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Euro 2024 kicked off with fireworks! 🧨Round One in review
35 Plays5 months ago
Germany's 5-1 Domination, Spain's 3-0 Sweep, and England's Tight Win! ⚽️ Plus, Netherlands' Late Drama and Italy's Close Call! 🇪🇺 Don't miss out on our week one review!
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Transcript
Euro 2024 Excitement and Commentary
00:00:16
Speaker
ne Hello, hello, hello and welcome to our first round of Euro 2024 review and reaction. ah If you didn't know already, we have been doing live watch-alongs and alternative commentary ah for some of the games so far. We did it for the opener for Germany, we did it for the England match. Stay tuned and keep an eye on our socials for them. Generally you'll see them on my own TikTok live and then mainly on Twitch. and So mine is just
00:00:49
Speaker
I think it's just killing Ginnity or it's Ginnity backwards, I think. I think it's killing Ginnity though. And then not a pundit podcast on Twitch, just for something a little bit different. But that's not all we're doing here right now. We're doing something very normal, a normal podcast.
High Standards and Team Reflections
00:01:03
Speaker
And I'm delighted to be joined by Robbie Redmond and Connor Glennon, the OGs, gentlemen, how have we found the euro so far? Is there anything better than three games a day? It is just sensational. It's it's the same like when the Olympics is on, you become an expert about Shop Pod. I now know more about Slovenia, Slovakia than I ever have before. It's damn exciting. I don't know about you, Robbie. Yeah, it's been really good and the standard's really high and there's been no bad matches other than the England game. That's probably the only poor match that's been over the last few days.
00:01:36
Speaker
And then the standard as well, the standard of teams is actually and really strong. And it it just kind of shows how far Ireland are off this level, but that's another story. But yet the match has been really good so far. ah you going to killing Yeah. I'm it. Like obviously we've done, I think a total of four hours of live watch along so far. So I'm very, uh, I'm all over the games I've seen. I haven't seen every game. I'll be very, very honest. I didn't stay up for the Copa America on Saturday night, which would have been a 2 p.m. to a 2 a.m. I didn't do the full 12 hours, but I did kind of keep an eye on some of the scores over there just because it's a very interesting competition as well.
Germany's Dominance and Tactical Insights
00:02:16
Speaker
Um, but just to get us started, um, Rob opened a match, a 5-1 trouncing for Scotland by Germany, the hosts. Um, I was very impressed by Musiella and ah Florian Wirtz. Like if you, if you haven't seen them in champions league before they've arrived, like it was very, very convincing. Oh yeah, they're absolutely, they're brilliant. Cruz was brilliant. I am have hearts. My tip for the golden boot was pretty good as early got a goal. um And the two centre-halves were really solid and the Scotland were just, I felt bad for them. I think they showed Shea Givens a clip of the golds, that Spain scored against Ireland in 2012 and he'd never seen them before. And it was like one of those war flashback movies where like the guy is like, he's in cold sweat and Shea Givens in cold sweat watching that. And any Ireland fans kind of watching that would have been nearly the same, like, oh, that's kind of what would have happened to us if we were there. And we've been on the end of those drubbins at tournaments like,
00:03:13
Speaker
it was It was a bit similar to a 2012 in Spain, beat Ireland, then Scotland were miles off it and Gundogan was lucky that his leg wasn't broken, but yeah, I was impressed by Germany. I think there from what I've seen so far, which I don't, I have an eight-month-old baby now, so I don't see as many much of the football as I used to, but I'd say I've seen about 70% so far and they've been the best Most impressive, I think, or even the closest to a club team that you'd see from any of the teams out there. Like I heard talk this morning, we'll come to them in England, like they'll grow into the tournament. To me, Germany, they already look fully formed and yeah, they've some great players. I just think that's the home advantage. Or do you think they just have a cohesion?
00:03:56
Speaker
I think it's the coach as much as anything, and I think Cruz coming back is just a masterclass. I think one of the stations we're showing at that, like you're watching Scotland, you're like, I was thinking, how are these guys losing 5-1, I say, as I sit on the couch watching a book. Who are these doves? But then you're thinking, they showed up back that like when Cruz has the ball, you either Yeah, you can chase him down and press him, but then he's just going to pop it around you. Or if you stand off him, he's just going to play it through you. So it's so difficult. Like they're just cruises class and he makes them tick. And then you have, have I think that really well a front and as a kid, he said, moussaille.
00:04:33
Speaker
and virtue or like I'd say if there was like a list of top players under like 22 or 21 they're gonna be probably top 10 so they have got some superstars as well but yet they were really really good and in the home advantage as well and I think and that Nagelsmann is an elite level coach, like he he could probably, he could probably talk coach a top club team, which is not, you couldn't say the same for every manager at the tournament, but he definitely could be. So that's, he can see that. He's frightening young to be able to bring a team like that to a tournament like this and in the way that they are. Like, I mean, they, like you said, they're absolutely firing all cylinders. Like I know it's, you know, it's first game of the tournament in a home country. They're obviously going to want to put on a show, but it it seems like they put on a masterclass really.
00:05:17
Speaker
Like especially when you consider like this was a Germany team before Nagelsmann got his hands on them, that was very much out of sorts. They were not like, was it on Amazon, the behind the scenes documentary, the World Cup? This was not a team that was comfortable in their tactics. They weren't comfortable necessarily playing with each other. like and to get that turnaround in like a relatively short space time. Now, one thing I have to say about them is they had a very assured performance against Scotland, but it's quite boring. like it was They were very dominant, but it was just industrious. Very German. Very German. it was just Very Scottish. to just but it was just like They went and did their jobs and they just applied whatever their game plan was over and over and over until it worked. It wasn't like,
00:06:06
Speaker
Say like Spain 2008 or 2012 and previous euros where it's like yeah this is a team on fire they're having fun they're playing around with these things i was just like this is what we're gonna do they did it didn't work this time repeat it worked this time and i worked five times like it was just it was very very impressive and now i do think The score line faltered to deceive like how good they were. I think so the score line is more showing of how bad Scotland was because after the first goal, that whatever shape they were supposed to have was gone. It just fell apart so quickly.
