- 5 months ago
On this week's show Stuart Rayner and Leon Wobschalljoin host Phil Harrison to reflect on a perfect opening weekend in League One and league Two which brought wins for every Yorkshire club - Barnsley, Bradford City, Doncaster Rovers, Huddersfield Town and Rotherham United in League One, and Harrogate Town in League Two.
PLUS the team also look ahead to this weekend which sees our FOUR Championship clubs - Hull City, Middlesbrough, Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday - swing into action.
Can we have a repeat clean sweep?
PLUS the team also look ahead to this weekend which sees our FOUR Championship clubs - Hull City, Middlesbrough, Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday - swing into action.
Can we have a repeat clean sweep?
Category
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SportsTranscript
00:00Hello and welcome to Football Talk from the Wehawkshire Post.
00:16On this week's show you'll find me and Phil Harrison standing in for regular host Mark Singleton
00:20while joining me as ever on the YP's football writing team of Stuart Rayner and Leon Wobshaw.
00:25On this week's show Stuart and Leon will reflect on quite a perfect opening weekend for Yorkshire's League 1 and League 2 clubs
00:32after they all recorded opening day wins.
00:35And after celebrating hard we'll turn our attention to the championship
00:38and the four Yorkshire teams that get their 2025-26 campaigns underway this weekend.
00:43Don't forget you can keep up with all the latest Yorkshire football news via our website
00:47www.yorkshirepost.co.uk slash football
00:51as well as liking and following us on Twitter and Facebook.
00:55Along with Stuart and Leon's own social media accounts.
00:59Yorkshirepost.co.uk
01:00Right, as mentioned earlier we're joined by Leon Wobshaw and Stuart Rayner
01:05the dynamic Yorkshire Post football writing team.
01:09They've had the summer break so no more excuses now.
01:12They've been back at it at the weekend as were six of our teams
01:14and what was a perfect weekend for Yorkshire clubs.
01:18We'll get on to the last time that happened in a few minutes.
01:21But Stuart was over at Doncaster Rovers while Leon was down at Huddersfield Town
01:29to see Lee Grant's first game in charge.
01:31As we've mentioned already, they both won.
01:32We'll concentrate on those two teams before getting on to the other four teams
01:37that were in action.
01:38Stuart, we'll just start with yourself.
01:39Just quickly, before you go on to the actual game that you covered at Doncaster,
01:44just the fact that all six Yorkshire teams did win.
01:47I know we have more teams that play, but that doesn't happen very often, does it?
01:52That we have a perfect score, as it were.
01:55It certainly doesn't.
01:56Very good to see.
01:57I think a lot of those clubs, particularly for different reasons,
02:02have come into the season with a bit of positivity.
02:06And it's always good.
02:07You can hide things up as much as you like in pre-season,
02:11but one bad result to start can really burst the bubble.
02:14So it's good for all of them to just keep that positivity going another week.
02:19It's happened the other way, Phil.
02:20Oh, has it?
02:21Yeah, well, I can't quite remember the date, but it was...
02:24I can imagine, actually, yeah.
02:25I'm sure it was a League Cup first-rounder about...
02:29I don't think it was too long ago.
02:30It was probably about three or four years ago, maybe a little bit longer.
02:33But I think something like seven of the eight teams
02:35all got knocked out at the first-round hurdle.
02:37So at least it's the more pleasurable flip side of the coin.
02:42Definitely.
02:43I actually thought of that when I sort of saw the results on Saturday.
02:48I thought of a few years before that.
02:50So it was about time, really.
02:53Definitely, definitely.
02:53Long may it continue.
02:55Stuart, Doncaster made no secret of their ambition,
02:58or Grant McCann's made no secret of his ambition,
03:00about what he wants them to achieve.
03:02It was tough going.
03:03It wasn't easy going against a doggie opponent,
03:07but they got there in the end, and by all accounts,
03:09and reading what you put in the Yorkshire Post on Monday
03:11and online across the weekend, it was a deserved win.
03:14Yeah, it was definitely a deserved win.
03:16I mean, it was one of those games where I think they had two-thirds of the ball.
03:21They had pretty much all the shots.
03:23They made all the running.
03:26Grant McCann said he felt it was always coming.
03:30He said he felt the fans thought it was always coming.
03:33But I think sometimes the pessimist in you thinks when they've been going that long
03:39without scoring the goal.
03:40Luke Molyneux's penalty was the 88th minute.
03:44I've seen this before.
03:45This can go badly wrong.
03:47Exeter only had a couple of chances,
03:49but one of them was when Matty Pearson hit the crossbar.
03:54Thoroughly deserved, but, you know,
03:56you just needed that reassurance, basically, of the goal,
04:02which, as I say, was absolutely what Doncaster's football merited.
04:09Just going forward, you just hope they show a bit more cutting edge,
04:12but, you know, this is day one of the season.
04:15Things aren't going to be perfect then.
04:16And, you know, there was a lot of good things from Doncaster.
04:21They just need to be that bit more ruthless when they're on top.
04:25But to be so on top against an established league one side
04:29when you're new to the division, yeah,
04:32it was just a day for positivity, really.
04:34I think it's good they've got a clean sheet.
04:36When you look at some of the defenders that have left them,
04:38they've obviously brought a few centre-halves in.
04:41Obviously, we both know about Matty Pearson pretty well
04:46and the lad O'Rodham from Blackburn.
04:49Obviously, to play together as a two and get a clean sheet on your debuts,
04:53I think that's a clear tick in the box.
04:56And I think the fact that Molyneux, you know,
04:58obviously, Grant McCann was right to say,
05:01was the best winger in his position in League Two last year.
05:04But, you know, it's a real big thing for him to now hit the ground running in League One.
05:10I think he played a couple of games there, hadn't he, for Sunderland.
05:12Well, that's about it.
05:13And, you know, he'll be feeling pretty good about himself,
05:19I'd imagine, on Saturday night.
05:22Yeah, O'Rodham was excellent at centre-back.
05:24So, when you think that they've got the option of Jay McGrath,
05:27who is edding closer to fitness as well, you know,
05:30on top of Pearson, there'll be some good competition there.
05:33Glenn Middleton was really good on the left wing, really exciting.
05:37And since that game, they've added Charlie Crew.
05:39So, I think in an absolutely ideal world,
05:43they could probably do with one more up front.
05:45But I think all things considered, for, you know,
05:48a new start and a new division,
05:49for all that they're talking about trying to get out of it already,
05:53I think that was a very good first day for them.
05:57Realistically, I mean, I think you spoke to,
06:00it was Gavin Bolden, wasn't it, the Chief Executive,
06:02before the start of the season, Stuart.
06:03You had a good chat with him.
06:05Grant McTain was obviously talking about promotion,
06:07and there's no problem in having such high aims.
06:11But it wouldn't be a total disappointment, obviously,
06:14for the club if they didn't achieve that, would it?
06:16There is a sort of element of sort of like maintaining the level
06:21where they're at and just sort of like getting comfortable
06:23at this level, really, before they can push on.
06:25Yeah, I mean, you know, when you look at it,
06:27there's nine former Premier League teams in that division.
06:30Luton is still getting Premier League parachute payments.
06:33Huddersfield, who, you know, we'll go on to talk about,
06:35being very, you know, very ambitious and spent a few quid as well.
06:41Well, it's going to be a tough division.
06:43But, yeah, I think for Doncaster and Bradford,
06:47just to consolidate it and it really is good.
06:52But it's not in Grant McCann's nature to settle for that.
06:56It's as simple as that.
06:57And you can't knock him for that.
06:59He just shouldn't be judged too harshly if, you know,
07:04if they don't deliver on that ambition.
07:07Well, he's got form for it, obviously, as well.
07:08He got a hole up from this division and he came very close
07:11with Doncaster the last time he was here as well.
07:12So, he has good reason to be confident about doing that.
07:16Leon, another team that will fancy their chances
07:19or to be desperate if you're the chairman of the club
07:23for them to go up.
07:24Huddersfield Town.
07:26Kevin Nagel, never been short of voicing his displeasure
07:30or his frustration, perhaps, with how things have gone
07:33at Huddersfield since he came in.
07:34With some justification.
07:36And with some justification.
07:38You were there on Saturday.
07:39Lee Grant, a guy who's spent the summer talking
07:42very positively about the team and positively about his ambitions
07:46as well in a similar way to McCann, you could say,
07:48in some cases, but you were there and 3-0 against the team
07:51late in Orient that beat them 4-1 on the last day
07:54of last season.
