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Daily Forest - Ep 81 - Forest Women are cup winners, netball team active, MGW for England and more
9 Plays10 days ago
Stuart and the returning Marley discuss Stuart Pearce, the women's team, the netball team, players of the season and more.
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Transcript
Marley's Return & Fashion Statement
00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome back to the Global Sports Podcast Network and the Daily Forest Podcast. Joining me, Stuart, for the first time in a while after some technical difficulties, job hunts, and going up and down the country watching Forest, it's Marley. Marley, are you doing?
00:00:25
Marley NFFC
I'm doing well. Delighted to be back on the episode and fingers crossed this time nothing actually goes wrong.
00:00:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, well, there was almost something going very badly wrong for a hero of of all of ours. Those of you watching and not listening will notice that Marley and myself are both wearing the same forest kit from 94, 95, 95, 96. Marley, you've got the better camera angle. Can you show everyone but what you've got on the back of your shirt?
00:00:51
Marley NFFC
if my chair will turn around properly.
00:00:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. PS3. So I'm wearing the the exact same one because we haven't I think did an episode after Man City, but we didn't quite touch upon that tribute Stuart Pearce got and the recovery he's since made appearing on the radio at the England, the Albania game on Friday.
Nottingham Forest Legends and Legacy
00:01:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
So Marley, talk to me a bit about Stuart Pearce and what he sort of means to you. He's before both of our times, of course.
00:01:19
Marley NFFC
Yes, Stuart Pearce An embodiment of what it means to be a club legend, making hundreds of appearances, in i think four over 400 for Nottingham Forest Football Club in multiple years, playing under Cluffy, Frank Clark, quarterfinals for Europe, scoring a bunch of famous free kicks on the way.
00:01:38
Marley NFFC
And he was one of the better defenders in the league at the time, being an England international famously, missing a penalty to get us knocked out of a competition, scoring, then in the next shootout and doing a psycho celebration, which was aptly his nickname.
00:01:52
Marley NFFC
um I wish I was alive to see him walk out of a tunnel, run out of a tunnel even, and and give his famous fist bumps to the crowd and knowing ah one of the wingers will be booted over the roof of the Trent End within the first 30 seconds of the match.
00:02:04
Marley NFFC
He was some player and I just wish there was a player like him that we still have today.
00:02:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, think the closest to Saiko, I've seen as a fan again slightly before your time was Julian Bennett in the League One promotion winning team. I to especially remember the game that we seal promotion in, the win against Yeovil, a crunching tackle from Bennett that led to our opening goal from a left-footed rocket in in front of the the Bridgewood stand. So I think That's the closest we've seen in terms of style, in terms of heart and commitment. Maybe there's a bit of a Stuart Pearce in Ryan Yates.
00:02:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
But no, I think you're right. Most people of a certain generation would say Pearce is the best player not to have been in European Cup winning team. who was in Cluffy's second greatest team from the late 80s, early 90s, winning a few League Cups, making the FA Cup final. So yeah, I think we can confidently say he's the best.
00:02:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Until now, the best non-European Cup winning player And maybe one of the current proper players will be talked about in the same breath as Stuart Pearce in a few years time.
Women's Team Success & Club Expansion
00:03:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Talking about more modern Forrest, two interesting things happening with the club um as a whole.
00:03:07
Marley NFFC
yeah
00:03:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
So the women's team won the and National Women's League Cup. in the final at Walsall's Bescott Stadium beating Stoke City yesterday well done to the women's team Marley have you been able to watch much of the women's team have you been to one of the games now that they're the hosted at the City Round this season
00:03:31
Marley NFFC
yeah Not really, no, because... I can hardly afford to go to all the men's games, so let alone adding women's games on top of that, plus when I'm working. I can only get days off for the men's games. can't get both Saturday and Sunday off.
00:03:45
Marley NFFC
However, have been following them on Twitter, keeping up with all the results, and I'm very happy to see them flying high, potentially the best
00:03:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:03:53
Marley NFFC
team that division of women's footballers have ever seen and will ever see. It's the investment Maranakis has put in, which is investment that league has never seen before. um We are almost guaranteed promotion, pretty much. and And then we've just got to hope that in the women's championship, more investment will be made into the women's team to help take us up to the Super League, compete with the likes of United, Arsenal City, Chelsea, and maybe even having some lionesses of our own at Nottingham Forest Football Club.
