An Evening with Everton LIVE featuring Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Christian Nørgaard, James Garner, and Hayden Hackney: Men in Blazers 08/18/26

24:54Rog:Who do you already know here? I spoke to Jared, I spoke to Trav as well and Tyler Diblin as well. So they all were very positive about it. And they all said, come, but don't do that stage show because it's awful. They all said, come, yeah, it was very positive. I mean, James, you've done this. I mean, it's an Everton tradition to look at players in the championship and then bring them up, which is hard to do. I mean, you've lived it. What's it like making that leap from dominating? Both of you were players who loom large in the championship as arguably the best player in the entire league. What's that leap up like?

25:36Yeah, it's a massive step. You go from the championship to the Premier League playing against some of the best players in the world week in, week out. The physicality is pretty similar, but just the quality of players is a lot higher. And I'm pretty sure Hayden will fit right in. He was the best player in the championship for a reason last season. so I'm pretty sure he'll fit. Nice.

26:02Rog:Hayden, you're here, and you've worked so bloody hard to get here. I know as a seven - and eight-year-old, you practised your game at Asda on the football cages. And I look at these images of that place and thinking about your dreaming Premier League dreams, and now you're on the precipice, days away from making them true. But you join your local club, Middlesbrough, seven miles away from Redcar. you became beloved there as like a local boy making good. Under 10s you started, every game you thrilled the fans and you've said you've seen a similarity between Middlesbrough and Everton, the fans, the environment.

26:44Rog:Can you explain what you mean when you feel that similarity, that connection? Yeah, I think it's the people. Everyone speaks on a morning, you say a morning to each other. that. Yeah, I just think the people and the fans as a community come together. We all want one thing on the weekend. Even in this moment when the Premier League is so global, I do believe it. Everton is still a hyper local club, which is one of the things I admire so much about it. But you've also talked about how easy it's been to settle here. I think the common denominator is the golf you've been playing. were Gerard Grant Waite, Nathan Patterson, James Tarkovsky.

27:29Rog:Where is this? Is this St. Andrews? St. Andrews, yeah. No, piece of piss, I think. What did you shoot in there, man? Oh, I don't know. It was match play. We won't tell you what we shot. I mean, there's a lot of golfers here at Everton. I think Jordan Pickford, Michael Key, Tark. Let me ask you the question. I think everybody in world football wants to know the answer to. Who's got the best golf game at Everton Football Club? I've been told it's Michael Keane. I didn't actually play with him, but Jimmy's told me it's Michael Keane. I am mild as well. Is it really? So let me ask you a different one, Jimmy.

28:05Rog:Who talks the best golf game in the changing world? And why is it Jordan Pickford? Apart from Jordan Pickford, it would be... Yeah, no. Definitely Pickers, yeah. Yeah, there's not even a second one closest, Jordan. Hayden, I know that your early period as a professional came under the management of Michael Carrick, and you've talked really beautifully about what he did for your game, almost rewiring your sense of what being a midfielder is all about. You've been taught to take that first touch away from you, and you talked about how he told you to take that first touch in so you could release the ball quicker when midfielders weren't set.

28:47Rog:I think he also encouraged you, and this is mind-boggling, to take risks, to not worry about what happens in possession. Can you talk about his influence and how it shaped your game today? Yeah, it was massive. He almost taught me the game in another way. It was almost... I always got taught to take the ball out of your feet, where he was more or less saying, have it stuck under your feet. So once you make your first touch, you can get your pass away quickly. So the opposition midfielder can't get there quick enough. So yeah, he's a massive help in my career. What's it like that first couple of games coming up from the championship?

29:28Rog:Does it feel like, oh my God, the time, the space that you want? Does it feel like a very different game or is it something that you just shut out mentally and just adjusting? I think, yeah, no, I think it is something that you can just shut out and just adapt. I think, you know, we've been playing football most of our lives. So, you know, football is a game of adapting. And, you know, I think if you've got the quality, then I'm pretty sure you can adapt to the Premier League quite fast. You just shattered my dreams. I realised I had it all apart from the quality. Quality of it. It was the only bloody thing that was missing.

