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Episode 72 - Hypothetically... RELEGATION would be funny
11 Plays11 days ago
Don't panic with the title we're not talking about us. Just our noisy neighbours.
In today's episode Matt and Niall discuss Dan Ashworth, his perceived sacking and evaluate the players signed under his brief tenure.
But more importantly we gear up to the derby with the Bitters down the road!
We have a brief chat (and rant) about the 115 and the news that the saga, that is the Premier League v Manchester City Court case, has come to an end.
Disclaimer: Everything Matt says is alleged and should be treated as nonsense ;)
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Transcript
Introduction to the Podcast
00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello and welcome to the Daily Manchester United Podcast, the podcast for fans of the greatest and best club in the world. But as our manager has made clear, we're not quite the best team. You're here with me, Matt, and once again, I'm joined with Niall.
Reflecting on Previous Episode
00:00:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Have you cheered up since yesterday?
00:00:27
Niall
to know I think um the podcast with Cairne yesterday was an interesting and one. I think we're a bit delirious. ah thank jim
00:00:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
but I feel it and hear it as well.
00:00:35
Niall
we
00:00:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:00:37
Niall
Exactly. I think if you don't laugh, you cry at this stage. So yeah, that's that's the sentiment at the moment.
Concerns Over Upcoming Fixtures
00:00:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
um I'm guessing you're just trying to forget about forest and we we move on to the noisy neighbors.
00:00:51
Niall
Yeah, yeah, it's going to be. um <unk> It's going to be a storm as Amorim said. There's a storm coming over the next while with the the fixtures we have. It's not letting up. Even this game with Europa League is making me nervous. I don't even know how to pronounce their name, but it is making me nervous.
00:01:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's the problem with Europe really, isn't it? We go to all these far-flung corners of the world to places we can't even bloody say.
00:01:09
Niall
Yeah.
00:01:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
um I was just going to say as well, you know, why don't we bring the funder? I'm sure, forget the storm coming to us, we'll bring the funder to the 80 had, or the empty had, as we like to
Dan Ashworth's Departure
00:01:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
call it. Let's be positive.
00:01:22
Niall
It has begun.
00:01:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
i Well, it's World Cup Wednesday, so really talk about a few things. I think, first of all, Why don't we just talk about what's going on with Dan Ashworth?
00:01:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's been in the news all week. Bit of a shock. It happened pretty much straight after the Nottingham Forest game. I guess we'll never know if that was contingent on him being sacked.
00:01:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
I know they said it was mutual, but I think we're getting the vibe that it yeah we know what's really happened.
00:01:48
Niall
We all know what mutual means. yeah
00:01:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
So what are your thoughts? What do you think has gone on with that?
00:01:56
Niall
It was funny I mentioned it very briefly yesterday and it was like one part of the club where I was like you know what like that box is ticked you know where at least we have that bit sorted in upstairs and in United where I kind of have a clearer strategy a bit more of a plan of what we're going to do we have the right people in the right places but just kind of reading up on it and hearing and a few things around it it just just seemed like they never really gelled together, himself and Barada, and I'm not sure about Radcliffe, he had much of a say in that, I'm sure he did, but, you know, not really agreeing on signings, not really agreeing on Amram that came in, and and maybe wanting different candidates as well, like I heard Southgate was bandied about, like, because Southgate is his man.
00:02:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:02:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's enough. That would be enough. Anyone who recommended stuff, I'd be like,
00:02:38
Niall
That could have been the nail in the comments.
00:02:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think he did P45, but I don't think we've got the right guy.
00:02:44
Niall
Yeah, I think maybe maybe that was the turning point for him, you know considering that was his his f FA man. But yeah, i am it is concerning because you know if you leave after five months in any job, he didn't even get to a classic six-month probation. But if you leave after five months in any job, but it's never good. And it felt like that he never really hadn't had any say in what was going on or couldn't really get on with his and with his colleagues. so you know It's not good on the pitch, it's clearly not good upstairs as well
INEOS Management Criticism
00:03:14
Niall
and and that's kind of concerning for for us moving forward which which is something that I thought was resolved.
00:03:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:03:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's not a good look for INEOS, is it? I mean, cancelling Christmas parties, sackings, raising the, the defeat you know, the the the ticket prices. And I believe, I don't even know this, but I mustn't have read it, but I think that's even for kids, you know, the concessions are gone.
00:03:30
Niall
Yeah.
