Robbie Fowler On The Spice Boys, Why He's UNDERRATED & Almost Joining Chelsea!

27:30Paddy McGuinness:I mean, we could tell us some stories about us going out and running the before England games. Just before you do it, I'm going to see if we can get this on camera. Sent this this morning. A lot of pictures. Remember that? I do, actually, yeah. Yeah. Where was that? I was trying to work out where that was. You've got the old bleached there then. I'll see if I can get this on camera. Oh, no, you can just do your fancy thing and put the whole thing up, can't you? Where was that? Where do you

28:03when I used to be younger and see him I call it a lot spoke Trev in the World Cup 2002 was

28:11Paddy McGuinness:unbelievable brilliant yeah I think come on cuz I think you got called up Danny Miffy to be sunny and any mills and a mouse you know you talk about obviously football tournament so obviously we talked there about the World Cup but you know 96 so you're talking about me growing up and scoring goals and Shearer had gone to that tournament he hadn't scored for England for a while but Teddy Venables had given him the shout listen you're going to be my striker and that's when really Shearer's England career kicked off from that one kicked on so he's done really well but you know I always remember about that Euro 96 so I came on I was down to take the I came on against Holland I came on against Spain I was down to take the fifth penalty against Spain so came on that was the quarter final so the next game we played Germany so you can imagine 90 minutes 0-0 0-0 was it 1-1 when Thomas Muller scored anyway so how the game went went in sector time obviously got lost on penalties you know Teddy Venables never made a sub in that old 90 minutes or extra time never made a sub I never knew that I mean I'm open right now I could love that HMF HMF yeah yeah I'm thinking I was waiting I was waiting even just to come on and take a penalty you know what I mean because I'd come on for the quarter finals just to take the penalty and I loved that and then you go to the to the World Cup and I think 2002 we probably should have won that I do I mean I'm not even being like getting excited I think we obviously we lost to to Brazil in the quarters.

29:53Do you remember who the semi-finals were? No. Turkey. Turkey, yeah, Turkey. South Korea and obviously Germany. Germany, Brazil. Obviously, good chance. I said that there a week

30:03Paddy McGuinness:on the podcast. And what I always remember, so I remember Michael. Michael wasn't right before the game. Michael scored and obviously had done tremendously well but Sven stuck with him and wanted to stay on and he brought that derives for self on to maybe change the game and I'm thinking just bringing me on and I think I'm not saying I would have changed the game or the fortunes or whatever but we had more chance of scoring a goal I had a thought so you know you know when you're sat there itching to get on and you're like and you can see you can make an impact in the game what are you do you try and like catch the managers out or do you get up and have a little stretch what do you do when you're sat there it must be frustrating well when you open a warm up you make sure you walk slowly past the managers so your inner is like you know start stretching in front of him when I'm fucking warming up.

30:52Paddy McGuinness:I'm ready, boss. I'm ready. I'm ready. You know, I just brought back one memory I've got. We were Robbie with England. Remember Malta, do I? Oh, yeah. This episode is brought to you by EDF, Britain's biggest generator of zero carbon electricity. Great energy, no fee up front and about 40 nicker a month. We're going green, boys. I've even got the shirts on as well. Very smart, Paddy. Matching trainers as well. Green trainers as well. And socks. And socks. Can't move for green on this show. I'm talking about signing up for EDF's EV tariff and pod drive. You can get an EV charger, standard installation and warranty with zero upfront costs.

31:34And it gets better. From just£40 a month for three years, you get zero upfront costs for your award-winning solar-compatible 7.4-kilowatt premium solar 3S EV home charger, which trusted trader standard installation and worry-free charger warranty. Get started and join pod driver edfenergy.com slash pod. UK fuel mix disclosure information published by the government department, Desnes, recognises electricity from wind, solar and nuclear fuel produces zero carbon dioxide emissions at the point of generation. For verification visit edfenergy.com slash zero dash carbon. wowsers I think our nuclear powered reading that you could say it's Evie Peasy Paddy you could say that but that would be a terrible line

32:28Paddy McGuinness:we get to the game everyone's getting changed for the game Robbie texts his gear off sunburned to fuck like fucking Bergen here was weren't you I had the Liverpool home top on at the beginning what I was I mean so it was over there so typical Brit abroad when I said the doctor's gone listen it's cloudy but it's still hot and it's still you know you still get a sunburn so it's Dr. Crane he went whatever you do if you are sitting in the sun make sure you put cream on and don't be any longer than 20 minutes 30 minutes I'm thinking I'm alright there's no sun there's no sun so I've took my top off I've been like that for about an hour right so he puts my top on right the next day I'm bright red on I have got literally got the Liverpool on top I've never seen I come on right and you know Incy was horrible wasn't he smashed it into your chest but he did right so the balls come to me and I'm thinking I can't chest this I say can't because I'm in agony right so I tried to control it with my shoulder right and it bounced off my shoulder and Incy's fucking out of the go and I went Incy I can't in my sunburn Incy just started laughing Incy just started laughing honestly Did you score that again?

33:47Probably not, no. Do you know, when I, like, remembering you playing for Liverpool, certainly, me as a fan, I always used to look at you and I think, oh, whether you're a Liverpool fan or not, you, one of them players, were, I think, people just like, because as a lad who played, like, you know, Sunday football with mates and what have you, players like you, who I kind of class as, and this isn't meant to sound any, it's a compliment in my eyes, like a street footballer, where you kind of go, oh, I could do that. You know what I mean? Did you feel that when you were playing for Liverpool? Did you feel that with the fans, like they kind of just instantly took to you?

