Nev on Man Utd's big win, summer recruitment and Chelsea’s Alonso appointment

0:00Welcome along to the Gary Neville podcast which is taking place today at Old Trafford while the Manchester United players are doing their lap of honour. And Gary, we've just heard Michael Carrick's speech and he referenced the fact that in a way the game that we've seen today sums up this place. That little bit of drama, Manchester United's fate not always seemingly in their own hands. It was kind of typical of the good traditions of the club.

0:22Gary Neville:Yeah, and I think since he's come back to the club, going to the four at the back, the two in midfield, and then obviously a number 10 dropping in off a striker and the two wide players, it has felt a lot more like Manchester United. In fact, it has felt very much like Manchester United. We know it's not quite at the level that we'll win a league, but what you can see are the patterns of something that looks like the football club should be playing. And for the first five months of the season, that wasn't the case. it was desperate out here and did the interview with Sky Sports News before the game with Dan Kahn and we talked about, I think I did six games here or five games here in December and January and we were doing interviews before the game talking about, you know, Manchester United had an opportunity to go into the Champions League places but they never seemed to take it and it was really desperate around that time and the football was hard to watch because it didn't represent what you think should exist here and that second half was very much what you would see at Old Trafford.

1:21Gary Neville:You know, a Manchester United team who looked very dangerous going forward and willing to go punch for punch. They conceded some chances and goals, actually, at the other end of the pitch, but always looked the more likely to score. Missed, you know, Brian Emberma missed, I think, four himself. So, yeah, very much, I think, in the traditions of United and I think that's why Michael Carrick will get the job. Obviously, the results, getting into the Champions League, but also I think just returning the club to a style which looks something like and that's not always been the case, that's not easy.

1:52Gary Neville:They will have to get better in a lot of areas but there's been massive improvement in this last four months and Michael Carrick's done an exceptional job. The players have responded to it, they've got themselves into a comfortable position in third place which would have been unthinkable in November and December. he didn't confirm that he is going to get the job but we believe that he's going to have a two-year contract how do you think he'll approach the challenge next season of the extra games because the Champions League that he's qualified for is now going to bring a minimum of eight and obviously they hope it'll be much more than that yeah the only thing that's going to be able to help him with that is the increase in numbers and increasing quality in the players in the squad because there's no doubt that this squad will come under great stress playing three times a week.

2:41Gary Neville:We know there are some players out there who are injury prone, some players out there who are fatigued more, and it's just inevitable. You've seen what City and Arsenal have done in this last three or four years. Liverpool as well, when they've obviously been challenging for Champions Leagues and titles, and what Manchester United have done historically. Sir Alex Ferguson brought four strikers here before anybody had heard of rotation, and swapping strikers around, because he knew he needed. it wasn't quite two for the league and two for the midweek games in the Champions League but it became a symbol of what that squad was that you could have any of the two strikers on the pitch at any point and you didn't know which two strikers were going to be on the pitch at the start of the game and at the end of the game but they all rotated to a point whereby there was a freshness and Michael Carrick's got at the moment a squad that is paper thin really in respect of if two or three players got injured it would fall apart quite quickly and the results would start to decrease so yeah he must he must be really happy tonight happy that he's going to get a two year contract he deserves it

3:46Gary Neville:but a warning sign and I don't think that to be fair we need to give Michael Carrick a warning sign he'll know that himself that there's going to be an added scrutiny and stress next season when he starts for real and he'll need four or five more players minimum of really high quality that are reliable, consistent and also have got, I think, Premier League they're Premier League ready whether that means they've played in the Premier League before but they're ready physically to adapt to what's going to go out in this league so yeah, a lot of work to do but he's done a great job and has earned the position I've always been one that said that I thought that Manchester United should go and get the best manager that they possibly can in the world but what you can't deny over the last few weeks and months is that the call for Michael Carrick to be manager has been getting louder and louder and it's difficult to go against it when it doesn't seem that there is an obvious sort of what will be candidate out there that you can just lift off the shelf and put in so yeah we're going to see Michael Carrick definitely at the start of next season but the job starts really for him then He's done a very, very good job as a sort of interim manager, caretaker, whatever you would call it.

