Transcript
Killian Ginnity: Hello, hello, hello, and welcome to the Not A Pundit podcast. No matter where they take us, we'll find our own way back. Yes, it is a slightly later than usual podcast this week. You can blame Boyzone, had a bit of work to do, was on the red carpet, chatting to the boys. They send their apologies, of course. Go go watch their new doc. and There you go, lads, if yous are listening.
Killian Ginnity: I'm Gillian Ginnity and I'm delighted to be joined as ever by Connor Glennon. Obviously the later than usual record and release of this episode meant that we don't have Nate this week. But Connor, Newcastle, how are yous doing?
Conor Glennon: I mean, we've been on a great run of form of late. um you know We had one loss there out of, that was kind of out of our nature. And I suppose the these things can get over hyped very quickly off the back of that. I think everyone was like, oh, the jig is up. It's over. But I think the one thing that any Newcastle fan can admit, or at least should admit, is that we're becoming heavily reliant upon 25 -year -old Alexander Isak. Don't get me wrong, Eddie Howes brought some incredible football to that team, and he's really bringing along a lot of those players. But I don't know about you, but it's really getting to a point where we're one injury away from our entire season flipping on its head.
Killian Ginnity: yeah i think any fantasy football player knows how important esac has become for new castle um yeah like for a team of your user size and i know it's kind of the cheap thing to say but of your resources it's a little bit crazy to see you so when become so reliant on one player now i know it it's not just aimed as bruno is playing well and like other things are happening to so to allow esac to be good but
Killian Ginnity: it is kind of reminds me of a couple of years ago when you were first starting to get a little bit of form again and you splashed out for Callum Wilson and it was like when Wilson is doing good we'll do fine but it's just at the other end of the Premier League but it's the same situations you've caught yourselves in and where Wilson had injuries I think ISAC has a higher ceiling and I think yours are gonna really struggle this summer if Like I know we always got harp on about money, but like if PSO was coming in and it's, is it better to go and sell ESAC for 80, 90, maybe a hundred million and get two, not as good, but potentially very good in maybe a year or two's time players than trying to bank on him and still lose them later on. Or maybe he just loses form. Like it's, it's a very tough one for, for you is when you already have question marks over your manager long -term.
Conor Glennon: Well, that's the bigger issue is that if you're a sack, you don't know a project you're buying into, you know, in in terms of, he seems very happy under how, but ah no one knows how long how we'll be there. If the Premier League sent them to go by, he won't be there very long. You know, um, I, I think this isn't new for Newcastle. You know, you you mentioned Wilson there, obviously depended on him for a stage.
Conor Glennon: you go back, Demba, Bob, Papi, Cece, depending on them, you go even further back kind of to yesteryear, if we're calling it that, with Alan Shearer, depending on him. You know, like, we've always been...
Killian Ginnity: but about peter love and love andranz
Conor Glennon: Oh, We've always we've always been...
Killian Ginnity: like
Conor Glennon: at Like, look, every team is is dependent on the strikers within their team. It's it's like American football, you know, the football is the program. But I think Newcastle have always been in a position where we're even more aligned because the resources that are available to us and other positions aren't as good as other teams.
Conor Glennon: So yeah, I do see the merit in potentially leveraging his worth at this point and trying to stabilize the team a bit better.
Killian Ginnity: What about Peter, love and crayons?
Conor Glennon: I think we're in a troubling place from a PSO perspective. If, you know, we just love offloaded Migyama on for 12 million pounds, which if,
Killian Ginnity: Good going.
Conor Glennon: It's good to get 12 million from. like He was a great player, he was he was a great servant of the club and his time had kind of come to go. The only thing with that kind of gives me anxiety as ah as a fan from that perspective is if we're that deeply trying to sort the books out, the 12 million quid is something that we need to do, we've got bigger problems on the go. um you know The only other potential outgoings that I've heard rumblings of are Sean Longstaff, who yes, he'll be an academy player, so will be 100 % PSO related, but I would struggle to see getting 10 million for him.
Conor Glennon: um yeah like I think it's it's, yeah, you know.
Killian Ginnity: you'll be doing well to get that high like seven eight and you're you're being a lot more realistic and maybe with causes
Conor Glennon: but then ah But then again, we've lost two players. If that happens, Newcastle have lost two players who are well -liked in the team, locally, as in the community as well, also just from a kind of glue guy vibes perspective. And we've only got 20 million in the door. So and it kind of long story short with the ISAC thing, the the offer would have to be north of 100 million pounds. um I don't know many clubs that are able to do that at this point.
Conor Glennon: um
Killian Ginnity: I don't know if he's going to afford to hold out for that level of money. Like, when when you look how razor thin your front line is, it's Isak, it's Wilson.
Killian Ginnity: And don't you have some young lads as well?
Conor Glennon: his name I cannot pronounce yes we do yeah it like yeah Gordon out in the wing like our midfield like it like you know wouldn't wouldn't
Killian Ginnity: Or souvenir or something? and Like, you have a stacked defense. You have a well -built defense. One or two maybe slightly weaker players, but they're still performing.
Killian Ginnity: Shire being an example. Centre midfield is absolutely the way you'd want it to be. Joel Linton to an alley. um
Killian Ginnity: Arnz is even a decent, like ah you wouldn't want to be relying on him.
Conor Glennon: when he wants to be.
Killian Ginnity: You wouldn't want to rely on him, but having him in the mix is absolutely fine.
Conor Glennon: Yeah.
Killian Ginnity: um maybe you want to ah
Conor Glennon: One thing I never thought I'd hear when it, when a Newcastle team, sorry to cut across, it's just on this midfield point when like, you know, I've heard on multiple kind of podcasts, match the days, Sky Sports, you name it.
