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Episode 330: Tonda's at the wheel? What's really different?
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Southampton – Greg flies solo but has plenty to talk about as he reflects more on the Leicester game and some hidden gems, players opinions on Tonda, what really is different, and more about Sports Republic and multi club models!
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Transcript
00:00:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome back to the Daily Southampton, part of the Global Sports Podcast Network. My name is Greg Elliott and today i am flying solo as Zach is away, having a well-earned break. And it turns out I've still got plenty to talk about.
00:00:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
So let's just get straight into it. I'm going to start with... The thing that's still fresh on my mind, i'm still buzzing, I'm still living off of the energy from Tuesday's win. And, you know, we were very excited in the match review with the late night recording and i feel like maybe we skirted over some of the stuff that's sort of come out and come out since. And...
00:00:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
It would be almost unfair to not mention the performance that Caspi and are putting against Leicester with the stats that were provided from Just Saints is insane, right? It's 84 touches, 67 out of 70 passes completed. one out of one accurate long ball, 16 passes into the final third, two chances created, two tackles, one interception, one clearance, five times possession won, three ground drills won.
00:01:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Just, like, getting stuck in and doing the, not the invisible work, but definitely the less sought-after work and the less noticed work. And it's just been such a solid addition to midfield. And it's, it's,
00:01:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's great. it's fantastic. i I was thinking about it yesterday. It's now such a position where we've got competition and depth for those places because you know we're going have Shea Charles coming back sooner rather than later. You've got Flynn Downs. You've got Bragg who you know had an outstanding performance in there against Charlton. And Yander. And they're all... And Oriel Romayu as well. like We've gone from not knowing the strength of our midfield looked like. And if we were, are we going to be tripping over each other's feet? Is it a part of the field that's going to be a real area of concern to all of a sudden just having like an abundance of depth and quality in that area of the field? And it's fantastic.
00:02:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's It's brilliant. I'm glad for Fihander that he's doing so well. And he just... Yeah, really does the nitty-gritty work and is very quiet and gets on with it. And obviously it's got a couple of goals as well to to show for it in the last couple of games. But yeah, just one of those like standout performances but that wasn't with like the flair of Sienza or Fellows taking players on. So just a big shout out.
00:03:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
And yeah, and then, you know, we have to talk about Tonda. Uh, it's radio silence from the club at the moment, but you know, it's a busy week. Three games in seven days is a lot.
00:03:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, you have to think that maybe, maybe those conversations are waiting until next week when there's a little bit more time to focus on it. And, and, you know, we'll see. I'm sure that there is legal and negotiation based stuff, which tends to be slightly more complicated, but, uh,
00:03:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's It's crazy. The stat that put it in perspective, we talked a lot about different stats that have been floating around about Tonda record. But the one that that really made it hit home for me was from Tom Murray from Radio Solum, which was that Tonda is the only Saints manager since the the end of the Second World War to win his first get four games in charge, which is just...
00:04:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's just baffling. Like it is an incredible run. And i mean, it far exceeds any expectations that anyone had.
00:04:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, you know, i said yesterday in the, in the show that we've been saying, what I certainly have been saying for weeks that it it felt like it was just, just a couple of clicks away from happening for us. And this was going to start coming, but you know, the what he has brought to the team and made it click into gear has even sort of outweighed that expectation. He's just... goes from strength to strength, and I'm excited for the weekend. You know, that's something that hasn't always been true in the last couple of years as a Saints fan. You know, we're looking forward to this game, and Trudy going to Millwall feeling like we're probably going to beat them, which is...
00:05:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know it's It's just a nice feeling. It's great. and Obviously, we'll get more into Millwall and that tomorrow in the preview episode for sure. but The other thing that came out that caught my eye and was particularly interesting was the BBC Radio Solent interview with Cam Bragg.
