Scariff Bay Community Radio Podcasts SBCR

From Fever Pitch to Hurler on the Ditch - Ep 10

- The Premiership is back in action after a painful International Break for any Ireland fan. Pep Says the preseason is over so our intrepidity crew are back for their first look at the 2024/25 season. Looking ahead to this weekends slate of games with In depth analysis with Tim Hogan, Terry Hogan, Ross Martin, European correspondent James Rowe in Amsterdam and Des Mcleod, North Eastern Correspondent

Duration:: 57m
Broadcast on:: 14 Sep 2024
Audio Format:: mp3

But the pack was put in picklewood, and they wouldn't leave the crown. But Vassus Flyer had finished climbing, so Paddy was going to town. Oh Mother dear, I'm over here, and I'm never coming back. What keeps me here, the Regga Beer, the ladies, and the crackers. I come from County County, for that to make the bank. If you think I'd hate your vision chips, I ain't changing your mistakes. Oh I doubt that I hate the gun, I hate the gun, I hate the gun. Okay, and welcome back for another Premier League season. As we record the first episode of this year's season on Scarf Bay Community Radio, from Fever Pitch to Horror of the Ditch. So this is a big weekend in the Premier League. We're taking our starting point from Pep Guardiola, who announced after the last round that the pre-season was now over, so we're taking the same prompt. So we just have our very large respondents introduce themselves before we start, to us the picture, so it's mandatory. Hello, Terry Hogan here, Cap of Ann, and once of Highbury London. Ross? Yeah, Ross Martin here back for another nervous season, looking forward to it, guys. James? Evening, everybody, James Rowe here speaking nice and Amsterdam. Please be back. And Desmond Cloud, our North Easter correspondent. How are you doing? It's good to be here. I think this is my second time, so I'm looking forward to it. Thank you very much. Thanks, man. Okay, as we jump straight in. Look, it's a bottom of the table, flash, half-12 Saturday. It's Southampton versus the Man City, 14 versus 19th. Ross, is this a classic six-pointer? I think so at this stage of season, yeah. It's setting it up that way now. All right, poor man, you know, fans are going to be screaming at the radio on their list into this, but yeah, like to be honest, at the minute, Southampton I think have been quite pouring out to start the season. No disease, and it's only after kicking off. Zero points, a lot of goals conceded. They don't look good at all, do they? I am United then as well, Samuel Lino. United probably have had a little bit of a tougher start. Brighton, Liverpool, two teams, actually fairly decent starts themselves. One win against Fulham. Yeah, like I think it's one of those ones where Man United previously would have expected to take a nice victory here. It's just so much bad vibes around United at the minute. No matter what sort of result here, they're on an absolute hiding tonight. If they win, nobody's going to be happy because they should have won. If they lose, ten hags is probably exiting the door I would reckon. I know we tend not to try and read too much into the first couple of weeks of the season, but I just have that feeling if United get another loss here now that he could be out the door. I think it's probably good that they're playing Southampton. Actually, James, I've got straight to you on that. Is ten hags that close to the door? Do you think James? Well, here in the Netherlands, it appears to be a little bit unsure, but I think the sad fact is that I think ten-half only has himself to blame. I think for me the start of the ten was, if you take the Manchester United job, regardless of age, regardless of background, regardless of nationality, you need to be aware that the supporting pillars of Manchester United is the youth, and the first thing that Tenar did was to get rid of James Garner, who was good enough to play for Manchester United even then. So that's just to kind of tell us what you need to know. And also in his family, with bringing him back from the historic, who threw all these toys out of the prime when he was PSP manager, because they didn't take him seriously enough by his own admission, even his own staff, and left before the season's end, and is now assistant, you know, you wonder how it was taped to that. And also in a haircut, you know, it did well at Utrecht. It did well at Go Ahead Eagles, but it's a big jump from Utrecht Go Ahead Eagles to becoming assistant in Manchester United. So kind of job for the boys brings to mind. And there's a great saying in that which translates to, you only have yourself to blame in some cases, and I think that will be the case with Tenar, when I think he's finally relieved that his due is in the short-to-mid term at Manchester United. Yeah, it's puzzle really, because he pulled it out for his team in the FA Cup Final against their cross-rival sort of rivals, cross-city rivals. But I don't know, when I first looked at this fixture, I thought it was easily a man United win. But, you know, I know Southampton have had a terrible start to the season. A lot of people rave about his Russell Martin, you know, he did very well at MK Don's and very well at Southampton. So I still think Man United will probably win it one-nil. But I think, unless Tenar turns the whole thing around it in the next 10 or 15 matches, I think he's toast. Yeah, now, there's your map of the Scottish input. Will Russell Martin, will he be the final one to bring to Eric Tenhag's career if you'd like to turn in? Well, yeah, I mean, when Tenhag's mentioning Harry Potter, there's something worrying about it, isn't there? Yeah, sorry, yeah. I don't know. I mean, he's bought himself a year by winning the FA Cup, hasn't he? Yes. So, we'll have to wait and see, to be honest. It's just there is one thing I suppose that Man United, like, I suppose there's parallels as well. There were, like, Lee Clarie's taking over in terms of the England manager. Like, there's such a circus around those type of jobs, like, specifically, the Chelsea manager's job. Man United is one of those where you've had such a revolve and door over the last number of years. Like, Lee Carrie's obviously getting into the England job. I'm not sure he was aware of the circus that would be around him. I am, again, Tenhag potentially the same. Like, they're just looking at the dollar signs. I know James mentioned that before. Like, when they see these jobs thinking yet, get in there, get the dollar signs knowing that you're going to, you're on a hiding to know that you're going to get gate after so long. And while you mention Chelsea, like, this Chelsea affair, like, getting rid of Sterling, paying two thirds of his wages, why he's an arson who would, like, obviously a gigantic club themselves. Like, the whole Chelsea born with fiction on this weekend. Like, is there a kind of an argument that Chelsea are really suffering from just money trying to, and over Zellis, how would I