Killian Ginnity: yeah
Conor Glennon: I've never heard so many people talk about a Newcastle midfield of players that could walk into multiple teams. Not any team, I won't go that far, but like we have never been in a position that our midfield is as strong as it is.
Conor Glennon: We are a lock solid in there. Nothing needs to change. Just keep everyone fit. But yeah, up top, we have issues, which sounds insane because we're doing so well, but you strip that back couple of injuries.
Killian Ginnity: And...
Conor Glennon: You can have as good midfield as you want. They're not scoring. yeah They're not scoring nine out of nine, you know,
Killian Ginnity: No and like especially at the stage of where your project is meant to be um like you'd nearly want or you'd nearly want to either change your but expectations or have ESAC playing like this a year or two ago because like if you were getting to this stage with a player where ESAC was a year or two ago that that kind of like we're starting to challenge properly for Champions League places I'm having a player that is good and we know it's going to be great, well then we're going to kick on and be potential in the mix for our top three, top two position within the within the year. But with ESAC now, I don't know if you can, you can't afford to lose them because the where the project is now and you just can't afford to not sell them for a reasonable amount of money because you just need to be able to replace them.
Killian Ginnity: like he
Conor Glennon: it has to be It has to be north of 100 million a piece to go. We cannot accept underneath that.
Killian Ginnity: But I don't know if he's gonna afford not to because like, how else can you replace him? Like, it's it's not like he's have the money because of PSO and other rules without either losing another key player or selling a lot of the depth that you have.
Killian Ginnity: You're not in a financial position, ironically, considering the vast wealth of your owners, unless they come along and are able to cook the books with the Man City ruling and sponsorships.
Conor Glennon: But I don't even want, like i and I'd rather be hamstrung financially as we are than than start doing the financial fuckery because you know, you will get found out eventually.
Killian Ginnity: Yeah, yeah. And like with the peers or things, so like even, so like to sell him and make money that you can use, it has to be a north of a hundred million. But with the so few teams that can do that and with him potentially becoming unsettled and forcing a a move true after, can you afford to wait that long despite the fact like you if you sell them for 90, what, do you get 25 million extra to spend?
Killian Ginnity: Like it's a very hard position to be in.
Conor Glennon: it it It hinges on him, because he is never going to come out and push a move. He doesn't seem to be that kind of guy. I think he's also aware of...
Conor Glennon: the like ah He's so young, he is ah he he doesn't know if this is his level for the rest of his career or if he's having a ah Chris Wood couple of years. you know So I wouldn't fault him.
Killian Ginnity: He's not that young.
Conor Glennon: I know it's not young anymore in terms of... like He's still youngish.
Killian Ginnity: Like at at that age, my glow in his career was basically finished.
Conor Glennon: We have fair.
Killian Ginnity: Like, like we have to kind of be realistic about this as well and kind of go on for the club. Where is his, uh, ceiling for value as well for like market market value, because we're seeing it now more often than not that unless you are a global superstar player, the likes of 11, 11 dial ski or a Salas like.
Killian Ginnity: By the time you hit 30, your transfer value has already gone down. like People want the they players that still have a potential. they' They're not always looking for that completed player anymore and just because the payoff is is so much better off.
Conor Glennon: I think if we are if we are to sell them, we need to make use of Arsenal and Liverpool's desperation for a goalscorer right now. um And I think you're already seeing Arsenal make moves. you know They put in 60 million bid for Ali Watkins. And that's why I'm kind of holding strong in 100 million. If Ali Watkins is Alexander Isak is 100 million.
Killian Ginnity: Yeah, but English.
Conor Glennon: Yeah.
Killian Ginnity: So there is always going to be that homegrown quota and like, yeah, you have to have eight players and when like, look look at Liverpool, like there's not that many English players that they actually have as part of their main 25.
Conor Glennon: English tags.
Killian Ginnity: Um, or the those that are, are academy ones that do they have to sell because you're going to get the full money for them. Like, if they sell Kweeb in Kelleher, they will actually have usable money, and they'll get a G million for him.
Conor Glennon: Yeah. but they will never let him go because he's trapped in a dungeon somewhere under Anfield.
Killian Ginnity: am
Killian Ginnity: ah Well, it's better than Nakatomi Plaza.
Conor Glennon: just just Just before we push it off on on on the ESAC thing, I think where my head is at with this is
Killian Ginnity: That's a niche.
Conor Glennon: If we don't get Champions League this season, I see them going. If we do get Champions League this season, I see them going next year. So going back to your point, we need to fit if we if the club are of the same thinking as I am, which I have no you know reason to believe that they are, but if they were, they need to decide Will they get the money now when they've got two clubs, the Premier League itching for a striker, or are they going to wait, let those two clubs find a striker, then try sell them and potentially get less? Because he's never going to go to Saudi. We're not going to get that kind of.
Killian Ginnity: Well, that's what I was going to say, because like it's ah it's been agreed today as we record that John Duran apparently is going to go for a medical out in Saudi for, what was it, 77, 80 odd million?
Conor Glennon: so It's north of 70 anyway, I know that.
Killian Ginnity: Yeah, and maybe 77 million euro. But like, yeah.
Conor Glennon: Which I don't know about you, that just makes me sad, that transfer. There's so much ability and it's just going to be lost over there.
Killian Ginnity: Yeah. um Although if you look at the Saudi League in general, like I'll put you this way. Has the Saudi experiment gone wrong already? Like, it's getting to China level of turnaround.
Killian Ginnity: but
Conor Glennon: Well it it seems the problem they need to sort out I suppose from a PR perspective is what's seemingly a very short span merry -go -round of players that you know you've seen multiple players come and go bought into the dream either didn't like the situation from a football perspective a family perspective who knows but and and and exiting the league.
