Full Transcript for S04 E02: We're BACK!

do the honeymoon first um and do it on the west coast of America. 00:04:31.519 --> 00:04:32.160 Get it out of the way. 00:04:32.319 --> 00:04:34.720 Just get it out of the way before the real stuff starts. 00:04:35.519 --> 00:04:37.040 All the formalities. 00:04:37.199 --> 00:04:48.959 Uh West Coast road trip, and then we're going to fly home via Boston for just going for the one game because we're not millionaires and we have splashed out a lot for these tickets for the Haiti game. 00:04:49.120 --> 00:04:53.360 But uh, yeah, just getting one game in is is special enough for me. 00:04:53.439 --> 00:04:58.720 And it also means I can go home as well and get back up the road for at least one of the other games as well. 00:04:59.120 --> 00:05:15.439 And share it with all these different people, like share it with friends that are going over there, share it with family that are not for the the following games, um, and maybe even soak up a little bit in London as well with the kind of the Scottish crowd down here as well, because we did a lot of qualifiers that way, and um it's a really strong crowd as well. 00:05:15.519 --> 00:05:16.720 So there's so many of them. 00:05:17.040 --> 00:05:18.959 Maybe we'll actually get a pint together, Laura. 00:05:19.120 --> 00:05:22.000 Maybe we'll I'll actually we'll have to book it in, mind you. 00:05:22.959 --> 00:05:23.519 I don't believe you. 00:05:23.600 --> 00:05:28.079 I mean, my wedding was the only time I've seen you, Andrew, in about five years in real life. 00:05:29.839 --> 00:05:30.560 My busy man. 00:05:30.959 --> 00:05:32.079 Fair play, you did well. 00:05:32.160 --> 00:05:36.000 You you MC'd for us at the wedding day, so uh you you played your part. 00:05:36.240 --> 00:05:37.279 You're damn right. 00:05:37.439 --> 00:05:39.680 I'm available for free. 00:05:40.959 --> 00:05:42.800 Weddings and permits for us. 00:05:44.079 --> 00:05:52.240 Um, what I was gonna say, my biggest tip for you going to Boston, by the way, because it's probably my favourite city in America, go to the Green Dragon. 00:05:52.399 --> 00:06:08.079 Um, it's this, it's like the one of the oldest pubs in America, and it's where um I was gonna say JJ Abrams, but it's um Paul Revere and Samuel Adams wrote the like the Boston Tea Party was all done in that pub. 00:06:08.319 --> 00:06:09.600 Oh no, it still exists. 00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:10.959 The Sam Adams. 00:06:11.519 --> 00:06:13.040 Yeah, the Samuel Adams. 00:06:13.439 --> 00:06:21.680 Uh and uh Paul Revere, and there was a few others that I can't remember because I'm not a history buff, but it does good booze and it does good food. 00:06:21.839 --> 00:06:23.759 Uh Green Dragon, if you're listening. 00:06:24.160 --> 00:06:24.480 Nice. 00:06:24.959 --> 00:06:29.360 Can I just say as well, Laura, like that's it's it's brave of you picking that fixture. 00:06:29.439 --> 00:06:34.160 You're not going for the what's sure to be the victory, the incredible victory over Brazil. 00:06:34.240 --> 00:06:42.079 You're not going for the disappointing draw uh against Morocco, you're going for the crushing opening defeat to Haiti. 00:06:42.560 --> 00:06:43.120 Absolutely. 00:06:43.199 --> 00:06:45.680 The the one-nil defeat where we're not even going to get a goal. 00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:54.480 I mean it's an interesting place. 00:06:54.639 --> 00:07:16.240 Do we do we start about Scotland and the World Cup or should we the reason that we are back and the reason that we're gonna do an episode every week now until the end of the Scottish uh domestic season is because we've got a title race, and I feel like we should talk about the domestic football really, because the international stuff's gonna take care of itself and we'll react off that when it happens. 00:07:16.480 --> 00:07:24.000 But this is the this is I said at the top, this is the greatest um moment of my life. 00:07:24.160 --> 00:07:30.240 Uh this is the greatest like title race I've ever seen, like for for Scottish football fans. 00:07:30.399 --> 00:07:38.240 And I just don't think I ever would have saw it when the season started and everyone was there's all last season it was like Aberdeen, wasn't it? 00:07:38.319 --> 00:07:41.839 And they just went on a big mazy run for like nine games or ten games. 00:07:42.000 --> 00:07:48.000 It never it there's always a team that starts well, but after 13-14 games it just pitters away. 00:07:48.160 --> 00:07:51.519 Hearts have stayed there, and there's only a few games left to go. 00:07:51.680 --> 00:07:58.959 I said that if they got past Christmas, they've got a really good chance, and I'm gonna I I don't know what to say anymore. 00:07:59.360 --> 00:08:07.920 I mean, I I said even if they get to Easter, I still don't believe it's gonna happen, but they kind of do now, and it's so exciting. 00:08:08.959 --> 00:08:10.879 Are you saying are you saying hearts will win it then, Laura? 00:08:11.120 --> 00:08:13.199 I'm not saying they'll win it, I'm saying they're definitely in it. 00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:17.279 I said and the fact it's gonna go right down to the wire is just the greatest thing. 00:08:17.600 --> 00:08:22.160 I said a real barometer for me is the fact that I can go into work in an office in England. 00:08:22.480 --> 00:08:28.319 I said, I said, and normally I said on the butt of all jokes, people do not care about Scottish football in the slightest. 00:08:28.480 --> 00:08:33.600 I said and now, deadly seriously, I said they are coming to me talking about Scottish football. 00:08:33.840 --> 00:08:39.600 I said they are they're sitting on their phones at lunchtime and they're going, Oh, the post-split fixtures have been announced. 00:08:40.159 --> 00:08:42.720 Look at who hearts are playing on the last day, and I'm like, What? 00:08:43.279 --> 00:08:44.960 Where's where has this come from? 00:08:45.279 --> 00:08:51.200 It's so exciting to see other people take such a genuine interest in our game. 00:08:51.840 -->

