Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Episode 211: South Coast Derby, Leaked Kits and Pre-Season image

Episode 211: South Coast Derby, Leaked Kits and Pre-Season

S2526 E211 · Daily Southampton
Avatar
89 Plays7 days ago

Southampton – We've all seen the leaked kits, so we take the time to talk about those, our pre-season plans, the South Coast Derby and more!

Follow us on social media:

Linktree - https://linktr.ee/gspndailysouthampton

X - https://x.com/GSPNSouthampton/

TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@gspnsouthampton

Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@gspnsouthampton

Instagram – https://www.instagtam.com/gspnsouthampton

Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/gspnsouthampton.bsky.social

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61572875812052

Our Sponsors

Bioniq - Don't settle for off-the-shelf solutions made for ANY body. Get what's right for YOU. Right now.

We’ve spent years analyzing blood markers to develop our patented algorithm, enabling us to create a 100% personalized supplement to support your health by optimizing your micronutrient status.

Follow the link and Use code GSPN2025 for 40% of your first month’s subscription.

www.bioniq.com/gspn2025

Zencastr

Built for quality - Designed for growth

A new era for creation is here.

The only complete audio + video platform to get best-in-class recording, intuitive editing, AI-powered growth features, and top-tier distribution tools — all in one place.

Get started for free!

We highly recommend it!

https://zencastr.com/?via=ken

Global Sports Podcast Network - Creating the world’s first network of 30-minute daily podcasts for the world’s biggest sporting export, the English Premier League.

For advertising and sponsorship details or to learn more about the scale and demographics of our audience – email Ken Davies, VP Business & Development at:

ken.davies@globalsportspodcastnetwork.com

www.globalsportspodcastnetwork.com

Copyright | 2025 | Global Sports Podcast Network | All Rights Reserved

Recommended
Transcript

Introduction to the Daily Southampton Podcast

00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome back to the Daily Southampton, part of the Global Sports Podcast Network. My name is Greg Elliott and as always, joined today by good friend and wonderful co-host, Zach Ingo Finch.
00:00:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
How you doing, mate?
00:00:21
Zak
Yeah, it was too bad. I'll tell you what I was

Kit Controversies and New Designs

00:00:24
Zak
doing. I was cracking through on my other screen what's on the Mad Monday list of things they're trying get rid of. And they're really trying to get rid of those fizzy yellow kits, aren't they?
00:00:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, we were talking a bit about it before recording, and yeah, notable that most of the size is still available in that yellow for at least the youth and the women's sizes, which is, I'd say that's pretty unusual. Normally by this time, when they're trying to get rid of them, you're down to what's left and that's it.
00:00:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's...
00:00:59
Zak
it's just but the The kits this year, I think will go down as somebody saw a pack of highlighters on a, on a, on their desk and went, that'll do.
00:01:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah Which is funny because I i really liked the third kit, the pink kit.
00:01:10
Zak
They brought back the red and white stripes, which people actually wanted and everyone was happy with. And then thought, well, what should we for the away in the third, this, that, the other pack of highlighters will do gel pens, gel pens for the goalie kits, Sahi days.
00:01:23
Zak
And,
00:01:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
You've probably seen me in on the show too.
00:01:27
Zak
I do and as well. and i like the home kit. I don't like the sponsor. i'm glad we're no longer sponsored by some gambling company that you can't even use all of their services in the UK.
00:01:38
Zak
But yeah, it does say a lot though that their away kit is now that cheap after so long. But, i you know, what so speaking of speaking a kits, mate, did you see the the supposed kit
00:01:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.

