DISCUSSION: Argentina vs. Austria; Norway vs. Senegal; France vs. Iraq

Declan Link joins the pod from Boston, ahead of the England match, alongside Paul Schmidt-Troschke & Jon Bonfiglio in Mexico. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:24

Hello everyone, welcome back to World Cup Football, etc. with me, John Bonfiglio, and tonight we find Declan Link and his highly experienced liver on the Boston Waterfront, where he has been hobnobbing with the great and the good from from footballing royalty of yesteryear, as well as some ex-Fulham players. Hello, Declan. How's it all going up there?

SPEAKER_02 0:46

Uh hello, John, hello, Paul. All is going very well. It's a bit um it's actually quite refreshing being in temperatures of the uh low 70s and persistent rain, which is what England are going to be looking forward to tomorrow when they play at Foxborough against Ghana. Um the event I went to this evening, I feel very privileged and very lucky uh because not only did I get to go there, but two of my sons went to go as well. And it was done it was a it was a down on the waterfront, which I know you're very familiar with, John, because you're a bit of a personality down on the Boston waterfront yourself. Um and it was put on by Morgan Stanley, uh, the first the the the the um the the the the main guy here in uh Boston um who runs Morgan Stanley is a good old mate of mine from back in Richmond in Surrey who went to college in Melbourne, Florida and played a very good standard of football there, having been an apprentice at Fulham back in the uh 70s and 80s, and uh he managed to uh not only put on a fantastic presentation with some uh people of yours and Paul's intellect talking about global economy and what's going on with the markets, etc. etc. Um, some very, very good speakers, but then followed up very quickly by um uh some very accomplished footballers who came over from England who are coming for the game tomorrow, um, of which a lot of them were Charlton going back to my Fulham supporting days when I got to see my first Fulham game in 1970 when I was six years old, all the way to um having a long conversation tonight with Les Strong, who was um the glue that keeps all these old Fulham players together from uh um the 1975 FA Cup final when uh sadly he didn't play, but Fulham lost 2-0 to West Ham, and I was a little 11-year-old boy crying my eyes out, to Rodney Marsh, to Paul Parker, who played in the 1990 World Cup team uh under Sir Bobby Robson and played in the semi-final game, got the sad deflection that went over Shilton. So it was just reminiscing about the good old days from England, hopes and um everything for this one World Cup tournament, and then reminiscing about the good old days with Fulham Football Club.

SPEAKER_01 3:07

I mean I joke, but Fulham is a story club um and with a stadium at a really unique look location. I remember years ago I used to live not that I used to live in Shepherd's Bush and um I used to go on long walks along the river and um you know and come across uh come across Craven Cottage and it was um a really remarkable spot.

SPEAKER_02 3:29

Yeah, it's a it's a very warm, welcoming ground. You don't really get that feeling of um in your face. Um you know it's it's it's just very nice. I saw I I saw a uh a picture recently of uh you know the the the Fulham uh Mafia and it was like three old men and a couple of little old grannies sitting in a a uh a cup of coffee. Um so it's that type of club, and the the area is fantastic, and I've got very happy memories, and it was great to sit down with Paul Parker tonight. Poor old Rodney had to go to bed early because he's not feeling too well. But uh Tony Gale was there as well, who uh I got to see make his debut youngest ever captain of Fulham when he was 18 years old, who does a lot of work for Sky and for Peacock in the States commenting on Premier League games. So yeah, it was great evening. It really was a lot of good fun. Well, after the World Cup, we should definitely do some features on Fulham, I think, because it is um it is uh, of course, as I said before, a sort of a a storied uh club with incredible heritage that um sort of sometimes gets lost in amongst the sort of the bigger you know features of course your sort of your Chelsea's and your Arsenal, then you and here's a little scoop, which I'm very this here's a little scoop that um I'm very very happy about. I did ask one of the well-informed ex-Fulham players who is going to be the new Fulham manager, and and reading between the lines, it could be someone who is currently involved in the World Cup. I say no more.

SPEAKER_01 5:09

Currently involved in the World Cup, right? Player or coach? Coach, coach, new Fulham coach. Oh well, that gives us a whole host of uh well-dressed individuals.

SPEAKER_00 5:21

Are you maybe alluding to uh to Poch there?

SPEAKER_01 5:25

I'm not I'm taking the I'm taking it out there. But uh interesting. Let's let's see whether that whether that um occurs. Meanwhile, uh that was uh the voice of Paul Schmidt Troschka. For any uh newcomers to the podcast, of course, uh most of you, especially regular listeners, will know uh will know well the baritone of uh of the Troshka uh who today spend the France versus Iraq extended halftime storm break. What an extended break it was on an extended call himself with his girlfriend discussing natural birthing strategies. Hello, Paul.

