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Football Ramble

13 Aug 2025 · 1h · 35 chapters

In short

Football news and debate focused on Jack Grealish’s loan move to Everton (with a £50m option), plus other transfer and governance stories: Alexander Isak’s standoff at Newcastle, Crystal Palace being demoted from the Europa League to the Europa Conference League, Tottenham/Arsenal links to Eberechi Eze, and Nottingham Forest signing Man City midfielder James McAtee.

Guests

The episode is hosted by Jack Cravici (The Best One Yet) and features Football Ramble presenters Marcus Speller, Jim Campbell, and “the new Shinhantharajah” (Vish?); they discuss with each other and read listener correspondence. No external sports guests appear in the transcript.

Key claims

Grealish is a “piano player” who can thrive under David Moyes despite Everton’s rebuilding; the £50m buy option is steep given injury unreliability. Isak’s refusal to play is emotionally different because it’s public and late, but he may still return if no deal happens. Palace’s demotion is blamed on multi-club “blind trust” loopholes; they may win the Conference League. McAtee is a promising City youth fit for Forest’s creative midfield.

Notable examples

Richard Keys’ “real Jack Grealish” joke; Laporte reportedly demanding contract termination at Al Nasser; Palace’s CAS ruling; Palace vs Fiorentina; McAtee as a “Cole Palmer” type pathway.

Written by AI. May contain mistakes.

Chapters

0:04

Jack Grealish's Move to Everton

The hosts discuss Jack Grealish's transfer to Everton and its implications.

“Now is the time to make a real change in your life, career, and community.”
3:25

Jack Grealish's Move to Everton

The hosts discuss Jack Grealish's transfer to Everton and its implications.

“Welcome to the Football Ramble on this wonderful Wednesday.”
3:56

Debate on Fashion in Football

A light-hearted discussion on the intersection of football fashion and personal style.

“where we're discussing what our Discord has thought of Jim saying, trainers with a suit usually looks fine.”
4:38

Debate on Fashion in Football

A light-hearted discussion on the intersection of football fashion and personal style.

4:50

Evaluating David Moyes' Management

The team evaluates David Moyes' managerial style and its fit with Grealish.

“Sunday, I was thinking maybe wedding suit or Sunday best.”
5:34

Grealish's Potential Impact at Everton

Discussion on how Grealish can influence Everton's playstyle and performance.

“and the idea of it is as exciting as the reality, even though we haven't really seen the reality because he hasn't played yet.”
7:12

Grealish's Career Trajectory

An exploration of Grealish's career, including his time at Aston Villa and Man City.

“But what would you say to those who are maybe thinking, I wanted him to go abroad maybe.”
8:28

Expectations for Grealish This Season

Hosts discuss what is expected of Grealish during the upcoming season at Everton.

“And that's another reason why I chose Everton.”
9:28

The Anticipation Around Grealish

Reflections on public perceptions and the anticipation surrounding Grealish's return to form.

“I also, I wonder where he's going to play.”
11:01

Final Thoughts on Grealish's Future

Concluding thoughts on Grealish's potential and future career choices.

“And he has had flair players, of course, that he's managed before.”
Show all 35 chapters
14:00

Jack Grealish's Impact and Future

Discussing Jack Grealish's significance and potential move to Everton.

“especially at that price on someone who might only start, let's say, 25 games a season.”
15:56

Aymeric Laporte's Situation at Al Nasser

Analyzing Aymeric Laporte's controversial contract termination demand.

“Jack Grealish's former teammates Aymeric Laporte has reportedly angered Saudi proly club Al Nasser after demanding a contract termination.”
18:16

Alexander Isak's Future with Newcastle

Exploring the potential outcomes of Alexander Isak's situation with Newcastle United.

“But if he was to play again for Newcastle and then to get another good season, whatever, and all that kind of stuff, then maybe.”
21:02

Newcastle's Challenges in Transfer Market

Discussing Newcastle's transfer strategies and potential player exits.

“And if they're putting that price tag, they're saying, come and be the man who leads our line.”
22:58

Player Transfer Dynamics in Football

Insights into player transfer dynamics and potential shifts in the market.

“And I think it's just a reminder that we rarely get the full story with these things.”
28:48

Food Talk: Meal Deals and Sandwiches

The hosts discuss their favorite meal deals and sandwiches.

“Whether it's the recorded sounds of the ocean we doze off to or the succulents that adorn our homes, nature makes all of our lives richer, calmer, and frankly, better.”
30:03

Who Should Lead FIFA?

The group debates potential candidates to lead FIFA and the implications of leadership.

“Cole Palmer, apparently liking a jam sandwich.”
31:29

The Idea of a Muppet FIFA President

A humorous discussion about creating a Muppet character as FIFA president.

“FIFA being guided by someone who isn't purely, seemingly out for kind of financial gain and kind of personal glory would be quite good.”
33:02

Crystal Palace's Europa League Demotion

Discussion of Crystal Palace's recent demotion from the Europa League and its implications.

“I would like that He'd be a whistleblower at the very top wouldn't he?”
34:39

Reactions to UEFA's Decision

The hosts reflect on the reactions to UEFA's ruling and its fairness.

“regulations are clear and do not provide flexibility to clubs that are non-compliant on the assessment date.”
36:24

The Challenges of Compliance in Football

Examining the difficulties clubs face with compliance in football regulations.

“I mean, I think, personally, Jim's kind of articulated this quite well.”
37:56

Palace's Future and European Aspirations

Optimistic views on Crystal Palace's potential in upcoming competitions.

“You know, there's a moth to a flame if you're someone who's being pernickety about those admin rules.”
39:35

Transfer Talk: Eberechi Eze's Future

Discussion about potential transfers involving Crystal Palace and Eberechi Eze.

“Yeah, but they'll have that to contend with, and it'll seem a bit silly.”
42:00

Crystal Palace Transfer Talks

Discussion on the potential transfer of Eberechi Eze and its implications.

“Palace are not Chelsea which would have been Palace's argument to cast.”
44:40

Nottingham Forest's Ambitious Signings

Analysis of Nottingham Forest's effort to sign James McAtee and its significance.

“And I think a few people were thinking, surely he'll fancy a move.”
46:11

McAtee's Move and Future Potential

Exploring McAtee's career prospects and playing style at Nottingham Forest.

“And probably gives, because Maxi is obviously very exciting, but he's very disciplined as well.”
48:28

Upcoming UEFA Super Cup Preview

Preview of the UEFA Super Cup match between Tottenham and PSG.

“He wants to go and be kind of a key figure in an up-will-y mobile club.”
51:12

Upcoming UEFA Super Cup Preview

Preview of the UEFA Super Cup match between Tottenham and PSG.

“It's been played at the home of Udinese.”
51:38

Discussion on the Super Cup Dynamics

In-depth analysis of the dynamics and implications of the Super Cup match.

“The winners of this trophy will receive 5 million euros in prize money.”
55:48

PSG's Squad and Tactical Considerations

Exploring PSG's squad and their chances in the upcoming match.

56:01

Analyzing Joao Palinha's Impact at Spurs

Discussing the potential transformation Joao Palinha could bring to Tottenham Hotspur.

“because there aren't enough Don't put ideas in their head.”
59:01

Evolving Dynamics of Player Discipline

Exploring Frank's handling of player discipline with Yves Bissouma's situation.

“To me, he just looks and sounds the part.”
1:01:01

Gianluigi Donnarumma's Future After PSG

Discussing Gianluigi Donnarumma's unexpected exclusion from the squad and his future.

