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It's probably a bigger surprise. I think Ivan Tony been in the squad than Palmer and Fod not been in it. I think it's a bigger surprise. I really do. Especially based on the season Calbert Lewis had in the Premier League until Danny Robert Thomas. I'm surprised and he picked it. Yeah, I genuinely think they could win it. Would their chances be better without Ronaldo? Well, would they? I think so. I think it would.
Yeah. So, it's two tournaments in a row where he doesn't score. Where are you on the fact that Thomas Tuk has gone? I don't care about your reputation. And I think this individual is better in my group than you are. So you're staying at home. Firm leadership 100%. This is my team. This is what I want. What's the Scottish feel on the two? You're just happy to be there. What's Martin? I'm not just happy to be there, but I'm ecstatic to be there. Welcome along to the breakdown. We're going to take a look at the World Cup through the eyes of Ali McCoy, Julian Luron, Martin Keion, and Owen Hargreaves. First and foremost, Coy,
Spain are the favorites, which in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, it does surprise me somewhat because it's difficult for a European nation to win on a different continent, but the bookies seem to think that this Spanish team's going to be good enough to do it. Yeah. Well, I get it and I get statistics probably go against that. Um and for that reason probably lower the betting would be Argentina and Brazil. Well, that actually fans France to win the tournament, but I think Spain and France probably on paper to me look the two best sides in the tournament. I know it's never been done before over there, but is the climate going to be that much of a problem to Spain, be more of a problem to England and Northern Hemisphere?
They keep the ball well as well, Spain, don't they? Which you've got to do over there. If you're going to win this tournament, you got to keep the ball. France are second favorites. So you've got to go down a little bit before you get to Argentina defending champions. But I mean when I saw that France team, the first thing that jumped out was the forward players thinking, "Blime me, you can pick any of that." Incredible. Going forward, great. But there are areas in the France where they've got to answer questions. Is that fair?
Yeah, you're right. I think so. The fullbacks Kundai on the right, who is a really good player, but has had a kind of a in and out season with injuries. On the left is Ding who done okay with Villa and Tund who played in Saudi Arabia. That's probably where there's something to be exploited than center back Asibanu Pameo. I think there's probably not even nothing better in the whole tournament. And then the midfield is interesting. Yeah. Because Desan for this tournament which is his last one. And I think there's a bit of an emotional side to it that could play in our favor. We'll go from 4231 instead of the 4-33 quite defensive minded that he usually plays
which means that leaves you that double pivot to Amini or Conte Rabio is in there. Cone. So you've got physicality, you've got a bit of everything there. But I wouldn't be surprised if at some point Desan said, "You know what? I'm still a very conservative coach deep inside and this 42-31 is great, but this is not me." And revert to a more defensive 4-33 when we get to the quarterfinals if France is still there. and then semi is because that's the essence of his own game and I think he wants to win this badly because it's the last one and because they've been so good two finals in a row, four finals out of the last seven World Cups is really special but yet to go and win it in his mind he would think
I need to be the best defensively because you win those kind of trophies with your defense more than anything else really. I don't think I've seen a squad in that's got as much attacking depth. So what would be Lisa is a 10. Yeah, Dembeella, Mbappe, and then on the left it would have been a KTK who Yeah, it probably be think about that those four or Bola or Shaki. Not bad. See what I mean? Just if you fancy other options, you know, I can loan new players if you want for England and Scotland, you know, but yeah, we can do that. We can do that more than most.