30:05Rog:But this is not about me. Honestly, Hayden, the first game of the Premier League season is just five days away, right here at the Hill Dickinson against Crystal Palace. and first of all I don't know mentally how you prepare for games I don't you know I know a lot of players visualize before a game what they want to do what they want to achieve how they want to experience a thing I don't know if you do that no I don't do an awful lot to be honest I just try and keep it as simple as possible like Jim said we've done it for a lot of years now I think if you try and over complicate things I think it just that doesn't help me personally anyway just try to keep it simple and just do what I've done, yeah and avoid arseholes like me asking me how complex you want to make it feel so I am fascinated to hear what you're experiencing because you've worked so bloody hard to get here man, on this journey that kid, playing in the red car as the cages, you know all the way through, grinding, waiting waiting for this moment what do you hope Everton fans will come to learn about you on the field the first impression that you want to stick starting with these first few games what do you want them to understand and see about Hayden Hackney as a footballer I'll do everything that I can to help the team I think working hard is given and then try and use my ability to again help the team as much as possible in any way what's the thing you love doing most on a football field man passing the ball forward and creating chances running with the ball creating as much as possible from deep probably.

31:45Rog:It is. I think Kevin De Bruyne came on our show he said anybody that tells you that they prefer an assist to a goal is lying but I can tell when you say it, you really feel that. I do yeah, because obviously playing in me and Jim's position, you probably get less chances to score goals so you take more pride in setting other people up, the strikers mainly so probably assist is better than a goal for us God, I've got to tell you, to more assist, to a great, incredible start, to so much joy on this field here at the Hill Dickinson. Hayden Hackney, we are delighted to have you join us on this journey to all it is to come for you.

32:25Rog:Let's hear it for two men who we hope will be the heartbeat, the drums, the bass of the Everton season. Hayden Hackney and the incredible Mr James Gardner.

32:39Rog:here's time for our next guest he's another gentleman's got that newly signed midfielder smell after a premier league title winning season with the arsenal um but those six potent seasons at the always gravity defying brentford where he capped in the club helped lead them to their First ever Premier League promotion. I love watching this man play. He's got a mix of calm confidence, control, simmering ferocity. He loves to destroy, which I just really admire that creative impulse. He's the future Scouse King of Copenhagen. Let's hear it for Mr Christian Norgard!

33:43Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

33:46Rog:Oh, Christian. I've never been received so well. I think in my whole life. It's a good book. Better get used to this. Velkant. My Danish is shit. Yeah, I didn't understand that, so... I learned off Christian Eriksson. He was not a very good teacher. You're originally from North Zealand. Yeah, North Zealand. I'm effed up on that one too. Look, here's what I know. I know that your nation, I'm scared to say Denmark even now in case I F that one up. It is a country that is perpetually ranked one of the happiest in the world. I think it's third most on the recent list. James Garner knows all the statistics.

34:33Rog:And for that reason alone, I've got to say I'm elated to have you here because God knows we all need an uptick in joy in our life. But Danish happiness, like it's deep. It comes from trusting each other, a belief that everyone's working together for a collective common good. Is there anything of that that's defined your football identity? Yeah, I would say so. Many of the things you say is something I'd like to bring on the pitch as well. Sorry. And, you know, yeah, the Danish way of, you know, the values we have about being present, working hard, being humble, you know, those type of things. those are good values to bring on the pitch as well Denmark in Everton that Venn diagram, I love it but it's been some journey here you started playing in U-sides in Denmark you played in your hometown of Esparge well done you ripped that one down for me before the show you're also in the Ute team for Longby where you were coached by Thomas Frank as an under 15 your journey has been long not without challenge um your first move from denmark to the bundesliga i think you were 16.

35:49yeah 17 i think yeah i mean look at you

35:53Rog:not really he was more more of a man at 17 than i am at 87 years of age but shortly after signing ain't you suffered a broken ankle in training um it was a time of real personal challenge you weren't playing your parents had to keep driving from Denmark to help you you know cook do your laundry and you've said that you quote lost the joy of football which is really profound at that age and I don't know if you ever considered leaving the game but what did it take for you to find that love for the sport again yeah it took a long time for me I think it was just very challenging being 17 year old in a different country without my family and then being hit by a heart injury like I broke my ankle at the time I remember being very anxious meeting into training it was these big Bundesliga star players and how the Bundesliga is structured is that if you play your wages is higher, so in training, they would not give you anything.

37:05They would tackle you very, very hard, and they would protect their own position in the team. So that's a big change coming further on my career, both in Denmark and in England. So coming back to Denmark after that, it was quite tough, and I had to find my feet again in Bromby, where Thomas was the manager. But even then, I I also had a few quite tricky years before things started to go in the right direction again.

37:32Rog:I mean, things went very much in the right direction. And again, Thomas Frank at Bromby, Thomas Frank at Lungby, and then you both branched out, I guess, to another team that had the B in the name, reuniting again at Brentford. And the world got to know you when the Bs got to the Premier League in 2021. First game in the big time at home, at that bus stop in Hounslow against the mighty Arsenal and you did this.

