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Episode 225: Will Still Interviews!
143 Plays8 days ago
Southampton –Will Still has been busy talking to all the press people, we've absorbed all of the interviews and have lots to take from it!
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Transcript
Introduction and Weekend Chat
00:00:09
Zak
Hello and welcome back to the Daily Southampton, part of the Global Sports Podcast Network. It is Monday. We have had a weekend. We have had lots of interviews that took place on Friday with our new manager, Will Steele.
00:00:25
Zak
I am once again joined by my co-host, usual host of the podcast, Gregory Elliott. How are you doing, mate?
00:00:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I'm doing all right, mate. Look, I've had a quintessentially British weekend, right? Because I've been hearing all about Oasis kicking off their tour.
00:00:36
Zak
Yeah.
00:00:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've been hearing all about Black Sabbath with their final ever show and Ozzy Osbourne somehow still being able to sing songs at the ripe old age of 143.
00:00:45
Zak
Yep.
00:00:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
And British Grand it's been, yeah, I need... it spin
00:00:55
Zak
Yeah.
00:00:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah on eitherer
00:00:57
Zak
in England are losing in group stages of tournaments again in the Euros, the the women's Euros. It's been great. It's been good fun.
00:01:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I took my recycling out earlier when it was a light drizzle and the heavens opened and I got absolutely destroyed.
00:01:08
Zak
Yep.
00:01:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
So it's been the most British.
00:01:10
Zak
I got...
00:01:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's great.
00:01:14
Zak
but I got caught up in that. I went we i took my my brother. We went out to outton Winchester for the day. And as we were walking around Wolvesley Castle, so if anyone knows Winchester, just heavens opened. No cover.
00:01:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:01:25
Zak
That's another tree for 20 minutes. Eventually went through this. Left. Got greened on. It was good fun. As per usual. But yeah, I've had a pretty good weekend as well.
00:01:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:01:34
Zak
As you can tell, I'm far more jovial than I usually would be. I'm looking forward to the season. I've enjoyed reading these interviews. As always as well, but before we started this episode, it was like, oh who's going host?
00:01:44
Zak
And then Greg was like, well, I've got three notes and I have two full pages, which says a lot about us as people.
00:01:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Look,
00:01:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah ah look one of your favourite catchphrases off the air, Zach, is that we're all very different people and that you have your pages of notes, but mind it's all up here. It's all stored in the information bank up here, but it's still probably for the best that you take the lead.
00:02:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
LAUGHTER
00:02:12
Zak
that's
Interview with New Manager, Will Steele
00:02:12
Zak
That's fine. as One of the other things I also, i don't know if I apologise or not, but the Sunderland kit, apparently I think that was their away kit, but I'm not entirely sure.
00:02:23
Zak
It's a real struggle. If it's their away kit, I mugged off the Sunderland kit. I'm sorry. I still think the badge change was a bit weird. What do I know? I'm not a Sunderland fan. I'm sorry. Anyway, should we crack on talking about Southampton, the cop we actually care about?
00:02:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Always, right?
00:02:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, 100%.
00:02:38
Zak
Right, so we've had interviews with Adam black for for Blackmore from BBC Sport, Alfie House from the Daily Echo, and we've also had just like the generic BBC Sport interview, which I thought was quite interesting that they did all three those.
00:02:51
Zak
They did like a local and a national one. A national one means that we're somehow getting attention. And I kind of forget that we're now important again, quote unquote, because we're one of like the demoted from the Premier League teams in the championship, which means there are lots of expectations.
00:03:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:03:05
Zak
And boy howdy, did they talk about that?
00:03:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
we We kind of go from being little fish in a big pond to a slightly bigger fish in a slightly smaller pond, right?
00:03:12
Zak
Yeah, like it's obviously that the championship is competitive, don't get me wrong, but what we are going to be, there are going to be a lot of expectations. And I think that there were expectations outlined or asked about the topic of conversation for all three of the interviews, right?
00:03:28
Zak
And sort of what is expected of, you know, Will Steele and New Southampton going forward. And I think there's a lot of understanding that last season was not great and we'll have to see where we're at with this season. But ultimately, we should be able to, you know, do well.
