Old Castle Rock

Well before the Split

• PTB Productions

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0:00 | 1:10:16

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The lads are back before to discuss 

The sponsors night

The Post Split fixtures

and Livi Draw/Well game

SPEAKER_00

Good evening everyone, and uh welcome to another podcast for Old Castle Rock, a podcast that is dedicated to everything heart of Belovian, everything gorge, everything with the league leaders, just everything jabose. So uh after a mad W Easter weekend, not um like the old days, um obviously we got a wee a wee draw at uh Levington, which maybe wasn't ideal. But apart from that, um had a good Wheaster, so I was always it's myself Gavin Kennedy. Unfortunately, if uh Gaffer, Andy Dixon is running a bit late, stuck in traffic and roadwork somewhere in Penny Kick. So we are joined with Gavin Fleming as always as well. So hi mate, how are you doing?

SPEAKER_04

I'm very well, Gab. I like how you made me sound like some kind of consolation prize there, because uh Andy can come on, but no, I'm I'm very well, mate. I'm very, very well.

SPEAKER_00

Never consolation prize, Sunday, so it's always the Gab eyes are on here anyway, but it's all good. So aye. Uh do you have an IC week head?

SPEAKER_04

I did indeed. Well, uh it was actually apart from the the sun and then the snow and then the sun and then the snow and then the sun and then the snow. Aye, no, it was decent, it was decent.

SPEAKER_00

Aye, definitely, mate, definitely. So um before Andy hopefully ends up joining us, I thought I thought I'd uh talk about the sponsors night. That was on a Tuesday, uh, because I sponsored a player which uh obviously I put on Castle Rock's podcast on there for a wee bit of cheeky advertising at the ground to get our podcast hopefully noticed a wee bit more. Don't know if it worked or not, but anyway, um we censored uh Daniel, I guess you can't even announce the name yet.

SPEAKER_04

And uh just thinking what a street move that was, gas sponsoring a player that's been injured the entire season, anyway.

SPEAKER_00

But first that I think I've generally been handed a same because I on Tuesday he wasn't even at the thing either, eh? So I'm like, not only has he only worn that shirt once at sponsored, he's only uh he didn't even go to the sponsor night, so I get my shirt signed that I got all the other players signed there.

SPEAKER_04

So Well we need to have a we need to have a rethink for we need to have a we rethink for next Tuesday, we need to rethink the strategy, my friend.

SPEAKER_00

Exactly. Yeah, I thought a bris a two million pound uh brazil, what could go wrong? So yeah, but it was a good night. Um it was actually I was speaking to a few of the guys that beat two minutes every year, and they were saying that this is like the busiest they've ever seen it. It was absolutely ran mob day, um which is really good, obviously, obviously, with the success at Hearts of Venus season, so purely people wanted to get something to remember a season by, etc. Um, so yeah, uh it started off with a 30-minute Q ⁇ A with Scott Wilson and the players. We came in and got greeted, and notably missing was our sponsor, and uh as well, surprisingly uh missing was uh Lauren Shanklin as well, which was uh a bit of a surprise to be honest with you. I was uh expecting our club captain to be there, so I wonder what his excuse was, eh? But I'm sure he had a good one, no doubt hey.

SPEAKER_04

There was no mention of that or any questions asked about.

SPEAKER_00

No, no, it wasn't surprisingly. It was uh if we got space that we have is the players who sit down and uh start Scott just goes to each player, uh, who are you and what position do you play? And he goes on the whole entire day. The Under Nine Teens were there as well, um, all the coaches and that. And Gary Lockheed was there, obviously. Um and he actually got all the way up to Macinty and they asked him what position he was, and he actually said midfielder, which made everyone in the room laugh, obviously. So um, given he's been uh right back best uh best part of his season, you know. So that was quite uh hilarious. That um uh he got through he asked uh questions like Braga and stuff like that, but uh sadly for English wasn't the best at times. Uh to be fair, we've only been in the country a few months, obviously, so uh we picked up what we carry. But um I've sent you the voice notes as well, obviously, to listen to earlier. Uh Derek McInnis was there, uh obviously he got a lot of questions asked. He was getting asked about a team. Uh someone tried to ask about uh Cavi Devlin about his um contract situation, which was awkwardly brushed off.

SPEAKER_04

Um and uh someone was like when you say awkwardly brushed off, like did he did he make a joke about it or just like I'm gonna do it?

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, he made like a sort of like slight uh joke, like sort of like we'll see what happens, sort of thing, yeah. And then sort of everyone just sort of like expected him not to give us the answer that we wanted to hear, you know what I mean? So and it was and uh Scott Wilson done his usual magic and made it swiftly move on, you know what I mean? So uh yeah, it was quite funny, Matty. Um talking about um Jamie McCart and Halkit um having uh darts competitions of each other, which was quite funny. Um apparently uh Halkitt's really good at it. Um and uh Scott Wilson made a joke of was it because you're a rehab so much you had nothing else to do but play darts all that time. Um obviously got a wee bit of a laugh at that as well. Spoke to Craigie, um he's obviously um really hoping he gets uh Scotland caller, but he's not been selected yet, but he's working hard every day to get where he's just trying to concentrate on the team and get the boys ready so that they can be ready to try and win this leave for us, you know what I mean? That's his and uh because he's been there and done that obviously with uh our one of our rivals, as you know. Um so aye, it was a really it was a really good night actually, eh? Um it was like it was just good to get the players that was at a personal level, not just but what what players were actually there?

SPEAKER_04

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Like I say, the majority of them were there, Parpound Jew and uh Shagland were venotable missing ones, eh? Every single other one was there. Um so McKinnis must have said to him, Well, you got to be here, blah blah blah, because of the sponsors and stuff, eh? So it's your obligation, duties, and that so um and uh Ivy made a quite good effort and stuff, eh? And it was like even when he came up to him when he was speaking away to like take photos of him and stuff like that, which is pretty cool.

SPEAKER_04

Did you get quite uh did you get uh I know these events is like di difficult, but did you get uh did you get a steer that the the player seemed you know reasonably relaxed and quite talking and yeah we did, we just seemed like uh we're just sort of focusing on each game as it comes.

SPEAKER_00

Like every time someone asks one of them a question, it was always like, yeah, we're just taking a game at a time, and we're just concentrating performances, not worried about the previous game and stuff like that, which is what you have to do in this sort of like position that you're in there. Um you do have to take it by one game at a time and stuff, eh? And if people were asking them about what's more important, like attitude or skill and stuff like that, and people were saying attitude, attitude, yeah, attitude and stuff like that, you know, versus obviously if I kind of think I did it, McKinnon's focuses on, you know. Um also there wasn't really much asked tactically wise of McKinnon's name. I wasn't like what it wasn't like someone had a go at before like doing something like wrong or something like that, eh? Or why he's not playing right back for like two seats, you know, for the for whole game season, you know what I mean? Stuff like that. So it was really good friendly, good natured and stuff like that, you know what I mean.

