Bruno Calls Roy, England's Chances & World Cup Concerns | Stick to Football EP 132

So, welcome to Stick To Football World Cup Edition, brought to you by Skybet, and to be fair, I'm just going to make something up at the very start of the show, because there are 48 teams in this tournament, and I want to know how many of the 48 you three can name.LAUGHTER I knew that was coming.That comes from the fact that, basically, I think half of us said before we came here, we haven't got clues.In this tournament, there's that many teams.But anyway, let's go for it.You've got...

Bosnia -Herzegovina.Yeah, but...

Give me a pen as well.

Yeah, of course.

Sorry, I need to prepare.Give me a pen, please.

Start now.Bosnia -Herzegovina.Bosnia -Herzegovina, is it?Krakow.Krakow.Egypt.

England.

South Africa.Ivory Coast.Scotland.Portugal.Canada.Senegal.

Saudi Arabia.

Algeria.Look at Jamie!Jamie's looking at them.How are you looking at them?

I'm not, I'm just...Who knows who's in the World Cup?Honestly.Oh, my God.Morocco.Ecuador.

Morocco.Right, let's start again.No, we've said about 20.OK, go on.

We've just done 20 -odd.South Africa, yeah.He said South Africa, he said Bosnia and Herzegovina.Sweden, France.Krakow.Croatia.

Sweden, France.Norway.Croatia.South Africa.

Netherlands.Morocco.England, Ivory Coast.Scotland.Canada.Switzerland.

Austria.USA.Brazil.

Belgium, Saudi Arabia.I'm not Belgium, Saudi Arabia.I do know who's in the wheel.

Yeah, move over there, that's better.Cheers, I can see it better now.

Oh, he's got the...

Idiot.Chancer.Honestly.Right, anyway, let's start the show again.It was a false start, that.Ridiculous.

Ronald last week, Roy, said that he wanted to speak to you.Have you had a chat with him or what?

Did you have a chat with Bruno?He reached out to me, he wanted to chat.And you know what?

I did.I'm worried about the defence.For England to do well in this tournament, Anderson and Rashford.going to have to be absolutely world -class in that midfield.

You need players who are amazing at their position, not a jack -of -all -trades.You need players who are masters of their position.I'd have still took Cole Palmer.You need that bit of class in a big moment to do something.If you're a player and you've not made the 26, I think it's on you.

His balls are on the...They're ready to be smashed.They're on the table.And you'll smash him.That's what I love about him, cos he's going, you know what, I'm doing that.This idea that everyone's happy -clappy cos we're all together and there are 26 of us, you want a bit of an edge.

Par is quarter, I think, for England.Birdie is semi -final.Eagle is final.Albatross is winner.Talk about a hole -in -one on a par four.

You get fouled, and then for a minute...The opposition have got an advantage.It can't be right.Just get them off and get them back on.

Which country will surprise us?Japan.You've got them going out in the second round.

Oh, no, but they surprise us up to that point.

OK, what are we most and least looking forward to about this World Cup?And we'll start with what we're most looking forward to.In the package, the football and everything, what are you most looking forward to?

You know, once it gets going, because everything was happening around it, It's always negative going in, all the narrative going in, but once the football starts, that's what I'm looking forward to, especially with the heat.Because we're talking about heat that we're not seeing before, in respect to what's going on now.The world's heated up since 2014 when they brought in the hydration breaks.Obviously, they had to change the tar, change it to the winter, but I think that this one, we're going to see so much.It's going to be so different, especially in the way, as well, the tactics.How are you going to play in that heat?

You know, we're talking about, like,the sweat and the sweat not actually coming out in certain, with the humidity and the heat.Because the heat's going to play a major part in this.

Well, you know this, because I mean, you played in 94.I was going to ask you this later on, but it feels like the right moment.So you played in like searing heat.I think it's going to be worse, isn't it?It's going to be worse.Yeah, but was it a struggle?

Yeah, huge.No, particularly for Ireland, when you look back.And I'm guessing the preparation would be a lot better now with sports science, but I think the conditions would be harder than we had.We obviously struggled to keep the ball with Ireland the way we played.We played two games in Orlando, two games in New York.Yeah, it's going to be a challenge.

I think you can do all the preparation and obviously get the best advice you can, but it's going to be a challenge for those players.You have to be smart with the breaks.There's obviously more water breaks.Will that be a big help to them?Maybe.When you make the substitutions, that type of scenario, there's bigger squads.

But yeah, I think there's no way around it, it's going to be a challenge for these players.

And the coaches.

Coaches, officials, supporters.Even when we were over there, my mum and dad didn't see any games, they were under the stand.They couldn't sit outside, it was just too hot.It was quite some shade.No, the 20 pints the night before.But yeah, it's going to be...

I'm not looking forward to the group stage.I almost want to get to the knockout stage as quick as possible.So many games, I think almost... the top three in most of the groups can go through.So how much is going to be riding on a lot of the games?I almost want to get to the knockout stage.I can't say I'm...

There's four games a day in some days, isn't there?Yeah, four games a day, yeah.

I mean, I love football, but...Yeah, but, James, that's where we see, because it's a bigger tournament, that's where we see those teams who are just coming in for the first time.That's where they make their kind of start, their stand, you know what I mean?That's what I love about it, the fact that these countries, like a Karakal, Uzbekistan, you know, Cape Verde.It's the first time that they're going to get there, man. I know it's 48 and people are saying, oh, it's sick.This is brilliant for them and their countries just to be there.

Do you know something?

Some of these countries you mentioned, I mean, you just mentioned the Heat.They're going to be actually better equipped...Exactly....at dealing with it, some of them, with the Heat, than, obviously, the European team.

Yeah.

And there might be interrupt...There'll obviously be interruptions with the games in Leighton and we saw that, wasn't it, the World Cup Championship last year?So I think it's going to be challenging for TV companies, for pundits.You have to be ready for the unexpected.

Is every game having a break?

Oh yeah, there's definitely going to be water breaks, yeah.I went to watch Inter Miami, it had been now three years ago when Phil was there as coach, and the game got stopped for an hour and 20 minutes.Literally after like 30 minutes it got stopped and we had to finish at like 11 .30, 11 .00 at night.

And that's going to happen in the games?

What are you looking forward to?Do you know something, you said the group games, I mean I'm looking at it from a point of view that I'm going to be in New York for five weeks, I had to think sometimes when the group games finish, it gets a little bit sad.Because when you're in the cities, when all the fans are over there, it's like a carnival, isn't it?I mean, Moscow was, Doha was the same.It's like a carnival for the first two weeks when you've got four to eight teams' fans everywhere.There's colour everywhere, fans from everywhere.

And obviously, when a lot of them get knocked out, you end up then going down to it being a game every three or four days or whatever it is.It's like, just lose a little bit.So I actually loved the group phase.I'll take that back then.

It's always just the start.You want to see who's going to be the surprise package.

But you must be intrigued by how England are going to do.England are straight into it against Croatia in the first game.

It's a big game.

If you want to top the group, there's no messing about.You don't have a couple of games to go, let's get used to the conditions.Croatia, you're straight into it.I am fascinated by England.

I'm looking forward to seeing them.I think it's because when you see England go to a tournament, you're always thinking, how are they going to do?You're always intrigued, how are they going to do?But we'll come on to that shortly.What are you least looking forward to?

Do you know what, I'm trying to be really positive about it.Me too.Eva, you're a horrible girl.for us in New York.Five weeks.Together.

I think it's five and a half weeks.I don't know.Five and a half weeks, yeah.How we all cope with each other and the challenges of all that stuff, being away from the family.You do it a little, don't you?

Is it challenging?I mean, how do you get your gear over?Your gear?

Well, you've got to wear, I mean, five weeks' worth of bucksack.We got an email the other day, you must have got the same email, about how much luggage we can take.And I think they've said we can bring five cases What?Did you not get...?I've got two cases, I mean, five.We know somebody who's definitely bringing five.

That's just his ass.

That's just his ass.I need clothes to wear and clothes to look...Of course.I'm bringing literally one case.

One case.I don't even have that much clothes for six.You can buy clothes over there.We can buy a bit.Bit of linen, is it?Bit of linen.

That's what I'm telling you.We need some linen.Something that's going to float on us.No, but I'm looking forward to all that stuff.Being in Brooklyn, embracing America.Yeah, the High Line.

We're going to go to see the Yankees.We're going to go and see New York Liberty.I'm going to watch some basketball, watch some Gotham City.

Yeah, we're going to do...A little bit of football.

You'll probably have to watch a bit of football.I'm going to do everything.I'm just going to make it like a...I'm going to go and it's going to be like a home from home.I'm just going to go and get right amongst it.I'm going to try and do that as well, to be honest.

Let's go to a jazz club, man.Let's go and see...Yeah, jazz club sounds good, yeah.Yeah, let's go to a cheeky little jazz club.We can just walk about, just ease in.You know what I mean?

I might get my jazz flute out.Jazz club.Do a jazz flute.I've got my harmonica.We can do a bit.

And Roy's got a little club membership now, right?

Yeah, yeah.It's all announced now.It's not confirmed yet.It's not confirmed yet.He's got it.He knows he's got it.

He's got it now.

It's not.It's not yet.Set me up for a fall.

No, no, no, no, no.Carrie, you're going to be at home for like two or three weeks of it.Are you just going to watch one telly and just...

Because they're late at night, aren't they?I'll just show it, I think, yeah.I've seen, yeah.England games at nine o 'clock and one's ten o 'clock and I just watch the games but I haven't sort of booked holidays or places thinking this was the World Cup or that or England games or nothing like that.It's a little footy, I'll watch it when I'm watching it but I'm going over for the final.

But would you ever go for an England game in like a bar or anything?Never?Oh, in a bar?

I'd never put on something like that if it was like a semi -final.

You'd go out and you'd join in, yeah?

I'd go for the social, not so much the football.No, the England games, they're the ones I'll probably know what are on and I'll work around the other games, but I just think there's not many in the group stages.I just don't know how you can keep up with this.

When we was younger, the World Cup, I used to love the fact it was on late at night.It was different, it was brilliant, I loved it.I love that about it.Obviously the one in Qatar was magnificent because obviously the timing and everything.How easy they made it for the fans, with the transport, with the ticket.If you had a ticket, you get a visa.

You know, the proximity of the state.Qatar was magnificent.It was a magnificent World Cup and then that final was the best game I've ever seen.Are yous doing the England games?ITV?I think we might do.

We've got Panama, haven't we?ITV will have the Croatia game and the Panama game, which is the first and the third.Yeah, the first one's a big one.Huge.

If they want to top the group, yeah.The main thing is not to lose that first one.I think we can win something.I think four points gets you through.Yeah.You know what I mean?

As long as we just ease in nice, you know, no stupidness.

And 48 teams?Right, so you seem to like it.What do you think, 48 teams?

I just think, isn't that fine?But when you think of, I think probably when I was younger as a kid, the European Championships, the first Euros I watched I think was 88.I think there was only eight teams in it.And that's obviously grew as a tournament, I get that.The World Cup, I don't know originally what it started with, but it almost...rather than being the pinnacle of football or the absolute, like, the best football in the world, it's almost like a festival of football, isn't it, for the world?

It's not necessarily the best countries or all the best players, I suppose.It's just like, it's for the world football, isn't it?

Yeah, but the thing is that football...

Well, that's fine, that's the way it's going, it's not just you can't then...If you talk to me about maybe, I suppose the Champions League is like that now, when the group stage, but...But yeah, it's almost like this football, this is for the world, isn't it?

It is, and that's what it should be.It should be for everyone.Everyone should have the opportunity to have that inspiring moment for their fellow countrymen.That's what I feel.You can look at even what Morocco have done with the fact that they've participated in the World Cup, they've done well in the World Cup, what that's done for their infrastructure, the way they've built up.and them getting to the semi -finals, they've kicked on.

And that's what the World Cup's about, giving people the opportunity to get in, get that experience, to try and go again, inspire people.And that's why I like it, Gal, I love it.I know there's a lot of football, of course.

Yeah, but from a professional point of view, the knuckle games in are better at it.They are more enjoyable, because obviously there's a bit of jeopardy involved with some of the group games.

But then you want those games where those so -called minnow countries are playing against each other.Because if they can beat them or they give them a...

What did Argentina get in the last World Cup?

Yeah, yeah, Saudi.

You know what I mean?That was like an unbelievable...

It was amazing.And then when they'd done that, all of a sudden Argentina realised they've got to kick into top gear.Every game was like a knockout game for them and then they just...

The bigger teams can recover from a setback, but the so -called lesser, if you lose your first game.

I think it's up to the Mino teams to really have a go, so then you can keep getting the chance for other teams to get that chance to play in the World Cup.Everybody should.

The cynic says it's all about money, it's extended to five and a half weeks,104 matches.It's just about money.But actually, I think there is an element of the World Cup.If you can never get to a World Cup as a country because of the fact there's only, say, 24 teams or 30, it is a problem.

You're not developing the world of football.

Yeah, you're not developing the world of football.I am coming down on the side of...I don't think it should probably go any more now.I think we've probably hit the limit.

Do you know what I mean?I think so.Maybe, Gal, but the thing is that...It's a lot, but I think it's necessary.

