John Collins Salty Tears

Andy and Kennedy are here to talk everything Edinburgh Derby and look forward to Manic Monday

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:54

Welcome to Old Castle Rock, the podcast that talks everything or tries to talk everything to do with Scottish League leaders, Harm and Lothian. It's me, Andy Dixon, back again, and someone who has returned from whatever you happened in Vegas. And what what what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, apart from obviously Gavin Kennedy, how are you?

SPEAKER_03 1:17

Yes, a good mate. And uh partly all my money stays in Vegas. So yes, I've come back at Skidman. For God is payday today again. But it was an excellent day, so uh it was fantastic. So but came back to uh delightful Sunday for my last day before I went back to work. So yeah, let's get it on, eh? Good, good stuff.

SPEAKER_01 1:39

Obviously, we will start. Um actually, I don't know if you watched it, you have the under 18s won the youth cup on Tuesday night.

SPEAKER_03 1:48

I didn't watch it though. I was still sort of recovering for jet lag, so I was like crashing out early most nights, uh till maybe yeah, yesterday, to be fair. Um, so but see the score, uh very good. And uh Hart Swimman also did a job as well, so been a fantastic report for old championship.

SPEAKER_01 2:06

Four points to clear at the at the top of the league, uh the women's team. But uh aye, the the youth cup one's quite an interesting one, obviously. It's been 26 years since they last won it. Uh obviously Kay Goddom was part of that team that won it uh all that time ago. But um yeah, just a quick mention for both of them, but let's get let's get rattled into it then, shall we? Um Easter Road first game after the splat. Um obviously never really spoke to you over the last two weeks because of what anything, any of your your Vegas adventures and stuff. But how were you feeling pre-obviously before it then?

SPEAKER_03 2:46

Obviously, I kind of caught up with your wee bit, but um I was quite confident to be honest with you. Um I wasn't like most armies at Easter Road where I get really quite nervous because it depends what V turns up, really. Um I think the way the results went for us, like you know what I mean, before the game as well. I mean, I know we were still playing when we were walking onto the ground, but uh like on the bus it was absolutely bouncing because of uh Vem's going 2 and a half, obviously. Um but after that mid sort of like just really risen um within the canton, if you like. So I was feeling really sort of like quite confident, eh, uh walking into it. Um but then hearts being hearts. Didn't want to start.

SPEAKER_01 3:35

Let's go into it then, obviously. So the first thing is then the team. There'd have been a lot of rumours. I don't know how much that you caught when we were you were away, like the players that were missing that or could have been missing, Finley, Halkett, Benny, Devlin, Milne were the the five names that were mentioned. Obviously, Devlin does miss out, uh Milne still misses out as well. Um, but I mean what in regards to the team you're favoured. Obviously, it was a favoured back three. I know how much that you really like a back three um with a midfield two Benny and Benny and Leonard, and obviously it's technically a front three, Kabori, uh Shankland, and Braga, but Shanklin was the one dropping deep. Um, and then obviously Altena Kingsley wing backs. What was your thoughts on the team when you first seen it? I know Mr. King.

SPEAKER_03 4:28

I know I really wanted it to be obviously the back four as usual with a television there, but obviously, straight away you knew that wasn't the case. He was stuck in midfield like he has been the last couple of games when he's been coming on um and doing a job for us. Um I was I wasn't surprised not to see Devlin there because there was rumours about it. I think it's maybe a bit of an OTT reaction about how bad it's gonna be. Um talk about uh later on on Sunday, on Monday rather. Um I was quite happy Cabori got a start because I think he's been deserving it the last couple of years, especially against Burwell. Um towards the end of that game, I thought he played really well. Um didn't get a chance to speak about that last week, hey. Um so I thought he deserved a start to be honest with you. And it was quite an adventurous, you know, 3-4-3, um, especially away from home, you know. Um he obviously wanted to get a good start, um, but unfortunately it didn't pan out that way. But anything happens at Derby's, as you don't know. So um aye.

SPEAKER_01 5:38

So what was the do you one thing though, obviously, with that, do you not think that maybe by having obviously having Shanks deeper that we lose out on something a wee bit? Compared to say maybe uh say maybe a Blair Spittle, because that's what I would have I would add Blair maybe had Blair Spittle in front of uh Kubore to start. I think maybe for for that formation, I understood what McInnes was trying to do. But for me, I think maybe a spittle in the t in that town role and maybe would have taken or given a wee bit more towards obviously for Shankland and uh Braga as your front two.

SPEAKER_03 6:18

I mean what I found of uh a spell is that he's better as an impact player coming on an edge away from home than he is at Tynecastle. Um he just seems to have a wee bit of a different game when he comes from a start. I mean, you look at the Warwall game, you know, we know with 0-0 and stuff like that. And this I think he was was he at a civilian game possibly? I'm not trying, but whenever he starts away from home, he doesn't seem to have that sort of edge on him. And I think it did make a difference in being on the bench, yeah, because it gave us more options, uh, especially later on with the fresh legs and that. So nah, I definitely think that was a right call. Um Shaggy going deep as well. You only have to look at the last few games, it's like he's been actually tracking back a lot more than the other like forwards, like because we did saw that happen recently. So he actually added something to it, to be honest with you, um, because he gave us more backup and he gave more support between the front two. So I thought it was actually a perfect setup. Uh just a shame that it took a wee while for it to get going in the NA because of the situation of what we arose in during the game. So um, but uh I was quite happy with the tactics to be honest. It was like the last derby at East Road when we did a team, we all knew it was gonna be like it was in for a bad start and stuff, eh? So I returned that it was, you know.

