WORLD CUP DAY 30: "Don't miss this chance" - The Big England preview

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1:18Hello and welcome to the Game Football Podcast from The Times and Sunday Times. This is day 30 of our daily World Cup shows and it is make or break time for England. Will it be quarterfinals again? Ole, ole. Or can Thomas Tuchel's side beat Norway and put themselves in a World Cup semi-final? I'm Tom Clarke and on today's show I'll chat to Tom Allnut in part two to reflect on Spain's win against Belgium. But first it's time to talk England v Norway. The breaking news as I record this late on Friday night is that England have received a huge fitness boost on the eve of this match. Rhys James rejoining training alongside Mark Grahe and Declan Rice.

2:01James of course had missed the last two games at this World Cup and Gahe and Rice had both missed training this week. Gahe had had a hamstring complaint. Declan Rice had had a bit of an illness. He'd been kept away from his England teammates but they're all back in training now. Massive, massive boost for Thomas Tuchel and all you England fans out there. That news reported on the Times website by Matt Lawton, our chief sports correspondent. Earlier in the day, I chatted to Matt about England's preparations. I asked for his predictions and I heard about the heat of Miami. Right then, Matt, here we go.

2:33Quarter final time for England. The excitement is building as it has been all week. You've just sent me our World Cup newsletter, which will be going out to Times subscribers at lunchtime on Saturday. Some lovely memories from you about some of your favourite memories of covering England over the years. How excited are you for this game, just on a professional level, on a personal level? Yeah, no, really excited. Even though I'm kind of even more excited by the prospect of Messi in the semi-final, but they have to get past these guys first and that's going to be no easy task, particularly with Erling Haaland.

3:10But no, these games are the games that you dream of covering when you come into this industry. And as I've detailed in the newsletter, I've been very lucky to be at some epic England games. And Mexico City last weekend was probably my favourite, certainly on the road. But this will be terrific. I went out for a run this morning. And I hate to sound like those journalists that all sort of went running in the altitude and described how difficult it was. But having run in Mexico City and run here this morning, and I went out about quarter to 10. My word, it's the heat. It's the humidity with the heat.

3:56It's as well that England actually did come to Florida for their pre-camp and have been training in hot weather in Kansas because it's pretty brutal. Yeah, don't worry, Matt. Everyone knows, regular listeners know your credentials, your athletic credentials in terms of running. We know you're not a part-timer, only got the boots out and the shoes out in Mexico. We know it's a regular thing. But I mean, that is interesting, isn't it? It's something you've mentioned before, how actually England, for a tournament that's been so much about conditions, have kind of got a bit lucky up till this point.

4:27So you think this game is actually the first time we're going to see England properly sweating it out and actually desperate for those hydration breaks? Yeah, desperate for those hydration breaks. And I think the sort of devices and things that they've done around hand coolers and wrist coolers, because it's actually most effective if you cool the extremities. I think that'll be really important. I do, you know, this is where you've got to question FIFA. You know, we did a column earlier in the tournament with Phil Neville, if you remember, and he talked about the fact that the MLS do not play before sundown.

5:04in places like Miami. And yeah, England and Norway, and it'll be just as half Norway, obviously, but England and Norway are kicking off at five o 'clock. And I think that, you know, it was a hundred degrees yesterday. We were sat outside at midnight and it was still in the nineties. Like it's really, really hot here. And yes, we're talking about elite athletes, not 56 year old plodders. But it's, yeah, I think it'll be tough. because England have had these five games so far, two of which were in sort of climate-controlled indoor stadiums and the other three in the rain. And then obviously Mexico after that.

5:46Is that the sixth game? I'm losing count now. No, that was the fifth game, wasn't it? Fifth game, yeah. Yeah, that had its own challenges with altitude, obviously, but it was 18 degrees and had been rainy. Yeah, really interesting. In terms of hydration breaks, Matt, I must take this opportunity to bring in the slightly hilarious story you just told me before we pressed record. We're hoping that No England players will be duped in the way that you were duped in your hotel room last night. Many listeners will have fallen for this one before, but probably not in the same way that you did. yeah no so i walked in i yeah we got here quite late and it was such a lovely such a lovely area in south miami uh that we just in south south beach miami that we thought we'd pop out for a you know cool beer and came back and i knew i was going to run this morning so went in search of the bottle of water that was next to the um next to the coffee machine in the wardrobe uh so i took it sort of pulled the top off took a swig and it was um i discovered it was white tequila which i then sort of redecorated the bedroom with it's all when it was a proper sort of you know comedy spitting out i was like good lord like drinking petrol um i'm not a tequila drinker uh so that was a bit of a shock so i had to go down this morning and explain that i had because god knows how much it is um like coffee here was 11 this morning so christ knows what a what a bottle of tequila is um so i went down and the woman did actually explain that uh somebody had filled the coffee machine with it before i i would suggest that they don't put a bottle of what looks like water next to the coffee machine um um in a hotel because as i sent a picture to my wife and i said in every other hotel in the world, that is a bottle of water, not a bottle of tequila.