The attacking players are astonishing. Remarkable. Yeah, I mean I'm curious to see what he does cuz I just think those players are off the charts good. So Eliza is going to play us centrally and I would think the guy is so good in his position at club level. Why would you move him to a different position international level? Just leave him there. He's got all his bearings. He's got so used to play with the touch line here, the throw line here. Why would you move him centrally? And he's it's working. I think he's that great that he can play well anywhere. But I would tend to think where do you feel the most comfortable on the I know what you mean and I wouldn't disagree. Um, but I do think as well if
he plays central, he can see he's got more pitches. He can play left, he can play in behind, he can play short, he can play one, two on the right. I think his pitches are limited to, you know, I'm coming in on my left. Do you know what I mean? I think he probably thinks he gives him more freedom to see more. And I mean, you think about what be Mbappe then D. Yeah, Martin England, we've been crying out for years for a manager that picks a squad that is a squad. Not gone for the best players. He's he's picked a squad. The minute Thomas Tul does it, there's the biggest thing ever around a World Cup squad. So, where are you on the fact that Thomas Tukul's gone? I don't care about your reputation. I think this individual is better in my group than you are. So, you're
staying at home. I understand the rationale and he explained himself well but the World Cup for me is all about that kind of maverick player isn't it when I first pelle back in the day you saw Cro didn't you in those early days we were coming in and then you saw Messi Ronaldo and we've kind of like Palmer not been involved for me I kind of like I'd have had to have found room for Palmer to be in the group I get it he hasn't had a great season I'm a little bit concerned Stones has only played four games for Man City and he gets into the squad he's probably played more games for England than he has for his club side. So, there's a couple here that goes against the grain, but it's firm leadership 100%. This is
my team. This is what I want. I would have had Meguire in because he's been in virtually every team of the competition in recent years and I've had him in. Dan Burn is it seems like this leadership group thing is just as important as what you do on the pitch. And I'm not completely with that, but maybe that's the modern day dressing room. So, no, I think it's a functional team. There's so much arriving. I mean, Harry Kane, you talking, we were talking last night about all the strikers that England used to have. We're relying on one striker, so a lot's got to go well for us. It's a good job. He's the best striker in the world, isn't it? Yeah.
Well, he is. But we've got to get that pace around him in the same way that he does at his club side. Yeah. What's the Scottish feel on the two situations? You're just happy to be there. What's Martin? I'm not just happy to be there, but I'm ecstatic to be there. Right. I'm ecstatic. He's going to enjoy these three games like he's never enjoyed three games.
We have more three games. Don't worry about that boy. We have won three games. It's always Brazil, isn't it? Sorry, I forgot the warm-up matches before you got here's the question about England, right? When you when it comes to the crunch, the big question mark I've got in that team looking at it, it's know who's going to play Harry Kane or sacker somebody in whatever it may be. It's the Anderson Rice Bellingham Morgan Rogers syndrome, right? because I don't think he's going to play. I think you know two of them Delan and Anderson are going to play that's guaranteed double pivot guaranted.
I think Judo play and I can see Morgan coming off the left side like he does for Villa. Saka Kane I'm I'm I think Thomas in a way I think he's gone for a size. We only probably got three players in there probably under six foot. KBY Saka and Ree James. Everybody else you think about Gordon Rashford, Ivan Tony, Harry, uh, Ollie Watkins, Madu, big fellas, Rogers, Bellingham, Declan, everybody's above six foot. So, I think he's gone for big, strong athletes. I think he knows we can out Spain and if we're going to win it, we're going to win it on the counter. And I think that's kind of his blueprint, but I think he's gone
for something different. I think he's gone for athletes in size. He's more of an Arsenal look. So I mean you've got the set pieces. You've got sacker. He always gets back to you. You notice this in a way. You've got sacka and you've got deck and rice. Well that's why Tony's in fantastic delivery set different. It's like a I can throw him in. You know as a specialist just looked at what Arsen think okay we can take a bit of that.
It's probably a bigger surprise I think Ivan Tony been in the squad than Palmer and Fod not been in it. I think it's a bigger surprise. I really do especially based on the season Calbertt Lewis had in the Premier League until Danny Rob Thomas too I'm surprised and he picked it. Yeah. So I don't quite know what that's based on but it could be that he scores the winning goal in the cup final but it would be in the actual final. It's a penalty that be that'll be crosses like late in the game 20 minutes put Ivan on you one jumping on you. No he can do a job when he comes off the bench. So he's he's like he's designing Madaweki as well is like he's used to coming on for sacker isn't he? So he's like okay let's pick him. If I pick
somebody else who does who used to who's used to starting, he might not enjoy that relationship. So, it's all geared for the squad and it's based on qualification. Who did it for me in qualification? Let's have a look at the world champions and Argentina. I think when you look at this Argentina group, I'm not being disrespectful to say they don't have individual talents. Argentina will win it because the group is better than the individual talent that they've got. And they're going to be difficult to beat, aren't they? Because of that. It's a special ingredient they've got as a group that Yeah, you're right. And then Messi obviously and Messi even at 39 is still
Messi and still is doing in MLS which again is a bit like Saudi Arabia. The thing is though George when you look at the team you go that can't win the World Cup but it did. Yeah. Just because it just works doesn't it? The team all the South Americans plus obviously Mexico, Canada and US but Argentina would have huge crowd there. Same with Brazil. They've got such a strong community and it's not that far to come from Argentina to the US compared to all those European teams. And I think if you play a final, we were there in Qatar. I promise you being in
that stand, you had 5,000 French people and then 45,000 Argentine. And at some point, it has to make a difference anyway. But we know Messi is going to what's what's it going to be in and around him? So be Julian Alvarez. Yeah. Similar. Then you have the Paul. So the midfield of Enzo, the Paul and Mallister, you need dogs like Mallister, the Paul and Enzo to be behind Messi who's not going to run. But you look at that last tournament where they started as they did and then Alvarez came in, the young lads came in, didn't Enzo came in. I think you could see that. I think you could see young Ali made a point about the squad. I think you can see some of those young talent kind of creep into that Argentine team to help
Messi carry the load. It's a funny one, isn't it? Might as well address the elephant in the room right now. You talk about Messi's last I think arguably the best midfield in the tournament might belong to Portugal, right? Yeah. Not even mentioned him yet. I think they're well worth a mention. I actually think I genuinely think they could win it. Would their chances be better without Ronaldo? Well, would they? I think so. I think it would. Yeah, me too. I genuinely think it would.