34:32Yeah, I think, I mean, my rapport with Liverpool fans is brilliant and it still is, in all fairness. And I think it's because I think they see themselves in me. I am probably them and they obviously wished you were me and I'm playing the game through them and I'm with them. So, I mean, I don't really know what else to say to that. I mean, I'm very, very normal in terms of... When did they start calling you God? I think it was just early, I think, every time. I got into the Liverpool team and everything I seemed to do was... You were like 18, were you 18? 18, yeah. 18 goals, was it, when your first season for Liverpool?

35:11I don't even know, mate, I think so, yeah. but it was the I had like the Midas touch and everything you seem to do sort of worked out in a favourable way so and I'll be honest with you it's probably one of the best don't get carried away but it's probably one of the best nicknames in football isn't it and when I think about it it is like it's quite embarrassing really to a degree because when you think of Liverpool and you think of I mean legend does get used far too much in football doesn't it and when I broke into the Liverpool team you've got John Barnes Ian Rush Steve Nickel Jan Warby Ronnie Wheel and you know all the greats and all proper legends was you up front with Ian Rush yeah and it's a little different to you when you were breaking in with your you played with like proper legends and then all of a sudden this little skinny lad from Liverpool gets the nickname God you know and it's like wow it's surreal I mean obviously take it you know what I mean it was all day long but as long as

36:07Paddy McGuinness:when he's booking a table for a restaurant you say God God God God's family almighty. God's family almighty. It's embarrassing when the kids call me though, yeah. Do you tell me, do you miss your call your God as well? Oh, what we do in the bed? God's family. Do you know, like these two say, when they were coming through, just the names you mentioned there then, was it the same for you at Liverpool where you needed those sort of experienced players and did they put their arm around you a little bit and did they help you out and have been in tough love? yeah I mean absolutely I think the tough love was probably needed I mean I'm one of them I think you know my characters I don't mind getting shouted at but you know every so often you don't mind getting the other movie show that that's obviously what we do but I could I could maybe go the other way as well because if someone's done something to me in terms of you know shout at me I'm going you know I'm gonna fucking prove you wrong so that's the mentality of I had so I was always comfortable and confident enough to just go out there and feel part of a setup now whether that was maybe like a bit of an ego or cockiness, you know, there was obviously a fine line between that, but I don't think I was ever cocky.

37:15Yeah. But I mean, I've never really had the ego as such, but I'm playing in a team with the likes of Ian Rush and, you know, all these greats, as I've said, and Ian Rush was brilliant for me because not only, I'm not saying he took me aside all the time and told me, you know, what I should be doing, but I'd watch him in training as well. So I was a good watcher of the game. So when you're watching these players and, you know, I mean this sounds stupid but Rushy taught me how to run now you know I'm not saying you run with a straight back and you get your arm slow and your knees up I'm just talking about how to get inside defenders or you know to time he runs near post far post and you're watching Rushy all the time in training and he was probably the master of that wasn't he the best so you're learning every single day so that's probably why you sort of get better when you're playing with all these great players now you sort of think of today's game now I mean I'll be amazed when you had your debut.

38:08So, you know when you see like the League Cup now where it's a team that makes like six, seven, eight changes. For me, I don't understand that because I don't think that's, I think that's more damaging for the young lads who come in and play because that's no different than playing for the reserves or playing for, you know, your under-21 team. But when you're playing for your first team and you're playing with all these superstars, that brings you on. But if you're playing with like a gang of lads your own age, that's...

38:34Paddy McGuinness:And also, the experienced ones that will be in them squads they're the ones that are not playing much anyway well the help we had was incredible why don't you think of the reserve team the old reserve team league the central league we had Old Trafford all the time every old game we were playing we were playing with like Brian Robson and Dion Dublin in these games Brian McClare Clayton Blackmore Gary Walsh unreal just all the lads who didn't play in the first team now just a waste of time now yeah that's the thing especially the cup games and that's why we were talking the other week about the FA Cup sometimes when they put a team out I think Slott did it didn't he they put a team and you're going Jesus Christ it's almost like this cup's not important you know the thing is though it's not just Premier League teams do it everyone writes Premier League we left three or four our better players out just to give them a rest to be fair though it's a good way of a young player getting in and showing what you can do showing you've got balls to go and play on a big stage and Robbie would have scored goals straight away Scolzi I remember his debut scored two goals for people forwards to go on in a league game a cup game whatever you want to call it and score the goal and show what a finish there can be I think it's good for followers Was it one of your first games in the League Cup?

39:39Yeah my first so my first three games Did you score like five Yeah I mean you stole my thunder there so my first game was Fulham Was you on a Ballon d 'Or list

39:49Paddy McGuinness:as well? Twice I mean I might surprise you that Twice Play for real as well But you know I mean obviously that's the way I go on about the League Cup so I played I mean Liverpool at the time were struggling it sounds stupid because Rushy was still there They'd just bought Nigel Clough, Ronnie Rodenthal was scoring goals, Mark Walters was there and his record for Liverpool in terms of goals was not bad. So they lost to Everton on the Saturday thing and then midweek. I'd been in the squad for a number of months before but never really got my chance. I knew I was playing on the Wednesday, sorry, didn't know I was playing on Wednesday.

