Horny little summer boy

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3:37Pete Donaldson: All your dreams are made, everybody. Welcome to the Football Ramble. Spurs have signed Kudus and John Texter has been talking. It's Friday, 11th of July. I'm Marcus Speller. I'm Andy Brasson. And I'm Pete Donaldson.

4:01Pete Donaldson: Hi, everybody. It's Friday. And what a Friday it is. It's one of those 30-degree days, boys. It is. Tops off. Guns out. Let's get sunburned. Is the fact that you're so exhausted the reason that you didn't put in the second half of the couplet there? Yeah. It's a good point, actually. Which couplet are we talking about, Andy? You bottled it. Spells don't hide. The Club World Couplet. We'll be talking about that later. Don't encourage them with the couplet. They'll want to put that tournament in after the Club World Cup. Little mini tournaments. You've won the Club World Cup and therefore you qualify.

4:33Your fives team, your most kind of popular Twitter followings, get to play in the fives. It could be the after party, couldn't it? The Cup World Club. Exactly, yeah.

4:45Pete Donaldson: You thought you were going to get just a long weekend's holiday. no he's not even getting that but that said Vinny Mbappe they don't have to run around I would imagine at the end of the Club World Cup final it will be a little bit like have you seen Ultimate Beastmaster on Netflix no it's that game it's sort of a little bit like Ninja Warrior but much better invented by Sylvester Stallone and at the end when there's a winner all the other contestants are there to like party with them wonderful I think that would be it would be amazing you know like Big Brother when they invite them they invite all the contestants to the closing night.

5:18I think that would be brilliant if like when, you know, Chelsea are lifting the cup at the weekend. Like everyone's on the pitch, all 32 teams are on the pitch going crazy.

5:26Pete Donaldson: And John Terry in the full strip. Yeah. But it wouldn't just be him, would it? It'd be like a Terry tribute. Could they not just have a little kind of Davina McCall, this is your best bits and then just, like I think they should do at the end of every match. Man of the match, here's your best bits. And then you just enjoy that, I suppose. But football being football, it would be someone scrolling on a phone and us all watching them scroll on a phone. Here's your best bits. Take your top off. Well, we are going to talk about the Club World Cup and Andy kind of channeling the spirit of Arsene Wenger.

5:54Pete Donaldson: We've got a quote from him. But that's all to come. Let's talk about some transfers. Now, we said on Wednesday that West Ham were unimpressed with Spurs' initial bid for Mohamed Kudus. Well, they've now agreed a£55 million deal. Kudus had an£85 million release clause and signed from Ajax for£38 million in 2023. So they made a bit of money on him. Not a huge amount of money, Andy Brassel, but that 85 million release clause I think everyone thought yeah we're not going to get that he clearly wants to go that's right and it's a decent profit it's a decent profit for a guy who didn't play well last season an excellent point to make and look the fact is as we said earlier in the week I think on Wednesday's round West Ham need the money now otherwise they can't do anything transfer wise they can't sell Packatar at the moment so you know they need something to really kickstart the Graham Potter era because at the moment it all feels a bit nothing's happening doesn't it?

6:46Pete Donaldson: And it was about time they sold again to Spurs Peter wasn't it? It's been so long since the last one. I think so yeah but I mean that that kind of front line for Spurs it's looking pretty tidy and pretty tasty and if I was the day departed Australian leader I would be annoyed because I could have used that. Did you see him I've someone get a quote from him. Did you see him receiving that award you might get that quote in Greek did you see him receiving that award in Greece from the Super League for being the first Greek coach to win a European trophy? Oh nice It's okay. And he did the acceptance speech in Greek as well.

7:18It was excellent. Really good. Oh, I see.

7:21Pete Donaldson: Aussies are going, hey, come on. We should do that. Get him back here. You're the first. I don't know, mate. Probably the first. Australian crafted football manager. Yeah. It's all up for grabs, isn't it? Well, well done. Well done, him. Lest we forget that. Yes, of course. No, but you're right, Peter. Those Spurs, though. They've added Kudus in there. Richarlison will probably leave, but everybody else is just looking pretty tired. Well, yeah. I'm talking around myself there. Suns, obviously, a bit of a spent farts. Maybe it's not that good then. Okay, fine. Is Thomas Frank going to deploy like an old-fashioned 2-3-5 and get it up the way?

7:56Pete Donaldson: Look, we know that Spurs, they had their injuries last season. It would be interesting to see if they have injury problems again while Thomas Frank is in charge, because some suggested, as we well know, and remember that Postacoglu's methods often are not really conducive for players kind of staying fit and so on. But anyway, that's by the by. They're in the Champions League, which is something I keep needing to remind myself with Spurs. They want to be competing on all fronts. They don't want to be hanging down the bottom of the table like they were last year. Blah-de-blah-de-blah. This is a good signing.

8:31Pete Donaldson: I wonder where he'll play, but Kudus, I suppose the best that West Ham got out of Kudus was maybe when Bowen was playing more centrally or when he was injured and could have kind of off the right. But would you expect that? I mean, think about poor little Brennan Johnson, Andy. Yeah, what happens to Kuliszewski? I mean, all these signings immediately make me think who are they getting rid of as well. I know you're talking about depth and squad, but someone like Kuliszewski who has designs, whether they're realistic or not, on being one of the best players in the world. I mean, he's not going to say, oh yeah, I'll come off the bench, that'll be fine.