07:55It couldn't have been much of a start, could it?
07:57Yeah, I mean, what a difference 91 days makes, Phil.
08:02Obviously, you know, it's a real switch of narrative
08:05at the end of last season.
08:07And, you know, I think the Huddersfield Town fans
08:09were just really turning out of a sense of loyalty
08:11to Jonathan Hogg, really.
08:13I think it wasn't for the fact that he was,
08:15it wasn't his farewell game and the club had actually
08:18bigged it up.
08:20I think a lot of them wouldn't have actually bothered.
08:22I mean, the game was almost secondary.
08:24But, yeah, a big turnaround.
08:26Just exactly what any sort of new look sides need.
08:31And more especially Huddersfield, given, you know,
08:33the final third of last season, which was, let's be honest,
08:36it was pretty desperate, wasn't it?
08:38I think they lost the last six games, didn't they?
08:40And, yeah, they ticked a hell of a lot of boxers
08:44for the eight players making the debuts.
08:46Obviously, a headline one in Alfie May.
08:49He obviously got on the score sheet.
08:51That was important.
08:53I think if Huddersfield could have chosen three scorers,
08:55he'd certainly have been one of them.
08:58A clean sheet.
08:59I think the previous time they kept one in the league
09:02was in early February.
09:04So, that's, you know, for a new look back line as well.
09:07Three players making the debuts.
09:10Josh, sorry, Joe Lowe, Watmore and Rowan.
09:17I mean, it was the unfortunate thing.
09:18The only sort of similarity for last season
09:21was that there was another, well,
09:22he had a couple of injury issues.
09:25Rowan came off in the first half.
09:28But, you know, Huddersfield caught with that.
09:30And they played some, they weren't picture perfect,
09:33but they were pretty assured and solid in each half of football,
09:38which is something I know that myself and Stuart
09:40did quite a lot of Huddersfield games last season.
09:43They didn't do that, you know, too often.
09:45It was sort of a good half here.
09:47And, you know, in another half,
09:49they sort of fell off track a little bit.
09:50So, it was good in that respect.
09:53I think an encouraging thing as well.
09:54Eight players made the debuts.
09:57Some of the old stages, if you were,
10:00the players who've been around,
10:02well, not for too long, but, you know, a year or two,
10:04the established players really put their hands up.
10:07I thought Ben Wiles was excellent.
10:10He gave a lot of problems to Orient.
10:13He was popping up all over the place.
10:14Mickle Miller as well,
10:15who was injured for the first spell of last season.
10:18And he showed his sort of energy on the left,
10:21but also his adaptability, reliability,
10:24having to drop back into a defensive role
10:27after Rowan left the pitch.
10:30So, yeah, I mean, he was, as all managers do,
10:33Grant, afterwards, he was talking about wanting more.
10:36And he's clearly someone who has high standards
10:39and he's a stickler for detail.
10:41But I think leaving the stadium on Saturday night,
10:44he would have been, you know,
10:45he would have been delighted.
10:46And, you know, you look at the players
10:47who weren't involved as well, Phil.
10:50There was, I think, their signings count
10:53extends his double figures.
10:55You know, Marcus McGuane wasn't involved.
10:58Josh Feeney, the young centre-half,
10:59was suspended.
11:02Murray Wallace as well.
11:03So, they've all got to come in into the equation.
11:06And Castledane as well,
11:08the young lad from Chelsea, the attacking midfielder,
11:11he'd only signed on the Friday.
11:12So, he's got to come into the thoughts as well.
11:15And, you know, by all accounts,
11:16they're not quite finished.
11:17Maybe one more.
11:19But they're in a pretty good place.
11:21And I think it's another sort of testament
11:25to the fact that it's good to get players
11:27in relatively early.
11:28And they've got the bulk of their recruits
11:30in a decent time in pre-season.
11:33You can see they've obviously,
11:35you can see the connections,
11:36some of the connections already.
11:37They've obviously been working closely to Grant
11:39and know what he sort of wants and expects.
11:42But just a really good day all round.
11:45And I think little things maybe went for them as well.
11:48Orient had a little spell in the final 15 minutes
11:52of the half where they were getting on top.
11:53So, I think half-time came at a decent juncture.
11:57And, yeah, I mean, it was just a positive sort of day all round.
12:05And, yeah, they've just got to build on it now.
12:09And, obviously, the first away game at Reading.
12:11But it was a little bit of a statement of intent as well,
12:14I thought.
12:14Definitely.
12:15Yeah, I think that's what both Doncaster and Huddersfield
12:19have done really well.
12:20When Leon says about getting players in early,
12:22you know, you compare them to, you know,
12:25Barnes and Rotherham and teams like that.
12:26It does make a difference.
12:27I mean, Doncaster only had four debutants plus from the start,
12:31plus the Tatalou back for another loan.
12:35But they all seem well integrated.
12:37And I say, by all accounts, Huddersfield as well.
12:40I think that makes a big difference.
12:42And I think in terms of Huddersfield's business,
12:45you know, until they got Alfie May in,
12:47you know, there was that area of the field
12:50you were a bit concerned about.
12:51But once they've added that piece,
12:54it looks a really well, well-rounded squad,
12:56ticks a lot of boxes.
12:58And, you know, they've got a tough run of games coming up.
13:01You know, Leon mentioned Reading.
13:03They've got Blackpool.
13:05Doncaster, after what we said,
13:06you don't want to be playing them too early.
13:08But I think, actually, they want that at the moment.
13:11This can really snowball this positive start.
13:15In between there, they've got Leicester in the League Cup
13:16with the problems Leicester have had.
13:19You know, I wouldn't be at all surprised
13:20if Huddersfield win that.
13:22So there's the real possibility to build up
13:24a head of steam and just build on that positivity
13:28at Huddersfield because it's been great.
13:30Yeah, I think the squad as well.
13:32I mean, the last goal, he made reference to it,
13:35Leicester, and I think he was right to it, really.
13:37There were four subs involved.
13:38Obviously, Ruskin was the one who finished it off.
13:41And he had a really good game in the second half.
13:44And he's had a good week.
13:45He got a new deal as well.
13:47And, you know, Dion Charles, who had his travails,
13:50it's fair to say, when he arrived in January for one reason or another,
13:56he had a decent cameo.
13:57Joe Taylor as well.
13:59And there was just that adaptability as well.
14:02When Taylor came on, may actually switch to a right-sided attacking role,
14:06and Taylor went down the middle.
14:08So, you know, Grant's got those options to sort of tweak it tactically,
14:11which, you know, I think that'll be important if you can obviously touch wood.
14:16Huddersfield can keep players fit because it was horrendous for spells last season.
14:21I think in those three game weeks, that could be quite important.
14:24You know, you'd be able to not just freshen it up,
14:26but changing a few things tactically.
14:28And as, you know, Stuart said, there's some, you know,
14:31there's no sort of big hitters, if you like.
14:34There's no Wrexham and there's no Birmingham this year,
14:36but there's some pretty serious teams.
14:38You know, there'll be quite a few who'll be thinking they can either be in the,
14:43obviously, automatic promotion mix or certainly the sort of playoff mix.
14:48So there's some strong outfits there, and Huddersfield will be tested.
14:53Just in turn, just quickly before we move on to the other teams in League One,
14:57just on Lee Grant himself, his first ever game as a manager,
15:00as the head honcho, as it were, how did he sort of carry himself?
15:03What did you make of him himself on the day?
15:06You know, both sort of during the game and afterwards as well,
15:09because it's a big thing, isn't it?
15:11Yeah, he's a cool cook here.
15:13I know Stuart did his opening presser,
15:16but he's confident without being arrogant.
15:19He's obviously learned a hell of a lot from his,
15:22I mean, you look at his career, he's a strong playing career.
15:25And, you know, he's obviously got a,
15:28picked up a lot of coaching acumen at Man United.
15:30I think that time with McKenna at Ipswich,
15:33and certainly, you know, the time they had in League One with Ipswich,
15:39will have really prepared him for this challenge.
15:41Yeah, he's a rookie on one level, but look, he's 42.
15:45I think he's, you know, there's a lot of,
15:48there's an increasing number of young managers now, isn't there?
15:5142 isn't necessarily that young anymore.
15:53So, you know, he'll feel, yeah, it makes me feel old given how old I am.
15:58It's not necessarily old if you sort of get mad drift.
