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Dundalk demise delayed and Postecoglou's painful pressers
31 Plays2 months ago
🚨 Dundalk FC SAVED from collapse! 😱 Is the FAI to blame for poor ownership structures in the League of Ireland? Meanwhile, is Ange Postecoglou DONE at Spurs? ⚡ Tottenham’s season is on a knife’s edge—what’s next? 👀
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Transcript
Introduction and Host Updates
00:00:17
killianginnity
Hello, hello, hello, and welcome to the Not A Pundit podcast as ever we are joined by Nathan Byrne and Connor Glennon. And this week we have a very special guest in Simon Kelly. Gentlemen, how are we doing?
00:00:31
CG
Oh good man, can't complain. I'm sure we'll get to it later on, but Newcastle fighting back. There was a good stretch there for, if we went 1-0 down we hadn't won a game in 10 years, so i I'll take the wins and I can get them.
00:00:42
killianginnity
Nate.
00:00:43
Nate
I'll go here, I'll go there, straight off 7 they'll win. We won't speak of the opponent because they were their mighty fears but we got the job done.
Dundalk FC's Financial Troubles
00:00:51
CG
How is it in the red side of the North East? How are the Mackhams doing?
00:00:55
killianginnity
ah We had our first loss of the season in the league we got eliminated quite early in one of the cups which suits us down nothing to worry about though like <unk>s It's great like we're we're actually playing really good football we have players performing well and even when we're playing bad we're playing better than we were at the end of last season so like Hey, a win is a win.
00:01:03
Nate
And the walls kept dumbling.
00:01:18
killianginnity
Simon. How you can man?
00:01:20
Simon
Good, good, happy to be here. I wish it was under better circumstances, but listen, happy to be a part of it.
00:01:28
killianginnity
And better circumstances does not just apply to your team, but also Dundalk, who have been all over the news. We did mention them last week, and ah where we kind of touched on if Ireland should have a developmental club.
00:01:44
killianginnity
If you haven't listened to that i'd episode, do go back and ah check it out. It's how the lads ruined the chance for an interview on Mark Cannon. We have yet to be responded to, by the way.
00:01:52
Nate
We did really...
00:01:52
killianginnity
um
00:01:53
CG
I am sitting by the phone though, it will ring. Don't worry boys, it it it it'll ring.
00:01:56
Nate
Get back to me Mark, get back to me.
00:01:59
killianginnity
i we We all lit live and live in hope. and But Nate, bring us up to date. So after our last podcast, where we knew that the knock was kind of up for sale, what happened?
00:02:12
Nate
i Well, basically it got it got very bad. and and It got to the point where the club seemed to be winning hours ago on bust, which is is a very sad thing and not something you want to see about Irish football. and Luckily someone did come in and and save the day for now, we must add. and My first thoughts on it is it seems like quite a short-term deal. Something to sort of get them to the end of the season. Listen, they're a club that's in a lot of danger. and Dare I say, mismanagement for over a long period of time and so it's gotten them to this point. And and they're just in debt that just shouldn't be involved in Irish football.
00:03:01
Nate
and Yeah, it's a grim time for them. Have have you seen it?
00:03:05
CG
do do we Do we think like when you say mismanagement, I see two sides of that. like It's definitely club mismanagement. But I don't want to rag in the FAI again for the 10th week in a row. But you have to look at the governing body within this circumstance. Because I don't know the exact kind of placings in the league. But outside fifth or sixth, you finish there. you're like If you finish seventh, you're not making any money. like That's criminal. like How are they meant to survive? you know
00:03:34
killianginnity
there's only so much money you can give when there's only so much money around like it's not like the league is necessarily that appealing for um advertisers but like simon this was a club that only a couple of years ago was making well into the six figures on european runs so like what's gone wrong
00:03:53
Simon
Yeah, and I think like that's kind of like a part of it as well. Like I think that when Irish clubs like get into european competitions get into like group stages which is a very rare occurrence but like i think they kind of become sitting ducks in a way for these kind of investors to come in and you know invest a bit of money you pump a bit of money into it and see how it goes and if it doesn't that will you know we'll sell it on to someone else and you can see that with like done doc they've had so many owners and so many managers over the last couple of years since they're kind of the highs of of like europe league successes and stuff like that but yeah i just feel like
00:04:29
Simon
The way the league has managed, the way the f FAI involves itself within the league as well, I think it leaves these clubs kind of vulnerable.
Role of FAI in League of Ireland's Issues
00:04:37
Simon
And we're seeing like a really bad side of that now as well.
00:04:41
killianginnity
And just for a little bit of background context, I went to college in Dundalk. So Dundalk is my like League of Ireland team. I was there for like Darrel Horgan, I think was it a brace or a hat-trick against Cork? Proper in the Stephen Kenny days. It was a fantastic time to be in and around the town. and But After that, and in around the time that Stephen Kinney left, the club was bought by Peak Six, an American consortium.
00:05:09
killianginnity
And this is where we had some of the kind of issues of Giuseppe Rossi. Do you remember him? The ah Italian, the Italian-American coach.
00:05:16
CG
Oh God, he was a yeah I remember him for you and I did, yeah.
00:05:16
Nate
Yeah.
00:05:19
Nate
For a while.
00:05:19
killianginnity
No, no, not not that Giuseppe Rossi. The other Giuseppe Rossi. And Doc Giuseppe Rossi, who had never managed higher than the academy level in America. And um he came in with no pro license or anything. So actually couldn't manage in any of the European run games. um So it was technically Shane Keegan. um Regular on off the ball and was he a Wexford manager? um Can't remember where you where he is now.
00:05:45
killianginnity
And yes, that wasn't great. So then a local investor came in and the man behind stat sports, so technically stat sports, the guys behind the sports browse that you see all the the big footballers were ah for their ah biometrics and all that kind of stuff. And they came in and bought them and they're the ones that offloaded the club to Ainscough. And I say that I choose my words very carefully there because Ainscough bought Dundalk in a week and a half.
00:06:13
Nate
That's crazy.
00:06:14
CG
That's the worrying thing with this as well.
00:06:15
Simon
Mm.
00:06:16
CG
And ah this is something across football in general. We've seen it in the UK, where the UK have had to tighten up on own like on owners tests. No matter what league, at what level, the owners tests, a child could pass them, it seems.
00:06:32
CG
like like I honestly don't. like You turn up, get your picture taken. and What else happens? like every like Every club, like how many times have we seen terrible owners? you know
00:06:42
killianginnity
Nate, how did Ainscoff come through the owners test? like it's ah week A week and a half to buy a club is insane from the investors point of view, but from the league point of view and a league that has a tradition of clubs going under and not having great ownerships, how did they let it happen?
00:06:59
Nate
And from from what I've read, and it's actually true past investments that he's had in clubs in the League of Ireland that he's gone through and gotten vetted for for that particular investment that has then transferred over into into passing the one for Dundalk. To me, that's it that's that's that's a huge oversight. And I think the FAI have come out and realized that they had a very big loophole there. you know A loophole that should be spotted well in advance.