40:24We travelled down, obviously played and I played okay, scored a goal, had an hand in two of the goals. Was that the League Cup? the League Cup then we lost to Chelsea on Saturday we lost 1-0 but I played okay not brilliant but played okay but my first game and I didn't really realise this until I'd finished playing and I mean for me I think this is quite mind-blowing my first game as a professional you know for Liverpool at Anfield we won 5-0 and scored 5 goals that's my first game as a professional now imagine a young 18-year-old kid doing that against Fulham that was the second leg Fulham So, yeah, so the second leg, scoring five goals in a 5-0 win.

41:03Was that when it went really big for you? Oh, yeah, yeah. I was the best player in the world, wasn't I?

41:08Paddy McGuinness:God, he was God. But, I mean, imagine an 18-year-old kid now scoring five goals. So that's an example of taking your chance. Yeah. Just going back to the City of Liverpool game, the one thing for me, as a neutral, which I think as a football fan, it drives us all mad, the inconsistency with referees and VAR and everything else that Van Dijk goal for me even when they were talking about it on the telly as it were happening I still thought it was going to be giving us a goal like Roberts he would practically croakstone on floor it were a little duck at the head I mean I I said yesterday I think Liverpool will be getting an apology from the PGM I mean I I can't see how he can't because for me it's a big mistake the I get Andy Robinson's in an offside position, you know, when I get that.

41:59But for me, he's not interfering with play. The keeper can see the ball. He's not in the line of sight. The keeper dives his left and still doesn't get it. So for me, it's, I mean, VAR was brought in to maybe change the game. He'd be like, I don't know if it's been for the better. I mean, saying that, if VAR's not there, the referee, I mean, maybe the linesman or the assistant referee goes up anyway. So then there's another argument. but I mean for me it should have stood I can't for the life of me

42:28Paddy McGuinness:I'd like to understand how someone within football with a football brain thinks that's offside there's no question to me there's no black and white with that you ask anyone who's played football anyone with a common sense of football or most sensible fans would say it's a goal it's not in the eye I think they get an apology it'd have never saved it a million years it could have changed the game you don't know I still don't probably think it would have done with the way the game was going City were the better team but I think and you lot know of playing the game when someone gets a goal and it's going against against play it can change it we'll never know it was a real sliding doors moment in the game but I mean I agree with you I think it could have went a couple of ways obviously but the fact is I mean City were brilliant and City deserved a win but that might have swayed Liverpool and maybe sort of changed their attitude and their mentality in the game but City were good value so I don't think anyone's ever taken away from the fact that City were brilliant.

43:26Well, not probably, but they did deserve to win. But that goal should have stood. But go back to football now, lads, and it'll be interesting what you think it is, but we are probably going down the realms of slightly falling out of love with football, aren't we? Because I thought yesterday the referee, he blew all the time. There's none of that like, you want to see the games, you know, ebbing and flowing and you want to see. but he just blew the whistle every time there's a tackle you've got to realise when there's a big game

43:58Paddy McGuinness:people are actually going to crunch each other you just can't see it anymore so it does change the game every time there's a tackle he blows up so there's no continuity in the game the game's full of cheats let's be honest people who say they're not cheating they're lying because we've all done it every time the ball goes out for a throw and you'll claim it known perfectly well that's cheating so players go down all the time rolling around I think the thing for me and all when you watch it just what you said about falling out of love with it a little bit because of these sort of new things they've brought in and the ref blowing every two minutes the one for me is every time a goal scored now you can't kind of celebrate because you'd go oh hang on it just ruins it I remember watching the Women's World Cup I think it was with Phil's England team they couldn't celebrate a goal because every time the thing is now I think they're going too far back they're looking for a reason to cancel to disallow every goal and that's what pisses me off was it a foul back there was it a handball there you know what I'm telling you with all this the referees union all they see the referee on Sky Sports they want to become the stars and they want to be relevant and more relevant and I get it they're getting paid crap money for so many years they now got full time jobs they want to be on the TV they want to be sponsorship coming in and they're getting all that now and the more that happens the bigger they'll want to get and the more they'll be blowing the whistle to be on cameras What about the thing where they're announcing it now as well with the speaker halfway when they get through it everyone starts cheering so you ain't got a clue what they're saying I know what you're saying there Nicky but surely you want to get that reputation for being good but the thing with it is probably maybe 20 years ago 30 years ago I forget how old I am it was always referees should be professional they should be professional they should work they should work at the fitness now they've done that and I think now it's gone too far that way now I mean they all I tell you now we watched the game the other day I wasn't sat we were sat with somebody else I'm watching the League 2 game the ref's blowing the whistle every two minutes and it's like he wants to be relevant good referees should not be seen in my opinion they should have brought a whistle when it's a proper free kick and crack on with it a lot of them now want to be superstars the trouble with that is they're all being assessed aren't they they're all doing and everything to the letter of love.

46:16Paddy McGuinness:There's no common sense about it. They're all scared to say and have conversations with players. Again, we'll know from years ago. If you had a conversation with a referee, it was between you and the referee. But nowadays, everything gets out, doesn't it? Someone's always got something to say. I don't like that. I remember, I think it was Roger Milford's referee. I don't know, going back years. He was a brilliant referee. Keith Cooper was a brilliant referee. All the ones who sort of had a little bit... I remember like one game I went up to I think Roger Milford I went oh Raph that's shit that he went oh don't worry about that lad he said I'd worry about your own game if I was you and he goes yeah you're probably right you know what I mean so straight away that diffuses the situation you've done more mistakes than I have today I went fair enough where was he from Rob?