16:01And, you know, he'll feel that it's his time and he speaks a good game.
16:06And, you know, he's clearly a big, you know,
16:10he's really into his detail and his finer points of things.
16:13And, you know, they were speaking about some moves that broke down
16:17and, you know, how he wasn't particularly happy with that.
16:20So, yeah, he's clearly got high standards.
16:22And, yeah, I like the cut of his gym.
16:25I mean, in a similar way, I mean,
16:28when we used to have Carlos Corbran on the scene,
16:30he was so intense and he, you know, he was a real perfectionist.
16:36And, you know, it's very early days,
16:38but I just get that little hint of Grant
16:40as being akin to Corbran in that respect.
16:43And if he does half a good job, no one will be complaining.
16:48I mean, just move through the rest of the League One teams then,
16:53and then we'll obviously Harrogate in League Two.
16:55Just great, basically, to see Bradford, Barnsley and Rotherham
17:00all get off to an ideal start, yeah?
17:03Yeah, I just think, you know, for different reasons,
17:06I think there's a lot of excitement around those clubs.
17:09You know, Bradford, you know, you look at the size of the crowd,
17:14and as I said at the start, it's just about continuing that, really.
17:19I mean, obviously, Bradford's big challenge will be
17:21on improving their away form,
17:23but if they can keep the ball rolling at Valley Parade,
17:27that will make the step up a lot easier.
17:29And I just think with all five of the managers in that division,
17:33for different reasons, I mean, Leon and I were big fans
17:35of Michael Duff for what he did at Barnsley,
17:38but the Huddersfield fans weren't really.
17:41It wasn't an appointment that really got them excited,
17:43but you feel with Lee Grant, there's that goodwill towards him
17:48at the start, as there is with Matt Hamshaw and Connor Horahan.
17:51It just gives these guys, you know, a big help,
17:54and obviously McCann and Alexander, it's about their track records
17:57at those clubs.
17:58So for different reasons, I think all of those fan bases
18:01have, you know, a bit more trust in their managers
18:04than perhaps some of their predecessors.
18:06So that's important too, because it does, you know,
18:09it buys you that bit of time and that bit of leeway
18:12in the difficult spells that will come along.
18:15I think it was good for Rotherham.
18:16I mean, a lot's been made of, they brought in a lot
18:19of new signings, pretty, you know, relatively recently.
18:23Some of them are a bit unproven in projects,
18:25but, you know, the fact you look at some of the players
18:27who were there last season, who maybe didn't do it consistently,
18:30by all accounts, the likes of Kelly and Rafferty,
18:35stepped up against Port Vale, and it also showed
18:39the importance of Sam Nombe as well.
18:42Obviously, he got two goals, and, you know,
18:44Hamshaw would be desperate that he's still a Rotherham United
18:46player by the close of the window.
18:48And, yeah, pleasing for that.
18:49He's thrown his own off, didn't he, he said?
18:51Yeah, I would have thought so, because, you know,
18:53I think he got, what was it, 14-15 last year.
18:57And, you know, he's a player who can score
18:59a reasonable haul of goals at this level.
19:02I think the good thing for Bradford,
19:03I mean, another home win, but I think they had to feel,
19:06it sounded like they had to feel a bit of pressure
19:08in the last half hour.
19:09They were winning two-nil, everything was hunky-dory.
19:12Midway through the second half, Wickham pulled one back,
19:14and they were sort of tested there in the final quarter
19:17and, you know, found a way to hold on.
19:20And I think that's going to be important,
19:22because this is the calibre of opponents this year.
19:24They will, you know, I think in League Two,
19:27you might have a five or ten-minute spell where you rock
19:29back at Valley Parade, but when you're playing
19:31some of the good sides in League One, you know,
19:33you might have half an hour where you've got to sort of
19:36dig in a bit, so that was good.
19:38And, yeah, I think Barnsley as well.
19:39I mean, they scored some nice goals,
19:43but they had to dig in a bit by all accounts at Plymouth.
19:47And I know, speaking to people at Barnsley,
19:49it's been a really sort of positive sort of pre-season
19:52there under Hurrahan.
19:53And he's really pushed them, and he's got them together.
19:57But, you know, that's all well and good,
19:58but you want results when it matters.
20:00And so the first day of the season,
20:02going a long distance to Plymouth,
20:04getting a 3-1 is a terrific result.
20:07I think it showed that, and if they can keep
20:10what they've got, to me, that's the main sort of thing
20:14for them, really.
20:15They'd like a couple more in, and they do look a little bit short.
20:19They could do with another right-sided defender.
20:22But if they can sort of end the window,
20:24and they've still got Keeler Dunn,
20:25and they've still got Phillips,
20:27and hopefully Conal as well.
20:29Obviously, they've brought David McGoldrick in.
20:30They've got some pretty, you know,
20:33four or five serious, serious League One players.
20:37I mean, there's an argument to say the people around it,
20:39that there's a possible drop-off in quality.
20:42But they've got some, if they can keep that
20:43sort of core of players together,
20:46they can, you know, all things being equal,
20:48they might have a little bit of fun again.
20:51And, you know, three home games on the trot
20:54coming up for them as well.
20:56You know, if that belief is there that we've seen
20:59at Barnsley and Doncastle are among the fans,
21:01you know, when Liam mentions Bradford's tough period,
21:04that belief's important then,
21:05that the team will see it through.
21:07And if Barnsley can get that back,
21:09obviously home form was such a problem last season.
21:11That could be massive for them.
21:14Yeah, yeah.
21:15Let's quickly drop down into League Two.
21:17Talk about Harrogate.
21:18Again, they ought to make it a clean sweep
21:20at the weekend.
21:21It's going to be a tough year for them, isn't it?
21:23In a way.
21:24Left all alone down in League Two
21:26by Bradford and Doncaster.
21:29But what are your thoughts on their expectations?
21:34Obviously, you know,
21:35tough away day down at Bristol Rovers.
21:38Good to come away with a clean sheet
21:39and the 1-0 win.
21:41What realistically can we expect of them this year?
21:44I just think steady progress, really.
21:48I mean, they can't really do it any other way.
21:51They don't.
21:53Seasons are always going to be tough for Harrogate
21:55because of the budget they're working with.
21:57But just bit by bit,
21:59they're just trying to build things up.
22:01You know, they've revamped the youth system this season.
22:05They added a new stand last season.
22:07They've got plans for a new training ground.
22:09And it's just incremental improvements, really.
22:12And, you know, as football fans,
22:15we could all get impatient, you know,
22:17all get a bit bored when you've had a few seasons
22:18in the same division.
22:19But I think there's an understanding
22:22among the Harrogate fan base,
22:23I certainly hope there is,
22:24of just what they are.
22:26And, you know,
22:27they don't have the heritage of some of these clubs.
22:30They certainly don't have the budget.
22:31So they can't do things on fast forward.
22:33They just have to be patient.
22:35But again, you know,
22:37there is that trust.
22:38Obviously, Simon Weaver's been,
22:39you know, in that job forever,
22:41the longest serving manager in the league.
22:43They really do believe in the direction
22:45he's taken them in.
22:47And they seem to be, you know,
22:49making progress.
22:50Last season was difficult
22:51in terms of league positions.
22:53But to me, the big thing was the attendances
22:55on the back of that Leeds FA Cup game
22:57in January consistently went up a level.
23:00And that's what they've got to do.
23:01Attract more people through the gate,
23:03bring more money that way,
23:05spend the money wisely
23:06and just step by step
23:07grow into a, you know,
23:09a bigger, more powerful football club
23:12at that level.
23:13I think one thing that might help them
23:16a little bit,
23:16if you sort of look at League Two,
23:18I don't think,
23:19I know what Stuart thinks.
23:20It doesn't look to me quite as stacked
23:21as it's been in sort of previous years.
23:25I mean, there's some outfits
23:26who think they can be in the,
23:28and be entitled to them,
23:29that can be in the promotion,
23:31which, you know,
23:31the likes of, you know,
23:32your Chesterfield,
23:33your Walsall's,
23:33maybe, you know,
23:34Swindon's,
23:34one or two others,
23:35Grimsby's,
23:35who did some sort of decent stuff
23:40last year.
23:41But it doesn't look
23:42too many big hitters in there.
23:44And I think the one thing
23:45about League Two
23:47in the last couple of years,
23:49in the second half of the season,
23:50there's, you know,
23:52for those,
23:52obviously there's three,
23:53three go up automatically,
23:54then you've got four in the playoffs.
