Are Liverpool Back?

28:11I think they are equipped yes because they have a real strong mentality I think right now the one thing you would say about Arsenal is they're lacking a bit of inspiration particularly the Champions League when you look at that table I'm surprised that Arsenal are favourites because, particularly the three teams below them, in terms of attacking play, they are miles ahead of Arsenal. Arsenal are getting it done right now. And that catches up with you eventually. And that's as big a reason why I don't think the quadruple is possible. In order to win the quadruple, you really have to be sharp. You have to be at your best.

28:51And certainly in terms of going forward, Arsenal are way short of their best right now. and then you take all the stress and all the other things that go along with going for a quadruple. I said they've got a strong mentality. You know what? You need more than that. You need legs as well and you need form. And right now, you've got to question the legs and you've certainly got to question the form, although they're getting it done. A lot of questions right now over Manchester City who are no longer in the Champions League this season. And next up for them is, of course, Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.

29:26This is their last four seasons in the Champions League. Real Madrid have proved to be the villain in that story. And it's interesting that Pep's actually said after the game that City's still not a complete team right now, Jan. He even said they're not at the level where failing in Europe is to be judged or is to be assessed in the way it would be with a giant like a Real Madrid right now. Would you agree with that? I think that's because of bad recruitment this season. I don't think they've... I mean, if you compare with the players they've had, I mean, and I can also throw in Alvarez, that made them a better team, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Rodri in top form, Mahrez.

30:10I mean, they've had so many great players. And I think that, I mean, have they signed good players? Of course they've signed good players. But these good players were supposed to replace great players. And they've managed to do that. And I think that Pep, if he was honest, he will think back of the period that he will be very disappointed that he didn't win more Champions League trophies. Same as Sir Alex. He had a great, great team. And he had different great teams. But he will also look back and, yeah, OK, he had a fantastic Barcelona teams and all those kind of things. but he didn't win enough Champions League trophies.

30:50It just shows you how hard it is to win. That is one thing. But secondly, I don't think that this Manchester City team is up there with the best. And I think that is one of the reasons we all now think that the Premier League is decided because maybe the City team at their best. I think they would have taken it this season because there had been times when they were close and they missed out in big games or in big games, did you just feel that they can concede in goals all the time? They played it at Real Madrid. They started well in that game and then they were all over the place. Remember the big city teams that control games.

31:27When they're 1-0 up now, you still feel that the opposition will score. It doesn't matter who they play. So I think that he will be disappointed that he hasn't taken enough Champions League titles. There's a cloud of uncertainty around Pep's future right now, though. That's one of the big talking points right now, Shaka. Even some reports say that he'll make a definitive decision after the Cup final at the weekend. And what happens next for him? Yeah, but I mean, that has been part of some of the questions that are on Pep for quite a few seasons. Those questions will come up. He's signed a new contract.

32:02But you just wonder if these last two seasons have taken a toll. Where City have just looked decidedly poor. by standards that they set for themselves under Pep Guardiola. And you understand. And listen, when he walked away from Barcelona because he was just feeling exerted and needed a break, I understood you sympathise with that. When he did the same at Bayern, you understand you sympathise with that. He's been going for even longer at a similar pace with Manchester City. so you just wondered that eventually it would take its toll you felt that that was coming at some point or another and he just kept renewing kept renewing kept staying on so it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if he just decided listen I've I've I've had enough and and I need a break the the only thing to this is you possibly just don't see him going out in this manner given and everything there.

33:01He's won with Manchester City. You don't see him leaving on the back of a trophy, let alone two. Am I looking too much into... I think his... Probably the last three or four months, his interviews, before, after the game... He has... It's almost like he's... He can't be bothered answering the question. He's not interested in the question. He just wants to get out. He's not interested. I mean, is that a sign that he's just, he wants it? Because he wasn't like that before. You know, he would think about the question, try and answer it. Now, he's trying to be sarcastic. And he's just not. He's been winning before.

33:46He just doesn't seem to be interesting. He's been winning consistently before, Stevie. So it's been easy, you know, to. Yeah, but just in terms of his attitude in these interviews, recently, in my opinion, he's been, he's just as if he's like, wants nothing to do with it. I agree. Could have winning the cup over Arsenal changed that and make him go, well, we stopped their quadruple chances and maybe there's life in the old dog yet. Nah, he's made his mind up. I think he's made his mind up. It sounds to me as though he's getting ready to depart. One second, Jan. I was going to say, there is some value to being the party pooper.

