Ivan Toney: I’m Finally Ready To Speak! The Truth About His Football Ban And His Future Team!

27:15And I don't see nobody taking your spot. So you make sure you produce a good son. It feels really. You've worked a lot of clubs. You've played at a lot of different clubs. Brentford are special. They're really, really special because they are based on their resources. They are objectively overachieving in a really, really significant way. What is it about Brentford from your experience? That is make, what is that magic that they have? Hard work. Playing as simple. Hard work. Like we're not the best. Technically gifted team. We have some magicians in the team, but other than that it's just hard work.

27:58I mean, and we fear nobody. Respect them. We don't fear them. So when we go to the, let's say, I'm filled away or Chelsea or where are these kind of games. We know they're probably on paper better than us. We've got some big names and this and that, but at the end of the day, the main thing that wins games is hard work and a little bit of quality, I guess, putting a wall in the back of the net. And I feel like throughout the club, everybody knows what the manager wants. You have to be willing to run for your team, plus your left, plus your right and the fans and everybody. And everybody knows the responsibility they have on their shoulders when they step onto the pitch.

28:44So I think that's, that's probably what's brought us to where and how well we're doing at the moment. And even like at the moment, the team playing without me are here and people say, you're going to be like, this now you're not playing this and that. And I'm thinking, no, they're not going to struggle because they're the work card. And when you work card, you give yourself the best chance of winning again. And I know deep down, Brent will be fine. And with or with army, you've played a lot of clubs right so you can kind of compare and contrast. Is there anything else other than just that work ethic that you've noticed is just different at Brent had?

29:23So you've got the super hard work. Is there anything else that they're approached to things with a strategy or the way that they are? I feel like it's a togetherness as well. How everybody's like, everybody talks to everyone. Now I've been at clubs where it's like a certain groups sit there, certain groups sit there like everybody divided. It's like, it's not that Brent for the everybody mixes with everybody. Now you've got people who have Spanish, Danish, which is my joy at the club at the moment. English and everything. And everybody just mixes together. So it's not like, oh, let me wear my friends.

29:59Where shall I sit down at lunch? You just get your lunch and sit down here. You talk with whoever. And the manager. That comes from him. I feel like he makes sure that's togetherness and the humbleness. Like there's nobody at the club thinks they're better than nobody. Like even last season, our school 20 goes. I wasn't the better nobody. I was the same. The person that doesn't really play too much. They're not less of a person than me. We're all the same. We're all in it together. So I feel like that comes from the manager and it's philosophy at the club and how he wants things to be run. One of the things that you often think with managers and CEOs and stuff like this, they have their like core principles, which you just get bored of hearing because they say it over and over and over and over and over again.

30:47One of those things that he just repeats over and over and over again. To give aness. Yeah. Humble. Yeah. And attitude. And I guess he polices that pretty. Yeah. All the time. It's all over the club. It's all in the meetings. Which is probably why, like I said, we're doing so well as a club and as a whole unit. What's the dressing room, the training ground dressing room culture like? Can I ask this because I've spoken to so many players at United in particular and especially in the Fergier as they always talk about the like the self policing culture in the dressing room. You know, like, what's that like?

31:30Versus of the clubs. Yeah, it's like I said, it's good. There's other clubs I've been at. It's been good as well, but not how it is in Brentford. I feel like Brentford is probably one of the best. Trustings I've been in. In terms of everybody knows that drill. Everybody knows that position. Everybody's helping others. Everybody's just like the respective somethings on the floor. Tidy pick up. Pull in there. That kind of things is key if you want to be achieving something big. I feel like with that in the change room as well as in the gym or in the dinner hall is it's key and everybody's up for everybody.

32:13It's like one big family unit. 26 years old, your name is Brentford's player of the season. You scored 12 goals in the first Premier League season and then you scored 20 goals in your second Premier League season finishing third in the Golden Beat rankings behind Harland and Harry Kane. That's big. Yeah. It is big, it is big. But sometimes I don't really realise how big it is because sometimes I'm at home, I'm thinking, yeah, well, I'm not first. In my head, if you're not first, you're lost. Then my family say, look who you'll be behind and look at the kind of players that are playing in the Premier League and you're good more than these guys.

32:58I'm always thinking, yeah, what I could have scored more. You think you could score more than Harland? What you got to remember is 30 something. 36. I mean, not more, but I look back on chances that should have been it go and I feel like there probably is like 15, 16 chances that I probably could have scored or should have scored. So if I was as clinical as Harland was, not to say I'll beat him, but I could be a lot of higher than 20. England. England's football team. Sorry, I think I saw a post on your Instagram a couple of weeks ago about that being a huge dream for you to play for England. Yeah.

33:43I think everybody wants to play for England. Yeah. I remember just screaming like Gerard's name and the lamppard's name like when the Mono Field just kicking and, but he said, when that opportunity was around and I was in talks of it. He just didn't feel real. From being five and from the fountain, just playing out the front, getting bashed around by the old a lot to actually having a chance to play for England was something I would never have jumped off. You missed out on the final World Cup squad. Lots of circulating rumours about why. Would you know why?

34:31I guess it comes down to the allegations on the betting scandal. I feel like personally, I feel like it was a bit of a questionable time when they decided to bring it all out. And then when that's dealt with the situation, come the end of the season is kind of like, what would you bring out then to, and then punish me at the end of the season. So they brought it, so you, I guess you were saying that you suspect they brought it out at that time to prevent you going to play for England. I assume so I'm to make it a bigger story. Ah, OK. Personally, anyway, I don't know if it's true, like, I have not to know what's behind the scenes, but I feel like if you have somebody go into the World Cup, that's supposed to be betting than it's kind of like a bigger story.

35:28What's the real, I'm not very glued up on this or whatever thing. So the FA, the England team play under the FA. Yeah. And the FA are also the sort of body that brought the charges against you. Yeah. So they, so one might assume that they release the charges at that point because if they didn't, then there might be some ramifications on the England team or the perceptions of England team or something. Yeah, I assume so. Right. Actually, like, I'm not too aware of all this stuff, but I feel like it was a bit of a coincidence when they decided to bring it all out and then having to be dealt with the punishment at the end of the season.

36:10So far after, it's kind of like, I mean, you know, well, I feel like, yes, I'm bad now, but the biggest punishment for me was missing out on playing at the World Cup personally. I felt more hurt and also kind of like, yeah, I just felt, I felt down around the time. I felt like somebody's out to get me at that time to stop me from playing for England. It was in my head, like, that's just how I seen it at the time. It's like they want to punish me for this missing out on England, the World Cup like everybody's dream to be playing at the World Cup. And then further down the line, ban me as well. It's kind of like a double hit.