47:04Paddy McGuinness:don't even know I must have been Keith Cooper then I went Welsh it must have been I didn't want to put you up on that I'll let it go yeah it was definitely Keith Cooper what's the worst refereeing decision you've had so anyway when I was playing we had this referee keep Cooper I remember going up to them on worst refereeing decision yeah for me it was and it wasn't it's no excuse of the behaviour of the players me included was when we played Middlesbrough and they gave a penalty against us when we were going for the league was it Andy Durso so the video was like all lads chasing him it was not a nice thing to do but before that game I remember the mind you're saying to us don't let the referees lose you this league so he got us all up for it anyway and you're thinking he blew for a ridiculous you don't even think he touched him gave a penalty I swear and I think Yap Keane I think he was there I was there Kiggs he was you're not playing it was not a nice thing to see it was horrible horrible wasn't it if you're a referee we all got fine for that you wouldn't have done that I would have done that I all got fine for that if you were a ref I think that back then in that era and you were reffing United that's got to have played on your minds because I I thought it was a bit much watching and it became a thing didn't it where United players had absolutely But if the referee would have stood still would have stopped but he kept running backwards so we're going further and he's like just standing No no no he's running backwards you're not he was still in the stand But if the referee would have stood his ground and said move away you're not going to keep running at him it's like we're chasing that line it was a big thing about it was influencing them referees in them days it was a big thing like Chelsea used to do it Arsenal, Bold and Keone and all that everyone used to try and do it yeah

49:10about insurance and more time enjoying the ride. Download the State Farm app or go online at statefarm.com. Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there. Do you hear that? Sounds like breakfast is ready. Because Quaker's coming in hot with morning nutrition, 100 % whole grain oats, and a good source of fiber to fuel the rhythm of your morning and kickstart your day. And that sounds absolutely delicious. Fuel to start whatever's next. Quaker, official sponsor of FIFA World Cup 26.

49:49Comcast is delivering extraordinary experiences in live sports through the incredible broadcast and storytelling from NBC, innovative and personalized viewing features on Xfinity and Peacock, and the country's most reliable Wi-Fi. Viewers can enjoy every game-changing play faster and more seamlessly than ever, all in a network built to deliver unforgettable moments as close to live as possible. The ultimate experience for the American sports fan. Learn more at comcastcorporation.com slash sports. Robbie, you had a bit of an incident at Arsenal. Yes. So I came out of cheats before as you were. No, I mean, it certainly wasn't cheating.

50:25But it's funny actually because I remember, obviously the incident, a couple of things came out of that. I mean, I actually won a UEFA fair play certificate.

50:35Paddy McGuinness:With your Ballon d 'Or. I mean Is that with a Two ball and dollars It's not as good as the nominees Obviously But yeah I mean What it was At the time I didn't think it was a foul I think in today's game It probably would have been So I'm running past the keeper He never bought I sort of jumped over him Because if I'm running And I hit him I mean I'd hate myself Or I'd hate him So I sort of jumped And then obviously Lose my balance And then fall And it wasn't a penalty I didn't think at the time But I sort of jumped Out of the way And The reason that I I said it wasn't a penalty was because obviously David Seaman again I think I'm alright in terms of looking after teammates and being the character I am I knew David Seaman from obviously England and I just if he gives a penalty he's got a chance of sending them off and I didn't really want that so I was like no it's not a penalty and yeah but I think it was today Did you end up giving the penalty?

51:27He gave the penalty Did you take it? I missed the penalty Did you miss it on purpose? No joke What was the score Rob? What was the score before the penalty? So the game, I think we end up winning the game, but how it came about, so the two good things that came about it was I obviously missed a penalty, which was obviously not the good thing. I got the UEFA fair play certificate and Jason McAteer scored his first goal for Liverpool from the rebound. I mean, I never missed on purpose, obviously, it was just a bad penalty. And obviously Jason McAteer got his goal and I think he got an advert for Washington goal on the back of that.

52:01I remember that. I remember that. So he got the back of that and I'm still waiting to give me a little bit of a dropsy for that as well. Might be waiting a while. How is he? I've not seen him for ages. He's all right, yeah, he's fine. Ah, I love Jay, he's a great lad. Did you go to Leeds from Liverpool? No, I went Liverpool, Leeds, Man City, back to Liverpool, Cardiff and then Blackburn. Jesus, I forgot about Man City. You've definitely done your own work. You've played quite a few games, didn't you? Was it 80-odd games or something? 100 and... Oh, no, you know what? No, 80 games, yeah, 80. I think I was there three years I think three years Kevin Keegan Kevin Keegan Being so synonymous with Liverpool what's it like with that kind of level of love the club give you and the fans and then you're suddenly in a new changing room did it make you were you a little bit invigorated or did you think oh Jesus I miss it I've made a mistake No look I think I mean I left obviously on my terms and look I don't even think this is this is common knowledge but the club had tried to sell me a few times.