23:55Those sort of sixth,
23:59seventh-ish positions
24:00have always seemed to have been open
24:03for a team that can make a run.
24:05And maybe Harrogate,
24:06they could find themselves in,
24:07say,
24:07I don't know,
24:08so many,
24:08you know,
24:08mid-table,
24:10going into the sort of
24:11mid to late winter,
24:15going into the final sort of
24:16run-in and third of the season.
24:19One or two teams
24:20always make a run.
24:21You know,
24:21the challenge for Harrogate
24:22is can they be one of those
24:24teams that can make a run?
24:26I mean,
24:27they can do it on the day
24:28we've spoken a few,
24:29well,
24:30numerous times on the podcast,
24:31really,
24:31that,
24:32you know,
24:33you look at the sort of scalps
24:34that Harrogate have had
24:35over the last few years,
24:36you know,
24:36the beating the likes of Doncaster,
24:38the beating Bradford.
24:40That's why going to Bristol Rovers
24:42on the opening day,
24:43the result actually didn't,
24:45I don't know what Stuart thought,
24:46but it didn't actually surprise me.
24:47But it's...
24:48Certainly not when you outline
24:50their result,
24:51their record on the first day
24:52of the season.
24:53Yeah,
24:53it's incredible,
24:54isn't it?
24:55Yeah,
24:55but it's just that,
24:57I think that being ruthless
24:59as well,
24:59they've sort of,
25:00in the final third,
25:01that's been a bit of an issue
25:02for them over the last year
25:04or two,
25:05and they're piecing those
25:05sort of serious runs together.
25:07But on the day,
25:09they've shown they can be capable,
25:11but it's piecing it all together.
25:12Yeah,
25:13I mean,
25:13it's the squad depth
25:14and that cutting edge
25:14are the difficult things to do
25:16when you don't have
25:17so much money.
25:17But I saw them in pre-season,
25:19I was very encouraged.
25:21Jasper Moomer was a big,
25:23was a big loss
25:23having been on loan
25:24last season.
25:25But Tom Bradbury,
25:25you know,
25:27on the evidence
25:28of that one game,
25:29a very good replacement.
25:30So,
25:31yeah.
25:33Defensively,
25:33they've been,
25:34you look at the record
25:35the last year or two,
25:35it's been okay,
25:36hasn't it?
25:36Yeah.
25:37Well,
25:38you know,
25:39O'Connell and Moon
25:39were an excellent partnership.
25:41So the worry was,
25:42you know,
25:43could they find someone
25:43to play alongside O'Connor again
25:45and say,
25:46it looks like they've done well.
25:47But as Leon says,
25:48it's about,
25:48it's about the consistency,
25:50it's about the durability
25:51of,
25:52you know,
25:53the big scalp
25:53on the Saturday
25:54and then following it up
25:55on the Tuesday.
25:56That will always be
25:57the challenge
25:57for a smaller squad.
25:59Yeah,
25:59definitely.
26:00Okay,
26:01time for the championship.
26:02We've got to wait
26:02another week and a half
26:03yet before we see
26:04Leeds in action
26:05or given the TV
26:06schedules,
26:07just over a week and a half
26:08because I think it's
26:08Monday night
26:09they get underway.
26:10We come Monday night.
26:12Anyway,
26:13yeah,
26:13championship,
26:14get into action,
26:15swing into action
26:15this weekend.
26:16Hall City,
26:18Sheffield Wednesday,
26:19Sheffield United
26:19and Middlesbrough
26:21are our four teams
26:22in there.
26:23We may as well start
26:23in Sheffield
26:24because it's probably
26:25where most of the
26:26summer talking points
26:28have been.
26:28Hall's obviously
26:29had its fair share
26:29as well.
26:30Middlesbrough are a bit
26:30quieter generally
26:31but all four teams
26:33are new managers.
26:35Sheffield United
26:36probably start the season
26:37again I would imagine
26:38as the Yorkshire team
26:41with the greatest
26:42expectations being
26:43placed on them.
26:44Leon,
26:45Ruben Sellers,
26:46he's just lost one of
26:47his key players
26:48actually earlier this week
26:50but Ruben Sellers,
26:52how do you think
26:53him and the Blades
26:54are going to be
26:54doing this
26:55this season?
26:57Well,
26:57I mean,
26:57you look at them,
26:58you think they should
26:59be in the mix
27:01but I think it's fair
27:02to say,
27:02I don't mean they'll
27:02want to lose any more
27:03of the sort of big
27:05hitters.
27:05They've lost
27:06Ahmed Oddsic,
27:07they've lost,
27:09I don't know,
27:10he wasn't,
27:11he didn't have the
27:12earth-shattering season,
27:13it was a pretty
27:14desperate end
27:14but,
27:14you know,
27:15Kiefer Moore at his
27:16best,
27:16he's a strong
27:17championship player,
27:18isn't he?
27:18and obviously he's
27:19gone to Wrexham,
27:21there's obviously
27:22Arblaster's injured
27:23too,
27:24they look to me
27:26at a team
27:27and Sellers,
27:28he'll certainly
27:28not want to lose
27:29any more,
27:30I mean,
27:30you sort of,
27:31see Vinnie Sousa
27:32as well,
27:32I forgot about him,
27:33he was a real
27:35strong player for
27:36Sheffield United
27:37last season,
27:38that's another one,
27:39I just wonder
27:40about the thoughts
27:41of,
27:41you know,
27:42Gus Hamer
27:43when he's seen
27:43these players go,
27:45he's thinking to
27:45himself,
27:46you know,
27:46he's left,
27:47he's left
27:48and he might be
27:48going now,
27:49you know,
27:50are we going to
27:50have a serious
27:50squad to push
27:51for automatic
27:53promotion,
27:54which is,
27:54obviously,
27:55you know,
27:56they've lost in
27:56the play-off final,
27:57I think they were
27:58pretty unlucky really
27:59but,
28:00obviously the
28:00challenge is to
28:01do what Leeds
28:02United sort of
28:03did after,
28:04you know,
28:04identical circumstances
28:06and,
28:06you know,
28:06losing at Wembley
28:07and kicking on
28:08but it just
28:10seems to be,
28:11seems to be a
28:12little bit different,
28:13I mean,
28:13Leeds were just
28:14geared to really
28:14push and make
28:16the most of the
28:16second chance
28:17and not lose it
28:18but I'm just
28:19not getting those
28:20real vibes at
28:22Sheffield United
28:22at the minute
28:23given one or two
28:23players who were
28:24leaving,
28:25I think it's going
28:25to be a big
28:26last few weeks
28:27of the window
28:28to get some
28:28serious reinforcements
28:31and also,
28:32obviously,
28:33try and keep
28:33hold of what
28:34they've got
28:34and not lose
28:35anymore,
28:36I mean,
28:36there might be
28:36some speculation
28:37about Michael
28:38Cooper,
28:39who knows,
28:40but they can
28:40really do with
28:41not losing
28:41any more of
28:42their family
28:44silver,
28:45shall we say.
