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#207 Tattoo sleeves and water bottle hands
49 Plays15 days ago
After a midweek blip, normal service under Philippe Clement was resumed for Norwich City as they took to The Valley to grind out a 1-0 win at the weekend.
However, in every great heroic quest there's a chippy little Welsh fella … the panel of Ryan Livermore, Dan Brigham and Steve Sanders examines the tape of the Nathan Jones vs Philippe Clement and the handshake that wasn't, as well as talking up Norwich City's new-found solidity, the rise and rise of Pelle Mattsson and the versatility of Liam 'Ryan' Gibbs.
Plus, there's the ultimate verdict on two left-footed lads of yore, Mattsson's hair-and-tat combo and that whole thing about paying people a wage they can live off.
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Transcript
00:00:14
Speaker
Hello and welcome to On The Ball, the Norwich City podcast back once again to talk the exact same stuff as last week, basically. I'm Ryan Livermore and on the show tonight, another solid week of performances ends in mixed results, although the Canaries move up the table again and continue to tease a late run to the top six. Although the teasing is slowly going from flirting to gentle ribbing.
00:00:40
Speaker
the top half may have to do. Plus, we run the rule over former Canaries in this week's segment of useful or useless Molumni. Zoe Morgan has been ruled out of this week's pod with a severe case of something better to do. But that aside, we are unchanged from last week. First up, it's the return of the forever eloquent and elegant Daniel Brigham. Hello, Dan. How you doing?
00:01:06
Speaker
I'm good. Thanks, Ryan. How are you doing? I'm doing very well. Thank you. And I love the fact that I struggle to say eloquent and elegant in the same sentence. So you had to spend the rest of your life being either eloquent or elegant and not the other, which which would you go for? ah I wouldn't know, mate. I'm both.
00:01:27
Speaker
That noise wasn't very elegant. Yeah, wouldn't I, mate? I'm both here. And you may have heard the voice of our honorary South Londoner of the week. It's Steve Saunders. Hello, Steve. You went to the Valley on Saturday. Yeah, God, it was glad was like...
00:01:46
Speaker
Transporting me back to Saturday there momentarily. Yes, I did. I did go. i had a lovely time. And spoiler alert, we won the game. So, yeah, nothing but good things to say about that trip. And yeah, thanks.
00:02:00
Speaker
I mean, you've you've trailed it by saying we'll be saying exactly the same thing this week, only without Zoe. so so But this is going to be the best hour of everyone's week. And it's also the last one we'll do for two weeks, right? Because there's an international... And the first time we get to talk about it, a defeat for a while as well. Yeah, true. you what you were saying last that You were saying last time, is it more fun than we have defeats to talk about? And we duly obliged on Wednesday.
00:02:23
Speaker
But even then, they were quite good, like they were against Borough and Birmingham. So how much is there to actually say? so no i'm sure I'm sure we'll find plenty. Well, why don't we find out?
00:02:35
Speaker
Hot topic.
00:02:45
Speaker
At the very least, you know what you're getting with Philippe Clermont's Norwich City. Even in defeat, they do you proud and they don't feel sorry for themselves for long. a stellar second half at Southampton sadly wasn't rewarded with a just points haul, but City put their South Coast disappointment behind them to win at Charlton the following Saturday.
00:03:06
Speaker
Norwich are now 10th in the championship, but still nine points off of the playoffs. Steve, we spoke briefly on last week's pod about these fixtures potentially being a bridge too far for Norwich. And on paper, the results could argue that was the case. But in terms of application, it still defies the belief that they were it was a bridge too far, doesn't it?
00:03:29
Speaker
Yeah, but ah one of them was, I guess. um Yeah, ah I think we we did pick out that Southampton game as being particularly tough and and maybe the first half was um perhaps where we where we let ourselves down ever so slightly. There was a spell, um I think, sort of a 15, 20-minute spell where it did feel like Southampton got on top of us. But that aside, you know, we could very easily be sitting here talking about four points this week or even six on another day. We certainly created enough chances in that game to have to have got something out of it. So, yeah, as you say, even in defeat, this this team continues to to look the part, especially if you're going to pick...
00:04:08
Speaker
you know the the tiniest of possible holes. That's now sort of three games away to, to the I guess, you what you'd call the the top or toughest sides in this division. and And we've lost them all to nil. But certainly in the case of Borough and Southampton, you you can't really fault them too much because, you know again, tough opposition. They played well. And then back to winning ways again on on Saturday. I think it probably does...
00:04:32
Speaker
end the chances of playoffs. They'd have to win all seven remaining fixtures to have any hope. And I still don't think even then they'd get there because the problem is the teams in sixth and seventh at the moment are on decent form. So you'd need them to drop off as well as us can, you know, both of them to drop off as well as us take maximum points. um But there's still so much to like about this team and the way they play that it should be an enjoyable end to the season. and Nonetheless, so keep listening, everyone.
00:04:55
Speaker
um Dan, did Norwich end up with a decent scenario in terms of how the fixtures ending up ended up panning out? Because if Norwich were only going to get three points from this week, it would have been more than likely that regardless, they would have finished the week nine points off of the playoffs as well. So is there more merit in bouncing back from defeat at Southampton with a win at Charlton, or would it have been more favorable to have won at a better side in Southampton, but then had the disappointment of losing to Charlton directly before the international break? Wow. Ryan's philosophical hour. I would rather have beaten Southampton, I think. um
00:05:31
Speaker
And then beaten Charlton, obviously. Well, in in both scenarios, I'm saying our top six chances are ah redundant. So I would always take a win over Nathan Jones, I think. And the fact that Steve was there as well. So we got to see an away win.
00:05:49
Speaker
i was just I was thinking actually about a bridge too far if Southampton were maybe like you come across a ah river fast flowing Southampton was probably like the rickety little piece of wood that someone's put across and Charlton became the nice little idyllic bridge maybe with a troll Nathan Jones underneath it that caused a little bit of problem but actually was quite an easy crossing in the end um I thought i thought we were quite we were very good second half against Hampton. i I was struggling to think of many times this under Clement, even including his first match against Birmingham, where we haven't had a real proper spell of dominating a game, um like 30, 40 minutes plus. There's been, maybe apart from Stoke City at home in that 2-0 defeat, I think...
00:06:38
Speaker
what we have achieved under Clement to sort of even when you know you we start badly potentially or we have spells in games where we're not our best we do still find a way to sort dominate properly dominate teams for long periods and that was certainly the case against Southampton in that second half and to do that with you know that with a half fit squad um and a half fit squad that was second from bottom when he came in is pretty remarkable and I think sort of points to what we can look forward to um next season with, you know, a couple more players in, um a few more players fit, ah players getting to know the way Clement wants to play even more. That sort of dominance may move from 45 minutes to 60 minutes to sort of 70, 80 minutes. And I don't really feel at any point, um certainly under Manning, don't know.