00:07:27
Nate
and yeah it's just it's not good enough because you can you can have enough money to invest a certain percentage in a club and and get ready fine but then when you go and take a bigger percentage in a different club so the finances and the outlooks change altogether and my worrying thing from from it is how can a club go from one a couple of years ago playing arson arson in the aropa league to crippling debt on and literally days away from going bust. To me, it's a failure on the part of the FAI that when you have football clubs, these aren't institutions that fans get behind support. The least the government bodies can do is make sure that these clubs are handed off to the right people that can support them and and aid their development where, yeah, so something's gone hugely amiss here.
Support and Future Prospects for Dundalk FC
00:08:24
CG
But what, what annoys me about it, you know, and just the league in general and you know, ah you know, it's been, ah it's been a far too long, shamelessly too long since I've been on the stands at a league of iron game on a regular basis. But when I did used to go a lot more, you know,
00:08:39
CG
As you said, the passion is there. Arguably the league of irons had its biggest glow up of all time. You know, it's ah the the popularity in the leagues at an all time high and any of the games are in the, are in the Aviva. The attendance is massive. Like the interest is there. it's it They're just not capturing that interest on a weekly basis, you know?
00:08:59
killianginnity
Just to try and put a little bit of a positive spin on it, Simon, the same misery loves company and a lot of League of Ireland fans did rally around both the club and the fanbase for Dundalk and put a lot of sympathy with their situation.
00:09:15
Simon
yeah and that's like that's great to see and i think that's like the the real positive spin of like the league of ireland and how kind of like obviously it's it's a very small league and but everyone kind of probably for better for worse can kind of um relate to what done darker going through because you know as uh as kind of alluded to before this has happened to like so many different clubs in the league of ireland we've seen clubs come up and come down we've seen clubs just vanish from existence as well so like everybody knows what they're going through and Dundalk are such a like, they're such a massive globe within the League of Order system. Like there they've been so successful over the last decades and more. And like, it is great to see like fans rallying around them from opposite clubs and stuff like that. But, um, yeah, we'll we'll have to see what happens in the next couple of months, but for now, at least they're safe, which is good. Um, and it gives them that kind of breeding space to take it further and hopefully get a permanent like investment in and, and keep the club going.
00:10:14
killianginnity
Well, you do say for now and Nate, what is the kind of situation with the new ownership? They were announced with and Tree Little Birds, the Dundalk kind of adopted song from Bob Marley. Is it all feel good and reggae?
00:10:38
Nate
Dundalk native has come in, and he's he's a barrister local, and he's come in to, I ah wouldn't say take over the club, I'd say to try and find a good solution towards the end of the season. He's come in to facilitate playing paying players, which is a great thing to do, of course, and in such a difficult time. But it feels very short term. He's not going to be the future owner.
00:11:07
Nate
and
00:11:09
killianginnity
What makes you say that?
00:11:10
Nate
Just because just because like the the wording around it is very vague. It feels like he's he's a fan, he's ah he's local. I'm coming in to step in to help the club get to that next point and explore the options that might be available at the end of the season.
00:11:30
CG
Pessimistically, do we think he's trying to make a profit off this?
00:11:30
killianginnity
Yeah.
00:11:34
Nate
No, no at least the ju there is no profit to make it.
00:11:36
killianginnity
I just actually actually just got the statement up here and it's John Temple, um who I believe was actually looking to buy the club in around the same time as Ainscough came in.
00:11:37
Nate
intellectual
00:11:48
killianginnity
And it's saying that Ainscough would leave lead a consortium of investors. That's good. Like if it's not him, there might be somebody else, somebody with money in there, ah who have agreed to underwrite the player's current wages until the end of the season and will examine the viability of the club and its facilities going forward.
00:12:08
CG
To be honest, that sounds like a company that's made redundancies and they try the best they can. You know, you know when you see it in like the business world, like to me, they're they're trying to readjust and realign and see if there's profitability in the business.
00:12:20
CG
like that does not If I'm a Dundalk fan, that does not fill me with hope that my club exists come this time next year.
00:12:25
Nate
I mean, I don't even think it's the look is the profitability. I think it's the look is there a chance of survival. Um, like the debt is that bad.
00:12:31
killianginnity
Yeah, it looks like it's gonna like, can we sell off our assets?
00:12:33
Nate
Like, like,
00:12:36
Simon
Mm.
00:12:36
CG
And then what though? You know what I mean? like that's that That's a plaster for a bullet wound. like
00:12:42
Simon
It's also like the pessimism is like, um, like why are you invested in it? Like just to kind of keep it up for another couple of months like ah and sell it on. Like I feel like they have to have some sort of hope that they can turn things around like this current consortium, however many people there are involved in it.
00:13:00
Simon
Like there's gotta be a way that they're like, okay, we can actually turn things around. Cause if they don't have that belief, it's just kind of sinking money into something for another couple of months.
00:13:06
Nate
Yeah.
00:13:08
CG
I also don't like the lack of transparency of like, who is this consortium?
00:13:08
Simon
I don't know.
00:13:13
CG
Is it two people? Is it 22? What kind of bankroll do they have with them? like It's very vague.
00:13:20
Nate
But the thing is, this this million isn't going away.
00:13:21
Simon
Yeah.
00:13:23
Nate
like this This million that needs to be paid like isn't going away. So it's all you have to be that that that's um either to go be taken on by someone to pay it off, or like I don't see how that football club football club can pay that off by itself.
00:13:40
CG
Well, hilariously, the FAI would even struggle to do because, what, they had about six million in the bank last time?
00:13:44
Nate
So yeah.
00:13:45
CG
We we we we checked, like...
00:13:47
killianginnity
Hilariously, the FAI, when they the backs were against the wall and the timeline was on, apparently they did offer to um front some of the UEFA coefficient money, amounted to $72,000.
00:14:03
CG
Thanks so much, FAI. That's great.
00:14:06
Nate
And there was also the $500,000 that they guaranteed in money for renovations on Auriel Park that they can't use.
00:14:11
killianginnity
Well, but that's not even FAI, that's government.
00:14:17
Nate
No, no, yeah, but like they couldn't even like kind of be used for for the debt. So I understand that it can help with attracting investors and stuff, but it feels like feel like just here's us showing our heads trying to do something.
00:14:22
CG
Yeah.
00:14:34
Nate
It feels like a PR move, sort of.
00:14:36
killianginnity
Well, in first I'll defend the 500k because that was a minister coming out and at least that was an attempt to try to make a deal happen. That was somewhat of a help. ah maybe Well, it's politics it's politics.
00:14:45
CG
It's not just optics though, you know.
00:14:49
killianginnity
So if it's optics, that's optics. But like, did you see anything from the FAI around it? Because at least the government technically made some form of help.
