Scholes Apologises To Arsenal, England Squad FURY & CL Final Preview!

37:04All they've got to say is, right, get them centre halves, get a holding midfield player, two holding midfield players.

37:09Paddy McGuinness:And you four, just get on with it. If the other Arsenal's back four, and there's some to be a proper team. Oh yeah, Man United, then I'm going Man United got every chance of winning the league. Just on with Arsenal and what you were saying then in Arteta, the stick they've had throughout the season, people seeing set pieces and all the usuals. stuff. I sense he's going to be in a good mood, obviously he's won the league, but last couple of interviews he's done, Arteta you can feel that sense of relief. Do you think he'll have a slightly different philosophy next season as opposed to the set piece thing and everything else or will they be exactly the same?

37:54For me I don't think he'd change anything. The same in life, keep on doing the same things, you get the same results. over and over again. Yeah, I mean, people forget. I don't think if they are the top set piece team, they're only ahead by one or two goals or three. There's other teams up there that have scored a lot of set plays. The thing is, like, everybody just remembers the last three months of the season. You know, people were talking about Jerky getting player of the year. He never played in February. Mark's sub every week. But he had a good April and start of May. Arsenal were quite entertaining at the start of the season.

38:29They had the hardest possible start you could ever have in the history of Premier League football. The start of their season was like immense what they had. So for them to do what they've done, I think people have, you've got to remember as well, Nicky and Paul played for a team that you kicked off and played 10 behind the ball. And that's what Arsenal had in the end. Teams were going there, they've got that respect to teams sitting 10 behind the ball. I don't think they had enough guile. Do you know what I mean? Eze's just lately come in the team. He's got that little bit of ex-factor. I didn't think they had enough guile in their team.

39:03I think that's what they need to... He's got to have faith in playing more guile, playing people that can put that ball through the eye of a needle. All the guards. I hope so. You look at the back four on the goalie and then you put the holding midfield player there, that five. That five can cope with anybody. And then get your best players on the pitch. Get them ones that can open cans, open. you know, just that one bit of magic. I don't think he does that enough. No, when we were giving,

39:30Paddy McGuinness:when I was giving him a load of stick, it was when Saka weren't playing, really. And I think, with that older guy already, I'd say, they miss people like that. Do you know what I mean? Because they can just get in that little, that little pocket there and bang, he's running through. And that makes your team play football, doesn't it? And so the quicker you do that and get a goal, then the other team will have to come out and it's a different game. And I don't think scored enough early, early goals where teams would come out and I think yeah but it's all about when they picked up it said winners at the it didn't say it's not he's winning the Premier League you get over the line whatever way you can people think about our team sometimes they're great football it wasn't like that all the time I think there was a spell where we won like five games 1-0 on the trot I think Eric scored every goal you had 1-0 every week 1-0 every goal do you know what I mean so maybe I've been a little bit harsh staying in London Chelsea obviously no European football next season.

40:27Do you think, it sounds crazy, do you think it would ungood that, especially a new manager coming in with just not those extra games and he can just sort out the basics? Well, when they won the league in 2010, they didn't have European football with Conte. It makes a difference once a week when you've got to work on teams, but that team was a lot better than what this team is at 2010. I mean, ripped by Arsenal, I think it was 3-0 then he went to a back 3 and then the rest was history I always thought Chelsea were in the position where they got a manager that was always going to be grateful to manage Chelsea I think Chelsea got a manager that Chelsea fans are grateful that he's managing Chelsea if that makes sense you know we've had Angelotti and Conte and Mourinho and Tuchel you know I thought we was going to go down that line of like Liam Rossini and Maresco people that were grateful to be the manager couldn't believe their luck but I think Alonso is a top manager they need players they need a clear round they need coaching I'd get Jackson back I'd rip Jackson back really?

41:34I said before on the show Palmer makes Jackson Jackson makes Palmer Palmer's not on that plane because there's no Jackson yeah he's not with Delap there has he? no Delap there he's out of his depth and you look at Pedro Pedro wants to come this way so he closes everything he's a bit of a 10 he's very individual

41:51Paddy McGuinness:he plays for himself for a little bit I think Chelsea have got a lot of individuals that's a problem for me they're not a team they don't play the team they're individuals and individually they're all like top top players they need some experience they've got no experience they're all young kids and they're all individual players I think Alonso's the right coach for him because he is a coach he's an out and out coach and young players they need that he didn't work at Real Madrid Real Madrid don't need a coach yeah but he went up against Vinicius Junior they don't need a coach they just need a manager he ain't gonna win what assistant does he play Alonso what's his go-to is he a 4-3 I'm pretty sure three at the back wasn't he?

