McInnes Mess

The lads discuss the McInnes Departure and what lies ahead

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:10

Good evening everyone and welcome to another episode of Old Castle Rock Podcast, the podcast that taughts everything Heart of Medlovian, everything the Gorgie Boys, everything runners up. So let's get going if I'm being joined by my usual good padre uh Gavin Fleming. How are you, mate, tonight?

SPEAKER_02 0:39

Why did you mention runners up? People are just getting over it. They're just getting over it. Why would you they're trying to enjoy their summer and trying to enjoy the World Cup? Why would you?

SPEAKER_01 0:51

I was about to say I was used to say the leaders of introduction, eh, but you know what I mean? It's been a while since a good one, so I didn't know.

SPEAKER_02 1:02

Terrible, mate. Terrible.

SPEAKER_01 1:04

Terrible. Anyway, how are you?

SPEAKER_02 1:06

I'm very well, very well. As well as you can be after uh staying up until silly o'clock watching the the the World Cup every night and then getting up like really really early for for work as well. You start uh you start questioning your your your your lifestyle decisions when you're staying up watching Norway and Iraq, like but you know uh I was uh I didn't even watch the Scotland game on Saturday night.

SPEAKER_01 1:31

I watched in the morning when I was on a on a BVC highlights of the match of the day, and uh I was glad I didn't stay up to two o'clock because I would have been dead this week of work.

SPEAKER_02 1:41

So I mean you're doing you're doing you're you're doing quite well to be up just now, Gav, to be fair. I mean it's just nearly eight o'clock, so it's just no you're doing quite you've you've probably seen about ten minutes of the World Cup since it started.

SPEAKER_01 1:58

So uh geez. So yeah, so tonight uh we're gonna talk about a recent announcement from the club, and it's a news that we've all been waiting for because of again by rumours and the papers rather than the club itself, which uh don't get me started with. So here it goes. The club's announcement is Derek McInnes. Hartman Lovian can confirm that Derek McInnes has left his position as head coach to join Rangers. Derek made it clear that he wished to pursue his opportunity following discussions between the clubs. Rangers vote for requested compensation to compensation terms to facilitate his departure, along with assistants Alan Archimond and Paul Sheenan. Derek Allen and Paul leave of our facts on the contribution made during the times of Tyne Castle. Also goes on to say that for clubs and missions, uh direction and commitment to success remain unchanged. Our programmes have been driven by a clear strategy, significant investment, and strong foundations that extend far beyond any one individual. Most foundations are firmly in place and next phase of our development. Succession planning has continued process and preparing preparations for this eventuality have been undertaken. A number of candidates have been identified of a process, including a new head coach has already begun with the aim of making the right appointment as swiftly as possible. So, Gavin Fleming, over to yourself. How are you feeling about this uh latest announcement from the club?

SPEAKER_02 3:29

Oh, that's actually quite interesting, Gav. Listening to you there, because um it's just that I was obviously I I finished work earlier and then I went to I went to visit my mum mate for uh for a for a free dinner, and I just kind of came back just now and I've just jumped onto this. I haven't actually had a chance to read through the statement, right? So just listening to you saying some little bits about the statement there is it's very, very interesting. I'm actually looking forward to kind of having a read over it and digesting it. But the part about the club specifically calling out that uh their ambition goes beyond one individual, that's quite a that's quite a telling comment to actually make in a statement like that. There's like maybe a couple of ways of looking at that. It's uh maybe one big hand that's saying Hearts fans, you know, don't worry, we've got a good strategy here, one manager leave in is not gonna make or break everything, but another I'm wondering if it's a little bit of a uh kind of like a guarded like dick mechanisms, just saying that you know they're they're maybe not massively concerned uh uh about him going. What do you what what do you make of that, Gab? Because I like I say that that's the first time I've actually heard that statement. So what what do you make of that? What do you make of that bit in particular?

SPEAKER_01 5:00

Yeah, I mean I I totally get what you're saying. I mean, that's like it's interesting to say, like you say, not one person. It's like they could be talking about no several people, individuals, uh like not just Tony Bloom himself. Um is there other people that we got ready to invest in a club after what's been happening on the end of this season, seeing how close we actually came to taking the league of Celtic's grasp firm hand, you know. Um, so that's very exciting to actually read. Um obviously we don't know of the thing going ins and out of the funds in terms of because we've always had like secret uh investments coming in in the club before, but you can imagine it might be even stronger now, with uh especially being us involved in Europe next season. Um as well. The statement on the Kinnis itself, I thought was uh it seems very similar to Shaglins. They seem like really quite angry that they've done this to us as well, uh, because he thought very highly of McKinsey and what he did for the club the last season, um, you know, guiding us as far as he did, um, and just not making the last hurdle. So uh it's it's it's just uh it seems a difficult we're keeping a lot of cards close to a chest, but we're very confident of making it, you know what I mean, so uh we can try to get over the last few weeks because this is just at the beginning really of a rebuild of the entire structure of the club, really, eh?

SPEAKER_02 6:38

Well, I think if you if you look at like how well a job McKinnist did last season, right? Yeah, he did he did so well, right? And I will come on to it. And I'm not gonna do that. I'm I'm not I'm not gonna be one of these people that's gonna rewrite history, right, and start playing down what an a good job he did last season, right? But because he's left, right? But it is it is telling and it is interesting how not that hearts wouldn't have had dialogue, but the hearts have let this go through quite quickly, and I'm pretty sure like if if if they'd wanted to, right, hearts could have possibly dug their heels in a little bit with this, you know, just in terms of maybe fighting to keep McIntyre or making it difficult for majors, or maybe putting challenges in their way in terms of you know how they approach him compensation, reaching that figure, but the succession plan that Hartz have with Jamestown is almost like Hartz maybe expected this to happen because how that succession plan works and and and and we'll never know. Well we'll never know, Gav, right? But because McInnes has been so quiet, right, since the end of the season.

SPEAKER_01 8:03

That's been very strange.

SPEAKER_02 8:05

Part of me, part of me wonders if this has been in the pipeline for longer than the last I reckon it's been going on as long as the Shanglin thing happened, you know what?

SPEAKER_01 8:17

I reckon it'd been in some sort of cahoots with a agents or something like that, eh? Because don't forget uh McGuinness has the same agent as uh Chris Boyd. And uh he would have moved the earth for McInnes to get to Rangers after the season that he had, you know what I mean? And the fact that Shanklin like had the thought in their mind, even if even if he won the league or not, you know what I mean, just it speaks volumes to me that this has not only been going on for a while, like you say, but that's been done very sneakily, and I just feel I do feel for a club, I know there's a lot of people angry at like the Kidley and stuff like that right now, which is quite right, I can understand it, but at the same time, they have like just sort of like just turned around and just jumped to the first opportunity that we'd be given. And for Rangers, it's a gamble, it really is, um, in my eyes, because if he can play that one-nil grinding up results that I brought every single week and week out, because the fans will turn on him very quickly, even if he gets the three points each week.

