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00:00:01
Tribute to Diogo Jota
22 Plays13 days ago
Karl Coppack and Adarsh Ramchurn join Jesse Sarwar as the Daily Liverpool team pay tribute to Diogo Jota.
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Transcript
Tribute to Diogo Jota and Andre Silva
00:00:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome to the Daily Liverpool podcast brought to you by the Global Sports Podcast Network.
00:00:04
Adarsh
Thank
00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Today we're paying tribute to Diogo Jota, whose life was sadly almost inexplicably cut short in the small hours Thursday morning, along with his younger brother, Andre Silva.
00:00:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
The brothers were laid to rest. in their hometown of Gondomar in Portugal on Saturday. It just seems amazing that it's, you know, it's just a couple of days ago and but but it still feels incredibly raw.
00:00:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Joining me to talk about Diego Jota are Adarsh Ramchun and Karl Coppock. Fellas, I mean, we normally get together and yeah to talk about title runs and transfer rumours. You know, the worst it gets is if we lose a game or, yeah God forbid, a player hasn't signed a new contract. But...
00:01:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, to get together to talk about something like this is just so incredibly difficult. Adarsh, you know, your your thoughts about, you know, obviously what's happened in the last two or three days.
Reflecting on Grief and Community Support
00:01:20
Adarsh
Yeah, like you said, it's been two and three days, but still hard to put into words, I think. The pain is still raw. Like a lot of fans, hearing the news on Thursday morning, i couldn't did want i didn't want to believe it.
00:01:35
Adarsh
But when it obviously was confirmed, I think, yeah, I mean, my heart sank and still is sinking, to be honest. I've just been consuming as much news and tributes and just watching so many Diogo shot at moments actually in my spare time, just, just because i feel so connected to him. And we were just talking offline, Jesse, that we didn't even know we didn't get to meet him. We didn't know him, but through football we got to, and yeah, it's just so hard.
00:02:05
Adarsh
I've never personally on a personal level, I've not experienced grief or, paint that before with any like anyone in my like close circle. And like this is the closest I've felt to someone and in my close circle. It sounds crazy saying it, but it yeah, I've never felt like this before.
00:02:25
Adarsh
I never thought it would ever happen to any footballer, let alone someone who plays for Liverpool. So, yeah, i've just still feel so down about it. And I'm actually grateful for Liverpool fans and the community that i have been able to, you know, kind of support one another because that's been really, really touching.
00:02:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think, Carl, we you know we we often kind of sometimes, you know, people wonder, oh well, you know, he's a footballer and you don't know him. You know, what why are you so kind of emotionally invested and and people saying that, well, you know, football is not important. and And I get what they're saying at some level in the sense that, and, you know, we we kind of mentioned this offline, myself and Adarsh, that,
00:03:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes, the playing of football right now does not seem important. The kind of mechanics of football, like, you who are we going to sign or, you know, what what formation are we going to play next season, et cetera, et cetera. But football is the, football is why we knew Diogo Jota. Football is why we know these players.
00:03:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it's the emotional connection that we have with them. You know, it's it's it's the highs and the lows. It's, missing out on the quadruple by, you know, just a couple of games with Jota in the team, then him winning the Premier League with us, you know, all those emotions feed into why when someone like a Jota, like a professional footballer who there's that other element element as well Adar touched that,
00:03:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's not supposed to happen, right? These guys are, they're young, they're fit, they're super, super healthy. They're at the peak of their lives.
00:04:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
They seem invincible, right? so It's just not something like that is not is not supposed to happen to them. And then when you kind of add to it, that kind of emotional connection that we do have, irrespective whether we don't, we know them personally or not, it feels like we know them because of the experiences that we go through with them.
Emotional Bonds in Football
00:04:26
Karl
I think a lot of it's due to the culture of Jurgen Klopp as much as anything else. They weren't just sort of units slotted into a Liverpool side, stuck a badge on their chest and said, yes, these are our players. And then once they've gone, they've gone.
00:04:39
Karl
it's It's a case of we are generally in this together. you know We are synonymous with each other. There's ah like little things like Robbo's Instagram post which talks about his love of horse racing.
00:04:51
Karl
Things we could never ever know just makes him more personal.
00:04:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:04:55
Karl
It's things like, and I've written about this, is running over and picking up Diaz's shirt when he scores, I think in the forest, I don't know which game it was.
00:05:00
Adarsh
Mm-hmm.
00:05:04
Karl
He scores, he runs over to the bench, he picks up Louis Diaz's shirt and he shows it to the crowd. and up that for me said not just austin that us in the team are you know showing our support for Lucho, everyone in the ground as we're all in this together and it's little things like that that just make the difference. The fact that he had a great song, the it's sort of, I get the arguments of yeah, but you didn't know him, no, never met him.
