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We're listening to the Men in Blazers media network, suboptimal radio.
That was the ever-humble Kyle Walker announcing his intention to re-sign with Manchester City
until 2026.
I can't think of anyone in the Premier League, actually more perfect to channel the spirit
of one Jordan Belfort.
Let's just say, Kyle clearly hasn't seen our Wolf of Wall Street ends, or if he has,
I just don't know what to tell you.
It's Ronch, it's Friday, and we made it to the end of another week, just…
Oh my lord, and Everton fans, listen to you know what I mean by that.
Yes, the familiar buzz of anticipation crackling over us.
I always feel that whenever the Premier League is about to return into our loving arms
after just the darkness of the international break.
Oh god, it's accompanied by a gnawing, numbing fear that perceives any time Everton Football
Club are about to take the fear.
This has been one complex juxtapositional oxymoronic international break.
Football has been truly mid, yes, it's been pretty plodding, but I've got to be honest,
last weekend, I'm going to tell you this, it's true, the fact that there was no ever
return to watch, and just darken my doorstep was unfathomably soothing, even though
even as I recognise that truth, I found that equally depressing in its own bloody way,
yet I still found a way to experience my own quotient of sporting pain voluntarily,
travelling to Chicago to witness Jordan Love, soiling my season's hopes for the hapless
bears, really within about four or five minutes, it was all it took for the first booze
to crescendo around soldier field, this is just the darkest of days in which honestly,
I don't know where my Everton ends, and the Chicago bears begin, so let's dive into
it.
News crackling across the wires this morning, Everton putting out a statement saying that
they intend to be sold for had machinery are dread owner, intends to sell his 94% of
the club to a Miami based investment for 777 partners, and what is it?
It's possibly the ultimate darkness, there is no end to this footballing nadir that we're
experiencing together, Google 777 partners, will you?
You'll find out that they began as a investment firm, which chased litigation settlement
claims, essentially like ambulance chases on a grand scale to be clear, signing an agreement,
it's not the same as being sold, Pymuleague still have to come in, still have to approve
the deal, but Everton fans, this is who we are now, 777, they're not serious pedigree
donors who are going to come down with a blueprint, with a vision, they're a goal, financing
to return the club that we love to its traditional perch, oh glory now, these are bog in Hunters,
they are looking to acquire what they've done there in multi club owner of which we
will see, but their pattern is to swoop down and find and exploit distressed assets.
One of losses of over $534 million over the past five years, and the Pymuleague about
to rule in October upon Everton for perpetual breaches of financial fair play, that could
honestly, that could honestly pretty well be our club motto right now, our club nickname,
the ultimate footballing distressed asset, that's what we are, and here's Sean Dyche talking
about how much he knows, about 777 this morning, it's not a lot, well I don't know the group
that coming in obviously, with any depth at all really, so it's, you know, the people involved,
the people you're working with, or could be working with depending, and then, you know,
you fathom that out as you go, and so I don't know their different thoughts until I speak to them
about what their vision of the future is, and I woke up to the official announcement,
I also got a flood of texts from people I know, who knew I knew so many people who know 777
partners, and I don't mean know them because they've done business with them,
a ton of people I know happen to have grown up with the principal, a gentleman called Josh Wander
in Florida, and I'll just say none can believe it, none can believe that this gentleman
is making a bold step, a bold claim to become a Premier League, a short story is,
Josh Wander, he was that guy in summer camp at university, we all had one,
in every class, and there's always a gen who was never afraid of the hustle, let's just say that,
and now he has made a bold swing at owning a Premier League team, not just any Premier League team,
but Everton Bloody Football Club, this club that, like so many of you, we adore, we live for
multi-generations, my great-grandfather, a blue, my grandfather, a blue, my dad, I don't know why
he chose Everton, but he did, he set a sale on this journey, I mean apocalypse now, doesn't even do
it, just this, my own children, all of them, blue, that's what it is to us, but what is it to
to him, what is it to 777, the financial times, it's worth googling, it's had a pretty grim interview with
Josh Wander recently, he's representing the new owners, new owners, I mean you can, you can google,
I think it was Joshua Moore, was the outlet who broke news really on who they are, this, this, yes,
the, the, the, the, the, the, the past of cocaine convictions, allegations of fraud,
illegal loans, failure to pay bills, littered across their past, the Guardian, I've also written
upon it, a great length, it's ugly, but in this interview, the financial times, they talk about
why they're getting to football, they predict football is going to enter a period of hyper commercialisation,
I think we enter that period, about 20 years ago, but the vision that their painting is kind of
worn or what I'd deduce to be one of, of Everton fans, banking, with Everton banking,
or buying their insurance, through Everton insurance, number one, I'd just say this,
anyone who has had to do what we've had to do, watch Michael Keane, try and hold down the back
on the regs, I probably file them, I don't know a lot about banking, but I probably file them
among the least lightly, to trust anyone loosely connected to that enterprise, that Michael Keane
enterprise, with their life savings, I mean, who does that? It's like, oh yes, I'd like to take all
my hard earned money and give it to that Michael Keane club thing, but also this, championship teams,
league one teams, you get what I'm saying here, they're as far away from hyper commercialisation,
as possible, they're pretty good at selling local plumbing, maybe the local taxi company,
a nice local pie, oh pie, but to be clear, this is not a done deal, to announce the intention to sell,
