72+ EFL Pod: Hodgson returns & Vale fixture concerns

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1:00on ad spend of major ad networks. Spend$250 on your first campaign on LinkedIn ads and get $250 credit for the next one. Just go to linkedin.com slash broadcast. That's linkedin.com slash broadcast. Terms and conditions apply. 72 plus the EFL podcast with Aaron Paul and Joby

1:24Aaron Paul:Welcome everybody to 72 Plus, the EFL podcast from 5 Live Sport. Great to be alongside you again this week in the company of radio's favourite pundit. Joby McEnough is with us. How are you, Joby? How am I? That's an interesting question this morning. Normally international breaks, a little bit of downtime. Obviously we know there's League 1, League 2, but Jamaica had a couple of huge World Cup qualifying matches. one they got through and then one last night so I was up till the early hours locked into that lost really really late to Congo went to extra time so yeah a bit gutted this morning about that it's a group that we definitely should have got out of shouldn't even needed the playoffs got to the playoffs managerial changes Steve McLaren resigns off the back of not getting through the groups and then obviously all ended with a bit of heartache last night so gutted for everybody connected to Jamaican football but big congrats to Congo who were excellent on the night to be fair and they've had a really difficult qualifying campaign coming through the African section so yeah big congrats to them but yeah sadly Jamaica will not be there Do you know what all I asked was how you were and I got like a full on lecture a full life story.

2:45Aaron Paul:I don't even know how you are. You could be, you know, struggling with ailments. Tommy Smith, learn from his lesson. How are you? Tommy, could you not take from that? Knowing me as you do. No, I get it. Listen, I get it. I mean, I'll be honest with you, this is National Break. It's done me a little bit. I need some EFL back in my life. I really do. Well, if you lot get on with it, we can talk about it. I watched 70 Minutes of England last night and I'm ready for some EFL, so come on. Inject it, mate. Let's go. Well, it is Wednesday, the 1st of April. This is the day we're recording on. And it is, of course, April Fool's Day.

3:17Aaron Paul:And I'm just looking and surfing around, looking at the best sort of like April Fool's that football clubs are putting out. It's not really football clubs doing it anymore. A good one, a classic that I've seen rolling around is Lee Johnson set to take over as sporting director at Bristol City. That is a good one. I mean, the Stevenage account, EFL has reversed its 2020 decision to stop Macclesfield points. Not having that one. there's a good one for West Ham there's a few of them floating around yeah there's a few of them they're not great though they're just they're just not great while I was waiting to come up to the studio this morning I actually seen one that said Chris Wilder had been sacked from Sheffield and I'll be honest with you I was so close to giving you a ring and saying have you heard about Chris Wilder and then completely forgot I had one with Hecci Paul Heccienbottom this morning I saw the Preston one that he's resigned yeah a few people have I had a little scroll through that one I'm not going to lie that one did do me so fair play whoever stuck that up that sort of got me a couple of scrolls and clicks waste of time April's feels though waste of time yeah no we've got enough of them knocking around here at Five Live Sport gentlemen this is it this is the weekend this is the one we are waiting for well we have all been waiting for Easter weekend is upon us one of the most defining weekends across the football league season already though we have ourselves a promotion permutation Lincoln City are likely to seal promotion to the championship this weekend.

4:43Aaron Paul:They could do it on Good Friday. They have an 18-point cushion to third place in League One. And do you know where you'll be able to hear it all first? Do you know where? Do you know where? Five Live Sport. Five Live Sport with myself from half past two on Good Friday. It's going to be quite the occasion. It always is. We'll talk FA Cup in a bit. A couple of big quarterfinals en route for the EFL sides in the competition. Port Vale chair. Carol Shanahan will be joining us ahead of her side's trip to Chelsea. But looking at Easter weekend of the Championship, it doesn't get much bigger. The Middlesbrough-Milwall half-twelve good Friday.

5:18Aaron Paul:If Millwall win at the Riverside, they move into second with Ipswich not playing until Easter Monday. It feels like it's getting real, Jobes. Oh, it is real. 100%. And in terms of kicking off the Easter weekend, what a brilliant game that's going to be. You know, I covered the last Millwall game I sort of looked at these two either side doing it at national break, obviously the one against Ipswich as, you know, can they stay in the fight? Can they, you know, land a couple of blows? They definitely did that against Ipswich in the second half. They were magnificent. And I think it sets them up really nicely.

