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That Saturday Feeling - your weekly sideways look at soccer - Epoisode 17.
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Join your hosts Ken Davies and Nick Britten for your weekly sideways take on all things Soccer - Part of the Global Sports Podcast Network.
This week we look at the World Cup 2026, Nick has a rant about fans who prioritise league positions over winning a cup, Ken has a rant about the difference between "will" and "can", while the lads pick their most overrated player. Plus the usual prediction league - the race for the title is hotting up!
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Transcript
Introduction to the Podcast
00:00:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Welcome, welcome, bienvenue.
00:00:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right.
00:00:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
What's going on there? Anyway, yeah you would have picked up by now, every club, every day, it's Global Sports Podcast Network. And this is, that's how you feel it, version 17.
00:00:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
seventeen So you think after 17, we might have got the intro right, but there you go. so There's always something to surprise you. So this is your leisurely cruise through all things soccer, football.
00:00:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
And... Your captain, as we navigate our way through the tributaries and meanderings of the great river that is football, is myself, Ken Davis, and the captain of the ship, the Terror of the Open Seas, the person up the creek without a paddle, the old pirate himself.
00:01:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's Nicky the Pirate Britain. How are
Derby County's Surprising Success
00:01:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
you doing? You'd been a good pirate, Nick.
00:01:11
Nick Britten
All right. i had a horrible moment you're going to introduce me as your first boy there for a moment. ah So I'll settle for the pirate. Thank you very much.
00:01:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
you are You are a bit of a pirate.
00:01:19
Nick Britten
I'll sail for the power.
00:01:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
So anyway, talking about pirates, well, no, we're not really talking about pirates, but there was last night watching the football, Derby County against whoever they were playing, Preston.
00:01:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
was Preston, wasn't it? Shocking game. One of the worst games of football I think I've ever experienced in my life. the first The first half literally made me maybe maybe question some of the choices I've made in my life that led me to this point.
00:01:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then it all changed in the second half and Derby have won four out four. They lost a million out of a million halfway through this season. Now they've won four out of four. Looks like they're going to get out of trouble.
00:01:58
Nick Britten
Yes, as they say in the the famous Bill and Ted's amazing adventure, strange things are afoot at Circle K. Because I'll tell you something, strange foot three things are afoot at Pride Park. what was going on? Four wins out of four, having lost, as you say, or not won in about 13 games. Relegation looks all but nailed on.
00:02:19
Nick Britten
um Change of manager, change of fortune. And here we are out of the relegation zone for the first time in feels what is a very, very
Wrexham's Promotion Chances: Mixed Feelings
00:02:27
Nick Britten
long time. And things are are looking up.
00:02:30
Nick Britten
It wasn't a great game. I think that's fair to say. I think you've probably hit the nail on the head. But frankly, Derby now is so good. All we need to do is turn up for five minutes in the game, score two goals and go home. Simple as that.
00:02:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Preston looked like they could have played for about a week and not scored. Derby...
00:02:44
Nick Britten
Yeah, I thought they were poor. They played decent football. They locked the ball around quite well, but nothing in the final third. And to be honest, after... So what happened was, it was 0-0 at halftime, and was an incredibly dull, drab game.
00:02:57
Nick Britten
Derby came out, obviously, with a flea in their ear around doing things a little quicker and with a little bit more intensity. scored two goals in the first seven minutes of the half, and then really just sat back and killed the game and and said to Preston, what have you got?
00:03:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:03:10
Nick Britten
And the answer is absolutely nothing. Preston had nothing whatsoever to offer, and it was a very comfortable win in the end, if not if not that easy on the eye. But you know what?
00:03:21
Nick Britten
ah Right here, right now, i will take not easy on the eye if it makes if it means three points every single day of the week.
00:03:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
I agree with you. And to be honest, I'm rooting for Derby like I've never rooted for Derby before because of the imminent arrival in the championship of two other teams, Leicester, who I detest.
00:03:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Wrexham, who I adore. And I so want one league, first time in my lifetime, that includes Leicester, Derby and Wrexham in the same competition. That's just goingnna be going to be like a festival of football, isn't it?
00:04:00
Nick Britten
Well, do you know what? 99.9% of me, obviously, as a lifelong Derby County supporter and a season ticket holder for far, far, far too many years, ah want Derby to stay up and remain the championship.
00:04:13
Nick Britten
However, ah point one of me can't face the prospect, cannot face the prospect of your smug, insufferable face if Wrexham get promoted, come to Pride Park and win, which they inevitably will.
00:04:26
Nick Britten
ah I just won't be able to hack it. So do you know what? It looks like Wrexham are going up. They had a little bit of a wobble, but Wickham have slipped away.
00:04:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:04:34
Nick Britten
Wrexham, I think, you're going to finish second. Birmingham are miles ahead. they've They've won the league already. um And if if it went Wrexham 2 up, do go up, the Derby do stay up, they'll be part of me wishing I really wish they hadn't because you are going to be such a pain in the backside next season.