5:02Gary Neville:But he's going to start being sort of judged, I would imagine, at the start of next season. But he needs to get four or five players in. That means the club need to support him in getting the four or five players in that he needs. Two of the holes that he will have to fill. Casemiro, we already knew this was going to be his last season. And he did confirm in his speech at the end here today that Tyrell Molassia is leaving now. obviously he as things stand would only be a cover player for Luke Shaw but bearing in mind his history of injuries even though he's had a great year for appearances this season with the extra stresses and strains of more games next season is that an area where they will also need to bring in somebody ready-made?

5:40Gary Neville:They definitely need backup at full-back both sides I would say in an ideal world you bring three defenders in in an ideal world and one of those defenders might be when I think of the likes of say I'm trying to think in Capier at Arsenal who plays left back and left centre back and I think Ben White's done that as well and I think Mosquera has done that where they've played centre they almost need one of them that can play in two positions that can support then they need another top centre back and then they do need a left back so I think three defenders would be perfect a centre-back who can play centre-back and right-back a centre-back who's top-notch who can really be a sort of figurehead and then a left-back to back up Luke Shaw so that actually they can alternate between sort of what would be Premier League and Champions League and whatever the most important matches are of that time you've obviously got the other domestic cups as well and then they need two midfield players in an ideal world you'd think that five would be perfect and if you're being really greedy you'd then swap out maybe maybe Mason Mount for another forward of some kind maybe someone like Mason Mount because you've got to think about the fact that Bruno is someone who's difficult to replace and Mason Mount sort of half does that a little bit so maybe it would be him but if it wasn't him then maybe somebody else who can play in wide areas and sort of you see these players exist don't you quite a bit now the likes of Foden and Palmer and Cherokee other clubs that play sort of sometimes the number 10 sometimes they play wide we've seen Saka play more central and then he goes out to the right plays left as well so almost like a flexible forward that can play in that number 10 role if Bruno Fernandes is not there for any reason and then basically someone else that to me look I'm asking for six players there and I don't think I'm being greedy it's just how much these players cost how smart can Manchester United be the absolute unequivocals are a top centre-back are two top central midfield players.

7:44Gary Neville:They're the absolute unequivocals. They need two in central midfield and they need a top centre-back in my opinion. But they've got to go and get, I think, two or three more around that to beef up the squad to enable themselves to compete and give Michael Carrick the best chance of being able to repeat the performance that he's had without the Champions League games and the interference of cup competitions this season. So how would you sum up Casemiro's contribution now that we've seen his last appearance at Old Trafford? and how much do you think Kobi Menuh has benefited from that latter half of this season where he's been playing alongside him?

8:16Gary Neville:I mean it'd be one of the great questions really, was Casemiro a good signing, a value for money signing? There's no doubt he's given his all. He did lose his way a bit by the way for a period of a year or so in the middle where he looked like he put some weight on, he was immobile. Jamie Carragher's famous comment in that Liverpool game out here and it was a harsh comment, but what we were seeing, I mean, he was subbed after 30-odd minutes. It was a real struggle for him. He looked really heavy. He came back, was it last season, just completely different. His physicality was different. He'd lost weight.

8:52Gary Neville:He was more sort of energetic. And his last two years has been a really sort of, really good performer for United. One of the standout performers. And in this last six months, he's been exceptional in terms of getting Manchester United into the Champions League. you know his heading and his aerial ability in both boxes will be very difficult to replace and you watch him now and you think what would he have been like 10 years ago at Madrid I wasn't watching Madrid 10 years ago week in week out I was watching them obviously in the Champions League and you knew he was a top player one of the very best but he must have been exceptional 10 years ago what they do now need is Manchester United is a 25 26 year old version of Casemiro but the problem is that costs you 100 million quid nowadays you're talking about a Declan Rice and a Casado that type of player so where that player comes from Elliot Anderson we've seen here today maybe we'll analyze him shortly but overall Casemiro's cost the club about 140 million pounds he was signed in a panic after a Brentford defeat away from home with Anthony and they overpaid and they overpaid on salary the story goes that you know he couldn't believe the package that was being offered to him and Real Madrid presented it to him as if to say we can't hold you back.

