World Cup Best Teams Head to the Semi-Finals with Brisbane Football Review

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Foreign.

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Hello and welcome back to the Aussie football passport. I am

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joined by the Brisbane Football Review, Scott and Adam, to wrap up

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the knockout stages of the World Cup. G', day,

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Scott. How are you? I'm good, Alex. We are at the business end of the

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World cup and it's a bit bittersweet, isn't it? I've really enjoyed watching all the

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games through the group stage and we are getting to the point where the best

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teams are playing each other, but the games are running out. What are we supposed

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to do with ourselves now? There's not four games a day. I know, I know.

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It's really hard. It's. You know, I've got the football withdrawals. You can probably

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lucky it's only a audio medium. You can't see me shaking with.

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With my football withdrawals at the moment. Well said,

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I think, Scott. Adam, how are you? I'm good. And I

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think FIFA got it right. At least the world rankings allegedly got it right.

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We got the top four seeds into the semi finals.

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We'll see if it's up or not. But look, they got

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what they want. But we should have some very, very good semi finals

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and final to come in the next week. Definitely.

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I. There's a sentence we haven't heard in a long time, Alex. FIFA got it

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right. Yeah, I know. It's. It's.

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I mean, considering everything else that's happened in this tournament that

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we'll get to later on, it's refreshing to have that sentence.

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But before we jump into it, Adam, I'll get you to plug your wonderful

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podcast, the Brisbane Football Review. Yeah, you can find

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us on a Facebook for review or Brisbane Football Review on Twix

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at bne football Instagram Threads, Brisbane Football View

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or lowercase. You can drop us an email brisbane football reviewmail.com

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and you can find us at all good podcast platforms and some not

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so good on the likes of Apple Podcasts and

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Spotify. Brilliant. Thank you, Adam. And of course, Brisbane Football Review

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is the place to go if you want to know all about the

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from the NPL all the way down to the more local leagues in Brisbane

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and Queensland, and of course the Brisbane Raw men's

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and women's team when the A League season rolls around, which is still

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a few months away, of course, but it is World cup

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and the Socceroos even though they are knocked out. We do have

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some updates for you on the Socceroos. Let's start

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off with, of course, Jordan Boss, his injury. We have

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had more or less confirmation that he is out for three months

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with that knee injury. He had surgery during the week Feyenoord

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had posted. And Scott, I know we talked about this off

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air and for course Adam as well. But, but Scott, I'll throw to you Jordan

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Boss's injury. We, we talked about whether it would hinder

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his potential moves. I think it's pretty fair to say he'll be at Feyenoord

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this season at least until the winter transfer window.

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Feels that way doesn't it? It's the not the best time for him in terms

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of the in a potential transfer to wherever he may have been potentially

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looked at over the European summer, but does feel like that now is going to

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have to wait at least six months and hopefully he can put in some good

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performance after he returns from injury to potentially earn

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that move in that January transfer window which could be a busy time for him

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of course because if he does get back on the right timetable he will be

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available for the soccer. He's at the Asia cup which is from an international perspective

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the most important thing for us but also to get back to his club as

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soon as possible and play to the best level because at his best he's a

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player who's very much capable of playing in a top five league. It's only a

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matter of time. This is just a minor setback on that path definitely.

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And you know what I'm trying to I was trying to think of a

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silver lining and it's pretty good because there's a change of coach

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at Feyenoord. Robin Van Persie is out, Giovanni Van Bronkhorst

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is coming in and he was a pretty handy left back back in his day

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so it's a pretty good. It's a pretty good mentor for Jordy

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Boss. Just hopefully he doesn't bring any of that luck from his assistant roller

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to let's keep them unnamed English club from

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last season Slotball. Anyway that's the wrong podcast

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Adam, Paul Okonengsler looks like he's going to

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be the first of this Socceroos squad from the World cup to make his move

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to Cologne in the Bundesliga. What are your thoughts on that?

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I'd say it's a good move for Paul Oconenslo

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again He. He was he made the move to Sydney

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FC after playing in Portugal.

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Look I think it's just just rewards big money move for the

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A league in Sydney FC but but also as well I think for

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his development I think a mid level club Cologne let's

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face it in the in the Bundesliga I think it's Probably a good starting point

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for him at his age also as well because I think if he performs

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out well there then the chances are that he will get picked up. If not

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by one of the bigger German clubs is one in particular that seems to like

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to drag net the all the talent in hey Munich.

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But also, but also as well potentially other, potentially other sort

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of clubs in continental Europe. So I think it's a very, very good move for

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him. Yeah, I tend to agree. I actually think the Bundesliga

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is almost a perfect place for Paul Oconnexler given the style of football that

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he, we've seen from him not only in the A league but now at the

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World Cup. That fast transitional play, it's going to suit him down to

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a tee and his, you know, tactical sort

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of gain that he has. So I'm, I'm really happy

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with that move as well. Now another

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central midfielder, one that didn't get any minutes. Cameron Devlin is

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off to Rangers following his coach from,

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from Edinburgh to Glasgow I should say. What do you

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make of that move Scott? It's an interesting move isn't it? Again moving

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from hearts to ranges with the coach does guarantee at least the coach knows

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him and likes him so that's a positive for him. It is a step up,

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there's no doubt about that. And also the fact that he's moving to a club

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playing in European football. Not sure what competition ranges are in next year but they're

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always generally in one league, European competition. So to have that step up is an

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important thing for him and he didn't get any game time at the World cup

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but there's potential opportunities there in that midfield. Jax Nervine isn't

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getting any younger and as we saw Aiden o' Neill and Paul o' Connor,

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apart from those two, there's not a lot of options in that midfield. He was

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on the radar so I think it's an opportunity for him there. Hopefully it goes

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better than it did for Matt Mackay, the last Australian to play for Rangers.

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That was a short lived and ill fated move for him but hopefully

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for Cam Devlin who's well adapted to Scottish football now this is a move for

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him to really step up and he's in the purple spot of his career,

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isn't he? In terms of that late 20s age point, he's a quality player and

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this is a great chance for him to really step up and potentially win some

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things at club level and maybe solidify a spot in the starting lineup for the

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national team. Definitely. And I think the key thing to that is

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that Derek McInnes, the coach that's incoming there, of course making

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the same move as Cameron Devlin, knows and trusts him. You'd think he'd been

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almost a nailed on starter in that midfield for Rangers

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because of that. And I think that leans into him getting the

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game time he needs. And there

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Scott did categorize it as a step step up. I don't

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know about that. The Hearts did fish well ahead of Rangers

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as far as. No, no,

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no, no, you're right, you're right. But Rangers are probably

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the second biggest club. They've had a few ordinary seasons.

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So maybe Pammy Devlin will help restore the parody

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on the blue side of Glasgow because they've got to keep those green ones on

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check. Yeah, someone does. I guess so. Well, I've got you

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Adam. Lucas Harrington, he has been

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spotted at the German consulate in Brisbane getting a German

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passport. So again maybe if you want to explain to the

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listeners why that's why he's doing that and why it's

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probably a good thing and potentially signaling his next club move.

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Look, it's, it's very simple. In fact, personally I'm looking

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at doing that myself at the moment. You know, being of Maltese heritage, they're part

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of the eu. So the advantage of getting, if you're,

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if you are a citizen or you're eligible to be not just a

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citizen but eligible to be a passport holder by,

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by birth or by lineage is that

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basically you can work anywhere in the European Union which does cover

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for a professional like Lucas Harrington or a potential professional.

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Being 18 years old he would be able to then basically pick and

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choose where he plays. It probably doesn't probably bodes

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more to. The fact is that he is getting a European

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passport that the next move, big move is off to other

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continent rather than the UK because as Australian you do have failing and

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with this with Socceroos being the top 40 team, so work permit

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issues don't come into it. So he would need to go to these extent,

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this extent if he was moving to a, to a British club. Therefore I think

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the more likely move is that he is headed to the continent which. Which does

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include some very, very big clubs and we hope that Lucas plays for

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some of the biggest of them all. But I didn't even know he was in

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Brisbane. So welcome back to our hero and lad.

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Indeed. And yeah potentially one of

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the semi league finalists. You'd think that he's headed off to.

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Now let's leave the Socceroos and let's

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talk about the World Cup. In general, because, Scott, I know you've got a bit

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of a bone to pick with the TV rights, so I'll let you off the

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leash for this one. It's not such a bone to pick, it's more just a

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foreshadowing of something that I think is going to come down the line. Alex,

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are you enjoying the World cup on sbs? I am indeed. The home of football,

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Sex before soccer, that's what we love. Sbs.

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I'm enjoying it as well. It's been fantastic having all the games live and free

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on their network. I'm not doing an advertorial form, but it has been fantastic.

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I'm just not sure it's going to be continuing because if you look at it,

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the rights are up after this World cup cycle and they also are up in

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North America as well. And it's very interesting. So Fox in America paid?

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485 million for the English language rights and Telemundo we were talking about

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before we started recording, the fact they're getting a big boost in

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our viewership due to the lack of ad breaks during the hydration for

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them. They paid 600 million for the Spanish language, which writes it's

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being valued between 1.5 and 2 billion for the next US right

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cycle combined for them and some of the players, the Disney network, which is ABC

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newspaper and all the rest of it, they're one of them. Fox is in it,

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but so are Netflix, Amazon and YouTube.

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YouTubeTV. Now, if those three places are going to start spending

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1.5 to $2 billion on our TV

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rights for the World Cup, I'm not sure they're going to stop at just the

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US market. So I imagine that they would look at acquiring other rights around

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the world and making it a global sort of a thing. So potentially

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SBS may not just be up against the traditional fox to zone 7,

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9, 10. They have been previously. I think they paid about 30 million for

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this most recent one. So they could have some big global competition for

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the next right here in Australia, which may may see us potentially having

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some of the World cup behind a paywall. So we'll see what happens. But I

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did see that story during the week and we are very fortunate in this country

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to have all the games of the World cup available on free to wear television.

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It's a luxury that the majority of the world does not have and it's one

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that we've very much enjoyed and I hope it continues selfishly, but I'm just putting

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that out there. It may not be something that's going to continue for too much

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longer. Yeah, I think you're probably right, Scott. I'm not 100% sure

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on the laws. I do think there is something in the Socceroos games

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in the final has to be on Free to wear everything else you can take

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behind the thing. They would probably, they have to do some kind of deal with

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a free to air network and it would be probably a package of games that

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would be, those would be included. But the majority you would think would go behind

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the paywall if that were to come up. Yeah, definitely. So you know, you,

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I didn't want to discredit your point of course, Scott. I just want to make

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sure that yeah, there will definitely be still some games on Free

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to Air, let's say. But yes, most of them you like the

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2018 thing, the original plan in 2018 when SVs

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were meant to have one game a day and optism and have the rest of

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them then we know what happened to them. But that sort of a model like

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that I would imagine could be back in play again. Yeah,

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I, I, I think you have absolutely nailed that because let's

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be honest, if those three are involved, that's exactly what's

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going to happen. And sorry just also as well. Sorry, just I'm

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just reading up as well just to Scott's point about the raised

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value. Conversely as well, I guess

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the world, the, the world's biggest market in China, they were probably

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weeks away from being blacked out because FIFA probably tried

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to go too hard and wanted US$300 million for the rights for

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any of their broadcasts over there. They ended up settling for US$60 million.