00:05:29
Karl
Can't actually remember his voice, weirdly, because I don't think I ever saw him interviewed.
00:05:30
Adarsh
Mm-hmm.
00:05:34
Karl
But but he becomes part of something that you have a shared journey with a shared joy, shared disappointments.
00:05:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. Hmm.
00:05:43
Karl
And like all of them, it's the same thing with the, but the trend thing, which is the Boone thing, which I didn't get, which is, these are all that we've gone through all this together. And you know, this is so when life hits you like that, and there's no preparation for it. I read a quote the other which said, never expect tomorrow.
00:06:02
Karl
When something like that happens, and it can happen to the richest people you'll ever see in the flesh, then it's the same as everyone else.
00:06:05
Adarsh
Thank
00:06:09
Karl
You know, it's a human body being destroyed by something, and that can happen. And you don't expect it to happen because they're so protected and, you know, their health is is is always fine because they you know that they're monitored constantly.
00:06:22
Karl
But something like that happens. And I did it slightly differently to Adarsh, actually. I refused to look at anything at all. I didn't reply to any messages. I actually played football an hour after I found out just because sort of wanted to get out and think for a bit.
00:06:40
Karl
So I didn't read anything because I know what football is like. It can be glorious, but it can also be horrific.
00:06:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. Hmm. Hmm.
00:06:47
Karl
And I thought, and it's it's worth mentioning the football fan saying, oh, maybe we're interested in Isaac now. Like that's relevant. That's all. So I just wanted to avoid anything like that at all. and just thinking you know just think about his family.
00:06:59
Karl
Football is absolutely irrelevant. And we're recording this on Sunday, and it still is. I don't give a damn about next season. I really don't.
00:07:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:07:06
Adarsh
Yeah.
00:07:07
Karl
And on Thursday morning, I did, and then I didn't.
00:07:07
Adarsh
yeah
00:07:11
Karl
But it is a personal thing. And there are... ah i was going to say that there's other clubs and other fan bases who don't do like this, but I think they do.
00:07:20
Karl
I just think we've got a bigger mouthpiece for it.
00:07:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:07:23
Karl
Because to who we are and the culture and things like that. And, you know, there's a big the the the flower arrangements and things outside the main stands proves that at the moment. I think everyone does it. And immediately, I think in form of the players who've died and stuff like that, you know, like youth players and things like that, because that's happened.
00:07:43
Karl
It's just, we didn't know them, but but we share the badge. So therefore, I said, the other day, they're all lads.
00:07:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:07:51
Karl
They're just all lads. And, you know, even though you don't meet them, you want them to do well. where In the same way, for example, yesterday I watched the Women's Euros and I found out two of the Welsh players play for Liverpool.
00:08:04
Karl
and Straight away, I just thought, well, I want them to do well because that's what you do. and That's how we react. That's what reactions are for. so but You don't know them, but you sort do.
00:08:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:08:15
Karl
But you don't.
00:08:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, the reaction has been, i mean, it's been incredible tributes from around the world, players, ex-players, managers, you know, rival fans, musicians,
Jota's Life and Legacy
00:08:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
politicians. It's really,
00:08:30
Karl
But it's not about football, is it?
00:08:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
and yeah, it's I think it's really touched something in a way that is that is quite rare.
00:08:31
Karl
That's the thing.
00:08:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Adash, you know, why do you think that is about, you know, Jota and this situation? you know, what is it that's really kind of resonated with people?
00:08:45
Adarsh
Oh, I just think it's the way he lived his life. And I think we've, I mean, a lot of people that didn't know him have got to know him over the last few days and understood, like, about his his family. And he got married, I think, two weeks ago. And, like, yeah, the the sort of high he was before the tragic events of Thursday, I think it just goes to show, like, there's this preciousness about life. And I think... we kind of do take it for granted. And i think that's kind of what's resonated with people. But I think also it's just the person, I think, what he meant to so many people.
00:09:21
Adarsh
I think what really hit home for me is actually seeing some of the Portuguese teammates and how we obviously have that Liverpool lens when we when we look at things, but seeing Ruben Neves distraught when he was playing in the Club World Cup, I mean, that for me was really like he had...
00:09:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:09:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Cancelo as well, right?
00:09:39
Adarsh
Cancelo, yeah, and lot the Portuguese players coming to the funeral, think it just shows that humanness element. Like, yes, he was a Liverpool player, but he had touched many players and former players and...