00:04:49
Nick Britten
You really are.
00:04:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
and Well, depends how we do, of course. ah I'm thinking will be a hard transition for us. But I have to say, watching Derby Preston last night, I was thinking, we could live with this standard. Well, me and you could live with that standard.
00:04:59
Nick Britten
Yeah.
00:05:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, Wrexham would definitely be okay. I think, from what I've seen of the Championship, I've seen a bit of it, we're a mid-table team, Wrexham, today.
00:05:06
Nick Britten
yeah
00:05:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I suspect if they spend some money, they could be better than that. But, you know, let's get ourselves there. Wickham have got a really tough run in. They've got, I think, the teams in fifth, sixth and seventh away.
00:05:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah We've got an easier run in. We're three points ahead of them.
00:05:27
Nick Britten
They've just dropped off. They've just dropped off. You beat Wickham not long ago, and that was that was the key.
00:05:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, be some correction, yeah.
00:05:32
Nick Britten
That was the absolute key. that was ah That was a sliding doors moment of the season for you, I think.
00:05:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Come on, Wrexham. So, okay, ah what we've got on the agenda today is couple of things.
Overrated Footballers Debate
00:05:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
I want to talk about overrated players, something in my mind triggered last week.
00:05:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I want to see your most overrated player, Nick. I'm going to talk about my overrated players. one of the things we also want to talk about is World Cup qualification. It's kind of going under people's radars, but, you know, it's not very far away now. It's just over a year to the World Cup, and it's going to be a completely different World Cup.
00:06:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
And me and Nick du something have another podcast called Road to World Cup 26, which now we're just releasing episode five. It's an amazingly fascinating journey through all the tributaries of world football.
00:06:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
But it's going to be a very different World Cup. And there's a lot happening already. Qualification is taking place. There are teams already qualified. We're going to be talking about that. Nick's got a rant.
00:06:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've got a rant. We've got to do predictions as well. And so there's lot to get through. So first things first, overrated footballers, Nick, if there was one particular footballer you think is doesn't justify his position in everybody's accolades, who would it be?
00:06:49
Nick Britten
Well, we went for one one kind of UK player and one global player. So I've gone for a global player in my massively overrated. And I've got to say, a player who absolutely winds me up every single time I see him play. I cannot stand him.
00:07:04
Nick Britten
I don't get the fuss. I don't get the adulation. don't get the glory. ah And that player is Neymar. Now, Neymar is a pain in the backside.
00:07:16
Nick Britten
He fancies himself around a pitch, he's flitting around here or there. If you so much look at him from 30 yards, he screams like a girl, rolls around on the ground, clutching every bit of his body, claiming this, that and the other.
00:07:29
Nick Britten
He dives. he's He's not actually very good in terms of that elite, really elite level that we all expected him to be. So, look, let's – but he is a very good player. let's let's Let's get this straight. He's a really good player.
00:07:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
He'd get in the Derby team, wouldn't he?
00:07:42
Nick Britten
You his club record of, of yeah, 294 goals in 498 games tells you how good he is.
00:07:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's be honest.
00:07:49
Nick Britten
he's He's performed well. Okay, I'm going to use that word. Well, that's as far as I'm going to go with with Barcelona and with PSG. ah But the reality is, is when he came out of Santos, he was meant to be the man to take Messi's place on the global stage, the man to take Ronaldo's place on the global stage. He was meant to be at that level.
00:08:12
Nick Britten
He was meant to be the Brazilian footballer who finally usurped Pele. And what's he won? Not very much is the answer to that.
00:08:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:08:23
Nick Britten
So he's good enough to have made at a really, really ah high level club-wise. but at that really, really elite level as a player to absolutely dominate the game.
00:08:35
Nick Britten
A player who, by way, has had 400 million euros spent on him in transfers fees. So that's, what, $440 million dollars in the US, 340 million pounds here in the UK.
00:08:49
Nick Britten
um And he just hasn't lived up to the hype. It's as simple as that. And it's not only that he... And I think the thing that annoys me, why I think why i think he's massively overrated is because... He looks like he should be good. I think we all know he's got it in him.
00:09:03
Nick Britten
But he spends too much time on Instagram and doing fancy little posts and this, that and other on social media. He spends too much time diving around, pretending he's been shot. Yeah, what does he want at PSG? Well, he's won a load of domestic titles. Ken, I could play for PSG and win a load of domestic titles.
00:09:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:09:18
Nick Britten
Yeah, I could. Because anybody who plays for PSG is going to win the league and is going to win the the domestic cups. um Fair play to him.
00:09:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's not a measure of success, is it?
00:09:25
Nick Britten
He won the... Not really, no. No, he has won the Champions League. He won the Champions League with with Barcelona but once. yeah Bear in mind that Jose Basingua, that famed Chelsea left-back who was laughed out a club, has won the Champions League twice.
00:09:41
Nick Britten
Neymar's only ever won it once um with Barcelona in their brilliant team of 2015. And they were a brilliant team then. ah And that's it. He's won nothing with Brazil. He was laughed out of Qatar, by the way, along with the Brazilian teammates who spent most their time dancing and not enough time playing football.