777 still have to go through the Premier League's fit and proper ownership test, and don't laugh
when I say that, that test has been recently beefed up, I think back in March, and I'll just say,
if it is at all serious, if it has any teeth at all, it's going to be quite fascinating to see
them try and clear that hurdle, the government, you'll see in articles, they talk about how way
tall have been briefing the press about their distaste already for this group, the legal charges
that have followed 77, pretty well everywhere, they've been, they are a multi club ownership group,
I said this earlier, they specialise in buying clubs in deep peril, and if you see their track record,
just darkness, pretty well follows everywhere they go, speak to any Vasco de Gamma fans,
a great once great anyway, Brazilian club, their fans stage protest over the ownership,
in early September, standard liege, another once great Belgian club, their fans held demonstrations
inside their own stadium with banners such as no money, no ambition, you know, the plan to
offer a supporters bond, so essentially get the supporters of Genoa to help fund a new training
ground, let's just say darkness over there, everywhere they touch Hertha Berlin, we're relegated
from the Bundesliga last season, and now have to repay massive loans, are high interest, I just say
the warning signs on the dashboard are flashing, and they haven't even taken over the club yet,
the whole thing screams disaster, but at the same time this, straight talk, you know me,
I'm not great at straight talk, this is like more the Stephen A Smith territory,
Everton fans, real owners are not coming to our rescue, this is not a case of we've got to get
rid of them, that's terrible, this is what bad, this is who we are now, this is who we are,
I have spoken, I've spoken to a number of real owners, this is what I can say, of American
investors who take themselves seriously, i.e. have lots of money, i.e. would like to invest it,
i.e. look for wise investments, and I just say they've looked at Everton's accounts,
they've looked at Everton's book, and they've told me that what they see is so terrifying, so toxic,
they're essentially were scared off, for reputational reasons, so all that's left, this is what I
feel like, and I'd love someone in finance, I'd love someone in sports business to tell me
that this is wrong, I really would, there's nothing I've said in the history of podcasting,
that I would love to be wrong or about, but I do believe all that's left is for footballing
buzzards to now come in, to the caucus that is Everton football club, and pick the bones,
here's what I feel, I feel bloody stupid, turns out all this time, I have been cheering, all
this time I've been getting my kids to cheer, just encouraging, fostering a deep profound love
for something that was already dead, and I just didn't know it, we Everton fans, this is it,
we have yearned for new ownership, for so bloody long, now we've just got to live out the bastard
offspring of those two adages that are so slung around their bloody cliches, be careful what
you wish for, because it could come true, and the other one, it could always be worse,
it's for me, QFascara on repeat, and remember what George Elliott wrote, no evil dooms
us hopelessly, except the evil we love, and desire to continue in, and make no effort to escape in,
George Elliott best Elliot since Harvey, can I get a blast of something that will cheer me up,
producer Sophie,
my lord, I love that song so much, spirit of the blues, the more you listen, the more I
want to get sounds of every day, okay, to find a more positive, more joyful news, really,
a rather massive announcement for Men in Blazers, World Headquarters, we are launching a new 10-minute
daily football podcast, this Monday, Men in Blazers early kick off, a show designed to drop
every weekday, Monday, Friday, and every day in between at 6am, Eastern time,
it's designed to bring you global football's biggest stories and headlines,
just every morsel of news that's broken overnight, straight from Europe's back pages,
the goal is to empower you to keep up with just that never-ending spigot of massive footballing
news, and I find it overwhelming by crafting an intelligent entertaining breakdown of everything
happening in the football world that morning to get you ready for your day, I hope the net
effect is it feels like you've read every bloody English newspaper by the time you get to your
vehicle or onto the subway or however you get to work, this show, to real milestone for our
network, I find it really moving, it's the first to be produced from our new studio in London,
it's been a joy to set up, it's been a piece of work, not going to lie, but I can't wait for
it to be delivered directly into your ears, premieres again this Monday, September the 18th,
and here's the most important part, it's on a separate podcast feed from this one, that's right,
an entirely different separate podcast feed, I would love you to subscribe to that feed, I really
would, it would mean the world to me, to do so right now, just find wherever you get your podcast
type in, early kick off, subscribe, subscribe, subscribe, give it a five star of YouTube,
bizarrely, it helps with the algorithm, and it gets sent to more people, which is really what
we need for this thing to thrive, can't wait for you to listen, give me your feed back at
many blazers at gmail.com, I can't wait to hear from you, roll on Monday and produce a Sophie,
sting me up. You're tuned in to suboptimal radio for suboptimal times.
That was suboptimal radio for suboptimal times, never has that been true or more needed.
Thank you Michael McGuire, in Hudson, New York, what a beautiful neck of the woods that is,
and you are listening to WGFOP Weekend Preview, the show that is in demand and relevant to the
youth of today, as an instinct reunion tour. Call in all your questions to 646-450-9472,
and it could be your voice on next week's show. But first, a toast. I want to raise my third
first Bud Light of the day to Christian Policic. Ahead of the Melandar, Bidella, Maddonina,
is Saturday, 12 p.m. Eastern time, in which Inter Milan, and we said Inter Miami there,
note the club that was named after Inter Miami, Inter Milan, host AC Milan. In a game named,
of course, for the statue of the Virgin Mary, who sits atop Melandar's iconic cathedral,
and in which, to the hyperbolic at least, feels like an early season title to decide.
