Penalty heartbreak for Arsenal as PSG go back-to-back

Coming up on today's show, as a complete neutral, I would say it's a victory for positive football over negative football. Well, I think definitely the best team have won the tournament again. It was a tap vs defence. Arsenal can't match PSG for player to play a can then. No, I looked at the two teams before the start thought, "Woof!" When you were a defender and you were approaching a penalty, defenders you needed and all that. You just say, "Hit it as hard as you can." It didn't look confident, you know? It's almost like you just wanted to get it over and done with the license they are given. They make such a difference to PSG. It was like marching my caricatures that he's prime. And more. It was like my computer that. In his prime. I was being ironic. Hello and welcome to the rest of his football with my caritchers and me, Gary and Enrico recording this on Sunday afternoon after the Champions League final was played last night, and Alan has another lunch, Mike. Oh my. It's game. It's game from acceptable now. I think the other big boss, you're going to need to step in. I think he has more lunches than Gordon Ramsay. I don't know what's going on. He loves it, did he? I even give him the option. I'm free all evening. Yeah. Have you been mixing it with the stars with. Oh yes. beck and then. Me and Jagger. Yeah, I've got it. What a cool dude he is. 82, at ease. He's got a button like his. Is my age? You know, someone's got charisma. He's got so much charisma. Big ass, no fun. We had him on the Beckham & Friends show for the first 10-15 minutes, and yeah, it was really nice. I reckon, actually, I can trump you. I've just been for lunch at the River Cafe, and Elton John walked in. Elton John. John, these family, these two boys, chat with chatty with them. Obviously, they're Watford fans. What was Elton John? Candle in the wind. Was that. What was Elton John? That was. That was. I know, but that was one of them. Rocky Man. Rocky Man. There are a lot of hits, so John's had a lot of hits. Steve Martin, you know, Steve Martin, he's moken. Steve Martin. No. Richard E. Grant. You might have heard of him. No, probably not. I probably know him by face. You would definitely know Boses and by face. And there's one, even you, might have heard of Tom Hanks. Tom Hanks? A Serling Donald Tom Hanks. What a legend he is. Yeah, I know. It was. He's mixing with A-list, doesn't he? Yeah. For a little while, yeah. Let's talk about a bit of football. It was obviously disappointing for Arsenal. They missed out on the penalties and we'll come to that. But I think overall, probably. Well, I think definitely the best team of won the tournament again. Yeah, I would say so, but. I haven't reflected on the game. I actually think Arthet and got it spot on in terms of his tactics. So, we all talked about the PSG buying in, did we? It was, you know, all the talent on show, really high energy, really top quality. But Arsenal can't match PSG for player-for-player, can they? We all know. I looked at the two teams before the. I thought, "Woof." It was a goal. It was a goal, wasn't it? There is, realistically, I think, in certain positions, particularly. And I just think, how can you approach a game against PSG? And the way Arsenal's set up for a defensive unit, and I'm looking at it from a defender. And if you're neutral, everyone's gonna say it's a boring game. But if you look tactically, what Arthet did and how they stayed, if you give club a scale tie on the more, it's gonna make you look stupid. Same with Dembele, same with Dua. We know what we've talked about in the midfield, all season out. The team here, Jal Nevers, outstanding. The way Arsenal played against them, every time the ball went to one side of the pitch, the shuffle to cross. And then when they have to jump, they jumped at the right time. The only problem for Ars Life 4 is when they got the ball back, they couldn't get out. So you're expecting Halberts to hold the ball a little bit more, when it went up to Trossard. And then when they tried to break, it was a little bit too deep. So that's the only thing I took from it for. Could they have been a bit more positive in that way? Could they have gone with a Martinole? Could they have started with a Yocca res maybe just for the transition? But in terms of defensively, I thought that did the job ever so well, I really did. Well, they do defend very well. Looking at the game as a fan, with no skin in the game, other than the fact that I do genuinely like to see the Premier League teams win. And I think that would have been great. We've obviously won the other two European competitions. I would say that Arsenal had to play that way. I don't think they could probably have beaten them if they'd played expansive football, entertaining football. But at the same time, I would say probably football won though. I know there are all sorts of different ways to play. And you can play defensively. But ultimately, football is a sport. It's an entertainment and you want to see teams that