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In short
Transfer-window talk and fan questions, focused on Alexander Isak to Liverpool, plus other deals (Luis Díaz to Bayern, Morgan Gibbs-White to Tottenham/Spurs links, Jack Grealish to Everton, Granit Xhaka to Sunderland, Lucas Paquetá’s betting case, and promoted-club outlook). Also includes a Women’s Euros segment on England’s Lionesses and related media pressure.
Guests (panel)
Barry Glendening (The Guardian; returning from Nova Scotia), John Bruin (The Guardian), and Mark Langdon (Racing Post).
Key claims
Isak’s “thigh injury” and Eddie Howe’s “future has to be right” are treated as signals he wants out; Liverpool signing him would strengthen their attack but won’t guarantee the title. Newcastle’s recruitment is portrayed as strained after Paul Mitchell’s departure and a thin squad for Champions League football. Gibbs-White signs a new Forest deal (3 years, record) after Tottenham links. Jack Grealish to Everton is framed as a “mojo reset” move.
Notable examples
Liverpool’s potential front three (Salah-Isak-Eketike/Gakpo), Salah possibly missing 4–6 league games due to AFCON; historical “big signing” failures (Varan, van Nistelrooy, Shevchenko). Paquetá’s case: alleged spot-fixing via friends/family bets; Sunderland’s Xhaka fee and stats; promoted clubs discussed include Sunderland, Burnley, Leeds.
Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.
Chapters
Tap a time to open that second in VODiscussion on Alexander Isak's Future
1:45 to 3:41
Insights into the potential transfer of Alexander Isak to Liverpool.
“Let's begin now, shall we, with the future of Alexander Isak.”
The Impact of Isak's Transfer on Teams
3:41 to 5:04
Analyzing how Isak's move affects both Liverpool and Newcastle.
“Alexander Izak wants out, exploring his opportunities, as I think is the phrase.”
Liverpool's Starting XI with Isak
5:07 to 7:17
Speculating on Liverpool's lineup if Isak joins the team.
“It moves that transfer market around, doesn't it?”
Liverpool's Financial Dynamics and Transfer Strategy
7:20 to 9:20
Examining Liverpool's financial strategy and recent player transfers.
“So definitely sort of raising some money as well.”
Concerns for Newcastle Amid Transfer Talks
9:21 to 13:00
Discussing Newcastle's challenges and concerns with player retention.
“Rushton came to you and said she wanted to explore her options.”
Goalkeeping Situation at Manchester City
13:01 to 14:03
Debating the potential future of James Trafford at Manchester City.
“I mean, we're not quite into Maya Kasli territory yet.”
Goalkeeping Changes and Player Transfers
14:03 to 21:24
Discussion about goalkeeping signings and player transfer rumors, focusing on City, Newcastle, and Liverpool.
“I think it is a good signing by City because Trafford does seem to be the kind of future of English goalkeeping.”
Morgan Gibbs-White and Tottenham's Strategy
22:17 to 28:01
Insight into Morgan Gibbs-White's new deal and Tottenham's needs in the transfer market.
“welcome to part two of the guardian football weekly the 11th of september we are playing the Troxie in London.”
Tottenham's Challenges and Future Prospects
28:01 to 30:09
Discussion on Tottenham's struggles and their management's challenges.
“No idea why he would want to go to Tottenham at the moment.”
Granit Xhaka's Transfer to Sunderland
30:10 to 31:28
Insights into Granit Xhaka's imminent transfer and its implications.
“why haven't you bought us a midfielder why are we short here it's you know Daniel Levy doesn't need sympathy from anybody but he's under criticism as soon as soon as the champagne's gone flat from winning a trophy.”
Show all 17 chapters
Promoted Clubs and Premier League Dynamics
31:29 to 36:33
Analyzing the challenges and opportunities for newly promoted clubs in the Premier League.
“I think if it happens and we're recording on Thursday morning, he's in Sunderland.”
Lucas Paquetá's Betting Case and Its Aftermath
36:34 to 39:28
Discussion on Lucas Paquetá's legal issues and their potential impact on his career.
“Yes, we've got to hope that one day, one day that soon a promoted club can come up and be a revelation.”
Women's Football: Triumphs and Future Expectations
39:29 to 42:00
Exploring the success of the women's football team and the pressures on the men's team.
“part three we'll do a bit of women's euros Welcome to part three of the Guardian Football Weekly.”
The Growth of Women's Football
42:00 to 44:40
Discussion on the evolution and current state of women's football and its impact.
“And then they cut to those that are involved in the game now and they were emotional about how far this had come.”
WSL and Its Competitive Challenges
44:40 to 46:36
Analysis of the Women's Super League and its need for improvement in competitiveness.
“well now they can and it actually seems trite to even talk about the goalkeepers being inferior now because as you say Max we have moved to the point where it's part of the national fundament.”
Fan Reactions to Victory Anthems
46:36 to 48:55
Debate about the popularity and overuse of certain victory anthems in sports.
“They make my teeth hurt with hatred and possibly curmudgeonly seem to add to the homogenisation of sport.”
Barry's Nova Scotia Experience
48:55 to 51:19
Barry shares his experiences and observations during a visit to Nova Scotia.
“The nearest pub was eight miles away, which isn't ideal.”
Transcript
Automatic transcript. May contain errors.0:00Max Rushden:This is The Guardian.
0:30And the best part is you can spend the money you get right away anywhere Apple Pay is accepted. Every payment is secure and protected by Face ID, Touch ID or passcode and your transactions are never shared on a public feed. Set up your Apple Cash today in the Wallet app. Apple Cash services are provided by Green.Bank, member FDIC. Terms apply.
0:56Mark Langdon:Hello and welcome to the Guardian Football Weekly. It's transfer time. Luis Diaz out. Alexander in? Liverpool coming very close to winning the window with more than a month to go. Another open-top bus parade beckons. Meanwhile, what would that mean for Newcastle? Quickly, someone say Benjamin Sesko. James Trafford's gone back to City instead of St. James' so Aaron Ramsdale might take a suitcase of short-sleeved shirts to the North East. Jack Greenish to Everton. Is he Everton-y enough? How pleased did Morgan Gibbs-White look and sound as he celebrated his new contract with Evangelos Maranakis breathing over him?
