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Free Weekly Pod - Douglas Luiz & Alisha Lehmann To Juventus, Calafiori Mania, Italy-Spain Preview, Zirkzee Problems & Much More (Ep. 428)
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From a brilliant Nicolo Barella, Alessandro Bastoni performance, a Federico Dimarco howler as Azzurri react brilliantly to beat Albania, Riccardo Calafiori-mania ensues, preview of EURO 2024 Spain Vs Italy group stage clash, to Germany most impressive so far and England underwhelming despite win, and Douglas Luiz + Alisha Lehmann close to Juventus, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia vs Napoli, and Joshua Zirkzee transfer to AC Milan stalling, as well as Baggio, Premface and Serie Ass of the week and much, much more when Nima and Carlo break down all the main talking points from the crazy world of Italian football.
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Transcript
Introduction & Italy vs Albania Recap
00:00:02
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian Football Podcast. Hello everybody and welcome to the Italian Football Podcast, the official podcast of Football Italia. I'm Carlo Garganese joined as always by Nima Tavalli. On today's show we will react in full to Italy's opening game of Euro 2024, a good start for the Azuri as we beat Albania 2-1. We will break down that performance, all the good and the bad, Nicolo Barella, Alessandro Bastani, the heroes for Italy, Riccardo Calafiori. What a performance from the youngster. How good can he become?
Italy vs Spain Preview
00:00:39
Speaker
We will also, of course, look ahead to Italy's second game of the tournament on Thursday against Spain. We'll do a full preview of that.
Transfer Market Updates
00:00:48
Speaker
In club matters Douglas Louise is on the verge of joining Juventus in a mega swap deal and he could be bringing his famous girlfriend Alicia Lehman with him to Juventus and we'll discuss that. Plus there's more chaos at Napoli with Kavitsha Kvaletskalia asking to leave the club according to his agent. Also Joshua Zilksay's move to Milan has hit a snag over some absolutely ridiculous commission feed demands from his agent Kia Corraption. So, Giorraption, we'll talk about that as well. And we'll have our usual Baggio, Premface and Serie A asks of the week.
Podcast Community Engagement
00:01:25
Speaker
For all our first time listeners, this is our free weekly episode that we do every Monday, reviewing the weekend Serie A action and all the biggest talking points in Italian football. If you want to support the Italian football podcast and receive all of our content that we do throughout the week,
00:01:39
Speaker
including a weekly Q and&A episode every Tuesday where we answer all of our questions from our patrons, plus the weekly Thursday midweek review show, plus interviews, post-match reaction, and much, much more, then go to patreon dot.com slash T-I-F-P and become a subscriber for just $2.99 a month, plus VAT. You can also go to patreon dot.com. um Sorry, you can also be a paid subscriber on Spotify. We'll provide the link in the description, same for price and terms. And for all of you that do listen on Spotify, Apple, and ah iTunes Podcast, we'd really appreciate it. If you give us a five-star rating, give us a follow and a like. We're also on YouTube as well. um So subscribe there. It really helps us to grow and do more content for you guys.
Italy vs Albania: In-Depth Reactions
00:02:20
Speaker
Okay, so let's get into today's show and Italy against Albania reaction. So then, Nima, Italy start the tournament on a high beaten Albania 2-1 in Dortmund. I already did a post match reaction immediately after the game, which in the post match reactions are usually a little bit more emotional. and So we'll we'll go a little bit deeper with our with our review. um today, but first first things first, Nima, I don't know about you, but i was I was happy and quite positive after watching Italy beat Albania, certainly better than than I expected coming into the tournament. Well, I mean, it didn't start very well, did it? ah Federico Di Marco lost his mind and does what you know and and and did something incredibly stupid. But look,
00:03:09
Speaker
um and our react or reactor in our preview ah that we do with Adrian Del Monte, which I have to say, ah thank you to everyone who's shared and listened to it because it's our most listened episode ever. We've reached, we've combined downloads and views across all platforms over 10,000. So thank you to everyone for sharing and and the the response has been brilliant um to that. It's our most listened to episode ever. but What we said and what I said there was, look, if Italy are going to have any kind of success this tournament, Barella and Bastoni have to lead Italy. They have to be the leaders. They can't rely, you know, they're they're no longer the the the the the extra. They are the ones that they this team are built upon. The same applies in Inter, the same applies for Italy. They're the senators now. They're the ones who have to lead it. And they did exactly that. I think Bastoni was faultless. I think it was brilliant. Barella is what was world class.
00:04:07
Speaker
Um, especially when you take into consideration, this is exactly what I wanted to see. I wanted to see the shackles taken off, but I lost feet. And what I meant by that is I didn't want him to have to think for two players. You have to run for two players and that's fine, but he didn't have to think for two players because your Virginia can definitely think on a football pitch on his own, even though he can't run, um, as much. And that's fine. Cause but it was lungs can take that. Um, but when he has to think and run for two players, like it has to do at Intel, where he's got Danzel Dumfries to, to, to, you know, baby, then, then, then he's got shackles on his feet, but here he doesn't, you know, Georgina has incredibly high our football IQ and Barilla was allowed to take advantage of that and, and was, was allowed to, you know, was, was allowed to move more freely in in the final third and control and dictate the tempo together with Georgina. And I think he was outstanding.
00:05:02
Speaker
Um, and the way that Italy reacted to that, uh, to that, to go in and go down after 22 seconds, the fastest goal in European, hit European championship history was just remarkable because they didn't panic. They didn't fret. They just got into it. Yeah. They showed mental, they showed mental strength and maturity and mature maturity. Yeah. And I liked that. And that's really important. And, and the only, you know, I know we're going to get to that. But no, I was very happy with how they reacted. I'm very happy with the chance creation ah in the first half. Yeah, in the first half. In the first half, I'm very happy with the chance creation. I'm very happy with how they dominated the way they ex exposed ah Albania's weaknesses and the fact that they put the the right players in those right positions, you know, that you had Kieres are there to go one on one. You had DiMarco overlapping. You had
00:05:57
Speaker
you know, Barilla being able to do a little bit of everything. You had Georgina kind of in the back, you know. keeping dictating passes like Brozovic used to do at Inter. So it's ah no, it was it was um it was very, very I'm very pleased. um very I'm very, very pleased as well. I liked the from a tactical point of view, um but also the way that that Italy kept the ball, their patterns of play, ah the little movements, the angles, the the ah way that the players
00:06:29
Speaker
just swap positions. and it was it was it looked like It didn't look like a team that had only played how many games has Spoletti been in charge of Italy, like 11 games or so or something like that. um It didn't look like a team because you know usually that takes a long time. you know The way that Spoletti plays, if i mean if if if if anybody sees his interview that he did at the end of the game, which was interpreted by, brilliantly by Patrick Kendrick, and where he did one explanation of of how he wanted, ah you know, how he demands, why he was shouting at Jan-Luca Skamaka and how he demands that Skamaka
00:07:06
Speaker
um ah closes off the angles or one particular angle so that it forces the the opposition to make three passes because that landin allows Italy to be able to press effectively rather than have to drop back. Now that's just one tiny little detail but if you watch the way that Spelletti, his teams play, it's full of these details you know and that takes a lot of time on the training ground you know day after day after day And of course, making mistakes in games because you're not going to get it overnight. And, you know, and that's both in position, out of position. And I thought it it looked very fluid when they had the ball. They were, they were keeping it really well. The players were were moving around, you know, as I said, in my post-match, you know, Calafiori and Bastani were both taking turns coming into the center of midfield. So was Di Lorenzo.
00:07:58
Speaker
um The, you know, Barrera was pushing a little bit further ahead of Giorginio. Fratesi was joining up as a second center forward at times. Chiesa, sometimes he was coming inside, sometimes he was wide, wide right, which he loves to do on the right. ah and and also on And then on the left, you had DiMarco, who was sometimes very wide left, but sometimes he inverted a little bit and he allowed Pellegrini to go out to the left as well. I mean, this kind of stuff, you know, that doesn't happen by chance. That wasn't just players just you know freestyling and doing their own thing. That's that's you know practice, practice, practice. And people under and that that really that was really good to see because you know that is Spelletti doing a really good job coaching and training them. um So obviously, you know we've got to look at the opposition. It's Albania.
00:08:47
Speaker
um you know, we can probably be a little bit critical that Albania, did they show too much respect to Italy ah in a similar way that I thought Serbia showed way too much respect to England in the first half an hour of that game on on on Sunday. Maybe they did, they weren't pressing very well. So, you know, it will get tougher. But in just in terms of our our identity, in terms of the way that we want to play the game, um I took a lot of positives because I didn't see any of this in the, you know, in the build up. I mean, that the Turkey game especially, I mean, my God,
00:09:17
Speaker
You know, I think the reason the reason for that is that in the Bosnia again, he went back to a three, five, two in the turkey game was playing a rigid four, three, three, four, two, three, one. What he did now, Spaletti, and this is why I want to praise him and and is the fact that he he invented this hybrid system for this Italy team going into this game. Now, there's always a risk when you go into a tournament and you're you're kind of still not settled on the formation. But this just once again shows what a brilliant tactician he is and why I think he's the best coach at the Euros. um The fact that he knows how to handle these situations and he does it without spreading panic. And that's what we saw. We saw in Italy, they still there's still some you know niggles to fix and some you know it's not exactly flowing like
00:10:05
Speaker
like like a stream of you know water down a river. But it's the fact that he can impose this hybrid 3-4-2-1 with position 4-2-3-1 without position of 4-2-3-1 with position of 3-4-2-1. It was very interesting for me to see that he got the players to to adapt to that. And it looked really well for a first time. um I think and and I think he needed to be this small, you know, he sent a message to the team by being a little bit more attacking against Albania. But this is a game we need to win. And this is a game we're going to impose ourselves in. And so I really want to place praise Paletti for that. I think what we spoke about in our preview ah euros with, as I mentioned with Adrian, that Italy have the best coach at the Euros tactically. And I don't think anyone, you know, no one else comes close. um And I think in the post match,
00:11:05
Speaker
press conference he did. you'll never see i mean it's it's it's amazing to me you rarely ever i should then not say never but You rarely ever see any other coach outside of italian coaches talking like that at a press conference answering tactical questions like that. In such detail. and such I almost didn't want him to say too much, like don't give it all away. and Stop talking. yeah No, but he was i mean he wasn't anything too deep, anyway but it's just the the way that he communicates when it comes to football tactics. I think we saw a glimpse of why he's always been so successful everywhere he's been.
