What’s it like to be in City’s academy ?

Joel (Manchester United) and Nige (Manchester City) review the 3-0 win over Crystal Palace. Nige's 9 year old daughter Lyla came out with Silva as a mascot’.

Then we bring in a special guest. Lewis Barker ( @coach.barks ) and discuss what it was like to be an academy kid at Manchester City and getting released in his teens. He is also a United fan and is now coaching the future stars of the game 

It’s an ace listen. 

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Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:00

Welcome back to This Is the Season podcast. I'm Joel. Here is Nigel. How are you doing? You okay? Off the back of a 3-0 win last night against um Crystal Palace Reserve team. It was alright, not really.

SPEAKER_00 0:10

No, it was pretty much Palace's first team, and that's a fact, mate. I mean, if you look at the bench, we were doing this at the start of the game yesterday, and it was uh it was it was a uh a decent squad from Palace.

SPEAKER_03 0:20

Oh Haaland was brilliant last night.

SPEAKER_00 0:22

No, this is what I mean. City played a second team because we've obviously got a huge game on Saturday. Oh, where we go. And obviously, with the results happening as they have done after the Everton game and uh the way that it looks like it is going to be Arsenal's. I think Pep did the right thing, rotating, resting a few players. Because let's start again with this. I actually think that that team that we started last night, had we have still been in the battle for the league and not relying and not relying on a major, major mess up and bottle job from Arsenal, which looks like it's not gonna happen. I think that would have been the team he would have started in the final against Chelsea. So I'm a lot more confident now going into the final, knowing that he's rested those big players, and I think he's gonna go all out for a win at Wembley on Saturday with a full strength team. I think the only change really, uh it's not a bad one, will be Trafford in goal instead of Donna Rummer. Uh, I think that'll be pretty much the only big change.

SPEAKER_03 1:19

And the referee was flirting with Donna Rummer last night. You see it. He's obviously a big fan. Yeah, I bet he was gonna get beside his shirt last night. You know, you know what I mean.

SPEAKER_00 1:26

I'll tell you what, he was brilliant. Early on in the game, the referee Palace had a couple of opportunities to take up take the lead. Uh, it just took us a few minutes to get going last night, and we could have been two goals down early doors. Donna Rummer made some brilliant saves early on, showing us all why he is our number one.

SPEAKER_03 1:41

Just a couple of things from a Man United point of view, and you know, I don't like to heap praise on City, but um do you know what Phil Foden looked back to? He's um I want to say his best because you know it's one game.

SPEAKER_00 1:50

Phil Foden has been um the match. The last couple of games where Phil Foden has come on, he's looked like the Phil of old, and he got his start rightfully so last night, and he was absolutely incredible. I mean, that first goal, you won't see a better assist all season. It was it was insane and pure class. Um, I mean, it was almost like, even though you see the no-look pass, yeah, it was like a no-look back heel, although obviously he hasn't got eyes in the back of his head, but it was just insane. It was so, so good, and he just tore the defence in two, and the ball couldn't have been any better. And uh Samenyo just uh did did what he does and and scored another goal. He's having a great season.

SPEAKER_03 2:31

And as you as you were, you were you were there last night, uh you were in the fan zone and stuff, and of course, your daughter was uh mascot. Yeah, it was a big one. With Bernardo Silver. Did you cry last night?

SPEAKER_00 2:39

I was a bit emotional, mate. It was a big crowd. And how old is she? Nine, yeah, yeah, and she's taller than uh Bernardo Silver. She's almost as tall. Yeah. Uh she honestly, yeah, mate. I was I was just so chuffed yesterday. Did you miss this give a toss? She was there. She was there. Yeah, did she care? Yeah, she had the she had the camera out, she was filming away. It was just an amazing moment, especially for me. Lifelong City fan. Uh, you you know, you dream your kid one day uh to be a mascot. I mean, you you dream of them just loving the football and coming with you on match day, but to get that experience, wow, it was just amazing. And as well to to walk out with Bernardo Silva, right at the front, our captain, and obviously, uh, you know, what a servant he's been to Man City, and we all know that he's leaving at the end of the season. So he just made it extra special last night. It was amazing.

SPEAKER_03 3:24

But on a wedding day, you can now show a picture. Look, you you got to walk on the pitch with Man City's second best silver. No, I hang on, mate. Come on. Don't be like, and no, just being honest, right? So it's it's 3-0, season's over.

SPEAKER_00 3:37

The season's not over, though, is it? The season has still got a good few games to go, and we've got a huge game this weekend. Uh, I mean, come on, mate. The season's not over when you've got an FA Cup final on Saturday. Don't talk nonsense.

SPEAKER_03 3:49

Against that big inform Chelsea.

SPEAKER_00 3:51

Well, listen, anything can happen. It's a final, uh, it's definitely not done. Uh, we we've talked before about Chelsea. They're having a a bit of an up and down season. Uh, if that's one thing you can say. More managers than points. But they're in a final. It doesn't matter who you're playing against in a final, everyone's going to give 100%. And uh, you know, we've just got to we've just got to go for it on Saturday. But I do believe that our team in pretty much every part of the uh uh the team is is stronger than Chelsea's. So if it all clicks on Saturday, I think we'll get that second trophy of the season.

SPEAKER_03 4:22

So all Arsenal have got to do is beat the Crystal Palace uh kids. Yeah and Burnley.