Yeah, but everybody says that. But who's better goal scorer than him? Ask raised. You're right. There's probably It's easy to say to leave him out, I think. But actually, there's no clear replacement for him. Yeah, there's no one outstanding. The reason is that No, I get that. However, I think my point being you're never going to replace your goals or equality or the attitude or everything, but you might be able to replace the energy. Yeah, but he's play with he doesn't score, they play with 10. And don't forget, he didn't score any other Euros or at the last World Cup. So, it's two tournaments in a row where he doesn't score. And I think if he doesn't score, you end
up playing with 10 men. even though he's declined as a player that he's not the great Cristiano Ronaldo anymore, he still wants to be the A-list that he wants the team to play through and that can be dangerous, can't it? Because that that battle needs to be passed on now to other people. 100%. Is that an issue for him? 100%. It's amazing. Maybe it comes from him, Ali. Maybe he's the one who actually, you know, this there's a selfishness to a striker, isn't it? And you have to be the one who says, do you know what? Maybe it's time to come off. He ain't doing that. He ain't doing He has to make an adjustment because it can be too much about him.
Yeah. It's about the team, isn't it? This is true story, right? When we won the league, my first year at United, I scored a free kick in about April time and Kashan and I were over the ball and I everybody thought Kashan was going to take it and I took it and scored. Anyway, we got to the Champions League final playing Chelsea and we were practing free kicks uh and I hit nine out of 10 over the wall into the top corner and Edmond Vanderes came to me and said, "Oh, if we get a free kick in the final against Chelsea, you got to take it." So, I can't take it off Cristana. No chance. Anyway, Cristana walks over to me. Nobody hears him. He says, "Oh, if we get a free kick, it's yours." Because he knew I could maybe
take it better to help us win the game. Mhm. And my point is, everyone thinks he's selfish. He's not actually. He wants to win. He'll delegate. He's not as selfish as people make out. And the reason he's got to the level that he did. Why? Because he's a little bit selfish, but that's that's the point he's making. That's why Messi can play the way he does and why they're allowing to do it because he used the word and he's spot on. They've they've got more dogs in their team. Dogs that will give you all that stuff than Portugal have. Portugal have players. I think the goalkeeper is a big one. Portugal got a good goalkeeper, but I think Emy's shown in the big moments he can be the guy, can he?
What about Brazil? Carlo's there, which is huge for them. Um, the fact that Neymar's there, I think is has been the big discussion point. No, Pedro has had a great season. Don't sleep on Brazil, by the way. You could argue the best kind of center back partnership. Is there one better than Marinos and Gabrielle with Allison? I think Salo Pameo are better. No, I know. I'm just saying that with Carlo. Yeah. With Allison with those two and then you got Vinnie Jr.
Rafinha. The only issue I think Brazil have is the fullbacks. You think back to Kafu and Roberto Carson and what they used to have that they don't have that right now. And the fact that Carlo has never coached a bit like Tul or Nagasman had the Euros base the first World Cup. The fact that he never coached in an international tournament like this. Could this be a bit of a is it that different to club level or is it actually the same? The floor is yours. Scotland great support and good with the weather. But only the weather's perfect for them. I think the weather definitely think the weather will prevent us winning it.
