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Episode 203: More to players missing? And football chat!
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Southampton – We're in the weird wind down period of football where there is more football than ever! And we've got lots of thoughts as always!
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Transcript
Show Start & Initial Thoughts
00:00:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome back to the Daily Southampton, part of the Global Sports Podcast Network. My name is Greg Elliott and today joined by my good friend, wonderful co-host, Zach Ingo Finch. How you doing, mate?
00:00:23
Zak
Yeah, mate. Not too bad. Not too
Match Disappointment & Strategy Critique
00:00:25
Zak
bad. I mean, did did get it all out of my system because, like, oh, it was dire.
00:00:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Feeling a bit better today? you got it all out your system after yesterday's ramble?
00:00:33
Zak
I'm still... I think it's just... I expected so so little and still was disappointed somehow. Like, I assumed that they were probably going to get over the line Goodison Park. But, like, you know, to not watch a single shot in the first half of the football game against a team we've beaten twice this season.
00:00:50
Zak
You know?
00:00:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, no, I don't. I mean, watched some of the first half on my phone on a bus in London. It wasn't an optimal viewing experience, to be honest.
00:01:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it wasn't worth watching. So, it's...
00:01:07
Zak
No, this is the issue. is like like and I said like the fans deserve better, and I know it's quite dramatic, and it's like we've got a lot of changes on the way, but I can't get over we're this bad.
00:01:22
Zak
just with
00:01:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
just a I mean, we should have known it was coming, right? This Simon Russ demo is to just set up defensively. That's how it's going to Just not get beat. see it new if we If it's nil-nil, it's better than nothing.
00:01:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
That was literally something he said in a press conference a few weeks ago. So
Upcoming Matches & Team Rumors
00:01:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
we can't be surprised by that now.
00:01:39
Zak
Yeah, that that's true. However, we they scored within five minutes, they didn't work very well.
00:01:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:01:46
Zak
And on top of that, like the fact that you're setting up the same way against Everton, again, to clarify, a team we've beaten twice this season, the same way you'd set up against Manchester City...
00:01:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. 100%. hundred percent
00:01:58
Zak
not not having a striker on the field, and then anything really not happening until we had a striker on the field. It's just a bit of a weird one. like is we'll We'll put it down to another game that's gone and forgotten, and now we've got the game Arsenal.
00:02:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:02:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
It doesn't matter, mate. Yeah, we've got a game coming up now on the weekend, which also doesn't matter for any of the teams. So it's going to be great.
00:02:20
Zak
that I don't know. Arsenal, it feels like they have pride to play for, considering they haven't got anything again. Like City, to be fair.
00:02:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah I've been informed that it's my mission this weekend to get down to the ground early enough to see if we can meet any of the players as they arrive. So i've just got like nine hours of misery to look forward to instead of, you know, just the standard 90 minutes.
00:02:36
Zak
It's going to be the last last time for a lot of them.
00:02:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
did.
00:02:44
Zak
I think it will be interesting who is who plays, who who isn't there. Like, I think it's... So, did you see the rumours in the Daily Echo that came out?
00:02:54
Zak
Or the words, the post-match words?
00:02:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
did
00:02:56
Zak
So, obviously, we'd missed the
Player Transfers & Season Reflections
00:02:58
Zak
interview by the time that me and Oscar had recorded. But the fact that he alluded to some people no you know, not being in the squad, not necessarily due to injury injury is I think quite telling because, you know, it's, yeah.
00:03:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:03:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Bednarak, Walker-Peters, conspicuous by their absence. like Fair enough, Walker-Peters hadn't trained all week because he had a it was still recovering from him, so maybe you take it with a pinch of salt.
00:03:21
Zak
Ono Achi...
00:03:28
Zak
Well, Bednarek, it was ever since that £6 million pound release clause came out, right?
00:03:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
But...
00:03:33
Zak
It's a bit sort of considering when he joined, it was like, yeah, i love Salab, didn't we?
00:03:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:03:37
Zak
Kind of like, I'll probably stay us forever. but He turned down and moved to Roma to be here. Yeah, it's probably true. But like... ah ah it's just It just feels a bit gross. And I'll be very interested, like, if if neither of them make the bench and then sort of, i like, Paul doesn't make the bench and all of them disappear over the summer without really saying goodbye.
00:03:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:03:59
Zak
Like, my word, we had a better goodbye from Charlie Alcaraz yesterday
00:04:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
i'll I'll tell you what ah'll tell you what though, Zach, it's a scathing indictment of how awful this season's been when I tell you that I don't care. the Like, half of the... ah you you know It is sad if Walker-Peters doesn't get on the pitch to say a proper goodbye because he stayed with us through you know the championship season and But, and you know, leaves with no ill will on a free to wherever he moves on to. But ah ah it I just don't care.