SPEAKER_00 4:28

I don't know, I don't know if this is true, right? This is something that was going round yesterday because everyone starts uh panicking. And obviously, I think What the charges? No, shut up, mate. Like honestly, again, every time you mention this, don't talk about something you've got no clue about. But let's let's talk about um Eze has gone to Arsenal. And I've heard a rumour. No, he has I I know that, but I've heard a rumour that Crystal Palace, within the terms and conditions of that deal, if they win the league, they get 10 million pounds extra on top of what they would have got for the fee anyway. I I don't know if that's true, but if it is true, 10 million pounds to Crystal Palace uh as well as a cup final a couple of days later. Do they want to win that game? Just putting it out there. Conspiracy theory's already here, now. Well, no, I just I mean, if this is true, I don't know if it is true, but I've heard a lot of people are saying that they get 10 million pounds extra if Eze wins the league with Arsenal. So think of I mean, come on.

SPEAKER_03 5:26

Alright, think about it. So it's the biggest game in football. Whether you're talking about the championship game, um Southampton against Hull, uh, where Southampton could still get kicked out. But so I mean Hull would go up, or would it be replay or or Middlesbrough against Hull? I don't know anyway.

SPEAKER_00 5:39

I I mean I don't know what's going on with that. I don't know enough about it. I would imagine nothing will change, but there'll be a fine if if found guilty.

SPEAKER_03 5:46

Do you get fine in football if you're found guilty?

SPEAKER_00 5:48

I think if you hid behind a tree as well as train training ground, then you're not going to be able to do that.

SPEAKER_03 5:52

If you hide behind a tree, that's fine, but if you have 276 charges, yeah, exactly. I brought a guest in today, Nigge, and I thought this would be good for you. Okay. Ever heard of a footballer called Lewis Barker or Coach Barks? Right. And I thought it'd be good to bring him in because he was a city kid for years and years and years, and uh he's now uh top class coaching of kids.

SPEAKER_00 6:13

And how old's Lewis?

SPEAKER_03 6:14

Well, is he? Ask him.

SPEAKER_00 6:15

How old are you, Lewis? Spring chicken, twenty-six. Twenty-six. So you must have played in the academy with Foden and some other players. Was in and around that time, yeah. Amazing.

SPEAKER_03 6:24

So I thought I thought I'd bring him in because uh he now coaches my lad Jesse.

SPEAKER_00 6:27

Right.

SPEAKER_03 6:27

The sad thing about it, from your point of view, he is actually a United fan and he's come in with a beautiful replica, treble-winning season shirt.

SPEAKER_00 6:35

I've seen that. First impressions and all that. Ignored him. But welcome to This Is the Season podcast.

SPEAKER_01 6:41

Thank you.

SPEAKER_00 6:42

He was one of our first listeners.

SPEAKER_01 6:43

Yeah, I know. From right from the beginning, it's been so good to listen. It's nice to be here on the day.

SPEAKER_00 6:47

Nice one, mate. Well, we're we're trying to do something different and do it from a city and united point of view. Uh, keep the balance there, but also take the mick out of each other, but not be one of those annoying fans who just doesn't reply when the other person's talking about happy happy times.

SPEAKER_03 7:03

So, Coach Barks, what what is your story then? Because, you know, I get to speak to him for five minutes in between games and seeing parents and whatever. But but you never have a beer with him. So I know he was at City for a long time. So, where did it start and what happened?

SPEAKER_01 7:15

It was in about around Jesse's age, actually, in year in year five. Started playing quite well for my local team, Sambach. Gradually started scoring more and more goals, got picked up by a city scout. In one of the games that we were playing, we actually played against Paul Skulls's son, uh Aaron, and one of the scouts were there on that game. Finished a tournament at the end of the season, and next minute I was training at a city. Amazing.

SPEAKER_00 7:37

Was that in Carrington back in the day when they were over there? It was at Plat Lane. Plat Lane, right. So I'm going back to Was Jim Cassell there when you were there.

SPEAKER_01 7:44

We had a guy called Nick Powell who was the main, but the first time I ever went, I always remember this. I absolutely hated Titty. Everything down when I was younger, hated it. I remember getting told by my dad, and I was just like, No chance we're going. He's like, absolutely no chance. Turned up first one, United water bottle, united chin pads, and the trainer was just like, What are you doing? Yeah, yeah. But I just couldn't get it out of my head.

SPEAKER_00 8:05

The rivalry was so big. A good friend of mine, uh Clarke, his son now plays for both academies. Um and he was he was very, very similar. At this early age, you just go and train at both academies. You're not, you're not to the to you, you get a bit older, then they they make a decision on whether they want to continue. But obviously, in the beginning, they just see talent in someone and they just get these young kids in and try and train them and see if they develop even at that early age and what have you. Now, Clarkey's kid is he's got an older brother, so I think he he seems to think that a lot of kids who've got an older brother because they get stuck in with their older brother when they're playing football when they're younger, they're a bit more physical in their age group because they're used to playing with even at a really early age with slightly older players.

SPEAKER_01 8:49

Yeah, it's it's such a brutal system. Like all these kids, if you were doing it.

SPEAKER_03 8:53

Tell me, tell me through it because it's it what what what what is it for say a nine, ten-year-old kid? What's your what's your day like? You still in school and stuff?

SPEAKER_01 8:59

Yeah, still obviously still there, just training about three times a week. When you get there, it's just it's a jungle, is the only way to describe it. It's if you're not good enough, see you later. I always remember when I finished, I think I was doing like a summer camp back in Sandbach. Got a letter through, didn't even do it face to face, just you're gone. Yeah, nothing else more. And I remember going to Port Vale after that for like a trial period because they always put you onto another place. And I turned up from being at them facilities at like this sand astro turf. Couple lads that I knew from playing. I turned up, my dad looked at me, he was like, Go on, crack on. I remember just looking at him going, This is gonna be worse six weeks ever. Right. Nothing down to Port Vale, think they're a good club, but just at that point, I was nowhere near in the headspace and was just like, No chance, what am I doing here? Get me home.