are really positive, creative, have the best players and play wonderful football. And I think this season, those three teams have been by Munich, PSG and Barcelona. I think our sides have struggled a bit in terms of that side of the game. And Arsenal are brilliant defensively. And if they'd have held on, not given away that penalty, I mean, PSG didn't create much because Arsenal was so well organised in the structure and the manner of the played like you said. So I just think as a complete neutral, I would say it's a victory for positive football, over negative football. Well, I saw similarities between Arsenal's final appearance to England's against Italy in the Euros at Wembley. I saw similarities of when England played Croatia in the semi-final in the 2018 World Cup in Russia. So I saw similarities there where you score early and then you think, "Whew, now they probably would have played the same way anyway." But I think the fact that they did get that early goal and you've got something to hold on to, made them even more determined, I think, to play on a defensive manner. But as a forward, as someone who likes the beautiful game, I just love to see attacking football. And I think in terms in the way the sport should be played, I think the best team won. Yeah, I would say the most entertaining team won definitely. If you look at football, it was a tap vs defence and we all want to see that. And the bravery of the players, Pramish Geli and now, even though we had a, I would say, quite a game than usual. Then you were expected, obviously, because of the way Arsenal set up. But when he gets on the ball, it's just so dangerous. The way you can go both ways. But when you look at winners now, guys, and I, because I play fullback, I always look at what winners do and how they've evolved. And yes, the play we've free up front. But I'm sick to death of winners coming back and playing the simple pass. Pramish Geli never, ever plays a simple pass. He always tries to be positive and watching him live, especially how you at Birdside View, tactically, you can see what he wants. He always wants to ball. And he can't get past mascara for the first until we've got the penalty. But he was still going and trying to do and make something happen. And that is the difference. So when you're talking about positive football, yes, that's what I'd like to see. I would love to see sort of like Sacka in a PSG. So he can go at people a little bit more. A lot of his energy is spent defending because of the setup of the team, rightly or wrongly. But watching some of those performances from PSG over the course of the season, Betinho. He's the best at the field in Europe at the moment on in form. Without doubt, John Nevers, the way he's just so composed on the ball, the belly, the way he presses. Do A was quieter by his standards, I would say, because there's no space to run into. But I really like patch of patch of the centre-off who doesn't really get a credit. Everyone talked about Saliba and Gabrielle. But I thought patch of was really good. I saw on social media, this is history and why he wears number 51. No, I didn't see that. Quite its poignant, actually. He broke through, obviously, in his home country. And on the day that he was to make his professional debut, his mother died. Yeah. And they didn't tell him before the game. They told him after the game. And she was 51. Wow. And he's obviously gone on to great things. And certainly would have made his mother very proud. But I totally agree with you. Inspirational player. And we'll see him in the world cup. But it's interesting what you said about Kravich Gelya and the way he takes people on. We know we're inundated with stats these days and sometimes. Do you know the players that tend to give the ball away the most are also the most creative players? You know, when I've so many years I saw the stats in Barcelona that the person who lost the ball the most most was messy. And it's like Kravich Galea probably would be something similar, but they're the people that take the most risks, because they've got the most ability to do it. So they actually make a huge impact even if, you know, they're stats, see stats can lie a little bit sometimes. So I thought that was quite fascinating those things. I remember another player that gave the ball away, a lot was Dimmeria, plays Raj and Tina and he was another one that always tried forward passes and trying to get the ball through a neat, you know. So I think, you know, you can see those sort of players and they're the ones actually I think make the difference in the end, because if you've got no one taking chances, you're not going to create chances. Yeah, but he also having the license to do that. If you look at the way PSG settle, they're fullbacks, new demands, you know, you know, you know Mendez apparently now, you don't mean so you don't mean this. Don't tell me after all this new demands, because you've got it wrong. Apparently, it's just new to bend this. So apparently I got it wrong and he came. The license they had given, they