00:08:54.399 Did you notice that they even know what the split meant? 00:08:54.559 --> 00:08:56.639 Because I had to explain that to my office. 00:08:56.960 --> 00:08:58.320 They were just like, What, what? 00:08:58.480 --> 00:09:00.399 Yeah, what what why? 00:09:00.559 --> 00:09:00.879 Why? 00:09:01.200 --> 00:09:03.919 I get a lot of so are they still to play each other? 00:09:04.000 --> 00:09:11.279 And I'm like, Oh yeah, oh yes, this is the best thing about the split is because they're only going to play each other. 00:09:11.600 --> 00:09:36.320 Who who's there's been a lot of talk that Celtic have benefited, and there's been loads of conspiracy theories about the whole idea that the last day of the season it's at Celtic Park and it's hearts, which, regardless of where it is, for me for that to be the last day of the season, the current champions against the potential, you know, candidates or you know the next ones. 00:09:36.639 --> 00:09:40.000 And it might not be, it might not work that way anyway. 00:09:40.159 --> 00:09:43.279 Like, do you believe in the conspiracy theories, Finlay? 00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:48.720 Or do you think I heard somewhere that Rangers have got a crapper running than it than all three of them? 00:09:48.879 --> 00:09:49.519 Is that true? 00:09:49.840 --> 00:09:54.879 Oh, I I think you've got to embrace the conspiracy theories uh entirely, Andrew. 00:09:54.960 --> 00:10:01.519 This is this is what our domestic game is based on without the bam pottery and the nonsense, where would we be? 00:10:01.759 --> 00:10:06.559 Um it's just been electric, like it's been so crazy watching it because I think you're right, Laura. 00:10:06.639 --> 00:10:15.919 Like at the start of the season, I think most of us were expecting, because it was a great start from hearts, for it for them to be like this season's Aberdeen, like an incredible stretch for 12 games. 00:10:16.159 --> 00:10:24.879 But the the issue for teams outside of the old firm is always consistency, it's it's it's keeping that up over the course of a season. 00:10:24.960 --> 00:10:27.279 And how many times have we seen like good sides? 00:10:27.360 --> 00:10:45.679 I I I remember a few times, like um maybe back in the like the late 90s, the Hart side under Jim Jeffries was pushing towards there, and you had like the really good motherwood side of the early to mid-90s as well, under Tommy McLean that you know had like Tommy Coyne and stuff. 00:10:45.840 --> 00:10:58.559 I remember like they were finishing second at one point or whatever, and obviously, like we've had going back to the 80s, it was 40 odd years now, you had really good Hearts teams, Aberdeen teams, and Dundee United teams, the latter two of which obviously won league titles as well. 00:10:59.360 --> 00:11:08.000 But I think like you're saying oh you can't remember title races, like we've had some exciting days, obviously, you know, like helicopter Sunday or final days with goal difference and stuff. 00:11:08.080 --> 00:11:21.759 But the fact that we could now and probably will be heading to uh at least close to a final day, if not the final day, with three teams all with a distinct possibility of winning it, is incredible. 00:11:22.159 --> 00:11:32.639 I I'm not necessar necessarily sure of the qualities being of the highest calibre, but you cannot argue that it's just been absolute cinema the whole season. 00:11:32.879 --> 00:11:48.080 Um and I I not to like time stamp it too much, but obviously we're recording this the day after the the Falkirk versus Rangers game, and like that weirdly almost felt like a microcosm for the whole season, just total chaos from start to finish. 00:11:48.320 --> 00:11:50.720 Nobody could predict where it was going to go next. 00:11:50.960 --> 00:11:55.679 You don't know who's turning up, you don't know who's gonna absolutely crap it on the day. 00:11:55.759 --> 00:12:10.799 Like, it's just the whole thing's been absolutely box office, and it's hard trying to uh recap it without I almost diminitising Hearts' uh effort in some way, but almost a little bit of a pat in the head, like, oh congratulations, you're still here. 00:12:10.960 --> 00:12:19.360 But I I I think it is like this perfect cocktail of Hearts having the season of their lives and both the old firm sides struggling. 00:12:19.679 --> 00:12:26.559 Is kind of you need a bit of that recipe, that cocktail to happen in order to give you like the drama as it's unfolded. 00:12:26.639 --> 00:12:37.919 But I mean, like, we're talking just about three sides, like you could be starting anywhere, like the amount of absolute nonsense that is going on this season, it's just why Scottish football is the best league in the world. 00:12:38.240 --> 00:12:50.559 You you came out with a really good start, Finn, um, this weekend, actually, saying that before this weekend there'd only been one fixture round of the season where Hearts, Celtic, and Rangers all won their games. 00:12:50.879 --> 00:12:56.159 So this weekend is the second time this has happened, and we're five games off the end of the season. 00:12:56.320 --> 00:12:56.960 That is insane. 00:12:57.039 --> 00:12:59.440 I mean, it's the closest league in Europe. 00:12:59.679 --> 00:13:01.279 I was I was looking at the different leagues. 00:13:01.360 --> 00:13:04.480 You're you're talking like out the top five, right? 00:13:04.799 --> 00:13:09.039 PSG are four ahead of Lon, who are six ahead of Leo. 00:13:09.600 --> 00:13:12.559 Bundesliga, Bayern are 12 ahead of Dortmund, right? 00:13:12.799 --> 00:13:13.039 Finish. 00:13:13.360 --> 00:13:26.559 Seria are seven ahead of Napoli, La Liga, Barcelona, nine ahead of Real Madrid, Premier League, okay, Arsenal drop points, so it's a little bit closer now, but still six ahead of Mansay, who are 11 ahead of third place Man United. 00:13:26.720 --> 00:13:27.519 It's not the same. 00:13:27.679 --> 00:13:30.240 You even look further down, Portugal, Belgium, Holland.