00:06:45
Speaker
Um, they were meant to be playing like a tree for tree with like, begin as like a, ah like
Scotland and Ireland's Tournament Challenges
00:06:50
Speaker
a front winger. Uh, I'm sure he ended up playing half the game in the center. Like it was just playing three at the back against Germany though. Like even before you kick off, what, what are you doing? I know Gilmore, which I found surprising and as someone who hasn't watched Scotland that much, but you need someone who can hold onto the ball. Like I know Scott McTominay's been scoring lots of goals, but he's not going to deal it for you again. There's more. get around the pitch type of guy like you get stuck in as well and he's a good footballer but he needs someone to ground the ball and Gilmour was just, he didn't trust him. Clark maybe just thought he wasn't physical enough, I don't know but they're in shock and form as well. I think that's coming to the tournament one minute and nine which is against Malte.
00:07:28
Speaker
They would remind you a lot of Ireland in 2012. It just probably has come a bit too late for them. It really does, actually. and like you know it's it We've talked about it on the pub before, and this sounds awful as a fan. But sometimes you just have to play ugly. You've got to stick five at the back, full catonaccio, and push for a 1-0. Or even had they got 0-0 there, that would have been gigantic. Would you like to get to a tournament with Ireland in the same way that Scotland did and get the results that Scotland are now getting or would you prefer to be out of the tournament and maybe trying to get in when you're good enough to compete? I don't know because it's hard because we've been here before with that and like you know that Spain game back in 2012 was truly depressing. like you know it like it it Those kind of games stick with you for for a long time. like i'm I'm fine going to tournaments and
00:08:17
Speaker
You know, we lose 2-0 here, 2-1 there, 3-1 here. That, okay, we're at least in it, but if you're on for like a couple of trounces, look, Scotland may pull a result out of the bag, but short answer, long answer, short answer, whatever you want to do. I'd want to go for the vibes of being in a tournament, but if it's as bad as that every time, that gets a bit wearing. Yeah, it looked like the fans were enjoying it. It was like, had a great time. It was the first time Scotland were at a tournament. other than Euro 21, which was like the COVID tournament since 98. So those lads, I don't think they mind. And they'll probably get two scrappy draws now and kind of redeem themselves, but get knocked out. So it did look like you're having a good time. So I'd say they'll be okay. And and the other two teams are, they're not too far off the level, but I just, I can't see them coming through. What about you Killian? What'd you want to be there?
00:09:09
Speaker
Um it's tough like because you know it would be good crack but like is it good for the national team to be in that position and get battered? See I think when you look at like was it 2016 that we were there I think that team ended up carrying them scars for a long time. Like I know Brady is still dining out on that goal and we still remember like the hula hand goal and all but like I don't think Jeff Hendrick got any benefit for it. Like I think he arguably after that that tournament tried to do the same thing over and over and over and I don't know if it's just he didn't have any more of them or if he was kind of like oh well if this well is what I was expected to at a tournament this is what I should be doing and this is what I'm here to for the Ireland squad. I think sometimes it's better off like imagine an Evan Ferguson
00:09:57
Speaker
getting no goals at a tournament now and then in four years time having it hanging over him again or or for the next four years until the next tournament ah in in Europe because realistically we're not getting to the World Cup that Yeah, like the pressure that comes with it the next time round and it also devalues a stock in a domestic level. And yeah, like it, there's, there's pluses and minuses to it. Like, I mean, if like that at any first and go scores three and we still don't get through unbelievable, you know, the media can be very mean.
00:10:31
Speaker
so Yeah, well, we're not pounded so and But a game another game that was very kind of a dominant performance was in Spain and can we just comment on how good let me in Yamal is he's writing in It's ridiculous.
Spain vs. Croatia and Team Dynamics
00:10:49
Speaker
This is Fupple Manager Come to Life Robbie. It's disgusting. What year was that child born? Sixteen, Jesus Christ, early 2000s. Seventeen, and I think a week before the final.
00:11:03
Speaker
so seven So, oh my god. Who's the year once made one of the Euros? I vividly remember Jeremy 2006. I mean, the kid wasn't even born. He wasn't even a glimmer in an eye. No, it's disgusting. He looks unbelievable, but it is... um Yeah, make you sick. He looks really comfortable in that team. and you know i think I think again, that 3-0 was a bit of a surprise. you know I kind of thought that game would draw written all over it. and you know Croatia are incredibly strong in tournament football. I don't think that's going to be
00:11:43
Speaker
them for the rest of the tournament. I think that was just an off day at the start of the tournament, but it won't make their lives easy. But I think what was interesting as well for Spain is like, you know, we're used to Spain having a star strike or where all the goals come from one or two people, but having goal source is from three different people, that's pretty damn good, you know. I'd be worried for Croatia, like I felt that their midfield three, Modric Kovic and my mind's gone blank. I can't remember either anyway, yo.
00:12:18
Speaker
their their any of their midfield tree has been practically together for about 10 years time like Kovac came in very very young he's only 30 31 now so he was getting consistent like he's over well over a hundred caps. Brozovic, that's who it was. um and having them three together, and they looked tired. Kovovich has well over 100 caps, and it looks it. That's kind of my worry. And I know Modric is 37 years old, and they're still playing well, but
00:12:52
Speaker
Spain made it easy work at them and and not that I think that it's going to happen in every game but the fact that they're that exposed doesn't give me much hope if they can get out like if they get out of group. Will they actually have the legs to go any further than the round of 16? Probably not. I don't know if I'd write those guys off. like You always have one performance like this in a time. I know they're all ancient now and they're wreck But like Portugal to the final year of 2016 by like drawing every match apart from one, like this is a tournament where you kind of can do that because third place goes true. It'll come down to a match with Albania who looked half decent as well. But yeah, it is like they're past their best. There's no question about that. Like, but they've such, they all just have such great spirit in the team that it just feels like they can always pull out a performance.
00:13:42
Speaker
when i'm mar and not a station not they should be the model of firelands they have a population actually slightly smaller than all and have had a much worse political history in very recent history um consider in the ninety s half their players were spread across europe to go and be safe How are we not following in their footsteps or like at least at some similar level to them? It's ah on and and Going back to the Scotland game for one moment one one thing ah from the ponders that did just boil my blood Did you see soon as his defense of why Scotland lost that game? There are a country of 5 million people versus a country of 85 million people. It's like mate There's surely 11 dudes who can kick a ball around come on now. Yeah
00:14:25
Speaker
I say the same for Ireland. I think one of the issues that Scotland have is that they've produced two kind of reasonable Premier League level level players and they're both left backs and they have no idea how to get the two of them to play together. But the tournament for the first few games was absolutely brilliant, like gold constantly really kind of competitive football.
