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00:00:00
00:00:01
Episode 207: Season FInale! Another loss...
84 Plays5 days ago
Southampton –The season is over... We end it with a fitting whimper in our (record breaking) 30th loss of the season. We talk all about a long, and strange day out at St Maru's.... And the weird annoucement that came with it.
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Transcript
Introduction and Season Wrap-Up
00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome back to the Daily Southampton, part of the Global Sports Podcast Network. It's done, season is finished, we are here, we have a full Southampton team with us today. My name is Greg Elliott I'm joined by my good friends and wonderful co-hosts.
00:00:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Zach, how you doing?
00:00:26
Zak
Yeah, mate, good. It's kind of weird to see the end of the season, isn't it?
00:00:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's been a season.
00:00:31
Zak
Thank goodness it's the end.
00:00:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
And And ah Oscar, how you doing? You alright?
00:00:36
Oscar
Yeah, yeah, not too bad. Thank God it's over.
00:00:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah Yeah. Look, we had a long day out in the sun at St.
Will Still's Managerial Appointment
00:00:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mary's. We announced Will Still as our manager on screens.
00:00:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then nothing else of note happened. just Just end of the season party. No football was played. Don't worry about it. We move on.
00:00:57
Zak
How dare you talk down to the Loch Ness Drogba like that, mate?
Season Highlights and Challenges
00:01:02
Zak
How dare you?
00:01:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
You're right.
00:01:04
Zak
Don't worry about the other goals. That doesn't matter. This entire season has been about the five minutes or so a game that we can enjoy, whether it be a tool pool goal, Ross Stewart goal. Those little moments of hope and joy are the things we need to look back on over this season because that's the only thing we're going to have to try to remember.
00:01:24
Zak
Don't worry about anything else.
00:01:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
That was... There was a moment at where one of the Arsenal defenders scuffed the clearance a bit. Right, was out of his box. And Ross Stewart chased the ball down. I went, oh my God, we're going to win.
00:01:40
Oscar
Thank you.
00:01:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
And as always, it's just just enough of that hope to to ruin your day. Yeah.
00:01:48
Zak
Always, mate. That's just how just how it is. That's being a Saints fan. But then, there we've got another absolutely banging season of the Championship. We have got six derbies. We've got the Nathan Jones derby.
00:01:59
Zak
A man who's, no matter of what, every news article I see about him, at some point he mentions how much he hated being arse. And that's great because it's going to be a derby next year now that Charlton are confirmed coming up. Commiserations to the O's. You know, feel really bad. One of my mates from university, um Orient fan, watched them play against City and they did they pretty well.
00:02:16
Zak
Devastating to have them miss out. I know that you have a bit of an affinity for Charlton, Greg, because your dad played for them. But also the fact that the matter is they are run by the pound for pound best manager in Europe.
00:02:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah. yeah
00:02:28
Zak
So we're going to have that derby. We're going to have the Russell Martin derby where we're going see if his type of football will work at Leicester for some reason. yeah And also, the most important, the South Coast derby.
00:02:40
Zak
And we've got this new upcoming English manager that pretty sure is younger than me, which is devastating because that means that I'm now older than managers, which is not not okay. Just how can you not be buzzing for next season, mate? It's is's here.
00:02:55
Zak
We'll still revolution.
00:02:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because I had to sit through the football for 90 minutes today.
00:02:58
Oscar
i
00:03:01
Zak
Yeah, I know. here's why It was okay until we suffered all of what would have been considered our better players at the were beginning of the season.
00:03:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:03:10
Oscar
that that Just a touch back on that, Nathan. The ego of that man over the last week.
00:03:17
Zak
The fact he says it's about the players.
00:03:17
Oscar
yeah
00:03:20
Zak
I'm like, have you talked about any of your players at this point?
00:03:23
Oscar
lying down on the floor crying. when yeah I know Asnuta did it, but it's slightly different. just And then he's come some interviews come out this week saying that his time and stuff happens to you never will give the chance, blah, blah, blah.
00:03:29
Zak
whether...
Criticism and Controversies
00:03:35
Oscar
I'm not the worst manager in Toronto history. i you are more hated than all of the terrible ones we've had this season. That says enough of what it needs to say.
00:03:42
Zak
Well, okay, so have a look.
00:03:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:03:44
Zak
Think of, like, when Pellegrino was in charge. I barely remember any of the games. The only game I remember is that one game where Buffal scored against West Brom because, like, you know, it was ah it was a very good goal.
00:03:55
Zak
But, like, I know nothing about him. He was arguably, in my opinion, a worse manager because he got us playing absolutely awfully. We had to get saved by Sparky in the end. And yet, yeah, you're right. Nathan Jones did did so much to have the fan base turn against him in such a little period of time. I'm actually impressed.
00:04:12
Zak
but I'm impressed that the vitriol that we had for that man, like that was the only thing that ever united the Southampton fan base was Twitter was a sea of Nathan Jones out.
