England United Ramble

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3:42Hello, everybody. Welcome to the Football Ramble. Manchester United close in on Poch and England are up tonight. It's Thursday, 12th November. I'm Marcus Speller. And I'm Vodou Shannarantaraja.

4:06Welcome one and all to a thrilling Thursday here at the Football Ramble. Well, my goodness, Vish, not only do we have more Manchester United chats, we've got some England chats. We've made it, everybody. We have made it. We've got over the line. We are into the international break because of those clowns at Old Trafford. We have to keep talking about them, but we will be talking about England later. Vish, what are you more excited about? The thought of Maurizio Pochettino managing Manchester United, a deal not yet confirmed at the time of recording, or seeing England tonight in the Nations League.

4:41And I'll be honest with you, there is a right and wrong answer to this.

4:44Marcus Speller: Yeah, well, I think if you're a follower of domestic football in England, the one thing that hasn't been discussed enough on TV, radio, podcasts, is international football at Manchester United. You simply have not had enough of both those things in the last three months. So more of it. I think this is the future. I think you and I should launch our own breakaway from the Ramble where this is all we talk about. Yeah. Manchester United and England. It's all people really want. You get your fill. I get my fill. Yeah. Well, until then, we'll limp on with this nonsense. But yes, Manchester United, of course, are in deep discussions with Maurizio Pochettino.

5:32Well, I mean, Sky Sports have reported that the club have reached a verbal agreement in principle with Maurizio Pochettino. So yesterday we were discussing about how Barada Wilcox and Sir Jim would get on in Monaco, or Monaco, as some older generations pronounce it. Vish, Maurizio Pochettino, of course, is managing the US of A at the moment. Quite wonderfully, he's expected to be the coach for the next two games against Haiti. I think I like that detail because Pochettino, look, Manchester United is a big draw. There's no doubt about that. But he will respect the international footballing calendar, it appears.

6:14Marcus Speller: I was wondering where you were going with that. And now I see it. Fair play to you. Yeah, it's not too dissimilar to the deal they struck with Ruben Amirim, who didn't want to come mid-season. and they convinced him to and the allowance was that he'd have, I think it was four games, at Sporting. I bet he'd love that back. Oh, yeah. Could I spend the next four years at Sporting instead? Sorry. So, yeah, it is a nice detail. I think, obviously, I'm talking to the wrong person here, but a lot of people are quite flippant about international football. And even before when Manchester United were linked with Pochettino, when they sacked Ruben Amirim, it was leading into a World Cup and there was still that little bit of, well, you know, it is Manchester United, it is club football, and it's only the USA, so they'd be able to coax him over.

7:09Marcus Speller: So, I mean, I think it's a decent farewell. I was speaking to a few people from the US last night and there was a degree of frustration there that Manchester United were coming in and taking him off their hands. so was there any understanding though and they're not the Americans are not really an understanding bunch are they I think diplomatically we've seen that in space so yeah they've definitely moved into a different phase the different phase of history I don't think we can agree on that obviously you know like things like this won't help that no no no but yeah no so um I think there is an element of all, let's see how you like it.

7:50Marcus Speller: Yeah, look, I think, we do have some American listeners who are well into the football. No, I'm obviously joking unless you're taking this so seriously, in which case, well, I'm not, take that. Yeah, and if you are taking this so seriously, then in a weird way, Vich has proved his point, I suppose. So, yeah, I think that Mauricio Pochettino, let's be honest, has wanted a return to the Premier League. He said himself, didn't he, that he likes England. You know, good man. I do as well. He likes the Premier League. Most people would have been disparaging about England if he likes England for some reason.

8:28No, he does. He likes it here. He's proved that before. He's managed in London a couple of times. He even managed on the south coast with Southampton, lest we forget. But he's never managed in Manchester.

8:39Marcus Speller: He's just making his way through the country, isn't he? Exactly. Exactly, yeah. He wants, yeah. And he'll finish in Aberdeen perhaps at some point in the future. But I think with Pochettino, we were talking about yesterday, much has been made about how Manchester United have wanted him in a sort of roundabout way for a while, if you see what I mean. And Pochettino is a big name still in the Premier League. Obviously, Spurs is the reference point we go back to. He was there at Chelsea for a bit. I can't, if I'm brutally honest. He did well at Chelsea. He did all right. I think subsequent managers have shown what he did, maybe a slightly better job than maybe one or two of us thought, perhaps.

