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Episode 164: International Saints!
62 Plays9 days ago
Southampton – With the international break almost over, we take a look back on our Saints who have been away on international duty and how they have been getting on. With goods, bads, and worrying injuries, there's lots to talk about!
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Transcript
Introduction and Impact of International Break
00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome back to the Daily Southampton, part of the Global Sports Podcast Network. My name is Greg Ollett and I've got the full team today joined by my wonderful co-hosts, Zach Ingo Finch and Oscar.
00:00:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
How you doing Oscar, alright?
00:00:23
Oscar
Yeah, all good. Thank you.
00:00:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Zach, you alright?
00:00:26
Zak
Yeah, it could be.
00:00:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Good. We are still on international break. It has been three and a half years, but here we are still talking about the wonders of international football. And even in these dire and struggling times as a Saints fan, where there is not a lot of hope left, we do still have some players that are considered of an international calibre.
00:00:53
Zak
Baffling.
00:00:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, take that as a comment on international football, if
Evaluating Southampton Players' International Performances
00:00:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
you will. But we thought we would have a little look back at how all of our players who are away on international duty have got on.
00:01:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
If there are any sort of impressive things that stand out, any disappointments or worries, there couple of injuries to talk about a little bit later on as well. And yeah, we'll just go from there. So i've I've got the list in front of me and I guess we'll just go through it and then discuss a
Tyler Diblin's Valuation and Future Prospects
00:01:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
bit. So we'll we'll start at the start.
00:01:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Tyler Diblin came out today just before recording. I saw an article that we've put a valuation of over £100 million. pound So...
00:01:34
Zak
That's a bit, it's a bit, but I think the idea is to deter Sears, right?
00:01:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
like
00:01:38
Zak
But by the looks of it, if he's not signing a new contract, he's already kind of decided where he wants to go. and like, if it means that it boosts up his price by a couple of billion, sure, whatever.
00:01:49
Zak
i but I saw that, I think it was Saints marching. We're talking about how they were talking about how Bayern supposedly covered him for him. I just don't see anyone matching 100 million. But also, like some of the players have gone to Manchester United. Unfortunately, under Ratcliffe, it looks like Manchester United won't be making the insane levels of transfers.
00:02:08
Zak
But like maybe he fancies a trip back to Chelsea for 100 million, right? Lavia went for like 55, and he's played all of like 12 minutes of football the last two years.
00:02:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:02:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's like It's a crazy number. I think Tyler Diblin is a player of such almost like unlimited potential. He is like a raw talent, but for effectively an unproven 18-year-old who has played in the worst team in Premier League history, baffles me bit
00:02:31
Oscar
I think in fairness, Anthony went for £70 million, didn't he? that said flat but yeah I think probably the the logic behind it is do a season with us in the Championship and then we'll sell him next year.
00:02:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:02:35
Zak
Yeah,
00:02:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
a bit. If you're using that as the benchmark, maybe 100 million is not enough.
00:02:39
Zak
I was going to say, by years and he's the worst Premier League player of all time. At least, that I've ended up ever watching.
00:02:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
no But yeah.
00:02:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
but Yeah.
00:02:52
Oscar
if we don't come back up, if not, we're back in the Prem. Who knows? Maybe we'll sign another contract. But...
00:02:57
Zak
if if we get real If we get real funny about it, though, right, like, we we can force it.
00:02:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
i like
00:03:02
Zak
Like, if i remember rightly, we've got we've even got, like, extension clause and things like that. It's just that you don't want it to get that messy.
00:03:05
Oscar
Yeah.
00:03:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:03:08
Zak
And I guess we'll just have to see how it goes. But, like, i I'm kind of on the Greg side of the fence as well, where it's season in the championship and see where we are.
00:03:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:03:17
Zak
But also, if someone was to put in silly, silly money, we we actually have...