00:14:58
Nate
would they did Did you see that they were discussing at the AGM that they weren't going to get involved?
00:14:58
killianginnity
Did the governing body?
00:15:05
Nate
which ah See, this this is where it does get difficult, isn't it? it's like they If they get involved in one, they're going to have to get involved in the others.
00:15:15
CG
It does set a precedent, like it does.
00:15:15
Nate
a
00:15:15
Simon
And.
00:15:17
Nate
i
00:15:17
CG
it They either clean their hands of it or they they jump two feet in on everyone who's in trouble.
00:15:18
Nate
i
00:15:22
Nate
i think i think the view I think the listeners understand, um trust me guys, I am not the FAO's biggest fan, but I understand how they have to be very careful on the moves that they make with private entities, may I add.
00:15:28
killianginnity
No.
00:15:36
Nate
like
00:15:36
Simon
Yeah, you can understand like that.
00:15:36
killianginnity
But.
00:15:37
Simon
If they're private entities, they're less like, oh, we can't get involved in this. We have to just kind of let it sort out between themselves. So yeah like, I'm the same. I'm not the biggest fan, but like you can kind of understand their hesitancy to kind of get too involved in this.
00:15:53
killianginnity
But just the podcast.js item.
00:15:53
CG
But it was like the government bailin' it to banks. You know, they weren't gonna bail out everyone, you know?
00:15:58
killianginnity
But to put this to you Simon, if the FAI doesn't do something to protect it the league and to not be one of the league members, does the league's viability for every other club get a little bit shakier? Like if you don't have clubs finishing a season, which is where we actually came to, does suddenly every other investor in the league or any other potential investor or even down to the UEFA coefficients This could have a lot more far reach and ramifications that the FAI should actually be trying to protect.
00:16:27
Simon
Oh yeah. absolutely Absolutely. Yeah. And like there was even, I think there was even talk of before the investment was kind of secured that if it got to a point where like, you know, Dundalk had to liquidate or, or they, they took like a.
00:16:43
Simon
a relegation and deduction and stuff like that, like their results for this season could have been expunged, which means that everyone in the league would have dropped points, which would have completely like, like destroyed any kind of, like it would just would have destroyed this whole season for every club within the league and would have been such a massive, yeah, the integrity of it and indeed like such a massive black mark on the FAI, which is already, you know, not in the good books by anyone's terms.
00:17:01
Nate
yeah the integrity like
00:17:11
Simon
so Yeah I suppose it is kind of more of a structural thing really like the fact that they let it get to this point is probably the issue rather than them kind of deciding not to jump in now or or jump in before it was like there should have been in these structures put in place already and like the stuff like Nate was talking about these loopholes as well like apparently that
00:17:28
Nate
Yeah, the integrity.
00:17:32
Simon
There was also a part of it where the financial sheets for the previous owner were investigated. And then I think there was some sort of the financial year started in October, they took over in the November. So they couldn't have investigated the finances for the new guy because they had to wait another year. So they just kind of let them in clean. And it's just those sorts of small things where the FA will be like, Oh yeah, look, we will close that loophole. We'll.
00:18:00
Simon
make sure to do better, but it's like, it's too late at this point. You know what I mean? And if we are trying to be this whole kind of new brand and and paint themselves as like, we're not like the last guys, but every sign is
Improving the League of Ireland's Appeal
00:18:13
Simon
like, come on. Like these, these are very easy things to just to scrape over.
00:18:20
Nate
what What do you think the FIA can do league wise lads? TV deal possibly?
00:18:28
CG
With who?
00:18:28
Nate
and
00:18:28
CG
that Like with who?
00:18:29
Nate
i but us
00:18:29
CG
Because the the only chance we had of it was remember when Niall Quinn wanted to sell it to anyone who'd buy it but anywhere in the world and that would have been great but I mean look I enjoy the League of Ireland as do all of you guys but like I don't know how much that floats in the likes of the UK where they've got League 2 teams that are better you know.
00:18:47
Nate
Yeah, like it's such a tricky one. it's like Is there a mandatory cash injection that each club gets? There has to be a solution league-wise, but I not honestly a can't even say the thing where it will be.
00:19:02
CG
i you I had a thought, and you can maybe call me mental for this, but, and I don't want to go down the road of what are we doing with the 13 billion from Apple too much, right? But what if the FBI or the government use some of that money to buy out all the teams and make it like the IRFU?
00:19:20
Nate
Just too many. The FAO can't even run the national team, let alone 20 clubs.
00:19:26
CG
But it say even it was like cost wise, it wouldn't be expensive to buy the League of Ireland teams outright.
00:19:27
Nate
Or, sorry, 10 clubs.
00:19:35
Nate
ah like could Could they add in like player grants or something where clubs are giving extra cash for for developing Irish players? There has to be something there to help these clubs.
00:19:50
killianginnity
I think more can be done in terms of like making the league appeal more to fans. Like we're seeing old style ways of appealing to fans in a new world. Like why, why keep trying to do the same things that haven't worked for 10 years? Like fair play to them. They got league of Ireland TV. That's a good thing. It's 60 quid for half a season.
00:20:15
killianginnity
yeah i get it but will people pay that i think either a monthly or a match to match subscription ah may be better with like deals for the full season or whatever um i haven't used the app but i'll be completely honest so i can't actually speak to whether or not it works or well see then then that's automatically a problem um and it just shouldn't be that but i think they also need to kind of
00:20:35
CG
It's very RTE player-ish.
00:20:44
killianginnity
they they don't do like a Monday mundan night soccer in the old sense of kind of like say a classic match of the day or Monday night football where it's a little bit more laddy, a little bit more pally, a little bit more chatty. It's kind of just a little bit more highlights now um whenever it's on.
00:21:03
Nate
Well, thought type that is it.
00:21:04
killianginnity
ah
00:21:05
Nate
like The football in Ireland is struggling to get on television.
00:21:08
CG
I do think i do think that i think we need to leverage the globalization and an increase in fandom of women's football and start doing double header games.
00:21:08
Nate
That is a huge problem.
00:21:18
CG
I think they need to put the women's team and the men's team back to back. What a Saturday afternoon that would be. you know
00:21:24
killianginnity
If I was the FAI, if I was to take control of them tomorrow, the first thing I would do in terms of giving money to the league of Ireland, it wouldn't be to give it to the clubs. I would be either hiring a TV crew or investing in their stadiums that they have actual streaming cameras, that you have a good quality stream and a couple of people, even if you have to train in-house people within the clubs to use them.
00:21:54
CG
Make it watchable.
00:21:54
killianginnity
and make it watchable make it so that like it's a lot more social media c clippable because ultimately one of the things i think people get wrong with kind of the handiness of social media it isn't always about kind of like getting one viral clip i think with the likes of this if you have some but like I say, a young person that they might see an amazing goal for the first time from Shamrock Rovers. Well, the next four or five clips where they can start to kind of build an an affiliation and kind of an affinity with these players or the teams, that's when they might go, oh, I might actually go and watch watch a game now. People don't make a decision based on one thing. They have to have that kind of continued exposure. And if you give them, which in a relative sense is a very, very cheap investment,
00:22:40
killianginnity
Like the cameras I'm talking about are you for 100k you'd have the league sorted.