5:50I felt they needed to get four points from these two games to be in with a shout of automatic. I think that Ipswich game away, you know, massive point. And then now go into a Middlesbrough team who at home have struggled for wins of late. I think it's a perfect game for Millwall and they'll be coming into this absolutely bouncing. So I think this one really does set up what could be huge for Mill if they can get that three points for the rest of the season and potentially get into that second place that probably not a lot of people feel they will be able to.

6:20Aaron Paul:Tommy, what's the mood like at Middlesbrough? Winless in three, two wins in your last eight. I mean, you kind of hit the buffers just a little bit. Well, I feel like we speak about the international breaks coming at good and bad times for different clubs and I do believe that this break has probably been a good time to sort of have a little bit of a reflection more than anything in terms of what's happened over the course of we're nearly at the 40 game point I think the mood is good I think it has to be good if you actually strip it all back and put it into perspective a little bit of where the football club are second in the league yes the results in the last couple have not been great not been what Middlesbrough would have wanted however like I've just said strip it back you know take stock of all the positives that have gone on and I do believe the international break did come at a good time just to do that give a little bit of a reset a little bit of a refresh and then attack these remaining games full steam ahead it's very easy to to go over the top at this stage because everything's magnified the intensity the the pressure the expectation and sometimes you just need a little bit of a cool head and I'm sure with Kim Helberg having this time, particularly at Middlesbrough, I think Tommy's absolutely spot on in terms of what is required there.

7:34You know, whereas I think of Millwall's maybe a slightly different conversation of like, you know, I think they need to go and win. So it's like, you know, we've got nothing to lose. And I really say that respectfully about Millwall. I don't think that expectation necessarily is there. Definitely not externally. What that message is in within the camp is maybe a different story, but they're very much in it, you know, given how well they've done this season. So, you know, I think they can really go and attack this game and they'd be the ones I think going into it with a little bit less to lose and I say that as I say with respect to Mill whereas I think Middlesbrough the pressure's on them given the position they're in it almost feels like if they don't do it they're going to throw it away a little bit so yeah it'll be really interesting come kick off how those two teams approach it.

8:20Aaron Paul:Who's going to do it? Coventry 9 points clear at the summit 11 clear of third you know Victor Torp has revealed you know he's working with the mine coach i think they've they've got the has f1 team in today unless i'm being fooled by an april fall but they've got like a full-on like f1 car sat outside the training ground it is has f1 yeah fresh from the japanese grand bric i just don't know if that's a if that's a wind up i don't think it would be anyway maybe a terrible wind up if it was but give us a hot take oh guys i'm not interested in hot takes i mean no the fact of the matter is right let's just let's just you know put it out there with coventry right now i think they've done ever so well.

8:56I've said it before, I'll say it again, I do believe, I really do believe that the Middlesbrough game that was played in the middle of Feb was a real big turning point for Kov. In terms of getting back on the horse, I think prior to that game there was, I think they won about three games and I think it was ten. So to go and beat Middlesbrough on that Monday evening that I was there, I think we were all there weren't we on that Monday night? On the back of that, they've been excellent and they fully deserve to be at the top of the league. So fair play to them, they've shown resilience and they are where they are In terms of who's going to finish second, of course, I believe it will be Middlesbrough.

9:28That's not to put any added pressure on them. But, Jobi, you know, we've both been in the situation where we're going for a promotion out of this league. I think you've got to just, you've got to look at it and be so, so excited for what's ahead. Yes, there's pressure. Yes, there's sort of people who are going to be chasing you down, hunting you down, but you've just got to thrive under that pressure. I really do believe that. You know, you've got to go into the game on Friday, for me, against Millwall and look at it and almost think, you know, this is our game now. We're at home. we're going for a promotion in this league we can really put a distance between ourselves and Millwall and for me you've just got to attack it with you know all guns blazing and then at the end of the season weekend see where it takes you.

10:04Agree I just think when you are in this position again being a chaser as certainly we were when I was at Reading and we got promoted you know because the mindset is a little bit different almost of just let's just go for it rather than we need to protect our position and again at this stage of the season you can get a little bit tight you know you can get a little bit nervous which I think there's been a a little bit of at Middlesbrough

10:27Aaron Paul:um how do you deal with someone who's getting nervous in in your camp because obviously look I know I take the mick and I do it out of love because you know you're my partner in crime but as as a team leader when you see others around you shaking what do you do how do you get them going well I think first of all you have to be able to identify that Aaron I think that is the key whether it's the manager the captain you know senior players are people getting a bit tight You might see it in body language. You might see it in sort of mannerisms, communication, and just try and get back to people doing what they do best.