00:03:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think anything around the 40-50 million market would be daft not to but if if if they genuinely see the potential in him being substantially greater than that amount of money then fair play and I hope they hold and stick to their guns but you're right I think it's just a number that's been put out because like well if we say 100 and take 75 that's still better so
00:03:44
Zak
The idea that he
Diblin's Performances for England U19s
00:03:45
Zak
would go for more than Dike though, like that, that's baffling.
00:03:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
abnormally high but yes yeah crazy
00:03:49
Zak
But football's weird, isn't it?
00:03:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
He has been a away... It is, but he has been away with the England under-19s, who had pretty successful three games in this international period. He played 90 minutes in a 1-0 win over Portugal, where the match reporter i Red said he looked very industrious down the right-hand side, alongside right-back he was playing with.
00:04:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
He managed 67 minutes in a game against the Welsh under-21 side, where England won 2-0, where he had a couple of decent shots, found quite a bit of space behind the back line and had one shot blocked, which could have been a goal.
00:04:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Great, good. I hope he gets into goal-scoring positions more.
00:04:29
Oscar
Thank you.
00:04:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's what we need from him, Mike.
00:04:31
Zak
for ga forget out how young he is, right? like That's the thing. And a couple of our players that have gone, I saw Spores came out and said that Sam Amu and Magoma, he wouldn't have let go.
00:04:42
Zak
But it is one of those things that when you're like, I was like, oh, I swear it was like the under-23s, but it just points out like, oh, man, he's basically like, he's younger than my little brother, Greg. That just messes with my head a little bit.
00:04:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:04:55
Zak
But it's good that he's had a solid outing, though. That's always nice to see.
00:04:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. They brought on as a sub in their nil-nil draw against Turkey. So it's, yeah, it's a good run of games in that sort of England youth set Do you think there's good value, Oscar, in in being involved in the young internationals in that sort of way?
00:05:16
Oscar
I think so. i think it adds, it gives you the experience of it without the pressure of doing it on the big stage. And obviously England are in a position now where their first team are very strong. The under-21s, under-23s are very strong. I don't know if you saw earlier in the week that the under-21s, England under-21s squad value is over £400 million in itself.
00:05:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's crazy.
00:05:40
Oscar
LAUGHTER
00:05:40
Zak
god Good Lord.
00:05:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's...
00:05:42
Zak
That's insane.
00:05:42
Oscar
yeah So that probably is understandable why Dibbling's not getting a sniff.
00:05:47
Oscar
But yeah, so you know, I think it is valuable for them. It's it's a way of getting into international exposure or experience of it in a different way than they would otherwise.
00:05:58
Oscar
Or if they were from another country, they'd be thrown straight in and maybe, who knows, at 19, that might be a little bit much. So yeah, think valuable.
00:06:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. also Also, it's nice, right, to... especially for the players' mentality, which is something we've struggled with a lot this season, to like be able to win games again, right?
00:06:15
Oscar
yeah
00:06:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's such an important unspoken part that that we're missing out on.
00:06:21
Oscar
I think also to be able to get out of the environment is probably not going to hurt either unless the only other thing with international football and it probably happens at youth stages as well is that how much tapping up goes on or you know encouragement from other teams players to move across but you know
00:06:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:06:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:06:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes. Okay. Moving on. The list of players I've got is based chronologically off of their first game.
Yuki Sugawara's Call-up to Japan's Team
00:06:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
So it might seem random, but there is logic.
00:06:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
The next player on my list is Yuki Sugawara, who obviously has gone away with Japan.
00:06:50
Zak
Fine with that.
00:06:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
he was an unused sub in their game where they beat Bahrain 2-0 and became the first team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, which is pretty nuts. It's coming up soon
00:07:10
Zak
Yes. still Still thinking about the 2020 that happened in 2021. That's where my brain's up.
00:07:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that's time isn't real.
00:07:16
Zak
We were talking about it the other day. It's very upsetting.
00:07:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
He also played 62 minutes of the nil-nil draw with Saudi Arabia after that. say So still very much involved in rotation with their squad and getting minutes for them as well.