38:19Rog:What did that feel like? Oh, unbelievable. I've given Saka a bit of stick afterwards because I dropped him on that throw and you know, he remembered that so no, that was incredible, you know that game was just built up over the whole summer of course after the promotion and it was the first it was the first day where fans were allowed back in the stadium after the COVID season as well so it was a day I'll remember, yeah, for sure I mean, I'm not a Brentford fan and I remember that, it was like they sang forever after the game and you guys just savored every single second yeah but I also marveled at your set piece ability watching that goal over and over the ability to find time and space in the box that crevice of space and score is that natural or do you develop it what's the secret I don't know what the secret is but it's something I've developed over my career and And being in a club like Brentford, where they worked so intense with set pieces, and also in Arsenal, yeah, made me learn a lot.

39:24So hopefully I can bring this to Everton. Because there's so much height and so much size in the team. So I don't see why Everton should not be one of the best teams in the league when it comes to set pieces.

39:42Rog:you just made my night i gotta tell you um i can't wait for the football to start man 200 games nearly at brentford you moved to arsenal last summer look it was a season of dreams for the club um and while it may not have been the campaign you were thinking of when you arrived in terms of your role on the field and this might be a hard question because you've not really had time to fully process it how do you look back on the experience of last season what you feel like when you look at that that medal it's it's a medal and a season i'm really proud of you know i took a step outside my comfort zone after having been in uh brentford for a long time i'd extended my contract there for two years and was really happy there but then arsenal came knocking and for me i knew i would regret that decision to not go if i if i didn't go so I knew the chances of playing were quite limited but it was worth the risk and I'm really proud and happy of what I've helped the team achieving this season even though the minutes have been limited but playing Champions League for the first time and representing a big club that is competing for titles in any tournament they play in was a big step compared to what I've tried before so I look back at the season with with joy and with pride and maybe a little bit of disappointment as well of course I mean I've got to say I was filming at Arsenal uh on Friday and everybody I spoke to all of the players you know Mikel Arteta too talked about I said I was going to spend Monday night with you and they all said that man was so important the role he played in our season they said you're a real leader a number of them said you were the guy this is a quote who forced everyone else to raise their level in training on a daily basis you're that guy who brings it um can you talk about how you view leadership because you have been the captain at Brentford you were clearly playing a leadership role in that Arsenal locker room what kind of leader are you and where do you learn that was there a moment when you just realized I need to start speaking up or is it just natural?

41:59I think leadership is more than speaking up it's it's more led by your actions and the standards you said you know people tend to look more at what you do than listen to what you say always so I prefer like yeah and and some for some leaders it's more authentic to speak and for me it's maybe more authentic to to do and I only feel I I speak when something has to be spoken about. And I don't know. I've been a captain when I played for youth national teams, vice-captain in Brunby and then vice-captain in Brentford. It's not something I've strived to be. It's maybe something others have seen more of a potential in than, yeah, me, myself.

42:47Rog:Be like this man in life, people who are watching this on television. Not like this man. Be like this man. and I'll just say I'm so bloody happy that you are here speaking to so many Evertonians tonight I think there's a ton of just joy that you are riding with us but when you

43:13Rog:when you thought about moving to Everton you know this team well you played them seven times James Garner told me that

43:23Rog:when you were at Brentford you said you've never heard a noise like you did at Goodison Park from the Everton fans but I know you also spoke to Mikel Arteta when this opportunity came out spent six seasons playing here all of them under David Moyes 1.0 what did he tell you about this club and what you could expect here as a player he told me many amazing things about the club about the manager he knows very well about the culture of the club, the fans of the club.

43:56Eventually it felt like a no-brainer for me to come here and a match for where I am in my career and also the type of person I am, like how I've been received by the fans and the teammates. It's been incredible. But yeah, it's about what happens out there. So that's what I'm missing at the moment, of course. And what's a little bit frustrating, having a smaller injury at the moment. But soon, hopefully ready. And I can't wait to get out there for the first time.

44:31Rog:I mean, your preseason has been stop-start. How are you feeling? Where are you at? What can we expect from you time-wise in terms of first time seeing Norgard on an Everton jersey? We're hopefully close. I can't really put a time frame on it. but I feel like we're getting very close, so not too long, I promise that. We're going to move on before that man shouts out about right back again. I mean, you talk about this phase of your career, Christian. Can you describe your mindset right now? You're a Premier League winner. You've been a captain of Brentford, day of thawed. You're 32 years of age.