9:04I think the other thing is when Pete was saying, up top, they look really exciting, they do. I mean, imagine this attack with that defence. Yeah. Especially once they're one or two injuries down. Now, I guess you're thinking post-Postokoglu, maybe Romero and Van der Venne are fit more. You know, I think that might be a part of it. But either way, they're not going to play like, you know, 55 games a season, surely, because no one does. But then you chuck in Morgan Gibbs-White

9:32Pete Donaldson: because Spurs have activated his 60 million. Talking of top heavy. Yeah, exactly. For this one, this one feels a bit more, you know, a couple of years ago kind of spurs. Fringe England player by virtue of the fact it's quite congested kind of set up there. And they've, weirdly, they've overpaid, which they sometimes do. That is for his release clause. Yeah, it wasn't, but you would still argue that that is overpaid. It's almost always an overpaid, but it's overpaid and ruin, overpaid and ruin. but you just hope this time against hope that this isn't going to be the situation but I mean like yeah I mean a good player but are they going to get the best out of him I think the jury's out Spurs just seem to do ruin players in that position for me and straight away your question really is can you fit once everyone's fit do you fit could have Gibbs-White and Madison in the same team I mean I think there's a straight answer to that really isn't there I mean Morgan Gibbs-White is no bones about it my favourite player in the Premier League Your favourite?

10:35Yes. Wow. I love him. I love watching him.

10:37Pete Donaldson: Is that because Tom Kearney hasn't signed an extension with Fulham? Yeah, that's it. Okay. That's exactly it. I want to make sure we're on the same page here. Yeah, and also, it has to be an England player, doesn't it, Marcus? Yes. You can't have any Scots in there. Come on. Well, okay. See? On a technical. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Well done. Well played. It makes me feel slightly sad to imagine Forrest after the season they've just had, going into next season with no Langer and no Gibbs White. Do you think them failing to qualify for the Champions League, is that the reason for this?

11:08I think they would have kept them if they'd have been in the Champions League. Yeah, probably. And that is such a sickness. Are they on a yo-yo string if they find themselves in?

11:16Pete Donaldson: Yeah, maybe, yeah. All this business with Palace and Texter, which we'll talk about in the next part of the show. Europa League, can we interest you in the Europa League? No, no, I'm a Champions League fan. Maybe this is what happens when Lyon aren't going to buy all your old crap anymore. Yeah, quite possibly. I mean, we'll talk about Forrest another day, but you're right that the way that Espirito Santo got the best out of Gibbs White in a Forrest show was glorious. And I know what you mean when you say he's your favourite. Certainly one of a lot of people's favourite players in the Premier League.

11:47Pete Donaldson: Just so exciting. And you wonder how he will play at Spurs. But you remember, this is Thomas Frank Spurs. This is not Postacoglu Spurs, which is a very different entity, of course. He's 25 as well, heading into his best years. I mean, it's, you know. And, you know, again, in terms of size of club and tradition and what they've done in previous years, you know, Spurs are a bigger club. I know Forest fans will say, well, hang on a minute here. How many European Cups have they won? Or, you know, when did they finish? They've got a ton of money. They've got a big stadium and they're in the Champions League.

12:16They've got the best stadium in Europe and they're in the Champions League, sorry.

12:20Pete Donaldson: And they've got the trophy monkey off their back as well. Yeah. I mean, the thing is, I guess at this point, it's a bit disingenuous, isn't it, on the 11th of July to say, I don't know how it's all going to fit together for the start of the season. Because it's quite a long way off. And the window is still wide open. But then you can pair with other teams around them and they shouldn't be doing business quicker than I've ever seen them do business. I mean, obviously, when you go to a club and you're sort of making moves towards a player who has a release clause, that by virtue of the fact speeds everything up, expedites the process.

12:54But like, that's the quickest I've ever seen by anyone. Yeah, it came out of nowhere, bang. he's there there's no saga is there I guess the question mark is with Spurs and it's never been about going and buying good players and I think it's something that if you speak to Spurs I think it's if you speak to Spurs fans what they find frustrating is from the outside people who aren't you know have a passing interest in Spurs or a general Premier League fans or fans of another Premier League team will go oh what are they good to complain about they spent this much on Dominic Solanke they spent this much on Romero they spent this much on Van de Ven but yet Where's the strategy?

13:31Where's the plan? Where's the bit for if you get two centre-halves injured during the season? These are the questions that have not yet been answered. So, look, this is the start of something promising for Spurs. It's not the end point. They're quite a long way off that. And again, emphasise 11th of July. You've got to make the point that it's not the big-ticket items that save your season. It's the ones that are around 10 million, 15 million players rather than that. Yeah, the right players rather than the sexy players. It's fine to have sexy players as well, though, isn't it?

14:03Pete Donaldson: Oh, we all love a sexy player. We're not sexy. Yeah. I mean, where would we be without sexy hands? Exactly. Where would we be? I'd have a lot more time on my hands, I tell you what. Horny little summer boy. And a lot less something else on your hands as well. Marcus. Why do you always have to have a topper? Just enjoy the idea of muster betting and move on. It's Friday Speller. You're responsible for this. You know what he's like. Sure, Andy. He's right. He's horny too. He's horny for the big dog. It's ever so hard here. The big dog. The big dog. It's ever so hard here. There we are. Oppressively so.

14:37Pete Donaldson: Well, look, I have to say that all these Spurs signings, whatever one may think of them, I look at Thomas Frank and I think, they're so much more stable in my mind because he's there. Because Frank, I agree with that. I understand we've not seen him manage outside of Brentford in this country. So I do that. but I he's got two solid first names and I enjoy it exactly that's a framework for me great head of hair he interviews well yeah he just comes upside down eyes all that kind of stuff but it's part of the sell to him as well isn't it yes you must be sitting in there thinking oh yeah Brentford was great but now I'm getting Morgan Gibbs-White I'm getting Cudders look at him spending this money he can't believe his luck can he Daniel can I write the cheque yes exactly can I sign the cheque and he's looking at the potential places where they might play in the Champions League Look, I'm pleased.

