

Preview show for the Champions League final (PSG vs Arsenal), plus football news and UK football culture stories.
None. Hosts are Marcus Speller, Jim Campbell, and Pete Donaldson (regular panelists).
Not specified in the transcript beyond their roles as football commentators/podcast hosts (Felix Salmon is mentioned only as a sponsor voice for Slate Money/Apple Card, not as a guest).
Written by AI. May contain mistakes.
Exploring the journey of self-comparison and resilience in training.
“I tell myself, it's not about comparing.”
Hosts build hype for the upcoming Champions League Final and its significance.
“I'm Marcus Speller I'm Jim Campbell I'm Pete Donaldson Oh, hello everybody Come on!”
Discussion on Arsenal's performance and chances against PSG in the final.
“What would it have been otherwise, though, if you'd have lost?”
Debating the tactical differences and strategies of both teams in the final.
“It's a lot like the 2006 final in that sense.”
Examining the fitness levels and freshness of players from both teams.
“Despite what Luis Enrique may say when he beats Premier League teams in the Champions League, they can do that because it is a farmer's league.”
Explore why PSG is a top contender in the Champions League this season.
“for this game, and I totally get that for all the reasons you've stated.”
Discuss Arsenal's mindset and form leading into the final against PSG.
“And I know Jokras is not your sort of, you know, one of the best forwards in the world or something like that.”
Debate the implications of a potential Champions League win for Arteta's career.
“but you've still got to win those games and all the cliches.”
Debate the implications of a potential Champions League win for Arteta's career.
“And that's probably the ballpark that we're sort of talking about because of the PR backlash.”
Examine the backlash faced by Pirlo after his controversial appearance at a Russian event.
“Workday is the AI platform for HR and finance that actually knows your business.”
Engaging humorous exchange regarding microphones and their potential misuse.
Discussion on Steve Clarke's contract extension and Scotland's performance prospects.
“Right enough of that nonsense everybody let's talk about Scotland and Steve Clarke.”
Analysis of Scotland's chances in the upcoming World Cup and historical context.
Light-hearted discussion about a half-and-half England and Scotland shirt in Berwick-upon-Tweed.
“Although, as I say, there's a lot of criticism north of the border.”
Comedic exploration of the unexpected items sold at B&Q, including toilet paper.
“Apparently staff will be wearing the so-called mash-up shirts.”
Conversation about a play centered around a fan's unique incident at Euro 2020.
“I haven't been into a B &Q in years and I am confident that they do not sell toilet paper.”
Discussion about Enzo Fernandes wanting to leave Chelsea and its implications.
“Now, before we get to FIFA, I want to talk about Enzo Fernandes.”
Analysis of Bayer Leverkusen's managerial situation and potential moves.
“Now, Leverkusen, of course, have got European football.”
Exploring FIFA's allegations regarding ticket price inflation for the World Cup.
“But to go up a notch, which it would be at Bayer Lovie Kuzn, they're a bigger club than Bournemouth.”
Discussion on England's upcoming friendlies and ticket sales issues.
“Yeah, I was going to say, he's the man for the job.”
Discussing the anticipation for the friendly match against New Zealand and historical context.
“and they're playing in the Raymond James Stadium, which holds 69 ,000.”
Examining the implications of public art being painted over for World Cup advertising.
“It's not the only thing that has been quite odd going on in America at the moment.”
Previewing the upcoming My Biddy Aunt final and the competition between hosts.
“I might bring a long star though if you are going to the Dallas stadium though remember it's not in Dallas it's not in Dallas no yeah why do they call it that Peter?”

Get the gist, explore an idea or ask about something said.
On Football Ramble, what are the key points of this episode?
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.
0:00Jim Campbell: I tell myself, it's not about comparing. But then I start wondering, what can they lift? Are they adding more weight to their barbell than I am? And suddenly, I'm not training. Then I realize, my journey is not theirs. I've earned every step. So I smile. My smile is the shape resilience takes to keep me moving. To put more smiles out into the world, Colgate has supported female athletes for over 50 years with the Colgate Women's Games, the nation's longest-running indoor track and field series for girls and women. Colgate, your smile is your strength. Insurance isn't one size fits all. That's why drivers have enjoyed Progressive's Name Your Price tool for years now.
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1:20Pete Donaldson: No stress, no limits, only possibilities. Get the feels at contentful.com. Could AI help you do more of what you love? Workday is the AI platform for HR and finance that actually knows your business. We help you handle the have-to-dos so you can focus on the can't-wait-to-dos. It's a new Workday. This message is a paid partnership with Apple Card. This is Felix Salmon from Slate Money, and I'm here to tell you about Apple Card. Even as a seasoned traveler, things can still get stressful, which is why I use Apple Card on my international trips. And with 2 % daily cash back on every purchase with Apple Pay, I'm actually earning daily cash as I travel.
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3:09Pete Donaldson: Tell your boyfriend, hold your jar, everybody Welcome to the Football Ramble Preview Show It's the Ruddy Champions League Final tomorrow Because today is Friday, 29th of May I'm Marcus Speller I'm Jim Campbell I'm Pete Donaldson
3:27Oh,
3:34Pete Donaldson: hello everybody Come on! It's a big Friday It's Champions League Eve Yes. Yeah. Hope you get ready to get rambled to fuck. Calm down. Calm down. No. Rev it up.
3:46Jim Campbell: Yeah, exactly. Calm up. I'm going to have a glass of Jelly Baby. Genuinely. Oh, yeah. You've got a little glass of Jelly Baby. Not allowed to eat in the studio, but it's technically not food if it's in a glass. That's not true. That is not a technicality. Well.
3:59Pete Donaldson: I think we need to have an investigation on that. Not you. The food. You're right. What are we labeling as food? Exactly. If it's a very hot day, if I left this outside, it would liquefy I don't think that would happen
4:11Jim Campbell: Jim
4:11Pete Donaldson: Jim we'll come to you in a minute put them on the windowsill let's see if it liquefies yes and could you fry an egg on the ground as well exactly has anyone ever tried that yeah because I've seen it on video and you have too yeah
4:25Jim Campbell: and also a lot of egging happens in the UK it's one of the UK's premier harmless projectiles yeah so we've seen lots of eggs all over the floor we don't toilet paper trees so do the Americans egg people?
4:40Pete Donaldson: We don't have time to answer that today but what we do know Jim is that you have a full course of Champions League final tomorrow. It's PSG versus Arsenal and I want to remind everybody the final in the United of Kingdom is a 5pm kick-off. Yes. I don't know why they're doing it. Budapest is only what, an hour ahead? It's early. They're getting it all done early for some reason. I don't know. Maybe so you can spend more time in one of Budapest's ruin bars which I highly recommend or Bath House as well the Bath Houses and the Ruined Bars of Budapest are a wonderful thing I saw a guy he noticed that I mean I guess you would notice it if you observed Shabbat but he made like a little because the Champions League final is going to be in the confines of Shabbat which I think ends Saturday evenings I think so he made his own sort of little yarmulke with the PSG logo and Arsenal logo very good but who's he going to go for ultimately I don't know it is a huge final Arsenal were the favourites for the competition at the start of the competition if my memory serves me well and so far Jim they're proving everybody right
5:47Jim Campbell: they've unbeaten so far indeed won the Champions League league yes which I think should count for something as we know not just because we won it but mostly for that reason I'm excited about this game to be honest you've got the business done well that is genuinely it Marcus because it now feels like an opportunity. What would it have been otherwise, though, if you'd have lost? It would feel like an opportunity for further failure. Do you know what I mean? It would feel like... But now it's an opportunity for further success.
