That James Milner Episode: Training Ground FIGHTS, Klopp’s Mentality & Career Secrets! | EP. 400

0:00 Hello and welcome to that Peter Crouch podcast with me, Peter Crouch.

0:02 We've got Sids and uh and Chris Stark with me.

0:04 Is everyone okay?

0:05 We're back.

0:06 Yeah, we're back.

0:06 After that shambles.

0:07 Yeah,[ __] shambles.

0:08 Let me tell you.

0:09 I apologize.

0:10 Sorry.

0:11 Uh it was my fault.

0:12 I caused that havoc.

0:13 Um but we're back.

0:15 Yeah, good to be back.

0:16 Stronger than ever.

0:17 And in the Chambawamba as well, which is nice.

0:19 Um everyone been okay?

0:20 Really good.

0:21 Yeah, yeah.

0:21 Yeah, really good.

0:22 Testicular cancer awareness month, I should say.

0:25 A year on from from all of that stuff.

0:27 If you're new to the podcast, something close to our heart.

0:29 Just wanted to give a little shout out to that, little reminder.

0:32 Better check your balls, everyone.

0:33 You know?

0:34 If you're not sure what I'm talking about,

0:35 go listen to one of our old episodes about it.

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0:43 Get on there.

0:43 Uh but testicular cancer awareness month,

0:45 just wanted to give it a shout out at the top of this.

0:47 Mhm.

0:47 Well said, Chris.

0:48 Well said.

0:49 Uh also, bit of admin.

0:50 The signed Macclesfield jersey that we had, uh it's uh it's finished.

0:55 The winner was Ben Dwyer.

0:57 Uh more giveaways in the future, so keep your eyes peeled to our socials.

1:01 That's not one of them fake names, is it?

1:03 Uh Ben Dwyer?

1:04 Oh god.

1:05 Ben Dwyer.

1:05 Ben Dwyer.

1:06 Ben Dwyer.

1:07 That's not I think it's I think it's See where you're going there.

1:09 Well, do you know what?

1:10 He He wants his shirt, don't he?

1:12 Do you know what I mean?

1:13 So, I reckon that's his real name.

1:15 Yeah.

1:15 You know, it's not Bendover, is it?

1:17 No.

1:17 And it's not Ed Wire, so It's Ben Dwyer.

1:20 Make sure.

1:23 Um And do you know on the uh on [clears throat] the theme of shirts,

1:26 we're going to design some podcast merch with uh our friends Icarus FC.

1:30 Now, we've got these shirts, right?

1:32 And uh we'll auction one off.

1:35 They are phenomenal, you know, for festival season.

1:38 Mhm.

1:38 They'll be amazing.

1:39 They look good.

1:39 They're decent.

1:40 This is festival wear.

1:41 So, already I'm visualizing bucket hat, this jersey, One of Converse.

1:48 Unreal, mate.

1:49 That's good idea.

1:49 Yeah, you're you're right.

1:50 With festival season coming,

1:51 we we need a football shirt for this podcast, don't we?

1:53 We've been saying We've been saying this for a while, actually.

1:55 So, that's that's really, really good.

1:56 Well, I think you especially, is going to love this one, Rob and Yer Ali.

1:59 Ooh.

2:00 Oh.

2:01 Ooh.

2:01 Well, that sounds loaded.

2:02 What's going on here?

2:02 No, no.

2:03 No, genuinely, like,

2:04 I think it's something that I could imagine you at a festival, you know?

2:07 Yeah, nice.

2:08 All right, can't wait.

2:09 Okay, well, joining us on the show today is is James Milner.

2:12 Long time coming this one.

2:13 Very very excited for this.

2:15 Mhm.

2:16 You?

2:16 Yeah, yeah.

2:17 I mean, we've been wanting for years.

2:18 I can't believe he's turning up.

2:20 Mhm.

2:20 Okay, let's get into it.

2:24 [music] Right, ladies and gentlemen, James Milner on the pod.

2:28 Yeah.

2:28 Thank you for coming.

2:29 Thanks for having me.

2:29 Yeah, yeah.

2:30 Thank you very much.

2:31 This was actually one of my I think I was watching

2:33 Match of the Day and and you popped up and I thought,

2:35 I have I have I not got Have we not had Milly on?

2:38 Hello.

2:38 Crouchy, [snorts] we've been asking you for years.

2:40 I've been saying, like, do you remember how many years ago we've

2:42 been saying we've got to try get him on?

2:43 I know, yeah.

2:44 But, he's always busy and working hard and avoiding us.

2:47 Maybe a little bit.

2:48 Well, no.

2:48 Plenty of iron into them, so.

2:51 [laughter] Here we go.

2:56 What a start.

2:59 [laughter]

3:00 Oh,[ __] hell.

3:02 Um all right, let me start there, then,

3:03 because um the boring James Milner stuff, like, talk me through that, now.

3:07 What what are your actual thoughts on that?

3:09 Yeah, I don't care.

3:10 I don't care, yeah.

3:11 It started one pre-season, I think, when I was at City,

3:13 and I think there was a boring Barry one come out at a similar time,

3:17 and that didn't get meant much legs.

3:19 And I remember Meeks, I think, messaged the guy and and tried to find out,

3:22 and yeah, and then bit of fun.

3:24 Yeah.

3:25 Yeah, that was it, really.

3:26 It was all good.

3:27 Ah, superb.

3:28 Milly, listen, we're going to start there here

3:30 because it's just it's it's an incredible achievement, mate.

3:33 Um you know, everyone who's played with you will say the same thing about you,

3:36 like, you know, your longevity, your attitude, you know, your ability.

3:40 Um to to break the the Premier League record for appearances,

3:44 that must mean a lot to you.

3:47 I mean, I've I Yeah, I suppose, like,

3:51 it's not something I really ever You don't You don't start

3:53 thinking about that and I've never really been one for individual stuff.

3:56 So, it's you know, it's one I suppose

3:59 when when you finish which is obviously getting close.

4:01 You probably look back up.

4:02 But for me like it it's about being part

4:05 of the team and again it's like an answer

4:07 it's like oh batting off but it literally

4:08 is you think like when you achieve anything Mhm.

4:11 You you you love it because like as an individual

4:14 sport it's amazing you've done it on your own.

4:16 But you know, sharing those memories with the boys in the dressing

4:19 room and the journey you've been through all the ups

4:21 and downs and sharing the celebrations with them like for me

4:24 that like the the team is what it's about really and um yeah,

4:29 it's not something really I've thought about but when when you think about

4:32 the number of games it's it's a lot and obviously asked a lot

4:35 of answered a lot of questions about it recently and stuff like

4:37 that but um it was sort of nice to get there to stop you know,

4:41 the the people saying stuff like that and then you know,

4:45 didn't play too much in the season coming off the bench and stuff.

4:48 So, then to play have a decent run in the team starting the games

4:51 and win the games and stuff and show I can still do it.

4:54 I think that was a nice way to do it and and I think it was Brentford

4:57 away and we won and then won a few

4:58 more on the bounce after that where I started.

5:00 So, I think that that was nice way to do it instead of you know,

5:03 you know, just getting over the line and stuff like that.

5:06 I think that it's probably good for you cuz we know you

5:08 that like you would have almost you almost like you don't want to Yeah,

5:12 you'd love to have that accolade but you

5:13 wouldn't want that kind of attention and stuff round

5:16 you and cuz that's all people were talking about

5:18 for a little like that little period, wasn't it?

5:19 It was like um but then to get over the line as you did, you know,

5:23 to to break the record uh loads of people came out

5:26 and just said what a pleasure it was to you know,

5:29 to have managed you to have played with you.

5:31 We had Jurgen Klopp on the podcast a couple of weeks

5:34 ago and he said the hardest working um you know,

5:38 the biggest dream in the dressing room

5:39 that I've out of all the players I've managed.

5:41 Things like that are from a person of the caliber

5:43 of Jurgen Klopp that must mean a lot.

5:45 Yeah, I think that's the the bigger thing for me.

5:47 I think not not really about it being

5:49 about myself and and hitting that number of games.

5:51 It was more a chance for me to acknowledge

5:53 the people who have helped me get there,

5:54 you know, teammates, coaches, family, friends, you know, your wife,

5:57 people who have been there all the way through.

5:59 But also um the acknowledgement from teammates

6:03 and people you work for, that you know, that ultimately like I said,

6:05 being part of a team before that's you know,

6:08 you're always going to get criticism outside

6:10 and you're going to be opinions and stuff,

6:11 but as long as your your teammates are happy with, you know,

6:14 the job you're doing and appreciate it and the people

6:16 you work with, I think that's there's nothing better than that.

6:18 Obviously, you're part of a team and you you want to contribute.

6:20 That's number one always.

6:22 I get the impression you're terrible with surprise parties.

6:25 Uh it's not like I can tell you're that character.

6:29 But as Crouchy saying,

6:30 to to hear these kind of words from people that you respect along the way,

6:34 um do you think you've got better or worse with time at sort of accepting

6:38 those compliments and letting people actually sort

6:41 of enjoy the glow of your career?

6:44 That's a great question.

6:45 Um[ __] didn't say that to me, did he?

6:47 Did [laughter] [laughter]

6:55 Um Probably the same to worse, I would have thought, yeah.

6:57 I feel like I've never really liked the limelight.

6:59 I don't really want to um you know, I prefer an assist to a goal, really.

7:04 Like I say, you know, you've contributed to the team,

7:05 but you don't get that the headlines and stuff.

7:07 So, yeah, I that's not something that it sort of goes with it, doesn't it?

7:13 I suppose.

7:13 You you play football and you want to play football

7:15 and you want to do that side and there's there's

7:17 good sides to what comes out of being a footballer

7:19 and things like that, but there's a negative side as well,

7:21 but yeah, it's not really one for me that I've

7:24 I've just wanted to come in, keep my head down,

7:26 do the job at hand and um you know, everyone is different, really.

7:30 I I think he's one of them ones where you're [clears throat] it's

7:33 what it's what it's the one that you look back on after you finished,

7:36 whether it's a year down the line, 5,

7:39 10 years down the down the I know you're going

7:41 to keep yourself fit after you finish playing as well,

7:43 but I found that when I finished to go complain at that elite

7:48 level and how fit you cuz you just you're in a bubble, aren't you with football?

7:51 You just think that everyone's that fit,

7:53 but when you come out and you you see that how fit out

7:56 like and obviously you are ultra ultra elite fit and I've seen it firsthand.

8:00 I mean that's when you realize what an extraordinary number

8:03 that is that's obviously going to keep growing as well.

8:06 But also look back on your career and obviously

8:07 the the the records and the um the medals,

8:10 the titles, everything that you won as well,

8:12 but I feel it comes about then, doesn't it?

8:14 Like down the line.

8:15 Yeah, I think so and it's you know, it's relentless, isn't it?

8:18 Like I say every day you're there,

8:19 you're thinking about even when you're on a day off,

8:21 you you think about the next game, what am I eating today?

8:24 Like when's my next session?

8:25 Things like that.

8:25 So you never really have a day off from it mentally and I feel like, you know,

8:30 to be successful it's the next game,

8:31 the next game and that's probably the one downside of being a player.

8:34 Like you don't get to enjoy the the ups

8:37 and the winning titles and stuff like that because, you know,

8:40 you might win the the league cup mid season on a weekend

8:42 and you got another game on the Tuesday or Wednesday and it's like,

8:44 right, you can't even worry about that.

8:46 So I think it's that next one, next one mentality, next day,

8:50 next thing and I I suppose when you finish,

8:52 you know, that's the time where you can probably reflect,

8:54 but that's a huge change and like you you used to know as I suppose like,

8:58 you know, you used to having your schedule handed to you.

9:00 What are you doing today?

9:01 This is your fitness work.

9:02 This is what we're doing.

9:02 You're heading towards this game, preseason, you know,

9:06 all that and then you've what drives you now?

9:08 What are you going to do?

9:09 Like what's what's what you're aiming for?

9:11 Like it's completely Is that something that developed for you?

9:15 Because obviously when you made your debut so early at 16,

9:18 and like your mentality is is something that, you know,

9:21 is almost like in the 1% really.

9:23 And that's that's kind of got you to to breaking

9:26 a record and be the longevity in the Premier League.

9:28 Like obviously you've let yourself go now by the looks of it.

9:32 [laughter] But when you were at the peak physical fitness Yeah,

9:36 it happens it happens today.

9:37 Apologies, mate.

9:40 [laughter] [laughter] [snorts] But yeah, like where does that come from?

9:51 Like is it installed from your parents?

9:53 Is there a coach that gave that to you or is that just within?

9:55 Yeah, I think a bit a bit of everything.

9:57 I think my dad was very good at that.

9:59 He knew how to push my buttons, you know,

10:00 he used to like say oh you know, you got no chance to make it.

10:03 You don't you don't work hard enough.

10:05 I would be inside watching TV and like and you go outside

10:08 and start kicking ball against garage annoyed and that and he won't be

10:10 in horrible like he knew exactly what it was to get get

10:13 the best out of me and and poke the bear and you know,

10:16 I lead the card every now and then for bringing through,

10:18 you know, I always had a great record bringing through great players.

10:20 I had a great education there and and then coming

10:23 into the first team I suppose at 16 which was you know,

10:26 a different era really back then, you know,

10:28 obviously the football and stuff and you know, back in my day and all that.

10:32 I feel blessed I've played in two eras really if you like where there's

10:35 been a big change but I think the dressing room there of high standard,

10:39 you know, you David Batty's, you Gary Kelly's, Don Matteo,

10:41 like Mark Viduka's, like great characters had to grow up quick.

10:45 Again wanting to keep your head down like back

10:47 then as a young lad it was like, you know,

10:49 make the teas, pick the slips up after training,

10:51 help with the help with the skips after games, clean the boots,

10:55 spoke when spoken to sort of thing and now you know,

10:57 you see some of the boys coming in and the confidence they have and you know,

11:00 throwing their arms around in training at senior players and I'm like god.

11:03 games gone board there by the way.

11:08 [laughter] You could battle a few on that one.

11:09 Do you do you tolerate that in other players?

11:11 Do you see it for what it is in a modern game?

11:14 Um try and instill the same standards but you have to do it in a different way.

11:20 I think back then obviously, you know,

11:21 you might have been penned up against a dressing

11:22 room wall [laughter] by your neck or you know, you know, what I mean.

11:25 Your boots won't clean.

11:26 You've been dressed youth team dressing room lights would

11:28 go off and it'd kick off and you'd light it come on and the three at first team

11:31 have been in, you know, filled a few in and [laughter]

11:34 yeah, it it was standard like stuff like that, you know,

11:36 and it you know, it was fun.

11:37 It wasn't like anything like that, but it was you know,

11:40 it was a different way of putting those messages across and those standards.

11:45 That's what you've always said as well.

11:46 Yeah, yeah.

11:47 And I don't think it's any better or worse now.

11:49 Like people say, "Oh,

11:50 could this player play then?" It's the standards and and and how it was done,

11:53 you know, teacups flying into walls and the hard regime.

11:56 Is that better or worse?

11:57 I think both have a place and done in the right way.

12:01 And I feel like now obviously maybe you've got to put

12:04 the message off a a bit different and I think [snorts]

12:08 me making my debut so early,

12:09 I feel like you you become a senior player a a lot quicker.

12:13 So, I feel like I've been thinking more about the team

12:15 for a lot longer than maybe a player who makes his debut at 21.

12:18 So, you're around those conversations with coaches,

12:20 you start thinking, right, how can I help these players?

12:22 Well, he's from Africa and he's not used to this.

12:24 So, you've got to treat people differently but as well, you know,

12:27 in in terms of like what they're used to in their home country and getting

12:31 used to the language and being away

12:32 from the family and all these sorts of things.

