Sky Sports Premier League Podcast
The Football Show - Neville, Carragher, Grealish, Mahrez, Bowyer, Frank and MacAnthony
03 Jun 2020
Chapter 1: What is the significance of the Premier League's return?
Good morning and welcome to the Football Show. It is Wednesday, June the 3rd. Two weeks today until the restarts of the Premier League. This morning we're speaking to Aston Villa captain Jack Grealish, managers at the top and bottom ends of the Championship. Lee Bowie has an even bigger job in his hands than originally thought.
We'll also have the thoughts of Peterborough United's owner Darren McCantney, as well as an interview with Riyad Mahrez. It's Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher who'll be with me all morning. Morning, chaps.
Morning.
Morning, Scott. Morning, Scott. Gary, I was going to mention, first of all, and we'll talk about it later, 25 years ago to the day since you made your England debut, but I think that haircut of yours is probably more newsworthy at the moment.
I know. It's absolutely brutal, that. Look at that. That's the old ball like that?
it's a new ball then my my daughter my daughter's been quite successful this uh last couple of months but she's just had a she had a bad day yesterday bad uh she just went for it it's a bit of a wedge unfortunately you're setting a trend gary that's what it is jamie look we'll talk later about it as well but can you believe a decade ago today rafa benitez left liverpool
Yeah, you mentioned that. There was something in the papers I saw this morning as well, the American owners ran about that time. I'm not sure if it's gone quickly or slow, really, but there's definitely been a huge turnaround since then, still with American owners doing a far better job. But yeah, looking at what Rafa did, I'm sure we'll come on to that later on.
He did a brilliant job for the six years that he was there, and yeah, 10 years ago, it flew by.
Yeah. Okay, packed show today. Let's start with a warm welcome to the Brentford head coach, Thomas Frank. Thomas, thanks very much for joining us. How's Project Restart going for you and the lads?
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Chapter 2: How does Jack Grealish view his role in Aston Villa's future?
a pleasure to finally do that. I think the lads have been brilliant in terms of coming back in a very good place and in a good shape. So we all hope that we finally can start playing some football.
Well, everyone's been happy to see the restart dates of June the 20th, QPR being one club to clearly voice their concern and Mark Warburton calling it ludicrous. What do you think of the start dates?
I think it was mentioned that we potentially could start the 13th of June earlier. So now we actually have one more week. So I think it's important that we can start as quick as possible because we know there is hopefully another season coming after this and that could potentially come a second peak of this pandemic. So the sooner the better we can start. I think that's the right thing to do.
Thomas, you worked for 15 years in youth coaching and I know that Brentford have got quite an innovative model around how they approach it. They actually ditched the EPPP system some years ago and have actually created their own sort of what would be elite development plan. Can you just tell us a little bit about that and how it works?
Yeah, and it's absolutely right when after 15 years working in the academy and you're coming to a club with no academy and I always like that work and that developing players and getting into the first team. But I think the strategy is actually for Brentford, right? We're competing against six, seven big clubs in London that are bigger than us.
So we need to find our own model to get the best young players between 16 to 20 in the B team and also have a fairly young squad in the in the first team. And then we use our experience in terms of try to get the best out of these young players and develop them into promising Premier League players. Hopefully we can go there ourselves and play and use our top players.
If not, then we know we are good at this and we've proven that quite well the last three years with a decent track record.
Yeah, I was just going to say about the track record, you've obviously had some success with it. Do you believe that this model has enhanced Brentford's opportunities and abilities to be able to challenge at the top of the Championship?
Yeah, definitely. I think every club needs to find their model that they believe in and they try to tune and make as good as possible. And we know we have a plan with a clear style of play. We know we have a very good player development program and how we do that. We know we're very big on the culture and the recruitment is all linked together. And of course, you know that. It's not...
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Chapter 3: What challenges are faced by clubs at the bottom of the Championship?
It's not just happened overnight. It's the last six years. You try to do a little bit better every single day. And this moment in time, we are in a good place. But we all know we need to just continually work extremely hard to improve this model.
I also wanted to ask you about your recruitment style, because I think your own has got a gaming stroke sort of betting background and apparently gives access to his data analysts as part of that. Does that have a big impact on your recruitment? How much of it is actually used to influence the decisions that are made?
Or is it still a case of the basic scouting route that's just aligned with that? How does it work in terms of it operating?
We are using the best from both parts. So of course it helps that we have a massive analyst department in Matthew Benham's company. So we have great access to fantastic data, but it's about using the right data, not all of them. So we always compare the right data with watching the player on video or watch the player live and see if it scouts.
And finally the coaches, we are watching them and then I think that's a big thing. Then we take the decision together, the owner, the sports directors, and then the coaching staff, of course, me on top of that in terms of the final decision. But that works very well. And of course, again, it's been hours, hours, years that try to maximize it and find players that can fit in quite smoothly.