00:04:34
Zak
But yeah, i think I think with the rest of them, as me and Oscar have pointed out and you've pointed out and we've talked about pretty much the heart the end of the season, it's like, I just don't understand where all of these guys think they're going. That's going to be so much better.
00:04:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:04:45
Zak
And like the fact that, I don't know, it's just it just feels weird that they're like, no, it's not me. I'm not the one. I deserve better. i was like, okay, off you go. Because all I can see is, you know, the grass being greener on the other side.
00:04:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:04:57
Zak
It happened with Danny Ings. It happened with, you know, more than a couple of other even to an extent,
00:05:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah and But, you know, inevitably, at the end of it all, some of those players who think they're going to get a move will still be with us next season. And then it's up to them to earn back our ability to care.
00:05:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because i Yeah, yeah.
00:05:16
Zak
No, they end up as dead wood. They end up as travellers. You end up with another Bella Kochap, right?
00:05:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:05:21
Zak
Who, yeah, OK, had his two games this season. He was going to save the season. He was the best central defender. He's player for Germany. And then he's not managed to break into the team of, you know, managed to just about get a bit, a few games under Juric.
00:05:32
Zak
But out the three managers we've had this season, he's managed a small amount of game time under one, which says a lot, right?
00:05:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:05:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:05:40
Zak
And then you've got the fact that ever since Martin's gone, Ryan Fraser
Future Player Roles & Team Changes
00:05:43
Zak
disappeared off the entire, the face of the earth.
00:05:45
Zak
So are they still going to be here playing football next season or not?
00:05:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, yeah.
00:05:49
Zak
They might still be here, but my problem is that like we what we really need is someone to get rid of that dead wood. And I just think that we've got so much dead wood, we've been trying to get rid of it since we last got relegated.
00:06:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Our retained list is going to be really interesting at the end of the season, isn't it?
00:06:01
Zak
Hmm.
00:06:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
And in it I was talking about it at work today with some of the guys. And I mean, I would say some of the guys with one other guy in the office who's interested in football because we work in IT. t But it's it it really boils down to, are there any players I'm going to be sad to see go over the summer?
00:06:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Maybe a bit. but are there any that are going to be like... It's one. It's a key list of one, right?
00:06:37
Zak
It's very much like...
00:06:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Matty Fernandes. If we keep Matty Fernandes, I'm happy. don't blame him if he goes. I i lose no respect for Matty Fernandes if he takes a move to somewhere else. I might be upset with the club for letting that happen, but if the offer's good enough, I also kind of get you can't turn down...
00:06:56
Zak
like
00:06:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
40 50 million for him if that offer comes in so hypothetically yeah
00:06:58
Zak
Yeah, it depends if it ends up like 25 or something, doesn't it? and And that's where I'll be a little bit more, have a bit more gripes. But it's it's not like, for example, the max like mass exodus.
00:07:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
wow
00:07:10
Zak
You know, I know we bang on about like sort of 2014, 2015 season a while back, like when we lost basically everyone in the space of season, right? We lost like Lallana, Lambert, Rodriguez, like everybody just like left over the space. so it was It was a kind of horrible, horrible time to be...
00:07:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Lovren, who was an important centre-back at the time, as much of a joke as it is to say now.
00:07:27
Zak
i
00:07:29
Zak
At the time, yeah. Which is, you know, Greg, don't disrespect who at one point was the best central defender of all time in the world, alright?
00:07:40
Zak
I'm pretty sure he said at one point when he at Liverpool, and then they brought in Virgil van Dijk to replace him.
00:07:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Sure.
00:07:45
Zak
But either way, it's one of those one of those things where like that was a hard summer because of how it was awful to watch us get stripped apart, right? and And you're right with this one.
00:07:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:07:54
Zak
It's kind of like, I'm kind of looking forward to seeing who plays for us next season and the fact i don't know who any of them are.
00:07:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:08:02
Zak
It's kind of where I'm at. But then...
00:08:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Look, is there a redemption arc for some of these players in our team? Absolutely. Right? Is there a reality going forward where Harwood Bellis doesn't get the move he wants, sticks his head in and knuckles down and goes on to become a great?
00:08:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely there is. does Do I care? No. it happens, great. If he goes, fine. Whatever.
00:08:26
Zak
I would be with you at the beginning of the season. um I can't help but just look at the amount of clear-cut errors we've had from our entire defence. I'm not saying sack the whole defence, but also like if you can't if you can't make it...
00:08:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:08:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
hundred percent 100%.
00:08:37
Zak
True. This is also
00:08:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
But that's not to say there's not potential there. Like, Harwood-Bennis is still 21 years old, mate.
00:08:42
Zak
true.
00:08:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like,
00:08:44
Zak
this is also true
00:08:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
there's There are the makings of a solid Premier League centre-back there. and if he wants to but And if he ends up staying with us and becoming that here, more power to him, fair play.
