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Episdoe 456: BREEEEEEEE
145 Plays7 days ago
Southampton – Loads of news and football! Retained Lists, James Bree, Cyle Larin and much much more!
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Transcript
Introduction and Apologies
00:00:13
DailySaintsPod
Hello and welcome back to the Daily Saints pod, episode number 456. My name is Greg and as always today join me on a good friend, wonderful co-host, Zach. Apologies for missing yesterday, it's my fault, I was out, gallivanting, had to travel up to Birmingham to see Les Mis and yeah, so apologies for that, but Good time has had.
Busy Weekend Highlights
00:00:38
DailySaintsPod
But look, busy weekend of football, World Cup kicking off and news from the club to talk about. How ready you to get into are you feeling, mate? You all right?
00:00:47
Zak
Yeah, it's been alright. I've watching the vast majority of the World Cup. I'm not those mad people that wake up at sort of 2 5 in the morning to watch it because I have full-time job, quite frankly.
00:00:58
Zak
I saw a article that was like recommending that you switch your sleep cycle to try and deal with the late night fixtures. So like you should just live on American time.
00:01:08
Zak
And it's like, I don't think that's actually an option for me. But thanks anyway. I'm sure if you were self-employed, you might be able to get away it, depending on what you do, right? But I'm well i not that fussed.
00:01:18
DailySaintsPod
Maybe. maybe
00:01:20
Zak
Obviously, I know that I missed a pretty good game in Sweden and pretty good US game. But what I have watched has been all right, apart from that first game, really, where there was a ridiculous amount of red cards and it was... just a bit dire.
00:01:31
Zak
But, yeah. Other than that, obviously, we've got club news and the retaining list came out and that's probably the slightly more exciting thing. But it does mean that I no longer need to, like, really care about Scotland.
00:01:41
Zak
yeah In the nicest possible way.
00:01:42
DailySaintsPod
but Wow, throwing that straight out there. Yeah,
Ross Stewart's Departure: Surprise and Speculation
00:01:45
DailySaintsPod
man. The World Cup's been good. i'd Like said, I watched... Well, despite coming in not very excited, I've managed to watch every single game in at least highlight form. So, you know, getting there. But yeah, you're right. Retained list, other good news from the club, other bits and bobs coming out in sort of dribs and drabs from Alfie House's interview with Dragon Solak. But let's start at the start. The retained list came out. We've...
00:02:11
DailySaintsPod
the long awaited retain list. It was much, much later than we'd expected, but we got it. And I guess headlining the, the eight players who are either leaving at the end of their contract or at the end of their loan, Ross Stewart,
00:02:27
DailySaintsPod
leaving. I mean, i saw a lot of surprise to this, but it didn't come as a surprise to me because you don't dispute that the clause wasn't activated in time if you plan on staying, at least in my eyes, but don't know.
00:02:40
Zak
i Yeah, I think that I don't know how many people actually have paid attention to the granular level of detail that we do, right? So I'm not really surprised that a lot of people don't know that.
00:02:48
DailySaintsPod
Hmm.
00:02:50
Zak
And also that there was even a dispute. I think that for a lot of people, what they've seen is that there is a player who has played for us who, yeah, he got good at the end of the season, and started scoring goals, but ultimately has been here for three years and we've seen him for about for six weeks. that's probably That's how people feel, right? And there's a lot of a sense of level of betrayal and a sense that he you know he should pay back loyalty, which, to be clear, isn't how any employment works. like like like To an extent, there is, but you know ultimately, by the sounds of it, it came down to wages, amongst other things.
00:03:25
Zak
And I can understand the club's position, because why would you want to pay him extortionate amounts of money when he hasn't been able to... Why say extortionate? Large amounts of money, considering he hasn't been able to be fit enough to play most of his contract.
00:03:38
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:03:38
Zak
And, you know, why else would, from his perspective, why would you stay if you think you can get a better deal elsewhere? I do wonder if it will be one of those situations where there's the grass greener on the other side or it'll and be great.
00:03:53
Zak
Thanks for all the good times. There are some really good goals in there. but Ultimately, I'm not half as like devastated as I think some people are. And I think it'll actually be better for the striker position in general for us to find somebody that fits that position and can play without picking up an injury.
00:04:01
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:04:09
Zak
Because that was always a worry.