00:07:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Can only be a good thing, right?
00:07:35
Zak
Yeah, if he's going to remain our player. don't know if you saw he was linked to Napoli this morning, which is a bit...
00:07:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:07:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
The summer's going to be an interesting thing one way or another.
00:07:45
Zak
Yeah, we already discussed it, but I love the Samurai Blues.
00:07:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. a
00:07:51
Zak
I love Japan again. I think I've talked about it before ever since I watched the Confederations Cup game against Brazil when Kazuki Honda scored an absolute screamer of a goal. I've kind of low-key followed them, especially when we had Yoshida captaining them for a little bit as well.
00:08:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:08:05
Zak
So yeah, it's always nice to see them do well.
00:08:06
Oscar
Is he still in their squads, Yoshida?
00:08:09
Zak
I think he retired from international football now. But I think he's like... I want to say that he's like an ambassador for like the Japan Football like Players Association is what he's doing nowadays.
00:08:19
Oscar
Oh, okay.
00:08:21
Zak
Obviously, he's still like leading the line at LA Galaxy. So he's a bit too hes a bit too busy. But they've still they've got enough talent in their squad now that like they have people on the bench who are like known players, which is...
00:08:35
Zak
Yeah, i think they're potentially one of the ones to watch. But then, you know...
00:08:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's crazy. There's a couple later on down the list where I looked at the match reports and the lineups of the international teams and thought, wow, that is some some squad like out of the blue.
00:08:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes, some interesting international squads for sure. Okay, moving on. Ryan Manning playing for the Republic of Ireland. Had two appearances as well. He got 79 minutes in a 2-1 win over Bulgaria away.
00:09:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then was a second half substitute in their 2-1 win over Bulgaria at home. With their 4-2 win on aggregate in the League of Nations playoffs. Which I'm not going to pretend to understand why there are playoffs.
00:09:16
Oscar
No.
00:09:20
Zak
Did Bizzou get a run in or is he still left out?
00:09:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
But yeah.
00:09:23
Zak
I'm assuming he's not managed to catch back up since injury.
00:09:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
He wasn't on the list of the international guide. So I'm assuming not.
00:09:31
Zak
No, they they were deloiting players as well because I'm pretty sure Ronnie Edwards was doing something, but Oh, I'm sorry.
00:09:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
But... but
00:09:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
But, well well, Ronnie Edwards also wasn't on my list. So, make maybe.
00:09:42
Zak
Have I caught you out here?
00:09:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
You have.
00:09:43
Zak
did. yeah
00:09:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's right. we can We can fix it. He was back in the squad. I don't know if he played.
00:09:52
Zak
Oh, okay.
00:09:53
Oscar
I think, to be fair, Kelleher's
00:09:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
But,
Ryan Manning's Role in Ireland's Playoffs
00:09:54
Oscar
been playing a bit recently, hasn't he? So, I imagine he's been playing bit.
00:09:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah.
00:09:56
Zak
Yes, he's been playing really well for Liverpool as well. So, anyway, that's good. Like, again, Manning was all one of the little surprises of the season, right? I don't think we ever expected much of him and he's done all right.
00:10:09
Zak
but You know, it it depends. Is it that Ryan Manning's a really good player or is it the calibre of our squad is significantly worse than we thought? Why not? Can't it be a bit of both?
00:10:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, the answer is probably somewhere right in the middle of those two things, right?
00:10:18
Zak
Well,
00:10:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah,
00:10:24
Zak
Either way, solid international. It's nice to still have a solid international.
00:10:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah just confirmation Kelleher started in goal for both of Ireland's games and stayed on for the 90 minutes.
00:10:36
Oscar
Was there any involvement for Will Smallbow? No.
00:10:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Wasn't in the squad, so yeah.
00:10:43
Zak
still out of injury, if I remember rightly, because they didn't want to risk him.
00:10:43
Oscar
No, no.
