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Episode 249: Matchday Preview - Joined by a Wrexham SUPERSTAR!
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Southampton –We are joined by a very special Wrexham guest, for our first Match Preview of the season. It is so exciting for football to be properly back!
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Transcript
Introduction and Guest Jokes
00:00:00
Ken Davies
you
00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome back to the Daily Southampton, part of the Global Sports Podcast Network. My name is Greg Elliott, and as always today, joined by my good friend and wonderful co-host, Zach Ingo Finch, but also today, joined by, I'm sorry to say, our second choice of Wrexham guests.
00:00:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Not Rob McElhenney, which we did try, but the next bit the next best thing for sure.
00:00:31
Ken Davies
It's Ryan Reynolds.
00:00:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
found in Founder of the Global Sports Podcast Network and our good friend and Wrexham supporter, Ken Davis. How doing, Ken? You right?
00:00:43
Ken Davies
I am. And I'm very excited to be on your podcast, which is i've often considered to be the the yeah the absolute pinnacle, if you like, of podcasting quality. And And also, I'm very excited about the new season and couldn't be more excited about the game on Saturday. So I'm all in.
00:01:00
Ken Davies
And ask me any question you want to know about Wrexham because I am not ah newbie plastic sporter.
Wrexham's Journey and Expectations
00:01:06
Ken Davies
I've been watching them since you two didn't exist on the planet.
00:01:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah That's it. it's It's important to differentiate, right? Because you've seen this sort of new wave of popularity for Wrexham, but it's got to be a good thing sort going from strength to strength and back to back to back promotion with all of this new fan base behind you right it's it's good
00:01:29
Ken Davies
it's Well, I wouldn't describe it as a good thing. I'd describe it as an absolute effing miracle. I mean, I've been there in the non-league days, obviously. I've been there millions of times, countless times in the rain, watching them play Tamworth United, you know, and thinking, you know, I've made some bad decisions in my life and this is the culmination of all of them.
00:01:57
Zak
laughter
00:01:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:01:59
Ken Davies
You do really question your life choices, don't you, when you' when you're there on a Tuesday night in Tamworth.
00:02:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
a
00:02:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:02:06
Ken Davies
And so to find us on a Saturday lunchtime ah ah away at Southampton in the championship feels like not only have I died and gone to heaven, but I've actually, in the upper echelons of heaven,
00:02:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't think many people have described St. Mary's to to that high of a calibre, but it's definitely a good thing.
00:02:28
Ken Davies
It depends where you've come from, Greg.
00:02:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
But yeah, i mean i mean, to be fair, I think it was only three years ago your opening day of the season was against Eastleigh just down the road, right? So it's...
00:02:37
Ken Davies
Yeah, and we scabbed a 2-1 win.
00:02:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:02:40
Ken Davies
And we are 1-0 down at until 75 minutes.
00:02:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that's that's crazy.
00:02:44
Ken Davies
I mean, that's where we've come from.
00:02:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
what What are your expectations coming into this season for Wrexham? and that's That's the interesting question because it's hard to tell. You seem to have invested quite heavily. You're obviously going to try and make a go of it, but is it just going to be a case of surviving or do you think the the expectation of the club is to push on more than that?
00:03:08
Ken Davies
The expectation ah for the club is definitely to push on. I mean, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McIlhenney won't be happy until we're in the Premier League. But that won't happen this year.
00:03:19
Ken Davies
i don't we're not going to four times promotion. I mean, we're just not going to do that. I think because I think as you go up through the leagues and we've seen it, actually the gap between the leagues gets progressively wider.
00:03:33
Ken Davies
And so therefore the actual change is he's that much more significant. So I would expect us I expect us
Southampton's Team Changes and Season Outlook
00:03:42
Ken Davies
to survive. I think we'll we'll be okay in the championship. I've seen a lot of the championship because I've been i've seen Derby. I'm based in Derby. I see Derby a lot.
00:03:49
Ken Davies
I've seen a lot of the championship level. the the The top half is outside our capability, but the bottom half is very much within our capability. So I would expect us to finish about 14th.
00:04:02
Ken Davies
we'd be very happy with that level of consolidation. I think we'll move on from there.