Giveaways and Fan Reactions

00:01:51
Zak
leaks?
00:01:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
I did. Yeah. I mean, pot speaking of sponsors, P&O Cruises coming in as the big name sponsor. I mean, it's logical. It makes sense. Big connection to the town.
00:02:03
Zak
Yes, actual Southampton heritage rather than just like some random company.
00:02:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Gave away. Gave up. gave away a cruise on last day of the season in the crossbar challenge, which, frankly, might have upset other winners of the crossbar challenge throughout the season who won not substantial prizes like that.
00:02:21
Zak
Oh, if they did it every week though, mate, we'd have no money to not buy players.
00:02:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, but yeah, no, it was an interesting leak. The old collared design with some old old school...
00:02:31
Zak
Yeah, I don't know how much I'd buy it, so I've been chatting to you about it. It's just that the the specific home and kit leak, the way that it sits on Jack Stephen's shoulder is it's like floating in the air.
00:02:46
Zak
And he seems to be wearing almost the exact same chinos as they were wearing the kit reveal last year or the the year of the championship. if I remember rightly. You remember when James Ward-Prowse

Kit Design Debate: Tradition vs. Change

00:02:55
Zak
was still in like half of the promotional stuff before but leaving like three days after?
00:03:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:03:01
Zak
So it's just a bit weird. Like it might be, it might be, I might be completely wrong. How do you feel about it going back from Red and White Stripes again? waited What is it?
00:03:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
wait
00:03:10
Zak
What is it with our, we really, really like Red and White Stripes and then we'll do like a season or two without it to then bring it back again.
00:03:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
honey
00:03:16
Zak
It's like Coke classic and new Coke.
00:03:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's It's still red and white stripes. It's still red and white stripes.
00:03:20
Zak
Yeah, but it's it's not.
00:03:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
just a different variation on red and white stripes, isn't it?
00:03:24
Zak
Yeah.
00:03:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think that they're really scared of the accusation of I'm not buying the same kit every year. It's just red and white stripes. I think they're trying to dodge that bullet with that approach.
00:03:37
Zak
Yeah, like i can I guess I can understand it. If if the leak's real, i'm I'm happy with the kit. ohll I'll happily buy that, mainly just because, you know,
00:03:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. jo I like it. I like this design. I hope it's real. I don't know how I feel about the collar on a kit. Yeah.
00:03:49
Zak
Yeah, my wife isn't happy about it. a know she just To be fair, she she has a weird aversion to like shirts in general. It's in proper dress shirts and stuff, right? So whenever you stick a collar on anything, she gets a bit upset.
00:04:02
Zak
What do we think about the Away kit? Because obviously, I love love the yellow and blue kit we've got. I don't know how I feel about yellow and blue stripes, though.
00:04:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think it looks alright yeah I don't i don't know it's a similar design to the red and white though right with the same sort of stripes I guess it makes sense I like the yellow and blue colours when we do that I think it's fine I don't know ah ah think you might end up in a similar position where next year though where it would be the the least popular of the three
00:04:11
Zak
Yeah? Yeah.
00:04:36
Zak
hundred percent
00:04:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
because the the other, I don't know if you saw the third kit that got leaked as well, the black with the red.
00:04:41
Zak
Now, if that's legitimate, I really like that. I love my Art of Football jumper. I think wearing it last episode. It's one of my favourite bits to wear.
00:04:52
Zak
And I love it when we do sort of like a black and red kit that's that's really nice. like I even controversially like the the year that we just decided to dress like Liverpool and they had that really like sleek black kit.
00:05:03
Zak
And if it's if it's the black and red and looks that way, and the little stripes and bits and pieces, it would be really nice. The only reason I'm so, so skeptical about it is I understand it's taking a photo of a computer screen, but it it genuinely looks like technology from like the 80s.
00:05:18
Zak
Like I've seen VHS tapes run through a VHS player a hundred, 200 times that look better than the photo quality of some of some of these question mark leaks.
00:05:29
Zak
But if
00:05:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, look, look, base in this, right? I'm going to throw out a small conspiracy theory here, Zach.