10:58And that's easier said than done, given the positions that they're in and everything that people are fighting for. So, you know, it really is, I think, experience. And I know we talk about this a lot when you've been in them situations before and you've had players who have been there and are able to keep their heads a little bit when things are flying around on a match day or the training ground or you haven't quite got the result that you wanted, just keep everything nice and steady. And that's where I always come back to Ipswich, and I have done and I've sort of stuck my neck out a little bit for them in terms of getting into that top two, because I look at the manager, his experience of promotions and dealing with these situations and the players that they have got in there.

11:37Yes, it's a different squad to that super successful one that got a couple of promotions on the bounce, but it's still a little bit of that knocking around. You know, the likes of Wes Burns, who's been through it, they've got players coming back, whereas I look at Middlesbrough again Hayden Hackney missing massive massive for me just in terms of you know the tempo and what he's able to do you know with the ball whether it's breaking forward with it he's passing he's getting on the end of things and scoring goals so really keen to sort of see when he'll be back because I think he's just a huge miss for them so yeah and the goals as well and a goal threat which I think Ipswich carry if I'm looking at both the other teams and sometimes it comes down to that little bit of quality option off the bench and I just feel that that strength is there with it switch so not so much of a hot take I don't think but if anyone's out there asking for a tip on who's going to get in that second it switch would be

12:28Aaron Paul:mine nothing wrong with a hot take you can have a lukewarm take if you want a take is a take let's push on and talk Bristol City Roy Hodgson is in through the door Ashton Gate Mark Chapman and the team talked about it on the Monday night club episode of the Football Daily go and catch Watch that on BBC Sounds. Bristol City 16th, not going up, not going down. And I just want to talk about the situation there. Look, a new CEO has come in. Charlie Boss, he's come in. They've made the decision to part ways with Gerhard Struber. They are sinking. I wonder how much of it was to do with Struber talking in the media.

13:02Aaron Paul:You've heard him talk about rebuilds and whatnot. And I'd imagine for the owners of Bristol City, that's not going to be easy to hear and listen to. and they've decided to make a change. Joby, thoughts on the change firstly? I thought it was a terrible decision and I think that the manager's been hung out to dry, if I'm being honest. I think this is a clear situation of a manager having a really positive impact coming into the building. Got the team going, you know, really aggressive, front-footed, you know, go and get after teams in terms of their pressing and energy and then, you know, put them in a really good position in and around the playoffs, which I felt for the squad was a fantastic position for them to be in.

13:46Then you go and lose, you know, your two most important players in January windows, that Viner who, you know, is an absolute linchpin at the back. Again, we talk about experience, someone who knows the club inside out. And then, you know, you sort of go-to guy when you want a little bit of magic and someone to produce something out of nothing, Anis Bometti, you know, and not only losing them, but you've lost one to Ipswich. And listen, everyone will say about contract situations, we can't lose them for free. it's the timing that kills them do that at the start of the season everyone knows where they're at use that money that you then make to go and reinvest in the squad and I think everyone can get on with that but I'm leaving it till January it just absolutely kills the manager it kills the mood in the training ground you know those boys would be absolutely gutted to see two of their best players leave and then they're sort of questions and they've had injuries to compound that as well so yeah for me I look at that and I go what else is the manager supposed to do and he's probably looking at it going well I've got to put a little bit of something out there just to sort of say it isn't all me and I'm disappointed by players that we've let go and who they've gone to I mean Vane are going to Wrexham that's one of your rivals for promotion I think I think you

14:49Aaron Paul:Hirakawa I I don't understand how you can let him go on loan to home I really don't get that strange some of the stuff and it just screams to me as potentially an owner sort of trying to deflect a little bit from the decisions that they've had to make rather than actually you you know, coming out and standing by him and actually then standing by your manager and actually saying, listen, it has been hard for him in the second half of the season, but he's already shown us what he can do and we're going to back him and we're going to go again next season. It's one win in eight. There's been, you know, a shellacking in there as well from, I think Derby beating 5-0, didn't it?