00:03:45
Zak
So...
00:03:47
Zak
Okay.
00:03:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
look the The expectations there. it's a but It's good. It's nice to get some some press.
00:03:53
Zak
Okay. it's It is, and I think it's it's good to finally hear from Will Still. I think that he he was quite... He's very well-spoken and very softly spoken, and I think that has already, for some weird reason, had criticism.
00:04:07
Zak
Like, I don't know why... don't know if it was you or somebody else pointed out, like, well, you know who else wasn't well-spoken and wasn't and was happy to sort of lay into the players, and then uploaded a video of, like, Nathan Jones laying into the players. I'm like...
00:04:21
Zak
That would have been great, but it didn't work, did it? So, you know, I don't think any of that really matters. And I think that it seems very strange that people are really kind of jumping on the fact that, oh, when he talks a certain way, that must mean he's terrible.
00:04:32
Zak
Like, guys, I know we've had a traumatic season, but can we not jump down this man's throat immediately because he can speak proper English in a way that, like, isn't aggressive?
00:04:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean also just because he talks to the media that way and was caught in training doing his literal introduction to training in that way doesn't mean that he doesn't have the ability to change that tone right
00:04:52
Zak
Yeah, this this is also true. But as I said, like one of the things I noticed from from his interview of Adam Blackmore is he is very well spoken. There was a lot of talk about how honesty and transparency was a key theme that came up across all three interviews, right?
00:05:07
Zak
And how he himself is quite honest and doesn't see see really a need to like... be, you know, i will i've done to be clear, I don't think this means that he's going to come in and be like, well, yeah, so all of our players have had a small niggle. This player's had a small niggle specifically, so he won't play Sunday.
00:05:22
Zak
I think we're still going to get whenever we have like pre-match like conversations where it's like, yeah, no, he won't be playing and that person plays, etc. but But genuinely like talking about, i don't i don't think he has any reason to lie about the things that he bothers to talk to the media about.
00:05:36
Zak
I just think he wouldn't talk to the media about things that he doesn't want to talk about. um I think the other key thing and a thing that he spoke to Adam Blackmore about quite but quickly because it's you know one of my my earlier notes is how there was trauma for last year.
00:05:51
Zak
And then that was brought up in the BBC Sport interview later. But not only did he talk about how there's trauma for the players and the fans, but amongst the staff. And I thought it was a really interesting point that he said, and even the board.
00:06:03
Zak
And that says lots to me. yeah Well,
00:06:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, yeah. I mean, look, I mean, that is apparent because there has been huge structural change, right?
00:06:10
Zak
Yes.
00:06:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, you don't replace members of the board because things are going well. Like, there has clearly been a stark realisation that things won't go well enough.
00:06:19
Zak
No.
00:06:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, I mean, trauma certainly feels right.
00:06:27
Zak
Yeah, it's it's it's an interesting turn of phrase because, like, I don't know...
00:06:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
know, it was harrowing.
00:06:32
Zak
if I'd have quite put it to that level. But I guess if you're what in a working, especially from a working environment perspective, it probably was quite traumatic to have to deal with that. And like, you know, the high of, we've
Structural Changes and Team Psychology
00:06:45
Zak
talked about before, right? The lows of the motion a couple of seasons ago.
00:06:49
Zak
The high of promotion again, followed by the absolute lows of last season where we narrowly avoided being the biggest sort of joke and in the Premier League history. We already had two 9-0s.
00:07:01
Zak
Being the worst Premier League team of all time would have been terrible.
00:07:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. is
00:07:04
Zak
So I think, yeah, I think it was very interesting.
00:07:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's difficult. It is like, if you think about professionally in our jobs, if we showed up to work you know, 38 times across a year and had 38 projects and they all, you know, spectacularly failed and got called out by all of our peers.
00:07:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's going to have a psychological effect and trauma's right.
00:07:22
Zak
Yeah, and I think that's interesting.
00:07:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I'm sure that, you know, later on in different podcasts, maybe we'll talk about the psychological effect and how important that may or may not be to football. But maybe that's a podcast for a different day.
00:07:36
Zak
Yeah, this isn't Greg plugging the fact that he is actually doing his own research episode.
