The Boro Breakdown Podcast

England Reach Euro 2024 Final!

Is it coming home then?

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Duration:: 48m
Broadcast on:: 11 Jul 2024
Audio Format:: mp3

"Where do we start with England, then this debacle? Well, that was the worst performance I've ever seen from England to ever." "The long, long wait is over. A Wembley Raw to hail England's history makers." "Hello, and welcome to the Bora Breakdown podcast, the Raw to Berlin. We've made it. We're still here, and we have made it." "England will be Berlin bound on Sunday for the Euro 2024 final, and I'm going to rename my first born." "I'm not going to rename my first born because I don't have a child, but I'm going to name my first born Ollie Watkins." "Just me and Matt for this one, but Tom did send us his thoughts. Before we get into ours, let's hear what Tom had to say about that game last night." "Hi guys, Tom here, ready to give my views on the game last night. Unfortunately, due to work and family commitments, I could not be on the podcast night as much as I really wanted to be after that semi-final last night because what I came, what a game it was. What rollercoaster of emotions, you know, after going one-nil down, I was thinking this could potentially be it. I was, you know, as we said on the problem, not really being convinced by some of the performances going through the tournament. I did think we were the better team in the first half, but when the goal came and I was just kind of like, right, that's it. It was just someone who's half-decent now in the influence of a one-nil lead. They're a good team. Surely they're just going to kind of defend this and keep us out. I mean, we still continue to play well after that, and I'm starting to kind of feel a bit guilty now that I'm not kind of feeling the same level of enthusiasm about the England squad as I know for a fact, the dinner and mother. You know, I kind of see all these videos coming through from Playbrew, and it's like just absolute scenes when England score. And to be fair, I mean, it was scenes in my dad's house when Ollie Watkins scored that night, give him a minute winner. Dog was sat on me lap, that nearly went flying. So, like, it's great in that moment. I found out that on the drive from my dad's to my house, I can play three lions twice. But then I got back home and it kind of wore off fairly quickly, and I'm thinking it might just be because, over the last few years, we've been a bit spoiled. You know, from my childhoods, seeing England getting knocked out and penalty shootouts, seeing the inevitable red card for star players, I was expecting similar. Pretty much all through my life, I thought England would recurve team, and then WhatsApp gets being able to do with the team in recent on, and this has been incredible. The culture he's managed to build up with that team and what he's managed to create it into. It deserves all the credit in the world for it, and I think it's telling when you get to a point where you're not really that invested until you're in a final. It's not what I imagine my city fans must fail, not caring about the first couple of rounds of the Carlin Cup and stuff like that. Like, it's mad to be feeling that way as an England fan, and don't get me wrong, I'm still not going to feel like we're going to, like, it's going to be coming home and fairly secure and doing it until you know, so we're freeing it up in the 90th minute of the final or something, but, yeah, it's just a bit of a strange feeling for me at the moment, but I will say, very excited for the final, I'm stunned. I can't wait to watch that, but then you've got to be, well, I can't wait to watch this, but then a week later, I'm going to be going to Bishop Auckland for Bora vs Bolton, and for me, that's when football will be home because it'd be back to Bora again, but it's been a hell of a ride through this tournament. I'm really looking forward to seeing how it plays out. In terms of my expectations for Sunday, I just want us to do ourselves proud. I don't know, I don't want to make a prediction on the score because it's England's, and it's rare that we get to a final, but I really hope we do it. And then hopefully that gives us a little bit of a platform to build on and take it in the next World Cup, because winning the Euros is one thing, winning the World Cup would be another, and I just really hope we can win the Euros and get ourselves on a good front, because if we win that, then it's an international tournament, winning my lifetime is still incredible. And then if we can go on and give a really good account of ourselves in the World Cup, this guy has the limit, so yeah, I cannot wait for Sunday now. Bit nerving, but that's all part of the fun with international football, but that's all from me to do. You know, the one thing that I talk from that is fucking hell I fear for Tom's dog, if we score in the final, Jesus Christ is going to levitate. That 89 minutes and 59 seconds on the clock, when Ollie Watkins shot hit the back of the net, and that is what has set up England's monumental final tie against Spain. Have you come down from a cloud nine yet? No, I feel incredibly intoxicated from Simon, an ecstasy and not now flex to see the feeling of ecstasy. Yeah, it's it's an incredible feeling like not not just winning a semi final of a major tournament but winning it in the fashion that we've won it again. It's three games in a row now where, you know, we've looked like we were maybe on our way out we're down and out with behind, and then we found a way