37:05I feel in a sense was like I said, if you're going to do, if you're going to stop me from going to World Cup, do it there and then deal with it. Do it all situation rather than doing that, miss out on the World Cup, and then let me play the rest of the season and then ban me off to the season.

37:27It doesn't add up in my head to be fair anyway. When you start, I felt down about it. What does that mean in real terms? If I was a fly on the wall in your life when that information came in. That was probably more, excuse me, that was probably the lowest point. I was like, with me, I never showed nothing, I'm not sure, emotion too tough. But I think that was probably the lowest point I felt. Like, he'd asked me if I was on, he's what is, but it was what is, it's kind of like, I don't want to talk about it. Yeah, down. It hurt. It did hurt. Do you cry? No. I don't feel like crying solves anything.

38:15Personally, that's my personal views. Everybody says, to me, you need to show emotion, you can cry, isn't it? It's okay, but I feel like I've only cried once when I see my nine cry, losing my pap, I've seen her, her, as much as she was, killed me inside. I think it was kind of like, I think cry, cry, but it was like, tears of my eyes coming down and it was kind of like, it was painful. Do you express how you're feeling to anyone in your life at that point, to your partner, to your family, your mum, your dad, when you find out that you're not going to play for England and they sort of, you know, the groomers are out about this gambling situation?

38:58Do you tell anyone how you're actually feeling? No, but people that know me know my actions and how that leads to how I'm feeling. I'd be a lot more snappy about things or I'll just be like, I can just be like, someone be talking to me and it's not like really registering, but my head's not really in the room kind of thing and that people that know me know something's up, something's wrong. What was the reality of the situation? What was going on inside your head? And how was it, when you say down and you say that was the lowest point, what does that mean in real terms?

39:44I wanted to say depressed as such, but it was kind of like not far off that. If it was towards that direction, but not completely, because still how I stay in my head is like next opportunity, next day, another day is another day to put things right and try and be as positive as I can. Have you ever had anxiety? Probably, but how I am, I don't let it get to me as much. Like, I'd say the loan spells, when I'm on loan, I'm in a room, not on my own. It's been times I've just literally sat there and just sat there and just like chilling and just looking to finair and just thinking about things.

40:42But I'll never, like I said, I'd never like let nobody know how I'm feeling, because how am I the person? I feel like it's a way at me, but I'm just always a smiley one. Always like, I ask people at Brentford now on the journey, going, making sure everyone's fine. These kind of things. I think that's my kind of way of beating my emotions. If I see this person happy for me doing that, then it kind of brings me up to make me happy, kind of thing. Did you not speak to anyone like a professional about this stuff? Because I always think when we bottle up our emotions, it's not like they go away. It's like almost like they eat us up from inside and they come out in other ways like you were saying snappiness or whatever.

41:35Surely there's someone around you that said you need to see someone. Yeah, that was, but as well with me being stubborn, it's kind of like, no, I'm fine. It's fine. I'll be right tomorrow. I'll be right later. I'll be right next week. I feel like I can speak to anybody in my family, but my stubbornness just don't allow me to.

41:58I think a lot of men can relate to that. Yeah, 100%. I feel like I do need to get better at that personally. In May 20th, you did a famous tweet. Do you know the tweet I'm talking about? Yeah. I'll speak soon with no filter. You ready to speak? What did that tweet mean? That was just speak on everything really. But obviously when I done that, they went crazy and then my family just said, listen, you don't need to talk. Just when you get on a pitch, let your feet do the talking. What's that? Damage is done. You can't talk and it's not going to help no situation. If anything could not damage my reputation or my career, but just make people think not that I care what people think is.

42:57It's just could put in a word of sat. Who do you think he is? That kind of thing. But it doesn't benefit no parties. What headspace were you and when you tweeted that? Probably a reckless one. Really? Yeah. How are you feeling? How are you feeling? I think I can... I don't care attitude. I'd say. Kind of a defence mechanism against... Pretty much, yeah, against everybody. Like even little things like... For the whole situation, not like my friends, my friends or my friends, want to stick with better people, I chill with all the time. But it's even like when I go... I don't know if it's just me thinking sort of things, but it's like when I go to certain places, maybe some people don't want to be associated with me in certain way of...

43:45Obviously, because of media kind of thing and it's kind of like... Not killing that image, but it's kind of like between this guy. He's a match fixer. He's a match fixer football player.

43:58And even like, I'm right at the time when there was allegations, I wanted to go into a restaurant. And I was like, no, you can't... We're not taking you. The restaurant? A restaurant. And I was like, do you mean? That's our... Because the allegations, we're not allowing you in or something like this. I was actually so confused. I was thinking, for starters, it's allegations. And secondly, your restaurant, how can you not let somebody in due to bad press? That's what they call it, bad press. I was just baffled and even to like... My... My car insurance. They wouldn't ensure me due to... The whole scandal.

44:46I was just like... A car insurance. They don't want me on their books because... Which was baffling. I read through the whole FA report many, many pages. I think it was like 25, 24 pages I have it here. Just to understand the case better, just so I made sure I didn't make any errors in my observations. But there's no... I think there's actually a line in there where the commission say they... Didn't believe you were doing any match fixing. There's five on match fixing. Yeah. I wrote that down in my notes that... They concluded that you hadn't been match fixing or anything like that in the report.

45:26So that allegation from whoever said that, the restaurant or whatever, doesn't seem to have a basis in the report at all. And I'm sure there was certain articles on saying match fixing as well. Which is... That's probably the media for you making it a big... Talking point. When the FA first contact you and... And they ask, they make a request for information, don't they? So they want to know more information. Yeah. This is dating back to 2022, I believe. When you get that first contact, how does that feel? Like your dad or your agent must have told you that the FA have been in touch. Well, they want to information from as far back as 2015.

46:09So it was kind of like... I haven't got that... As long as I haven't got that phone, that was... I had back then to give you information. But I wanted to cooperate how I can to let you investigate what you want to investigate. And when I was... When I... The club actually pulled me into a room and they spoke to me and said, they're FA being in touch with you, match fixing, this and that. They want to speak to you. And I said, okay... This sprint for you. Yeah, I said, okay, no problem. Then he said, you said, have you done any bets? Was you being a Brentford and have you been betting on football?

46:49And I was like, no, I haven't done no bets that are fixing football, match fixing football. I was like, okay, well, the FA want to speak to you. Don't delete nothing on your phone because there's some... They said they can get back old messages or whatever they said. So I said, no problem. I'm not... I'm not delete enough. They can go through what they want to go through. And then they called you in front of you in May 2022. Yeah. And they asked you all these questions again about what you've been involved in... With betting, et cetera. Yeah. And they asked me certain things happen like seven, eight years ago...

