Reaction to Michael Carrick Interim Manager! Players need confidence and freedom like Shea Lacey

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0:11What if you had a room where no one interrupts? No notifications. No expectations. Just space to talk. With BetterHelp, therapy happens in a space that's yours. Visit betterhelp.com slash randompodcast for 10 % off your first month of online therapy. Two weeks ago, I was thinking, you're all Europe. Is it going to be Champions League or is it going to be one of the others? That's how I was thinking. I was quite optimistic a couple of weeks ago. But right now, I'm sitting here going, you know what? I've got my tin hat on and thinking, please just let us get through this unscathed, not being beaten down too much.

0:51And I think it's a real twist of emotions. That's why I believe right now, I think it's important as far as advising anyone at the club, I think to come out now and speak. Don't leave it to someone like Darren Fletcher, who's an interim manager, to speak and control the narrative of the football club.

1:13Welcome to another episode of Rio Presents. This is brought to you by our trusted partner, Crafted. And listen, guys, we've got to carry on talking about life after Ruben Amarin. I mean, where do we go? What happens now? How do we continue at Manchester United? And I think, you know what, we're going to discuss, obviously, the performance against Brighton and whatnot. But I think we should start looking forward rather than looking back at how, why, who, what, where. Do you know what? Can I just say before we start, you're probably asking, thinking, where am I? Because I'm always flying about all over the place.

1:45Yesterday I was at the La Liga Clasico in Saudi Arabia in Jeddah. And I've got to say, wow, what a place. Stadium, carnival-like scenes. Phenomenal atmosphere at the stadium. And what a game they put on for the fans over there. I mean, listen, I don't know if you guys watched it, But I actually missed two of the goals walking to try and get my position next to the pitch at half-time. It was just like a crazy, crazy, crazy game. Incredible. I saw you with Rafinha celebrating at the end, mate. Yeah, well, I've been trying to get Rafinha on the show, haven't I? So I've been talking to him for a little while and I said to myself, I want to see what he's good at.

2:23See how good he really is, right? Because you've got to remember, he was in the Premier League playing for Leeds. No one took him. He went to Barcelona. Everyone's eyebrows were raised, right? Like, he has to be up there as one of the most improved players in Europe, taking the responsibility on wearing the armband at Barcelona. Like, no one would have said that when he was watching him at Ellen Road playing for Leeds. But he's produced a run of seasons that are backed up by all the data you can produce, goals, assists. He's movement, by the way. He's playing one and two, touching, then dribbles.

2:55He's passing. And he's on a pitch, by the way, with some big, big, big, big names, big reputations. Laminya Ma was toying with Real Madrid at times. He is my favourite player to watch in wide football right now. Just the way that he can manipulate the ball, manipulate an opponent, manipulate an opposition team. And he just plays with a freeness that he's just like, what's he going to be like in three years when he matures? That's the problem. When he's stronger, when he's more experienced, when he understands the game even better, like, it's just ridiculous. Obviously, we had one of the pitches, Pedri.

3:34Now, he played possibly one of the most simplified games in midfield I've seen, but equally as effective. One and two touch, holding it on, stand on it when he needed to, playing just the short passes, keeping the game, the momentum going. Rio, Vinny Jr., when Mbappe's not there, looks like a completely different player. don't care what anyone says you've just opened a can of worms no it's the truth though isn't it PSG yeah no it's true I mean you can't take away from the individual stats but when you looked at Vinny and Bellinem as well they look like complete different players when he's not on the pitch man Bellinem was quiet yesterday he'd done more defensive work they didn't have the ball and didn't really get a chance to get on it but Vinny he produced three moments in the game where you went, oh my God, what was that?

4:25Like, old school kick and run winger. Like, we watch far too many wingers nowadays go 1v1. The team have worked so hard to get a player, their main player, 1v1, and that player then turns out and recycles the ball. And everyone in the stadium goes, and everyone at home goes, oh God, we've got to wait another 10 minutes to get a 1v1 situation again. Vinny Jr. got it yesterday and was just blowing Koundé away. To be fair, Koundé got to come to terms with it and that probably got the upper hand in later on in the game. But early parts, wow. But anyway, but Brighton, talk to me, Steve. Atmosphere on the ground was flat and then it got a bit moody towards the end.

5:08But I watched, Rio, one of the worst performances I've ever seen from United. It's not about shape. It's not about tactics. Although I think second half, I think Brighton changed a couple of things and it just was easy for them. They could have been texting, walking around. Danny Welbeck scored the goal that we all knew he was going to score. It was just such a lack of quality on the ball. Really bad decision-making, really bad execution. I'm talking stuff that is basic, like things that you would kick off at Sunday League, lads, for. Weight of pass, shape of your body, like which foot you're passing it to, who you're passing it to, just real basic stuff where you want to get it and go, lads, like, what's going on?

5:50Like, I've not seen a performance so bad from a technical level. Is any of that where you give Brighton credit because they are such a well-versed team, well-coached team, dynamic team? Yes, I know they had a lot of players out, but they are a very well-coached football club. Brighton's press is possibly the best in the Premier League. And that made... There was a tactical thing that United got completely wrong yesterday. Trying to play through Brighton's press is hilarious. like whoever thought that was a good idea we're not having that like even I can recognise that if there's a time to go to Sesco direct from goal kicks Brighton at home is the game to do that but do you know what Rio they didn't even press with four right when the team wants to put a heavy press on they'll go man for man at the back and risk it and they'll go four against your four at the top end because even that's still four against five when your goalkeeper gets involved they pressed us with three they pressed five with three and put us under absolute danger.