We'll see in a few weeks, but you don't want teams getting really embarrassed either.You want to be able to compete.I think some of these teams will be able to compete.You don't want to get embarrassed either.

When I was younger, I think it might have been the 1974 World Cup, someone lost 9 -0 or something in Yugoslavia.Someone lost like that and I was like, wow, someone lost that much.

Like Cape Verde, Karakal, Jordan's first tournament, first ever World Cup.Uzbekistan as well.I was thinking more Scotland.

The thing is, we've got to give Scotland some love.

I know we do, Ian.It's called a joke.I know.

So a throwing countdown is going to be five seconds.If a player deliberately delays the restart of a play, the throw can be given to the opposition.

Is that once he's got the ball in his hand?

I think so, yeah.

So then you can just stand with the ball there for a bit.

Do you know what I get the feeling is, though, with referees in tournaments, they're so well drilled, they'll do that briefing with the players before the tournament.I mean, you'll notice, before a tournament, a referee comes in to each camp and gives a briefing, that happens before every single tournament.They will say to them, if you walk towards the ball, I'm sure they'll say to them, we'll be on to you, it'll be harsh.And they are really quite drilled, particularly in the early parts of a tournament.What was it, sorry, what did you say?So basically, I think it is, if a player deliberately

delays the restart of play the throw can be given to the opposition so a throwing countdown has been introduced of five seconds I'm massively up for that.I'd say that's what we've mentioned I don't know how many times in the Premier League this season the amount of time that's been taken over throws.What it means is the centre -halves if they want to come up are gonna have to sprint up, they're gonna have to go over to the ball and they have to get it in within five seconds.So you're not going to be able to stop the game.That seems short, doesn't it?Five seconds.

I think it's when they've got the ball in their hands, isn't it?Once they've got it in their hands, it's five seconds.

Yeah, but sometimes you see players and they get the kind of yips because they don't want to throw.

I don't think it's going to be, but I think they're probably just giving them a little time frame.But it's a bit like...

I think it's a good one, but it speeds it up.Do we like it?

I like it.I like it, but you think about what happened.I thought it was good.You probably didn't, but the Champions League final.I know it wasn't a throwing, but the corner.

Yeah.

Before half -time.

You thought that was...

I was devastated.The referees told them they're still walking, they're still ambling over to take the corner.Right.So you're saying that we should have rushed to get there?Not rushed, but it was obviously tactical.

Yeah, but Gary, I mean, James, for us to see it in that Champions League game was devastating.When I saw them just running off, I thought, what's happening?We've got a corner.Where are they going?If that's the way they're doing it.

Well the next one could result in a corner.The goal kick countdown has been introduced.So it also applies to deliberate attempts to run down the clock and can result in a corner being awarded.So basically a five second rule on goal kick countdown.

Yeah.But it is strange they've brought in all these new rules when we're talking about the conditions being so difficult for players.Yes.Because if ever they're going to slow the game down now.And somebody's clear as the heat.And some of this might be genuine.

They might struggle to get over there and having a breather and getting their second wind and then all of a sudden they're getting punished.

Because that's what you do in foreign sports sometimes when you're walking over, you're taking a little breather.They might be going too harsh on that gal.I think they're not enough time.

I think, to be fair, what the game's witnessed in the last 12 months, though, is teams, through unbelievable set -piece preparation, they're literally stopping the game for a minute.And I'm talking, by the way, I'm talking about League 2 games, and Roy, you've watched a lot this season, I'm watching the game, the ball being out of place so much, and literally every free kick now, the centre -halves are going...

It's just a bit of common sense, isn't it?Somebody's...

It's a guideline.One with the goalkeepers as well, when the goalkeepers are going down, they're changing that.

But quick free kicks and quick throw -ins will come back in.He said, you'll just have to adapt so that actually the defence might not be prepared.They've only got, you know, they've got to recover quickly.So, you know, it works both ways.I'm up for both of them to be fair.

I think they're both good introductions.I was fed for the arse in Cuba though.

He got a lot of injuries in his second half at Cramp and that's tough.I think this is an unbelievable introduction.Time -limited substitutions, 10 seconds.A substituted player has 10 seconds to leave the field at the nearest point.If they fail to do so, the substitute cannot enter the field for at least one minute and the team must continue.I love that.

I mean, it's so annoying watching a player just walking off slowly, even when the referee's done, even when another player's come and pushed them, they still go like that.And they don't go off.I hate watching that on the TV.I hate watching that.Even if you're away from home, even if I'm at the top of the men, you've got to get off that end and walk round.You've just got to get off.

It's basically every situation that clubs or teams are taking advantage of.The gaming, aren't they?The gaming it, basically.

Okay, next one.Next one.Off -field treatment.Players who were treated by the physio must stay off the field for 60 seconds.It used to be 30.There are some exceptions, including for goalkeepers, injuries, and if the opponent is booked or sent off.

So I like that.So I hate this rule, the idea of someone being genuinely injured by another player, the player's got booked for it, the player's down on the floor, he's been absolutely battered, and then he has to go off, and he gets punished by having to stay off for 30 seconds.So if there is a booking now, On a, say I foul Roy, I get bucked, he doesn't have to wait 60 seconds to come back on because it's a free kick.it, it was a horrible challenge.So I think that's a real good introduction.

No, because why does he have to be booked so he can still hear someone, he can still go down?Why does his team need to be down to 10 men for a minute?

I don't like the rules, I've always thought...

I don't get...Basically, that was brought in because people thought people were feigning injury, so people now were only going to go down if they're properly injured.So if they get sent to the side of the pitch, it'll stop people feigning injury.This has been in the Premier League for a few years now.But I still can't get my head around it.You get fouled, and then for a minute, the opposition have got an advantage.

It can't be right.Just get them off and get them back on.I don't get it.Even the 30 seconds I don't get.

I actually only think this happens at the end of like 10 minutes of the first half and probably 10 -15 minutes at the end of the second.I actually don't think this happens for most of a football match where people fake injuries and want to be off the pitch.I genuinely don't think that.I genuinely think players, to be fair, if they're going down with that 30 second rule, they're probably injured.Some of them are genuinely injured.I think they should be allowed back on.

If you've got a cut, and you go off, I think now you even have to stay off a bit longer, you still have to stay off for 30 seconds.

I think this minute thing is coming into the Premier League, but I don't...I don't like the minute.I'm trying to stop people feigning injury, but all people who've got a proper injury, they've got a little bit of a knock.

But I do like the booking and the red card element that means that at least they're accepting if a player gets done properly that they don't have to stay off the field and be punished for something that's been...

Oh, amazing, if they get taken out at the knee and a fella gets a red card, you can come back on, well done.

The world is going football mad for six weeks and we're delighted that Skybet are going to be partnering with us again throughout the World Cup in New York.We've got 12 episodes, including this one, so please like, subscribe and get your comments in.If you get your questions in, I will put them to Roy and write it in our guest during the tournament.We're broadcasting from New York with all the latest on the World Cup for the next six weeks, so please like and subscribe to keep watching.and I'd like to say a big thanks to our partners at Skybet for their continued support in helping us bring the show to you.Next one, players covering their mouths.

Yeah, good one.

Any player covering their mouth in a confrontational situation with an opponent may be sanctioned with a red card.

Is that something on the back of the Real Madrid thing?Because you can't get the proof of what they're saying with the hands covering and everybody's doing this and that.I think that's a good one.

But our players do not know when they're having a normal conversation.

Yeah, but even when it's a normal conversation, then they can do it with a normal conversation.But if they're going to do something where they are going to be abused, then you can't see, because obviously their hand's over their mouth.So I quite like that one.That one's a good one for me, Gal.

It's important though it says it in a confrontational situation because if you actually have a free kick and you just want to sort of like, you know, you're planning something, you don't want someone to read what you're saying at all.Yeah, but it's obvious when somebody's going like that and saying, you this and that.Okay, corners can be checked by VAR.So VAR can make sure that corner has been correctly awarded, but this must be done quickly and before the restart.Quickly being the key.So it has to be a case of, obviously it's gone out for a corner or it's come off a defender.

So what will they do?Will the VAR person say, that's a corner?So we don't have to go to VAR, it'll just say it's VAR.

Let's say it's given a goal kick and they check it straight away, it's obviously come off the defender, sorry, straight away corner.

Good, yeah.

Happy?It has to be done quickly.Yeah, quick, yeah.Good.I think people generally don't mind VAR if it's done quickly.

Yeah.The problem is when we're waiting.Yeah.

Second yellows can be reviewed.Players, obviously, yellow cards have never been able to be reviewed before.So if the referee goes, like, red card, right, and it's a yellow and a red, that can be reviewed.

The second yellow that can be in a red can be reviewed.The first yellow doesn't get reviewed.But there'll be no reviews for potential second yellows.

Yeah, so if the yellow's not given that could be, it can't.Oh yeah, do you know what I mean?

So if it might have been a yellow and it wasn't given, it can't then be given as a yellow and sending someone off.So it can reverse a red card, but it can't convert a non -yellow second card.Again, let's say I tackle Roy for a second challenge and the referee thinks, hmm, I'm not going to give him a yellow, but VAR thought it was a yellow, he can't say...He can't?

Can't.So like the penalty in the Champions League final, for instance, people said that could have been a second yellow.VAR couldn't intervene and go, that's a red card now.

Yeah.

You get what I mean?

So it can't give a second yellow, but it can take away a second yellow.Yeah.We happy with that?

Yeah.

I think we're happy with that, aren't we?

Yeah.Yeah.I take it.

It sounds crazy.FIFA, to be fair, you can criticise FIFA for many things.I actually do think they get their refereeing stuff, like they test it in, don't they, in under -21 tournaments.I actually think they test it in the right way in a stressful environment.All of those are pretty good.I think they're pretty good.

All of those are really quite good.They make the game better for the fan don't they I think.

The only thing, the first two of them about the time wasting again when we're talking about these conditions.

I think what you'll see is right backs and left backs if they're not already walking over to the ball in a deliberate fashion and making sure that once they pick the ball up they're gonna have to be ready to take it.I think they might take a little bit longer to get there but But it still would have to be a reasonable time.

I think it's going to be interesting.At the start of a season, the referee really implements everything.That's what's going to happen with this.They're going to do it for a while and then people get used to it.But at the start, we're not going to be used to seeing people.He's been booked for that.

Oh, my God.He's got five seconds.He's looking forward to it.It's going to be good.I think it's going to be good.

We're going to get into England.We're going to go for it.Let's go.Where are we at?Let's start with you, Roy.You're the only non -English person in this group.

The squad, the chances, the...The manager and what he's done.

Yeah, the manager, they've got a lot of good players.No doubt, getting out of the group should be straightforward for them.You think they'll compete if everything falls into place.Do I see England winning the World Cup?Absolutely not.Do you know what?

When I looked at the squad, particularly defensively, I'm not convinced.I don't want to see any stats from anybody saying, oh, they've done this in the last two years or whatever.Some of these games, qualifying campaigns have been quite easy.But I just don't see it come a crunch game in the quarter to semi -finals, whether they're chasing the game or defending it.

It's just...

The defenders...Our defence.Yeah, I was just looking at all of them.Obviously, you're going to go through it, Neve.Yeah, I'm just not convinced.

The likely defence is going to be Rhys James, you would think, would you?Right back.Nico O 'Reilly, left back, would you say?Yeah.Who's obviously having a brilliant spell.Mark Gaye.

Gaye definitely would play.And then it's either Konza or Stones.Yeah.

Do you know what?It's the centre -halves that would be worrying me. I don't know what you think, but I just think...Imagine playing in France and the game's getting stretched.

I don't know.I think the squad in general feels like you're looking at a lot of players who you'd say are very good Premier League players, but not international players.That's the way I look at it.You know, the players you're on, I'm not just talking about defence, I'm talking about throughout the group at Just Fizz, there's a lot of really good Premier League players, but not Champions League or international players for me.

You know, I remember when I went to the Europa League final, we needed Tottenham and United.And he was kind of intimating to things what he wants to do and the players he wants.Not taking the best of this and that, but taking the right player for this particular situation.This is what I feel he's doing.He's almost playing a chess game.Now what we've got to do, we've got to see how he does.

Because what's going to happen is, is that people are going to judge it anyway.We wanted an elite manager that's going to make the kind of decisions for himself.He's making this for himself in respects of... the players he's picked.He's not bothered about what anyone thinks about who's been left out.I'm going to back him with it and see where it goes, simply because...You're going to back him because you are a massive England fan.

Yeah, but back him to win it.I'm backing him to...Yeah, I'm backing him to get to it.Because that's what we're talking about here.We're not talking about quarters or semis.No, no, I'm backing him to win it.

That's why he's been brought in, isn't he?Exactly, and we've got that manager who's making that kind of decision.

And the defenders he's just mentioned there, you think, are capable of...

Well, to be honest, if we start with Rhys James, Konza, Mark Gatey and O 'Reilly, I'd be happy with that.

But right, you said about two colour, I think some of these quotes are quite interesting.He said, his job isn't necessarily to select the 26 most talented players, number one.Secondly, I can assure every fan in the country that we have 26, 100 % committed players in camp with us who know their roles, who are ready to buy into their role on and off the pitch, and are ready and committed to the idea of team spirit.Of course he's honest.No, no, no, no.I think these are quite stark quotes from an England manager.