00:07:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:07:40
Zak
And as much as I mugged him off for having three notes this time around, this is completely the antithesis of when Greg actually puts his mind to something and decides that he wants to do it, right?
00:07:51
Zak
We're just were just very good that our NeuroSpicy stuff is it works at a level that complements one another, I guess.
00:08:02
Zak
Yeah. Because i I have to be organized to exist, whereas you're not very organized as a person. But when we do these podcasts, luckily we managed to spit out something that makes sense every single week, hopefully.
00:08:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't know what you mean, mate. I don't what you mean.
00:08:15
Zak
But yeah, I found it very interesting that he said that he doesn't want there to be any empty promises and no awkward conversations, doesn't want anything to sort of be weird and awkward. And that's the kind of dynamic he's trying to build, which I thought was interesting.
00:08:29
Zak
very open-minded about transfers because I think that there is a understanding that he is having an input on transfers, but it is basically just being led by sports, right?
00:08:40
Zak
And he kind of says that over over all three of the in in like sort of interviews.
00:08:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:08:44
Zak
The other thing he talks about is how the squad is incredibly big. And I agree.
00:08:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:08:49
Zak
And we're already doing things to cut that down.
00:08:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:08:51
Zak
And we'll talk about more of that in Transfer Tuesday, but it is already starting to shrink a little bit. potentially of some incomings. But yeah, it's right.
00:08:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
let way what What he said was brilliant because he said it's not a case of we need to sell everything. It's that we need balance and we need to sell, you know, we've got a big squad and need to trim it down. And we, you know, that's been a abundantly clear for the longest time, but to you know, to anyone paying attention. But to me, you know, specifically with the transfer stuff and saying he's got a hand, but it's down to spores.
00:09:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't think that's a bad thing. Like,
00:09:26
Zak
No.
00:09:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Long gone are the days where one Sir Alex Ferguson can come in and do 53 jobs, right? That's just that's not a world that exists anymore because things are complicated.
00:09:36
Zak
That's also not what we're building as this football club anymore either.
00:09:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, you'd like to think that Spores has put himself into a position where he's being fed you know the information up through whatever systems he's got in place to make those decisions.
00:09:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
And sure, you know there'll still be an input at the end point from the manager, but As long as it's working together and not against each other, that's what you need. And, and you know, he goes on to touch on that, I noticed at some points, when he was saying about the the rest of the team around him and how he's used to starting with new teams and the balance.
00:10:10
Zak
Yeah, I've got all of that yeah with the talking, with a lot of that, with the conversation that he had with Alfie Howe. So I've really enjoyed reading through these interviews because they're very different. Obviously, there's a generic-y sort of BBC sport where it's like what the general public would like to know.
00:10:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:10:24
Zak
Adam Blackmore's questions were very targeted, but I also really enjoyed Alfie's specific questioning of of ah real specifics, like sort of the... the the south coast derby and sort of the team around him as well obviously part of the conversations which comes up in all of them is that uh talking about his age and his experience and uh which i've always found funny because he his response to it was that he's aware of his age but and he knows it's pointed out quite a lot but so is his orange hair and it is what it is and i'm like the a man after my own heart using a phrase that i use on a day-to-day basis
00:10:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
i I think my favourite catchphrase that I presume is going to become a catchphrase throughout his time with us, because I did hear it in at least two of the three interviews that I listened, it was, I'm just Will.
00:11:09
Zak
Oh, I know you're about, I know what you're about to say. you Say anyway make
00:11:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Perfect. perfect
00:11:16
Zak
it anyway, Greg. It's true. That's the fact that I think, can't remember, I will find it, who he was talking to, where he was talking about how, when he, yeah, it was he was talking about, like, how he worked with his brothers last year, and that was really good, but they wanted to stay close to home, and he wants to be out of his comfort comfort zone a little bit,
00:11:38
Zak
But just like the other thing he was talking about was how he wants people to be normal. And this was at the end of the Adder Blackmore interview and be the best version of themselves and enjoy what they do and when they do it.
00:11:50
Zak
But he also acknowledged something that I didn't really hear a lot managers do, which is like how important family and outside of work can be. And that he's like he's just like family and the people outside are just as important as the people inside and the football inside.