34:22Right. And we're going to be the club that denies Arsenal the quadruple. But when you're a club like Manchester City, on the end of the spell that they've been having with Pep Guardiola, Paterpupa isn't a role that you want to be played or you want to be known for. I want you as the final say you see, Jan, on Pep Guardiola and if he's doing what Stevie says he's doing, he's already decided. Well, I put it this way, Stevie, if he wins or loses, it's still challenging to interview him because you have to be very on your toes because we will always find a way. But I love to interview him, by the way.

34:56But I was just thinking when Stevie was saying that what you will do, maybe as he decided, I don't know, I'm not in his brain. But if you see the big managers that have kind of been at the club for a so long time, do you want to leave the ship when it's taken in water? I just have a feeling if you're talking Bill Shankly, Sir Alex, remember Sir Alex last season, somehow he managed to win it. I mean, get him over to line and then suddenly he was gone. I think that maybe a winner like Pep won't leave on a bad. And then I don't think a League Cup or an FA Cup is enough. Then you have to leave just suddenly on a Premier League title.

35:46I just get that feeling. I mean, you have seen some of the biggest coaches at Liverpool with Shankly, Paisley, Sir Kenny, Jurgen Klopp and so on. I mean, I'm not sure, will he leave when he doesn't feel he's done enough? The thing is, the fairy tale doesn't always appear. The fairy tale would be to do what Fergie did. And I think one of the reasons Fergie did it when he did was, hey, yes, he won the league, but he didn't fancy it because it would take him another two or three years at least to build another side that was capable of doing what his sides had done. And if you're Pep and you're realistic, it's going to take you two or three seasons to get back to where you were if you ever can.

36:30I mean, yes, you can say you were talking about recruitment, but can you actually replace those players? Everything they were about, they all knitted in together. They made City so good. It's one thing to spend money. it's not easy to replace people like De Bruyne I mean sometimes you just can't do it so you know does he want another two or three years building a side that has to be that good I'm not so sure we want another two or three years of Jan having to come up with questions and be on his toes interviewing him in the mix zone ok that's Pep Guardiola but we're going to go from one coach under the spotlight to another now and that is Liam Rossini and of course that note that was given to Garnaccio when the game was already lost.

37:17There's been quite the backlash from pundits across the football world, including, of course, ours right here on ESPN FC. Well, he's come out to say, I know people criticise. I'm not affected. I'm here to win football games. Oh, where are we on this, Jan? Very good explanation. So when you're 8-2 down, then you go for a win a football game. But, I mean, there is something about these kind of managers. And if we put them in different boxes, I would put Rossegna in that young coach doing his best. I absolutely is convinced by his way. But there is a saying, can you read a room? Is there any chance that you can read a room?

38:02And maybe you give some of these notes. I mean, but that was just fun. Not even funny. I just feel sad for him because you knew straight away when he did it. I said it's I was sitting and watching it. I was a he going to be hammered for that one. And why doesn't he understand it? I'm not sure. I mean, we can make jokes about it that he gave the number to a hairdresser for Garnaccio or something. We can do all kinds of jokes. There are memes that it said help. Yeah, help. Exactly. Exactly. Go out and score six was another one. But I mean, you just feel sorry for them. and some of these young coaches, they're coming into a tough football world and if you do things like that, I mean, you don't have it in your blood that you want to do it, but I love his explanation.

38:50He just wanted to win football games. Thank you. Okay, that was proof number one and now the juror have to go out. How do you read into it, Stevie? Is he overcoaching? Is he just doing his best? Is he okay to do this? He comes across as a classroom coach. Yeah, exactly. You know, there's millions of guys who have got coaching badges who don't know how to run a football team. You know, because you're able to turn up with the right amount of bibs and all the bibs are the same colour and everybody's got their socks rolled up the right way. I mean, you know, I played for a classroom coach and it doesn't take long before everybody's rolling their eyes.

39:30Because you're like, hold on a minute. You might be able to put a session on, You might be able to have the right amount of bibs and balls and you can tell the time on your clock when we should start and finish. But when it comes down to football, Jan's talking about the real coaches, they smell it. They smell the game and they understand what's happening and what to do. You know, all these badges and stuff, they open the window and they throw them out the window and then they say, right, get your sleeves rolled up. This is what we're doing. It really smacks of a classroom teacher. That's what it smacks of.

