Fabrice Muamba | Nicklas Bendtner The Best Wingman

32:44has Wan-Bassaka got signed for that? yeah Wan-Bassaka you've got Zebi who's playing now so you've got a lad for France Matuidi Matuidi midfielder it's like the list goes on and on and on but it just because the organization wasn't what it is now. That's why you miss a lot of them. So they just missed you just from being sloppy. Yeah. If they did, would you have gone? Yeah. If Congo were so organized, we could be arguably top 10 best country in the world in terms of talent-wise. Most of the French boys, in terms of the French League, they're all Congolese. Go to Belgium, Congolese. Because remember, Congo was colonized by the Belgium.

33:27so a lot of Belgium kids just Congo and then you go here a lot of kids want to play football it's just that the organisation wasn't great so what was Henri the best? Thierry's very good Dennis is the best Dennis Bergkamp yeah once I trained with Dennis I understand why everybody's yeah did you notice your you improved when you started training with them yeah A lot more. You know, when you come out of your team in reserves, did you feel like you got better around better players? Yeah, I think because of just the intensity of working with them and how they see things and how they prepare themselves.

34:11And also, once you, I think two or three trainings out here, but when you do that for like a month with them, you're like, yeah, I feel like I'm getting better because I've just, you start to understand the rhythm of the game more. As a young player, I couldn't head the ball because I would go head for head and I would just turn my shoulder around and put my head like that. I had a Steve Bould. He's my youth team coach. So they would take me to a side and would do 20 and they would just say, I'll throw the ball to you and it's one, two, three. One, two, three. That's the key. One, two, three. regardless how high the ball is if you just count one, two, three you always hit the ball and we'll practice that we'll practice that we'll practice that and and it just stem from there really What I like about Bergkamp is well they were a nasty bastard weren't they?

35:07You know what I mean he was that talented but also he liked to leave one on He'd leave his studs in wouldn't he? He always wears studs in training Always wears studs Then he went over plastic always wears studs Reebok. Yeah. Yeah. And would you know like in training, did you ever see any flare-ups in training? Only like, I'm not saying him because it's here, like when Nicholas started to train with them and Nicholas is very, as I said, he's very strong. So he started to argue with them like, Nick, no, no, you can't do this. And he would talk back to them. You're like, mate, we're trying to learn here you can't but that's just how Nicholas is he will just go back and forth and argue with Thierry about I need to take free kick and I'm thinking mate just just yeah just take humble here you know but it's just I never really see anything like that but I see how they can cast you aside when you start to come up against them and and Nicholas starts to leave a bad taste on someone or two people they're like hmm what about the manager would he accept stuff like that because sometimes they can take it either way can't they if someone comes over I also never say much really it's more Pat Rice who literally run the whole thing and they would tell Nicholas off at a time in one ear out the other then a week or two later and come back again I was like there we go I can imagine the older pros the more experienced lads just thought what a little arsehole this is coming over here cocky little Danish twat but it was it was Nicholas' personality you have to understand Nicholas to to say oh I get it why he's the way he is but I say we were first year second year school together so I kind of knew what Nicholas can do what cannot do so it's like yeah I think that mentality can make you a better player though yeah as well it's like that Ibrahimovic mentality into it where I am the best I heard somebody's gone about Ganaccio again saying his best thing best trait is the fact that he's got so much self-belief he doesn't give a fuck he'll just keep Is that the one Nicky Bat said it last year he said it he said it Nicky Bat said it he doesn't give a fuck he'll just keep keep going and keep going yeah Out of the out of the three that went on lawn who progressed into the first team the quickest Seb no no me and Seb signed permanently for Bayern the following season Niklas went into the Arsenal but Niklas went to the World Cup for Denmark so it was more like Niklas went into but who who got into that Birmingham first team first between the three Seb no Seb Seb was first and then me and Niklas were on the bench the first game of the season Seb started Niklas came on I didn't come on Niklas came on and scored a goal and it became such a big thing in Birmingham they were like a peacock then weren't they eh I bet you were on balcony that now I'll see you come on shutting round Birmingham Yeah, and he was just, Nicholas was just, yeah.

38:17I was the one that, he took about four games before I got into the team and I was there. Larsson, because he came to Sunderland for a while and he was always one of them players that he never really knew what he was good at. Probably until you played with him. Yeah. He was a steady player. You can trust Seb to play right back. I can trust Seb to play midfield. I can trust Seb to play right wing. His set pieces is unbelievable. And I mean, when Tom's have three kicking corners, yeah, very, very good. In terms of your first loan, you played 39 games. You signed originally on loan at Birmingham. 39 games and a promotion.

38:58It's not bad. It's easy, isn't it? Yeah, that was, I said to people, that was the best thing I could have done to me. That's the best thing I could have ever done to any young players to go on loan. And that was the best thing that ever happened to me, just to go out there and because I went from like leaving my mum and dad and moved to Birmingham but then you have your own apartment so that responsibility of keeping a lot of things tight it was at home mum would do my laundry mum would make have dinner ready whereas like when I moved to Birmingham mate this is you now there's no you're on your own in your own so you got to make sure that wherever you got paid you go cover the bill you go cover a lot of things so like this was like the first two months I was like wow I need to just adjust myself because I was before the money would come in I was spending the eye because I thought yeah it's coming and this time we come in I got paid for this paper for that I'm like whoa I said mom you need to come over here because right now I'm going a bit too too crazy yeah it's like oh no then sat me down you don't touch this you don't touch this this is all you got to spend for the rest of the month this I'm like huh this is not part of the plan I thought we would come in and no no no what Birmingham did they paid for my apartment but in terms of like everything else is on you so if you want something lavish that's on you and um that was that was probably the best experience I can have asked for just to go to championship football play with man and also experience what winning and losing mean to people and what you take out of it and also like some people if you get relegated people lose their jobs if you get promotion people get more money so you have to think all that kind of stuff you can always tell the lads who have got married or something at an early age or never moved away because they can't cook people i heard jamie carrick cannot do a thing in the kitchen doing beans in the microwave stuff that we take for granted people cannot do what's meant in the world yeah experience because because our environment everything's been done for us yeah everything from travelling oh could you bring your passport on Tuesday but we're travelling on Saturday so which means I don't have the finger passport Wednesday, Thursday, Friday because somebody's really taking care of that and they'll send me a message could you make sure you'll pack this, this, this.