00:08:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do I care if he sees himself as bigger and wants to move on? No, he can and make mistakes somewhere else. I'm open to the possibility of these redemption arcs.
00:09:06
Zak
Oh, but
00:09:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm not upset if they don't come into play.
00:09:11
Zak
Yeah, because don't worry, mate.
00:09:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's where I'm at.
00:09:13
Zak
When they're like 35, they'll come back to us for a season and and we'll take them back on extortionately high wages because we we like a bit of nostalgia.
00:09:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
thank you
00:09:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:09:22
Zak
Like, a we we're ah ah we're part of the problem. I'm part of the problem. not Not you, necessarily. I'm part of the problem. But like, you know, how many of our fans immediately jump on Danny Ings as soon as anything, any sniff is available?
00:09:33
Zak
How many fans are like, we should have Ward Prows back?
00:09:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
The really upsetting part of that, Zach, is that he's out there as a free agent now this summer, so it might not be the worst out. And it pains me to say that because, I mean, we do lack a goal scorer and we do lack some experience and he is
FA Cup Surprises & Smaller Team Challenges
00:09:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
those things.
00:09:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
So it's ridiculous, isn't it?
00:09:52
Zak
And again, the cycle continues. There you go
00:09:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. All right, well, look, we're going to move our talk on to the wider footballing world, I think.
00:09:57
Zak
But it is.
00:10:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
But first, a message from our partners at Bionique.
00:10:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, and we are back. Zach, it is that incredibly weird time of year where football is winding down and subsequently there is more football than ever on, right?
00:10:49
Zak
Hate
00:10:59
Zak
it.
00:11:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think every single day in the last maybe week and a half, I've sat down and watched an incredible game of football.
00:11:01
Zak
it's
00:11:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because we've got, you know, the filling in of the Premier League fixtures where they've had to reschedule it. You've had playoffs for all of the leagues and the FA Cup final. I guess let's start with that, right?
00:11:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
An interesting team won the f FA Cup. It wasn't one of the regular teams.
00:11:30
Zak
is it was it was good ah did straight off the back of how we frustrated Bad City sort of palace a little bit and also managed to win it and watching
00:11:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:11:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
little bit of help with the AR. It's got to be said.
00:11:44
Zak
At the same time, they also did later have a penalty and they failed to score it.
00:11:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:11:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:11:52
Zak
I think the things that bothered me are the fact that Guardiola can't stop being a diva, like storming over to Dean Henderson to be like, either have a go...
00:11:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:12:00
Zak
The theories are, have a go at it for time-wasting, complain about the fact that a decision that was made... that wasn't his fault was made, right? Like he hit the... Yeah, okay.
00:12:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:12:09
Zak
He clipped it out, but it's up to the refs who made the mistake.
00:12:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:12:15
Zak
And it just it just seems weird that that's the first thing, like one of your first instincts is to like go over and have a go at the opposition goalkeeper for winding down the clock, which is like specifically after his post-batch of us where he was like, oh, right it's up to any other team their right to play.
00:12:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:12:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, we'll do one minute.
00:12:29
Zak
Yeah, like play what you want unless I deem it unacceptable.
00:12:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:12:32
Zak
And like, you know, I get it. it Maybe it's the it's the start of the end of the legacy. they're going to have a big rebuild. you You know, you've seen probably the last game out of a couple of the players potentially there. But like, it was just nice to see another team win something.
00:12:46
Zak
A team that deserves it. A team that's got passion, credible support.
00:12:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Unbelievable scenes from the Crystal Palace end, by the way.
00:12:51
Zak
100%. 100%. It was like, hundred percent it was like
00:12:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
and all it has to be said, as annoying as they are, Palace are one of the loudest sets of away fans that come to St Mary's. Palace and Liverpool, I'd say, are right up there.
00:13:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:13:04
Zak
yeah
00:13:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, yeah, fair play. oh
00:13:08
Zak
yeah like
00:13:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah I'd like see it.
00:13:09
Zak
you know we were We were there you know a year ago, admittedly completely different competition, um but you know the emotions of when that full-time whistle goes and you and you know the kind of just the how how amazing it feels.
00:13:22
Zak
But to for it to be sort of a major trophy, you know you're going to give them European football for the first time ever, like some of the individual story...
00:13:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:13:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
First time they've ever won the f FA Cup as well. Mad. Just incredible.
00:13:29
Zak
like
00:13:33
Zak
So, like, it's an utterly incredible achievement. know, it was kind of not expected because i remember when we first played at the beginning of the season, you know, they hadn't exactly had a good run of games. They were almost, you know, up they were there.
00:13:44
Zak
They were there alongside Wolves as well as the two others that had come up that might be relegated.
00:13:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
And as classic, they're genuinely going to finish 12th just to stick it to the meme. Like, unbelievably.