00:11:41
Speaker
yeah um He's very good at communicating his what he wants the players to do. And that's the level of detail that, that the you know, makes him so special. You know, that's why he can he can raise the level of a team which on paper isn't one of the best teams at the Euros. And, you know, obviously, you know, we'll see that the proof will come in that and we'll get to it against Spain and to a lesser ex extent Croatia, but certainly against Spain. um But, you know, this is the level of detail. I mean, you know, again, to use a comparison, I mean, just look at that England team against Serbia. I wasn't impressed by England at all. And, you know, that there's no tactics. Southgate just sends his team out with a formation and just basically lets them get on with it.
00:12:23
Speaker
you know i was just about i mean and and it instrument a letteri You can see with Spelletti, everything has been thought out. I mean there is ah there is a ah ah wouldn't say he's a complete dogmatic he's not completely dogmatic with positions in a way that, say, Pep Guardiola is. and some of the other coaches that he does allow some freedom to his players. um But, you know, everything has been, you know, he has some strict rules with that on the pitch, like like with Skamaka and with others. And, you know, I was I enjoyed it. I enjoyed watching Italy play. um So that was really there was in the second half at one point when Italy played out from the back and via five passes had a three against two.
00:13:09
Speaker
because of the movements and the way that they move the ball and the geometry, as you say in Italy, of how how you play out from the back and and how you build play. it was It was beautiful. It was genuinely beautiful. um And that's Paletti, this resolving problems with with playing, not just playing from the back, because everyone wants to play from the back, but having a clear idea, imposing that idea and imprinting that on the players and having them like execute that on the pitch in a hybrid system which is new. that That's Spaliti. That is his strength to to communicate that to the players, to get them to understand that and to execute it. I think that is all Spaliti. And, you know, I'm really impressed. I don't think, you know, the fact that the team responded as well as they did in against Albania, that suggests to me that now he knows they will do that.
00:14:01
Speaker
But in other games, I think we'll see a much more rigid 3-5-2, 3-5-1-1 against Spain and Croatia. Yeah, well, we'll come to that. Because you have to be. We'll come to that. We'll come to that. And that would also be a sign of of how Spelletti can adapt to the the opposition. Because it also it was, in some ways, there was ah it wasn't a tale of two halves, because I think that Italy controlled the game in the entire for the entire game. They never were really at risk, except for that chance at the end. and But they but they you know the second half, they were just keeping the ball. And they were more solid. and Whereas the first half, they were really going for it and going for the goals and attacking. So, you know, that showed to me that there is...
00:14:40
Speaker
Spelletti, yeah, maybe he can be, he can adapt in this tournament, and it's not going to be just play one way, the the the entire tournament. But certainly Barela, if you're talking about individuals, Barela, Bastani, I mean, fantastic, as you've already said, but Callofury is the player that everybody is is really excited about. um He was absolutely brilliant in this game. um He got caught out, he made one mistake in the at the end, Me too. Me too. And he was saved by Donna Ruma. And I think that's the thing I wanted to... Who was the other one that you made? Well, it was it was um it was it was in the second half as well. But it's not it wasn't a serious one. But his positioning was a little bit off. But regardless, it's not that important. but My point... Well, let me let me let me give him his praise before you before you come back. But he he was he was absolutely brilliant. this was This was, you know, Italy played the way, they were able to play the way that they played in this game. Because, also because of Califiori.
00:15:35
Speaker
California that his build up from the back together with it was a dual playmaker ah role with with Bastoni and we know Bastoni already is fantastic building up from the back um but but California was was was just as good and his his his he's just the way that I mean this is this is a player that had only started once for Italy and so inexperienced he played like a veteran I mean I mean all the Italy legends were queuing up to hailing and Capello
00:16:05
Speaker
ah Zambrota, they both couldn't believe what they were seeing. Del Piero said that it was he looked like someone that had played 70 matches. ah His first half was an absolute clinic from Calipio. If you look at his stats in the first half, he had 100% duels won, 100% tackles won, 100% aerials won, 94% pass success rate. um He is an elite player already and with the ball, breaking the press, bringing out the use of the ball, his passing, his range of passing, his ability to come into midfield, I mean Spelletti was even playing in the midfield in training ah and and obviously he moved into midfield here. um He was, he was, he he was, he's a revelation. I think think I've seen many, deb er well it's not a debut, but let's say official debut. Well it was a debut, I mean I look at it as a debut. Official debut, let's say, because it's, you know, friendly, it's the other ones. so I don't think, I can think i remember, I remember watching Fabio Cannavaro. Yeah.
00:17:04
Speaker
against, I think it was his second cap, I think it was his official debut as well. I was at that game, England versus um Italy at Wembley, 1997 World Cup qualifier. I remember watching... Was it the Montella screamer? No, it was the Zoligal, World Cup 1998 qualifier at Wembley. Cesare Maldini had just come in as as coach and Canavaro Mott. Alan Shearer in that game, he was coming off the back of obviously top scoring at Euro 96 and Shearer didn't get a kick in that game. It was an absolute clinic. And you realise straight away that this was so this was a defender that that was set right for the very, very top. And that's the same vibes I get from California. I don't want to put too much pressure on him. I think he can handle it. he's He seems like ah like very mentally strong, but I thought it was I was blown away by his moments. He made a mistake at the end.
00:17:57
Speaker
ah And that could have been costly and for Italy. But um otherwise, I thought he was he was virtually, couldn't ask them any more from him in this game. ive I think what I want to say is, I think what we saw with Calafiori, because the last three years, the question has been, who's going to play long term next to Bastogne? We know that Bastogne is the future of the Italian defence. We've been asking, is there going to be someone to partner him? Well, what we saw against Albania, the answer is Calafiori. There's no doubt about that. He was absolutely fantastic.
00:18:32
Speaker
um he He showed a level of maturity, showed a level of mental strength, he showed a level of calm that, you know, and and this being his first like real official debut and ah and and to do it in it in ah in a major tournament, it was incredibly impressive. He really did play like someone one who played, I wouldn't say 70, but 20, 30, 40 caps. Absolutely. it was It was not his second cap. He didn't play like that. And the fact that Bastoni and him can interchange between center and left center back and, you know, diagonal balls and and run with the ball and all that is is very, very good for Italy. italyli um So I do absolutely deserves praise for that.
00:19:16
Speaker
But I'm seeing, it's gone a little bit overboard when I'm seeing people x you know draw comparisons between him and Maldini and this, that and the other, and Nesta. New Van Dyke. Yeah, I mean. like He's the new Van Dyke. Guys, just because he's handsome has got long hair and a hairband. Like, can we calm down, please? Like, let's let's chill. You know, he's had a fantastic season at Bologna. He's he's a young player. He's not the Finnish product, but he's a huge talent. no doubt about that
00:19:47
Speaker
but can we calm down like can we know can we chill like he's not he's not he's not like he he had a great debut but i'm also glad that he made that mistake because it shows You know that the only way young players learn keep his feet on the ground. Yeah. And also the only way young players learn is by making mistakes and learning from that. He will have learned from that, you know, and and he won't repeat that, hopefully. So, you know, i I'm really happy that with Bonjorno, Bastoni and Calafiori, we now have three central defenders.
00:20:18
Speaker
the of of quality. Or left-footed as well. and And I think that that is something that has ah always been a feeling. It's been kind of an unwritten rule in football that you don't play two left-footed centre backs together. And I think probably partly because most left-footed players are completely left-footed, like they can barely stand on their right foot. That that is just kind of how it is ah with with with anybody that's left-footed or left-handed. They're usually like all the all the talent goes into that that left hand and there's nothing left for the right hand or the or the right foot, that's just kind of how it is. It's a weird quirk but they work very well together and they work very well together um and actually kind of feel his right foot is actually not too bad even though even though
00:21:08
Speaker
It was more Bastoni that played the right side of the two and he and he did pretty well in that position. Bastoni's right foot is okay. It's not that bad actually. We've seen that through the years. No, um I was really happy. I think that what what we'll see now is I want to see Bonjorno when he comes in. Um, because I think he will play centrally with Bonjourno. And I think if he's going to continue like this, you could see a situation where you actually see Bonjourno in the middle, Calafiori to the left and Bastoni to the right in a back three. I mean that, I mean, oh.
00:21:42
Speaker
reflex action i'm just thinking how can that possibly work but again we've seen it with two we've seen it with two left footers playing well in a in a in a two round center back partnership i mean it was it was great uh we'll come to the spain game after um in a little bit because it will obviously be a different game but what one other thing that i really like about that that i think that califuri brings to italy at center back is is he gives brings a bit of pace as well. And that's important. um I need to watch him more to see just how quick he is over over longer distances. But he's definitely got a he's definitely got a burst in him, which is important and is something that that neither Bastoni or Bonjour have. And if you're playing, for example,
00:22:25
Speaker
Bastoni and Bongiorno together, especially if you're trying to play a Spelletti high line or or a mid block or certainly a high line, which is what Spelletti likes to play. Then you're playing Bastoni and Bongiorno. I don't have a problem with Bastoni. The ball gets played over the top. Well, I think i don't have a problem with Bastoni. there was one There was one moment in the second half where he was struggling to just to get back and he had to really struggle. He doesn't have enough pace for me, but when do you want to play with another slow player? so you play well That's the thing, that I agree with you that Calafiori's got more pace than Bastoni, but i don't i mean I think that's evident. But I don't think that Bastoni's slow.
00:23:02
Speaker
I mean Bonjourno is slow. but i think i think i think I think he's too slow to to to to to for me to be confident at playing a high line with Bonjourno and Bastoni together. I think that that's way too susceptible to to to balls over the top or past or pace. Obviously, They're the way that they read the game can make up for that because they're they're great defenders But but that's something that I think that what i'm saying is that that's something that califuri brings He brings a bit of extra pace to the back line, which which is which is so precious in modern football, unfortunately and So that is something that I mean, I think he has a bit of everything really califuri. Um, I think he he ticks, you know, he's got he's a very modern player and and physically technically
00:23:47
Speaker
good on the ball. If we're talking where he is now at this young age and you look at the trajectory that he can improve everything, you are looking at a potential world-class player, you really are. um and And that's why I think it's so exciting because ever since Killini and Bonucci era, that you know, we've been struggling, you know, whereas you only have Bastoni who's world-class or thereabouts, but you don't have anyone else. um Now with Bongiorno and especially Calafiori, I'm looking at it and i'm and I'm actually feeling confident for once. um Looking at Italy's defense, which has been a problem. because you already got and The goalkeeper is always going to be good, whether it's Donnarumo, Vicario, whoever. The goalkeeper, ah the depth, the Gregorio, whoever. The depth is insane for goalkeepers in Italy. But but the central defense has been an issue. and If Calafiori and Bongiorno can join Bastoni at that level,
00:24:40
Speaker
is um that's going to be really, really important for Italy moving forward. but That's a problem solved. And I feel that, you know, the midfield, when you have and Tonali back and everyone else, and if Skamak can continue the way he's doing, and then... justs look at let's look at the negatives Let's look at the negatives. I mean i did touch upon these and in my post-match interview, so I want to get more your your point of view, but what what what is it that the you disappointed you or was a little bit, you know, cause for a little bit of concern going forward from this game? I don't like the wastefulness up front. I thought Italy were a little bit unlucky, but i do they need to kill off games more.
