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Daily Premier League in English - Episode 74: Forest Look to Avoid Another FA Cup Upset in Devon as they Travel to Exeter - Tactics Tuesday
16 Plays20 days ago
Eshan Weerasinghe is joined by Stuart Levy from the Daily Nottingham Forest team as they preview the Tricky Trees' trip to the West for a place against Ipswich Town in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
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Transcript
Introduction and Key Topics
00:00:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello, hello. Welcome, Stuart, to episode 74 of the Daily po Premier League podcast in English. How are you, Stuart? How's your Monday night going?
00:00:25
Stuart
Yeah, no, thank you. Thank you, Sean, for having me. Very excited to be here, making my debut on the Daily English EPL podcast. Yeah, looking forward to ah chatting to you about all things, all things Forrest and a bit of FA Cup as well.
00:00:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, of course. Let's just jump straight
FA Cup Focus: Exeter vs Nottingham Forest
00:00:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
into it. Exeter Forest, is this simply a run-of-the-mill victory, or do we see Exeter actually providing any um opposition of substance?
00:00:55
Stuart
um It's is an interesting one. I mean, for me, I mean, look, Forest are the highest ranked team left in the competition after Liverpool went out on Saturday against Plymouth. um ah So, I mean, I would be disappointed if we don't win quite straightforward. um Some Forest fans are saying, excuse me, are saying concentrate on the league. We've got a Champions League spot, but for me, it's part of Being a Champions League team or a Champions League contender is that you can't be losing against League One, against third-tier opposition. Yes, we'll make 9-10 changes from for our last league game, ah that now famous 7-0 victory over Brighton, but I mean, it's we we have to, in my eyes, it becomes an important game because we have to show, we mean we mean business and we have to show we've got that strength in depth to easily swat aside a third-tier team.
00:01:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, that's I think that's been one of the most interesting things for me ah from an outside perspective of Forest is how much strength and
Forest's Squad Depth and Impactful Signings
00:02:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
depth you've had. I know you've had those um two massive summer windows from previous years where you spent a lot of money.
00:02:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
um And yet it's still surprising that a game like this, you're going to be able to facilitate making changes. So I assume the same. I think it's very run in the mill. Exeter not doing crazy well in League One.
00:02:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
They're far down the table, so.
00:02:22
Stuart
Yeah, not not one since since Boxing Day, I heard today.
00:02:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, okay.
00:02:26
Stuart
So, 26th of December, that's probably, I think, about 10 or so matches ago. So, yeah, I know it's always, you can always be too confident, ah beware the out of form league one team, but yeah, you're right, I think Forrest have too much for extra.
00:02:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:02:40
Stuart
I mean, you mentioned our crazy summer windows of our first two summers back in the Premier League, but this most recent summer, we were really measured, and really mature. um So we only signed really in the summer. I think two players, Elliot Anderson and Nikola Milankovitch, they've really improved our 11, which is what you've got to do if you sign so many players. I know there's been lots of jokes perhaps from neutral, such as yourself, on how many there really were. But yeah, we've finally had that really calm and measured window. We've added to the 11. As you say, some of those were still hanging around for the previous windows.
00:03:18
Stuart
Come in tomorrow night as we record today as you you you guys are listening to this. And we should really, quite comfortably, I'd like to think, squatter side exit.
00:03:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah. um Not much more to say about that picture. I'm glad you're on the podcast, but that' it'd be a much bigger shock and to me than Plymouth beating Liverpool as Exeter beating Nottingham Forest, the way the forest are going.
00:03:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
So.
00:03:42
Stuart
I mean, yeah, in terms of places it in in the pyramid, as they say, I mean, where if there's two league gap instead of just one league gap, Plymouth had already beaten a Premier League opposition in Brentford already this season.
00:03:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. The biggest gap. Exactly.
