Football Podcasts

Podcasts I Love to Listen to and Watch

The Rest Is Football

Let's start with the podcast I listen to the most. The Rest Is Football is presented by Gary Lineker and he is joined by Alan Shearer and Micah Richards. Usually it is released every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Every now and again there are emergency episodes if something big has happened or they do specials. Just like recently during the International break towards the end of last month, they released a couple of live episodes after each England game, to talk about Thomas Tuchel's first two games in charge of the national team.

The podcast is a part of a "chain" of podcasts along with The Rest Is History and The Rest Is Politics. I have a feeling that there is also a The Rest is Rugby pod. I'm not into rugby so I'm not 100% sure if I'm making that up or it's just something I've quickly heard or seen recently. Gary Lineker is the best football presenter in the country and has been for sometime. I might go and say he's the best presenter of sport in this country yet I haven't fully looked into that and there may be some other shouts but I'd stick my neck out saying he's the best presenter of sport. From working on the BBC and hosting Match of the Day for 25 years, obviously he has the experience and knowledge on his craft to be able to handle anything that is thrown at him. Also, from working on live games such as FA Cup games and international tournaments like the World Cup and Euros, there probably aren't many situations that would fluster him while on air. He's calm, collective and has great insight on the game. Even though a presenter, he can give and opinion that can also bring out the best in the pundits he is working with.

That brings us nicely onto the other two he works with in this podcast. In my opinion, the reason that this is the best football podcast out there right now, is because of the 3 guys. Alan Shearer and Micah Richards make a great mix of personalities when working together. Micah is the loveable character that is very knowledgeable and gives great reflection on content. Whether it is game scenarios or the opinion on something that has happened off the pitch. For example, transfers, social media, or football business. He can sometimes be made to look a fool but he roles with is and makes anything that is thrown at him even funnier. Shearer is slightly different. He takes no shit but in a funny way. It's like he's serious but loves to have a laugh, and essentially that's what they do while producing the podcast. They have a laugh.

At the same time as having a laugh, the podcast produces great talking and thinking points for the viewers. It always seems to be on the money with the hot topics in football that are towards the top of the relevancy scale at that time. Whether it's big games that week, the talking points on and off the pitch and some jokey topics too. Every so often there is a special guest that they do an interview with. The interviews are always inciteful on the persons career, get good opinions from the guest and have a bit of a laugh. It gives great viewing and listening as it has a great mix of work and play. The balance of the show is always spot on and it always seems to have a good randomness to the selection of guests. Unlike Overlap's Stick to Football, where it is always someone linked to Manchester United or someone already in Gary Neville's phonebook.

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I think the main reason that the 3 work together so well, is that the guys personalities are all slightly different and don't clash. They don't cut each other off, they don't talk over each other and they don't start shouting at each other to make a point. At the same time, they don't always fully agree with each other and they can accept that. It's a great way to talk about football when at the end of the day it is all about opinions. Guess what? If you don't agree on something with your mates, that's fine. So what. Imagine how boring the world would be if everyone agreed on everything. 

The Overlap - Stick to Football

I also watch The Overlap podcasts. There is Stick to Football that is usually released on a Thursday and The Fan Debate which is on a Tuesday. I have to say, I have a love-hate relationship with this podcast as a whole. I am going to try my best to stay as positive as possible yet I do have a strong feeling this may get a bit negative. At the end of the day, a lot of people reading this may think, "well if you don't like it, just don't watch it." Maybe some will reference that Ricky Gervais joke. "But I don't want guitar lessons." Look it up. The truth is, I am hooked by the show, as I am a lover of football I try to watch and listen to as much content around football as I can. Whether it's TV, radio, YouTube video or podcast, I am all footballed up.

Let's start with the cast. Gary Neville hosts the Stick to Football podcast on Thursday's. He is usually joined by Ian Wright, Roy Keane, Jill Scott and Jamie Carragher. Every now and again it can slightly change. Maybe someone will be busy with other commitments they have which is fine. Sometimes Jill in doing A League of Their Own stuff, and sometimes Jamie is doing the Champions League games on CBS and can't make it. In replacement, when he's trying to manage a football team, Wayne Rooney can be there.

Let's get into the negative and get it out of the way, then we can continue with the positives. Ready? You've got 3 knobheads together butting heads and people tune in to see them argue. They have so much experience in the game as leaders and have great insight on the game. When the 3 are in a good mood it can create the most fascinating conversation to listen to. The things you can learn and the points of view they have as ex-professionals from the top of the game for 10-15 years is quality. The way they can break down a game scenario, decision making of players and the tactical side of the game is what has made Sky Sports Football what is it today. However, the bias of Neville, Carragher and Keane can tarnish the quality of the conversations, as they can't see past their allegiance to their team. If one of them has an opinion that the other doesn't agree with, it quality of the conversation drops off a cliff. Shouting, talking over each other, and no one can string more that 5 words together without being interrupted or spoken over. The hypocrisy of someone saying, "Let me finish." "I haven't finished speaking, let me make my point." Yet as soon as the other person starts talking they do exactly the same thing that's been happening to them. It can make for real tough watching and listening. Meanwhile, you've got Wrighty and Jill Scott sat there unable to get a word in edgeways, and if they do get a word in, it's only one word before they're shouted over.

Neville is so narrow minded and if someone doesn't agree with him he turns off and can't see any other opinion than his own. He has the personality of a door knob and a voice to match it. The way he can break down clips of football and explain it to the Nth degree is fascinating to anyone interested in football. He is the reason that Monday Night Football is what it is. He was England's best right back for a long long time without having much technical ability. However, with not the greatest technical ability, his mental and tactical ability was second to non in that position. It is what puts him in the argument of Premier League's best right backs of all time. On screen and since he retired, as he has that tactical knowledge and is able to put it into practice when showing a break down of a clip while doing his punditry. Even to people who are maybe a fan of football, but not quite as knowledgeable on the tactical side of the game, he can show and explain parts of the game that non-professional don't notice. He will also tell it in a way that everyone can understand it without being condescending and also keeps the people watching that already understand it interested. Not many people on English TV working on English football can do that. 

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Roy Keane speaks his mind, and only really has one way of being. He is himself and is unapologetic for it. So he should be. It is very refreshing to have someone like him on TV and on this podcast, as there are not many personalities in UK media anymore. He's old school and a lot of people find it hard to be that way is this current culture. The cancel culture in this country has spoiled a lot of things and this is someone who doesn't seem to be phased by it. A lot of people now will be terrified of saying something wrong and/or are saying things to get clicks and views as that is the way the world has gone. Keane shows great ethics and his values have stayed with him. "Just do your fucking job." A lot of what he says is usually right, it can just come of as being a grumpy old man who doesn't like fun. It is just how he is. I think he is a bit like marmite with the British public, you either love him or hate him. I do quite like him, even if he can have a bee in his bonnet or a chip on his shoulder. Usually about Sir Alex Ferguson or the way his Manchester United career ended.

He gets on well with Ian Wright and it shows on screen too. They're good mates and it's a bit of the Ying and Yang scale between the two of them. Ian is bubbly and loveable, a bit like how Micah Richards is. He has an infectious laugh and brightens up a lot of conversations I see him in. However, because of the ego's in this set up, Ian Wright and Jill Scott hardly get a word in. By many, Jill will never be seen as a serious football pundit on the men's game by a lot of people. It is wrong and not something I agree with or share the opinion of. She is spoken over and not taken serious multiple times an episode. Jill has great personality and great insight and opinion on the game. Her knowledge and intelligence about the game is amazing and refreshing. She's funny and honest at the same time. 

The Overlap - Fan Debate

The Overlap Fan Debate is usually hosted by Jamie Carragher and Paul Scholes. Who put Paul Scholes on there? He is also someone with the personality of a door knob. There's not much point speaking about Scholes really. He rarely adds much to a conversation and his points, answers to questions and voice could put anyone to sleep. Scholes sits there like someone has told him a tasteless joke and mostly complains about life. Nothing excites him or gives him any sort of emotion. This show is a brilliant idea but has recently been dull due to the "presenters of the show."

The fan debate started off great. You've usually got one fan from each Premier League team and they spend time talking about each team's situation. Maybe it will be their expectations as a fan of their teams performance and outcome for the season. If it's towards the middle or end of the season they'll talk about how their team is doing or players from their team. Recently it has turned into Carragher talking about Liverpool as a club or city. Anyone who has an opinion that doesn't match his own is wrong. The amount of times he talks over a fan; on the fan debate; is infuriating. This is a brilliant idea but could be so much better with the right personnel hosting.

I don't know where to start with Jamie Carragher. This section is going to be the most negative part. I feel with Neville and Keane I can say some negative thoughts about them but I also have positives and see the good side of them too. With Carragher I don't see any positives. His character, personality, bias and ego just stink, in my opinion. 

