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Episode 214: Season tickets selling, Kit Sale and Dragan Solak interview!
102 Plays1 month ago
Southampton – Lots to talk about today, Season ticket sales are higher than our previous year in the championship, a last ditch effort to sell 24/25 kits and sit down interviews with Dragan Solak!
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Transcript
Introduction and Light Banter
00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello welcome back to the Daily Southampton, part of the Global Sports Podcast Network. My name is Greg Elliott and as always joined by my good friend, wonderful co-host, Sakingo Finch.
00:00:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
How doing mate, you alright?
00:00:22
Zak
yeah Not too bad. Weather's still ruining me. At least hay fever-wise. I quite like the fact it's quite warm out. It's quite nice to go out and go for little wander after the work, but cannot deal with the fact that i want to sneeze every five minutes.
00:00:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
to
00:00:36
Zak
Hey-ho.
00:00:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Too hot for
00:00:37
Zak
We...
Last Season's Kit Sale
00:00:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
me, mate.
00:00:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
It needs to go back to Baltic temperatures.
00:00:37
Zak
yeah
00:00:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
But look, we've had slivers of news out of the club today and one particularly interesting interview, but we'll touch on the smaller bits first, I think. A little deal in the shop, Zach, to have a final blow at getting rid of the horrible highlighter-coloured kits from last season.
00:00:58
Zak
Spend over £20 and we'll give you a replica shirt for £15.
00:00:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:01:03
Zak
Please take them. Please.
New Kit Launch Rumors
00:01:06
Zak
um I did see somebody put out on Twitter that they photoshopped and apparently they're trying to get ready for the new kit launch, which might be tomorrow.
00:01:13
Zak
So today, when you're listening to this, potentially, don't know how much credence I give rumours. They showed a picture of them calling the the shop as well. So like, cause somebody was like, oh, well, why would you lie? and he's like, I've got my reason to lie me. And I'd like to think that's the case because that is also social media in it. It's like, take everything you see of a pinch of salt.
00:01:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:01:34
Zak
However, but excited if it is, I look forward to it. I'm wondering if the leaks are going to be accurate or we're going to get something completely different.
00:01:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's going be interesting to see. I can't
00:01:44
Zak
Hmm.
Excitement for New Football Season
00:01:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
It just feels like the football's getting back to starting once you get the kit launch and the ball starts rolling. It's...
00:01:53
Zak
g Did you want to mention, so me and Greg both came across an article this morning from YTV about our new spot new training kit sponsor, Midnight, the one that has the font that looks like Fortnite.
New Sponsor Criticism and Ethics
00:02:05
Zak
And that was pointed out, to be fair.
00:02:07
Zak
Apparently, it's getting a lot of criticism for targeting kids with gambling ads. How do you feel about that, Greg? Because she you seem to think of that was BS. Yeah.
00:02:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
all let Okay, first of all, it's very important and is literally one of the like three mission statements of the regulators of gambling companies to protect children from gambling.
00:02:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right? And gambling's a problem. But the the accusations thrown in that article were so... loose. Like, it was like, well, look, they made a meme on social media, so it's obviously aimed at kids, and it's like, well, I'm a 32-year-old adult male, and I pretty much exclusively live my life through communication via memes, so...
00:02:49
Zak
Don't... Isn't that like...
00:02:56
Zak
Isn't... Isn't like that Paddy Powers whole thing?
00:03:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Neutrally...
00:03:02
Zak
I think it's because of the style, right? It's the fact that they're doing it with like specific like sports stars and stuff like that. But I'm a bit like, you want to... You want to criticize anything for kids being like involved in gambling, you point the finger directly EA and FIFA.
00:03:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, 100%.
00:03:18
Zak
I said it there first. I worked in the game for a long time. And that's that's where I've watched probably a lot of people in their 20s now that put accumulators on every weekend or started with them buying FIFA on the team packs about a decade ago.
00:03:31
Zak
So, you know, I don't know. It just feels a bit gross that we just keep picking gambling sponsors all the time as if there's just no one else. And also, it's going to be banned from next year anyway.