00:04:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think that would be great to see. It's certainly that the club has, well, the women's team has changed so much when they were playing at Baysford or Carlton Town or succession of non-league grounds around around the city. But the fact that they're now well and truly part of the club, they have the same sponsors, similar kit. I think their home kit is the men's training kit with the EON eon sponsor.
00:04:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
um And yeah, it's great to see the forest social media um full of of trophies. And let's hope it's not the only time we see that, whether that be the women's team in the women's championship next year, whether it'll be the men's team in the FA Cup in a couple of months' time.
00:05:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
The other exciting thing, this is quite unique in English sports, that Nottingham Forest now have a netball team. um So yeah, I think and from what before I gather, 2,500 fans Arena for...
00:05:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Nottingham Forest netball winning against Cardiff Dragons. I think this can only be a good thing, Marley, seeing the Forest brand spread into a different sports sporting area.
00:05:27
Marley NFFC
Yeah, it's increasing the brand, increasing the name of the club's reach. I mean, I don't believe any other team in the division has a football team connected to it. i know that there's Loughborough Lightning, which is a ah team which encompasses the whole of like the Loughborough students' area of uni and the college.
00:05:43
Marley NFFC
And I know there might be a couple of rugby league teams who have subsidiaries in the league, but we're the only football team which has ah in England which has a direct netball team in the top division.
00:05:55
Marley NFFC
based off the team and as part of the team. So it's a really good thing to spread our name, to make ourselves unique, to give us something that the big clubs above us don't have.
00:06:06
Marley NFFC
Hopefully it's just the start of Maranac's investing into the city of Nottingham, into the sporting infrastructure we've got. Hopefully the cricket team, the ice hockey team and or the rugby team will see similar investment in the future.
00:06:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes, I think Marinakis is used to this from from Greece. So the Olympiakos basketball team, I think is even better than the Olympiakos football team. So now the Olympiakos football team They make the Champions League or the Europa League fairly often, but they don't go that far into it.
00:06:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
i think the Olympiacos basketball team are regulars in the semifinals and finals of the EuroLeague in basketball.
New Ventures in Nottingham Sports
00:06:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
So it can only be a good thing that Maranakis has seen that there's the opportunity there. So the English football clubs, apparently there was a Manchester United basketball team in the 80s and has occasionally been Some crossovers such as that, but with an owner as committed to community development as Maranakis and as committed to winning as Maranakis, I think it's safe to say the Nottingham Forest netball are here to stay and they'll be adding maybe a few stars above their own chest in their netball uniforms going forward.
00:07:13
Marley NFFC
Yeah, and I do think hopefully Forest Netball can become something like Olympiacos basketball, where you see Olympiacos, Panathinaikos have a massive derby in basketball. You get all the football ultras in the basketball stadiums.
00:07:27
Marley NFFC
Maybe a lot of Forest fans from Lower Bridgeford A Block can be filling the Motorpoint Arena for Panthers games and Nottingham Forest Netball games in the ah years to come.
00:07:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, with tickets being so hard to come by, you're right for a big Premier League game or hopefully a big and big Champions League game at the Ground next season. That could be an extra chance for fans to show their support for Nottingham Forest by going to watch them, as you said, it in in a different, not not the City Ground, but for the Motorpoint Arena, which you can imagine maybe that would be and become the Nottingham Forest Arena. Maybe Forest will sponsor the name of the that arena itself so it can become part of the club. They can have a club shop there painted in Garibaldi red.
00:08:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
it certainly could be another opportunity to extend the footprint of Forest away from just the banks of the River Trent which encompass all of That's an interesting in the very first season of the Women's Super League Notts County did have a team so both Forest
00:08:14
Marley NFFC
Yeah. I mean, Notts County fans will probably feel really jealous if that does happen. But...
00:08:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
under Fawaz and Notts County under Ray True, one of their previous owners. They both bid to have teams in that initial women's Super League but because Notts County ladies had just bought Lincoln City ladies.