00:04:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
but
00:04:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
I can't wait for an episode in the off season where we take a deep dive into who was worse for Saints Harry Redknapp or Nathan Jones
00:04:32
Zak
It's going to be Harry Redknapp, but still. Nathan Jones done help himself, I think is my point.
00:04:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
but yeah But yeah. But look, there was football today.
00:04:39
Zak
There was.
00:04:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
and Let's try and reel ourselves back in. I know that we're trying to move on from the season, but but we saw some football. What did you think of the line-up?
00:04:53
Zak
Oscar, you go first or otherwise won't shut
00:04:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Go on back.
00:04:54
Oscar
mean
00:04:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Go on. Yeah.
00:04:56
Oscar
I think it was interesting. someone bumped in into someone else's handstand and they said, cool, interesting line-up, and I hadn't seen it, and I checked it. Yeah. Wooden Taylor's still alive, apparently.
00:05:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:05:07
Oscar
And actually did quite well, to be fair to him. As a left-sided centre-back in a four.
00:05:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Is that our...
00:05:12
Oscar
Well, I think it was a four. I couldn't quite work it out.
00:05:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Is that, like, our third choice defence, do you think?
00:05:14
Oscar
but
00:05:16
Oscar
I think pretty much. And they actually did quite well.
00:05:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, so I mean, we knew coming in that Harwood Bellis and Bednarak were both out injured.
00:05:24
Oscar
yeah
00:05:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I stood at St. Mary's at 11 o'clock this morning waiting for players to arrive to get the...
Injuries and Team Line-Up Concerns
00:05:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
the crucial breaking news information that Jack Stevens had injured his hand, so couldn't sign autographs, but was 50 to 50 as to whether he was going to be in enough but pain to be able to play.
00:05:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, not ideal.
00:05:42
Oscar
I think Alfie House said that he's fractured his wrist yesterday in training, supposedly.
00:05:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:05:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
not sir
00:05:47
Oscar
Or yesterday.
00:05:47
Zak
that's got to suck just before the offseason starts as well right like that's that's all your plans root any any golf they want to play over the offseason that's kind of it
00:05:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
not a ideal yeah
00:05:50
Oscar
Yeah.
00:05:56
Oscar
Hmm.
00:05:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
But yeah, so so we were kind of left with the the back what we had, right? And that's what, yeah, Taylor Woods, who did all right, to be fair.
00:06:04
Oscar
Mm-hmm.
00:06:04
Zak
Well, considering, you know, we came up against Arsenal, bear in mind that a couple of games ago, we were just hoping any game wasn't a through like a 3-0 or 4-0 drubbing. We got, you know, beat we got beaten and second in the league. You know, I know that you weren't really happy about their second goal either.
00:06:18
Zak
Their first goal, yeah, okay, sloppy defending again. But in comparison to the defeats we have had this season, having our third-choice defence only concede two goals against, again, ah ah the team that is second in the league, I'll take that as a win, especially considering there was not a lot left to play for at this point.
00:06:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. Yeah, I mean... No. And I mean, it there was a notable quality difference. so Arsenal had plenty of chances. They had one off the crossbar, one that was about three yards offside from what I could see, but was forced into a save in a corner.
00:06:50
Oscar
I thought the same.
00:06:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
And... and Yeah. To be fair, I turned around at that point. I'm like, was that really not three yards offside? Like, or was offence that far behind the play?
00:06:57
Oscar
Yeah.
00:07:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Surely not. But I didn't hear.
00:07:01
Oscar
And that they Their first goal actually came not long after that. It was still in the same, not the same play, but the same phase of play, I'd say.
00:07:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, well, we were caught...
00:07:10
Oscar
I'd be interested to that back.
00:07:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, well from what I remember, we were caught out of shape because we were defending the corner. And then, well, they one-two'd it around Robinson, who was somehow at left fullback instead of right wing. and And then Ross Stewart was the last man that got beat to the ball for the cross. So, it's just...
00:07:32
Zak
It's indicative of our season, except again, like if it was properly indicative of our season, have been four nil down by half time.
00:07:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:07:40
Oscar
yeah Yeah, we had them camped in there half for quite a long time.
00:07:40
Zak
And then we'd have managed to keep the second half to one, which we did.
00:07:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. You're right. we We showed a bit of character and we got in the game and we had some, I don't know if you'd call them chances. We had some bits of, I mean, the BBC football graph is going to be much less embarrassing than the City game. So,
00:08:01
Oscar
Didn't do anything, but we had them camp there.
00:08:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. yeah
00:08:04
Zak
yeah
00:08:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Suleyman put himself truly in the shop window with some incredible skills and
00:08:10
Zak
It was a bit, I'm not to lie, it was a bit kind of, if if the entire point of this lineup, so I think I saw before, this is the idea of, this is a lineup of potentially what we've got next season, right? And I'm not going lie, one of the things that Greg didn't mention, which I've mentioned to Oscar and Greg already, is the line-by-line, Daily Echo-style live updates I got from Greg about all of the players arriving and which ones came and said hello and which ones were really nice and which ones basically ignored everybody and how Kaya Sander walked to the stadium, didn't even arrive in a car.