00:03:55
Stuart
So yeah, I think, I mean, you're right, it's interesting that you're not interested at all, almost to say it one way, that you as a as a neutral, as a Manchester United fan, don't see it as being anything exciting, UBC, Forest,
00:04:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:04:10
Stuart
hoping to to get through with them so, so quickly. So I'll i'll take that as
Elliot Anderson's Strategic Acquisition and Potential
00:04:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, yeah, no, it's Forest have been one of those teams this season and we'll talk much more about Forest in this podcast, but I'm sure you're aware of that.
00:04:13
Stuart
a compliment.
00:04:13
Stuart
I'll take that as a compliment.
00:04:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
um They've just been so defensively solid every single game I've watched. And I love watching football and I'm watching most of the games of the weekend, just watching Forest dismantle teams and such like such class and ease.
00:04:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think Milankovitch and Ellie Anderson, to your two summer signings have been some like, I think specific ah everyone's giving Milankovitch his plaudits and rightfully so. But I love Ellie Anderson.
00:04:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think I think he's a fantastic football. And I was moderately surprised that no one was after him, given that he was out a slightly out of favor of Newcastle. But he's just slotted in perfectly.
00:05:01
Stuart
Yeah, we we we really, really lucked out. I mean, it was a ah PSR signing, like they say. I mean, we managed to somehow ship our third-choice keeper, how do you say it, Vlkodomos onto Newcastle.
00:05:13
Stuart
And we've got Elliot Anderson for but just £15 million, pounds when you consider what we hey made them pay for Vlkodomos.
00:05:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely. that
00:05:20
Stuart
So, steel of the century, almost, to get Elliot Anderson at that price. um It's been strongly rumoured, that forest at the city ground will host England.
00:05:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Wow.
00:05:30
Stuart
the first time in many many years this summer for a friendly match against Senegal and we strongly expect to see Elliot Anderson playing for England at the city ground in that match.
00:05:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
wow
00:05:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, he's making a case. I mean, we could talk touch a little on England and the fact that there's so many like budding young talents coming from so many of these teams. I think Bournemouth is another good example where you're you're taking like market value wise average players and but they're playing in such a cohesive unit. And the the way that some of these players are playing, they're playing themselves into England contention, which is a good problem to have, of course.
00:06:08
Stuart
Yeah, it really will be interesting to to see who's in and Thomas Tuckles' thoughts. um He has, of course, managed in England before. He's he's managed Chelsea. um And yeah, I think he had, but if you look at some of the English players he had at Chelsea, we're talking Tammy Abraham, Mason Mounts. They're going to be nowhere near the the team, of course, unless he goes for a major surprise. So I think i think unlikely, Karsley, who picked his favourites from the England and the 21s,
00:06:37
Stuart
ah Thomas Dougal's going to come in completely with an open mind, with an open book. And yeah, let's ah let's see where, um who was in his his first squad. And I think there will be at least one, at least one Forest player. Morgan Gibbs-White, ahead of Elliot Anderson, but it could well be both of them.
00:06:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah Yeah, Morgan gives white,
Morgan Gibbs-White's Growth Under Nuno
00:06:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
fantastic. um Touch on Morgan gives white and Nuno's relationship. um so i i Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure Nuno sold Morgan gives white to Forrest.
00:07:09
Stuart
Not not quite.
00:07:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Is that correct?
00:07:10
Stuart
It's a bit of a gap. So Nuno didn't play Gibbs White that much at Wolves.
00:07:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay.
00:07:15
Stuart
So we loaned him out to Swansea and Sheffield United in the Championship.
00:07:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah
00:07:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Gotcha.
00:07:20
Stuart
But when he eventually left, um it was Bruno Large, I think the guy's name, if you remember him at Wolves, Nuno's successor.
00:07:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
and ah Yeah, I remember.
00:07:29
Stuart
But new you're right, they said that was one of the first talking points when Nuno came in just over a year or so ago now.
00:07:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Gotcha.
00:07:36
Stuart
That because Nuno had barely picked Gibbs White at Wolves. People thought that would be an issue with him coming in at Forest, but Nuno is a very professional, very realistic guy.