SPEAKER_01 7:40

So it is that obviously we do I thought we started alright. I think we started the first few minutes alright. I didn't think there was we were we were probably too much too bad. Um obviously Altena then loses that gives away that free kick, and at that point the boy behind me goes, they scored for this kind of position last week. Uh last time, sorry, and you're like, shut the fuck up. Obviously, McGrath whips the ball in and uh he's sleeping. It looks like he's he's sleeping. Um with listening to Ryan McGowan talking about that on Scarves, he was saying that he thinks it was maybe that he couldn't see the ball, and obviously at that point Boyle goes in and scores, and you're like, Oh, here we go. Um this afternoon, this is how it's gonna be. And he does the the Sioux celebration, but obviously I didn't notice that at the time because I was probably just too busy human. Um what I'd just watched. Um what was your thoughts on the on the on that set on the goal and the the way that we defended the set piece?

SPEAKER_03 8:50

I think it's been a bit harsh and very to be fair to him, but aye, he did look like he did switch off, but what the the whip of the ball from a graph was actually like pinpoint, you know what I mean? It was like a height of it, it was like it's one of every, you know what I mean. But you can't even deny that the actual ball in was actually spot on. And he he actually did really well with the cross in his life. That sort of like didn't expect Boyle to like uh to come so fast in ahead of Benny because he was behind him when he first looked, so it was just a case of like I he did turn around and stare at it, but it just happens in football sometimes, eh? It's like especially with like uh balls like that, yes. Even if he did see it, it's probably not like he could do because if a pace of oil was just left onto it. So I'm not I I don't want to be too harsh about A because he he was like pretty good the rest of the game, to be fair with you, eh? Um, you know, so yeah, I think it's just one of those goals that he just has to put his hands up at the end of the day, it was a good ball in it. Uh sadly, we just got the lead day at uh wrong time for us. So um, but but he always do that at us against East Road, it's always scoring within like the first 20 to 30 minutes, eh? And that's when you know what kind of derby it's gonna be, you know. Um it's just part.

SPEAKER_01 10:12

So yeah, um, and then obviously things kind of say Tim's probably looked a wee bit obviously on top. And then we'll go straight into it. You decided I got a better view than I did. Obviously, I was pitch level, you were in the upper tier. What was your thoughts at the time when you seen it? So obviously the ball played next to me.

SPEAKER_03 10:36

I was like, that's surely a hard ball, isn't it? And he was like, Yeah, I think so. And then they just like played on and nothing else happened for a good wee while. And I'm thinking to myself, surely we've got to be checking that, surely, because you it's hard to know in the stance what's happening there, as you know yourself, eh? Um, and then eventually they did manage to stop the play, but then it takes them six, seven minutes to come to that decision when you're looking at the highlights, and even on the highlights, it's so bloody clear. It's like, well, how did it take them back long to come to that decision?

SPEAKER_01 11:08

I think it was how long did it how how long how did it take so long to send them to the monitor? Yeah, was probably is probably what I was what I was thinking is that have how did it take so long to get them sent to the monitor to have a look at now at the time, obviously the linesman doesn't see it. The referee's in a good position, but sometimes where he is, it m he might not see it clearly. I mean, you think the linesman should be able to see that way looking across the the pitch. But then so obviously at the game, I was like trying to run through the process of what happened, and I was like, You see the hardest player shouting, so like, are they shouting for us a pass back? I was like, that is not a pass back, and even if it was a pass back, it's nobody beat the VAR can't come back to it. But then my phone starts pinging as well because like people are watching the game and group chats are like, That's a red card, that's a red card, and you're like, What has happened? And it is it's obviously not until you see it back that you see him take the step out with a ball, even though his feet is in the his feet are in the box, his hands, his hands in the ball are outside the box. He then steps in with it and then throw and then obviously as he goes to throw it, is that he steps outside the box again within his hand? So I mean it's a it's a laxing moment of concentration. I mean, all he has to do at that point is chest it, leave it because it's Kabori that's running onto it, and so you don't know if Kobori's going to put it in the back of the net or into the fourth.

SPEAKER_03 12:36

But how did an assistant referee not see that either? He was right in front of the line with it. That's the other thing. It was absolute crazy. Oh, uh really featured if we have to just like use var every time to make sure they're uh not seem to be such awful referees, eh?

SPEAKER_01 12:56

And it's that I think that's that's the problem, isn't it? Is that the referees they're refereeing the game twice, or they're getting the referee or not, even that the referee they're they're asking VAR to referee the game, and at that point you're like, well, what's the what's the point in actually having an assistant referee if you're just gonna get VAR to ref to referee it? Um again, six minutes, or what is that is that is that how long it was? Six minutes.

SPEAKER_03 13:20

I thought we said it's got a photo, ah six to seven minutes it was, eh?