back in incredibly dramatic circumstances, the bicycle kick the penalty shoots out. And now this and I said to you last night that my first thought I think the first thing I turned to and said afterwards was something happening. This is, this is too. It's too weird how we keep winning games and finding a way with these unbelievable moments and say whatever happens from this tournament. We've been provided with some incredible highs and without doubt the best way to win any game never mind a semi final ever, ever major tournament I think I think I'm right and saying, I think I heard this on a podcast I was listening to it's the latest goal in time to decide a euros or a world cup in a semi final ever I believe there's never been a little goal in the initial 90 so yeah is it destiny day is it is it is it all just leading to football coming home. I don't know but at least at least we can just, you know, remember these incredible moments because they're so special. Oh, I hope that it does end up with football coming home. What a moment. I would say that I can't believe it, but yeah, I should believe it like England have been below par in this tournament but they've also been fun. They've been brave they've been defiant they've gone down they've got back up at times they have struggled and the criticisms have been fair but they didn't half star yesterday in that game and they deserve to have booked their place in the final. It is in amazing night when Ollie Watkins scored limbs all over the place in the period after full time. I hugged more people in like a 10 minute spell after that that I have ever done in my life I'm not a hobby person but football just basically allows you to just hug random people I mean it wasn't random people I was talking it was you it was live. Dan Shepard randomly at play brew which I have to say he did call the Watkins goal he said put Watkins on and and I did so Dan did say give me a free drink if I mentioned that in the pod so there we go Dan free drink on Sunday. Can we talk a little bit more about Watkins goal because genuinely what a strike that was. Yeah it was unbelievable it was perfect really it come from absolutely nowhere as well I think that's the beauty of it I wouldn't say we were piling on the pressure I wouldn't say the side was you know for all all money it looked like it was heading towards extra time and we were going to have to put ourselves to another half an hour and possibly penalties again. It didn't look like either side was was likely to score in them final few minutes and even the ball into him you think you know he's got the defender on his back the angles tight but the touch his first touch to his left was absolutely perfect because it was just enough distance for him to get a clean strike off and obviously it wasn't too heavy and he has such a small window to get it into that far corner it's the only place he could put it to keep a couldn't get to it. And a couple of quotes after the game. I think Harry Kane said it and it's what I love about this England team is the idea that everyone in the squad is so important and whether you come on for a minute or five minutes or ten minutes or half an hour. You know you could play a huge part and probably Watkins to come on take a touch bear in mind he'd only come on I think in the Denmark game prior to this for him to deliver that moment of quality it's such a moment. It's what dreams are made of for for him and for the whole team. It was I mean yeah it was almost a perfect strike right couldn't have put it in a better position so to win it in that manner with such a great strike. Yeah a goal deserving of winning any game in my opinion. I'm over here dying right now for some reason. But yeah I mean he had four touches in the game Watkins for touches and with his fourth he's put his country through to a year as final. I feel like that game's broken me because I don't know what's going on with my voice. And I literally saw bad right now but yeah. You know there's a lot of others here it literally breaks you physically and mentally but yeah that goal there was a hairy moment in the build up to it where Declan race has passed out wide to Palmer is a little bit off target and Coby Manning will talk about him later he had such a good game and he gets a really crucial touch actually just to steer it back on target to call Palmer I'm sure that wasn't his intention I'm sure his intention was to actually take that ball himself but that touch plays it into Palmer he fizzes that ball through totally Watkins and that touch that he takes to get out. My dad works in B2B marketing he came by my school for career day and said he was a big row as man then he told everyone how much he loved calculating his return on ad spend. My friends still laughing me to this day. Not everyone gets B2B but with LinkedIn you'll be able to reach people who do get a hundred dollar credit on your next ad campaign. Go to linkedin.com/results to claim your credit that's linkedin.com/results terms and conditions apply linkedin the place to be to be. We all belong outside we're drawn to nature whether it's the recorded sounds of the ocean we doze off to or the succulents that adorn our homes nature makes all of our lives well better. Despite all this we often go about our busy lives removed from it but the outdoors is closer than we realize. With all trails you can discover trails nearby and explore confidently with offline maps and on trail navigation. Download the free app today and make the most of your summer with all trails. Like you said is of