00:03:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
then they're also but then also they're the ones that are willing to pay the money. So...
00:03:44
Zak
This is also the other problem, isn't it?
00:03:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know, that it's because it's such a profitable, you know, business, they have the money to splash around on the marketing and it it
Clickbait and Sensational News
00:03:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
gives them credit. But I think I said it when we, you know, when we talked about it earlier, like at least this one's a UK licensed gambling website, like slightly better.
00:03:55
Zak
True.
00:04:05
Zak
just The bar is so low.
00:04:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
Right. right
00:04:09
Zak
to comfort The
00:04:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Don't get me wrong, I'm not hopping on midnight to put bets on by any stretch of the imagination. like I'll stick with what i know.
00:04:17
Zak
It's just like, we're we're so glad ChexNotes that the company is real. like but we've we've always had a We've always had an absolute stinker with some of our sport sponsors, right?
00:04:29
Zak
Since the days, arguably Virgin and Veho in most recent years are probably not as bad.
00:04:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:04:35
Zak
But again, LD Sports being a company that's not even real is still probably the funniest.
00:04:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. But, you know, even sports...
00:04:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, but even Sportsbet was like a crypto thing that wasn't allowed to operate in the UK. So, look, it is what it is. Yes, they shouldn't target gambling at children. is posting a meme specifically doing that?
00:04:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, probably not. just It felt... I read the headline and the accusation was like, oh, that's awful. How could they do something like that?
00:05:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then I read the substance of the article and I'm like, or these things don't add up to the same the same output.
00:05:10
Zak
Oh.
00:05:13
Zak
Are you telling me that that they may have tried to bait you to click on their article and read it, and you did fully?
00:05:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, 100%.
00:05:21
Zak
Mad.
00:05:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
Crazy.
00:05:22
Zak
and I don't think any news organisations do that, mate.
00:05:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Crazy.
00:05:26
Zak
None of our taglines have ever been.
00:05:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't know what you mean. All of our taglines are strictly factual and definitely no clickbait involved.
00:05:33
Zak
hu
00:05:37
Zak
I've endured, fired?
00:05:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
whats
00:05:38
Zak
Question mark. It's that episode.
00:05:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
There was a question mark.
00:05:40
Zak
It
00:05:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
It was a question that we asked. I don't know.
00:05:43
Zak
is that it is that episode of Simpsons with Lydell Hutt. Sorry. It's like, oh, no, you've misread it. Puts the little comma and then the question mark afterwards. It's like, no win, no fee.
Increased Season Ticket Sales Despite Negativity
00:05:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
Also, seeing reports coming out that we've outsold season tickets compared to our last championship season, which is both great and somewhat surprising, right?
00:06:03
Zak
Interesting.
00:06:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like...
00:06:08
Zak
Yeah, especially with all the noise around it.
00:06:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. You know, i saw that from the Daily Echo, and then... They posted on the Saints website this afternoon that the last remaining seats for season tickets are are available. They're down to the last couple of thousand that they're going to sell as season tickets. So, great.
00:06:28
Zak
Happy days.
00:06:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
Good stuff. so Again, just slightly surprising off of the back of you know a lot of noise and a lot of negativity last season, but
00:06:37
Zak
but Maybe there's a bunch of people who didn't go last season because how bad it was. I'm like, oh, well, it can only get better from here.
00:06:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, well, 100%.
00:06:44
Zak
you know?
00:06:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, going into the best league in the world, and as we're going to touch upon a little bit later on, maybe that opinion's shared.
00:06:48
Zak
Remember, we confirmed our place in the championship season for this year, mate.
00:06:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's it. Well, look, we're going to get on to the the big news story of
In-depth Interview with Dragan Solak
00:06:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
the day. Obviously, the sit-down interviews with Dragan Solak. But first, a message from our partners at Bionique.
00:07:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, and we are back. So yeah, the the big news piece coming out today, sit-down interviews from Adam Blackmore and Alfie House.
00:07:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
a Big shout-out to those two, because don't know about you, mate, but it's nice to to like the journalists that we have to read articles from every day.