00:07:29
Speaker
Maybe in a couple of matches under Torrop, rarely under Wagner, would I say we properly dominated teams? We could control games in that good run under Wagner. So it's it's been a while since we've had a team that can dominate the opposition, I think. And that's sort of what I've taken away from these three points from these two games. I think just just to quickly expand on that as well, um we've in Clemont's first 16 games, we had more than 50% possession in in eight of those. In the last 11, we've had more than 50% possession in nine. So we are now properly like that. We're controlling the ball. that The two outliers in that, by the way leads away, obviously Premier League team and Leicester away. So,
00:08:12
Speaker
it feels now more like we are controlling games. Obviously, it it doesn't necessarily matter having more of the ball, as we know. it doesn't necessarily make you more likely to win, particularly in the Championship. But I think just the fact that it does feel now like we are that we are in control of the way the games are being played. We are on the ball more. And, you know, i guess I guess the results are following with that. And again, to talk about the fact that you can't remember, Dan, ah a time, a game where we didn't have a long period of control. Think back to the start of the season where I don't remember. It may be like some of the first half against Wrexham and the first 15 minutes against Portsmouth under Manning. Was that the only time when we had any control of any games there? So, again, what a turnaround. And yeah so by controller, yeah you really I really mean sort of making like sure the opposition are camped in as well, sort of pushing them back. Whenever they get whenever the opposition get the ball back, we then win it back pretty quickly. We've not seen that for a long time. and the fact that we're marrying that with clean sheets as well, that was us against Charlton, was our seventh of the year, I read earlier. um
00:09:13
Speaker
And God knows how that compares to how many we got last season, I imagine, pretty favourably already. this early on in in the year. So it's of marrying that defensive robustness with the ability to keep the ball in really sort of dangerous areas as well. And again, Southampton, if our two best chances hadn't finished hadn't fallen to our probably our two worst finishers in that side in Fisher and McConville, then we'd probably be talking about deserved point, I think, or a rather fortunate three points.
00:09:44
Speaker
I've read somewhere as well that I think ah Saturday was the 13th game in a row when Norwich haven't conceded a second half goal, which is ridiculous. And there's always something to be said about digging it digging in like that, Steve. um How special is that ability to keep going and show that resilience at a level which where it is so easier said than done? And not least as well when Norwich themselves, by a former manager, were branded as being too nice earlier in the season.
00:10:11
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, again, it's completely flipped on its head, isn't it? Like the the second half of games was our, and I was going our Achilles heel, but that would imply that Achilles had lots of other weaknesses across his the rest of his body because we weren't very good at anything. um But yeah, you know, we were in the second half table under Manning. We were dead last if if games started in the 46th minute and ended at full time. um Whereas now, yeah, like 13 games without conceding a goal is,
00:10:40
Speaker
in the second half is absolutely remarkable. I think that record from 1905, 1906 still stands. So i I don't think it's the best ever, but best in 120 years, can't can't knock it. um And, you know, it's, again, it's just a team with, um,
00:10:57
Speaker
The energy levels, of course, to keep going. um And just the defensive resilience as well. you know We have the joint best defence in the league since Philippe Clement took over. 23 conceded in 24 and four of those were in his first game. So, you know, ah it's sort of an underrated aspect of of the improvements that Big Phil has made. But we look assured defensively for the first time in I don't know how long. um And we've got some like brilliant individual performers at the back as well. So yeah, long long may that continue.
00:11:31
Speaker
ah What sort of conceivable next step, Dan, does this group need to take to turn this momentum into something a bit more tangible in terms of success? And I know that things are going very well now, but there's always a chance that that momentum could stop in the summer and equally that they could kick on. But from what we've seen so far, what is realistically to come next if they are going to take the next step? And that is to maintain a sustained top six push and arguably even top two as well.
00:12:00
Speaker
I would say sustaining the momentum requires backing Clement, give him whatever he wants. But on the flip side, it also requires those players not to get you know a bit mardy, bit tired with sort of what feels like the relentless nature of being a football player under Philippe Clement. Be interested to see how, not interested but important,
00:12:25
Speaker
how we respond when we do go through a sort of bad patch of form under clement which would be inevitable because players love buying into sort of training methods that um leave them gasping for breath at the end of each session while they're winning it's just it can be a slightly different story um when that winning stops so I mean, I guess it really is just down to Clement, isn't it? and keeping him Keeping him happy, ensuring that the fitness issues are sort of resolved as well.
00:12:59
Speaker
In the summer, not entirely resolved, because it is, as I said before, a football-wide problem at the moment that more players are getting muscle injuries. um But we are second-worst, I think, in terms of minutes missed by players this season behind Portsmouth. um So it does feel like, you know, we do, despite it being a football boy issue, there are ways of improving that there. um I don't know. I don't want to talk about losing momentum. It just doesn't seem like every time i think that it's beyond them.
00:13:30
Speaker
that these injuries will catch up with them. They really surprise us. at The first half against Samson, they were off it physically, I thought, despite the fact Samson fans were complaining that we were too physical. I thought, in actual fact, we were sort of slow to 50-50s, slower than we normally have been under Clement.
00:13:47
Speaker
But then somehow they found those reserves of energy in the second half to be first and most 50-50s and again to dominate them as well. And a whole pre-season of getting them even fitter under Clement. I mean, that's quite an exciting prospect as well.
00:14:03
Speaker
um Yeah, I just think it it all comes down to that manager at the end of the day and giving him what he wants, but also making sure that the players continue to buy into what he wants.
00:14:17
Speaker
And Steve, Dan made the point there of buying into this kind of intense ah regime and training outlook, e cetera, et cetera, because they are winning. You are obviously there on on Saturday. um Where does the synergy between the fans and the group, and I guess the collective nature of the playing group itself, rank compared to recent successful years of Norwich City? Because if it is anything like the the peak years that people have been referencing, it's going to make it fairly easy to buy into long-term, isn't it?
00:14:47
Speaker
Yeah, that's a good question. um like I struggle to remember just how things... I mean, the Farker era was obviously fantastic, but there was also those... There were the nerves of what if you know every game felt important, we needed to... you know we we obviously needed to keep winning in order to go up. The weird thing about this situation is it feels like there's a brilliant atmosphere, but there's no jeopardy really now that but these final few games are going to be like a party with the exception, obviously, of one particular game, which we really do need to win. um
00:15:20
Speaker
it's so And I think, obviously, you've got the the contrast to the first part of the season, which was so bleak. um And now I think, and and also I suppose, you know, let's go back a couple of years we could probably extend that to essentially even that Wagner year when when things still didn't feel that great in terms of the vibes. um So it almost feels like, you know, that time in the wilderness has made us appreciate what the joy of supporting a football club can actually be like.
