Welcome to another episode of The Squeaky Bum Time Podcast! This week, we're unpacking major developments in the Premier League, from Harry Maguire's shock captaincy axe to Rashford's new mega-deal. Let's dive right in!

Main Topics:

1. Harry Maguire's Captaincy Controversy: A deep dive into the events leading to Harry Maguire's abrupt removal as Man United's captain. We discuss Maguire's reactions and rumblings about a possible move to Chelsea.
2. Women's World Cup Preview: A comprehensive preview of the upcoming Women's World Cup. We offer group breakdowns, predictions, and players to watch.
3. Erik ten Hag's Ultimatum: We analyse Erik ten Hag's decision to let Harry Maguire leave Man United and the potential impacts of this move.
4. Marcus Rashford's Record Deal: We discuss Rashford's decision to stay with Man United and agree to a new £375,000-per-week, five-year contract, making him the fourth highest-paid player in the Premier League.
5. Man United's New Signing: Breaking down the deal bringing Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana to Old Trafford for an initial £43m and the potential changes it might bring to Erik ten Hag's squad.
6. Newcastle's Record Offer: We delve into the Magpies' club record £82m offer for Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as they aim for Champions League glory.
7. PSG Ultras vs Dusan Vlahovic: A shocking warning from PSG ultras to Dusan Vlahovic. The ultras have threatened severe action should he make a move from Juventus.
8. Willian's Return to Fulham: We cover the news of Brazilian winger Willian's potential return to Fulham after snubbing interest from Nottingham Forest.

Special Feature:

Lionel Messi receives a grand welcome at Inter Miami. We discuss Messi's decision to join the MLS team and the expectations surrounding his debut season.

Thanks for tuning in to this week's episode. Don't forget to rate, review, and subscribe to The Squeaky Bum Time Podcast for your weekly dose of football drama.

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Hello, everybody. Welcome to a new episode. We are live again with Lauren Cortine. My name is Chris Rodriguez here at top FC radio dot com. And of course, you can have all these episodes on your favorite platforms and also on his uh Sweet Bum Time uh podcast and he's gonna go solo b you know what, it's not a porn site, but it could be, I keep, I keep getting it wrong man.

I'm sorry about that, but it might, it might, you know what Chris reinforcing the fact that it probably needs to be rebranded. So if anybody wants to give us a new name, please feel free to do so in the, I could go with Laurent Cortines F ce uh SQ BT or uh I know people like to put their names on things. So maybe I'll just call it the Laron Cortines podcast to call today. But the squeaky bum time is, has, has, has had its and now I think it might need to go. Maybe we need, we need a rebrand. We need a rebrand. Yeah. Yeah, for sure. Um That's what's been holding me back. But anyways, we had issues last week man with the, with the audio but we, we got it now.

We, we came here on time and we got it all squared away. So everybody that's listening, I'm sorry about that. We apologize but we, we got it under control now, so I had to actually switch mics. Uh So yeah, Chris, I think, you know, if people don't know, this has been Chris's baby. He's the one running the show. He's been amazing. We are getting our, getting our sea legs off season so that when we hit the season and those things kick off in August or the World Cup Women's Cup.

World Cup final comes off. We're gonna be there, we're gonna be sharp. It's gonna be good, Chris and I are gonna have our banter, but we're still working through it.

Yeah, that is true. That is true. By the way, the women's World Cup, uh, when, when does it start? I think, I think either Saturday or next Monday. I'm not sure. I know it's pretty soon. I know. Look it up right now.

The US plays against Vietnam, I think. Uh, yeah, against Vietnam Friday. That might be, that might be a 10, that might be a 10 nothing game. Yeah. Uh, yeah. Yeah, we're gonna, we're gonna beat him again like next Thursday, I think the 20th, July 20th. So that's, yeah, that's this Thursday.

The US plays the 21st or the next day. So, but I mean, you got teams like New Zealand, I think Norway is gonna get that one. Yeah. What's nice is some of the games are on prime time west coast so we'll be able to watch them like a lot, you know, in good times there'll be day games. But because it's in, uh, Australia and New Zealand, the US will be playing at 6 p.m. Pacific, uh, 3 p.m. Eastern on Friday. So, get your gear out.

Cheer the women on, take a look at Trinity Rodman, like you said, Chris, she's really has a chance to be a breakout because we're missing a lot of players specifically, uh Mallory Swanson who's a really good young striker who should be in her prime and in the old guard, I think, you know, um yeah, uh you know, sort of, sort of running through their, their course, some of the players are, you know, doing that. I, I will go, I should be on the limb and I think uh Trinity Trinity Rodman is going to be the next star for the US national team. I, I really believe so. I mean, uh uh uh you know, um what's her name? Uh, well, Rapino, she's retiring, of course and, but she's been, actually, I don't think she's been the top, top player for the women's team recently. You know, she was at one point, of course, along with Carli Lloyd and, uh uh but uh now they're out. So the new generation Alex Morgan is the name, it was in my head that I was trying to remember. Yeah. No, it's her Alex Morgan.

She's actually, you can say that she's the player with the most, um, nn name in the team right now. And actually, well, she's gonna be the, the, the, the ninth strike. She, she plays here in my hometown, she plays in San Diego at, uh, the way of FC. So, so I think, uh it's gonna be interesting, man, of course, the US governs this, this, this tournament.

Uh, but I, you know, we were talking on the chat, we are actually not talking about just everybody in general putting their input. And I mean, it's, it's controversial. We don't have that, that subject today, but I mean, it doesn't matter. I mean, it's kind of controversial how things went. You're trying to grow the sport and like you said, it's probably not the wise, not a wise idea to, to take it to New Zealand or, or, you know, to Australia, uh for sure to grow the sport really because it's not famous over there. Football. No, no, I mean to, to be fair to be fair.