15:24Aaron Paul:And that's the second time they've been beaten by five this season. Don't get me wrong, they've put goals past teams, but, I mean, some of the losses they took, Leicester, not fun. Yeah, but that's not one of the managers' door, Aaron. whoa whoa whoa okay i understand that i'm i'm just trying to reinforce the points and make the points here you know the injuries have been absolutely horrific i was just about to say that yeah that's worth noting you hear roy hodgson talking about it the other day turning around going oh i've just found out we've got no centre-halves well great what do you do now recruitment has long time been an issue at this football club and the responsibility for recruitment and who's doing things and i always feel underwhelmed by it i don't know about you guys but every time I see who they're signing and what they sign and the business they do I'm like really could you do better and often they could but it's difficult though Az isn't it because as Jobe's just said and I 100 % agree with him when you lose your two best players in January it's then going to replace them how can you replace them to that level it's difficult isn't it there's certainly been a change there's been a shift I feel in the way Bristol have set up the first probably four or five months of the season leading up until January Again, they were absolutely high press, as Jobi just mentioned there.

16:36They were aggressive. And I think from January onwards, there has been a little bit of a shift in terms of how they play, whether that's to do with the injuries. Obviously, the two players we've just mentioned there and the results have compounded that, unfortunately. So it is an interesting one. But again, I go back to what I've just said about losing two players of that calibre. It's always going to be difficult to replace them.

16:55Aaron Paul:Now they've got an opportunity to go and recruit someone. I, again, I thought some of the quotes from the presser were absolutely nuts, where Roy Hodgson's turned around and said, they asked about working with the sporting director, and he goes, look, I've never really worked with one, and I don't really know what one does. I'm not sure if he's worked with Dougie Friedman, if he was just confused, Roy Hodgson. And then Roy Hodgson says, oh, well, I've never worked with one. And then a couple of minutes later, the MD or the CEO goes, oh well yeah you know hopefully Roy's going to tell us what a good CEO a good director of football looks like and I'm like whoa what's going on here it just I don't know I'm so underwhelmed by that football club because I think what they've done with the stadium with the the high performance not a training ground it's called a high performance centre now like they've built infrastructure but it's like guys go for it on the pitch there's an opportunity here it's just annoying James yeah I'm with you I think the press conference was a bit of a disaster and it's nothing against Roy Hodgson who again has had a brilliant career you know he's a top top guy but just the short-term ism of it I just don't get as because I just don't feel the need for it it's not a firefighter job you know Steve Evans going into Bristol Rovers to save their season and you know massive impact that he's had down there because they're not in that situation so I would have liked to have seen a little bit more of a forward planning sort of in terms of the decision first and foremost.

18:26If Gerhard Stroud was not your man to go forward, is there a longer term target? And if there is, is there an interim role for somebody that might be, again, within the club that can help that next manager coming in if he's not ready to come in now? And then just give everyone a little bit of time. I just don't really get the purpose, if I'm really being honest, of a Roy Hodgson coming in for the last seven games, who then also says, I'm not here for anything longer than this. So it's like, if I was Bristol City fans, I'd be certainly scratching my head and being a bit confused as to where the club is now and what the aims are and where it plans to go.

19:03Aaron Paul:It just feels strange, doesn't it? Seven games, Roy, go in, kind of take it and hope for the best. Would you not give it to a senior player or someone within the organisation? Perhaps so I mean listen It was an interesting one When he was appointed I mean I'll be honest with you When I seen he was appointed I presumed If the season ended well And everyone was happy He would just carry on But then it is worth noting We're talking about a man here Who's 78 years of age So it is an interesting one What he does I mean I do still think You know what these managers are like They're experiencing They love the game The bug for it I do honestly think If he goes in there and does well I think they'll be half looking At giving it to him next season I really do No, but listen, just hear me out.

19:44Listen, right, you've just said it yourself. For what reason would Roy Hodgson go in there in the first place? What is he going to benefit from from having seven games? That's what I'm asking myself. Well, that's what I'm asking you guys. I'm thinking if he's going in there for seven games, what is he going to benefit from from doing that unless he's thinking more along the lines of moving forward? That's all I can put it on. But he himself has said he's too old for a long term. So what's he going in there for then? Because he's bored. to get him through till the end of the season and if he goes in and if he goes in it's helping him out and if he goes in there and they win some football matches and he starts getting that feel good factor around the place again you think he's just going to walk away I'd be absolutely shocked if Roy Hodgson is starting that Joby I was shocked I was shocked when he went in and that's all I'm saying I think listen I'm with you yeah but does that not work better for him possibly I get it from his angle of going look it's only seven games so he's already said you know he doesn't see it as a long term thing given his age and probably what else he's done in the game.