But that one thing is the data. For me, it's also the people. We need to have good people in. That's a big thing we do in the reference report.
Thomas, you mentioned at the top about maybe a second wave coming. Obviously, fingers crossed. We hope that doesn't happen. But if that was the case and the league did stop, it almost looks like points per game would be something that the league would look at.
The position that you're in with you being in the playoffs and Leeds being at the top, and also what happened last season to Leeds with these sorts of They fell away towards the end. Do you think it would be fair to promote teams on that basis?
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Chapter 4: How does Thomas Frank manage player development at Brentford?
Or do you think it should be played out whenever it should be?
Oh, is that the trick question?
I think first and foremost, we need to think of the bigger picture of what is the safest for the society. We know football is the most important of not important stuff in the world. So can we play the games and it's safe? I definitely think we should do that 100%. If not, then we need to take the best sensible decision. And that's just the way it is. We just need to deal with it.
It's just like in life. Sometimes you think it's a little bit unfair. You need to move on and continue again. But I definitely prefer to play the games. And we know we are in a good place. So we can't wait to hopefully get out there and compete again.
Do you think there's still actually a chance for you? Are you looking at that with your squad? I think it's not just about
cementing our place in the playoffs we could actually still target the top two do you think there's there's enough points to play for for that to change i i think of course it's it's it's tough i think we have 10 points up in nine games that that's a very tough task so we need to almost play nine perfect games and uh be extremely sharp on that squad rotation because they're coming thick and fast not only for one week or two weeks but potentially for five and a half week so we need to be extremely good at that uh
So, of course, we'll go for it. But realistically, most likely it is about make sure we stay in the playoff and then be ready for hopefully some extremely interesting competitive playoff games.
Yeah, Thomas, 10 points off the top two. You're only five points above Bristol City in seven. So, I'm sure it is about cementing playoffs first. The first few fixtures coming up, they're pretty tasty ones, aren't they? Fulham away, West Brom at home.
Yeah, of course. We're looking forward to them massively. It's a local derby against Fulham, a very good side, and we've been playing some very tight games against them. So that's going to be a top game to play.
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Chapter 5: What insights does Lee Bowyer provide about player contracts?
And then straight after, West Brom, who had a top season. Last game we played them away from home was a... I think, personally, it was a tough match to be part of from both sides. So, again, as we said before, can we get a tough result in these two games? Then potentially we have a chance. So we all know that that is big. But it's, again, one game at a time.
That's what I've been... It's very boring to say that the whole season. And then we need to take it from there.
Just in terms of your playing squad currently, I take it they're all back in training, all want to play. You've got no problems in terms of concerns about your players wanting to restart?
Yeah, everybody back in training. We actually had before this pandemic hit us all a few injuries or, you know, players who struggle a bit. So now everybody should be fresh and ready and hopefully Touchwood, they will stay that way the next three weeks before we start or two and a half weeks before we start. But no major concern from the players so far.
Great news for that, Thomas. What about the major concern about the new stadium? How's that coming along?
I think we're looking forward to going to the new stadium, of course. I think the biggest concern is actually that all our fantastic fans and actually all... The staff who've been working in the club for many, many years actually like to say goodbye to Griffin Park.
Listen, it will be a shame for Griffin Park to be without fans at the very end. But thanks very much for taking time out and enjoy training today and good luck for the rest of the season.
Thank you. Take care.
Thanks so much. Up next, we speak to the Aston Villa captain and star man, Jack Reish. Jack, great to see you. Look, we've got to start with a negative here and you breaking the lockdown rules back in March. What would you like to say about that?
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Chapter 6: How has the pandemic affected football management decisions?
It's not something that I obviously look fondly on. At the time, right away, I knew that I made a mistake. But sometimes it's difficult for us as footballers, even though we are role models and celebrities and footballers, like I said, we all make mistakes. Obviously at the time I knew that I made a mistake. I tried to make amends straight away.
But obviously coming out and doing a public apology, I didn't want to hide behind a club statement. So I come out and apologise myself. And then, yeah, I tried to do stuff for obviously for the NHS and for certain charities.
I made a big donation myself to the NHS and then I also raffled off my shirt, which I scored the winning goal against Belusian, which I'm sure everyone knows what game I'm in there. But obviously, like I said, it's something that I don't look back on with confidence. with pride, but I move on, you know, and like I said, we all make mistakes.
Yeah, I know what you mean. I remember that game very well indeed, the Birmingham game where a fan came behind it and hit you and you scored the win. What did you like?