1:27Mark Langdon:Great news for Forrest. Not great for Spurs. as they need more than kudos to get real kudos from the fans. Then there's Xhaka, Pakitar and Jal Felix. We'll do some more basking in the glory of the Euros final. Answer your questions. And that's today's Guardian Football Weekly.
1:44Mark Langdon:On the panel today, welcome back from Nova Scotia, Barry Glendening. Hello, Max. How are you? I'm very good. Thank you, John Bruin. Hello.
1:52John Brewin:Hello. Hello.
1:53Mark Langdon:And from the Racing Post, Mark Langdon. Welcome. Hi, Max. Let's begin now, shall we, with the future of Alexander Isak. Eddie Howe says his future, quote, has to be right for Newcastle. He didn't travel with the squad to Singapore last week with Newcastle saying he had a thigh injury. Obviously impossible to take a long haul flight if you have a thigh strain. He will be aware he is in the news every day. I'm sure that's not easy for anyone in that situation. Conversations that happen with Alex and the club, or Alex and myself will stay private for obvious reasons, says Eddie in his very footballer.
2:27Mark Langdon:No one speaks football better than Eddie Howe, do they, John? But what do you think? I mean, if he goes to Liverpool, like it's... And obviously, you know, with all the caveats that transfers don't necessarily work out and before we work out how they can afford it, this is a brilliant signing.
2:42John Brewin:Yes, he's the market leader. He's the best striker around. Liverpool are already the best team around. What could possibly go wrong once you've signed that player? It all adds up if you're a Liverpool fan. It's all pretty doomy if you are a Newcastle fan. The minute I heard the word thigh strain, I thought, yeah, they say that he wants out. Because speaking to an ex-pro last season, he told me that there's a couple of injuries that you can tell the medical staff that if you don't want to play, so you don't want to do a long trip to Cardiff or whatever. The back, because no one knows how backs work, and it's the thigh and the groin.
3:21John Brewin:and they just can't get to the bottom of it. They can't prove whether it hurts or not or whether it's going to... So that's the one. There are certain mystery injuries that mean perhaps the player isn't interested in playing at this moment in time. And as it turns out, that is the case. Alexander Izak wants out, exploring his opportunities, as I think is the phrase. Again, very football these days, modern football. That's the way that we are operating. We're in an era of LinkedIn slash football man. It's sort of the two are merging together into this new lingo. And Eddie Howe, as you say, the finest of the evangelistic push for this new language that we've got.
4:10John Brewin:But I'll tell you what, Liverpool, well, they should be unstoppable if they sign EZAC. but I have memories of certain huge signings that couldn't possibly go wrong. I'm thinking of my Manchester United signings. Juan Sebastian Varon and Ruud van Nistelrooy. They would blaze to the title, wouldn't they? They didn't. Chelsea signing, Shevchenko. Do you remember that? Oh, yeah. Back in 2006. I remember I was in a bar in Toulouse and I watched Shevchenko play his first game. I think it was obviously the Community Shield. And I thought, the season's over. Well, no, it wasn't. So the problem is, for Liverpool, is they've got to fit Ezek into that team.
4:53John Brewin:Now, you would suggest that wouldn't be too hard, but they have Mo Salah. They've also signed Hugo Eketike. They've got another raft of other good forwards. It doesn't necessarily going to win the title. It probably suggests that they've got a great chance. But what it also does is this is the summer of strikers. It moves that transfer market around, doesn't it? The obvious one is this guy Sesko to Newcastle. But Eddie's powers of persuasion haven't been so good so far, have they? Because they've been after just about everybody. You mentioned James Drafton there, and none of them have joined Newcastle.
5:28We're beginning to wonder what's afoot there.
5:31Mark Langdon:Mark, what does Liverpool's starting three then, if Ezek join? This come up in Pep Confidential, the book where Guardiola was followed around in his first season of Bayern Munich, you know, what's Bayern's best 11. He just started laughing at the journalist and then said, well, you haven't said who we're playing. And so there will be times when you need different variety in those attacking positions. I would say that if it was, say, the Champions League final, which is always the one that you go to if you're thinking right we're going to pick our best 11 uh i would have thought that took that front three if isaac signed would be salah isaac and then it would depend i suppose how ekitike starts and whether he stays out on on the left but probably at the moment gakpo um maybe um on on the left um you'd have vert in behind them probably the two that played in midfield for most of last season, Gravenberg and McAllister.
6:38Then the back four, Kyrkhoff has left back, Van Dijk and Kanate, Senshaar, she'll have Alisson in goal. The right back would probably depend on whether they wanted to be attacking with Frimpon or more defensive with Bradley. I think that might be their sort of best 11, inverted commas. But Salah's going to be missing a decent chunk of the season if Egypt go far in AFCON, that starts earlier than ever before, starts before Christmas and runs into sort of at least the middle of January. So that there might be sort of between four and six Premier League games that Salah could miss. So I think really Liverpool, they sold Diaz to Bayern Munich.
7:21So definitely sort of raising some money as well. And they didn't spend anything really last year. So, you know, while other teams were wasting 100 million left, right and centre, they just felt there wasn't anybody on the market that improved them significantly. They've waited and now sort of reaping the benefits of that. So, yeah, I think it would be a fantastic signing. But I agree with John that I don't think anyone signing just wins you the league. I think that that's a far too simplistic view of what football is in Chelsea. They had Torres that was the final piece of the jigsaw at one stage.
8:02And he had his moments in the Champions League, but overall wasn't a success. Lukaku, second time around at Chelsea, was the final piece of that jigsaw. And other pieces in the jigsaw then broke. So it doesn't necessarily mean that you'll definitely win the league.