00:04:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Interesting. definitely think I had you higher than that on my prediction list. So it's interesting, yeah.
00:04:10
Ken Davies
Did you? Where did you have us then, Greg?
00:04:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
I wish that I had it in front of me to remember, but think I think it was about 8th or something like that.
00:04:17
Ken Davies
I saw one that said ninth today. I've just come off. Wow. What?
00:04:22
Zak
You had like 11, I think it was 12th, because we both had Watford at 11. I had Wrexham 8th, because I think that i think if you've if you if your team gels with some of signings you've brought in, I think you could easily push to the top half.
00:04:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
right yes
00:04:39
Zak
Right. And that's if everything goes right in gels, but you know, i think but if not, you can easily, yeah, see you about where and I think, but to be fair, Greg, you also had Birmingham like fifth.
00:04:43
Ken Davies
I'd
00:04:51
Zak
So did I don't know.
00:04:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:04:52
Zak
I feel like you watched the documentary on prime and then we're just like, well, that's it. We sold.
00:04:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:04:57
Ken Davies
have Birmingham a ahead of Exxon. Birmingham are finishing ahead of Exxon this season. There's no question about that.
00:05:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:05:03
Ken Davies
it's It's just whether we can... We brought a lot of new players in and how long that process takes just to embed those players because a lot of them are joining now. And there's a couple more coming in.
00:05:14
Ken Davies
And we've already signed eight. So there's a lot of... i think we won't really understand the level of this team till about 10 12 games on.
Wrexham vs. Southampton: Game Preview
00:05:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Zach, we've been optimistic, I think it's safe to say, heading into this build-up of the championship, right?
00:05:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hearing that about eight sign-ins, we've still got more or less the same team, except we've got rid of some. Does that...
00:05:41
Zak
with We don't. We sold some players.
00:05:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
yes is Does that, like... perspective change the mood or is it because we've got so many like good returning loan players that were hoping that they're effectively new signings in in spirit
00:05:57
Zak
That's a big thing for me. Like I can say, some of the ones that ones that did impress the most are sort of youth players that didn't really play last season. Jay Robinson being one of them. You've had Che Charles come back for Championship experience.
00:06:11
Zak
You've had, whether or not, don't know what's going happen with Masuki, but he played really well as well. You know, whether or not people like a Dozi, think that he offers just something slightly different to what we've had.
00:06:22
Zak
And also, it's going to be a slightly different shape and different team because we're not going to have Sulemano and Onoachi, who were basically mainstays for the entirety of last the end of last season. So I don't know if it's panic buttons yet.
00:06:36
Zak
Like, course, she looks solid. Downs look solid. We were told three sanctioned transfers. We have had two out of those three. The fans forums tonight. And as as we're as we're recording this, and half of that is ah is essentially people being like, so where's the new players?
00:06:53
Zak
And the big worry about Matty Fernandez and Dibbling, Dibbling, who's obviously a transfer saga on his own at this point, Fernandes, who you know attracted 12 to 13 clubs, but by the looks of it, none of them are actually willing to put up any of the money yet.
00:07:09
Zak
And I think that if that gets... if we get to the point where they can both play together, that would be a significantly stronger side than what we've seen in pre-season. And we've had an okay pre-season.
00:07:21
Zak
I can understand the want and needs to panic that we haven't just gone out and bought tons of players. Some of the wording tonight around the fact that they they're trying to get around, they're like, oh, we'll put us in a better position for PSR next year.
00:07:34
Zak
You're like, the fact that you think you're going into the Premier League is is ambitious at best, especially with the club, but we like the side that we've got at the moment. And, you know, we are having to be our own backers, Greg. But I guess, as I said before, like cautious optimism, right?
00:07:49
Zak
I think we have the opportunity to do do really, really well. But we could also still like be saints about it.
00:07:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
like Okay. Right. That takes us nicely. We're going to move in and focus more specifically on the game, the opening day of the season, nice early kickoff. But first, a break and a message from our partners at Bionique.
00:08:48
Ken Davies
He's got a sexy voice, that bloke, hasn't he?
00:08:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay. It's marvellous.
00:08:53
Ken Davies
Does he drags it out a bit, whoever he is?
