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Episode 220: Pre-Season Starts, U21 Euro Win and more!
97 Plays4 days ago
Southampton – It's been a busy few days at the club and we go through all the latest news and happenings at St Mary's.
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Transcript
Introduction and Weekend Recap
00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome back to the Daily Southampton part of the Global Sports Podcast Network. My name is Greg Elliott and as always joined today by my good friend and wonderful co-host Zach Ingo Finch.
00:00:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
How you doing mate, you alright?
00:00:22
Zak
Yeah, good. Nice busy weekend out and about.
00:00:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:00:25
Zak
See some of the sunshine. Probably can't work out if I'm feeling better or worse for it. I'm hoping better. Yeah, it's just been a pretty hectic weekend.
00:00:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. It's... That's it mate, it's all too hot and so we just roll with the punches. but I've got a beer on the go. It's the perfect time to sit and chat some football with you, mate.
Overflow of Football News
00:00:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
We have got plenty to discuss.
00:00:45
Zak
So much. and Like, the space for three days ridiculous how much we miss.
00:00:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's crazy, right? You just take a weekend off and then you come back. and What are we going to record a podcast about? It turns out, loads of news. Loads of news.
00:00:57
Zak
Do you ever get the thing where you speak to people and you you explain that you do a daily podcast on Southampton? They go, like, how could you fill up daily? And I'm like, I think if you and if like we did hour-long episodes a today we could still fill up.
00:01:09
Zak
but I don't know if that says more about me and you than the state of Southampton Football Club or a bit of both.
00:01:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
We could definitely, at some point, chuck out a couple of episodes a day. Like, if we just used the transcript of our WhatsApp, mate, there would be month's worth of content right there.
00:01:25
Zak
but You are not wrong.
00:01:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
But look, lots going on as we build towards real football coming back.
Staff Poaching: Southampton vs. Chelsea
00:01:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
I guess let's start with, at the other start, our under-21s coach, Callum McFarlane, set to depart for Chelsea.
00:01:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's an interesting one. I wanted to talk... I kind of sit on the fence on my opinion on it. And I wanted to see where you felt about it. Is this just, like...
00:01:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
a sign of continuation where all of our, you know, coaches and backroom staff and, you all of that are just going to continuously get poached for bigger clubs as soon as they come knocking all of the time?
00:02:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Or do you think that this is like the last one out the door and now Sporce has an opportunity to put his choice of coaches in all of the positions, including like the youth set up and and run with that?
00:02:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Where do you think that fits in?
00:02:24
Zak
As always, yes and no.
00:02:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
LAUGHTER
00:02:28
Zak
i but The reason being is like, it was one of the things that Solak was talking about, right? Where he he literally was saying like, one of the problems they had when Wilcox left is they kind of struggled with that.
00:02:39
Zak
But obviously when Manchester United calling, you can't say no. And that's why he's trying to keep, I think, a tighter rein on Spores. Because we're talking about how, well, wouldn't it be great if Spores gets one of his appointments in?
00:02:49
Zak
Yeah, what happens if Spores goes? And that's one of the problems is that, you know, then you're left with a bunch of people who supposedly are, you know, results of other people's hires that becomes a problem.
00:02:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:03:01
Zak
So it is good for an opportunity for him to bring someone that fits their overall footballing philosophy. The academy is hugely important to the way we want to do things.
00:03:13
Zak
yeah The under-21s did probably better than I think that most people expected them to. The academy is starting to get good again. So yeah, it's always worrying when you lose a prospect. Now, is it because of his coaching or is it because of the setup? Who knows?
00:03:27
Zak
But it's one of those things where... Unless all of a sudden we are a Real Madrid or a PSG, it's just going to be something that happens always.
Challenges in Retaining Personnel
00:03:36
Zak
And it depends because the people that want to stay and understand will stay.
00:03:40
Zak
And the people that want to leave will go. And that's always how it is. it It makes me think of player transfers with Bournemouth doing really well last season. And then all of a sudden some of their top players were poached you know like Real Madrid and places like that. And it's like, what do you do to stop somebody from going to those clubs?