45:13Rog:Can you talk about your motivation right now, what you want to prove either to Everton fans, to your teammates or to yourself in the year ahead? Yeah, a lot of it comes to proving something to myself. I think having had that role in the changing room the last year was a different experience and I enjoyed it. But God, I also miss, you know, playing football and yeah, just being able to play minutes after minutes and games after games. and that's the feeling I miss. And then I think having the opportunity to come to this club where there's 50 ,000 to 60 ,000 crazy fans in the stadium, you know, supporting you and valuing just hard work and doing your best effort, I think.

46:03And those are the type of things that I miss showing the world I can do.

46:16Rog:God, bring it on. I've got to say, I went into the Everton changing room before the show, and to see your jersey up there, Nor God, number 23, it was quite a moment to see that. You know, we're so used to the number 23 having the word Coleman over it.

46:41Rog:what does that number mean to you what does it mean for you to wear that shirt I think it means more to me now having chosen it in this club because I understand and see what this player, not only player but this person meant for the club so it's a big honor and a big responsibility to take it when I first found out, I didn't want to because I didn't know if I was the right man to take it but the club said they thought it was a good idea and I thought it was a fantastic number coming after a fantastic player so like I said previously, it's you know, he has a completely different legacy in this club but it's a big honor and privilege to take the number applause applause I found it really, really moving that the moment you chose the number 23, LeBron James chose to wear the number 23 with Philadelphia 76ers.

47:44He's like Christian and Seamus.

47:47Rog:It's a huge tribute.

47:51Rog:I'm not kidding. No, I know. It's not a coincidence. No, no. Generally, LeBron James, huge, huge Seamus Coleman guy. Christian, I do want to acknowledge before we wrap this up, you are not the first date to arrive here at Everton. You're actually the eighth. Oh, that many? James Garner. It is a long biblical lineage. I mean, there's a lot of laws. There's a few purrs. But I've got to ask you about one man in particular. One gentleman who I loved. I mean, he's definitely top seven Everton footballer for me all time. You all remember Thomas Graberson.

48:42Rog:For those of you too young to remember this man, his nickname was Mad Dog, and it was like almost underselling him. He was a player that kind of lived. I mean, he was a cult hero. He was super eccentric. he kind of loved to, like nothing more than to unleash fireworks literal fireworks at his teammates in training and very occasionally he'd launch the odd firework at the football field roll tape

49:26Rog:God, you look at that and you think Thomas Graveson, mad bull bastard and you also think God, they were so slow back then the defence I didn't know I shut him down I want to ask you he talked about you with admiration and wonder on Danish television he said this about you Christian he said he's a young man who has simply deserved this with the hard work he's put in and the way he's approached his football career it makes me proud what does it make you feel and it's a bit intimidating to have him over your shoulder with that post as I ask this but what does that make you feel to hear that? I don't know what you know of Tommy as an Everton player but I will say few players got Everton and the fans as quickly as Thomas Graveson did.

50:16Yeah, I remember him of course growing up watching him both play for Everton and then mainly Real Madrid which was the team I followed at the time so to get a Danish player to Real Madrid was crazy and you know I think he gets he was much like a better footballer than people sometimes recognize him for he was also good on the ball and could do things like we just saw there he was not only a hard hitter which he also had that side to him of course but you know he's a he's a great character and now he's a pondered in Denmark and he says some some funny and controversial things from time to time.

50:59But having been at the highest level, he's okay. He's allowed to have his opinions.

51:07Rog:There's an incredible myth. Like every myth, I'm sure there's a bit of truth in it. The Real Madrid just picked the wrong ball that they meant to sign Lee Karsley. Which I just love. Can you imagine Lee Karsley at the Bernabeu? It would have been like, genuinely kill me now. My life is complete. I've seen everything I want to see. But last question for you, Christian. And I love this. This is really beautiful. For almost a decade, your grandmother spends every year, all year, collecting the articles, the headlines about you and your football achievements. And she puts them into a scrapbook and then gives it to you as a gift every single Christmas.

51:50Rog:It is beautiful, right? Your poor grandma's going to have to watch this shit, isn't she? I feel for her What's her name, Grandma? Jede God bless, Grandma Geita Huge, huge love to all the grandmothers But is it true? And what does it feel like for you When you read it through? It takes up all Christmas Eve Because it's a big, big scrapbook Full of what's happened in the season And now it's always highlight of the year And I actually She messaged me yesterday how everything was and then I replied to her and then she sent a picture of different cuts from the newspaper saying already planning the Christmas gift for this year and it's going to be good.