This is not usually the rhetoric of an England manager.Who are committed to the idea of team spirit and being unselfish.If you use a word like unselfish and to be fair we know...Tuchel obviously over the years has used words that have been sort of what would be the quite... he's tough, he hits people hard with those words.I mean they are quite...I know but most footballers are selfish.

I think it's always about...I know we... we talk away about players going away you're going you need lads in the background who are... who is he suggesting is selfish that he's not picked them Roy?If you're saying, I'm not picking the most talented players, that's not my job, and we need to have a team who are committed.He wants harmony in the group, of course, particularly for the lads.

But of course, every manager wants that.But you also don't want loads of lads left out going, again, people say, good travellers.You don't want lads who are all good travellers, you want fellas chomping at the bit that go, fucking leave me alone, I'll be raging tomorrow's training.This idea that everyone's happy clappy because we're all together and there's 26 of us, you want a bit of an edge.You want lads who are grumpy in the background.

I still think you'll have that though, Roy.

And obviously a balancing act, but this idea with England, like again all these quotes coming up the last few months.I'm not necessarily going to pick the most talented players.Most managers say that.You have to leave one or two lads out.You go, he's maybe not great for the group or I don't see him getting the team even though we're chasing the game.I get all that from a footballing point of view.

But this idea that everyone's going away and these courts are great and it's lovely and there's harmony and they're unselfish.You're going, you don't want them all too happy.You want a bit of extra training.You want to be five and a half weeks away.You're going to be longer, obviously, with their preparation.They're away now, of course, getting ready for the games.

I just think you've got to get that balance right, and this idea, I'm bringing lads because they're decent lads in the background, and I've watched them, and they've been with me since the start.

He's gone for harmony and energy as an overtalent.What I'm saying is, and the reason I look at that, and I look at the wingers, I said this to you before, I don't think there's a right or a wrong, but when you look at the wingers,wide players, let's say you've got your four wingers, they're all quick players and we know trying to get the best out of Harry Kane, he comes deep.But I always think as a manager, do you want different types of options or do you want to replace?So if you're policing Saka, It's not Cole Palmer who'll get in a pocket.So you know when you're coming up against the game and you're thinking, the opposition have dropped deep, Saka can't get behind, we need someone between the lines.

He's just gone for the same sort of idea in both wide plays.Now, when I look at it...I love how strong Thomas Tuchel is and the thought of an England manager in the past leaving players out like Cole Palmer or Phil Foden especially it just would have been unheard of.I'd have still took Cole Palmer for me. I still think when I look at that squad it lacks a bit of class because I think at that level of football if you're thinking of getting to a semi -final or a final and that's the point he's been brought in to win it.Southgate got us so far.The whole point is you hire this guy, a Champions League winner, best manager in the world, and Charlotte's there as well.

But I still think you need that bit of class in a big moment to do something.

But has he gone too far with this?How many stuff were you going?and come the crunch he's there to win it.And this idea is also, you're on about James, you've mentioned James at right back, players with lots of injuries and I've never also heard so much chat about players who are in the squad going, well they can play in different roles.Let me know, you've got to be careful with that, that's well and good having one or two but if you're just picking players because he can play, if you're picking five or six players because they play different roles, come the crunch in a quarter, this would be fine in the group, I'm not talking about the group stages here, England would be fine, but come the crunch game against a big team in a quarter, You need players who are amazing at their position, not Jack of all trades.You need players who are masters of their position.

Just quickly, just with him though.He knows that this is going to be the conversation around it and he's quite happy with what he's done.And that is why I'm saying, I'm going to see how it plays out.You're backing him obviously.

No, you're backing him.but is that the squad you would pick?

You know something?I'm not qualified to say that's the squad I would pick.What are you saying?Do I want Copa America or Fordham?Is there a good enough case to leave them free out?

Is there a good enough case?I'll give you four.I'll give you Harry Maguire.I'll give you Trent Alexander -Arnold, I'll give you Cole Palmer, I'll give you Fulford.Would they have been in yours?

Can I tell you who I'd say?Harry Maguire, Lewis Hall, and who else was there?There was someone else who I thought.Harry Maguire, Lewis Hall.Gibbs White?Morgan Gibbs White.

Wharton?Wharton.Now, if I'm those guys, I'm probably feeling a little bit disheartened about not getting involved.Definitely, I would do.But, like, that just happens.For me, with the manager, and what he's picked, and what he's seen with the players he's picked up to this point, I have to back him because that's what he believes is going to get him done.

You trust him, right?I do trust him.You trust him with his decision.And you know, the thing is, Roy, like I said, I've spent time with him and he's really, he's really like...Oh, he's a sparrow -cooking....deep in what he's thinking.

So this is why I'm thinking he's taken a massive chance with what he's doing because you can imagine, he knows what's going to come for him.If it doesn't go right, and he's still stuck by what he's done.

So lads, you mentioned Foden, you're on about loyalty, but Foden has been poor, you know what I mean?I wasn't about Foden.Foden, and he's a pair of him who's had difficult spells.I know, you're supposed to get a fellow off the bench, quality is quality.I'm not saying make a case for them, make a case for them.

I'm asking the question.

So has he stuck with loyalty for the players who've been with him for the last couple of years?He brought Maguire in recently, then left him back out.

Yeah, but one sec, Gal, just because you're asking the questions, you're still...What do you mean, you're just asking the questions?You're saying, would you have left him out?Would you have left him?Make your case.

Look, to be fair, the one that I find it hard to think that...One, you mentioned Harmony.I don't think that...And I'll come into who I think should be in there in a second.I don't think the lads that I've mentioned...Gibbs White, Foden, Palmer, Maguire, Shaw, people like that, none of them I don't think would disrupt harmony.

I don't see any bad apples in there.So what he said by saying they're unselfish and I've got players who are committed, I actually have never seen a lack of commitment from them lads when they played.So that's number one.I do struggle with the idea that Harry Maguire is not in the squad, and look, Kwanzaa is a talented, I was going to ask you this question, but I'm going to say it, I find it very difficult to think that I would have sat there, and to be fair, Timo Stukas is a lot more qualified than I am, and would have picked Gerald Kwanzaa over Harry Maguire.I think if you're talking about the fact that set pieces last 15 minutes of a game, so much, Stones gets injured, whatever, both boxes, He wants to be good at set pieces.

He sucked Dan Byrne ahead of him.That slot's gone to Dan Byrne, hasn't it?

Still, what I'm saying to you in terms of Kwanzaa though, Dan Byrne can play left back.Let's say Dan Byrne's playing left back.

Let's say we're playing against...But then you're going to start Dan Byrne can play in a few different positions.You want to be careful with that as well, Nev, that you've got...

Is Dan Byrne going to centre half a side of Maguire?

No.No, but what I'm saying is..

.

I would have picked Harry Maguire, but when you look of...Over Dan Byrne, you'd have picked him over General Kwanzaa, wouldn't you?I'd have picked him over both.But what I'm saying is, I must say, I like Harry Maguire, but I didn't like what happened after the squad was picked.The way, you know, carry on out of his family and all that, carry on as a...You know what I mean?

And I don't know if I said that on the podcast or somewhere else, there was still a Premier League game to go.Someone else could have got in.He could have been back on the squad.And he's badmouthing the manager for, it wasn't like he's been in the squad for two years.He got back in at the back end of that.But what he's done is, I think, when you speak to him, obviously, I know his coach Anthony Barry, I think the feeling is, the players you're mentioning have been top England players, got to finals and semi -finals, and maybe they're not first choice.

Now, if you talk about a Shaw or a Harry Maguire, and I think probably the feeling for them is,them is, if you've got them players in the back now, not that they're going to be negative, but you know when you've sort of got big characters in the squad?they almost stopped the other ones being in that character.Do you understand what I mean?So the younger ones, like an Elliot Anderson maybe, or a Conzer at the back, or a Gay, they feel like, no, we're the leaders now.It's not like, oh, that's Harry Maguire.

They've got to semi -finals.Because Jude Bellingham might be a little bit that.I don't think Jude Bellingham's going to start the first game.I'd be surprised if he does.

I'd be amazed if Bellingham would start.I'm not sure he will.Bellingham's not a sub.

OK, well, he has been a sub for England.What I'm saying is he hasn't had a great season, he's had injuries, but I think that'll be really interesting to see how the tournament goes on.That dynamic between Thomas Tuchel and Jude Bellingham, whether he gets him into the team, if he's not in the team, what happens, I think that's going to dominate basically airwaves all summer.

I hear what you're saying there, but what about the fact that you mentioned Ari Maguire's reaction after he didn't get in and he's still had a game.

Oh yeah, I've got no problem with Adam McGuire not being in it, but if you talk about some of the players that are in it, that's fine.But he's picked it, as I said, for harmony.

If you're a player and you've not made the 26, I think it's on you.You've not obviously done enough.And that could be my, it might be attitude, it might be training, how you're doing week in week out, it might be injury problems, but that is on you.

Roy's mentioned the defensive weakness, I must admit I'm worried about the defence.For England to do well in this tournament, Anderson and Rice are going to have to be absolutely world class in that midfield.They're going to have to be absolutely unbelievable.Now, they're good players, but they're going to have to sit there pretty much, not in every game, obviously England will be attacking in a lot of the games, but in some of the games when it gets to the lay -up, they're going to have to be unbelievable protecting that back.Why?

You know, at that level, there'll become a point at the game where I play in the middle of the park and you have lads behind them, obviously your job is to protect them, but there comes a point where you go, do you know what?what lads, you're not a top defender, there'll be a time in a game where you're 1v1 or even 2v1, that's patting up Dunlop's level.

They're going to come up against Mbappé, Alissé, players like that playing for France and Bel Air.

And they even ran right against Harry Maguire of course.So that's what I'm talking about, the group matches.

How did Maguire end up being in the team?Sorry, we're not talking about Harry McGuire being in this game, we're talking about would you think that he should be in the squad though in front of Dan Byrne and Kwanzaa?

We both said yes, we're in agreement.Yeah, maybe, but what I'm saying is you're then talking about this defence is going to need, but we're talking about Harry McGuire, he's not going to be in the first...

No, but I still think that Amit Fiala too are going to have to play bloody well and like unbelievably well.

So you're saying already that whether it's gay, and Konza are all gay, and Stones are all gay, but you're saying them two, they're definitely going to get ran through?

No, no.

They could have the world, they could have the games, they could have just...

Right, I think individually, I think some of those players are fantastic.I just think if you're talking about that unit, right, a back four, the best team in the World Cup ordinarily is the best defensive team, usually the best defensive team.I don't see a back four as a unit there, and the best defensive team, Individually, fantastic players.Rhys James, what a player as a full -back.Nico O 'Reilly, what a player.

He's been injured though, James.

I'm just saying, he's a footballer, he's a hell of a football player.Gay, Konza, fantastic defenders.I don't see a back four, right?I don't see a unit.I'm just talking from a defensive point of view.I'm not saying that all of them, I think, are very good players.

I like all of them.But as a unit, as a back four, I think that midfield two are going to have to do a lot of work to make sure they're covering in the gaps that will appear.I don't see a lot of what would be, I'm just trying to say this in a row because I don't want this to sound really negative towards them, game knowledge and understanding of what would be the biggest moments of staying as a back four together.Thomas Tuchel's going to have to do a lot of work with them in the next couple of weeks to get a back four together that's going to be a unit.can win a World Cup.That's Roy's point.

Individually they could probably get any other team in the World Cup.Nico O 'Reilly could play left back for anybody.Rhys James on his day could play right back for anybody.Gaye would be a fantastic centre back in most teams.It's not an individual thing, it's about how they build.I just saw a couple of spots.

I just see the centre backs and unfortunately...Do you see them as a unit, Carragher?No, not really, but in terms of individually as well, the centre -backs, and that's why I go back to I think a lot of the squad is what I'd call like really good Premier League players.Normally when you go back to sort of when you've got Rio and John Terry, it's not just that they were great players.They're playing in the Champions League every week, every season.So you're talking about Mark Gay, I think he's gone to Man City in January.

So the majority of his career has been, you know, at a good level.Crystal Palace, really good.Did well at City, end of the season.Conza's won the Europa League.But it's not coming up against that level of player.week after week, you know, season after season.

And it's just, that's what we've got.They're the best of what we've got.It doesn't mean they're bad players.And I think for a lot of the squad, I look at certain positions and players, I just think, they're really good Premier League players.They're just, they're the players that we look at and think, they're doing the business on the Champions League level.you know, for our biggest teams going forward.

And that's what makes me feel.That's the thing then, James.This is their opportunity to go to that next level.

Okay, he got an opportunity against Real Madrid a couple of times there.Sometimes we watch matches all the time and...

But there's certain games you see Gehy, and I like Gehy, I'm a big fan of his.

There were a couple of games, I think it was against Real Madrid, or even that night against...People were running away from him, even Everton.I'm going, oh, that worried me.There was a couple of signs, just moments in the game where you go, oh, that doesn't look good.And that concert can get cut out as well.So that's where the worries come from.

It's just that moments happen in the game that jump out at me and I'm going, oh, I don't like to look at that.

So if Ari was in there, would you still have the same feeling about the back four?

No, look, I don't think it changes anything.I think Harry's right, he wouldn't have started.I'm just talking about the squad to start with, weren't we?What do we think of the squad?Do we think he's picked the right squad?Do we think he's left anybody out that should be in?