Both teams have had perfect starts at the campaign, both propelled by young new signings,
and this Darby I've always loved going any chance I've had because it always feels so beautifully
resonant, seismic, crackling across that city, but with Christian Policic and Eunice Moosa,
now riding with AC Milan, it's got profound American residents. I've loved listening to Policic,
talk to the Italian papers ahead of this one. I know this for him, he said, is a true test
of the team's title bonafide days. It was love at first sight for me with the Milan fans,
he said, after netting twice in his first three games, especially when I saw the fans,
I've never seen a passion like this. Godspeed, Christian.
Oh, God, never get tired of hearing that. Oh, producer Sophie, question me up.
Hi, Raj, Sean McNally, and Jacksonville, Florida, by our Munich fan, but also like
Arsenal as well. Reason I'm actually going ahead and calling is to figure out what your thoughts are
on Kyle Havvich, and do you think that he's being treated unfairly by the
personal fans, and I personally kind of feel that he's kind of playing out of position,
just wanted to get your thoughts. Thanks again, bye.
Sean, hello, gorgeous. Hello, Florida. You say this to me, Sean, the weekend ahead of
Arsenal's trip to Goodison Park. You want me to fix, Kyle Havvich. I'm going to talk to you about
OK, but everything I say, let's just agree, you're not going to work on it until Monday, right?
Look, Kyle Havvich, I've not spent any time with him, but everybody I speak to, they all say
the same thing when they're talking about. This guy is bloody smart, incredibly intelligent,
just emotionally intelligent, tactically so savvy. Got to say, he's good enough data wise,
and as a human being, because both things are important, to pass Micheal Arteta's smell test,
a smell test which unleashes millions of dollars for the Arsenal bank accounts too,
to sign Kyle. So right now, that's what we do now. We also know this.
Kyle Havvich is currently a tabloid pinata player who is known across England,
yes, for that one Champions League goal, a wonder, and all the crap that has followed whiffs,
misses, misery, just a player that we, we just see bleeding in a pool of his own self-confidence
in a style that was really pioneered by Fernando Torres. It's really awful to watch.
As a human. But, you know, what is it? That's what we're trying to work out. There is a chance
that light politic, Kyle Havvich's darkness was merely Chelsea Otis and can be shaken off,
you know, tactically with man-managing and confidence. That's for our tetra to work out.
And he has, he has with so many players before, see Granite Jacka. There's probably his greatest
reclamation case, but see how he's not just made out of God good, he's made out of God great,
same with Ben White, you know, a very good player in it, and Ben White now is just just a magnificent
human to witness. These are players he's received and helped truly saw. But he has to do it, not just
from a football perspective, he has to do it in the teeth of the tabloid edge of British fandom,
such a brutal goal. On our YouTube right now, I think we put it up yesterday, really magnificent
conversation. This is incredible. JJ Watte talked to Vincent Company about management,
about leadership, about football, about Belgian waffles. But one of the things that was most
interesting was that JJ Watte said to Vincent Company, nothing in American sports comes close
to the brutality of the English tabloid media. And Kyle Havvich is currently experiencing that
in a way only known to Harry McGuire, you know, a gentleman who's more cautioned retail and a
footballer right now, whose mother came out this week to defend her poor son from the abuse,
really the kicking that he's receiving for more quarters. God bless his mum.
Right. Harry McGuire's mum, Zoe, has taken to Instagram to defend her son and his hat,
hit out at the abuse that he has received. Now, she's written on our Instagram story,
describing the reaction to Harry's appearance against Scotland and said it was disgraceful and
totally unacceptable. Of course, he was booed, was only heavily biased. Scotland fans, Gareth
Southgate came out in defense of him afterwards and said he couldn't understand the abuse that he
was suffering. As she said, it's not acceptable. And what's been created over nothing, I understand
that in the football world, there are ups and downs, positives and negatives. But what Harry
receives has gone far beyond football. She says, for me, seeing him go through what he's gone through
is not okay. I'd hate to have to see any other parents or players go through this in the future,
especially the young boys and girls breaking through the ranks today. Harry has a massive heart
and it's a good job. He's mentally strong and can handle it as others may not be able to.
And here's Theo Wolcott, a gent who understands the dark side of football, the pain of football,
the challenges of football, as much as anyone. This is what he said about Harry McGuire.
Listen, he's playing for England at the highest level. I have certain amount of people that
actually play for England. That's an incredible achievement. It really is. People forget that.
And I think he's actually won the highest goalscorer and sent it back as well for people to
tend to forget that as well. There's this sort of mark on him. I don't know. I don't see it.
Gareth picks his teams and essentially we've got to trust Gareth. And for me,
I just need to get our fairies back because he's for me. He's playing for England. These people
that sit behind the social media are probably going to kick a ball. So yeah, let's support,
it's always a negativity all the time. Let's just think positive and then essentially that's
where England will obviously do well. So look at Harry McGuire. I look at Kai Havats.