such high quality and then to turn to you to be basically mugged off. Devry like Devry opens up his legs and that is essentially the the moment where you basically send to Ollie Watkins gone then. Shoe does like flashes the ball across the broken it is honestly such a good goal and you see his face afterwards he has no idea what to do it's it's just pure emotion. Emotion and I think just to kind of add to what you've said of the players that have come off the bench south gate before the tournament talked about finishes and got memes a little bit I guess for I guess the phrasing of it. But it does show that you can have minimal minutes in the competition but it's about your impact whilst you're on the pitch we've seen it with Watkins we saw it with Tony as well. That's what kind of makes me a little bit more confident going into the spin game obviously they've got stars and let's not be around the bush there they absolutely do. But I think we've got players that come off the bench and make a genuine impact and I think that's such a good trick to have alongside the stars that we do have in our team to start with. What did you make of the performance itself because I genuinely thought that that was England's best performance of the tournament like, it wasn't just good because it was better than what we've seen like it genuinely, it was a good performance so I'm keen to hit your thoughts on it. Yeah it was a minute had to be we said this in the previous podcasts England had to continue to improve otherwise we would have run it ran into a team who would have put us away eventually so we had to keep improving. But you want that trajectory to keep going up to the point where you peek in the final. And I still don't think we've peaked which is exciting but the first half was was absolutely brilliant I thought we were very, very good the best that we've played all tournament. We were so hyped the pitch soccer was causing them so many problems down the right hand side forward and and we'll get picking the ball up in some really, really good areas. The passing was really sharp. We just looked really, really up for it and, you know, barring the unbelievable strike from from the Netherlands. We, I think we were flawless in the first half an hour and I know we'll talk about penalty and among other things but we deserved to be at least level if not in front by the end of the first half. I think naturally second half you expect the opposition to come back into it, as we've said, when you're at the stage in the competition you haven't got a God given right to dominate anybody. And the Netherlands were always going to come back in to the game they made a tactical tweak they filled up the midfield which I think stifled us a little bit in the second half but naturally, it's always going to get a little bit nervey, little bit of a stalemate in the second half, you know, you start to worry about losing the game maybe so it's then about who's proactive who takes the risks and we've been critical a Southgate that maybe he's been more reactive than proactive but in the end, his two substitutes were the ones who linked up to score the winning goal. So he deserves immense credit for that but yeah, even though the first half was a lot stronger than the second, still a much improved performance where once again, even when we went our best the individual quality pulls us through. But again, as long as we keep improving and we improve again against Spain we've definitely got a chance. I was so impressed with us in that first half I genuinely really really impressed. I was watching James Olcox video on the build up to this game and he was diving deep on the tactics of the Netherlands and how England could exploit that and he mentioned the midfield and essentially the space and the attack in three and that midfield and we got so much joy picking up pockets of space in and around that area in that middle third just to essentially punch through be it through a driving run or a pass. And I was really impressed with our high press as well, many I've already mentioned him I'll mention him again in our prison place but he was particularly key with that I think he's reading of situations when the Netherlands were playing out from the back was so good. And as you mentioned, come in mid that switch he brought joy Viamen on just to plug a gap in midfield because they honestly were letting up so much space in midfield that's why you saw Phil Ford and had his best game and he was so lively he was massively unlucky not to have scored and he had a really eventful like spell because obviously he gave away the penalty, he hit the bar from a corner and then he cleared off the line it was great recovery defending to be fair but the first half was genuinely like in terms of team cohesion that we've said the England have lacked I thought we had it in abundance like we looked really important going up front like it's one thing having the space it made feel but it's another thing to make good decisions. And I think we made good decisions in that game, you know we were on top even when we went all down and of course Javi Simmons scored after I said in the last pod that he's like some product, and he comes from the finish as school and for chopping inside chopping outside he literally like I think it's a really wonderful goal we have to say but even after that like heads didn't drop we straight back on it our performance levels did not dip at all and yeah at the second half it was kind of both teams cancelled each other out a little bit that change from from probably