Scholes & Carragher Get Grilled By The Fans! | Fan Debate

0:00You know how everything's a subscription now? music, movies, even socks. I swear if... To continue this ad, please upgrade to premium plus platinum. Uh, what? No, anyway, Blue Apron... This is a pay-per-listen ad. Please confirm your billing. Oh, that's annoying. At least with the new Blue Apron, there's no subscription needed. Get delicious meals delivered without the weekly plan. Wait, no subscription? Keep the flavor. Ditch the subscription. Get 20 % off your first two orders with code APRON20. Terms and conditions apply. Visit blueapron.com slash terms for more. The market's uncertain. revenues tied and hiring on hold that's why results driven companies are using upwork to keep work moving go to upwork.com today and start hiring proven freelance talent fast no bulky overhead no rigid long-term contracts just the right expert right when you need them work smarter and faster with upwork go to upwork.com now and find your freelance expert that's upwork.com post a job for free and get started today I think he can manage big clubs Is that a big club?

1:05Bigger clubs So you can't turn up and be rubbish, can't you? Well, you have been As soon as he's out of that Manchester City team The whole team is different That nonsense at the end of the season We're reviewing the season You've reviewed the season when it's happening They were basically talking to other agents I cannot tell you what happened in that game I've no idea You're also benefiting from the fact That your club's spending loads of money I wish we could I can't believe a Tottenham fan's armour in Man United This is the world we live in It's weird, isn't it? If he makes a bad start to the season, he could be out on Azir.

1:31Why would he not take the England job now? I think she likes Jürgen, doesn't she? I love Jürgen. I haven't mentioned United. I was getting around to that.

1:44Hi, and welcome back to this episode of The Fan Debate, brought to you by Skybet. And this week, the fans are going to be asking me and Scolzi some questions. So you guys have got some questions for us, yeah? Yes. So we'll start with Big Steve. You ready for this one? Come on How long Will Pep stay at Manchester City? A year So finish this season Yeah I think this season Will be his last season What about you Skolzer? Yeah I'd go along with that I think he's been at a club Longer than he's Ever been yeah Can't see him doing that Ten years Fingers crossed He's running from that 115 as well isn't he?

2:23To be honest The general consensus Between the fans And that was This will be his last season but then there's talk now that they're going to try and persuade him, which Scoles will be crying like, but hopefully we can persuade him. But me personally, I do think this will be his last season. Do you think he wants out just in case the charges go wrong? Because he shouldn't be allowed to leave if that happens. I can't benefit from all the good stuff. He said if that happens, he's going to go down to the second division with you, didn't he? He came up and said that last season. You'll be welcome at Salford, you won't you?

2:57Hey, we're just building that new expansion and getting ready for League Two. Clive? Easy one, really, for you, and I'm sure you're going to give me an answer. What player would you sign for Arsenal for them to finally win the league? I mean, it is realistic. I think you need a world-class... When you say a world-class attack, I was thinking about this as well. You watch the Euros, I'm going to say I need a striker but Jamie and his strikers have it who'd have thought in the past Jamie's centre forward wouldn't be good enough to win someone a Premier League even Martinelli is in the Brazil squad isn't he he gets caps for Brazil but we still look at him and think is it enough I think it just shows how strong the Premier League is now but to bring someone in for me it'd have to be an attacking player who would you say is realistic who are the supporters looking at I could give you a name someone who's playing at a top club but you couldn't realistically buy them Who are the supporters looking at and you think they could maybe get their hands on?

3:57See, I think it's an attacker as well. I think we're about to fix midfield, get some depth in there. So he's going to be a forward player. And the player that we would all like, he's not gettable, is Isaac at Newcastle. Oh, good player. He's a good player. Tony has to be a more realistic choice, doesn't he? Yeah, well... I'm not saying he's ideal, but when you talk about a realistic sign, you think Tony to Arsenal should be doable. Yeah, I don't think that's one's going to work. I think they'll be there to look at him when he's not quite right for them. where they are. But he's actually the dream signing.

4:27Obviously, Nico Williams, that athletic goal with Barry, is another one. But you're looking at a pace-driven, quite a physical forward that can add some penetration to our team. I think what we found last season, late in games, if we didn't score, we didn't have the ability to power up. So we didn't score at Villa. We didn't score at Newcastle. We didn't score at C. We didn't score at Bayern. And this is the sort of thing we have to fix. And so once you see us off for 75 minutes, we haven't got that next gear offensively. Do you think you can get improvement out of Jesus? I think it's going to happen.

5:01Fortunately, I did go to LA to watch pre-season, and he's running around like a two-year-old, honestly. What, you think he'll improve? Yeah, he looks really sharp. I think he's always running out, aren't he? He finishes like a two-year-old. What do you mean by running around? Did I couldn't think of a bad thing? He looks really sharp. Yeah, but did he score? He scored against Man United. He was offside, though, that in the death hole. Well, yeah. Eric Tenghar won't mention that too often. But, however, I think, yeah, he looks really sharp. So now, back to his last action stuff, right? He's finishing.