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So maybe again for

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a market like the US you could probably really maximize your

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revenue. But some other places like China, obviously a

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billion people. I believe there's a situation in India as well.

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I couldn't find how much the rights

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end up going there. But it could be interesting as well that you know where

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Australia fits in terms of whether, whether the rights are

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as valuable here as they

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will be saying in Europe or North America or whether it's more Asian

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where you could probably stand up a little bit and end up paying

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a lot less. Which is probably given that SBS only paid 30

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million for those rights. It's actually probably per capita,

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it's actually probably even worth more than what the Chinese

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deal is. That was pre hydration break prices as well,

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Alex. That's going to, that's going to put things through up again. And if you

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think that they're going to be a one off in the, in the World cup.

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If we're Talking about potentially 1.5 to 2 billion in the US you can

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guarantee that part of that negotiation will be we want those things and all those

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ads back in as well. So that's going to be the. The way it's going

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to be. Unfortunately, we all don't. None of us like them, but I don't think

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they're going anywhere. I know UEFA, I was gonna say, I know UEFA have already

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ruled out for Euro 2028, so I don't know if they've seen the

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light or that they're pretty satisfied with the TV

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rights feeds that they're getting. But thankfully someone has.

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Is not on board with the hydration bank. But I agree completely,

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Scott. I think this is something, you know, for FIFA tournaments that have

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a commercial value. This is something we're going to see a lot more of,

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unfortunately. Yeah, definitely. And speaking of

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the Drip, well, look, the. As Scott said at

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the start of the pod, the expansion has actually been pretty good.

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But FIFA already looking at expanding to 60 14.

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So, you know, hydration breaks definitely going to stay. And I even

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read that the US are going to bid again for the. So where are we?

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We've got 2030 is all over the globe. And then you've got 2034

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in Saudi Arabia. Right. And then the next one,

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2038, as you said, Adam. So, yeah, us, unless they change

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the rules. Alex, again, which FIFA never changed the rules in the bidding process.

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Never do that. Never. North America or

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Oceania, and I don't think we count as bidding with Oceania. So it'd be New

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Zealand and the Islands up against North America. I think we can all see where

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that's going to go. Yeah, definitely, because.

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Yes, exactly. So there's not really

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a fight there. So, yes, that's interesting

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times for the World cup, let's put it that way. But anyway,

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we should probably have a chat about what has happened since we last did

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a podcast, ever. Of course, a round of 32 finished up,

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then it went to the round of 16. And maybe we should start with the

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team that knocked us out, Egypt, who then went on to face Argentina. So that

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could have been the fate that awaited us had we got past Egypt, but of

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course we didn't, and I'm still not salty about that.

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Egypt went on to lose to Argentina 32

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in a come from behind victory. That was tinged with a bit of controversy,

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wasn't it, Adam? Yeah, Argentina controversy. I don't

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think it is too far away from everything, but yeah,

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this Was a get out J the absolute extremes

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Argentina. But look,

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credit to credit to Egypt. They really gave everything and

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yeah, I think they. In the end, I think

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they're just. Just so fell short. But a lot of controversy

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in this. In this contest. Yeah, there certainly wasn't there.

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I mean there was, you know, var. Everything involved

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in this one or not involved in some instances.

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Scott, I. I don't know what you made of that game. Did. Did you find

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it as controversial as Adam and I was certainly controversial.

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There is no doubt about the fact it was controversial. I will say the fact

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they got the second goal two minutes after the one that was probably unfairly ruled

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out. He did. Did give the sense that really it wasn't. It was essentially

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just the way of getting that goal either way. So they were tuning like with

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what, 20 minutes to go or 25 minutes to go in the game. And at

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that point it is very much a game management thing. And they played unbelievably,

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unbelievably well aged in terms of what they did. They were very impressive.

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I will say they did sit back a little bit too much for mine in

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the last 20 minutes. I know I didn't see any throwing everything at them and

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that's the natural tendency, but they just were sitting back a little bit too much

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for me. And I will say the third goal was brilliant, the way they just

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played it for. It was a sensational bit of play. It was coming.

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Argentina were running home with the momentum, but for Egypt's

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sake, it was incredibly cruel. And while I don't have too much sympathy because they

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knocked us out, I will say it was very harsh on them to lose in

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normal time. And I'm actually glad that wasn't us, because that was us. I think

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it would have been even more shattering than the way we went out. So a

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great effort from Egypt though, and Argentina is too good. Very good point.

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Very good point. And we should also mention that Argentina were taken to the wire

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just after our game against Cabo Verde or Cape

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Verde, if you're. Yeah, if you want to pronounce it the English way,

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I guess. Three, two, extra time. And there was some cracking

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goals in that one. However, Argentina progressed, as we said,

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and they faced Switzerland, who were making their first appearance in

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the quarterfinal since 1954. Switzerland, of course,

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they got through. They beat. Oh, God, I've had a.

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They beat Columbia. Columbia. Thank you. On penalties. That's right. I couldn't remember

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it because I fell asleep. It was that good, that game. You're not the Only

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one? Yeah, I'm sure there'll be plenty of people.

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Apologies Colombian and Swiss fans out there, but I'm

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sure I've got zero of them anyhow.

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Yes. So Argentina went on to face Switzerland and again,

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another game that Argentina just

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seemed to do enough in in that one, didn't they, Adam?

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Look, they did early,

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early goal for Argentina. They. They sort of had control

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of it and then second half come out. Switzerland came

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out and really sort of,

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they really supplied well to get back in the game.

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Got the, got the equalizer. But then all hell broke loose.

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A couple minutes later, Leandro Paredes a

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judge to get a yellow card and. And then on a VAR

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review then not only got the card rescinded,

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but also got Imbolo sent off for Simulation,

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his second yellow card. And I

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was stunned, if I'm being honest, when I saw that, not because of the

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rescinding, I. It was a, it was a clear dive. It was a

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very, very stupid thing for Imbolo to do.

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But look, I just think common sense refereeing was

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suggested where it happened. I know simulation, simulation.

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You. This is the sort of crap we want to get out of the game,

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but this is just not the timing where you

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actually want to use VAR for this thing to make an example.

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And this just really changed the game. And it, it sort of really,

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it really meant that I thought Switzerland did a great job just to get extra

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time after that, but. But then in the end, two. Two goals

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in extra time. Julian Alvarez's goal was sensational. Like,

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again, look, I know that Argentina to a point,

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have you gotten so lucky, if you want to say that,

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but with that luck to show some. Shows an absolute skill as well.

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And look, of all those great goals, Alvarez skull was

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just absolutely brilliant, especially the timing of it as well.

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It's got to be one of the goals of the tournament. But Scott, maybe I'll

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get your thoughts as well on the Imbolo incident. I mean, the first

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yellow was clearly a yellow. I mean, that was, that was dumb as well,

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let's be completely honest. But I don't know about the, the var.

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Did you have similar thoughts to Adam or an alternative view?

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00:22:04,320 --> 00:22:07,960
No, I just find it really interesting that the VAR intervened on that.

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00:22:08,460 --> 00:22:12,010
Clearly they looked at that incident and they said, no, that's not a foul from

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00:22:12,510 --> 00:22:16,250
Paridis, that's a. A dive from Ebola. That's why they're saying mistaken identity.

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To me, it wasn't really mistaken identity. That would imply a different Argentina

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player made the foul. It was more they're actually saying, hang on, no, no,

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that's not a foul, that's actually a dive. So I didn't know the VAR could

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actually intervene and judge that because I know they're not supposed to get involved in

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yellow card decisions. I'm not sure. I'm not saying they did anything wrong or anything

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like that. I'm just saying I didn't know that they could actually do that.

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And it did change the game to Adam's point because they were already without Johan

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Manzan base through injury. And he's been a revelation for Switzerland in

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this tournament. You take him out, you take out Briel and Bolo and at that

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point their attacking weapons are pretty limited in terms of what they had available.

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So it did make things very difficult. And there is a real what if with

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that game. Alex at one all with 20 minutes to go, a full 11v11

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with a bolo out there, who knows what happens. I'm not saying maybe

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it's the same result, you never know. But it could have been a very different

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game and I would love to have seen what that would have ended up looking

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like because Switzerland had the momentum at that point and it would have been very

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intriguing to see what happened. But that red card, it was a dive, you have

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to say. I do think it was a dive, but I didn't think the VAR

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could intervene on that one. So very unfortunate to Switzerland. To Adam's point as

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well. Yeah, I would say that Alvarez strike at the goal of the tournament.

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It was a long time coming. It took Argentina forever to get to it,

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but it was a great way to win the game. Oh, of course. As well.

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Just one, one point. I just. I missed as well, just before as well.

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I thought Dan and Doy's goal was absolute cracker as well.

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That's a brought stadium down almost. I think all

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the, all the underdog backers as well. And look, we saw Dan and Doy really

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sort of make. Make Kite Truitt and Lucas Harrington look pretty

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00:23:52,330 --> 00:23:56,390
ordinary in that, in that friendly against Switzerland

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00:23:58,470 --> 00:24:01,910
in San Diego for the World Cup. But look, he, he actually

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showed on the big stage and he, he's a very, very good player. So.

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But those boys probably shouldn't feel so bad, but yeah, look,

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it's, it's unfortunate for Switzerland. I thought they, they were in that

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game. But look, at the end of the day, Argentina,

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unfortunately, there seems to be this, this gray cloud that

377
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is following them around with controversy.

378
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So let's just hope the semi final doesn't that great

379
00:24:29,030 --> 00:24:33,090
cloud dissipates yeah, that would be good. I'm sure English fans

380
00:24:33,590 --> 00:24:37,570
will certainly agree with that, Adam. And just a little side note,

381
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the Argentine FA is being investigated by the FBI

382
00:24:42,370 --> 00:24:45,410
for off field incidences as well that I

383
00:24:45,910 --> 00:24:49,850
was reading about in terms of lots of money changing hands

384
00:24:50,350 --> 00:24:53,730
and going different places and in particular in allegedly.

385
00:24:53,970 --> 00:24:57,170
Allegedly. Yes, thank you. For legal purposes. Sorry, I've just done

386
00:24:57,670 --> 00:25:01,450
the inverted commas as well, just to, you know, legally save myself there. Thank you,

387
00:25:01,950 --> 00:25:05,610
Scott. I will use your legal counsel, no doubt again in

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this, in this podcast. Anyway, moving right along, let's go to

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another nation. Let's talk about Spain

390
00:25:14,450 --> 00:25:18,370
who came through the round of 32 and faced their

391
00:25:18,870 --> 00:25:22,130
Iberian neighbors in a, I guess an Iberian derby, if you'd like

392
00:25:22,630 --> 00:25:26,330
to call it. They defeated Portugal and ended Cristiano Ronaldo's hopes

393
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of matching Messi's feats of a World cup victory.

394
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And I don't know if you agree with me, Scott.

395
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I think Spain have flown under the radar a little bit at this World Cup.

396
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They certainly haven't hit the heights of teams like a France have through the whole

397
00:25:42,430 --> 00:25:45,570
group stage or an Argentina in the group stage where they were playing really well.