The, the, uh, the Matildas with Sam Kerr, they are a good team and I think Australia historically has been very equity minded with female athletes and they have equal play and equal play and they do great in Olympic sports, but it's a country that's, you know, I don't think, I don't think Australia has, if it has 50 million people, I'd be shocked uh between those the, the whole area they now to be fair. That's a US and European view. Like if grow in China, you know, it's more in their time zone, you can grow the game in Japan, it's more in their time zone or you can grow the game in Korea, it's more in their time zone. So to be fair, it, I, we do have a US and European centric view. So maybe that's unfair on our part. But as Americans, as European sport fans, it's a little bit trickier to sort of get jazz for this one, especially.

Uh, we do have a short turnaround from the Euro to this tournament because it had been delayed. So the year the women's Euro was only last summer or two summers ago and, you know, some of the European teams are pretty pumped. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So what we'll see, Chris, can I, can I do an impromptu?

Go through the groups real quick. Yeah, go ahead. Yeah. So group a, the host, New Zealand have Norway, the Philippines and Switzerland. We would assume Norway would go through with Ada Hedberg and then either the host or Switzerland go through Group B, Australia, Canada, Nigeria, Ireland. That is a group of death.

I would say Canada has a, has a great program. Sinclair. I don't know if Kristen Sinclair is playing anymore. Nigeria always bring great athleticism and power and have the pedigree within a group out of Africa and in the Republic of Ireland, obviously tough group couldn't call this one, but I would say probably Canada and Australia be power of Sam Kerr group C Costa Rica, Japan, Samia. We talked about Zambia with our, with our girl Barbara. Uh but Spain is the class here.

Hopefully there's a lot of French players that play and England are the class of the group here with Denmark China, really resting on former glory or being the first World Cup champion. Famously in the final in 99 when Brandi Chastain rips her top off and it becomes the legend group. E you find Netherlands Portugal, United States and Vietnam, if this World Cup, the United States would not get out men's World Cup, but this is the women's World Cup and the United States is far better than Portugal. So us and Netherlands a group with Vietnam making up the number numbers. We need more groups to go. So just hang in there.

This is my minute of glory. Uh Brazil, no, France, Jamaica, Panama. Uh Brazil, not as good in the women's game as the men's game. Marta will be 38. She still leads the line for them. France also a bit in turmoil.

Jamaica are a dark horse team that people really like. I like to see them coming out of the group with Manchester City women's striker, Bunny Shaw leading the line for Jamaica. Very, very good team. Look forward to seeing bunny Shaw up front for Jamaica.

France missing a lot of players a little bit older now group G A wild card, Argentina, Italy, South Africa and Sweden Sweden, the historically strong group here, but I would expect that Italy would join them. Uh Perhaps Argentina finally getting their things together. And we talked very briefly last week about uh South American teams moving and then group. You have Colombia, Germany, South Korea Morocco Morocco's men's did really well. It's good to see the women there. I'm assuming that we female Moroccan team is probably mostly French, but it's good to see them there.

I would say the class of this group is Colombia and Germany. Colombia always bring numbers. I'm excited to see how their women, their fandom translates to Australia because the Colombians are the best supported group outside of some of the crazy European sides. Colombians really bring it when it comes to the World Cup. And those are the women's group stage World Cup numbers starting on Thursday, I think. Uh I think I know you're tired but I think uh yeah. No, I'm good. I think either England the US. Uh those are my Spain Spain.

Of course, Spain, the, the, the issue with Spain is not a player is not a talent issue. They have had a massive dust up with their coach where players walked off the field. They didn't want to coach with him. Strangely, the Spanish fa decided to keep the coach over the players. I don't know if that means the players will just be like, will just play because they know they don't have power or whether they'll play, but they're gonna be made up mostly of Barcelona players. Uh the Spanish. If you know this Barcelona women's undefeated for two seasons, lost the last game of the season to Real Madrid after having already won the league.

They were literally like, I don't remember something that she's fantastic and I will be misogynistic. She's gorgeous. OK. She looks great. Um That doesn't matter, that's not important. I just, you're just getting my preferences.

There's a lot of beautiful women but she happens to be the most beautiful woman of all the players. Shout out to Alex Morgan. Uh always, she's always had a big, it's not what it's for, but hey, why not? Um Well, definitely that's, that's the appeal, you know, I mean, believe it or not, you know, part of it. And they're really good. Like, I'm not being funny, like high level women's football is really, really quite good.

I think it's worth watching. I think it sort of, the bigger thing is it, it lets you kind of let go of the notions of, oh, we watch it for the most talented people. I don't think that's true. You watch it for passion, for effort, for nationality and for the stories around the teams. And I think that if you can let go, the fact that they can't always make a crossfield ball or some of their touches are bad or whatever, it's really high quality from an effort and, and stamina and fight perspective.

If you want to see good mentality, this is where you wanna go. And I think the crowds are super positive. You get a different vibe. Uh I love the sound. I have to say this, this is one of the things that's great about it.

I have a daughter. So I, I think about this a lot, the sound of a stadium that is a woman's sound of cheering. It's just a different sound where the majority is young women or girls. It just, it just sounds great and I love to hear it, especially when you're singing like soccer chants of your national team or, you know, something silly in English. It just has a little bit of something different. So I recommend it. It's great. No, you're right. I mean, incredible. I have a daughter too.

She's only nine months. So, but eventually you can hope. I'm telling you. I mean, if you are in uh in third world countries, I mean, well, I mean, India is not gonna win the World Cup regardless man or female. But what I mean is like Argentina or Brazil. I mean, if you, if you want that, that hope eventually, which, you know, some people say you shouldn't live your dreams through your kids and that's true. But you couldn't, you couldn't hope you couldn't hope really to, to, to, for your little girl eventually to play football.

Maybe, of course, now, late 20 years later, maybe it, it develops more in, in like South America or, you know, but really is, is the man that, I mean, but to, to, to, to take a step back and I think that's a key thing that I, I think we should um touch on is the issue for these women's teams is um is surely not the talent. You only need 11 players. The passion is there. These countries don't spend money on their women's history. They find ways not to use money, they don't give them practice time, they don't have the best coaching famously, uh, I believe one national team and I can't remember, had the same coach for like 30 years. I think Spain before this most recent coach, it's been the same 20 years because he was the only person who would do it. So, I think with a country, like, you know, with, with some of the sort of lesser with sort of the bigger male football nations, but they're not doing well with women.

