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In Praise of Referees and Our all-time Premier League XI
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Join your Global Sports Podcast Network team for your daily briefing on all things premier league – News, transfers, analysis and opinion – you’ll find it here on Daily Premier League part of the Global Sports Podcast Network podcast channel
Subscribe, leave a review and share the podcast and you can join the debate by emailing us at: dailypremierleaguepodcast@gmail.com
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Transcript
Introduction and Podcast Overview
00:00:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Welcome, one and all. to the Daily Premier League podcast. It's Friday, the 10th of October. My name's Ken Davis. His name, him over there, is Nick Britton. Together, we bring you the very latest news, views, and analysis of the Premier League on a daily basis.
Football Obsession and World Cup Podcast
00:00:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's why it's called the Daily Premier League podcast. are doing, Nick?
00:00:36
Nick Britten
Who would have thought of such a good name for it? hey Who would have known? Who would have known we could come up with it?
00:00:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Wrong to you, it?
00:00:41
Nick Britten
Yeah.
00:00:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's all there in title, isn't it? Daily Premier League Podcast with Ken Davis and Nick Britton. You're with us on Friday afternoon. Friday afternoon, everybody. Has everybody got that Friday feeling? I know I have.
00:00:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Have you got Friday feeling, Nick?
00:00:54
Nick Britten
Well, mercifully, it is halfway through the interminable boredom of an international break. So as of tomorrow, yeah you get to Sunday, get to the weekend, have good weekend.
00:01:06
Nick Britten
Monday, you can go, oh, thank goodness for that. I can start looking forward to next weekend and next weekend's games.
00:01:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
you think that makes us officially obsessed with football? I think it probably...
00:01:15
Nick Britten
ah where we We don't need to be officially obsessed with football. You and I know. You and I know. Because not only do we you do the Daily Premier League, we also do the world's only World Cup podcast, looking ahead to the World Cup next year.
International Break and Referee Interview
00:01:27
Nick Britten
Road to World Cup 26 podcast, you want to give it a listen. So, yeah, it's fair to say.
00:01:31
Nick Britten
We've just finished recording it.
00:01:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we're just in Tunisia.
00:01:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think people will say, one day in the future, it was a classic of its genre, wasn't it? The Tunisian Road to World Cup episode.
00:01:40
Nick Britten
It was for lots of different reasons. Some of them good, some of them perhaps not so good.
00:01:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Most it.
00:01:46
Nick Britten
But it was a great episode to record.
00:01:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was. involves camels and all kinds of things. Next week's Algeria. So don't know what we're doing with that one. Anyway, the good thing about the International Break, though, is that it gives us a bit more scope to talk about some of the subjects we don't often get to talk about because we've got a bit more latitude. You've got a bit more freedom.
00:02:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
And this week, there's three things want to talk about this week, this day, today.
Referee Abuse and Respect Issues
00:02:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Firstly, I came across a very interesting topic interview on the BBC with Anthony Taylor, very well-respected and regarded official referee in the UK, talking about the kind of abuse, the kind of issues that he faces, attitudes really towards refereeing.
00:02:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I thought that was an interesting subject to actually consider refereeing from a referee's point of view. We're very lucky on this podcast because Nick ah is often described as the bee in the black.
00:02:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
And because he's an official referee.
00:02:45
Nick Britten
Thank you.
00:02:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
So ah Nick can give us his point of view on that. Just to talk very briefly about the the game last night, the very, very tight 3-0 victory that England enjoyed over Wales last night.
00:02:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
But also talk about some of the comments that Tuchel had at the end of that game. And thirdly, in the third part of this... get the opportunity do something we don't do every week, which is who's our best Premier League team of all time? So we're looking at all the Premier League players that have ever appeared in the Premier League. Now I know, we all know that, you know, football did happen before the Premier League.
00:03:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
One day we'll do one of, you know, back in the 70s. But so we're just going to deal with the Premier League because it's the Premier League podcast. We'll talk about the best team that we can come up with, whatever the formation is.
00:03:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
of the Premier League. So without further ado, we're three minutes, 37 seconds into this. Want to make sure this is bang on 30 minutes today. ah Nick, Anthony Taylor,
00:03:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
He suffered from quite appalling abuse, actually, when travelling with his family. When he actually refereed 2023 Europa League final, Roma fans were giving him it large.
00:04:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
He was highly criticised by Mourinho. He called him a disgrace twice in his post-match interview. He confronted him in the car park. He got a ban for that. ah And Anthony Taylor was really talking about it from...
00:04:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Attitudes towards referees and how attitudes towards referees are really deteriorating.
00:04:23
Nick Britten
Uh, there's no problem.
00:04:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's a fear factor. Let's i mean let's be honest. Is it fair to actually have people... It wouldn't happen in any other walk of life, by the way.
00:04:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
why yeah Why is it that referees are just fair game? It's about time we did something about that, surely.
00:04:42
Nick Britten
One of the things that I really hate about football, and I mean really hate about it, is people's attitudes towards referees, supporters, coaches, players, from under sevens football upwards, which is the youngest age group you can get in grassroots football, right the way up to the Premier League and beyond.
00:05:02
Nick Britten
I think people's attitudes towards referees are a disgrace. To throw Jose Mourinho's words bagging him. I think there's people need to cut them some slack.