00:13:56
Zak
Yeah, so but you know i think that it's it's it's great for the game. i like Considering there was a worry that this season would have nothing but the losers who you'd expect to lose lost and the winners you'd expect to win win, right?
00:14:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:14:10
Zak
And then the fact of the matter is that that hasn't been the case. you know Both cups... And I don't know if it's because you know these other teams are not... spending as much time on the competition.
00:14:20
Zak
you know at one point, you you had a Man City had a rocky game. can't remember it was this for the Carabao or the FA Cup. Like, a rocky game against Leighton Orient of all teams, right?
00:14:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:14:29
Zak
So, yeah, I just think it was absolutely wonderful to see another team... do really, really well. And what that will mean for that club. What i hope it doesn't mean is that they end up doing the classic thing of building up a massive squad to deal with the fact they're going to have European football and then it causing
Fan Emotions & Unexpected Outcomes
00:14:46
Zak
their downfall because they've got too many players and it's a struggle to play that and the league and stuff. Because this is the other issue is the reason the bigger clubs end up staying in Europe for a significantly longer period of time is that they have the resources to sustain that, which is why their benches are so much better, which again perpetuates the problem we constantly talk about.
00:15:03
Zak
So we'll see. Hopefully that won't be the case. It's just nice to see either way.
00:15:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah for me it's For me, it's exactly what football's all about. You see the moments in the crowd, those fans. Those fans going remember that for a lifetime. It's fantastic.
00:15:14
Zak
yeah
00:15:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I I ah don't remember who it was that said it before the game, but I do remember reading it. It's like, Man City win the cup and those players were like, yeah, they won our 50, you know, we won another FA Cup.
00:15:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Those Crystal Palace players are in that so solidified in Crystal Palace history forever now. there you know There'll be people talking in 150 years about Dean Henderson and that penalty save.
00:15:39
Zak
yeah
00:15:45
Zak
Yeah, there's going to be kids talking about, like, there's going to be kids who are going grow up to be grandparents that are going to talk to their their grandkids about the fact that they were at that game. The same way that, like, our grandparents would talk to us about the games they went to.
00:15:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
you
00:15:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:15:58
Zak
and But, you know, it's incredible.
00:16:01
Zak
it's Again, it's hard to to explain to non-football people how it makes you feel and how incredible it actually is. So, fair play to them. Happy.
00:16:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:11
Zak
Happy to see it not go to the sea.
00:16:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:13
Zak
Thank you.
00:16:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely. Just feels like a prominent year where maybe we're getting a bit of football back after Pep Guardiola ruined it.
00:16:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right?
00:16:24
Zak
True, true. And speaking of the man that once stopped Pep Guardiola ruining football, we still live in Nathan Jones' head rent-free. I don't know if you saw you saw his post-match interview about his...
00:16:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
What dissing. What dissing.
00:16:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
wow
00:16:39
Zak
flamboyant actions, let's put it that way, during the playoff. And I can understand, however however you want to express yourself, um however you want express your religious beliefs or any of that kind of stuff, that's fine.
00:16:49
Zak
But like I think that you could tell there was a little bit of fear to there. and um And also the fact that he was like, well, when I went to a Premier League team, they didn't think I was good enough.
00:16:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:17:00
Zak
i've actually, know the one of the pound for pound, the best player. And I'm like, we were discussing about how I still don't think he understands that it wasn't the fact that we didn't think he had the credentials. It was an underwhelming signing, for sure.
00:17:13
Zak
Me and you both agree on that. It wasn't really to do with that.
00:17:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:17:15
Zak
It was how we went from, you know, Hassan Hootl was quite a nice guy who kind of was always nice to the fans. I still remember when he first came in and he basically did the little circling gesture after we lost to Cardiff City.
00:17:28
Zak
And he basically said, we're going to turn this around. And he did that season. And the contrast of that is you've got Nathan Jones who came in and within one of his first press conferences was mugging off the support. That is why he he went, because basically you you managed to get the entire turt fan base to unite.
00:17:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. keep this Actively abrasive. Yeah.
00:17:45
Zak
Yeah, you managed to get the whole fan base to unite around getting rid of you. but Incredible scenes, right?
00:17:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:17:53
Zak
That is why he went. so like you know And I know that you're going to be stuck between a rock and a hard place, because as much as you dislike Nathan Jones, you know your dad literally played for Charlton.
Playoff Memories & Financial Impacts
00:18:03
Zak
So...
00:18:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
100%, yeah. i' was I still want Charlton to get promoted because, yeah, that's what want.
00:18:08
Zak
a A weird, like, I talk about my granddad having the FA Cup mug for a Southampton being, like, one of the football credentials I've got. Your dad was literally professional footballer, mate.
00:18:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I know.
00:18:20
Zak
yeah
00:18:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Unbelievable. Yeah, great to see Charlton doing well. Horrible to see Nathan Jones involved in it.
00:18:27
Zak
It just...