00:10:01
Nick Britten
and um And he's now playing in in Saudi Pro League. So good luck to him in the Saudi Pro League.
00:10:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
There you go, Neymar, that's put the kibosh in his career.
00:10:07
Nick Britten
But yeah, most overrated player in the world. Yeah, most overrated player in the world in my book, Neymar.
00:10:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
All right. i'll I'll second that. Well, I'm going to go i'm going to go with the more domestic one, but of a similar ilk in a way. And you you mentioned them the Messi comparison.
00:10:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
This started with a Messi comparison in the sense of, and I'm talking about Jack Grealish.
00:10:29
Nick Britten
you It's like a room place.
00:10:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
He was talking about as being tim that the Brummie Messi. ah He isn't. Now, Grealish, let's talk about Grealish. Grealish,
00:10:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
What is his record? Obviously attacking midfielder. We all know. Always plays on the left as a right footed player. Never worked that out. And we'll come back to that in a second. Famous for for falling over. winnings Wins a lot of free kicks.
00:10:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
And famous for his calves. Have you seen his calves? I mean, they're not calves.
00:11:00
Nick Britten
Yeah, I've seen it.
00:11:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
They're fully grown cattle.
00:11:02
Nick Britten
um
00:11:05
Nick Britten
Yeah, they are. They are. They're so big, you can't fit any socks or shin pads anywhere near them.
00:11:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's...
00:11:11
Nick Britten
Shin pads see his legs and just run away.
00:11:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, he's like the reverse Popeye.
00:11:14
Nick Britten
Just going, I don't need it. Yeah, don't need it.
00:11:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, so...
00:11:17
Nick Britten
Don't need it.
00:11:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
but it but so This is the thing. so So really strong right foot, absolutely only stands on his left foot. and He plays on plays on the left. He has got to be the easiest player to defend against in the Premier League because all you have got to do is show him outside and you know light a cigarette you know because he's not doing anything else, is he?
00:11:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
You show him outside, he ain't doing anything apart from passing it behind him.
00:11:46
Nick Britten
Yeah, i'm going to say I'm going to stop you very briefly, if i may, ah because um if you listen to that Saturday feeling a couple of weeks ago, we did a a little little bit on football parlance, and um showing him outside is a great is a great bit of football parlance, which to the uninitiated, thing that doesn't mean he's he's taking him outside the stadium.
00:11:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank
00:12:04
Nick Britten
You want to look around the car park. That's not what it means. What it means is if you're a right-footed player playing on the left, essentially you'll get the ball. You won't run down the wing because it means you've got to cross the ball with your left foot. It means you you cut inside the player so you can play with the right foot. So showing him the outside means showing him down the wing, so forcing him to play on his weaker foot.
00:12:23
Nick Britten
Just a lot of clear
00:12:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you. Thank you, Nick, for that explanation. That's what I mean. If you're showing him inside, you're in trouble because he's ah suddenly on his on his stronger right foot, he's going to whip it into the far post. Show him outside and relax because he ain't doing anything.
00:12:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, you know, look at his record. um It's really good comparison. You should compare with Neymar. think you said 294 goals,
00:12:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Look at Grealish's record. Villa, 29 goals in 185 games. That's 6.4 games a goal. ah He went on loan to Notts County.
00:13:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
He scored five goals in 37. So that's seven games per goal. Man City has appeared 91 times, 12 goals,
00:13:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Goals, at games per goal. So for a player of Grealish's capability, if he played for a whole 38-game season, he gets five goals.
00:13:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
That ain't cutting it. That ain't cutting it. And for a player who was sold to City in August 1921 for £100 million, the most expensive for a domestic player...
00:13:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's appalling. His England records know better. Four goals in 39 games. that's That's a goal every 10 games. What I'm saying is Jack Grealish, love his calves, love his hair.
00:13:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm just a little bit envious of his hair. I get that. But ah chop an absolutely top-ranked footballer, he is not. So that's my yeah that's my most overrated player.
00:14:07
Nick Britten
Yeah, no i think no, I think that's fair.
00:14:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
What you think?
00:14:09
Nick Britten
Yeah, no, I concur with you because the other thing is to look at People will be shouting at this going, well, it's not about the goals. It's about the assists. It's about the assists. He's got 28 assists in the Premier League. Well, to be honest, De Bruyne manages that in half a season.
00:14:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's a season.
00:14:25
Nick Britten
Yeah, yeah. No, it's not. To me, Grealish strikes me as a real one-trick pony. he'llll As you say, he'll shuffle down. He'll run down the left. He'll shuffle. He'll stop. He'll step inside, and he's got very quick feet, by the way. he'll he'll He'll wait for you to touch him, and he'll go down screaming and win your free kick.
00:14:41
Nick Britten
That's his game. That is his game in a nutshell. and And there's a reason why he no longer is in the Man City team, and he's been mooted for a transfer in the summer. there's no There's a reason why he's no longer in the England set-up.