00:05:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
and It was a good listen. If you haven't heard it, go and give it a listen. It was great. Good to hear of you know, the the strengths of the most recent, almost graduate to come through our academy system. It's, you know, something that we're so proud of and such a like core part of our identity at this point as a club. So it's fantastic to see. And, you know, he talks about being a boyhood fan following Southampton. He's been in the academy since I think he was eight years old. And now, you know, come into the first team at the age of 20 And, you know, there was, it was thrown to the wolves, I think, in that first appearance with with Will Steele, where, you know, he came on with no number on. It was not the way you want any player to make their debut. So, if you know, you think past that and look at what he did on Saturday against Charlton. And then, you know, he got some minutes last night as well, on on Tuesday night, sorry. And, yeah, it's good to see that happening. It's fantastic for him. He's overjoyed. He's full of praise for for all of the squad and the way they've sort of taken him in.
00:06:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
He talked about the the expectations and the clear structure and clarity that Tonda brings as a manager. that There's never a doubt in the players' minds what they're supposed to do.
00:06:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
And with that structure and clarity allows the freedom for the more creative players to go and do their thing and score goals. And that's kind of a recurring theme that we've seen as all of these interviews post-match have come out. You heard it from Harwood Bellis and a bit from Siena. It's just the the details and the structure that has been brought in is the key difference. I don't know if we talked about on the show yesterday, but Harwood Bellis coming out and saying that the goals that they scored at Charlton were
00:07:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
run through in training the day before, which is just, I mean, it's just exciting to hear, right? That that level of detail is not only like being imparted on the players, but it's just so in depth. And, you know, we're hearing these stories about eating three meals a day at Staplewood. And is it, is it, you know achievable in the long run to be that committed? he said, well, I don't want to keep cooking the steaks, but,
00:07:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
just, yeah, is's it's just nice to have someone who's able to bring that level of detail and, know, I hesitate to say that level of commitment, but but it's clear how much it matters to him for us to do well.
00:08:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that clearly, you know, sets the tone from the front of the work rate he expects from the players. And that, I think, is is one of the main sort of reasons it plays through. and Bragg, was in the same interview, was also full of praise for the Lana and you know how he's come in and and taken so many of the young players under his wing.
00:08:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now that he thinks that he's in the under-21s role, it will really suit him and play to his strengths because he's a player of such footballing intelligence, which is no secret to anyone who's watched the sport.
00:08:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it's great. I also saw not in the same interview with Radio Solent, but saw Alfie House mention that he was talking to Can Bragg about pitcher he had when Bragg was 12 years old with Oriol Romay and how crazy it is that he's now training with him in the first team, which, you know, that's one of those good things about having these, you know, fans coming through the academy and playing, you know, being in Southampton through and through.
00:09:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
because that's so important to impart to, you know, these international players that come in. And it really feels now as a squad that we're we're getting that level of pride and commitment out of them. And, you know, the only thing I can think that has changed that is literally just Tonda leading from the front with his example that he sets of what he expects from the team and that the sort of the minimum...
00:09:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
level of level of effort he's willing to accept is clearly, you know, it's such a good tone to set. And you've got to feel like it's only a matter of days before he's he's given the role. And it will be interesting to see what sort of contract that will be. But there we go. That was my first section, just my little thoughts on the game and the things that have come out and about after the game. I've still got plenty more to talk about, don't you worry, and I will get onto that after a break and a message from our partners at Bionique.
00:11:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, and we are back. So moving on, the second section of notes that I have got written down relates to owners, which, you know, is very topical. And, you know, Sports Republic very much in the limelight.
00:11:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Lots of criticism thrown their way, you know, before Will Still was fired. And and think it's fair to say a lot of effort from them to...
00:11:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
not necessarily deflect, but to try and change that perspective of them being under fire, you know, with from the club, bringing in Romelu and all the other just little bits here and there that you hear from them. But some interesting news coming out from our field, the Daily Echo, that they're looking to buy a new club in Bulgaria, Levski-Safia.
00:11:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
They, as a club, finished second last season and got knocked out in the qualifying stages of the Europa League and the euro Europa Conference League this year by Braga and AZ Alkmaar.