40:03it's early in his career as a coach checker i i'll say this so after um huddlegate or however they were whatever they were calling it after a couple of days stevie made the point that listen this is just an inexperienced coach not really quite sure what to say after after initial reaction a couple of days later you think that that's what i'm seeing here and similarly after a couple of days that's kind of what it feels like i'm seeing here he's a young coach coming into a big football club, big job, a lot of eyes on him, and he's come with the mindset, you know, to his quote, I'm here to win football games, and I'm going to do everything for 90 minutes to try to win football games, when the truth is, especially at this level, it becomes so much more about man management, and the game's over, take players off, throw the kids on, let them enjoy, you know, let the kids enjoy the night or the experience, that's how I think more experienced coaches would handle this.

40:59So I put this down to inexperience. And what he's finding is when you're a coach of a Chelsea, it's a really steep learning curve. Did you want to say something, Jan? Yeah, I just want to say that I think that it's a very valid point when you're a young coach or an inexperienced coach. When you get into a dressing room, you can have all the ideas in the world and you have them in your head, but you have to win over the players. You have to win. We're talking a lot about losing the dressing room, but there is a valid point to win the dressing room. And how do you win the dressing room? I always say that to young coaches, when I, we had, I don't know what name is, I said to them, you have to win, you have to build up the platform first.

41:47You have to win some football game. Do the proper things before you have like an idea that you are the only coach in the world that discovered. I mean, we can make a case. Sometimes we are guys that played in the 90s, Steve in the 70s and 80s. I mean, we can say everything was like this and that before. But when you see the history of football, there are some ground rules that are always there. But one of the main thing is that you have to sell it to the players. And can you imagine who are laughing loudest now over what Rosseño did? Is it Chelsea players? They will have a goal at Garnaccio. That's the first thing they will say when he comes in.

42:28And he knows from Gaffayette. I mean, we know the deal. That has nothing to do with ages. You just do that. So you have to win the dressing room. And if you do things like that, you maybe do the right things. Maybe your mentor at the coach school said that that was the right thing to do. But you don't make yourself any favors because then you have to start all over again, you know. And this hurdle thing, I mean, that was just a joke, you know? And if you do more things like that, at the end, the players won't have any respect for you. I'm sorry to say. Well, on a more pressing matter at Chelsea right now, the future of Enzo Fernandes came under question after that PSG game.

43:09He appeared to put the club on notice after the loss. He said when asked about his future to our colleagues in ESPN Argentina, I don't know. My focus is here for now. We have eight Premier League matches to play and the FA Cup. then the World Cup coming up. So we will see after that. Liam Resenia also was asked about this. And by contrast, he says, I would say he made it really clear to me how happy he is here, how much he wants to win for the team and how passionate he is for this football club. He said also the translation and emotion got misconstrued. He's completely committed to this football club.

43:45Is this a lost in translation situation, we think here, or is there more to this? I'm going to go lost in translation well not necessarily lost in translation I think it's always tough asking players questions about their future on the back of what had to be a disappointing night a disappointing Champions League experience you've just been knocked out handily by PSG the last thing you want to be discussing then is your future so I think it's less about the translation and more about the emotion of the moment and how that feels. And that's what I put this down to, Ferenzo Fernandes. Yeah, I'm with Shaka.

44:29Yeah, I'm with Shaka. Rossini's not going to be as firm in saying what he has, is he, if he thinks that the player does want to away? Or would he?

44:38I'm not sure. I'll be honest. Are you not too sure? I'm not quite sure he goes through Rossini. Yeah, I'm not sure. He's going to back him up. Yeah, he's going to back him up. He's going to back his player up. whether or not they had a conversation whether or not they had a conversation about it after the game just before any last month he's going to say that so I'll be honest I don't think Rosinia's comments as one way or the other in terms of Enzo Fernandes' comments I would imagine as well that question would maybe have taken him aback because let's be honest he's got a long contract 2032 yeah but listen Listen, hey, boys and girls.