00:08:55
Zak
yeah
00:08:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Marvellous. All right, let's let's get to the
00:09:00
Ken Davies
Thank you.
00:09:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Zach, we've talked before about the two paths of the Disney Plus documentary that this game comes to, right?
Tactics and Formations Discussion
00:09:07
Zak
Yeah.
00:09:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Either this is the moment where Wrexham realise how hard life in the championship's going to be ah ah come into a big round like St Mary's and get an fought tooth and nail and having a really tough time of it or it's the start of the documentary where they beat their first club in the championship and carry on sailing through to a party what are you feeling heading into this
00:09:35
Zak
It could be the 32nd part of the documentary, mate, where it like it's a one-all draw and absolutely neither side is happy with what the result is.
00:09:41
Ken Davies
you
00:09:42
Zak
So, you know, it swings around abouts. I don't know. i think home at this point, there's been such a like focus from us for pre-season and everything and and talking about players and, oh, is it going work on the pitch?
00:09:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank
00:09:55
Zak
I think I'm just looking forward to seeing a game happen that isn't going to be overanalyzed because it's a friendly... It'll be interesting see... who's actually going to get into the squad for us.
00:10:06
Zak
And it will be interesting to sort of, I guess it's just nice that the Premier League's over. And I think my vibes are we're going to be back to a much better league, playing a team that has more buzz around it than a lot of the other teams we've played probably the whole of last season.
00:10:23
Zak
So I don't know where I'm at, Greg. I think that obviously I'd like us to win, but the part of the story that would be truly boring would be like a draw, right?
00:10:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:10:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:10:33
Zak
but Nobody wants.
00:10:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
I read the match day information today on the website and because it's an early kick-off the fan zones are opening at 8 o'clock in the morning so if you fancy that for a start let's let's really get in the mood are we in agreement Zach Tyler Diblin probably not in the match day squad
00:10:42
Ken Davies
you
00:10:51
Zak
Yeah, I can't. I can't. Consider he's training away, and they've talked about... There's tons of different reports as to why, right? like Might be with the manager, might be to do with him. Either way, he's not going be involved, in my opinion.
00:11:04
Zak
I think that he's one that's definitely going to be off to the side. I'd like to see Matty in the squad, though, because he's been back training with the team. I think that his transfer, if it happens, is potentially, I'd say, a long way off. A long way off in terms of you know, it's not going to happen the next couple of days, which means that we could get him into the team.
00:11:24
Zak
And I said, for the friendly game at brighter when with Brighton, we had, you know, downs and we had... Korshi and the team, I'd like to see then both get a start. like up Again, like my defensive line was pretty much spot on for that.
00:11:40
Zak
Again, I just thought Sigoura over Bree, and I pretty much will put this site put my... I would say Wellington, Stephens, I'd like to see Korshi start, and then Sigoura right back. don't know about you, if I'm in the defence.
00:11:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think I'd be happy with that. I could see Bree slotting in, although I don't know if that would be the most popular decision.
00:12:00
Zak
No.
00:12:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
But yeah, it's going to be an interesting one.
00:12:02
Zak
don't know.
00:12:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
the The line-off, I think, is going to be it's going to be such an important one as well, because there are going to be a large amount of Saints fans who haven't paid attention to pre-season in such detail as we have.
00:12:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
And look at that first Will Steele competitive team lineup and make their mind there and learn as to whether that's going to be it for the season or not.
00:12:21
Zak
Yeah.
00:12:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
And you've already got the reasonably contentious, if they've not been paying attention, of Bozzunu in goal and Stephens at the back.
00:12:31
Zak
Well, yeah, that that's that's that's the that's that Ramsdale, you know, Ramsdale's gone.
00:12:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
So... say
00:12:35
Zak
we just have to accept that. It's probably the only piece of business that Newcastle will manage this year.
00:12:39
Ken Davies
Thank you.
00:12:40
Zak
but You know, you've got the whole steve Stevens I think people are going aware of because he signed a new contract, right? And that has annoyed a lot of people. I think that it's going to be like if, for example, Ryan Fraser gets a start, I think that will be a thing for some people that are like, oh, no, we've just fallen back.
00:12:58
Zak
Which, as we pointed out, Greg, I think is harsh. But people have made up their mind already.