10:07Gary Neville:So it tells you that it's a moment in time and Manchester United I don't think today in their current format and sort of leadership would sign Casemiro as you know they won't go and do another deal like that. But that's to take nothing away from Casemiro because I think he's performed in the last 12 to 18 months very very well. I say there was a period in the middle of his contract where he struggled and they will miss him. They'll miss him from a personality and character perspective in a physicality and an aerial presence and he's good on the ball as well and he's developed a really good combination and partnership with Kobe Mainu, so they in fact need to find a couple of players in there one standout player but another one who can play in there if Mainu or whoever they sign isn't available, you need at least three in there, maybe four so yeah, it's a big send off for him he's become a fans favourite but I've still got in the back of my mind a reminder of the panic in which they signed him you know Manchester United I think lost to Brentford they lost at home the first game of the season to someone and then lost away at Brentford and it was just panic stations before a Monday night football against Liverpool where they spent £150 million on Anthony and Casemiro and no one could believe it at the time and thought it was madness Casemiro in the end I think has brought some value, Anthony's obviously gone but Casemiro's brought some value just because he's like a captain really you don't find very many players like that but it still smacks of a time that was very different and Manchester United need a younger version of him if they can find that player out there which is difficult.

11:41It is difficult but would they perhaps look to the Premier League I mean you've mentioned Elliot Anderson already I'll ask you what we what you thought about seeing him but are you looking at his type or an Adam Wharton maybe who's had a little bit of European experience as well somebody from already within the division who can develop?

11:59Gary Neville:If you look at United's recruitment last summer they did sign Cesco and Lamans that came from outside but younger players who've got some growth but their big signings were two players who were Premier League ready you know Embermo and Cunha and they've had difficult times at moments this season Cunha and Embermo but I've never thought for one second when I watched them they don't belong in a red shirt they do belong in a red shirt because they keep going they've got that fight and that persistence and Manchester United forwards have to work hard they have to look like they're hungry to get on the ball they have to look like they're going to run forward like they want to score and they're persistent and they keep going and they've got good characters, those two.

12:35Gary Neville:And I think it's better to come from them as they settle into the second season. So Manchester United, I think, do need to look at players that are either very, very young and got a hunger to sort of grow or Premier League ready players. And Elliot Anderson is that. What I like about Anderson is the fact that he looks forward. He contributes. I mean, you've seen the two assists that he's put in. The two crosses for the goals were exceptional. I've got a soft spot for him because I watched him for Bristol Rovers play against Seoul for the number of years ago when he was on loan and he was playing in a wide area at that point which he did for Newcastle sometimes which means that when he goes back into central midfield he can accept the ball on the half turn he knows where he is he's got an eye for looking forward and I see too many, I mentioned it during the game Crabs playing central midfield can't have too many people who play five yard passes back and sideways you might as well put a full back in there if you're going to do that you need to put players in there who are going to look forward and punch passes through the lines and have got their head up and switch play and Elliot Anderson can do that he can take set pieces so for me he would be an outstanding sort of what would be candidate to come here but you believe what you hear Manchester City also want him so if it's a straight fight between the two Manchester clubs it'll be interesting to see who he chooses

13:55Gary Neville:yeah I mean at the moment Manchester City are ahead of Manchester United they've got Pep Guardiola this season is going to be a successful season for Manchester City irrespective of whether they win the league or not because they've won two domestic cup competitions and I would class that as a success not by the standards that Pep Guardiola has set but when you're transitioning a team as he is from a team that won the treble and that's got a little bit old to a new team that's younger to keep on winning trophies takes some doing so for me it's whether Elliot Anderson wants to try and if you can be part of a winning Manchester United team again that win the league the explosion here is enormous you know there is this is a place that will just literally go like that and it's whether he feels that he wants to be part of that type of project or one that's at this moment more reliable and consistent and performing at a higher level I think Manchester United have got a spark They've got something magic about the club and I'll never change my mind on that.