6:48That's not acceptable. That's not a tactical thing. I mean, it kind of is because you shouldn't have even been up against it. But like from a pure execution point of view and you're seeing the likes of Deleuze standing there and you can see in his shape of his body that he ain't asking for the ball. You know when a player's hiding, don't you? You know when a player's making movements to get on the ball. They might make a double movement. They might faint. They might, they've got a handout asking for it and pointing to which foot they want it or maybe pointing behind someone and saying, just stick it in there, I'll run onto it.

7:17You can see in a player's body language, he's like, like, don't want it. Even if he's trying to pretend he does, but he don't want it. And they took it off us easy. Do you know what you're talking about in the state? In the state, it was moody, right? I've been eating out a couple of times. I don't think it's probably as moody as it is now, but I've been in there a couple of times when it's been like a bit moody and you're like, oh my God. It is like you're in the depths of the sea on your own. That's what it feels like. It feels like you're just like, it's a bad place to be. So, listen, I've got some sort of sympathy for these players in a way that that feeling isn't nice.

7:53And then to be able to perform under that scrutiny, under that stress, is very difficult. But listen, that's where the club are right now. It's a depressing state right now. It's a place where all eyes are on. And negativity is the first thing seeping out of anyone's pores when they walk in that stadium, whether you're a fan or a player. So it's a hard place to play, but they've got to find a way. And the big question that I have when I look at it now, and you say, are they actually good enough, half of these players? And I think I've spoken to a lot of players, ex-players, etc. And you do look at United and go like, a lot of blame has been shifted off of their shoulders and they've been allowed to kind of stand in the background a little bit.

8:30We've got to ask that question, right? Are these guys actually good enough to actually be playing for Manchester United? Is it more them, the reason, and the poor recruitment over the years that has put Man United in this position now? I actually believe it's an accumulation of many things. I don't think it's down to one area. But I do think there is a responsibility to be shared rather than to be focused on just one area. Look, obviously the news has been announced. Michael Carrick is the new interim manager for Manchester United. Can I have your thoughts on that, please? As a mate, as a next team mate, of course I'm happy that he's getting a chance to go and have a go at it and put his best foot forward.

9:10And in a time of need, the club have called and that he goes and takes it and does something positive with that. And Oli's name was in the mix as well. Obviously, Fletcher's had the interim for the last two games. It does feel like a different version of like, I don't know, that carousel of like Sam Allardyce, Tony Pulis, Alan Pardew type. You know what I mean? Where the same old faces are getting shouted at when there's a problem. Do you know what I mean? I'd love Big Sam right now, I'll be honest with you. I know Ash wasn't a fan of his, but I actually think Big Sam's misunderstood, you know?

9:41Yeah. Nah. It's not the time now, or the place, we'll be talking like that. I think if you look at, if we're going to go with Carrick, what does he bring? What's the next priorities? I think he's got to instill confidence back into this team. I think that doesn't matter what players you've got, how good they are, they'll never be given a better, the best side or best version of themselves if they're lacking confidence and to do that there's things he's gonna have to do behind the scenes to bring them together and to make them start believing in themselves through training creating patterns for him I'm sure but then inevitably it's down to results they've got to find a way to get results and if that is like playing maybe for their foot for the moment a different style of football maybe that suits this this group when he goes in there and analyzes it and go actually this group might have to turn the back foot a little bit and be a bit more counter-attacking.

10:31Mate, if that's the way it has to be for a little bit, to start building results, which builds confidence, then you can start moulding the team in time into a new shape the way you want it to be. But I just feel that without the confidence right now, it's going to be really, really difficult, almost impossible to build anything with this team and to build any momentum at all to get us into a position where it's respectable at the end of the season. The only thing that matters is the result. We were better at creating chances this season, but we were worse at defending. You can say the data, I mean on our XG for the last five or six games or something like that, we should have won, but we didn't.

11:10The one that matters, Leicester won a league that they shouldn't have won, but guess what? They all got the medal at home. Doesn't matter what they should or would or could have done, they actually did it. So you've got to win. That's the fundamental job of every football team, and I know only one team gets to win the league, right? but the fundamental job is the results. I think that people have seen their arse a little bit with, Ineos have come in with what they're telling us is a long-term project. They publicly back Ten Hag in the summer, and he's gone a couple of months later on the back of winning a trophy.

11:46They bring Amirim in, they tell everyone that there's going to be a period of adjustment for it. And look, he is factually the worst manager that United have had since Sir Alex Ferguson. like the stats don't lie he was but he came in when he didn't want to come in he gets a few players in the summer that have gone on and done quite well not all of them have been available at all times I mean how many games have all three of them actually played together started together I don't think it's that many we absolutely needed midfielders you can argue that even the wing backs that we've got are either a work in progress or plain and simple not good enough you brought in a young goalkeeper that's going to make mistakes even though i think he's been a largely a positive sign-in he's going to just get better but he's he needs time to do that all of the things that they're talking about require time like i'd said a while ago i'd lost faith in ruben amory but there's a difference between losing faith in him and demanding him to be sacked and i wasn't at demanding for him to be sacked i wasn't happy and and i think there's games that we've lost because of his decisions that we shouldn't have lost but i also think there's times where we've been left short by 20 odd years of glazes and maybe you know like did we really need Mbumo we had Ahmad you know I think Mbumo's a great signing a great player but would have would a better player have been a midfielder you know we've we've bought good players but did we prioritize the wrong thing at the wrong time or was there was there you know was the Bruno thing something that the club thought might have happened in the summer that didn't happen in the summer?

