Motherwell Recap

Kennedy is in Vegas so Andy and Fleming recap Motherwell then discuss the ticket arrangements for Rangers and Falkirk at home and what can be done to make sure as many Jambos are in Tynie as possible then Hibs away.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:54

Hello and welcome to Old Castle Rock, the podcast that tries to talk everything heart in Medlovian. We're back. We're into the what seems to be our usual play a couple of games, have a week off. Period. Um, it's me, Andy Dixon. I'm joined by Gavin Fleming. How are we doing?

SPEAKER_01 1:11

I'm very well, Andy. Very well indeed. Actually, looking forward to uh a weekend with no game, just to try and uh keep on top of the old stress levels for uh for another week until it all begins for the countdown for the a certain head of a derby that's not too far away, but nah, not too bad, mate, not too bad.

SPEAKER_00 1:31

Good. And Gavin Kennedy, um, I don't know if he's joining us because he's got the invite and we have kind of seen him, but he is on the other side of the world. He is in Las Vegas to basically watch men oiled up in tights getting beaten about the ring, and then he's gone to the wrestling after that. So he he might join us, he might not, but um let's get fired right in here, then, mate. So it's never it's never a quiet life uh being a Hearts fan, is it? Um last game before the split, mother will come to Tyne Castle. Well, just get fired straight into that first of all, then. So um again, thoughts, initial thoughts, obviously. Um I don't even want to go right into the analysis, like analysise and analysis of the team or anything. Obviously, Leonard dropped out, um Benny came in. One thing I didn't notice, and it wasn't until it was pointed out to me, that it was a back three apparently on Saturday.

SPEAKER_01 2:36

Aye, aye. I'll I'll I'll I'll be honest as well, Andy. I didn't really pick up on that uh until honestly, like sort of during the the second half, and it was it was only when uh someone had kind of pointed that out. Um and I was actually just I was watching it on uh I was watching it on Hearts TV on Saturday because I I had a chance to go, but then stuff just kind of happened on Saturday and I couldn't quite make it. But yeah, I'll be I'll be honest, Daddy, I didn't twig at the start, so I wasn't I wasn't in a position when I was actually watching the first half from the point of view of being like, oh, how are hearts playing in a three? I'm assuming you're the same, but actually, based on the first half, I did think in hindsight we did have an element of control in the game. So from that point of view, it did maybe make sense, although I know we weren't that threatening in the first half.

SPEAKER_00 3:28

Yeah, we didn't threaten, we didn't properly threaten, but again, you we kept we kept Motherwell pretty well pretty much well in control for from what we wanted to do. Um obviously, just just I might obviously just thinking back to the whole thing, I was like trying to watch it and remember it, but it's like it must have been um obviously the back three, and again it felt maybe I don't know, because I thought the game would be passed bit all by um at times, but at the same time I thought that having the three in the middle of the park was probably a wee bit of a like a difference, it made it made it feel a bit better um compared to obviously you've seen that change in the obviously when the in the second half, but we'll come on to that. The one thing I was quite impressed by was that they learn their lesson about pressing uh or sorry, engaging um Motherwell from goal kicks. So rather than like pressing straight onto them and sooner or when they've got the ball at their feet, they don't actually they don't press them, they let them have the ball because when the longer that the goalkeeper has the ball at his feet, the lot the worse it probably gets because if we basically went and engaged on them, they would knock it away and away and then away they went. But but instead we held off and you could see Shanklin telling like hold back, hold back, don't go in, don't go in, and then the crowd were getting a bit restless. But Shanks was like, We kind of can what we're doing, we've got a game plan here, and then what was happening is that they were trying to go they were trying to kick it along and it was going out for a for a goal kick. And it was I was quite impressed with that. They've obviously watched how they've they've played against them previously, and they probably watched something I noticed as well when I watched Motherwell a couple of times on the tele is that basically if you press them, they'll just they will just the goalie gives it to one of the defeat centre halves and he pins it and then away it goes, and then you're you're kind of caught on the back foot. So I thought they they probably dealt with that quite well.

SPEAKER_01 5:30

Um I'm trying to think of chances that we probably had the one thing just did you just on that, and they know that that was that was quite noticeable. Like the and as you say, there was there was a bit when Shanks had kind of gestured that the crowd is in it wasn't, I wouldn't say it was like the fans were getting bad, but it was like like listen, you know, when we know what we're doing here, there's no problem. I I must admit, and again, I know this is a little bit different when you're watching it on the tele versus being at the game. When I was watching it on tele, I think the first couple of times he had it handy, and it was the keeper had it, and it was only because he looked a little bit jitty on the ball. He had that one where I think he dropped a cross and we tried to cut it back, and then there was the one, maybe I know we'll come on to it, maybe they are the dark hearts and the head knots. And I think I was a bit like this the keeper's clearly having a bit of a ropey game, so maybe we should be trying to maybe press him, but then obviously it then clicked in my head, and I was like, ah, right, right, right. Well, clearly, clearly this is deliberate. And then there was two or three times right when uh ward actually went wrong and he actually did end up hitting the ball out of play, and Hartz got possession back, which was quite good. So I I I I I I like that, and I I think Hartz were reasonably in control in the first half at a couple of half chances, and I think it was nil-nil was quite fair at halftime. I I don't think we were amazing, but I don't think we played bad, but it was a fairly even first half, and obviously everything's everything started to happen in the second half on Saturday. Nice quiet second 45 minutes, nay baller hats, nay boy.