SPEAKER_02 9:26

I think I think it's I think it's an actual move, right, for Matt McKinnas. I can completely understand it, right? And I actually when I look at it like that, right? I haven't really got an issue with that. He's a Rangers fan, he's been a Rangers player, I can understand it, right? And let's not be too stupid, Rangers are still obviously uh a bigger club than Hutch, right? It might not always, you know, be that way, but it would blow his plans, right? But just now, right, they are, right? So I I can understand that, but part of me is not massively like angry with this. Like when when when I first heard the news on Saturday, I was a bit like, oh no, you're joking. McGuinness did so well last season, such an important part of the club, right? But part of me is actually thinking could it have been a kind of second season syndrome, just with the players that he was losing, Shannon going to Rangers, Europe, aye, that you know the the mentality of the club, the the the the almost the come down from last season.

SPEAKER_01 10:33

I know even actually the style of football that Jamestown on Athletics wants him to actually play with these players that for signing for him, eh? And if you look at players like Rajotha, and even that is uh I've I've no I've signed them off at the bottom, but even like to an extent Chesikov, eh? And it's like these type of players can flourish under a manager that does actually believe in attacking style of football rather than bending in and just going for position. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_02 10:59

It's just like see, but this is it, so but I'm not gonna this is what I'm saying about rewriting history, and I I'm not gonna start having a goal at McKinnis um for his style of football last season because it was a style of football, right, that oh only got us a couple of minutes away from winning the league, and there's not many managers, right, that'll get hearts to 80 points, split the old firm, have an unbeaten season at Time Castle. But you make a decent point that's valid that if if if you maybe just read a little bit between the lines based on some of the team selections, some of the players that that didn't play, and just some of the sound bites that you've maybe heard from people within the club, that there is always a feeling that McInnes is maybe not a hundred percent invested in in Jamestown in terms of having to bring these guys in and play them and cultivate them, develop them and and and sell them on. So I I I feel like the club gap has maybe been like this this might be a good time for a part in the ways, right? They might be like McInnes has done what he could, and the only way for McInnes after last season was probably down, Gap. Was probably down. It wasn't gonna challenge for the league again, I don't think, next season. Might have got to a cup final, might have won a cup, but I I just think the mentality wouldn't have been the same. I don't think his hunger would have been the same, and I I just think we got lightning in a bottle last season with the way everything happened. And the more I think about it, a new manager might be quite good to actually invigorate the team and the squad for next season. And I'm I'm actually excited to kind of see what that now looks like.

SPEAKER_01 12:44

Well, it's funny you say that because obviously we've been keeping an eye on some of the names we'd link to the job, and you see some of the names have been led to it with like that wouldn't be near a hearts job and like maybe Stephen Ace of like time or the Critchley time is actually an unbelievable way. Um the the main one, obviously, um is oh god, here we go. So you you guys are gonna laugh at me trying to attempt this like so Sebastian Pocognoli, is that right?

SPEAKER_02 13:16

Decent effort, Gab, decent effort.

SPEAKER_01 13:18

Um so he's obviously been one of the first ones to be linked to a job A, and he's also he's been at uh USG, um and he's also had like good Champions League experience as well. He's had 10 matches under his belt with like three wins, four four draws, which is not a bad risk.

SPEAKER_02 13:36

Do you know do you know what I'm thinking though, right? So this this news only kind of broke right publicly on on Saturday. Really, it was if for me, right? There was a couple of rumours, okay? It was only really Saturday, I think it hit the evening news and the standard, okay. Now, yeah, we're on Wednesday, and Hearts have already put that statement out. So we're only looking at Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, three working days, and hearts are already saying, right, that you know they've agreed compensation and they've already started out and they've already done interviews and they're already recruiting, right? So it does it does make me think that this McKinnist situation has maybe been a couple of weeks in the pipeline, and that is maybe one of the other contributing factors as to why there's been not a lot of noise from the club because there's been so so much going on. We all wanted to, we all wanted something about the investigation and then Shankland, right? So there's no way someone's just picked up the Rangers haven't just picked up the phone McKinnon's on Saturday morning, right? This has been a couple of weeks, and that's why we've been so quiet.

SPEAKER_01 14:41

I would say, like hey, even during the season when we've been top uh I've been in here for about five minutes, but I do wonder obviously.

SPEAKER_02 14:51

We never knew what was gonna happen with Danny Rawl, right? Obviously, Danny Rawl had to leave, right, for the vacancy. Now, if Rangers had randomly won the league or whatever, right, he would have stayed, and you know, McKinnis would still be at hearts or would be going to the next season with McKinnon.

SPEAKER_03 15:06

I don't think he would have because quickly I'm gonna what I was gonna what I was gonna say was uh hi guys um was that in regards to role, I don't think role would have stayed regardless because RB is like a kind of it feels like it's a kind of promotion thing because RB and the for RB Red Bull and the 49ers have got this kind of link. If you know what I mean. So I think regardless as soon as he wanted them, he was he was going. If if they'd won the league, he probably would have went anyway. And I mean if they'd won the league, he would have definitely went. So yeah, um I think this this has probably been going on for a couple of weeks. Was there not something that McKinnon had recorded an interview that Hutz have held back?

SPEAKER_02 15:56

So I I I I just I just heard that today, Andy, right? Um I think that might have been on scarves. I heard that today, right? And uh just with everything going on and the World Cup and that, obviously stuff just happening so quickly. So that was interesting as well because that was seemingly recorded a couple of days after the last day of the season, right? So that as you said, as you said on the chat yesterday, that was over a month ago now, right? So say say that been say that had been recorded, you know, the the Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, the week after, right? Parts you would you would assume would have released that maybe that week, or maybe you know, the the the week after, right? At a kind of minimum. So has it been that there's been some kind of contact or dialogue at that point, almost going back three to four weeks, right? Behind the scenes, and this is and actually, if you the more I think about it, Andy, it would explain why there's been not much communication from Hearts and there's been nothing from McInnes, you know, even prior to Shanklin going. And like Gav says, I'm not trying to sit into like like an overly suspicious here, right? You do wonder, right? We know that agents talk. I wouldn't be surprised if maybe Shanklin and McInnes maybe had a maybe had a an understanding about where the other one was potentially going to end up when it was all going on. Call me a cynic, call me a cynic, right? We know we know how we know how football works.