8:18Mark Langdon:Yeah. The final piece of the jigsaw always fits, except in football, where you just get another jigsaw and it's just completely the wrong show. Just massively, just totally wrong. What do you make of the Diaz to Bayern move, Baz? I think I was a bit surprised by the fee, but otherwise it makes sense.
8:35Max Rushden:As in too much or not enough? I thought it was an awful lot of money for a player who's decent, but not all that in my opinion. I think it's probably a good move for him. He apparently wanted to leave. I think Liverpool will be fine without him and he will probably be a worthwhile addition to Bayern Munich's ranks. So if it does work out for him there, it's kind of win-win. Liverpool presumably need to raise funds if they want to bring in Isaac. Newcastle fans are getting very agitated on social media, at least, about the manner in which Isaac seems to have been approached. He, as John says, has said he wants to explore his options.
9:19Max Rushden:I think, Max, if the current Mrs. Rushton came to you and said she wanted to explore her options. He wouldn't have to read too hard between the lines to figure out what that meant. But it's quite surprising that he's left it this late in the summer to make it known that he wants to see what else is out there on the dance floor when quite a few other high-profile strikers have been paired off already. But he was apparently, Amanda Stavely last year promised him a new and improved contract. But when she left Newcastle and Paul Mitchell came in as sporting director, Paul Mitchell reneged on that deal.
10:03Max Rushden:So that meant Alexander Isaac was not a happy bunny. I believe he's on 150 grand a week, which is obviously a lot of money, but it's nowhere near the amount he could earn elsewhere. So I get why he wants to explore his options. And while Newcastle did win their first trophy in eons last season, he has a better chance of winning silverware with Liverpool than he does at Newcastle.
10:31Mark Langdon:Yeah, I do like exploring options. It should just be, I'd like to explore my option, or I'd just like to go to Liverpool, please. But you can't quite say it like that. What do you make of Newcastle then, John? Because it's, you know, you sort of alluded to, it's such a cliche that players, I saw someone, I can't remember on the radio, say players just don't want to go that far. You know, it's too far away madness. but you know Callum Wilson's already left so without Izak they'd have to stick what Fabian's share up front he can't strike a ball but they would have a lot of money I guess
11:04John Brewin:they would and they do have profit and sustainably headroom there the name Barry mentioned there, Paul Mitchell he's no longer with the club and one of the issues they've got is a shifting backroom or front office or whatever you want to call it with directors of football and all that there isn't actually really anyone to do the deals, as it stands, the recruitment team is Eddie Howe, one of the gentlemen, and his own nephew, I understand, is part of that team. Oh, great.
11:35Mark Langdon:I hope he's like a six-year-old. That's just my image of a nephew.
11:39John Brewin:I think he might be a grown adult just about. Although Eddie's not much of a grown adult. Because Eddie looks very young, doesn't he? He does, yeah. If you look younger than Eddie Howe, it's no wonder people are not joining. It's like there's two children running this club. Listen, think of deals that have happened already. I mean, James Trafford's one you mentioned. We've got Mateus Cunha and Buamo go to, you know, Crisis Club Manchester United rather than go to Newcastle. Eketike chooses Liverpool, which supposedly was part of, and this is how it's depicted in the tablo on the end of the market, as a power play, which is Liverpool, we're going to take him as well.
12:20John Brewin:If I was a Newcastle fan, you would be reasonably pessimistic because, you'd be very pessimistic because this wasn't supposed to happen anymore. And then you're starting to worry if your better players like Bruno will start thinking of similar options that, you know, if he's actually looking away, what's in it for me? And you've got a Champions League season in which it's a very, very thin squad. It is pretty desperate. There are questions over how interested the Saudis actually are in Newcastle as compared to, say, the running of the 2034 World Cup, as in the continuing plumping up of the Saudi League.
12:59John Brewin:The big promises have come. I mean, we're not quite into Maya Kasli territory yet. There is a lot of concern. And Newcastle have that sinking feeling they've had so many times before, haven't they, of watching star players leave. You know, your Chris Waddles, your Beardsleys, your Barnes. Your Andy Coles. Gascoines, you know, Andy Cole, yeah. Generations of this. And it's likely to be repeated with Isaac. And as I said, this wasn't supposed to happen. No.
13:30Mark Langdon:No, I suppose the saving grace you would have is, I think there were fears, despite they had Isaac last season, that they would struggle and they didn't start well. And yet, Eddie Howe has proven himself to be a brilliant coach and they sort of outperformed what they should have done last year. They could do that again. Just on James Trafford, Mark, does he go in at number one at City? I suspect maybe Edison begins the season there, but wouldn't be surprised if Trafford was number one by the end of it I think Edison has made you know too many mistakes um really but with Trafford you would potentially want to just ease him in it's a it's a step up you know from um you know from Burnley if you remember last time around in the Premier League he actually had a difficult time um and was dropped by Burnley And so I think you want that backup or just assurances that you've got an experienced goalkeeper because it's the one position really where you can't ease someone in because every mistake tends to lead to a goal.
14:35I think it is a good signing by City because Trafford does seem to be the kind of future of English goalkeeping. And Edison has, in a way, is not as reliable as he once was. So it makes sense to do that. Just going back to Newcastle, Liveramento has been linked with City as well, hasn't he? So, I mean, that would be another real hammer blow for Newcastle who appear to be struggling with PSR as well as kind of players wanting to leave for ambitious reasons as well.
15:07Mark Langdon:We need James Trappord to win the game at Man United so young Trappord can win at old Trappord. Really, that's a key headline for this season, something to look out for. Sorry John, I interrupted you with something that probably didn't deserve to be said out loud. Go for it.
15:26John Brewin:I mean, Anthony Gordon is another player that is slightly unsettled, it has been said. The thing is that he's actually been linked with, guess what? Liverpool. Now, when are Liverpool going to stop being linked with players? I'm sure Liverpool's operatives would tell me that that isn't going to happen, but that has happened previously that he's been linked with them. He obviously didn't have the greatest relationship with Everton fans after his departure from there. But that would be an interesting move. And do you know what? He would fit into that first XI, I think, that Mark Langdon talked of before.