5:34Yeah. Abi? What's one piece of advice you'd give to the new Liverpool manager or head coach? He's a head coach, really. Be yourself. Do not try and be Jürgen Klopp in the press conferences. Be yourself. I know you mentioned that before, didn't you, about your sort of waiting. But that's probably just getting used to not having Jürgen Klopp there. but I just think don't try and copy anything of Klopp, even if that might be the way the team plays. Just come with your vision, your idea, be yourself because nothing's better than the original. No one's going to be a better Jürgen Klopp than Jürgen Klopp.

6:06So be Mr Slott. I feel like people are doing that to him though because in press conferences, every single one of them, I've watched he's getting asked questions about Jürgen and I think that's not fair on him, to be honest. I feel like that needs to stop now. Journalists listening, stop asking questions. I think that'll soon wear off though, won't it? Well, once the season starts, you maybe win four or five, or lose four or five games. Yeah. That's the thing. If he doesn't start off good, everyone's just going to be going straight to all the Jürgen questions, and I just feel like that would be unsettling for him.

6:33But I also feel as though he needs to sort of, like, enjoy it, sort of get behind the fans, learn what we're like, you know, just in the same way Jürgen did. You don't have to be Jürgen, but, like... I think she likes Jürgen, doesn't she? I love Jürgen. But, you know, just sort of, like, learn what we're like, learn the way we are, just in the same way Jürgen did. Just be yourself. What do we always say? He gets us. How many times have you said that? Yeah, he gets us. Get us, exactly. He gets us. Just learn to get us. Arnie Slough. Yeah, you can clap, I mean. Adam, what have you got for us? Sculls has been on Instagram saying he thinks Kobe Mayne was better than he ever was at that age.

7:10Just talk to me about him and your thoughts on him and how good you think he can be. Yeah, I think it's just the matureness he's shown. what's he played in his career 30 40 games I just think it's amazing what he's done already in a in a struggling team okay like they've won the FA Cup they haven't he hasn't achieved massive things but coming into a struggling team and the way just the way he's conducts himself the talent is shown because I someone compared me to him that's why I put that on Instagram somebody compared me to him and I thought when I was just coming into the team he was a striker when you Well, yeah, centre forward, yeah.

7:46I was all over the place, really, at that age. But when I was coming to the team, it was all, everything was just happening so fast around me. I remember playing, I think one of my first games was Aston Villa away, actually, playing in midfield with Paul Lince and Eric Cantona. And I thought, fuck you, fuck me, I don't know what's going on here. Honestly, I cannot tell you what happened in that game. I have no idea. But when I see him, he just looks so relaxed. He plays with wing mirrors, though. He plays with wing mirrors. he can see everything coming. It's not so much his awareness, it's just the way he's conducting himself, the smoothness and I think it's just a joy to watch.

8:22He will get better. I couldn't believe how well he played in the Holland game, considering, as you were saying, what was at stake, like a semi-final for England. I think when you play for England, there's more eyes on you. There probably is more pressure than when you play for United or Liverpool because it's like every journalist, every fan And the way he played in that semi-final, I was just watching it in awe of him, really. You're thinking, you know what it's like, isn't it? You're playing a big game and you're a bit nervous, your first few touches, you want to get your first pass off. And he was just running the game, just strolling through midfield.

8:56He looks like... He had loads of clutch moments as well. He scored against Liverpool, the goal against Wolves, he scored in a cup final. He's adding goals to his games. We've just got to make sure we don't kill him in that midfield. Because if we have that space behind him, he's going to ruin. As Karen mentioned there in the semi-final, against Holland it's like they don't understand how big these games are it's like it's just it's another game like they play with the mates down the street and I'd be thinking fucking that's Euros semi-final or the world quarter final I think Jesus Christ they just don't care I don't know if it's about that's all young players I don't know but especially Cobb who's just so relaxed as Jamie said he ran the game in the semi-final brilliant Flav you asked me how long you thought Andrew would say at Spurs but I'll ask you the same question how long long do you think he will stay?

9:44I think he will start next season, so I think he'll do this season, but I think the following season I think the real questions will start to be asked, because I think right now Tottenham fans are just pleased that the football's different than Conte, Mourinho, Nuno, so I think he's got that. I think this season Tottenham will do what Tottenham do, and probably just miss out on top four. I see Tottenham as a team who finish between four 4th and 7th. More often than not, it's between 5th and 7th. I don't think they'll finish top 4 next season. And then, obviously, it cranks up a little bit more.

10:17And then the questions will really start to be asked the following season. It depends how well Tottenham and Ange start the season. Great. What else does any Tottenham manager ever do? What else is there to do? It's funny you say that, because if you look back, there's only maybe twice where our managers have been sought after and potentially going to be leaving the football club, Harry Redknapp and Pochettino. Other than that, it's all been a failure. But I just think Poster Cogli is a little bit different. He's more in that mode. Yeah, that's exactly what I was going to say. I think the only way he'll leave is to go to a bigger club.