14:55Gary Neville:But Manchester City right now have got performance and they've got victories and they've got trophies coming in year in, year out. So it'll be very interesting to see what happens. And that's not to mention the fact that you've got to try and get him off Mr Maranakis, which will be tough, I would imagine. Yeah, won't be an easy bargain to strike that one. let's talk about a player who has been a leader really through difficult periods here at Manchester United because he has equaled the record for Premier League assists today Bruno Fernandes he's picked up a load of individual awards in terms of Footballer of the Year awards as well how much do you think that assists record will will mean to him oh I think it will mean an enormous amount an enormous amount because look when I played I never ever looked at individual awards for the other players that won them not for myself but for the other players that won them in the team I just didn't care about them at all and I was named in the PFA team of the year quite a lot and I just it meant nothing to me at all honestly it really didn't I genuinely just wanted to win football games and trophies for the club but Cristiano Ronaldo did want to win individual trophies there were lads in the team who it was important to them to get recognition for their work and so maybe as I get to sort of a lot older in life and I look upon sort of people do look back upon individual achievements and they do look back upon the fact that you've achieved something a little bit different and then getting level with Kevin De Bruyne and Thierry Henry is something that bit different and he could go ahead of them next week in the game against Brighton we don't know yet but he's been an exceptional performer I've said this unfortunately for Manchester United for two, three, four years.

16:40Gary Neville:He's the only player that I've seen signed for biggish money that I've seen go on and do sort of what will be that over the last 10 to 12 years. Now, I have to say, Larmans, and there's a couple now playing with Kunja and Mbermo, that maybe could provide that second and third and fourth. But a lot of the signings, the big signings that United have made have really disappointed and fallen well short of the standards that you expected when they signed for the club. You know, you get up for a lot of signings and thinking, oh, this is going to be a great signing. And then all of a sudden it just doesn't work for whatever reason.

17:15Gary Neville:But he has been so consistent. And the position he's in now, in that off the front position, off a front player with the two behind, is perfect for him. Because it allows him to cheat in the games, which is what he needs to do. Manchester United needs to sort of, OK, he can defend. He certainly can press and try and harass. but you want him to be on the ball all the time on the counter-attack and you want him to be on the ball in the final third because he makes things happen. He's got such unbelievable quality and he's got a... I said before about persistence and it's so important. It sounds like something that's quite small persistence but the ability to continue to keep going for that pass that makes the difference or that dribble that makes the difference or that shot that makes the difference is something that's absolutely categoric here at this club and particularly in that number 10 role.

18:05Gary Neville:I actually wish he was wearing the number 7 shirt. I think he's actually someone who is worthy of wearing that number 7 shirt. You think of Cantona and Robson and George Best and David Beckham and sort of the great players that have worn that shirt. And I know he's got number 8 on, I'm not asking him to switch, but he feels that he's got that presence, those shoulders up, that chest out. And yeah, he deserves everything that he gets. There was a period where I think that he was, body language wise, not demonstrating what I believe are positive traits for a captain, and this was three or four years ago.

18:38Gary Neville:I think young players don't respond off that type of thing. They want that sort of... Yeah, you can have a go at them, by the way, and you should have a go at them, but not in a moany, whingy way. That seems to have gone from his game now. And what you can never doubt with Bruno Fernandes is he cares, and he's always cared, and he's always been passionate. So it's important that Manchester United keep him, by the way. he's got a buyout clause in his contract and I think he'll be looking at the club and speaking to Michael Carrick and saying right come on who are you signing who are you going to sign that's going to take me to a point whereby I'm staying here I believe in this club I believed in this club last summer when not many people at that time did believe in it when Manchester United had just been beaten by Tottenham in the Europa League and finished 15th in the league which is unforgivable he stayed and could have easily jumped ship and he didn't do.

