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Was this the worst Euros ever? | European Championships in review
27 Plays4 months ago
Was Euro 2024 a LETDOWN… 😬 Southgate replacements? 🔄 Is Harry Kane FINISHED as a starter? ⚽ Plus, we react to our pre-tournament predictions - including some HOWLERS! 👀
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Transcript
Podcast Introduction and Initial Reactions
00:00:01
Speaker
Messi, Messi! Oh my goodness! Atelier, Acuero!
00:00:09
Speaker
That is extraordinary! What a hit! Right, right, right! Back of the net.
00:00:19
Speaker
It's not coming home. Gentlemen, we are back. It's the Not Upon A Podcast. I am Killeen Ginnity, and I'm delighted to be joined as ever by Connor Glennon, Nathan Byrne, and Robbie Redmond.
Relief and Support for Spain
00:00:32
Speaker
um Am I the only one that's just so happy? Boys, the relief, i ill I'll be honest with you, I think I would have gone into hiding. I don't know, if I think pods would have been shelved for a couple of weeks. um but ah on ah Jokes aside, it really is a massive relief. i I became Spanish for the day.
00:00:52
Speaker
Like i I taught for a second that I had jinxed it. So in our group chat, ah Spain were one nil up. I put in, oh, I reckon they could get another two. Four, not like, was it five seconds later? Cole Palmer scored. It was the most devastating 30 seconds of my life. But then kind of Spain took a little bit more control again. And thankfully, ah after all of BBC's, we're going to laugh and ask Rodger to be coming off and his replacement not going to be able to live up now. a they They did take it home. They did. Yeah, it was a bit of a weird one. It felt like Spain started off really strong and sort of dipped in the middle of the game. Went a bit flat and then England got this burst of energy. and I was a little bit worried when they equalised. I was like, okay, they've got the momentum now. Yeah, big time.
00:01:44
Speaker
Yeah, to like to do it in the last minute, I don't think that could be better if for us boys. Just see their dreams snatched away. like we yeah um oh The pure entertainment value of it. It was absolutely class.
Critique of Harry Kane's Performance
00:01:56
Speaker
But Rob, just to kind of put it on England for a second, because I think it was a fine Spain performance and a bad England one. Is Harry Kane the most ineffectual striker that they could have brought to the tournament? He's very, very good. But my God, could he do nothing right at this tournament? Yeah, like i you always have to preface it. I'm a big Harry Kane fan. I think he's been brilliant. Everyone thinks he's been a great player and I do think maybe when he was a strike partner he could have been more effective like the way he had Rashford or he had Sterling. But the guy who was clearly injured and
00:02:32
Speaker
and he was absolutely useless. There was no point in being on the pitch, really. The England's only real spell in the match. I was never that worried. I know hindsight is great, but I just always thought Spain was much better. It was much more worried three years ago when they had Italy in the final at Wembley. Italy weren't great, so that had me more worried. I wasn't overly worried until they scored, but the spell they got was when Watkins came on. And I was just like, you're just watching something like Jesus football really can be just a simple game. Like one guy is is quicker than another guy and that just makes Spain have to make different decisions. So like Watkins by being able to run, Cole Palmer by being able to find him where to pass or have a shot on goal or just change the game. So yeah, when you look at like it would be different if England hadn't got good players to replace him.
00:03:23
Speaker
But, and it would be different if he didn't have time to grow into the tournament. Like it was obvious after the group stage that Kane was the best, at best he was carrying an injury at worst. He's in terminal decline. And so. Yeah. Do you think it's the jingus, the legs are gone. Cause I'm really on the fence. Like I think it might be a mixture of the two that he had a bit of a knock or it's it's been a long season. You know, he had a lot to prove this season, but for me, it It's a bit of a Tarazi off a cliff moment. I was just going to say, like of all positions, strikers are the ones that have that cliff edge fall off now. Yeah. Yeah. I just think like we sort of have to have a discussion about game because it's getting to the point where the guy isn't on logy is He is the unlucky part to the team. Like he, I don't know. Like, I don't know whether he, he just take the tracks from the way teams play or, or what, but like,
00:04:17
Speaker
he literally cannot win a trophy to say but i think it's ah like i really do think it's the players around him they because like you know you look at me you look at munich he's got fast wingers on both sides coming through the channel at spurs he had son now obviously there's a there's a question there in terms of is he ruthless enough for a trophy but i do think to give him a bit of credit he can still bang in good goals i know he didn't do it well at this tournament but He is in a system that doesn't suit him in England. I don't know about you, Robbie. Yeah, I think he's been unlucky with that. He did play for Tottenham and he got them to finals and Champions League finals again where he was and fit and shouldn't have played. Like Bayern Munich, that's a freak season, that ah like one in every 20 years, something like that might happen. So I think from that perspective, he's been unlucky. But with England and even here, like a
00:05:06
Speaker
Even if he was fully fit, I just don't think they would have beaten Spain. and i bought But if you do watch it, England were undoubtedly better at them. And in the past, you could easily say that, well, it's not his fault that
Analysis of England vs Spain Match
00:05:18
Speaker
