The LinkedIn Derby

0:00Pete Donaldson: Come see me in the morning, can't you see I'm telling stories everybody? Welcome to the Football Ramble! Newcastle and Bodo Glipp march on in the Champions League. It's Wednesday 25th Affair by Marcus Speller. I'm Jim Campbell. And I'm Pete Donaldson.

0:24Pete Donaldson: Hello everybody! Good to have you with us. What a beautiful day in the kingdom, Jim. make the most of it the rain will be back soon

0:33Marcus Speller: I threw away a lot of jumpers last night in a fit of sky abandon I was like fuck it, I'm getting my shorts out I'm putting it in the cupboard and I'm going to throw away a load of let's face it, shirts that don't fit me anymore and some jumpers as well so sod off winter, it's spring time

0:50Jim Campbell: did the jumpers need to go anyway or have you just had enough of winter?

0:53Marcus Speller: I've just had enough of winter I'm dressed for the season you want and I'm going to be dressing like a postman for the next five weeks. That said, I am going to Moldova tomorrow, which is zero degrees. When you say you threw your jumpers away, do you mean you put them in a suitcase? Please tell me you put them in a suitcase. No, I threw them away and then found some thermals. Great. I'm going to go like that. What are you doing in Moldova? Just hanging out. Jim? I want to go to Transnitria, which is a place that's not covered by any... It's a kind of disputed area. It's like a disputed area, so hopefully I don't...

1:26Marcus Speller: Did Real Madrid play there in the Champions League? Yes, they did. There was a team from that later. Sheriff. That's a sheriff, aren't they?

1:33Pete Donaldson: Well, there's going to be a new one of them in town.

1:35Marcus Speller: There's a new sheriff in Tiraspol. It's me. He is me. And I'm wearing shorts.

1:43Pete Donaldson: Good. Well, I think they need a man to, you know, bring a bit of organisation.

1:48Marcus Speller: There's no Russian, Ukrainian or Romanian language, so there we go.

1:52Pete Donaldson: Yeah, we'll leave that there. Perhaps more an uncut. certainly when you're back yeah if you're back if you're back yeah we look forward to that thanks to Friend of the Ramble James for giving us that wonderful intro line if you want to submit an intro line for a future episode and get an extended edition of today's show become a Friend of the Ramble on Patreon it's what you've got to do

2:10Marcus Speller: one of the few bands we've seen together me and you Marcus The Charlatans yes that's right I think one of the only ones

2:15Pete Donaldson: I think one of the only ones you didn't come we've not even seen the only ones no we haven't I tried to drag you into that stadium to see Bon Jovi you waited outside you waited outside for me the whole gig don't delay everybody head to patreon.com forward slash football ramble to get involved now lots of goodies lots of good stuff over there you can talk to us on our discord you can enter a raffle to go with Pete to various far flung destinations you don't have to go if you win the raffle though it's important to say you cannot have the monetary equivalent I want to make that clear you'd be in debt that's why

2:48Marcus Speller: I do get to keep your passport though yes and sell them

2:51Pete Donaldson: in strange parts of the world yeah Now then, let's go to Newcastle United. 3-Carabag 2-9-3 on Ag PT. That's what you want, isn't it? That's a very rare situation. Oh, we don't want a playoff round. It's going to really exhaust us. No, it isn't. It's going to fill us full of confidence and goals.

3:07Marcus Speller: Shall we bring a lot of first-team players off the bench 60 minutes in for no reason? Yeah, let's do it. Yeah, why did he do that? I don't know why he did that.

3:14Jim Campbell: I think it's to try and get Anthony Gordon closer to Kylian Mbappe's 13 goals in the Champions League. I like that. I don't know how I've missed Kylian Mbappe scoring 13 times in the league phase. I guess they just wash over you, don't you? When players like that score that many goals.

3:28Marcus Speller: I think you just always feel like he's ailing, but he's not, is he? I think it's because he doesn't know when he's defending. He's just sort of like, oh, he's rubbish now.

3:33Jim Campbell: Oh, he's just put one in again, damn. So yeah, I was thinking surely is Anthony Gordon at the top and this is a chance for him to get up there if so. But Eddie didn't start him, did he?

3:43Marcus Speller: He didn't start him, but I do feel like there is a lot of, not player power, but certainly brand loyalty for old Eddie Howe. So I think that's why he brought him on because he wanted to get among the goals. And, oh, Joe Linton was angry when he got brought off. Oh, he was angry.

3:57Pete Donaldson: He was absolutely seething. When you say they brought a load of first-teamers off the bench, I mean, Lewis Hall, Anthony Gordon.

4:03Marcus Speller: Willock. Willock is a first-teamer, inexplicably. He's a starter. Is he? He's a starter at this moment in time. I don't know why. I'm no Eddie Howe fan on that count. Let me make that very clear.

4:13Pete Donaldson: Were you a fan of the Eddie Howe Tifo, though, that was unveiled before the game?

4:16Marcus Speller: It was good, yeah. It was big. It felt like one of those ones that was, I don't know, there's no artistry to it. is just a photograph is there yeah I want a bit of razzle dazzle I want a bit of

4:25Pete Donaldson: I wanted some little sod to just like have out that could do it

4:28Marcus Speller: you know I hijacked this spray paint it on it do you think it's because

4:32Jim Campbell: after the last game which they won 6-1 he said the tie's not over is it just a bit of encouragement it's like go on Eddie we're all behind you this tie really is over you can believe yourself you can believe in yourself at this point

4:42Marcus Speller: you could play yourself Eddie I mean it really was kind of back and forth stuff at times wasn't it

4:48Jim Campbell: it had no needs

4:49Pete Donaldson: to be as good as it was I agree with you Jim I mean at 6-1 in the first leg there was absolutely no danger

4:57Marcus Speller: One might put it down to playing Nick Valtemar at centre mid but I mean like But is that Interesting move He did it with Joe Linton Maybe this is how you rescue his Newcastle career

5:11Pete Donaldson: Did you think

5:12Marcus Speller: Even Joe Linton's got a better touch than him more That's the problem I mean his finish was unreal His finish was amazing I know it was fantastic

5:18Pete Donaldson: He hit that ball like it owed him money are you turning on Nick Voltemada here a little bit I'm not turning on him you just had a go at his first touch you're saying that he shouldn't be playing

5:28Marcus Speller: I am trying to push against the tide of football ramble sentiment that Nick Voltemada has had a good season or a good start as Nick Asacorea he's starting to get

5:38Jim Campbell: criticism isn't he for sure I think that's a Luke that's a Luke Moore sentiment he did start well he did start well

5:45Marcus Speller: and scored what you would expect him to go but I think he's dropped off He's massively dropped off. Well, physically he's dropped off. He's Harry Kane without the goals, really. Sure, but... I can see why Howe's out of a go at putting him in a slightly more regressed role.