00:22:46
CG
Even for from an advertising point of view, you look at, say, Wimbledon.
00:22:46
killianginnity
like
00:22:50
CG
So Wimbledon's what, two and a half weeks long, three weeks at a push? The last cycle of Wimbledon, they made a thousand videos on Instagram in that two and a half week period. Even think of the monetary value of those views.
00:23:02
killianginnity
Oh yeah, like I think that the dot end of things is where the league have kind of been but like falling way, way behind. like Even some of the post-match interviews, Simon, are just a bit neh. And then you have people like Damien Duff, yeah, great name, but like he's no interest in doing them.
00:23:19
Simon
yeah but like that's the thing like they're so traditional in how they approach their media and stuff like that and like you can look at places like sky sports and bt sports and how they obviously look they have massive amounts of money and like endless amounts of cash to do these things but they have such a massive presence and like that doesn't cost money that that's just being smart on social media you know clipping these you know Damien Duff gives so much content for these stuff week in week out that you could reach the entire island of Ireland and have everyone sharing these videos like across the island but like it just seems like there there's so many opportunities wasted there where they're just not being smart it's not about cash it's not about having the the reserves for it it's about like being able to market at the league
00:24:06
Simon
to, you know, to people that don't go to games. There obviously is that massive disconnect between like, you know, the proper fans of the FAI or sorry for the FAI, geez, the proper fans of the league.
00:24:17
CG
I don't think there's any proper fans of the effort.
00:24:18
Simon
Yeah. The proper fans of the league of Ireland and, you know, and the kind of yeah obviously just that pull of like the Premier League fans and everything as well. But like to bring that together, like there is there is ways to do it.
00:24:31
Simon
And it's true things like social media. It's true things like you know do you you know content and and and stuff like that. so
00:24:38
CG
but One thing for me before we move off of Dundalk is I genuinely think, and I know the the likes of this cost money and Dundalk have none right now, but like they could easily sell a welcome direction of what's going on right now to RTE, no problem.
00:24:55
CG
If there was a fly in the wall, look what's happening at Dundalk in real time. That would fly even on player.
00:25:02
killianginnity
So you mean so long until I die, but all the time.
00:25:03
CG
Yeah, like absolute on fire carnage.
00:25:04
killianginnity
Like, it's the same situation.
00:25:06
CG
Yeah, literally.
00:25:07
Nate
That's that. Here comes my rugby reference in the week. It's becoming a thing. and When it went from the Guinness top 14 to the URC, that felt a bit like an like and you like a and sound like an upgrade from from the older time to the newer time. Is that something the League of Ireland need to go through where it's It's catered more to a certain audience rather than trying to cater to everybody.
00:25:39
CG
Are you saying an all Ireland league here or are you saying?
00:25:42
Nate
Well, I'm saying more like a rebrand, a re-thing.
00:25:42
killianginnity
Just a rebrand of the,
00:25:47
Nate
It might come across a bit outlandish, but it might be what it needs.
00:25:53
killianginnity
kind of like when Coca-Cola stopped sponsoring the championship when it kind of was era defining where they kind of updated all the graphics and all the brand and everything just felt a little bit kind of more modern then.
00:25:59
CG
Yeah.
00:26:03
killianginnity
And Nate, just to put one to you, like, obviously we spoke about Mark Cannon at the end of last week's episode.
00:26:03
Nate
And.
00:26:09
killianginnity
Considering we did talk about his position of being like head of coaching for the Premier League, do you think people like him in his position in the FAI are doing enough with their contacts to get some of the friendlies over that we used to see, like Shamrock Rovers having the debut of Cristiano Ronaldo, which brought a lot of attention from international media?
00:26:33
Nate
Yeah, that's a cool question. and i like I'd like to see more. and I think another question that would go with that is, does when the league run actually work against us?
00:26:46
Nate
Like the the time of year that that the league of Ireland runs, is do we align it with, yeah, like is that actively hurting us does it as a league?
00:26:50
killianginnity
So rather than like a January to December, do it a September to.
00:26:58
Nate
Because
00:26:58
CG
One thing to remember from the f friendly point of view as well is that came from outside of the FAI in the form of Platinum One Sports. So that was a business opportunity and brought the Real Madrid team here. i So I do think if it isn't if the f FAI aren't going to do it, we need more sports and entertainment companies looking to do that.
00:27:21
Nate
like
00:27:21
killianginnity
So next year you're going to see the not a pundit friendly Hamilton versus Dundalk.
00:27:23
Nate
but
00:27:26
Nate
but like Honestly, do you think the league, how it's currently set up at the time of year that it runs, do you think that works against us? but I have a feeling it does.
00:27:35
CG
I think it does. I don't think it's conducive to the maximum crowds that are possible and the interest level currently in the league, which let's face it will start going down.
00:27:45
killianginnity
I think if they were to do like they said a rebrand, it could actually be the best thing for them to keep it the way it is. and Because you're going to be the only football in the country that people can be interested in when the Premier League is off.
00:27:52
Nate
I.
00:27:59
killianginnity
it'll be german You'll be playing matches during the summer when schools are off. like this is These are things that I don't think are Utilized enough, Simon, to kind of go, here's our point of difference. We are here for when they're not. We're not trying to compete against the Premier League. We know you have your Premier League club, but have your local club too.
00:28:20
Simon
Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. And that's why I think like maybe changing the calendars, you know, to a more traditional sense, there is some downsides to that are because yeah as you said, you're competing with the Premier League and like, you know, whether League of Ireland fans, you know, like it or not, it's such a huge competition over in in Ireland and people have their traditions and they watch the Premier League on Saturdays and Sundays. So like that difference maker, as you say, can is like it's massive, but like they don't seem to be pushing that.
00:28:50
Simon
Like, I don't know, like I'm down the road from, from shells. Um, and I go to a couple of games every like turn the summer and I absolutely love it. But like, it's kind of just one of those things where like, no, I don't know. Like it's nice to have that in the, in the summer and have it by itself and be like, okay, I don't have to focus on like Premier league stuff and all this thing. I can just go down and watch shells. And that's the only league I can care about, uh, at this moment in time. Like, so yeah, that's something they should be pushing more often, I think.
00:29:19
CG
for the For the majority of fans, outside your absolute hardcore League of Ireland fans, League of Ireland is pure vibes. And that's fine. like That's marketable. They just need to own it if they're going to go that way.
00:29:31
CG
Because right now, but like we said this with the FAI in general, but if we just take the same example of the League of Ireland, it's a rudderless league at the moment. like No one knows what direction the league's going in.