was both doubts before the game gas, both doubts, they played the four, how am I saying even possible, open down, open down, open down, but going with real conviction and quality, they make such a difference to PSG. It was like watching my corrections that he's prime. Well, I'm more, it was like my good, it is prime. I was being ironic, my, I didn't really mean it. I was just like, I'm sorry. Well, you know, it's so good seeing them do the things that they've been doing all season, but then implement that in a final, because you know, yes, they're the holders. The one at last year, could they do it again? Yes, they would have liked to do it in normal time. I felt as though for me, when Dembelli came off and when Krabba Schenny came off, Borkola had that chance when he went through, I think the quality dropped off a little bit. Well, I think he did. Yeah, I don't think that's just a fact. You know, Borkola is a great to have as a sub, but he's not as good as the aforementioned. Yeah, totally agree. And Dembelli, what is Dembelli, that to take the penalty, the pressure and we were sort of behind the PSG fans and they were so nervous. Half of the fans weren't even looking too nervous to look at what he put it in. It was just relief. And those fans were brilliant PSG as well. Couple of decisions people have been talking about a lot. There was the Sackaham ball and then the penalty shout for Madwecki when he went through. I actually think they were right with both. I know a lot of people said, well, Sackaham did it. Well, the first, the ball ricocheted off his shoulder, didn't it? I thought he's shoulder above. And then went down, hit his hand, which is, and his hand was actually by style. So I didn't think that, but I could, I was surprised I didn't give it because you know what they like in this competition. Anything that touches your hand. So I was surprised I didn't give it, but I would hate to see penalties given for that, but they are. But they are in a Champions League final. Yeah. And actually, when you look at the Madwecki thing again, if there was a foul, it was probably outside the box. And also Madwecki did seem to wrap his arm around him. So I think the officiating got those decisions right. Other people would disagree, of course. Yeah, I think the certainly not enough to overturn the Madwecki one. I think you could have been given on field, you hold your whole hands up and say, it's a little bit soft, but you understand why you're doing it. But you're not going to overturn that. The Sackaham, like you said, even for getting the Champions League final, but in any football, it's not intentional, is it? It's come off him, it's ricochet. So that doesn't seem, that doesn't matter anymore, does it? I know, but it's the phrase is with the law that people are sort of weaving and using terminology of one thing and not on another. It was one of those. It ricocheted off him. If you were to be a given, you would have understood why it would be given, but we don't want to be seen then given. And we just haven't consistently all season. Yeah. We're back to how the Hamble Law used to be, which was the had to be a degree of intent. Now, yes. And it clearly wasn't. And it was like in the Champions League final Liverpool Spurs a few years ago, I was at the game, I'm in Madrid. And Susoko, Denise, Harm was out and someone struck the ball and obviously was away from his body and they gave a penalty. I mean, you can't have rules for one game and it don't rules for another final. Exactly. I think if we could get back to a bit of bloody common sense about just change, you know, because we'll all end up arguing about every decision and we still will and we did doing our day about the Hambles and stuff, but it's become, I think, pretty ludicrous now that, yeah, totally. Totally. Yeah. And then, a power shoot out. It's just a bloody awful way to lose. I mean, there it is, but a great way to win, I would suggest as well. I know, but imagine worth what, there's Arsenal concede six goals until the final and then seven goals when they conceded the penalty. And Arsenal have gone all the way through the competition without losing. It's just penalties. Yeah. It's taken away from them and that's how cruel football is. And like you said, on the balance of who was trying to win the game more, it would be in PSG's, you know, favour, so you say, okay, they tried to play maybe the football gods and spoken and said, okay, they tried to play their football, they tried to win. So they probably deserved it, but to me, how did it take it away from you on a penalty shootout? It just seems harsh. You know what I want to do though? I want to get rid of extra time. It's not. Absolutely. It's not. It's nonsense. No one's trying to win. Can everyone do that? There's been so much football throughout this season. It's a waste of time. I've been saying this for years. It's ludicrous. The only time I think you could, I mean, you possibly could have one, is in a huge final possibly because the World Cup we saw, that was an amazing extra