Conor Glennon: I think that's their their biggest issue. I think, don't get me wrong, from I've watched a couple of games and and half games of of the league. The quality is definitely getting better. It's not anything like they're saying where they're top three leagues in the world, but ah just I think it is getting starting to get to that China level where
Conor Glennon: It's just kind of a, why are they making the moves they're making and why are the players that are doing it going? It's it's it's teams like Saudi are trying to rescue the situation and there's players trying to cash in before that bubble really does burst and the money's gone.
Killian Ginnity: like we've seen it with um and Henderson obviously being probably the most high profile over here because how short that was and the fact he ended up going to Ajax but like we're seeing more and more players and maybe part this is partly down to the clubs as well trying to um
Conor Glennon: Yeah.
Killian Ginnity: deal with their own registration rules over foreign -born players and all that kind of stuff, but like Neymar is on his way to Santos. I think Taliska has left, maybe I think, has he gone back to Brazil?
Killian Ginnity: am Jota um left pretty quickly.
Conor Glennon: Yeah.
Killian Ginnity: Again, there was question marks over registration there.
Conor Glennon: Yeah.
Killian Ginnity: He went to Stadrin and now he's back at Celtic, which
Conor Glennon: The Neymar one intrigues me because I don't know if he's doing that just for vibes or um positive PR and one other reason I'll mention a second, but it's only a six month contract at Santos.
Conor Glennon: And I think the reason behind that is I was listening to the Fars cast recently, they did a very interesting episode on the Saudi league.
Conor Glennon: And I can't remember the player who was on, but basically he was saying when he decided to leave Saudi, his options were hamstrung from a tax perspective. He couldn't come back to, he couldn't.
Killian Ginnity: Oh, was it ah Andre Gray?
Conor Glennon: That was the one.
Killian Ginnity: Yeah.
Conor Glennon: Yeah. And he couldn't come back to the UK. So he had to find a club somewhere in Europe earth sorry somewhere in europe or somewhere else in in the rest of the world. And I do wonder, is that what Neymar is doing?
Conor Glennon: Where he's leaving Saudi. He's he's but he's apparently forgoing the 60 million left on his contract and leaving. So I think like his optics of exiting look good. His optics of going back to Brazil look good.
Conor Glennon: But is this a tax move?
Killian Ginnity: Potentially, but also with Neymar, you're not signing him for football anymore. You're signing him as a celebrity signing. like There's a reason why PSG got David Beckham in when he was 41 on loan.
Conor Glennon: Yeah, arguably Beckham had more to to add to that PSG team though than Neymar does right now to Santos.
Killian Ginnity: um like the
Killian Ginnity: Yeah, but but don't forget Homegrown, ah that that is his club. He was the new Pelé and maybe he was probably the last real Santos player ah anointed by Pelé as his successor. and So there's going to be that kind of um deification around him there. And if that's where he finishes his career, then great. um But it is that kind of stage. um Like we saw with Ronaldinho as well, like he's ever diminishing returns, both flashes of genius. and So I think that but that's ah that's probably a move that suits all the parties.
Killian Ginnity: um i want
Conor Glennon: Financially, how are Santos doing it though? That's my only thing. you know How um how were the hell are they affording that wage?
Killian Ginnity: um there' more There's more money in brazil in the Brazilian league than you think, and there's less regulation.
Conor Glennon: Well, I suppose all the older big dogs, that it it seems it seems like if you're a high profile Brazilian player, nine out of 10 of them end up going back at some point before they finish. So youre you're you have to be right then from a financial perspective because you're Marcello's and That kind of caliber of player all seemed to go back.
Killian Ginnity: Plus there's always that kind of thing as well ah where maybe the club isn't fronting the whole thing because you're allowed to have ah multiple ownership um from agents and businesses.
Conor Glennon: Was this the kind of Teve situation?
Killian Ginnity: Don't forget Exactly, yeah, yeah.
Conor Glennon: Yeah.
Killian Ginnity: um So he could be returning there on a small wage but retaining his image rights and you imagine Neymar's value.
Conor Glennon: Yeah.
Killian Ginnity: to advertisers over there. like it's It's beyond belief. And if he's pocketing 90 % of that, whereas before he was only getting 10%, well, then that's a massive, massive coup for himself. um And I'm sure um ah culturally and nightlife -wise, it probably suits him to be leaving there now. and But he's not the only player that's that that' that's going from there.
Killian Ginnity: and i don't think the saudi experiment is done yet um
Conor Glennon: Oh, I think it's far from done, but they're they're having issues. They need, they need to course correct very fast.
Killian Ginnity: yeah because like People joked about the MLS being a retirement league, but it was consistent.
Conor Glennon: Yeah.
Killian Ginnity: like like people People knew, like all right you're going you're going over there, and um slowly but surely, the level got better.
Conor Glennon: Good point.
Killian Ginnity: It went from having a long -forgotten Abel Xavier playing for LA Galaxy as the David Beckham came in to ah one stage as has been going around on social media having Lampard, Pirlo and David Villa playing in one team.
Killian Ginnity: like and The football wise, ah I'd say Saudi can probably reach the MLS there, but what the MLS has done is so much more sustainable long term.
Conor Glennon: so Saudi can only hope to be in the position the MLS is. it like the The MLS is in a great state.
Conor Glennon: 100%.
Killian Ginnity: Like, they've created a culture. Now, as goes viral every six months, there's a few bits of it that are a little bit more um manufactured than most football fans would want.
Conor Glennon: Oh, yeah. there's But it's' there's always going to be in the American market. But like that that's that that market needs to be studied of how they executed that.
Killian Ginnity: What have they got?
Killian Ginnity: And they're one of the...
Conor Glennon: They've done it to perfection and I know they have the likes of Messi and I know they've like Beckham really was the one I don't mean from a club owner perspective him coming into the league gave them enough cash in the bank.