SPEAKER_04

So it was good to see like how did um did um did was there any specific questions asked the McKinnists that are worth calling out or worth highlighting at all? You know, particularly maybe about like the league situation or how the players are feeling about the league.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, I mean he's just like you said it was it was just like what uh other players have said and stuff like that, where they just needed to take him one game at a time and stuff like that. Um also trying to obviously get the fans involved as much as he can, but um he doesn't want to bring the Telegro men to like start chants every single game and stuff like that, because he knows what we can sing whenever he wants, you know what I mean? Um I think he was getting a bit frustrated with like repeating questions that he's answered many times before with the press and stuff like that. Not with the night itself, but you can hear it, you know, when he was getting interviewed over and over, like certain questions. I'd say every time when like Hearts loses stuff like that, he might get a wee bit nah, we're just focusing on ourselves, we're not focusing on Rangers of Celtic and stuff like that. So I mean, that's what we spoke about here. We thought we might have been focused on them because of like the way we played when like teams are putting pressure on stuff like that, but he says that's not the case at all.

SPEAKER_04

Um so I think I did hear in uh one of one of the messages the the voice notes that he he he actually started, he was quite he was quite on the front foot because he said uh he said he was he actually said uh I'm I'm sick of getting reminded that the only reason that like hearts are where they are is because Celtic Rangers are so bad and Celtic Rangers have had a change of manager and and and everything like that. And I thought it was quite good. It seemed like he was really just trying to kind of you know he was acknowledging that but he was also trying to he was still trying to big up the fact that you know him and his team still deserve to be where they are because of how they have played this season. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We know that in a normal season, right, we might not be top of the league, but I fully understand the frustration there. And he's maybe just got a slight sense of maybe he he maybe thinks we're maybe not getting as much credit as we should because it's about how poor Celtic and Rangers have been, you know, which which is which is fair enough. Which is fair enough. I mean, if you look at all the than that, I'll be done that change, and he will be. He'll just be reiterating that message, yeah, just about you know, we deserve this, and this is the mentality, and we deserve to be where we are, you know.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, definitely. I mean, like we've been saying it for a while as well that uh we deserve to be where we are. It doesn't matter about regions and self-secretary because like it's it's a season that we're doing really well, eh, so why should we not focus on ourselves? We're not beating teams to our feet null every week, but we're finding ways to win when whereas situations against us whether like we got s injuries or suspensions and stuff like that, you know what I mean? So it's like there's so many mitigating factors that uh results happen every way, but we happen to just fact as well, we're not used to being in this position at all, eh? Um people have to actually remember that, and it's not as easy as just going to a game and like you know, playing attacking football 90 minutes and stuff. You gotta figure with uh like implications of losing the game as well. So you know what I mean? It's it's not easy, like 100%. That's why it's taken us this long to get to where we are, um, to be honest with you.

SPEAKER_04

I think he's there been a bit of sort of like other kind of media outlets that been raising the question about you know the kennel's feeling the pressure and how he's been dealing with that, and you know, it's coming across like he's maybe getting a little bit uh agitated or a little bit nervous, or just just a little bit sort of having been a bit antagonistic back back to people, reporters and everything. Yeah, uh I can understand that. Like you say, it's it's it's a long season. He knows that there's people out there that are waiting for hearts to fail. He knows that you've got like you know, three quarters of the country, you know, West Coast media, Glasgow, and and that's tough, and he and he's getting asked he's quite so so he heard it. It's just a bit listen, we've done a good job here. We are still harts. Before we start maybe laughing at a two-to-shot living and again going on about bubbles being buttons. Let's just take a step back. And if we want to be properly objective about everything, let's remember that say I think I've got the 60,000 fans and the 80 million in the bank, and let's remember the Rangers spent 40 million in the January window. So hearts are hearts are punching. Kell knows that, we know that, and yeah, I can understand the slight frustration there, but hopefully he's using that to get you know just to get another six cup final performances out of us and uh to keep the heads up in that changing room because we're gonna need it. We're gonna need it.

SPEAKER_00

Definitely, man. Um so I know it was like I felt it was really good night.

SPEAKER_03

Um you got your picture with uh Ragarky this I see?

SPEAKER_00

Uh yeah, I had to do that, but obviously.

SPEAKER_04

Definitely, definitely the most handsome out of the three of them, by the way, Gar. I had to call that out. I thought definitely, definitely the most important thing. But uh but to see even what's what's good about that, and I know they were at like a fans event and stuff, right? And I get that it's kind of part of like a player's duties these days, but it's still just good to see that, like they're not they're they're under pressure. I know it's a Tuesday night that you know they're not playing until the weekend, right? But they're still taking time out from their own evenings, their own families, and sometimes you know a long day they've been training, and maybe not 100%, but they're still taking that time to you know pose with fans, talk to fans. Look at Braga, always got a big smile on his face, mate. That kind of stuff's just uh it's it's just good to see. I I know a lot of clubs, a lot of players need to do it on media stuff and the fan stuff, but it's just good to see. It's good to see.

SPEAKER_00

It definitely is, eh, because they represent it, and they so we appreciate with fans what we do, we do for a way. Each game, we week in, week out, you know what I mean? Not even like for this season, like for the seasons that we have been bad, like you, you know, we could talk about last season when we weren't so good, but we were week in, week out, you know what I mean? So we we do have they do notice it, we do appreciate it, eh? Um so I think when the events like that, like you say, it does sort of like gets a good feeling about the place, eh? You know what I mean? So um because the way it's working.

SPEAKER_04

Did you did did you and the fans that were there, did you get a sense that you came away like I as a you know, yourself as individually guard and like the fans who were there, do you think they came away maybe a little bit more confident about the rest of the season based on anything that Dell said or how how he was or it wasn't yeah, it wasn't just what Dell said about a lot of people were talking about with fixtures and how VFL were trying to screw us as always and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_00

But at the end of the day, um we all know what we have to do to win this title, eh? And like hearing what you'd like to say and what Dell was saying about you know what we have to do in games, what we have to do to keep this one going, and stuff like that. It is very fans, right? They still believe that we can do it, so we still have to believe it. We just have to always sort of always come together that you know what I mean, for especially the doubters from the start of the season, to Dow, who's maybe still sort of like sure not sure that we're gonna do it. And it's like we just have to pull it together because we are the chance of a lifetime, eh?

SPEAKER_04

And it's like I you you are you you you you are you you were you were able to sense though, like I I know the players were talking, Gab, but obviously McInnes is the the figurehead, but I'm just like you got you still got a sense of McInnes is still like a hundred percent, he still believes and has confidence and he he he he knows what we need to do. Like he because it's I've still never actually heard him, I've never actually heard I've never actually heard him or anybody say win the league yet, but it's kind of referred to as if we want to do this sort of way, want to make it a special end to the season or aye.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, I mean to be fair, we actually spoke about he was actually we were the objectives was to get back into Europe as soon as possible uh and or win uh win a trophy again, and he even mentioned about the cups it it hasn't gone the way that we wanted to, but we're doing something else now, which wasn't a part of the objectives, you know. So that was really refreshing to see here because he does he does want to say it a bit, but when you imagine the backlash if he said it, and the next week our title channel starts fading away, everyone's a because he said that in the media, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_04

So that's because that's a good point. That's a good point.