12:34 So, you know, you're you're late and you kick

12:36 off and I'm a massive one for being late,

12:38 but you know, there's sometimes reasons

12:39 for that and you you try and instill those standards,

12:41 but you know, you try and think about the background of each player as well,

12:46 which is probably more of a coach and and stuff.

12:48 But as you get an older player, you start thinking about the team and how you

12:50 can help these individuals in that way as well.

12:52 So, I suppose starting my career so early helped with that.

12:56 But I've started thinking like that a lot earlier and helped me.

12:59 So, do you think you've got over the kind of frustrated stage that you must go

13:03 through where you're like you you you have

13:05 that experience and you're just a bit like,

13:08 "Look, this is where you need to be getting to." Or is it actually is

13:11 that sort of frustrated side died down a little bit when you deal with players?

13:15 No, the frustration's still there.

13:17 [laughter] I'm just frustrated at Brighton obviously.

13:18 We have a great dressing room of young

13:20 talent and it's frustrating because you've seen it

13:23 so many times with young players and you You the penny will drop at some point,

13:26 but you just want to get him from there to there as quick as possible.

13:30 Quick.

13:29 And the sooner they understand what you're telling them.

13:31 Again, it's like sooner you can like take

13:35 that on board and put it into you'll become this player.

13:37 You've got everything you need.

13:39 But, you know, sometimes it might take 2 years.

13:41 Sometimes it might take 4 years.

13:42 Sometimes, you know, some lads come in with an unbelievable

13:45 attitude straight away and they just eat it

13:47 up and they go from there to there quicker and and they're the best ones,

13:49 but you know, some players will never get it and we've all seen, you know,

13:52 unbelievable footballers in when we've seen

13:54 that thing or the attitude or, you know, have the wrong people around them.

13:58 Again, might not be their fault, but you know,

14:00 surround themselves with the wrong friends or You've seen it all, haven't you?

14:04 And and and that's frustrating when you

14:05 see how many unbelievable players you've seen.

14:07 You know, I remember him in my England youth or I was unbelievable.

14:10 I wonder what I wonder what he's doing now.

14:11 Like And it it it is tough and sometimes it's bad luck.

14:14 And other times it's the players got to realize as well,

14:17 but you know, hopefully the more you know,

14:19 the messages you can put across and we

14:20 have a great dressing room of senior players.

14:22 You know, Welbs is unbelievable.

14:23 Steely is fantastic.

14:24 Dunk Key.

14:25 Um you know, Adam Webster, like Pascal's come back.

14:30 It's it's a great dressing room for those boys to learn.

14:32 Mm.

14:33 So, take us back to to the to the 16-year-old

14:35 that gets into the into the Leeds team.

14:37 What was that like with Like I said, you mentioned some of the characters there,

14:40 like and you being, you know, such a young scorer.

14:43 And um I mean, were you just out of school?

14:46 Were you What How does it Yeah,

14:48 finished school in in the summer and then went moved straight We

14:52 lived at the training ground at that point for the first 2 years

14:54 and I was there and I remember being full-time in training

14:56 and a bit nervous actually cuz I couldn't go and get my GCSE results.

15:00 So, you know, even if I'd done badly, you know, that one you open them.

15:02 That we probably lied to your dad.

15:04 My dad went and got my GCSE results.

15:06 So, he's reading them down the phone to me.

15:07 I was like, "Please be good." [laughter]

15:09 So, anyway, they were all right and then So,

15:10 I've just finished school and then was I

15:13 think I went on an under-19 tour to Scotland.

15:16 Um so, I was under-17s.

15:18 And got sent home after one game.

15:20 And I was all right.

15:21 You know, you think I've done something wrong.

15:23 I said, "No, you're going to play a lot of football

15:24 this year." And I didn't know they never really told me anything else.

15:27 Got fast-tracked into the reserves.

15:29 Was meant to make my debut in the reserves.

15:31 And one of the older players stood on my toe in in in training that day.

15:36 And I was desperate to play.

15:37 You know them ones that are throbbing like mad and physio.

15:40 And it was And I couldn't get my boot on.

15:42 I was devastated.

15:43 Couldn't play.

15:43 And Eddie Gray was like, "Don't worry." Next day, physio has drilled it.

15:46 Blood shooting out staying in the steel at the ceiling, you know?

15:50 The pressure.

15:50 One of them was like, "Ah, God.

15:52 Missed your chance." Cuz you don't get many at that point there anyway.

15:54 Carried on training with the reserves.

15:55 Made a few appearances.

15:57 Did all right.

15:58 And then it's one of them where you get called over to the first team.

16:01 And as I was a Leeds fan, I'm training with the reserves.

16:03 You've got David Batty one side and people like that.

16:05 And it's like unbelievable.

16:06 And then get caught train called over to the first team.

16:10 And like the pace of training even was just like trying to get my breath.

16:13 And I'm thinking I'm quite fit.

16:15 And it's like, "You need to learn quick

16:17 here." And I didn't pass it quick enough.

16:18 And Kelly's on you.

16:20 "Pass it quicker." And it's like, "Right.

16:21 Need to sort myself out here." And then managed to make my debut.

16:26 I was on the I was in the squad a couple of times and not on the bench.

16:30 And Wazza scored against us.

16:32 He'd scored his goal against Arsenal.

16:33 And then Everton played at Elland Road.

16:35 And he scored.

16:36 And I remember Steve Mcgregor, the fitness coach,

16:38 sat next to me right next to the bench we were.

16:40 And he was like, "You're desperate to get on." I I could see.

16:43 And we were similar.

16:43 I think Wazza's about three or four months older than me.

16:46 And then we played West Ham away and made my debut there.

16:49 Um and then managed to again it's like a bit of luck,

16:53 a bit of taking your chance.

16:54 Was in a few games under Terry Venables.

16:58 [snorts]

16:57 He was unbelievable for me as well.

16:58 Having the confidence to put me in.

17:00 He pulled me we were playing Spurs at White Hart Lane away.

17:03 And he said, "You haven't done anything wrong.

17:06 You're not traveling." So I was like, "All right." Went out to train.

17:11 Some one of the lads got injured.

17:12 Traveled.

17:12 Wasn't on the bench.

17:13 Only five subs back then.

17:15 In the dressing room before the game,

17:16 one of the lads gets injured in the warm-up.

17:18 I mean, how what are the odds on this?

17:19 And then on the bench, come on.

17:21 I think I made a goal or did really well.

17:23 And then from that point I was in and you just think sliding doors moment.

17:26 Yeah.

17:26 Yeah.

17:27 You never know, but the odds on two players getting injured in 12 hours.

17:30 Yeah.

17:30 West Ham away debut though.

17:31 That I don't know what the ideal debut situation is,

17:35 but that's intimidating I would have thought.

17:37 Well, it was all right at the time cuz I

17:39 was on the bench and then it was like four four

17:41 were we three one up and then we went four two

17:43 up and I thought I've got a chance to get on.

17:44 And then they went four three.

17:46 I thought no chance and he stuck me on.

17:48 And I think someone gave me a pass around

17:49 the halfway line and I tried to bop it back.

17:52 Passed it straight to Di Canio, didn't I?

17:54 He's dribbled, shot 25 yards out, gone straight over.

17:57 But I was like, thank god for that.

17:59 Went shower afterwards and Bowyer said to me, "Do you have a bet on four four?"

18:03 [laughter] So that was like welcome welcome to the first team sort of thing.

18:07 But Then for so I was going to say

18:09 then first couple of games that you're on the bench,

18:10 it must be so surreal because you still must be thinking like you're a fan.

18:15 Cuz you're all a fan of the of the club.

18:16 You've you like I mean you've been there like you've you've come through.

18:19 You're 16.

18:20 It must be so surreal going like you know what I mean?

18:22 Like moments that just flash by you going I'm actually on the bench here.

18:25 But then you've like another minute you'll be watching the game as if you are

18:27 in the stands that you was probably doing in the last two or three years.

18:31 Yeah, I mean I don't I think back of it now and like even like you know,

18:35 after it happened a few years after you

18:36 think back and it was ridiculous how young I

18:37 was and the year before I was ball boy

18:39 in the Champions League and remember them those nights.

18:41 I think we played AC Milan at Elland Road.

18:43 It was absolute torrential downpour like Bowyer hit

18:45 one straight at Dida last minute and it

18:46 went through his legs and went in the goal and it erupted and nights like that.

18:50 And then the next the the next season like I say,

18:53 I didn't really think about it.

18:54 You're just trying to establish yourself and um you know,

18:58 I scored a couple of goals around Christmas and then afterwards you

19:00 think to yourself thinking like who's there like you found your mates who

19:04 you were in your school year are still in the sixth form

19:07 at school and they're all watching and your friends and [clears throat] family.

19:09 My dad had amazing season tickets so he kept those so I knew

19:13 exactly where those socks had sat there for 10-15 10-15 years watching and Yeah,

19:18 it was Yeah, thinking back now, it was like pretty amazing.

19:22 And you think, how fast did that happen?

19:23 How young I actually was?

19:24 You see how baggy the kits were?

19:26 That's what we want.

19:26 They're like gust of wind and you'd you'd be taking off.

19:29 But I even think that with Bowyer,

19:30 like my memories of Bowyer if if you were to show

19:33 me a Bowyer picture in that lead shirt and it's baggy,

19:36 it's big baggy sort of Who were the biggest characters?

19:40 Is it not just Rooney and then was like you mentioned a few,

19:42 but Um I mean, Woody was hilarious.

19:44 Woody was so quick.

19:45 How he You know, he'd he'd hammer someone and they'd

19:48 come back with something and he'd have You know,

19:50 give him three more things about their appearance

19:52 or how they ran or something before So,

19:54 he must have a little dossier also on Yeah, yeah, it was ridiculous.

19:57 It's like So, you had Woody, Dubes was pretty lively as well.

20:01 I remember him bringing I think he brought some rabbits

20:03 in and put them in the indoor gym swimming around everywhere.

20:07 [laughter]

20:07 And physios kicking off and trying to catch him.

20:09 He put some They got some fish and put it

20:12 in the coach's dressing room in the thing and left it.

20:15 And then we had a physio who they called sausage fingers.

20:19 Saus And a few of the lads in baths and a few others went around all

20:24 the butchers and got as many sausages they

20:25 could and just wrapped his car up outside.

20:28 And it was stinky like after.

20:30 So, yeah, I think by [laughter] that by then it was like your gear.

20:34 I remember 17th birthday,

20:35 we played Scunthorpe away and I'd scored 26th of December, 28th of December.

20:39 And we played 4th of January on my birthday.

20:42 And playing Scunny away and all the ball boys and that are

20:46 in the in the tunnel after the game

20:48 watching who this kid who scored in six years.

20:49 The lads have cut my gear up on that.

20:51 So, I'm walking out with his kit carrying

20:52 his kits and I've got all my trainers cut up.

20:54 Hit man won't give me any more gear.

20:56 Tracky cut up.

20:57 Everything looking like an absolute buffoon.

20:59 And all these like this guy just [laughter] That's all done.

21:02 So, when you score you scored and you had to walk out with all your gear So,

21:06 that was that was my birthday 4th jump but I've

21:08 scored two goals in the Prem by that point.

21:10 But I was still like skips like this you just kind of you get skips I was doing

21:13 the under 19 captain's boots cuz I was

21:16 a first year and he was second or third year.

21:19 And he it to be fair got me like an Armani watch at Christmas but yeah,

21:22 I mean playing in first team ahead of him he's

21:24 in under 19 so I'm playing in his place still.

21:26 At least give me tips.

21:28 But I was still on 70 pound a week so like cheers cheers like but yeah.

21:32 No way.

21:33 But yeah and then I remember the first

21:35 day feel like you've earned your stripes and it

21:36 was probably a few months after that and they

21:38 came and said go on get on the bus.

21:40 And that like then you think yeah,

21:42 I don't have to do the skips and pick the kit up anymore.

21:44 You just think yeah, now I'm part of it.

21:45 Was that good though?

21:46 Like did Yeah.

21:47 It's good for you.

21:48 It's incredible.

21:48 You feel like you earn the right to be there

21:50 and the respect and and that's the way I think it should be.

21:54 Keeps you grounded, it keeps you pushing,

21:56 it feels like you're not quite there yet

21:57 because you know how many times you see you

21:59 know a player make an appearance or two

22:01 and get a big contract and then that's it.

22:02 So, it keeps you striving and driving and and you know, the respect you know,

22:07 these guys are unbelievable players these are my heroes as well.

22:09 So, I you know, you keep doing it until you're told otherwise but yeah,

22:14 I think that's such an important part of you know,

22:15 growing up and becoming a player and and maturing

22:18 as a as a player and a and a man really.

22:20 And you you end up you end up was it Newcastle you went to after Leeds?

22:24 And then and then Aston Villa how do you view those your times there?

22:28 Yeah.

22:29 Turbulent I'd say.

22:30 I feel like Leeds was a turbulent time with with you know,

22:34 financial struggles and and getting relegated.

22:36 Newcastle the same.

22:37 I don't think I played under the started

22:40 the season and finished the season with the same manager

22:42 until like my fifth season or sixth season

22:45 with Martin O'Neill but before that it was you know,

22:47 Newcastle were going through managers and stuff so,

22:50 as a club fantastic going in there.

22:52 It was that was another big dressing room personalities you know,

22:55 you share as you Bellamy's you Dyer's people like that.

22:58 Woody there again and you You I think

23:00 I think [clears throat] he was allergic to me

23:01 cuz I think he moved to Newcastle and then

23:03 when I got to Newcastle he went to Madrid.

23:05 So, yeah, had a better time with him and uh but not that much,

23:09 but um Did he look after you a little bit when you went there,

23:11 cuz you obviously We've all gone into dressing rooms and you always want to see

23:14 that first familiar face that you've already

23:16 played or whether it's been with a country.

23:18 Did Did he I think he literally went in the first few weeks,

23:22 so not really, but yeah, there was a Darren Ambrose was a similar time.

23:25 Stephen Taylor I played with at England youth,

23:28 so I knew him and he was trying to get into the first team at that time.

23:30 So, I knew a couple of the younger boys which probably helped,

23:33 but I remember driving in the first day in my Ford Focus

23:36 and there was like BMW and then there's like four or five of them.

23:39 This kid gets out of this BMW next to me and I'm like,

23:41 "Who is this guy?" And like must have Googled him or whatever

23:44 and like found I found out he's a youth team player

23:47 and they're like they're all coming in BMWs and like no

23:49 one in that first team and I'm there and I was like,

23:50 "Yeah, I need to change my car quickly." [laughter]

23:54 I wish you'd have kept the the Focus.

23:58 That'd have been amazing throughout the whole career.

24:03 All right, but listen,

24:03 there was obviously some serious characters in that dressing room as well.

24:05 And so, you didn't Your Villa was What was Villa like?

24:08 Cuz you were you were there together.

24:09 When he When he come to Villa he was Cuz you'd

24:12 done You'd done a a loan spell with Villa already, didn't you?

24:15 Yeah, I did.

24:17 I did a season at Newcastle and then the next

24:19 year I think Souness come in and wanted Solano back,

24:21 so he he loaned me to Villa in that year then enjoyed

24:24 it and then went back and it fell through on deadline day.

24:28 I was I I was going and I think then was it 7 or 8

24:32 million or something like that and um gone down there and Martin O'Neill said,

24:37 "Oh, have you heard they've pulled the plug?"

24:39 And I thought he was bantering like,

24:40 you know, I'm like they've pulled the plug or whatever.

24:41 He didn't really know he was like I thought he was bantering.

24:43 He was like, "Nah, nah, they've pulled the plug.

