The Preview Show: It’s our Friday too

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3:15Pete Donaldson: Loving me is as easy as pie, everybody. Welcome to the Football Ramble Preview Show. Daniel Levy steps down and Ruben Loftus-Cheek steps up. It's Friday 5th of September. I'm Marcus Speller I'm Jim Campbell I'm Pete Donaldson and I'm the Lusia Hump the Raja

3:39Pete Donaldson: Oh it's Friday it's an international Friday boys how you feeling Visho? Fine

3:46Marcus Speller: I know you discussed it before there's absolutely no reason to stop we're having a lovely start to the season there's no reason for this Same time every year, but it's a surprise every time, isn't it?

3:57Pete Donaldson: Who was having a lovely start to the season, Vish? It's a good point, actually. Even there, I would rather take that.

4:04Marcus Speller: I would rather take that.

4:05Pete Donaldson: Really?

4:05Marcus Speller: I'd rather do Grimsby over and over again than this. You're up and running against Burnley. One international weekend, yeah. Okay.

4:12Pete Donaldson: All right, fine. Well, let's talk about Premier League things. Well, we'll get to them. Don't worry. This is a thing, Vish. You could have had, it's an international break. That means a break from all the crap. You could have had that, but no. We've had to talk about Daniel Levy. And don't worry, everybody, we've got a sprinkling of Manchester United in there as well. So, yes, Daniel Levy, it's announced yesterday he's going to be stepping down as the executive chairman of Tottenham Hotspur, or Tottenham, as I believe he likes to call them, after almost 25 years in charge of the club. And after he was told to step down.

4:42Pete Donaldson: Repeatedly by lots of people for many years, he's finally got the message. Do you think that's what it is? Do you think the messaging just didn't actually reach him? Maybe. They're saying what? It's the people above him, haven't they, that have told him, essentially, to step down. Well, he's still a minority shareholder, isn't he? So he's still involved, Spurs fans, don't worry. But yes, as you say, Jim, it was reported that the decision was taken out of Levy's hands. Now, Tottenham Hotspur are owned by a company called the Tavistock Group, which is owned by the Lewis family, and they have agreed for Levy to leave his position amid a belief that change will help the club's ambitions of greater and sustained sporting success.

5:21Pete Donaldson: Daniel Levy in a way delivered in the Europa League they're in the Champions League now Peter they've got the R's on the big prize well were they waiting for a success story to kind of end Levy's association with the club and was that the problem well was that well I mean he did spend he has spent a lot of money the last few seasons so they probably are a bit like well we're not getting much of a return out of this on the field Levy's a very sort of like 90s kind of person isn't he I suppose he's sort of got his fingers in all of the different parts of the stadium build, the resurrection of the Tottenham area sort of thing.

5:56He's big into the whole residential properties and all the money-making schemes around Spurs itself. So I think they just kind of want a more formal and more modern person at the top of the tree. To me, that sounds modern. I don't think that's noint. Yeah, but I think he's involved in everything from the NFL to Beyonce concerts to everything. To sitting on the bench on the other league. cup game and so like they want something a bit more money we want the football person to look after the football stuff we want the residential properties man to look after the residential properties man and he was up there fixing pipes in people's flats I promise they say he's a

6:32Pete Donaldson: workaholic so what you're saying is delegations what you need if you want to be a record breaker I mean I'm not going to ignore that incredibly you brought the 90s into this to be fair I think I've gone back to 70s I think possibly I'm not going to pretend the difference between an executive chairman and a chief executive. They've got rid of one post and they're returning obviously a CEO. But I mean, they are a high spending club and they've not really won anything. So I think the people upstairs and the people who are in the stadium watching the football probably got every right to ask for more.

7:10Pete Donaldson: Well, I think the thing with Livy though that is often kind of brushed over is how Spurs are really, really well run they're actually really self-sustaining and that stadium generates a lot of money they're over a billion in debt because of the stadium but they're still over a billion in debt but the value of the club I mean it was it was 80 million when he came in and now they're 2.8 billion or something and lest we forget the real achievement of Daniel Levy's reign of course is they were invited into that European Super League indeed indeed oh god what we could have had I mean you sort of look at I suppose they've always been quite kind of modern in the way they've approached their kind of like commercial stuff because they were the first sports club in the world to flaunt on the stock exchange.

7:51People kind of forget that. There was a lovely little piece, I can't remember the BBC, but they made the point that Irving Scholar, who had it before Sugar, he took over Spurs when they were in debt by£5 million. Doesn't that sound quick? It really does. You're being in debt by£5 million. Something happened in an afternoon. That's one noodle sponsor, isn't it? Exactly.

8:12Pete Donaldson: Just sell, I don't know, Teddy Sheringham or whoever they had at the time. sell anyone to Chelsea and just put a sell-on fee in it true although it was a very different Chelsea back then Jim now the Lewis family is said to believe that success on the pitch has not been consistent enough over the years and they're aware that some of the supporters discontent against Levy in recent years as well have been very aware of that haven't we all so I mean Vish it's very much when one talks about Daniel Levy you're always compelled to talk about the off the pitch stuff as has just been chatted about like the stadium, the training of cities, all that kind of thing.

8:46Pete Donaldson: And then the on-pitch stuff. And clearly he did one pretty well. I don't think people would argue about that enough. But the on-pitch success is where fans are really going to judge someone.

8:56Marcus Speller: Well, yeah. I mean, that's where he got the most ire. That was where, you know, because he wasn't willing to invest as much money on the on-field stuff. It's the reason they, it's the reason some Spurs fans think that they parted ways in quote-unquote too early with Pochettino because he got to a stage where they weren't willing to rebuild and build on Poitino's success and they end up essentially losing a manager that they coveted, albeit with the last 12 months of that tenure, the results were trending one way, but they're trending one way because of a lack of investment. There's also the side to it of Tottenham constantly missing out on marquee signings that fans felt would have pushed them, I suppose, further up quicker, as it were, because you talk about them now and they're a Champions League club, they've just won the Europa League and in many ways it's probably the perfect time to go for him considering where they are back in.