20:44So actually for him, seven games probably suits him fairly well at this point of the season. And again, how, and I mean this respectfully, but do you not need someone going in there who's absolutely in tune with some of those issues that we've spoken about, defensive problems, style of play, what hasn't gone well recently so we can try and turn that as quickly as possible. To have a manager walk in there and go, oh, I've just found out about all the injuries. I mean, come on. surely a club of that stature in the position that they're in shouldn't be looking to go to somebody who's basically just coming to do a job for seven games till the end of the season, that's the bit I don't get about all this, it just doesn't make any sense.

21:22No listen Jobe, I'm with you, I'm with you again, I'm just sort of looking at it from Roy Hodgson's point of view, where what has made him really think oh yeah I fancy that, that's all I'm thinking.

21:30Aaron Paul:Boredom? Possibly, possibly. He said himself, he goes I'm bored, like I'm retired, fine, but he is very very bored, it's weird, Richard Scudamore who joined the Bristol City Board of Directors is the person who first contacted Roy Hodgson about the job and sort of put him in touch with Charlie Boss and yeah and this isn't really important to stress sorry to jump in as it's not an anti-Roy Hodgson debate here it's more to do with Bristol City and where they are at now and what they plan to do in the future and I just feel you know definitely should have got someone in who they can look to move and build forward with and get an understanding of the club.

22:09Even if there was someone available now that you could bring in, even if it was three or four games or a couple of weeks left of the season to get a feel for the place and understanding of what's going to be needed moving forward. But you're bringing in someone completely cold at the start of next season, potentially, who's basically got to start again. Well, it gives them a bit of time, Joey, doesn't it? I mean, in fairness, it does give them a little bit of time. Like we've just said before, they're not going to go up, they're not going to go down. It just gives them a little bit of time to clarify.

22:32You'd like to think from a Bristol City point of view to absolutely nail down exactly who they want rather than shoving someone in now with a few weeks to go. I suppose that's one thing that it does do. It just gives them four or five weeks now to really make sure that they've got the right appointment.

22:45Aaron Paul:Well, they've got to make the appointment with the sporting director first. Yeah, well, there's that obviously as well, but that's what I'm saying. I think because they're in a situation where they can't go up or down, they've got themselves a few weeks now just to get themselves together a little bit. And again, going back to what I've just said about Roy Hodgson, he seems like the perfect fit from their point of view to just give them that little bit of time. Bristol City away to Charlton on Good Friday by the way Roy Hodgson has never managed against Charlton apparently did you see that one that's not an April 4th maybe he's like you as he might have a couple of clubs that he's yet to get round to or stadiums Barrow and Harrogate I'm waiting for the invite he's trying to tick them off he's got a couple we need to dig down into that he might have three or four in this little run of games just to complete the lot you must have one or two jokes yeah I do I need to but it's not going to happen this week because kids are off for half turns So I've got no time to be looking at how many clubs I've got left.

23:37Aaron Paul:You're never, ever going to make the list. Bristol City away, charting on Good Friday. So Roy Hodgson with his first visit as a manager down to the Valley. There's updates in to Five Live Sports. We go around the grounds in the EFL.

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25:31Aaron Paul:It is Easter weekend and also FA Cup quarterfinal weekend. We'll have live commentary on Five Live of the two EFL teams involved on Saturday from 8, Southampton, entertain Arsenal at St Mary's. And before that, Saturday, a quarter past five, bottom of League One Port Vale go to Chelsea. Delighted to say Port Vale chair and owner Carol Shanahan is with us, the first lady of the Football League. How are we, Carol? And more importantly, how's Cinnamon the Goat? cinnamon the goat and treacle the um the billy kid are wonderful thank you they're a little bit shy for all the attention that you have brought to them um they was just going to be nice and quiet in the field but oh no we've had the bbc cameras and everything arrive so thank you for that you'll have farm watch on your hands soon i haven't done anything boz i just i mean i just raised the tension that obviously you weren't there at uh i think it was one of the fa cup games wasn't it was the replay the bristol city game yes it was the bristol city game that was rearranged yeah so good to hear cinnamon uh is is doing well um excited for a trip to stanford bridge yes i'm really i'm excited for the fans the fans have had a lot to put up with this season it has not been the season that we wanted or or expected really um and so for them to have this you know trip out.

26:51It's 100 years since we've played Chelsea. It's the one in the I Spy football clubs, you know, that they all want to tick off. So I'm really, really pleased for them. And I'm pleased for the staff because they've had a tough season as well this year. And so to go and get a day out a jolly is really good, isn't it? And we can't lose because nobody expects us to do anything anyway. So it's the magic of the FA Cup, isn't it? We'll go and see what we can do.