6:19Pete Donaldson: It would be odd to think, Jim, if I may, that if Arsenal so had bottled the Premier League, which they didn't because Man City did, the Champions League final will be a chance to save the season. Sure. Which is kind of what it would be. part of the narrative absolutely right now and let me give people an international analogy on this if England win the World Cup we can go into the Nations League pretty relaxed about it and just kind of looking forward to it
6:46Jim Campbell: and it's kind of similar you're absolutely correct in every element of that I just think like it now feels like it's an opportunity for Arsenal to test themselves against who are let's be honest the best team in Europe and I don't mean that in like oh let's look at what our level is and what we can maybe kick it onto because I think the time has to be now for Arsenal, right? They've just won the league. They've finally done it. They're in the Champions League final. They've been really good in the Champions League. And it has felt like a bit of a holiday from the anxieties of domestic football.
7:14Jim Campbell: But this is PSG we're talking about. So it's going to be a really, really interesting game because you can't go toe-to-toe with them. You can't play the game they play. Not even Bayern Munich could do that. They scored six goals against Bayern Munich, which is absolutely incredible when you look at that team. Bayern only scored five. Indeed, sure. But of course, I mean, I think the idea that the defending was terrible in those games has been overstated a little bit but they are a really really powerful force going forward Arsenal have a very different kind of proposition it's going to be a clash of styles and that is really the only way I think you can realistically expect to get anything against this PSG team PSG will go into its favourites understandably they are one of the best teams well I think clearly the best team in Europe and the way they score against you is it's like lightning isn't it it just suddenly happens they're one of the best teams we've seen in years let's be honest Absolutely.
8:04Jim Campbell: It's a lot like the 2006 final in that sense. Because Barcelona, how good that team has been forgotten because of the Pep Guardiola teams that came after it. But it feels very similar in some regards, despite this Arsenal being better than the 2006 Arsenal. You say it's like a clash of styles, and it's very much the style that my dad used to have after a 12-hour night shift coming home, and me getting up for school going, Hi, Dad, how are you doing? And he's going, oh, fuck. It's like Arsenal and my dad. The PSG, fresher. Yes. Well, they are fresher.
8:37Pete Donaldson: Who won the fight, though, between you and your dad? Me. He was tired. Oh, I see. You used dirty tricks. Can Arsenal do the old sand in the eyes? Well, I mean, talking about the freshness, the BBC did a piece on the players who started for both sides in their respective Champions League semifinal second legs. And only two of those PSG players have racked up more than 2 ,000 minutes, whereas Arsenal have seven in those, as I say, starting lineups in their semi-final second legs. And Rye and Rice have both played over 3 ,000 minutes. Arsenal have got a lot more minutes in the legs. However, though, Jim, the way Arteta has got them to play this season and what he's done, and this is by design, they are still looking as fresh as a team could be.
9:28Pete Donaldson: When I say fresh, I don't think they look leggy. and I know that I've made the point as perhaps a lot more softer than some other people have that Arsenal haven't played a great deal of scintillating football and inspiring football per se but it's been very effective they've won the league for crying out loud but I think Arteta has been very wary of how important certain players are Rice in particular and they haven't been playing really high press a lot yeah it's not sort of hell for leather pressing exactly yeah So yes, of course, PSG are fresher. I mean, Osmada Dembele's only played a full 90 minutes in a league match just once in 22 appearances this season.
10:09Pete Donaldson: Kvaret Scali has completed the whole 90 just twice in 28 matches. Do you know why? It doesn't need to because they win by about 60 minutes. Despite what Luis Enrique may say when he beats Premier League teams in the Champions League, they can do that because it is a farmer's league. I just have gone. But clearly PSG are head and shoulders better than anybody in that league. So they have this luxury.
10:30Jim Campbell: Like you're not up against it enough already. Yeah. They've also spent the season effectively in a spa.
10:37Pete Donaldson: But does that worry you? Because, well, okay. But in terms of Arsenal, as I said, I think the way that Arteta's got them going and so on,
10:47Jim Campbell: I don't think they are that leggy. No, they're not. And they've not gone hell for leather in those last games. But I think over a season, that freshness is, well, it all culminates here really, doesn't it? and I think what's so difficult about PSG is it's from minute one to minute 90 they play in that same way and Arsenal do tire because of course they do they've come out of the season with arrows sticking out of them although actually have a clean bill of health at the moment given that Durian Timber and Mikel Moreno are now available so that is fantastic timing he's surely not going to
11:19Pete Donaldson: I mean he won't play Moreno surely
11:20Jim Campbell: he might well be on the bench just because of the narrative of the greatest striker in the world play him and injure him
11:26Pete Donaldson: But I mean, Timber's straight in.
11:28Jim Campbell: So Timber has come through a training session and passed all the fitness tests. Timber's a bit of a warrior. So I think if there's any player in the squad who would go straight into a game like this, it probably would be Jurian Timber. Who would start? It would be Mosquera? It would be Mosquera if not him. And Mosquera is actually quite a good one-on-one defender, which is absolutely crucial against Kavarach Galia. Whether he's that level, I suppose, we don't know. Not unreasonable to expect that Kavarach Galia would get the better of him there. but you lose a fair bit going forward with Mosquera because he's not as comfortable doing that Timber's a quality player yeah exactly so I expect Timber will feature whether it will be from the start or not I don't know
12:04Pete Donaldson: can you try and sneak a 12th man on the pitch
12:06Jim Campbell: yeah why not nobody ever does that no what you need to do embody the spirit of Lewis Miley that's what you need against PSG who obviously had a terrible time against them in the first half but had a better one in the second half yes of course and we had a terrible time against them last season in that we lost to them so maybe the spirit of Lewis Miley is right get him out of there The thing we don't Basically Lads The England players Who happen to be Playing for Arsenal Tomorrow You're allowed A bruise You're allowed A gouge You're allowed A blood injury You're allowed You're not allowed Anything Jointsy No You're not allowed Anything Achillesy You're not allowed Anything ligamenty You're only allowed Bruises and gouges And gouges Gouges You are allowed to bleed You can bleed for Arsenal You can't sprain for Arsenal A light hamstring.
12:56You can have a light hamstring injury. No, no. A light one. A light one. A light one. Something that it can be recovered with a tape. Do you know how hamstrings work? No.