00:14:52
Nick Britten
And that's because he just isn't as good as everybody thought he was going to be. hasn't He hasn't reached his potential. bit were saying about Neymar, he's not reached his potential for being a world dominator. correct Jack Grealish hasn't reached his potential you know on the on the national stage or club stage. of It'll be very interesting to see where he's playing his football next season because I doubt it'll Manchester City.
00:15:12
Nick Britten
Will he be back at Villa? Maybe. um No, you're you're wrinkling your nose up.
00:15:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
maybe that's know ah ah then I I know.
00:15:16
Nick Britten
Where do you think it iss going to end up?
00:15:21
Nick Britten
Wrexham win the championship.
00:15:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
I can see him doing it. No, I can see him doing at at a decent turn for club like Everton or something like that. ah I think villa Villa will have moved on. I think they've got better options now. But, ah yeah, be interesting to see. You're right.
00:15:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, by the way, we need to do a rant. we're talking about rants. We'll do one in the next couple of weeks about when did screaming become acceptable in the English Premier League? I mean, that's...
00:15:49
Nick Britten
Well, it's acceptable. It's acceptable everywhere. I watch a lot of grassroots. I watch a lot non-league football as well. And ah because my lad plays non-league football and they do it non-league football as well. Because it's just to get the referee's attention and make it sound like the foul was far worse than it was.
00:15:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Wow. Well, we're going
00:16:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
to have to... Yeah, interesting. Right, OK. So they're two players that we've absolutely destroyed the reputations and professional futures of. We're now going to talk about the World
Excitement for 2026 World Cup
00:16:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Cup.
00:16:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, ah Nick, just give us a give little bit of an intro into what you're looking forward to World Cup.
00:16:15
Nick Britten
definite It is worth it. It is worth it.
00:16:20
Nick Britten
I will. Before we move on, it is worth saying one of the great things about Grealish is he's definitely a great bloke. Because he went, do you remember, you know, he goes ahead on the lash. He celebrated when Manchester City won the Champions League. role he He didn't save up for about a week.
00:16:34
Nick Britten
You thought the Newcastle celebrations were over the top the other day. Grealish wasn't seen for a week. I think he'd be brilliant company. I think he'd be brilliant. kind And he is a brilliant footballer. Let's face it. He's a brilliant footballer at a level, at a level.
00:16:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Stop backtracking. Stop backtracking.
00:16:48
Nick Britten
At a level. No, you're the one who ranted against him. um But that level is not as good as... I think the reason why we say he's overrated, because everybody think he every thought he'd star for Man City and star for England, and he hasn't.
00:16:58
Nick Britten
Anyway, what are we looking forward to the World Cup? Well, I'm looking forward to the World Cup full stop, because I think it's going to be an absolutely brilliant competition, because there's loads more teams. There's an extra round being shoved in because there are no more teams.
00:17:10
Nick Britten
I think the field is wide open. It really is wide open. It would be very difficult to to pin right here, right now,
00:17:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:17:17
Nick Britten
who next year ah is going to be the favourites to win it because there's lots of teams and and countries who are going through their diva divut melod yeah development stages. That's what i was trying to say.
00:17:28
Nick Britten
And it could be it could be a tournament where finally we get a bit of an outsider to win it, although that doesn't normally happen in the end. But, to Ken, what are your what are your thoughts? Tell us about what's going on in the USA, Canada and Mexico World Cup 26.
00:17:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
What it is? It is completely different. So, you know, whatever you've seen in the World Cup in the past, you forget it. This is going to be totally different and it's going to have a lot of those weird little games between teams you've never heard of or never you've never seen. They're playing each other in front of the world on a world stage. So,
00:18:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
So firstly, it's 48 teams. So it's, you know, it always has been, well, most recently 32. So there's 16 more than the previous seven tournaments. and Absolutely radical change.
00:18:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
So you get 48 teams. They're split into 12 groups. Um, And so you've got four teams and you've got three games played in each group. And then the top two from each of those 12 groups qualify, ah which is 24 teams.
00:18:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then you've got the eight best third placed finishers. That gives you 32. So for the first time in World Cup history, we have a round of 32, then a 16, then an eight, then a four and then a final.
00:18:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
So. You know, eight games in total for the winner. So it's going to be fascinating. And we've been doing this deep dive into all the different confederations in FIFA on wo up the road to World Cup 26. There's some teams there that are really going to startle a few people. it's going to be It's going to be an absolute festival of football. I'm really, really looking forward to seeing these teams that we wouldn't normally get to see.
00:19:06
Nick Britten
It will. It'll be really good. um'm um I'm really looking forward to it. excited. and And from a selfish perspective, in other words, from from an England supporter's perspective, and i'm I'm hoping for big things, if I'm honest with you.
00:19:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:19:21
Nick Britten
Because I think we've got a really good squad. But more importantly, I think we've got a manager who's capable of winning a World Cup. And I think that's going to be really telling. So I think England could do very well. And, yeah, it's going to be a great tournament.