00:04:09
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, I think that that was a very real concern, right?
00:04:10
Zak
I would have...
00:04:14
DailySaintsPod
with With his fitness and his previous history with injuries, it's... Yeah, I think that i don't I don't hold any ill will to him for not signing a new contract and going. If that's what he feels is better for him, then fair play. I don't...
00:04:30
DailySaintsPod
I don't really buy into this owes us for his treatment kind of thing because we don't think we've said it before on the show. Like we knew exactly what we were letting ourselves in for when we signed him. It was not, it's not surprise that he was on the treatment table for
Hiring a New Striker: Pros and Cons
00:04:43
DailySaintsPod
as much as he was. uh,
00:04:46
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, it it is on one hand a bit sad to see him go, but on the other hand, think you're right, yeah it kind of creates a gap that's you know a slightly more promising position to fill to bring someone in to build them into that spot.
00:04:49
Zak
Yeah.
00:05:01
DailySaintsPod
And you're right, out of the two, if if we were given the choice and you had to only be able to keep either Ross Stewart or Kyle Lahren, Kyle Lahren would get my vote every day of the week.
00:05:13
DailySaintsPod
So...
00:05:14
Zak
100%. I would have said that six months ago.
00:05:16
DailySaintsPod
No.
00:05:16
Zak
But also, you know, this is the problem. It's like when he's in goal-scoring form, it's fine. It's keeping those fitness levels. And he might go elsewhere and manage to keep fitness. But the thing is, is it's a gamble.
00:05:27
Zak
And it's a gamble that clearly we weren't willing to pay the extra money that you wanted to to put that gamble on. And, you know, some of some of those sort of interviews and sort of wanting to do well for the club. And as recently as I may, I think,
00:05:39
Zak
They're a bit odd that, you know, they then go on to leave, but, you know, there's going to be agents. And I think there's a vast majority of factors. I think one of the funniest things is one of the leading clubs that went signing you said was Middlesbrough.
00:05:50
DailySaintsPod
Yes. Yeah, that was it. That was the next thing i was going touch on. The rumour mills circling that one of the leading clubs him to go to is Middlesbrough. And that will be would be interesting if that were to happen. I feel like in the existing climate, to leave in the fashion where we've tried to re-sign in when he's made a legal challenge and go to Middlesbrough would probably get him more heat than if he decided to go and sign for Pompey. Genuinely, where I feel the fan base would lie on that decision.
00:06:19
Zak
Yeah, but also it's like we don't know what his opinion on Smigate was and we don't know if he was one of the disgruntled players. you know I don't think we'll ever find that information out. But from Middlesbrough's perspective, they struggled to get goals, right? That was one of the big issues that led them to be in the position they're in.
00:06:39
Zak
it would make sense that they could pick somebody up on a pre-signing and just have to pay the wages. But yeah, I feel from a perspective of fans at the moment... you know him going to Middlesbrough in what can only be described as a feud.
00:06:53
Zak
they'm not going to call it a rivalry because within five years it's going to be not forgotten by both sides, but it'll be a footnote in both club histories, most likely.
00:07:00
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:07:01
Zak
It'll just be like me sometimes feeling irrationally angry towards Watford and not remembering why, and then remembering it was due to handball six, seven years ago or whatever.
00:07:10
DailySaintsPod
Hmm.
00:07:12
Zak
It'll just be like that. Obviously, probably a bit more cataclysmic due to the fact that You know, it's a big deal. But, yeah, it would be an odd move, but ultimately it's not our problem anymore. And I don't know if it's going to leave you with the same level of sort of love that a lot of the other players have left for.
Player Departures and Surprises
00:07:28
Zak
And I think that's that he wasn't able to be here long enough to warm, right? Because by the time you get a good run out of him, that's when he'd pick up an injury. But I hope no real will to him, really, as much as other people do.
00:07:41
Zak
It's just, it's what it is is. the price of the way that football worked, right?
00:07:44
DailySaintsPod
just just football yeah that's how it works
00:07:46
Zak
Yeah,
00:07:48
DailySaintsPod
A few other names will go through the list and have a little chat about them.
00:07:50
Zak
yeah we got quite fair.
00:07:52
DailySaintsPod
none None of them particularly surprising, it has to be said. but Will Smallbone, of course, his contract ran out. We had a chat about him and what we thought was going him.