00:10:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:10:45
Zak
Because at the moment, obviously, that's the other thing of international football, is years ago, they'd kind of played through it. And now, especially if it's not like actual tournaments, they seem to kind of just go, oh, you've had a slight knock, or there is a bruise on the right-hand side of your knee. We're going send you back to your parent club, because we do not want to risk having that argument, but which is like good good and bad, I guess, right?
00:11:06
Zak
I mean, arguably, it's anything anything that is now extending... the shelf life of the player is good and looking after them, especially considering the amount of games that people have to play club football wise.
00:11:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:11:18
Zak
It's kind of nuts when you think about it.
00:11:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
It Okay. Well, I'm going to carry on through our list, but first time for a break and a message from our partners at Bionique.
00:12:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, and we are back. Okay, so next entry on the list, rather an unimpressive showing for Joe Aribo, who was an unused substitute in both games in the Nigeria's 2-0 win over Rwanda and their 1-0 draw with Zimbabwe. So it's a long way to to fly for not a lot for, for you know, our key centre-back.
00:12:32
Zak
going to be our key setback and the rest of them being out, isn't it? Yeah, and what can you say? to feel bad for him a little bit, but also if they've got better people to play.
00:12:42
Zak
Sometimes it does baffle me some of the call-ups, though, where you're like, why well you bothering to call people up if you know you're not going them? I know that they need to have backups.
00:12:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:12:49
Zak
like it's it's It's difficult, right, finding that balance. But you're right, it's a long way to go back and forth over the space of a couple of days. But then do see sometimes some of the players just, you know, like you've got a match on Saturday and they're like halfway across the world on Thursday.
00:13:04
Zak
And like, I know that there have been other players that have been criticised quite heavily in the past for that.
00:13:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:13:09
Zak
But at the same time, like, you know, you can't tell these people how to live their lives. That's mad. But yeah, you've got to wonder what that does to you. Especially,
00:13:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah good
00:13:17
Zak
Especially, I think it was Joe Eribo that was caught up with like when they got stuck with visa issues and were like stuck in a bus station in Libya for 15, 16 hours. sixteen hours I think it was Joe Eribo one of the last times that he played internationally because he ended up, I can't remember who it was, I don't think it was him, but it was somebody else from the Nigeria squad tweeting out about being stuck in this bus station. Like, guys, like we have... haven't even got water. We've been here 15 hours, what is going on?
00:13:43
Zak
So, like, I feel like it's not exactly, like, probably the luxury that you should be but used to, but, like, it's going to have an effect, right, is where I'm at.
00:13:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah well
00:13:55
Zak
the The point that I'm trying to get to. Yeah.
00:13:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
moving on to Matty Fernandes who went away with Portugal under twenty one s who played 46 minutes in a 1-0 loss to Romania's under 21s and then rather spectacularly lost 4-2 to England's under twenty ones who i yeah Noted also featured Ronnie Edwards playing for the England under-21s as a substitute. So, yeah, not not him getting back into winning ways, unfortunately. Just a couple of losses on the card there.
00:14:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Such a strange...
00:14:33
Oscar
Again, not massively surprising against that England under-21s. I think they did lose to France, but you know obviously quite a strong group, more or less made up of at least squad first-team players, but probably some starters as well.
00:14:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:48
Oscar
So, yeah, not not massively surprising. Romania is a bit of a surprise. I didn't anticipate they'd have a hugely strong youth international section, given their first team, but who knows?
00:15:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. The next player on my list, as I took the list from the the official international guide on the Saints website, you which obviously so was published before all of the events. so I've got Ramsdale for England, where he was rather unceremoniously dumped or something.
00:15:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
did there any any clarity for any of you guys about what actually happened?
00:15:23
Zak
I think they just didn't pick him. just didn't need him. And can you really, you know, and know he's had an okay season for us, but is he the best goalkeeper in England? Genuine question to the class?
00:15:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
But then I asked call him up in the first place just to drop him out like that.
00:15:35
Zak
Well, there you go.