15:28Pete Donaldson: You know, it was a few months ago. How much doom and gloom for Spurs? They finally win the trophy. And now look at them. I think it's looking pretty good. But as you say, Andy, 11th of July. It could all go way wrong before that. No, 11th of July. Now, let's stay in North London because Arsenal have reportedly agreed a deal with Chelsea for Nonny Maduweke. Chat of about£50 million, this one. This is divided opinion, this transfer. people saying Peter that well whenever Arsenal buy from Chelsea it tends not to work out very well why are they buying him surely they should go for better when they've been linked with Ebreche Eza or even Rodrigo from Real Madrid and also where is he going to play what do you think about this potential signing usually with these kind of players you do sort of go oh they were available so we'll get him because they were available but Chelsea players are always available because that's their business prospect so I don't know why they've gone for this player at this moment in time I don't think they're not flush in that position but I do think that they are they could do a little bit better for a side that will be challenging for the title next season yeah because I think people would say okay if he was up for say like 15-20 million which of course he's never going to be I understand that but as you mentioned earlier the signing like Norgard you think okay he's a squad player he's a good operator okay 31 but you know 10 million you get a few of these guys in as you say he'll be on top bunts as well exactly yeah and I know Arsenal are not sure of money per se but 50 million is obviously quite a lot for a guy who one would think would be a squad player but where do you sit on this transfer?

17:01Pete Donaldson: I guess the question is would you rather pay 50 mil for Maduweke who I think he's kind of like the Newcastle United of Premier League players in that he's got a really high ceiling but quite a low floor as well on his day I think he can do anything he was England's best player against Andorra for example for example and that was on grass as well wasn't it it was on grass yeah yeah so I think the thing is because we imagine him cutting him from the right hand side the immediate reaction when you put him in an Arsenal context is he's never getting past Saka so what's the point in signing him at some point Saka will get tied yeah there is that and I think the way he finished last season is a good example Saka of how much he will benefit from a bit of rest here and there if you can get it because they flogged him relentlessly in recent years.

17:57And I know he's so good that he almost demands that, but I think there's a duty of care and it's the best thing for Arsenal to make sure he's fresh as well. But they do have Nuanieri. Yeah, that's true. The other thing with Maduweke is who's to say can't play him on the left-hand side? Because ultimately, anyone who's watched Arsenal regularly in the last couple of seasons and certainly last season will be thinking, you're either on the fence with Martinelli or you want to sell him but there's not really that feeling now he's not a young player anymore it's like when is he going to explode into that that world beater if I was them whether you think they should be signing Maduweko or not I mean the first thing I said when we were talking about this outside is they're going to sell Martinelli to Bayern Munich at the end of this season at the end of this summer didn't I and I think I think I will

18:49Pete Donaldson: little prediction from Andy Brassel there always welcome no you're right because I mean Maduweko towards the end of the season for Chelsea he's playing a little bit more on the left I think he started the Europa Conference League final on the left maybe and again I go back to that brilliant display against Andorra where he played on the left so you're right he probably played quite well that match too you know what I mean well so clearly he can play either side as well I mean Trossard's the other one but Trossard's a different option so I I don't think many Arsenal fans think of Trossard as a starter?

19:22Pete Donaldson: No. Do they really? No, but look, I think Madiwaki improves the Arsenal squad. I just wonder if you look at it and think, well, actually, could you put in more money in getting another player? I'm just, I'm kind of like... Don't you think part of it as well is the fact that Arsenal have had a bad time buying players off Chelsea? Well, indeed. That's a huge part of the reaction to this. At some point, they've got to get it right though, haven't they? At some point, one of them is going to click. Well, look, he's not 33, which I think is a great start. It's like roulette, isn't it? When it's black five times.

19:53It's got to be red next, isn't it? Exactly. Exactly. And that's how I left Vegas in my pants. Or is it white? Is it red and white? Black and white? Black and red.

20:03Pete Donaldson: It's black and white, yeah. Sorry, no, black and red. Black and red. Yeah, it's black and red. If you're betting on white, that's why you lost all your money. The Newcastle United ones are misleading. When I was on that plane telling that terrorist, I was betting on white, baby. It's not on the table, Peter. Yeah. If it's white, we all lose. Okay. I don't know well well there we are now oh gentlemen let's go abroad Ajax have agreed to let Jordan Henderson leave a year early oh how about that I mean he's not abroad anymore though is he no he's not because apparently he's set to sign with Brentford on a two year deal he just loves red and white stripes or maybe he's planning to get a lot more work at Sky because it's like 15 minutes down the road he's a good boy I'd say a bit of salt was on dear me do you think that's what it is can't be just that can it horse meat disco in Vauxhall another one the guy loves pride she loves it the do you not think that he's just he wants to play in the next in national tournament and he didn't fancy a season getting whipped for Sunderland yeah also though for Brentford again horse meat disco also with Brentford you know they will need a leader on the pitch yes Yes, yes.

21:20Won't they just? Yeah. I mean, Sunderland could have done with that as well. Sunderland really could have done with it. Because they're all 18 years old. Well, if you don't make him an offer... Yeah, it's a good point. I can understand why he hasn't gone back to Sunderland. A, because they've signed a stack of good midfield players already. And you could make the argument about the experience and all the rest of it. But as well, there's got to be a little part of you, as Jordan Henderson say, do I want to go back to my boyhood club and it not be a triumphant return? Yeah, maybe. There must be a little part of that.