00:07:50
Stuart
And he straight away said in one of his first interviews, when I was at Wolves, I had this kid called Morgan Gibbs White. Now I have this man, Morgan Gibbs White. So he instantly realized that, yes, they hadn't gone on, they hadn't had a good working relationship before, and he'd loaned him out or benched him.
00:07:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
And.
00:08:07
Stuart
But he was smart enough to realize and humble enough to realize it gives why it had matured and that he deserved his place in the team. And he's going from strength to strength in in the Garibaldi red.
00:08:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Love it, love it. um Couple
Nuno's Appointment and Team Dynamics
00:08:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
other points. um Nuno, when he came in, what were your thoughts on his initial appointment and towards the back end of the last season when you were dealing with the points deduction? How did you feel about him then?
00:08:36
Stuart
Yeah, I mean, to be honest, when he first came in, um so the talk was it was is a straight fight between Nuno and Oliver Glazner, who ended up at Crystal Palace ah so we' for the job. And I was disappointed we and ended up with Nuno, just from reputations alone. Of course, Nuno, after failing at Spurs, he'd been often off in Saudi. And he even, um as Oliver Glazner had, I think, won the Europa League and got Frankfurt and Wolfsburg in Germany to the Champions League.
00:09:06
Stuart
So I would definitely prefer it on the Glazner. And then as the season progressed last year, Boris never got higher than 17 through his palace, rocketed to 12th, 10th or whatever it was under Glazner.
00:09:18
Stuart
So it certainly did seem less season that although Nuno did just enough to keep us in, it was maybe not the exciting appointment that we would have liked, especially when directly comparing him to on the Glazner.
00:09:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm hmm.
00:09:31
Stuart
and But now, as we said said before, this summer, he had his preseason. He had a really good team bonding camp in Spain. Taught the players his methods. They bought into it. And crucially, there's just those two two extra additions to strengthen the team. And yeah, he's hit the ground running this season and now completely in Uno we trust. um I said before that I'd expect 9-10 changes to be made for X-T game. If for some reason he plays with the full strength team, then sure.
00:10:00
Stuart
um he's He's got his reasons reasons for doing that maybe. he He's worried that um they've had too long without a game now. They spent the last week in Dubai. So now I can trust Nuno completely. But yes, it's a good question. When he first came in, I was disappointed. and I wouldn't have chosen Nuno as my dream. Thorik's manager one year ago.
00:10:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, just like the forest players in Dubai, we're gonna take a little break right now.
Early Season Highlights and Victories
00:11:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
uh just a touch on now fourth amazing season so far what was the result at the start of the season where you began to take notice a little more and take it to heart of course course
00:11:13
Stuart
Yeah, it's it's a ah good question. So the headline victory earlier in the season was the win at Anfield, still the only team to beat Arnis Lot at Anfield. But that that result, I think it was the sixth game of the season, maybe it was only the fifth. um So that was, we weren't dreaming of the Champions League by beating Liverpool because we didn't yet know how good Arnis Lot's team would be. And also, because it was so early in the season, we could say that's just a fluke result.
00:11:41
Stuart
We got lucky. We beat Liverpool. um Maybe Liverpool will lose next week or the week after. So we didn't know at the time how crucial that that victory would be because we didn't know how good Liverpool were. um but So for me, I think when the moment when we thought actually we could do something here, it was the Aston Villa.
00:12:01
Stuart
win in early this December.
00:12:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
um just
00:12:04
Stuart
um Because although we'd gotten as high as third a few weeks before, we then lost back to back against Arsenal and Man City. For some reason, Forex are the only team who've made Man City look good this year since they their bad run started.
00:12:17
Stuart
um But the important thing about the Aston Villa victory was um that we came from behind to win. I think all of our Forex are well known for taking, I think Forest has scored first in 17 of the 24 matches this season, something like that.