19:29Gary Neville:And that will put him in a really good position with the United fans because they demand loyalty, they want loyalty and he's given them that. But now I think it's time for the club to really repay that loyalty. And that's, to me, going by in fantastic players and bringing fantastic players in who can go alongside, who can get Manchester United closer. I think they're about 11 points behind Arsenal right now. And that's going to be even more difficult to maintain next season because of the Champions League but how do they close that 11 point gap maybe come 14 tomorrow night so how do you close a 14, 15 point gap that means you've got to sign very very good players because Arsenal are a strong team and City are a strong team Just on the point of assists we never used to talk about assists in terms of tallies it was always goals is there a danger that in pursuing that actual record next week that you are caught in two minds if you're presented with a chance and you're thinking should I lay it off to get the record should I go for goal myself?

20:29Gary Neville:Yeah, I mean, look, I think he should go for the assist record next weekend. Manchester United need to win a football match, obviously, because there are fans going paying to watch the game and will spend a lot of money to get to Brighton. But if he can get an assist next week, he should try and do it. I mean, if he's got an obvious tap-in, he shouldn't stop it and try and pass it to someone. He should take the goal. But yeah, I think he's worthy and well within his rights to go for that assist. You're right. I mean, a number of things have changed. I never played as a defender. at United as a right-back and fell under any expectation whatsoever to get goals or assists.

21:03Gary Neville:And I look now at some of the achievements of full-backs and their goals and assists, and I feel embarrassed. But it just wasn't an expectation back then. Assists weren't something. I mean, I played behind David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo, who made assists all the time. And it wasn't really sort of ever... I don't even know in any season that I ever even looked at an assist leaderboard. I don't think it was ever presented to us. and now we get presented with a lot of stats and a lot of data, which is fair, but yeah, it's become something that's a lot more apparent and a lot more in our faces in the last five, six years, seven years.

21:37And is it a good thing?

21:41Gary Neville:Assists? I do think actually Thierry Henry spoke about assists quite a lot and how important they were, that he felt they were as important as a goal and looking after his teammates. But yeah, historically, strikers were generally more selfish and thought more about goals, solely about goals, not about any way of setting up their teammates, even though I'm sure that they all contributed together. But yeah, it's become a new phenomenon and something that I can see the importance of it. Some of them are a bit basic. I mean, I've got an assist, believe it or not, because they must have recounted.

22:14Gary Neville:I've got an assist, Scoles, he scored a goal, I think Middlesbrough away, which is one of the best goals you'll ever see. It's a strike from 30 yards. I roll it to him from right back and I get an assist for it. How many yards? he's got 25 yards out I'm probably rolling it to him sort of across now how many yards for your assist oh my assist was about 15 yards 20 but it's a simple pass I mean he wasn't marked and I get an assist for that and I'm like like the Elliot the Elliot Anderson one in that second half where he whips that crossing that's a proper assist that's like you know we should grade assists because some of them are so basic well some of them are deflections I know it's like mad so yeah I'm not wholly bought into it, but I do think that, yeah, to get the 20 assists, you can see the calibre of the player that's up there.

22:59Gary Neville:It means you're an exceptional player. Let's move the discussion away from Old Trafford and Manchester United now, because I want to bring up the subject of Chelsea, who have today appointed Xabi Alonso on a four-year contract. But interestingly, as manager rather than head coach, do you think that's a sea change that needed to be made? yeah they've basically gone there you go have the keys have the keys to the club have the keys to the safe there's the recruitment room there's the scouts there's the medical department on you go mate it's over to you or probably more than likely Xabi Alonso said look guys if I'm going to come in and subject myself to what I may have to subject myself to here there's a couple of things that I'll want if you sack me within the first couple of years you're going to pay me a fortune if I'm going to come that will be the first thing you'll have asked for and the second thing he'll have asked for will be control.

