Old Castle Rock
Andy Gav K aand Gav F are here...
To discuss everything that's happening on Gorgie Road. It's been a tough start to the season so what has went wrong
Old Castle Rock
A Strum Start
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
Andy and Kennedy are back for Old Castle Rock Season 2.
Its been a while but the lads recap the transfers in and out
Craig Gordon retirement
Pre Season Friendlies
and Strum Graz Away
If you’re going through a dip in form, feeling the pressure, or carrying something heavy, there are places you can turn to. Andy’s Man Club offers a space where men can talk openly, honestly, and without judgement. Breathing Space is there when you need someone to listen during difficult moments. And Samaritans are available any time, day or night, when you need a calm, supportive voice.
Reaching out isn’t weakness — it’s the same strength it takes to step back onto the pitch after a hard match. Support is there, and you deserve it.
Facebook : Old Castle Rock Podcast
X : @OldCastleRckPod
Instagram: oldcastlerockpod
Bluesky: oldcastlerockpod.bsky.social
Threads: oldcastlerockpod
Hello and welcome to the Old Castle Rock podcast. I should say welcome back. It is season two. We're beginning today. It is a little bit later. It's great to have everyone with us again. This is the place where we are going to talk everything Heart and Dove and the moment that Wispberry Fort to Pine Castle, the ones that test your patience, the history of the stories, and everything that happens around the club. We're kicking off this season with some great company. It is just me and Gavin Kennedy. How are we doing?
SPEAKER_02I'm good, mate. Hi. How are you yourself? And uh hope you had fun while you were away with uh jabos. That's me. Besides the result, it's fucking usual.
SPEAKER_00Aye, well to be fair, it's one of these things, isn't it? This was before we even started. Um getting there was a seemed like a bit of a hassle, and getting back was even worse. So on the way there, my flight was delayed in Glasgow Airport to Milan. We we landed in Milan. We had it was going to be tight on what time we needed to get to the plane, but they took us through like x-ray scanners and then a passport control. Now there was a massive line of gambles, as you can imagine, and they took their time. And I think I was the last person to get on the plane from that group because we were at one end of the airport and we had to get to the very far end of the airport. And by the time we I got there, the woman was adamant she was closing this down. And she was like, This is done, we are done. And I was like, Come on, there's a couple, there's a couple more people coming, and you're again shouting for them to get through, try to take as long as I can. And the five of us in our group all got on the plane, and then that was it. We took off, and they must have left a good number stuck in Milan Airport. Um, and from what I heard, it seemed a bit of a bollock to get from Milan to Graz that involved an overnight train to Bologna. Um, so and at that point I was thinking we've got a wee bit smaller while we've made that, that's our travel issues done. We've got the air train down to Vienna down to Gratz, not an issue. Coming back, we were in Vienna Airport on the Thursday, and we seen that our plane was delayed for an hour and a half. The problem was is we're gonna have an hour and a half in Copenhagen, so we had to then rebook flights from Copenhagen, and you're skipping you're kind of hoping though that like the plane to Edinburgh, Copenhagen to Edinburgh would be delayed. You're thinking, oh, it'll be even a half hour that might give us enough time to get in and then onto that plane and away. That never happened, not a chance. Um basically, we had to book that obviously booked that flight, um, and it meant that we were in Copenhagen, and rather than taking off at five o'clock, um, we took off at twenty past five, we took off at twenty past eleven. So, yes, it felt like a pet of all we did go back into Copenhagen, had a nice wee wander around Copenhagen in the sunshine and the warmth uh for the last time that I was there. So I'll leave it extra, but uh uh by the time you're getting on the plane and come home, you're just like just get me home. But what I would say the trip was really good. I really enjoyed everything else in between. Um being in Mall and Malone on the Monday, when you're on the Tuesday, and the square and all day on the two on the Tuesday as well. So yeah, I really enjoyed that. Uh the game of fatball will definitely come to that as well. How's your pre well pre-season been anyway? How's your how are you? How's things for yourself?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, good. I'll be honest, mate. I haven't been to uh one single game, unsadly, even though even had one in Fife uh due to issues of my car, unfortunately. Um so I've uh uh been pying most of uh for games, but I am uh despite what happened last week, I am actually looking forward to tomorrow as we get into later, obviously. Um so I and I'm still swerving about going to Aberdeen. I know someone that's got potentially a spare. It's just a thought of a travel bag that's what's putting me off.
SPEAKER_00Ah, okay. Aye, fair enough. Um Gavin Fleming is on holiday, so that is why he is missing us this week. Um, and we'll probably do one later on in the week with predictions as well, but we'll come back onto that later on. So let's get out of round up then, because we've we've kind of have we've kind of done one and then disappeared for a bit. So we'll we'll go through there first. So there has obviously been quite a lot of in ingoing sorry, incomings and outgoings. Um so we have had players in. Um, and if I've missed any, Jeff, you can certainly uh advise me. So we've had uh Maliki Feagan Wilcott, Sabri Gwendries, Lauren Mendy, Amadou Bassi, Bue Royce, Josh McPake, Tom Munow, Calvin Miller, MJ Camsen Kimara, Stuart Finley and Rogers Mato have signed permanently, and young laddie call McDaly. Have I missed any incoming there?
SPEAKER_02Oh, that's all of it from what I can see, aye, definitely. But Bendy being the most recent one from big outfit, aye, aye.
SPEAKER_00Um and then obviously the ones that have left Warren Shankland, Camille Devlin, Alan Allen Forest, Frankie Kent, Michael Steinwinder, Islam Chesnikov, Wiz Nielsen, Carol Nunhoff, Kenneth Fergas are on loan, Harry Stone's on loan, Liam McFarlane's on loan, Benny Boningame left, Macaulay Tate went to St. Johnston, Swallow is leaving, he will be away by Saturday, and the one and the only Craig Gordon has retired. So uh first and foremost, Gaff, what's your thoughts on the transfers? Then obviously, not yeah, even you've not seen them in the flesh, but any of the the new players that have come in?
