Full Throstle Podcast 2 - Dave Prutton

Steve and the Sky Sports EFL presenter discuss Albion's opening day win at Norwich and upcoming home game in front of the Sky cameras against Burnley. Prutton also reveals discussions have taken place between Sky and the EFL over the introduction of the controversial VAR system - after Aune Heggebo's handball goal at Carrow Road. There's also views of Jimmy-Jay Morgan's impact, Alex Mowatt's sale to Derby - and Prutton's prediction on James Morrison's chances of mounting a serious promotion challenge in his first season in charge. 

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:03

Welcome to the second edition of Full Throssle. And today uh I'm joined in this studio by uh someone who should be on this side really, who uh should be presenting this. Uh Dave Prutton, who is the uh the Sky Sports man, uh the Sky Sports presenter of the mainly the EFL, uh the non-stop, the juggernaut that is the EFL, uh uh, especially in the championship as as West Brom uh are and so we're delighted to have you on, uh Dave. Are you ready for the uh for the absolute uh juggernaut that is the championship this season?

SPEAKER_00 0:42

I am looking forward to it. It's uh first and foremost, Steve, thank you very much very much for having me on. It's a pleasure. Um, yeah, it it's it's been a weird one, hasn't it? Because we've all been kind of very um taken up with, especially from an EFL point of view, the season finishes, and then everyone kind of goes, Oh, everyone's having a break, and then the World Cup comes along and uh everything off the back of that. And I had the very good fortune of going out there and doing a bit of work on it. So coming back, a couple of weeks of kind of getting reacquainted with stuff, getting ready for the next season, then with the way that the carabao moved to the week before, which I thought was a great idea. So you get that week before, and then you run into that opening weekend of the league season, and it just I think it really delivered. I'm biased because on Sky Sports we covered everything, which um is a wonderful thing to be part of. It kind of you gotta make sure that it's the onslaught that doesn't wipe you off your feet because you're looking at goals, you're looking at teams, you're looking at oh, he's there now. Oh, that's that's amazing. That they've done that, and that they've done this. Um, so no, it's just been great, and it's now kind of uh it's it's not by any means kind of head down and see you in May, but it'll come thick and fast, and I can't wait for all of it because it's fantastic.

SPEAKER_01 1:51

I mean, Albion season started quite well actually on Friday night, didn't it? When we saw we saw Wolves drop some points. So that was uh that was a nice start for the for the Albion. Um, because to have those that battle uh again in the championship is as you can imagine, something that uh is uh is very much being looked forward to up here. But you wouldn't have had Albion winning at Norwich down on your Coopon, would you?

SPEAKER_00 2:18

No, I mean not overly given the contrasting nature of the way that the two teams finished. We saw Norwich last year, um obviously managerial changes um with Philippe Clement coming in. Um and they needed something a little different, I think. And and um the change in personnel, the change in personality of leading that team really did seem to grab them by the scuff of the neck. Um and it felt as we were watching the the season pan out that Norwich just ran out of games, really, given how good they were and given the turnaround of the season. And as we saw with with uh uh the Albion, the that ability to again make changes, find personnel that not only fit the way that the team wanted to, or the best version of the team, but also what the club fit as well, which I thought was it's it's a it's a master stroke, whether it's by luck or by design, when you give someone the opportunity and they end up being really, really good, even though obviously no about James and his and his coaching ability, but that the there is always a bit of a Hail Mary when it comes to making appointments, and the fact that it glued it all together. We saw him on the last day, and we listened to him on the last day, and he was brilliant because yes, there was an element of relief. Um even you could see it in his face, and I I remember his post-match interview where they kind of said, Oh, well, I'll I'll um I'll be having a beer or something, and a beer, not necessarily to celebrate, because it was he was quite it was quite um on the money with that. I thought of West Brom uh in the championship don't celebrate survival, do they? That's not remotely what the MO is. Yes, there's things that happen off the field, yes, there's managerial changes, yes, there's personnel changes that sometimes affect that. But it was quite clear, I thought the boss say, look, yep, okay, we've skin of our teeth type stuff. Almost got well done, everyone. But looking around going, this isn't what we do again, this isn't where we're going. And then you look at the way the season started with the game against Norwich. I thought Norwich were very, very bright in the first half. Um, when you've got a baggage goalkeeper that's pulling up pretty good saves in the first half. I bet the traveling fans are thinking right from the start, right from the start, even right from the start, and they looked really bright, didn't they? Norwich, um, and then as we saw, uh, how the the the second half panned out, and um the the ability for players to uh make the best of situations to find themselves in in front of goal, which I'm sure there's a wry smile on the face of all the West Brom fans, and for other fans, they're all are you talking about the player that we've now christened Diego Hegebo by any chance? It's um there's only one arm. There's only one arm exactly, exactly. And and you look at it, and I I've I've I in the the role that I'm in and other kind of little bits and bobs that I do. I do speak a lot with um the PGMO and work with referees and do a lot of interact and have a lot of interaction with referees. And I I do think it's a job that's getting harder. That's not for one second saying that you should let stand should allow standards to slip. You look at that move in real time, you look at the position of the uh assistant referee, you look at the position of the referee, all players uh across football and and and and in a sliding scale of um whether you call it sinister, whether you call it sportsmanship, gamesmanship, whether you call it something housery, they're always looking to get an advantage. Uh, and you've got a centre forward there that's seen at the last second that they're not getting on the end. I mean, there's a question there of saying, How did you not realise that you you it just let it hit it hit any part of your body and it'll go in? However, the part of it of the body that it did hit was quite clearly an arm.