6:01Pete Donaldson: Well, because he's not a number nine, really, when they signed him. He's more of a, as we say, support striker or even a winger, just because he's tall. You don't think of him playing there. He's a forward player. And so maybe trying to put him in a midfield if he's playing in front of, say, Joelinton and Tonali. I know the midfield is structured slightly differently. So that's maybe what he's trying to do there. But I mean, there's already been talk, already a fair bit of him maybe going back to Germany come the summer.

6:29Marcus Speller: You just get a little bit more time out there. You just do on the ball. And he's just not had that. It's been, he's so young for a forward player. Do you know what I mean? Like forward players come into the good stuff, like sort of 25, 26 these days. And I do get the sense that he's just a little bit too.

6:47Pete Donaldson: Still jaded by Michael Owen's time in Newcastle.

6:50Marcus Speller: He came in, what was he, 28? I don't know. But yeah, I think Andy Brassel's right. I mean, who's going to have the money to actually afford him? And Newcastle obviously overpaid for that level of striker. But that's kind of what it does.

7:04Pete Donaldson: He's a good player. There's no doubt about that.

7:07Marcus Speller: I think with another season under his belt, I think Volta Mard, I think Wisser, I think Alanga, you will get a tune out of him. whether that's with Eddie Howe or not, that's still out for having to think about. But I think that they will get a tune out of those players eventually. They just need to kind of make some adjustments.

7:25Pete Donaldson: Yeah, and as you say, it's very early days. He started almost too well. Yes, I think so. And I think that can happen sometimes. It's almost people are not, you know, the sort of, I don't know, encouragement and the fanfare sort of propels you. People aren't used to him and you go in there and you know what it's like when somebody plays up in a slightly different position in the first few games they do really well. I think he's better than that and I think he had a longer time being good. But when the dust begins to settle where do you play? How do you fit in? And that's where and also as well just even things like he's living in a totally different country.

8:01Pete Donaldson: All that sort of thing. He's also got the

8:03Jim Campbell: well, Ezek is exactly who I was going to mention. He's got the you know, Walter Mard has got that weird scenario of being immediately compared to him and starting far better. Yeah. So feeling in a straight way like a cult hero. so that's quite a lot of pressure in terms of keeping that up I mean are you not encouraged by the early form he showed though because he looked you know he looked very very handy and there's no reason he can't get back to that surely

8:25Marcus Speller: I think our final ball isn't good enough you've got to remember that Newcastle you know the rising the tide has not risen let's say to help him out really Newcastle have been a poor side this season inexplicably and Eddie Howe does need to sort that out I mean you can't really sort of look at a match like this I mean obviously it was 9-3 on aggregate like Carabag needed something out of this match and it was very sort of counter-attacky, counter-attacky and the Premier League is just a very different beast. So, yeah, I could see why he wanted to give him a lot of minutes in this match. I do think they'll get him right eventually, but yeah, the Premier League is just a really difficult league where you just don't get that much time to enjoy yourself.

9:00Pete Donaldson: Well, the Premier League, I mean, lest we forget the Champions League this season, Spurs went through automatically. So it's piss easy the Champions League this year. It's not as hard as, let's say, the Conference League where, you know, the Premier League team

9:14Jim Campbell: is struggling.

9:15Pete Donaldson: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, it wasn't the, it's not the year for the conference league for the English side. Clearly the Champions League is where you need to be if you want an easy time. But look, it was a nice draw for Newcastle. I know that Carabaug had got some decent results at home, you know, obviously Chelsea went there and could only draw. But when Newcastle go there, like the defence, it was so charitable and even in this game, the 2-0 up after six minutes, you know, and it was good that they gave the fans a little bit of something because the last thing you want is a boring 0-0 when it's still, a big European night

9:44Marcus Speller: I can imagine like all of those Carabag fans coming from that sort of distance I mean that was quite

9:49Jim Campbell: something to see wasn't it in the away section which is quite high up at St James' Park inexplicably allowed to do that still yeah it's funny I think them

9:56Marcus Speller: and I think some of them are the only Premier League sides who don't have you know pitch side seating for fans every year the Premier League go can we have this and they go the police say no I don't know why

10:10Pete Donaldson: fair enough I don't know how they get away with it I know right it was quite enjoyable to see Carabag manager Gulban Gulbanov bring on his son yeah why not he was threatened presumably he was a proper player

10:21Marcus Speller: and then it happened yeah it's not like a Alex Bruce situation oh come on that's naughty that is naughty I felt for Ramsdale after that penalty mark oh I know yeah because he like none of his team helped him out you could have got a foot in there a bit of a stronger foot anyway and it's like

10:39Jim Campbell: when you see it in slow motion and the deflections it takes. He's got no chance of getting that. But it looked bad in real time, didn't it?

10:45Pete Donaldson: Yeah, it did, yeah. I do like Ramsdale. Peter, Newcastle, as we know, are in the next round. They're in the last 16 of the Champions League. They will face either Barcelona or Chelsea.

10:56Marcus Speller: Can I have the latter, please? You'd prefer Chelsea. I think so. I think there's just a bit more familiarity there, isn't there? Yeah, but that's why some people prefer the other tie. A bit more exotic. It's Barcelona, Marcus.

11:06Pete Donaldson: Okay, let me reword that. Would you rather on a way trip to Stamford Bridge or Barcelona?

11:12Marcus Speller: Oh yeah, I mean like for European good times Oh suddenly If you're going to go out

11:15Pete Donaldson: with that round, yeah

11:16Marcus Speller: Would I rather go to Peter, what else do we have these days

11:19Pete Donaldson: other than European good times?

11:21Marcus Speller: No, it's a good point actually Well, I'm going on one tomorrow There you are actually

11:25Pete Donaldson: Oh, so you think

11:26Marcus Speller: They were pretty good

11:27Jim Campbell: It sounds like you're not you haven't got the appropriate clothing for it so it might not be a good time Or mindset I might add

11:33Marcus Speller: They were pretty good at home against Barcelona They played quite well I thought Oh, I'm forgetting that Quite early on Yeah, but Rashford's not But then Rashford just turned No, but he's not starting anymore. Three more Bobby Badger, just absolutely whacking them in for fun. Yeah.

11:46Pete Donaldson: No, I understand that point. I mean, they are going pretty well in La Liga. As they often are. Yes. As they often are.

11:52Jim Campbell: Yeah. But there's something about facing another Premier League team, and I say this as someone who supports a team who have never won a European tie against another English club, that is horrible. Yeah, right. There is the off-pitch kind of banter element of it. It's just like, oh, God, this is tedious. Yeah.