00:09:53
Adarsh
people around him and his brother as well. know a lot of his teammates from, i can't remember the team that he plays for, but we're also at the funeral. So it just shows, I think it's just the amount of people it's touched and what he meant to many people. I think that's what's just transcended football and how it's, you know,
00:10:12
Adarsh
gone to, like you said, musicians and politicians and loads different people in whatever way, walk of life they're in. So yeah, that's, that's probably what has like meant so much to so many people.
00:10:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
it was a lot of elements to you know to to this tragedy in the sense that he was a young guy, you know but very very popular.
00:10:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know He'd he' he just won the Premier League with with his club, which was his dream. He'd just won the Nations League his national team.
00:10:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then hes he just got married and he's got three young children. You tiny, tiny children and that you have these parents in this small, humble town in Portugal who all of a sudden have got to bury both their sons.
00:11:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, so I think on so many different kind of human levels.
00:11:06
Karl
you a
00:11:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know, everyone can kind of, you know, everyone has got a, you know, a loved one or or ah or a brother or a son or you know, it's like, I was just saying to Adarsh before we started recording that,
00:11:16
Adarsh
Mm-hmm.
00:11:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know, through all three of my kids, i've I've got two boys, I've got two boys and and they are three years apart, you know, the young young young kids three ah ah three yeah years apart and that kind of ah ah resonated with with my wife. she's not really and She's the only one that's not really that invested in football.
00:11:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
But she was hit by that image of two young boys. And now there's just young boys just taken in their prime of their life, you know, in the blink of an eye.
00:11:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, it can all change in the blink of an eye. and i and And I think that's one of the reasons why it's kind of hit people on on different levels. You know, the kids losing a father, and a ah you know, newlywed wife got to face the future without, you know, the father of her children.
00:12:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
So many elements exist. to this and and I think one of the things that we see about Jota is you know the the humble beginnings in that kind of small uh town in Portugal I read a quote from his father which it really you know i think it kind of it kind of crystallises what I think people think of, of Diogo Jota and how, and why he became so, loved by Liverpool fans. And, and to be fair, by Wolves fans as well.
00:12:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
father said that, The only thing that we wanted as a family, as parents, was for him to play sports so that he would be physically and mentally healthy.
00:13:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
He started out as a left midfielder. He was forced to do that to improve prove his left foot. And I think it worked. He then moved on to attacking midfielder, number 10.
00:13:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
Diego didn't really like being a winger because it wasn't he didn't like crossing the ball, but he grew up playing in that position. But the feedback that he got from the coaches was that he was going to be very, very good. And they told us,
00:13:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
that Diogo was very responsible and mature. And this is what he says, his father says, and that was enough for us. Knowing that our son behaved well and and was...
00:13:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that was better than seeing him become a star. You know, we felt that our job had been well done. And he he goes on to say that Diogo saw firsthand the difficulties that we as parents faced.
00:13:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
We were factory workers, didn't earn much above the minimum wage, and we never hid our limitations from our children, which I really like as well. You know, he said, look, you know, this is our situation.
00:14:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
This is how it is. And, you know, we're we're not going to hide that. This is not this is not a this is not something to be ashamed of. You know, these are working people. And he said it wasn't easy having two sons in football and paying for what we had to pay for.
00:14:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
But Diogo never asked anything in return. He never asked us for branded football boots. He knew it wasn't possible. He already had that sensitivity. That's why he knows how to value things and value life.
00:14:39
Adarsh
Hmm.
00:14:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
And he goes on to say, he finishes off, he goes, for Diogo, he said he never went out for dinner, nights out. He just wanted to stay home with his family.
00:14:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
And for Diogo, if there was football on in the afternoon and PlayStation in the evening, that was fine. That was him, Carl.
00:15:00
Karl
Yeah, and I looked at some of the tributes outside of Anfield and someone's left they yeah a games controller there as a nod, which I really like.
00:15:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Really?
00:15:09
Karl
That's a really nice subtle thing of it's not just football and This is the thing. I think we've not lost the football and lost the man and you know, and and one of ours and football is only a, it's their job.
00:15:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:15:22
Karl
It is their job, you know, and then to be a good footballer, you pretty much have to be obsessed with football, but it's a, I can't get my head past the, the fact that he got into horse racing. I don't even know if that's a Portuguese thing.
00:15:33
Karl
It doesn't seem to be.
00:15:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
but dar Well, darts as well. Robbo said rob darts as well, right?
00:15:35
Adarsh
Yeah, that.
00:15:35
Karl
Yeah.
00:15:36
Adarsh
Yeah.
00:15:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think it was Kelleher as well that said that
00:15:37
Karl
Yeah.
00:15:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
what was i think I think it was Robbo said that he was the most British foreign player.
00:15:43
Adarsh
It is foreign later, yeah.
00:15:44
Karl
It's the most British foreign transfer they've ever seen.
00:15:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. So he was into horse racing.