00:08:40
Zak
It just rocked up, which I'd expect from me.
00:08:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
He literally walked down the road and then just walked past the fans and started signing off the grass. It was good.
00:08:48
Zak
yeah
00:08:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:08:52
Zak
So, but obviously, when at one point he pointed out Charlie Taylor, I'm pretty sure the last episode we talked about him and we talked about how he basically, are we sure he's even at the club still?
00:09:01
Zak
So it was very surprising to get him his start.
00:09:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:09:04
Zak
Like, Robinson getting a start was really good as well.
00:09:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:09:07
Zak
You had Jamie Moore on bench as well.
00:09:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think he played really well.
00:09:09
Zak
Yeah, and I think i think it's...
00:09:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
He got short way.
00:09:11
Zak
I think it's, you know, I don't think we should be as worried about next season as I think people have been. And I understand why after this season. And I understand, you know, how pessimistic it's been. We've been here. We've been paying more attention than most people, I can promise you.
00:09:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:09:29
Zak
you know, the the announcement of the new manager today was important. know, i think that... I look forward to to what's next. I also really look forward to whatever new kits we're going to get because they're really struggling to sell that yellow one.
00:09:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
oh about Well, before we get Zach off on another tangent about kits, I'm going to take a chance to take a message from our partner, Bionique.
00:10:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, and we are back. So yes, hideous highlight yellow shirts aside, there was there was more football. And look, at the risk of sounding like a stuck record from the entire season, the...
00:10:45
Zak
Why change the habit of a lifetime, mate?
00:10:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
The difference in the second half was apparent when, you know, they brought on Saka and Odegaard. And we were able to bring on Will Smallbone, who, to his credit, got stuck in and, you know, tried to make himself a bit of a presence.
00:10:56
Zak
Yeah.
00:11:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
And...
00:11:04
Oscar
like I haven't seen the goal back. He's getting a lot of grief for it. I don't know.
00:11:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:11:09
Zak
Yeah.
00:11:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, could...
00:11:09
Zak
Yeah. Losing his man pretty much straight after coming on. But again...
00:11:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
I could see it. I could see it from where I was sat. And I'm like, oh no, Odegaard's picked up the ball. Don't let him shift onto his left. it's shifted onto his left. Get in the way. No, don't give him more space to shoot. No, that was obvious.
00:11:23
Oscar
Yeah, especially after the fact that it was after a soft free kick and the soft free kick was then taking, he played advantage and then gave it and then let them take it 10 metres away from where it was.
00:11:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, you could just see it coming.
00:11:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:11:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:11:37
Zak
a
00:11:37
Oscar
it that In the grand scheme of things, it makes no difference whether it was that. But if you're going to play the rule, the ref was a really odd today, just really nitty and not a fact.
00:11:46
Zak
yeah That is somebody that is already on holiday and never gives home field advantage because he doesn't care. Simple as that.
00:11:52
Oscar
Hmm.
00:11:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
I didn't recognise the ref and I haven't looked up who it was but I suspect it he's one of the ones that they're
00:11:53
Zak
Yeah.
00:11:55
Oscar
No. but it was I said that I actually turned to who i was with at the time and said, this is really, they're starting to unleash the cannons now. I think their subs were Saka, you said about, you know, Trossard, Odegaard, Havertz, Champions League winner, Lewis Skelly.
00:12:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah Lewis Gelley yeah
00:12:15
Oscar
That is five players that every single one of them, you know,
00:12:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
we put on We bought on...
00:12:19
Zak
Paula Luachiu.
00:12:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
First, we bought Paul Honachu, who continues to be treated like a competition winner at St. Mary's, which is fantastic.
00:12:27
Oscar
We had a few step overs.
00:12:28
Oscar
I enjoyed them.
00:12:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, Cameron Archer, Will Smallbone, and promoted from our under-21s, Kaya Sander. So...
00:12:36
Oscar
I very much enjoyed the the big ball that went about 30 yards in the air and the, oh, as he went to try and win a header.
00:12:37
Zak
It's too, too, too.
00:12:44
Oscar
And actually, finally won a header. That might be the first header I've ever seen him win.
00:12:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
I liked the one where he it missed his head and he accidentally chested it and nearly got it down and out of his feet.
00:12:54
Oscar
Yeah. Yeah.
00:12:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
It just consistently makes me laugh every time.
00:12:56
Zak
But
00:13:00
Zak
you are right, though. It's exactly... When you compare the substitutions we've made, right? We had Archer come on, Kaya Sander, Will Smallbone, Paul Onarachi. They bring in Lewis Skelly, Trossard, Havertz, Odegaard, Saka.
00:13:13
Zak
Like, come on!