00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:34.639 I mean, PSV are 19 points ahead of Iron Org at the top of the table. 00:13:34.960 --> 00:13:37.440 Normally that's us that are complaining about that sort of thing. 00:13:37.759 --> 00:13:42.720 Turkey looks like the only league that is remotely close to what we are experiencing right now. 00:13:42.879 --> 00:13:48.960 Galitas and I are currently two points ahead of Ferribacci, who are two points ahead of Transvispor. 00:13:49.440 --> 00:13:51.360 So that is tight as well. 00:13:51.679 --> 00:13:56.320 But not as tight as us, because we're tight leading up. 00:13:57.600 --> 00:13:59.600 Oh, absolutely, there's no doubt about it. 00:14:00.000 --> 00:14:13.279 Even when you think of some of the football that we've seen from Motherwood this year, I remember there was at one stage not too long ago, I think Motherwood were pro had the best defence in more than the top five leagues in Europe as well. 00:14:13.440 --> 00:14:14.399 It's but one stage. 00:14:14.559 --> 00:14:20.720 I think after 30 odd games, or sorry, after 28 games, they'd only conceded something like 20 goals. 00:14:20.960 --> 00:14:22.320 It was something crazy. 00:14:22.559 --> 00:14:24.879 Um there's been so many good stuff. 00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:32.000 St Mirrin won the League Cup this year, and then went on an absolute horror show of a run afterwards. 00:14:32.159 --> 00:14:34.879 It was like a four-month hangover those guys had. 00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:36.720 And then what's his name again? 00:14:37.279 --> 00:14:43.840 The manager goes he goes to Aberdeen, who might get relegated. 00:14:44.000 --> 00:14:45.279 Like it's mental. 00:14:45.440 --> 00:14:46.159 Yeah, they'll be alright. 00:14:46.240 --> 00:14:46.879 They'll be right back. 00:14:46.960 --> 00:14:54.879 I mean, some some of the stories, if you just recap over what we've missed in the last like six months or so, some of the stories are insane. 00:14:55.039 --> 00:14:56.720 From the very good to the very bad. 00:14:56.799 --> 00:14:59.519 I mean, Scott McTominay got nominated for a Ballon d'Or. 00:14:59.919 --> 00:15:02.080 Like that just doesn't happen. 00:15:02.480 --> 00:15:02.960 What? 00:15:03.440 --> 00:15:07.200 Like, we are we are competing at the highest of our game. 00:15:07.279 --> 00:15:13.120 We've got the best league in Europe right now, we've got the best player in Scotland almost almost winning awards. 00:15:13.279 --> 00:15:19.919 Um, but some of this stuff is incredible, and then at the other end of it, you've got Stephen Presley calling his team, a jobby team. 00:15:20.240 --> 00:15:25.200 So it's just the best season ever. 00:15:25.840 --> 00:15:35.120 Even like we've we've we've not even talked about like Rangers going for a swim in Locke Lomond or the whole Wilfred Nancy situation that lasted. 00:15:35.200 --> 00:15:35.519 What was it? 00:15:35.840 --> 00:15:37.279 Three days three days. 00:15:37.519 --> 00:15:45.200 Um, the fact that Martin O'Neill's been brought out

of cryogenic freezing twice this season to try and rescue it for Celtic. 00:15:45.759 --> 00:15:48.000 And is the coolest pensioner in Scotland. 00:15:48.080 --> 00:15:52.159 Now, the air fashion age is buzzing off his tracks. 00:15:52.960 --> 00:15:56.399 I'll tell you what, Martin O'Neill was on my flight back to London the other day. 00:15:56.559 --> 00:15:59.519 No, so I was at I was at my my wee cousin's wedding. 00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:01.519 I say wee cousin, he's six foot three or something. 00:16:01.679 --> 00:16:03.919 But uh Martin O'Neill was on my fight, and do you know what? 00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:08.080 Like, I've seen him before, but it always strikes me he's a really tall guy. 00:16:08.399 --> 00:16:13.840 Yeah, he's he's like you don't think he's gonna be tall, you just think of like, oh, it's wee Martin O'Neill, we wee guy. 00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:15.679 Was he was he dressed well? 00:16:16.000 --> 00:16:19.440 Oh, he was oh, he was very suave, very suave. 00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:19.919 Yeah. 00:16:22.159 --> 00:16:22.720 So much. 00:16:22.799 --> 00:16:38.480 I mean, even when you look at like sorry, Russell Martin, just two words that just spark so much nonsense from the start of the season that everyone's just sort of moved on from and forgot because Rangers have recovered so well from that utter car crash. 00:16:38.720 --> 00:16:46.000 It's funny though, because you say recovered so well, it's just been like plain sailing, it's been like silent assassin work from Danny Rowe. 00:16:46.320 --> 00:17:01.039 And even though I I thought when when Celtic beat Rangers in the Scottish Cup and on penalties, and you had a lot of Rangers fans going, That's that's it, you can't prepare Rangers their mentality-wise, that he's not getting them geared up for it. 00:17:01.120 --> 00:17:05.359 I was just like, still in the title race, still got a good chance to win the league. 00:17:05.440 --> 00:17:06.160 And do you know what? 00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:12.160 If you win the league and you don't win a cup, in this season of all seasons, you're made. 00:17:12.400 --> 00:17:29.599 There's there's also the the absolutely crazy situation that could still happen where if and it's still a big F, but if Rangers win the league, they could potentially get automatic entry into the Champions League group stage, which is mind-blowing considering where they were. 00:17:29.680 --> 00:17:32.000 They were ninth when Danny Rule took over. 00:17:32.240 --> 00:17:33.839 Ninth in October. 00:17:34.240 --> 00:17:35.599 Like that's unheard of. 00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:43.279 There's no way in any regular season that one of the teams that starts that poorly should be close to being in a title race by the end of it. 00:17:43.519 --> 00:17:44.880 It's just been absolutely crazy. 00:17:45.039 --> 00:17:59.440 And also we're talking about Martin O'Neill, Vilfred nonce, Brendan Rogers, like you almost forget he was the Celtic manager at the start of the season, and like even