00:08:02
DailySaintsPod
and
00:08:03
Zak
Yeah, kind of expected it.
00:08:03
DailySaintsPod
No real surprise. Yeah.
00:08:05
Zak
No, not even slightly. especially with Especially with the troubles he's had of injury this season and the fact that we have that position overflowing with quality.
00:08:17
Zak
i still think he would make a solid you know
00:08:17
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:08:20
Zak
a good a solid mid-table or lower mid-table team better if he gets the right sort of manager in the right position. And you know you ultimately will be one of those ones that whenever he comes back to St Mary's he'll get a clap, right?
00:08:32
DailySaintsPod
Mm-hmm.
00:08:32
Zak
It's almost like a sort of Matty Target.
00:08:32
DailySaintsPod
Oh, yeah, for sure.
00:08:37
Zak
Harrison Reid's sort of departure, right? Where accept, obviously, he's had a bit more of what i would consider to be an integral role to the club during that Russell Martin season.
00:08:47
Zak
But it's just, who are you ever dropping to play him? At this point, you know, you're not going to do that with Cam Bragg or whatever, so it's just an unfortunate casualty of we've got better replacements for all of the places the moment.
00:09:01
Zak
Sorry.
00:09:01
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:09:02
Zak
But, you know, you can't con say a bad word about him, to be honest.
00:09:03
DailySaintsPod
But look, I've already seen him linked with several clubs. I've seen Stoke, Derby, West Brom, Millwall, all all in the mix.
00:09:17
DailySaintsPod
And even a potential a case of being reunited with Russell Martin at Leicester going around.
00:09:23
Zak
Yeah, now it is! I knew what were going to say before you said it. At this point, it's just going to be like our old promotion squad in League One playing under Russell Martin in Leicester. Like, sure, whatever. Why not?
00:09:39
DailySaintsPod
But yeah, i look like you say, I hope he does find the club and go on to to be happy and do good things.
00:09:39
Zak
Yeah.
00:09:47
Zak
Yeah.
00:09:50
Zak
the victim of circumstance more than anything.
00:09:53
DailySaintsPod
Right, no other real surprises either, but Romelu, at the end of his short-term stay with us, now leaving the club. Perhaps the surprising part of this being the links to a J-League club, is that right?
00:10:00
Zak
Yeah.
00:10:05
Zak
Yeah, links to like a J League move, which I thought was slightly bizarre. Obviously, it's quite hard to tell because it's just all like kind of kicked off. But i was I was baffled by that. but like That's something that I would do on Football Manager. It's not something I'd expect people to do in real life. like But also, like, you know, follow the trend of, you know, midfielders and, you know, Eniesta and other people that have gone over there to to quite kind of boat boost the league and have a decent retirement in a league that they'd probably probably do really well in, to be honest. Yeah.
00:10:37
Zak
Yeah. It's just bizarre. I kind of expected him to go into a non-playing role because that's kind of what if thought they'd geared him up for doing. But I looking at it, just wonder if it was a keep the peace signing with the fans, a signing to just keep the back room, you know, better.
00:10:55
Zak
And, you know, with obviously what was, you know, if when he came in as well, we had a bit of an injury crisis in that place. Cam Bragg hadn't quite come through yet, right?
00:11:01
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, and just a bit of leadership as well, right?
00:11:04
DailySaintsPod
It's what was said to be lacking in the dressing room.
00:11:04
Zak
Yeah.
00:11:07
Zak
so So that's good. But yeah, it's kind of, it's a bit very, very much sort of the Theo Walcott, Adam Lallana style signing, right?
00:11:17
DailySaintsPod
a
00:11:18
Zak
Which we seem to now do.
00:11:19
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:11:20
Zak
So I'm looking forward.
00:11:20
DailySaintsPod
Kind of expected him to retire at the end of it, but, you know, it seems...
00:11:23
Zak
Yeah, that's that's kind of, well, if he's if he's still happy to keep going, you know,
00:11:25
DailySaintsPod
look the The report is that he's elected for a move to Japan after a conversation with former Saints teammate Maya Yoshida. And reports in Japan indicate that...
00:11:38
DailySaintsPod
Avispa Fukuoka... is I'm sorry.