SPEAKER_03 17:31

Well, it doesn't need to be we don't need to be a cynic or anything like that, because McInnes would have McInnes was one of the five people aware of the the clause in Schenklin's contract for the whole season. So it's uh it's one of these, and if he's if these rumplings have been going on, and if Red Bull Salzburg have been looking at Danny Rule for a little while, then if it's sounded if it's been sent out by the way, this is all if bots and movies, but if if that is the case and it's been sended out, he's like he's not gonna try and convince Franklin to stay or anything like that. Come on, just stay here, come and come and have another tilt at it with us next season, especially if it would if there's rumblings that he could be the next Rangers manager. So I mean it is what is. I don't know what you boys have said. You obviously have opened it up uh in regards to in regards to McInnes, but like it's a bit it just feels like another kick in the nuts. Like I personally, I just feel like I've been kicked in the nuts again. I see it's 32 days ago we lost the league. 32 days.

SPEAKER_02 18:39

Well see, I I I I felt like that on on Saturday and and Sunday, Andy, right? But see, see, see, the more I've been thinking about this and and the more I'm kind of just trying to let myself go. I'm actually I'm I'm trying to kind of look at the the the positive side, right? And you know, if if you think about if you think about we know how difficult the whole second season syndrome is, right? We were talking about this. I remember you know Harts won the cup in '98, right? And then we nearly got relegated the season after, right? We were bottom of the league until the March of the season after, right? Um I remember um 05-06, we were through the season after after that. Is it's it's difficult to maintain it into a second season, right? And if McInnes has stayed with Halkett's out injured, no Benny, um uh Devlin's not resigned yet, okay. Maybe he would have stayed, but no Shankround, right? And more emphasis on Jamestown, Jamestown recruitment, Jamestown players, okay. I I I don't think McInnes would have had the same hunger to go as what he did last season. And I just don't think we would have had the same level of season. Now to flip that with him now going, it now presents an opportunity for a brand new person to come in, new ideas, a new take on it, new players, new style, new strategy, right? And I think it reinvigorates everybody. And if you get a if you get a European name, right? I know we're not going to know it, right? But you know what it's like. You get the sexy foreign coach, right, that comes in, there's an automatic, oh yes, this boy will have us playing like motherwell, right? And and there'll be a bit more excitement for for next season. So I'm looking at it like that, and I actually think we've now got more chance of success next season, right?

SPEAKER_03 20:26

Because of this right, so devil's advocate. I mean, first of all, like um that what makes me gutted is that the way that obviously McKinnon, the way that he worked with team, the way that he had them, the way that you had them going, you're right in regards to would there be a drop-off? Yeah, there probably would, because there there is there has going to be massive changes in regards to regards to player personnel and things like that. Um the one thing though is that you know that you are going to get that steal. You're going to get that somebody that understands the Scottish game. So and and the thing is how many times, how many times does a manager come in? I mean, especially for the Celtex, that these these foreign names have got a personal, they've got a playing style, they're going to come in and they're going to come and do that, and they're underestimating, they're underestimating this Scottish football. Um, and then suddenly we've we've gone back to to Neil Kickstarter, or you've got a Russell Martin or a Wolf Nancy, and it's it feels like we're going back because you're right, we are using data analytics, and we are and we we are very we're very invested, and we're probably feeling quite confident in the whole thing. But it's like like the playing staff, there is going to be managers that hit the ground running, there is managers that are going to be hits, and there's managers that are going to be misses. My biggest worry is that we go out and get someone that does underestimate Scottish football a little, because he will be he's obviously using Jamestown to identify the players that he wants, the same way that. McKinnas obviously would have said that this is what he's looking for in regards to the players. In the same way that Neil Crixley signed signed some of the players that were the ones that were successful as well. So he's going to come in and pick these players, and is he picking the right kind of players that that we are needing? Because we're needing we're needing loads. We're needing a fair bit of players for this season. And it is going to be quite a it is going to be quite a build, a rebuild, if you want to call that. So is it I think if um like I understand what you're what you're saying.

SPEAKER_02 22:37

I think if we never had Bloom in Jamestown, Andy, right, I I would I would I would I would share the kind of the bigger concern right that you've got right and if it was still just maybe Budge and McKinley, right? I think Don, it might be you know a Trixley, an Aismith, right? But because we've got Jamestown now, right, and we know that the succession planning for a replacement manager is discontinuous, right? Even when McInnes joined last season, we know that the model is already looking at potential succession, right? So the fact that we we've already identified that, right, means for me that hearts are already ahead of the curve, right? Hearts are being preemptive, and they'd be like, right, when McInnes eventually goes, who are we gonna get to come in? And this in a way, Andy, right, McGuinness was never gonna stay here, right, for his four years, right? Well, it wasn't. I thought it might be I thought it might be two years, I'll be honest. I thought we might get next year, have a difficult season, and then you know, maybe Scotland or or whatever. The hearts might have actually seen this as a chance to maybe accelerate some kind of plans, you know, from what they were originally maybe going to hold off. And this is maybe why this statement is talking about investment and recruitment and interviews already. Hearts have maybe looked at it, and this is why they've maybe not fought too hard to keep McInnes as well, because they've gone, you know what, you've done probably the short of winning the league. You know, he did probably the best that he could do, and they're probably thinking the only way with McInnes' style of football and with Rangers and Celtic, no doubt improving, the only way would probably be down for McInnes. So if you leave now, you go with our best wishes, and in year two, we're now going to the year two, and Jamestown's properly kicking in, all the Crixley legacy players are away, and it's a proper, proper Jamestown team next season. But there'll be bumps in the road at the start, mate. I think there'll be a few up and down results at the start. I agree, I agree. Well that's the thing though.

SPEAKER_03 24:40

But this is the thing though as well, is that bear in mind that James that Neil Crixley the the he used Jamestown analytics to s with Neil Crixtley and he scored high. No on it.

SPEAKER_02 24:51

Oh, but never no, no, no, no, but no, but remember though, that never actually happened that'll be I but Critsley was identified and then the number and then Crixley's numbers were ran through, so we know that there's a difference. That's not that's not happening this time. The people are getting they're getting identified by James Crown and then scored. So there is there is there is a there is a subtle there is a subtle difference there though.

SPEAKER_03 25:12

But he's obviously scored high enough to be he's obviously scored high when he was identified when his numbers were run through to get to get into the interview stage. So this is the I know I know how it worked. He applied for it, he applied for it. His name his numbers were run through. This is how this is how we identify any player. This is like like Miller.