00:03:56
Zak
There isn't a lot you can do.
00:03:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:03:57
Zak
Same with us. When Aaron's highest squad was pilfered by Liverpool like three seasons in a row, you'd like to think they'd stay. And then in some plus instances, we blocked transfers, Virgil van Dijk being a key one.
00:04:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. right
00:04:08
Zak
And all it meant was, okay, we may have got slightly more money we had a really unhappy player for six months. So it's it's one of those things where, yes, it's an opportunity to rebuild, but I just don't think that there's anything that you could do unless it's the ability to turn around and either give them more of what they want. It's finding out the motivation for why people are in a job.
00:04:29
Zak
And a lot of that is going to be, well, if i get a chance to work at a club with Chelsea and Chelsea's resources, is it just the resources?
00:04:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:04:35
Zak
Is it that it's close to London? There's tons of factors in. i think that any club could do a better job of offering people, I think, like what they would want to stay in a role if they desperately want to keep them in that role, just like any job.
00:04:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:04:49
Zak
But also, you know, if they've made up their mind and they're going, it doesn't matter what you put incentives-wise to try and keep them. And you're better off at that point to let somebody go. it depends what, you know, i think at that point, it's about figuring out the best level of compensation that you can, you know?
00:05:06
Zak
So that that's kind of my opinion on it, is it's, you can't stop these things from happening. You'll never be able to. You can try and make them not want to go.
00:05:18
Zak
But there are some circumstances where people always want to leave a
Contingency Plans for Staff Departures
00:05:21
Zak
job.
00:05:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:05:21
Zak
And I think that that's what Solak is trying to do going forward is making sure that or if, for example, Spores goes, I want to leave. It's like not immediate. And there is like contingency plans.
00:05:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, well look, one positive I want to take from it is that Alfie House is already reporting that, literally in the same article as announcing the departure, that a hire for his permanent replacement has already been made and agreed by the club.
00:05:34
Zak
So I'm hoping with this is a contingency plan.
00:05:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
So... Yeah. say
00:05:49
Zak
So that means that how long how long do you know? It might have been, okay, you can go as soon as we've replaced you.
00:05:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:05:54
Zak
And that that's what I mean is some of those kind of conversations need would be better to... That's another way of being of like dealing with those situations, right? Because that that's where things have taken us by surprise previously.
00:06:08
Zak
that's That's the other thing is that we say we sort of don't expect them to happen.
00:06:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:06:12
Zak
And it's like, well, we should plan for that because it constantly happens in football.
The Impact of Strong Season Ticket Sales
00:06:16
Zak
LAUGHTER
00:06:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's it. And, okay, another piece of news out of the club. Another slightly more exciting piece of news. Less than 1,000 season tickets left for sale.
00:06:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's a bit mad, isn't it?
00:06:30
Zak
Yeah, well, obviously, you you as a season ticket holder, Greg, and the fact that I'm pretty sure I just went on an uninterrupted rant for five minutes. What do you think about it? Because you go week year in, year out.
00:06:40
Zak
How do you think, how do you feel about the idea that we've managed to sell that many for the championship? Is it good is a good thing?
00:06:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think it's a great thing. i mean, look, it's no secret that I genuinely believe.
00:06:49
Zak
Good.
00:06:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's not a joke when I say that, for me, the Championship is in the best league in the world, right? I can see how it would be interpreted that way, but it's mean it like the Premier League, rubbish.
00:07:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Not interested in it. just And so it's nice that seemingly other people share that opinion. I believe last year was the first year we sold out and had a waiting list of season tickets.
00:07:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
And the fact that even through the absolute tripe we were served up, people have stuck with it or have been incentivised to come and and you and you know watch better football this year in the championship is fantastic.
00:07:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. It's great news for the club, especially, you know, the club that are actively trying to push their expenditure and build that to have waiting lists, you know, potentially get to a point where you're can have waiting lists for season ticket holders.
00:07:37
Zak
Hmm.
00:07:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
What fantastic position to be in, right? Like, it's, you know, it builds to the point where, you in potentially in five to six years, you could see realistic discussions of, do we need a bigger stadium? Do we need to expand some areas, which is what great position to be in.