24:44 They were trying to get Schweinsteiger or something

24:46 to to to to to to into the club." And he was like,

24:51 "Nah, um pulled the plug." Went home fuming.

24:54 And then um gone back and I think then Roeder was manager and it was um,

24:59 he was like, "Never wanted you to go anyway.

25:02 Um, so glad you're here." Got to the Saturday and I wasn't even on the bench.

25:07 And it's the first and only time that I C-bombed the manager before the game,

25:12 this was as well, and went mental.

25:14 Like, just went mad at him.

25:16 I was like, "What the fuck?" Yeah.

25:18 Um, and then after that, he played me every

25:21 game and I done well and and that was it.

25:23 But, yeah, that was the I think the angriest I've ever been.

25:25 I'd like to think I've been more composed when I go to see the manager.

25:28 It was just like, obviously, they said you can go,

25:30 then fall through, then come back and I wasn't even on the bench.

25:32 It's like, "What the But, then what what what's your working theory on that?

25:37 Cuz it'd be odd thing to say, wouldn't it?

25:39 And then and then drop.

25:41 Yeah, I mean, yeah, things happen like that, I suppose, when you're younger.

25:45 Cuz I was still I was it then?

25:46 Probably 21-ish.

25:48 So, I was still quite young and I remember one time being dug out by him and um,

25:53 he hammered me after a game for being lazy and stuff.

25:55 And I, you know, you start reflecting, you're like, you know,

25:58 I can play[ __] at times, but lazy's not something I'd really chuck at myself.

26:02 And then he pulled me the next day and said, "I apologize,

26:04 like, but I had to give it to someone and, you know,

26:07 and obviously the easy option is the the young

26:09 lad sort of thing." And When he came into Villa,

26:11 cuz like I said, he already had a loan spell,

26:14 so he came into an an environment that he'd been in before,

26:17 like, in terms of training ground and and the stadium.

26:20 But, when he came in, it was like,

26:22 I've never seen someone so determined to just get

26:26 to like to to get to the very very very top.

26:29 Now, that might have been with Aston Villa if

26:31 we would have got top four and bits of it.

26:34 But, it was like, "I'm going to get there and no

26:36 one's going to get in my way." Not in an arrogant way,

26:38 cuz obviously the team was always first with me, they always first.

26:41 But, it was a case of like, and you played so well,

26:44 so so well, like like every week, seven eight out of 10, scoring goals,

26:49 assists, being on the right, getting crosses in, getting back,

26:52 doing like saving tackles on the on the byline, on the goal line as well.

26:57 It was like that was my first cuz at that time my career was

27:01 probably going that sort of going that way cuz of how I was at Villa.

27:06 And I was looking at Milly going,

27:08 "I'd love to be like that again." Love to be like that.

27:10 You know, you can just see it from afar,

27:11 just someone just riding away, just like literally just going the whole way.

27:15 It's brilliant to watch.

27:16 And [snorts] you know, with regards to your like positions,

27:19 like what I [laughter] was going to say there's a few of you.

27:21 Like I feel like you can play on the right,

27:22 play on the left, you can play central midfield, you know, fullback.

27:25 You know, it's kind of and you you know,

27:28 you've kind of you've been very, very good in all of them.

27:31 Like what's your favorite position and do you

27:34 mind being used as long as you're playing?

27:36 Yeah, what do you identify as?

27:38 Yeah, what do you identify as?

27:41 Fullback is a bigger [laughter] question than That's a few answers there.

27:46 Um yeah, that's a tricky one.

27:49 Um yeah, I mean, I think I always enjoyed

27:51 the middle more because I was involved in the game.

27:53 That's what I would have said.

27:54 I feel like I started as a winger.

27:58 Um I remember playing in the middle a bit when I was in Leeds Academy,

28:03 but it was more the wing and then one of my years at Leeds,

28:06 we had Pennant on loan the second season.

28:07 So he played on the right, so I moved to left and it really bothered me.

28:11 Played both sides at Newcastle and then played a bit up front for Newcastle

28:14 towards the end when Kevin Keegan was there before I left and enjoyed that.

28:19 Um but yeah, I just wanted to be involved

28:22 in the game really and I think there's pluses and minuses.

28:24 So obviously there's times where you'll get on the pitch cuz of it,

28:26 you'll play more games, but also, you know, it's not always easy

28:29 changing position and um you have your favorite position.

28:33 It depends what sort of game it is, you know,

28:34 if you're playing fullback in a in a team

28:36 that's flying and you're battering a team,

28:37 it's all time in the world, pass, overlap.

28:40 You know, if you're all hands on deck and you're and you're getting pumped,

28:43 then you've got an absolute geezer on a moped up against you.

28:49 [laughter] You're in big trouble, so it's um And I think one game,

28:52 I think the most I've done in a game is seven.

28:54 I think I did seven positions in one game at City one game.

28:57 I was like started on the wing, then I was in the hole,

28:59 then I was center, then someone went off for 5 minutes to get stitched,

29:03 so I went right back, then I went left wing,

29:04 and then I played I think I did seven positions in one game.

29:07 Wow.

29:08 That's it.

29:08 And I still like the kit man Buzz has got a goalkeeper jersey printed up

29:12 and he has a dunk warning case something ever happens he has to go in net.

29:15 And he's got me one as well because that's

29:16 the only position I needed to play is in that.

29:18 That's that's got [laughter] to be a record, isn't it?

29:20 That's got to be There you go.

29:24 He's not a fan of the accolades.

29:27 [laughter] Maybe before you finish, it's got to be every position.

29:30 Maybe you're our best hope.

29:31 One game, every position.

29:32 In one game.

29:33 One game.

29:34 Give it James.

29:35 Give it to him.

29:36 Um what So when you get to Manchester City,

29:38 is that was um who signed you for Man City?

29:41 Mancini.

29:41 Mancini, right.

29:42 And is that Have they They haven't won a title yet while they're there?

29:44 Uh so it was early.

29:46 That That was the reason I went really.

29:48 I think I I could have gone to Chelsea at that time

29:50 as well and um what attracted me was, you know,

29:53 obviously what was happening at City and they hadn't [clears throat] won

29:55 anything for for for a long time and to to, you know,

29:58 um hopefully start that that period of of success and be part of that.

30:02 And the first one was my first season there when we won

30:04 the FA Cup and uh the semi-final against United at Wembley and, you know,

30:09 semi-finals are normally better than finals in terms

30:11 of atmosphere cuz you're half and half, aren't you, at the ground?

30:13 And there was one half blue, one red, and it was the time the City fans were

30:16 doing the Poznan and they're all jumping up and down.

30:18 Wembley was shaking.

30:19 It was ridiculous and, you know,

30:21 to win that first one as a team and give you that belief of you know,

30:25 we'll we'll we'll we'll go on then.

30:26 We've we've won that.

30:27 And then obviously what came after that.

30:28 But that was the first one, yeah.

30:30 So how long How long were you at City?

30:31 And And what what was the evolu- evolution?

30:33 And I'm going to ask you about some of the players there.

30:35 Who was the Who was the best you played with?

30:36 Yeah, I was there 5 years and, you know,

30:39 every every year there was like getting the standard signing it was 25 million,

30:42 30 million, 40 million which, you know, it was a long time ago as well.

30:46 So, it was big money and always competition for places and um yeah,

30:52 won the FA Cup first year and then the second year was the the league title.

30:55 Started unbelievable preseason and we're in um LA for like 18 days,

31:01 I think and it was carnage [snorts] like training

31:03 in the morning and after that you could do you want.

31:05 Loads were like out regular like mental.

31:08 I think they probably had like four nights in out of 18.

31:12 And we had the we had the goalkeeper.

31:13 I can't remember who it was.

31:14 I think we had a German goalkeeper who was on trial or something.

31:18 And he was standing behind Hart and shooting one morning

31:21 and Hart swears blind this ball swerved and it caught him.

31:24 Don't you know what I mean?

31:25 And he's fired the ball at him and it's gone

31:27 straight round his arms and and bust this goalkeeper's nose.

31:30 He was like, "What is this shit?" And he knew the boys were out.

31:32 He was like, "What is this?

31:33 This is meant to be professional." Anyway,

31:34 it was a season we started unbelievable.

31:36 We beat United Was it six at Old Trafford at the end?

31:40 That's a record I like.

31:41 I think I'm the only player who's beat United by one,

31:44 two, three, four, five, six, seven goals, I THINK.

31:48 I THINK.

31:54 SO, HE'S LIKE "LOVE THIS BUT IT WAS LIKE YEAH,

31:55 WE started unbelievable and then we struggled

31:58 a bit coming out of January and the like

31:59 United had it and then managed to and then

32:01 obviously the Aguero moment was pretty ridiculous.

32:05 Yeah, just on the leads to LA thing cuz that's the hell of a journey in itself.

32:09 That should be the book.

32:10 Leads to LA, amazing.

32:12 When you saw these players that were coming in on these on these big signings,

32:16 were you sort of was that exciting to be part of and you're reading

32:19 about or hearing about these players that might

32:21 be coming in or was it intimidating?

32:24 Um no, it was not You always back your own ability.

32:27 So, I think that that's You want to be part of it.

32:29 You want to play with the best players.

32:30 But obviously, there's a few in there as well

32:32 who make it more challenging and um you know,

32:36 that LA one just come come to with Mario and you know,

32:39 the famous back heel again me being able

32:42 to play more positions with played back-to-back friendlies.

32:45 So it's like it's like 45 degrees or something.

32:47 I played the day before wasn't going to be playing at all.

32:49 I'm sat on bench.

32:49 He goes through does that back heel Mancini.

32:52 James James get ready.

32:53 So I played 80 70 minutes the day before and then come on and had

32:57 to play 65 minutes the day after in that heat cuz he's been a clown.

33:02 He was fuming.

33:02 He was fuming.

33:03 Have you seen it?

33:03 Have you seen the back heel?

33:04 He goes through one on one he sort of turns

33:06 around and tries to sort of back heel it.

33:08 Tries to back heel it and absolutely goes wrong.

33:09 And to be fair he is raging Mancini.

33:12 Yeah and he was a calm guy to be fair.

33:16 [laughter] I actually used to see him around around Cheshire sometimes even

33:19 David Platt going for a coffee and I'd heard he was aggressive.

33:25 And yeah he wasn't happy.

33:26 So you know, characters like that so you've got people coming in for big money.

33:30 So there's a lot of amazing players and Patrick Vieira was there.

33:33 I'm not sure he's there the second he was there.

33:35 They're there the first year.

33:35 So you got these guys who've been there done it and won powers like

33:39 unbelievable great guy you know like pal look at size of your knee how

33:43 he's training after training his knee be like this you like pal look at size

33:45 of your knee he's like of course this is where I keep my medals.

33:50 You know the big time baller and stuff but what a guy around

33:53 12 and the standard issue shirt and but thinking back [snorts] then like

33:57 the competition for places like the training

33:59 sessions like we trained at Carrington

34:01 and there was like a footpath that used to go around the training ground.

34:05 People would bring like step ladders and tape all

34:06 the photographers there every day because they knew there'd be fights.

34:09 Like the competition in training day before

34:12 a game we'd do like the three team game.

34:15 Lads would be kicking lumps out of each other.

34:16 It was ridiculous some of the tackles like the fights

34:19 you see in like Mario and and Meeks went at it.

34:22 You had Kolo Toure and Adebayor.

34:24 You had like Balotelli and the manager one day.

34:27 So Flickers there like buzzing around.

34:32 People were each other on the floor and stuff.

34:33 It's daily, yeah.

34:34 And obviously when you've got superstars coming

34:36 in cuz they're not signing young players to develop, they're ready-made players.

34:39 We want it now and you look at how the club's been done and you know,

34:43 that the other teams have signed around

34:44 the world and building the training ground

34:46 and and and the ground and developing that area around there like they've done

34:49 everything the right way step by step and they've done an amazing job

34:52 and that the journey they've been on but that point is like we need success now.

34:56 So you're signing 34 million pound players,

34:58 big egos and and every year there was new faces

35:01 coming through the door and you had to you know, step up and you know,

35:04 usually it ended up with me being on the bench at the start of the season.

35:07 I had to fight, play well and then by you know, October,

35:10 November I'd be playing a decent amount of games

35:12 again and I'd work my way in but you know,

35:14 when someone's coming in for 30, 40 million they're going to play regardless.

35:17 So you you move down the pecking again.

35:19 Yeah.

35:21 But that's that's a ridiculous mindset to have, isn't it?

35:24 Like you've you're sort of accepting that if

35:26 a new name comes in, you've got to go you you might go down a peg to then

35:30 prove yourself again and obviously that your character,

35:33 your personality will always drive that.

35:34 That's not a problem.

35:35 Other people they'll just go I can't deal with this.

35:37 Probably cost me as well though.

35:38 I feel like there was players in that dressing

35:40 room who kicked off more if they weren't playing.

35:42 Yeah.

35:42 And um I you know, I just I couldn't do that.

35:46 Yeah, I I just had to fight and push as hard

35:48 as I can and they knew I wouldn't kick off.

35:50 I remember there was one time one

35:52 of the players walked in from training, had an argument.

35:54 I was in the team all week uh because

35:57 of that and then got to the Saturday as a pre

36:00 big game and there was a knock on the door

36:02 as we're getting ready to go to the ground.

36:04 Never happens, you know, who is this?

36:06 And it was David Platt, he wasn't even the manager.

36:08 Platt comes in and says uh yeah,

36:09 the manager decided to go with this other player.

36:12 So what?

36:12 Talk us through that night, you know, with like the Aguero moment and all that.

36:15 What's um you know, did you go back in iron or did you go out and laugh?

36:20 Uh yeah, I think my top got creased in the celebration.

36:23 I had [laughter] to go back and do it quickly but I mean,

36:27 it was one of those like you know,

36:29 like turning around a one-off game like a cup final is incredible.

36:33 You know, like and you can win and lose a cup final but a whole season's work,

36:37 the best team always wins the league,

36:38 you know, and 38 games doing all that and then we're into stoppage

36:43 time and we just need two goals and you think we've blown it.

36:46 Going from that low to that high in the space of 4 minutes.

36:50 Yeah, it was incredible and then obviously

36:52 celebrations after and went to the nothing.

36:55 We had to a party and then the parade after and stuff like that and you know,

36:59 that was my first you know, taste of that sort of thing.

37:03 I can't remember did we do a parade?

37:05 I think we must have done a parade for the FA Cup as well.

37:07 Maybe it was the first one but and we had Vinnie who's unbelievable,

37:10 you know, like he was an unbelievable captain as well.

37:12 Learned so much from him as a captain but no surprise

37:14 what he's doing as a manager but his organization as a captain,

37:17 all the fines written down and this and that and he

37:19 had to be on top of it with that squad,

37:21 you know, some of the things some of the lads like just

37:24 took the fine every day to play Candy Crush on the physio bed.

37:26 Just paid it, didn't care.

37:27 They were like, yeah, I'm playing it.

37:29 Yeah, I'm playing Candy Crush so that was a time seven every

37:32 So there was a fine, just want to understand it outside of it.

37:35 Um there's a fine for playing Candy Crush, was it?

37:38 Well, no, not using your phone.

37:39 Phone.

37:39 So you shouldn't have your phone I'm sorry.

37:41 while you're using the treatment, yeah, so and he wanted to play Candy Crush

37:44 as he was getting treatment so he didn't care.

37:45 He was like, yeah, I'll take That's expensive Candy Crush, isn't But he's on it.

37:48 He's He's okay, no problem.

37:50 Yeah, and then like December when all the boys' families were over,

37:53 it was like incredible

37:55 like they they obviously push you to stay with the family as long as possible so

37:59 like I think in December I think we

38:00 took like 80,000 pounds of fines in one month.