00:08:06
Zak
Yeah, i i I agree. And I think that they're both really likeable guys. I think they both do do really well at their job. yeah i ah ah think that I never read articles from either of them and I'm disappointed. right And I think that that's that says a lot because, again, we we we we consume a lot of Saints content.
00:08:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:08:26
Zak
ah yeah in this
00:08:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:08:28
Zak
In this, I wouldn't call it job or even side hustle, in this hobby that we do, we consume a lot of Saints content. And it's you know if going to have to sit down and read an article from either of them, but it's always going to be a good one.
00:08:41
Zak
And yeah, credit to them both.
00:08:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. And yeah, as though we've got lot of big lengthy sit down interviews with Dragon Solak. you know, really it's the first time we've heard from him at any length, right?
00:08:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
We've had, you know short interviews and clip-its and soundbites, but this is, yeah, but even that was only, you know, it was only for a few minutes.
00:09:00
Zak
We have to talk small one, right?
00:09:04
Zak
wasn't long.
00:09:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
the You know, it was a 25 minute, you know, full interview with with Adam Blackmore, which the full thing's available on the BBC. You know, if you're interested, go and give it a listen. It's,
00:09:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it's fascinating. It's a fascinating insight into you know a man who who frankly doesn't have to come out and face the critics, right? He could just sit behind his investment and do what he wants.
00:09:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
So it's it's good. And I think actually, i don't know how you feel about it coming into it. I think we both feel quite positive overall from from it. And, you know, like he's...
00:09:40
Zak
He seems like a really nice guy. he he seems like he actually genuinely cares. like I feel like you don't get a custom-made watch with the promotion date on the back. don't know if you've seen the photos of that, Greg, but it's great. It's custom-made watch.
00:09:57
Zak
You don't do something like that if it's just an investment and don't care. like you you don't you know Obviously, it's a flex to a football club, don't get me wrong, but you can just have the flex of owning the football club.
00:10:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:10:07
Zak
And as I said in our ah last lost coverage of his last interview on TalkSport, when even then, you know was it was drip fed in comparison to this. Like in comparison to when Gal was our owner and came out and gave an interview to the culture so culture secretary of the country at the time and didn't really speak to any other media and basically just complained that we shouldn't just expect investment.
00:10:33
Zak
comparison to that, it's like night and day. And like, you you know that I think that as much as, you know, there are going to be people that criticize Sports Republic no matter what.
00:10:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:10:42
Zak
Okay. Like we're not, we're not here to win those people over. I'm not here to really win any one over. I'm here to say what my opinion is. And my opinion is, yeah, really like him. Thought was really good interview.
00:10:52
Zak
Thought he comes across really well.
00:10:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:10:54
Zak
Actually have a lot of future hope for the club. I think that his, his ideas look great, but when I'm getting to the meat and bones of it,
00:11:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
oh I took down the interesting note. I want to say that my favourite quote from the entire sit-down was just like an offhand remark where Anna Blackmore sat down and was like, well, you know it's been event for three years. you know One promotion, two relegations, five permanent managers.
00:11:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
And his so immediate response was, yeah, they didn't put that in the investment portfolio. That's great. It's it's clear that You know, it's not necessarily what he signed up for, but he's loving the experience of doing it. You know, in the previous interviews we've heard from him, he came out and said that he he wasn't really a football person, you know, a football brain person.
00:11:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
And he, you know, he addresses that in the interview. He says that he knows business and he's going to work business. And what's important is getting now the footballing brains in place that he's got with Jovan Sports.
00:11:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
He speaks really highly of Jason Wilcox. and that he was really really, really annoyed with him when he left. And that, you know, comes out and says that they didn't replace him fast enough, which is...
00:12:05
Zak
Yeah, which is what we've all said since day one, right? Like the fact that it's been recognised that, yeah, maybe we should have, we just kind of blindly went into the Premier League with no plan. And the fact that he just outwardly says that is refreshing.