It's a matter of focus. You can see it can change very quickly. The European team quickly changed focus and decided it was a priority. And all of a sudden you're seeing the level of play in those leagues go through the roof and I have to tout my own team. Uh because my beloved Manchester City, as much as you can talk about oil and whatever they invested in that women's team very early on, forced Manchester United to go professional, forced Liverpool to go professional. Because I think those clubs were into not having teams man United did not team Liverpool did not have a team.

These were big clubs without female teams and respect arsenal who had a team for a long time and respect to Chelsea, but also respect to, to city who made their team profession. These women's clubs were, were not professional up until not even 10 years ago. These are women that had jobs and played football because they loved it. And so now you're seeing professional women who can practice all the time. They were, they were correct. But anyways, that's, that's good.

You know, and it's still not a lot of money. It's like the world transfer fee for a woman's transfer, I think is, is half a million dollars. But with the, to give you, I, I always say the numbers, I mean, even in the men's, in the men's side, I don't even think numbers really reflect what a, what a player is worth. I think it's too much money now. But even though they also a lot of these players make money as far as marketing image rights. So they do, you know, you can, you can debate and so at the same, in the same token, I mean, women, uh, women's sport is relatively smaller than man's at this at this age. So it, it, it does make sense that they get paid less.

They shouldn't get paid too much less. They should make millions. I mean, that, that is the fact they, they should make certain leagues though. Of course, every, every league in every country is different. But, uh, I mean, you know, it's more, it's, to me it's more about brand extension, it's more about, you know, I only know my own team really well. So I, I apologize if there's other teams that do this but you see things like arsenal fan TV, you see things like Chelsea, social media.

They really unify the club. And you saw Emma Hayes cover the women's World Cup. She's a great coach and she's a great talker about football and you just want to elevate and have you, you just need time. Right? It's time to build the institutions of people. Remembering. Oh, it's a women's World Cup team.

Oh, that's my team playing. I'm gonna go support the girls or hey, oh, my team is out of the FA Cup but I can watch the women's team. So it gives you more chances than another side to pick up because they are at the top level. These are the best of the best. And I think that's what people respond to regardless of the gender. As long as it's the best of the best at their field, you can get involved. Right. That's why the women's World Cup is so good.

That's of the women's. I mean, that, that's why US L is so big right now. That's why the women's Champions League is so good. I recommend watching it next year. It's on, I believe in the US. It's on CBS. Watch it. It's really, really good and it's really hard. It's old school. Like they go straight to the round of 16.

Only two teams from each team, each club make it. So like when you start it, they were already at the best of the best. So I know we've gone a little bit long on a women's, it's good. I mean, people should, should, should check out at, at this point it is to football, you know, we talk about top football here and, and Tucker talk and, and definitely, uh, is what's happening and, and we also need to do our part to talk because if we don't talk, then we keep it hidden and people that may not know about it don't know about it. They don't, you know what I mean? Stay and not know.

The thing I think about is is your club, like start with your club. You support Real Madrid. There's a women's real Madrid team and you know what? They're not as good as Barca right now. So you should ask your, you should start whistling at your team. But there is no way there is, there is no reason why Real Madrid shouldn't compete that real Madrid have all the resources in the world. So they really have to make it a priority. And you know what?

Now Barcelona is embarrassing them frankly though. The women are the men, man, they're fighting. But you know, and the thing is it doesn't cost anything like this is the thing with these big clubs like you have the brand, it's still the shirt to fund a woman's team right now. It's $5 million. That's, that's, that's, that's an 18 year old who might become something maybe. Right. That's like a transfer from in the championship.

Of the English League or, you know, somebody is, it doesn't cost anything. It's, and it's worth doing anyway, let's get to our rundown. Take up all the, uh, with your show. No problem at all.

We, uh um we gotta start talking about what, what else is going on in, uh Europe, European football courses. We're going to talk a little bit on, on, on this side of the, of the pond of the, of whatever you wanna call it. Um, about Lionel Messi really is the only thing that's popping. I mean, the MLS is going. But, you know, and, um, but European football, uh, we, we're not really gonna get into the deal is getting developed and we're going to put a new video here, uh, later in the, in, in the channel. So later in the day. So you, you'll, you'll get that specific news.

But, uh, the biggest thing right now going on in Europe, of course, everybody's playing their friendly games or everybody's getting ready. Arsenal finally got Declan Rice. They're, uh, you know, they're getting, you know, getting trained and warmed up. Arteta said they're not sure if they're gonna be closing on transfer windows, they're gonna be looking, but as far as they're concerned right now as, as far as looking for somebody specifically, they should be out of the market now. They got the, they got the guy they wanted. Yeah. Yeah, the biggest story is none other than Harry Maguire.

He is angry and shocked over Manchester United's captaincy and he's ready to quit. Is he, is he, is he, is he really angry and shocked? Is, well, well, well, I mean, that's the, the information, I'm sure, I'm sure I'm not only, not only, well, he, he must be angry if he came out on social media and, and talked about it the way he did. There's no reason why he should have. I mean, technically there, there's no reason of why, uh, other than getting attention from it as a wife, you should be going out to social media and tell him 10 hack talk to me privately and he told me I won't be the captain no more and blah, blah, blah, like why do people want to know that other than you want controversy? And he got it because everybody's talking about it, fools like us that, you know, somebody leaked, that he's ready to quit. And Chelsea might be considering a, a stunning transfer, which I just don't understand. But what is your take? Well, listen, if, if United and their fans think he's really that bad, right? If you really think that, that, that he's really that bad, then you should just let him go because that would be what a big club does, right? You're not afraid. So he goes big deal, right.

This is such an English thing. Uh I know like we, my, my focus is always on English football and that's the, the, the league that I cover the most and care about the most. But it's very strange.

The rest of the world is, is not so into captains. The English are obsessed with captains. All they do is talk about captains. You know, you talk about Steven Gerard, he's the captain of Liverpool. They have, they have an importance. I don't think that anybody is the captain certainly. But, but, but, but, but, but, but the English are specific about it, right? Like here in Spain about, oh, the captain of real Madrid in Spain.