SPEAKER_02Um I like it the sort of read on from what I've been hearing about him, especially the games against Livershield, etc. Um, he's very decent. I've heard mixed reviews about Bassi. Um I don't know if some of my mates have been maybe a bit harsh of him, uh, like he were a Cabory at the start. Still are. But yeah, he's like he's one of these players that can be a bit of a miss or a hit sort of type strikers. Um struggled for a wee bit, but once he got his goal, he seemed to settle a wee bit. So um hopefully his fitness will come in time. Um woke up is looking like a pretty solid right setup uh defender, you know what I mean? Um happy with that side of it. I'd be interested to see what happens about Bake and uh Miller with uh without the rat here anymore uh to see how much game time they actually get. Um but apart from that, I'm generally quite happy with uh the incoming so far. I would still like to see another forward. Um probably not gonna happen unless we get offers for the Magic 2 up front. Uh because he brought it. Um I do want to see an actual maybe potentially another winger as well. Um I know we've got Hudders, eh?
SPEAKER_00But I would winners.
SPEAKER_02Maybe on the left hand side for Kizzy, if you don't give him a bit more potential competition, eh, like in terms of like pushing for his place, sort of thing, eh? Because I don't know if that's happens. Probably he's not got anyone to sort of compete with that. I know we've got besides there, but whether they actually come good enough to actually chase him for his actual spot of the team is a two different things, eh?
SPEAKER_00But yeah, I don't know. Yeah, no. I quite like um to be honest, I quite like I like the look of Reno. Um you're still here, eh?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah, I can hear you.
SPEAKER_00I just heard a noise in the butt I just popped, sorry, right? Yes, um, so yeah, um I like Reno. I quite like uh Gwendos when he came on against Rio Valitano. Um be honest, we'll come on to Stone Gratz away. I'm trying not to like uh Basi as well. Obviously, Basi's had a quite a difficult summer um because he's he hasn't been well, he's lost, he has lost a wee bit of weight, and he's obviously still getting back to to peak fitness as well. Yeah, um, so yeah, I mean it's it's gonna be interesting how it's gonna be, Mark. If you go walk out, if you want to be okay uh so far, it's quite difficult because you've only played one put one proper game. Um, and again, when you left on the Friday against Rio Vallicano, you thought, oh, these boys look really really good, and you got a wee awakening and you play the the proper game, and obviously the three testimonials are really hard um to to actually gauge anything because they're obviously a testimonial and they're they're sprinkled, they're sprinkled obviously with with that as well. In regards to the outgoings, Gab, um is Sankland only one of those outgoings that you probably are quite upset that's left.
SPEAKER_02Um no, I would have I would throw in Craig Gordon there as well. Right.
SPEAKER_00I'm gonna come and get Craig Gordon's separate, I was gonna give him separately, sorry.
SPEAKER_02Um I wasn't even that never really that first of our Devlin, to be fair. I mean, I thought he was a grafter and a great but a good great servant for us, but he wasn't the B all of Endo players, if you know what I mean. So I think we can move on from him, especially uh what we seen from last season. Uh you know what I mean. Uh so it's not really too surprised. I'm not bored about fragile head, to be fair. I think he's had his time with us, uh, for his protection in a wage fee for a year.
SPEAKER_00Did you see the thing? Did you see the thing about uh about Kent that he went and he got injured straight away?
SPEAKER_02No, I didn't see that. No, that doesn't surprise me to be fairly okay.
SPEAKER_00So got basically got an ACL injuries and DC any.
SPEAKER_02See, if that was us, people would be going nuts about uh recording again. So that's quite funny, like, to be fair, not funny, like, you know what I mean, but you know what I mean.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Um Benny again, that's another one. He's just so he was just so injury pro to tell him as well. It's like you get a good maybe three or four buds without any problems, and then suddenly he would just be like hardly ever saying stuff like that, eh? So he was never gonna live up to that full potential, unfortunately. Um so I and Swallow, I'm not bothered about Eva. He he was good for us last season, but was he good for us because he made the defense settle for that good long period of time, and that's what made him better in a lot of fans' eyes than what Hartz fans actually think he is. I don't know whether it's maybe a bit harsh to him, but there was occasions when he did make mistakes, but you will make mistakes if you play, but they could have been avoided at the same time. Example commodity, you know what I mean? So and it's things like that, but margins like that that cost you leagues, eh? Uh not been hard because it wasn't all his fault, but you know what I mean.
SPEAKER_00Well, this is the thing, I've never I think anybody that has listened to this every week has has known that I have not been sold on him for most of the season. Um and to be fair, when you when you watch, when you when you come on, it will come on to it, obviously. Um he didn't have his finest hour, I don't think, against um against Steam Gratz either. And I think that is that was definitely definitely better. I think that he's came in, he came in last season and he was okay at times. I think he got away on his debut at um at Ibrox when he basically let the ball go in and threw it in. Obviously, we're talking about the when he parries it right to the the Kelly boy. Uh and again, you go for fine margins and he has made he has made saves and he has been better with distribution than what we've had. So aye, it has been better with that, Kegel, but Kegel has never ever the best at distribution. But the only goalkeeping performance we're really talking about from last season was that safe for Kig and Dundee when he gets himself sent off. So um yeah, um I think there is definitely bigger and better out there than uh Alexander School.
SPEAKER_02And as well, you feel like as well, as far away, is like he left us because of personal reasons and he's went more closer to home rather than Cabin Devlin, who just went to Rangers simply because of the money. And he can't say it's not because of the money, because you know I mean it's I know his girlfriend was pregnant all that, but that's Johnson's hey, he could have he he was made a good offer at Hearts as well, eh? And like uh that just doesn't set well be at all. He's got no affiliation with Rangers whatsoever, eh? So it's like he could have said at us, he really could have uh yeah.