12:07Marcus Speller: Okay, fair.

12:08Pete Donaldson: People being nasty to Arsenal fans again, haven't they? Yeah. I are, yeah, yeah. There's an agenda. Yeah, I understand that clearly you would think that a game against Barcelona would be a sterner test. In fact, it wouldn't even be a test, would it? It would be very much a full-blooded tie. I think against Chelsea, yeah.

12:27Marcus Speller: It's a bit more of an inspirational, high-performance manager off, isn't it, really? Yeah, but I just think this Chelsea side...

12:33Jim Campbell: It's a symposium rather than a tie.

12:36Marcus Speller: It's the LinkedIn derby. It's good stuff. Yeah, I suppose so, yeah.

12:41Pete Donaldson: Yeah, the pre - and post-max handsakes could take a while between those two. They'd call it a connect. They would call it a connect. Absolutely. Well, Eddie Howe said of what's been going on in the Champions League with Newcastle United, he said, we have seen the best of ourselves when we've gone into cup games and one-off games where we have been able to rise to whatever challenge we've had in front of us. So beware, Barcelona. Yeah. Beware. I don't think, I think Newcastle said that very few teams would be happy to draw in the Champions League. I mean, clearly, you would prefer to get them than, you know, Bayern or Arsenal maybe but they are a force Newcastle and look

13:16Marcus Speller: just give us one more round it'd be a right old life I'm going to give you

13:19Pete Donaldson: more than that this season in the Champions League look around Europe there isn't the standout teams that there have been before yes we know Real Madrid are always there or thereabouts but you know they are not the side that they have been I mean even though last season everyone's beatable

13:35Marcus Speller: aren't they everyone's beatable exactly

13:37Pete Donaldson: you've got to do it twice you've got to do it twice until the final

13:41Jim Campbell: Bayern Munich have scored 85 goals in the Bundesliga where Jim? in the Bundesliga in the Bundesliga look they are they are the standout team in Europe for me and I think you have to put them in that bracket yeah well they won't get them

13:53Pete Donaldson: in the next round will they?

13:54Jim Campbell: sure

13:54Pete Donaldson: yeah

13:54Marcus Speller: record versus Newcastle

13:58Pete Donaldson: what are you doing to yourself? let's see let's see what he's been up to I'm trying to

14:01Marcus Speller: I'm daring you to dream not in squad back in 2010 loser coward coward 28 goals in the Bundesliga alone this season 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 They have played quite a lot He's scored a lot I guess

14:18Pete Donaldson: Hopefully someone else will put them to bed And it's a clear run to the final Thank you You and Bordeaux Glimp I don't think

14:26Marcus Speller: Is it possible to have a Bordeaux Glimp Newcastle final? We'll find out when you do the Champions League live draw

14:31Pete Donaldson: Yeah I guess so We're doing that on Friday

14:33Jim Campbell: You let the cat out We're reacting to it We're not doing it

14:35Marcus Speller: I let the balls out the bag

14:37Pete Donaldson: Yeah well no we're going to do one and then we're going to invite as many people as possible to vote which one would you rather UEFA or ours and we'll see and the voting will stand we'll have a referendum on that absolutely fine yeah before we talk about Buddy Glimp by the way just staying with Newcastle United for a moment reportedly interested in bringing Darwin Nunes back to the Premier League from Saudi Arabia Darwin slash Nunes

14:57Marcus Speller: yes I don't mind that I don't mind no I don't mind it but I do remember when like Pardew said that Newcastle have to sign like rascals and it's just like powerful football but there's a misfire in the in one of the cylinders and there's an oxygen sensor not running properly and the air conditioning is leaking and the wheel balancing I'm just talking about cars now you've thrown all your jumpers away I'm just talking about cars now but but they had to sign rascals the Alisson Maximal the Ben Arthurs people with something to prove yeah people with something to prove you know coming from a slightly lesser league but a bit bit of a naughty proper good player that never go anywhere afterwards like it's kind of like it's nice that there's another level of that kind of player like it's clearly a step up from your Alisson Maximans and your Ben Arthurs but it's heartening to learn that there's a higher level of kind of rascal because like when Liverpool were signing him like Real Madrid were in for him and stuff and he was always a good when Liverpool were a bit of a mess and a bit chaotic you know what I mean on the break and stuff but like a lot of like the Alangas of this world can't break down a little block so it's kind of and his shooting is it's always powerful shooting but power is nothing without control he'll hit a miss hit like you will not believe he's a bother are you having him?

16:19Jim Campbell: he'd be a lot of fun I think

16:21Marcus Speller: he'd be a lot of fun but I said that about Alanga and look what's happened, everyone hates him so I don't want you to be careful what you wish for

16:27Jim Campbell: I suppose I say a lot of fun I mean that from a neutral perspective it's probably not fun if he's blasting them over from two yards out of it.

16:34Marcus Speller: It'd be great against Garabags of this one, but I think against... But you've already had that tie, so what's the point?

16:40Jim Campbell: The point you made earlier is a good one though, Pete, because Darwin Nunes is absolutely in that bracket of a player who needs a little bit of a reset and perhaps needs a new environment to kind of unlock the player that appears to be in there. And there's clearly a lot of talent there. There's still a little bit

16:55Marcus Speller: of love for him at Liverpool that it didn't work for him. His start was like 8-10 or something like that. It was quite a decent start and they're just all sort of fell off

17:04Pete Donaldson: well he's been frozen out of Al-Hilal's squad after the arrival of Karim Benzema still doing bits and he's not registered not been registered for the second half of the Saudi Pro League campaign so he's up for grabs now Asian Cup only is that right yeah well there we are right let's move on to the Norwegian side who are turning all the heads in the Champions League but a glimpse they beat Inter 5-2 on aggregate and that included a showpiece victory at the San Siro itself. 2-1 on the night they beat them. What a win. A very deserved win as well.

17:41Jim Campbell: This is brilliant. On top of how shocking and kind of eye-catching this result is, Inter are 10 points clear at the top of Serie A. They were the finalists in the Champions League last season. A team like that has to be having serious designs on trying to win it, right? And they've been knocked out by Bode Glimt. Well beaten. Twice. I mean it is such an incredible achievement from this team obviously there's a huge rip from Manuel Akanji that gives them the first goal but they've been really good at pouncing on that they're on their tours throughout these matches they have periods where they knock the ball about so well, it's so crisp and slick and it is a really incredible story and as I understand it, it's not like they've had loads of investment it's just down to them being an exceptionally well run club and it is kind of fairy tale stuff.

18:33Marcus Speller: But it goes to say that a decent run in the lesser European competitions can make you a bit of money and give you that sort of platform to do what they did against.