say, owner, is Chelsea going to be brought down from inside, you think, James? I think Chelsea's biggest problem is they're trying to run the football club like they run their businesses. And what might be good for a U.S. employee is not necessarily good for a football club. But it just goes to show the current day where clubs are the main objective is to make as much money as possible. It's not so much. So, when trophy's any more, the level of branding at big clubs worldwide, it's kind of tipped over now where it used to be. We're a big club. We want to win trophies. We are judged on the trophies we win. Now it appears to be that the branding is the most important thing. Like, for example, Real Madrid launching their orange kit in Chicago. What's Orange got to do with Real Madrid and what Chicago got to do with Real Madrid? But yet they found it appropriate to do so. And in the case of Chelsea as well, with contracts which, you know, are nine years, seven years, eight years. Players signing those contracts, they're not necessarily thinking about their careers. They're thinking, oh, I've got nine years worth of financial security and bearing like a big problem for a lot of professional footballers on Chelsea's books. Just one thing on that point, actually, sorry. I know I've read recently as well. Todd Boli and the clear, like what they're looking at those contracts, thinking that they can do something similar that you could do. And like I said, the NFL where they can sign up players for ten-year contracts, but after so long, they can just rip them up. Like, he thinks he can actually just walk away from these contracts. Now, whether he can't enough, I don't know. But I have no legal professor here now, but apparently that's the thinking that he can get these contracts just torn up and walked away. Yeah, I was just looking at it. They've got seven players at Chelsea that are on between seven and nine-year contracts, which is absolute madness. They use this thing called amortization, where they spread the fee over so many years, so as not to fall foul of the league over spending rules. But it's absolute nonsense and I don't know why the league don't crack down on it. And of course, we do now have a situation with Man City and probably Chelsea, where the clubs are so massively rich that almost the FA frightens a sort of call them out for it. And you see that with 115 charges with Man City, that it's been sitting out there for so long, whereas they came down hard on everything they're coming down on, not as far as even Leicester as well. And as dodgy as the Leicester books were, like as well, it wasn't great. But like that at City, you're still sitting out there pending. No, it's your thoughts on Chelsea and their 200 years contracts. And supposedly, the next club that has the squad as high as that is Spurs with 100 years. So that's how far ahead they are in terms of these long-term contracts. But how do you think format and chances are going to go dense? Well, Chelsea are starting to pick up, but I just want to compare Chelsea to Man United just for a second. They're both in the same sort of boat because the way I look at it is this way. If you get rid of Ben Harg, who wants the job? Yeah, and it's going to turn the same way at Chelsea. It's going to get to the point where managers are going to say, well, who wants the job? Because who controls the club? The manager or the board? You know, so I think it's a time bomb waiting to go off at Chelsea. I think I'll take a job. I'll take a four or five year contract on five or six million years. It's for completely financially. Yeah, but that's the point. You're only going to take the job for the money, aren't you? You're not going to take the job for the job, are you? And that is the problem, exactly, it does. I think Chelsea are going to finish mid-season, sorry, mid-table again this season. So anybody can beat Chelsea on any given day now, and it's the same with Man United. You talk in Stamford Bridge or Molt Trafford, and be scared anymore. Yeah, and actually moving on to that, just to move away from it, just to go back to grounds, like the whole main road, let's say, Man City playing Brentford in Main Road this week, but like, look, Man City are intimidating, but Main Road doesn't intimidate anyone. James, you love going to big matches, you have to go to every match actually, but it's very unusual to have the champions going for whatever is it, five or four or five, whenever they're going for this siege stage, and their home ground can be empty in occasion, James. How do you think Man City and Brentford are going to go? I think that a city will win, and as you say, there's a huge difference between Main Road and the city has. I never got the opportunity to get to Main Road, I had, back in my younger days as an Arsenal fan, and I had the choice of going to Main Road for the last time, all coming to Amsterdam for, I actually get the Arsenal which changes the course of my life, so I know which choice that I'm happy with, but even the aura, you know, I've been to the FC have before for an away game with Arsenal, and it's just extremely corporate, you know, city where, you know, literally pumping themselves up to the point of, you know, this is a must-win game for us, and they went, they went, when they were half to seven minutes, and, you know, just the area as well, the gentrification of that area of Manchester, you know, one of the things the Premier League and English football really does need to ask yourself, the clubs that are born out of communities, you know, for example, in London, in Nottingham, in Liverpool, in Manchester, in Sheffield, you know, the only thing that's really English about them now is the locations and the names, everything else, not so much, but when you take a club away, from its local community, from its roots, you don't have that club anymore, so I think mid to long term, especially with the American owners, you know, pushing for franchise, pushing for no relegation, you know, they need to remember this game started out in 1888, we're now in 2024, and we beholden to the dollar, to the Euro sign, to the pound sign, where an entire summer of transfer activity, you've got an entire generation that don't necessarily understand the game, they've certainly never played the game, and they're more concerned with making up jargon statistics to base their arguments, and I think long term, that's very dangerous for English football. Yeah. Manchester and Brentford are Terry. Manchester obviously champions, but the stadium won't have this intimidating atmosphere, and Brentford, like Thomas Frank, is a credit. I mean, there aren't about Graham Potter or getting another club, like he to me is it? Yeah. Down in the rough lane. I mean, Brentford had some good players, I know Arsenal was seriously thinking of buying Oombuimo, I think I said his name right there, he's a fantastic winger, in the same mode as Sakaar, he's sort of right winger, left footed, but you can't look