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The FAI are over the Hill - What is next for Irish football?
44 Plays7 months ago
From chaos to champions: This week we discuss the tumultuous collapse of the Football Association of Ireland, Jonathan Hill’s resignation, Ireland’s manager search saga, and Bayer Leverkusen’s momentous Bundesliga triumph! Don’t miss out on the drama! ☘️⚽️
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Transcript
Introductions and Humorous Comparisons
00:00:17
Speaker
Hello, hello, hello and welcome to the Not Appundant podcast. I am honored to be joined by the man who has the same number of league titles as Harry Kane, Nathan Byrne,
00:00:30
Speaker
Yes. And the man has as many Premier League goals as Lionel Messi, Conor Glennon. I mean, I'll take my being mentioned in the same breath as that man, so that's made me die now that we can finish the episode there. And I'm killing Ginnity the man with as many World Cup winners medals as Roy Keane. Gentlemen, how are we doing today?
Irish Sports Day: FAI Speculations
00:00:55
Speaker
Interesting day. Big, big day for Irish sport in general with the Leinster announcement, but this is not a rugby podcast. Not yet, anyway. Not yet. The movement of the FAI, though. Very intriguing as to what myself and Nathan have been calling smoke and mirrors for quite a long time. Isn't that right, Nate?
00:01:16
Speaker
Yeah, true. We've been calling it for ages. And it all seems to come on the back of a huge weekend of sport. I don't think I took my eyes off sport this weekend, which is a good thing, but an exhausting thing at the same time.
Jonathan Hill's Exit: Inevitable?
00:01:31
Speaker
Well, I think the news today of Jonathan Hill departing from the FAI as CEO is the most surprising, non-surprising news. Like it kind of felt like it was one of them things that was coming and if it could happen at any time. But the fact that came today was just a bit like.
00:01:49
Speaker
unexpected, like there was nothing leading up to it, it just happened. Which kind of got me thinking gentlemen, what's going to come? No one knows mate, no one knows, like we are
00:02:03
Speaker
As a National Football Federation, we are in absolute free fall.
FAI Leadership Void: Future Directions
00:02:09
Speaker
We don't have a manager. We've been, how many months now, trying to find one? Everyone's either said no or apparently been approached and for whatever reason, being money or just the job itself or having to live in Ireland has fended it off. We now don't have a leader.
00:02:25
Speaker
We have a director of football who is as embroiled in the chaos in there as anyone can be, and arguably should be following out Hill in the same guise. But then if Mark Cannon goes, literally who is left from a decision making perspective in that building. I think the only reason he still has a job is Hill left. And I don't know about you boys, but when you see someone in a CEO position,
00:02:52
Speaker
finishing up in a matter of weeks with no gardening leave.
Challenges in Finding New FAI Manager
00:02:56
Speaker
That means the man jumped before he was pushed. Exactly and not only did that, he's gone before we even appointed the new manager which shows that I don't think we're anywhere close to getting him. I think it's a bit symbolic as well that happened on the 15th. Some would say just after early April. Some would say we're in mid-April mate.
00:03:18
Speaker
We are mid-April, but we know how the FAI operate. But yeah, the way I see it personally is I think a head had to roll and I think it was Jonathan Hale. I think they made promises. We saw the press conference, we saw what they said. And they didn't deliver, so I think a head had to roll and I think it was Jonathan Hale.
00:03:37
Speaker
In fairness to Hill, manager search aside, he was already under pressure. Like, there was the Arachtas committee in the last year where the CEO, I think it was Paul Cook, was asked, like, do you have faith in him? And he just kept saying... I was a chairman or something, yeah. Chairman, yeah. Where he's like, I have faith in the board.
00:03:59
Speaker
So his faith in the team, not the man, and the fact that he was asked three or four times and kept the same answer was very telling, especially with Hill sitting beside him. I remember us talking about it on the pub before, and it wasn't
Hill's Achievements: Doomed from Lack of Experience?
00:04:17
Speaker
even what he was saying was the impactful thing, it's what he wasn't.
00:04:21
Speaker
yeah yeah um so like on paper hill looked good like big enough salary like just over a quarter of a million and apparently another six figures in um
00:04:36
Speaker
Expenses. Inexpenses and stuff. I don't think it was ever that high with those question marks over how much it was taken. But like, he was ex-English FA, ex-Wembley executive. It seemed all right on paper other than the fact he wasn't Irish and didn't have any experience in Irish football. Was he doomed from the beginning?
Repetitive Management Cycles at FAI
00:05:01
Speaker
Probably, you know.
00:05:03
Speaker
Is that not the thing, though? And I think it's something we can maybe take out of it is, okay, he had a bit of a CVX English FA. But when they come to Ireland, they may be looking at a bit, they can get away with more things, they can push people around a bit more, they got more control of maybe then say, what a CEO for the English FA would have, you know. So
00:05:27
Speaker
I could see how we could get in this repeatable cycle where it's just the same stuff over and over from the people above.
00:05:36
Speaker
I think you're right because even if you look outside the world of football, think of any industry in the world. If you work for a 10-man company and you're the MD, that's a whole different gravy to a 3,000-person company, and those people don't get chosen for those jobs. I think there's a little bit of that in this, but I agree with you, Killian. None of us were going, oh, God, Jonathan Hill's been brought in. We all thought
00:05:59
Speaker
I didn't think he was ever going to be
Delays in Manager Appointment: Strategy or Indecision?
00:06:01
Speaker
the best guy in the world but I didn't expect three and a half years of absolute nothingness and I granted he would came in during Covid that wasn't easy but still like what have we achieved in the last three years?
00:06:14
Speaker
yeah like you had a was a report or a press release kind of going through some of his achievements and we'll get to them but it just kind of seems seems now in retrospect like another fault dawn after Delaney that like the starter pistol has gone off with the race still has yet to start to actually we don't even have our shoes on yet like we're in the locker room look
00:06:36
Speaker
And just another thing last, do you not think if they were anywhere near close to the point of manager that you would have not done this after you point to the manager?
00:06:47
Speaker
100%. That's Davens to me. You would do this after, so it makes him even look that little bit better on the way out. He pulled off a Lee Carsley and knew his job was still under the threat and left. He could go into the shop window looking for a new gig going, I brought Lee Carsley to Ireland. Even forget the three years and nothing before that, because it's recency bias.
00:07:11
Speaker
Like I think we, the only thing about the manager search being an impact on this, I think it may not tell us when the manager is appointed. There could still be a manager this week, unlikely, but the reason why I'm saying it is because who is going to be the manager and is it going to be such a letdown that he would rather not be there. It's going to be John O'Shea. If there's an announcement this week, it's John O'Shea. There is no one else that it could possibly be.
00:07:39
Speaker
even after the late surge for Ollie Gunn and Soul Shire. Which I would have really, I would have taken that. I would have been great other than the fact the man had no idea that he's been linked and had no conversation since January when he decided he wouldn't take the job. I'm amazed that you even took the conversation.