9:51Marcus Speller: The fact that the squad is refreshed and they've managed to come out of a period where they were over-reliant on Harry Kane and Sung Hyung-min. They've got a young squad they have recruited surprisingly well this window despite the fact that they've missed out on two high profile middle of the park targets that would have enhanced them immeasurably, especially set against the James Madison an injury and they've got thomas frank a manager who is a project manager as well so i totally understand all the all the gripes against daniel levy and i totally understand why for the purposes of our job talking about football it's quite hard to look at him and be like well this has been a success yeah and then you go to this stadium and maybe in a year's time you see them play and you'll realize that considering when he took them over they were on the verge of essentially becoming like a staple of the bottom half of the league yeah because that's where they were in 2000 well in 2000 and now they have a stadium that is the envy of everyone that is a blueprint of new stadiums that are going to pop up around the world and they have a really exciting young squad that are about to play in the Champions League

11:00Pete Donaldson: I think that yeah and I agree I think Jim Vish mentioned in Pochettino that was the time wasn't it that was the time when they reached the Champions League final and for Spurs fans and for a lot of us you're thinking right okay they're now a Champions League club they're going to be in it every year they were challenging for the Premier League under Pochettino playing scintillating football it's right now then can we kick on and can we stay in this bracket and Pochettino it doesn't quite happen and Vishen just talked about that there goes away and then suddenly they're in this sort of purgatory of oh hi that matter it doesn't quite work and I understand they were back in the Champions League there was a few bits and pieces there but it felt like that was the moment that was the time really a lot of it had been building up to that and they didn't capitalise yeah I think you're right to mention you know the managers that came after that as well because that's been the frustration I think isn't it that they like you said they got to a Champions League final they're qualifying for it regularly and you think you just need a bit more to push on just a little bit more Levy always seemed reluctant to take those steps and I think what he was trying or his kind of attempt at taking that step was often get the big name manager in wasn't it it was like look we're a high status club now who can get a Mourinho, who can get a Conte.

12:13Pete Donaldson: And for whatever reason, that didn't quite work out. Well, the best years, certainly with Mourinho, were behind him. Absolutely, yeah, as well. And Conte was always a bit of a strange fit, especially following Mourinho. So I think maybe it's not entirely fair to say that, you know, he was reluctant to try to push them on, but I think he went about it in the wrong way. He was looking at those managers rather than essentially just freeing up the money for the squad. And I think Vish is right to talk about the window they've had. It's right up there with the best windows in the league, I think just all of the players that come in and improve their first team and for the first time in like the last 10 years he seems to have spent a lot of money properly rather than spending it at the wrong time with the wrong managers in the wrong window you sort of look at how close I mean how Liverpool won that Champions League final how the penalty was awarded it's real sliding doors isn't it like if they'd have won that fixture it may have been a very very different legacy for Daniel but had you know Rasmus Hoyland's header gone in in the Europa League final and all the rest of it you're right to say that but I think I always thought that handball was so egregious such a shitty way to lose a final I think speaking of that Europa League final obviously Posta Coglu wins that final and gets them back into the Champions League through the back door that's what the Europa League offers for a club to finish where they did in the table we've talked about that it seemed very unlikely but they're back in the Champions League and they're making the most of that with the signings, as you say.

13:36Pete Donaldson: It was right to move Posta Coglu on. And I think from what the board is doing, it's now right to move Levy on. Because you've mentioned the state, you mentioned all that sort of stuff off the field. Okay, that's in the bag. That's safe. And now the new manager's in. You've got the team. It's like, right, now do we kick on? We've got a second chance, really, because of that Europa League win. And it's, yeah, Levy, sorry, mate. But it's got to be with someone else at the helm now. I mean, I guess we'll move on pretty soon. But I think before we go, it's worth remembering that this isn't really a football story.

14:08They may have the right makeup, three or four matches in the season. We think that Thomas Frank's going to do a good job and they've signed pretty well in the close season. But fundamentally, this isn't really a footballing story. It's a chance for them to bring more finances in. Amanda Stavely is apparently circling around. Here we go. Would you recommend it as a Newcastle United fan, Peter? Could you recommend it? Well, you can't argue that she hasn't been transformative of for Nia Cassian I suppose before she got booted out but yeah I think it's not really a footballing story they just they want more money invested but they just want a better return on the money that they're going to get presumably it's a very compulsive situation more trophies

14:46Pete Donaldson: mate trophies well it doesn't really matter how do we get money trophies I don't think it is how you get money I mean it literally is

14:55Marcus Speller: I don't know I don't think that's the case literally look at what Daniel Levy has done with Tottenham

15:00Pete Donaldson: well yeah but

15:00Marcus Speller: for winning the Premier League it's a way yeah but it's not the only way investment from

15:05Pete Donaldson: outside is more reliable because Deloitte list at

15:09Marcus Speller: the start of 2025 had Spurs as the ninth richest club in the world above Chelsea yeah yeah I mean like so and in that time they hadn't even won the Europa League they weren't in the Champions League yes and I think that's the important thing to say about what Levy's done yeah

15:25Pete Donaldson: because this is this is about sugar daddy investors right yeah well to a point To a point, yeah.

15:31Marcus Speller: But, you know, you were saying about, this is the last chance to get in, to break into the Champions League. Well, another chance. Yeah, another chance. But there would have been another chance because of the bed that, well, essentially because of the nest that Levy was able to feather. Because while they have spent, you know, a decent amount of money in this window because of the Champions League, I think they would have also spent, you know, a similar amount without the Champions League, even if they're still in the Europa, because of how well they've done everything else around the football side of things.

16:01Pete Donaldson: But had they lost that final, they wouldn't have had any European football. So again, to capitalise and to be able to attract certain players, then that's what they did. But look, he's stepping down. I don't think any or many Spurs fans will be... He'll be at Man United soon enough. Trying to clean that up. Clean that mock up. He's demonstrably a very successful businessman. So, you know, why wouldn't a club be looking at him? It's not a terrible shout, you know, in terms of what they would want. is Sir Jim Ratcliffe not a successful businessman well Ratcliffe has got a lot of Ineos responsibilities his funny little cars he's got a knighthood he's got a knighthood what have you got yeah well in other Premier League news this Man United Reuben Amarim is reportedly considering taking his Manchester United players on a series of in-season bonding trips ooh that's nice isn't it well yeah I mean so the thinking behind this is apparently that they don't have any basically any games on a Wednesday or in midweek until December.

