Old Castle Rock
Andy Gav K aand Gav F are here...
To discuss everything that's happening on Gorgie Road. It's been a tough start to the season so what has went wrong
Old Castle Rock
In the Vaccum
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There is a bit of a Vaccum with no game so the lads are recapping and looking forward to killie on Saturday
Hello and welcome to Old Castle Rock, the podcast that talks everything heart of Midloden, or at least tries to. We're back for another week. It's just me, Andy Dixon, and Gav Kennedy this time. Gavin Flyman has been away down in the Midlands or somewhere like that and is a bit a little bit rough this week. I don't know what he thinks he's doing, so he is no making it on. So it's just the two of us. Um obviously you missed last week, Kennedy. How have you been?
SPEAKER_02So I got proper Wi-Fi and everything, so feeling pretty good about myself again. So I bring it on, mate. Bring it on. Let's go.
SPEAKER_00Good.
SPEAKER_01That's good, mate. Uh it's all settled down. Uh obviously you missed last week. Is there anything there has been a wee bit of vacuum? So anything that you obviously hopefully you've listened back, and anything that you want to mention to the Aberdeen game or anything just after that before we we go and move on.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I did listen to it last week for once because like uh I don't normally listen back to our podcast normally because I don't like the sound of my own voice. I don't know if you like that. Um so it was quite nice to actually listen to you two talk about it for a change, you know. So I enjoyed it. Um yeah, the Avery D game well. I thought we were absolutely brilliant. Hey, the high pressing, um the atmosphere, um every single player was just like like very too instructions to actually tea, you know what I mean? Um players that came on for other players were absolutely brilliant. Like Kabori was a highlight for me, to be honest with you. I thought he was class. He was unlucky with that shot in the first half, but hey ho, I would have absolutely been a dream start for away. But um I it was just so good all round. I loved uh Chisholm with his uh we sing song before the heart song before the game. I thought that was class. Just got everyone up for it. Um I just thought it was a good day all round to be honest with you, mate. I don't know.
SPEAKER_01That's good, I know right. There's not much I can probably add to that. I just wondered if there'd have been anything that you anything else that you wanted to obviously to bring to bring up or um in regards to that, because again, it has the it's obviously a a bit of a vacuum this week. I don't know, it's felt quite it's felt quite weird. It's quite maybe I don't know.
SPEAKER_02I think like I was saying earlier to you, it's like you just kind of always reset your emotions, if you know what I mean, because you get finally that week off just to say, ah, you know, and it's just like watch our teams like collapse and fail, and watch other carnage of fold in the Scottish Cup, you know. So and for once for not a part of it, so um so it was just nice and not not worried about injuries and suspensions and stuff like that, you know.
SPEAKER_01Um, yeah, I mean I think that's that could maybe be it. Obviously, the old firm game last weekend and how that finished, and then not playing this weekend, and then everything that's happened over the Scottish Cup weekend from Aberdeen getting knocked out to the absolute disaster, and that was Ibrox on Sunday. That everything it's maybe felt it feels like we've maybe have gone under the not under the radar, but we have obviously fell down the media's talking points a little bit. And although I have actually listened to the BBC thing where Brian Stevenson and Corbett for This Is My Story, and they were discussing on whether we obviously we think whether we think hearts are going to do it as well, but there hasn't been it's not been as much, it's not it probably hasn't been as in the headlines because of everything that's obviously that happened at Ibrox on Sunday. So yeah, it's just felt it's felt uh just that little bit um just that little bit weird and quite chilled out, I think, more than anything else. Um compared to compared to maybe the other weeks. And again, I think it's been probably done the players of the world a good because the players have had some time off, they've had been able to train, um just getting injuries obviously trying to get the injuries back up or trying to get a bit closer to the injuries. Uh getting back, um talking injuries I'll run through the injury. I'll run through I've said injuries about six times in this sentence. But I've seen the updated list earlier uh our current injury list. Um T looks like he is going to be back for Saturday. Um according to the hard standard, anyway. Um an update, it looks like McIntyre should be back for Saturday after he's um his shoulder injury. Shanks look set to return for Dundee uh because he's he's had a full week's training. Uh Devlin's the same, so the two of them should be roughly back about the same. Windley's progressing well outside outside chance of being back for Livy. Um Kingsley could return for Livy as well. Uh return to full training ahead of the gate ahead of the game. Callum Noonhoff, he's been out since July, could return to a full training near the end of March to April. Um still might win the most improved player of the season yet. Go back and listen to our predictions. I've predicted him to be the most improved. Uh poor Finn the Pollack has been out for a year and he's probably going to be back for training next month. Perladdie has been done absolutely dirty. Uh Clay Goddam, um again, he's no sure. And then obviously the guy who is sponsored by this podcast who has played about an hour combined. Aju has had surgery on his thigh, and he's out for the season. So I mean that's a full roundup of the of the injuries. It's been good that we haven't picked up any any fresh injuries this week, uh I suppose. But um I think probably the good thing as well is that we've been able to barter ourselves through, we've been able to manage through, and we've not let it well pick us too much with these players back. How are you feeling obviously when you see the update on on how the injuries are going?