It's more of like longevity. So the oldest guys usually they just do it, they just do it by seniority. Right. Right. Yeah. So what's interesting is is, you know, you have a, you have a guy in Maguire who by nature of being a defender and the highest paid defender.

I think Ole Gunner souls decided that he should be the captain. Ok. Fine. It's a very ceremonial position. It shows your status, your stature, your leadership within the club, your accountability. I will say this about Harry Maguire.

He shows up for interviews, he takes it on the chin, he gets it and he does do the talks like he doesn't run away, which is nice because some guys don't interview. I mean, like a lot of those guys have to do it. I mean, there's no, there's no other way to. But a lot of the, a lot of the, a lot of the, a lot of the foreign players, they don't, they, they play like, oh, I don't speak English well enough so they don't do it like I know this because City had Aguero and David Silva. I can tell you in 10 years of Da Silva, I never heard him speak, which all I know about him is just, just, just to point aside that should be obligatory. You. If you come to play my club, you need to, I'm gonna provide you cla class classes, you need to learn the language. I mean, this nonsense and what did I never liked that?

I never liked it. But anyways, but city let them do it right? Because that's what they did uh, anyway, so mcguire is a stand, is a stand-up guy. Uh, he has taken it on the chin. He has become fairly unfairly a lightning rod for everything wrong with United. Um, uh John Santana who's in our chat group is just like he, he's like he deserves it.

I don't think anyone deserves it, but I think 10 hog should have just like, just stripped them immediately, just be like something new. It's my team. I wanna do this rather than make it into this preseason. Weird thing. I, it's bizarre. Well, yeah, mcguire actually is the one at fault.

I mean, he definitely wanted to take, oh, maybe he, but, but you know what it is, think about it this way, Chris, the season is about to start, they're gonna go out on the pitch, he's gonna play minutes. He's gonna go out with the, without the arm band and another player is gonna go on with the armband and then it'll just be a con like you can't hide from it. So maybe he was trying to. So, so you, you, you, you, you, you think like 10 hacks should have just been like, out of nowhere. Just, hey, you, who else? Kasami? You, you're captain tonight and, uh, well, it, it, it is, it could have been, it should be, I don't know how it worked.

I'm not, it shouldn't have been a big deal. You said it shouldn't have been a big deal. It shouldn't have been announced, it should have just been, I will give it to you, I will give it to you because if, if he would have done that, uh, maybe in well preseason, there's always nothing to talk about. So they're gonna talk about that perfect time to do it after they won the Carba Cup, just change it because, but, but then, but then, then people would be like, so you had a preseason preseason and then he was your captain and all of a sudden you change it. People are always going to find a way to talk about it. But I do agree that if he just per se started the season with a new captain, then it's just too much going on.

That really probably wouldn't have been as it's Manchester United. You and I both know that we talk about one of the greatest, you gotta admit it. It's always good. People are gonna be talking about, people are gonna be talking about one of the greatest of all time man, United, man. They're, they're gonna be talk there. There's always, I mean, listen, if you think real Madrid man United Barca and Liverpool, right?

Those are the, if you, if you think the biggest clubs in the world, if you think about it, uh, actually you late earlier today, you were like, I got a few points from city and I was like, perfect. And then I started looking at it and I was like, wow, nobody cares because no, listen though. But no, but listen, I know there's people that care but if you actually go to every website, every article, everything is All Man United for the most part or arsenal or, but, and then I realized like, dang, you know, everything that we're our topics, you know, the Daily Mail, the Sun, the one football. I mean, everybody's just about Manchester United. And I realized that and I was like, wow, that, that's kind of biased.

But, I mean, that's, I don't, I don't, I don't begrudge that. Right. Like, we know what clubs run the news. It's the 67 teams that everyone talks about all the time. Right. That, uh, with city, but I breaking in just because they, they've made people break in. But also the thing about it though, the, the thing about it, it's, it's a good thing also for a city because you want everything and there's nothing to talk about about you.

I mean, you want everything so, really, you know, there, there's no, there's no drama. There's no, I mean, they try and make up drama the other. Exactly. Because the other day the Daily Mail put, uh, Jack, still drinking, she's still partying and it doesn't, it doesn't, it doesn't make as much noise at this point because what else, what are you gonna tell somebody to want everything? You know? Uh, no, if he doesn't come in shape when it comes to the season start then definitely people are gonna talk about it so well.

I I mean, just to give my quick short shift if you're not aware of city fans, if you're, what's happened is, is having won everything. A lot of the older players who've been with pep from year from the first year are all leaving. Right gun is gone already. Uh S Bernardo Silva has been wanting to go for like three years. Ky Walker's got a deal with Bayern Munich already lined up and now Riyad Mahrez, the first bid from a Saudi team has come through very low, but those were players to be fair. Uh We know from this season, Walker was a little bit pushed off to the side.

He did do a great job on Venetia. So these are players that won't affect city in terms of the uh a a full season in terms of a, a full campaign like a premier league season, but it will affect how they can play different games in different situations. They were losing situational players where, you know, uh uh Marez was a special player when we needed a goal or some, a team was playing really compact. They put him out wide and he could come on his left foot and do his thing. So, or Gundogan I think is a key player, right? Obviously, he wanted to go to BARCA for a long time.

They didn't want to pay him he's 33 years old. He's got two bad knees. They let him go.

No, I got, I got a question. I got a question about this. Uh, some of these statements that, that mcguire made because I don't know if it makes sense. He said since they, since the day I took on the role 3.5 years ago. So Cristiano was there.

He was not the captain. No. Oh, my goodness. So he may have been the vice captain and maybe that was part of the problem because if I'm Christiana in the team and mcguire, he's not telling me what to do, man. I, I'd tell him, man, go on somewhere, go kick, right, man. Give me some Gatorade. Well, that was the, that was the issue, right?