SPEAKER_00

You really do have to be careful. I mean, we you can say in the podcast, eh, and people just like oh ha ha ha, you said you're gonna win the league last week, eh? And we're like, well, yeah, because we actually believed we were gonna, but at the end of the day, it's his job. He's got the pressure and all that, you know what I mean? And he's got to think of his players well, because he turns out throwing league bumps when there's still six leagues games to go, that might have a different effect on the dressing of him, and he didn't want that, eh? Um ways of putting the meshes without actually physically coming out and saying we're gonna win this league. Um and he's doing it in the right manner for me, eh? Because look at uh even Mark O'Neill wouldn't do it when he was like first came back and stuff like that. He was just like he was just focused on what he games, and then they were talking about uh a treble with him and stuff like that. He was like, What are you talking about that for? You know what I mean? And that's Celtic, you know what I mean? So um and they've even if any club, they would be one that would like be more likely to say because they've been winning everything for so long, you know what I mean? So there's no reason why we should be doing that, eh? Even though as a fan we want to hear it, but at the same time, look up Greg Levine when he did an actual order with him. So how many times did I bite him in the ass, you know what I mean? So it's it's something that you don't really want to do, eh? I mean, to be quite fair, eh? I don't know.

SPEAKER_04

A good night. It's quite quite good uh feedback that you provided there, and it's good just to get uh an insight into the sort of the mood about the players, about the club, how McInnis is thinking. He obviously knows what we what we need to do, he's got the fans on side, and obviously Scott Wilson's always here, keeps everybody nice and relaxed. And no, no, that's good sounds like it's not a good night. I was gonna say, do you want to do you want to uh have a chat about the the the fixtures actually coming out? We can maybe just give Andy a little bit more time to come on through the game.

SPEAKER_00

Before we do, I just want to close off with uh sponsor name. But uh one thing I actually did do, eh, which I I was like giggling away to myself, but uh when I went up to meet Dennis McKinnon, he shook my hand and stuff like that, and uh so did Archival that and I went, I was like, McKinnon, I have to say that me and my friends we do a uh podcast on Castle Rock, and uh last season we were talking about you coming in board and stuff like that. I was one of the ones that said I didn't want you to sign for us because I didn't think you were doing a job like you did do right now. But I didn't say time, I'm I'm glad you proved me wrong, eh? And I really appreciate everything you've done for us now. You've been amazing, eh?

SPEAKER_04

So um you went you went you went you went up to our manager who's gonna win us the league on a sponsor's night, and you went, all right, Dale, I'm Gav Kennedy. Listen, I I didn't think you were I didn't think you were gonna do very well, but thank you for proving me.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04

You realize you realize you realised he's probably now told security not to let you back in the ground, eh?

SPEAKER_00

But I yeah. Um you just say he said, Oh, thanks for the shit, but I had to get here. I was like, oh cool.

SPEAKER_04

Even that though, right? Again, just for how busy these people are, right? How much pressure McKinnon is under. He's you know, it's probably late at night, he's probably wanting to get away or whatever, and still taking the time out just to have that little bit of like traction and a little bit of a chat with a f with every fan. Just uh another example I don't know, another example of the the the personality that you've got there. Some people can be a little bit standoffish and so on, and you can kind of like particularly when you go up to them and you say, by the way, I never thought you were gonna do a good job, but nothing that's good.

SPEAKER_00

That was great, it's uh great night all right, but here we go. Here comes uh the gaffers of speaking of Andy Dixon might be finally here. Come on down if he's put some Oh yes. Yes, I'm here. Hello.

SPEAKER_04

We are very well, Andrew. Very well. Good to see you.

SPEAKER_01

Well, I thought I would just Daniel, obviously, because we sponsor him. He doesn't turn up, and I didn't want to turn up for that section as well, eh? So here we are. How's things, boy?

SPEAKER_04

Did you hear what Gav said there to Derek McKinnon, Sandy? You're back the last couple of minutes on the pod. No, I just thought I'll just back, or you can put it in the chat, but it's very funny. It's quite funny. But something for you to have a wee laugh at when you're going to bed tonight doing the editing, mate.

SPEAKER_01

Oh my word. Oh my word. Okay. So aye. So what's up next, Kennedy?

SPEAKER_00

Oh, yeah, we've just been speaking about positive sponsors tonight. Obviously, our flavor was gonna uh get us into the actual post split fixtures chat.

SPEAKER_04

Um I was I was I was thinking about just maybe having a because I I know obviously quite quite a lot of the the pods do a deep dive of of the games. I was just thinking if we just maybe had a little chat about the fixtures, maybe first of all, and then you know we could we can go if that's okay with your good shelf. Andrew. So obviously fixtures came out yesterday to get them in. So a bit of a mixed bag, quite an eagerly anticipated set of fixtures, given everything that was uh at stake, and there's been a bit of reaction, you know, more so from the um the West Coast about the order of certain matches and so on. I believe some Rangers fans are getting a little bit angry with them having four away games and Celtic having four home games, even though that's that's right. But obviously, in terms of the the Hearts games, Pipps away, Arsenal home, Murrowell away, Balkirk at home, and finished with a nice, easy three points at Parkhead on the last eight. So now that now that Andy's just come on. Andy, overtime good shelf, sir. What was your initial thoughts when the fixtures came out? And on a scale of one to ten, how cleaned were you from a harsh point of view?

SPEAKER_01

So basically, as I say, as I was saying that right, is that we when I put it, I put everything in the group chat, I was like a bit funny about it. And I was like, Celtic away, is this just is this them just trying to to stitch us up, right? Like I generally looked at so I looked at this, I looked at everything and I was like, right, Hub's Rangers, fine, motherwell, fall curk, Celtic away. And I was like, right, Celtic, last game of season a weighty plot headers like here we go. But then the more I thought about just just to talking about the run of the fixtures, I was like, Kevin, what I don't think it's that bad. Like I generally do not think it's that bad because I think that had it been Hibbs, Ranger, Celtic, I think having those basically could we that could have eaten us up. Like that generally could have hammered us, but because it's Hibbs first, then it's Rangers at home, and then you've got the two I'm gonna use the word lesser teams, but they're obviously not lesser teams because they're for they're they've done had really good seasons, but you've then got those two, and then a way to park head, and and essentially it could and Gab Kennedy joked about it being a dead rubber, but there is that possibility, it could be a dead rubber. Like if you if you win four of the if you win your games, then it is that it's a very good possibility, then it's it's a dead rubber.

SPEAKER_04

So that would be that would be the that would be the ideal like situation because I I don't I think I was the same as you, Andy. I was initially a bit like because the the headline came through because I'd actually just I'd seen it on the BBC prior, I've seen your message in the chat, mate, and obviously they led with final day decider at Parkhead, and man, my brain did just go off for fuck's sake, right? Because I was thinking that horror scenario, Celtic. Imagine there's only two points, and uh we've always been there, won the t-shirt. But like you, when you then kind of take a step back and think about it, well, actually, if we can maybe get the business done, there is a chance, right, that they they could be out of it. I've got horrible feeling they won't be. Please don't make that be the case. But yeah, you're right, you're right. If if we can maybe do the business prior to that, then uh maybe that could be a dead rubber. And and and see, Andy, see in terms of the the the order of the fixtures as well, right? If you could actually uh like chosen that, like would you have changed any of them around? Because again, I'm quite similar to you. I I think the order works out pretty well in terms of getting getting hibs away, get getting it done, big game, post-split, boom, ranges are tiny, set down a marker, you maybe try and win that. And then as you say, the two, and it's it's not even being derogatory, but uh maybe Falkirk and Motherwell, and then you end with Celtic. So I don't even think I'd even change any of that.