00:15:47
Speaker
We've probably still got some way to... to break into the 18, 19 levels of vibes. But like a lot of players have got their own chance now, you know, so that that probably that helps. And it it did feel like it was singing for pretty much 90 minutes um on on Saturday, which quite often doesn't happen. So, yeah, the the vibes, the vibes are definitely back. And I guess if we can carry that on into next season, which I think we will, um then it's only going help.
00:16:13
Speaker
I'm so glad you said that was a good question, Steve, because my the next thing I've written is literally, Dan, Jones wet wipe? ah Yes. So would you like to expand on the wet wipe that is Nathan Jones and his comments made after the game?
00:16:30
Speaker
Oh, yeah. So he was... of Visibly annoyed on the pitch with Clement. And then after it, he explained in the press grants, by the way, in front of a room full of kids, that press conference as well, who were there to ask questions. Press packers. As part of a fun day out. He started to have a proper moan that Clement had dared to shake other people's hands before shaking his hand.
00:16:59
Speaker
Which, ah like coming from... Some managers, you could buy that, couldn't you? But not from Nathan Jones, the guy who makes sure that he is centre stage before any other thought comes into his mind. um It sort of felt like like a classic middle-aged man on Facebook, middle-aged angry man on Facebook, getting angry about other people being angry on Facebook. That's his sort of vibe he gives off, I think. and and like and And also disrespectful to our kit men as well, because he was annoyed that Clement shook Pete Dyer's hand before he shook Nathan Jones's hand. And then somehow seemed to suggest that he was shaking a water bottle's hand as well. Whose water bottle hands? That's I wanted to know. Unless he's tripping, potentially, which wouldn't rule it out with the amount of energy he has. um he Yeah, i don't know like whether he'd have said that or not after a game.
00:17:58
Speaker
ah that If Charlton had won it, I don't know. But I much and preferred Clement's response, which was, ah yes, maybe I took a little bit longer than normal to shake his hand. I'll go and talk to him after after the press conference and sort it out. which Which, by the way, I don't know if you've seen the video, for it if anyone's seen the video, but that's basically what he did at the time. you know i I think we treat Big Phil as some sort of deity, so I don't i don't want to come across as biased or on a Norwich City podcast, so it doesn't really matter. But he definitely, like, after the shaking hands, Nick Stanley goes up to...
00:18:32
Speaker
Phil and basically says, oh, Nathan Jones just walked off. You might want to just quickly shake his hand. And he Phil like jogs across the pitch to to offer his hand. And Nathan Jones gives it the full like, don' don't touch me. Don't touch me. You had your chance. You had the chance. I don't want to know. I don't want know. I'm properly like...
00:18:51
Speaker
And you just know, had Charlton not lost that game, he'd have been absolutely fine with it. Clement could give him an absolute battering as well, right? yeah yeah lot And obviously Nathan Jones could be scrappy, maybe, but Clement's just going to be holding him probably on his forehead at arm's length or kicking him in the shins. It didn't quite, unfortunately, um get anywhere near the famous Conte-Tuchel aggro handshake from about five or six years ago. That would have been more fun.
00:19:21
Speaker
What I really enjoyed was the clip of Nathan Jones from the playoff semifinal against Wickham that did the rounds in the week where ah there's the whole thing of, oh, I'd hate it when opposition managers don't shake my hand first, also Nathan Jones. And it's the clip of him when the cameraman's right in the dugout in his face. And there's a moment where he thinks the full-time whistle has gone and he drops to his knees and starts pointing to the sky and just looks like a complete idiot. like everyone Everyone around him is going...
00:19:48
Speaker
what are you what are you doing, mate? like what Are you trying to like get some kind of divine intervention prior to the final whistle? like what's What's going on? it's just It's just all about him always. and um i also have I remember reading an interview with him where, I think it was, can't remember which outlet it was, also but the journalist was sort of walking into...
00:20:08
Speaker
his office, I think it was when he joined Stoke City, Nathan Jones, and the ah wall up to his office was just ordained with photos of Nathan Jones celebrating. No players, ah just Nathan Jones.
00:20:22
Speaker
I also really struggle with a guy who has said... Admittedly, maybe not verbatim, but essentially I could have stayed in my small hometown in Wales, married a nice local girl, but I wanted to test myself in all ways as if like there's some kind of like exact, like some science between going out and meeting someone who's not from his hometown. Like he's some kind of. You can't be challenged by a girl from Aberystwyth, you know, yeah not challenging up Nathan Jones. can i Can I just say, though, like, I mean, the answer to the wet wipe question is obviously yes, but I find him hugely. And like it would be more boring if he wasn't in the game, I think. He's one of the, like, a lot of managers are so dull now, whereas actually at least you get something from Jones. ah He is obviously a div, but ah in that kind of Neil Warnock type way, I do at least find him vaguely entertaining. Yeah, I know what you mean. like Unlike, say, a Lee Johnson, who was also a massive idiot.
00:21:24
Speaker
Yeah, and also had short man syndrome. Yeah, and celebrating on the pitch at Carrow Road when Bristol City scored before they went on to lose that game when Kenny got his two goals. and There was something very, I don't know, like,
00:21:37
Speaker
it Yeah, I know Warnock and Jones, despite their idiocy, can get away with it and sort of do maybe enrich the game by their presence in a way that Lee Johnson did not enrich the game by their presence. And Jones has done an excellent job at Charlton. Yeah, to his credit, he has. But like with with the Warnock thing, I kind of feel like there's enough integrity there that he would actually have what like some kind of well-meaning behind most of what he does and says and kind of like exaggerates for the entertainment. But it feels like Nathan Jones is just 100% sincere in everything he does when he's being a wet wipe. And I think that's the most jarring thing.
00:22:16
Speaker
Well, interestingly, when Clement was appointed ah as our manager, Neil Warnock was in ah in the studio for an EFL game and he was asked about that appointment. And he said that when Clement was at Rangers and Warnock was briefly can't remember which SBL club it was now, but he said so that's it yes he said that Clement came across as arrogant.
00:22:41
Speaker
Did he? yeah. Well, in that case, I take back everything I said about you, Neil. I thought you take it back everything you said about Phil. like Neil Warnock thinks he's arrogant. He must be because Warnock is the most grounded man going. and I did think there was a there was a slight bit of, and maybe I'm reading too much into this, that whole thing of foreign managers don't understand our game. You just do not do that here. you don't in in this In this league, we act this way. I got a little bit of that vibe from him as well. Maybe I'm being unfair there, but um yeah, I just, I didn't like it.
00:23:17
Speaker
Even from a man who left his tiny village in Wales to cross the border into exotic England and test himself meeting all sorts of people outside of his small town. Bless him.
00:23:28
Speaker
well That was patronising, but I don't care. um Steve. He called it a small town. You were just quoting him. Yeah, true. Very, very true. On Wednesday, Steve, obviously Norwich lost at Southampton. Yeah.
