Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
There's always enough to talk about when Steve Bone pitches up at the Pompey Sound microphone, but today it seems extra very much the case. So Steve, welcome, and first of all, your thoughts on Watford.
Yes, hello. And Watford, where to start really? I mean, I think before the game and in the days leading up to the game, you know, if anyone had said, would you be happy with a point at Watford after getting three at Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday? I think everybody, not everybody, but most people would have said yes, please. Point would do nicely. That would give us four points from two games.
Chapter 2: What are Steve's initial thoughts on the Watford match?
That's a decent return, you know, look at our away form has been patchy so to get four points from two away games is great. You then come away with a point, that's exactly what we got and yet you've got this feeling of two points that got away because we go 1-0 up. 17 minutes to go of the 9T. Segacic again, great finish, he's proven his worth at the moment isn't he, in that position.
And then the goalie gifts one back to Watford six minutes later. And actually at that point I was thinking this is going to be the sort of game we're going to lose 2-1, but luckily we didn't do that. I think we have tightened up a little bit at the back in these away games. So it's mixed feelings really, isn't it?
As I say, you'd have taken a point beforehand, and we have got a point, and I think generally people were happy with the performance. A lot of endeavour on show, solid at the back, bit of a threat going forward, and yet you're thinking, wouldn't it have been nice to get three?
What do you make of the Callum Lang controversy?
Well, yeah, I'm glad you've asked about that because it'll be interesting today to hear John Massino say he doesn't want him to go, he wouldn't want to lose him. We've had this rumour and talk of Preston lodging quite a significant bid for him this week. I don't think that's been absolutely confirmed by either club, as it wouldn't be really until it's resolved one way or the other.
But I was surprised, and I did wade in with a few replies on X on Tuesday, I was surprised when the question was asked, Preston had made a bid, would you as a fan be happy to see him go?
I was surprised that the majority of people who replied said yes and some people said yes he's never available he's always injured one even gave a two word don't worry it's not a rude two word reply but one person just said get rid and I just couldn't believe it this is a player who's played 53 games in just under two years scored 16 goals Countless assists.
One of our most dangerous players, one of our key players. I know he's not fit at the moment and he's missed a fair bit of this season. He's missed most of this season. But people are so quick to write players off, aren't they? When they're injured or when they're out of form. I was just surprised at that and I said no way would I accept a bid for Lang.
I mean if he wanted to go that would be different but I don't think there's any evidence that he does. He seems quite happy here certainly judging from past interviews he's given. And yet some Pompey fans can't wait to get rid of him. You know what they say the same about Josh Murphy because he's missed a few games. They probably say the same about Colby Bishop.
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Chapter 3: How did the team perform against Watford and what were the mixed feelings?
But I just think people have got short memories. People have forgotten what he did for us during the promotion season and last season. He was a key man in that revival last season when Bishop came back and him and Murphy and Richie then as well, of course, but they were all playing a part in it. And people seem to think it's easy to replace a A good player? Well, I'm not sure it is.
And actually, if anything has shown that over the last couple of years, Pompey has shown that. It's been hard to buy players for an affordable price that can come into a championship team and make an impression and do well. We've had a few that have tried and failed. We've had a few successes as well, I get that. But, you know, you sell Lang and then what?
Who's going to suddenly come in the door five minutes later and be a like-for-like replacement? I don't see that happening. So, yeah, that's my view on Lang. Others will disagree, but I hope he is back in the team soon, back fit soon. And it sounds like he's not far off fitness at all, which is great. And I hope he proves those doubters wrong.
Well, your view is shared by someone else who knows a little bit about football, and that's John Massino. Did you catch the rumour? It's a very low profile rumour, but I'll ask you about it. You're forgiven if it hasn't got onto your radar that Leicester are showing some interest in Josh Murphy.
I hadn't heard that again. No, they did last time, didn't they? Was it in the summer or was it even last year? I think it was in the summer they apparently showed interest, didn't they? I wonder if that is just a recycled rumour and it's people putting two and two together and thinking that because Leicester wanted him last summer, maybe they still want him. And maybe they do.