SPEAKER_00 6:02

Good good evening, good evening, John. Good evening, Declan. You're really you're really summoning the gods, I must say. Uh, I I can see where you're going with this, um, but I mean I appreciate that. The only happiness in my life for me.

SPEAKER_01 6:18

The only important question, um, going back to the the the now twice mentioned mafia in this uh in the early minutes of this podcast, uh, Paul, is who will be the godfather? Myself or Decran?

SPEAKER_00 6:31

Oh, it can be two. I have I think it would be you, John.

SPEAKER_02 6:34

You're you're more of a godfather figure.

SPEAKER_01 6:37

You think?

SPEAKER_02 6:38

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_01 6:41

Paula, you're about to tell us that in German culture, people, kids have like seven godfathers.

SPEAKER_00 6:46

No, I have uh I have uh two godmothers and one one godfather, actually. Uh same as my siblings. We all have three. Um, it's it's definitely um, I would say usual that you have more than one, actually. Interesting. So well, you know what? And I'm already uh a godfather by the uh by the way, uh myself, I must say. Um maybe that's something I uh uh I have a lead on you. I don't know. Are you god for godfathers?

SPEAKER_01 7:12

I bet I bet Declan is is multiple godparents.

SPEAKER_02 7:15

I'm I'm like I'm like rent the godfather. Uh and when kids and all my my friends' kids were younger, I they would just palm all the kids off on me because I was like rent a daddy. Um I was terrible, I was terrible doing stuff around the house, I was terrible doing stuff around the kitchen. So they just I would always um they they would call me Dakon.

SPEAKER_01 7:37

And Dutton Link rent a daddy. We're gonna have to get some t-shirts printed with with that on again for the uh for the Orlando clubs. But I'll tell you what, I bet Erling Haaland was hypnobirthed, probably in volcanic water, and then only fed yak milk until he was 12. I think it's the only explanation for his uh superhuman uh tendencies and capacity. So let's start with group I and uh France 3 Iraq nil and then Norway 3 Senegal 2. Both France and Senegal now top of the group on six points, and what a heavyweight clash that is coming up in a few days between between the two of them, Declan.

SPEAKER_02 8:16

Yeah, I um I do confess because of all of the travel and because of the delay in the France Iraq game, because of all of the the weather conditions, I did not get to see the second half of the France game where I'm just putting my hand up there, and I was intermittently watching the Norway Senegal game, but I do understand what the um the main theme of what happened in both games, and there are people because the g I'm I'm pretty sure the game is here in Boston Thursday or Friday this week, so that everyone is very, very excited about that game. A lot of people at this event tonight were talking about this heavyweight contest, and it really is good because you know, right now, you know, Senegal, who are the one of the the the two power players in Africa Africa, there's a there's a conceivable chance they might well not even make the third place team, so who knows? But um fair play to France taking care of business, fair play to um to Norway taking care of business, and the Norway Seneca game was you know, based on what I saw tonight, quite the thriller.

SPEAKER_01 9:24

Yeah, and um, I mean, Paul, both France and Norway, I think, really do look like top top quality, top quality sides. I think there's little doubt that um they they just seem to be, you know, all the sort of the the everything you want in that magic box of professional football. They're they're highly skilled, they're highly organized, uh, they're motivated, they play to a plan. And um both sides look, is it gonna take some stopping?

SPEAKER_00 9:53

Yeah, it's uh um especially the uh the the second game you mentioned, um the the Norway, the Norway Senegal game was just uh one of the most uh amazing games so far, I would say. So dynamic, um, so open. And uh I mean we had Norway as a as a dark horse, and I would say the dark horse is dark horsing. Um it was uh quite quite the dominant performance um over the first half. And uh yeah, Erling Haaland, of course, with uh with two goals very close together. Um uh although the game was opened up for um for Norway by uh by Petersen in uh in the 43rd uh minute, uh short before the break, and then Erling Haaland followed up with the um with the second goal in the 48th minute. And uh yeah, they Norway really managed to um yeah to not uh uh to not enable Senegal to get a hold of the game. And um once Senegal got a hold of the game, they were already um back to goals, of course. Um and then they uh yeah, they got the third one in just shortly after they they scored their their first one, and uh, but from then onwards is it was more more uh more Senegal's game, and they created more chances in the end as well. Um their problem was just uh their efficiency today, and probably also um not expecting maybe that quality in the Norwegian team. Um because uh you you have um you have uh players like Martin Odegaard or um or Elling Haaland, but it's not that uh if you look at France, that basically every name is a heavy hitter. Um if you have a look at the Norway Norwegian team, it's not like that. Um so yeah, one of the best games, extremely dynamic, um, very much on par in the end, I would say. And the one side was just uh um yeah, much more, much more efficient today. That's that's my my take on that game.