The team was fractured and the English guys and you got, and uh which I think I still we debated the other day. I think he's, he's still, I would take him if it was on my team. But, but I mean, if you put him in that you can take him on your team. And when I play your team, I will beat your team because he's not a winning player. I got Kasmira, if I'm man United, I got Kasmira, I got nothing to worry about, you know. So I think, I think man I'm telling you, but regardless. So basically, listen, let's just make a uh uh the story short mcguire is been shown the exit, you know, with this, but we don't know, somebody's got to pay the price and uh well, they just, they just exile him playing with the under 20 ones.

They gotta get some money, man. They, they can't, they can't just let him, I mean, but you, you've got, it's a sunk cost. It's just, it's gone. That's it. They bought him four years ago. Paid 80 million. He's gone. They're gonna have to get 20 out of him at least.

And, but so, so, ok, so let's let's shift. Let's cross fade into what has been sounding. And is that Chelsea Patino might be interested and I really don't understand like II, I try to look hard and I don't want to get into the debate of when Manchester United got him. But the fact that s is interested, I don't understand how they see Maguire being a top club player. He is not a top club, club player to me.

I mean, you see this. So here's the thing, right? We know that with England, Harry Maguire is a good player.

This is a team that made a Euro finals with him at the back. This is a team that made uh a world cup semifinal with him at the back. So he's clearly not crap. Right. Well, thank you. He not, we also have to acknowledge the fact that Manchester United is a zoo that has basically only been coached for the last 12 months.

The years before that there was no coaching going on. Rangnick had no control over that team. A basically didn't coach. So for the last half of mcguire's career or the last five years, he hasn't been coached, perhaps, you know, remembers him at Leicester when he was last in the league and he was like, you know what that dude can do a job and I will get him back to the job he needs to do. I mean, because right now that team has Thiago Silva in the middle of a back three who is 38 years old and still their best defender, which is a problem. Now, they have fofana, they have bad, they have a bunch of young guys who are sort of finding their way and perhaps mcguire can just go, ok, I'll play in the middle of this three.

I'll take the ball out, I'll just always drop deep and, and, and try and read the game from where I am versus trying to use speed and being part of a back of four where he's got to find the right angle. I mean, if I was mcguire, I mean, I would jump on it. Definitely. I would go to Chelsea like that. No, West Tottenham and Newcastle, you know, they could be interested as well are considering. So, I mean, I don't think they'll give more than 20 million for him 25.

That's it, man, because that's, you know, and, and I don't think there's gonna be any issues they want to get rid of him and he, obviously, but he would, I think he would go to Chelsea obviously, that, that'll be the number one choice, you know, go to another top. Should go to that. He could revive his career, I think. Is West Ham. Yeah, but I think he could do something at Chelsea now because you, you mentioned all those youngsters.

I mean, he could build a name. He's going with a certain, I mean, I, I it's hard because mcguire, man, he's known around the world already. So III I don't know if I want him, he gotta be protected, right? He's got to have guys in front of him who he, he's got to have a coach that knows what he's want and can protect him from the things that he's bad at right turning and kind of getting into trouble, but he's still good carrying the ball. He's still good with a line breaking pass. It's just that he was put into situations that he couldn't do.

He's not a good one. Be one defender in space. Mcguire is an old school defender. You know, if you give it to him, he's gonna kick it out of stances. He's not gonna worry about it.

Now, if you ask him to, to, to, to control, to, to possess the ball, he's gonna, he, you know, he might make a mistake that he's gonna be checked in a fool for a week. So, no, but it's, it's more, it's more, it's more things happening in transition where he's got to make decisions where there's a winger and there's a ball carrier, he's got to make those decisions and he just doesn't have the foot speed to handle those two on one situations. Or when, when things are chaotic and people are running towards him, he has a hard time and I think in possession is where he's at his best and when he can have someone in front of him protecting him, that's true of a lot of defenders. But I don't, I think the idea that mcguire is terrible, I think is unfair because he hasn't really been injured that much. It's in there. He needs a good coach, he needs to, he, he, he can definitely help a premier league team.

I'm not, and I'm not saying middle of the table up, you know, and listen, you Spurs fans don't throw up in your mouth. He's better than every single defender. Spurs has every single one. I would kick Eric Dyer out of the fucking stadium to have Harry mcguire and Eric Dyer is trash.

If you want to convince Kane to stay, then give that, that's not the way to do it. No, that's not the way. But he's, you know, the thing is you just gotta think about where the team is right? Like is he better than what you have? If he's better than what you have and he's $20 million.

That's nothing for a team for a Champions League playing defender. Be fair right now. I made a quarterfinal with him on the team. A according to, to reports is that 10 Hag and United have been a little, you know, upset at his unwillingness to leave the club. And they say that that's why, that's why, that's why, you know, they, they couldn't, they couldn't sign Napoli Center back, Kim Ming Jay and, but I agree, I agree with you. Sure. If I have a contract, I'm not gonna make it easy.

You either pay me or find somebody else to pay me. I mean, I do, that's 200,000 a week now. Gareth Bale sat in Spain not giving any crap and just like playing golf. Let's go. He said he put it anywhere that said Wales after Wales golf and Real Madrid was like, in that order. Yeah. Yeah. So, so, I mean, it, it is what it is. But no, I mean, you, you can't be mad at the guy.

I mean, you know, 200 K a week that's his livelihood for doesn't have to help the team. He does, he just play it out as far as he can help and say, ok, you want me out, I'm willing to move. I mean, you know, but he's not gonna cut down on, on his, on his money just because you, I mean, they, they made him that deal. They let them have it. So they, they gotta take their picture, man. United's fault. The worst run club in the league.

Well, now there's five candidates that, according to the son for the captaincy of Eric 10 Hags. Um, who he, so we got Kasami, which I think should be. But ok, because I think English, well, I, I gotta talk to the refs. Yeah. Well, that, that can be the, but is an out man. He, he's, I, I wouldn't put it back but Marcus Rashford, they, they have him as well on this list and, and I mean, I can understand him because of the longevity, but you need to have a dog right there and I like Casa being in the middle, he's in, you're going to be more than likely in every play, but we'll see about his English. You're right. I mean, that's gonna be important.