SPEAKER_02Um, so looking at it, let's say, like I've played Dave for a podcast tonight, it's almost like having you sign-ins, really. Yeah. Uh, because they've been up for so long, especially with Shagdard and Cavi being our two best players at the start of the season. Um, and they're returning that way. It's almost like just getting men in front of tractor window. You know, it's uh such a big boost to the squad, the players, the dressing room, everything. Um it's absolutely brilliant. McIntyre as well can be added to that because he's been absolutely brilliant this season as well. He has had some maybe a couple of bad games, but I think overall he's he's deserving like a start in most games. Um is another one. Uh he's like he's he's been like settled in so well since coming over from Kabonic and that along with obviously McKinnon's been his Delboy's right hand man as I caught him before. So I um really puzzled about those guys going back. Even the hope, I'm like uh I'm quite glad to be seeing him coming back. Um he's had a torrid time of injuries, eh?
SPEAKER_01Um since we signed him, his injuries have been torrid. Like he's never had a he's never probably had a good proper run, I don't think. Um well he did, he had a wee bit of run. He came he started to come good a little bit, and then basically that was him. He got injured, and then he's never really kicked a ball since. Um I thought that this might be his season, and then he gets himself uh he gets himself injured.
SPEAKER_02Uh he started lovely well as well, if I remember rightly, even when he actually played and came on. I thought he did well. Was it not the League Cup games he played well?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, quite I was convinced he played the Aberdeen game, but he he was injured, but he must have been injured by the Aberdeen game already. So it is what it is. Um but at the same time, it I mean to be fair, at one point though you probably could have done well in midfield. Uh you probably uh I mean obviously they've we've done well, we've we've covered that position well. Mark Leonard coming in feeling absolutely amazing. So we haven't missed him or we've not missed them, and we've got plenty obviously options, or we have we should have plenty of options in there, but at one point even Callum Dunhoff would have been would have been needed, but it is again. I think uh although I don't think we'll probably see him, I don't think he'll play for the club again. I think he'll be he'll probably be moved on in the summer.
SPEAKER_03Yeah, obviously.
SPEAKER_01If they can get him, if they can get someone to to maybe take on and get him moved on. I think he'll be he will want it definitely or be shipped out, but again, it's just probably a bit a wee but unfair fair on him as well. And I mean that you're right. I mean the players you've you've got Finlay Mackinac, so you've got you've still got Finley Shanks and Devon Mass and there's a spine here team Kingsley as well as your your left-hand cover. I guess I joked with following last week that we were an injury to Harry Milnerway if you have an Alan Forrest playing left wing back. Um so it's it's still feel it still feels a little bit fragile at the same time, but I mean injuries of that's what the the bonus to having a big squad, isn't it? Is for a bigger squad is that you've got these players that are able to step in, your McCartz and your uh boys like that. So yeah, um that's our injury our our whole injury updates. Um any other any other news? I'm trying to think of a missed any news, big guy.
SPEAKER_02Well, that that'd be so down commodity again. We've got 4,000 tick fads going, I believe. That's really that's really great. That's gonna be just as noisy as the Dundee Knight game was at Tannadice in my eyes. Um it's almost like you know what, the old firm maybe take, maybe a bit less. Uh, but you know what great for us. Like um that'd be absolute bagging that night. Uh sadly, I'm not going. I've decided to watch in a pub because it's too past my bedtime to go all the way to kawork at that time of night. Um, so but uh it'll definitely be uh great for the TV and stuff like that, eh? Because the atmosphere will be hopefully really good day. Um so I and that would only help with players, eh? But we'll talk about that obviously in a bit.