13:22Was they banking on that, maybe thinking that he's not going to turn down the contract from Saudi and he's actually going to go, but then he doesn't? And did that maybe have a knock-on effect into where we are this season? There's things that we're never going to know about, isn't there? Yeah, and I think when you look at it, and Daz has settled a little bit around the sacking of Ruben Amarim, and I look at him and think that, this is, there's a bit of data going around about this is the first time a Man United manager has been sacked when he was actually on an upward trajectory. And you can take that how you want it because...

13:56That's what the data says you're saying. The data is saying that, yeah. Because the Wolves and, you know, Leeds, that don't feel like an upward trajectory, Rio. No, no, I know what you're saying, but then you look at the league table and we finished 15th or 16th and we were fifth. Yeah. But we are also three points off 12th. No, but when you look at it like that, if you look at the league table and you go, okay, where are you at the moment? You can go... I'm saying Ruben Amarin could sit there and go, by the way, you're sacking me. We finished 15th last year. You're sacking me when we're fifth.

14:27Do you not think that's going to be what he's talking about when he goes in for his next job? That's exactly what he'll say. I know there's context to that, but he'll be saying I was fifth in the league. We were looking up rather than looking down. And I think he could honestly sit there and say to himself, I felt I was moving in the right direction. However fast or slow, it might have been too slow for a lot of people, which obviously it was, but I felt that we were moving in a direction where also with another window, it was another opportunity for me to have more of my fingerprints on this team with players that I wanted.

14:58I think if you're going to put a percentage on it, I think the percentage was heavily favoured in a reaction to the press conferences and the manner in which he spoke in those more than just footballing reasons. Since Dan Ashworth left, right, Jason Wilcox has been in charge of the club's game model. and the aim is to reduce bloated squads and ensure each manager has enough strong players to pick from whatever formation they prefer, right, Rio? So are they in a good position with that right now as it stands? Well, in a 4-2-3-1, I think they've got players that can play that formation. I think they've got players that can play it.

15:33Whether they play it to the standard required remains to be seen. That's the point. Just to go back on about Dan Ashworth when he left, that's a person that I'd love to pick his brains and find out why he left. There's no way he's not signed an NDA reel. Well, he obviously has because he hasn't spoken. So we're not going to get that conversation until maybe he writes his memoirs. I don't know. But it's like, he's the guy who could probably unpick it. Do you know what I mean? If you got him in a room and spoke to him and go, well, what were the issues? Why did you walk out? Because he's not been someone who's walked out like on a knee-jerk reaction in the past with things.

16:08He's gone on projects. He's worked projects through. albeit obviously he left Newcastle to come to May United, but it was an abrupt leaving of May United, which means he's obviously seen, smelt, heard, felt something within those corridors that it just didn't sit well with him. And I'd love to know a little bit about that because I think that'll be quite telling as to how we are, where we are now. You spoke about the 4-2-3-1 formation, Rio. Like, what did they need to do to be better at that? but like I said you can throw players into a formation right if they've got no confidence and there's deep scars from the last regime and the regime before that and the regime before that it becomes difficult to do that I feel May United have got to go and get someone if it's not going to be Carrick in the summer they've got to get someone who can actually motivate this team and get them playing and get them aggressive and get them confident again I think it's such a huge people will say basic.

17:11Confidence is a hard thing to build and then to maintain. Do you know who would do that? Who? And I don't think it's a coincidence Gary Neville's floated him and said he'd be his ideal candidate. Carlo Ancelotti. Yeah. But do you know the problem with appointing Carlo Ancelotti? I have no doubts Carlo Ancelotti can manage Manchester United. None. Zero. But he does it with... He's always managed elite players though. Yeah. And I'd be absolutely barred up watching him on the sideline and put his hand on his waist and do the eyebrow thing. Like, there's not a doubt about it, mate. But I think it's a really bad look if Ineos did appoint him when they've come out and all they've talked about is young, the future, long-term.

17:50A 67-year-old man is not a long-term appointment for anything. That's a guy that needs to be getting some slippers selected and putting his feet up and retiring on what he's earned to retire. Silk robe and that, yeah. Yeah, especially Carlo, a lovely fit. Just to counter, Rio, what you said, you said he's always managed elite players. When he was at Everton, they weren't all elite and he did a decent job over there. Oh, yeah, you're right. Sorry, you're right. You're right. You're right. Supposedly, he loves the Prem and has always coveted the United job. I love him. He's got no arms about him coming.

18:20My only thing is, I think, from an optics point of view, it's a 180-degree turn on what Ineos have said that they wanted. I think you've got to go and just get a coach who can coach a life out of a team and get a team playing a style of football, whatever that is, and you've seen him get it done multiple times. at different clubs. Tuchel, and Dagelsmann, who are you thinking? Someone who's a motivator, who's got high demands, who don't give a toss, says it how it is, and again, he might be volatile, he might give you a few problems behind the scenes, but one thing you can guarantee, he will coach the hell out of your team.

18:59And someone who's free right now, not free, someone who I think may be gettable more than someone like Tuchel, because Tuchel will be one of my biggest picks as well, will be De Zerbe. I'm telling you. I don't care what, or any formation he wants to play, the guy is a proper coach who gets players working and playing. Rio, you're right, but they don't want that. They don't want that truth, man. Can you imagine him busting through and seeing the issues at United? Bruv, that guy's going to flip his wig. What makes you think that they don't want that? Because I've seen people repeat this and I don't see any evidence.

19:34They wouldn't have pointed out. They wanted him before. because I think right United want someone to come in right about now and just do the job you can see like even what do you mean do the job so do the coaching job I don't think Man United want a manager at the point they don't want someone to come in and go right this needs fixing that needs fixing behind the scenes what they want is for them to they've got the players right and then all they have to do is coach the players and get the results yeah but Deserby's that Deserby's not someone who's going to come in and go I want this want that one he's a coach he's very vocal though Even if you see Marseille, even if you see issues with Marseille and stuff like that, he'll come out and he'll say if there's something that he wants and something he needs.