00:15:46
Karl
yeah
00:15:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
it was into darts.
00:15:49
Karl
Mac Jotter. Yeah, he's basically Irish. He said he wanted to make him Scottish, so would be Mac Jotter.
00:15:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that was really lovely to see as well, right?
00:15:55
Adarsh
Yeah, that was nice.
00:15:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
You see this this kind of insight into the kind of relationship that these players have, right? The likes of Robbo, Canate and Jota.
00:16:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think, you know, sometimes, and I'm guilty of this as well, sometimes you can get really cynical of like these official club videos that come out, the kind of social media clips that come out.
00:16:20
Karl
Yeah.
00:16:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
But, you know, but obviously in the last few days, a lot of them have been doing the rounds again. um the videos of when, you know, the FIFA games come out and and you've got all the kind of player ratings and the the the relationship between Jota, Ibu Kanate and Robbo is just, it's just, it's obviously it takes on a, it's more poignant to to to look back on these things, so but it does give you an insight into the kind of relationship that these guys have.
00:16:36
Karl
Yeah.
00:16:43
Karl
Yeah.
00:16:44
Adarsh
It's beautiful. and
00:16:49
Karl
yeah
00:16:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
that these guys had, right? And there was a genuine warmth. You can't kind of, you can't banter with people like that without crossing a line and unless there's a, you know, there's a kind of an accepted closeness.
00:17:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, you know, you just, saw you know, you saw how distraught Canate and Robertson were.
00:17:19
Karl
yeah
00:17:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know you could You could just see it on their on their faces. They were just like, in you know, they were just stricken. It was just, it was pure kind of pure grief. and And the messages that have come out, the one that Robbo sent out, oh God, I couldn't read it.
00:17:34
Karl
And he's writing that he's written that.
00:17:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:17:35
Adarsh
Mm-hmm.
00:17:36
Karl
That's not a tough piece at all.
00:17:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's written that. That's that's not a social media kind of manager. He's written that. But so yeah, no, I just wanted to make the point, Carl, that you know this is sometimes we you know we can be a bit dismissive of some of these kind of fluff pieces that come out of the of the club. But you know sometimes you do get those kind of genuine moments where it does show you the kind of bond that these players have.
00:18:01
Karl
It's a little thing as well. don't know why this really struck me, but Wotero Endo called him Jots.
00:18:08
Adarsh
Oh, yeah. Nice.
00:18:09
Karl
and
00:18:09
Adarsh
Yeah.
00:18:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Is that right?
00:18:09
Karl
I just don't see them sitting next to each other.
00:18:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
100%.
00:18:12
Karl
let's just don't see that. They're workmates. They're on WhatsApp groups. They're on mini WhatsApp groups. They're on golf day WhatsApp groups, you know the same as like most lads are. know Different type of things. There'll definitely be a gaming WhatsApp group.
00:18:25
Karl
There'll be a first team one. There'll be a squad one. you know and and so They all know each other from that. It does beg the question and what the club do next as regards support for the players and and each each other.
00:18:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
hundred percent
00:18:36
Adarsh
yeah
00:18:39
Karl
And it's it. yeah I mean, it's going to get criticized if you say it's in public, so I've avoided the term. But it's very soon after Hillsborough, when no one wanted to play.
00:18:48
Karl
No one wanted a game. And then we went to Celtic, played there and everyone, like Aldridge said, he's not playing anymore. He's done. He can't do it anymore.
00:18:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, 100%.
00:18:55
Karl
And then they went up to, they played at Celtic and it was, you know, it's very emotional day, but that sort of reset them a bit and they got back, they got on with it again.
00:19:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:04
Karl
And it's important. I also i also think it's not it's not just
Support System within the Club and Fans
00:19:08
Karl
the third team. It's like the girls in the canteen.
00:19:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:19:11
Karl
It's everyone, it's the people who are in the car park, you know, the things that you see them every and day because they don't strike me as an aloof group.
00:19:11
Adarsh
and
00:19:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah yeah
00:19:19
Karl
And I always think back to, I was at, my seat used to be in the main stand, sort of quite low down.
00:19:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:19:25
Karl
And there was a warm-up, I can't remember who we were playing, but it's like it was Milner was warming up with Lallana and Ben Woodburn.
00:19:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:32
Karl
And Milner was talking to Ben Woodburn like they were best mates. And I thought, you're 20 years older, and yet you're mate.
00:19:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:19:40
Karl
But you think in terms of, it's just the 13 who get on with the first team and the reserves, you get on with the reserves and the under-20, that sort of thing. And they stick in their own groups. But they don't. It's a place where they go to work. And as you know someone, I lost a colleague at work.