Critiquing England's Performance and Strategy
00:14:50
Speaker
And then we came on to the England game. which we did watch live on our on our stream, that was very boring. And the punditry in England is just...
00:14:59
Speaker
Oh, skin-crawlingly annoying. What did you make of the corner? It was very underwhelming um as an England performance. Again, I don't think that will be the mark of them. Where I think they are starting to see the troubles of having such good players at that disposal is the likes of Foden being put out in the left. He's not really as powerful or as as kind of impactful out in the left. He's he's better when he's in the centre. then you've got Kane having to be much higher up because he doesn't want to compact that midfield and just, you know, close off the space for his own team. You know, Trippier is a fantastic right back, but he's not a left back. So it's kind of like, why are you sticking them in there? And, you know, I think, I think Soka is really going to have to look at it and go, it's not a case of fitting in the biggest names I have. It's who works best in this team, you know.
00:15:55
Speaker
I was very, um, like Jude was very good. Jude Bellingham was very, very good. Not as good as what theyre the media in England was saying is it beat the first half being the greatest half by an England player at a tournament ever. Um, but he was, he was very, very good. And he was kind of given the free reign to kind of go anywhere. But Rob, I was very unimpressed by Harry Kane. And by the end of the match, he, he was practically playing defensive midfield because he had two touches in the first half. Yeah, it was a bit of a mess. Um, I really like Harry Kane, I think he's class, I think he's probably, I'd say he's probably the best English footballer I've seen, not the most talented, but the best. He's made, like so he's done so well, and but I don't think that team really suited him because I think he played his best football for England when he had someone like Sterling who would run ahead of him or he had Rashford who would cut in and run ahead. With the problem last night when I was watching it was that all the players kind of wanted to go into the same space as Connor was saying. so yeah
00:16:54
Speaker
Bellingham who was going everywhere but kind of starting on pretend any folding who wanted to come in off the wing Then you had and Kane who wants to drop deep as well So they're just kind of felt like they're getting each other's way And I i don't know they're only to do something to fix that one of them tree is gonna have to be dropped It's not gonna be Bellingham It's not going to be Kane, so it might end up being Foden because you see him how Spasaka did and why he was so effective was because he was actually playing as a winger and he was getting like trying to take his man on and get crosses into a but into the box and that's how he scored. England have players who can do that like Bowen nearly set up Kane.
00:17:29
Speaker
of Anthony Gordon as well. So I think Foden's plays could be. Which is mental when you think about that he's Premier League player of the year this year, but I do agree with you because I saw um Gary Lineker talking about Kane and his lack of touches. And he was saying, like, as a striker, you he won't really care that he only had two touches, but he'll care that he didn't have any chances for a goal. And, you know, I do think at the other thing Lineker said that ah I, because in my head, I'm like, Southgate needs to have a
00:18:00
Speaker
Can a bit of balls in this where he's got all you walk and he's got i've been told me and if kane isn't working in the team does he move them out but then at the same point what the where i can't believe in keeping came in the team is as when i said is if there's ten minutes ago and you need to go who do you want on a pitch it's hurricane. Yeah, I couldn't drop him. I think he's absolutely class. It's just trying to find a way to make something work with him. I think it'd be more folding. That would be at risk. And Bellingham was great, but is anyone else trying to get annoyed by him or not? Like, just like, he's a bit... He's so arrogant. Like, he was talking about himself in the third person in an interview with BBC. This is the levels he's at. Even last night, there was a clip where phones on the edge of the box and he's screaming for it.
00:18:46
Speaker
And he also has Carl Walker on the edge of the box. And instead of doing that, you Bellingham tries to beat his man and cross it in and you're like, yeah, he's brilliant. Like he's great, but there's some things that weren't going well. I don't know how much of a team player he is. I think he's, I think he thinks he's the main character in the movie. Like, and he kind of is, but he's, I just don't think you can be that arrogant and it's, it's going to come back to bite you eventually. Like you can't talk about yourself in the third person. in an interview after beating Serbia. and i just you can't do it and You can't do it in general. You know again you particularly can't do it then. Come on mate, you didn't win anything. You beat Serbia in the group stages and his goal was great. But there was times like I seem like the press in England were criticizing Alexander Anner for example, but like no one was running to give him any passes. Everyone was coming towards him and
00:19:36
Speaker
they're five feet away from him. So I think Bellingham kind of summed up that bit of indiscipline and he was kind of going everywhere and im trying to be the main guy and puffing his chest there. like And the media were going, Max, he kind of sliced the ball and real further in the network praising him. He kind of sliced the ball, but went back to his center a half. He didn't do anything. Big deal. like So I i don't know. I think they're on the course for a bit of a shock. I just can't see them making in a dent. And Bellingham is super talented. And he's bought, I just think that, I think he's too arrogant. I think his head has got too big from what I was looking at last night. I don't know about you Killian. For me, I would not wishing an injury on Duke Bellingham, but I'd be very curious to see how that team could perform without him in it.
Jude Bellingham's Impact
00:20:23
Speaker
Killian's kind of in two minds about this. Well played. because
00:20:30
Speaker
The thing about Bellingham was, whatever criticism anyone wants to get about positioning or kind of being a generally try hard, try the game, he was the only positive movement for much of it. Like anything good that happened usually had Bellingham in it. Now, I think part of the reason why he was rolling around so much is because of Trent. I thought Trent was horrendous. Again, though, he's in midfield. He's not a midfielder. Exactly. So why play him in midfield? like You have lots of good midfielders. And you were saying before about Kane not being very effective in the position that he is. Well, then bring Jude deeper like he had had been doing.