10:54Yeah. I think there'll be teams after him. There's not many. There's quite a few. Talk about Real Madrid. No, I think he's that good in a crumb. It's all right coming across a good, but his team's obviously got to play good football and win things ultimately. at the top. He could get close to that top four. I think that would be a big boost to him as a manager. Two points off it. What's that? One win. I think he could manage big clubs. I don't think it would be a problem to him. Is that a big club? Bigger clubs. It's only Tottenham remember.

11:33Alex. I'm supposed to ask you Will Cole Palmer become the best striker in the league? But also, at what point is Pep going to have to stop doubling down and admit he got that one wrong? Yeah, listen, it is one he's got wrong. But you know what? I almost, in some ways, admire Pep. I don't think he would have envisaged what happened last season at Chelsea in terms of he had that much talent. But number one, he's got Ford and Bernardo Silva. And I think managers in the past would almost maybe not sanction that year because he's going to Chelsea, another big club. He could do really well, makes me look silly.

12:09But fair play to Pep Guardiola. He's giving the lad a chance. A fair play to the lad to go out and go and play. Real Manchester lad. He's gone to London, huge club at Chelsea. And I actually think last season, when we pick team of the year on Monday Night Football and player of the year, I was just swapping all day between Foden and Cole Palmer. Because I was thinking, every time I watch Cole Palmer, he scores a goal or he creates a goal. And he's probably actually more influential. for Chelsea than Foden is for City. But then I think Foden scored a goal at the Bernabeu or something, you think it's a Champions League semi-final or something like that.

12:42But for me, Cole Palmer was, or was basically the best player last season in the league alongside Phil Foden. He was that good. I just hope the change in managers doesn't affect him. Because I think Pochettino with young players, what he did at Tottenham, what he did with Cole Palmer, what he did with a lot of young players at Chelsea second half of the season. I thought Chelsea were going places. and I hope we don't sort of see a drop off in Cole Palmer because I think he's a superstar. It's even more impressive because I heard a rumour that he literally subsists on nothing but Haribo and the Bright Eggs as well.

13:13He's a Manchester lad, isn't he? Scolzi, how good can Cole Palmer be? Yeah, I agree with you. I thought he was brilliant last year. I think that's quite plain to see. He was Chelsea's by far and away the best player. I would have liked to see him play a lot more in the summer. Where would he I think the problem For any England manager Because you've got Saka Who likes to play On the right Left foot I think Foden's best position Is almost on the right Cutting in on the left foot Cole Palmer How does the new England manager Fix that Eventually You're going to have to choose One over the other You're going to have to choose One over the other I think he's better off Coming from that right hand side I know he's been talked about As a striker Did he play a lot for Chelsea As a striker last year He played in number 10 A car crash Probably played in goal at some point as well.

14:02Yeah. I think at some point you've just got to choose and I think if you're choosing now on this day then Cole Palmer has to be in front of Saka. Well, I actually think if you think of those three players and you said to me who's the best player I'd say Phil Foden. But, I would say Saka for England has done a lot more than Phil Foden and I actually think in those snippets in the summer Cole Palmer actually has almost done as much if not more than Phil Foden in an England shirt, even though he's hardly played. I'm still waiting for Phil to see the Man City. The Man City Phil Foden for me is one of, if not the best player in the Premier League, certainly in the top two or three.

14:43The Phil Foden for England, I think he's fighting to be in the team. And I think Cole Palmer, sooner or later, if he continues, he's got to be given his head. I think Saka, even in the summer, was still one of England's best attackers. You've got to say that's systematic for the whole England set-up as well, wasn't it? not getting the best out of the individual players. I'd agree with you, Jamie, on the Saka and Cole Palmer thing. I think Phil Foden didn't exist so well outside of the City system. I don't think he was supported. We didn't really pick a left-back for him that he could play with.

15:14There's no connections there. So in the end, as you know, the environment and the relationships you build in the team are really important. I think Cole Palmer builds relationships. I think Saka builds relationships. Foden found himself a little bit down. I'm not saying he's a bad player, because City obviously is... He's a great player. He's done everything, right? He's got every medal in his back pocket and he's only about 24. But system means something and he looks like a system player at the moment whereas the other two look like they can go to multiple teams and play well. Well, we'll see.

15:41Luke? What would be success for Villa in the Champions League and Premier League as well? So what would be a successful season? What was it? It's all different, the Champions League this year. Yeah, you're right, yeah. I was going to say... So it's like one big group and then the top eight... One big group, wasn't it? Was it a group of eight teams or something? Yeah, and you only play each of them once. So basically everyone's in the group. Right, OK. And then the top eight go straight to the knockouts and then the middle 16, I think, play each other. Straight to the knockouts would be a success, wouldn't it?