16:59Pete Donaldson: So it's like just racking up a load of Ryanair flights. A good idea in that time. You're just going to knacker your players out with all these little mini breaks in the midweek. I mean, with all the money that was spent, you know, get some of the staff back. Yeah, so they're mid-season breaks because as you say, Jim, they're out of Europe. They're, I believe now, out of the Carabao Cup. And they're currently scheduled to only have one midweek game before Christmas. Do your games over Zoom, guys. That's what I did. Yeah.

17:25Marcus Speller: This Premier League campaign could have been an email. Exactly. Not a very good one.

17:31Pete Donaldson: Yeah, well, Amram said it makes sense to make the most of the extra preparation time by building the relationships inside his squad. He feels trips to the Algarve or even the Middle East would allow the players to spend more time in each other's company and strengthen their bonds as a part of a unit. They did that in Malaysia and it went terribly. That's a longer flight. It is a longer flight. It's still quite a long flight to the Middle East, though, isn't it? Which is why Al Garve, and he speaks the language as well. They're away there. Yeah, he knows the country. I would be a dos-a-vesa. Yeah, well, whatever it is in Portuguese.

18:05Pete Donaldson: Yeah, any language will do. Any language will do. Whatever it is in Portuguese. Yeah, well, yeah, Jamie Carragher said that Ruben Abram might have lost his job already if he wasn't so good-looking. What do you think of that, Peter? I don't think he's up there with the most antsy men of the Premier League, you know, your Parkers of this world. I often thought this about you at Absolute Radio. Well, okay. Well, absolute uggo. In the uggo section. No, as in if you weren't so handsome and sexy. I'd be on drive time. They would have, no, they would have binged you off. Right, okay. Due to your rampant unprofessionalism.

18:32Pete Donaldson: And stealing. And terrible personality.

18:35Marcus Speller: And smell. Stealing. They used to say that about Rob Edwards when Luton Town were in the Premier League a couple of seasons ago, that whenever they'd lose, they would just put him up. And he was so dreamy that you'd be like, oh, lay off him. It's not that bad. Lay off him. But sometimes if you, I mean, they'll still be up on social media, but if you go back and look through the Instagram or the Twitter comment, X comment, sorry, on Twitter, of Edward's post-match, the quote tweets are full of, essentially, women and men without an interest in football going, who is that? I had no idea of your form.

19:11It does work, yeah.

19:12Pete Donaldson: It's worth pointing out, Pete, you called this, didn't you? Man United's little mini breaks. They were doing little mini breaks around. Did I? I throw out a lot of stuff it's just nice to get one winner isn't it? I was about to say something that sticks literally two weeks ago

19:24Marcus Speller: you need not remember it oh I did last night

19:27Pete Donaldson: yeah again Ramford on professionalism I'm not writing this down I'm not going to purge it myself yeah but turn up sober yeah so I don't know Vish I mean you know you didn't want an international break but what about a mid-season break?

19:42Marcus Speller: I think it's fine I think it's a very good idea actually could do with a bit more training that would be a nice use of spare time.

19:51Pete Donaldson: Well presumably they're not just going to go over there and drink are they? No. It might help. A sudden change of heart from Vige.

20:00Marcus Speller: They're definitely not going to one of those options and going there for drink. That's true.

20:03Pete Donaldson: I mean surely this is pre-Ratcliffe right? This will get filtered down and filtered down and filtered down. They're going to last in the rest. Get it in the end. My Ned Man United. There's no way. Man United Man United Trip. They're not leaving this island. You can have Isle of Wight. Yep. What, in December? I know I'm in December. Do you remember when they... Black gun chimes. All right, you can leave the country. Isle of Man. Ah! Yeah.

20:27Marcus Speller: Do you remember last season when Manchester United asked Manchester City if they could borrow... What, if they could basically tag on to their private jet for the Ballon d 'Or Awards? So good. And Man City's response was, sorry, we're full.

20:41Pete Donaldson: So good.

20:42Marcus Speller: Do you think Manchester United would be like, oh, can we come on one of your Euro trips? Yeah. You're playing midweek. We'll get off. You won't even notice us. We'll be at the back. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Totally.

20:50Pete Donaldson: Oh, blimey. Yeah, so if you do get on like a Ryanair or an easy jet flight around these mid-season breaks, then do check out the back of the plane. You might find the Man United squad there. Well, they might want to avoid Tanzania for their in-season bonding trips. They will. They definitely will. I thought they would, Peter. But just in case there was any... Just in case. Just in case. Sir Jim saw a really good deal. Yeah. I want to make sure he doesn't go for it. He's got a ball tall in Tanzania. Well, this is because at Nigerian side, FC Abuja and Zanzibar side JKUSC were recently I don't know why we bothered naming the side well I need to know who it was sure the the bothered the bee bothered to respect well they were recently playing a pre-season friendly there however the game was forced to pause in the 77th minute when a swarm of bees flew over the pitch and we knew this because all the players and everybody near the sort of was there a running track or certainly near the pitch they were all just lying flat on their faces on the ground it looks like I don't know Is that how you deter bees?

21:46Well, it just feels like, it looks like everyone was planking, doesn't it? Yeah, it did.

21:49Pete Donaldson: Quite a throwback, actually. I mean, are these particularly violent or poisonous bees? Because they all looked like kind of frightened. Bees here can sting you and it hurts. Sure, but in more exotic places, goodness knows.

22:02Marcus Speller: That happened earlier this summer in the cricket. There was a swarm of something. They sort of migrate, don't they? Yeah, and it happened in an international game and all the England and the Indian players lay on the floor. so they did is that where they got it from? I guess cricket pitches are more kind of open like cricket stadiums are more open yeah yeah yeah mind you that was probably that was probably quite open as well turns out they were in the cricket example turns out they were ladybirds they were ladybirds rather than these oh that's adorable they start hitting them for six yeah because they're red as well you get confused with the ball indeed yeah

22:34Pete Donaldson: just swing your back boys you get a few extra runs I just think the ball's far away because it's little yeah well anyway so mind where you go if you go to Tanzania, but a beautiful country, as I understand. Right, coming up after this, the three lions are back.