00:07:54
Speaker
I found that interesting. I don't know if it was a conversation with the FAI more than a conversation with kind of like asking around, kind of going, listen, what's the crack with the Irish team? Let me have a look. What has been going on? Like a conversation could have been him and his agent, but his agent would go, run, run the other way, Ollie. I think Ollie's going to social link.
00:08:14
Speaker
just proved how much we've been taking through the ringer through this like like it's just link after link after link some you'd imagine is a bit malicious others not but it's like like i i don't even know where that link would have come from like it's a truth saying patty paragon this could be pulled out of somebody's hole like we had it in our group josh but like it's it's just there's been so many
00:08:41
Speaker
almost of at least had like some sort of substance to it, to a more like pressing degree that like talks were advancing. But it's also a thing for me, lads, that like, we could, we could still get a good manager, but because it's taken so long, and all these names have been floated, and now I'm onto that, whoever it is, it's going to be a letdown, even if they're good. Can we get a good manager?
00:09:05
Speaker
I don't know if I agree if it would be a letdown no matter who, because I think there is some managers out there that would still make you go, oh, okay, we got him. We're not going to get
Candidates for Irish Football Manager
00:09:21
Speaker
him, but if it was a Lee Carisley, turn around and you could get him.
00:09:25
Speaker
Yeah. At this point though, I'd just be genuinely, and I know I sound just salty at this point, and what's going on at the FAO, it drives me mental. But if we did pull off Lee Carsey, I'd be like, what stopped you three months ago then? Oh no, I don't think it'd be him. I mean, a manager of his caliber, like he'd be like Rafa Benitez. I think everybody would go, okay. Yeah, then I'd be like, oh, holy shit. You pulled that one out of the bag. I think Lee Carsey is like the perfect one to bring up as a show. It's how we've just been dragged down because
00:09:53
Speaker
Even like, like, say two or three months ago, we were even discussing whether Lee Karsley should get the job. They were like, oh, we'll take Lee Karsley any day, you know what I mean? And like, we're also talking about Lee Karsley as if he's been the main man in a couple of places. One thing is like, this is effectively his first elite coaching job at a senior team. Now, obviously, he's doing absolute wonders with the UK under his team. But, you know, it's slim pagans when you really think about it.
00:10:24
Speaker
Yeah. Well, like just looking at the, the current odds, John O'Shea is nailed on. Um, it's, he does seem the most likely Steve Bruce native. He'd be like, it's another second. Oh my God. Get Brucey in, please. At this point, I know we joke about it and he's the resident joke of the podcast, but like I, I really, at this point would be like, give him an 18 month deal and see what happens. Would you not take Steve Bruce? No.
00:10:49
Speaker
Even just for the pictures of Avonard and Draxu, come on. No. Seriously, you would not take Zebra's arm. No. Call all the club stuff out of it. You would not take Zebra's arm.
00:11:01
Speaker
I wouldn't take him. I thought he did a very, very good job at something. I hold no ill will towards him, even though he came from the place of scum and ended up managing the place of scum. But I can understand why he could be a sore topic between the boundaries. But like leaving a club like your man, like he's your man. Jesus, why am I calling him your man? Steve Bruce. He's
00:11:25
Speaker
been at a high level in football for a very long time. Yes, he's a dinosaur. Yes, he plays archaic football. But like, we need a guy who has no problem throwing the wellies on and jumping in a fucking field. You know what I mean? Like he, I think he'd bring something. I don't think he'd be great with young players. And yes, our team is full of young players, but I think he'd steady the ship for a while.
00:11:48
Speaker
I don't think you would. I think you'd end up playing terrible football that the players don't like. You'd end up alienating a load of players. Like the likes of Sammy Smottage isn't going to be exciting. I'm not having that way. They're going to play football that the players don't like. We're the Republic of Ireland. We should be playing football that the players don't like because we're trying to achieve results.
00:12:11
Speaker
No, I don't mean like in terms of like just playing like basic football or like old school football. All for that. I just mean he'll end up like he had less than a 30% win rate at Newcastle. He then was at West Brom and lasted all of about eight months.
00:12:30
Speaker
I will say that comparatively to the managers who came before, that was probably pretty standard at that point. And it's not the Newcastle that is around. I don't intend it to sound like that, but he didn't do well at Newcastle, albeit under difficult circumstances. He didn't do well at West Brom in the Championship. He didn't do well at
00:12:52
Speaker
Sheffield Wednesday, he was at. He did terribly by the end at Aston Villa. He had a decent spell in Hull, and that was what, 2016? Like you're talking nearly 10 years ago. Say the Newcastle, this time in Newcastle, yeah? How bad, like if you laid that out, how bad of a time was it? I know I got Sarah towards the end with the fans.
00:13:19
Speaker
I think the ownership was unfair. I think, like I still think the way the fans talked about him was cruel and unfair. And I think the ownership played a huge part in that, like how toxic that family as well at that time. How bad was it if you lay it out as a period? You know what I mean? He was, he was as bad as, or not as bad as, as fine as any manager that came before him. And like, we had some absolute clangers in there. Like I would have taken Steve Bruce over, God rest his soul, Joe Keneer, who passed, you know, recently, but
00:13:49
Speaker
The biggest issue for Bruce at that time was he was replacing Rafa Benitez. Yeah, and that's like, that's the David Moyes situation, you know, in terms of, you know, I had to come in after Sir Alex, like Benitez was a manager that we should never ever have been given. The fact that we let a Champions League winner walk out the door is lunacy. And all he wanted was some money, like not even for himself to buy players.
00:14:13
Speaker
I can't lie, lads, I know it's been a meme at the podcast, me, Steve Bruce, but I'm wondering how us as Ireland fans can turn our nose at us. I agree with you, I do. Do you know what I mean? I don't think we're in any position to do that. Like, I really don't. Well, seeing as we've been now on the hunt, talking to everyone, both across the men's and women's game, apparently, and how long ago are we saying Willy Saginaw would be the best we can get?
00:14:40
Speaker
you know, has that even been approached? Because he's been on the bookies odds for however long this process was going on. Well, it was basically all being down to the Georgia versus Greece playoff and Georgia got to the Euros. Yeah. Why would he come to us? Yeah. Bakers can't be cheers as well. My thing with Steve Bruce is Steve Bruce, even by his own metric,
00:15:04
Speaker
is towards the end of his career. Like I know he's kind of said that he still wants a job and all that, but. Oh, he's on the 18th fairway. Let's be real. Like. Yeah. But like after Newcastle, he needed a breakaway and then he rushed into the job at West Brom and it all just kind of went badly. And that it's more that I reckon after a lifetime of given his time to football, I think he's actually burnt out by the sport and
00:15:31
Speaker
That's what I'd be more afraid of in a Roy Hodgson kind of way where like it's just it's just Go go into the sunset like even look at big sound I won't take big Sam Although if it was put between the two of them, I would take big Sam over Steve Bruce But I think Steve big Sam is now enjoying being a pondish. Yeah, this podcast I think he's now more like after a certain amount of time you're going to get Done with the rat race of it all
00:15:57
Speaker
I can understand that 100%, but maybe international football is the change of pace. It might be a good change of pace for them. Do you know what I mean? I do understand what you're saying, but I'm struggling personally to turn when I was up, if a Steve Bruce is even remotely. Kylie, are you looking at it? Because we've talked about this before that we go on Ireland to be the retirement home. Is that the hang up on it?