52:40It's like, yeah, okay. It better be. It better be.

52:44Rog:I was going to ask you. Next December, what do you want to see in that scrapbook as you flick through? What do you imagine the headlines are going to say about your season here at Everton Football Club, Christy? Oh, I mean, yeah, that would be a bit early, I think, to win the cup in December, but I would love for that to be possible.

53:14No, yeah, a lot of success with this club is what I want, honestly. Yeah, and to understand what it means to play for this football club, because I think I have an understanding, but I think it takes a bit of time to really, you know, to get that relationship with the fans. And I don't think I will get that before I step my feet on the pitch.

53:38Rog:God bless. I've got to say I have no doubt that you will be able to achieve what you set your mind to. You're a player with incredible emotional intelligence. I just say to you, to your grandma, to all the headlines that are to come, Godspeed to you Christian Norgaard Heldo Licky We can't wait to watch you Am I right? Thank you Let's hear it for Christian Norgaard

54:07Rog:God I feel I genuinely cannot wait For this season to start now I don't mean to be hyperbolic But our next guest Is the best thing to happen to Everton Since the birth of Tommy Fleetwood this is a story of tenacity of dogged determination that has honestly forged one of the smoothest elegant cultured footballers again, bold claim but I think on the planet please be upstanding for snooker hustler sultry sophista pop aficionado and tireless creative wonder I love this man it's Mr Kiernan Juziel

55:03Thank you. Say hello to your people. Thank you. That's the best reception I've ever had if someone said my name.

55:11Rog:Appreciate that. Thank you. By the way, a thing called Google told us that Careless Whisper is one of your favourite songs. Is that true? Or is that like... You're releasing all my guilty pleasures here. Yeah. Michael Jackson... George Michael is one of my favourite ever. Michael Jackson is as well, but George Michael, yeah. Yeah, I'll give you George Michael. You are the George Michael of footballers. In terms of the smooth vocals. Not the good looks. I'm going to move on to the football before I get myself into trouble. You know what, I'm going to move on to November 24th, 2025. Everton are down to 10 men in possibly the most Everton way possible.

55:56Rog:29th minute and you do this. Gardner, Tewsbury Hall. Berri Fernandes had a nibble. Tewsbury Hall still has it! And scores it!

56:10Dylan Burrell from Keirn and Tewsbury Hall. to bless Everton in front of the old record.

56:20Rog:What's that feel like, man? Can you put that into words? No. That moment was one of the best moments of my career so far, for sure. Yeah. I've said it. That away end, when I scored the goal, was the best away end I've ever seen. I think you can see I was just as surprised as everyone else that I did that on my right foot. So, yeah, but what a night. Like you said, it was a mental game and, yeah, a little bit of history. So it was good. Describing how it felt, I sent this to DCL when I interviewed him last week. Diego Forlan once told me scoring a goal is like an orgasm only better.

57:14Rog:so what's your question

57:19true or false that looks so good it's better it is yeah it's better it's better

57:26Rog:at least at Old Trafford way better honestly it does it does I mean the turn when you pick up the ball that skip inside Bruno the 1-2 you play with Lenny Euro at what point where you're like, no one can stop me, I'm having this?

57:47Before the ball came to me, I think. I thought, this is me, I need to do something. It was a bit of a rocky 30 minutes. That's an understatement. Yeah, so I thought, let me just try and do something and obviously 10 seconds later, I was celebrating. So yeah, all good.

58:04Rog:I've got to tell you, I love that moment so much. It sums up so much that is great about football, and Everton Football Club. The self-sabotage, doom, hello darkness, my old friend. And then the tenacity, the moment of transcendence and just losing your mind. I mean, you're from the Midlands, Nottingham, right? Born in Nottingham, yeah, grew up in Leicester. Yeah, you came to the Leicester City Academy from the age of eight. But the amazing thing is, and I think it's what we always love in footballers who come to Everton, is that from the day you arrived here in the Northwest, Ciernan, you seem to really understand Evertonians and what we want to see.

58:47Rog:Can you put that into words, how you understand that? I don't know. It's weird. Look, I'm a player that plays with my heart on my sleeve every game. I give everything out there. Sometimes it gets me in trouble. I say what I think and you see the way I play. So I think fans can appreciate my honesty, my passion for the game. And to be fair, since day one when I signed for this club, it just felt right. It felt like there was times before I signed for Everton, in the years before, that there was a chance I could have came. And it never materialised. So it was always in the back of my mind that one day I might play for Everton.

