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We will continue to bring you all the same content being enjoying here. The biggest stories from the football league, exclusive guests and the moments everyone is talking about. With me to break down, the first week in the league action, my right hand, Joby McEnough, Jobes, it's good to be back. Oh, we're so back, aren't we? And what to start to the weekend? Obviously, interesting one this one, because obviously we had Car about Cup, the week leading up to it, but there's nothing like the first game of the regular EFL season, and it kicked off brilliantly up at Mollynu, brilliant atmosphere, really good game, and just an indicator, I think of what we've got to come across all of the league this season. I'll be honest, the whole weekend was great. Wicked goals, Sebastian's drama, let's go on to later. Loathe and Loathe drama from Saturday morning, all the way to Monday night, Oosh, the football league is back. We've been doing with you Wednesday mornings, because it's been a weird one for me. Well, obviously I had a fairly busy summer, obviously away, brilliant format at the World Cup. It was very cool, I've got to say. And then coming back, next a couple of weeks away with the kids, and then straight into it, as we have to do, lots of prep trying to get round, who's gone, who's still there, transfers, trying to put together some one to 24's, which is always interesting, and the worst thing you can do is when you've got to do the bottom three, so I've had a fair bit of stick from a sublet team's off way. Are you friends of working now? We've got them very well. Did you exchange numbers? We did, yes, had a few nice breakfasts together, we're pretty little. Right, yeah, we've been in touch, so... He's top man right to be fair, nice. Invited him to a mac and I've get together? Not quite yet, we're working on it. Let's see if we get to quite a quick spot. I don't, and we've worked together for years. No one's going to take your place, please do not get jealous. You know there's only one man that I want by myself. I'd like to see Ruykin schlepping it about Exeter City. We're going to solve for the fair bit, I'll have a good chat for about that. That's no barometer. Anyway, also joining us, bottom wonders, boss Steven, Schumacher, Schuhelad, off to the perfect start to life in the championship, a two-one win over P&E. Great start mate, how are you? I'm very good, thanks Lads, yeah. How are you? Hope you're all enjoying your summer, and are ready to get back to work, doing what you do best. But before we get to it, who's the biggest name in your phone book? Who's the biggest contact you've got? Who's the biggest football friend you've got? Wayne Rooney. I can't knew that was coming. He's told me that once or twice, mate. He's back in his face. He's followed by Jorby McEnough, I'm on it to have the legends that is Jorby McEnough in my phone book, because I see more of Jorby McEnough than I see me wife. He's on the telly that often. He's ubiquitous. So yeah, Jorby's definitely the most famous person in McEnough list, but Wayne's the best player. I've got him in McEnough list, yeah. Well, I'm just hoping we can stay on the level that we are, Shuri, because in all these promotions, you keep racking up now, mate. Do you know what I mean? It's just nice that you still answer the phone and answer text message and manage to get him on this week. So what a way to kick off the season as well. I know, I know great opening weekend. When breaking down for us, for us, Shuri, I mean, going into it, it's always difficult, isn't it? You don't kind of know where you are. You don't know where they are. Preseason, I mean, everyone seems to actually hate it. Poor hecking bottom more than others. I mean, the build up, the past couple of weeks, suppressed an authentic being wild, Ben Whiteman leaving, the interview he's been giving, the fact that they're very, very late with their transfer business, but he felt they were so far behind everyone else. Could you lean on that? Could you jump on that bandwagon and go, right, we've got momentum from winning the playoffs? Let's go and hit them hard. Yeah, a little bit. I think it helped us because we're so excited to step into this level. It's been a long time. Since what Londoners are in the championship, so we use that as fuel and motivation. But also, we're in a very similar bowl to Herckey as well, where our squad isn't finished yet. I think the other 22 manages in the championship will say exactly the same thing this weekend, that we're not fully where we would like to be because of the World Cup in the slower market this year, it seems, but yeah, as I say, focusing on just that game on Saturday, we were really excited for it. We've seen it as an opportunity for us to go on them. It's time to be positive, try and get on the front foot and get a good result in the open and day, and more better way to do that and be in a local rival in a derby game. So it was a great start. Sure, in terms of that belief, I suppose, for a team that's newly promoted. You've got a lot of players maybe stepping up to the level that haven't got massive experience in the championship. And again, from my own experience, when you do get a promotion, you step up to a new league, how big is that belief going to be? And particularly in the manner, because that's the big thing I picked up on the performance, the