00:13:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:13:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:13:17
Zak
It's like... All I can say to Sunderland is good luck next season, guys. you so Like...
00:13:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, and I put that context.
00:13:22
Zak
you oh
00:13:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Saka came on and was attacking our youth prospect Robinson and Sugawara, who is not a defensive player.
00:13:32
Zak
I'm glad Yuki got a game. I'm glad he got a game though, Greg.
00:13:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Look, I think he played...
00:13:36
Zak
I'm not going to lie.
00:13:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think he played alright. I like Yuki. I don't think he's a very good fullback. I think he's a fine winger.
00:13:42
Oscar
I think you'll suit.
00:13:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like...
00:13:43
Zak
its
00:13:44
Oscar
I think you'll suit works still quite well, the systems that he plays.
00:13:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, he presses high, he runs...
00:13:49
Zak
so we Should we say a word on the parting players? no Obviously, no Bednarek. We don't know whether he's saying Kyle Walker-Peters was there with this really bad virus that he had, despite the fact that he was un allowed to sit with... You know, if you've got a really bad virus, to me, it's kind of wild you would sit your contagious virus-ridden player amongst all of his other players. went you know i know that it's the end of the season, but...
00:14:09
Zak
yeah
00:14:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think he was recovering, right? It was more that he missed out on training than that he
Future Prospects and Optimism
00:14:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
was like biotoxin.
00:14:14
Zak
I know, I'm i being i' being pedantic. I think it's more that i'm I'm upset we kind of didn't get a last proper game for him. Same with Lallana, who's clearly going to retire at the end of the season.
00:14:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:23
Zak
When Uge Chukwu came off to be replaced, that's probably the last time we'll see him in a St. H.
00:14:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:26
Zak
shirt He's going to go back to Chelsea and then inevitably go on loan to probably some French side.
00:14:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
He got a big standard innovation.
00:14:33
Zak
You know, there's quite a few that we potentially have seen the last of.
00:14:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Tyler Dibbling conspicuous by his absence? Do we know why he wasn't even on the bench?
00:14:38
Zak
I think it was like a muscular injury or something.
00:14:41
Oscar
Yeah, they said...
00:14:41
Zak
So it was like, there was it was injury. It wasn't just that he didn't want to play.
00:14:45
Oscar
The quote I read from Alfie House was muscle tightness, apparently, which I think is the official term.
00:14:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
hie
00:14:48
Zak
yeah
00:14:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay. Okay. Well, that sounds like the sort of thing that you would say if you didn't want to play.
00:14:53
Oscar
Yeah. He was...
00:14:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Although, he's got the England under-20s coming up that he might be saving himself for, right?
00:14:59
Oscar
Yeah, it's...
00:14:59
Zak
yeah
00:15:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
if we're If we're trying to look at it from both sides of the coin.
00:15:04
Zak
I think either way, we're going to end up with a team next season that can do all right in the Championship. And if we do what the plan for the club is, because you can see from Will Stills' announcement and conversation about getting us back to the Premier League, that clearly is the goal.
00:15:20
Zak
But hopefully next time around, we're going to be, if we do it, because, you know, Sheffield United have taught us that it isn't that easy because we're now going to get a Ben Brereton-Diaz back who played all of five minutes of that final before he went off injured.
00:15:34
Zak
So, you know, it's going to be an interesting... interesting
00:15:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm just going to need someone to keep our medical team busy now that Ross Stewart's back to full fitness, mate.
00:15:41
Zak
Well, yeah, but then...
00:15:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm going to have to pay all their bills.
00:15:42
Zak
then And that's the one of the other things we haven't massively talked about is that we had a striker today on the pitch. We had two strikers that were... so Every single of our strikers who played today, Archer, Onomachu and Stewart, have all scored goals.
00:15:55
Zak
And bear in mind, at one point, when we used to have old Shane Long on, there was about, what, like a year and a half where he just had never scored. So, you know, as as as much as we talk about how we need, you know, more...
00:16:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's work, flow. Come right if any of If any of the players on the pitch that weren't Matty Fernandes had half the work rate of Shane Long, we probably wouldn't be in the position we're in this season.
00:16:14
Oscar
Yeah, I'd agree.
00:16:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:16:15
Zak
you are also You are also right. But again, this is the other thing you've talked about before, where Suleymane clearly put in the effort of his life today. And that's why he had to come off, because he looked absolutely run ragged.
00:16:26
Zak
And when he went down, was grabbing his hamstring. You could tell that he's tired. because he And this is the thing, is that our players haven't been able to put in 90 minutes over the the space of the season. And we also don't have the Champions League-style squads that all of these bigger clubs have that are able to swap stuff out.
00:16:36
Oscar
Well,
00:16:41
Oscar
I would say... is Suleymane has that Che Adams-like ability to suddenly turn into a world-class player when a transfer...
00:16:49
Zak
it's crazy that but ah i there were a couple of times where he should have just passed it across to stuart
00:16:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:52
Oscar
Today, yes, he did cause some problems. He could have caused a lot more. he There was several times he got the ball, drove into that space, beat a player, then stopped, waited for him cut. I know that's what he always does anyway.