SPEAKER_01Um yeah, I mean one thing I did think though is I thought the Scottish Code might have been updated, or it might have been announced by now, just for it happening in two weeks. But it's obviously going to come out next week. Um so again, that's something that could have done my next one. So this the everyone there's our uh technical technical meeting there. Um but aye, so again, it's uh it's nothing nothing much to be honest. Let's talk then. Let's talk let's talk Saturday, let's talk the title race or the title race as it is, and then look at son look at what's happening Saturday night as well. Then so the quickly, then one of the biggest things that probably did happen was Motherwell got beat on Saturday. Okay, we're not gonna dissect them the game or anything like that. Um to me it came as a bit of a shock, and I wonder if it probably has maybe just taken them out of the any potential title races or anything like that, or any talk of title race, I should say. Um because obviously they the game and hammer taking them to within seven. Um so but at the same time they've got they've got Celtic on Saturday as well. So I mean how do how do they do they well that's it, yeah. So they've they've got the game, they've obviously got Celtic on Saturday. Um they kick off at three o'clock, obviously we kick off at eight o'clock. Um so do you wonder, do we think that that's maybe taking all the the wind out of the motherwell sails a little bit? Um or are we still thinking that they're maybe gonna to get that result or a result against Celtic? Bear in mind we've watched Celtic for the last two weeks at Ibrox, and to be honest, for a part of maybe 45 minutes of the two two and a half games that they've uh they've stunked the place out. So I mean do we is it is it realistically that because if Celtic won on Saturday, obviously then that's down to two points by the time we obviously restart our game. Um so do we think that Motherwell have got the chance or do you think and do you think that the the pressure is the pressure will be on us come eight come eight o'clock in in Kilmarnock?
SPEAKER_02See, I don't think there's really much pressure as it is as much as on us at the moment, to be fair. So well, that's why we've been playing so well, because they're not really thinking about above them or just really thinking what's around them, like we did when we got uh run when we were third in that. It's what uh these type of teams do, eh? And it's like yeah, we could have maybe stuck a wee last-minute challenge in and stuff like that. But as we said in the think of the last time we spoke about it, we did have a like a really hard run of fixtures, eh? I mean, they were expected to be Dundee, but now we've got Celtic, eh? And it's like you think to yourself, Celtic home, we do sort of fancy them, but then again, this is this year's Celtic, not last year's Celtic. So um I it's it's a funny one, eh? I don't know what the injury situation like. I don't know if that's maybe a reason why we did lose uh Saturday against Dundee, but although Dundee are a really good organized team with uh President alone, we're not great. And they'll all like put some puts all apart, that's why we're where we are, sort of thing. But we've got enough to like get results, and they've done it against Celtic at home, we've never done it against Marvel where it's our two massive teams. They almost did it against us when uh when we got uh swallow sent off, you know what I mean? So it's not an easy fixture, Dundee away. Um you know what I mean? Like a lot of teams when you play them down at the bottom, it's no as if you can just turn up and hope for the best, eh?
SPEAKER_01Um yeah, no, this is that. I mean, Dundee have going, I was listening to the game. I mean, I was listening to it on the car on the way back, and it was pretty even for both. And Dundee are certainly a more a far more improved side. It'll be interesting to see how Mother will obviously react um to that. Um prior to that, and if they can get a result at Parkhead, that would be high, it would be ideal. Do you think that do you think there's pressure on us? Do you think that the do you think that if there is press if this Celtic do one, you're right?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I yeah, no, I do think there is pressure on us in terms of like as you say, if Celtic win, that's included some points back. We've not got our points on the board yet, and like the other weeks when they've been playing on the Sunday sort of thing, you know what I mean? Um it's it a bit more harder for the players to you know what I mean. Sometimes I hope that's not the case. Um I don't think it will be, but it Matt can have effect on the players, so especially like if you look at the Rangers game, uh I brought when we were uh when we got B42, it was like before that we were losing 2-0, and you think to yourself players might have known about that going into the game and starting the game. That's maybe why you know what I mean. We we we were like not coping very well defensively because you know what I mean, we might have had that on the back of our minds already, and that causes pressure on players A. Um so I think it definitely will have an effect in terms of how it goes, but I should I shouldn't on the performance to be fair. But you know what we've vs five scandals put players A, and that's a worry.