probably did that probably pushing them back a little bit because we a lot of our player was in that kind of middle, but it was like the attack in third actually so far we had that we were the better team that we had more control over the game. And I said to use, I said to you during it Matt that I don't like to fit but no ones have been really poor, and I think they were, I don't want to mention that as a way to discredit England so I just want to land that point in isolation but their main threat was through set pieces but they were terrible. Caught he got poor I think my dad literally manifested that Caught he cackpool I mean it wasn't he was cack but he wasn't he wasn't really in the game and that was a sack of sack of sack of brilliantly. It's kind of talking in to create that about five so I think that performance was genuinely the best that I've seen of England in this tournament and just really good, generally anyways. And it was a big test for us it was it was the Netherlands it was similar I guess to when we played Germany in Europe 2020 Southgate got his tactics absolutely spot on and the players did incredibly well to play that game plan perfectly. An incident in the first half which got England back level that penalty contentious is probably an understatement. Do you think it was the right call from the somewhat corrupt German referee. There's a lot said wasn't there in the build up about this referee and it did unnerved me a little bit because we've been on the wrong end of quite a few shocking referee and decisions over the years. And I think sometimes in football you make your own look and I'm not going to lie, I didn't think it was a penalty at all at the time I didn't even cross my mind. I think like Ken had gotten a shot off it just gone over the bar, we were going to resume the game goal kick, that was it. And although Ken was rolling around on the floor I thought he's just trying to buy you know something cheap he's not going to get anything. But the second the referee goes over to that monitor, you just know what the outcome is going to be. I think for me, there's there's different perceptions on it. I've seen some say well if that was outside the box, it would be a free kick, probably right. But then again I don't think it was a penalty. I think had hurricane maybe not made clean contact with the ball and done freeze was a tad later, then yeah it is. But I don't know what the defenders meant to do in that situation he's obviously meant to stick his foot out to try and block the shot. Ken still got his shot off cleanly before the contacts I wouldn't say he played a part in Ken missing the chance. So I think it's harsh and had it been given the other way, I would have been very, very upset. So I think in that in that respect, it was very, very harsh. And yeah, we were lucky in that case but as I say, going into halftime, it was the least we deserved. So, given the chances we'd create given how well we played you mentioned the Netherlands, they didn't pause any threat really, apart from the unbelievable strike. Maybe they'll look decent on the counter attack and we mentioned, you know, when we were there last night that they they worried us from set pieces but other than that. I don't think they laid a glove on us so it would have been extremely unfair and I think harsh on England had begun in at halftime behind. So although that isolated incident I don't think was a penalty on the balance of player. I feel like we deserved that break and it's worth saying as well, like penalties from the penalty shoots out Harry Kane took it absolutely beautifully. You know he backs himself to go that way every time goalkeeper's almost nowhere he's going to go but he backs himself to put it right in that corner and I don't think any goalkeeper saves that so. Yeah, not a penalty for me but on the balance, I think we deserved it. Yeah, I'd agree, much like you when that was going on and when Kane went down and there was calls from the England players for apparently I thought. It was absolutely not a chance that that's apparently I was getting ready for the goal kick and Tommy is a potentially good point that when a defender goes to block the ball after it's after the shots being made. They don't go in with their studs and obviously he makes contact with Denzel Dunfers I still don't think it's a penalty but I'm trying to maybe see why it was given. As you said as soon as they go over to the via screen like it's got to be a decision that's given. And yeah what a penalty that was it's one of those where it's so far in the corner and it's hit with so much power that you just can't stop it and for broken obviously dives the right way. And there was a bit like there was a flash in second of but then I realized like fucking held it and it's Harry Kane and he does this so often you saw the little graphic in the corner just before he took the penalty of where his other penalties are gone and it was very much in the corner and the same side and then the pause inside as well. Yeah, but yeah it was a fantastic penalty kick and I completely agree that we deserve that and that good old cliche of your career you're on luck. So one one it was after that and he did feel like England were in the Senate see I did say to you during that period after the one one goal that were dominant we look like we are massively threatening a Holland here. My worry was that we don't get ourselves in front and then come and change is it in the second half and then all of a sudden the momentum swings to the Netherlands but that never