9:26I think he did a bad job.

9:28Marcus Speller: They finished sixth that season and having been 12th the season before. Yeah. So, look, he didn't do brilliantly at Chelsea, but it's a bit of a funny one. And those who have come since have found it pretty tough there. You know, it's not the Chelsea of the Abramovich era for obvious reasons, you know. So I think Pochettino still has a lot of credit in the bank when it comes to managing in the Premier League. I do wonder, though, that, you know, again, that reference point of Tottenham Hotspur, it was a little bit of a while ago now in footballing years. You know, footballing years are like dog years, aren't they?

10:04You know, they're a bit longer. I do think it would be a good appointment. I have to hold my hands up and say, I've said this before with some of the recent Manchester United appointments. And I think a lot of people forget that. When they hired Amerim, I kind of got it. In fact, and I'm going to say this before somebody goes, well, I don't think anybody could be bothered going all the way back. I even, I believe I thought at the time that Ralph Rangnick wasn't a dreadful appointment either. so you know there have been times where I've thought okay I see what they're doing there so I don't want to be too kind of you know skeptical or whatever but I think with Pochettino I do think it would be a good appointment I do think that he's the type of guy that would want to try and affect and influence as much as he can everywhere throughout that club.

11:08Because we spoke about it yesterday. That's what Ferguson did all the way back. And they've never recovered from that since really. How Ferguson was, he was the sporting director. He was the manager. He would delegate a lot of the coaching. He oversaw so much of it. And they've never really had someone who has been able to or has the skill set to try and get anywhere near that.

11:31Marcus Speller: Well, I mean, your point about Amorim and even Uncle Ralph, I think they're valid because obviously you've got to think of both sides of the arguments, that's conversation here. You've got to see the merits in it and you can also throw your doubts in there as well whenever so whenever anyone makes an appointment um or you know whether it's a manager or a new signing and I think we're with Amorim there was a bit of well he's a young he's clearly a young coach clearly highly rated um well regarded it was interesting when I was looking back on Pochettino's time at Chelsea when he got sacked who who were one of the names thrown into the hat Ruben Amorim when he was at Sporting because he was doing such good work there yeah And I suppose with Rangnick in particular and maybe Ten Hag, there is an element of, I suppose, an element of gymnastics that goes in there to try and repurpose and reapply their methods into Manchester United, into the Premier League.

12:40Marcus Speller: and I think the thing with Pochettino that is a little bit more encouraging even at this stage where he hasn't signed and it hasn't been ratified is that you don't need to bend too far to get yourself to a point where you think it's going to work or you think it's going to be better you think it's going to be good it's going to be sustainable at least and the thing about Pochettino know that i find fascinating is when he chart his time as usa coach obviously international football isn't like club football there was a lot of downtime you don't necessarily have the players for as much it's a different job altogether it feels like it should be more holistic and i suppose it has been more holistic with with pochettino but the job is still self the usa men's job is still high pressure there is a lot of scrutiny you can probably um liken to to club football you can't coast in it especially being host nation as well you couldn't but you can't mess that up exactly you know he was dealing with loads of micro things within the squad whether it's for example the reintroduction of Gio Reyna and then it's the complete other side where it's like oh good it's Donald Trump on the blower again what the fuck does he want now but then obviously within that there is that downtime that I mentioned and I wonder if it's allowed him to be a bit more refreshed because you know the Chelsea job was quite grueling the PSG job was was quite grueling and if he is re-energized coming to a club where you know that has piqued his interest before and now need him more than he needs them.

14:23Yeah.

14:24Marcus Speller: That feels like, I suppose, a perfect intersection for him. Yeah, I suppose what you mean, yeah, the pressure's off as much as it could be. Yeah. But the pressure will be off until it's suddenly piled on again. Yeah, yeah. At a club like Man United. I mean, I think, said before, and a lot of people are aware, It is a pretty ideal fan base for a big club who are going to be patient and have had a lot of nonsense in the subsequent years. I mean, here's a stat for you. Manchester United's compensation bill for hiring and firing managers and sporting directors would exceed£100 million since Alex Ferguson's retirement, should Pochettino replace Carrick, which everybody is expecting to happen.

15:14So the fans are going to have to be patient.