SPEAKER_01

The only one I I think being pedantic and wanting the wanting to be at home for the last game of the season. Um to give the to give the team the send-off and that they they they might deserve win or lose the league. I think that they deserve something and they deserve it not at ten o'clock on a Wednesday night. So that would be the only thing I would change, is maybe those two changing those about so our last home last home game is against Falkart at home. But apart from that, I don't think there is much else. And I and again, that's just the order before we look at the timelines and stuff, is that I think there isn't much in that order that I probably would change. Like again, it would be that the whole thing is because I mean I was having the conversation with my brother-in-law yesterday, and it was like if we win the league, we're lifting the trophy at 10 o'clock on a Wednesday night. So realistically, if we win the league before without having to go to Parkhead, then we we are we are and this is obviously the best case scenario, but if we won all if we won the four the first four games, then we would that would be the case that we would get that at 10 o'clock on a 10 o'clock on a Wednesday night. That's when you're left in the trophies.

SPEAKER_04

I get it.

SPEAKER_01

You can swear, it's fine. But I get it, but at the same time, you'd rather lift it at 12, you'd rather lift it at half two on a Saturday. So you then of course you would.

SPEAKER_04

No, of course you would. And that's that that's that is actually a decent point. I the the no actually again, just not similar, actually. Like the the the order, I'm I'm pretty, I see your point about the the the the no Saturday kind of three o'clock games is a little bit I think we're I believe we're the only team in the top half that haven't got a three o'clock Saturday. Don't don't quote me on that. Um I think I read that somewhere. So that's that's maybe a you know a little bit bit we've got these games on tele and we know that they're terrible timing. Gav, if if you're still if you're still kicking about me, um are you what was your thoughts yourself as well, just in terms of order and before we get on to like the Shan Pank holiday and that? What are you thinking?

SPEAKER_00

See, for me being uh like I was already a bit upset about the result on uh Sunday, obviously, and I was in work on Monday. Um so I was uh didn't even have like a few bevies on the Sunday night. So when I seen the fixtures come out first, I thought myself worst case scenario like I always do. I was like, oh no, we're gonna lose to Hibs. Oh no, we're gonna get a horrific draw against Wormwell again, aren't we? And then by then the league would be pretty much done, or we're probably gonna draw against Rangers at home because they'll do the same performance that we did against Celtec, where we should have beaten them, but we could defeat them, you know what I mean? And those things were going in my head, and I thought we could be out with a title race by that by the Falkart game, and then it would just be horrendous for the park head after everything we've been through. But when as more and more I thought about it, I was like, hold on a minute, actually. Uh, because we win on Saturday, we get went in and going again. When we go to uh Easter Road, we get a result there, but fans are absolutely going mad at Easter Road, and the players will see us and think we can actually do this if we can win here after the format we've been away from home. Uh take it into the Rangers game, and we'll be buzzing, and we rattle Rangers, even if it's a 1-0, I don't care. Um, and then obviously we go away again uh on the Saturday uh to Falk uh Murround at 8 o'clock when everyone's beving all day after those two games, absolute buzzing. It could be absolutely mental scenes behind there, it could be like even better with a Dunn United atmosphere uh where Kabori scored uh for two goals, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_04

It's pretty unlikely, but if a certain series of results went, then there's a chance that we could steal it at Motherwell. I think it's unlikely.

SPEAKER_03

Uh I do I do see I uh you see where I'm quite different there's like if we have that I wish it was just as easy as all we do is D Motherwell Saturday, when did I do but I know this is what I'm thinking this I'm like if we just go oh like the the three three big cup finals based I mean uh six cup finals I know it's a cliche but uh yeah I'll get uh imagine there's like imagine the scenes behind the goals of Burblewater game, it'd be absolute wild.

SPEAKER_00

Um so it it's and it's like we haven't had resort with for like you know what I mean, a decent result with for a good few years, eh? And I'm just like you know just put that goes to bed as well and do that, and then you got and then you just finish it like Nickel says by lifting a tie castle in the Falcon game, eh? It'll just be absolute scenes. Um like I might actually just take two days off during the week just a case, eh? Um because you never I took uh I took two days off uh from a uh after the Saturday game just in case to recover from that. I think we might have to do two more just in case for that, eh?

SPEAKER_04

All we need to do is win five games in a row and we've won the league. We've won five games in a row before. We can do it again. We won six in a row earlier in the season. So all we need to do, name all up.

SPEAKER_01

The thing is we we don't even technically need to beat right, we just need to win the games. We don't need to technically beat Rangers, we just don't need to lose to them. Um and this, you know what I mean? It's and because they'll drop points, they're gonna drop points, Celtic will drop points. By the way, it's Celtic don't have a three o'clock kickoff either. It's just Rangers of the top three are the only one that have got uh a three o'clock kickoff, which is a first game on the 26th. Sunday sorry, by the way, none of the none of the S none of the top three have got uh Saturday at um I've got a Saturday at three o'clock because Sun Rangers Hibs is three o'clock on the Sunday. So none of the three of them have got so it's I've got the I've got in front of me because the first game's obviously Celtic, Falkirks half five on a Saturday night, then Rangers Hibs is three o'clock on the Sunday. And that I don't that must I don't know why that is because it's not on tele apparently.

SPEAKER_02

Um and then the maybe it's uh does it say no, it's not, it's because Celtic are at home on the Saturday, so Rangers are the Sunday.

SPEAKER_01

The two of them can't beat home at the end of the day.

SPEAKER_04

What's another what's annoyed? What annoyed me a wee bit is um having a look at the way Celtics games have fallen because Celtic have some Miran at home on Saturday, which is the most likely win, and then they've got Falker go home as their first game post-split. So I'm looking at that thinking that could easily be six points out of six for Celtic. So I'm thinking obviously we beat Murray always three head of them, but then uh uh I think we're gonna have to win it easy to the road. Like uh there might be room for there might be room for four wins a draw and a defeat lads to still win the league. But I think it it's gonna depend on the games that we win. Like you say, Andy, if you could if you avoided defeat, for example, against Rangers, you know that that that might be as good as is winning it uh kind of to keep them back, but uh I I think I think we I think we have to win at Easter Road, like just the way that Celtics games are.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, of course we do. We do have to win at Easter Road, and that's the that's something that we've we're gonna have to do with with any work. I'm not wanting to mention it just now, how crap our record has been in the last just two seasons.

SPEAKER_04

When have we actually last played well at Easter Road?

SPEAKER_01

That's what our last time we won at Easter Road was Shankland in the last minute.

SPEAKER_02

Um the going as well, right?

SPEAKER_01

Let's obviously Hibbs half four on half four on a Sunday is perfect because I finish at 23 on a Sunday, so that's fine. The fault the Rangers won, though, right? Oh half five. That's not that's one, that's not a Scottish football time on a bank holiday, right? We don't have that time up here. And like how many people are actually going to be off for it?

SPEAKER_04

Because a lot of people want I I I I think that's I I agree, Andy. Like, I I'm I I think I've got vague, vague recollections, right? Of um, I'm going back a wee bit, maybe showing my slightly older age than your good self, sir. But I I remember the season after hearts, Gav might remember. I remember the season after Hearts won the cup in uh '98, '99, mate, right? When we nearly got relegated, right? I I remember at the end of that season, there was a game against Dunfumlin on a Monday afternoon at that time at half five on the bank holiday, right? So that would have been that shows you how long ago that was, eh? So I've got you know, 25, 26 years, right? That's the last time I could remember. Like I and it would have been Christmas or something, Andy, there was a game on a Monday like that. And I remember that being I remember that being like it was a sellout and everything, right? But I don't know if that holiday used to be observed more in Scotland than it is now, because because you're right. I mean, I get it just because obviously, you know, my employers, right? But yourself, Gab, holidays, how many, how many people are gonna need to exactly then what if you want to enjoy it and then it's it's leading into a Tuesday as well, and I is it's it's ridiculous. Ridiculous.