I mentioned earlier about the cancel culture around at the moment in the UK. I don't agree with is a lot of the time. People can make mistakes all time time in any profession. Just because you're in front of a microphone and/or camera with an audience doesn't mean you can never make a mistake. People make mistakes, it doesn't mean you should be axed and lose your job. I won't go into it too much because I don't like spending my time thinking negatively and thinking about negative actions of people I already don't like, as that's not the way I live my life. I like to be positive and see the good in people and scenarios in the world. When Carragher spat at the little girl, who's dad is a football fan driving in their car after a game that Liverpool has lost, I believe he should have lost his job. People who have the capability of thinking to do that; never mind actually doing it; shouldn't be on our screens. He was suspended by Sky following the disgusting incident and should never have been reinstated in his role. He should have lost his job and someone else brought in to replace him. He went on national news channels and gave his apology yet I think that was just something he was told to do in part of the deal of keeping his job. He did that and before you knew it he was back to it. Really poor taste from Sky. 

This is one of the reasons I just don't like the man. I don't think this action was massively out of his character. I think his character is well off it and a top class knobhead. In a lot of activities they do on The Overlap shows you see what type of person he is, and to me comes he across as the arsehole in the group. It is great that he has a strong allegiance to Liverpool as a city but it always goes way too far. To the point where it is all he talks about. It is a great working-class city and celebrities that come out of the city are usually down to earth grateful people. I think it because of their back ground. Sports personalities like ex-boxer Tony Bellew, UFC fighter Paddy Pimblett and actor Stephen Graham all seem to show some similar qualities as people. Yeah they're loud, passionate about the city they're from and aren't ashamed of their back ground or up bringing at all. Carragher has this yet he is very arrogant and doesn't seem to show any humble beginnings. He's in your face and brash, plus if anyone has an opinion that isn't his, he sees it as the person challenging him. That's how I see it anyway. A lot of things turn into an argument with him and I bet if this was brought up to him he would say, "Well that's how it's meant to be." He's miles off it. Every topic brought up in a conversation with him will more than likely end up being turned into a conversation about Liverpool; as a city; Liverpool Football Club or a link to either. 

Jamie Carragher rant over. Apologies to anyone who didn't like the negativity, it doesn't happen often on Across the Touchline blogs. It is just my opinion. I don't have time for many negative opinions as I just avoid most negative things and that's that. Let's get back to it.

Another thing is when they have a guest on the Stick to Football pod. It is quite predictable who the guest is going to be. I could bet that the next guest is either someone who has played for Manchester United, is linked to or supports Manchester United, or simply someone from Gary Neville's phonebook. It gets a bit boring as they only talk about tales from Manchester in the 90's or 2000's. At times it can turn into the Manchester United podcast.

That Peter Crouch Podcast

I started watching That Peter Crouch Podcast back when it first started. It wasn't set up like it is now. I thought it was good and a more laid back, funny podcast to watch on YouTube yet I got a bit bored of it. I stopped watching it for about a year but came back to it. Now with Steve Sidwell and Chris Stark, the set up and segments in the pod are very entertaining.

They just have a relaxed conversation about football. It's very rarely serious. It's all jokes and fun and a really chilled listen. They have a very good balance of opinions of football, and relevant scenarios that are happening in the world of football that week. They do score predictions for a bit of fun that ends up with the loser doing a forfeit at the end of the season. I bet all 3 of them are sat there going, "I cant believe this is happening. This is definitely not work." The rise of the pod from where it started is very impressive and I hope it keeps getting better and better.

Soccer A-Z

Soccer A-Z, the podcast you never knew you needed. If you were born in the 90's or earlier and watched Soccer AM every Saturday morning, this is for you. You've got members of the Soccer AM cast back in the day: Tim Lovejoy, Helen Chamberlain, Robbie Knox, Joel Worsley aka Sheephead and Peter Dale aka Tubes. There's great sections of the show such as, what's wrong with football, Cold Palmer; where Lovejoy describes a team crest and the others have to guess the team. Ther's also, woke nonsense suggestions, and each person take it in turns each week to describe something beginning with the letter from the alphabet that week hence A-Z. It's dy-na-mite.

Each week when choosing something football related with that weeks letter, they compete to choose something that will get the greatest conversation as a group. The winner; chosen by Helen; gets to wear a crown. Each week there is a quiz. The quiz is unfair because football is unfair. Two fans are on the show answering 11 of Lovejoy's questions. That means one fan gets 6 questions and the other answers 5 questions. Unfair. One fan usually gets multiple choice questions and the other gets no options of multiple choice. Unfair. The fan that gets the advantage of the extra question and multiple choice is chosen depending on the team that the fans support and which team is higher in the English league pyramid system. 

It is very simple, raw and gives hints of the Soccer AM content from 20 years ago that wouldn't be accepted on TV now a days. The content has a no nonsense approach and it is refreshing to hear, as you don't get much of it these days. They have a guest on a video call once a week to talk about football back in the day and other topics. It makes me miss Soccer AM, back when it was decent. 

Under the Cosh

A special mention goes to Under the Cosh. This podcast is brilliant and very simple, hosted by Jon Parkin, Chris Brown and Chris Brown. They interview ex-footballers and managers, and get great stories that create hilarious stories. The reason that I don't watch it that often is my own problem and nothing to do with the production. I simply don't know quite a few of the ex-footballers that are on the podcast. I will only watch when it is someone I know and recognise from their playing days. I have tried to watch a few where I don't know the guest and lose interest quite quickly. I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in English football. The best one I've watched is with Simon Ferry. The stories he tells about Thomas Gravesen when he was in the Celtic reserves and Gravesen was bought by Celtic from Real Madrid are hilariously funny. Equally hilarious are the stories about Paolo Di Canio when Ferry played for Swindon Town and the Italian was manager.

And Long Live Sir Billy Connolly!

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Football Gold TV Programmes

Football TV Programme Heaven 

I'm going to start off with a proper football throw back. If you're born 1990's or earlier and have a good memory for things, you'll probably remember these things. Here we go:

Soccer AM back in the day was the absolute dog's bollocks. I'm talking about the 10-yard bucket challenge, soccerette, crossbar challenge, topless weather and the world of wrestling. YOU SHUT UP!! Soccer AM actually ran from 1994 to 2013. 22 years, but how many of those years were good? I would say from around 1996 to about 2008. Mainly because of one person, although, I'm not saying he was the only one who did anything good and everyone else didn't contribute to how good the show was. It's more he was the orchestrator. Of course, I'm talking about Tim "Timothy" Lovejoy! His role as presenter / producer on the show was gold. Surrounded by other producers, directors and behind the scenes cast he ran the show up and up and up until it was the best football show on TV, for about 10 years. I've seen clips of when Tubes is talking about Lovejoy and if anyone did anything wrong in a sketch there was a 3 strike system. He would let them know when they've lost a strike while they were on camera. This sounds hilarious and probably what you need from a leader. Lovejoy made the standards of the show very high and made sure everyone was up there on the standards scale with him. He would let people show and express their creative side and bring their own sketches to the show. People like Robbie Knox aka Tramp, Pete Dale aka Tubes, John Fendley aka Fenners, Joel Worsley aka Sheephead, Rocket, Baby Elvis and many more.

The cast back in the day was top draw and slightly changed year on year. It was usually providing so many good ideas and sketches that just caught on and went from screen to football grounds up and down the country like wild fire. While I'm talking about personnel from the show, I've obviously left out someone from the golden era. That is "The first lady of football," Helen Chamberlain. Hells Bells brought so much to the show with her epic presenting skills. She was almost like the glue of the show and made sure that whatever Lovejoy had come up with that week flowed and worked well. Sometimes that was an impossible job yet she rolled with it. Her knowledge on football is exquisite and the way she can be serious but also hilariously funny is majestic. She had a great personality on the show where she would only take so much before she would tell whoever it was to jog on. Maybe if she wasn't on air she may have used a different choice of language. Everyone knew where you stood with her yet was very lovable and caring. 

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Whether the shot was in the Luther Blissett stand, out in the Frank Macabenny car park or in some team's training ground you knew what you was getting was gold. Some of the features on the show were brilliant. Stupidly simple but brilliant. As simple as "Topless Weather." Basically Sheephead stood topless reading out a made up weather report and always ending with, "and down south, light drizzle." For whatever reason it was hilariously catching and even now you will hear people saying "light drizzle" in a similar way to how Sheephead pronounced it. Other catchy phrases that came up over the years were: "Megnuts!" "Unbelievable Tekkers" "Taxi!" "Bouncebackability"; which I think has actually been added into the Oxford Dictionary as a result. To top it all off, my personal favourite was the two wrestlers. One wrestler pins the other to win the bout and proceeds with, "EASY! EASY! EASY!" Points at a bemused member of the public, "YOU SHUT UP! EASY EASY EASY!" It was fucking gold. Before you knew it if a team anywhere in the UK was winning on a Saturday afternoon, guess what the chant was. EASY! EASY! EASY! Everyone clapping their hands above their head. It even crossed sports. I'm sure it went into the 2005 Ashes series. Absolute gold.