Spurs didn't win the Champions League, or even though he he was probably wasn't fit in that final, or it's not his fault that Spurs didn't win the Premier League. But in this match, I suppose you could make a claim that England scored or wrote him on the pitch. So England were much better for his absence because Spain just, he might as well not even been there. The Spanish defenders didn't even consider him a threat because they knew they could just push up and he's not going to be able to outrun any of them. and And he wasn't able to outmuscle any of them either. That was the other thing. He just looked physically frail. And this is where as it comes back to sell. kate like I know he gets a lot of stick, but
00:05:52
Speaker
ah A player like Harry Kane is never going to say, listen, I'm i'm not half full fitness today. He's not going to do that. That's uptic that's up to Southgate. And he bottled it, basically. It was the right decision. The fact that he came off after 57 minutes, she always was the right decision. But we'll never know if he had a start at Watkins. But I do think Spain had another gear to go. And I think they would have won anyway. That would be my opinion on it. But yeah, it'll be interesting, Harry Kane, because it just hasn't worked for him as well at club level. Sorry, Killian. my views actually changed on him I can't lie because like I'm starting to think does he if he can score all the goals he wants and stuff but does his actual overall play in the team and how he's positioned the team actually did like like brings down everyone else in the pick I so i'm stand to think because like listen
00:06:43
Speaker
There was a start yesterday where he's moved to Germany, he's lost five out of five trophies since he's been there. oh yeah I think that's incredible. Having a discussion like how he fits into teams and not not not just how good he is as foreign girls. I did i did i do ah do think just on the England one before before we move on to Bayern Munich, I think his key problem this tournament but even take out having a knock or the legs going on is his inability to get him behind. You know, like that, like that is why Watkins worked. That's why Tony worked. it You know, relieve the midfield, gave him more space. So like I really, I would, I don't know what the future holds for Harry Kane in terms of an international career. Like let's face it, he will be at
Criticism of England's Tactics
00:07:26
Speaker
that World Cup, but like, I think they either need, if they're going to keep them in that team as a starting player, they need to adopt to him.
00:07:33
Speaker
Yeah, I think he's always been a team player and I actually think he's always made every team better. I really do. I think, look, you look a son, he played great football and like he was brilliant and taught them. This is the first time where I think we can say he's made a team worse. Um, and yeah, like we don't know if this is, this is it now from, or is it actually, is it actually a blip? Is it a bad injury? But I do think the way they're set up as well, like they're wide players. Saka was Florida white because you're playing as it like a natural winger and then you have Foulton coming inside and you didn't have Rashford or... And your defenders playing in midfield. Killian, are you on the night side of the camp? Are you on ours? Are you yeah youre indifferent? I think Nate is right in terms of England. and I think this is kind of like Ronaldo as Man United territory.
00:08:19
Speaker
for what he adds to the team, it's actually worse off. um And I think it ultimately goes down to a square pegging around hole. like I would much rather a player that fits the system you're trying to play than trying to squeeze in a name. And I think this is where Southgate is way too political for his own good. He knows that the press would have been on him if Kane didn't start, despite the fact that everybody could see that Kane is either not fit or not right for it, whatever it may be, or a combination of both.
00:08:54
Speaker
it does not take as many games as they had to figure out that maybe this isn't working because we were saying after the first one. Like he was practically trying to play a defensive midfield at one stage. I messaged him to our WhatsApp. I was pretty sure England has had a center forward on their graphic but they were playing there. Why was Fodum on the beyond the penalty spot closest to where the white person was trying to cross in? And why was Kane at the edge of the box at like the little semicircle? It goes back to what we were saying in previous cards. There's no system, you know? Well, I don't think that's a system thing. Kane does this and every team is in like... like yeah it's It's a repeatable thing that we're seeing. He does it as far as where with the memes, always the quarterback, you know what I mean? Make your striker. And i'm not I'm not having the thing where it's like... like and He doesn't have the pace to get in behind and stuff. He's not even trying like...
00:09:49
Speaker
I think it's different though when you have ah when you have a system that works around somebody like that. Yeah, he needs people to run off him. He hasn't got anyone doing that. you you to see all All English players playing hero ball, all
England's Journey to the Final
00:10:00
Speaker
of them. Duke Bellingham taking 400 touches so the cameras can get a shot of him before he passes it, forward and trying to come in field. He doesn't have anyone to run off him. Like there's no no vertical runs or anything from any of the players on the pitch and also they couldn't really get the ball. I think I think there's been a little bit of it. Like if he's the one to escape go when I would say Southgate is by far more culpable. And and then there's other players like Kyle Walker. Kyle Walker's a terrible defender. Like he's a terrible defender. And I see a clip of Jack Reed saying with Thierry on Reed, get the better of him. I'm like, what?