38:04 Wow.

38:05 So the Christmas party was the Christmas party was pretty good.

38:07 The charities did all right out of that but [laughter]

38:09 the Christmas party was pretty good that year.

38:11 Oh my god, amazing.

38:13 So what what how did how did Liverpool come

38:14 about then cuz you know what was what happened there?

38:17 Yeah, I think I had 2 years left at City.

38:22 We wanted to stay, really wanted to stay,

38:24 um was doing quite well and um the club said, "Yeah,

38:27 let's get through this transfer window and we'll we'll talk about it." And so,

38:30 that was obviously like the July, August time or whatever.

38:33 And then went through that period and heard nothing.

38:36 And then it got to towards the end of the that season,

38:39 so I had like just over a year left

38:41 and the cam and the offer was pretty poor, to be honest.

38:44 It was like, I mean, they were clever with the media, said, "Oh,

38:47 the offer's more than what he's on now." But it was like,

38:49 if you win four Ballons d'Ors in a row.

38:53 So, it was pretty and I was like in and out of the team a bit and wasn't really,

38:58 you know, didn't feel like again,

38:59 you know, people sign all the time and felt like I I

39:02 deserved more to play more than I did and stuff like that.

39:05 And at that point then you think there's 2 left and if they'd got to a you know,

39:11 a decent, reasonable, fair offer, you know,

39:14 at that point you'd still probably sign.

39:15 And it went on and went on.

39:16 And then um you know,

39:20 I got to close to the time and then Liverpool became an option and it was,

39:23 you know, that that this is it's an amazing club and still I was like,

39:27 you know, how can you leave City at this point, you know,

39:29 a flying Liverpool had pushed us close a couple of years before,

39:32 but they weren't, you know, right up there challenging again.

39:35 So, it's a big decision to make, really.

39:38 And City were always great with me in the end, um you know,

39:42 the the owners got involved in terms of the negotiation and gave a a good offer.

39:46 It was brilliant at the last end and at the season said,

39:48 you know, whatever you want, we wanted you to stay.

39:50 Let us know what it was.

39:51 And you know, if I'd have been for money, I'd have probably done that, but Wow.

39:54 again, the thing that attracted me to City was,

39:56 you know, staying in that period of of winning things.

39:59 Liverpool again hadn't won too much and, you know, the size of the club.

40:02 And it was like, you know, if you could go there and you know,

40:05 win a league title and, you know, that that'd be incredible doing it there.

40:09 And yeah, it was just how the negotiations

40:12 panned out was too late and, you know, I'd made my mind up then and that was it.

40:15 So, that genuinely was the weight in your mind between starting what felt like

40:19 a kind of new project and being comfortable in the position that you were?

40:24 Yeah, it was a big risk leaving City.

40:25 Like you say, I you know, I I had 5 years there.

40:28 You know, in the end they'd come up with an offer

40:30 which would have been fair and and and you know,

40:34 I wish the owners had got involved if

40:35 if I'd stayed if they'd got involved earlier.

40:37 I suppose I would have stayed there for sure.

40:39 So, you know, that would have been a tough decision,

40:41 but at that point Liverpool what they said and was attractive and um like I say,

40:45 the size of Liverpool as a club.

40:47 Um but it's mad how things again sliding doors

40:49 moment if they'd have sorted those negotiations out quicker,

40:53 why would you leave City?

40:54 But then Liverpool came on and they speak to him and it's like, yeah,

40:57 and and you feel like you're really wanted and it's like,

40:59 yeah, but That's actually That's actually really good to hear, isn't it?

41:03 From a fan's point of view like in terms

41:05 of you really choosing that club at that moment.

41:09 I get what you mean, the circumstances could have been different,

41:12 but it feels like you put a lot of weight

41:15 on the project and the ambitions of what was going on there.

41:18 Yeah, and I think um someone came out from Liverpool

41:21 recently when when I brought the record on a few interviews

41:23 and they were saying I almost interviewed Liverpool or something which

41:26 I don't really remember remember that, but it was almost like saying,

41:29 look, I'm leaving a good club.

41:30 Liverpool's incredible, massive club, you know,

41:34 unbelievable opportunity, but you know,

41:36 how are you going to follow through, you know, cuz people, you know,

41:39 say we're going to do this and when you're

41:40 in the door and it doesn't happen and stuff.

41:43 Um Brendan was brilliant when he spoke to me about

41:45 where he'd see saw me in in the team and I

41:48 come in uh pre-season and was made vice captain pretty

41:51 much straight away and I was captain and you know,

41:53 Hendo was a bit stand-offish for a while cuz I don't know if he thought I was,

41:56 you know, going to, you know,

41:57 steal his uh you know, that and he knew pretty quick then after,

42:02 you know, I'm not I'm not that guy.

42:03 I'm just there to help him as much as possible and you know,

42:05 what a captain he turned out to be.

42:07 Following Stevie is pretty easy job, isn't it?

42:09 So, [laughter] Um so, that that was and obviously Stevie had just gone,

42:14 so that void and the first thing I remember going

42:18 to Liverpool was the year we nearly won the league,

42:20 the year we nearly won the league.

42:21 It was said constantly.

42:23 And that for me was like we have to get rid of that straight away.

42:25 You didn't win the league.

42:26 And so I used to banter him and be like,

42:27 you didn't win the league win the league, we won the league.

42:29 Now you need to move on otherwise it's just like a hangover.

42:32 I remember the City game from that year before cuz

42:33 I went up to watch it and I remember Noel

42:35 Gallagher was like just a couple down and and live

42:38 at the the place was buzzing cuz they'd beat City.

42:42 And just thought this is the year and then they had the huddle

42:45 and then yeah and then obviously what what happened happened but you know

42:50 [snorts] obviously you find yourself there not so long later.

42:52 What was your what was your first impressions of the club cuz I obviously I

42:54 remember when I went up there and it [snorts] is a special place, isn't it?

42:58 Yeah, I think internally like you say you could feel that hangover

43:01 and struggled the year after and it was about internally getting rid of that.

43:06 Externally I think we went on a pre-season tour

43:08 Far East and stuff like that and it was

43:10 it was just like you realize the magnitude

43:11 of the club like fans outside 3:00 in the morning, 4:00 in the morning.

43:16 We we did maybe three stops,

43:18 maybe did Singapore or somewhere else like three places, Australia.

43:22 And there was this person with this custom-made

43:24 sign and we're getting on the bus

43:26 onto this plane and they've got this sign of Hendo or whatever it was.

43:29 And I just noticed it cuz it's you know that out there.

43:32 Landed at the next place and this person's there and I was like,

43:34 how have you got here BEFORE US?

43:37 [laughter] [laughter]

43:44 AND IT WAS JUST INSANE BUT LIKE YOU KNOW the magnitude,

43:47 you know, we played I played two games while we were there.

43:49 100,000 fans.

43:51 One in America, one in Australia.

43:53 It's like That's mad.

43:55 global You do well to do that in your own town

43:57 or city but Yeah and yeah the the size of it,

44:01 the fans obviously and just desperate for success, you know,

44:05 that that relationship they have with the European

44:07 Cup and then obviously desperate for that league title.

44:11 Um yeah, so that was always a drive even, you know.

44:15 And the journey when Jürgen obviously came in and the journey I

44:18 mean the first year he was there we lost in the League Cup

44:20 final to City and the um and the Europa League um we were

44:24 winning at half time and like both of those like hard to take.

44:29 Mhm.

44:30 And then I remember Jürgen after the final

44:32 and um he wanted us all on the the dance

44:34 floor and and they'd obviously had a few drinks like we're all fuming me and um

44:40 we were out on a drink and he was like come on get over here and he

44:42 come out the third time and said get your[ __] ass over that dance floor now.

44:45 I was like[ __] And then you had a drink

44:47 and there was some stiff shapes going on there.

44:50 He wanted us to sing which is even worse.

44:52 So he he wanted us to sing We Are Liverpool or something like that and he

44:55 got everyone to sing and says [clears throat]

44:56 this is just the start of the journey.

44:58 This isn't the end.

44:58 This is the start of the journey.

45:00 And that was like all right.

45:01 So the first year, you know,

45:02 he's coming halfway through it's not and I remember the next pre-season

45:05 and one of the lads turned up late a few times in San Francisco.

45:10 Um we'd been there like two we'd only been there a day and a half and he

45:13 turned up late a few times for training

45:14 and he was injured sent him straight away.

45:15 He was like bang.

45:17 You you that's you and then that that was

45:19 it from that it's like all right, here we go.

45:21 Just drop yourselves in like and then bit by bit this squad changed

45:25 developed his ideas come through training

45:28 like like [snorts] you won't believe training.

45:31 Mhm.

45:31 What was the point of getting you and Hendo up

45:33 to dance cuz you're right that would have been some

45:35 moody dancing that wouldn't it like so you get up

45:37 to What was he trying to do do you think?

45:39 He just got us on the dance floor and everyone

45:41 was there in front of him he was on the stage

45:42 and he just wanted us to sing We Are

45:43 Liverpool together and he basically got us up there together.

45:45 Basically, yeah.

45:46 And he he did something similar after we lost

45:48 the Champions League final and he I think he

45:50 was with his mates and this video come out

45:52 of him singing and stuff like that and yeah,

45:56 you know, you you know, it's like he's what you see is what you get.

45:58 He's an unbelievable guy always knows how to put

46:02 what spin on it and there's times where you

46:03 think oh we've done all right there and he'll

46:05 come and go absolutely nuts and then other times,

46:07 you know, you think he's going to give us a rocket here

46:08 and he went the other way and he just always knew how to

46:11 And then it writes off some of the pressure maybe, I don't know.

46:13 Like I actually I quite like this mindset.

46:16 Well, I was going to say this but see there

46:17 you just said there about um you wouldn't believe training.

46:20 Like in what way?

46:20 Like you just the intensity or the detail or

46:23 One of the first international breaks I

46:24 think I was suspended or something for England

46:27 so I couldn't play for England so I was at the club and like I

46:30 think two of the boys threw up in one of the first sessions we did

46:33 and then the the tempo was just through the roof and like it was ridiculous.

46:38 All about intensity, next situation.

46:40 You playing with one ball and he'd kick another one in and say all right,

46:42 new ball and you're all to sprint to that one

46:44 and like even the the number of sessions remember played Arsenal

46:48 away on a Monday night and he always used to do

46:51 a double after a day off in the early days.

46:53 And I think we had the day off on the Sunday and then we had double Monday,

46:57 single Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday.

47:00 Travelled down London train Monday morning before the game

47:04 and then played the night game Monday night.

47:07 Really?

47:07 And it was like these are sessions where it's like,

47:09 you know, coming out of a tinkle.

47:10 It's like sprints and the amount of hamstrings

47:13 we had that first season was unbelievable.

47:16 Because I suppose that no one's used to that kind of tempo, right?

47:18 No, yeah, and you've gone from one to another and like took

47:20 time to develop and some players can't ever get there and you know,

47:24 I suppose it's like well, this is if you're here, this is how you do it.

47:27 I remember being coming out from a hamstring strain and I think we

47:30 lost two in the first 30 minutes and I was on the bench.

47:33 I think I was cleared for like 15,

47:34 20 minutes and the physio said whatever you do,

47:36 do not let Milly get on that pitch.

47:38 He's on pitch treating Coutinho, I think.

47:41 Turns around, it's like 20 minutes into game.

47:44 Getting stripped and went off and he's kicking off at Doc.

47:47 Doc says what do you want me to do?

47:48 Say to Jurgen he's not going on.

47:50 Good luck with that one.

47:52 [laughter] I managed to get through it to be fair but What

47:54 was your relationship like with Jurgen cuz obviously I when I

47:57 um when when I interviewed him um I've been in for recently

48:01 he was just could not speak highly enough of it.

48:03 He said it was easy for me.

48:04 He said we brought in, you know,

48:06 really talented players and they went to levels that, you know,

48:08 obviously Allison, Van Dijk, Salah, Mane,

48:12 Firmino really like the main but he said you and Lallana, later Robertson,

48:20 [snorts]

48:19 Henderson just you you guys policed it.

48:22 He said you just made it so easy for manager.

48:26 Um so so it's obvious that he speaks so highly of you.

48:30 So just wonder what you thought of him.

48:31 Yeah, incredible.

48:32 Like I said, the biggest compliment I think you can say is, you know,

48:35 you you we've all had managers who are one way in front

48:37 of the cameras and different and stuff but what you see is what you get.

48:41 As a guy, unbelievable.

48:43 Could have a joke with him.

48:44 Had that, [clears throat] you know,

48:46 he's got that aura that you don't want to piss him off

48:47 and get him angry but he could come over have a joke.

48:50 Um always honest with him, you know,

48:53 I'll always be honest with everyone and, you know,

48:55 we had the odd odd um word here and there but never it was never personal.

49:01 It was always like we knew both wanted

49:02 the same thing and um incredible my manager, you know,

49:06 used to come every I I did a charity um I've

49:10 got James Milner Foundation we did a charity ball and he'd

49:13 come and support it sat at the front make sure

49:15 everyone was there like buying buying auction prizes stuff like that.

49:20 Um was manager for the charity game that we did

49:23 at at Celtic um for Stans Foundation and and my my foundation.

49:29 Um [clears throat] so as a guy take all that out of it but then like

49:32 as a manager like I say had a special way of realizing what

49:37 would needed to be said at that time and um circumstances around the game

49:43 like what might happen like before the Barcelona game and stuff like that.

49:47 Vinnie Kompany had scored that last minute winner when we were going

49:49 for the league title as well and that was the night before and he's like,

49:52 has anyone got anything to say about that?

49:54 No, all right.

49:55 And then got on to it and and that was it.

49:57 And before that game he was like, you know, you know, it's almost impossible.

50:02 We'd have no chance, but we do have a chance because it's you.

50:05 Like you you you you know, you as a team like how you are.

50:08 And just just knowing or like if there would

50:11 might have been a distraction or something like that around

50:13 the game or someone was saying something or you played

50:15 like stupid amount of games in the last couple of weeks.

50:19 Tiredness isn't an issue.

50:19 This is the most important thing we have to do today.

50:22 Like we do it.

50:24 And even like uh we played first year he was

50:26 there we played Watford I think and we lost in London.

50:29 And it was the Christmas party and it was for the whole club and he's like,

50:31 right, these people work their nuts off all the time for you.

50:34 When we train, we train 100%.

50:36 When we play, we play 100%.

50:37 When we party, we party 100%.

50:39 I [laughter] really cuz I was I was at that game and and I

50:42 am cuz that was a that was a big win for Watford.

50:45 You hadn't you hadn't lost many.

50:47 And I remember Was that Was that season.

50:50 I think that was a uh Was that the only We

50:53 hadn't lost for a long time in that one I think.

50:54 Yeah, [clears throat] no, I think it was the first season.

50:56 And he go out and do a Christmas party?

50:58 Yeah, it was yeah yeah it was for the for the whole club it

50:59 was organized and we had to go and and and do the Christmas do.

51:03 And it was for the staff at the ground

51:04 in the hall and he was like basically saying, yeah,

51:06 you like team talk before you better[ __] be on it and not

51:09 standing kind of feeling sorry for yourselves cuz these people put a lot on.

51:12 I love how he motivates players by party.

51:15 I don't know many managers do the same sort

51:17 of thing in your experience, but he loves it.

51:21 Yeah, back in the day it would have been

51:23 not so much modern era or Good way that.

51:27 A good way to get the lads going.

51:29 But you had some top moments there.

51:30 Now, what what was it like Like what players

51:34 were the were the most impressive in through that period?

51:36 Cuz I mean[ __] me, you played with some players, didn't you?