21:48For what it's worth... Probably because I did on the continent with David Cartlidge yesterday. I feel actually quite optimistic about Sunderland at the moment. Really? I really like their early transfer window. As we said, we keep saying 11th of July, but still, it's a good start. It's a good start. No, I think that's right. Their northeast Tottenham. I was just showing everyone the picture of Ian Poverter's amazing sort of death metal jewellery. Oh. Sort of like you see in Soho. It's like really chunky. Great. A grey silver kind of like signet rings and stuff. Oh, lovely.

22:19Pete Donaldson: If you walk past a very strong industrial magnet, you'd just be... Yeah, straight in. Which is surely some sort of YouTuber should do that, shouldn't they? What, jump in an MRI machine with a drip on? Not where I was going, but anyway. There must be more metal of footballers. Surely. Yeah, it's the Finnish. Any Finnish footballer. That's true. Well, I think Henderson to Brentford, though, I do get it because you're going to an established Premier League side. I know that they've changed manager recently, but... Yeah, it's a good move for him. Way better than Sonnenberg. I do understand that. It's a sort of endorsement for Keith Andrews as well, isn't it?

22:58Pete Donaldson: It is, yeah. And we all need an endorsement. Now, gentlemen, what about this? Former Newcastle United midfielder Alan Sam Maximan has accused Fenerbahce of trying to dope him while he was on loan there last season. This was a bloody great interview. It's so good. That is an extraordinary sentence, but he claimed on a podcast that while he was injured, the club staff tried to give him treatment that's considered a doping product. It's good that he's on top of it. A lot of footballers aren't. Quickly, now he's injured. He can't run away. Sam Maximam and Jose Mourinho, of course, fell out last season.

23:33Pete Donaldson: Mourinho said that ASM was unfit and overweight. He did get back into the squad towards the end of the season before getting injured again. I mean, that was... You know, I have a bit of disdain for Latter-day Mourinho. I actually really enjoyed this, where Mourinho was slating him in some press conference, and Saint-Maximum responded with, well, sometimes lies take the elevator and the truth takes the stairs. And he said, well, obviously the truth has to be fit enough to actually manage the stairs. Which I thought was excellent. That was good. Well, if you're wondering how Fenerbahce have responded, they said they will utilise all options available to them in responding to Saint-Maximum.

24:16Allodice-esque

24:16Pete Donaldson: Yes In more serious matters though The club are also Currently negotiating Their stadium naming rights And shirt sponsorship With Chobani The yogurt company We all like a bit of yogurt We do like a little bit of yogurt I'd like You see I'd like them The kit to To sort of If you really want to go Full sponsor Amit yogurt? No But have a big sort of Yogurt splatter on it Oh yeah Again Yeah Let's not do that Why not? It may have unfair comparisons with other fluids. It's pretty eloquently put, actually. I thought it was a honey trap, and Pete sort of managed to avoid it. Oh, honey and yoghurt, lovely.

24:55Pete Donaldson: There you are. Delicious. Sir Maximan's interview, I've got to say, was really brilliant. Go on, then. What else did he say? The interviewer asked him, so tell us about the move for Saudi. Obviously, trying to put it in a way that wasn't accusing him of just being a money grab. Because he's going back to Saudi now, is he? Yeah, he still belongs to Saudi. Yes. 28 years old he went the guy asked him and he went I was getting 3 million at Newcastle I was getting 15 million a year in Saudi it's not even a question is it no pretense at all as I say Eddie Murphy Beverly Hills got three yeah what is it about these kind of like one off kind of like throwback footballers who just their conditioning is always off if they get a few months off you can't give them a few months off yeah you can't it's the same with Ben Arfeu It's the same with every other footballer we've had in that position.

25:43They come back and they're just wrecked. What have you done? What have you done this summer? Presumably this tells us that he will end up being very, very good at paddle. Yes. I almost completely agree. Especially if he's in the Middle East, right? Oh, yeah. Is it big out there, I presume? Yeah, yeah. Invented in Qatar, wasn't it? It was. Nice. Well, popularised by Nasser Al-Khalafi anyway.

26:07Pete Donaldson: And loved by Jurgen Klopp as well. Yeah. Right, everybody, coming up after this, John Texter has been speaking some more and we've got more cost-saving measures from Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

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29:01now to McCrory cross into the box headed clear Mengi Tanner shoots oh it's an equaliser equaliser from Tanner we won that wasn't it hey well we're back lovely

29:16Pete Donaldson: now Crystal Palace of course still waiting to see whether they'll be able to play next season's Europa League competition John Texter is still insisting that he didn't have a decisive influence at the club. Did you hear this, everybody? He appeared live on Talk Sport yesterday with Jim White and Simon Jordan. And also, there was a part of the show which was a phone-in with Crystal Palace fans. So, fair play to him for that, I suppose. Fair play to him? He turned up in a Botafogo t-shirt. Yeah, that was piss-paw. I think you said, somebody said at the time that he's very naughty chairman and he just turns up and pretends he's just not in charge.

29:57He hasn't got any idea what's going on and stuff. It's very Trumpian, let's say.

30:01Pete Donaldson: Yeah, it's that classic, you know, incredibly wealthy man who just kind of like, I mean, I don't really know what's going on. I'm a bit of a victim here. I think you're missing some inverted commas around wealthy. There is a lot of shifting of money in the text or empire. Right. I see. I think it is fair to say, which is the whole issue with him, of course. I mean, to me, it has very strong Alan Stanford vibes. Which one was Alan Stanford? You know the guy who was going to fund cricket forever and arrived at Lord's in a helicopter. That's right, yes. And had Matt Pryor's wife on his lap and all the rest of it.