SPEAKER_01So yeah, well, this is this is the only thing I can think of because to be honest, I've got I think the the support you're gonna get up there is going to be very similar to to Dundee United. Um obviously it's at that time on a Saturday night when you'll probably get one of your drunkest of away supports to put it to put it politely. Um that's how it probably is going to be. But um and it and that probably means it's gonna be one of the noisiest away supports. Um I would hope that the longer the gate hopefully the game, the longer the game goes, it doesn't maybe put any pressure on the on the players if it if they don't go out and they don't score early or something like that. And obviously Kilmarnik have been haven't been great. They've obviously took a do in for Falkirk three we uh two weeks ago, and they're in a bit of a little bit of a tight spot themselves in regards to uh relegation. Obviously they're they're a bit clear of Livingston, but again, if Livingston can get anything to go on Saturday, you never you never ever know uh what can happen. But um in regards to that eight o'clock on a Saturday night at Rugby Park, it's uh it's gonna be an it's gonna be interesting. It's obviously part of being like part of being massive and everything else is why we're on the tele at this time. I I know that you're not a fan of the of this time, especially where you live in over the water, so it's not even easy a quick jaunt back to to Tynecastle, but it's I don't know. It seems I'm no some of the the times for games lately have haven't been ideal um for getting to places, especially travelling to Kilmarnock. But yeah, it's uh by that time we'll know what's happened, we'll know what we need, what we need to do as well, and as long as as long as we obviously do keep on winning with Rangers as well, because the pressure Rangers play on the on the Sunday against St. Mirren. Obviously, St. Murrin have just changed their manager, or not changed the manager, the manager's left, which means that they're gonna have to get a new manager in. So they'll be don't I doubt they'll have a new manager bounce as such because it's probably quite already or yeah, he's left. He's been appointed. Um that news will hit the news will hit five at some point, I wouldn't worry about it.
SPEAKER_02Umriers and that's what was that? Uh yeah, I don't know.
SPEAKER_01But hi, it's um but aye, it's it's it's obviously when we hurt us and Celtic both playing Celtic playing first. But again, a result for Motherwell drags Motherwell maybe back into it, it drags them closer to Celtic, and then maybe allows us to we'll either have a lot of freedom or we'll be a wee bit, a wee bit of pressure. But um I'm looking forward to it, come on, Nick. I mean the pitch is it's no great, but it's it's actually tough or 5G or whatever it is, these whatever they call it these days, plastic, whatever. But I don't think I think we've got players that can well certainly be able to play on it and providing that I mean we probably train on it as well. We've probably done a wee bit more training on it this week, um, to make sure that we are being more acclimatised to to use it rather than the grass. But um I'm quite generally quite looking forward to it. I wouldn't imagine there'll be too many changes into the team on Saturday.
SPEAKER_02I mean, I was having a think about it myself to be honest, looking at it. Um there was only really two that would possibly maybe do to it. One would be Magnuson. I would maybe I would maybe put Betty in and make him and Leonard sort of like because I thought Benny in the last game at Rugby Park, him and Devlin were brilliant together. And he was going a lot more forward than normal uh Betty was. He was having like silky touches and I was like, you know, making balls roof or bragging at eh, and it was just like If he can only recapture that again, you know what I mean? We have to be there for him taken, sort of thing, eh? And the average I would possibly make is obviously the right-back situation, as we've maybe done to death on this podcast with uh with uh but I just feel Artena was like he did really well against United when he was away on a Saturday night. And I think it this sort of game might be suited to him as coming in for that and give Steinweiner we bit our rest. Um and apart from that, yeah, I don't think I would make any really other changes to the team.
SPEAKER_01I would my whole thing is I don't know if I'd want to see us go to come on like a team second bottom league and want to play a double pivot with Leonard and Benny. So I don't know if I'd maybe want if I if I would maybe Leonard Spittle and Magnuson as my three, like I but I mean Spittle definitely deserves to to stay in the team. I would I mean I think based on last based on two weeks ago, I'd probably keep Kabori in the team. Um that's probably not something I've said I've not I've said too often to be honest. Um but it's probably he deserves it. I do think we're probably a bit more fluid if we're playing Braga as the main man through the middle, and you've got Kizzy on one side, and if you had whether it is Chesney, if Chesney's no f uh is fit enough, I think there maybe still is issues with his fitness.
SPEAKER_02Um you have to drop Spittle and put Kizzy on the other side, Villet, you know what I mean.