past Man City, they've got such a phenomenal team, they've got such phenomenal players in reserve, as we'll talk about later, once you take out three or four of Arsenal's midfielders through injury and suspension, you aren't left with a great deal, but at City, they've got a backup that Arsenal just sort of don't have, you know. Yeah, and just to get to Ross in here, Haland and of course Ford, they really are playing excitement football. Haland now is actually, has eight hat tricks in the Premier League, Robbie Fowler has nine, he played 310 more matches than Haland has played, is Haland like really single-handedly making Man City exciting and one body people to watch? Yeah, it's incredible really though, isn't it? Like the amount of goals he's banged in, he's got seven in the Premier League in three matches, like two hat tricks in the first three games of the season. Like, wow, it's not the type of thing we've ever seen before. And yeah, he still gets a lot of criticism, I think he gets a lot of criticism there, I know it's International Week in Norway where they don't think himself and ode guard, another Arsenal player like is, they probably think they should be performing a little bit better. Yeah, like it's definitely one thing, I think there's another interest in Man City just to see what Haland does, I think even when he came here initially, people were thinking, will he be able to do it in the Premier League? And by God, he is like, it's, and like he scored, he's probably scored more goals than most of the teams in the Premier League so far this season. Now, I do think potentially, like I know maybe Man City, they're starting the season as they finish the last, they're just on fire. I'm kind of hoping maybe this 115 charges thing will come to fruition towards the end of the season, may, whether whatever comes, but I don't know, but maybe it'll act as a bit of distraction on that side. We'll be talking about Pep as well towards the end of the season, maybe. So I don't know, I can't still can't see Brentford get anything from this match, but again, just echo what Harry is saying about Bueno, he's been single-handedly kind of keeping Brentford. - It was the same, and Vissa as well, Vissa scored last week, Tony. Bueno's got a few as well already this season, but again, towards the end of the last season, they were the same. No, Tony, Tony wasn't getting into team, and they were happy enough to see Tony go to Saudi Arabia follow the dollar signs. - Now, Liz, how do you think Man City and Brentford's going to go, Liz? - Do you know what? I'm going to be slightly different to everybody else. I've got a feeling Brentford could turn Man City over. - Well, Man, Liz, thank you. That's what we'd like to hear. Believe me, if you just do it, it'll nail him neck and hands in the heart of the fence, so you're making some of our listeners very hopeful for the begin. The other big fixture above that part of England is Liverpool versus Notz Forest. Now, Nuno Espertos Dantos will be coming in town with his beautiful take on Latin, but Terry, will he be able to beat Liverpool? - Not a hope. Not a hope. I mean, he's got a great name. It's almost like the old Latin Mass, isn't it? A conspiracy to own Nuno Espertos Dantos, you know? But they haven't got a hope. Liverpool will marmalise some boys. - I'd say he never said a true word. James, what's your take on slough? How do you think he's bitten in in the Premier League? - I think he's doing extremely well, and I think he's enjoying it, and he's taking it step by step, day by day, and his compatriot, Ellicton Harff, could learn a lot about how important approach is. The Dutch sports channel Fear Play, they had an interview with him one-on-one, where he was completely normal, and he said, "I am adjusting to life in Liverpool, living abroad, because his daughter and his wife have remained here in benevolence." And he's only Liverpool, and that's another fact that people don't really understand from a personal point of view. And he was saying that the strange thing for him is that he can't just pop rounds for a cup of coffee to see his brother, or he can't just pop rounds to see his parents and have dinner. So he has to kind of get used to that. But I think if he come with a trophy in his first season, I think he's done really, really well. You know, he did well, I said. He did well at Cambry-Layeward, and obviously it's fine all this well. So it's a great opportunity. He couldn't turn it down. I mean, obviously he turned down Tottenham and turned down Leeds for reasons that he knows. But one of the biggest clubs in the world, you know, second only to make this tonight, and in the country come calling. You can't turn that down. No, Russ, Liverpool, he started off great. But true to example, he was taken off, didn't like it. More Salah made it quite clear. I'm on my last year. Come and get me lads, I need money. Is he taking a poison chance after the top? I don't know because I think just the echo chambers are saying there as well. Like I think he's done a very, very smart thing. Like he knew the squad that's there in Liverpool as it stands is definitely a Champions League squad. It may well be aged and there may well be changes needed and there definitely does need to be changes needed. But I think he has the bones of a good team. I think what he's doing there is coming in seeing what he has, knowing he's a good team and saying, right, let's play with these guys. And after maybe six months in January, we'll see what we actually need, where we can kind of get some reinforcements, maybe go into next year. I think it's a very smart move and he's really started out well. Like they've really come flying out of the blocks. And like this is a funny fixture actually because I think if we go back to the forest, Liverpool game from a couple of months ago towards the end of the season, do you remember Nunez scored in the 99 minute of extra time? And it was after there was a drop ball. So the ball I think was an injury and the ball was supposed to be given back to forest. But actually he was given back to Queen Vancouver and Liverpool goalkeeper. Liverpool went up the field and scored the winner. So it was a bit of controversy about that. So I think forest probably owed him one. But to be honest, I don't know if they're going to give it back to them now in this. Yeah, dance, how do you think Liverpool and the forest have got to go? Well, he's slightly dry in as an eat. Yeah, Liverpool, Liverpool, they're going to beat most of the great. Yeah, it's a rice, it's a rice. I think another people probably watched Brighton on their last day out and they've Ipswich at 3 o'clock on Saturday and Pedro is Dukey Hill. Of course the manager is the youngest manager currently at 31 years of age. Now they've done a lot of underage management, I think it's Byron. Now my biggest query was when he was over the under 9s was he only 7 at the time. But how do you think this is going to go on Terry and Brighton and