SPEAKER_02 25:34

It was like no Christly, quitchley never popped up right on the Jamestown algorithm. And then they retrospectively ran his numbers right through Jamestown, and he and he scored reason he scored reasonably highly at that. So that this is different. Jametown will identify these managers and then not retrospectively. So I'm just saying, mate, there's a subtle difference. There is a subtle difference there. That's what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_03 25:59

But what it tells you is the same, but that you're there is a subtle difference, but he must he had a high enough score to be given the the interview to go to the interview stage to be given that job. Now, this is the thing as well, is that we could be going through these numbers and looking at these numbers, and these numbers could look good, but then it they could have the personality of Neil Kitchley when it comes to the interview, and this is where we still have to be giving them the we still have to be v vetoing it because and this is this is probably the next issue, is the person who's who's making those decisions is still Andrew McKinley. Um and so that's a little bit that that that worries you.

SPEAKER_02 26:40

It's very it's Graham Jones now, though, mate. It's Graeme Jones. So Graeme Jones is now the one that's actually making these decisions. So Graeme Jones will have more say in it. And also and I don't I don't think they will go because we've had McInnes for the year, mate, right? We we we we know that the the the hearts board will be able to see, right? That we we we've had a guy with with personality and gravitas, right, for the last 12 months. There is not a chance, right, there'll be someone like a Tritzley having the job for next season. I think I think you know that if you're being honest with yourself, it'll be someone like that. It will be someone of that that I think it'll be someone like that USG kind of I think we'll be surprised, mate. I think we'll be pleasantly surprised.

SPEAKER_03 27:26

Maybe Yeah, and this is the thing, is that like in regards to we I know that we have been we've been working on this, we we check this every three months, as far as I'm aware. Like and we we check it regularly in regards to to this. And I think that there has obviously been there has obviously been chatting this and the club have been aware of it as well, but um aye, I'm just the the bit it does worry me a little bit in regards to the going forward, and again it's probably just because it's change. Like you you've got change we've gone so far. I think it's probably one season too early. I think if we've done a second season, then it might have been it might have been a wee bit just a bit easier. Again, that's what's that five managers now and five five managers in five seasons that we've had. Um so I I think it is just uh probably the the change, like the um the change and the or the lackey the change constantly and I think maybe had Shanklin no left and I'm just feeling just a bit shit about everything, mate. I generally am, I generally am feeling shite about all um in regards to it. But again, it's done. He's now the Rangers manager, fuck him. Uh as far as I'm concerned, and we just need to we need to look forward.

SPEAKER_02 28:43

See, I'm I'm like I I I I I I get it. I honestly I I do I do I do get it. He did such an amazing job last season, right? And he helped and I'm not rewriting history because he held the changing room together and his uh his personality was amazing, mate, and he had us all he had a he had us all eaten out of his hand as well, the fans, the club on the pitch, singing the song, everything, right? But you're right, it's it's gone now. So do you not think it's interesting how hearts haven't fought that hard to keep him though, Andy? Do you not think that maybe kind of suggests you know they maybe had it in the back of their minds he was he was gonna go and they've already got the succession plan? And they're maybe thinking.

SPEAKER_03 29:26

I think like as much as what I've just said and everything else, and I'm probably contradicting myself, is I think that the club were probably delighted a wee bit that it was go it would go because we could get someone in that would be more responsive to the players. I think Kennedy already talked about it in a way that the the maybe not the style of football that he wants to play, but McInnes is very rigid about how he wanted his teams to play. And I think we got something that we all got frustrated at for the season is that he wouldn't play a right back, the any of the right backs that he had and a right winger. It was always the makeshift right back if he wanted to play a right winger or something like that, so that there was always just that little bit more defensive mindedness, and obviously it worked, like it worked for just about three minutes to the end of the season. But I think that realistically, we probably won't need they were identifying these players, your bochevinks and your altenas, and he just the kennis wasn't having it, whether it be I think there was obviously I think for the start of the season he wasn't having Borcevink at all. It was uh and obviously with Altena, he was he was using Altena, but he was using Altena in different ways. It was always uh a Stainbinder or uh a Macinty who's who he preferred to be and at right at right back. And I think that this is probably maybe why they haven't maybe we don't we also don't know what's happening behind the scenes, we don't know how hard they they they might have fought, but I don't think they've probably fought as hard as you might have as you'd think a manager that finished second in the league should deserve to be fought over, and I think they might have let them go just a wee bit more easy so that they can get someone in that might be a wee bit more of uh accepting, not really not accepting, but a bit more and understanding and progressive when it comes to these these players. There's a weak question for you. Where does it leave McPake and maybe not so much Muller, because he was signed when this might have all been happening, but where does it leave McPake who's come in? And these two boys have probably been McKinness's picks, where McInnes is like, we need these two young Scott, these two young Scottish laddies, the Willows, keep the core of the team. Where does it leave them? Because they've obviously scored high enough in Jamestown, although I think McKinnon had a wee bit more of an override. Where does it leave them in the in the grand scheme of things? And McPeak was probably sold a dream when he signed in January.

SPEAKER_02 31:56

I let I let I let Gavan start just in case he's uh not nodded off.

SPEAKER_01 32:05

But uh it's it's a funny one that, eh, because I mean we were really sort of rate potential signings, but we needed that sort of bad manager, like you say, Dickel. So that is a good question. Where does it leave him? And the question is we won't really know until we get our new manager in, really. It depends on the type of um manager that it is, if he goes for development players or if he prefers the sort of experience signings, eh? Um that's all you can really say. I mean, there's there's a good chance that we might get punted back on loan back to for our respective clubs where we came from for another season just to give him like a bit of game time, eh? Just to ease him into the squad eventually. And especially Europe being a big bigger season, it's gonna be a tough challenge for him now, eh, to be honest with you. Um I don't know. What do you think?

SPEAKER_02 32:57

Think about it this way though, Gab, right? Every single player now at hearts, right, has a complete blank canvas, right, from from which to start with, right? So the the players that okay, the kennel is gone, right? But you look at the kind of the legacy leftover players, right? But this this was the summer when that squad, even going back to Robbie, Naismith, Pritchley, this was coming up to the the last of those guys, that was their kind of last season together, right? Craig Gordon said this uh this in an interview recently, right? They were all going Janklins away, Benny, Sammy, Halkit's probably done. Do you know what I mean? All these guys, it's only really spittle, maybe kind of honestly really thingsly, maybe kind of left over, right? So they were all gonna go. So every single player, and there'll be some players, guys, despite what we think, there'll be something else going, ah, maybe he's away, right? Or maybe have a better chance, like your your Altenas, right? Your cardottas, your your Matos. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So no, so that so that no, but there you go, Gav, right? So that that's that's that's a good shout. So that's that's four players that you mentioned, Gap, right? That now we're not nobody's gonna say that they're uh they're they're they're they're they're they're they're telling, mate, but they might be decent players and they might be players right that maybe get more of a chance. And to answer your question, I think a new guy will come in with the remit of working with and developing players, and everybody will get a chance. Now, not everybody is gonna play, and it's still a big squad, so it'll it won't be until the end of August, right, that we can all do a pod and say, right, this is what the spot looks like, right? But I don't see a manager coming in and just saying, Oh, I'm gonna get rid of you, Miller, because I don't know you. He'll go in, you train in, watch what he wants, talk to the club, talk to Graham Jones, and then we'll see what happens. But we just probably won't know what that looks like until the end of the window, which is about three months away. It's still where we bet to go, you know. I I agree, I just actually I I'm I'm I'm I'm I'm really surprised. Um I I honestly was taking this quite bad. I'm actually starting to get quite enthusiastic, right, about a new manager coming in. Because I just I I I just I have a I just can't I can't get away from this feeling that next season I just think McInnes would have been a bit broken by what happened last season with the refs, the bar, the SFA, the SPFL. And I just I like the thought of somebody maybe coming in that's maybe removed from that. And and I think that's a good idea.