00:21:07
Speaker
play a cane where you had Jude in that kind of slightly forward free roll and bring on the likes of an Ollie Watkins who can drift left for when Foden decides he doesn't want to play left anymore. darling i' a stage where he can't be told what to do it all ah but He yeah, because ah I agree with that because not out of his ability. It's I think it's he's in a Champions League winning team in In a power position in that dressing room where his job is literally float now that will probably change when him back because they'll have to figure it out with Vinnie and him but like right now I think
00:21:41
Speaker
he'd be put out if he was told, stay in a specific like, I think keep, I agree with you, Keelan, I think keep Bellingham deep, and then work from there, you know. I don't, i't I think he absolutely can be told. and Because You don't get to his level without fitting into systems. He can do it, he has done it, and he's done it for Madrid. like He's been very, very effective when told to go and be free, but like England also need him to be able to do that because other than that, they have nothing to really link their midfield. But England have never really had a guy like him and a position like that. like you know they're They're not used to it like Madrid are.
00:22:22
Speaker
no But the thing is, like when you have Declan Rice, who is Jordan Henderson reincarnate, the man has never seen a forward passing in England. true like The only forward momentum they have was either Bellingham or Jordan Pickford, kicking it from his own box up to nobody, because he was in his own half for most of the game. It's unbelievable. That's the thing. He's so talent, but it's almost like, some silly not too talented, but I feel like he was trying too much. And I don't think you only you can say to him, listen, I need you to do this structural type, bro. I need you to do this." He's just like, oh I'm due to Bellingham. Due to Bellingham goes where he wants. like i yeah That's what I got the impression off of. The matches I watch, which is just the Champions League matches, he was always kind of running ahead of me. He was never dropping in to pick up the ball. And he did do that more or last night, but the key issue is, it's not Bellingham. I thought he was giving them player ratings. I would have given them
00:23:16
Speaker
eight out of ten like he was excellent you just annoyed me because you so arrogant i just don't like seeing i think it's i think it's like the madrid team and the city team are similar in the fact that they evolve as the game goes on and they drop into pockets of space. And it's kind of this like just ever, it's just like a merry go round of midfielders while England are a lot more static. and I don't, I don't know if you're thinking the same. Well, see this is the thing. Like they don't need him to play as a structured role because if half the other players are doing that. Like if you had Foden off the pitch, cause he just doesn't know where he wants to be playing. Cause he was drifting way too central. He hates the left. He hates it for city as well. He's just he's just not worth playing or starting if he's going to be doing that. But when you have Trent a Alexander Arnold, just can't decide whether he wants to be a left wing back or a right wing back when he's been told to play centre. And then you have Jude dropping in. Just put rice in as that anchor and a pivot.
00:24:15
Speaker
let Jude be that kind of box to box kind of free roam and just leave Kane to be the link up between Jude and the whole defensive end of things and Kane to bring it forward into whatever kind of system they want to play up there. like What they're doing now is they're carrying one player and their best player who is now Jude Bellingham, because he's the only one actually creating anything, is being forced into these ridiculous situations where he seems worse than
England's Tactical Debates
00:24:49
Speaker
he actually is. He seems like a tryhard because he just wants something to happen because if if he didn't do it, nobody else was going to. I'd argue, and I don't know if you guys would agree with me on this, if you're going to play Foden on the left, you may as well have brought Grealish.
00:25:03
Speaker
Yeah, that's my issue is it's like it's with with Bellingham. It's not even an issue. But when he come up against better teams is that he cause he is like a free spirit. You can only give that role to him and then it's impacting on Kane. It's impacting on forward And so something's going to have to change. And if you look at the team, let's say Trent L-position, Trippier L-position, Kane was kind of L-position because he's not like a traditional, he's not felt veg horse. Like he wants to get involved. Even felt veg horse actually, isn't that bad a football. He's not another coin, like he wants to go on the ball.
00:25:36
Speaker
he's a forward not a striker like yeah and then you have yeah folding out position too so like that's just there like what do i do now because this yeah feels so cluttered and everyone's trying to come into the center so i'm getting pushed out even further and then when you come up against a team like i imagine like france or germany or portugal i just think yet they'll have a good spell, but they'll figure them out. And even that's your thing. like they they kind only did They did well, and then they just kind of stopped playing. like you just We're not going to really bother for a second goal here. We might catch them on the break, but we'll see it out. And then even today, you read the reports from it. No one knows how to feel about these England fans or reporters. like Are they optimistic? Are they cautious? Or what is it like? Because it was kind of
00:26:25
Speaker
just a bit of the Southgate-y type match. There was nothing too much from it, but us, wait we can see it clearly, I think they're on course for a bigger team to knock them out. That's maybe by the quarterfinals. Yeah. Do you think though that Southgate actually has it in them now to make the big calls, Conor, to potentially change that trajectory of facing one big team and being out instantly? I think he does, but I think if he gets it, I think if they don't get to the final in this, he's gone anyway. So if I think if he's got that, I think the final mightn't even do it for him. But with that in mind, I'd be like, you know what, let's let's try something here but then at the same time find him. If you're ah if your so maybe doesn't want to manage again after this but if you do do you want to really take that risk to go oh i tried to do something new and it didn't work out i'd to be honest i think for same big decisions i think he will drop phone i don't think you'll drop cane i don't read it there's not a world in which he he dropped bailing unless he's got a knock and
00:27:33
Speaker
So I think if we're calling that a big decision, yes, but he really, really, he's got a very short time to restructure that team. I don't know about you, Robbie. Yeah. Like I think by the first big match up against Trent is out of there. And Connor Gallagher is going to be in midfield. Definitely the Jordan Henderson, um, air, like, like in Pokemon, somebody get bigger in Pokemon. He's actually, getting he's actually worse than Anderson. Like he's like, he's evolved. He'll be in there. And I think, and Fowden will drop out for, I like i think Gordon's good, but it could be someone like Bowen, because he came on last night. So he'll go a lot more conservative. like Even then, the stuff I talk about, they'll play themselves in the form, and Luke Shaw will be back, saying, i'm like you can't just
00:28:18
Speaker