SPEAKER_00 7:09

Well, that's it. Like you talk about it there. The goalie he makes the goalie makes a really good save uh in the first half, and I was like, and then I was thinking, why are we not we should have maybe we should have followed it up? There's just a wee bit of criticism there. We why why I think it was Halkitt maybe following it up um to try and take again, you're asking your centre half to why is your centre half not following up a rebound, obviously.

SPEAKER_01 7:31

No, but that that was that I that that that was that was weird as well, mate, because they showed that on the replay, and uh Lori and that were like it was like Halkett maybe thought that the the the the you know what's still worth something because I yeah he kind of actually ran the other way, and aye, it was just slightly aye, it was just one of those ones that was a little bit uh I know he's a centre back in that, but like the ball had been spilt, but um aye, it is what it is, but yeah, it was slightly unusual, slightly unusual.

SPEAKER_00 7:59

And then one another thing earlier on in the first half was and we'll ring the old dogzo clax in was the the challenge out in the touch lane on braga. Um and again, you uh it was brought up at the time, and it was like, is that more of a divine of a goal scoring opportunity compared to maybe not just the Leonard one, but some of the ones that we've that we have maybe seen?

SPEAKER_01 8:26

Well, this was certainly a weekend, right, when there was a few uh incidences of that. There was also um one in a certain game that happened uh Falkirk way on on Sunday. But this is we I think we touched on this in last week's pod, mate, right? This would never even raise its head or even be questioned, okay, if we hadn't had the fallout from the trustee situation. And it's now getting really frustrating because he's completely backed himself into a corner, because in a normal world, that that that incident you're talking about with Braga, a yellow card, absolutely right. Of course it is, right? But if we want to be, you know, pedantic about it, we can start saying, well, wait a second, what about that Leonard one? And Braga is kind of out wide, and there is a subjective argument to say he could take a couple of touches, yes, he's on an angle, yes, it's quite difficult, and yes, there was a Motherwell guy in the middle, but technically he could still have a shot at goal. So we're gonna be gonna be applying we're gonna be applying how ludicrous it was to the Leonard red card, then you maybe got to start applying it to that as well. But really, and this could all have been avoided, right, by Celtic just sucking it up because it was a red, and then Leonard having been given a yellow, and actually some of the other ones recently as well. There was an Aberdeen boy sent off that was turned, there was a and there was a Falkirk guy as well. They've just backed themselves into a corner with it, they don't know what they're doing. It's the same with the handball, mate. It's taking them a couple of years to finally get away from every single handball being a penalty. And I'll probably this is what's going to happen with dogs, though, as well. They're just it's just incompetence, mate, just incompetence.

SPEAKER_00 10:08

Yeah, of course it is. Of course, I kind of say that in a wee bit of jest, to be honest, when uh when I when I mentioned, obviously, because again, it was something that I never even thought about.

SPEAKER_01 10:19

No, but it kind of it kind of is, Andy. No, it kind of is, and this is what I was saying, because I was watching it on the telly. So honestly, I was like that. I was like, and I was on, I was following the Jambo's kickback thread at the time, and I was a bit like, well, listen, clearly it's not really a goal scoring chance, right? But if we want to start using Leonard as the benchmark, right? Uh I was like, this is when it shouldn't even be a conversation. It's like the Rangers boy on the Sunday, Andy. It should it should be a yellow card, it's it's fine in a normal world, right? But they they've opened up with a Leonard one by saying you can be in your own hat and denying a goal scoring chance, but it is what it is, mate. It is what it is, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 10:58

Of course it is, aye, absolutely. But anyway, nil-nil half time. Um we make a slight shape adjustment to go more 4-4-2, and then we we uh we we do struggle, we do struggle. Motherwell come come back into it, and it was I don't know what again it looked like at the tele on the tele, but they it looked at points that they were just cutting us open quite easily.

SPEAKER_01 11:28

I think like uh I I know this has been said a couple of times, right? Motherwell are a good team though. They they are they are a good side at this level, and the some of the football they play is genuinely really really good, Andy. Like they they can do that against any team in in this league. Like um, they'll have they'll have their you know, they've got Rangers in their next game at Ibrox, right? They'll have long periods of possession in that game, they are a good, good side. And although you know their goal from their point of view is uh it's a really well-wanted goal, quite similar to one of the three they got at the in the the three the 3-3 at the start of the season, Murrowell are a good team, and sometimes you know they get the the two midfielders away, he has done a really good job, that manager, to come in from like a like you know, like a you know a foreign coach coming in and say, I'm gonna play kind of this total football and actually do it is pretty commendable. But you're right, they get the goal and you're thinking, Jesus, 50 minutes gone, Murawell playing well, 1-0, we need to win, it's not looking good as we've done so many times, you know. The Claudio steps up. What was your thoughts at the game about it taking so long with the bar check? Because I'm assuming you've just seen a finish from an op like an overhead kick, right from my corner, and you're thinking, what are they checking for here?

SPEAKER_00 12:56

Oh, right. So here we go. So basically, what happened is that they played the goal on the screen before they had announced the VAR. Okay, so you'd kinda seen because you're obviously seen it, and you're like, Is that an old because we're at that point? Um was that an overhead kick? And it was obviously kinda acrobatic, but wasn't it a proper overhead kick like the the Coronaldo or a Scott McTominay overhead kick, right? But so what but what I caught with the goal was is that has the obviously the the player the hearts players behind them, and I can't think who was I think it might have been Macinty.