SPEAKER_02

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

That's the thing, is I don't know. I actually don't know what my shift is. I might not be I might not be able to make it on a for a month, like why not just make it half seven? What is on?

SPEAKER_04

Is it English football that is it English playoffs or there must be maybe also they maybe got us, so they've maybe got a quarter to eight or something, and they're trying to fit in a bank holiday bonanza by having a Scottish game. But surely, like like I mean, I oh no, I agree. Even even it's just uh it's just it's just wrong on so many levels. I there'll be some people that'll be off, right? And they might be just being the loser early, but not not not thousands of people like it maybe used to be.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, so yeah, this is so basically there's two games on the Monday, blank holiday Monday, and I'd imagine these will be on Sky. There's Chelsea, Nottingham Forest at three, and then Everton versus Man City at eight.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, so they've got they've got a they've got a they've got a week game at three o'clock on the Monday afternoon, really. Monday, yeah.

SPEAKER_02

Monday the fourth of the week.

SPEAKER_03

That that's weird.

SPEAKER_04

Um I'm honestly I I don't remember that Monday bank holiday having like even down south. I haven't you always get championship games on those bank holiday days down south. I don't know, it was Easter.

SPEAKER_00

You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_01

Well, Easter, right? The Easter ones are well, which we've just seen it. The Easter the English the English football Easter Friday, the champ the World Leagues are championship in League One on that Friday and Monday.

SPEAKER_04

So aye, it's uh it's a weird one. I think it's and and I was reading as well, right? Uh McInnes, fair enough, lads, because McInnes is kind of like he's trying to be that brave face, and he's like, uh, oh, I don't I don't care you know when the games are, we'll play them in a car park to try to make a joke about it, right? But yeah, you're that could be Hart's biggest game. We'll split Rangers at home, a chance to maybe put the nail in Rangers coffin or get a massive three points for it. So ideally, you want the whole town castle behind the team up for it, and you want the conditions for that game to be as um good as possible. Now, I know everybody's in the same boat, right? And I'm I'm not trying to sound like I'm spoiled, I get that there's got to be a bit of give and take, right? And there could have been by maybe, like you say, just having it even at quarter to eight at night. So people that are maybe working working all day on is there somebody could have been looked at for the Sunday. I'm sure there's a space somewhere even for the Sunday, but half five, you are you're looking at thousands, maybe probably have about what, 17, 18. You're probably looking at about half of that regular heart support, needing time off, away from work, holiday requests just to go to that again. And I wouldn't be surprised if there's empty seats. And that is disappointing for a for a game of that size, and also and and I'm not we won't be as maybe oiled up as we might have been for maybe a Saturday game, and let's not beat round about it. It can help out sometimes in these powder keg matches. So hi, hi, it's it's it's not it's a farce, it's a farce.

SPEAKER_01

Working at that as well, right? Habs play on the Sunday at home as well against Celtic.

SPEAKER_04

They can't have the two teams from the same city playing at home on the same day, and I assume there's no space on the Saturday for some reason, right? Okay, right. I mean exactly what it does.

SPEAKER_01

Right, but no, but you couldn't have had final hoven on the Saturday night then. Why not play on the second of May the Saturday night?

SPEAKER_04

You could if you wanted to play it late, and they obviously didn't want Rangers at Time Castle at fucking eight o'clock on a Saturday night, but the uh again Hib Celtic Hearts Rangers if all of them being in the same day, you can understand they've had um so if there's an eight o'clock space, they've been happy to put hearts in the eight o'clock space all friggin' season, right? Much to our detriment, actually, because it's maybe impacting on some of these performances. But uh, I know the police get involved, so the police, you're right, maybe they've gone uh I don't know, Rangers, but they had a hearts higher derby. Uh okay, it was a Tuesday, but they had that at eight o'clock. But they had a hearts higher this season on a Saturday at quarter to six. So uh I just knowing hearts fans like we do though, I I think everybody'll you know do their best and the ground still be still be pretty fuel, but uh the arrangements that people are then for folk having to go work on the Tuesday. Imagine Rush winning that game three now. Oh, can I pop in for a pint? No, I've got to be in the office at seven o'clock on Tuesday morning. That's terrible. It's terrible.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, exactly. Exactly.

SPEAKER_01

But yes, um anything else with the the fixtures?

SPEAKER_04

I'm just trying to get them obviously we've got another eight o'clock gabble love at Far Park. Oh yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, uh at least it's not as far as air, so I'm not too bored about that one. So and Lovro's normally a decent day out to be fair, eh? So I'm not I'm not too awesome, but I'll definitely be going like if I get a big sound at the eight o'clock close, we play first.

SPEAKER_01

So it's not not like the last couple of eight o'clock where we've played last. We've played first because they play on the sun, they play on the Sunday. They play each other on the Sunday. So it's um it's that's obviously that. And then we've got the last two games, we'll be on the tele, like Heart Celtic will be on the tele, and then it'll depend on how the title's looking on which they because none of the games on the Wednesday have been picked for the telly yet, so they'll be waiting to find out how it's looking.

SPEAKER_04

They might even have the the games that involve all three teams, aren't they? Like is Sky can do that. You know, they've got that exception rule when they can still do two games or even three games and even like six games at a ground. I it annoys me how you go on about the rules of that, but they can still pretty much do what they want.

SPEAKER_02

That's all it is.

SPEAKER_01

Um but yeah, I mean, in the fixtures, I think I've got over the the initial shock of it all and having Celtic away and all the conspiracy theories in my head and everything else going on, they hate us and and stuff like that. And then I actually am quite settled with it now, and I think that apart from about the Folker can hip Celtic games being switched, um it's probably the it's probably just about as good as it's gonna get.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, like a lot of order-wise, not time-wise, not kickoff times.

SPEAKER_01

I'm still the Monday night, I still just didn't believe, but yes. We've done that, we've done that before. We've been there half four on Sundays before. Um I can remember going to games at Tincastle at half four on a Sunday. So that one's not too bad. Again, that's a bigger bigger talking point in itself, though, is just how wild some of these kickoff times are. Um and how they've become a lot of things.

SPEAKER_04

I'm saying that we were saying Andy, I think um because this is quite new for us obviously in this season, the way uh you know Hearts beams were you know hope having this good season and the it's early liking us, we are gonna have to get really used to this, aren't we? Gonna go where Bloom wants us to go to. We are gonna have to get used to being one of these teams that's punted about on Saturdays and Mondays and everything for tele, and we're just gonna have to roll with the punches, it's annoying as it is. Just to you know, to be fair, the the old pharmapads are 12 o'clock on a Sunday up at Dingwall for years, and you know, Kennedy's uh down south mob, you know, they're like and manually and all that, it's not a many dollars horrible kickoff times. So it is annoying, but we're maybe just gonna need to get used to it. But it doesn't make it right, it doesn't make it right. No, it does.