13:10Pete Donaldson: Well, Mikel Arteta has lived in this country a long, long time, hasn't he? And we've loved having him, quite frankly. Let's see how loyal he is to this country. Half an hour to go, take Declan Rice off. Just thinking about the World Cup. Go on, Declan. not even Jim's having that yeah I mean and also Jim by the way just to add to this kind of talk of PSG being fresh and whatnot they've had 13 days to prepare for the final Arsenal just had six yeah exactly and also you know
13:35Jim Campbell: a lot's been made of Arsenal's defensive record in the Champions League and Inter had that last season and look what happened to them so it's going to be a very very interesting game I would hope that it wouldn't go the same way of that because obviously I would but I mean sat here even with my Arsenal hat on it looks like all of the details here go in PSG's favour, do either of you see Arsenal having much of a chance in this game?
13:57Pete Donaldson: I do, actually. I think this is actually a tough one to call. PSG will be a lot of people's favourites for this game, and I totally get that for all the reasons you've stated. They are... I mean, with those... The reason why I thought... I mean, I think that stuff about the minutes and them being fresh is relevant. It's also relevant when you think that they are utterly relentless in the knockouts of the Champions League. And you're right, Jim, that they don't seem to tie. And then when you understand all this stuff or you read about it, you go, oh, okay, well, that would make sense. And the way that they can play so many different styles, they are one of the best club teams we've seen in years, quite frankly.
14:35Pete Donaldson: And I know it's a bit annoying to say that because we've enjoyed PSG when for years they didn't win the Champions League and all the money that's been pumped in the ownership, blah, blah, blah.
14:44Jim Campbell: That feels night and day, doesn't it?
14:46Pete Donaldson: Oh, yeah, totally. And what Luis Enrique has done with this side is remarkable. and you know the ground was fertile for this and look you have to give them credit because they've gone and done it whatever one may think of the project and all that kind of stuff but again they can mix it up so if indeed Arsenal say right okay we need a goal as we saw even in the game against Liverpool at Anfield when obviously Liverpool were down and they needed to score obviously Liverpool aren't as good as Arsenal they were never going to get the better of PSG but they had to attack and they had to go forward PSG was so comfortable with them at arm's length even Bayern Munich away in Munich perhaps a better example when PSG scored pretty early on.
15:21Pete Donaldson: They are remarkably good. At the Emirates last season in the semifinals, there's a number of examples we have here. When they go 1-0 up, you don't think about it with this PSG side. They are immaculately good, if that's a word, to hold what they have and just defend. And you don't think about that because you think about the swashbuckling style, you think about them swarming forward and all that kind of stuff, which they do on the break. but they are so unbelievably good
15:49Jim Campbell: defensively as well and Arsenal for that reason they have to be ready to be reactive right because you look at this game and you think if Arsenal are going to win it you've really got to grind it you've got to try and get the one they've got to be perfect but you've got to score yeah because they will almost certainly score you know the idea of keeping them out is no that is preposterous especially for like 120 minutes so you've got you've got to be ready for them in that mode so I think Arsenal they have to be really robust in how they defend all over the pitch as well which is a really important part of that of course and they need to be ruthless you know when they get moments they need to put them away Saka's on form and he's in behind quite a high line I mean it's gonna I think they'll score I do think they'll score you think Arsenal will score?
16:31that's the best you're gonna get out of it bloody hope so I bloody hope so
16:34Jim Campbell: because yeah I think that's what it's about that's what PSG is so good at they can like I said earlier when they score it's like a lightning strike sometimes because they've got a lot of players who are just such good finishers that the chance doesn't even need to be that good and suddenly you're 1-0 down.
16:51Pete Donaldson: But the intelligence they have throughout that side, again, to be able to mix up the styles. They're one of the very, very few teams that I've seen over the years who, if they are, say, defending and keeping a side at arm's length, it is very much not because, ah, we're under the cosh, we don't really know what to do. It's, again, by design. And if they, if, you know what it's like if a side, I mean, they rarely do this defensive thing because they're always on the front foot. But if a side is playing one particular style, then the dynamic of the game, it sort of swings and then they have to kind of quickly adjust.
17:26Pete Donaldson: And then, you know, all right, we'll put men behind the ball. And if they then have to go and score again to try and rally themselves, it's something that's quite difficult to get out of that mindset. It is like Lewis and Ricky has a switch and just goes, right, defensive now. Like he's playing a computer game. He goes, right, we're going to do this. But everyone just slots in and knows exactly what they're doing. It's an immensely difficult task for Arsenal. Everybody knows this. But that clash of styles you talk about, I find that mouthwatering. I really do. I know people might, again, maybe not too inspired by Arsenal's style of play this season, but I'm delighted we've got this final because it is two very, very different teams with different styles.
18:02Pete Donaldson: Again, there's that word. I think Arsenal can do it. I look back at that, again, that semi-final in the Champions League last season. And I think Arsenal did give a better account of themselves than maybe I gave credit for, you know, initially after the game. They had Mourinho up front. They didn't have a proper forward. Yeah, which is really something. Yeah, exactly. And I know Jokras is not your sort of, you know, one of the best forwards in the world or something like that. But I do think he's added to what Arsenal have. And I think a forward like that, if he gets a chance, you know, there's more likely.
18:31Pete Donaldson: They also don't have Donnarumma in goal. I understand. That's a big factor compared to last season. I get the fact that they sold him, you know, that they were happy to move it. So it's not exactly, They've not exactly got some duffering goal. Do you know what I mean?
18:42Jim Campbell: But you think about the save from Martin Odegaard. Trotson as well.
18:45Pete Donaldson: You know, there were a couple of saves where really only he can do. So I think, yeah, I'm very excited for this game tomorrow.
18:53Jim Campbell: I think in terms of how Arsenal seem to be prepared for this and the mindset they're taking into it and really the form as well they're taking into it, having won their last five Premier League games, it couldn't really be better. So in terms of that, I'm not particularly nervous, I have to say, because I think, This is a massive opportunity. You've got your trophy. Love it. So, again, it does feel like a really exciting opportunity rather than something that is going to potentially be quite a sort of catastrophic heartbreak.
19:23Pete Donaldson: And the fact is they are in the final. Yeah. It's not too shabby. Yes, the route to the final was reasonably preferable, but you've still got to win those games and all the cliches. Are there? Are you a little bit worried, Jim, that if they win the Champions League, Arteta will want a new project next season? Well, the Cronkers are worried about that. They've confirmed plans to offer him a new contract as an utmost priority. Where does his contract run to? I guess he's kind of been in the job for quite a while, hasn't he? He runs all the way back to Spain.
19:52Jim Campbell: He'll become one of the highest paid managers in the world with this new contract, so I reckon he'll see how that goes. What does he spend it on, though? Grey trousers. I just don't think he has... I don't know what he would spend on. Black jumpers and grey trousers. Black jumpers and grey trousers. Barbecues. Barbecues. He's just like a barbecue. Yeah, that's true.
20:10Pete Donaldson: There's loads of stuff you can spend money on. Barbecues and grey trousers. As you, Ruddy, wear... What trousers are you wearing there? Grey blue, yeah. Yeah, okay. I'm just saying that I think I should have that money. I agree. Because I could create magic.