I also look to be honest at what poor Delhi Ali's been through over the past couple of years.
If Delhi Ali's bravery in coming out ahead of this season and talking about the mental health
dimensions of the game, the immense challenges that he's been battling. And when Delhi Ali spoke
about it, everyone, everyone applauded. I'd just say sometimes it feels like we applaud,
but we learn no lessons. And this is very much one of those times. As Arsenal,
travel to Everton this Sunday, 1130 AM Eastern time on the USA channel. I actually couldn't believe
it as I thought about this game. Is it really just seven months since Sean Dyche arrived at Everton
and is very first game announced himself with the wonderful false dawn of a 1-0 win against Arsenal.
Do Everton really have this record at home against Arsenal? Four wins and one draw in the last
five at home against the gunners. Michaela Tetta, I believe, has lost all three of his games coming
home to the stadium which he truly loves. God, why do we not claim our Tetta? How did Arsenal
claim our Tetta? He's really an Everton great, right? But I digress, why does none of this give
me any hope at all? I think Arsenal, you're going to do us as Jim Morrison once wailed. The future
is uncertain, but the end is always near. Those are the Gladys Street hoping that this is the moment.
And from McNeill, it is the moment. It's James Tarkowski. Instant inspiration.
Well, Tark, only you can save us. Next question, please.
I'm Levi. I live in Westfield and I'm a Liverpool fan. I love the Subosla so much.
He's been great, and I hope that they win the Premier League, the Europa League, and the FA Cup
and the World Cup, and that they can beat Manchester City because I hate all the Manchesterers
and they're so bad. Coach. Levi, hello. Good. Just, I love this question. I love your passion for
the game and for your team. Listen, Levi. I hope football gives you and your family so much joy
together across your life. Hearing someone from Westfield, Indiana say, I hate all the Manchesterers.
All of them. I love it. I love the hate. All of them. Not that I love hate. I'm not really
pro-hate, but that you hate all the Manchesterers. It does make me feel that America is now officially
a proper football nation. In this moment, Levi, have you uttering that very phrase? I also love
your utterly achievable goal. Stream big, Levi. You want Liverpool to win the, let's recap,
the Premier League, the Europa League, the FA Cup, the Carrabout. Essentially, you've got
Deon Sanders level of self-belief. Never lose it, Levi, as your Liverpool face walls in the early
game Saturday, 730 AM Eastern time on the USA channel. Last season, I think Liverpool lost three
and Drew three were none of their 730 AM kickoffs. 1230, obviously, in England. Klopp was asked about
whether this time frame for his team to kick off was a challenge, and here's his answer.
I'm serious with a question. What do you mean? What is the difference when you play
30 hours ago in Bolivia? What do you think is the reason? I didn't understand.
Is that something about the time or is the lack of time between? That's not a problem if you're
normal week. We always said that. If you're normal week, it's not a problem for 30. That's easy to
adapt. The only problem is the lack of recovery time. So we have now, we have four international
breaks until March. Two of them we have already had 1230 kickoff. If I say a word about it,
then the whole world goes again. We start moaning again. This is a joke. We have players in South
America. I didn't see them yet in 24 hours we play. But it's like it is. We cannot change that.
We've never changed that. Whatever you are, we will talk to. Now the opposite of the TV channel
is now a different name, but that doesn't change obviously anything at all. So they just don't give
a bib. I'm sure you can't wait to watch your boys limber up early to kick off their Europa League
week, unleashing every vitalised midfield of sobberslide and my callister. You may have Dutch young
talent. I think he's going to be magnificent Ryan Gravenburg making his debut big verge again
missing out with extended suspension. Trent also out for this one. But I've got to believe
you've got more than enough to sweet Levi Clip Walls who are a shadow at the side who
race into a tuna lead within 12 minutes to set up their biggest win of last season in this very
fixture. Oh, let's listen to that lovely moment. Craig Dawson putting the walls to
nail up and his debut for the club. Levi, this is hate. This is hateful roach finding pleasure
in the misery of others. Don't listen to this young Levi.
I have to keep the chance alive, not opening the way, but it's Craig Dawson on his walls
debut. I want to start the wall bans of onward. Ask any soccer fan what they crave most and the
answer is going to always be global and domestic football news from across that great Star Wars
Cantina that is will football. What are you not? As our newest podcast, Men in Blazers early kick off.
A show on its own brand new podcast feed, it's got you covered. We're providing daily soccer
news and analysis from the very moment you wake up. A goal with Men in Blazers early kick off,
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And you can listen to all the stories making those headlines when you're still in bed
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I'd say oh one 3 plus.
Hey Raj this is Ben, I'm a spurs fan and I'm lives in Lyon's Colorado.
Like many people I've been really deeply troubled by the increasingly common allegations of
sexual assault and gender-based violence against players in Europe's major football leagues.
And since I've been following the game seriously Mason Greenwood, Benjamin Mendy,
East Assuma, Akini, Anthony and others have been accused. And if we know anything about these
crimes we know that there are likely others whose crimes haven't been brought to the attention
of officials. And for those who have had the bravery and support to share their stories the burden
of proof level against survivors means that many perpetrators are never found guilty.