00:03:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Everything's kind of been stripped by INEOS. And now you're saying, we've also got rid of a guy we paid Newcastle $3 million for.
00:03:42
Niall
Yeah.
00:03:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
in the space of five moments. I ah want to be like on Ineos' side in some ways with Dan Ashworth and think you know there must have been a really good reason. But they're not painting the best picture of themselves so far.
00:03:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I wonder, how long is it going to take before the fanbase kind of turn on them like we did the Glazers? We've probably got a bit more time, but it's not it it's not good steps, is it?
00:04:05
Niall
yeah
00:04:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's it's not It's not looking good from an optics point of view, especially for us fans.
00:04:12
Niall
No, absolutely. And I don't know the Norwich flag's going to come back out again, but it's I don't know. You are dead, right? it's It's not a good look. um it's it's It's disappointing in a way because, you know, you look at all the really well run clubs and you're looking at upstairs and you never really hear anything about
Power Dynamics in Management
00:04:33
Niall
it.
00:04:33
Niall
And and that's that's the way you want it.
00:04:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:04:34
Niall
they' You're not meant to be headline or back of the back page front of the back page whatever you want but it's just not it's not meant to be the way you know so and i know united has a different spotlight than than any other club but we shouldn't know all these people's names and we shouldn't know them like as if they're playing on the pitch so something obviously didn't really didn't really happen uh he wasn't didn't didn't kind of experience what he was maybe expecting didn't have the power he was expecting um and you know berada came from city racliffe
00:04:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:04:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's true. yeah
00:05:05
Niall
Ashworth had had a big personality. I'm sure there was a lot of egos flying around there as well in terms of who is actually going to be making the the decisions and calling the shots here because all of them in their own right would see themselves as kind of leading on whatever sort of decisions that that would need to be made.
00:05:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:05:19
Niall
So maybe it was just a clash of personalities.
00:05:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, I think Barada was very heavily involved in getting Amorim more so than Ashworth.
00:05:27
Niall
Yeah.
00:05:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think he kind of took the reins of that when you kind of thought, well, maybe Ashworth should have been more heavily involved. I mean, in terms of the signings that he's made, we'll get into that. I think probably we'd say he did a pretty good job on on the whole for it, and even though they were for
00:05:37
Niall
Mm-hmm.
00:05:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
10-Hog. It's very unclear whether Ashworth supported 10-Hog staying. If that was a factor, and maybe they thought, actually, we shouldn't have trusted you here.
00:05:49
Niall
Yeah.
00:05:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
We should have got rid of 10-Hog in the summer, given how we're in the whole summer, the spending window and never time to do a preseason. It's so unclear. Part of me thinks, because of the Southgate, maybe you got found out from not being as good as we think he is.
00:06:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
When you think about these big corporations and people like Ratcliffe and that, they're ruthless.
00:06:09
Niall
Possibly.
00:06:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I think the type of people who just think if you're not hitting the marker, then you're not staying.
00:06:19
Niall
Mm hmm.
00:06:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
And for it to be so quick in any kind of industry, if you've ever managed anyone, when you find out people aren't hitting the mark,
00:06:24
Niall
Yeah.
00:06:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
then that's it.
00:06:28
Niall
Mm hmm.
00:06:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know You don't mess around with them. And there's usually a good reason why you do that. Five months is
Ashworth's Role and Reputation
00:06:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
is crazy. And you've got to think it's probably pay off for him and all this kind of things.
00:06:34
Niall
Oh.
00:06:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's it's there's There's so much more to this than we're ever going to know. But for that caliber of person with such a reputation to get rid of him, part of me you goes, maybe maybe he's kind of just been you know getting by, just like, blagging it.
00:06:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, his reputation has kind of preceded him because he did want to get data teams in, pay for data teams.
00:06:59
Niall
Yeah.
00:07:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
And Radcliffe was just like, well, we got you in for this. I thought you know the market and you've got an eyeball.
00:07:04
Niall
Now that is interesting. Yeah.
00:07:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
And he was just like, we're not paying for that. So that kind of made me think this. I mean, it's all speculation. I don't know how you feel about that.
00:07:12
Niall
Yeah, I mean, it is speculation. And like another thing I heard was that he was in charge of the Xerxes signing. Of course he was. They're going to say that. they're not He wasn't in charge of the Euro signing. like you know
00:07:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's so cruel.