time, which is such a rarity. They also need to help footballers out a little bit because I mean, I know, yes, unbelievably well paid and all this stuff. But in terms of the supporters who pay, you want to see fresh footballers that are going to give you the most entertainment possible. But at the moment, we don't. We've got more and more fixtures. There are more Champions League games now than there were a few years ago because the nature of the group stage is now a league stage. We're going to the World Cup where there's an extra round of matches. So that's an extra game. This was a World Cup last year. I was going to come to the club World Cup as well. So please, at least give us something back and stop extra time because I think 90% of the time, unless you're team, unless you're team, as a neutral, you're watching a game and it's a draw at the end of full time, you say, well, it goes to penalties. But you don't, sometimes you don't want to wait for another 45 minutes because it takes forever now. And it would be a little bit of something that wouldn't take away from the game at all to say we're not going to force players when they're completely exhausted and knackered, which imagine this World Cup, there'll be so many extra times playing the heat and it would be difficult and a lot of them will still go to penalties anyway. Yeah, just get rid of extra time. It's, I've never really been a fan of it anyway. So if you can't sort it out in 90 minutes then, let's get the penalties going. And then, well, the penalty is there's always someone that's got to miss. I mean, I will say, as I always say, give them credit for being prepared to put themselves on the line under severe pressure. I've seen Eberichier's, he's got a bit of stick because of his stuttering thing and he's missed a couple before like that. But I would also say that if he'd have scored, no one would have sorted a fucking word. Some of the penalty takers that Arson would probably want to take them, I can think of immediately sack her. You go, was not on the pitch. So, you know, was he originally planned to be number five, possibly not? And again, if he'd have scored, no one would have said, it's so easy after the event. Yeah, when Gabrielle stepped up though, I don't want to say look nervous because you could probably say that by every player that stepped up, but I was wondering what technique he was going to use. So when you're a defender and you're approaching a penalty, defenders you need and all that. We just say, hit it as hard as you can. That's what we think. And when he was rooting up and taking it, he didn't look confident, you know, he's almost like he just wanted to get it over and done with, you know, and I remember you sat next to me and said, Gabrielle's going to hit this as hard as he possibly kind of, it's going to go over the bar. And that's exactly what happened as well. You know, he just got a sense of the feeling. But like you said, fair play for him stepping up. He wanted to lead by example, but I would have liked to see Madwiki take one, you know, a technician. I know it's easy saying that like you said, after the event, but that's why you've got the players, they have better technique, they're playing forward positions because they have better techniques. Even if you're nervous, you, you probably, he's higher. If you're more technical, you know, sir. No, no, totally agree with you. But if you're not prepared, if you, if you're not afraid, if you're, mother, I'm not not me throwing my wakey under the bus. I just think if you've got technical players on the pitch, you've got, you give yourself a bad chance. Yeah, I always thought PSG might win the Parachute again because of the technical abilities, although, you know, a lot of their great players were off the pitch as well by that stage as well. And that's the other thing, isn't it? But the time you've played extra time, there's, you know, half your team's different to the team that starts the game. But overall, I think, Arsenal need to, you know, brush themselves down and say, it's been a pretty good season. They've won the Premier League, which I think a lot of the Arsenal fans would have taken ahead of the Champions League and all of them because they've never won that trophy. So, but all in all, it's been a very successful season. I'd like to see them play next season. Now they've got that off their back a little bit more adventurously, tactically, would you agree? Yeah, definitely. I think in terms of the precious off now. And I think recruitment's going to be key because they've got a really good squad arsenal. What do they need? I think, I think they actually need another striker. Yeah. Habers is outstanding in terms of technical ability. I think Yoccares has done well for coming in in his first season. But if they could get someone like Alvarez, it would just give them something a little different, you know. You've got a 500 million. You're as far as. Is that what it is? Have you seen the responses from Atlético Madrid towards Barcelona? No. Well, they've had a