42:23Paddy McGuinness:Three at the back? Was he three at the back? Three at the back suits Chelsea. Well that's why I always thought Amaran should have gone to Chelsea because they had the players at the time loads of centre-halves there. They've got Gusto, Cucurella and James who can bomb forward. He's got two older midfield players in Casado and Enzo and then put Palmer at the 10. I thought it suits him I think but I'm picking in the team they're thinking this is a good team it's a good team but yeah they need experience I think when Chelsea go behind or it's not going well the crowd can get relentless and then that's when you need not them brave players are going to smash people in 60s and 40s and everybody goes in the pub after and go at the heart of Southam you think he's a fucking idiot he's just got sent off do you know what I mean you need them players who are going to get on the ball start getting the ball off the goalie when it's not going well and the crowd they're the brave players I think the goal is a problem there as well at Chelsea.

43:23We've been spoiled. Do you know what I mean? We've been spoiled and the teams they've had over the years. The way they play.

43:29Paddy McGuinness:He can't. He can't do it, can he? Yeah. I'm pretty sure Alonso will play that way as well. He'll be what he'll be building up from the back. Oh, 100%. So he'll need to keep them, won't he? Yeah, but if you forget about what he did at Real Madrid before that and what he'd done at David Cusis was my brilliant. Like I always said, the Real Madrid need a Mourinho to go in and handle the heat. Ego managers, aren't they? They're not really... although Muno is obviously on the grass coach as well but he didn't have that at Real Madrid just what you were saying about the keeper there at Chelsea if you're a young keeper now coming through have you got to be good with your feet is that it no that is just the way forward regardless of what league you're in you can't be coming out playing out from the back at league two these kids are training at 9-10 with their feet a lot of their training get the ball take a touch spray it out there get a touch take it spray it it's not just straight now catching the ball diving left and right half of their session will be contribution all the way down all the way down all the way down I see it in Chelsea with the kids now they do loads of footwork loads and loads of footwork I reckon I reckon now you'll have kids who are like 7, 8, 9 and 10 playing centre half centre midfield centre forward they'll end up being goalkeepers if you're big that's big Yeah, big now is like, I mean, what's Raya?

44:526 '1"?

44:53Paddy McGuinness:He's not massive. Yeah, you don't have to. You know Van der Sar. I remember swapping shirts with Van der Sar when he was at Fulham. His shirt was down. It was like mind-blowing. Like every goalie was 6 '4", 6 '5". You don't have to be as big as that now. But if you can't play with your feet, you can't play. Sorry. It don't matter if you're the best goalie in the world, does it? No, no. Because when you say now, you go, you know, Chelsea's goalie, Sanchez, makes a lot of mistakes, but you go, good shot stopper. and you're like but you should be a good shot stopper you're a goalie I remember Gaz saying in Spain when he managed Valencia the goalkeepers they go out about nine o 'clock in the morning an hour before everyone else do the goalie stuff and they just join in the football they just join in with the players they do everything football Fabian was like that Fabian was like that he wants to play five a side playing up front all the time unbelievable yeah I had a goalkeeper at Walsall Joe Murphy just retired yeah he played against us yeah I'm not exaggerating he would play on the pitch and I should I could easily sit there in the office and think we've got to play him on the pitch really honestly it was unbelievable unbelievable footballer unbelievable hold it up play it back but then you play an 8v8 and then when you get like we were playing paddle on one of the Wimbledon as soon as that pitch gets bigger and then all of a sudden Kiddow used to say that about Edison remember Stuart Pierce done it didn't he with David James yeah didn't he remember he had a fowler on the bench as well yeah was it Robbie Fowler it might have been Rob yeah what game was that J-Mo it was last time what season J-Mo said yeah I remember that yeah that's hilarious well do you think like obviously Pep brought Donna Rummer in at City would you not say he's more of an old school keeper yeah oh definitely he's very much against what Pep does as well that's what I'm going to say so the argument there would be like if one of the greatest managers of all time you can argue with Pep has brought him in surely there's still a place for those kind of keepers in the modern game maybe Pep's just trying to change football again because he started all this really didn't he playing for their back and playing for their keepers the Barcelona players fucking hell they were on the back remember when that first happened everyone went what was the other you stood on the side of the six yard box it was unbelievable on the touchline I remember seeing that in the Champions League final in Rome I'd never seen anything like it how wide the centre halves were and how deep they were what the fuck was going on here they could get the ball you know when they were splitting and then like they just ping it into Messi like on the halfway line just take a touch bang and then everybody's running like oh my god he come out didn't he say his biggest regret was Joe Hart yeah not giving him a chance and he was the England number one weren't he they let him go they gave him a chance and why was that feet the thing is as well though you can bring you can bring in Donnarama because you got Harland up front yeah so if it does get push comes to shove you can just lump that ball up to him he can hold it up if you haven't got there ain't a lot of big centre forwards anymore you can't be kicking balls do you know what I mean so but yeah there's cycles it'll change again I thought he was going to be put a little man up front with Arlen and everybody goes oh my god he's playing a big man little man it's unbelievable what is happening now quitting Kevin Phillips that was done 35 years ago wasn't it yeah the one I wanted to and I was so looking for with you three getting into this is this England squad oh fucking selection I mean I don't think I've met anyone who've gone yeah right choice no I don't mind it no but you must some of the names that weren't in there there's some I think are strange what you think about we've moaned for years about being safe and picking the right players all the time we've got a manager who's going to risk and that's what we might need to actually go that extra step you know what I mean now look I think the strange choices don't get me wrong John Stones and Rhys James struggle struggle keeping fit yeah Dan Burns another one but with John Stones I know what you mean but I thought with him I thought well at least you know he can do it he's like a big game player as well isn't he do you know what I love John I think he's one of the best Premier League players I absolutely love watching him but the kid he doesn't play a lot of games does he the thing is he'll be fresh do you know what I mean he'll be a lot of players he'll be coming in going horses for courses certain games he'll play in that game he'll play in that game personally that's what I think I don't think it'll be an XI that just go through and play every game.