00:23:43
Speaker
Not too much to say, I guess, in the grand scheme of things. I felt Norwich very unlucky based on the second half. And once again, it kind of speaks volumes when the opposition goalkeeper gets mad of the match, doesn't it? Yeah, was the same against Birmingham, wasn't it? where um I think they had they had nine shots of target against Birmingham and seven against Southampton and got a grand total of one goal in both of those games. So, there's you know, some some time may maybe one or two of the chances. Certainly, I think Callum Fisher had one um from a rebound that felt like, don't know, it wasn't as easy as it first appeared, but maybe, you know, Slimani,
00:24:20
Speaker
Chris Gora and Ali Ahmed getting on the end of that puts that away. um Not a man who does genuinely look terrified when the ball lands at his feet in the penalty area. It's a good area though, doesn't it? He does. He's going to get one eventually. I mean, there were a chance of... if Fisher scores were on the pitch at the Valley on Saturday, is getting to those levels. um But yeah, that you know as I've already said, the the the performance was good. And there have been, i suppose, on ah on talk about not conceding in the second half and all those games, there have been occasions where we could have conceded. Charlton hit the bar um on on Saturday. and you know Preston had that chance at the end. so it's It's one of those football is a game where sometimes you have to ride your luck. We've had a few in a few games. Southampton maybe had some there. but Also, i think it's worth pointing out that we didn't start Pelham-Atson in that game and Pelham-Atson was the best player on the pitch, I thought, on the on Saturday. um
00:25:18
Speaker
Having taken one point from his first nine games as a Norwich City player, and he's now won the last six when we've started him. So, and I think he is part of the M people that we've got that I think we need to build the team around next season. McConville, McLean, Mattson, Magoma and Makama. I think with that spine next year, we really are looking strong. So, yeah, maybe Mattson is not that game. Things can better. I believe that was D-Ream. Oh, man. I've always thought that was M people. Unless you were just saying things can only get better.
00:26:03
Speaker
Last thing on on this, Dan, as Steve mentioned, next season there, and I want to talk about the kind of room for sentimentality at the football club at the moment. And the reason I mention it is because I thought Liam Gibbs in the minutes that he's played at right back the last couple of games has looked pretty good. Like not, maybe not, you know, blowing...
00:26:23
Speaker
ah blowing people out of the water, but for for a player who seems to play everywhere apart from his natural position, I thought he's looked very good, but the very nature is is that there are so many better options in his natural position that I think the assumption would be that Norwich would be comfortable moving him along, but can you run the risk of moving along characters like that who've been here for, for a long, uh, sustainably long, long time, I guess. And is there any value in, in replacing them when they do have such a good effect on the dressing room?
00:26:54
Speaker
Yeah, it's interesting. I, uh, There was something about seeing him his name on the... Well, he came on, obviously, against Hamilton at right back and then seeing his name sort of starting at right back. That just felt like, you know, if you're in a clothes shop and you're trying on jumpers that don't quite fit and don't feel right. and then you then you just find one that you know is going to be a keeper for the next five or six years.
00:27:16
Speaker
ah It just feels like Ryan... ah Ryan Kims...
00:27:21
Speaker
Liam Gibbs is... Ryan Giggs. Liam Gibbs is... it It feels like something like right back is really comfortable for him. like you can get He's got a good engine on him. He's technically pretty good. As a holding midfielder, that they've often been you know pretty decent. Holding midfielders can be when deployed at full back as well. they're just And he you know he did well when he came on against Samson.
00:27:44
Speaker
Did pretty well against Charlton, I thought. A couple of... times when he maybe got sort of caught in no man's land, but you know, Stacey does that as well. And there is something to be said about having a player like him who can fill in in different positions when there are injuries. bit like, you know,
00:28:03
Speaker
um Sorensen, you know, he played at left back in our second title winning season under Farke. There is something to be said about keeping someone like him around.
00:28:14
Speaker
And I just want to know whether he's finally going to be able to, you know, have the confidence to upgrade his car as well. When he said he didn't feel like he could sort of move on from his, i can't remember what it was, maybe a Ford Focus onto something more expensive. But for his sake, I do hope he gets a move to somewhere where he can, you know, play regularly as well because, know, It's been a long time that he's been at this club without being able to play regularly. So from a selfless point of view, I think we should let him go and and flourish elsewhere. He got the the i don't know but the fist pumps. Are we be calling them the fist pumps? He got pushed forward for the fist, which i was I really was hoping he would be actually because it's
00:28:53
Speaker
it it did sort of feel like he was the weak link in the team during the 90 minutes, but you know what going to get from him, which is always 100% effort. and You know he's...
00:29:05
Speaker
he You're kind of willing him to do well because of the issues that he's had with injuries over the last few years. And he's playing a genuinely important part for us. And actually, there's something to be said for players who can just come in and fill in in a given position. i mean, God knows we've needed those players this season. And Gibbs has done a solid job wherever he's wherever he's played. um Also, the 10th player for us to play at fullback or wingback this season. so um I don't want to anger Dan after the 21 midfielders conversation earlier in the season. But but ah yeah, like you know here yet another role that he's had to play and sort of doing the Kenny thing of just turning up in any position and and and doing a decent job.
00:29:47
Speaker
For those of you who are wondering, it's not a Ford Focus. It's a Vauxhall Corsa. it's an irymble courseer It is indeed. And I remember that as someone who owns the same Corsa.
00:29:58
Speaker
sorry But mine mine is is substantially falling apart, I'd imagine, compared to Liam Gibbs. so He's had it for a long time, hasn't he? Since he passed his test, I think he said. Yeah, this is true. I mean, Liam, if you do get a new car and you are listening, can I have yours? Because mine is mine is on the brink. i love I love the idea of that being like a sort of, yeah, come and check out my Corsa. Same car that Liam Gibbs drives. The exact same one. We're both on the insurance. It's so frustrating. It's great when they play away, though, because I can ah use it whenever I want. do you think Ryan Gibbs at Liam Gibbs's age was was driving a Corsa as well? I don't think Fergie would have let him drive anything else, to be honest with you.
00:30:40
Speaker
ah Well, shall we move on to our next segment? And hopefully this won't be based on Ian Peters and Ryan Gibbs. This is Dan Brigham leading us into a useful or useless
00:30:58
Speaker
said hello. Then they said bye bye.
00:31:16
Speaker
Thank you, Ryan and Ed Sheeran as well. So for those who are unfamiliar with this feature, we decide whether two Norwich players are either good or bad, or to put it officially, they are useful malumni or useless malumni.
00:31:30
Speaker
Malumni. We've been doing this all season and I still can't remember which way around. We're from both pronunciations, just to be absolutely sure. Welcome to our new feature, Good or Bad, where I will read out the Wikipedia, and the career rather, of two Norwich City players. Steve and Ryan have to guess who it is. And then we have a good old chat about whether they should be in the Norwich City Hall of Fame or cast out.
00:31:56
Speaker
So first off, and bear in mind, I've done this because it's an international break, so they may have played for their country. So first club, Manchester United.