positivity, you know, you really went and attacked the game. And as I've said across the weekend, I think you could say this about loads again. I mean, wolves and Blackburn who, again, you look at where people expect them to be, you wouldn't have been able to tell, just watching the 90 minutes of the football and obviously for you guys going up against an established championship team and actually putting on the performance, you did a big was that for your belief of the squad? Yeah, it was massive job and, you know, you know, our big confidence is in football. I think I've been stressing to a lot of the squad that are there over the summer months when I've had conversations with them about where to see them in the squad this year and how I see their development. I genuinely believe that we've got a good few amount of players that can step up to this level. The lads who have not played in this league before and gone do really well. Now they'll only do really well if they have that confidence to go and express themselves. Like, it's easy to go into the next level if you haven't been there before and go away from what your normal game is. But we just felt that our best way to go about getting victory's last season was to try and be positive, was to try and attack. And I feel as though that's going to be our best way this year. We know the standard in the championship is a lot higher. So for us to sit there, try and soak up pressure and not get beat is not going to be the best way for us to pick up points. So trying to convince the players to do that has been the challenge over the summer. But when you get out of performance and when you get a result like we did on Saturday, you just hope that that confidence and belief can continue to grow. Sure, I mean, I want to talk about the transfer market and where we are in terms of state of play right now. A lot of pundits are leaning on the fact that clubs aren't doing business yet or they've struggled to do business because of the World Cup, because the Premier League clubs aren't letting their younger players go out on loan. Firstly, how true is that? Secondly, what was the plan with the owner, Sharon? How did you sit down? How did you decide everything? Because you've bought 10 senior players in already. You've got three loanes and then seven pounds with a thought. How many more do you want? Yes, so we still feel as though we're probably three or four players short of where we really need to be. You know, a lot of our success that we had last year as was with long players who did really well. Mario did outstandingly well, Mason Best, those scored loads of goals for us. Corey Blackettay, Marcus Forst, the all played huge part in our success last year. And obviously, they've all gone back to their parent clubs and moved on since. So we knew that we would have to strengthen. We knew that we would have to try and bring in some experience into the squad, people who knew what this league looks like. And also, from a club's point of view, we wanted to try and bring in some young players who have got potential to develop our own players or to develop them over the next couple of seasons that we can then start to make profits on players, which I don't think we've done for a long time. A bottom, you know, being a league one for so long, what's generally tended to happen is they've bought the better players in the league to get out of the division. I'm not really focused too much on a development side of it. So we had to get that balance right. But what is obviously difficult is you're stepping up to a bigger level where everything causes amplified that the sans fear fees of everybody is ridiculous, the way just that everybody gets paid. So we've had to be really patient and really diligent with the money that we've spent because we haven't got loads of it and we can't afford to waste it. On that, Shoey, in terms of without getting into probably the finer points, but budget and the club have been quite clear. And I've actually really liked their transparency probably of where they are in the league. And it's going to be certainly bottom end of the table budget wise, maybe bottom four or five. How do you go about, I suppose, what's the message into the group in terms of trying to get them to the level that you need them to to go and have a really successful season because like you've just said, Bolton and league one are a massive football club coming up now to the championship, not just size of club because they are still a fantastic size club, great history, great fan base. But really when you're going up against someone who's big hit as weak in week out, how do you pitch that to the squad and to the fans in terms of what the season realistically might look like? Yeah, so I think, as you said, the Sharon came out and has done an interview and I've been open in the press because I spoke to the owners when they told me what the budget was going to be and said, OK, we're going to be right up against it because it is, as you say, right down it towards the bottom end of the division. And we said, look, we have to just be open and honest with the fans because yet we have had expectation and pressure on us to get out of league one. But there's still an expectation and a pressure for us to do really well in the championship. Because of the history that this club has got and where it's been not long ago, like we see ourselves as a big