00:10:39
Speaker
Of course he would. like and take take Take Pace away from Kyle Walker and I'd be interested to see what he's like. He's Pace has done nothing from him. The both goals came down that side. he he played the and next It was a Slovakia match. He was fought they played the striker five yards onside. There's plenty of blame to go around. I think Kane's getting too much of it because he is still England captain, he is still a player who can you can you can get a goal. I don't think it's Ronaldo's levels where Ronaldo is shooting from corners and goal kicks to try and get shot on target. I think Kane is just, he's a player going through a bad spell. I don't think he's at fault. I think Southgate is definitely more at fault than a few other players I pinned the blame on before him.
00:11:22
Speaker
Just because while you mentioned Walker there, I did say it in our episode before the final that I thought Carvajal coming back in the team would make a a bit of a difference. And I think Carvajal shows the difference between a defender that can defend and a defender that is like quick and has reasonable positioning. Like he was so good attacking and defensively. Thank you Correa as well he sets up the call now comes back to like who's England's like best pass at a ball like Trent Alexander-Arnold but he gets criticized because he quote can't defend well call worker can't really defend either and then you've players like likeelke is what bring on conor gallahher who like I don't think can actually really play football. while Who was he coming on for? terrible Because but but like genuinely like it it it was the only person that could have possibly have been was Foden because
Debate on Southgate's Future
00:12:08
Speaker
he's not going to take off batting him.
00:12:09
Speaker
He was paying for penalties like after 70 or 80 minutes, wherever it might have been. like So probably even soon sooner. So I think Kane is, I think it should be said, okay, basically to focus on. On the walk or so, I actually think he's got a bit of a hard rep just purely because Saka was not tracking at all like it. Like not one bit. He was not coming back one bit. Was he told to stay up? Like when when I watched it, particularly this was the first call. Yeah, had the mouth whipped it over like.
00:12:42
Speaker
Saka was more of the bitch and I'm like, even if Saka pushed back that bit, Karl Walker would have been further back. So I don't know. All tournament, all tournament, I don't know about that high press because they only play the high press when they're 1-0 down. And when they do that, they play good football. But like, does no one in that team in the dressing room go, ah okay, we may not like what Garrett's doing, but the only time we're playing well is when we're chasing the game. So why don't we just bloody do that? like I think the word high press is a bit generous. England have been so lucky. Like, a roll of a dice and they would have been nowhere near the final. Like, they scraped through and got very, very lucky in that semi-final to get through. Like, this is a team that has stuck with practically the same spine since the last Euros just because Gareth Southgate likes them. Like, there is no justification for him to stay on.
00:13:38
Speaker
like He was the best paid manager at the Euros and probably did the least amount of work. His subs in the last two games were good. That's
Reflection on Tournament Predictions
00:13:49
Speaker
pretty much all I can say. Like, I think Shearer summed it up the best and look ah I know not all of us love Shearer as a pundit, but he was like, England were a moments team. That's all they were, you know, they, they came in with a couple of clutch moments when they needed to, whether it was Bellingham was by UC or Watkins, you know, ah plenty more throughout the tournament that they, like you said, they just scraped it in. And, and I think all of us got a bit carried away going into that final but thinking,
00:14:20
Speaker
putting all those moments together going, oh, we might have a team here. But you know apart from that semifinal was probably the first half of the semifinal was probably the best football they played it all tournament, maybe the first half of their very first game. Outside that, there was nothing.
00:14:37
Speaker
No, no. For me, the moment that really got for me was when they, they had the spell and I really do. I really did feel Spain were still going to win it because they're just better footballers, but he had a throw in the 76 minute and Kyle Walker had about five players in the box. He could have thrown it too. And he flings a back about 35 yards to John stones. John stones kicks it back to Pickford and it's a spitting goal kick. Pickford does hoops up the pitch as hard as he can. And Spain just take a breather, take control of the game, and then a m they basically had another three shots on target. And I don't think England even touched the ball in Spain's half again after that. So we're going back, like the other moments theme, if you're ever going to win it, it was going to be a penalty. I think penalties are
00:15:23
Speaker
with fluke or free kick or something but the reason why they're not winning is they can't put it all together and I think a lot of it does come back to silky but a lot of it comes back to it as well as like for me and it sounds harsh like intelligent footballers like the Spanish players are just better footballers like particularly in my field and they're just able to control games more England just got like rush of blood to the head when they did do well and even say okay wait his sobs like it's it's kind of hard for him to make a bad soap given how good the players are like they probably had the best squad in the tournament and they could bring on Watkins, Toni, Palmer like Anthony Gordon they didn't even get on like Bowen these are already the effective players but he just never really used the item properly I don't think go to them in the semis until
00:16:06
Speaker
It definitely goes back to just not being able to control the game. And then even last night, you're looking at BBC or ITV, more so BBC, and they're just talking about England, why didn't England win, more paying for England. I'm like, that's just two teams in this match. Spain are infinitely better than you, better off with all the new guys, and you're lucky to get that far. One of the things I have to say, like whatever anybody thinks about about his personality or anything like that, Nate, it kind of goes back to something that you had said a long time ago about Onana. Pickford has Onana syndrome. Like, he gets a bad rap, but he was very effective. And yes, he did concede two goals. But how many shots did he save? Like, if it wasn't for him, it genuinely could have been a three or a four goal lead that they had. um like I think it's, of anybody, I think he's the one that might come should come away with a little bit of credibility here.