16:01John Brewin:You know, that Champions League final, you could see Anthony Gordon, Mo Salah, and Alexander Izak quite happily fitting together.
16:09Mark Langdon:Poor old Hugo Eketike. He just didn't have a game before becoming sort of like... It's over for him, yeah. Carabao Cups, Hugo Eketike. While we're on, you know, who's going to play down the left for Everton after Anthony Gordon, you know, left Jack Grealish, perhaps to go there on loan, Barry. Does that feel Everton-y or not? I can't work out if I can picture him in an Everton shirt.
16:32Max Rushden:I was surprised when I heard this. And, well, I suppose I'm obliged to say with the greatest of respect to Everton, I would consider that a big step down for Jack Grealish. But if he's happy to go there, I think it would be a really good place for him to rediscover his mojo, which has been absent. Although a friend of mine met him at an Oasis gig at Old Trafford and let's just say he's appeared to be very much in tune with his mojo there. Good, good for him. and yeah why not I suppose he does need to kick start his career because he's wasted a couple of years and or he's certainly wasted last season passed him by he's not wanted at City I would have had him down as a maybe off to Serie A or Spain yeah Goodison Park would have been very low down my list of potential places for Jack Grealish to go well Bramley
17:39Mark Langdon:Doc Moore. Oh sorry of course yes yeah yeah yeah. It's called
17:43John Brewin:something else though it's like the Hilton what are they called?
17:46Mark Langdon:It's the something Dickinson the David Dickinson stadium that would be good. Bruce Dickinson Iron Maiden memorial
17:53John Brewin:the hill yeah the Bruce Dickinson we'll have to call it the Bruce Dickinson it's the Hill Dickinson right okay
18:01Mark Langdon:and who is Hill Dickinson he sounds like somebody a bit part character from to the Dukes of Hassett, doesn't he? Old Hill Dickinson.
18:12John Brewin:Yeah, he's in Boothill at the moment. Yeah, I think, if I'm correct, it's a law firm, a commercial law firm.
Read the full transcript
18:20Mark Langdon:Right, okay.
18:20John Brewin:The funny thing, do you know what? I could see Jack Grealish at Goodison, but I can't see him at a new stadium. Does that sound a bit weird? Yeah, it does, but I know what you mean. But it's sort of, you can see Grealish in the Gladys Street and, you know, Gladys Street, is that right? Yeah, Gladys Street, that was Goodison. We've forgotten it already. in the Gladys Street and celebrating with fans. Because Everton were a club, weren't they, where they liked a bit of a maverick. And that could be a maverick who's flawed, like a Duncan Ferguson who played 20 times a season but was still amazing for the fans.
18:56John Brewin:And fans could get on your side. They're a sort of saviour club, aren't they? They need a messiah. Now, Jack Grealish is probably a little bit old to be a messiah, but you could see him, but if he played like he did at Aston Villa, if it's still possible, then yeah, he could be an Everton guy. It's just that, does he fit into the David Moyes style? Well, David Moyes, with Lucas Paquette, who we'll discuss later, had a very good season under David Moyes, so why not? I think we'd all like to see the return of Jack Grealish as we recalled him at Villa, because he was such an exciting player. Remember how excited people were?
19:35John Brewin:Remember that idea of the Gammon Choir wanting Grealish in the team during Euro 2020? That idea. He was everyone's favourite, the new Gazza.
19:43Mark Langdon:The clamour, the clamour for Grealish.
19:45Max Rushden:He is too old to be a messiah, but he's not too old to be a very naughty boy.
19:49Mark Langdon:No, that is true. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But him and Iliad and Di, I mean, if they had a centre-forward, Mark, forgive me, I don't know if they have one. Beto, is he still there? Yeah. No, they signed Barry from Villarreal. So, yeah, he's going to be the hope, really, in terms of scoring their goals. David Moyes has been very unhappy in pre-season. One of the teams, Everton, that slip under the radar, unless you follow them, you're probably not sort of... David Moyes' press conferences are probably not on your go-to watch list over the summer. But he was really annoyed after a 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth, saying he needed 10 new players, which is a lot.
20:34you know it doesn't say much for what he thinks of the current squad he then said he you know maybe five or six was um you know more realistic um and Grealish I think would be um the type of player that the Everton fans would love the kind of marquee play you would want to open a new stadium with and I'll fall into cliche territory here but it's a World Cup year so um those on the fringes need minutes and you would assume that if Grealish has any ambitions of playing for England at the World Cup he needs to be playing you know at a club where with all due respect to Everton he's you know he's one of the first names on the team sheet and a pound of course for the first person
21:15Mark Langdon:who tweets in to say when Barry does score a header perhaps set up by Grealish whilst Barry's header better than Barry's header um anyway uh that'll do for part one part two we'll begin with the Morgan Gibbs White saga.
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22:17Mark Langdon:welcome to part two of the guardian football weekly the 11th of september we are playing the Troxie in London. Barry, it's exciting times for us. Back on a stage for the first time in two years. Will we remember how to do it?
22:30Max Rushden:Well, I hope so, yeah. Hopefully, lots of listeners will come along. I had a look. I think ticket sales are quite brisk. And, yeah, please come.
22:43Mark Langdon:Please come. Yes. That didn't sound desperate. It just sounded like a surprise that anyone might consider doing it. but you know getting towards early september i'll start the guardian.com slash football weekly live uh if you're not in london uh we are live streaming it around the world so it is the same link the guardian.com slash football weekly live i'll beginning i'll begin tweeting about it hourly i imagine the week building up to it um uh the link is in the pod description um or it's posted over football weekly's instagram blue sky at our tiktok account uh which i hope is going great guns.