00:29:42
CG
like I doubt any of the owners do.
00:29:42
Nate
But that's the thing, is like it's all good for us to say and go, maybe a rebrand's good, but I was kidding, literally the cameras aren't good enough. The ground, I'm sorry, half the ground looks like they're about to fall down. it's like It all needs to be worn if you're going to push in that direction. And I think they're years off even getting remotely to that.
00:30:04
Nate
so like when we When I do think about it more, it's a bit of a grim time. I don't really see where the endd where they the upgrades can come from.
00:30:15
CG
It needs a massive corporate sponsor aligned with a restructuring of the governing body. And those two things are very separate things that won't happen at the same time. you know like We need to sort house in the FAI first. And then like all the things that Killian's been saying, make it more marketable. Let's figure out what this league is, how we can make money from it. And with that, we need a large corporate sponsor to take the jump with the FAI.
00:30:40
killianginnity
And I think if the FAI don't make moves in that direction, you will see as has been hinted that the league of Ireland will break away from the FAI again and become a standalone league away from our national governing body, which is less than ideal, but sometimes the perfect is the enemy of the good and for the good of the league it may be necessary.
00:31:03
CG
I don't know, I don't know about you boys. I don't know about you. I think if, if that league does happen some with a step away from the FAI as much as it'd be great. I think that'd be, I think the organizational issues within the league of Ireland would be even more seen. And I think more clubs would go under faster if they went it alone.
00:31:22
Nate
i e I think we'd genuinely be like, when when a league breaks away, like it's sort of make a break. Like, like you have one go, like, like, you, it like, generally the game in the country goes under like, like, it's, that's my only fair with it.
00:31:30
CG
Yeah, like you may you are start off the games go on like.
00:31:40
Nate
Like, if it, like, and that's the thing is we, we know what business is like. There'll be businessmen that come on, come over and promise the world when, when they deep down, they know they can't even give it.
00:31:51
Nate
And. That's my only worry with a breakaway league is you step away from government. Government guarantees really, isn't it?
00:32:00
CG
Like that, because where it is good to be under the ban of the FAIs, say if there was five Dundalks right now, the government would have to step in. But if you are in that circumstance, outside of the FAI, there is absolutely no guarantees.
00:32:15
killianginnity
The only thing is that UEFA have said that they will help ah the Irish teams if they were to do a breakaway. So it's.
00:32:23
CG
But that's under the guise of trying to get a super deco, because they're nasty little bastards.
00:32:29
killianginnity
Well, as I say, sometimes the perfect is the enemy of the good and from a club going under to a manager from down under Simon, bring us through the North London Derby and which breaks all of our collective podcast hearts, isn't quite living up to what we had hoped he would this year.
North London Derby and Tottenham's Struggles
00:32:50
Simon
yeah it's just it's just not clicking at the moment and like the north London derby like it's such a huge game it's the biggest game of the season for for us Spurs fans and especially the one at Wyer Lane but and for it to come this early was a bit of a it wasn't great for Ange because Spurs started the season pretty poorly they've done well in kind of controlling matches, which is great. You know, they're having a lot of possession, which they haven't had for a long, long time, but it's it's finishing, that's the problem. And that was a huge, huge problem for Ange and the team and on on the weekend. Like, Arsenal came into this match with no midfield. You know, they had they didn't have out of guard, they didn't have Rice. They were so open.
00:33:44
Simon
for It was a perfect opportunity, basically, for for Spurs to to get something from it. And it's been quiteed been quite a long time since Spurs have really had a statement win against Arizona. So it was the perfect opportunity.
00:33:56
Simon
And the game started pretty well. Spurs had some lovely pieces of possession, but they couldn't get into Arizona's defensive lines at all.
00:34:06
Simon
And look, to be fair, like, Arizona have the best defense in the league. And, you know, they've lit in such a little goals.
00:34:12
CG
Arguably Europe.
00:34:14
Simon
I could be Europe. Yeah. Like they're absolutely incredible. So it doesn't matter about like their midfield holes and stuff like that, but, um, it just came at a really, really bad time. And I think it just kind of, it kind of gave Spurs fans a bit of worry. Now I'm not saying that I'm, I'm one of the fans that are kind of calling for Anj to go. I don't think many are at this point to be honest, but I think it is making people worried that just, this isn't gonna work.
00:34:44
Simon
You know what I mean? And he's, he's come out very bombastically saying, you know, I always win a trophy in my second season, which is technically.
00:34:51
CG
I thought that was, I thought that was ballsy, it but not in the good way of ballsy. Like that could really do them in.
00:34:59
Simon
You're putting a marker on your head, basically for no reason.
00:35:01
CG
Yeah.
00:35:02
Simon
He didn't have to bring that up. It's very much like, but that's the thing, like, that's the thing with Ange.
00:35:04
CG
No one asked like.
00:35:09
Simon
Like he, I feel like he does these kind of post-match interviews after a really bad loss. Like it happened last season as well with the city match and all the weirdness around that. Like he comes out and says things and you're sitting there watching it going, you didn't have to say that you've just made it a lot worse for yourself.
00:35:25
CG
He talks like Jose, but can't act like Jose, you know?
00:35:28
Simon
Yeah. Yeah. and And like, look, he has obviously has just to start to back it up with his previous clubs, but like, you know, as much as what you can say about his other clubs and his the trophies he's won, like the Premier League is just a different beast. Like you can win a trophy in any other league in the world and, you know, you're in the Premier League.
00:35:49
Simon
yeah Even the cup competitions in the UK are pretty pretty tough to get through. So yeah, I don't know. It's again, as I said, I'm not at the point of like being andre arere looking for other options, but I am slightly worried at this point.
00:36:04
killianginnity
At what point do you start looking for his head? Like, do you think a January transfer window could turn things around? Or is it just a matter of like, it's only September, come October, these things will click? Or is there is there just something that's a little bit broken that could go either way?
00:36:23
Simon
Yeah, like I could talk for hours about like the kind of systematic stuff within talking them like how we've gone through all these different managers and they've all said that something is wrong up top.
00:36:34
Simon
ah And like whether that's.
00:36:35
CG
Cough, cough, Daniel, leave it, cough.
00:36:37
Simon
I know, yeah whether whether that's Daniel Levy by himself or just the kind of the organization and through it is is is another question. But and go back to your go back to your question, it's like I think the good thing that Spurs have on their side this season is that they are in the Europa League. They have all the cup competitions. They're able to say, OK, we have three days to focus on the next one. We get a couple of wins on our belt. And nobody's talking about the start of the season.
00:37:04
Simon
So for me, and then as well as you're looking at the January transfer window, I mean, I'm already looking at the January transfer window, which isn't a good sign because Spurs didn't really have a great summer in terms of transfers. They got Solankian, who's I think a very good finisher. I think he will come good at some points.
00:37:22
Simon
and
00:37:23
CG
For the price tag, do you regret it?