7:43So, yeah, and she actually said, no, don't worry, I won't be charged and you can drink it if you want. So it's been a challenge. I would never have claimed to have drunk a bottle of tequila before, but maybe I'll give it a go if England win tomorrow night. Absolutely. Share it amongst the pack. Let's get into the game then. We're recording this on Friday evening, so there's still potential for news to filter out before kickoff, of course, and before listeners maybe listen to this. But what's the latest with the team news, with some of the niggly injuries that we've had? Declan Rice, Mark Graehy, as you reported on Wednesday, you were being monitored.

8:20Is it still the case that, as your copy says, Thomas Tuchel hoping to have kind of basically a full squad to call upon? Yeah, we'll find out. I'm heading to training a bit later. and David Beckham's due to be there because he's at the Inter-Miami training ground. It's somewhere I've been before. If you remember, we did an interview with Phil Neville there a couple of years ago. No, I think there's proper concern around Mark Gay. I'm assuming Declan Rice, he's had some kind of tummy bug or some kind of bug. I'm assuming he'll be okay. There was word that Rhys James took some part in training on Thursday.

9:04So that's encouraging. Although I'd be very surprised if in a game of this magnitude when he has been, he's missed the last few games with his hamstring, he should be very surprised if he's drafted into the starting lineup. But then I guess it depends on Gay. But no, there's a little bit of concern. I think the biggest concern really when we are, sorry, England are, stop saying we, when England are facing an attack that is as potent as Norway, is that Tuchel just hasn't been able to get a set of defence at this tournament. And they've done brilliantly, but it's looking like more changes at the back.

9:43Obviously, with Kwanzaa's suspension as well, it's pretty disruptive for a team in a tournament. It feels like the front half of the team has now picked itself. It's evolved. Saka is now in. Gordon is now in. And with Rice and Anderson, and that front, trying to do the maths, that front six is now settled and obviously Pickford is ever-present but the back four is a real problem for him even though they're all doing well when they come in. Yeah. Phil Neville, our columnist, who you've mentioned already, talking up John Stone's ability and his experience within this squad, by the sounds of it, he's going to play at least some part in this game even if some of those players are fit.

10:27You'd imagine he might come on and have to play some form of the game, maybe in shutting the game down as he did brilliantly in Mexico. Do you see that potentially happening? I do. I'd be amazed. I know there's talk about Dan Byrne and I was talking with Johnny Norcroft last night and Dan Byrne is, because of the physicality of Haaland, could be a good option. But I just think a game like this, particularly when, again, I think it's going to be a slightly slowed down version of England as we saw in Mexico as well because of the heat. I just think Stones, and as Phil said in his column, he was so good when he came on, you know, and so experienced.

11:08I think someone like Stones is what you need in this game, particularly when he'll know Haaland inside out. He's been training against him for years. and as I say, when you get to this, given his experience, he's played in these finals, he's played in the World Cup semi-final, obviously all the success he's had at City. Yeah, I just think you need someone of his ability in the centre there and he is a big guy and you need that against somebody like Haaland, I think. Yeah, really interesting whether he might be pitted against his Manchester City teammate or former Manchester City teammate, should I say.

11:47Matt, finally, kind of how are you feeling about this game? Johnny yesterday on the pod was talking up England's chances, you know, the perfect role for the dispassionate Scott leading the England coverage, you know, saying that England should beat Norway. And then if it is Argentina, they should beat Argentina because they're the better team, even with Lionel Messi. How are you feeling? You're an experienced, Matt, you know, experienced journalist. You've seen a lot of these scenarios before where England have promised much. It does feel like one of these tipping point moments, doesn't it? where win this one, here we go, this is the real deal, lose and it's quarterfinals again.