00:19:54
Karl
about three years ago. And it doesn't matter what department you're in, does it? It's just, like you know, something you see a lot is no longer there.
00:19:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's just big hole. Yeah, it' there's it's just a big hole. And Adarsh, I think that's, I think that it's it's really, I think it's a massive thing now for the club, know, moving forward is how they how they deal with this loss, because it is unprecedented.
00:20:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know, for a group of these players to come back. And I think Mohamed Salah, I think, you know, I think that was really quite illuminating, his his message in terms of what the players will be feeling. And I think there was a few people kind of misinterpreted what he said.
00:20:37
Adarsh
Yeah.
00:20:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Some people were saying, oh, why is he afraid? what you know to to you know Some really stupid comments that, oh, you know did he think that you know he's something's going to happen to his car or his plane? I'm like, no, it's the fear of walking into that dress dressing room and just not seeing him.
00:20:53
Karl
hit him again. See you next.
00:20:55
Adarsh
yeah
00:20:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, just not seeing him there, right? Not seeing his shirt hanging up and the fear of how is that going to hit me? How is that going to hit my teammates? You know, how are we going to cope with this, you know? And just that kind of almost like, I don't want to accept this.
00:21:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right. And so I think, and that's coming from one of the most experienced players in in the squad. He's part of the leadership group, right?
00:21:20
Adarsh
Yeah.
00:21:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
like You know, him, Alison Robertson, Van Dijk, he's our captain. Arnest, by the way, know you know beautifully put, you know irrespective of whether that was him or or the or the club, I'm i'm sure yeah he had a huge input in that.
00:21:29
Adarsh
yeah
00:21:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
But Adash, how does a club now navigate this really difficult period now for the players and making sure that they've got all the support that they've got to deal with this in in whatever way that they can?
00:21:53
Adarsh
Yeah, I mean, ah don't really know. I think, yeah, it's difficult.
00:21:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's difficult, isn't it?
00:21:57
Adarsh
I think just providing as much time and support um um that's needed. I think I've read a few reports that I think Liverpool expected to come back on Tuesday and then they they're going to have a meeting.
00:22:12
Karl
We're playing on Tuesday.
00:22:12
Adarsh
to Yeah, I think we're playing their first pre-season game.
00:22:15
Karl
Preston.
00:22:16
Adarsh
I don't think, I think that will probably get postponed.
00:22:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Is that not being cancelled now?
00:22:20
Karl
At the time of recording, I saw it this morning and and it said that they're gonna they're going to consult with the staff first, but Preston said if they do, they'll do something special.
00:22:20
Adarsh
Yeah.
00:22:26
Adarsh
Yeah.
00:22:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right.
00:22:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right.
00:22:31
Adarsh
Yeah. so yeah um I think it's just providing as much time and resources as possible to each player. Because each player is going to react to it in different... It's going to need as much time or...
00:22:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:22:43
Adarsh
However, it's going to be different for every every person, not just the players, the staff that you mentioned, like the canteen staff, the receptionist.
00:22:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:22:49
Adarsh
there Everyone, I think, is going to need... different levels of support depending on how each person deals with grief and I think that's what think is going to be difficult for the club it's how do you galvanise people and I think for Van Dijk and for Slot in particular i mean they're going through their own grief but I think it's an incredibly difficult job to to be the manager and the captain of Liverpool at this moment in time how do you deal with your own grief whilst trying to support be there to support everyone else and that's what i think is so difficult
00:23:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, no, think it's a... it's a really good point. And and actually, I saw someone mention this, saying that the senior guys, know, the likes of Van Dijk, Alison, Mo, Robbo, are really going to have to step up.
00:23:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I was thinking, you know what?
00:23:37
Adarsh
Yeah.
00:23:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think a lot of people are gonna have to step up for them as well, because...
00:23:41
Adarsh
yeah
00:23:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know, these these guys, yes, they're senior players, but they're human beings. they they they they They've spent a dressing room with this guy with this guy for five years as well.
00:23:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, they they're young athletes as well. They've got young families. And I think they're, like you said, at Adash, I think they're, all of them have got kind of different, they're going to have different ways to try and deal with this. And some of them will be able to show that emotion, others less so.
00:24:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
know, they they're all going to deal with it in in whatever way that they feel is going to be appropriate for them. But I just think that, you know, that I think it's it's a real minefield now, just in terms of,
00:24:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
the club just getting this right. I do have faith that that I think that, you know, normally think, you know, I know owners get criticised all the time, but I think, I think when it comes to this kind of thing, I i think that Liverpool historically have got it right. And i I'm sure that with the support of the fans as well, because, you know, it it's funny, isn't it? It's very often like, you know, when when these strategies tragedies have occurred before in the past, Karl,
00:24:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
the players have been there to support the fans, right? You know, whether it was Hillsborough and and Kenny going to every single funeral, lot players going to every single funeral.