30:42It was outrageous and is now in prison. Talk to me about Michael Knighton. Michael Knighton, yeah, there's one. Who's the guy who signed a spree for Darlington? George Reynolds. George Reynolds. I think he did have a bit of cash, to be fair.

30:55Pete Donaldson: Knox County. Remember all that? Knox County, yeah. When they got Sven in and Southam and all that. Yeah, so Texter said on the radio, if I had decisive influence, then those Brazilian players that just beat PSG in the Club World Cup, half of them would be coming to Crystal Palace next year. Oh, okay. I love the fact that the one group of fans who still really support you are Botafogo. And you'd have... I'm going to absolutely gut them. I'm just going to nuke that as well. I'm going to shuffle that pack as well. Simon Jordan said, Texter is getting painted as the villain. A man who is often painted as the villain in some parts.

31:33Pete Donaldson: And Texter responded to that, I don't care, the smart Palace fan knows I helped. He had a few little digs at Steve Parrish, it's fair to say, during the interview. Asked about Parrish, Texter said, I think his ambition every year is to avoid relegation. Our ambition is to climb the table. He was then asked if his hopes have taken... That's very mealy-mouthed, isn't it? Not to make Europe. To climb the table. One place is a climb. That's true. He was then asked if his hopes of taking over Palace had been turned or ruined by UEFA's rules on multi-club ownership, and he replied, I never want to be the man.

32:08Pete Donaldson: Ask the guy that drives the red Ferrari that, but I'm not the guy. I'm just one of yous. Right, is that what he's saying? I mean, yeah.

32:18Pete Donaldson: Andy. Andy. flabbergasted. Well, look, I said most of what I wanted to say about it on the continent. Well, you're not on the continent now, Andy. You're on the ramble. I should probably talk about the Leon Ultras put out a letter saying that they were relieved but not satisfied after the relegation was overturned on appeal this week. What do they think of Tex-Dom? I'm pretty sure I can guess. He was described in their open letter as a swindler, a thief, and a liar. Wow. Not the opinion of the football ramble, but very much on the continent. I think they went quite lightly on him. Yeah. They punched that, didn't they?

33:04Pete Donaldson: They did. Blimey. I mean... Should we talk about his last week? Yes. I'm kind of lost for words. This is just with Leon. It's been revealed that he used 91 million euros of Leon's money to buy players for Botafogo to help them win the Copa Libertadores. Right. And did they win it, Andy? Agreed, they did. Money well spent then. Yeah, there we go. Just have one letterhead with three clubs on it. Why can't Lyon fans enjoy that? Why can't they, right? He should have flown them a load over. I'll get you 10 % off final tickets if you want. Well, he did show himself at the hearing to not get relegated from Lyon, which obviously was a complete disaster in the first instance.

33:48He did arrive directly from the Club World Cup, again, wearing a bit of Botafogo merchandise.

33:53Pete Donaldson: Yes, he's got it all in on them. Which is nice to see. It was also revealed this week that the naming rights for the Lyon Stadium, he agreed the deal and then forgot to sign it off. There's a lot of forgetting to sign stuff here, isn't there? This is the guy who talked about his financial plan in a press conference and then it was pointed out to him halfway through that he got the numbers wrong so he started getting a pen out and jotting it down again. It's like, it's stressing me out. It's Trumpian. It's uncut gems is what it is. It's fucking stressful. Just watching a man go from one disaster to another going, if I pay this man off, I'll be able to make enough money to do that and it's just, oh God, you have to leave the country.

34:37Pete Donaldson: You have to plant the magic beans yourself. Don't do that for you. The other big reveal this morning is it's been thought that Leon, for their appeal after Textor stepped aside from the presidency and Michelle Kang, who owns the Lyon Women's Club and London City Lionesses, after she took over, she pulled an absolute blinder in getting this relegation overturned with the help of Michael Gerlinger, who was Director General at Bayern Munich as well. And she was explaining after the appeal was successful how they'd got through it. Gerlinger explained in this how they already had an agreement to buy a couple more players from Nottingham Forest, which I don't think we can get out of, were his words.

35:20And it had been thought that Michelle Kang and Michael Gerlinger had had to prove that they had 200 million, like 100 million actually in the accounts, and 100 million in a blocked account to get through this season. It's been revealed this morning that the amount was actually only 124 million, but they had to promise that Textile would never come back.

35:46Pete Donaldson: I mean it's amazing I did say earlier in this chat that he has the vibe of someone who's like I don't really know what's going on guys and all but maybe he's being genuine with that I don't know maybe I'm the one being harsh here I don't know but I mean I mean we look the main point is whatever issues certain Palace fans might have or not with Steve Parrish your club is in much safer hands with him than it is with John Textile. But why, I mean, he talked about him. Go Kang in. Yeah, there you go. Exactly. He said he was Kang. Should be in London now and then. Yeah. I mean, he talked about fighting the Ninja Turtles.

36:27Pete Donaldson: Anyone? Thank you. No, they're the good guys at Ninja Turtles. No, Krang was fighting I remember and that's what worries me about this monster. Because the Ninja Turtles lived inside the belly of a massive man. Yeah, yeah, Exactly, thank you. Very strange, isn't it? If you think about it. It is very strange. My goodness, the 90s were great. And John Texter, he talked about his love for the English game and his first few matches and seeing various championship clubs and pretty much admitted that he would rather be owning a championship club. Did he not? Yeah, I mean, he's interested in Sheffield Wednesday.