00:18:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Swing some roundabouts.
00:18:28
Zak
Yeah, but but if if they...
00:18:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
he That's the thing, though, because there are other ex-Saints managers in football where irrelevant are feelings towards them. You just watch them win. Yeah, fair enough.
00:18:40
Zak
Yeah.
00:18:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
But i it's unbearable to watch Nathan Jones win because of his antics. like you You watch that Charlton playoff and you know five minutes of him jumping around and throwing himself on his knees, I'm like...
00:18:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:18:54
Zak
ask that's that's what's going to be remembered about the playoff final. That's the problem.
00:18:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:18:58
Zak
It shouldn't, you shouldn't be about, you know, and he's saying, oh, it's all, it's all because I wanted to, you know, express myself and express my religion. That's that again, perfectly acceptable, however you want to do that. But you need to understand that if you are going to put all of the attention on you,
00:19:11
Zak
People are going to... You're going have that attention. That's what if I find baffling about it. And, you know, it's not it's also not him that's done it realistically. You have to give some credence to your players. Your players are the ones executing your game plan without them doing the work. You wouldn't have that.
00:19:24
Zak
Plus, they've not won yet. But for me, it would be incredible if you if they get promoted, Greg.
00:19:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:19:29
Zak
And the simple reason why is... We're going to have so many derbies next year. The Nathan Jones dar derby, like the actual South Coast derby.
00:19:39
Zak
If Russell Martin comes back in and takes over the baggies, mate, the Russell Martin derby.
00:19:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:44
Zak
It's going incredible.
00:19:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:45
Zak
Absolutely incredible. It's going to awesome.
00:19:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
I, for one, hope that Charlton get promoted because what an incredible excuse to take my kids to see the ground where my dad played football.
00:19:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
What a crazy day out that could be.
00:19:57
Zak
That's nuts. I don't know if you've ever had those conversations with your boy yet, mate, but that's got to be such a weird conversation to have as he gets older and starts to get more. know he's starting to play at a youth level, but that's so cool.
00:20:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:20:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:20:10
Zak
That's so cool.
00:20:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right. We've got more football chit-chat to get to, 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.
00:20:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
With 4K video recording from your phone, and AI editing that automatically removes all those ums and ahs, it's super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently. If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description and learn more about Zencaster.
00:20:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Zach, what is it about playoff football that brings out these incredible moments? Because I can't think of a... I think I've watched at least 45 minutes of most of the playoff games so far, and they have all been incredibly entertaining.
00:20:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like...
00:21:00
Zak
but so When we're talking about the we about the Coventry Coventry Who'd they play? Why have I forgotten? Why has that left my head? I was literally watching the entire game.
00:21:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Was it Sunderland? No.
00:21:11
Zak
Yeah, Coventry Sunderland. Thank you, Greg. That was awful. ah ah it's it's a combination of things right like we we discussed it if it was it happens every year but if it was for something like if it was like the mls or like the super bowl and like if it was american football like the actual final for though for that is is a is big but the playoffs aren't as important but like i think that for the way for working your way up like the d the English like football league ladder and I think just working your way up leagues like that, there is so much at stake.
00:21:43
Zak
There is so much of importance. there is you know It can change the entirety of the fortunes of football clubs, right? like There is a lot of emotion behind, say, an FA Cup win, but when you're getting promoted, it's like the money that comes with it, the prestige.
00:21:55
Zak
and Not a lot of people would have known about wet like Luton Town until they got into the Premier League. like They ended up having Ross Barkley pay for them for a little bit.
00:22:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:22:04
Zak
Like, that's a sad story of how it can go wrong. We were also, at one point, a sad story of how it can go wrong. But I think it's like, there is just so, so much there, and there's so much at stake, and the emotions get so high, and then, like, it it can produce moments of magic, because I think that, like, players will, especially towards the end of games, like the end of the Sunderland game and and things like that, like, there are moments of...
00:22:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. Hmm.
00:22:29
Zak
well, I just need to try. So people will try maybe things they wouldn't usually try, and then it will pay off in either the most spectacular way.
00:22:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:22:35
Zak
Or sometimes like, like watching city pump the ball towards crystal palace as much as they could towards the end of the game. You know, they brought on a 17, 18 year old Brazilian guy as they, they clearly hoped that the narrative would be that he would score, get, get them to penalties and maybe there'd be crystal palace on penalties.
00:22:54
Zak
And that could be that narrative. And that could, have been the narrative. That could have changed the way that game went, but it didn't. that It was all around the fact that, you know, Palace had you know of somebody that was once let go, almost like from from previous academies, struggled to get into professional football, was the one to score the goal. So,
00:23:12
Zak
I think it's just the the grand stories around it. It's almost like it it combines the pageantry of like wrestling with the actual sport of football because like people care.