SPEAKER_00Well he could he could have stayed, he told Hearts he was staying, um, and then didn't come back to Hearts and used that time to go to to get a deal for a good deal for Rangers. So, yes, fuck um as for Bevliner again he's the water carrier, isn't he? He's he'll chase the ball about his technical his technical abilities that overlook uh over the overlooks because of the heart and the aggression that he shows when he's chasing balls down. Um and but some of the times when he's chasing the ball down and wins it back, he's the one that's giving it away. Um and I've told I've told a few Rangers from that that I've spoken to is like I don't see him seeing Christmas out um at Ibrox because I he's not the kind of player that Rangers need when I just have 90% of the possession, and that's what happens when we were playing because you have Benny and Devlin, you have Gary and Devlin in the middle. Um the two of them are in the middle of the park. And then when you're when you're trying to when you've got possession all the time, they're not the midfielders that you want on the ball, you're wanting attacking midfielders on the ball. And I think that that's where we I think that that's where we might benefit when we've got players that want to take the ball forward. Because again, if you're picking, if you're when Leonard come in, he looked a better option with the ball at his feet than what than what Devlin did. The only thing he didn't chase the ball down is he doesn't chase it the way that Devlin chased it. Um and again, if you want to hit Benny or Devlin, you pick you would have picked Benny every time, but again, injuries just like put Benny down, unfortunately. And he's obviously out with out with a club, and you'll find a club, but it's going to be difficult for him because his injuries and his injury list and everything else is certainly something that has a is going to keep him back, I would imagine, um, from finding that new club. And again, obviously young ladies Stone and McFarlane, they need to go out and play games, especially when you've got all these goalkeepers because we still have Fulton and Xander Clark, and we still have uh obviously Blue Royce in there as well. Um so we obviously we mentioned Craig Gordon. Um we've done a podcast on Craig Gordon this time last season, if you remember. Yeah, and it was his testimonial. Um again, I I didn't go back, I've not been back and listened to it to talk about everything. But what's your what's your Craig Gordon memory for everything that he's done for hearts? What is his what's the what's your biggest memory? And you can think of it. What is your Kay Gordon safe?
SPEAKER_02It's a it's a funny one, eh? Because like we got obviously the Scottish Cup final, Gretna, uh when we got that as far as that sort of like major trophy for away. Um for me that season it was that save an um Aberdeen game when we got the second spot. Um I thought he was probably that game. It's just so winning. It's like, hey, it's like if it saves that he does. Um, it's just random ones against Motherwell, or there's random ones against Camaro, where he just went to bottom left corner and even Dundee at the season and when Swallow was uh stupidly set off. And he actually did that wonder save at the last minute and stuff like that. People said, Oh, but it it wasn't as good as you're waking out, and that it was because that was a typical Jordan S save, you know what I mean? So it's just so many mate that you could actually uh like put on that to be fair, you know what I mean?
SPEAKER_00So Mind is the one I'll never forget is the one at Easter Wood. So it was they went to work very early, though. I'm sure they were two and all up by the time you get in got to my seat, just to be how shy it is to get you in it. And we went obviously we got ourselves back, and the sea gets himself gets himself sent off, or I think he made the flea and Miko gets himself sent off, and it's two all the leach still one that scores twice, and Rob Jones has his header right at the very end, and he makes that save. But again, you know, it's the kind of save he made. I mean, I remember they made one at um Livingston after he obviously comes back, he's getting older, he's still he's still making the saves. He made one at Livingston tips on to post as well. I mean, it is absolutely it's absolutely frightening. I think I think for the dressing room as well, I think it's going to be quite a big miss. Um, because I think as a club, I think we are missing that leadership. Shankin's obviously left and as well. So yeah, again, we joked about uh it was on before when we started doing this. It's like Franklin's no captain, Craig Gordon's captain, because he's obviously the club captain, and the leadership, regardless of what happens, but now obviously there is a Shankman leave in Gordon retires. There's a there's that little bit of leadership, but a little bit of leadership vacuum, maybe within that, because there is more there's more that consistency. I think that might that might show a little bit. Obviously, goalkeepers aren't always great captains, mind you. So it is it it's probably what a bit of this, bit of that. But I think sometimes over the years, knowing him as knowing that, knowing him in the way that he was, uh, would certainly would certainly settle most of the defences. And I'm also quite glad that our last memories of him isn't the Crixley season.
SPEAKER_02No, thank God.
SPEAKER_00Because he was horrible at times. He was, but so was uh you know, but so was Crixley, so was the whole team. And that's the thing is that the what's the the thing is we talked about Huddy's testimonial and he had that save against um that save against Dundee. So the last things we're talking about now are the saves that he made against Dundee. They're talking about that he was involved with Scotland when they qualified to go to the World Cup. Steve Clark fucked him over by taking him to the World Cup and no playing him because he basically begged them to stay to come to the World Cup and then just didn't play them. So, yes, I mean I think that for him it's been better that he's left now. I mean, when you've seen that video, you're crying at 10 o'clock in the morning. Um you're like, oh honestly, it just pulled at heart strings that that Craig Gordon video. Um, but yeah, I mean that's the thing with Craig, and he certainly deserves that. I actually might go back and if you go back through our black catalogue, you will find uh Craig Gordon podcast that we recorded just prior to his testimonial last year. Give that a wee listen. Um, where we the three years go into a little bit more depth than what we went through just now. Um so yeah. Um, anything else you want to add on about Big Craig?
SPEAKER_02Uh, just like what you said, he is going to be a huge risk to the dress route, not only with like uh first team, but obviously VFU players as well, eh? Because he's just been around for that long and he's helped somebody come through, eh? Especially with like goalkeepers and stuff like that, eh? Um so um it's a shame that they weren't able to maybe keep it on for like a coach or anything like that, but obviously that wasn't his I don't think he w I don't think he wants to know what he wants to do.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think this is the thing. I don't think he wants to be a goalkeeping coach. I think he wants to be a normal coach.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. So I mean that's got the experience to do it, to be fair. Um but it's all does it the right way, if you know what I mean, isn't like um like work his way up from the grassroots, rather that's he just you know what I mean, do it here sort of thing.