49:17I think the subs are going to be massive out there,

49:19Paddy McGuinness:especially with this weather. Oh, yeah. What do we call them now? Finishers. Finishers. Closer out, isn't it? Closer out. He's a baseball closer. That's why I'm surprised about Cole Palmer, really. For what he did in the last... In the Euros. Let's go through the names, though. So you've got Harry Maguire, Phil Foden, Cole Palmer, Louis Hall, Morgan Gibbs-White, and Wharton. They're two players I was like, well, they're in with a shout. Trent Alexander-Arnold. And then you've got the players who are in. Jed Spence, Dan Byrne, Ivan Toney. Now, listen, you know a thing or two about putting Ballin back at net.

50:03The philosophy behind Ivan Toney going, it seems when you hear Tuchel's press, as he's all right at penalties in the last five minutes of a game. You're going, well, fucking hell. He's missed two this season. Over there. And the standard, the big worry is going to be the standard. The standard of like, playing over there week in, week out to playing over here is going to be.

50:26Paddy McGuinness:Come from nowhere. From nowhere. He's played two minutes for him, I think. Yeah, it might be penalties. It might be just for penalties. It might be. I don't know. Because Harry Kane plays, doesn't he? Absolutely. You know, I read something the other day that Harry Kane was the influence behind it that he would rather play with Tony, you know, if he had to go and play with someone. Watkins is in, isn't he? Yeah, Watkins is in. And he's informed just at the right time. You'd think he'd be the first one to come on Watkins, wouldn't you? Yeah, you'd think so. And there'll be games, surely, if England can get off to a fly-in.

50:56The more they can rest Harry Kane for the bigger games. But yeah, for me, Trent Alexander, I know he's not a great defender, but there's a few games over there we won't have to defend. We need to break teams down. All them group games, teams are not coming out. they're going to sit 10 behind the ball hopefully get a point against us and take their chances against Panama I think the point

51:19Paddy McGuinness:about freshness as well is a brilliant point you think of some of the players you think of Bellingham he's only played like the last 10 games you've got some players that's why I think he should have took Foden because fresh and fresh is like I think I'd have gone Cole Palmer over Foden I just think I love Foden as well don't get me wrong I think Cole Palmer changes games better one of them's got a goal when you're playing and you're in a World Cup is there something to be said as well when you look at the opposition team and you go when you were saying about Trent you're going oh he's on it makes you think differently as opposed to a player you go like Ivan Torn if you're a defender in your World Cup a big thing with Trent is that piece as well his fucking delivery is unbelievable yeah I think he's set pieces now for England Ross Declan Rice Trent's a different Trent's a different level that's the thing with Trent Alexander When teams are going to play 10 behind the ball, if he's getting the ball on the halfway line, you will have to come out to engage with him.