SPEAKER_01 12:01

Can we just talk about fans for a minute? Um the Norwegian fans have really arrived in a sort of colourful, vibrant, en masse manner. A bit like the Scots have as well, but they the Scots always have. And I guess that um the the US is used to really high-profile sporting events and occasions, but more generally they sort of look inwards to their own sport. So sort of a genuinely global tournament like this that brings sort of culturally unique fans from across the world sort of feels as though it's um it's a high watermark, it's a different thing for the US.

SPEAKER_02 12:35

Yeah, I mean, I think also I mean every World Cup, uh, you know, you you you always find uh, as we've said multiple times, if the home nation is doing well, everyone jumps on the bandwagon. Um, but when some of these teams that genuinely appreciate being at the World Cup because they haven't been there for sometimes decades and decades, you know, it's I think it's 28 years since Scotland have been at a World Cup. Norway, I don't think, have been at the World Cup since 1994. Uh so they really appreciate the fact because you know, everyone only has a certain amount of time on on this planet supporting their national team, and they want to the moment. And the Norwegian fans have been absolutely tremendous. They were talking tonight here in Boston about how the Moroccan fans and the Scottish fans the other day, last Friday, were absolutely sensational. Um, everyone's talking about the Scots here in um in Boston, you know, they're talking about a whole host of dozens and dozens, if not hundreds, of babies being born in the next nine to ten months uh of Scottish fathers. Um we saw as we were walking to the event tonight the c the famous cones all still on the statues around downtown Boston. Um, but again, at the same time, you know, the atmosphere in the Argentina Austria game today in Dallas was superb. Um and it's only going to get better as the tournament goes on. So, like we said the other day, FIFA are winning.

SPEAKER_01 14:10

Um also um we haven't spoken about this, but now we've spoken about the we've mentioned the Japanese fans, it's reminded me. We haven't spoken about the Japanese manager's whiteboard, Hajimi Moriyasu's whiteboard in the uh in the Japanese games, Paul. Have you come across that as a um as a as a thing, as a as a topic?

SPEAKER_00 14:30

Um no, I must admit, I have not yet. Um definitely you must have come across it.

SPEAKER_02 14:36

Um I have come across whiteboards before, but I haven't noticed it uh, you know, particularly more so than some other coaches. Um I I uh I think it maybe maybe you're just trying to create a talking point or it's a figment of your imagination, John.

SPEAKER_01 14:52

No, no, no. It's it's um the whiteboard's got a lot of attention this in this World Cup. It's um it's been noted on the face of it. He's um the Japanese coach is letting the players know at uh how many how long is left in the match because he was saying that um the the the scoreboard wasn't wasn't easy for them to see to gauge what was what time was left, but the speculation's been that um that he's actually issuing sort of uh secret or coded messages to his players in the way of um uh in the way, say, of of NFL. No, no, I I wasn't dropping you under the bus on this one. This is um genuinely a um a significant talking point that's emerged from this World Cup.

SPEAKER_02 15:32

We will definitely be seriously studying that in Japan's last game uh against Sweden.

SPEAKER_01 15:38

Okay, so let's move on to some of the the games, reviewing some of the games. Um we're not going to do Jordan Algeria because that was a little bit later in the in the night, but um, and if if there's a game to miss, then it probably was Jordan, Algeria. But um as regards uh Argentina, uh Austria, Declan, what was your sense of the game?

SPEAKER_02 15:59

I I actually thought it was a a very good game. I thought um, you know, you know, on the you know, the big time players are stepping up today, and obviously Mbappe and Haaland both scored two goals each, and then Messi, you know, was tremendous again, you know, just uh a master, the goat, as they say, of um conserving his energy, finding the pockets, finding the little holes, you know, scoring the decisive goals, and really really quite he had uh uh scored that free keep uh which was probably around the same sort of distance out as the Cape Verde first goal yesterday, because it would have been an incredible statistic, not only with him breaking the all-time World Cup scoring record uh today with his first goal, but for Argentina having played two games, won two games, scored six goals, messy with all six of them. That is arguably based on what he's doing in this World Cup, the world's best ever player. But the game itself was good. I thought Australia, Austr Australia, Austria acquitted themselves very well, they had some good chances, and um, you know, uh at the end of the day, although I still think that Argentina are probably gonna run out of steam at some point, they're definitely making a good argument uh against that uh point of view and will probably be after this particular round of games one of the favorites.