41:29So everything has been catered to you so that your focus is just to kick the ball on Saturday. And cooking's the last thing you want somebody to be in the kitchen to say, oh, could you cut that chicken? I need to go on YouTube to do that. Let alone 15 do it. But you still had to do it at home, in your flat or whatever, wouldn't you, for tea? Again, that's why I had a Nando's right in the corner for me. So we had to go to Nando's. Go to Nando's, no fire. Nando's in the broad tree. so we just got the Nandos they knew who we were so as soon as we came in same thing so yeah no same thing and they just yeah no problem at all So you're one of them that can't cook then?

42:06I can make a good cup of tea Yes is the answer Yeah no I can't cook I can't cook Yeah I can't cook Did you notice a difference from the Arsenal dressing room to the Birmingham Championship dressing room? Yeah In a good way or a bad way? In a championship were more together more more fun I was like over there too many superstar woke up winner and then sometime there wasn't much of togetherness and you always hear that there's the French boys the English boys the Spanish boys that was in the championship we just we all just get along and it'd be cool see each other a lot more away from football yeah we did that like an eye-opener you them team nights out.

42:54Yeah, that was... In Birmingham, I was fortunate because I had Mike Taylor, Devin Dunne, Matthew Epson. And Matthew's always making sure I'm okay. He's always making sure Fab, if you need anything, let me know. And it was like, and of course, Matthew came from Arsenal system as well. So I'm able to rely on him, connection, stuff like that. and it was hard because when I was at Arsenal when I was in the first team the only person that I can rely on was Ash and Thierry because Thierry was like he just I go close to him and it's like it made me feel like he is it was very difficult to relate to Gilberto and Edu because they were more they just keep themselves to themselves Are you going to be your first Christmas do at Birmingham?

43:49were imagine a Christmas do at Birmingham is different to what it is at Arsenal the one at Birmingham was okay but the one at Bolton was much better that was much better that's a proper Christmas too that was a very good Christmas too yeah so did you sign permanent with Birmingham after promotion yeah no so that would have been your first really big contract really wasn't it yeah yeah that was because like when I went on loan my first year I was on 750 pound a week as a pro at Arsenal but then when they went on loan they've had 250 to make it a grand but Birmingham said we'll cover your accommodation accommodation as like okay no problem at all so literally like I was playing the championship for grand a week but then when I go to the Premier League I went from there to a thousand pound to twelve and a half.

44:50Did you have an agent working for you? To be fair to Warwick, I'm sure 10 but then two and a half every time I start and then three and a half every time we win. So you're wanting Saturday Tuesday, Saturday Tuesday, aren't you? Yeah, but then after 10 games, I've gone from 10 to 12 and a half and then two and a half if we win and two and a half if I start, which becomes 15 and then three and a half we win, which becomes 18. by the time because I played 38 games 38 games in the Premier League so by the time my first season finished I was on 17 and a half and then you obviously had appearance money and your win bonuses then am I right in saying your first game in the Premier League was up against Chelsea Chelsea away yeah that's a nightmare a tough tough one to start with I mean Chelsea just won the league and in the first game they went to Stamford Bridge and look at Chelsea line up you've got Jogba, you've got Essien, you've got Makilele, you've got Frank, you've got Lampo, you've got Balak and you realise how far you are behind as a player till you come up against some of the top boys.

46:32You're like yeah this is a whole new way. Even though you've trained with the top players it's different to the actually playing. They just have this they sense danger quicker than you but they were executing stuff more lethal there's no there's not like I'm not feeling sorry for them time to score we need to score you know and Chelsea was brutal. I just remember that team being full of men. Yeah. Essien. Essien yeah. I used to think Hoof looked like a man. I've never seen a guy that size so he can hit the ball. It's almost like he's gone up there, stay two seconds, hit the ball and come down.

47:12You're like, how does that do you do? How? Like how? It's impossible. But you've got Frank who's bombing every single time. He has an opportunity to go. Then you just realise like the gap is like, you're here, they're always somewhere here and they can just, they can take a whole new level if they want to. And were you directly against Lampard? Yeah. And then, I mean, he took off off. Oh my God. I can't swear. can i oh yeah okay i was fucking on my face fucking hell frank but i think the one that called the one that surprised me it was gerard oh my god he's like a horse the man took off i'm like how like he literally like left me i was like wow that's when you realise like yeah there is with the ball or without the ball without the ball because obviously like when they were Liverpool playing you've got Xavi Alonso in the back there and he'll just pray when you're going you think I've got Gerrard with me and the next minute he's just you're like wow yeah fucking hell Stephen the best that you came up against in that in that first season no Paul Scholes Paul Scholes Paul Scholes Paul Scholes is fucking hell Paul at least English you can catch Paul he's like you know when people compare Frank Steve and Paul I think you've got to be in there to say for yourself like what Paul does you're like I don't think as a young player you're like how you have to make make a sense to me because like I'm coming in you play a short I'm staying off you you're pinging it so like alright if I get closer to you if I'm not careful if I'm going to leave one on you I know you're going to leave one on me so like in terms of power you get Steven power it's incredible but in terms of like somebody who's just running the game you're like Paul is by far the thing that gets me with them type of players is the vision you know when you're saying you go tight he plays it short but it's when you go tight and he'll without even looking he just come from him round the corner and he's gone you're like I haven't even learned that Yeah.

49:32You're like, how? That's what gets you. You're like, how are you able to come? I'm going to come full press on you. He's going round the corner, get it, go on the other side. I'm going, okay, let's sit off him. He's just going to get it and just spread in there. Either way, you're half fucked, aren't you? Yeah. Just move on to the next game. Then you go from, then you got that, then you go to like, you got the ballack again. so efficient so like a German card pop this you know what you're getting I'm there I'm getting what I need to do then you got you played post-move they had Mendes the long oh see I want I want from looking I would never have thought you'd been talking about Pedro Mendes after the ones that you just talked about he's like those are I think you don't get those kind of football anymore where they were just like, because if you look at Frampton Park pitch, it's not the best pitch in the world, but they're actually zinging it like, they're running the show in that pitch.