16:11Yeah, yeah. Do you think Conference League would have helped Villa? You know, there's a lot of comparison about Newcastle and Villa and are we going to do the same? But do you think getting deep in the Conference League and adapting to European life would help? I think you've got a bigger squad, if I'm right. Newcastle had a horrendous injury problem as well and that might be something you have to deal with. You always have to remember the experience of your manager in Europe is incredible. Did he win the Europa League four years on the trot or something? Yeah, yeah. So he knows what he's doing.

16:41He knows how to go from a Wednesday to possibly a Saturday morning at times. They're all the challenges that it's going to be for him but I think you've got a manager with great experience and I don't think it'd be a problem to him. I think in terms of the Premier League, I don't know if you said it or Lee said it about Newcastle in that. Did you say about just getting back into Europe next season? Yeah. I actually think that's really realistic and a sensible approach rather than thinking, right, we're going to be in the Champions League again every season. Because, you know, more often than not, the teams who will be supposedly the top six, or certainly the six teams with the most money, eventually will come back in terms of getting it right transfer-wise.

17:20But I think it is a sensible way of thinking about if Aston Villa could become, a European club you know consistently year after year you're in that top 8 you're in top 7 you're challenging for top 4 you can't get there every season but if you're consistently getting European football eventually you do a West Ham you win the Conference League you know you'll have that night that you're all one travelling abroad you know to celebrate so I think that'd be pretty sensible to get European place again so Lee Newcastle yeah what would you to both of you what would you do with FFP because it's quite obviously it's affecting a lot of clubs if you had a magic wand what would you change about it?

17:54You can answer that, Kurt.

17:59There's definitely been a lot of frustration, hasn't it, with clubs, but... Is it fair? Maybe I'm saying this from a Liverpool point of view because we've almost been seen in the past as almost the model to try and maybe challenge a Man City or a Chelsea in that. It's not just about buying, it's about selling well as well. And it's not just like, OK, we've got loads of money, we're going to buy lots of players it's actually not winning being clever and cute in the transfer market and that's what Satan teams have been you know they have done that and Liverpool being one of them I think Arsenal have done that quite well as well and I think if we just allow everybody just to spend exactly what they want and there's no there's no fallback so if you're a let's say City because Big Steve's looking straight at me and there's no FFP at all.

18:54And Pep Guardiola comes in and he buys five players. They don't work. It doesn't matter because we're going to buy another five next season and eventually it will work because the quality of play you're bringing in, and this could be City, it could be United, it could be Chelsea, it could be Liverpool, any of the big clubs. I like the fact that if you buy someone and it doesn't work, your judgment's been wrong, your scouting's been wrong, your system that you're playing with has been wrong. That's got to hurt you. It's got to affect you thinking, oh, we've spent that money. No one's going to buy him at the moment because he's not playing great.

19:26We're going to have to stick with him. We might be able to spend what we can spend the next season. So I think I look at it from that in terms of management and structure of a club and I actually think some limits on maybe spending or whatever it may be, I actually think should bring the best out in coaches. So it's not always about buying players. It's about, okay, this is the team that I've got. I can't buy. We need to sell this somewhere. Right, how can I make this team work? Is a points deduction fair on the fans? Could it hurt the fans? Yeah. I mean, listen, well, is it fair? What I would say on that, any punishment you could say, well, is that fair on the fans, I suppose, in some ways, but is that fair?

20:08So if there was a points deduction for Newcastle, that's because maybe you broke the rules the year before, in terms of spending. But if that then got you in the Champions League or kept you up or got you in Europe and stopped another team doing that, how was it for their fans? So we had the Nottingham Forest fan on here last season and he said, I'm glad we broke the rules because we stayed up. Yeah, OK, I get him saying that as a fan. What about the team that went down? So there has to be some sort of, whether it's point, I mean, what do you think it should be? A huge fine's not going to affect you, is it?

20:40No, it's not going to affect the big clubs, is it, because they've got all the money in the world. So I would, if it was to happen to the next club, just ban them. You can't sign anybody for the next transfer windows. I think that's more sensible than given Leicester who are coming up already a mammoth task buy on minus six could be more. Or Everton would have been done by Forrest, who's the next club? I don't think a points deduction is fair on the fans. There has to be some form of punishment and deterrence to breaking the rules. Yes, I agree on that. You just go, you can't buy players anymore.