Killian Ginnity: Yeah.
Conor Glennon: He brought all the big dogs with them. But yeah from what he's done taking out what he's done with into Miami and take out the messy experiment. It was still in an incredible place.
Killian Ginnity: Oh, it's so, like I would nearly argue the messy thing is just distracted people. Like it's making it look like a blip, which is going to put a bit more of a stigma around us than it actually deserves.
Conor Glennon: Yeah. Yeah.
Killian Ginnity: Like when you see, like even look at Miguel Almeron coming from Atlanta.
Conor Glennon: Yeah.
Killian Ginnity: they the the This is a, I a level that like if not Premier League, but definitely upper championship teams are poaching these players.
Killian Ginnity: and Whereas I think so some people may still associate it with a slightly lower level than that. um i Yeah, I think ah one of the things you should actually look up as well is David Bruce.
Killian Ginnity: He was one of the yeah executives in the MLS who's now at Sunderland.
Conor Glennon: I was about to say, I think I remember us talking about this before.
Killian Ginnity: Yeah.
Conor Glennon: Yeah. I remember, I remember you guys poaching him and that was like a big coup.
Killian Ginnity: and
Killian Ginnity: Yeah, he he was kind of one of the ones that kind of a got into a big position around the time that New York City FC and LA FC came in.
Conor Glennon: Yes.
Killian Ginnity: So it was in around that time.
Conor Glennon: Okay.
Killian Ginnity: So that kind of the growth time.
Conor Glennon: Yeah.
Killian Ginnity: Um, like even where when you look at like LAFC, um, there was one of them kind of things that they're only a fine club now, but like, uh, Will Ferrell is a co -owner and like, they've done all these little bits that the Premier League do, but they've done it in a, like they've either done it before the Premier League or they do it in a slightly lesser way.
Conor Glennon: They've branded it better. you know like they've they've They've had their welcome direction in multiple teams.
Killian Ginnity: Yeah.
Conor Glennon: you know You've got Matthew McConaughey at tech at at Austin. You've got Will Ferrell in and l LA. You've got Beckham, obviously. like i mean There's enough star power in these teams.
Killian Ginnity: they have, and they've done it time and time again, they have a much better selling of the story than the Saudi league has done.
Conor Glennon: 100%.
Killian Ginnity: And I think it's one of the things that players go in and seeing the money and and I think it was touched on the Foscast as well that like the money being touted is not what they're getting over in Saudi.
Conor Glennon: Yeah. It's still ungodly amount of money, but like it's.
Killian Ginnity: What it's It's basically that what is being quoted in the press is what you would need to earn in the UK to earn the same amount.
Conor Glennon: Yeah.
Killian Ginnity: Because you're not getting taxed on it. Oh, you're getting half a million a week. No, you're not getting half a million a week. But if you were to be getting half a million a week in the UK after taxes, what you'd be earning is X.
Killian Ginnity: And X is what you're just getting straight into your pocket in Saudi.
Conor Glennon: Yeah.
Killian Ginnity: And I think that's a major underrated part of this as well um is like they as you mentioned before with Neymar the uh undergrad the the tax season and that kind of stuff and that would be playing a part for players uh or at least their management and their agents but with the likes of John Duran going out and at that age, do you think that we could be seeing another ah influx of big signings to them?
Killian Ginnity: Cause we've mentioned it very recently that they had gone quiet for a good while, but this is a, this is a very different profile of player.
Conor Glennon: Yeah, yeah.
Killian Ginnity: Like we saw them going young with the likes of Jota and player doing well.
Conor Glennon: they've gone even they've even They've gone even younger in the last couple of days, you know, I saw two, let me see, graduates are headed out to Saudi 18 and 20, you know, like, they're starting to like, I don't know if they're trying to box smart, you know,
Killian Ginnity: That's that's it's a little little bit different when like their potential payoff like you what your outlay is for your potential players. This is ah the they're spending proven money on a young player who realistically most of the big Champions League clubs would buy if they were given the option.
Killian Ginnity: Do you think that this is going to attract a different level of player? Because don't don't forget their window closes after the January one does and then into the summer.
Conor Glennon: i I think i think what what need what the Saudis will need to happen for for more players of his caliber to keep coming is him to stay. So if they can get another two of him in this window, keep them for like two years, then I think people will go. If people can see there's some level of longevity and that's like two years isn't exactly forever. But like, you know, in Saudi league times, that's a long, long time. So I think if they can get players who are committing to the project, even if they're there for sheer money reasons, more will follow.
Killian Ginnity: Do you think the Saudi League could have the likes of an Oscar that he was to the Chinese Super League? That you'll have a player that was fantastic, young, went out for the money, but he stayed there for nigh on eight years.
Conor Glennon: I think that actually went against them, because although he was an incredible servant of that league, and it's ironic calling him that when he made more but more money from football than I think anyone ever will, arguably, but I think he became irrelevant.
Conor Glennon: People forgot who he was, younger kids coming up didn't know who he was. so it didn't ah in But but that's like if the UK market aren't buying in, they're most likely of players.
Killian Ginnity: in the u k
Conor Glennon: from a large a volume perspective.
Killian Ginnity: not necessarily like ah south america i think is like i think we underestimate here in in the west uh non -western markets like asia as we've touched on before with many of our interviews with richard harkus and charlie pomeroy and uh even johnny mckintry with uh with africa like these are emerging markets that are so underrated and i think especially when you see some of the players that got nationalized for the Chinese league.
Killian Ginnity: um Was it Elks and the Striker? um I think they had and another Brazilian attacking midfielder. that like I don't think they're trying to get you or me.
Killian Ginnity: I think they're trying to get an audience that's a lot more open.