get they can just start playing football again in the middle of a tournament yeah that's the thing you you can't have warm-up games in ah yeah and a european tournament like it's mental and on on the defense actually i think we should add john stones into that that potential need to pivot because yes he's been unbelievable for city this year but he's not working in that system again he was brilliant i think but and i never thought i'd say this it It's begging the question why wasn't McGuire there? Because mcgure you know what you get with McGuire in European tournament. This was the issue. He he but what he had us a knock for six weeks. was I think it was the time he was going to be out here. He would have been missing the first game, I think, by the time we came around. But just one of the things we actually touched on in the livestream is
00:29:03
Speaker
This is the chickens coming home to roost for Southgate's loyalty to these players that didn't deserve it. aren He spent too much time keeping Maguire and and in the squad instead of building and getting Gaehy and the Stones and Dunk or whoever you're going to be playing to actually play it together. Now they have this guy who played practically every match, like the last and European qualifying match. their back to was Gahy and Maguire with Lewis on the left and Walker on the right. Half of that defense isn't in the tournament at all. It's not like they're even like on the bench. So what was the point of that qualifier? like If you're not preparing, like they they went ah six wins, two draws, zero losses in qualifying. So
00:29:46
Speaker
they qualified early. At what point do you not turn around and go, hmm, maybe I should think about the squad. like This was at a time when Harry Maguire was not playing for United, let alone playing well enough to get included. so and and I think you're completely right because the the only time they're going to experiment realistically is that third game when they've qualified after beating Denmark. like That is the only time they're going to try something and that it's probably too late for this, but like going back to the the because you have to ability to drop Foden, I think if you drop Foden, you've probably thrown Gordon in there, but is Gordon even ready for that? I don't know. Gordon or Bone, I think you started your 21 with Foden and a similar thing, you just kind of dropped out, but now I think there's even more case for it, because
00:30:34
Speaker
Bellingham is so good. So ah you just it just seems like a bit of a mess compared to some of the other bigger teams you've seen. I just i don't i don't know about you guys, but I think it stinks of the 2016. yeah I could see that actually just like it never gets gone and lots of big-name players and and then like I'm just waiting for Rio Ferdinand to get his kind of comeuppance and listen to him backtracking all his nonsense so I'm looking forward to that and I've seen a good tweet saying that because it was on BBC there was Ferdinand, Mika Richards and Cess Fabregas and someone said it's like
00:31:08
Speaker
putting Paul McCartney in between Jedward. yeah like Faber-Gasse was like brilliant se in his second language, I don't know, probably his fifth language. and he was It was great when he said, well, at one point, Michael Rich was like, oh, we need to build a team to get the best out of Foden and Faber-Gasse was like, no. like like, no, it's up to Foden as well. Like, it can't just be down to the manager. Like, and in room the room, they asked, I think, Rael asked them, had he ever seen, asked Faber-Gast, had he ever seen a player as good at selling him at that age? And Faber-Gast was like, probably thinking to himself, yeah, like Messi and me, like Faber-Gast was 16, playing for Arsenal. Like, i you forget that, Jesus, he wasn't, he wasn't captain, like, what was he saying? All the delusions of me, I forget none of the British media were out in four stars tonight. And
00:31:58
Speaker
that That element will be funny when it kind of comes crashing down. Also, just to give a bit of credit, like the Serbian team, the after the goal kind of faltered for a bit, but just before the halftime and then straight after the halftime up until like the 75th minute, they were very damn good.
Serbia's Potential and Goalkeeper Analysis
00:32:16
Speaker
like For most of that second half, England didn't know what to do. They just kept getting pushed back and pushed back and pushed back. like It was the complete reversal of the first first half where like they just kept getting more and more compact in their own half and the serbians just kind of kept coming at them and if they had players are like their best players are in the Saudi league like if they had the likes of a kovovich or so somebody like that that's actually playing at a top level they would have been able to
00:32:44
Speaker
if If they had Mitrovich, like if they had to follow Mitrovich, I think they could have had a go there. And I think to be honest, I think if they got a goal against England, I think England would have fucking crumbled. Yeah. Iax Tadditch, like Tadditch is 35 now. Like if he was a couple years younger, you would have seen something different possibly. Yeah. And I'm like, I thought their goalkeeper was pretty good. He's a ah football manager favorite of mine, but that was his first competitive international game in two years. Jeezy did well. and like it's lookish Like in fairness to him. But like a funny one and for you is two goalkeepers are drawn for the most clean sheets in one tournament in the euros. And it's five clean sheets. Can you name the two?
00:33:28
Speaker
who
00:33:31
Speaker
Pigford? yep but and and the other one's an easy one his ah can see us. But like, Pickford. You've been a Pickford Stan for a long time and I've been fighting it for a while but it's hard not to back that man. He may be a complete lunatic but like, he is very good. Yep. He loves the rave. It was very good and 2020 and like, I then think a little the other one's an easy bit of... one. I saw a tweet going around that if England were to win this, which they're not going to, but if they were to win it, Pickford would then have to be considered their best modern goalkeeper. 100%. And only for the fact of England have had better keepers than him, but England have had that issue of England number one just for no, for unexpected reasons, just breaks down as a football player.
00:34:29
Speaker
Well, if you look at the kind of last few number ones that England have had, they're actually not that good. Joe Hertz was very good. When he was good, he was absolutely amazing. He never recovered from parallel in that Peninka in 2012. You're actually dead, right? He never was. And then he just, he was, he was bad in the Iceland match then. And it was, but that Peninka, I think something something, something died in Hart that day. But then if you look before that it was David James, Paul Robinson, Kirkland got a few games or a Carson. Ben Foster was in there for a wee bit. yeah yeah being the ball be over like but he it e England's goalkeeping situation has been overrated for a long time and I Pickford is as good as it gets in terms of, at least he's played very well for England. Hart was always a very good goalkeeper, but I don't think he was particularly, he was never his man city self for England. Um, so a little bit more respect on, on his, his name. Um, but the next game that we're going to go on to now is the Netherlands 2-1 Connor. And did you get to actually watch this one or?
00:35:39
Speaker
Yeah, I saw a bit bit of it. i Saw the highlight package afterwards. I'd love to see the result, obviously, not from a sweepstakes point of view because I've got Poland, but I've i've always been a fan of of Netherlands and and and how they play. um it's Kind of, I suppose, and ah for me anyway, I think it was an expected win. Both teams performed pretty strongly. um Netherlands, as with this gorgeous edge, it was ironic to see Weghorse get goals because we've spent a season taking the piss out of them. But now all in all, like, I mean, it's nothing to suggest they're going to win the tournament by any means. But I think that they'll get through that group, probably go ahead and knock out. I don't know about you, Robbie, did you catch it?