happened in the end. But thankfully you know they didn't really threaten to be honest before we get into our praise and players for this game let's hear it from Gareth Southgate and his post match press conference after the match last night. Yeah I mean we all want to be loved right so when you're doing something for your country and you're a proud Englishman yeah when you don't feel that back and when all you read is criticism it's hard to be able to celebrate a second final is very very special you know especially with fans that travel you know our traveling support is amazing the amount of money they spend to travel the commitment to do that to be able to give them nights like this and you know I think we have given them a few over the definitely the last six years from from Russia onwards. Yeah it means a lot. I love that you said that because I think it is worth mentioning that Southgate has to be honest taken in a lot of criticism and I'm self aware enough to know that I've been somebody that has angled that criticism at him I don't take it back I think there's been some decisions that he's made that I have not agreed with necessarily. You saw in the celebrations after the game yesterday just how much that meant to him and I think that he's been essentially taking in all of that criticism from the players like he's kind of held it in himself to protect them. And he's such a good man manager it's what we've known from Southgate that you can talk about his tactic is tactical acumen all you want but as a man manager he's so good at making the players feel like they are very much present and a part of the group and he was one of the most challenging tournaments and he was absolutely bark and he didn't quite do the Southgate salute but there was a few fist pumps in there and he was just letting all of his emotion out. And he said one more and that's absolutely right one more and then I mean Gary Southgate I will say that I've experienced many laws watching England. The first year I was five for the first euros that I watched in 2008. I've watched England fail to get out of the group at the 2014 World Cup. I've watched as get beat by fucking Iceland. So my default emotion, quite naturally is pessimism is negativity but under Southgate I've seen us reach semi final World Cup 2018 final in Europe 2020 a quarter final in the World Cup 2022 final in Europe 2024. He has changed England's fortunes around and then some like Garris Southgate and England you can maybe question whether this is his last tournament. It's going to be a shame to see him leave because at the end of the day. He has massively changed things around thing and he's allowed fans to believe again when they're in the dearth of obviously Iceland in 2016 thinking fucking hell where we're going to go from here we've just been beaten by, you know, a nation that probably brought all of their entire population of their country to that tournament like they did. Yeah they did like it honestly the way that he's just turned things around and made people believe in England again deserves massive credit and Thomas said it at the beginning of the show like the culture the turnaround and culture. Just fantastic honestly and I will say again I've criticized him in this tournament but fair place to go Southgate because again, you know he's got us into back to back European finals so I've praised him there. I'm going to allow you the floor to give go Southgate some praise. Planning for your next trip elevate your travel style with quince quince has all the jet setting essentials you'll want for your next getaway like European linen premium luggage options buttery soft Italian leather bags and so much more. And it's all priced at 50 to 80% less than similar brands plus quince only works with factories that use safe and ethical manufacturing practices. Pack your bags with high quality essentials you'll be wearing for vacations to come with quince go to quince.com/trip for free shipping at 365 day returns. My dad works in B2B marketing he came by my school for career day and said he was a big row as man then he told everyone how much he loved calculating his return on ad spend. My friends still laughing me to this day. Not everyone gets B2B but with LinkedIn you'll be able to reach people who do get a hundred dollar credit on your next ad campaign go to linkedin.com/results to claim your credit that's linkedin.com/results terms and conditions apply. Linked in the place to be to be. Yeah, I really, I really hope he can get that W because what what he's gave us in the last few years has been. As you say in England team to be proud of you go back to England teams from the past and you're right you know you look at the golden generation quote unquote. Who you know just couldn't they just have no chemistry and they were getting them the media was on top of them it seemed like a really, really toxic sort of relationship and environment. It's not not a place where a team can can succeed and the culture and the feeling around the England team the way he protects them from the media. Everything he's built up until this point it feels like this is a culmination of what I hope is what I think he deserves and that is to get England winning a tournament and for him to be the manager who took us there. You know he's he's I think there's there's clearly been times where he's made mistakes but I'm seeing him learn from them as well you know even within this tournament himself. You know we came in unprepared. We have to have a double around in midfield to you know got to the bottom