It will. No, I'm not getting away from I'm not shing that issue. Listen, we've got a good squad. a good, you know, a good group of boys that work their socks off. We don't have a superstar. Of course, we mean McTominay has been brilliant for us. John McIn's been brilliant for us. Of course, we have, but we don't have an out-out superstar. What Stevie Clark's managed to do, he's got a group together of, you know, 14 15 solid boys that have managed to get us over the line and that will be our success. I mean the fact of the matter is looking at our real quality is in the middle of the park whether it's Mctomin the one difference that we have got and we've not had it for a good number of years now and this fell has not been playing regularly either is Ben Ganondo right
the one thing he's got pace and he can go buy a fullback a player we've not had that in a long time and you look at all the top teams not just international all the top teams in European football they've But players in wide areas that can do something different. He can do that. Alli, don't you think I remember watching the first game against Germany at the Euros and they just sat in, didn't they? And they never had a go and the fans were absolutely some of the best in the but they got to have a go on. They got to the Euros so disappointing. I mean the Germany game, the Hungary game is that was brutal. That was absolutely brutal. We never laid a glove and they were nearly as bad to be quite honest.
Are the Scottish seem ready to play some football now? Do you know? Yeah. Premier League, the boys in the middle of the park doilially keep John Mcan, McTominay, Christy, they're all good footballers. We're all boys. Tanny Robertson, we got guys now that are comfortable on the ball. We've got defenders that are just s we've always that whether he goes to the back, they'll defend. They're solid, honest defenders. We lack a bit of quality in forward areas. Of course, we do. Steve Clark's done an amazing job. He's done he's got us to the last two euros. He's got us to World Cup. But Owen's 100% right. You know, we've got to make an impact. Yeah.
Right. We've got to do something that makes us all talk about Scotland for a reason. If you're going to go down, you got to go down swinging, don't you? I don't They didn't really No, they didn't go. They got played they played at Wembley against England two years ago. Correct. I mean, that was just remarkable, wasn't it? James will probably tell me this, but I think there is some direct correlation as well between winning your first game and not going out. There's a Yeah, there's a huge 48 team now. Only six would not make it. There's a huge three points out. That's my point. I mean, it's almost you could argue it's almost more difficult not to qualify, right? I mean, it genuinely
to be fair history would suggest that you're will find a way. Of course, of course. I mean the one I played in Brazil scored against in the 87th minutes on the usual the same old story. We're on the flight home you know we need a draw to beat us one nil but I genuinely think if we can and do you know something we should win our opening game. Yeah definitely which gives you a great chance and the fans are brilliant nail I can guarantee. Do you know what the best thing I saw at the Euros two summers ago I was in Cologne. We were based in Cologne and by the cathedral in Cologne, there was a big square and there must have been 5,000 of the Tartan army in this
square. Everybody having a drink. The first thing I saw was every single person moved out of the way to let this German mother through with a pram. Nobody every move. I mean, they parted like the Red Sea. And then the following morning, I was expecting carnage. There wasn't a single piece of broken glass. And every empty bottle was in a crate stacked against the wall by the Scots. And I thought, "You'll do for me. That's how magnificent. That's how bent and naturally twisted we are as a nation, right? They look at everybody else causing trouble and causing havoc and we go, "We're going to
do the complete opposite, which is clean everything up and do." Do you know what they've done? They've hired these for the first game, it might be all the games, you know, the big yellow buses you get. The ceiling has been about 500 of the men hired and all the Scots are jumping on these buses and away they go. They're going to did say as well it's not far from Argentina. So there might be some family reunions. Quite a few never came back after 1978. So this families could I get my Maciston. I want to see that beneath you know Irish. Give me a team who wins the World Cup.
France. Gosh. Yeah. Mark. I think France. Yeah. You going to go England? I don't think England. Canada. No. Uh, I'm gonna go I'm going to go France. Yeah. Argentina for me. Yeah. Back to back. Argentina Messi. Yeah, I think so. Um, we'll find out. Um, I'm usually wrong, so I don't back Argentina. France seems to be the popular call. Uh, it's going to be a fascinating summer. Can Thomas Tukul and England win the World Cup? First time since 1966. Can Scotland for the first time ever get out the group? Uh, it's going to be absolutely fascinating. Enjoy it. World Cup summer.
There's nothing better.