Soccerette. Soccerette is a strange one to talk about when I think about it. However, after listening to the gang on the Soccer A-Z podcast defend themselves over Soccerette, I'm not going to bend to the "woke nonsense" of people saying this segment of the show was sexist, misogynistic or any type of crap. They actually stated that they don't have a problem with looking back on it now as all the women that appeared on the show, to play the role of the soccerette applied to do it. No one was ever put into that position not wanting to do it. Yes, it wouldn't be shown on TV now yet, the show had bag loads of applications from women wanting to come on the show to do it. Lovejoy doing the cat walk to "Mr Big Stuff" was hilarious. Another one that was such a simple concept but worked so well. It was all just to advertise the merchandise of a Soccer AM T-shirt. With a few simple questions of "how old are you?" followed by a chorus of "great age!" Plus asking their relationship status. If they were single it was all cheers, if they were in a relationship of any shape or form it was followed by "it will never last!" Brilliant TV that will never happen again due to the wokeness of the new generation that the country bends over to.

Another great segment and sketch on the show was the creation of Tubes. Tubes' real name is Pete Dale. He acquired the name of Tubes after playing the role of "Peter the test tube baby." Another sketch from the show that probably wouldn't be on air today, especially with Tubes coming out as an alcoholic. Tubes made it through that humiliation by been given one question and one question only. This segment absolutely blossomed meaning that Tubes got to meet almost every A list celeb you can think of. Film starts, singers and song writers, sports stars across the world and ask them one question and one question only, in a rap style statement followed by some noise. It was brilliant due to the personality of Tubes. Actually, it was his shyness that made it and the fact he was able to hold a straight face while everyone else around him was in fits of hysterics.

Third eye was brilliant, with clips that were caught on camera from the action of some game that week. The fans of the week from whatever club and then they went on to perform in the car park game towards the end of the show. They had slightly different holes to kick the ball into, depending on what year it was. The first one I can remember is the face of former England manager, Sven Gorran-Eriksson and then it changing to just the word Wembley. I think the best shot I've ever seen in that game was Serge from Kasabian. The flick up and hit plus to make it even better he's wearing some slip on boot. Boston Goals still cracks me up today. Clips from the MLS before it became as big as it is today with an impersonating commentator with a strong American accent describing the action with some outlandish terminology. "Mandatory arm swing" for throw in, "PK Kick" for freekick, "Upper 90" for the stanchion, "ejected" for red card, and "rejected" if the keeper made a save. It was about 20 years ago yet we still use this terminology from time to time in our 5 a side games and it's just as hilarious. 

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There's so many great memories about Soccer AM to talk about. The show was dynamite for so many years. I'm really not a morning person and back then as a child - teenager I was even less of a morning person. Yet, I would religiously set my alarm every Saturday morning to wake me up for Soccer AM. 9am - midday on a Saturday was epic. It just wouldn't happen these days. The world has changed. I would say the show slowly declined in quality over the years and everyone knew it. Viewers, cast and crew, TV bosses as it went down to 2 hours from 3 hours. After Lovejoy left the show was still very good for a few years. He left in 2007 and I'd say up until around 2010 I would still watch week in week out yet I slowly stopped watching. In 2017 when Hells Bells left it was probably at it's lowest and trying really hard to become what it use to be. Bringing in Jimmy Bullard who is great, yet not a presenter. Lloyd Griffith did a job for a few year but maybe tried too hard to be the Lovejoy of the team and it didn't work. The show was the best on TV and it showed clearly that it was the people working in front and behind the camera to make the show the spectacle that it was.

Just like it is following in this blog, it also followed in the TV guide on a Saturday. Soccer Saturday. A 3 hours programme in Soccer AM followed by a 5 and a half hour programme. Imagine that today with the attention span of kids now. Tik Tok clips of games because they can't sit through a 90 minute game. We use to sit for 8-9 hours on a Saturday to soak in the football day. Soccer Saturday was top back in the day. It was at it's best during the time when Jeff Stelling was presenter joined by pundits Paul Merson, Phil Thompson, Charlie Nicholas and Matt Le Tissier. The only one still left standing is Merse. The craic that the 5 of them use to have every week made it feel like 5 men sat in a pub talking and watching football. It's all you wanted and needed on a Saturday afternoon from the TV. You got you're goal alerts as they went in all around the grounds plus analysis of the games and how teams were doing. The build up was all about the lads talking about the games coming up, any news from the week and talking points about each team. Then come 3 o'clock the scores rolled in from reports around the ground plus the 4 pundits in the studio.

I will never forget the funniest moment on Soccer Saturday. All I have to say is Chris Kamara and if you know, you know. "No, you're right Jeff. I saw him going off but I thought they were bringing a sub on." And the place erupted with laughter and so did everyone watching at home. 

Everyone loves Chris Kamara. People who have worked with him and people who have watched him on their screens. I've never heard anyone say a bad word about him. He has the charm, the charisma and the sense of humour to make anyone and everyone like him. 

It's 2010 and Portsmouth are playing Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League. Jeff says the famous line, "There's been a red card at Fratton Park, but to who, Chris Kamara?" As soon as the camera turns to Kammy, you know something isn't right. The bemusement on his face is comical. 

"I don't know, Jeff. Has there? I must have missed that." Replies Kammy. 

"Have you not been watching Chris? I haven't. I don't know what been going on. What's happened Chris?" Says Jeff knowing that he's setting Kammy up for more comedy. 

"Err.. I don't know Jeff." As the first ripple of laughter comes off camera from Merse, Thommo and Charlie Nicholas. 

"Chris let me tell you, according to our sources Anthony Van Denbor has been sent off from a second bookable offence. Get your fingers out and count up the players on each team." Jeff is loving every second of this because he knows it is creating TV comedy gold. 

Kammy quickly replies, "Oh yeah you're right Jeff. I saw him going off but I thought they were bringing a sub on." And the studio erupts with laughter.

Absolute gold and will take a lot to be topped as the funniest moment in Soccer Saturday history. You don't get many characters like Kammy on TV anymore. Everyone seems to have been put in line and put into a system that you must follow. People follow and do it because there is such a strong cancel culture now.

The job that Jeff Stelling did on Soccer Saturday will never be repeated. Not only did he have a great personality for the job of presenting and showing great rapport with guests, the match reporters and the 4 pundits in the studio, he also showed great knowledge of the game. Come 4:40pm - 4:45pm when all the scores were starting to roll in; one by one, simultaneously; he was able to show his experience and handle the controlled chaos with ease. Even when others would step in for him and have now taken over from him, no one will ever really do it as well as he did. The same could be said about the 4 pundits in the studio. Merse is still there but sometimes I wonder why they kept him on and why the other 3 were axed. What did Merse bring that the other 3 didn't? Is it because of the problems he's had in his life? Would the suits and bosses of the programme and channel will feel guilty if something was to happen to him if he also lost his job?

When I've heard about Phil Thompson, Charlie Nicholas and Matt Le Tissier talk about why they lost their jobs on the programme, you don't get much of an answer. Rather, there wasn't an answer. In interviews, Tiss gets told that Sky Sports need to keep their reputation. Maybe they didn't like how he gave his opinions on certain subjects and sometimes it's clever not to be clever. Posting on social media isn't for everyone and if you don't understand that organisations like the BBC and Sky supposedly have censorship and don't like their employees stating their views on certain subjects in the world.

Back in the day, TV was just better. The things that happened and things that were said, the personalities on TV were just better than they are now. The world is changing and a lot of programmes are now going online to YouTube videos and podcasts. Maybe because people can almost say what they want more and there's less rules and scheduling. It makes a lot of things more accessible and a lot of the times make more sense. Whether it's for better or for worse.

And Long Live Sir Billy Connolly!

To keep up to date with all things Across the Touchline, follow the blog on either:

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So you never miss the next blog.

Blogs in the near future will be posted on Mondays and don't forget about Across the "Digital" Touchline blogs for all things Fantasy Premier League, posted on Friday's.

Across the "Digital" Touchline: Fantasy Football *Week 30*

Guess Who's Back

Back Again

The Premier League's Back

Tell a Friend

As the Premier League returned after almost 3 weeks; because of International break and an FA Cup weekend; we can all breath a sigh of relief that we have some good football to watch again. I think we can all agree, that if it's not a major tournament like a World Cup, Euros, AFON or Copa America it's quite shite. Back to it, and back stronger.

Well I thought I was going to be back stronger with my Fantasy Football team, and from start to finish of this game week it was poor to say the least. My opponents in my leagues either gained ground on me or pulled away from me. I went down in the overall league, just when I was about to break into the top million and I couldn't wait for the game week to be over.

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My team starts as it means to go on. The goal keepers. Well my goal keeper this week was Alisson Becker of Liverpool. One of the best keepers in the world and showing to be in top form. He didn't play. Apparently, he was concussed on International duty for Brazil, but I didn't know this until watching the build up to the Merseyside derby. Shocker from the start. Then to add insult to injury, I didn't want to receive a 4 point transfer deduction for changing Fabianski to a keeper who actually plays so I got 0 points from my keeper this game week.