00:16:24
Speaker
No, I don't mind somebody coming to finish their days out in glory. I think for him it'd be some kind of trying to prove it to himself that he can still do it. That's an issue. Rafa Benitez probably has two or three jobs left in him.
00:16:40
Speaker
Now, I know we're talking about a different caliber, but like if he was coming, it kind of like, say like when trap came, trap was retirement home manager, but it was also like it's trap. He still has that kind of energy. That's amazing.
00:16:56
Speaker
Bruce is kind of like a rockstar trying to get one more hit. Yeah, yeah, it's like you're now used to playing basements and you think this could be your way back to the big time. No, that's not what we're looking for here. Like this older manager, like if we're going to give it to Steady Hands 18 months, the likes of Anil Warnock, I'd quicker give it to. To be honest though, I don't think if he's even like
00:17:21
Speaker
We don't even know if he's even entertained in the conversation, but if he is entertained in the conversation, I don't think it's a way to get back because I don't think there is another job after him, which is probably a problem in itself, but it's a problem I'd rather have than not. I agree. I'd quicker give a younger manager who has a little bit more to prove that has had a bad job or two and give him 18 months. The likes of a Scott Parker.
00:17:50
Speaker
really good yeah you have to remember the lads were talking with steve ruse like he's 80 he's 63
00:17:56
Speaker
Yeah, but it's not even about his actual age. That's what I mean with like Warnock. It's the energy levels from like, I know it's nearly like, don't forget he's also not had a job for two years. Yeah. But it's like the energy level at the end of West Brom versus what you'd want for somebody going into a new job. Just it didn't look like he was there.
Chelsea's Surprising Win: Future Analysis
00:18:18
Speaker
It looked like he'd never recovered from a new class of job. But you also did say that he rushed too quick into it.
00:18:26
Speaker
He did. Yeah. That could be a caveat in itself. Just a quick one, lads. Chelsea are beating Everton four and a half times. Oh wow. Chelsea are actually getting a result. What is going on in the world?
00:18:39
Speaker
We should actually do, come season's end, a little dive on Chelsea just because of how bad it was the whole season. Just looking at some of the odds here though, just before we go back to Jonathan Hill, like they're all pretty out there, all kind of high odds. Chris Houghton for an 18-month-er?
00:19:00
Speaker
I wouldn't necessarily know. I thought he did decent in the African combinations. Not good, but decent. I liked him 15 years ago. I think he's a fine man. Leave it Steve first. To be honest, I'd say what you're thinking of Bruce, I'm thinking of Hughton, so I kind of see more your point now, yeah? Yeah, and there's only two years between the two of them. What is it that
00:19:25
Speaker
And I did put it in perspective there, but what is it maybe in my head that makes Bruce more attractive than you? Is it just the name? I think Bruce has, in my head, what makes it more appealing was he was a better player. He has been around, although he's gone through a laundry list of clubs. He was a better manager. He was a better manager, and he's also had more experience.
00:19:52
Speaker
Like Hughton was a good manager, but like his best season was, um, getting Newcastle promoted. Which was no, no easy feat, but like we had a decent team at that point. And at both teams, he got sacked and fans are like, why? Yeah. Um, so like he has, but my, my thing about him is the fact that he's been in the Irish setup before. So like, if you're giving it to a steady pair of hands, well, then you might as well. He's not a bad thing though. You know?
High-Profile Managerial Candidates
00:20:19
Speaker
You could say it's the same when Big Mick came back and I don't think that went too badly. Yeah, fair. It went as it was going to rather than him doing a bad job. Paul Clement is still in the list, but it's like high odds. Jesse Marsh, I don't know. No, please God. I don't want to. I'd take him. I'd take him. I'd take him. Steve Cooper.
00:20:38
Speaker
And I know he said recently with Jesse Marsh that I'd take him, but the more I think about it, I think it's a bit Tweedledee bringing in an American tard and to sort our problems out. Only thing about him is he's managed at a high level. He actually is a decent thinker of the game and young and he has something to prove. I'd rather give 18 months to somebody like him, rather than somebody
00:21:06
Speaker
There's a lot more, like it's a lot better if you have 18 months suggestion marriage and it goes well, because he might stay on or you might get a really good compensation fee or whatever, rather than having an okay decent one to like Steve Bruce. I do think anyone half decent who takes this role will have a break clause. It is completely, you know.
00:21:27
Speaker
And the other thing about Jesse Marsh, don't forget, is because he came from the Red Bull system, he's going to have a style of play that you can then kind of like, if Mark Adam wants to prove himself as director of football, have a style of play that you can hang your hat on and get me in a manager like that. We'll give you a style of play that you can hang your hat on. I agree with that. I think though, it kind of, though, kind of has to know if he goes with a Jesse Marsh and that doesn't work. He's got to go with him when when Marsh goes.
00:21:55
Speaker
Yeah, but arguably he should be going now. Oh, a hundred percent. A hundred and ten percent. Like if you can get them to pay the money for the likes of a marsh, I think that's a gamble worth taking because either way, even if it's not him, he could still be going. Yeah. Yeah. Like at least if you're kind of going, I'm willing to live and die by my decision here, you have a bit of respect. You kind of go, OK, he tried it. He put his neck on the line. It didn't work out. Which you cannot say about Jonathan Hill on any capacity.
00:22:23
Speaker
No. Steve Cooper is available and he's in the odds. Just, it's like 66 to one to be amazing. I take him. I would too. One that I haven't seen chatted enough about, but apparently he's a very, very good coach. And if we're going to be looking at the legs of a John O'Shea, why isn't this man in the mix at the same time as Andy Reed? He's done a very good job at not on forest. Is he director of football or is he coaching? No, he was a coach and he was the interim manager before Cooper.
00:22:54
Speaker
I loved him as a player. Jesus, he was brilliant, but I did not know he was even in the coaching game. Don't know about you, Nate.
00:23:00
Speaker
Yeah, no, I think I just had a football manager lapsed there. I think I signed him as my director of football. Of all places, this podcast is going to be, is going to be fine. So yeah, he, um, he was the academy technical coach and then he was, he's the head coach of their under 20 trees. I mean, he's as qualified as John O'Shea is if you're going to go down that road.