15:19Marcus Speller: That's one and a half Antony's, that is. Oh, deary me. Love that little twirly 360 did with the ball, though. That was pointless, but great. I think with Pochettino, the question is, as you said there, is he refreshed or is he slightly out of touch? now with top level in terms of managing top level clubs in Europe I suspect refreshed is probably the right word I don't think he's been away for that long he's still got plenty of years left as a manager he still looks great but he's still he's still energized I think if we were I think if maybe this was in three to five years time and Pochettino had been managing maybe outside of Europe or international football.

16:15I think maybe then, but that's obviously not the case. So, yeah, I do think that this is probably the best name that they could have gone for. I mean, Eddie Howe was the other one. I mean, Luke and I were sort of agreeing with this yesterday on the point that they're sort of the project managers. I mean, Conte is like, Antonio Conte, that to me seems like right bollocks you all need to rock it up your asses get him in there he's here for a very short explosive time and it's like that's clearly not what they want at the club you they have to look at this in a more holistic approach and David Ornstein revealed that Manchester United were apparently left underwhelmed by Maurizio Pochettino due to doing talks over replacing Eric Sen Haag in 2024 saying Ornstein said I was told they were a little underwhelmed the feedback wasn't the best in their eyes regarding his coaching at the time his hunger his work rate an interesting quote just two years ago they're saying now this guy's not not the man for us now clearly they've changed the tune um and that to me would suggest after pochettino had been in charge of you know psg and chelsea pochettino maybe did need a break I mean, you know, even his time at Spurs, it was quite an intense time.

17:38You know, they were going on all fronts and reaching that Champions League final, most notably. Maybe he didn't need that refresh because clearly Manchester United now think that whatever made them feel underwhelmed by him two and a bit years ago, unless there's a breaking story later today, which says now they've sacked it off. they seem to think that that you know to to to quote Ornstein or paraphrase him his hunger his

18:05Marcus Speller: work rate and his desire is back to be fair after so that would be after his time at PSG and Chelsea yeah I empathize with that I've left opulent places feeling not very hungry and lethargic on the verge of gout at times so well if you will leave those restaurants where they just serve tiny little portions you know you're going to be left hungry aren't you no it's that it's the it's the place where they just keep bringing you steak and fruits oh that's the gout yeah yeah uh yeah the um you've always got to be wary with um with those quotes because it's kind of it's given after the event yeah so they would have had pochettino in there they didn't give him the job why didn't you give him the job and you basically not to undermine the other guy and also almost uh almost the flex of it you're like yeah I just wasn't motivated enough for this job and it's like okay cool did that you know there are so many players and coaches and managers at Manchester alone that I could ask all those same questions about and level all those accusations out but I suppose it doesn't we're at the point now where it doesn't matter about that kind of due due diligence because man's united are a time of need and it's true isn't it like i know i know the way you say if they came but if they came out today and said oh you know we spoke to botch and it just wasn't right and it's like cool i you currently you have a husk of a man in michael carrick who's been taking training for for two days running you haven't you don't have you don't have the decency to give him a you know give him a straight answer about his future he's having to front up constantly i know i feel so sorry under performance a club legend and that's i mean they shouldn't treat anybody like that yeah it doesn't matter it doesn't matter it doesn't matter if you've played for the club one for the club or whatever exactly but that just adds another layer to it yeah yeah and like i think it says a lot about him it says a lot about him it maybe says a lot about me that he's even turning up for work right now so even for that money i wouldn't be asked yeah i know what you mean at least call him It's called Pulisicchi.

20:21Pulisicchi.

20:21Marcus Speller: Whether it's changing, we've all got the sniffles, borrow a tissue or two. Exactly, yeah. I don't want to give Bruno Fernandes a cold. Mind you, I mean, it is international break, so maybe he's just quite liking the fact that a lot of the players are up there. Yeah, all the bad ones. Carrington is so peaceful this time of year. Exactly, yeah. There's less traffic getting into the training ground. I can park wherever I want. It's brilliant. I could even park it don't tell him but I've even parked in Sir Alex's spot exactly exactly oh dear well I think something that would bode very well for Manchester United is that if they were to get the deal done with Pochettino then two of the three clubs that have appointed Pochettino mid-season were locked in a relegation battle in Espanyol and Southampton and both of them survived the drop yeah so if they get him in Manchester United should be okay so immediately not to take a sudden turn here but immediately I'm already thinking to the potential of that Liverpool game which is Manchester United's return fixture after this international break and if Poch is going to take those two games for the US which he's well with his rights to he comes back late basically he'll come back at the same time as the players returning from international duty and who knows what they're able to conjure up in that point.