00:36:20
Speaker
I did. I liked Vell Feghorst coming on scoring. I always find it funny when he's playing and and I can't get on board at Memphis to play his headband. I liked Alan Collie on RTE, our former colleague kind of, Alan Collie. Great to see him and he was basically not having a bar of, he spent a good couple of minutes talking about the play his headband, which is probably the main thing I'm going to remember from that match. yeah don like I don't think Cooman's a particularly great manager. and I think you'll see a lot of that in the tournament. There'll just be Trone on, Veghorse, which there's nothing wrong with it. But like Van Hal, people might forget who I'm a big fan of, and obviously he's retired now. But I just think only one on penalty used to knock Netherlands out of the World Cup 18 months ago. Like if they had to come through that, God knows what would have happened. So and I don't think Cooman is anywhere near Van Hal's level. And i did I think there's some course for kind of it.
00:37:12
Speaker
a quarterfinal exit and more headband shenanigans from Memphis the boy. I really do think like Van Hal again gets laughed at and he plays horrible football but the man can grind it a result and that's ah that's what you need in football. like I don't know about you killing, did you get a chance to see any of the highlights of the Netherlands game? Only the highlights and even from that all I got was the vibe of we're not here to take over, we're here to take part. It was just, yeah, it was just another game. Like, I don't think Netherlands are where they were 10 years ago in the in the sense of being like, oh, they could be a dark horse. I don't think there are anybody's kind of tipping them for that. and But one team who I thought was very good was Italy.
Italy's New Cohesion
00:37:53
Speaker
Like, Spleti is putting together a nice squad there. He's cooking over there.
00:37:58
Speaker
And like ah myself and Nate actually had a chat on one of the livestreams kind of going, there's a lot of names in there that I don't recognize. And I think that's a really good sign for ah for the Italian team. The fact that they have this cohesive unit of ah players that are going to do their jobs and not just be superstars. And I think we got so used to the same names cropping up off tournament after tournament that they having this kind of fresh injection is is only going to be be good things for them, Robbie. Yeah, I really liked him at the last Euros. I talked to a class and I loved watching Benucci and Keeleney, but they're gone now, but they still have Bastone. He scored to the night and Splette is a great coach, so I like you could see them definitely at least quarterfinals and then maybe they might be able to cause an upset, but he is one of another one of the like we're saying here that like Nega's been such a good coach, Splette will be like in that bracket as well. Like he Napoli won the league under him, then he kind of
00:38:57
Speaker
I think he's walked away and then he took this job when Mancini left for Saudi Arabia and 18 million euro a year, apparently. So, and oh but they have got a couple. I like them. I feel like Borrello and Jorginho gets a lot of stick, but I do think he's a very good footballer and Arsenal get him a new deal. the The, and the upfront is probably where you're going to be questioning them, like Skamaka. He did well for Atalanta, but in the great for West Ham. But I, ah yeah, I don't know if they have that kind of, well, they didn't have it three years ago either, but yeah, I did think they had the announce of Keilini and, and Benucci and, and they're gone. But yeah, I could see them last quarter finals at least. I have to say that Albanian team were a lot better than I expected. They, they kind of battled. Yeah. They battled like. Yeah. let me kind of the Respect on Slovenia's name. The former man says he was back. Pablo Zabaleta is their assistant coach.
00:39:53
Speaker
Like the them lads are cooking and apparently Albania are going to give citizenship to Slovenia so vio for his performance in the qualification. and Like, yeah, like I think if nothing else, that nation might take a bit of heart from that and be able to get one or two players to some bigger clubs and kind of maybe the last kind of Albanian player I properly remember other than Brozja, obviously now for for Chelsea was. Lorik Sanna who was at Sonnenham briefly but most seems to be at Marseille where he was just an absolute unit. So we might see a golden generation for for them coming up. If play Albania tomorrow, we get smashed. really Oh yeah, bad. Yeah, they're definitely beating us. Show us the levels that have gone up with the Euros expanding the Nations League.
Ireland and Rising European Standards
00:40:44
Speaker
There's more competitive matches now in Europe than ever and
00:40:47
Speaker
like it's benefited teams like Albania or Georgia or North Macedonia, all these, we think of them as minnows, even though they probably think of us as minnows, they're all getting better and we're just like kind of steadily getting worse. So yeah, I wouldn't back us again. I wouldn't back us against anyone, but I wouldn't back us against them guys. um Speaking of a golden generation, Connor, Romania, 3-0 against Ukraine, where the hell did that come out of? Well, I have to say, it it I was both delighted and and distressed by it as a Romanian that worked sweepstakes, so my chance of getting the worst team in the tournament prizes.
00:41:23
Speaker
that's gone out the window but yeah i don't think anyone expected that against ukraine you know we were chatting before the pod that you know looning really has had a dramatic fall off in the last couple of weeks i don't think he's completely to blame for for all three goals but um yeah no i was really surprised i thought romani would come out of that tournament with no points or a point out of of absolute push um i'd be worried if i was Ukraine the squad is the on that, like the combined squad value is the lowest in the tournament remaining. Make up that what you will. I think it's like 80 million combined of all 26 players, whereas England's like 1.3 billion. So that my point is some perspective, just how kind of much of a journey man team they are. And yeah, sort of funny tweet that Zelensky is now gonna film a video asking USA for gold. So and that made me laugh. And that was, I didn't see this match because I was like,
00:42:19
Speaker
and Ukraine versus Romania, like ah it's the most Monday afternoon in a football tournament I've ever seen. But yeah, that's screaming all over. yeah um But for our kind of final game of the evening, we're going to give some flowers now to Nate who fought ferociously ah about whether or not Belgium were a top tier side for our sweepstakes. And he's he really passionately battled that they were not. who So who not happy. So not happy about us overruling them. And Connor, um
00:42:54
Speaker
Was he right? I mean, Belgium or Belgium, you know, i they've always had incredible players and never been able to figure it out. um You know, before the we hopped on, we were saying, you know, they're ranked third in the world, which is mental when you think about the the output that they have. I mean, you know, They easily could have won that game today. Lukaku could have had about five goals, two of which were disallowed. One, he was minorly offside. The second was a handball, not of Lukaku's doing. But for me, lads, before we go back to just Belgium, as a are they a top tier nation?