47:31And to the top of my head... So much information from me at one time. It's kind of like, I actually can't remember. I can't remember. And there's... I think it was in there for like, what? Five hours. Five hours. Yeah. But at that time, you maintained them that you're not better on football. Yeah. And I wasn't aware of what that was trying to get. You acknowledge later on that you basically lied in that meeting with the FA? I didn't lie. I just couldn't really remember what they was asking for at the time I couldn't remember until they brought some things in front of me. And it was kind of like, okay, he's talking about my room and we...

48:09Like I said, I'll cooperate with everything they wanted to do. And we kind of spoke on it. And then I told them the truth about everything. One of the things people might find surprising is they asked for your mobile phones and stuff. And then they like, image your mobile phones to check like all the messages you've sent to people going back a long time on these phones to find out everything you've been said. And also, as you said, they asked you not to delete any messages, which you didn't from what the commission said. But how does that feel when the FA asked for your mobile phone and they...

48:40You know, they're going to scan it for everything. It doesn't feel... Yeah, it's just kind of like... It's your privacy and they're like invading it. It's kind of like... I've got something pitched on there. I want them to see. Like, these kind of things. It's pretty much like... You have to go with what they're saying and why I feel like... I think you get a longer ban for not cooperating or something like this. So what can I do? You want to take my phone, take my phone. And all your bank statements as well? They also felt your bank statements, which you handed over as well. You handed over, I believe, multiple fans.

49:20No, just one fan. Yeah. There was some... They said there was another phone, but there wasn't... That was one phone I had. And then eventually you admit to 232 breaches of their rules. The FA rule, E8, which is betting over five seasons from... 20th of February, 2017, to betting up until January 21. Yes, I really saw. And like I said, there was people saying I was match fixing, but none of it was match fixing. It was just, like I said before, I was betting on myself at school first, from, I think this was a well -backed. And it's kind of like... That's not... Like, I'm not trying to do... I'm still trying to do the right thing.

50:08It's not like I'm... smashing someone and getting a yellow card here then everywhere. Yeah, and the report actually does say that. It says that you weren't... You weren't... It's the commission said that you weren't match fixing, which is a completely different, completely different thing. They're making bets on games that you're... Either you're playing in betting on yourself at school, or betting on the team when you're not in the team, which is what... From what I read, which is what happened. Gambling in... Generally, when did that start in your life? When did you start first gambling? I think it's just kind of like...

50:39As you're young, you're like... A little flutter, they call it. Like, you're in like the fair arcade kind of thing, just trying to win a little change or something like all these kind of things. So I'd say like... Around 15... 15, or so. And it got progressively worse? Or more intense? Yeah, I'd say the more money you get, the more... The higher the sales go. It's kind of like... I have a lose, this is fine. This is coming next month. Did you not realise, you know, throughout those sort of five years, when you were betting a lot, 232 breaches, that your relationship with betting was unhealthy?

51:22I think on the... 200 of... What was it for? Two breaches, like... There was... There was some bets in there that... Ladder we call making. But... I was willing to take responsibility just to get the process... All over and done with, because having that hovering over me and trying to concentrate on my career is not... It's not the best feeling, far from the best feeling. I don't... I don't well to finish on 20 goals if that... hanging over me. But in terms of... thinking... Do you have a problem? It's kind of like... You don't think of... I've a lose, this is going to happen. So it's like... Oh, once I won this...

52:02This... This is going to happen. You never think of the negatives. You always think of the positives. And being on... The money I was on, which I've always had a lot of the time and it's kind of like... It's fine, I'll get there in the back end of the month. Oh, that's coming back this and this month. Oh, he owes me this, it's fine. What impact was it having on your life betting?

52:27Um... I feel like... It was just... The impact it would have, it was just waiting for payday. Right. Like, that might happen through the month, she went for payday. But you could spend your age and then wait for payday. Spend your age, wait for payday. Yeah, but I'd... I'd pay on sort of everything I need to pay for first. And then it's like, I got this pay, I'll do that, it's fine. Payday will come soon. So it wasn't... It wasn't like... Spending this money I should be giving it here or paying on this. You took care of your... I took care of what needed to be care of and... And my head is kind of like, my money is my money, but I couldn't spend it how I want to.

53:11And... Yeah, pretty much like that. I've paid my money. So that's for me, I want to spend it. And one of the things that was quite surprising is bets against... Bettsfield team to lose when you weren't playing in the team. You must... You knew betting was wrong, right? Like, you knew that as a footballer, you weren't allowed to bet. My knowledge of... My knowledge of betting on football... I don't think I recall once somebody coming in just given... a talk on their experience betting, not... You can't bet on football. So it wasn't like, I shouldn't be betting on this, shouldn't be betting on that.

53:50And I feel like, I think the bet step... On my team to lose when I'm not playing, I think a few of the majority of those were... within the bets that I know about personally, I think I didn't do, but I still took responsibility of them, for them. So the whole process could... get cleared up. And you don't know about some of these bets you're saying, because you did them through somebody else. Yeah. And you did them through somebody else, because you knew you weren't allowed to, right? It wasn't through that. I knew I wasn't allowed to. It was that... I didn't see one... I didn't want my parents seeing...

54:26what I'm doing my money. This was a point of contention in the documents. The... the faith said, you know, he's betting through somebody, because he didn't want... he didn't want the faith to find out... you're saying you bet through somebody else, because your parents were... the male was going to the house, and you didn't want them opening up the post and seeing it. Yeah, that's right. Essentially. That was a point. I mean, the commission go... go their own way on that. And then, okay, so moving on from that, there's all these aggravating factors in the... in the document. Was he aware of the rules?

54:58I think you eventually admitted that you were aware... aware of the rules in terms of not being able to bet on football.

55:06Going back to the days, I think, Northampton, I think... Was it Northampton? One of your previous... I think your previous chairman at the football club was thrown out because of a betting scandal, and then you have a relative in your life that was also issued with a... breach of the FA rules for betting in 2007 as well. So the commission concluded that you were aware of the rules and that you couldn't bet, but you sort of counteract that by saying you didn't have... I think it was... it was kind of a gray area. Right. I think there was a time where... like I said, the clubs have been out... they were like beginning of every season though, I feel like they'd have somebody come in, but not actually tell you what you can and what you can't bet on.