00:05:13
Nick Britten
People need to understand human they are human. And more importantly, in the chaos of football and the carnage of any game of football, which is 100 miles an hour and Players get away with making loads of mistakes.
00:05:28
Nick Britten
Managers get away with making loads of mistakes. Supporters get away with knowing getting knowing sorry with with with making loads of mistakes because they don't know the rules. And yet a referee, one human being, is expected to be 100% flawless of the time.
00:05:41
Nick Britten
all of the time And it's just wrong. Anybody who's been on a pitch during a game of football and understands the speed at which it's played, you don't get a sense of that if you're in the stands.
00:05:52
Nick Britten
If you're on the pitch or pitch side, the speed at which it's played, the speed at which you have to make your mind up, the speed at which you have to see 20 things at the same time that are going on all around you, it's very, very difficult. It's a very difficult job.
00:06:06
Nick Britten
And I really dislike the way... players particularly, and coaches and managers speak to referees and the way they generally treat them.
00:06:20
Nick Britten
There's a saying in football, no referee, no game. You can't have a competitive game of football without a referee.
00:06:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:06:27
Nick Britten
So why? Why? Why are they treated with such disrespect all of the time? And it has been going on
Cultural Shifts and Player Conduct
00:06:35
Nick Britten
forever. And the FA will tell you that they are putting in measures and UEFA will tell you they're putting in measures and FIFA will tell you they're putting in measures, but nothing ever works.
00:06:47
Nick Britten
Nothing ever works.
00:06:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
was just looking something up there. as i was listening to you at the same time. An NFL game, as a comparison, has seven referees.
00:06:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
And when you think about an NFL game, it's stop and start. Every play lasts for approximately five seconds. um then um of you know And then it stops and where everybody has a reset.
00:07:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, essentially, that there's a huge...
00:07:15
Nick Britten
well
00:07:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Is there not actually an argument for actually having more than one ref?
00:07:18
Nick Britten
Well, there are there are. I mean, in in well, there are more than one. I mean, there are. There is a team of four on the pitch and three or four or five or six or seven in the VAR room now.
00:07:30
Nick Britten
That's at Premier League level. Obviously, going down the leagues where there's no VAR, there's four on the pitch. There's one referee, there's two assistants, and there's a fourth official. So there are more than one pair of eyes, but it's the man in the middle.
00:07:41
Nick Britten
who constantly gets the grief for quite often getting it right and for making the right decision. And I am staggered and I am constantly staggered when I listen to managers or I listen to, worse still, by the way, worse still, are pundits on TV and radio who don't know the rules.
00:08:04
Nick Britten
So they are influencing supporters by saying, oh, this referee's got it wrong because when actually the referee's got it right and they don't know the rules. Supporters don't know the rules.
00:08:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:08:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:08:15
Nick Britten
The amount of times a ball hits a player on the hand and it's blatantly not handball and you just get dog's abuse. And you say to them, well, you tell me why you think it's handball. Well, because the ball hit but you hit the player's hand.
00:08:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's an interesting...
00:08:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Don't eat the rule.
00:08:32
Nick Britten
No. Tell me one of the things that referees are looking at that are in the rules of the game, the laws of the game, IFAB laws of the game, that referees must take into consideration when judging whether something's a handball or not. And they just look at you like you've walked off the moon.
00:08:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, it's it's an interesting one. It's a very interesting comparison to see other sports. I mean, rugby referees are treated with respect by players, complete respect by players, and complete respect by officials and supporters.
00:09:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's a completely different phenomenon, refereeing in rugby. It's a completely different phenomenon in cricket. It's a completely different phenomenon in American sports.
00:09:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's absolutely no... American sports stars would never, ever scream at referees.
00:09:15
Nick Britten
Thank you.
00:09:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, they'd just be banned immediately. we we And um just bear in mind, I mean, you're right. you know referee has got 22 players
00:09:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
constantly, instantaneously, at the same time, most of them trying to con him out of... as much as they can in terms of what's happened. So, you know, it's extraordinarily unfair. And sometimes it pays us to take a step back because we all do. I mean, I was at game last weekend.
00:09:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
And yeah, there were times when I was saying, referee. But at the end of the day, it it's an absolutely impossible job, really, what we're asking them to do. And the fact we get anything close, anything close to the standards we get is a flipping miracle.
00:10:00
Nick Britten
Yeah. but i built
00:10:07
Nick Britten
Yeah, there's a big difference between the crowd shouting, Oi, ref! Or, you know, anything like that. Or, ref, come on! Or something like that. Because that's that's more of a, just one of those things you see.
00:10:18
Nick Britten
And and obviously, supporters and players and coaches are all beset by confirmation bias, whereby they see...
00:10:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. Hmm.
00:10:28
Nick Britten
anything that goes on, they see it their way. So if there's a 50-50, it's their ball. If it's a throw, it's their ball. If there's a yeah if their player gets fouled, it's a foul. But if their player commits a foul, it's never a foul. The player died. Do you see what I mean?
00:10:42
Nick Britten
It's confirmation bias all the time. And the job of the referee is to be objective. And therefore, when the referee gets the decision right and is objectively calls it correctly, supporters don't like it. but they'll But if you spoke to them later, when they've all calmed down, they'll probably go, yeah, the ref got it right.