50:36I said to myself, can you imagine if they were playing on the carpet every single week? It would be a joke. And he was, oh, incredible. Pedro Mendes, Scores, Xavi, Steven, Frank, Essien. You come out of that season thinking, wow, yeah, this is this is proper football this is level yeah very good footballers who in that era did you fancy your chances against none of them alright listen I'm a young I'm realistic I'm a young man and I thought when you come up against them thinking yeah I've got a long way to go here this is this is this is level there's no two ways about it because like you're talking about Paul who's got 10 Premier League title you've got Frank who's scoring 30 goals a season you've got Stephen Hook and he's driving Liverpool you've got Xavi Orlando who's the best passer winning the Premier League you're like then you say oh maybe this no there's not I'm still sorry Chris you've been I know you've been humble and whatever but you wouldn't have played 38 games if you were way off don't get me wrong I'm very modest but when when you come up against like again you're not coming up against not this person to the guys now but if you look back then I come up in the Premier League you've got people like Gareth Barry Gareth Barry is unbelievable footballer like people go like oh no no Gareth is a very very good footballer like you just think hey we're alright middle of the road people look at him like no he's a very good you've got Barry if you've got Sylvan Petrov those are like top top draw guys and when you come up against it you're thinking oh fucking hell this is a little bit long one here today if you want to play in the Premier League there's a level of this game where you've got to be better in terms of technically tactically you know and then just be around a better footballer even like the small passes it wasn't like a small ping their passes like and you're thinking I'm gonna do this no they're like banging to each other you're thinking really it is what this is what it takes to be at this level and they're doing this like week in week out they're like unless you're going there in a very delusional way thinking yeah I got them see he's got no chance no no and you find it nowadays that it's completely different was before most of the guys in midfield technically there was and I mean sound nowadays I think it's his guys I think yeah he's good but he's a mobile runner than somebody who can...

53:22Nobody pings the ball anymore. You're not getting it. You're not picking it from a six-yard box that passed to me like poor score and absolutely putting it in the money where the strikers went into it. It's not like, oh, I need to... No, it's there. And they're doing it week in, week out. Nobody's scoring the Frank Lampard goal, putting that outside the box, 30 yards, boom. Nobody's doing that. Everything is nice, which is great. But I think back then, you come up against a very, very good player. And I mean, that's on every single team. I was going to ask, did you change anything after that season?

53:56You know, like how you did when you're a young lad and you started doing extras? Did you, was there anything, could you do anything more? Oh, you just like, technically I need to get better. Like physically, everybody can run, but technically I need to get better. I just need to get better. That's a shock to the system. You know, you've got this contract now, you're a Premier League player and then you're sitting levels again. And you realise like, and I think with the Premier League it's just ruthless. People when they get into that box, that final third, people just, wow. They're like, it's almost like you're not even there and I'm going to bury it and it's going to go in.

54:34And once you have that mindset is, once you're in the final third, the ball has to go in the back of the net and then develop an mindset in terms of when we have the ball, we have to keep the ball, look after the ball and change like a little bit. The diet thing, that's normal. But in terms of like your understanding of the game and how to manipulate the ball, that first year, poof, yeah. It's a welcome to the Premier League. You're like, wow, this is, yeah. Which of the lads that you played with was your favourite lad that complimented your style? Who did you like playing in midfield with? Birmingham, Bourbon.

55:11I had a lad who, I hope we get to see this, Mark Davis. Mark Davis awards. Because me and Mark, we played together a lot with in England. So when Mark came to Bolton, I knew what Mark could do. And I was like, Mark, you do that and I'll do the rest. Whatever you need to do, you just worry, don't worry about it. I'll just do what I need to do. And at the level like, Shua Holden, I was like, you do this, I'll just cover what I need to cover for you. And I think those two guys playing with me, it made my game much more. more like yeah Robbie Blake said he's the best player he's ever seen Sparky Davies Sparky was disciplined Sparky is the best Sparky doesn't dribble he glides for people you're like how how why and I I kicked myself and was like why Sparky Sparky just oh he's such a good footballer such a good footballer I again I love a night he's a top boy together he's not handsome either John that's not always what he looks like Spark is a top boy and then that yeah so I mean we'll get straight on to Borland but you were definitely doing yourself a disservice because it was a club record fee that Borland paid for you so you're doing well aren't you five million quid I kind of knew it like I might be leaving Birmingham but like two days before the game there was a conversation me and my agent said would you prefer to move up north if something happened I said well if there's an opportunity to stay in the Premier League I'll take it yeah and then the season finished two weeks later I had a conversation then I signed so but just for contact Birmingham relegated Birmingham got relegated and options there in the Premier League and I think Birmingham will take the money and I think they pay for me and they'll make a bit of money on top of that and like yeah that was it come up north Premier League player Premier League player Gary Magson different type of manager he used to I can't imagine it's all that arson Gary yeah Gary different different in many ways Gary I think he loses people because he doesn't talk to people he shout at people but he's the nicest man the nicest man I think when I walked in that change room I have Kevin Nolan Kevin Davies UCS Carolina Andy O 'Brien Matty Taylor Ricardo Gardner Gus Gehu who just come from Villa and the core of the team are top top man and when you have somebody of Gary Mechson shouting at them to the point they look at you thinking you're going to lose me very soon here if you just change your way a little bit if you don't I'm not going to do anything for you and I think that's end up happening because it just become a shouting game rather than let's have a conversation.

58:13How can we get better? I imagine he gets a really redhead as well when he shoots you. But then, you know, people like Kevin Nolan, who's an absolutely great captain. And Kevin will back you to the war. And once, if you see something that is going against you and he knows exactly what you're doing is right, he'll just stand up for you and say, no, no, no, no, you can't talk to him like that. He did what we asked you to do. So you've got to change your tone. And that's one thing about Kevin, is a top captain to having the changing because he just knows how to get it. Especially as a young man, you'll come across and you're like, whatever you need, let me know.

58:50But if something goes wrong, I'll back you. And that's what I had from Kevin. So did he have lots of clashes with Meg or then? Oh, yeah. Yeah. You could see like, because he had Big Sam with him and Big Sam is not a pushover. Big Sam will tell you how it is. But then Gary just couldn't get it with Kevin. and you can see Kevin slowly and surely like I'm losing my mind there you know and there's that class of personality with him and guys that just didn't end up well. And how were you with him because I know you like Steve Bruce how was the management style? Completely different. Did it affect you or did you thrive on it?

59:30No because he had one assistant called Steve Wigley, Steve Wigley who was with Gary, with Gary Meckson, but Steve was with me. I worked under Steve in the England set up. So I always got to go to Steve if I want to do any extra work, if I need any advice. So he uses Steve as a sounding board, but it was more of a, it was completely different coaching style to Brucey, completely different. And the management style. Way different, way, way different in many ways, you know, but just as you go to this journey of football, you see how wise that managers are very successful because their man-to-one managing skills are very good.

1:00:10Some are not so great. Jufy there while you were there. So Jufy, I signed, Jufy was there for two weeks and it was supposed to become pre-season before everybody, it was supposed to come for a week before but it didn't. So I'm joining training session and I'm thinking oh he's he's only same week as me. Jufy was the best player in training. This is a week after everybody's been in. Like, I think obviously the Drew has a, there's a persona of what Drew for it is. Like, whatever. So he just came back a week later than everybody else? He was unbelievable. He is such a good, anybody that played with Drew for he would tell you.