00:23:24
Speaker
Well, you could say he's actually more qualified because he'd been doing this since 2020. So like he's had a couple of years on him. But other names out there, like it's a joke when Tony Pulis is still being linked. And like, and then we're getting all like we're already up at the hundreds. I always think once you go past 30, once you go past 30, it's just, you know, it is just, you know, 30 stops at like Robbie Keane.
00:23:55
Speaker
Which again, well, that's how far our odds are now. It's either John O'Shea, Steve Bruce is like seven to two, then it's Lee Carisley, Keene, Samuel Saltshire, Barry Poit and Robbie Keene. Half of the people have ruled themselves out like it's, it's John O'Shea, it's just gonna be, you know.
00:24:12
Speaker
And I hate to say it, but I'd be so disappointed if it is, honestly. Well, it's just been so drawn out. If they'd just gone, yeah, John O'Shea's the manager, a short-term deal, let's see what happens. I'd be like, yeah, cool, let's see where this goes. But the fact that it's kind of like, he knew he was only there for two games, and now he could be the main guy, it's just a bit like, okay. And that international break left a Saturday smile.
00:24:35
Speaker
Yes. The guy who is currently replacing Jonathan Hill is David Correll and for him, is he going to be now saddled with a manager decision that's nothing to do with him and then we're all going to remember him as the guy that brought in Josh? That's a very good point. You have to remember at the FAI though everything is death by committee. There'll be so many people involved in that decision that
00:25:04
Speaker
He'll probably get blamed for whatever way it goes. I don't know if he'll have, he may have well been in that conversation anyway, and that's why he's been put into that role. Who knows? Yeah. Like, do you know anything about him? It's David Carell.
00:25:16
Speaker
I mean, I've, I had a gawk. It was, I was LinkedIn before, before we hopped on. And I mean, you know, on paper now, I know we said Jonathan Hill on paper saying a good, but to me, you go back through, he's been COO at football association of Ireland for two years. Uh, he was at the English FA for five years, um, across, he started out there as head of business management and, um, he,
00:25:39
Speaker
His final role there was heading up the 2030 FIFA World Cup with feasibility study and pre that British Paralympic Association. And he was there for three years and pre that he was a management consultant for, I think, six years, either a KPMG or Deloitte. So it seems like a fairly serious operator from a business point of view. He's he knows the country well, grew up here. I mean, he's
00:26:09
Speaker
What I like seeing in C-suite people is...
00:26:14
Speaker
that they go outside of just one sport, because I think he can get too siloed and too tunnel vision. But the fact that he's with the British Paralympic Association, obviously FA is football, so is the FAI. But before that as well, he's had roles in around London 2012 for the Olympics. So I think it's akin to someone like a springing in, someone from sport Ireland, which I know we'll probably touch on a bit in terms of who the name's been floated around. But for me,
00:26:42
Speaker
Is it bad that he's already been there? Do we need fresh eyes? I don't know, but I think looking at his CV, I think he could be really good. Have you had a TV that was like, a lot of the people that will be mentioned with the role have similar like, like, to me, like, this is me asking you what stands out on that CV to you? It's a good point. I think, you know, the one to me that I look at the FAI in a fact that it needs,
00:27:13
Speaker
A real, even take out the football knowledge, it needs someone who knows the business of sport. And I think to be the head of business management at the English FA for four years, that is appealing to me. Maybe he's not the guy to be the CEO, maybe COO is the correct place to have him in the fact that business management and chief operating officer aren't too far away from each other.
00:27:39
Speaker
It's one of those ones, I think, this is his chance to take the step up. Can he do it? Can he fill the shoes? Who knows? But for me, on paper, especially from that consultancy background, let's face it, lads, like we said, we're in absolute
Need for a Comprehensive FAI Overhaul
00:27:53
Speaker
freefall. We need a complete overhaul of what the FAI is. And if he can come in with a kind of consultant lens on it to fix the problem as if it was a failing business, I think that could work.
00:28:06
Speaker
My only thing with the likes of any of them kind of positions is like, one, they're always designed to make themselves sound as good as possible. So like, just because there's a big name doesn't mean you had a big role. But then the other thing as well is like, yeah, he had four years at the FA, but what they did like during Roy Hodgson's time when everybody hated the FA and it was all bad feelings. It's like, you could be at a right club or the right position, but at the wrong time and you could have absolutely failed or not, but then you're going to
00:28:35
Speaker
coast off of the size of the title after the fact. Was that a job that anybody wanted at that time? That's another point. It's now quite a big one. Just to go through some of the lists of names, this is from the Irish Examiner.
Potential Candidates for FAI CEO
00:28:51
Speaker
Noel Mooney who actually played in the League of Ireland and had been their marketing director and then went on to UEFA and he was also chief executive for Wales and he tried to get Roy Keane into Wales.
00:29:07
Speaker
See that in itself though having been a CEO in an FA and look Wales has had a serious run there for a while and I think that's an appealing one but see they are the kind of CVs that I was saying where yeah okay look it's a football role but is he too siloed into football you know because there's what I'm finding with a lot of these FAs be it England, Ireland,
00:29:32
Speaker
Wales, Scotland. It's similar enough in the whole committee-led, red-tape-ridden, slow-moving organisation. I think a bigger issue with him is he was actually part of the John Delaney FAI as well as General Manager. I'm not surprised that eliminates him in my book then.
00:29:53
Speaker
And so then this Sarah keen and CEO swim Ireland on president of the Olympic Federation of Ireland. She's a serious operator her and she was in the mix to replace Delaney. Yeah, so she was discussed then and so like
00:30:11
Speaker
Yeah, like basically the only things that got Hill the job instead of her was finances. Not like he had a better track history of bringing in money. Ironic considering it took him three and a half years to get a sponsorship deal for Ireland. But she would give a bit of political mouse
00:30:33
Speaker
I think it would also be a good sign to both the Orachtas and Sport Ireland in the fact that, look, we were aware that the FAI needs overhaul. And coming from a Sport Ireland environment, I think that could be a very good potential candidate for it. And I think it's also a sign to the Orachtas committee in the fact that there was that
00:30:58
Speaker
moment where the funding was suspended because there wasn't enough females on the board. And I think it was supposed to have 40% female representation. And I think it really would be a great thing for both the women's game and the men's game to have a fresh set of eyes and a female in that role. I think it would be a really positive step for the FAO. Yeah. Next name is Kieron Medler, who
00:31:24
Speaker
Basically what he's doing now is he's chairman of Shamrock Rovers and has worked there since Dermot Desmond bought 25%. So there might be some like Dennis O'Brien style deal to be done there if he was, but he is head of sports advisory at BDO. So he advises a lot of like footballers, including Robbie Keane and Damian Duff and other sports people. So. Again, consultancy lends to us, you know, that could work. Right now he manages us.
00:31:54
Speaker
Next up is a notorious name for anybody that keeps up with Irish news. Robert Watt, current Secretary General of the Department of Health, currently famously on €300,000 and that is set to rise over the next couple of years. So he's running the Department of Health and stuff.