53:04Wow. You know, and so it's one of them. So this is where when you talk about loyalty in football and, you know, players are not loyal, sometimes it's the other way around as well. So clubs for me is not loyal. So I just felt, you know what, they tried to sell me, I think Newcastle, Villa and Chelsea. So Gianluca Vialli phoned me up one night as in my mate's house and he went, he said, look, I'm not doing this. I'm not doing Italian accent. You're Welsh as well. he went we wanted to

53:40he gave for you Ali's probably up and he's gone obviously the clubs have agreed to feed and when can you come down and I went ooh a bit taken aback so hang on that's the first time you heard that yeah and then I went I'll have to speak to the club in the morning and I went back to the club and the club denied her and I went well you know just call me and to prove he wanted to send me a fax like an affidavit of obviously the clubs agreeing so I knew my days at Liverpool were numbered so I mean I left on my terms but I felt as though I was forced to go if that makes sense you know what I had a financial advisor I didn't really have an agent a bit like us we had an accountant I was going to say when you're someone like yourself at Liverpool and the regard they hold you in there, it's mind-blowing hearing something like that.

54:37Like, oh, a player of your elk at that club, they can do that without even... Fair enough if you're going, right, we need to move them on or whatever the reason is. But surely you've earned the right to be brought in and go, listen, this is what we're out of respect. But to get a call out the blue like that, I mean, at first you must have been going, this is one of my mates winding me up. How old was your round? 27 So you were right in your hump Was you playing alright at the time? I mean the year before as much as the year was when we won the treble the proper treble you know what I mean not like that rubbish one you use one so we won that and I mean obviously I wasn't a regular as such but I mean I think I scored 18 goals I mean I scored in the the League Cup Final I scored in the UEFA Cup Final and I came on in the FA Cup Final when we were losing 1-0 so everyone says it's the Michael Owen final but I came home when we were losing Michael that's what you will so I've done alright that year he's locked out to you yeah of course so I've done alright that year so the next year look I get it what we were saying before earlier on about England managers having a pattern and they wanted to play certain players Liverpool were the same but it's hard to take that as a player because you've done ever so well in your career and all of a sudden you're not that player then you sort of really know your days numbered especially when you're getting phone calls saying you can sign for this club.

56:03And then Leeds came in and then I knew. What was it like going back there as a player? You know what, in a silly sort of way I'm glad I left Liverpool because I think I got to appreciate it more going back. So again yous will know that yous have played for B teams, A teams, reserves, first team, not knowing anything different. But when you go and play for other clubs, now Leeds is a big club, Man City is a big club obviously not as big as what it is today but then you go back to Liverpool and you realise how big and how special Liverpool is and you know I got to appreciate what life was like for other clubs and then you realise how special and how big that club is.

56:44Paddy McGuinness:With your career starting so young, when do we say your pomp was, because obviously you come onto the scene, blew onto 18, scoring all them goals but you had a long career didn't you but when would you say was your real pomp of your career? Probably 2021. I mean, it sounds ridiculous. 22, yeah. I mean, I'd done my knee in, I think I might have been 23, I think. I was never the same player coming back. At the time, you know, you don't ever think that, do you? You know, you'd always think you're still as good. I mean, I probably wasn't the same player, no fairness. Probably lost a little bit of speed up, you know, a little bit of sharpness.

57:23Still done okay, you know, still scored goals. but I was probably never the same player even being honest and yeah I think Rob was the

57:32Paddy McGuinness:most natural goal scorer I've ever seen yeah one of the best he talked about pace he didn't really need pace did he because the finishing was unbelievable natural finish Robbie was the best natural finish I've ever seen it's funny I mean again this could you know raise another argument as well because there was a conversation a while ago he was the best young kid now obviously Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney with the wands in everyone's lip you know when everyone was talking and I very rarely get mentioned now I'm not saying you know because I'm sad or whatever but I don't think people are maybe appreciative of maybe how good I was as a kid because if you look at you know I think your record backs it up as well do you know what I think it was better I think it's your personality I think people think unassuming because like oh you were and you're a local lad and the press at the time and Liverpool had that kind of thing around all the Spice Boys stuff and everything and I think like you say the record speaks for itself but people that era kind of forget that it's all the other noise around it you know what I mean which is a shame really Robbie would definitely go into that ilk of young gigs you'd have to go into that as well massively but I think with certain people you do certain people become a bigger personality than the other person because Robbie's more of a local lad he'll still go in the same pub as he went in when he was 16, 17, he'll still go in there with his mates and his dad, his uncles and stuff like that and I do think certain people get propelled into superstar status and some people don't want that I'm not talking about Tony Sat next to you but I'd assume that was what Robbie would be like People think they know me but they don't really know me because I always keep myself to myself, I'm not in your face going to all these gigs or whatever so people have an opinion whether they like me, dislike me people's opinion or he's a bit of a tool or he's always laughing and joking all the time but I knew when to be serious and I knew when I needed to be and again we go back to the dressing room where there's everyone if you're my attitude was everyone can't be the same in a dressing room because if you've got the same dressing room I think it's a boring place and it's probably not an environment I want to be so I think everyone has to have different character traits or different characteristics if you like to make a better environment and I was that probably person in the dressing room was I wanted to have a laugh because I think you needed to have a laugh because if you're serious all the time I don't think that's a good thing now people can be serious all the time because that's their mentality but my mentality is no I can't be because I would be a different one I think going back to their day Liverpool certainly Liverpool lads I think they got a lot of unfair criticism about the Spice Boys thing because I'll be honest with you we went out we was out all the time at the right times and Robbie will know that we liked a night out we'd got drinks together we got a chance to England and stuff so we liked a night out all the time in there at the right times but because we was winning things yeah we got away with it and it was like well they're really good the Man United lads are really good they're sensible they've got the manager that they all look up to and scare stiff of they only go they'd ever go out we went out we had some really good nights out as a team yeah I never got reported like they did I think what Robbie said there it's probably about reputation people don't really know no yeah no you do no no Absolutely not a chance.