23:53Gary Neville:And they'll have been the two conditions. Sorry, I don't want to make it out that Xavi Alonso is thinking about money when he comes to Chelsea, but I'm sure the two things that he would want is control and protection against being sacked. Control and protection. These are my conditions. If you're bringing me in, I've got to control that changing room. I've got to control what comes into that changing room. I've got to control who works with the players in that changing room. Simple as that. And the other thing is, if you sack me, by the way, because I lose four or five matches or eight matches or six matches, you're going to have to pay for it because I'm literally banking on you.

24:27Gary Neville:You know, this is his first big job in the Premier League and I've got to succeed. And I've got to make sure that after what happened at Real Madrid that I don't get two jobs on the trot. So I think he's come in and I think he's probably placed some incredible demands. It looks like a good signing for Chelsea on paper in respect of how Xabi Alonso is thought of. Every manager is a risk. It means that Liverpool aren't signing in, which I think was potentially something that was mentioned quite a lot. But for Chelsea, I think that they have...

25:05Gary Neville:They've got such inexperience in the club in every single department, and I've mentioned it so many times. They've got inexperience on the pitch. They're going to have to change their model. This strategy of signing young players under the age of 22, 23 with eight-year deals, that's great. No one's going to ever say that signing young players is a problem. But signing in totality young players and not having a spine of strength, of physicality, is a big mistake. So the first thing that I think he'll do, he'll want a goalkeeper, he'll want a centre-back, and he'll probably want a striker of experience.

25:41Gary Neville:They have got some experience in central midfield. You know, Lavia and Casado and Fernandes, depending on what happens with them. but they can keep those three together. They've got something in there and then there's the young boy Santos. Is it Santos? Santos, yeah. They've got four good central midfield players. They've got a sprinkling of like what I call fizzy sort of drink bees that move around on the wings but they need a real top centre forward. Jao Pedro's very good by the way. I like him. De Lape's young but they need a top centre forward of strength, of class. They need a centre back or two and they definitely need a goalkeeper and I think if they can get those four players right and Xabi Alonso can attract four players and they can spend a couple of hundred million quid and maybe recycle a bit out of the club as well, Chelsea can become a decent side very quickly.

26:27Gary Neville:Can become a decent side very quickly. They just lack experience and physicality down the spine and they need that togetherness and spirit in the dressing room which I don't think is quite there either but that could come together quite quickly under a new manager. So for me, it's interesting to see what happens. I'm happy he's come to the Premier League. I'm really intrigued and interested by talented managers coming to the Premier League. I think the Premier League is at its best when it's got the best managers in the world in the league. He's definitely someone who's put himself up there in the last three or four years.

26:55Gary Neville:So I'm really interested to see. But it's no doubt that the owners and the sporting department have basically relinquished control of decision making. And they need to basically go all in. They've gone all in here, I would imagine, financially and from a control perspective. so do you think it's a move away from idealism to realism in appointing Xabi Alonso who had that spectacular start to his managerial career with the Leverkusen Invincibles had his fingers burnt a little bit at Real Madrid so if he's going into Chelsea now he really has to stamp his authority on those players so he doesn't face a repeat situation absolutely, I mean go in there, control, protection against being fired early, it's going to cost them, it's going to be messy for them if they fire me and basically be harsh, be ruthless.

27:39Gary Neville:I always remember Pep coming in and getting rid of Joe Hart before he played a game and Klopp coming in and getting rid of, was it, Ben Teke, who was a sort of big signing for Liverpool. Just got rid of them. You know, they were big signings. You can give them a chance. You don't fit what we want. I think Alonso has got to come in. It's changed my view in terms of sort of what would be that idea of loyalty and giving people an opportunity and you wipe the slate clean. The usual thing from a manager when they used to walk in was everyone's got a chance. wipe the slate clean you know what happened before before you haven't got that time now as a manager you've got to assess what you want before you go in get rid of the stuff you don't want out of the changing room and take over from a position of authority because you haven't got a year or two to be able to sort of assess the assess the crop if you like you've got to go in and deal with it straight away and so the timing do you think is good from Xabi Alonso's point of view because he's got a whole summer to do that now he's got a whole summer he's probably been talking to the club for some time they've probably got an idea straight away he'll have watched every single match that they've played he'll have watched the cup final yesterday he'll see who he wants in the bus with him and who he doesn't want in the bus with him and I think he'll be quite unequivocal with the people at Chelsea him, him, him, him him and him are gone I want these players here on this side and I always remember going to see Maurizio Poitettino early in his Tottenham career and I spoke to him on an interview about three weeks ago and I always remember him saying to me these are the players that I want to keep and these are the ones I need to get rid of in the next six months.