SPEAKER_01 13:33

Um on the line, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 13:36

Yeah, so basically, because I thought it was because it was he was obviously there, and I was like, they're obviously looking at that to think, has he has he taken a touch? Has uh has he has they nicked it? And I was like, this is what they're looking at. They are looking at this for a fine tooth comb to find out has he nicked that um on its way in, and they're obviously checking against the uh and the other the motherwell player on the other side, but at the game, I didn't actually see him at the time.

SPEAKER_01 14:07

All I was looking really looking at was obviously the the where Braga was and then where the the hearts player was behind, and it wasn't until you till they slowed it down to see that there was a hearts player on the other side of the on the other side as well, and that was maybe playing everybody on, but but at the end it was kind of like so Braga has kind of he's done that really good finish, uh and and then and then if you watch it again, right? It's pretty clear that it takes a touch off the Motherwell guy, right? So it was like in my mind, I'm like that's clear. So they've watched that, but then I'm thinking they maybe are I'm maybe getting paranoid, right? And I'm like, are they checking to see if the market is not interfering with the fight with the goal? So I was kind of like this is this is actually what they're checking, but then I'm thinking the keeper is on the other side of the goals almost, right? And I'm like, what are they and I'm just you know, you start to get a bit because I know it's sorry, it was the game from last week, Andy, but the offside check for Braggers, uh the second goal away to Living seemed to go on for ages, right? And when I was watching the highlights back on that, I was like, what are they actually checking? There was like a Livingston guy on the goal line and Shanklin headed the ball back. And I was honestly mate, maybe at the game it's just maybe you're all nervous, but it seemed to take a couple of minutes. It's like, what are you checking? And I just it's just a strange one, and there's there's some goals that just seem to be it's like right there, and I know I know Var does, you know, quotation marks check everything, but sometimes you're like that check's gone very quick, and then sometimes you're like, and you're just like it's supposed to be is it forensic levels of what are we who's there, or I mean, like, you know, all the rangers. I know, I know, I know Rangers, Rangers scored six goals on Sunday, mate, night, and okay, I know they deserve to win, but it's just every single one was right, you know, goal. I was like, there didn't seem to be anything that was off bars checking this and stuff. You just start to get a wee bit paranoid, especially with where we are in the league, you know.

SPEAKER_00 16:13

Yeah, and this is the thing as well, is that so what you're what happens is I've actually just got up in front, I'm watching that I've got the goal there, and it shows you the line. So they're obviously checking to find out Mac and T does Mac and T touch it, and then they're checking because there's a boy in front of Finlay. Finley's the what I couldn't think it was, but there's a there's somebody in front of Finlay who's playing Mac and T on. So when you're looking at that going, they think that Macinty's interfering with play, or it's touched them if they're if they're getting to that point that they've got to check that it's on side, and it's just so detailed, it's just so forensic that right down to the littlest thing, and obviously, they're again they're looking at that in real changes and things like that, and they're trialing something different, but I mean, for that, like realistically, Macinty doesn't make a difference in that situation, it doesn't touch him, it doesn't touch him.

SPEAKER_01 17:13

It's not in and all, and I was just I was like, this is and you're watching it honestly, you're watching these highlights back on on Hutch Kelly, and you're like, honestly, mate, you're going, what are they actually checking? You're like, Bragg's Bragg's goal, right? You're like, right, that has touched the mother well, man. You're like, this is our goal, no one's offside, and then you're like, and this is there some claim about interfering with play here. You're like, no, there's not, but I mean, I know the goal got given, but you're just like, uh I know VAR is here to stay, but and I'm actually mate, I know every team is suffering with it. Um I know every team is suffering with it, but sometimes you are like, listen, what what are we checking here? Especially, I don't get how some goals are just very, very quick, mate. So honestly, and I'm not saying every goal has something to look at, right? But sometimes it just needs to be, oh, goal, oh, right, all cart, right, taking the the kickoff straight away. I was like, right, it's a range of six goals, not not a single thing to check on any. I just I I don't know, mate. I don't know, maybe I'm just getting paranoid with it to run in, you know.

SPEAKER_00 18:15

No, no, I get I totally get it. I think it also comes down to your um it comes down to it's the net uh the probably the nervousness as well, is that you're you're looking at going, and and it's also the time it takes, the time it takes, gal. In the stadium, and obviously you're watching it in the ground and you're like, what are we doing? It's taking ages, the nerves.

SPEAKER_01 18:36

I I honestly thought the the Braga one though, and I don't really think we spoke about it that much last week, but like watching that again, I I can't I couldn't see what the I genuinely couldn't see what they were looking at with Braga's goal at Livy, right? Uh it was just it was a cross, Stagner heads it back, he runs in and he heads it in, and there's a there's like two Levy guys on the goal line from the previous phase of play. I mean honestly for me it was like maybe they check it and it's a goal, but we were like bar the fact that the Livvy guy had to go bar his check in, it was like and honestly, you just you just you do me, you start to get a little bit like a check-in, everything you read uh but we got the goal. At least we got the goal. A great finish, a great finish from the uh the big man once again it has to be set up.