398
00:25:46,070 --> 00:25:49,260
Other teams who play well, they, Spain have been just kicking along, getting results

399
00:25:49,760 --> 00:25:51,820
as well as maybe an old team which might get to later on in the

400
00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:55,580
show. But Spain have just been going under the radar quite nicely as well because

401
00:25:56,080 --> 00:25:59,220
they are just getting the results and they, they've got the quality. We know they've

402
00:25:59,720 --> 00:26:02,700
got that. And the way that they play is also very much harks back to

403
00:26:03,200 --> 00:26:06,620
what they did in 2010. So they're very possession based, try and build the ball

404
00:26:07,120 --> 00:26:09,900
through the thirds and all the wonderful things. They also don't really have a,

405
00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:13,830
a pure center forward here because I'm not sure if arable's the best, best in

406
00:26:14,330 --> 00:26:16,910
the world in that regard, but they've got enough quality to be able to make

407
00:26:17,410 --> 00:26:21,110
openings and create things for themselves. And Mikel Moreno feels like he's becoming a

408
00:26:21,610 --> 00:26:24,830
bit of a super sub for them. So they've got all the, all the attributes

409
00:26:25,330 --> 00:26:27,550
for side who can go a long way and get to the the last day,

410
00:26:28,050 --> 00:26:31,470
including young Lamin who's well, a lot of other stars

411
00:26:31,970 --> 00:26:34,750
have had better tournaments and he has, he's had a pretty good one in his

412
00:26:35,250 --> 00:26:37,590
own right and he's been a big part of that Spain side.

413
00:26:38,230 --> 00:26:41,910
Yeah, definitely. And I think the, the most underrated value of this Spanish

414
00:26:42,410 --> 00:26:45,650
side has been their ability to keep clean. She the the first goal

415
00:26:46,150 --> 00:26:49,890
they've conceded this tournament was in that quarterfinal against Belgium.

416
00:26:50,050 --> 00:26:53,490
We'll get to how Belgium got here shortly.

417
00:26:53,990 --> 00:26:57,130
But yeah, Charles de Catalarde was the first

418
00:26:57,630 --> 00:27:01,009
man to score against him at this World Cup. And I think, speaking of

419
00:27:01,509 --> 00:27:05,210
guys who aren't number nines. Yeah, exactly. Persisting with him over

420
00:27:05,710 --> 00:27:09,730
an unfit Lukaku. I mean, it eventually worked. It just took until the quarterfinals

421
00:27:10,230 --> 00:27:12,620
for Rudy Garcia there. But yes,

422
00:27:13,740 --> 00:27:17,100
Spain, very, very good. Adam, I think

423
00:27:17,600 --> 00:27:21,420
you probably will agree in terms of Spain flying under radar

424
00:27:21,920 --> 00:27:24,620
and getting the job done with super sub Mikhail Marino.

425
00:27:24,860 --> 00:27:28,180
Of the. Of the four semifinals, yes, I'd say they're probably

426
00:27:28,680 --> 00:27:31,100
the most unheralded. But again, it's been backed by very strong,

427
00:27:32,060 --> 00:27:35,140
strong defense of the Cabasi young Kabasi. I think it's been absolutely

428
00:27:35,640 --> 00:27:38,380
sensational in center back who very, very.

429
00:27:39,300 --> 00:27:43,140
A very similar profile to our own Lucas Harrington. As far as a young,

430
00:27:43,540 --> 00:27:46,580
young, very, very solid defender. Probably,

431
00:27:47,060 --> 00:27:50,100
with all due respect to Lucas, probably that next level,

432
00:27:50,500 --> 00:27:53,500
he's probably one of the world's best young players of mine,

433
00:27:54,000 --> 00:27:57,940
alongside Lamina Mal, his teammate, but teammate

434
00:27:58,440 --> 00:28:01,820
for club and country. But, yeah, look, Mikel Marino is probably the one that's

435
00:28:02,320 --> 00:28:05,620
stolen the headlines as far as being that super sub. But they're just.

436
00:28:06,120 --> 00:28:09,380
They're just going along and just. Just chipping away, which means they're probably.

437
00:28:10,040 --> 00:28:13,960
They're probably due at some point. And again,

438
00:28:14,680 --> 00:28:17,920
I don't know if it's going to be against France, but look, I wouldn't write

439
00:28:18,420 --> 00:28:21,880
them off against Le Bleu. Yeah, I mean, this will.

440
00:28:22,380 --> 00:28:25,959
This will be the real test for both sides. I think, you know,

441
00:28:26,459 --> 00:28:28,320
France have had to win a couple of different ways. We'll get to that.

442
00:28:28,820 --> 00:28:31,960
But I really wanted to touch on this point, gentlemen,

443
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and I'm sure you both will as well, because Belgium had a

444
00:28:36,580 --> 00:28:39,960
small matter versing one of the host nations before this in the round of

445
00:28:40,460 --> 00:28:44,230
16. And God thank you, Belgium, for defeating

446
00:28:44,730 --> 00:28:48,470
those Yanks, especially Belgium, for a day. I think we

447
00:28:48,970 --> 00:28:52,470
were. I think everyone outside the US and probably even some people inside the

448
00:28:52,970 --> 00:28:55,550
US who of different heritages.

449
00:28:56,350 --> 00:29:00,390
That's not really a word, but different heritage than being a

450
00:29:00,890 --> 00:29:04,670
Yankee Doodle. So, yes, Belgium defeating

451
00:29:04,750 --> 00:29:07,870
usa. What a great day. It was, Scott,

452
00:29:08,370 --> 00:29:11,170
wasn't it? Yeah. I'll go to the actual game, then we might get to the

453
00:29:11,670 --> 00:29:14,490
other part, which is probably the biggest subplot on the game itself. The US does

454
00:29:14,990 --> 00:29:17,890
seem to have a mental block against anybody who's any good out of Europe.

455
00:29:18,390 --> 00:29:21,770
They just cannot seem to beat teams from Europe and they they got beaten heavily

456
00:29:22,270 --> 00:29:25,730
by Belgium in a pre World cup friendly and that was repeated here. They lost

457
00:29:25,970 --> 00:29:28,970
as well to what took here in the group stage. They just can't beat European

458
00:29:29,470 --> 00:29:32,890
teams. It's in, it's in their head. Particularly Belgium are in their head. So again

459
00:29:33,390 --> 00:29:35,810
I do. I think they were thoroughly outplayed on the day and I think even

460
00:29:36,300 --> 00:29:39,500
the most ardent US football or soccer as they call it,

461
00:29:39,660 --> 00:29:43,020
experts over there acknowledge that they were thoroughly

462
00:29:43,520 --> 00:29:47,060
outplayed. I just want. I'm not sure the availability of

463
00:29:47,560 --> 00:29:51,020
Florin Baligan actually had anything to do with the loss. Although we all certainly very

464
00:29:51,520 --> 00:29:54,900
much enjoyed Belgium's reaction to that. I think as well, you think back

465
00:29:55,400 --> 00:29:59,460
to when we played the US on that field in Seattle. The energy, the intensity

466
00:29:59,960 --> 00:30:02,620
that they played at. There was none of that in this game. And they just,

467
00:30:03,120 --> 00:30:05,880
they look to me like they, yes, they were created a team that were better

468
00:30:06,380 --> 00:30:09,280
than them. They had the mental block. They also look like a side who maybe

469
00:30:09,780 --> 00:30:11,920
just run out of a little bit of legs. And the intensity that they played

470
00:30:12,420 --> 00:30:15,960
at, maybe they can't do that over a full eight game tournament. They might have

471
00:30:16,460 --> 00:30:19,560
to really rethink that because they were very good in the group stage, but in

472
00:30:20,060 --> 00:30:24,920
this game they were thoroughly beaten. And yeah, Belgium's reaction to that overturning

473
00:30:25,420 --> 00:30:28,640
of the red card was very. It was great to them. Get that. And the

474
00:30:29,140 --> 00:30:32,340
dancing alerts. It was absolutely brilliant. The decision. I don't know if you get to

475
00:30:32,840 --> 00:30:36,500
Alex, it's. It's mind boggling what that can't. I can't believe that actually happened.

476
00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:40,620
That the, the president of FIFA made a decision to overturn.

477
00:30:40,700 --> 00:30:44,540
Overturn, but suspend a red card penalty for

478
00:30:44,940 --> 00:30:47,820
whatever you want to call. I just find it, I find it mind boggling the

479
00:30:48,320 --> 00:30:51,220
fact that actually happened and I think it's great for football. The fact that Belgium

480
00:30:51,720 --> 00:30:54,300
actually just won the game and did it comfortably. Yeah,

481
00:30:54,700 --> 00:30:58,020
it's 100 the best thing. And that's why I

482
00:30:58,520 --> 00:31:02,210
think all football fans around the world rejoice at that because

483
00:31:02,710 --> 00:31:05,890
of the complete ridiculousness of the

484
00:31:06,390 --> 00:31:10,090
overturning of Florian Balogan's red card. Really, it's just,

485
00:31:10,330 --> 00:31:15,450
it's, it's nothing short of tampering

486
00:31:15,950 --> 00:31:19,490
with the game really, isn't it? And changing. Attempting to change outcomes

487
00:31:19,990 --> 00:31:23,370
and yeah, it's a concerning place that we find ourselves

488
00:31:23,870 --> 00:31:26,370
in. We gave FIFA a bit of praise at the start, but now it's time

489
00:31:26,870 --> 00:31:30,070
to, to get the FIFA bashing in, I think, isn't it, Adam? Look,

490
00:31:30,570 --> 00:31:34,150
it is and look there. Look There is precedent for that. But I don't

491
00:31:34,650 --> 00:31:36,670
even agree with the president to start with. I, I think at the end of

492
00:31:37,170 --> 00:31:41,190
the day the, the red, the red card is a red card.

493
00:31:42,390 --> 00:31:45,509
Unless, especially unless it was going to get rescinded.

494
00:31:45,910 --> 00:31:49,150
There was no reason for. It's like what, what is a suspended

495
00:31:49,650 --> 00:31:52,470
sentence? Like the word. Yeah. What are we in juvie hall now? Like,

496
00:31:52,630 --> 00:31:56,390
I just, I just think, I just think. Yeah. And, and I think

497
00:31:56,890 --> 00:32:00,070
as well as I always like to say the football gods,

498
00:32:00,710 --> 00:32:04,350
they, they. They exact karma. And this was the sweetest

499
00:32:04,850 --> 00:32:08,390
form of karma there was. And look, I think that hopefully that this draws a

500
00:32:08,890 --> 00:32:11,309
line under. Which is a real shame because this will. Let's talk about a lot

501
00:32:11,809 --> 00:32:15,150
of things. The football on the pitch has been great and I just

502
00:32:15,650 --> 00:32:19,590
think that yeah, it's just unnecessary. It's, it's. It's the excuse

503
00:32:20,090 --> 00:32:24,200
and pile on. But it's like FIFA enjoy kicking their own goals because

504
00:32:24,700 --> 00:32:27,840
the tournament itself is great. But every time I get involved with some nonsense

505
00:32:28,480 --> 00:32:32,120
any but just. And on the USA as well, I do think that a

506
00:32:32,620 --> 00:32:35,680
lot of the extra pressure as well, a lot of the hate,

507
00:32:36,240 --> 00:32:39,720
a lot of just the absolute ignorance from a lot of their fans as well

508
00:32:40,220 --> 00:32:43,680
and not understanding that just because it's a

509
00:32:44,180 --> 00:32:47,680
foreign concept in the US that this not,

510
00:32:48,180 --> 00:32:51,360
it's not acceptable overseas. And this whole,

511
00:32:51,860 --> 00:32:55,520
this whole line I thought was absolutely laughable of. Oh, what don't you

512
00:32:56,020 --> 00:32:59,280
want to be to beat the best team possible? No, he did the wrong thing.