“but he obviously has a lot of ire for the way it's been handled and it's been a really sudden thing hasn't it?”
1:02:59

Ange Postokoglu's Viral Moment

Analyzing the implications of Ange Postokoglu's viral video and its reception.

“Yeah, somehow, despite the positive noises out of Man City United this summer, I wouldn't be surprised if Donnarumma came to Man City United and somehow his arms shrunk.”
1:07:36

Ange Postokoglu's Viral Moment

Analyzing the implications of Ange Postokoglu's viral video and its reception.

“the Range Rover Sport was engineered for those rare individuals who demand the world and possess the conviction to claim it.”
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Transcript

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3:04It's an easy addition to your daily routine and helps support hydration when you need it most. Shop now at liquidiv.com. Liquid IV hydration that goes wherever life takes you. This ain't utopia, but it's better than hell, everybody. Welcome to the Football Ramble! Jack Grealish is off to Everton and it's Super Cup time. It's Wednesday 13th of August. I'm Marcus Speller. I'm Jim Campbell. And I'm the new Shinhantharajah.

3:40Hello everybody. Welcome to the Football Ramble on this wonderful Wednesday. And thanks to friend of the Ramble, James Smith, for giving us that intro line. If you want to submit an intro line for a future episode, then become a friend of The Ramble. Sign up for just five bucks a month. You'll also get an extended edition of today's show where we're discussing what our Discord has thought of Jim saying, trainers with a suit usually looks fine. I'm glad that there's potential pushback on that, Jim.

4:05Jim Campbell: Well, linen suit, trainers look better than formal shoes, I would argue. It depends on the suit. It depends on the suit. It was in the context of Gianni Infantino. Yeah. But I'm obviously... You've taken the context away there, though, haven't you? Because that man obviously looks terrible just in general, doesn't he? Just out in public. Yes. Matches his behaviour, one might argue. Maybe that's it. Maybe he looks brilliant, but it's just the slime of his personality seeping through those clothes. The slime. Just head to patreon.com forward slash football ramble for more slime and to get involved.

4:38now then Jack Grealish is teaming up with David Moyes it's about time Vish it's happening it's it's it's football heritage with with two such fine men of accomplishment I mean that might be the football equivalent of wearing a posh suit with trainers do you think if you consider yeah I would say you know David Moyes is quite conservative David Moyes posh suit I think I think a a solid suit well your Sunday best with a suit. You taking that? Sunday, I was thinking maybe wedding suit or Sunday best. Yeah, but basically traditional dower. I'm thinking of like a faded dark brown.

5:20Jim Campbell: Like a really 70s suit. Yeah, yeah. In fact, that's exactly it. Not the David Moyes in a towel. David Moyes in a really 70s dull suit with some flash new trainers, which are Jack Grealish. Some Yeezys. Yeah, yes. I'll take that. All right. So we spoke about this on Monday and the idea of it is as exciting as the reality, even though we haven't really seen the reality because he hasn't played yet. Because just seeing him in an Everton kit, seeing the new stadium, everything kind of fits really well. We're in a new stadium in a way. We had to sell Andy Brustle to get it, but it was worth it in the long run.

5:56And now they've got someone like Grealish to fill that space of a new stadium. Well, they've got him for a season because it's a loan move. The deal does include a£50 million option to buy. 50-man option. A 50-man option. 50 men. Yeah.

6:10Jim Campbell: I don't know, swap deal with Chelsea's cast-offs. That would work, actually, yeah. That would work, I would think. You have to lose half your army who are going to fight that gorilla. Get Jack Grealish. Apparently Grealish will have the final say. Is that a good idea? I mean, that should be how it works, yeah? I mean, it is his life. Okay, fine. How is that the surprising bit? That a man might choose where he ends up? Yeah, I think the number is the surprising bit, personally. The wording for it is he'll have the final say whether Everton want to buy him for£50 million or not. Oh, I see. So if they say no, he'll be like...

6:39Jim Campbell: Oh, right. No, actually, I am going to stick around. I'm not going to phone ahead. I don't care that I've played terribly. I love the nightlife in this city. Well, it's... Yeah, it is happening. I mean, you said that you're very excited about this, Fish. Some might say that Everton, David Moyes, not the most flary of teams and a manager that maybe doesn't like to play too much flair football. Whereas Grealish, of course, we want to see, I want to see Grealish, Aston Villa Grealish again. And I actually think there's more chance of it happening, which is why I'm excited. But what would you say to those who are maybe thinking, I wanted him to go abroad maybe.

7:18The Napoli link seemed a bit sort of exotic and so on. Why do you think people should be excited for Grealish at Everton? Because even Aston Villa Grealish wasn't this chaotic shooting star who was just housed, you know, between, you know, within the parameters of a pitch, being able to do what he wanted. He was quite a disciplined player. And obviously he goes to Man City because Pep likes his technical qualities. But he obviously saw even back then that there was someone to influence and to not even narrow, but narrow their focus, but just get him up to a standard where he was just... To channel it.

7:55Yeah, but he's like this luxury functional player, wasn't he? And obviously it worked really well before the injuries took hold, but he was so integral to that trouble winning season. So you kind of think that Everton are getting the best of both worlds. They're getting a player who in their setting will thrive and being the main attraction. And B, they're getting a guy who's basically been schooled by Guardiola for three or four years or however long it's been. Yeah, well Jim, Grealish said of the movie, it's massive for me, honestly. As soon as I spoke to the manager, I knew there was only one place that I wanted to go.

8:26On social media, I've been flooded with messages from Everton supporters. So there's that side of it as well. And that's another reason why I chose Everton. Great to hear him talking like that. It is great to hear him talking like that

8:36Jim Campbell: because obviously you feel like he's a player who, particularly at this stage in his career, needs to just play, doesn't he? And he will play every game he's available for, I would think, unless it gets to the point when they need to arrest him because he's been overplayed or whatever. He will be the main kind of attacking fulcrum in that team. And I love that. I think there is a sense that even if Moyes is quite a sort of traditional manager in a lot of ways, there's room for one of those players. He'll have mutton chops within a week. It'll be properly like old school 70s Maverick. That's like best case scenario is how this could go.

9:07Jim Campbell: And I think that's it. You can tell that Grealish is excited that he's going to go and just play. and I think there's no like delusion really about where Everton are at the moment. They know that they're rebuilding at a really crucial time where they're in a new stadium. The team's going to look very different next season. It's probably going to be transitional for a while and to have him come in there, be the main man, be the star attraction, is such a massive positive that it kind of sucks all the attention towards him and lets them kind of figure everything else out in the kind of shadows almost and I just think it's a very exciting prospect.

9:43Jim Campbell: I also, I wonder where he's going to play. Is he going to play off the left as he did for City or would he sort of be a little bit more central? Is he off almost for Villa? That's quite a kind of tantalising thing as well. And yeah, I just... Well, he's actually more off the left for Villa, a little bit more centrally, of course, but under Lee Carsley at England, you know, he likes to put him centrally. So I agree with you. I'm quite intrigued by where he is for those two games or whatever it was. I'm intrigued where he'll play. But I think the reason why I think it's good that it's David Moyes in charge, because Everton have been, it's not been good times in recent years.

10:18And that's part of the reason why Moyes came back. You know, you don't want to have the best stadium in the championship, for example. And obviously Moyes came back, it was unlikely they were going to get relative, crying out loud, especially last season. Moyes comes in stead of the ship, we know. Going into the season, there is huge excitement because of that new stadium. And also as well, I think, because of the way they finished last season, it was much better than what happened under Dyche, even though I think Dyche deserves a little bit of credit, of course, for what he did in a very trying time.