SPEAKER_01 35:39

I do like the idea of it being someone that's not from Scottish football, if you get me A, because it'll be some of the fresh ideas, someone that's just like who knows how to play with James Town analytic players, eh? And that's what we said earlier with Pocker Dramoly, if that's how you pronounce it. Um at being my ideal candidate for the job, especially if it's experience at USG, as someone who, you know what I mean, I think could do well in this country. Um because he's like got bags of experience, not just with hearts, but with other clubs that he's been with as well, from what I've been reading about him. And uh so I hope that the reports are right on that, but if not, then uh maybe it could be I don't know, John Terry, like other folk have been saying A, but John Terry, not a John Terry, man, no danger, like nah.

SPEAKER_03 36:31

I I I just I think if you scored higher in Jamestown, then you'd accept him, no.

SPEAKER_01 36:36

You only think you can score higher than when a full tip of anger, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_02 36:40

But that's just a I I I just I I I don't know. I I think I I I think the more I think about it, I think this is like a shot in the arm for hearts. I do I I just I just I do I just think it's hearts have maybe gone. I uh you you you made a good point, Andy. Two years would it would have been quite nice, mate. It's like a nice kind of number, eh? But two years, you know, brilliant season, maybe consolidation, maybe get third next season, I'll be running a cup, right? And you go right, thanks, McKinnon. Do you know what I mean? I I I get that, and it just maybe just manages the final transition quite nicely.

SPEAKER_01 37:14

But I think I think it's hard as for Skyf. This is what I've been thinking for a while. This is something that we just really have to just get used to. I know, yeah, turnaround and the players and management, even possibly the board as well. It's just like this is gonna be happening season upon season right now, and it's just like especially with our favourites as well. So if we get really used to players like Braga and stuff like that, and Shanglin do well, and then like you know what I mean, and then suddenly they're just taken away from us, so it's just like we just really have to accept it and just move on from it.

SPEAKER_03 37:51

It's probably to do with the fact is that we lost the way that we've lost Shankland and then we've lost McKinnac, both two Rangers, both within a month of each other, and they've both been an absolute kick in the nuts. And we've like the club captain, the team captain and the the manager. And it's probably just the way that everybody the way that everybody else is feeling. And it's probably the it is the unknown as well though, because like the last two manager appointments have probably been even before that, everybody was screaming for Derek McInnez. Like we had an idea in our head that we wanted Derek McInnes. This was the thing, and eventually the club took it on board after after fucking up boot, and then they took they got Derek McInnes, and that's where we ended up. Now nobody has a clue, really. Well there's names being picked everywhere and over.

SPEAKER_02 38:45

I've I banned the drum for McInnes for for years, mate, right? And I I was delighted when it when he got it, and they like um I uh as you know, right? And uh it's deep play for it's deep play for you know for frustrating, right? But I keep I keep saying it, mate, it was it was lightning in a bottle last season, right? Just the way everything lined up. Again, and the only way for McInnes was down that this season, right? It just it just was, right? There's just he wasn't gonna we weren't gonna you know win the league or whatever. He might have got you know a cup and everything, but it it's disappointing, mate, and uh it's frustrating, right? But imagine you're a Rangers fan though as well, right? And um, you know, you're you're talking there, and I get it, I get it, I get it sucks big time to be a jambo, right? And Rangers just come along with a show of strength and saying, Oh, we're gonna take your your best strike, or we're gonna take your manager, right? But look at it from the other side, right? This is this is Rangers, right? So Rangers are meant to be this big club in in Scotland, right? Massive club, right? You know, doing well, challenging for honours and everything, right? They've got the 49er guys here, and they spent what 40-50 million last season, right? And they're going into next season, right? With Derek McInnes, right, as their number one manager, right, with with his style of of football and with the way that that he that he he plays football. That that that doesn't that doesn't scream to me, right, that that means that Rangers are necessarily going to turn into this really, really good team. Similar to like Celtic keeping Martin O'Neill, it's kind of sh it's it's it's a bit short-termism for for me for Rangers and Celtic.

SPEAKER_03 40:29

I think Rangers, and we're not here to debate Rangers, by the way, but it's short-termism, but it's what it's probably what Rangers need. They needed someone that's gonna come in, settle their dressing room, put a bit lay foundations, and basically if he can do what he does, if he can do what that Rangers team, what he done to the Hearts team, then you're if to want to look at it, you're gonna have to f you're gonna have to finish above Rangers because it didn't be he had you had me want to run through brick wars for him. So imagine what he can do to to do to professional footballers. So this is the thing, is this is what they're wanting, and if they can lay a foundation and lay the beast, because Rangers have fucking jobbed about manager to manager, situation to situation since they came back into the league. So this is what they're this is what they're obviously trying to do.

SPEAKER_02 41:15

Andy, I know I know it's not a Rangers pod, mate, but just very uh brief question, right? Because it's just interesting with the heart's dynamic, right? If McInnes doesn't win the league at Rangers next season, right? Do you think he gets a second season at Rangers, right? And and the reason I'm just asking you is this is why it's it's it's it's such a gamble for McInnes to take when you think of the stability he could have had at hearts with everybody eating out of his hand and a Champions League kind of campaign coming up, right? He he doesn't get into his season two if they don't win the league, and then he could end up back at like Achille or someone like that. So it's a gamble, it's a gamble.

SPEAKER_03 41:55

Suppose you've already knocked them back once in your three year you kind of do it if you do it a second time, there's no guarantee you're gonna get to that third. And I I it's one of these that he's probably had to always take. Um, but aye, um let's go. Obviously, Kennedy's hosting, but let's just know, let's finish talking about him as well. Like, obviously, it is hard to see who you want. Obviously, Kennedy wants Pok uh Poccanoli. It's easy for me to say. Kennedy Flair, is there anybody you you want? Or you just the best man that gets it?