And what we obviously need to address the larger patriarchy and pattern of violence against women
my immediate question is how we can be responsible consumers of the Premier League
when there's a lack of action by clubs by the league and by law enforcement that really shows
a blatant disregard for survivors. So is there any way for us to watch the game that we love
without compromising our morals or without betraying our solidarity for survivors?
Thanks Raj. Ben thanks for this question really really really it's so important that we talk about
this it's also so hard to to delve into because let's just say none of this I don't believe is
why we originally decided to watch football but ultimately I watch football because it is a
reflection of life and of humanity and I normally say that meaning that it's about all the good
things that football gives us joy, memory, connection but football that truth then it is a
reflection of life is also true about the dark things in the world and I'll just say it's a truly
depressing time for so many of the Manchester United fans in my life right now with everything and
I mean everything going on at the club I know so many United fans have reached out to us you know
talk to us written as beautiful beautiful emails incredible gotta sound like a politician when I say
that beautiful beautiful emails apart from these ones really do exist as the Mason Greenwood situation
unfolded you know we got one for a person who didn't want to be named can I honestly continue
supporting the team if they welcome Mason Greenwood back into the fold and the answer for almost
everyone grappling with it which is a self-defining group to be candid was now because continuing to
support the team would have meant setting aside their own morals their own values their own belief
system and there's a moment in football where you realise that you hear that buckling that
dissonance and you won't take that step but these are these are deeply personal decisions these are
deeply personal reflections questions I also know just as many United fans who you know I speak to
and I reached out to us who essentially in articulating their case contorted their values
created self-justifications to explain why they wanted Mason Greenwood to stay you know
ultimately fake claims like he was found innocent which he was not Mason Greenwood was not found
innocent or this was just a one-time mistake by a young kid which just to be clear everyone in
football tells me is also sadly not true and which I say if if he wasn't a goal scorer a very good
goal scorer a Mason Greenwood was not on the team that was currently crying out for a source of
goals would you be making these claims this is ultimately the answer test if Mason Greenwood was
just some third string left back the answer will probably be no almost certainly be no look
United are having to grapple with this complex reality at the same time is now the Anthony reality
Anthony is on a leave of absence as he deals with a plethora of truly awful accusations about
violence against multiple women the club also grappling with the Cold War between manager and
Jaden Sancio glut of injuries the ownership sale has gone from like and let's do this quickly
to a total deadwind there's like a real sense of atrophy around the club and so many fans are
feeling sensitive of agony was they prepared to face Brighton right now Saturday 10 a.m.
Eastern time on peacock a brain of a club that could not be run more definitely I mean look at it
a club built with vision with brains intelligence thorough planning and data
oh god how massive United would bite your arm off to be tiny bread right now the feet could
be united third in five games a feeling of a season really teetering onto the into the darkness
and on this question of what fans can do I think the most important thing is to recognise
how emotional fandom is really that's it when we shout at the television which I do a lot
whenever to play it's all raw emotion this issue which you framing is too common a affects all
clubs and cries out for the clubs and the leagues to do well a to do more education for the players
by the way a much earlier stage stages of youth development and ultimately there's
Manchester United fans I know who wrote to the club donated to organizations like women's aid
supported groups who had petitions going organizing protests at the stadium but it does feel
that football's heading towards a reckoning as some kind you know for it's a league wide code of
conduct policy that every player it knows is required to abide by so that if there is a breach
in law to hope there's not but if there is the decision of what to do with the player will be quick
ultimately not be up to the club because the clubs are also in what protect a valuable asset
but if it's a known standard by a wider footballing body that is really the only way we can get
to better these ahead on all because this the Premier League I do believe this is a better place
when Manchester United are truly thriving
you
next question hello there Raj this is Frank from Kennebunk main crystal palace supporter
I had two everton-related questions for you the first if you had to choose between the
US men's national team winning the World Cup or Everton winning the Premier League which would
you choose you can only have one my second question I see that the Everton sale to 777 partners
is close to coming to fruition and if you had your choice between the following three people
to own Everton football club would it be 777 blah blah blah partners and they're sorted past
would it be Al Capone who was also born in Miami but based in Chicago or would it be me Frank
from Maine I've been saving my money and wondered if it was the club was available on layaway
or something like that anyway I would love to hear your thoughts on the matter stay strong
courage Frank that's an easy slam dunk question you of course you're in the number one slot
Frank from Kennebunk main I've always said but you're arm off for Frank from Maine that's always
been my position Al Capone obviously number two then Vlad the impaler Ivan the terrible would
definitely be in there I think 777 would come like way way way way down like thousands of places
down one place under me that's where 777 777 would come and for context my dog Martin Scorsese comes
one place before me I've seen Everton to your question about Everton on the US this is not as hard
when I thought about my knee joint reaction was I've seen Everton win the title with my own eyes
I've seen us win FA cups yes I've seen us win European trophies and while I would love to do all
of that with my kids my kids are also American and the joy the women have given
my family winning world cups I would love I would love to watch the United States win something
real something global that would be the culmination for me of a story of footballing wonder to be