20:25Jim Campbell: I think that would be absolutely... He would spend it on, I don't know. That would be a sort of throwback MTV-style reality show that I would watch. Yeah, Mikey Carroll, Lottie Lowe. Oh, yes. Pete Donaldson, Lotto Lowe. Give me Michael Lotto. Yes, please. I've not done anything to earn this money. Now watch me smash this monster truck into an effigy of Margaret Thatcher. Perfect, perfect. If we've got any billionaires listening, please invest in this. That's what I would do with your money. You can make us like you. Yeah. All right? Give me the keys to your vault. Yeah, you know like... Let me do DuckTales.
20:59Jim Campbell: Oh, that's even better. Yeah. They leave the money somewhere and then you have to go and get it. That's episode one.
21:05Pete Donaldson: Donaldson's millions. That's a horror film waiting to happen. Don't give them ideas. Donaldson's millions yes please oh dear well if you're an Arsenal fan or even a billionaire and you want even more preview of the big game then head over to our Arsenal podcast here at Stack The Thing About Arsenal Jim that guy over there will be joined by Laura Kirk Francis and Johnny Dutch this evening to give their thoughts ahead of the biggest game of their season you can find it by searching The Thing About Arsenal on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts and subscribe now gentlemen you know how Andrea Pirlo remember that guy one of the most talented footballers in the world ever ever he won the Champions League a couple of times he did great mane of hair fabulous footballer I think he's been a bit of a silly sod here oh what I don't know if you've heard this but he was he's been he's been facing some quite severe backlash after attending an event dubbed Football Day Football Day yes it's Football Day at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium right he signed autographs and posed for selfies with Kremlin supporters on the day Russia launched one of its most significant missile attacks on Kyiv.
22:12Pete Donaldson: Marco Matarazzi also attended the event. What I like about that is, somehow I already knew that. What I like about that, Matarazzi's like a second, yeah, fine, he'll take anybody's fucking ruble. Pirlo didn't even know he was there. It's controversial when Pirlo does it,
22:27Jim Campbell: it's just normal that Matarazzi's there.
22:30Pete Donaldson: Again, it's all a big shame, isn't it? I again ask the question, to those who are rich, how much is enough? how much Bitcoin it was a betting company Russia's biggest betting company brought him over and you sort of I mean what are you doing lads I would say the ruble you know get paid in Bitcoin rather than ruble because you know once the once the straight gets opened up the you know the oil tank I love this is the angle you'd look at this at I'm just saying like it's but it's a relatively stable economic decision to take your money in rubles at this moment in time so maybe they just you know maybe he's just sort of looking to diversify his portfolio of money.
23:10Whose pocket are you in? I'm joking. It's a fucking disgrace and he should never be allowed to do anything ever again. What about... Astonishing performance. I mean, how much money are you getting for that, like... Yeah, I know, I know. Bearing in mind, like, he's a... He's not going to struggle. He's one of the most famous European footballers in the world and one of the most talented and one of the most beloved. Yes. And he does shit like this.
23:34Pete Donaldson: I just don't get it. As you say, might have actually a different issue but Pirlo Pirlo though no Jim think about it let's say he's fallen on hard times whatever he made a few wrong decisions or whatever Vineyard's not worked out Vineyard hasn't worked out whatever the case is 360 kind of look around he didn't see something coming financially indeed all he needs to do is go I could do a few quid and his agent will go should we do like an evening with Andrew Pirlo up and down the country and across the continent yeah how much do you want to charge whatever they'll come it'll be fine you know what I mean like the man can just he'll be okay If he wants a plumb pundit job, he'll be able to walk into one.
24:10Pete Donaldson: Or just walk into a bank and go, come on. Give us a guard bar. I'll assist you to the vault. If it's a million quid, right? And that's probably the ballpark that we're sort of talking about because of the PR backlash. It's like, you know, the Riyadh Comedy Festival with all of those stand-ups and stuff. Yeah, yeah. People remember. People remember. And everything you say after this point, people will remember this. ridiculous. Yeah, I was desperate to do that Riyadh Comedy Festival. Right up your street. Right at your level. You know, but apparently I didn't have any gags and that was the point.
24:46Pete Donaldson: All right, coming up after this, a West End production about a flare up the arse.
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27:48Unbelievable! Mother will win it right to the death! Brilliant! St. Johnston fans not happy in front of me. I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't care I don't care
28:03Pete Donaldson: I don't care well about the football animal everybody I'll shove that microphone so far up your arse you'll never get it out in case you didn't hear that he forgets that it's a microphone which is the most important part of that really if it did go up there unplug it for crying out loud yeah the sound would be horrendous I'm also curious
28:22Jim Campbell: yeah I'll be honest Marcus I think it'd be that go on
28:30This is specific
28:32Pete Donaldson: This is specifically if it was your bells Yeah Oh no You just hear internal screaming From my liver My intestines Help
28:43Jim Campbell: Why are all these jelly meerkats Don't he abuses me Oh dear That's a Kevin King quote
28:51Pete Donaldson: Right enough of that nonsense everybody let's talk about Scotland and Steve Clarke. He's extended his contract, which will take him to the 2030 World Cup. He loves it, doesn't he? A universally popular decision, as I can see. The SFA love it. It's not the SFA anymore. Is that what they're called? The Scottish something federal? I don't know. But yeah, they've made a weird decision again. Because they have lost self-esteem. The Scottish Football Association have lost self-esteem. He might deserve a new contract, but do it after the tournament for crying out loud by the way it is still the SFA SFA I thought they had a different name I think you're talking about PFA aren't I I don't know what you're thinking of perhaps you were thinking of the league right yes which has changed you know the Scottish Premiership and it was the SPL and all that kind of stuff but the Scottish Football Association one of the oldest football associations in the world have not changed they've not had a rebrand they deserve one they need one and they've not had a new manager for a while and they won't do if Steve Clarke it does indeed stay on to 2030 yeah you're right Jim It's a four-year contract.
29:55Pete Donaldson: Yes, before they've done anything at this World Cup. Now, again, Clarke has to take credit because he's got Scotland to major tournaments. It's the first World Cup since 1998, lest we forget.