55:45What would that person say, just like... Just his experiences on betting. Like, it'd come in and say, this is me betting, this is... and then I've lost this much. I've come through this. So... when... if you think about betting, don't do it. So it wasn't like... you can't be betting on football. Or you can't be betting on... Yeah, you can't be betting on football. It was just his experiences of going through a gambling stage. Because... So you didn't know you could... you couldn't bet as a player? No. I think it was a grey area. Like, you'd hear, you can't, you hit it, you can't... and then there's certain things you say you can't bet on.

56:24Like, we'd be passing out for like, it was a grey area. And you admitted in the second aggravating factors about knowing... knowing whether you... basically admitting to whether you were betting or not, and in the interview with the commission during the process, you said that you had lied, early on by saying, I don't bet on football, in an earlier interview. But, you know, that was one of the first interviews you had, and you had responded, I didn't bet on football. And yeah, that... That was an accurate. Yeah, that was when, obviously, they threw everything up me. I thought if I was just denied, then it's so fine.

56:56They wouldn't find nothing but them. Obviously, they'd take your faith in everything. Yeah, they'd have been going through and... Yeah, admit it to... I admit it's a lie, then. And the FA, the fourth aggravating factor was whether the player sought to conceal his identity when he set up his own betting in 2017. The commission didn't accept the FA submission there. They didn't believe that you'd concealed it in that regard. Whether the player deleted messages, issue number five, commission concluded that there wasn't evidence that you'd deleted any messages. I was accused of delete messages, yeah, that's right.

57:30Yeah, by the FA, but the commission said that they didn't have substantial evidence for that. Yeah. The time was told not to... And you didn't... Because it's deleted off it from the club. The commission couldn't find any evidence that you had deleted anything. And then the phone issue we've talked about already, the last issue was around whether you had a gambling addiction and they brought out a psychologist called Dr. Philip Hopley who looked at you, did interviews with you. He's a highly qualified and experienced psychiatric expert according to the commission. And he interviewed you on two occasions and he formed a clear opinion that you had a gambling addiction.

58:06And accordingly, the commission accepted the findings of the doctor on this issue. And that's part of the reason that you were given a more lenient sentence. Because Dr. Hopley said that you had an impulsive... compulsive disorder.

58:24Yeah, was that the first time you'd had a gambling addiction? Yeah. Through this process, is tribunal? Yeah, because I feel like... It wouldn't be in me to be myself forward to speak to one of these people to see if I did that one. So it was kind of like... Like I said, my stubbornness comes into play on this one. It's kind of like... No, fine, I can stop when I want to stop. Did he explain to you what a gambling addiction is since then? A little bit, yeah. We did speak. It does helpfully on around one addiction. But it's kind of like... You don't allow yourself to believe it. Like, I feel like if you want to stop doing something, I feel like people think in the head, I can stop if you want to.

59:20Not knowing deep down, you probably can't. Could you have stopped? Probably.

59:31Yeah, I feel like it's... 50 -50. Could have stopped, but I feel like a thrill on it is kind of like... What keeps you going? Because the FA, that sort of counterpoint to that was that there was periods where you didn't gamble. So they were saying that to the commission that, you know, it's not gambling addiction because there's parts of his journey where he's not gambling or he's betting on other things, for example. Do you still gamble now? No. Anything? No. Any betting at all, across any? No. Has that required therapy or any sort of professional support? I think it's kind of... being in the public eye, if I was...

1:00:15to really like, going into these places and these kind of things... I think it's more the embarrassment, but it's still continuing. Like this kind of thing. So I wouldn't allow myself and... like, you look back. I feel like you sit, take a back seat and look up all the money you've lost and what you could have went on. And what? And especially now, having people to provide for, it's kind of like... You can't be spending that money on this. You can go to here or... Just manage your money, but how I look at things and how I look at... me, I foresee that as... being naive. We don't really get much information, do we growing up about gambling?

1:01:04Or really, it had to... had to spend our money or tax. Especially, I think about you guys, just like young, you know, 20 -year -olds, that I just, you know, playing football and then you become millionaires, because you're good at it. It's kind of different for like, my pursuit, because I'm building a business, you have to see a foe, you have to find out to people around you, you have controls, budgets, forecasts, PNLs, all this stuff. So, you know, you're surrounded by like, money minds and brains around you when you're building a business, but being a young, 20 -year -old millionaire who... I'm presuming nobody gave you financial education.

1:01:37No, it's kind of like, like you said, yeah, I've been having that much money at a tender age. It's kind of like... What do I do with it? And I'm not a family that comes from money, so it's not like my parents could help me a lot with that. But they would have their say on some things, but it's like... You kind of have to try and just manage it yourself. And just assume doing this is the right thing. You don't know what you don't know. Pretty much. The bit of this case that I was... I found difficult is that using someone else to do the best. Because for me, that points to like, he did know... I think that's what people would think, look at that and go and ask.

1:02:21Of course, 100%. Can see it. Because I don't think, and your mum and dad ain't open your post at 27 years old. Like, my mum ain't gonna open my post. No, this was when I was away from home. Oh, you were like 20 years old? Yeah, so I know my post is good for parents. And I feel like, of course, your parents want to be known what's going on. If you're getting this letter through, you're not paying this or... Like I said, seeing what you're spending your money on. And I feel like, because we're a tight family, my mum would worry about that. And there was actually times where she's opened it and she's kind of said some things about it.

1:02:57And the FAD highlight, it text message you'd sent me. You said, you've made... I can't have that one in my name. What was the app I gambled on on your phone this time from text messages that they'd found? That's the bit that I struggled with, was I was like, I wasn't sure there. But this chapter of your life has clearly been a big learning moment. 100 % like looking back on what I've done. Well, I've changed some bits, probably, but here's what it is. And the man I've now continued forward is kind of... But it is different. What was before? Do you take... When we think about responsibility for our actions, what can...

1:03:37What responsibility do you take for all of this? Where you say, listen, this is what I take responsibility for here. And this is also like... Going back to a question I asked earlier about like, what do you wish someone had said to you? When you first did that, I don't know, those bets five, five, six, seven years ago. What's the responsibility you take and what's the lesson you've taken from this process? I think the responsibility I take was, yeah, I was betting on myself's school first, which... Now, you shouldn't be doing which I said responsibility and I'll take four responsibilities for the punishment I'm getting now.

1:04:14So it would be kind of a lack. And what I tell myself around them kind of times is like, managing money, but I don't get mixed in the wrong crowd, I say. And just don't follow fashion. Have your own mindset, my friend, on what you shouldn't be doing. Or if you don't know, look more into it. And if that's what you really want to do, look more into it and what you can and can't do. It's interesting because when they were deliberating your punishment, one of the things that came to mind is perception. And what it would admit, what the perception it would send to the rest of the game. Do you think they made an example of you?