00:11:42
Zak
you did your best. Oh, Greg.
00:11:43
DailySaintsPod
i really tried, but apologies to everyone who are interested who finished bottom of the J League 100-year Vision League West, which I'm sure means something to someone, unfortunately.
00:11:58
DailySaintsPod
Not me. But...
00:11:59
Zak
greg
00:12:02
DailySaintsPod
But yeah, so again, not really a surprise to see him moving on. But good to see it on good terms. Next on the list, Alex McCarthy, who again, not surprised. We knew his contract was up. Didn't really expect a renewal incoming. Obviously, he went out with surgery on his wrist towards the end of the season. So...
00:12:27
Zak
Yeah, that kind of made sense as his watch has finally ended.
00:12:27
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, I mean, it's that.
00:12:31
Zak
They can finally put him back in the crop family crypt and, you know, the NecroArts can stand down, right? like
00:12:37
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:12:38
Zak
would so the It doesn't surprise me, but i think for a lot of people, you know, he's been a he's been a good servant. I always just kind of considered him to be our backup goalkeeper.
00:12:49
DailySaintsPod
Hmm.
00:12:49
Zak
And then when he had to play like long stinks, you're like, okay, so when's the real goalkeeper coming back in? Even when he signed from her Palace, right? It was just, he's always kind of fulfilled that role.
00:13:00
Zak
But he's fulfilled it dutifully. He's not, you know, I think he's genuinely put in the best that he's been capable of most games. and Yeah, it's just kind of, it's going to be weird to think that he's not part of the goalkeeping unit anymore. And that place will now be replaced by George Long, I'm sure.
00:13:16
DailySaintsPod
Indeed. And look, the streets will never forget one senior England cap in his time at Saints. So, you know.
00:13:23
Zak
I know you're right, I did forget that!
00:13:27
DailySaintsPod
a so yeah, look, another one, not really all that surprising, but there we go. The last two, Joe Aribo, of course, going at the end of his contract. Yeah.
00:13:42
DailySaintsPod
Just such a hot and cold time at Saints, wasn't it, for him?
00:13:46
Zak
Oh man, we've discussed this to death over a lot of our previous episodes, but for all those that haven't heard those, it's our opinion of it is like he was considered to be the saviour, right?
00:13:49
DailySaintsPod
Hmm.
00:13:58
Zak
He was brought back in to the fold under Will Steel and he looked horrifically unfit. And then he wasn't going to get the time that he wanted under Tonga. He went out on loan to Leicester and he basically went there because they didn't want to hire anybody. And yeah, it seemed like a bit of a weird move. It turned out to be a weird but move.
00:14:19
Zak
Never hit the heights that we wanted him to. We're all, I think, almost the same as Will Swalbone, where because he's a jack of all trades, he was a master of none. And we have started to now get masters of you know positions in place where he's not dislodging any of them.
00:14:35
Zak
He was rumoured to be on significantly higher wages. He's probably going to be remembered more for the songs than anything else, which says everything you need to know probably why he's not being retained.
00:14:43
DailySaintsPod
and
00:14:45
Zak
But I'm sure he'll move on elsewhere. you know, he's every very, very highly...
00:14:51
DailySaintsPod
I've seen a very tenuous link for him to be going back to Rangers.
00:14:55
Zak
Yeah, I was going to say, like he's remembered for his good times there. But yeah, just just a bit of a weird one, wasn't it? really It kind of felt bad for him that you know his social group was definitely split up by the departure of Onomaciu and Sulemano, and then he kind of never really seemed to be able to break back into the team properly.
00:15:13
Zak
He put in, I think, as good of effort as we could have expected.
00:15:19
Zak
I think people probably expected more. But if you think about the time that he came into the club and how tumultuous... It's been with him in and out with the squad for so long. i don't think he ever really had a proper run of games until last year.
00:15:34
Zak
So, yeah, I guess it is what it is. I don't hold any ill will to him. I just think that his time would come and that we have better people in those positions. And if anything, the wages that he was probably on.
00:15:46
Zak
were more than they should have been but that's going to be a problem that you have when somebody joins you in the Premier League and you drop down and go back up and drop down and go back up right because he's not going to be accepting some of the drops that I think some of the other lads are probably on
00:15:54
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, absolutely.