SPEAKER_00 9:43

It must be a really hard thing to deal with at such an early age when you've put everything into wanting to be a professional footballer and lived it. And I know nowadays a lot of the academies they work on developing other skills because they realise the pressure on these young kids now. But back then it was a little bit different, wasn't it?

SPEAKER_01 10:02

The only way to describe it is like before, it's just brutal. Like if you're not good enough, you're gone. And it's the same, like you were saying before, if you've got older siblings, you've got a better chance due to physicality, but they'll sort of pick anything they can. So for me, I was too small. I know that's cliche or knee injuries or stuff like that, but got told I was too small. Yeah, but my trait was always I was the fastest kid. So if it got knocked in behind, I was gone. Yeah, not quite nowadays.

SPEAKER_00 10:25

Isn't it crazy now? Because there's like I mean, we were talking about Bernardo Silva at the start and players like David Silver and what have you. A lot of the time, especially within the English game, there was a big story on a couple of podcasts over the last couple of months where they've been talking about like physicality and heights and things like that. And sometimes kids don't get that growth spurt till a little bit later on, but a lot of these really technically gifted, really smaller players would not have got a chance if it was in the the like the English system compared to maybe over in Spain and what have you, where where where they kind of uh you know, just work on the on the on the talents that they've got.

SPEAKER_01 11:02

That's what I mean. I think some of them are a bit quick to jump to the gun, like best players over the last couple of years for England or 20 years, something like that. Mike Low in Ballon d'Or winner, what's he, like five foot eight or something like that? Absolutely. Phil Foden, one of the best products, Paul Skull's also quite small, Wayne Rooney wasn't the tallest, and all these great players have been given a chance, and they're just basically putting everybody else to the side and just going, ah, well, you're not strong, you're not fit, so you're not good enough.

SPEAKER_03 11:26

Nowadays, you you they've gone back to the old tall striker, haven't they? Uh, and a few years ago, it was a smaller striker, but everybody now needs the old Tony Pughless head and a stick. And this is what it what it seems like. You look at you know, any of these Premier League players that that are flying, they're all they're all six foot plus, aren't they?

SPEAKER_00 11:41

Well, there's there's been a few success stories as well that have come through in recent years. Jamie Vardy, players that didn't that went to a lower level and then obviously fought and fought and fought for it, didn't give up and just I don't know whether it's about having a really strong mentality, if it's about um how they settle you into that new environment from like you said, being at a Premier League club to then going down the leagues and what have you.

SPEAKER_01 12:05

I can give you a bit of the real life scenario at the moment. I think it's down to mindset.

SPEAKER_00 12:09

Right.

SPEAKER_01 12:10

Quite a lot of the um players who play in the um non-league system, it just depends on what the lifestyle is. It's like some of the lads that I know used to play with, like going out on the beers on the weekends and staying out till all times in the morning and picking up a bit of money every week. There's another lad who used to play with at UniCall Freddie Sass, who's just um completed his first season at Accrington Stanley, right, playing at the same level as me four years ago. I've gone down the route of coaching instead. Now he just finished up his first season in professional football, but three years ago, four years ago in COVID, he was playing left back on the other side from me. Right. So it's just it's how you apply yourself, and he's out every single day hitting the gym and stuff like that, and just 100% like going for it. Yeah. Whereas the others, like I said, either take the path down, probably beer and going out, or mindset normally gets you there.

SPEAKER_03 12:57

Well, it's well, it's a brutal industry, like many industries are really brutal, and the one that me and Nigel work in is is brutal, you know. Brutal. We would get the email to say thanks for your time, seeing a bit. Yeah. We both have. Yeah. But we love let's be honest, today was your last show. Um, but let's be honest. But we love what you do. We love what you do, and thanks very much. And leave your pass in as you leave reception, and your car parking space is gone for Monday. Because my lad now is Jesse's like 10. Some of his mates are getting scouted by like to Macklesfield or Stoke or Liverpool or Blackpool, whoever it is, and they go there. And I've seen it happen to other people's kids where they go through the system and they get to 13, 14, 15, they lose their sort of childhood, and then all they've done is played football, not really giving a toss about their schoolwork or you know, socialising with people, any sort of skills, and then suddenly it's all gone. And especially now with the mental health and stuff. You know, I I want every kid to succeed, you know, whoever it is, just want them to be happy. But Lewis, from your point of view, did you feel going through the academy? And what age did you get released? And did you feel like you missed out on stuff?

SPEAKER_01 14:07

I think that was the main reason I wanted to stop in the in the run-up towards leaving. I think it was around year nine. In the run-up towards leaving, I just had enough of not being with my friends. Yeah. Because the school that I was placing, everything was about, oh, what are we doing this weekend? Oh, we're going to football together, what are you doing? Well, I'm not with you guys. Then it'd be training in the week. I was leaving early to get there from school, and my dad was three times a week. We were doing drives all the way up to Manchester, and he was like sacrificing his job and changing his shift so we could get there. So even for him, never mind, just me, it was brutal. And then you get to the end of it, and I remember after even after the Port Vale stint, I I didn't want to play anymore. And you see, it was so many kids where, especially around Jesse's age now, if they get in, that's their full personality of oh well I play for this team, so I'm gonna make it. Whereas for me, the main part is when you turn 18, what's your life choices? Because loads of them get to that stage, not in terms of a massive pool, but the talented ones get there and then they either, like I said before, go down the mindset route and kick on or head down the beer route. Was money ever a driver?