00:05:36
Zak
Right, here we go.
00:05:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right, here we go.
00:05:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
What if... what Even if they are they they are or they this season's designs, right? But if they're not this season's designs... What if the club just leaks these images just to gauge fan reaction in an effort to, you know, look forward to the future? And they well, they liked those leaks.
00:05:38
Zak
Let's go, let's go.
00:06:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
so So we'll do that as a retro line in the middle of the season.
00:06:04
Zak
Right. So, so, so, so my my, my wife is a big, this big Sims player.
00:06:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right?
00:06:09
Zak
And I, if you know anything about the Sims 4, it's the every single time anything comes out, mate, it leaks.
00:06:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:06:15
Zak
Every single thing that comes out, there is a big contingence of the fan base that thinks that they leak stuff as a, it's similar conspiracy theory to see what people think. and that they're they're doing it to pro promote it without having to pay to promote it.
00:06:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:06:28
Zak
Considering the teams that actually do the promotion and marketing and all that, like it's just insane. Like, it's so it's a really, it's getting too conspiracy-like, it's like, secretly, the government planned to kill everybody because that's what the government will do.
00:06:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's not that at all.
00:06:41
Zak
And you're like,
00:06:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
You can have a sneaky little leak of a kit and it doesn't matter. like You can out and out deny it as the club and be like, oh no, it's nice that the fans are speculating.
00:06:51
Zak
Yeah, but you would put out good quality photos, man. You wouldn't put out trashy photos.
00:06:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
But yeah, but that's the thing. when you yeah but When you look up these these leaks, now, to be fair, they could just be being reworked by Air After in this day and age.
00:07:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
But if you Google Southampton kit leak, next to the dodgy photo of Jack Stevens in his chinos looking ponderously out of the sky with his P&O cruises kit on, there is a really, like, quality photo of the shirt not on a person.
00:07:20
Zak
Thank
00:07:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
It looks like it's been taken out of the box, right? There's no sponsor printed on the front of it yet. But it looks like it could have been leaked from the factory.
00:07:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's It's not outside the realms of possibility.............
00:07:35
Zak
Yeah, it could be a leak. I just don't think that the idea, like, if the club was going to leak it, they would put out better, higher quality photos just so you could literally see that it's not trash.
00:07:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
no
00:07:47
Zak
thats stuff so they would I don't think that you would have this potato level quality if the club would try to do it. We'll agree to disagree, but where I'm at is I like all of them....
00:07:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
and a You talk about potato level quality, but you and I both saw on the website this weekend scraping the barrel of content of the the top five of Moussa Gineppo. So...
00:08:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:08:10
Zak
Oh, yeah, we really...
00:08:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:08:11
Zak
oh you a yeah thought they'd have spun up some... Or maybe even... What's his name? what of our ah ah One of our young goalkeepers has gone off to the same club as Manolo Gabbiadini, who I'm not going to lie, Greg, I did not realise was still playing football.
00:08:25
Zak
But apparently he's playing his trade in the UAE now, so...
00:08:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's crazy. What's really insane is that he still plays football and we've not been linked with transferring him in.
00:08:34
Zak
Yeah, I think the problem is, is can we ever match UAE wages? Like, Ibrahim Adiallo went there as well. we never We'd never been linked back with him. Or Jordy Clive. There's quite a few players that played for us for a long time we haven't been linked with.
00:08:45
Zak
It's just that every time, like, Danny Ings is going to be rolled out in with no knees in 20 years' time, we're still going to think, well, maybe if we rebuild him, it's like, million-dollar mad, mate, just like...
00:08:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Alright, well that leads us nicely to our first break and a message from our partners at Bionique.
00:09:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, and we are back. Well, we're looking forward to the