00:10:57
Nick Britten
But that's no good in the heat of the moment. It is long overdue that the lawmakers of this game, the rule makers of this game, those who set the standards, so in this country, in England, where we are now, it will be the FA,
00:11:15
Nick Britten
get hot on this issue. And not just by introducing what they've done this year while only the captain can talk to the referee. Because in reality, that doesn't happen.
00:11:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
It just doesn't happen.
00:11:28
Nick Britten
What they need to do is start banning players.
00:11:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:11:30
Nick Britten
You've said it a minute ago.
00:11:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:11:31
Nick Britten
What they need to is start banning players for one game Yeah, at the grassroots level, they've got sin bins. And that that was a really, really good introduction to the sport. So can send somebody off for 10 minutes at grassroots level, non-league level, and get them to come calm down.
00:11:46
Nick Britten
And then if they do it again, they go back in a sin bin and they can't come back on. it's It's a very, very good addition. Maybe we should do that. Maybe we should have sin bins in the professional game. They do it in other sports. Give the referees, and I'll tell you what, if you've got in the heat of the Premier League game or Championship whatever...
00:11:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:12:03
Nick Britten
you've suddenly got down to nine players for 10 minutes, you'll think twice next time.
00:12:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. It's a really interesting thing. It's part of the culture of the game. And, uh,
00:12:12
Nick Britten
yeah But that's the problem, mate. That's exactly the problem. People dismiss it as, oh, well, it's just football. that's It's always been like that.
00:12:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
um
00:12:18
Nick Britten
It's part of the culture of the
00:12:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, no, no. The point I'm making there is not that therefore we have to accept it. What I'm saying is actually you've got to stop it really early. we've got to make we've we've We've really got to make respect to the referees part of the game that people grow up with.
00:12:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then there's a chance. We've got to change it ah because, to be honest, we'll have no referees. I mean, who'd be a referee, to be honest, at that level?
00:12:39
Nick Britten
I do.
00:12:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because all you're getting is... Nobody's going to be, has a problem with scrutiny. Nobody has a problem with people having a view on decisions. But just the constant negativity towards refereeing, you'd never get it in any other walk of life.
00:12:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
And if we we don't do something about it, there won't be any refs.
00:13:00
Nick Britten
No, I agree. And Anthony Taylor is a very, very good referee, by the way.
00:13:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's a great ref, yeah.
00:13:04
Nick Britten
He's a very good referee. If you see him turn up for a game, you always know that you've got a good ref. But he will make mistakes. Of course he will.
00:13:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:13:11
Nick Britten
He's human.
00:13:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, absolutely.
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00:13:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely. I think VAR can help as well a bit more. Right. As we know, as our friend Anthony Taylor knows, in football, it pays to get your team selection right here at Global Sports Podcast Network.
00:13:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
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Global Sports Podcast Network
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Thomas Tuchel's Criticism of Fans
00:14:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, right, right. Second part. want to talk about the scabby 3-0 victory over Wales. That's right. England enjoyed. And we talked you a a little bit on the Road to the World Cup podcast. want to check that out.
00:14:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's quite a fascinating listen. um Tuchel had some views, didn't he, on on fans' commitment to England games at the end of that game. Interesting your take on that, Nick.
00:14:30
Nick Britten
Yeah, so what what happened was, what generally happens at England games, which is after about 20 minutes to go, everybody goes home. And Thomas Tuchel was very unhappy that the England supporters, he wasn't happy they went home, but they were unhappy that they didn't give enough vocal support in the ground, particularly in the first half, where England were, quite frankly, excellent.
00:14:53
Nick Britten
And they blew Wales away in 20 minutes. The game was over in 20 minutes. Wales were wretched.
00:14:59
Nick Britten
and right and No, no, no. I'm going stick with this thing. ah just to Just until you admit it or you denounce your Welsh statehood. They were terrible. But England played really well for that first season.
00:14:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
All right, right, move
00:15:11
Nick Britten
Yeah, that first 25, 30, 40 minutes. They were great in the first half. Second half, quite naturally, when you're making substitutions and the game is won and it's only a friendly, it the whole game took a bit of ah a downward turn and it got slow. It got boring, quite frankly.
00:15:27
Nick Britten
and everybody started going home. So with about 20 minutes to go, then everybody's gone home, pretty much. Not everybody's gone home, but you know what i mean. There are vast swathes of the stadium that are empty. But Tuchel wasn't so unhappy about that. It was more the fact in the first half, where it's 3-0, and his team is pushing for fourth and putting for a fifth.
00:15:44
Nick Britten
And then in the second half, when Wales had a, I wouldn't even say they had a bit of a spell, but they just weren't looking so bad and weren't conceding goals, that it was the Welsh fans who could hear not the England fans. And he was just said the team needed help. He just said the crowd lacked energy, it was flat.
00:16:02
Nick Britten
And at times when a team needs help, then the supporters weren't weren't there.
00:16:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, look, be honest. It's it is friendly against Wales. You're 3-0 up after 20 minutes. And think he's expecting quite a lot here because, you know, by 60 minutes, people are starting to look at the watches thinking we can get away early if we're lucky.