Killian Ginnity: We've seen it
Conor Glennon: Well, football and football in in those parts of the world, it's it's it's not a sport, it's a religion. you know and we've we've We've seen that from from all the interviews that you mentioned there and and and even from from other interviews where we've talked about playing experiences in those countries.
Conor Glennon: like it it it It truly transcends sport. So I totally get that. And if you can get a
Killian Ginnity: And they're a lot more willing to follow individual players.
Conor Glennon: Yeah, and and ah so I think you're career you're right on that, where they may get they may get volume of players in the UK, but they will not get buy -in like they will from other parts of the world.
Killian Ginnity: So that's what I mean with Oscar. like would could Could we end up seeing... It's very telling as well that John Duran is Colombian and he's going out there with that money.
Conor Glennon: Yeah.
Killian Ginnity: Like could we see a little kind of pivot because like the Saudi League has become basically a joke and we're also seeing in the European market look at the looks like like the likes of Illego struggling to sell its TV rights
Conor Glennon: Yeah.
Killian Ginnity: we We are a market that is, um I don't want to say flooded because obviously you can always have more. there should There should always be an audience, but there doesn't seem to be the diversity of interest that allow these smaller leagues in. And are they just going to pivot to box clever?
Conor Glennon: One thing that I think they have done well is, obviously, securing Ronaldo was was the keys to the palace, but they don't rely on him too much. He's just Ronaldo and is doing Ronaldo things. You know, it's as in, yes, he's in the press stuff for everything and he's ringside at Riyadh season and and all of that. But it's I'd argue that the MLS are more dependent on Messi than the Saudi League are dependent on Ronaldo.
Killian Ginnity: Oh I don't know if I agree there. I think what's the thing with Messi is that ah the for want of a better word the mainstream American media has taken an interest and we are so flood yeah we we we are flooded in by that and our social media's majority of them are american owned and i think we're just seeing a different side and a different interest in football than we're used to because of this uh newfound interest and
Conor Glennon: Consumed by it, yeah.
Conor Glennon: youre saying If Saudi was the state, it would be the same basically. but
Killian Ginnity: Yeah, like I think they're doing like they're they're equivalent. and like I think when when you have like such a ah capitalistic society as as the American is, not to be getting political or anything, but like we're hearing about this messy tax on games.
Killian Ginnity: We're not hearing about that over anxiety, but that could be happening. Like, we we don't know, probably not, but we don't know.
Conor Glennon: Yeah.
Killian Ginnity: And because it's just not as, polite ah as like, made we're not made aware of it. So I think that's kind of slightly overstated and, um like, football doesn't live or die in Miami.
Killian Ginnity: Like, they're they they've ah still expanding teams, and I think Ultimately, it'll be good for the MLS to have this extra, extra interest. But like, another thing that's good for leagues is when the underdogs are doing well. And I have to say, despite the results, and it was a fantastic game, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest, Bournemouth 5, Nottingham Forest, nil. It was great just to see these two fun teams go against each other.
Conor Glennon: Well, it's just what you want to see as ah as a football fan. you know it ah I think we've been incredibly lucky this year to to see that. ah you know i mean whether they win anything or or or don't, it it doesn't matter. like it it's It's not a Leicester situation where it all hinges on that. like we I think it's also an earth ah new playing styles. I think it's an earth coaches that have should have had more respect on their names for a longer period of time, um you know especially within Bournemouth, with Forest, Santa,
Conor Glennon: Nuno Spiritus Santos is beloved around the world for certain clubs he's been at, but I think it it it definitely shines more for Iriola.
Killian Ginnity: Iriola, who I must ah also add, I think was part of a New York City FC site that featured Lampard and Pirlo and David Villa.
Conor Glennon: Was he?
Killian Ginnity: Yeah. um he He ended his career there.
Conor Glennon: I didn't know that.
Killian Ginnity: Yeah. um And he was
Conor Glennon: So he's another city plant is what you're telling us.
Killian Ginnity: Well, no, he ah he was at Athletic Bilbao before that, for the majority of his career. So he's he's Basque and he comes from that kind of school of football.
Conor Glennon: Yeah, okay. He's a good egg, so.
Killian Ginnity: and he's He's a good egg. He just finished over in America with the wrong side of New York. Although the other side of New York had red bulls, so it's like, give him a...
Conor Glennon: Yeah, yeah.
Killian Ginnity: and But like it it like it's one one of them kind of guys that like was undervalued in the Premier League despite the fact he had done well at Rio Barra by a canal.
Killian Ginnity: And it was just a gap that Bournemouth has spotted and he's there in early two years. He had a wobbly start. But like, you know who he really, really, really reminds me of?
Killian Ginnity: Just the whole situation is Pochettino.
Conor Glennon: If you say, oh, I thought you were about to say Potter and I was like, I swear to God.
Killian Ginnity: ah welcome on damn letter no but you know
Conor Glennon: and no
Killian Ginnity: Very little English at the start, fun style of play that it wasn't quite working, was given the time and now look.
Conor Glennon: Players buy into them, they'd run through a wall. yeah That's a great shout actually.
Killian Ginnity: and and like it's just it's It's really good to see. No matter where they finish this year, i don't I don't care if between now and the end of the season, they don't win a game. they ah They've proven a point.
Killian Ginnity: And the same with Forest. like Forest are still top four. like It's insane.
Conor Glennon: But but at all but both both the Premier League needed this in in terms of, you know, we talked, I think previously this season or if not last season about how the league was getting a bit stale. And this is everything you need. This is like, you know, an FA Cup run on steroids. Like it it it shows any any team in the league that they are able to do this. And it's it's it's like it's not some field of dreams kind of thing. It's it's well orchestrated, well planned systems.
Killian Ginnity: Although i I don't want to ah wax too lyrical about the situation as well. Like I have issues with forest. It's great to see them doing well.