SPEAKER_01

There's a bit of things as well that they've they've they've just allowed because it's hearts, um, they've there's probably been a bit more leeway of being able to get games on at eight o'clock on a on it at night rather than and I think that we've probably seen that with the just the I think the what happened at the old firm game, the last whole thumb game, is probably one of the reasons why we keep getting eight o'clocks because they can put us on at eight and we're not wanting to fight each other compared to some of the reputations the other fans. And we've got there's dafties in every support, don't I get me wrong? But I think that our reputation is better than theirs, and I think that that's probably why even Habs Hearts is Hubs at 8 o'clock is probably more is more acceptable because there isn't going to be that.

SPEAKER_04

I uh I think we'd be right in saying Andy, there's not been uh apart from midweek fixtures, I don't think Celtic or Rangers have had an eight o'clock on a Saturday night, mate. Uh commit me if I'm wrong, maybe St. Minnesota Celtic might have the start of the season, maybe. Yeah not a lot of them, not a lot of them, but um no, I think you're right. I think the police in Sky, oh well that's okay, they'll take a big support, however, safety-wise, probably be okay versus four or five thousand old fun fans totally, totally. Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_01

Right, Kennedy, are we are you ready? Are you moving us on or are we yeah, sure.

SPEAKER_00

So uh desktop obviously, I don't know if you wanted uh go into depth about the Lewison uh game, obviously.

SPEAKER_01

Um talking points and stuff. I've only seen the highlights, I was working. Um so I missed most of the game, I'll be honest. I've seen the goals, and that's probably about it. I'll be honest, when I looked at the team, it's probably would have been Louis going in depth. It's probably wouldn't have been many changes that I made for that team. So I mean used two can take a take it away a bit more about watching the game, obviously we're both there.

SPEAKER_04

Levy. Yeah, so not to maybe go into too much detail for this one because we've we've been on fairly well already, uh but as we you know we've kind of all seen and discussed, right? First, you know, really, really bad start, Livy get their tails up, terrible defending, uh letting Stephen A score a goal against you, it's just it's shameful, right? And we we deserve punishment for that in itself, right? But to be fair, Hart's response was quite good gap. I actually was I was saying this is a game, and it it's it's a strange game because after five, ten minutes, I think Hart's in control the rest of the first half and deservedly got the equalizer with a cracking head of the chance, and actually in another day, could have been two or three one by half time. Livy keeper makes a couple of cracking saves with a little bit of lucky with two or three little bits and pieces round the box, we're playing pretty well. Second half, come out again on top, make it two one, good goal. Shankland almost makes it three with another header, and then just ball apart with horrific defending again, and then the last half hour, the less said about the last half hour, the better.

SPEAKER_00

Because we didn't, we just played the ball about and uh didn't even make a run. Chesnikov was a man missing as well. We could have been 10 men with him in the party as well. It was ridiculous. Um, he was a waste of jersey that day, like um as well. And it's like, you see what annoys me most about it, right? It's not how we played, right? It's in fact how Livingston played, right? For the last games against Celtic when they when they were 2-1 up and they lost unluckily 4-2 to the end, to be fair, but maybe some of the decisions get against them. We get uh 2-2 against Rangers because their goalkeeper has a world day, right? And then like even against us, like uh for goalkeeper again, we played really well, and our players have a really good performance. And I'm like, see if he played like that against every other team in the Scottish in the SPL, they wouldn't be sitting bottom right now.

SPEAKER_04

And uh that that's one of those that's one of those kind of funny points. I do know what you're saying, eh? But I I think they're one of those teams, even though they're rooted to the bottom of the league, and I know it's not a levy podcast, eh? But it's just just briefly, like um, I think I think they're one of these teams that are actually maybe a bit better against bigger sides, mate, and they sort of raise their game. And I think a lot of games have actually been like they've not been pumped a lot, mate. Like it's not been 3, 4, 5, 0, but I know what you mean. You you're kind of watching and going, but you're bottom of the league and you've won one game all season. But I still didn't think it was a gimme. I I don't I I just didn't.

SPEAKER_00

Well, at the same time, we didn't play to our strengths as well because uh uh when he played ran down the wing, made crosses in, fat troubled at Livingston and they were nervy and they we conceded two goals from it, so why not play like that the whole game? But we didn't we just did what we usually do with our our wingers, run them down the wing and then make them cut inside and then play with pass to either Cami or whoever's like forward to Shanglin and stuff like that, eh? And they're we're gonna sit five defenders right in front of you, so we're gonna be so hard to break down unless you have some sort of like freakers go and stuff like that, which always was of uh Shagli uh Braga one because Shanglin basically heads the ball off the actual levy defender, gets lucky because he gets the ball back again and heads it right back over to Braga and goes in. Any other time that's still a goal, you know what I mean? So it's really frustrating when we don't play to our strikes against these teams because you'll create more chances, and then that's when we you start burying teams A, because that's something we haven't really done a lot this season. We've we played so cautiously over time A.

SPEAKER_04

And that's I would just say you that, Gab, I I thought Hearts actually looked the most dangerous that we've looked in an attacking sense for quite some time. And I also thought Shankund had a brilliant first 60 minutes, right? Everything was going through with him, and it was like the difference that he makes is oh it's unbelievable. And the fact his first start and he actually scores a great header, sets up Braga for the the second, and he had he was really lucky with a shot that just went whiz past the most Braga's header. And I I thought we were good and we were zipping the ball about quite quick, but it's like when Livy made it 2-2, it was like uh yeah, it was like confidence just tripped dropped a little bit, and I think it's more even worried about Vim going ahead before. I think I think the centre bats maybe stopped like trying to pass out wide as much guard because Halkett was maybe a bit like, oh listen, I know Chesney had a had a bad game, right? And Chesney's getting vilified, right? But uh I think Halkett played a poor pass to Chesney for with his second goal, to be honest, right? Chesney should maybe be a bit quicker to react, but it's still a bit of a poor pass. And I think it was the thing of say about the cable as well.

SPEAKER_00

We were talking about in the chat earlier about the appeal for the red card. I actually looked at my highlights just earlier because I said I had to watch it, yeah, because I was too annoyed to watch it some day. But um I ended up watching it. But now I thought to myself, actually, Hart's had a point to appeal that because you're right, you can see him totally like running down the wing and he was gonna like close it down, the Livvy Player, and it's like he would have all caught him. And the fact that Fat stock a goal scoring opportunity is the ball was wide of a pitch as well. So I think the third was the right decision, to be honest.

SPEAKER_04

I think you can talk about that for ages, Garvey. Like, I know Andy, you would have seen it as well, eh? But uh, I think I at the time it was like right, he's in his he's actually still in the hard half or whatever, right? It's like what the what are you how can that be a goal scoring chance, right? So yellow, you think that's fair. You see it back, and it's this whole thing garb as well about okay, the ball was quite far ahead and he was kind of through on the side. If there was two players running back, it would take some play to then get to the box. But I suppose they look at it now and just go, could they have taken a couple of touches and got a shot off? And that's where the goal scoring chance is. But I don't think I don't think Barr had to overturn it though, Gab. I agree, I think the yellow on field was correct, and it wasn't obvious, and it wasn't obvious.