football club and we want to continue to do that. So when we're trying to attract players to come, we're not bringing them in here and saying, look, lads, you're going to be part of a relegation battle. What we're trying to explain to them is, look, this club has been on a journey since 2019 when Sharon and the new ownership took over. It's got from league two into the championship. So it's not realistic for us then to go and sign compete with the top end of the championship teams. Four players, four wagers, because it's just not possible. Financially, we're not in that place right now. But what we want to sign do is get a team. As I said at the very start, that is brave. That tries to play the right way, plays an interactive style football, which will get a good place to want to come and play for you. And then be able to kick on in the coming years. Now, the first key to that, obviously, is us to sign today in the division. We need to be a championship team. This time, next season, so that was stronger from a recruitment point of view. And then we can improve, hopefully, on our league position. But as I said, I've been in this situation before, Joe, where, Plymouth, our guy, we have the lowest budget in the league. And when we left, to go to Stolke, I think we were 16th or 17th, and not too far away from the top half of the table, point wise. So it can be done if you have the right attitude from the players and all of the staff and the fans stick together, because we're going to have a couple of games where you probably lose back-to-back games, which never happened once last year in league one. So when you have a bit of a different form or a poor run, it's important that everyone just stays calm and focused and sticks together. Let's focus in on the championship. But I'm one of the latest additions. Middlesbrough, of course, have signed World Lancashire. He started paying some of that big feedback with a brace to beat Lincoln on Saturday. Wow, three goals in two games for him. Great start. A lot of pressure on his shoulders, though. There's so much expectation when you come in for a fear of 10 million pounds plus, what could grow sizably if you get promoted? There's going to be expectation, and Kim Hellberg signed, they lacked goals last season. This could be different. I don't know, this feels different. They lacked goals at key times in games, times when they were on top, they were dominating, and that is when you have to get your goals and kill teams off. They just didn't do that enough last season, and maybe were not clinical. They still created loads of opportunities. I said when they signed him, he's a proper number nine in the sense that he leads the line. He's got a physicality about him, but he sniffs out those opportunities for him to have done what he did at Oxford, a team that really struggled to create chances last year. Still get himself into double figures. I've loved his enthusiasm, his energy. He seems infectious, getting a goal so early on in the Carabell Cup, I think it was massive, and a really good goal at that as well. I think that showed his quality from a technical perspective as well. And then the two goals at the weekend, if someone was to say to me, what did Middleton miss last year? That was it in a snapshot. Somebody just in the right place at the right time, we know they're going to create, and it just needs someone to finish him off. So what a dream start for him, and it's interesting because I was one that looked at the price tag, and you see different figures, upwards of 20 million. So that's probably unrealistic in terms of what he probably has to go and do. But even if you're talking 10, 12, 14, and his goals get that team up this season, it's going to be an absolute snip. Throwback to Andy Morsello if he wins the ball on door. The figures let him absorb it. I mean, it will actually win the ball on door then fair play spurs again. Quite a chunk of money. There's a derp of proper number nine's in the game, mate. Well, I don't know, why I want to know, it's chewy in terms of the market right now. Do you think that that cut of striker is a commodity? Is it hard to shop around for someone who's a proper out and out forward? Yeah, it's really difficult because every team is looking for them. So you know, we all highlight how important scoring goals are, as Joby said, the key moments in the game. I think that's what you say, Will Langshier is all about. So when you're in the market, we're the rest of the division looking for that strike, looking for that number nine. It's very difficult to try and convince them to come up play for you. Now, I'm sure Will's agent and his family and himself have looked up to create the chances that middle has been created last year, the XG, that they had, and they just missed out at the very last couple of games of the season, obviously, to go all the way. And he's probably seen that and gone then far away from getting into the Premier League. Now, for the player like him, it's difficult for him to play in the Premier League and break into the spares of the team because of all young years. But he might see it as an opportunity of another way to get into the top level of football. So yeah, from our point of view, right now, unfortunately, we're just not in the market at that type for that type of strike here. You've got a three. No. Yeah, we've got two, currently, we've got two number nines, currently, we've