51:39 Yeah, I think I think Mo from the get-go

51:42 I think like the numbers he put up you're like,

51:44 Jesus, is he ever going to stop scoring?

51:45 It's like ridiculous.

51:46 Can he keep this going and he has

51:48 for the amount of time it is like unbelievable.

51:50 The dressing room we had at Liverpool like if

51:53 you didn't buy into that you were on your own.

51:55 So, you sort of had to be at that level cuz everyone was doing it.

51:59 We didn't have a compulsory pre-activation in the gym before,

52:02 but everyone was in there 45 minutes before

52:04 the session half an hour before the session.

52:05 Like everyone did it.

52:07 That was the standard we set and you fit in and everyone was on time.

52:09 Divock Origi like unbelievable how he was always on time.

52:13 He's the like most chilled man ever.

52:15 And he'd walk [snorts] in like 5 seconds to go every single meeting,

52:18 whatever it was, he was always on time.

52:19 I don't know how he did it.

52:21 But it was it was unbelievable like how he was never late,

52:24 but even him like I can imagine somewhere else he probably would have been

52:27 uh He was late when he popped up with a few goals in there.

52:30 The amount of important goals he's scored.

52:32 Absolutely.

52:33 And he's a Liverpool legend like the fans love him.

52:35 The amount of important goals he's scored.

52:38 Um but yeah, I think I think Mo Salah was unbelievable.

52:42 Bobby, I mean [snorts] Bobby like everything like as a guy as well,

52:46 but so chilled, unbelievable ability,

52:49 how hard he worked for the team, so clever.

52:53 I mean that that whole team really.

52:54 But the the the big thing was was how we played as a team.

52:58 And like I remember the early days we'd have 10-15 minute spells where we

53:01 just destroy a team we just got three four goals and some of the lads,

53:05 you know, playing on other teams you speak to them after it's like Jesus,

53:07 it was like you had 12 men out there.

53:08 Just how we pressed and like no one had a minute.

53:11 Gaffer celebrating tackles and 50-50s on sideline and uh

53:15 I think Ox said he was like saying like I've

53:17 never been celebrated for like pressing before and Gaffer

53:19 like beat three men and Gaffer won't blink an eye.

53:22 Like didn't didn't care,

53:23 but like sliding tackle press and he's like all over it.

53:26 And that was the most impressive thing for me I

53:29 think how the manager got the team to play together,

53:31 but like even the Barcelona game the names were missing.

53:34 We didn't have Mo, we didn't have Bobby I

53:36 don't think like but then players are ready to play.

53:38 They come in, they know the job exactly.

53:40 The level didn't drop.

53:41 And I think that's when we put those long runs together of wins,

53:44 that's the whole You need a whole squad for that.

53:47 And that shows the level didn't drop, you know,

53:48 like if you're missing a player or someone's suspended,

53:51 that shows how good the squad was,

53:53 how together the squad was, what a good job the manager did,

53:56 and how ready everyone was to play and and come in and do the job.

53:59 Yeah, amazing.

54:01 Um how do you view your England career?

54:05 Average.

54:06 Yeah?

54:06 Yeah.

54:07 Yeah.

54:07 I think obviously you want to be successful, don't you?

54:09 You never won anything.

54:10 I went to two World Cups, two Euros.

54:12 I think I played in the first two tournaments,

54:15 went to the last two, didn't really get a sniff.

54:19 Yeah, and yeah, that that that was that really.

54:22 Mhm.

54:22 We went to South Africa together.

54:25 What do you think was the was the issue there?

54:27 Just didn't It didn't fit, did it?

54:29 Yeah, I mean people talk about where it was and stuff like that.

54:31 I mean that didn't really ever bother me, you know,

54:33 like I I was in my room like looking at the walls and being bored as normal,

54:38 so that didn't bother me.

54:39 Now, I mean now today I mean you boys had the darts going, didn't you?

54:41 Yeah, but darts and pee, you know.

54:43 Couldn't leave him belts on that.

54:46 [laughter]

54:46 Yeah, leaving leaving him on the oche, weren't you?

54:49 And then next thing you have to come in and like throw it through the smog.

54:55 [laughter] Um I was just leaving farts on the oche just just saying that.

54:59 But someone's come in and farted.

55:02 Try to throw darts without breathing.

55:03 I don't think that's ever been the easiest thing.

55:05 it the one that then became potent P?

55:07 Belts and pee, yeah.

55:07 [laughter] Yeah, yeah, that was it.

55:09 And the darts.

55:12 Yeah.

55:13 Have you got away with that one?

55:14 I thought that was that was

55:15 No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,

55:16 no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

55:17 Belts and pee, yeah, so Yeah.

55:20 Yeah, I think that's part of it, you know,

55:22 it the training center was in the same spot, weren't it?

55:24 So I think that maybe makes it tough, wasn't it?

55:26 And you know, I mean early days, you know,

55:29 I remember being in that squad and we had Back still

55:31 in it and people like that and you used to go, didn't you?

55:33 And you got like PlayStation, Xbox, laptop, you know, speaker,

55:37 a pillow that sings to you, all this stuff with your name on it.

55:39 It's like, "Geez, I'm like I'm set here.

55:41 I'm sound.

55:42 Don't worry about me." And then like Becks

55:44 Becks retired and the sponsorship deals dried up.

55:48 [laughter]

55:48 He got a beer mat also out with an England badge on next next tournament.

55:52 Yeah, I was so I I I played that period

55:54 where Becks came in and we all changed all

55:55 this for the 5-year period and then I we kind of went

55:59 at the same time and you're on your own now, mate.

56:01 Yeah, so that changed a bit, but you know,

56:03 we always got looked after mate in terms of the setup and stuff.

56:06 Maybe for, you know, it it it's tough.

56:09 It's relentless.

56:10 It's the pressure.

56:11 It's probably been at the training ground.

56:12 Things didn't change.

56:13 Like for me, I wasn't I wasn't too

56:16 But everyone's different like how what they need like,

56:18 you know, golf might be like I play golf and we're allowed to play golf.

56:21 That's enough for me.

56:21 If you don't golf or, you know, family and things like that.

56:25 I didn't have a family at that time.

56:27 So you're not missing the kids.

56:28 [clears throat] So all these circumstances again that it's all right for one,

56:30 but it's not for others, but um yeah,

56:34 I mean with the team we had to I mean I was ill before the first game,

56:37 which was like that was my first World Cup.

56:39 I was I wasn't allowed to eat with you guys for like four or five days.

56:41 Lost about four or five kilos.

56:44 Probably a bit less than what I've lost since I've been here, but [laughter]

56:49 I I didn't think I was going to play and then

56:51 he played me the first game and I was off it obviously.

56:53 I hadn't trained hardly.

56:54 I hadn't eaten.

56:55 I'd lost loads of weight.

56:56 I think I got booked and I got pulled off in the first half.

56:58 So I was like, "Oh my god, that's my only my only ever England appearance."

57:02 I think it was a USA and we drew.

57:03 USA and we drew 1-1 in that game.

57:05 Was it food poisoning or just the shits or something?

57:08 Like is it I had just some sort of virus.

57:10 It was like Yeah, I don't know what it was.

57:12 Bad timing though.

57:14 I didn't play the second game and then the third

57:15 game I started and assisted JD for the goal.

57:18 So that that was made me feel a bit better.

57:21 And then, you know, obviously the Germany one.

57:23 I could see from where I was it was miles over the line,

57:25 but Ridiculous that one, wasn't And and it's an interesting one because like

57:29 the history is it goes down as you know,

57:31 we got battered and stuff like that, but we were two nil down,

57:34 two one, Lamps gets that two all just before half time, backs up momentum.

57:38 Wasn't even Again, like you don't know, you don't know how that goes then.

57:43 Momentum in a World Cup game just before half time.

57:45 It might turn out the same, but you don't know,

57:47 but then you get this narrative in history that this is what happened,

57:50 you know, but you never know.

57:52 Yeah.

57:52 Like with the momentum and we know what happens in football

57:55 matches when you get a goal come back two two goal swing.

57:59 What do you make of England's chances this summer and should Danny Welbeck go?

58:03 I mean it depends how you look at it, doesn't it?

58:06 If you're looking at facts and and how many

58:08 goals English strikers have gotten playing in the Premier League.

58:12 Yeah, on on numbers and and his experience, what he's like as a lad,

58:16 I think he'll be a huge asset to the squad, 100%.

58:18 Um, but you know, we've got so many good players,

58:21 but 100% I get to see him every week and you know,

58:24 who knows how many how many games England managers watching of Brighton,

58:27 you don't know that.

58:28 Obviously the the other teams will probably get watched a bit more,

58:31 but if you you see him what he's done this year and how

58:33 good he's been and I get to see first hand what he's

58:35 like with the players in the dressing room and the sort of lad

58:38 he is and that's so important when you're away at a World Cup,

58:42 you know, that the characters you have is important in any dressing room,

58:45 but especially when you're away and and and fit

58:47 in and someone who's been there, done it.

58:49 Um, he'd be a huge asset, I think as well, but in terms of the whole team,

58:53 you look at the quality of players we've got

58:55 and and the level they're playing at, challenging for big trophies,

58:59 which I think is hugely important, you know,

59:00 when you're used to winning big titles,

59:02 I think that's obviously and I got two guys playing at Madrid,

59:06 probably one's not going to go, which for me, like how how good he is.

59:10 Um, but, you know, the the manager sees it

59:13 a certain way and he's going to make those decisions,

59:14 but I think that's important when you've got players playing in huge games,

59:17 used to challenging for trophies.

59:20 Again, international football's different, but yeah,

59:23 I I don't I don't see why not for sure.

59:26 It's an interesting one though cuz I a sense from him,

59:27 he doesn't he he doesn't mind making a decision even if it feels unpopular.

59:32 Not that that would be unpopular,

59:34 I just mean he's not scared to to kind of see it as he sees it.

59:38 No, I don't think he would stand a chance with him.

59:40 I think that's a huge plus for him as well.

59:42 Like like you say, you might not agree with him,

59:43 but sticking to your guns, not caring what people say.

59:45 Obviously, you know,

59:46 the amount of talk within the dressing room when I played for England,

59:49 I don't know if it's changed now, but it's like,

59:50 "Oh, the media this, the media that." It's like, who cares?

59:53 Like you got to have that sort of tunnel vision totally,

59:55 but it was like the media got mentioned so much

59:57 and I think having a manager who doesn't care like,

1:00:00 "I'm this is where I'm going." I think that's obviously a huge

1:00:03 plus and like like Trent is some people would be like,

1:00:06 "How can a guy with his ability not be involved?" But, you know,

1:00:10 he's he's got his way of doing it and, you know, it's he's going to do that.

1:00:14 I think that's a good thing, though, you know,

1:00:15 like definitely when you've got someone who just blocks it all out

1:00:18 and actually picks a team who he at least he's sticking to his beliefs.

1:00:21 You know what I'm saying?

1:00:23 You know he's not going to get swayed by anyone.

1:00:25 Um right, we've got some questions from fans, right?

1:00:27 Vote in if that's all right.

1:00:28 Okay, Gareth Duck.

1:00:30 Would you go

1:00:33 [laughter]

1:00:32 That's the most Leeds name I've ever HEARD,

1:00:34 ISN'T WOULD YOU GO BACK TO LEEDS TO FINISH YOUR CAREER?

1:00:42 Um I mean, I love the club.

1:00:44 I was gutted I only got to play two years there.

1:00:47 You know, if I'd have been born a bit earlier,

1:00:48 could have maybe got involved in the Champions League run.

1:00:52 And you still watch them now on TV and you

1:00:53 see the atmosphere at Elland Road and, you know,

1:00:56 obviously, yeah, it'd be incredible.

1:00:57 Can I ask you a question?

1:00:58 What's better, fish and chips, Brighton or Leeds?

1:01:02 Leeds.

1:01:03 Yeah.

1:01:03 It is, isn't it?

1:01:04 Have you been to Murgatroyds?

1:01:06 The big Murg.

1:01:07 __] me, sounds like a Decepticon.

1:01:10 It's in the Transformers film.

1:01:11 Have you Have you been there?

1:01:13 [laughter] Uh I promise you it's a fine, yeah.

1:01:16 It's Murgatroyds.

1:01:18 Oh, they're going to love this.

1:01:21 [laughter] Murgatroyds.

1:01:21 good?

1:01:22 The big Really?

1:01:23 Top level.

1:01:25 Yeah.

1:01:25 I mean, Wetherby Whaler used to be the stop-off

1:01:27 for every single football team that played in the Yeah,

1:01:30 it was like standard.

1:01:31 Yeah, they said they all just ate in and Done.

1:01:33 Fish and chips.

1:01:34 Back in the day, that was the one on the way home, wasn't it?

1:01:36 Yeah.

1:01:36 The one for the away trip.

1:01:38 On the off there, I remember one of my first

1:01:39 games at Leeds and we played in What was it?

1:01:41 Arsenal.

1:01:41 I think we beat Arsenal at Highbury to to stay stay up,

1:01:44 second last game of the season.

1:01:45 Before we got on the the motorway, pulled over off a manager and captain off.

1:01:51 Massive like boxes of beer on bus and on you go.

1:01:54 I'm driving.

1:01:55 That's same, I remember Gerry Francis the same thing with QPR.

1:01:58 Mhm.

1:01:59 Yeah, just fish and chips and few beers.

1:02:01 Murgatroyd's, cup of tea, you get bread and butter, scraps, Oh.

1:02:07 and then you get the big mug.

1:02:08 It's it's I'm so hungry.

1:02:12 What's what's your one?

1:02:12 The Wetherby Whaler?

1:02:13 Did you Wetherby Whaler was the Just off

1:02:16 the A1, wasn't Are they still rocking it?

1:02:17 Well, they're training ground now, isn't Yeah, that's where Leeds is training.

1:02:20 Yeah.

1:02:20 around there, yeah.

1:02:21 World class.

1:02:22 Well, let's start a little fish and chip discussion on the pod.

1:02:25 Let us know if there's better.

1:02:26 Grimsby's the shower as well.

1:02:27 Grimsby's [clears throat] good.

1:02:28 It's very fishy up there, isn't it?

1:02:29 I stand by Leeds.

1:02:31 Was that not in Wetherby Whaler?

1:02:32 Did you stop there?

1:02:33 Were you A1 the other day, did you?

1:02:35 Was that your [laughter] Got fish and chips and a COUPLE OF DILDOS.

1:02:47 [laughter] COUPLE OF SAVELOYS.

1:02:50 WHY IS THE A1 so horny, Jack?

1:02:53 I was on the young one who A1 was like Newcastle and that down.

1:02:57 [snorts] Do you know we had someone wrote in actually

1:02:59 and and said why the A1 was so horny.

1:03:02 Yeah.

1:03:02 Uh Was that Was Did they Did they message you?

1:03:06 They DM'd you, didn't they?

1:03:07 I haven't got my phone.

1:03:07 I haven't got my phone.

1:03:08 I haven't got my phone.

1:03:09 Well, we'll explain to you exactly why it's so horny.

1:03:11 It's really interesting, actually.

1:03:13 Yeah.

1:03:13 Yeah, just to explain.

1:03:14 Um hi, BBQC, that's a different thing.

1:03:17 A barbecue thing is.

1:03:18 Um the reason the A1 has no little chefs and lots of adult stores is

1:03:22 that Little Chefs went bankrupt and all

1:03:24 of their stores were bought by the dildo shops.

1:03:28 Either way, there's sausage on sale.

1:03:32 [laughter] I won't uh it looks like a company account so I

1:03:35 won't name the Instagram account uh but you know who you are.

1:03:38 Well, there you go.

1:03:38 It makes sense.

1:03:39 Yeah, we know.