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25:11Pete Donaldson: This is a championship venue, so no VAR tonight. Woo-hoo! Welcome back to the Football Ramble, everybody. Yes, England v Andorra. Saturday, 5pm at Villa Park. Nice. Like it. Because of Coldplay. They're not playing at Wembley. Well, that's right, yeah. Due to Coldplay's current run of concerts at Wembley, England will be playing at Villa Park. part. You say that like Coldplay qualified for another round of something. Sounds like it. They've got a game at Wembley. Maybe this Coldplay concert will cost this CEO his job. Perhaps, Peter. They get battered by Andorra. Yeah, if the stadium is 75 % full or above, Coldplay will play an extra nine.

25:51Are we starting World Cup qualifiers really late this year? I feel like we should have got through about a year's worth of qualifiers. I know some groups have started, but...

26:01Pete Donaldson: Yeah, well, England, what, were we three games deep? and some other teams whereas those with only four teams in the group that extra or one fewer team of course seems to mean that they start quite a bit later because there are teams who are playing their first game of the group tonight like Northern Ireland played their first game of qualifying It's quite fun when it's that condensed actually isn't it? Quite entertaining It is fun isn't it Jim? International football You sped us through that first section there and I know why it's because you wanted to get to international football I saw what you did it's my Friday too it is your Friday too but you got a little bit of joy in your voice there at the idea of England at Villa Park and I agree with that little spark of joy because I really like it when England go on the road Coldplay we have to thank for that which is obviously a confusing feeling as well whose first game in charge of England was at Villa Park do you remember the manager was obviously Keegan?

26:57Pete Donaldson: no Sven Sven you're on Ericsson yeah there we go there we are it's been a while again it's your Friday yes of course England beat Andorra 1-0 away in their last World Cup qualifier so it bodes well for an England victory it's a platform to build on isn't it it's always pleasing to keep a clean sheet although I will never forget to my dying day that moment in like the 89th minute whatever it was when Andorra broke forward and I'm thinking why are we hanging on they are a ski resort the way that Tommy Tuchel is setting up his England side and his call-ups and stuff, it's like he's been bothered by a swarm of bees and he's just trying to get it out.

27:39He's like, oh, fuck, oh, God, get it out. I'm being attacked by bees. It's almost like because of the pastime nature of the job,

27:46Pete Donaldson: he just keeps forgetting he manages England and then suddenly he's got to pick a squad. He's like, oh, what? Ruben in the middle. All right, let's have a look at previous squads and tournaments. Yeah, okay. And he's gone back to 2018. And so the population of Andorra is about 81 ,000. Yeah. I mean, they shouldn't have any trouble at home. Yeah. I'll come to you with this, Vish. Do you ever wonder, if you were born in one of these countries, do you think, could I have ever warmed the bench for San Marino or Liechtenstein or Andorra? For someone who respects football, Marcus, it's a very regressive and childish way of approaching international football.

28:21You've got to be pretty bloody good to be in international football.

28:24Marcus Speller: You're only saying that because your answer's no, because my answer's yes. Yeah, there you go.

28:28Pete Donaldson: Surely the carrot is really, really motivating. from a young age if you've got a chance of representing your country.

28:34Marcus Speller: Well, the character's closer, isn't it? Yeah. I'd be a little bit annoyed because they're all very, like, you know, that Andorra game. It's not your game, is it? No, they only have 17%. I'm not playing that much without the ball. No. I'd do something else. You pass it up. Yeah. I'd do something else. Yeah, sorry.

28:48Pete Donaldson: He's banging goals in. It's just not a first time of play. Well, yeah, waste of time. So I'm going to turn down a call-up. Exactly.

28:53Marcus Speller: I'm going to go over to Spain and try my own.

28:58Pete Donaldson: Yeah, indeed.

28:59Marcus Speller: Well, one of these regions about 100 of you. I'll do that. Yeah.

29:03Pete Donaldson: We'll get a team together. Well, England are currently three wins from three in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup. Great start for Thomas Tuchel on paper. Beat Albania 2-0. Latvia 3-0, of course. Both wins at home. That win away. Yet to concede a goal on paper, Jim. It's looking very rosy for England. Yeah, it is. I mean, it's been thrilling so far, isn't it? That 1-0 win, I'd sort of forgotten about it and I'm angry about it all over again. But it was nice for Noddy Medewick. He was the man of the match. He had a good game, I suppose. Harry Kane got another goal. He did. He was almost apologetic as he put that one in, wasn't he?

29:37Pete Donaldson: Understandably. I mean, Wayne Rooney was asked recently about this and he just said, don't judge Tuchel on what's already happened. That's always the wise thing with qualifying campaigns. They almost never bear any reflection on the tournament.

29:48Marcus Speller: What about judging him on all the other stuff?

29:51Pete Donaldson: In a bit, in a bit. I mean, he said, he talked about these nonsense games where the team just set up behind the blah, blah, blah. And I was a bit like, okay, fine, I get that. You simply have to win those. What happened against Senegal, though? That was a chance, and they battered us 3-1. Like you said, they had a plan. Apparently it's important to have a plan. It is. Have a plan. Does it worry you, then, when Ruben Loftus-Cheek said he'd completely forgotten about playing for England?

30:19Pete Donaldson: Refreshing honesty.

30:20Marcus Speller: Yeah, I think that also reflects what Ruben Loftus-Cheek is to Thomas Tuchel. you know we talked about like obviously managers have their favourite players and stuff like that and Loftus-Cheek on Thursday talked about how when Thomas Tuchel first came to Chelsea he came up to him and talked about how much he admired him, how much Thomas Tuchel admired Ruben Loftus-Cheek and his skill set and he was like right you're going to play right wing back for me and Loftus-Cheek went no I'm not and then he did it anyway and so obviously Tuchel looks at him and thinks right you're you're obviously a very good midfielder but i see your talents across the board you can do many different things on a football field and when he comes to picking a national squad where you're limited by who you can pick obviously he it's almost like as we joked about before he remembered loftier's cheek and was like oh yeah he could do that in the way that say other managers have looked to be at henderson or even that brief window where jake livermore was like actually we need a defensive screen and maybe you can actually do that compared to everyone else um so it's quite cool in that regard and it's also reflective of loftus cheek we have built up as a golden boy for so long you know i listened to the show earlier this week where you're all shocked at him being 29 as was i yeah when i heard that on the show for the first time um but when you grow up being a ruben loftus cheek you always think of yourself as a centerpiece of any potential midfield even for your national team and when that stops becoming the case in your own head the whole thing goes and it's probably the first time he's ever had to think of himself as a utility player or a squad player

31:59Pete Donaldson: I quite like that he said I just completely forgot about it and was being a fan of the team instead yeah I thought that's fine with me I don't mind these kind of it's good that we're represented in the team yeah I guess so yeah we're part of the Ruben Loftus-Cheek team aren't we we are I don't mind Tuchel having like a Ruben a Ruben delicious sandwich yes and And I don't mind that. But you're allowed one, I think, in the squad. You've worked with them before. You feel like... He perhaps doesn't have the reputation that the manager thinks he should have. But I think when you get to players that you've never managed yourself, like Henderson, you're like, come on.