I'm finding it difficult to understand why Harry wasn't in against maybe Dan Burnham or Kwanzaa, but to be fair, he's made the decision.I do agree with Harry.I think Harry himself will be, to be fair, disappointed that he's found...

Are you aware how many goals Man Utd have conceded?No, when Harry's played.

No, if he's your rock -solid centre -half and you're saying he should be...You know, we're talking here about the fourth centre -back in the squad because it's Gaye, Stones and Conzer that are number three.

And Stone's question marks over some of them.And his question marks over Stone's.Stone's hasn't played regularly.

No, but to be fair, you've got...Yeah, of course.Your centre -halves are Gaye, Conzer and Stones are your top three.You're talking about your fourth and fifth centre -backs here when you're talking about Harry.I'm talking about, I think if you wanted someone to come in and do a job for you in a game, I think Harry, to be fair to him, can be a reliable soldier.I do think that.

I do agree with Carragher.I don't think he'll have been happy about how his, to be fair, family then went public after because I don't think he'll have wanted that.I don't think he wanted that but they're obviously upset.What I would say is, the defensive bit worries me, I agree with you Roy, the bit that frightens me to death and to be fair I think will cost us and I'm pretty sure it will cost us, I hope I'm wrong, England have been knocked out of tournaments for 20 odd years and in the last three finals that we've played against Croatia in a semi -final, Italy in a final, Spain in a final, when we play in conditions later in a tournament when we're slightly fatigued and teams keep the ball off us, we are unable to be able to get through that match at the last stages of a tournament and it will happen again.Because at the squad that he's picked, any option of us being a possession team is gone.We are not a possession team in this tournament, which I don't mind.

We are a counter -attacking team against the top teams because Cara's mentioned it, you've got Rashford and Gordon, you can't keep possession with those.You've got Madueki and Saka on this side.You've got a midfield of Rice and Anderson who won't be able to compete with the best midfields of Portugal, France and Spain and Brazil when it comes to possession.and keeping the ball.You've got Kane who drops in with probably a Bellingham or a Rodgers.So you're not keeping possession against the top teams.

It's impossible.I'm telling you, those three or four teams, five teams that I've named will keep the ball a lot longer than ours.At that point, when you've played four, five, six games, you've travelled all over America or wherever else you might have to go, I think that will be a real challenge.the point where we just go vroom and the engine goes and the petrol runs out.And that is my concern, again, that we've picked...I'm not saying, I was hoping, I saw him under Gareth and look, I'm hoping Thomas Tuchel proves me wrong and he goes and basically finds a way, because I think he's capable, he's a manager who can, to get over the line somehow, because I think he's got that in him.

But Gareth, I felt, was developing us into a team that ultimately, I felt, was getting more technical.Maybe it was wrong with likes of Palmer, Foden, Bellingham, Saka.It was all trying to be a bit more fluid.We seem to have gone back to what would be, I think here, more of a Capello, a Sven, a... team that's gone a bit more, we're going to be a bit more narrow, we're going to have people who can run there very quickly from there to there, in wide areas, and we've got some people who can run past Harry.

What fascinates me is, you've just said that and I think you're spot on, you go back to English managers, and you think of Terry Venables and Glenn O'Donnell, that was a long time ago, but I actually go back to my Liverpool days and in terms of Julien and Benitez, they were like, Direct, defensive, compact, it was about off the ball.And it was the English manager or the British managers like Roy Evans or Kenny or Brenton Rodgers, they've been wanting to play the football.We always get this thing drummed into us, that foreign coaches want to play this football that we don't and we're in a dark age.But I agree with Gary, even that thing of two men in midfield, it was almost like that was a big no -no, wasn't it?For England, for so long in tournaments, there always had to be a three.You can use whatever you want.

But it feels very much like Rice and Anderson could be in there alone at different times.And it does feel like that.Wide players up and down, not sort of like...

But if they're sitting in, Jamie, and they're sitting in...They're not up and down all the time.Then it is counter -attacked.Are you saying you can't play counter -attack in those conditions?No.Because you're on about chasing the ball, but you don't chase your ball, you just sit in.

And that's just sliding across.

You're going to have seen, for instance, some games will be later in the evening where the roof's on and they might be playing in Seattle, which is a bit cooler, and you might have to be able to be a bit more adaptable and go for a bit more high -pressing in those games because it's cooler conditions.You may then be playing in 38 degree heat where it's boiling, where you've got to then be able to keep the ball.Are we adaptable with the squad that's been selected to become a possession team?I don't think so.I think we're going to have to play pretty much.I might be wrong.

I know we've got good footballers, but I don't think the 4 -2 One there and the two wide players that we've got and obviously Harry will drop in.I don't think that gives us against the better teams the rotations that the likes of the Portuguese, Brazilians, the Spanish, the French, they will.I mean, I can see now what's going to happen.We're going to have Konza and Gaye on the ball here and you're going to have Rice and Anderson and those four are very good players in their own right.That will not get England playing from the back.I've said it too many times in my career.

Well, you have to find a different way, don't you?

That's the manager's job.So it's going to be a bit of...Probably being a bit more compact at times.Probably, to be fair, trying to keep the ball where we can in a bit more of a sort of basic fashion, I'm going to say.And then definitely using pacing -wide areas.You're talking about the knuckle stage, aren't you?

I mean, that can't be the plan in the group stage when you're playing against a team, you've got to keep the ball.

But my point is, I agree with your group stage, this won't emerge.I'm talking when we get to playing in the quarters, the semis.At that point, I do think...

When we're saying the centre -back there, I think the interesting one there is Jon Stones.We all knew he was going to be in the squad and he hasn't kicked a ball for how long?And I'm thinking, has he got a role?He can't just be bringing him.That's what I'm saying, he can't just be bringing him.experience or behind the plays.

He knows he hasn't really played that much football.He must have a plan for him to use him in a certain way or certain games.

There's no way with everything you've just said and that Thomas Tukorank thought of that as well.He's got some plan for it.

Maybe we shouldn't underestimate him.

I'm telling you, man, because he's stuck to his guns with what he's doing.Everybody's obviously talking about it, but then let's see how it goes, especially if we can build momentum.

Last quote.We have specialists for all different kinds of scenarios, whether we are leading or chasing a result.We always want to be a strong set -piece team, so we have specialists for that.And we want to be a strong penalty team, so we have specialists for that.Very unusual before a tournament to hear a manager talk about it.I mean, set -piece is not unusual to say we want to be strong set -piece and strong at penalties.

But it does set out a way in which a sort of coach is thinking about going for a struggle.You know what I mean?We're thinking set pieces, we're thinking penalties.I wouldn't underestimate their planning.

I think it's planning and their preparation will be spot on.I think it'll be as good as anybody.But we should go back to it.Come the crunch games, it'll be about players.Individually.Can they win it, Roy?

The World Cup?I don't know.I can't see it, no.Again, I go back to it, I think defensively.I think England's planning and preparation will be as good as anybody, of course.But there'll obviously be moments, and again we're talking about come the crunch game, quarter -final or semi -final, there'll be some of these players you think just got caught up, because I agree with Jim and he's out competing week in week out at the very, very top, or competing to win Champions League every week.

That's the way I see it defensively.Have they got a goal threat?Have they got a good option off the bench?Yeah.Will he be well prepared and well drilled in set pieces?Yeah, of course.

But sometimes you need a bit more of that.Maybe that real, real quality.And again, the centre -halves, even Stones, there you're mentioning.How many minutes has he actually played?It's not like if he's played 10 or 15 games.He might lack match effort.

He won't even have that.Any idea what he played?Can we get time?

How many games did he play?Nine?Nine games?Ten games?Nine games.

And you think there's a chance he might start the games or whatever?

I don't think he'll start.Yeah, he's played 439 minutes all season.

That's amazing.He probably won't start.Absolutely, I don't think.But we have to have faith in the manager that we've chosen to pick this team.You know what I mean?Whatever you say about... the midfield and...

He's not scared of making big decisions.That's the main thing.And it's up to them guys now to like...

Righty, I love the midfield.I wish both those players were at my club.Because I genuinely like both.And my point is, can they play... in an elite level game, in a World Cup against midfields that have got the likes of, you know, Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, João Neves, all those types of players in that midfield for Portugal, or the players that Spain are going to have in there, that are going to rotate and just be outnumbering them in pockets.And honestly, you don't like that rotating stuff to your midfielders.Do you know something, Roy?

It sounds fucking crazy.These teams, when you play, you've been there for Ireland, we've been there, honestly, you're chasing absolute shadows.They know somehow, how to be able to sort of just, why not that?I always tend to sort of work in straight lines and move that way and that way and down and that, but they don't, they never like, oh yeah.Over one million pounds is up for grabs this summer with ITV7 football.It's completely free to play.

Simply answer seven questions on selected matches throughout the tournament for your chance to win the jackpot.Enter now on the ITV7 app or website.Good luck.18 plus TNCs apply.

Right Kieran, here we are in New York and we are playing the ITV7 football.It's England versus Costa Rica on the 10th of June.There's a £10 ,000 jackpot to be won.The mechanic, you'll be pleased to know, we need six correct answers to win, and a tiebreaker splits multiple players who've correctly predicted these six questions.So, question number one, what's the score?

England, Costa Rica.I wasn't impressed with them in their last game.And I think it's because they're still adapting to the heat.So I'm going 2 -0.I'm not thinking they're going to blow us away.They haven't yet under 2 -0 anyway, have they, really?

No.I will go...No.Do you know what?If I was...I think they need...

Statement win.3 -0.

Okay.

3 -0.3 -0 England.No, no, no.I don't think it'll matter in the scheme of things, but I think if I was in the England team, you're like, yep, get your marker down.We need to.Statement.

So there we go.3 -0.So I'm going 3 -0 and you're going... 2 -0.Perfect.I'll enter that into the app.Right, first goal scorer, Key.

Right, this is the harder one because we're being friendly.It's who's starting.Do you know what?I'm going to go Anthony Gordon.I think it'd give him a proper run out.Off the back of a good move.

I didn't see that at all.It's crazy.Barcelona.Anyway, right.So you're going to...I think I'm going to go Gay -E.

Okay.Set piece, header.

Right.I mean, set pieces have been massive in the Premier League this year, haven't they?

Exactly, that's it.I think we'll do that.First player carded, Kieran.Right.

It's just, I had to pick a...I've done some research and I've looked and both the centre -halves for Costa Rica got yellow -carded against Colombia in their last game.I've just toss of a coin and I've gone Jalen Mitchell there's no thought process going into it hoping England give him a hard time and yeah it's a real I don't know the Costa Rican team well so that's sort of my...

Well it's disappointing that you don't know them well Kieran so there's a lot about you but I'm going with Declan Rice because I think he'll start and I think, you know, he'll want to get around, send it, put a message in, lay a marker down for England.I think he'll get frustrated and they'll be like, time -wasting and stuff, so Declan Rice.Corners, Kieran, 10 or more or less than 10?

I'm saying more than 10 because I'm thinking Saka on the right, Gordon on the left, causing carnage for Costa Rica.Surely they're not equipped to cope with that anyway.So I'm just thinking, I think there could easily be eight or nine corners in the first half.alone, so I'm going more.

Do you know what, I think 10 plus corners is a lot.I'm saying they're not going to do it.That's just, I think if you look at how many corners happen in games, especially when they're like one -sided, I'm saying less than 10 corners.I think that's controversial.Less or more than 10 shots on target.More.

Yes, I'm saying more too.

I mean, you've gone for 3 -0, so there's at least 3 shots on target there, isn't there?

Yeah, there'll be at least another 8 more.So, how many cards?

It's a friendly, isn't it?I'm thinking there's not going to be more than 3.I'm going to go 2 in total.I'm also going to go 2.Yeah.Minute of the first goal?

I think England will take their time to score.So I'm going to minute the first goal towards the end of the first half.I'm going to go 39th minute.

7th minute.ITV 7.ITV 7.Please play it.I could do with the £10 ,000 actually to play for this place.

OK, we've now got to put ourselves in the position of Thomas Tuchel and we've got to select the starting 11 for the first game.You've just done it.You've just done the back four.Well, Pickford's in there.

Yeah.

We've got Rhys James, we're playing Rhys James at right back.Yeah.Nico Reilly.

Or Riley could be a star.

Brilliant player.And we're picking Konza and Gaye.And we're picking Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson.And we're picking Saka in front of Medwaki on the right.And on the left, we're going for Gordon, probably, in front of Rashford, are we?Or are we going for Rashford?

I think he'll go for Rashford.You're Rashford?

I think Rashford he'll go for.

Probably just Rashford.Rashford on the left.So Saka on the right, Rashford on the left.Declan and Anderson.You've got Harry up front, and then the big decision.

Right.

I mean, Eze could come into it, but the likely choice is Rodgers or Jude.

Yeah, that's the one.He'll choose one of those.

Which one is he choosing?I think he chooses Rodgers.

He takes a big call in the first game to leave.He's got the bottle to do it, he's left him out of squads.He has got the bottle to do it.I just don't see how he leaves Rodgers out, where he's been his man in the England team and he's actually finished the season strongly.Did he score in the European final?Honestly, I think this could blow up in the World Cup.

It's how this is managed by both of them.