00:32:14
Speaker
One might say not very well. I think, man, if our new CEO came from the HSC and our new manager was John O'Shea, it's the most bland vanilla choices. I know it's saying like I'm trying to be some football shea Guevara, but like we need an absolute revolution in the FAI if anything's going to change.
00:32:40
Speaker
And let's face it, even if we do that, it probably won't. But it would be a bit football brought to you by Phoenix. Yeah, it really would be like the other thing about what is that like he's currently on about 100K more than.
00:32:56
Speaker
what Jonathan Hill is on, so that probably is going to rule him out. Another name is Fintan Jury, who might be best known for Platinum One, a sports agency, and for bringing Real Madrid to Dublin for the Shamrock Rovers friendly. So he also has been helping out trying to establish the All Ireland League and stuff, so he obviously has a big love for the sport here.
00:33:19
Speaker
Another name which would be very popular is Packy Bonner. Now, Connor, you said before the podcast, he's kind of persona non grata in the FAI. Apparently, or we should say allegedly, but yeah, through the grapevine, I've heard kind of just over the years, I don't know what happened, but he wasn't in the John Delaney time. I think he was quite critical of John Delaney. And with that came being kind of sent out to pasture.
00:33:48
Speaker
Well, that's the thing with him. So he spent like eight years under John Delaney. And then when John Delaney did all of his purges, Packey was a victim of that. And then he was brought back under the current regime, but hasn't been afraid to challenge anything as well. Look, that could be great. You know, like, is that exactly what we need? Someone who has absolutely no problem in turning the tables and, you know, going, what are they saying?
00:34:15
Speaker
rider this ain't riding yeah and you know we talked about paki kind of all fair and i i was horrified at how young he actually is compared to what i thought he was so he's got plenty of road left and left in him and he could be a good one what do you think night
00:34:33
Speaker
Yeah, obviously he has the experience of a certain degree, knows the FAI. I struggled a bit with the CEO's being able to differentiate one, but I didn't give him a good option just based off the history. Yeah, and don't forget he's in and around Celtic and everything, and he's quite vocal there.
00:34:57
Speaker
Doesn't he want Salty to buy a League of Ireland as well? Yes, yes he does. So, maybe question mark's over that, but hey. Is Niall Quinn in here at all? Because I know he didn't want it the last time, he just took it on to be sound. No, he's not in this list that the Irish examiner put out. But again, I think that's more down to Quinnie himself. He came in, did his job and he left. But one man who was part of that, who helped appoint Niall Quinn as Paul Cook,
00:35:27
Speaker
who, like, he was ostracized by John Delaney, and he's currently the, is it chairman of the FBI? No, president, president. There's so many random titles in there. Yeah, it's hard for people.
00:35:44
Speaker
It would be a bit Irish if the president made himself CEO. I do think from that list, you know, for me, Sarah Keene is a really strong one that I think would be just really positive. You did mention another female, was it Lester? You were saying off-air. Yeah.
00:36:06
Speaker
So just before we get to her, the other name is Nilo Driscoll. He was owner of Ray Wanderers. He's now the chairman of the Dublin District School Boys and Girls League. That would have some capital for him. If you're coming from the grassroots, I think that actually would carry because a lot of the FAI CEO job is local clubs, grassroots.
00:36:30
Speaker
Well, he's also the one that got the finance raise to allow them to get some full-time coaches, including Evan Ferguson's father. So there's a bit of nice to him. So it'd be kind of the, maybe the kind of guy you want in the building, if not leading it, but then the name that I was very surprised to see on it. I'd be very excited is Susan Whelan.
00:36:48
Speaker
So she's from Hoth, but she has been for the past 13 years the boss of Leicester City and a key player in the King Power group. So she was there from them getting promoted to Premier League to winning it, back down and probably back up. If that's not the perfect person, if she can't help us,
00:37:11
Speaker
were not able to be helped. I don't see her taking the top. Oh, I don't either. The only world in which she'd probably take is wanting to move home or something like that. But if she's leading Lester, if you've brought Lester through that transition and look, they're pretty much they're looking like they will get promoted. They're having a couple of ropy results lately. That's, I think, making all their fans nervous. But I mean, surely she's now looking at it going, OK, maybe I could get
00:37:40
Speaker
you know, top eight Premier League club. And that's probably the vision she has in long-term, you know, maybe, you know, you did an Arsenal, who knows, but Jesus, we'd almost need to give her a statue just for taking the job if she took it. If you look at it from her perspective, though, if you start working in the national game, it allows you to get a better opportunity to get into like a UEFA position or a FIFA position. It kind of depends on what kind of like,
00:38:06
Speaker
And that's a job for life if you get them, as long as you don't get caught taking too many brown envelopes. Yeah, so it just kind of depends on what she wants out of it and if we can afford her. But anything about any criticisms about Jonathan Hill not being based here enough, I would happily wave to get it. Oh, if she was like, I'm not moving to Dublin, but wherever she wants, Manchester, London, wherever the main cities for football is, yeah, go for it.
00:38:35
Speaker
So I can share the number two over here. Yeah, which if we have our interim kind of getting a bit of taste for the position, keep him as a number two. Is this like a little match made in heaven? That could work very well.
Frustrations with FAI Decision-Making
00:38:50
Speaker
We have to wait and see regardless, considering how long it took them to not even get a manager, we could be this time next year looking for a CEO still.
00:39:05
Speaker
Making history in a good sense is Leverkusen, who have not had to wait that long to win the title this year. They got it nice and early, but they've had a very, very long wait to have some success in it.
Leverkusen's Emotional Title Win
00:39:17
Speaker
Yeah, the good guys win. It's one of them stories. It was just class to see, you know what I mean? So more was like beautiful about football. And when like you see something has not been done before. And yeah, no, like that club has gone it's fair share, like quite long without winning the trophy. So yeah, it was great to see the scenes and all the fans. What I love about it as well is like,
00:39:43
Speaker
They didn't really have many superstars. It's quite dependent on youth. It really is a case of a team that have bought into a project, been coached very well. And it's not like a... You look at the way they're playing football and you don't go, oh, that's a Leicester, a one-off, won't happen again. They could very well do that again next year. Yeah. And like, Jaby Alonzo comes hot out against managerial wise.
00:40:14
Speaker
like the trebles on number one, like in invincible seasons on and to take like what is it, 11 seasons in a row off bars. It's ridiculous.
00:40:27
Speaker
Like there were famously for years in Germany called Neverkusen cause they did never win. Cause basically the last time they were even close really was like the early 2000s. And not only did they lose it, but like they were chasing a treble. So this is when Balak was still playing for them. And they were considered like the unluckiest team in the world. Cause like they were going for the Bundesliga. They were going for the German cup and they were going for the champions league.