23:18Mark Langdon:Let's talk about Morgan Gibbs White. Neil says, if a rival pod triggers Barry's release clause, would producer Joel take the money or hit the roof and refuse to let him go? I think we all presumed he was going to Spurs and all the in-the-nose said, you know, this will just be done in a matter of days. He signed a new deal with Nottingham Forrest, three-year contract. Forrest described it as a record deal for the club. He gave an on-pitch interview with Evangelos Maranakis standing very close to him. You know, it did feel blinked twice at the social media intern if you're in danger Morgan I believe in what we're building here and with the backing of Mr.
23:51Mark Langdon:Maranakis and the enormous ambition he has I want to be part of making something special I'm excited for what's to come what do you make what do you make of it Mark from from a Tottenham point of view or from a Nottingham Forest point of view or from a Morgan Gibbs well I mean it's brilliant from a forest but just something interesting from a sort of Gibbs White you know I imagine if your release clause is triggered and then you think you're going somewhere and then it's just quite an interesting time for him I guess yeah I mean there have been sort of other suggestions that the release calls was more complicated than just um you know 60 million and he's yours it might well have been you know whether that was up front or um you know certain other conditions that has been suggested Tottenham didn't meet it did also look like Mr Maranakis may well have um sort of been moving those conditions even if Tottenham would have matched whatever because he was desperate not to lose face here you know he clearly was upset with the way that Tottenham or maybe it was Morgan Gibbs-White or the people around Gibbs-White had gone about trying to make this transfer happen.
24:53I think from Nottingham Forest's point of view, it's fantastic because, you know, they had a great season last year. They're in Europe. They've just lost the languor. To have lost Gibbs-White as well would have, I think, potentially put them in danger of slipping back towards where they were being discussed this time last year, which was a relegation candidate given the amount of extra fixtures they've had to deal with. From Gibbs White's point of view, it does depend, doesn't it, whether he was desperate to join Tottenham and then it's fallen through or whether he is genuinely happy to stay at Forest because you need a happy player.
25:28Otherwise, you won't get the Gibbs White to the level that he was last season. I think there's a lot of people that refer to us as the Sky Six, aren't they? We used to be the Big Six, but kind of bully the other teams. And this was kind of the little guy, Mr. Maranakis standing up to the big guy Mr. Daniel Levy Mr. Maranakis is many things
25:50Max Rushden:he is not a little guy
25:53Mark Langdon:I think we all thought it Barry yeah it's interesting and from a Tottenham point of view Mark since you are a Tottenham fan that signing was like the day after Mohamed Koudis and you start thinking okay this is exciting now it's gone very quiet lots of rumours about Hume Winson leaving ludicrous rumours about Rodrigo which seem ludicrous but they do need to do something don't they The squad does not look, you know, they didn't finish very high in the league last year. No, though, 17th last season. Yeah, that's Bill Bauer's success. It was a long time ago for a certain section of the fan base that have now kind of all in on sort of being anti-Daniel Levy.
26:33Once again, they definitely need signings. There's no doubt about that. even if some were to stay I think that they'd still be one short in the attacking areas like if Thomas Frank wants a dynamic number 10 they they maybe haven't got that in their squad and that's what Gibbs White was going to be definitely need a defensive midfielder to come in as well and then there's an issue with the sort of club trained players that means they're likely to have to go into the Champions League with a much smaller squad than you're allowed to because haven't got enough players to um sort of fulfill the quota of those um club train players just
27:12Mark Langdon:just sorry just club trained is sort of like homegrown but a different version of it right yeah so that that's why they were linked with cole walker peters because he was uh club trained and it's great news for david howells and steve sedgley isn't it yeah exactly um so but that Harry Kane was a club-trained player back in the day, but obviously no longer at the club. Fans are upset. Do Rodrigo links feel ambitious back to the days of... Who was it? Rivaldo wrote a letter to Tottenham thanking them for their interest. It was certainly some really high-profile player. And you just end up being mocked for even having the ambition to look to see whether you could afford somebody like Rodrigo.
28:01No idea why he would want to go to Tottenham at the moment. No, I mean, this was a team that struggled last season. And even if you expect Thomas Frank to improve on what Ange Postacoglou did sort of week to week and sort of be better in game with his approach, they were a long way off where kind of they want to be. And you're in the Champions League next season. And so those eight games take a lot out of the club between September and January. And the squad just doesn't look good enough to compete on multiple levels at the moment.
28:36Mark Langdon:John, any strong thoughts on Gibbs-White or Spur?
28:39John Brewin:I think Tottenham will miss a play like that because he is, as Mark says, he brings dynamism to that number 10 position. He isn't what you'd call a classic Tottenham number 10. And the fact that he works quite hard. yeah I mean they've got that in James Madison
28:55Mark Langdon:yeah exactly yeah yeah
28:56John Brewin:I mean they could have played both of them together of course it's just the thing with Tottenham isn't it that they break that duck and then the summer arrives and misery descends once more because as soon as the transfer window comes there's just this you know existential crisis and these fears that Daniel Levy will not spend money you know he has spent money in the past and he's spent money on young players in the past and it doesn't quite work for Ange Postacoglu because there was a point last season when he was having to rely on two hugely talented players in Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray and it was ahead of schedule.
29:34John Brewin:And, you know, maybe they're a year on and that will be of use to Thomas Frank. But, you know, if I was a Tottenham fan, he'd be excited about Thomas Frank because I think he's a good manager and he has a lot to offer and he has a lot more Premier League maybe know-how than Ange Postacoglu had. but yeah it's just that it's just football it's a if you were Daniel Levy you'd sort of want to just say right I'm done here I've won the Europa League can we just stop football now like I've done this I've done what you've always wanted me to do but it doesn't happen that way just the next day it's like why haven't you bought us a striker why haven't you bought us a midfielder why are we short here it's you know Daniel Levy doesn't need sympathy from anybody but he's under criticism as soon as soon as the champagne's gone flat from winning a trophy.