00:25:02
Karl
Yeah.
00:25:07
Karl
Yeah.
00:25:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
And yeah.
00:25:08
Karl
Two or three a day.
00:25:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah And, and, and now I think it's going to be, it's going to be down to us.
00:25:10
Adarsh
Mm-hmm.
00:25:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's going to be the, the, the the fans that are really got to be there for the players. through this season and, you know, ah singing Jota's song, but also remembering that the guys that are running around on that pitch right now, some of them might not even want to do that.
00:25:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, some of them, they might not even be in the right headspace that they want to kick a ball around because one of their mates is just, he's not there anymore and he's never going to be there.
00:25:44
Karl
Yeah. Yeah.
00:25:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
And so I think, And I think that yeah I've i've got um've got faith that our our fan base, certainly the match going fan base has got that kind of emotional maturity.
00:25:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
think if if there's one thing that I know that that I've heard a lot people, and it is and and and ah't I'm not disputing this, that a lot of clubs... know, a lot of clubs, in it this is relevant to a lot of other clubs as well in terms the way they of react and behave.
00:26:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I do think that Liverpool fans, I think they do have an emotional intelligence. And I think that they will get behind the players and hopefully, Carl, you know, kind of support them throughout this season.
00:26:26
Karl
yeah Yeah, I think ah ah I've got absolutely no doubt about that at all. think it's it's not something you can have two opinions on.
00:26:36
Karl
I mean, you're going to support your lads.
00:26:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:26:39
Karl
You can't say, oh yeah, but he's he's made three bad passes, that's bad. And you know what? People are like, but that' so that' ah I can't see that being in an issue. but I've been looking at other co clubs as well and people like Newcastle fans saying, what do they do?
00:26:53
Karl
and They were suggesting that they say you'll never walk alone on 20th minute. And a of them said, oh God, no, they didn't do that when, know, when Atsu dies or something like that. They didn't do that. And I think it would be a round of applause for, on the 20th minute, for lot of other fans as well around the ground. I think that's going to happen. And I don't think, I think in my heart of hearts, I think unless you're a particularly scummy club, then you're going to get that from the waist fans. and But I don't tell us for a second.
00:27:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:27:19
Karl
I think, you know, and it's, It's made things harder for us. I'm not even thinking about football, but it's made things harder for us. But it's also going to bring us closer together as well.
00:27:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:27:30
Karl
This is going to be a hard, hard season because, first id so and again, going back to wa hu what happens after Hillsborough, a lot of players wanted to play immediately just for a bit of normality to sort things out.
00:27:42
Karl
And and a lot of fans, people didn't want to know.
00:27:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:27:45
Karl
I remember Beardsley went back to England earlier and he said, just want to kick a ball. I just want to not think of kick a ball.
00:27:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:27:52
Karl
And others were like, I don't want to get involved at all. So people are going to be in different places for it, particularly based on how close they were to a year ago. But I think the fans will sort of see, like, you know, ultimately football doesn't matter.
00:28:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm.
00:28:06
Karl
It doesn't matter. And it definitely doesn't matter at the moment. And it's going to be hard for the and Arna Slott to think, look lads, this is our job, this is what we do, got to crap out if we're doing this.
00:28:14
Adarsh
Yeah.
00:28:17
Karl
And there will be a time when we think, when people come together and think, now it's all okay to do that.
00:28:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:28:23
Karl
But that's not now. And that's all right. But what I will say, whatever the club decides to do, be it officially as a club or through the players or a cultural thing or something like that, is absolutely the right thing to do.
00:28:36
Karl
It's completely up to them. No one plans for this.
00:28:38
Adarsh
yeah
00:28:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:28:38
Karl
No one, but there's no thing, and you know, another club, you know, people like that, there's there's no plans for this.
00:28:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:28:44
Karl
No one knows, no one knows what to do. So you just get through it the best you can and whatever you do is the best thing you can do.
00:28:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Adash, do they, do we retire the number 20 shirt?
00:28:55
Adarsh
yeah I think i mean the thing think the club have already i've already done that.
00:28:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, they said they're to immortalize it. I don't know what that means.
00:29:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
what Does that mean that they're going to retire that shirt?
00:29:02
Adarsh
Yeah. I believe so. But I was thinking this. I don't think ah ah player coming into the club would want to wear the number 20 purely out of respect anyway.
00:29:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
True.
00:29:15
Adarsh
So I think it is the right thing to do.
00:29:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that's a fair point. Yeah, ah to be honest, so i never I never looked at it from from that perspective.
00:29:19
Adarsh
Sorry.