1:00:52In terms of technique, they have not seen a footballer who, if you're playing away from home, all you need is Drew. Say, Drew, you cause all the chaos you want in the world up front. and we'll do everything he's a very good footballer just that Drouffy's just on Drouffy yeah so he just came back a week late yeah didn't turn up for first day of pre-season there was a general election in Senegal if you remember that would not surprise me that's because Drouffy's up there like that he's yeah such a good footballer but he's such a character so Megho's going to be raging with that oh yeah but Drouffy said I'm the best player so you need me and he was here like he said in the most like calmest way but just a drift come on I'm the best player you need me did you live in Manchester no I live in Nutsford back then oh yeah so to travel yeah I didn't want to live in Bolton because it's raining a lot god man I moved to Bolton like yeah but then the first two days fucking hell Nutsford's only half an hour you go from London and you go to Midlands it's a bit great when you go into Bolton, it's just, oh my God.

1:02:06Be careful, Fabrice. I love Bolton, but it's just the weather would, oh, that would kill me. I told my dad, I said, Fabrice, you just have to do what you need to do now. So we've taken the money, so you have to do whatever. But it was how much Bolton fans appreciate Bolton. That's made it more special. you know such a good club it's just unfortunate where they are at the moment Am I right in saying when you were at Birmingham you were going to uni as well? Yeah I studied at Open University so I had a tutor and teaching me finances stuff and stuff like that so like but because it was so hard it started to choose there I remember like for my second team uh second no no half before my second term and we paid Plymouth I had an assignment to handy the next day we got in at four o 'clock and I'm all looking at my paperwork.

1:03:02I just couldn't. I said to the teacher, I can't do this. I understand. You don't have to carry on this. I called my dad. I said, Dad, listen, this is a bit too much now. He's like, okay, no problem at all. But just remember, you have to carry on somewhere down the line. You're going to study. So your dad's still making you do the university course? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I'm like that, man. He should have sent you to a cooking course, couldn't he? I'm like that with my kids now. Yeah. You passed it on. I said, don't play with me. If I hear anything from school, I'll just take you from football. It's fine.

1:03:36Yeah. Yeah. That's not negotiable. I take them now. If I get a phone call from school, my friend, I won't even argue with you. Coming in with a really important message this week gents because we've teamed up with THINK and it's something that matters to all of us. Drug driving. This is something where young men are significantly at risk. There's over 90 % of drivers involved in fatal drug driving collisions and male and 43 % are aged 17 to 29. This summer THINK are once again running their campaign, don't put drugs in the driving seat. Drugs severely impact your reaction time, focus and judgement.

1:04:19All the important things you need to drive safely. Even if you think you feel fine to drive, drugs can stay in your system for longer than you think. Throughout the year, the police are stopping people at the roadside and testing for drug drivers. Last year alone, over 21 ,000 people being convicted for drug driving offences in England and Wales. If you test positive, it will mean being banned from driving for a minimum of a year. An unlimited fine and a criminal record. That could lose you your job, increase your insurance and make it difficult to travel to other countries. You may think it was only a little bit, but even a little bit can cost you a lot.

1:05:04Make a plan, skip the risk. Look out for yourselves and your mates. leave the car at home, book a taxi or a ride sharing app crash on a friend's sofa, take a walk it only takes one mistake and you could be regretting it for a lifetime wherever you are this summer, think don't put drugs in the driving seat

1:05:30this episode is brought to you by Google Chrome you think you know a browser, but Gemini and Chrome? that's new, they can help you with practically anything on the web like restoring a vintage motorcycle from a 50-page restoration block or finally break down that long article you've had open for weeks. Gemini and Chrome is here for it. Ready to make anything online make sense? There's no place like Chrome. Check responses set up required. Compatibility and availability varies 18+. You matched on Hinge. You're vibing. Then her energy completely changes. What do you do? I'm Raven Smith, and I wrote and read a real love story about this exact sitch.

1:06:07Listen to the free audio book now. I mean, Megson didn't last too long, but I bet when Owen Coyle came, and I bet the lads were, I bet it was a breath of fresh air over the training and... We know a lot about Owen. I always say to people, anybody who, a person who gave Owen media training should train everybody. Owen is an unbelievable talking from the camera. You're like, wow, he's painting a picture like he's... He knows what he's doing. Yeah, but we're actually far from the reality, you know. Owen is... We did a lot of five-a-side in training than any tactical work. It's a reflection of how our result is because we'll score four, we'll consider three.

1:07:00And when we did tactical work, we looked a very good team, but most of the stuff is just five a side, five a side. And it becomes so predictable that, you know, say we're playing on Saturday, yeah? So everything we did this week, training session, whatever, if we win on Saturday, that's what we do next week. So you're like, and you know us boys how we have our WhatsApp group, we always communicate to the point where it become like a joke where, oh, what do you think we're going to do today? and somebody will actually pull Monday, Tuesday, everything that we'll do, and that's what happened. And you're like...

1:07:38And it just wasn't as transparent with the boys in terms of, like, if me and you play in the same position, and I told you, you're not going to play this week because of this reason. And your excuses told me the same excuses, right? But then if we lose, and I went to see him, he's like, oh, no, no, no. No, you're telling people the same excuses? So why you just be bold enough to say, this is what's the problem? And the more you start to do that, the more the boy is just like, I'm losing my mind here. I'm checking out here, you know. Listen, I had a great time with Owen, but I just think Owen wasn't transparent with a lot of boys and that could wrap people the wrong way.

1:08:23See, it sounds like a good time, doesn't it? It's fun to, like, in terms of initially, like, That's what I mean, after Megson. after Megson for about two days. Yeah. You went from Megson who was like headmaster and then to go bang. It's this supply teacher who puts a video on. You've got headmaster to 1830 rep. If you were the worst person first person in training on Friday next Friday you go bring Krispy Kreme donuts all that kind of stuff. You're like at that time you didn't think anything else but you look back you're thinking wow I can't believe we let that slide because you're like we're not benefiting from this nice though aren't they I know it's nice you know it doesn't matter what results are and you're like but now you're like I wish one of us was bold enough to say no we should be focused on making sure we did well you know we go to the semi-final of the FA Cup the game was on on Sunday against Stoke we trained on Monday on Tuesday we went to London yeah all of us went to London and he's he said the reason we went to London because some of us never played at Wembley so we went to London literally went to Wembley Stadium and Owen walked in a pitch and all of us stood outside like literally on a touchline he walked in a pitch he walked straight in the middle of the centre of the pitch walked straight one end of the page, walked straight over the page and come back to us and we went back to our hotel.