00:19:33
Nick Britten
It'll be great tournament.
00:19:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, he's German. He's got's got an advantage in already. So this podcast, that Saturday feeling, is part of Global Sports Podcast
Zencastr Promotion
00:19:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Network. You'll be very familiar with that now and here at Global Sports Podcast Network.
00:19:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
We spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform. The qualification process, not as complicated as some of the World Cup ones, believe me. Zencaster came out the clear winner. 4K video recording from your phone. AI editing automatically removes all the kinds of glitches that...
00:20:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Happen? Just happen? there's There's one there for you. Little glitch. And it's super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently. If you're ready to tell your story, tell it with Zencaster.
00:20:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Go to the show description to get some more information. Now, Nick, over to you.
Domestic Trophies vs. Champions League
00:20:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
You've been granted a rant, and I've been granted a rant. Mine's a little brief one, pretty esoteric.
00:20:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
What's your grantee rantee thing?
00:20:29
Nick Britten
but so I feel like most of this podcast has been a rant this week, to be honest. yeah But here we are. Right, my rant this week is something that started cropping up with Arsenal fans maybe a few years ago. That's when I first started hearing it.
00:20:41
Nick Britten
And I would scratch my head and I wouldn't understand why. But I've heard it a few times and this season in the Premier League. Supporters of clubs... who are chasing Champions League spaces.
00:20:54
Nick Britten
um And obviously being in the Champions League in the Premier League is massive because of the financial implications, because of the ability to attract better players. and and the general growth and development of the club.
00:21:07
Nick Britten
But these same fans and these same clubs are also in with a really good chance of winning a trophy, so winning the League Cup or winning the air FA Cup. And what really, really gets my goat and really grinds my gears here is supporters of clubs who say, I'd rather finish fifth in the Premier League and qualify for the Champions League than win a trophy.
00:21:28
Nick Britten
What utter, utter garbage. Now, the only possible the only possible reasoning amongst that might be Liverpool fans or Man City fans who always guaranteed to finish the top one or two, except this season with Man City, but who are pretty much guaranteed to finish in the premiiere in in the in the ah in the in the Champions League places anyway.
00:21:50
Nick Britten
They should be wanting trophies. they shouldn't They shouldn't be prioritizing any of this. Arsenal supporters, who you hear a lot of, oh, yeah, it's really important to finish in the top two or three, qualify for the Champions League.
00:22:02
Nick Britten
They haven't won anything. they one of they're never goingnna win They're never going to win the Champions League. So go after the FA Cup. Go after the League Cup. Look at the effect the League Cup has had on Newcastle, a team that's not won anything for 70, 80 years.
00:22:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, massive.
00:22:17
Nick Britten
Look at the effect it's had on the club and the city. finish fourth in the Premier League and qualify for the Champions League. Well, well done, whoopity-doo, because you're going out in the group stages anyway.
00:22:28
Nick Britten
Well, there aren't any group stages now, but you'll be going out in the league You're not going to win it. So fans who think it's better to qualify for the Champions League because of the finance and because of the overall growth, and we'd rather do that than win a trophy, what are you on?
00:22:45
Nick Britten
What do you want? Because you are absolutely nuts. What a day out at Wembley it is for any club that can win a trophy. Even if you're kind of used to what a day out. What memories?
00:22:56
Nick Britten
What memories do you have of finishing fifth in the league and your season ends and you all go to the pub and go, okay, well that's another season. what What is there? Oh, yeah, you get to see FC Bruges and get knocked out by them next season. Great.
00:23:07
Nick Britten
Whoop-y-doo. Congratulations. So if you have the chance to win a major domestic trophy like the FA Cup or even the League Cup, Take it. Go with it because you'll create memories for a lifetime, far more than you'll ever create by finishing fourth or fifth in the Premier League.
00:23:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well said. ah second that one. it's ah It is a bit depressing that people think like that. If you're not in it to win it, Don't be in it. yeah At the end of the day, it is, ah as you say, what's really interesting actually is that actually that does call into question the strategies of quite a few top clubs who you can tell.
00:23:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
The managers and the directors of the club do prioritise not winning over winning, which is a weird perspective on life, isn't it?
00:24:00
Nick Britten
It is a bit strange. It is a bit strange. And I kind of have i kind of have sympathy for chairman whose thought process is this because for them it is all about the money. It is. But for supporters, it's not all about the money because they've got no but got no input.
00:24:12
Nick Britten
They can't influence any of this at any level whatsoever other than perhaps buying season tickets or not.
00:24:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:24:17
Nick Britten
So go for the glory. Go for the win. Go for the cups. And create create some great memories.
00:24:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Fantastic. Yeah, 100% agree with this. Now, this is my rant, Nick. This is quite esoteric. i It is something that is quite personal to me, but I know you've been in the media. It might be something that resonates with you, but it really does, as you say, grind my
'Can' vs. 'Will' in Commentary
00:24:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
gears.