00:12:17
Zak
because It's like, good, we all knew it, but like you could have, you could easily have them come out and be like, we did have a secret plan. It just didn't work. The fact he just like, yeah, we just kind of relied on Russell Vardy.
00:12:27
Zak
That was a problem, wasn't it? Like, but was just refreshing, refreshing.
00:12:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's And it's refreshing, right? Because he's like, it's not just that. It's also like, yeah, well, I put my trust in, uh, Ankersen and, Kraft, you know, to use their football experience and their football brain in it.
00:12:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
It didn't work. And it, you know, we've made mistakes.
00:12:45
Zak
And he took responsibility for it as well, which, you know...
00:12:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. And it's just, refresh it's it's not something that I think, you know, unless he genuinely cared that he would come out and do, And he had, you know, obviously good words to say about Will Steele and how intelligent his footballing brain is and how he'd not really heard of him until Spores suggested him.
00:13:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
But since speaking to him, like, he's really excited for the future with him, which obviously he's going to come out and say. But also it's just, it felt so genuine.
00:13:16
Zak
Yeah, but you also hired him. He wouldn't have if if not.
00:13:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, yeah.
00:13:19
Zak
And I think the fact that you said that when he had a conversation with him, he said all of the right things. And I think one of the most important parts of that that I took away was that one of the criticisms that he had for both Juric and Martin was they were so rigid with their philosophies.
00:13:34
Zak
Again, don't if he's been listening to you, mate, but... you know because of their fundamental principles, they caused of problems because you know their lack of flexibility is what ultimately has caused the downfall in the Premier League.
00:13:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank
00:13:46
Zak
And he pointing out that that was a problem and is one of the reasons that he's quite excited for Will Steele, who looks to have the ability to adapt where a situation calls for it instead of having a outward, this is exactly how we're going to play week in, week out, is is good. That's what we've been asking for. Like it's all of the right boxes are being ticked and all of the right things are being said. As I said, actions do speak louder than words, but the fact that there are words in the first place is that just a benefit and a bonus for us.
Rumors of Club Sale and Partnerships
00:14:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. And, but he, he says that he also touched on the, the rumor that we were going to be sold as a club. And that was very interesting. So he, he was a bit, he was a bit vague with Adam Blackmore about it, but seems to have got into a bit more detail with Alfie house, interesting interestingly, but he said, he you know, he's definitely not selling, but he's not ruling out the prospects of working with other investors as partners.
00:14:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. And he did receive ah ah phone call from the interest from the Saudi party who were looking to buy Southampton. They were looking for relegated clubs and saw Southampton as an attractive prospect. And he said, I'll go into partnership with you, but I'm not selling.
00:15:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
and And that was the last they heard of it. So that's interesting as well, right?
00:15:06
Zak
Interesting. that is That is really interesting because it's it's one of those things as well where like people just like, oh yeah, let's set up and let's just hope that That is, you want, even if it's taking time for him to care about the investment, if he cares about the club and starts to understand, and that's only beneficial for us.
00:15:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah.
00:15:23
Zak
And also, from what he was saying with investment, it's on the condition that, you know, we we go back up. And also, it is essentially to help us shore up promotion. So the next time around, we can be stronger.
00:15:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:15:37
Zak
You know, although we had our marquee signing in Ramsdale, which turned out to be quite fruitful, obviously the rest of it was a bit...
00:15:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:15:43
Zak
you know I think we were extremely optimistic at the beginning of the season and because we kind of felt like we had to be. And then obviously most of our transfers didn't play out. So the idea of just, I would invest if we need the money, not I'm just going to take the first offer that comes to me because they give me a big you know dollar signs.
00:15:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
he He specifically said, if we're going to make a push of it in the Premier League next time round, it's going to take a lot more. And whether that comes from me or whether it comes from an invest bringing on an investment partner, we'll cross that bridge.
00:16:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
But it's going to take more and we know it. And, you know, that's...
Business Strategies for St. Mary's
00:16:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
What more could you ask for, right? Like, he talked a lot about the, you know, I want to move on to the you know, the other talk about not so much the football side, but how his expertise lies in the business side.