SPEAKER_01 6:10

And I do feel like you admire the way he didn't uh he didn't doubt himself, he didn't he didn't give away anything. Did you admire the way he just ran off yes and scored?

SPEAKER_00 6:20

Well, that's the that's that's the master of the cover-up, isn't it? Really? Don't look back. It's like when you see a player score a goal and believe that they're offside, looking around going, oh no, no, no, no, no, no, celebrate, and then we'll take it from there. And I think uh we were saying before we start recording, weren't we? That there was I can't remember which one of his teammates it was giving them a bit of a game. I think it might be price, I think it might be an odd price. Yeah, saying keep your head down, don't mention that again. If you get asked about it post-match, again, don't answer it. Just it just hit me and it went in. But there's again, like I said, I feel for the officials, and I absolutely feel for Norwich in that as well. Um, but sometimes that's what helps win games, and it quite clearly said Albin on the way, and second goal is a thing of beauty from a player that I think we're all getting a little bit excited about watching uh from your point of view, but also from the broader point of view of what it brings to the championship.

SPEAKER_01 7:11

Well, that is really interesting because we are talking with a broader, a broader picture today, and that's why that's why it's really great to have you on, Dave, because we we're just getting outside of our little our little B71 kind of uh home and broadening broadening the horizon. We'll talk about JJ Morgan in a set, but I just want to stay on the handball thing, yeah. Because I heard some uh chat between Martin Keone and Jim White today on um about 10 minutes on it on Talk Sport, uh and uh you know um VAR. And I think part of the joy of the championship has been the lack, the absence of VAR. And uh I think uh with your knowledge uh of where you are, where you work, what what's the view? What's the view on on that?

SPEAKER_00 8:01

I I think we're all I think we're all happy with the way it is right now. I do understand that there is an evolution that comes that always filters down from the top, and your experience of working at that very top level in the Premier League, you that they do set the tone, really, don't they? And and more often than not, um as as the rest of the dog comes wagging up behind it, that that tends to be the case. However, everyone that I speak to that watches the EFL Championship League One, League Two, they they love that for not being there because of what we always did love football for, which is chaos and mistakes and debates and consternation, and that sense of what you're seeing with your own eyes, or your interpretation of what you're seeing with your own eyes, is what has just actually happened. Now, as I said, working at the World Cup, uh covering Premier League games from a comment a co-commentary point of view, learning how to um talk about what VAR is, what it potentially could be, taking yourself out of the moment to try and realize there's a team wheeling away there, there's another team that's in close discussion with the referee. The referee's put his hand to his ear, he's been spoken to, and you do I think we all watch that type of football in a slightly different way now. There is that niggly feeling, isn't there? Have I just seen something that's that's that's that's actually happened, or am I going to see something that in a minute is going to be ruled out? Whereas with the EFL, what you see is literally what you get to to the most wonderful part of it. Now, we do know that in the championship playoff final, and if there's any um motivation for Albion to make sure this season's uh memorable or remarkable, it's get yourself in the top two, then maybe not have this debate about being at Wembley. But um I the the the use of um the use of VAR there, given the magnitude of the game. I mean, and this is where there's a slight where the debate comes into it, where you're going, well, the magnitude of the game in the semi-final, first leg, second leg, could be just as big. And now we're looking at the top eight. The magnitude of the final day could be just as big to get into there, to maybe get into the top two. So I do get that, but I think from a simplistic point of view and a simplicity of emotion and of a love of the game, I absolutely love how it is. I do also know that there are broad discussions with regards to the EFL's approach to it, and when it there's there's so much of it that needs to be kind of dialed down into uh the effectiveness, the want of it, because as we saw with VAR in the Premier League, there's there's no sense of this being forced on the EFL or the clubs because the clubs have to vote for it. That's how this works. So there is a bit of a kind of a misleading take on it, which is some art some kind of arbitrary overseeing umbrella will say you're gonna have it. No, because the the EFL is made up of its members, the members being the football clubs. So they vote all these rules, all this legislation, everything that comes into um everything that comes into the debate. Um look at what happened at the back end of last season with regards to Southampton in the playoffs and um going into this season, that stuff is voted on by the clubs. It's it's not it's it's not a higher panel point of the finger. Same with VAR in the Premier League, it gets voted in or it gets dismissed because of the majority nature of needed for a vote. So if if it does come into play or a variation of it comes into play, it would be it would be there because of the want of the of the members of of the actual league.