00:23:24
Zak
You care. You want to see your your your crowd. The crowd get a buzz. like We were there for the for the West Brom playoff and we've talked about this before. like I still don't think I've ever matched the level of electricity.
00:23:35
Zak
like Even at the final, there was just something in the air.
00:23:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
was just, yeah, it was just a, literally, but like from the moment, literally walking through the concourse to get to the seats, you felt it. It was just a buzz.
00:23:47
Zak
yeah
00:23:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
I can't, it's gnar, isn't it?
00:23:49
Zak
it's, it's, it's how, it's how I started. I'd never previously understood how mob mentality worked. Right.
00:23:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:23:56
Zak
I'd always kind of thought that I would stand up against mob mentality. I kind of get it now because it's intoxicating and you become part of this, this bigger movement.
00:24:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:24:05
Zak
but I think it's just that there's so much at stake. It means usually so much to the cities around you. If, if, you know, investment can be put back into that club, investment can be put into the area, of the city, it puts, it puts a place on a map that people would usually never know or go to that,
00:24:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:24:19
Zak
it's there, there is so much about the football. Obviously for most people, it is solely about the football, watching their club go and play in these bigger leagues. And like, it's, if you ask me, would I trade this awful season for us to stay in the championship? And even if the logical thing actually would have been, we had another year or two in the championship to build.
00:24:37
Zak
No, because like,
Corporate Influence vs Fan Experience
00:24:39
Zak
I wouldn't have been able to experience those moments and they were worth it.
00:24:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Those moments were so worth it. Yeah.
00:24:42
Zak
And I don't don't
00:24:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
And you've got to have the lows to appreciate the highs as well.
00:24:44
Zak
Correct. so That's the other thing.
00:24:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
one
00:24:45
Zak
I just,
00:24:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Talking about like the importance of games, I've just remembered something I saw on actually i saw it on a non-football related page on social media. But someone put on there that it was their
00:25:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
consecutive football cup final, presumably because they're club Wembley or something. And they go to presumably all of the league cup and FA cup and maybe trophy. Who knows?
00:25:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
I didn't, and didn't bother looking into the rest of that to how that got to that number. But all of the comments were like unhinged, like gatekeeping.
00:25:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
And like, I get that corporate allocations for games are ridiculous to a degree.
00:25:32
Zak
Yes, true.
00:25:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
But Should that mean that we gatekeep anyone who's not a fan of either club, like be chastised for going to a game? Like, is it that much of a problem to want to be someone that enjoys the experience of finals to involve themselves in both atmospheres?
00:25:52
Zak
It's one of those things that... um um Another analogy you could use is like somebody that goes to a five-star restaurant and starts eating eating there every week. right and know if you've There's a film horror film called The Menu. now this is actually I know this is a classic me going off on a tangent, but I will we'll try and keep it tied to it.
00:26:09
Zak
but In that film, like one of the there's one of the people that are invited to this exclusive showing, it's a horror film, so I'll let you fill in the blanks of what happens at the end. but like to To try this exclusive menu, they're asked the question of like what was something they ate there, like previously.
00:26:25
Zak
And their answer was salmon or something like that. And they were like, no, it it wasn't. you You genuinely can't remember anything you've eaten here because you've eaten here so often and it's become such a numb experience. like it's it's like that It's the same with the guy that celebrates Christmas every day. like does it...
00:26:41
Zak
but it it stops being special. I think if you are to do something that much and also if you've been 71 times, yeah, I think for for some people, it really depends.
00:26:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Does it go? If you're a neutral and you're enjoying like each unique experience, like I'm sure that that person can...
00:26:51
Zak
Like I don't want to keep a,
00:26:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
list all of those 71 games and maybe be a key moment and like the things they took from that atmosphere.
00:27:03
Zak
that That person seems to be somebody that is a fan and has gone to 71 consecutive cup finals as somebody that and wants to enjoy it. The problem that you're talking about is that's different. It's Corpo tickets. And Corpo tickets, you can have people that go and you'll watch them in the stands because they will pan to these people.
00:27:18
Zak
And they will be sat on their phones for most of the game. they They are there because it's an afternoon out for them, as opposed to when you've got people who are fans that don't get to go, that are having to watch it at home because their family can't afford it.
00:27:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:27:30
Zak
They didn't get the allocation. like We know enough people. They didn't get to go to the the you know the Saints' payoff finals. and like But I am also somebody that... received a corporate ticket, which meant that I was in this weird minority where I was standing up and screaming and shouting along beside this other guy about two seats in front of me.
00:27:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:27:49
Zak
And everyone around me kind of looked like I was insane because they were there.
00:27:53
Zak
They picked the Saints side because they've they've got ties to Southampton.
00:27:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
I just...
00:27:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
I feel like the anger's misplaced. Like, I don't think people should be angry at this man.
00:28:01
Zak
No, completely. The anger is misplaced. But I think what the problem is, is that this guy is is is kind of almost, he is just going, oh, I love being able to go and watch all of this.