00:15:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like,
00:15:40
Oscar
That's what I think we spoke about it on the original preview. light I think they called up four or five goalkeepers. So, you know, they obviously weren't going to take all of them.
00:15:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah.
00:15:48
Oscar
I'm surprised it was Ramsdale that was the one that got the chop rather than like a Trafford or something. But, you know, because I could see long term, if he goes... elsewhere and has a good season next year, then he could certainly be challenging. And Pickford, what's Pickford now? 31, 32, something like that?
00:16:05
Oscar
You know, there's going to be some...
00:16:06
Zak
i
00:16:08
Oscar
Huh?
00:16:08
Zak
He's got at least 10 years in him at 31-32. He's a goalkeeper.
00:16:11
Oscar
Oh, yeah.
00:16:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:12
Zak
it's a goalkeeper
00:16:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:16
Oscar
But, yeah, I think there's enough there's enough quality of goalkeepers in there that that is going to be a fierce competition. behind Pickford because he seems to be very much resolute number one choice.
00:16:28
Oscar
And i think I think fairly because, you know, again, he's never let England down. So...
00:16:33
Zak
so Slightly on topic then off the Ramsdale thing, like we you know we think that he should be at that like like kind of level.
00:16:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:16:38
Zak
Where do we genuinely see him going at the end of the season? Because like if he wants to get first team minutes, is he just going to do what he's done so far and go to like a Leeds and then end up relegated again next season?
00:16:50
Zak
Because like how many relegations can you get under your belt?
00:16:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
think i former I can see them going to Bournemouth who will possibly have European football next year based on their form at the moment as well.
00:16:53
Zak
but Yeah, yeah.
00:17:00
Oscar
Yeah, I could see that.
00:17:00
Oscar
I think he's quite held by regard to that.
00:17:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
They've only got their keeper loan at the moment, right? So, Jeffer.
00:17:04
Oscar
Yeah.
00:17:04
Zak
Yeah, Kepa from Chelsea, right?
00:17:06
Oscar
Speaking of that, I know Chelsea linked him, but if Kepa goes back, then they're going to have about 10 first-team goalkeepers next season.
00:17:12
Oscar
So, i wouldn't put it past it wouldn't I wouldn't put it past them to sign another one.
00:17:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:17:17
Oscar
Have a team, an outfield team full of goalkeepers. Hmm.
00:17:21
Zak
have about a thousand players as well, right? At this point, you could fill the entirety of the Premier League with Chelsea players. It'll be interesting to see where Ugachukwu ends up going, to be perfectly honest, because that would be back into the first team.
00:17:31
Zak
Anywho, sorry, Greg, on to the next one.
00:17:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah no it is interesting but yeah I think that he's not going to be short of options is the the real answer I think he can
00:17:33
Zak
but I just thought I was an interesting side bit.
00:17:41
Oscar
I do think he's got to be careful of how many clubs, because i don't I still think at the moment it's not something that people sometimes mention, but not really something that's major. He's starting to knock on the door of one of the more most relegated goalkeepers.
00:17:54
Oscar
I think Ben Foster's still got the title at the moment, but maybe that's what he is, a modern-day Ben Foster.
00:17:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
hmm
00:18:01
Oscar
There's lot goalkeepers out there.
00:18:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:18:04
Zak
Oh, we're going to rouse someone with that opinion. yeah
00:18:06
Oscar
I'm not.
00:18:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
if Okay. Next on my list, Kamadin Sulemana, who's got away with Ghana. He was an unused sub most recently in their 3-0 win against Madagascar, but was subbed on in a 5-0 win against Chad.
00:18:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
The most interesting thing I was able to find about that game that one of the goal scorers for Ghana in that game, uh, was Salisu. So, so, uh,
00:18:35
Oscar
I did also see apparently someone ran on the pitch and had a 100 day jail sentence for it which is fun worthwhile
00:18:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
amazing. That's, uh, so that, that Ghana squad is the squad I was talking about earlier. That is just absolutely stacked with talent. Like I looked through it. I'm like, well, they, they could be real contenders, uh, for, for something down the line. That's, uh,
00:18:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
crazy stacked squad. Okay, so two big names left on the list, but first going to take a break and have a message from our partners at Zencaster. Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform.