00:16:58
Speaker
yeah i thought it was good um not a fault for particularly any goal really um yeah like to be honest i don't think
Impact of Euro 2024 and Future of Football
00:17:07
Speaker
much trouble them last night like the the game was a bit meh for for a huge portion of it particularly like nothing really stands out big um but yeah like i i just think he's a solid goalkeeper like i don't think he'll ever really move on from everything up to the higher edge lands but I don't think he's going to go lower either. I think he'll probably retire there. But yeah, I just think solid performance and he'll be England number one until someone comes and knocks him off that perch, which will have to be a world class goalkeeper. Well, it's just so deeply unlikable though. Like I find it so hard to look past my hatred of him to actually see the footballing talent. And I know as a as a podcaster, we should be able to look past things like that, but he's just so
00:17:57
Speaker
deeply It was like watching Ireland back under Jack Tarleton or Mick McCarthy or something. He's just hooffing the ball up the pitch. I don't think it's the type of person you want in the trenches with you or when you're in this situation where you need calm heads. unlikable I think he is. I think he doesn't really go wrong. Do you know what I mean? He won't give you a howler. It's just a safe pair of hands.
00:18:37
Speaker
i man i don't see any issue and i my I think we'll have to mute Killian's Mike because he's ah he's he's a pig for Stan long timer. Yeah but like he's just very effective he's just one of them guys you don't have to think about and like I think it was him with the hoofing now he has a good hoof on him but I think it just again proves how ineffectual Garret's outgate is because you have one end of the pitch trying to play like good football but with wingers that are playing as if they were going to have a target man in there and then the so-called target man are sent forward trying to try and play defensive midfield and then you have a keeper that's trying to huff it up long and then you have wing backs that are trying to overlap like none of it is making sense together and speaking about who will be d the England number one well the real number one is the manager and I think Southgate has to go and if he does go
00:19:28
Speaker
Connor, do you think you could lose another key man at Newcastle? Oh, like this is like the pick for a thing where I can't see past a certain thing. Like I, the idea of us losing our director of football and a manager, I can't even process because that had put us back so far in the project. And, but even on the manager, like if one thing that like, again, not another, not a pundit that we, we adore on this podcast, Jamie Carragher, he had a fairly decent point. He was like, Sven played 4-4-2, Fabio was too strict, Gareth is too defensive. Funny how it's always the manager. The factor big player the fact is our big players didn't turn up in this tour and other tournaments going back years. Like, what do you think, Nate?
00:20:11
Speaker
it's i ti i talk a's funny last night He then goes on to ruin his point by saying that the ceiling for these players aren't much higher. No wonder we're blaming the manager because the tactics were horrendous. Honestly, I don't know how you watch that tournament and come out with that opinion. Are you trying to save a face for some friends there or something? like it was yeah I don't understand his points there. and I think England have a lot of managers that make a lot more sense than they could go for. like who Who are you saying?