00:25:19
Speaker
and i want and I want to put Skamaka, I know how he uses Skamaka and I think he was very was very intelligent the way he used Skamaka, but I want to see Skamaka more in goal scoring positions. I don't want him to just be the target and link up and I feel that in this game he was he was wasted a little bit, as you know, he was sacrificed, wasted, whatever adjective you want to use. Um, to describe it, but I want him to be more towards the goal as well. I want him to be the finisher as well, because I think with his physique and technical ability in the box, there's not very many defenders that can handle him. Um, I understand why, you know, Albania was so, so deep, um, that he kind of had no choice, but you can't have your number nine static in the penalty area of all watching.
00:26:05
Speaker
So you needed him to drop deep and and and rip up space for Fratezi and Chiesa and DiMarco and all these others coming from running in from deep. I get that. But I do want to see Scamaca more in goal scoring positions because I think he it's important that Italy is number nine and he is the main number nine that he gets into. and He starts scoring early on. It's really, really important. um I was also a little bit um disappointed with I mean, I know DiMarco made a huge mistake. But that like stuff like that, unforced errors like that, team brain lapses. I mean, it was yes, it was a stupid throw-in by DiMarco. But the rest of the team weren't paying attention. And they were easily open and read. And that, to me, is like there's these kinds of momentary lapses of concentration. they have They can't afford to do that in the Euros. It annoyed me, really annoyed me. um but yeah and and But other than that, I thought,
00:27:03
Speaker
you know There's not really much to complain about, to be honest. um Other than i was I was a little bit waiting for Spaletti to make changes earlier on, because DiMarco to the 80th minute, God bless, 90 minutes, Giorginio. Did you see DiMarco? He went on this surge up the pitch, and it ran around about the 80th minute, and I couldn't believe what I was seeing. But he was lucky he was running in slow motion, yet he's still getting away from the player. But he's still getting away from the Albania players, and I was thinking, who are these Albania players? Yeah, no, it's like, that that's the only thing like Giorginio and DiMarco, you have to preserve them. Yeah. Because other had yeah yeah, like it was, I don't understand why he used Giorginio for 90 minutes. Like that, that's the only thing I'm critical of, but we're really nitpicking here. I mean, overall, I thought it was a good performance. Yeah. a Good reaction. What did you think about, uh, cause I raised this in my post-match, what did you think about Italy taking their foot off the gas in the, in the second half rather than going for the third goal? Um, I didn't like it.
00:28:04
Speaker
I really didn't like it um because I think that that'll harm you. like That can come back and bite you in the butt. and ah Take your foot off the gas is fine. if you like You still have to create. and I feel that after the 65th minute, Italy just decided to not create. It's passed around. Yeah. and that's why That's where I wanted to see more progressive substitutions. you know you know, go to a classic 3-5-2, take out the key as I put in Cambiaso earlier, play a proper 3-5-2, I get, you know, bringing on Cristante, okay, well then take off Giorginio, do you know what I mean? Like, I wanted to do, I wanted them to... I was actually, I was actually happy that he brought Cristante on for Pellegrini rather than Giorginio, because I wanted to have the two plays, because what and what happens every single time Cristante comes on as ah as one of the two central midfielders
00:28:54
Speaker
is Italy just immediately, it happened in the Bosnian game, Italy immediately lose control of the ball and possession of the ball and control of the game and Italy are pushed back and end up having to defend deeper and deeper and I was glad that he brought Cristante on for Pellegrini because then at least Giorginio and Barrella were still there to took took took to control the game. Okay, didn't create any chances but but at least we kept them away from our goal other than, you know, that chance at the end which was a long ball which was, you know, I've got to say, like just dreaming ahead, Tonali in this system would have been... No, I That is something you know I think will probably harm us later on. is that you know First team looks good, 12-13 players, but then there really isn't depth. No, there isn't. And you see the play see that by the players coming on. like Let's win some. Maybe Fajoli can surprise us.
00:29:50
Speaker
because yeah you know yeah which which is also why I'm a little bit surprised. I have Loquatelli on as well. like Yeah, no, no, no, I agree. um So, group table then, after match day one, Spain, three points, top of the group on goal difference, Italy, three points, Albania, zero points, Croatia, zero points. The next matches are on Thursday um with, well actually, Croatia play Albania on Wednesday first, then Italy play against Spain on Thursday, It's in Gelsenkirchen, isn't it? So good luck, all those trying to get there by train. That's what I say. they what shock What is going on in the world? I thought the Germans always make the trains run on time. Yeah, I mean, that's, that's exactly it, isn't it? Like, you know, you don't have to say this though. I saw some, some of the fans complaining and there was one guy I saw, actually more than one fan that was complaining said, Oh, we couldn't get to our hotel 1.7 kilometers away. And I'm thinking just walk it.
00:30:46
Speaker
Well, I was just, one yeah but sometimes you can't, live yet but listen, listen, you can't, sometimes you can't, there has to be a pathway unless you want to cross the German Autobahn by foot and get killed. No, there's roads. I mean, I've been to Germany enough times. you yeah know but i'm saying life if Yeah, but i'm I'm saying if there are no roads to get there. I mean, they're not crossing ah the the trenches. I mean, it's it's no, I'm saying, yeah, but I'm just saying if there are no roads to cross, like if there's you don't want to cross the Autobahn. my foot unless you want to end up like a, you know, overrun. right I'm sure they was aware they could have walked if they they wanted. Yeah. 1.7 kilometers is not a long walk. That's a 10 minute walk. 15 minutes. Maybe a bit longer, but yeah, not far. I walk quickly. You're you're a slow walker, aren't you? No, I am. I do have a problem though. with with I went to Berlin um in ah in just a few months ago and the gravelly raids, I do have a problem with the gravelly raids. like you're walking on stones everywhere. but we're getting We're getting away from fixing up. You're such a granddad. You're talking about cobblestones. Yes, I am. I don't want to walk like but and they were a walk on cobblestones like they're big ones.
00:32:01
Speaker
Berlin is like arguably one of the easiest cities in the world to walk in. everything is like so it's It's not difficult to walk at all there. and the roads are complaining but the The roads are gravelly and not gravelly, the cobblestone in certain areas of the city. the other way that's not when i fault everywhere Not when I went, but anyway, let's move on. Let's preview Spain versus Italy on Thursday. um Some key questions ahead of this game, right? And I'm going to run down each one and then we can discuss each one. So first of all,
00:32:39
Speaker
Do Italy stick with the 4-2-3-1 system? see i called it I called it in our preview. I said, I will not surprise me if it's the player back four. And they did play it back four. But obviously, it was it was a it was a hybrid system, of course. But it was always going to be a hybrid system with Spelletti. It's the way he plays. He doesn't have set position. Build up in a three. you know As I said before, defenders moving into midfield. and Blah, blah, blah. what Do we stick with a 4-2-3-1 or do we move back to more, let's say, three classic centre backs? I don't know, with Bongiorno coming in, for example. Yes, yes for me as a no-brainer, when you see how Spain play and you see you know that they're going to have the majority of the possession, um I want to see a more classic 3-5-1-1 with Bongiorno in the centre of defence.
00:33:31
Speaker
um I'll probably rest Calafiori for this one, put Bastoni to the left, um and either start Darmian or Mancini to the right, or play Calafiori to the left and Bastoni to the right. um But regardless, Cambiazzo to the right, DiMarco to the left, I want to see, you know, Barella, Pellegrini, Giorgino, and Scamaca up front, and then either have Fratese or even play you know, play Cristante, Jorginho Barilla, and then Pellegrini in the number 10 behind Skamaka, because I think that's going to be key. You're going to need players who can control the ball when you win it from Spain. um And you're going to need pace to attack, whether you do it with Cambias or Bela Nova down the right, or if you have, you know, if you put Cambias on the left and Bela Nova on the right, because Cambias is such an intelligent player that he can
00:34:22
Speaker
You can invert, you can do whatever, you can play easily play in many positions. I want to see a more traditional three, five, one, one against Spain, because again, this is not a game that Italy we need to win. And it's a game that Spain don't need to win. In fact, yeah I think both of them just need one point um and they're through. probably And then in almost certainly yeah and in the final game, then Italy will play a Croatia who has to win or draw to get through. And Spain are playing Albania, who they're going to thrash even with their third team and they'll win the group. Like, do you know what I mean? Like I want, I want a little bit of, you know, not biscotto, but use your brains here a little bit. Um, as an Italy don't need to win this game. They had to beat Albania. That's it. That's what they had to do. Now that against Spain, they don't need to win.
00:35:12
Speaker
They just need to draw. And and and i think that I think Spain... No, Spiletti doesn't really do pragmatism, does he? He he tries to win. and yeah So I don't think... ah yeah I mean, it's an interesting one. It's a difficult one to know because looking at this from a tactical point of view, Spain... their pressing was in the first half was absolutely magnificent against Croatia. the Croatia couldn't, couldn' even with their brilliant midfield that Croatia have, ah just couldn't they couldn't get out. you know Spain were just smothering them, getting the taking the ball off them and
00:35:46
Speaker
in that first half ah and you know so Italy are going to need, it's not going to be like the Albania game in that as brilliant as both Califuri and Bastoni were and are um you know the the Albania press let's be honest to put it nicely their their press was pathetic. It was, it was half-assed. It was neither one thing or the other. It wasn't a press, but it wasn't sitting back either. It was kind of not, not one or the other. And that made it so easy for, for Italy to kind of play out as good as their patterns were, as good as everything was set up. It was, it was quite, you know, for for a Spoletti team that's going to be well trained, it was quite easy for them to play out. It's not going to be easy against Spain. They're going to be pressed the hell out of, and that is where you need press breakers. And obviously Bastone is fantastic at breaking the press.