real pop at Barcelona for allegedly tapping him up. Yeah, it's been a bit of social media fun. Let's say Atlético are not happy. They're not happy about that. That's what happens when you play as a player. Well, he's one of the best strikers in world football at the moment going to the World Cup, World Cup winner as well in the last tournament. So it's to be expected. I think they need wide left. Yes, I would agree with that. I also think they need another centre-midfield. I think not bringing in no guard has worked to a certain degree in terms of his temperament. So he's not going to know if he's not playing. Malsley is scaling. Definitely do a job in there. I've thought his performance was exceptional. Young teenager, I thought he did really well. I mean, he's a teenager but he's bloody mature in terms of his performing. I just feel so to get the best out of someone like Zubimendi, you need to be a little bit higher so he can get on the ball and then Ditchbjote is passing for a little bit deeper. You don't take it? Yeah, you don't want him on the ball ATRs from goal. Exactly, exactly that. Which he's so difficult and then in the Premier League, the energy. So if they were to tweet the way they play, you can definitely be important in terms of what I just feel at times when he's moving Malsley's skill to left back and you want that physicality and that pace and that power plus his technical ability. If you can get someone else in the middle with a rice, just a bit more box to box, a bit higher energy, a bit more aggressive, that a left-winger and a striker. And I think they can compete for two, three, four years. That sounds good, I think they can be. I definitely agree with that. They're definitely going to be one of the main contenders obviously for the Premier League but also the Champions League again. Let's take a break, Michael. When we come back, I want to discuss one of two issues. We haven't talked about Crystal Palaces, European Triumph, I might have the word "Unbilar" even though we have. On theirs as well and also of course the dismissal of Arne Slott back in a moment. This episode is brought to you by Hotels.com, booking your next hotel for a work trip or a weekend away to see your team play with Hotels.com. Each day brings you closer to rewards. Introducing the all new 10 for 100 from Hotels.com. It's exactly what it sounds like. Stay 10 nights, get back £100 in Hotels.com cash to use on your next getaway. It's a simple and flexible way to get more value from the trips you are already taking, whether it's a quick trip or something you've been planning for a while. 10 for 100 with Hotels.com rewards, it's all in the name. Members 18 plus, average cost per night in a booking must be £75 or more to count excluding taxes fees and Hotels.com. It's nearly that time everyone. The rest is football will be on Netflix every day for the world's biggest tournament. Join myself, Alan and Michael for daily debates, unfiltered takes and the most special of guests all from the heart of New York City. Yeah, that's right. We're excited too. See you soon. This segment is brought to you by the Lego group. World Cups tend to be remembered in images and between Argentina, France and Brazil. They're already plenty. We've each got Lego edition football sets in front of us and once you put on Bappé Messi, a vanissius junior on the table, legacies are on the line. All eyes are on vanissius junior to create his own piece of history. In Qatar, Messi lifted the trophy and what felt like the final piece of an extraordinary story. And Bappé scored a hat trick in the same game, but it feels like he still has more of his World Cup story to write even though he's won it. So with the FIFA World Cup 2026 on the way, which moment will the next generation remember? Is it going to be one of these three in front of us? So we just start on vanissius junior. I mean, what two champions leagues? The only problem is when he's got someone like Arnayn, Pele, the name are all superstars. I think it's his time to shine now. He's got to be the one to take him to the next level and he's got the ability. I'm not sure he's got the teammates. Yeah, they've got some good players. They've got good players, yeah. Got some really, really good players and a very good manager. And Shalotti. Hello, and Shalotti. What about Messi then? Going to play in his six. Do you still got it, do you think? He's still performing. He's obviously nice to a performer. I just think the last one was probably his best one, I think, in terms of him winning it. The way he did, what a player, what a story. I mean, to play in six is incredible, isn't it? Two Golden Balls as well and the, yeah, in the previous ones he's played in. So not sure they'll better what he did and go again. Well, it'd be hard to do that again, wouldn't it? But you never know France will be one of the favourites and you know, on Bappé, superstar. Gigi is one the World Cup, scored a hat, she can a World Cup final, lost, scored pretty much a goal again for this season, 14, 40, something like that. I