SPEAKER_00 19:24

Goal 17 for the season.

SPEAKER_01 19:26

Oh mate, um unbelievable. Unbelievable. What a season all all kinds of goals as well. It's just it's it's the work rate as well. It's just the the finishing left foot, right foot in the air. That's the work rate, mate. It's the oh he's had I think he's maybe had maybe four or five games before Christmas Handy when he was maybe five, six out of ten, and even then he was still playing quite well, right? But honestly, what a player, what a player, honestly, absolutely unbelievable.

SPEAKER_00 20:02

Yeah, oh no, absolutely, and then uh wouldn't it be proper hearts when we go through all of that, like VAR check, and then very quickly after, um, we got a very, very big scare where the balls played up to um, and I'm really bad for his name, so I'm not gonna try and pronounce it. Maluise, I think that's how you pronounce it. I've been listening to Gavin Kennedy when it comes to pronunciations, but the ball's played to him, and then Halkett decides that oh Akim where I'm gonna go, I'm gonna chase him down, and the boy just takes one touch and basically puts about 20 yards away from him and Halkett, and Halkett's chasing shadows after that. Um, and then he gets past us.

SPEAKER_01 20:40

And uh to be fair, at the game it looked like McIntyre jumped in at slow motion and then falls over, and all he has to do is roll it in the far corner, and he somehow put and actually mate, but they had they'd actually again like they'd actually had maybe another two or three, not as good, that was their best chance, but they had another two or three really quite good chances, and I I know I know McInnes Scott, like I put that up in the chat when I I don't know if you watched it, mate, when Peter Martin had asked him about um is a better figure, but I I loved I love McInnes' reaction, he's he's such a good figure head. But I I think I think in his um I think in his private private chambers, I think McInnes will be a bit like, oh, we definitely did get away with one there because another day Murawell maybe could have been two or three one ahead. But then McKinnon's got a point as well. It is still poor play from them. If they miss those poor chances, right? That you know that isn't on Hartz, but they are not the Dimash the Dimash Iwe one, mate, if that's you're right, the pronunciation. That is a great play, great player, by the way. I'd like Hearts to be looking at him. I'm not sure if that's realistic, right? But he's some player. But yeah, he he he he's brilliant, mate, and mate. Oh, yes, we got away with one there. Because if that gone 2-1. I think that was 15 minutes to go. You know, we might have maybe maybe scraped a draw, but I don't think we're winning. Uh I don't think we're winning mate if we scored then.

SPEAKER_00 22:10

Yeah, no, no, I was probably feeling about the same.

SPEAKER_01 22:13

I would have just taken just getting ourselves back in to the game, I would have just taken any winning I was I was I was honestly see at that stage Andy I was thinking if we get out of a point today I was actually like it's not good enough for the league. But the way the game had the way the second half had gone already I was thinking a point might not be terrible today but the way this team has been all season you still have a you do have a little feeling you think oh you never know set piece or yep no no that's that and then obviously we have the we have the the corner and it comes in and obviously we have we get the corner it comes it's obviously it comes in there's a little tussle in the box um Kobori falls over I feel like I've said that quite a lot this season and then takes a kick in the head and after a var check we get the penalty.

SPEAKER_00 23:13

Now at the game I didn't you obviously see you see the tussle you don't really see any anything from where I where I sit at the game anyway you wouldn't really see much to go or that's that could be a penalty you put you see you see the tangle you see tangles and you're like you don't really know what's happened. You know that Kavori's obviously backed in you're like has he been fouled or but you see that Chanklin was in tent Franklin was obviously going momental about it and then obviously they play on and then it's again it's brought back to to go to the the VAR check and to be fair it's it's one of these penalties had that been given against us I would have been furious as much as I understand why it has been given and you just need to see the amount of ex pros that are saying it was a penalty Derek Gallagher was on Sky Sports saying it was a penalty and everything else and you get the people going on he's trying to head the ball as it he's been pulled onto the deck that's he's not like the ball's not already rolling across the deck and he's trying to like get on all fours and head it over the line or something like that.