00:19:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
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 start podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently.
00:19:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
If you're ready to tell your story, Check out the link in the show description and learn more about Zencastr.
00:19:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, so we are back. As alluded to earlier, a couple of names left on the list and a couple of potential injury concerns coming out of it. So starting off with Yanni B. Jan Bednarek went away with Poland, did manage the full 90 against Lithuania in 1-0 win.
00:19:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
So
Jan Bednarek's Head Injury with Poland
00:19:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
not only a win, a nice clean sheet there, which is nice to see, but unfortunately he had to come off after 46 minutes with a head injury against Malta in what ended up being a 2-0 win for the Poland.
00:20:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
So...
00:20:02
Zak
That's worrying, isn't it? That's like three out of four games in recent times that he's ended up, well, like I think it's five, but the amount of blows to the head that guy's had in in quick succession is slightly worrying to me.
00:20:15
Oscar
He's actually, I seem to think in in the past, he's had quite a few as well. Didn't he land on his neck at one point or land on his head at one point a couple of years ago or so? And I seem to recall he's had a few ahead of the year.
00:20:15
Zak
the
00:20:25
Zak
Yes, it's not...
00:20:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's not great, is it?
00:20:29
Zak
No, it's nasty. And i car't remember i can't remember what game it was in in the Euros we saw where they like almost, I'm surprised they didn't call the game off. can't remember which team it was. I want to say Hungary, where somebody got absolutely clattered and had injuries. and like I understand why they take concussion protocols in that kind of lot seriously because it's so, you know, we what we need to do is look back at Petr Cech and stuff like that and understand why. and Was it Ryan Mason who had his skull fracture? who Was it Hull?
00:20:58
Zak
Am I making that up?
00:20:58
Oscar
yeah
00:20:59
Zak
Okay, good. They're just making things up randomly.
00:21:01
Oscar
the
00:21:03
Zak
But, like, yeah, yeah I think from from a Saints perspective, it's worrying. He's one of our better players. I think that we we were slightly more comfortable in defence in the game, not against Wolves, but the game before when we actually had centre-backs play in the centre-back position.
00:21:18
Zak
And it's just not nice to see...
00:21:20
Oscar
How long do you think it is before Ben Narek gets one of those Petr Cech skullcaps and has to play in one of them?
00:21:20
Zak
him
00:21:26
Zak
Just start wearing it now.
00:21:26
Oscar
No.
00:21:27
Zak
at least At least that way.
00:21:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, had yeah yeah
00:21:29
Zak
Yeah,
00:21:30
Oscar
It was some bubble wrap.
00:21:32
Zak
just a nice little fashion statement as well.
00:21:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah ah yeah yeah it is a concern and hopefully a speedy recovery.
Harwood-Bellis's Injury and Return for Scans
00:21:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then the final name on my list, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, who went away with England's under-21s, as we previously alluded to, 61 minutes 5-3 loss to the French team.
00:21:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then after the game was sent back to Southampton for a scan on a thigh injury, which was the last I was able to find on it was commented from the under-21s manager saying that it was not a particular worry, but just a better safe, a precautionary measure, a better safe than sorry kind of deal. so fingers crossed, I guess, on that.
00:22:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't know.
00:22:21
Oscar
I think it's one of those where it's frustrating for us if he's going to be injured.
00:22:22
Zak
Who's
00:22:26
Oscar
If it's going to ward off people trying to sign him next season, then I'm not as concerned. Keep him on board.
00:22:33
Zak
he going to leave us with, right? Because like Stephen's at the moment can't manage a full game. So that's going to be Koch up.
00:22:41
Oscar
Ariba.
00:22:41
Zak
We don't
00:22:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Joel Rebo, Carl Walker-Peters.