SPEAKER_01No, I mean you could you could if you've got Spittle playing as a middle as as a three, so it's a f more four-three-three way. Leonard Leonard Spittle Magnuson is your middle three, and then Kizzy at one side, and whether it's Krajotta or Chesney on the other, then I think that that could be your that could be it. That for me is the is probably what I would is what I would do. But and then obviously Bragg is your main band, but I don't think based on that performance, I think Kibori's pretty I think he probably deserves to stay in that to stay in the team. If he if it was to put us the same team that played against Aberdeen, I don't think I would have any issues with that at all. I think I'd be pretty um pretty chilled out with that one. I think that would be that would be fine as as far as I would in regards to the in regards to the team. Um I think in regards to Kilmarnett themselves, they've lost a couple of players missing and a couple um a couple left actually as well. So um I I mean but again they're gonna come out uh come out fighting, I'd imagine, based on uh based on that. So it's certainly going to be interesting and it is coming down to the the business point now. So what are we Kilmarnock Kilmarnock Dundee, Livingston, Motherwells are last floor uh prior to the prior to the split. I mean that the split's just about done. I think they'll be able to probably announce the split fixtures quite early on in this, um so that it'll and although it is going to give them a bit of a headache, especially if Motherwell are the or Motherwell are the team that's going to be uh Motherwell are involved. Well, I I think in regards to the flets a four-way or a three-way trying to to balance fixtures and who goes where, um because it's never even. I was trying to explain that to my uncle last week on why it it's never a set in 19 and 19. Sorry, never it's never a case of you'll play two home, two away, and it's always 19 and 19 as much as you can, meaning that because if it was two and home, two home, two away, we'd only get one home game and four away. So it's um I think there's a bit of a job there on when they want uh to play play that as well. Could you imagine one in the league and then not going to Easter mode and they're giving you the guard the honour?
SPEAKER_02Uh-huh, absolutely, no chance. We didn't do it last time this time, eh? You know what I mean?
SPEAKER_01But was that not because they gave us it at Time Castle instead?
SPEAKER_02I can't even remember now. I just remember.
SPEAKER_01I'm sure that I'm sure they'd done it at Timecastle. And then I might be totally wrong because we done we played a couple of teams twice after we won the league in the championship, and I'm sure that it was maybe it was Rangers gave us it at Tynecastle, but they didn't give us it at or iBroxen didn't give us at Tynecastle the second time.
SPEAKER_02So to be fair, I'm sure both times we did honor it. Uh but it was Epson I had we weren't doing it for fans, definitely, or whatever that.
SPEAKER_01Um at Tincastle, but to be fair, I'd be furious if it was the way about. Like let's no, let's not pretend otherwise. I wouldn't want to see those mugs got a guard the honour at Tincastle at any at any point in my life. So aye, it's uh it's just been one of those weeks, mate. It's just not much really to talk about. Oh, did you see the Paddy Power tweet? Uh I put I put it in the chat about because obviously the English teams have diddied up Europe, so it's like put hearts in the Premier League and they'll win it by 25 points. Um also seen on Twitter this week as well, is I've seen today that a couple of English teams are looking at Braga. Um five mil five million was the figure.
SPEAKER_02As well, okay. Is that true? Who apparently Celtic have heard?
SPEAKER_01Rivers Celtic are right. Let's uh let's close that one down right now. Is that Celtic are not going to pay the money Hearts are gonna want for uh Claudio Braga? Okay, yeah, we can shut that down. We're not selling them, we won't sell them to Celtic for two Mars bars and a bottle of iron brew, okay? And that's because that that's what the law for hearts are want or want big money uh for him. And it's the thing is as well, is that if he wins the League of Hearts, then he's not gonna go to Celtic to play European football or anything like that. So Celtic might know Celtic Celtic they might know be the draw that they that everybody thinks they are, by the way. So let's uh let's know thingy about that. Um it's uh thinking the other day as well, just watching obviously that if Celtic get beat in the semi-final will mean that the team that finished third don't get uh the like a European just just about European group stages, they'll go on right at the very bottom of the conference league. So it's scary biscuits if Celtic didn't win the cup uh for for Rangers or Celtic on whoever finishes third.
SPEAKER_02Aye, so I'll be a slug fest for second or third, basically.
SPEAKER_01Aye, uh absolutely, absolutely, mate. But is there anything else again? It's just been a very quick pod this week because there hasn't been too much, and we just the two of us. Or not there's a bit of me, right? And I alright, so here we go, right? There's a bit of me that I think I've said this the other week, but I'll say it again is that Rangers and Celtic, they're they're always going to be there, they're always going to pick points up, right? But based on their based on their last two games against each other and their last few games against everybody else, is that they're gonna drop points. So for they're gonna be there, they'll be there, they'll challenge, they will challenge, we'll probably drop points. But they for us to we we to if we drop points, one of them has to be very perfect and win every game in one games, but they'll take points off each other, they've still to play each other again.
SPEAKER_02So I think they've got to win. I think I said on the funnel that Celtic can only win like 75 points or something like that, is that right?