28:46Yeah,
28:46I think it's
28:47the depressing
28:48reality nowadays
28:49that if you lose
28:49the Championship
28:50play-off
28:51final,
28:52you are going
28:52to lose
28:53some of your
28:53key players,
28:54I mean,
28:54with Leeds
28:54last season
28:55we saw
28:55they lost
28:56Somerville
28:56and Routier,
28:57the key for
28:58Sheffield United
28:58is,
28:59as Leon says,
29:00not to lose
29:00too many,
29:01they can keep
29:01Hamer and
29:02Cooper,
29:02that's massive
29:03and to reinvest
29:05the money,
29:05I mean,
29:05we haven't seen
29:06them pay a
29:06transfer fee
29:07all summer,
29:08we've certainly
29:09got £9 million
29:09in the bank
29:10from Achmed
29:11Hozic
29:11and more,
29:12they need
29:13signings which,
29:14you know,
29:14as Leon alluded
29:14to,
29:15will make
29:15Hamer and
29:16Cooper believe
29:17that this is
29:17something worth
29:18hanging around
29:18for,
29:19because this
29:19is a,
29:20you know,
29:20this is a
29:21big,
29:21big season
29:22for Sheffield
29:24United,
29:24often as
29:25football writers
29:28we sort of
29:28preach patience,
29:29you know,
29:30a bit out of
29:31the thick of
29:31it,
29:31but this is
29:32the last year
29:32of the
29:32parachute
29:33payment,
29:34they've only
29:34got two
29:34years because
29:35they're only
29:35in the
29:35division for
29:36one season,
29:37they need
29:37to do it
29:39this season
29:39and there's,
29:40you know,
29:40there's lots
29:41of areas
29:42where there's
29:43young players,
29:44there's these
29:44AI sign players
29:45who think,
29:45well,
29:46maybe in the
29:46long term
29:47they might
29:47develop into
29:48this,
29:49but this is
29:49really short
29:50term,
29:50in the next
29:5012 months
29:51they've got
29:51to do it
29:52and,
29:52you know,
29:53I think at
29:54the end of
29:54last season
29:55I wrote a
29:56piece about
29:56the parallels
29:57with Sunderland
29:57and Leeds
29:58United,
29:58how they'd
29:59lost the
30:00playoffs,
30:00having also
30:01won 90
30:01points and
30:02won the
30:03league the
30:03next season
30:03with 100
30:04plus points,
30:05but Sheffield
30:05United just
30:06haven't given
30:07you that
30:08confidence
30:08because of
30:09the loss
30:09of Chris
30:09Wilder,
30:10because of
30:10the underwhelming
30:12transfer market,
30:13so they've
30:14got a few
30:14weeks to do
30:15something about
30:15it and they
30:16can do
30:16something about
30:17it,
30:17there's time,
30:18but I agree
30:19with Leon
30:19completely,
30:20they need to
30:20really make
30:21a bit of
30:21statements in
30:21the market
30:22in the next
30:23couple of
30:23weeks,
30:23because they
30:23don't need
30:24a big
30:24overhaul,
30:25but they
30:25just need to
30:26convince you
30:27that they'll
30:27be better
30:27than they
30:28were last
30:28season and
30:29as they
30:29stand,
30:30you know,
30:31with Louis
30:31Barry in,
30:31with Samari
30:32in,
30:33with Tyler
30:33Binden,
30:34I'm not
30:34sure those
30:34three on
30:35their own
30:35do that
30:36for them.
30:38I certainly
30:38had to flesh
30:39it out,
30:39Stuart,
30:39didn't
30:39they,
30:40with quite
30:40a few
30:40loan signings
30:41in January
30:42to sort
30:42of bulk it
30:44up a little
30:45bit and
30:45obviously
30:45there's
30:45others like
30:46Liam Brewster
30:46has obviously
30:47left as
30:48well,
30:48so yeah,
30:50I think the
30:50manager in
30:52Sellers will
30:52look at that
30:53squad and
30:53think,
30:53you know,
30:54I need a
30:54few more
30:54in here
30:55pretty quickly
30:56and then
30:56try and chip
30:58away and get
30:58a few results
30:59in the first
31:00month,
31:00obviously the
31:00first international
31:01break,
31:02then he'll
31:02really know
31:03what he's
31:03got to work
31:04with and
31:05then I
31:06think it's
31:06probably a
31:07better time
31:07to judge
31:08Sheffield
31:09United,
31:09hopefully
31:10they'll get
31:10a few wins
31:11early doors,
31:12but looking at
31:13the games,
31:13they've got some
31:14quite hard away
31:14games,
31:15they've got
31:15to go to
31:17Ipswich and
31:17they've got
31:18to go to
31:18Birmingham
31:18and those
31:19two sides
31:20look like
31:20they're going
31:21to be
31:21fighting it
31:22out at
31:22the top
31:23end of
31:24the table
31:24for me,
31:25so some
31:26tough early
31:28tests in
31:29that regard
31:29for a side
31:31who obviously
31:31they're not
31:32quite finished
31:32yet in terms
31:33of recruitment
31:34and getting
31:34it to look
31:35like what
31:35Sellers
31:36want.
31:38Yeah,
31:39regardless of
31:40what Sheffield
31:41United need
31:42or perhaps
31:43want to bring
31:44in,
31:44I suppose
31:45they're still
31:46in a better
31:46position or
31:47they're still
31:47better off
31:48than their
31:48near neighbours
31:49at Sheffield
31:51Wednesday
31:51given the
31:52fun and
31:52games that's
31:54been going
31:54on there.
31:56Danny Roll
31:57has eventually
31:58left last
31:59week,
31:59I think it
31:59was last
31:59week.
32:00Henrik
32:00Pedersen
32:01has been
32:02appointed as
32:03his successor.
32:04I don't
32:06know,
32:06how do you
32:07sum up a
32:08summer like
32:08this one
32:08for Sheffield
32:09Wednesday?
32:11Absolute
32:12disaster to
32:13be perfectly
32:13honest with
32:14you.
32:15The fact
32:16that probably
32:17the supporters
32:18of 90 other
32:20clubs in the
32:20league,
32:21not Sheffield
32:21United,
32:22but the other
32:2290,
32:22are actually
32:23feeling sorry
32:23for them,
32:24shows you
32:24how bad
32:25things are
32:26right now.
32:26It's just
32:28been relentless
32:29hit after
32:30hit,
32:30hasn't it?
32:31It's not
32:31even just
32:32losing the
32:33manager and
32:34the break-up
32:34of the squad.
32:35They can't
32:35even fix
32:36the roof
32:36on the
32:36stand.
32:38It's just
32:39been so
32:40demoralising
32:41for them.
32:42Even Barry
32:43Bannon,
32:43who gave
32:44him a huge
32:44lift at the
32:45weekend by
32:45signing a
32:47new contract
32:48against all
32:49logic,
32:50I suppose
32:50you would
32:50say,
32:51just out
32:51of his
32:51love for
32:52the club.
32:53Even he
32:53admitted
32:53then that
32:54it's going
32:55to be a
32:56relegation
32:56battle from
32:57the start.
32:59It's just
33:00about,
33:01frankly,
33:01surviving long
33:02enough to
33:02get an
33:03owner in
33:03who can
33:04fund this
33:05club properly
33:06and who
33:07properly cares
33:08for it.
33:10It's yet
33:11another reminder
33:12of how
33:13championship
33:14clubs in
33:14particular,
33:15but clubs
33:16up and
33:16down the
33:16pyramid,
33:17can be so
33:18reliant on
33:19one man's
33:20checkbook.
33:21You take
33:22Chan-Siri's
33:23money out
33:24of the
33:24equation for
33:25whatever
33:25reason.
33:26They just
33:27can't
33:27operate on
33:28their own
33:28two feet.
33:29It's
33:29really
33:29worrying to
33:31see,
33:32particularly
33:33such a
33:33famous
33:34institution,
33:35an important
33:36part of
33:36the
33:36community,
33:38but they're
33:38in an
33:39absolute
33:39mess.
33:40The only
33:41hope is
33:42that this
33:42can inspire
33:43a siege
33:44mentality
33:44from the
33:45players.
33:45The one
33:46thing you
33:46can say
33:47is that
33:48the team
33:48that runs
33:48out of
33:49Leicester
33:49City,
33:50after all
33:51the opportunities
33:52people have
33:53had to
33:53leave,
33:54those 11
33:55players and
33:56their manager
33:56are going to
33:57be fully
33:58committed to
33:58Sheffield
33:58Wednesday
33:59because they've
34:00had ample
34:00opportunity to
34:02escape if
34:03not.
34:04So you've
34:05really got to
34:05hope that
34:06there's a
34:06rallying around
34:08and see it
34:08through.
34:09But it's
34:09difficult even
34:10for the
34:10supporters.
34:10They know the
34:11team needs
34:12their support,
34:13but at the
34:13same time,
34:14they try and
34:14force the
34:14chairman out.
34:15there's been
34:16this debate
34:17for a couple
34:18of years
34:18about how
34:19do you
34:20strike that
34:20balance of
34:21support the
34:22team but
34:22not the
34:23regime.
34:24And even
34:25that's
34:26difficult.
34:26So yeah,
34:27you feel for
34:28them on a
34:29lot of
34:29levels,
34:30but really,
34:31as I say,
34:32it just boils
34:32down to
34:33hopefully getting
34:34the right
34:36takeover
34:36happen as
34:37soon as
34:38possible so
34:39that they can
34:39just sort
34:40themselves out
34:40because as
34:41things stand,
34:42you'd have
34:44them nailed
34:44on for
34:45relegation.
34:46It was just
34:47nice to see a
34:47shaft of light,
34:48wasn't it,
34:48with the news
34:50with Bannam
34:51because it's
34:51just been blow
34:52after blow
34:52after blow,
34:53hasn't it?