00:13:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:13:03
Zak
And there are going to be people that haven't paid as much attention. You know, we we sit here and talk about this daily. And I think we forget that, like, that isn't going to be the the standard, you know, knowledge of everybody that pays attention to the club.
00:13:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:13:14
Zak
And you're right. I think this team sheet is going to be vitally important, which is why I also think it's going to be good to get the new signings out there, hungry to actually score some goals. You know, we need that. That's really what we're missing in it.
00:13:25
Zak
it's the I feel like we've been saying this is about 2016.
00:13:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:13:27
Zak
Yeah. ah but Just being a Saints fan, it's like, we need some attacking flair. You know, not gone to the days of like Tadic and Mane and that lot, innit?
00:13:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:13:37
Zak
You know?
00:13:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes, unfortunately so. Ken, what what's the Wrexham squad looking like coming into this? what's the What are you expecting the team to look like?
00:13:49
Ken Davies
Well, Phil Parkinson's got a particular way setting up. and And he's really kind of, this has become his kind of house style, which he's playing three at the back.
00:14:01
Ken Davies
Connor Cody, we've brought in from Leicester, decent at this level. We saw him at Wolves. He's decent. He's not a Premiership player, but he's a very decent Championship player. So he's going to be the centre of that three.
00:14:15
Ken Davies
Play with wing-backs. I suspect we'll play a 5-3-1-1 against you because Parkinson always goes with one up front and one sitting behind.
00:14:27
Ken Davies
It generally gets his width from wing-backs and you'll have three across the middle. I would imagine when we're playing at home, it'll probably be something like a 3-5-1-1, but it'll be away And it's worth bearing mind, Wrexham generally have done well because they've dominated their home games.
00:14:48
Ken Davies
it's but The Kairas, the race course, has been a fortress for the last three years. We've not been that great away from home. That's obviously going to be, that's probably going to get exposed a little bit, I think, this season. I think our waveform will catch us out this season a little bit.
00:15:03
Ken Davies
We are players. out of possession. that's if If you're looking for a a trademark wrecks and kind of performance, it's soaking up a lot of pressure away from home and being really good on the transition, really good on the transition and with pace and with inventiveness and flooding and flooding the yeah the opposition defence.
00:15:27
Ken Davies
So that's, see if you like, our away tactic. would imagine it would be similar. I would imagine you guys will get 68% possession. We'll soak it up and we'll try and hit you hard at set pieces, which we're generally pretty good at, and on the transition.
00:15:46
Ken Davies
But, you know, there's going to be certainly five of the players who are going to be lining up. I've never played together before. So that's going to be a thing. That's going to be your
Match Predictions and Football Dynamics
00:15:56
Ken Davies
advantage.
00:15:57
Ken Davies
But I think the one thing we've got to remember, we're both in the same league for a reason, which is we're generally the the same standard. which we just do That's why the leagues are the way they are.
00:16:08
Ken Davies
so So, yeah, we're there because we're too good for... We were too good for League One. You're there because you weren't good enough for the Premier League. And we've kind of met in the middle. Now, I do think your quality is goingnna it's going to win out. i think I think 1-1, going back to what Zach was saying, it's not a bad shout on this one.
00:16:27
Ken Davies
If there's going to be a winner, it'll be Southampton. But it won't it won't be... We don't concede many, so it isn't going to be 4-0.
00:16:34
Ken Davies
it's and time and I can't work out whether it's 1-1 or 2-1 Southampton.
00:16:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:16:39
Ken Davies
I'm going to go 2-1 Southampton.
00:16:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Interesting. One of our old players, Jay Rodriguez, in your squad, is he likely to get on the pitch and get some minutes, do you think?.........
00:16:52
Ken Davies
No, he's not. I think he's got a bit of a niggle. So I don't think he's going to be playing. I think one of the things we've got to contend with, it seems crazy at the start the season, we've got a couple of injury worries of players that probably would have played who now aren't going to play. And therefore, we've got to put players who literally have just landed in Wrexham.
00:17:11
Ken Davies
Most of actually did land by helicopter in Wrexham. they're goingnna be playing so so it's going to be it's to First games of season are always weird.