10:47He also stopped trying to score, though, didn't he? That was a problem. Which will get annoying. Stopping trying to score and also him giving himself credit does mean you're reticent to give him credit. But I think one should still. So with Grealish, there's often chat about his off-field behaviour, you shall we say the injuries as well blah blah blah blah you also have to land somewhere if you're not going to be playing at manchester city and we often think oh well he'll have loads of suitors well will he i mean it's not necessarily the case with those wage um wages that he has etc etc but also you know some people may say well you know has he always acted in a professional manner um so all said and done everton huge club have come in for him and i think moise is the type of manager who is, you would hope, is a calming presence.

11:40And he has had flair players, of course, that he's managed before. But I like the idea of, you know, was it, well, Liverpool manager, Shankly, you know, you need 10 men to move the piano and one man to play it and all those kind of quotes and so on. And I feel like if that team can work around Grealish and graft and he is that, that adds a little bit of start-off to it. He's a grafter himself, though, isn't he? Well, he is. That's something that's kind of quite underrated in his game. Yeah, that's not me saying. Because he's experienced relegation and promotion from the championship with Villa.

12:12Most of his career was at Villa, not at Man City. So again, he has that. But he is, just to reiterate what Jim says, he is a hard worker. Very much so. And actually, if you look at his numbers, full stop, across his career, they've never been great. He's never been somebody who posts a lot of assists. He's never been somebody who scores a lot of goals. But he is that piano player. He is someone who ultimately influences a melody or a rhythm in a team without necessarily being the guy who's front and centre singing the songs. And I think there's a lot to be said for that, especially if you look at Everton's squad now, like Kidd and Drewsbury Hall.

12:47Someone like him coming in and the pieces they've got around Grealish are kind of tailored towards him playing a specific way that isn't so much as, right, here, everything's on you. You're going to carry the responsibility. You're going to carry the load for this team. And that's ideal for someone who is essentially rediscovering his joy for the game.

13:06Jim Campbell: Yeah, I think he is well placed to be the sort of player who has a kind of Indian summer in his career, particularly because he hasn't actually played that much in the last year or so. So he should, in theory, be relatively fresh. I do think the 50 million option is steep, though. And it makes me wonder if however well it goes, we might find ourselves back in, you know, having this conversation again next year about where he's going to go. because we know that Everton... I know money isn't as big an issue as it was in the recent past, but it does seem a lot for a player about to turn 30, doesn't it?

13:38Jim Campbell: I agree with you, yeah. Especially for someone who's had the kind of injury struggles that he's had to the point where Pep Guardiola at the start of this year, maybe the start of this season or the previous season, was talking about how he finds him annoyingly... It was said with affection, but he said he found him unreliable because he just couldn't guarantee how many games he was going to play a season. and a club like Everton can't take that gamble, especially at that price on someone who might only start, let's say, 25 games a season. Yeah. I think Grealish, he just... So many people in this country have so much affection towards him because of how he plays the game, because of what he's done and just who he is as a character.

14:19And you'd have to have quite a hard heart or maybe be a Liverpool fan for not to want this to work. so and for Grealish himself you know World Cup year got something to prove he said he was absolutely heartbroken to be left out of Euro 2024 because obviously the previous Euros to that he was the darling of the England football team wasn't he you know his own song was brought out people always wanted to get on the pitch do you remember the anticipation at Wembley when he was when he was about to come on yes it was crazy and he didn't he didn't shrink because of that I remember once it panned round the camera to him and people cheered and he looked up and he just smiled.

14:56He was like, oh, yeah. All right then. And that is, I just, it's very difficult not to really, really like the man. I mean, even Richard Keyes tweeted, if the real Jack Grealish turns up at Goodison, because he's, you know, forgetting that they've changed stadium, it's a great piece of business for Everton. So we're all in agreement with Keyes once again. When you say that, would it be the most surprising thing if Jack Grealish turned up at the wrong place for his first time?

15:21Jim Campbell: It wouldn't at all, actually. and what I hate about this from Richard Keyes is you don't want to put the idea in Jack Grealish's head that there's another Jack Grealish out there because he'll get scared and he'll get worried and he'll get distracted and you don't want that I actually heard that part of the reason that he wants to go to Everton is because he won't have to move house because he thought he would have to physically move his house to the locale of any club that he would end up at so it's just worked out well for everyone hasn't it really that is it's worked out very well so yeah we're all looking forward to seeing him play in an Everton shirt my goodness.

15:55Now, one of Jack Grealish's former teammates Aymeric Laporte has reportedly angered Saudi proly club Al Nasser after demanding a contract termination. Al Nasser have now threatened to keep Laporte caged for a year. How literal is that?

16:13You want to just come to the embassy and we can talk this through? Rather not, actually, yeah. Really would rather not. Do you remember on Monday the part of the mailbag I'm breezing through this I remember on the mailbag we talked about how long it would take for the Saudi league to be taken seriously yeah can I add another generation onto my answer I think you should

16:34Jim Campbell: which was after my lifetime yeah which maybe after that joke might come sooner but yep certainly yeah we can add a generation on that with this kind of nonsense oh dear me are Newcastle United going to put Alexander Isak in a cage can you also come to the sorry the Geordie embassy yeah he's reportedly adamant that he will never represent Newcastle United again but let's remember that winning goal in the cup final shall we yeah feels a long time ago it really does doesn't it really really does it's one of those things where the shine will eventually come back I'm sure for Newcastle fans but it must be extremely disappointing I can't really remember the last time a player tried to force a move this dramatically probably Peter Odenwingi certainly this publicly yeah yeah it feels like we're getting everything from both sides here.

17:22Yeah. In terms of like the club, both clubs are briefing about one player in very different ways and the blame is being thrown about to everyone but primarily Izak. Yeah. I mean, Izak's perspective is that after being informed last summer that a new contract wouldn't be offered, of course, with improved wages and terms and all the rest of it. Yeah, which is new information to us, right? It is, yeah. And that was because of the need to comply with the financial rules. Sounds like a lie, doesn't it? he made it clear that it would be his last season with the club just gone which i mean newcastle deny that and it seems odd because jim you've made the point uh previously on the ramble that he seems to have left it late yeah to do this now one you're not privy to conversation so if we are to believe that one might think well he was in negotiations going look come on come on come on and they're just going no you're staying here and they weren't budging and then he's rightly or wrongly i would suggest wrongly started acting like this but just whatever one believes it's just so sad to see all this from the from the Newcastle United fans point of view that this guy you know that that image of him standing aloft at Wembley with his arms in the air having scored that second goal that is iconic stuff it should be it is totally and unless he remains at Newcastle United they manage to put the differences aside and this has happened before and it probably happens more often than we would be privy to there is it is a possibility although it seems quite unlikely at this moment at the time of recording.

18:50But if he was to play again for Newcastle and then to get another good season, whatever, and all that kind of stuff, then maybe. But for me, I just think of those fans who had such a great season last year, winning that League Cup final, the scenes of celebration in the city, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And to look back on that, so only months have passed and for it to be sort of potentially sullied. I don't think it's sullied in terms of the celebration but just to see that Guyvish who was the winning goal scorer and such an important piece of that team it's the romantic in me is crying right now this kind of stuff does happen, it happens a lot as we said at the start it's probably been the most public version of this kind of thing that we've seen I think what you touched on there about how quickly it would be to get over it if he stays at Newcastle.