18:43Pete Donaldson: But we've seen a lot of sides have that and they don't go on to do this. It's an incredible performance.

18:50Marcus Speller: After the first 30 minutes in this match where they had to work bloody hard and were pretty good Esposito had a couple of headers that he probably should have done better of. Do you know how Esposito means like abandoned child or something? It's an absolutely mad sort of idea

19:07Pete Donaldson: The musician, the singer Joe Esposito Joe Abandoned Child Who sung You're the best around

19:14Marcus Speller: Oh right, that's what he sang, right? Okay, nice

19:16Jim Campbell: Do you know what Liveramento means?

19:19Marcus Speller: Ooh, is it live well? No Train dirty, eat clean Does that mean?

19:24Jim Campbell: It's both not as good as and better than that It's deliverance Tino deliverance He can whip a good cross as well, right? So that feels a bit like nominative determinism.

19:34Marcus Speller: And then Alex Murphy. Was he in Robocop? Or was that a different Murphy?

19:39Pete Donaldson: Got two Murphys. No, he's a Beverly Hills cop. Beverly Hills cop, right. Look, Bode Glimm, as you said, Jim, the temptation is, because of how we've been, how European football has gone over the years, is to think, oh yeah, massive sugar daddies come in and they've got a number of kind of slightly faded stars in there. Salt daddy's up there. It would absolutely be salty, isn't it? That is true. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sorry, no, that was a poor point from me. But, you know, again, you would think that, oh, you look around the side, you go, oh, I remember him when he played for them. And look, if that was the case, still fair enough.

20:18Pete Donaldson: But that is emphatically not the case because it is down to good recruitment and good management, how they've got where they are. A storied club, they were founded in 1916. So it's not like, again, they've recently come up and if they had, fair enough. But their first league title in Norway was in 2020. They've won a few since then. In 2019, pundits were tipping them to get relegated from the league in Norway. So massively turned it around. I think it was a record-breaking run with wins or points or whatever it was. It's very eye-catching what they've done. But whatever they've done in Norway, even if they had big investment from Norwegian league standards, which they haven't, that shouldn't translate to this.

21:00Jim Campbell: Should we be looking at something that Norway are doing just in general, in secret? Alexander Solot scored a hat-trick yesterday. We all know about Erling Haaland.

21:09Marcus Speller: What's going on?

21:10Jim Campbell: Is there a Norwegian who's letting the side down a bit, though, Jim? Well, this is kind of like their pre-season,

21:17Marcus Speller: I suppose, isn't it? Yeah, because they've not played a league game

21:19Pete Donaldson: until November. So people will say they're fresh. I understand that. Although, I don't think it's that ideal because you're not match fit. So look, again... They're going to absolutely tear their league up, aren't they? Honestly, what they're doing right now, like I say, they hadn't won a Champions League game until January. And what they've been doing in the Champions League this season is brilliant. And it's so good that we've got a story like this. I'm scratching around thinking of sides who have made such an impression on the competition in an unlikely thing. I mean, you could go back to, say, Ajax when they were beaten by Pochettino Spurs.

21:54Pete Donaldson: that's going to be final it's Ajax isn't it they've won the competition it doesn't really compare

21:58Jim Campbell: in the same way

21:58Pete Donaldson: yeah I think there's a slight comparison but as you say Jim for obvious reasons then they're not and there was one or two recognisable names

22:04Jim Campbell: Stoia Bucharest all that time ago

22:06Pete Donaldson: but a totally different totally different landscape so I don't think that is comparable so what Bode Glimp are doing brilliantly and again it's not like it was a backs to the walls job and a smash and grab 5-2 they battered them they've absolutely battered them and they got a victory at the San Siro which is such a thing for everybody to hang their hats on but that's not going to stop them but their home form has been brilliant like it's a proper fortress and I'll tell you something it's rare that you give Spurs a bit of credit here but Spurs knocked them out of the Europa League last season and they got a draw so maybe maybe Thomas Franks go and see what I mean that's not too bad

22:40Marcus Speller: lovely finish from Evian's the volley the second oh it was such a

22:44Pete Donaldson: it flowed beautifully that goal didn't it the ball into him the touch the finish yeah I just it was brilliant and they did it in front of Ronaldo Nazario who was there as we have to call him these days and Christian Vieri lovely stuff if I was an Inter fan I was just thinking maybe five minutes get your boots the problem with like

23:04Marcus Speller: sort of like doing you a bit of prep on the training you do get distracted and I just spent a lot of time with Christian Vieri but that's time well spent I know you look at his career and it's hilarious because he played for I'll run through it Torino Pisa Ravenna Venezia Atalanta Juventus Atletico Madrid Lazio Interland AC Milan Monaco Sampdoria Atalanta Fiorentina And then back to Atalanta He scored for every single team Apart from Sampdoria Did he? Just that he had six weeks And he left because of knee problems And that must Absolutely kill him

23:41Pete Donaldson: I don't think that bothers him in the slightest Can you not just pop on

23:43Marcus Speller: For like a little A little final match of the season For Sampdoria Just to pop a penalty in

23:48Pete Donaldson: Yeah I mean they're doing crap In Serie B at the moment So why not Why not treat them

23:52Jim Campbell: like a novelty? Exactly. It's some welcome PR. I can sort of break with Ewan Milner. Always worth reminding ourselves as well that he has a very strong Australian accent. Yes. When he speaks English. When he speaks English. Although he might have it

24:02Pete Donaldson: in Italian, I don't know. It's not what Brighton are doing with James Milner. I got away with that.

24:08Marcus Speller: Thought I dropped the shoulder and was up the wing.

24:11Pete Donaldson: Yeah. Well, I tell you what, Bona Glimp, they will face either Sporting or Man City in the next round. I'm telling you, if they get Sporting, they'll surely win that game. And if they were to, I mean, they've already put Man City to the sword. They know they can beat them.

24:24Jim Campbell: As you've said many times about the Carabao Cup, Marcus, in fixtures like that where there's a mismatch, you think the two legs is what kills it. So I guess what would probably happen would be City would be out for revenge and they would get it. But there'd be a little bit of like, but they've proved against Peter.

24:38Pete Donaldson: Yeah, well, indeed, yeah. Incredible. It really is great to see this. I think we've needed this in the Champions League. And again, it's up for grabs, Peter. Yeah, it is. Newcastle Boat-A-Glimp final. You've heard it here first. And probably last. But there we go. We can dream. We can dream. Right then, everybody. Coming up after this, Norway's second best striker scores a hat-trick.

25:08I love throwing statistics at the players.