In defence, I'd made a couple of changes but might as well hadn't. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Lewis Hall; as planned; were both transferred out due to injury and in came Kieran Trippier and Milos Kerkez. Trippier blanked with two points but scored double the points of my other 2 defenders Kerkez and Ola Aina. Kerkez' Bournemouth conceded 2 goals against Ipswich (Home); I mean who saw that coming; and Aina went of injured against Man United (Home), when Forest had kept a clean sheet too. Antonee Robinson started on the bench for me, yet as Chris Wood was also injured during International duty, he didn't feature for Forest. Lets hope he's back soon. Still Fulham also conceded 2 goals so Robinson also got 1 point. 5 points between 5 players. The less said about my keeper and defence this week, the better.

In midfield, Morgan Rogers scored well. Well he didn't actually score but he assisted twice for Aston Villa. He accumulated 11 points with 2 bonus points and a clean sheet bonus point too. Not too shabby from a player I'm planning on transferring out soon. Maybe that will change. Bryan Mbuemo scored 8 points, as he scored a penalty against Newcastle United (Away). Salah technically blanked with 3 points. He got a clean sheet point and as he's captain so got us 6 points. Justin Kluivert didn't play this game week, so off the bench came Cole Palmer. He scored 6 points with an assist, and a single bonus point. Stupidly, in his game against Spurs (Home), he was booked for throwing the ball away so should have been 7 points. Every point is going to count from here on in as I try to make it into first position in all my leagues.

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Isak kept his scoring form from the League Cup Final going as he scored against Brentford (Home). Hopefully he can keep that going for as long as possible. He was subbed after 65 minutes and I hope that the reason is that Eddie Howe was only rotating for the weekend game. Another hope of mine is that Chris Wood is back soon as gets back to his scoring ways in his best Premier League season of his career so far. Jean-Philipe Mateta was back as suspected, after his horror tackle in the FA Cup against Millwall. He did only play an hour against Southampton (Away) and I hope that's only because Crystal Palace have had and have a packed schedule at the moment, with league and cup competitions.

It's been a (Keiron) dyer week for my team this week and I really need some bouncebackability for the weekend's game week (31). As I said, the teams around me did a lot better and if I am to win my leagues and finish in the top 1 million in the overall league, with only 8 game weeks left I can't allowed this to happen again. I really hope the weekend will go a lot better points wise.

And Long Live Sir Billy Connolly.

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Attributes Needed to Make It to The Very Top of Football

What is needed to become a pro?

In some sense this is a very basic question. On the other hand this can go as deep as it possibly can. Of course you need to be good at football. Duuh! You need to be athletic in every sense of the word. Compared to maybe 30 years ago, today's football players are prime athletes, and if they are not they will be found out. The body fat percentages and all the fitness tests you can do in the world are all off the scale when it comes to professional footballers. I'm talking: stamina, speed, agility, flexibility, strength, power, balance, co-ordination, how many more do you want? These are just physical. Then you have tactically, socially, psychologically and mentally. The list of attributes goes on and on. In this piece I am going to talk about my opinion of not just what makes a professional footballer, but what separates the good from the great from the crème de la crème of professional footballers.

First the good. A lot of people, boy and girls, men and women love football in England. The percentage of people who start off playing football at amateur level hoping to one day make it is quite high. The percentage of people who actually make it is less than 0.003%. The success story numbers are incredibly low. I'm not talking the amount of people who make it and go on to play at the top of the game, representing their country, winning the Premier League and playing in Europe. I'm talking even being paid to play football somewhere around the League Two level. Then the great, from there if you do actually kick on and go on to playing in the Premier League, those percentages are even lower. The crème de la crème players that go on to become world class and have that consistency for most of their career, mainly have another 5-10% plus mentality. 

The different attributes for different positions.

Physical attributes needed by players can sometimes change depending on what position they play. The physique or even body type of a player can be different for the position they play too. Obviously most goalkeepers are strong and usually well over 6 feet tall. They are agile and have great agility. Even if some goal keepers claim they are not as agile and show as good agility as other top goal keepers, compared to a "mere mortal" average human, they are still at the very top of the scale. Like I said before it is just an extra few percentages that separate the good, great and world class. This may be a recurring sentence I use during this blog. A lot of wingers have a totally different physique to most centre backs. Wingers are usually electrically fast and the type of humans that look like they could catch pigeons. Centre backs are usually 6 feet tall and over, show good strength and power. These are very basic examples.

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Over the last 20 years the game has changed a bit in English football. Some of that has to do with the type of coaches that have come to coach in the Premier League. I think one of the very first to make a drastic change in the Premier League era of English football was Arsene Wenger. He changed attitudes in terms of the diet, health, fitness and life style of professional footballers at the top. Changing how players see food and drink to make their body a temple changed Arsenal football club and without him probably wouldn't have gotten the better of Manchester United from the late 90's to mid 2000's. They went back and fourth with the Red Devils winning a few trophies; including the Premier League title, the FA Cup and going deep into the Champions League. Not only did they win the Premier League a couple of times, they are the only, and still the only team to win the Premier League without losing a game in the league all season. Yeah they had great players all over the pitch, great coaching staff with the state of the arts facilities, yet I think the few percentages that the team needed to get themselves over the line to winning silver ware was the methods of Arsene Wenger.

Why attributes have changed.

Another coach that has arrived on our shores and shaken up the philosophy of the beautiful game and how it is played is Pep Guardiola. Sometimes I think it is unoriginal and lazy that other coaches replicate the Spaniard's style of play for their own teams but if you can't beat them join them. The style of play that is now played in this country has slightly changed the key attributes for certain positions. Like I said earlier, goalkeepers and defenders are usually tall, strong and have power. Now-a-days they need that and also great footballing skills. To go with the philosophy of playing out from the back, a centre back and full back now needs to be almost as good at passing and receiving as a creative centre mid. You need to be a Tony Adams mixed with Paul Scholes all in one. The same with goalkeepers. Not only have you got to be able to; keep the ball out of the net, strong in a one v one situation, take control of your penalty area by catching and punching to be an ariel presence; but you also have to be good with your feet. We have seen perfectly good goalkeepers be ousted by the top teams. Joe Hart and Aaron Ramsdale to name a couple. Just because even though as a goalkeeper they do a job for the team by keeping clean sheets and being a great shot stopper, they're simply not good enough with their feet. This goes against the coaches new philosophy and methods of how he or she wants their team to play out from the back and build up play. So they're out.

I have an opinion on full backs that I don't think is shared by many. It is not very nice; I'll admit; yet I think it is true. I believe that right back or left back is not a specialists position. I don't think players grow up wanting to be right back or left back. Simply, I think players who play in these positions are either failed centre backs or failed wingers. They're still good enough to be in the squad or the team, just not good enough to play centre back or winger as first or even second choice. How many times do you see a centre back or a centre mid filling in at full back. Teams won't have too many back up full backs in their squad. They're not going to waste transfer and wage budget money bringing in a third choice left back. If there are injuries and/or suspensions in the team and they are going into a game with no recognised left back, the manager is happy enough to either put a centre mid or a centre back in that position. Unless your team is hampered by many, many injuries at a stage of the season, what other positions do you see this happen in? You don't see a 'target man type 9' filling in for a winger, or a 6 playing up top because of injuries. If you look at the physique and top attributes of right and left backs, you will notice which they were meant to be; a centre back or winger. In today's game Kyle Walker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kieran Trippier, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Milos Kerkez. Fast, Speedy, good acceleration, good with the ball at their feet and crossing the ball. Failed wingers. Ben White, Dan Burn, Josko Gvardiol plus Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville. Big, tall strong, powerful, not at good on the ball but great at reading the game and breaking up play. Failed centre backs. 

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As the game changes, so do the philosophies then so do the attributes needed in each position. One thing that stays the same for me, and is the same in all sport is mentality. The most important thing you need to make it as a professional athlete is mentality. Really it is also true outside of sport and in life but let me stick to what I know. I am not going to start talking about being a great salesman or lawyer or stock market broker because to be honest I know next to nothing about those industries and I'm here to talk about football and occasionally other sports. Look at other sports too and the athletes that are considered the best to ever play their respective sport. Roger Federer, Tiger Woods, Floyd Mayweather, Sachin Tendulkar or Shane Warne. You could never question their mentality, whether it was the first game of a tournament or a final, their mentality to win never wavered. Michael Jordan is up there for being one of the best athletes ever. There's stories of MJ not making his high school team and by the time he's leaving high school he's one of the best players in the NBA. This is clearly because he has massively improved his basketball skills yet to do that he had to change him mentality. Did he become the best athlete of all time? I'm not sure how you would measure who is actually number one... I guess it comes down to opinion on this one at the end of the day, plus maybe some biases on what sport you prefer or how much of that sport you have seen. Ronnie O'Sullivan is considered the best snooker player of all time due to his talent. I think even less would argue he is the most talented snooker player of all time. In his recent documentary he openly admits that when he isn't there mentally, he is so far off his game he doesn't deserve to win a game, never mind a tournament. A very good example of you can be the most talented at what you do but if your head isn't in the game you'll be well off it.

The most important attribute.