00:36:31
Speaker
So is so is kind of furious. Bonjour. No, I don't know. They don't all have to be good at it, but they do have to be able to get out. um It might be a case of and Spoletti actually hinted at this in his post-match press conference that they actually have to be more direct ah in this game. And maybe they have to miss out the midfield. Maybe they have to go over the top, do some balls. Absolutely. And I actually think we'll come to Spain's weaknesses in a bit, but I actually think that's what that's ah for me. That's probably Spain's biggest weakness is that ball over the top, potentially. So switching the play, switching the play. So I but don't want to sit on the fence. I'm not sure what I would do because at the moment, it's too early right now to to to know what Italy's levels will be. We'll know through the training, what what how they're training, what what it's going to be. At the moment, the papers are saying it's going to be the same lineup, but it's too early for us to say whether they'll keep an unchange unchanged team. um No, I think it would be it would be crazy. I would make one i would make two or three changes. What else? would Would you make any changes in the midfield or the attack?
00:37:30
Speaker
I would actually think Chiesa as a number 10 behind Skamaka is a good way to go here. um our you know The reason why I said Cristante Georgiño Barreles is because I wanna give that extra cover in front of in in front of the defense centrally because that's where Spain kind of ah usually swarm teams. The problem I think Croatia game was the midfield, Croatia's midfield was overrun by five players. because Morata dropped in. um But the problem was that the defense was ball-watching. The Croatian defense did not help out at all. They were completely static. um And they don't have any wide players to help out either.
00:38:13
Speaker
So but it just it it made Modric Brozovic and Kovacic completely just outnumbered and overrun. but this is This is a different Spain to the to the Spain of Luis Enrique. this oh no and no This is a much more direct one. Spain actually had less possession in this game than than croette and Croatia, which is incredible. But having still said that, though despite the fact that this is a this is a Spain team that is more direct, It's still a Spain team that I think had had gone 130 odd games. I can't remember how many games it had been. It's some insane number of games that they've got that they'd gone with having more possession than the opposition. It was is absolutely mad stat that they had. and and so you know And I think they had more possession
00:38:57
Speaker
uh, percentage possession, uh, than anyone else in the qualifiers in, in Europe. So it's still a team that, you know, despite this game, they said a team that is fantastic on the ball. No, they are and and midfield is very special. Like with Roger, Roger is the best, best center midfielder in the world. For me, it's not even the best defensive midfielder in the world. It's not even a, it's not even close. He's just, he's just a, he's just a monster of winning the ball. yeah and And then Pedri is looking great. Fabian Ruiz, I thought, scored a brilliant goal he was in this game, but also Spain's attack is so dangerous. I mean, Yamal, I mean, we have to talk about Yamal. This guy is a phenomenon. He's 16 years old, 16 years old, and he and he plays like he played in that game. I mean, he was absolutely magnificent against the a top player as well in Guardia, causing all kinds of trouble.
00:39:44
Speaker
uh wow 16 years old i mean how do we what do we how do we defend him because he's going to be up one on one against oh you cut out ah no you cut out you don't let them play balls to him uh for where he can go for pace and one on one you cut out that passing lane and that's a team effort um the same thing goes on the other wing like this is what i'm saying italy have to defend as a unit this this is a test of defending as a unit um and whether or not they're ready as a team, an actual team, because they're not going to have too much possession and they're going to be under lots of pressure, but they need to work for one another. They need to help each other out. They need to move in order to help one another out ah completely opposite to what Croatia did where they were, they were static. and And especially the defense and the attack, it just did not help out them in field at all. But so, so that's what I want to see. And that's why I want
00:40:45
Speaker
you know, that like Spaletti alluded to, and you were talking about earlier, that's why I think Kiersa and Skamaka is, it would be perfect, because if you got Skamaka up front, he can win the ball, he can play off him, and then Kiersa on 1v1s for pace, and in you know, so that's what you want to be there. That's a good place to be. um And that's why I want to see Belanorva as well, because he's very, very fast. um And if he has space to attack, he can he can hurt you. um and and and And so that's that's why I wanna see a bit of a change. but if we're looking Not too many, just three, two or three changes. If we're looking at um what gives us a cause for optimism in this game, I mean, first of all, Spain are probably gonna play the same team. The only possibility is whether La Porte is is past fit. He's struggling to be fit for this game. He might make it, he might not make it. And he would probably take the place of Nacho in this game.
00:41:42
Speaker
who doesn't feel with confidence, if I'm perfectly honest with you, I hope Nacho plays. I think the centre-back positions, that is where we can get at Spain. Lenormand and Nacho, if he plays. Laporte is stronger, but I have to be honest, I've not watched any of him in the last year, because he's played in Saudi Arabia. um I think we can get at their centre-backs, because if you watch the the Spain versus Croatia, as brilliant as Spain were in the first half, and I think they did take their foot off the gas, um I think they did take their foot up again. So a lot of, pretty much most of Croatia's chance creation came in that second half when Spain were 3-0 up. Actually, I disagree with that. I think the biggest chances that Croatia had... If you look at the number... No, but I'm looking at the game. I'm talking about the first half. After Spain scored their first goal, Croatia had two mega chances. But as we spoke about in our preview, the quality of the attack is just not good enough. They missed so many poor finishes and decisive moments.
00:42:36
Speaker
yeah I think the problem that you see with both Croatia and Spain, like I sent you on WhatsApp during after that game. look they are There are holes defensively in both of these teams for Italy to take. I agree there. I agree there. I mean, what I'm saying what i'm saying is that most the the vast majority of the of the chances came in the second half. ah yeah know they did But they did create some chances in the in the first half as well. ah really They could not score to save their lives. And this is what we were talking about in our preview about how as good as that midfield is and as good as they create chances,
00:43:08
Speaker
the quality up front that Croatia have is just not really. I think Croatia had an XG of over 2 in this game. of course yeah what Of course, there was a penalty which which which would account a lot, but they still over, I think it was something like 2.4 XG. I mean, you know, whether you're 3-0 up or not 3-0 up, I mean, that's still that's still quite a lot. That's high. That's high, yeah. So, so I mean, I think... Even if you remove the 0.8 or whatever the penalty is. Yeah, there was... I mean, if you look at the extreme, most of it was the second half, but they did, like you said, they did have at least one big chance in the first half. And another one was crazy. That was quite good. And, you know, so Italy, there are chances here for Italy, especially with the way that Italy played, the way that Spoletti played. And Simon, I'm sorry, but he does, I mean, you know, to use a prim face, he does have a mistake in him. Like, Simon has a mistake in him.
00:43:56
Speaker
He does. And he for the penalty, for example, that was he created that chance for Croatia. And, you know, no, i he does. My thing is try him with shots, test him from the outside, because I think there's put him under pressure, not so much with maybe just diagonals or crossing under pressure. Yeah. Jack Chilton famous. thing under the Put the goalkeeper under pressure, because I think if you you know should pepper him with shots. Yeah. I think there's, he does have a mistake in it. I mean, he he is a good keeper, don't get me wrong, but we have seen time and time again in important games, he can make absolute howlers, unforced ones. And also Kukurela left that, actually played really, really well in this game. And I think he's also quite important in terms of the way he inverts and the way that he is tactically like in terms of joining in with the midfield and everything. I actually think he's he's actually, he doesn't get enough credit for that. But if we're talking strictly defensively,
00:44:56
Speaker
I mean, i've but I've watched a lot of them in the Premier League. I mean, this guy, he's not a good defender. And they take that the centre backs as well. um You know, I think that, you know, I think they but the what obviously going in the other way, Spain are fantastic. they They could blow you away easily before you've even had a chance. So, you know, yeah, the beginning of the opening 10, 15 minutes of that game is going to be very, very key. Italy cannot gift another goal in the opening minute. What is the shame is that, rorie rogerrie could have well, should have been sent off. um Once you give the penalty, that has to be a red. I mean, he he he he doesn't play the ball. He plays for the man. ah it should be ah It should be a red card. The question is whether it was a penalty or not. And and I see the debate there. some Some might say it was a penalty. Some might say it wasn't a penalty. But once you give that penalty, that has to be a red card for Roger. And it is our good old friend, the dustbin man for a heart.
00:45:50
Speaker
ah Michael Oliver, and no surprise at all that he didn't give a didn't give a red card for that. He actually, in September last year, he was paid to go to the the UAE by the owners of Manchester City. um So, who who were then? Oh my God! you would then Yes, yes, the conspiracy. Manchester City were on the payroll in the league that have ties to them. And of course, he's the referee here, so he's not going to send off for Manchester City. Oh, here we go. Just Michael Oliver's performances were Manchester City playing, and you're, yeah, I don't know where I'm coming from there. But so he should have been sent off for me, and and that would have been a massive, massive bloke but for Spain. this guy is This guy is class, I'm sorry. like i mean He is fantastic. He gets away with so many niggly fouls. like He's like... Well, it's a little bit like what Keleene used to do, he used to get away with them too, because like it's it's one thing about bending the rules and not breaking them.
00:46:46
Speaker
And I think he knows how to do it. It was like Mark van Baumel, Sergio Busquets, you know, Tiago Mozzo, like one of these kind of players that used to just do so many of these niggles, you know, bend the rules without breaking them. And and and that's, that's intelligence. I think, I think that's a skill, to be honest with you. I know people talk about, you know, the dark arts and it's not dark arts. I think that's a skill to understand that you, to know where the where you break the the the laws of the game for a foul but you stand you just bend them you go them that to me is a skill and I think the best players in the world know where that limit goes yeah and I think he was and I think that he's very very good at that and I think that's part of the reason why he's such a
00:47:30
Speaker
pain in the butt to play. He is. He is. He's he's a magnificent player. um Just a quick, quick note on Croatia. Having watched them in that Portugal game, we expected a lot more from them. We were both a little bit scared. We were like, wow, these they still look like they've got it. But they see this is... that so I mean, I don't want to say too much. We've still got a play. They suddenly looked old in this game. Old. They looked old. What disappointed me was how naive they were. You just don't expect that. I mean, if you look at the first goal that Spain scored in this game, both fullbacks, Cabardiol, and Stanisic were basically playing as right and left wingers way higher up the pitch and Croatia didn't even have barely had but they didn't even really have good possession of the ball at the time it was kind of like an open duel
00:48:12
Speaker
at the time and they charged up the pitch and they would look completely open at the back. And you could fit a London bus through the center of the, through the center but for, for Murata to score. I mean, the naivety I thought was insane. I just don't, you just don't expect that from such an old and experienced Croatia team. No, it was one of those days where they just had a shit day. I mean, you just gotta, sometimes players have that. I think it was just one of those days, cause nothing worked. and They didn't press as a unit. There was no structure. They just, and, and, and, you know, Brozovic and Modric aren't getting any younger, so... And the attacker's just not good enough to... It's really not. And and this is what I meant, like there are people coming at me saying, you know, at at us saying, oh, what do you score X amount of goals in the Bundesliga? Yeah, I saw that. People say, no, but Gudemy is scored. I'm sorry, but yeah that, you know, with all due respect, like there are levels to, you know, there are levels to different leagues and some leagues are easier to score in than others. And and that's just that's just how it is.