00:28:12
Zak
And then people are like, there is going to be just a jealousy there, 100%.
00:28:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:28:15
Zak
But the jealousy is caused by the fact that they are putting more tickets towards
00:28:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
holy
00:28:20
Zak
corporates and more tickets that are allocated for, you know, companies and bits and pieces. And that's, and it's that thing we talk about where it's the corporatization of football upsets people, because like a lot of the people are going, are not invested in the sport.
00:28:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
you
00:28:34
Zak
They're not invested in enjoying as much. And it's kind of like, well, I would give my left arm to go and you've got this geezer up there. That's just here on a jolly, but also the problem at that point is corporations in general, right?
00:28:46
Zak
That's always going to be the case. So
00:28:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
and It's fascinating to me, though, because and in contrast, last year I was lucky enough to go with brother-in-law, who who went to university in Bath, so became a Bath rugby fan.
00:29:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
And they they got to the the Gallagher Premier League final. I was lucky enough to go with the kids and with him. And we went and watched the rugby final. And the contrast there was mad because...
00:29:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
and All of the teams in the Gallagher Premier League, all of the shirts were represented by people walking around just men and about, just enjoying the occasion of the final. And it was just such a pleasant event.
00:29:23
Zak
Yeah, but that's also part of what makes football different, the level of tribalism within football. You might be able to sit next to a Pompey fan with a Pompey shirt on a Saints shirt, but if you do that, they've put aside £250,000 to police those games.
00:29:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:29:44
Zak
Because because there's two there's too much there in football that isn't in rugby, right? There's too much, I think, rivalry. you've got you could mean There are people who have done dissertations and whole parts of the history of football, and especially football hooliganism and football violence and stuff.
00:30:02
Zak
But like the reason these people are getting so angry is the same reason that people shout at the club social media guy. When the club social media guy puts out a half-funny tweet, people are like, this is disgusting. It's because it's a visible face of something that they're annoyed about.
00:30:15
Zak
The visible face is they are annoyed that this guy has been 71 times and they might not be how to go once. And they feel like that guy is taking a ticket away from a normal fan. He isn't. He's taking another corporate ticket. But then the point is there should be less corporate tickets.
00:30:30
Zak
And I think that to contrast it with a completely different sport that, you know, is is different different because like... If you look at the types, you know, when you're going to a Wembley for a final of that level of importance, we've talked about the electricity we felt.
00:30:44
Zak
Do you think, you know, if when my wife came with me and she she had a great time, but it didn't mean as much to her as it did to me.
00:30:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:30:51
Zak
And I i know that. And that's fine. And like, that's what I think that if a guy's been to 71 times as a neutral, you went to the League Two player finals in the box in Wembley.
00:31:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:31:00
Zak
You forgot that you also did that.
00:31:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:31:03
Zak
but like and like Again, because you were all in all in the nice corpo bit, you got all of the hospitality, it was lovely, and this, and the other.
00:31:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
What a wonderful time.
00:31:09
Zak
But that's because they've separated you from down in the stands. But if it was Saints, wouldn't you want to be with the fans?
00:31:17
Zak
You tell me that...
00:31:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
100%.
00:31:18
Zak
Right, so that...
00:31:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
I would not be able to sit in the Royal Box at Wembley in a Saints game. I would be not to be appropriate.
00:31:24
Zak
Well, there you go. And i think I think that's where, and that's obviously probably what causes the frustration is that you're seeing all these people get to go to the games that they were given arm for. it's not their fault, but it doesn't stop people from being angry. And as you know, as much as I do, people will say anything on social media if they're mad.
00:31:41
Zak
You don't forget, like, it's not like they're screaming in the guy's face about it.
00:31:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:31:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:31:44
Zak
It's not like, you know, the guy was probably not going like bragging, bragging.
00:31:47
Zak
he was just like, oh, this is a pretty cool aspect of my life.
00:31:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:31:50
Zak
And yet the problem is, is it's going to annoy people and people are going to feel like they they can comment on it and they are going to comment on it.
00:31:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:31:57
Zak
But I don't know if it means that, you know, I don't think it means that they're less entitled to enjoy it, but it's going to rattle people, I think is the point, right?
00:32:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was just... It was a fascinating cross-section to me or From a non-football page, the the response he got was not what i It's not how i responded, i guess.
00:32:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like...
00:32:20
Zak
But you you respond logically to that.
00:32:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm like, all blu finals
00:32:22
Zak
You think stuff's cool.
00:32:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
71 finals. That's a bit mental. Why would you do that? I don't know if I would enjoy watching. But then again, i am a person who has gone to watch games of football with teams I don't support and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
00:32:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, yeah.
