
00:24:04
Zak
and
00:24:09
Zak
No, i don't blame to be to be clear, i don't I don't blame them.
00:24:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
So,
00:24:12
Zak
They play to the best of their ability in an out of sorts position. But clearly, if we're going to sort of play that way, we're going to need more players to play in that position, relying entirely on Ugo Chukwu and Downs.
00:24:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah.
00:24:22
Zak
Ugo Chukwu, who's going to need to build match fitness, because he's not played in a long time, Downs who, yeah, for for us.
00:24:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Down to ah injury prone, currently it seems. And if not, is perpetually getting booked. So it must be a suspension risk more often than not to.
00:24:36
Zak
Yeah.
00:24:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, if you went like, there's two bets, right?
00:24:36
Zak
you know we don't
00:24:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
That you want to put on, on this Saturday, if the names are on the team sheet and that's Flynn Downs to get booked and Bellacott chapped to go off injured. Like,
00:24:49
Zak
But like you know like like back in the days when we had like Big Vic and Rameu, rather than just being relying, because I remember we went through a period, I can't remember exactly when it was, but Rameu, he wasn't suspended because he never got red for us, but like he was off injured for a while, and then all of a sudden we were playing really badly, and it's because we'd like completely lost that position in the park, and there wasn't anyone that could really fill in.
00:24:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:25:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:25:10
Zak
So you know I guess that goes back to your earlier question and answers it a bit better, focusing on the areas that are going to be crucial for the new style of play. And if that means keeping big legs for the rest of the season, happy days, you know, we've already got that kind of under the belt, but potentially, in my point, bring back Shay Charles or get someone else to compliment, you know, build squat depth in an area we actually need squat depth and get rid of the areas we don't. And, you know, as you pointed out, we've still got people like Sam Amo to actually have a go that hasn't really had a chance.
00:25:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:25:47
Zak
Just it's difficult. but Yeah, that's that's my kind of opinion on it is we try and shore up a position. We actually need squad depth in as opposed to all of these areas. We have an absolute abundance of squad depth, right? Like I think we also keep forgetting like on the wings and stuff. We've we've got like Ryan Fraser is knocking around as well.
00:26:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
go by. and
00:26:07
Zak
yeah that's my point like there's quite a few players you know we want to get rid of some of the war i would consider to be deadwood but also actually shore up the positions we need i don't think we need another center back we've got like 30 uh everyone always keeps thinking that
00:26:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's fascinating, isn't it? Because Ryan Fraser, when we signed him, felt like such a big deal finally getting that over the line. But even under Russell Martin, he had such a bit part play to play in the season. And I just don't know if I see him suit Ian Durett's style in the slightest.
00:26:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
so
00:26:34
Zak
i feel I feel bad for him sort of in the sense of at the beginning, once we'd got the once we got sort of one promotion, everyone was very excited. And there was the people that could read between the lines. like We never had any attitude problems or any of that kind of stuff that you know Newcastle and Bournemouth had talked about.
00:26:55
Zak
but as the season went on or like sorry the transfer window went on into the season, I feel like me at the time, I reckon you at the time and quite a few other people, when we signed that dotted line and suddenly he was here, we're like, all right, yeah, forgot that that hadn't happened. And then, you know, has not been, not set the league a light, but I can't feel like, I find of feel like that's most of our players have been championship players and I think a lot of people predicted at the time we've made a very very championship signing for the Premier League in him but I don't know how much but I think from what I can remember rightly it was just his wages right I don't think we had to pay a fee because he managed to come to an agreement with Newcastle because Newcastle wanted him gone so like nothing lost but yeah I'm gonna I would if I was him I would be worried for my game time at this point
00:27:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah, he was a free transfer. Yeah. Yeah.
00:27:46
Zak
So yeah, it's a bit, wow, that's more doom and gloom than I want it to be. But I guess there is stuff we can do, but it's whether or not the manager clearly thinks that we're not down, right?
00:27:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, but then again he has to think that because otherwise what are you doing here?