00:16:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's I think Tuchel's maybe expecting a little bit too much. The fact of the matter is in England... We're a club followers. We're only interested in in the national team, in the quarterfinals, semifinals or final of a big competition.
00:16:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're not even that bothered when we're playing in the group stages of the big competitions. it's I mean, I don't Germany's different, but here I think the fact that we fill the stadium is is is good enough, really.
00:16:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Unless we're playing, unless it's 2-2 against a really good team, a Brazil or a Spain or France... I'm afraid, you know, England against Malta, England against Andorra, even England against Wales, it's just not going to hold the attention when the game's over after 65 minutes.
00:17:09
Nick Britten
Also, I think it's becoming a bit of a culture in the English game. Generally, if you watch Premier League games or Championship games or what have you, people do start leaving early.
Fan Entitlement and Societal Changes
00:17:16
Nick Britten
It's become a thing now.
00:17:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
I hate that, though.
00:17:18
Nick Britten
For whatever reason, it's become a thing.
00:17:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
I hate that, because perfect.
00:17:19
Nick Britten
People and start piling out of the people stop piling out of ground with 10 minutes to go, even if it's a very tight game, even if it's 1-0, 1-0, whatever, and your team is still in a within the chance of getting. so I can understand if you're 4-0 down, fine, off you go But yeah, it's it's it's just becoming a thing.
00:17:37
Nick Britten
Yeah.
00:17:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't like that thing, if it is. I see it i do see it at Derby, but you know to be honest with you, I don't blame him walking out after 10 minutes. oh But it's a thing.
00:17:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Interesting. well But what I do like is Tuchel is opinionated. Tuchel will say say it as he means it. He's criticised his players.
00:18:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's criticised their determination and energy. Now he's having a go at the fans. You know what? I like that.
00:18:07
Nick Britten
Well, he's got every right to in my book. He's got every right to. Supporters are very entitled these days. They think they can do what they like, behave how they like, say what they like without any kind of comeback.
00:18:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:18:19
Nick Britten
So I like the fact that a manager has stood up and said, the team needed your help. And where were You you were all quiet. What's wrong with that? And if the supporters get upset by that, then they need to just have a kind of look at themselves and go, well, am I am i in the right game here? Do I need to go and follow another sport?
00:18:38
Nick Britten
Do I need to do better? Or do I just accept the criticism and say, yeah, you know what, he's right. I was one of those who left earlier. I was one of those who that who sat there and and I'll take the criticism.
00:18:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's a really interesting point about entitlement of fans.
00:18:50
Nick Britten
That's true.
00:18:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Does that go full circle then? you know We started the episode talking about referees and the fact they get a terrible amount of abuse. A lot of that abuse is coming from fans, but not only fans. you know We know pundits have a go. We know managers have a go.
00:19:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
But fans are a big part of it. Fans were a big part of what happened to Anthony Taylor, of course. Do you think that, again, is part of this entitlement that football fans seem to have that other fans just don't seem to have?
00:19:16
Nick Britten
yeah Yeah, and before it's always been like that. It's always been like that in football. I think football supporters are a very... different breed. They're a very cultural breed. They're a very tribal breed. they Going to watch football going to watch a football game is different to going to watch any other sport, any other sport in in in yeah and in in lots of different types of ways.
00:19:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, great.
00:19:40
Nick Britten
And the mindset of a football supporter, I think, is unique when it comes to sports viewership. And if if you think back to, don't know, the 60s and the 70s and the 80s, thankfully we don't get any of the trouble that we sort of had in the 70s and the 80s in terms of violence and hooliganism.
00:19:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
um like me
00:20:02
Nick Britten
But there is a really, there's still that that, it's loud, it's raucous, it's you're letting off steam. I wonder, and I may be wrong here, may be making too big a leap, but I don't know, does it hark back to the very roots of football?
00:20:15
Nick Britten
as being a working class game whereby you work your socks off all week and going to the football on a Saturday afternoon is just a release.
00:20:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh,
00:20:23
Nick Britten
It's just a release for you. Because I see people, and I don't know why, mate, because I'm not one of them and you're certainly not one of them, but I see people every week at the football who get so angry and so worked up.
00:20:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah yeah.
00:20:36
Nick Britten
And I'm going, what why? what What is it? You know, what is it? What is it that's worth getting this
00:20:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:20:43
Nick Britten
angry about. And they get angry at the ref or the opposition or their own players or or somebody else in the crowd. They just angry, angry, angry, angry.
00:20:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's a
00:20:52
Nick Britten
And they see as the opportunity to release that anger But sometimes they don't understand or appreciate that actually it's the wrong environment.
00:21:06
Nick Britten
And ah and and and other other people are affected by your behavior and you don't have the right, go back to entitlement, you don't have the right just to behave how you want to behave because it suits you.
00:21:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
You wouldn't do it in any other entertainment venue. You wouldn't stand up in the middle of a Beyonce concert and scream at and say, you've got the words wrong. it's it You just wouldn't do it. And um i mean the other thing is, I mean, it maybe it's okay back in 1930 if you've been down a mine all week, breaking your back to do this, and this was a bit of a release for you.
00:21:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
But let's be honest. I mean, the most work we do is is doing Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations, you know, working for the council. I mean, it's it's not, you know, it isn't really the same thing. So, so now no, i don't I don't buy that. I just think we have to have a proper look at ourselves.