00:32:09
Speaker
Lone club, Hull City. Permanent club, Hull City. Oh, and do we have a buzzer? Yeah, go for it then. was Water bottle hands. Sorry, that's not my answer. That's my buzz. Is it Robbie Brady?
00:32:27
Speaker
It is Robbie Brady. Well done, Steve. Yep. Best pals with Wes Houlihan. Robbie Brady will go down in Republic of Ireland football in history for his headed winner against Italy at Euro 2016 from, let's not forget, a wonderful pass from his best mate. For Norwich, he was signed as an attacking player upon a promotion to the Premier League in 2015, but played most of his games at left-back, where he has stayed throughout the rest of his career.
00:32:51
Speaker
He is, of course, at Preston and came on the other day against us. For me, I'll always remember him as the Ant to Houlihan's deck. Inseparable at Colney, they were proper best mates. But what are your thoughts, Steve?
00:33:04
Speaker
um Okay, so initial memories of Robbie Brady would be the header against Liverpool that went out to Adam Lallana. For the 5-4.
00:33:17
Speaker
Yes, for the fivef four thank you, in the in the very last minute. i don't know it went straight to Lallana, actually, but it certainly didn't go the the full distance. Instead of heading it away from goal, he headed it back to the six-yard spot, basically, didn't he? One of the most ill-advised headers I can remember. And and in another use of his head, um ah he also ah knocked out Gary O'Neill's teeth, didn't he? Wasn't that Brady? Other way round. So he was his mouth thudded into Gary O'Neill's face and he lost two front teeth. Yes. and But apart from those two individual uses of his head, I thought, I mean, he was a decent player for us. i
00:33:54
Speaker
I might be wrong in saying, I think he might have come second in player of the season in that Premier League year. um He was certainly one of our one of our better players that year. We took an awfully long time, if I remember rightly, to sign him from Hull, haggling over, like I don't know, some about £5,000 or something in order to say sign him like three or four weeks later. We basically spent that entire window chasing Brady. um But he did ah he did do a good job in the Premier League from from what I remember. He had an excellent left foot, and good on set pieces. I think his time probably slightly tainted by the fact that the following season in the Championship...
00:34:33
Speaker
He didn't really seem that arsed, which might be being harsh, but um he had ah he did have ah a big move to Burnley in his sight. So who can who can blame him for maybe throwing in the towel a little bit? um But yeah, a really good player, um I think, certainly for Championship level, sort of classic Norwich City, and halfway between, you know, too good for Championship, not good enough for Premier League. But at the same time, probably was better for us in the in the Premier League. um All that said, the utter indifference from the crowd when he came on for Preston the other week, maybe be he didn't make that much of an impact here after all. That really has got to be worse than even being booed by your former clubs fans, isn't it? Just everyone's just shrugging.
00:35:12
Speaker
At least Camelot got reaction. Yeah, yeah. ah Ryan, so for me, he what summed him up for me was a him, I'm fairly sure this is right, playing right wing back against Man City.
00:35:25
Speaker
The Etihad. Yes. Alex Neil. um I always thought he was going to be he should have been playing number eight. I thought he had a great left foot, had brilliant engine on him, good technique, etc. Usually played in attack for Ireland, but we only ever saw him at full back. Did you did you rate him there? Did you think he could have played elsewhere on the pitch as well?
00:35:45
Speaker
Um, good question. Looking at him, I think I always wanted him to kind of play off the right because I think he you know had such a good left foot that it would lend itself to like one touch, two touch, and then perhaps trying to curl it in the far corner and and playing kind of ah a bit narrower with ah a fullback on the overlap a lot.
00:36:03
Speaker
ah My main memory of him is he was always on set pieces for us. And to be fair, good delivery. he set up the goal for Tim closer in the three to against Newcastle with a which is probably one of the best crosses I've seen at Carrow. Like it is inch perfect, but never seemed to score a free kick. And then the week he left, he played for Burnley against Chelsea and smashed one past Thibaut Courtois top bins.
00:36:26
Speaker
I can remember Alex Neil being asked about it and his response was just stone-faced, like, well, I wish you'd have done that for me or whatever it was. So ah he's another one as well who I don't think him, you know, him playing out a position, but it's not his fault, right? Norwich had so many injury problems at left back that year. Like Martin Olsen was out for the first chunk of the season, wasn't he? And I don't think they had another backup left back, I want to say. Maybe Stephen Whittaker, but he was favoured obviously playing on the right.
00:36:55
Speaker
It's a strange one because i agree I agree with Steve. I think in the Premier League, he was objectively very good for Norwich, but the next year just did not look like he wanted one bit of the championship. And as a result, kind of offered not nothing other than the bare minimum. And that is kind of, you know, exemplified in the response he got against Preston when he came on. So I...
00:37:18
Speaker
ah To answer your question more directly, yeah I think he was very much suited to like playing a wide left or wide right. And that Man City game, to be fair, a right wing back, it was him and Matt Jarvis on the on the right wing, which was possibly the shortest and quickest right-hand side I've seen in Norwich City recent history. Oh, that game was is when Norwich played like a 5-4-1 and just put everyone basically on John Roddy's goal line, which was ah a hell of a thing to be a part of. Yeah.
00:37:46
Speaker
Are you going useless or useful? man. It sounds harsh because he was relatively good in the Premier League, but I just think from the overall output we got from him, i and for the money that was paid in 2015, it was like, what, seven and a half million quid? Which, you know, for adjusted for inflation, is ah significant chunk of money. I think if you're paying that much for...
00:38:11
Speaker
ah someone in this day and age and they give a similar kind of output, I would have to put them down as useless if we're going to be black and white about it, which is obviously the point of the segment. So I'm going to say, yeah, I'll bite the bullet and say useless, perhaps harshly sober on the whole useless alumni for me.
00:38:30
Speaker
Steve, did you, you said useless as well or did you not have the opportunity to decide? I'm still sitting firmly on the fence. It's a good choice, Dan. It's a good choice. It's hard. I'm going to say useful, I think. We did get more money for him, I believe, when we sold him than what we paid for him. And I think, I mean, this is all massive ifs, buts and maybes, but had we stayed in the Premier League that year, I think he would have been a player that kicked on with us and Just the 4-2-3-1 that we played, i didn't really feel like he was the world's greatest left-back or the world's best left-winger. So maybe had he played at number eight, he would have been even more useful. But um yeah, I think he did a good job for us. So I'll i'll even the score and say useful.
00:39:16
Speaker
Maybe he was trying to remove Gary O'Neill from that number eight position when they clashed heads. And O'Neill was like, no chance. I'm not going to sink my teeth into you. and Now I've realised why you wanted him in that number eight role. is because he did Well, I wanted Johnny Alston in that eight role, but he was ah shafted out on the right because Alex O'Neill didn't trust Nathan Redmond out there in the Premier League.