Ipswich? Well, I was very impressed by Pedro against Arsenal. I thought he took our fallbacks on and really has some phenomenal pace. And he has this thing called 'Powser', they call it where he doesn't just rely on pace. He slows it down and then he shoots away with masses of acceleration. So I think it's going to be a Brighton win. Yeah, and actually James, I'm going to get you in here. There's a lot of people here, I don't know what's in Ipswich Town. There's Kieran McKenna, Daraochet, Albeni, Samismadix. There's a lot of Irish interest in Ipswich Town. Now how do you think they're going to get on this weekend? We'll talk with a bigger picture maybe later on in the year. I think a win at the Amex. I think Ipswich is you a win. And I think it will come against Brighton. I think they brought really well. Jacob Greaves, Samismadix as well. And obviously on an Irish podcast. I must say I was keeping an eye on them just very quickly. I just want to mention England islands. I don't understand why islands have chosen the manager they've chosen. What good did it serve the country to have an Icelandic manager, who's claiming already that the shirt is too heavy for certain players? I don't think he understands the way it's a shirt himself first and foremost. I see the likes of Damien Duck at Shellbourne. Why can't he be given an opportunity? Steven Bradley as well. What can he be given an opportunity? This is something that needs to be looked at in international sense. So I just wanted to mention that and give my two pennies. It goes back on point regarding Brighton and Ipswich. I think Ipswich is you a win. And I reckon it's going to be a 2-1 win for Ipswich. Oh, good. Thanks James. Last one of your thoughts on Brighton. I'm actually going to agree with James here. I'm going to go for a 1-0 win for Ipswich. And I think, again, similar to what Harry is saying, there's been absolutely phenomenal for Brighton, absolutely brilliant player. He could have been cautioned last week or probably should have been cautioned last week against Arsenal. He kicked the ball away. I think there's a bit more controversy on that side. But he was actually also called into the Brazil squad. He was a late addition to the Brazil squad there in the international window. So he wasn't initially in the squad. So he actually played last night. He played Brazil repeating against Paraguay last night. So, yeah, potentially he could actually be tired about whether he'll play or not. I don't know. Maybe he will. But on that basis, I think he's been carrying the team. I'm saying that was a tiny well. Bec's been done fairly well for the last little while for Brighton. It's really started the season well too. So I still think, yeah, Ipswich, Kieran McKenna's done a really good job there with Ipswich. And, yeah, with the Irish connection, I'm going to go for an Ipswich one here. Fair juice. Did your thoughts on Brighton versus Ipswich? I totally agree with the other two gentlemen. I think Ipswich drew a win. And it could be against Brighton. And it Brighton lose. They deserve it after last weekend. No. Thanks, Liz. I actually did. While I have you Ipswich, Brighton, like, I know I was mocking about poor. He's so young. But, like, he is Lewis Dok, Milner. And I think I'm leaving out somewhere else. But he's a lot of lads in their late 30s. He's only 31 instead. There's a lot of management there, Liz. Isn't there trying to keep those lads happy? They're coming to the autumn of their careers. They're in the autumn of their careers. So he must be a good manager. Yeah. I'll give him some jewelry. He must be. He knows how to get his team playing. And I'm amazed. I've got to be honest. You've got to play some respect to Milner because I'm amazed he's still on the pitch at his age. You know? So, fair play to him. Yeah. But, yeah. Yeah. I think we're going to take place. It's going to turn them over. So that means lads, another fixture here, it's very early. But there could be a sacking. There could be a sacking this weekend. Everton, zero points. And they're playing Aston Villa. Aston Villa are going well. Now, a wack is maybe not as good. But the counter clear aren't the only players with the Rogers up front that looks deadly. So how do you think Aston Villa and Everton's going to go? Terry? Right. Well, I'm afraid Everton and I've got a saucepot for them because I've got a very good friend who's a toffee supporter. They're called the tofis, by the way, because it was built near a big toffee factory in Liverpool. And they've leaked ten goals this season already and only scored two. And whatever Sean Deish is doing, it's not working. He's a good guy to bring into a club when it's all going wrong towards the end of the season. And he can often turn things round, but they're going to have to get a new manager in there quickly. And it's a real shame because you want, in every big city, you want more than one club that's sort of leading the thing, you know. And at the moment, Everton, I've got a new ground to go into soon. And I've seen it. It's on the banks of the Mersey. It looks absolutely fantastic. But there's an awful danger David Day won't be doing that in the Premier League. James, Everton winning the last day by 2-0 and the 87 minutes, beaten 3-2 after. Is Sean Deish's time as a Premier League manager coming to an end? Well, I've watched the highlights of that game. And for the life of me, how professional footballers do not understand the phrase that all the fans know on their sidelines, if in doubt, put it out. If in doubt, put the ball out. But no, I've got to be seen to be playing out from the back of what to be seen to be doing exactly what my manager sells me to do. Otherwise he won't pick me in the next game. So creativity goes by the wayside. But yeah, I just thought it was very, very strange. But well done to the warmest to turn that around. I think the gaming accessibility will be usual. I think Villa will have one eye on the Champions League campaign. I'm not going to say made in campaign because they've won it before. I know we're in the time of branding where, for example, Arsenal love to forget. My club, Arsenal love to forget that they also played in the European Cup in the 1971-72 season. But it's completely erased from the memory because we didn't start our Champions League campaign until months in 1998 when it's the same cup. So it just goes to show how branding can really fall on some people, on blind some people. But I think Aston Villa having already won the European Cup before. And I think there will be full of beans and I think they'll have one eye on the LA game. He'll burn away to young boys on Tuesday. So I think the game at Goodison will be a 1-1 draw. Now, Ross Aston Villa versus Everton, Everton were in trouble last year. Sean Diesker is the all-short and tight, put on the tracksuit. Is it time for swimwear? I don't know because I think everyone in the poor season last year as well. The poor started the season last year and they kind of pulled