the the open letter from Dermot Desmond was mind-blowing. 00:17:59.599 --> 00:18:02.480 And then we've got like I I kind of got buried in other news. 00:18:02.559 --> 00:18:03.920 I can't remember what happened that day. 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:12.240 But Laura, you and I were going absolutely crazy at the whole um Brendan out in Saudi with the you know, like the the garb on and all all of his chat. 00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:22.079 He was doing the kind of like breath of fresh air thing, you know, his story from when he first joined Celtic and the incident in the Clyde Tunnel that's now kind of legendary, but he was doing the same thing. 00:18:22.400 --> 00:18:25.759 This is just that yet another insane thing that happened. 00:18:25.839 --> 00:18:34.240 There's photos in mirrors of Brendan Rogers standing there holding a machine gun, and everyone just went, Oh, that's AI, that didn't happen. 00:18:34.319 --> 00:18:37.839 And then you're like, no, no, that actually did happen. 00:18:38.960 --> 00:18:40.079 What is going on? 00:18:40.400 --> 00:18:46.480 I don't think I can ever look back on this season and not remember so much that everything is so memorable. 00:18:46.720 --> 00:18:51.359 If I even look down at like little old Queen of the South, they're in the playoffs, you know. 00:18:51.440 --> 00:18:56.960 I think playoffs just got secured this weekend as results went elsewhere went well elsewhere. 00:18:57.119 --> 00:19:00.319 So Queen of the South could be back in the championship next season. 00:19:00.480 --> 00:19:04.240 It's just a great year for a lot of teams, not for everyone, obviously. 00:19:04.480 --> 00:19:07.519 Well, even Falkirk, Falkirk are doing so well. 00:19:07.599 --> 00:19:15.119 I mean, they were in league one, what, like two seasons ago, and they've secured like the worst they're gonna do is sixth place. 00:19:15.359 --> 00:19:23.039 It's it's such a good season, and and the thing is they're challenging, they are competing against the biggest teams and making a difference in these games as well. 00:19:23.200 --> 00:19:28.559 And Scottish Cup semi-final as well coming up, they're going to hand it at least once more this season. 00:19:28.960 --> 00:19:29.440 That's good. 00:19:29.599 --> 00:19:30.160 That is good. 00:19:30.319 --> 00:19:32.400 I mean, we know how good top six can be. 00:19:32.559 --> 00:19:33.279 Like St. 00:19:33.519 --> 00:19:40.799 Miran achieved it under Stephen Robinson like in consecutive seasons, and we've seen what that can propel a team to do. 00:19:40.960 --> 00:19:43.680 It's not easy to do that back to back either. 00:19:43.839 --> 00:19:50.480 But we have seen you know, Dundee did it in their first year back, and then the second year back was a lot harder. 00:19:50.640 --> 00:19:54.079 So that will be the challenge for McGlynn and Co. 00:19:54.480 --> 00:19:57.119 next season, but it's been awesome for them! 00:20:03.759 --> 00:20:06.240 The dogs bark and the caravan passes. 00:20:06.400 --> 00:20:09.039 The caravan keeps moving, the caravan keeps going. 00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:11.599 What about Steve Clark then for the summer? 00:20:11.920 --> 00:20:15.680 Do you think he's gonna name a full 55 squad? 00:20:16.480 --> 00:20:18.640 This is this is ridiculous. 00:20:19.279 --> 00:20:26.240 So he has to name a 55-man squad to start with before he then names his 26-man squad. 00:20:26.319 --> 00:20:28.480 I don't know if he has to make it public or not. 00:20:28.799 --> 00:20:30.400 It's a hell of a party. 00:20:31.440 --> 00:20:35.119 And I don't actually know if it's a good or bad thing if he starts to name 55 players. 00:20:35.359 --> 00:20:48.000 We did this on the train to the Ivory Coast game in Liverpool last couple of weeks ago, where we tried to actually name 55 players, and I was struggling towards the end, right? 00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:50.000 You think it's you think it's easy. 00:20:50.480 --> 00:20:52.160 People who were with said it was easy. 00:20:52.319 --> 00:20:53.440 I don't think it is. 00:20:53.599 --> 00:20:59.359 I mean, like Barry Bannon was getting mentioned at one point, and that's when I just said, Stop account. 00:20:59.519 --> 00:21:01.200 It's not goodness. 00:21:01.839 --> 00:21:03.839 Yeah, no, it's gonna be it's gonna be interesting. 00:21:04.000 --> 00:21:06.400 Steve Clark was in New York as well this weekend, wasn't he? 00:21:06.880 --> 00:21:10.240 I think it was like Parton Parade or something like that. 00:21:10.559 --> 00:21:14.400 Parton Parade in New York, so Steve Clark was out there having a right old good time. 00:21:14.640 --> 00:21:17.119 Was he um was he repping the new kit at all? 00:21:17.359 --> 00:21:24.079 Because uh I I think we need to probably mention that the pink one, which I'm a big fan of and most people are, but you used two weren't? 00:21:24.319 --> 00:21:28.079 I think it's Sleep and I think we're the only two people who don't like it. 00:21:28.400 --> 00:21:30.319 Yeah, I've seen it everywhere, and do you know what? 00:21:30.400 --> 00:21:36.000 I was so close to buying it at Glasgow Airport uh just to piss Laura off and wear it today. 00:21:36.160 --> 00:21:43.519 But I decided I decided on Intimulan, uh obviously an homage to Denzel Dumfries, where I'm from. 00:21:43.759 --> 00:21:48.000 So um no, I just And the fact that all we do right now is work on Serie A. 00:21:48.319 --> 00:21:50.400 Well, yeah, do a lot of Seria football. 00:21:50.640 --> 00:21:53.440 Um but yeah, I I don't like it. 00:21:53.519 --> 00:21:56.079 I just think it's absolutely blogging. 00:21:56.319 --> 00:21:59.680 Um there's not a single bit that I'm like, oh maybe. 00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:07.519 Notice sometimes kits look horrible as a design, but then when you see it on people, you're like, oh, do you know what actually looks okay? 00:22:07.680 --> 00:22:09.599 Um, this just looks pure shite. 00:22:09.839 --> 00:22:14.240 It is the colour of every bald man's head when he's being in America for