I don't think Pompey are in a hurry to sell him or Lang even if they thought selling a player of that type would fund other signings. I hope that's not their outlook because I think that's hard. The first thing you do is you keep hold of your best players and then you look at how to improve
what's around them Murphy I think the fact that Murphy has missed a fair bit of the last month or so probably works in our favour in that is a team like Leicester who want people to go in there and make an immediate impact are they going to want to
shell out a decent amount of money for a player who would take a little while to get up to fitness and sharpness not sure they would really it might be more of a summer move for somebody but we know how important Murphy is to us him and Lang I would give equal
importance to really in that squad if we can get them both if we can get them both back in if you can have Murphy, Lang and Segacic or Chaplin as your three behind Bishop or whoever is the striker over the rest of the season then I think we've got a great chance of doing well
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Chapter 4: What is the controversy surrounding Callum Lang?
So, you know, fair play to them for that. Yeah, if they think that all games kicking off a minute late, is going to help, then fair enough. For a different cause, there was a thing in the National League a couple of months ago where all National League games kicked off at three minutes past three to support a National League campaign which was aiming to get...
which was saying that three clubs from the National League should be promoted each year rather than two into League Two. Right. So a similar sort of idea, really. You know, they're attaching a number to it and then you're doing something to the fixtures to make people think, why is this game kicking off at three? They have to then find out about it.
So, you know, some of those sort of gimmicks are... more effective than others, I suppose.
Thank you. I think you've got that one covered. Well done. I think it's what John Mussino calls an oxymoron. It's both trivial and yet it's extremely important. Yeah, exactly. It is. Okay. So, here we go then. Southampton.
Yeah, we're playing them soon. I can't remember. When's that game coming up? Yes, looking forward to it. It's... It's massive, isn't it, really? It's just... wherever we were in the table going into this weekend if we were 12th and 8 points ahead of the relegation zone and 8 points off the playoffs and Southampton were 9th and not much better off than us or vice versa
So even then it would be a big game and it would be a game that every Pompey fan absolutely just wants us to win. It doesn't matter how we win it really. It would be nice if we demolished them 4-1 as we have done a few times in the past in this part of the game.
you know what I'm trying to say in the past 20 years or so but if we win 1-0 with a late own goal I think people will be just as happy to see that if it's a draw what are we going to be thinking if it's a draw I don't think we'll be too downcast but I think we'll be a bit disappointed and we'll see it as a mischance
because at their place we did well to get a draw and I think they were the more disappointed team with that result there. We could have won it there but we went there as second favourites and we did well and we got the 0-0. A long time since we played them at home in the league. December 2011 I think was the last time Joel Ward scored the goal, won all draw.
That season ended in us going down and them going up although we did manage to delay their promotion with David Norris' famous goal at St Mary's. Yeah, it's just massive. It's one of those days when the league table doesn't really come into it. You don't really need to look at the league table on your way to the game and on your way after the game. You just want to win.
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Chapter 5: How do fans feel about the potential sale of Lang?
And very much looking forward to it.
Yes, security is in place.
Yes, it's going to be as it was for the game. at St Mary's in September is going to be very, very well policed and stewarded. Possibly, you might say, a bit over-policed and stewarded. I sometimes think a little bit too much goes into it. There's too many restrictions on, you know, it goes for the away fans as well as the home fans.
But I suppose the authority's response to that would be, well, there's been trouble in the past. There's been trouble at grounds in the past. When these two have played, there's been trouble away from the grounds in the past. There's been trouble on the way to and from the games with some sections of fans. So we've got to cover all bases, cover all avenues.
and that's what's happening all the Southampton fans will be on coaches coming in getting an escort in 45 of them how many sorry?
45 is there?
so I read I don't know how they're going to get into the city because the Eastern Road is closed so that's going to be interesting they presumably won't have to sit in the traffic jams with all the Pompey fans going to the game there must be some sort of plan to get them in and then get them out again that would be interesting I wouldn't like to be the person in charge of that
Well, the person in charge of that is called Chief Superintendent Dobbs of Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary. Right. And he's still got a bee in his bonnet about the fact that last time somebody punched one of his police horses.
Yeah, I think I'd be upset if somebody had punched one of my horses.
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