SPEAKER_01 13:25

But it felt like it took ages, um, but I don't know if it was the six time as well, if you remember as well. Obviously, get he had to go off the park, they had to get Jordan Smith ready to come on, and then I thought they took me, I thought they made the wrong sub. A lot of people have heard and I've read and everything else, because I've listened to Hibbs podcasts as well this week, because it's sometimes that quite a good laugh. Um and we'll come on to that in a minute, but basically they were they were saying that they thought it was the right the right idea because it was kind of kind of keeping the same shape and having the the two strikers. And at that point, you're like, right, okay. So we obviously we had still had three strikers on the park, which is obviously something so we didn't have to to sacrifice him, but it allowed us to to be just that wee bit that wee bit more expansive, and I thought that we we were, but I don't think we created too much. I mean Braga has that uh make Smith make an excellent save that he taps it onto the post and then out.

SPEAKER_03 14:29

And why did uh enter tape the free kick or not? Uh Kingsley, hey, that's absolutely I was asking myself because that was a shoot decision for Kingsley Vernon, though.

SPEAKER_01 14:39

But how many like how many times has Kingsley not scored as well? Like he's got that absolute belter at hand then, right? But how many times does he not score? How many times has he hit the wall, or how many times has he hit Gorgie Road and and stuff like that? So you can understand why they've had something, and how many times have they maybe practiced for Kingsley to step up and uh hit it? So no, no, I can understand maybe why they're um why they've why they've obviously changed it slightly, but yeah, I mean the first half I thought it was it was fine. I thought we were we were obviously pressing. I thought we were we were obviously on top. Obviously, they had the goal, they were very, very happy to sit in. Yeah, um I don't I don't really remember the first pass I like booking, and obviously he got booked with Kingsley, but at the game I don't really remember it. I remember again little tussles to what derbies are like, aren't they?

SPEAKER_03 15:43

That's situation which I think for referee wanted to clamp down because he didn't want Temple Surflear with the rest of the game, especially with an already being like 10 minutes. So it was more of a sort of warning yellow card if you get VA. Um and he had to make all these ball players, and I don't think we did much, it was just really of a face-off. It wasn't like it was just like muffin off at each other. It didn't really merit a yellow card in my view, to be honest, because he didn't lose complete control, but if he just got pissed off with each other, which are entitled to to be, you know what I mean? So um but I he had an absolute nightmare for him, say like uh he was just like didn't get control of the game at all, and he was just like flying in there and just like well I think this is this is the crowd were like that though as well.

SPEAKER_01 16:33

The crowd, every any the crowd were basically trying to to make it so the referee would level up. This is what they were trying to do. Yeah, um this is the thing, this is what they were trying to do. They were trying to get the them on on a on a bit where they were any anytime that we went in for a tackle, they were all over it. And to be fair, I thought that Hibs were I thought they were exaggerating some of the some some of the challenges that they were receiving. Um I was listening to that one of the Hibs podcasts, Chrys knows what it was what one of it was. I actually think two of the clips I've heard where they think that that we get refereed different from them. Now to me, I thought the referee let I didn't think he had a bad game, but I thought he let a few of their challenges go as well. There were definitely a couple, especially near the end when they are down to nine men and they start becoming more hammer throwers. There was one where something happened at the the far end. I think Benny made a foul and the referee. I don't know if the referee played he played advantage or he something, but he never came back. And then I think it was Obita came over and then then basically it was a deliberate fill, just kicked him, absolutely kicked him, and then the referee just there was no book and anything like that. And you know that he's he's meant that as a as a retaliation because of him's not getting the fill, but there was nothing. So I think for me, I don't think there was I don't think they were hard done to with the um with the amount of yellow cards or the way that the referee was the game was refereed for them against us.

SPEAKER_00 18:08

Um I don't know what you think of that.

SPEAKER_01 18:10

I don't know. Again, this is before we get into the second half and obviously everything that comes in that, but um yeah, I I think the referee had an okay game. I don't think he was I don't think he was bad, uh to be honest. I think that there was bits for for maybe both teams and I mean he got the he got eventually got his big decisions right. Um but going back to the first half as well, I thought that we I was a bit frustrated at halftime going in one-nil down. I think maybe I don't know if it was a wee bit over pressure because they were they were down to 10, and it's something didn't get wrong.

SPEAKER_03 18:45

But it frustrated everyone, eh? And it's like the crowd even felt it because they knew what was happening at Rangers and they went really quiet, and then we went really quiet because we couldn't create enough chances with an advantage that we had, and the fans were a wee bit sort of like frustrated because we knew that if they end up drawing this, this is like a three-pointer for MA, you know what I mean? So um, which is like which you don't want at all. Um so you can understand the the like anxieties of everyone during that, um, because I've never heard like himself crowd be so quiet during a being won a lot, you know what I mean? Even if we are down to 10 minute, it was just like it was they were almost like thinking it's just this is too early for us to score with our situation. So it was a very nervy first 45 minutes, so it was a hard one for a crowd day to get into it, I think. Hey, so yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:45

No, no, definitely. So obviously half time and a half time this one's like what what would you have made? Obviously, he does he takes off Altena and he brings on um he brings on Corjota. Was that what you would have made, or would you have done something different?