00:12:03
Zak
And obviously we have a lot of players that quite young. quite young that are sort of starting to establish themselves in the world a little bit. We've got a lot of older players with established families who know that. We know they have their little cliques and their groups and their nice houses in Winchester.
00:12:17
Zak
So yeah, kind of thought, you know, i thought that was very, very interesting because it's recognizing that and acknowledging it early on, which is something that a lot of managers that don't really seem to do that. um obviously like I know that we have we've we've heard stories about sort of the personal touches Russell Martin did before like the playoff final of the letters and things like that but it's it's coming in on the front foot of being like I just want this to be normal but I am also very very aware that like how lucky I am to be in this position and I don't ever want to take that for granted and it's just just everything he's saying so far seems to be the right things and we have
00:12:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:12:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, yeah, I 100% agree. And you're right. like we We made jokes when Russell Martin left about him being too pally with the players and that being a problem. But at the end of the day, in the modern game and in the modern world, that is how management has to be, right? You need to have that connection and to understand that your your family is going to be an important part of that.
00:13:14
Zak
Yeah, but that's the other thing.
00:13:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
that doesn't mean he can't go the other way um you know tell him off too.
00:13:15
Zak
It's the lack of...
00:13:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's just I think that's something that Russell Martin lacked.
00:13:18
Zak
oh true. But it's the it's the lack of ego as well that he's basically said.
00:13:23
Zak
is He doesn't want to see that.
00:13:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:13:24
Zak
like he doesn't He doesn't have any intention. I feel like i feel like he from from how he's come across as a person so far, as i said, I'm not going to pretend I know the guy, but how he's come across so far, I just think that trying to be egotistical with him just isn't going to work because he's just not going to care.
00:13:39
Zak
but can i I think that's going to be very important because, you know,
00:13:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:13:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
I get that same vibe.
00:13:43
Zak
And I think that a lot of potentially the the the people that are going to want to flaunt their ego, and you know you can fill in the blanks as to who you think they are. they are, are probably going to move on. And I'm not really surprised because they're going to need to go to a club that can support them as a person. And I don't think that where we are in the stage of our football club and what's happening this season is going to be able to support that type of characters. But yeah you also
Season Expectations and Football Philosophy
00:14:09
Zak
did want characters. But we'll talk about this more. We've got like so much more. I didn't expect to to get 15 minutes in without break.
00:14:16
Zak
But but I should have.
00:14:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:18
Zak
it's It's us. So here is a word from our partners at Bionique.
00:15:03
Zak
And we are back. And anyone that's viewing on YouTube and almost saw me spit my coffee at the computer, that's because Greg sent me the third kit for Sunderland, which looks like a Wetherspoons plate.
00:15:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:15:15
Zak
Now, before I mug off any e more of Sunderland's kits, we'll carry on, shall we? So, um obviously, one of the other things is, obviously, we're talking about the...
00:15:27
Zak
Expectations for the season. And it seems to be they are tempered slightly, but obviously the goal is to go back up. But it seems like if we don't immediately go back up, they aren't going to do anything crazy.
00:15:40
Zak
However, he did also acknowledge that this is football and he would like to be here for a long time, but this is football. So he seems to be knowing what he's getting into.
00:15:50
Zak
But the idea that he wants to stay here for a long time because he sees potential... Reminds me a lot of when Russell Martin started, right? But Russell Martin tried to kind of stamp his weird philosophy over it that ended up just not working in the Premier League.
00:16:04
Zak
Whereas this is sort of like, you know, building where we are going forward. And, you know, it was interesting to see, you like, did you see what his words were on kind of philosophy?
00:16:15
Zak
and Because obviously that's your favourite thing, Greg, is philosophies of football.
00:16:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
I... my I loved his words on philosophy because he started with the phrase, I don't like possession for the sake of possession, which...
00:16:28
Zak
Yeah, I noticed that with Adam Blackmore specifically, was like...
00:16:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
music music in people's ears. But then he also said, you know, I want to play the ball quick and I want to press and I want to be on the front foot. If we're not pressing, I want to be compact.
00:16:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
But most importantly, I want to be able to change.
00:16:46
Zak
Yes.