00:20:47
Speaker
I think Eddie House, a good show. Steve Bruce, my boy. If I'm down, I'm maybe making a play for a clock. like like honest A German is the England manager. I just can't see it. If USA are trying to get Jurgen Klopp, the England national names would be. Let's say the USA's pitch for Klopp. It's such a cushy job that like I'm like, it'd be sort of a no brainer if you could put put it to the side that he's German. I can't see Klopp. You ah mo like have a manager who's great at everything other than the football. He's great at press conferences. He's great at the players. I love him. He gets all that element of it. So you have that down. You just need an actual coach now. and
00:21:41
Speaker
like the closest i can thinkk of to him far Another one achillan stands yeah he's quite called on tactically he saw club he's being at and he's quite similar tos okay and how he kind of you think that's a hard sell to England fans though? so bored i think anyone is like near the older than there would be clock or something like that yeah i think a lot yeah la bit was okay like ah you knowt last last night i i even too strict down um our are harden for this tournament for me i' always go back to just blew it i ambling in twenty twenty one and you should've left them because were one l up against hit the up weley though more do you need to win a trophy so that was the chance for me and and now i think
00:22:30
Speaker
think he'll just walk and do gracefully but there would be someone. How has proven? I think how is it definitely a step up on him? I don't understand what the how one for him like obviously at the job he'd want but like he's not an old man like you take the England job do you don't really go back to club coaching
00:22:52
Speaker
Yeah, I think he probably would have if he does a great job i'll be he will or even a really good job like Garza Okay, it's definitely more employable now than when he took over the job. Maybe he's thinking as well. He's not gonna Yeah This as far as he's gonna go and this QLs will come in from one of the top four, probably not thought of them. We need a bit of personality in England, hearty I think. like i'm just I'm a bit bored. like like I would need someone to generate some headlines. Give us something to talk about when things hit the fan and stuff like that. It's just really, really boring. and
00:23:30
Speaker
If I'm hell I'm personally going to England because and I don't mean to offend you here Connor I don't know what that Newcastle build is going on there personally so I'd probably be going to England. The wheels aren't falling off on us yet but they're getting a bit squeaky. Yeah for last one off from me is like if you know where to get a gold manager it would be a bit like when Liverpool got clocked and as you know your fans are like oh no he's actually good this isn't Hudson like this is a really good coach like I still think England are lacking them certain players but if they get a really tough coach then you will be worried because
00:24:10
Speaker
they do have such a depth of squad of players. So yeah, that would be a worry. But how, I think, is for himself to be... What are you saying, Keaton? Well, I'm looking at some of the odds. And Potter is odds on favorite. And I think he'd be astute. My only concern about him is how would he deal with the pressure of leaving out players? Because he is one of them kind of coaches that is He prefers a team that's better than the sum of its parts and that is ultimately the problem in England. and i think
00:24:43
Speaker
the difference with England versus a club team is you kind of saw it with him and a Chelsea, he couldn't quite deal with the extra pressure of like, why aren't you playing that player? And they didn't quite do that well with the questioning of it. And with England, that's all there is. It's always questioning. You were never gonna make the right decision. You kind of want somebody that's gonna stand up a little bit more to that. But like Lee Carsley and Eddie Howard are both second and third. Pochettino was eight to one. ah Thomas Tuchel, 12 to 1. Frank Lampard is 20 to 1. Jesus. That's when you know there's not many in the running though. When like Frank Lampard's name gets brought up, you're like, you okay, we're scraping the barrel here. But you could kind of see it happening. Stevie G next. like Well, and just on the money front, boys, on the money front, house on $6 million up in the town, clock was on $15 million at Liverpool. you know But it's also like a part-time job.
00:25:40
Speaker
Yeah, like just looking at some of the other ones here, Stevie G is 33 to 1, Michael Carrick 33 to 1, Brendan Rodgers is 40 to 1, now he I think would be in a Stute signing, like he'd be kind of a little bit like Potter, but I think he has that weird arrogance, the David Brent energy to actually make something. The politics of of a Celtic manager being the England manager wouldn't happen. It'd be class though. i But like some of their like wilder suggestions, Marcello Bialta 50 to 1, Gary O'Neill 50 to only 66 to 1. And one thing that Carlo is like, never write them off for any position.
00:26:24
Speaker
We did torn down. England's still Europe though. If that's where he wants to be based. four like I just want to think about it. The way England fans are and to be fair it's like ah I'll give it some England fans and compliments there. The way they are it's like... they really got behind so okay and he's a very boring manager and I'm like if you put anyone in there with a bit of spice like I think that could that could elevate the team in terms of like it's us versus you sort of mentality. Siege mentality yeah. Yeah like I feel like they need someone like that's that's willing to go out and say stuff and like cause a bit of a stir like I think that could actually be a play that elevates England.
00:27:08
Speaker
Yeah. Now, we're not just for going after managers and all this. We are willing to put our necks on the line. And we did so with the Euros. We did actually go and predict ah the Euros. We did a whole episode. And if you haven't listened to that, there's probably no point in listening to it now. We're going to go over it. So, gentlemen, how are we feeling? Is there any kind of predictions you remember kind of going and going and thinking kind of like, oh, actually, That was quite good. so was Well, good, no, but there was a couple of ones that I went hard overhead in the groups and that that I don't think will have of come to roost. um the The one I was surprised of personally, I had Germany to get to the final um and I really think they could have done better this tournament. Outside of that, there's nothing too alarming and and in terms of the good predictions. What about you boys?
00:28:05
Speaker
Oh, I think, uh, I've had a few stingers there. Like, I'm not gonna lie. Um, but I don't think it's my fault. Like, I think the term was just terrible. like So if it was a normal term, I think I would have been spot on, but we'll see how bad it was. Right. So group A, uh, nobody got it right. Good stuff. Great start. <unk> All pretty close, but we all put hungry down the bottom. And Hungary finished third. So it was Germany, Switzerland, Hungary, and Scotland. And we all had basically swapped Scotland, Switzerland. We thought we'd either be second or third. So not not too great there. But we did get Germany correct. We can all take a little bit of heart in that. Group B finished Spain, Italy, Croatia, and Albania. And Connor got it right. Yup.