Data in Recruitment Decisions
00:07:22
Niall
Yeah, it's just like, oh, let's let's pick maybe a signing that's slightly struggling.
00:07:26
Niall
Oh, that was Ashworth. like you know So and they're they're going to say that.
00:07:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah yeah
00:07:30
Niall
But you know they were saying that the reason why they picked Xerxes was based off the stats and based off the data and very data-driven decision. on maybe that
00:07:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
will
00:07:40
Niall
that didn't sit so well and it was like okay well we'll trust you on this one but it better work and you know ah if he doesn't hit the ground running then you know maybe your ways aren't really what we're looking for and and as you said they are cut throat.
00:07:52
Niall
I heard a a clip from from Ferdinand as well and and you know like his comments the whole Ballon d'Or and
00:07:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:07:58
Niall
you know, while he's at the wheel and stuff, you know, take it with a pinch of salt.
00:07:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:08:01
Niall
But similar to what you were saying around the ruthlessness, I mean, if they can if they can carry the rudeness through to the players as well, then may not be may not be the worst thing in the world.
00:08:11
Niall
And, you know, we'll we'll see what the upcoming transfer windows and and see how that goes. Because, yeah, there's a lot of there's a lot of people that need to need to move on to pastures new, I think.
00:08:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely. I think we've been saying that for a long time. ever wait It's about finally being cutthroat with those players, the ones on the high wages, the ones not pulling the weight. It's about time. So if that's the attitude of the club and it takes us to a better level, a higher level, a better standard or better to what the standard was, you know, when we were on top, then I think we could probably stomach it.
00:08:42
Niall
Yeah.
00:08:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
But It is it's a difficult one. you know we We are looking at it going, what is going on. And like I said, we're probably not going to know. Anyway, we're going to go to a quick ad break. And we'll be back very shortly.
00:09:07
Niall
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00:09:22
Niall
If you're ready to tell your story, check out the link in the show description to learn more about Sankasser.
00:09:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
So we did kind of touch on it. Dan Ashworth involved in the summer signings this year. What are your thoughts? Did he do a good job?
00:09:48
Niall
I think, like you mentioned, he did do a good job. But I think in comparison to the awful transfer windows we've had, it looks like a really good transfer window. like The bar was so low that anything at all probably could have been better than what we have experienced over the last while.
Summer Signings Evaluation
00:10:03
Niall
um I think the Euro signing is the one that really stands out. I think I hadn't seen much of him play at all.
00:10:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes, yep Absolutely
00:10:11
Niall
um You know, very, very young, high potential, but that cameo against Arsenal, he looked very comfortable. and That type of modern defender that looks extremely athletic, but good on the ball and seems quite calm as well for for his age, which is good.
00:10:26
Niall
and Not that Rash wasn't really diving in, standing players up, stuff that you wouldn't really expect at that age, but stuff that you really look for in in the defender. So i'm I'm really happy with that signing. And I think that's kind of across the board with with a lot of fans after seeing that 20 minutes.
00:10:42
Niall
Obviously, the the Nottingham Forest game he started, and I mean, we mentioned yesterday, the big center half for Forest was being marked by the two of our smaller players in the box.
00:10:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think of it, yeah.
00:10:54
Niall
just mad Mad stuff. But ah yeah, I think in terms of the most important sign and the best sign, it was probably Euro.
00:11:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm, okay.
00:11:03
Niall
Next up, I'd say value for money. you Probably say Mizrahi. But yeah, what what what do you think, Matt, in terms of the the guys we got in?
00:11:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, I'm trying to think back to like how I felt in summer compared to what we've seen.
00:11:15
Niall
Yeah.
00:11:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
I really thought it was a good window. I think I've said many times I've always wanted to live at Manchester United, and getting and him for me was a huge boon, you know?
00:11:23
Niall
Mm-hmm.
00:11:27
Niall
Yeah.
00:11:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then, yeah, Euro, obviously, Real Madrid wanted him, and like you said, we've seen him play. And even against Forest, I thought, this guy's tidy, he's so calm.
00:11:36
Niall
Yeah, yeah.
00:11:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, he wasn he wasn't making any mistakes, really. Obviously, there was that pass from Fernandez that went behind him, you know. and But that was Fernandez's fault. It wasn't anything to do with him.
00:11:45
Niall
Yeah.