00:17:23
Ken Davies
They always throw weird results. It's because most the players have never met each other before. And this is going to be particularly the case for Rooks. And so I don't think we're going to... We're not going to go and beat you 3-0.
00:17:35
Ken Davies
We're going to be playing it fairly defensively, I think. Parkinson's good at that. But I think ultimately you'll probably just have enough probably to nick one in the 75th minute and and close out against us.
00:17:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Interesting. nice Okay, we're going come back, get some locked-in score predictions and some thoughts about the rest of the game. But first, a message from our partners at Zencaster.
00:17:57
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 podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently.
00:18:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
If you're ready to tell your story, Check out the link in the show description and learn more about Zencaster.
00:18:19
Ken Davies
You do that better than me, Greg. hi I do that so many times on the podcast I do.
00:18:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
I appreciate that.
00:18:24
Ken Davies
and i was about to do it again and then myself, but but yeah well you do it with such more panache than I do. Well done.
00:18:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right. Let's, uh, let's get to it. Zach, I'm to you under the bus as always, because that is tradition.
00:18:39
Zak
Shocker.
00:18:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
what What are you feeling? What's the score going to be come two o'clock Saturday afternoon?
00:18:49
Zak
I like 2-1. I feel like that's say that would be a solid start to Stills' to suicide regime. We don't really know how tactically we're going to line up. He's versatile, which is a thing that we're so not used to, which is going to be fascinating to watch this season.
00:19:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think
00:19:06
Zak
Yeah. I could see can't see us not conceding. I know that you know people are already criticising Baz. I don't necessarily think it will be Baz. I think you know classic Jack Stephens mistake just to upset literally everybody in the stadium.
00:19:20
Zak
You know what happening there, Greg, right? like
00:19:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:22
Zak
And then you're going to have, potentially, I'm hoping that Davie Downs will get his bag his first goal at St Mary's in front of everybody. And then, know, a Jay Robinson goal as well, right? Because I think that that would just just really set the mood for, actually, we are going to give it a go this season.
00:19:39
Zak
Can everybody stop immediately panicking? And then we get overconfident because it's Wrexham we've beaten.
00:19:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah Who, uh...
00:19:45
Zak
that's
00:19:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Are you saying Wrexham are going to score first? Is that what you're throwing out there?
00:19:51
Zak
yeah Yeah, because I'd like to see us actually learn to recover from that, because we've just we just can't we we haven't been able to do that for the rest of what feels like time, right?
00:19:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:20:01
Zak
They did it a friendly the other week against Brighton, came back from 2-2-2, but that's a friendly.
00:20:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:20:06
Zak
This is a real important important game to kind of you know stamp how our season's is going to be,
00:20:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's going to be fascinating to see how the atmosphere plays out, if that is the case, because there's still
00:20:13
Zak
say
00:20:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's still a lot of wounds that are fresh from last season, i think. And... Yeah.
00:20:24
Zak
but It was brutal. Like, we we talk about trauma.
00:20:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:20:27
Zak
It was traumatic. Like, we that's not even us. They brought in sports psychologists to talk to the players about it.
00:20:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:20:33
Zak
Half of those players left. but
00:20:35
Ken Davies
It's because he had PTSD, I reckon. One one of one of the things, there'd be 3,000 Rexham fans there and Rexham fans make noise. And if we go one up, all you'll hear will be Rexham.
00:20:48
Ken Davies
All you'll hear will be Rexham.
00:20:49
Zak
<unk>ll We'll sing the In the Chapel song, Greg.
00:20:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah We love that. Is this one of the bigger ah away days in recent years for Exxon 3000?
00:21:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
I can't claim to be...
00:21:02
Ken Davies
Oh, no, no, no, no. I mean, Rexham take thousands of people everywhere. this I mean, Birmingham do as well, but Rexham, and a lot of it, I mean, we always talk a lot of people.
00:21:17
Ken Davies
I mean, I remember when we played Derby away in the cup, when we were, when we were bottom of the league two, 3000 people. And this is one of the reasons they invested in Nixon. They've got a massive following and always have had a massive following.