Conor Glennon: I'm more Bournemouth when I say that now, but you know, Forrest went out and splurged all the morning.
Killian Ginnity: like Yeah. Yeah. As the spent all the money bought into the ah not, not to be kind of flip -flopping here.
Killian Ginnity: They saw the rules, they went after rules, they took their licks and they played, like they played the game. They're like, right, listen, we're solid this year. We're not going to go down. If we get the financial implications and the points deduction, we'll take it now. And they still have majority of the players that to spend all that money on and are able to build on from that. So like, is this something for Newcastle to learn? Take your lickens now.
Conor Glennon: Well, one player that that is performing very well is a player that we did try to sign, and that's Alanga. So I wonder, will we go down that route again? I think he'll command a far higher fee than than we can probably afford right now, because like we said back to the start, we're so hamstrung on who we can bring in.
Conor Glennon: It's it's dismal. But yeah, no, i they definitely...
Killian Ginnity: Does he have a developed UK development slot from assignment united?
Conor Glennon: i think I think so. I think so.
Killian Ginnity: Like that's a that's a rare Yeah, like ah if he doesn't he's pretty close ah but it's it he's a player that united could do it right now um like I saw a post recently that like a lot of the players that they've let go and they were kind of complaints about have done very very well uh do you think amaran is
Conor Glennon: not I'm not 100 % but I think he does.
Killian Ginnity: going, like, I think this season's right off. Do you think he's going to get the backing that he needs come the summer?
Conor Glennon: financially.
Killian Ginnity: not Not even by spending massive money, but to be able to reinvest if they do sell, to be able to make signings when he needs to.
Conor Glennon: I think lock he was brought in to play a certain system. I think he wouldn't have come in if he didn't have assurances that he's allowed to bring in players that fit that system.
Conor Glennon: I think in order to do it, I think this year he's just getting through doing what he can and trying to, you know, square peg round hole his, his system with the players that he has.
Conor Glennon: I think, I think there'll be a bit of a, do you remember every couple of years Fergie would have a big dead wood clear out and it would be cutthroat and fan favorites would go.
Killian Ginnity: yeah
Conor Glennon: young players might go like, yeah, like you could dime a dozen of these players.
Killian Ginnity: yu um
Conor Glennon: I think there's going to be that situation or at least there has to be that. But and and I think it's, it's ying and yang in that way that he's going to have to do that to get the financial means to buy in who he wants to because I don't see the club giving him massive amount of money.
Conor Glennon: I think they'll give him the opportunity to bring in the players that he wants if he can find the money to do it.
Killian Ginnity: Yeah. Yep.
Conor Glennon: What are you thinking?
Killian Ginnity: I think Man United are going to be this summer and for the next two or three years. Do you remember for years, Wenger always had that kind of thing over his head. Oh, we can't spend because of the new stadium.
Conor Glennon: Yeah.
Killian Ginnity: And there was, I think that's going to be it. Like I know they're getting government backing now for the ah old Trafford redevelopment, but I think Radcliffe is just hammering on about this cost cutting.
Killian Ginnity: Oh, we're spending too much spending too much. And I think that's going to trickle down. And I think it's going to really.
Conor Glennon: Well, he's already trying to put tickets up again. He's cutting the wages of ambassadors. it's He's taken away charitable donations. it's There comes a point where you're just being Scrooge McDuck.
Conor Glennon: And if he doesn't have the, he he's very quickly going to need to show what the club are getting out of these restructures.
Killian Ginnity: Well, that's that's the thing. like If he doesn't spend money, well, then people are going to start going, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. where but Yeah, like you're you're just making money off of this.
Conor Glennon: Where's it going? Yeah.
Killian Ginnity: And rightly or wrongly, like it's it's a business at the end of the day. And they can he can run it however he wants. and But when you're coming promising positivity after an ownership that was not positive, you kind of need to prove a point.
Killian Ginnity: And he's done quite the opposite. But I think that it's going to be that kind of thing, which I don't some Sometimes necessity is the mother of all invention and sometimes some clubs are better off having less money because it makes your box clever.
Killian Ginnity: But when you have the manually tax of you're going to have to pay 30, 40, 50 % more because of who you are, um yeah can't necessarily yeah you can't necessarily afford to do that.
Conor Glennon: in both in both transfer prices and wages.
Killian Ginnity: um And they're at a stage that they can't afford not to just do something. like like They have a lot of dead wood. They need to get better us at that, getting rid of them players because that's something that they've gotten quite bad at. Like, look at Marcial being there for as long as he was. But they need a serious amount of restructuring and in the in the team. Like, they have a lot of players that don't fit the system or don't fit the mentality more importantly now. And I think that's going to be a key thing this summer.
Conor Glennon: Well, when I think when you see the comments from Amoram saying he'd he'd rather play a 63 -year -old goalkeeping coach instead of arguably one of his best players on paper, I think that that sets the tone.
Killian Ginnity: like
Conor Glennon: you know
Killian Ginnity: Yeah, and then when like the likes of Rashford and stuff like he said he wants to go and we're rare we're at the end of the month and there's no move coming and Walker's gone to Milan so that move is gone.
Conor Glennon: ah paid you i I think it's a case of You know, as much as ah Walker said, there's only so many clubs you leave Manchester City for, look I think he would have gone a couple of places. It seems like Rashford is sticking his feet in. He wants Juventus or he wants Barcelona. Barcelona are in, if you think Newcastle are tied up and not from a financial point of view, head over to Barcelona. They are going to need to shift to three players to get in a player of of Rashford's calibre and
Killian Ginnity: They have to shift it two or three players to get a player that they've been playing for the first half of the season.
Conor Glennon: Yeah.
Killian Ginnity: They got special dispensation for Almo.