1:05:01I feel so, yeah. Do you think that's right? I don't think it's right, no, but... Because you're a high profile Premier League player. Obviously, if you get away with doing something like this, this could other players, lower levels could also emulate it. So they've got an opportunity here to send a message. 100%, 100 % and I feel like a lot of people think that in terms of... If I know district to lower leagues, but if I was... We actually did look at some cases that was somewhat similar, somewhat worse. And their punishment wasn't like how mine is. I think the fact that they see the opportunity, the fact that I'm playing in the Premier League doing well.

1:05:43Sniffrun, England. It's kind of like, right, the sad chance to punish him, then people know this is kind of... The punishment you're looking at if you want to do what I done. It's funny, because I was actually surprised to read that in the analysis section of this document where it says... The perception of the impact of football betting on the integrity of the game is key consideration when deciding on your sanction. Which does kind of suggest that they're quite intentional in making sure that they make an example of you. There are thereabouts in their words. And obviously you have a huge position of influence, so that's key.

1:06:23And then they submit their FA suggested that you get 12 months ban as a suspension, I believe. And that was their final sanction. The commission didn't accept that. And ordinarily, the commission would have imposed 15 months suspension. Had you not pled guilty to the charges, which lowered your sanction. And then also you got another reduction in the sanction because the findings from the doctor who found that you had a gambling addiction, which brought your sentence down to eight months and you'll find £50 ,000. It's interesting because, you know, I'm a football fan, so I want to see you play.

1:07:01And you're on such a role, Brent for the run such a role. So like as a football fan, although you smash the United last year, it's so good to see like a young, black English striker tearing up the game at his peak. It's gotten to see you out of the game. It is. And I feel like how I am and how people know how I stay. This is nothing. I know for a fact I'll come back stronger than this. I'm better than I was before. Like this is gives me the hunger again to recharging come back on another level. Like I said before earlier, no time to do a long things. No time to do a long things. And just like, just when that first game comes and I can play then it's a ball game.

1:07:51It's on. When you found out you you suspended for eight months.

1:07:59How did that feel? What's that like? Because you know you're in the peak of your powers right now, right? Yeah, I know it's it's painful, but I feel like the hard part is kind of now. Because right now I'll be playing football matches. And I can't be around the players and not the football ground and things like this. And it's kind of like, like, that's what you want to do. Punish me from there. But I feel like keep me away from the ground. If I wasn't as strong as I was in my head, that would break some people. And I would be talking about mental health and all these kind of things. And what's that kind of doing to a player that's not allowed in the environment, even though you can't play games, but keeping away from the training ground.

1:08:44Knowing footballs, their life and that's all they've done from such a young age. How was that going to help them at all? Yeah, this is I completely agree with you. I think the sanction itself is important because it does send a message and I agree with that. But the bit that I just struggle with is the can't train at the club. And we know as you point out there, like mental health, keeping active is such an important thing, especially if you've been playing football since you were a kid. And it's your purpose. It's what you know. So psychologically and physically, there's a real strong case to keep your active.

1:09:23And I've seen a lot of people have their say on this. A lot of people think you know you could have trained at the ground and then used that time to educate young players on gambling. That would have been useful. But to keep you out of the club, not allow you to train and to kind of push you out on your own, it seems. Doesn't feel like it's smart. It's just not up with what the things they push forward. Like we say, the whole football community is on big on mental health, then they're free to go and do this. And that pushed me away from the whole football environment. Like, by all means, it's not a place where I want people to feel sorry for me.

1:10:03That's the last thing I want. And me as a person, people like know me would know that's not what one thing I'm trying to achieve. But so that says, what if somebody that's not as strong as me in their head happens to be going through this kind of situation, and their punishment is they're not allowed out of the training ground? Like, that would break them. Like right now, I've been not been around the training ground. It just helped me, but I just know when I'm at the training ground, training harder, be ready full of it. The game when I'm completely, but it's like I said, it's not a nice feeling and the whole purpose of not being allowed at the training ground is baffling to me.

1:10:45Do you have hard days still? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I feel like everybody has hard days. I mean, like, through this process, there's been days where you lay your ups and you dance and difficult days where you start. You have low moments because you are away from football. The presses on top of you. Yeah, I feel like I have a hard hours, hard two hours kind of things. Like the mornings, I'd wake up, I can't be yesterday. But getting a shower, get active when you're there working. It's kind of like, oh yeah, as much you don't want to do it. You've seen the long one that time I don't want to get up. I don't want to put the work in his brain off now, whereas if I'm saying I'm tomorrow, and then tomorrow comes, I'll do it next day.

1:11:36So you still training? Yeah, I'm still keeping fit, so do my thing. Working with a person on training? Yeah, a person on training, which is good. And it's not like a linear one. One that pushes me. I feel like I'm not good, but I've got the best people around me to keep me fit and keep me going. And I can't say that my family is key. My family is the one that's better people that's helping me going as well, and especially my children. You're a mummy's boy. Yeah. Sometimes in these moments, it's difficult for us, but it's harder to watch the impact as in our family, right? Yeah, 100 % I feel like, even when the whole thing was like those allegations and the people like going into our mum's work and just saying certain things, and I'd be at a petrol station, they screamed certain things, and I'd be with my family and my children, and people just be like shouting dumb things out.

1:12:41Just like, oh, you pointed like sharp things that you pointed to them today, this game or these kind of things or just silly immature things. And how I am, I'm kind of hotheaded, but especially when family are involved in my children around, it's kind of like, it's hard for me not to want to say something called these kind of things. It's like, going through that period, it's hard, and people that you wouldn't normally speak to or my parents or family wouldn't normally speak to, they'd pop up and just be like, ah, something's reviving. So it's when the bad things come along, how you want to talk, and find out what's going on, whereas when I'm scoring goals or getting big for England, you don't really want to say too much.

1:13:35But that's life and that's how people are. We don't miss them. We see them. We see the evil eyes. Has this process been, has it illuminated things for you in scenarios of your life, certain people, and some people that are there for you in stand, you know, because I think you even think about the Gaffer Thomas Frank, he's come to your defense multiple times, talking about how he disagrees with the way that it's been handled the sanctions, and he thinks that you should be able to train with the team and be out there educating young kids, et cetera, et cetera. He disagrees with the decision that the other commission made, not just himself, the self -gates, as well, I guess I've got you.