00:21:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, you You know, we we're when did you not do when we not good enough as fans, to be honest, and we need to get better.
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00:22:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right.
00:22:00
Nick Britten
Yeah, can I just say neither of us work for the council? Not there's anything wrong with the council, it's just not what we do.
00:22:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
No. No, yeah we do a lot of Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint presentations. Right.
00:22:09
Nick Britten
Please, see yourself, i don't I don't do any XPL.
00:22:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
So...
00:22:11
Nick Britten
I do a lot of presentations, that's for sure, ah but I try and to avoid Excel whenever I can.
00:22:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
I can't avoid it. Right. So Global Sports Progress Network is partnered with Bionique, the world's most personalized supplements, because your your body, your body, I'm looking at you, Nick, is particularly unique.
00:22:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Because without knowing what deficiencies you have, if you take, Nick, off the shelf supplements, you may not be getting enough of the nutrients you need. You may be getting too many of the ones you don't need.
00:22:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, just think about that for a minute. Bionique provides 100% tailor-made supplements designed to deliver precisely what your body needs. What does your body need precisely right now, Nick?
00:22:54
Nick Britten
Probably a cup of tea and stop listening to you.
00:22:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's probably what Bionique are able to provide at exactly the right levels to help optimize your health. So if you want to click on the show notes, use the code GSPN2025, you'll get 40% discount off your first order.
00:23:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
But... you will still have listen to me.
00:23:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okie dokie, dokie dokie. We've got precisely six and a half minutes to finish this podcast. We're very serious about our professionalism here. 30 minutes is what we're signed up to. 30 minutes is what you're going to get.
Best Premier League Team Discussion Begins
00:23:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
So we're going to pick the best team that's ever walked out in Premier League shirts in the history of the Premier League. ah Nick, you go first. ah First question, what formation are playing?
00:23:51
Nick Britten
I'm playing 4-3-3. Right.
00:23:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, find a way, go from the top to the front and wide.
00:24:02
Nick Britten
right Now, this is quite a difficult choice because there have lots of good goalkeepers in the Premier League. It came down in the end to a... There were two. Two on my shortlist came down to Petr Cech, who I kind of had in and out the team, and out the team, but he's on the bench in the end.
00:24:18
Nick Britten
And I've gone for Peter Schmeichel. Manchester United goalkeeper, fantastic keeper, huge, big, brave, dominant. He kind of ushered in, I think, a new breed of goalkeeper.
00:24:31
Nick Britten
And he was absolutely key to United's dominance in the 1990s when they were winning all those titles. Yes, they did win lots of titles, would you believe? And he was part the team that won the tournament.
00:24:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
old era. Thank you time.
00:24:46
Nick Britten
Yeah, he was brilliant, brilliant.
00:24:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
He was.
00:24:48
Nick Britten
So Schmeichel's in goal. Do you want me to carry on or want do yours?
00:24:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, I'll do mine. I agree with Schmeichel. I can't think he didn't look anywhere else, really. He kind of epitomised, as you say, a different breed of... Player, you dominant, absolutely dominant in the box. Great shot saver.
00:25:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Great with crosses. Just great penalty saver. ah Just all-round great player. So was he so was his lad. He was also a good keeper. So, yeah, I'm i'm all over Peter Schmeichel. I agree with you on that one.
00:25:19
Nick Britten
Honourable mentions. I mean, Petr Cech I've mentioned. I think David De Gea, actually, another Man United goalkeeper's worth mention as well.
00:25:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, decent. Decent. ah Unana from Man United.
00:25:29
Nick Britten
No, not decent or worthy of a mention.
00:25:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right.
00:25:33
Nick Britten
Don't ruin it.
00:25:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Sorry. Carry on.
00:25:36
Nick Britten
Right back. Back four.
00:25:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, I'm going to go my right back first. ah Gary Neville.
00:25:43
Nick Britten
Yep. I've got him down as well. Yeah. Yeah. I've got him down. I think defence and goal is quite easy to do, to be honest with you.
00:25:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
so
00:25:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
406 games, super reliable, real athlete. Also, what like about Neville is he's got he's got a real attitude. He wasn't going to be bullied. He wasn't going to be pushed around.
00:26:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's a great sportsman. And yeah, it doesn't like white working class blokes, just coming back to our earlier point. But great a great right back. So I've got Gary Neville at right back.
00:26:12
Nick Britten
Yeah, me too me too. I had honourable mention here to Kyle Walker where Man City were in their pomp three four years ago.
00:26:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:26:20
Nick Britten
ah thought he was absolutely brilliant and and unbeatable when he was at his when he had his full pace ah on. He was fantastic. But yeah, Gary Devil, absolutely. Then ah moving into centre-half then, my two centre-halves are Rio Ferdinand and John Terry.
00:26:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:26:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, interesting. I've gone John Terry as well. Fantastic. 492 games of Chelsea. ah Yes, I've got Terry. I haven't gone... Who was your other one?
00:26:51
Nick Britten
Ferdinand, Rhea Ferdinand.
00:26:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah yeah Yeah, okay. I thought there were two players quite similar. I've gone for Virgil van Dijk. I think he's still an absolutely outstanding defender, has been consistently for a long time.