00:16:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
But first, a message from our partners at Zencastr.
00:16:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
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00:16:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
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00:17:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay, so we're back. yeah i want to i want to touch her on the points you were saying. so uh, obviously we as a club turned a corner last year and, and we're actually, you know, in our April reports turned a profit, right? Which is not definitely not something that any of the other relegated clubs have done.
00:17:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
And is quite a rare thing in in football in general, I think. Most of the clubs operate at some form of loss in an effort to sort of push their targets higher.
00:17:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
But he was talking specifically about his... want for the expansion of the surrounding area of St. Mary's, you know which we've seen the c plans of and all of that, to become a proper like business district and have all the shops and stuff.
00:17:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
But he wants it to become so Southampton it isn't reliant on the fluctuating TV fees that come from either the Premier League or the Championship. ah What but did you read from that?
00:18:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
Cause I always take that as championships, just better football. We'll just stick there forever and make money anyway.
00:18:11
Zak
think it's good to not be entirely reliant on that. However, you need to understand that it will be one of the driving forces that brings people to the city, right? Like, you aren't going to have people that want to go to this area of St. Mary's and spend tons of money without having football there, really. And I think the idea of building all the businesses around it and stuff is is lovely. You still have to go through St. Mary's to get there.
00:18:39
Zak
ah ah some it's It's saying, this is where an example of it's saying the right things. I'll see it when I believe it. And I like the idea of it.
00:18:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:18:50
Zak
But the other thing that I think is a criticism from personal perspective is that ah how much will it be rinsing the fans? Because we've already kind of got to that stage a little bit with how expensive everything is, benefits being cut, little savings being made here and there. And it's I know it's not extreme. I know it's not it's not like they've doubled the price or anything like that.
00:19:11
Zak
but it's it's incremental over time. And it's like, well, we've expanded the fan zone, so we've had to put the power price of beer up by a pound. But then when the fan zone's five years old, the price of beer is still probably going to go up every year, right?
00:19:23
Zak
it's It's those kind of things where, like, I understand you're building a ah business, but to to be sustainable, you also need to have good football and have people coming in and out. Because, you know, you will spend the day at the fan zone, but how long will it be before, Greg, the day at the fan zone gets too expensive for you, right?
00:19:38
Zak
Like, to special...
00:19:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
it's It's not a long way off.
00:19:40
Zak
That's my point. So so then obviously people... It's striking that right balance. And again, he he clearly knows business. So if he's got business ideas and you know they want to turn it into, i don't know, a tech hub and move a bunch of tech companies next to St. Mary's, and and that ends up generating a lot of the sort of revenue for the club, sure.
00:19:58
Zak
but You've already seen it with Chelsea being able to get around financial fair play rules by buying... their own properties and selling it back to them and having hotels and whatnot. Like, you know, all of that stuff is useful and, and, you know, will be, will be good in the long run for the financial future of the club.
00:20:15
Zak
It just, I don't know. I always, i always, I am always hesitant when anything like that is considered to be solely just a positive because I want to see the evidence of it before, you know,
00:20:27
Zak
anything else.
00:20:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. There are loads of...
00:20:29
Zak
i guess I guess cautious optimism. That's probably how I actually land on it.
00:20:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hmm. think that I think that's completely reasonable. Yeah, I'll wait to see. These sort of big plans and developments don't always make it to fruition at the end of the day.
00:20:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
you know, he said that they're being rightfully scrutinised because it's a big investment for from him from Sports Republic. So... We've got lots of other points to talk about.
Player Signings and Strategy
00:20:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think we're going to make this a part two, two part for sure.
00:21:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
But I want to close part one on probably the most interesting point for me to come from the interview.
00:21:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
And that is the pre-authorization of three signings before we sell any players.
00:21:19
Zak
Yes.
00:21:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
one of which we've already seen bought in.
00:21:22
Zak
one of which we have already seen. I am a little bit baffled. um We've had a discussion about this off mic as well. that One of them isn't a goalkeeper, right? It's supposed to be a creative midfielder, which I'm assuming means a replacement for Mati Fernandes or Dibbling.