00:12:36
Stuart
It might even be 18 or 19 of the 24. So Villa is the only game we've actually come from behind to win. And not only did did that happen, but we went one nil down, equalized.
00:12:47
Stuart
That equalizer was ruled out due to VAR. And then we came back again, got the finally got the equalizer in the 90th minute, and then won it in 90 plus four or 90 plus five.
00:12:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah
00:12:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah That game was the late kick-off on the Saturday because I believe I watched that the week after United lost to Forrest. That feels, ah and because I was just like preying on the Forrest downfall as you do as a bitter United man.
00:13:04
Stuart
Yes.
00:13:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
So when Duran scored in the second half, I was so sure that Forrest was, this is the moment they crumble. Like I've
Anthony Elanga's Performance Analysis
00:13:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
also given that Aston Villa's credentials to hold leads.
00:13:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
They've been typically fantastic about that. Unai Emery coaches his sides very well. But when I was going into those last 10 minutes, you felt the wave of pressure, not just from the fans, but like through the Villa players, which I don't think happens very often.
00:13:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was very interesting to see like, especially after the, um, the disallowed equalizer. That's the exact like Papa balloon moment that like, like exactly like, well yeah.
00:13:48
Stuart
Oh, definitely. yeah and So the fact that yeah that it didn't pop the balloon is is is probably for me, that was the point when
00:13:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh. what It was wonderful. and um I believe Anthony Alenga also started that game. um Just to touch on him, he him in a United shirt was fantastic. But there always seemed to be like a lack of efficacy from his um runs. like He'd make a great run, but like not deliver the final ball. Has he been very, very consistent in ah in a for sure? Or has it been more up and down, including his form from last season?
00:14:22
Stuart
Yeah, so if you include last season as a whole, so that's now yeah a season and a half for him. No, he has been inconsistent. So um when when he came in, it was as a replacement for Brennan Johnson, who we just sold to Spurs, but ultimately a cheap replacement. we We sold Brennan Johnson for £47 million, and million. I know it's not direct maths, which is not as good to say. Brandon Johnson is three times as good as Anthony Alanga, but you get you get the point. here We didn't have such high expectations for him. We think about how much in the same summer Cole Palmer, who played a similar number of Premier League games in Man City, Cole Palmer went for 14 million and Alanga went for only 15. He kind of got an impression and United had given up on him. There's nothing special there. so
00:15:16
Stuart
I think we thought he'd just be a a squad player, but due to injuries and other things, he did play most of last season, but I think with only three or four goals and seven assists, and those assists all came within a short space of time, December and January. So you're right, he was inconsistent, you can see the speed was there, but he hadn't quite got the the of consistent end product.
00:15:40
Stuart
And the same, same this season. um I mentioned that Liverpool victory at the start of the season. That was Callum Hudson-Adoy with with the goal there. It was Hudson-Adoy who'd finished last season in form. So of those two wingers, Elanga and Hudson-Adoy, the thought was that Hudson-Adoy was the future star and Elanga would just be a mid-table player. but And that's that actually led to Elanga being out the team for for three or four games in October, November. But since he's came back,
00:16:07
Stuart
um So many goal involvements, I think three goals in a row, including in the Aston Villa game, a hat-trick of assists in the 7-0 win against Brighton last time out. So, yeah, I mean, maybe he is still a streaky player, maybe his current run um won't won't continue
00:16:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
and ah very long streak but yeah here's
Ola Aina's Future Speculation
00:16:24
Stuart
to be right.
00:16:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
the
00:16:24
Stuart
It's it's ah it's the longest streak so far, so hopefully it is now saying a bit of consistently from from Anthony Alaga.
00:16:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
mr
00:16:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, yeah, I mean, I'm I think after the villa game, I think there was like he was you said he was out of the team and the villa game was like the turning point and he made like comments after the game saying he knows he can do better and he's been showing it. So here's to hope and here's to hope. And um who else on the forest team has been particularly interesting? um From an outside perspective, all ah obviously, Alaina is like begging for a big move, I think.