00:11:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
um ah Yeah, he looks great. I think Yora was always just ah back in summer like, oh, OK, this seems like a really big win for us. Let's just see what happens. Mazzrari, I think we all would like...
00:11:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Who? A little bit? I think i think we were just like, all right, is he? Yeah, OK. We haven't really seen him and he's turned out to be our best player this season, I would say, possibly quite the most consistent for sure.
00:12:08
Niall
yeah
00:12:11
Niall
Definitely.
00:12:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then Xerxes, that was an interesting one, because I was quite positive about that as well, because he was the Italian young player of the year or the Italian league. ah you know He'd been at Bayern Munich, he's scored some important goals, you get all the kind of highlight reels and things, and you get excited and it hasn't clicked.
00:12:21
Niall
Oh I know, yeah.
00:12:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Everton, he was really good. Everton showed is his best qualities and that did make me think maybe there's a place for him. But on the whole, I think it was ah it was a good summer, I'll be perfectly honest.
00:12:44
Niall
Yeah.
00:12:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
I did feel like it was a good summer and I think the players, they might not have reached their full potential, but They've been pretty steady. even even delay I think people wanted to hit on him pretty quick and I think actually he's been pretty steady so far and he's doing a good job and I wouldn't replace him for any other centre-back, I wouldn't replace him for Maguire.
00:13:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
I know Amurim has been in the games, I think that's just rotation, but I think he's been solid, yeah.
00:13:07
Niall
Yeah.
00:13:11
Niall
yeah yeah no i think i think you're right about rotation he's he's changing the team quite a lot because he he needs to know is his players who he can trust who he actually going to stick with and and also the fixture congestion at the minute is mental like there's going to be loads of matches coming up so you know it's it's a difficult period for amarim it's it's going to be it's going to be tough for him um yeah zerksi i think he's a really good footballer i just i just think is his confidence is shot at the moment.
00:13:38
Niall
um And I don't think he really knows where he's going to play in this new system. And I think Holland is more suited. I really like him. He's more suited to that kind of lone striker chasing down dead ends.
00:13:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:13:48
Niall
But Xerxes, he could we play in one of those two positions behind Holland, possibly. But you can put a lot of different profiles in there. So he's going to be battling for ah with a lot of players for those positions to touch on the other ones.
00:13:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, really.
00:14:03
Niall
Yeah, Ugarate, I'm not convinced yet. um Really?
00:14:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Are you joking? I have to disagree. i feel like I feel like he's growing and growing.
00:14:09
Niall
Yeah.
00:14:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
And him and Maynu against Forrest, I thought were excellent. I thought they that was exactly what it should be. Bruno a bit more forward.
00:14:19
Niall
Yeah.
00:14:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
I was seeing it. I was starting to see what what he was going to bring. But I'm interested to know, why do you feel that about Agate?
00:14:26
Niall
just I just feel like, and first of all, extremely rationed the tackle. Like, it boils way too much for my life, getting him diving in for no real reason, when when there's not really any danger, which I just find frustrating.
00:14:37
Niall
And then top teams, it's different professional fouls, but they're not professional fouls.
00:14:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Um.
00:14:43
Niall
He's battling for possession, but he just ends up going a bit too aggressive on it. but i think I think one of the main issues that I can see is we're playing a lot across the back three and we can't seem to to transition into midfield and then into the wide players or into the striker. And not that he's afraid to get on the ball, but I think he, it looked like he's hiding a bit in terms of actually making himself available for getting on the half turn of being able to play that into Bruno, into Mount, into Highland, whoever is going to be those two people ahead.
00:15:15
Niall
I think Manu can do that as well, but I think he's more suited to kind of drive him with the ball and it's not really a classic six set.
00:15:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah, it's better than eight.
00:15:21
Niall
He's a bit of a hybrid of everything. And I was just expecting a bit more from Magarte on that in terms of on the ball.
00:15:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:15:27
Niall
And I know he's getting used to the to the league and he's also transitioning from two different managers in three months and and different position. But um yeah, just on his actual technical ability. I haven't been that blown away yet. And then also the rashness as well. I just think he needs to settle down a bit. And yeah, I just I just he's not really jumping out to me at the moment in terms of in terms of being a big impact for us.
00:15:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, I definitely just feel kind of opposite. I do see what you're saying. He's a bit rash, but that's kind of that but mold of that player, though, unfortunately. it A bit of a destroyer, and that's what we kind of wanted. He has avoided, I think, a fair few yellow cards, I think, so far. I don't think he's been carded that much, which is good.