20:11I reckon if you're looking at a lot of the top clubs right now, whether it be Chelsea, United, the big clubs, they don't, Maresca, they just want you to have the players and do what you're doing. I think you've just had that with Amorim. And look, it hasn't turned out well. So in my opinion, you guys just want something a little bit, a Carrick, an Oli, people that are calm with it. That's why you're linked with him. I'd bring fire to the party, I'm telling you. I'd bring fire and I'd bring, I wouldn't bring craziness, but I'd bring someone who's bringing that fire, that passion. But really, really backed up by someone who's shown that they can coach the life out of a team.

20:49They can coach the hell out of a team. They can coach individuals, improve players and can really put down a way of playing football. I really do believe that is something that is you need someone who's really kind of strong on their own identity strong in their own I am a pro-license chat Rio I was thinking about you Steve I was thinking that you could be the man for the job but you just need to get your license I see Steve I see Steve in the runnings bro man's 200 to 1 what about that by the way when your name just popped up like that into the runnings that was mad you know people recognise the game Rio they realise that Cheshire League and Premier League ain't that different in the grand scheme of things.

21:27It's just 11 blokes and a ball reel and grass. Now, saying that though, Steve, you've obviously coached an ex-Stratford Paddock player who's obviously now playing for Macclesfield, and they did well. We'll talk about them later on. But when you look at the shape, Steve, do you reckon you're more equipped to play 3-4-3 or a 4-2-3-1? Honestly, neither at the moment. Like, we got rid of all of our natural-ish wingers to go to the 3-4-3. Cunha and Mbumo, I think Mbumo's probably more equipped to play as a pure raw out-and-out winger. Cunha, I think, is always going to be a little bit more inverted.

22:05So I think if he was going to go a bit asymmetric in how you attack, you need like a very offensive left wing back and maybe a more defensive right back. So you could probably play Masraoui as your right back and Mbumo in front of him and he's going to hold his width and that's fine. But on the left, where Cunha's always going to drift in, you probably want someone like an Evra that's going to live in the final third and forget that he's a fullback at times and really frustrate you but he's going to give you that width and he's going to give you some attacking output and I think we we saw that yesterday when like Mount was anonymous it was a bad game from Mason Mount he did nothing but when Shea Lacey came on immediately United looked dangerous and he held his width and he was aggressive and he was trying to take people on 1v1.

22:50It was a joy to see. And the guy's had 12 minutes first team experience and he comes on and puts on a show like that. Like, I know he got, he was a bit naive getting two yellers, but, you know, he's shown nothing but promise in the minutes that he's had. I don't think he's quite ready for a start yet. And I think people really misunderstand that starting a Premier League game, the intensity that those games are played at is very different to the last 30 minutes that those games are played at. And a young player with that sort of profile coming on is a real asset, whereas I think he'd probably get his wings clipped from starting a game just now.

23:29But I'm not saying it won't happen and won't happen for him, but I think he's probably a real asset. My worry is with him, with Lacey in particular, is that when Mbumo and Ahmad come back, one of them's taking a seat. So I don't know where Shea Lacey's minutes come from. Do you know the thing about him, Steve? What jumps out to me? One, he's confident. One, he's got belief in his ability and he's got bundles of ability because we've been watching him for a couple of years now in the youth academy and whatnot. But he's the only one when you see him out there who looks like he hasn't got them deep scars of regimes before, of past managers passing judgment on him or not showing an interest in him or not rating him.

24:09He's just come in. He hasn't got all of that baggage, all of that in his mind. and his mind is just free of all of that. Just coming in clear, going, I just need to go and play well. And that's a breath of fresh air, and you can see that in the way that he plays. There isn't any, like, looking over his shoulder or his head between his shoulders a little bit. Do you know what I mean? Hiding in there and thinking, oh, no, I don't want to make a mistake. He's out there thinking, and you can see it in him. Give me the ball. I just want to do something. I don't know what it is. Just give me the ball.

24:36Get me the ball. I'm going to do something. And when he gets it, he does look a threat. But like you say, I hope he doesn't just push back into the 21s and beating around the squad the way he may have to when Bumo and Ahmad come back because they're two high-level players. So it'd be interesting to see what they do with him.

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26:04Rio, going back to players that might lose out. Obviously, Steve said Ahmad and Buemo, when they come back, someone's going to have to take a seat. You've got Kunia and Mount, you know. Could they lose out the most with a change in a formation or with things changing when a new manager comes in? No, I agree with Steve. I think Kunia's always going to come inside the pitch more often than he'd go out on the outside. But then, again, as a tactic, you've got to get a wing-back or a full-back who's going to be overlapping. Simple as that. They create the width. And I think Mason Mount, I think Mason can play a number of positions.

26:35so I don't think he misses out. I think the rotations that can go on if he plays off the right-hand side, you've got to remember, he played off the right-hand side a lot of the time or left-hand side when he was at Chelsea. So it's not like he's not used to doing that. So I think he'll be able to do that, definitely. But listen, there are going to be winners and losers in this. I said this as soon as the decision was made to get rid of Amrind. There's going to be winners and losers in this situation. And we're all sitting there going, right, Kobi Manu's going to be rubbing his hands together. Is he going to be one of the guys that is a winner?

27:05I mean, in the first half of this, first half an hour of this game, I think he created more chances than anyone this season in a Man United shirt. Whether that amounts to a good performance, I didn't watch the game to be able to tell you that. But these are opportunities now for the players to really go, listen, whoever, if it's Michael Carrick, listen, Michael, I'm your guy. And I'm going to give me the chance to show you, show you in training and then put me in the game and I'll prove it. And these guys are all starting from scratch when someone like Michael comes in. Okay, so who would gain the most then, off the top of your head right now, from Carrick?