SPEAKER_01 24:20

He's he's on the deck and he's moved his head and add it in his foot that's what I that's that's a good point as well right that I I I I agree with you though I if that had gone against Hart I could I would see myself being pretty frustrated at that but maybe trying to understand why they've given it I wouldn't be saying it was a I wouldn't be saying it was a I wouldn't be saying it was totally a totally terrible decision like uh Kiriakos dive in the Andy Davis game for example we're not quite at that but watching it again watching it on good old hearts telly you're right it's the Shanklin's reaction Andy that kind of gives you the oh something has happened there. Initially I wondered if it was when Cabore had initially gone down like there was a little bit of a challenge but yeah you see it again it isn't that and it is only then to show you the replay and you do see the little kick and you see Shanklin like gesturing and and usually as we always know actually we've actually had a bit of a goat hearts this season a couple of instances Bradley for example maybe not making a bit more of a a meal about a penalty but you can sometimes tell by a player's reaction when something has genuinely happened and it's not just so that's when Lori and Jimmy Sanderson were like oh and and Jimmy Sanderson started going oh kicking the head kicking the head in the head that's definite and then you're like oh but then in my mind I'm going does that does that does that get you a penalty because I'm thinking it is on the deck I'm like right okay what's the real here so listen I I it's not quite we've got away with one there and they but I would like to try it's hard but to try and be objective and impartial I would say I think we've got the benefit of a decision there which maybe could have not been given as a penalty but sound like a politician here but I can understand why it was given but I can also understand the Motherwell frustration and I'm gonna I'm gonna leave it at that oh I understand the frustration and I would be furious had we not got it and uh to be fair when I what and then all of that you go through the again you're going through the VAR check and I love Shanks but sometimes his penalties have they went they it's fair to say they went through a little bit of a a poor patch will we say and then he hits that penalty. He had a did he not have a period mate when he missed about three in a row but was that not the season when he actually scored over 30 goals and then he had he had the one yeah if you were going to mention Bruges I I I I agree with you mate you're you're not you're always just a little bit like like you still want him on them but you're maybe a bit like ah it's not quite what it was like when he scored every single one of them yeah I know what you mean I know what you mean like I mean it got that bad that they had to give penalties to George Grant and that probably tells you that it tells you everything that you need to know about that but honestly when you hit any hits inside of the post and it goes in you're like oh my word because it was very similar it was pointing out to him it was very similar to the one that you hit at Easter Road when he scores that goal in the last minute but it's the one he misses at Easter Road yeah and then it hits the post and goes wide and you're like oh and I think that probably set him off on on his wee run a penalty misses but probably and it's like right okay so yes it's I think uh I think though that's what you need though I think in a situation like that even with what you're saying about a couple of penalties the chances is is taken mate you you still in a situation you wouldn't have any other player in the team and you know he puts the confidence and the the balls the bravery to put that away as well as he does but again a game is is tiny tiny margins hey I know and you make a point about that one at a minute I mean that game at easy road then you're talking a couple of inches and it maybe hits the post and bounces back out so sometimes it is like it's a game of very very fine margins and when that penalty goes in it goes from being a brilliantly taken penalty 200 pressure very calm but if he misses it's oh he couldn't I know so but listen the I mean again you were at the game mate the the war it sounded fantastic it was a proper celebration and uh Fleming Tovers and it was um it just meant it meant so much for a couple minutes to go and not quite a get out of jail um I didn't because I think on the first half Hart did have a couple of chances but and I'm not I don't even run it run a play mate but just maybe I may you know maybe maybe just found ourselves winning a game that was slipping away from us shall we say yeah no definitely and then obviously at the uh near at the end of the game a man who's obviously likes to make a big obviously a late contribution could the ball obviously Benny wins the ball and he passes it through to Kobore um and then Kobore must add his Bukwin of the top underneath because that was probably the the furthest he's ever run in a heart shot with the bullets feet with it fall over takes a good obviously takes the week like a two step overs and then rolls it and gets it past the goalkeeper in the bottom corner and you're like wow and you talk about again is it is is it a steal is it not a steal but at one point we were about two inches away from going 2-1 down and suddenly you're at 3-1 aye and I and I I I I I it was a it was a it was a strange game because if mud if that had been a draw or even if Motherwell had maybe found himself two one up mate and won the game and I know it's a you know a game and McKinnon is right a game is over 90 minutes and you know there's individual moments like within a game. So Harsha won 3-1 and actually you know we like to see you know the team that you know scores the most goals and you have scored three goals and you've you've done your job and you are playing against a good team in the top six they've had a lot of scalps this season as well and I'm sure they'll continue to do so but it was maybe just yeah maybe you know maybe the old maybe the the gods were just maybe shining down a little bit with the chances that that they missed right but McKinnon is a wily old character and and he knows what maybe got I think Peter Martin's annoyed him a wee bit but I'm pretty sure he said in another interview with um Brian McLaughlin I think he said oh we did get a bit of luck with with the chances so you just need to take it mate there's there's been games and hearts have been lucky you know so you take it and that's a good good result mate and Murrow I mean no there are no mugs man they they're some love lovely football I know it's a wee while away but park will be solid as well but I just hope I think Murderwell maybe got a wee bit of a wee bit of a say in this as well mate I think you know I know they've got to go tight box and that but they can still do something and then sell ticket for a park as well so yeah they they're they're still gonna have their say still gonna have their say what before we before we finish up the the actual the the finish that Kabori hits for the the offside one was frightening like that where did that come from he gets just a that's just maybe he's scored his goal and he's just he's got that confidence and he just he just thinks I'll take a dig here and he puts it away and we we've had daily conversations about Kabori this season and that there is a there's there's something to work with right where we know there's for every you know a couple of goals at Taradice the Saturday goal and the assist for Braga against Aberdeen there's been Kalmanic away and stuff. But we have we have tried to mean maintain though Andy that for a squad man he has made some quite decent contributions and that's all he still is just now as a squad man. I if we sell Braga for example I don't think Cabore still comes in as um Chancellor's automatic partner next season for example by the way um I like this I the thing is as well I don't think that I don't think that the start of the season it was ever looked at Shankland and Braga would play together.

SPEAKER_00 32:53

I think Braga was a replacement for Shankland when he was first signed because bear in mind that Kitchley when Braga was signed Kitchley had already told Shankland he was free to go so they've they've they've managed to make this work because of how versatile and how to be fair how versatile Braga is but both that both players are willing to put the work rate in and I think that sometimes that Shanks's work rate gets people don't notice Shanks's work rate because he's got this this tag of about being fat and lazy and things like that and they don't notice what he does off the ball and things like that and I think because of the how both players have been able to adapt to each other um has made it work and there's a reason that they've got 17 goals each this season. Right.