1:03:40 All right, Stephen Critchley says which player

1:03:43 pushed you uh furthest in the lactate test?

1:03:46 I've but bear in mind have you ever lost one?

1:03:48 No.

1:03:49 You've never lost one?

1:03:51 Is this a bleep test?

1:03:52 Not this one.

1:03:52 Yeah, kind of.

1:03:53 It's mainly It's a lactate I thought was to

1:03:55 No, it's the it's the when they they they take a your blood, right?

1:03:59 Yeah, you you run on a treadmill and they

1:04:00 take your blood and see how much, you know,

1:04:03 how fit you [snorts] are at that moment in time and sometimes you get pulled

1:04:06 out when you hit your level and other times it's just go until you're going,

1:04:09 yeah, until you can't really, yeah.

1:04:11 Joey Gomez went with me to the last lap at one year.

1:04:16 Um Went to the last lap.

1:04:19 Uh That suggests everyone else has died.

1:04:22 No.

1:04:23 Mo, the last year I think I was there we were doing 500 meter runs and we were

1:04:27 on the last one and I said like I'm going

1:04:29 to cruise down there and then like kick the last bit.

1:04:31 That's what I'm going to do and I think

1:04:33 he saw a weakness and tried to do me early.

1:04:36 He went early?

1:04:36 On the bottom on the bottom bend, yeah, but yeah, he went early.

1:04:40 I think he ended up 10 10 15 behind but Mo

1:04:43 wasn't really bothered at the start but then you know,

1:04:45 he's relentless relentless.

1:04:46 Yeah, yeah, his mentality.

1:04:47 Oh yeah, I wanted a piece of this stuff early on in the season cuz his speed

1:04:50 is I mean he's so fit as well but I think one year he thought yeah,

1:04:52 I'm going to go for this.

1:04:54 And uh he he sensed I was getting a bit older but So

1:04:56 you've never been beaten like so so now if you did a bleep test,

1:05:00 would you fancy it Brian or have you do you do them?

1:05:02 I mean I'm not allowed anymore.

1:05:04 The physio like because of like you're a bit older and stuff like that, yeah,

1:05:07 so yeah, I didn't really like it.

1:05:09 But Jonas Gutierrez was unbelievably fit as well back

1:05:12 in the Newcastle days he he was very good,

1:05:14 but there's nothing better doing it with you know you got the young lads like 20

1:05:18 years old and probably like 15 years and you know one of them said I'm going

1:05:21 to be sick and like you're pushing them the pace along and Does that give you

1:05:24 like is that give you a little buzz like Do you know what the best one was?

1:05:27 City we were in South Africa and we we did pre-season at this this school

1:05:32 and it was just like a grass track

1:05:34 painted and we weren't going in any direction.

1:05:36 There was some running some way some running another way.

1:05:38 We've been put with someone who the thought was levels.

1:05:40 I think I was with Fernandinho and we're just

1:05:42 running in twos and you're running for a time.

1:05:45 So you're you're pushing it along.

1:05:47 And we're running and we've been doing a certain

1:05:48 amount and he never said a word and then all of a sudden like I'm we're running

1:05:52 this way he just turned around and joined another group.

1:05:54 Never said a word he just turned and went with THIS THREE AND [laughter]

1:06:00 HE'D DONE THE FIRST one and then we must have been doing

1:06:02 four or five and like we're pushing it along and he never

1:06:04 said like slow down Dave drop back or anything he just[ __]

1:06:08 that and just turned around and start running just seamlessly as you like.

1:06:12 I literally turned around and didn't even know he'd gone

1:06:13 and it's just the three of them running the other way.

1:06:16 [laughter] You know what I sometimes like I know that like you know when you get

1:06:18 in a group and you get you look around you go you know no no [laughter]

1:06:24 Stay away from that one.

1:06:25 You've got this sort of brutal animalistic energy about you that I I've

1:06:29 only seen before in Wayne Bridge where you've shown me some of this joke.

1:06:33 He was a joke.

1:06:34 He was a joke.

1:06:34 I'm not sure I've ever done that sort of thing

1:06:36 with Bridgey cuz Bridgey was very fit as well.

1:06:39 But like Jimmy when he was injured you see him in the gym

1:06:41 doing hand bike and bikes and he he was a joke as well.

1:06:46 All right we've got a really important one from John

1:06:48 Coffee here he's he's not the fellow from the Green Mile

1:06:53 [laughter and clears throat] How do you brew the perfect cup of tea?

1:07:04 Not coffee um Yeah it's I mean milk after innit?

1:07:09 Yeah, I was saying yeah.

1:07:10 What where did you go to?

1:07:11 I mean, is it is it Yorkshire?

1:07:13 It's got to be Yorkshire.

1:07:14 Yeah, that's a ridiculous question from me.

1:07:18 [laughter]

1:07:18 No PG Tips, you're Yorkshire all day.

1:07:20 I mean, I think at Brighton, [clears throat] um,

1:07:24 there someone gave me a PG Tips in the first season and I was like Oh,

1:07:27 dear, they wind them out there.

1:07:28 They're talking giving them a straight back, yeah.

1:07:30 Are you Imagine Imagine being pictured of that.

1:07:32 Mhm.

1:07:32 Oh, yeah, yeah, that's true.

1:07:34 It's quite a whole thing.

1:07:35 You mean it in a covering your mouth with your hand.

1:07:36 You could not cover your tea cup.

1:07:38 You Are you sugaring there or no no sugar?

1:07:40 No sugar for me.

1:07:40 No sugar.

1:07:41 And then someone told me you actually going to stir it anti-clockwise.

1:07:44 There's there's a science to that.

1:07:45 have a favorite?

1:07:46 You men are stirring You men are going anti-clockwise.

1:07:49 Leave it for a bit and then stir and then squeeze it

1:07:52 against the top of the the cup before I take it out.

1:07:54 To be fair, this is a clever mate one and I go anti-clockwise.

1:07:58 Do you?

1:07:59 Mhm.

1:07:59 I might have to try that.

1:08:00 Yeah, listen, my my missus said I I make the best cup of tea,

1:08:03 but I think she's mugging me off, so I say Say what?

1:08:06 [laughter]

1:08:06 Yeah, you're falling for that one, aren't you?

1:08:07 I'm not joking, mate.

1:08:09 Of course I'm kidding.

1:08:10 Yeah, she likes her feet up.

1:08:11 You got to chuck chuck a bit of Marmite in the next one.

1:08:13 You won't be asked to do it again.

1:08:16 [laughter] Milly, I have to ask you about, uh, parched, uh,

1:08:19 because you I know you were involved in like

1:08:22 in it and you knew about it and stuff.

1:08:23 I just wanted to ask you cuz you were you were prime suspect for a little bit.

1:08:27 I mean, were did you were you aware of you being prime suspect for a while?

1:08:30 I wasn't aware, to be fair, but I get chucked in to to most things,

1:08:33 to be fair, so um, yeah, I'm not surprised I was around it.

1:08:37 Yeah.

1:08:37 What who's the most parched that you've come across in your career?

1:08:40 I thought I might get this, so I I did ask a second opinion from Andy Robertson,

1:08:45 to be fair, just to make sure I wasn't, uh, you know, remembering it wrong.

1:08:48 And um, yeah, for me it was Thiago.

1:08:50 Thiago?

1:08:50 Yeah, so I don't know if he's the same in the legends game, but yeah.

1:08:53 Do you know what?

1:08:54 I I think he was a little bit parched.

1:08:57 It's good to get that clarification [laughter] on Thiago.

1:09:01 Interesting.

1:09:02 Wow.

1:09:02 It's the first mention of Thiago as parched.

1:09:05 podcast as quite a claim.

1:09:07 Unbelievable.

1:09:07 We'll have to put it to him.

1:09:08 Yeah, interesting.

1:09:10 He didn't need to spend the extra time working on his tan, did he himself?

1:09:12 No, no, that's true.

1:09:13 That's a good point.

1:09:14 He's still got it, by the way.

1:09:16 In the legends match, he's definitely still got it.

1:09:17 Listen, we've got a load of new listeners now,

1:09:19 so if you don't know what parched is,

1:09:20 then it's I mean, how would we explain parched?

1:09:24 Uh well, it was traditionally the player that was given the the the big coat.

1:09:28 Yeah, the manager.

1:09:29 Someone who who who's very much in tune with the manager,

1:09:34 spends a lot of time with him, comfortable, likes to speak to him.

1:09:37 Perhaps go for dinner with him.

1:09:38 Yeah.

1:09:39 Yeah.

1:09:40 The teacher's pet.

1:09:40 Gasping.

1:09:42 Yeah.

1:09:42 Absolutely gasping.

1:09:43 Well, the whole scenario started with the reason parched was called parched

1:09:46 was because no one ever saw him take a sip of water.

1:09:49 No matter how hard the session is, he was still at the manager's side, chatting.

1:09:52 [laughter] So, he's like he he didn't didn't take any liquid on.

1:09:57 So, he's parched.

1:10:01 So, I mean, listen, you're you're I mean, you're still in the game,

1:10:04 and you know what's amazing about you is you've spanned so long in the league,

1:10:08 you know, in the Premier League.

1:10:10 Um like, so you've seen it what I I think maybe you know,

1:10:14 almost everything, you know, because right at the start,

1:10:17 there'll be things that annoyed you that went out the game,

1:10:19 that's come in the game, and you know,

1:10:21 is there anything that that pisses you off?

1:10:23 I'm I'm I'm talking about in the whole spectrum of your career there.

1:10:27 Is there anything where you go, ah, the game's gone.

1:10:29 What's happening?

1:10:30 Yeah, it could be here a while, to be fair.

1:10:33 I mean, VAR for me is I I I hate it.

1:10:36 That's that's a given.

1:10:36 That's that's standard.

1:10:39 Um cameras in dressing rooms.

1:10:40 Oh.

1:10:41 Yeah.

1:10:42 Oh, now we're talking.

1:10:43 That's a quite a new one.

1:10:43 Yeah, they tried it a few for the last few years at Brighton,

1:10:46 and I've been a hard no on that.

1:10:48 Um Last you've been a hard no on it as in if everyone else says yes,

1:10:52 do they pick Slate in your face or something?

1:10:54 Uh Crime Watch, sort of.

1:10:55 No.

1:10:56 Yeah, yeah, cuz I suppose if you say no,

1:10:58 you could have like, you know, Macintosh on camera.

1:11:00 I'll just I'll just smash it off the wall.

1:11:03 [laughter] Billy's got the robot [clears throat] voice or something.

1:11:06 No, if they put one in I mean we

1:11:07 have them after games and stuff which I still hate,

1:11:09 but no, if it was I'd just smash it off the wall to be honest.

1:11:12 Yeah.

1:11:13 Smash it off the so let's not be I mean like you've got tunnel clubs,

1:11:16 you've got cameras all over,

1:11:18 you've got cameras on you when you sit behind the bench,

1:11:20 you've got cameras in the tunnel.

1:11:22 It's like If you want to brawl in there or someone's

1:11:25 got injured and they're crying their eyes out or you know,

1:11:28 we're talking about mental health of players now and that's a big topic.

1:11:32 There's got to be somewhere within a stadium where you can

1:11:34 get away from which and your dressing room's that place, isn't it?

1:11:37 And that's gone out of it, you know.

1:11:39 Imagine people in the in the training grounds and just like

1:11:42 now people just walk in like staff members and stuff like that.

1:11:44 Like back in the day be like, you're joking, are you?

1:11:46 Like you can't go in the first team dressing room.

1:11:49 And as a as a junior player as well or whatever,

1:11:51 like last year coming and it was like 4:00 and I'd finished my session,

1:11:55 come through and there's like four or five lads in first team jacuzzi

1:11:58 and in in dressing room like causing carnage for like stuff like that.

1:12:02 And it's yeah.

1:12:03 I suppose they got led you I suppose you let them know, did you?

1:12:06 Uh yeah.

1:12:08 Standard.

1:12:09 Standard practice.

1:12:10 What do you put that down to?

1:12:11 Glass tunnels or No, it's cam- cameras in dressing rooms.

1:12:14 Cameras in dressing rooms.

1:12:16 I've got another one as well which you might enjoy.

1:12:18 Another one.

1:12:20 So um you know like referees when they get

1:12:23 a bit familiar in the game and stuff like that.

1:12:25 We had one not that long ago and one of our lads is from Gambia.

1:12:30 And it done a few tackles and you know, he's he's a bit of a head head off him.

1:12:37 He's shouting tranquilo at him.

1:12:39 The referee shouting oh Shouting tranquilo

1:12:42 and like don't speak a word of Spanish.

1:12:44 He's shouting tranquilo and he said it like three or four times.

1:12:48 I [laughter] just yeah, tranquilo.

1:12:50 yeah, yeah.

1:12:50 when I'm like Yeah, I I know what you mean.

1:12:52 Well, we had actually last week where Ben Foster was on and he

1:12:55 was talking about um when Jordan Pickford made a save and Vamos there.

1:13:00 [laughter] I saw that, right?

1:13:03 Is it All right.

1:13:04 I think that's acceptable for a keeper.

1:13:06 Yeah, they're a bit wild, aren't they?

1:13:07 They're a different breed.

1:13:08 Yeah.

1:13:09 Pickford, I can just see that.

1:13:10 But the the referee doing that, I think that's a no.

1:13:12 Referee Tranquilo.

1:13:13 Referee Tranquilo.

1:13:14 Okay, so overfamiliar referees, can we put THAT DOWN?

1:13:18 FOR ME, it was more the fact that he don't speak any Spanish.

1:13:20 It's just like he's not from Spain.

1:13:21 I don't know why he's shouting Tranquilo.

1:13:22 Just cuz he's not from England, it means he automatically understands Tranquilo.

1:13:26 It's such a unique situation,

1:13:27 but wonderful cuz it sums up a few different things.

1:13:30 I think honestly a referee Tranquilo sums up the situation.

1:13:33 Tranquilo.

1:13:34 Yeah, I for me sums up [laughter]

1:13:40 Well, if you don't mind signing it, it'll go straight up there.

1:13:42 We've got um you know, there's a few up there.

1:13:44 Harry Wilson, Danny Dyer, uh Ben Foster.

1:13:47 I think celebrating mediocrity from Dermot Kennedy

1:13:50 that would you'd you'd probably agree with as well.

1:13:52 Yeah.

1:13:52 I think if you give me a few months,

1:13:53 I'll come back and I'll give you another ball.

1:13:55 You even need another ball though.

1:13:56 I could be here all day on this.

1:13:58 I could be here all day.

1:13:59 It's a good little game game's gone board.

1:14:01 But cameras in dressing rooms AND REF TRANQUILO.

1:14:05 [laughter] IT'S GOING UP.

1:14:09 IT'S THE BEST ONE, YEAH.

1:14:10 YEAH, I mean that one's my favorite actually.

1:14:12 That one's my favorite.

1:14:13 Um right mate, uh before you go Chris is on a a special mission.

1:14:18 You know, as as we are as podcasters uh about um making shin pads great again.

1:14:23 I don't know what your thoughts are.

1:14:24 I think you might be aligned with us.

1:14:25 Um the the the pads have got smaller and smaller as we go,

1:14:29 you know, and um you know, we saw a massive gash on a shin recently.

1:14:34 I don't know if you saw that abroad

1:14:35 and we just want to make shin pads great again.

1:14:38 And um oh, I don't know what your thoughts are on the shin pad situation, mate.

1:14:41 Are you Are you a larger man?

1:14:43 Uh yeah, yeah.

1:14:46 Um yeah, I think there was a foul earlier in the season

1:14:48 with one of our young lads Harry Hall and he

1:14:50 you know someone just put the the the foul in and stuff

1:14:52 like that and just cuz she got tackled really can't you?