A players mentality can decide how far they go in the game. We see almost every year, a young, talented, hot prospect make his/her way onto the scene out of nowhere and become a wonderkid. It happens a lot and fans end up judging them on what they have done in their first 10 games of their career. We see it all the time, a player is dynamite at the age of 16-18 years old and by the time they are 25 they are playing in the Championship, League One or even out of the game. There is nothing wrong with playing in the Championship or League One. Like I said earlier, only 0.003% of people who start playing football in England make it to that level so it is clearly some achievement. However, my point is that wonderkids come onto the scene and look like they are going to take the league by the scruff of the neck. They show talent and skill of the greatest to play the game, then by the time they are 24 or 25 they hype has died down because then never reached the height of potential that fans first thought of. 

Players like Ethan Nwaneri, Miles Lewis-Skelly, Archie Gray, Lamine Yamal and a few others in the last 2-3 years. Lamine Yamal is slightly further down the line of establishing himself as a wonderkid, who is proving that he may become a top player. However, lets look a Ethan Nwaneri. I have no connection to Arsenal Football Club. I don't support then nor do I support one of their main rivals. I am quite impartial to any debated surrounding them. The first time I had notice Nwaneri was when Bukayo Saka had got injured and he would make appearances for Arsenal off the bench. He has scored a couple of goals and had some very promising games for the Gunners. Where I have a slight problem is that the lad has played 19 games in total for Arsenal. That's 19 games in his professional senior career and you hear fans and pundits saying this player can go right to the very top. Have a day off will you Rodney. 

We could say it about 10 players a season that they could go to the very top and we say that because of the talent that we see. The thing that will take them to the very top of the game is an attribute that no coach and no therapist can measure or predict and that's mentality. There are so many players that have played in the Premier League in the last 20-30 years that were great but still didn't reach the top is huge. To measure this I would use Manchester United. Whether you like them or not, as a team they have the best record in the Premier League. Since it's launch in the 1992/93 season, Manchester United have won 13 Premier League titles out of 32 completed seasons. That's 40% of the time they have won the league, and they haven't won it in over 10 years. So at one point they had won 13 in 20 years, that's 65%. Let's use this as a measuring stick of the best of the best in the Premier League era. In the other years from 1992 to now, next on the list is Manchester City with 8, then Chelsea with 5, Arsenal have a few titles and Liverpool, Leicester City and Blackburn Rovers all have one each.

The crème de la crème. 

Think of the great players to play in the Premier League but wouldn't get anywhere near playing in that Manchester United team. The great players like Paolo Di Canio, Niko Kranjcar, Mousa Dembele, Jay Jay Okocha; the list goes on and on. They had all the talent in the world and did things on a football pitch that mesmerised fans and pundits yet were never on Manchester United's radar. Maybe they needed to be the star player in the team. When scouts go to assess a player to bring into their club, these are also the sort of things they will look into. Not only what they do on the pitch but what are they like as a person and how's their temperament. These type of players needed to be in the starting line up every week and play every minute. There's nothing wrong with this in my opinion, yet players that do this maybe sometimes stunt themselves of ever getting to the very top in football. At the end of the day their mentality let them down. Actually, this is nothing to be ashamed of as I think this happens to 99% of the 0.003% that make it. Only a handful of people on this planet have this type of mentality to make it to the very top of their profession. It isn't something that you can turn on and off. You could put them into a small meaningless game of tiddlywinks and they still have the desire and passion to win. 

Maybe these players weren't that focused on winning every single year, week after week, day to day. They might have seen a football career as something to enjoy. They may have been world class for a season or two and then dropped back off with their team. A bit more than just being in form but less than creating a legacy or being a great. To me "world class" can sometimes be thrown around too much about too many players. I think world class is if we were to make a game with two teams playing against each other, would the player be on either team or in the either squad. So basically there are 2-3 players in each position that are world class. Sometimes there are a couple more or a couple less. At the moment, it is becoming apparent that there are less world class number 9's in the game. In the 90's to 2000's there were maybe 7-8 number 9's to choose from just for the England squad. Very good strikers would miss out on ever playing for England in a major tournament. That's only England I'm talking about, there would be so many around European teams and the world that were icon and top top strikers if not world class. It has slightly changed now to being a lot of top top wingers. 

The difference isn't always what players do on the pitch. It isn't always about stats, numbers and percentages. A big reason of why and how players get to the levels that they do is what they do off the pitch. Not only in training and how they train but their lifestyle and how they recover between games. To be the absolute best you need to eat, drink, sleep and breath the game. Players now will have everything in place to make sure that their body is performing at 100% throughout the season. I agree, there won't be many times in the season when players are fully 100%, yet they will do things in their own time to try and get as close as possible to being fully, fully fit. Things like hiring their own chef at home that can accommodate their strict diet regime. Having their own ice baths and saunas fitted into their homes to aid with recovery. Maybe certain mattresses or home comforts will be added into their home. The players who are at the very top are doing things 24/7 365 days of the year to get themselves their and to keep themselves there. 

Remember, a lot of players will make it to the top, yet staying there for the vast time in your career is another story. Some players have unbelievable seasons and then drop off again and some players will make it to the stop and stay there for 10 years plus. In today's game I'm talking about the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. Players in the conversation of greatest of all time; even though people have tried to knock them off their pedestal at the top of football for years; never get deterred and find ways to adapt and overcome adversities in any shape or form. It can be hard to get to the top of the mountain, but staying there for a long time even harder. There's less oxygen, the weather can change on the spin of a coin and there's not much space for a lot of people.

In Conclusion.

What it all comes down to is the overall attributes: physical, tactical, technical, mental and psychological. Depending on how many of these overall attributes you have will probably depend on how far up the list of great players you are. I think if you make it into the game at professional level you are probably exceeding in 2 of these overall attributes. Physically and technically. How many times did we use to hear, "he's good, but just not big enough." I'm sure Messi would have got that when he was about 10 years old. If Messi was coming into football in the 90's he probably wouldn't have been given the chance back then. As the game has changed into a much more technical game with the ball more on the floor, I think we will see this less and less. Players being rejected because of their physical size is probably a thing of the past. 

As you go up the pyramid of the football league you will see an increase in the overall attributes that players have. As you get to the top of League Two, into League One and flirting with the Championship, players will definitely have needed to add a third overall attribute. They will have needed to show their understanding of the game tactically along with being physically astute to play the game and obviously be technically good enough to play at this level. I would also add that at times the players at this level will show how strong they are psychologically. They will have hit bumps in the road, they will have knock backs and also played in huge pressure situations. Whether it be a huge game or situations in games where they either need to deliver or they have their backs against the wall. Coming through these moments can define a players career and show how they grow as a player in their development. 

At the top; and I'm talking the top of the Championship into the Premier League; I think the biggest difference is mentality. The player's mentality to improve and keep improving their physicality, technical ability and tactical understanding of what they are being asked to do in the system of their team. As a player keeps going up and up and up, from a top Championship player to an established Premier league player, to playing for a top top team in Europe, it is all about mentality to keep going and not being satisfied with where they currently are, wanting to break records. It seems like these type of players just don't have a ceiling and can achieve more or less anything they put their minds to. To be honest, I don't think these players give themselves time to enjoy their career. Even if they've won a trophy, league or something like a treble, their next thought is always: what's next? what can I win next? what is the next record I can break? It is never enough.

The difference is the mentality.

And Long Live Sir Billy Connolly!

To keep up to date with all things Across the Touchline, follow the blog on either:

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Liverpool's Big 3 Out-of-Contract Players

Who has the power?

When we look at Liverpool coming towards the end of this season, they have 3 huge players coming to the end of their contracts. As they are in great position to win the Premier League this season, you would think that if they were to lose all 3 players, they have no chance of being in the same position next season. Defenders Virgil Van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold plus star man Mohamed Salah are all out of contract at the end of the 2024/25 season. My first thought is, there’s no way Liverpool can afford to lose all 3 players if they want to keep up with the competition at the top in England and in European competitions.

In all honesty, I think all 3 players are waiting to see what the others are going to be offered, so it may help them in negotiating more on their own deal. For example, if Trent or Van Dijk get offered £400,000 per week, then Mo Salah comes to the club saying he should be paid more and he wants to be the highest earner at the club. As a result, I think it's possible 2 out of 3 may leave Liverpool in the summer. I hope this doesn’t happen. I have no connection with Liverpool football club, yet I feel it will weaken the Premier League and I want as many world class players playing in the league as possible.

All 3 players are treated differently by the fans. Of course, if you are a Liverpool fan you want all 3 to renew their contracts. Why wouldn’t you? I think it gets tricky and splits opinion, if you asked Liverpool fans to choose only 1 or 2 out of 3 to resign.

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Are Liverpool Going to Lose All 3?

I think Van Dijk has been treated very well by the Liverpool fans and will be in the time during the negotiation stages of the new contract extension. The Dutchman will be seen as a vital part of why Liverpool were able to win the Premier League and the Champions League, along with the signing of goal keeper Alisson Becker. The signing of both players was immediately evident in the team’s performances and what the team won since their arrivals. Also with VVD’s leadership on and off the pitch, I think he is irreplaceable and arguably the best centre back in the world right now. If not the best, definitely top 3. His current salary is £220,000 per week. The second highest at the club after Mohamed Salah.