of that with Kobe man who's been absolutely outstanding, even with you know still a couple of issues within the system he switched it up to three at the back and we've looked so much better. In that, in that time I think yet he's maybe been pulled out of trouble a few times with the individuals but you need a bit of luck and I think he's earned it. And yeah everything he's done for this country and for the stigma around England has been amazing so I really, really hope you know he gets the job done against Spain because I feel like it is culminating towards that big crescendo at the end, he deserves to get us over the line so yeah he's made a country believe again I think he has made mistakes he has been criticized that's going to happen with the English media it's going to happen with him being an England manager but I think again even with like the penalty shootout, you know he brings on the penalty takers with plenty of time within the game, you know for them to get up to speed, even little things like that he's learned that from the Euro 2020 final. So he's made mistakes he's learned from them he's getting better we're getting better. I really hope for him that he he gets it done because. Yeah, it'd be amazing to see him especially go out on that high. Well you never know maybe if we do win the euros he might go right I'll give the world cup one more chance because I do believe genuine believe with this England team. One win could open up the floodgates getting that monkey off our back. I think could just give us that extra belief that we can do it we can win these tournaments. And then wouldn't surprise me if we went on to potentially win the World Cup as well if we stuck around I just, it's such a pivotal moment from a yeah I really really hope he, him and the team get it, get it over the line at the weekend. In before the lifetime Gareth Southgate England contract. You mentioned it earlier and I want to mention it myself whose substitutions because I've been in that camp of England fan that talks about Southgate being more reactive than proactive and I said to you during the game. Yesterday that he's bringing on Ollie Watkins this is react this is him being proactive sorry rather than reactive like he's obviously putting on Ollie Watkins with the view to winning this in normal time because if there's one thing that you want in that game it's just one of those players that makes those unselfish runs to essentially put fear into a centre back like if you're devrying your van Dijk I mean van Dijk probably less so because you're just a fantastic defender would divide in particular you don't want somebody to pin you back and to get you facing your your own goal and that was the change to make people might have thought okay I haven't told you time for him wasn't the game for Ivan Tony it was the game for Ollie Watkins and he recognised that Southgate and he put him on with good enough time to make an impact. And he did that and I just think that for all the criticisms that I've aimed at Southgate about him being reactive and leaving substitutions to let he got it absolutely spot on and I cannot emphasise that enough it was brilliant performance from the team and a brilliant managerial performance from Southgate as well. Talk about brilliant performance from the team and a brilliant managerial performance from Southgate as well. Talk about brilliant performance from the team no matter is there anyone any players that you want to praise after yesterday's victory. I'm not going to try and pull out a player who I thought was slightly under par because I just want to keep the positive vibes to be honest but I think there's a few standout performers who I think gay who once again come in and just stepped back into the England team he fit like a glove once again he was absolutely fantastic. He hasn't got any credit whatsoever it's always been the partner he's personally being paired with it's been concert it's been gay but yeah I think he deserves credit for coming back in and absolutely being brilliant I think Ford and had his best game maybe in England shirt very unlucky to not get on the score sheet. Helped I think by how the Netherlands set up in the first half I think he had a quiet second half but as you say that's the way the game went could say the same for Saka who absolutely terrorised them in that first half. Every time he put the ball up on the right hand side in space you know he was just putting a strike the fear of God up there. There fall back so yeah mainly again he's another one. And then the two substitute to come on a mid impact I think that the beauty of this tournament for me is that so many players have have played a crucial part you've had the penalty take as you know Trent come in after we thought you know we might never see him again the tournament steps up apparently in the way did same for Ivan Tony who's barely played that many minutes you've got Saka bringing in moments of brilliance what can's has had his Bellingham had his overhead kick. Here he's been a revelation so it very much has been for all that we pull out individuals it's been a squad effort and it's really shown how important the squad can be in a tournament like this so screw it they can all go in they can all go in the prison place Sticks a Garth in there as well. Good vibes indeed yeah I want to mention Colby Mihanuk I've been waiting to mention him in depth all pod to be found with 34 minutes in. I thought he was fantastic yesterday his reading of the game to be able to initiate those high turnovers his intelligence