21:10Then someone will go out and buy 20 players in one summer and we don't need to buy players for the next three windows. You can think about everything and go, what about the fans? Ultimately There has to be a punishment There has to be a deterrent For clubs breaking the rules And it can't be Oh yeah let's just ban them Because they might I mean that's what I would I would ban that Of course it bothers the fans But you're also benefiting From the fact that Your club's spending loads of money I wish we could We're not allowed to We're not allowed to

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22:16All right, Matt in Southampton. Yeah, how important are pre-season friendlies? Do they matter to how well a team does in the season? That's to both of you. My experience of pre-season friendlies, do you know what? It got harder as we got older. I don't know why. When we first came through, probably the same with Carriot, we used to play rubbish teams, really. Just go to Ireland or Norway. Go to Ireland, Norway, you go to the Far East, and you win in 5-6. Everything's great, your confidence is great. But towards the end, it'd become a lot harder. do we play like in Barcelona and Real Madrid? We were fit after them games.

22:51I tell you, I was running after the ball.

22:55No, you want to win, of course. You want your confidence, you want your strikers scoring goals. I can't imagine our strikers going through pre-season without scoring goals, midfield players playing well, defenders trying to keep playing. It's all about getting your confidence, but there has to be some importance to it, of course, as to results. But ultimately, it's all about fitness. And when it comes to that first game, well, this week the Charities Shield or the weekend, after in the league, as long as your team are ready, you're ready fitness-wise, then what's happened in them previous five or six games?

23:30I don't think it really matters that much. I think if you have a good pre-season, the fans are happy, you're happy, you've had a good pre-season. And if you have a bad one, you're almost writing off and just say, it's only pre-season, we're getting fit. So you take the positive, but you don't really take the negative too much. I mentioned to Alex about the Chelsea one. And I think sometimes when results stand out, you'll think a result will jump out at you from one of the teams or maybe one of your rivals. And certainly watching Chelsea this season, you'll see Celtic winning 4-0. You'll just think, oh, that doesn't feel...

23:58You can lose 2-1, but sometimes something could jump out at you. Weird. I think the Chelsea, I think the pre-season will be a little bit in the players' minds and the managers' minds. It's interesting hearing you say as a player it was about getting fit and everything because I was talking to Peter, who said it with me, and we were saying that actually a lot of the backlash coming out of the Chelsea pre-season tour is the fact that for clubs, they're all about making money. You go on these super tours, we go by 100 ,000-seat stadium in Ohio, they paid$100 each to watch, which we all knew would be a junk game of football.

24:31Yeah, yeah. And the complaints coming out of it that there were no player engagement, there were no meet and greets, there were no stuff like that. And you literally, if you're going to use those pre-season tours to milk your foreign fan base, then they kind of deserve something in return for putting the money down. And that's what the bitching has been about from our preseason. The one thing I'd say about preseason this year, and years when there's a big tournament, it's almost a waste of time. Your players, all your squad don't come together. I think United players probably won't come together till this week.

24:59The England players, all your international players. So it's really messy. And that's why the first three or four games can be a little bit dodgy. I don't think it's after till the international break when they'll come back in the middle of September. I think that's when things will probably settle down. Sorry, I was just going to say, the ludicrous one for us was that post-season friendly. Where was it? Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Yeah, yeah. Didn't Tottenham do that as well this year? Yeah, we went over to Australia. Australia? Yeah, just round the corner. New Tottenham. What's for Ange?

25:31Amy? So, Kieran McKenna has brought a beautiful style of football back to Portman Road, finally, after many, many years of waiting for it. But can playing good football be enough to help you do well in the Premier League? No. Not good football. I think he plays exciting football. I wouldn't call it good, like, total football. Like, when we talk about Russell Martin and the teams we've mentioned, you don't order any play out from the back. I think we're going to build up through the thirds and score the perfect goal. I think it's more about exciting football with Kieran, and I like that. It's very much in the way United did do it, really.

26:13They'll get the ball wide, they'll cross it into the box, they'll flood the box with players just to try and score goals and entertain. Look, you can say it's a little bit dinosaur-ish, I suppose, because you're not playing the way Pep plays or the way these great coaches play, but it's a way of winning games of football. I think you have to find the way, the best way of your team being able to win games. I just think everyone's got different styles I don't think there's any right or wrong way to play but I just think when you come off in the Championship you're obviously one of the best teams in the Championship so you're normally on the front foot you're normally in possession of the ball you're attacking a lot more it's going to be a completely different game so you're not going to have as much of the ball you're not going to be on the front foot as much you're not going to be in the lead as much so you have to be able to defend and if you even if you've got the best technical players and we go back to Burnley last season a lot of the players they brought in were small technical players get between the lines they don't have a chance to get between the lines they don't have the ball they don't have the ball as much as what they've had before so you're asking these players now you've got in your team to defend and track back and defend set pieces and it's listen football is about getting the balance whether you're at the top or the bottom between attack and defence every team wants to score goals and keep clean sheets and it's just how you get that balance what style you play but I do think when you come up from the Championship something has to alter whether it's whether your tactics or a style of play you may bring bigger players you might bring we need a couple of bigger lads maybe in midfield to be able to set peace wise we're going to be without the ball we're going to be defending more I think that game is going to be chaos I think you're looking at three alls four alls five alls I think it's going to be brilliant I think it's going to be great to watch we never give up you're going to score goals I think you're going to concede goals was it Blackpool years ago he came up the first six goals Ian Oluway yeah brilliant He went down, didn't he?