30:27Mark Langdon:As soon as they're sweeping Tottenham High Road of the parade. Yes, Mark? Yeah, but he said, I want to win the Premier League. I want to win the Champions League. He said that this summer. So if you say that and then spend the amount of money potentially that they're going to, there's still a way left. But there are YouTube footage of him saying, we want to win the Premier League, we want to win the Champions League in an interview with the new CEO. And so if you set the bar there and then don't match that, then the flack will come. Look, I just want one night's sleep, but we just can't have what we want.
31:06Mark Langdon:That's the truth of things. They might be in for Johan Wisser. He might be off to Newcastle as well. So presumably if Spurs and Newcastle are off to him, he won't go to either. Barry, Granit Xhaka. Ender says, with Jacker at Sunderland, is he a given he scores a screamer and gets a red card against Arsenal? Yes, set to sign him for£17 million,£30 million up front,£4 million in add-ons. You spent over£100 million, Barry. How excited are you? I'm very excited about this.
31:30Max Rushden:I think if it happens and we're recording on Thursday morning, he's in Sunderland.
31:39Mark Langdon:I think it's Tuesday. I think it's Tuesday. Whatever day it is. Season hasn't even started yet, Barry, but that's okay.
31:46Max Rushden:Sorry, we're recording this on Tuesday morning. He's on Weir's side due to have a medical today. I think he would be an excellent signing. Swiss legend. On again, off again, Arsenal legend. Won the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen. Last season in the Bundesliga, he was second for passes completed. 2 ,501 passes, Max. Completed. That's a lot. That's a lot of passes.
32:14Mark Langdon:That's loads, yeah.
32:14Max Rushden:Second for touches of the ball, 3 ,117 touches of the ball. Oh, good stuff. And second for final third passes completed. Don't have the exact number of those. He's a great leader. He is prone to the odd tantrum, but I think he's mellowed a bit in his recent years. And Eric Ten Hag, who's the manager of Bayer Leverkusen, didn't want to let him go because he's already lost Lorien Wirtz, Jeremy Fringkong and Jonathan Ta. But Sunderland increased their offer, I think, by about three or four million. So Leverkusen have decided to let him go. So I'm delighted. I think Sunderland have done what appears on the face of it to be some very good business this summer.
33:02Max Rushden:I now think they won't get relegated.
33:04Mark Langdon:Well, Dingo Drum says, is this a good Premier League season for the promoted club? Lots of teams in Europe. A few may struggle with Thursday, Sunday schedule opening the door for a few more points to be achievable. What do you think, John? Because they were so far apart, weren't they? They were just so far away last season. That golf meant that we missed out on a Man United Tottenham relegation race, which would have been absolutely amazing, wouldn't it? So do you think they will compete better than last season?
33:29John Brewin:Among my gravest disappointments was, you know, particularly Ipswich just dying on the vine last season. And this year, well, let's go through them. Sunderland, yeah, ambitious, coming from a long way back, you have to say. They've got a lot of young players there that did so well to get them up to where they did. Granit Xhaka, by the way, obviously has a fairly volcanic reputation as a player, but supposedly one of football's nice guys as well, like a very good team bloke. Jabby Alonso talked about that. I know how great, you know, one of those players that really nits people together. A little like you see a Jordan Henderson, that type of character.
34:10John Brewin:And Burnley, I don't know if Burnley's formula can work in the Premier League. The one last season, what was it? They didn't concede for about eight years.
34:20Mark Langdon:But I've heard other people say exactly the opposite. That it would be exciting to see a team come up that are just really stoic and defensive compared to your, you know, your sort of budget, your little ticker tackers.
34:31John Brewin:Yeah, I mean, it's funny, isn't it? The formula alters all the time, doesn't it? because the cliche is you need goals in your team, doesn't it? And I'm not sure I see that. With Leeds, well, Leeds are ambitious. We know that Daniel Farker has done a fine job. Are we wondering whether his job's under pressure early in the season, if it doesn't go well because of his previous issues in the Premier League? I am someone, I say this as a Manchester United fan, I'd like to see a reasonably strong Leeds. Not too strong, but I like the idea of Leeds. I like a Yorkshire element in my Premier League.
35:16Mark Langdon:Conceptually, you like the idea. In reality, you don't, but the idea of Leeds.
35:20John Brewin:No, I just sort of enjoy... Leeds will not enjoy me as a Manchester United fan. That is true. And it would be very nasty to you if you even mentioned that. But I like the idea of Leeds, and I like them as a Yorkshire club. I mean, we may be talking about Sheffield Wednesday another time, but we need Yorkshire teams in the Premier League and we need the regions to be filled. And I wish them well. I wonder, yeah, I think that there will be a bit of pressure on them if they start badly. Listen, all three have got a chance. And as the email said there, there are teams that we don't, we have no idea who Brentford are.
35:57John Brewin:I've just been writing a preview of Brentford. What is this new Brentford? They're the most enigmatic team because they've lost their entire coaching team, it appears. They've got a rookie manager. They've lost half the team. They've had it shifted in the boardroom too. Who knows what Brentford are? And they were an established club. So there's a club that we don't know what's going to go on with. West Ham don't seem very strong. And, you know, you go through it and there are those teams that, you know, You're Nottingham Forest that may be stretched by playing in European competitions. Crystal Palace may be stretched by playing in a competition that they don't want to be in.
36:36John Brewin:Let's see. Yes, we've got to hope that one day, one day that soon a promoted club can come up and be a revelation. It's been a long time, it feels like to me.
36:47Mark Langdon:Speaking of West Ham, Sky Sports reporting that Lucas Paqueta is set to be freed to continue his career with the ruling in his betting charges case predominantly going his way. He's been under investigation since August 2023, was charged with breaching betting rules in May 2024. The hearing began in March this year. He was accused of committing spot-fixing offences in four Premier League matches against Leicester, Villa, Leeds and Bournemouth over the years 2022 to 2024. He didn't place any bets, denied any wrongdoing. The bets in question believed to be placed by friends and family, around 60 bets in total for relatively small stakes.