Pre-Season Games and Transfers

00:09:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
new season. We've been hearing about pre-season. We talked a bit yesterday how about how we're looking forward to the now traditional Eastley game. We've a couple of others lined up. We've got ah ah a friendly home to Brighton,
00:10:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
which
00:10:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
which is interesting. Is it?
00:10:10
Zak
That's behind closed doors, right, that one?
00:10:13
Zak
ah ah Yeah, I think there's definitely one game that I saw that's going to be behind closed doors. I think that might be the one.
00:10:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Interesting. I did not know that. I mean, I haven't looked. we don't tend to We don't tend towards the preseason friendlies, to be honest. They don't tend to be the but high level of quality that would hold the my kids' interest for 90 minutes.
00:10:35
Zak
but it's it's also one of those things where like we saw some absolute quality in some of preseason friendlies like the other year, right?
00:10:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Let's put it that way.
00:10:42
Zak
And we were like, oh, this is going to change the way things work. And then, and then you saw the outcome in the actual season. You're like, there's been nothing. This is a hundred percent fitness, but they have gone to Spain to start a training camp now.
00:10:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:10:53
Zak
So that does mean that a lot of them are back.
00:10:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:10:54
Zak
Like, I can't have it. So also that's 21st of July to the 27th.
00:11:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:11:00
Zak
Rambo got married as well. So I imagine we'll start to hear about him.
00:11:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
I did see that.
00:11:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:11:04
Zak
We'll start to hear about his move now because he's, you can concentrate on it little bit more after planning a wedding.
00:11:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I mean, we're not going to be kidding anyone. But yeah, I see they've got the training camp announced for the 21st to the 27th. So we should start seeing some of that from next week as the players report back.
00:11:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, when is it the transfer window opens back up from this ridiculous break from the club club that nobody asked for?
00:11:29
Zak
I don't know, but like that was that was weird. I understand, right? like I think people have already gathered from yesterday, in my opinion, on the the Club World Cup. right like i but Did you see the result of the Bayern Munich-Auckland game, Greg?
00:11:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've got to be honest with you, Zach. I've not seen any of it at all in any way, shape or form.
00:11:47
Zak
thus That's my point. It was So... so
00:11:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
look i was Actually, I was watching a video on it earlier about how it might be too Europe-centric focused...
00:12:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
the opinion that it doesn't matter to anyone because actually to some of the South American and Brazilian teams, they take it really seriously and see it as their opportunity to sort of prove their worth against the big European teams. But I just, I still find it really difficult to care.
00:12:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:12:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
it
00:12:20
Zak
okay so So look at Sky Sports.
00:12:23
Zak
it went It was open from the 1st of June to the 10th of June, right?
00:12:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:12:27
Zak
And apparently now it's reopening today as at time of recording on Monday the 16th until Monday the 1st of September.
00:12:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:12:34
Zak
What was the point?
00:12:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm amazed we've not had an all day transfer opening day Sky Sports special from it. That seems to be...
00:12:43
Zak
It's... What was the point? That's so strange. Anywho, all this and They as well just kept it open or did they not want it... They did not want clubs being disrupted in the first week of the Club World Cup.
00:12:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's literally the reason it was given, yeah. So...
00:12:59
Zak
It's just... It's relentless. Absolutely relentless.
00:13:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, so we've got
00:13:02
Zak
don't know you're going to fit World Cup in there within the next couple of years. Nuts.
00:13:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
But yeah, we've got our pre-season training camp starting next season.
00:13:05
Zak
Nuts.
00:13:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's actually Espanyol that's officially behind closed doors, a friendly that we were playing on the 26th July.
00:13:16
Zak
Oh, okay. I knew there was one of them.
00:13:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Although that said, on the on the website, there isn't any details I can see about tickets for the Brighton game, but they tend to... I mean... you know they they don't tend to be sellouts.
00:13:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
I imagine if that's something that interests you, you'll you'll be able to go. I'm sure that by then, wife will be sick enough of me on Saturday afternoon that it is something I end up taking the kids to. you You know how it plays out.
00:13:41
Zak
I do.
00:13:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
yes but so But, you know, we're starting to get to that point where we're going to have those those points of discussion, you know, training camps we're going to be having friendly streams that we can watch and we're going have Do you think they'll do a kit launch event this year?