three days. 00:22:14.400 --> 00:22:18.000 By the time the Haiti game comes around, they're going to be camouflaged. 00:22:18.160 --> 00:22:18.480 Yeah. 00:22:18.720 --> 00:22:19.119 Wow. 00:22:20.079 --> 00:22:20.799 What a sight. 00:22:20.960 --> 00:22:22.400 Look, the home kit's good. 00:22:22.480 --> 00:22:24.319 Let's just play in that as much as possible. 00:22:24.640 --> 00:22:25.359 Only we won't. 00:22:25.440 --> 00:22:26.799 Not against Haiti, unfortunately. 00:22:27.039 --> 00:22:27.759 No, we won't. 00:22:27.839 --> 00:22:28.240 We won't. 00:22:28.319 --> 00:22:29.359 But uh and you know what? 00:22:29.519 --> 00:22:30.400 As long as we win. 00:22:30.559 --> 00:22:31.359 I think is it not? 00:22:31.519 --> 00:22:38.079 Have we not has it not been said that if you get three points, that's pretty much you're guaranteed to get into the next bit? 00:22:38.319 --> 00:22:50.000 Yeah, but it's also what is it, the eight of the 12 best runners up the eight of the 12 best third place teams go through, and you know that is absolutely going to mean that we are the ninth best third place team. 00:22:51.440 --> 00:22:54.319 Everyone keeps saying to me, Well, if you beat Haiti, you're dead you're starting. 00:22:54.480 --> 00:22:55.440 It's like, no, no, no, we're not. 00:22:55.599 --> 00:23:01.200 Yeah, Andrew, you're you're long enough in this game to know exactly that that what Loris just said is bang on the money. 00:23:01.279 --> 00:23:10.559 Like, we are nailed on to be the best shite third place team just outside qualifying for being getting three points. 00:23:10.799 --> 00:23:12.559 That's if we beat Haiti. 00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:16.000 If we'd even achieve that. 00:23:22.559 --> 00:23:24.400 Regrets, not just people laughing at it. 00:23:24.480 --> 00:23:26.160 So I didn't find it funny. 00:23:26.480 --> 00:23:35.039 People, if you do remember us, know that we try to champion a lot of things about Scottish football, not just what happens on the pitch. 00:23:35.200 --> 00:23:38.480 Like we've done things about safe pyro, for instance. 00:23:38.640 --> 00:23:41.839 Um, but we're really passionate about alcohol. 00:23:42.079 --> 00:23:49.039 And uh just in general, just in general, big, big, big fans of it, responsibly, of course. 00:23:49.200 --> 00:23:52.240 Um, but Laura, alcohol was trialed at Hamden. 00:23:52.640 --> 00:23:57.279 And uh did it go down well or was it just not even noticed? 00:23:57.680 --> 00:23:59.039 It was not even noticed. 00:23:59.200 --> 00:24:06.799 I mean, they trialed it in the the upper tier of the south stand, which no one goes to, and it was basically glorified hospitality. 00:24:06.960 --> 00:24:18.799 In fact, it was in fact, it's the opposite of glorified hospitality, it was the shit version of hospitality because you got it like an hour before kickoff, you had to have finished it 45 minutes before kickoff. 00:24:18.880 --> 00:24:24.640 You're in some wee room that horrible carpets and can't see the pitch.

00:24:24.799 --> 00:24:33.039 And yeah, sure, you got a plastic cup and you got a pint poured into it, but who enjoys a plastic pint in general, never mind. 00:24:33.839 --> 00:24:39.920 It seems like the last hour in the shitiest wee nightclub and other shighty wee towns that you know in anywhere in the world. 00:24:40.319 --> 00:24:47.920 It's just I mean, like, it's good that they're trying, it's good we're progressing in some way, but we're progressing at like a snail's pace here. 00:24:48.240 --> 00:24:59.440 And yes, okay, it's it's it's a small step forward, but like on Saturday there, I was at the Arsenal um Bournemouth game, and Brian Christie, captain by the way, did very well. 00:25:00.000 --> 00:25:15.279 Uh but the Emirates have the app the Emirates have like like all English stadiums, um, you're allowed to drink in the concourse, and the way that the bars were set up, they had bar lanes, so it's the kiosks that sell food and everything like that. 00:25:15.440 --> 00:25:30.559 But um, you can go up to any part of it and buy your food and drink, but there are specific queues only for people who are buying beer, and not just the but the beer lane, but there's also a Guinness lane as well, because they sell proper Guinness at the Emirates. 00:25:31.119 --> 00:25:33.839 I'm just I'm so jealous that they get to enjoy that. 00:25:33.920 --> 00:25:35.519 They go into the ground early. 00:25:35.839 --> 00:25:44.960 I packed up and left my um seat in the gantry easily half an hour after the final whistle, thinking the place would be empty when I went on to the concourse. 00:25:45.119 --> 00:25:51.920 And fans are still standing there, their team had just lost, and they're still standing there with their mates with a pint in their hands. 00:25:52.400 --> 00:25:54.319 What that what lifestyle? 00:25:54.400 --> 00:25:58.799 Uh uh not many things in English football make me jealous, but that is definitely one of them. 00:25:58.880 --> 00:26:05.920 But just that culture and the trust that's there, and yeah, we're we're we're making steps, but we're not making them fast enough. 00:26:06.240 --> 00:26:13.759 Yeah, there's there's there's a severe lack of trust and and uh and that would have been broken even further after the scenes. 00:26:14.000 --> 00:26:16.400 Um was it iBrooks? 00:26:16.799 --> 00:26:31.039 Yeah, iBrux when when finally when finally Celtic uh got a proper allocation um and it felt and the atmosphere looked amazing on TV, but then at the end, just an absolute disaster. 00:26:31.440 --> 00:26:38.720 I really hope that they don't start connecting that to alcohol because they wouldn't have that that wasn't because of alcohol. 00:26:38.880 --> 00:26:45.599 So you can't hypothetically say, well, that would have happened had they been drinking, because it didn't happen and they hadn't been drinking. 00:26:45.759 --> 00:26:50.799 So let's not try and fake um and imagine problems here. 00:26:50.880 --> 00:26:55.039 Let's deal with actual