513
00:32:59,780 --> 00:33:02,720
He got a red card, he got sent off. He deserves to miss the match,

514
00:33:02,799 --> 00:33:06,240
next match like every other footballer across the planet.

515
00:33:06,640 --> 00:33:09,800
Like so again in the end I think,

516
00:33:10,300 --> 00:33:12,640
and I think the Scott's point. I don't know if at the end of the

517
00:33:13,140 --> 00:33:16,700
day it took. It made a difference to the game

518
00:33:17,200 --> 00:33:19,300
because I just think the US just they look like a team that were out

519
00:33:19,800 --> 00:33:23,300
of legs. The pressure got to him. But it's certainly

520
00:33:23,800 --> 00:33:27,060
all the conjecture about baligun. Would he play, would he not play?

521
00:33:27,560 --> 00:33:31,260
Should he be playing? I think also as well that got to him as well.

522
00:33:31,340 --> 00:33:34,820
And in the end result, like we all rejoiced

523
00:33:35,320 --> 00:33:38,580
because for a while there we all hated the United States. But as a football

524
00:33:39,080 --> 00:33:42,920
team it's a shame because look, they did play some good football and while we

525
00:33:43,420 --> 00:33:46,400
didn't want to get too far and get too cocky, I thought they, I thought

526
00:33:46,900 --> 00:33:50,240
they did play well. Yeah. And I mean the

527
00:33:50,740 --> 00:33:54,200
context is Jerome Quanta from England got a

528
00:33:54,700 --> 00:33:58,120
red card on VAR review and he had, he was given a Two

529
00:33:58,620 --> 00:34:01,560
game suspension. And was that overturned? No.

530
00:34:02,680 --> 00:34:06,480
Even though King Charles probably, well, he probably just didn't

531
00:34:06,980 --> 00:34:10,130
bother because he's like, that's just not going to happen now after

532
00:34:11,090 --> 00:34:14,650
that man in the White House did his thing. Anyway, that is

533
00:34:15,150 --> 00:34:18,850
again, that's another podcast. Alex. I might have to. I will

534
00:34:19,350 --> 00:34:21,290
not be a part of that podcast. Adam might be if he wants to.

535
00:34:21,790 --> 00:34:24,850
I won't be a party today. Yeah, no,

536
00:34:25,650 --> 00:34:28,850
no, let's, let's not get the tin foil hats out. Anyway,

537
00:34:29,350 --> 00:34:33,010
moving right along, France now, they defeated Paraguay 1

538
00:34:33,510 --> 00:34:37,250
nil in what was a, probably fair to say a street fight of

539
00:34:37,730 --> 00:34:39,490
football rather than a football game.

540
00:34:40,530 --> 00:34:44,490
Killian Mbappe's quote, I really enjoyed that. You know,

541
00:34:44,990 --> 00:34:48,330
they expected France to turn up in dinner suits, but they came to

542
00:34:48,830 --> 00:34:52,210
play. So probably a pretty apt description of that. Of course

543
00:34:52,710 --> 00:34:55,410
he scored a penalty in that game. Rightfully given.

544
00:34:55,810 --> 00:34:59,570
Unfortunately, didn't have as much luck on the penalty spot in the next game against

545
00:35:00,070 --> 00:35:03,620
Morocco where they defeated them 2

546
00:35:04,120 --> 00:35:07,660
nil. But I guess France's road to the final, it looks

547
00:35:08,160 --> 00:35:12,020
like it's humming along nicely, doesn't it, Scott? It does. In the para. The Paraguay

548
00:35:12,520 --> 00:35:14,540
game, which you mentioned, was the only one of the games they've played so far

549
00:35:15,040 --> 00:35:17,060
that has turned into more of a street fight for them. A lot of their

550
00:35:17,560 --> 00:35:20,820
games have been very open affairs in the front third have been absolutely brilliant.

551
00:35:21,320 --> 00:35:23,900
This was the, the one game that France had to win in a different way

552
00:35:24,400 --> 00:35:27,180
and they were able to show they've got that toughness and resilience to stay in

553
00:35:27,680 --> 00:35:30,010
the game and not let a team who plays that way get to them.

554
00:35:30,510 --> 00:35:33,650
So they did that really well. But that front third, it is absolutely terrifying.

555
00:35:34,150 --> 00:35:37,170
Whether it's Barcala or Desiree do A on that left hand side and you've

556
00:35:37,670 --> 00:35:40,890
got Dembele, the golden boy, not the world

557
00:35:41,390 --> 00:35:43,689
player of the year on the right hand side. You've got a leaf, same behind

558
00:35:44,189 --> 00:35:47,610
and then Mbappe up front. It's a ridiculous front four or five,

559
00:35:48,110 --> 00:35:51,250
whichever way they want to play it. It is an unbelievable group of options and

560
00:35:51,410 --> 00:35:54,450
to me, I don't know if you see it same way, Alex, They've got a,

561
00:35:55,130 --> 00:35:58,490
a gear that the other teams this tournament just don't have. If they

562
00:35:58,990 --> 00:36:02,370
hit that gear in these last two games, whether it's the semifinal or the end,

563
00:36:02,870 --> 00:36:05,770
the final or third place game, which if they hit it in either of those

564
00:36:06,270 --> 00:36:08,730
games, I don't think any of the other three teams in the tournament can beat

565
00:36:09,230 --> 00:36:12,570
them. And they're just playing absolutely beautifully. They've got quality all through

566
00:36:13,070 --> 00:36:16,610
the team. They've got experience as well having been to major tournaments as player and

567
00:36:17,110 --> 00:36:20,610
coach. To me they are a team prime to go and win the tournament provided

568
00:36:21,110 --> 00:36:23,770
they can have. They just don't freeze in this last week which I. I don't

569
00:36:24,270 --> 00:36:26,930
think they will. They look like to me they are playing some unbelievable stuff.

570
00:36:27,490 --> 00:36:32,250
Yeah, I tend to agree with you Scott. I mean Didier de Trump for

571
00:36:32,750 --> 00:36:36,650
me what he. The thing that's really impressed

572
00:36:37,150 --> 00:36:39,810
me not only the Paraguay win the way that they played but just.

573
00:36:40,050 --> 00:36:43,450
It's just really subtle tweaks that the trompe does. He doesn't go

574
00:36:43,950 --> 00:36:47,610
full Tony Popovic and completely Change his starting 11 or his formation or

575
00:36:48,110 --> 00:36:51,580
whatever. The subtle change that he made in the group stage

576
00:36:51,820 --> 00:36:55,460
is from he had Dembele playing

577
00:36:55,960 --> 00:36:59,900
as a number 10 and he was sort of occupying a similar space

578
00:37:00,400 --> 00:37:04,460
to what Mbappe and Alise wanted to. So he just. He literally just swaps Elise

579
00:37:04,860 --> 00:37:08,860
and Dembele and France look like again they

580
00:37:09,360 --> 00:37:12,420
just go into that next gear, don't they? But as. As you said Scott,

581
00:37:12,920 --> 00:37:16,140
they've still got a couple of years to go and it's a. It's an incredibly

582
00:37:16,640 --> 00:37:19,730
scary thought. And Adam, I'm not sure if you know

583
00:37:19,960 --> 00:37:24,040
think pretty similarly. I'm sure you probably do though. I do. I think.

584
00:37:24,540 --> 00:37:27,880
I think they are out and out the favorites to win the soul and Scott's

585
00:37:28,380 --> 00:37:30,440
right. I can't. I can't add more than that. I just think they look.

586
00:37:30,600 --> 00:37:33,640
They look the part. The fact that they can win in multiple ways.

587
00:37:34,360 --> 00:37:37,320
Again they said they. That's the. The.

588
00:37:37,480 --> 00:37:41,560
The I guess the categorization of a street fight

589
00:37:42,060 --> 00:37:46,360
against Paraguay but then to so easily almost they

590
00:37:46,860 --> 00:37:50,070
never gave Morocco hura very, very good team. They didn't. They.

591
00:37:50,570 --> 00:37:54,470
They weren't even the same ballpark. And you're right that. That front four pass

592
00:37:54,710 --> 00:37:58,830
that front four of Dembele Mbappe do

593
00:37:59,330 --> 00:38:02,750
a Barcola on. On the bench as well is said that they

594
00:38:03,250 --> 00:38:06,390
all interchange. It's. That's scary that they all fire.

595
00:38:07,110 --> 00:38:10,590
Yeah they. They probably the side look the deepest and also as well probably

596
00:38:11,090 --> 00:38:14,310
the best informant. It's just a matter of you know whether the other teams will

597
00:38:14,810 --> 00:38:17,240
stop them and I don't know if you got much answers. And on top of

598
00:38:17,740 --> 00:38:21,000
that defensively we like I said we had a lot

599
00:38:21,500 --> 00:38:25,040
of praise and credit to the defense but to

600
00:38:25,540 --> 00:38:28,800
the attack but the defense of Kunde and Upper Matano as

601
00:38:29,300 --> 00:38:32,480
well. I think they've done a solid job as well as is as A Mike

602
00:38:32,980 --> 00:38:37,000
Mendian, the keeper. Can I take 30 seconds on Morocco, Alex? Because everyone

603
00:38:37,500 --> 00:38:40,680
thought they were a real sleeper pick to win this tournament, they got as far

604
00:38:41,180 --> 00:38:44,230
as I could realistically expect to get to. Running into a team like France,

605
00:38:44,730 --> 00:38:48,270
not having Saidari available probably really did cripple their chances of doing

606
00:38:48,770 --> 00:38:51,590
something in this game. They just didn't look like a side who believed they could

607
00:38:52,090 --> 00:38:55,390
beat France either. And that surprised me. With all the quality they've got, the success

608
00:38:55,890 --> 00:38:59,150
they've had in the previous World cup and Junior World Cups, I thought they got

609
00:38:59,390 --> 00:39:02,710
a bit more belief and really test themselves against the French side.

610
00:39:03,210 --> 00:39:05,510
But it just felt like they sat off a little bit too much to me,

611
00:39:06,010 --> 00:39:08,870
maybe she had a little bit too much respect. So I found it surprising Morocco

612
00:39:09,370 --> 00:39:11,660
didn't give France a better game. So I thought this would be one of the

613
00:39:12,160 --> 00:39:15,660
absolute best games of the tournament. France played their part. I'm not sure Morocco quite

614
00:39:16,160 --> 00:39:19,900
lived up to this. Yeah, I, I agree. And I do wonder, Scott,

615
00:39:20,400 --> 00:39:23,860
if it was a little bit of that, that naivety of youth in that

616
00:39:24,360 --> 00:39:28,060
side because it is a very young side. You look at Buadi in the midfield,

617
00:39:28,560 --> 00:39:31,940
I think he's 18 years old. He, he. It doesn't look out of place.

618
00:39:32,020 --> 00:39:35,220
It's, it's, it's the World cup of 18 year olds, don't get me wrong.

619
00:39:35,720 --> 00:39:38,020
But he's in, he's in the final of best young players in the tournament.

620
00:39:38,520 --> 00:39:41,220
He's been unbelievable. Oh, he was incredible. And I, I.