Trent Alexander Arnold is a different kettle of fish compared to the other two mentioned, as he is a home grown talent and came through the academy system. He joined the club at just 6 years old and has represented the club at U16, U18 and is now vice-captain of the first team. The scouser in the team. The fans will expect him to respect the club being a fellow scouser. They will see it as the club comes first and you as a player should feel the ultimate privilege to play for this club as you are from this city. If Trent is offered a contract he should sign it and be happy he has been offered an extension to play for his club. These feelings go deep into the city of Liverpool and are not only the thoughts of people from Liverpool but every city in the UK.

Home grown talent are given a slightly different ride than players who are brought in. Don’t even think of joining a rival club. Even if it’s not a rival club but a club that plays in the same league, the player can be given a hostile reception when returning to their club. You don’t see it too much any more but there use to be quite a few one club players. Players like Steven Gerrard, Gary Kelly or Tony Adams. Even out of the UK you had players like Paolo Maldini, Francesco Totti or Carlos Puyol and many more. Players who only played for one club or played the vast majority of their playing career at one club.

Even though Trent Alexander-Arnold is Liverpool's third highest earner; with a salary of £180,000 per week; I don’t think Liverpool fans will have as much patience with the scouser as the other two players.

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Mo Salah, Running Down the Wing.

Mohamed Salah is having the season of all seasons. I'm writing this after Liverpool have played 29 games in the Premier League. Top of the league; after beating Southampton 3-1 at home; by 15 points and an inferior goal difference. The closest teams Arsenal and Nottingham Forest do have a game in hand yet that still effectively puts them 13 points behind if they win their game in hand. Effectively because of Liverpool’s inferior goal difference.

Earlier in the season, Salah did come out and do a few public interviews. It was spoken quite a bit by pundits on Sky Sports Football. He was obviously trying to force the hand of the Liverpool board. As he is lauded by the Liverpool fans for the performances and the stats he has produced over the last 7 or 8 seasons. After signing for Liverpool from Fiorentina in 2017 he has always seemed to produce great numbers and always been in and around the golden boot for the Premier League. He could have done the public interviews to get more fans on his side. I don't think he's threatening, yet a big part of me thought he was putting it out there that if he's not given a deal that he likes, he will move on. Maybe he was also putting himself in the "shop window" and trying to get the attention of other clubs, that he might be available at the end of the season on a Bosman. 

I think a great way for this to all defuse would be to make the negotiations public. Why wouldn't they? A lot of fans will literally think, "Pay him what he wants. He's one of the best in his position in the world. His stats this season show that, and how much would it cost to get a player like him to replace him?" If the negotiations were out there for the public to see, the fans would see who was in the wrong and who to support. For example, if the club are seen to be not giving the Egyptian a good enough deal in the current climate of salaries, the fans will see that and back their player. However, lets say Liverpool have offered Salah stupid money and are willing to make him the top earner in the league, and he's still not signing, I think the fans would realise it is not the clubs fault.

The way it looks like the club is run in terms of money spent on player fees and salaries doesn't look too shabby. I don't see Liverpool as a club that throw a load of money at the wall and see how much will stick. They never seem to be scrambling in transfer windows and it seems like recently there's not many players that are bought for astronomical prices that don't work out. Players like Andrew Robertson, Wataru Endo and Sadio Mane were all brought in for quite small fees and had great years at the club. Also, the academy seems to bring through good prospects every now and again. Players like full back Conor Bradley and midfielders Harvey Elliot and Curtis Jones it can save the club millions.

From afar it seems like the club has structure and a plan on how they are going to do things. It seems that they have guidelines and as if they have caps on how much they are willing to spend and make sure it makes sense. A year or two ago when Jude Bellingham was leaving Borussia Dortmund, Liverpool could have easily slapped down an offer of well over £100 million. Whether it would have been accepted and whether Jude would have wanted to sign for Liverpool is a different story. Obviously they weren't willing to spend that amount of money on one player when they were losing central midfielders Fabinho, James Milner and Jordan Henderson at a very similar time. They needed to fill the whole in the middle of the pitch and instead of panicking and making a rash decision to buy they waited for the right player(s) at the right price for them. 

It looks like the club has a structure, a way of spending money and a financial plan that they don't break. In my opinion this is one of the very rare moments that you could break what you plan. Replacing Mo Salah and to replicate what the team are doing this season, next season is highly highly unlikely. Now we have seen a few clubs recently sell their star man that scores all the goals; Harry Kane, Ivan Toney, Dominic Solanke; and the teams have kicked on and done well. Even outside of the Premier League. For example, PSG look a much better team now they don't have a Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi or Neymar type star figure. It's as if other players have now been able to step up now they are no longer in the shadows of a poster boy. These teams have sort of shown that losing your star player isn't always the worst thing that could happen. However, these teams aren't competing for the Premier League, Champions League and basically every tournament available in domestic football.

The more I think about it, my opinion on the situation swings. On one hand if Salah puts pen to paper, Liverpool are more than likely breaking their financial structure but if you're going to do that, you're going to do it for a player like Salah. The winger is obviously going to be near impossible to replace. This season he has scored 27 goals and got 17 assists after 29 games. He is having a season where he's breaking a lot of personal, club and Premier League records, yet he may be thinking, "Leave while I'm on top." A lot of players can continue for a year or two too long and ruin how they are remembered. This happens not just in football but all sport. There's some chance that the Egyptian breaks all records this season, signs a new contract and then next season has quite a dip and doesn't perform any where near what he has done this season. I don't expect him to repeat the numbers of this season anyway but it could be that he drops off a long way. I don't think it will happen but I've seen it before where players have a flyer on their contract renewal season and then drop off once they've sign their new lucrative deal.

Honestly, deep down, I think the deal is done. Romeo done. I think it has been agreed, signed and this is all a publicity stunt. In todays world there's so much emphasis on clicks and views and doing things just to create and generate more attention. At the start of the season; or even as far back as last season; people would be realising this is the last season of Mo Salah's contract. The talks around pundits, media and fans would have started and this season it has amplified; maybe because of the numbers he's producing. I think it has turned into a soap drama and it has brought in even more attention. It will build and build, until all that has to be done is the release of the information that "Mohamed Salah has signed a new 2 year deal with Liverpool club." Blah Blah Blah. When it is eventually released, and the news drops that this seasons top goal scorer has signed, it will explode all over the internet and create quite a revenue in clicks and views. The tactic is a good one. Maybe not great for the blood pressure of most Liverpool fans but great for the publicity of the player and the club. And remember, all publicity is good publicity. 

Just my honest opinion on the whole subject. Like I said, I have no connection to Liverpool Football Club nor am I a fan of one of their major rivals. I neither like them or dislike them, I think this makes me pretty neutral in the subject and for me when it comes to it football is the winner.

And Long Live Sir Billy Connolly!

To keep up to date with all things Across the Touchline, follow the blog on either:

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So you never miss the next blog.

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Across the "Digital" Touchline: Fantasy Football *Week 29*

 Guess who's back, back again.

So Friday's Across the "Digital" Touchline is back after a month. I've been on holiday and didn't want to spend too much time writing blogs while away. However, the mini retirement is over and it is back until the end of the season.

In game week 29 I decided to use my free hit chip. This was because Liverpool, Newcastle, Crystal Palace and Aston Villa all had a blank week. This would have meant 7 of my players would have not played and as I'm trying to reach the top 1M overall and stay top of the leagues that I'm in, I needed to do something. 

The changes that were made for this game week alone were as follows: 

Goalkeepers: Ederson in for Alisson and Jose Sa in for Fabianski

Defenders: Gabriel in for Trent Alexander-Arnold, Kerkez in for Hall, Semedo in for Greaves.

Midfield: Fernandes in for Salah, Son in for Palmer, Gibbs-White in for Rogers

Forwards: Haaland in for Isak and Evanilson in for Mateta.

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I was very lucky to actually changed Fabianski as well as Alisson. I didn't plan this as I thought Ederson was a nailed on started. Turns out he didn't feature at all for Man City this week and I feel I was slightly unlucky not to get 4 clean sheet points from Jose Sa as Wolves played against Southampton (Away).

In defence Gabriel got those clean sheet points but also collected a yellow card. Kerkez got my team 4 points as he got an assist but also lost a point for conceding 2 goals at home to Brentford. Aina blanked with only 1 point after also conceding 2 goals away at Ipswich. From my original team, which my team will reset to for game week 30, both Trent and Lewis Hall are showing up red. I think Hall is out for the season and Trent will be out for a few weeks. I'm pretty sure I will transfer out Lewis Hall, but whether I transfer out both of them I will wait until after the international break next week. I am thinking of bringing in Kerkez from Bournemouth, even though they have gone off the boil a little they have a favourable run of games from now until the end of the season, plus either Jurrien Timber or William Saliba just because Arsenal's defence is now performing how it usually does.