00:28:58
Speaker
and Nate got it right. Oh, wonder boys. Rob, you got Croatia second and Italy third. That one was a bit ropey though, to be fair. That one was didn't like Italy were close to going out. Yeah, well they they were on four points and Croatia was on two. Like it was a win lose and a draw. So it wasn't great. But ah I got the most wrong. I said Croatia, Spain and Italy. So there's ropey and then there's the whole rope. Right, Group C, what are we saying? So, it finished England, Denmark, Slovenia and Serbia bottom with only two points. My boys let me down. no We all got this one kind of wrong and the closest was Connor and Rob, England, Denmark, Serbia and Slovenia.
00:29:48
Speaker
and so it just he's at least got England and Denmark right yeah it said Serbia would come second and so didn't it so see group D finished and this we all got this one yeah yeah got this one wrong Austria France Netherlands and Poland well I mean that like honestly no one could have scripted that like Ralph pulled off an absolute Ralph special and That's what wrecked the whole tournament actually France got in, not wrecked but France should have been on the other side, on England's side of the draw and because they messed up against Poland they went on. Like the only one that I'd say kind of came closest just by getting Poland in the right position is Rob. Ulysse had Poland last. um Yeah other than that we were just all, I had Poland come second so.
00:30:37
Speaker
Yeah, what were you thinking there? I thought the Netherlands would be much worse. and Group E. Now again, none of us got this right because nobody could have predicted this. Romania topped it. Was this the one where everyone got four points? Everybody got four points. yeah But we can take take a gentle kind of loss here. yeah has going Romania, Belgium, Slovakia, and Ukraine. Can we just talk about that Belgium team for a second lads? Like, uh, like I know, I know Nate, I, I most profusely apologize that we even put them in the top echelons of the sweepstakes after your major protest and you were damn right. But like, stand by what is going on over there? Like, I know De Bruyne acted like a child when he was asked about the golden generation and the timing of the question was poor, but like you really have to look at that team and.
00:31:28
Speaker
the possibilities that team had and for multiple tournaments for the last 10 years and they've absolutely faffed it every time. I can't remember who said it but someone said it was the more you think about Belgium now it was always just Eden Hazard. Yeah, Lukaku though, you'd De Bruyne. Even Axel Witzel turned up on the international stage. At one stage they did have good defenders and a good keeper. They had lots of good individuals and nothing could bring them together to make it work. Sounds like England.
00:32:02
Speaker
Yeah. um Chocolate England. Group F. who Who got it right? Nobody got this one right. We were all pretty close though. It finished Portugal, Turkey, Georgia, and Czech Republic. and we all put Georgia bottom so fair play Willy Samuel and Connor I say have to say you're the one that was most wrong here in the public to finish second ah I mean it's one of those teams you can never really sleep on them but you never know what they're gonna do at the same time yeah not ah not great and so then we go on to the knockout stages so
00:32:49
Speaker
around 16 is kind of just a lot happening there so we'll go on to quarterfinals. So what there actually was was Spain versus Germany. ah Both Connor and Rob got that. Now part of this would have been down to third place and see on what side of the draw and all that was going to be so. We're not going to give you too much credit. It's not particularly your decision. And Nate, you also got that one. I was the only one that didn't. I thought it was going to be Germany versus Croatia. Then Portugal versus France. ah You had Portugal, Netherlands, Portugal, Netherlands. I had Portugal. Nate actually got Portugal versus France as well. Jesus doing well, kid. He goes wrong for the next ones. Netherlands, Turkey. Nobody had that.
00:33:37
Speaker
So no one at Turkey going that far, not a chance. ah I still stand by that Austria-Turkey game was possibly the game in the tournament, outside the semis. Yeah, absolutely. um England versus Switzerland. Did anybody have that? No, they didn't. There was an England versus Croatia, Spain versus England. I did predict Spain would beat England, but I thought it'd be 2-0 in the quarters. So just going to have that said. So we get to the semis. Semis. It had Spain versus France. I had Spain versus France.
00:34:14
Speaker
and And then it was Netherlands versus England, which Nate had. Wow. yeah that Fair play to you on that one. Yeah, you don't know the answer. This is where it all falls apart. Connor, do you remember who your final was? Germany, France, and I said Germany on Panos, I think. No, you said France on Panos. Oh, okay. Rob, do you remember your final? I thought it'd be France versus Portugal. A bit of France victory. And Nate, do you remember yours? Portugal versus Netherlands. I didn't mean to say I was going to win. Portugal. We're going to have to disband the pod after that. There's a level of bad results there that's just unacceptable.