clear yeah at times it feels so far off from where we are now we still watch our team through a
concave bubble and we you know we believe we build up this incredible this team I feel sorry for
our opponents we got all these incredible players we're going to destroy our comers but the when
we have a real match up which honestly come few and far between you know the Netherlands in 2022
reckoning that was Belgium in 2014 just the gap just the gap it seems in those moments so deeply
profoundly enormous but may no mistake the level of talent are disposable player for player it is
it is remarkable you know you also you see what Morocco did at the last world cup we can do that
we can do that with the right leadership in place we can do that and I say that as we come off
an odd window where they pair a friend these against as back as standard no man each in their
own way deeply substandard opponents almost hard to read in anything from these games at all so we
had this surreal reality where we've had a week in which we scored seven goals without conceding
yet somehow managed not to impress at all in the first game goalkeeper Matt Turner was player of the
game and we scored we scored two goals in the garbage time that made that suddenly feel
respectable in a way if you actually watched it it felt fairly numbing oh man we're such a patty
of an opponent the four goals scored you know yes pepies aside we're undermined by the truly
slapstick goalkeeping or a reckless own goal meant that the win itself felt like empty calories
my big takeaway I mentioned peppy God love that man Ricardo Pepe to find himself as one of my
favorite American footballers of this moment just his tenacity his clinicality is very being they
are all inspiring this battle you know as I could who do we like Balagano Pepe the honest truth is
it's the battle between them there is a great bloody thing and we should save that at every position
even as I say that Germany Garner in the next window that is a more serious test
but the most important thing the only thing is that healing between Greg and Gio now fit Gio
that will be the ultimate the most consequential the test this team are going to face for the rest
of the year and then the Copa next summer will be our everything where we are where we need to be
to truly compete all of that will be revealed
oh that song 1990 US World Cup song never fails to pick up my spirits
hi Raj this is Kelly in Arlington Virginia and I am depressingly at this moment in time a man
united fan but my call though is actually about the rubiala situation um he finally resigned
earlier this week after week's of pressure hilariously and my dad in an interview with
Pierce Morgan who talks show I feel like it's quickly becoming just a career yard for cancelled
ecotistical men but anyway um my question for you is this is this resignation really the victory
why does it really not feel like one at all do you think that any change will actually happen
now I just don't really feel like it will um anyway I love the show thanks for all you do courage
Kelly thank you for your call we should we should celebrate the resignation of rubiales
the removal of just a crappy man from from the game we love and yes the fact that Pierce Morgan
he's got his own very dark history of well pretty well everything it is a one giving all these
dudes a platform tells you all you need to know about rubiales his rise his fall his judgment
and who he was as a man you've come under ferocious pressure for three weeks now on you
and your family it's been very difficult for your daughters or young girls I can only imagine as
a father myself I have a daughter is around the age of one of your girls credibly difficult
that comes a point perhaps when the pressure is just so relentless that you do think about what
you should do with yourself and your future many people think you should resign as president
what are you going to do I love so much my daughters and they they love me so so much I
I'm very happy I'm very proud of them very very proud of them they are very near to me
about my resignation yes I'm going to do I'm going yeah I'm going to yes because I cannot continue
my work but your question it is well phrase because the reality is rubiales was a toxic creature
but he was not a bad apple just a sole operative who was just bad on his own he was the product
of a culture and a system of power inside Spanish football that is still prevalent
you know they they they they in these situations always say oh yeah he was just we didn't even
know how bad he was we had no idea he's not he's a reflection of everything around him and until
until true change occurs a true cleaning of house honestly little if anything is going to change
so we're at a standoff today new head coach Montse tour may who we've celebrated her appointment the
first woman ever to coach the women's national team yes that's to be applauded but then you speak
to everybody in Spanish football she was a number two to the truly awful recently fired
builder and everybody I've spoken to says this human being is more of the same she will today name
her squad for the first two international games been more placents winning the World Cup and the
players who were in the World Cup squad plus the 15 mutineers who'd already sat out because
of the dreadfulness at the heart of Spanish soccer they've all said they will not return to play
until more significant and widespread change occurs they want the enablers of rubiales the power
brokers including secretary general and reo camps and the head of integrity I just love that
Spanish football has a head of integrity I'm guessing that's ironic I use those words lightly
Miguel Gosse Cabba they have a head of integrity that's amazing and those responsible as
in the communications department who essentially leaked Jenny Homozo's false statements
after the kiss the assault just watch this story it will continue to and spool and the extent
of change in Spain you know we seen it in the United States the equality achieved by our women
was essentially symbolic and then you know gave people in nations outside of the United States a
target to organize for what happens in Spain is going to be critical obviously for Spanish football
but for so many federations facing their own similar battles now Godspeed to all the women
they've got numbers forward now wait one come on on the box and go Spain leaves come on up
one last question brodge as I especially call you the real original inverted rb
until that tap starly once in the city of broad shoulders and lots of wind Chicago, Illinois
now you are here to bear witness the thrashing of our beloved bears this past week
very northern cheesy rivals my big hands love and cockrole support and spurs fan
my message concerns your treasured puppies ever to nfc
no question fallen to process some grief as a friend's father passed away this week