30:04Jim Campbell: He's their most successful manager of all time because of those qualifications, really. Yeah, I'm mad to think, really. And obviously, you see people saying that's because it's easy to qualify now, etc., etc. He's still the guy who's done that. Continuity is important in these moments, I think. There is a sense, isn't there, that he's within Scotland in some camps that he's a bit too defensive. it's a bit like the criticism of South Bay he is a sort of and he is a very conservative manager
30:26Pete Donaldson: but when you say he's the most successful Scottish manager of all time I'm pretty sure Andy Roxburgh would have qualified for more than one tournament so I'm just saying Jim if he gets them to the second round which they've got a chance because obviously that would put him in there because I find it remarkable that they've never been past the first round of any tournament and sorry Scotland because you're saying oh shut up we know this but I mean like even the other that one popped up on the feed Archie Gemmels goal against the Netherlands in the 70s and you think like again I know this you know Scotland have not had some absolute world beater footballers if you like for a while you know you think of the players they have produced but this squad I mean Scott McTominay you know John McGinn Robertson Tierney McGinn like they have some proper players here but should we be saying whenever Scotland have got to a tournament under this manager they've been warful to be honest so like should we be sort of should we be so sort of like oh well continuity is important I do believe that but I also believe that I have watched the Scottish matches in tournaments and they probably deserved a little bit better and to give him a contract at the start of the World Cup just seems really just another McLeishy sort of short-sighted kind of decision
31:39Jim Campbell: I think I suppose that it gives the players and sort of everybody involved a bit of stability doesn't it which is probably the thinking behind it Jim they're calling him some people are calling him Jurassic Clark up Scotland nice
31:55Pete Donaldson: you know that's not what you want is it
31:56Jim Campbell: no but it's such a good nickname that I want four more years of it
32:02Pete Donaldson: which period will it go into another period of this is cretaceous stuff I'm not sure what order they came in was Triassic before Jurassic I forget well we'll find out won't we in four years time whatever the nickname is well look he's in he'll manage Scotland of course at the UK and Ireland Euros in 2028 I think that you know I do get the continuity kind of angle I just I think you've got to wait to see how they go on at the tournament because if it is more of the same and they're in a tough group let's be honest they're in with the I think African champions Morocco or Senegal I forget who I've forgotten all
32:47Jim Campbell: about that where is the trophy
32:48Pete Donaldson: more of that this summer yeah so they're in with Morocco Brazil and they've got Haiti first you've got to smash Haiti you've got to absolutely smash Haiti you've got to win at least at least 4-0 at least but chances are if it's a Clarkie side it'll be like 80 % possession to Haiti you're like what I tell you what if they don't perform against Haiti this contract it's all that they've got to just tear up Haitiful it will be a Haitiful contract yeah anyway Clark said it's very important to look ahead and while my squad will be doing everything in their power to make the country proud in America this summer, it also gives us certainty knowing that we can look to build on those foundations for the long term.
33:28Pete Donaldson: So we've been sort of fairly negative, I think, about Clarke there. Although, as I say, there's a lot of criticism north of the border. But there's a lot of praise for him as well. And as you say, Jim, certainly towards the end of Southgate's time, probably before that, really, I suppose maybe after Euro 2020, there were some people who were quite critical of him. it does feel quite similar to that situation here Scotland though it's unlikely they're going to turn to a German after Clarke they still remember the Bertie Votes experience but Clarke's going to be in sort of jazz fusion so we shall see we shall see staying with sort of Scottishy things have you seen this a supermarket in Berwick-upon-Tweed has launched a half and half England and Scotland shirt not scarf, shirt you can wear it Berwick-upon-Tweed of course has changed hands 13 times throughout history between Scotland and England makes it sound like you win it in a cup I suppose, I think they should do
34:30Jim Campbell: actually, they should be like every four years England should play Scotland and the winner gets Berwick-upon-Tweed it's more civilised than an actual bloody battle yeah exactly what's that island where is it the Norwegians and the Icelandic It's changed every year. Someone comes over and wants a bottle of wine or something.
34:48Pete Donaldson: Is it not France and Germany? There's a river.
34:52Jim Campbell: Oh, yeah, and there's a tiny island in the middle of the year. Oh, right. Every six months. Every six months it changes hands. Yeah. I don't think anyone lives on it. No. You've got some confused animals with very odd accents. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
35:04Pete Donaldson: Yeah, and somebody just celebrating if France win the World Cup. Well, store manager Peter Wilson said, on a match day in Berwick. I don't value my life. I don't value anything I own. He's trying to keep everybody happy. I like my car getting keyed, actually. I think it adds a little bit of something. He said, on match day in Berwick, you're just as likely to hear Flower of Scotland in one aisle as three lions in the next. I have never heard so much bullshit in my fucking life. So we thought it was only right to support both this summer. This sounds like the man lives in the shop. I'm like, never leaves it.
35:40Pete Donaldson: Yeah. I like that. Apparently staff will be wearing the so-called mash-up shirts. So whatever. You could imagine the Scottish employees getting very, very annoyed about that.
35:53Jim Campbell: Imagine making a half-and-half shirt just for attention. I know, right? Yeah, but the thing about that is... Who would do that repeatedly over a tour in Liverpool and Glasgow? I mean, the thing that gets me is, right, This has been foisted upon this poor Berger Pontwead manager by the PR team, the marketing team down in that there, London. And so I do have a lot of sympathy for the fella.
36:20Pete Donaldson: I have a lot of respect for him. I have a lot of respect for his stores as well. But more importantly, what the fuck is the food warehouse by Iceland, by the way? Yeah, right. It's a bigger Iceland, apparently. I was reading up on it. It's like a sort of cost-core version of Iceland. Bulk items, bigger freezers. I thought it was like an outlet store, but for frozen food. International items not found in standard stores. International items? International items. I don't know what, frozen squid? What do we not eat a lot of? Roam-ups? Yeah, that does. International items. Peter, I insist you visit this store.
36:53Pete Donaldson: I know, I'm fascinated. Get us all the half and half shirts. I'm a real bulk buying boy. I buy all of my toilet roll from B &Q. Right. B &Q? Yeah, they sell inexplicably. Are you sure that's not like wallpaper? Sandpaper. I've got Artex wallpaper for the... No, it's big blocks of like big... They don't sell toilet paper. You've never seen...
37:15Jim Campbell: I haven't been into a B &Q in years and I am confident that they do not sell toilet paper. They do sell toilet paper. People out in the sticks, they go on B &Q with their toilet paper.
37:25Pete Donaldson: That's true though, because I like to get my yogurts at home base. You get your meat balls at Ikea, don't you? Well, I'll get my bloody bog roll from B &Q. Why are you not... Who are you? when you go to old Jay Sainsbury's or whatever to get your food shop because you can't buy food in B &Q I don't know what you say you can't you can buy certain foods in B &Q like what if you eat plants right okay and also you can buy them you buy the raw ingredients sometimes at the till there'll be a Mars bar and a Red Bull because that's what brickies eat true and that's and that's what you eat for dinner that's what I eat for dinner so when you're going to I'll say no's or wherever you go yeah right they do toilet roll there Why do you think, no, no, no, I like the B &Q stuff?
38:07Pete Donaldson: It's just bigger boxes full of toilet roll for my body. Basically, what's happened is, that's the toilet roll for the toilets at B &Q for the start. That's what you've done. You just go through this door. I also shit in B &Q toilets as well. There we are, you see. Like the ones that are out for display. Oh, here he comes. B &Q must be a nightmare for you, though,
38:29Jim Campbell: because in places like that where there's lots of sawdust, they kind of suck a bit of the air out. And you're a very asthmatic boy. I know, yeah. Are you sure you're not hallucinating? Why would they have sawdust? Just from all the stuff knocking about. The bags of sawdust. The hamsters. The hamsters. The B &Q hamsters. It's not an outrageous thing to suggest. I don't think you've ever been to B &Q, Jim. Do you want to go to B &Q? Get some toilet roll. I'm always very short of breath in those shops. Maybe it's just because I'm practically allergic to manual labour. You also like to steal stuff as well.