1:10:00We went out for team dinner and some of us didn't get back into about three or four in the morning. The next day we went back to Manchester. That was a day off. So we trained first, so that's Wednesday off already yeah. So we trained Thursday, trained Friday, traveled back to London on Saturday and I played with Stokes I got tonked for now Five Five Yeah, I was there Five So you went visit Wembley then you had a night out in London Team Bonding you could score there I like that Owen But it's coming back Coming back Yeah, there's no need to But you're saying because we never played in Wembley to me I'm like well let us all find out the day of the game so that Yeah.

1:10:49They were taking us to London. Three hours, they got 25, 26 men on the coach or in the train. And then the next day we were off. That make no difference. The following, Stok got to the final against Man City. Man City won and Stok went to the Europa League next year. We could have gone to the Europa League, even though we're going to beat Man City, Man City is going to beat us anyway. We're going to go to the Europa League, but because of people don't see the... It doesn't sound like that has a moment to take you to Wembley. And you can understand that mindset of taking it in and the importance of it, but it doesn't sound like you've just gone and he's had a wandering pitch and then left again.

1:11:32It was more for him than for us. Because Oren, as I say, is very superstitious. Whatever it worked last week, that was going to happen the week after. That would be the procedure in terms of training, match prep, how the thing set up and that would be happening. Were you in the 3am club? No, no, no. Because most of us, some of us is like, why are we here? Like we keep asking ourselves, why are we here? Why are we not preparing for the game? Whatever. And it's like, I don't know if we're just team bonding, because we all went for milk, all of us together. But then after, everybody just like disappeared.

1:12:09I was like, you know. So it's not really a team bonding then, is it? No, it's just a night out. It's just an unnecessary trip to London. It was an unnecessary trip. That wasn't needed at all. How good was Sturridge? Oh, Sturridge could have been anything he wanted. No. At one time, he had a bit of a reputation as a bad egg. Yeah, but again, Sturridge is similar to Nicholas in a way because he's very sure of himself. Yeah. And he would deliver that, you know. but we had no in the first part of the season we had a wee man Wilshire wow he came on season wow Jack Jack was like wow it was like we had him for about six months played the West Ham Jack would absolutely run the show run the show and the second part of the season we got Sturridge Sturridge very very good for us but Sturridge is like

1:13:11Sturridge will play four games and five, six games will be like my tour, my fives. And he will be out for about two weeks and come back again and he'll be out for two weeks. That level of consistency, it wasn't there for him, but very good player. Very, very good player. Good finisher. Very sure of himself. Very good technically. I heard Gerrard talking about him. Bear in mind the level of the player he was. And he he was like, you'll not believe how good he was. Because him and Suarez won that for that season. He said, he was unbelievable. And another one who gets forgotten about really. And I saw him on Super Sunday with sunglasses on the other week.

1:13:53I said, no, Daniel. Not on my telly, son. I mean, that's Daniel for you, but in terms of ability, then you can do stuff you're thinking. Wow. But then you're like, and then after that just gone missing, then you come back and you think wow Daniel you come back and they go missing very very good footballer they're the most frustrating ones for me though I know do you know if you just bang average all the time you can accept that it's when they're incredible and they're doing shit very talented and you're like why are you just I think if you had a the mindset of Suarez I think everything went down the hill from my recollection of Daniel as soon as we went to the World Cup after that it was never the same person was Bolton I know you touched on the Christmas do before was that the best like squad as a unit yeah it was a mandatory everybody you have to go you have to go literally as soon as we knew as soon as we get to the full as soon as we knew because we literally the way we worked is by the time we got Christmas or if we were like in December, if we were on around 27, 28 point, so you only need 12 points to stay up, which means you go from December to end of March to find four wins somewhere along the line.

1:15:25So like, you know, that game on the 28th of December or the 27th of December, after the game, the flag's already booked, drive the car to Manchester, go to Dublin. That's it. And that was it. Fancy dress? Fancy dress. Just went from the tempo bar and all that kind of stuff. So, you know, my first year, it's like we went out and I enjoyed myself. So I thought the next day on a Sunday, I thought it would be an easy one. You know what I mean? And I'm walking down and everybody's there already. It's like, oh, okay. The first thing they gave me was a pound of Guinness. I'm like, Sunday morning? I said, yeah, that's the first thing you have to do.

1:16:07I was like you don't dream this now Fabrice you have to do this one and then you just one place and it led to another and I think the team below the team who's at 10th 11th in the league they enjoy that most and they get the most out of it in the top team oh yeah it's one of them and if you this is no disrespect to the lower Premier League teams they're not going to say if it was Chelsea Tottenham players they're going to get pictured they're going to get and they're front page news but lads in the middle of the Premier League they can be like oh we'll have a bash back then not now yeah yeah not now definitely not but I mean you obviously talk about Nicholas Benton being a really good wingman for knockdowns I can imagine one who's not David Weeter oh and I I will tell him he's dropped dead ugly wheats in it and he knows it plays it oh What a guy, Wade.

1:17:08Yeah, there's a total enigma of a man in there. What a guy. I've never seen a man that can drink that much and come out on a Sunday, play the best. They're like, Wade, where'd you get energy from? Don't worry about me, I've got it. I was like, okay, top guy. And I think we're Wade. We played together prior to Bolton. Played England together, 18, 19, 21. I kind of know what Wade's about. But then when you see him every single day, he's never angry. He's always happy. Top, top guy. Did you get on the... Did Stewie Holden organise one at Stockholm? No, that was Johan Elmander. Johan organised to Denmark.

1:17:50This was... I think we played Wolves and we won that game. I think Johan scored a goal where he turned around and organised that. That was very good. That was very good. That was very good. One of the goals. But I imagine he's a good wingman. Especially Obelie. Oh, yeah. He organised that. Yeah. A quick break, gents, from one of our favourites. The creme de la creme of VPN services. NordVPN. The best in the business. If you don't know what a VPN service is, it allows you to vouch a location anywhere in the world. Anywhere in the world. And where have we been lately? Swindon. We didn't need it in Swindon, but we did need it in Dubai.

1:18:34I did need it in Swindon because I went on the hotel Wi-Fi. Ah, Scandinavia. Yes, because that's another thing about NordVPN. Security, absolutely unbelievable. And when you go in on those, hotel Wi-Fis, just go with that. Everybody can get involved. Public Wi-Fis. That's your boy. Security. None of them hackers get into your bank details, your passwords. no no no I tell I'm watching at the minute I'm gonna say I'm gonna on me honeymoon soon I've started watching Dominican Republic who wants to be a millionaire yeah obviously gonna be times where she's getting ready and that I'm gonna be watching the telly you've seen all the millionaires over here yeah so you've got on Domi I'm on Dominican Republic ones at minute well that's the thing you can bench your location anywhere in the world so even if you're in the UK and you want to watch Dominican Republic Millionaire, you can get it on over here.