00:16:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hallelujah. Hallelujah.
00:16:48
Zak
I thought you'd really enjoy that bit. You know, it's playing it forward and often as you can and entertaining. But the key is, and this is my favourite line, the key is to win regularly as we can do.
00:16:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:16:59
Zak
That is so important. but We have got, we we finally nailed it. What they should do as football managers is try and win every game, matter what.
00:17:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:17:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mate, it's an easy game. Look, all you've got to do is win every game. And to win every game, all you've got to do is kick the ball in your net, in their opponent's net, more than they kick it in yours.
00:17:18
Zak
Exactly.
00:17:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Who knew?
00:17:19
Zak
Principles and philosophies, sure, but it's all about winning.
00:17:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Who knew?
00:17:24
Zak
that That proactive, there was it was like the phrase that he used in a couple, and and I think all three interviews where he was talking about his style of football, right? And what he wants to be. And it's just like, yeah, proactive. I just want to win the game.
00:17:37
Zak
And it's that, that's so nice. that It's not like, well, this is how I like to play. And occasionally this will happen. But if this happens, you know, that we're just going to keep two defensive midfielders no matter what. It's like, yeah, if all of sudden,
00:17:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
but was it Was it even Juric that said his ideal game of football was 0-0? um
00:17:53
Zak
I don't know, but I could like i could believe it.
00:17:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, russell Russell Martin's perfect game of football was like 93% possession and 4,003,003 passes and all of them just between Jan Bednarek and Taylor Harba-Belle.
00:18:03
Zak
Ugh.
00:18:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's like...
00:18:08
Zak
Now, a phrase that he used twice that I really, really enjoyed as well in both the BBC Sport interview and the sub Daily Echo one is it's easy to say we want to be on the front foot and play sexy football, but we need to actually do it now.
00:18:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
me
00:18:19
Zak
So he keeps referring to how they want to play sexy football.
00:18:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:18:23
Zak
And I'm big fan of that too. The idea of being entertained nonstop in St Mary's because he's realised that if you are entertaining, that will bring the supporters with you.
00:18:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:18:31
Zak
And that means that, you know, we will have a great time. It's not going to be... look at that pass near the box. Is it going to in the box? it's going back to Ramstown.
00:18:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
but just I just enjoyed the idea of pressing. like we don't we didn't see a lot of that last season.
00:18:46
Zak
Nice.
00:18:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
but In fact, I feel like maybe my most uttered phrase at St Mary's isn't exactly repeatable on the podcast, but to paraphrase was along the lines of, why don't you get closer to them?
00:18:59
Zak
Oh, that was the big thing.
00:19:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
it
00:19:00
Zak
He was in Alfie House's interview. He was talking about how he said it's about being as fit as possible. And I know that we are two guys that sit in chairs, that chat rubbish about football.
00:19:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:19:13
Zak
You actually play football significantly more than me.
00:19:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:16
Zak
But i'm like I don't know where I get off mugging off anyone else's fitness. As commentators on football, one of the things that we have talked about previously is the fact that the fitness levels in our team seem to be weird.
00:19:27
Zak
And I mean that in the sense of some players can last 60 minutes before they're off.
00:19:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:30
Zak
Paul Odoacchi would manage about 20 minutes before the man looked like he'd been running for about a year. So the idea of us getting back to like Pochettino style, everyone's super fit and being able to make 90 minutes happy days.
00:19:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's brilliant.
00:19:43
Zak
And that's what training's about.
00:19:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
We've been preaching.
00:19:45
Zak
That's what we want.
00:19:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
And look, you're right. Who are we to sit in our chairs and criticise? But also, if I was getting paid £10,000 a week, I'd have a six pack in two months, you know?
00:19:55
Zak
yeah
00:19:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like... Yeah.
00:19:57
Zak
You're not wrong, mate.
00:20:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
it
00:20:01
Zak
I'm pretty sure like even even that Mr.
00:20:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
it
00:20:03
Zak
Beast guy who like paid a guy to get like to get lose £100 over the space of like two months or whatever for £250,000.
00:20:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's like...
00:20:10
Zak
I'm like, yeah, you offer me a big sum of money, I'll do it. No problem at all.