00:17:04
Oscar
But yes, he was I thought he was okay, but he was he was frustrating today.
00:17:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
He gives up on a second ball.
00:17:09
Oscar
Better than usual
00:17:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, there's also a couple of times where if he just, if he if once he lost the ball the third time of taking the mound on, if he kept chasing at that point, he'd probably win it back. It's the most frustrating part of his game.
00:17:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, yeah.
00:17:27
Zak
It's just so many margins like that all season though, mate.
00:17:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:17:31
Zak
There's so many times where, what if Taylor Harbour-Bellis didn't lose the ball? What if Flinsdowns didn't get yellow card so we needed to sub
Sponsor Mention: Zencaster
00:17:37
Zak
him off? like
00:17:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah We will talk more about the match, but first a message from our partners at Zencaster. Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform, and Zencaster came out the clear winner.
00:17:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
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00:18:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, and and we're back. So, yeah, guess... going to be interesting to see how many of the team that started to be.
00:18:16
Oscar
but I had a question and we spoke about it briefly. What on earth was going on with the Will Still announcement? Why did they do it like that?
00:18:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:18:28
Oscar
I don't understand. Surely it's something easy to do.
00:18:30
Zak
you Why just...
00:18:32
Oscar
They announced it to an empty stadium i and then...
00:18:33
Zak
Why just...
00:18:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:18:35
Zak
Why just not wait to half time? not wait to... I literally text Greg, because Greg was like, mate, they've just announced it now. And I'm like, it's 3pm. It's like, I'm pretty sure the only person here.
00:18:49
Oscar
i I didn't even know.
00:18:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
like
00:18:50
Zak
You're all nuts.
00:18:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
wheat
00:18:51
Oscar
I didn't know. I looked at Twitter and said, oh, he's been announced. Okay, I guess I'll do something at half-time.
00:18:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
We were based in the family zone initially and the kids were running around and playing their games they were oh, the stadium's open and it was too noisy in the family zone and I was trying to watch the F1.
00:18:58
Zak
Hmm.
00:19:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
So we walked around and went into the stadium at opening time and sat there watching the F1 and just see Southampton's proud to announce that Will still is our manager for next season.
00:19:20
Zak
Thank you.
00:19:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm like, what? Why are you
00:19:23
Oscar
I just don't understand. like but Surely, as like a PR, that really does give me questions about some of the people upstairs and if they know what they're doing. Why wouldn't you...
00:19:34
Oscar
That is going to... Even if you do it... I understand maybe thinking, well, we could be 6-0 down by halftime, so maybe we shouldn't do it then.
00:19:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:40
Oscar
Do it just before kick-off.
00:19:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:41
Oscar
All right. Was it going to distract the team a little? Maybe. But it's going to give everyone a massive boost.
00:19:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Does it really matter? Yeah. It's such a dead rubber game you anyway.
00:19:47
Zak
If we're 5-0 down at halftime, bring him out anyway.
00:19:47
Oscar
Yeah.
00:19:50
Zak
I find it baffling.
00:19:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:51
Zak
It would have been the perfect moment.
00:19:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:53
Zak
Like, oh, we are usually so good for PR stuff.
00:19:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're all sat
00:19:57
Zak
And then even you text me, Greg, that, like, you sent me the but picture that's like, everything is still and calm at St. Mary's. You're like, oh, shut up, guys. Like, come on. Do better.
00:20:08
Zak
Do better. I said to Greg, they should have given out Gordon Strachan hats to every single person again. Like we had all those years back when we were in that final. That's what they should have done and let everyone go, well, this is weird. And then they'll figure out why.
00:20:19
Oscar
Let's just say.
00:20:19
Zak
Or just, just you're you're right, just anything other than what they did, Oscar.
00:20:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
I just sat there at half time like they'll probably bring Will Still out talking to me and they did big crossbar challenge I'm like alright someone won a cruise happy day
00:20:26
Oscar
Yeah.
00:20:29
Oscar
I was doing exactly the same thing.
00:20:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
big positive vibes. It's like, oh, right, they're going to do exactly the same thing at halftime as they did before the game, which they did in the fan zone and also streamed to the stadium, which was the boxing face-off.
00:20:38
Oscar
yeah
00:20:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I'm like, all right, well, maybe um they'll just bring him out after that. That's fine. That's probably like a pre-arranged thing to like advertise the fight. It makes sense. It's like, right, let's welcome the players out for the second half.
00:20:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
What?
00:20:54
Oscar
Yeah, i i don't I don't get it. even Just bring him up two seconds, little scarf, red and white scarf around his neck, chuck him white from the club shop for five minutes.
00:20:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:21:00
Zak
That's all they needed to do.
00:21:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thumbs up. Yeah.
00:21:04
Oscar
I...