SPEAKER_00Um I think I think it'd be better for him if he went somewhere maybe and done it a bit somewhere else rather than just stepping in and not having any pressure of him being associated with anything that that's happening, nothing against like the way that the way that Brankin obviously does things, but I can't imagine Craig Dobbins very good at teaching people at teaching them about distribution that bought his feet as a goalkeeper. So um there was certainly but there was certainly things that he would be able to teach that, and I'd imagine that Harry Stone and Leo McFarlane, Xander Clark, Ryan Fulton have learned lots being been around him over the last few years as well. So it's uh it's certainly it's going to be a miss just him not being at the club, Gav, uh to be honest. But again, we we do we do move on, um and we will move on, um, and we'll talk about pre season. So talk me through everything that you've seen at pre season, Mr. Kennedy, because the loyal hearts fan that you are. How all the matches, how are all the matches that you've been to?
SPEAKER_02That's what I've said, I've been to absolutely so I uh I've seen the highlights of the goals, um, especially I've seen the living. Ago, so they were like absolutely dreadfully defended. Um seed they want as a good sort of growth, but it was like very sort of like good attacking on the wide width and stuff like that, and making use of the assists and stuff. So that was interesting to see the Ryo Valencano, is that how you pronounce them?
SPEAKER_00Um real Valicano.
SPEAKER_02We played really well against him, and particularly in the first half, I believe.
SPEAKER_00Uh yeah, so what was that mean?
SPEAKER_02Just said I was we were promising uh to how we were playing against him in the first half, which gives me slight hope for tomorrow as we're getting a bit later on, you know what I mean? Um but uh in the Rafe Rovers game on uh Friday, I've heard it was an absolute store fest. Although that was coming from my actual Rafe Rovers supporting Fred, so I don't know if he's just like a bit better, but uh no, probably not.
SPEAKER_00So anybody that doesn't know obviously we have played uh few friendlies now. We flew all the way to Spain to play a team from Paisley, so we played uh St. Burren and won that one three-one. We obviously came back to Scott Pittman's testimonial, um and we got beat 2-1 through Livingston. We then went to Colin Hamilton's testimonial with our growth, won that 2-1. We then welcomed Europa Conference League semi-finalist Rio Villacano at Tynecastle, and we won that one 2-1. And then basovers we played Friday night, um, and that was another testimonial, I think. Um, and then we won that one one now. So, yeah, um I think it's always difficult to to arrange and to gauge things in regards to performances within Friendies. Um, I think Livingston certainly proved that as well, but I thought that they were maybe when it comes to fitness-wise, maybe just a little bit more in front of us as we were going through the cup, you're you're building your building your fitness up, and you could see a marked improvement definitely when by the time that Rio Vallicano appeared in town, but I think that Rio Vallicano, whereas we started with a team made changes, and I'd argue that we probably got weaker at times when with those changes, yeah. Um they I think they strengthened as the game went on as well. Um so they their changes seemed to get I felt like they were getting stronger as the game went on, and we were getting just that little bit that little bit weaker. Obviously, we brought Standa came on at half time, and so did Mato, but none we only lasted 20 minutes. Um I'm actually going to get the team, which is gonna be two seconds, um, in regards to the the Vallicano game. Um but it's uh where are we? What date was that, Gavin Kennedy?
SPEAKER_02I don't get bad.
SPEAKER_00It was Friday the 17th, there we are. So the line-ups were not what I was looking for, so ignore me. Um but let's have a little look. This is great podcasting, everybody. I'm well aware of this, but um because obviously Swallow started, and that was like it'd just been announced that Swallow was leaving, um and we had signed Royce, so it was quite uh uh it was quite interesting that he was uh that he was going to start uh that game. Um right, here we are. So was Swallow, Borch, Kingsley, Mackintee, Bragar, Renault, McPate, Finley, Campson, Kimara for Jot and Blashi. Um to be honest, that I thought that's probably one of the stronger teams. Maybe you're taking maybe a a miln, a mil in there for Kingsley. Um I think McIntyre obviously uh he played centre half. Um I'm talking about centre mid really no. Um T played centre half at Livingston, I'm just getting them all mixed up. But I mean that's uh it was a very, very strong team. Um I don't think McPeak was too bad. Um obviously, but then we made this we made the subs at half time, and then we obviously Mattle and Dand only played 20 minutes, and he brings on Kizzy and Spittle as well. So yeah, I think we I felt like we certainly got that little bit weaker when we made some of those subs. Although I was impressed with Gwendus uh on that that night as well. I thought he offered stuff, I thought he looked lively, and you could see that he could he'd be one that could maybe play in the 10 as well if you're playing a 4-2-3-1. So he'd he'd be quite good in the 10 behind a a Basi or a Bragg or a or a Kabori, I think. Um so that would certainly for me would be uh it's certain a lot of positives for that, and everything I've heard as well was that Raceovers was certainly a snowfest. You're right, and it wasn't a great seemed that was a lot of um a lot of passing, a lot of like style and things like that with no real substance, and a lot of passiveness as well. So again, it is a new manager though, um, and that's the the thing I think we all need to remember. It isn't a new manager um who's still trying to trying to put his the way that he wants to play on this team. Um so yeah, that's where I am. Uh that's where I am with the friendlies. Anything that you want to add on that as well? What's that?
SPEAKER_02Yeah, so he went to one of the games, uh, yeah. So uh sadly. Um yeah. But I mean, I I watched like a wee bit of the first half of the old broke game, and I thought we played really well in that. And as he was just like we dominate possession sort of thing, and he would, like I said, what if I see the highlights from one of a royal game would be done sort of similar to that too. So I mean it seems to be like our possession is sort of like the main thing to look at when you're looking at a Rankins team, and uh like that would sort of dictate how we play. Um so it's whether we're gonna be not out of possession possession, uh it's gonna be a test to see how good we can actually be off the ball.