21:49Marcus Speller: But if that goes badly, then immediately the start is already like, well, it is a bit awkward if he's not going to turn up early. It's a big job, but he won't. Some pundit is going to make that point, aren't they? They are. If it goes badly and it might already start one down. I mean, if Pochettino's in such a strong negotiating position, which I suspect he is, then is he when he's about to sign the contract and he gets out Man United's next load of fixtures and he goes Liverpool away yeah don't fancy that can I start it sporting away Brentford at home Newcastle away Can I start the 5th of December Coventry at home oh no actually they've been started picking up look Potts you're going to have to manage them at some point if you want the job so tell me about Tell me about this championship that everyone's been talking about recently.

22:46Marcus Speller: What's that like? Because I can do the very start of August next year if you want. Could be. Well, Pochettino is surely going to be signing that contract maybe later today or at some point very, very soon. Okay, coming up after this, England are back.

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25:11Welcome back to the Football Ramble, everybody. Tonight at Wembley, England versus Croatia. 7.45. England, of course, gubbed Croatia 7-0 in Croatia the last time they played them, which was, of course, in the great autumn international break of 2026. What's going to be lovely tonight, Vish, at the stadium is that Harry Kane will be presented the Ballon d 'Or award in front of everybody. and I say presented him he obviously already got it but he will be showcasing it and I did quite like Thomas Tuchel's comments on this and he was Thomas Tuchel was acting as if England had won a trophy rather than Harry Kane he was just like yeah yeah yeah it would be great for us to have the trophy it's great to have the trophy in England and all that kind of stuff and I was a bit like yes Thomas I like it get that winning mentality we've got the Ballon d 'Or we're after the Nations League and we can only build from there

26:05Marcus Speller: I think you guys talked about it on the show but it does kind of feel that way it does, this one's different and like I shit on the Ballon d 'Or I think the way people caught it is quite embarrassing I think the way it's discussed is just a bit naff but the one thing I've always been intrigued by was the pride that people have when their player wins you know the planet a country has when someone from their country wins it yes i've always understood that because international teams international players are representation of us and they're vessels through which we can feel that patriotism and enjoy the game in a very different very satisfying way but i've always thought like oh you know is it is it really that big a deal?

27:00Marcus Speller: But then when Kane won it, I was like, I did have that sense of pride. And I think that's the most I've ever got the Ballon d 'Or. I was too young for, I was probably too young for Michael Owen's win. It wasn't really a big thing back then. It just wasn't. And that's probably also the case as well. But also, you know, just seeing how much it meant to him and just how well he's been playing. I understand what Tuchel's saying. And I think it will be a really lovely moment tonight at Wembley. I do. As he gets his... He's breaking the Peter Shilton's record, of course. Yes. 126 cap. So to do that with the Ballon d 'Or in tow as well, I think is glorious.

27:41I think you're right. I mean, just quickly on the Ballon d 'Or itself. When Michael Owen won it, he spoke about that recently, of course, saying that it was a quick photo shoot. He was handed the trophy before a game against Derby or something in the league. That was it, yes. Yeah. Now, I mean, there is something actually quite, you know, the football purist of me quite likes that in that it was a load of journalists or however it was voted for back then. And they come up with it and it's kind of like, well done. We all think that you're the best player in the world. Oh, that's brilliant. Right.

28:11Back in rather than this kind of football Oscars that we have now. But I can't remember if it was when Owen won it, but it used to be two different awards. you used to have the Ballon d 'Or and you would have the FIFA Player of the Year award. And that was the one I actually would defer to growing up. I remember when Ronaldo won it. I think Luis Figo won it. You'd have that. And that to me was kind of the one. But they then combined the two to create the Ballon d 'Or, which kind of went into this whole, you know, added the status to it, of course. And the pageantry, yeah. And the pageantry, exactly.

28:48And then you had the whole Messi and Ronaldo business. And when we're now we're post-Messi and Ronaldo, I think that the award is, yeah, maybe it means a little bit more to certain individuals, to certain, as you say, countries, because it's not just, well, who's going to win at Messi or Ronaldo. But you're right. And I think with Harry Kane as well, I think for so long he was trophy-less, of course. And even when he wins the league with Bayern Munich, everyone kind of goes, well, you're obviously going to win the league with Bayern Munich. Now, I don't take that approach because he didn't win it in his first season.