52:16Because if you don't, he can spray the ball anywhere. He's like Scolzi. He can put the ball on a sixpence anywhere on the pitch. He's probably equivalent to Scolzi in passing-wise. We've seen that with Salah this year. He's missed Trent Alexander. Because other teams, like when Trent Alexander gets the ball, you have to go and engage. And if you engage, then he can pass it to Salah, and Salah's 1v1. now Liverpool get the ball and they just go double up on him let him have the ball what's he going to do whoever's playing right back Freen Bong Bradley got injured early doors for me he has to go you've got to have that X factor you know the more X factors you get the better he probably hasn't gone because we're not blessed with top draw centre half at the moment and also as well what's your three opinion on and it was I was surprised is Henderson you know

53:09Paddy McGuinness:Jordan Henderson's had an unbelievable career he has he's been a phenomenal player for wherever he's been and obviously a great professional but if you're Wharton and you're not going to the World Cup and you see Henderson going no disrespect older guy he's not going to play it's just it's madness to me it's obviously he's good around the place but for me that's not enough to go into a squad for England it's not and if that's the case why don't you take Maguire as well then it's crazy I don't know when he's going to come on because you're not bringing him on to close a game out you think well I've already got Elliot Anderson and I've got Declan Rice and if we're losing he's definitely not coming on so there's certain players that are going if they got a minute I'd be shocked it just feels like a body a wasted body to me I've got Cole Palman I feel ridiculous the only way I see him playing a game is if they win the first two games and they've qualified and they might play the third game that's the only way I see have you seen in any of the press he's done since the announcement to Clive because he's said the thing about Ivan Tony but have you heard him say anything about the Anderson selection like what his reasoning is behind that I think we are on all the reasons I don't think anybody's really bothered I didn't think that was a shock I thought that was for sure in Anderson because he's been in all the squads I look at that as a shock I mean Maguire for me was the shock and I I know people go, oh, if he gets 1v1, you know, isolated against a little fella.

54:42Same with Boone. I don't care against any of them. When we go to World Cup level and it's top draw, you're playing it. You know, if he gets 1v1 against Gaye at Conter, it's good night now. Awesome as well. He's got a goal in him. Exactly. He comes up, you see him in the last game against Japan. Yeah. As soon as he comes on the pitch, he is a threat. He goes up to try and score a goal.

55:01Paddy McGuinness:And he's a leader. He's brilliant in both boxes as well. Yeah, exactly. So you think of him or Dan Byrne? No. it's not a course is it you mentioned the Chelsea that before Caldwell I know he had played a lot of football but he's played more than Stones has played I'm shocked that he didn't go because everyone like you know Tuchel he's a great manager but I think like you say when that squad were announced it was definitely a bit of an head scratcher for most people whether you've played the game or not with some of the people I think that's why he just sticks to what he believes I think he's talking about harmony in the squad he wants to play he wants to play his best team rather than the so-called best players which we probably have gone down the best players route for the last so many years and it's not worked has it really so now this might I don't know it might be a disaster it might work I don't know you said about I think it was about three or four pods back you fancy us winning it it was a while ago yeah but you know now seeing that squad are you still on board with that what are your percentages I imagine the way I'd say around Christmas time I was quite confident I don't know why now I'm coming away from it a little bit just because it's fucking red out of here and I'm thinking fuck it what's it going to be like in America now I do think England now they keep the ball loads better than they ever have done I think they're like a 70 % possession team which if it was our team going out there Merce will tell you with England we fucking had to keep the ball it's fucking impossible in this weather now like you say looking at a squad I don't know if there's enough game changes in it.

56:38Paddy McGuinness:Because it's going to be important. The lads finishing the game is going to be important. They've got a massive effect on the game. We saw what Cole Palmer did in the last tournament. It was fucking brilliant. I looked at the weather this morning. It's exactly the same as America today. 32, 33. 69 humidity here. 89 America. 89. You're like stepping up another level. That's why Wharton's not going. We played against Nigeria in Japan. Oh, my God. Three o 'clock in the afternoon. Two ginger lads from Manchester. Honest to God. Funny enough, the gaffer rang me. The hottest thing I've ever seen in my life.