Belgium's Squad Challenges
00:43:33
Speaker
Which Nate, I'll i'll agree with you now. No, they're not. um But that handball was judged off the microchip in the ball, showing a sound wave that something had touched the ball. The ref couldn't see it.
00:43:45
Speaker
ah the so The sideline ref didn't see it. It had to go to Vart, then go to a screen to then look at what looked like an ek ECG machine showing a heart rate. To me, that can't happen, lads. That's too much perfection. Well done, Woke. Football has gone woke. Yeah, it has. It really has. And I hate using like the term woke in terms of football, but that's probably the best descriptor of it. like it really like this There's a level of, like for me, ah you know Kevin Dore was getting pretty passionate about how the game's gone if we're if we're dependent on sound waves to make decisions and I think he's right in the fact that keep offside, keep go-line technology and roll it all back from there.
00:44:28
Speaker
Yeah, I fully agree. and I watch this and I do agree with Nate. They're not top tier, but also they should have won this by a good field goal. Even the goal they gave away, the first goal, it was a brain fart from Dokku. He just passed it to the vacuum player. like so And there was loads of chances, not just missed chances. There's loads of times when Dokku was in and he he'd pass it too late to De Bruyne and he'd De Bruyne huffing and puffing. Or Trussard, one time I saw him, he shot for like 30 yards. It's just gone with them. Like the time for Belgium to do something was 2014, but she didn't got the quarter funds to work up, but 2016 to like 2018. That was when, like they'd move to Dembele. Like he was probably one of my favorite players ever. His favorite Tottenham. He was unbelievable in my feeling when he was fit. Now they have that guy, Onana, off Everton, who was just lumbering around, like not great.
00:45:20
Speaker
If the Brian have a bunch of lads, five, six to 10 years younger than them, doesn't want to be there. The Kaku, God love them. Like you try to defend them and then you just keep missing chances, but then he scores 80 odd goals or every he has for them. So yeah, I do have an easy group. though That's the only thing they'll come out at. No question to come out at, but they're, think they might have a point. They're not. I'm such a badly made up squad. Like that Yannick Carrasco starting in defense who, when he was at Atletico Madrid years ago, he was an attacking winger. Yeah. And then he'd gone to China and came back and I think he went back in. Like he the man chases the bag, but the fact that he's still starting for you. We must clarify the cash bag just to say. Yeah. ah But like the fact that you have the likes of like Axel Witzel, Dan Vertongen, like, please put the man on. ahtra he needs He must be tired. He must be like, I'm going to die or I'm going to return.
00:46:20
Speaker
or someone has to retire me. But either way, I'm not leaving this team like I am here. the first He's 27 years of age. he was a But he was great like 10 years ago. Him and Aldo Royal were like two of the best centre halves. in the Premier League, like but now it's with Belgium and him. This is like, remember that thing you used to be on Sky Sports Masters football? Yeah, yeah. That was fast. Yeah, that was fast, but you wouldn't put them in the first team anymore. I actually didn't realise we were still there until he said it. kid in that That's incredible.
00:46:50
Speaker
Well, it's like taking advantage of these lads civic duty and national pride. It's like, no, somebody has to tell them, no, you've done your bit. Thank you very much. Bring in, even if it's not as good, bring in the next generation. Like it's, you look at the front four though lads, Daku de Bruyne at Trossard Lukaku. How in Christ's name are they not winning football games? Well, what I saw today it was Daku's decision making was shocking. Like I have to say, like he's obviously very talented, but like the whole plan seems to be give the ball to the Bryony. He's going to switch it to Daku. Daku's going to run, everyone's going to get in the box and he's going to cut it back. And he just made the wrong decision every time, Daku. And so, and then with them, because they don't seem to have much of a team spirit, they just, they stack heads dropping or giving out to each other.
00:47:38
Speaker
I remember even the World Cup 18 months ago, De Bruyne looked delighted to be knocked out. He's like, we're all like, we're crap now. What do you want us to do? This is what was coming out of the squad. like and it says like the Another one for me is like, just on a positive note from from ah Slovakia, was it was great to see Dubravka, obviously a toon lad, get it, get a clean sheet in a major
Slovakia and Player Futures
00:47:58
Speaker
tournament. It looks like we're going towards a new keeper, um but wish him the best and and all of that. But yeah, I just, i Again, I think De Bruyne's point like that will be again this this tournament where he's like, I've just come off the back of a really long season. I don't really care about getting to the round of 16 and going home.
00:48:18
Speaker
you know Well, in fairness, he hasn't come off a back of a long season. He's come off like a massive injury. And the thing about him is every time he gets a reasonable tackle, he's going down. And I'm never sure if he's going to get back up. And that's even counting the last few city games and stuff. he When he's getting hit, I don't know if he's worried or if he's acting it up, but it's always that kind of like, oh, he might not get up this time. And he's also been dropping little breadcrumbs about going to Saudi. I don't know if you boys saw that. Oh, they weren't getting over for for like, he's obviously amazing footballers still with the ball ball. Even today in the match, like he was fading as the game goes on. As so as he would, I think he's a year left of city and he'd be off to Saudi with Carrasco and probably like Acco be there at that point as well.
00:49:04
Speaker
They weren't breadcrumbs he was dropping, they were full slices of bread. couldn't saying I can earn more money in two years there than I can in the previous part of my career. I i understand that. You've got to maximize your money-making ability ah as an athlete in a short period of time. Not that he's short for cash, but I mean, I just... Players like him... He's Yeah, but ah players like him, I just, just go to the MLS, man. Like you'll make probably what, a third of what you'd make in Saudi, but have some self-respect about you. I'll ask them before you go. This is just the point. There's always kind of part of me with them. People think the underachieved. I know they're a brilliant team, but it's a country like 10 million. like Yeah. All right, Graham soon. I wouldn't use that to to go, listen, this team should win the over the whole course of it.