19:44I mean, we can kind of see it now. What is it? It's scoring in the first few rounds, couple of wins. It's a sit-down interview with Football Focus. Oh, actually, he's shown a lot of contrition. It's signing some kind of new deal and then it's going next summer. We've seen that play out in many different ways, but it is quite easy to get over whatever distortion there is right now with how he's viewed by Newcastle fans and his quote-unquote legacy at Newcastle. At the same time, It's really something about this feels a little different emotionally. And I think it's because of flat out refusing to play.

20:22It's because, as you know, Jim's point about the lateness of it, because it sounded like there was a point where it could have been done amicably at the start of the summer. But because like Newcastle have progressed to a point where they would now be looking for an Alexander Rezac of their own if they sell him, it doesn't make any fiscal sense. no so even with the emotional side of it there's like well i mean we do need it for psr but we're then going to create that hole again further down the line doubly so because they need to replace

20:51Jim Campbell: calum wilson as well well yeah yeah so they've got you know they need to sign two forward players really and it's going to be tricky that there's the added complication that liverpool are now being linked with both mark gay and giovanni leone from from palma because they've kind of recognized that they are probably a bit short at center back and they want to want to address that and the talk is that they are pursuing both of those players and you wonder if they sign both of those players can they afford to spend the 120 plus million it would cost to get Isaac out of Newcastle? Probably not. Well Newcastle won 150 million that's what they've said and Liverpool obviously made an offer of 110 million so Newcastle value this guy very very highly as we all do and that was at the beginning of August so Isaac thinks Liverpool want me Now that is, the temptation to move to Liverpool right now, you can't blame any player, of course.

21:45And if they're putting that price tag, they're saying, come and be the man who leads our line. You'll be playing with Salah on one side. You'll have a lovely old time. We're going to win trophies, blah, blah, blah. So I get it. But for Newcastle United, as you say, if this happens at the start of the summer, you've got time to find a replacement. But if they need a backup for him, if they were looking already for a backup for him, that's made even more difficult by this because you're kind of saying to someone oh you'll be the number two because if Isaac goes well we don't really let out it's a strange one

22:16Jim Campbell: a lot's been made of the players who've like turned them down so to speak but if if you know Liam De Lappe or Gio Pedro are told you're going to come in and understudy Isaac it's very different to being told that you're going to come in and be the main man maybe those decisions would have been different you know yeah no completely so goodness knows how it will pan out there and whether we see Isak playing or not I mean if it gets to the point the window closes and nothing's been done it is within Isak and Newcastle United's interests for him to play for them again so that is the scenario where he will play again for them quite clearly he's not going to have a season off or wait six months for January that's just that's just mad also I think you need to be sort of wary around certain elements because there is some of the reporting suggests that he's refusing to play for Newcastle again without any kind of evidence that he's actually said that there was another story during the rounds the other day about how he'd um he'd moved house um which is oh he'd moved out of his house yeah he moved out of his house like where's he keeping his stuff like why why is he that that seems like it was presented as if it was this real sort of like show of defiance really so i'm leaving the area um but it turns out that he was always going to move out of this property because it had been burgled twice right so that is one of those things where it it's presented as one thing but the actual story is something completely different.

23:37Jim Campbell: And I think it's just a reminder that we rarely get the full story with these things. Yeah, and as you said, Vish, these kind of things have happened before and it's patched up and the player plays again for them. And I think it was Andros Townsend who was asked about this. Now, obviously, everyone in football's experiences are different. So there will be differing stories about other players potentially. but he said when I've played in teams when there has been a bit of a saga or a player's trying to force him blah blah blah he said as other players you're aware that something's going on but you don't dig into the details and if they have come back everyone just goes hey he's back and that's it because you know your teammates what they did last season and so on they obviously enjoy playing with him and all players move right it must be so normal in their world I think people so the idea of it being irreparable I don't agree with because again if he doesn't go and it's an enormous amount of money.

24:35Liverpool really the only place where he could go. I know Arsenal were interested. They've got Jokhorej. So Liverpool were the only side that he could go. If Liverpool deem it, as you say, well, actually, you know, we're going to focus on the centre half or something, then he will be staying. So it's either he stays or he goes to Liverpool. And so, you know, again, in the next few weeks, it'll be interesting if they come back with an improved bid. One player that could leave Newcastle United, and if he were to leave, then I think he would be clapped out of the city is Kieran Trippier. He could link up with his old teammate Eric Dyer at Monaco.

25:08That, ladies and gentlemen, would be a lovely old job. That's a sweet gig. Getting something out with Eric Dyer. See, Monaco to me, if you want to make a few quid but still play in a decent league, you know, sunny climbs, all the rest of it, that's, you should be looking for Monaco way before any Saudi Pro League bollocks. Isn't it tax-free? Jim, whatever you want Yeah I mean, we really should relocate to Monaco Yeah, we should Surrounded by, it's a hive of scum and villainy Let's be clear We don't have to live there We can work there We can live in the south of France Right, well you've just given our game plan away there Well, no one's going to HMRC can't get us over there

25:48Jim Campbell: I thought the game plan was Belize Yeah Could we be talking about any of this? Oh, that's true enough Well, look, if Kieran Trippier goes to Monaco To team up with Eric Dyer once again you'd have to have a very hard heart not to kind of have a little smile and a kind of you know a toast to uh to the two english boys out there on the riviera have a hard heart or just not be as like obsessed with england players as you are yeah one of the two fish what do you reckon of all the things are like oh yeah you you don't have a soul if you don't love the idea that eric dyer and kieran trippier might hang out in monaco ludicrous yeah it'd be great if they're like we don't know that they're actually friends obviously in your head the England squad when they meet up they're the best of mates come on maybe they've just never clicked Jim they're mates but you know like but I wonder if maybe they have like a slightly just an awkward relationship that it's like professional and they're fine don't be silly it's just like oh now I've got to talk to him every day I'm not going to learn French I've got to talk to him every day learn Portuguese you can talk to him in two languages well he does well I suppose trippy at learning Portuguese I like it yeah yeah see what I did there well anyway everybody we'll wait to see if that happens.

26:54But if it does, then I'll see you there for the opening day of the season. Coming up after this, Crystal Palace are going to win the Europa Conference League.

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29:55What's your go-to meal deal? I don't think I've ever had a meal deal. What sandwich would you get? Like chicken? Jam? Bacon? Well, back to the football ramble, everybody. Cole Palmer, apparently liking a jam sandwich. I used to like a jam sandwich when I was a kid. Have you had one of those M &S strawberries and cream sandwiches?

30:14Jim Campbell: No, I've heard that they're like really popular and like they keep selling out because I think people are eating them on TikTok. It works, Jim. Really? The rumours are true, it works. Wow. Why wouldn't it have worked? Well, I think because you've got strawberries and cream in a sandwich. It just sounds odd. No, it doesn't. It sounds great. Yeah, I know. Two things that go together with carbs. People go mad. Why is that weird? I think it's more on a, what's the sort of slightly sweeter bread? Brioche. Brioche, yeah. Sorry, why are people so surprised by that? I think when people hear it's brioche they go, okay, I'm listening Not everyone's a foodie like you, Vish It's just cream, something sweet and bread I know, Vish, I know I think when it first came out We could do it We should bring out our own ramble sandwich Ramble sandwich?

31:04What would be in that? That's one for uncut Anyway, we've got some correspondence from SupernovaDragon on YouTube Following on from your comments about Infantino last week. Who would you like to see take over FIFA? Serious and joke answers welcome. I'm glad you say that, Supernova, because that's what you're going to get.