00:20:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:20:14
Zak
I can happily do it.
00:20:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
like like Like, passion for the sport and the willingness to win and the competitive drive and rivalry are all great motivating factors, but also like a ludicrous, unbelievable amount of money really should be enough to tick take it over the edge, you know?
00:20:30
Zak
A ridiculously large amount of money to do your job, yes, should be a motivating factor.
00:20:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. to To do a thing where, I mean, i took my nipper to his first tournament, football tournament on Saturday.
00:20:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
This...
00:20:57
Zak
There you go. that that you you are You are right.
00:20:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like...
00:20:59
Zak
like that is we We can make the comment that, hey, maybe if this is part of your job and you're being paid more money than I ever expect to see in my lifetime, and probably if I have children, my children's lifetime.
00:21:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:21:11
Zak
Yeah, you should probably just
Coaching Staff Diversity
00:21:13
Zak
get on with it.
00:21:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:21:15
Zak
Right, so after the break...
00:21:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, I need to run for 90 minutes. Yeah. Like, just do it.
00:21:20
Zak
the break, we will talk about Alfie House's conversation with him about staffing, because I also find that quite fascinating. And then obviously the most important bit, the South Coast derby.
00:21:29
Zak
And that is after we hear it from our partners at Zencaster.
00:21:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform, and 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 podcasts. It sounds great and is delivered efficiently.
00:21:49
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.
00:21:55
Zak
And we are back. So Alfie House asked about the of staffing situation, right? So he was taught there was conversation about his brothers and obviously a lot of speculation as to why his brothers didn't join him, considering they made up like his assistants in his last role.
00:22:10
Zak
At some point, people thought it was the club's decision, but it sounds like that he probably would have tried to bring them along, but they all were all quite happy being in you know Belgium because they didn't want to leave all their families, which... understandable.
00:22:21
Zak
He was coming to the UK to join his wife and spend more time in the UK, right? So, yeah, and I think a lot of his conversations around that were really interesting because he said that it kind of helps him get out of his comfort zone and he's kind of done this with most of the teams he's joined is that rather than having a consistent backroom that he trusts, he wants people around him that can give feedback and it's very interesting that he mentioned Trollope or obviously Trolls as he's known, which we should probably start calling him because that makes my life easier rather than constantly worrying about saying the word trollop wrong.
00:22:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:22:53
Zak
so He said that he's got the experience in that. He's got someone that's been promoted, as we discussed about Ruben Martinez as well. like that That wasn't mentioned, but we know there's someone else there with the experience of getting a club promoted and falling just short.
00:23:06
Zak
He talked about how it's been good to have Karl around him, and karl Martin, because obviously he knows all the players. So you've got the experienced head that's been in the club. And then he's quite happy to sort of have you know somebody he did know from France and Adam Lallana join the team.
00:23:20
Zak
So it's it's very interesting that he seems to be happy to work with everybody. But it's very important to me that he is saying all of the right things about getting the right feedback, right?
00:23:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:30
Zak
You can't be surrounded by echo chambers.
00:23:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, look, that's the thing, right? Like, we saw with Russell Martin that he was, you know, pally with everyone and surrounded by his mates and then we lost the director of football and didn't really replace him and then what? Was just Russell Martin and and Matt Gill chatting about their transfers and bringing in their mates? It's impossible, you know, it's...
00:23:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Without meaning to get too political on this podcast, site it's almost like diversity creates good outcomes. And that if you have different inputs from like different viewpoints, that maybe that's beneficial to everyone involved.
00:24:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
just Just a crazy idea.
00:24:10
Zak
I think i think specifically specifically in football as well, because of the fact that you know you have people that... weigh up how big the risks are in specific areas that previously they wouldn't have.
00:24:21
Zak
you know and And if you've got someone that blindly supports the sort of philosophy that you are trying to impact and you're trying to fit that out, if you get to a position like we did in the Premier League where got stuck and that they there weren't any real other ideas, right?
00:24:34
Zak
The first time they tried to do anything else was when Soleimani got his first couple of minutes under Russell Martin, really.
00:24:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:24:40
Zak
And we were down 5-0 Tottenham five ni to totham well, 4-0, and then he walked off out and it was by half-time, right?