32:36Let's stop being a bit silly.

32:37Pete Donaldson: I do get that. And I like the fact that you've had your one. You've had your one. You've allowed your one. You've had a bench you well as well. Most great World Cup squads have had that kind of player, haven't they? The Conocodies. Yeah. that's more the Dan Bird lot of this cheek is really in there because other players have had to pull out right I don't think it's outrageous that he's in the squad I really started to think about that or to think about this because he can play sort of different positions and that midfield is the conundrum for England it usually is we know what Kane brings we know what Saka brings we know what Palmer brings the left side of the attack whether it's Eze or maybe even Grealish in time or Gordon or whatever.

33:21Pete Donaldson: We kind of, we know, yes. You've got options. You've seen them before. The defence, again, probably Gay and Stones at the back. Blah, blah, blah, blah. Pickford in goal, of course. So you kind of get what it's about. Clearly, managers bring different ideas and want their teams to play in different styles, absolutely. But it is that midfield and it is Rice and Bellingham and who else is going to be in there. When you're talking about starters, I know you've got starters and finishes now and all this kind of modern parlance, But I don't think, having reflected on this, it is ridiculous and outrageous that Loftus Cheek's in there.

33:52Pete Donaldson: No, I don't think he'll start anyway. Personally, I'd like to see Elliot Anderson in that role. What did you think of his comments about, because he obviously trained with the Scotland team. And then, again, I thought this was quite refreshing honesty because we all kind of know this, that there are some players who may be, and in this example, England, but there'll be other nations as well. think about the players that France produced, for crying out loud, who will be from that country. And whatever they feel nationality was, whether it's dual nationality, whatever, that's obviously up to them.

34:26Pete Donaldson: But Elliot Anderson said, you know, I feel very English. But said, when I hadn't been picked at age level for England, I thought, you know, he trained for Scotland and said, but when I felt like in myself, I think I am good enough to play for England. You know, it's delightful. Again, it's one of those things where you know what he means and everybody knows that. I don't think anybody's going to shock by that. I mean, Vish, you're kind of smirking away over there. What did you think of those comments?

34:53Marcus Speller: I think it was in keeping with anyone who's trod that path before. Right. Whether it was Grealish, Rice, or, you know, players during the 2010s, 2000s, 90s. I'm talking about since we've grown up where it was like, no, I think I'm better than this. that's fundamentally it is that what Michael Elisa did with France

35:18Pete Donaldson: Michael Elisa could have played for England Jermaine Musiala as well yeah exactly I don't think it's it doesn't have to be a feeling English identity thing it could just be a quality thing but I mean he did say he was in ice baths in bins at Newcastle you know what I mean that's what you did to him

35:35Marcus Speller: you say he was acclimatising to playing in Scotland exactly yeah sitting in a bin full of ice but it happens and I think the interesting thing about it was he clearly kept his powder dry by just training with them. Because quite a few other players have done it recently. Even someone like George Hurst for the call-up was kind of waiting a little bit to see what his age group situation would be like. So, yeah, I mean, it happens all the time and I thought he addressed it well enough. But I mean, you are just going to make... Could have got deep at a boot in him, couldn't he? I know, yeah. I kind of wanted that, yeah.

36:14Marcus Speller: Have a go at their food as well. Actually, don't. It's gorgeous. It's battered stuff. Brilliant. Who doesn't love a neep? Yeah.

36:25Marcus Speller: Or a tatty. But the thing England, I think, should get from this international week is if you're going to play Elliot Anderson, where are you going to play him? And let him have that space in those games so you can work things out. This has to be about working out that third midfield spot, as you said. and he looks primed for it if they give him the chance to prove that he can do it.

36:49Pete Donaldson: And he has a chance because I think Adam Morton's the player that a lot of people would like to see in that. He's injured. You've got a real chance and this is sometimes how international careers can be made or started or kick-started. So we shall see. I mean, because we're joking about Andorra. England obviously should win that game but away to Serbia, yes, England are favourites but it's a sterner test. I mean, you've seen certainly one result in Slovakia last night so it's not a given and it's only top spot and people go oh come on well hang on you've got to make sure you put those games to bed I'd like to see him play both matches because I think Elliot Anderson is fantastic he works so hard he can seem a little bit aimless a little bit headless chickeny the way he marches around the pitch he works so bloody hard so against Andorra he will look like a complete footballer it's against Serbia where you really attest to him

37:39Marcus Speller: and he's got a proof to Tuchel that he can I think he can do it but he's got to prove to Thomas Tuchel who's the most important person in all this that he can do a specific role because sometimes I think about it with Morgan Gibbs-White actually his club teammate if you are the kind of player who looks like he can do everything people don't trust you to do a specific thing because they think you'll be absent minded about that specific role so I suppose that's that's what Elliot Anderson has to do over the next week

38:05Pete Donaldson: yeah and just to clarify by the way when I was talking about Anderson you know you've got Rice and Bellingham as sort of starters I'm talking generally because obviously Bellingham's injured he's not in the squad so again but there's another place there for maybe a loft of cheek who knows now Jed Spence will become England's first Muslim player if he makes his debut this week I know Spurs fans have been certainly some of them have been crying out for him to get a call up for England so he's in there he hopes to inspire any child of any faith so an interesting one for Jed Spence I thought that'd happen

38:35Marcus Speller: before we yeah I'm so surprised by that I imagine there'd be a lot of people who would raise Muslim who aren't practicing Muslims. Yeah, that's what I thought.

38:43Pete Donaldson: It's a kind of further example of how the England national team is a great sort of example of multiculturalism in this country. And often we see that with players from different kind of ethnic backgrounds, but it's a further example of it of people of different faiths. And it's a shining example of essentially one of the great things about this country at its best, which is that multiculturalism.