31:21Jim Campbell: Jim, if I may be vaguely serious, Roberto Baggio has done a lot of humanitarian work, hasn't he? And I think... Well, he's not fit for it at all then. Well, indeed. Have you seen the remit? FIFA being guided by someone who isn't purely, seemingly out for kind of financial gain and kind of personal glory would be quite good. I mean, he might actually fail the fit and proper person. He could, yeah, by being fit and proper. Yeah. Yeah, or I think they're probably quite fed up of, you know, leader after leader generating sort of negative press. So I think they could craft like a special Muppet where it's all acknowledged that it's just a character and it's not a real person and therefore like nothing will stick to it.

32:04Jim Campbell: That would be very clever. I would, I'd probably have the king of Saudi Arabia. Cut out the middlemen. Yeah. Not literally cut them out. Well, you know, let's just get straight to it. Who's really saying this? Yeah, yeah. Can we just hear it with the horse's mouth, please? A bit more honest, wouldn't it, in a way? I did think, though, that since now he's kind of on board with it all, let's be honest, if he's still alive, which he will be. Trump? Yeah. Yeah, Trump's not going to die. Who's the bloke who has a Sunday roast at 5am every morning? Tom Skinner Bosch, that fella he's a different Bosch him, give it him there's another one what about

32:54a mildly serious answer someone we would all try and take seriously and he wouldn't take any crap Pierluigi Colina yeah but then you've got to be careful

33:07Jim Campbell: it's like when people say Alan Sugar should have been Mayor of London when he was on The Apprentice I mean look what happens if you take that particular route I'm not one of those people No I know you're not Yeah thanks just to clarify But you've always got to be careful Because if you become the FIFA president He's just going to corrupt you That's how far down the road that is So to try and get someone to wrestle that back I think will be quite frankly impossible Will he have a whistle with him? I would like that He'd be a whistleblower at the very top wouldn't he? Now you're talking you see it works Kalina's the answer there Mr.

33:42Dragon Jim's deer bite is the subject of this next piece of correspondence right on the belly Sino or Sino depending on which part of the world you're from on X said I was in Nara Japan recently and got bitten by six deer that's where I got bit you only got bitten by one

34:00Jim Campbell: well three of them rushed me one of them bit me true he sent us a picture two of them held you down yeah I mean he's just being attacked by deer he's surrounded by the wankers. They are different beasts in that particular park, I'm telling you. Beware. Maybe he was listening to the ramble and they were like, you mates with Jim Campbell. You know Jim Campbell. Has he been talking about us again? They sit on him. Tell him we sent you. There we are. Right then, everybody. The news came in obviously the other day that Crystal Palace have been booted out of the Europa League. The Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld UEFA's decision to demote Palace from the Europa League to the Conference League.

34:38Cass said, regulations are clear and do not provide flexibility to clubs that are non-compliant on the assessment date. So Palace will face either Norwegian side at Friedrichstad or Danish side, Michelin in the Conference League playoff round later in August. So not only are they not in the competition that they should be in, they've got this annoying playoff round to play, which you would fancy them to win, but it's extra football. And also at a time when they've just won the Community Shield as well, a bit of cheer going on.

35:08Jim Campbell: And they might be distracted just by how annoyed they are in every single game they're playing there. That's going to be something to kind of deal with, isn't it? And the statement from Palace has been really, really strong. It was essentially talking about how poor the process was, how lacking in transparency it was. And I think they've essentially been brilliant in how kind of strongly worded it's been, talking about how it needs to be a sort of watershed moment for the way that football is governed. And there was an interesting quote within that statement, which I'm going to read now, which said multi-club structures hide behind the charade of a blind trust while clubs such as ours who have no connection to another club whatsoever are prevented from playing in the same competition.

35:45Jim Campbell: And it's an interesting point because the blind trust thing is it's just a transparent like mechanism used to just circumvent the rules, isn't it? No one's pretending it's not that. I feel so sorry for Palace here. It's just essentially kind of sticklers for admin have just made an element of this season a lot worse here. There was really no kind of solid argument for demoting Palace like this. Well, what I was going to say, Vish, is that they did break the rules. And should be punished, yeah. And should be punished. I didn't think you were going to say that on mic, but that's good of you. What was the other stuff you were saying about their muggy little fans?

36:23No, I think I've made... Keep it down. I've made... I've made about their eagle. I think I've made the point. Yeah. Good riddance. No, I mean, is there any... I mean, I think, personally, Jim's kind of articulated this quite well. as others have, do you have any kind of feeling of, you know, they didn't comply originally with what's going on. One can say, well, the rules are a bit silly and whatnot. That is a very Manchester City argument, by the way. Do you think it is 100%, you know, feel sorry for Palace? Do you think there's any kind of room to say, you know, any sympathy with UEFA in that they say, well, look, these are the rules.

37:05We don't want multiple ownership being a thing in competitions further down the line. They're thinking, you know, what if two sides owned by the same guy are playing in a final, semifinal, whatever? Because this is not that, is it? No, it's not. It's miles away from it. That's the issue. Yeah. You know, what are your thoughts? I mean, yes, there's obviously a bit of that in, I suppose, how we should not necessarily talk about it but react maybe to to the ruling because there is something there that they have been found guilty of at the same time as jim said it's not quite the same thing as other people as jim and crystal palace's statement said um people hide behind that blind trust and they're able to navigate the rules in a way that when they change constantly as they have been doing since multi-club ownership has been a thing to be wary of teams have just adjusted and been quite nimble about it and in palace's case there's almost a situation there where they've risen too quickly into these compositions and not had a moment to think oh right we should probably do look into our own admin and try and see how we might be able to circumnavigate marianakis and forest did that yeah they did yeah because the the other thing about it is the he's a stickler for the rules as we know famously yeah um apart from just don't fucking walk on the pitch um But there's almost an element here that because the person that made them come across a cropper, John Texter, has been so public in all the things he's done wrong throughout his ownership, he's almost become a beacon for all...

38:42You know, there's a moth to a flame if you're someone who's being pernickety about those admin rules. And then looking at this American businessman and thinking, I don't think he knows what he's doing. So therefore there's a lot of stuff to go into. It's almost like going into his records because you know he's dodgy, basically. but yeah it's hard not to feel sorry for them they're going to lose out on a serious chunk of money by not being in the Europa League full stop yes they're more likely to win the Conference League and they'll still enjoy it the other thing and I'm looking forward to it because I think it'll be interesting it feels like you get a bit of clout when you boo the Champions League anthem the Europa League and Europa Conference anthem they're too like cheery ah see where you're going with this Yeah, because you wouldn't boo Balamori, would you?

39:29Not knowingly. No, unwittingly. I didn't realise. Refuse to stand for Balamori. Thought it was another one. Yeah, but they'll have that to contend with, and it'll seem a bit silly. Yeah, I think... They've got the legal side of it and silliness. Yes. I mean, I honestly think they're going to win the Euro for Conference League. you know my thoughts you've been saying this a long time so look I'm trying to here you go Palace I'll try and give you a bit of positivity here because obviously you'll be pig sick about this decision and I get that because of the financial thing there's bigger clubs to play in the Europa League so I understand all that the booing thing as well the booing thing yeah I think Palace what's going to happen here Palace will win the Conference League so they go into the Europa League whereas if they were in the Europa League this coming season I'm not sure if they would win that competition.

