72+ EFL Pod: 2026/2027 EFL season preview

21:50Brilliant. I love that. And I really hope that they are all going to pull around and dig this manager out of the hole. If they can get off to a good start But I still believe they'll be in the playoffs. I've still put them, for me, team to go up through the playoffs. Will they win the league? I don't think they'll win the league. I think they'll make the playoffs and I think they'll be the team to beat in the playoffs. I've got them, for me, to back them to go up through the playoffs. But I think it's important that they just have to come together, don't they? And they've got the quality.

22:17Aaron Paul:We need to see what happens with regards to these charges and any potential appeal. It's still hanging over. Absolutely. Lyle? I don't like the choice of words because the choice of words makes it seem like they've been hard done by. He's representing the football club. He's not representing himself or just the players. He's representing the football club. So I don't like the terminology. I would be very intrigued to know his thoughts on what the manager has done in a private conversation. Obviously, that will not happen. That being said, yes, fine. They have to do what they have to do. But I just don't think what has been done and their punishment has been severe enough because we just don't do those kind of things in this country, in our footballing pyramid.

23:02Aaron Paul:Now, I just want to say, if you think we're rattling through teams, we are because we've got to cover the 72. We're trying to pick out the hot topics and the low-hanging fruit, if you like, off the Football League tree. But throughout the season on 72 +, we will be across every single team out there. And one of them will certainly be Middlesbrough, one of the other clubs involved in Spygate. Dave, of course, emerged as one of the favourites to be up there at the top. A real dramatic finish this season. Beaten, of course, by Southampton in the play-off semifinals. Reinstated, beaten by Hull at Wembley.

23:36Aaron Paul:Hayden Hackney's gone. That debate is done now, but they've spent. And they always reinvest wisely, Middlesbrough Luke. I think what they've done this year quickly is act, haven't they? They've brought in some real quality that we mentioned Will Langshere already. Aidan Morris is such a key part of that team in that central midfielder position. I think he's going to be a real key again, picking up the mantle from Hayden Hackney. But I think at the end of last scene, they just fell short from that lack of squad depth. Whittaker was missing, Hackney was missing, and those two were such a key point for them that didn't get them over the line.

24:10So to make the signs they have will make them a lot stronger.

24:13Aaron Paul:Will Langshere, Kim Helberger said he's the best finisher he's ever seen after. He scored the win against Wexham on Friday night. They lacked goals last season, Lyle. He could be the answer. He could be the answer, but there will be a lot of pressure from a very big fan base who aren't scared to tell you how they feel. So it will be a case of how he deals with that. Now, as a striker, you go through barren patches in a season, you go through four and five and six games. If he can still provide a platform for his team in those moments when he's not putting the ball in the back of the net, it will be massive for that football club.

24:48And I think they will be one of the teams going into this season saying, you know what? we feel hard done by with what happened at the back end of last year. Let's try and put those wrongs right and see how they can do. But they've been on a steady rise over the last probably, what, three or four seasons now. So I fully expect them to be at the top end, the right end of the table.

25:10Aaron Paul:I really like Kim Helberg. From first meeting him, I think he's a cool guy. He buys into it. Obviously come in, made the statement of, you know, I want to get this club to the Premier League. I think he probably was expected to do it last season. They fell short, but they're addressing it. They're adding to the squad though, and this is what it's about, building layers now for them. Yeah, they've brought in Vitek in goal as well for Man United. Big, big signing. I think that's probably where tough on Sol Bryn. He had a solid season last season, but he made that a bit of a mistake in the player final like the last knockings.

25:41But Halter, for me, I saw a lot of him at the World Cup. What a central midfield player. He's got a range of passing, which I think will allow Aidan Morris to operate a bit further forward, just giving them a bit more solidity behind him when they obviously lost Hayden Hackney. And I mentioned before, when you lost Morgan Whittaker and Hayden Hackney, you're real bright sparks of creating chances and getting goals. I think we saw Morgan Whittaker come back at the end of last season. He was the actual only one able to put the ball in the back of the neck. Strelick, yes, works hard up top for Middlesbrough, but Will Langshear will be a big, big difference for them this season.