37:26Mark Langdon:It's interesting, Barry, isn't it? I think we all feared, if this is what happens, we all feared his career might be done. Then you think, God, that's such a long period of your footballing career to be playing with that cloud hanging over you. But if he is free, it's such great news for him, and it's such great news for West Ham at the moment, although lots of clubs were interested in him before these allegations surfaced. have surfaced.
37:49Max Rushden:Yeah, it's brilliant news for him. I'm slightly surprised because I thought the evidence against him was quite damning, but I'm pleased for him because, as you say, he didn't place any bets himself and the amounts involved were very small. I think a couple of hundred quid here and there, and they're the winnings, not the stakes. And I was wondering, because this has dragged on for over two years now, they cost him an£80 million move from West Ham to city and I wonder if he is completely exonerated does he have the right to legal redress do West Ham have the right to legal redress because it costs them both a hell of a lot of money otherwise there's talk he may leave West Ham he's been linked with Flamengo I think Newcastle fans seem to have decided they want him he'd be a great asset for their club I think He's good mates with Bruno Himmerez.
38:47Max Rushden:And he's a great player. He didn't have a particularly good season last season. And it's no surprise because he had this potential career-ending hearing hanging over him. But we've seen him at his best for West Ham. And he's a good, good player.
39:03Mark Langdon:Yeah. And I suppose it is that obviously there are rules. And the rules that footballers have to stick by. but at the same time it always feels incongruous that the punishments potential punishments for footballers are so huge when you know it's so pervasive we mentioned it before but you know players who have been banned for betting while wearing a big football shirt with bet here please click you know like this QR code on my shirt will mean you can bet your whole life away but I can't anyway that'll do for part two part three we'll do a bit of women's euros
39:39Mark Langdon:Welcome to part three of the Guardian Football Weekly. Mateo says, Sunday felt like the best day of my life. Could the summers of 26 and 27 be better? What do you think, Mark? Pressure on the men now and Thomas Tuchel, aren't they? Now the women have done it again. There's always pressure on the men's England team. Yeah, there will be. You know, it just be thrown in their face. You know, you've got, you know, if the women can do it, why can't you? I think Tuchel, that won't be the biggest problem for him over the next 12 months. I mean, he'll get questioned over who's the fifth choice goalkeeper.
40:14Why is this guy the fourth left back that you've got? The questions on Tuchel and the pressure on him will be immense anyway. It was a great afternoon on Sunday. I really enjoyed watching the game. and it does make it very awkward, I think, for the men that they just have to deal with these questions. But I'm sure Thomas Tuchel can handle it.
40:40Mark Langdon:Yeah. I mean, we talked about it on yesterday's pod, John. I wonder, it was such an amazing tournament to win, given just how many times they should have been knocked out, England. It felt so... I mean, they kept saying proper English, but following England for so long, It felt not at all English, actually. These are the times where you do go out.
41:01John Brewin:Yeah, yeah. We've seen those games played by the men's team and then they end up losing them. You know, those heroic games, say, against Argentina in 1998 or Portugal 2006. Those games where it feels like you've been there for absolutely hours watching this agony unfold. Portugal 2004 as well. You're there for hours and hours and hours and you know what's going to happen in the end. you know that England are going to lose and the women's team do the opposite of that and you know that if we do have to go through agony they can turn this around I had to do the TV review of this and one of the things is we talk about the maturing of the women's game and how critical you can be because we're still in this point of pioneering the sport but there isn't that much to be critical about compared to how many decades of misery we've sat through with sort of, you know, dour-faced blokes just going, oh, God, here we go, oh, God, you know, we're going to lose because there's a lot to be positive and, you know, to cheer on and they, you know, they showed such a positive outlook in such adversity and the broadcasting, as I said, I was concentrating on, they did this piece which showed how far the game had come and they showed an ITV guy giggling at this little attendance of a women's game and a Rodney Marsh comment about women making his tea and Brian Glanville being very dismissive of women's football.
42:40John Brewin:And then they cut to those that are involved in the game now and they were emotional about how far this had come. The comparisons with men's football are uncomfortable for the men's game because women's football was shooed away from now. But as a nation, we're all Lionesses fans because it makes us feel good as Englishmen and English people. And it was such a great event. And yeah, unfortunately, press men being press men or press women are going to ask Thomas Tuchel. Hey, do you take inspiration from them? And he can only give, and Thomas Sikors are very good responder to questions like that, and I'm sure his answer will be full and not dismissive at all.
43:27John Brewin:But you can only really veer into cliché with stuff like that. And then after that, it will be, right, and where are you going to play Trent Alexander-Arnold? And then we're straight into the misery, the pain, the self-reflection, the existential crisis that is supporting an England men's team. Even at a point where we're actually quite good compared to what we used to be. Yeah, I think the comparison thing is interesting because, you know, as someone, we're all about the same age.
43:55Mark Langdon:Growing up where, you know, when I was 10, women playing football was a joke. You know, that was what it was when you were 10 years old. And so you're going on that inverted commas journey. And for a lot of years, I would be comparing the women's game to the men's game while I was watching it. And I definitely, you know, on Sunday, you know, through this tournament, I definitely haven't done that. I haven't been I've just been watching these games because they're games and I you know maybe that's just my own progress or whatever but I just wonder you know that's what these players are doing is by just constantly being good and the exponential improvement in these footballers when they get professional you know when more money goes into the game and the coaching gets better all those things are just so obvious that you know players will improve that has changed how I watch it definitely
44:39John Brewin:yeah I mean Hannah Hampton you know heroine of the penalties a friend of mine was telling me recently one of the reasons women's goalkeepers are much better than they used to be is that now they actually receive proper training like the men did to become better goalkeepers so now you are seeing that was always the sexist guy they can't keep goal though have you seen that? well now they can and it actually seems trite to even talk about the goalkeepers being inferior now because as you say Max we have moved to the point where it's part of the national fundament. The Lionesses are right there, but they are household names.