1:14:15He did talk sport. Yeah, yeah, I know I spoke to him as well. But how does that feel? What does that mean to you? It feels good, no, and I've got them behind me, obviously the England manager and my club manager, back in me, 100%. It feels good, and it gives me a bit of extra strength to make sure when I'm back, I'm firing, and it gives me that bit of hunger. Not that I'm lacking it, but I feel like it's a boost to feel like, it's on one on back kind of thing. And the club standing by you in such a way, has that kind of cemented your loyalty a little bit to Brentford? Yeah, I feel like, like I said earlier, I want to manage in a club to really want me to put their arm around me, and I feel like throughout the whole situation, Brentford have done that, even the players as well, I spoke to loads of them.

1:15:12They don't agree with it, but it is what it is. And your mum? Yeah, she's like going back to the tweet when I said, when I put that tweet out, she's the first person that rang me and my teammates at listen. He doesn't need to do nothing. Just don't do no more, please, I've been saying how she's been sick for, she feels sick and a stomach for an hour or a long, felt the whole situation. And putting it out there, she's just thinking it's going to damage me, damage her and damage the family and things like this. So I'll just put it, okay, let me just do the talking while I'm back, get the family, not smiling, but happy again.

1:15:59And I'm sure they can't wait till see the sun back on the pitch, going goals. Does it mean the most to you to make her happy and to make her feel good? All my family, yeah. I feel like she always just text me randomly and she's like, she was like, I don't want to bother you. Sometimes I just check on what I'm sitting on what's at the weight of you to come online to know you're okay and alive and well. That's just, that's how my mum is. I'll be sometimes she knows, she knows, she cools me. Random times it would be 12 at night or it would be early doors. Just check it in, I was fine, love you so much.

1:16:41It's just that, but that's a favorite one checking to see if I'm online and what's up. Throw it in, pestering me in the eyes. But so I think making them happy and making them smile is what gives me the filter. Do you well? Brentford fan base. Yeah, strong. You love this world. Yeah, yeah, I get love from the Brentford fans. That's good and that's cute. What's your, you're going to get back to football. I can feel you've got a certain fire inside you. Yeah, I think I just not that I need to prove anybody wrong, but there's a lot of haters and doubters out there thinking you're going to be saying my when he comes back.

1:17:43Actually, they're right. I'm entirely different. I'm not one of these. I could have been a great player. I hadn't even done this. I'm going to go beyond that. It's like I said, not a point to prove, but points proves myself. How do you ensure that happens? Like, what is it that, because I think about controllables, what is it that you can control to make sure that you come back and even better player? Is it just training harder? What is it that you're training harder, but in my head, every time I step on the pitch, I'm thinking in my head, I'm going to school today. I'm going to school. I know I'm going to school when the chance comes.

1:18:21I'm going to school because in the game, you, your parents get a chance that you should be scoring. So in my head now, I'm thinking, right, when I do play and I do get that chance, I should be scoring. It has to be a goal. So it's going to be a goal. Well, if it's not, then it's going to be a goal. Well, if it's not, it will be. I'll be two goals. Q1 is often when businesses start implementing new systems and processes in hopes of creating efficiencies for the year ahead. And over the course of my career, I've learnt just how crucial having the right systems in places, one which has helped me across many of my investments is net suite.

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1:19:38That's netsweep .com slash Bartlett. You know, Brentford is a fantastic team. I think of all the teams in the Premier League if we talk about admiration. I'm really in my bright at the moment, but Brentford absolutely think our brilliant brilliant team, really ton of admiration for them. There's a lot of people that are obviously linking you to other clubs and saying, oh, is he going to join this? Ranch Hashenite. All of that. How do you receive all of that? You know, all these links to because everyone's looking for a striker. Strikers are like the hardest to find. Gold school is in the Premier League.

1:20:09You've got Harlan, you've got Kane, he's gone. Now, now you're technically the second best striker that's currently in the league on paper. So, you know, these big clubs are going to come knocking. They're going to say, you know, Chelsea's got fucking unlimited money over here. United Weedestriker. How do you receive all of that? I'm really like, from young, like I said, I don't let this all affect me. Obviously, here it will go on in the background, but my job is to keep training well when I get the chance in the games to keep scoring and doing well. But I think everybody wants to play at the top of the tree and not that Brentford aren't there.

1:20:45But I feel like playing for big club fighting for trophies and these kind of things everybody wants to do. And the chance was to come along. I think I'll be silly not to look more into it, but I feel like, yeah, and the managing knows that I want to be playing the highest possible level possible. And whenever that time comes, then so be it. But I can't think of my time at Brentford's been being being being good. He probably won the best times in my career. And that's a special club like they just got something they got a culture there, which is super special. So, you know, that culture you describe will get the best out of you as a player for sure.

1:21:31So it's like you're great talent, great culture equals great results. It's like one plus one equals three. Yeah, now, yeah, I like the next club I'll go to if I was to move it would be like the right club. When you say the right club, you're not talking about Liverpool, are you? I do a Liverpool fan. Yeah, Liverpool fan, Liverpool fan, I feel you've been a Liverpool fan your whole life. Yeah, I've been a Liverpool fan my whole life, but from young, I've liked, I've liked Arsenal, like watching Arsenal from how they play and the kind of how passionate. Passion fans are. But yeah, Liverpool fan, Liverpool boy at heart.

1:22:10So Liverpool at heart love how Arsenal play, love their style. Yeah, anything about Manchester United. I like, I like, I like, but what's off on it was there. I like watching United a lot when both of us are so. But we do actually need a striker, so I've actually got a contract here that Eric and Richard Arnold are giving me.

1:22:33I just want to see you back playing again, because I think it's a gift to the Premier League, your talent. And also when I look at your story, you didn't have a straight line that a lot of people have in football. You went up, down, up, down, up, down and you persevere because the talent is, you can't argue with it. You can't argue with the talent. And so this whole gambling section of your life, it's a bit of a blip in there. It's a hurdle you've overcome and you've taken your punishment. You move on from that, you admit responsibility. Yeah. And so now it becomes the back again about the football.

1:23:13Yeah, like you said, the journey's been, it's been wild. It's been crazy. If I was to read a book on myself, I'd say this guy's done a lot and been through a lot. And he's still fighting and he's still climbing to the top of the tree. How's he managing all that with everything that's gone on? What's the goal? You know, if we have this conversation again at the end of your career and we sit down here and we go, man, and you go down, that was a successful career Steve. What happened? I want to be playing for England and screwing goals. I don't want to just be, he's playing for England a couple of times.

1:23:53I want to be the main man wherever I go. And I'm fingering. I know I've got Harry Kane there is probably one of the best strikers in the world, if not the best. So, and that's what I'm up against. So I need to get to that level. So he's just six working hard and keep fighting. A little U -rays around the corner as well. Yeah, and that's another place I want to get to, which I do believe that in my head. I'm ready to get to it. And at club level, what are your ambitions there, and football?