38:57Jim Campbell: And that, yeah. Well, gentlemen, speaking of... You can get some really good stuff if you nick it, Marcus, and you know that. That's true. Tiny seats. Tiny seats, B &Q. Glenn Johnson absolutely cracking up as he got caught which I respect
39:10Pete Donaldson: speaking of things being put up bottoms a hit play is coming to the Garrick Theatre in central London next month the play is of course called Why I Stuck a Flair Up My Arse for England I understand it's a bit of a mouthful but this play has been a bit of a bumful well indeed but cop an eyeful of it though Jim now this play has been doing the rounds across the globe for the last few years. I think it came out in 2023. And the show uses the story of a fan who snuck a flare up his bottom at Euro 2020 in the summer of 2021, of course. And this play sort of reflects the darker underbelly of football culture.
39:52Pete Donaldson: It's described as raw and honest, a look at tribalism, toxic masculinity and the desperate search for a place to belong. and that's generally not for the Flair wasn't looking for a place to belong and finally you know came home
40:05Jim Campbell: sort of thing the Flair is innocent in all of this yes I think this play has been a massive success yeah and this final run of it is called the Flair Well Tour that's lovely which I love it's been all over the world loads and like 50 odd 4 or 5 star reviews it's like been an absolute smash hit I just love the legacy of this particular incident it's incredible and the fact that it's still going on yeah so they've obviously succeeded in making something really really good here because at first glance I think people might be quite dismissive of this kind of a play with this kind of title and think it's probably quite sort of like silly or sort of low in some way it feels like an SNL UK sketch yeah totally but apparently it's absolutely brilliant and it's been recognised as such over and over again so I mean it's a win for theatre and a win for that fella that put a flare up his arse all that time ago as a theatrical director of some repute yourself Jim what other kind of tawdry England muck would you would you put in a show do you ring tell me something your mum doesn't know yeah tell us something your mum doesn't know it could easily be a follow up to this those guys breaking into Wembley that time to watch the football as in the Euro jibbing actually yeah I mean that would be quite ripe wouldn't it you could probably do that quite easily on stage I've never directed any theatre I want to make that clear have you directed some that's in a theatre isn't it come on don't do yourself Full of Guardianistas in the crowd.
41:28Come on now.
41:28Jim Campbell: Sure.
41:31Pete Donaldson: That was low.
41:32Jim Campbell: Yeah.
41:33Pete Donaldson: Was it?
41:34Jim Campbell: That's a good crowd.
41:35Pete Donaldson: Yeah. Welcoming.
41:37Jim Campbell: Okay, fair enough. Good. I love all the crowds. They'll say, it's the best thing they've ever seen and give you three stars. Because you can't have everything.
41:45Pete Donaldson: No, that's true. But you can get a ticket for this theatre production though. Something you can get. And I'm quite confident that all the tickets available for that theatre production are about an eighth of the price of any ticket for the World Cup in America. And more on that bollocks after this.
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43:22Pete Donaldson: Welcome back, everybody. Now, before we get to FIFA, I want to talk about Enzo Fernandes. He's told Chelsea he wants to leave the club. I was quite shocked by this. Me too. What a bombshell. It's nice that... Man with neck tattoo surprises. Yeah, off to Argentina, off to the World Cup, see you later, and you'll never... No, if you won't see me later, you'll never see me again. I've already sold me out, dickheads. Yeah, can you just sort this out by the time the World Cup's finished? I can't be bothered with it. Chelsea are apparently going to ask for 120 million from any club wanting to buy him for a player who
43:55Jim Campbell: openly wants to leave they should get a high price yeah they should get a high price he's a very very good player and actually in a way if you squint you can look at this as a good thing for Chelsea because the talk for a few months and this will kind of intensify now they're not going to have Europe at all obviously is that they're going to have to sell a marquee player this season to balance the books and he makes that quite simple doesn't he it's like obviously it's going to be him do you remember a few months ago when he said he'd love to live in Madrid as a city do you remember he was answering a question where someone said someone said to him like you know what cities can you see yourself living in in the future what in the what's your meal deal sort of line of questioning is that I feel like that's a leading question isn't it yeah yeah exactly because that's weird on reflection well I guess it's just a way of saying would you like to play for someone else which no footballer would ever answer but like what city would you like to live in clever Enzo yeah exactly he's angled for that move hasn't he I mean like do you think that it is good for Chelsea you would say because they will come under high price and by all accounts they need a decent lick of money to maintain this season and do you not think that Enzo's like not as good as he thinks he is no I think actually he's in a slower league I think he'll have a good time but he's not a quick player would you like he doesn't really the thing with him though is he's been really really reliable for them this season he's scored a good amount of goals as well from a player where you don't necessarily expect him to do that
45:28Pete Donaldson: very versatile I think he's a quality player at a time where you don't have that many we'll talk about systems and so on and so forth I do think he stands out a bit actually and I think if he did go to another side because let's be honest it's been a basket case this season at Chelsea I mean it's laughable to think that that Liam Rosina was managing Enzo Fernandes at some point this season, really. And I don't blame, well, you can't blame either party in that. You have to blame the Chelsea board. But I think Fernandes, if he goes to, you know, it's Real Madrid, obviously, which would be his preferred move, or even Man City, who may well be rumbling to that as well.
46:06Pete Donaldson: Yeah, exactly. I think he'll do really well. I mean... He doesn't defend. He doesn't work very hard. No, he can. Going backwards. I think that's symptomatic of what's been going on at Chelsea. I think that he's been a bit they've been outrun by everyone haven't they he's part of he takes blame for that as I say you can't blame everything on the board I thought you were going to say the ball then yeah the buck stops with them and obviously Fernandes he does what he does on the pitch no matter what's going on but I think he's a quality player the only thing would be and this is classic Real Madrid stuff is that midfield balance you know where do you kind of fit everybody in and someone else yeah exactly and it'll all be fine I think that he would want to play a more sort of forward you know advanced midfield position which he's kind of done well at when he's been asked to I don't know what Jude Bellingham will think of that and one or two others but again it's Real Madrid they'll just chuck everybody on the pitch and probably do okay so it'll be intriguing to see where he goes the fear is Chelsea won't replace him adequately you imagine the way that they've sort of I think he's difficult to replace but they've got to think you know they're Xabi Alonso's Chelsea now and Alonso So we expect...
47:17Pete Donaldson: Having higher standards. Well, indeed, but we'll expect to see him try and do what he did at Bayer Leverkusen a bit more because Chelsea at the moment, in terms of the profile of player and where they are, not that dissimilar to Bayer Leverkusen. Now, Leverkusen, of course, have got European football. Chelsea don't. Obviously, Chelsea are sort of a bigger side, more money side in that sense.