00:49:10
Speaker
when, you know, they don't have the attack that they used to have once upon a time. It's as simple as that. And above all, the fact that they're playing Guardiola to the left, like they have problems wide. Croatia have problems wide. To be fair, it's kind of like the Man City play, Pei Kvaardia, a left-back as well. Yeah, but that's not, that's a different kind of left-back. Personally, I would play him at centre-back. Yeah, but that's a different kind of left-back. I would always play my strongest player. It's not exactly playing a classic full-back at Man City, Izzy. I mean, they play a different style yeah Well, I would personally, I'd always play my strongest center but so of strongest defender at center back, especially if my centre back to Pong Vecic and the other lad they got. So, super-sitch. But the thing is, I'm wondering, since you've got Perisic on the bench, why not just go to a back three and and have, you know, play him as a wingback?
00:49:59
Speaker
You know? Possibly, possibly. He did all right actually when he come on in Perisic. Yeah. He did it did decent. Yeah. Okay. Well, he's a physical specimen, Perisic. Well, he is. I know he's not, I know he's getting a bit on a bit, but that like the way that he takes care of himself. After an ACR. Yeah. I mean, not just that even before that. I mean, after buying Munich, when he started going into this fitness cult that lots of people get into, and I called it cult because ah jokingly, like, the way he eats, the way he takes care of his body, the way, like he barely has an ounce of fat on his body. I mean, Bastoni, I remember Iinta was talking about, they asked him about Perisic and he said, yeah, I can't eat like he does. Like in order to look like Perisic and have that kind of those numbers and that for those fitness levels, you have to live and eat like he does and I can't do that. Like he he he literally has dedicated his life to being this fitness guy. And that's why he looks as good as he does. And so I'm thinking,
00:50:56
Speaker
given that you have problems in wide areas, why not play a back three, use pairs such as the wing back, um because at least you've mitigated the weaknesses you've got on the in the wide areas, which Croatia do have a problem, they really, really do. Yeah, for sure. And we hope they play like that against us in match day three. Yeah, I think I feel bad for Albania. Well, first of all, that game, the the the fans, I mean, um' it's such a shame they're not playing that game in 100,000-seater stadium, because the Croatian fans and the Albanian fans, like that like that the the sound and the like the the atmosphere is gonna be mad. um And I wish you could have as many people as possible at that game, because the i mean it was the Albanian fans in this game and the Croatian fans against Spain, like they were so many and they were so loud. And it's a part of, like it's Balkan football culture,
00:51:52
Speaker
is is cool when it's like we like in turn that's another thing that Italy did well actually was quiet in the quieting in that that really really loud crowd and Kiesa said they couldn't even hear yeah I know they couldn't even hear split that's what I'm saying Croatia against Albania is kind of be like it's going to be the best game for fans I think like in terms of atmosphere at a stadium it's going to be absolutely crazy I hope I'm not sure are they playing it but I hope they I wish they would have played it in Berlin or something like the biggest stadium because it would be mental the atmosphere and And but I do feel bad like I do feel that Croatia are going to make Albania pay. I think they're going to go into that game pissed off. And I think they're going to make Albania pay. yeah you Yeah, you'd expect a reaction from from them, that's for sure. um Which team just quickly before we we we talk about club football, which team ah has impressed, pressed you the most at the Euros? we We're recording this on Monday in France and Portugal still haven't played to the two big teams that still haven't played. But
00:52:50
Speaker
All the big teams so far have won at the Euros. Every single big team has won. Germany 5-1 over Scotland, Spain 3-0 over Italy 2-1 over Albania, Netherlands 2-1 over Poland, and England 1-0 over Serbia. Who's impressed you the most? For me, out of all the big teams, if I'm looking at complete performance, I'd probably go Germany so far. Without a doubt, without a doubt. Germany, not just because it's not the fact that they beat Scotland 5-1, It's the manner in which they took on this game, the way that they played, um the way that they executed this game from start to finish was just, they played like they had a point to prove and boy did they. um And with that crowd behind them as well, it's just, it just becomes, it becomes like an organism in itself. It becomes like a being of itself. this
00:53:48
Speaker
this interaction between Germany on the pitch and the way that they play their heavy metal football and that crowd, it just becomes, it becomes something else. And it just, it was just, it was, I was sitting there, some of the movements and the overloads and the energy, I was sitting there with open mouth, open mouth going, how are they doing this? um And of course, you've got Niklas Philkrug, who came on and scores. and but you know Chan comes on and scores. They're in a very good place mentally. And look, Sane doesn't even get in the team. but you know that's That's the depth they've got. And Tony Kross, I mean, I had him as my potential player of the tournament. I mean, he Scotland did not make life difficult for Tony Kross. But he was brilliant. He was just...
00:54:41
Speaker
It was ridiculous. Yeah. That's the, that's where it's interesting with a few of these teams that performed well, including Italy, including Germany, to a lesser extent, Spain, like how good were they and how bad were the with the opposition? So that's, you know, that's quitting both of them those questions don't get answered. No, but I think Scotland went awful. Don't get me wrong. But I think Germany were brilliant. Yeah. Like they were, it was, it was Germany that there was It was reminiscent of 2006 in the opening game against Costa Rica, but with a difference that I think this team has much more quality in it. Definitely more quality. That Germany's fifth team in 2006 was awful. Like, it was some crap, some awful players in that team. So, no, it's um no'm I'm really impressed by Germany and and i'm I'm just strengthened by my conviction that I think they're gonna go, I think they're gonna win it. I really think they're gonna win it, or at least get to a final.
00:55:36
Speaker
Yeah. um Who's disappointed you most? For me? england england England, out of the big teams. England, I was very disappointed with England. I thought they they were pretty good for the first half an hour. They they yeah they they they kind of took it to Serbia without really creating much. And the goal they scored was from a deflected cross. It's quite a lucky goal. It was a great finish, but it was a lucky goal the way that that the cross came in. I thought they were awful in the second half. so When Ivan Illich from Torino came on, Declan Rice and Trent Alexander-Arnold were nowhere to be seen. They were chasing shadows.
00:56:12
Speaker
um Well, they they they played they just defend it. This is, again, Gareth Southgate. I think it's truly remarkable to me what a limited manager he is tactically and that he's allowed to be in charge of this team for so long. um Honestly, it's it's amazing to me because if you look at, like we know about the firepower England have up front and And also, I think the midfield was these, I think Declan Rice and Trent Alexander-Arnold did all right in the first half. But it's when the manager, the opposing manager, makes a move, Gareth Southgate craps his pants and goes into defence mode. And he can do that in the 40th minute. He can do that in the 50th minute. He can't do that in football anymore. It doesn't work like that. and
00:57:05
Speaker
and They got away with one yesterday against Serbia, who, by the way, I think was were were actually really good when Illich came on. I think he has to start. They were limited, though, I think, even regardless. i mean like the The only positive I can give for England in this game is that ah I think Serbia had a 0.17 XG. I mean, they didn't create anything at all, Serbia, despite dominating the second half in terms of territory. like That's the only thing that I can say good for England is that that that they were defensively, they never really looked like conceding even when Serbia were were were on top. that' the only Other than that, um i really I was very disappointed with England. I thought physically
00:57:46
Speaker
They look tired already. They look really tired. Kane. Oh my God. He looked, he looked exhausted. I mean, Milenkovic completely, I thought Milenkovic was brilliant in this game. He took he completely dominated Kane from start to finish. Kane didn't get a kick off him. Kane had that header off the bar. That's it. I mean, he didn't, in normal, a normal I think he touched the ball twice in the first half. Kane, which was insane. and I mean. To be honest with you, I think that if Ivan Joric was the coach of Serbia, Serbia win that game, because England showed so many weaknesses um defensively,
00:58:22
Speaker
ah which were, I mean, that I didn't expect them to show. um And I don't mean from the defense itself, I mean defending as a unit, and they looked scared. I think playing as a unit full stop, like yeah like there's no patterns when I go on about it all the time about patterns of play, when I'm mad about Allegri. England have no patterns of play. It's insane. They don't, they don't, Southgate is obviously completely incapable of going on a training ground and say, right, these are the patterns, like the the patterns that we saw with Italy play. you know, where they they work on these, these moves, how to get up the pitch, you know, how to, they don't have anything like that. It's just send them on the field. It's so much quality, England. I mean, they're attacking quality. They've got so many world class players, goal scorers, that, you know, a lot of the time they can resolve it on themselves because they are. How do you get so little from Kane, Foden, Saka and Bellingham?
00:59:14
Speaker
Well, I think that Southgate doesn't know how to use Foden. I mean, when it's Foden, Foden's had, it photo let's be honest, Foden's had a horrendous England career. Let's be honest. This is the Premier League Player of the Year. And he puts in a performance like that. I mean, he was, it was, in but his performance was embarrassing. The England, English media, yeah I was watching it on the BBC, actually, and they were, they were, they were sticking up for him. And then Chisk Fabregas with the He laid into him and said, this isn't good enough. We need more for him. And he's absolutely spot. And he was holding him back as well. He's absolutely right. You know, Premier league player of the year. I don't think Southgate knows how to use photos because he plays them out on the left wing, which I don't think both and liked playing there. Cause I think both of these play over the 10, which he's not going to play. Cause they've got a monster in Benningham. He was brilliant. He was brilliant by the way. And then soccer. Sacker on the right who was the only other player that I thought that did well for England yesterday if offensively. and So he's stuck out on the left wing and I don't think he knows he can play that role and I think that's actually going to hurt i think that's going to harm the balance of the team if he sticks with him and it wouldn't surprise me if he ends up losing his place in the team at some point. Yeah I agree. And at Senate midfield they can't keep the ball either. Which is why I'm so surprised that Jack Reilish is not part of the squad.