00:12:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, in in turn. They also played in the Conference League in the 22-23 season and currently they sit at the top of the league having won four of their last five matches and they are eight points clear after 16 games. So... you know particularly impressive slate. I was trying to do some hunting and some searching for for the club in more detail, but it's you know not particularly easy to come by as i do not read or speak Bulgarian, as it might shock you to hear. But I did see that a few months ago they made a a big payment of, I think it was 4 million euros to uh, to pay off their stadium, effectively, the, the loan outstanding for that. And the article goes on to say, that they made a statement about the, sorry, 2 million euros, not 4 million euros.
00:13:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Uh, you know, the club statement was that it, uh, it gives them the opportunity to be, uh, firmly financially sound, uh,
00:13:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
and and maintain their financial structure. I don't know how, you know, it goes from that to being open to investments or open to to being bought out by Sports Republic, but it's it's an interesting time to think about the the hierarchy that they would need to set up or and and almost the lack thereof that currently exists, right? And we did a big episode a while back about multi-club models and their benefits and their shortfalls. And, you know, the biggest shortfall of Sports Republic is that this would be their fifth club.
00:13:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
But there's really no real understanding of of what the hierarchy of those clubs are. Now, this is an interesting one because the Bulgarian club are clearly successful.
00:14:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now, would that mean that they would sit higher in Sports Republic's estimations than us? Even though, financially speaking, we're in a significantly more generous area of the world, more veritable. and Yeah, I don't know. It's interesting. We we don't have a structure as as such currently, right? we have you know They have Valenciennes in France who are who are a lower league team And FC Kura in Mali, which, to be honest, I don't know a huge amount about, but it's definitely sort the one of the the more feeder sides of the clubs. And then Gestep in Turkey, who, you know, you would assume sit below us in that hierarchy. And it would just be be fascinating to have it clarified what that hierarchy would look like if that investment takes place and what the actual structure is. Because...
00:15:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know, to be honest, I don't think we are yet to see any real benefit from, from the multi-club model. An argument would be made if, if Matsuki was playing more, you know, he had a year away, at Gostepi on loan. And if he'd come back and, and made an impact into the first team, you could, you'd make that play. And it looked promising at the start of the season in pre-season. That was what we were going to see this year, but we haven't really seen or heard from him since. And other than that, uh, I can think of several examples of players that have supposedly come to us and then get loaned out to Gestepay and then eventually end up there permanently.
00:15:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, I think of the goalkeeper, Liz, and the striker, Juan. yeah It's fascinating and interesting, and it's it's the sort of thing that perhaps you don't expect from that level of outward clarity from, from the sports public as a group that they would come out and out would say, well, this is our priority for a second, of third, fourth, fifth, but, but it's not easy to guess at what that would be.
00:16:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, uh, and, you know, Zach would be keen to remind me if he were here, I'm sure uh, I shot down his argument very quickly of what happens if Arsene Castelli qualify for the Europa Conference League or the Europa League at the same time as being a million miles away.
00:16:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
But with you know with Levski-Sofia being as successful as they are and seemingly being in and around European, albeit qualification places, every year,
00:16:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
but you know That begs the question, if we keep this head of steam and manage to get ourselves promoted somehow this season, and then we keep the head of steam and you know have one of those seasons where we just do unbelievable things and miraculously finish in those places, is it going to cost us in the long run being owned by Sports Republic?
00:17:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I mean, don't know. I don't have the answer to that question. I'm just here to speculate on it, but it is interesting to think about.
00:17:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Speaking of Sports Republic and the criticism that they come under from us, Adam Blackmore mentioned earlier this week that it's recently fired Saints managers are not paid out their full contract. They have either clauses in their contracts or they made agreements at the point of release where they are paid a fixed settlement sum, probably something like six months wages or something, Now that's interesting because you know presumably that is a clause that's in in the contract and that's potentially a really smart move by Sports Republic because you know some teams don't do that and prefer to take the gamble and eventually end up paying the manager effectively until they get another job. Whereas...