27:37I think Masrao is class, but he's not a wing-back. And I think he's probably not really even a perfect right-side center out. I see a real intelligent footballer that makes good decisions. I think he's technically sound. He loves getting involved in duels, and he wins a big percentage of his duels. He is a right-back, and I think he's a defensive right-back. And I think if you want to play a back four, you build it with him in the corner you put De Ligt and Martinez next to him and then I think you play Dogu probably at left back and you say Dogu just get in the final third and us three will mop up in behind you but that doesn't fix midfield because Agate couldn't cross the street he couldn't pass to someone that was stood next to him like Casemiro can't play week in week out like they just need a whole retooling, Bruno will be sound in the 10 And Bruno can play in the 10 and continue to do Bruno things, but he's got to do Bruno things off the striker.

28:34I don't want to see Bruno in our half ever. He needs to go and live in the final third and be aggressive and creative and take risks out there. He was taking risks in our third yesterday. He was coming, getting on the ball in our third. You're not effective up there. If we're going to send it long, Cesco's got to knock it down to someone. He can't knock it down to himself and then go and get on it. If Bruno's in and around him, it lands for Bruno and then he can spin it out to one of the wingers, up, back and through. basics but we couldn't do the basics yesterday I think there's games though where you could play them in a two one as one of the two when you have any food you're gonna have a lot of the ball I think there's games where you could play them there and you can get someone like Mount or even Ahmad or someone like that in the 10 or Kunja in the 10 position just to give you a different dimension in there um but yeah I think the one of the big winners could be and I think we saw a glimpse of it in the period of Darren Fletcher being there Sesko I think if you get if Carrick goes in there and again highlights the fact that listen we've got a guy who's really athletic great presence great profile make defenders have to work against him put balls into him as often as you can from good areas and make defenders have to think about defending against him he's going to get chances the last couple of games he's got two goals against Burnley he could have had another the other day missed a decent chance but I think he's a player that you go if you put the ball I think strikers this is what strikers have to rely on other people if other people don't have the intentions to play them the ball then they're going to suffer and they're going to struggle.

29:59I think if they can change that around for him I think he could become a positive. He's getting his shots off though. Yeah. You've got two huge games. Man City and Arsenal coming up next. Steve, I'm going to ask you first what does Carrick need to change? United are better playing on the front foot. Just get on the front foot. Simplify it and get on the front foot. We actually look pretty dangerous when we go forward but when we try and be cute when this team I know Rio said you might need to play off the back foot a little bit. I don't think we're good at it. I don't think we've got the resilience in us.

30:30I don't think we've got the defensive now. If we had the lit in the team, maybe I'd say, okay, or Maguire's fit now, so maybe Maguire, he could probably do that a little bit. But there is just, this is a team that's set up to attack. So go and attack. But when we do attack, don't take your foot off the gas at 1-0. Go for a second and third, because you're going to need it, because you ain't keeping a clean sheet at the other end. So you might as well just keep the foot on the floor and go for it. Rio what are you trying to see from the teams in those two up and coming games these are huge games by the way they could be embarrassing results if you're not careful they could yeah we could beat you I think these are the type of games that United might go and get a get a point or winning one of those one of these games it's just the way football works I'm hoping that the the I'm hoping someone up above is sitting there going no we're gonna we're gonna mess up the league situation right now for one of these teams and and many not they're going to go and get a result but yeah i agree with steve that these are the types of games sometimes that many not can come to to the party and mess it up for somebody but how that looks i actually honestly can't tell you and that's the position we're in i can't sit here and go we need to be this that and the other or i think we could be this or that because we don't show enough consistency in performances or patterns for me to be able to lean on anything to go that's us because for what for one on one hand i could I say, you know what, I can see us creating chances, especially if we get that and Buma and Ahmad back and Kunja's playing and Sesko's up there as well and Bruno behind that and whatnot.

31:57Our chances are going to be created. But the balance of the team has been out all season. We concede far too many chances and goals and shots on goals. So it's hard to look at it and go convincingly, oh, we're going to be this, we're going to do that. So listen, I'd take not getting beat over both of those games would be a really big, big, big plus. Wow, Manchester United. You know what, Rio? Were you worried that essentially the season's written off already? I'm not even worried about Europe. I'm just thinking, just get ourselves back to being a bit respectable. That's where I'm at right now.

32:31I'm not thinking about league tables or playing in Europe now. I was two weeks ago, by the way. That's how mad this situation is. Two weeks ago, I was thinking, there are Europe. Is it going to be Champions League or is it going to be one of the others? That's how I was thinking. I was quite optimistic last year. a couple of weeks ago. But right now, I'm sitting here going, you know what, I've got my tin hat on and thinking, please just let us get through this unscathed, not being beaten down too much. And I think it's a real twist of emotions. That's why I believe right now, I think it's important as far as advising anyone at the club, I think to come out now and speak.

33:08Don't leave it to someone like Darren Fletcher who's an interim manager to speak and control the narrative of the football club. Someone, the people that are running the football part of it, come out and speak. Jason Wilcox, Omar, Jim said he's bit before. Leave one of those two guys, I think, just that clarity, that transparency, that honest, responsible voice who's taking care of things at the football side of things that football club need to come out and have a word and speak. I think because the fans will appreciate that. Whether they'll like it or not will remain to be seen. It's not about being liked, but I think they'll appreciate that bit of...