SPEAKER_01 17:31

One of the things that struck me about Argentina at this World Cup is that um is the joy with which they're they're playing. Of course, they won the last World Cup, but um, but it was a really contentious beginning. Of course, they lost the first match to Saudi Arabia and they um there was a niggle throughout the whole thing. But in this one, there's just there's a real um the the sort of it feels as though the Argentine machine is not just um really uh fluid and well-oiled and functioning incredibly well, but it's also um it I don't think I've seen Argentina as unburdened aside as they appear to be during this World Cup.

SPEAKER_00 18:08

No, definitely not. I uh uh Austria proved why um in a quite, I would say, unusual move, uh Austrian coach and legend, of course, uh Ralf Ranik um said that whoever's gonna bet on Austria tonight um or this day, wherever you are in the world, um, will make a lot of money. So um, of course, maybe uh on on the contrary, a lot of people now lost money um because of Austria. Um, but still, I mean if if you play as an Austria, which is not known to be amongst Europe's uh Europe's top football nations, um quite far away from it, uh at least historically, um they gave uh they didn't make it easy at all for uh for Argentina. And um to Deccan's point, uh of course that it would have been legendary or even more legendary if Messi scored a goal with uh with his last free kick. I would say his um he had a much better chance by uh not missing his penalty, I would say, uh in the first minutes. And um that was quite unusual, I would say, because Leon Messi is usually the player, I mean, if you are um the the best in the world or amongst the best uh the best in the world, then this is usually kind of inherent in your genetics. That if you if you have a goal um to to win something extremely um extraordinary, great, whatever, um then these players usually have the nerves to get it. And um yeah, he he slipped, I would say, today um by missing this um this I think third penalty in a World Cup um uh of him. Um but uh yeah apart from that, uh definitely a very, very nice game to watch. And um yeah, and uh the the Austrian team had had a couple of uh had a couple of chances, uh two quite close, one free kick off of Zabica, um which was uh yeah, which was then uh which was on goal, I want to say, um, but then held and uh yeah, lovely game, and uh lovely to see Messi um I must say break the record of Miroslav Klose. It was time, and let's see if he will if he's able to keep that record of his, um, because there's of course one game we haven't spoken about where uh where some somebody uh uh yeah gives gives a very good um rival, I would say, for for that, for that record.

SPEAKER_02 20:37

John, I was gonna say um the the the pressure that Mbappe, Haaland, and Messi have put on two particular particular players games is fascinating. Uh we spoke about it the other day with Portugal and um the fact that personally we all think Ronaldo should be an impact sub rather than playing for 90 minutes. What response is Ronaldo going to give tomorrow, if any, for Uzbekistan? And then secondly, uh again, we love it because uh you know just on the golden golden boot or cup, the pressure is on Harry Kane, arguably the best striker in the world, you know, proper striker apart from Mbappe, a chair. You know, he has to step up again to and he's got pride and he's got you know the gumption to do it, but he has inherent pressure on him simply because Messi, Mbappe, and Haaland have all notched two goals each again today. So it's going to be really interesting for both Ronaldo and Harry Kane tomorrow.

SPEAKER_01 21:44

Yeah, look, the the the matches themselves are important, but this is it also feels as though there's another uh tournament competition going on here. I mean, this is a a golden boot race like um like we've never seen before. And today, for the first time, I heard a number of commentators say that uh potentially Messi, given how well he's playing. He's completely undimmed as a footballing force. He could well be back in four years' time.

SPEAKER_02 22:05

I have not heard and I would be amazed if he's still playing in four years time in the next World Cup in uh Murti. But fair play to him if he still is, because uh he is an absolute joy to watch and and we're privileged being able to see uh someone like that, as humble as he is, as loved as he is, still doing the business at 38 years old.

SPEAKER_01 22:31

Um let's move on to player of the day and then team of the day. Paul, do you want to lead us into this section?

SPEAKER_00 22:37

Um, yes, all right. So um for player of the day, I mean, come on, it's of course it's uh it is messy. And then for team of the day, I would give it to Norway today because uh their performance against Senegal, who of course um on the pitch won the um the Afcon final um in uh just uh the beginning of this year. So to to win against uh Africa's best is definitely um is definitely a big achievement for for Norway.

SPEAKER_01 23:11

Yeah, I mean it's worth saying that if Senegal beat Iraq in the last group fixture, then there will they will almost certainly go through as a third place side. And I think they you know they still have some um something to say for themselves in in this in this tournament. Um uh Daclan, would you agree with uh with Paul's uh uh choice of Messi and Norway, or do you have something else to add?