00:27:03
Nick Britten
husband been she history for
00:27:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I've gone Virgil van Dijk and John Terry in the middle.
00:27:08
Nick Britten
Do you think Van Dijk would cope with the strikers of the 90s, which are very different to the strikers of today?
00:27:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
the Shearers.
00:27:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think he's an athlete. i think he's I think he's strong. I think he's got a great footballing brain. i think he's hes a he's a thinker. He's an intelligent guy. He's just a supreme athlete. So, yeah, I think so. I think he would coped in any era.
00:27:34
Nick Britten
Yeah, fair enough. Yeah, I mean, i think that's there there are quite a few centre-halves that you could that you could probably you could probably call on. It depends kind of whether you want a ball-playing centre-halve. I think back to Steve Bruce.
00:27:47
Nick Britten
Yep, absolutely. Steve Bruce was an absolute warrior in that Manchester United team.
00:27:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
You couldn't see him now, though, could you?
00:27:52
Nick Britten
probably not, well, don't know, Dan Byrne plays for Newcastle, similar kind of player.
00:27:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah, he's...
00:27:57
Nick Britten
ah You've got, no, to be fair, that's totally untrue. You've got Vincent Kompany, I thought he great player, have fantastic centre-half.
00:28:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah, yeah, he'd be in the next
00:28:05
Nick Britten
Who else did I have my list here? That might have been it as far as centre-halves concerned, actually.
00:28:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Pallister?
00:28:11
Nick Britten
Tony Adams, Tony Adams I had on those.
00:28:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Tony Adams, yeah.
00:28:14
Nick Britten
That partnership of Adams and Keown for Arsenal.
00:28:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah.
00:28:18
Nick Britten
have had either of those in the team as well.
00:28:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
1-0 to the Arsenal, yeah, absolutely.
00:28:21
Nick Britten
Yeah.
00:28:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Talking of which, who have you got left at?
00:28:23
Nick Britten
I still think more well i'll just say i stillthy Martin Keown is the scariest footballer I've ever seen in my life.
00:28:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's
00:28:28
Nick Britten
I would have hated to play up against Martin Keown.
00:28:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
that face though, isn't it?
00:28:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
kind of face that turns the milk off.
00:28:35
Nick Britten
Left-back, Ashley Cole.
00:28:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely, 100% with it.
00:28:37
Nick Britten
Arsenal and Chelsea, the best. I think he's England's best ever left-back. I do. I think he's been England's best ever left-back. I think he's fantastic player, both at the top end of the pitch and at the bottom end of the pitch. I just think he's brilliant.
00:28:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. i Though I do remember him playing at Chelsea against Derby in a League Cup game about 10 years ago. And he got absolute... Was it Mason Bennett?
00:29:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely roasted him all game.
00:29:07
Nick Britten
Yeah, but that's Derby, mate, isn't Come back come to Derby.
00:29:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. um And I used to think, actually, Cole, what a player, what a player.
00:29:12
Nick Britten
Oh,
00:29:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
And they I remember him coming with Chelsea and he got absolutely slaughtered all game. And I thought, it maybe he ain't the player I thought he was. But I've got, I think, Cole as my left back.
00:29:19
Nick Britten
he probably just turned up, he probably just thought I've turned up, bit of this is, I'm only going to operate at 50% today yeah because, because, it's the right Derby.
00:29:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, he certainly did. But I've got Ashley Cole there as my left back. So so we pretty much we pretty much agree with that. Now, you've got a 4-3-3. I've got a 4-2-3-1. So let's have your three midfielders.
00:29:37
Nick Britten
Yeah, this is where it gets very, very, very difficult because I could have i could do what e i could do what Egypt did and play six across the midfield in their recent game.
00:29:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that was but an interesting formation, wasn't it?
00:29:47
Nick Britten
Yeah, it's good to get that gag, you've got to listen to the Road to World Cup podcast.
00:29:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
3-2-1.
00:29:52
Nick Britten
ah So I've gone with... Well, so DM, because I'll tell you what I've done. I'll tell you how I've picked this team here. I picked this team on ah on a kind of, both statistically, but also players that I like to see play, ah but also a kind of team that would work.
00:30:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:30:14
Nick Britten
So you see what I mean? So players, so in a kind of formation that would work if you put them out pitch together.
00:30:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
let's get to Let's get to it, Nick, because you're dancing on the head of the pin.
00:30:20
Nick Britten
All right.
00:30:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's have the players.
00:30:24
Nick Britten
All right, calm yourself down. So I've got a defensive midfielder in that three.
00:30:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah?
00:30:30
Nick Britten
That's Patrick Vieira from Arsenal.
00:30:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I'm with you.
00:30:32
Nick Britten
Powerful, great leader on the pitch, great player, get yep could get forward, could score goals.
00:30:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
307 appearances.
00:30:40
Nick Britten
And if you think back to that, Arsenal's invincible side, he was the absolute linchpin, I think, of that side.
00:30:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
No one messed with Patrick Vieira, then or since.
00:30:48
Nick Britten
No. so he's So he's my first one. Then I've got a centre midfielder. And now this is where I just couldn't, I couldn't kind of split this. So I've got Paul Scholes.
00:30:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's an embarrassment to riches here, isn't there?