01:00:30
Speaker
because he can hold the ball. Like he can he can maintain possession. Yeah. Well, as a left, yeah, maybe on the left, but yeah. If you've got a problem with the left where Foden isn't working there. Well, I would have taken Rashford. I think that was a big mistake because ah even though he hasn't had a good season, a great season, I think he gives you that threat on the counter attack when you get pushed back, like they were getting pushed back. So you've always got that threat on the counter. You're not going to get that on the counter with Phil Foden. And and so, yeah, England, ah yeah, not good, but it's only the first game of the tournament. And, you know, I'm sure
01:01:03
Speaker
I'm sure, ah you know, things will change. And, you know, England have basically got a bite. One thing we have to remember, the the the tournament isn't one of them on match day one. Okay. England still won. They didn't concede anything. They didn't concede a lot. We saw weaknesses. They didn't play well, but they still won. And I think that's, that's, that's a sign of strength too, that you win even when you don't play well. Yeah. But I do see problems further ahead. if England are chasing the game with these non-existent attacking patterns of play, as you call them, they're going to struggle. So I worry for England if they can see the goal early on. I think they're going to struggle against better teams as well. But what they what the way they're lucky, as they always are, is they've they've basically got a bite into it. Oh, here we go. They have. They have. They group as atrocious, and then they'll play a third place team in the in the next round, and they'll play a weak or will play a weak opponent for the
01:02:01
Speaker
for the for the last 16 and we've seen all the big teams have won on match day one already, so there's not going to be any big teams that coming third. um so so ah you know and and then Then all of a sudden your two games from the final and and you could get it together and you know what I mean, so that's where they're fortunate because I think if they're playing if they were in the group that Italy's in, or if they were in a tougher group, I mean, they could have trouble playing the way that they're playing. um but to But yeah, I want to give a shout out also to to to Bologna, because some of their players were really good in this match they won. I thought the two Swiss the two swiss lads, A ab.B. Schat and Froehler, I thought were great. these which of Switzerland were really good as well, actually. I think Switzerland were good as well. Yeah, in their win. And also,
01:02:46
Speaker
Holland Memphis to pie it tree. This is one of my triggers seeing men. I play for Holland and I see zigzag see on the bench I mean that just triggers me Ronald Cooman talking about Garris Southgate being an atrocious manager Ronald Cooney's I mean, what is he doing? I mean, it's it's like you have Joshua Zirksi who he only took because cop miners was injured But I mean you've got Joshua Zirksi there Why not at least bring him on? I know about veg horse scored the winner But you can't tell me If you like, I understand that when you throw on a big horse late in the game, I mean, you were trying to win, but I don't have a problem with that. It's just common sense. yeah But you have Joshua Ziekse, who's wanted by lots of big clubs this summer, is one of the most talked about players on this market after the amazing season he's had. When you're playing like the way that Holland played in that first half, where I thought they were really good. You want to have a striker that can link up and put others into play.
01:03:43
Speaker
Why not play Zirke? Like, what is the problem here? I don't understand because Memphis de Pais, I'm tired of this hierarchy nonsense. Maybe before he was the clear starter for for the Netherlands, he's not anymore. You can't tell me that he starts that he said where he is in his career right now. He's better than Zirke or that he tactically gives the Dutch more how they want to, given how they want to play than Zico does. No, he's been a flop thing isn' quite it's been a flop his entire career whenever it's mattered for a big club or in big games always. um Anyway, let's move away from Euro 2024. Let's move on to club matters before we finish off today. So a few important
01:04:24
Speaker
transfer talking points. First of all, at Juventus, as we said last week, Douglas Luiz is on the brink of joining the Juventus in a mega swap deal ah involving Weston McKenney and Illing Jr. Juventus will pay around $18,000. to 20 million, plus McKinney and Illing Jr. going the other way. Douglas Louise is going to get about 5 million a season. It's only got some kind of a few details on the McKinney side to finalize this. It's all done on Douglas Louise and Illing Jr. side. ah so
01:04:56
Speaker
this is We'll come on to the girlfriend in a second, but this is a great deal for Juventus, I think. i think that you know They get him one of the best sentiment fielders in the Premier League. He had the best season of his career statistically last season. He's got 10 goals as well. But I think he's a very complete sentiment that can kind of do a bit of everything really. Not not one thing that he's really strong at. he's He just can kind of do a bit of everything. ah Quite adaptable player in terms of fitting him into a system. He's 26 years old. He's at a good age.
01:05:28
Speaker
and he's got good experience, plays in the Brazil national team squad. I think yeah this is this is a definite uprow clear upgrade for Juventus in the centre mid and you know we'll now see whether they renew Carabio but more importantly whether they go after to try and get this coop miners deal ah done as well. So I think it's um is a very good deal for Juventus, despite the fact that they're losing two players and paying money. These are two players whose contracts are running out in 2025 and they managed to get them off their books. And I think it's ah it's a good deal, Nemo. Don't you agree? ah Without a doubt, I mean, look at who you are sending and who they're getting. It's a no brainer.
01:06:11
Speaker
that they're improving. and So, yeah, there's no doubt about that. It's an improvement. But both Douglas Lewis and Koopbeiners is interesting. If they manage to get Koopbeiners at all as well, then that is certainly, I mean, that's huge. I don't want to be like, I know people are going to say, oh, it's because you don't like you even know. I want Atalanta to keep all their stars. I really do. I want a good Serie A. And I think Atalanta showed last season what they can do. And if they can keep all their best players, given them that they're going to be in the Champions League and they're making more money in the Champions League, the stadium is almost finished. We know they're a sound club. If they can get the Kettler and just keep the rest of that team together, OK, they're going to need a central defender because, of course, with Skalvini's long-term injury. But if they can just keep that team together, I, again, don't rule them out as dark horses to win the whole damn thing. And it would be such a beautiful story for the league.
01:07:07
Speaker
if that were to happen. i think you will go because whether it's to venus or not i don't know because i mean you know eventsors are still spending like twenty million twenty million odds here i know as we've ahve just we've discussed so many times on this podcast i want to go over again the amortized cost that that that is that is important here um but you know Can they get Douglas Luiz and Koop miners in the same summer? I mean, if they do, it's it's an amazing deal. But I think that Koop miners will leave Atalanta because they made a promise to him. That's been made pretty public that Atalanta promised to to sell Koop miners and that's what he wants. So I think it would te it would be on Koop miners to kind of suddenly change his mind and be like, no, I want to stay now rather than, you know, Atalanta putting their foot down. No, I don't think they're going to put their foot down. it I'm just saying, if it was if there was a possibility
01:07:56
Speaker
to for them to keep everyone. I want to see what they can do in the Syrianic season. I really do. I think would be nice to see them go for it. That's but that's for sure. um We have to talk though very quickly. Alicia Lehman, the famous girlfriend of of Douglas Louise, she is the most famous female footballer in the world by my or the most followed. And why is she so famous? Like what's she done? Well, I don't know. You tell me. I don't know. I don't, I don't, I don't know. I don't, I don't, I don't follow. Okay. All right. I thought you, I thought you'd be sarcastic there. No, i've not me. I don't know. I really don't know. She's, she's a, she's an influencer. Ah, okay. There we go. She's got that a little bit careful how I put there. She's, she's, you know, she's.
01:08:39
Speaker
She's got the look. She's got a certain look. and she's she's she's She's quite attractive. She's she's she's got there that that that kind of influence of feel. and She's quite sellable. She's photogenic. she's she's I guess those are the kind of things that make her marketable. Let's say that. And she plays football. She plays for the Switzerland national team. She plays for Assil and She's a good footballer as well because Switzerland are pretty decent and from what I know. Yeah. so So, I mean, this is actually a This would be great for your fences from a commercial point of view. like so it's like It's like signing the female Cristiano Ronaldo from a commercial point of view. Okay.
01:09:15
Speaker
So, you know, what whatever you've entered has gained commercially. Then maybe they shouldn't sign Mason Green Greenwood either. Yeah. Maybe stay away from that one. Yeah. Well, maybe, maybe, maybe that's why they're certainly laymen.
Khaled Skader's Transfer Saga
01:09:27
Speaker
They're trying to offset the the damage done by, by starting Greenwood. If that happens, I don't know really what was going on there, if I'm perfectly honest with you. Um, let's move on to Kvadat Skadia here. So this is a, this is a big developing story. So Kvitche Kvadat Skadia's agent, Mamuka Yugeli, says that Khaled Skader wants to leave Napoli this summer. He wants to join the Champions League team and he's made it pretty clear. Khaled doesn't want to stay at Napoli. He wants to leave. We wait until the end of the Euros.
01:09:58
Speaker
Uh, and then credit skaters, uh, dad said the same thing. Uh, you know, I don't want my son to stay at Napoli. They changed coach three times last season. It's hardest to, to, uh, to play in a, in a similar situation. Uh, Sky Talia have said that, uh, Napoli have already rejected a hundred million pound offer or a hundred million Euro offer from PSG for, for, for Calada. Look, we do have to say. that there is also been some people because my Georgian is not what it should be and neither is my Megrelian, the dialect which they speak from the area of Georgia that Clara is from. um I've seen people who speak that language say that it's not exactly how it's been reported is how what he actually said. So that we have there is that caveat but what we do but we can say
01:10:53
Speaker
And that basically was more an issue of, well, you know, he's focused on the euros. We haven't asked to leave, but maybe it would be, it wouldn't be the but worst thing in the world that if he, if he were to leave, that's kind of what the Georgians are saying. I don't know. I can't verify it. But what I can say is that what we do now have, because Napoli reacted the only way Napoli can react. And that is like a sledgehammer. Did you see that tweet they put out? Yeah, they made it clear. He's not leaving. we decide we We decide, we own you. Yeah, we own you. Sit down, shut up. three you You've got still that many years on your contract. You're not for sale. You don't decide. Neither agents or dads decide. The fact of the matter is, no matter what was said and how it was said... Now go and clean the toilet. Yeah. so Well, exactly. I mean, that but this is this is exactly what I wanted to say. regardless of that Regardless of what was said and how it was said and blah, blah, blah. The fact of the matter is this. You now have two players.
01:11:49
Speaker
possibly three, two of which you have whose agents have declared in some way or another that their clients want to leave. And Napoli have said, sit down, you're not going anywhere where you have a contract. You have a third player and Victor Oseman, who's essentially been promised that he can leave. He's at war with the Nigerian media on Instagram Live, which scares away any interest from the Premier League, because I don't know if you any of you saw that, that mental breakdown he had on Instagram Live. where you can hear his mates in the room saying, calm down, stop talking. Like, and then you have Antonio Conte in the middle of all this, trying to keep it together. We have not even entered pre-season yet. Aurelio De Laurenti is fantastic in many ways. But this is what happens when you just let slip for 12 months, which he has done. Things can deteriorate.