SPEAKER_02 42:26

I'll I'll I'll I'll I'll be honest, Andy. I haven't read up all the names and everything. I read a little bit um earlier today and and and yesterday about some names, right? But um I'd be lying if I said there was a you know a person that was there that I was like, oh, let's go and and get him. One one thing I would say is that I've heard uh John McGlynn's name uh being mentioned, and with respect, I know that John McGlynn isn't the John McGlynn that was at hearts back in the day, but I just don't think that would be the right fit, even when it's done well with Polkirk, right? I just I think by association and his history with the club, I just think it would go against him and they'd be on the back foot right from the start.

SPEAKER_03 43:05

Unbeaten Anishfield, remember though, so every cloud. Um but aye, um Kennedy. Anyone else or anything else you want to discuss with McInnes before we move on?

SPEAKER_01 43:19

Yeah, nothing really apart from that, to be fair. Um I'm like I haven't I haven't heard of half of his names. Some of them like obviously are a bit far fetched for 16 to 1 with like not Jose Mourinho. It would be hilarious if we did Robbie Kane just to wind up Celtic fans. He's on the hearts he's he's on the hearts manager's host list for sixteen to one. I'm not even joking.

SPEAKER_04 43:43

He's just picking over me on the bank.

SPEAKER_01 43:46

I know, I know, as well, eh? But seriously, um uh Robbie Kane would be hilarious just for the banter to wind up Celtic fans, uh imagine that he won the league and then uh but yeah, seriously bro. I I just I'm like, I do want the Pokadolo guy, but apart from that, I'm not really first. As long as I've said I probably would be against John McLean coming in. Uh just for his very very same reasons. Uh the last time he was here, I'll just be up against everybody fans that like me don't forget things. Um I think your other team won. Aye. So I it was just one of those. So yeah, uh quite happy to move on to the next topic.

SPEAKER_03 44:32

Well, what is the next topic?

SPEAKER_01 44:35

Aye, aye, aye, you're a gaffer away, so but seriously, yeah. So we're gonna talk about our next uh topic, which is who we've got in the Champions League qualifier round, which is and again by pronunciation, this is why you're sending it to me. Sturm Graz, FC, Austria team. And I said Austria before anyone, so it's funny with me. So um so I what are your thoughts on that, guys?

SPEAKER_02 45:05

Yeah, so I think um a couple of weeks ago, not quite sure how these convoluted draws are all sort of worked out like um months in advance. Hey, we knew that the draw was today, but um it was just between two teams, so we knew that it was uh Storm Graz or uh Fenner Apache. So obviously again, not trying to pretend to be uh a subject matter expert on um Austria and uh Turkish football, but um from what I read up and everything like that, I I do think that you know Graz will be the team that um we we wanted in terms of you know a chance and an opportunity to possibly get through to the the next round. And even if that, that's gonna be uh uh outrageously difficult because of everything we've actually just discussed, you know, the games in fact. I think it's five weeks tonight, actually, lads. I think we're actually five weeks on the Tuesday or Wednesday, so it's coming round quite quite quite quickly. And we're gonna have I'm gonna have a new squad, new players, hopefully our our our new set to continental manager uh in charge, and it's gonna be difficult to knit it all together. But you've probably got a chance, maybe not you know, a brilliant chance, but maybe you know 20, 30, 40 percent against Graz, especially if you you know you play the game at Team Castle, which I don't think you wouldn't, but Fennerbache would have taken us to the proverbial cleaners like so. From that point of view, it's maybe the first it's maybe the first bit of work we've had, first break we've had in the preseason. Sorry, guy, I wonder what mate.

SPEAKER_01 46:34

I just want to say I do think people shouldn't underestimate them either, eh? Because they have been a bit like fluctuating between Champions League and uh Europa League for like the last eight years or something like that for beating up on it. Um so they are a decent European team to be fair, like eh, and they're like we're like fighting for like top place in their league and stuff like that as well most seasons. So we certainly could not underestimate.

SPEAKER_02 47:00

Oh me, let's say Gap, Gap, don't get me wrong. I'm not I'm not saying for one second, right, that um hearts are gonna be even the favourites in in this game, right? And um, it would still be a massive, it'd be an amazing win if he could go through um in two games. It's just from my point of view, I think I would go into the game, obviously, especially at home. I think I would still go into it though, thinking that there is a chance, you know, the the old cliches, you know, with uh under the lights and a pack pine castle and up and at them and everything. But Fenner Bache, I just think would have been a whole different level, mate. Just we're looking at some of some of the players, some of the players that they'd got, mate. I think that would have been a proper schooling and we would have been out before kickoff, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_03 47:45

It was then some of the because some of them will be at the World Cup, right? But it's also some of the players that they were looking at getting as well, and they're just like it would have been scary, absolutely scary. Some of the players, like obviously, we know they've got in canty. I'm sure they were looking at uh I'm sure they're looking at Mo Salah as well, like Fernabacci. This was this was quite scary.

SPEAKER_02 48:13

Oh yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 48:15

But aye, like ice gratis is the it's the it's the best of the it's the best of the two. It's probably the easier, it sounds really weird, but it's probably the easier one to get to without paying an absolute fortune to get to as well, because trying to get to Turkey in July for Edinburgh or Glasgow or anywhere in the UK would be an absolute nightmare. Are you going?

SPEAKER_02 48:37

Are you going? Have you made arrangements already? Tell me you have. Tell me you have.

SPEAKER_01 48:41

I've been saying to say about the boys like everyone the boys meaning dickle and everyone else see what we're doing first, and then I'll make a decision from NA. I could get my time off.

SPEAKER_02 48:52

You must have forgotten to include me on that conversation, then Gab. That's fine then, mate. No harm done, no harm done.

SPEAKER_01 48:58

The last European U game you went to was uh in Barcelona, Murrayfield was in the age.

SPEAKER_02 49:06

So that changes everything, you know, changes the whole situation completely.

SPEAKER_03 49:10

I've already made arrangements.

SPEAKER_02 49:12

Are you going?

SPEAKER_03 49:14

Uh I have arrangements in place to go, yes.

SPEAKER_02 49:18

Oh well, you never told me, so it's a it's a one old exclusive on old castle rock, heaven Jimmy in a secret, secret flop.

SPEAKER_03 49:30

Here was the one night, so we're looking at flights earlier, and I was looking at one and it was basically Edinburgh to Graz. Well, basically a night, so you fly on the Monday, this was Monday to Wednesday, you flew in the Monday night, but the stopover was in Mallorca, so it was basically Edinburgh to Graz and staying the Monday night and we're a night out of Magaluth in between, and then obviously early doors to Graz the next day.