28:05He ended up going down. Sorry, but you're going to finish top 12, I told you. All right, Jake, Lester. Does chaos in pre-season mean struggles for the season? Not necessarily. I mean, there's probably, I'm sure all of us supporters, we can all maybe go back to our own pre-seasons or a certain game that you look at and think, oh, we end up going, I'm having a decent season, really. But as I said before, we maybe answered this earlier on in terms of the pre-season results. I think if you're having negative pre-season, I wouldn't say it's at the front of your mind, but it's definitely there. It's just at the back of your mind thinking, oh God, how's the season going to go?

28:43And you're almost going into that first game with hope, really. Most people, if they've had a good pre-season, you're going in with belief and thinking it'll go well. And even two teams clashing on the first day, you can both go in with that same feeling that it's going to go well today. But I think you're going in with your fingers crossed if the pre-season hasn't gone particularly well. And we're almost in this game of trying to kid ourselves that it doesn't matter when really we know there's just something lingering there Do you remember having a bad pre-season? I honestly can't I'm not trying to be arrogant or cocky I can't remember us having a pre-season I think sometimes would you not have listen you were that good and you're talking about the games that you played early on and it wasn't later on like you played some good teams I'll tell you a story I remember when you talk about the pressure of playing for the big teams and what you said playing in pre-season we went to a pre-season tournament at Real Madrid's ground and I think it was the four teams who'd won the Champions League the most.

29:36So it was like Real Madrid, AC Milan, us and it must have maybe been Bayern Munich. And we lost the first game to Real Madrid 2-0 and we were playing AC Milan the next one and Michael Owen at the time had a bit of an hamstring issue and Gerard Ullier was the manager and I rumoured with Michael Owen. So this was only a pre-season game but we were feeling the pressure because we'd lost to Real Madrid in the burn about 2-0. I remember Gerard Ullier coming to our room so I was rooming with Michael and he was asking Michael could he play in a pre-season game even though Michael was saying I'm not 100 % but he was like could you not give me an hour and it was like but that's like and that was at the time when Ullier was almost coming to the end he was feeling a bit under pressure and that's what it felt like Gerard Ullier felt like we can't afford to lose this game in a pre-season game and that's what sort of it always sticks in my mind that's almost like the pressure of managing in a big football club, you're abroad playing a pre-season game, but there's still that feeling when you're a Chelsea, Liverpool, City, all eyes are on you, that you've still got to get results.

30:39Even our TV channels now, in the past, you play away, you don't want to see the game. But now LFC TV, Man United TV, City, Chelsea, every game is there, isn't it? Everybody's watching every game. You're playing a fiver a game, in our case, to watch it as well, so you can't turn up and be rubbish, can you? Yeah, well, they have been. No, but I just think, you know, I just think I always go back to that story about when you're playing for a club with all eyes on you, that you can't afford to lose a pre-season game badly. Whilst on pre-season, do you remember getting suspended by the FA for getting sent off in Ajax?

31:16Yes. You and Waza, I've never seen it since then. I've never seen it before. Yeah, did I ever foul? Do you remember Anderson? Yeah. Was he playing for Ajax? No, he never played for Ajax. Porto? Yeah, Porto. Yeah, we played against Porto, got sent off, yeah. I've never seen someone get suspended by the FA for that. I didn't deserve to. Yeah, I mean, why hasn't he got suspended? Bad tackle? I don't think it was that bad, no. I'm slightly late, but I don't think it was that bad. He got up anyway, I've no go. Pardon? It's not like you for a late tackle. No, no. Mistimed.

31:54Right, so next we've got questions. for the fans, and we've got our famous paddle predictions. It's like a really steady quote. Green, if you agree. Red, if you disagree. Arne Slott will be a failure. Maybe at the beginning. Oh, there's more greens here. A little bit of hope. Yeah. Well, can I ask... I'll tell you what, rather than... Who should I ask that one? I'll tell you what, I'll ask Adam, even because he's a Man United fan, he's not going to be there, maybe have that Liverpool bias. What would be a positive, what would be a failure for Anish? What would he have to do in two or three years?

32:33I mean, two or three, by failure, I mean, I think it could, if it don't work out, it could be gone this season. No chance. You don't think so? I'm not saying, I don't know how he'll do, I just know Liverpool, Liverpool's structured ownership, I mean, I just don't see any way he would lose his job this year. You've got a long-term plan with him? No, not so much that. I just don't think, the way Liverpool are now with transfers and everything's a bit Liverpool's a calm club isn't I would say in terms of the structure of the clubs they haven't signed anyone yet that's just not how we do things I just think Liverpool managers unless it's the only time I can remember that was Roy Hodgson where the fans were the expectation that Klopp has built yeah but I think I think if if we got in the top four I think every fan would say okay we accept that I think if we come listen if we finish seventh listen David Moyes is probably an example if you like David Moyes didn't lose his job because he never won the league it's because they could become seventh if he'd become fourth he'd probably still be in the job wouldn't he I do think there's a big change I think Jürgen Klopp was more important than just being a great manager for Liverpool he controlled everything at the club you're going to have a big vacuum there now I think Arne Slott is coming to a very good team he doesn't need a lot I don't think to get where they want to be they had a great season last year last season was a great build and process, wasn't it?