it together towards September October. Yeah, last week or two weeks ago it was a pure smashing grab from Bournemouth. They were very good for 88 minutes. How they can try to lose that match I would never know and what's funny about it as well. Bournemouth had more chances in injury time as well. It wasn't just 1-3-2 but they actually had chances to score as well, another goal or two. So yeah, I don't know how they collapsed. Villa, I thought they started the season fairly well. Again, against Arsenal they actually were the better team I thought. It was kind of polar opposite of the Arsenal Villa match from late last season when actually Arsenal were the better team and Villa ended up winning the match. I think that definitely collapsed towards the end of the season. But I think it was the opposite of this time. Villa were very good against Arsenal but the result didn't fall from that day. I'm going to say one all here too. I can actually see everyone getting something. They're not going to continue losing matches all season. Whether Deish will be there towards the end of the season, I don't know. A lot will be told over the next couple of weeks I think and see where they fall. How do you think Villa and Everton's going to go up? To be honest, I think the lads have covered it all. There's not much more I can say. I think Everton's performances at the moment are asking more questions and answering more questions. For example, how is there keeping still number one England keeper? You know, things like this. I don't see how they're going to turn it round, to be honest with you. They're going to have a really, really hard season. Really hard. Just to follow on. Another team that I'd say had probably been struggling in the latter part of the season. I saw Leicester versus Spurs. They're playing Crystal Palace this week. But Jamie Varety having the kind of red bull coming out at halftime. He was really a throwback to a different era. Denz, how do you think Crystal Palace and Leicester are going to go? Crystal Palace for me on that one because I just think they're getting stronger. They seem to be getting stronger, funnily enough. So yeah, I think Crystal Palace is going to win that one. And James, we were first impressed with Leicester towards the end of last season. Now, they've got rid of Anderson's guy in there. So they're maybe not as good as they were. How do you think Palace and Leicester's going to go this weekend, James? I think it'll be a draw. I think it'll be a one-one draw. Although, Anthony has less Crystal Palace, they've signed a player that could make sense from Wallsburg, who is a very, very good defender. But because he's not worth 50 million, people think he's rubbish. But he's a very, very good defender. And I think Palace have brought well there. And Glaston has well with his experience at Wallsburg and his experience at Frankfurt. That will hold him in good stead. And I worry for Leicester. I'm delighted for Jamie Varety. He's a real modern day boy in the rovers, really. And the fact that he was underutilised at international level. For me, it's just a complete mystery. You know, he was a man that scored against the likes of Spain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands. So he can do it at the highest level, but yet was never picked in the major tournaments, was never given the opportunity. You know, people were lording, Harry Kane was all the goals because he scores every single goal. So is he not open to having a strike partner? Because as I was saying for years on end, there is no defence in Europe. If they saw a team sheet of Harry Kane and Jamie Varety together, that wouldn't fiver in their boots. But because we're a country where we've got to come away from 442 because it's related with dinosaurs. To do it properly, it gives you an amazing opportunity. And as the country was lost two major Euro finals, a World Cup semi-final as well. And I'm sir, and if Mr Varety would have played a part in one of those three games, we would have at least a major trophy again for the first time since 1966. Thanks, James. Okay, now we're going to take off a little bit. We're going to have a tangent down from this. We have two other big fixtures, and we're going to review those towards the end of the show. One, of course, the main fixture we get, the Northland and Dabby. We're going to look at European football now from this. And sharply, or not then, on a couple of weeks. I saw the picture was in the front of the English program last night, but Sven Gloria Ericsson passed away. Look, he was a cultural character. Now, I think James mentioned Stephen Bradley and Damian Duff. Sven Gloria Ericsson won a UEFA Cup in 1982. Beth Hamburg with a team of part-time players. And Hamburg themselves were done and won the European Cup proper the following year. This was a serious manager. Would you give us your tosses, Sven Gloria Ericsson Terry? Yeah, he had a very bad run in with the British press, which I'm afraid they tend to do with England managers. They used to call Graham Taylor a turnip, and they'd have his face superimposed upon a turnip, and they'd build him up and knock him down. And, I mean, Sven, as you said, did very well with Gothenburg. He won the Cupwinds Cup with Latzio. Everywhere he went, Benfica Roma, he was always successful. And he had a life outside of football, which, unfortunately, the tabloids picked up on. He had various affairs, and the tabloids just had a field day. He was a bit naive, a particular woman called Ulricha Johnson got somehow wound up into the whole situation. And then we had the horrible phone hacking thing. People might be able to think back to that, where some of the main newspapers in the UK were accused of hacking into star's phones, you know? And they had a big enquirer, a Levison enquirer. Nothing was proven, but it was all very, very unsavory. I had a, yeah, so I've met these guys. And, of course, what's the name of the guy that supports Arsenal? Piers Morgan. In the old stadium, I got a seat and it was the end of our time there, with a good Irish mate of mine, Patrick O'Sullivan, and we were up in the East End. And when it was a European match, and I can be quite cold in November, December, January, whatever, we'd go to get ourselves a cup of tea or a hot chocolate or something. And always, when I arrived at the tea bar, Piers Morgan was standing there with his acolytes around him, and he was spouting. He's one of those guys, he's spouts. I don't think he thinks before he talks, but people hang on his every word. He's got that aplomb, he's got that. Listen to me, I'm talking sense, even though it's nonsense, which is perfect for tabloid journalism. And I took an immediate dislike to him. And then, interestingly, in the new stadium, where I had a seat up in the West End, I was talking to some of the stewards there, and he owned four seats, nearly central in the West End, as well as a box. So these would be little handouts to make favours. If you do me a favour, I'll