1:24:34Win trophies with some silverware. I feel like I want to play for the highest level possible. Playful with club that's, I'm loved that, not just one of. But I feel like with all my moves, I've not just gone to the club for the first time. Whatever money, whatever. It's been the right step for me. And I've achieved something every year, every year. I've just got better and better. You win the Premier League one day? That's the aim. I want to win the World Cup also. I want to win trophies that's like, wow. I'm being from where I'm from. I've found to not many people can achieve them things or be like, yeah, he's been at the World Cup, he's won the World Cup.

1:25:35And even then, my one soul is in the same house. Really? Yeah, she doesn't want to move. She likes being there and people will one day be like, yeah, I have his bum lives there. I'll do it now, but it'll be more of achievement. And I want something like that and like, yeah, I have his bum lives there. I have him comes there all the time. I think that's kind of, kind of how we are, how I am. And you can see, like, my mom's, she doesn't want to move into some big house. She feels safe and comfy. Like the house where she's at. And that shows that I have no choice but to be grounded. And you have three kids as well.

1:26:15Yeah, three little boys. Do you think about them? Do you think about what the legacy you want to leave? That they're going to grow up and learn about? Does that crush your mind a lot? Yeah, it does. I want to leave a legacy that they don't have no pressure on their shoulders to walk into. I just wanted to, whether there is a football or whatever industry they look to go into, which obviously I would want to say it's football. But whatever they do, I wanted to be successful and be like, be strong like my chosen. I feel like I do want them to have the same upbringing I had. Like I wouldn't put them into that private school in these things, because I don't want to just give them everything, I want them to have to work for some of the things.

1:27:02What advice would you give them about how to navigate? Say they do go into football or three of them. And they say they come to you one day, they say, Dad, listen, just got a call from the biggest club in the North Manchester United. And I'm going to accept it and go to Manchester United playing to Eric. I need some advice, Dad. I'm on my way tomorrow. What advice can you give me, Dad? Have the mentality as you're the best player on the pitch. You might not be, but having that mentality will help you play better. And just have the hunger. You haven't got the hunger or the drive. You'll step behind already.

1:27:42I'd say like also. Attitude is key. Could I get you a long way? Not just in football or work in life. You know, when you did this tweet, famous tweet, I'll speak soon with no thought. I understand that came from a place of anger, like a bit defensive, whatever mood settles your mum takes you out. You're like, okay, maybe this is not going to help the situation. There was a lot you wanted to say, right? You wanted to talk specifically about the allegations you've decided now from what you're saying that it's not worth it for you to like go in and dispute things and say this that there's not true.

1:28:18But was there anything that you do want to say to like the football community or just to the world generally as a message when you tweeted that outside of like the stuff where we're like a bit bitter and hurt because everything that's going on and people are attacking you whatever. Is there anything else you wanted to say because I just want to give you a chance just.

1:28:38Not really. Like you said, the most of it come from anger and it's kind of like, everybody's against me kind of thing. But with that, it's kind of like I was more worried on people like thinking how I am. How I am is a person like what they read and what they hear rather than how actually I'm put the people around me, friends, family, because any people should be worried about they know how I am. Why don't you take spend to bob down the road, how actually I'm probably never going to see me again. So it doesn't matter that why I'm explaining that and why am I going out there to give it like a back on fourth.

1:29:20Like I don't need to do that and it doesn't benefit me. It just benefits him in trying to get more reaction from me. So like he said, it definitely was out of our anger, anger kind of moment. It's kind of like, alright, let me say distant, let me say that not knowing. Not going to affect it could have. So it's not, I don't need to try and prove nobody wrong. I'm proving nobody right. It's just focusing on myself, family and do what I do best, which is playing well, it's going to go. It's speaking with your feet. I did want to talk to you about one last thing. You did a tweet as well about a DM someone sent you.

1:30:07Yeah, someone had DM due calling you a black seaword. And you posted the tweet. Subsequently, you stopped taking the knee during the start of Premier League games and such. Racism and football. Do you still receive racial abuse still today? Yeah, you do. If I was supposed, everything's over received. That's been racist. I love easily around 100 messages. Easiest is real off there. Has that increased since the sanctions were made against you from the commission? No, because I feel like most of it's just betting rubbish that I get. People are saying, but I feel like most of it's from playing a game and someone bet on you, you haven't scored.

1:31:02And then they come on, come for you for these kinds of things or the fantasy league, yeah, football league. You don't get enough points and now come at you like this or your score to lose that. Just things like this. Why don't you stop taking the knee? Because I feel like it's a token of gesture. It's not really, it's lost its purpose. And you can see like before games start, people run off for the art of the knee. It's got about it. The purpose isn't normal. I don't think that's doing nothing in the game to help stop these kinds of things from happening.

1:31:40More needs to be done for sure for sure. 100 % All over the world, not just in the UK, but we obviously saw what happened to Vinicus Jr. as well in the in the Llega. And it does, does feel like if there was harsher action taken, then a lot of this stuff wouldn't be happening even from the platforms and also from the police. Yeah, the most, most of, well, some of them are from abroad. It's kind of like, if it's not in the UK, they can't do nothing about it. And I'm like, okay, so you just keep sending from wherever. But yeah, it's becoming a thing and it's not like this. Okay, so it's fine. Basically, you're saying it's fine.

1:32:24What do you do? Yeah, I feel like it's lost its purpose personally anyway. I feel like it's kind of like puppets. If you put the top of kind of like, let's try this. Well, let's do this. Keep people quiet for a bit. Just do that and be trying. Yeah. It's not trying. You counting down the days now? Yeah, at least yeah, I'm like, really? You could have Christmas here. I can't count down the days or two. I can train to be around the boys because like, being in football prison at the moment. When I'm around the boys, I think it won't get easier. But you get a little bit easier, but not the same as like, you train a whole week hard at the end of the week.

1:33:12It's not like, end goal or reward. You're not playing a match. And then, is it January? You can play? Yeah, January the 17th. You can train again. I can play matches. Oh, you can play matches. Yes, 17th for September. I can train so. Oh, September, you can train in the... September, I can train, yeah. I can be in a club around the boys. Okay, I said not long. Yeah, not long, not long. Less than a month. Yeah, it feels like ages. And then you can play in January. That's going to be a very big game. A lot of people are going to be watching that. Yeah. Do you feel pressure? No, I don't feel... I thrive off pressure.