mean, he's going to take some stopping. The only thing is I'm so bad at that team is that there are so many superstars up front and where do they fit in and what position does, because Bappé's been playing as a nine at club level, will he play the same way for friends? You're all going to be very intriguing. How long did it take to put that together? A couple hours. For each one? No, for the lot. Oh, yeah, two hours. Pretty impressive. I'm good with my hands. World Cup memories aren't made of group tables, fixture schedules or combined elevenths, they're made of images. It's that goal. That shirt, that celebration, a player became your legend, but greatness isn't just for the pitch, with a passion that rivals the pros, the fans are part of the action too. For a lot of young supporters, the FIFA World Cup, 2026, will be the first one they properly experienced. Lego editions, football sets, give them something connected to the football they're watching, something to build, something to display, something they can make their own, a little piece of the tournament that feels like pairs. Everyone wants a piece. Search Lego editions to find out more. Welcome back to the rest of the football with Mike Riches and me, Garellinica. I suppose the big news aside from the Champions League final was that Arnie slot as part of company with Liverpool. It looked like he was maybe going to stay and then suddenly it happened. I don't know whether it was a late change of mind or whatever happened. Some people think so. We won't know that, but were you surprised, Mike? No, I wasn't surprised. When I heard the news, it was just, if you look at Liverpool last sort of 10 games, there was nothing really there was it. And the amount of money that they spent and Liverpool historically don't spend that money. So he was always going to be under more scrutiny and more pressure. I love slot. I think he's a really good manager to deal with the whole thing of clock leaving and then to win a Premier League. Let's not forget. Liverpool would not want to Premier League for 30 years. Cop comes and does that. Slot does that. People would say, oh, well, it was cops. It might have been, but you've still got to navigate the ship to where it needs to go. She's a difficult thing to do. He had a little bit of calm. They changed it a little bit in terms of their tempo and it worked for them. I just feel there was a little bit of a disconnect between the manager and the fans at the end. And the Liverpool style has always been high energy, be aggressive and use unfield to your advantage. And in the end, we had none of that. So would I have given him another year? Yes. Because of the whole thing, we've said all season in terms of Diago Jotter and all that did. The whole thing with him falling out with Sala didn't help early part of the season. And then at the end of the season, he was always under pressure. So they had to make a decision. And with man city changing, pet leaving, with who was on the market at the time, I just feel as though they, they made the decision in the best interest for Liverpool Football Club which is the right thing to do. So I'll be back. I wasn't surprised, but if I would have given one more year because of him winning the league title, he's had the league title in the bag. So I feel as though he deserves another season with E set back with some more signings or whatever that may be or whatever that may look like. So yeah, people might say it's harsh, but I wasn't surprised. - No, I think I wasn't, I could sort of sense it was coming. There's a lot of talk about people saying, "I'm just having a late decision "because otherwise why wouldn't they have gone for Javier? "Lanzo's gone for Chelsea." I would say though, I think they've probably looked at the Liverpool style, the Liverpool brand. You know, we always go down, "Well, he was a former player." - Nose the club, which I was thinking, what does that mean? And he can go back and he'd been very successful, but I'm not sure it would have been a massive change in, it's certainly his style of football was not like a Yergen Klopp style of football because he played three at the back, you know, with his full backs and it was a fairly slow-ish buildup a lot of the time. So I wonder whether they were thinking more along the lines of someone who perhaps is a better fit with high energy high-octane football and the lot of the talk is that it might be Iriola who does play that sort of style and did really well with Bournemouth, which is, you know, it's not as easy to do because you haven't got the quality of player that Liverpool would have. So I'm a little bit skeptic about the fact that they missed out on Javier Lanzarro, I think they would not have been naive enough to think that he wouldn't consider another job if they wait. - Yep, I totally agree. I think it's hard, isn't it, because everyone's making the decisions and you've got to get the decision right for the players and there's so much money involved with everything. So Liverpool, what's been, what? 400 million? - 400, 