00:21:04
Zak
That was all they needed to do. And instead, we've now got some terrible photos of him sat in the stands with spores where he's kind of sat there clearly trying to concentrate the game in the background.
00:21:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
In front of Rishi Sunak.
00:21:15
Zak
You've got ex-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak sat there like, all right, guys! And you're like, oh, no.
00:21:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
a
00:21:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Please don't take leadership advice from the people around you.
00:21:21
Zak
Some people...
00:21:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like...
00:21:26
Zak
Oh, mate. Yeah, though i'm I'm fully with you.
00:21:26
Oscar
That blew my mind.
00:21:29
Zak
Fully with you, mate.
00:21:29
Oscar
That blew my mind.
00:21:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah it was Yeah, it was truly baffling.
00:21:31
Zak
Oh.
00:21:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
But yeah, like, g literally, like I heard the announcement, I saw it on the screen, they did, like, ah ah they read, basically, verbatim Zach's research from a couple of weeks ago, and so and I looked around to me, and I'm like, there's no one here!
00:21:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like,
00:21:47
Oscar
Yeah. I genuinely, I didn't know. i was thinking, right, they're going to do some sort of announcement or something. And then um um was like, they've already announced it on Twitter. I was like, what? And I looked and was like, I didn't even know.
00:21:57
Zak
yeah
00:21:59
Oscar
I bet that 90% of people probably didn't realize until we'd left.
00:22:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah
00:22:04
Oscar
Like, they didn't even mention it.
00:22:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
We
00:22:06
Oscar
It's just bizarre. And I'd love to know if there was actually a reason they didn't. Because I can't think of one for the life of
Preparing for the Championship
00:22:12
Oscar
me.
00:22:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah ah just yeah just don't want to taint his name with this team.
00:22:14
Zak
Unless it's like, oh, I prefer to not have the limelight. Maybe they did have some like smokes and daggers and fireworks and everything like that. and he was just like, lads, I'd rather not.
00:22:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Look, It's not associated with the football that came before.
00:22:26
Oscar
Maybe.
00:22:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's a fresh start and a new season. Don't worry about the dross we just served up in the Premier League. we're gonna It's the championship now.
00:22:35
Zak
but
00:22:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
We like the championship. We've got a new manager, Will Steele. That's it. we' This is All Eyes Forwards.
00:22:42
Zak
I think what's what's what's been quite exciting is we've been linked with the manager for a long time. Enough for me to do research on him. We've all had a look. We've all thought this was pretty cool. And then we've turned around and turns out he's actually been appointed manager.
00:22:53
Zak
It's not some weird like really random guy out of nowhere. It's somebody they they've actually sat back and done research on.
00:22:59
Zak
It's not like it's not a guy they've picked out of the phone book, rung up and been like, you're free for a job. It's somebody they clearly have targeted and wanted.
00:23:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
know I don't know, mate. Just because they listen to our podcast and make their decisions based off that.
00:23:05
Zak
And that's lovely.
00:23:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
it Just because we we established that it might be the most promising outlook of the lot and then that was it.
00:23:10
Oscar
Thank God it's not Tom Cleverley.
00:23:12
Zak
b The only... Oh, yeah, no, you're right.
00:23:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
they They saw that short and thought, that's obviously the guy for me. These guys know what they're talking about.
00:23:22
Zak
Obviously, obviously.
00:23:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:23
Zak
Well, I am the one that did the best profile of Spores and the only profile of Spores, considering that most of the information i had to get off LinkedIn because that man is a digital footprint that was basically non-existent.
00:23:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:23:34
Zak
But yeah, it's it's nuts. And like the only thing that i was a little bit disappointed with is the BBC Sport put out a tweet that looked like it was Football Manager. So when you get announcement on Football Manager, you've got like the background and then they'll have like the...
00:23:46
Zak
the superimposed club picture and will be like in little text box and they try to make it look like that and I'm like, oh no, they're already doing the the football manager manager and I'm like, mate, this guy lives breathes football.
00:23:56
Zak
Leave him alone.
00:23:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
All of the right.
00:23:58
Zak
I'm very defensive already. He hasn't even played a game yet or been in charge.
00:23:59
Oscar
All right.
00:24:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Look, Zach, as someone who only has a like mainstream understanding Football Manager, all I know about Football Manager is that people take easily to the Champions League.
00:24:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
So if he's the Football Manager Manager, and that means in five years' time we win the Champions League, he can be the Football Manager Manager all he wants.
00:24:19
Zak
what What actually happens, Greg, is you start to develop weird affinities for teams that you've never cared about previously. For example, with me in Nagoya Grampus, and then you spend three hours on a Saturday afternoon after you come back from town trying to find a shirt that one is in your size and two ships to the UK for something under £300.
00:24:37
Zak
So on top of the like couple of thousand hour addiction that I've had since I started playing in 2012, so it does a lot of things to your brain, mate.
00:24:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, we are with...