25:12Pete Donaldson: You know, I do it. I do it all the time. Because these should motivate us. and I've said it time and time again for a jobby team we broke some good records What about the football ramble everybody? That was Dundee manager Stephen Presley after he sides 3-2 win at home to Aberdeen on Saturday referring to a jobby team Put that on the LinkedIn

25:33Marcus Speller: We're a jobby team doing great things

25:36Pete Donaldson: Now then gentlemen Atletico Madrid avoided an upset beating Club Brugge 4-1 in the Champions League Alexander Soloth scored a hat-trick Good hat-trick as well It was a good hat-trick gym. I mean, they're all good, but this one was aesthetically pleasing alongside that. I did. Yes. So he's starting for Atletico Madrid, scoring hat-tricks in the Champions League. Not good enough to start at number nine for Norway, though. He's obviously pleased that he's a part of the team that are going into the World Cup for the first time in donkey's years. But there must be like 10 % of him at least going, why did that guy have to be good?

26:13Pete Donaldson: I mean, I think he plays on the wing, doesn't he? He does.

26:16Jim Campbell: he doesn't look like a natural winger does he? no shall we say I'm a jobby winger Peter Crouch as a fullback it just doesn't kind of look right

26:22Pete Donaldson: how many Norwegian forwards are playing for like one of the big clubs in Europe and scoring again

26:27Jim Campbell: said it many times even Jürgen Strand-Larsen is like how am I third on the Beckenorger in England

26:32Pete Donaldson: it was like the sort of ultimate example of that was the two Slovenian keepers Jan Oblak and was it Handanovic Handanovic yeah and it's like why have we two world class players who both play the same position where you can only field one of them. I tell you what though, Oblak made a brilliant save in this game. He'll do that. Well, he will. It's something that we've come to know from him.

26:54Jim Campbell: So Alessia threw. It was kind of important that they won this comfortably, I think, for their own sanity really because the three-all first leg, they were 2-0 up at one point. It was a really, really good game. And Club Brugge are a good side. They're slightly underrated. They've got some good sort of attacking talent. But Mignolet for that first goal. Well, quite, yeah. but Atletico they've got to they've got to put that one to bed haven't they and so they've kind of banished that

27:20Pete Donaldson: the one trophy they haven't won under Simeone seems like a long shot but again it is up for granted give me three more seasons

27:28Marcus Speller: on 300 grand a week please and I'll do it

27:32Pete Donaldson: well one of their best players in recent times Antoine Griezmann is apparently in advance discussions to leave Atletico Madrid and join MLS side Orlando City that's a lovely fit

27:42Jim Campbell: isn't it because but acclimatized before the World Club. One of my favorite things about Antoine Griezmann, I really love him as a player. I think he's brilliant. So kind of aesthetically pleasing to watch is that he has simply refused to ever entertain playing in the Premier League because it rains too much. He's just like, no, no, I like nice weather. I'm not coming near you.

28:00Marcus Speller: He's gone to Orlando. That's quite boggy, isn't it? No, but it's Florida, isn't it?

28:04Jim Campbell: Orlando, it's going to be very warm.

28:05Marcus Speller: It's quite humid, though, isn't it? Yeah, he doesn't mind that. Alligators.

28:08Jim Campbell: Although he's got quite big hair when he grows it out, so he won't want that in that way.

28:12Marcus Speller: that basketball player. Oh, yeah.

28:15Pete Donaldson: Oh, dear. He did it, Jim. Yeah.

28:19Marcus Speller: That's probably why he's gone to America to see his beloved... Apologise again? Well, yeah, maybe. We'll see the Harlem Globetrotters.

28:24Pete Donaldson: I thought maybe because he retired from France, of course, the international duty and I thought, is he doing that thing or he's gone? Another World Cup might be quite nice, actually. I'll go out there and I'm just hanging around the training ground. Exactly.

28:36Marcus Speller: After he famously sort of guided Newcastle United to like a Champions League win on the plane, on Football Manager. You needed to clarify that very quickly. I always, I don't know why, I just got a real affection for him. Did you think one day he'll sign for us? One day he'll sign for us.

28:55Pete Donaldson: I don't know.

28:55Marcus Speller: He won't because it rains too much.

28:57Pete Donaldson: It does, yes. Oh well, sod him then. Sod him. It's a lovely day today so jokes on you Antoine. Jokes on you Antoine. Now then everybody, as Pete revealed earlier in this very podcast, we will be reacting to the Champions League draw live on YouTube this Friday. At 12pm UK time, after all the balls have been picked out of the bucket.

29:18Marcus Speller: Yeah, they'll probably use a bucket, won't they?

29:20Pete Donaldson: What would you call it? A tub?

29:21Marcus Speller: A receptacle.

29:22Pete Donaldson: A tub.

29:24Marcus Speller: A ball bag of hope, I suppose. Okay.

29:28Pete Donaldson: At 12pm UK time, after all the balls have been picked out of the ball bag of hope, we'll be on hand to give you the lowdown on all the rounds. Hop solos. God-keeping gloves.

29:40Marcus Speller: We'll be used for it.

29:43Pete Donaldson: we're going to give you the lowdown on all the round 16 ties and the destinies of all six Premier League clubs we're doing our alternative halftime show

29:51Jim Campbell: as we suggested last time we're joined by Right Said Fred Kid Rock Right Said Fred it's going to be great

29:56Marcus Speller: why'd you go for Kid Rock? because he did the alternative again Marcus because he did it yeah that's right they're going to be doing topless in jeans they'll be working out like him and RFK Jr I'm up for that good stuff

30:10Pete Donaldson: oh dear so anyway yes we're going to be doing that it's going to be great and there's going to be a lot of nonsense but not that nonsense not that nonsense we should be clear Kid Rock will not be performing in this studio we simply couldn't afford him

30:23Jim Campbell: what's his song Bowitabawa Bowitabawa Bowitabawa I don't know

30:29Marcus Speller: even for the new metal era he was poor yeah

30:33Jim Campbell: he's also from Michigan isn't he anyway enough about him he's getting too much air time everywhere

30:36Pete Donaldson: head over Bowitabawa to the Football Ramble YouTube channel right now to subscribe and get involved. I'm a con man. Don't forget.

30:45Jim Campbell: That was disturbed. That was disturbed. I'm so sorry.

30:48Pete Donaldson: Yeah. Who are you apologizing to? That was con on it. Right, you do the next bit.

30:54Jim Campbell: Why was there so much of that? Why was there so much of that? Sorry, Marcus. We keep derailing this. No, I'm so sorry.

31:02Pete Donaldson: Don't forget.

31:03Marcus Speller: Got my life into pieces.