1:19:34Just bounce your location over to Dominican. I can watch anything I want, Chris, from around the world because I've got NordVPN. Sports series. Millionaire. Cut the tosh, lads. What is the script? Do we have an offer? Of course we've got an offer because, as under the cost listeners, you've just got to follow the link in the description and you get a heavy, heavy discount and, get this, a 30-day money-back guarantee. So if you don't like it, get your money back. That's why they're the goats for me.

1:20:04This episode is brought to you by Google Chrome. You think you know a browser, but Gemini and Chrome, that's new. It can help you with practically anything on the web, like restoring a vintage motorcycle from a 50-page restoration block, or finally break down that long article you've had open for weeks. Gemini and Chrome is here for it. Ready to make anything online make sense? There's no place like Chrome. Check responses set up required compatibility and availability varies 18+. You want to impress them on a first date, but also play it cool. So what do you do? I'm Rufy Thorpe, and I wrote and read a real love story about a hinged couple that navigated exactly that.

1:20:41Listen to the free audiobook now. I want to get on to that 12th of March, 2012, mate. Oh, God, yeah. But before we do, up until this point in your career, had you felt anything? you know when you do new medicals i never had no injury never so you never had no no cut nothing at all never had no hamstring never even to this day i never had no nothing at all so the yeah i mean i don't even know what we used to have but you get the the scams the ecg and all that we did in the beginning of the season yeah nothing nothing had ever been nothing at all nothing at all and on the morning of that game against Tottenham I spoke to my dad and like you know how you speak to him it's like do you want tickets I said yeah I want this I sort of had a ticket for you he said do you stay in London I said no I'm coming come back home after the game I said just meet me in Warhol and car park the old one and we can have a conversation and you can head back home yeah no problem at all again went to the the pitch no issue at all no symptom like any other game like you look forward to it you know as the game started so if I'm playing against you so if you stand in front of me but I can see two of you so there's you there there's another you next to you so my vision become a bit funny and within about 10 seconds I just bang fell down so you felt like this before like as you stood ready to kick off or during went on during the game we were playing and I remember I missed a decent chance as well before that and I went back in half and I kept you know I just stood in and if there's you in front of me I can see two of you and out of nowhere I just went that was it.

1:22:32Can you remember the going? It happened so quick you just that's it and then all the picture that that you guys see in terms of me being picked up in the ambulance or I don't know I wasn't aware of that at all I remember watching it it was in your house where are they? I don't think you are but yeah Jonathan Tobin was my doctor at Preston okay so obviously I've seen him coming on and yeah what am I? yeah nah do listen I always say this it couldn't happen in any better place than a football stadium because I've had the best medical staff I could ask and wish for. Bear that in mind, there was two doctors from two teams, which makes it four.

1:23:21Ambulance, which is 10 seconds away from me, which makes it another 10 people. You've got a cardiologist who came to watch the game in a stand who had nothing to do with the football game, which makes it about 11. So by the time it happened, 30 seconds by the time they come to the page, I had probably the whole hospital within me then. And then obviously doing the CPR and giving the electric shock.

1:23:52That made a massive difference because by the time they got into the ambulance, the cardiologist who was in the stand, he was working with the doctors. So by the time they got to the hospital, he took over and then hoping for me to react and after 78 minutes, I kind of responded. However, they didn't know how I'm going to, even though I responded in terms of breathing, I still wasn't awake. So I didn't wake up to the Monday. It might sound a bit daft, this, but did you, you know, like, so you're effectively dead for 78 minutes? Yeah. Did you go up or did you go down? Or like, can you, you know what happened?

1:24:30Many people ask me, did you see anything? I say, there's nothing. Literally, you're out of it. You're literally out of it. there's no and start or there's not a lie to that and none of them just the out of it. You just stood there at the pearly gates. Yeah. Now you go back down, you've got a bit left in your Febreze. I'm going to fucking help. I'm going to fucking help God. What's going on here? I'm not bothered. And then you're literally like, and then I'm because it happened Saturday and I only wake up to Sunday, on Monday morning and I lost, because I was out for a bit, I lost my short-term memory.

1:25:05My memory wasn't the best. But a lot of things from terms of like my childhood memory came back to me like this. Like everything that from when I was young, I could remember everybody I could be able to speak my native language that I wasn't able to speak fluently. Like my mom would speak to me and my stepmom would speak to me and I would respond to her like, she would look at me like, kind of unlocked certain memories. Like she would look at me like, and she would say something in our native language and I would speak to her so precisely. I said, are you sure this is you? I said, yeah. But then I didn't realise the magnitude of the situation because I have different people come in my room.

1:25:44Everybody you're talking about, Liam, Brady come. I've not seen Liam for a long time. And Liam come to see me. I'm like, Liam, what are you doing? Fab, how are you? I remember you've been an asshole. I said, how are you? I said, I'm okay. I'm okay. I said, are you okay? I said, yeah. I said, what are you doing? I said, oh, no, I just came to see you all. I said, okay, no problem. Are you aware of what's happened at this point? I wasn't aware at all because, and again, Mrs will come in, but like, she wouldn't tell me what happened. On a Wednesday, everybody's, a lot of things kind of died a little bit.

1:26:17So the Wednesday, the especially that was looking after me, he said, oh, do you know what happened? This is when everybody's going to just me and him in the morning. It's Wednesday? The Wednesday, they said, do you know what happened? I said, no, I want to know, but nobody's telling me. I said, okay. so um you had a heart attack i said what me he said yeah you you've had a heart attack and then you are by the time i was awake it's all i had like machine in me but i'm like i thought i was ready to go home you know i'm like you had a heart attack you were out of it for about 78 minutes i said what do you mean out of it you know you're like wasn't breathing and you weren't talking your eyes were rolling it's like what do you mean it's like you're saying what i'm thinking you're saying?

1:27:00He said, yeah, you were out of it for 78 minutes. I was like, okay. So when am I going back? I said, you're not going to go back here, but there's other stuff to do. And I kind of like, it took me a while to kind of understood it, but I'm like, I was literally in disbelief, like this happened to me. Like if you told me, I said, all right, whatever. That never happened to me. No, not like that. And then they explained to me the severity of it, where I was, how I got here and how, even when I woke up, my kidney shut down. My kidney wasn't working for about a month. Because I'm assuming everything shut down.