You know what's funny, the player that I think we take English, but he's a baby. He rolls around on the floor and complains about every single call. You want your captain to lead the team? That was, I think that's actually one of the things that hurts him from being considered a great is, oh, you gotta shut the, you gotta shut up and play, dude.

I think he was, I think he was captain for a few games last season. If I, no, of course, I mean, I would imagine that he's captain often. Like he, he, he's the likely leader. He does speak up, he does get in players ears. He is doing all that work that you'd expect. But that, that attitude that he has, I don't know where it comes from or why he does it or whatever. But that stuff II, I wouldn't want the guy who represents the club to try and get a ref to, to be on our side, be a guy who is constantly haranguing and bothering the ref all the time. So my pick would be Luke Shaw because he's English, he shows versatility.

He does what he wants. He does what he can for the team and he's been on a team for the longest. It he is but I mean, does he play con consistently? Yes, he played center.

This is one of the reasons that Harry Maguire needed to leave. Remember? But Harry Maguire was not injured. Lisandro Martinez does his achilles and 10 hog put Shaw at center back before Harry Maguire. Yeah. Yeah. But, but what I'm saying is now, now, now Martinez is back, Veron uh I is back and some people put Veron as well.

His English is good but he, he's not a good captain. The Vern is not a guy I know for, for a few I know real Madrid. He's not a, he's never, he never was, that was part part of the problem that he just didn't have, didn't play that attitude. So uh Martinez another guy but I think he just, just got to the club. I mean, the Argentinian attitude. Well, he English. Do these guys speak English? I don't know. Um I, I do, I, I would vote for Casa.

I would, I mean, yeah, I mean, he's the logic. He's the logical player that, you know, it's a player. He's a presence now. Rashford. I know he's a kid. He's the man had a kid but II I just don't see him. He's all the way up there in the front.

Nobody wants a striker as a captain. Unless it's, unless it's a, they don't, they don't, they don't run, they don't run back down anyway for anything. So you got the funny thing is, is that if Mick Tomo were better, I feel like Mick to is actually the kind of guy who would be a good captain. He's kind of like a uh a Jordan Henderson type where he's not actually as good as anyone on the team, but he plays with his heart and tries to win games based on what he's got. So that would be another logical one to me, but I don't think that anyone wants Mick to on the team anymore. He's a representation of their failure. But I think he's the kind of player if I'm a United fan, I kind of want Mick Tomoe on the team. I want him to be the guy who comes off the bench and represents the academy that represents the badge, right?

You need those guys that give lineage of space and time connecting the club together. All right, we'll see what happens uh with that and uh now we gotta get moving now. Uh Marcus Rashford agrees to a $375,000 per week. My goodness, he better be a captain. He better be everything, fixing the bathrooms and fixing, you know, because, oh boy, that's a lot of money, man.

Five year contract, five year contract, boy, you know, but I think the the issue, the issue is with him is like to me, sorry, this is my thought, the guy he did, he was hurt and I give him a little bit of credit. He had a bad shoulder or whatever. But to me when he faded for a while there before 10 hog got credit for bringing him back around. 0, 10 hogs got his confidence back up.

First of all, if you're a world class player who's on £325,000 a week, you shouldn't need your coach to turn you around. You should have done that yourself. You're, you're, you're England's number. You're England's winger like what are you doing? So I again, I think I said it last time.

I think he's a good player. He has scored big goals, including that bullshit one in the derby where he was offside, but they didn't call it uh against Manchester City. Uh I'm over it. It's ok. Um, and you know, he, he did carry them in that middle portion of the season. I just don't think on any other team he would not be this big of a player.

I think it's because he's from with, he's from Manchester. He came up with the club under Van Gaal. He's, he's a red through and through. He does all the charity stuff. His story I think is much better than his play.

I think he's ok. It doesn't mean he's bad. I'm just saying, I don't think he's, it. Yeah, I mean, he, apparently with the rumors PSG might want to get him because, uh is probably more than likely leaving. Well, he obviously decided to stay. Why would you leave?

I mean, this is your, everything, is your home, your friends, everything. You know, the club, you, you grew up, it's a big club in the world and plus they're gonna pay you almost 400,000 a week. Then why, why am I gonna leave for friends? I mean, the weather sucks but these are, these, these are these, these are these bullshit stories that get made up and they just, um, first of all, it was probably some of those, some of those, some of those get made up the way they raise the price on their negotiations, you know, like, and, and it, and it, and it sells papers and it does things like this for people like you and I to do shows and that's fine, which is good.

That is an insane amount of football to play. Uh a little bit too much for my liking. Uh They probably need another striker. There's almost a goal every other game, 0.6 goals uh per 90 minutes so almost a goal, a game but 0.6 is not, is good but it's not like top 10 in the league. I mean, I mean, I just like it was his, it was his 1st 30 goal season. II I think that this kind of, he's only had 21 22.

I think this kind of contract, this kind of contract, you gotta pay somebody that, that is probably the best player in the premier league. Somebody that's, you know, I mean, it, it, it had, yeah, I mean, that's what probably they could be. I mean, what, how could you attract a big name in the world. I don't even think premier league teams really are looking for that because Orioles they would get into the mix for real, like for MB pay. Well, they got ha, of course. So I guess that's wrong but, but I don't even know what Helen gets paid a lot.

Uh, probably the same number. Honestly. Let me tell you the same level. Now, here's the thing, I'll tell you a guy who's as good as, as Rashford and people will laugh at me when I say it, he's not that much better than Ollie Watkins. Ok. The striker for Villa. Ok. He's not Villa just doesn't create as many opportunities and doesn't play the ball in behind like that.

I don't think Marcus Rashford is that much better than Ollie Watkins. Ok. I think you could swap those two players for each club and Ollie Watkins could do the same job as Rashford does. In fact, he's probably better because he's stronger and older and now could I be wrong? Sure. I just not a big, am I blasting United? Because I'm a city fan maybe. But I just don't, I, I like Rashford.