1:14:54 Remember the first one was free wasn't it when I first started playing yeah.

1:14:57 Ball slow ball into you as a winger you getting walloped so yeah I think yeah I

1:15:02 mean not like cricket pads going out to open

1:15:04 batting but I think yeah a decent size.

1:15:06 to be a middle ground now you know we're seeing

1:15:08 oyster cards going down the sock and it's like No

1:15:11 good I'm not I'm not like the ankle guards and stuff

1:15:13 I don't think you can bring your your your pads.

1:15:15 I'll be impressed if you can bring them back.

1:15:17 I would have thought you'd be a proper

1:15:19 you know double strap on sort of thing yeah.

1:15:23 I thought you'd have a little yeah you could be a Sunday car Robson Gold.

1:15:26 No no no but mine were classed as small but they're not small they're like

1:15:31 proper size and they're going um you know I don't strap them on I just slide

1:15:38 [laughter] I mean I'll take it but I I I believe that No

1:15:39 especially not double I'll take one underneath I'll take one underneath.

1:15:45 [laughter] Don't look at you you've tried it.

1:15:46 I I believe pads for five aside I appreciate that's you know a bit too far but

1:15:51 That's where it all started though.

1:15:52 That's where it so luckily I've now got Crouch and Sid

1:15:54 on board because we don't we want to protect our favorite players.

1:15:57 You know this comes from a good place and I actually

1:15:59 think they look silly smaller so we'd love to give you these.

1:16:02 So we'd like to give you these these are the Machins great again shin pads.

1:16:07 Plus with you know some of your clubs there or all of your clubs you you

1:16:12 with the Premier League trophy there and and you

1:16:14 know the English shirt so That's right.

1:16:15 Just a little presentation you feel free to wear them

1:16:17 or or feel free to to bin them on the way out but [laughter] decent Yeah.

1:16:23 Yeah.

1:16:24 All right.

1:16:24 I praise indeed.

1:16:25 To be fair the that's the York boys aren't they been out all day

1:16:29 the last two days and they've still got the shinnies on and stuff aren't they?

1:16:31 Good to see that.

1:16:32 I think they're still out as we're recording this actually.

1:16:35 In shin pads brilliant shin pads I think.

1:16:38 Absolutely awful.

1:16:39 I I I've actually I've noted that the York owners

1:16:42 and they I spoke to them after the game they

1:16:44 were watching the game and they were I think they're

1:16:47 going to do a trip to Ibiza for them as well.

1:16:49 That'll be quite a one.

1:16:52 [laughter] But Milly, thanks so much for coming down.

1:16:55 I know you made the effort today so I'm really really appreciating it.

1:16:58 Congratulations on all your success in your career

1:17:00 and obviously from me and Sid who who have played

1:17:02 with you as well like it couldn't have happened

1:17:04 to you you know there's a reason that it's

1:17:06 happened to you and the reason that you're still

1:17:07 going at this level because your attitude your dedication

1:17:10 everyone who knows you thinks you're a top boy

1:17:11 as well so congratulations mate and thanks for coming on.

1:17:14 Cheers thanks for having me.

1:17:15 Enjoyed it.

1:17:15 Top man.

1:17:16 Cheers.

1:17:21 [music] Ah well great to have James Milner on there wasn't it?

1:17:26 Proof each time.

1:17:27 Doesn't do doesn't do a lot of media stuff does he?

1:17:29 No no it's absolutely privilege.

1:17:30 He likes the podcast.

1:17:31 He told me he listens to it knows all the few of the guys

1:17:34 and stuff that we've done over the years and he's into it so great guy.

1:17:37 Great to have him on.

1:17:37 Yeah can I just say as well he turns up to the Jumbo one bar on his own.

1:17:40 He sort of just leaves.

1:17:42 Wonders down the street.

1:17:43 He's he's I don't know why that's say like I'm expecting more around him.

1:17:48 Do you know what I mean?

1:17:49 Yeah yeah yeah.

1:17:49 Premier League record record appearance maker just Yeah.

1:17:55 Record you're right.

1:17:56 Literally yeah isn't He's he's mental.

1:17:58 He could walk past a million people and they

1:17:59 would just they wouldn't even know who he was.

1:18:01 Yeah I love what a guy.

1:18:02 Superb very unassuming.

1:18:04 He used to have fish and chips there actually.

1:18:05 Yeah.

1:18:06 Yeah.

1:18:07 Enjoyed that.

1:18:09 Do you know I thought I was thinking

1:18:10 then everyone's got a fish and chips haven't they?

1:18:12 Do you remember like when you grew up growing up or something like that?

1:18:15 I remember the Blue Ocean near me Greek family owned it.

1:18:19 Charlie Periclis actually was it was his cousin.

1:18:22 He went to my school Charlie.

1:18:24 Shout out to Charlie great fish and chips that one.

1:18:26 Yeah well that one Blue Ocean.

1:18:27 Well I'm I'm going to stick up for Murgatroyds not near where

1:18:29 I lived but whenever I was sort of Bradford way if I

1:18:33 was DJing right now I'd always call in there and it was

1:18:35 someone got me onto it actually someone got me onto the Murgatroyd's thing,

1:18:38 and I've been big on them.

1:18:40 What What about you, Sids?

1:18:41 Uh there was a fellow called Danny.

1:18:42 He ran our way, Danny's Fish and Chips.

1:18:44 And um I don't know, man.

1:18:46 He was He was class.

1:18:47 Was it?

1:18:47 Yeah, I was Yeah, he was class.

1:18:50 And then he And then he expanded Did he?

1:18:51 to two or three.

1:18:52 Yeah, no.

1:18:53 That can ruin things sometimes.

1:18:54 Is it still good?

1:18:57 Yeah.

1:18:56 I once saw, when I was in Old Trafford, there was a place called Foster's.

1:18:59 It came world famous because a lot of the footballers live in that area.

1:19:02 So, you just spotted in there and stuff like that.

1:19:04 It kind of elevated this fish and chip shop.

1:19:06 Good fish and chips.

1:19:07 I once They used to do fish and chips for a pound once.

1:19:10 And I once The queue goes around the block.

1:19:12 I once saw Andy Cole in the queue when it was a pound.

1:19:16 Food of the gods.

1:19:17 You went You went from reading that he'd been signed Yeah, yeah.

1:19:20 Yeah.

1:19:21 You're Andy Cole journey.

1:19:22 You're Andy Cole journey.

1:19:24 You only have moments with the fellow, don't you?

1:19:26 One moment, yeah.

1:19:27 I stand up Murgatroyd's would be either of yours.

1:19:29 Maybe we could do a blind taste.

1:19:30 They're They're batter you.

1:19:36 [laughter] Maybe the blind tasting.

1:19:37 And let us know.

1:19:38 Yeah, so right, Craig, actually, cuz everyone is adamant their one is the best.

1:19:41 Yeah, yeah, yeah.

1:19:42 Well, let's get your Get your shouts Get your fish

1:19:44 and chip shop shouts in and let us know.

1:19:46 Here's the Football League.

1:19:53 [music] Right, let's get into the Football League.

1:19:56 Um not a massive week for you, Sids.

1:19:58 You are You got the flip-flops on, haven't you?

1:20:00 They're They're They're off, to be fair.

1:20:02 My feet are in sand.

1:20:03 Yeah, yeah, yeah.

1:20:04 Just the other one is just starting to completely, though?

1:20:07 Yeah, fully off.

1:20:08 Just bevvied in hands.

1:20:09 Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

1:20:10 No problem.

1:20:11 You're about to They're You're about to You're about to take

1:20:13 that dolphin to sit to get into the into the sea, I know.

1:20:16 [laughter] Like a little dolphin.

1:20:17 I got the jet ski in a bit, you know.

1:20:18 I'll see We'll see what's out there.

1:20:20 Fair enough, mate.

1:20:20 How are you feeling?

1:20:21 Uh What What ice lolly you having?

1:20:24 [laughter] What do you reckon it is?

1:20:25 Clipper?

1:20:25 Clipper.

1:20:26 Oh, it's got to be a Clipper.

1:20:26 Yeah.

1:20:27 Twister?

1:20:27 I like a Twister.

1:20:28 I can only dream of that stuff.

1:20:29 Languishing.

1:20:31 Languishing on the bottom.

1:20:32 Yeah, well, unfortunately I mean Sid's got the bonus

1:20:34 five points as well for the most correct results.

1:20:37 He's so that that takes him for for 10 points cuz he got the bonus.

1:20:40 The with the chaos cards.

1:20:42 10 points that puts him on 83.

1:20:44 I got four points.

1:20:44 I got a correct score in the Arsenal Newcastle

1:20:47 game and I won nil I thought it'd be tight.

1:20:49 So I got four points.

1:20:50 Chris got two.

1:20:51 But Sid's on 83, me on 65 and and Chris you're on on 54.

1:20:55 You're still on 69 lads.

1:20:56 You're on 69.

1:20:58 Oh god I'm 69.

1:20:59 Sorry.

1:20:59 I'm going to enjoy it while you're there mate.

1:21:01 What a place to be.

1:21:02 CHRIS ON 56.

1:21:08 [laughter] CAN ONLY DREAM OF A 69 AT THIS STAGE.

1:21:11 Honestly I'm just so far behind.

1:21:14 Honestly.

1:21:15 I might stay there for a while.

1:21:18 [laughter]

1:21:20 This part of the podcast is supported by Paddy Power the big weekend fixture.

1:21:24 Uh Manchester United are slight favorites at 6 to 5.

1:21:26 Liverpool are the underdogs and I suppose as as you'd expect at the moment.

1:21:30 Uh [snorts] 7 to 4.

1:21:31 Uh you know what you can have a repeat of the last

1:21:33 meeting as well where United won 2 1 it was 15 to 2.

1:21:37 Uh 10 you 85 quid so That's quite nice that.

1:21:40 You have a chance to have quite I think that's quite good that.

1:21:42 I think that's quite good that.

1:21:43 I know what you're trying to do.

1:21:44 Before we get into it Paddy Power's

1:21:46 Ministry of Mischief has sent in another letter.

1:21:48 Hi Crouchy Chris and no worries this idea hopefully you're reading

1:21:52 this back in the studio after last week's remote recording chaos.

1:21:55 This carnage shambles was absolute shambles.

1:21:57 Sid's dodgy Wi-Fi had him vanished mid segment.

1:22:00 Quicker than the North London child challenge.

1:22:03 I think there should have been 10 points deducted off that.

1:22:05 I think that bad Wi-Fi should be 10 points deducted.

1:22:07 Bad Wi-Fi.

1:22:08 Okay.

1:22:09 The fact that you had to drive

1:22:10 from to [snorts] leisure center was phenomenal as well.

1:22:13 But credit where it's due.

1:22:15 Crouchy that that James Alexander Gordon impression held it

1:22:18 all together while the others were missing in action.

1:22:22 A rare moment of professionalism.

1:22:26 [laughter]

1:22:26 They said no no it's like these are my boys." A rare moment of professionalism.

1:22:32 That's amazing.

1:22:35 yeah.

1:22:35 Uh LBC Chester claims that I'm coming for Chris.

1:22:38 Uh to be [snorts] clear, I'm just a provider of mischief.

1:22:42 Anyone Anyone can get it.

1:22:44 But when you're dialing in from a paddle club, what you expect?

1:22:49 [laughter] That should be That is a good tip, by the way.

1:22:50 Yeah, that is.

1:22:51 Dialing in from a paddle club.

1:22:53 Uh anyway, another week, another Sid's clinic.

1:22:56 This one is on needs to be studied.

1:22:58 It wasn't a bad week for Crouchy either,

1:23:00 but another stinker from Chris when he really needs some bonus points and fast.

1:23:05 Uh that brings us into the week's chaos card,

1:23:08 which is all about who you know and how quickly they're answer a call.

1:23:13 Uh I call it phone-a-friend.

1:23:16 Each of you will be picking up the phone and calling

1:23:18 on a famous friend to make your predictions for you.

1:23:22 Uh chosen well because once they're locked in, there's

1:23:25 no hanging up and and dialing someone else.

1:23:27 If you've chosen If your chosen expert delivers,

1:23:30 there's five points up for grabs.

1:23:32 And if not, well, hopefully it doesn't ruin any friendships.

1:23:34 Best of luck, lads.

1:23:35 I'll be listing the Paddy Power Minister of Mischief.

1:23:38 Who you going to call?

1:23:40 All right, lads.

1:23:40 Can we We have a Can we have 5

1:23:41 minutes just maybe to fire a few technical questions?

1:23:45 that.

1:23:44 Definitely need that.

1:23:45 But I will go first.

1:23:47 Uh I'm going to make my first call now.

1:23:52 It's tense.

1:23:53 CARRA!

1:23:56 GREAT ONE.

1:23:57 GREAT ONE.

1:24:00 [laughter] OH, YEAH.

1:24:00 GREAT ONE.

1:24:01 HAVE YOU seen that?

1:24:02 Hey, look, he's in the video editing room already.

1:24:04 You know what I mean?

1:24:04 Like just putting his homework in.

1:24:10 [laughter] [laughter] What's happening, Carra?

1:24:18 All good, mate?

1:24:20 So, hold on.

1:24:20 He's live He's live from Monday Night Football, by the way.

1:24:23 Ooh.

1:24:23 What, so Monday Night Football, yeah?

1:24:25 So, what, talk us through a little bit of that.

1:24:27 Is that uh you've got a little bit like editing before and stuff like that?

1:24:30 So, I've just been in the in the room with the guys and going through the clips.

1:24:34 So, we're going into real detail on the uh the actual goal on the uh the corner.

1:24:39 Yeah.

1:24:39 Um and the setup in Newcastle.

1:24:41 But, to be honest, there's not that much analysis tonight cuz the games

1:24:44 you want to look after obviously mean something to relegation and the title.

1:24:48 Mhm.

1:24:49 Arsenal won 1-0.

1:24:50 Neil Spears won 1-0 from a you know what I I I set piece.

1:24:53 And we'll have a look at West Ham.

1:24:54 We've got Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall coming on.

1:24:57 Ooh.

1:24:57 So, we'll have a look at West Ham Everton.

1:24:59 Um there was no City game cuz the FA Cup.

1:25:02 So, there isn't that much analysis tonight.

1:25:03 So, we've gone to real detail on the uh on the Arsenal goal.

1:25:06 So, uh yeah, that's what we've just been doing inside.

1:25:08 Mate, it's all good.

1:25:09 Nice.

1:25:10 All right.

1:25:11 Listen, Carra.

1:25:12 Is the partner is the partner still top of the charts?

1:25:14 Yeah, yeah, yeah.

1:25:15 Cruising, mate.

1:25:17 No, no.

1:25:17 Listen, you know, with it's very very good,

1:25:20 but you know, this is football heritage, this.

1:25:25 [laughter] We we were there, mate.

1:25:28 We were there at first, you know what I mean?

1:25:30 All right.

1:25:30 So, right.

1:25:30 So, Carra, listen, I know you're a busy man, right?

1:25:32 So, I'm going to ask you uh Man United versus Liverpool.

1:25:37 Uh Man United versus Liverpool.

1:25:40 Uh I'm not confident.

1:25:43 No.

1:25:43 I'm not.

1:25:44 I don't think United are playing well, to be fair.

1:25:46 But, I I think Liverpool will get the results without playing well.

1:25:48 I'm not convinced by either of them at all, to be honest, at the minute.

1:25:51 Mhm.

1:25:52 I can't see Liverpool winning me.

1:25:54 Ooh.

1:25:57 I'm I'm going to go for a 1-1 draw.

1:26:00 Okay.

1:26:01 I think these teams will probably finish third and fourth in the Premier League.