00:18:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
you have a fixed release clause, at least you can be financially frugal and stringent around that. And you can budget for, you know, you know ahead of time exactly how much it's going to cost to get rid of your manager and bring in a new one. So, you know, the fact that they have been paid out these fixed amounts means that, you know, financially speaking, where we talk about how expensive that might be, you know, getting rid of Russell Martin and then getting rid of Jurich and then getting rid of Will Stills.
00:18:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
if it's only these fixed sums we're paying, it's still financially detrimental, but perhaps nowhere near as detrimental as it could have been. So, yeah, that's one that's worth thinking about.
00:18:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that that brings me to the end of my second section of notes. I do have a train of thought to follow thinking about owners and some other news that's come out in the footballing world today but first we're going to have a little break and hear a message from our partners at Zencaster.
00:19:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform. Zencaster came out the clear winner. With 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing that automatically removes all those ums and ahs, it's super easy to start a podcast. It sounds great and is delivered efficiently. If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description and learn more about Zencaster.
00:19:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, so i am back. And er yeah, so speaking of owners, and and you know, we talked before about how the grass isn't always greener and how maybe better are the devils you know compared to some of the owners we've had and some of the situations we've been in. It came out today, admittedly, very speculatively, that the current American owners of Sheffield United approached the administrators of Sheffield Wednesday with a bid of ownership, with a look to merge the two clubs into one Sheffield super team.
00:20:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Which is absolutely bonkers. I don't think that any football fan, be it from Sheffield or otherwise, could possibly think that that's a good idea.
00:20:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
and has been fairly universally received that way. I mean, it is crazy to even think about the hypotheticals of which, right. It would be like, uh, sports Republic buying Pompey and trying to merge us into one like South coast sailors super team or something ridiculous like that. it just, it would be met with the same level of vitriol and it's, uh,
00:20:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's just maybe the worst. As if things couldn't get worse for Sheffield Wednesday in the position they found themselves in due to poor ownership, just to even think of the prospect. and Slight tangent, speaking of our esteemed colleagues down the road, Pompey, seems beating Sheffield United midweek isn't for everyone and it didn't go very well for them. Patrick Bamford even managed to score against them in their 3-0 loss so you'd love to see it but yeah it's just got me thinking about this this ownership and and that particular merger thought you know it got me thinking about we talk a lot about the Americanisation of some football and its its benefits and its curses and that's definitely one of the downsides and they're not to say that all of the things that
00:21:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
bought across and bought in are bad but that is not a good one that I think anyone would ever want to see and yeah just even the mere suggestion of it just absolutely blew my mind yeah strange and then I just thought you know I'd take a little bit time and and have a look at the tables And what it looks like now after the Wednesday games as well, after game week 17. And it's looking quite a bit healthier for us than it does. Obviously, four wins on the trot will do that for you. We are up to 13th now with 24 points. And, you know, only three points away now from fifth, which is, you know, absolutely nuts. I mean, that you know could genuinely mean that a win against Millwall the weekend would push us
00:22:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know, as high up as realistically 6th, 7th or 8th put us right back in the mix at the part of the table where we would expect ourselves to be at the start of the season. And it makes it a fascinating game, especially with Millwall being doing quite well in the table uh as i predicted zach will frequently point out but uh in a bit of a spotty point of form at the moment but uh do you know what that sounds like a conversation that uh i will be having with you tomorrow as i look to preview our game away at the weekend to mill uh
00:23:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
And as that happens, it's all I have got time for this evening or this morning, whatever time you are listening. Thank you very much for joining me. I hope you've enjoyed my solo foray into the world of football and the many footballing thoughts that come through my brain. Let me know in the comments, on the socials, how long a contract do you think Tonda will end up with? Is is his agent going to be pushing for for more than just the six months that seem sensible?
00:23:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
where a Where are we going to end up with those negotiations? Let me know. We're on all the socials on TikTok, Blue Sky, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, absolutely everywhere.
00:24:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hit us up. Let us know. We love hearing from you. i can't wait to see some of your opinions. Like I say, I will be back tomorrow to preview the Millwall game. But until then, everybody, have a wonderful day, and we'll see you then.
00:24:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.