12:23What's your gut saying going into this one? Yeah, I think Tuchel has done enough at this tournament and impressed enough to secure his position beyond this World Cup. And I have no doubt that he will remain in the job for the Euros in 2028. I was talking to a senior person at the FA the other night and he loves international football. He loves living back in London. He enjoys the job. So his position is secure, come what may. But I do think it would be, on paper, even with Haaland, on paper, England are a better side than Norway. And it would be, for me, a huge opportunity missed. You know, you spend some time with colleagues here and some of them want Egypt to win.

13:18They want Mbappe to be injured. You know what I mean? And they just want to see England win the World Cup in their lifetime. And I kind of get that argument. But at the same time, I don't agree with it. I want to see England play Messi for the first time in a semi-final. And then if they can navigate their way past Argentina, I want to see a final that's got Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe on the pitch. Because for me, sport is, you know, elite sport is what it's all about. And the very best players is what it's all about. But I do think there is a brilliant opportunity here for England to get to the first World Cup final in 60 years.

13:56So I think if they lose against Norway, it will be an enormous source of regret because they should beat Norway. And that is no disrespect to Norway. They've got some very good players, not just Haaland. But come on, that is a team that England should expect to win, particularly when you've got two players of the calibre of Kane and Bellingham playing as well as they are at this tournament. Yeah, absolutely. That was a bit like a pre-match team talk, Matt. That's a perfect note to end on. Got me nice and hyped up. Thank you very much for joining us, Chief Sports Correspondent Matt Lawson. Hopefully we'll hear from you again after full time against Norway.

14:37And hopefully it'll be another voice note with Wonderwall playing in the background. Matt thank you very much for joining us we'll speak very soon pleasure thanks to Matt Lawton for joining me again you can read the latest from Matt on the team news on the Times website now and he'll be filing into our live blog on the Times website in the build up to this game Matt often bringing you the breaking team news first before anyone else so make sure you're checking it out now as it is England v Norway I thought it would be very rude not to check in with our senior sports writer and Sunday Times columnist Alison Rudd She's been at Wimbledon covering the tennis for us for the last two weeks, so we've not had her on the show regularly.

15:15She did tip Norway, of course, to win the tournament before in our big preview show. So I wondered, how will she be approaching watching this game after she gets back from the tennis? Is it, in fact, the perfect win-win situation? This is what she had to say. Well, I can't lose, can I? If England play well and defeat Norway, then I'm an English girl with an English team in the semi-final. And if Norway outplay England and are very clever, then I look clever for having tipped them to win the entire tournament. So it's definitely a win-win in my little study where I'm sat now having come back from Wimbledon.

15:58My gut feeling is still bizarrely that Norway will do it. But that's probably me being obstinate. but genuinely I sort of do feel that you have to be clever to beat Norway and if England can do that then hats off to them because it's a proper banana skin. So bring it on. A typically perfect combination of wit and reflection from Alison Rudd there. Bring it on indeed. It's time for a quick break listeners but when we come back I'll be chatting to Tom Allnott about Spain's win against Belgium. Stick with us.

16:44Hi, I'm Katie Prescott from the Times Tech Podcast. For two weeks each summer, Wimbledon becomes one of the biggest sporting events in the world. But behind every match is a vast operation of data, digital tools and live fan updates. In a special episode recorded the week before the championships, in paid partnership with IBM, I look at the technology behind the championships and how AI and data are helping fans follow the action in real time. Listen to the Times Tech podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Quick question. When was the last time a display ad changed your mind? Now think about the last time a friend told you about something they loved.

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18:53him in in place of Gregor Robertson to talk about Spain's win against Belgium. Tom what an intriguing odd little game this was I mean you always felt like Spain would probably come through in the end but only just 2-1 and I thought Belgium again making me look daft from earlier in the tournament played very well what did you make of it?

19:13Tom Allnutt: Yeah I thought they played pretty well actually Belgium they probably made more of a match of it than I than I kind of expected I sort of felt in in the last kind of 20 30 minutes that spain looked like the team who were going to win it but belgium did have their chances didn't they i mean you know they had two or three good openings that one in the first half with where they could have got docu away um they kind of played quite well i thought on the break and actually for a team you know like spain who have looked you know pretty much unbreakable for most of this tournament i thought actually they they did look threatening um and i kind of felt like they would they'll go away from this game kind of thinking actually was it there for us you know were there two or three moments there where we could have really rattled Spain um but I have to say overall I thought the better team won um I personally think that for the tournament it's a good thing that Spain are in the semi-final because I think this is the match that to be honest the draw you know right from the beginning looks like it would throw up and I think we've been kind of looking forward to and I personally think it's almost like a final in a way I think it's probably the two best teams playing, whether it ends up like that.