00:08:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
What incredible support to, you know, when you think that the amount of season tickets they have for sale, I ah ah believe it's around 23,000 season tickets that they allow to be sold.
00:08:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
You think that that's more than capacity of quite a lot of championship clubs, right? So a lot of season tickets to sell.
00:08:22
Zak
Yeah.
00:08:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, you know, when when the season ticket stuff came out and we talked about it, you know potentially for a lot of people this year, it's a bit more difficult. So to still get those numbers, outstanding effort, incredible from the sport.
00:08:39
Zak
yeah I wholeheartedly agree. I think it can only be a positive for the club. I think that it shows you that people are willing to stick through thin, thick and thin. I think that it's a good thing for Sports Republic to show they've managed to keep people sort of attached to the club because there is a growing voice of dissent.
00:08:59
Zak
I don't know, you know, there's... this Again, like i e I am not a massive supporter of them in the way that I think that people seem to think we are, just because we think that their business decisions aren't terrible.
00:09:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:09:12
Zak
I completely understand the sort of anger against them.
00:09:15
Zak
But also, if the amount of support continues like that and they just return the investment into the club, I don't really have as much of a problem. And I think that it shows that you know they must be doing something right, even if I still think they're being a bit stingy about benefits.
00:09:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:09:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's not the... Yeah. And look, it's not the football, and they've come out and said that, so at least they're doing something right, and we can accept that and and hope the football will improves. What is interesting to me is that it's going to be the first real test this year of the Red Wall and the stadium changes, is right?
00:09:38
Zak
Yes.
00:09:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because you can't judge it on its initial season, especially when the initial season is as bad as it was.
00:09:53
Zak
yeah
00:09:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
But now this year, people are going have... built their opinions of whether they want to stick with the home end and make that the vocal home wall of support, or if they'll have just swapped ends of the ground and be sat next to the away supporters now, right? This is the opportunity to see how that plays out.
00:10:13
Zak
That'd be interesting.
00:10:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:10:14
Zak
If all of a sudden, all of a sudden, Chapel becomes the most lively stand in the entirety of the
Club News and Season Build-up
00:10:19
Zak
stadium. That'd be a weird...
00:10:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it definitely could happen. Uh, it'll be very interesting to see how that one, uh, how that one comes to be. But we've got lots more to talk about, but definitely time for us take break and hear from our sponsors at Buy Unique.
Young Players in International Competitions
00:11:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, and we are back.
00:11:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Where were we? What have we got left talk about? Well, the under-21 Euros has been happening in the background whilst we've been waiting for quote-unquote real football.
00:11:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
and We've had you know we had some participants involved.
00:11:29
Zak
Yeah.
00:11:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Matty Fernandes and his Portugal under-21s went out in the semi-finals. and yeah know Noteworthy quote from him that he was now... needing a break after a very long season, which I think is pretty justified, to be honest.
00:11:47
Zak
Yeah, I'd say you should probably go on holiday at this point. And I think there's a lot of, think that that in itself is an entire episode of like, i don't know if you saw Klopp came out and criticized the Club World Cup because there's like people potentially playing what, like 70, 70 odd games in a season now, because the season just goes on forever.
00:11:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:12:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:12:04
Zak
Never, a never to end.
00:12:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:12:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
You remember that old Mitchell and Webluck skit where it's like, the football is here, it never ends. It's it's really getting to that point, right?
00:12:14
Zak
Well, like, because obviously, like, from from the perspective of I will just watch random leagues, right? So obviously yesterday I watched Nagoya Grampus beat Hiroshima 2-1.
00:12:25
Zak
And i'd like, you can always find stuff but that's on football-wise, right?
00:12:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Brampus.
00:12:31
Zak
But it's the fact that they're like, no, it needs to be the teams that we care about front and centre. And I can't remember who did it. One of the comedians that does a little skit about different football leagues. I was talking about how it's like, well, yeah, it's all the best teams from each of the leagues. It's like, right. Oh, obviously, so Chelsea's in there because they won the Conference League. Nah, it's because they won the Champions League a few years back.