SPEAKER_03 15:14

Like you look at you know, you had to be really good to earn the decent money back in the day. And if you think, you know, Alan Shearer, you know, was was was brilliant for so long, and you've got to look at him and go, what would he be worth now as a striker? What would we pay him now if we're paying some of these average strikers two, three hundred grand a week? Were you not looking at it going, you know, look, I'll I can even play at a lower league and still get 50 grand a week. Was that not the motivation for you? No, the because it would have been for me, I'll be honest. I'll be honest.

SPEAKER_01 15:42

No, even the other year when I was semi-playing semi-pro for a couple of years, like I was never bothered about the money. I always used to like Wayne Rooney because he just used to go on, it looked like he'd just tip up, put his boots on, and just go smash people left, right, and centre, and then next minute stick one in the top corner. Yeah. And that's all that I wanted to do.

SPEAKER_03 15:57

Never look fit.

SPEAKER_01 15:58

No. Never looked fit.

SPEAKER_03 15:59

Looks like he's just had an argument with his missus and been out all night, which probably may have been true. But then he'd come in and score a hat-trick or something, and you know, he'd come back from a summer off and he'd always be a stoner, whatever, overweight, and he'd get that off, you know, a you know, a couple of months later.

SPEAKER_00 16:12

But see, this is a big thing now, especially with Pep. Like, when he he gives the players quite a lot of freedom. He gives the players quite a lot of freedom. I mean, you do you don't know, you hear all these stories, don't you, about about um and he uh one of the main things is like he'll give you that respect to go and have some time off, but you have to respect the position you're in, you have to respect your body, your fitness, uh, and maintain that level even while you're off, which must be bloody hard work when you've got all that money.

SPEAKER_01 16:39

To be honest, I think it's a bit ridiculous. Like, you you look at the game, and in my opinion, in some ways it's gone backwards. It's like it's so robotic now. Everybody's eating the best food in the world. They're going out, they're trying to stay off the camera. Whereas I think people like Grealish are a bit of a breath of fresh air. Yeah, he's going out. Like, I think there was a story last year where he put a gram behind the bar for everybody, just went in, and then he goes on the pitch and does what he does.

SPEAKER_00 17:00

Yeah, he's an amazing guy. I mean, only a couple of weeks ago, there was there was a picture that was obviously him asleep in a bar in Manchester or somewhere, and it's pretty sad, really, that people are that it can't go anywhere now. People are gonna get the phones out and do whatever. But then the facts are he's injured the following day, or a couple of days later, he's there training red hot weather that we had in Cheshire a couple of weeks ago, and he's uh he's top off, he's running round. I mean, he looks insane, he's incredibly fit, he's got a uh you know, he keeps himself, he keeps he looks after himself, but he has a bit of fun now and again. I think mental health, you need to do that sometimes. You've got to get that balance right, obviously, but you've got to have a release. When you've got a serious injury like that and you're out for a massive amount of time, mental health must really kick in.

SPEAKER_03 17:47

Well, no, it's mental health awareness week, and you know, people have got a lot better, especially blokes and whatever. Did you do you ever have a serious injury? I see a lot of people now, especially the young kids, uh, if they're playing midfield or up front, they don't go for a tackle because they are scared of getting injured and they don't want to sit on the couch for six months, do rehab, think they've lost it all, and that they come back, you know, fat and uh or get dropped. That I've really noticed this. New coaching kids and stuff. Do you notice this?

SPEAKER_01 18:13

Yeah, I think football is it's just part and parcel that you're gonna get injured at some stage. And if it's not through tackles, all these free G's now, you see ACLs going every single week. So if you're not getting injured from a tackle, it's gonna be just from running around. So I think for me, uh I see that all the time. It's the classic, like you press up but you hold off just to the point of where you look like you're defending, but you're not, kind of like Mesa Urzo used to do. He used to go up for headers but sort of just stand there and act like he's doing something. So loads of kids do it. I think you either go down two routes, you're either hard hitter and quite good technically, you're very technical or don't hit hard, or you have the both and you're playing for an academy.

SPEAKER_00 18:50

What do you think ahead of obviously we've got the World Cup in a couple of weeks? Uh, there's a lot of players now that have still got a few games to play towards the end of the season, and surely there must be that worry in the back of your head as you're playing football thinking, I do not want to get injured, I want to be on that plane, I want to be in America, Mexico, obviously, Canada, wherever, wherever your team's playing. I would imagine though, you've just got to play your normal game because if you're if you're slowing things down and not giving 100%, you're probably more likely to get an injury playing like that. I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 19:18

You you played the game. I think you saw it the other night with City and Palace. It sort of looks like a bit of a testimonial, in my opinion. Soncarade. Yeah. City obviously needed to win, but sort of in the race, not in the race. Palace have just got their eyes on going to the final in a couple of weeks. I think they've both shook hands are gone. Go on, you have the win and let's not get anyone injured. I don't know me. I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 19:37

You can't have a go at nights, right? Because it like for example, the only thing I've had him on this on this entire season is that I don't think Savinio is good enough to be a man city, and he agrees with me. I talk about players and it just didn't work out for him, or you can't have a go at him.

SPEAKER_00 19:52

Let me just mention this though. Uh like Foden, for example, last night. If your theory is true, this is why I disagree. Because someone like Foden, I still believe, has got a chance of going to the World Cup. Now, maybe not on form, and if you're you go to the end of the season and he's playing passes like that and running around and controlling games and being absolutely fantastic. I'm not on about maybe starting, I'm on about being on the bench as part of the squad. Like, surely you take the opportunity, you give a hundred percent in the hope that you can make it. And that's not just him, that's every player that's playing that wants to try and get into that squad. We talked about this a couple of weeks ago, and I said, Well, you've got to take Danny Wellbeck then. Wellbeck is a definitely uh a player that potentially could be in the squad. However, you don't want an injury-prone player to be in your squad in a World Cup. I think you you you you you you I it's a it's a tough one. Although, having said that Is it because he's an ex-red? No, not at all. I think Wellbeck's had an incredible season. I think he'd still do a shift at United now, to be honest with you. To be fair, yeah. I honestly do. I really, really do. I think he's I think he's had one of the his best seasons to date. He's been absolutely amazing. But you're always going to be back up to Harry Kane for England, so you know, you may not get to come off the bench unless we're really crying out for something in the last few minutes of the knockout stages.