00:21:30
Ken Davies
So we could have sold 8,000 tickets for this, for this game. But, you know, so it is, but it is just to answer your question. It is very much, it's a critical away game for us because this is, if you've got to have an away game,
00:21:45
Ken Davies
having your first game against a side that's come down from a Premier League always feels like a cup match. It feels like a free hit for us as well, which is kind of in our favour because no one expects us to go to St. Mary's. It probably isn't St. Mary's anymore, is it?
00:22:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
It is some Aries yet.
00:22:01
Zak
So very sad.
00:22:01
Ken Davies
Yeah. and No one expects to go to St Mary's and win. So it feels cuppy to me. And it probably does to quite a lot of Wrexham supporters. So I think if they're going to have a great time. They're going to be absolutely buzzing for it.
00:22:16
Ken Davies
If we do go 1-0, and I can see that. I think I can i see Southampton winning 2-1, Wrexham going 1-0. but Quite feasibly...
00:22:26
Ken Davies
I think if that you know if that does happen, it's going to be an electric atmosphere, certainly in the rest the
00:22:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm looking forward to it. It's always nice to have ah something to sing back against. I think that it's going to be jovial. It's not like it's a team that we've got any particularly bad or or nasty history with. I think that it's going to be good spirits and celebrations all round.
00:22:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think it's going to be... a just I'm really excited to get back to the football. I can't describe.
00:22:55
Zak
that That's the statistic part of me. there's a statistic part of me, Greg, that looks forward to the the new seasons where weird little rivalries like that can take place, right?
00:23:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:05
Zak
Like with my still, and I've pointed out before, and I'll point out again, my weird bitterness against Watford for a handball that happened about five years ago, I still, for some reason, haven't gone over.
00:23:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:15
Zak
And it's it's an opportunity for those things to happen, right? like Like the Dan Byrne incident at Newcastle last year that resulted in all Newcastle fans then hating us.
00:23:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:23:24
Zak
And people even it being mad about the Ramsdale transfer about it, which is... fascinating to see they're having their own meltdown over there. But, you know, you say, great Greg, there's though there's no ill will.
00:23:31
Ken Davies
Right.
00:23:34
Zak
You know, what if J-Rod was fit and came in and scored a hat-trick against us and then all of a sudden Wrexham became like this weird bogey team and then we're we're moaning about it five years down the line and that's, again, like one of the but the fascinating tapestries of football.
00:23:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:46
Zak
right for us to develop these sort of weird things. But the Wrexham story is just... It is, unfortunately, just incredible because it it's like when you take a team of football manager from the lower leagues into the championship, except someone did it in real life.
Podcast Wrap-Up and Listener Engagement
00:24:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:24:01
Ken Davies
right
00:24:01
Zak
It's absolutely insane. No, it's
00:24:03
Ken Davies
Which really means we're going to end winning the Champions League in like year six.
00:24:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:24:07
Ken Davies
That's how those things work out. They always do. We signed Messi and, you know, those guys, I mean, that's the script, isn't it?
00:24:11
Zak
going to be...
00:24:16
Ken Davies
That is the script.
00:24:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:24:18
Ken Davies
You're just, and the idea is you you guys are the next four guys in the script. I don't think it's going to work out that way. We're going to have a bit of a a season where we just have to come to terms with the fact that things aren't always going to go our way.
00:24:32
Ken Davies
And it's probably going to start on Saturday.
00:24:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, look, no...
00:24:34
Zak
Whereas we're going to have to figure out that things might actually go away occasionally. That's an
00:24:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that's it. all right No good script is actually good without a bit of hurt on the way to success.
00:24:45
Ken Davies
Correct.
00:24:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
and And, you know, hopefully we can deliver that after suffering what could only be called our fair share of it last season. But I think you might be right, Zach.
00:24:54
Zak
understatement, mate.
00:24:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think we probably will concede first. I want a few goals. I'm thinking maybe three one Let's just get the party going. I don't know where they're coming from. mean, did any of our strikers score more than four goals last overall at all last season?
00:25:07
Zak
That's not the same.
00:25:14
Zak
Yeah, I'll watch you.
00:25:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
just...
00:25:15
Zak
And then we let him go to Turkey.
00:25:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:25:17
Zak
Yeah, I can't...
00:25:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
don't know.
00:25:19
Ken Davies
We don't concede three very often.