33:44that taking the responsibility on the shoulders of Gannisian guys. right okay some of you might not agree with this and what's going on but we've had to make a decision based on a couple of things here bang bang bang and this is where we're going we're going to go with if it's Carrick for this bit of time and then end of the season we'll re-evaluate and we're working towards something in the summer like that you need some idea of where you're going man do you know how you get liked? sign good players and win games don't take the piss out of the fans with the ticket prices and the charity donations and all the other stuff and win stuff.

34:18And guess what? Get away with anything else. Nothing else matters. The rest of it's just noise. I know what you're saying, but I don't think it's even about being liked, though. Because half of these football owners, they're not liked anyway by their football clubs. Listen, you could do one, one thing and ten right things and the fans wouldn't like you. Martin Edwards was hated, you know, Rio. That's what I'm saying. One of the most successful periods. But it's not about being liked. It's actually about being respected for what you do for your work, more importantly. Who is a respected owner? I think Liverpool, the Liverpool owners are respected to a point.

34:50I'd say, I mean, listen, I've got a few Liverpool mates who some of them go mad about the ownership, but I think there's going to be that in every WhatsApp group of fans and fan bases. I think Brighton owners respected as well. Brighton and Brentford definitely, I think are two respected ownerships. Yeah, yeah. I think jumping out the top of my head, that's the ones at the moment. That's the ones at the moment. I think I'd say Liverpool, yeah. So I would say they've been successful over the recent years. Yeah. They spent 450 mil this summer. Like, is there much to worry about the moment about having the muscle going on on the pitch at the moment?

35:25Yeah, it's true. But here this, you guys spoke about, you know, not embarrassing yourselves and saving the season. Darren Fletcher himself, he said that the players have to group together. Take responsibility. Find a way of improving quickly and taking on the challenge for the rest of the season. Don't waste the season. To me, Rio, that sounds, and Steve, that sounds like someone that's, you know, going, look, these are my final words that I'm leaving you with. Take heed of these words. And when someone's saying take responsibility, that's a bit, that's a strong two words right there, man. Do you know what I mean?

36:07I don't know. Fletcher's a switched on guy, man. And he's obviously in the building seeing stuff and he understands what it's like. He's played the game at different levels. He's played at Man United and other clubs as well and played for Scotland. And he's had manager changes when he was a player and had to do with that. And I think in those situations, the players have to come together and go, forget who comes in, forget what goes on now, guys. Let's have a conversation, an honest one, between ourselves. And I've been in change rooms where that's happened, where there's a few of you that sits and you talk and you go, listen guys, this is that, we'll get these onside every day, come in now, we've got a work graft, etc.

36:46Not that you should have to be told that, but sometimes you do need a rejig and you do need like a reboot and someone just giving you a reminder of your responsibilities at the football club and where you stand and you're standing at the moment and actually what's gone on beforehand. What is the history of this football club that you're actually representing right now? Are you guys a really good representation of the football club from years gone by? Like they're the conversations, the tough conversations that should be being had. Like, guys, we've got something to live up to here. Listen, we're not going to get to them heights right now in the foreseeable future right now.

37:19But we've got to make ourselves respectable. And I think there's a personal pride. There's a demand that you've got to put on yourself as a player and as a group. And that takes sometimes having a conversation about it. And it might get nasty and it might get a little bit ugly in there. But it's all for the good of getting a better steered ship. I've got a controversial question Steve and I'll ask you real afterwards if you were Bruno would you try and engineer a move away this month? I spoke to him in the summer and said like why are you still here? like with that offer that was on the table from Saudi I was like I'd have been out of there mate and he said I've got too much football still to play and I genuinely think like you can criticise Bruno for a few things his commitment to Manchester United cannot be one of them.

38:13And he's just unfortunate that he didn't play with Rio and them lot in that era. Because he'd have come out with an absolute haul of trophies and his legend status. I mean, it shouldn't be in doubt anyway, but because he's not won the league, it probably will be when you've got so many people who have won a league at United. He's been the best post Sir Alex Ferguson signing. And then there's 50 foot of shit before you get to the next best one. Like, it's just not even close how good a signing he has been for us and for the money that we got him for. He's been absolutely incredible. If he wanted to leave United, I don't think there's a single fan that wouldn't wish him well and thank him for his service.

38:57I don't think he wants to, though. I think United means too much to him that he ain't going to leave. and you can debate whether or not we'd be better without him, whether we could reinvest the money you'd get for him. That's a fair debate to have. You can't debate how much United means to us and how much he's asked. I don't think that's even in question. Yeah, he's one of those guys, I was talking before about taking on the responsibility of yesteryear and what that means and what that represents and the standards you've got to set yourself on a day-to-day basis. He seems like he's taken that very seriously.

39:33when you speak to him when you're around him that's in his mind when he's training when he's doing lectures when he's making decisions around football and around his personal life there's a big thinking about where I am who I'm representing the club etc so it's weird that Steve says that about Bruno because I was I interviewed a guy the other day can't tell you who it is but it's an absolute beast of an interview guy so be ready for this one when it drops he spoke about Bruno Steve and it was almost a bit like with what you were talking about. The only different caveat that he had on it and a layer on top was that if he was playing for a team that were winning trophies, he'd be in the top three Ballon d 'Ors every year.

40:13That's true. That's true. Should have went City. Anyway, moving on. So we saw the biggest shock in FA Cup history as Macclesfield beat the holders Crystal Palace. And Stee, shout out to you. You're probably going to be able to take some credit for this story. Just to add context, five years ago, So Isaac Buckley Ricketts was playing for your team, Stretford Paddock, in the 14th tier of English non-league football. And he scored a decisive goal for Macclesfield against Palace to knock him out. Now, obviously, I want to know, Steve, what was he like as a person? Did you get to coach him directly on a day-to-day?