So you're on about good travellers, how do you think Bellingham would feel if he's left out?

But Roy, you said before, you want players who when they're left out, they're going to be angry.But what kind of angry do you get?Jude won't take it well.Why would he?Because to be fair he's a superstar.Yeah but he'll still get on with it.

That's my point.You can be a good angry and train and you're chock full of energy.

Mind you, we've upset him.Or will he be upset around the camp, or through the media, or his family?It's the baggage with all that stuff.I just don't mean him, I mean any player.

If Jude didn't start that game, I guarantee at some stage he would make himself known in that tournament.Without a doubt.Because he can produce a big moment.Listen, Morgan Rodgers, if he starts, no one can say he doesn't deserve that start.You know, no one can say that.But at the same time, I don't think it's one of those where Jude's going to sulk off.

He's going to say, right, when I come back...

I think Bellingham will get himself back into the team.Absolutely.If he doesn't start.You don't want to send a message to the squad, it's the World Cup, it's about winning.But I think the way he's sort of dealt with Bellingham, it's all about leaving Palmer out and forwarding.It's almost like a message to the rest of the...

You know what, he's the manager, he's going to make big decisions.I think he'll start with...Rodgers.Rodgers.I do think... almost maybe by the third game.I think Bellingham will find himself back in the team.

He's too big of a figure, too much of a good player.

Big moments.If he starts with Rodgers and he plays well, then the discourse, the narrative's going to be...They're going to be trying to put pressure into that squad about, what's happening with Jude?What's happening here?They're going to be following him in the bathroom.They're going to be following him all over the place, like, what's going on?

Righty, to be fair, I don't get emotional about this, but I've been to 14 tournaments and watched England play, and I've seen great players destroyed over probably 25, 30 years for England.And I can't work out whether, with what's happening with Fulham, I know Fulham's not in great form, with Parma, with Bellingham, with Gibbs White, with a really talented sort of what would be a group of players, I'm not saying that all of them should be in by the way, that afterdoing again?to the most talented players, what we've always done.We've gone for the runner, we've gone for the physical one, we've gone for the ones we sort of think are committed 100%.And I've just seen this for 25, 30, 40 years, whereby, you know, maybe Gazza aside, he always was given, to be fair, because he was that much of a genius.

But we have, to be fair at times, taken quite talented players and not really appreciated them.But Bellingham and Morgan Rodgers are talented players.They are, they are talented players.I'm saying, and look, we've got a lot of talented players.But my point is, I'm torn between, well done Thomas, you're a great manager, I believe in you and I'm going to back you 100 % and I hope you're going to win the tournament for us, but I can't help but think there's part of me at the end of the tournament is going to be saying, what's happened to this generation of the last five, six years that have had this?We thought when we had Saka, Foden, Palmer, Bellingham, Eze, this is like, and we're almost seeing them, Bellingham now is being left out, so Palmer and Foden are out of the squad, Bellingham put out the team.

Before you know it, the three...Morgan Gibbs -White.Morgan Gibbs -White's not in the squad.So you talk about they're the three or four of the most talented players in the country.We've got a bit of flair, a bit of this about them, a bit of the arrogance that we like and that we always wanted.And we're seeing them not...

So I'm at the moment, I'm intrigued to understand what we're going to see at the end of this talk.I think Thomas Tuchel's been so brave because he's putting himself in the camp of...

Oh, we could get Hammond for this.

Yeah, this could...

This is what I like about him.

I like it.I love the fact that he's ready, his balls are on the...They're ready to be smashed.

And you'll smash him.Because that's what's going to happen to him.Which of you three are going to smash his balls?

That's what I love about him, because he's going, you know what, I'm doing that.

We left Ian Wright out of squads.You've been there, right?Who did you leave out of a squad you picked?I actually think, look back, I actually think we picked, and maybe people say we got it wrong, I think we picked the younger, most talented players, I do.We picked Oxlade -Chamberlain.

But you never got through the group.

No, I get that.Karo.So you can argue that ultimately...But I don't think we had anywhere near as strong a group as this is now, let's be clear.But my point is that I'm looking at this and I'm thinking, oh, we seem to.Players are a bit more maverick, a bit more, you know, a bit more arrogance on the pitch, a bit more...

Glenn Hoddle.Glenn Hoddle.Scholes, obviously, in the end, he was never really appreciated other than by Glenn.Letizia.Letizia.There are players over the years, I just think...

Joe Cole.These players would be playing, I think, for other countries that have got more technical players.I don't think other countries would be thinking about whether they're playing Jude Bellingham or not.I don't think other countries would be thinking about whether they're going to pick Cole Palmer in a 26 -man squad.I don't think other countries would be not selecting Gibbs White.

But all these players didn't have great season.

I'm just saying talent isn't enough.I'm not timing.This is timing when the squad was named.And I think that Tuchel, to be fair, what I like about him is he's determined, he's sure.He said, picked the right player and I like Joshua, he's an experienced manager so I hope he gets it right but Wrighty's point by the way, if this goes wrong it's a brutal one you know what I mean?Because of the fact that there are three or four what would be crowd favoured, you know your Jacks, your Madisons, those players.

But when you say if it goes wrong, what's going wrong?Quarterfinals?What's wrong?

You're not going to say it's wrong if he doesn't win it.I am never arrogant enough, Roy, not to think quarterfinals is par for England when you think about Italy aren't even here.

So if they get to the quarterfinals, you think they should be happy enough with that?

So to me, it depends on two things.Well, one thing.How do you lose?So when I thought we played France in the quarter -final in Doha and we were in that stadium, I thought I watched an England team that competed in that game and they were unlucky and I thought, Joseph, it was a 50 -50 game, it's a fantastic team who nearly went on and won it, and I'm thinking, I'm alright with that, I'm not disappointed, but Joseph, I can live with that.If you're getting knocked out by, with respect, Iceland, or somebody like that, or Romania, like we did all those, isn't it?got a big problem in a quarter -final.

So it's who you're playing against and how you lose.And I think the quarter -final can be part, and if you lose against a great team or some form of freak...

With the manager being brought in, you mentioned at the start of the programme, he's been brought in to do what?To win it.I think it's a massive...

But he's been brought in to win it.Okay, he's been brought in to win it, to be brought in to a tournament when only one European team has ever won a trophy outside of Europe in a World Cup, and that's Brazil obviously, Germany and Brazil in 2014.Honestly, it would be a freak for England in this heat, with this travelling, at the end of what...

But they were the words that came out.

I get it.But Joseph, if you're telling me that Thomas Tuchel is judged by he wins it or it's over, Absolutely not.I'm not in that position.I think if he gets to the semi -final, I'd have said, Thomas, you've done an unbelievable job.

I agree with you, because when you look at the squad, and he has picked that squad, but even if...Palmer or Foden or a couple of others in there.I don't think, for me, there's better teams or squads than England.But that was the whole point.Gareth Southgate, we all looked at and I think Gareth did unbelievably well in England.Some of the criticism he got, I'm a massive fan of his.

What he did with England getting to the finals.The reason he was questioned was for a substitution in the final.That was it.So you're bringing this guy in and he's basically got to get to the final and then make a good substitution.That was what he was criticised for in the two finals he got to or he didn't get his substitutions right.So the pressure on Tuchel to come in but the whole point of bringing him in is you're bringing a foreign coach in and you're bringing a guy who's a Champions League winner because most managers at international level They're not great managers, they're not someone Ramos would either go and get, or Liverpool would look to go and get, or Manchester United.

It's almost like a different set of managers.And in Brazil, with Ancelotti obviously, and England, they've gone right, we're just going to get elite managers.And we're going to put them in the international game.And it's all about that moment.Is he going to pick that right team at that semi -final?Is he going to get that substitution right in the final?

That was the point of picking them.But I'm with you, Zia.I don't think we'll get there.You don't think it was a semi?

No.

I think if England got to the semi -final, I think they've done brilliant.

Suppose they got to the semi -final and then...So you're saying it's who they lose to and how they lose.Would you still be saying, oh, yeah, but they got to the semi.

No, right, if they got to the semi, I'd be saying that's a brilliant performance.Righty.

Yeah, but then suppose they blow out because there's too much movement.

Using golf analogy.Go on.Par is quarter, I think, for England.Got to be par.Birdie is semi -final.Eagle is final.

Albatross is winning it.I'm telling you, you talk about hauling one on a par four, I'm telling you, or two on a par five, if England win it, you're like, honestly, that's a freak.You lost me at the birdie bit.Right, it's a freak.Obviously, you're talking about something that happens like once in a blue moon.

You're giving us absolutely no chance.No, right.With birds, we've got offensive players.

Right, do you honestly, but seriously, do you, look, I think if we get to the semi -final, I feel that we could go again.In 10 days' time, we'll be England fans and we'll be all the way and we'll be saying, absolutely, we can win it because we've got a chance, no problem.But do you genuinely believe right now, sat here, that we are going to win this tournament?We've got a good chance, especially with Harry Kane up front.

What are you going to say?

You spoke about all the challenges.End of a long season, will they keep the ball long enough to conditions that are away for six, seven weeks?But that is the manager's job.He's got to find a way to navigate that.Whether it be go easy on the training or preparation is spot on.We've had lots of luck, no injuries.

Obviously Harry Kane turns up and he's banged it.Everything has to fall into place for England to have any chance of winning.And that can happen.But if there's anything not quite right or he didn't quite get the squad right or the lads in the back, the two centre -halves don't work out.

didn't have got no chance.Can I just say, I think that Thomas Tuchel to win this tournament or to get to the semi -final has got a far tougher job because of the conditions and the travel than Gareth had in Doha and in Russia.You know what I mean?In terms of the run that Gareth had in Russia with the teams that we played against, if you remember, all the way through to that semi -final.And then in Doha, obviously to quarter -final, semi -finals and finals were in England and in Germany.So he's had good, what I call, good temperature tournaments in terms of friendly tournaments with travel.

Doha was good with travel.Germany's not too bad.You know what I mean?Good tournaments that I think meant we weren't travelling five, six hours.This is a different ask, honestly.This is a monstrous ask.

We played in Brazil in 2014, we were travelling four hours, different time zones, players having to adapt, heat of 30 odd degrees.I just, I can't see England, as I know England, as I love these players that are in this squad, I just don't see, you talk about 94, I went to a game in 94 World Cup.Well we played in the World Cup Championship, when did we play, what was that?2020.But you go back to 1994, a lot of people don't know this, I went to a game in the 1994 World Cup, I was over there for 10 days, I went to a game in the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles, and it was the game where Columbia played the USA.Roy said about his parents basically watching underneath, I walked out, I was with Becks, Keith Gillespie and Phil, we walked out after 15 -20 minutes.

We went outside into the concourse, we got an ice cream.We got an ice cream.You're making it a joke though, aren't you?Me and Phil having an ice cream.We had an ice cream.That lollipop.

We had an ice cream, no word of a lie, and we didn't watch the match for about 25 minutes.We went back in for 10 minutes to the second half, and we could not bear it.We were literally frying.The players are playing on the pitch.I'm telling you, it was unbearable.I just don't see how it's not a Brazil or a Portugal or a Spain that sort of, I just don't see how it's not a nation that is used to this searing heat and playing in this heat.

And no matter what preparation they will do, it won't, it'll obviously help a little bit.

You do adapt, Roy, you do adapt.adapt to all these conditions and you do play in hot tent, but you adapted, I'm sure, in 1994.You'd have gone over there a bit earlier and played a couple of games.Two days before the first game.No, we did.I think we played, obviously, a couple of teams.

I think we played the USA on the 21 team or something.We obviously went over and done our best to prepare.It'll be nowhere near as what England are getting out at the moment.

No, but look, 1994 preparation, Roy, is different than 2006 preparation.So you might have gone over, but other teams would have been preparing the same.

Yeah, but just remember, England and all these top teams will be preparing better than a lot of the teams at the World Cup, because it will come down to finances, how you prepare.It will, that'll be obvious.

But I suspect some of these countries, look, I don't know, I'm talking...A lot of smaller countries won't be doing that, Nev. I saw the route that England had before and I think they had like, if they get through, we'll bring this over in a minute.Bring it over now.If they got through, I think against Norway by the way, in the round of 32, they would play Ivory Coast or South Korea, right?I won't want to play against Ivory Coast or South Korea in 30 degree heat.You don't want to play against anybody.

No, no, no.I just think that...I don't know, yeah.Righty, what you said before, I think some of the countries that are used to playing in this type of heat where they can... these types of conditions, they could really shock in this tournament and go a long way, you know what I mean?

If they play slow with their leagues, they might be able to deal with it, but at the same time, I'm not...Going back to England, yeah, I think we'll win it.We can still win it.

Well done.We're winning it then.Thank you very much.It's coming home.Yeah.You have to have the hope.

This episode of Stick to Football is brought to you by Skybet.

with Tarek Fletcher, you're hoping that he can have the kind of game that Billy Gilmour had and he's debuting in the Euros because he was brilliant in the Euros.They'll be up against it.

Scotland will be up against it.Wow.Let me find Scotland.Your Honour, but Scotland's group, if Scotland got the...I mean, their first game, obviously, is that game against Brazil in Miami.

Yeah, but that's the last game there, obviously.Yeah, but is that just an unbelievable game?

It's a magnificent game.