1:33:48When it's like, you surely can't do that. He's not going to be able to do it. And that's what, like, the pressure was... Like, we spoke about after the playoff final. And we got a penalty. After the game, everyone was like, you must have been scared, like, if you missed it, probably could have, like... You could have probably could have lost a massive... I think, no, I can't wait. Like, I knew for a FETS I was going like, 100 % because it was the pressure. And like, the reward after it gives you a bigger chance to jump into a penalty. And more money for a family, so... You're trying to prove people right, or to try to prove people wrong.

1:34:32What matters more to you? Proving people wrong, so I can have a little digger. Yeah. I like that. I like when I see certain tweets. When I do something, I come back to it and just say, I'll come in and dig at the person. And then it's just lots of words. You're right. You've been taking names throughout this process, just like, you know, this pundits at this position. I mean, there's loads of pundits. I say loads of things. It's all opinions, but when I come back to school enough, I'm sure they'll go back into the bus and back to pedo and what they say. We have a closing tradition on this podcast where the last guest leaves a question for the next guest, not knowing who they're going to leave it for.

1:35:15So they wrote a question for you here in this diary. The question been left for you is, when have you most had to face your fears? Probably the bun.

1:35:35Because I think loads of things go through your head. Like, like I said, from having football at such a young age, not knowing if there's loads of things that go through your head. Like what? How you going to cope with things at the time? I was kind of like, not worried. I feel like I'm a confident person, but going out in certain places, the topic is going to be about the whole scandal that's going on. People are going to talk about it, but with me, it's like, did they want to talk about it? They're thinking, do I want to talk about it? Not scared in a way, but it's kind of like, it's an awkward kind of meeting kind of thing.

1:36:15It's an elephant in the room. And then it comes to the point where it's like, that was, they'll say something like, oh, but you can't do that. And it's kind of like, oh, that kind of thing. But I'm like, yeah, what's done is done. Like you can talk about it. Don't feel like that. Then they talk about it. Then it's clear. So I feel like, not knowing what people are thinking about you, not knowing what people want to kind of talk to you, not knowing if you're going to be fit when you come back or not knowing what you're going to do, you're well sure off. I love your things going to your head in this like, hasn't crushed your mind, you might like, use your form or something.

1:36:53That, that how she did. Yeah, it did at the time. But like, I know I can get myself in goalscoring positions. So I don't feel like that would be such a big issue, but it does crush your mind like, whatever. Don't score within the first five games, six games. You're going to think the world's ending kind of thing. But yeah, I think that was the fear of these kind of things, not knowing what's next kind of thing. And as the days have passed, it's got easier, right? It's got easier in ways, but it's got harder in like, oh, okay, it's easier than like, sooner than we run the boys, and that's kind of like my head's fine now.

1:37:33I'm at the club doing what I do best, enjoy, but then it's kind of like, a little weaker, complex games, while the game was kind of like, is that torture watching? Yeah, it's torture. I hate watching games when I should be on the pitch. Do you think you deserve the Pat punishment you got? I mean, if that's what the rules are, then that's the punishment I should have got. Yeah. Looking on the other cases, and the fact that they were lower leagues, it's kind of like, why did he get that, and I got this, because he's there and I'm here, but now I feel like, if this is the punishment for doing what I've done, to make that makes for the next person gets that.

1:38:26Makes for the next person gets that. Like, make it all fair and correct. But that's not the thing that's fair, but it is what it is. I can't see, I can't change off it now. I can't, does not put me focus is on, if it's fair or not, because that doesn't help no situation. Yeah, I think it's possible to take responsibility for your actions. I did that, but it was sort of thing that, it was unfair, because they, I think, maybe rightly so, they are making an example of you, because those lower league players it would never send a message, would it? The greatest. So, with the big wages and the biggest status and the popularity and all the upsides comes this other thing, which is like, bigger sanctions, bigger publicity, bigger.

1:39:17It's more of a talking point, and more of a story. And I'll tell you what, you go out there, and you start bagging goals. Yeah. I ain't nobody going to be talking about anything else. And that's another reason I want to be scoring goals. for things right, and that people talk about, my close scoring, rather than, rubbish past. I think you're going to, I think you're going to go back to Brentford, and I think you're going to, if I can tear it up, because I sent a real deep drive in you that I've not seen in many people, a real sense of like self -belief and conviction, even what you said about a penalty is there, like I played at Socrates, and they came over to me and asked me if I wanted a penalty, and I said, I want to back up, I want to back up a group.

1:40:01I was 12 that so hard. This year, I would play this year, I got injured before the game, I would traffic, but I played in training, and we had to do a penalty shootout, Pock was the manager, and I just said to myself, Steve Stepford and take one. And this was to decide who got what's dressing room. I took one, I scored it, and then the next day I pulled my hamstring, got a great three -taire, but I was proud of myself for stepping up and doing it. Yeah, yeah. I think if you're having your head, I'm going to do this. You have a better chance. I'm thinking, what if this, there's no point thinking that, like even with, yeah, a back is 100 % like, it would strike us, I've played with, like, especially with strikers, I've played with now, like, because he's, I'll say his name, Brian, because he knows he's like my little brother.

1:40:45I said to him, like, when he missed the chance, he's, he gets so angry with himself. It's him, bro, it's fine. You, you're not a robot, you can miss chances. When the next chance comes, you'll score. And he's, he's, he's got a lot better at that, and it's been scoring, so I think just, well on things. But you've got a big chance coming out, January. Yes. And I hope you score. I will, I know, I know, I know, I know I do well. And like you said, this is just another hurdle in, or bumpy road, but, it's all good. It could be worse. Ivan, thank you. Thank you for, thank you for the time. Thank you for the inspiration you've given me.

1:41:26I feel like I understand you. I feel like I understand you. And listen, we all make mistakes in life. I think it's really important. We all, we've all made mistakes. I make so many mistakes. I think it's, you also are obviously more publicly broadcast because of who you are and you're at the top of the game. You're the peak of your powers. But, I think it's important, as you've said, that you take responsibility for it. You move on, and you let the football do the talking. And I think that's exactly, exactly what you have done. And that's what, I'm really excited to see from you going forward, as I said, because you're special.

1:41:55You've got a very special talent. You've got a very special mentality and a very special talent to match it. And, we can't let that go to waste. So we need to, it will go to waste for sure. I'm a little people around me. They won't allow it to go to waste. Good. Thank you so much for your time, bro. It means a lot to me that you came here and spoke to me. And I'm a, I'm a big fan and I really do hope you end up at Manchester United one day. Thanks for having me. Thanks. Thanks. It's been good. It's been good to talk through things and, maybe this can help the next person if there was to think twice on doing some things or, maybe to open up about some things.

1:42:34So, yeah, it's probably, it's probably easy. It's good. Thanks for having me, like I said.

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