SPEAKER_02 49:56

Andy, are they right mate? I've I've I've had uh one of these really kind of bit busy days, mate. Have the have the the the the the legs that like the legs and the dates are are they all confirmed as well then? So what dates are you?

SPEAKER_00 50:09

Yeah, and if club has told people not to uh start planning yet until we confirm tomorrow.

SPEAKER_03 50:14

So dates are the dates are basically we're away, we'll we're away the first leg because basically that's how it works. We we'll be away first.

SPEAKER_01 50:23

It does indicate because don't you forget about what happened at Prague, we switched the legs because they were playing because uh we were in Prague, we're playing uh Tottenham at the same competition.

SPEAKER_03 50:33

So unless there's unless there's another team that suddenly turned up in Graz, built a stadium, and finished in Europe finished it in the same position as them in the league. I'm sure we're gonna be fine.

SPEAKER_00 50:45

But we've also got the stadium issue as well, is what I'm about to say, Dakota.

SPEAKER_03 50:49

And they put it out they put on their website today about 10 minutes after the draw is that the work will be completed and the game will happen in Graz.

SPEAKER_01 50:59

But could you say to Hartsley, do you want to do it the week after just to give us a wee bit more extra time?

SPEAKER_03 51:03

Because Well, basically what we're waiting on is we're waiting to work waiting if what we're waiting to find out if it's the Tuesday or the Wednesday.

SPEAKER_01 51:10

Yeah, really.

SPEAKER_03 51:13

Is what we're doing. The Tuesday of the Wednesday's day. Um but I think we're going Monday to Thursday, so it'll be fine anyway. So it is what it is. But uh it's probably the easiest. Um it's probably the easiest of the three, the two the easiest of the two teams. Obviously, we need a one and that'll guarantee us Europa League group stage football. Um, so yes, but it's a wee bit of positivity, I suppose. Um, and then another bit, obviously it's been quite a mixed day, guys, because I got up this morning what's right, two seconds.

SPEAKER_02 51:49

But uh, just so again, just with um trying to keep track, mate, of how they're qualifying is just to say so if we win and get through against Graz, that would describe what would then whatever happens in the next round, even if we lost, we're then guaranteed the Europa League groups. Did I pick that up right? Right, right, right. Thanks, mate. Right, right. All right, okay. So so that's that's a that's a massive carrot uh in in itself, then because I know that we've got a guaranteed six games anyway, but that's if we kind of just drop down through the tiers, eh? Right, mate, that's good. That's a good one. Brilliant, brilliant, right, brilliant. Yeah, good.

SPEAKER_03 52:26

We'd also take the gr we'd also take Grats's seat in as well if we get through. Oh so we we would be seated for the rest of the competition.

SPEAKER_02 52:38

We're just like a we're just like a kind of home and away playoff against Bayern Munich or somebody away from getting in the Champions League. Aye, they bother, they bother.

SPEAKER_03 52:51

It's been one of these days as well, boys, because I got up at five o'clock this morning, turned on Jordan versus Austria, looked at my phone, and seen the absolute I don't know, I don't know how best were to describe this, that Carl Nunhoff has signed for Perth Glory. I was like, what is going on?

SPEAKER_02 53:10

Before we go any further, right? How how how was the first half of Jordan the Jordan game, mate? Was it good? Did you enjoy it?

SPEAKER_03 53:17

Genuinely quite enjoyed it. I generally have quite enjoyed it.

SPEAKER_02 53:21

I'm sitting there, sitting there at five o'clock on a Wednesday morning with your corn flakes and your coffee watching watching the Jordan game.

SPEAKER_03 53:29

Knowing that I had to leave at six, I was like, this is perfect. Great.

SPEAKER_02 53:33

What's this about you, Hawk then? Tell me, what is he away?

SPEAKER_03 53:36

Is he obvious he signed on loan to he signed on loan to Perth Glory?

SPEAKER_02 53:43

Oh, what? The end of my year, the end of an era.

SPEAKER_03 53:47

Oh I'm surprised because he's played the he played the same amount of league minutes as I did last season, honestly. And it probably shows you where he he ranks in the whole Jamestown analytics that he's been allowed to leave to a rival of Melbourne victory. Uh obviously, another team that that Bloom's invested in, so he probably doesn't he isn't he rated that highly. Um he's done just about fuck all in a heart steers in the three and a half years or whatever he's been since he's been here, apart for a purple patch against Derby.

SPEAKER_02 54:21

I think he was um I I think he's been a bit unlucky with with injuries, obviously, right? I I did quite like him. I know I think when we first started the the pod, mate, I think we had a few decent banters, uh banterist debates about Moonhoff. And I do, I think he had a maybe, like you say, Andrew I think he had a to be fair to him, mate, maybe a sort of three, four months little purple patch period under Naismith, the season that we got third, right, when uh Shangland was on fire, where he was pretty good. But to be yeah, other other than that, and God, it must be over three years that he's been here for, I mean, he's been injured for about what, like a year and a half of that? Maybe I. So listen, I think there was a decent player in there. He was he was defensive and he could attack and take it forward. He's he scored a couple of good finishes from from what I can remember, but uh nah, a fair fair play to him, it's never gonna work out, so you know, uh upwards and onwards for him. Interesting, he did start the season though. I remember he was playing in the uh the League Cup group stages and then got another phantom injury against uh Sunderland the pre-season never heard of again, but a pre-season never heard of again.

SPEAKER_03 55:34

Somebody in this podcast tipped him to be the most improved uh for last season for last season, so I. Uh Kennedy, anything on Kyle the poor Callum New and Hoff before we finish up.

SPEAKER_01 55:45

I actually mentioned it this morning in our chat, but Gaff obviously missed it when I said uh is anyone on Dickle watch because uh Hoff is uh signed on loan on loan to someone, so uh I did I did see that, I did see that, mate.

SPEAKER_02 55:59

I was catching up at lunchtime and I and I seen that I just won't check it yet. Um I'm really I'm looking forward to reading this heart statement, by the way, because I keep going back. I know it was at the start of the podcast, but that's Andy, Andy. Have you read it yet?

SPEAKER_03 56:13

I've I've skimmed over it, but they've basically when you know when you look at it, right? They've obviously looked at it, read it, somebody's went, change this, added extra bits in and no change the font on it.

SPEAKER_02 56:25

I'm just I'm just quite I mean I I I know I know what like we talked about earlier, mate, but it's just some of the some of the way it's worded is quite interesting how we talk about no individual being bigger than the club and we're already on the way to do this, and they mention investment and everything. It's uh it's quite uh it's it's quite an up and atom statement from Hart. So that's fair play, fair play.