00:24:48
Oscar
You should have had a chat with, got Greg to have a chat with Yuki. He could have gone back and grabbed you one but during the holidays.
00:24:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's it.
00:24:52
Zak
ye
00:24:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Unfortunately, he didn't come all the way down to our end. It was a disaster.
00:24:56
Zak
Devastating.
00:24:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
but
00:24:57
Oscar
Pull from him.
00:24:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
but The the three three players my kids particularly wanted the autographs of, none of them came and signed shirts.
00:25:04
Zak
Oh, Devode.
00:25:05
Oscar
went away.
00:25:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
They wanted Ramsdale, Walker-Peters, and Cameron Archer. and yeah None of those showed up. so But we got good haul.
00:25:12
Zak
It's alright. what what What did your daughter say about Lelana?
00:25:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
but we It was a beautiful moment. that had a love He was the first one there by a long shot, as you'd expect from a consummate professional like Lallana. And he came down and he had the time of day for everyone. He was chatting away and he got signed everyone's shirts and they got a wonderful photo of them all smiling. Great.
00:25:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
And she turns around to me and goes, which player was that?
00:25:38
Oscar
Not a player, that's the assistant manager.
00:25:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, what money am I wasting on your season ticket?
00:25:40
Zak
i
00:25:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
She was like...
00:25:45
Zak
Mate, I was in Primark at the time and I audibly laughed.
00:25:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:25:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:25:50
Zak
yeah My brother turned to me and was like, you're right. I'm like, yeah, don't worry Funny football thing happened.
00:25:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was it was it was ah ah a great morning and I just want to give a huge shout out to the bloke stood next to me who full chest as Matty Fernandez came down so I'm not grass went see you next season then
00:26:09
Oscar
Spare play.
00:26:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
please we'll have a whip round like whatever it takes
00:26:10
Oscar
but
00:26:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
this is
00:26:16
Oscar
That was actually quite a nice moment. And I was really curious to know what was going to happen in the lap of honour, appreciation, whatever it was.
00:26:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:26:25
Oscar
And they sort of got a few claps, came round to Northam, some boo started going.
00:26:25
Zak
Apology. Oh,
00:26:29
Oscar
i was like, oh, here we go.
00:26:31
Oscar
And then everyone started chanting for Matty Fernandes and only Matty Fernandes.
00:26:35
Zak
God.
00:26:35
Oscar
awkwardly started clapping and everyone else was like looking at him like, oh, cheers for that, mate.
00:26:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
i see I think they did.
00:26:38
Zak
oh
00:26:42
Oscar
But fair play because he's the only one that Ramsdale as well.
00:26:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think they did him yeah i think they did the best. Yeah, but he got his plaudits from the Arsenal fans, so we couldn't give them him that as well.
00:26:49
Oscar
Yeah, exactly.
00:26:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
think they did the best they could with the lap of whatever you want to call it, the end of season lap.
00:26:55
Oscar
Yeah.
00:26:56
Oscar
It's a really tricky one because I think...
00:26:56
Zak
Yeah.
00:26:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
they They did it, but they didn't make as much of pomp and circumstance as they normally do about it, and quite rightly so.
00:27:03
Zak
Oh, Greg, one last thing. can we mention the Can we mention the circle of enforcers in the middle of the pitch to make sure that none of us got in the middle?
00:27:05
Oscar
yeah
00:27:14
Oscar
What were they protecting as well?
00:27:14
Zak
so
00:27:16
Oscar
i
00:27:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:27:17
Oscar
Why the middle? don None of the players were even in there.
00:27:21
Zak
What possibly could happen?
00:27:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Look.
00:27:23
Zak
Are we going to take the middle of the pitch? Is that what we're all planning to do? We're trying run directly to the middle? It was so weird. is it like Is it trying to be intimidating? Unless you've got guys in riot gear that are literally blocking off the entire thing.
00:27:37
Zak
I just feel like that was the most unintimidating thing I've ever seen. Everyone wanted to get on the pitch because they were so annoyed about being told they can't at this point.
00:27:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
that
00:27:45
Oscar
Yeah.
00:27:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
look
00:27:46
Zak
Oh, God, that was funny.
00:27:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
they I've got a really good relationship with the stewards in the area where I sit, mostly because I give them a hard time. and And sometimes, rightly so. But so but for they were, it was very serious action stations. It's like, right, it's stoppage time.
00:28:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
You're not in the gap. Move across properly. Up, stand up. There's one minute left. You've got to stand up. And then they all sprinted on the pitch. And I think we all looked at each other like, what are doing?
00:28:12
Oscar
And the Arsenal fans, everyone said, what on earth was that?
00:28:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
one's going on pitch.
00:28:16
Oscar
Without getting too much swearing.
00:28:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:28:17
Zak
what is happening I get it I understand that last season we did that.
00:28:18
Oscar
Thank
00:28:23
Zak
We had a reason to.