SPEAKER_01 33:42

Well it's not a it's not a coincidence as well mate that since Shhankland has come back into the team right we've scored five goals in two games Shankland has scored twice and set one up as well but it's just it's just a another little bit of and I know we know he's our you know our best player but it's just another little example of how much he brings to the team he's um I feel like an absolute idiot for some of the the stuff last season and that that was obviously the way last season was going but you look you look at it now and you're like no just what a player and McInnes you can see why McInnes came in and made that his number one priority basically and actually mate if if Chantlin hadn't got that injury I do think we would have taken maybe a couple more points and we did really well stay at the top but I think maybe your you know defeats at St. Minn and Kelly might not happen for example but uh no they've got a great understanding though to your point great understanding and they're just uh it's a shame kizzy's not quite at the same level as the two of them just now but no great great honestly great great great great leadership great captain great penalty great result in the end nice ball from Berry as as well actually and uh yeah yeah the the brilliant brilliant great result yeah absolutely um so aye we'll probably wrap up the this bit in regards to the the obviously the the game so aye we'll just wrap that up there um now there's obviously there's no game this week but with it obviously been semi-final weekend it's and the splits coming up it's been probably um the time that we're obviously getting tickets all or obviously sorted out and everything else and there's been a weer run of announcements for tickets first up was that on Wednesday at 10am sharp the Rangers and Falkart tickets were done together now Mr. Fleming you had experience about trying to to gain both tickets for both of those um you were logged in very fresh and sitting there with your coffee ready to go how was your experience trying to get the get to get your tickets for those last two games yeah so it is is the it is what it is Andy but you you are very very difficult but you you're also you are in an unprecedented situation though right with the demand for for these games you've got you've got one game which would be viewed as a title decider maybe against Rangers right and you've got another game where we could potentially have the league trophy presented so it is complete it is completely unprecedented in recent times so you can understand the demand and how difficult it it is that that that said of and and hearts on the whole are you know the sort of PR and market it's generally been pretty spot on now you know for quite a little while right there is sometimes still little bits and pieces and there was obviously quite a bit of like anecdotal feedback right you know from the masses on JKD just about you know logging in logging out getting tickets in the basket chucked out the basket out yeah unusual browser passwords not matching blah blah blah and I know that there's always the argument and I'm in that bracket okay you've not got a season ticket that's fine but then the people that haven't got season tickets are like well we're on a waiting list and we still but you know we can't get one and it's like that's equal comes back to we can go round and round and round is Tinkastle big enough blah blah blah there is maybe a couple of wee bits that arch could be done with these tickets like we said earlier maybe done Rangers Wednesday Falkirk on Thursday and I also read something about maybe Falkir could have been tiered with loyalty points as well and maybe done in tranches just to maybe make it a bit easier. So I was a little bit surprised in that hearts knowing the demand for those games just went there you go everybody free for all Wednesday morning and I'm fortunate you know maybe me and Doug have managed to pick up tickets for for both games but I know there'll be people that haven't and I know that then comes down to well if you wanted loyalty points where have you been but you know it's and I know there's not one size fits all but uh you know as a man that gets a season ticket and as a man that tries to get to away games sometimes do you think there's anything they could have done a bit better or in the future they could do I think I think they're probably not having them on the same day is probably your is probably your biggest thing.

SPEAKER_00 38:35

I think the the loyalty points again for especially for rangers the time loyalty points for the for the t for the home tickets is probably the is probably the right thing. We need to try we've had issues before we've had we've had rangers fans in the home end we're trying to keep as many of them out as possible. I think hospitality does seem to be uh an issue but what of all you're also seeing now is that these tickets are appearing on resale sites. I don't know if you've seen that over the last couple of days in there you're talking two to three hundred pounds for people are paying to get tickets in the home end um and again if you're Rangers fan again there'll be hearts fans that pay it as well um but again with the the limited points and this the especially you've seen that I don't know if you've seen that Rangers had tweeted out that over 1690 I don't know where they where they managed to find that figure had applied for the for the for for the 500 tickets that Hearts give them.

SPEAKER_01 39:40

So obviously there is going to be Rangers fans that miss out there's again we we get it when we go there um and then we'll have it when we go to Parkhead so I don't think that we can really moan too much in regards to giving getting limited amounts but at the same time again when they I don't think I don't think I don't think we should have given them any for this game Andy right I and I know people say it'll never happen right I think for this game maybe they could have just had gone for jambos in the ground only and then if Rangers are like that I mean seriously I I know that there's like born and bred guys that go to every game but say Rangers like say okay say they gave us no allocation for Ibrox for a season as revenge or something so what? Like seriously I know that might I know McKinley and I know because he's on the the board now as well at the SFA and everything you want to be diplomatic about it and be like no we need to be fair I I think there's an argument for this game is who's just gone no like you know fuck his rangers let's just get more jambos in all that said I think what you're saying there's only going to be 550 of them so I know it's not all yeah but we could add more jambos in but um I just uh I don't know we we don't we don't need them in and I I think you know wall to wall jambos would have been better but again it is what it is is what it is.