36:58After you've wondered, especially if you're not a Sheffield Wednesday fan and you didn't maybe know about it already after Luke talked about it so eloquently on the Ramble, if you're wondering how things could get worse for Sheffield Wednesday.

37:10Pete Donaldson: So I was going to ask you about this. So if you are, because we saw this with Newcastle back in the day back in the day when Mike Ashley took over. And it was immediately, there was some money pumped in the club and actually, you know, the club wasn't in a great position. Tex is one of those owners where some people think, well, at least there is an owner coming in with money. We're in dire straits here. But where's the money from? And this is the problem. He's one of those guys, isn't he? You know, I remember years ago, I think it was Luke or Jim said about the fit and proper person's test. One of the first questions should be, do you have the money you say you have?

37:42Pete Donaldson: And he seems to be one of those chances who, as you say, shifts the money around. We've had that with smaller clubs as well. You look at what's happened at Morecambe, for example.

37:54It's essentially flawed, isn't it? But it's not just in England, of course. Because remember, you have these really stringent financial checks in France and it didn't pick up anything. There should have been a massive red light over Texter. And we just didn't have the money.

38:09Pete Donaldson: And with all the hoops you have to jump through in the bureaucracy in France, I'm amazed he got through it. Yeah, but it's just, can you get through the season? Yes. Not, is this sustainable? Well, if you want to hear more about the Leon angle around this grim situation, then listen to yesterday's episode of On the Continent where Andy Dotton and David Cartlidge get into the details around how Leon successfully appealed their relegation. David has had a few choice words for Texter, I could imagine what they were. Search On the Continent in your podcast app to subscribe and listen now. Gentlemen, let's talk about some more responsible ownership.

38:44Pete Donaldson: Sir Jim Ratcliffe's latest cost-cutting measure at Manchester United has been revealed. The club has abandoned the tradition of giving pre-season opponents gifts. These gifts would usually include personalised shirts, other merchandise, or maybe a custom item to commemorate this fixture. And this cutting measure will start with their game against Leeds in Stockholm in mid-July. Is that because Leeds would just be like, I don't want to start, we don't want to man United? Well, that's it. It recalls that Rob McElhenney line, doesn't it, from Welcome to Wrexham, where Tom Brady gives him the Birmingham shirt, and he shakes his hand and goes, there's not a bin big enough for this.

39:20What is the last thing someone connected with Leeds would want? A Man United shirt. I think it's fair enough. Most 99 % of things that we get stuck into Sir Jim Ratcliffe about are fair enough. On this, it's just a waste of time, isn't it?

39:34Pete Donaldson: is a classic Man United top with Cantona on the back he's United how about that there you go yeah well Manchester United sources insist it's a move away from needless ceremony and pomp especially when facing English opponents oh we don't sort of like brass tacks Benthamism utilitarian kind of just we're going to make the shirts out of just the grass that we're running on love it where would football be without needless ceremony and pomp though Peter I'd like to see the Club World Cup with a little less of that nonsense. Yeah. To be quite frank. Are you not looking forward to the trophy being unlocked?

40:10Pete Donaldson: Yeah. You know, this weekend? As the yoghurt bursts out of it. Ha! Surprise yoghurt sponsor! Yeah. Is Infantino borrowing your keys to the weekend? He is not, Sandy. Yeah. The less said about that, the better. Well, Manchester United have also hired a sportsology group, a sports intelligent consultancy, to find a new head of senior recruitment They consulted with the club when they appointed Eric ten Haag. So make what you will of that. So it's all go at Manchester United at the moment. I do like it when they fire everyone. Companies do this all the time. Someone rich comes in, they buy the company, they fire everyone, then they just get consultants in because they're more comfortable with those people because they're fresh and they're new and they're interesting and they pay over the odds and their bottom line ends up just being even further into the red.

41:01And of course it's a layer of deniability, isn't it? Yes, it's them lot. We're not going to work with them again. No, damn it.

41:07Pete Donaldson: Your contract is gone. All right, coming up after this, the Club World Cup reaches its conclusion finally.

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42:17Sign up for a free Walmart business account today at business.walmart.com. Hi, I'm Max Rushton, the host of The Guardian Football Weekly, alongside me, Barry Glendening, my co-host. Hey, Barry. Hello. Now, although every American found us during the World Cup, for the two that didn't, what can they expect? Found us and fell in love with us, Max. They can expect three episodes each week of occasionally insightful analysis covering the Premier League, Champions League and beyond. Football Weekly is back. Watch on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

42:54Pete Donaldson: Yes, everybody, the Club World Cup is nearly over. If you haven't seen any of it, your last chance is on Sunday where Chelsea play Paris Saint-Germain. Good news is that Donald Trump, President Trump, will attend the match in New York. Peter, according to Gianni Infantino, Trump's a huge soccer fan. Yes. Do you like how he translated it for? I think he's a fan of anything that will distract him from certain lists that have not been released. I think he would do anything right now. to hide from all of that, to be honest. Yeah. I was thinking about this for next year's World Cup. And Andy, if you are going to attend, with the technology that they may have, because we've been hearing horror stories about people being denied entry to the US.

43:37Pete Donaldson: People searching their phones. Searching phones, social media and all the rest of it. I'm sure there's AI technology to be able to just kind of like go through, like in its AI way, like listen to podcasts and all that kind of thing. may I recommend Toronto or Mexico City well did you hear because there was that great deal for PSG fans they wanted to Paris wanted to get more fans over so they gave them a deal where for 500 euros you would get a flight there and back and a hotel and your match ticket that's a great deal 500 euros which is really good that is a good deal obviously you would have to get a day off work at a couple of days notice and all that sort of stuff or a couple of days off work but what they did put me down for one is they created a special lane like they did at the Qatar World Cup so people didn't have to queue at customs for ages but it was so inefficient that some PSG fans arrived just before half time when it was already 3-0 and others, the ones who had to change at Detroit, actually were still in Detroit when the match finished and also the match kicked off late as well, didn't it?