Conor Glennon: like the The question with Amorim is, I like him. Before I go into the question, my vibe on him is I like him. I think he can succeed there if he's given the tools to do so. I think, yes, people are giving him shit saying that he's like yeah a clickbait merchant in terms of his sound bites. But I think he's just setting the tone and setting it early.
Conor Glennon: and where i My query is with Rashford, if Rashford stays past this window, which is looking likely, and he will be gone in the summer at that point, but for the rest of the season, does this become a Sancho situation where it'll be a media storm? if he Because he's not going to play him. Let's be real.
Killian Ginnity: Well, he may be forced to if he doesn't get to move. um like It does come to us come to a stage where you have to do what is best for the team and sometimes that's just filling the numbers, which
Conor Glennon: But does that does that just pull the rug on his whole, I'm the big man. You don't mess with me.
Killian Ginnity: i know I think ah think what Amarin has kind of realized and and thinks why he's getting sound bitey is the best he thing he can do right now is buy political capital with the fans.
Killian Ginnity: And he's saying the right things, and I think that's what he's doing. I think he's just going, listen, stick with me. Forget the players. Forget the ownership.
Conor Glennon: dangerous if you eat there's only so much cash in the bank you can get with that you know like as in like yeah this season's a gimme like it just is but like how soon into say he gets the he's got another what four months of getting the fans on his side plus a potential good window but like how long into next year but but i'd buy into it if i
Killian Ginnity: Just trust.
Killian Ginnity: Yeah. What other card does he have? What other card does he have? Because he's not gonna get the money. he he The only thing he can do is say the right things right now because he doesn't have the players to play the system that he wants.
Killian Ginnity: He's getting the odd good result that kind of keeps things ticking over. He doesn't have the legendary status of Ollie Gunnar Schulzkaer. He doesn't even have the mediocre cops that 10 hag won.
Killian Ginnity: He has very little legs to stand on to kind of keep people buying into him.
Conor Glennon: if If he gets people to buy in though, how long do you think he has next season before? Say say he gets the dead wood out, he gets a couple of players in that he wants and it's still not working. How long do you think he's got?
Killian Ginnity: if they are playing decent and get enough reasonable results not talking like like winning streaks here but a couple of decent results again like if he gets a a draw ah if he beats city early on and and a Liverpool hey gets to the sea thinking he think he gets i think he gets the full season i think he'll get at least 18 months
Conor Glennon: if it's this time ne if it's if it's this time next year and their eighth.
Killian Ginnity: as long as they're like if If they have a team that is starting to play in a way that is akin to tactically reasonable, I think i think they'll he he'll still have the buy -in.
Conor Glennon: I can't believe how far United have fallen. They've gone from how many Premier Leagues to a team that is tactically capable. like like like for the love of God.
Killian Ginnity: um Speaking of buying in, a guy that we bought in on and it's all starting to kind of go a little bit sour is Big Ange. Does he make the end of the year?
Conor Glennon: It's...
Killian Ginnity: End of the season?
Conor Glennon: i hope so I hope so. I don't think so. um But I do hope so. Look, I think it's an interesting kind of comparison there with Amorim and Ange. Both have their styles of football that they like playing. Both have a personality that is kind of buying to me. And it's just not working for Ange. And I think we saw this with Vincent Company where if you play, if you've a style of play and you don't deviate from it,
Conor Glennon: Yes, Spurs have had a hideous amount of injuries, um but the end that at the end of the day, you've got to play with the players you have and he's not adapting. and they're Yes, they're probably the most exciting team to watch in the Premier League at the moment if you're a neutral, but if you're a Spurs fan, it is a living nightmare.
Conor Glennon: and so i think is
Killian Ginnity: I think he's not helping himself though. I really think that he, with his press conferences, like we we love his bluntness. but what does What did we say when may he joined? The normal one has arrived.
Conor Glennon: try
Killian Ginnity: we had We had the special one, the normal one has arrived.
Conor Glennon: I forgot about that, yeah.
Killian Ginnity: But I think i think he where he's kind of going wrong is, did he have a quote recently basically saying, are we not entertaining this?
Conor Glennon: See, that's what I mean.
Killian Ginnity: That's going to turn the fans against you. I don't i don't think he deserves to go.
Conor Glennon: you're trying You're trying to be too soccer, I am. You're trying to be too Tim Lovejoy with that vibe, you know.
Killian Ginnity: it It sounds like ah literally a scene in Ted Lasso.
Conor Glennon: It does.
Killian Ginnity: He goes, I just love coaching. I don't care about results. i It's a results business.
Conor Glennon: you like personally, I don't see him there at the end of the season.
Killian Ginnity: ah
Conor Glennon: Levi is a bit ruthless when he comes to these things. And I think the jig is up. I don't know about you.
Killian Ginnity: i
Conor Glennon: I don't want it to be. i think I think I speak for the pod when I say we're fans of them and we're we're team and.
Killian Ginnity: Yeah, I i could seem him go by the ah by the end of the year, by the end of the season. I think it'll be more of a fan decision than even Levi. I think Levi will see it as this is gonna start affecting our ticket sales and that'll kind of force it, that the fans have lost confidence. um And like when you see him, but did you see that clip of him trying to shout at a fan? Like he was going down the tunnel and he literally she came back to shout, who said that? It's like, ah.
Conor Glennon: i do I do think part of it is he he's under an incredible amount of pressure and I think he's he knows he's on the ropes and I don't think he's reacting well to it but you know i I've encountered far too many Spurs fans in my life of late, but i ah all of them have been saying the same thing of, who was out there to replace them with?
Killian Ginnity: To be honest that could be the reason why he's not gone yet.