00:24:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:24:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:24:48
Zak
right
00:24:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's crazy. And like also, it was mentioned in the article about Adam Lallana, right? And his experience as a player and winning everything. And I don't know if you saw this or if I shared this with you, I can't remember, but I saw a quote floating around last week from Jurgen Klopp about Lallana as a player and how he was effectively in charge of what Liverpool called the Yellows, which would be a team that would take on the role of like...
00:25:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
the positions and style of the team that they would be playing that week.
00:25:20
Zak
Interesting.
00:25:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
And they would do it on their last day of training. And he would like head up this team of yellows that would mimic that team. And his intensity in their training and getting them to that level of intensity in that session meant that for that last training session before the match, the first team that were the starting 11 basically played a harder game than the game they were playing the next day.
00:25:43
Zak
crazy.
00:25:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
he he it was like such high praise.
00:25:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
And from someone like Jurgen Klopp to come out with that level of praise for him, It really shows how lucky we are to have that driving experience with us.
00:25:56
Zak
but Yeah, and that is in that is important and that that kind of stuff is is good because, again, like you you talk about diversity, i don't even mean like that. It's the willingness to see both sides of the coin, both tactically and and you know from a perspective of tactics and that kind of stuff.
00:26:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:26:10
Zak
Yeah, 100%.
00:26:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
By diversity, I just mean like different experiences in life, right?
00:26:10
Zak
part part like pops
00:26:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like all of these, all of this team that we've brought in together are all vastly experienced, but in different ways.
00:26:14
Zak
yeah hundred percent
00:26:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
And so that, you know, that converges to almost all the experience, right? Like it's...
00:26:26
Zak
Well, yeah, it's one one of the things that I actually for my a degree was that you get in you have to do debates like once a week, essentially. in In seminars, you end up having to do... Sometimes you end up debating a side that you don't like, but you just need to kind of crack on. And it very much seems like it's the same, but it seems like they're able to effectively do that.
Excitement for South Coast Derby
00:26:43
Zak
And that will only be beneficial for us because rather than trying to play the same way every single week against every single team, we might actually be able to do that crazy thing where we pull a surprise out, where a formation changes to deal with the other team rather than trying to do the same and again like again i think that the key part of his principles that we've discussed and why this is so important is that he just wants to win and that that was so refreshing
00:27:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's going to make Tactics Tuesday so much easier to do.
00:27:10
Zak
if we have to bring it back greg yes you're right
00:27:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like... ah ah Like, we can actually analyse a game instead of like, well, we completed 800 passes between the centre-backs and then one of those passes went to the attacker and we conceded lost 4-0. Like...
00:27:23
Zak
Yeah, we've we've we've done more passes than Barcelona.
00:27:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
like
00:27:26
Zak
Excellent. We're nowhere near as good as them. Right. On to the last bit. obviously, it's one of the most important bits is the South Coast derby.
00:27:36
Zak
And obviously, he said that in his last job, he lost against Lille, which was the like the Northern France derby, which was hugely important. And he was he said he was angry about it. And this was during his interview with Alfie Haas. And when he came...
00:27:49
Zak
to the Arsenal game, literally just got out the taxi or got in the taxi and it's like, we need to be Pompey. Just so you know, we need to be Pompey. So he seems to be abundantly clear and he's trying to set expectations by saying they'll do everything they can, which is our ah but much rather than say we will win. I understand. It's like a doctor. You don't want to say because you don't know But also,
00:28:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
but you don't want it You don't want to put the jinx on it, right? Like, he's got to get out.
00:28:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
We've got a whole pre-season and four games before we get there with any confidence.
00:28:18
Zak
difficult.
00:28:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
but But look, we've got people around the building that understand the importance of this game, right? We've got Jack Stephens and Will Smallbone, our Saints players through and through from the very beginning of time all the way through to now in their careers.
00:28:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
They understand the importance of that game.
00:28:40
Zak
You've got Lallana, mate.
00:28:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
works.
00:28:41
Zak
You've already discussed that. You've got coaches like Karl Martin.
00:28:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Exactly. He knows.
00:28:43
Zak
There are people who are here.