29:17I think, great, you've got that. He won the German Cup as well. But I do think that his trophy cabinet is not as plentiful as a player of his quality as it should be. You know, there's far lesser talents that have won way more trophies. So I think for Kane, it was just such a vindication for him particularly. And a guy who has led the line for England so often. And when England went out of the recent World Cup, I remember talking to a few mates and they were like, I just feel so sorry for Kane. and I thought that was really interesting because a guy who personifies hard work, the non-flashy stuff about football, for him to do that, as I say, while breaking the England cap record is phenomenal.

30:00And he is, you know, Wayne Rooney said he's the greatest England player of all time. I mean, he's by far and away the top goalscorer. He will break the caps record and he's got a ballon d 'or. So a pretty strong argument. But the big chat really is, Vish, Can he bring the Nations League home? Now, of course, if England, I think England have to avoid quite an extreme situation for them not to go through to the quarterfinal stage of the Nations League in the sort of end of winter, spring next year. I think I forget if it's February or March. I think it might be March, that international break. So you've got the quarterfinal stage, a two-legged affair.

30:39But England, if they beat Croatia, it will set up a lovely game against Spain. I mean, it's going to be a good occasion anyway on Sunday evening, and we'll get to that at the time. But England could top the group if they were to get a famous result in Spain, as they did under Gareth Southgate as well. But tonight, though, you would expect, lest we forget, but you would expect this to be a fairly routine win for England, considering that 7-0 in Croatia, would you not, Vish?

31:06Marcus Speller: yeah definitely even if there is a degree of rotation the interesting side plot to this is the the appetite for revenge from Croatia I totally forgot that Luka Modric of all people former Ballon d 'Or winner said I've been here for 20 years and this is the first time I feel ashamed Yeah. Now, I think not that we would dismiss defeat in the Nations League because, you know, it's England's always a talking point, regardless of whether it's a positive or negative result. but the idea of Luka Modric feeling shame for the first time and be like what is this feeling I fucking hate this that that motivating factor does and with England rotating does make me wonder obviously it'll be a closer game no doubt about that um I'm interested to see as you as you mentioned with this Spain game on the horizon how much tinkering there is I think we probably have a good indication that there might be a fair bit given that Esri Conte is out of this game but he is due to potentially will be available for the game on the weekend in any other scenario Conte can't play this game returns to Arsenal and you know someone else has called up for the remainder of this window which gives you an indication that Tuchel is looking to that Spain game and that's when he's gonna you know go all out I suppose.

32:37Well yeah because I mean Again, without jumping ahead, we'll talk about it on Friday, or tomorrow rather, that's too cool. If England can get a result, or even apply themselves really well in that game, it gives the team so much more confidence, because that is the standard.

32:53Marcus Speller: But that's the most valuable game England will have before whatever the knockout stages are, or end up being of the Nations League. because it's against the world champions, because it's against a team that England lost to a month or so ago. And the fact that, as you say, those are the teams that England have failed to be convincing against over the last 10 years. That's the kind of game that you need to win when the odds are against you, when you're not going to have as much of the ball, when you're going to need to apply yourself and keep your composure with how little you have of the ball when you get moments in front of their goal.

33:37Marcus Speller: It's what England did really well for 50 minutes against Argentina. And the only way they do that for longer is by doing it more consistently over the course of their cycle into an international tournament. Yeah. So as you said, Ezra Kondo has been ruled out of this game. He'll stay with the squad due to the importance of that Spain game. And if you look around the centre-back options England have, with Mark Gay dropping out and Big Dan Byrne being called up in his place, I think it might be quite interesting who he does go at centre-half. James Hill has been called up for the first time in Esri Conza's place for tonight's squad.

34:16He's played every minute of Bournemouth's Premier League season and has featured in every game of their Europa League campaign. So perhaps an unsung hero for Bournemouth this season. I mean, he joined Bournemouth from Fleetwood for an undisclosed fee in January 2022. So quite the rise he's had from Fleetwood to England at the age of 24. And of course, a former Heart of Midlothian player as well.