SPEAKER_01 11:38

So that that my my my my view is that it's probably inevitable at some point that we'll get a version of it, whether it's two, three, four, five years. But for now, we haven't got it. I'm not gonna revel in that.

SPEAKER_00 11:52

Yeah, and I think and we we sit there pre and post match and we and we talk about games where something has happened. Um take the opening. You you mentioned Wolves, but the Wolf Squatband game on Friday night. But is is that a handball inside outside the box? What on one angle, yes, on another angle, no? On one angle it hits his arm, that has to be definitely for it.

SPEAKER_01 12:13

It was definitely outside, mate. It was definitely outside.

SPEAKER_00 12:15

So that's so yeah, if it was a foot outside, but he fell in. But yeah, but that that sense of but but the great thing about that is um and what he's almost feels a bit nostalgic when you talk about the top level, is that generated debate, didn't it? And the thing you can't argue with that is the referee's gone, well, I think that's there, so I've made a decision. So then you're kind of going, whether you agree with it or not, the referees decisively taken action there. Blown's whistle, I think it's pen. Okay, well, I don't. Well, I do that therein lies all debate.

SPEAKER_01 12:52

Enjoy football, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 12:53

Exactly. So, yeah, I'm I'm you see. Maybe uh kind of hovering into view, there might be a version of it. This as I said, with the things you need to take into account, cost being the biggest factor. We we know football clubs um across the divisions, everybody's running different ways. There's a broad kind of push to make sure that everyone's uh financially viable and stable. We know that it's it's not absolutely nowhere near a straight line for anything like that at all. And some have uh very wealthy benefactors, some are struggling to spend money, some are struggling to garner money to create money. Um, and it just adds another thing into the pot for the fiscal side of what football is to have to try to manage. So I'd I'd say I I wouldn't write it off entirely, knowing as you said, uh as we agree on that football does seemingly always evolve. Um but I thoroughly love it for what it is right now at this moment in time.

SPEAKER_01 13:44

Great. So you mentioned uh Jimmy J. Morgan. I I must admit, I don't think I'd be alone. I I I I know I'm a football, but I don't I wouldn't I did I hadn't heard of this kid, and I I really didn't pay much attention, I should have done to what he was doing at Peterborough last year because he scored 14 in League One on loans from Chelsea. Uh so we signed him fairly quietly at the start of the summer, uh, 1.2, 1.3 million. And I don't know whether many people at the Albion thought he would be straight away Pegabo's kind of partner, first choice. But the impressions he's made in preseason and obviously now twice scored at Rotherham and once with an assist at Norwich. Were you aware of him and what have you made of him? Because that was a really cool finish on uh very good, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 14:33