SPEAKER_01Something like that. So they can't they don't look like they they don't generally none of them look like they can put up a running form that is going to be there, but they need to do it to to catch us. And the thing is if we just need to keep winning and picking up points, right? Like, and I didn't want to say it because I didn't want to give them I didn't want expectations. I was speaking to I was talking to Kenny about this the other day, and it was like we're talking about I think if we get 10 points at the 10 points before the split, then that's 10 points before the split is very is acceptable, and that is basically puts us very much into pole position. That puts us on 73, that puts us on 73 points. Okay, and bearing in mind obviously Celtic, I've got to play Motherwell. Um so they're playing Motherwell, and then they will play where are they? They're playing on the Sunday against Dundee United. So they play after us the following week. And then they will play, then they'll say there's another missed week because of the international week, and then they'll play they play Dundee. Now, again, we've we've thought they played Dundee. So Dundee isn't going to be an easy fixture. They play this, they play after us again when again when we're at Livingston at two o'clock on the Sunday, Easter Sunday, they're playing, they play Dundee, and then their game before the splat is not let me find it, but let me have a look.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so it's Wardic Hearts of the Livingston Hearts and Hearts Furtherwell, which is 11th of April. So I first split like you say, because it's Scottish Cup weekend with other way to radio, and it's a weekend.
SPEAKER_01Well, that's a semi-final weekend, is it not? Yeah, so I'm saying, so that's done. So they've got Motherwell self-tacked Motherwell Dundee United St Murin. And aye, Dundee, Dundee United and St. Murray's the last four games. So even for them, right? Now normally you think to yourself they they should cruise that, but they need they don't look at they don't they're grinding results out. Okay, and again, they didn't look totally amazing. So they have to be they have to win all four of those games. Hope we drop more than hope that we'd obviously we need to be beat twice, and they win every game to get in front of us. So it's it's it's obviously difficult for them. And you've got Rangers, Rangers have got St. Murray and Aberdeen, Dundee United, and Falkirk. And obviously, Aberdeen feel Aberdeen will have a new manager at this point, they'll be a derby for them because that's or a rivalry, I should say. They they treat that as a massive rivalry, and Falkirk have been playing excellent as well. So every team's got fixtures in there that they they can they can drop points, and I still my my position hasn't changed. I still believe that Hartz will be champions in May. Like I generally have no and I I think it's been amplified by listening to Derek McKinnath talk. Obviously, I uh I was at that thing two weeks ago at the Gorgie Suite, and Corbett talked about this. What what was that?
SPEAKER_02You left buzzard with it as well, to be fair.
SPEAKER_01As Corbett said on the thing, as Corbett said, and I'm sure I said this on to Fleming last week, but is that he like the way that McInnes talks is that he had he'd make he makes me want to run through a brick wall from. So imagine what he's doing in that dressing room.
SPEAKER_02Exactly.
SPEAKER_01If he's if he's making if he's if that's what he's doing to me, what is he doing to these players? Like, and regardless, is he's shielding these players from for the media speculation. And honestly, I think we've got the the right man for the job at this moment in time. There's nothing again, there's nothing away from what I think that we're not going to win this league. It's scary to think it.
SPEAKER_02It is, it's terrifying.
SPEAKER_01Genuinely, it's it's scary, it's so scary to think that we can we have a very, very high possibility to be champions. Um, and again, even with we're talking after this plat, I mean, Rangers have got to come to Tynecastle, you know what I mean? So it's we've got two home games as well. So the and teams have got to come to Tynecastle. It'll be Falkirk and Rangers have got to come to Tynecastle. So, I mean, so there we are. It's it's not so at least we've we've got one of your title drivers there. I mean, we've went to Parkhead and one already this season, so really should we be fearing that? Not really. I mean, and again, Easterwood's becoming such a bit of anomaly, but again, it's a derby, Derby form foot to go to the window. So, again, there's places that there's there's no team that I sit and look at and go, I'm worried about playing name or anything like that because I've watched these teams play. So I am quite I think it's nerves. I'm quite nervous as the games are gone on, by the way. This is the this is it watching it, I get really nervous. Um but I again I've said I generally have no thingy that we we can be champions, I think, or should be champions, it probably can be champions come me. Like I've managed to now convince my wife that she can drive to Liverpool the next day after the the sick after the last game of the season to go to Egypt. So this is this is it. She's like, why am I driving? I was like, because Hearts could could be lifting the trophy on the that day, so she's like, Right, fine, I'll be driving then. So what you what how are you feeling about it then?