SPEAKER_01 21:11

You're right, with the players have got to try and take their chance, especially Foden. I think he's just had things going on off the pitch this year, clearly, which is.

SPEAKER_03 21:18

Everyone talks about it and like nobody's ever confirmed it. And also his bandage on his arm, right? What is that about? Is it a fashion accessory? Is there something wrong with his with his arm? Surely the doctor's got to be taking a look at it and and and the issues off the pitch, don't you?

SPEAKER_00 21:33

I don't get access to the players doing what I do because they know that I'll ask the questions that Joel's want Joel wants to know. If I got two seconds before, my first question would be uh Joel really wants to know about the band. But would it wasn't wasn't you? No.

SPEAKER_01 21:45

Lewis, would you select Foden to the World Cup? Yeah, I would. That assist that you're on about the other night, I think there's only three players that would do that in the whole league. Name 'em. Cherkey, Foden himself, Bruno Fernandes. That's the only three. Who's better? Cherkey or Fernandez? Fernandez by a mile. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 22:00

Cherkey is still young. He's got a crazy. Listen, I'll tell you something. For a first season, he's been absolutely outstanding this year at City. And next year he'll be even better. He's one of the reasons Foden's not got these opportunities. That's how good he's been playing. You know, it's literally down to form. Foden's had his opportunities. He's come on and he's not taken them. Last night he did, and I'm so chuffed he has. Um I don't know whether it'll be too little, too late for England, but let's not forget the player that he is. He's insane.

SPEAKER_03 22:30

Are you impressed, Lewis, with with United this season? What finished what fourth, fifth, and bottom last season and and looked like we're finishing third this season? That's one hell of a turnaround. So some of the questions, Carrick in yes or no. He looks like he's going to get a job, but yeah, for you, yes or no.

SPEAKER_01 22:47

Yeah, just because I don't think there's anybody else out there.

SPEAKER_00 22:50

Can I just tell you something dead quick? I'd hate this if it happens. But I if United don't try and sign Lavandowski, I will be amazed. Lavandowski. Who was you shut up with my pronunciation? Does me honestly jumps on absolutely everything and anything. Lavandorowski. No, honestly, like surely he's worth a year or even a two-year contract to United. He's better than what you've got. He's been brilliant still this season for Barcelona. I know it's time for them, but you need players as well next year. You need a squad. The reason why you've been much better this year is because you've been in one competition. You got knocked out of the two cups in pretty much the first rounds. You've played one game a week, and that is a lot easier for the squad size that you've got. You're about to lose players, you need to sign a good few. And I personally think that he will be a great signing for you.

SPEAKER_03 23:43

You take out the Ameran era, you know, which everyone looks at and goes, was he full of it at the start? Yes, he was. Playing Bruno Fernandes is essentially um a defensive midfielder, which is which he's not. And and he's gonna break Thierry Henri's and um Kevin De Bruyne's record.

SPEAKER_00 23:57

I get what you're saying, and I understand that like the you know, the United hype with Carrick, but would it have been this good if you were in the Champions League? I don't think it would. I think you would have had similar problems. You've got some building to do this summer.

SPEAKER_01 24:09

Yeah, no, I do agree with you there. There's two sides of it. Like, I think Amarim was fantastic, not on the pitch, but in terms of getting rid of every dead wood behind the scenes. Who's a deadwood ones? Well, Rashford. Everybody who's well, they've started to go out on loan and everything, haven't they? You can see who he's getting rid of. Linda Loff, that is alright, but he's nothing special. Then he started getting rid of every single player that you could see was causing an issue to where we've got to now. But like you've just said, we've got to start in 11, and that's it. If we were playing any other competitions, I don't think we'd be competing to the level that we are.

SPEAKER_03 24:42

Well, there's rumours of 300 million, and you might get five players for that. Your manager for a day at Man United, where do you prioritize? And I'll start and I'll go 100% defensive midfield, you know, Casemira. I think it's your main thing. I'd want a striker and probably uh a main striker, and Chesko will be in my backup. Uh, I'm not going for a you know a secondary one, and and you know, a a central defender because you know, Delict. I don't know what his injuries like. I don't know if Martinez is staying, is he good enough? Aidan Heaven played, is played well. I thought it was a bit horrible that he got replaced by Martinez when he was coming back from his suspension after pulling Calvert Lewin's hair. What's the most important for you?

SPEAKER_01 25:20

CDM is the main one. We've we've got to get somebody in there, but I also don't get all this stuff around Casemiro getting this big hype because a year ago, when it all wasn't going well, everyone hated him. But now, just because we played a little bit better this year, he started getting all of his flowers. But a year ago, everybody wanted him gone. You've got Carragher saying, like, oh, the football's finished and stuff like that.

SPEAKER_00 25:42

Do you not think there's like Joel mentioned though, a big part of that is players playing out of position, and now that players are playing in position, he's showing how good he is. And he's playing one game every 13 days.

SPEAKER_01 25:52

Yeah, this is also why I'm not sure about Carrick staying. Just because they're not playing much football, they're putting in a system, and I think they're just relying on good players winning the game. I think Gary Neville could run the team from the outside.