40:48What was that like? Yeah, so he was in the 15th tier at the time. Oh, 15th. My bad. Wow, even better. Isaac is a great lad. Now, he came to Paddock because he needed minutes. And I think this just underlines everything about why he is a success at the moment. Because players of his calibre definitely would look down on coming to play at that level. Where was he? Where was he coming from? He had his contract cancelled during COVID. I'm not sure who the last team he played was. It might have been Peterborough. so but this is a lad that started for england when england under 19s won the euros against the low uh same team mason mount was in i think ramsdale was in that i think reese james was in that this is a talented team and he's a talented player and he'd lost his way he'd ended up without a contract and in covid he's like i need minutes i need a train and i need a play and he he wasn't too proud to come and play at the level that we played at now i've all and he comes back he hasn't done this season because mack are full-time but the other teams he's been out when he's been at warrington when he's been at cursen he's come back and train with us and i love him coming back and training with us there's some lads that i've played with us that i probably wouldn't have back but isaac's attitude has always been professional even when he was playing amateur football and he the sharpness of him i would love to see what a premier league player looks like because most people will look at a non-league player and we go he's shit the difference between my lads and isaac the the sharpness the execution is unbelievable and obviously he comes from a serious pedigree manchester city academy you know i think he was peterborough there's somewhere else he's played at in england i think he played for fc20 on loan for a little bit um he left us and went to boston from boston went to warrington warrington to curzon now he's at macclesfield and they're absolutely flying.

42:45He is a great lad. I've got nothing but good things to say. Professional, humble, hardworking, technical ability is fantastic. And yeah, seeing him score what ended up being the winner to knock out the holders in the biggest upset in history, absolutely proud of him. I mean, I spoke to him this morning, actually. Just on that, my big important question for me, you know him, What would his night been like after that game? Would he have been straight into Manchester? Would he have been out with the lads on the tables? The big I am. I don't know that that's what happened, but I suspect that's what happened.

43:24Yeah. Love it. That's good to hear. Anyway, guys, we've not had the chance to speak about the new Chelsea manager, Liam Rossini. Don't worry about it. He's been before this even goes out. The clock, he's not lasting as long as Amarim lasted. Mark my words. I'll be honest with you. I thought the same thing, Steve, but I love the way he's been handling the media recently. And you saw him, Rio, in action at Derby when he was there with Rooney, right? Yeah, I went and watched training at Derby when Wayne Rooney was the manager and Liam Rossini was his head coach. And I didn't even know Liam Rossini was his head coach that I got there, right?

44:01But when I left, I knew he was his head coach. like I went I went into a meeting before training so they'd done a training prep what they were going over what they were going to do in training what they were covering Wayne took the meeting the first bit bit of the motivational side of things and then Liam came on and done all the tactical stuff on the screen and I was like I walked out of the room and went to Waza right Liam Rossini he's impressive isn't he he went really he's a top coach he's going to go to the top I'm telling you he's top like massive help for me then I went and watched training so to interrupt there's actually a vlog of this on the channel you know of you going to see them play yeah if you don't believe me go on there's a vlog on the channel go and have a little look but we went out we walked out for training and bearing in mind he's got like Curtis Davis was playing centre half Phil Jagielka was there then they had loads of young kids as well Ravel Morrison there then as well Ravel Morrison I think was there around that time as well Tom Lawrence so there was experience there was young babies baby kids in there a real good blend right he took the training session he was the loudest voice the authority that he was shown with it the clarity clear instructions i was sitting standing again right i kept saying to wasa like he's good you know look he's i didn't i didn't even know he was here let alone he's a good coach and that stuck with me forever since then right because i've seen him in his different roles whether it be at hole um then he went out to obviously went to Strasbourg and has done his thing out there and he's kind of set the world out over there.

45:32They've loved him over there. But then after a few months at Strasbourg, you can see with a connection to Chelsea, it's not a surprise he's gone into Chelsea considering that he started doing well there and integrating a lot of young talent into that team. Loans and stuff that he was getting and he was improving individuals as well as that team and keeping them to a competitive kind of level in France. so what I like about it is that we wouldn't have really been there wouldn't be murmurs of like discontent or he hasn't done anything how's he getting the job blah blah this and that and loads of kind of like shade throwing on him if that was a foreign young foreign manager coming into our league I just feel the English guys get a different type of narrative when they get a job the young English guys compared to the foreign ones and I think that's really something that means gets what foreign coach gets the Chelsea job on the back of a 49 % win rate no but you've got to look at it it's not about just coming into the Premier League we're too Premier League centric there's young coaches get the Porto job in Portugal young coaches get the Benfica job in Portugal same in Holland a little bit probably less in Italy but they get them in their own countries where the Giants take chances on younger coaches.

46:56Consensal got the job at Porto, young coach. Do you know what I mean? In Spain, Pep Guardiola goes in from the academy youth team, the younger team or B team, straight in with Messi and all them guys. It happens. It's true. Even at Chelsea, it happens. So it's like, yeah, so the way I see it, like we're foreign coaches, so I agree with you fully. But like, you see the way he was acting as well, the way he was addressing the media. He's already accepting that he has to improve the season's results. He's not asking for time or to implement his style. He said it himself. I need to manage to win in the short term, but also I need to have an eye on the long term as well so we can be successful over that period.

47:35Rio, you were right with what you said. He's clear when he speaks. And I first thought he's not going to last two months. But hearing him speak, they might be onto something here, you know? Do you know what some people don't like? He's confident. He's a confident young man who's backing himself in a situation where most people go, bloody, there's no chance he can do that. But he's backing himself. He's built up a confidence that he's going to go with, and I'll make him right. I think he's better equipped to come in and manage this Chelsea now than one that would have been 10 years ago. Because he's coming in and managing a lot of young players.