00:35:04
Speaker
yeah but like We didn't know we were going to get like the walkthrough essentially. Yeah I think this is this is where Rob's point comes in is that France did it or shouldn't ruined everything by just being really bad against the really bad polling team. If they just didn't mess up there we all would have been a whole lot better off. possibly my favorite quote in the history of the part is he's a football terrorist i want t-shirts i want hoodies i want hats i am happy franston when yeah i have to say kalina baba was very very underwhelming this tournament
00:35:41
Speaker
Do you think it was all that's gone on at PSG and like he's obviously got the he's got Madrid in one part of his head and and just kind of it all got a bit much room kind of having to be literally carry that nation on his shoulders or do you do you think it was the broken nose bit of both neither? There's a few things I think I said at the start he was the one that was like we want need him to step up and be much better than he has been. like I think he's the he's regressed as a footballer playing for PSG he's wasted eight years, seven years of his career playing there. Like he only plays when the team, when the ball gets passed to him, you know, that way, like he's not really a factor. Otherwise he was good in the semis against Spain, but to me, it it kind of confirmed that he's the most talented player in the world. Cause he is, he's so tired. I'll obviously mess up the new bridge here in Europe. right
00:36:33
Speaker
Yeah, he's not talented and he's so he's so good and when he wants to be, but I don't think he's developing a fully formed footballer, if that makes sense. He's not like, he's not involved enough for me. And I know he broke his nose and the team played terrible, but he just would have liked him to see a lot more from him. And but maybe under a new manager you would, because obviously the guy is. I don't understand why he signed that second contract, the PSG, because it's not a money thing. Like he could have got that money anywhere, you know? I think it was a money thing. Like the amount of money he got was ridiculous. Like, Oh, like I know he was on like the guts of a million a week, but like, you know, this, this Madrid deal, yeah, on paper here, it's 300 grand a week, but he got to sign an on bonus of 150 million pound. You know what I mean? So when you average that out, it's, you know, it's nigh on the same. See, I think the second contract was more of a political thing. It cemented his status in France, which cemented his status across half of Africa.
00:37:30
Speaker
so like I think it was more about that yes the money was just a lovely little sweetener but like when you have the president of France calling you to make sure you don't move close to guitar world cor and get guitar and bs she and so like there was a lot of yeah you forgot about that actually but like he's he's been so successful monetizing his career, but I think you're seeing, he's 20, he's five, 26 now. like messy There's no one question that Messi at that stage of his career, like and he has the talent to be, maybe not at Messi's level, but to be the player of his generation, and you're just watching this tournament going, he's just standing out in the wing waiting for someone to pass in the ball. Then he'll spring into life, but otherwise, he's just kind of like half a player. i just
00:38:14
Speaker
but ah ah Yeah, whatever the stinkin' attitude, but name I was, yeah, whatever the stinkin' attitude, even though he hears a bit, he does seem like a bit of a deal. That's, I'm gonna go nuclear, alright? Gone the days of superstar players, in my opinion, in terms... No, look at your mouth. I don't know. What I'm saying is in terms of players might perform really well over a tournament, over a season. But I just think where football is now, where we're so dependent on systems, it can chop and change so much. I just don't think we're going to be at the point where we see players tearing it up for like four or five years in a row. I think football is in there quite a stale place where
00:38:59
Speaker
You'll see players take off, oh he's doing really well this season, he's doing really well at that season, but I think when managers and teams get found out and stuff like that, I think that would die down for a period and come back. I just think football's a lot different than a couple of years ago. I don't, I don't think you're completely wrong. Um, ah think they' the like I I think there's a, you're right in the systems thing, but I think when you, and like we've seen in this tournament, like, did anyone think Alma would be one of the players of the tournament? No, you know, but I love that man. Oh, he's such a different route of things like going via Dynamo, like absolutely legendary.
00:39:41
Speaker
His release clause ends on the 20th. So someone could snap him up and they extended the release clause. So the club obviously want to shift them. But ah in terms of superstar players, like I don't know, like I know Lameony Mal is only 17. And look, it may not pan out the way everyone thinks it's gonna, but I think with guys like him, you know, dude, Bellingham, Palmer's, even Kobe May news, you know, obviously I'm going England heavy on that one. There's, you know, you've got Pedri Gavi, like I, Will they be your Zidans and your Totties and your that level? Maybe not, but they're still gigantic superstars, you know?
00:40:22
Speaker
but you' Like your Pedri, he can't get fit to save his life because he's been playing too young. But Gavi has done his ACL this season. If they're not careful, you're miles destined for the same stuff where he's overplayed at a young age. and I don't like this point where we're at where people are getting bright and super young and just run into the ground. I think where football is actually really missing, not on the superstars. I think we have an enough superstars, everybody's commercialized. We don't have enough stars. We don't have the mid table teams having some random absolute, like we don't, we won't have another JJ Akacha at bulletin again.