47:36Jim Campbell: And that's apparently part of the issue because the basic wages in Fernandes' contract, which I imagine would be quite common across the board, are lower if Chelsea aren't in Europe. so I suppose there could be a couple of other players looking at that and going maybe now is the time to get out of here but also I suppose as you say that could be offset by being curious about what Alonso is able to achieve
47:57Pete Donaldson: Alonso said that he wants some more experienced and mature players not just well there's potential here potential there inevitably they will sign a few but again like with every other club it will be interesting to see what they do in the summer but Alonso will say look come on you've got to give me a bit of experience because, you know, if you remember who was a key player in his side at Bayer Leverkusen, yes, they were full of running and all the rest of it. It was Granit Xhaka. A guy who you thought, oh, well, maybe is he in the twilight of his career? Well, we're thinking that now, but look how good he's been for Sunderland.
48:29Pete Donaldson: But still in that Alonso side. The sun's very much shining
48:31Jim Campbell: on Granit Xhaka.
48:31Pete Donaldson: Yeah, it really, really is. But speaking of Bayer Leverkusen, they are apparently in advanced talks with Andoni Iriola. Yeah, funny one, that. See you in the Europa League, Bournemouth. it is an interesting one I suppose it's a club they're a big club they are a huge club
48:49Jim Campbell: I mean they won the Bundesliga not that long ago of course I suppose Bayer Leverkusen are a club that you know give their managers a lot of freedom and Iriola is the type of manager where if you've got him through the door you just let him make the decisions and let him you know do what he will does seem it's a bit surprising to me that he's gone to Bayer Leverkusen because I would have thought it would be a Champions League club at the bare minimum for Iriola. He's been the specter at a lot of managerial vacancy feasts recently. It's a weird one to go for out of all of them. It suggests to me that Arna Slott's not going anywhere as well because he's seen the obvious candidate kind of knocking around.
49:28Pete Donaldson: But I mean, the funny thing is this morning, some are saying that Iriola is deciding between Crystal Palace and Bayer Leverkusen. What a world. Which does seem odd. I mean, he did have talks with Manchester United and only Iriola through the grapevine, you know, through sources. And I don't know if that was reported or not, but he did. And they obviously decided on Carrick. And I think, as Luke was saying the other day, I think Iriola basically was like, right, I feel my time at Bournemouth is done. I'm going to put myself in the shop window. I back myself to get a good job. Well, you've got to make sure the jobs are available, of course.
50:01Pete Donaldson: And oddly, you know, Bournemouth, I mean, had they have got Champions League, you know, it was a mad one. but look if he feels his time there is done and he wants a new challenge and all the rest of it that's obviously up to him it would be odd to go to say Crystal Palace I mean Bournemouth look at the way they finished in the league you know Palace are in the Europa League because of that conference league win and obviously you know Palace are now they winning trophies trophy magnet yeah exactly so maybe he's thinking I fancy a trophy I'll go to Palace Silver Palace maybe he maybe he is really bad at interviewing Could be.
50:37Like, turns up there, egg down his top. Just terrible. Where do you see him in five years? I don't know. Back to club. Back at Bournemouth. Yeah, back at Bournemouth, please. I'm going to fuck this up hard.
50:49Pete Donaldson: Yeah. I mean, he couldn't do a U-turn because obviously Marco Rosa is already in place. But anyway, if he goes to Palace or Leverkusen, you know, he could face Bournemouth in the Europa League, which is quite funny. but Leverkusen to me what you're saying about the way the club is run and how they give managers free reign and so on when you put it like that I go oh yeah I get that because Leverkusen again a side who would hope to qualify for Champions League every season really the Bundesliga if they've fallen short I get that fit and I think for Iriola I mean obviously as I say he was heavily linked with Manchester United actually for a coach like him maybe that you know you don't want to go peak too early you want to try and jump too high as we've seen with some coaches It's not a one-size-fits-all approach, of course.
51:35Pete Donaldson: Every manager is different. But to go up a notch, which it would be at Bayer Lovie Kuzn, they're a bigger club than Bournemouth. The company 11. It's the company 11, yeah. I could see that, but who knows? He could be the next Crystal Palace manager. Only time will tell. Gentlemen, let's turn our attention to FIFA. They have been made to answer questions after allegations, allegations of artificially inflating prices and misleading fans over the sale of tickets for the 2026 World Cup. It's heating up, Peter. The Attorneys General of New York and New Jersey have officially launched an investigation into FIFA's practices.
52:13Pete Donaldson: Tell you what, he could unearth a few things there. And they've been asked to explain why... Mum, Danny's just got rid of the debt. Why is he tackling FIFA corruption? It's too big. Ah, someone's got to. A 9-11 inquiry. Good God. Blimey. FIFA have been asked to explain why the ticket prices are higher than any previous
52:30Jim Campbell: World Cup tournament. Jennifer Davenport used the term impossibly high prices, and I like that phrasing, because there is simply no good faith interpretation of those prices in which they are reasonable. Finally, there's some adults going, you are taking the piss here. This is ridiculous. It's also a veneer of Americans going, it's fucking soccer. Who's not paying money for that?
52:58Pete Donaldson: Yeah, with the current administration and FIFA and all the rest of it, they think it's a match made in heaven and that there's no functioning adults left in America. Right, yeah. Whereas quite clearly there is. Yeah, there's still a lot of power kicking around. Exactly. And people who presumably do actually respect the law and people's lives and business. And so therefore, as you mentioned, Jennifer Davenport there, Jim, the New Jersey Attorney General, she called the process of getting tickets for the World Cup a gauntlet of confusion, which is quite a wonderful way of phrasing it.
53:26Jim Campbell: Absolutely amazing. She also said, being honest about ticket sales is not complicated. It's an honour to host the World Cup, but the event is not an invitation to exploit our residents and visitors. It's like, can we keep her? Can she just work at FIFA and go around going, what are you doing? No, what are you doing?
53:43Pete Donaldson: Yeah, it is baffling. It's so ridiculous. There was also fake scarcity was mentioned as well. It's great that this is being called out, isn't it? Well, indeed, but it is, you know, there was you know the England fan who looks a bit like Steve McLaren he was saying the other day he was bemoaning the fact that he sold his house didn't he in one of his houses one of his houses is in is in Thailand doesn't he yeah exactly I think he sold his house in England or something or maybe remortgaged it or whatever but you know he was chatting as a few and he was just saying like some proper diehard England fans who go everywhere have just gone nah I can't do this and there are some he'll be sponsored by a betting company as well surely like someone will lay out some money for that He's going, don't worry about that.
54:26Pete Donaldson: He's got his book out, lest we forget. Or soon enough. But, you know, people might immediately go, oh, well, so what, fewer England fans? It's not the point I'm making. The point is that people who go to these things all the time and pay very high prices all the time for this, they've looked at this and gone, I can't justify that, which is somewhat telling. I think for England and Croatia, I think Croatia and England, their allocation was 4 ,000 tickets each. What? That was England's ticket allocation. And you assume Croatia probably got the same.
55:01Jim Campbell: 4 ,000?
55:01Pete Donaldson: Yeah, for the official thing in a 69 ,000-seater stadium. So everyone else is sort of general admission and so on and so forth. So the setup is pretty piss poor. I mean, I wonder if we are going to see lots of empty seats, which is something you don't see and haven't seen for many, many World Cup tournaments. Yes, there's the odd game here and there where there might be a few. And I wonder if FIFA, at the last minute, just shit themselves.