621
00:39:41,920 --> 00:39:46,160
Lille will have any chance of holding on to him in this European summer

622
00:39:46,660 --> 00:39:50,520
transfer window. And it's, yeah, I mean, it's scary

623
00:39:51,020 --> 00:39:54,320
what they might do in four years time because they're only going to get better.

624
00:39:54,560 --> 00:39:58,360
Let's be honest with, with that young side now let's

625
00:39:58,860 --> 00:40:02,240
move on to a team that I don't really want to talk about because I

626
00:40:02,740 --> 00:40:05,600
predicted them to win the World Cup. What an absolute goose.

627
00:40:06,080 --> 00:40:09,680
Brazil. They were knocked out by Norway in the round of 16

628
00:40:09,840 --> 00:40:13,800
and Brazil have some serious concerns, I think.

629
00:40:14,360 --> 00:40:17,440
And I don't think Carlo Ancelotti is the man

630
00:40:17,940 --> 00:40:20,120
to fix that, I don't think.

631
00:40:21,320 --> 00:40:25,560
Well, I think Brazilian football needs a bit of an overhaul because that

632
00:40:26,060 --> 00:40:30,160
side, it's probably the worst Brazilian side I

633
00:40:30,660 --> 00:40:34,000
reckon I've seen in my lifetime. I don't know about you, Adam. Got any thoughts

634
00:40:34,500 --> 00:40:38,440
on that? Look, I've got some very, very good insights as well. I have friends

635
00:40:38,760 --> 00:40:42,100
who are Brazilian. I've got a number

636
00:40:42,600 --> 00:40:45,860
of people so close to me that are Brazilian. And look,

637
00:40:46,180 --> 00:40:49,540
I was Hearing that back ed back when

638
00:40:50,040 --> 00:40:53,220
I was overseas in April as well and I

639
00:40:53,460 --> 00:40:56,819
met a number of Brazilians on the cruise I was on and we

640
00:40:57,319 --> 00:41:01,220
were talking football because football is a universal religion of Brazil

641
00:41:01,720 --> 00:41:04,900
and they never rated this team despite the

642
00:41:05,400 --> 00:41:08,320
fact that though that we all thought, okay look, they're going to be all right.

643
00:41:08,820 --> 00:41:12,320
Yeah, Vinnie Jr. Is a very, very good player and whatnot. And a

644
00:41:12,820 --> 00:41:16,480
number of the others that are there, they never rated them. Again,

645
00:41:16,720 --> 00:41:20,800
that's not just your words. I'd be surprised. Any Brazilian

646
00:41:21,300 --> 00:41:24,080
that knows what talked about would actually dispute and saying this is the worst side

647
00:41:24,320 --> 00:41:27,840
of a generation yet they got to the round of 16 because

648
00:41:28,080 --> 00:41:31,280
there was not much belief. And you're right, the whole thing needs to be

649
00:41:31,780 --> 00:41:35,770
blown up. I joke, I. I joke about at times, but I

650
00:41:36,270 --> 00:41:39,650
don't think I'm far in the market. Brazilian football jocker Benito,

651
00:41:39,810 --> 00:41:44,130
it died that night that Jeremy murdered him in that semi final 2014.

652
00:41:44,290 --> 00:41:48,050
Because they have not been the same football nation since. They've been flashes. Like I

653
00:41:48,550 --> 00:41:50,810
said, you've got some very, very good young players coming through. I think players like

654
00:41:51,310 --> 00:41:54,490
Rayan and Andric I think will be the next generation that's gotta,

655
00:41:54,990 --> 00:41:59,090
that's gonna lead that side. But yeah, they, I think they

656
00:41:59,590 --> 00:42:03,100
were up there. Probably the biggest disappointments of this tournament. But if you listen

657
00:42:03,600 --> 00:42:06,660
to their home fans, no, they're not surprised.

658
00:42:07,160 --> 00:42:11,380
And the funny thing is that we may see some answers about the

659
00:42:11,880 --> 00:42:15,140
rebuilding of Brazilian football in a

660
00:42:15,640 --> 00:42:19,140
couple months time on our own shores. Yeah, definitely.

661
00:42:19,220 --> 00:42:23,260
Because that is the first opportunity Brazil will get to

662
00:42:23,760 --> 00:42:26,460
get together as a national team and of course take on the might of the

663
00:42:26,960 --> 00:42:30,460
Socceroos here in Queensland as well. Even better in Townsville

664
00:42:30,960 --> 00:42:34,440
and Brisbane in September. But yes, I think if you look at that Brisbane zoo

665
00:42:34,940 --> 00:42:38,840
inside, there's a lot of older players, a couple

666
00:42:39,340 --> 00:42:42,264
in their sort of mid 20s and then the rest are all sort of 18,

667
00:42:42,376 --> 00:42:46,880
19. And that's a bit of an issue in itself. And that's

668
00:42:47,380 --> 00:42:52,000
probably stems from the development

669
00:42:52,080 --> 00:42:55,480
and the pathways and the generation of players as

670
00:42:55,980 --> 00:43:00,360
well. And it's a bit of a concern for Brazil, but I

671
00:43:00,860 --> 00:43:04,230
think it is. But it's been a concern for 25 years really. Yes,

672
00:43:04,730 --> 00:43:08,270
they won in 2002, but they only scraped into that World cup, don't forget they

673
00:43:08,770 --> 00:43:10,870
had to. They only just got there and then no one in Brazil thought they

674
00:43:11,370 --> 00:43:13,910
were going to do anything then of course, and they managed also had the,

675
00:43:14,410 --> 00:43:16,470
the great front three at that point were able to get the job done.

676
00:43:16,970 --> 00:43:19,830
And ever since then you actually think about it for the rest of the century,

677
00:43:20,150 --> 00:43:23,710
what have Brazil done? 2006, they got beaten

678
00:43:24,210 --> 00:43:26,950
by France and obviously they would beat us in the group stage, whatever, but that

679
00:43:27,450 --> 00:43:31,020
was kind of the end of that 2006. In 2002 team, wasn't. It was pretty

680
00:43:31,520 --> 00:43:34,900
similar, but then they go to 2010 and got criticized back home for

681
00:43:35,400 --> 00:43:39,140
being a bit more defensive than they would have liked in 14. Obviously they

682
00:43:39,640 --> 00:43:42,980
played some really good stuff, but ran out of legs and quality against the

683
00:43:43,480 --> 00:43:46,820
superior German team. 18, 22 and 26 have all

684
00:43:47,320 --> 00:43:51,100
been big disappointments. I think, to Adam's point, they. A big overview is

685
00:43:51,600 --> 00:43:54,660
needed in Brazilian football from the top down. I don't think their clubs are doing

686
00:43:55,160 --> 00:43:58,770
as well either in South American competitions and even in the club World Cup.

687
00:43:59,270 --> 00:44:02,930
So I feel like a whole overlook of what is happening in Brazilian football.

688
00:44:03,430 --> 00:44:07,250
Because, like it's like you said, when you think about Brazil, you think about

689
00:44:07,750 --> 00:44:11,210
the great flamboyant players in the front third. We can all rattle off a

690
00:44:11,710 --> 00:44:14,610
whole host of them over the history of the World cup and they have been

691
00:44:14,770 --> 00:44:17,850
the most fun side overall to watch in the history of the World cup with

692
00:44:18,350 --> 00:44:21,090
what they have done. But these last couple of tournaments, they haven't been that team.

693
00:44:21,590 --> 00:44:25,050
And look, I'm a Man United fan. Konya, wearing the number nine shirt feels like

694
00:44:25,550 --> 00:44:29,070
a. A violation of Brazilian footballing. That should not be allowed.

695
00:44:29,470 --> 00:44:32,870
If I was a Brazilian, I would be saying, hang on, somebody else is wearing

696
00:44:33,370 --> 00:44:36,990
that shirt. Because he's not. He's not a Brazilian number nine. He does not compare

697
00:44:37,150 --> 00:44:39,950
to the legends who've worn that shirt. He's a good player, don't get me wrong.

698
00:44:40,450 --> 00:44:43,870
And he wasn't bad in the tournament, but it just. It's symbolic of what Brazil

699
00:44:44,370 --> 00:44:47,590
have become, isn't it? They had some iconic legends in that sort of shirt.

700
00:44:48,090 --> 00:44:51,990
Now it's Matthias Cunha who's leading the line as the great hope of Brazilian

701
00:44:52,490 --> 00:44:55,770
football. They have fallen and I hope they get back because they are a great

702
00:44:56,270 --> 00:44:59,530
team to watch at their best. And I've. I've missed not having that sort

703
00:45:00,030 --> 00:45:03,690
of Brazilian team in the last few tournaments because when they're not there in that

704
00:45:04,190 --> 00:45:07,770
way, the tournament does lack something, doesn't it? It's. It's funny that,

705
00:45:08,010 --> 00:45:11,370
like I said, I'm popping more for. When they show the screen these

706
00:45:11,870 --> 00:45:15,810
shots in the crowd, you see the great legends, you see Renaldo

707
00:45:16,310 --> 00:45:19,330
Nazario, you see Roaldinho Kathu, Roberto Carlos,

708
00:45:19,830 --> 00:45:22,930
amongst others in the crowd that the invited guests of FIFA and I'm going to

709
00:45:23,000 --> 00:45:26,120
like, oh my God, Stan. You look at the players on the pitch and I

710
00:45:26,620 --> 00:45:30,320
can't get excited by them like past Brazilian players.

711
00:45:30,820 --> 00:45:34,480
And they said that's just four or five of, you know, I'm not even

712
00:45:34,980 --> 00:45:38,480
talking about, you know, going back to Pele. I'm just talking about my generation of

713
00:45:38,980 --> 00:45:43,120
Brazilian players, you know. And I guess if I said to our generation,

714
00:45:43,620 --> 00:45:46,920
you know, they're so far I don't get any excitement.

715
00:45:47,420 --> 00:45:50,760
Like Vinnie Vinicius Jr. He has glimpses,

716
00:45:51,300 --> 00:45:54,180
but I think a lot of it as well. I think if, and again,

717
00:45:54,340 --> 00:45:59,020
I'm just speculating more than anything is I think just the

718
00:45:59,520 --> 00:46:03,700
fact is that these young players are going to Europe way too soon.

719
00:46:04,180 --> 00:46:07,300
They just, they've got dollars in their eyes and not doing the hard work.

720
00:46:07,380 --> 00:46:10,580
Rather than, you know, climbing through the other state leagues, you know, through,

721
00:46:10,740 --> 00:46:13,940
through the Syria in,

722
00:46:14,100 --> 00:46:17,980
in Brazil now, which is based upon time, one of the toughest leagues in the

723
00:46:18,480 --> 00:46:22,060
world. They're just all running off to Europe as well on their, on their

724
00:46:22,140 --> 00:46:25,500
European passports. They just don't even get a sense about

725
00:46:26,000 --> 00:46:30,260
what it is about being Brazilian and what, what representing that, the select

726
00:46:30,760 --> 00:46:33,900
y' all shirt. So I think that, and I think it's a major problem.