00:32:36
Zak
Yeah, and and it's it's it's a couple of times, but i think that I think also the big difference with what you're talking about is like you go to a random league game to watch a couple of teams. like you know People do that, they go abroad. like I've been to it, I think I mentioned it before. I went to go see Anderlichten Club Bruges play when I was in Belgium, like a decade ago at this point. know That was a really cool experience. It was nice to experience a European stadium.
00:32:55
Zak
It was nice to experience sort of like drinking in the ground without any issue.
00:32:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh
00:32:58
Zak
yeah The ultras there were very sort of different to to sort of the the hardcore fans over here. and like All of that stuff was was really, really cool. But I'm i'm not taking up a space in the playoff like final or the final.
00:33:10
Zak
And although the corporate space would be just filled with another corporate person, I think it's the issue that corporate tickets like that exist where people could just go and it doesn't mean anything to them. And yes, it might mean, you know, it's like if you went to go and see a play about something that I really cared about.
00:33:25
Zak
Actually, an even a better analogy, Greg, Taylor Swift tickets. So i where was it? Well, I was. So we i was in I was getting tattooed quite recently. I've added to my tattoo.
00:33:36
Zak
Sleep one of my arms. If you're on YouTube, you can see it's a nice little frog guy. That's just me plugging my tattoo. artist, El Chabo Tutti. And I was sat next to this guy and he was talking about how he was he was he was like, oh, John, John, you work events, don you don't you? like ah vt You work events occasionally. He was like, yeah, yeah, i don't buy work events. Why?
00:33:55
Zak
i've got one I've got one coming up in Liverpool if you want to do it. It's about like, you know, three nights. Oh, yeah, sure, sure. Sure, what is it? so Oh, it's Taylor Swift. And I'd never heard of her. And like my ears have immediately pricked up because like the the amount of pain I had to go through to get these tickets, mate.
00:34:10
Zak
the like ah the The fact that the hotel cost me more than the tickets. And then I somehow ended up paying... about half of that for a hotel the night before that was still more expensive than tickets and felt, oh, I've actually come off of this. All right.
00:34:24
Zak
But he was like, she'd done off put on a show. But yeah, what i was, what wanted to say was that band before Parable, they were excellent because Parable playing in the studio. And when somebody
Social Media Reactions & Podcast Wrap-Up
00:34:33
Zak
said that, so it was, but it was like completely blew my mind because like you would have Swifties on the forums, tear that man apart.
00:34:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:34:42
Zak
He was just there for work and got to see a free show.
00:34:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:34:45
Zak
and And this is the thing is you can't... Those sort of situations, you're never going to be able to please people. But I think it's i think it's the the corporate allocation of tickets is the problem here.
00:34:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:34:55
Zak
The fact that people feel like it should be only true fans that are entitled. It comes back to the whole problem that we even talked about where, you know, watching Man City at St. Mary's, half of the fans of the stand were not Southampton fans. You know that for a fact.
00:35:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:35:09
Zak
That becomes annoying. You kind of... and It's weird because it's for you, for your club... you get annoyed about it. But, what you know, if it was if it was a playoff final, Greg, that was our playoff final, you'd probably be more slightly annoyed. But again, you've reacted in a logical way and you haven't looked at that post, been rattled by what they've said and then decided to just chuck vitro at them. Because...
00:35:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:35:32
Zak
Because that's what people do. That's just how people deal with stuff, right?
00:35:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:35:35
Zak
They're annoyed at it. ah you know it's the Again, it's like us tweeting out about the Darby points cap record. It's objectively funny, but it's also a bit disgraceful because it's like you shouldn't making those jokes.
00:35:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
like
00:35:46
Zak
And the problem is, is that people are shouting to this guy. This social media intern's probably about 21. Like, He's like, why are you tweeting that? I'm sick of seeing photos of training. It's like, what would you rather me do, John?
00:35:56
Zak
Upload a photo of like, of of like, you know, Ivan Jurich sat there opening a tin of beans because he's refusing to eat any real food until they get a win.
00:35:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:36:04
Zak
Like, it's content for content's sake.
00:36:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:36:07
Zak
That's how, that's how you have to be. You have to keep, you know, we do it.
00:36:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely. All right, well...
00:36:13
Zak
Mate, this, this unlocked something it in me.
00:36:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
a Okay, well... That is just about all we've got time for today.
00:36:20
Zak
oh
00:36:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Give us your hate in the comments. Let us know. We're here for it.
00:36:28
Zak
Oh, please don't. We're sensitive souls. Hmm.
00:36:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let us know in the quest. What your thoughts on on people who just want to go and see finals? Is that acceptable in football? I don't know.
00:36:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's an interesting one. I feel like there's a real line to tread there.
00:36:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's for sure. you very much for joining us today. We'll be back tomorrow with some more football blabber for sure. Thank you very much for listening, Zach. Thank you for joining me.
00:36:47
Zak
a
00:36:58
Zak
Always, mate. Thank you.
00:36:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
We'll see you tomorrow.