00:28:02
Zak
Yeah, he has to say that. He's got an 18 month contract. There was talk about him. There's a break clause after six months. We don't know what the actual reality of that situation is, but that, that could work both ways, right?
00:28:14
Zak
It could be after six months. He decides he doesn't want to bother fighting in the championship. He was very proud to be in the premier league. It's an attractive prospect for anybody. And again, like it's going to be convincing players that, yeah, you get to do six months in the premier league.
00:28:28
Zak
You might get them down to the championship though. Is that right?
00:28:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah But then like there's an exciting prospect of coming with the getting promoted to the Premier League and building the squad that then is able to try and stay in the Premier League after that promotion.
00:28:31
Zak
Uh, but then again,
00:28:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
like but that That hopefully is exciting.
00:28:44
Zak
But it's it's it's selling that it selling that to people where this is a career. like we We both have jobs, Greg. And like it's like you know you can have performance bonuses in your job. The idea of like, well, this is going to be really, really rubbish. But you know the the good thing is that you know after this one year or so of absolute rubbish, you could be in charge of something special. And I guess the answer at my that point in my mind is, OK, well, am I going to be paid anymore?
00:29:12
Zak
Because like I feel like if you're an elite level, you know if you're like a Salah or people like that, like you care more about trophies and that kind of stuff. like If you're joining a Southampton, you're not going to be expecting to win trophies, apparently, or even stay in the Premier League.
00:29:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:29:25
Zak
So for me, it's like, OK, so what is the incentive to play? It's like, well, either as a stepping stone, which we've already discussed. It's not half as much as what it was beforehand. The other is going to be monetary.
00:29:37
Zak
I don't even know if we can fulfill that anymore. so it's going to be difficult and motivation to keep them here, you know, yeah there is a, you know, i'm I'm about it as well. And again, the cynic in me is there is a motivation to try and keep people at at a football club for like loyalty and the badge and that kind of stuff. But ultimately, these people are doing a job and they want to maximize the returns on their career. You know, maybe And I think the problem, again, is going to be a trouble with recruitment unless you have players that are looking to revitalize their career.
00:30:12
Zak
Like, ah ah you know, perfect example that Calvin Phillips at Ipswich, right? And it still isn't even really working out from there.
00:30:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:30:18
Zak
But that is a perfect example of like, okay, well, I'm going to take this this big drop for these reasons. We're going to need to try and have players like that and i just can't see any players that are desperately in that position at the moment that are going to want to come to us to kind of help us stay up in an extremely hard period or players that are going to accept the drop in advertising and sort of reputation from dropping down into the championship but at the end of the day
00:30:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:30:44
Zak
That was also what was so much fun about the championship. is you know It's probably, and it's already trying to gear myself up for next year. i It's a really exciting league. Crazy stuff can happen. And yeah, you'd like to think that maybe there's the the romantic part of football where there will be people that are willing to take on that challenge. And there have been people that you know have have done that, and it's worked out for them, I guess. People like Ryan Fraser. So you know maybe we'll get some some people in.
00:31:12
Zak
somewhere in the best of both worlds
00:31:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, well, it will be exciting to see either way, I guess.
00:31:14
Zak
like but
00:31:19
Zak
yeah
00:31:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we'll have plenty to talk about, I'm sure, as we go through January.
Closing Remarks and Future Plans
00:31:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, that is just about all we've got time for today. As it is New Year's Day tomorrow, we're going to take a rare day off from from posting.
00:31:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm sure that we will both be feeling slightly worse aware anyway, as I'm sure will most of you.
00:31:39
Zak
somewhere in the best of both worlds.
00:31:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
But we will be back with some wildcard content on Thursday and so we start building towards our game against Brentford and our push for survival in the new year. So thank you for joining us. Thank you for listening in 2024. It's been our debut year and we are having a great time doing it at the moment. So thank you for listening. Zach, as always, thank you for joining me and we shall see you in 2025 for a year of only positivity.