00:41:03
Speaker
but two five yeah Yeah, like even like even him or Cessignon is at Sunderland or Ben Arfa at Newcastle. Leticia at Southampton. We just had these absolute ballers playing in a team that they had no business being in that would just light up the crowd. Now, it's just all very I think it's the money because I think, you know, back in the year of even Ben Arfa and if we are To meet your pie at like yeah, the money was still ah insane when you compare it to any normal job But like if if you're an endrick
00:41:38
Speaker
You're going to go for that Madrid contract. like Yes, you're going to an amazing team, and an amazing manager. But like these these kids, a lot of whom come out of very poor circumstances, they don't they don't look at, oh, I'll go to a Southampton and build myself. They just want to go straight to the top, earn as much as they can. And if the career pan's out it does or it doesn't, they'll have made enough bag by the time it it doesn't. you know It's just lamentable that it's a business and not, not, not a sport or not, not an entertainment. Like that was the tissue here. Uh, one of his early conspiracy was the football was a, was for entertainment and fun, not for money. Well, it's such a shame. He became an absolute loon.
00:42:20
Speaker
his conspiracy he was also wrong on as he as he normally is now makes you think paette what a player i remember in on he like ah every time you stood on a free cake you're like top ends that is like ah vonnie said Yeah, it's just we've we've been robbed of them kind of stars because all I want all I want back is stars. not super well i Well, you look at that Madrid team and it's it's it's a football manager job. Like, I mean, it's that's as close to the Galactica's as they're ever going to get again. It's I mean, they keep adding to it. Is there any current stars in the family that you think play for last with him and just turn up like that's hard, actually.
00:43:05
Speaker
Um, like, are we set? Like when we say stars doing like they could walk into any team in the world. No, I'm talking like this fella like runs like the Jack creators asked him that I run the show. At least he was. And yeah, he's very good. Well, it was like, I don't think bones. I love Jared Bowen, but he's not. I wouldn't say he'd walk into any team. Yeah. Lucas. buer Yeah. Sure. He's got his gambling problems now, doesn't he? Yeah. Yeah. Bruno for a while, looked like you. could There was a couple of Brighton heads that looked like the kind of that, that kind of level of player, but it's actually a great question. Bruno.
00:43:51
Speaker
ki moreesz Mmm, I love him dearly but again he for a while he looked like he was yeah Yeah, but I don't again. He wouldn't walk into any team in the world, you know, I don't think it necessarily easy walking into any team but it's just one them kind of players that's like a level above of where he is and just kind of but then Bruno's definitely there Bruno's the best player we have and we'll be lucky to hold on to him because of our FFP issues, you know, Yeah, I but I mean, even maybe counting like a Pedro Netto at Woolworth, where it's just one of them kind of pairs, they get the ball and you're like, yeah. But I think the thing is, they always get eaten up, put it in a season or two, where before these pairs would have lasted a club for four or five years and then moved on. Yes.
00:44:40
Speaker
Yeah, I struggled to even list two. But gentlemen, listing more Premier League players is what we will be getting back to very, very soon as that is our summer tournament finished. How have we felt about Euro 2024? Tums up or tums down? Ah, look, I mean, it's it's been a in ways, it's been a very met tournament. um Like we said before, what my take out from it is the emergence of young talent across Europe. I always love tournament football, whether even when the football isn't as good as you hope it to be, it's still great to have it on. So I wouldn't say it was a tom's down and thumbs It comes up for me, but could have been a lot better. Nate, I think I know where you're going to go with this one.
00:45:27
Speaker
comes down I just honestly found it a bit boring and I thought like there was four or five standout games but other than that I thought bit in there and I'm personally ready to get back into the Premier League season and but yeah to me it was let's just say if I could do it like I could say I could do without that tournament happening
00:45:53
Speaker
I go, thumbs up because Spain won it, but other than that, thumbs down it wasn't. It was a poor tournament, I think, compared to the last couple of months. And as I said to you guys already, I think the structure of it is broken, but it's been redeemed by Spain winning it a ah little bit. And i ah I'm not overly looking forward to the club foot buying this way too much. From putting it on, I actually like did the the way international teams work and you have to just pick the players you have available to you. I'm sure i'll get back i'll get I'll get back into it as long as Eddie Howe is at the helm. if i I give up on the season otherwise. What about you, Killian? Thumbs up, thumbs down? I would give it a thumbs up, but like at an angle. like It's somewhere in between. i'm I'm glad it happened, but I'm also glad it's over. and Yeah, like i'm I'm excited to see what transfers and all are going to come up.
00:46:47
Speaker
I have to say, everything's more fun in this championship. um So I have that to look forward to. And ah yeah, um hopefully we don't just see another boring summer where we're talking more about accountants than we are. i think I think it is going to be that, man. I think it's going to be another summer of financial gymnastics where you have to sell to buy and you defer payments. And ah that that's the big one for me that would FFP. It's killed the the mad spending that makes Transfer Windows fun, you know? Well, isn't it great that we have a load of interviews lined up from all around the world, and we're not going to have to focus too much on the accountant or your league, nor charges at all. Gentlemen, thank you very much for joining me, and I'll chat to you next week. Bye-bye. Messy. Messy! Oh, my goodness! It's L.A. Aquero!
00:47:44
Speaker
This is extraordinary! What a hit! Back of an ant!