01:12:44
Speaker
very, very quickly if you're not on top of things. Now he is on top of things. The question is, can they resolve it? I think you can resolve it with Kvara. I think it's not impossible. I think you you resolve it with money. He's paid one and a half million euros ne a season. He was the MVP, albeit ye he shouldn't have been, but he was wasn't even named the MVP that season that Napoli won the Serie A. That is insane that he's paid that little. And this is something that he needs to throw money at this problem to make it go away. Give Khvara a new contract. Give him a proper wage increase.
01:13:25
Speaker
And enough with this behaviour. I have to say, um well, a few things can be true at the same time. First of all, Clannet's Gator's agent is a complete clown, so I don't think we can take anything seriously what what comes out of his mouth. Do you remember, he said the same thing about, said something about Osmun, and Osmun basically told him to where to go as well, publicly, went on one of his, ah another of his now now all too common, now now all too common epic kind of meltdowns about about Clara's agent several months ago. I mean, he's a but his agent is a complete clown.
01:13:56
Speaker
um And so I wouldn't, yeah, I wouldn't really take much notice of him. But at the same time, and I've said that I've been saying this for a whole year now, the way that Clara has been treated ah since Napoli won the Scudetto has been nothing short of ah disgraceful. And this is, he was the MVP of the Serie A this season. He's actually not on 1.5 million. He's on 1.2 million euros. It's actually less than i actually less than I thought. I've been saying 1.5. I found out it's actually 1.2.
01:14:26
Speaker
that he's on a year. I mean, it's actually embarrassing how much the salary that he is on. And they are very lucky, Napoli, not that he hasn't told them where to go. Yeah, I just refuse to play because that is just down. I'm sorry, but what is wrong with De Laurentiis? I mean, what is wrong with him? You can't pay the best, one of the top three to five players in the league. You blame the MVP of the Serie A, the season that Napoli won the league. Yeah. Like if that were Marotta, if there were any other Italian sporting director, he would have immediately nipped that in the bud by sitting down with him and extending his contract with a Ritoka delingaggio. Like they would have sorted that out. He's one new the Scaretto, he's one new the Scaretto along with Osman, he's the most important player in winning the Scaretto and you pay him McDonald's wages.
01:15:18
Speaker
No, it's embarrassing, it's it's embarrassing. ands But this is this is the thing with De La Inte, he is brilliant, but when he gets it wrong, like I said... This is where a lot of the Khvara's unhappiness would have stemmed from this as well. Of course it would. In terms of being an underlying problem. We can talk about the team performing badly. You know and other stuff, but the underlying problem is that there's that deep down, you know He has every right to feel absolutely really disrespected and undervalued Being being paid this this amount of money. It's pathetic. It's actually pathetic But like like ily on naly because it shows no it does it does but um as I said, I just want to as I thought you know in in the interview I do with Vincenzo
01:15:59
Speaker
and And he said he still thinks that Cara stays and Ossiman leaves. And I think that's probably, you know, that that's that's the more rational and more likely approach. But I still would not rule it out completely in that in a situation where Ossiman ends up staying and Cara sold if this feud continues. Because if you if you can get one hundred and twenty, one hundred and thirty million euros for Krita Caratrelia, given him what you paid for him, That's a huge profit. And that's still money you can invest. And there are still players there that can play in Konta's system. And Osseman would be a monster for Konta, I think tactically. Honestly, I think it would be just he would be unplayable. um So I wouldn't completely rule that out. But of course, it's more likely that they resolve this by throwing money at the problem and extending his contract giving him five year
01:17:00
Speaker
contract with a proper wage increase and and then everyone's happy and then that's that. But yeah, um it just goes to show how little it takes to derail something fantastic. Literally a summer ago at this point we were talking about if Napoli could open up a winning cycle. And then since then it's all gone tits up, pear shaped. so No, but then again, and and also remember, in the middle of all of this, you have Antonio Conte, who has yet to say anything and who we know is not the most patient guy in the world. So, although I mean, this smell is bad isn't it I'm laughing, but it's because it's so absurd. The whole situation is so weird. um But yeah, well the whole place is burning down and they haven't even lit the match yet. um yeah Exactly.
01:17:53
Speaker
they've got They've got a small tactical nuclear bomb in the middle there, waiting to to for him to lose his shit too. No, it's it's it's ridiculous. Yeah, well, let's just finish off before we do Badger, Prem, Face the SLS of the Week. Joshua Zirksi. really quickly here. So 6C to Milan was we thought was pretty much done and dusted. The transfer fee is done. Milan agreed to pay the €40 million release clause in in his Bologna contract. Personal terms have been agreed. um All that was was required to complete this deal was for Milan to pay the commission being demanded by 6C's agent Kia Jarabchan
01:18:33
Speaker
And, um, this has held everything up because direction is asking, frankly, ridiculous 15 million Euro fee.
Joshua Zirksi's Agent Challenges
01:18:42
Speaker
I mean, this is, this is, this is one of the, one of the, this is one of the examples of, of what is wrong with football today. isn't it in He's no different than George Mendes. He's no different than Rayala was when he was alive. He's no different than Pastorello. He's no different than any of us. 15 million. but We're talking about the... Yeah, talking about yeah but i mean yeah but the the only difference is that those guys are better at handling the media, so their requests never never leak in the media.
01:19:09
Speaker
ju ju It's funny because q chirab in the the word jurob in Farsi means so sock and he's really filling his socks. I mean 15 million euro commission is is absurd. um It's funny um and it's very, very... but you know like Fair enough, I mean, Ray Ola, he's no longer with us, asked for some ridiculous commissions, but these were on massive, massive transfers that were like over 100 million, like the Pogba one, he took like, I think he took about 20 million on the Pogba deal, something like that, might've been slightly more. This is a 40 million deal, when he's asking for fit he's asking for almost half the transfer fee in in ah in in commission. It's pathetic, and he's and he's from all accounts,
01:19:56
Speaker
he's a he's He's done nothing. yeah He's he's he's ah contributed very little to this negotiation as well, is is what is by all accounts. and milan Milan, like It's a difficult situation for Milan, because do you remember the Dona Ruma situation? Why that Dona Ruma contract renewal didn't happen? It came down to, if I'm not mistaken, didn't it come down to the commission that Reola was asking for, wasn't it? And that's where the whole Dona Ruma came in. like they he wanted a Wasn't it a big signing on fee to sign on a new contract and a big commission fee? And Milan by kind of
01:20:33
Speaker
principle refused to pay that amount. And now here they are, in order to get like, I mean, in a normal, normally, I would say just pay it because at the end of the day, you're paying 40 million for the transfer fee, and 55 million is still a bargain for, but for a player like Zixi, it could be worth double that in a year. But by principle, you know, because of the Donaruma, and because of the way that Milan are trying to be, I mean, Does it look bad on them if they then pay this $15 million? No. um Mila need a player. It's as simple as that. Mila need a player. Mila need this player. Need this player.
01:21:14
Speaker
um and But Milan needed, Milan needed Donnarumma as well. Well, I'm not entirely sure. I think they showed that they didn't. Well, they saw the men yawn, of course. But what I'm saying is I don't think there's many other players out there that can, you know, that for whatever you're going to, whichever player you're going to go for is going to cost like this is you're going to have to deal with the agent. And Zilke has massive resale value, massive resale value. So. And then Girabsham takes a chunk of the transfer fee. Well, well no. I mean, that's that's up for the buying club to pay him. That's not got nothing to do with Milan. If Milan say we want 80 million, we're Milan are going to get 80 million. It's not going to come out of their pocket. it's It's the buying club who always has to pay off these agents. But I think Milan at the end of the day are going to have to understand that this is this is the reality. You can negotiate with ah with an agent and you know you're going to have to negotiate with him.
01:22:10
Speaker
and and make him happy because Zieksa ain't going to change his age in the middle of this and there's going to be lots of legal problems and we saw what happened when all of that, when stuff, when it transferred deteriorates into that with Samazic, so you don't want that at all. So you need to resolve this issue and I think the only way to do that sometimes is um throw money at the problem, take the L. You need to say more than Fonseca is now asking for a different striker. He doesn't believe that. zi zi Is this kind of striker maybe we'll go for Memphis to pay maybe who is available in a farmerlessslo he's available in a free transfer. but yeah um I think that would be bizarre. Like seriously, if you go from Memphis, I am joking. um like I'm joking. I know, but like look he's now the body island's the second coach who apparently doesn't want to see no, but
01:23:02
Speaker
I don't buy that. I think that's that's that's strategy. I think that's more putting pressure on the other side. I think there's no doubt in my mind that Milan and Fonseca wants it because he would work brilliantly and tactically in this team and he would also have massive resale value as a young player. I think that's just, you know, people just, you know, putting themselves in in in different, you know, strategic positions in a negotiation and using their leverage. Last thing I saw, for example, was Now, one mill like one Italian media saying that Furlan is trying to bring down the request to 10 million commissions. I mean, look, this is just... listen That's why i've ask what I've heard as well. They are. They're prepared to pay a commission. They're just not prepared to pay 15 million. yeah there's There's always a transfer of these.
01:23:46
Speaker
Yeah, and I think that's where we're gonna... It's just that this is extortion. This is, I mean, this is just yeah is insane. 15 million. I mean, who does who does he think he is? And who did... I mean, I don't get these footballers as well. Like, if I'm Zuksi and my transfer to Malang falls through because my agent is asking... i would have Yeah, well, they can part ways, i mean but you would part ways. But that's the thing, though. Like, you you have to be weary. That's why it's so important for footballers not to just have agents, but to have lawyers to explain to them. what they're signing with whom and how and basically lay out to an agent listen you you can represent me but we need to decide your commission up front like we can't have a situation where your commission is holding up my transfer I don't want to work like that for example I know the United States sports they have this easy thing where they have 10% or 15% or whatever
01:24:40
Speaker
ah maximum or something and I think that's something that football needs to, we can't have these
Football Agent Market Regulation
01:24:46
Speaker
situations, it's getting ridiculous. Yeah, they tried to didn't they but then the entire the entire world of agents all rebelled didn't they and started legal threats and everything and it didn't end up going through, did it? This kind of new FIFA fee for system, agent regulation. We need to have regulation, it's a completely deregulated market, anyone any Anyone and everyone can call themselves an agent. I know they've got this license thing now with FIFA, but it doesn't really carry any weight. yeah it's It's getting ridiculous. We need to have a proper legal framework for this. um And to protect players, to protect clubs, and also to to protect the serious agents that exist. know There are lots of professionals out there who do a good job, who don't do this, you know who who aren't unprofessional and derail transfers.