00:40:53
Speaker
lost the league by one point. They lost 2-1 in the Champions League final and they were beaten 4-2 in the German Cup final, all in the space of like two or three weeks. That's heartbreaking. It's terrible. And for that alone they deserve it. I think one of the good things specifically for German football is those like sort of hype up these great moments and just because the clubs are so like fan led and
00:41:22
Speaker
They've got such a big say over there that it just really tees up for some great stories and great scenes. With all the talk of him, is it by Munich he's going to? Is it Liverpool he's going to? And he's apparently shot in both of those. One thing I saw
00:41:40
Speaker
before we hopped on on our good friend and Nate's actual friend from it's your Romano's page and he said he kind of broke the news that the lever cuz and CEO Fernando Caro said it's possible the jabi Alonzo will be real Madrid manager one day many clubs want jabi and maybe one day it could happen but he's currently happy to stay with us release clause in those contract it's a private pact between us and
00:42:05
Speaker
No one's ever put that job up. And when you think about it, Spanish, biggest club in Spain, in a FFP nightmare. It's claimable. I think if they're at Madrid job, but is it coming up this summer? Like, who knows? It's well, it's meant to be. Yeah. Like, he takes it in a heartbeat. And I'd love to see it. Like, I think five, five very good years with Madrid, like,
00:42:31
Speaker
I think he's the perfect man for them, number one. I think it's the perfect club for him to go to next. I really do too. You understand people going, stay with Laverkis and such a good book.
00:42:44
Speaker
And I don't mean this in a disrespectful way, but when you've had such a good season, I think it is the right moment to move on at that point. And I think it's also not one that like going to Bayern Munich, it's a bit like, why'd you do that? And then Liverpool, no one wants to be the first man in after Klopp. Real Madrid, you could go have a mediocre time and it's not going to ruin your career.
00:43:08
Speaker
And I think the thing is as well is like, he's not doing it in disrespectful way. He's not flirting with Liverpool. He's not flirting with Barn. I think this, I think Javi Alonzo literally is going. I will stay at Leverkusen, but if that revolution job becomes available, I want it. And I think that's fair enough.
00:43:26
Speaker
In fairness, I think considering he's done it before, he'll take the Real Madrid job if it's at the right time for him. Because when he was at Sociedad B, he turned down, I think it was a German club, because he said, no, it's not ready for me. I'm not ready for it. But even as a player, he did this. He went by the beat of his own drum always.
00:43:50
Speaker
I'd say right now is the perfect time for him to come in off the back of this. Regardless of whether they win anything else this season, winning the league is unbelievably impressive. And I know Byron have had an off year, but you can't knock that. But if he wins the treble...
00:44:09
Speaker
There's literally nothing else to do with that club. And as well, like he's going into a Real Madrid side that are stacked for the future. As we talked about before with Mbappe on the way, possibly Trent, they've got Vinny, Endrick, it's terrible.
00:44:26
Speaker
I, funny enough, I was watching a video this morning about Marino talking about Traviolanzo and him managing. And he, he spelled it out like this. He said his dad was a player and his dad was a manager. And when, when Traviolanzo was growing up, his dad was, it was during when his dad was a manager. And now like, obviously he was a player and then it's become a manager. It's like, he's always been invested in football. And I think, I think he could be the next huge manager. Like I really do.
00:44:55
Speaker
And he just seems like a nice bloke. There's no scandals about him. There's no bullshit about him. He seems to have a good relationship with the media. All around, it seems like a top bloke. And he's a Meath GAA fan. Oh, God. Here we go. How? How can we turn him back?
00:45:17
Speaker
because he spent a summer in Kells, County Meath, with an Irish family to learn English. Thankfully it didn't ruin his football abilities. Well, apparently quite the opposite because as of probably about 10 years ago, he said in an article, I don't know how much kind of like fluffing it was, but he said he does try to keep an eye on the Meath games when he can.
00:45:44
Speaker
And so he's had a very, very bad spell. He's kind of 10 or 15 years. Death taxes and GAA jerseys popping up at every major event in life is what's always going to happen in life. Yeah. So this B team is doing very well this week, aren't they?
00:46:00
Speaker
No, but who's to say we don't see him try to come back to Ireland and manage Ireland? Bring Ireland to Parktholton. That is what I want. Yeah, no, it's an incredible achievement. The numbers are just ridiculous. There are 43 games unbeaten in Europe so far. Oh, not the friendly.
00:46:28
Speaker
Yeah like 43 competitive matches, 38 games, 5 draws, 123 goals conceding 31. If you didn't say who that team was, you'd think that was Man City.
00:46:49
Speaker
to three of the back, the press and fallbacks. So unique. And like you were saying before about the team not being full of superstars, it's one of these teams that is creating superstars. Like Shaka, Granite Shaka has been completely revitalized. Jonathan Ta has been there for ages.
00:47:12
Speaker
And he's just now kind of coming good after being like a, he was a wonder kid. I used to always sign, um, Victor Boniface like was doing well as only continue to get better. Grimaldo is back on top after being like kind of this is what makes them so likable is it's, they don't have the superstars. They just have absolute grafters. They're creating superstars. That's the bit I love. Like Boniface is now a borderline superstar. Frimpong, the right, the right wing back.
00:47:41
Speaker
superstar now, especially with his pace. Even Fonsu Mensa formerly of Old Trafford parish is having a good season after like basically being mediocre. Do you think, say Alonzo stays, do you think that team gets fleeced in the transfer market? Yeah. So like that's why he needs to go now. Vert is a very canny player.
00:48:11
Speaker
He might go. I just don't know. The German players delighted to go straight to Bayern. How many are they going to nick?
00:48:25
Speaker
Like they have your man, the Ecuadorian guy, is it Hina Passay or however you pronounce it? He's like a place center or left. Um, he's very good. So like you can imagine, I could imagine him going to the likes of a Barcelona or somewhere like that. I don't think they can afford them, but like you could just picture him in the Jersey, like they're going to lose one of the defenders because he's an unknown from Munich anyway. Um, Stanisic who I think scored against Byron.
00:48:52
Speaker
Yeah, I could see him first at Liverpool for some reason. That'd be a great transfer. That would be very good. Frimpong, I think they'd be doing very well to hold on to him. Is that ex-Arsenal Frimpong? No, ex-Celtic Frimpong. Oh, okay. You're thinking of Emmanuel Frimpong. Yeah, that's the one I'm thinking of. It's ended up at Arsenal Tustla of Russia years and years ago. Oh, right. Ex-C as well.
00:49:20
Speaker
Is, is that? Yeah, I see. Yeah. Um, the lever cruising on. Yeah. Okay. Um, then to have, uh, Placios, who's like a proper football manager signing straight from river plate into the defensive midfield, like, yeah, it's very rare. You keep hold of a team of players like that have had a glow up.
00:49:45
Speaker
Yeah. Boniface only joined in the summer, but he has 11 goals and 18 appearances. That's the kind of stuff that sees you get signed by Tottenham. Yeah. I never won a trophy the rest of your life. Let's all have a hurricane just for a minute. I feel really sorry for that man. He's had an unbelievable season.