problems and not try and f things. 00:26:55.519 --> 00:26:56.240 And you know what? 00:26:56.319 --> 00:27:02.640 Like it it shouldn't, it shouldn't even mean that uh that Celtic should not get the allocation again. 00:27:02.880 --> 00:27:09.599 It shouldn't be just for the the minority that ruined it for everyone that that then Celtic don't get it for the next time. 00:27:09.759 --> 00:27:11.440 However, I think that it probably is. 00:27:11.839 --> 00:27:12.559 It will, it will. 00:27:12.640 --> 00:27:21.119 I I mean this is a whole podcast in and of itself, and I'm kind of glad that we've there's been a bit of distance between there, but I think that that one for me as well. 00:27:21.440 --> 00:27:27.119 I I I think on a much wider issue, and this kind of connects back to the alcohol thing. 00:27:27.359 --> 00:27:32.400 I I don't I can I can't see the police allowing it. 00:27:32.640 --> 00:27:39.359 And kind of at the end of the day, I know I know we've got broadcasters, I know we've got the clubs and the stakeholders and the SPFL and stuff. 00:27:39.519 --> 00:27:42.640 The bottom line is if the police say something, that's kind of it. 00:27:42.799 --> 00:27:45.200 Like they'll they'll they'll counter that. 00:27:45.440 --> 00:27:53.119 And uh I'm this is opening up a whole tin of beans, but I th I thought the the way that the police can of worms, sorry. 00:27:53.359 --> 00:27:57.680 He's he's softened, he's softened in his Aussie, Aussie ears. 00:27:58.400 --> 00:28:01.119 So angry that I forgot what the metaphor was. 00:28:01.279 --> 00:28:04.960 It's not not worms, but a delicious tin of baked beans. 00:28:05.359 --> 00:28:18.240 The way that the police handled that before, during, and after was totally scandalous, and I'm actually quite pleased at the way both Rangers and Celtic took their time in the aftermath to try and basically call that out. 00:28:18.400 --> 00:28:21.759 Um, and I'm sure there'll be still repercussions for that, sadly. 00:28:21.839 --> 00:28:26.720 Um, but yeah, it's um that's that's that's a whole podcast in and of itself. 00:28:26.799 --> 00:28:49.039 But I mean, like there's still the of course there's like this that there's been stuff going on that's a bit more unsavory this this season, but in the main, I think what's really great because those pictures go vi you viral whether you want to or not around the world, and I had friends, uh so many people in in the UK and here in Australia and and all around messaging me being like, What's going on? 00:28:49.119 --> 00:28:50.079 What's going on at that game? 00:28:50.160 --> 00:28:51.599 Because that's the stuff that goes around the world. 00:28:51.680 --> 00:28:52.559 I remember it's the same thing. 00:28:52.880 --> 00:28:55.920 Nobody gives a shit about the A-League outside of Australia, really. 00:28:56.079 --> 00:29:14.960 But remember a number of years ago, you'll have seen it, there was like a kind of a a pitch invasion type thing, and the Melbourne City goalkeeper got hit on the head and his head got cut with a sand bucket for putting out pyro, and that kind of like that's the thing that people remember, it's just the stuff that goes around, and it's really disappointing when stuff like that does go viral. 00:29:15.200 --> 00:29:25.839 What is pleasing though is that yeah, that did go viral and kind of spread around the world, but as just going back to the top of the show, how many other people have been getting in touch? 00:29:25.920 --> 00:29:27.119 Being like, Can hearts do it? 00:29:27.279 --> 00:29:27.920 Can hearts do it? 00:29:28.079 --> 00:29:45.839 Like, I've when is the last time that you've had people genuinely showing an interest in Scottish football outside of like the odd European run that goes somewhere or something funny that will maybe get slightly ahead, you know, out above the parapet in the in the kind of wider consciousness of football? 00:29:46.000 --> 00:30:03.279 It's just there's been so much positive going on around Scottish football this season that's been really refreshing and and good outside of the nonsense with the police, and of course, this VAR refereeing officiating conversation that has to be there every single week, regardless of what game you're watching. 00:30:04.000 --> 00:30:05.839 So, who who's going to win it then? 00:30:06.079 --> 00:30:13.039 I mean, if you look at the run-in and you look at some of the things that have happened, who who has the momentum? 00:30:13.200 --> 00:30:23.759 Because there are three points separate Celtic and third, hearts and first, Rangers are a point behind Hearts, and what there's five games to go, and they all play each other. 00:30:23.920 --> 00:30:34.000 I mean, how much of a role do Motherwill Hibanian who out of the how Mother will Hibbs and Falkirk are going to cause upsets and who's the harder team for each to face? 00:30:34.079 --> 00:30:37.759 I mean, Hibbs Hibbs Hearts is going to be huge. 00:30:38.000 --> 00:30:42.799 And actually, I don't know if it w where it's at, is it Easter Road or is it Easter Road. 00:30:42.880 --> 00:30:44.240 It's the first game after the split. 00:30:45.519 --> 00:30:49.519 Hearts have to go to Hibbs in the first game after the split. 00:30:49.759 --> 00:30:51.440 That's oh man. 00:30:52.960 --> 00:30:55.599 Now I won't say who this Hibs fan was. 00:30:55.839 --> 00:31:06.079 He said to me that he would accept Hearts winning the league just because it it ends the whole stranglehold on Scottish football, which is insane. 00:31:06.640 --> 00:31:08.960 It is, but god, yeah. 00:31:09.039 --> 00:31:17.279 I mean, I feel like everyone, everyone, it's not Celtic or Rangers and Hibs fan, want hearts to do it. 00:31:17.680 --> 00:31:25.519 Like everyone wants Hearts to do it just for the the novelty factor of it, to just to break that 40-year wait for it. 00:31:26.799 --> 00:31:36.160 They go to Eastern Roads, they host Rangers, which to me is the that is the biggest game right now, looking at

it on paper. 00:31:36.240 --> 00:31:39.440 That's bigger than Celtic Hearts of the Last Day because it is it's so soon. 00:31:40.079 --> 00:31:42.079 It's uh it was first V second. 00:31:42.720 --> 00:31:48.240 So like that to me is massive, and it's probably gonna be no no. 00:31:48.960 --> 00:31:51.680 So let me yeah, but let's so let me let me say this then. 00:31:51.920 --> 00:32:01.039 If if Hearts get at least four points out of their first two games in the post split, do they win the league? 00:32:01.279 --> 00:32:07.920 Well well, no, because Celtic and well Celtic Rangers do also both get four points in the first two games. 00:32:08.480 --> 00:32:16.400 Um I just uh I it's just impossible to call it right now because it's so tight. 00:32:16.559 --> 00:32:19.279 I I hearts do have to go to Far Park. 00:32:19.920 --> 00:32:26.000 Typically, hearts struggle at Far Park far, far more than they do when they play Mother Bowl at home. 00:32:26.079 --> 00:32:27.359 So that's another difficult one. 00:32:27.440 --> 00:32:29.279 We they go they they host Falkirk. 00:32:29.359 --> 00:32:33.519 We just we've just seen this weekend how Falkirk are gonna have a say in it somewhere. 00:32:33.680 --> 00:32:37.680 They're not gonna just let that sit back and watch someone else win the title. 