00:16:57
Stuart
Yeah, I mean, what when I think about Oleana, as I think he'll, unfortunately for us, I think he'll go back to Chelsea.
00:16:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:17:05
Stuart
Because of course in in your European competitions, you have to of course have a certain number of players that are homegrown, that are club trained.
00:17:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
oh
00:17:14
Stuart
And if Chelsea keep on selling their own academy graduates, like some Connor Gallagher, Trevor Chalaba, they've been trying to sell for a long time. Rhys James is intuitive and consistent, maybe they'll cut the losses on him.
00:17:26
Stuart
So I think, unfortunately, Olerina will return to Chelsea because they need need to boost their homegrown quota for the European competitions.
00:17:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh,
00:17:34
Stuart
he He lives in London, I believe, and he's just got better and better since he's at Chelsea as ah as a young player on the fringes of Antonio Conte's title winning team.
00:17:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
interesting.
00:17:43
Stuart
So I fear that Aina will return to Chelsea this summer, unfortunately.
00:17:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Interesting, interesting. um Did not know that he still lives in London, that's... I've seen Alanga, Hudson and Doy and Alaina have incredible like banter together, so perhaps there's something in the process.
00:18:01
Stuart
Yeah, Ada and Herson Adore, yeah, they can be commute together back to London. um
00:18:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Ah,
Steve Cooper's Dismissal and Team Progress
00:18:08
Stuart
So, yeah.
00:18:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
interesting. Makes a lot of sense, makes a lot of sense. Probably still have bucket loads of family in London from their youth days, of both being at Chelsea. um Let's see. Oh, this is a good question. um Steve Cooper. How did we feel about his dismissal?
00:18:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, did we feel that it was justified or?
00:18:29
Stuart
um
00:18:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Cause from an outside perspective, to me, it felt like there was so much love from the Forest fans and that there was more outpouring of support than there were calling for heads.
00:18:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
So super out the blue, but give me a little more insight on that.
00:18:45
Stuart
Yeah, no it' so in the our first season back in the Premier League, 22-23, the rumours in the press were that there were twice where he was, the owners wanted to to sack him, ah but because it was our first season back, the fans sort of protested and they kept him in a job essentially. um So what once in October after a bad start to our time in the Premier League and another time in April after we were in a bad losing streak, which he somehow managed to turn it around for, but no, the So in that first season of the Premier League, he could could do no wrong. ah It had been 23 years out of the Premier League. So if we had got relegated that first season back, the fans would not have... He was getting almost no criticism on on social media, even. The fans appreciated the job he'd done in getting us up there in the first place, that they were willing to to forgive the bad results, although he did eventually keep us up. That did change. um So it was December of 2023, then he got fired. So December in our second season,
00:19:45
Stuart
So some fans turned on him three or four games in because we were still playing super defensive football in our second season in the Premier League. Others turned more slowly. But for me, yeah I think the timing timing was right. You had to wait until it was over half the fan base wanting him gone. He'd always have a special place in the forest fan's heart, even when he ended up breezed into Leicester this season. People don't hold it against him too much.
00:20:13
Stuart
Um, but yeah, I think the timing halfway through the second season, it was clear that it was going to be at best another brief survival bid. And yeah, so I don't think to put it one way, even if Cooper kept his up last year, I don't think he had it in him to take us to that next level for challenging for champions league this year. So yeah, we mentioned before I was initially not sold on Nuno, but now I can see there's quite quite a few things why.
00:20:38
Stuart
You can see the new note was after all that an upgrade on Steve Cooper, as much as we will always thank Cooper for the memories of the promotion season.
00:20:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, breaking into this, the top half of the Premier League table is one of the hardest things that it like a lower level championship side can come up to the Premier League and do. We saw it last year with Vincent company trying, he's still a relatively top level manager, but Burnley wanted to play football the right way and couldn't even muster an effort outside of the relegation zone. So it's an admiration to the forest journey that you guys are in the the so very solidly third place, second place, and looking up at the table, not looking down. um We're going to take a quick break now and we'll discuss the epic up round to 16 when we come back.