SPEAKER_00 26:04

I'd love that. I'd love that. I'd absolutely hate it. Give him Neville.

SPEAKER_03 26:10

But I hate it with him in charge. But but the turn, the whole turnaround of this thing, I think, I think it is brilliant. They have to give him the job. It's a bit like somebody's been off and they've been covering strictly cum dancing and they've done a great job. You don't really want them because they're not the big enough star or whatever, but you feel like you've got to give it to him. The public are saying you've got to give it to him. But some of the diehard fans who love Carrick as a as a as a player, love him as a person, love what he's done. It's not brilliant football. We've you know grinded out results that we really should have been winning easily. And we and I say it every week on this podcast, we know how this ends.

SPEAKER_00 26:48

I love it, I love how it ends as well. I as from a city fan's point of view, it's great because uh you know, you you've got to give him the job, he's earned the job, but honestly, if it doesn't start well for him next season, he's gone, and you've got someone else in, and he's potentially gone, and it all starts again. But like you, like you've mentioned there, both of you, it it that who's available? There is no one available at this moment. Carrick is the best fit for the job, and uh, you know, it's it's it's great. Yes, I love it.

SPEAKER_01 27:18

They've made a rod for their own bat though, they're in a lose-lose situation because if they if they get rid and the next guy who comes in is absolutely garbage, they'll be going, Oh, I should have kept Carrick, but then when Carrick stays and they continue playing how they have with loads of competitions and start losing, they're gonna be going, You should have got rid of him.

SPEAKER_00 27:34

Sure, I don't like saying it as well because Arsenal do Merlin, obviously. But they're the perfect example here with what's happened with Arteta, he's a young manager, he's been a number two to Pep. Uh, he's obviously been an incredible footballer, he's got a great brain on him, he's obviously a decent coach, he's getting players playing well, but they've given him time, they've given him money, and they've given him time, and it seems like they've given him control as well. And will that happen at United? I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 28:00

Fergie essentially, you know, just decided on beer prices, he decided, you know, who was working on the turnstiles, but you know, you know, I'm taking the piss a little bit. But but everything came from that one man, and I think we I was I heard a podcast a couple of weeks ago and they're talking about, you know, we didn't have this whole backroom staff of 20 people. We had Fergie, assistant, a kit man, and a physio. And that and that's they were all Fergie. Yeah, yeah, they were that was it. He made decisions, he fell out with somebody, they were gone. He didn't have to go to a board and say this or agents getting involved. You were just frozen out.

SPEAKER_00 28:34

Every single business that's got too many cooks doesn't do well.

SPEAKER_03 28:37

As we're coming to the end of the season, just go through somebody in the Premier League, you know, one or two that have been that you think have stood out or have been brilliant. Like, you know, I could I could put in four or five Sunderland players as being phenomenal sign-ins, um, and they've done really well. The first year back in the Premier League, no one gave them a chance. We said on one of these podcasts right at the start, Granit Shaka's going to Sunderland. Is he skinned? Has he been to Sundland? I live there, you know, but there's four or five there that you'd go with straight away. Lewis, come on. Someone, someone in the Premier League, maybe outside of Man City and Man United that's done really well.

SPEAKER_01 29:11

Uh I think Kruppy Jr. for Bournemouth, he's 19, I think he is. He's had over 10 goal involvement, his stock's massively risen, and automatically, as soon as you have a season like that in the Prem at that age, you're worth 80 million, aren't you? And they just continue to keep plucking players out of thin air.

SPEAKER_00 29:30

I'm not saying this has happened at United, but sometimes the squad isn't um uh big enough and successful enough. So you give some of the some of the uh some of the young kids coming up through the ranks an opportunity, and when they come into a chaotic environment where it's all over the place, that can ruin a kid's career, right? Take City again, I'm gonna use them as an example, but just because everything's been going so well on the pitch, when those players have come through. Now come on, step outside your box. When those players have come through, they they can't fail in a way. I mean, look at even Rico Lewis, who I don't think is probably going to be at City next year. Uh, I don't think he's good enough for City, but he, you know, he seems like a lovely kid. And when he's come in, he's not done much wrong for Pep. And Pep's had him playing here, there, and everywhere. But he's playing with class players who are playing in the right position in the right system. So, you know, these players are getting a better opportunity coming through the ranks uh rather than coming through a chaotic into a chaotic environment.

SPEAKER_01 30:29

You've hit the nail on the head as much as it pains me to say it. I think you see that with like Shea Lacy when he came on for that cup game. He was unbelievable, but clearly, due to just I don't know, whatever was going on at that point with Amarim, and you could feel the fans in the stadium, he's gone and got a red card. But you know, he smashed the ball down, wasn't it?

SPEAKER_03 30:46

Well, he bounced it.

SPEAKER_01 30:46

Was it was it bounced the ball? It was like you know, was it aggression or yeah? He's just showing a bit of passion, but then you see the environment after where Dallow's gone and called him out. Yeah, and you've gone, well, something's not right there.

SPEAKER_03 30:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 30:57

Dallow's not good enough, is he?

SPEAKER_03 30:59

No, he's he's he's he's not. No. I mean, there's a there's a few that aren't. Luke Shaw stayed fit for most of the season now. Does he go on the plane? I think he will, but I think Henderson will as well, which which is the biggest head scratcher of all time. And that like Roy Keane says, he's good to have around the squad.

SPEAKER_02 31:14

What does he do? Do magic tricks, you know. Is he playing games? Is he organising parties? He's good to have around the squad. Take a 17-year-old kid, get him the experience.

SPEAKER_00 31:26

So name your player, Nigel. Elliot Anderson, the games he's played against City, he was he was absolutely insane. I mean, he scored a great goal at the Etiad, which was another one of those reasons that we might not win the league this year, but he looks like an awesome talent.