00:39:38
Speaker
um you nail I think I will go useful just because as Norwich fans we have so we've had so few England players represent their country while being a Norwich City player and just living vicariously in that moment when Wes crossed for Robbie Brady to score that headed winner against Italy was such a great moment as an nor as a Norwich fan I think that's enough for him to move into useful That was a good tournament, wasn't it, for Norwich players there? because it Didn't Wes score against Sweden as well in the same tournament? Yeah, with his right foot. yeah Crisp half volley with his right foot. Yeah, cracking finish. It was there was a good tournament, I think, for for Norwich players ah gone abroad.
00:40:24
Speaker
Can't remember what happened to England, but we'll we'll move on to the next next entrance then. So, this guy started at Livingston.
00:40:35
Speaker
He then went oh i then i'm gonna I'm just going jump straight in and say Mark Fotheringham. Incorrect. ah He went on loan to Stirling Albion before getting a big move from Stirling Albion loan.
00:40:52
Speaker
how is this is this snody It is Snoddy. Wow. What a get that is. That spell at Sterling Albion was what it did. Yeah, I had a season ticket at Sterling and he was brilliant. 12 appearances, five goals for Sterling. So i no wonder it really stuck in your mind, that return. um Yes, Robert Snodgrass with a generously sized head to rival the likes of Harry Maguire and Grant Hanley. Snodders signed for Chris Hewton's Norwich in 2012 and came second in the Barry Butler voting after City finished 11th that season.
00:41:24
Speaker
The following year, though, for many, it was a shining light in a dark descent towards relegation, upon which he buggered off to Hull City. I'll remember him for his prank calling his teammates, which he absolutely loved, and somehow managed him to look like he was working a lot harder than he actually was. But what are your memories of him, Ryan?
00:41:44
Speaker
Pretty much working making being made to look work harder than he actually was. um i think on this day, an excellent player. i've I've never seen someone who, without sounding harsh, so one-dimensional be so good. like I don't think I've seen left-footed player with such a little trust in their right foot, really. But he always seemed to know what he was doing at the right time. Like he was never the quickest. He was never the strongest. But his I think his timing oh with his kind of movements on the ball was always so good. And his ah set pieces were relatively decent as well. Although my one of my biggest butterfly moments in Norris City history is I think he took a penalty against Aston Villa and took it from Ricky Van Wolfswinkel. Snodgrass then had it saved, I think. And I think if Van Walswinkle scores that, it's a a whole different Norwich career for him. Mainly because he has two goals instead of one. He'd have doubled his output. Can't ask for more than that.
00:42:42
Speaker
I just remember my biggest memory of Snotty, I think, is actually I've never seen someone gurn so much when they were taking a corner. Like, me and my friends, were we were in the lower Barclay at the time, and it was always... It looked a bit Brucey, kind of like, ooh, good guy, good guy, good guy, whenever a corner came into the back stick. And do you know what? I don't think I remember him actually beating the first man from a corner, but from free kicks, he was decidedly excellent. um He banged one in against West Ham, didn't he? Which was an outstanding hit. Probably our only real highlight from that season, actually. Yeah, and Swansea the year before as well, at the Liberty, I think it was called then, something like that, yeah. But...
00:43:21
Speaker
Another one who I think Paul Lambert tried to sign him the year before Chris Hewton did. he he felt like a Paul Lambert signing, but he cost something like three and a half million quid. And, you know, very rarely on the whole put a put a foot wrong, made a lot of money from him when we went down.
00:43:39
Speaker
It was a big part of keeping Norwich up in that first year. big part of annoying Leeds fans because we kept buying their best players as well. Yeah, gosh, yeah. There was a point when it was Johnson, Houser and Snodgrass in midfield. I think Pilkington was out on the left and I was like, if we just get Max Gradle now, oh, yeah. Completed the set. Lichano Becchio out there. Yes, and Becchio then came in up front as well, didn't So, yeah. My gosh.
00:44:05
Speaker
he Do you know what? Ilkington leads, or is he Huddersfield? He's Huddersfield. Because that would cause diplomatic incident in Yorkshire, I think, if you got those two the wrong way around. Yeah, no, it's fine. Don't worry. i was to say I know my stuff. I don't. All I know is that he's from Huddersfield. That's it. Oh, no, he's from Blackburn. Anyway, digressing. Bottom line.
00:44:23
Speaker
Yes. ah For me, a shining light of those two years of very uneventful football. And as one dimensional as he may have been for the most part, I thought he was technically excellent. Like I said, his his timings with his movements were super.
00:44:40
Speaker
And yeah. I just remember him for pointing at his fullback to cover his defensive mistakes as well, which, you know, is something i used to let Darren Huckabee off with. So going to let Robert Snodgrass off with it as well.
00:44:52
Speaker
I'm going to say useful on the whole. I think a useful, a useful alumni for me, please, Daniel. Excellent. And Steve, did he make you gurn with anger or gurn with pleasure?
00:45:04
Speaker
while watching or gurn with indifference um I always gurn at the football so um yeah it's it's all it's all pretty much the same um yeah this one's easier for me I really like Snoddy I thought he brought a like slightly comic element to uh a pretty depressing team I mean I think he played nearly his entire Norwich City career uh in a team managed by Chris Hewton so you know commiserations for that um But I think we were quite reliant on his set pieces. like We were a good set piece team under Hewton. That's the one one of the things we can say about about that that side. And a big part of that was down to his delivery. I've said Brady was good on set pieces, but Snodgrass was like one of the best set piece takers we've had since I've been watching. and Certainly had deficiencies in in other areas. i can't I can't recall a slower winger than Robert Snodgrass.
00:46:02
Speaker
ah And, you know, just want to maybe one of the flaws in the Hewton philosophy was playing, you know, the likes of Snodgrass and Elmander in a team set up to counter. now Don't remember that going particularly well. um But, you know, does i get Gary Hooper.
00:46:18
Speaker
Yeah, Gary Hooper in there and possibly Jonas Gutierrez as well, who may actually have been an even slower winger than Snotgrass. So may have may have done Snoddy disservice there. um But also the fancier game lads promo yeah you know from from that advertising campaign. So he can he can have that as well. um Yeah, and scored scored some bloody great goals too. So i'm I'm definitely taking Snoddy. in the, what was it?
00:46:42
Speaker
Well, good. He can be good and useful. Yeah. but say yeah Sorry, no, the the fancier game, lads, bit is great because there's a tunnel camp from the week later where Norwich are at Man City on the last day and they're all lining up in the Etihad and it's like, Dzeko, Aguero, Yaya Torre and Snuggras just comes in from the back and goes, fancier game, lads.
00:47:04
Speaker
um Was he not also like just a bit of ah a nutcase as well, Dan? ah Yeah, I wasn't at the club when he was, but people who worked there said he was like in ah in a very lovable way, a bit of a nutcase and ah very, very popular in the dressing room as well. Sort of a big fan of prank calls and doing stupid things to teammates and stuff like that, but had that twinkle in his eye to get away with it, I think.