39:06Marcus Speller: Yeah, and football, full stop, actually. and I don't mean that kind of not necessarily what happens around it or what also happens around it in the stands and stuff like that but when it's such a merit, when it is the most meritocratic sport we have, you end up with just so many different people who just yeah, all thrown in together even at the highest level.

39:27Pete Donaldson: And again, looking at the squad I mean, Marzell Skelly's obviously been picked under Tuchel to play left back as well, but you know Liv Remento, obviously he's played right or left there's a chance for Spence to get some minutes again And that Andorra game, all joking aside, is a chance. He's played as a left-back, isn't he? Despite being a more natural right-back. Yeah, yeah, yeah. He might well establish himself there. Good at going forward as well. So, yeah, could well get a start there. Right, coming up after this, Wales get a big win away in Central Asia.

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41:44Pete Donaldson: I say a big win. It was an important win. It was a 1-0 win. Away to Kazakhstan. Approximately 1 ,100 Wales fans travelled to the game. Fair play to them. Less about the football, I find, with Wales fans than just about the crack. Just about... Just supporting Wales as a thing. Yeah, some Wales fans, they were chatting to the BBC. They spoke about just lots of horses, people riding them, people eating them. Right. And they said they were having a bit of horse meat when they were there. Not the same horses. Who knows, Jim? Like a little biopsy. Quick turnaround. Just carve off a bit while you eat one.

42:19Pete Donaldson: I mean, we've all had probably, remember the horse meat scandal here? Yeah, I've had horse sashimi in Japan. Have you? Very pleasant.

42:25Marcus Speller: Yeah, horse is quite common in Europe. In Italy as well.

42:29Pete Donaldson: Yeah, but you know you're having it. Yeah, but I think That was the scandal The horse meets disco in Vauxhall Used to go there quite a lot Back in the day Should I ask? It's just a gear night Oh, there you go There wasn't a buffet full of horse There wasn't a buffet full of horse That would be confusing Okay Different kind of buffet I suppose in a way there kind of was But there was at least one buff man there Looking at pizza Exactly, yeah I reckon there's probably more than one buff man Hence I said at least But I haven't been there

42:58Marcus Speller: So I don't want to say that

43:01Pete Donaldson: we can ask Peter later.

43:02Marcus Speller: Can I ask Sartorily, when you go to those nights, do you... Topsoff. Yeah, okay, fine. That's exactly what I was going to ask. Topsoff, sniffer-bobbers all night.

43:09Pete Donaldson: Speaking of handsome buff men, Kiefer Moore scored the only goal for Wales. It was his 50th cap for Wales. He scored five in his last six Wales games. Lovely striker's instinct, Jim, is all I can really kind of squeeze out of that goal. Yeah, and that game, really. Let's talk about Fever at Moors. It was an exercise in just getting it done, wasn't it? Because I think they only had one proper training session together because of the travel involved. So it's very, very difficult for Bellamy to really implement the absolute sort of grand master plan of what he wants his Wales team to be in this fixture.

43:45Pete Donaldson: Just got to get over there, get it done, give your incredible supporters something to have a good time about. They're going to have a good time anyway. But yeah, I mean, and Kiefer Morris just stepped up and just pressed the big lad button there, isn't he, basically? When that goal went in, I thought, oh, thank goodness they got a goal. you travel that far and it was a nil-nil it's absolutely sick yeah so an important win for Wales of course as they are in their group obviously top spot is the only one guaranteed to go through and they've got Belgium in there haven't they because of course they do well obviously Jim and that was what was a bit of a signal for them when they lost that game in Belgium 4-3 but Wales it's still in their hands there's still a chance I mean this game they've still got to play Belgium at home that's the big one of course but even if they were to win that And then beat North Macedonia at home, which again is not a given.

44:33Pete Donaldson: They're a tricky side. And then I think they play Liechtenstein. If all being well, you would think the goal difference may be important. And Belgium currently a couple of goals above them on that. So it's very interesting. It's all to play for. They've given themselves a good chance. So six wins from 11 under Craig Bellamy, who's... We're enjoying Bellamy at Wales, Jim. Definitely. He seems like a completely different person from who he was as a player. but he's genuinely quite inspiring isn't he you see that kind of filtering through to his team did you like that quote that he said to 19 year old Dylan Lawler who made his first senior start for Wales and on playing for your country so young Craig Bellamy said when someone says you can't it's because they're so afraid that you will was he holding a golf club when he said that?

45:16it was quite pretty I mean come on but we go back to the golf club stuff like maybe he was just someone who didn't like the pomposity of a lot of football maybe he was I mean that's definitely true but there were ways to go about showing your disgust. Maybe he was just somebody who was just, you know, far more intelligent than the average footballer, he says. I mean, he did wave around a golf club, so it's not particularly clever, but maybe he was. I'm just massively reappraising my thoughts about Craig Bellamy. Well, wouldn't he always

45:40Pete Donaldson: deny the golf club thing? Yeah. He did the celebration, which was quite funny. Yeah, absolutely. Fair play to him for that. Not really much of a denial, I guess. No. No, indeed. Well, yeah, after five games, Wales sit top of their qualifying group. So, so far, so good. Up yours, Belgium. Yeah. What about this, though, Jim? Northern Ireland started campaign, beating Luxembourg 3-1 away. And with that result, they topped their group on goal difference because Slovakia could only beat Germany too. There's only four teams in that group. Come on, Germany. Come on, Germany. Mess this up. Yeah. I mean, it was a kind of Newcastle United alumni.