SPEAKER_00Um so yeah, yeah, we're we're certainly going to come to that, don't you worry, um, in about two minutes. But yeah, I mean, I always think that we it always feels to me that friendly it with pre-season that because the way the lead cup starts, we it feels that if you go into Europe, you don't get the same amount of building yourself up. So because you are only playing fright, you're only playing a selected number of friendlies, and a lot of the teams around you like a dumb firm one, okay. We played breathovers on a Friday, but um and had a few injuries if I got got Yeah, but what I meant was is that you weren't playing you weren't playing other maybe other Scottish teams or anything like that because they've got those cut as well. So that this is the thing is that it's harder to get those to get those friendlies um at times, especially because I probably would have liked to play another friendly before we went to went over to exact. Um and we did obviously we played St Murin and we played uh Livingston, they were nine days apart. A friendly right in the middle of that would maybe feel just that little bit better because fit friendlies are just all about fitness, it's about getting minutes in the legs. It doesn't matter really what the results are, as much as we're trying about beating Rather Varcano, it doesn't really matter because it is about getting that minutes in the legs, but again, it's trying to find teams that would that you can play that have got scheduled, that I've got a free schedule or something to build that up as well. Although although I did hear allegedly that we might were meant to play River Plate uh over there, but uh when it was first announced that the manager at the time didn't want to to play game or something. So um it is I mean that is what is really um he's decided to play water polo instead, it's just saying what was that? What was that?
SPEAKER_02Apparently we just wanted to play uh water polo instead.
SPEAKER_00So well no, uh we've we're we're past that. We're past playing water polo and having drinks, just sitting in the bar all the time. Um that year that we went to Tenerife. Um but yeah, I mean that's where that for me that's uh probably wrap that up here because we're all uh again that's our friendies are done now. We've played all Friendies that are games that mean it mean everything. Um and so one of the final bit of news obviously is the league cups all happened, and we have got Inverness at home on either the 15th or the 16th of uh August. That probably will be the 16th, I'll be imagining, because the way that our European future looks, um we'll be in the Europa League uh playoffs, and that means we'll be on the Thursday, which means it will be Kennedy on the Saturday, which means it will be the Sunday, the the 16th of August, unless miracles happen. So, yeah, I'm at Wedding on the 15th anyway, so that kind of suits me. Uh to be honest. I know that Kennedy will just sit in the house and watch on the telly, hopefully.
SPEAKER_02Uh because he's about 50th and uh Bobrowell uh for a night out on the 15th as well, so I'd doubt it state if we go into the game late.
SPEAKER_00So there you go, uh there you go. He's not been to a game all season and he's trying to he's trying to dictate dictate. What's that?
SPEAKER_02I haven't missed it already.
SPEAKER_00Ah, look at you. Well better if Liverpool were playing there. Um so aye, um right. Shall we? Shall we? We've talked long enough. Grats away, Oly, Oly, Oly, Mr. Kennedy.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_02So so how do you want to start? How do you want to start?
SPEAKER_00So that was the let's let's go through the team because that was an absolute for me. I felt it was a I wasn't happy with the team. Okay. Um, so the team line up was Swallow, Watch, Reagan Walcott, McCartney, Mound, Spittle, Mackenzie, Miller, Bragar, Kizzy, Kabore. Okay. Um, what was your thoughts on the initial team, Mr. Kennedy?
SPEAKER_02The only thing I would say is that there's two I wouldn't have in there. And at the time when I saw the team not actually after the results happened and all that, you know what I mean? When I first looked at it, my my picks not in the team would actually be Gabori as a spell.
SPEAKER_01Right.
SPEAKER_02Um, but at the same time, I can see why he's picked the team as it is, because he's more went for foods fit enough. He thinks he can handle the pleasures away from home. And sort of all these things put together. So I can see why he's wet to that pick, to be fair. Um, as obviously that uh everyone but worries we was born, but at the same time, I was delighted to see a right black play for a right back, and all people have uh reviews on it. Uh but I just uh it's been someone that's been niggling at me all last season. Um I'm not saying that's gonna be head all over headless to someone's appointments, but at the same time, I just feel for continuity there has to be some sort of like positions filled over time, and field backs are so important, and not only for defending, but for people these days, eh? So that's why I feel it's so important. Um as it's me. Um so I I was generally not too bothered about the team in terms of what he picked. I was surprised that McCart got with awed, but at the same time, I was happy because I thought he wasn't really given a chance sort of last season under McGinnis. No, he might not lie, but when I again when I saw it before any of us sort of goes went, I was quite happy about sort of bit. Yeah, because all that. Uh Miller, I was a wee bit concerned with um how he was gonna settle. Um so yeah, what about you?
SPEAKER_00Um so well I was I could understand why Botch played. Um I could understand completely why he played. He was he was probably the only natural right back that we had. I understood obviously you've got Harry Millen playing. I thought Battle and Macinty probably weren't my most ideal two. I thought I think I was like, where the why is Tom Minot not playing? And I would have played Cojotta over uh Calvin Miller. Um and obviously I would have played Stuart Finley or I would have played Stephen Kingsley over Jamie McCart. Um so that's the thing. I was I was like, why is McCart playing? Like it probably is fitness, but I also think that Stephen Kingsley is that um is also that option as well at left but at left of the centre half.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Um and again, you know, if you're gonna if you were you you might make that argument that is McCart better in the air than than Stephen Kingsley. Well, I'm gonna be honest, it can't be Stephen Kingsley can't be any worse in the air than Jamie McCart after uh in hindsight after the game, but like it has to be fitness, fitness is only reason that, and maybe a bit of Frankens decided, you know what? Like some of these these boys have been in the team like last season, these boys maybe are deserving of uh of a chance. Um so there's maybe that maybe they've decided guess what, we'll give them their chance, we'll let them let them play because most of that team were were there for four last season, and he's picked aim, and I think that midfield two, the midfield two didn't look great, and I think that um I think that it definitely it showed on the night, but then you look at that, we played six minutes into the game, and they get a long, they get that long throw, yeah, and it's a it's a three-header. Six minutes it is a three-header. The boy basically throws the ball, we're all static looking at it, yeah, and then McCart jumps back the way as if he's waiting for the ball to come to him, and the boy just nips in and headers it. Sorry, it wasn't even four to three minutes in six minutes in the game, it was four minutes into the game when he when they make that header. And at that point, you're like, oh, here we go. Here we go. Like, because again, there's actually when you look when you watch it back, there's there's there's three 'em. Because he looks like he backs off as well. I'm just watching it as we're as we're speaking. And then within ten minutes, they've had another, they've basically had a free header that hits the post. And I'll be honest, standing on the ground, I was like, here we go. Nope. Here we go. This is going to be an absolute boo-in. Like, and then then there's the then there's the penalty that's turned over.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And I was like, because obviously it's hard to see for where I was at the ground, it's hard to see, but it comes to be a throw-in. The thing comes from our throw, where they're basically they throw, they throw the ball. I'm sure it's thrown in Mountain, or Mountain throws it. It looks like he's he's he sticks um, it looks like he gets it stuck under his feet, they win the ball back, and then they make the they make the actual like they make a obviously the boy has he's three on goal and it's sped in and mounts arms up, but there's obviously the ricochet, and they get they get they get the penalty, and you're like, Oh, here we go. Um, here we go. And if that had went in as well, that just would have been uh that felt like it could have been lights out. I mean, we did have a Kibori in between that did have a so I mean he had a couple of chances where he's hit them both at the goalkeeper, um and then we'll not talk about the kizzy miss because how has he not scored that? That actually made made me angry. I watched it in breakfast on Wednesday on the Wednesday, because obviously you I was at the far right, I was at the other end.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And the Kizzy miss, and like, how has he missed it? And I got angry in breakfast watching it. I was like, oh my word, how is he missed? Because I think that miss takes away anything that Kabori's done. Uh like generally, that miss takes it away because Kabori has two shots that hits the goalkeeper before that. And Kizzy obviously then tries to be smart. It's like he's trying to be too smart, so it's got to take us so far.