00:29:22
Adarsh
Yeah. And I just think it's, i think if we do, well, I assume that we are going to retire that shirt. I think it's forever his. And I think, I mean, there's the, what I've seen going around of him winning number 20, wearing number 20, joining in 2020.
00:29:35
Adarsh
I think it's, it's poignant that he does have that shirt for life, I think.
00:29:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:29:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, absolutely. And, you know, Liverpool players, they they don't get those kind of songs easily.
00:29:50
Adarsh
Yeah.
00:29:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, the the kind of song that he's, you know, that he that he got. And I think we all remember him singing along to that a song in in the kind of ah trophy celebrations at Anfield.
00:30:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. And so, you know, i so I suppose, you know, we'll all, i mean, my abiding memory is going to be, know, i was at the Merseyside Derby and I saw the the last goal. I mean, you know, who would have thought in that stadium that that is going to be the last goal that he, you know, he would ever score. It's just, you know, it just beggars belief. I know that he...
00:30:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
he I want to talk so briefly about, because I think it touches on the character of of the kind of player that he was and why I think he really resonated with us as as a fan base.
00:30:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think this is applicable to other fan bases. one this I think this is why the Wolves fans respect and and and really admire him as well. is that he was, you know, he he gave it everything. he He never shirked a challenge. He was ah was a 100% kind of a player.
00:30:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, you know, he he he obviously had his injury problems. But a lot of those injuries were impact injuries. right? They weren't, right?
00:31:07
Karl
The last one was.
00:31:08
Adarsh
Yeah. Yeah.
00:31:08
Karl
The Chelsea one would get take it out.
00:31:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
that' Exactly right.
00:31:09
Adarsh
yeah
00:31:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
So they weren't like the kind of, you know, the Daniel Sturridge kind of tweaked calf muscle, which sees you out for six weeks and then you come back.
00:31:15
Karl
Yeah. Hang on, don't knock a calf injury. I've got one at the moment.
00:31:22
Adarsh
but
00:31:22
Karl
Thank God it hurts.
00:31:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
That was really running ah ah running with a dog, dog right, Carl? Carl? ah But a nice turn a pace by the dog, by the way. But, you know,
00:31:33
Karl
He's 14 with a break. He's a freak now.
00:31:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
But i think that I think even his injury injury problems that he had was almost as a result of him giving you know so much to the cause. And I remember, and I don't know if you guys remember this as well, but after we won the league, and this was just a few weeks ago, and Jamie Carragher was talking about You know what we might need next season in terms of the forward line, because it looks like Nunes might go.
00:32:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, it looks like there's a lot of, you know, rumors around Diaz. So even up front, obviously Chiesa. So there there might be a few changes in that forward line. And Jamie Carragher said this.
00:32:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
He said, look, Diogo Jota, you know, I just hope that he stays fit because a fit Diogo Jota is, you know, we've got the best finisher in the team, even ahead of Salah in terms of out and out finisher.
00:32:26
Karl
Yes, I've always said that.
00:32:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
But then he said this, he said, I almost want to tell him, look, next season, just don't go full blooded into every single tackle, right? Just, you know, when it's a 70, 30, you know, or a 60, 40, just, just let it go.
00:32:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think that's one of the reasons why, you know, he he's connected with all his fan bases because even if it was a 90-10, he's going to go in headfirst.
00:32:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's going to go in and he's going to get himself injured, but he will do it, you know, full-blooded.
Celebrating Jota's Football Legacy
00:33:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
And, you know, I just think that, you know, I think that's one of the reasons, Carl, why why we, it's one of them, one of many, why he was so loved by the fans.
00:33:12
Karl
Yeah, this well I love the expression, he puts his head where I fold and put my feet.
00:33:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah
00:33:18
Karl
Yeah, I love that. I mean, if you want to talk about attitude and things like that, it's the celebration actually which takes the penalty against Leicester.
00:33:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:33:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes.
00:33:27
Adarsh
yeah, I loved that moment, yeah.
00:33:27
Karl
just the the The poverty songs, the ranked songs they were s singing all day. They've got a two-goal lead.
00:33:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
And the thing is, i don't know if you remember this, Carl, but he he got interviewed, and in fact, by the Enfield rap, I think by John, was it?
00:33:42
Karl
Yeah,
00:33:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
He got interviewed and he didn't he didn't kind of back down from that. He didn't kind of smooth over that and you know kind of give it the PR spin that, oh, well, you know you know, there's a bit of no.
00:33:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
He he he was like, you know what, you you you're giving it, I'm going to give it back.
00:33:57
Adarsh
lift
00:33:59
Karl
And he did it at the Emirates as well when scored and he's got two goals there and he's running along with his cup in his ear and stuff like that. Things like that don't often
00:34:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, absolutely.