00:37:24
Simon
for
00:37:27
Simon
Well, The way I always look at it as a fan, like I don't really mind how much money they're spending. You know, Spurs have unlimited funds from that stadium. They're in a really good place financially. They're always top of these kind of Bloomberg lists that come out of, you know, the best run clubs and everything. So in that regard, I don't mind how much you're spending on them. There is obviously a pressure that comes with that. But like, I think at his, at his age, at someone who was primarily proven, there wasn't very many strikers, they could have got that are better than him.
00:37:57
Simon
I mean, maybe you're looking at, like, Ezak, but he would have cost double that price.
00:38:01
CG
Leave them mal alone, you're not getting them.
00:38:01
Simon
So, yeah. And, like, yeah, whether Ezak would have even wanted to leave Newcastle, I mean, they they got one over on Spurs a couple of weeks ago anyway. So, like, it's one of those things where You have very limited options.
00:38:14
Simon
And and I think you will come what eventually I do think he's a good, a good player. But my worry is that there are other areas of the squad or other areas of that starting 11 that need improvement that that haven't been improved.
00:38:26
Simon
You're looking at the center.
00:38:26
CG
And those immediate changes, for where where would those be? where What do you think the biggest holes in that team are?
00:38:32
Simon
Well, you're looking at the midfield. I mean, the the jury's out on on players like Archie Gray and Lucas Bergval, who I think are really promising players. But like, again, they're very young. I think they're 18 and 19, which is not, they're not the type of players you want to be relying on. And they didn't come on at all during the North London Derby, which proves that, you know, Ange doesn't think that they're ready for that so type of thing. So, so yeah, that type of midfield There's going to have to be changes, but there's so many players in there that are kind of, they're okay. They're good under take go for a couple of games, then they kind of drop off. You're talking taken about like, like bur an upper evolve, Benton Kerr, Sar. You know, they're good players, but you just need that kind of star. And Spurs didn't really go out for that for the summer.
00:39:24
killianginnity
Just for like full disclosure, and in our transfer window roundup, I did compare Salanque to Soldado. um
00:39:32
CG
i think I think you said soldado 2.0 to be precise.
00:39:36
killianginnity
Yeah, um and I think in relative sense of money ah equating to nowadays money, I think they're very similar. um But from a decision like that, and as you're saying, the likes of Grey not being ah big match ready at least,
00:39:55
killianginnity
remind us of the structure of Spurs, like are these Anj's signings or is this like a directoral football that's kind of building for next year regardless of if Anj is there or not?
00:40:06
Simon
Yeah, so like Spurs have a weird kind of system at the moment where they they've got this. So obviously and they had a director of football the last couple of years, Parati Chi, who was a very controversial character who would kind of go out and famously just kind of talk to basically every player in the position that they wanted.
00:40:26
Simon
And there was all these media leaks. You would know exactly who Spurs were after and they'd eventually set
00:40:33
CG
price of jet get jacked up as well.
00:40:35
Simon
surprised to get jacked up, but they he'd eventually get us mad. And, you know, he got a couple of good signings within his time, but we have, he's gone because, you know, there's some dodgy stuff going on from his time at Juventus, where he got a ban and they brought in this new guy, Lange, who is very much a numbers guy. And he kind of very much under the kind of like the Brentford guides, guys of things and Brighton, where they're using these numbers to, to get these players that nobody's really going out for.
00:41:05
Simon
but they fit the system, they fit the criteria. And and you know things seemed promising at the start of the window, like they got the young lads in and everyone was very happy with that, but it was under the terms of they got the young guys in and they're gonna splurge on someone like Eze who were they they were chasing for the entire window. um And that's where this kind of the structural issues come at. Nothing came from that. So you know they made their kind of,
00:41:35
Simon
very smart for the future signings quite early on in the window. They got the lanky near the end of the window and after a couple of weeks, but there was, there's that expectancy of like, you kind of feel like you missed a trick on something. There there should have been an essay, there should have been a centre midfielder that you got. There could have been and another winger that you got that would be straight into the first team.
00:41:58
Simon
And that's where things are starting to fall down already. We're only four seasons, four days into, or four match days into the season. and But like, there's already structural issues there where you're saying, why wasn't this, why wasn't this player bought? Why wasn't this player brought into the team? So yeah, it's not good science at the moment, but I'm i'm still holding onto faith.
00:42:21
Nate
Simon I've said this to you a few times. Swears they sign good players for world class money. Like I'm still in that opinion. Like Solanke, good player. Way too.
00:42:33
Nate
Defeats crazy. Archie Gray, good player. Player probably for three two or three years down the line. Crazy money for a player of his age.
00:42:44
CG
It could work out to be a bargain though.
00:42:46
Nate
could, but Spurs be acting in this way when there's still so much deficiencies to their squad in the moment?
00:42:46
Simon
Yeah.
00:42:59
Nate
like I think that's a big thing. I personally don't think Ange has much of an identity on that team. and I was sort of saying this to you earlier.
00:43:09
Nate
I struggle with Ange a bit. I don't know what Ange is.
00:43:13
CG
I don't think Anj knows what Anj is to be honest, which and I don't mean that to be funny, I don't know if he's fully found himself as a coach in the Premier League.
00:43:13
Nate
i i
00:43:21
Nate
I blame Celtic fans. Celtic fans, you are to blame for this. You have to hype this man to infinity and beyond. and
00:43:30
CG
This is like messing with the Taylor Swift fans, messing with the Celtic army, you are going to be in trouble my man.
00:43:32
Nate
yeah
00:43:35
Nate
um bo like yeah To he's been overhyped. He's a decent manager. and and And he's he's very chirpy.
Postecoglou's Tenure and Expectations
00:43:48
Nate
He is very chirpy. He doesn't like being tested in the media. He has a very brash way of coming across in the media, which which is good for for us to a certain degree, but also bad, I think, when when... I don't mean this in a bad way. When you're at a club like Spurs, that you don't have overall control. Do you know what I mean?
00:44:11
Nate
like you like certain managers can come across very rash but it's because it's their shape it doesn't feel like i'm just shape does it
00:44:12
Simon
Yeah.
00:44:20
Simon
Yeah, not yet, but like, I feel like it's more his ship than it was Kante's ship or it's more his ship than it was Merino's ship. Like, I think they're really there.
00:44:28
Nate
though
00:44:29
Simon
I think they're handed a bit more control over to him. Um, and I think he's going to get longer in the seat than they were like. The thing is with Anjus is that he is very brash, that is true, and he's not doing any favors for himself because that brashness really comes back to bite you when you're not getting the results. And like the fact is, Anjus has been in the manager's seat for a season and a bit now. It's not a crazy amount of time, but
00:45:00
Simon
Yeah, there that's, this is the point now where people are starting to say, I want to see something. And like, I think that comes in the form of like a big statement win. Like if if Spurs won against Arsenal at home in a pretty comfortable manner, like nobody would be talking about whether Ange's team is clicking or whether, you know, he's ready for the Premier League.