00:21:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:21:38
Zak
Because as well as Dibbling being and connected to everyone under the sun, I saw Fernandes being connected to Juventus today in a loan deal that looks similar to Alcaraz, which is upsetting.
00:21:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:21:50
Zak
So that that kind of makes sense if they they want to replace you know that that role. And obviously a striker, but we're going to end up almost through an abundance. and you know If Paul goes, which we kind of expect to, ah we're not really sure about Archer.
00:22:02
Zak
Adam Armstrong's coming back. we've got Ben Burrits and Diaz, whether we like it or not. So we're going to have quite a few people in that role. So they need to, they need to figure out who and what they want to target and know it better not be Danny Ings again.
00:22:15
Zak
Sick of hearing it. So, but the fact that the goalkeepers not because Lumley is gone. McCarthy is about, you know, a thousand and three at this point, at this rate. And Buzuni had a, an off sort of season and had an injury that sent him back off loan after being out with a severe injury for a long time. So I'm very surprised that that isn't a focus unless they've already got something agreed and done behind the scenes and he just didn't want to say anything.
00:22:41
Zak
So...
00:22:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, ah Matt, I mean, that is interesting because I took note linking back to an article I read yesterday, and I don't know how much credence to give the article. It wasn't from one of my known sources that I, you know, knowingly trust as good source, but it was criticizing Saints for already falling behind on their target, which was supposedly Fafana,
00:23:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
who is probably going to be bought by Leeds because of what they described in the article as the transfer limbo of Aaron Ramsdale, where he he will probably want to go, but currently just doesn't have the suitors.
00:23:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
So...
00:23:25
Zak
Well, this is where the idea of, I remember you saying at the beginning, was always a good transfer. It was going be great. We were always going to make the money back no matter what. And that's probably true. All of those things are true. But if he is going to go, are going to have to sit there and wait until that's sorted out.
00:23:43
Zak
And I feel like it's going to be difficult to try and basically be like, hey, can you stay around the entirety of summer? in case Aaron Ramsdale goes so he can transfer you, please?
00:23:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it it also
00:23:53
Zak
question All of that's going to be difficult.
00:23:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
it also changes, right? like It also changes what you're looking for. If we keep Aaron Ramsdale, realistically what we're looking for is a backup goalkeeper. If we lose Aaron Ramsdale, suddenly what we're looking for is a first-choice goalkeeper.
00:24:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, you you know...
00:24:10
Zak
Yeah.
00:24:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
You don't know how bad Bazzunu's injury is, but frankly, when he was fully fit, he faced quite a bit of criticism for not being a good enough shot stopper. So, are we happy to accept him as first choice?
00:24:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
dont I don't know. you don't have the answer to that, but...
00:24:25
Zak
we're We're also not managing the club and we haven't heard anything about that, right? Like I remember when people asked that question the fans forum, right? When Russell Martin just took over, he was like, well, we have a really good goalkeeper in Pizzunu and everybody clapped and there was a celebration and fireworks went off and, you know...
00:24:42
Zak
He shut that guy down. And then, obviously, we conceded a lot during the championship. And then we went out bought another keeper. So, clearly, he wasn't didn't have as much faith of him in, you know... I mean, obviously, be the injury probably played a big part of that as well.
00:24:56
Zak
But, yeah, it's just... we are in a We are potentially going to be a state where we don't actually have a proper goalkeeper. But we might end up with, like, 37 strikers. So, you just put gloves on Jack Stephens and...
00:25:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
going to be the opposite of last year mate. Club time.
00:25:09
Zak
be done with
Closing Remarks and Next Interview Teaser
00:25:09
Zak
it. like it
00:25:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
<unk> All right, well, on that thought, let's pause. We'll be back with a part two. We've got plenty left to discuss from this interview. We've got thoughts on the Academy, thoughts on Russell Martin, thoughts on other future ventures and the you know the trimming down of the squad and addressing you know fans' concerns. So we'll get to all of that in part two.
00:25:39
Global Sports Podcast Network
We look forward to seeing you then. Until then,