31:06Pete Donaldson: This is my bloody laugh result. I'll tell you. don't forget to turn notifications on so you're reminded of when the show comes out shut the fuck up yeah because you wouldn't want to miss any of this would you Friday the 27th at 12pm UK time do not miss it

31:26Marcus Speller: I've run out don't worry about it Max I've run out good I'm trying to think of a Fiat Factory one but they did a cover of Cars that's all I can think about

31:32Pete Donaldson: on a fat basis Real Madrid versus Benfica tonight yes odd when you go into a game like this wanting Real Madrid to win. Yeah. But they've done it to themselves. Gianluca Prestiani, the player who, of course, was at the centre of the controversy in the first leg of this match, has been suspended for tonight's game after receiving a provisional one-match suspension. Comes after Vinicius Junior reported alleged racers' abuse from him during the first leg of the tie last week. UEFA said that they have given him that provisional one-match suspension because there was enough evidence to support a prima facie violation based on the evidence available.

32:12Pete Donaldson: And in law, that essentially translates to based on the first impression, accepted as correct until proved otherwise. New footage has emerged, which appears to show Prestiani using a homophobic slur as well. So this all went into Benfica president, former player Rui Costa, what a player he was, of course, insisting that Prestiani is not racist and he said that he would not be allowed to represent the club if he was and Benfica have been very clear in their opinion on this they said they stand by their player not as Costa said not just because he's our player I repeat what I think is the most pertinent point in a situation like this Prestiani is not racist he is being condemned for racism when he is not racist and therefore for that very reason he deserves our support I guarantee that he is not a racist player.

33:06Pete Donaldson: Otherwise, he wouldn't represent Benfica.

33:08Jim Campbell: Which suggests they do some sort of racism test when they sign players. It's a lot more nuanced than that, isn't it?

33:16Marcus Speller: It's all very tiring, this sort of game. It is. Shrouding a slur. Like, did it happen? Did it not happen? And this feels like another can-kicking situation that made this situation happen in the first place. The Liga not really doing much in previous situations on being unable to do stuff in the laws of the game.

33:35Pete Donaldson: That would be when Vinicius Jr. has received. Constant. Yes.

33:39Marcus Speller: Because he refuses to take quite inhuman treatment, it becomes a bit of a trope. Players feel like you say that to him, you get in his head, and no player fundamentally should be able to go through that. Luke's right. Bottom line, we don't have to sort of go over or grab, but Luke made the point, no covering mouth during the game. You're at work. you can maybe not talk to each other about the color of each other's skin for an hour and a half you know what I mean it is just an hour and a half and whenever this thing comes up it's usually couched in well you know in their culture you know the words this word means something slightly different and it's nuanced and it's cultured and stuff like that well let's just shut the fuck up for an hour and a half and then we don't have to worry about any of this do we

34:24Pete Donaldson: and I understand the point you're making and of course this is

34:27Marcus Speller: and it can be mic'd it can be like stadiums the pitch itself can have directional microphones and this doesn't need to be as I said a shorting a slur situation

34:38Jim Campbell: yeah I mean there's actually precedent for this as well and UEFA have acted fairly swiftly to be fair to them I was going to ask you

34:44Pete Donaldson: what do you think of the UEFA because they have you know giving him a provisional one match suspension is action and it's not

34:52Marcus Speller: it feels like all

34:53Pete Donaldson: you're reluctant to give UEFA okay well Jim I'll ask you what you think

34:56Jim Campbell: well the precedent is that this happened in 2021 it was Slavia Prague's Andre Cadella who in really similar fashion was found to have abused Glenn Camara of Rangers did exactly the same thing put his shirt over his face he was given a provisional one match ban while they investigated it which is exactly what's happened here and then he later got a 10 game ban so the precedent is there that's quite a serious ban isn't it? you might argue it's not serious enough

35:24Marcus Speller: he was training at Real Madrid's stadium which is a real it's a bit of a fuck you as well isn't it? I mean it seems like a weird thing

35:32Pete Donaldson: I mean if we may we'll come on to that in just a brief moment but what do you think Jim the fact is that you mentioned the Glen Kamara one and I think rightly so because it is as you say set a precedent but the fact is that UEFA you're reluctant to give any football governing body any kind of credit on these sorts of things because they've dropped the ball so often and so readily giving a one match provisional suspension that there is action there. There's not just...

36:00Jim Campbell: Well, I think the reason it's just one match at the moment is because they're taking longer to investigate. I'm sure there are lots of different people at both clubs that they need to speak to and lots of stuff that they need to determine. And the process needs to be robust, right? I mean, it looks pretty cut and dry from our point of view, doesn't it? But they have to at least follow those protocols. And I expect that he will get a long ban. I think it will be unlikely he doesn't.

36:22Marcus Speller: It takes the heat out of the situation, which is useful for UEFA, I think.

36:28Pete Donaldson: With the provision of one match. With the provision of one match.

36:30Marcus Speller: It would be ridiculous for him to play.

36:32Pete Donaldson: It would be ludicrous for him to play.

36:34Marcus Speller: Yeah, it would be absolutely preposterous. But it's kind of like, the thing that gets me is that racism doesn't make football any money. And we all know that football is obsessed. Football governing bodies are obsessed with making money. So, you know, social media companies make money out of racism. Politicians, our politicians, I know, make money out of being racist. and football doesn't necessarily make any money over us so you think that this would be a really easy win for them to sort this sort of shit out and do things like stop people speaking behind their hands and all that stuff that goes into that.

37:05Marcus Speller: You can't always control what happens in the stands but you can certainly control what's happened on the pitch. So yeah, hopefully this is something that changes something. I've not got a lot of idea of this.

37:16Jim Campbell: I also think it's kind of... I think Benfica could have been better on this in just remaining more neutral in the things they say and just essentially saying, we don't really want to comment until everything has been established, right? Because their reaction to it makes it look like they're essentially just batting it away as... Vinicius Jr.

37:36Pete Donaldson: Vinicius Jr.

37:37Jim Campbell: lying and Kylian Mbappe lying as well because we've all seen the things he said on the pitch and that is just really, really unedifying and I don't think it gives the situation and the subject matter the kind of gravity it requires. It's the Jose effect, doesn't it?

37:52Marcus Speller: Jose does this. He's like a Japanese knotweed. Yeah, he is.

37:57Jim Campbell: Obviously, it's a brilliant thing that he's suspended as well because it means he won't be doing media duties before the game, which is good.

38:03Pete Donaldson: Well, I'd imagine Mourinho was behind the decision to take Gianluca Prestiani to Madrid and have him train on the pitch. That's really poor.

38:15Marcus Speller: It's just shit. behavior.