to pick out the right pass when he did win the ball back his ball carrying as well. He was pivotal to that England victory and he was pivotal to targeting the Netherlands weaknesses. And you know what I think the best piece of praise that I can give to Coby Mihanuk is that he has made me forget that Adam Warren exists and others a lot of glamour from me for wanting to be in the team I think in every one of our little predicted 11 or personal 11 Adam what was in there Coby Mihanuk is fantastic he's a superstar he's really really good he's such a good midfielder and we saw that yesterday he for me was was man in the match. I also want to mention Phil Ford and because Phil Ford and got criticism again from myself at the beginning of the tournament that was I agree with you his best performance in an English hands down he was he looked like the man city Phil Ford and the type of player from the right hand side cuts inside massively unlucky when he released that shot and it hit the post thought that was his moment. He deserved his moment and really I'm pissed off actually that don't freeze managed to to clear that ball you mentioned actually that for Brogan got a touch on it. The goalkeeper kind of gets a kind of underneath of his thigh on it and I think that's maybe what helps them freeze a little bit so between the goalkeeper and and there's a phrase fuck you because I really want to feel fun to have his moment there. He was excellent honestly picking up those pockets of space being direct causing them problems just from having the ball like this is what we wanted get Phil for an interspace in that kind of right hand channel. And into the, the center of the pitch as well, and we will see a lot more from him, excellent from him and because as well, honestly, as you said, causing them problems down that side. And then his defensive work as well, so good, really, really good talking in to make that back five when, when needed and he was up against Cody Gattpo as well who's had a fantastic tournament and seems to be a completely different player for the Netherlands as he is and Saka just, he honestly did so well marking him and then going the other end as well absolutely brilliant from all the team really but those three in particular I do want to mention. So spin away in the final then they're obviously favourites for this one understandably they have been the best team in the tournament the most impressive side by far. Your thoughts and feelings ahead of that one map. Well, I think, I think it's natural and I'm kind of glad that if we are to win this tournament we have to beat the best team. And I think you can truly say if we do that we've earned it because lots is thrown at, you know, the look of the draw and however we've been fortunate that we've had, you know, we've been on the light side of the draw but you could also then argue that well you just went and won the group would have hit France in the semi finals probably so you know you can't you can only beat what's in front of you. And eventually you're going to run into a top team and they've been by far the best team the only team in the tournament of one every game. They look solid in every single area. But I do think we've got a chance and prior to kick off yesterday. I've had it in my head that we'd have to pull out of our skin to beat the Spanish team because I've not seen us go up a level or a gear really, but seeing how we played in that first half yesterday it's it's gave me hope that we do have a chance. I am kind of, and I do believe we are going to go in second favorites and whatever was said pre tournament about us being favorites then I don't think we're favorites now. And I'm kind of glad I feel like that would suit us more if we went in as favorites. Again, maybe we should banish this pessimistic anxious you know anxiety around England always feeling like if we're favorites we're going to we're going to slip up. Maybe we have to finally you know bin that off but I do just naturally maybe it's in my DNA as an England fan feel more comfortable that we're going in. Maybe as the underdogs maybe I don't know less pressure than Spain I don't know if that's quite true but they're going to be really, really tough you know the midfield battle is going to be pivotal. I think if we allow Rodary and his midfield partners name escapes but they've been a pair of them have been outstanding in this tournament, you know if we allow them to take the game we're going to be in trouble. But the big threat comes from the wings doesn't it with with the two youngsters in Williams and your mile so yeah they're the key areas, but if we can stifle them. If we've got, we've got a chance and if I was to back any team to win a game in more in a moment I'd pick England every time and finals and normally law scoring affairs and often our one in big moments. If we go back any other side right now to pull out, like Ollie what kins did with that quick one touch finish, spelling and with a, with a bicycle kick if it does come down to that. Then we got a shot. Try not to get ahead of myself get too excited but just to be in this position you know is something because I would never have thought you know after the Slovakia game for example that we were ever going to get to the final. It is amazing. And I know as you say like relish the position now, and the ecstasy that we're now before we think too far ahead to the final but it's so difficult not to the opportunity to see England's you know men's team win a major tournament. I mean, the country as you said last night they would