00:16:00
DailySaintsPod
Indeed. And last of the permanent players leaving at the end of their contract, Charlie Taylor. No real surprise. not Have we even seen him in a Saints shirt since that one time he didn't mark someone on the corner from Russell Martin?
00:16:13
Zak
No, I think when we were going through ahpart what we expected to be departing loanees and returning loanees and how their seasons went, he He played like, he was on the bench, and he played like a bit of that Northampton game beginning of last season, right, when pretty much all of our old players that then went off to greener pastures in their eyes all played.
00:16:36
Zak
And yeah, since then, sort of hot and cold West Brom, at one point well-liked by one of the managers that then got sacked off, not appearing for a while and of the squad.
00:16:51
Zak
Yeah, it doesn't hugely surprise me that he was, again, a victim of, well, he's got Premier League quality, so we'll bring him into the squad and then maybe that will help us. That was what, like, Russell Martin and Tony Mowbray's brother sitting down trying to plan for the Premier League with no director of football, nobody able to go out and, you know, pick signings the same way that sports has, right? Because don't know if you saw today, there was there was a talk about the fact that Sienza was a player that they, was outside of budget,
00:17:19
DailySaintsPod
Yes, I've got that in my notes to talk about.
00:17:20
Zak
and small types that convince. Yeah.
00:17:22
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:17:22
Zak
Oh, that's funny. oh
00:17:24
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:17:24
Zak
But, like, that shows you the difference, right? Charlie Taylor was a player that was, like, right for Burnley.
00:17:29
DailySaintsPod
A last hour, last transfer, special approval over budget signing is probably the brightest spark of our entire season. It's wild, isn't it?
00:17:39
Zak
Yeah, they don't think too much about that.
00:17:40
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:17:41
Zak
But still, it's better than the fact that, you know, what we did was, because again, it's like Maxwell Cornet, like a lot of a lot of players that we just kind of brought in were we're like, oh, they've got Premier League experience.
00:17:52
Zak
Cam Archer, another one, right? Where it's like, oh, well, that they we got them from a team that's gone down. And it almost makes me laugh because it's similar to like West Ham buying the other players when went down and being shocked that, you know, Uga Chukwu has now gone down with Burnley.
00:18:02
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:18:06
Zak
You know, West Ham have now got, carl walker peters and matty fernandez going down yes matty fernandez will probably move on but we did exactly the same we fell into that trap of trying to pick up premier league proven quality players from teams that were being demoted from the premier league so i'm not hugely surprised about his departure i have no real ill will against him because i don't really have a much of an opinion on him because i don't think that
00:18:23
DailySaintsPod
yeah
00:18:32
DailySaintsPod
That's it, right? Just not enough beta to compute.
00:18:34
Zak
the the role that The role that he would play, we don't really play anymore. So there wouldn't be really any place for him. I'm sure he'll go on to, you know, maybe end up at Lincoln or something.
00:18:41
DailySaintsPod
No, indeed.
00:18:45
Zak
Who knows?
00:18:47
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, I mean, i the website I've been using that seems to collate all the transfer rumours that I've been sort of gauging for other players in some parts in our club as has got no links for him.
00:19:01
DailySaintsPod
But I'm sure that something... I mean, still early days. Transfer windows only just opened, to be fair. So who knows who will end up where, when all is said and done.
Contract Renewals and Fan Reactions
00:19:11
DailySaintsPod
Last two on the list...
00:19:11
Zak
Another one to last at then.
00:19:15
DailySaintsPod
two last two on the list of course the loans not permanent players two players who I'm sure will go down as some of the loans of all time Elias Yuler and Jamie Jones yep
00:19:29
Zak
see See, Jamie Jones, again, is the guy I just kept forgetting you existed until he kept holding out. And I genuinely think that we must have covered it, like, in a transfer off the back or a transfer that was, like, exciting and we just forgot about it.
00:19:34
DailySaintsPod
yeah
00:19:40
DailySaintsPod
yep
00:19:42
Zak
With Jalat, as I said, I want to see the documentary from his perspective this season. like like Essentially, he had like a decent game against Liverpool, picked up an injury, and then just was never played again, and now has gone back to Galatasaray, where I'm assuming he's going to get moved on from there.