Conor Glennon: And i that is very possible because because look ah unless you've got some Brighton algorithm out there, there's no one that really is jumping a mind that would want to take on that challenge. Because look, I know we've covered this to death before and apologies for listeners for going down this road again. But like at what point are we going to admit that it's either It's ah either a levy issue or a squad issue. They have had how many managers at this point? Poch, unbelievable manager, now at the US. Conte's doing his thing, Mourinho's doing his thing, albeit in not as high profile a league, but he's, I think, are they second? Like, Mourinho's lot, I think they're second.
Conor Glennon: At what point do we go? Angie is a very capable manager. Yes, it's not working. And he'll always say, oh, if I had a full strength team, it could have been different. But they need to look inward. Kane leaving hasn't really done, hasn't really affected them that much. They're still the same old spurs.
Killian Ginnity: Well, other than the position in the league, but I think like the 15th...
Conor Glennon: but i mean from a play But I mean, from a playing from a playing perspective, like the they haven't changed.
Killian Ginnity: Yeah. Uh, like I think, um, when you see how, no, not, not saying that like Nuno, uh, didn't, what, what, it wasn't great straight after leaving Tottenham either, but like Nuno left and like it was, as you're saying.
Conor Glennon: every Every manager that's been a failure has has shown again the reason they got the job and since why they are they've they've gone on to to put their current teams in top positions.
Killian Ginnity: Yeah.
Killian Ginnity: And like the, there is managers, like say even, would I even go into like trying to take one from clubs? There's managers out there that are reasonable options for them. Just having a look here. Like if they want to go back down the Vlas Boas style of route.
Killian Ginnity: riot of
Conor Glennon: He was another one that really could have worked out if he was given time.
Killian Ginnity: that
Conor Glennon: um I stand by that.
Killian Ginnity: Yeah, he's he's now a director, I think a portal again. I think he's back there after he did the Dakar rally. He went into an off -road rally, and but like, did it go for a 10 -hag? If you want to go down that kind of route, a shabby is available. I don't think they'd get him.
Conor Glennon: Javi be too much of a, he's never played, he's never been around this league before. I think it's too much of a risk 10 high. I think there'd be riots.
Killian Ginnity: Paolo Fonsesca, go from Milan, and go a little bit clever.
Conor Glennon: That could work.
Killian Ginnity: Tersik, the guy that was asked Dortmund, try something a little bit different.
Conor Glennon: Yeah, I mean, that that there yeah, that could work again, though. See, I don't know what Spurs need. it like like See, that could that could completely work.
Killian Ginnity: Do they take a gamble and go for like the likes of a Steve Cooper? That like has shown he can do well. Yeah. Like when you kind of take it, take completely aside egos, like dude, it in the way that a potter is, ah do you kind of get a man?
Conor Glennon: Ding, ding, ding, we have our powder mentioned.
Killian Ginnity: Do you kind of just get a guy that is a good bloke, kind of like Angie's, but Angie, as we've said, it has that kind of buy -in mentality, whereas Steve Cooper is, he's a coach, he's ah he's a real head coach.
Killian Ginnity: He's a coach rather than a manager. like we've Like it was seen on the Amazon documentary with Spurs that like Mourinho having that kind of iron fist kind of didn't go that well. And I think it's always a factor like when you are a bigger club in London.
Killian Ginnity: it's a
Conor Glennon: There's more expectation. There's more, there's more sparkle to it.
Killian Ginnity: Not even that, just there's more egos.
Conor Glennon: Yeah.
Killian Ginnity: Like you're you're that you're big fish in a big city kind of thing.
Conor Glennon: See, that's where your Steve Cooper's just won't work. You know, from a football, from a, so from a sheer football perspective, it could work from a London, big, massive London club.
Killian Ginnity: well i i don't know well the iron fist hasn't worked so do we
Conor Glennon: I don't know if that works.
Conor Glennon: Nothing's worked. Let's just just put it like nothing's worked.
Killian Ginnity: you but the the Half of them really tried the likes of a Steve Cooper, like the closest thing they did was either Andrew or Nuno.
Conor Glennon: yeah
Killian Ginnity: And neither of them are that. So I i think it'd be worth a gamble, um like especially if you're if you sack Andrew before the end of the year, I'd get him in.
Killian Ginnity: ah Because other than that, what you to do you do? Do you try and get an intern interim manager in, somebody that was good at the club, do you get Harry Redknapp in until the end of the season?
Conor Glennon: Yeah.
Killian Ginnity: It becomes parody then.
Conor Glennon: What's his face? What's his face? Who was the interim? Has done it like twice now. Ryan.
Killian Ginnity: Ryan Mason.
Conor Glennon: Yeah, it's just going to be him. like If they get rid of him before at the end of the year, it's going to be him for a couple of months.
Killian Ginnity: No.
Killian Ginnity: yeah Get ghost hitting. Did it at Chelsea. Some lad. Or ah one day Ramos. Is he still around?
Conor Glennon: Jesus Christ, we're really going in the archives of... ah Yeah, he was.
Killian Ginnity: did what wasn't Wasn't he the one that won the carling cup with them? um Yeah, I don't know. i There's something broken there, and I don't know how to fix it.
Killian Ginnity: And I don't know if getting rid of Ange is the fix, but it seems like it's going to be the most likely outcome.
Conor Glennon: yeah Yeah, i that's what I was going to say. i I agree. I don't think it's the fix. I think there's more going on in the club, but writing's on the wall for me, unfortunately. Ange can become the resident pundit, even if he wants to be on this pod.
Killian Ginnity: No, no, that's Alan Cauley. He's our pundit. Ange can be our ah Australia correspondent.
Conor Glennon: We'd never do that, DL. Don't worry.
Killian Ginnity: um But ah writing is on the wall for this episode as well. So thanks very much i offer for this kind of later than usual ah episode. and It may happen again. Who knows? We could try and keep these on your toes. Connor, thank you.
Conor Glennon: but Bye -bye.