But I I knew that Peterborough were very, very fond of him, and as Peterborough do very well, uh they do help to develop players. Sometimes they get a chance to get that player on board and then move him on for um a significant fee, which is what Darr has done for time and time again, hasn't he, over the course of the time that hasn't alongside Barry. Um, yeah, but to be able to then go and and and again that there'll be an element of his manager saying this, and hopefully for Jimmy as well, that that that is not let's not get carried away because of what we saw in League One. But what we've seen so far is a player that's physically seemingly capable for what I've seen of him in the championship, as I said, very, very small uh sample size. But that ability to carry the ball, to have it in tight spots, to be the difference in a championship game against a team, as we know, with Norwich that can attack really, really well. And again, as we said, on another day, they're two or three in a look at half time. But for O'Leary having a fantastic game of goal, yeah. Um so when that there is an element of not riding you look because it's the championship. You're gonna have games in 45 minutes and 20 minute periods where you're under a bit of pressure, and then they did that well. But then you've got someone like him who can release that pressure, who can carry the ball forward, who can say, right, I'm gonna try and make something out of nothing. He ends up scoring the goal that decides the game. Um, so yeah, heard about him in in fits and starts, but was delighted having watched um a large majority of the game to see what it was like kind of in in full flow, and he was great. And again, Chelsea known for having lots and lots of good young players on the books, also known for having lots and lots of good young players out on loan. It's a big part of the game.

SPEAKER_01 16:10

Chelsea paid quite a lot of money for him. I think they spent a good couple of million from said axiom. So they obviously saw something, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 16:17

Yeah, and it goes to show that they to get him in the building and to have him in and around it, especially given his age, is is not is not really it's not beneficial. He needs game time, and he and it it's a bit of an EFL cliche when we talk about these players that come from Premier League teams, but proper minutes in proper teams that are fighting for actual kind of proper points, and um his ability to do that with Peterborough, his ability to do that so far with West Brom has has been a real joy to watch. I suppose the key thing. So is he signed for the full season?

SPEAKER_01 16:50

No, he's we've signed him. Oh, completely signed. Yeah, complete point two million. I don't know what I'd read the that because there would there was an article if it was on loan at Peterborough, Albany and signed him three years, 1.2 million, probably some McDonald's as well.

SPEAKER_00 17:06

There was a there was an article that was mooting about um whether it was a loan or not. Because in my head, as soon as you read it, you go, Well, you don't want to have a good six months and then go somewhere in January because someone fancies you, but the fact that they've committed that money down, yeah, which just makes it even better, makes it absolutely imperative that he now becomes a cornerstone. Again, we talk about the age of the player, we're talking about the experience of the player, the ability of the player. So he, in essence, and what West Brom have got in essence is is it is meeting at the perfect time. Because at 20, if you've got any aspirations of a nice long career at a very good level, this is when you get stuck into the meat of getting your uh appearances. So you he obviously uh suspension form and fitness willing, all of that.

SPEAKER_01 17:52

I see what you're saying. You're saying he's gonna play hundred and hundred games before he's 22, 23.

SPEAKER_00 17:57

Well, if he knocks on the door 40 games a season in the championship, Albion get to and we'll come on to talk about it, at least the top eight. Yeah, and then I I I presume as well that they'll they'll to make it mutually beneficial, signing in for that price. There'll be an amount in there that maybe if someone comes sniffing, great. Um, that would have shown that it'd have done a very good job. And if he does a very good job, I would assume that Albion would have had a very good season. Yeah, um, so commitments to the player for three seasons, did you say? I think it's fantastic. Three seasons, yeah, yeah, three seasons, and he would have been as well, given the upbringing at the clubs you're talking about who are very good at developing youngsters. The fact that he's seen the EFL last season and the fact that he's now stepped up, it sounds incrementally he's been yeah, he's been brought on really well, I think, doesn't it?

SPEAKER_01 18:50

Yeah, it does, doesn't it? League one, Chelsea, League One Championship, you know. Yeah, it does, it really does. And uh he's got a lot about him. And uh, you'll be there Sunday, I guess, with the cameras, will you? For I'll be involved. We'll be watching, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:03

Which is a great test, in it, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 19:06

Um, and Goodman. I know your mate Don will be there with comms for comms, so he'll get a good look at him. Uh, because I'm speaking to Don on this very podcast next week, so it'd be great to get Don's take on him. It's been interesting summer in in one way or another, because I launched this. We we we launched this website full throttle in about July, thinking I don't know how the summer's going to be for the Albion pre-season, but actually it's been quite interesting because we started straight away signing the likes of JJ Morgan, another kid from Falkirk, Barney Stewart, who you saw briefly come on us up. You might see a bit more of him, and we've signed a kid from Iceland, Hornmara. We've saw we've signed a French, right? We're trying to get Danny Imre back. But also on the eve of the season on Thursday, James Morrison uh well the club sold who was going to be captain, Alex Moet to Derby, which was unusual. The timing, yeah. I don't know what you made of that as a player, you know, your dressing room, you experienced car, your captain, you know. Finally, you have his contract, Dave. So I've given you the full the full picture of it, but it's one of those that Morrison wouldn't have would have been shocked and gutted, but from a club point of view, take it.