59:28So when it came up last summer, genuinely, it was the only place I wanted to go. and I'm so thankful that I actually made that decision.

59:43Rog:I want to get to the Everton part and it is beautiful but let's go back to the beginning because your story is humanly really, I mean it's really amazing. Long before you knew you'd be scoring Premier League screamers on the regs, when you were five, your mum put an inflatable giant yellow goal in the back garden You spent just hours out there, 20 footballs at a time, hacking away at it. But it took you so long to find your way. You are a late bloomer, literally. You didn't have that growth spur until you were 17, which in a Max Downman world is like really, really late. Did the hard miles on loan, Blackpool, Luton, didn't make your Premier League debut until you were 23, which is incredible.

1:00:28Rog:Look, lesser human beings might have stopped, tapped out on their dreams. I don't know if you ever did, but where did that tenacity to keep going? Because it is a very unorthodox journey, Kiernan. Yeah, and I'm so happy that I had the journey I had genuinely. Like you said, I was a very late developer, and I see with kids now, young kids doing what they're doing. When I was Max's age, I hadn't even basically fully hit puberty yet, to be in all seriousness. Yeah. You're still like five foot three. I was tiny. I was four stone wet through. But to answer your question, I always, always, always had that self-belief that I could make it one day.

1:01:12Ever since the day I was playing football as a youngster, the way I was raised, brought up, grounded, always work hard, nothing's ever given to you. So it was almost like it was the way it was for me. It wasn't out of the ordinary. So I bided my time. I worked hard. I waited. I waited. I was patient. And then eventually when I got my opportunity, all the experiences I had set me ready. And I took it, which is thankful.

1:01:38Rog:I mean, I do, when I watch you and I think about that story, I think about persistence. I think about patience, the words you just used. I mean, these are values which are, I think, the most important and are really hard to come by in a football world, it did start to come together for you. 2024, Leicester's player of the season, 12 goals, 14 assists when they were promoted. The move to Chelsea along with Enzo Maresca, there was the good. You won the Europa Conference League, but playing time in the Premier League, that was, in that fatter squad, was an incredible challenge. And at the end of that season, August 6, 2025.

1:02:21Rog:I don't know how it's not a national holiday. Out of a series of clubs who offered you an opportunity, you joined this beautiful club, Everton Football Club.

1:02:35Rog:You called it, at the moment you said it was an easy decision. Again, can you put into words what you were looking for exactly, what you wanted and how Everton matched those needs for you? Yeah, good question. My final year at Leicester, I had a really good season. I found my feet. I was scoring, assisting. Made this jump, which I thought I was ready for. I genuinely thought that I wouldn't have gone otherwise. I think people know me as a person now. I want to play football. I'm not there just to make up numbers. Didn't happen. So I wanted to go somewhere where I felt appreciated again, where people would look at me and understand what I'd give for the team.

1:03:20I could resonate with people. And like you said, from a fair few clubs, it was genuinely quite an easy decision in the end, which is funny to say, but it was. And I'm so happy because this last year, it's got me back to where I was. I'm confident again. I feel appreciated, which I'm so thankful for. And yeah, there's so much more to come.

1:03:49Rog:I mean if you're watching this on television you cannot see the audience which is just a couple of hundred people looking at this man with a real sense of love and gratitude and I'm amongst them watching you settle here like Picasso had a blue period you had an initial yellow card period I think it was like was it like five in the first six games which you called quote mind boggling yeah it was mind boggling honestly and I got in trouble for saying that but it was. I've just effed up and made you say it again but then it all kicked in December, the 3-0 win in which you did it all, forcing a goal inside 82 seconds against Forrest capping off the scoring in the 80th minute also in there looking at the statistics I'm not going to make the James Garner joke again, there was dual winning, there was five clearances it was like a total personal performance you said in that moment that you were feeling the best you have in your career what was it the mesh for you so quickly Kiernan how much of it was was training and how much of it was just natural chemistry with the with the blokes you found it better both it was the training the natural chemistry just the confidence and the mentality people don't appreciate how important that is in football it's it makes or breaks players um and yeah all of that culmination was putting me in such an amazing moment when i felt i almost felt a bit invincible then a week later i pulled my hamstring so so i was like kinn and never get too high again never get too low just stay level headed but but no i was in such a good moment and really i was showing player people and players what I could do all over the pitch, like you said, scoring goals, making tackles, winning duels, which is what I am as a player.