00:12:48
Zak
It's like, oh, and Inter Miami must have won the MLS then. No, it was LA Galaxy. It's just sort of like... You feel feel bad because it's like, oh you've got a fancy player. now Let's just put you in the Club World Cup.
00:12:59
Zak
You never get a break. So I'm just waiting for all of like these incredible players like Lillian Leval and people like that to just immediately get a snapped hamstring
Player Development and Positive Environment
00:13:07
Zak
because they've just been playing like a thousand games in the space of a year.
00:13:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:13:10
Zak
But completely derailed part of our conversation about what we're probably talking about, which is a another Saints player as well being part of the winning team.
00:13:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's absolutely mad.
00:13:19
Zak
But relevant either way because it's just so many games.
00:13:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:13:23
Zak
It just never ends.
00:13:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
So many.
00:13:24
Zak
and
00:13:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, I mean, look, someone who didn't play any games, he was an unused sub through pretty much the entire tournament, but did, you know, sit with the winning team is Ronnie Edwards. So...
00:13:34
Zak
Yeah, I don't think that matters. I think if you have a solid loan spell at QPR, you keep trained with the England under-21 setup, you're in a winning environment where people are winning things.
00:13:45
Zak
They are elated.
00:13:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:13:47
Zak
They're happy. That's got be better than what some of our players have been going through, where it's like, of what I've s won twice.
00:13:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
100%? No, I fully agree.
00:13:54
Zak
and like...
00:13:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
i I fully agree. and And frankly, if you look at the the team and who he was sort of sat behind not getting selected as centre-back, you can't have any grumbles, right?
00:14:07
Zak
Yeah.
00:14:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, it's, you know, is it Kwanzaa, who's basically, you know, a regular for Liverpool, and Creswell, right?
00:14:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, decent centre-backs. Like,
00:14:20
Zak
Yeah, I kind of feel bit bad for Taylor Harbour-Bellis because he was going to go right until he picked up his injury and you know he's capped in the side previously.
00:14:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's it.
00:14:27
Zak
So that kind of is less than ideal. But at the same time, it's just you know it's nice to see to see ah ah so some some people associated with Saints having some level of success.
00:14:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:38
Zak
that means that it's not going to be a complete miserable right off of a season for them, right? Because if you think about the fact that we there are questions around Ronnie Edwards' performance in his sort of Carabao Cup appearances or FA Cup appearances last season, goes on loan to QPR, has a massively successful loan at QPR, goes away to the...
00:14:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:14:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
young player of the season in such a short period of time being with them.
00:14:59
Zak
exactly Exactly.
00:15:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
100%.
00:15:00
Zak
Goes away then to the Euro-21s. Yeah, sure, he doesn't get a game, but it's part of that setup and part of that moment when they win and get a trophy, but you know, in a final against Germany of all teams.
00:15:13
Zak
That has got to be, you know, that has got to be nothing but good for both the from a player from a playing capacity and the person from a mentality perspective, right? And that's what I think that a lot of...
00:15:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
hundred so
00:15:25
Zak
you know I'm not saying that we all should, you know I'm not a big advocate of false positivity, but it feels like surely that's got to them all some good. It's that having some players that come back into the changing room in pre-season, obviously I'm assuming he's going to get a break. I'd like to think With that level of positive energy and positive vibes going into next season, and I'm looking forward to that for sure.
00:15:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely. We got one more news item from the club to get to after our break, but before we do that, I want to derail us slightly, Zach, and just throw a curveball here.
00:15:54
Zak
Perfect. Love that.
00:15:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
you see Patrice Evra using my words and not quoting my sources?
00:16:00
Zak
yeah
00:16:03
Zak
ah ah Yes, because you text me about how mad you were about it.
00:16:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:08
Zak
You're upset that patises Patrice ever agrees that Pep Guardiola completely killed football and sucked the soul out of it.
00:16:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:15
Zak
don't know, he was a bit more poetic about it.
00:16:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
but
00:16:18
Zak
Yours was an intellectual essay, mate. It's fine.