33:55they were almost, I just fell away the last few games and I think, try and compare Dutch coaches with Ten Haar, Ten Haar came into a right mess and his lot is coming into a very good squad of players. Yeah, but there's a good one. You'll be involved in this one. Right, are you ready with the paddles? Man United will have a better season than Liverpool.

34:20We did last year, didn't we? Yeah. Yeah. So, no? Scolzi? What would you be holding up? Should we be holding them up? Should we have our own? I'd be having... Is it Redder or Burgundy? What is it? We need to get Scolzi a paddle. Who's got a spare paddle? A paddle, yeah. Yeah, I think we'll struggle to deal as well as Liverpool. As much as I'd like it to be the other way around. As I just said there a minute ago, I think Liverpool have got a really good squad of players. They're settled. really with one or two additions I think they could be a real threat I think United have got too many issues at this point to get anywhere near them Good, right Man City won't win the league Okay, so we all fancy that All three promoted teams will get relegated

35:17Yeah, I hope that's not the case, yeah Right Eddie Howe will become England manager no chance no chance it's not happening no? it's not happening if he makes a bad start to the season do you think you could sack him? I think with the structure of the ownership has changed that's a possibility now because PIA so why would he stay why could he not walk out or is this contract a problem because if he's fearing that with a new structure new ownership new director of football that basically if he makes a bad start to the season he could be out on Azir why would he not take the England job now because we won't have a bad start of the season

35:57I'm not confident that without the European football I think we will get in the region of top five will Chelsea finish in the top four

36:1114 you think they will 14 can I have some of what he's smoking we'll take one Scholes who do you think would be the top four so we know who you think the top three would be usually they'll get the other place I think it's wide open for five how many teams is it Tottenham Villa I'm not sure Villa will I think they'll just have too much to contain in Europe Newcastle big advantage as you said before only playing once a week you haven't mentioned United I was getting around to that

36:48United United, yeah, if they click, as you say, they've got a nucleus. I think they've got to do a bit more work in the transfer market to get anywhere near it, so I'll rely on that and go for United. OK. Rodri will win the Ballon d 'Or. Steve? Yeah, 100%. Harlem was robbed of it last year, so what Rodri's done for Spain as well and Manchester City. You know when you say Harlem was robbed, I always think if there's a tournament in the year, whoever normally wins the tournament, so Messi wins the World Cup, normally that happens, that has always happened in the past, but Rodri's won the tournament, hasn't he?

37:31Obviously he's done amazing at City as well. Yeah, Harlan last year. For me, for a young lad to come to the Premier League and do what he did and then win the treble, I just felt he was a little bit unlucky. But Rodri, I mean, there's no one like him at all. You know what I mean? And you see the impact of Rodri. as soon as he's out of that Manchester City team, the whole team is different. And then you watch him for Spain as well. And I think he deserves it. And by all round, he's just an elite footballer, a good person. And like you say, it'd be great for him to do it. I think the Spain thing could clinch it for him.

38:04When you think of Ballon d 'Or, you think of a flashy player, don't you? Yeah, Vinicius Junior. Or a number 10 or a 4 or a Neymar, something like that. Not quite that holding midfield player, but we all know how good he is. and the players he's playing with are brilliant as well. But I just think winning that tournament with Spain could give him a real chance. It's interesting because the last player who sort of... It was Modric, wasn't it, who broke the sort of Ronaldo-Messi thing. But he's still, what you'd say, a flashy player. We're talking about a hold midfield player. It'd be remarkable, wouldn't it, really, if someone from that position would it?

38:32Yeah, incredible, yeah. It's probably the worst bunch in terms of the shortlist for him in a long time. Because you look at them, and Roger's amazing, obviously, but you look at the players that have been talked about and you think, best player in the world. Vinicius is amazing Bellingham but a bit early we've been spoilt haven't we Ronaldo Messi that's the problem

38:58alright Cole Palmer to win the golden boot I'm going to say something positive today haven't I right also there's only one Alex at Chelsea like our golden boot maybe maybe Takes the penalties. Do you think he's, for how good he was last season, do you think he's capable of going, is there another level for him to go? Considering the team he's playing for as well, by the way, it's not like he's playing for the team of the best team in the league. I think there is something in that maybe if he was at a city, he wouldn't be flying quite as high. I think the fact that he's kind of a big fish in a chaos pond right now does give him a chance to shine.