46:21Pete Donaldson: You've got Volta Marda up front for Germany and Dubravka keeping the clean sheet in goal. That's right, yeah. he seems completely unbothered by a massive striker coming down he made some good saves he's a very good shot stopper he's a good keeper how they miss him or do they I don't know I'll let you be the judge but yeah I mean it's one of those ones when you're in a group like that with Northern Ireland with you've got Slovakia Germany and Luxembourg Luxembourg it's one of those games you get it done get the win and you would think that it would be Northern Ireland Slovakia looking to shoot it out for second place but with Germany losing it's kind of like is that good for Northern Ireland if you see what I mean because sometimes you get the teams who are trying to finish second think you just want one team to blow everybody away right that's them and then a kind of straight shootout I don't know in a four team group though that's but it puts pressure on Northern Ireland because again you would think they'll be going up against Slovakia for second and Slovakia have just got a really really good win so I don't know but the fact is if we froze it all now Northern Ireland would be going to the States next summer well Canada or Mexico they're involved do that then I can't because I'm not I'm not fan of so whatever somebody could do and tonight Denmark versus Scotland Scotland start their World Cup qualifying away in Denmark Steve Clarke's reign as Scotland manager is expected to come to an end at the end of this World Cup cycle note that Scottish producer Rory has quite humbly said World Cup cycle and didn't say the World Cup finals themselves is he confident is he confident he's shaking his head no yeah I mean Clarke's not actually far off becoming the longest serving manager in terms of games played, which is really something.

47:59Without any strikers.

48:01Pete Donaldson: He's been there a lot longer than, I don't have a bit of respect for Che Adams. Without any goal scorers.

48:06Marcus Speller: I always think when Che Adams... Without any lads who can get that ball in the onion bag. When Che Adams, you know, I suppose, I don't really know how to describe it, but when he made himself eligible for Scotland or available to Scotland, it was because there was a we talked about it before it's because there was a space there specifically in a position that he filled and that they needed as well and I like the idea of the first training session they were like right so what kind of strike do you use I mainly just like drop off the top for fuck's sake mainly like go into the channels like give it oh fuck off

48:43Pete Donaldson: it's not where the goal is I mean if that was their response you would be right to say you should have done an ounce of research I take the point surely with the squad he's got and the players he's got available, the sensible thing for his striker is to make him a foil for Scott McAdona. Now you're talking.

48:58Marcus Speller: Well, this is the interesting thing, isn't it?

49:00Pete Donaldson: Ballon d 'Or nominated Scott McDonough.

49:02Marcus Speller: Yeah, because like, should realistically, and I appreciate they've done it in parts, and he has played a different role for Scotland, even compared to the one he played for Manchester United when he was playing for Scotland in that first bit. But I suppose he should, shouldn't he? but Clark should sit down and be like, right, we need to reimagine this. For that reason, you know, you have... Go down swinging. Well, no, but you have like, right, you basically have a free roll. We're going to put blinders on you, Scott McDonnelly. You basically operate in a straight channel from midfield to our furthest player forward.

49:39Marcus Speller: You've got John McGinn's arse behind you. Don't worry about behind you.

49:42Pete Donaldson: No, but you're right, though. I mean, you know...

49:47Marcus Speller: People rightly would rock up to Scotland games in that setting be like how do we deal with this yeah

49:52Pete Donaldson: I don't want to sort of you know go overboard with this but you know Scaloni with Argentina at the World Cup it's like let's just the whole team around Messi Scotland need a Rodrigo de Paul yeah that's what they need that's what I'm saying Jim alright give it Scott give it Scott give it Scott don't worry about anything else give it Scott but you're right when you have a player who's obviously you know quality and not only that he's just on incredibly it's on huge form he's produced it for everybody apart from Man United in places is again

50:19Marcus Speller: he came through at United in the role he's playing now and then was a deep-lying midfielder and wasn't very good at it

50:27Pete Donaldson: yeah but he obviously performed right for Man United hence getting his move to Napoli but I think you absolutely have to play to that strength because he's according to the Ballon d 'Or he's one of the best players in the world so fine up yours he's the best player in Serie A was last year but look in the qualifying group Scotland have got Denmark Greece and Belarus which is one of those ones where you go away trips to Greece and Belarus it's a difficult one but then Denmark could have done you could have done a lot worse that's not France it's not Spain that is a team that Scotland can beat last time they met Scotland beat them 2-0 and by the way they did beat Spain I understand that but you get the picture I mean it's another four team group and this one they're starting with the hardest fixture Ryan Christie said it's sort of like six cup finals but I think it's more like a cup run where you start with the final, Denmark away first, surely the toughest fixture.

51:22Pete Donaldson: Yeah, you would think so.

51:24Marcus Speller: Even that, like, Ryan Christie, like, had such a good season with Bournemouth last year. There is everything there, you know, for them to qualify next year. And for actually to be Clark signing off with a World Cup appearance rather than just...

51:38Pete Donaldson: This has been the problem, though, isn't it, under Clark? You've got these players in there, and it looks like a very good team on paper. And sometimes they perform really well, and sometimes they get these big marquee results. But it's been about keeping it consistent. That's been the trouble that he's had. Or even when they turn up to the tournaments, the two Euros, it doesn't happen and it's quite disappointing. But I think reaching a World Cup for the first time since 1998, it would be some achievement. And as you say, look, when I say about the group, I actually think this group does favour, more so Scotland.

52:12Pete Donaldson: I think it's a better group than, say, Northern Ireland have got, for example, I know Scotland are a better team than Northern Ireland, but Scotland can beat those three sides and all the teams can take points off each other. But again, I think that goes in Scotland's favour because they've got a better team than Greece and Belarus, obviously. Denmark, you know, I think the Danes might be slightly higher than them. Greece is tricky at the moment, though. They've got a lot of youthful exuberance. They are. That's fair to say, as we saw with England as well. But I think this is a real chance and I think being in a four-team group helps, definitely.

52:43Pete Donaldson: So, you know, but they start tonight away in Denmark. So an intriguing fixture. Elsewhere, the Republic of Ireland start their World Cup qualifying campaign at home to Hungary. Portugal and Armenia are the other teams in Ireland's group.

53:02Pete Donaldson: As England fans, we know what Hungary are like, a very dogged opponent. Scotland know that as well. Portugal always dangle the carrot of, oh, are we not going to qualify? Yes, we are. I thought they always do that. I think it would be a bit different maybe in recent times. For Ireland and Scotland, it's going to be a tricky task. Tricky, tricky, tricky is the word of the day. Now, before we say cheerio, a couple of things here to do, well, ultimately to do with next year's World Cup. But we go to South America first. Lionel Messi played in his last match for Argentina on home soil. He scored a brace in a 3-0 win against Venezuela.

53:37Pete Donaldson: He said he might play at the World Cup next year. He's going to be at the World Cup next year.

53:43Marcus Speller: I think he has to, doesn't he?

53:44Pete Donaldson: Does he? Contractually obliged. MLS contract.