57:15Paddy McGuinness:The gaffer rang me in him this morning. The first thing he said to me, I won't be fucking playing you two today. You two sat right behind me. It is a big factor. It is a big factor. It's massive. And I was really confident round about Christyne when all our number tens or flair players were playing well. Palmers, Foden. and Eze what's the what I call Morgan Rodgers they all went off the boil second half of the season and that's why I'm thinking Morgan Rodgers has just come back he's come back with a bang who starts in midfield for England for me it'd be so he's going to play the two and a one isn't he Rice Anderson and Rodgers what about Bellingham I don't think Bellingham will start I don't think Bellingham do you say you don't think he starts I don't think he starts I think for me I don't think he will but for me would you play him in the 10 though or was one of them instead of Anderson no instead of Morgan Mulders depends what game I think like Mercer saying horses for courses yeah horses for courses the team I mean my worry is he's going to be the group yeah he's getting out well you should get out the group imagine saying that though yeah but Croatia keep the ball as well as anybody have Modric in midfield and he'll just keep it and take it over they're not worried about going anywhere everybody will take a draw against England Ghana will be used to the weather the heat and so will Panama it makes a difference people will be running around 100 mile an hour in England you'll be going right pace yourself I don't see Bellingham as a sub no that's what I mean this is what I don't care I don't think he's sitting in a hotel for six weeks not playing but I do think he loves Rodgers Tuchel always plays him so that's why I think he'll play him maybe it could be a master stroke with the Ivan Toney thing when you're saying about the weather and that he's been out playing in Saudi he'd be like oh it's lovely this that might have a factor too yeah playing devil's advocate here with the names that aren't going and the names that are going and there's some surprises that are going which you know probably most people think fucking hell I wouldn't I wouldn't have picked him um is there something to be said for these players who will be going do you know what they're hearing the noise of people going why is he too Kim and not too Kim do you think they'll just step it up another level and almost a point to prove why they've been selected do you think Tuchel's put that into them no but all the players are playing the ones we expect to play yeah do you know what I mean it's only in the fringe players who probably won't probably won't even get on the pitch do you know what I mean you know you reel off somebody I doubt Dan Byrne will get on does that happen at a World Cup have I missed something can you go to a World Cup and never get a game yeah Gareth Southgate didn't get a minute in Japan I remember that.

1:00:01Paddy McGuinness:That's mad though. We had players in 98 that never got a minute. And do they know why they're there then? Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. They'll know that they're there for that. But Bellin and won't. No, no chance. Yeah, Bellin and won't. Absolutely no chance. But Dan Bird and people like that, they'll understand and Ivan Toney and Jordan and Oli Watkins, they'll understand that I'm not playing. When that team sheet goes up, they won't go, fucking that's a joke. but Bellingham Bellingham so with that in mind and obviously Tuchel's had a bit of a thing with Bellingham in the past where they've sort of been at loggerheads surely that puts a bad vibe around the place because Bellingham is not going to like you said he's not going to sit there and go oh yeah fair enough I'm on the bench there's some players around the world and the players you play with they just they can't accept not playing they just don't get it I think like David Beckham if you ever got dropped very very rarely they fucking just can't take it they can't handle it do you know what I mean it's just it's not right it's a different game now isn't it yeah it's different but there's still old school people like Ben and them who want to play other people accept it over the years now over the last few years it's like I'll play four games and I won't play that game and I might get rested you know it's not like before when we were playing and someone they were like dropped wouldn't they yeah there's some players out there who just they can't be dropped I feel like Mbappe I think Bellingham's like that and I think he's got that aura I just don't see how he don't play I think it's a good point you make though I don't think he'll play because of the fact that he's played like what else Rodgers every game do you think he could play Rodgers from the left hand side to get Bellingham in well he's going to have to get Bellingham in because you don't bring it like you just yeah I don't think you take the chance of bringing him for six weeks and you're upsetting you know he's only got have a couple of games away and then he gets someone else and goes oh this is it and the training because you train away do you know what I mean I had it in 98 like the players were playing and then the other lads will train on their own and it's not like it's crapping up yeah it takes its toll in the end do you know what I mean you only need one or two and then they they start saying this and then get someone else on board it becomes this is why certain countries never win the World Cup but yeah but when I say oh I don't fancy this to win because of the heat and this and that but when you see the players that have been left out we should absolutely walk this World Cup we should walk it do you know what I mean with the players I could get a team together from that that could play the team that are going to play in the first game and if I give if I put if I put Harry Kane in that team they would win it's just he's the difference is Harry Kane out of all them players I don't think there's many great teams there anymore no there's not well-class players anymore is there do you know what I mean I think in a France France on paper looks dumb but does it oh yeah France is a good team Spain we know will keep the ball and they'll be patient but there's no it's not Brazil is it it's not a Brazil we know is it but the Brazil team that you'd have played against 11-13 world class players Germany Italy can't even get to the world Italy's the one for me they used to have like 10 world class players teams haven't got England are the ones with the class players now and then France but you know it all depends how the France settle you know have arguments you remember when an elker got sent oh my god on strike i mean patrice patrice started with a riot as well right chaps that prize guy's got another an amazing giveaway 100 000 pounds cash and if you want to enter to win that 100 grand go to that prize guy.co.uk and it'll cost you 19 pence before we get into it because it looks a bit odd nicky's just come back from the building society he's got the mortgage approved and now we can get on with this prize guy the building society that is very building society are they still going I think so he looks like he fucking works in one very smart exactly my club very smart my tie's going in a minute as well that's a brand new shirt that's not that's brand new nice you know a good shirt when he's got a good collar there's a good bit of starch in that stiff yeah it's nice that's proper not very comfortable is it in this heat no no you're going to be struggling a bit carry on right okay so I'm going to give you a list of teams and I want you to tell me who your favourite current player is from that particular club okay so let's start off with a nice and easy one for you United Manchester Cobby my name Cobby right okay that's up he has a good World Cup as well we hope so I like that I didn't speak about him before do you know what his name never came up at all did it I don't think he'll start though I think he'll be a ball man city Ireland