SPEAKER_00 20:24

It makes sense, I think. Yeah, and having kind of seen a fair bit of Alex over the years, uh I mean, is is there a debate maybe to look at how he came through potentially at the same time as Lewis Cook and what Lewis Cook's gone on to do? You know what I mean? And that's that's not throwing shade on him because I'm talking about I'm I'm I'm comparing two players of a similar of this of a similar genera of the same generation at a club, but that one's gone on to do fantastic things consistently in the Premier League and is a fantastic, you know what I mean? And yeah, and and again, that's that's not and again that's not damning Alex for fate praise because the amount of kids that come through an academy and don't end up doing anything at all.

SPEAKER_01 21:09

So I think you're absolutely right, and this is why it's split the fan base a little bit because there are some players that are some fans are suddenly comparing him to the likes. You you'd think he was some kind of buddy PLO that we've solved. Uh, and then there are others that are saying, hang on, he's been part of one of the worst Albion teams and seasons in recent memory. Come on, let's have some perspective. So there is both sides, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 21:31

There and I mean the the facts as well that you've got a player that spent a bit of time away on loan as well, and and even in the realms of being uh an Albion player is I mean again, this this is me not pulling him apart because like I said, I've I've I've I've seen him play so much, and I've seen him be part of teams that I mean the the Barnes decide that he was part of with uh Valerian getting to the playoffs was yeah, was that that that was a team. That with the greatest respect was not easy on the eye. That was a team that was right in front of your face like that, and they were coming at you. Sorry, we're not going to play ball around you, we're coming straight through you. And he was a massive part of that. Um, so he has played football in different ways, he has he has played for managers that want a different style of setup. Um, the fact that he's 31 now, I'd say, with yes, with that kind of um career behind him shows that uh got got him on a free got him on a free.

SPEAKER_01 22:34

Uh he then went to Muddersborough because he learned he we learned him out of then read to playoffs as well. But we have it appears a bit of a doubt, bit of a conjecture about the fee, but it does appear we've got about 750 plus probably a good few quid off the wages, so all in all, probably two million in turn in terms of recoup, you know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00 22:55

Yeah, and I I I think as I think as well, sometimes and I'm not saying for one second what Albion's season was was a was Alex Mower's fault at all. It was a collective kind of dropping of standards, wasn't it, or not attaining the standards. And I and uh I I do totally get why there might be a section of the fan base that's kind of as always with players, uh you can sit there next to the next to the person that you watch every single game with and go, Well, I think he's great and you think he's crap. So he probably falls somewhere in the middle, you know what I mean. That that's that's how you that's how players are judged. Now, with the greatest respect to Alex, I don't think him sticking around possibly makes or breaks Albion season. I I think if if there's anyone that knows what it takes to play in midfield, then you've got a manager that absolutely does know that and will know what he wants. And the and the other part about it is given um that ability to to manage upwards, downwards, and sideways, I'm not saying for one second that someone above James has gone. We need him, him, or him moved on. Pick pick one of those that you feel you can do without without without it being let known to the fans, because yes, the fans should be kept informed, but they shouldn't know everything. The inner machinations of a football club are shrouded sometimes in secrecy and and decision making that you don't quite see, but that might have been a school of thought. Uh James might have thought, well, let's freshen things up a bit. Um, Alex might have come to him and said, you know what? I just boss, I fancy something different, and let's shake hands and move on. Uh we'll do it in this way. Yes, you look at the timing. Is there ever a good time to sell potentially a club captain? Possibly not, but it's happened, then you move on, then it opens the door. And then you look at you see that happen, then you look at the game. And it, like we said, the game was worn very much of um ebbs and flows, and dare I say, a game of two halves. But you look at that, and there's so much to like about what you saw from Albion off the back of that first half, and and and seeing seeing off the threat of Norwich. Um, that maybe the Alex Moat shaped hole isn't as big that the ones that love him think it is, and the ones that think maybe it was time to move on, go. See, I told you so. But again, I I do absolutely go back because putting myself into my ex-professional's boots and seeing what he's done and seeing the amount of games that he's got under his belt at 31. I have Alex Moat career so far, absolutely fantastic. Going through a great generation of leads, kids, and has actively been able to call himself a Premier League footballer of a certain standard. Sorry, a professional footballer of a certain standard for a very long time.