34:40Marcus Speller: Yes! How many former Hearts players get in the England squad? I hear you cry. not many at all would be the obvious answer but James Hill's in there yeah up those up those jambos but yeah so he had a little loan spell there so who who is he going to play at the half tonight um looking at the at the options uh at centre back obviously you mentioned Kwanzaa's out you got big dad Byrne who was only called up as a replacement for Gay you got James Hill who just talked about as a replacement Jared Brantthwaite is in there otherwise looking around Jal Kwanza who's not really been used as a centre back for Tuchel and often plays in a back three as we know.

35:21Ben White can play centre half but he's a full back. It's so funny isn't it how you have a couple of injuries and you kind of go oh hang on a minute here. You know this first 11 that we're all kind of excited about for England. A couple of injuries it's like I'm going to start with Dan Burnham, Jaron Branthwaite tonight at the back. could well happen.

35:42Marcus Speller: Well, I mean, so who... With all due respect to Dan Byrne, but no, no, God no. Well, who's he started then, Vish? Yeah. I mean, could it be Kwanzaa? That feels the most likely, doesn't it? Although the way Tuka was speaking about James Hill was interesting because he made mention of the fact that he was always on England's 55-man watch list. Yeah. and they made sure he was in the country for this week before they got in contact with him. Do you have to get in touch with border control for that? He's thinking, right, we're off on holiday. No, sorry, sir. He spent time in Edinburgh. What does that mean?

36:21Marcus Speller: Do we need a visa for that? Have you been to Edinburgh in the last two years? Just about out of that now, so no, no, I haven't. But it feels quite significant that Tuchel talked about, Tuchel was quite glowing about him, and that's not really how Tuchel operates. He hates giving people compliments. It took him two years to give Jude Bellingham a compliment. No, he hates giving Jude Bellingham compliments. I think he's actually fine with everybody else. Sorry, he loves giving other people compliments in front of Jude Bellingham. That's why. Yeah. Oh, he's very complimentary of Harry Kane, you know.

36:53Marcus Speller: Yeah, well, yeah. But he's rarely... He was giving Hill the big raps, is what I'm saying. Yes. And it was clearly with a view to, you know, disseminating the two centre-backs marks left and right and who goes where and basically reinforcing that depth chart. So I feel like he will get some game time today. Otherwise, it's pointless calling him up. Not pointless. Well, it's never pointless. But I don't think Tuchel would have called him up unless he wasn't in the country. Yeah, but I do find it intriguing. So Harry Kane will start tonight, obviously, for England. And I suspect he'll go for his best.

37:35well Saka's not in the squad but I think he'll start Gordon on one side and maybe Rodgers could go a bit rogue and go Ungamoa on the right but I suspect that he will probably go for Rodgers on the right I know Rodgers is best off the left but he has played Rodgers off the right most notably in that semi-final of course and even when he came on against Spain, I think, in the 3-2 loss at Wembley, Rodgers came on that right-hand side. So I think that's what he'll do in terms of the front three to get them, you know, clicking again and warm them up for the game against Spain. And then you would hope that England would have a decent lead and then he could make a few changes in the second half, the usual kind of stuff.

38:23In the midfield, you know, expect, again, if he's going to play his best team to get them ready for the Spain game. Rice, Bellingham, Anderson, you would have thought, I think we'll probably see, or Tuchel would certainly like to get some minutes for Bellingham, Derry, Joba Bellingham specifically, dare I even suggest Josh King as well. So we'll see how that goes. But it is really, I think the goalkeeper position is interesting, what he's going to go for. I reckon he might revert back to Pickford, because he will want to win that Spain game. And I think he didn't see quite enough from James Trafford just yet.

38:59but you do need someone who is able to step in for Pickford should there be injury or suspension or whatever. So that's why he gave him some good game time last time around. But to me, the back four, who do you go for? You've got options at right back, you know, Ben White, Jed Spence and Trent Alexander-Arnold. Is this a game for Trent or will he want to see Jed Spence back in there? Or will indeed he play Jed Spence at left back and Lewis Hall's on the bench? I think the back four is quite a hard one to call tonight.