SPEAKER_00 41:02

Well yeah and I mean obviously we talk about the hospitality and I mean Corbett and this is my story they tweeted something I actually copied it from the old castle rock account as well and quote tweeted it because I totally agree is that in regards to the hospitality for some reason it's ten points to buy a match ticket but if you want if you want to go to hospitality it's only seven points and and that's and that's for the person that books it by the way that isn't even for the person that for every person in that party they all have to have seven loyalty points. So basically they find somebody that's got seven loyalty points and there'll be Rangers fans out there that have seven loyalty points. There are one because over over over two seasons.

SPEAKER_01 41:45

And see despite everything that's getting done just now as well right with everything like his Corbett's obviously been banging the drum for quite a while he's he's quite passionate and you know when he talks to hearts about hospitality and that right he even with everything that's going on for this game Andy with the 10 points and the the addresses and imaginable the extra steward in policing there will still be Rangers fans that end up in the home end unfortunately and there will still be some Rangers fans that end up in hospitality now it does to be fair to hearts this time it does really sound like we're maybe maybe not the you know the most we can do Andy but maybe within reasons in terms of resources or whatever right we are trying our best right and they can't they can't monitor 18 and a half thousand individual fans and what every single person does. But yeah Corbett's right Rangers being Rangers if there is like a last minute winner or something for them I would be surprised if they're because you know what their fans are like especially Rangers fans they probably will celebrate in the home end and in hospitality as well so hearts hearts do need to be doing what they can be doing to keep any of these incidents right to an absolute minimum mate um it's easier said than done though.

SPEAKER_00 43:06

It is easier than it's not of course I is of course it is this really needs to be zero zero tolerance as best as you can and hopefully the club yeah well I'd like to I generally would like to think that the club are on it mate I'd like to think that and obviously we had a wee joke on before we started about what would they do if they'll if the table was fully Glasgow postcodes but I remember when we went down to Anfield there was people had booked hospitality in the suites at Anfield and everybody basically what happened is that they're when they noticed the the the surge in bookings that they they contacted everybody and cancelled them. So I mean it's not as if clubs don't won't haven't done it before and again it's probably a bit more difficult because there is Hats fans that stay in Glasgow for example and they'll be the ones penalised and then Rangers fans who probably have seven loyalty Points because over two seasons have bought a couple of tickets and that with this in mind, um, are the ones that that are able to slip through the net. Even the ten little points, for the fact is that they come to they would come to Tynecastle twice a year.

SPEAKER_01 44:16

Well, Corbett was Corbett was saying, and the uh I don't know if it was this week's or one of them, they was saying that they actually, I think on This Is My Story, I think they actually you know know like a supporters club, like I obviously, like everybody unfortunately does have maybe some Rangers or Celtic friends at some point, but I think they actually know a Ranger supporters club that do that across a couple of seasons at places like Townecastle, uh you know what I mean, to build up points for these games, and and and they do it like two, three years in a row to kind of accrue the points. So uh yeah, it's just I actually to be fair, mate. I don't know what the club the club can't police eighteen and a half thousand tickets, right? They just can't, but but yeah, they need to do what they can, then they need to do what they can, it's gotta be no nonsense, melts and braces, it's gotta just do what they can. And and I guess as long as they are seen to be doing what they can, then you know, you just you kind of but yeah, the two big flash points given it's such a big game, you know, Bangkok on the Monday, so aye.

SPEAKER_00 45:27

Yeah, definitely, and yeah, and as for Falkirk, I'd again they they probably could have taken that as um they could have maybe you wait till the next day, get Rangers over and done with, and then again be the Falkirk one would be probably a wee bit I don't know if there'd be more tickets for Falkirk, would you say? They mean they would still get roughly the bit.

SPEAKER_01 45:48

I'm just gonna say though, but if you see the Falkirk game, Andy, right? So see see the Rangers game. Are you going? Like are you like I don't know like you just but you're working that are you are you able to vote? Like a or what?

SPEAKER_00 45:58

I don't know. So my shifts, I think I are, I think I can, but I'm not I'm not sure.

SPEAKER_01 46:03

That's all I was gonna say, just like you know, obviously you've got like your we man and that, mate. So say, you know, say you and Harrison are sitting there, mate, say it's nil-nil, right? Rangers get some diabolical penalty in the last minute, right? Say, you know, two, three Rangers boys jump up right behind you or something. Now, what I'm saying is, mate, I know you're not gonna turn rounds, right, and jump on them, right? But you know, you'll have your laddie there, there'll be people there with children. The best will in the world, in an incidents like that, it can be very, very difficult and stuck in the world. Of course I can find it. And this is just what kind of corbit is saying. And he was referencing, and you'll remember as well. I mentioned it earlier, mate, the Andy Davis game where Nico got sent off. That that was I remember people, I remember coming out of that game, mate, and people were wanting to go box him, like, because it was honestly it was the fact that it was never a penalty, the fact Nico got the red cards, the fact that Dangers fans were jumping up all round the stadium and the home end and everything, it's just the significance of this game, Andy. And it just takes and it's and it's it's it's disappointing to see, and it will be it will be hard for some people the best fellow in the world. Sometimes you don't just sit in your hands, and this is why this is why hearts do need to be seen to be doing what they can. I don't know if that means extra police, extra stewards, extra checks, cctv. I don't know, but there'll be isolated incidents, but they just need to do they just need to do something. Sorry, sorry mate, I know you were I know you were talking about Falkirk, but I'm just nah nah, it's fine.