00:08:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
County got the place ahead Forrest in that first women's Super League season. County's women went out of business very soon afterwards when they they pulled the funding. Of course, Notts were only a League Two team at the time and couldn't fund a women's team.
00:08:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
it would be interesting to see if Notts County football fans, how how they can be brought into the Forrest story. Because I don't think and mean we will find out if they ever join each other in the club the forest and notts county aren't rivals in the way that forrest and derby are just because there's always been two-league gap between us so i would think if not to get more of our good young players on loan like they previously had ryan yates george grant and one or two others so i think if we bring those county into the fold as being feeder club to forest where
00:09:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
county to get a guaranteed one or two knees from Forest a year, then I think that could be a good way to involve them in this ah new Nottingham sporting community.
00:09:35
Marley NFFC
Yeah, become more of an affiliate club to Forest, a bit like
Collaborative Player Development
00:09:39
Marley NFFC
a City United. Forest fans looking at county games, thinking our new our next Brennan Johnson, our next Ryan Yates, our next Matty Cash is coming through in that club.
00:09:50
Marley NFFC
It'll be a way to kind of spread the feeling across the city as well, kind of. The positive, because i know Notts County have got a very negative feel around their club at the minute. It's very toxic. It's a way to spread positivity from the city ground across to Meadow Lane, bring the positive fans across to watch their young players develop.
00:10:05
Marley NFFC
It can only be beneficial to Notts County, that but idea.
00:10:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think there was briefly a relationship with Mansfield in the early days of Nigel Clough's time there. Mansfield would had Will Swan, Riley Harbottle, Jordan Smith even at Mansfield and those players.
00:10:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
In the future, you'd like to see them at Knox County rather than Mansfield or Lincoln. So as you say, if Forrest have got a big so Sunday, Super Sunday match, then Forrest fans could then spend their Saturdays at Meadow Lane.
00:10:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's hear hear from Bionique and then we'll go and talk about, because we've been off the podcast for a bit of time, Marley, hear about your thoughts on the last few games before this international break and where you see Forrest as we head into the final stretch of this season.
00:10:31
Marley NFFC
Yeah.
00:10:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:11:06
Marley NFFC
right.
00:11:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think that was the effort going for it for a second time there. So double that double the bionique for those listening. can find the link to ah try it out in our show notes description.
00:11:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
And also our YouTube channel is back reconnected if you follow us on YouTube. so there's a bit of time our videos went straight to the GSPN wider national channel, but now our own Forrest YouTube is back up and running.
Innovative Podcast Content Plans
00:11:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Speaking of social media, Marley, you're going to be bringing something new to our TikTok page and in the coming weeks.
00:11:53
Marley NFFC
Yes, I am. I have gone through the process of unlocking live access on TikTok.
00:11:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:11:59
Marley NFFC
and So on the ah General Sports Podcast Network, Daily Forest Podcast TikTok page, I will be going live at times when I decide what exactly i want to do.
00:12:10
Marley NFFC
i will announce it on a podcast and in a video. I'm thinking maybe if there's games that I'm not going to be attending and I'm not working for, which at the minute is very rare, I will do a watch along where, just like Mark Goldbridge or Anfield Agenda, I will set a camera up so you can watch my reaction to the Forest game.
00:12:28
Marley NFFC
I could do live videos pre-match or post-match when I'm going to the games. I could even do one while travelling to away games. There's so many options that are opened up by this, and it will grow the podcast and the account so much by doing it.
00:12:44
Marley NFFC
So make sure you're following the account. It's gspndailyforest4. and make sure you're ready with notifications turned on for whenever I hit that the Go Live button. and
00:12:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, definitely an exciting way of bringing Forrest and Marley's passion to Forrest to a new audience and also, yeah, a great way, as you said, expanding what we're doing already with um some fans preferring to our listen to these conversations on Spotify, others preferring clips via Instagram and TikTok Live, as you say, would be a great way of, yeah, reaching more people and seeing your live reactions to that. My Morgan guy, Gibbs White, we're there in a game you're not at for whatever whatever reason. Yeah.