45:20John Brewin:And as I said, they make us feel good about ourselves. And that's a rare thing these days in this sceptid aisle. I would say, I think WSL still has quite a long way, though, to improve. I mean, I think there's cheerleading and being patronising and there's a fine line between that. when I sort of have watched WSL games the difference between the better teams and sort of the rest of the league is too great and we were speaking earlier about in the Premier League you know the been struggles for promoted sides but we're talking here about kind of mid-table teams not being able to compete properly and when I watch a lot of those games they and I don't watch lots actually that's that would be incorrect but when I have tuned in if it's a top game then it feels at a good level um you sort of arsenal beat chelsea if arsenal are playing a team that's mid-ranked in wsl the gap feels too big so there is a challenge there i think to make sure um that the wsl rises because lionesses are only really going to be at the forefront of most people's minds every two years um when there's a tournament it needs kind of the week-to-week level I think to be raised I think that would be the next step for the English game I wanted to know if Barry hated it because I think that would be a good sign of whether the women's game
46:44Mark Langdon:Barca Jim was like something's happened here because when Spain scored he was like jumping around the living room
46:53Max Rushden:I am starting to really dislike the Lionesses which I think speaks volumes for the progress they have made the Lionesses they seem a quite likeable bunch but yeah all this jingoism surrounding understandable jingoism is starting to grind my gears so I guess that is a good sign Great to hear.
47:17Mark Langdon:Chef's kiss I say. Tony says I've been absolutely thrilled by the Lionesses successes as well as other inspiring sporting victories of late so I hope I'm not a sour faced git but is it unreasonable to ask that victory anthems such as Sweet Caroline and Freed from Desire are retired after, say, two years. They make my teeth hurt with hatred and possibly curmudgeonly seem to add to the homogenisation of sport. I utterly hate both songs now, and I used to like one of them. He doesn't say which. There are many songs. Please, more spontaneity. Our music correspondent, John Bruin.
47:49John Brewin:Yeah, Free From Desire, that's been done to death. And I think the death of it probably was Uncle Gianni's adoption of it. I think, you know, it was the TV anthem, wasn't it, when they were shown the Club World Cup. Yeah, if you want to knock the sheen off anything, Don Gianni's your man there. And listen, I don't mind a bit of Neil Diamond, but yeah, it is overdone. And, you know, if you go to boxing, you go to Cheltenham, you go to darts, you go to your local pub, you'll be hearing that song, often done very badly indeed. I still sort of quite like the song. you know he's the classic pub rabble rouser isn't it but what would we replace it with
48:39Mark Langdon:that's the yeah I mean it has to be known doesn't it the thing about the I think sweet Caroline jumped the shark when the so good so good so good that came in I hate that bit I hate that bit but the thing about freed from desire for me takes me back to you know the post a-level holiday in Gumbet near Bodrum and where it was the it was very much the tune of the summer and you know credit to gala that it's lasted you know it's even from when was that 1997 and it's still going strong it's something about whatever what's it called I'm gonna embarrass myself now the drop or whatever but you know when it comes in that you can't help but move I think or maybe you can can you help but move Barry do you move I can help you can help but move when will be when will
49:24John Brewin:will we be freed from freed from desire is the when we're that's a good question but like will
49:30Mark Langdon:will it be playing at you know at the kid at my kid's wedding funerals will that be the one where me and my wife start dancing together going yeah na na and they're all going who are these weird old people in the same way that you know when you saw grandparents at weddings when you were young you know dancing to sweet caroline oops upside your head when everyone starts sitting down so what's going on yeah yeah yeah absolutely oh how funny uh anyway um uh darfody says how was barry's time in nova scotia any breweries wineries visited did he make it down valley direction what did you do i did you did you build yourself a a yurt out of moose hide i scooped out a moose
50:08Max Rushden:and lived in it for 10 days i was pretty quiet to be honest i was visiting family and my sister lives in quite remote part of Nova Scotia. The nearest pub was eight miles away, which isn't ideal. But yeah, it's a very picturesque city, Halifax, which was about a 40-minute drive away. I spent quite a bit of time in there. Lovely city, but quite small. But it was a nice holiday.
50:40Mark Langdon:You could have run to the pub every time for your half-marathon training, which I presume is coming along a pace.
50:46Max Rushden:The problem there was it would have entailed, I have no problem embarking on a long walk. That is not a problem for me at all. But it would have involved walking along the edge of a motorway and potentially ending up as roadkill after getting splattered by a massive lorry.
51:03Mark Langdon:Was that a moose or a Barry Glendening? I don't know.
51:08John Brewin:Did you see any mounties?
51:10Max Rushden:I didn't see any mounties. I saw a porcupine. I didn't see any mounties. I didn't see any bears. I saw some signs warning about the presence of bears. Black bears are the native bears. What are you meant to do for a black bear? Are you meant to shout or cower? If it's brown, lie down. If it's black, fight back. If it's white, say good night. Wow. That's your bear code there. But apparently the black bears sort of mind their own business, come out at night to go down to the lake for a drink or whatever, or to walk 12 miles to the pond. Sounds like you, Barry. So yeah, the most exotic creature I saw was a porcupine.
51:55Max Rushden:How impressive was a porcupine? Not that impressive.
51:59Mark Langdon:The unimpressive porcupine.
52:01Max Rushden:But it lives under my sister's garden shed and apparently her dog, an elderly beagle, learned the hard way that you don't mixed with a porcupine. Okay. Poor guy.
52:15Mark Langdon:Anyway, it feels like very much that'll do for today. Thanks, everybody. Thank you, John. Cheers, Max. Thank you, Mark. Thank you, Max. Cheers, Barry. Thank you. Purple Weekly is produced by Joel Grove. Our executive producer is Danielle Stephens. EFL, Leagues 1 and 2 start on Saturday. Of course they do. We'll be back on Thursday to chat about that.
52:37Mark Langdon:This is The Guardian. ㅎㅎ