00:45:23
Simon
or whether he can handle the pressure. like I think it just takes a massive win. And recalling something that happened at Spurs years ago, I remember in a similar scenario, Pochettino was under the same amount of pressure when he started off at Spurs. And it took a huge last minute winner. i think I think it was Aston Villa. I think it was a 3-2 win at Villa Park. And Harry Kane scored like a deflected free kick in the last minute to make a 3-2.
00:45:51
Simon
And before that, people were talking about Pochettino potentially getting the sack or not getting, you know, but basically being in the, in the job for a couple more weeks before getting the sack.
00:46:03
Simon
And that was when it clicked and they had, they didn't look back for, for, for years.
00:46:08
CG
We should, we shouldn't say boys that we weren't, we it's not too long ago we were wax and lyrical about Anjbal at the start of last season, and you know.
00:46:08
Simon
so
00:46:14
Nate
and I was not, that Killian said that's that start, oh we're heartbroken, I am not heartbroken, let me make that clear. i have i might say i Okay, I'm gonna go out on a limb here, pull me back in if you think I'm wrong. What is what was the most memorable period under Ange? Because I struggle. To me, it's him getting pummeled by jealousy where he just wouldn't change his formation. Like that, Jenny reacting back to Ange's spurs, that's the biggest thing that stands out to me. Like, he needs something desperately to be like,
00:46:44
Nate
Like, there's no moments, like at all. Like, he needs something.
00:46:48
Simon
Yeah, that's it. That's it. It's the moments, really, like you're talking about. I would say the same thing. It is probably that Chelsea game that he's going to be remembered for. it Like if they have he, obviously he's not. But if he left this week, that would be his legacy in the Premier League, which is, look, I feel like it's a bit unfair because he's only in their season and there's only a couple of games. you know people You know, teams start seasons poorly. i And then sometimes it just clicks into place after a couple of games.
00:47:18
Simon
But yeah, as you said, I think he needs just one of those statement wins. Like he needs like a big win against, uh, like a, so like, and yeah, he did.
00:47:25
CG
He really needed the North London of Derby win to be honest. you know that That was the moment. you know
00:47:30
Nate
But I don't even think it needs to be that big of a model.
00:47:30
Simon
It was a moment. Yeah.
00:47:33
Nate
It just needs to be something that every club needs it where you get the fans on side, you build momentum. Whether it's something small, something medium, whatever. But what was the last thing that stood out to you where you go, okay, I'm right behind hands there?
00:47:49
Nate
Do you know what I mean? A bit of get behind. It doesn't feel like there's any of that.
00:47:55
Simon
Yeah. And it was like, it was a poor like finished last season as well. So like, if you're looking at this season as a continuation of last, like Spurs have been in really bad form. Um, and like there were some bright spots over pre-season and there's a couple of new players that are showing like some bursts of something here and there, but it's, as you said, it's about that kind of like consistency that it's something that Spurs have lacked on since Pochettino left the club.
00:48:22
Simon
Like they haven't been a consistent legal group.
00:48:22
CG
and is that is that a Is that a hangover of the post Kane era in general?
00:48:29
Simon
Well, it was there, like it was there when Kane was there, you know? um So like, I think obviously having Harry Kane in the squad now would be a huge help, but like, there's still that kind of that worry there that like, there's something structurally in, in both the club and in the way, and just playing as football that isn't linking up. Like even if Harry Kane was playing the North London Derby on Sunday.
00:48:53
Simon
Like he wouldn't have got a touch of the ball. Like he'd probably be getting a touch of the ball on the halfway line as he used to do and just like spray it to one of the wingers. But that's not where you want your striker and you want him scoring goals. So like it's, it's goals is the problem.
00:49:06
Simon
Basically, if you're boiling it down to anything, you need to just be finishing those, those balls off.
00:49:07
Nate
Yeah.
00:49:11
Simon
It's like having players like Brennan Johnson, who is so short for confidence. Like got he deleted his Instagram after.
00:49:20
CG
I saw that.
00:49:22
Simon
like because Spurs fans are famously very impatient with players and I just think it's such a stupid thing to break a player like on social media.
00:49:30
CG
so It's like the most counterintuitive thing. It's like you you need this chap to like actually have confidence, but you're just going to body him and destroy any shred of confidence he has.
00:49:34
Simon
Yeah.
00:49:38
CG
like
00:49:39
Simon
Yeah. And it's like, it's not even the first time he's done that. I think he did it last season as well when he had a pretty poor performance. So like, obviously he, he has a very low confidence level at the moment, but like, you know, he's a decent player on his day, but like, he just wasn't getting the balls into the box on the weekend. Uh, then we're bringing on someone like Timo Werner and the 88 minutes to try and, to try and beat a man, which is just, that's not going to happen.
00:50:05
Simon
Uh, we have like Wilson out of bear who we got from Burnley who's a decent player. But again, I think he's 19 years old. You can't be relying on players like that. So there's so many little issues there and they're all kind of compiling onto, onto spurs at the moment. So we're just kind of waiting for it to click, but I don't know.
00:50:23
killianginnity
What would be a success to Spurs this season? Like, where where is the line for you to kind of go, okay, that wasn't the right office season. Bear in mind the start not being great. Like, where could you say, okay, that this season's putting in something for next.
00:50:42
Simon
I think finishing fourth, like it's so hard to do at this point. Like in the last couple of years specifically, like you've had so many more clubs competing for that fourth spot. Um, but like as a sign of progress year on year, that's what Spurs need to be doing.
00:50:57
Simon
And like Spurs are back in the Europa League this season, which I think is great. Like I i really enjoyed Europa League and whatever kind of setup it has now even. I think it's a really winnable competition and Spurs could get something there.
00:51:12
Simon
Like obviously I'm going to say a trophy would be incredible.
00:51:16
Nate
Well, it has to be, doesn't it?
00:51:16
Simon
Like it's been
00:51:17
Nate
I haven't said it. It has to be a job.
00:51:18
Simon
but Yeah, exactly. He's put the pressure on himself, but like there's, there's four competitions there that Spurs are currently in.
00:51:20
Nate
Yeah.
00:51:25
Simon
Like they have a chance of winning three of those. If they really, if they're really concentrated on it, but, um, I would be happy with fourth.
00:51:35
Nate
The only thing I'd say about Anj saying that, about the trophy, is thinking back to when 10 Hags said it for the last two seasons, is is there a part of it trying to create a us versus them mentality in terms of, listen, as I put on the table, we're in the trophy. You either buy into it or you don't. Like, like I wonder, rather than just being wrapped in a press conference day, is there more of a pot into it, like create a bit of an atmosphere, stuff like that?