SPEAKER_03 20:02

Because I'll be honest, I would have I was actually really happy with that because Altera was almost marked completely up the game at one point. To be honest, every time he got the ball, he wasn't creating an RFA and he wasn't getting down the channel at all. Um so that was a big problem for us, to be fair. Um, every time he did get the ball, we would actually like pig it to the byline or you know a wider whatever. So yeah, I 100% would have done that move all day. Like I like your Tera A, and I don't think he's a bad player, but he didn't have a great game on uh Sunday to be honest with you.

SPEAKER_01 20:37

Again, he's he's playing in that I don't know what position he is meant what his best position is. I don't know if it's just the way that the heart, the way that the game obviously unfolded, and he never got the the full night or anything like that. Because at that point I was like, well, I would I would I was taking Steinwinder off. I thought Steinwinder played really, really well, and I think it definitely helps when you're playing against nine men and they're not going to attack you for a good hour. But I think for me, I was like, well, let's take Steinwinder off and let's go four at the back, um, and let's let let's have a wee bit more attack, and Benny can step into the back if need be, and let's attack them with three strikers and two wingers, and I was like, let's go for it, and then he does that, and I was like, right, okay, that's fine, I can understand what he is doing. Um again, I would I was making I think I was taking Kubori off at halftime as well. Um probably I probably was being a bit harsh to be honest, but uh for me I was like, I would let's get the um if we can get him off, and then but again I was thinking maybe if you're gonna bring could you bring Kibori off and could you bring Kizaritas on? Okay, because what could it what Kizaridas does, and I thought that we did look that like we lacked it at times before he came on, is that he does get us up the park, but again we'll we'll we'll Get there. Um, and obviously we start the second half, and Paslac thinks that I don't know what he thinks he's doing, he's just flipping the ball over his head, losing control of it, and that's probably why he's at Hubs. And then does that tackle on Benny? And to be fair, at the time you're like, right, okay. And as I said, I don't remember his first book, and so when the referee pulled the second in the red, I was like, oh, right, here we go. Um I was like, wow, was it fine? And then I was like, right, okay, so what what do we do now? But then when you see it back, you're like, by the way, has he not been booked? That could the red that could have easily been a straight red.

SPEAKER_03 22:44

Uh I think I think the yellow was fair, uh, because it he didn't go right flying, and it was just like enough for him to wear it. Because I it wasn't like it was gonna be a leg breaker sort of tactical way. Um I don't know how you're showing, I don't know that's a no-no, but the way it sort of like went in, it wasn't like you would do the replay, it wasn't like full force, if you see what I mean. It was just quite quick incident because of where I was, and it was just a bit rash. Um, so yeah, I was like, yeah, because I was like, that's a yellow card, like showing. And then I thought, but as soon as he showed the the red, I was like, Oh yeah, he was bitten earlier, eh? So it was like aye, um I was exactly the same as you in that one. But what a day, eh? I mean, like that's something that a hearts player would do, and he would get leveled up, you know what I mean. It's like the ball's going absolute nowhere, and he's just getting more and more frustrated, especially how cool jab like Benny Norley is. You can just tell, and he just completely loses a plot. If you're a hip fan, you'd be absolute raging about it. You really would. Because that means that bat kind of finishes off, and it turned out, yeah, it did.

SPEAKER_01 23:52

So yeah, he would be, but obviously, and at that point, because as soon as he went off, because Aridas and Chesney were sent straight to to warm up, so they were out warming up because they were warming up right in front of me. Um and then attack and attack, and a lot of it was because what Hib's done is Hibbs basically sat in their box, they planted all their nine their nine bodies in their box, um, well their eight bodies in their goalie, obviously, but they were planted in there, and we had it basically it was then down to us to to break them up, and he brings on Chesna, he brings on Kizaridas, he brings on Spittle, and then he brings on Chesnikov comes on later on. Um I missed one, there was someone else that came on, and I kind of think who it was.

SPEAKER_03 24:43

No, yeah, that was later on. Um I was thinking about being McCart, but I wasn't um you're right, I was it was really McCart came on um night of that.

SPEAKER_01 24:57

So he brings on uh Corjota and then he brings on Spittle and Kazaridas. Um right at the very end for Braga, like normally for that one. But again, it's the there the there the he brings those two on, and you're like, right, okay. And then at that point we were just going for overloads, we were overloading the right and the left hand sides. I think mostly the right the right hand side. Um a lot of it was coming through Spitter Linch and uh Corjotta. I felt a bit sorry for Kazaridas, um, because he comes on, but as soon as he gets the ball, what happens rather than going rather than it being one-on-one, is that I think was it 21? Was basically running from wherever wherever he was meant to be was sprinting out so that it was two on one every time. And I and at that point I think we had we should have been trying to deal with that a bit better because what that now then if there's two of them out on casaridas when he gets the ball, is it he needs to learn how to how to deal with that or even to get rid of it because there's suddenly three spaces in the middle of the park where obviously the two men and the extra management over.

SPEAKER_03 26:06

Other teams know how to play against Kizaridas now, we know just to double them up, eh? I mean it was obese that you're talking about, eh? But uh yeah, he totally marked him out of the game pretty much. Because we if we know every time he goes down the wing, he's just gonna cut a path inside, and then for the pass, so it's like there's not much gift to it, eh?