00:13:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
So we've got nine matches of the league season to go, Marley, plus possibly three to go in the FA Cup. As of right now, twenty third of March, are we we're finishing in the league and how far are we getting in the FA Cup?
00:13:34
Marley NFFC
I mean, um might get in a bit of help with my prediction here, but personally, I think we will stay third. Mainly because as a TikToker, I like watching. He does a thing where after every single game week, he runs 10,000 simulations.
00:13:49
Marley NFFC
And at
League Predictions & Match Analysis
00:13:50
Marley NFFC
the minute, we are finishing third in 9,000 those 10,000 simulations.
00:13:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
90% likely SN of of finishing finishing third, sorry, or finishing the Champions League, is that?
00:14:04
Marley NFFC
Finishing third, exactly. There's a 90% odds that we don't move. I think that's because Arsenal, very unlikely they're going to fall off properly and Liverpool have pretty much already won the league title.
00:14:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, and there's below us, so course City, Chelsea, Newcastle, Bournemouth, they're all flawed teams. Assuming that Bournemouth are overachieving, so you can't criticise them too much, but equally, none of those teams have the momentum that they're going to be likely to push us off for that third-place finish.
00:14:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I think even with um four or five wins from from the remaining nine, I think I completely agree with you. That would be enough to keep us in that third s spot.
00:14:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
So in the...
00:14:48
Marley NFFC
Yeah, and I think FA Cup-wise, I think...
00:14:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:14:53
Marley NFFC
I don't know. If we can avoid having to play Fulham or Bournemouth, we can win the Cup. If we have to play Fulham or Bournemouth, we go out the Cup on that day. it's It's as simple as that.
00:15:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, so let's see we've we've got Brighton and in the next round.
00:15:09
Marley NFFC
Yeah, City have Bournemouth. Fulham have got whoever else made it through.
00:15:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Palace and Preston.
00:15:13
Marley NFFC
Palace and a Villa have got Preston, North End.
00:15:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
press questionston yeah so You think Fulham and Bournemouth are only two that worry you. You'd happily be confident to get up coming up against City or Villa at g Wembley, but it's Fulham and Bournemouth.
00:15:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Our old friends, our old frenemies from that promotion year that we still have a hoodoo over us somehow.
00:15:27
Marley NFFC
Well,
00:15:32
Marley NFFC
competitive football-wise, we've beaten Palace this season, we've beaten City this season, and we've beaten Villa this season. Preston North End, we're in a league below us. I think last time we played them in a league, it was 3-0 to Forest.
00:15:45
Marley NFFC
However, Fulham, we haven't beaten since promotion season. Now, Bournemouth, we haven't beaten in a competitive fixture since 2015.
00:15:53
Marley NFFC
If you're going to include non-compatitive, it was 2018 and eighteen the pre-season friendly at the city ground. So if we have to entertain them at Wembley, my confidence is very low. But anyone else, I personally don't think there's a team in the world we can't beat at the city ground.
00:16:09
Marley NFFC
I don't think team in the cup we can't beat at Wembley.
00:16:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it'd be really, really exciting to see. I think Brighton will be an interesting matchup. If though I'm not wrong, they've won every game since I was 7-0, winning against them, or almost every game. So they'll certainly be wanting that revenge.
00:16:24
Marley NFFC
It would be would be funny if we beat them 7-0. They win every game after that until they play us again and lose 7-0 again.
00:16:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's the dream. that I mean, is it possible? mean, they've got that um feeling. It will certainly be in their minds. They'll be too eager to impress. Maybe Fabian Hürzler will overthink the tactics. And after you've got it so badly wrong in the city ground, maybe he'll try the opposite, go too defensive, and we pick pick them up easily on a counter-attack. So, yeah, it'll certainly be an interesting quarterfinal to watch this this upcoming upcoming Saturday.
00:16:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
In terms of the players then, so across the last month or so of the season. So let's include February and a couple of matches in March together. Who would be your player of the month or player of the two months?
00:17:13
Marley NFFC
It's not an easy choice to make. Anthony Alanga has caught fire again. He was on fire in December, dried up a bit in January. February, March, he's been on fire again.