00:31:00
Nick Britten
There is here. I've got Paul Scholes. I had Frank Lampard and I had Steven Gerrard in there. So I think in the end I've gone for Scholes.
00:31:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:31:10
Nick Britten
because he was the absolute, for years and years and years, and people talk about people like Roy Keane and all that. No, Paul Scholes was the heartbeat of Manchester United's midfield for years. And I mean, yeah he he was the best thing about that Man United team.
00:31:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Wow.
00:31:23
Nick Britten
And he just went about, yeah.
00:31:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
He made it. He was the glue, wasn't he? He was the glue that made it fit it all together, yeah.
00:31:27
Nick Britten
And he went about his his business with the least of all fuss. But his passing ability was unparalleled.
00:31:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay.
00:31:37
Nick Britten
He scored some great goals, including some fantastic goals.
00:31:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Great. He wasn't a great tackler though, was he?
00:31:42
Nick Britten
No, he wasn't a great tackler.
00:31:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's be honest.
00:31:43
Nick Britten
No, that's why I've got Vieira behind him.
00:31:46
Nick Britten
See, that's that's method in my my logic.
00:31:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay.
00:31:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, okay. I see where you're coming at.
00:31:48
Nick Britten
at unit Well, I know what you've done. You've just like picked random players in random positions. But I've actually thought about this. But you know what? If Scholes is just feeling a little bit like he's got a bit of a bad time in that day, then I'm just going to put Lampard in there. He's my second choice. so Love Big Frank.
00:32:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
So there, two of you are three in midfield. He's your third.
00:32:05
Nick Britten
Well, I'm going to add some flair. I'm to add some flair. I'm going to add a player who's who's lit up the Premier League in recent years, and that's Kevin De Bruyne.
00:32:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Nice choice.
00:32:13
Nick Britten
He's a sensational player.
00:32:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's interesting choice.
00:32:16
Nick Britten
Love to watch him. Undoubtedly the Premier League's most creative player in the last 10, 15 years. ah Just a pleasure every time. Every time you watch him get off the ball.
00:32:27
Nick Britten
He's one of those players just gets you gets you off your seat. I love watching football where I've got players who get you off your seat, who excite you when they get the ball. That's why we talk a lot about Eze and players like that. I just think he's brilliant because they excite you.
00:32:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. No, and he can do things that no one else can do. So that's an interesting three.
00:32:44
Nick Britten
Yeah.
00:32:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've gone for 4-2-3-1. So before we get into the kind of the attacking half, of ah better tell you, I've gone... And so obviously, if you're going to go for a four two to three one the two that you have as defensive midfielders have got to be the type of midfielders that you'd be scared to death to go near.
00:33:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
now And there's some choices. of of um I mean, some amazing defensive midfielders we've had. i mean, it was McAlealy back in day with ah with Chelsea.
00:33:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was great. But I've gone, and I don't know if this would work because I don't think they're the best of pals, Keane and Vieira as my two defensive midfielders.
00:33:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because I just think with them two sitting in front of that defence, honestly, they've got to kill people. And if we can just get them working together, which I know is difficult, they probably wouldn't get out the tunnel.
00:33:37
Nick Britten
Well, they'll kill each other. They'll kill each other, probably. Or just spend time...
00:33:46
Nick Britten
Well, they'll be throwing pizza at each other in the tunnel, wouldn't
00:33:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
But
00:33:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
It would be dreadful. but But if we could get imagine two defensive midfielders of Keane and Vieira. So I've gone Keane and Vieira as my defensive midfielders. Now let's look at look up the pitch.
Debate on Ideal Forward Line-ups
00:34:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
So you've now got three. I've still got four players to go. You've got three. Who's your three forwards?
00:34:07
Nick Britten
Well, think of this, right? Think of this.
00:34:12
Nick Britten
Wayne Rooney, Sergio Aguero, Harry Kane.
00:34:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay.
00:34:19
Nick Britten
Yeah, these players aren't even getting on my list. They're not even in there.
00:34:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Good. Pleased to hear. Pleased to hear.
00:34:23
Nick Britten
And they are brilliant players. don't I mean, I can't believe you just guffawed when I mentioned the word Wayne Rooney.
00:34:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:34:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's no way we can.
00:34:29
Nick Britten
He's one of the Premier League's best ever players. He's a brilliant player. 208 103 assists.
00:34:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
No. No.
00:34:35
Nick Britten
Yeah, the only player to get 200 plus goals and 100 plus assists. And you're going, ha ha ha, as if he wouldn't be good enough to play for Wrexham.
00:34:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
I saw him, Raksin, his first game ever. And he was good player then. But we've got to pick.
00:34:47
Nick Britten
I thought you were going to say some around the less reputable places of Wrexham.
00:34:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, no, no, no. no So, no, we've but we've got... we're We're looking at the cream here. We're looking at the Elise.
00:34:57
Nick Britten
So what I'm saying is there's hot competition, but I've got a front three that's going to blow your mind.
00:34:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, who's your top? Oh, yeah.
00:35:01
Nick Britten
It's not only going to blow your mind, it's going to beat your team hands down because it's going to thrash your defence inside out.
00:35:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Go on.
00:35:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Go on. It might be the same as mine. Go on.
00:35:07
Nick Britten
but Right wing, Cristiano Ronaldo on the right.