727
00:46:34,400 --> 00:46:37,500
But look, again, that could be another podcast. So just talking about the,

728
00:46:38,000 --> 00:46:41,420
the demise of Brazilian football and I'm, I'm with Scott. Yeah, I, I miss,

729
00:46:41,740 --> 00:46:45,010
I miss the Brazil, the great Brazil teams as well. I guess in the way

730
00:46:45,320 --> 00:46:48,680
we said it, we have to settle for Argentina, but yeah,

731
00:46:48,840 --> 00:46:52,960
Brazil. There's something, there's something about that yellow shirt. When you see them play

732
00:46:53,460 --> 00:46:54,840
football over generations,

733
00:46:56,600 --> 00:46:59,840
world football's poorer for them not being at the

734
00:47:00,340 --> 00:47:03,840
top. Yeah. But couldn't have said it better myself with that last line,

735
00:47:04,340 --> 00:47:08,120
Adam. Really. Yeah, football's not the same without Brazil being

736
00:47:08,680 --> 00:47:12,900
involved. And the pure joy that, that you get from watching someone

737
00:47:13,400 --> 00:47:17,100
in that, that world famous, world renowned yellow shirt. And after all,

738
00:47:17,260 --> 00:47:20,820
they've won the most World Cups, haven't they? But they still

739
00:47:21,320 --> 00:47:24,060
feel a very long way away from beating,

740
00:47:25,020 --> 00:47:28,180
from winning one, I should say. Now, talking about the team that beat them,

741
00:47:28,680 --> 00:47:32,300
Norway. We know that they have their golden generation

742
00:47:32,800 --> 00:47:35,900
and they like a bit of rowing as well. Well, their fans. Anyway,

743
00:47:37,710 --> 00:47:40,950
the, the streak continues. Five games against Brazil in the

744
00:47:41,450 --> 00:47:44,630
World cup and they remain undefeated, which is a feat in itself, let's be

745
00:47:45,130 --> 00:47:48,910
honest. But just fell a bit short when they faced England in

746
00:47:48,990 --> 00:47:52,270
the quarterfinals on the weekend.

747
00:47:53,070 --> 00:47:54,990
What have you made to their tournament, Scott?

748
00:47:57,150 --> 00:48:00,750
Norway or England? Norway. Norway. Sorry. All right, we'll get to England

749
00:48:01,250 --> 00:48:04,590
a minute. Norway. I thought they were really impressive. Their first real tournament

750
00:48:05,090 --> 00:48:07,790
back in the world stage with this team. And look, I think they are going

751
00:48:08,290 --> 00:48:10,910
to be a force for the next couple of tournaments. When you've got players like

752
00:48:11,410 --> 00:48:14,790
Martin Neutegaard and Erling Holland up front, you're going to be a really good side.

753
00:48:15,290 --> 00:48:17,710
There's no doubt about that. Over the course of what he's. They're going to do,

754
00:48:18,210 --> 00:48:21,510
they're not sure they're going to win a World cup or European Championships, but I

755
00:48:22,010 --> 00:48:25,470
can see them being a real force in those competitions and they were a very

756
00:48:25,970 --> 00:48:28,790
good side to what they gave France a real game. They gave England a good

757
00:48:29,290 --> 00:48:32,300
game as well. They are certainly a side who have emerged in this tournament,

758
00:48:32,800 --> 00:48:36,300
one of the nations who will go away from this World cup with their reputations

759
00:48:36,800 --> 00:48:40,100
enhanced. And it's not just those two players. They're the familiar

760
00:48:40,600 --> 00:48:42,980
players for all of us. But the other players in that side are also really

761
00:48:43,480 --> 00:48:46,860
good players as well. And I think they certainly did do themselves justice

762
00:48:47,360 --> 00:48:50,380
in this tournament. And the rowing celebration stuff has become iconic as well.

763
00:48:50,700 --> 00:48:54,420
Yeah, definitely. The. One of the Norwegian Finns rowing

764
00:48:54,920 --> 00:48:57,500
up the escalator was a personal favorite of mine.

765
00:48:58,860 --> 00:49:02,130
Now, Adam, I guess, you know, it wasn't just Harland,

766
00:49:02,210 --> 00:49:05,890
was it? Norway wasn't just powered by Harland,

767
00:49:06,390 --> 00:49:08,810
I should say. I wanted to give a shout out to the. The old boy

768
00:49:09,310 --> 00:49:12,650
at the back, the goalkeeper, Nealand he was. I thought he was sensational.

769
00:49:13,150 --> 00:49:16,370
And he's off contract. Can you believe? Oh, I think he'll probably.

770
00:49:16,770 --> 00:49:20,570
He. He and Bozinha. I think it could be

771
00:49:21,070 --> 00:49:24,770
two keepers. Two of the keepers that. Yeah. That may

772
00:49:25,270 --> 00:49:29,510
at least get some big money moves to come the. Come the new

773
00:49:30,010 --> 00:49:32,550
season. Because I think he was very, very good. And you said short.

774
00:49:33,350 --> 00:49:37,430
Norway coming short, but almost as short as our new Islands

775
00:49:37,930 --> 00:49:41,350
Bar goal kick that collected the. They collected the spider

776
00:49:41,850 --> 00:49:45,270
cam table and yes, and it caused

777
00:49:45,770 --> 00:49:49,430
a lot of controversy. And look just on that as well.

778
00:49:50,630 --> 00:49:54,190
Look, it's a. It's an interesting one because in a

779
00:49:54,690 --> 00:49:58,050
way, yes, it's true. It should have been a drop ball.

780
00:49:58,610 --> 00:50:03,130
Yes, I think Var may have. Should have caught.

781
00:50:03,630 --> 00:50:07,410
But then again, you think the furor

782
00:50:07,910 --> 00:50:11,890
is big right now as far as you know that goal being

783
00:50:12,390 --> 00:50:16,410
left to stand. You imagine if they. If they. If Bar overturned

784
00:50:16,910 --> 00:50:19,730
it and put it and. And not given that just.

785
00:50:19,890 --> 00:50:23,470
Yeah. You know, our friends in the. In the home,

786
00:50:23,970 --> 00:50:27,390
in the motherland, they would have gone absolutely psycho over it.

787
00:50:27,890 --> 00:50:30,670
So look, it was One of those instances. So they got it wrong. They should

788
00:50:31,170 --> 00:50:33,670
have admit they got it wrong. But yeah, it was,

789
00:50:34,470 --> 00:50:38,190
it was a. Yeah, I wouldn't. If you had a bingo card and that

790
00:50:38,690 --> 00:50:41,510
bigger controversy. Ball hitting spider can cable.

791
00:50:42,070 --> 00:50:45,150
Yeah. Don't think anyone's winning that. Just keep it in the memory

792
00:50:45,650 --> 00:50:48,710
about any memory bank, Alex, because they do win the tournament next week, it'll be

793
00:50:49,210 --> 00:50:52,840
just like 1966. They can't win a World cup without some sort of a controversial

794
00:50:53,340 --> 00:50:57,080
goal involved. But I will say one thing about it from the Norwegian perspective is

795
00:50:57,580 --> 00:51:00,400
I was taught two things as a junior in this game. One is you'd never

796
00:51:00,900 --> 00:51:03,600
play the ball across goal and the second is you play the whistle.

797
00:51:04,240 --> 00:51:07,560
And that goal was eminently preventable for their perspective. They could have.

798
00:51:08,060 --> 00:51:11,440
Yes, the ball hit the spider cam chord and it should have been called a

799
00:51:11,940 --> 00:51:15,240
dead ball at that point in time. But that goal was eminently preventable from a

800
00:51:15,740 --> 00:51:18,850
Norwegian perspective beyond that. And they all just stopped and they.

801
00:51:19,650 --> 00:51:22,930
If you play on when it's clearly offside until the whistle blows, you should be

802
00:51:23,430 --> 00:51:26,850
playing on then as well. And they just clocked off for a second and England

803
00:51:27,350 --> 00:51:31,130
made them pay. Jude Bellums goal was actually not

804
00:51:31,630 --> 00:51:34,930
bad. But look, you do add a perspective to that, Scott, that. Yeah, it's not

805
00:51:35,430 --> 00:51:38,610
easy. It's not hard to run around, you know, step around three or four players

806
00:51:39,110 --> 00:51:42,770
when they're. They're already protesting, saying it should have been their board.

807
00:51:43,270 --> 00:51:45,650
Probably takes a shine off that. But you look, you're right, that's what it comes

808
00:51:46,150 --> 00:51:49,270
down to. And at some point, yeah, you got, you got to play the whistle.

809
00:51:49,770 --> 00:51:53,350
Even though VAR is there to check those things, which obviously no

810
00:51:53,850 --> 00:51:57,470
one I think really sort of saw that until it became viral.

811
00:51:58,350 --> 00:52:01,750
Yeah, no one really know what happened then. And Snico

812
00:52:02,250 --> 00:52:05,430
apparently denied that it touched the cable. So anyway,

813
00:52:05,930 --> 00:52:09,710
tinfoil hats. But before England got there, they played

814
00:52:09,790 --> 00:52:13,190
one of D games of the tournament, if not the game of the tournament against

815
00:52:13,690 --> 00:52:17,110
one of the co hosts, Mexico. A smashing. No, it's not

816
00:52:17,610 --> 00:52:21,190
a smash and grab job. It was a fantastic win to go to Mexico

817
00:52:21,690 --> 00:52:25,990
to play in altitude in the kickoff that

818
00:52:26,490 --> 00:52:29,310
was delayed due to the weather that was involved.

819
00:52:29,810 --> 00:52:33,110
I mean, you know, for all the England bashing that's

820
00:52:33,610 --> 00:52:37,230
out there, it was a really good. They put on a fantastic performance and it

821
00:52:37,730 --> 00:52:40,630
was a. It was a massive win, wasn't it, Scott? It is. I'll be serious

822
00:52:41,130 --> 00:52:43,950
about England further at this point in time. That was the game of the tournament

823
00:52:44,450 --> 00:52:47,730
to Mexico in. England had absolutely everything you could possibly want in

824
00:52:48,230 --> 00:52:51,810
a game of football. England with everything against them. The weather, the humidity,

825
00:52:52,310 --> 00:52:55,810
the, the altitude, all the rest of it. The, the full crowd at the Azteca.

826
00:52:56,310 --> 00:52:59,850
It was an unbelievable atmosphere and a wonderful performance. Mingle. I was joking that

827
00:53:00,350 --> 00:53:03,690
that was going to be elimination day for England, but they really showed something in

828
00:53:04,190 --> 00:53:06,970
that game to come through all of those things and play the way they did.

829
00:53:07,470 --> 00:53:10,250
They didn't get lucky in this game. They're so defended for their lives at the

830
00:53:10,750 --> 00:53:13,380
end. And there was a bit of controversy around some red cards and penalties and

831
00:53:13,880 --> 00:53:16,140
all the rest of it, but that all, to me, that all evened out anyway

832
00:53:16,640 --> 00:53:19,940
and they just were the better team than Mexico and they played some really good

833
00:53:20,440 --> 00:53:24,020
stuff. And we should give Thomas Tuchel real credit here as well, because he did

834
00:53:24,520 --> 00:53:28,059
something before the tournament that not many England managers have ever had the guts

835
00:53:28,559 --> 00:53:31,740
to do. He picked the squad he wanted to play the way

836
00:53:32,240 --> 00:53:35,180
he wanted to play. And he left real talent at home in terms of Cole

837
00:53:35,680 --> 00:53:39,430
Palmer, Phil Foden and a bunch of other players. He said no. This team's built

838
00:53:39,930 --> 00:53:43,470
around Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane and their strengths and Harry Kane's elite

839
00:53:43,970 --> 00:53:47,230
in the penalty area. And Jude Bellingham, one of his many great qualities is it's

840
00:53:47,730 --> 00:53:50,430
Cahill esque, the way he can make runs into the area and get on the

841
00:53:50,930 --> 00:53:53,790
end of things. And he wanted players who would fit around that. And he decided

842
00:53:54,290 --> 00:53:58,510
those two players left at home, yep, excellent players, could potentially do

843
00:53:59,010 --> 00:54:01,750
something, but they didn't fit what he wanted. And he picked the players he wanted

844
00:54:02,250 --> 00:54:05,550
who would do the job. And he's got himself into a semi final. And I

845
00:54:06,050 --> 00:54:09,110
think they could get even further than a semi final is sickening as it is.