39:39Yeah, I think so. I mean, he's very young. And also as well, if you listen to him interviewed, and everything. Nothing seems to phase him. He doesn't seem to get sucked into any drama or anything like that. He just turns up with his Haribo and plods on and does his job. Maybe just being relaxed about it all and not... I think a lot will depend on the coach, you know. Where's the coach going to play him? Do you think with Pochettino, he had that number 10 role, that little inside, he had a lot of freedom, he was getting a lot of chances. Will Moresca be like that with him? We'll just probably have to wait and stay, aren't we?

40:09The thing is, when you turn the managers over and the players over, as often as we are, Like I said, we have no identity. I couldn't tell you. I don't know. Someone's just come to me here. Sorry for interrupting. You know, if Chelsea have another poor season, and you said before about Man United having a real problem on that right wing. He's a big Man United fan, isn't he? Would that not be something that Man United should visit maybe in 12 months if it doesn't go well? I did a click for the social team earlier, and I said I think Cole Palmer ends up at United. You know what? I think that could happen.

40:38I think United. I think that as well. We're definitely stupid enough to facilitate. I'm stupid enough to give him 100 million, so everyone's a winner. We should all be on an agent's fee if this case is off, shouldn't we? Yeah, Cole Palmer from Man United. Will a manager be sacked before Christmas? 100%. Definitely. Give me some names. We've already done it, haven't we? We did that last week, didn't we? Ten Hag. Ten Hag. 100 % Ten Hag. He just doesn't... He's all right, mate. But he doesn't... You said Mareska before. No, I didn't. Did you not? Well, him as well, but the... I can definitely see that.

41:15He's had a wrestle before Christmas, I'm sure he did. I didn't, but the... But Ten Hag, he doesn't fit in the hierarchical structure that they've created. If they were looking for someone... I can't believe a Tottenham fan's armour in Man United. This is the way we live in, isn't it? The hierarchical structure of the club. He was their manager. There'd be a structure every month. So Jason Wilcox is in there now. You've got... You know, there is a structure. The structure's supposed to help him, right? They didn't want him. They were left with him. They wanted someone else. I don't think that's the case.

41:46I think you have to do... No, it is. No, but I think you have to... No matter what club you're at, you have to... If you're coming in as new owners, you have to look at everything. I get that, but that nonsense at the end of the season were reviewing the season. It was a bit dragged on a bit. You've reviewed the season when it's happening. They were basically talking to other agents and managers. That's what they do. We all know that. The PR on it is just so clunky as well. The big interviews he's been given the past week or so, trying to convince everyone that everything's great now. Everything is great.

42:14Why isn't Pochettino the United manager? Because he's got enough money to last the rest of his life. Maybe he's on guard, maybe he can't. There might be some contractual details that mean that he can't join United. But the actual reason is that he doesn't want to fit in that system. In the same way he left Chelsea for the same reason. Will an English team win the Champions League this season?

42:40Abbey, we've won it six times. No. Arnie might not do it. Oh, my God. He would do it. Arnie can do it next year. Oh, I'm going to ban you from Anfield. Give him a year. Give him a year to spit in. It is some positivity. You expect too much too soon. Liverpool have got more chance of winning the Champions League than the Premier League. Yeah, you're probably right. I mean, it's this whole new format as well. It's confusing me. We'll see. Right. Ooh. Will Hoyland score 20 goals? All comps? Yeah, I want to give you all comps. Next three years.

43:19He scored 16 in a bad season, do you know what I mean? It might be a good season for him, you don't know. He's already injured as well. Scolese, what do you think? Yeah, of course he is. I hope. Do you know what, I think he's capable. He's another year into it. A young lad coming over trying to lead the line, as we said before at Man United is very difficult there were times in the season where I was he wasn't even getting chances at times I think the lad can finish when he gets chances I think in the Champions League he was brilliant I think he scored five or six goals in the group stages but just couldn't transfer that to the Premier League but I think he'll be stronger he'll be better this year he can score from inside and outside the box as well which I like he likes to sniff a goal out in a six yard box he's confident shooting from you'd expect that though, wouldn't he for a fellow who cost£70 million?

44:10A lot of strikers don't fancy that. You see them fannying about, hanging out on the edge of the box and not really getting involved. He seems like someone that's constantly annoying his defenders. I think he'll strengthen up this year as well. I thought after 65, 70 minutes, he just looks dead. Now that's leading your line on your own, of course. You just learn a little bit. I don't have to go and close him down there. I'll just save myself a little bit for important moments in the game. And he's going to have creativity around him. You think of Ganache or Bruno Fernandes. There should be enough chances, just whether they can take him.

44:40And I think the evidence of the Champions League last year, when he got chances, he's shown the composure to finish well. OK, that's good. Well, listen, thanks for joining us on another episode of The Fan Debate, brought to you by Skybet.

45:12We'll be right back.