20:18Tom Allnutt: So I think it's a good thing that Spain have gone through. I think overall they deserved it. It's obviously a shame for Belgium and particularly with the Courtois injury, which, you know, with Lamont coming on and just making that mistake. Do you think it was a mistake, Tom? Can we count that as a major error or do you think it just pushed it out? I think we have to, don't we? I really don't want to. You know, I like the guy. I think he's a great signing for Man United. A good story for them, for their club and for him. and he's got lovely hair quite like you Tom he's got lovely lovely hair but I was watching this I'm actually in the north at the moment I was watching this with my brother and I turned to him and said Lamons hasn't made a save yet has he and then the shot comes in and you just think oh the nerves you have to say it's a mistake don't you I think as much as I don't want to you can't do that thing unfortunately the keeper that you can sort of do with the defender where you sort of give them an easy sideways pass right you can't just have a couple of easy pot shots at your own goalkeeper to kind of warm them up and that was the problem i think he was sort of having to line up you know a long shot for the first time and i also wonder i'm conscious you know what joe hart said there in the tournament about how these balls seem to be flying around and we did see in that first week how goalkeepers seem to be slightly misjudging so the flight of long shots and you do wonder maybe he wasn't quite attuned to to how balls are kind of moving in this world cup i just yeah i think at his best at his at his most sharp i think he would have pushed that out rather than back in so that was unfortunate yeah definitely I mean I think as well you've got to say as they said on the commentary as well Courtois not covering himself in glory for the first goal really and a few other saves as well where he's kind of palming it back into the attacking area so yeah as you say the balls and Joe Hart and goalkeepers have been a big topic of this tournament very unlucky for San Alarmans for that to be his World Cup contribution for Belgium but I'm fascinated to get a bit more from you on this Spain team you know yourself Pete Rutzler have seen them in this tournament and said look they've got France semi-final all over them you know this is coming but I've watched them and I've seen them so many kind of characteristics of some other teams and dare I say England you know they've got a star player on the left wing in Laminya Mal who doesn't look quite 100 % at it that's no fault of his own he just doesn't look quite fit enough they've made a lot of changes a lot of rotations particularly in midfield you've talked quite rightly about the strength of that midfield but like they made changes here pedri on the bench and then of course you've got michael marino coming off and saving them twice now like where do you think they go now heading into this semi-final with france yeah i mean i think more than any other team i think spain have been kind of evolving through the tournament and you can you can either think of that as a strength or a weakness but i think right from the beginning it felt like this was a team that was going to change as as the tournament went on and and the big headline of that is obviously Lamin himself because you know he's he's coming back from a fairly significant injury he needs to be gaining sharpness as the tournament goes on I agree with you at the moment he looks like a sort of a very good player but not a sort of absolutely lights out player which we know he is but there's still time you know I mean there's still time I've always thought that this tournament might be won by a team who kind of finds its best you know when it really matters in the semi-finals in the final because it's it's a marathon not a sprint this one and maybe Spain, who is slightly going under the radar, can now find that in the semis and even the final.

23:32Tom Allnutt: But I think they're going to have to. I think they're going to have to go to another level. And I think Belgium, if you like, was a bit of a step up. But if we're honest, they're nowhere near what France are. And I think that kind of goes all around the team. If we go back to Spain two years ago, it was all about adding the penetration and verticality of Lamine and Nico Williams on the wings. You know, it was kind of like Spain plus, you know, you had all the possession, you have all the brilliant control in midfield, but lit up by two wingers who basically have, you know, electric speed and ability to beat people 1v1.

24:07Tom Allnutt: And as a result, you kind of can sort of push to the history, that kind of period under Luis Enrique, where Spain would just pass and pass and pass, but not actually get through teams. Right. And they found their kind of two trump cards. the problem they have in this tournament I think is that yes they do have them but neither of them are quite sharp enough you know Nico Williams is coming off a really sort of poor season in La Liga and he came off the bench here and made an impact Lamine we've talked about you know he isn't quite sharp so those two players aren't quite there so that they are lacking I think a little bit of kind of cutting edge in the final third but I still think you know with Dani Olmo I think he's having a good tournament I think Pedri has been a bit quiet so far I can understand while they started with Fabian in midfield.