846
00:54:09,610 --> 00:54:12,190
The idea of them being in a World cup final, there's a really good chance

847
00:54:12,690 --> 00:54:15,470
it happens because they've got a team and a squad here that plays the way

848
00:54:15,970 --> 00:54:19,310
they want to play instead of just doing stupid stuff like picking Lampard and Gerard

849
00:54:19,810 --> 00:54:22,590
for a fifth tournament in a row. When it doesn't work, he said, no,

850
00:54:23,090 --> 00:54:25,870
no, I'm going to mix this up and go with a very particular plan and

851
00:54:26,370 --> 00:54:29,470
way of playing and it works. That's what a World cup is about. It's not

852
00:54:29,970 --> 00:54:32,750
about all of your best players. It's about a team that can go there and

853
00:54:33,250 --> 00:54:36,390
win. And he just decided that's the best way. And he copped a lot

854
00:54:36,890 --> 00:54:40,670
of grief before the tournament. He got it right, you got it 100% right.

855
00:54:41,170 --> 00:54:44,790
And that's why England are in the semi final. Let's, let's be completely honest.

856
00:54:45,290 --> 00:54:48,950
And Tuchel is, you know, quite famous for winning

857
00:54:49,110 --> 00:54:52,190
cup tournaments at club level, isn't he? This is just

858
00:54:52,690 --> 00:54:56,110
a, you know, you know, a small matter of a World cup and he's got

859
00:54:56,610 --> 00:55:00,350
his bang on and some big calls. You know, there wasn't only those

860
00:55:00,850 --> 00:55:03,550
two that he left out. It was Trent, Alexander, Arnold. There was a lack of

861
00:55:04,050 --> 00:55:07,270
right backs as well and he's been lambasted for that. But they've made it work.

862
00:55:07,770 --> 00:55:11,270
They've. They've just made it work and he, he's just got. Got it right.

863
00:55:11,350 --> 00:55:14,870
I think there's really no other way to put it, is there Adam?

864
00:55:15,370 --> 00:55:19,390
And, and now they, now they get to face the might of Messi and Argentina

865
00:55:19,890 --> 00:55:23,390
for the first time in Messi's case. Yeah, look there, there's no,

866
00:55:23,890 --> 00:55:28,620
it's not a, it's not a fluke that England are still undefeated with

867
00:55:29,120 --> 00:55:31,980
Tuchel in charge. And I think it's only been one. I think it might be

868
00:55:32,060 --> 00:55:35,660
maybe one draw in that. So is a.

869
00:55:35,900 --> 00:55:39,260
So waiver ways working? It's not. It's still surprising that he does.

870
00:55:39,500 --> 00:55:42,580
I don't think. I think it's died there now because obviously England are going very

871
00:55:43,080 --> 00:55:46,620
well in this tournament. But I think, but I do remember the absolute

872
00:55:46,780 --> 00:55:50,140
pacing he got for leaving out, you know, players, as you

873
00:55:50,640 --> 00:55:53,830
said, Foden, Palmer, Trent, you know, a lot of

874
00:55:54,330 --> 00:55:57,790
those players. Jared Bowen's another one that springs to mind that should have been

875
00:55:58,290 --> 00:56:01,590
locked in but again it's about his team. But look, just look at that Mexico

876
00:56:02,090 --> 00:56:06,070
game. Absolutely agree. Probably the game of tournament had everything we love about

877
00:56:06,230 --> 00:56:09,830
the World cup. Even the build up the Jackson Drakes about

878
00:56:10,330 --> 00:56:13,990
the kickoff time which by the way was the. Actually the Mexican government.

879
00:56:15,190 --> 00:56:18,950
The all the build up 24 hours before all the shenanigans outside,

880
00:56:20,890 --> 00:56:24,170
outside in the. In the.

881
00:56:24,490 --> 00:56:27,970
The build up to the game. The overnight the

882
00:56:28,470 --> 00:56:31,690
hotel. But also as well. But also we are we so surprised

883
00:56:32,190 --> 00:56:35,450
as well that you know that the, the performance against Norway for

884
00:56:35,950 --> 00:56:39,770
them was probably a little bit flat. But again when you

885
00:56:40,270 --> 00:56:43,570
have be faced all that adversity in that round of

886
00:56:44,070 --> 00:56:47,760
16 game, you know, I'm not surprised. So that's probably even makes

887
00:56:48,260 --> 00:56:51,720
the win against Norway probably that much more better. Going to

888
00:56:52,220 --> 00:56:55,520
extra time and getting that win. Given, given that

889
00:56:56,020 --> 00:57:00,240
that after everything they went through, I think given seven days prepare

890
00:57:00,740 --> 00:57:04,000
ahead or not seven days, I think it's probably four days. Four or five days

891
00:57:04,160 --> 00:57:07,760
to prepare Argentina that I think gets four days. I'm told

892
00:57:09,040 --> 00:57:12,840
that is A huge game, that semi

893
00:57:13,340 --> 00:57:17,550
final. And look, I, I think they're, they're a great chance against Argentina.

894
00:57:18,050 --> 00:57:21,310
And look, the other thing about Mexico City as well, it probably also, for those

895
00:57:21,390 --> 00:57:24,510
old enough that sort of know as well, that probably buries

896
00:57:25,010 --> 00:57:28,430
a few demons and ghosts of what happened in that quarterfinal,

897
00:57:29,710 --> 00:57:33,550
that famous quarterfinal in 1986 as well, that England finally get

898
00:57:34,050 --> 00:57:37,630
a win at the Azteca. And so it's a big line in their history.

899
00:57:37,710 --> 00:57:41,110
Underline now buried two ghosts in, in two weeks,

900
00:57:41,610 --> 00:57:43,910
Alex. Because they also had the one Adam mentioned, the last World cup they missed

901
00:57:44,410 --> 00:57:47,180
was the last one in America. So they could bury both of them. Unfortunately,

902
00:57:47,680 --> 00:57:51,340
if it continues this way, it's going. Yeah. Which would be quite

903
00:57:51,840 --> 00:57:55,060
incredible, wouldn't it? So anyway, we'll never

904
00:57:55,560 --> 00:57:58,740
hear the end of it if they do. That's. That is so true. That's so

905
00:57:59,240 --> 00:58:02,380
true. And let's, let's not even entertain that thought for

906
00:58:02,880 --> 00:58:06,660
any longer than we need to because there are two semi finals

907
00:58:07,160 --> 00:58:11,260
upcoming in midweek. We've got France versus Spain in the

908
00:58:11,600 --> 00:58:15,040
first one. The Optus supercomputer, of course,

909
00:58:15,540 --> 00:58:18,720
is predicting that the winner will come from that game more likely than the

910
00:58:19,220 --> 00:58:22,080
other one. But the next one is England versus Argentina.

911
00:58:22,240 --> 00:58:25,600
So I'll do that silly old thing that we do where

912
00:58:25,760 --> 00:58:29,680
we, we do a semi final prediction and go

913
00:58:30,180 --> 00:58:33,840
on to the win. Although I believe both of your team's lads are

914
00:58:33,920 --> 00:58:37,040
still in the tournament, so you're not a. You don't have egg on

915
00:58:37,540 --> 00:58:40,750
your face like me yet. Anyway. But I want to change my prediction,

916
00:58:41,250 --> 00:58:44,630
actually, because I did say before tournament that Spain, I actually think France will go

917
00:58:45,130 --> 00:58:48,550
on and win. I think this semi final is going to be absolutely sensational.

918
00:58:49,050 --> 00:58:51,710
I don't know if it'll be a 5, 4 thrill like it was in the

919
00:58:52,210 --> 00:58:55,510
Nations League when they met last year in the semi final there. So that would

920
00:58:56,010 --> 00:58:59,070
be something if it was. But as we, as I said earlier, I feel like

921
00:58:59,570 --> 00:59:02,750
France has got a gear in them that other nations simply cannot match.

922
00:59:03,250 --> 00:59:05,790
And if they hit that in this tour, in this semi final, I think that'd

923
00:59:06,290 --> 00:59:09,460
be too good for Spain. But if, if they don't, Spain are eminently capable of

924
00:59:09,960 --> 00:59:12,740
beating him. I think it's going to be an unbelievable contest. All four of these

925
00:59:13,240 --> 00:59:16,380
games will be great contests from here on out, which is going to be why

926
00:59:16,880 --> 00:59:18,940
it's going to be so great to see these teams play. But I feel like

927
00:59:19,440 --> 00:59:22,859
this game in particular could be something special. Yeah, hard to

928
00:59:23,359 --> 00:59:26,940
disagree with you there, Scott. Now, Adam, do your Best to follow that

929
00:59:27,440 --> 00:59:30,980
one up. Look, I think either way, look at any combination

930
00:59:31,220 --> 00:59:34,420
I think is going to be great. You've got the top four ranked teams in

931
00:59:34,920 --> 00:59:38,110
the world playing off. Look, I think, I think France beats Spain.

932
00:59:38,190 --> 00:59:41,510
I think France are just ahead of them at the moment, I think in skill,

933
00:59:42,010 --> 00:59:45,430
I think they've been in better form. Spain, as you said, have been

934
00:59:45,930 --> 00:59:49,510
under the radar, but I think that French defense probably could almost suffocate

935
00:59:50,010 --> 00:59:52,830
them to a point. And then it's Kylian Mbappe and his,

936
00:59:53,150 --> 00:59:57,310
and, and his men around him, I think potentially

937
00:59:57,390 --> 01:00:01,070
could make, make the difference in the end in the other semifinal.

938
01:00:01,150 --> 01:00:05,140
Wow, what a game this is going to be. I just had this feeling England

939
01:00:06,180 --> 01:00:09,860
will, will win this game. I just think that with

940
01:00:10,360 --> 01:00:13,860
everything that's going on with Argentina, all the controversy, all the,

941
01:00:13,940 --> 01:00:17,420
you know, the extra time games, I know England have been for the ringer

942
01:00:17,920 --> 01:00:21,180
as well, but I just think that luck is about to run out for them

943
01:00:21,680 --> 01:00:25,580
and it all takes us one bit of luck and England can pounce.

944
01:00:26,080 --> 01:00:29,820
And I think, yeah, it's, I, I don't know if it's going home or whether

945
01:00:30,320 --> 01:00:33,950
Falklands are going home as well with the winner of this game. But look,

946
01:00:34,450 --> 01:00:37,710
I think it's just gonna be a tremendous semi

947
01:00:38,210 --> 01:00:41,070
final. France, England final. Oh, geez.