SPEAKER_02Like Kizzy is still with us at the end of his transfer window. It's it's misses like that.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_02That's why he's still with us because he's always taken his chances. If we start to learn shit, then he's going to be worth so much more worried than what he is. Uh but that's what's holding him back is his ability to I don't know if it's the pressure that gets him, or if it's just he needs to be in a certain angle for him to take it well, or else he'll just completely fump it.
SPEAKER_00He's just one of the It's like there's no composure when he gets it. Sorry, I was obviously I got carried away with the penalty thing. It was Botch. Botch throws it to Spittle, who basically lumps it straight back at him, and they win the ball back and then get a penalty given. So, yeah, those three heart chances were in between the the header and the penalty. I was just getting angry um about the penalty. So my bad. Um but again, it's one of these things. We've had three really good chances to get back out again, not taking any of those chances. Then we could have been we could have been 2-0 down already, we could that could have been three, or it could have been three-all. Um, because just thought it felt like in the first half we were cutting name open quite well, but we were getting ourselves definitely like cut open too.
SPEAKER_02And when you say that, we can be two one up as well.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER_02And if you go two-1-up, and that turns the game on its head, you know what I mean? It's like that it makes a difference to a team's confidence and they start uh like really dominating and really like pressing them forward and stuff like that. So it's one of the one's day, it's like we have the chances and they just take every single one of them. Was it a four-nil game going on to six, or was it just that they did really well to take the chances when they got them? Or we just defend really badly.
SPEAKER_00Well, I we defended horrendously, but we still went in one one at half time. And at one night at half time, you're thinking, by the way, we're we're still well in this game. We are, I think we're able to create chances. We are able to create those chances against them. The problem is we weren't keep we weren't finishing the chances, we were making them. We weren't obviously taking them, and then we decided okay what second half, keep it tight. All we have to do is keep it tight. Um, and then we concede within the first four minutes again of the second half, and it's even worse. Like it's a well, it's it's another three-header, yeah. Where it's like, oh my word, but it's a three-header at the back. Well, that's the thing because Kabori basically looks like what he does is he's he's jumping with the first man, and the second man comes in behind him, and he's able to bounce that it bounces down and swallows in no man's land. Um so again, you're three headers, but that's how Livingston scored two goals like that against us. Like, and if Livingston does it, because then obviously teams like like Gratz, and that's the one thing that is worrying that we aren't not defending. Uh we're not defending very well. So, yes, it's uh it certainly is a worrying trend, Mr. Kennedy. And obviously, five three or four minutes later, it it's three now, and again, it comes from what feels like calamitous defending.
SPEAKER_02So if we go on, I know we're talking about goal by go, but the third goal was very similar to the fourth goal, as I as I believe when I watched it from the highlights, and it just seemed to like come out as that like extreme pace, and our defenders is could he cope with it instead of trying to make a challenge, he just like run back and run back and run back, and then offer doing it, opening up the goal of potential for him and we did we do the job for him rather than trying to clear it.
SPEAKER_00Well, the thing is, right, McCart's a no-man fan for that for the third goal, he's an absolute no man fan, right? He's just kind of starting about, and the boy gets it, and he can't basically moun goes to make the challenge, but at the same time, rather than standing big, McCart goes to his knees. So if McCart stands big, then he could jump because the ball goes over his head and it goes over swallow tee. So he could he's able to jump up a But instead he's he's on the ground and obviously m Mound's on the ground already and it takes a bobble off Mountain and goes over him. But if he's standing tall, then there's a chance that he gets something to it. It generally is it's a comedy error. The whole thing feels like a comedy, like a whole uh again, it's so fr again, I I am frustrating. I am frustrated then. Um and then it's they hit the post. Um and then the last one is they're running straight through us, Kabori lets them go, and then Swallow shows the boy the whole goals, and basically put the boy puts it through his near post legs, and it's like at that point you may as well just give up. It just was like that was to me it was game over, um it was frustrating. We and the thing is when you look at the chance, you look at the shots created and everyone else. We created a lot of shots. We uh but again, we weren't doing anything with them, and now it feels like we've we've allowed a gap to be um a gap to be too big to to claw back. Yeah, if you know what I mean. There was uh we've we've not allowed us to we've not given ourselves any proper room. It's very um Dynamo Zagreb, if you remember that game, we would go beat beat three three now over a four-now over there. We came back to Tine Castle and it looked like we we might chase them down, and we scored a couple of goals, and it it obviously all fizzled out. Um but yeah, it's uh what was your overall thoughts on it then? Because you you had a different experience as I did because you were out the difference obviously with being away watching it compared to when you're at the ground, uh sorry, at home, is that after after full time, my first thoughts are I'm going for it, I'm gonna find beers and other things on. Whereas you're maybe going to think about that more. So, what was your thoughts obviously at the end of the at the end? What was the the whole thinking in regards to the manager and regards to the way the team played?