40:23They'd have a chance. Well, it's different now that Champions League teams don't get, as it was last year, Champions League teams don't get... Still a higher standard though. Yeah, of course. It is a higher standard. They'd have a chance and obviously Glasner at the wheel, you've always got a chance to win a cup competition. Also, I did like the, when they dropped down, they were like, well, you know, we were going to try and win it. It's like, yeah, I say that all the time. I could have been a contender, yeah. There you go. So I think, I think this extends Palace's European run because they've got European football this season and they'll get European football next season in the Europa League, of course.

40:55Having won the Europa Conference League.

40:57Jim Campbell: I really hope that you're right. Obviously, we all want Palace to win that competition and there will be a sense of justice being done with a trophy on the way as well, which would be brilliant. Sort of back-to-back trophies in successive seasons when you've never won one before would be excellent as well. But Palace are not Chelsea, you know. They're not West Ham, are they? They're not, no. But if you look at kind of when they come up against an equivalent of a Real who aren't in there this season, but Fiorentina obviously are. I fancy Palace. The Fiorentina live in this competition. You might fancy them, but there is competition in there.

41:30Jim Campbell: Strasburg are in there as well. I mean, there are teams like AZ Alkmaar, Admiral Alkmaar, Besiktas, Rayo Vea Cano, a lot of those teams you go, yeah, Palace probably would have that. But you know, can we just go to Palace Fiorentina now is what I'm saying. Can we just do it now? Right. So you've mentioned those sides and I understand why you're doing it. I'm going to be a little cheeky. I think Palace are going to win the Europa Conference League who do you fancy for it? I have fear that it might finally be Fiorentina's time. I suppose you couldn't begrudge of that. I want Palace to win it obviously.

42:01I like the way you started that. I was nervous for them. Palace are not Chelsea which would have been Palace's argument to cast. We're not Chelsea, come on. We're talking out loud. Thanks for being doing alright. More bad news for Palace. Tottenham are exploring a deal for Palace's Ebereche Eza. I think if he went to Arsenal This is bullshit. This needs to be stopped. If he goes to Arsenal, they'll go, yeah, fair enough. If he goes to Spurs, come on, it's a step down. But they are a Champions League side, Vish, as I keep trying to remind people. The other thing, like, you know, we talk about PSR and fair play and all this, but with the...

42:36Yeah, throw the book at them. But with less money coming in, you know, they've got, they're not able to, I suppose, push their wage ceiling as high as they maybe would have done. and stuff like this is going to happen, yeah. Yeah, I mean, with that injury to James Madison, which is, you know... It becomes a really, really crucial position now, doesn't it? Yeah, and they obviously tried to sign Morgan Gibbs-White as well. That didn't happen. So it kind of makes sense going for Eber Echeze, who we just know he's such a fabulous player. I mean, Arsenal, as I understand it from reading the reports, they're trying to move on a few players.

43:12Trossard was named...

43:14Jim Campbell: Potentially, there's talk that Trossard or Martinelli could be up for sale depending on the kind of bid that comes in and there's some fringe players that Arsenal historically are quite bad at moving on. Zinchenko might actually see out his contract rather than move now. So there are players they need to move on. Rhys Nelson... Just give Rhys Nelson a full-on. Stop pissing around. Apparently he wants a loan for another season and the club are trying to... Arsenal are certainly trying to make it permanent, etc, etc, etc. He's not Jack Grealish. He doesn't get to decide. But Arsenal have been quite poor at selling and that has not improved in this summer.

43:43Jim Campbell: So the talk is that there's already been conversation with Eza. some reports say there's already been conversation with Crystal Palace so essentially it seems like Arsenal need to get players out the door before they can sanction another move like this and I think they do need another kind of creative player he would absolutely improve the squad you might look at him and go where does he fit immediately but I think sometimes you can overthink that he spends a lot of his time in wide areas if you look at his heat maps like I do because I'm just refreshing Arsenal Eza about every 20 minutes trying to find new information on this but yeah if he goes to Spurs I think there needs to be some sort of inquiry just nationally fine well I would I wanted to say well we just want to see him play in football but he does that at Palace he does yeah wherever he plays Jim we just want to see him play football in North London no in London if he stays at Palace I'm very very happy with that as well it's hard to get to you've got to take a proper overground train yeah but it's a proper local club though I know it's not really in London it's Croydon take that up with those who draw up the lines take it up with the London Borough Council of Croydon presumably now the cast decision means that Nottingham Forest will replace Crystal Palace in the Europa League which is good news for Forest what is also good news for Forest is that they are close to agreeing a deal to sign Manchester City's James McAtee after McAtee said yes to this deal we saw him in the euros fish a fine player and one of those players where you thought to yourselves you know we've seen this with cole palmer we've seen the talent that they produce now obviously you know oscar bob phil foden being you know great example there's a number of players who have stayed and phil foden is the ultimate example that he got his place in the team and those who are still knocking around the squad and pushing doors whereas mackety was one after that Euro under 21 win and that sort of window, if you like, we saw the talent he possesses.

45:43And I think a few people were thinking, surely he'll fancy a move. Surely a player with that quality will want to start playing first team football. So it's not a huge surprise that a club, a Premier League club who have European football, Europa League football, we can now say, have got in for him. And again, without sounding, you know, without repeating myself too much, I want to see this young man play as much football as possible. So this seems like a great move. Yeah, it seems like a really good fit as well, especially when they've kept Gibbs-White and say if he plays in midfield or if he plays out wide, then you've got him, Elliot Anderson, and Gibbs-White as this creative trio who can basically mix and match where they are.

46:29And probably gives, because Maxi is obviously very exciting, but he's very disciplined as well. and so you end up with being able to give Gibbs White more rope and I don't know how they plan on replacing Anthony Lange for example but it's a different way of playing that then gives you the same kind of options that maybe a Lange would without obviously the out and out speed but yeah it is really exciting and it's almost like you know sometimes you'd have to wait for Man City to play a League Cup game to see all their exciting youngsters or injuries as we saw last season. Yes. And this is quite a nice way of, you almost see a player like that go and do well in the way that Cole Palmer did.

47:09And it strikes fear into you because they're like, wow, they just have this on tap now, aren't they? Yeah, yeah, yeah. And you know what we said about Cole Palmer? And he was able to, not that his creativity would have been stifled had he stayed longer at Man City, but he would have been more functional for their specific needs. I wonder if McAtee is at the same point in his career, simply by being young, but also being a midfielder who seems to have so many different options open to him. He plays well with and without the ball. He can drive with it. He can play lovely little passes. As we saw a couple of times last season, purely because of the positions he was playing, but he was arriving late into the box, a bit of a throwback, but almost in a quite lampard-right way.

47:51That's the off-the-reference point. Yeah, but I get it totally. And so who knows what kind of midfielder he will be at Nottingham Forest? and I say that in an exciting way rather than you know fearing the uncertainty yeah and also as well Jimmy he's 22 so you know one could often think oh he's a Man City graduate what is he like 17, 18 but at 22 and did have what was it one or two seasons at Sheffield United so has played a bit of football and I think this shows ambition oh very much so because I mean I get that if you stay at Man City you go no I'm going to fight for my place but I think for his experiences in football evidently suggest.

48:29He's like, no, I want to go out there.

48:30Jim Campbell: He wants to go and be kind of a key figure in an up-will-y mobile club. I think actually there's a further kind of spice to this as well. If we sort of like circle back to the potential that Eberet Giesa could leave Palace, he'd be a really good replacement. And Forrest have gone, hmm, maybe we'll just see you off at the pass on that one. It's like they've got this real personal vendetta led by the man upstairs, obviously. But yeah, I think it's a really exciting Maranakis. Yeah, absolutely. Very much so. Yeah, God loves Crystal Palace, surely. He's beyond stairs though, isn't he? It's way further up.