00:24:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it's a time of season where I'm hearing it more and more, and it just does my... Noggin in, if I can put it that way. And that is this.
00:24:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
It is the use or the misuse of the word can when people actually mean the word will. I'll give you an example. ah thought I'll give you three examples that I heard this week.
00:25:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
OK, on media, on on proper media. OK, do you think Derby can stay up? Question. Do you think Sheffield United can overtake Leeds?
00:25:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Question. so Do you think Wrexham can get 90 points this season? Question. Well, it's not can they stay up? Can they overtake Leeds?
00:25:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Can they get 90 points? Because can is, can means, is there a mathematical possibility that that can happen? It's binary it's a binary thing in the sense of until it's mathematically impossible,
00:25:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
The answer to a can question must be yes. It's just logical. So unless it's mathematically impossible, do you think Wrexham can get 90 points?
00:25:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, yes, because it's mathematically possible. Do you think Derby can stay up? Well, yes, because it's mathematically possible. So the use of can in that question is absolutely redundant and absolutely the wrong word to use, but it's used everywhere in football.
00:26:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Everywhere you'll have can. Now, substitute that for the word will. And then you get these questions. Do you think Derby will stay up?
00:26:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do you think Sheffield United will overtake Leeds? Do you think Wrexham will get 90 points? And now there's a question worth thinking about. Because will means, in your estimation, do you think on the balance of probability that they shall?
00:26:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Not can they, because they obviously can unless it's mathematically impossible. Right. I've got off my chest. I feel that it's been therapy. That has been proper therapy because that drives me nuts.
00:26:58
Nick Britten
Well, thank you, Mr Chips, for that lesson in English. If you learn nothing else for this podcast, ladies and gentlemen, you now know the difference between can and will.
00:27:10
Nick Britten
And I think, listen, you're right. I can i know i listen i know and I can understand because I know you so well. can understand the way your brain works. That would annoy you. like ill get that.
00:27:21
Nick Britten
I get that. could be I don't think anybody else would be too bothered. But i but you're out you are you are right. You are right. And what's more, what's more, we should start calling people out on this.
00:27:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. yeah Absolutely. We will start. Not we can. We will start doing that.
00:27:39
Nick Britten
There you So well done, Kent.
00:27:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's...
00:27:41
Nick Britten
You go to top of the class, mate. Have yourself an apple. You've done a great job.
Upcoming Football Matches Predictions
00:27:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, okay. Right, 27 minutes. You've got some prediction to do. But remember, Global Sports Podcast Network is partnered with Bionique, the world's most personalized supplements, because your body, and we're all looking at Nick at this point, is unique.
00:28:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because without knowing what deficiencies you've got, taking off the shelf supplements mean that you're not getting enough of the nutrients you need. You may be getting too much of the ones you don't. So Bionique provide 100% tailor-made supplements designed to deliver nutrition.
00:28:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Exactly. Precisely. No can, no will, no ifs, no buts. What your body needs. Click on the link to show notes. Use the code GSPN2025 for your discount.
00:28:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Bob's your auntie, as they say. Right. I think that's what they say these days, isn't it? ah
00:28:35
Nick Britten
Yeah, but that's not linked to the supplements in any way, by the way. Just ah ah some kind of disclaimer The supplements from Bionique are there. They're brilliant. They are really good. They are there to – the idea behind it is absolutely genius, be fair.
00:28:49
Nick Britten
They are personalized supplements rather than just going down to Boots or whichever shop you get your supplements from and buying stuff that you're never quite sure is good for you or not.
00:28:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
There you go. Exactly. Thanks for doing the advert in the way that I probably should have done it. Right. Okay. So ah predictions. ah Just, by the way, clarification on something.
00:29:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
It did go to the senior rules adjudicator last week on the basis that you claimed an extra 120 points. of
00:29:14
Nick Britten
I had. So when you were away and not doing the podcast because you were sunning yourself on a beach in Lanzarote, I did the predictions for that week. And as you well know, ah because we agreed it before you left, it was triple points week.
00:29:27
Nick Britten
Now, I did my predictions and I got a load of points. You didn't do any, therefore you didn't get a load of points. So I'm not quite sure, other than the fact that you're the only person sitting on the adjudication panel, but what the outcome of this appeal is going to be.
00:29:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, the appeal was heard last Thursday. It was in front of three judges, Mr. Len Davis, Mr. Den Cavis and Mr. Stan Mavis. And they absolutely, they threw it out. They said it was absolutely inadmissible on the basis that it's been completely made up.
00:29:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
So and as you know, their judgment is final.
00:30:00
Nick Britten
but i'm not having I'm not happy about that.
00:30:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
So we are back now to a score of 59 for me, 62 for you. Derby County did you favour yesterday. So here we go. Right. I'm going to whistle through them. I'll go first.
00:30:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Everton against Arsenal. That's a draw. What do you think, Nick?
00:30:22
Nick Britten
Away win. ever our Arsenal have got our arsenal have got ah sort of win games. They've got to win games. Away win.