00:17:24
Marley NFFC
Chris Woods, his team seems to have dealt with him a bit better. Hudson-Odoi has been really good, really good. He's been a key player for us. And I do think Yates has changed games when he's been subbed on. I think we looked a lot more secure against Arsenal when he came on. He sparked our our bit of hope against Newcastle United.
00:17:45
Marley NFFC
He made us look so much more assured against City. I would give it to Ryan Yates just for his changing the game off a bench.
Key Players & Season Highlights
00:17:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think that's a permanent position. I mean, there was had been debates, Dominguez or Yates. Are you happy with it that way around? You start Dominguez and bring Yates on. Do think that suits so it' the way we play? That's what we're looking but to do the most?
00:18:07
Marley NFFC
yeah I'll say in exactly this before the City game. I really want to see Yates start because of how well he'd played when he came on. like And again, before the Arsenal game, how well he'd been played after he'd been sub-donned lately. But then again, we lose that game-changer off the bench if we start him.
00:18:23
Marley NFFC
And I think we need someone who can come off a bench and change the game if it's not going our way. Therefore, as much as Yates is good enough to start over the main game at times, I think it's worth leaving him on the bench to come on because of that game-changer attribute he's got.
00:18:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think that's definitely ah something to consider. I remember saying and the start of the season, back when we were pushing Jota Silva to get his chance in the first 11, because he was, I think either ah James was saying, keep Jota on the bench because he's great coming off the bench. And I was always saying, footballers don't sign because they're good coming off the bench. They all all want to start. So,
00:19:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
as long as if Ryan Yates has done himself no favours by becoming that off-the-bench specialist. Still very appreciated. mean, there was that famous picture now after the City game of Yates warming up to come on next to De Bruyne and Marmouche ready to come on, and everyone's saying, you've you've got £200 million pounds worth of talent on this photo, plus De Bruyne and Marmouche, with how how much better an impact Yates made when he came on in that game.
00:19:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah, maybe a closer... is now a specialist role, but I certainly don't think that's a bad thing in terms of Ryan Yates.
00:19:34
Marley NFFC
Yeah, I think Yates has just got those attributes about him. e can he can make and he can make a difference more attackingly. He can chip in with a goal. We've seen that this season. and He's a very big battler in the midfield. He does makes those challenges other people don't want to make, gets stuck in, does the dirty work.
00:19:50
Marley NFFC
And when he's at the back, he can fall back, play as an extra centre-back if needed. He's an all-round utility player. Whereas Dominguez is there from the start, brings a little bit more movement and energy.
00:20:02
Marley NFFC
He can spray a more creative pass and he will cover the full-backs more than the centre-backs. So if Aina is having a difficult game, Williams is having a difficult game, he's the one that can come and help out. Whereas Yates is more for Murillo and Milenkovic's cover.
00:20:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Ryan Yates still does have some creativity in his locker with his pass teeing up Gibbs White to Dennis Jota for that fourth goal against him, which is certainly not be unfair to say Ryan Yates has no creativity. He still certainly does have his moment and he's got goals in the FA Cup, goal against Newcastle, the wrong goal is Leicester, so he's already had his best goal scoring season in the Premier League era. I think he got eight in the promotion year, but He's at least added a bit bit more goals to his game and in his third year as a Premier League player.
00:20:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
So in the um Guardian not on their website today, they did their Premier League player ah team of the season so far. um Representing Forrest were Sells and Milenkovic.
00:21:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Would you have had a third Forrest player in there?
00:21:06
Marley NFFC
I'd have had two more Forest players in there, maybe three.
00:21:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, so let me just so of get get that team
00:21:10
Marley NFFC
I think...
00:21:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
that team back up. So the um according to the Guardian newspaper, so they had Matt Sells was in goal as goalkeeper of the season so far. Back four was Munoz of Palace, Van Dijk, Milankovic, Anthony Robinson.
00:21:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Midfield two, Bruno Fernandes, Ryan Gravenberch. And then Cole Palmer, Mateusz Cunha, Mohamed Salah, sorry, and and Chris Wood. Sorry, Chris Wood was the striker in there. And manager Nuno. So three Forest players and Nuno in there.