00:22:43
Zak
Yeah, we don't we don't play wood. So, you know, James Bree might come back in. So, Kyle Walker-Peters, James Bree, Arbel Balakotchap, Wellington, Yuki Nurei, Sugawara, right?
00:22:54
Zak
And then that maybe Paul Odomacho, as I said yesterday, because, you know, for the height.
00:22:57
Oscar
sure what ah could be That could be a bit of tactical genius there.
00:23:01
Zak
yeah But Stephen's up front.
00:23:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, you think that Bella Kochap ran in slow motion back from a corner to track back.
00:23:04
Zak
Paul Odomacho in defence.
00:23:06
Oscar
and
00:23:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
I want to see you watching Puan actually running at full speed and comment on that.
00:23:15
Zak
Nah, you just, you have to keep it right back all the time, pretty much with the goalkeeper, and then just hope when the ball gets pinged, it just comes off his head at the right angles.
00:23:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:24
Zak
There you go.
00:23:25
Oscar
Incidentally with that, I can't believe Nigeria is sleeping on a front two combination of Oshomen and Onuatu could seriously do some damage.
00:23:32
Zak
Yeah, he's done right, like, internationally previously as well. Like, I think he's obviously lost his place because, you know, there's a lot of the the African squads are significantly better than I think they used to be nowadays.
00:23:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
if
00:23:42
Zak
And the competition for those places and, you know, in those teams are are a lot harder than they were.
00:23:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:47
Zak
So, especially sort of the big ones like Nigeria and Ghana and stuff.
00:23:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
They've
00:23:51
Zak
So...
00:23:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
got some pretty stacked squads. Hopefully that makes the World Cup very interesting.
00:23:58
Zak
I'm hoping so. I'm hoping it's not just going to be like France and Spain in the final again or something like Or Argentina, Brazil.
00:24:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
that?
00:24:06
Oscar
I can't help but do you not believe it's coming home then, Zach?
00:24:11
Zak
So Greg asked me this question yesterday.
00:24:13
Oscar
No.
00:24:13
Zak
And I tactically responded with, I will get excited and put all of my all in if we get to the final. Up until that point, i will I will not believe it because I have been hurt too many times before.
00:24:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah,
00:24:27
Zak
And, you know, that's that's that's where I'm i at with it. I'm very aware that Greg's like, no, it's definitely coming home, mate. And we'll start wearing England merchandise about a year before the World Cup even starts. so
00:24:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
it.
00:24:40
Zak
But I'm very i'm um'm very...
00:24:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's got to be done.
00:24:43
Zak
I thought that we had some good international games. I'm still very sceptical that we will we will get to that level. Maybe Tukor will help us get there. Maybe he won't. Is success for him to have to win it?
00:24:55
Zak
Shh, kuk. Sure, do we have a better chance than ever? Maybe. But I would say that as good as our team is, a lot of the teams around us are also very good. And it's not like the level it's not like the time of the golden generation where a lot of the squads around us had one or two good players and we had a really, really solid squad.
00:25:13
Zak
And that's probably quite disrespectful to other teams at the time. But also... I genuinely said, no no, I'm not a huge believer, but I will believe if we get to the final, they need to prove to me they can get to the the final.
00:25:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:25:26
Zak
Then I will think about it coming home.
00:25:29
Zak
Then I'll book that day off.
00:25:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
what Well, with that almost optimistic outlook from Zach, that is the end of my list of Saints away on international duty, which was you know still a surprisingly high number. Some good wins in there, some solid minutes, good performances.
00:25:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's hope that that translates onto the pitch and we get something next week against Crystal Palace. That's the hope, right?
00:25:55
Zak
They were going walk through the door, mate, and just be like, oh, back here. Oh. bucke
00:26:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's it. Right, well, that is all we've got time for. Thank you very much, everyone, for listening. Thanks for joining me, Zach and Oscar. We will be back tomorrow with something else.
00:26:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Until then, we'll see then.