You imagine what that's going to be like over there in Miami.

Well, they want to be able to, in some ways, enjoy it.If you get the job done, because of the situation where there's a lot of groups where three teams can go through, if they can get the job done...You have to win the first game, obviously.

If they can get anything out of Brazil and Morocco.And you think of Brazil...Because they've got Haiti, right?

And Brazil would have won their first two games.You think they're already through, and they might have a bit of a chance.And Scotland, they'll be fine with the heat, won't they?They'll be OK.

And again, they're probably going in thinking, right, we can beat Haiti.You don't know what Haiti are going to be bringing.We can beat Haiti and get a point from somewhere else.But in Haiti, you'd be thinking, we can beat Scotland.It's going to be, it's a tough one.

What do you think about Scott McTominay?I mean, seriously, like, he's rebuilt.You know, he was at United.At times, to be fair, in a period where United players were probably getting mocked a little bit, it was like, you know, was it that...

He was alongside...

Was it Mac...It was Mac...Him and Mac Fred.

They were ridiculed.Fred dragged him down, I have to say.

It was Mac Fred, wasn't it, at the time?And that was the sort of thing, oh, Mac Fred.But that's what they called it at the time.They were being mocked.And Scott McTominay's going over to play at Napoli.Can I be honest?

Seriously.For Conte to pluck him...Yeah.They paid 30 million for him, by the way.But to pick him with everything...

He scored 14 in Serie A this year for Napoli.That is some going Roy, by the way.A bit like Bruno, what did he win?We're not onto Bruno.Yes, no, no, but what did he win?

We're talking about Bruno.We've just sat here for the last hour about can England win it.

Bruno last week, Roy, said that he wanted to speak to you.Have you had a chat with him or what?

Did you have a chat with Bruno?

Have you apologised?

Has Roy Keane ever...

Has Roy Keane said sorry?

No, no, no.You're very childish.There was a reaction to what we said after the podcast a few weeks ago.And he reached out to me, he wanted a chat.And you know what?I did.

I called him and we had a lovely chat.Was it a nice chat?Lovely chat about a bit of everything, really.But it was nice because, again, when we do podcasts or games, sometimes you think you say something afterwards and you're trying to communicate something that doesn't come across properly.And people get upset.And he wanted to speak to me.

And we had a nice, mature conversation.It was lovely.A lovely chat.That's nice to hear.He apologised and we moved on.I forgave him, no problem.

It was a good chat.

It's interesting to be fair because I said something about...When was the 7 -0?Five years ago, four years ago?I said something in that game to Fernie, obviously at the time he was upset and I went in to see him probably a year after actually, maybe a year or so.No one knew about this, I think I interviewed him a couple of weeks ago and said that I'd been in to see him.And I went to see him for an hour and a half.

And to be fair, you talk about players, you sit there and commentate.But when you talk to them, you recognise that actually you've got a lot in common in terms of you've actually been there and you're thinking, it does make you reflect a little bit, doesn't it?

Yeah, I think that I like having boundaries with players.I don't want to be speaking to players every few weeks or their ages.I don't go down that road.Every now and again, I know that, but every now and again a player might reach out and you go, so I think it was important I spoke to him.Because there's been lots going on and lots reported.and he's obviously a big player for United and I'm an ex -United player and it was like, I think the other players...

communicating and having a kind of a proper conversation, I really enjoyed it and hopefully I think he did as well.Nice chat about a bit of everything and yeah, I felt better afterwards, definitely.

What did you speak, obviously you spoke about the thing, but what did you speak about?

A bit of everything, football, leadership, his role, the way he plays, stats.Yeah, honestly we spoke a bit of everything but in a nice, it was nice, it was a lovely chat.When you came off the phone, did you feel good?That's a bit of a stretch, but...

No, but I'm talking about...I don't mean, like, a bit of a leafy kind of...You know, I'm pleased that's happened.

No, because when we do chats, we always reflect if we said something, and again, if you felt you didn't say something properly, and people pick up on stuff, just like Bruno said stuff happens to him, you go, so it's nice, there was a bit of clarity at the end of the conversation.We were fine.

And I'm looking forward to doing, hopefully, the Portugal game in the World Cup.I tell you what you realise when you speak to him one -on -one, and you speak to him off -camera a couple of weeks, he is a massive football fan, he watches all the football.He's intelligent about football, isn't he?He's intelligent about football, you know what I mean?He's like someone that you speak to.And I say this about Trent Alexander -Arnold, you always smile at me when I sort of say it, but you know something?

I went to interview Trent Alexander -Arnold a couple of years ago, And you talk about someone defensively, you sort of commentate on him, and I said quite a bit that I thought he needed to get more serious about his defending.But then you realise he watches all the Championship games, he watches the League One games.Because you judge people, don't you?You think, I don't think he'd be at home watching a Championship game on a Friday night.Friday night or a League One game, I think he might watch certain games, but he actually watches loads of football and he watches old clips and he watches YouTube videos and he's like, ah, I thought Stuart did a game.Yeah, but do you know something, Roy?

Sometimes you think we have this perception that maybe some players are a bit more carefree and not as serious as we think they are.

Yeah, but you can tell by Bruno when you watch how he plays.Every single pass, everything.He's a perfectionist.He wants it to be perfect.He doesn't like people to drop below stand.He looks like somebody that's just constantly...

And everyone's different traits, yeah.But you can see it with him.

He gets so wound up about things.My hang -ups with Bruno has never been about his football and talent.Mind -boggling.Put us a bit like his leadership stuff.So that was the stuff we kind of cleared up.Which is fine.

And also as a reminder too, I always remind myself when you're watching the game, and we're doing punditry, it's very easy when you're watching.It is. I remind myself of that every game.We're doing it, you're like, he's got to do that.But when you're out there, it's bloody tough.

Of course it is.That's what we're paid to do.If you look at Bruno, and I think I asked you this question a few weeks ago, and you think of, let's say for instance, he was playing behind you and Scholes, as an example, or you and Nicky, but I'm just making it up.And he was in front of you there with, say, Ruud van Nistelrooy in front of him, and he had David Beckham and Ryan Giggs on them.And I'm just putting him into a position where, you know, would you not be looking at him thinking, I'm glad we've got him, you know what I mean?Because you look at him now, he's actually, his numbers in a period where United, to be fair, haven't won trophies, have been, like, Off the scale, like more assists than Kansanar, more goals than Kansanar.

You think of Eric Kansanar, what he achieved at United, he won trophies, and I know that you're going to come back with trophies.But Brian Robson, I always say about Brian Robson, the caveat I always throw at it is, Brian Robson played for Manchester United for, whatever it was, 12, 13 years and didn't win a league until the very last year.Won two at the end, yeah.But at the end, when he probably wasn't playing nearly every week, you were playing probably a lot of the games and sort of, Incey was playing.Yeah, of course.But he got the league.

But I'm saying, he had to wait 12 years, you know what I mean?I used to, actually, before any of us, probably a couple of years ago, I don't think Bruno's the problem, actually.He's not the problem.I think we do focus on him because we think he should set the standards.But he probably does get hard rap because he's the only player there that actually does demonstrate any care.

But he gets a hard rap because he's the best player.He's the captain.He's the highest paid player.So we will focus on him.We're not going to focus on the fullback.So when you're going after the fullback,

like Bruni, you're saying, and it's not about his talent, because if he was playing in front of me in Boty or Scorsese, happy days.Just keep giving the ball.You do your bit.But it's the other bit.Right, Scotland.Sorry.

No, they're up against it now.You know something?Listen, they're up against it.

Steve Clarke just signed a new deal and everything.Of course he did, before the final.

That's the best time to sign him, before the competition.

The thing is, he's taken them to three tournaments.Brilliant.Unbelievable with the levels of players he's got.

He was a coach at Liverpool under Kenny.He was really good, Steve Clarke.

Let's talk about John McGinn.Yeah.I love John McGinn.

Yeah.

I'd have John McGinn at United.Would you have John McGinn at Liverpool?And MacTominay, you'd have him back at home.

The thing I like about John McGinn is, when you think of Unai Emery, the manager he is, and you go and watch Aston Villa, and if I said to you, what position does John McGinn play, he's a bit of midfield, he's a bit of this, he's a bit of that, he's always in the team.And there's always options, and maybe he's out injured, he comes straight back into the team.And Unai Emery's got, you know, different players, ballplayers between the lines, sometimes a winger.But he always finds a place.He's good, Damian, he's diligent.Yes.

And I watched Scotland in a friendly at Everton's ground a few months ago.Oh God, who did he play?But he came off the bench, he changed the game.Scotland weren't doing that well in the game.He'd come off the bench and he looked a class above.No, he is a class above most of the Scotland players.

You know, he plays at a high level in the Premier League.But I love watching him.I mean, I watched him against Liverpool.He's got an unbelievable goal, but his back's on me.Sticking his arse into people.

Look at that midfield, what they would have had.I know Billy Gilmore's got injured, but Billy Gilmore, Scott McTominay and John McGinn is a pretty good midfield.

He's one of these fellas, but when he's bad, when he's as bad as he is, he does look like a pub player.No, when he's off, he looks shocking.I don't care if you watch him long enough in every show.Well, again, the stats out, when he's in the team week in, week out, you go, well, if these managers all like him...

I don't see him play many bad games.

Oh, no, but when he's bad...I don't see him...

But, Roy, you'd have him in your team, wouldn't you?I'm talking about as a coach.

Oh, he'd have him in your group, of course, absolutely.And it's no surprise Villa are doing well, and he's at the forefront of that.

So, big question.Scotland have never made it out of the group of A World Cup.Can they make it out of the World Cup group with...

It depends, I mean...They've got to beat Haiti.Yeah, but they have to do that.But what I'm saying is Morocco are a decent team.I think the Morocco game is they just...If they can get something from the Morocco game, yeah.

Well, four points will get you in that eight.That's what I'm saying.So I just think that's...

You know one of the big worries as well is the keepers.The keepers are not starters for their teams.You know what I mean?I think going into a World Cup with your keeper, who's not, like, playing every single week, you know what I mean?

I just feel like...Well, I think they're really up against it.They're massively up against it.Again, the one thing, you look at all the players and they've done great, but they lack real quality, don't they?I like, like, Ganondog.

Ganondog, you know, he's the difference in respect of that winger.And I know we're talking about Scottish footballers, but he's the kind of winger, I know he's at Bournemouth, he's the kind of winger, he does something different to the rest.He'll try and take someone on, he'll do a bit.So you're hoping that he... can find some form in that, but obviously, of course, they're up against it.

And obviously go back to the conditions for Scotland as well.England's struggling.

They're not born for the heat.They might have to play with those hats on them.What do they wear up there?They're bonnets.

With the ginger hair coming down the side.You know what, it's just again, magnificent for them to get there and you don't know.They might be able to beat Haiti maybe.I don't know.If Morocco slip up, I get a draw.

Can you imagine if they did?

They could go in as the third.They could go in as the third team, right?

And Brazil, when they play Brazil, Brazil might have already won their first two matches and Brazil start rotating.

You never know.And when they made a big mistake, what World Cup was it?David Neary scored.82.Massive mistake.David Neary scored and then bam, 4 -1.

Remember that game.

Beautiful goal.Love that World Cup.That was a beautiful World Cup.

Who was Scotland's last goal scorer at a World Cup finals?We've got a little quiz question for you.Who was it?Ali McCoyst.

Was it Ali McCoyst?That was the Euros in 96, I think.No, it's not.1990...What year was it?

What year was it?What year was it?1998.I've got it, midfielder.John Collins.

Did Craig Burley score against...

Incorrect.Did Craig Burley score against Brazil?

Craig Burley?Yeah.Yeah.There you go, he's got it.He said Craig Burley just now.I was telling all the other ones out there.

I've just had lots of noise in me ear.

Craig Burley.

This episode of Stick to Football is brought to you by Skybet.Kieran, let's go, let's go.We've got the big board.This is it.

Kieran, you've been asleep.Who woke you up?There's countries missing.This is where England win the World Cup.

Do you want a hand with it?It looks heavy, doesn't it?Where you going, Kieran?Coming in the budget, eh?Someone just splashed out in the budget.

Put it a bit closer.Chop it off.What's with the tracking?It's our...Do you like it or not?Shall I take my thing off?

I'm boiling, by the way.

I've got a fucking wetsuit on.What's going on with this?Are we doing this or what?I've got a flight tomorrow.

How old are you when you stop wearing shell suits with hoods on?

Hey, that is a long time for the players to be away, isn't it?Oh, unbelievable.And they're away for 10 days before they go all brilliant.

Right, here is the board for the World Cup from the round of 32 onwards to the final.The round of 32 has been populated by our production team.So it's Pat, basically, from our production team, who's decided that he thinks these 32 teams are going to get to the final positions, the final knockout phases.Let's predict what will think and happen from there.That's interesting.He's got Scotland.

So, basically, Scotland, aren't they?Yeah, he's got Scotland.Has he just done that for, like, all time?The viewers.What's that?So is it me or what's this?

So who's first?

Is it a competition?

Are we doing predictions?You're basically going to predict.We're all predicting.You've got to decide as a group.We go game by game.I'm going to go Morocco to beat Germany.

You're going to go with Morocco?Yeah, but everybody's got to do their bit.I'll go with the majority.