I think he's good. I think he's a fine player. I don't think he's the striker that's gonna win you the Champions League because I just found out who the striker who wins you. The Champions League is. And to have those guys, they are the top, top, top notch players and city didn't win it until they had Holland or the threat of. But, but I get you, I get you with the threat because we haven't gotten to city yet and LAN didn't perform well in the Champions League in the games.

The whole team didn't, they were and they were, but not, I'm not, I'm not just talking about the finals. I'm talking about the games that matter the most. I didn't see how I think. I mean, I like Julian Alvarez. We need to give him more time. I do it. He's a hell of a player. But anyways, uh Manchester United are close to getting on.

We've talked about this before but we're just trying to update real quick, you know, £43 million from Manchester United to Milan Inter. That's a good deal. I think it's a good deal. Yeah, it's, it's pretty good. And so especially when you put into context.

Five years ago, five years ago, Liverpool played 70 million for Alison who was considered the best in Italy, uh when he was at Roma, so same type of player. Uh I think the only thing that I would worry about is just like, you know, premier league. How's he gonna handle it? Is it was he just a moments player. Can he, can he sort of do the grind of but, but is a big club so to be fair, but he was so good in the Champions League City. Could have really ran away with that game and he was really great. So I'm looking forward to it as an athletic keeper.

I think he's great. This is your moment Newcastle has launched a club record offer of £82 million for Napoli star. I don't know, whatever, man. I don't even think that's, that's way too long for what you said. But uh I mean, they're, they're preparing for, they're preparing for the Champions League, man.

I'm, I'm excited to see Newcastle, man because they're, they're just like a team of the past that, that, that just haven't been on the, I mean, listen, I love as much as I love black stripes. Yeah, I, I, as much as I, you know, I love my club and everything. I'm more of a fan of the stories and, and style of play and I will admit freely that Newcastle were the best team to watch last season outside of uh Manchester City. Oh and Brighton don't Brighton. It's Manchester City then Brighton, then Newcastle. Um And so uh they pressed, they ran you ragged. I loved seeing crazy Dan Byrne at the back, but it's gonna be a different season for them this year, right?

They're gonna have European football. They're not gonna be able to play the same 11 guys over and over and over and over again. What Eddie Howe did was a coach of the season level performance to have guys like Murphy contribute to have Almiron who was dead and buried have 11 goals to still be rocking with long staff in the midfield guys that embody that area of the country for England because it is special. These are, these are areas that are bigger, the clubs are bigger than just football. They mean more, I mean, true Jordy who's on youtube, one of the bigger youtubers of all time.

He started as a passionate Newcastle fan. He's expanded past that and gotten canceled and recanted and he's back and he does all sorts of stuff, but it's because he's a Jordie. He lived with the brand. And so that passion comes through and I think all the Jordie ever wanted, all the Newcastle supporters ever wanted was a team that reflected who they were as a city. And that's what Eddie Howe has done. And it's one of those things that I like to talk about a lot, which is the concept of a team being connected from the players to the supporters, to the coach, to the front office, right?

Like, yes, they're owned by Saudis, but the owner is an English woman who's the chairman and she's running a team. So they have that alignment of everything being connected and I hope that they have a good season. I don't think it's nailed on that. They'll make the top four. I think that they'll be lucky to get out of a group. But because when you have to grow in the Champions League. Yeah, go ahead. No, I think, I think they can make the top.

I think they can make the Champions League again. I think they can fight. I think they can fight for the premier league. I know it's tough man. But Manchester City and we'll definitely make this. They're gonna come down, they're gonna city are coming down.

But, uh arsenal, we got to see what's happening and we're gonna make it. We're gonna talk about this definitely in, in, in later episodes uh when we have more time but, but I, I do believe that they're gonna, they're gonna fight, uh they're gonna fight for it and this is good, man. Just the thing is Chris, there's just, there's too many teams, right? I know. I know. I know. I don't, I don't see Chelsea or United fighting there. So you think United drop out of the top four? Yeah. Yeah, I mean, what, what has changed?

I mean, ok, if you, if you're on the Mount bandwagon, I mean, that's fine. But I mean, so you're saying you're saying Chelsea and, and don't make it OK, fine. That leaves us a I'm not saying necessarily they don't make it but, but Liverpool, I mean, look how they ended. So all of a sudden they're gonna, of course they're gonna be fighting all the time. Yeah. Yeah, you're right. I mean, big teams are always gonna be there.

They're gonna be uh but uh I mean, I see this. It's a vote for Klopp. Do you believe in Klopp? Well, is he really gonna have two down seasons in a row? No, you always got to believe in that big old smile. So, you know. But, uh, yeah, yeah.

And, uh, but I think I see arsenal winning but we're gonna get into, into this man because this is gonna be, it's gonna be good talk. Oh, we have to, we've got to do it, we gotta write it all down. We'll make graphics and everything. You're right. We definitely got to do that. Um All right. So just quick news. Uh What do you think about PSG Ultra sending chilling warning signs to blow?

I don't even know what the heck this is about. I mean, I know that is this even related to football like the poor kid just, just put uh three fingers. I don't think he was meaning to do it and he's supposed to be going to that team. Uh or you know, PSG is supposed to be seeking him. I don't think he's gonna go. So I have a, I have a, I have a dear friend, my friend Dan Soz who is a Serbian via Canada. And when you talk about the Balkans and you're talking about between Serbs, Croats, Slovenians uh uh Macedonians, Albanians, you're talking shit that is like blood feuds from the 14th century.

They hold on to stuff that is beyond any of our comprehension like you wanna, you wanna, you wanna talk about the best Derbies in the world, partisan versus Red Star in Belgrade is like, they set things on fire. They have army trucks that walk the fans through. So these are the toughest groups and the toughest people in the world. And if he made some sign that represented something that we don't understand, it's real and it's not a joke. Well, and what was the, what was the? Yeah. Yeah. It's old school stuff that we don't even understand.