53:47Marcus Speller: Yeah, genuinely, yeah. I feel like there'll be a lot riding on him playing in that World Cup.

53:51Pete Donaldson: Yeah, I think some sponsors would be particularly grieved if he didn't do it, but he said... This could well be a negotiation tactic. Might be.

53:59Marcus Speller: Given the state of football at the moment, I would not be surprised if this has been sold as like a... Well, you know, I'll think about it. It's like...

54:06Pete Donaldson: Well, he said he'll see how his...

54:07Marcus Speller: Will this help you think about it a bit more?

54:08Pete Donaldson: Yeah, he said he'll see how his fitness is and blah, blah, blah. He wants to come around as Saudi Tuna and some jobs, I think so, yeah. Will he be at the 2034 World Cup in South? Yes, probably. Was that in the small print line? You missed out there. Well, yeah, I mean, there were emotional scenes in Argentina, as you'd imagine. So it was quite something, really, to see him and to see people crying in the stands and all the rest of it. You know, he means so much to them. And at a level which, once again, before Qatar 2022, we didn't think he might reach those kind of levels, bearing in mind of who set the bar in that country.

54:42Pete Donaldson: so for him to have a moment like that where he says this is farewell on home soil as i say we're pretty sure he will play at the world cup great moment for for the talented young man vish yeah

54:53Marcus Speller: no absolutely you know it's basically taken a lifetime for him to come out from maradona's shadow you know for some some people it only takes a season doesn't it but if you want to dedicate your life to it then um then yeah fair play to you and well done for finally doing it yeah i almost guarantee that Argentina will play all of their games in America, rather than Canada or Mexico. In Miami specifically. The other thing about it as well is that you can't, you can totally understand the reluctance to say goodbye to that kind of player. Yes. Because you're saying goodbye to a lot of things with him.

55:31Marcus Speller: When he walks away, he takes an entire generation, an entire style of play with him that, I I don't know, you're kind of, I'm not a religious man, but people are touched by something when they play in the way that he does. And that's going to go. That's done. Taking away an entire industry as well. How many people make money out of Lionel Messi, not even tangentially related to his own business interests, but just online. People just make money out of doing Messi stuff and Ronaldo stuff. And when they both go, what are they going to do?

56:05Pete Donaldson: Christian Rale will play at the next World Cup. What is it? I'm playing. At what point does it get really weird if both of them just keep going? Keep going, yeah. They're both like 50-odd, and they're sort of still in the shape that they're in now.

56:18Marcus Speller: Do you think World Cups are going to turn into like, you know, when you see a random photo from Ibiza at Lineker's, and that Wayne's just being a player? Is that what it's going to be like?

56:25Pete Donaldson: Like a sort of a legends tournament, but still being there. Because they get bits replaced. That's what Xi Jinping and Putin were talking about. Get your organs replaced. There you are. Because that's straightforward, isn't it? There's the solution. We finally found it.

56:38Marcus Speller: I'm just going to Ronaldo were hot. Yes.

56:43Pete Donaldson: It's been announced that FIFA will use dynamic pricing for World Cup tickets. It's a success. Wankers. You have to say it, Peter. How many tickets does Robbie Earle get in? Or Dwight Gale. What a reference. Officially or unofficially. The two are different. It was a big post-Ramble patron section we did on Wednesday, just all about Robbie Earle getting a ridiculous amount. Did he get 40? We'll do it on the main show. 40 tickets for the final 2010 World Cup 2010 World Cup 40 tickets for the final imagine how many he had

57:13Marcus Speller: for the group stages I know yeah

57:14Pete Donaldson: I'm saying 200 odd Jim, Pete and I with brother Luke Moore as well we were quite literally in Johannesburg that day scouring around Soccer City admittedly quite a few hours before kick off and I think there was one bloke there was one bloke who was selling tickets for a grand each yeah it was more than that I think either or it was a grand and a half I think either or you don't need me to tell you the World Cup tickets are quite hard to it was Robbie Earle 40 of the buggers. Well, this is part of the reason why the dynamic pricing is such a slap in the face. Because it's on top of the initial slap in the face, which is a third of the tickets for most of these events go to like corporate tickets and sponsors and things like that.

57:53Pete Donaldson: So the actual kind of supporters of those, the countries that make the final in the stands are quite limited anyway. And then the prices are massively jacked up for those that can make it. It's grim.

58:04Marcus Speller: And it's disgraceful. that the reason dynamic pricing exists is because they see it on resale websites and they're like, oh, that's pretty good. People are buying them for that much. It's also because they can't get them.

58:15Pete Donaldson: But they exist across the board. I mean, train companies, airlines, they all use dynamic pricing. So it's nothing new. We just don't think of it like that because you think, how much is a ticket for a final? $500 or whatever, which obviously would be a lot of money. You kind of go, well... The prices will initially, and sadly, I stress initially, range from$60 in the group stages to over$6 ,000 for the final. So if, you know,$6 ,000, you're thinking that's a lot of money. Oh, it could be more than that by the time the final rolls around. But there we are. We're still looking forward to it because we are football fans and taken for a ride.

58:51Pete Donaldson: There's probably quite a good chance that Pitbull will get some of those tickets, right? Does he have some sort of involvement in a stadium? Jim, I think it's fair to say he owes me.

59:01Marcus Speller: Do we know anyone? best guy is hype man do we know anyone who's dressed up as what as past for pitbull yeah recently good point actually

59:10Pete Donaldson: well come on old pitters get me involved right then oh hello this afternoon Jackson Cyclopaedia's back what Marcus v Vish v Jim is this the first time

59:20Marcus Speller: we've played it yeah this season this season because we're a four manor yeah because we're doing

59:24Pete Donaldson: my bitty aunt yes you see so today's episode of Jackson Cyclopaedia will be available later this afternoon so make sure you subscribe to the Football Ramble in your podcast app so you do not miss it. Thank you very much for listening to the Football Ramble, part of the ACAST Creator Network. The keys are in the lock. The weekend started. Don't forget Jack's Encyclopedia. Get your pitbull on. And thank you, Vish. Thank you. Thank you, Pete. I'd like a double lock, please. Right. Thank you, Jim. Thank you. And thank you, Scott McTominay.

59:56The Football Ramble is a Stack Production and part of the Acast Creator Network.

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