00:21:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
But the team of the season, 29 games. you're shaking your finger, Marley.
00:21:48
Marley NFFC
I think there's two very disrespectful, very ignorant picks in there. Cunha over Gibbs-White is a diabolical pick.
00:21:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:21:55
Marley NFFC
and The even more diabolical pick, the one that deserves the person who made that to be fired and never get another job again. Munoz over Aina, are you okay in the head?
00:22:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, i mean, Munoz is...
00:22:09
Marley NFFC
and
00:22:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
So let's read out... ah So he says, with apologies to Ole Aina and Trent Alexander-Arnold, Munoz gets the nod. ah The Colombians' energy, tenacity and tactical understanding are fundamental Palace's 3-4-3 formation.
00:22:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Yeah. So he's only played second highest defender to have touches in the opposing box behind Jusco Vardio and second in the whole league for tackles behind Jusco Vardio. But that's true. So...
00:22:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
For you, Olein is still with his ah and his energy, his contributions to the winning team. His positive attitude means he should be well ahead of Danny Munoz, who is a mid-table player, palr um a safe mid-table team once again.
00:22:51
Marley NFFC
Yeah, people will say with Cunha and Munoz, they stand out a lot more than these players, but they stand out a lot more because they're surrounded by more subpar players, you know. who Who do you think accompanying you is more likely to make you stand out?
00:23:05
Marley NFFC
Joachim Andersson or Nikola Milenkovic? You know, who do you think partnering you midfield is more likely to make you stand out?
00:23:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, exactly.
00:23:16
Marley NFFC
Whoever Wolves have got in midfield, don't know, Bellegarde or Anderson. You know what I mean? It's like, we've got the better players around these players. They don't stand out as much. That's the reason people don't see them as a as's good.
00:23:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, when the Forest player of the season vote comes to pass at the end of the season, I think it will be the closest in in the club's history um Murillo won it last year I think he was probably the favorite and all of the attackers had ah an amazing season and we were too leaky at the back otherwise so really for a few moments of Samba magic Murillo got our player of the season trophy last last summer but this year I mean you could make a case for any of the starting 11 um who started against Ipswich
00:24:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
We'll all have a tiny bit of a shout. And then Yates, of course, have been crucial as well. Even Marato. So that's maybe 13 contenders but for player of the season. But if you would say your top three players of the season, Marley, who would be your top three Forest players of the season?
00:24:18
Marley NFFC
I really want to do a top five. So we've very. All top six.
00:24:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
I know we've got to be narrowed down.
00:24:23
Marley NFFC
So we've very.
00:24:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
I said if we could do a top 11, but let's try and do do a top five, do a top five, and then I'll share my thoughts and we can see we can narrow it down any further.
00:24:32
Marley NFFC
So we've extreme apologies. Sincerest apologies. to most of the starting line-up, really, I'm going to go with Matt Sells has been exceptional, one of the best goalkeepers in the league.
00:24:49
Marley NFFC
Milenkovic has completely changed up our defence. We've gone from one of the worst in the league to one of the best in the league. Ina has pretty much been the glue behind the scenes and has played so, so well at right-back.
00:24:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:25:05
Marley NFFC
Chris Wood has been the bagsman, one of the top scorers in the Premier League. And Callum Woodson-Doy has been a focal point. Everything we do really goes through him on that wing. Our most common passes are all to him.
00:25:18
Marley NFFC
So with great apologies to Anderson and Gibbs-White. I think those are my five shortlisted nominees.
00:25:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, so I will go for sales because having a commanding consistent presence but between the nets is is crucial.
00:25:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Milenkovic, because Murillo was here last year, Milenkovic wasn't. This year we're so much better defensively.
00:25:40
Marley NFFC
one.
00:25:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's chipped in with four goals as well. So Milenkovic is also in my top five. I'm going to go for Elanga, ahead Hudson-Odoi, from your list. um I think Elanga's numbers are better in terms of pure gold contributions.
00:25:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think that electrifying pay to Elanga can show, being that although think Hudson-Odoi will give you sevens and eights, but Elanga is capable of giving you a nine or a 10 out of 10.