45:18But there has been rumoured interest from the likes of Real Madrid and PSG at the moment too, Jan. Yeah, but it's so sweet that a grown-up man think that he will get a move by saying, maybe I go, maybe not, I don't know. What are you suggesting, Jan? Yeah, that is a communication strategy from League Two. I mean, it's unbelievable bad. If you lost a game against PSG so bad, are you going to stay here next season? Yes. It doesn't matter. Just say yes, then you know that you will have no problem. And if you get a move, you get a move in the summer anyway. Do you think that, you know, I got my dream move to Real Madrid.

45:56You know why? Because I was so clever after we lost 3-0 at home against PSG. I mean, come on. He knows exactly what he's saying. He just has the worst communication strategy ever. Just say yes and then move on and do your job. I mean, that is childish, you know. Got Jan fired up there, didn't we? He's not a happy couple, is he? I like that. He's not. I like that. Jan versus Enzo. I'm backing Jan. Yeah, me too. He hates Enzo. Just not in a race against him, that's all. All right, YouTube for a lot more talk on Chelsea, the futures of the likes of Enzo Fernandez, and whatever Liam Rossini is saying next.

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48:29Try MaintainX for free, control the daily operations of your business, and transform your maintenance program. Go to maintainx.com slash sports. That's maintain and the letter x dot com slash sports. These are the Conference League results of note. Crystal Palace ended up getting through in the end. Ishmael Asar, the hero with two goals on the night. And these are how the results look there. Fiorentina through as well. But if any of these teams made it into Xhaka's power rankings. Xhaka, take it away. Well, it's a European night, so of course that dominates the power rankings. I don't think they can be arguing about the top four.

49:13PSG go up one after making very light work of Chelsea overall. That's what Real did with Manchester City. Sporting are in, top in Portugal, through to the quarterfinals. Oh, sorry. Sporting are through after demolishing Bodo Glimt, who I had such high hopes for. No need to say that in front of you. Yeah, I know, I know. Porto are in, top in Portugal and through to the quarterfinals of the Europa League. And I've brought Cuomo in. This is Cuomo, fourth in Syria, have only lost twice this Canada year. Drew with Inter in the first leg of the Copa Italia final. The job that Cesc Fabregas is doing there, everybody knows about a club of that size, to be doing the things that they're doing, I have to show them some love, even on this European night.

50:08There are very few occasions. I know what he's going to say. I know what he's going to say. There really are very few occasions when you get it right. Oh, I thought you were going to say there were very few occasions when I would ask you where Manchester United are. It's a European night. It's a European night. All right. No, Europe. It's a European night. That's right, that's right. Well, thank you very much, Steve. Oh my goodness! I'm going to retire! I think I'm going to retire now! It was a European night. The right man doing the right man! Oh my goodness! Are you going to bring him back down to earth, Jan?

50:40Well, you know, when I heard about his ranking tonight, I was thinking of, for the keeper union, this is a tough week. Everybody is injured, everybody are out. I mean, the goalkeepers have got to stick together. When I looked at that power ranking, I don't think it was that bad. I think that Atletico Madrid, after they beat the mighty, lost against the mighty Tottenham, they kept their place in the top 10. I know Xhaka. He's been thinking of this a lot, that Atletico Madrid would still be in there after that loss against Tottenham. I agree on Como and Sporting after that fantastic game against Borde Glimt are out.

51:18And I also accept, Xhaka, that Borde Glimt is out of your list. I remember last time for a Norwegian, I nearly had tears in my eyes when I saw a Norwegian team being on that list. So thank you for giving us that moment of love. Jack, this has been one of the more unremarkable power rankings because everybody's happy with it. This is the most remarkable power rankings. Neither yet nor Stevie. This is... I'm feeling like Bodo Glipp now. I'm flying high here. That means next week's going to be a disaster. It's going to be a disaster. It's going to be a disaster. Oh boy. But you hate Manchester United, huh?

52:00Did the music stop? No, the music's still good. The music's still good. No, I do not hate Manchester United. Well, my bad. They're 11th young. But I think we can move on, seeing as though we're up there. See, now we need to nail that and hit it out the park. I know, nailed it. Into Miami against Nashville. Let's pick it up in the seventh minute. Reguillon is going to find Messi, he's going to find the back of the net and that's going to be his 900th career goal. Wow, 900, holy smoke. Nice pick out, I mean it doesn't seem any way possible he can score from there, but guess what? He finds a way.