SPEAKER_01 25:32

Very long time. Uh, I think uh yeah, the timing Morrison had had put him in the in you know in the middle of that in that six, likes to play two sixes, but yeah, he called him the glue. Uh, and I think there was obviously a connection being made through the summer, Morrison's first preseason, build a connection, uh, and wanted him as the kind of heart of it. So some some disappointment in that sense, but I think absolutely big picture, okay, decent money. Um also a different profile is needed, yeah. You know, maybe a bit more robust, somebody you can somebody who can who can pass and dig a little bit more, maybe, and get about the pitch a bit more. So it is a chance to move forward in that sense, isn't it?

SPEAKER_00 26:23

Yeah, and I suppose if you look at a a middle four of Whitwell, Dirk, Mire, and Price, then I mean that's that's not that's not offensive. That's not when I say offensive, I mean it uh yes, they are offensive literally, but that's not you don't look at that and go, oh I'm not sure.

SPEAKER_01 26:39

No, it doesn't. And I want you to I want you to have a look at on Sunday, Dave. If he comes on, he might start, I doubt it, but he might come on. This kid that we've signed from Strasbourg, yeah, and Zingula, he came on for 20 minutes the same time as um same time as Malumbi came on for um for for for uh in that 20 minutes for for Mira. In Zingula 20, got a lot of French caps as under 20 level. He looks decent as well. So I'd be interested to see what you make of that. So that's the kind of different profile that maybe the clubs the club's looking at, you know, not so much a quarterback, but maybe, or maybe maybe I don't know, someone who can do a little bit more. They're they're rare, aren't they? Come on, let's be fair.

SPEAKER_00 27:21

Not very much so, and with the best one in the world, if if he's like like you say about tongue-in-cheeks and about if some people feel like we've lost Pillow. If if we're talking about that type of player, he's probably not playing in the championship with the greatest respect. And correct. I mean, I'm just looking quickly at uh in uh Enzangula's stats here, three tackles, one or three, 100% tackle and success, right? I mean, that's that's that's a fairly decent march.

SPEAKER_01 27:47

And he came on nil-nil up against it, uh, but immediately came on. It looked like there was a pass here and there was a tackle there, and you thought, oh that looks a little bit uh that looks a little bit useful because it it's quite a hot place to go first up at uh at Norwich, you know.

SPEAKER_00 28:04

And also, as well, Stephen, it's it's that sense of um which is what's so great about the championship, and we've seen it time and time again. That sense of when uh a team's done its due diligence and brought a player in. So everyone's heard of Alex Moa. I'm very conscious that we're not talking about this. This is the Alex Moa um episode, but everyone knows who he is, where he's played, and what he plays like. But that again, that doesn't tried and tested doesn't necessarily always mean supremely successful, does it? Correct. The the team that the team that um so the took the speaking of Burnley, the two Burnley teams that were put together by Vincent Company and Scott Parker, if if you told me that you knew exactly what all these players would bring, particularly the wingers under Vincent, yes, you'd get you'd be you'd either have to be forensically knowledgeable about European football or you'd just be taking a punt, and then you watch them and you go, bloody hell, why have I never heard of these? Because they're playing in different places on the continent, and you come into the championship. First question is can you handle the um physicality of it? Yeah, he comes on 20 minutes, yeah, looks like it. Talk about Jimmy J. Can you handle the uh physicality of the championship? Yeah, looks like it as well. And I and I I I do stress very small sample size, but just because we're looking at players that potentially you've got to do a bit of digging on does not mean to say that they can't hit this, hit this like a take to this like a duck to water, given as well that they are surrounded and managed and coached by people that do know all about the championship and what it means and what it takes to be successful at that level. So it's as much a thumbs up for the environment that these players are coming into as the potential ability of these players that I'll be in a bringing in. So there's a lot to be very excited about.

SPEAKER_01 29:52

That's great, and and that's a real positive. And one one of the things that uh you know, obviously, we know about this. James has bought Morrison's has has brought in a really good, he seems to have really assembled a good background team. He's got Gabin Stracken in there, uh Gordon's lad, he's got Tony McMahon, who we knew from Middlesbrough, and he's got Matt Gill, who we brought in at the end of last season. So there's a there's a real you can tell actually, even just there's a real strong backbone organization, uh, and and James seems really really happy. And I'm I'm sure, as you said, the players will be given all the all all the coaching, all the backup.