34:54It's just been,
34:55you know,
34:55for any football
34:56supporter,
34:57I know,
34:58obviously,
34:58things get
34:59exposed on
35:00social media
35:01and some
35:02people are
35:02glad to see
35:03the demise
35:05of Sheffield
35:06Wednesday of
35:06rival clubs.
35:07I think,
35:07deep down,
35:08most football
35:08fans will be
35:09pretty
35:11disconcerted
35:11by,
35:13and it's
35:14certainly been
35:14edifying by
35:15what's been
35:16going on,
35:16as Stuart
35:17said,
35:17one of the
35:19grand old
35:19clubs of
35:20English football
35:21so it was
35:22just nice
35:23with the news
35:23regarding
35:24Bannon and
35:26he could have
35:27easily took
35:28the easy
35:28option and
35:29gone but he
35:29clearly feels
35:30a real duty
35:32of care and
35:32depth of love
35:33for that
35:34football club
35:34and he's
35:35certainly
35:35cemented
35:35himself in
35:36Wednesday
35:37status.
35:38I don't
35:40know if
35:40he'll have
35:40a stand
35:41named after
35:41him one
35:42day but
35:42he'll
35:42certainly
35:42have a
35:43corporate
35:43lounge I
35:43would have
35:44thought.
35:45It's more
35:46than
35:46statue,
35:47they'd be
35:47building it
35:47now.
35:48Indeed,
35:49but it's
35:49certainly
35:50become his
35:52club and I
35:53agree with
35:53what Stuart
35:54said.
35:54I think it's
35:54a season
35:55where let's
35:56be realistic
35:57if Wednesday
35:59do manage
36:00to pull it
36:01off and stay
36:02in the
36:02division,
36:02it will
36:03compare
36:03with any
36:05sort of
36:06survival
36:07act and
36:07it will
36:07certainly
36:07surpass what
36:09happened in
36:10the great
36:10escape under
36:11Danny Roar but
36:11I think
36:11the bigger
36:12picture is
36:13regime change
36:14and hopefully
36:16not being too
36:16elongated and
36:18messy because
36:18they've just
36:19took blow
36:20after blow and
36:20you just
36:21wonder how
36:21much more
36:22they can
36:24take.
36:25I think
36:26the Wednesday
36:27eyes, they
36:27know the
36:28football and
36:29I think
36:30deep down
36:32they would
36:32take a
36:33relegation if
36:34it meant
36:34that at
36:36some point
36:37and hopefully
36:37they're not
36:39too distant
36:39they can turn
36:42the page,
36:42the chance
36:42area can
36:43finally end
36:44and they
36:44can sell
36:45the club
36:45to reputable
36:47owners who
36:48will address
36:51the wounds
36:52in time but
36:53I just think
36:54that's the
36:55bigger picture
36:57but who
36:58knows,
36:58Sheffield
36:58Wednesday might
36:59go to
36:59Leicester on
37:00the opening
37:00day and
37:01get a mad
37:02result because
37:03that's what
37:03this division
37:04has been
37:04it's probably
37:06why a lot
37:08of football
37:08observers love
37:10it really
37:10because there's
37:11always that
37:11sense of
37:12unpredictability
37:13but I think
37:15looking at it
37:15realistically
37:16it's about
37:17the bigger
37:18picture for
37:18Sheffield
37:19Wednesday and
37:19this season
37:21it isn't
37:21necessarily
37:22results on
37:22the pitch.
37:23The big thing
37:24every month
37:27is at the end
37:27of the month
37:27will the players
37:28get paid
37:29for instance
37:29that would
37:30be the
37:31big thing
37:32that supporters
37:33are looking
37:33at and it's
37:35not just
37:35players as
37:35well it's
37:36those unsung
37:37heroes behind
37:38the scenes
37:39who have
37:40shown the
37:42best of
37:43human nature
37:44haven't they
37:44in these
37:45last few
37:46months and
37:47you've got to
37:50take your hat
37:51off them
37:51they really
37:53show their
37:54love and the
37:55passion for the
37:56football club
37:56unlike their
37:57owner.
37:58We talk about
37:59survival for
38:00teams all the
38:02time, Hull
38:02last season
38:03and Leeds
38:03this season
38:04probably, this
38:05is about
38:06survival, proper
38:07survival for
38:08Sheffield
38:08Wednesday and
38:09say all the
38:12elements are
38:12there that if
38:13they can get
38:14things right
38:14there's a huge
38:16amount of
38:16potential but
38:17they've just
38:17got to weather
38:19this storm one
38:20way or the
38:20other.
38:21As Leon
38:21says, Leicester
38:22have had their
38:22problems this
38:23summer, they've
38:25hardly been
38:25a model of
38:27a well-run
38:27club so
38:28maybe these
38:28players can
38:29rally around
38:29and do
38:30something but
38:31sustaining it
38:31when they're
38:32so low on
38:32numbers and
38:33they're going
38:33to be so
38:33reliant on
38:34young players
38:35as it stands
38:35is going to
38:37be really
38:37tricky which
38:38is why they
38:39need this
38:40injection of
38:41capital so
38:41that they
38:42can flesh
38:43the squad
38:43out with
38:44some players
38:46who really
38:47believe in
38:47something and
38:48really are
38:49up for the
38:49fight.
38:50You mentioned
38:51permanent
38:52statues there
38:53perhaps for
38:53Bannon or
38:54somebody.
38:55Fair to say
38:56there won't
38:56be any
38:57such thing
38:57for Mr
38:57Chan
38:58Seery once
38:58he leaves?
38:59I think
39:00that's fair
39:00to say.
39:01That's one
39:02of the added
39:03tragicomic
39:04levels of
39:05this whole
39:07mess.
39:08The fact
39:08that the
39:08North stand
39:09might not
39:10be open for
39:10the first
39:11day of the
39:11season.
39:12For those
39:12who don't
39:12know the
39:13Hillsborough
39:13geography,
39:14that's the
39:14stand that
39:15faces the
39:15main camera
39:16and written
39:17across it in
39:17huge letters
39:18is the
39:18name Chan
39:19Seery so
39:19they could
39:19really do
39:20with bums
39:20on those
39:20seats to
39:21cover that
39:22up when
39:23they play
39:23Stoke on
39:24August 16th.
39:25You just
39:25couldn't make
39:26it up all
39:26the different
39:27levels of
39:28problems that
39:29have been at
39:30this football
39:30club.
39:31Sadly he just
39:33speaks of an
39:33owner who's
39:34just grown out
39:35of his depth
39:35hasn't he?
39:36talking to
39:39another club
39:40who's had
39:40its fair
39:41share of
39:41issues this
39:42close season
39:43as well.
39:44Moving on to
39:45another one
39:45who's been
39:47in a bit
39:47of bother.
39:48Hull City
39:48start off at
39:49Coventry on
39:51Saturday.
39:52First game in
39:53charge for
39:53Sergei
39:54Dikirovic.
39:55Leon, what
39:56kind of
39:56shape are
39:57they going
39:57into the
39:57season in?
39:59Things seem
40:00to have
40:00improved or
40:01things off
40:01the pitch
40:02seems to
40:05have improved
40:05slightly in
40:06recent weeks.
40:07They're
40:07certainly not
40:08in as bad
40:08a position as
40:09they were
40:09perhaps a few
40:09weeks ago.
40:10What are
40:12they looking
40:12to get from
40:13the first
40:13few weeks?
40:15It's just
40:15been another
40:15mass turnaround
40:17Phil.
40:18It just
40:18seems to
40:18be every
40:19summer the
40:19one thing
40:20you can
40:20bank on
40:21is there's
40:21going to
40:21be a
40:22raft of
40:22players
40:22going in
40:24and out
40:26at Hull
40:26and who
40:28knows what's
40:28going to
40:29be.
40:29It's another
40:30one where
40:31you have to
40:31wait until
40:32the end
40:32of the
40:33window to
40:34see who's
40:34come in
40:35and see
40:35who's
40:35gone out
40:36and then
40:36you can
40:37make a
40:38realistic
40:39judgment on
40:41where Hull
40:42are at.
40:43They've
40:43lost a lot
40:45of players.
40:45A lot of
40:46them are
40:46brought in.
40:48The manager
40:48as well,
40:49he's got a
40:49decent track
40:51record in
40:53the Balkans.
40:53He's done
40:54well.