00:14:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like they did last year? Or do you think they'll just stick a video up?
00:14:03
Zak
but maybe I think, I don't know, because I think they are, they're doing everything in their power to to try and at this point build back up a level of positivity around the club, build up a level of commercial ability like commercial sensibility around the club.
00:14:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
100%.
00:14:17
Zak
Because, you know, we are, I know that we consider it to be the best football league in the world, Greg, the championship, obviously.
00:14:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
hundred percent
00:14:23
Zak
But from a commercial perspective, it is unfortunately the Premier League. So it's a bit of a nightmare and it's going to be a bit of a struggle to sort of regalvanize people. and I think these kind of events and the connections back to the club and things like the penalty shootout that they did over the weekend, like all that kind of stuff I think is is positive and good.
00:14:44
Zak
for trying to build the vibes up. Whether or not you're a Sports Republic in, Sports Republic out person, I think that it's about time that the outlook at Round St Mary's isn't one of just absolute adverse depression.
00:14:58
Zak
Like my uncle occasionally listens to this podcast. He's a Man City fan, but long before the money came in, bless him. uh and he says he struggles to listen sometimes because he's just like just really sad like it's not even depressing it just makes me a little bit sad because of just how relentless arera our uh our miserable season has been so i think it's going to be nice to to look forward to something and i think things like that are even and and from a from a you know from a building height perspective if i like all three kits am i i go to end up buying them probably Who knows?
00:15:28
Zak
i know I'm going have to try and be a bit more conservative, but I struggle. I'm already thinking, shall I pick something at bottom on Mad Monday? But at the same time, I just i just don't know where I'm going to put the fizzy yellow shirt, mate, where it's going to live.
00:15:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's it.
00:15:41
Zak
Probably never going to wear it. but
00:15:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. No. i I didn't get the yellow kit this year. I've got the pink and the red and white, but I'm not sure that I'll be bothering either. But but it is exciting.
00:15:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
oh it It's like the car before the excitement, right? like Just the the anticipation for the opening of
00:16:00
Zak
Yeah.
00:16:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
of getting some movements. I know we've got some players away on international duty and I think we're going to do some, some episodes on that and follow up on how they're getting on. And I mean, it will be interesting to see how many of those, you know, catch eyes away from us and, and make that another talking point.
00:16:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's just going to be going to be a really interesting one. Yeah.
00:16:26
Zak
we've got um We've got Ronnie Edwards as well on under 21 euros for England, which I think is quite exciting.
00:16:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:16:33
Zak
sort of you know There's some movement in the under We've seen an article knocking around about how Jay Robinson could be quite similar to the next Tyler Dibbling. So there's things happening already that should start getting us back to, you know again, like just just somewhere when when we talk about Saints, that isn't horrific. and like I think that there are a lot of people that are worried that we're going to do a Luton. I just don't see that happening from a personal perspective.
00:17:03
Zak
I think that we're going to have a good season and I think that they're trying to do everything right. I think that if we look beyond this season, it's simply going to be trying to ensure...
00:17:14
Zak
that we don't do what we did the season before, which is let's get back to the Premier League and just absolutely bottle job it in a horrific way.
00:17:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's... Yeah. Look, we've got... a It's the club's job to think about that future and that long-term, right, and find that positivity.
00:17:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
We've got to think short-term and just enjoy this season while it lasts. We talked a lot about last season about that comment from the Sheffield United fans. Just enjoy the moment.
00:17:43
Zak
Enjoy every moment.
00:17:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. And, you know, feel like we need to pay that advice on to...
00:17:45
Zak
Enjoy every positive moment.
00:17:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know, the Sunderlands of this world who are going to be in for a long season, like we talked about yesterday. But and the say we have to take that into this season enjoy every moment. You know, there's going to some real good, hopefully, this season.
00:18:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, yeah, it is exciting.
00:18:06
Zak
South Coast Derby mate like that's gonna be my wife's already upset that I'm starting to go with you she doesn't really want me to and I'm like do you think is gonna happen Hampshire police are spending like 250 grand on literally just keeping two sets of fans apart from each other sure I'll be fine
00:18:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
it
00:18:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's it. Right. I've got more. I'm going to continue with that line of thought. But first, a message from our partners at Zencaster. Here at the Global Sports Podcast Network, we spent a lot of time selecting our delivery platform.