SPEAKER_02How like this can be um I've been like up a doubt up a doubt all season, eh? But it's like every time you find yourself, oh, this is it, this is where the bubbles bursting, as they say, in the other shy areas of the country, but it's not happened and we're still there, we're still in the fight. It's not just the fans that are involved in it, it's the whole entire players, it's the drive-through, it's the coaches. Like you can just see something different in the air when you go to Tycastle these days, eh? It's just and it's like every time you think about what if it is you don't think of the worst, you actually think we're actually good enough for us not, as you say, not to worry about these things as we used to, whereas if like like normally we'd be like, oh, killy away, feed up to killy, uh can't even worry about just have a few drinks and have a good time, you know what I mean? But this that is different, it's like you have a expeditive day of like with this hearts team turning up, even if we start off badly, if we score a goal, whatever, you just know at some point the team's gonna turn it around and we're gonna start playing. But I think for one time, maybe there's maybe been two occasions this season when I thought to myself we've been absolutely dire. And the first one was obviously Sidon Burren for me. Um, and the second time I would say would be the Aberdeen away game. Um, those are the only two times when I but I just thought to myself, we're absolute chronic, we're not gonna win this blah blah. But even at the Derby when we were 3-doll down, we're still a bit we I thought we could actually come back here because you know what we're like in a whole day, we're like in Derby as a general. I was never a point, even when we're at 3-2, you still thought to yourself it maybe left it too late, but you were still hanging on in injury time, hoping that something was gonna happen, you know, with a corner or last minute or whatever. And and they fucking knew it as well. They were wrecking themselves that they free was because we done it to Burkwell at Tecastle as well. Hey, don't forget, and they played a lot better, Van Felt Van Hibsted that game for the time that they were ahead. I thought brilliant. Uh and uh I it's just something special caffeinate, and it's like it's like the whole thing of like the implosion of Ibrox on Sunday with the Scottish Cup here with uh no we weren't gonna maybe mention it, but it really does have to be spoken about in terms of how the fans reacted to this whole entire situation of the day, and we added like quarter final, like it was final what happened, and it's like it was crazy.
SPEAKER_01Well, this is then quickly then I'm gonna ask you before you if you want to talk about mention this what happened on Saturday on Sunday, but the um obviously we talked to me Clemen talked about this work last week, and I didn't want to go over too much ground on what I think was it iBrox or was it one in at Parkhead is when you thought this season was different to other tea other ones?
SPEAKER_02Uh because I was at iBrox, it was Ibrox. Um like even way back then, I just thought I've never seen in life the only time I've seen Hartz play that good at Ibrox was when uh Alan Johnson got the hat trick under Jeffrey's hat.
SPEAKER_01That was about a year ago.
SPEAKER_02You know what I mean? It's like no other games where we dominated the ball so much and we made the Rangers over millions look like actually amateurs of the Premier League, you know what I mean? And I thought to myself this team could do something here. It really can. That to me was just like it was it was a catapult for the rest of the season. It just like made everyone believe that something could happen. Yeah, you know. Um so I it was definitely the Ivory's game for me. As much as as great as the Celtic game was, I just didn't have that same feeling at Ivory. It was really the last one, as you know, and uh even then like playing against a Ven, even though we got beat, I thought we played really well, and I felt uh it could have gone either way at one point. And it was just uh it was just some bad luck in the end there, and it was like I was just wasn't if they were just really up for it, we trade like an old third game sort of thing, eh? And that can spur on the crowd, and it's like the noise that I brought that day was incredible as well. So, you know, I mean when you look at both those games, it was for so for me it was iBrox when we won that definitely fair enough.
SPEAKER_00Hi, uh what were you want to say about last Sunday then?
SPEAKER_02What were you want to say about it's hard to sort of put a thing on it, eh? Like it's just like from like all the sort of like trouble and all the crowd and all the sort of like uh but it was just like for two games and neither of them could beat each other, right? And even though Rangers went 2-11 the week before, we like Celtic game back because all season their both defenses have been absolutely terrible. Yep, and that's what made us stay top for so long because of the goals that we've been conceded at the end of the day. And like for me, that's what I'm trying to say. It's like that's obvious we believe more that we could actually do is because this seems to be an absolute implosion between the pair of them but CRA, and it's like that that that's our right on the pitch if you like sort of submitted to where we are because they went back 30 years, like you say. Um, in terms of fucking all that, you know.