00:47:31
Speaker
ah We should comment on the fact that he probably has one of the most off-putting surnames in British football as well. Snodgrass. Snodgrass. It really does conjure up by like Nathan Jones-esque sort of troll-like figures under bridges. I was going to say, it sounds like a Roald Dahl character, doesn't it, really? Yeah. I just Googled snod and it means scott in chiefly Scottish, well organised and orderly. So a lovely patch of lawn is what it really means. nice breath
00:48:03
Speaker
And, you know, it was a lovely patch of lawn that he exclusively ran on because he he didn't cover much ground. But like there's sort of patch up the right wing that he would be yeah up and down. He'd be snodding all over that.
00:48:14
Speaker
And that is like that is why I think, slightly reluctantly, I'm going to go useless rather than useful because the way he would always, when Norwich lost the ball, jog back just quick enough to be near... the opposition player to try and win, to look like he was trying to win the ball back, but never quite quick enough to actually get there to win the ball back. um Made me think of ah all those annoying clip people you play five-a-side with who just cannot be bothered, but pretend they can be bothered. And for that reason, for not maybe giving his 100% tracking back, he falls on the wrong side of good or bad for me.
00:48:55
Speaker
but But Dan, he would get the ball and move on the outside quickly, then take two steps inside and curl one into the box consistently after that. So swings and roundabouts, maybe? Yeah, swings and roundabouts. yeah I imagine in in that Father Ted ah senior citizens priests team, he would have been absolutely electric. but maybe training He would have been the one in the chair just going back and forth. Yeah.
00:49:22
Speaker
was going to say that. think that's perfectly fair enough. You allowed your opinion, Dan. And you're wrong. I do think maybe he could have been tried as number 10 as well, whereas maybe lack of pace wouldn't have been quite such a killer. And wouldn't have had to bother running back as much. Could he be playing behind Orlando?
00:49:39
Speaker
They did try that in his first season a couple of times because Hewton didn't really fancy Wes and it was Bennett on runway what runway little ah one wing and Pilkington on the other with Snodgrass in the 10 and it just didn't have the same effect because Wes is, you know, Wes. Yeah, I think while we had Wes there, I mean, Hewton had defended him enough, I think, that season, but sticking Snoddy in the 10 ahead of him might have might have been the ah the catalyst for him to go, well, sod this, I'm out of here. yeah Was that maybe the catalyst for him calling Norwich a shithouse club?
00:50:13
Speaker
yeah Have you seen who they've stuck in the number 10? But then we signed Robbie Brady and it was well in the world. He he just needed his aunt. every story needs Every story needs a love story and Wes got that with Robbie Brady when he joined.
00:50:28
Speaker
That he did. Well, that thank you very much, Dan. That leads us on nicely to Kenny Other Business. Now, there are a couple of little elephants in the room. ah We will address the situation where Norris City have been fined by the UK government for paying workers under minimum wage, a total amount that apparently equates to roughly £85 per employee undercharged, which is, um as an employee of the football club, I will say, is pretty shit.
00:50:58
Speaker
Not going to lie. um I've not been affected by it, thankfully, but there are so many other people who, you know, put countless hours into the football club doing a job which is usually described as minimum wage, maximum effort. And I think it's pretty disgusting, guys. I know you're going to echo that in your own way, but please do it in your own way.
00:51:21
Speaker
No, I mean, they should be doing it for free, these guys, shouldn't they? They've been to work for Norwich City Football Club. No, it's it's it's gross, but it has it was resolved.
00:51:32
Speaker
um They've admitted their error. yeah They are now being paid the minimum wage. That is good. um But as a club that likes to tell us that they're there for the community, that they're a community-based club, um not paying...
00:51:48
Speaker
people on minimum wage enough you know to cover their own clothing ah expenses for that work is is pretty gross and a symptom of sort of how most big businesses treat um treat their staff like that so but it has been resolved though um and i'm sure if we were still under leah manning we'd probably dedicate an entire 45 minutes to ripping the club's um ethics apart on this but it's funny you know when teams are doing well how much everything else looks better as well so I'll leave i'll leave my ranting till the next time you're on a bad run Yeah, I mean, obviously, ah the the vibes are good, and we don't want to bring it down. yeah it did as As you said, Dan, it it the club have said it was an administrative error, and that they were reimbursed, and that they were brought back up to the minimum wage. I think it is worth pointing that out. I mean, I i would go, obviously, like, you know, ethically and legally fine to pay the minimum wage. but lots Lots of businesses now, probably no football clubs, I imagine, pay the real living wage instead of minimum wage. That's an extra 70p an hour, which, you know, obviously adds up. But I ah just, as Dan says, the whole thing is a little bit gross. And I just find it quite egregious with football clubs who are prepared to pay individuals £20,000 week. that their employees who are still on the minimum wage. I know, you know, as far as the law goes, that's fine. But, you know, Norwich aren't the only offenders when it comes to this. and But it goes back again to running clubs as a business instead of as something that's that's part of the community. I don't suppose that's going to change anytime soon, but I think it just it just sticks in the throat a little bit that you've got you've got professionals earning money
00:53:37
Speaker
tens of thousand pounds a week and you can't afford to pay people an extra 70p an hour that that would be I would prefer it that way obviously that would then mean less money to spend on the playing stuff but so be it think Well, this is the thing. I know different departments are going to have different budgets. It's just how businesses work. But when you do have like 15 million or whatever, it's kind of sitting allegedly and in a doing nothing from a ah player sale. And yet this kind of administrative error is has been going on. It does really stink, particularly from a club whose owner came flew over at the end of last year and basically was very, very assured in speaking about how much money his group have to put into the football club. And yet There's this kind of mistake. But as we said, that it's all been cleared up now and the individuals in question have been, the difference has been made up, which is obviously a good thing, but it's just one of those where learn from it and please do better, guys. Please do better. You've got a lot of wonderful people who work at that football club and give a lot of time for very, very little.
00:54:38
Speaker
And I think they are the foundation that football clubs like ours are built on. So please respect them and respect yourselves in in treating them the right way as well. We'll see it. Thank you.
00:54:49
Speaker
ah Anything else, guys, at all?
00:54:53
Speaker
Mattson's tattoos, sleeve tattoo. Has he always had that? Did he used to wear a long sleeve shirt? Where have these like tattoos come from tattoos come from? No wonder, like, Southampton fans thought we were brutes when Mattson came on sporting that.