00:19:46
DailySaintsPod
yeah
00:19:59
Zak
But... Yeah, just I feel bad for him, ultimately we had you know he suffered from the fact that James Bree was just much better than him. And when James Bree wasn't here, they favoured Tom Fellows in his role, right?
00:20:08
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:20:14
Zak
It's difficult, I think.
00:20:16
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:20:16
Zak
I don't think there was anything hugely wrong with him. It's just i don't think it was you know I don't think he was scouted correctly for the position that we ended up playing.
00:20:24
DailySaintsPod
know I think we talked about in our lone part, end of the season sort of thought part. just think that the profile that he was hired to do isn't something that we do under the current system. Not physical enough of a presence for that much more of a sort of lightweight center of gravity based drive forward player, which just isn't really what we're looking for in that fullback position at the moment. So it kind of makes sense. And then, of course, later in the day on Friday after that announcement of the release retain list, there was, of course, one player out of contract whose whose absence on that list had been noted. And then the phone rang, as it has been doing, and James Brie answered the call. Yeah.
00:21:15
DailySaintsPod
in in some some excellent videography. My particular favorite part was him actually singing his own song at the end of the video with with a bit of backing music.
00:21:29
DailySaintsPod
Just fantastic work. but But excellent news.
00:21:32
Zak
yeah i was that That was, be honest, probably the best bit of news, right? like I think that the Ross Stewart going was kind of cushioned by James Bree renewing, and would you prefer James Bree to stay or Ross Stewart to go?
00:21:47
Zak
and if it was a choice between the two, I've come out happier, right? And that's it's just, i think I think, especially where we don't really know what's going on with that position, because Warrislev's still kind of out
00:21:52
DailySaintsPod
For sure.
00:22:00
Zak
for the foreseeable, I guess. we've We've had no real update on him since, you know, during the season. And then obviously on top of that, Sugawara looking likely to stay in Germany, I imagine, especially with us not being promoted and especially with...
00:22:17
Zak
with C's away with the World Cup at the moment. So, yeah I just don't really see a return from being on the cards. I think I spoke about the fact that I'd liked it, but we also were discussing that the prospect of potentially being promoted at that point, and that was taken completely out of our hands.
00:22:31
Zak
So, yeah.
00:22:32
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:22:33
Zak
I think that it's massively important that we got that bit down. And obviously, I think we were talking there's potentially room just for Manning staying. So at least if we can cape keep probably more than likely three out of that back four, maybe we lose Harwood-Bellis, who knows?
00:22:46
Zak
But yeah, I think that it's really, really good.
00:22:48
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:22:50
Zak
It's massively positive and realistically...
00:22:52
DailySaintsPod
Really good. Three-year contract, so that's nice. Nice vote of confidence for him to be with us until 2029.
00:23:02
Zak
Right, again, like he talked about this when he first started at the club, was very difficult, right? And sort of, you know, especially coming in as like Nathan Jones' man and then basically by the time that, you know, the time that he'd like screwed his name into the locker and put up all his pictures and set up his desk, he looks up and he's got a new manager.
00:23:21
Zak
And then unfortunately, you know, he played a couple of cup games that's kind of it.
00:23:22
DailySaintsPod
yeah
00:23:25
Zak
And even even under Russell Martin was still struggling to get into that position. And then to to now where he is now part of that sort of of players that were undefeated that have now re re-signed for the club.
00:23:38
DailySaintsPod
We didn't lose a game when he played since he came back.
00:23:38
Zak
It's just phenomenal.
00:23:41
DailySaintsPod
And that says everything about his time back with us.
00:23:41
Zak
They go.
00:23:45
DailySaintsPod
Still, to me, one of the most baffling decisions to send him out on loan. But then an argument to be made that the confidence boost of being back at Charlton might have been exactly what he needed to to turn that around mentally.
00:24:00
Zak
Yeah, also different positions, different different philosophies, different managers, different personnel and conversations.
00:24:00
DailySaintsPod
So...
00:24:04
DailySaintsPod
please
00:24:12
Zak
I think that you know when you saw him or how he was at Charlton and the got the important goals they scored for him and how it's no surprise, Greg, that when he came back off of loan,
00:24:25
Zak
Prelton started to struggle a bit more, right? That's if you think about the sort of the season that they had, and that's probably partly due to it. And, you know, we could always thank Nathan Jones for turning him into an incredible right back, as well as the fact, you know, the the stopping Man City do the quadruple.