1:27:41Yeah. And I didn't realise how important your kidney was till you find yourself in that situation. Seriously. I'll tell you the story later on, but my God, your kidney. Wow. Wow, like, see how we can drink, we can eat food? But I wasn't able to go to the toilet. So I wasn't able to urinate at all. So if you put your finger to me, lift it, you leave your whole fingerprint in me because everything just observed me. So there must have been a possibility you've been brain damaged as well? There was every possibility. Like, literally, she's already thinking, I need to get a wheelchair. Because they were told if I come back, I won't be able to remember anybody.

1:28:29I remember she telling me I had a company to come to put a special chair for me when I come home to take me upstairs and downstairs, change the bathroom. I'm like, did you think that far? I said, yeah, because the news was, you're coming back as the worst of the worst. I didn't expect it to even to remember me. I was like, oh. And when I woke up and I remember a lot of people and I remember the big thing was my kidney the day that my kidney started to work was the most relief day of my life because you could just go and have a wee just be able to go to the toilet you don't realise how important it is and being in hospital for three four weeks not being able to urinate or wow wow you're like and then that that relief you're like yeah imagine that It's bad enough when you get staged for a hype.

1:29:24I can imagine that one, a pleasurable dump. Yeah. But it was like... You know, sometimes you have one and you're like, oh, I enjoyed that one. Because they were saying, we're waiting for you to kick in, otherwise we can't go to the next stage. Yeah. And once that kicked in, it was like, okay, then we can progress to the next stage. It must have been mind-blowing for you that the love that you received, you know, the football, beyond football community. Prior to that, we were, 2012, this happened. I mean, there's everybody who got in contact, sent me a message from Bex, the Pope. The Pope? The Bex?

1:30:11Well, to be fair, you were nearly so his boss, didn't you? The Pope. him sending me a message voice message i'm like how did you book on my number

1:30:25you're at that level mate you can get anybody's number i had a meeting with your number fuck that i had a meeting with seb blatter twice seb my mate seb yeah well if you knew if i knew what i know now god yeah it's like literally the outreach was incredible. I couldn't, I'm very humble and very thankful that people reached out to me. I was on holiday and then my wife called me and said, oh, somebody wants to see you. I said, who's that? I said, Perez? I said, Perez? I said, yeah. I said, okay, I picked up the phone. Hi Mr. Mwamba, it's Florentino Perez. I said, do I think what I think I am? I said, yeah, there's a charity game here in Madrid.

1:31:18I want you to be our guest of honor, but I know you're on holiday. I can sort out for you to come. I said, yeah, not problem at all. Literally, I went to Madrid against my United legend. I went and met Perez, Moreno. Moreno knew who I was, and it's like Marino's like oh how are you my friend how's your heart so I'm okay now I went to Madrid just from Zidane Figo Roberto Carlos the whole of like like Galato even the past past past all of them were like like only because Paris made the phone call and then that Marina Elegio and everybody yeah yeah so basically you've died for 78 minutes and you've just got on loads of guest lists It was incredible.

1:32:08Like Paris shook me. I was like, how did you get hold of me? It's like, oh no, we think you're such a huge, huge person. Yeah, no problem at all. Have you ever watched the footage back? Yeah, I watched it. Of the game. Yeah. How did that feel to watch it happening, unfolding? Because you see yourself like going and you're like, wow, I was really gone then. I was gone, you know. But as time goes on, whenever I see it, it's like, yeah, life really. I said many before, I had the best medical care I can ask and wish for because they did an unbelievable job just to get me from hospital, pitch hospital and the recovery, all that kind of stuff.

1:32:58The fact that that cardiologist was there, not even part of the two clubs and... Yeah, I'm the top guy. I said I still speak to all of them to this day, even the ambulance crew, everybody else. I still contact them to see how they are. Was there any conversation in the months or years afterwards? You know, I think about Ericsson coming back and obviously the numerous Aguero and people of Lockheed from Luton. But when people said to me, why he never got back? Because I said, if you look at Ericsson, by the time Ericsson left the pitch, he was awake. Yeah. I was out of it for an hour and 10 minutes, hour and 18 minutes.

1:33:44That's a long period of time. Apologies if this is a daft question, but were you bothered when they said, that advised you not to play again?

1:33:54I feel like, because all I wanted to see, I wanted to see three specialists and the three of the top in the world. The one in London Bridge and the one in Belgium who's specialized in her. And my thinking is that if one of them can say that we can find a way of making sure everything's regular, then I'd be able to use that as a way I said I can still play football and the first one the guy said to me listen you going back to play football he's like you run into your own grave I was like okay there's nothing I can do here I went to see the guy to Belgium he he went like he's almost like went so deep he said you going back to football you might as well die and I thought fucking hell to be fair you've been very stubborn there When the first one said you, fuck that, I want another opinion.

1:34:51You've got a second opinion over here. And then the third. And then when the second one said it, I was like, yeah, as much as I would love to go back, but I said, I want to still be here for my kids and spend time with them. And you're like, yes, it hurt, but it's better to be safe than sorry. And it took me, what, two, three years to get my head around it and then you move on with life and you do things. I can imagine you, obviously your first shite were nice, but your first time you had sex after you've come back, I can imagine that were quite a momentous occasion as well. Steady though, you don't want to be too strenuous, do you?

1:35:33I reached the promised land quicker than I thought. That happens to you a lot, huh?

1:35:44It's just like, obviously it'll never get forgotten will it like yeah it's one of those things where you look back you know the only person I've seen him play football is my first son my children know that I play football but only him that actually saw me play football and that's the thing I wish they could have seen me play football because like I don't want to tell them I play but I actually want them to see that I can actually play rather than me keep telling them I play something like that did it change as a person no it changed me in the sense that I don't have no fear. If it can come from that, why are you scared?

1:36:19Scared of what? Remember, this happened, these things happened, I didn't have control of. If I had the control of that, I can't stop it, but I can't control anything. So why would I fear? Man, just be present. Be present, live for the moment, enjoy every single day. That's not me to enjoy. And do you? That's not me to enjoy in every way you can think of because when in hospital and you're actually there, you're thinking, fucking hell. I was walking, when I was going to the toilet, you know, you have that dressing gown in the hospital and I had that machine with me everywhere. I'm thinking, fuck me.