26:14And it's about keeping him fit.

26:15Aaron Paul:Let's look at the best of the rest. The Dark Horses. I mean Luke you've mentioned Birmingham City shout out to Norwich City Swansea Wrexham and of course Millwall beating in the playoffs after missing out on the top two on the final day Andy who are you looking at? Wrexham for me I think they have put a good squad together each season I think he buys well Parky and I think I think they've got a way of playing and they're all on the same page of it they brought Danny Imre in this year who I had at Bromley who's at Palace I think he's a really good signing for them as well. So, and they're about to do the goalkeeper.

26:54Aaron Paul:He's done. Anthony Patterson is through the door. I think it's a fantastic signing as well. Just on Wrexham, Lyle, tactically, I think they are, they're very rigid in what they're doing. Luke Wade in on this as well. But I actually really enjoy watching him. I love the intensity. You know, it feels as though they sort of coast for the first set of a game. And then the last 20 minutes is just mayhem. Can they sustain that through a season though, both of you? I think it's interesting because I think that comes from off the pitch. I don't think that necessarily comes from anything the manager will be specifically telling the players to do.

27:30I think that comes from the whole story and the whole, circus is probably the wrong word, but the circus that follows it. That club is going to do something that has never been done and is supremely special just because everything else off the pitch is driving... It's like a movie. Yeah. It's like a movie. It's obscene. It's ridiculous. It shouldn't work. I think that's the point, isn't it? They've already done stuff that's never been done before. Three consecutive promotions. They missed that on the playoffs on the last day of the season, last season. They've got immense quality. They've added to it again.

28:03They've been backed. Phil Parkinson's been backed. And I think you talk about the mayhem, but it's really important now, as a team, you always reach a level, right? And we're talking about a goalkeeper being brought in. You just have to keep improving and as well as Arthur's done, Paterson is a top, top goalkeeper and it keeps them settled.

28:20Aaron Paul:Let's talk about your pick for the outside bet and obviously Lyle Wade in it, being a former Blues striker as one of your 20 clubs. Is it 20? 22. 22, fair play. How do we get 24 as a calculation? Oh, you've been bad. It might have been 24. I've only got so many fingers and toes. I don't know what you want from me. Whip the calculator out, will you? Why Birmingham City, Luke? I just think they've had the chance now to settle down again talking maybe a bit of circus and the belief and I think they came back up to the championship with real belief that they could just go again and get themselves back into the Premier League with a back-to-back promotion but I think they were surprised a little bit of where they were in terms of the level I think they blew away League One when they did but they've just had that season to bed in a lot of foreign players from January last season it's always going to be difficult to get them to hit the ground running and I think they've had that six month period now pre-season Chris Davis will have massive pressure on his shoulders but I think they've recruited well now I think at Blues it's very different because above that sat on the board I think you've got an attempt to gentrify a football club which has never been what Blues have ever been about you see they're trying to open restaurants in the stand and closing boxes and doing this and you just think what are you doing this isn't this isn't America this isn't how we do football here just put your money into the football club, show the fans that you're willing to drive the off-the-pitch stuff forward and they will back you and love you as an owner.

29:54It's just whether they can separate the nonsense that comes with the Americanisation of football from the football club.

30:01Aaron Paul:Look, I think from the ownership perspective, it's going to be interesting to see how much of an involvement Tom Wagner has after suffering a stroke. And look, we wish him well because he's been nothing but excellent for that football club driving it forward. what happens with Chris Davis because again Luke just sorry I know we've got to push on but there was there was murmurings last season there were frustrations and I was at one of their games and it wasn't fun at points and I just wonder at what point did the fans go we need someone new thank you Chris for everything you've done and you've been great but we want something different I think they just need that that first season being back in the championship and credit to Birmingham they could have easily made a change and they wanted that unrealistic expectation of getting in back-to-back promotions, like I say.