You've got whom?

Morocco to beat Germany?

It's the majority.I do think Morocco will beat Germany.No.I do.

This is going to take you long then, this fucking game.

I do.I'm with you right here.You don't have a vote.Obviously you have a vote, lads.Do we know where that game...Can we have some information?

Exactly.Do we know where that game will be played more than likely?Morocco and Germany.You need to give us this information.Because if it's in a hot...Boiling place in Morocco has got to be funny Morocco, but why yeah, did you what did I think Germany would be strong?

Sorry, but I think that's wrong No, but is that where they end up getting to a semi?

People say you can't write Germany off in a tournament, but I think you can I don't mean to win it But I'm talking about I'd go for Germany and I've got a Germany's it's in Boston.

I've got Germany's I've got Germany's team that on paper No, yeah, Kimmich tar Schlotter back around Pavlovich Pavlovic, sorry.I'm Una.Gretzka, Sané, Musiala, Wurz, Havertz.Oh, lads.

Sané, Musiala, Wurz, Havertz.All them players are playing in the fucking semi -finals of the Champions League and Havertz scored in the finals.

So you're in Germany?We're going to Germany, you two.So what do we do?What do we do when it's Germany or Germany?Kieran, you decide.I've just made it up, you decide.

Go Germany.I'll go Germany.Honestly, he was not going to go against Cameron Roy.He'd be hanging from that beam up there.

Right.So should we do this side now, or are we doing all that side first?We'll do this side first.We'll go on France.

France 100%.I'm going to go...

France 100%.Mexico against Bosnia.In the last...Mexico have got to the World Cup the last eight times and they got to the last 16, seven of those times.

Yes, Kieran.And it might be hot as well, Gal.Cup Mexico.Mexico, yeah.

Yeah, we'll go Mexico.

Netherlands, yeah.Netherlands, yeah.We're happy with that.

No, Mexico, Bosnia, he was in Los Angeles by the way.

Scotland beat to get Colombia?No, they just lost.Oh, sorry, Netherlands, okay.

Last -minute goal from the Netherlands.

And then we go...Croatia go again with all their players.No, no.Do you reckon?It could be Colombia though.They always come up short as well, don't they, Colombia?

Yeah.No, no, what are we saying?No, Croatia.What are we saying, give it to Croatia just for being dogged?Yeah, they're just so tough.

Then...Spain.

Come on, Spain.Spain, Spain.And then we're...USA -Canada.

That's a massive game by the way.

I think Canada has beaten Jesse Marsh.Jesse Marsh, he's done so well with Canada.He beat them in that tournament.Oh lads, you love Jesse Marsh.

I love the Canada results.Yeah, first week when he was up to Leeds.His session was unbelievable.They fucking never won a game.Two lads come back going, his session was unbelievable.What was he doing?

I've never seen his session.He went up to see him at Leeds.So at the end of the game...

He's watching, that means he's watching at like 10 .36 on a Friday night, Leeds have played someone.We've brought Rodrigo into the studio in the end when we used to be on the pitch with Kelly.Do you remember the Friday Night Football with Rodrigo, who I was at Valencia with?And I asked him the questions and I said, what's Jesse like?Oh, his sessions are fantastic, he's great.And he's obviously watched that and remembered it.

The sessions, try and win a game.

He could win a game at Leeds, but his sessions are great.Thumbs up.I think Canada...I do.They've done well to qualify for the World Cup.USA have not done well under Poch.

Not under Poch, no.He's been linked to another team.

They've done well to qualify for the World Cup.Where's this game, USA?

Canada?Where is that?Where's the game?Oh, Poch, yeah.San Francisco.Oh, they're lovely.

I can't see Canada.What's that tournament?Is it the Euros or what is it?

The Gold Cup.The Gold Cup or the Concat or something.It's a bit emotional, this, but Mauricio came on the show, he said quarter -finals is par, that's where he's going to get to.What did he say, Albatross?USA, go on then.

I think USA.Let's go USA for Maurizio.He's got an Irish background.Belgium.

I think Belgium are going to do alright.They're getting promised Rolls Royces if they win.There's no way they're losing to Belgium.

Belgium have played in Seattle, which is very cool, as we know.We visit Seattle, don't we?Belgium, come on.Belgium could be a sneaky one.We've got to go to the other side now.Go to the other side?

Yeah, let's go to the other side, yeah.What a game that is, by the way.Brazil -Japan.Wow.That's Japan but unbelievable.

Yeah, everybody likes Japan.Everybody's saying Japan are dark horses.But if they're up against Brazil...Brazil and Senegal.

I'm not going against Brazil.

Brazil and Senegal.I'm not.sure.Senegal.I can't think Brazil out of this.It's got to be Senegal, hasn't it?

You know something?Senegal.Senegal.Senegal.Senegal.Senegal.

Go on, the Sens. Then we are...South Africa.South Korea.No, South Korea.They took South Africa out already.

That's a big one, though.That's in Mexico.I'm going South Korea.Yeah.

Ivory Coast, you?Yeah.No, Ivory Coast, I'm OK.

You're a fitness freak.I'd go Ivory Coast, but it's up to you, Kieran, you decide.

Kieran, you're on.Kieran, Ivory Coast, I would go.OK.Roy, you're on.Roy, what do you think?I would have gone South Korea, but...

Ivory Coast.England, Norway, wow.

Ooh, Odegaard, Haarlem.Do you know something?Is that a potential Iceland?Haarlem and Odegaard?

No, they're...Norway are bigger than Iceland.I know they are.

Where's that game?Where's the game, England -Norway?Atlanta.Is it hot in Atlanta?It's hot, apparently.

So we should be doing that.England would beat Norway.Let's go England.I'm not going against England here.I'm not going against England, but it's a tough game.Argentina, Uruguay.

Come on Uruguay.I want Argentina.Argentina.Uruguay.What else is Uruguay now, innit?I'm going off with Argentina.

Turkey.

Why don't Egypt play, have you?Truthfully.

I'd go Turkey.I mean, they've got the semi, I think, in the AFCON.I'd go Turkey.I'd go Turkey.

Seriously?I'm not sure about that one.Turkey.

Turkey.Put it back if you want.Put it back.

No, no, no.I'll go with you, Roy.Is it Turkey or Egypt, then?Let me go with Turkey.Come on.Portugal, Ghana.

Let's not try and do this quick, because we've had enough.I want to take my time.Yeah, you're right.Oh, no, we've got loads of this going.Two minutes ago, you said you had a fight to catch.

No, no, I want to see.

Portugal.

Bruno.Yeah, Bruno.

Go on, Bruno.

Bruno's lifting that word up.

I'm from Portugal.Most assists in the tournament.Switzerland, that's...

But they'll come second, yeah.Oh, that is a tough one.That is a tough one.Have you got time for this one now?Switzerland, Austria...Switzerland.

I'm going Switzerland with Xhaka.You think so?Yeah.What do you think?

I couldn't tell you.Is it Ralf Rangnick, Austria?Yeah.

Is it?Go on, then.That's a hard one.That's a 50 -50, that.Switzerland, they're always there, aren't they?

Always.They're always there.

Always in the mix, man.

Always, yeah.Switzerland.Go on, Rory.

Rory's stepped up to the plate.Switzerland, Switzerland.Right, here we go.Quick, quick, what time is it?What show we got?No, can't straighten this.

Germany, France.France.I'm going France.

France.Sorry, Germany.I'd go Mexico.Yeah.I think that could be a blockbuster of a game, that.If that...

One of the best games in the World Cup, remember?Argentina, Holland won it.Oh, my God.When he blasted the ball.Oh, my God.Yeah, yeah, yeah.

We were at that game, weren't we?We were there.The total strike of the United, the big Auster.The Eagles, yeah.

Africa, yeah, brilliant.

Mexico.

Yeah.Mexico?Yeah, I think we'll go Mexico.But that's rude to the coach, isn't it, Evelyn?Look, you have to be rude a bit.

Croatia -Spain with this.Spain.Surely Spain, or surely Spain.

Croatia.

Precious experience.

USA -Belgium.Where's the USA game?Where is that?

Where's that game?USA -Belgium?Seattle?Oh, cool.Cool weather.Belgium.

Cool weather in Seattle.

We've got to give pots to the quarter -finals, because that's what he's saying on the show.

He said, pardon me.Yeah, he said...Belgium team.I'm having Belgium.Belgium team, Coutoir, Kostanka.Yeah, Belgium.

I love Belgium.Telemans, Anana, Doku, De Bruyne, Trossard.Oh, good night.Good luck.Let's go Brazil.Brazil.

Still eight rounds to go.England, Ivory Coast.Where's that game?England, Ivory Coast?Mexico City, wow.

Altitude, altitude.They're getting older this round anyway.

Argentina, Turkey.

Argentina was surely short.Do you think Argentina?Yeah, Argentina.Yeah, I see.

And Portugal.Portugal.I think Portugal winning it.That's a great game.Or Portugal.Or Portugal winning that.

Argentina.Yeah.Wow.

I'm telling you.

Yeah.Jeez.We've not got a shock team here going through.Who's missing?Mexico's a shock team.A little bit, maybe.

No, France are doing it.France.

Let's put France in there.

Spain -Belgium?Spain -Belgium.

It's getting easier.Here we go.Are we knocking England out?England -Brazil.I'm not sure about this Brazilian team.

Are we keeping England in?Have we got Brazilian squad down there?Can I tell you where this game is?

It might influence your thinking.It's in Miami.

You could have said anywhere in America.

Big South American contingent.Miami, big South American influence.Hot.What Brazilian attackers have we got?Have we got the squad?Cunha, Rafinha, Vinicius, Gimaraes, Casemiro.

You said Neymar, didn't you?Neymar's not fair.

Neymar got injured, didn't he?Did he make it?He got injured.

The front three are Rafinha, Vinicius and Cunha.Wow.That could be a problem for us.Midfield.Midfield, you've got Casemiro.

Mario Maguire is watching that match, he'll be fucking delighted.

Brazilians like red arrows running past them.I just don't see England beating a Brazilian.that game.England never beat anyone they're not supposed to do in a tournament.

They have done in the last few years.They have to beat Germany and England.

A home.A home?

A home.

Yeah.I know they're not playing a home.

It's tough for us.

Yeah, Brazil.

We've got a fancy Brazil.I'm not going against us though.You're being childish though.

Get your professional head on.You think England can beat Brazil in Miami, in the East?Yeah.Yeah, I do, yeah.And we'd be going stir -crazy in the hotel if we'd been there three or four weeks at this stage.This is a massive game, by the way.

Brazil?

That's a tough one.

I hope that doesn't happen.Brazil?A lot of what?Have you gone Brazil, Gary, or have you gone...?

Did you put Brazil in, cos we were two -two, me and Rice.Yeah, I've gone with Brazil.Yes!

Good lad.

I went in.I think Portugal beat Argentina.

I do.I do.Oh, lads, you're in Kukulam, Portugal, no chance.This is Ronaldo's last chance.

You need a bit of...Ronaldo's last chance.This is it.Against Messi in the cup.Messi -Ronaldo.

He'd be 45 by the end of the tournament, Ronaldo.Fuckin' that long.

I think Portugal beat Argentina.Alrighty.Really, I just meant to win it.

Do you want Portugal's team?Go on.Who's in it?Cancelo, Ruben Díaz, Nuno Méndez, João Neves, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes, Bernardo Silva.Say it like that song.

João Félix.Do you remember their group matches?There's no way they'll lose.Ireland beat them.

Is João Félix still going?

And Ireland should have got a result in Portugal.

How old are we with João Félix?You're getting brainwashed by the names.

The front three, to be fair, of Bernardo Silva.Long season.What's he called?João Félix and Ronaldo.

Félix?It's ageing, isn't it?Hey, lads.Forget Portugal, I'm telling you.

Yeah, but then what were we saying about Argentina?

Where's that game?

The team for Argentina, Paredes, McAllister and Fernandes.and then you've got Messi, Alvarez, Almada.In Miami?He said he wants it.I think Ronaldo, I think Portugal.I've got a feeling Ronaldo's just got, sort of like, he's just like a...

You saw him walking off in Copa when he was over.

Messi?What's Messi?Oh, he's phenomenal as well.But he's had his phenomenal moment.He's had his day in the sun.OK, here we go.

No, no, lad.Portugal are beating Brazil.So, Roy, you thought Argentina would have gone through against Portugal, but I think Portugal.

Yeah.I think Portugal will beat Brazil.

France are playing...France are playing...I think France are playing Brazil in the final.

I think France are playing Portugal.France are playing Portugal.I think France are playing Brazil.I think France are playing Brazil.Portugal.

Cesar, what do you think?France again.France are in.France are definitely in.I've gone Portugal.

I've gone Brazil.

Who have you gone, Jay?

I think Brazil will turn up.Ancelotti.Ancelotti, I'm going Ancelotti.I forgot about Ancelotti.

It's up to you.Right.

What a good final that would be, wouldn't it?Did you ever go against Royer in any stage?Portugal?Yes, you did, yeah.I can't lie to you.Them games are good.

Ancelotti versus Deschamps in the final.Deschamps, he's finishing, isn't he?This is his last game.That'll be his last game.There's something that tells me that he's going to write what happened three, four years ago in Qatar.Thank you, Gary.