00:30:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, Palace against Brighton, I've got down as a home win.
00:30:34
Nick Britten
Yeah, I totally agree. Home win. Brian have just dropped off slightly. They've dropped off. They obviously went out on penalties in the FA Cup semi-final last weekend. They got beaten in the week here.
00:30:45
Nick Britten
ah Palace are... Well, I'll say Palace are flying. um It's worth noting that they came within... a hair's breadth, seconds, of of losing to Southampton in the week.
00:30:57
Nick Britten
And nobody's ever, yeah know, nobody's done that. One person, one team, he's only Ipswich have done that this season. And of course, that would have meant Southampton broke, ah well, they would have allowed Derby to retain the record of the world world's first world's worst football team because they would have been on 12 points.
00:31:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Equal.
00:31:11
Nick Britten
ah But Palace score to the end, I think they're playing really well ah through to the FA Cup semi-finals, home win.
00:31:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Great. Ipswich gains worth. Interesting. I've got this down as a draw.
00:31:20
Nick Britten
Well...
00:31:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Ipswich won't have made it.
00:31:23
Nick Britten
This is, this is, yeah, they did.
00:31:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Excuse me?
00:31:26
Nick Britten
Ipswich won away at Bournemouth, which was a surprise, a real surprise.
00:31:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Very much, sir.
00:31:31
Nick Britten
and It's going to be, and um Wolves won as well. So Wolves beat West Ham. So both these teams, it's going to be too, too little too late for Ipswich, I fear. um like Having won at Bournemouth, the most disheartening thing in the world, isn't it?
00:31:43
Nick Britten
You get back in the dressing room and find that Wolves, who are the only team they could catch, have also won. i mean, that just kills you. It absolutely kills you.
00:31:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. yeah
00:31:50
Nick Britten
um This could be an interesting game. I think as long as Wolves will go into it knowing that if they avoid defeat, that's almost job done, I think. so But Ipswich has got to win.
00:32:02
Nick Britten
They've got to win this game. And i'm um I'm leaning towards a home win here because it just has to be. But I don't know if they've got it in them. So I've got to go for a score draw.
00:32:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Oh, okay. Score draw. Okay, same as me. Okay, West Ham against Bournemouth. Don't fancy West Ham at all at this point. Very surprised Bournemouth lost to Ipswich. I think Bournemouth going to bounce back. I'm going for an away win.
00:32:25
Nick Britten
Yeah, Bournemouth have just dropped off they've just dropped off a little bit. um I'm going to go for a draw.
00:32:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay. Villa against Forest. I think... I can't see past a Villa home victory. I'm still waiting for the forest bubble to burst. I think I'm going to be waiting for the rest of the season, to be honest.
00:32:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I think Villa is just a bit too strong at home these days. So I'm going go for Villa.
00:32:50
Nick Britten
ah This is the game of a weekend for me. I think this is an absolutely cracking game. And I'm glad it's on a half past five because I'll be able to watch it. It's good two two really, really good sides.
00:33:01
Nick Britten
um I disagree with you, actually. i don't i think Forest are are so good at the moment. And their away form this season has generally been excellent. They've got huge momentum. and as we know as we know, you know football um momentum is everything.
00:33:16
Nick Britten
I think they'll get a point out of it at the very least. They might even win it, but I'm going to go for a draw.
00:33:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay. Brentford against Chelsea. Brentford home, I fancy. So home home win for Brentford. ah Chelsea, chelsea after after really being a great team for the first half season, they've been a pretty ordinary scene team for the second half.
00:33:38
Nick Britten
They have, but they picked up. the sitting fourth place still, one point ahead of Man City ah in fifth. Brentford's season's just gone flat. It's just gone flat. And I... Yeah, I quite fancy Chelsea here to get something out of the game. Are they going to be good enough to win it?
00:33:57
Nick Britten
don't know. There seems be lots of draws on my predictions league this week.
00:33:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do it.
00:34:00
Nick Britten
but i but i think But I think... Yeah, I think a draw is the outcome. I don't think either team...
00:34:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay. Follow me.
00:34:06
Nick Britten
think an away win, if anything. So can I get half a point if it's an away win and a full point if it's a draw?
00:34:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:34:13
Nick Britten
and And maybe half a point if it's home win.
00:34:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
But it's worth that it was worth asking the question. But that's pretty clear. That's rule 16.7, as you know. um Fulham against Liverpool. saw the Liverpool-Everton game yesterday, a chunk of it.
00:34:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah Wasn't very impressive, Liverpool.
00:34:28
Nick Britten
Yeah, you know, yeah, you know, today, you know, today's Friday, Ken, you keep referring to everything as yesterday.
00:34:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
I thought Everton played well.