55:29Jim Campbell: They'll heavily discount it, I'm sure, because the eyes of the world are on this World Cup as they are for every World Cup. And they're very, very concerned with optics, aren't they? FIFA, so I would imagine that those seats will be full one way or another. Well, for England go to play... Robbie Earlin.
55:47Pete Donaldson: Yeah, I was going to say, he's the man for the job. He is the man for the ticket to get rid of some tickets, surely. That would be amazing, wouldn't it? If they got Earlin And the next day, it's a sellout. England travel to the US next week, and they've got pre-tournament friendly. They're playing New Zealand, and they're playing in the Raymond James Stadium, which holds 69 ,000. Only 13 ,000 tickets have been sold. Now, okay, it's a pre-tournament friendly. So, again, you've got to ram that point home. It's not exactly the most attractive of games when you think about the travel involved and where you've got to be.
56:21It's less than COVID-era WrestleMania 37, which was also... Is that right? Less than that.
56:26Pete Donaldson: Well, there you go. But still, with all that said, you know, 13 ,000 in a 69 ,000, it's pretty poor. It's exciting though. They're going, America, they're getting ready! Come on!
56:38Jim Campbell: Memories of USA 94 as well. I'm trying to sort of tunnel vision myself a little bit to just think about the actual football.
56:47Pete Donaldson: And that's all this stuff in a nutshell. We've just been... Then you go, yeah, but it's happened. And we go, ah, so it is. It's the same with the Russian talent, the same as Qatar. You know, it happens and you're like, oh. Well, I mean, Qatar, I mean, Qatar was way worse. We're talking about ticket prices here, which is bad. Qatar, you're talking about literally people's lives and, you know, LGBT stuff and all the rest of it. You know, like it was a different level of disgrace, if you like, if that is even a word that gets anywhere near it. And as you say, as soon as the tournament starts people forget the football's on
57:22Jim Campbell: just wheel Diana Ross out again she's 82 you can probably probably just about do it Penenka it I was going to say she's learned to Penenka
57:30Pete Donaldson: they need to have bigger goals don't they they need to have like double the size imagine
57:34Jim Campbell: she does it again and this time she smashes it in the top corner yeah she's been practising
57:38Pete Donaldson: since 94 she's been on the she's now like Ivan Toni
57:44she's like yes redemption
57:49Pete Donaldson: I love it She does a stuttery run, sits the keeper down. Boom. Get Donna Rumer in. He's not playing. Might as well. Give Donna some of the eyes. Yeah. Give Donna some of the eyes. There we are. Nice. And she's doing it in a Ross County top. I don't know. Sorry. Had to end it somewhere there. There's your topper. A mention of Ross County. It's not the only thing that has been quite odd going on in America at the moment. Did you see that an eight-story tall mural reminding the public about the importance of marine conservation in Dallas has been painted over with a new mural advertising the World Cup.
58:26Jim Campbell: Yes, it seems like none of the processes for this sort of thing were actually followed. Someone just started painting over it. A bit of public art painted over for an advert that might not happen. There aren't even any games happening in Dallas. We truly are at the end of culture, aren't we? Yeah, I mean, if you are going to... Do go and see the play about the fellow with a flare up his arse. If you are going to see the matches at the stadium, WrestleMania 32 stadium, let me say, it's halfway between Dallas and Fort Worth, isn't it? So it's sort of near the airport sort of way. You will probably be staying in Dallas.
59:01So I think when they sort of make the point that no matches are taking place in Dallas, they kind of are.
59:06Jim Campbell: Whose side are you on, though? Japan versus the Netherlands. I see. I'm going to be in Deep Elm drinking Lone Star Lager, watching that from a sports bar. Nice. I'm going to be here doing shows.
59:17Pete Donaldson: I might bring a long star though if you are going to the Dallas stadium though remember it's not in Dallas it's not in Dallas no yeah why do they call it that Peter? well I tell you why FIFA said it because the AT &T haven't paid for the sponsorship so they're saying it's the Dallas stadium when it's actually the AT &T stadium that's amazing because you know what they're like they take branding off who haven't paid for it which just seems mad it seems mad to me you've either paid for it or you haven't the London stadium's in London It is. It is, yeah. Does it have a branding? I don't care. No, it doesn't.
59:52Is the London borough getting a bit of money out of that?
59:54Pete Donaldson: You're always thinking about the commerce, Peter. I am, yes. You definitely. I could see you working at FIFA House in the sort of twilight of your career. I'd be so wasteful with office supplies. Do you remember when Wembley got made, they used, it was such a shit show, they wasted£1 million on photocopying. That's what I would do. if I was at FIFA. Again. I'd waste two million pounds worth of photocopy. Donaldson's millions. Exactly. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You were behind the Millennium Dome, of course, all these years ago. Anyway, everybody, we've reached... He's photocopy disaster so many times.
1:00:28He's actually got burns on it.
1:00:30Pete Donaldson: We've reached the end of the show. Although we do have time for me to tell you that this afternoon, it is the My Biddy Aunt final. It is the finale. The finale. Of My Biddy Aunt. And it's Luke versus Vish. I will be back to host the game and Vish will be taking on Luke. It will be available to listen later today. So make sure to subscribe to the Football Ramblin' podcast app so that you do not miss it. The boys, they've been going through extensive training and they've been resting up as well. Pre-season camps. They're both fresh to this. It's an enormous battle. The belt and a can of My PhysiAunt is on the line.
1:01:09Pete Donaldson: So do tune in for the My Biddy Aunt final. Thank you. There we are. thank you very much for listening to the Football Ramble part of the Aircast Creator Network it's been an absolute pleasure enjoy the Might Be The Art final we're back on Monday Pete's got his sweets ready to neck can I eat my jelly babies now Tom of course you can jelly meerkats he's down them all the whole thing that was about six in one go I've got you a roof of my membrane okay that's kind of craggy it's Pete's Friday too regrettably he's got pitbull on the mind he's got pitbull on the brain he's got pitbull in his pants have a marvellous Friday don't forget the MyBD Art final we'll see you on Monday where we're going to chat about the Champions League final of course where Jim will almost certainly be celebrating another trophy Jim I'm going 2-1 Arsenal baby yes that's what I feel thank you good sir thank you thank you excellent sir 2-0 on pens 2-0 PSG to win on pens sorry and thank you Mikel Arteta in advance for a clean sweep of English club trophies in Europe this season
1:02:20The Football Ramble is a Stack Production and part of the Acast Creator Network.
What's that rumbling noise I can hear? Ah, yes. The unmistakeable sound of Jim Campbell trembling in his boots at the very thought of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia charging at the Arsenal defence. Oh, wait. No it isn't. That's just the sound of Pete's stomach screaming as he attempts to drink jellied meerkats from a glass.
They both join Marcus to preview Arsenal's date with destiny. Is a PSG win really as inevitable as we all think? Plus, Steve Clarke's reign as Scotland manager is extended, and FIFA cover up an mural in Dallas reminding the public about the importance of marine conversation. Excuse the pun - is it even possible for them to sink any deeper?
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