40:56It suggests
40:56he's got
40:57the wherewithal
40:59and his
40:59coaching
41:00has been
41:00successful.
41:01But for
41:03every foreign
41:05coach coming
41:05into the
41:06Champions
41:06three or
41:07four,
41:08there's
41:08probably
41:08only one
41:09who's
41:09been a
41:09success
41:09really.
41:11The other
41:12three or
41:12four don't
41:13cut it.
41:14Which category
41:15is he going
41:15to come
41:16into?
41:17The shorter
41:19answer,
41:19you just
41:20don't know
41:20with Hull.
41:21There's
41:21that much
41:21going on.
41:23They're linked
41:24with every
41:24player under
41:25the sun.
41:25There's a
41:25bit of a
41:26championship
41:27manager element
41:28to them.
41:28They're
41:29picking this
41:29player,
41:29that
41:30player.
41:30He can
41:31go,
41:31he can
41:31go.
41:33You look
41:34at them
41:34as well,
41:35they've
41:35lost some
41:36pretty solid
41:39players,
41:40the likes
41:40of Alfie
41:41Jones and
41:41McLaughlin.
41:42Some
41:42defendable
41:43players who
41:43have been
41:44there for
41:44a few
41:44years.
41:45They've
41:45been allowed
41:45to leave.
41:47I just
41:48don't know
41:49the top
41:49and bottom
41:50of it.
41:50With Hull,
41:51they obviously
41:51had a rough
41:53last season.
41:54They had
41:55real struggles
41:56at home.
41:57They couldn't
41:57hardly win a
41:58game in the
41:58first third
41:59of the season.
42:03I think
42:03we're going
42:04to see what
42:05happens in
42:05the first
42:05few games,
42:06whether that
42:07sets the
42:07tone for
42:08good or
42:09bad.
42:10You just
42:11love a
42:12season of
42:12sanity there,
42:13but it's
42:13just not
42:14going to
42:14happen.
42:16Chaos is
42:17the way
42:17he runs
42:18things.
42:19They've
42:20stayed up
42:21in the
42:23division on
42:23goal
42:23difference.
42:24They've
42:25sold seven
42:25players.
42:26Because of
42:26transfer
42:28restrictions,
42:28because of
42:29not paying
42:30people on
42:30time and
42:31clubs and
42:32various other
42:32things,
42:33they've not
42:34been able to
42:34buy a
42:36player in
42:36or even
42:37pay a loan
42:38fee for a
42:39player.
42:39It's an
42:40absolute mess
42:41and a mess
42:42of their own
42:42making.
42:43A bit like
42:44Sheffield
42:44Wednesday,
42:46early in
42:46Transeries,
42:47reign.
42:47It's a
42:48very familiar
42:49football story
42:50of a team
42:51pushing the
42:52boat out
42:52to reach
42:55for the
42:56stars,
42:56to challenge
42:59for promotion
43:00in the
43:00championship,
43:01missing out
43:02and then
43:05paying the
43:05price.
43:06They've
43:06really had to
43:08cut back
43:08since.
43:09As Leon
43:10says,
43:11one thing you
43:12can normally
43:13bank on
43:13with Hull,
43:14and it'll
43:14probably even
43:15still happen
43:15this window,
43:16is an
43:17absolute
43:17splurge of
43:18signings in
43:18August.
43:19They always
43:19seem to do
43:20it.
43:21There's some
43:22promising signs
43:23as we speak.
43:24It looks as
43:25though Olly
43:25McBurney's
43:25going to
43:26come.
43:27They desperately
43:27need a
43:27centre-forward.
43:29The fact that
43:29they appear to
43:30be backing
43:31for Joe
43:31Gellhart,
43:32that's very
43:32encouraging as
43:33well.
43:33he'll be
43:36thinking they
43:37can get
43:37promoted.
43:39Exactly.
43:41I just
43:43worried that
43:43they are
43:44moving in
43:45the wrong
43:45direction.
43:46When you're
43:46moving in
43:46the wrong
43:47direction from
43:47the starting
43:48point of
43:49staying up
43:49on goal
43:51difference,
43:52that only
43:53points one
43:54way.
43:54I hope I'm
43:55proven wrong,
43:56but for all
43:57the manager's
43:58pedigree in
44:00his previous
44:00clubs and the
44:01fact that he
44:01escaped
44:02relegation in
44:02Turkey last
44:03year,
44:03seems like
44:04a really
44:04big job
44:05ahead for
44:06them.
44:07Much as
44:07Wim's been
44:08talking with
44:08optimism about
44:09all the
44:09League 1
44:10clubs,
44:10I'm afraid
44:11for me
44:11anyway,
44:12it's the
44:12other way
44:12with our
44:13championship
44:13sides right
44:14now.
44:15You're just
44:15wondering if
44:15they have a
44:16couple of
44:16bad results,
44:17what have
44:17they got in
44:17that dressing
44:18room?
44:19What's that
44:20call there to
44:20get them
44:21through?
44:22Obviously
44:22fans will be
44:23a little
44:23bit grumpy
44:24at what's
44:24happened last
44:26season.
44:28It's as
44:28much as
44:29seeing how
44:30our sides
44:31react after a
44:32couple of
44:32wins,
44:32it's more a
44:33couple of
44:33defeats in
44:34the case of
44:34Hull.
44:35How are they
44:35going to rally
44:36the cells?
44:37How are they
44:37going to rally
44:37the cells?
44:38They have a
44:38bad week in
44:39the championship,
44:39the three-game
44:40week, which
44:40happens, doesn't
44:41it?
44:42Let's be honest,
44:42nearly everyone,
44:43every club from
44:45time to dime
44:45suffers in that
44:46regard.
44:46how are they
44:48going to go to
44:48home.
44:48How are they
44:49going to go to
44:50the bad
44:51league?
44:52I mentioned
44:53Alfie Jones,
44:53he was one of
44:54their leaders,
44:55Louis Coyle,
44:56the captain's
44:57got a
44:57victory in
44:58pre-season,
44:59Sean
44:59McLaughlin
45:00probably one of
45:01the stronger
45:01characters in
45:02the dressing
45:02room.
45:03Other people
45:04need to step
45:04up to the
45:05plate really
45:05because it's
45:06going to be
45:06tough for
45:07them.
45:07Well,
45:08they've had a
45:0821-year-old
45:09captain in
45:09them,
45:10haven't they,
45:10Hughes,
45:10which says
45:11it all.
45:14Just last but
45:15not least,
45:16let's quickly
45:16move on to
45:17Middlesbrough.
45:19Again,
45:20summer of
45:21change there
45:21in terms of
45:22the man in
45:23the dugout.
45:24Rob Edwards
45:25is the man in
45:26charge.
45:27It's been a
45:27quiet summer,
45:28I think,
45:29generally,
45:29compared to
45:30some of our
45:31other clubs in
45:32terms of
45:32transfer business.
45:34They're home
45:34to Swansea
45:35City.
45:36Leon,
45:38would you
45:39like to
45:39see a
45:40bit more
45:40movement in
45:41terms of
45:42players at
45:42Borough before
45:43the end of
45:44the deadline?
45:45Yeah,
45:45I think,
45:46to be fair,
45:47a bit of
45:47it's dependent
45:48on the
45:49future.
45:50There's been
45:51a lot of
45:52speculation
45:53about Hayden
45:53Hackney,
45:54hasn't he?
45:54He's the
45:55sort of
45:55jewel in
45:55the crown,
45:56if you
45:56like.
45:57Over the
45:57summer,
45:58talk of
45:58Premier League
45:59interest,
46:00Palace,
46:01Everton,
46:02the first
46:02team to
46:02make a
46:03move were
46:04a
46:04championship
46:05won,
46:05albeit one
46:06that had
46:07tipped by
46:07many people
46:08to return
46:08at the
46:09first time
46:10I've
46:10asked him,
46:10maybe a
46:11good chance
46:12of winning
46:12the league
46:12in Ipswich.
46:14But it
46:15offered him
46:15a big,
46:16the fee
46:16was agreed
46:17with Borough,
46:17a big
46:17hiking
46:18wages,
46:19but Hackney
46:20clearly wants
46:21to go to a
46:22Premier League
46:23club,
46:23so as it
46:24stands,
46:24he's still
46:25at the
46:25Riverside.