1:05:11no silver

1:05:12Paddy McGuinness:silver I thought you'd have said silver which silver Bernardo or David Bernardo but he didn't know did he so move on no Ireland I said it Oruguero you know what this is heat he's getting very yeah he's fucking woolen pants on he'll be kicking fuck out he's like move on Liverpool oh Mo Salah Van Dijk we going for a many year or just now just now Van Dijk your favourite at the minute Arsenal Rice or Saka I like Eze mate I'm going to go I like Eze as well good players aren't they you pick three I'll go Rice Rice pick three you know one day I think he might pick Rice for something we always chuck Declan's name he's not Scholes he likes little technical players he's not my type look at it he's brilliant at what he does but he's just not my type yeah okay fair enough of course he is but he's just not my type of football Tottenham James Madison he's not playing this season he's just come back alright ok they've missed him yeah Van de Venn alright ok Chelsea

1:06:39Cole Palmer Cole Palmer Cole Palmer Real Madrid oh Mbappe

1:06:48Paddy McGuinness:what a player Valverde only because they never knew how good he was until this season okay do you think Mbappe with Mourinho going though because he was having a bit of a torrid sound with fans and this and do you think he stays yeah right okay Barcelona Rashford Barcelona now is a tough one isn't it and I love them see when it's all type of players like Gavi and Pedri but when I say Rafinha okay also as well with the England chat before we never mentioned Rashford either did we no we were talking about Ivan he'll probably start as well Rashford yeah PSG oh you couldn't name any one of it I can't say I can't pronounce the one that I like Kavalashvili Kavalashvili I'm going to say Duwe is it the younger one not really Bayern Munich Joaquin no I like her is it Elisa yeah yeah Elisa you are like the Diaz oh yeah he's brilliant on it what's up with that he fucking went like that my phone buzzed oh it's your phone right I was like good hell you can't have a problem with Diaz surely to God good player I feel like missed him by the way massively well there you go remember head over to that prize guide.co.uk it'll cost you 19 pence and you can win yourself a hundred thousand pounds what a treat right chaps as we're coming to the end of the pod we'll do a little bit of players awards and all that carry on but firstly when you were playing yourself and you're getting to the end of the season sometimes if you're especially if you get an international call and we're not we're not talking in the World Cup well is there always a part of you sometimes when you know it's a non-game you think oh I hope I don't get the call or is it always it's England on the phone listen it's everyone's kids' dreams to go and play for England so everyone's proud but there is times when you know like Merce was saying for me in my international career I was going to go to games and not play it used to piss me off you go away you've been training all season you just watch the whole day and you go away and you sit on the bench or you don't get on you're training in a small group but if you go and play for England you're starting I knew I'd been starting a lot of times with Spen and then you go with other managers you wouldn't start it's a long and then you only end up with three weeks off and then you're back at it again on the 1st of July that is the sapping bit but going to tournaments and playing there's nothing better oh yeah I bet yeah it was just them two they only qualifiers weren't they they were killers oh you'd have them what was it the friendly tournament we used to have remember that one Toulon was it Toulon oh that was the early one that was under 21 oh yeah I remember that one absolute like just waste of time and when you were when you were playing was there ever a season in your career where you went that particular season I'm glad it's over yeah loads yeah all of them all of them you know it's a grind like nine months bang bang bang and then all of a sudden like I had seasons at Arsenal where where we we were nowhere do you know what I mean and it just it becomes a yeah you just think yeah season over and then I used to literally literally go to America the next day for six weeks and then come back the day before pre-season all the time six weeks where do you go all over the stage no just to Orlando six weeks six weeks literally come back the day before pre-season I think the treble season for me I don't know it was unbelievable but the actual so much pressure on you and that I can believe that it was like everything was like tension and always don't lose this game we've got to win this game because it was all leading up to one it was quite a nice game to the end of every season but that one when you just sat down after that one and you just went like that that was and you couldn't relax and look back on it it was brilliant but when you're in amongst the seasons it's so messed up with the game game game game game you don't really enjoy it it's different now with the players they just don't get no break do they even like when they're in the World Cup next year their club will probably be in Australia playing do you know what would kill me do you know what would kill me of these end of season trips to get tours not like pre-season tours now they do end of season tours they go to China and they get big you would be a bit killer just when you were playing and all when the season comes to an end because I presume when you're playing you've got to be careful with your diet and everything else what was your like you're out in Orlando six weeks what's your like go I'm getting a fucking hot dog that big with cheese on the top what was your go to what was your first treat meal when you finish the season you went you know what I can put a bit of weight on though you used to be able to eat anyway yeah I was going to say I never had a diet oh because we were training that hard you're burning that many calories really like yeah I thought it'd be the old chicken we used to come in from training we used to come in from training and we had a physio bed in the middle of the training rooms and there was bacon butties every single day on the middle of the training you just grab them because like you're training that hard and you're that fit nothing puts weight on you but even like when Wenger comes in at Arsenal surely he's going not alone.