44:48Yeah.

44:49Pete Donaldson: I don't think 10 minutes is really going to swing it if you're in the US immigration queue. There's people still in Detroit. I'll have about 10 minutes. You don't know where Detroit is, do you? There is a bit of a misjudgment. You sometimes don't realise what a big country the US is, do you? It's chunky. It's a chunky lad. Didn't I delay the kickoff? I'm just saying it's 10 minutes. Isn't that a bit of extra time? Probably got time to get some nachos as well. That's wiggle room in my book. Don't worry, lads. There's good news here. you've got time to find a bar I'll have another yeah I'll have another pint then thank you you've had too many already you've got a terrible cause yes well obviously Chelsea playing PSG I just I think Chelsea are going to manage it I think Cole Palmer is going to take them apart everyone's very excited for Chelsea and they seem to have not sort of realised how well PSG have been playing recently it's quite a daunting prospect it's a daunting prospect well indeed they've probably got the depth in squads that PSG probably don't have but PSG are just playing beautiful football at the moment.

45:47Oh, so you fancy PSG for it, do you? Well, if they go 3-0 up in the first time, it's in fact.

45:51Pete Donaldson: Yeah, I'll reconsider. Well, now, FIFA's chief of global football development, Arsene Wenger, of course, has responded to Jurgen Klopp's negative comments about the Club World Cup after the big German said it was the worst idea ever invented. And if you remember those comments, it made Kaveh Solikol have a meltdown. You can play paddle. You can go for a swim. It's a free world. If you don't like the Club World Cup, don't watch it. For example. Love that you've got separate buttons for those.

46:24Pete Donaldson: Well, Big Veng has jumped to Carvey's defence, or FIFA's defence, you may say, and he said, I don't share the view of Jurgen Klopp at all. I feel a Club World Cup is needed. If you make inquiries to all the clubs who are here, then 100 % of answers would be that they would want to do it again. And the decisive question is, do the fans like it or not? We believe the attendances were projected as low and in reality were much higher. The answer is there. I mean, you can't really argue with that. Unless you've been to one of the games at Orlando. He did mention Orlando. He said, yeah, even Wenger went, I'll be honest, it was a bit hot in Orlando.

47:02Pete Donaldson: Even he said that. So again, usually if you want to be on the right side of football history, I would take the opposite view of Arsene Wenger since he's been at FIFA. Yes. But he's been all about experimentation, hasn't he? He's been all about... I mean... I don't know that, hasn't he? Yeah, but I mean, if you look at him... You can't blame a guy for experimenting, can you? Yeah, I know, but stick to... Arsene Wigge belongs in a science lab, all right? Right. Him in a science coat and a lab coat, it would just look great. If we're talking about experimentation, this is like when Noel Gallagher got that French lady to play the scissors on Jules Holland.

47:36That was a piss take, wasn't it? Was it a piss take? Yeah.

47:39Pete Donaldson: Surely. Was it? Must be. the way he spoke about it after he said it was a bit of a piss thing I think when people laughed at him he said it was a piss thing yeah I think so well Arsene Wenger's not yeah I was only joking Arden's a terrible idea I just I still wonder with this Jürgen Klopp thing I wasn't on when you were talking about that at the time it is kind of ludicrous though he's backed himself into this weird corporate corner where it's like one of your clubs was actually at the Club World Cup yeah are you saying something that's important to your core business is something you don't give a shit about.

48:12But he can't leave the fixed congestion paper on, can he? No, he can't. He's always honking on it.

48:18Pete Donaldson: He's always honking on that pipe band. He's always honking on that congestion paper. On the exhaust of congestion. Just trying to find a little bit of yoghurt down there. He can't. I don't know. I don't bloody know. Well, speaking of nonsense, what do you think of this? AC Milan's Serie A match against Como in February next year could become the first European fixture to be played abroad. In Australia! Yeah. Sounds like a winner, doesn't it? For like clever ideas that people might have an issue with. I mean, this is about as far away from Italy as it's possible to be. So good on them for really going all out with the idea.

48:50How's going to New Zealand? Is he going to do it properly? It's going to be in Perth, isn't it? So it's going to be far away from most of Australia as well.

48:56Pete Donaldson: I love it. I mean, I remember when they've played the Italian Super Cup in the Middle East before, haven't they? Yes. Yeah, but the thing is, I guess people will say they're surprised that Spain hasn't got their first because, of course, there have been games floated in Miami, for example. But the fact is that Italy was ahead of the game in this sense. Before any of the other countries, like 20 years ago, they were having the Super Cup abroad. They had the Super Cup in Tripoli, of course, when they had that weird relationship with Colonel Gaddafi. Yes, so they did. who's a part sponsor of Juventus.

49:36It's a surprise, isn't it? But I think that... So the thing is, what they're doing is they're taking advantage of the fact that the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics is in San Siro. So they can't use the San Siro that weekend. So they thought, oh, hello. Yeah. Bit of Australia. But I mean, really, this is one of those things that a lot of Europe's major leagues are going to carry on doing stupid things and things that really don't care about the fans, the local fans particularly, and they're just going to go, oh, it's the Premier League's fault because they earn so much money. We've got to find another way to make it up.

50:21So whether it's games abroad, whether it's the Super League, but it's all your fault. It's nothing to do with us.