30:45But he's got a chance and he must be, he'll know, right, in that job, if you're not in a great position after 10 or 15 games, it's going to be very difficult for him to keep the Blues fans on side, to keep the belief that that club has now got as a fan base. They're going to be expecting to do big, big things now with the backing they've got, such a huge club in the city. They have aspirations of getting to the Premier League. So if they're not in and around those playoff places come 10, 15 games, It will certainly be pressure and alarm bells will be ringing.

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32:34Aaron Paul:worthwhile saying right now uh make sure you are in our 72 plus fantasy efl league before the new season gets getting the coin code to join is 72 efl pod all one word all capitals i'm sure joe Wimackenough is sat at home right now prepping his team. 7-2 EFL pod. Can't wait to see you there. Let's drop into League One. And where better to start than we're Bromley, playing in the third time for the first time in their history, all masterminded by the man next to me, the birthday boy, Andy Woodman. Busy summer of recruitment. Not busy enough for your liking? It's never busy enough. We always want more.

33:08Yeah, it's been a tough off-season, trying to get players in. And credit to Luke, a chief scout, who's worked really hard and the chairman and myself. You know, we've been non-stop 24 hours on the phone and getting players right to the, going to sign for us and then they go somewhere else. It's tough. It's tough. We haven't got the riches that some of the clubs have got. And that's not me crying, that's fact. And equally, look, whether I like it or not, we're probably not the most desirable club to have some of these players to come to when there's other clubs in our league. So I understand all of that.

33:43But what we are, we are on a team on the upward trajectory and we'll keep going that way.

33:48Aaron Paul:You've done things organically and everyone has, you know, he prays on you for doing that, for, you know, not sort of going mad at what you do. How do you keep that trajectory going? How do you keep it consistent? First of all, you've got to make sure you buy the right characters and keep the right culture flowing through the club. And that's really important to me. And when we, you know, sign players, as good as they are and as we see them on the pitch, it's really important to do my homework off the pitch and how they're going to fit into us as a group and us as a football club. And then they've got to buy into how we're going to play.

34:22So you've got to get all of that right. And I would say touch wood at the moment, we have got a group of players that have come in the door and they are the DNA of us. I'm so chuffed with how they've sort of brought into everything we've done. have you got can we have any insight in any potential changes in how the team's going to play this year yeah we're going to have one more extra pass

34:48do you know what that's a fair comment to say that because what I love about what you just said there is on the outside everyone thinks my keeper kicks it we go up the pitch and that's all we do and we want people to keep believing that what we do is is we play in the right areas and that's what I want to do you know I don't want my keeper rolling it to his six-yard box and getting it back and then looking for a put. That's not all I want. That isn't to say that we have 700 passes or we just go long. We mix it up and that's the important thing. We're going to mix it up but with better players.

35:23It's no secret. The goal doesn't move. Put the ball in a danger area. Keep the pressure on the goal. Listen, when you've got a striker like Michael Cheek, that's all you need to keep doing. We're not going to be much different, but we have got a few little things up our sleeve. We are going to just change a little bit, but nothing crazy, I have to be honest with you. We have to change a little bit for the league, for sure.

35:46Aaron Paul:Didn't his wife give birth the other day? Unbelievable. And sort of like he came and played later that afternoon. Honestly, when I tell you this, I was ringing him up saying that she had the baby, don't worry about the game tomorrow, because you know it's not when you have a baby, you're tired. He came in on the Saturday to the office and said, you OK? He said, yeah, yeah, she had the baby, as if it was nothing. I mean, he hasn't. and I said, well, let's rest you because he had a hamstring last year and etc. And he said, no, no, I'm fine. And he went out there, played exactly as he plays and scored and that is just Michael Cheek.