Zencaster Promotion

00:18:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Zencaster came out the clear winner. With 4K video recording from your phone and AI editing that automat automatically removes all those ums and ahs, it's super easy to start a podcast that sounds great and is delivered efficiently.
00:18:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description and learn more about Zencaster. So yeah, the South Coast Army is going to be interesting. How?
00:18:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's been a long time, right, since the last one.
00:19:00
Zak
Yeah.
00:19:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
A long time. It was at 2012, think. think
00:19:05
Zak
Nah, later than that, because Danny Ings played.
00:19:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah,
00:19:09
Zak
was living in the house I'm living in now, i want to say 2018.
00:19:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
it was... Yeah, that's right. 2019, the one at Fram Park.
00:19:20
Zak
Yeah.
00:19:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think I'm thinking of the last one at St. Mary's. And it...
00:19:22
Zak
Yeah. We We won.
00:19:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
How... How essential is the placement of that fixture in our fiction list to our season? Do you think?
00:19:35
Zak
I don't think it is because I think if we win it, it's a great springboard to carry on doing really well. And if we lose it, it's enough motivation, I think, from a crowd perspective to go out and do better.
00:19:47
Zak
And I think that I'm hoping the shape of our squad will be changed a lot. The only problem with that is if you've got a lot players that are sort of just coming in, are they going to understand the significance? Because, you know, you everyone knows the significance of like Rangers-Celtic and sort of Sheffield United-Sheffield Wednesday.
00:20:05
Zak
But also, you know, they they play each other a lot more than we do. We play each other every so often. Is that the level of understanding going to be there for how important it is to the fans? And obviously, I think that, you know, it will be interesting to see how both sets of managers deal with how it is coming up, right?
00:20:46
Zak
um,
00:20:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
that's the thing, right? Because none of these owners, chairman, manager who are in place at the club have been around for one of these matches. So...
00:21:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
just...
00:21:01
Zak
Let's see if they get the steward in right this year, yeah?
00:21:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Is it going be one of those things? that Well, i mean, look, we've talked about stewarding at St Mary's before and it's going to be fascinating to see how it plays out.
00:21:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
well There is a real element of concern, like Not necessarily about trouble, but even if we just underestimate it, but it could really...
00:21:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
it could be a real negative turning point in the season if something goes wrong. I know this is probably coming at it from the same sort of Premier League mindset that we're heading in with.
00:21:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
But but like it's just I can't think of anything worse than if we draw that game, you know one of those games, really early on in the season... but still not quite settled because we're still faffing about in the market a bit, and we haven't quite bedded in, it's definitely a concern, right? That's not... That's probably the most important game of the season to win.
00:21:54
Zak
Yeah, but i think I think for the fans' perspective, yeah. I think from the players, like weve we have had so many... i know it's not the level of emotion, but we had so many games in that Premier League campaign that were must-win and we need to put in a performance. and And then the most we did was put in that performance against City. Every other game that we had like that kind of just got bottle-jobbed a little bit.
00:22:14
Zak
So I think that I struggle to see past that. And like I could 100%
00:22:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
this is This is so much different though, right?
00:22:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, so much.
00:22:22
Zak
Yeah, it it is to us.
00:22:24
Zak
To us. it Will it be to the players, though?
00:22:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
But that's the thing, right? because
00:22:26
Zak
That's my point.
00:22:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Because, you know, we talked before Will still came in about how there's no single right answer to, you know, to come in as manager for the Saints. So there's still going to be, you know, a ah a proportion of the fan base and not zero amount who going to have their doubts about him and, you know, he's an unproven...
00:22:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
signing, you know, no experience. You know, all of those critics are going to be there. And if we struggle at the start of the season, which we tend to do, don't remember a season the where we have, you know, started with a bang.
00:23:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
We're, We're, you know, potentially unsettled. if If we get a couple of bad results and lose to Pompey, Do we end up in another horrible situation?
00:23:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, we talked last year about how important the atmosphere and whether it's swung positive or swung negative could be at St. Mary's.
00:23:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like, that could be the deal breaker early on.
00:23:18
Zak
Yeah, but think that they'd have had to have had that conversation.
00:23:23
Zak
And I don't think, you know, like, you'd like to think, now I know that this is hypothetical, you'd like to think after everything that happened with Russell Martin, them firing him kind of on a whim, hiring Juric, who complained he didn't have a whole pre-season when he took a job, knowing he didn't have a full pre-season.
00:23:39
Zak
You'd like to think that at that point, they would have prepared for something like this. And I don't think that we can, like we will, but I don't think that the reaction of the fans from that perspective should be entirely deciding. Like we shouldn't look at the season of,
00:23:58
Zak
we need to just beat Pompey both games or that can end the season. We need to get back. Supposedly, the plan is to get back to the Premier League. So it will be every single game and that will be treated as a game that is important.
00:24:10
Zak
But if we lose it, you can't just go, well, that's it, that's the season done. Because I think that that is not that is not a
00:24:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:24:19
Zak
it's not a realistic way to look at It's not a practical way to look at it, but get your point of it doesn't, it doesn't matter that that is how people are going to look at it Right.
00:24:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
But it is the way that some of our fans are going to see it, right?
00:24:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:24:27
Zak
Because the South coast derby is more important to them.
00:24:30
Zak
And a lot of us than, than, you know, I think it's going to be understood, but I think that if you have some of the veterans play and if you have sort of a Stevens play, and I think things like that will be evident, like I could a hundred percent see Stevens getting a red card in that game.
00:24:42
Zak
And that would probably one of the only red cards I wouldn't be that mad about.
00:24:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:24:47
Zak
depending on what it's for but you know
00:24:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, as long as it's not for something really stupid, like pulling someone's hair.
00:24:53
Zak
but like yeah yeah things have changed as well like you know you got remember Bozunu was literally on loan to Portsmouth
00:25:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:25:00
Zak
like things Things have slightly changed. we're not So whether or not this this reignites the rivalry wholeheartedly, there's going to be entire generations of fans that haven't had the experience of this before.
00:25:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's going to be fascinating.
00:25:12
Zak
Or if they did, they were like 10, 11, 12 or whatever. so So yeah, there you go.
00:25:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's going to be my first one in person. So... Yeah.
00:25:18
Zak
So it's it's gonna be yeah it's going to be interesting, but I think that the we shouldn't We shouldn't necessarily put that pressure on that one game.
00:25:29
Zak
However, just because we say that, and I think that doesn't mean that you're you're right, doesn't mean that some people won't immediately turn. I think that patience is going to be thin this season. And, you know, we know why.
00:25:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah Yeah, but as we build closer to Fixtures Day, I think that that's the obviously that's going to be the first fixture on the list that everybody's looking for.
00:25:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then you know there's going to be some other