SPEAKER_00 30:34

Now, and I'll tell you what, Steve, just just the buttons, it it does feel like there has been a generational shift in the last two, three years where because I'm looking at managers and players now that are progressively getting younger than me, which is fine because that's how the world works. But even these coaching staffs look younger, don't they? And that's again, that's that's throwing no shade at um the the generation that came before because that's how life works. We get older and different things happen. But even so, when you're looking at these players that uh are coming into and and they all say all these managers and all the coaches, players are slightly different, that's not a bad thing, you know. I mean, players that respond to different things nowadays, different delivery of information. Um, it's but potentially that there's a there's more adherence to the carrot than to the stick, but the the vast kind of hoovers up of information, they want to learn things, they want to know more. Not saying that my generation didn't, but there's more ability to give you and process more information, quite literally, data-wise. So that there's a there's a very much element in that, and and even James's demeanour, I think there's a player, there's a man that can get riled up, yes, but he knows that screaming, shouting, and hollering, possibly with players that he brings in, Yoon kid from Chelsea. Is he going to respond to that? Probably not. No, make him feel good about himself.

SPEAKER_01 31:52

He is he's a nice guy, I think, but even even the small again, most small sample size. I'm I'm just getting to know him to the summer and whatever. You can tell because you don't become a Premier League footballer and a professional footballer for the length of time he has without games that he played. He he is extremely demanding, yeah. And and and you've got to be so the other thing I was gonna say uh is um I'm gonna check who is the oldest manager currently in the championship, and he's probably it's a good you we're gonna have to go along because they're probably like you say the average age is probably really coming down, down, down. That's a great show. Because you wouldn't get your you know, your war horse Neil Warnock. Uh do it, do it.

SPEAKER_00 32:37

There's still time for him to there is yeah, like late January, kind of heading towards Easter, mate.

SPEAKER_01 32:43

That you know that you know that so while you're looking that up, I'm just gonna I'm just gonna sort of say, uh, okay, we're down to eighth, the playoffs brings a lot more people into play, and probably 16 teams are gonna be probably thinking, you know, down to 16th rather, all the way to the last few games of the season, maybe. You know, are we gonna be, you know, can we still get in there? What do you think? I mean about the the eighth, on about who who do you who are your standouts and who are your dark horses, Dave, as we round off the last few minutes.

SPEAKER_00 33:14

Oh I think I've just just to just to clarify that. I mean, uh this shows you that Google doesn't always get to itself um quick enough. It says Roy, obviously, but Roy's moved on, bless him. Age 78, oh yeah, yeah, yeah. Well that wins, yeah. But Chris Wilder, 58, along with Parkey at Wrexham, he's 58 as well. So is he 58 as well? Okay, I think we're looking at I think we're looking at those. Um but I mean you spend two minutes in in either of their company and you realise that they're only 58 in number in in no other way than 58. Yeah, exactly. They're both aggressive. Um it's pretty systemic because uh over the course of the weekend, everyone's looking at West Ham. Yeah, Jared staying. I say Jared staying, and unless someone took something ridiculous at West Ham between now and the end, then that's a slight different thing. They're also spending money as well. And let's be honest, Nuno's stuck around because the expectation's there, the ownership's there, and the potential sniffing around of what that might look like in in the coming weeks and months. They're only interested in that being a Premier League entity, therefore, that's what you see. We look at the Burney game, uh, and Burney possibly of the teams that came down the least fancied of the three. However, gave West Ham a very good game and obviously got back into it and secured a point. So, from that point of view, you've got to take those two absolutely into account. Wolves, the fact that they've got Raul Jimenez, even though, of course, uh Albion fans will thank me for that.

SPEAKER_01 34:42

No, but what's saying they're having a go, yeah, having a go.

SPEAKER_00 34:45

But what I saw from them against Blackburn is there's there's a team that can be got at. There's a team that um is in essence um pretty not standard championship fair, but in a sense of of what they will bring to the championship. I don't think they're gonna bounce down and bounce straight back up again and and go walking all over people. Um Middlesbrough having a go. Yeah, and and the money that they've spent, I think, has been really clever. The likes of um uh Lancashire Phillips, the Bruyne, they brought the new goalkeeper in as well. Yeah, well, Lancashire was has been uh V T at the goalkeeper. Uh Lancashire has been superb, obviously, since he came in, three goals in two games.