36:15He's the most easy player to manage and possibly the nicest footballer I've had the pleasure of working with. When you're a manager and you have players like that, for me, I had my first child. My little boy was born at 6.28. I was on the bench for Forest against Newcastle in the League Cup at 7.30 it was the craziest thing looking back probably shouldn't but you're just like okay you're alright everything's good I'm going to go to work and that is what us footballers have been like and I think you need sometimes it's a little bit extreme and cheeky you want to give them the time off but you have to have that relationship with a manager who was your manager at the time Steve McLaren at the time he was ringing me all day did you get him in it didn't even get on that's what us managers do and it went to extra time

37:04Aaron Paul:happy days do you know what I think I was a new class I think you were yeah that's exactly right I remember that it did go to extra time yeah killed me the news has come out today that the PFA has started legal proceedings against the EFL over changes salary caps how has it affected your planning doing things at Bromley what have they told you what's your understanding of everything well my understanding is really what my chairman tells me that we've got a budget and we can't go you know a penny over it and even like last week we're doing signings and we have to get them cleared by the EFL. And it's tough, you know, for a club like Bromley, you know, we get our revenue mainly from the crowd and we get a crowd of four or five thousand, you know, it's not massive.

37:44And that's really our main revenue stream. So other than the chairman put his money in. So it's tough and we're trying to, the chairman and everyone behind the scenes is trying to create more revenue, et cetera, et cetera. But for me, look, I know I've got to cut my cloth accordingly. I know the rules before I start the season with my owner. And I'm quite happy to work by that. And it's, look, you can get a team of players out there. And if you get a team of players out there and a team spirit and a mentality amongst the group and a good group, it can take you a long way.

38:14Aaron Paul:Well, let's talk Leicester City very quickly. Russell Martin in through the door. I don't know who wants to buy it on this, but how big a job is it for him as well, considering the Rangers fallout and even Southampton to an extent, the end of the Southampton time for him, as well as it is for Leicester City. in a football sense. I think you can link it to some of the teams you spoke about being relegated from the Premier League and West Hamza, but what a disaster for that football club. They haven't had a plan. Again, it feels like the fan base want this. The ownership don't really know what to do next, but he's got an amazing opportunity.

38:46He's been backed already. They've signed some brilliant players for the level. Connor Chaplin, Wes Burns has gone in there from Ipswich, who I know really well they've had success of getting out of that division. They're going to be the team to beat for me. I think he probably hasn't had the opportunity to have the best squad or the best group of players for his philosophy, which we all know is 80 % possession. Can they turn that possession into more chances and goals? That'll be the difference.

39:11Aaron Paul:What about Sheffield Wednesday? Henrik Pedersen sticking at the club. They've brought 14 players in. Barry Bannon back after six months in South. He hated it. Yeah, no, he did. and he was fairly vocal about that or his missus was fairly vocal about that on social media, which is fine. It just seems to be the way of the modern game and the modern world. But I found it interesting the statement that they made upon his re-signing that this isn't for clicks, this isn't for likes, this is us bringing back a man who we know can drive this football club forward. And I thought, do you know what? it's not very often you hear a football club come out and say such heartfelt words about a footballer.

39:59It was actually nice to see. So I would like to see them do well because that, I mean, that fan base has been through not just one mire, but a good few over the last seven, eight years and they truly deserve some sort of success.

40:13Aaron Paul:And Andy, just very quickly on Oxford United, Aaron Ramsey, first job going in there, transfer embargo. I mean, it's tough. I feel sorry for Aaron. It's his first job. He's probably delighted to get the job and a chance. And I'd like to know how much he probably knew that that might be along the way because he might have thought twice about taking it. So yeah, tough. That's going to be a tough gig for Aaron. I do feel for him on that one and it's going to be a tough season in many ways for the Oxford United fan base and the football club in general. Let's talk League Two. According to the bookies, the title favourites this season are Salford City.