break so yeah I'm excited I'm nervous I'm every possible emotion but we have a chance and that's, that's all I'm happy with just that we've got a chance. Yeah, we are in the final, and that is an amazing thing I don't think anybody would have expected it as you said after the, after the Slovakia game where it looked like we were going out. We were what was it one minute 37 seconds away from exiting Europe 2024 around the imagine how different the perception the narrative on Southgate would have been. I've had that have happened and on one bicycle kick. Yeah, it's, it is, it is a sliding doors moment isn't it it's changed. Everything, and the outcome could be completely different on Sunday. Yeah, and as you said like we've got players that could come up with big moments of course I'm not going to disregard the players that Spain have. I think it's Fabian Ruiz who partners for Adrian midfield to fantastic double pivot there. And somebody said about Lemini Marl limit his screen time kick him tick his Xbox off him or something like. I think the key for that I mean it's very, I think it would be very difficult to stop Lemini Marl but what I've seen of him is that he likes to come inside in likes to arrow that cross over to the far post. So I think it's not so much solely about the full backs of the wing backs of England but it's about those central players you deck on races you copy menus can they limit and shut off that avenue for. Lemini Marl it's going to be different difficult sorry they've got some fantastic players and part of me is like. I don't care about that right now because I really want to just enjoy this for what it is, but you know we're podcasting so we do have to look towards this game. I'm just happy that we're in the final I did not expect this. I am hoping that we can do it I hit the fact that it's Spain because you know I watch the lionesses and the lionesses in the women's world cup got beat by Spain in the final. And I'm still not over that to be honest so hopefully we can get the job done the three lions can get the job done instead. I actually can't believe that we're still here podcasting about this because as we said like what did you predict like a quarter final exit I predicted a quarter final exit. I said at one point we're destined for around a 16 exit and we're here in the final that that in itself should be worth celebrating right. Yeah, it's an unbelievable achievement I turned to you last night didn't I and I said what would you consider it a failure in this tournament. What would you consider now spin that and say what would you consider a success because pre tournament I think we all looked at it and thought yeah we should be in and around maybe the last fall. I think I kind of thought if we hit France in the semis that would be that would be it for us. And although we haven't that semis yeah yeah although we haven't went down that very avenue you can't deny it times we looked absolutely hopeless. But, you know the best teams that that usually win tournaments grow into them and improve. I think again, given the lack of preparation and how far off it we look to start with we look like we we really were starting from square one and Southgate was just trying to scramble the pieces of the jigsaw together to try and form some sort of a picture in the group stages. The fact he's done that and he's been able to find a system and an 11 that seems to be really effective now, and that we've gotten better and I think we've still got gears to go through is so exciting so. Yeah, I am going to relish the fact that we're here but then equally. I think maybe because we we lost in 2020 you want to just desperately go that one step further had it been the first final you know for the men's team since 66 maybe we could be going into this final a little bit differently just happy to be there because we suffered such heartbreak and the fallout from that game and what happened to lads like soccer after that penalty shoots out there is such an opportunity there for so many of them lads to have the ultimate redemption and for Southgate to kind of, you know, have that little bit of redemption as well All I ask is for Bakaio Saka to score the winner. Oh, yes, if there is a God. Oh, yeah, Bakaio Saka to score the winner. That would be perfect. So I'm happy with there but obviously, you know, and I think for us to beat the best team in the time because a lot's been thrown at Southgate as well that, you know, we've always had easy opposition and I think we've only beaten to. Sorry, I'm sure I saw a graphic earlier that, you know, since 2000 or maybe in the 21st century we've only ever beaten two sides out of the top 10 in, you know, international tournaments in major tournaments. Maybe it's three now after after last night but um, yeah, for England to do it the right way to do it the hardware to beat the best team in the tournament say we've earned this would be perfect. So, I can't wait. I'm going to be cheating myself. I will, I will shit myself at some point during the game but if we win, you best believe I'm going to be Mary Earps in on that table at Playbro but fingers crossed that will wrap things up for today and make sure to give this podcast a like if you've watched it on YouTube and drop a comment as well tell us how you're feeling about England reaching the final of Europe 2024 but between now and Sunday. And enjoy this and let yourself dream a little bit. [Music] We're planning for your next trip, elevate your travel style with Quince. 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