SPEAKER_03 31:40

Not good enough for Newcastle, though, apparently. He was sold for PSR.

SPEAKER_01 31:43

Yeah, yeah. Chipped off.

SPEAKER_03 31:45

Yeah. I mean, again, that's that's you know, you know, we we've we've not got a problem with this, um Man United, you know, as many clubs have. I think it's outrageous that, you know, it's one of our own and all that, and you're shouting, and I think it's outrageous.

SPEAKER_00 31:57

Newcastle have had it have had it a bit tough. They've not been able to flex suspends.

SPEAKER_03 32:01

The squad's not big enough. The richest club in the world, they've got all that dough they can. But why can't they spend it? And then, you know, that they might have to sell some players out of um the Newcastle uh players. You'd definitely take Bruno Gimmaraisch and um who's the Italian lad. Bruno Tanale, yeah. Those two I'd take out there straight away. But looking at them, I'm going, richest club in the world, and they can't spend the dough.

SPEAKER_00 32:22

Can I ask you why we've got you here as well? Uh yeah, what do you want? Like what what we're talking about, um, you know, some players, obviously with Foden, they didn't send him out on loan. Uh, Pep wanted to keep him within that system at City and then give him his opportunities when they came. Did you ever go out on loan, or did you have any, did you have you had any friends that you used to play with who've gone out on loan? And does that have a massive effect on these players? Or do they just grab it and go, This is my opportunity for growth, this is what I'm gonna do? And again, I bet I bet your answer's mindset.

SPEAKER_01 32:52

No, it's it's all based around mindset, but for me, I think what do you get out of sitting on the bench and watching? You might as well just buy a ticket in the stand and all these all these big clubs just go and say, like, oh yeah, you need to get the experience, like, do your time on the bench and wait for your opportunity, but you don't get anything out of it. You might as well just go and play. If you're good enough, you're old enough. If you're not good enough, you sat on the bench. Yeah, if you're worse than that, you're released. Some people around, like, especially in the non non-league stage, do a lot of dual regis, but I think it's very unlikely that the club that you dual reg from, you go back to. There's a reason they're getting rid of you. They say, like, oh, it's for your experience and all this, but at the end of the day, they just don't want you around in the club and keep you just in case they go, Oh, he's actually doing something here, which let's be honest, it's very unlikely. There's so many lads around, just even in Cheshire, who go on dual regis, never come back to the club, and also just start hopping around clubs left, right, and centre. But they end up with a nice wardrobe with loads of tracksuits.

SPEAKER_00 33:53

Listen, Max Dowman at um at Arsenal, right? Uh, he's he's obviously he's had a couple of cameos this season. He's a fearless footballer. World Cup's just around the corner. You just said age is no objective. I know they did it with Theo Walcock years ago. Would you take a player like that who's fearless in a tournament scenario, or is it too soon?

SPEAKER_01 34:13

I think you flip the coin between him and Rio Ngamoa. Right? Either of them. I mean, for me, why not? They've been good enough, especially Rio. I think Max Dowman's been shadowed out a little bit more again. But um a couple of years ago, one of my friends I was working for a company called Football Escapes, where you just go away with Prem footballers and do a kid's football coaching holiday. My friend Doddy, he went and Max Dowman was at the camp with him, and he said, Well, apart from Doddy bigging himself up saying how many fantastic diages he sprayed out to him, he said he was just unbelievable. He said nobody could get near him, and he was like watching someone from a different planet.

SPEAKER_00 34:49

Because Spain do it, Argentina do it, Brazil do it with these kids that are just like literally 16 years of age, 17 years of age. If you're good enough, it doesn't matter about age, surely.

SPEAKER_03 35:02

Theo Walcott, you mentioned that as well. He filmed everything, didn't he? At some point, that's all gonna come out. He I let all these um players at that time, because it was a very different England dressing room. He had one of the old cameras and filmed everything. He filmed the whole lot for a documentary all these years later. But I'd I'd be taking uh your lad at Liverpool. Now I went to go and see Liverpool versus I can't remember what it was, but that all the Liverpool fans were shouting, get Leo on, mate! Get Leo on. Because he's not starting him, and and when he's coming on, he's showing the passion. And you're playing for now this year, aren't you? That that team's falling off a cliff.

SPEAKER_00 35:38

I mean, I don't think you can take every man and his dog, but the a a couple, maybe just even one, like, just give them an opportunity.

SPEAKER_01 35:46

I think for me, the only reason that they wouldn't or would be tentative to is because of Uzlo at home. Like, I remember being sat here in Manchester at Yates' for the um Spiral Prize for the Euros final. And every time the ball went into the other half, not even close to the goal, I could feel like the floor vibrating with everybody just going like, oh, we're gonna score, we're gonna score. And then a cross would go in, and everybody would be screaming. I think way more to blame than the actual players. Yeah. So excited over nothing. How old were you when you got released from City? 13, 14, around that time in the summer.

SPEAKER_03 36:19

And then you you went on did your school. Did you go to uni or college or? Yeah, I went to Leeds for uni. You went to Leeds? Yeah, Leeds. Go to Leeds for. So you're a United fan going to City and then a United fan going to Leeds. And you've got to tell me it was a great city to be in as well, weren't you? It was. I'd lived there for two years. When did you say, right, I'm your man, I love my football. I'm not gonna make it at this top, top level. But I'll tell you what, on, I am an unbelievable coach. Now, I'm saying this now, he's never given me a discount or a free session in his life, and I'll put my hands up and say that. But my lad has come from uh, you know, I have no footballing ability whatever, but I love my football. My lad wasn't very good, and you know, I'm not I'm not you know bigging him up, but on the pitch everywhere when he plays, he might not be the best player, but he's a most skillful player, and all of that has been taught by your man here, Coach Barks.