SPEAKER_01

It was though, because we've got ourselves into this absolute pickle because um Kruste got sent off at town castle, and since then, every time that something very similar to that happens, it's got to be overturned and given a red card because you've sell you've sent a Celtic player off. This is what's happened, right? How many times you can how many times have we gone this season and there's been a dot like a red card for a denying of a goal scoring opportunity comparing it to last season? How many of them did we see? There was barely any last year, but this year, as soon as as soon as Trusted gets his cell sent off, then suddenly there's a spate of them, and now every time, like the one at Aberdeen, where the Aberdeen boy gets his cell sent off for exact something very similar. Like, I'll be honest, I actually was at that point, I was watching it. I was at work, had a break, and I turned it off as soon as I didn't even know that Leonard had got his cell sent off because I'd just seen him get booked, and I was like, I understand understand why he'd done it, and I was like, It's one of those cynical fouls that maybe even could be red cards themselves, but fair enough, it is probably a yellow because we've got in in in in hindsight, Andy though, right?

SPEAKER_04

Um it's interesting though, because obviously if Leonard hadn't done that, it was the last minute, and the boy was kind of through, and there might have been a lovely boy coming up to support at some point as well. So actually, maybe Leonard has done us a turn there, as much as we're saying it maybe wasn't clear enough, you never know what would happen.

SPEAKER_01

No, that's it. You're right. I mean, it is it has done us an absolute turn, and I would I would do that myself. So you're right. I would I would certainly do it myself if if it was if it was going to be the case. And I mean there was a hearts player running back, he didn't see who which one it was, and could he have got there? Yeah, he could have. Um again, the boys on the touch line, it's barely a denying a goal scoring opportunity, but again, we've got ourselves into this absolute pickle where we need to send these players off now because we've sent the Celtic player off.

SPEAKER_04

Aye, and that's a good point, Andy, because you're right. Because I since the obviously the trustee incident, there has been a couple more that are a bit like this now, and it is kind of like going, oh, if there's like a run-in on the goal, and Column's kind of saying, Oh, you know, you can be at the edge of the halfway line and everything like that, and it's still denial and everything like that. And you're right, you're right. If there had been such a hoo-ha made about the trusty event card, right, you'd probably still get maybe Vargiving the referee the benefit of the doubt. Because, yeah, no, no, no, you're right. But maybe, maybe this one, though, maybe Leonard's just thought, right, fuck it. We're getting out of here with a point, take it, take it for the team. A point's better than nothing, and uh, yeah, yeah, but um oh god, I know, I know. And then we try and appeal it, then we try and appeal it as well and get some held.

SPEAKER_01

So my my biggest worry with the appeal was that they just I was worried when you told us that earlier. I was like, imagine they just add an extra game on for being fucking cheeky. I know, I know. I was like, but aye, it's uh but here's a question then, right? So Leonard's out, but does that does that maybe solve a little bit of a problem and like solve something in the midfield where we didn't he play this double pivot?

SPEAKER_04

We uh very I'll just come in on Saturday, so you're almost finding a like for like Andy, really, really could we could we play Magnuson in there?

SPEAKER_01

Because he'll he should be have his face masked by this point.

SPEAKER_04

Oh mate, Magneson's got a bad injury, you know. I heard Magison's got a proper oh he's got mate, he's got a proper bad injury, and he's probably out for the season. Probably for the season. What happened? I think it was through the the weekend, right? He was oh, what did he do? He was oh another injury from a shooting drill, similar to Aju, right? Peeled a muscle, and McInnes has now said, Oh, it's not looking good, and the the you know the the in the no folk are saying it's another season enough.

SPEAKER_01

So Magnus and Rob I think we've missed him so much. I think we've looked so much flatter since he went off, even at Kilmarnik. I thought that I think since he went off.

SPEAKER_04

You haven't got a guy, and I'm not and I'm I'm not trying to say uh and he's I know he's not Colin Cameron or Paul Hartley, but I agree a hundred percent, mate. He is the only one that still gets in the box, still maybe gets shot off, it's still there supporting the forwards, totally, totally.

SPEAKER_01

He's none of them will do it. Devlin can he do it because Devlin's chasing the ball, he's chasing the ball everywhere, and Benny's quite neat and tidy, so it's uh aye, that's fucked my my plans for Saturday.

SPEAKER_04

That's what I would have done, but if he's out for the season, well, our midfield balance though, and and and actually to be fair to the club, this is why we did sign A Jews, so they've maybe been a bit unlucky there. It's not like the club weren't aware about the balance in the in the middle of the park. And and Benny, listen, Benny, Benny, God, this is when we're maybe you know, it's still a good it's a cracking replacement, really, honestly. When you think about some clubs, right? But um, it's just uh it's just maybe much of a muchness very for Leonard. You know, you're kind of it's a similar style player, but uh, I did think that Leonard and I don't know what gaff thought, I just I thought they were sitting very, very deep at points on on Saturday, the same as Pundee. Well then it's not their fault because that's the kind of players they are, eh? It's not just that.

SPEAKER_00

I think it was the fact that we were playing to Wiggers as well, so they were almost there for covering case like the Wiggers couldn't trade back enough, sort of thing, eh? So they were always there for the pivot sort of thing, rather than actually pushing forward for the middle, like say Pickle was that's what you're that's what you're winning, you're but that's what your wing backs are there for.

SPEAKER_01

Let's see your fullbacks are there for they're covering your wingers, and you're your one of them sits in, one of them would maybe should drop into the hole if the even if the fullbacks are pushing forward as well. It doesn't need the two of them to sit there. This is this is what grinds my gear sometimes with a double pivot, is especially if you've got two fullbacks that didn't push on. And Kingsley unfortunately doesn't have that game in him anymore that he can probably get over the way that Milne does, and McIntyre's a centre midfielder anyway. So yes, um it's quite frustrating. I wonder we might I don't know. Obviously, you're right, Benny comes in for Leonard on Saturday.

SPEAKER_00

Um I wouldn't even maybe think about Spittle or Kajoto coming in as well, to be honest with you, mate. Because Kajoto played really well when he came on. Um another one.

SPEAKER_02

Well I wonder if Spittle might come in because if you need a wee bit more attacking.

SPEAKER_01

What I was gonna ask is Finley should be is the talk Finlay should be back this week?

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, there is chat, he could be, yeah, yeah. Does he come straight back again?

SPEAKER_01

Because McCartney, as much as we get I gave him I sat here and gave him praise after Aberdeen, and since then he's been absolutely howling every other week since. So would Finley for you would Finley come straight back in?

SPEAKER_04

Because McKinnon is like self-free straight back in now, straight back, straight back, Finlay, then he to come in, and uh maybe I would maybe be um bringing in Altena for Cheshnikov, mate, and playing him on the right hand side, or maybe Spittle, maybe Spartan.

SPEAKER_00

As good as McCart is, uh he's not if a first team choice, you know what I mean? It's always got to be Finlay over McCart any day, like he. Um like and I think uh especially against home against Bobwell, eh, you'd rather have a settled defense of like Halkett and Fiddley, you know what I mean? But also bring Altena in.

SPEAKER_01

Do you bring Altena in, put him in so that him and McIntyre can switch?

SPEAKER_00

And he still never gets an odd. And it's absolutely crazy.

SPEAKER_04

He started against Dundee, to be fair, Garf, but he was he was taking up for I think five minutes in the second half, eh? Oh, one one thing about Sunday, one thing about Sunday, right? Just I had to call it out. So and I think obviously McKinnon's what an amazing job, okay? But the the the the timing of some of the substitutions are actually they're they're they're they're they're borderline, they're borderline battle. I know, but I was just I was just I was just being I was being sarcastic, mate, because I was like, what like eighty nine eighty-nine minutes, right? You brought Benny on for Devlin.