948
01:00:42,030 --> 01:00:45,390
You know what? I still think France, I, I think France are

949
01:00:45,890 --> 01:00:49,910
the best team here right now. I think again, I think France will

950
01:00:50,410 --> 01:00:54,150
probably have a slightly easier time than England and with that

951
01:00:54,650 --> 01:00:57,550
day rest as well, I do think it will be,

952
01:00:58,050 --> 01:01:01,400
I think for branch out England and the other game in Miami, that third

953
01:01:01,900 --> 01:01:05,240
place game, that could be a wild one, that one between Argentina and

954
01:01:05,740 --> 01:01:09,240
Spain, but that's sort of how I predict it from here. I should have

955
01:01:09,740 --> 01:01:11,520
done the other semi finals. I just realized I didn't do that. I tend to

956
01:01:12,020 --> 01:01:16,120
agree with Adam. I think England unfortunately will actually win that semi final, although both

957
01:01:16,620 --> 01:01:20,200
of them are coming in with like huge obstacles to overcome. England,

958
01:01:20,360 --> 01:01:23,880
the big emotional win in Mexico City, then playing in

959
01:01:24,380 --> 01:01:27,590
the sauna of Miami, and that's not going to do them any favors. Argentina,

960
01:01:28,090 --> 01:01:31,470
two knockout games out of three, going all the full distance of 120.

961
01:01:31,710 --> 01:01:35,310
To me it's a real coin toss game. I would love to see the

962
01:01:35,390 --> 01:01:38,910
rematch of four years ago because that was unbelievable. I have a

963
01:01:39,410 --> 01:01:42,190
feeling England are going to get to another final. Have been really good at getting

964
01:01:42,690 --> 01:01:45,630
through tournaments. I think they're going to get to the final here. Unfortunately, we're all

965
01:01:46,130 --> 01:01:49,630
going to have to put up with the English for Another, another major final,

966
01:01:50,130 --> 01:01:52,780
but I think France will beat them anyway. I think they'll do pretty comfortably.

967
01:01:53,280 --> 01:01:55,740
I think they are the best team and I think Argentina will finish third for

968
01:01:56,240 --> 01:01:59,500
whatever that's worth. I don't really care about the third place playoff, but I think

969
01:02:00,000 --> 01:02:03,260
they'll win that game because it'll be Lionel Messi's final game for Argentina in all

970
01:02:03,760 --> 01:02:06,980
likelihood, and I doubt that one. I doubt they'll want to send him out a

971
01:02:07,480 --> 01:02:10,100
loser if it is his last game. So I think there'll be France,

972
01:02:10,500 --> 01:02:13,940
England, Argentina and Spain will finish in fourth, but that's,

973
01:02:14,440 --> 01:02:17,540
that's my prediction. Look, hard to disagree, unfortunately.

974
01:02:18,420 --> 01:02:21,220
I don't think football's coming home, but I think they're going to make the final.

975
01:02:21,720 --> 01:02:25,360
I just think Harry Kane's just going to do something, think special or Bellingham.

976
01:02:25,680 --> 01:02:28,920
It's. It's going to be one of them, let's be honest. And I just think

977
01:02:29,420 --> 01:02:33,080
Argentina, like you said, Adam, I think Argentina's luck's going to run out. I just

978
01:02:33,580 --> 01:02:37,200
think he can't keep covering up for Messi walking around the pitch for that long.

979
01:02:37,840 --> 01:02:41,040
I think as much as you change that midfield, there's just not

980
01:02:41,540 --> 01:02:45,280
quite enough width in that attacking play that Argentina

981
01:02:45,780 --> 01:02:49,200
are dishing up so far. And I think that's where their downfall is going to

982
01:02:49,700 --> 01:02:52,200
be against England, who've got, got, you know,

983
01:02:53,080 --> 01:02:55,920
Saka as a Rogers,

984
01:02:56,420 --> 01:03:00,120
Gordon Rashford, I mean, take your pick. They're just gonna,

985
01:03:00,200 --> 01:03:04,120
I think they're gonna make mincemeat of the Argentinian fullbacks

986
01:03:04,200 --> 01:03:07,480
in that one. That's, that's my little tip for you. And as for France,

987
01:03:08,040 --> 01:03:11,240
look, I think Spain's gonna give him a red hot go and I could see

988
01:03:11,740 --> 01:03:14,840
another 54 Nations League thriller on the cards in this one.

989
01:03:15,340 --> 01:03:17,870
You heard it here first, so it means it'll probably be a one. All right.

990
01:03:18,420 --> 01:03:21,620
One nil snooze fest. Knowing my luck with predictions,

991
01:03:22,120 --> 01:03:25,860
but that's, that's what I'll put. And I think that's what we can leave

992
01:03:26,360 --> 01:03:29,500
it on because you can cut that one up and, and put it on the

993
01:03:30,000 --> 01:03:32,740
social medias and make a, a goose out of me. But Scott,

994
01:03:32,900 --> 01:03:36,020
I think you want to add a. I was just going to

995
01:03:36,520 --> 01:03:38,580
ask, are we all picking England to beat Argentina because you actually think it's going

996
01:03:39,080 --> 01:03:41,540
to happen or are we just trying to reverse jinx the result here? Because for

997
01:03:42,040 --> 01:03:46,610
me it's at least 50. 50. I actually think it's going to happen again.

998
01:03:47,110 --> 01:03:50,930
Of these four teams as well, I do think that Argentina's

999
01:03:51,430 --> 01:03:54,170
defense is probably the weakest and most acceptable as well. And I, I do think

1000
01:03:54,670 --> 01:03:57,970
that you've got the X factor. Drew Bellingham, you've got, you know, a reliable

1001
01:03:58,210 --> 01:04:01,970
number nine, Harry Kane, a number of players off the bench.

1002
01:04:02,470 --> 01:04:06,170
You could just do Anthony Gordon, I think is sort of. He's had a decent

1003
01:04:06,670 --> 01:04:09,250
tournament now that I've lost. Lost for him. Freighter.

1004
01:04:09,410 --> 01:04:13,170
But, but yeah, look, I do, I do actually think

1005
01:04:13,670 --> 01:04:15,930
give England a good hope. But one question I want to put to you boys

1006
01:04:16,430 --> 01:04:19,470
without as well two semi final venues,

1007
01:04:19,970 --> 01:04:24,030
both indoor. The France Spain game played in at

1008
01:04:24,530 --> 01:04:27,470
and T. Oh sorry, Dallas Stadium and the.

1009
01:04:27,970 --> 01:04:31,870
And the England Argentina played in Atlanta Stadium

1010
01:04:32,830 --> 01:04:36,190
and then they go outdoors for the, for the final and the third place

1011
01:04:36,690 --> 01:04:40,150
pass. Does that any have any sort of bearing as far as sort

1012
01:04:40,650 --> 01:04:43,710
of the way the games are played? Oh, that's a good call. That's.

1013
01:04:44,210 --> 01:04:47,790
That's interesting, Adam. You've, you've put me on notice there and I would

1014
01:04:47,950 --> 01:04:51,930
love to have done my research Church, but I didn't in relation to this

1015
01:04:52,430 --> 01:04:56,330
question because it would be good to know if they played at the indoor stadiums.

1016
01:04:59,450 --> 01:05:02,250
They've been based in that northeast corner the whole,

1017
01:05:02,490 --> 01:05:06,610
whole World cup. And now they're gonna have to travel to Dallas for the semi

1018
01:05:07,110 --> 01:05:10,650
final playing indoor. So a lengthy trip. Indoor stadium.

1019
01:05:10,810 --> 01:05:14,290
That's all new for France. It's not new for Spain. So if I was Spanish

1020
01:05:14,790 --> 01:05:17,370
I'll be clinging on to that one. It's not going to make. Make any difference

1021
01:05:17,870 --> 01:05:21,210
to England or to Argentina there. I think they've both played in Atlanta actually

1022
01:05:21,710 --> 01:05:24,090
already in the tournament, so they're well familiar with it. But that's a good point

1023
01:05:24,590 --> 01:05:28,050
Adam makes around the indoor stadium for the semi finals because it's new from

1024
01:05:28,550 --> 01:05:32,330
as far as I can remember. It's new for France. Yeah. Yep. So there you

1025
01:05:32,830 --> 01:05:36,170
go. That answers my question. So I mean that, that's a potential spanner in the

1026
01:05:36,670 --> 01:05:40,210
works for, for the. The France machine that goes rolling into town there.

1027
01:05:40,710 --> 01:05:44,220
But again, it's hard to see that it's going to. To change things completely.

1028
01:05:44,720 --> 01:05:46,700
But it might just mean that we do get a.

1029
01:05:47,660 --> 01:05:51,500
I think I've already a ridiculous scoreline like that 54

1030
01:05:52,000 --> 01:05:55,260
Nations League result against Spain or it could be a one nil snooze fest.

1031
01:05:55,420 --> 01:05:58,539
It's going to be one or the other. I don't know. It'll be anything in

1032
01:05:59,039 --> 01:06:03,260
between. Which is really strange to say because

1033
01:06:03,760 --> 01:06:07,260
I think this might be the game that France's defense actually gets properly

1034
01:06:07,760 --> 01:06:11,420
tested with A different style of attack that

1035
01:06:11,920 --> 01:06:15,480
Spain have brought with them in this talk tournament. Even though Oya

1036
01:06:15,980 --> 01:06:19,080
Sabal is Not out now 9 is in red hot form.

1037
01:06:19,580 --> 01:06:23,320
So it's, it'll be interesting to see what happens there in

1038
01:06:23,820 --> 01:06:27,400
that one. That's a confirm. France played their group stage games in New

1039
01:06:27,900 --> 01:06:31,560
York, in Philadelphia and then in in Boston. That was their three group

1040
01:06:32,060 --> 01:06:35,120
stage games. I'm pretty sure they didn't play any outside the in the

1041
01:06:35,620 --> 01:06:39,120
knock inside in the knockout Ryan rounds either. They were again in new

1042
01:06:39,620 --> 01:06:43,210
in New York, Philadelphia and Boston. So I've literally been in those in those

1043
01:06:43,710 --> 01:06:46,450
three cities the entire way. So from their perspective it is all new.

1044
01:06:46,930 --> 01:06:49,850
Yeah. So and a bit of travel as you said. So that should be quite

1045
01:06:50,350 --> 01:06:53,530
interesting. Well then, gentlemen, thank you very much for

1046
01:06:54,030 --> 01:06:57,450
your time. I think we've covered just about everything in this episode,

1047
01:06:57,950 --> 01:07:02,130
which is good. And we'll be back to wrap up the tournament over

1048
01:07:02,630 --> 01:07:05,770
the coming days as well, which will be quite a sad moment because I've thoroughly

1049
01:07:06,270 --> 01:07:09,570
enjoyed this. Gentleman, thank you very much for your time this evening. Scott. Yeah,

1050
01:07:10,070 --> 01:07:12,330
I'm off to file an official appeal as well, by the way.

1051
01:07:14,010 --> 01:07:17,530
Brilliant. Brilliant indeed. And Adam as

1052
01:07:18,030 --> 01:07:21,290
well. Thank you for your time. Yeah, thank you and good night.

1053
01:07:21,770 --> 01:07:25,490
Thank you very much. Thank you for listening to the Aussie football passport. I hope

1054
01:07:25,990 --> 01:07:29,810
you've enjoyed this episode and we will be back later on to wrap

1055
01:07:30,310 --> 01:07:31,930
up the World Cup. Goodbye for now,