00:50:06
Speaker
I feel sorry for Kingsley Colman. Harry Kane has gone to Bayern Munich and ruined this man's career. This man could have gone down all the time. 10 league titles. First year of playing with Harry Kane. It's the only time he's ever. No way in which Harry Kane, we all joke about this, there's no way he doesn't think this about himself. That he's like, is it me?
00:50:37
Speaker
Colin must be devastated though, do you think? I think he's won enough titles that he could literally walk into a spare room full of trophies and just be like, ah, yeah, okay, it did okay for the last 10 years. He's also seenly young. He's not that young anymore, like he is getting to be like...
00:50:57
Speaker
I think Coman's one of them players kind of like Rashford where just everybody thinks they're forever young or like Lingard from a couple years ago. It's like, no, he's probably about 26 now. I looked him up there. He's 27. He's won the league 10 times. Come on. Oh yeah. He has enough. He has enough trophies, but like,
00:51:15
Speaker
The other thing about him though where i don't necessarily feel bad for him was he got all of his transfers done at the right time. Like he went to was a psg and then uv and then byron and he did it just like he left uv just before they became all by the age of twenty seven though like it's insane.
00:51:37
Speaker
He's won a big title every year since 7-8. That's crazy. Any others? Does he have a World Cup? Yeah, he does. No, no, he has run her up at the World Cup.
00:51:48
Speaker
Okay, so he wasn't part of the 2018 squad. Yeah, so I don't feel bad for him at all. So like, he can live. But one thing that does kind of bring massive questions for us, Byron in general, like they sacked Cannes, tried to bring in a new board, sacked Nagelsmann, I thought very harshly, brought in Tuchel, has fallen out with Tuchel now, but rumors of Nagelsmann gonna be coming back. Really?
00:52:17
Speaker
Yeah, he was pretty much his favorite. I'm not really sure. Really? That's, oh, that's a big move. They're confused from there. But like, to be fair, Nagelsman, when he left, or got let go, him and Two's love about the shame win rate. Like, you know, if anything Nagelsman is possibly higher, I don't know what like it, to me, they were pretty bloody similar. That's mad if they bring him back.
00:52:45
Speaker
I'm just looking at the barn squad here. It's a very good squad, but there's plenty of players in there that you're kind of going, why? Eric Dyer. I think he is, well first they needed, Harry Kane needed a friend, so they bought him one. But jokes aside, I think- I think he's a fine footballer. Yeah, I think he's a bloody- I don't think he's a Bayern Munich, but he's fine. Lads, lads, lads.
00:53:10
Speaker
I like that. Let's have this comment like, by me, it's not a sign, an Eric Dyer, unless big Harry phones them and go, I need a friend. This might be a joke online, but I'm hard to present.
00:53:27
Speaker
Only thing about Dire in terms of that, like I don't think Byron would have been silent without Harry Kane, but Dire is better received on the continent than he is in the UK, as of his Lisbon. Oh yeah, I understand that, but like, come on, let's see. But like, I'm just looking through the squad here, like there's plenty of players that make you kind of go, you're good,
00:53:47
Speaker
What's the names who we say surgeon abrey. How does time he was i mean i'll forever i've loved him in fifa but he's not even dirty but he's just one of them kind of players that kind of seems to have like good seasons every now and then and to promoting who was the best agent in world football.
00:54:07
Speaker
How is he still there? Brian Zaragoza from Granada. He's only played him three times. Musiala is fantastic and
00:54:22
Speaker
the fact that I don't think they're making enough of him like Conrad Lamer who was good for Leipzig but it's kind of like yeah like Neuer when he was injured wasn't Ulrich backing him up
00:54:40
Speaker
Munich have a way of, they have no problem finding someone who's playing semi-decent in Germany, buying them, and if it doesn't work out, they'll just farm them out again to another German club. The amount of players that they stick out on loan, like... He's a monopoly, like he literally is a monopoly. Well, like you even said, like, said Neuer. Neuer is 38 years old. He needs to go. 38 in goalkeeper, though. He could have another three years.
00:55:06
Speaker
No, not when he broke his leg skiing. Well, yeah. In the last two years. But the team's good enough. Especially because they're how he plays. The team's good enough to win a Bundesliga. Oh, God, yeah. I mean, it's... I think it's good enough to challenge for a Bundesliga. Harry Kane, Sergen Aubrey, Leroy Sane, Musi Alex.
00:55:29
Speaker
but like you're still very dependent on like Thomas Muller, who again is 34 years old. You have other teams that are coming true and the likes of Leverkusen who are actually spending time making a good team instead of having just good players. And I think that's the kind of bigger thing with with Bayern is like they've got complacent basically. Yeah, I see the thing is have
00:55:59
Speaker
I think Bayern Munich had more of a plan than Leverkusen did. I think Leverkusen had an idea of a project, but the Leverkusen thing will always, look at this may come back to haunt me, but the Leverkusen one I think is a short-term project.
00:56:15
Speaker
Well, I think, I think Byron will win, win the league again next year, but just like they got very complacent. Whereas they used to be quite good at either homegrown talent or youngsters that did buy ins blood true. They have a starting 11 and then they have lads. Yeah. Like they used to have like a full squad where you're kind of going.
00:56:36
Speaker
The standard level is good enough to win Champions League, am I right? 100%. And then very many, there's every chance they will, because the year Chelsea won the Champions League, Tuchel wasn't playing an amazing ball, you know? Like, Kane, Nabri, Sane, Musiala, Goretzka, Kimmich, Alfonso Davies, Uppamakano, De Lidt, Neuer, like that is the only game we've got. That's an outrageous team.
00:57:01
Speaker
I believe Kimwich is on the move too. Kimwich might be on the move, a fault, so Davey's apparently going to be on the move. I don't think the left has quite reached the standards that the top. He expected, yeah. He doesn't go rinsed over here. Santa hasn't been as good at Byron as he was at City. He hasn't been anywhere near as good. I don't think their managers have done
00:57:25
Speaker
like as good as they showed. Tristan I nearly got pushed out of Bayern Munich as a whole, remember that? This is what I mean in terms of the club as a whole just seems to be messy and like I think
00:57:41
Speaker
Leverkusen winning the title is probably like when sort of like when Lester won the title and they did what Tottenham should have done in that year in the sense that like the big teams had an off year and they capitalized on it. They would just did what they needed to do whereas Tottenham
00:57:58
Speaker
faltered and allowed the likes of a Leicester to actually get the title that should have been theirs. They had spent all the time doing exactly like Leverkusen has, putting in the team, building a squad that can play it together with a clever manager and Tottenham did a Tottenham, whereas Leverkusen just- If Leverkusen do an undefeated season and win the treble, I really think it's one of the most impressive football feats by a manager or a team in recent memory.