1:12:14Oh, that, when Wenger come in, but it was so far end of his time, we were boiled chicken, boiled vegetables. He was going around, chewed, you had to literally chew your food until like, chewed the flesh shit in your mouth. It was the French doctor,

1:12:26Paddy McGuinness:Chew to win. He came from England, didn't he? Chew to win. Chew to win. Have you ever been there? Have you ever been there? To digest your food. Was it Rougier? Was it Rougier? Was it Rougier? Dr. Rougier, yeah. You had to be playing with your teeth and you got like, all the nervous sifting in your mouth, like you'd have a bad ankle and he'd be like honestly Dr. Rougie always wanted to put the hooks on your hamstrings and stuff pulling the hooks like that I had a hernia and I was back three weeks playing first team three weeks hernia what after the they were putting the needles you know yeah acupuncture and all that but yeah oh yeah if you had like a bad ankle he'd be like all the nervous points in your finger it was unbelievable it was so far in this time remember when we used to have all the tablets he's made loads of tablets started doing injections and stuff like ridiculous you had injections as well remember the France World Cup he was giving it that one yeah we had it there because Glenn played under him at Monica yeah they had the injections I was always fucking first but you always had them I never had one I wasn't even playing I would have had one of them but I think that was brilliant talk about like that thing what you think when you watch football and you go oh I bet the fucking calipers are out they're having the boiled rice and you're like baking butties every day remember a story remember Oberfemi Martins Newcastle the quickest player you will ever see like athlete like you wouldn't believe doing flips and everything and they get a doctor up at Newcastle give us a load of these vitamins to take and get you stronger more simpler better faster quicker we had like a month in there and they started retesting us so this guy must have been charging the club about 30 grand a week or two out of all these vitamins he gets and goes I'll show you the results and what I'll just point out Oberfemi Martins he's been absolutely fantastic since he took these tablets he's gone up by this he's gone up by that he springs he tests miles better and Oba went I didn't take him and literally the guy went he's dropped his jaw sack never come back didn't happen again no lost a bloke about 20 grand absolutely thrown him right under the bus I never took him I still got him in my bag literally a lot of it is placebo under Jules Graham we had four pounds from the day you left training at the end of the season you got weighed and when you come back you had four pounds to play with otherwise you're going to find that's not a lot is it we used to have one of them big massive you know the ones not the fun fair but you know like the big ones you put the 10p we used to have one of them so he used to be there marking it with the coach and you'd stand on and if you put your thumb on it it shook about five pound off he used to go forward take it off yeah I remember when we used to do pre-season and Bruce I remember Bruce after the pre-season Bruce used to come back must have been I don't know a stone bin bags bin bags running back are you thinking thinking, oh, he's going to die.