24:48Tom Allnutt: And I think with Lamine getting better, they have Williams off the bench. I still think this is a really threatening team. Do they have enough to beat France in the semifinal? It's going to be tough. I still think France, you'd put a 70-30 in that tie. And I think Spain will go into it feeling like they're the underdogs as well. Let's not forget, we kind of always think of Spain now as a kind of real grandee of international football. But actually, their World Cup record is pretty modest. Apart from that 2010 win, they haven't really gone this far many times so I think they won't they won't feel that pressure and maybe that will be a strength and I think you know we haven't seen the best of them yet yeah definitely I'm quite right to pick out Danny Olmo I thought he was terrific in this game I think he's a good example of players growing into a tournament and any player who turns up to a summer tournament with bleat blonde hair M &M style deserves huge respect in my opinion doesn't happen enough in the modern game yeah very retro really really really really wonderful to see but but just on Marino quickly I mean I was trying to think before we came on air to record of another player who essentially is a number six midfielder seen by some as a defensive midfielder who has essentially become an Ole Gunnar Solskjaer type finisher off the bench you know even Danny Murphy and people on comms were talking about ah he's gonna score of course he'll score Marino he'll get he'll find a goal and he was he was there like a striker is the most remarkable thing ever and he's so unassuming but so brilliant at doing it he does it for Arsenal he does it for Spain on the biggest stage yeah yeah I mean it's it's weird almost to think of Marina now as a kind of defensive midfielder right like it to me he we I almost now think of him as this kind of poaching striker he's done it for Arsenal he's done it for Spain you know he clearly did it and it's not just this kind of like striker role it's this kind of come off the bench and score a last minute goal role as well you know he did it in the previous round he did it against Germany in the quarterfinals in the last Euros.

26:39Tom Allnutt: He's now got this kind of reputation, this kind of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer reputation, right? Like for Spain, where he kind of is the magic man who comes off the bench and delivers. And I think, you know, it's an interesting story with him generally. I mean, Luis de la Fuente, I think, was under a bit of pressure earlier this season, a few months ago, when, you know, Marino was injured, you know, and he was basically saying he was going to call him up anyway, and he was going to wait for him. And people in Spain were a bit like, really? Like, there are other options. Like, are we really waiting around, you know, on the basis of a Mikel Moreno who may not be fit may not be sharp but that you know decision has really been you know paid back in spades right and I think it's I mean maybe people know but you know this celebration he's always doing when he's running around the corner flag you know which is like a tribute to his dad who Angel Miguel I think his name was who basically scored for Osasuna which is where which is where Moreno is from and he scored a you know goal in the UEFA cup against stuka i think it was probably about 35 years ago now you know and every and he celebrated by running around the corner flag so every time michael marino scores a goal he does this very sort of you know slightly underwhelming celebration right where he sort of just sort of ducks his head and does a little ring around the corner flag like it's not a great celebration but as a story it's it's quite touching um they should have that as like you know you these days you can get little ai notes on all kind of you know media they need you delivering that because i now feel so much greater significance and warmth towards it you're right it's no it's not exactly jude bellingham arms out wide is it i'm him you know it's this kind of little thing where people think what the hell is he doing over there now you know that's why we have yeah it's just like about spain it's just like a nice little family tale and you know i think i think he did it once i think he did it in the in the euros for that goal because it was obviously an important goal and there was also a bit of a weird kind of resonance there because he did it against germany and his dad had done it in germany as well but now when he when he scores his important goals he always does it um yeah and and this week as well in pamplona it's kind of like the san fermin uh fiestas as well where like i don't know if you know tom but in pamplona they have those you know that kind of like uh the running of the bulls you know where the bull kind of runs through the street in pamplona everyone kind of runs after it's absolutely mental so anyway like in his home home city his hometown it's like party central this week as well so he is very much the man of the moment in terms of spanish football right now and and i guess you in any normal circumstance you'd be saying well you know shouldn't he be starting like maybe he should actually be getting in and and but i honestly think the player that he is and the role he has i think everyone's kind of happy with it yeah absolutely this world cup is delivering both so many things we expected and hoped for and so many little surprising trump cards everyone expected lamin yamal to be the main man for spain turns out it's michael marino uh tom as you mentioned earlier good news for me you Gregor Robertson and Tony Cascarino in terms of our predictions because we have got a France v Spain semi-final I don't think we get any credit for predicting that one but at least we've not got that one wrong we turn our attention now to the other semi-final in the final two quarter finals and of course listeners will be listening to this as they prepare and get ready and get excited for England Norway we obviously had you on the show the other day predicting this we've heard from Matt Lawton and Alison in part one but any final gut feelings any thoughts heading into this this game do you think it's England's to lose obviously all the Norway team Stahl Solbaken and Erling Harland have been talking England up as they would do England's favourites for this should be yeah I like the Solbaken thing about kind of Kevin Keegan I don't know if you saw that what he was kind of saying he uh used to be a huge Kevin Keegan fan he's kind of wishing him well in his illness and just obviously like a thoroughly nice guy and very much plays into this image that we have of Norway at this World Cup where they're kind of everyone's favourite team which is not what we want at all right like going into this game you know all the sort of you know the rowing celebrations and i mean that this is a problem everyone wants norway to win um i think i think you know like i i'm sort of slightly worried by the number of kind of tweaks and you know reports of illnesses and and hamstring problems and it feels like england's you know the fatigue factor post azteca i think is is still maybe a thing here um but i think they're gonna have enough i do think they're gonna have enough in this match beyond here like i i think that the tests get much bigger and whether or not they can get past what comes next, what could come next, I think is another question.