49:04Yeah, I think actually the signing of Eagle Jesus

49:06Jim Campbell: is really interesting as well for Forrest. They're going to be a very interesting prospect this season. I think potentially quite exciting. I guess it's all down to how they manage the Europa League, right? And those extra games. It is. Yeah, yeah. Obviously Nuno's going to be first to go, as we predicted last season. Yeah, exactly. That's how far ahead of things we are. We are doing our prediction show, which is released this week. So, yeah, look out for that. Already thinking I might have mugged off Forrest again. Yeah. Jim, we're all in the same boat. Coming up after this, Spurs take on PSG in the UEFA Super Cup.

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51:23Yep, the Super Cup. It's popped up again. PSG versus Tottenham. It's been played at the home of Udinese. Why not? Yeah, indeed, Jim. Why not? I mean, it always used to be many years ago in Monaco, of course. Then it's now it's doing the rounds. And I thought, that's lovely. Lovely to hear the name Udinese. Lovely that it's not in Saudi Arabia. Yes. Still got one. Oh, that's coming, isn't it? Of course it is. Of course it is. The winners of this trophy will receive 5 million euros in prize money. and because of Brexit, that's five million pounds. At least give it to us in Monaco. I know. Yeah, exactly.

51:59Jim Campbell: In a briefcase. Yeah. Pay import tax on the way back in. Yes. If Tottenham win it. That's right. That's right. Who do you fancy for this one? Chelsea showed that it's possible. Yeah. Yeah. I would quite like Tottenham to do it. I think it'd be funny. I'm sorry, Jim. You're out here. You're out voted here. I think I'd love Tottenham. Yeah. I think it'd be really nice. I can't really see it because PSG have become this big time team in quite an annoying way. And also it'd be funny if, you know, Fabian Ruiz just had another medal around his neck that he thought was an inconvenience and made him look less cool.

52:37Yeah. But yeah, I think Tottenham would be quite a fun way to cap off what have been quite a strange six months of winning the Europa League, finishing where they did in the league, sacking Ange Postacoglu, getting Thomas Frank, doing sensible things and then just, you know, winning the Super Cup. It'd be absurd and almost quite distilled new agey how absurd a Tottenham as a football club. Yeah, I think just a handful of months ago, let's assume that they beat PSG. A handful of months ago you said, You know, Tottenham are going to win the Super Cup and beat PSG or the Farouk, but none of that's possible.

53:19None of it's possible.

53:20Jim Campbell: I mean, as we saw in the Club World Cup, though, you know, PSG can be got at. And a lot of this will be down to kind of how ready they are for their respective seasons, right? It is essentially, it's not, of course, it's not a friendly because there's a trophy at the end of it, but it's a pretty unique game to prepare for. And I suppose it's the culmination of your pre-season and the last chance to get everything ready for your domestic season. And being sensible about it, obviously, you know, if they look at this objectively, and just admit that there is something very romantic about PSG winning this.

53:49But the other thing about it is PSG, while we spoke a lot last season of the way they've tailored their squad and the lack of quote unquote superstars, there are players that win a lot of money and they're still a status driven club. And this remains the ultimate status game. Obviously it is the Champions League final, but this is you walk out onto the field as european champions yes it is it is almost you've had the crowning moment and this is a this is basically the homecoming it's about proving it again isn't it really yeah yeah this is this is almost a game for your benefit to show people how good you are if you are the champions league european champions yes which is another reason why i want spurs to win it 100 yeah yeah totally and it would be an element of like why is the Jester get involved.

54:37Yes. Totally. Why is he set on, that's my crown, why is he humping it? Like in a way, like when you think about the kind of, the merits of getting into that game, it would, in a weird sort of perverse way, it would almost make more sense if the Champions League final was replayed for this game. Because the Europa League, you know, what you have to do to qualify for that competition is not as... That would be so boring. Yeah, but of course it would be. Which is why it wouldn't happen. And again, I'm not... Because originally, the UEFA Cup, when it was called the UEFA Cup, was the teams who finished second and third, or second in some of the smaller leagues, second and third in some...

55:18Which is why it was a bigger trophy to win back in the day. Yeah, yeah. In fact, some people might argue that in certain seasons, there was more quality in the UEFA Cup. You're going back a number of years now than, say, the European Cup as it was. So when those two faced each other, it felt like, oh, right, okay. whereas with this the Europa League you're kind of thinking is it like the sixth best team in England or the seventh I know the Spurs finished lower but how you qualify to play the Champions League winners it seems a bit more of a mismatch nowadays yeah you're kind of I feel like you're angling towards the Europa Conference champions and the Europa League champions should face off in an eliminator that decides who then plays the Champions League winner because there aren't enough Don't put ideas in their head.

56:03There aren't enough games. Don't put ideas in their head. But I tell you what, though. PSG's midfield, we know that that is very, very effective. And you need to do something to stop it. Well, who better than Joao Palina, Jim?

56:16Jim Campbell: Well, indeed. Yeah, I mean, I think people are sleeping on quite how good he is a bit. I know we've already mentioned this on the show, and you're obviously a huge fan of him. But yeah, he could be transformative for them. Yeah. I mean... It's one of the most outrageous signings of the window. Do you think? It's gone so under the radar though. Because of all the back and forth to get him to Bayern Munich. Yeah. And the way that, because he played so well, he got to a level that basically ruled out loads of other landing spots. And he became like a premier, what still is by all accounts, but he became like a premier acquisition that only certain teams, A, could afford, B, also, you know, in a NAF way, deserved.

56:58Well, he's been linked to Liverpool, obviously, before he went to Bayern. Liverpool, huge. Well, you know, won the league last year. Constant Champions League, latter stages, club. Bayern Munich, don't really need to say anything more than that. But he didn't do that well at Bayern, which is why he's... No, he did. And then, but like, he's not suddenly bad. No, no, no, of course. And so Tottenham have been able to come in and be like, well, we can afford those wages over a year and take more of that off your wage bill than other teams are willing to. Yes. And have this incredible player. I don't really know the ins and outs of an initial fee, what they might be paying during it, what they might be contributing to his wages.

57:34But it feels like a hell of a deal that they've pulled off there. And also, he'll be a player that Frank will love to have. Because, again, with the way Frank operates, and it'd be intriguing to see what, you know, it's obviously one game. But this is the type of game that Frank's never been involved with, really, in his managerial career. Certainly not, you know, Brentford, you would say. I don't know. They've always been... A super cup final. Oh, I see what you said. I thought you meant, like, in terms of, I thought you were talking about Palinja finding value because that is oh no no no I'm saying in this particular game and again I'm very intrigued as to how Thomas Frank will do I think he'll do well I actually think he'll do really well at Spurs without jinxing it for you because that is not a thing but I think Pelina and him should be a really good fit I think that a manager like Frank to pit his wits against PSG again if you're looking at it from a neutral perspective Jim if one can then it he knows how to take on bigger opponents.

58:32We've seen that with his Brentford side. It's all upside, really, isn't it? Yeah, you know, disrupting them, all the rest of it, blah, blah, blah. With the players, he has a better squad now at his disposal, a squad that is hungry for more, having won that Europa League.