00:32:37.759 --> 00:32:39.920 They're gonna they're gonna want to have to play their part in this as well. 00:32:40.799 --> 00:32:44.640 Um, but yet it's the fact that they all play each other, you just you cannot call this right now. 00:32:44.960 --> 00:32:55.759 But but three away games instead of three home games, that's what that's why people think Celtic have some sort of favour from the SFA, for instance. 00:32:56.400 --> 00:33:01.039 Well, yeah, but do you really buy into this for like making it easier for them or harder? 00:33:01.200 --> 00:33:05.680 Like considering they're playing utter garbage, it doesn't matter. 00:33:05.920 --> 00:33:08.480 I would if they were maybe playing like on a plastic pitch or something. 00:33:08.559 --> 00:33:21.920 If they if one of them were playing Levy, for example, um, I could maybe see the argument of saying like that's a more difficult tie that they've got, but it's because it's so even across the board right now, that's why I don't think anyone's got an advantage or disadvantage. 00:33:22.720 --> 00:33:25.920 I I I agree with Laura, I don't think there's an enormous advantage in it. 00:33:26.240 --> 00:33:35.440 Also, it's not like you always get this every season about the conspiracy film, oh, they've played them three times away and they've not done like you you still need to play the games. 00:33:35.759 --> 00:33:44.160 I I'm personally, I'm just like you still need to go to these games, these grounds anyway, and and play these games, just get on with it and and see where you are. 00:33:44.640 --> 00:33:53.440 The thing is, that and the gauntlet that's been thrown down for all three of these teams is basically if you

win your last five games of the season, you'll win the title. 00:33:53.759 --> 00:33:56.880 That that's basically what's dangling front of these teams right now. 00:33:57.119 --> 00:34:12.480 And the amazing thing is I don't see any of the three of these teams, and Form would suggest that none of the three of these teams will win all five games, because I think the longest winning run of any team in the league this season, I think it's capped at five games. 00:34:12.880 --> 00:34:23.599 So even that in and of itself, and then there's that crazy stat that we mentioned earlier on in the show that this weekend is only the second time all season that all three of the title chasing teams have all won in one weekend. 00:34:24.000 --> 00:34:29.760 So there'll be twists and turns yet to come, and it's it's kind of who's got the stomach for it. 00:34:30.159 --> 00:34:34.719 My my opinion hasn't really changed from round about January. 00:34:34.960 --> 00:34:39.440 I think between our uh we were all chatting in in some of our friendship groups as well, Laura. 00:34:39.519 --> 00:34:47.599 We were all saying how important the January transfer window was, and certainly on paper at the moment, it looks like Rangers had the better one with with the players that have come in. 00:34:47.840 --> 00:34:52.719 I don't think the Celtic players have have uh affected their their their matches too much. 00:34:52.880 --> 00:35:10.559 You've had Oxley Chamberlain who's got a couple of winning goals, but um and and and the heart's reinforcements have uh have been good, like fine, but is it's kind of just going to be who's the least shit, like who crawls over the line in the end, and there's twists and turns still to come. 00:35:10.719 --> 00:35:12.960 And I don't know if everybody's got the stomach for it. 00:35:13.039 --> 00:35:26.480 Like I was messaging my friends obviously during the the the Falkirk Rangers game yesterday, and I'm like, I don't I don't think I've got the stuff my nerves can't handle another five match days if they're all going to be like that, like total chaos ball. 00:35:26.639 --> 00:35:42.239 But um, going back to the point that I was starting to make, my money would still be on Celtic at this point, which I know seems silly but at the moment because they've not been on form, they are having a poor season, it's not a great squad, they've had huge issues obviously going on off the pitch as well. 00:35:42.559 --> 00:35:47.280 But to me, they're still the team that have been there and done this of those three teams. 00:35:47.440 --> 00:35:59.920 This is uncharted territory for Hartz, it's uncharted uncharted territory for most of their supporters as well, because it's what 88 was the last time they were anywhere near the sniff of of winning a title. 00:36:00.159 --> 00:36:08.719 Rangers, we obviously know the kind of like the mentality issues that they potentially have, and that they they're just you don't know, they're so Jekyll and Hyde. 00:36:08.960

--> 00:36:15.920 Hearts' form has been faltering uh but not enough for them to have fallen away from the race. 00:36:16.079 --> 00:36:21.280 So it's kind of just who will collapse over the line first. 00:36:22.079 --> 00:36:58.480 And to to me, my I until I'm proven otherwise, I still think it's Celtic because I still think they've got that muscle memory, the experience, the they've certainly in terms of the scheduling, trying to stay away from the conspiracy theories, but they certainly have one of the more favourable, they've probably got the favourable run-in of the three title chasing teams, and that they've got one more home game that I think they also they always play first, or certainly at the same time as like Range Rangers, I think in their fixtures are always playing at the same time or after Celtic and and Hearts, I think, quite a f quite a lot of the time too. 00:36:58.639 --> 00:37:12.800 So but these these are the five margins that might might make an impact, but given how crazy the rest of the season's gone and the kind of up and down nature of all three of those teams, I I couldn't really call it if you push me, I'd say it's Celtic, but it's still wide open. 00:37:12.960 --> 00:37:15.519 It's it's going to be absolutely box office. 00:37:15.760 --> 00:37:16.960 I think Rangers will win it. 00:37:17.119 --> 00:37:18.719 And I think Celtic will finish them. 00:37:19.440 --> 00:37:21.119 I I am actually more siding with Finn. 00:37:21.519 --> 00:37:33.440 I think that that's typically we see Celtic consistently grinding out results and scoring these stoppage time winners when they have to, when the heat is on. 00:37:33.599 --> 00:37:39.679 Um, I think they've got the mentality for it that it's been hammered into them so much that they they play until they score. 