00:34:11
Adarsh
you know
00:34:11
Karl
I'm sorry.
00:34:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Adachi, he liked scoring against Arsenal, didn't he?
00:34:15
Adarsh
Oh, he loves scoring at Moth.
00:34:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Forrest, yeah. He liked scoring against Arsenal, against Forrest.
00:34:19
Adarsh
Or Moth.
00:34:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
But yeah, it's you know it's it's it's in it's still an incredibly incredibly difficult time. but
00:34:27
Karl
Can I just say,
00:34:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:34:29
Karl
to ask you two questions what's your favorite jotting go
00:34:32
Adarsh
Oh, I was thinking about this.
00:34:34
Adarsh
Hmm.
00:34:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think that so my my one, um um I think...
00:34:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's a toss up between the Spurs one.
00:34:42
Karl
yeah that was mac
00:34:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
The Spurs one, because the Spurs one is, you know, you've got to remember, my but I've got an older brother who's a so Spurs season ticket holder. And, you know, he he was in the process, ah ah in the process of sending me a voice note when Richarlison scored.
00:35:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
And unfortunately, he sent it. He sent it to me. And then, know, Jota does what Jota does. But I think for me, it's going to be the Mergeside Derby, you know, because I was always there, it you know, and it for me, it was the quintessential Jota goal.
00:35:12
Karl
Yeah.
00:35:19
Karl
It's a slalom. It's the slalom.
00:35:20
Adarsh
Yeah.
00:35:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's the slalom and you know what, straight down the middle, he's going to just go, he's going to go, he's going to run head first into that back line.
00:35:20
Karl
Yeah.
00:35:23
Karl
ye
00:35:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I don't care if you're six foot seven or not, you know, i'm I'm getting through. So for me, it's going to be the Mergeside Derby. Adarsh?
00:35:36
Adarsh
Yeah, I mean, it's hard to disagree with that, to be honest. I think what it meant at the moment, at the time as well, just, I mean, given what happened in the last derby as well, I think him to win it, the celebration, the scenes, it's hard to look past that moment.
00:35:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:35:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
And a step towards the title, right? It was, uh, you know, which could, yeah, exactly.
00:35:53
Adarsh
And yeah, it was a crucial one.
00:35:54
Karl
Yeah, we needed it.
00:35:55
Adarsh
Yeah.
00:35:56
Karl
We needed
00:35:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Cole, your one.
00:35:59
Karl
Unusual ones, Forrest in the cup.
00:36:02
Adarsh
oh that was a good one.
00:36:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Uh, yeah.
00:36:03
Karl
Oh wait, put us in the semi against Man City, which we won, then we win it.
00:36:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:36:04
Adarsh
Yeah.
00:36:07
Karl
Just because because I was there and it was feral and I hated every single Nottingham Forest fan in that ground that day. <unk> And he scores and it
00:36:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Very unusual for you to have any hate for any rival fans, Carl Perpec.
00:36:16
Adarsh
It's a word for that.
00:36:17
Karl
could... Oh, good. i mean if you
00:36:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Very unusual.
00:36:19
Karl
I mean, after what happened outside the ground, absolutely justified.
00:36:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Breaking news.
00:36:23
Karl
and they And they were on us all the time. And the away end, they're a ball view. and There's a net so they can throw things down, but they won't land. And just thinking, God, I just want to get out of here now.
00:36:34
Karl
And then he just goes and scores a goal like that and goes nuts in front of us. Loads of pyro. Absolutely fantastic.
00:36:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Brilliant. Well, listen, before we go up, we've we've we've got a voice note that's coming from colleague at the Daily Liverpool, Tom Goward. So I'm just going to play this with some of his thoughts on Diego Jota.
00:37:46
Karl
Thank
00:38:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
That was Tom Gowd and, you know, with with all of these kind of messages, you know, you really kind of hear the, you know, the the kind of the feeling, right? You really hear the emotion and and, you know, what this has meant to to so many people and, you know,
00:38:42
Karl
you
00:38:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah it's It's just going to be a really, really difficult time. But I do think that you know in in the kind of weeks and the months ahead that ahead of us, I think that inevitably, i think that you know the the club, the fans, will really kind of celebrate Diogo Jota.
00:39:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know, at every opportunity and and every game, and his his name is going to be sung, you know, long and wide at Anfield and beyond. But, but that is all for today for this special episode. a tribute to Diego Jota, who passed away just a few days ago, along with his, uh, brother Andre.
00:39:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
my thanks Adash and Carl. Thank you guys. Take care of care of yourselves and and God bless.
00:39:49
Karl
Thank
00:40:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you.
00:40:43
Karl
Thank you.