46:27Rav
46:28van der
46:28Berg as
46:28well,
46:29defender,
46:29they should
46:30get a bit
46:31of money
46:31for him,
46:31he's got
46:32quite a bit
46:33of interest
46:34abroad,
46:35but I
46:37think in
46:37terms of
46:38they brought
46:39Alfie Jones
46:40in and
46:40Callum
46:42Britton
46:42and a
46:44young French
46:44midfielder,
46:45Kante,
46:45for sort
46:46of not
46:47massive,
46:48decent-ish
46:50fees,
46:50but not
46:50massive fees,
46:51but I
46:51think in
46:51terms of
46:52getting some
46:53players who
46:54can maybe
46:55make an
46:55impact at
46:56the top
46:57end of the
46:57pitch,
46:58more especially
46:58getting a
46:59replacement
46:59for Lattie
47:01Lafu,
47:01they've never
47:01really replaced
47:03have they,
47:03let's be
47:03honest,
47:04that will
47:04rely on
47:06getting a
47:07slice of
47:08any money
47:08from Hackney
47:10and or
47:11van der
47:12Berg.
47:12It looks,
47:13yeah,
47:14I mean,
47:14I did a
47:14piece on
47:15Middlesbrough
47:15for the
47:16paper and
47:16it just
47:17shows how
47:18times have
47:19changed.
47:19This time
47:20last year,
47:21people were
47:21talking up
47:21as the
47:22best of
47:23the rest,
47:24potentially
47:24the side
47:25who could
47:25challenge
47:26those teams
47:27who've got
47:27parachute
47:27payments
47:28who've
47:29been down
47:31the season
47:31before or
47:32maybe are
47:32in the
47:32second season
47:34and still
47:35have them,
47:35but you
47:35don't get
47:36that sense
47:36at all
47:36with Middlesbrough
47:37at the
47:37minute and
47:38factor in
47:39that obviously
47:40a new
47:40manager who's
47:41going to
47:42want to
47:43put his
47:44imprint on
47:45the side,
47:46so it
47:46doesn't look
47:46to me to
47:47be a season
47:47where they
47:49certainly won't
47:49be in the
47:50mix for
47:50the automatic
47:51positions and
47:52I don't know
47:52what Stuart
47:53thinks,
47:53the best I
47:54can probably
47:54think for
47:55Middlesbrough
47:56if it goes
47:56well is
47:57potentially
47:57having an
47:57outside shop
47:58for the
48:00playoffs,
48:01maybe fifth,
48:02sixth or
48:03as many
48:06people might
48:06suspect a
48:07bit of a
48:07season of
48:08transition heading
48:10towards mid-table,
48:11maybe even looking
48:12over the
48:13shoulders,
48:13who knows,
48:14because you
48:15look at the
48:15graph,
48:15I think they
48:16finished fourth,
48:17the season after
48:17they finished,
48:18was it eighth?
48:20Last season they
48:20finished tenth,
48:22you know,
48:22in a season when
48:23Bristol City got
48:2368 points which
48:25was the lowest
48:25to finish in the
48:26playoffs for
48:27God knows how
48:28long,
48:29it was a real
48:29big season of
48:30failure at
48:31Middlesbrough and
48:32I think they
48:32meant,
48:33obviously there
48:34was failures
48:34on the picks
48:36with
48:36carrot ball
48:38shall we say,
48:39playing it out
48:39from the back
48:40and conceding
48:41all manner of
48:42self-inflicted
48:43and pretty
48:44comic goals
48:45really,
48:46but I just
48:47think the
48:47mentality of
48:48some of
48:48those players
48:48to me they
48:49just weren't
48:50mentally sort
48:50of tough
48:51enough,
48:52the amount
48:52of times
48:53they were
48:53leading in
48:53games and
48:54when Borough
48:55played well
48:56and looked
48:56good they
48:57could look
48:57as good
48:57as anybody
48:58but they
48:59couldn't
48:59handle
48:59pressure at
49:00key moments
49:01of football
49:02matches and
49:03it's sort
49:04of changing
49:05that sort
49:05of,
49:07instilling a
49:07culture shift
49:08which will be
49:09important for
49:10Edwards and
49:11the way he
49:12sort of
49:13builds a
49:14new look
49:14side as
49:15well,
49:15by all
49:16accounts he's
49:16a big fan
49:18of three
49:18centre-halves
49:19and wing
49:19backs,
49:20they've
49:20obviously
49:20brought
49:20Callum
49:21Britain in
49:22but as
49:23it stands
49:23they don't
49:24want to
49:25have a
49:25real recognised
49:26left wing
49:27back so
49:27that's a
49:28hole to
49:28fill and
49:29obviously I
49:30mentioned
49:30further up
49:31the pitch
49:31with bringing
49:33in someone
49:33to replace
49:35Latty Laff
49:35and obviously
49:36if Hackney
49:37goes that's
49:38going to
49:38leave a
49:38big hole
49:39so there
49:40just looks
49:40a lot of
49:41question marks
49:41more questions
49:42than answers
49:43at
49:43Middlesbrough
49:44at the
49:44minute and
49:44they just
49:45look to me
49:46a team
49:47in a bit
49:48of transition.
49:50Yeah I
49:50think Rob
49:51Edwards
49:51has shown
49:51in the
49:52past
49:52he's a
49:52coach who
49:53can do
49:53all the
49:53things that
49:54Leon talks
49:55about
49:55maybe the
49:56signing of
49:57a replacement
49:58for Latte
49:58that's someone
49:59else's business
50:00but the
50:00football
50:00he can do
50:01all of that
50:02but he's
50:02not a
50:02magician
50:03you want a
50:05pre-season
50:06you want your
50:06players in
50:07before the
50:07season starts
50:08that's the
50:09thing
50:09it does
50:10need a big
50:10turnover
50:11to replace
50:12some of
50:12those characters
50:13to bring
50:14about that
50:14culture shift
50:15it's such a
50:17problem
50:17nowadays
50:18unless you're
50:19at the
50:19very top
50:20of the
50:20food chain
50:20having a
50:22transfer window
50:22in September
50:23you just
50:24start waiting
50:25to see what's
50:26going to happen
50:26with your
50:26best players
50:27before you
50:28can act
50:29but in
50:30fairness to
50:30the authorities
50:31it's a
50:31really difficult
50:31thing for
50:32them to
50:33address
50:33the Premier
50:34League
50:34were discussing
50:35last summer
50:35about having
50:36this window
50:37before the
50:37season started
50:38but the
50:39problem is
50:40when you've
50:40got League
50:401 and 2
50:41starting on
50:42one weekend
50:42and then
50:43you've got
50:43the Championship
50:44starting on
50:44the other
50:44weekend
50:45and then
50:45you've got
50:45the Premier
50:46League
50:46starting on
50:46the weekend
50:47after
50:47and in
50:48international
50:49market
50:49you've got
50:50all of the
50:50leagues
50:50starting on
50:51different days
50:51there is no
50:53clear obvious
50:54time to do
50:56it but having
50:57a window
50:57during the
50:58season when
50:5912 points
51:00could have
51:00gone by
51:01before you've
51:01got the
51:02signing you want
51:03in is a real
51:04problem for
51:05clubs like
51:06Middlesbrough
51:06and it does
51:06feel like
51:07whatever happens
51:08they're going
51:09to be playing
51:09catch up this
51:10season on some
51:11of the teams
51:12around them
51:12which is a
51:13real pity
51:14because I
51:15think they've
51:16picked a
51:17manager who
51:18will do
51:18things very
51:18differently
51:19to character
51:20who has a
51:21good track
51:22record but
51:23they've not
51:25yet given
51:27him the
51:27tools to
51:28do the
51:28job
51:28yeah they've
51:30a lot to
51:30do I
51:30think I
51:31mentioned
51:31Sheffield United
51:32Middles as
51:32well though
51:33there's always
51:34a core of
51:35Championship
51:35clubs who are
51:36desperate to
51:37get those
51:37lone players in
51:38when the
51:38Premier League
51:39clubs do
51:40their business
51:40and they think
51:41well you
51:42X can go
51:43out and Y
51:43can go
51:44out and
51:44there'll be
51:45a lot of
51:45Championship
51:45clubs trying
51:46to jostle
51:48into position
51:48to make
51:50the best
51:51pitch to
51:51land a few
51:52of those
51:53and you'd
51:53think that
51:54Middlesbrough and
51:55Sheffield United
51:55would be two
51:55of those
51:56sort of
51:56clubs
51:57Yorkshire
51:59you're
51:59you
52:00you
52:05you
52:05you
52:12you
52:18you
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