48:09A lot of players that are there to be, they want to be coached, they want to be told what to do. If he came in 10, 15 years ago with the likes of the Joghams, the Czechs, the Lampards, etc., he's having a hard task, and I'd go, you know what, he probably might not be the one for it. But because he's used to taking over young players and coaching these young players, improving them, and then just hanging on every word that he spouts out. Not that these are going to be as easy as that he's had in the past. Definitely not. But I think that he's got a real opportunity to really kind of take this wave of younger player, a young and inexperienced squad to a level where I think he can get some respect.

48:53I think you're right, Ria. I really do. And hopefully he does well. Not better than Arsenal well, but hopefully he does well. Sorry, sorry, sorry, Joel. I think one of his biggest things outside of the team that he needs to get right is getting the best out of Cole Palmer. I want to see the firing, the goal scoring, the carefree, consistent Cole Palmer that we saw when he went there. He's had a few injuries, obviously. I'll take that as well. But I think he's got to get it to a place where he's playing a system and a way of playing that is going to get the best out of him because he's their biggest threat, their best player, their most creative brain on the pitch.

49:33Anyway, guys, I'm going to leave it as that. Thank you very much for joining us here on Rio Presents. Rio all over the world meeting all the famous players and stuff like that. A lot of hints during this recording. Oh, I spoke to this player. We'll see. I can't say. Oh, I've spoken to him. Like, come on, just tell us. When is it coming out next? I'm not sure. You've got to speak to the teams, the admin team. I think in the next week or so, a week or two weeks, we've definitely got, we've got an AFCON special, which we drop in. And then after that, we've got two absolute bangers coming. Seriously, like, I had goosebumps definitely going into both of these.

50:10Is it one of those where Steve's wondering what happened to my phone? Where's my phone call? You've not done that guy yet, have you? No, no, I've not done that guy yet. But it's near enough. It's near enough. But before we go, though, I do want to... What? Do we have a date for that guy? Yeah. So I'll send it to you after. But it's in a little while. But one thing before we go, we ain't touched on, which I think we have to touch on, and I think it would be rude of us not to. And you've been a big part of this, by the way. You're looking at the game, seeing your socials. the AFCON the quality of the AFCON by the way the competition the last the semi-finals have you seen the pictures Steve?

50:51it's crazy it's flipping numbers it's like what you probably Rocco were pre-tournament favourites have you seen anything that changed your mind? I think before the tournament started this would have been the last four that you would have wanted maybe the Arbicots might have been in there maybe as one of them but I don't know they'd have taken out but I think that would have been the four that you'd have been you know this is like the elite teams here and they're all in the semi-finals. Agreed. I think Senegal for me have probably been the most impressive team. They scored one of the best goals.

51:18We'll see, man. We'll see. I might be going back out there actually before. Yeah. I can't go. I wish I could go. I'm definitely going next one. Just put it, I'm saying it right now. Next AFCON, I am there. I'm part of it. I want to be in there. I want to be in amongst the crowds, the lot, get the culture, feel everything. You want a drum with the Senegalese fans? All day long. And I want to body paint everything. Come on! You know what? I'll be in the gym before that as well. Who are you going to win it, guys? I'm saying Senegal, you know. Are you? To me, they've just looked the most impressive.

51:55It's in Morocco, yeah? Yeah. With a home advantage. I just think they've got big tournament experience. I think they've got genuine world-class talent in there. I can't really look past them What about Egypt? Not got the quality across the team Yeah I don't agree I actually want just because I've got almost all of my African friends most of them are probably 75 % of them are Nigerian and if I say anyone else they're going to kill me Nah man you don't want them to win these guys have been claiming that the Congo coach was doing voodoo they've been like they're trying to take they're trying to take our World Cup spot I know it's not secure yet but nah you've got Ossiman though Ossiman's looking to go past Yakini you've got Lukman the African player of the year they've got they've got Iwobis playing like yeah I think I'd like to see Nigeria man but anyway let's see anyway are they the most successful team in history who?

52:56of Afcon no I think Egypt are are they? I'm not sure we need to double check that stat anyway I'm going to go Egypt I'm going Senegal in the chat let us know No, I'm going to Egypt for the most successful team in AFCON. Oh, okay, cool. It's not Cameroon. Let me see. I'm saying Cameroon. All right. What's the forfeit, if you're wrong? Ah, Rio, man. I want an aftershave of my choice on both of you each, yeah? All right, cool. Egypt are the most successful team in AFCON history. No way, really. Sometimes you've just got to accept that I know ball guys. Wow. what's your favourite aftershave I'd be creative something like 300 quid at the moment it's one called I think it's called Amouj I'll send you another one I don't like to tell people my aftershave because I'm quite a unique character in that way you wouldn't be the only one that smells that do you know what you want it on the back of Africa I'll get you some Lynx Africa

54:00lovely package guys thank you very much for watching we will be back with more Rio Meets, Rio Presents, and also Rio Reacts. You've been doing a good job with that, by the way. I see, wait, wait. You did a Rio Reacts during the Real Madrid and Barcelona game. I thought, this guy's crazy, bruv. No, it was nuts. What is going on? So I was sitting there. How I can remain under control when I've got Laminia Ma doing her madness, twisting and turning up Real Madrid players, and then you've got Vinny just blowing past Koundé. Like, it was mad, but we got it done. Well done, man. Really good stuff. Anyway, guys, we will be back next week.

54:30Make sure you like, share, comment and subscribe. across all different platforms. We'll be back soon. Joel, Steve, Rio signing out. Peace.

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