00:16:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:20
Zak
I much prefer that set anyway.
00:16:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:22
Zak
He had to try and condense it down to fit on an Instagram story to complain about it.
00:16:26
Zak
so
00:16:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. No, look. Look, Patrice, if you're listening, I love it, mate. I love that you're bringing in the word and sticking with it. Obviously, one of our our main listeners.
00:16:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
a Big up.
00:16:38
Zak
Obviously, obviously.
00:16:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Love that. Anyway, small tangent aside, time for a quick break and a message from our partners at Zencastr.
Returning Loan Players as New Signings
00:16:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
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.
00:17:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description and learn more about Zencaster. Okay, and we are back for final segment. And i' starting to build towards real football coming back. And this week we got from the club on all the socials images and videos of the team coming back together for the first time, for the first day of pre-season. And
00:17:31
Zak
interesting who they decided to showcase, I think.
00:17:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
it was funny, wasn't it?
00:17:34
Zak
And I know I know that i don't know if that's on by design or what, but you've got sort of a dozy's back in the building. He was showed off quite prominently. Stewart, Downs. You had Ben Bereton-Diaz is back.
00:17:48
Zak
Adam Armstrong is back. It's... yeah It's interesting to see sort of who he was showcased. They did a little day in the life with ah Yuki Sugawara. And obviously him and his partnership were with Masuki. Because now we've got two Samurai Blues in the team.
00:18:04
Zak
So that would be interesting because obviously he's also training with the first team. Bear in mind that he was originally signed to be a Southampton player. And brought to Southampton to be a Southampton player. But then obviously went on loan to Gestepi.
00:18:15
Zak
It'll be interesting see if he now fits into the squad. So this is this is what I was talking about where like people are really like, oh, we need transfer news. i'm like I feel like half of the players coming back on loan are transfers of themselves. We just kind of keep forgetting about it.
00:18:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right? Like a dozy coming back after a reasonably successful spell at Anderlecht, that's basically a brand new signing.
00:18:34
Zak
yeah
00:18:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know the you know, Belgian national will still was going to have been aware of the quality that a dose he was playing with in Belgium.
00:18:48
Zak
Yeah, 100%.
00:18:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like he's going to be probably a big part of our plans next season. Right. It's.
00:18:54
Zak
Yeah, well, I think that you wouldn't feature him so prominently if that wasn't the case. And, you know, I know that he had an injury spell which kept him out probably longer than it should have been. But, you know, interesting as well, Alex McCarthy being shown off.
00:19:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:05
Zak
No Ramsdale, I think he's enjoying his honeymoon and before he probably has some transfer speculation sort out.
00:19:10
Zak
But I thought that was interesting. um um Obviously, Matt Letizia visiting to talk ah ah talk to Jack Stevens. Yeah. lots of Lots of text messages there about...
00:19:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
I saw some fantastic, some fantastic memes off the back of that.
00:19:24
Zak
Photos of him alongside Will we still be like, right, now you're the new manager, let me tell you about aliens. It's like... Oh, you got to love it, regardless of your political opinions or beliefs.
00:19:37
Zak
It is very, very funny to to enjoy the kind of back and forth the and the banter that goes around our club.
00:19:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:19:44
Zak
But it's it's just, it's nice to see football coming back. It's nice to see people there. Jay Robinson, another one they showed off quite... quite prominently. You know, Niblin's hair's grown a little bit as well.
00:19:57
Zak
So the fact that you've got, they're showing the sort of academy progression, I think that is very demonstrative what you were talking about last season, where like, okay, well, this means now these these players have had some first team minutes and they're going to be around the first team.
00:20:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:20:10
Zak
they're going to get probably opportunities in the first team. We're going to have players come through. Also, we don't necessarily need to rely on spending billions of pounds to bring players in from elsewhere, because what is the point of having a good academy team if we're just going to use it to fund other teams.
Social Media Visibility of Players
00:20:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:20:23
Zak
That's kind of where I'm at. But as I know there's lots and lots of differing opinions about that. And obviously, it could just be that the cameraman decided to point the camera at that point at these people. We spend all our time reading too much into it because, again, we do a daily podcast about this team.