140, I don't know. - Yeah, and you've got these players who've not performed. They can't afford next season to have another season like it's just gone. So the next appointment has to be banged on and they would have been thinking about it for months and months and months. And then, you know, we think, oh, we put two and two together we don't really think, oh, Javier Lanzarro, he's going there, he's going, but they've been doing their research from six months before. They know exactly what they want, but they need to get it right and that is a key. You mentioned Eriola, the only thing I would say that Eriola, Ivan said, towards the end of the season, he could be managing a team that's challenging for the Premier League, but he's not managed top, top players. - Right, yeah. - So he's a little bit of a risk in terms of that, but his style of play, yeah, he's definitely got it. He's amazing, very aggressive, high press, not afraid to play youngsters, takes risks. All the things that Liverpool are yearning out for, I would say. - Yeah, I don't think there's a non-risk appointment. I think whoever you always, there's always a question. Unless you could get someone like Pep or Lewis Henry K. I might suggest what a guy, what a guy, what a coach. He's my favourite coach. After Pep. - Eyes unbelievably good. - I just love the way talks and even give it a little reference to Pep, like he was the one who, the taking all their bits and pieces and stuff, style from and all that. And he's one of the champions of Barcelona, he's one of the twice in PSG, but he's still giving the praise to Pep, just shows you what sort of human he is, what a top coach and he's a really nice guy also. I don't all shout out to him at the side of the pitch. He gave us a little bit of a stick last season because Jamie, Jamie Cady, go into Dortmund, and he had a Dortmund scarf on, and after the game, I thought I must have won the game. And he was supposed to come and say, and have a few words of his on CBS. And then he'd seen Jamie with a scarf on it and just walked and every time after that, he didn't speak to us. So Jamie had to go last week, groveling the spoke a little bit. And then at the final, I was delighted for it. - I was in a beta this week. I saw Jamie at a restaurant. - That's all, yes, Jamie, that's who saw you. - Yeah, yeah, oh, right, of course. Yeah, Jamie Cary was there. - I guess there's a few out there because obviously, on Bappé was there, and a little chat with Virgil Van Dyke, who was also there. I think most of the teams that are playing in the World Cup have given their players a week off. Obviously, unfortunately, if Virgil was pre the slot announcement, otherwise, I'd have asked him his opinion. Not that he would have given it probably, but there you go. So, but Jamie Cary goes out there. It beat, I can tell you now, if Louis and Marika, if you're listening, Jamie wasn't wearing a Dortmund scarf. But then it was about 28 degrees, so you wouldn't need a scarf at all. - Would you go with the Rihola? - If I was Liverpool fans, I know it's totally left field. - More glass than a maybe. - No, no, I would go with. And it's not going to happen because he loves Athletico, but I think Simiola would be a perfect, what for you? - He would pull. Imagine him on the side with all the un-filled behind him. It'd be like, it'd be like going to battle every single game. He would get the best out of the players. Yes, it might not be the style that everyone wants, but in terms of that, that figure, passion, passion, desire, everything, I'd be great. I'd love to see him in the Premier League. But, yeah, but that's wishful thinking. In terms of Rihola, I would give him it, yes, because I feel he suits the style of play of what Liverpool need. The only thing I'm looking at it tactically, he likes to play with two sort of up front. He was playing with, it was like a two, but then changing into a three at times. We had Ryan, Vinny, he was playing front, but on the wing. And then he had Croupie and Evan Ilson too. But he plays with high energy. What does that mean for someone like, "Vert's, if he gets the job?" Because he's really, really good technique, but in terms of getting up and down, it's just managing the squad and the demands that he wants from his players. And dealing with bigger egos and even dealt with before, which is, you know, it's just, it's interesting, I saw that Javi Lanzo is now managing Chelsea. Here I will, if he gets the Liverpool job, that'll be Liverpool Chelsea. Arteta is an Arsenal. And those three played in this small youth team in the Bask area, all played for the same little youth football club for a number of years. I think it was those three, wasn't it? Yeah. I mean, I'm actually incredible. They don't seem to find them in the Bask country a little bit. We must say congratulations. I think we did it before in Aston Villa. Great performance for them in the final, really was. I mean, talking about good managers, who know, I am a re-- Mesmerising. He's another one. Absolutely brilliant. Done. You know what? In