52:39Well guess what? It's not going to be enough. We're in the Champions Cup here, it was 1-1 on aggregate and away goals count. Christian Espinoza would score here for Nashville and that is going to be enough to send them through to the quarterfinals. So this is a really nice finish I mean the deflection plays a huge part and the chaos that ensues but give Espinosa his credit that's a nice finish despite everybody kind of falling around it. And so Football Americas will be covering this tonight look at that lineup. That is a lineup. Yeah Mau, Herc, Casey, Ali. Not a lot of hair. That's why it hurts there.

53:17It hurts there to boost the hair average. Yeah, it's going to be hard to get a word in on that Football America's Tonight as well. But we wish them all. Make sure to check it out on ESPN+. That's all we've got time for on ESPN FC. However, Extra Time is on the way next. And the guys will be answering your questions, Jan included. So stick around. Extra Time on the way.

53:42Welcome into the latest edition of Extra Time on ESPN FC. We've got Shakur and Stevie here in the studio. Jan Agafiotoft joining us as well. Are you going to say something? No? Okay, I thought you were. You haven't had this discussion before. Jan Agafiotoft uses his middle name. Not many people go known by their full three names. No. What's your middle name? Shakur. Oh, so it is. Neil. Neil. Neil. You? It's just not the same. Craig calls me Nigel for some reason. As only Craig can. Nigel? Stevie, have you got a middle name? No. You haven't? No. Any of you brothers and sisters? No. I wish it was Neil.

54:30Yeah, right. Neil. Well, we know Jan's Jan Arger. Oh boy, Jan Arger's Jan. Alright. Stevie's Mince Dealer is first in. Don't you think Tudor and Spurs deserve just a little more credit than they've been given after the Liverpool and Atleti matches? They're not out of the woods yet, but yesterday was like watching a different team compared to a couple of weeks ago. Neil. No. No credit? Nope. Resounding note from you, Jan. Because he wanted to defend his power ranking where he got Atletico Madrid in there and losing against Tottenham. So he speaks against himself, by the way. I think that the game at Anfield, I mean, a lot was done about how bad Liverpool were.

55:19But they had a good game there. And I was sure that the game last night would give themselves confidence. I think that Tottenham will save the spot. I think Tudor will do what Tudor has done in some clubs, as he's been. He will save Spurs. So let's give them a big compliment. They've been down. They've been down. They are down, by the way. I agree. The last two games have been, well, certainly the second half against Liverpool and what you saw against Atletico Madrid was good. I still think Spurs will stay up. I'm hoping West Ham stay up too, but that's another conversation. I still think Spurs will stay up, but I'm not about to get carried away by Spurs.

56:00No. You know? No. You've got to hold up more than that. I mean, they've won a game, and it doesn't count. Yeah. I mean, that's just what's going on with them right now. They won a game, it doesn't count. So the big surprise for those who didn't see the show, Stevie, after four near Liverpool, he said, I'm not relaxed. So... That's not true. That's not true. Two nil. Two nil, I was relaxed. Yeah, you were. OK, guys. For all, which training exercise did you despise the most during your playing careers? Any running, as easy as I said, anything to do with running, that was no good for me. None. Do you know the one thing that really got off my beak?

56:52And it happened, it happened when I was at the end of my career, which made it worse. so all of a sudden teams in the early 90s sorry middle 90s all of a sudden all the teams started all the players who were on the bench after the game was over started doing started doing half length of the pitch after the game and I was a shiffy on Wednesday I was 37, I was nearly 38, I'd been sat on my backside for 90 minutes in the cold and then they go right lads we'll do these runs and I'm like how am I going to do this? I needed some oil in the joints to get me gone never mind doing length runs. Anyway I did the post one and I must have been 20 hours behind everybody and I went like that to the guy because they They just brought in another coach for running people up and down the field after a game, coach.

58:02Getting up your beat. How did you get up your beat, coach? He was fantastic in that. And I was like, I said, I can't do this. I'm going to injure myself. I'm going to get injured. I'm going to put a hamstring on a car. That is so true. Because I've been sat on my backside for 90 minutes and now you want me to start sprinting. Yeah. After I'll enter the field. I said, nah. I said, I'm sorry. Yeah. I'm with you there for it. And they still do it today. You still see them doing it after games. Arsenal now doing, after games, they're doing proper training after games. So they're putting up the guys who are not involved to have a proper training with small, small games, six against six.