39:31Marcus Speller: Yeah, yeah. On reflection, Branthwaite and Quanta feels like the better fit of all those. And then I would personally go partly because of the... I suppose you wouldn't need it. Yeah, so I'd be willing to go Jed Spencer right back. Yes. Then you could play Rodgers on the right and not necessarily have to keep him on the right. Spence can overlap him and loves running the ball. I like that. And then you would probably play a hall on the left, wouldn't you? Yeah, I think if England were playing Croatia tonight and then they were playing Czech Republic on Sunday, I don't think this would be I don't think the selections would be scrutinised as much because you could go right this is a game maybe you know won 7-0 last time you're going to get a bit of joy stick Trent on right back but that game against Spain even though England are all but guaranteed to go through to the quarterfinal it's not that that is the the absolute dictionary definition of a test that you want to do very well in they came off the pitch at Wembley when they were beaten 3-2 by Spain disappointed and they thought, ah, we could have got something out of that.

40:50Now, yeah, I think overall Spain were the better side. England, you just can't give goals like that away. However, England did apply themselves very well in periods of that game and they did lead 2-1 and Kane missed a penalty. So you can see why there's frustration and you want to have a go at the best as we've spoken about. So that's why I think these selections that he's got to go for here are interesting. And I do wonder if he starts Branthwaite. I think he will because, you know, if Esri Konza is fit and firing for the Spain game, he'll start, of course. He's one of England's best centre-halves.

41:26Him and Gay and now to a lesser extent, you'd say John Stones, who of course is injured. He hasn't played since, what, September, I don't think, for Inter. You look at those options at centre-half and suddenly you go, ooh, England are maybe a little bit light. Now, I know Gerard Branthwaite is very highly rated, particularly with Evertonians. He's only got three international caps. Well, now's a good time as any to start getting that number up. He's left-footed as well. Always handy to have a left-footed.

41:51Marcus Speller: He's great on the ball. He looks like a future England captain. Yeah, exactly. So I think he starts Branthwaite. And I think that Branthwaite will be the guy who starts against Spain as well. Hopefully with Esri Konza. There's a reason why Branthwaite was in the squad and Dan Byrne has been a late call-up. Because he clearly values Branthwaite, who's 24, to Dan Byrne, who's 34. But Byrne has been, you know, Byrne with his 11 England caps has been great for England. But, you know, he's not one for the future. So I think you're right. I think he probably, what I would like to see is Jed Spence at right back, Lewis Hall at left back.

42:26And then we'll go with Kwanzaa and Branthwaite as well. The only thing he may well do is play Trent. If he's thinking maybe, I don't know, injuries or whatever. And he brings on Spence at right back. But I do think that this is, as I say, with that Spain test, I don't think that there's much messing around to be done tonight. You know, as I say, good first half, get the lead and then make the changes. That's how I would see it.

42:54Marcus Speller: Yeah. Everyone gets to touch Harry Kane's Ballon d 'Or. Take it further with it, whatever. 2-0. Off we go. There we are. Let's get to Espanya. Let's rain on their plane. Yes, let's do that. although the thought of seeing Josh King in an England shirt oh come on come on there is that there is that you want to you want to get into you want to get into a situation where the game's at a certain stage where you can bring on people like that bring on the people who you need to get captain to get the minutes in front of a Wembley crowd that stuff matters as well yeah it does it does and you know what talking of you know picking up those pockets of space and potentially having a more right-footed player on the on the right side you know King can do that He plays a sort of, you know, whatever fancy term you want to call it nowadays, like an inside 10 or, you know, he's not a winger.

43:45He's more, you know, picking up those pockets of space, as I find. So, you know, maybe maybe we could see him for half an hour at Wembley tonight, which would be absolutely fantastic. There we are, everybody. Thank you very much for listening to the Football Ramble, part of the Aircast Creator Network. I'll be joined by Luke, Pete and Jim tomorrow to talk about England against Croatia. and we're going to be looking ahead to that Spain game. Also tonight as well, Italy v France in the Nations League. So we'll have no doubt have a word on that and some of the other games that are playing tonight, such as San Marino versus Belarus.

44:19You never know in international football. Vish, a pleasure, my good man.

44:23Marcus Speller: Are you going tonight? Sadly not. Yeah, needs must, needs must. Fair. Yeah, yeah, yeah. but I'll let some others have a good time instead. I've watched Kane all this time. You have a look at the ball. I was there at the very beginning. You're damn right. You're damn right. But the England band will be sounding and I hope the fans are as well. Laura Love, see you tomorrow.

44:55Marcus Speller: The Football Ramble is a Stack production and part of the Acast Creator Network.

45:15Marcus Speller: We'll be right back.

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