00:24:40
Zak
That's about it for thanking Nathan Jones, right? Like everything else was realistically brought in elsewhere.
00:24:43
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, that is the...
00:24:45
Zak
So, yeah.
00:24:47
DailySaintsPod
That's it.
00:24:48
Zak
yeah
00:24:48
DailySaintsPod
Good stuff. Really good. And good positive news coming out at the club. With all of that like positive news within the week, I kind of expected season ticket information to drop, but no such luck as of yet.
00:25:01
DailySaintsPod
Although I did see in the minutes from the meeting with the fan advisory board that it was actually... scheduled to go out on the 27th of May, but no no real surprise that that's been pushed back, to be fair. Rather, a few things happened in that period of time that will have made that Yeah.
00:25:14
Zak
thus
00:25:20
DailySaintsPod
Hmm. made that delay so
00:25:23
Zak
It does feel like they're probably trying to work a way around to make it slightly cheaper than they're expecting it to, you right? Because there's a lot of conversation around the fact that they're going to have to put prices up because costs have been increased. But how do you do that without annoying everybody because of everything that's going on? All of the transfer is fantastic. Don't get me wrong.
00:25:44
Zak
It will please all of us. Everyone's happy with a lot of the business they've done so far. But one of the issues is that that ultimately that isn't going to make it any cheaper if you try to renew your season ticket, is it? And it's not going to make it any more realistically enticing than the fact that, you know, maybe we continue to go on a good run next season.
00:25:53
DailySaintsPod
No. Yeah.
00:26:00
Zak
But when it comes to my staying in fans' pockets, that's important to a lot of fans, especially with everything that we kind of got, you know, massively screwed over. so I'm not really surprised they're trying to figure it out.
00:26:15
DailySaintsPod
No, it makes sense. And it will be interesting to see when that comes out and what that looks like. few other bits of news floating around the club. Obviously, we talked about the the interviews with Dragan Solak and the bits that are dripping out. I like the the Leo line of, yeah, we have this last hour to sign Leo or not.
00:26:37
DailySaintsPod
And it's over the budget. Yeah. He asked, why do we need him? And Johannes explained. So I said, yes, it's okay. And I'm glad I did. And so, so are the rest of us.
00:26:51
DailySaintsPod
But that's the type of business he bought.
00:26:52
Zak
Very much so. and
00:26:53
DailySaintsPod
Finding Sienza in Germany. You kind of think, why has no one else found him before? And that can only be a good thing. so that's good. It just heaps of praise for Spores really coming out in in that bit. mentioned that Damien Downs was really the only bad signing in that window, which we've touched on, but there's still hope that he can turn him into a success here. And don't know, that might be, I appreciate the optimism and I hope that too.
World Cup Impact and Americanization
00:27:23
DailySaintsPod
I don't know if that's how that plays out, but
00:27:24
Zak
I feel like relying on him, if they're going to be relying on him to replace Stewart, I don't think anybody is going to be relying on him to replace Stewart.
00:27:31
DailySaintsPod
no
00:27:33
Zak
They are aware enough of how the season is. I do i think that maybe with have some better coaching and some confidence be building, might have a better season this year You can only hope for his sake more than anyone else's, to be honest.
00:27:46
DailySaintsPod
e
00:27:48
DailySaintsPod
Definitely. For sure. And then, of course, something we can't let pass up and not talk about. Kyle Lahren coming off the bench for Canada and making instant impact.
00:27:59
DailySaintsPod
And as he says, when Canada needs him, he scores. Wow.
00:28:03
Zak
But it's one of those things where, like me and you were talking about it, we're baffled that as the game went on, they just wouldn't put him on because they looked like they were going to score.
00:28:10
DailySaintsPod
Thank
00:28:11
Zak
They just needed someone to actually finish the goal. And then he comes on and then puts one away and you're like, well, there you And I reckon, you know, if he'd had, it would be interesting to see if he starts their next game, right? Because, yeah, it was it its an interesting game to watch, I guess I'll put it like that, without wanting to insult too many people.
00:28:30
Zak
Especially our Canadian family, that one of my
00:28:32
DailySaintsPod
it felt like It felt a lot like, I think I just described it to you at the time, as us versus Swansea. That 53 chances, the was cursed, not happen.