1:05:48Rog:I've got to say the hamstring, just you bringing that out again. That was one of the lowest points of my life in the past 12 months. Because the fans had warmed to you so quickly. You were like hope, you were joy. You were so creative alongside Jack Grealish in Elliman and Die. The fans quickly called you, and I love this, the holy shinity.

1:06:12Rog:And I would not be doing my job as an astute professional if I did not ask you, Cianan, give us your personal philosophy on shin pads, would you? Well, you can see I don't think they're that important. What is that? I just like my calves, so I just want to show them. Well, I actually didn't have the best calves last year, obviously. the lad on the left has the best co-offs I've ever seen so but no he's at Jack Grealish on his grave it will say quad mogger yeah it probably will to be fair by the way quickly the last Everton season cut from wonder and transcendence right up to that magical win against Chelsea 21st of March just an ecstatic performance that made us all sore.

1:07:08Rog:And we know how the season ended. We know how frustrating it must have been inside that squad. You're all professional footballers. You are some of the most hyper-competitive human beings on the planet. And the Premier League is a game of small margins, small differences, small knock-on effects. Can you talk about how you experienced it and what you almost learned from that seven-game running that we take into this season? yeah very frustrating end to the season um had a lot of time to think about it obviously over the past couple of months and yeah a lot of lessons learned it it made me and the team realize you can be so close but you can be so far nothing like i said nothing is given to you in this in this game in this world so a lot of people might have looked at us and gone yeah we're only one or two wins away, but it's hard to get them one or two wins because everybody's competitive.

1:08:05So I think the main lesson learned is never get complacent till the final whistle of the final day of the final game. It's all to play for and it's a great lesson because now we've got that in the locker going into this season and put in the same position again. I don't think that we're making that same mistake.

1:08:30Rog:we sit here at the end of a pre-season you can follow pre-season along by you know watching the actual games I actually just like to experience pre-season through the Kin and Jusby Hall Instagram and there's two moments I want to go a little deep on here for one quick second let's pull up the first slide tell us what's going on here we think of football as such a glamorous life you know i mean at the end of the day yeah i mean to be honest i actually don't know how tarkey's feet fit in that because he's got the biggest widest ogre feet i've ever seen but uh no i think we just had a tough session you know what tarkey's like he steams into tackles and i'm sure you might i think he's just hit someone on the stud so his foot was like boom so he's just like stick it in the ice bath and he'll be right for the training tomorrow and yeah, he was.

1:09:23But it's not very glamorous, as you mean, like, we're nice and humble here.

1:09:28Rog:By the way, every moment I see Tark for the next season, I'm just going to think biggest, ugliest ogre feet. I'm never not going to be able to think about that. Let's have a look at one more quick one. This one, explain this.

1:09:45Rog:Is this just perspective on the photo? How's this special effect work here? It's a wonderful thing called AI, that. Is it really? It was actually Tom King that created it, so kudos to Tom, but obviously everyone knows Jake. He's a massive human being. Six foot six. Six foot six. So in reality, that actual photo was me there, to Kingy and Jake. But I thought, there's no way I'm putting that on my social media. I look tiny. So Kingy sent me that, and I put it in. Guess who was the first person to message me when I posted it? Jake O 'Brien. I'm not going to repeat what he said, but he wasn't the happiest guy in the world.

1:10:25Rog:I looked at it and I just thought Jacob Primus had been standing really, really, really far back. The truth is you just swap your head with his. Basically, yeah. I think it suits him, though. It suits me looking a bit bigger. But yeah, that's the story behind that. Now look at that. Just his body shape, his size. I know what you're all thinking. Right back.

1:10:54Rog:I'm moving on. No comment. Before I get the off-you-go sign, we sit here on the eve of the new season. It's your second one at Everton. So many new faces. Tonight we've met Hayden Hackney and Christian Norgard. Brennan Johnson also here. Can you talk about the mood inside the squad on the eve of this new season. What are the messages for this season internally? Honestly, super excited, super positive. The lads have come back very sharp. And look, you see in pre-season at the start, you can't really read too much into it. But I think we're bubbling along nicely and we're coming to a point now where we're going to be ready for the first game.

1:11:42But it's very competitive. There's a lot of, like you said, brilliant signings, good players that I've seen now. and that's what you want in a squad. You want it to be competitive. You don't want anyone to think, oh, that space is mine, no problem. You want people looking behind their shoulders and we're getting that and look, you never know, we might have one or two more come in before the end and then, yeah, I think we'll be in a good place and I'm quietly confident.