40:51Aaron Paul:We are hoping to get Peter Klamofsky, the Sulfur boss, with us. And I think he joins us now. Peter, welcome to 72 Plus and welcome to English Football. What's this summer been like for you? Coming in, settling in, bringing in new players and getting ready for what's hopefully going to be a successful season for the football club? It's been exciting. We've got off to a good start in terms of the pre-season programme, nailing things that are important to us within our football and building the football and the mentality that goes with it in the pre-season. And we're moving in the right direction with, you know, the knowledge of, you know, staying humble and focused on knowing that we've got a lot of work to do to build a team we dream to be.

41:36Peter, Luke Chambers here. Just wanted to talk to you about how you pick up the group of players from having that disappointment of getting so close. Yes, you've got your ideas and your philosophy coming in, but what have you seen from that group of players that are ready to go again and taking this challenge head on? Yeah, I think it's important. There were many positives last year and a lot of good work done. And within that, obviously, like you mentioned, so close last year as well. So you take the positives with everything that was built and the heartache that comes with missing out as well as using that as fuel and using everything that's been built in the past as a foundation to leap forward and let's say not look back too much and focus on what's ahead and that's building a team mentality to play aggressive, strong football and with a mentality to get better every day.

42:24And when you do that and you have a real group of men together, staff, players, the whole football club pushing in the same direction, magic can happen.

42:33Aaron Paul:You, of course, have teamed up with Ange Postacoglu in the past and having spoken to you last week, you talked about being front-footed. You've just mentioned it there, aggressive, direct. These are all buzzwords that everyone wants to hear, but you've also got the tools to do it. Macaulay Langstaff is a cheat code in that division, as are Luke Molyneux and, you know, Abraham Odo as well. You brought him from Peterbree United. Are you done yet? Do you still want more? Do you feel you could improve further throughout the squad? Yeah, listen, what I've learned in the past is that the window, until the window's closed, things move around.

43:07It's a bit of a puzzle sometimes that things come in and out. And, you know, that'll be, the club will be mobile in that sense. But for us, our mentality and the focus is I'm happy with everybody in the building and we've got a special group of players together. And it's important we don't focus or rely on one player. You know, we focus on the 11 players out on the pitch, ready to contribute when their time comes and make an impact when required. And that's the mentality that we're building. And we won't rely on one player. We'll get the job done with 11 out there and have that team mentality.

43:41Hi, Peter. It's Lyle Taylor here. What is your remit? What have you been asked to achieve this season? Is it simply promotion or bust or is there scope to go through the playoffs or what? There's no real remit in a sense, but I'm an ambitious coach. I'm surrounded by ambitious people and the club, let's say, is on a journey to build something special, not just for this 12 months, but beyond and has a long-term plan that it's trying to fulfill. and that's to make the football club a special football club to be at and do it for the Salford people, the community of Salford and there's a lot of good work going in at the football club and I get to focus purely on the football team and we have an opportunity to do something special.

44:31I think everybody at this time of the year is saying the same sort of sentences that they want to be champions, they want to win the league and why shouldn't we be any different? So to do that, we have to stay focused, humble and work hard and have the mindset to keep improving our game. And like I said, we're off and moving in the right direction, but we've got a lot more work to do as well.

44:53Aaron Paul:You work with Ange with the Australian national team and of course in Japan. Has he caught up with you and told you what to expect with English football? Yeah, for sure. I'm blessed to have Ange a part of my coaching journey and life and utilise him as a mentor for sure. he's a super, super coach, super person, super leader. And he's been a wealth of knowledge for me throughout my career. And again, he's an ambitious, you know, an ambitious person as well. So hopefully in 12 months time, he can be watching Salford play some exciting football and climb the top of the mountain. And I know that that'll make him very proud.

45:35Aaron Paul:Peter, we want to give you the best possible start here in English football on 72 plus. We want you to come back naturally as well. And so we've brought in the man who currently holds the League Two title, Andy Woodman, the Bromley boss, is with us in the studio. Woody, what's the biggest tip right now for Peter to go and take your crown? Pete, I wish you all the luck in the world because that is a brutal league. I have to say that, mate. Yeah, and I'll be watching with interest from afar. One thing I do want to ask, the club does come with pressure. And I know you can deal with the pressure, but you've got some big names that have played at the highest level on the board, behind the scenes.