In midfield, Son and; son of Patrick; Justin Kluivert both blanked. Bryan Mbuemo got an assist and a single bonus point and Morgan Gibbs-White collected 5 points with an assist. I was debating between Gibbs-White and Anthony Elanga, both from Nottingham Forrest as they have a favourable game against Ipswich and I chose wrong. Elanga got 2 goals in 66 minutes and was subbed off before Ipswich scored meaning he got a clean sheet point plus 3 bonus points. 5 points to 16, I definitely chose wrong. The star of the team this week was Bruno Fernandes. With 2 assists and a goal against Leicester (Away) he also collected 3 bonus points scoring 17 points this game week. The only reason I am not going to add him to my team is because his next three games are Forrest (Away), Man City (Away) and Newcastle (Away). 3 tough, tough games that I can't see Man United getting anything from and Bruno not getting many points from.

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Up top Haaland got a goal plus 1 bonus points and Chris Wood blanked. On the bench, Semedo and Evanilson blanked but Antonee Robinson scored 7 points with his clean sheet points and a single bonus point. I had to choose between Robinson and Aina and with Forrest playing against Ipswich and Fulham playing Spurs I thought it was a higher chance of Aina getting a clean sheet than Robinson. Again I was wrong but I have no grouch with that, it was my gut feeling and most weeks I would probably be right with that idea. 

There is a few weeks until the next game week starts due to the international break as I said. I will make 2 transfers between now and the start of the next game week. It is looking like it will be Lewis Hall out for Milos Kerkez and Jurrien Timber in for Trent Alexander-Arnold. Both look to be out for a while, if not most of the rest of the season. After that, I am looking at replacing Morgan Rogers and it's surprising to say but Cole Palmer is not performing or bringing in any return for my team so it may be time to replace him. At this moment in time it is looking like they will be replaced by Anthony Elanga and Anthony Gordon or Bruno Fernandes if the transfers take place after the next 3 game weeks.

In my leagues since I last posted my friday blog I have basically maintained my positions, however two league have become incredible close. First, second and third are separated by about 10 points. I am still top of another league by around 20 points and sit third yet less than 10 points off second in another league. In the overall league I am pain stakingly close to entering the top 1 million, only less than 40,000 away. 

Friday's Across the "Digital" Touchline will be back after the international break. 

And Long Live Sir Billy Connolly!

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Why British Players Don't Play Abroad

In 1977, Kevin Keagan signed for Hamburg SV on a 3 year deal, making 90 appearances for the club and scoring 32 goals. A few years later, after being the first player to be sold between English clubs; in 1982; Trevor Francis joined Italian side Sampdoria for four years. He then joined Atalanta for another year, making it 5 years in Italy. This started a slight trend in England and Britain's top players to move abroad. Back then, not many British players moved abroad to play football. It wasn't like it is now where the English Premier League is brimming with overseas talent. 126 nations have featured in the Premier League since 1992/93 season.

You don't see many average English players going to play abroad. It's as if it is the "crème de la crème" of the British talent that gets noticed across the boarders and the rest don't exist. It seems like the views haven't changed since back in the 80's too. In 1986, Gary Lineker joined Barcelona on a 3 year deal until 1989. He is one of England's all time top goal scorers and maybe in a list of top 10 England players ever. Winning Golden Boots and goal scoring records, Lineker shone for Tottenham Hotspurs and Everton in England's First Division. At the same time, Mark Hughes also played for Barcelona. He was slightly less fortunate and not played as much as Lineker and moved out on loan to Bayern Munich for a season. There use to be a rule that you were only allowed 3 foreign players in your team at a time. The Premier League use to have a similar rule about non-European players too. This has since changed and now you can have as many as you like from where ever. 

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Towards the end of his career, Lineker joined Japanese side Nagoya Grampus. In today's game this could be likened to players joining the MLS, The Chinese Super League or The Saudi Pro League. Going for a bit of extra retirement cash or to grow the game in that part of the world. I agree these days you don't really grow the game with the odd player joining a team in a country that doesn't have massive exposure to the top players in the world. Even though Lineker would have got a much better deal from the Japanese side than any team in Europe for his last two years in the game, I do believe he went there to try and grow the game in Japan. It could have been like what China were trying to do around 2015-2020 and it just never took off.

The MLS may have done this in America and was almost started by David Beckham. Building a platform to promote the game and make it what it is today with other super stars joining more recently. Without Beckham going there 20 years ago, I don't think you would see players like Zlatan Ibrahimovic going to The States to play, or even more recently Lionel Messi joining Inter Miami. It's all publicity stunts and the athletes get a nice pay out. That's the positive side of it. 

Maybe it is for another blog to get into the ins and outs of players and countries developing the infrastructure of the game in smaller footballing nations around the world. I've digressed. Back to it.

A few players did this in the 80's and earlier but not many. It always seemed to be the best British players such as; Laurie Cunningham, David Platt, Peter Beardsley, Graeme Souness and Chris Waddle. All internationals for their country and playing at the top teams in English League Football. Glenn Hoddle was another. He joined AS Monaco in 1987 until 1991 after playing at Spurs for 12 years. He made almost 400 appearances for the North London club, was recognised as one of the best English players of his generation and then moved abroad. It is only the top players that get recognised? It's not all the best players that go, but seems to be the players that go are one of the best at the time.

Things have never really changed. Entering the 90's and the age of the Premier League, still not many British players go to play abroad. 

I think the first British player to leave the newly invented Premier League was Paul Gascoigne. Again, he was one of the best British players of that time. For a while he must have been the first player on the team sheet for England and he was recognised abroad. Gazza joined Lazio in 1992 for 3 years, before he returned to Britain to join Glasgow Rangers.

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Before I continue, can you imagine being a Lazio player being told that an English player is coming to join their dressing room and it's Paul Gascoigne that shows up. Some of his team mates have incredible stories about what he would get up to, with the pranks and crazy jokes he would do on a regular basis. Imagine the Italians in that dressing room who are dead set professionals. He must have blown them away silly.

The Modern Era

Since the turn of the millennium, a few British players have gone abroad. In 2004 Michael Owen joined Real Madrid from Liverpool. Owen was one of the best English strikers of his generation and was becoming England's set number 9. He was slightly hampered with injuries from playing so many games at such a young age and maybe the better thing for him to do for his career would have been to stay at Liverpool or at least in England. However, the pull of giants like Real Madrid is a strong one. I'm pretty sure Owen has absolutely no regents on joining the Spanish giants. How can any player at the top turn down such an opportunity. When he went there he was jostling for position with the likes of Raul and Ronaldo. Not bad company is it. He knew this and with his injuries, surely it would have been better for him to be playing regularly rather than sometimes in the team and sometimes out of the team. He didn't get the game time he was use to and only lasted one year in the Spanish capital before moving back to England. 

Weirdly the same thing happened with Jonathan Woodgate. After playing for the two giants in the North East; Newcastle United and the mighty Leeds United; he joined Real Madrid on a 3 year deal. Similarly to Owen, the defender was also becoming hampered with niggling injuries. What didn't help was his debut for Real Madrid was met with an own goal followed by a red card; all in the first half of the game. Between 2004 and 2007 Woodgate only made 8 more appearances before returning to England, firstly on loan but then joined his hometown club Middlesborough on a permanent deal.

In 2012/13 season, Gareth Bale won the PFA Player of the Year and PFA Young Player of the Year Awards. After Cristiano Ronaldo, he was only the second player in the history of the awards to win both awards in the same year. This caught leverage and he caught the attention of the Spanish giants too. In 2013, the Welshman joined for a record breaking £85.1 million (over 100 million Euros) to form the impressive; BBC Bale, Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo; forward line. The trio went on to break goal scoring records for Los Blanco's and won many trophies.

A few years later, after winning the La Liga title, The Champions League and the Spanish Super Cup, Bale was ostracised and questioned about his work ethic. One rule he broke after joining a Spanish side was not learning the language as is tradition. Players are given the exception for their first season in the country and after that, in press conferences, they are expected to listen and speak in Spanish. The winger was found to be playing more golf than football at the time, and in an international game posed for photos with a fans flag that read "Golf, Football, Madrid. In that order." While captaining his nation Wales. Things got very sour after that between the player and the club fans and he was never really accepted back.

If you went off these examples, you wouldn't really think hard about why not many British player go to play abroad. Going back to the 80's not many of our best talents had success abroad. With these examples since the birth of the Premier League, not many of the best players in their generations had success abroad. Yet there are some success stories. 

Another top English player, Harry Kane has gone abroad to Bayern Munich. The happiest person about this is Alan Shearer. It makes his Premier League goal scoring record a bit harder to break as Kane looked sure to break his record before leaving the Premier League. In all honesty, I think Kane has gone there because Daniel Levy wouldn't sell Kane to another Premier League club cheaply or easily. I think the current England captain will spend a few years abroad and then come back to give himself a few more years at trying to break Shearer's record of 260 Premier League goals.

David Beckham

Golden balls gets a whole section to himself when it comes to talking about British player who have played abroad. It's a whole life journey, what he has done abroad in football is more than a lot of players do playing in their own country, in Britain or overseas. 