terms of manager of the year, I don't know if you've got nominated, but to finish in a Champions League position and then you win Europa-- Do you know how hard that is to do when they've not been able to bring in as much players as they wanted as well? And the injuries that they've had. And they're not winning a game. Was it for the first five games of the season? It's just how he's turned it round at that club. It's just amazing. It's increasing. We use the word incredible a lot, guys, but the turn around for when I was there, when I been relegated to getting back into the Premier League, to mainly going out of business, to then now consistently fighting for trophies and playing good football. And we use a lot of words regularly, Mike. Can we do podcasts three times a week? It's almost impossible not to. It really is. I just wonder whether it'll be difficult for Villa to keep hold of him. I wonder if one of the giants might go for him at some point. No, I think he'll stay. The reason why I think that, because he's got full control, so he-- that is different. You know the bigger clubs we've seen it with Real Madrid. We've seen it at the-- they've not got no control. He controls absolutely everything in a good way. Players, style of play, handle the media well. I just feel it's a great fit for him. Crystal Palace. What are 12 months? We're never first ever trophy in their long, long, long, long history. And then to win a European. And there's quite a nice irony, I think, as well. I mean, it was anti-Forest. But the way that they were turfed out the Europa League to play in the conference. Forest went out of the conference to play in the Europa League. And then obviously, Forest didn't quite make it to the final. And then Palace win it. And now go into the Europa League because of that victory. I mean, obviously, I've said on it, it's pod many times at Steve Parachas. He's a good friend. Absolutely delighted for him. I think given obviously the scale of the club and the size of the stadium and the funds, I think, is amazing that they've just stayed in the Premier League for so long in the mid-table, let alone win a couple of trophies. You know, the interesting thing for me with Palace is the manager comes out and says he wants to leave. In moments like, I know, I'll get into players. My tether is left out because he wanted to go to AC Milan. And then he had to rekindle that relationship. And then he goes on scores, the goal in the fight. He's just mental. How was it managed to do that and keep everything under control while having all that chaos and noise in the background just shows you what a good coach is? Yeah, he really is. I'd be interested to see where he goes. There's not that many jobs up for grabs though. You know, top ones. Yeah. You know, for what? Because Premier League is so massive now, isn't it? in terms of before it was when he come to the Premier League, top eight club scene, but now any job in the Premier League is massive because of the amount of wealth in the Premier League now and the players can get access to, especially through a London club as well. He's going to attract attention that because I mean he wins trophies. Yeah. He wins trophies and he's not doing it with a giant sort of football club. Yeah, he wouldn't leave you up with Frunk that, didn't he? And then he comes to Palace, wins their first ever trophy, now he's done this. It's a shame really, they can't leave them into next season and always doesn't want to leave them into next season. He wants, you know, pastures new, but I think he'll always be remembered of very, very fondly ordered sort of my Palace fans. Two trophies? Two years. What, what, what do you want? Uh, don't do, don't do too much. It's, you know, it's like, it's never enough for football fans. It's never enough for his football fans. Okay, Mike, let's, let's call it a day now. The next time, there'll be, there'll be another episode going out, but before that, I'd certainly with, that is really interesting and quite poignant interview with Terry Butcher. Oh, butcher. He's got a film coming out in a few weeks time. So that'll go out before the World Cup and it's a great guy. I love Terry Butcher. Yeah, that's easy. Yeah, lovely, lovely. Intelligence, smart, also fairly vicious when he played. So they're calling the Butcher because he used to have people down, is that? No, they call him the Butcher because he's surname Butcher. Oh, I thought, no, the documentary is called strangely Butcher. It's just the Butcher. I thought, I thought, well, obviously he called Butcher, but I mean, I thought that would have, it was another meaning to it. Well, he was a bit of a Butcher at times, to be perfectly honest, but I don't, you know, but obviously, I don't think he changed his name. But, yeah, but I think people enjoy that. But the next time we talk will be in the Big Apple for Netflix, baby. Hey, I mean, I'm in the series. Netflix, baby. Yeah. That's welcome. Yeah, we're cooking. Okay. For now. Good bye from me. And good bye from me. Have a great week. [MUSIC]