58:42But I would say that what I loved most as a striker was a six against six, seven against seven, maybe two touches so I could shoot all the time. I didn't have to pass at all because I could shoot all the time. But what I hated most was these, when they put 11 players are going to start the game and we're going to go through the motions. We're going to go through the stats and we go through the tactic and doing that. And I remember I hated that and we were standing there, came, oh Jan, I want you one yard left, one yard right and all that. And when we Swindon, when we got promoted to the Premier League in 93-94 season, we ended up on Fridays always playing against the reserves and we always lost, which was a sign that things were not going well.

59:28So John Gorman, the most beautiful man in the game, John Gorman said, now let's play against the Apprentice. And we played 1-1. And we were going to play in the Premier League. I mean, that takes all of our confidence away. So moving 11 against 11 in training. It was much better with Howard Kendall. He made it easy. If we had 26 players in training, he said, we played 13 against 13 all over the pitch and he played with us. And he wasn't fit, to be fair. To talk about one of that, Steve Howie told this incredible story. You know the story where Adelaide's first takeoff at Newcastle. On the training on Friday, they're doing shadow play.

1:00:12No opponent. they kick off pass the ball back a couple of times keepers not looking keepers not looking the boys in the back of the net they 1-0 down and they're not playing against anybody

1:00:31you couldn't make that up you couldn't you couldn't make that up but then following on from what you were saying about running after the game I come to MLS first season at FC Dallas we get knocked out of the playoffs we have to keep training till the end of the season like it's some part of the CBA that even when you get knocked out you have to keep training until the day of the final that was the way so now I'm coming to train every single day we have no games to play we have nothing and then the season ends in November December whatever it is and doesn't start back there for you have three months off so you're just trading for this for you know a month or wherever it is and then have three months it was the most bizarre thing I have ever experienced in my life.

1:01:22I ended up when I was coaching the Rebs I ended up having an argument with my boss he's a bit of that because I'm like this is this is mad because all that's going to happen we've been knocked out of the playoffs and the reason we've knocked out the playoffs is because we weren't very good. I said, no, what's going to happen now is people are going to start kicking each other and there's going to be trouble. I said, so, send it, we'll give them all stuff to do. And they'll train, because you know they will. Particularly in American boys. You tell me to do something. When do you want me to do it and how long do you want me to do it for?

1:01:57So I was like, I'm not bringing it, I'm not bringing it, man. No way. We'll end up fighting and kicking and knocking. It's a nonsense. It's made no sense to me. What makes no sense to me, Shaka, is that you hate running, but you were spotted on the treadmill today at ESPN's gym by one of our production staff running. Health reasons, Shaka, isn't it? I know exactly who it was as well. Yes. I'm determined to beat Jan. I'm determined to beat Jan. If ever there's a showdown, I'm going to smoke that fish. You don't need to bother with the treadmill.

1:02:38I would talk to the fish and we would come over. I'd pay to see that. All right. I read a funny story of Lennart Carl being tutored and not answering the phone when Nagelsmann initially tried contacting him about being called up for Germany. Do you have any funny stories of missing an important phone call during your career? Hmm.

1:03:03Missing phone calls, I mean when Stevie played there weren't telephones around. I tell you what, I tell you what used to happen every day, what used to happen every day, any new player, somebody would get them to go down to the players room, because there was only one phone, there was no cell phones or anything like that, I'm talking the 80s here, so there was one phone in the players lounge, and whoever was new would get set up with a phone call. They'd be like, oh, phone call in the players lounge for you. People kidding on the world, reporters or whatever. So everybody used to get done with that all the time, all the new guys.

1:03:42Yeah, I love that one. But it's, when I think back, okay, and we'll talk about my borrow time, there are some phone calls you do remember because nowadays, and I didn't have an agent, I sorted out myself. and I remember when Brian Robson called me, I said yes before I came to R. I mean, he said, hi, this is Brian Robson. Yes, I'll sign. Yes, yes, I will. You are Brian Robson. Yes, I will do that. And I've talked to some of the boys that played for Blackburn when Sir Kenny was there. When he called him, he said, this is Kenny. Yes, I'm coming, I'm coming. So, but yeah. Yeah, you hear that so much about Brian Robson back then And that, well, we know, that changed everything.