00:34:35
Nick Britten
So all these games we talking about were on Wednesday, which is two days ago. Just, you know, you're so busy worrying about cans and wills, but you've forgotten, you've forgotten what, you've forgotten what day it
00:34:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, you're right. You're right. The the yeah the game was Wednesday. so But I wasn't really impressed them. Do I think it's very hard to see pass to Liverpool victory, but I'm going to go for a draw in that one. I fancy i like Fulham at home, even though they've had a bit of that a couple of wobbles recently.
00:35:02
Nick Britten
They have had a couple of wobbles. They were really poor against Palace in the FA Cup quarterfinal last Saturday.
00:35:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's horrible, yeah.
00:35:06
Nick Britten
They they really were. Palace won that very convincingly. And then they've lost in the week as well. um yeah You know, two one All right, it's away at Arsenal, but they've still lost.
00:35:18
Nick Britten
ah ah Yeah, to me and to me, it's a Liverpool win all day long.
00:35:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I've probably given you a free on that one. Spurs v Southampton. You know what? ah suppose i suppose i've got to go for I've got to go for a home win there because you should never back anything from Southampton. But it wouldn't be surprised if Southampton go 1-0 up in this and they're hanging on and Spurs end up winning 2-1 later on in the yeah second half.
00:35:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I've gone for a home
00:35:46
Nick Britten
Yeah. or There's a lot of controversy. Well, not controversy wrong phrase, but a lot of criticism of Ange Postacoglio and what happened last night, which was Thursday night, by the way, when Tottenham went to Chelsea and they lost. and i think there was a little bit of little bit contretemps, if you like, between Ange and the fans. They were booing his decisions on on substitutions and things like that.
00:36:09
Nick Britten
Tottenham are now officially kind of the worst Tottenham team in Premier League history, given the fact at no stage at any Premier League season had they lost 16 games. Well, they've lost 16 games now.
00:36:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
paul it
00:36:18
Nick Britten
But you know what? If you're down on your luck, if you're playing poorly, if you're losing games, if your manager's getting abuse, what do you want? Well, you want Southampton to roll into town, really, don't you?
00:36:29
Nick Britten
ah Because you're pretty much guaranteed three points, and i think that's exactly what it will be, so home win.
00:36:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's a great get right fixture for Spurs. Here's the maybe the big one. Is it the big one? A Man U against Man City?
00:36:42
Nick Britten
No, I don't think it is. but don't think it is a big one, to be honest with you.
00:36:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Used to be. Used to be, didn't it?
00:36:46
Nick Britten
Yeah. No, give me give me Villa v Forest any day over Man United v Man City.
00:36:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
So what i well if I'm going to go first, Man United, Man City, I'm going to go away win. I think City are going be too strong, you know.
00:36:58
Nick Britten
Yeah, I'm going, yeah. I totally agree. Totally agree. Away win.
00:37:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
And finally, again, looks like it should be straightforward. Leicester, Newcastle, we've made a lot of money on these predictions betting against Leicester for about the last 20 weeks.
00:37:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
so And we've already done 17 episodes. So I would say, obviously, and ah very obvious away win, Isaac scoring 12.
00:37:23
Nick Britten
Yeah, um it's easy to see how Leicester can get a point out of this. um It's easy to see actually how Leicester can win a game.
00:37:34
Nick Britten
ah But if you were to see Leicester get a point or three out this, you'd be in absolute cloud cuckoo land because they are wretched. They are terrible. Newcastle are flying. I think it would be very comfortable away win.
00:37:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, a grave well I I wouldn't be at all surprised.
00:37:47
Nick Britten
You're looking at something like 3-0 in a game like this, aren't you?
00:37:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, Leicester simply have lost the plot. there I know a few Leicester supporters who and are not even looking forward to the Championship next year. They think they're really going to struggle in the Championship. They're that bad.
00:38:03
Nick Britten
Well, there's an interesting there's an interesting story behind that, isn't there? Because the EFL are lying in wait for Leicester City, and there's a real threat of ah minus 10-point deduction but that they should have had. Then they got themselves promoted, and it's just been sitting there.
00:38:15
Nick Britten
And there's a real chance that if they come back down to the premier league sorry back down from the Premier League to to the Championship, the EFL will be after them. So it could be even worse. They could start next season with minus 10 points.
00:38:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, we could could end up with a Leicester-Derby-Wrexham-Bottom three.
00:38:33
Nick Britten
Well, that'd be good. You'd like that, because then we'll play each other again in League one following you. So you'd be happy
00:38:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Very good. So that's been that Saturday feeling 17. Thank you very much for listening. That's been a great pleasure. Thank you, Nick. Thank you, Nick, for destroying Neymar's reputation. Thanks for the the rant about people being happy about being fifth.
00:38:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've destroyed Jack Grealish. I've had a rant about some esoteric use of the English language, which you've figured me for, but, you know, it's important. And we've gone through the predictions and we talked about the World Cup. So we've covered all the bases, I think.
00:39:05
Nick Britten
Very much so. Very much so. highly entertaining 39 minutes and seven seconds. so
00:39:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
absolutely BAFTA award-winning podcasting. Thanks, Nick. See you next time.
00:39:15
Nick Britten
See you again.