00:16:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
probably get into that Fernandinho, kind of roll away, kind of professional foul and get away with everything. That would be nice if we could get as away as much as he did with all his terrible tackles. But I did think against Forrest, again, we didn't win, but there were signs there where I felt like actually he was picking up the ball and moving it quite quickly to Meinee, to others. And he was quite tidy with the passing. I do get what you mean about maybe hiding. That was probably what Tominee was super guilty of.
00:16:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
He was absolutely terrible about hiding when we tried to put him in that position.
00:16:41
Niall
Yeah.
00:16:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think i think the signs are there and I think because of Amroom's work with him, I think we are going to see the best of him. I think more match fitness.
00:16:49
Niall
I hope so.
00:16:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
Ashworth's Transfer Window Rating
00:16:51
Niall
I hope so.
00:16:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, absolutely.
00:16:51
Niall
Yeah.
00:16:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'd be interested to see what you say in a couple of weeks.
00:16:53
Niall
Yeah.
00:16:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Maybe I'll change my opinion and I'll be like, oh, you actually know what, you have to be right. This is the thing about football. We all watch it. We all see, we look at different things and we'll focus on different things and things change all the time.
00:17:02
Niall
No, absolutely. Yeah, yeah.
00:17:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Absolutely. Yeah. So if you were going to give Dan Ashworth an out of 10 for that window, say at the time versus and versus what you feel now, what would you describe it?
00:17:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
What numbers would you give for before and now?
00:17:19
Niall
Um, I would say, I would say at the time I was, I was quite happy. Um, especially with, uh, with delectin euro, um, and what I'd seen ah of Agarti.
00:17:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:17:29
Niall
So I would have said at the time, probably eight and then now a six. So like, not that disappointing, but I think, uh, I think maybe, you know, they're not coming into a perfect system either.
00:17:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Wow. Okay.
00:17:40
Niall
They're not coming into a perfect situation.
00:17:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:17:42
Niall
It's a mess. Like, so I can't really expect too much from them, I suppose, but, um, you know, there's there's definitely some signings there that are more future signings, which is great. um And then some of them just trying to bet into a new system.
00:17:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:17:54
Niall
So yeah, I'd say between a six and an eight.
00:17:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
Wow. Okay. Gone down in your estimations. Let's just hope we can bring it back up. They'll all find their place. They'll all slot in. Xerxesee will be a revelation. somewhere We hope, we hope.
00:18:07
Niall
Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah, yeah.
00:18:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Excuse me. um We're going to take another ad break and then we'll be back for the final portion of the podcast.
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00:18:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
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Manchester City's Legal Challenges
00:19:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, the birdies from Stockport have got some news today. I don't know if we've seen its in it in Nile, but um their little court case has ended and with the verdict to be given in, I think, March. Now, how do you feel about all of this as a United fan and just as a football fan?
00:19:23
Niall
and It doesn't sit right, does it? um But at the same time, I i never really And maybe you're different because you're from Manchester, but I never really view City as the biggest rivals.
00:19:37
Niall
like I ah feel like, yeah, exactly.
00:19:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
Liverpool are our biggest rivals. That will never change. that'll never change
00:19:41
Niall
Exactly. And I think in a way, City could win the league 15 times in a row, but Liverpool winning that league one time would annoy me way more. And like I think that that says it all, really, in terms of I don't really
00:19:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
said yeah
00:19:55
Niall
I don't really see them. It doesn't annoy me seeing them because I don't really see them as a proper rivalry. It's just kind of this club that are just separate to everything else. because And you maybe that's my age as well, where I haven't seen them when they were in League One or whatever.
00:20:11
Niall
But now it's just like this big club.
00:20:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
Basically with the form they've got now, that's that's what they were like. The form they've got now was what it used to be like. It was great.
00:20:18
Niall
Right. OK, OK, OK. Yeah, but yeah. honestly Honestly with this ah verdict, I think they'll get away with it. I just i just have that idea in my head that everything will be fine from their perspective, but somehow, how could it be?
00:20:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Don't stand out. Don't stand out.
00:20:36
Niall
How could it be?
00:20:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
I just wonder how, I mean, if you've read the, um is it the Spiegel? Was it the Spiegel that kind of broke all of this and, you know, Operation Longbow?