00:37:40.000 --> 00:37:49.119 And I just see that happening far more lightly than Hearts, for example, when backs are against the wall and they have to get a winner. 00:37:49.280 --> 00:37:50.480 I just can't see that happening. 00:37:50.639 --> 00:37:55.679 Maybe it's just because I've literally seen Celtics do it so often that it just feels so natural to see that. 00:37:55.840 --> 00:37:59.199 Um, I I think I really don't want it to happen. 00:37:59.280 --> 00:38:04.639 I don't want Hearts to lose their bottle here, but I think it'll be Celtic Rangers Hearts. 00:38:05.199 --> 00:38:06.639 Celtic Rangers Hearts. 00:38:06.960 --> 00:38:21.679 So for Hearts fans here, if you if you were to finish third after everything that you've been through, how difficult do you think that would be as a pill to swallow if you finished third after all of this? 00:38:21.920 --> 00:38:25.920 Is that a kick in the balls, the face, the gooch, and the face of the biggest? 00:38:26.159 --> 00:38:26.960 All of it combined. 00:38:27.119 --> 00:38:27.440 All of it. 00:38:28.079 --> 00:38:28.559 Oh man. 00:38:28.880 --> 00:38:31.280 Yeah, second and it is it is all of that. 00:38:31.360 --> 00:38:41.119 Like, there's there's no way of dressing up having led the race for so long and not crossing the the finish line first as anything other than devastating. 00:38:41.280 --> 00:38:51.599 And I I I think if you're a Hearts fan, that it would be, and and the next couple of weeks are going to be absolutely nerve-shredding if you're a Hearts fan, because like I said, this is uncharted territory. 00:38:52.239 --> 00:39:08.480 I think the the one positive for me, if Hearts don't end up winning it, that is a positive that can be taken into future seasons, is that with and it's not purely Tony Bloom, and I think that's one of the things that's annoyed me about the English press. 00:39:08.559 --> 00:39:11.519 It's not just Tony Bloom coming in and changing this around. 00:39:11.599 --> 00:39:15.280 It certainly had a huge impact in the Jamestown analytics and all the rest of it. 00:39:15.440 --> 00:39:25.119 But um the they are it looks to me like they are actually building something sustainable that they can potentially be. 00:39:25.199 --> 00:39:27.039 This isn't a one-season flash in the pan. 00:39:27.360 --> 00:39:36.559 This isn't just a good squad that is going to get ripped apart in the summer and they're all going to leave, potentially, like a team like Motherwell might do. 00:39:36.800 --> 00:39:43.760 I think Harts are in this for the longer haul, and if they don't win it this season, they will certainly be challenging over the coming seasons. 00:39:44.079 --> 00:39:48.239 Yeah, I hope so, because there are mainstays in that Hearts team that have been there for years. 00:39:48.480 --> 00:39:53.760 Shanklin Beningamy has been uh a stalwart this season for Hartz and the first time. 00:39:55.920 --> 00:39:58.559 Devlin, Halkitt at the back as well. 00:39:58.719 --> 00:39:59.039 Yeah. 00:39:59.199 --> 00:40:13.360 Um so yeah, it's it's it's it's just one of those things where when even when Derek McInnes was in charge of Aberdeen, it was it was never that they could be consistent enough to challenge for the title when Rangers went in the top flight. 00:40:13.599 --> 00:40:15.280 But I'm gonna say this as well. 00:40:15.440 --> 00:40:18.960 I think this puts Derek McInnes top of the list to be the next Scotland manager. 00:40:19.199 --> 00:40:19.760 Disagree? 00:40:20.159 --> 00:40:21.840 I don't think anyone can argue with that. 00:40:22.159 --> 00:40:24.079 Unless he gets a job offer down south. 00:40:24.320 --> 00:40:33.920 I don't want Clark to go, I want him to win the World Cup and I want him to stay and get his stature outside Hamden, but I realistically cannot see any argument against it. 00:40:34.000 --> 00:40:44.639 I feel like it's very realistic that that is it's the same thing that like Clark did this with Kelly and took them to so much success to Europe and made his name there, and everyone went, Well, he's obviously going to get the something job. 00:40:44.800 --> 00:40:47.679 It just feels like the same scenario we're seeing played out again here. 00:40:48.639 --> 00:40:52.239 If Steve Clark wins the World Cup, like you quit. 00:40:53.519 --> 00:40:54.880 You quit, you've won. 00:40:55.519 --> 00:40:59.760 I remember I played in a living aside game, and um what was his name? 00:40:59.840 --> 00:41:11.920 The the French defender Lebouff, who played for Chelsea was my manager, and like we were laughing and joking, and someone someone slagged him off, and he was just like, Fuck you, I won the World Cup. 00:41:12.639 --> 00:41:14.880 It was just like the best comeback ever. 00:41:15.119 --> 00:41:19.679 It's like oh you can't come back to being the so yeah. 00:41:19.760 --> 00:41:23.840 If Steve Clapp wins the World Cup, he can literally do anything he wants. 00:41:24.320 --> 00:41:25.119 Yeah, fair. 00:41:25.360 --> 00:41:29.679 I think if he gets out the group stage, he's getting a gold statue outside Hamden anyway. 00:41:29.920 --> 00:41:32.480 But Nina CFA can afford that, mate. 00:41:32.639 --> 00:41:34.159 Maybe gold plated. 00:41:34.639 --> 00:41:36.320 Gold plated and do that. 00:41:36.480 --> 00:41:41.920 Just hopefully don't get the guy that did the Cristiano Ronaldo bust. 00:41:42.800 --> 00:41:43.360 Remember that? 00:41:43.519 --> 00:41:45.119 That was a horror show. 00:41:45.519 --> 00:41:49.360 Anyway, on the bombshell, should we end the podcast here? 00:41:50.559 --> 00:41:52.480 We hope you've enjoyed our comeback. 00:41:52.639 --> 00:41:53.599 We'll see you next week. 00:41:53.679 --> 00:41:54.400 We're coming back. 00:41:54.559 --> 00:41:55.039 We're back. 00:41:55.280 --> 00:41:55.599 It's good. 00:41:56.239 --> 00:41:59.199 Hopefully the the production standards have gone downhill wee bit. 00:41:59.440 --> 00:42:01.519 I've joined Finn in the in the car. 00:42:06.320 --> 00:42:06.880 What is this? 00:42:07.039 --> 00:42:10.079 We're all married now, and I'm the only one that's in the house. 00:42:10.320 --> 00:42:11.280 What's gonna happen? 00:42:11.519 --> 00:42:15.599 I'm just gonna let all the guys just they'll look they know. 00:42:15.920 --> 00:42:20.800 They know Where is your husband, Lord? 00:42:21.199 --> 00:42:22.159 Where is your husband? 00:42:26.239 --> 00:42:27.599 Listen, listen, everybody.