00:58:28
Speaker
Yes. I'm struggling at the caveat that it's the Bundesliga, but when you add in the boring aspect, yes. When the boring aspect is there, even look at the French league. If someone reams or ran or not, whoever, if any of them did an undefeated season and won the treble,
00:58:53
Speaker
It'd be outrageous. In fairness, even if a Lyon or a Marseille, like they're classically bigger teams and they're just so far off the pace in comparison to the PSG. And I know PSG have lost the title very, very recently, but still, to be able to do this undefeated is just insane. So hopefully, I don't continue to be the clever guy and not rush into his next decision. A quick or not, I don't know.
00:59:22
Speaker
what your thoughts are on too shall have to buy instead but i'm not as down on them as i probably will be if it wasn't buying i think that place is just yeah like i don't know
00:59:37
Speaker
Number one, I don't think the club ever suited him. Number two... Yeah, he's always an odd move. Yeah, I think he sort of needs like a fan base that's a bit like underdog-y. Does that make sense? Yeah, no, it's not like a Monopoly Man City type. It's like Copper to Liverpool, the same kind of idea that kind of like... Not even that, I just think Bayern expect to win every game.
01:00:01
Speaker
and they don't expect everything on the back floor where that just doesn't see what it's like before, you know what I mean? So like, I don't blame Tusho for what's happened. I blame the club structure a lot. Well, there's a certain team in Manchester of a red persuasion that probably soon will need a manager.
01:00:24
Speaker
allows him to take a time. Just on to usual though, I think one of the things that if he does leave Bayern this summer, which seems to be like practically confirmed, is it proves that he's a short-term manager. You will never get more than two years out because the last time he spent more than two years at a club was
01:00:42
Speaker
It only left him in 2014. Yeah, 10 years. He's been Dortmund 15-17, PSG 18-20, Chelsea 21-22, Bayern 23-24. I don't think that's a bad thing though. I don't either. Yeah, I think some managers need to be short term managers and I think it suits the ecosystem of football.
01:01:06
Speaker
He should be levelled with the same criticism that Mourinho is. If he was to go to United, it's not like there's no point in building anything long-term around him. If Tougal could go to United and do half as good as Mourinho did on reflection, that would be a pretty damn good signing.
01:01:32
Speaker
Like, like, has the radio had just a tiny bit more back? And I'm not even talking money wise. I'm talking about brains above him. Yeah. He wasn't far off winning that league. No, he wasn't. He really wasn't. Like, I'm like, he won the Europa League, won the FA Cup or FA Cup, I think. Cara won. He won? Was it the League Cup? He won? I think it was Cara about Cup. He won.
01:01:56
Speaker
Yeah. Oh, yeah. I was. Yeah. Again, sometimes. Um, but like, he's done a really good job of, you know, like I do think it was a bit later. He probably does win that league. Um, I agree. But I w if you lads offered me two for right now, check your hand. Even with the dumpster fire that is man, you know, I did. Yeah, I do. I like you. Like I've been very,
01:02:24
Speaker
raising a very thin hag for a long time. But I do think he's lost his head a bit. When he stormed out of the press conference, yeah, that was to me. Remember I said this before, where he's too emotional with the press, like he should, he should just be able to sit there. And I'm not expecting him to be a robot, but he should be able to sit there and vocalize his grief with that question. But storming out when you're the manager of Man United is unacceptable.
01:02:51
Speaker
But I think this lad's just been beaten. There's nothing left all around. I think he's a shadow of the man, but he was when he walked in. How long's his contract? How long's he got left? A year, I think. So if they pay him off, it's not that expensive. Yeah.
01:03:09
Speaker
I think the press conference thing is probably overblown and you'd be able to correct me on it. I'm sure the press conference is probably over and your man has to question. It would be a much bigger thing if he actually stormed out because I think everybody else would have been reporting. He said my Chinese orders on the way to the house, I need to get out of here.
01:03:32
Speaker
Well, I find worse and it just it's it keeps happening. It's what fourth or fifth time does this happen now is criticise Garnaccio, Garnaccio liking tweets. Yeah. Yeah. Saying that he's being scapegoated. That's just not a healthy dressing room. It's not a healthy dressing room. The only thing I will he's 19 years old and OK.
01:03:55
Speaker
He's been corrected and apparently it's over at this and that, but he's getting absolutely flayed online right now. And I'm like, that's a 19 year old. I don't know how I'd react if I was 19. Do you know what I mean? I'm leaving no criticism to go natural. 100%. But there's loads of people online that are just going for this kid right now. And I'm like, lads, if you were in his footsteps at 19,
01:04:19
Speaker
Like, you don't know how you'd react. You're a 19 year old and hundreds of thousand pounds a week with the pressure of being a Man United player when the team's underperforming. I think any of us would probably to do something similar. I'll go on record now and call out Sammy Looker, Samantha Steenen is. He has flamed this guy in an article today. On a podcast as well, basically tell him to get the Ronaldo treatment.
01:04:46
Speaker
This is a 19-year-old. And not only that, he had the audacity to go on the podcast and go, and Gannacho liked Mark Goldbridge's tweets. And he goes, he started flaming Mark Goldbridge on the podcast. This is a journalist making up lies. And then had the audacity to go calling out online United fans as if they weren't fans. This guy is off his head when it comes to United. That angered me a lot today.
01:05:15
Speaker
Yeah, that's insane. What's the 19 year old's crime? Liking a tweet. But this is the landscape we're in, lads. It's all journalists. Thankfully, there are still some good ones out there, but a lot of them need the clicks, need the mad statements to get those clicks, and the quality of journalism across all sports has gone down with the rise of social creators.
01:05:44
Speaker
And he called out, like, online United fans that aren't match-going fans, calling them basic, you know, fans. I'm like, number one, there's millions of United fans to get up at all hours of the night to watch a United match.
01:05:58
Speaker
any country around the world, like these are much fans as the match going fans. And he refers to these match going fans as if they don't have access to internet. I'd love to meet these fans because like, it's like if you're on Twitter, you're not a real United fan, you know what I mean? That's how he acts. So like, yeah, it's just, it's crazy coming from such a respected outlet around Manchester United that this stuff has been peddled there.
01:06:25
Speaker
So do you think in six weeks time or eight weeks time, Eric Tanag is still there? No, he's gone. He's only gone. And it's just, I don't think it would be done before the end of the season because I don't think he ends up bringing in an interim at this point. Yeah, fair.
01:06:46
Speaker
Well, on that bombshell, we can say, thank God we're not pundits. Sorry, you've been around, lads, sorry. Gentlemen, it's been an absolute pleasure. Thank you very much for joining me, Nathan Byrne. Appreciate it, thank you for having me. And Connor Glenn. It's been an emotional roller coaster, boys. And I've been Killing Gennady, and you've been our audience. We'll chat to you next week.
01:07:13
Speaker
Messy! Messy! Oh my goodness! Italy! Lacuero! That is extraordinary! What a hit! Right, right, right! Back of the net!