1:26:05 But, I don't think either of them are a really good team, to be honest.

1:26:07 I think it probably tells you a lot about the Premier League this season,

1:26:09 to be honest, if these two teams are third and fourth.

1:26:12 Yeah, I'll go for 1-1 cuz I think both teams will not have

1:26:16 to sort of kill themselves to get into you know to win the games.

1:26:20 I think they're probably both nailed on now

1:26:22 aren't they for the Champions League positions.

1:26:24 I'll go 1-1.

1:26:26 All right, locked it in.

1:26:27 Listen, hey, you're the king of Monday night football man.

1:26:30 I'm going with 1-1.

1:26:32 [laughter] Also, did you did you just see how the screen

1:26:33 changed behind him as he started getting analytical as well?

1:26:36 It's it's extraordinary.

1:26:37 Look at that.

1:26:38 The boys are laughing at the screen behind you.

1:26:40 It looks very popular.

1:26:45 [laughter] All right.

1:26:49 All right, Carra.

1:26:52 Make sure you leave that in.

1:26:53 Oh, [laughter] that stayed in.

1:26:54 Never mind about that staying in.

1:26:56 Uh right, Newcastle versus Brighton.

1:27:00 Ooh, Newcastle looks a lot better than Arsenal

1:27:02 with their Tonali and Guimarães back in midfield.

1:27:05 And you know what?

1:27:06 Sometimes I think when a team are on such

1:27:08 a bad run they're just due to win a game.

1:27:09 It's just a law of averages.

1:27:10 And Brighton are almost probably due to not win.

1:27:13 Uh I'm going to go for a Liver- uh Newcastle 2-1.

1:27:17 Oof.

1:27:18 Brighton against Arsenal.

1:27:20 I know Brighton are in great form, but I'm going to go for Newcastle.

1:27:23 I think they need the result.

1:27:25 All right, Saught man.

1:27:26 I like that.

1:27:26 I like that one.

1:27:27 We're just moving on to Villa versus Tottenham, Carra, if that's all right.

1:27:31 Uh yeah.

1:27:32 Oh, you're getting worried, Crouchy?

1:27:34 [snorts] [laughter] I am very worried, mate.

1:27:36 Honestly, I think I keep bumping into Tottenham fans

1:27:38 at the moment and uh they all think they're down.

1:27:41 They all think they're down.

1:27:42 West Ham's winning on the weekend.

1:27:44 I just I can't see them scoring got the goals.

1:27:46 I think he needs I I think of the two

1:27:47 away games I think Villa Palace is a tough game.

1:27:50 And I know it's in between the European games with Forest for Villa.

1:27:54 I just can't see Spurs scoring more than one goal at Villa.

1:27:56 So, they just have to keep a clean sheet

1:27:58 to I think the best they can get is a draw.

1:28:00 And I think Villa will maybe rest players in the front.

1:28:04 I think it'll be 1-1.

1:28:05 I just can't see Spurs going to Villa and winning.

1:28:07 I can't see it.

1:28:08 And I think Villa will rest a few [clears throat] players.

1:28:12 Not lots, but I think they will just

1:28:14 a few and they'll have their mind on the European.

1:28:16 I'm going to go 1-1.

1:28:18 Couple of horny draws in there, isn't it?

1:28:23 All right, then Carra.

1:28:24 Lovely, mate.

1:28:25 Listen, good luck tonight and I I appreciate the you calling in.

1:28:30 No problem, mate.

1:28:31 Is it Is it Do you have to go through me me agent

1:28:34 or is it cash this again or does it have to go through Cash cash cash always.

1:28:39 [laughter] You don't need anything else, do you?

1:28:41 Don't you do dinners, Crouchy?

1:28:44 Tell him I'm busy.

1:28:45 See you, Carra.

1:28:46 Bye-bye, mate.

1:28:49 Okay, lads.

1:28:50 I was just thinking about with regards

1:28:52 to someone who knows the the data the analysis.

1:28:55 I thought that that might be good, Jamie Carra.

1:28:58 That's top tier.

1:29:00 Yeah, I do.

1:29:01 I I've misunderstood the assignment.

1:29:02 Call a friend, wasn't it?

1:29:05 I called one of you two if [laughter] I can't call either of you.

1:29:08 So, I've I'm Yeah.

1:29:10 [snorts] That's top tier though.

1:29:12 Only issue what there was, I don't think I pressed record on the screen record.

1:29:16 Ah.

1:29:16 So, you can deal with that, lads.

1:29:18 So, all good?

1:29:19 Maybe they just whack a little picture of him in the corner.

1:29:24 [laughter]

1:29:23 And a really faint To be fair, Crouchy, we all know what he looks like.

1:29:26 Do you want me to I don't know what a video adds to that.

1:29:28 Ah, yeah.

1:29:29 I know what you mean.

1:29:30 As long as you can hear him a little bit.

1:29:33 I like what you've done there.

1:29:34 Do you like that?

1:29:34 You've just gone like obviously top tier analysis,

1:29:36 get someone like deep into it.

1:29:39 deep into it.

1:29:40 Come on, deep into it.

1:29:40 Who's Who's going next?

1:29:41 Me or you?

1:29:42 I mean, I can go next.

1:29:43 You want to go next?

1:29:44 Have you gone Have you gone footballer?

1:29:47 Uh Yeah, I've gone I've gone footballer.

1:29:49 I've gone footballer.

1:29:50 I I'm not going to lie.

1:29:51 I sent a couple of messages.

1:29:52 I nearly got Rachel Stevens to do this.

1:29:54 I've totally misunderstood this.

1:29:56 Oh, that would have been all [laughter]

1:29:58 I've been I'm more than happy to She's in Sizz's top one.

1:30:05 [laughter] That was That was I thought the idea of this was it was a bit of fun.

1:30:09 I honestly have misunderstood this.

1:30:12 Right.

1:30:13 Okay.

1:30:14 Okay.

1:30:15 Okay, here we go.

1:30:15 I'm I'm calling.

1:30:20 Here he is.

1:30:21 He's good.

1:30:23 He's good.

1:30:26 [laughter] That's very good.

1:30:28 Hello, mate.

1:30:30 It's the one the one and only Joe Cole.

1:30:32 Oh, I love that.

1:30:36 I'm dangerously well.

1:30:37 Dangerously.

1:30:38 So so I I thought so we're doing obviously a little segment Coley.

1:30:44 Crouchy called Jamie Carragher for a little bit of inside info.

1:30:49 I've obviously come for for yourself.

1:30:51 Top pundit, top analysis, knows what he's doing, knows what he's talking about.

1:30:54 So could you predict three games for me, please, mate?

1:30:59 Did we tell everyone it was Joe Cole, by the way?

1:31:00 I did tell everyone it was Joe Cole.

1:31:01 Yeah, we told everyone it was Joe Cole.

1:31:05 Ask him what you need.

1:31:06 are you ready?

1:31:07 The The first game, please, is Manchester United versus Liverpool.

1:31:14 I think that's going to be It's at Old Trafford.

1:31:16 I'm going to go 2-2.

1:31:20 Horny for draws.

1:31:22 Really horny draw.

1:31:23 Okay.

1:31:24 Next game, Newcastle versus Brighton, please, mate.

1:31:29 I'm going to go Eddie Howe getting it back on.

1:31:32 2-1 Newcastle.

1:31:33 Ooh, that's close.

1:31:35 Yeah, I said the same thing, didn't I?

1:31:36 Are you sure?

1:31:38 Yeah, I'm sure.

1:31:38 He thought they had to get a result.

1:31:39 Uh last one, please.

1:31:41 Aston Villa versus Tottenham Hotspur.

1:31:47 I'm going to go I'm going to go because it's a semi-final, isn't it?

1:31:53 Tottenham have to win.

1:31:56 Yeah.

1:31:57 Spurs to win 1-0.

1:31:59 1-0.

1:32:00 I'm scoring on both of you.

1:32:01 Wow, when you just say mate.

1:32:06 You'll be fine, mate.

1:32:06 I'm on the beach anyway.

1:32:07 It's fine.

1:32:08 I'm cruising.

1:32:08 Don't worry about it.

1:32:10 Right, say goodbye, lads.

1:32:12 Right, say goodbye, lads.

1:32:14 So long, John.

1:32:15 Where are you, Sam?

1:32:17 Where are you?

1:32:19 Oh, nice.

1:32:21 Just chilling, mate.

1:32:27 I know.

1:32:27 I know.

1:32:28 Yeah, yeah.

1:32:29 I've been advising I've been I've advised engaged.

1:32:36 [laughter] Good.

1:32:39 All right, keep it up, Sam.

1:32:40 BURNLEY NEXT WEEK.

1:32:42 [laughter] ALL RIGHT, TAKE IT EASY, MATE.

1:32:47 CHEERS, COLEY.

1:32:50 I I think this is a disadvantage at a time where I like that's Joe Cole.

1:32:55 We need to remember sometimes.

1:32:56 I know you're used to it.

1:32:57 Well, we've gone to TNT's and Sky's finally.

1:33:00 So far.

1:33:02 All right, lads.

1:33:02 I think I misunderstood the assignment here.

1:33:04 So, I've gone for someone a bit different.

1:33:05 Jamie Carragher.

1:33:07 Joe Cole, I'm going to stick with a theme here.

1:33:08 I've got a J in my phone book.

1:33:11 J.

1:33:12 It's a bit different.

1:33:18 BIG JOHN!

1:33:19 [screaming] BIG JOHN!

1:33:21 IT'S BIG JOHN!

1:33:23 HI.

1:33:23 HOW ARE WE, EVERYBODY?

1:33:24 All good.

1:33:25 All good.

1:33:27 What a legend.

1:33:29 I don't know about that.

1:33:30 I don't know about that.

1:33:33 [laughter]

1:33:33 Big John, what we're doing is we've all got to call someone from our phone book.

1:33:36 So, Crouch called Jamie Carragher.

1:33:39 Sid has called Joe Cole.

1:33:41 And I was thinking who do I want to help with my predictions this week?

1:33:44 And it was only ever you.

1:33:46 So, you've got the worst luck phone number book in history, yeah?

1:33:50 [laughter] No, cuz I tell you what it is, I'm bottom of this league.

1:33:54 I need some Bosch power just to see me right through

1:33:57 on this one and and you're the guy to do that.

1:33:59 Am I right?

1:34:01 You're right.

1:34:01 You're right.

1:34:02 You're not wrong.

1:34:02 You're not wrong.

1:34:03 Listen to me.

1:34:04 Have you guys ever met?

1:34:05 Have you met Big John before?

1:34:06 I've never met Big John.

1:34:07 No, not not met.

1:34:08 No.

1:34:09 Big big fan of Peter and big fan of you also.

1:34:12 Thank you for having me on.

1:34:13 No, pleasure.

1:34:14 Pleasure.

1:34:14 No, thanks for taking this call.

1:34:16 All right, let's let's Bosch for it for one of a better phrase.

1:34:20 All right, Man United against Liverpool.

1:34:22 What you saying, Big John?

1:34:24 I think it's going to be a tight affair.

1:34:26 Both teams have done better recently.

1:34:29 I think it's going to end 2-2.

1:34:31 Ooh.

1:34:32 2-2, it's a Desmond.

1:34:33 All right.

1:34:34 It's what Joe said.

1:34:35 Desmond.

1:34:35 Okay, Newcastle Brighton.

1:34:37 What you saying, Big John?

1:34:39 Newcastle are dropping like a stone.

1:34:41 Brighton on their day can beat anybody.

1:34:44 I say 2-1 Brighton.

1:34:47 [snorts] 2-1 Brighton.

1:34:47 Yeah.

1:34:48 Yeah?

1:34:48 That's good.

1:34:48 Yeah, fair enough.

1:34:49 All right, brilliant.

1:34:50 And finally, Big John, Villa Spurs.

1:34:55 Villa very needed well needed Champions League places.

1:34:58 They're going well.

1:34:59 Spurs desperately need to win.

1:35:01 I can't see it.

1:35:02 I can see 2-0 Villa.

1:35:03 Ooh.

1:35:04 2-0 Villa.

1:35:05 Serious Bosch analysis.

1:35:07 Very good as I say.

1:35:08 Very good as I say.

1:35:09 The other two waffled on a bit more, Big John, so uh well done for that one.

1:35:14 [laughter] Big Big John, [snorts] we we talk about you sometimes on the podcast.

1:35:21 I I know you get asked to do this a billion times.

1:35:24 Uh is there any chance just for the lads that you

1:35:26 can reel off the Chinese order just just to make everyone happy?

1:35:30 It ends in awful.

1:35:31 It starts IN F.

1:35:35 [laughter] BOSCH.

1:35:36 ARE [snorts] YOU READY?

1:35:37 Here we go.

1:35:39 Shredded chicken chow mein, special fried rice,

1:35:41 egg fried rice, Singapore rice noodles,

1:35:43 sweet sour chicken balls, sweet sour chicken on corn style,

1:35:46 salt and chili king prawns,

1:35:47 salt and chili chicken, beef in black bean, kung po prawns,

1:35:50 shredded chili beef, chips, prawn crackers,

1:35:51 curry sauce, and don't forget the BATTERED ROLL.

1:35:54 BOSCH.

1:35:56 [screaming] [laughter] YOU'RE MAKING ME HUNGRY NOW.

1:35:59 YOU'RE MAKING ME HUNGRY NOW.

1:36:02 WE GOT TO GET YOU IN SOMETIME, Big John.

1:36:03 We love you.

1:36:05 Thanks for having me on, lads, and all the best, yeah?

1:36:07 So much.

1:36:08 Thanks.

1:36:08 Excuse me.

1:36:09 Bush.

1:36:10 What a bush.

1:36:11 Cheers, Big John.

1:36:12 Love you.

1:36:12 See you in a bit, mate.

1:36:14 See you soon.

1:36:15 All right, mate.

1:36:15 Bye.

1:36:16 What a guy.

1:36:17 Well, I think you might have won.

1:36:20 Imagine that comes through.

1:36:21 If Big John nails these scores, by the way,

1:36:23 I'm just going to use them every week.

1:36:24 It's just going to be a Big John takeover.

1:36:26 Imagine Imagine that if he actually beats

1:36:28 the analysis of Joe Cole and top TNT pundit, top Sky analysis pundit.

1:36:34 Big John pulled over.

1:36:36 Brilliant.

1:36:36 Poor man.

1:36:37 Well, we can't forget about Paddy's boost

1:36:39 um in the Manchester United Liverpool game.

1:36:41 Uh this is where we each pick a leg of the Crouch Football Bet Builder.

1:36:44 The odds on that Bet Builder will be boosted by 20%

1:36:46 and put on the special section of the website or app.

1:36:50 Mhm.

1:36:50 Um I'm going to play score first.

1:36:53 Alexander Isak.

1:36:55 Like it.

1:36:55 He's back, isn't he?

1:36:56 Uh player to be carded, I'll go for Luke Shaw.

1:36:59 All right, I'm going to go player to have two plus shots on target.

1:37:02 I'm going to go got to be Bruno Fernandes.

1:37:04 Let's go.

1:37:05 Okay, odds are correct at time of recording.

1:37:06 Please gamble responsibly.

1:37:12 Okay, well, that's the that's the end of podcast, lads.

1:37:14 Uh yeah, I enjoyed it.

1:37:15 I hope you enjoyed it as much as me.

1:37:16 a big one, that.

1:37:17 Loved it.

1:37:18 It's a good one.

1:37:18 You have so much there.

1:37:20 James Milner, I mean, like, you know, you can't do a short one, could you?

1:37:22 No.

1:37:24 It's not a short career, is it?

1:37:25 [laughter] All right, well, I hope you enjoyed it as much as us,

1:37:29 and uh we'll see you next week.