00:52:06
Simon
Yeah, I think so. Like, but you see these kind of like, like, I'm just known for these kind of like team talk, he's like famous team talk. So I've seen like clips of him and the Australian national squad and stuff like that. But like, I don't know. i I always get a bit put off by his press conferences and I don't really enjoy them because he's always so prickly to the media and I think there's a way to be, there's a way to have that kind of us versus their mentality. And I think that like, you know, for as much as I dislike the man, Josie Mourinho was a master at doing it. And like, I feel like Ange is so brash and kind of clumsy in the way sometimes he, he communicates that it creates a kind of a pretty bad relationship with the fans.
00:52:53
Simon
i don't think like I think for the majority of fans, and I can't speak for everyone, but like there's something there.
00:52:53
Nate
Yeah.
00:53:00
Simon
The love isn't there for Angie yet, I don't think.
00:53:03
Nate
There also needs to be like say with the media is like
00:53:03
Simon
I think the jury's still out on them for a lot of fans.
00:53:11
Nate
Managers can go to overboard. like You also need allies in the media that that you don't get hung out to draw as well. Do you know what I mean? like I'm sure the Spurs reporters want a manager that's just as given to them as as as say they are to what they do.
00:53:19
Simon
Yeah. and you
00:53:28
Simon
Yeah and like the well I suppose the good thing that he does bring is like he'll always give you good kind of stuff to write about like he'll always give you great quotes and and he's very philosophical in his approach but yeah it is those kind of like snarky post-match interviews after a bad defeat ah where people start to question him and start to ask questions about his style of play where he really he really prickles at that and that's where you you start to say okay maybe I won't ask this question or I won't kind of go into this and that creates a kind of a fear around them but I don't think it's a good fear for the media and for the fans like you want to have a good relationship with the media because ultimately the fans are going to be watching that and
00:54:14
Simon
Yeah, so he's going to have to work on that, I think. I don't think he will. I mean, the guy is like 63 years old. He's been through the ringer. He's not going to change his tone. And he's been fairly like been fairly forward in that regard.
00:54:27
Simon
But and if someone got on his ear and just said, maybe just like hold off a bit and just be a bit more pleasant, ah then he might he might win over fans and the media a bit more.
00:54:33
Nate
Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha- Wha
00:54:39
killianginnity
I think Andrew's class. ah like I'm a big fan of him. i I liked the kind of football he plays. I liked his overall general vibe. I think, as Simon said very early on, like he's not the first manager to have issues with the structure at Spurs. I think um the, like, Lange or whoever he pronounces his name, the director of football coming in from Villa, he didn't have the best of time at Villa.
00:55:10
killianginnity
um like i know we kind of put in the building blocks for emery but i think um the signings have gotten better since he left so i don't think he's the uh the fix for their signing woes and ultimately i think the squad just seems a little bit kind of haptash like i think you said before that like what what's the ah his identity i don't think the squad reflects his identity and as such the like How can he like impose like his style on a squad that isn't really necessarily made up for him? um like I would stick with him. I would stick with him quicker than I would the director of football, and which I know is kind of the reverse of what that role is supposed to be, but I think um
00:55:59
killianginnity
Yeah, I think Spurs have that overhang of Perratici's ban that it was kind of a we need somebody in the role rather than having the right person in the role. um I think there is now better options out there that you could go and get.
00:56:16
killianginnity
that could maybe be a little bit better at building a squad that would then allow Anj to kind of kick on. um I would also question some of the overall coaching stuff, like has Anj actually brought in his own people or is there still a lot of overhang of people? Because I know I was there with something and we had coaches and players out loud outlasting multiple managers and it does play a factor when they're kind of like, ah, don't really like what you're doing. I'll just wait until the next one.
00:56:45
Simon
But the thing with, the thing with Anj is he doesn't have a, he doesn't have a coach and stuff. He brings in new guys at every job he's in. He doesn't bring guys with him, which is really, yeah, it's really interesting.
00:56:54
CG
I didn't know that. That's that's strange.
00:56:59
Simon
Like, um, there's a couple of like, like, I think Ryan Mason has stayed on as an assistant. Um, he's brought in Milla Yedanak, the old, uh, pallets with him there.
00:57:10
CG
Oh yeah! Yeah.
00:57:12
Simon
Um, but yeah, like,
00:57:12
CG
Hard as nails that fella.
00:57:14
Simon
Yeah, yeah, and still looks the part as well. But them yeah, I don't know. it's It's a weird one with his coaching staff. Like obviously the biggest issue for the last couple of weeks and months seems to be the set piece scenario. So like Spurs had a set piece coach from Conte's time at the club.
00:57:35
Simon
Uh, his name escapes me at the moment, but he was known for like having like 600 like Cepi scenarios and stuff like this. And Spurs did really well from like free kicks and corners. Uh, you could see the kind of, um, the things taking place on the pitch. He seemed to have dropped that Anjaz and is very against hiring a new Cepi's coach for some reason. And Spurs have had this issue of like their goalkeeper getting pushed over.
00:58:03
Simon
ah for a goal from multiple goals throughout this season and last, and and then just having fairly basic corner routines, which, is to be fair, have seemed to improve have improved this season slightly. and But again, like on over the weekend Spurs conceded from a corner. Happens so often. And they're getting known for that now, which is the thing. like Clubs know to kind of push Vicario around.
00:58:28
Simon
and whatever about the new Premier League rules about like you know protecting the keeper a bit more like they're still finding ways to to exploit it and and for some reason just seems to be like really again bristly about the fact that people keep bringing up set piece goals and be like why are you talking about it but I mean it's because they're happening every week and
00:58:47
CG
Sounds like the Ireland team.
00:58:49
Simon
Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Um, yeah, with shots outside the box, but like, it's the exact same thing. It's like, we really should, it's such a simple and basic thing to kind of cover. Um, and to be fair, as I said, I think it's getting slightly better, but, uh, it just kind of highlights and just attitude towards his coaching staff. It's all, it's all on him. Doesn't really seem to be, they have much of a say in, in how they go about games.
00:59:18
killianginnity
So you're still angin' for now.
00:59:21
Simon
Yes, I'm definitely, definitely Anjan and I do think he deserves the season. Like I do ultimately, I like Anj, I like how he plays football. um And I think he, compared to the other managers that we've had since Pochettino left, he's a breath of fresh air. and But it's just that matter of it just needs to click, something needs to happen.
00:59:42
Simon
and we
Closing Remarks and Guest Information
00:59:43
Simon
need to get some there some points on the board pretty soon before myself included and the fans are going to start turning against them.
00:59:53
killianginnity
Simon, it's been absolutely fascinating. Thank you so much for joining us. Where can people find you if they want to keep in touch?
01:00:00
Simon
Thanks for having me. I suppose you can get on my Twitter or X is at SimonKelly93, I think. But um yeah, if you want any kind of a very depressed post-match Spurs tweets on the place to go to.
01:00:17
killianginnity
Fantastic. And Connor and Nate, as always, thank you very much, gentlemen. You've been beautiful. And we'll chat to you next week.
01:00:23
CG
Bye-bye.