SPEAKER_03 56:48

Absolutely. So yeah, they've changed the font on it, it's all matching now. So they've obviously uh they've obviously been updated on that, but yeah.

SPEAKER_02 56:57

Well that's good to know that the font's been changed, mate. I was gonna do it.

SPEAKER_03 57:00

Are we bit a bit of professionalism? Like we'll finish up then, right? With tomorrow uh on as we as we do this on the Thursday, we're recording this on Wednesday. When's the Christmas time?

unknown 57:16

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 57:21

Um doubt we'll get Celtic uh away the first time.

SPEAKER_03 57:26

Is it Rangers Rangers at Rangers at Tynecastle or Celtic or Celtic at Park 10?

SPEAKER_01 57:33

Because it wants us to do it because it wants us to do the guard of honor for them.

SPEAKER_00 57:37

That's what it'll be. How does it?

SPEAKER_03 57:42

And Boone fine, every hearts player that uh that done the guard of honour for them. Any of them should be, but I'm sure that Eddie Celtic might be asked to to open up on the Monday night. As well. I don't know what this I don't know if it's to do with the Commonwealth Games or something like that. I I caught a headline when I was looking on Twitter earlier.

SPEAKER_02 58:02

Um who gets the most um the most abuse next season at Town Castle guys, Celtic or Rangers when they come for the first game.

SPEAKER_01 58:14

Oh yeah, oh Oliver has always got a Vader.

SPEAKER_02 58:18

Does it mean not a bit like just based on Celtic winning it? Martin O'Neill, the VAR, the pictures with the hands above the heads, or Rangers going McKinnon's and Shanghai. I'm a little bit, I can't I can't quite work out which one is gonna get the wrath more than the other. Equal, equally, equal, equal wrath, equal wrath.

SPEAKER_01 58:38

There's Rubers inside Chisw as well, there to do the the sash at halftime as well.

SPEAKER_02 58:43

Very good, mate. Very good.

SPEAKER_03 58:45

And Kennedy's going to host our podcast as well. But uh we just think in in all seriousness, uh no be Rangers and Celtic, I'll not give us them first. Who do you think we'll get first?

SPEAKER_02 58:59

I would I would not be surprised to get Celtic away. Gav's right, like they're just the way that they are. They're like, oh, how can we when we've ruined hearts this entire summer? How can we annoy them even more? Oh I know, fixtures, Celtic away. There you go, lads. Honestly, telling you, telling you.

SPEAKER_01 59:18

Yeah, I just can't see it being anyone else, to be honest, Dave. That's the syny wave of the summer that we've had, like Gav says it's just gonna be kicking the balls after kicking the balls, eh? It's like as they call it a meltdown. But we just call it being a hearts fan, eh? You know what I mean? We're used to it, so get over it.

SPEAKER_02 59:34

Well, the first time. And it probably will be uh probably will be an away game as well, because we started last season at tiny. Um I'll be honest though, lads. I'm not 100% sure it always works.

SPEAKER_01 59:44

Well, that Aberdeen home game and the worst weather in Scotland uh for a whole entire summer on a Monday night, and train's got chances and everything.

SPEAKER_02 59:52

We all came in Castle that night, though. No, no, there was a league challenge, Brewing, it was all good, it was all good.

SPEAKER_03 59:58

Technically, it should be all year to start at home because the year before we started at home as well, because but we had to play basically we got switched out because of Oasis.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:09

That's right.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:11

So that probably will be away, St. Johnston away. Well be St Johnston's flag day. That's who um so that's where I would be. We always seem to get St. Johnston in the first game of the season. We always get that's quite a regular one.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:27

Um I just hope it's not a Sunday, but we'll see.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:34

I'm already guys, this is this is one of these moments, right, in the season that's always quite exciting, even though Scottish football is so boring, so dull, and so monotonous, and you play the same teams, right? See when you pick up the and you look at the group chat, right? And someone's put the pictures up, right? And someone goes like that, fucking derby on a Tuesday night, fuck off, and then somebody else was like, Oh yes, Friday, Friday afternoon, Christmas Derby, banter. And someone else is like, Yeah, kettles, you're joking. Someone's like, I've seen the three away games in a row at Christmas time, or what? Oh, Ross County away on New Year's Eve, what's going on? Ah, it's all good, like it's all good.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:16

I was gonna say, when is Christmas? It's the same day every year, but Christmas Christmas is a Friday this year, so Boxing Day is a Saturday.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:24

Oh, there'll be games, could there'll be a round of fixtures then, all good, all good.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:28

This year where they had they didn't play boxing day, everybody played on the Saturday Saturday.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:34

There's your Derby, there's your Derby right there, and they have Boxing Day on that Saturday.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:39

Yeah, I think so. Um probably Sunday the 27th at Time Castle because we got Easter Road first. Um, but aye, it'll be quite funny funny to see how this goes. Obviously, we should find out tomorrow when we're European fixtures. Um will be. Is there any anything else?

SPEAKER_02 1:02:02

You can check, you can check. You've got some refund conditions on your tickets that you booked as well, mate, just to be on the safe side.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:08

Oh, I'll I'll miss I'll miss both games and have a nice few days in Austria, you got a hot pass anyway after last year, weight or five, so I know exactly.

SPEAKER_03 1:02:20

Um so aye, anything else, lads, before we we go, Kennedy can take it away.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:26

No, no, so fine we got.

SPEAKER_02 1:02:31

I just uh uh go on the Croatia.

SPEAKER_03 1:02:34

Yeah, absolutely. So let you take us away.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:37

Okay, so yeah, I'm trying to avoid it because I hate doing my goodbyes. So yeah. Um thanks again for listening to us as usual, everyone. Uh so hopefully this is my one of uh least negative thoughts that we've been doing this year because of obviously the announcement tonight with Vicidis. But we're gonna kick on from here and actually enjoy the rest of our summer finally. So um, as always, we do big on mental health, and so you just want to say please reach out to someone if you need to talk to anyone. Um, it's always hard at this time of year in the summer when things are like gonna be quiet and you've not much to do, and to see who have you spoke to during the season that you haven't spoken to now, just maybe give away message, say you want to go for a drink and have a chat, you know, stuff like that, things like that can really make a difference to someone's mental health. And if it's really important, eh? So and if you're struggling alone, please speak up. Mention to anyone you can, but even like if you can get in contact on the social media with anyone, just like saying what's bothering you. It's really important just to open up the doors and stuff. So and as always, thanks for listening to us as usual. Um, you can get us as another stream sites. Uh Dickle knows it better than me because I'm out of touch when it comes to social media. I still like people on the MSNM Messenger from back in the day. So um aye, uh thanks for joining us, and it's uh bonjour as usual for me.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:05

It's a bad for me. I'm going to collapse for me.