00:49:57
Speaker
period. I think like we have to put into perspective. And I remember our manager in 2016, Mark Vilmotsu, I think his nickname was like the war pig or something like that. like He was a terrible manager. He got knocked out to Wales like Sam Vokes and how Robson Canoe scored against them. Like Belgium should have won that tournament in France. Like they were absolutely brilliant squad. remember hamed those I remember watching them against Ireland and then I'm like, this these guys aren't even playing the same sport. like they're not It was like that space jam where the aliens play against the cartoon characters and all of them are just so far behind them. So I think people i think people like pile on them and go, oh, golden generation, because all the pundits start saying it. They have got a lot of great players, but they're not exactly Brazil. Let's just put it that way. like they're They probably won't ever have that group of players again.
00:50:45
Speaker
So it was a golden generation. ah one bought what It's like for a small enough country, I would say. That's what I mean is just kind of going like, let's just take it for what it was. It was an amazing. Well, it was, it was like we had 2002, that's their version, you know? Yeah. Yeah, and yeah, just take the wins that you got and remember them fondly. yeah How are we feeling about our predictions from ah from before
Speculating on Tournament Outcomes
00:51:09
Speaker
the tournament? Are we still kind of happy enough? I'm, you know, I don't know the score of the France game yet, but, i you know, for me, I have a France-Germany final. I'm pretty happy with that. I think Germany are going to cook. I think I said i England to go out in the semis. It's every chance they go out in the quarters, but I don't see that. I said quarters.
00:51:28
Speaker
I mean, that could be a big call. And and and I think I might be late to the to the party. I might have to sprint down to Paddy Power to ah to get Havertz's top goal score. My friends actually did it as well. I'm like, I listen to him when that happened, but he's taking penalties and Germany look like they're going to score a lot of goals. So I might ask me again in a week's time, like Germany might do it. They look the best team so far anyway. I haven't seen any of France, but I've seen enough of them to know. kind of how they're going to play really. So what do you think in killing you happy with your selections?
00:52:02
Speaker
Oh yeah, I always am. Even when they go terribly wrong, I'm going to stand by them, like, as if they were the flag of my own country. and And speaking of which, Ireland has been embarrassed yet again, not by anything they've done, but by what they've not done.
Ireland's Managerial Struggles
00:52:17
Speaker
We've been linked with Gus Poyette for a long time. And by the time his contract, by the time we could play him, his contract to run out for Greece to do a managerial search and appoint a point of ah manager, we've still not been appointed a manager. it's it's what like um um It's one of those ones that i i've I've got past the point of even being annoyed about it anymore. It's a travesty, but if anything, shows a magnifying glass just on how crap of an organization they are from top to bottom. The last thing I'd say on this, and it's been my kind of opinion for the last, I don't know, two months, what manager would want that job now?
00:52:56
Speaker
yeah John O'Shea, and that's it. And I feel almost bad for him because if if he takes it, it's just kind of like i yeah you were the only one there. like you know And we've said before, give him a year, give him 18 months, but like just just make a bloody decision. Yeah, because yeah its and out every all the time we're falling forward and falling behind, like as you said all these other countries, they all have a plan. They all have decent players, they all have a decent coach, like there's Silvino. Pop, I didn't know they hadn't taught Silvino in years. The next thing he's coaching Albania with Saboletta as an assistant, like there's lots of coaches out there, like, and they're all going on getting these jobs and where they're just kind of staring at our belly buttons and, where did we give them? And then you're like, it doesn't matter. And as I said to you guys last week, the next World Cup, only 16 European teams qualified. Ireland aren't going to be in. Not a chance.
00:53:47
Speaker
Yeah, give it to O'Shea and then go back in the background, maybe start looking around for someone. But I will say if, if, if I'm John O'Shea, if they offer me an interim job for a third time, I'm saying no. Oh, yeah you can't, you can't do that. No one offers John O'Shea the interim job three times in a row. Yeah. yeah he sold iton bought you the you on san yeah and But like this is one of the things that really annoys me is like Sunderland for the longest time when we were doing them great escapes every year.
00:54:21
Speaker
We were in the worst positions and we would think outside of the box and get these managers in and we'd survive. We had Decanio. We brought Dick Advocat to the Premier League 10 years after anybody had last told him. I forgot about that. Yeah. and like He's only just retired this year. like He was last managing in Curacao. We brought Gus Poyette from Brighton in League One. like think outside of the box like the slevino and we can do that and one of the ways we should be doing that is through dara mccantheny who actually tweeted how are high on earth has countries like albania no disrespect made of euros and not ireland with all due respect what the fuck are the ireland team doing
00:55:01
Speaker
With our national team, I'm happy to work for free to resolve this nonsense. With players we have at our disposal, we should be easily and we should be qualifying for the Euros and World Cups easily. Let's get our act together, Irish football, out with the veterans and never-bins, and let's get rocking and rolling for USA 2026 World Cup. Ridiculous how awful international football in Ireland has been for that last six plus years. and Now, for those that don't know, Darren McAntony is the Irish owner of Peterborough United. them Irish set up needs to take that offer seriously. like home But they won't. They just won't. The FAI were like, we had you had us at, we'll work for free.
00:55:39
Speaker
Get him in, whoever he is. I don't know who he is. He's like Peter, we're a manager. I'm here for our owner and chairman and he's been successful at that level. And if he wants to get involved and he thinks he can put shape on it, like go for it because no one else has been able to. Maybe he'd bring back John Delaney. Maybe he wasn't as bad as everyone was saying. I don't know. and see This is my thing, is like from us looking at the position, i do I do think it's actually more attractive to outside managers than we think. And I think with the whole setup, is I think there's so many so much jadedness around it. Us for the managerial search, the apparently the team that works for the formerly f FAI, that they just seem to be wholly jaded in their roles. just
00:56:22
Speaker
fresh start, get something like him in a bit of fresh impetus and maybe we might... I will say boys, yeah manager we have to remember that our own Nathan put in ah a CV for the CEO job and he's he's not on this pod this week so we could have some we could have a new CEO next week. i will be putting up election posters to get that man that job because right now he's he'd be better than anybody else that i've seen linked to it um but we'll have to wait and see until next week that brings us to the end of this episode of round one of the europe for 2024 can't wait for the next week and we'll chat just then bye
00:57:05
Speaker
Messi, Messi. Oh, my goodness. Atelier, Acuero. Oh, that is extraordinary. What a hit. Right, right. Back of the net.