1:00:52Paddy McGuinness:No, I'd say that because I talk about your managerial career now because you went abroad, obviously you had to go abroad and you didn't really record really good. Obviously with the Australian team, I know it ended through COVID, the Salmi team, you were top of the league, I think, weren't you? Yeah, yeah. Do you think it goes against you a little bit now why you can't get a job in England? Possibly. Look, I mean, I can't, you know, put opinions in people or, you know, decisions in people. I mean, I think you just did the nail on the head. I mean, everywhere I've been, I mean, I've had four spells overseas and everywhere I've been, I've been successful to a degree.

1:01:22Now, I mean, I think this is for another podcast, but if I was to sit and talk to you all about, I mean, I went over to Australia and the reason I went to Australia was because I wanted to show people how dedicated and how serious I was. I wanted to go out in my comfort zone and show people, you know, you're going to the other side of the world to prove to people that you want to be a coach and manager. Now, I love the game. I mean, hopefully that comes across in the way of speaking, the way I train, because you have that element of fun, but when you're serious, you are serious. So I go over a season.

1:01:54I had carp lunch of building a team. Team finished second bottom the year before. I went and done all my work with the players, bringing the players in. And we ended up qualifying for, I mean, there was a few games to go, but we were to qualify for the Asian Champions League. My first spell before I got all my coaching badges was in Thailand, whereas I was a player manager. We finished third in the league. We got to, obviously, the Thai FA Cup final. We lost it to the league winners. After COVID, I went to India, which on paper doesn't sound awful, even being honest. We finished eight out of, or nine out of 11th it was.

1:02:33But that was the best job. Because if I told you what really happened over there, I mean, you wouldn't believe it. The simple fact is the owner bought the club from the iLeague, brought them into the ISL, bought the rights, And we were essentially playing in the Premier League with Atkinson Stanley. That's the levels. At one point, we went like six games unbeaten. And that was unbelievable with a team. We had 10 days pre-season with a team who was built for the I-League, playing in the ISL.

1:03:07Our first game of the season, we didn't even have the kit until midnight the night before. so it was like lots of logistical problems lots of you know geographical problems in terms of getting to the stadium we were obviously in a hub couldn't leave the hotel to play games and train but that was I mean that was a relative success you know as far as I was concerned every player that we had in our team then doesn't play in the ISL now so that tells you so the level of players that we and again I'm not having a goal because it was it is what it was but it is what it was I was also talking about reputation

1:03:45Paddy McGuinness:Robby because even I played I didn't really know that well obviously we were with the same teams with England obviously but I never realised how serious he was about management and football until I probably spoke to you after you know when we played one of his Legends games that's where I think people have probably got the wrong idea I don't think people realise how much you love the game how much you want to be a manager That's what I say how people's perception of Robby only is Yeah, that's what I mean. When I spoke to him, I thought, he really does love the game. He really wants to be a manager.

1:04:16Paddy McGuinness:And I don't think the perception is there of him being like that. But he said something earlier in the discussion we were having before about how he used to watch Ian Rush. Now, if you become a player as good as Robbie was, you've got to love the game to be able to become that good. I don't care what anyone says. It's very rarely you can either, you know, have a top, top, top player who's top at his level, knows everything what he's doing on a football pitch to really not love the football game. You have to be out of study. You have to watch your peers. You've got to watch football. non-stop and that goes for all top players that people talk about that spice boy area that's gone against you yeah possibly and I look I cap up you know opinions in people's minds obviously but I mean all I can do is continue doing what I do and hopefully get a chance in this country because I know that you know I would I'm sure you want to speak to I'm pretty sure you've got like the attitude of I mean what we all have in terms of being a professional you know doing all the right stuff in terms of being a player you get into the level that we played at but then you know it's not finished if you want to stay in the game coaching wise you know you do your B you see you see your B you're a your pro license you know I've done all them so I mean to do your C license all the way up to your pro license I mean you're talking eight years plus yeah and I've had interviews in England no see that's what's interesting to me and I think it's an English manager thing it feels like as though it's not very fashionable where you've managed in different parts of the world different experiences which is all invaluable I didn't even think like you know bumping into you throughout the years and chatting to you you know at social gigs and what have you like even I didn't realise you kind of want to put yourself in that space.