After 11 years at Old Trafford and over 250 games, Becks joined the Spanish giants Real Madrid. He said after finishing his career he never wanted to leave Manchester United, yet I bet he didn't complain too much once he'd got to Madrid. He was joining a side nicknames "The Galactico's" due to the star studded squad Madrid had at the time. Roberto Carlos, Zinedine Zidane, Raul, Iker Casillas, Ronaldo, Luis Figo, the list goes on and on. 

With his reputation of a global superstar, being married to a Spice Girl, and now joining Real Madrid he was definitely setting his status as one of the most famous and recognisable people in every corner of the planet. In his first season in the Spanish capital he won the UEFA Supercup. This looked like it was going to be a very successful, trophy heavy time in Spain. However, the next silver wear he won in Madrid was in his last season when they won the La Liga title in 2007.

In 2012, Beckham exited Real Madrid and joined LA Galaxy in the American MLS. At first this looked like a massive mistake. The MLS back then wasn't what it is today. The pitches football was played on was similar to grass roots football in England, the stadiums weren't up to scratch like they are in NFL or baseball in the USA and the teams were the standard of the fourth division in England. 

During his time in America, Becks made a few loan spells back into European football as the league schedules would not overlap. The former England captain joined AC Milan on loan for two spells in 2009 and 2010.

At the end of his 5 seasons in the MLS, he joined PSG for one last season. His body was obviously not keeping up with the playing schedule and it was time to end his memorable career.

As we can all see how, Beckham had a plan that none of us realised. He made sure that he would be able to create his own franchise in the MLS. Creating Inter Miami was always the plan for Beckham. He won't have known it would have been in Miami, Florida, and he won't have known that one day he would be signing Lionel Messi to his team.

This all started with Beckham leaving England and being exposed to a different culture and the way of doing things. It is very easy to say, if he didn't leave Old Trafford, none of this would have happened. Great things can happen from travelling abroad to work.

The Apprenticeships

When Birmingham City retired Jude Bellingham's number 22 shirt in 2020, a lot of people thought they were over reactive. He joined Borussia Dortmund from the midlands club before he had played a top flight game of football. He wasn't a developed player and at the age of 17 his body hadn't quite filled out yet. At £25 million Jude became the most expensive 17 year old in history. He joined a team only behind Bayern Munich in Germany's top league and wasn't exactly joining a small club. He has pressure on him with that price tag as he hadn't really done anything in the game. Only one year in senior football and he was already joining the German giants. 

In 3 years at Dortmund, the England international went from being hardly known to one of the first players on the team sheet for his country. The problem really was where is he going to play in the team because he's taking someone else's place in the starting line up. Someone with experience and is an establish international. Jude took his place in the side and hasn't looked back, playing important roles for England in European competitions and the World Cup and scored vital goals in the competitions. For Dortmund he played 92 games in 3 seasons, showing that he might have been born in Birmingham but he was made in Dortmund. 

Dortmund have shown that they have the recipe to creating young super stars. Including names like Erling Haaland who developed into currently being the games deadliest goal scorers with a domestic and international game to goal ration of 1 in 1.

Do Managers Perform Any Better Abroad?

Gary Neville's Valencia experience isn't a good place to start so I'm not even going to talk about it.

When I think of English managers abroad I first think of Sir Bobby Robson. After managing England from 1982-1990, he managed European clubs; Sporting Lisbon, Porto and Barcelona sandwiched by spells at PSV Eindhoven. It's quite clear that after being targeted by the English media and brandished a "traitor" for not renewing his contract with England that his patience in English football was done. In his first spell at PSV they won the Eredivisie title back to back. Sporting Lisbon is where Sir Bobby met a certain Jose Mourinho. Mourinho was his translator and became his assistant manager when he moved to Lisbon rivals, Porto. At Porto, like at his time in The Netherlands, he also won the league title back to back. 

In 1996, 6 years into managing on the continent, the former England manager joined Spanish giants Barcelona, also with Mourinho by his side. One of Robson's first signings in Catalonia was Ronaldo. That season they went on to win the Copa del Rey, Supercopa de Espana and the UEFA Cup Winners Cup. He was voted manager European Manager of the Season 1996-97. 

Another English manager to manage Barcelona was Terry Venables. He gained the nickname "El Tel" from the English tabloids. However, El Tel only managed outside of England for two jobs. His first, Barcelona was because he was recommended by Sir Bobby Robson. He had gained a great reputation for the jobs he had done at QPR and Crystal Palace respectively. 

In Venables 3 years in Catalonia, he won the 1985/86 La Liga title, Barcelona's first since 1974, he also won the 1986 Copa de la Liga, and got to the final of the European Cup losing on penalties to Steaua Bucuresti. 

Managers More Recently

Steve McClaren will be looked down on by most English football fans for the jobs that he did with the English National Team and becoming "The wally with the 'brolly." After working with Middlesborough, Manchester United and England, McClaren joined FC Twente in the Eredivisie. In 2010 won the title ahead of PSV and Ajax and became the first Englishman to win a title outside of Britain since Sir Bobby Robson did it with Porto in 1996. Robson also won the Eredivisie title in 1991 and 1992 with PSV. Just like Terry Venables at Barcelona, Sir Bobby had a big influence in McClaren going to work in The Netherlands.

After winning the title, McClaren moved across the boarder to Germany and joined Wolfsburg. He became the first English manager to manage in the top flight of German football. Things didn't go as well as they did in The Netherlands and he only lasted just under a year before returning to manage in England. 

Another England manager to manage abroad was Roy Hodgson. Hodgson had great longevity to his managerial career. He had a great influence on football in Scandinavia. His first managerial role in football was with Swedish team Halmstad. Joining in 1976, he won the league title in 1976 and 1979. To date, this is still one of the biggest surprises in Swedish football. The year before the former England manager joined Halmstad, the team avoided relegation by goal difference. The very next season, he's got them winning the league. Leicester City eat your heart out, right. 

After dipping back into English football, in 1982 Hodgson moved back to Sweden and had spells with two second division teams; Oddevold and Orebro. There wasn't much success before he moved to the bigger Swedish side Malmo. Malmo won 5 consecutive league titles along with two Swedish Cups between 1985 and 1991. He was offered a lifetime contract but declined.

After making such an influence in Swedish football, Hodgson moved to Switzerland. He joined Neuchatel Xamax. In his time in swiss domestic football he took his team all the way to the UEFA Cup in 1992, where they beat Celtic over two legs and won their home game in the next round against Real Madrid. This caused waves in Swiss football and he was giving the position of Men's Swiss National Team manager. 

Hodgson took them to their first major international tournament since the 1966 World Cup. They qualified top of their group that included top national teams such as; Italy and Portugal. In the finals they finished second in group A, progressing to the knock out stages. He did the same again for the Swiss national side and got them qualified for the 1996 World Cup and resigned once they were qualified.

Once his job was done and the Swiss were qualified for the World Cup once again under his reign, he joined Italian giants Inter Milan. Hodgson spent two years in Italy and by Inter fans will always be known as the manager who sold Brazilian legend Roberto Carlos. At the time Inter were a struggling league team yet did well in cup competitions. He led them to the UEFA Cup final in 1997, where they played Schalke. Back then even the final was played over two legs. Both sides won their home games 1-0 before the Italians were beaten on penalties. Yes, the Germans won on penalties. Shock! 

Hodgson has a list as long as your arm of teams he has managed outside of The British Isles. Including clubs teams; Swiss side Grasshoppers, Copenhagen, Udinese and Norwegian side Viking. He's also managed national sides; UAE and Finland before given the England job. What a career and I've only mentioned outside of English football.

Alan Pardew spent 4 months at Dutch side ADO Den Haag and 6 months at Greek side Aris Thessaloniki. Sounds a bit like he did the G.Nev at Valencia twice.

In 2010, Graham Potter joined Ostersund who at the time were in the fourth division of Swedish football. He took them to consecutive promotions and won their third promotion in 4 season in 2015. He had taken them from fourth division to first division in 4 seasons and pushed on to enter the group stage round of the UEFA Europa League. Despite beating Arsenal 2-1 in their group they were eliminated on goal difference being level on points with Athletic Bilbao.

In Conclusion

As a player it seemed like you needed to be a top British international to be recognised by a European club. Unless you played at the very top and strived there you didn't go abroad to play. More recently I still think this is the case with most players. Only the best will go and play for the giants of Europe like Real Madrid, Barcelona or Bayern Munich. Recently, some players such as Fikayo Tomori, Tammy Abraham, Chris Smalling or Scott McTominay have gone and played abroad yet I feel that is because the teams they played for did not want to sell them to rival clubs or teams in the same division as them. 

It seems to be similar circumstances with managers. Only the managers who have credentials of working at the best domestic clubs in England or even the Men's National Team manager role are noticed by clubs to go work in the European leagues.

I think young players, if given the option, should jump at the chance of playing abroad. We have seen from experience that the playing time as a teenager or young player is higher compared to players who play for teams in the Premier League. The type of coaching they are exposed to seems a lot more technical too, which develops players into the system based football a lot of teams play in today's game.

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Blogs in the near future will be posted on Mondays and don't forget about Across the "Digital" Touchline blogs for all things Fantasy Premier League, posted on Friday's.