00:20:38
Zak
but So when are the...
00:20:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
that's That's an interesting one, right? Like, how much direction do you think the social media team get on don't don't spend too much time with so-and-so? And how much of it is just, who wants a camera in their face?
00:20:53
Zak
Yeah, because that's the must thing, right?
00:20:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's do it.
00:20:56
Zak
Like, we've we've worked at a place that occasionally films in the office, and they come over and ask for your consent. And obviously, players use it sometimes, they just be like, mate, I'm hungover, can you like just not bother? They're like, i yeah, show show sure, sure, sure. But also, it's things like James Ward-Prowse appearing in the promo when we had this kit, right?
00:21:11
Zak
The championship season, and everyone being like, oh, does that mean he's staying?
00:21:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:21:14
Zak
And then obviously, like, two days later, transferred away after being like off the being in the Norwich game.
00:21:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:21:19
Zak
I and was like, well that was a bit ridiculous put me the promo. So like, do they think about that? Or is it just who is most willing to sit there and take photos? I genuinely don't know.
00:21:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:21:28
Zak
i would find it fascinating to have someone tell me like whether or not this is an instructed thing. i also don't think they would come out and actively tell you about all that. So who knows?
00:21:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
is it Is it with that one in particular as well, do you think there's like the reverse of it, where it's like if we don't put Ward Prowse on the poster and he does end up staying, does that look like a faux pas?
00:21:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:21:48
Zak
Well, yeah, but the ah ah it's like the other thing, obviously, we don't know who's confirmed as captain for next season.
00:21:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:21:54
Zak
It probably is going to be Stevens again. And also from for like a eleven from just a continuity standpoint, but also he's been featured quite prominently. He was featured talking to Will Steele.
00:22:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:22:04
Zak
Now, would you do that if he wasn't ending up? if it is you know is it Is it there to psychologically build us up to accept that he will be the captain again?
00:22:14
Zak
Or is it just that he's the most media trained out of the lot of them?
00:22:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:22:18
Zak
And this is what these kind of things, as much as we, they are, they can be fascinating because sometimes I'm like, I'm just overthinking everything. They're the walls, man.
00:22:30
Zak
is.
00:22:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Look, it's just it's just exciting that it's all coming back.
Season Prospects and Club Atmosphere
00:22:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's real soon as well. like The build-up is is real.
00:22:36
Zak
it is
00:22:40
Zak
My last final point on not current first team, but old first team is Theo Walcott gave a shout out to Adam Lallana on his retirement. I thought that was very good. Sort of one player one player that retired a couple of seasons ago, passing on to another player that's retired.
00:22:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
I did see that.
00:22:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
He said it made him feel old, right? Because he remembered playing with Alana when he was like a boy.
00:22:55
Zak
Yeah, should...
00:22:57
Zak
yes
00:22:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:00
Zak
Yeah, and it should. That's that's how aging works. it's It's when you realize that the manager of your current football team is younger than you. That kind of upsets you a little bit, Greg. That That ah is when you're like, not only the player is younger than me, that's fine. I can deal with that.
00:23:16
Zak
Now the manager is. good.
00:23:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:23:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Look, it's exciting. Things are building up.
00:23:20
Zak
It's coming back.
00:23:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's all coming back.
00:23:21
Zak
It's on its way.
00:23:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's real soon. And how I can't wait. We're going to be... That's just about we've got time for today. We're going to be back tomorrow when we start talking about transfers. It's Transfer Tuesday, everyone's favourite day of the week.
00:23:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
We've got lots and lots to talk about. Absolutely going to be a jam-packed episode. So we'll be back for that. Thank you very much for joining us today. hit us up on all the socials.
00:23:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
How excited are you for football coming back? Because we are buzzing.
00:23:50
Zak
Woo!
00:23:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
As ever, thank you very much for joining me.
00:23:54
Zak
Welcome, mate.
00:23:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
We will see you all tomorrow.
00:23:54
Zak
Thank you.