00:20:43
Niall
there's
00:20:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
If you read that... you would think they are dead to rights, because they've got all the receipts for it, all the emails, all the things, you know, saying, can we get the shape to pay this and pay that? And you think, how can they not be guilty?
00:20:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right?
00:20:58
Niall
Yeah.
00:20:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Obviously, we can't make a verdict on it. We're not saying they are, we are. I'm kind of hoping one way, though. I'm with Jose, you know.
00:21:06
Niall
That was pregnant.
00:21:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
He got one of things cleanly. um and I love Jose.
00:21:09
Niall
That was pregnant, wasn't it?
00:21:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
He absolutely smashed up Pep there.
00:21:12
Niall
A lot of heroes. Yeah.
00:21:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
ah well Yeah, absolutely love him. and but For me, you're absolutely right. Because you're not a fan. Liverpool is always our biggest rival. The biggest games of the year. Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea.
00:21:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
probably a load of other teams, and then maybe City, right? And City annoy me in the sense that they've allegedly cheated, right? I'm going to say allegedly because they'll get told off, right?
00:21:40
Niall
Okay,
00:21:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
So they've allegedly cheated. And in a way, they've kind of, in my opinion, they've wrecked the Premier League a bit. It's become misshapen. It's become like two horse race. It's just become a little bit
00:21:50
Niall
yeah.
00:21:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't know. I'd like to say dirty, but it's just not the same. It just it feels like there's just a tarnish to it. And like you said, yeah, they could win 15 titles in a row. And everyone in the Premier League in England, in Scotland, Wales, not the UK would not respect anything they've done.
00:22:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's why Pep said, oh, you know, the the rest of the world respects us because he was insinuating not here, not at home.
00:22:14
Niall
Mm.
00:22:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
And even so, we don't respect it.
00:22:15
Niall
Yeah.
00:22:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah The media are loving. It's frustrating because you know they're saying they've got a treble and they've got all this, but it's it's not it's not a real treble done through real football with real you know youth players and you know with money that you've earned through your own you know club and the fans and all this kind of stuff. and that That bothers me. you know And that's why, for me, yeah, I'm a bit more frustrated about the whole situation. In terms of the Darby's, yeah, the Darby's are Darby's. It's good to so hate on each other. That's what football's about. you know That's what it's about living in Manchester. But the extra stuff makes it worse for me. That makes me feel a little bit...
00:22:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
I said, uncomfortable and a bit more angry about it. So we' not we don't know what's going to happen. And if they're innocent, well, look, we've got to take on the chin. But if not, you know, it's it's it's monumental, monumentous even for the entire Premier League and football, I think globally.
00:23:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that's my rant.
00:23:14
Niall
Yeah, yeah, no fair. And I think it's good to hear from someone that that is actually is actually from the city because I can't pretend to be as close to it as you are and and to have that kind of feelings towards the the club. And um yeah, it's just interesting to hear that that perspective, I think, um which is nice. But I totally agree. I mean, if it was if if they are guilty, like,
00:23:40
Niall
that it is massive like because they've been so successful not that they've won one or two titles but you know the players that have played for the club unbelievable players the manager that has managed the club like
00:23:54
Niall
ah peps and interests him on, because obviously as a coach, incredible, but you can feel that he, he's not getting the credit that he feels he should deserve.
00:24:04
Niall
You can, you can feel that, especially when the results start to go badly, because then, you know, he should still be lauded, you know, as this, how many, as he won six, seven, like you saw him putting the fingers up to, to Liverpool, not those fingers, but like the actual number of titles that he's won.
00:24:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
six and Yeah
00:24:21
Niall
But you can just feel that, you know, he's not getting the, I don't know the the rewards or the adulation that he should be getting maybe across the UK of everyone looking at this unbelievably good footballing team. But there's just that dark cloud sitting over it. And it's it's that dark cloud of uncertainty. um And yes, they they may be fine come March, come April time. But that will always be there. And if it does if it does happen, and it is going to be in interesting to see how
00:24:53
Niall
how Man City end up over the next few years, what happens to all their players and their contracts, what happens to their manager. like It's just such an interesting one. There's so many things that could happen. you know Pep re-signing, is that an indication of strength?
00:25:05
Niall
Is that an indication of he's been told everything's going to be fine, you know but then the sporting director left at the start of the year, I think.
00:25:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:25:12
Niall
you know that was I was like, oh, like that's that's big.