1:15:07Paddy McGuinness:Yeah. And he'd always start the first game in Pallet and he'd play every single game. So, yeah, you go away and you have a good time. I tried to do it at Walsall. Really? I said, right, we come back a certain way. I had a centre-half called Ian Roper. The fans loved him. Yeah. Fucking love him. He'd come back and the top of his legs were rubbing. They were rubbing. And I'm like, what have you done? He went away to the caravan and just been eating bits and chips. And I can't play him because he can't run. They're rubbing. fans are going mental mercy you clueless get over on I'm like in the end I would just go out and play and he never let you down do you know what I mean he was one of them he just got there you know you're roasted here and he'd just get his toe there and then he'd get up he used to come up for corners I don't know why he'd come up he used to look at me like do I have to go up yeah when you said about off season as well you're out in Orlando are you doing anything at all like you're doing little runs or anything at all or you're just going total rest six weeks?

1:16:10Early doors, no, never. No, that was what pre-season was for, six weeks for that. This is my old lady now. I mean, later on in your career, I mean, when I have to look after myself when I'm 30 or 32 and then I've got to tick over. But at the start, no, six weeks, have a blast.

1:16:24Paddy McGuinness:We used to get a thing, like a training schedule. I never did one day of training when I was putting in the end of season. Never. That's what we always said. give you a little bit and you'll be like just keep ticking over and never did one thing and you get back to pre-season and it was horrendous remember Red Cross it was not only this like keeping the balls it was just like two weeks of running you only got four weeks that was a good thing with Wenger Wenger never had run everything was with the ball everything we only ever got four weeks off so you have to just do nothing shut down my mindset was if I train on my holiday when I come back on the Monday it's going to be hard and kill me anyway so I may just enjoy my holiday and then come back and take what you're going to get.

1:17:03Paddy McGuinness:It was horrendous. My first few pre-seasons are sick. Can you not overtrain as well? You're getting injuries and stuff. Your body needs a rest sometimes, doesn't it? Well, you know the funny thing is when we were younger, we first started doing... We then go in at dinner time, we'd have cheese, onion pie, chips and beans and about four pieces of bread and butter. Honestly, with the stuff you talk about United back in day, the BMI in days at United must have been through the room. Cheese, flan, chips and beans, two rounds of bread. Yeah, and then that was at 12 o 'clock and you'd be back out at quarter past one.

1:17:30Yeah, you think though, you look at players now to then like the players now I watch them and I'm like they need a meal they're like when we play I remember playing a charity game at Warratton Football Club and I got there and I turned up and it was like they give us the kit and we wore Warratton's rugby league kit and I was drinking at the time fuck I was like meet the fuckers I was sitting just looking at my shirt and I put it on and honestly it looked like an underarm I was like an underarm and I was like oh my god embarrassing I love that when you see him on Sunday League and it's that it's all shiny the material's shiny around there you've got that little gap yeah when you go over in any hole fucking but even when you look back it's mad when you say that when I think about Gazza when he was playing at Spurs and the shape of him what have you you look at players by them it's like Murs

1:18:30Paddy McGuinness:there's no fatties anymore at least there's a few of us then so you all well every team was fucking on the piss all the time everyone was drinking so everyone did now you see athletes I remember seeing Tottenham under Pochettino years ago get off the bus fuck it they need something to eat there's nothing to them they get on the pitch and they're flying everywhere what a season I thoroughly enjoyed it gentlemen Merce thanks for coming back thank you Merce is our first returning yes isn't it and back for many more hopefully you've not got a t-shirt no that's true the fucking people are getting us free of coffee we can't afford shirts wish I had a t-shirt but I tell you what we've had some absolute belters I think next week we're going to do a Champions League special and we'll look back on some of the stuff from the podcast as well because I think some of the highlights have been non-football related he threw me under the buzz again before the podcast fucking mess I thought he's a shoe he loves the Chinese I've never heard it you're the only person who's ever heard this I'm not getting into it a French dish from a Chinese well I said duck it's duck in orange sauce isn't it but I'm saving it for next week anyhow and then once that's finished no rest for the wicked we're back with World Cup specials come on Salford congratulations Arsenal congratulations Bolton and come on England you can catch us on all the usual channels Spotify, YouTube Apple or wherever you get them.

1:20:27Paddy McGuinness:now at Bloomberg.com.