1:04:25That changed everything for all the kids of the town as well. Suddenly, kids who've been wearing all the other team's shirts were suddenly proud to be wearing their shirts. It all changed then. Come on, Boro, get up this season, please. Come on. There's a question about that later. Anything that stands out for you on that question, Jacob? No, I can't think of anything. Okay, Jan. Thoughts on Haaland investing in Norway chess? Can you tell us about this? Yes, I'm a bit involved in that process. That was the first thing that I will say. It was a good day for the project, let's put it that way. He's invested, you know, the world champion over the last decade has been Magnus Carlsen.

1:05:12And when we see Erling Haaland plays football, when you see how he's moving in front of the goal, you can say he's a great chess player and he invested in a new chess tournament, Total Chess, that's going to be the Champions League of chess tournaments for 2027. So that's good news for all chess lovers out there. Yeah, all the chess lovers like TV. I like a game of Snap. I'm dead handy at that. Lightning, absolutely lightning. Oh, the kids All the kids have got broken fingers. Out of interest, have you ever played chess? You haven't laughed? Chess. He's a break. No chads. Checker, I feel like you'd be good at chess.

1:06:00No, I'm never able to. The producer wondered if that was your burner account, Jan, and you just wanted to talk about your involvement in the Norwegian chess area. Yeah, that is... No, no, no. I'm a good backgammon. Do you play backgammon, then? I play backgammon, yeah. That is a great game. Yeah, that's a good game. I love chess as well, but I don't have the patience. Surprise, surprise. Someone bought my son Twister for his birthday. Do you remember Twister? Yeah, I do. I need to bring it in here. We need to do an ESPN FC edition of Twister. Brilliant. Jan and Kay, how confident are you that Middlesbrough go up to the Premier League this season?

1:06:37Kay, you start, please. Okay. I was feeling great and then I didn't feel great after what happened last weekend when we had the late equaliser. And suddenly it doesn't look as great because we're still in the second position, which is an automatic promotion, as you can see here. But as you can see here, Ipswich Town have played a game less than us and are just two points behind us. However, in our next five games, we face both Ipswich and Millwall below us. So it is in our hands. You know what, I need to actually check that. I was at Arsenal, Kay, and I heard that we were leading. And I said, are we still doing it?

1:07:16Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I was like, yes, yes, yes. And I came back again. No. No. That would have been another goal. I saw, I was very optimistic. And then I saw two home games. I think it was, one of them was Oxford. Could that be right? And there was something about that performance I didn't like. I mean, they were passing the ball around and they couldn't get into the box. Yeah, that was a nil-nil. Yeah, that was a nil-nil game. And there was something, I thought we were going to decide it there. but we need Borough now with Sunderland and Newcastle up there. I mean, good times. Yeah, so Xhaka, Middlesbrough at home against Millwall and away to Ipswich.

1:07:53Whoa. And there are other games obviously in there, but I'm just saying, if you're going up there, six pointers, so you win those and you put... We go up. We go up, Kay. We have to be posted. If you don't know. Yeah, and should we go to the Riverside? Should we see if Steve will let us go? A little bit of time off. Yeah, we'll meet. We'll meet again. Don't know where, don't know where. Jan gets all the hospitality at the Riverside. No, no, no. Can I just say how fantastic this club is? I haven't been there for a long, long time for different reasons because I don't normally go back so much to clubs and I do a lot of working.

1:08:28I went to the FA Cup. It was Middlesbrough against Chelsea. I was delayed on my plane and I had to call. I was desperate how I was going to catch the game. I had to do my suit. I did everything. It was just chaos. I called the club. They met me at the gate. They took me into the dressing room. Let me shower. They did my suit made everything ready I mean Love love love. Yeah, it's one of our own Oh, fantastic. Thank you. No, fantastic club. Okay. Fingers crossed Jan fingers crossed Yeah, and the guys were actually all really nice on a day when we weren't on and they were asked who do you want to see go up from the championship?

1:09:04It was pretty much resounding from all of them Middlesbrough was one of the teams so people like us at least alright that's all we've got time for on the latest edition of Extra Time Stevie I know you said Middlesbrough I know you said Middlesbrough Craig said it, Frank LeBoff said it Nigel it was Neil Neil I've got to write up my beat when they don't support me

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