46:14How's that going to be for you? I mean, because that's a different sort of pressure from a fan base, in my opinion. Yeah, sure, but it's exciting because, you know, I get to produce, work with a group of people that's players and staff at the football club that are passionate, ambitious people and my responsibility is to build a football team that's going to make them proud, but also everybody that loves Salford, proud and do it for the community. Those super individuals you mentioned, they're legends of the game. They're legends of English football. And, you know, they love this football club enormously.

46:52They're doing amazing work with all sorts of things around the community. And that's connected to the club foundation that's been established at the football club as well. So, yeah, we could call it pressure. I call it excitement and an honour. and I wear it as a badge of honour to produce a team that's going to make everybody proud, them included, and do something special this year.

47:15Aaron Paul:Fantastic. If John Brady offers you a beer as an Aussie, make sure you accept. He's at Port Vale. And if Gareth Ainsworth does as well, you probably end up having to get your own way home because it'll be a wild night out with him. The guitar will be out. Yeah, absolutely. Peter, best of luck and hopefully we get to catch up with you across the season on 5.5 Sport on 72+. There you go. Peter Klamovsky, the Salford City boss with us on 5 Live 72+. Let's talk York City last season. York provided one of the greatest final day moments as they secured promotion back to the Football League after 10 years away.

47:49Aaron Paul:Scrambled in. It's over the line. It's there. We've done it. We've done it. We have done it. York City have done it. Now it's their turn to invade the pitch. Can you believe that? We have done it. we're going back to the football league oh my word the scenes get in there the promised land is here for york city he did not sleep for three days after that man wow amazing season at the end of the national league season but since then york have sat manager stuart maynard who led them to the title with 108 points uh the owners have come out and said they've got a difference in direction and vision for the football club.

48:31Aaron Paul:Scott Lindsay is coming, a man with a mixed record in the EFL. Started with a 2-0 defeat to his old side Crawley. Fans booing, saying we want Maynard back. I mean, I thought Ian Holloway's comments post the friendly against Bristol City were bad where he calls his team absolute garbage. Scott Lindsay just turned around and looked at him because I actually don't care. Which is not the best place you want to be at the start of a season, Luke Chambers. It's very difficult, isn't it? when your club has achieved something that they've been putting together as a plan for the last however long, five or six seasons, York, they've been building and building and they've got a man in charge that has achieved incredible things.

49:09Amassing over 100 points in any league is incredible. In that league, it's amazing. To then decide, for whatever reason, to relieve him of his duties, how are you going to expect that football club to continue moving forward? Because he's been the major part to bring that identity, to get them over the line and he deserves the opportunity to go and lead them in League 2 because how many teams have we seen now that do get out of National League and then bounce again and get promoted straight and they have the opportunity to do that so for me it's a crazy decision

49:39Aaron Paul:There will be more no doubt across the season here on 72 plus the home of the EFL from 5 Live Sport just one more shout out EFL Fantasy League begins this week make sure you get in the league name is 72 plus the EFL podcast your code 72 EFL pod 72 EFL pod Thank you Andy, Lyle and Luke as well as Peter Klamoski for joining us on this 72 plus EFL preview show and our brand new podcast feed the 72 plus feed is going live this season can't wait for it on BBC Sounds

50:18So much sport today and all the goals as they go in up and down the league This is 5 Live Sports. It's all eyes to the lights and foot to the floor. To bowl him. It's not a stopper. Everyone standing around the 18th green. Overhead kick. That is sensational. He serves to the centre. And down to it. Oh, the right hand and former champion is down. It's an extraordinary start. They've got on a show for us tonight. He gets on his knees and kisses the turf. 5 Live Sports. The home of the world's greatest sporting event. Yes! The full-time whistle. Listen on BBC Sounds.