SPEAKER_01 35:21

Um, he scored, I think it was about I think it's 14 goals in an Oxford side that went down, or maybe 11 Albion goes there after Burnley, so it's uh it's a tough start.

SPEAKER_00 35:31

Good markers as well, but then they're not that they lost Hayden Hackney, they they lost Del Fry. So we'll soon see whether that money, and it also helps when you've got Morgan Rogers' money dripping through the cracks from wherever that's or that's like Man City or is that Villa or where's that coming from? No, are they just sat there going we don't care, just give us it, it's fine, yeah. Um and and what they've been able to do with that and the disappointment and the utter carnage of of the back end of last season. Kim was a very emotional man at that, and I could understand why, but yeah, let's uh but to be frank about it, they have three chances to go up automatically, then obviously the playoffs, and the second chance at the playoffs. So we're not looking at a team there that walked the division last year, we're looking at a team that hit the front and got caught by Coventry, a very, very good team, of course, and then got pulled back into um the fray with the with the rest of the chasing pack. So then they're not insurmountable by any stretch of the imagination. The the debate, I think, about the teams that become very much the runners and riders in and around those teams, you've got to chuck in Sheffield United, even though did the Sheffield United Birmingham City game on Saturday tea time, and it was by no means a classic. And I did speak to Chris afterwards, so I'm not betraying any truth.

SPEAKER_01 36:49

There's thought this we won't get into it, but there is talk of a possible deduction, isn't it? If they go into receivership, there's one or two, there's one or two uh horrible stories knocking about bed shipping, but who cares? That'll always be the case. Not who cares, I don't mean that. I mean that's for another.

SPEAKER_00 37:03

That'll always be the case because again, going back to what I'd said about how that type of legislation is metered out, it's something that all clubs have come together and said, Well, this is what happens when X happens, and hopefully it helps to stave off positions that these clubs have found themselves in. Just looking at the table, now you've got a bottom three of Portsmouth, Bristol City, and Southampton at the bottom. That's you know, I mean, Southampton, what they're capable of with the players that they've got, is at least the top eight, if not knocking on the door of the top two. Whether Taylor Howard Bellis stays, there's rumours about him and Benfica. We still don't know concretely what the situation is with the manager off the back of obviously a hearing with the FA, there's yet there's yet to be any any form of kind of reaction or answer to that in the public domain. I can't give you any insight on all of that because I don't know myself. Um Birmingham City will be inherently ambitious, Wrexham will be inherently ambitious. Um, do we see a Norwich side carrying on the back end last season but coming over the disappointment lose on the opening day against Albion, possibly? We still saw City Milwall, another one great away from home, wonderful away from home, great job that Alex has done. Um, I do think, and I I do mean with this with the greatest respect because over the last few seasons that that we've seen QPR and the changes that they've made, the fact that they're sat top of the league, I'm sure QPR fans are very, very happy indeed. However, however, without being too um pessimistic, potentially not that at the end of the season. No, but I'm here to be proven wrong.

SPEAKER_01 38:33

Can I push you last last minute or so of this uh of this but can I put you you mentioned eight uh uh and possible Alb Albion? What do you think? What what do you think? What what what's the expectation do you think is fair?

SPEAKER_00 38:48

I think top eight is fair, I think it's absolutely fair, and I'm not not I know that those extra two spaces potentially open the door for a lot of teams thinking, well, why not us? But I go back to what James said at the end of last season, I go back to what I've seen Albion at this level of of uh in in the pyramid. I look at the opening couple of games, um the ambition of the football club, and I think I'm not saying by any stretch of the imagination that there's a block of teams in the middle of the championships that are much of a much nuts, I'm saying there's a lot of very, very similar teams with their own unique traits, um uh pros, cons, and uh strengths and weaknesses. I I think if you are an honest West Bromwich Albion person, whether that's in the building, on the terraces, watching these games, having seen the championship last season and what it almost did to Albion, you're looking at that going top eight, top eight is where we've absolutely got to aim for. And I'm not the the words that we use with success and failure of Albion being a failure if they're not in the top eight coming into the season, that's not the word I'm using. I'm saying it would there would be a huge disappointment given the size of that football club and its recent balances with the top flight, that it opens the door for them, but also the caveat being it opens the door for so many other teams with the same aspiration.

SPEAKER_01 40:10

Great, that's the way to end. And I look forward to popping in and seeing you in your little uh room in your little box there at the All Thorns on Sunday. You're enjoying that. I look forward to it. Thank you, thank you, Dave. Thank you, mate.