SPEAKER_00 37:10

So um I was gonna say, he must get it from his mum.

SPEAKER_03 37:14

All right, Dickhead. Explain what the business is and and all that now, because you know, I just see you being busy. He's bought a van now, right? He's bought a van, he's bought a house. Uh you paid for that job. Do you know what? All the parents stand on the side going, here we are, he's got a summer camp coming up, and they all go, We pay for his bloody bathroom here. It goes down in the notes. Yeah, or then Hot Cheshire mums. Yeah, oh Lewis, where would you like me to deposit my uh money?

SPEAKER_01 37:43

So come on, tell us about your business. Started a couple of years ago. I was working a job around here, actually, um, because I took a break from coaching and I absolutely hated it. We were doing travelling around with sport and stuff, so I've been to some amazing places like F1 events in Austria, Belgium, went Chelsea Dortmund away in the Champions League, but then just got back round to coaching. So started out a couple of years ago, one of my mates uh for Soundbatch Harry did a couple of years with him and then eventually just split off, went on to my own way. And now I think it's due to my own experience of being in primary school and just really enjoying football and not having the pressures and thinking of everything which I want to try and give back to the kids around. I know that sounds a bit cliche and stuff like that, but I think that's when you've not got any thoughts about what's going on in the world, and when you start to get a bit older, everything gets a bit more serious. So back then, just having a bit of fun and learning your football and see where it takes you.

SPEAKER_00 38:37

Give us your Instagram, give us your Instagram so people can follow you.

SPEAKER_01 38:40

So it's uh coach.barks on Instagram.

SPEAKER_03 38:43

That's his middle name, Coach.barks right have a little look, have a little look on there, and I'll tell you what, I will mention now, right? So he's playing for was it Sambach Reserves? Yeah, yeah. Right, uh maybe last was it last summer, I think it was, and it was the cup final, wasn't it? So it was one pound to get in for kids and two quid for for uh for adults, and you can have a beer and everything. And my you know, he's like, anybody wants to come and see me, come and see me. And he's there and he scores and gets sent off. So while all the kids are watching him, yeah, and some of that language, I tell you, it's very industrial. Ben ref, unbelievable. But he's a he's a decent player, you know. Yeah, he's he's alright, he met my five-aside team.

SPEAKER_00 39:18

Uh, how else do you want to ask Nig? No, do you know what? I think we've covered some really interesting stuff, mate. You'll have to come back on again at a later time, and uh and definitely you know, next season come in a few times because it's it's interesting to get your insight.

SPEAKER_03 39:32

And also you'll be shorter players because you let them all go, aren't you? You want to have a manager next season. This rebuild has been going on for a long time.

SPEAKER_00 39:39

Listen, it's been a lot more successful than yours. We've done ours in one year, mate. You're going, I think it's 12 years now, right? Before we before we leave, Lewis, who wins the league this year?

SPEAKER_01 39:47

Arsenal.

SPEAKER_00 39:48

Come on, Burnley. That's all I'll say. Come on, Burnley. Stranger things have happened. Imagine if Burnley go two up in the first 10 minutes. I will lose my everything. Uh, but no, listen, this weekend it is the cup final for City off to Wembley. Uh, hopefully, uh the the show next week will be another one celebrating our second trophy of the season.

SPEAKER_03 40:07

Yeah, and uh United are playing uh Forest, so uh Shaylace will be captain and that'll be it.

SPEAKER_00 40:13

And also, if you're coming down to City, come and say hello at the fan zone. I'm most in that again, right next to Wembley Stadium. It's always good fun. I've checked the weather forecast, it's gonna be dry.

SPEAKER_03 40:22

Right. Oh, I've just remembered before we go, Coach Barks always says when we started doing this quiz. Do you remember when you started eating walnuts? Okay. It was named the 20 Premier League clubs within one minute. And drop my kid off at training every week. I could have done that. Right, okay. On the spot now, everybody's counting, get your pen out now, mate. How long does he get? He gets 60 seconds to name everything. No, no, no, you've just got to shout them out.

SPEAKER_00 40:46

Hang on, and your time starts now.

SPEAKER_01 40:48

Man City, Man United, Everton, Liverpool, Chelsea, Crystal Palace, Arsenal, Tottenham, West Ham, Leeds, Newcastle, Sunderland, Brighton, Southampton, Aston Villa, Wolves. Four more to go. Four more.

SPEAKER_03 41:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 41:09

Burnley, Brentford.

SPEAKER_03 41:11

Two more. 30 seconds.

SPEAKER_01 41:14

Burnley. Fulham.

unknown 41:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 41:17

Yeah, I've said Liverpool.

SPEAKER_00 41:19

One more. One more. Oh. Done well there.

SPEAKER_01 41:28

It's as well tonight. Can't think for the life of me. Nightmare if this goes on. I won't wait to the end of this.

SPEAKER_00 41:38

Come on, mate.

SPEAKER_01 41:38

Ten seconds.

SPEAKER_03 41:43

It's gone. Three, two, one.

SPEAKER_00 41:46

Forrest?

SPEAKER_03 41:47

No, no.

SPEAKER_00 41:48

No, Forest!

SPEAKER_03 41:50

There you go, mate. We were playing Man United this weekend. It's my reputation, dude. There you go. So there you go. Still hasn't been done. Coach Parks, thank you very much.

SPEAKER_00 41:58

Yeah, it's having you on, mate. Top man. Uh niggas, good luck to Chelsea at the weekend.

SPEAKER_03 42:08

Can't you just say him thanks for listening?