00:35:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:35:11
Nick Britten
Thierry Henry on the left and Alan Shearer in the middle.
00:35:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:35:15
Nick Britten
What a front three. What a front three.
00:35:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
That is...
00:35:19
Nick Britten
Thierry Henry, arguably Premier League's greatest ever player. Alan Shearer, undoubtedly the Premier League's greatest ever goalscorer. And Cristiano Ronaldo, quite possibly the greatest footballer this world has ever seen.
00:35:31
Nick Britten
What a front three. And whatever you're about to say is not as good as that. So try best.
00:35:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, let me let me let our listeners decide because guess what? I've gone Ronaldo on the left Henri in the middle Giggs No, sorry, ah Ronaldo on the right, Henri in the middle, Giggs on the left, Shearer leading the line.
00:35:49
Nick Britten
No.
00:35:53
Nick Britten
No.
00:35:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
So in so I've got Keenan Vieira as the sitting two. Then I've got Ronaldo, Henri, Giggs and Shearer banging him in. I reckon that's better.
00:36:06
Nick Britten
No, ah don't I don't think so. I don't think so.
00:36:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
You've got four of them. Giggs, you can't leave Giggs out.
00:36:10
Nick Britten
yeah but i'm go to yeah Yeah, but the point is i'm gonna I'm going to outnumber you in midfield and therefore my front my front three are going to push right on.
00:36:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, but you only feel they've got to cope with Keane and Vieira.
00:36:17
Nick Britten
And
00:36:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
They ain't doing that.
00:36:22
Nick Britten
There's three of them.
00:36:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Keane and Vieira would chew them up and spit them out.
00:36:22
Nick Britten
are all out
00:36:26
Nick Britten
No, they wouldn't.
00:36:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Imagine Vieira against, imagine Keane.
00:36:27
Nick Britten
They wouldn't. yeah Well, when it all teams in our team in our teams, it would be Vieira versus Vieira.
00:36:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Imagine Keane against Kevin De Bruyne. I mean, it's just not fair, is it?
00:36:36
Nick Britten
So it wouldn't be interesting.
00:36:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, but I mean, imagine De Bruyne against Keane. Keane would literally break his legs in 10 minutes.
00:36:40
Nick Britten
I don't care what team put out. I don't care what team you put out. a front three of Ronaldo, Ronaldo on one side, Henri on the other, and Shearer is unbeatable.
00:36:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, fair enough.
00:36:50
Nick Britten
It's unbeatable.
00:36:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
you some Just some honourable...
00:36:53
Nick Britten
Giggs is a good effort, but but he's nowhere near the level of the others.
00:36:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Giggs isn't a bad player. He's not a bad player.
00:36:59
Nick Britten
He just isn't.
00:36:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Behave yourself.
00:37:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Behave yourself.
00:37:01
Nick Britten
He's nowhere near it.
00:37:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, this is what like this. Causes debate. Just some honourable mentions, as Nick mentioned. You know, I had no place for Gerrard, Lampard, Kane, Cantona. Bergkamp doesn't get on there.
00:37:13
Nick Britten
lord I ah forgot about Bergkamp.
00:37:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
and the And Bergkamp.
00:37:16
Nick Britten
Oh no. Oh no. Yeah, I forgot about Bergkamp.
00:37:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
but camp
00:37:20
Nick Britten
No, he's still not getting in. ain't getting in ahead of Henry or Ronaldo. And he's certainly not getting ahead of Shearer. Nobody's getting in ahead of Shearer.
00:37:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, no one's getting in ahead Shearer. Shearer's leading the line for me as well. I mean, well, I think it's, I know Harland is ah is an alien.
00:37:32
Nick Britten
What about Haaland? Too early.
00:37:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think it is too early. I think if when we do this episode in five years' time, we might say, oh, I remember Harland. What a player. And you'll say, well, he's no Shearer, is he?
00:37:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, he is a Shearer.
00:37:50
Nick Britten
What about Wanchop?
00:37:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Anyway, we'll see Paolo, one shot, Stefano Eranio, Francisco Baiano.
00:37:59
Nick Britten
I tell you what, Bojano was a good player.
00:37:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
He was a good player.
00:38:00
Nick Britten
He was a good player in that team, wasn't he? He was a good player.
Conclusion and Listener Interaction
00:38:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, that'll do. Thanks, everyone, for taking part in that. That was a lot of fun. Always is a lot of fun. I told you that we this would be exactly 30 minutes of Pulitzer Prize winning punditry. It wasn't. It's 38.15 right now. So we better call it a day there, but we could talk about this and debate this forever.
00:38:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
so So thank you, Nick, for joining me on the Daily Premier League podcast. As always, in the international breaks, it will be three episodes next week, just as it's been three episodes this week.
00:38:28
Nick Britten
Thank you.
00:38:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
But of course, next week, we can look forward to try to do some games at the end of this week, or the end of next week, which will be a lot of fun. So Nick, thank you for joining us.
00:38:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you, everyone, for listening. If you want to send us some information or some notes or some... ah remarks you can always reach us at dailypremierleaguepodcast at gmail.com promise you we'll look at those and we'll probably talk about them on the podcast thanks everyone thanks nick
00:39:03
Nick Britten
Thanks, Ken. See soon.
00:39:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
see you next time everybody