00:25:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
That seemed the opposite way, didn't it? That seemed like, ooh, get out quick.
00:25:16
Niall
Yeah, so it's just there's just so many little kind of storylines that will come out of this result in in March or April, but yeah, it's been a long time coming to get to this verdict.
Speculation on City's Guilt Outcome
00:25:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, I totally agree. And I think what you said there about, you know, Oma Barada and all these things happening, Peppery signing.
00:25:33
Niall
Yeah.
00:25:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Now they've finished the court case. They must be thinking, we kind of know.
00:25:39
Niall
Hmm.
00:25:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
They must be thinking they've signed that and gone, how strong are we? So it'll be interesting to see what other things happen with C. Maybe nothing happens. And if that happened, maybe it'll be sitting there going, maybe they are thinking we're fine here.
00:25:48
Niall
Hmm. Yeah.
00:25:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
But then we don't know who might leave, who might stay. And you're right, you know he probably does feel like he should get more credit.
00:25:58
Niall
No.
00:25:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
but It's not his fault. and know I don't think anyone's going to blame Pep or the players for this if they are found guilty. It's obviously going to be labelled on the club, but it does detract. I'm not a big Pep fan.
00:26:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
If you can't win a club that isn't filthy rich or win with a club that's filthy rich or whatever, if you can't you know do what Jose did with Porto and win the Champions League, I think there's levels to it.
00:26:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
He's always had a lot of money. you know Obviously very good in terms of his coaching, in terms of players and playing style. Amazing.
00:26:30
Niall
Yeah.
00:26:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
um And as we've seen, he's he's kind of losing his head a little bit, which is what a kind of tarnish. And it's a bit it's turning a little bit Jose for him. And I love Jose's meltdowns. you know
00:26:43
Niall
Yeah, but they're iconic.
00:26:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's their love, but perhaps stood it doesn't fit him. It's looking pretty bad for him, you know?
00:26:47
Niall
no yeah and he's not and he's he's not normally in these situations so you know he doesn't really know how to act or how to react to things not going well for him i mean i i can't remember a spell that he's had at the moment with city maybe apart from maybe the first year he was there and like you know that's normal i suppose and then the next year he's straight into the champions league and then he's finally winning titles so you know
00:26:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:26:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
And...
00:27:14
Niall
yeah it's just it's such a contradiction as well because him resigning you're so right if you know you're coming to the end of the court cases and you resign like are you bluffing or are you actually but then why would he bluff you know like it's he could just leave before shit hits the fan I don't know I really don't know it's so interesting
00:27:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:27:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah No, it is. Last question then before we we leave. if If they were found guilty hypothetically, what do you think the adequate punishment should be?
00:27:50
Niall
What do I think the punishment should be?
00:27:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, what do you think as a fan? It doesn't have to be as a United fan, maybe mine's a bit more like fiery about it, but like football fan generally, if you even if you were thinking like as a fan of another club looking in, what would you think would be the best decision on it?
00:28:07
Niall
Yeah, it's an interesting one. I don't know.
00:28:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
and put spot
00:28:12
Niall
It's difficult. It's difficult because think of the amount of titles Liverpool would have. um
00:28:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
we'd We'd get we'd go one, we would get Ollie, Jose, two. So we get two, but yeah, you're right. Liverpool get maybe three, which isn't great, but.
00:28:26
Niall
Okay, well I have a follow-up question after this, but...
00:28:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay.
00:28:29
Niall
Relegation would be funny. I think it would just be funny, either though. Like, just to see...
00:28:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
I like that, relegation would be funny. I might call the podcast that.
00:28:37
Niall
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Hypothetically, relegation would be funny, but I think...
00:28:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
soeically yeah yeah
00:28:42
Niall
Just to see what happens to all the players because, like God, they have some unbelievable players just to see what happens. And their academy's not bad as well, so they probably would come back up.
00:28:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:28:52
Niall
But just just to be funny to see that harshness of ah of of something happening. um I don't know, I can't see that happening, but my follow-up question would be, If, you know, if, if for example, the titles are stripped, United win two extra titles, like, are you celebrating?
00:29:11
Niall
Because I would just be like, oh, like, move on. Like, I just it would just feel weird. I would just say, yes, anyone them.
00:29:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, I would enjoy it.
00:29:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think, yeah, I would, I would, I would hope that was Arsenal, Liverpool, I don't know who else deserves it.