give you an Arsenal ticket, kind of stuff, you know. Where do I sign up? Yeah, yeah. But the worst thing is that real supporters then can't go and see a game. In fact, when I was in the West End, there's so many times the seat beside me, I don't know who owned it, because there was always somebody different sitting in it, and they'd often come from Italy or Germany. I think it might have been a fiddle somewhere going on. But I feel sorry for Sven. Of course, he died recently, but let's honour and pay tribute to him as a very good manner. He brought in the 442 and zonal marking, heavy pressing, all those things that we're kind of used to now. And as you say, he did it with the part-timers of Gothenburg. So, you know, full respect to him. And he certainly gave England a run for their money. They were in three consecutive court court finals, but like a lot of the England matches, it doesn't go a lot further. Thanks, Terry, and it's been a nice tribute. Now, just to lead on, we'll start our European preview now. Actually, Sven managed Ben Ficke one time to the European Cup final, the European Cup final, and the last to A.C. Milan in 1889, and in my eyes, that was the greatest ever European Cup winning team. But we'll start with the president A.C. Milan team who were playing Liverpool in the first day of the Champions League this season. James, how do you think A.C. Milan Liverpool is going to go? I think it will be a 2-2 draw. I think Milan have fallen so far from the bastion of invincibility, that they once were, you know, where the club, if you didn't know any better, you wouldn't think it's Italian anymore. You know, when you watch some on TV, you'll be adverts on the side of the pitch, all in English, for games playing Milan, so it's no longer put to Ben for Samila, and it's signed up to the app and download your QR code today. And you think to yourself, you know, they're going to be playing Milan, surely. But, you know, the likes of Berlusconi and Ali Wasaki, they changed the dynamic of that club. You know, as listeners know, who often hear me on this platform, I do a lot of reading, and if I can recommend one book to everybody, it's a book called The Immortals, written by Ali Wasaki about how he built that team. And the simplicity of it is just nothing short of incredible, and if it could only be utilised today. But I think this game is, in terms of names, it's blocked by staff, but in terms of depth and substance, it's not so much. So I think it'll be a huge, huge rule. Oh, Russ, Liverpool. They've already said they were champions these squad. Are they going to start all the way? Yeah, I actually think they will, but I think they're going to beat Milan. Just as not interesting as I, like, noon is that the two top scorers in their World Cup qualifying for the consumable of the South American World Cup qualifying competition is actually Daro Nunez with five, and Luis Diaz with three. So they seem to be banging in the goals now for their countries, but yeah, I think Liverpool, again, Ernest Lachis, like I said, he's been fairly smart since he started with Liverpool. He's not trying to reinvent the wheel. He's just maybe taken what Klopp had there previously and maybe gone a bit stale under Klopp, and tweaked it a little bit, and got him playing a little bit there. A little bit more aggressive. Yeah, I think Liverpool are going to win this, too. And does, obviously, the Dutch, they were really, I suppose, the kings of European, Christ and Michaels and all these famous Dutch managers, and, of course, the Dutch, great Dutch players, Hollitt, Van Bastel, and others. But now, obviously, Liverpool have a Dutch manager. Do you think he could beat Milan? Yeah, I think Liverpool beat Milan. As James said, they're still in so far, and they're not the Milan of old. So, yeah. And Liverpool have a good record in Europe, haven't they? So, yeah, I think. Could they walk in the park, really? Thanks, isn't it? Terry, just a chance at Milan. Same here. Arnie Slott's boys will turn him over, too. Alright, thanks. Now, James, we're going to get you in here. This is an interesting picture on Ireland, maybe not the more high-profile picture in Champions League, but Celtic are playing Brantislava. Obviously, Liam Scales and Anita will be playing for Celtic. And, of course, this new competition, even though it's maybe not people's desired. It's too much European football, really. But could this be a good chance to set it in after a good momentum? I believe so. I mean, I've watched someone but I've described a life when they played during Amsterdam a couple of years ago, sorry. And they've been building for this moment. They've been building for Champions League for years on end. With, you know, national championships and decent players and getting used to European football. So, I think both teams will see it as an opportunity for free points in this new Champions League phase where this is like a supervillain movie, where the supervillain comes up with an indeed-vious plan and ends up destroying something. Or what's destroyed, in this case, is what was once an amazing football competition. You know, and it's so sad to see, really. My own club with more than 20 bikes is the cherry. Never having won it, where participation is the most important thing. Never mind sporting ambitions to win the thing. And I find that quite embarrassing as a fan of 35-plus years. And I would say one thing, for a tournament which is now 69 years old, they have only ever been 23 winners. So, when the people talk about the Champions League and they talk about the amazing nights, I often say to them, just have a think for a few moments. If you've got a tournament which has been around for almost 70 years, but yet they have only ever been 23 winners. And a list of many, many new women, then you know exactly what the situation is, where, in the current modern form, it's literally a closed shop. This is what it's become. Oh, Druss, this new league plays, like, I don't know. Everyone knows the competitions momentum is a big thing. And Cetik, I have Brantislav at home. First, did you think they'd win? And secondly, could there be this prize package with a guest check if you want matches? Yeah, it's going to be too interesting. I actually do think they'll win this match. Look, I'll be honest, I haven't really seen a whole pile of slov and Bratislava. A small bit of Celtic. They've started the season quite well. I think they're going OK. They've got four or five matches in there, up the top with Aberdeen, up in Scotland. Yeah, they should, I would imagine, have enough to beat slov and Bratislava. In terms of league phase in Champions League, I'm going to go maybe against the grain here. And I actually think this league phase could be a bit of a rejuvenation of the Champions League. I think there's no secret. I think people have been kind of crying out for change in the Champions League for a number of years. They've seen the league phase has gone stale. It doesn't get