00:55:08
Speaker
Yeah, and a tear under his eye as well. It was really weird and a little cross. A knife in his shorts. That's a bit far, but got to protect yourselves in the championship. yeah i I think his hair is getting dangerously close to Anthony Gordon as well. So I don't think you can have the sleeve tattoos and the Gordon hair. That that doesn't go together. Not as erroneous as Joe Rodon's tattoos, neck tattoos, though. He's got, like for Leeds, he's got such a... He's Joe Rodon, isn't it yeah He's got such an angelic face and then these sort of proper prison tats all over his neck. Doesn't quite work. it Doesn't quite sort of marry up for me.
00:55:45
Speaker
Maybe it's because his name's nearly Joe Rogan, so he just feels like he needs to live up to the manly image. LAUGHTER Pella Mattson to me looks like he should be headlining the waterfront every other week so I think the tattoos do kind of suit him with his kind blonde quiff looks a bit like a Scandinavian rock singer which is pretty great mixed with the Milky Bar kid as well though Yeah, because he is strong and tough, as Southampton found out in the week.
00:56:11
Speaker
He's always had long sleeves, to answer your question, Dan. I was wondering this as well. He's worn long sleeves up until, I don't know, maybe Saturday, for all I for i know. I can't imagine him in short sleeves, even though presumably I've seen him play in short sleeves twice in the last week. But maybe didn't know it's because of the tattoo sleeve. It looked like he was still wearing a shirt.
00:56:30
Speaker
Or maybe he doesn't actually have a proper sleeve. He has one of those costume ones you put on to look like a punk rocker at like ah a birthday party or something like that. And we're just like, yeah, this just seems like a cool look to do, guys. Yeah, you're going to tell me he's got water bottles for hands next. LAUGHTER Those tattoos don't really marry up with a man who um helped an opposition player with cramp while the football was still alive earlier in the season. maybe Maybe it's like a scratch for every player he helps with cramp over his career and that's where his arm is just filled with it because he's just so lovely.
00:57:06
Speaker
Was it Shane Duffy, the player, who who who was who had cramp? No, it was an opposition player, wasn't it i was in an he? helped an opposition player with cramp while the opposition we were attacking.
00:57:18
Speaker
Yeah. Well, Duffy was down at the same time. well yeah Me, Pella, for God's sakes.
00:57:25
Speaker
What a nerd. What a do-getter. Can't be happened to that. Absolutely virgin. I love you, Pella, by the way. I don't think you're a virgin. Don't clip that out, everyone. Anything else, guys? I was just going to say that for anyone wanting to stay up until half 12 in the morning next Wednesday, we may well get Slimani versus Ahmed as Canada and Tunisia are playing each other at 12.30 hour time on Wednesday morning, which is just over 48 hours. Until the Portsmouth game. It's astonishing. Are you joking?
00:58:05
Speaker
No, no. So good luck, Ali Ahmed, who has not stopped running for us since he joined us. Now has two games for Canada to presumably play in and then fly back and probably have to start on the left again for us. Ali Ahmed at the end of that Charlton game just looked like, you know, in a 10,000 metre race where you've got those runners who are kind of clinging to the...
00:58:27
Speaker
to the front of the pack and you know that they've got absolutely he looked like that for the last 15 minutes and they kept playing him in and he like i don't want to run off this
00:58:38
Speaker
after this yeah Salamat and Tunisia are playing both of their games in Canada as well so Salamani's wonder if they flew over together that would have been nice wouldn't it aww that would have been cute unless they're not mates and then it would have been quite they actually hate each other with a passion yeah So thankfully, it is a friendly, which now seems obvious but because Canada is a North American, Tunisia are in Africa. But you never know with some of these things. So hopefully, touch wood, the club can say maybe don't play those guys in that game. I think with friendlies, you do have some kind of refusal to say yeah that players can only really play X amount of minutes whilst with World Cup qualifications and... Other tournaments, I think it's more in the nation's hands than it is the ah the clubs. So hopefully they can politely say to them, don't do that because it's going to be past their bedtime.
00:59:26
Speaker
And ah good luck to Ruri McConville, whose Northern Ireland team are taking on Italy in the World Cup playoffs as well. Oh, yes. My God. Yeah.
00:59:38
Speaker
Piece of piss. Piece of pesh. Piece of pish me at. He's come up against Linden Dykes. He'll be fine with whatever Italy throw in. Now, Linden Dykes. Linden Dykes, there is a guy with far too many tattoos. yeah Seriously, that guy is, I mean, fair play if it makes he makes it work, but I've never seen someone who looks like they're wearing a scuba diving suit underneath their football kit more than Linden Dykes does. I mean, it's possible that is. like This is true. Yeah.
01:00:08
Speaker
Just one more thing from me. Norris City women's are playing at the Nest next Sunday at home to Chatham Town. The Canaries are still, of I believe, a point behind Fulham, but Fulham do have a game in hand. So get down to the Nest to support Norris City women's for that one, please, because then it gets set up a really interesting last day at Carrow Road in April against Cambridge, where at touchwood the women's team will be going for the league title. So good luck, ladies, for that one.
01:00:36
Speaker
Oh, and Kellen Fisher as well may be making a very rare appearance at Carrow Road during the international break because England Under-21s are obviously coming to Carrow Road and Kellen Fisher is ah deservedly in that England Under-21 set-up. Oh, and well done to Mundell Smith for getting an England Under-20s call as well.
01:00:54
Speaker
You call that everyone there, Dan, I think. Anyone else, Dan, while we're here? ah Good luck to Kenny not getting injured for Scotland. Yeah. There's two things I want from the rest of the season. It's obviously beating Ipswich and also Kenny not getting injured so he can go to the World Cup. score yeah halfway line And good luck to whoever's playing Josh Sargent to USA.
01:01:15
Speaker
I'm petty. but he got he got in the squad He got dragged at halftime on Saturday, which some people looked on gleefully. we're being honest, it's probably because he's just not had many minutes recently. but he He's done. Yeah. But to be fair, they were 1-0 down at halftime. He came off and then they won two one So not saying anything. If Chris Goring can make it to 60 minutes in the championship, I'm sure Sargent can make it to 60 minutes in the MLS.
01:01:44
Speaker
I mean... oh There was another little burn, wasn't there, from Clement talking about Ahmed and saying that the ah what a step up it is from um the MLS coming over here physically. Yeah.
01:01:56
Speaker
I mean, we all know it. Yeah, true. Well, I think that's it for this week's episode of On The Ball. A huge thank you to Dan Brigham. Thank you, Ryan.
01:02:09
Speaker
And a huge thank you to Steve Sanders as well. Thank you, Ryan. Enjoy your international break. Thank you. You too. That sounded really insincere. Sorry. Fine. Well, don't enjoy yours then in that case. No, no, I don't mean it, Steve. Please have a good one. Have an international period, not break, because Philip Clon hates that phrase, apparently. That's very Chris Hewton of you.
01:02:28
Speaker
Yeah, very international period. Very international period. If you've enjoyed this episode, please a leave a rating on your podcast player of choice and follow us on Instagram. We're on there as at on the ball underscore podcast. Until the next one, never mind the danger.