SPEAKER_01But I um to be fair, it's probably this this all happens, obviously. That the the Ranger and Celtic stuff always happens anyway. Like this, this kind of but I think watching it as well is I think bearing them because we're top of the league, I think it amplifies everything for them. It amplifies their it amplifies just how shite they have both been this season, and it amplifies the the gulf and what that one of them is now got one of them has the potential to end up trophy-less. And this this is obviously now they get to the that's been the boiling point, it has been the boiling point, and some fans and you but there's gonna be lots of lots of investigations and everything else, and that's not what I'm here to talk about because that's a fucking shambles, and the the the whole thing is set this country back 30 years in regards to why we can't go to the game and have a pint in the stand. Um, on why why hearts can he play anybody else and have a pint in the stand. I trust Hartz and Hibbs fans to have a to be able to go to a game and have a pint more uh than obviously than you can that they too could you couldn't have it when they're in town. But I I think you could go to Tincastle or even Easter Road and have a pint in the stand be fine. I don't think it'd ever be allowed, and I'd understand that reason. But again, we were just getting to the point where it was getting we were getting close to it. There was Premier teams that were getting licenses to sell alcohol at certain games, and now we probably have been sent back. And I mean it's not just the Premier League, the whole the whole thing, and I think that's what pisses my uh totally just boils my puss as well, is that teams in the lower leagues can't. Can he get to sell a pint at their games and make revenue? Can he cook athletic? Can he make? Can he sell a pint at their game? If you can what I mean. They've got a crowd of 200, 300, and they can't get a they can't get a pint there where it's not gonna kick off. And it's the whole thing is just set this whole country back. But back onto hearts, as I said, that I think that because where we are at the moment and the way that this season has gone, is stuff has boiled over, it's highlighted gaps, uh, and it's highlighted faults and everything else, and it's probably properly amplified everything in regards to the the way that the fans are feeling and the fans are reacting and everything else. And again, it's just but at the same time, it's embarrassing. Uh it's embarrassing for both clubs, and again, I'm quite glad that it's no else um that that this is happening, that's happened too. I'd imagine that if we win this league, I think that they'll I think they'll there will all be fans on the pitch. Um I can imagine that you're going to get down to the pitch for the top E. Unless you fall unless you fall down the stairs. But I think there'll be fans on the pitch. I'd imagine if the fans are on the pitch, they'll be off the pitch very, very quickly. Um because these things it does happen. Um, but again, the scenes at eye props were absolutely a shambles. Um I don't know if I've just taken that on a wee tangent for what you were trying to say there, big guy. So apologize.
SPEAKER_02Exactly how I felt about it, to be honest. Uh just the worst bit is that neither club has taken any responsibility for it yet. It has been what four days now?
SPEAKER_01Well Ren just put a statement, Rangers put a statement out today. Um again, the must have not reached five yet because I must start when uh they've put a statement out, but you can imagine that uh you can imagine that it's not taking a hundred percent responsibility and there is water boundary. Uh very rife in it. So uh yeah, I mean that's fine. I mean, is there anything else you want to talk about? Do you want to I don't really want to give a score, I'm still feeling quite nervous for Saturday, first Saturday a little bit. I even though I've just contradicted myself and stuff, but guys.
SPEAKER_02So uh I mean I'll say one and uh hearts go two goes ahead, and I mean we might make it an RVB finish just to annoy everyone.
SPEAKER_01Just to annoy everyone, there we there we go. There we go. So aye, it's uh a bit of vacuum pod to be honest, guys. Uh there hasn't been too much to talk about, um to be honest, and again, it's just been quite nice and chilled out, just to go about our own business and see where we're going for the last little bit before the split. So again, thank you very much for listening. Uh obviously, we are we are um old castle rock, um, and we have been championed for the since the start of the year. Is that if anybody is feeling feeling down, is anyone's feeling lonely, is to reach out. There is many organizations there that can help with that. Um I've put I'll put a list in the show notes as well and on social media if you want to take a note of that. If you want even just give us uh anybody on this pod, reach out, even just to chat about football. I wouldn't want to think anybody's sitting there in silence happily message you back. That is not not an issue at all. Um and I to be honest, if you've not heard for a friend, um then give him a give them a wee shout. If it's like, oh I've not heard for not heard for gal for a while, where is he? What's he been up to? Give him a wee it might it might just not be feeling great and he just might need a bit of a bit of a cheer up, or he might have just been in Birmingham on a works weekend week away and he just is trying to recover as well. So a wee bit of humour there, but again the message is very much the same as that if you aren't if you haven't heard any reach out, it might just make the day as well. But again, thank you all much uh for listening again and get us on all your social media sites, X uh, Instagram, Threads, Below Sky, the whole shebang. Get us on the good social media, get the good streaming sites and the bad ones as well. And again, thank you very much. And it's a bye for me.
SPEAKER_02And it's as usual. Bonjour for me as well.