SPEAKER_03

And what is it what's realistically gonna happen? And I mind going back to that C Miran game we got D1 nil. Gab was talking about remember when he brought, I think he brought eight cards on, but 60 seconds to go.

SPEAKER_04

And it's kind of like is like it's not is he actually losing track of the time in some of the games? Because it's a bit and I'm I know he gave the explanation at the QA about James Town talking about actually that's why subs are weakening your team, and that's why you've chosen the team and everything. And I I'm all for it. I don't even mind 70 75 minutes, but these boys coming on with like two or three minutes to go. I am like, what is the actual point? But hey, he's gonna make this, he knows more than me. Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_01

Exactly. Um I mean Kurjota, it's either Altenor Kojotta for me comes in if Cheshnikov was this from everything I've read and news I've said as well, a bit of a wasted Jersey. Um he's obviously had a bit of a a bit too much time celebrating his FIFA series player of the player of the tournament that he got on international duty. But um do you think it's obviously do you think Kojotta's played the 90 minutes combined for us yet?

SPEAKER_04

Who Kerjotta? Sure, sure.

SPEAKER_01

We're getting like three minutes at a time or whatever.

SPEAKER_04

It's there's never a it's never ever a I don't think I don't think Kojotta is gonna start now, and like with six games to go. I just I I for whatever reason and trust them. Yeah, exactly. Um for all people to sometimes say bring him in, give him a start, right? I I I do understand that when other players are not playing particularly well. Clearly, though, Chesnikov does that tracking back stuff.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, you're bringing for him back it in, basically.

SPEAKER_04

No, because I mean that would be for Cheshnikov, it wouldn't make any sense, yeah. You would just go with Shangland and Braga, kizzy, and you better say you could bring Altena on and play him on the other side, or you could maybe bring in you could maybe bring in Spittle and maybe just try to have him sort of wide or whatever.

SPEAKER_02

I wonder if it could be Altena.

SPEAKER_01

Back to the same as Dundee, with the with a effectively it's like a it's like a double, it's like a double fullback. Um, and then it allows they can they can swap over, but it allows it to be a bit more lopsided, and uh effectively it it's like how we started the season with Braga, Kazi and Shanks is effectively a lopsided front three. And then you've got you've basically got that the double pivot. This is when Milne was playing it on the right hand side of midfield, for example, and you've got kind of that that option as well. And I wonder if he might go back to that. And I'd imagine he's watched Mullerwell play recently, he'll have learned from playing against them as well on how to get the better of it.

SPEAKER_04

So I just I I just I'm I'm hoping obviously maybe getting Millerwell at a better time than maybe if we were playing them say six weeks, two months ago, because their actual form has not been as good. I think that they've drawn one and they've lost three out of their last four. So that that that's that may maybe obviously they're the one they were right at their uh they're kind of playing at their kind of peak, but it's still a hard game, but it is still one that the hearts can win, and again, we just need to win. Just win, keep the pressure on. At least then you can go to bed on Saturday night, and you're still, you know, what what would you be? You'd be three ahead of Celtic, four ahead of Rangers, or Rangers to play on the Sunday, and you go into the split, still top of the league. That's just what we need to do. By hooker by the way.

SPEAKER_00

In two weeks we'd be top of the league as well.

SPEAKER_04

So and then it's all guns, all all then it's and it's all to play quite sounds so simple, eh?

SPEAKER_01

Just beat Motherwell Rangers, just beat Hibbs, didn't he lose to Rangels, beat Falcock and Motherwell again.

SPEAKER_04

That's what's annoying. How easy is that with we beat Motherwell at home before? We've beat Hibbs away before, we beat Rangers at home before.

SPEAKER_00

So you got that one wrong.

SPEAKER_04

No, but I mean in general, mate. I mean in life, in in life, we beat Mother Metal home before, you know. Let's just do it again.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, exactly. Exactly. Well, it's all it's all fun in games, isn't it? But the thing is, we're sitting here predicting a theme and trying to second guess mechanics. We've not got a clue realistically what we or what is going to come out with either, but I suppose it's all fun, it's all fun, it's all it's all party, isn't it, really?

SPEAKER_00

Um this type of season you can't wait for the season to end, eh?

SPEAKER_01

So with that, that were absolutely I'm sure at this point last season a lot of people are like, fuck it, I'm not going back for the last the bot the like the the bottom six figures.

SPEAKER_04

This in about December last season, mate. I think I was like, I'm not going to went to a game. I don't think I went to a game after January last season.

SPEAKER_01

I would have I would after Petri Cub, I would have had no issue if somebody went, I'm not going back to watch that shite. Like, absolutely not. Like because I'm sure about this time last season was the Scottish Cup semi-finals, because it was Easter. Easter was a semi-final weekend, and then a lot of people that was it for them after we got knocked out of that because we we then got beat for Dundee and that was critically at the door. And then it's been some work just for a year since then, to be honest.

SPEAKER_02

But aye, it's uh funny games, isn't it?

SPEAKER_01

Really?

SPEAKER_02

Um anything else, Kennedy?

SPEAKER_00

You want to think that's pretty much us if you want to wrap it up, mate. I mean uh uh I just like really good um Tuesday night session, obviously, like I already said, you'll listen back to it later. And uh Vegas next week, so yeah, on you go. Um uh this time next week I'll be in the plane.

SPEAKER_02

So fair enough.

SPEAKER_01

Right. Well, again, thank you very much for everybody for listening. I don't know why I'm willing rounding this out, by the way, because you hosted it. But aye, uh thanks everybody for listening. Um we've also we've said it all season again. We'll say it again, we'll I'll say it all season, I'll say it again. Um at Old Castle Rock. I'm getting my podcast mixed up and everything now. At Old Castle Rock, uh, we are highlighting the benefits of not setting silence and reaching out if you are feeling lonely at any point. Reach out whether it's reaching out to one of your registered places, such as the Samaritans uh breathing space, whether it's reaching out to a couple of randoms on a football podcast if you want to talk, reaching out to one of your friends as well, just getting that off your chest will certainly help. It may not feel it, it may feel that you're you're intruding, or it may feel that you're putting people out, you won't be. You'll be held, they will be glad that you're reaching out, they won't want you sitting like that either, and you'll feel that something has been lifted off your shoulders as well. And again, if you've not heard from one of your friends lately and it's just what's happened, just a wee text, they could be feeling really low, they might tell you to bolt because they're what in their own space, but the fact is that you have reached out to them as well just to give them that that chat. So, just something to bear in mind, guys, is that I'll post in the show notes if you need anybody anybody to speak to, whether it's us, whether it's these places as well. Again, don't suffer in silence and reach out. Um, again, you can get us on all your social media sites as well if you want to get in contact with us, whether it's to chat, whether it's to tell us how wrong we are, happily take that. You can get us on all X, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Blue Sky, the whole shebang. You can also get us on all the good streaming sites and some of the bad ones as well. Um, and again, hopefully that going into the next little break, um, it's a bit more positive than some of the last one, though certainly how I felt on Sunday, and it's a bye for me.

SPEAKER_02

And it's a budget for me, and uh just before we go, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, hep up hourly.

SPEAKER_01

You missed the invoice, it's his birthday as well. But again, cheers back. Right, see you next week, guys.