30:57Tom Allnutt: But I think they'll just about have enough, Tom. What's your feeling? You've seen every single World Cup game. You know, you are... I have. I'm closing in on my 100, actually. I think I'm up to 98 now. 98. Nervous 90s as I approach the century. What's the celebration going to be for the century? There'll be some kind of cricketing social media, you know, ditty of some kind, I'm sure. I think England will win this game and I actually increasingly think that they would beat an Argentina team in the semi-final I just feel like they've got momentum and I think a lot of time in the English press and amongst English fans you have to remember what other people would be thinking about this England team we have talked up this tournament for the star players that are around England have two England have two star players delivering at the very top of their game that gives England a chance other teams have got one Norway have got one star player delivering at the top of their game.

31:46England have got two. And as you say, I think this game could be interesting though. I wonder whether this game might be a game where it's someone else who gets England through. Maybe it's Anthony Gordon. Maybe it's Marcus Rashford off the bench. Maybe it's Bukayo Saka with a first half goal. Who knows? I just wonder whether it might be someone else. But I think England have got those someone else players in greater quality than Norway have. If it's a game where Harlan ends up silenced and Kane ends up silenced, I think England will find a way without them. Who knows? it could be a scorefest I'm excited for it anyway

32:17Tom Allnutt: Yeah and I sort of come I mean I think my one worry about England coming into this tournament like so often is just that ability to kind of keep the ball and control games and I actually don't think they've played a team yet really who would expose that weakness I think Mexico are quite an up and down team in terms of the opposition they're facing the groups you know it was generally teams they could attack against and I think Norway similarly like I don't see it as being that kind of match I still think in the heat, in a big game against any of the other three big guns, are England going to get exposed again in terms of possession and control?

32:55Tom Allnutt: That kind of lack of deep line playmaker. But I think in this match, I don't think it's going to be that kind of game. I think they can maximise their strengths and you're absolutely right to point out that in Kane and Bellingham, England have two players who are banging form and who can get them over the line. Yeah, long way to go. I'm getting excited about World Cup finals. We've got to get past Norway first. We will see how England get on in that game and we'll also have analysis from Paul Hurst at Argentina against Switzerland in tomorrow's show. Thank you though to Tom Ornutt, Matt Lawton and Alison Rudd for joining me on today's show and thank you too for listening.

33:28We'll be back to see whether England are through to a semi-final. See you tomorrow.

33:40Hi, I'm Katie Prescott from the Times Tech Podcast. For two weeks each summer, Wimbledon becomes one of the biggest sporting events in the world. But behind every match is a vast operation of data, digital tools and live fan updates. In a special episode recorded the week before the championships, in paid partnership with IBM. I look at the technology behind the championships and how AI and data are helping fans follow the action in real time. Listen to the Times Tech Podcast wherever you get your podcasts. You've got social dialed in. Search is doing its thing. So why do your marketing results look the same as six months ago?

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