00:28:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Lallana played at Fratton Park.
00:28:45
Zak
It's
00:28:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
like People know. There are people that are going to get that message across of how important that game is. And if you know any of the players that we've got don't quite understand it, I'm sure that they'll be kicked quick enough in the game to sharpen up and realise that pretty quickly.
00:29:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because it's going to... I think it's going to be pretty tasty. Like, it's...
00:29:07
Zak
going to be...
00:29:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's the first one in a long time.
00:29:08
Zak
why
00:29:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:29:10
Zak
It's going to be an interesting game, at least the first one.
00:29:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
look, we talk we've talked a lot about how, like, but building up to the playoff semifinals and the week leading into that game, how like the atmosphere was palpable locally.
00:29:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I just, I feel like it's going to be exactly the same coming up to this because, you know, we all, we all live near other fans of, you know, Pompey fans and Saints fans.
00:29:28
Zak
be in the air, innit?
00:29:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
We all work with, with both. Right. Like, we you know, it's a world where we coexist.
00:29:45
Zak
still
00:29:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's not like we're all stuck in our little village.
00:29:47
Zak
Considering we did that for West Brom, considering we did that when we played West Brom of all teams, yeah, you're right.
00:29:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, yeah, it's going to be, it's going to be palpable.
00:29:53
Zak
yeah
00:29:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
You're going to feel it in the street. And so they're going to know, right? Like it's, it's going to be real.
00:29:59
Zak
Good.
00:30:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like,
00:30:05
Zak
There was another just just to i this that was another quick Alfiaus interview with Stil. I made a couple of comments about some of the newer players coming through. So, of course, she is rapid and a big, big unit is how Stil's described him, which I think is nothing but a good thing. It sounds like he's going to be really, really solid in defense.
00:30:23
Zak
And Masuki is a really interesting and dynamic with a great left foot. is some of the description that he's had. So he might play a bigger part than we expect him to. So we might end up...
00:30:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Great.
00:30:32
Zak
like Like we talked about when we talk about the like the Academy and some of these players that have been on loan, they are basically going to come back and it's like having new signings because we're going to have this squad full of players that, you know, we have so many more players than we think we do because they were all on loan and we forgot about them.
00:30:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:30:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:30:48
Zak
Like, we're talking about how we could need a striker. As we know, we're very close to signing a striker. However, also technically have, like, four. LAUGHTER Like, so...
00:30:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah. We need one that's going to score. like
00:31:00
Zak
You're right. That's going to be the key. And that will be what we hope to get out of it. So, but I think where i where I would like to finish it, Greg, just to to back up your step of optimism is the thing that we've still said in pretty much all the interviews, which is how do we deal with the, deal with last season?
00:31:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:31:17
Zak
And it's just turn the page, turn the page with us, get on board, get behind the team, get behind the new manager. You know, it was disappointing last season. It was horrific. We covered it every day.
00:31:28
Zak
we know how bad it was, but We would still be here, you would still be listening to this podcast if you didn't care about Southampton Football Club.
00:31:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
friend sir
00:31:36
Zak
So turn the page with Will
00:31:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Look, it's going to come as it's going to come as no surprise to anyone, my feelings on this, right? It's all just character building, right? this season This season is going to be all the sweeter for how bad it was. And I cannot wait.
00:31:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
I cannot wait to go 46 games unbeaten. It's going to be an incredible journey, mate.
00:31:55
Zak
be great.
00:31:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's going to be 46 wins.
00:31:57
Zak
Unreal.
00:31:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Can you believe it
00:32:01
Zak
I will believe it when I see it. However, I would like to believe, put it that way, mate.
00:32:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:32:05
Zak
So with that, that's all we've got time for today. you very much for listening. We'll be back to tomorrow with probably some transfer news. Hopefully we'll have more information. Who knows?
00:32:16
Zak
Obviously there's been quite a lot. Catch us on social medias. We're on Facebook, Twitter. Blue Sky, Instagram, TikTok, all ones that we do that you've seen us at before.
00:32:26
Zak
Give us a like, give us comment, whatever you fancy doing. But most importantly, thank you so much for listening and we will see you in the next one.
00:32:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:32:44
Zak
ah