SPEAKER_01 26:27

I was watching, but watching if you watch Kurjotta on the other side, Korjotta's doing the same thing, yeah, yeah. So Korjotta's cutting inside as well. So rather than going to the byline, because the boy next to me was screaming go to the byline, but he never ever did. Even both the the assists for both goals, he's he's cutting inside every time, and stand he's obviously standing um he's standing their full back up every time, but the um but this is obviously what they need to they need to work on, and again it's the rawness of it. Because I've seen a bit of criticism for the for Kizzy, right? But at the same time, Kizzy's came from the Slovakian league. So the step up from it's it's a bigger step up to come to Scotland and play for hearts. It was the same way Braga, it's the same for most of these boys that have come and taken the step up, and you can see that it the rawness the obviously it is rawness, and again, it's gonna take it is gonna take a bit of time, and it's something McKinnon's uh Archibald and Shearer need to work on as well. Is what is trying to and get that message to him and what what do what do you do when there's two of that come over to you? Do you when you get the ball, or even not just to him, but to the players around them. So whether it's the fullback behind them or whether it's Leonard, Devlin, whoever Spittle it's in that that's that's the next player along to him, is that they need to then as soon as they notice the second man's coming over, is that to drop in and get a little leave a bit of space so that Kizzy can give them the ball and suddenly we're away and they've they've committed that extra man, if you know what I mean. So we've and we if if he gets the ball pops off and away we go. And this is something that we do need to work on as a team, but again, it takes us away back away from Sunday as well, where it was a lot of uh passing, passing. And at one point I was like, we're gonna outpass nine men here in no score. This is just how it felt.

SPEAKER_03 28:20

It was this for the whole. I thought we were gonna hang on one-dill, just without being able to play, they were setting back on us, and they just weren't letting us find the gap, so the ball wasn't falling for us, and even in the corners, the corners were getting frustrating and stuff like that as well. So aye, um Leonard, buddy hell, what a shock. Hey, it was similar to one that he did have against Cybrocks, but well uh I really think he should get a license to shoot whenever he wants, like, because he's got a he's got a right rocket on him, like, to be fair, right?

SPEAKER_01 28:51

All right, this is my bit. Did you notice as well that Benny was at one at points was further forward than Franklin? Just felt like at points we were just beat uh it felt like I'll run about anywhere you want and just kind of score, guys. This is the this is the game that we are kind of playing.

SPEAKER_03 29:16

It wasn't working, and you could see it, and that's why the fashion fade and shouting down the byline because it was the same against Livingston when like a few weeks ago, when every time we went uh to make a cross in the byline, we would score because he couldn't control it. But the second you start walk walking it through the middle, it's easy to defend it, eh? So yeah, like you say, we we we should be learning this, but we still haven't done anything to change it, eh? So yeah, that's uh that's gonna be worrying for Monday, to be fair, but we're going to it later, obviously, as well.

SPEAKER_01 29:48

So I was well, the thing is as well though, is for me is that I thought we should we should have been trying to keep it low at all points, and obviously the first goal comes from it being low, um because the Hub's defence, especially Rocky Bashiri, is excellent above weight. If it goes above waist height, then he's fine, but as soon as it goes to his neary anywhere near his feet, that's where issues happen, and it it's probably something standard for a couple of day boys. So I think that and that's what was maybe frustrating is that we weren't playing it low. We were we were basically trying to cross it in, and they were just they were mopping up, and eventually we were we learned a little, and obviously Shanks gets into a good position because stands the defender up, gives it to Shanks. Shanks tries to back heel and it bounces off a horror. And it didn't get me wrong, like watching it bounce in, you're like that didn't you look too much in for where I was standing, but you didn't care at that point, and I was up and over the barrier. Um and it was suddenly one all, and you're like, right, okay. Um if we think that they've never came out of their box now, they're gonna be basically standing on the goal line because they just lose Yeah. Um they're generally trying not to lose the game now, and again it came, it was just more and more. I think we had 50 touches in their box compared to our and their box compared to the two that they had in ours, and obviously it doesn't help they went down to ten men, but it shows you just how how much how dominant we were because I think we barely had anybody in our own half.

SPEAKER_03 31:25

Yeah, that's true. I agree, Swallow hardly had a save to me for a whole game pretty much, eh? Um like I can barely remember him making very many safes, so I just shows you, like you say, that was this all basically how Hibs could hang on, and uh fortunately for us, they didn't because Gargiotto was like just absolutely incredible. Like I know he started off like slowly, but he was still doing the same thing over and over, and he obviously worked in it and training eh. And uh you just you just feel like uh fitts like has this like completely was a complete game changer, eh? Like Shagler's never scored that goal in a million years, you know what I mean? Normally, but the butt the ball was just so good that it really did sort of help it, if you know what I mean. Um which is a shame he never partly he didn't get the goal for it in the end, they've been cut it as an OG or O'Hara.

SPEAKER_01 32:20

Oh it's an own goal because he basically I think he not he's the one that changed if the ball changes direction or something, then it counts as an own goal.