29:06Gary Neville:Now he, to be fair, at Tottenham, needed to make sure that he got rid of them in a more efficient way that didn't lose the club money. So he had to try and play them to get rid of them, if you know what I mean. But he said he was quite clear. He was given time at Tottenham, obviously, Maurizio Poitettino. Xavi Alonso won't get time. We've seen that with other managers at Chelsea. So I think what he'll have said is you need to make sure you basically do what I say. And that's why they're calling him manager. manager I think is a very important word in modern football because it's usually head coach every club would push towards now appointing a head coach and saying look we'll take care of we'll take care of sports science medical recruitment and other areas around the team so that if you do go you're the sort of what would be transient one with your maybe two or three assistants they'll go but the rest of the club stays the same I think Javi Alonso has said no I will do what I want here and make sure that I'm in control of things and he'll have that written in and I'm sure inked into his contract.

30:04On a similar theme but different club, do you think that Arna Slott's managerial authority has been undermined by Mo Salah's comments about going back to heavy metal football?

30:15Gary Neville:It's certainly been undermined publicly. I mean, it's a direct attack. I mean, Mo Salah is walking out of the door and as he's just literally sort of about to get to the door and open it and walk out, he's pulled the pin out of a grenade and lobbed it back into the room. because that from him. But what I would say is about Mo Salah's comments, you have a player of that ilk, of that stature, of that personality, you can never keep them quiet. They have power. They have control themselves. They have a fearlessness that means that they don't care what they say. Mo Salah will believe what he said is the right thing to say for the football club.

30:54Gary Neville:But the pain that that causes is deep for Arna Slott, for his staff, for the Liverpool executives, it does really hit hard, that one. Because he's a player that's loved by the fans. They're not going to change their opinion on him. He's achieved too much for the club. And there's this sort of question, I think you mentioned it before, do you think he'll play in the final game? He will play in the final game, because he's done too much. The idea of Liverpool looking petty and then now not playing him next week and sort of forbidding him his final farewell would cause the club serious damage. so they're going to have to suck on the lemon this week they're going to have to suck on the lemon this week the Liverpool executives and the Liverpool manager, they'll have to bite the bottom lip and they're going to have to put him in the team next week, clap him and thank him and then just get to the end of the season but that is a painful one, a comment like that and I've been here when the comments like that have been said about Manchester United I think Cristiano Ronaldo said something like that on the way out didn't he a few years ago when he did the interview with Piers Morgan and it was painful and I was quite critical of Cristiano at the time not necessarily of his meaning behind his words because what he was saying was the training ground wasn't good enough this wasn't good enough that wasn't good enough we were all saying that it was the fact that he's in the dressing room and his teammates were still playing literally a couple of hours before at Fulham but you can never ever hold back these types of sort of players they stand on a different level they're on a different planet when it comes to ability and they don't always conform to team wishes, club wishes.

32:35Gary Neville:It's a painful one for Liverpool. It's a club that's had a lot of plaudits over the last five, six, seven years for being well-run, for being disciplined, for being efficient. But their sporting department is taking a bit of a whack right now and their manager is certainly taking a bit of a whack. And it'll be interesting to see what happens. I really like Arna Slott. I think to win a league in his first season was an exceptional achievement. To get into the Champions League this year, which I believe he will do again, I think demonstrates that there's still an element of consistency against a lot of things that have gone wrong in the club in the last 12 months that have been out of their control.