It's actually all right. I've always said to everyone, since they wanted us to come back in and start playing, I was the first back in the training ground. I was just desperate to get back. I know there's been a few people that haven't been so confident in coming back, which I totally understand why. But I was just the complete opposite. I knew that we were going back into training
a safe workplace. And since we've been there, you know, everything's been great. The testing's been spot on. We just have really, we just go in and then we all obviously have a certain time in the car park to go and do your testing. And you just get...
too sure what they're called but they go to your back of your throat in five different places and then they also put put one up your nose as well it's obviously not the nicest feeling it makes you obviously gag a little bit and and sneeze but yeah obviously it's something that we need to do at the moment and then we're also getting temperature tested every day so it's good that they're staying on these type of things
Jack, you're a local lad, you're the captain of the club, there's huge responsibility on your shoulders, it seems to me, to try and keep Villa in the Premier League. How is that for you in and around the city? Obviously, you mentioned the situation off the pitch, but is it difficult as a local lad with people seeing you as the man to keep Villa in the Premier League?
No, not really.
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Chapter 7: What are the implications of points per game for relegation?
I don't want to say this in a bit of an arrogant way, but I embrace it. I love the fact that it's like that, if I'm honest. Like I said, in and around the actual city, I don't actually leave my house much. But yeah, like you said, being the local Adam, being captain of the club, I absolutely love it and I try and take it in my stride, which I think I have done this season.
Also, Jack, it looks like this situation that we're in now with the season stopping and coming back, a lot of injured players are coming back. How big is it for you to get John McGinn back and Aston Villa? Because I think he was certainly one of the top players in your team before he got his injury.
He's going to be massive. I think he was probably one of the top players in the league, if I'm honest, before he got injured. I even spoke to players from other clubs and they were saying I couldn't believe how good he was. And I think he's one of them players that you don't realise or don't appreciate him enough until you actually play with him. And everyone will say that in...
in our changing room, but it will just be massive. His legs in midfield, I feel like that's what we've lost since he's been injured. And obviously he has a certain type of way about himself and he has class as well. And also in the actual changing room, he's a big influence in the changing room, a very popular figure. So that will all be massive to have him back.
Jack, what's the current status in terms of the dressing room of all the players returned to training and comfortable with it?
Yeah, everyone's returned. Everyone's comfortable. Um, like I said, I think everyone, everyone in our, everyone in our team is in the same situation as me. You know, we've come back and, and everything that's been put on for us to do has been, um, has been top notch, you know, all the, all the testing, all the training and everything. Um,
I know it's only been since Monday that we could have done contact training, but even since then, you know, everything's been brilliant. It's obviously been tough as well. But yeah, everyone's come back at the moment, apart from obviously a few of the lads that are injured. Big Wesley's still in Brazil at the moment, but hopefully he'll be coming back soon and continuing his rehab.
I've just seen you've apologised, obviously, for what happened earlier in lockdown. I've seen Phil Foden this morning in the newspapers for simply having a picture at the weekend with somebody being criticised for not socially distancing. I find it interesting that footballers are held to a higher standard than the politicians who run this country.
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Chapter 8: What future plans does Darragh MacAnthony have for Peterborough?
But what do you and your teammates in the dressing room think about what is happening at this moment in time and the way in which footballers are portrayed over potentially, like, say, politicians and others?
um it's obviously tough isn't it um i answered a question yesterday actually to someone saying i don't know what it is um that goes on in the media about us as footballers um but you know like he says it's it's obviously difficult for us and i know we are role models and i know as myself i'm a big role model to you know younger children especially um
And we need to obviously watch what we're doing. But yeah, obviously it's tough. And like I said, we've just got to try and do our best that I can to obviously behave in a respectable manner, really.
In terms of obviously now you've got a huge couple of months coming up, you obviously have speculation that you'll be aware of about your own future, but I think obviously you'll be concentrating completely on Aston Villa at this moment in time.
I know Jamie asked you before about the responsibility that you feel, but in terms of what you personally have to deliver, do you feel how this is the moment where you do, if you like, mature and deliver the sort of best performances of your career in this next couple of months?
yeah definitely um i think obviously everyone's going to be watching these games um on tv as soon as the premier league starts back and that's what i feel like myself thrives off you know the the big games that everyone's watching um and like he says you know we have 10 games they have 10 very important games and um i think you know the first one will probably be the most important um
And if we end up, you know, somehow winning the first game against Sheffield United at home, instantly, you know, it takes us out of the bottom three. But I think, you know, everyone knows how much of a tough running we have at the moment. But, you know, like I said, you know, we're all confident in there. We've all come back as fit as ever, really.
And I was only speaking to the manager yesterday about how fit everyone's looking. And like you touched on earlier about John McGinn coming back, that's just going to be a massive boost for everyone in the changing room and the whole club. Thank you.
Jack, we've just seen the games from now to the end of the season. Sheffield United game at home is the one game in hand. And you're saying, and Tyrone Ming said about how important it is to get out of the relegation zone. You're clearly working on the physical and the tactical side.
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