00:28:41
Zak
Yes, that is exactly that's exactly what you said right up until the goal actually happened.
00:28:44
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:28:47
Zak
And then obviously, I guess, not the the best start. Both of the other home nations got wins, but at the same time, could have been a lot worse. And you know it' was nice to see him on the stage of the World Cup get a goal and hopefully maybe even get a few more.
00:29:05
DailySaintsPod
Yeah, but that other than that, you know that's an interesting group of the World Cup. All of those teams on one point did lead to an interest interesting discussion with the not-so-following football members of my family.
00:29:16
DailySaintsPod
It was like, what if all six group games are just a draw? It's like, I just don't know the answer to that, and I don't know if anyone ever will. Maybe we'll wait and see.
00:29:26
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:29:27
Zak
Goal difference in alphabet, right? like At that point?
00:29:31
DailySaintsPod
If all of the games drawn, all of their goal differences will be zero. That's how goal difference works.
00:29:40
Zak
Greg, come on. If there's a 5-5, maybe it'll be like goals for...
00:29:44
DailySaintsPod
Goal scored. Yeah.
00:29:45
Zak
Yeah, sorry, apologies. Or alternatively, as I said, they're just going to go via the alphabet. How should you do it?
00:29:52
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:29:52
Zak
I don't know.
00:29:54
DailySaintsPod
Rock, paper roll paper, scissors in the centre circle.
00:29:56
Zak
we just We've just never had that, so let's not worry about it too much yet.
00:29:58
DailySaintsPod
No.
00:29:59
Zak
If it does happen, it'll be really funny.
00:30:00
DailySaintsPod
It's probably never going to happen, but in a world where it does, it is really funny. Yeah.
00:30:06
Zak
if you fancy going through another rulebook for like 700-800 pages, like you did in the AFL, mate, go right ahead.
00:30:14
DailySaintsPod
maybe, maybe not. an anyway I'm still mind-blown every time you watch the start of a game and they show the VAR referees in their pose ready to show who they are for the game.
00:30:27
DailySaintsPod
That is is really something, isn't it?
00:30:28
Zak
It's the Countdowns, the Let's Go Canada, which is winding my wife up so much because I'm just running around the house going, Let's Go Canada. And she's just like, please, any of the other chants you used to do are somehow less annoying than that.
00:30:44
Zak
The hydration breaks and they're extremely loud music. It's yeah been a weird one so far.
00:30:48
DailySaintsPod
You mean you mean the end of the first
00:30:54
Zak
You're right. It does feel like they have decided to Americanise sport by literally splitting it into quarters. But come on, let's not upset any of our American audience here.
00:31:01
DailySaintsPod
yeah
00:31:06
Zak
written
00:31:07
DailySaintsPod
But look, it's all good stuff and I'm sure that we will have plenty of time to talk about it as the World Cup progresses because we're watching it and mostly enjoying it, even if not staying up to your stupid hours of the night to watch all of it.
00:31:22
DailySaintsPod
But look, well done Scotland. good Good result for them. Exactly what they needed. Super John McGinn, or as Fabrizio Romano reported it, Scott McGinn. Don't know if you saw that.
00:31:34
Zak
i did see I did see that and his response being, you're lucky that i don't get any moves.
00:31:38
DailySaintsPod
Yeah.
00:31:40
Zak
It's confusing, right? Scotland, maybe he's referred to as a Scot sometimes. Maybe that's how he thought it was.
00:31:47
DailySaintsPod
Crazy. All
Podcast Wrap-Up and Listener Engagement
00:31:48
DailySaintsPod
good fun. But yeah, look, that's all we've got time for today. So we will be back tomorrow to talk more about the world of football. But until then, thank you very much for joining us and listening. Let us know your thoughts and how happy you are with the retained release list, James Bree and Kyle Lahren in the comments on the socials. We are Daily Saints Pod absolutely everywhere. TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Blue Sky, X, YouTube.
00:32:16
DailySaintsPod
Everywhere. Hit us up, let us know. While you're there, why not drop us a like and a subscribe. It goes a long way to helping us out and we really appreciate it. But until tomorrow, everyone, I hope you have a wonderful day and are not too tired from staying up to all hours watching the football. but Until then, everyone, see you then.