01:25:35
Speaker
and And many of the times you have people's parents proposing as agents and it's it's just, this needs to stop. We need a proper framework and in in in football for this. It's as simple as that. Yeah, for sure. um Okay, let's finish off with Badjo Primface and Serias of the Week. So, Badjo of the Week, Nimar. I've got... I've got Spalletti, I've got Barella, and I've got Bastani. Because I think Spalletti... getting for everything I've said, I don't want to repeat it, about this hybrid thing that he managed. It's a risk, but to get them to execute it as brilliantly as they did. But also Nicola Barella and Alessandro Bastani for showing the leadership exactly as I wanted and as like exactly as as they need to do in order for Italy to be successful. It shows maturity and growth. And now Barella scored more goals for Italy than Francesco Totti even. um So
01:26:34
Speaker
That's that as the top scorer in Italy squad with 10 goals, which which says probably more. so There's more the other side. it does yeah la But it's ah still there. No, but it's like, it's important. We needed to see that. And and for me, the three of them are my bad. other week. Yeah, color fury has to be has to be a part of the bad joker as well. Incredible performance. Fantastic. there And also i also want to give a shout out to Christian Erickson as well. Yeah, it's a beautiful, beautiful story to think that almost three years to the day
01:27:04
Speaker
I think three years and four days ago at the Euro 2020, he had one of the most harrowing incidents we've seen on a football field, one of the eyes of the whole world. And, you know, we nearly lost him. To think back then, when that's happening, that three years later, he'd be scoring the opening goal for Denmark in the next Euros. I mean, I think anybody could have even thought about that at that time. and yeah And here he is. And he paid actually played really well, considering he's had a pretty bad season ah for for United. He scored it score a nice goal for a not very good Denmark team, if i'm if I'm honest. But yeah, that's a lovely, lovely story. prem face Bremface this week. um The best one that I saw, I can't remember who they were.
01:27:55
Speaker
but it was a group of English podcasters who are reliably informed. It's apparently the biggest English podcast in England, apparently English football podcast in England. um Three three three ah football kind of influencers and they they were previewing Euro 2024 and how Italy would do at the tournament. And one of them was one of them in particular was a complete and utter prim face. and
01:28:26
Speaker
and ah he was mocking Italy openly, saying they wouldn't get out of the group, saying that not a single one of their players would get in the England team, you know like all the usual kind of prim-faced bingo. He couldn't name couldn't even name four Italian players. um When one of the others said, oh, but Italy have got you know have got some top players, he was like, who have they got? And he wanted them named Donnarumma, and he started bursting out, laughing, Donnarumma, like that. you know And then one of the others said, oh, Italy have got Imalbele,
01:28:57
Speaker
you know, he's quite good. And I mean, it was just like, it was, oh, it was, have you, have you seen it? Did I send that to you? Yeah, you did. Um, the succession they have with the Mobula, like, it's like, it's like the only Italian player they know attack it. Like it's he's not, he's not been relevant for two years. Like move on.
01:29:23
Speaker
So yeah, no, it's I saw that I did see that and it was a very, very, very, very, very cringy. um But yeah, I don't I mean, I don't expect much from like, just fans, like, I don't usually like to, you know, i try to stay away from from criticizing fans who just say that because it's like, whatever, like, them they're not, it's not their job, they're not fans, fans, they've got the biggest po football podcast, football, that's the thing, though, their football influences, which is for me, it's just a euphemism for an idiot. I mean, if influencer is just a euphemism. It's just another word for idiot. So I don't have it my mind. I don't have any expectations or having a job, refuse to work, useless, lazy and don't want to get a real job, a useless, idiot, whatever you want to call it. But I don't have, I have zero expectations, but from, from influencers, not just in football, just genuinely. I think, I think I cannot wait for the day when this ridiculous gross phenomenon of influences disappears forever.
01:30:19
Speaker
um is genuinely just ridiculous, people famous for being famous, not having done anything. But whatever, regardless, I don't have any expectations from them. But what I do, when I do, what when I criticize, it's like, you're a football manager, you're a professional in football, you're a journalist who works and covers football, and you don't even know you know, you can't even, you're there to be a pundit, you're there to offer something of interest, of ah nuance, because you're of your experience and unique knowledge, and you can't muster up more than Chiroi Mobula's Katenacho, then I'm like, then I'm wondering, you know, that that that I think should be criticized, but you know, other than that, I don't really care to be honest, but yeah, it was it was funny and
01:31:03
Speaker
And it was literally in the way that wasn't in that clip where they all were like, they could name two players and they were like proud, but you know, giving each other pats on the back that they could name two plays and the whole of Serie A that were Italian. It was very, very cringe-worthy. But for me, the premise of the week has to go to French outlet, RMC Sport. Yeah, listen, let me just stop you there on MC Sport because ah like I want to present this in and in a serious manner because, ah you know, and also just offer my condolences to the family of of Kevin Campbell and all his close ones. I knew Kevin and former Arsenal, Everton, Nottingham Forest, Stryker.
01:31:40
Speaker
and he was honestly he was an angel on earth if he was one of the real good he was such a great guy such a lovely person you will not meet a single person that that didn't love Kevin Campbell like what an amazing person he was and he yeah he passed away sadly at the age of 54 after a short illness and at the the weekend. and So first of all, I just want to say that, um but but yeah then you see ah you see RMC Sport um using a picture of Ian Wright on his obituary. i mean
01:32:14
Speaker
oh my god I died inside when I saw that a little bit. i It was just so embarrassing. And those two are like really close friends really close friends as well. So i mean it's just like, oh my God, I didn't see if they deleted it or not, but I hope they did. It wasn't the only it wasn't the only time either. After the game last night between England and Serbia, after the game, Mark Guehi was doing an interview. after game He actually had a good he had a good game, one of the better players for England.
01:32:49
Speaker
And was that real? I thought that was a joke. No, it was real. It's real. I was because I was off tele France one. Wasn't it? Yeah. I said TF one. Yeah. They use the caption. They use the caption of them. Yeah. I believe it was. I've seen quite a few. I've seen quite a few. I thought it was like people just taking the piss out of French media for for like, you know, oh my God. Yeah. Because I saw that too and I couldn't believe it. Yeah. That's why I didn't add it here. But the RMC Sport one was just, it just made me, it was gross. Yeah. No, I've no i've got it here. i'm watching it I'm watching the video. I'm watching i'm watching the actual video. Jesus. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, so I don't know what's going on in France at the moment. What the hell man? Yeah. but But for me, like someone dying as well, like come on. Yeah. How lazy are you?
01:33:43
Speaker
just take just Just take extra care, just have the common respect for to to take extra care. Anyway, to finish off on ah on a lighter note, Seria asks of the week.
Serie A's Marketing Misstep
01:33:55
Speaker
I don't understand this. I have to ask one of our patrons, Nick Mercarante, who, what this was? Well, it's basically today, Monday is the new series of House of the Dragon, which is the spin off of Game of Thrones. legendary, legendary TV show. And so the Seria, Lika Seria on social media as usual, they've done this kind of kind of like animated image of of House of the Dragon. And they've drawn like a bunch of
01:34:30
Speaker
kind of nights kind of like drawn them as night and like royal nights as as is as you get in the show and they're wearing kind of like these these costumes that have the badges of the of the seria clubs there's like there's a melan one there's the events this one Genoa one randomly, Genoa at the front for some reason and so some other ones. I don't know who these players are. I think the Milan one is Pulisic. The Juventus one I think is Weyer. And then I think there's Mckenny behind them as well. They've got two Juventus knights for some reason. And I think that must be Musa, the Milan one. Anyway, it's completely random. um and And then the caption is all must play. Hashtag house of the dragon. And then there's a dragon
01:35:15
Speaker
there's a few dragons kind of flying above and then there's a castle behind they're like over the moat. it's just like i've found ah i don't understand I don't understand what the but the message is. No one does. It's so confusing. And listening to you tell it back is even funnier. But I like the first comment from this guy, Nick, Nick. me said no That's our, that's our, that's our, that's our patron. And I asked him, yeah is this a game of Thrones reference? Cause I didn't, and I was completely confused. And Nick said, no, yeah, it is. It's a spinoff. And it's, I love his comment under that. It's brilliant. Yeah. Admin, this is weird. it just It's short, but sweetened to the point.
01:35:59
Speaker
um And he's absolutely spot on admin. This is weird. It's weird. but I don't understand like all must play like I don't I don't I don't know. I've watched it. I'm a massive fan of Game of Thrones. It's a masterpiece. It's one of the greatest, you know, TV series of all time. It's magnificent. And I've watched the first series of house of House of the Dragon as well, which I thought was all right. I wasn't I wasn't I wasn't a massive fan, bit to be honest with you, but it was it was you know I watched it because I loved the first show, so I will be watching the second show. Trust me, like as somebody that watched all of Game of Thrones and watched it twice, I don't get this at all, like what what what what the references are. and yeah' like Well, that's great. I mean, even if even fans of the show or who watch it don't even get it, then it's then it's genuinely impressive by Surya. It just but deserves a little applause, that.
01:36:54
Speaker
um you and They're all Americans as well, aren I believe. I don't know who who the who the three guys are at the back. I don't know who they are, but the ones at the front, I'm sure, are all of the American lads. I don't know who the Genoa lad is. Who's the Genoa lad? Is there an American player at Genoa? No idea. Not that I can think of off the top of my head. so he was why they i didn't i didn't even I didn't even recognize any of them. i thought the cartoon was so I'm sorry, but I thought the cartoon was so crap. that I didn't even understand like i didn't understand but what it was. So for me, the whole thing was just weird.
01:37:36
Speaker
Yeah. Yeah. Very weird. Okay. Let's leave it at that um long show today because we had to, we had to stop after 10 or 15 minutes and and then record the rest. So we kind of lost track on how long the show should be. So this might be, I actually don't even know how long the show is today. So I think it's quite long. I think it's like over an hour and a half, but and it is, it is, don't worry. Yeah. Okay. Well, enjoy. Anyway, and we'll see you Tuesday for the Q and&A and then we'll have more stuff for you later in the week. but We're still confirming that. But yeah, enjoy the the week and we will see you later in the week. Till then, ciao ciao.