SPEAKER_02 23:33

No, I completely concur 100% uh with Paul tonight. I we normally uh don't necessarily always agree, but uh there's there's no doubt in my mind it's uh Norway for the team of the day and Messi.

SPEAKER_01 23:49

Yeah, my team of the day is Norway. Um there's there's there's kind of a freedom to how they're playing. They sort of seem to be unburdened. Of course, they haven't played in the World Cup since 1994, but they just seem to be a pretty complete unit uh at the moment. And uh for the player of the day, I would well, I'd love to pick somebody else other than than Messi, but it's really difficult to um to look beyond him. Um he just is, I mean, I know it's a cliche, but he's he's a class above. He sees things uh that nobody else sees, he sees things uh he doesn't it's not just he sees them, he sees them in ways others just wouldn't even ever consider, and how he sort of thinks a number of steps uh ahead. So you're pretty clearly by some distance, Leo Messi is my player of the day. Um Paul, how are you feeling about? I know you're of course you're now you're now a secret England fan as well, by default. Uh almost you have sort of a blood transfusion. Um what's uh what are your thoughts on uh on tomorrow's crucial uh match, crucial for the for the podcast? Because if England were to lose, then I think it would be a tough recording that we would be doing with Declan in the evening.

SPEAKER_00 25:01

Oh uh definitely that would uh that wouldn't be nice if if you would appear at all, um, or just uh lying in in the birthing birthing position, or how do you say that? No, in the in the fetus position position fetal fetal birthing. Jesus Christ. Sorry for putting uh putting these pictures. I think the birthing position is something else. That is something else, yes.

SPEAKER_02 25:22

No, see you just I might end up being in the water, like the Boston Tea Party, um myself in the birthing in the birthing water.

SPEAKER_00 25:34

Um no, but um another game I would say would which would um I can only talk for me, um, but which would instill a lot of joy in in me would be uh a draw or a win by Uzbekistan over over Portugal, um which for all what we know, what could have what already has happened in this World Cup, it is not completely unthinkable, I'd say.

SPEAKER_01 25:57

Yeah, and you know, going back to the fans, obviously we're sort of part rational, part irrational with these things, and and um you know, I I really like Norway now because of how their fans are behaving and how they're coming across and the same with the Japanese, but it's it's interesting because his historically I've really liked Portugal as a side, but um I've sort of taken emotionally taken against them just because of you know what seems to me to be the kind of daft self-serving decision making that um that exists uh around them. So, yes, let's uh everybody uh can uh not to quietly cheer Uzbekistan uh tomorrow. What a result that would be if um if they got something out of out of that game. But um yeah, we we've got to be.

SPEAKER_02 26:47

I actually have a bit of a soft spot for Uzbekistan because about a month ago back in Orlando in my real job, which is uh technology recruiting, I uh found a young Uzbeki man, Islombek. Uh I won't say a fantastic job with uh uh a great Orlando company senior datum. I went to an uh Uzbeki restaurant here in uh back in Orlando, had a wonderful lunch with him two weeks later, and I can visualize what it's gonna be like tomorrow. I didn't realize there were so many people from his Uzbekistan in Orlando, Florida, but Islambek, I he's a great guy, he loves his football, and I'm very pleased that we found him a job.

SPEAKER_01 27:34

Well, and um to to continue his journey towards uh towards career success and um and happiness. I mean, we can't provide career success here at WorldCom Football, etc. But if Uzbekistan gets some kind of resolve in the match against Portugal, let's um see if Islombek can come on and say a few words. But um, yeah, let's see what happens tomorrow, Declan. Enjoy your uh your idol room where there is uh no sound of drilling uh on this on this occasion. And um I I think I can speak for Paul in saying that we're we're very happy that you've been uh uh at the sort of uh at the champagne and um and caviar and oyster end of things on the on the Boston waterfront tonight.

SPEAKER_02 28:18

Yeah, no, it was fantastic. It was kids only stuff being heroes of mine when I was growing up, but more importantly, my father would have absolutely loved to have been sitting there on the sidelines listening to these guys talking, uh meeting with them, shaking hands with them, hearing their stories, giving them a hug, and then at the end of the day, wishing England all the best tomorrow. So again, Steve Freeman, thank you, mate.

SPEAKER_01 28:40

Amazing. Uh thank you, Declan. Thank you, uh Paul, and good luck, Uzbekistan.

SPEAKER_00 28:46

Yeah, thanks, guys, as well. And uh Declan, have the best of days tomorrow. Good luck.

SPEAKER_02 28:51

Yep, come on, England.