I feel like what we watched last game.

So, you're going for France to win it?I think so.

I think, yeah, I think France.

Brazil I'm going.France.Wow.I love that, I love that little move.Lovely, well set up that, that was nice.

This episode of Stick to Football is brought to you by Skybet.We've got some quick predictions.Why does it have to be quick?Because it's ten past nine.We've got some quick predictions.Who will win the World Cup?

We've done it.France.We're on agreement with France, though.Who will be the top scorer?Mbappé.Does he take the pundies?

Well, who've they got?They've got Alissé, Dembele.A pundie taker.Dembele takes them, doesn't he, for Paris?

Who's in our group?I'm going to go Harry Kane, top scorer.Do you know what?

I think that Mbappé.

Oh, he's got a chance, because he did.Obviously he's got a chance.He takes penalties and f****** carries.I'm going to go Harry Kane.

Kane, Kane.Harlan.Dembele.

Dembele.Dembele.Do you think Dembele?Okay.Yes, for sure.Dembele.

Golden glove winner.Oh.Find out who the keepers are.It'll obviously be one of them.Magnan for France.Yeah, he's a decent keeper.

Alisson for Brazil.That could be one, couldn't it?Yeah.

Do you think so, lad?

Could be.He's not the same.Martínez for Argentina.

Jordan does all right for us.

But who did we have in the semi -finals?We had the Spanish as well, didn't we?Simon.

I'm going for the French goalkeeper.I'm going Jordan Pickford.I want it on record.I'm going Jordan Pickford.And I'm not even joking.Don't get us down.

Jordan Pickford, Magnan for France.OK, we've got community questions.Which country will surprise us?Japan.You've got them going out in the second round.

Oh no, but they surprise us up to that point.

Do you know something, righty?I'm going with you, by the way.I thought that was one of the best performances I've seen at Wembley by a team in terms of teamwork and playing together.So I won't be surprised then.I think Japan could get to the semi -finals.I'm telling you, they could get to the semi -finals.

You think?Norway, could Norway...Are you going to say Norway?Norway?

They've surely, with the players they've got...

Wait, but they're up against England, weren't they?

Yeah, but they might pan away.

You know, I think something like...Can I mention something like a Ghana or somewhere?Ivory Coast against England?I'm going to go Norway.They could have a little thing in Parliament.But they play England.

Well, we don't know that.That's just guessing.Do you think Norway will get through against England?

No, we're saying we might play England.

We don't know how it'll pan out.They just picked who they thought would win.No, no, it's definitely not happening.

Harlan should be up there as a goal scorer as well.You can't blow him out, you know what I mean?I'm having Harlan and Harry Kane.

I've never watched Harlan play for Norway, but I'm imagining, because Norway probably won't keep the ball that much in that type of heat, would he be more dangerous on the counter -attacks?If you think about Erdingale, he always looked like a city that always camped, I mean you said this years ago didn't you, that camped in the other team's box and he has done more the last year or two with the way he played but this would be the most he'd get to counter attack on.

But isn't that a great way of playing if you do it properly?I know we mentioned England early after conditions, but if you're just sitting in, sitting in, just resting.

But England can't counter -attack through the centre forward.

Of course not.But that's what he said to managers to find a different way.

You know, just going back to, remember the Everton game when he just got the ball through the centre and just went all the way through.It reminded me of school, we had a player called Henry Leville and he was so good.He just got the ball through the centre circle and just went and scored.It's like, that's how easy he can score.That was some goal, that.

Right, so we're going Japan and Norway.Japan and Norway are our two big shocks for the tournament.Who do we think will be the biggest underachievers at the World Cup?USA?No.how can they be underachievers?

Really?

Because you could see in it, when you saw Mauricio Pochettino's face, he looked like...I know, there's not much respect though, of him anyway.

I mean, there's not much, like, if he got out of the group...Germany?Germany, I think it's a good shout.I think Germany's a good shout.

Germany?

Yeah, Germany's a good shout.I think they could be.Yeah?

It's like, yeah.

I don't know.

Germany's a good shout.Hang on, Roy's still thinking.

This could take a while.

So what was the question?

What about Argentina?What about Argentina as a little bit of an outside?Sometimes when you've won it, and then you come in with an aging team, Otamendi, obviously, the lads in midfield, you've got McAllister.

Do you see them?Do you see them really?They could get done, couldn't they?They could get done, but I just think they're fucking animals.

Horrible, yeah, they're just horrible.I'm just being reminded France got done in 2002 after they won it.I'm going to go Argentina for potentially biggest underachievers.Are you?Yeah, I think it could just be...You've won it, you've done everything...

You say biggest disappointment?

It's just his underachievers, I mean, yeah.Biggest disappointment, yeah.I think it's going to be hard for Scotland.Not that I was thinking...

Not underachievers.Underachievers might be not getting out of the group.

I'd be really disappointed.That's what I mean.I think if Scotland don't get out of the group, that's not an underachievement, honestly.

Hey, this is an interesting one.I read this and I thought it was interesting because it was interesting how England's squad got announced.But Mauricio Pochettino was defending himself after being criticised over the way he informed players how they made the 26 -man squad.With those not making the team receiving an email rather than a phone call, what are your thoughts?And I thought as I read that, and I saw the England stuff unfold that night when it said that Harry wasn't there and then obviously Phil Ford and Matt Palmer, it started to break.And I thought, there has never been a good way of doing this, has there?

Have we ever seen a good way of doing it before?you're not upsetting someone?I saw everything in my time in terms of sort of like how you do it and the only way you can do it, I think a phone call is best, to be fair.I don't think an email's right.But I think a phone call on the...I think the squad being announced at, say, 12, I think you ring up the players between 9 and 11 in the morning, that window.

And that's happened before.And then what happens is they can't get a hold of a couple of players.And then they announce it and they go, oh he never phoned me, he never phoned me.

And if you do the day before it gets leaked out anyway.People will mock it in terms of how we did it, to be fair we did.We told players that the squad was being announced on the 15th of June as an example, 15th of May, right?you need to be available between 9 and 11 for phone calls to take whether you've made it or you've not made it and a 9 to 11 window on that.You knew that players had to be available in that window and at least then they're being told they're in it or they're not being in it but it was a case of at least you knew you were sort of informing them of that.The worst one I think is where you take a 30 -man squad, you've not named your 26, to say like a pre -tournament thing, and then you drop four back on the plane home, and they have to leave your camp.

Oh my goodness.That was unbelievable.

Honestly, I sound crazy, I felt like there was...Sapped your energy, did it sap the energy out of the group?It was awful, honestly.It was awful, because to be fair, one of the players was Gazza...

But did you not have an idea who would be leaving?

Obviously not the Gazza one, but the other ones.Do you know something, the biggest thing for me was, Gazza was massive and everyone loved him, it was such a shock to everybody because he was like our best player almost, like, what's going on?But Phil got left out.But Phil had been told three days before that he was in.

Wow.

Been told he was in.By the manager, obviously.It's the system.

The system was...

Yeah.And he made a late change.And if you remember, it's the tournament.I was speaking to Graeme last Saturday.this last week, we played five at the back, and Darren Anderton and Bex were the right wing -backs, and I was like a back -up if they needed me to be there.On the left, we had Graham Lasso, and it was Phil.

And we had no other left wing -backs.Andy Inchcliffe was injured, he left as well, but Phil was always going to be ahead of him.

He took Real Ferdinand, didn't he?

He decided to take Real Ferdinand and Merse as second left wing -backs.So Merce ended up against Argentina, I think.They ended up playing left wing back because Graham got cramp or something.So Merce ended up playing left wing back.But Phil got told, he made the nod.And then literally, I remember speaking...

Look, John Gorman's a lovely man. I remember the day after the squad was announced and John walked past me in the corridor.I said, you all right, son?He told me he was in, John.He said he changed his mind, said it was a massive mistake.He was a genuine guy, John.He genuinely thought he was settling Phil down.

He was helping him.Phil was a bit...Everyone was in it.Yeah, so it was absolute like, oh my God.It's the worst.And then Nicky was one of the others.

Now, Nicky was probably more on the edge than maybe this, but still, Nicky and Phil leave, so me and Scholes are left there with Bex.Nicky and Phil leave, and Gazza, I mean, Gazza obviously left, and it was like, I mean, all hell broke loose.All hell broke loose, the whole hotel went to...So nobody saw that one coming?No.Not in a million years you think Gazza was even with his...

Never, honestly Roy, never in a...

He was still partying though.But Gazza, do you know something?

Sounds crazy, you're Thomas Tukul.He was still partying.He was, but you're Thomas Tukul.You don't bring a Gazza on a 30 -man squad or 31 -man squad.It was 27 players, it was 22 back then or 23.You don't bring Gazza to La Manga if you're thinking of leaving him out.

But maybe he wasn't before they went out, and then if he was out and about...

Did he get injured in the warm -up game?

No, what happened was...

Was he partying?Yeah, a little bit.He was having a bit of fun, but to be fair, you knew what Gazza was bringing.Gazza, after a game, would have a bit of fun, but to be fair, you knew.was going to happen with him.It wasn't like, this was a shock, you know what I mean?

Yeah, but the thing is, Gal, Glenn O'Dowd, you speak to Glenn O'Dowd, Glenn O'Dowd told him early in the season.Yeah, yeah, yeah, he did.I'm not having to go to Glenn, I'm just saying.I'm going to need you like this, here.When you get to here, I need you to be this fit.You know, he gave him an opportunity, because Gazza walks into that team, if he's just fit, all you need to do is keep himself fit.

You don't have a deformed cause.I think if you upset a player, but you ring him, And weeks later, months later, the player will obviously be fed up with you, but there will be an element, at least he called me, there would be a bit of that.That does soften a little bit.Not at the time.

Have any of us ever had a moment like that where we've been called and told we're not in the squad?96.Who told you?

Terry.Terry.And 92.Like Graham?Graham Taylor?Yeah.

Won a Golden Boot that time.I walked into his office, like, I floated in there.I came out like, fucking hell, like that.Jesus, what more can I do?

Did you ask him why?Did he explain?

No, you know what it was, because at the time Al just broke in.I think Al was still at Southampton.And he said he's going to bring him in.I didn't know what to say.What can you say?People tell you things like, if you're scoring goals and you're scoring goals in this division, in the first division you're doing well, you'll be fine.

You'll be going, didn't go.That's the one I can never...I can't get over that, because I was thinking, even when that happened in 92, obviously I missed 90, because when we played against United and I was injured before I got into that cup final, and Bobby Roberts didn't know how fit I was, so he didn't take me, and I said, it's fine, because I got 92, didn't go 94, didn't qualify 96.You know what I mean?Venice said, you know what I mean?Venice phoned me before, said, listen, I'm going to probably leave you out for a couple, because I'm going to look at some people, and he brought Les and Robbie.

AndAnd then what's it called?He said, I'll speak to you because I know you scored off the bench for England.And then he, I never heard from him.Never heard from him until they got back from Hong Kong and then he said, listen, I'm going to go with them too.Devastated.

And then injured in 98.

I mean, it's amazing, right?When you think like the competition that you had, when you think about, we've got now like Watkins and Tony at the second and third centre -forwards.And you think you had like Shearer, Sheringham, Fowler, in your period, Owen, Collymore, Ferdinand, Sutton, Cole, Andy Cole.Did you say Fowler?Robbie Fowler.You think about those players that you had against you in that period.

Did you have to believe that you were better than them?

Absolutely, every stage.I thought, at least I'm at par with these guys.I'm fighting these guys.

No, I mean, the competition that you had, like six or seven there.

I think that's what blasted everybody.Everybody was driving because of that.Obviously, Shearer was at the tip of it.Then Teddy came in, and Teddy just...Let's face it, that was a beautiful partnership, the way they complimented each other.But then the rest of us were just battling it out, fighting it out.

Well, Les didn't get picked, did he?No, Les was in that squad.In 96?Yeah, but he didn't get on.

It was in 98, though, was it?

Yeah, Les was in 98.Les was getting ready to come on before Bet Scott said, oh.Les was going, sit down, Les.You know, I always go on about myself, and I'm so gutted, but then Les has got so close.Les was in 96, didn't get on.98, didn't get on, you know?

So, Les has got even more of a story than me, but it's one of those that, even when you're on holiday, after you've been told you're not, you can't, you can't get over it, it's just like, you know, I'm gutted, I wanted to be there, then you watch it and it's hard to watch.

It must be strange for a striker when you scored all them goals going, what more could you have done?

Well, you can't do any more and that's why I said...Is it something that your face might fit?Is it something like that?I don't know, Graham Taylor.I wouldn't want to say that about Graham Taylor.

No, not with Graham Taylor, but just the whole set -up and you go, listen...Well, you were part of the documentary, the greatest documentary of all time.

Do I look like that?

No, I'm not more of a beat that.

But, like, it was...I was desperate for it, you know.It's probably why I'm such a fan of watching England.I'm just desperate to go.I want it to go so badly.

Well, that's why we're bringing you this tournament, right?It's New York for this tournament.We want you to go home.You're in the squad again, righty?

I'm in the squad again!

We'll look after you.Thanks, man.We will.Cary, are you going to come over and see us at some point during the tournament?

Yeah, I've got Sky Bet on my case.The ratings have gone down.I've neither got...

Nice to see you.