38:17Pete Donaldson: And that does suggest like, sod you, we think our man's right. You know, you remember, I mean, it's not quite the t-shirt campaign with Liverpool players, with that old Luis Suarez business. But, you know, it is a sort of up yours kind of thing. We will take this, we will go as far as we can then. And, you know, our hands are tied, obviously you can't play in the game, but I think if it was any other manager, you'd go, hang on, what's going on? You want to ask further questions? As it's Mourinho, you kind of go, oh, I see. especially after his comments last week, which I think we all reacted to.

38:51Pete Donaldson: If you haven't seen what Vincent Kompany said as well, I would implore you to check that out because I thought he spoke quite eloquently as well on that. But there was a game of football tonight between Real Madrid and Benfica. As I say, because of all this stuff, I'm sure a lot of neutrals will want Real Madrid to win. I mean, they're 1-0 up, aren't they? I think they will do it.

39:07Jim Campbell: They're bound to go through barring some sort of disaster. But yeah, it's a sideshow really at this point.

39:13Pete Donaldson: And as Vincent Kompany quite rightly pointed out, when Mourinho did some of his more noteworthy celebrations, which often came in the Champions League, the celebration at Old Trafford or running onto the pitch at the Nou Camp and so on. Was that not a bit antagonistic, Jose? Anyway, right. Let's move on and finish this section with former Real Madrid striker Javier Hernandez, who was left in tears after watching a video of a monkey being rejected by his parents. Yeah, so this is Punch Monkey, isn't it?

39:44Jim Campbell: He's a monkey in Japan, isn't it? I think he's in Japan. And I think this is quite amazing. So if you haven't seen it, the monkey is rejected by his mother and the other monkeys. And he finds a toy orangutan and sort of starts hugging it and sleeping with it. And it's really cute. He's sort of bonded with it. But good news, Marcus, he was eventually accepted. So everything's got a happy ending. But what I love about this is that the last time we heard from Javier Hernandez, he was saying that women have eradicated masculinity by making society hypersensitive and everyone was like, what are you talking about, you idiot?

40:20Jim Campbell: He's like, I'm sorry, I'll listen, I'll learn, I'll do the work. Now he's crying about a viral video of a monkey being rejected by his mum and bonding with the stuffed orangutan into death. So, I mean, the turnaround in his own sensitivity is quite remarkable.

40:35Marcus Speller: Because I think he's become a bit of a men's rights activist kind of guy. But hasn't he not done that?

40:41Jim Campbell: Hasn't he, perhaps you know more about this.

40:44Marcus Speller: If you watch, I've watched quite a lot of his, I didn't even know he was doing this, but I've watched quite a lot of his stuff recently and he does quite a lot of like men's role in the world and women's role in the world. So he's died in the world, Andrew Tate sort of level.

40:59Jim Campbell: Oh no. That was me thinking that this was a sign that he'd changed from that.

41:03Marcus Speller: Well, the funniest thing about it is because he uses the meta AI automatic translation function on his thing. So he basically walks around sort of going, you know, speaking in Spanish. I don't know what the situation is with the meta AI translation tool, but the English voice they use is very camp. It's very funny to hear this men's rights wank coming out of his mouth, but a very camp, like quite effeminate, I smell English voice, which is quite enjoyable. But yeah, he was really emotionally turned out. but I think he just sees a bit of an incel in Punch Monkey. Yeah, maybe that's it. He's trying to project the incel onto the Punch Monkey, like the forgotten generation of men who are just unpalatable to women monkeys.

41:53Jim Campbell: Yeah, I'm giving him too much credit then.

41:55Marcus Speller: I am giving him too much credit.

41:56Pete Donaldson: No, I have, not you. No, you have. Coming up after this, Joe Hart is back in business.

42:12Pete Donaldson: Welcome back to the Football Amble, everybody. Oh, have you heard the bad news that Dick Advocat has resigned as career sale manager for personal reasons? Very understandable reasons. But it really is gutting. It is. Very sad for him, of course, on a personal level. That is the most important thing here, obviously. Yeah. But one can't help be sad as well that he won't be taking them to their first World Cup, which, of course, they've qualified for, and he'd been such a big part of that.

42:39Jim Campbell: Yeah, and it's such a small place. This is such an incredible kind of historic moment in football. It's a real shame that he won't be there to guide them through it. He has to not go because it's to do with his daughter's health and everybody understands that there's simply no choice in that matter. But I think it's something where we can all just collectively agree that it would have been nice for him to be able to be there.

43:02Pete Donaldson: Oh, it would have been wonderful. And he said, look, I've always said families above football, which of course he's very right to say. and this is a self-evident decision he went on to say but Avocat also said I will miss the players the staff and everything very much so he's been replaced by former PSV and final manager Fred Rutten so a proper manager is coming in there I thought

43:20Marcus Speller: it was a shame because I was loving the Avocat Curacao two drinks you know the drink manager the drink so who could come in instead of that man Danny Drinkwater because he's a drink is he a drink

43:36Pete Donaldson: or is he an action What about a Spanish midfielder? Koke? Koke, nice.

43:42Marcus Speller: Yeah, yeah, yeah. James Milkner. Oh, right, okay. We're going that far away. Limbering up.

43:48Jim Campbell: Get me on the pitch, go on.

43:50Marcus Speller: He made one appearance for Curaçao. He didn't manage that. There was a Brazilian footballer right back in the 50s called Cafe Xenio. He was obviously a little coffee.

44:05Pete Donaldson: Mark Sprite. Yeah.

44:09Marcus Speller: but lend them an aid lend them an aid we're done here lend them an aid

44:14Pete Donaldson: I think we have been for some time Jim so yes well as I say it's sad as well but hopefully Fred big Fred can take Curacao into the World Cup he can watch them on the telly

44:27Marcus Speller: we will be backing them all the way absolutely

44:29Pete Donaldson: unless they play England of course I'll still be backing them if you can't beat them

44:33Marcus Speller: it's their own fault

44:34Pete Donaldson: well I do agree with you there gentlemen and I'd like to go down to the championship because obviously Snoop Dogg was attending his first game as Swansea City minority owner last night. He's involved in everything these days, Snoop Dogg.

44:48Marcus Speller: He'll just turn up at any football stadium just to take some photographs, won't he? I just think... I know he's got a lot of money. I know football's quite a safe place. Put your money these days for a bit. But I think we should just stop publicising Snoop Dogg in the football space. Have you had enough of it? I've had enough of him. Oh, that means he could pop up anywhere. Throw him in the air. Which actually is more enjoyable. Throw him in the air over the stadium walls. I don't know many Snoop Dogg songs.

45:15Pete Donaldson: Okay, evidently. Evidently. Well, yes, Snoop Dogg was given a pre-match tour by Lee Trundle, obviously. Who better? Yeah, of course. Who better?

45:24Marcus Speller: Trundle around, Trundle.