00:26:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes, there's a five or six out of 10, but I think Elanga would be in my top five ahead of Hudson-Odoi. Chris Wood, automatic pick. A contender for even the league league-wide player of the year. i mean, he'll certainly be in the league-wide team of the year.
00:26:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
As my fifth pick, you and Ola Aina, I would yeah i'll go for Aina as well, with Gibbs-White just being a close sixth.
00:26:35
Marley NFFC
Yeah.
00:26:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Aina, for the reasons you say, I think Aina, I think Cassell and Aina are the only two players who have started every league game for Forrest. Yeah.
00:26:43
Marley NFFC
yeah
00:26:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
and yeah Maybe you could put it a case for a more experienced backup right back ahead of um erics silver Eric De Silva-Moera being signed in the summer. But ultimately, the full-backs could have been Nico and Alex Moreno. The fact that they never have been is testament to Lorena getting better and better after an injury in AFCON hit first year at Forest last year.
00:27:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
So i think that's when when it comes down to becoming the real player of the season, when the votes are cast at the end of May, be very, very tight between, as you said, a number of players.
00:27:06
Marley NFFC
Yeah.
00:27:16
Marley NFFC
Yeah, and last few seasons, it's been obvious who's going to win it. Brennan was always going to win it two years ago. was always going to be one of him or Gibbs White two years ago. it was always going to be Morello last season.
00:27:27
Marley NFFC
This season, there's one of anyone that could win it realistically. um Only for the right reasons, obviously, four or five years ago,
00:27:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:27:35
Marley NFFC
We finished, what, 17th, 19th, Chris Hewton. Terrible season, lockdown. Anyone could have won it because no one was good enough to win it this season. and Everyone's too good to not win it.
00:27:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, don't think there'll be any complaints about the winner and maybe they even have to scrap and give it to everybody. Maybe they just say a joint play of the season because everyone's been been so good.
00:27:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
maybe...
00:27:57
Marley NFFC
Screw it. No one from our current team wins it.
00:27:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
i
00:28:02
Marley NFFC
Congratulations to our 2024-25 Player of Season, Sami Amiobi. samamo
00:28:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
and He hasn't played a game because he left Forest. He joined Middlesbrough, Samuel Moby for a year, never played due to injury. And so, yeah, he's still got the city grand season as his most recent year in football, my my as I'm aware.
00:28:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, Marley, just before we go, recording this Sunday, 23rd of March, Monday, 24th of March, Thomas Tuchel's second game in charge of England. Gibbs, YMS at least make the bench this time. overwash What's your feeling of what's going on there?
00:28:33
Marley NFFC
i Just before joining this call to record this podcast, I saw something on Twitter or Facebook from Tuchel saying that he was praising Gibbs White as a player, praising his commitment in training over the week and saying that he will be involved on tomorrow's squad.
00:28:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:28:50
Marley NFFC
So i might do a watch along on TikTok Live, might not, depends on circumstances. But even if I don't, I will definitely do a video about Gibbs White's performance, about what I thought if he does get on or if he starts.
00:29:06
Marley NFFC
But I reckon Lele's got a point to prove to Tuchel after not playing on but the other day, after not being in the original squad. I can see a goal or assist coming, definitely.
00:29:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, he was maybe in that first England squad under Carsley, maybe brought in too early because they knew each other. But no, he certainly got better and better and better in this season. It's great to hear.
Looking Ahead: Future Matches & Episodes
00:29:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
i haven't seen that interview with Tuchel yet, but it's great to hear Gibbs-White is impressing him. He's not sulking he wasn't in that regional squad or on the bench on Friday. So yeah, I'd certainly expect to see Gibbs-White win his third cap on Monday. And as said, you can look out to our TikToks for Marley's reaction to his performance. and I'm sure we'll do a pod.
00:29:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Join the week to talk about the internationals in general and look ahead to Brighton in the FA Cup. Marley, great having you back on the podcast and we will shout in the next coming days.
00:29:53
Marley NFFC
Great being back.
00:29:56
Marley NFFC
See in next coming