1:36:58And I went from playing football and then having this thing with me to take me to the toilet and it's like, beep, beep. I'm like, and then you're like, what's going on here? You know? But yeah, be present and enjoy. enjoy enjoy every day enjoy the good the bad just enjoy it is that how you feel you feel as well I've just said it's the second chance oh yeah 100 % 100 % of what like as I said I meet I met a family where the kid had a similar accident as me similar but what happened that when they asked for help somebody parked the car in the main entrance of the stadium so by the time the car the guy come to remove the car go to the person person died so you're like how could you how would you explain that to that person's mother you know so for me be present just enjoy a month we are of shit long old time innit yeah not one hour not even a day no no no yeah back in back in coaching yeah when I when I stopped I went back I did my my media course I did journalism with the University of Stafford so just to be able to brush up my writing skill and my reading and my English as well then I started to do my coaching badge.

1:38:28I spent a lot of time at Liverpool, City, various football clubs to see how different teams work. And last two seasons I spent two years at Burnley. Great experience. I learned a lot. Worked with Vinny. My first Vinny in terms of him being a manager but I'm in with the 16 and just observing session. And my second season moved up to the first team with Scott Parker. Very, very good experience. to get promotions in the summer. I'm just happy I'm out of at the moment where I feel like when you're in football, especially if you're young coaches, you feel like you're missing out. I was having a young family and then being able to commit, especially in a championship every day, you're missing out on certain stuff.

1:39:17And I'm just, yeah, I'm happy that I took a step back a little bit. Do you think that your experience has played a part in making that decision? Because say somebody was just looking to get ahead in coaching, was at the same crossroads as you there, could carry on at Burnley, but you've decided to spend more time with your kids. Yeah, I think once I knew my times at Burnley was coming to an end, I was like, I'm going to take a year and spend time with them. and I think I think because you're so in a bubble you realise that the number one priority of your family is being hurt by you being around them so I'm like no I need to spend time with she's happy I'm with them the kids are happy and I can see why and they can they strive in what they're doing and I'm more much happier as a person as well and I said that I said before if in the summer something comes up I'd definitely love to take off a bar I feel like as a next player you know this but the way the game is now nobody's a better coach than you because you've seen and you've done it and some of the coaches stuff now you're like nah you're just winging it now you're really winging so you're giving them the wrong information I feel like oh then your word yeah but I feel like keep it basic and explain to them and show them and most of them they're not the kids are not being shown what to do they've just been told what to do and that's the problem you know because they're learning them from somewhere else and they come back in they do it and you're like oh well done but you didn't show him exactly what you want him to do because you're learning somewhere he managed to convince you that's the way to do it and you believe that's the way to do it you know and then for me I feel like as a parent or as an ex-player I would teach them and I would show them as much as I can and then hopefully that and I said to them this I said I can't make you become a footballer you have to want to become a footballer and if you want to become a footballer I will help you but I'm not going to play for you because I don't have that physicality to play you have to show me you want to do it and we hope we'll guide you to the best we can Would you like to become a manager eventually?

1:41:32I mean you can't say yes you can't say no but I think if your opportunity would your team do support? Barnsley they're after one actually if you want If Barnsley called you today said listen was you able to drive that car for us in terms of you leading the team? Me personally, I'd tell them to shove it up their eyes. I wouldn't have a clue. Not a bug in Jans. No, no, no. I think, yeah, why not? You have to believe in yourself. And I think the way the game is now, football hasn't changed. It's just how do you manage people? That's the difference. I think that's where you get the best. I think that's where you see the light of Pep and the club of this world, where everybody that worked for them, speaking hard of them, because the way they managed him, the way he spoke to me, the way he made me feel.

1:42:19And in football, if I can make you feel good and make you feel wanted, and I'm sure you can run through the brick wall for me, you know, and tactic is tactic anyway. Training session, training session, it's how you make me feel in the morning and when I walked in in the training ground, how do I make sure this environment is accommodated to you so that I get the best at you. Let's build your backroom staff. Out of all the players you played with, who would you take as your assistant? Ooh. I'll say Mike Taylor, the goalkeeper coach at Birmingham. Because Mike's background is in the army. And I sat a lot with Mike, a lot in the coach.

1:42:58And we have a conversation. You can see somebody is either thought-provoking and also he'll tell you when you're wrong, you're wrong. And when you're right, you're right. And I feel like sometimes either one at number two who's a yes man. No, this is what I think is wrong. Fab you did go this wrong and go on up to him go and say sorry and I think Mike is one of those guys where he will tell you how it is well right sugar coat it you know who would you bring in as entertainment manager Wita that's all you're going to get from him I need you just bring just bring everybody together just bring us together please Wita I need you get the lads together you know does Port ring you on a private number?

1:43:43Yeah. You can't save. There's one you want in your phone book, isn't it? For prank call.

1:43:53Oh, dear. You must have thought that were a prank. Even when Bex left a message, I'm like, huh, Bex? I looked up and I said, I listened to High Fabrice's Beckham. I said, wow. Yeah. Does Beckham ring on a private number? Yeah. yeah of course I'm going to start ringing on a private number you'd be very surprised everybody will pick up a phone call especially if you I never answer them it's usually someone selling double glazing yeah hi February 6th the Pope fuck off I think I'm down not a chance well mate yeah thanks for coming on no no thank you for having me and I hope people get to listen to this just enjoy life being able to be present in the moment and make the most of every day you know life is too short we live in a society where everybody is so concerned about I don't have this I don't have that no just be present make the most of it every single day because I said once you're in that hospital a friend is not not the easy place to be it's not the most comfortable place to be but being able to spend time with your friends and family I enjoy I enjoy more holiday more now than I ever enjoy before because I know you know if you could have told me that day I have a heart attack I said I might as well stay in my bed not going to play football why would I if I knew what's going to happen but life is unpredictable you know you just have to be present I said be just be be present and be present in the moment the good the bad the ugly just be present he needed that pep talk more than anybody because we're going on his stag do next month.

1:45:42Oh my God. So I'm going to remind you at the bar. Be present. Don't be going home to bed. Don't be tired. Embrace every moment. If I have one more vodka red bull I'll have a heart attack. So I'm going for health and safety reason. And I say be present. Boys and men just be present. We need you today. You have to do that. I'm present in body but not in mind. Be present. Yes. Thank you very much. Thank you guys. I appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you.

1:46:16I didn't like what you said, Odin pauses, about the future. This is the love story of real hinge couple Odin and Edward, written and read by me, Curtis Garner. Listen to the free audiobook now. This episode is brought to you by ChatGPT. Hey, it's Bill Simmons from the Bill Simmons Podcast. Have you guys heard about ChatGPT work? It's the new way to use ChatGPT for bigger multi-step projects. And when you need more than just answers, give ChatGPT work access to your apps and files, and it can create real work documents like spreadsheets, slides, and structured reports. Get started at ChatGPT.com by selecting work mode available on Plus and Pro plans.