45:25Pete Donaldson: Exactly. Snoop Dogg was asked, sorry, he asked Swansea fans to join him in a pre-match. Tell Twirl as he took to the pitch against Preston North End. Snap it on your bum. They respond It was a twirl Not a whip Yeah but you twirl it And then you whip it Don't you It's a twirl then whip You stay with the twirl And you don't go to the whip But you've got the towel Forevermore then You're going to do a whip At some point Don't be so naive If I have a towel

45:48Marcus Speller: In my hand For more than five minutes Someone's getting a whip On their bop bop

45:52Pete Donaldson: Right okay So at least Could be the dog Could be my daughter

45:56Marcus Speller: Could be my girlfriend

45:58Pete Donaldson: Not the daughter Not the daughter Why? She has to learn Because the rules Of the locker room Are the big dog for everybody. You simply have to draw the line somewhere. Don't be whipping your daughter. I'm the big dog! It's not punishment. You're not the Snoop Dogg.

46:12Marcus Speller: A playful snapping of a towel.

46:13Pete Donaldson: Well, okay, people. What about this then? After all that nonsense, Paul Heckenbottom was asked about Snoop Dogg and about whether, what he thought about the atmosphere caused by Snoop Dogg's pre-match lap of honour and presence at the ground and Paul Heckenbottom said the only difference between that and a normal evening at the stadium was the smell of weed in the tunnel. Yeah, mate.

46:37Marcus Speller: In the tunnel. Arrest that man! I've run the line for my over-50s football team. You're not over 50s. You're allowed some underage ringers. You're the James Milner of the side, like he was in England. Because the 50-year-old knees cannot be relied upon to provide a level of place. And they can't chase you

46:53Jim Campbell: when you whip them with a towel, presumably. Exactly, yeah.

46:56Marcus Speller: We started with their 10 players at the weekend, lost 8-2. A couple of goals. But somebody was smoking a bifter on the sidelines and I was like absolutely getting out of my tree running the line is that why they only started with 10

47:10Pete Donaldson: I'll just take the flag

47:11Marcus Speller: dad I'll just go and pick up some Twix's

47:14Pete Donaldson: hang on hang on why are you running the line if you've only got 10 men does someone have to do it no we didn't why is the youngest person there how shitty

47:22Marcus Speller: when we've got 15 players I'll occasionally have to run the line have to

47:27Pete Donaldson: you volunteer for it exactly good point okay fine the game ended 1-0 by the way so Snoop didn't see a victory no but win or lose through that smoke

47:36Marcus Speller: you're not going to say much

47:37Pete Donaldson: one would suggest win or lose he's going to have a toke isn't he right now did you see this down in League 2 Shrewsbury Town drew one all the way at Salford City Joe Hart well of course I saw that I know you did Jim but did you see

47:50Marcus Speller: I was on Shrewsbury Town TV come on we're nearly at the end of the show

47:55Pete Donaldson: let's just get there Joe Hart was spotted warming up

47:57Jim Campbell: the Shrewsbury goalkeepers yeah back in business yeah I mean it also says here in the running order. It was apparently just a one-off for Hart. Why is he still taking one warm-up? Well, Shrewsbury manager

48:08Pete Donaldson: Gavin Cowan said, we were picking Joe's brains on goalkeeper situations and it's just a mate wanting to help mates. Oh, that's nice. We're all mates here. He's from Shrewsbury, isn't he? Yes. He offered to come down and be a part of what we're doing. It is just another confirmation of the class act that he is. I think Joe Hart

48:25Jim Campbell: would be a solid mate. He's got that ability.

48:29Marcus Speller: He'd be like, he'd look after you, wouldn't he? He would. and he'd be able to see off everybody with this great posture and tall legs.

48:36Jim Campbell: He's the person on a night out who's making sure that everyone's keeping it together and if there's any sort of variable that comes into play, he's got it covered. Gentlemen, gentlemen. Gents, gents.

48:45Pete Donaldson: Gents, come on. He's doing that now in this phase of life. Indeed, yeah. But I think, yeah, he would, as you saw from the clips that surfaced on socials of him, it doesn't matter where he's training goalkeepers, he could be doing that for Shrewsbury Town, he could be back at Man City, he'll take it. He's very professional. Very professional indeed. And as always should be pointed out,

49:05Jim Campbell: unreal posture. Oh, yeah. As I'm saying that, I'm sort of pressured to put me right.

49:12Pete Donaldson: Shoulders back. Now, we're going to finish with this in the National League North. Didn't think we were going to go down below League Two. Were you wrong? We're going to talk about Kingsland Town who are being investigated on suspicion of deliberately causing the postponement of a match by soaking their pitch with sprinklers during heavy rainfall. naughty, naughty, naughty the CCTV does suggest

49:37Jim Campbell: that there's a case

49:39Marcus Speller: it's been raining since January the 1st, we didn't need this. What I love is you have to have an investigation, right?

49:46Pete Donaldson: If you're a functioning democracy, you have to have it if you've seen the CCTV you know what the investigation is going to find. Absolutely. Who's grasped them here? Well the story is right, you think, well why would you do that? Will Kingsland have a bit of an injury crisis, apparently. And they are currently six points above the relegation zone. You know, if you've got an injury crisis, you know, et cetera, et cetera, you can fill in the blanks. Let's have some performance, please. Well, their opponents, South Shields, are chasing promotion. Now, the game will now be replayed in, I think it's mid-March, and it'll be during the week as well.

50:19Pete Donaldson: Right. And the Southfield chairman, Jeff Thomas, you know, he's smelling a rat here because he's not happy about this. Are you chasing promotion? Maybe they're thinking, come on, we've got a bit of momentum now. and we want to get the game played. Jeff Thomas said, we are aware the matter is being investigated by the National League. We've also seen the evidence of the sprinkler system being on for a very considerable time in advance of the referee pitch inspection, which was conducted remotely via telephone with the match referee and hosted by the KLTFC groundsman.

50:52Marcus Speller: Yeah, the very definition of piss housery.

50:54Pete Donaldson: You might well say, Peter. Well, I think that we won't have to wait too long for that investigation but we look forward to the results anyway. Thank you very much for listening to the Football Ramble part of the Acast Creator Network. Friends of the Ramble don't go anywhere. Keep listening for Ramble Uncut and if you're not a friend of the Ramble head over to patreon.com forward slash football ramble to sign up now. Thank you Jim. Thank you. Thank you Petey. Farewell. And thank you Kingsland Towns Groundsman. Kingsland Towns Groundsman.

51:21Marcus Speller: Kingsland Towns Bracknell Spinkle System. Ha ha! Ha ha!

51:34Marcus Speller: The Football Ramble is a Stack Production and part of the Acast Creator Network.