58:43Jim Campbell: And also probably really eager to prove itself. Yes, absolutely. So, you know, and PSG have not played any pre-season games since losing to Chelsea in that final. So that's interesting as well. They could catch them cold. Let's catch them cold. a lot of drama there as well as we'll come on to yeah Spurs drew against League One club's Wickham Wanderers and Luton in pre-season they did beat Arsenal 1-0 though Jim well there you go you know so we shall see Yves Bissouma won't play for Tottenham Hotspur in that Super Cup against Paris Saint-Germain due to ill discipline Frank said he's been late several times and now this time was just one too many with everything you need to give players a lot of love and there needs to be demands and consequences it sounds like Frank's been really fair to him if we take him on his word which I think we should and I think he's even been very fair to him with those quotes well I think so as well and again it shows you I think what a great operator Frank is because seems to get that emotional intelligence which not all managers do is a difficult thing of course we know he's tactical now as well but players seem again we only have got Brentford to go on but players seem to love playing for him and respond well to him and the way he's handled himself is already as Spurs number one.

59:58To me, he just looks and sounds the part. This is such a simple win as well. Yes. Just turn up on time. Yeah, and he's made that clear, hasn't he? We'll have no issue. Turn up on time after the third or fourth time of asking. Yeah, yeah. So it's even easier. And at no point could Basuma come out and say, well, actually, it was only three times because he's not even put a number on it. He was like, you know, it's happened a few times. Told you you should be on time. Obviously, we wouldn't get a shout out if we operated like that. but you cannot you cannot just expect to keep getting away with it yeah what about this gentleman Gianluigi Donnarumma left out of the PSG squad to face Spurs in the Super Cup tonight and it seems he's going to be on the move did you see that statement that he released basically saying yeah it was like thanks so much this has been an amazing time at this club it's been decided by the powers that be that I'm no longer wanted here I don't want that but that's the way it's going or that's the way it's gone so thanks very much I mean he's basically said goodbye has he not?

1:01:00Jim Campbell: Yeah I mean he's thanked the fans but he obviously has a lot of ire for the way it's been handled and it's been a really sudden thing hasn't it? It's kind of I know they've obviously signed Lucas Chevalier who's widely considered to be the best goalkeeper in Ligue 1 last season but it's surprising that the communication has been so poor and Donnarumma is a frightening prospect when you're coming up against him when the team you support is coming up against him, as we've all felt with England. The idea of him angry and at large is even worse, isn't it? I don't know if he'll even join a club. I think he'll just pop up in the middle of games, just making ridiculous saves.

1:01:39Jim Campbell: Like, nope, not having that. Like a goalkeeping Kraken. Yeah, just popping up. England are practicing penalties. And he's just, oh, no. Like, just everywhere. I mean, he's only 26 as well. And PSG reportedly want 26 million for him. I know his reputation 110 like Alexander Ezekiel I know his reputation in England is particularly high because of the Euros because of the saves he's made and the way PSG knocked out so many Premier League sides on the way but just some of the saves were just phenomenal but his reputation in France or specifically PSG with maybe things like his distribution. He has made an odd error here.

1:02:28He's not perfect. I think we see him as this absolute adonis and understandably so. But there's a clear flaw in his game. Which is why they obviously want to move him on. But it does seem odd to us as English football fans who don't really watch the league that much because whenever we see him again, he's just this unbeatable force. He feels like a throwback, doesn't he?

1:02:47Jim Campbell: He would have been maybe the best goalkeeper in the world in the 90s or the 2000s. but the way goalkeepers kind of are involved in build up a lot more now is doesn't appear to be going away anytime soon does it and it's not just that as I say there have been you know one or two little errors he's made and so but I mean most goalkeepers have that right it seems a bit harsh from again where we're sitting but there's obviously a reason for this the really worrying thing though is that Man United are monitoring the situation you think there's an upgrade on Onana Jim he'll be ruined if he goes there and maybe that's a good thing as England fans maybe we want him to go to Man United yeah I love the Man United fans agreeing with us on that point.

1:03:24Yeah, somehow, despite the positive noises out of Man City United this summer, I wouldn't be surprised if Donnarumma came to Man City United and somehow his arms shrunk. Because the characteristic we all associate with him is those... People just felt his penalties passed in one-on-ones. He's getting absolutely nowhere. What's happened? Somebody's doing the pressure in the Eurostar? Where's... Why have I just got elbows? What's this? The interesting thing about the Donnarumma and Chevalier comparison is that Chevalier is often described as a five-a-side player. And given, you know, Luis Enrique and presumably the way he wants to expand this potential era of domination that PS3 could come into.

1:04:06Jim Campbell: Playing a false one. Well, yeah, to a point. Yeah, that is obviously like yeah, the next you know, the next situation. And as you said about Donnarumma being a throwback, he's very much a child of Buffon. Yes, totally. And so, you know, it is unfortunate, but he will find an end as well. Like, he's perfectly competent with his feet. But that's why I think moving to this country, like, he's so well respected here because of what he's done. But it just seems quite remarkable, again, from where we're sitting in England, to see a guy who's, they've just cleaned up, they've won the Champions League, he kept a clean sheet in the final, but that was, you know, the whole team, you know, he still made a good save in the final.

1:04:47but on the way some of the saves he made that one against Martin Odegaard unbelievable just stunning saves you think to yourself how are they just so happy to just kind of go yeah we've but that's football tactics it moves around and whoever signed him because Man City are also interested as well James Trafford's got to be gutted about that hasn't he well indeed I mean obviously a bit of competition with Edison but yes an early Rams failing

1:05:13imagine if he goes to Newcastle That was a bit of sickness. Absolute sickness. Well, anyway, would I like to see him in the Premier League? Yeah. At least we know we like him.

1:05:25Jim Campbell: Twice a season, you'd absolutely hate it, but otherwise I think you'd probably enjoy it. Yeah, something about him being in the Premier League, at least we know where he is. Yeah. He's, you know, he's on, we think he's on this island at any point. That's right, yeah. He's definitely here somewhere. Uh-huh. Parked somewhere that he shouldn't do. They tried to give him a penalty. he stops that like just everything everything right let's end with this former Spurs manager Ange Postokoglu he was filmed being fed steak by a Salt Bay inspired chef leave him alone in Greece why are we watching this they've made it sound like he's in this sort of really opulent kind of like orgy scene where he's just sort of draped around in a toga being fed things with his Europa League medal yeah like a medallion no but he uses the medal to like wipe the side of his mouth when he gets a you know grease rolling down it.

1:06:16It makes it extra shiny. I think it's piss poor from Ange. I thought he was a man of the people. Look at that Europa League. It's gone right to his head. Have you seen the clip of it? I have. He's terrified. Because he's being fed it with a fucking big knife.

1:06:31Jim Campbell: I've not been fed like this since I was one. I've not agreed to be part of your viral content. Yeah. Yeah, but which is why I'm surprised he let it happen. It's just relaxing. He should have clouted him. Maybe they had him at gunpoint. It's just who he is, mate. It's just who he is. Thanks for listening to the Football Ramble, part of the ACAST Created Network. Patreon subscribers, don't go anywhere. Keep listening for Ramble Uncut. And if you're not a Patreon subscriber, sign up to get Ramble Uncut every single Wednesday. Head over to patreon.com forward slash football ramble now. There we are, everybody.

1:06:58We've come to the end. Thank you very much, Vidushin Hantaraja. Thank you. Thank you very much, Jim Campbell. Thank you. And thank you very much, yeah, and Postico.

1:07:11The Football Ramble is a Stack Production and part of the Acast Creator Network.

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My giddy aunt, Jack Grealish is off to Everton! Marcus, Jim and Vish are here to celebrate the union of David Moyes and Super Jack. Have Everton got themselves a new piano man?


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