SPEAKER_03 32:29

Yeah, so um, which is a shame like if but at the end of the day, if like you celebrate like he scored that a year, he's quite right like today, hi absolutely, and then obviously we do continue.

SPEAKER_01 32:42

I mean we continue that path. I think we realised that this is maybe where there was got a wee bit more joy because they weren't they were still alive and currently remembered about that.

SPEAKER_03 32:51

Uh Halke was lucky as well. It's like that's uh to be fair to the his reserve goalkeeper, he actually had a bit of a world day uh with some of the shots he was saving.

SPEAKER_01 33:02

Uh Halkit one, but that shows you just how dominant that we were in with the ball, and sometimes I think that we struggle when we have too much of the ball. I think when we have we've got so much time on the ball that we we do struggle a little bit. And I think that it probably I think it doesn't help sometimes that our our midfielders are defensively, a lot of them are defensively. Mind you didn't get it. Leonard's more of a a deep playmaker, Benny's not interested, really interested in shooting ball, though he did get forward um just that bit, but yeah, um, but then obviously Hulkett's coming bouncing forward and Steinwinder and Kingsley and Brada had that short safe when he was through as well, and it was just like uh I just got to the point where he thought it's not good at half it, eh? But he was quite confident. See, when we got to one-one, I was like, right, I was like, this is I think it'll come. I was like, the second is definitely coming. I think if if Spittle doesn't score, then I think we score before the end of the game.

SPEAKER_00 34:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 34:06

I would have liked us to go for their throats and get another one because I think we probably could have got another one because once once Spittle scores, the um Yeah, but you see what happened at Livingston.

SPEAKER_03 34:16

We tried to get the other one, and uh that actually cost us to end up not winning the game, but the day, so you've got never games like that. These three points are just coming so vitally important in a way. So it's what's offering anything.

SPEAKER_01 34:31

They weren't the offering, they weren't up for the chase. Like, look at the boy Suto. He I was closer to Blair Spittle than he was, uh and he was meant to be pressing and defending. You could see when you watch the replay from behind, he he's just standing with his hand on his hips watching Spittle hit the ball, and it does take a wee deflection, I think, of Baserius studs, but and it goes, and then yeah, and I think it it probably felt a wee bit more relief than anything else. Um but it did to me anyway. Uh and as much as everyone's going meant, oh, you've just won the derby, you're you're obviously you're still top of the league, you're you've added an extra goal onto your goal difference as well.

SPEAKER_02 35:10

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 35:11

So unless Celtic go and give Hibs an absolute do-in, and I mean that's what all the Celtic fans in the world will be wanting, or the Hibs fans will be wanting as well. Ah, the Hibs fans will be wanting that, but like unless they go and get an absolute doing, then come with come Monday, we'll still we'll still be top of the league. So, right, obviously, so I think everything just overspelled that the relief because had we not won the game, it would have been an absolute travesty, and it would have just it would have felt like a defeat.

SPEAKER_03 35:36

So uh that Rangers lost earlier as well. Yeah, it's like a missed never missed opportunity, you know what I mean. Um, another away game we lost as well, not just the Derby, but another away game where that was like that wouldn't go well, going into Burwell and a uh the next again weekend day, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_01 35:55

So uh that was a massive win that so then it just gets to bring in everything, like and obviously I didn't hear this until I got up on uh Monday morning because I was I basically went home and went to my bed because I was working early the next day, but and then you hear John John Collins' salty tears on the radio, and you're like, Oh, here we go. And I'm like, what is going on? Like, what is he what is he looking at? That is he that bitter that he doesn't that he can't recognise of what's happening, and it's not just what's happening at hearts like I didn't realise that you Union St. Jular um were actually top of the Belgian league now because I I know that they got they they struggled a little bit when it came to the the championship, uh the champions league, as in like going for the Champions League and it into the um probably what we'll do next season, regardless of what European um whatever European competition that we go in. Um I think that's what the issue they had this morning they had this year, but they're now top of the league. Obviously, Brighton are probably as high as Brighton are going to get at this moment in time. They're six in the they're six in the league. They are to be fair, they are very, very close to Champions League football. Yep.

SPEAKER_03 37:10

Um I mean a villa go a villa going to add up a podcast for reef, so yeah, we won't go into that.

SPEAKER_01 37:18

So it was like an Aston Villa, for example, if a Villa drop out, they can obviously still get the Champions League that way. So there is potentially that Brighton are on course for the Champions League, USG are on course for the Champions League, we're on course for the Champions League. And when you're talking of just pure like Jamestown as well, is that Como are fifth in Serie A? Tony doesn't have a um he doesn't have a stake or as high a stake in Como as any of these other three that Hart's Union Sanctula or Brighton, obviously, but he does have a small interest in that and they do use Jametown analytics and they're fourth in the league. So three points away for the Champions League. So it shows you that it works, it works in all different types of scales. And I'm thinking listening to that as well, I'm like he's talking about who's coming to buy the Hibs players, the Hearts players. Well, we could we'll probably sell Braga for a club for probably near enough a club record in the summer, unfortunately. I don't want it to go. Devlin and Devlin and thing is Devlin and Benny are probably to leave on free anyway, right? But you bring that you could you probably could sell Casaridas for a couple of million pounds. So that's more than that's more than we've paid for him. Harry Milne could be sold. So there's three there there, and I think folk forget that Harry Mountain's a Jamestown player. So there is people that are going to be and Heart's going to win the league, there'll be team teams queuing up to buy some of these boys. Like But then I'm thinking, who are you buying in the Hibs team? I don't see this now. Who are you buying in that Hibs team? Who is who is out there that's going to make Hibs millions?