Upcoming FA Cup Fixtures and Challenges
00:22:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
All right, let's start with the potential forest fixture, which is forest versus Ipswich town, if they be Exeter. Thoughts on Ipswich and if they'll provide much opposition to top of the table forest.
00:22:19
Stuart
Yeah, I mean, so when Forrest played Ipswich at home in the league, I mean, it was it was a tough close game. It was only 1-0. Ipswich had quite a bit about them. um So I think the... Yeah, I mean, we we should, I mean, as we said at the start of this episode, we should be exiting comfortably, we should be Ipswich at home comfortably, but I mean, you never know, it's... um
00:22:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
the magic of the cup.
00:22:43
Stuart
ah Just a couple of weeks' time, so I think it'll depend on if we've got any injuries or not, and we didn't sign anybody in January at all. We spoke earlier that forests have been more measured and more sensible in the transfer windows, but we have also been very lucky with injuries this season. So I think we we shouldn't make 11 changes against Ipswich. That should be the kind of game where maybe you swap in your keeper, rotate one or two players, but ultimately you need to play a strong team, Ipswich are.
00:23:11
Stuart
still in the Premier League, but still a decent team, definitely a tougher test than Exeter. I'd expect to see Forrest get through it into into the quarter finals, but it is a tricky time against its which.
00:23:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, a couple of juicy fixtures in the next round. Newcastle versus Brighton. I think two really high-pressing teams should be an
Anticipation of Newcastle vs Brighton FA Cup Match
00:23:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
enthralling encounter. What are your thoughts on that story?
00:23:37
Stuart
Yeah, I mean, Newcastle and Brighton are two teams who are who would have a good hope of ah winning winning the FA Cup. Brighton, in thanks to no small part to Forrest last weekend, they're maybe not going to challenge for the top four or top five in the Premier League, but they're nowhere near the relegation battle either. So I think for Brighton they should be looking to progress and to even go on to win win the Cup. I think they made the semi-final under Deserby a couple of years ago. So that could be the thing to cement Brighton as a really established force in the Premier League. I mean Newcastle as well, I know they're in the Carabao Cup final, but they aren't in Europe. So they still have, it's not as if they're playing two two games, three games every week. So Newcastle and Brighton should both be looking to
00:24:24
Stuart
to win the FA Cup this season. So it's very interesting, as you say, that they'll be coming up against each other in the next round.
00:24:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, ah so Crystal Palace are about to beat Doncaster and should play ah Millwall in the next round.
Plymouth's Potential Against Manchester City
00:24:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Aston Villa are going to play Cardiff at home. Preston North End are playing Burnley, so I believe ah Preston are still in the championship.
00:24:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
um
00:24:48
Stuart
Yes, I think Preston are mid-table in the Championship.
00:24:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
mid ah so all championship I think that's our only all-championship tie.
00:24:51
Stuart
They're always keen to finish around 12th in the Championship.
00:24:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
We have Bournemouth vs Wolves. Man City are going to be faced with Plymouth who have knocked out two Premier League oppositions. Let's hope they make it three from a United perspective.
00:25:06
Stuart
I mean, it could be, it could be. um I said sit.
00:25:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
You never know, you never know. ah Especially this city and this season, City have just crumbled under every instance of pressure, which
00:25:11
Stuart
Yeah.
00:25:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
is the ah the least city thing over the last like 10 years. I think it's what city have been accused of before they before the moment. I remember um so many times that um city faltered.
00:25:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think there was a 2010 or 11, there was like a fourth place playoff with city and Spurs and city lost 1-0 at home to a decent Spurs team.
00:25:41
Stuart
Yeah.
00:25:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
But that was the mindset back then.
00:25:44
Stuart
Yeah, right. So but before they became elite, it was cityitis, as it was called, that they always always messed it up.
00:25:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah, you know which um definitely felt like yeah but it definitely felt like the case of Citi's mentality.