SPEAKER_02A lot of the comments were quite harsh on Rankin, eh? Um I know you know where some people uh were Brankin out chat already, whether it be sarcastic or not.
SPEAKER_00Sorry, oh that was me.
SPEAKER_02I know. I saw sarcastic or not. Um but um for me it was I think a lot of Hearts fans uh have underestimated in terms of our quality and how much better we than what we actually are. Um you might see how better we are when they go against where the battery in the next round remains to be seen. Um another figure as well, we're not the first team in Scottish football to get pumped off some team that hardly anyone's ever heard of either. You know what I mean? So I think people need to like just take a step back and realize we're our it's not happened before this we're not gonna be first, we're not gonna be the last either, eh? So um it's also the fact that we've had a shock hawking pre-season. Um and it really has been, it's just been friendly, like you say. Um and like training camp, but this looks ridiculous, to be honest, it's very nice with you. Um what you've seen from my uh videos on the Hearts TV. And as I advance meant to be getting our our our players ready for Champions League teams, it's like so rats are made of the team as well that just went £25 million on the striker. We obviously haven't played for him yet, but uh I've read something about that. I don't know if that's not right or not. Yeah, but I'm sure I said something about that, yeah. That just shows you the difference in terms of like the resource of what they have compared to us, we're nowhere near that level, eh?
SPEAKER_00Um that's the thing though, is I thought there wasn't much in between the teams, right? Generally, there probably wasn't, and I feel that to me, and this I the thing is, right? To me, I know that this is going to be a long season. I know we're changing our style. I know that we are basically ranking and asking these players to play a way that they're not going to some of them aren't they're not none of them are used to playing it, and some of them are definitely not going to be good enough to play it. Okay, I am well aware of all of that, but see when I'm watching it, it's so frustrating, and I'm not calling for the manager's head, by the way. This is let's let's clear for this, but at the same time, watching that on Tuesday, if Derek McKinnon had been a hearts manager, we would not have been beat full nil. And even if Shankland had even if it was just Shankland that had gone to Rangers, I think we had a we probably could have beat them. But because we've obviously changed the way we're doing it, we're changing our instructions, we're what are these different ways, these different things to be played, it creates whilst going while middle to front seems to be acceptable when it comes to being at the back, this is where we're at sixes and sevens, and whereas McKinnist would have made sure that we were tight at the back first, and then that what was going forward would have been would have taken would have taken itself because I didn't think there was much in it, right? And as much as I'm like comedy errors, and it was all most of these goals came through our mistakes. Like when you watch it, it comes through our mistakes, it comes from McCartnell attacking the ball. First one's McCartney attacking the ball, you've got the penalty, which was absolutely came for a horrendous throwing. You've got other things again. I think it is Jamie McCart. It feels like Jamie McCart is the issue here. But for me, it's that's where my frustrations come watching that whole thing. Is that when you see this performance and you're like, and you're in it's like, what could have been? Because it was the easier draw, and stumcats are a good team. Let's not take it away. And they are haven't got a bigger spending power than Hartford at the moment. Absolutely no, there's no there's no danger that is not the case. But I don't think it was as far away as you think, and this is where they'll probably scud us phone now at Pinkastle the Mount Knight as well, now that I've just said that. But like, this is the thing is that, and I think that's where the maybe the frustrations lie, and I think that well, listening, I was listening to Scott Macintosh the other day on scarves on the plane on the way home, and I was like, the thing is as well, is that we need to probably re-look at our where our expectations are too, based on the changes that this manager wants to make with the style, because it's style first, it doesn't matter about anything else, he will not change the style for anything. And this is where frustration, this is where that we need to look at what our expectations are for the season. Now, last season was also an excellent, it was an amazing season, and that would have been a difficult thing to have with McKinnon charge. Never mind bringing a brand new manager in with a brand new style of play. So I think that that's my frustration. I kind of went on a wee bit of a tangent in regards to my frustrations, but that's what it is, is my frustrations were as I think I thought that they weren't as good as they were maybe made out to be. And I thought last year last year's manager. Yeah, sorry, mate.
SPEAKER_02I think we want you to remember as well. Like you see, when it comes to new managers, especially in a new country, he has to trust a lot of his coaching staff, right? And a lot of that is this day and age as support scientists, right? And if they're turning around to him, he if you play Steve Fiddley for 60 minutes, he's not gonna last, he'll be injured, blah, blah, blah. So he can't, he's got to like mitigate those risks in terms of what he's been told by his coaching staff. We had the luxury last year where McKinsey knew the game, knew the squad, knew a lot of the players there already. He didn't have to worry about listening to his coaching staff as much as Rankin will be at this point in time.
SPEAKER_00So that's that's the other thing. That's the other thing. Well, that's the other thing, though, mate, is that his coaching staff don't know none of them know them either because there's this is all the coaching staff have left. Like all like all McKinnon's coaches left, like Paul Gallagher left anyway, Archibald and Sheeran went to Rangels. So there is no there's no coaching consistency because the goalkeeping coach was was brand new in the door anyway.
SPEAKER_02So he has to rely on these sports scientists guys and stuff like that.
SPEAKER_00But he's also he also has to rely on what he sees. He's what to rely on what he what he sees. But and this is the thing, but isn't with a 60 minute we if you could get 60 minutes at Stuart Finlay and bring in him off to to change that with McCart, is that a better option than having than starting McCart? And I could I could pin three of these goals on McCart. For me, Finley Finley wins a header. Finley wins a header for the first goal. And if and that and if that first goal doesn't go in, the RC's it doesn't the RC's doing floaters for a bit. Um McKin again, even the defending for the th for the second goal with its ahead of the back post, Finley Finley being in there probably organises a bit better and wins that as well. So I think for me, McCart, playing McCart, I understand what he did, and I don't think I'm gonna see McCart only Tuesday night. But this is the thing, he's got he's got to go with what he sees in regards to the you know, even the coaching staff. Um but uh and it is it's just frustrating, and this is like I'm frustrated because I think that we could we could have had we could have done better um than we actually did, and I think but again, I realise what's happening, I realise the way that this is going to be, and I realise that the way that the season's gonna go as well is absolute is not gonna be like last season. Um and it's quite arena and it's just frustrating when I see that I think that in public.