1:06:03I mean that's because not everyone needs to know. I'm not like one of them who's in your face demanding this and again, this is the way we talked before about the PR. Maybe I should get a PR agency behind me to drum it into people but I know I still want to learn I still want to continue I've done all them I've done a diploma in football management in Liverpool University I passed that with a distinction I should add as well. I mean, at the minute you've got to know. You're not even remembering them. Not as good as that Ballon d 'Or nominee I don't see on top of that I'm half way through the sports directorship course as well with the PFA so I'm always learning and developing and wanting to better myself in terms of the betterment for myself or the club That's what I'm saying

1:06:52Paddy McGuinness:people look at Robbie Farrell and they just won't think that they'll think back to these maybe some of his celebrations and his sports boys but he's so obsessed with football and wants to be a manager I don't know I might speak at my experience as well when I've done a couple of interviews interviews don't suit me as a personality you know you sit there and you've got to present and you've got to put all these that doesn't suit me I'd much rather sit down with a cup of tea or a beer and chat football now I think I don't know about Robbie I've never seen him do an interview but myself if I would sit round a table and talk football and a drink I think I'd come across a lot more I'd have more chance of getting a job than sitting with a big whiteboard behind me and putting a presentation together and I think that's where certain footballers struggle in presentation because a lot of these presentations are some of some people are unbelievable at doing it and some people aren't I'm the latter but most of the people that do the presentations they don't do it itself most of them they get done by an expert analysis expert and they go in and they put it up they talk over it for me that's not knowing football that's been out of regurgi things and be out present I would much rather work most minds that I've worked for over the years more all the best ones did a spoke really good football they give you the really clear instructions and make it really simple and you go out and trust you just something again from someone who like you know i love football when you're talking about being a manager do you have a set of people who are always available in case a job does come up like you know two or three yeah i mean i know what you mean i mean i totally understand i know everyone can be canny because they might have other jobs but i'll definitely have a number two uh it would come with me but I also think that no matter where you go I'm a big believer in using one of the local coaches so I mean certainly when you've been abroad look I'll be honest with you you're not going to be there forever so I think my job as a manager would be to sort of try and help a new generation now I think for me you did that in Australia didn't you?

1:08:47yeah and I think that would be the case here to be honest if I do if I am lucky enough to get a club over here obviously I will take my own staff in I have got people who I can call upon definitely the number two but I also think it's important that you use one of the local coaches maybe it's maybe it's one of the academy coaches coming through or one of the coaches who are there but I think that's important because it gives you I think it gives you really an understanding of what that club is all about

1:09:16Paddy McGuinness:Liverpool used to always do didn't they? What's that mate? Liverpool used to always bring the coaches through Yeah I mean that's me and I think it's important for someone who understands that football club and I think it's leaving a legacy, if you like, or leaving a generational coach to sort of come in and sort of still help the club afterwards. Could you say who your number two is or is it one of them you've got to keep close to your chest? No, absolutely. I think my number two would be a lad called Tony Grant. Everywhere I've been, I've had him. He's a good player, Grant, isn't he? Yeah, he's a good player.

1:09:51And he's an excellent coach as well. And this is the thing with coaching as well and coaching and managing. Now, I don't claim to know everything and I don't want to be that fellow who thinks I know everything. So I think it's important that you have people around you who can question you. I mean, I don't want to surround myself with yes men. I mean, that is what footballers should be like. Mersin said that when he come on, didn't he, Paul Mersin? Where was he at? He got subbed off his call, didn't he? Yeah, yeah. But he said he brought in someone who just an older head and he said it was brilliant for him because he went in as a young manager and he were like and it wasn't quite going as well and he said he'd just have that bloat there he'd go have you thought about this and it's just like you need it don't you absolutely yeah and I think if you think you know everything yeah you did I mean you're on a slippery slope funny story actually and I think with that so you know I love the FA Cup the FA Cup was the first trophy I ever wanted to win and I remember just being a kid waking up Christmas it felt like Christmas the final day and you're watching the players at breakfast you know you're watching them going down Wembley Way and I was always sunny I used to have the helicopter following and it was brilliant I loved that being a kid and that's what football is all about for me just watching it non-stop and I always wanted to do that I wanted to like just go down Wembley Way and walk in you know savour the atmosphere and we had our white suits right I'm thinking this is brilliant so cup final day puts the suits on we go to have breakfast camera's there obviously not televised the way it was you know you get on the coach you go down the motorway you get to the stadium when you get to the stadium you're in the dress room you put your wash bag the manager will say or the coach go and find out what boots you're on studs or rubbers so you'll walk up the big metal not metal the big concrete tunnel tunnel at Wembley and we walk out and it's funny when you go to Wembley and the crowd see it you let out this big noise because we're here to support you and give you the best support you've ever had and we walked out in our white suits and it was just deadly silence what the fuck and to this honestly to this day I thought the crowd thought we were the band

1:12:12and it was it's the teams and then they let out this noise and they were obviously with you and then we went back but we never lost a game because of that and it's funny I mean you guys might might be totally different to me but I cannot remember one thing about that game it was a terrible game I can't remember any chances I can't remember me ever touching the ball I mean I just don't know anything about the game now maybe that's because I just wanted to like erase it but yeah I mean it probably wasn't a good idea did you lot see him in the suits did you go back in the dress room and go fucking hell this is kind of really

1:12:51Paddy McGuinness:never something that stood out I remember the mind just saying remember the mind is saying if you get beat off them fuckers wearing them suits don't come back in here but that was the manager's way of getting at it was he probably had a script to what to say and thought well I've got something better to say he'll rip that up and that's why he was so good but for me it was never look at them twats with that on it was never really that it was just I think a lot was made in the press but it wasn't again we spoke about it all the way through this podcast but it was never this it was us and them it was just it was our rivals it was the same with Arsenal it was exactly the same with Arsenal just that We were all young lads playing for our local team, coming through together.