South Coast Derby and Fan Engagement

00:25:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
ones. I guess we'll talk about that in the coming days, about what other fixtures we may or may not be looking out for on the day.
00:26:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
know that obviously a personal highlight for me is Boxing Day. My wife has said that she hopes we're away on Boxing Day, which has definitely been misconstrued as she wants an away day trip. We're rolling with it. That's how it's going to go. It's it is going to be an interesting one. but that that That leads us nicely into to today.
00:26:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
and That's just about all we've got time for.
00:26:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
can't wait. The South Coast Derby is an exciting thing one way or another. and We're going to have
00:26:32
Zak
a new kits new players players going South Coast Derby Nathan Jones Derby it's gonna be banging I know we keep we're going we're going to be banging we're going to hype this up so much and lose our first five games
00:26:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's going to be great.
00:26:47
Zak
but at least we'll be doing it in the best league in the world
00:26:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's it. but just That's just a holdover pessimism, right? We're going to go on a 26-game unbeaten streak. We're going to win the league and cruise it.
00:27:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
And we don't worry about what comes after that. We're just just those moments at a time. That's all that matters, right? We're going to win both South Coast derbies, win the league.
00:27:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
The season's on. can't wait. but We will be back tomorrow. Until then, thank you very much for listening. Drop us a message on the socials. Is South Coast Derby the fixture you're most looking forward to next season?
00:27:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Or is the angst pushing that away and maybe you're looking forward to something a bit more Hollywood like Wrexham? Let us know. We're on all the socials. We're on Twitter, Blue Sky, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, all of it.
00:27:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
We will see you tomorrow and