interesting until the last number of the quarterfinals, even around the 16, can be a bit boring at times. I think now where you're pitching the big teams, so-called big teams against each other quite early in the competition. And they have to actually fight for every match. Here are getting to matches there in the league phase where after four games teams were qualified for putting out second string for the fifth and sixth matches. Now, in this phase, the way it's actually working is your top ace will go straight through your 9 to 24, or whatever it is, with a 9 to 24, whatever it is, will play off to get through. But wherever you finish in the league, determines who you play for in the future around. So there won't be any draw. It'll actually be seeded so that whoever finishes first in the league overall will end up playing the bottom scenes of all the teams. So it makes it interesting in the sense that when you come to the six, seven-day game, that you still need to be picking up points to move up, but if you want to get yourself a little bit higher seeded. In terms of will that be enough for Celtic, like to pick up a couple of points here and there? I don't know, because it's so new. After eight games, it's going to be interesting to see where the points total lands that will get you through. But again, I do find you're looking at a league table with 36 teams. It's going to be quite funny in terms of your team scrambling there between 24, 25, 26. And they'll be screaming and jumping and hoping and hollering when they get through into 24th place out of 36 teams just to get through. So it is a bit comical. But look, I'm willing, I'm coming at it with an open mind. I think, look, let's see how it goes. Now, Tez, anywhere with a strong Scottish influence, we'll probably have an eye on the Scottish Premier League. How is it going to look? You're not against Bratislava, Dez? Yeah, I don't really know much about that as lava, but I would say Celtic are going to win that one. I like the way Celtic play at the moment. It's going to be very, very flowing. They could actually play down in the Premier League, I think. They do slow, which is good. Yeah, but I think Celtic can beat that as lava. Very good. Okay, let's do the other big European fixture. And a lot of people are now seen at Atlanta. They've seen Mr. Lookman, anyway, and by God, he's quite the handful. And they're playing Arsenal towards the nice of the Champions League. How is he at Atlanta and Arsenal going to go, Terry? Well, it depends which Arsenal turn up, of course, isn't it? I mean, currently we've got our three main midfielders out, either injured or suspended. Now, okay, Rice, won't be suspended for that. I think the sort of build-up and excitement will be there, as you say, Lookman's a very good player. But he spent a few years at Charlton without pulling up trees, but he's matured well. I see it's in and Arsenal win. But I must say, from all these, the direction of travel to me looks as though the European League is eventually the plan is for people like Cronkey and Boley and all these multi-billionaires that have pumped money into the English game, not to lose the money, but to sort of gain from it. They really want a European Super League. And all these are iterations towards what I think will be a closed Super League. It should never happen. It should always, maybe it would be the point of compromise where they allow relegation and promotion and so on. And I do remember when I had my season ticket, which is until fairly recently, you know, quite a lot of these games weren't really interesting. I remember we played a team called Carabag from Sweden somewhere. And when I turned up and it was a cold winter's night, the stadium was only half full. People weren't sort of interested at all. So, yes, it sells sky subscriptions and so on. But, yeah, and again, when it's the really big teams, then it gets exciting, but absolutely to concur with James, it generally is the really big teams go through. James, we saw Atlanta here last year. We saw a man, the court is a Gasparan, I'm quite worried for Thursday. Primarily because of the tactical analysis of Gasparan, and what he can do and what our title can't do. And people forget as well, our European away form is very poor. Recently in Europe, we have failed to win in Aindhoven Lisbon, Porto Lons Munich. And it's not a tap. You can't turn it on. You can't turn it on with words like, "Bama!" Doesn't work like that. You know, Arsenal's, well, our entire history apart from Copenhagen '94, we've never adapted in Europe. We don't know what to do. We don't know what to do when we get to Europe. We have no idea. And one of the things that I find highly embarrassing is an Arsenal fan of 35 years who've seen 35 different European competitive games home and away in Europe, watching Arsenal, is that we never think, well, hang on a minute, this isn't working. Let's go 4-5-1 at home. But no, it's always, let's just get to the quarterfinal, or in this case, we're in the Champions League. We're not in it to win it. I'd rather give my place to Crystal Palace, see how they get on. And I'll sign off by saying, "Is that a similar one this competition before?" And they have as much chance of winning this competition as what we do. And this coming week with Arsenal, it's three very, very difficult away days. I can't see Arsenal winning one of them. But it will be very interesting if Arsenal get through this week quite poorly beaten up. It will be interesting if the same amount of clout that came Unai Emery's way will come Michel-Arte as way, and somehow I don't think it will. Now, James has already alluded to it. There's one gigantic fixture listed. It's the North London Abbey, described as the greatest of all the diaries, which I think holds up when you consider how Manchester and Liverpool have become so one-sided. But before we do that, we're going to discuss Wolverhampton and Newcastle. Now, there's a resident in Newcastle, they're gone football crazy, they got the money, but it's kind of, you know, the football isn't very stylish, and they're really aren't. They're not in Europe at all this year. So how are things around Newcastle ahead of the World's Match? Well, I think the fans think they're going to beat Wolves. But the problem they've got is this transfer of one day, I think they were expecting to spend money, and they didn't spend money. They were never going to let ISAC go. So I think the fans are a little bit disappointed, and I think they're also a little bit worried that Eddie Howe's going to take the England job. I apologize for the England job, but I think they need to keep them. But yeah, they didn't buy the players that I thought they were going to buy to make them stronger. So, I mean, I think Newcastle this season is possibly best looking at top six. No, I don't think it will be top four, I think it will be top six. But yeah, as I say, they've got all this money, but yeah, the owners didn't release the money to buy