fun much too soon my lasting memory of him is a vision of AJ's pub here in Chicago a year or so ago
father and son my friend opposite ends of the bar because they couldn't bear to wash the
ups and downs mostly the downs shoulder to shoulder i know my buddy was never closer
than with those post-match sellies in the wind and the draw bugs and commiserations in the losses
as you say those moments shared meaning more than any points goals for transfer budget
i'll be thinking about his dad and support for their family as i watch the talkies play for now on
especially when listening to this pod as everton seems to be mentioned now and then
at all seems synonymous now those memories charlie i love your message first of all i'm so
sorry for your friends lost the loss of a father loss of any parent just a true agony in life
but i love what you've said in your message that the memories they made watching football together
was some of the most profound i love it i feel it within my own family by the way up and down with
my dad with my kids lord knows as everton fans and it sounds like you mate and his father were ever
and fans we don't have much to cheer which i always say this gives those moments even more meaning
and i say i say to all that let's save it as we return to the premier league action this weekend
let's remember what's important let's separate that from what's not important let's know that the
time we have together know that the time we have watching football is not infinite and let's not
take a second for granted in that vein the joy of football i am so bloody proud i'm going to end
with this to launch early kick off this monday we set this studio up in london
said that we can do so much more on the men and blazers media network and the idea behind this
podcast is well every morning i wake up at 5 a.m and for an hour and a half i read pretty well
everything that's been written in every newspaper in england so i'm ready to do my job and look
i know that is neither a sane way to live nor a normal way to live but as someone that is steeped
in football and to keep up with it in this new reality the news the games the rumors the transfers
the storylines the smell of the game it is just an unceasing spigot this social media
era this information overload it is almost impossible to keep up even for me i find it bloody hard
so while launching this new show it's a micropod that in 10 minutes every morning while you sleep
will be crafted by our english producers that's why i set up a studio in london said well you
sleep we can craft we can create we can deliver so the moment you wake up you can catch up with
every story line that's baubled up overnight the first host is a magical man sammy james the gent
with two first names i've loved working with him and the whole producing team around it to
construct this we've been working on it for really the past three months it launches on monday
for you to subscribe to this it would mean so much to me if you could take a moment right now
to find the pod feed popping early kickoff until wherever you get your pods subscribe hit that
subscribe button right now because it is in its very own pod feed it will not come automatically
to you through this one it will need you to subscribe to it search early kickoff then smash the
subscribe that will make my day i'm going to leave you with a buster mr sammy james this is roch
sending you big love and courage
good morning it is time for early kickoff from the men and blazers media network all your global
football stories straight from the back pages of europe's newspapers in around 10 or so minutes
it's sammy james here on friday september the 15th and coming up this morning jayden sancho has
been banished from the Manchester united squad christian ballistic is set to play his first ever
melandar b and find out why a 22 year old who has never played football before is getting a shot
at a top club in the check for public
first up let's discuss jayden sancho the line from united this afternoon is this jayden sancho will
remain on a personal training program away from the first team group pending resolution of a squad
discipline issue reported that he'd had a meeting with erick ten harg the manager on monday
it would seem that there is maybe more talking to do maybe more meetings ahead that was sky sports
news reporting on huge developments coming out of Manchester united following that very public
falling out between manager erick ten harg and english winger jayden sancho it's a saga that has
dominated the back pages ever since ten harg stated that sancho has been dropped from the squad
due to his poor performances in training following the red devils is lost to arsenal just before
the international break sancho then hit back on social media claiming in a now deleted post
that he had trained well and he believed that he'd been made escape goat for a long time
the crux themata appears to be that ten harg is demanding an apology from sancho for that
social media post but sancho in turn doesn't think he's done anything wrong as a result he's not
apologizing but he won't be considered for selection for the near future beginning with the
visit of brightened to old traffic on saturday until there's a resolution it's the latest log
in the bin fire that Manchester united has become over recent weeks as our field development such
as the mason greenwood and antony domestic abuse accusations have threatened to disrupt the team
camp here's Manchester united fan adam mccola who thinks that this could be the last throw of
the dice from ten harg now you can only feel erick ten harg's comments were maybe the last throw
of a dice of a manager who has been pretty kind to jade and sancho last season gave him three
months off allowed him to go away club welcomed him back with open arms everything seemed to be really
rosy between the manager and the player that didn't seem to be an issue maybe the manager has
tried everything so opinions used to be completely divided over this issue fans like adam
think that ten harg might be doing the right thing but x players such as former aston villas
striker gabby agbonlahore speaking on british radio station talks for thinks that erick ten harg
is acting like a schoolteacher and this move will drastically depreciate his value and further
dent his confidence as well this next story revolves around that man sam vines the colorado born
left back and that was him scoring for the USA against hatey in the gold cup happier times
from sam because he's been dealt a real blow in the last twenty four hours so early this week
we discovered that he'd been left out of royal ant verps champions league roster meaning that he
cannot play in any of their six group games now sam did pick up an injury during ant verps most
recently game on september third but apparently the emission from the champions league roster is not
because of his injury but it is due to an administrative error with ant verps manager mark van