It's like you put a purse on my family from the 10th century. Like, that's why I love football. I love this kind of stuff. It's great. Yeah. Yeah. And because, because culture actually gets behind this and, you know, we don't know what, what, what's going on and I guess it's supposed to be referred to Serbian supremacy over Caso. But II, I just, I, I wanna, I wanna know, I wanna know what it, what has to do with PSG.

I mean, I understand PSG has or friends Paris, you know, Paris has, you know, people from all over the world. So, I mean, I just didn't put the two together but I'm sure they have the reason there's never a reason to threaten somebody though. Sorry. Uh, sorry, I, I keep jumping in because I love this kind of stuff. Um, a lot of this stuff comes from some of these ultra groups are sister clubs with each other. So there may be a connection with PSG to a team in Serbia. Uh or like you said, immigrants, a lot of people after the, the Serbian War, they immigrated all around Europe. So there's a lot of Serbs in England, there's a lot of Croats, they're all over the world. And so, um this may have been one of those things where a group that has associated themselves with PSG have now sort of joined in and been a part of it.

So, uh we'd have to do a little bit more research. I'm just trying to get a really quickly, we have to get a Serbian here, your friend. But anyways, uh, quickly William is actually not going to go anywhere. It seems like he's gonna stay at Fulham. So that's, uh, yeah, yeah, for he was standing for, not, not force, but he seems like he's, he's fine at Fulham.

So, uh, that's good. And, uh quickly a couple of minutes, what do you think about Lionel Messi's, uh, welcome in Miami, by the way, that stadium is the smallest stadium in history and it's just sad to see Messi in the stadium that small so well. And like you said, that team has been poorly run and, uh, now all of a sudden everything is great. No, that's not true. But he could have.

So, I think again, I think it's one of the worst run teams in the MLS and that's not, that's not an indictment on David Beckham. This is a guy who's a brand, he spent most of his life playing football and he's made his money by being himself and being cool. That does not mean that he knows how to run a football club. Right. Uh, whoever his partners were, I know that they had trouble securing the stadium. It took them three years just to get the stadium off the ground. So that just goes to show a level of where they are.

The next thing that they was, they hired Phil Neville. Phil Neville who couldn't manage the Lionesses and they ran him out of town. The next coach after Phil Neville won the Euros. That's how bad a coach he was, he couldn't coach the women's team. Yes, he has the halo of sir Alex Ferguson. Yes, he has his badges, but this is an English coach who couldn't do well with the English women's team.

Couldn't get him out of the quarterfinals. They get a new coach, they win the Euros. Ok. So that's just one of those like went from Gerard to Unai Emory basically is the same kind of thing. That was his friend that he played with when he was a teenager. So he nepotism, his own friend to be a coach. Ok. That's fine. That's fine. So there's that and now we have Messi right.

Messi's deal was only happening because of Apple stepping forward and they basically gave him the farm they gave him anything like that's not a negotiation if you get bent over a barrel because he wanted to go to Miami. The bigger issue I find is this Miami team does not have talent. They only have 12 games to make it to the, to the MLS uh cup and you are setting yourself up for failure if you think that Messi is. So we know this about football. Football is and I, you, you're gonna hear this a lot, Chris, this is one of my lines. Football is a weak link sport. Basketball is the strong link sport, meaning one player can completely change the fortunes of the other team in football.

One bad player means your team is terrible and Messi cannot change that team enough. Now, we did get bus gets as well. We're waiting on Joor Alba. But if you're gonna tell me that that team is gonna make up 15 points in 12 games, I'll be shocked. So here Ramos might be joining Hazard washed up. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, we'll see what happens with, with Inter Miami. It's good. It's good for the MLS.

The sport is gonna grow but it is good for the M I, I'm talking from a purely perspective. Yeah. Yeah. This is the worst team in MLS that I agree with that because being last, I mean, they didn't yesterday, Saint Louis, my Saint Louis team. I'm not a fan of Saint Louis now because they just got a damn football team the best time to get it. It took them to get rid of freaking the Rams for us to get a soccer team. But that's cool and I'm not sure I appreciate the, the trade, but, uh, but we beat him like a drum yesterday.

Look at this right into Miami are on 18 points. The Chicago Fire are on 32. That's to make the playoffs. I think the top eight make the playoffs. I'm pretty sure. Right. That's, I can't do math because I feel really stupid right now.

Uh, that's 12 to make 30. Right. So they're 14 points behind and they are, they have 12 games to go. You're telling me they're gonna make it, they have the worst goal difference in the league by far. They're literally the worst team in all of MLS. The only thing that makes them not as bad is that Toronto FC with insignia and Bernardy are worse.

Wellsy Ramos is gonna fix all that anyways. This is, you're a big Ramos guy. No. Well, I mean, I guess I like him but, you know, just, just irony really. I mean, not, not irony, but I don't know.

Uh, he, he, we just, they just bring in old players that don't have a spot in Europe other than Messi, which he could have played for any team probably, but he chose Miami and I'm not sure that if, if Beckham had a team in in Cincinnati that he would have got them there. I think he chose Miami for you. Can we, we already know the reason? Right. Because he could go shopping the footage of him shopping with his family.

I bet he hasn't been able to do that. He was testing the water here. He was testing the water. I'm not sure he's gonna, I'm not sure he's gonna do that a lot though because I didn't think that was too bad. The thing is even, even in the US. Why is he shopping by his family?

Hey, he just wanted to, he just wanted to live a normal life man. Anyways, that is it for this episode. Um Go ahead and finish your point. Oh no, I got nothing. Did a lot of talking. Sorry. No, you're fine, man. We're good. We're good. This is this, this, this was actually a great episode.

I, I actually really enjoyed it. I didn't enjoy the previous ones. I'm sorry? No, I'm, I'm playing with you. I'm playing with you. No, no, it's fine.

We had, we had some mishaps. No, no, but yeah, the audio thing, but we're good now. We're, we're good to go and uh of course, thank you to everybody that's listening on Spotify, Google Podcast, Apple Podcast on the website on youtube as well. These are, the video goes, goes there and the clips as well. So shout out to Laurent Cortines. Always staying with me here and, and and doing some work and, uh, we'll see you guys next time. All right.