SPEAKER_02No, I do totally agree with what you said there, eh? But it's also a fact that as well, like I think we got to remember that uh we were just so lucky last year with like the kiddos in terms of experience in the game in Scotland and stuff like that, eh? Um this guy is brand new to his country and stuff like that, eh? It's and it was like a horrible, horrible like first game. You would rather have been at Tine Castle first. Because if it was Tine Castle first, it's not going to be four down the first game. I'm sorry, it's not. You know what I mean? And that gives you a wee chance something to build on in the second leg and see what we could do. And we know a wee bit more about them as well, eh? So it's always difficult when there's a way like first aid, no matter who's the charge. I think even if it is going to that game, I know we would have what would have been beaten for now. But I think we'd get a draw of that game. But you're talking about as well as I uh have seen what uh he sees, um, people were starting off for not making stops for uh changes uh too quickly, stuff like that. So we should have changed it to now, blah, blah. But we were playing well too. We were still part of the bottom, we were still our possession starts to take us. Uh, we didn't do it if it went for it. But if we said as a manager, looking at a team playing, and he we're actually punching forward and uh pushing it back and stuff like that. He said, Okay, a chance is gonna come, a chance is gonna come if we keep it in the bus. So why would you change it so quickly? You're only gonna change it after we go through now, because by then it's yeah, it might be too late. But if we change it before that, you sort of stuck between a rock and the hard place. And even if the analytics tell you the person who makes the first sub loses the game barbelly, you know what I mean? So you've also got the back of your head as well, eh?
SPEAKER_00So on Tuesday, they made the fuck they made us up at halftime and won four zap.
SPEAKER_02I know, but you know what I mean. That's aside from what our analytics have told us in the past. That's I know, I know.
SPEAKER_00That's what that's what McKinnon was saying. That's how McInnes justified that. I was that I was there that night when he said that. At the at the Gorgy Street. I was there the night he said that in the Gorgy Street.
SPEAKER_02He told us that that is why if he's been told that as well, then it's gonna be hard for him to find right, but is it okay for me to do it? Especially when we're playing well at the pitch, we're not playing well in terms of a score line, but we're certainly where performance levels is there. Yeah, but we're nothing to the ball, eh? That's the issue.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, aye, absolutely. Um, are you still there? Yeah, still there, just give me another noise again. Sorry, I and this is absolutely great, great podcast. But aye, that's the thing, it's frustrating and we're going to obviously we'll we'll wrap this up. Obviously, we are going to be obviously think the day this goes out, the game is tonight. Um, how do you feel? How are you thinking the preview? It's hard to preview, like we're four zipped down in the tie. We need to score. I think if we score early goals, um then I think that we we give ourselves a little bit of fighting chance. Time castle needs to be on full voice tonight. Um like it has to be full voice, atmosphere horrible, it needs to be as horrible as possible for this on top of them, and then an early goal. The problem out what I worry is that we didn't score too early, and everybody actually just gets all it goes flat, absolutely flat.
SPEAKER_02And then score too early, and then it's a well until you score maybe another one, you know what I mean? And then right fast it sort of kills the momentum if you're not really. So um uh yeah, it's it's always hard when it's 4 0 weight, you know what I mean? But yeah, as bad as we just got to bat the team as much as we can, to be honest. Because it's still a massive night for us, even if we go out, it's still a good experience for the players and all that, you know what I mean? Um, and uh we can look to improving it in the next time, and especially with uh Europa still hanging in the balance as well, you know what I mean.
SPEAKER_00Quickly, what changes would you make?
SPEAKER_02Um, I want to bring in Red Up Sort of Spittle. Yeah, and I want to take uh Bassion for Cabore.
SPEAKER_00Uh-huh.
SPEAKER_02And I want to bring Kingsley in for McCart.
SPEAKER_00Okay.
SPEAKER_02And uh leave Villan in there as well, he has extra cover for away. Um and I'd alter in for botch.
SPEAKER_00Well, I would I'd take Altena for Botch. If Finley can walk in a straight line, I'd put Finley in for McCart.
SPEAKER_02I'd put a tiny does he had a tidy arms or something, does he?
SPEAKER_00Hi, well, if he's got two legs and not and two working black two working legs and he's in uh Spittle for obviously Spittle comes out for Renault, Miller's out for Crijotta, and I would take what Kabore out for Gwendos and make Brada the the main man, and then Gwendos in the 10.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's the result.
SPEAKER_00That's what that would be that's my uh that's my theme anyway. Um I think we'll see how it goes. We'll be back later on in the week um so that we can go over the the game, we'll be able to should roughly know how we won't before we won't know who we're facing, we'll know which competition we're in anyway, uh, by the time we read re-record this. Um and then we'll do our predictions with Aberdeen coming up as well on the Saturday night. So thanks everybody for another episode of Old Castle Rock Podcast. Thanks for sticking with us. Your support generally keeps this whole thing moving. If you want to stay connected, make sure you follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and threads at Old Castle Rock Podcast and on X at Old Castle Rock Pod. Come join the chat, share your stories, and be part of the community. Before we wrap up, we want to touch on something close to home. Men's mental health football teaches us a lot about life. The big ones, the rough defeats, the weeks where everything clicks, and the ones where nothing goes your way. But just like football, you're not meant to face the tough skills on your own. If you're going through a hit a through a different form, feeling the pressure or carrying something heavy, there are places you can turn to, and the man's club offers a space where men can talk openly, honestly, and without judgment. Breathing space is there where you need something, someone to listen to is your difficult moment, and the Samaritans are always available any time of the day or night when you need a calm and supportive voice. Reaching out isn't a weakness, it's the same strength it takes to step back onto the pitch after a hard match. Support is there, and you deserve it. Take care of yourselves, look after your mates, and we'll see you the next time on oldcastle.podcast. Um so, yes, um and we'll finish that with a bye for me.
SPEAKER_02And uh, you join for me.