players. The deputies have been in turn and struggled there already. And now, Ross, before we got knocked on Derby, your thoughts on Wolves and Newcastle. Yeah, I think Newcastle probably should take the win here, maybe two nails. Like I think you're dead right. I think there's a bit of a more pragmatic approach this season now in terms of how they've been set up. I think last week, even playing at home against Spurs, I think they won the match to one. But I think they see that pretty much possession. I think Spurs had something like 60, 70% possession, whereas Newcastle didn't. They let him have the ball. Spurs got to do a whole pile with it. I think towards the end is I hit him on the break. And yeah, like maybe it's a case that Howe is going to look at his squad there and going right. Look, let's see what I can do again with this squad this year. I told myself that we're probably going to spend a bit of cash over the summer, but maybe financial fair play is catching up. And maybe they are looking to balance in the books a little bit that day. They don't want to be spending out and keeping the money in the back pocket for next season and see how it goes. In terms of getting towards Champions League again. But yeah, look, let's say Newcastle 2-0. OK, we've had the Supertime for the main course. Spurs versus AFC, Terry, how's it going to go? Well, the first thing that is annoying myself and James, I think James will agree, is that we aren't allowed to play in our usual red shirts. Because there's too much white. Now, we've been playing against Spurs since who knows when 1902 or something, you know. And suddenly they decided, sorry lads, there's too much white in your red and white shirts. And apparently Arsenal said, well, look, we don't mind wearing red shorts. And they said, no, no, don't worry about that. You're going to have to change. You'll see Arsenal play in their black, which is Arteza's favourite, actually. He thinks it makes us look more aggressive, which certainly doesn't make us look like the Arsenal of old. So it's quite a shame that when I think of all the London Derbys, I've been to all the North London Derbys and the old sort of Spurs kit and the Arsenal kit. And it's just wonderful. And suddenly that's gone. Because the FA have decided, no, no, sorry Arsenal, there's too much white there. So absolute nonsense. I did wonder when I first heard it, was it the kit manufacturers trying to sell the second and third kits, you know. I think, you know, looking at it from this angle with our midfield decimated, I think the draw would be very welcome. Now, James, your tarts on the North London Derbys. Well, I concur with Serio, also wouldn't have put it past Arsenal to suggest playing in their light blue third kit. But of course that has connotations for Spurs as a way to, you know. But again, it's like a fashion parade, really, isn't it? It's, you know, as Serio said since the early 1900s, it's red versus white. That's what it should be. And the black kit is to pay tribute to Arsenal to African fans and African players that have played for Arsenal. How many of them were around in 1913 when we moved from Plum City North London? How many? And also as well, it opens the door now. People love to bang the drum, it's a tribute to African fans and African players. OK, so next season, do we have a European tribute designed by European fans of Arsenal? And the season after that, do we have an Asian one as well? Originally from South London. I was at the friendly game in the summer against Biolabicouza, where Arsenal won 4-1. It was a very strong Biolabicouza team, but you could see that they were taking it as a friendly. And they made lots of changes. And I was in the clock and then I looked around and there's banners from every country you could ever think of. Arsenal Bangladesh, Arsenal Slovenia, Arsenal Sweden. If I rock up at Domzali in Slovenia, they're not going to roll out the big carpet. If I rock up at A.E.K. Solna in Sweden, they're not going to roll out the big carpet, are they? And I just think it's very much the sign of the times. For real Arsenal fans, this is the biggest game in the season. And we're not even in a couple of days into the game being played where the excitement is coming up and the excitement is starting to build. And you already get the message of Arsenal playing in black. We don't play in black, we're playing red and white, we're playing yellow and blue. That's a very good point. So, how do you think they're going to go? At this point, if I was offered a draw I'd take at just giving the fact that the midfield has been decimated so much. It's the other guard getting onto a play and there, it's more on crutches, doesn't board well. I hope it's nothing too serious. Yeah, Bryce obviously out. Great game for England against Ireland there. The other week, I'm unfortunately. But yeah, it's going to be tough now. If we can get out of the lane with a draw, I'd be quite happy with that. And as James says, the next week is going to be critical between that game, the Man City game, the Atlanta game. It's a very big week, those three away games, if we can get out of that. Yeah. Oh, James, you were the last man up. I think we're actually able to come to find Lesley James actually in this. But do you think Arsenal could win the knock on the derby, James? Yes, I do. I agree. I agree. I agree we should be playing in red. If Tottenham play the high line will beat them. Pretty good. No. Just to terrify, just to finish up. So I'm just going to record this. Terry and I think Ross are both going for draws, the knock on the derby. It's going to all for me. Two of them are going to give us a score. Well, I say. James, sorry. I cut you off there actually before I got your score. But you can score the knock on the derby will be James. One more. One more. Very good. And Des, you're going to the last word. The first show of the season for fever pitch from hole in the ditch on Scarf Bay Community Radio. We're handing over to our Northeast as correspondent Desma Cloud. Give us the first score on the knock on the derby. Two nil to Arsenal. Thank you. Okay, that's it. Thanks for your contributions. We'll talk to you again next month. This is Brilliant Show. Thanks again for all the contributions. And I hope this was a joyous. And we'll talk to you again soon. Over and out. Thank you that spot. Go to that. The pack was put in picklewood. And they wouldn't leave the crown. But Zass is flying and finished climbing. So Patty was going to town. Oh Mother dear, I'm over here. And I'm never coming back. What keeps me here? There ain't a beer. The ladies and the crackers. I come from County Curry. The land of eggs and bacon. If you think I need your fidget chips. I hate you, you're a mistake. I come from County Curry. The land of eggs and bacon. If you think I need your fidget chips. I hate you, you're a mistake. Oh, I don't think I need your fidget chips. I hate you, you're a mistake. Oh, I don't think I need your fidget chips.