00:25:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
i mean...
00:25:21
Ken Davies
i
00:25:22
Zak
yeah i can
00:25:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
i mean, imagine imagine a world where we get to, like, game week three and either Adam Armstrong or Damien Downs is already matched last year's top goal score goal scored for us.
00:25:24
Ken Davies
That's asking a lot.
00:25:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, that could happen.
00:25:35
Zak
i Yeah, that that is feasible. That, again, that that's a whole other discussion about the gulf between the two leagues, right? Like, something we're slowly remembering and learning a harsh lesson about.
00:25:47
Zak
But, yeah, I don't know. I think three is a bit ambitious, Greg, but I like the idea.
00:25:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, oh look, but overly ambitious and optimistic is really my yeah my personality heading into the public.
00:25:59
Zak
it took It took you the whole of last season to to eventually predict a loss.
00:25:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's got to be.
00:26:03
Zak
And I don't think you felt better for it, to be fair.
00:26:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. I did not. And look, ah that's probably going to continue this season, let's be honest.
00:26:10
Ken Davies
I can't believe this.
00:26:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:26:11
Ken Davies
So this is my first game of the season and I'm predicting loss.
00:26:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. It took to the last day of the season last year for the for reality really to set in for me, unfortunately.
00:26:16
Zak
Apparently so.
00:26:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
it
00:26:23
Ken Davies
Well, i take it i take great comfort from that. The fact that your your prediction skills are so lackluster that you predicted the 3-1 for South Africa.
00:26:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:26:33
Ken Davies
I'm about to run out here putting the whole mortgage on on on a wrecking wayward now.
00:26:36
Zak
hip
00:26:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, look, I mean, if there's any words to live by, right, it's never back the early kickoff.
00:26:43
Ken Davies
Yeah.
00:26:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
If it's going to happen, 12.30 on opening day of the season in a game that is, you know in more people's eyes than probably any other game this weekend for so many reasons is, it is the banana skin waiting to happen.
00:26:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
That is, that's definitely out there. It's not...
00:27:02
Zak
since So what I'm hearing, mate, is 0-0, because i that it's terrible terrible for everyone watching the early kickoff. Terrible for the fans in the stadium.
00:27:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
the
00:27:12
Ken Davies
talk to me drop them in
00:27:12
Zak
An absolutely awful
00:27:15
Ken Davies
If this ends up nil-nil, going to be high-fiving complete strangers all the way across Darwin for about three days.
00:27:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
you
00:27:24
Zak
Oh, you're right, there is a winner regardless.
00:27:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, look, it's it's definitely going to be an interesting game, but the the atmosphere in my house is palpable. The kids are literally bouncing, ready to get back to St. Mary's. Also to to watch the team that they have been forced to sit and watch the documentary of for series upon series. They are looking forward to it, no end.
00:27:55
Zak
Greg, it's lifeguard.
00:27:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
nothing No, she's sitting this one out, but it there was a sales pitch there, but yeah.
00:28:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
but look Ken, thank you very much for joining us today. It's been great having you on and look forward to having you on again later in the season, I'm sure, as we yeah come to the reverse fixture.
00:28:13
Ken Davies
Bless you.
00:28:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Zach, as always, thank you for joining me. Thank you, everyone, for listening. Let us know in the comments or on social media what your score prediction is. Is this the kickstart to the season where we go 46 games with 46 wins?
00:28:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let us know. We are on all the socials. We're on Twitter, X, they're the same thing. Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok. All of them are out there.
00:28:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Go and give Ken a listen on the World Cup, the Road to the World Cup podcast.
00:28:49
Zak
Nice.
00:28:49
Ken Davies
Well, it's World Cup 26 and soon Daily Premier League is coming up next week. So we're going to be launching that. So that's going to be exciting.
00:28:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
that All of the podcasts are out.
00:28:56
Zak
nice
00:28:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
They are fantastic on the Global Sports Podcast Network. A wealth of football to absorb because it is finally back. It's finally here and the season gets underway and we cannot wait.
00:29:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like say, thank you very much for joining us. We will be back on Monday with a reaction. Whatever happens, one way or the other, we will still be here. We look forward to it. We hope you have a wonderful weekend and we'll see you then.