SPEAKER_00 39:10

There's not many but yeah.

SPEAKER_01 39:14

Jamie McGrath, maybe you'll maybe get 500 to a million pounds far.

SPEAKER_03 39:18

If you want a good street response, you maybe boyle, eh? I don't always like get on a wee bit, eh? But at the end of the day, he does get you goals every now and then. And it's like if you get a right assist, you know what I mean.

SPEAKER_01 39:30

How many of them get in a hearts team? For years I would have said Boyle probably would have gotten a hearts team. Now he doesn't. Not even close.

SPEAKER_03 39:36

Yeah. Depends on stays and goals.

SPEAKER_01 39:42

If you're going line up, if you're lining him up, none of them get in a hearts team. None of them. You could argue Nikki Caden if it wasn't it for Harry Mill.

SPEAKER_00 39:52

Jamie McGrath has a shot.

SPEAKER_01 39:58

You could argue Jamie McGrath could maybe have a could maybe be in contention, but I don't think he starts for hearts. I don't think that Nikki Caden starts for hearts. And Martin Boylald does this season definitely doesn't start for hearts because they've got two strikers that are better than him. Yeah. So like this is the thing is that it's just so bitter and it's coming everywhere now, and it's the realization of where we are as a club. What is that? What could be and by the way, we might not win this league. I'm still there that we we still might not win this. And it would be it feels we might still end up third, and we still might be end up third and begging Celtic to win the fucking cup. So this is I understand, I understand all this, but where we are right now is miles ahead of where we've ever been, and it's miles ahead of where they are.

SPEAKER_03 40:45

And it's just but just tell us because the other day we are punching above our weight, and they're just annoyed that it's no then because they had the investment in first, and this is what they thought base should have happened to them with our Bournemouth nuts and all that.

SPEAKER_01 40:59

If they by the way, if they had fucking listened to them look where Bournemouth are in the premiership. I know. But then again, apparently, apparently Brown uh Bloom looked at them as well and they said no, apparently. So it's all absolute tears and snotters, and I love it. Absolutely love it when the club team part right now. Oh no, this is it. He's he hates it. He's been at he's been out like this a few times now, so uh yes. Um, and obviously, you can just quickly move. I'm gonna move on to the Rangers, but obviously a couple of things about McInnes. McInnes was doing the front on Sunday conducting the fans. That was quite good. He loves it. You can tell he's definitely loves it.

SPEAKER_03 41:41

He was like, I never thought more I gave up the Derby game as well. I'm sorry to interrupt, but we also had Tony Blue was at Easter Road with Harry Rednap, apparently. And Harry Rednap is basically spitting for us to win this league, eh? And if he doesn't do this season, he's gonna do everything he can to do it in a near future light.

SPEAKER_01 42:02

Well rednap's uh red knap's obviously had a wee soft spot for heart since um since since since we played them. So um so aye, like and obviously McInnes is conducting the choir, and then McKinnon just quickly on McInnes as well, is that for the manager of the year nomination again? To be fair, it's a very heart-centred list. John McGlynn and Gary Naismith is the other two. So I'd imagine it McInnes will have that nailed on uh regardless of what happens. Um and then quickly, let's just move on then. Manic Monday, five five o'clock. Half past five on a Monday. Bank holiday Monday, not everybody gets a bank holiday. Um and we're playing football in between two English games. So first thing, Kennedy, did you manage to get the time off?

SPEAKER_03 42:53

I did, yes. And I even took the Tuesday off as well, so we could have a couple of uh celebrating drinks um afterwards. So yes, I'm very much looking forward to this day now because it's gonna be another step closer in my IC. Um, I just can't see it any other way. So you think we're gonna win? 100% aye. Um and it's not gonna be like a flashing or anything like that, uh but I can't see us losing that game, to be honest now, especially after we can see how we can see the sort of like weaknesses of Rangers after Motherwell A, and we should be studying what Motherwell did at I brought say, because we should be doing that exact same thing at Titan Castle.

SPEAKER_01 43:35

Do you think we'll play the same this to how much the same team start? Okay, so bear in mind Motherwell Rangers are play this they they play a 4 2 2 2, so they have rather in a midfield diamond or a midfield line, it's it's a midfield square. So would you play would you play a 3 5 2, stroke 3 4 3? Um say Ben. Say Benny Leonard or Benny Devlin and Spittle as your three and then two wide two winger two obviously wing backs because it then gives you the the width up there the width. Would you go back to four four two? What would you do?

SPEAKER_03 44:19

I would uh be happy with four four two or four three three to be honest. But I do prefer a four-free three, especially against Rangers. Um I just think it gives us more options going forward. And then like you say, you can just pull like people like Shagland back when they're when they're defending against us, you know what I mean? And not leave too many gaps. Um, you know my feelings on the fr on the back three, so that's definitely not gonna happen. Um I don't think Antena's gonna start. I'm gonna push the boat out and say Cajotta's gonna finally get his chance.