50:27Pete Donaldson: Agreed, and I get all that, but just to kind of hone in on maybe the least important detail of it Australia like do you know like I I just think on time market for Serie A I just you know for Italian football just isn't might not be there well they might not be there I mean I think people may I would imagine people will go and see if the tickets weren't stupidly priced but I mean with fixture congestion I know they've not got European football next season but like I said I don't know if there's a cup you know they're playing four or five days later oh well if they've not got European football they could probably walk back it's fine I can understand why they're doing it obviously I can understand why they're doing it obviously because Italy needs to expand globally because Como have got an eye on doing that of course they're they're doing the they're doing the special cup on the lake where they've got Ajax and Celtic etc come in this summer and Al Hilal Milan are leaking money so that's obviously why they're involved but you're right it's completely tone deaf in this era of fixture congestion where's the most convenient place we can play abroad?

51:40Try it out but fundamentally we just hope that idea dies in a pipe like Gaddafi yeah

51:51he didn't die in the pipe he was dragged out and then killed

51:56Pete Donaldson: the Italian Football Federation has been positive about the proposal this week. The fixture would need the approval from FIFA, UEFA, Football Australia and the Asian Football Confederation. So, a few hoops to jump through there. But I mean, if they need money, Milan, just take the Saudi buck. It's there. You know it's there. It's always going to be there. Oi, do the right thing. Do the right thing. Right then. Let's turn our attention to international football. Have you seen that Dick Advocate has extended his contract as the head coach of Curacao until at least the end of next year. Ladies and gentlemen, that is a lovely old job.

52:35Pete Donaldson: Lovely old job, isn't it? It is. Did you see the tweet to announce it, though? Something that the Football Ramble Twitter account would have even turned its nose up at, I think it's fair to say. Curacao Football News on X tweeted, Dick extends! I mean, that is right up X's street, to be fair. Grok's loving that. It's brilliant. Grok's high-fiving that account. Oh, that is it. It's up there with Angel Fuchs, the Brazilian coach or Argel Fuchs when he left Brazil and went to Portugal Fuchs off to Portugal. It's very good stuff that. Yeah come on let's not get through this and not mention Uwe Fuchs.

53:09Yes indeed Christian Fuchs no Fuchs given as he would 77 years old oh Dick Alvacar do you say that? I'm just fascinated by I mean if you were

53:18Pete Donaldson: the head coach of Curacao you wouldn't be retiring. No definitely not. He's managed 13 games since joining in 2024. for it's not it's not heavy keep his powder dry what was his what was his comment on signing the extension oh this is really snowballed he said I'll have another pina colada on the Miranda please that's what he should have said lovely lovely stuff so yes there we are everybody so before we go reminder that it is the Club World Cup this weekend the final of course but it's not the only cup competition that is this weekend because this weekend the Scottish League Cup gets underway.

53:59Pete Donaldson: Come on! Just a Taurus knot of a season isn't it? And by the way this is the new season it's already started. Well that's what I mean this never ends is it? Well it has ended this is a new beginning it's not ended we've still got the Club World Cup what's going on? Where's the Champions League qualifiers? Oh God! And if you think that it's just like the smaller clubs and all that kind of stuff that participate in this round oh no all the Scottish Premiership clubs are involved other than the ones who have qualified for European competition so the magnificent Gorgie boys are back in action tomorrow at the end of a week in which former European Cup finalists like Malmo and FCSB played in the Champions League and former UEFA Cup winners Shakhtar played in a Europa League game that's right Andy you see proof that it never stops thanks very much for listening to the Football Ramble part of the ACAST Creator Network remember everybody we're back later today for Luke's game.

54:55Pete Donaldson: Make sure you subscribe to the Football Ramble in your podcast app so you do not miss it. Right then, thank you very much Andy Brassel. Get your keys out. Thank you Peter Donaldson. Yeah, get your keys out Marcus. Well. Give him a jingle. I would but they're not in my pocket. He's gone keyless. He's gone keyless. He's a musketeer. He's gone fingerprint. What have you got in the house? What have you got in the house Marcus? I don't ask. The weekend has landed everybody. Why are you buying so much hydrogen peroxide Marcus?

55:28Before the show, Marcus admitted that on a day when he drops his children off at wherever they need to be for the day, he'll pop into Sainsbury's and buy himself a little podcaster and drink it. Like a little goblin. Use a spoon. Use a spoon. Use a spoon, cousin.

55:43Pete Donaldson: There we are. So get your key. Snorting. It's quite a bumper. Snorting. Snorting birds off a key. The Football Ramble is a Stack Production and part of the Acast Creator Network.

56:23Labor Day deals are on now at Lowe's. In-store and online. Valid through 9-9. While supplies last. Selection varies by location. See Lowe's.com for more details. Soil offer excludes Alaska and Hawaii. Hi, I'm Max Rushton, the host of the Guardian Football Weekly. Alongside me, Barry Glenn Denning, my co-host. Hey, Barry. Hello. Now, although every American found us during the World Cup, for the two that didn't, what can they expect? Found us and fell in love with us, Max. They can expect three episodes each week of occasionally insightful analysis, covering the Premier League, Champions League, and beyond.

56:56Football Weekly is back. Watch on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts. Business is booming. Is your fulfillment ready for peak season? Switch to ShipStation now and handle more volume with confidence when it counts. ShipStation connects Shopify, Amazon, TikTok Shop, and over 200 more integrations with one platform that does it all. You can manage orders, sync inventory, track returns, all automatically. Everything your operation needs, all in one place. Right now, qualified shippers get a real dedicated person to get you set up and switched over for free. So when peak season hits, you're ready to go.

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