SPEAKER_00 47:35

I no no, definitely. Um I totally again there's Falkirk, again, it's it's one of these things, and I the loyalty points thing would probably be again difficult. Again, you could have maybe had it at that amount of the same amount of loyalty points, but it's it's one of these ones that's probably a wee bit more difficult and because you wouldn't think oh, you'll need so many loyalty points to go and watch Hubs Falkirk, and I and then obviously you do know that the significance of what that game certainly could be. So um yeah, um on the one other thing in regards to tickets is that by the second time that somebody's probably listening to this, the Hibs tickets have probably been on sale and sold out. Um so they go and sale 10 o'clock on Friday morning and at loyalty points 91, so that'll always be a fun fight as well, obviously. So you get a ticket for that? I I am indeed, mate. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 48:35

So you're gonna be a few two actually. So do you see see when that comes to obviously you've got enough points, Andy? Do you when you log in tomorrow? Is that just like because you've got enough points, isn't it actually quite straightforward to get a ticket though for you? It's not like like I was on Wednesday when there's loads of people with like the same amount of points, if that makes sense.

SPEAKER_00 48:53

So in my head, in the theory, and how I think it works and how I led to believe it works, is what it does is it takes it cuts the number off at roughly what the the basically so it says that there's three thousand six hundred in that stand. So basically it looks at the number for what's three thousand six hundred. So you did you should be at that point should be guaranteed a ticket. Right, right. On the arm. And log on. Um and basically I should be able to go and log on, and it should give me a ticket. Again, it can be a bun fight. And if you want to sit in a specific place like Gav Kennedy does, like then you've got to be on, you've got to be sharp.

SPEAKER_01 49:36

So it's uh with with having enough with having enough points though, so it's like hearts kind of look at it and maybe go, there's maybe three and a half thousand jambos with there, thereabouts, that amount of loyalty points, do it at that level, and then write them with you. So it's not quite like uh a Wednesday morning when you're getting tucked out and and everything like that, right? Okay, I'm with you.

SPEAKER_00 49:58

Oh, that'll still that will still happen because it will still happen, and I'm well aware that's still going to happen, but should be I should be fine. When I go to log on tomorrow morning, I will still be on at 10 to make sure that I get my ticket sorted, and there's neither absolutely no issues as well.

SPEAKER_01 50:19

So was there any was there any was there any moaning about that like on Tickback? I mean, is that that seems quite fair to me, mate? That that level for East Farod isn't it?

SPEAKER_00 50:29

I think yeah, I mean to be fair, it's roughly what I thought it would be. Um I would roughly when you take away what it was for January and you take away you take the the points that have been the away points that have been on offer, it's probably not far off what I thought it would roughly be. I think you always get people because there'll be people maybe that have got 90, and then you get all the same people with points underneath, or there's people who think because they've been to um they go to the obviously season tickets title to try and get a ticket for that as well. So um I I don't and I don't think it'll drop either um because basically uh the Easter Road games sold out very, very quickly the last time as well. So it'll roughly be any, and again what happens is it's people that might know goal that have got those points will probably they'll they'll know somebody that will pass it on so that they can they can keep the point as well.

SPEAKER_01 51:34

So I know I'll talk about it next week, but let's just try and uh not concede a goal after two minutes this time, eh? And see how we see how we get on. That would be nice. That would be nice.

SPEAKER_00 51:46

Yeah, um but yeah, I mean we'll just wrap that up there. Uh mate, is there anything anything else before we go?

SPEAKER_01 51:55

No, no, just very, very briefly. They're um they're obviously over in Spain this week, I believe. Just doing uh a week of warm weather training, but uh I believe the the the media is actually being sort of banned. Yeah, or not banned, but yeah, it's like media media free or whatever. And there was uh there was one update McKinnon did just to Hearts TV, just you know, spoke to Hearts Tele, gave a little bit of an update, and uh I believe McKinley had done an interview as well, Andy, but there was nothing groundbreaking in it, just a little bit about you know what's going on, performance, tickets, the split, everything like that. But yeah, not all good, all good.

SPEAKER_00 52:38

All good. Aye, absolutely. Hopefully, that they have they let their training basically afterwards, uh, they can um get maybe a wee bit of chill out time, come back totally refreshed, and away they go. Um, but yeah, we will be back next week. Again, thank you very much for everybody for listening. Um we have been old castle rock. Again, it's something we've said all season is that if you if you're not feeling great, if you feel that you do need to talk, then please don't suffer in silence. Uh reach out, whether it's reaching out to two to three dafties on a football podcast, whether it's reaching out to the people that are probably a bit more professionally trained at like breathing space, um places like that, and going to like that, these these guys are certainly will be able to help you. And if you again, if you've not heard from someone that you you have you've not heard of a text-a-we phone call because you might just make their day as well, and it just means that's something just to lift them as well there. So just something that we would certainly we want to focus on, um, especially even at this time of the year and the time of the season, we're all on uncharted territory. We maybe don't know how to feel as that it's good to talk, get those, get those feelings out in the open as well. Um, and again, give us a wee message, even if you just want to talk football, we are certainly happy to help. You can get us on all your streaming sites, the good ones, the bad ones, get us on X, get us on Facebook, get us on Instagram, Freds and Blue Sky as well. Um, but again, thank you very much.

SPEAKER_01 54:20

And it's a by God, God is on me.