00:28:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah yeah There is a substantial difference between a playoff semi-final win where the emotions of what can only be described of a we week of emotional build-up throughout the entire city, like coming to a head and getting on the pitch, and losing to Arsenal after the couple of other week we managed to scrape a 0-0 draw to get to be the second worst team in Premier League history.
00:28:25
Zak
We had...
00:28:47
Oscar
Yeah.
00:28:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's just nobody...
00:28:49
Oscar
It just points to the direction again that...
00:28:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Nobody was vibing with a ah pitch pitch invasion. No one was trying it.
00:28:54
Oscar
No.
00:28:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
However, both sets of fans did very much poke the bear because both sets of fans throughout the game started with Arsenal saying, if Sterling scores, we're on the pitch.
00:29:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then as soon as Tallpool came on, all of the Northern, that was it, if Tallpool scores were on the pitch.
00:29:08
Zak
Oh,
00:29:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, I mean, maybe they were just taking it literally.
00:29:12
Zak
it's beautiful.
00:29:13
Oscar
That is, yeah, that is true.
00:29:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:29:15
Oscar
I just, again, it just points to this. Some people that are making the decisions at this club at the moment that do not understand football at all.
00:29:22
Zak
i I think 100% this is. We got massive fight from the FA.
00:29:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's just...
00:29:27
Oscar
Yeah.
00:29:27
Zak
We have been told we need to do something.
00:29:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
100%.
00:29:29
Zak
and Even...
00:29:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's just a tick box. The FA will what are you going to do to prevent a pitch invasion? like, well, look.
00:29:34
Oscar
Yeah, I agree with that.
00:29:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
We had people spread out to the...
00:29:36
Oscar
But did,
00:29:36
Zak
And bear in mind, we had a pitch invader this season because this was when I pointed out to Greg, mate, there's like no stewards here at the Chelsea game. And then the Chelsea game stopped for 10 minutes.
00:29:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:29:47
Zak
A guy ran on the field. Then obviously the game stopped for 10 minutes. They eventually got him and got rid of him. It restarted. Jadon Sancho scored. We lost 5-0. And for somehow, Russell Martin blamed that on the pitch invasion, the hat like the pitch invader that happened at 80 minutes in.
00:30:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
4-0.
00:30:02
Zak
So on top of us having a full pitch invasion, we have also had pitch invaders this season.
00:30:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:30:07
Zak
So, swings and roundabouts, isn't it?
00:30:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
And look, I think as I put it earlier in the evening to you guys, there have been points in this season where actually a lifetime ban felt like the easy way out.
Season Finale Reflections
00:30:16
Oscar
Yeah, that is valid.
00:30:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
It has got to be said.
00:30:18
Zak
the problem!
00:30:19
Oscar
I think theres well you're right as well what you said in that it actually made me think. cool, wouldn't it be funny if someone did run on now that they've done all of this?
00:30:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:30:27
Oscar
Just one person.
00:30:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
easy
00:30:29
Oscar
and it's And it wouldn't have been that difficult, to be honest. and its just but stward
00:30:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:30:31
Zak
i
00:30:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
the
00:30:32
Oscar
All the police around the centre circle, for some reason, protecting God knows what they've got in there.
00:30:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:30:36
Zak
Oh, it's just it's so great. It's just how much... I want to know how extra money they to pay out to get this steward in for this game that we potentially might invade the pitch because apparently... don't...
00:30:45
Oscar
But why would they in the centre circle as well?
00:30:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:30:48
Oscar
What?
00:30:49
Zak
Well, were you not intimidated, Oscar? Did you not think they were going to come and fight you?
00:30:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:30:53
Zak
Because if you jump on, they're ready to pounce on you for any corner. but They fully...
00:30:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:30:58
Zak
I don't know.
00:30:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right.
00:30:59
Zak
It's just mad.
00:31:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm just saying that if the stewards have that much energy to pounce on anyone jumping on the pitch, maybe they should have been in the first team. Yeah.
00:31:08
Zak
Oh Greg, me off me. Ole, ole, ole.
00:31:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right.
00:31:12
Oscar
Thank
00:31:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, look, that is it. That is the end of season one of our daily Southampton journey. Uh, we will be back. We have got lots and lots planned for the off season and we will, uh, definitely be sticking with it.
00:31:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
But, uh, Until then, as we look forward to a much better year in the championship, thank you for listening to us.
00:31:34
Zak
leo leon
00:31:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you, Oscar. Thank you, Zach, for joining us through what could only be described as a painful season. But at least pain sells. The numbers are up. What can we say?
00:31:46
Zak
Paying sales, mate, and on top of that, it's made it bearable because the ability to come on to a podcast and scream for half an hour about how absolutely rubbish we've been means that I'm able to dump that out of my head other than being miserable for the next day.
00:31:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:32:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, you're right.
00:32:01
Zak
Because if not, I...
00:32:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's real real therapeutic. So thank you everyone for our group therapy session. We will definitely be back soon.
00:32:07
Zak
Appreciate it.
00:32:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Until then, bye.