SPEAKER_00 44:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 44:52

Um because I think not only does he deserve it, he's been like waiting so long as well, eh? And uh he's not been making any noises about it either. So everyone still has to have a like pinnacle mode. I know he had a great one on Sunday, but this could really cement how good we've been waiting for him to become because he is meant to be a project player, he's not a hit running type player, eh? So the fact that we've waited this long, I don't see why not he doesn't start ahead of Altera. I would still keep I would still keep Sidewinder, obviously his right back, Kingsley and the left. Um I can't see Melanie obviously being uh available. Um do you put Casarinas back in? I'm not so sure.

SPEAKER_01 45:38

I don't yeah if I was going to vote for two, I would. To be honest, the only change I would probably make for Saturday, the two changes I'd make for Saturdays I'm if you're going to if you think if you think you can get the defensiveness and the athleticism out of Curjotta, then you start him. Okay. Um and then I would play Spittle instead of Kabore or Macho.

SPEAKER_03 46:02

See me, I would really think I would I would actually still keep Leonard and midfield. I wouldn't need to swap him for Devlin even if he's alright for it. I would rather Devlin came on as an as a sort of sew it up type player.

SPEAKER_01 46:18

I mean the only thing as well, the only thing I would say is that you do get where Devlin is that you do get dev, you know that Devlin's going to harry and harass them.

SPEAKER_03 46:26

So remember whenever Leonard's go, I brought so you know what I mean. That's all I have to say. And he always did it again at Easter Road.

SPEAKER_01 46:33

I know, I know I can that, but I was just saying it's just sometimes the harassing, but again, this is why we are sitting, I'm sitting in a car park recording a podcast and you're on your house. You know what I mean? So it's uh that is what it is, mate. And it but that's what I would do. I would say that sometimes is do you change the do you change a winning team or has was that formation specifically set out for them and the players available? And does it cause what Kizaridus does is he gets us up the park quick. If we need to get up the park quickly, he can get us up there and he's really good at it.

SPEAKER_03 47:05

Um so yeah, I mean I would I couldn't bore he does this hold up the play when he gets up there, he doesn't really get us up there if he don't fall on his arse.

SPEAKER_01 47:15

Honestly, the boy thought could the boy falls on his arse so much it's unreal.

SPEAKER_03 47:20

All I have to say is that he heard a braga hit the ground running when uh he first came to Dyncastle, so he literally uh thought that's what you had to do to get a good way but aye, I mean I will come back next week then and we'll discuss that uh obviously but more.

SPEAKER_01 47:36

I think I still feel really nervous. Like from I just just dumb. I'm just that kind of nervous person about this whole thing.

SPEAKER_03 47:44

I'm not don't get me wrong, but I'm still highly confident. Um I'm gonna go two one hertz.

SPEAKER_01 47:51

Um I would if we if we wanted to shake hands on a nil-nil draw now, I'd probably take out.

SPEAKER_03 47:58

I don't know if Barbara you've got to think about what that does for Celtic, eh? And that's what it is, right? Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 48:04

Celtic would have got beat, I wouldn't worry about. Um but the uh I'd settle on nil nil because nil if a nil-nil's fine, and then we go out, Celtic have a little play Rangers next week, and then we go and if we go out in one of our next two games, I think we'll be fine. So I would settle with nil nil right now. Take the hands, let's go. Let's no bother with Monday and just go straight to Motherwell. But again, that's just probably me being a bit pessimistic, uh, to be honest. We're not having any of it. Ah, exactly. Anything else, buddy, before we shoot?

SPEAKER_03 48:37

Um, I think we've talked about the cup and all that, we've covered all that, so yeah, happy with uh Friend as well. So yeah, that's all good for me, mate. So we can wrap up wherever you want.

SPEAKER_01 48:48

Hopefully, there's new birthdays next week, so hopefully we'll all be back. Happy birthday, Mr. Fleming, when you listen to this. Um, so um, but again, thank you very much for everybody that has listened to Old Castle Rock. Um, one thing we've always said this season uh is that it's good to talk, it's um it's not okay to be alone. And if you do feel that you want to, if you need to reach out to anybody, then you're more than happy to reach out to us. We'll have a wee chat away about football. That's certainly not an issue. Um, there's also the professional agencies as well, um, and the support groups such as the Andy Man Club and things like that. If you do need just that little bit of support, and if you've not heard from someone recently, then reach out. They might have they might be feeling just a little bit low, they might be a little bit stressed sometimes like that. They might just need just that wee bit cheering up as well, and they'll maybe appreciate it as well. So, again, uh it's okay not to be okay uh and reach out as well. I would say there. Um, and again, you can get us on all your social media sites if you do want to chat, or even just to tell us how good or bad that we are, we have a wee review, let us know how we're doing. We're certainly not uh we're certainly not going to take a half for our big boys, we can certainly handle it as well. Um, get us on all the streaming sites as well, uh as all the good ones and the bad. Um, and again, I'll just finish that off, and it's a bye for me.

SPEAKER_03 50:17

And it's uh for me, and uh particular bubble stada for take the bubble stad up.