1:12:11Rog:You want people challenging each other for places and humiliating each other with AI body swaps. That is what leads to title glory. I can't remember a more chaotic off-season. World Cup has pushed the transfer window really, really, really late. It's going to be late-breaking. So many teams in transition, so many new managers, nine new permanent managers, teams in flux, new manager even at Crystal Palace who are coming here this weekend. How do you experience that as a player? Do you feel it creates an opportunity or does it feel just like a complete season of uncertainty for everybody? Yeah, a bit of both.

1:12:53I think we're in a good place, like you said. We've got a lot of our squad together, our managers there. We've had a lot of time to prep. We've had a lot of time off. Too much time, I'm chomping at the bit. I just really want to play now. It's just doing my head in. Pre-season's pre-season. It's not the real thing, is it? So it's, yeah, I just can't wait. But like you said, it'd be an interesting Premier League this year because a lot of things have happened. It's going to be competitive. But like I said before, I'm genuinely very confident for what we can do.

1:13:31Rog:Amen. What is your message to Everton fans on the dawn of this season? What do you want them to know, Keenan? I'll just say, firstly, continue the amazing support. I've been here a year now and it's the best support I've heard from any club that I've been at and that's genuine for sure

1:13:55so yeah continue that which I obviously know you will but just stick with the lads it's not always going to be sunshine and rainbows in football, we're in the toughest league in the world there's going to be dips, there's going to be troughs but I'm 100 % sure there's going to be a lot of highs so ride with us It's a roller coaster, but you wouldn't have it any other way, would you?

1:14:21Rog:Last question for you. I want to go back to that magical snooker story that you told about when you broke through at Leicester. Brendan Rodgers was the manager.

1:14:37Rog:how can you boo the man who'd won the team snooker tournament the year before but then he had to play you who played snooker since the age of 10 you'd actually thought about possibly pursuing a professional career you're that good I was alright yeah I was decent to be fair like how decent 1-4-7 decent not that standard pool I was better I'd be 7 I'd 7 ball people at pool when I was 10 so if I was a good level at pool and obviously I still play Sniu Canal so if anyone wants a challenge just let me know not 1-4-7 level but I can play levels above Brodge is what you're saying and you weren't sure how to handle the situation should you let your manager win or should you do what you knew you could do which is wipe the floor with him and you opted for the latter right?

1:15:32Rog:I had to. My competitive urges were just too much to say no and thinking back I probably should have let him win because I did go on loan the next week. I was playing really well and I thought before I might get a chance but no I was on loan the next week but nah look it's fun and games and it was fun seeing his face after. What was the score do you remember? It was I can't remember it was either first or three or best out of three and it was either 2-0 or 3-0. So it was pretty quick. I didn't even get to finish the tournament, like I said, because I was on loan the next week. A week later, this man was at Luton.

1:16:13Rog:The question I wanted to get to, if it had been David Moyes and not the broad, who was your manager, would you have let him win? I think you know the answer to that, don't you? He's getting three zipped. oh my god you're a braver man than I am Kiernan I gotta tell you because David is proper proper terrifying Kiernan I want to thank you I think I speak for everybody who's here right we don't take a second of watching this man play football for Everton Football Club for granted thank you turn for Kiernan Jusby Hall

1:17:00Rog:What an incredible human being. Let's hear it again for Kiernan Dewsby Hall. What a man. That is it for tonight. I want to thank all of you for being here with us. I want to thank everybody watching this at home. I want to thank James. I want to thank Hayden. I want to thank Christian and Kiernan. I want to wish them all the finest for the season ahead. I want to thank all at Everton Football Club for making this night happen, especially the great Scott McLeod. And at Christopher Ward, huge love to them for hosting us at Dock on One in this beautiful, beautiful facility. But most of all, I want to finish by raising my glass to you and wish all of you a season cut from dreams.

1:17:47Rog:May Beto soar.

1:17:52Rog:by the way I think I don't like to be hyperbole we are on the eve of the Beto 20 goal season it is known may Jordan Pickford end every single game catching the ball dropping to the turf and just have an incredible grin of mischief on his face may Tariq George just create so much magic for us and more and more and more but most important may all of you make memories with those that you love home and away and i hope those memories allow you to sustain yourself through good times and times of challenge um fyodor doskiewski once said and i think he would have been a massive blue if he were alive today he once said to live without hope is to cease to live and if he was alive today I think he would have said it simpler I think he just would have said up the fucking toffees this is Rog saying big big love thank you for having me and courage