00:29:21
Niall
Would you celebrate them?
00:29:22
Niall
like um titles
00:29:26
Niall
A joint, are they?
00:29:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Have an open top bus parade all on the same day around the UK, all of us at the same time. taking our trophies back. Yeah. And I would say, look and and I'll tell you, if if that happened and we did did the open top bus for those two Premier League titles, Manchester would be jammed.
00:29:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
There'd be a million people in there or half a million probably.
00:29:47
Niall
Yeah.
00:29:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
And City fans would get to see what it's like when you have fans and they turn up for, you know,
00:29:51
Niall
People show up. yeah
00:29:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
for a real club when you win a real trophy. I think you get what you deserve and they will. I will be innocent or whatever. My view is I want those i think they should get those trophies stripped, give them to those managers who you know worked so hard those seasons only to come second you know and also relegate them.
00:30:02
Niall
Yeah. Yeah.
00:30:13
Niall
yeah
00:30:15
Niall
ah
00:30:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
just
00:30:17
Niall
oh
00:30:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, just it's evil. Either way it goes, it's going to be incredible because you're going to have people still, like you say, still thinking it's tarnished and not believable.
00:30:29
Niall
Yeah.
00:30:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
And like I said, based on the evidence, you read the German article, you'd think there's no way to get away with it.
00:30:30
Niall
Yeah.
00:30:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
So if they did, people are still going to be feeling uncomfortable about it.
00:30:37
Niall
A hundred percent. Yeah.
00:30:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
But then, you know, if they do get found guilty and charged and that you know, there's going to be a lot of people happy. There'll probably be a lot of people who probably think actually that was too harsh. And that will also change the way that we look at football financing and all the, you know, all the, all the, you know, fair play rules.
00:30:54
Niall
Yeah.
00:30:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's, I think it's going to go crazy in March either way.
00:31:00
Niall
Yeah, because you can imagine, like that I know we're going over time now, but like the punishment of Forrest and Everton for you know something that is so small in comparison to the city one, if they're going to have to keep any sort of consistency, this point deduction could be outrageous.
00:31:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
You know, I know. Yeah. Yeah.
00:31:19
Niall
like They might not relegate them, but they might give them a point reduction so much that it'll just be automatic relegation.
00:31:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
but
00:31:25
Niall
you know
00:31:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
The reason that their points were what they were is because they admitted on their allegations. City have not admitted.
00:31:32
Niall
could be worse.
00:31:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
So if you if you factor that in, you know, when I tried to calculate, I was thinking it could be like, you know, thousand points or something.
00:31:34
Niall
Yeah.
00:31:41
Niall
I'm sure, I'm sure your calculations work.
00:31:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
i need I need to stop because I'm i'm sounding like the Berties themselves.
00:31:45
Niall
But
00:31:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
like Don't worry.
Cross-Podcast Session Teaser
00:31:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
so i go umm just I'm just enjoying the banter.
00:31:50
Niall
you're on with them tomorrow.
00:31:51
Niall
So hopefully they didn't listen to this before that you could be in for a rough hour. but
00:31:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
i can't I really don't want to do this tomorrow. Just so you know everyone, we've got the cross area with the city lads. I can't be bothered.
00:32:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm sure i'm sure it'll be an interesting interesting one. Let's put it that way.
00:32:10
Niall
Yeah, anything for the content, of course, it will it'll definitely happen, but I don't think you'll enjoy it.
00:32:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm going to need to have a glass of wine before to cool my nerves or something.
00:32:18
Niall
Yeah, yeah.
00:32:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Just like cool me down, try and relax, or I'm just going to talk like I did to today and just run. um Anyway, we have gone over, but it's been good. Thank you very much, Niall. I think that's been a good chat. I hope you've enjoyed it.
00:32:28
Niall
No problem, thank you.
00:32:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Nice one. um Yeah, so everyone, thank you for listening in. As ever, please you know like, subscribe, follow us, leave a comment as well. Let's see what you think. If you think I've gone overboard with everything, please do. If your city finally wants to have a go, come on, let's let's have it. we' We'll deal with it. Or as United funds, what do you think in terms of you know Ashworth, the signings?
Podcast Conclusion and Listener Engagement
00:32:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
the 115, we want to hear all of that. So put it in the comments and hopefully one of us get back to you as well. and We'll have a good chat. ah Until then, enjoy your day and we'll see you in the next one. See ya.