bubble acknowledging the mistake and saying that sammy is disappointed now this is such a blow
ant verps group contained european powerhouses shaktar de nex fc porto and the big one barcelona now
sam may have missed the trips to the camp new of injury but he'd have almost certainly be back for
the home tie in mid december meanwhile one of sam's fellow usm and he stars has a very big weekend
ahead of him yes Christian policy will play in his first ever melandar be this saturday and
he'll be hoping for a moment just like the one we heard for ac against their bitter rivals
inter now technically this isn't a way match for ac although it's obviously still played at the
san cero but he'll be jeered and whistled with every touch of the ball by the infamous curva nord
home to inter's altruz into an ac are the only two sides in syria with a hundred percent records
so something on saturday has to give catch it on saturday at midday eastern time live on paramount plus
so the nominations are out for the best FIFA football awards this is the theme tune
to the glitzy night that happens once a year now if the ball on door are the Oscars of the football
world then i'd say these are the golden glows this you still want to win one but it's not quite the
Oscars Lionel Messi killing in a bappé and earling harland are among the nominees for this year's
gongs now in comparison to the ball on door which is it going to be a shoe in for Lionel Messi the
qualifying period for the men's awards run from december the 19th 2022 which conveniently is the day
after Messi helped argentina to world cup glory so in theory this award might be a lot closer and
i think earling harland will have a much better chance of winning on the women's side
scoring a brilliant header for the us against the neverlands but she is the only us women's national
team nominee in the women's category with england spain and australia dominating those nominations
pet quadriola is up for his first ever best men's coach award which is surely a shoe in having
steered Manchester City to a treble last season and on the women's side it's england coach serena
up against the likes of Chelsea boss Emma Hayes and boss alone as yonatan gyraldes
that is not jordan bell 4 that is kyle walker of wall street the manchester city wingback doing
his very best bell 4 impression because he has signed a new contract with manchester city
until 2026 kyle has said that he's thrilled to sign a new deal and this video is brilliant so it's
kyle doing the speech and then just like in wall street his crowd his people this time it's the
manchester city squad go wild in the changing room to kyle walkers announcement very very well done
from manchester city definitely taking a leaf out of bernie's book for how to do funny announcement
videos and this will be a big big relief to manchester city fans walker was a huge target for
buying Munich this summer but it looks like he'll be staying there long term and buying
Munich with dealt another blow yesterday as they might not be getting this man as soon as they
thought yes this is jao polina the full and player scoring against arsenal a few weeks ago and on
deadline day he looked set to join biann Munich but incredibly he signed a new contract until
2028 with full him it felt inevitable that jao either in january or the summer was going to
join biann Munich and signing a new contract doesn't necessarily mean that he won't but it's
certainly a statement of intent both from polina and full him and yeah bit of a double whammy
for biann Munich and as a full and fan I'll take it all day long but that was the last thing I
expected to see on my phone yesterday when that notification came through.
Oh how we missed you sweet sweet Premier League and the PL Golds have delivered us a feast
to gorge on this weekend Liverpool fans set your alarms as you have the early Saturday kick off
7 30 am east in time as you face walls at mollownue and that is live on USA then at 10 it's the
return of pep guardiola to the dugout as Manchester City travelled to west ham also at 10 spurs
verses chef will United and Manchester United versus Brighton at old traffic both of those games
on peacock an incredible world where I make Brighton clear favourites for an away game at Manchester
United now if you're not watching Christian Policic in the Milan derby the new castle versus
Brentford is the sassy 12 30 kick off that's live on NBC on sunday you've got Bournemouth versus
Chelsea at 9 am on USA and then Everton versus Arsenal at 11 30 also on USA Arsenal's last five
games at goodison park have seen four losses and just one draw can they break their goodison
park curse they cannot afford any slip ups if they're to keep chasing Manchester City in the title
race but Sean dice will smell blood elsewhere across Europe there's a tasty match in Germany on
Friday as the two sides at the top of the Bundesliga go head to head buy in Munich versus buy at
levacus and both sides on three wins from three and that's at 2 30 p.m. Eastern time on ESPN today
in Spain Barça are at home to Betis on Saturday at 3 o'clock Eastern and Real Madrid are at home
to Real Sociedad on Sunday at the same time both of those are on ESPN plus
and finally I love this story an unknown 22 year old who has never played football before
has been signed by Czech club fk usd nade labem now maybe they've unearthed an unknown gem from
the Ecuadorian league like Brighton like to do or is he a late bloomer like Arsenal legend Ian
Wright who is playing Sunday amateur football up until the age of 21 well it turns out none of
these are quite the case this is about Martin Pordowski who has never played football but is the
son of a local millionaire who owns the company that sponsors the club and his dad has paid the
equivalent of around 22 thousand dollars for a 10 minute appearance for his son for the third
division side and interestingly it seems as though the club's fans are supportive of the decision
as a poll from Czech website Idnez shows that 63% don't have a problem with it and believe it's win-win
coming up today on the men and blazers podcast feed it's wg fop with roge taking your calls ahead
of a big weekend of European club football still time to get your voicemails into the show
call 646-450-9472 to leave them for roge also on the men and blazers youtube channel
our interview with NFL future Hall of Famer J.J. what interviewing Burnley manager Vincent
Company is live too and it's amazing as you'd imagine we'll be back on Monday until then
enjoy the weekend's football it's Sammy from Surrey signing out and remember football don't sleep
and neither do we hey prime members you can listen to men and blazers add free on amazon music
download the amazon music app today or you can listen add free with wandery plus in apple podcasts
before you go tell us about yourself by completing a short survey at wandery.com slash survey