1:13:26Paddy McGuinness:We had arse pores, they had theirs, and they wanted us to all eat each other. Who suggested the plaster on the nose thing? When did that all become a thing? That's all I think. I think, Mike. I remember seeing it as I going, what the fuck's that? I mean, to be fair, I never got paid for it. So it wasn't like a sponsorship thing. It was supposed to help you breathe. Yeah, it just opens your nostrils in and it helps you get more air and oxygen into your lungs. So, I mean, look, it wasn't a fashion statement because I looked ridiculous in that. but were you suggesting it to you then I think it was a physio well Mark Ledder might have been he was a physio opponent wasn't he yeah it was probably him and you know honestly it wasn't a put on because you're getting paid for it I'd never got never got any money from whatsoever and I think I sort of elevated that company as well so I mean they're probably making a fortune I was a back in the end you know what I mean you need a PR man yeah when you first put it on did you go fucking hell yeah I thought it worked.

1:14:23Do you feel like it worked? Psychologically? Yeah, I felt, well, I mean, it worked for me. Did you score a goal

1:14:28Paddy McGuinness:or actually the first time you wore it and it would become a habit? You know what, I'm not superstitious so I'm the most, I think, laid back, probably not as laid back as you like, but I, Turkey's delight, man. I was super, I mean, honestly, I never, I never, I'll do that and, you know, I'll put this, I tried it, you know, when I was a kid, right, I remember playing against Everton for the B team and I mean, you know one of them when you get your first pay packet and I went out and bought a ghetto blaster right you know one of those with like the CD on the top and I wanted to get into the I wanted to get into the role of being a Liverpool player and you know I'm going to I bought You'll Never Walk Alone on the CD right I remember in the little box room you know plug in the CD and listening to You'll Never Walk Alone before I left the house right to go and play to go and play to go and play we got beat 5-0 oh god I should hate that song you know what I mean but honestly I just wanted to get in all things Liverpool were you part of the Liverpool rap no I don't think I am no no that was 92 the 90 no it wasn't that was 80 86 it was was that Liverpool 86 yeah Jesus Jesus it says here 1998 Christmas party reportedly the most debauched Christmas party ever where Jamie Carragher supposedly ended up covered in whipped cream yeah wasn't there then me would you not do you know do you know what's funny about is that true I mean is it a myth I'm going to say it's a myth yeah it's not but it's a myth true myth true myth you can't be talking about That would get Karen into trouble.

1:16:21It's like, I've been fortunate enough, strangely, with you three being here, I've been to one of the Liverpool's Christmas parties and I've been to one of the United Christmas parties. I think I've been, did I go trammy as Christmas parties? I can't remember. But I remember... A little bit of a party feature. I'll tell you what happened with the fucking Liverpool one. so you know what I'm going to say you know it wasn't it was you with a whip no this is where I got stitched up so McAteer invites me down and they were having it upstairs at Oldall's bar and he said it's fancy dress right so I'm like oh ok alright he said everyone gets dressed I said alright I said well I've not got time to pick anything up he said well I'll go and get you something in town he said what do you want I said get me Zorro Zorro I said the fucking silk cape I get to the hotel he's got me fucking noddy he's got me noddy I'm walking I've got the red cheeks and everything I walk with a flight fin up but the mad thing is like and again I'd you know what goes on in Vegas stays in Vegas kind of thing but I do remember as a fan even knowing a few of you lads who played the game my mind was blown a bit like when you said about Turkish Delights for a game when I hear stuff like that I'm like what?

1:17:56seeing you all like letting your hair down and having a drink and everything else which everyone does at Christmas party I was fucking my jaw was on the floor

1:18:05Paddy McGuinness:I couldn't believe that's the Spice Boys we only played drafts and chess I was at one of your fucking social guy was stood on a table editing a light fixture and I'm going which one was your one reform reform it it was living room it might have been living room because I just remember like seeing it on table and someone going like and I was like fucking hell this is random but again it's just that thing he probably scored all of his it is it's just that thing where you go like well you you think it's a certain way and it's not but you know because we're all human beings, aren't we? You know, I've got to let off a bit of steam.

1:18:45And in the game you lads were in, I think it's that pressurised, and there's that much, especially now, there's that much focus. When I look at a lot of the young lads now, you know, we were talking about Jack Grealish the other week. You know, Jack likes a night out and whatever. He's a maverick player. But I feel as though now it's got to be taking the money out of the thing because everyone just equates money to happiness. But taking those big wages out, I think the pressure now, and those kind of nights that we've talked about and you had back in the day and what have you I don't think it's a thing now because it's too much too much too much can go wrong too much social media I don't think

1:19:24Paddy McGuinness:they go out as a team now it's impossible for them to go out if Man United went out as a team now the whole city would shut down because they'd have all the phones out taking pictures same Liverpool but we used to go out as a team all the time the whole team would have one security guard who was wouldn't we and he'd be pissed he'd be drunk even more drunk than the rest of us even as one in the whipped cream time is against us absolutely love you coming in love your company Rob do you know what do you know what I really loved about everything you've said and I found it all really interesting but the management side of things and I would absolutely love you to get a job and go in somewhere and I'll be behind you pal but thank you very much for coming in thank you for having me cheers thank you well that's it for today's The Good, The Bad and The Football you can catch us every Monday from 6 o 'clock on all the usual channels YouTube, Spotify and Apple or wherever you get your podcasts

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