00:25:50
Stuart
So they seem to have court cases of cityitis this year. And Plymouth will be up for it. Plymouth will be up for it, definitely.
00:26:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
So it's been interesting to see Citi shift back to that sort of mentality after being so elite for so long. um So hopefully, you know, but Plymouth could do something.
00:26:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
I said it in the last round with um with Liverpool, it's going to be a much changed 11. And when you have belief and all 11 players are working behind the ball, you can shut up shop even against the best of teams.
00:26:26
Stuart
Yeah, I mean, if we have to assume if City, that we have really want to be focusing on the Champions League, I would leave Man City to save their season. I mean, let's be honest, this is a bad City season regardless, and winning the FA Cup won't make this a good season for City. So I don't think they'll put in too strong a team against Plymouth. They'll be resting players ahead of the Champions League, assuming they've even stayed in against Real Madrid. So yeah, I think Plymouth definitely have a chance of springing a surprise at the Etsy head.
00:26:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, um quick touch to end the episode. Ex-great players that have now are now managing clubs.
Former Players as Successful Managers
00:27:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
I can think of a few and a couple of great ones.
00:27:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
um
00:27:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't think I've ever seen an attacker like Rud van Nistroy who came to ah with Leicester United this weekend go on to be an amazing manager.
00:27:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
It seems that they always come from centre back or midfield because those are the players that scanned the whole pitch. um Recent examples.
00:27:31
Stuart
Yeah, I mean, yeah, if you look at the stereotype, yeah, you do think of the best managers having been either um not really much of a player at all, like Rafa Benitez, Jose Mourinho, players like that, or even all those who have played in defensive roles, like like Pep Guardiola, or like I think Jurgen Klopp was the centre back as well. So people, players who you write, they Jaby Alonzo, of course, being ah being a key example, someone who's played in a defensive role, in a central role, and they've seen seen the whole pitch and they've had time to to work things out. So yeah, I think that's linked everything together. We've we've mentioned Plymouth. Wayne Ruynewis, unfortunately, he's not going to manage again, is he? He's he's been been pretty poor in all of his jobs. But one attacker, ah legendary striker, who became a legendary manager, the one and only Brian Clough,
00:28:25
Stuart
I think he still holds the record for fastest to 200 career goals, something like that. um Retired early with a knee injury and of course went on to take Nottingham Forest to win two European Cups back-to-back 1979, 1980.
00:28:40
Stuart
So thank you for having me on. Each and honestly, in 29 minutes I've finally got the chance to mention Brian Clough and Forest being two-time European champions.
00:28:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, ah I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that Nuno was also in Jose Mourinho's 2004 winning Champions League squad as a goalkeeper, right?
00:28:56
Stuart
Of course, yeah, yeah, which is crazy. He was the the substitute key goalkeeper, I think.
00:29:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:29:01
Stuart
And again, as you said, he was not in the action. He was not scoring the goals, but for his role as a subkeeper, he was able to watch everything unfold ahead of him.
00:29:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
But scanning the field. Yeah, ah the only example of an attacker that I can think of is Johan Cruyff, the elite manager, and Cruyffism spread through football, so perhaps the most influential manager of all time is an attacker.
00:29:21
Stuart
was an attacker. That's right.
00:29:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
i
00:29:22
Stuart
Yeah. So the average is maybe a defender, but with a few outliers of attackers, maybe able to get the way through.
00:29:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah There are very few and far between. It's been lovely having you on Stewart. We're just about to hit the 30-minute mark, so I think it's a good time to end it.
00:29:34
Stuart
Yeah. Thank thank you for having me.
00:29:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Yeah, no worries.
Conclusion and Future Discussions
00:29:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was wonderful to talk about Forrest. I loved to hear your perspective, and hopefully we get to chat about it again. All right.
00:29:44
Stuart
mean Anytime.
00:29:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Adios.
00:29:45
Stuart
Thanks, Yishan.