got Sam Dahlabee and we've got Ryan Hardy, currently. So we're looking for one more if we can. Off that cut. Yeah, I've a goal scorer, somebody who knows how to put the ball in the back of the net, say it's the most important part of the game. It's tough, though, isn't it? Should we, I mean, have you been blown away by, again, you know, you know, you're up at that level, just some of the prices, some of the wages, because you look down even, look at a Bristol, you know, city going to get two million, but five million pounds from the two best strikers in the world. But the money involved in that, it is just, for me, it is mind blowing. Certainly from my time, and over going back a little bit, but, you know, Steve, you've managed, you've played, you know, at that level, it just seemed like it's gone absolutely crazy. I, I, I, I mean, it's created to tough, yeah. It's just, sorry, sorry. Where do you find these players? Where do you look, Shoey, as Bolt-Mondra's manager, when you've got Monchi, who's at Espanyol, turn around going, well, the championship is an excellent place to go and find talent. Where the championship clubs, if you haven't got the wedge to go and spend, like the majority of the division, where do you go and find these players? So, sometimes you might have to look further afield, which then brings its own risk. But as Jorby said, for us, the logical way to go about it will be okay. Who are the best players in your division last year? Who did really well? And who do you think can go and strengthen your team? So, Tolajan Ballard will definitely be true that would have been on our radar. But I just say, when they go for five million pound, each or four million pound, each, whatever that is, we just can't afford that. So then you're up near next alternative is okay. I will, who are the best players in league two? And then you're always worried, can they take the step up? It's difficult enough to step up one division. Well, can they step up to go into two divisions? Which sometimes, it's really hard and that's a big risk. So then you look further afield into Europe and you try and see what the market looks like in there. Then you're running the risk of, well, how's the player who you bring in going to settle? Does he speak the language? Has he got a family? Has he gonna be able to hit the ground running in the championship? So you've got to weigh up all these factors and it's really difficult. That's why I went to somebody this season who we recruited in Ryan Hardy, is somebody who I know, who I know, he understands the level, he knows what the championship is like. The last two times he's played full seasons in the championship, he scored double figures. So he's a player that I feel as though we could afford on loan, couldn't afford them all of his weights, we could afford them on loan, and hopefully he can come and do the business for us when he gets fully fit. It's a really interesting point. You make, and I look at three players here. Firstly, this McCalley Langstaff, we made the jump to go from Notts County to Millwell, didn't work, he spurned a lot of chances and then you question the quality of the finishing in the division, and you question, does he quite have that clinical edge that you need in that division? The second player is Jessica Bio, who's gone from Grimsby up a level to letting out, and you think that's a good little transition you've got there because he scored a lot of goals. The third player, and this is where it gets difficult for a club like yours, is Zambo Pottnick, because he goes into Swansea City, seven goals in his first season, you think him, okay, yeah, five, 25 goals last season. The question is, does a club like Bart Monderes have the time available to wait for those goals to come, to shepherd that player through his first year, maybe, because results are everything. Yeah, I think it has the time available, if you can see good signs. So like, if you can see, say, the partner, you say, got seven in his first season, okay, it's not, it's not gonna break any records, it's not gonna catch the eye of a lot of people, but I'm sure the people within the Swansea set up understood that, okay, he's settling in, it's gonna take him a couple of months to get up to speed, then he scored a few goals, and then the second season, I'm pretty sure he got picked every week, he probably started every game for Swansea, he was the main focal point, goals and get the goals, and now they're making a huge profit on him. So if you've got enough quality around it, and the fee to bring the partner he came from, board, all didn't he, when they were having financial problems. So if they were able to go and get him and understand, okay, it's a small outlay, so it's minimal risk, and we're prepared to take that gamble on him, then obviously sometimes it can pay off, which it has this year for him. Okay, let's talk Southampton now. I mean, last week, we chatted about how they'd approach the season after Spygate. They were beaten at Watford, sent first to fee in the championships in January. Watford started the game so aggressively. Joey, your former club, a lot of people written them off this season. Did you expect that Watford performance that you witnessed? No, and it's one of the games I covered over the weekend, and probably most surprising in terms of how well they played, along with Blackburn, Rovers, who are excellent up at Mollinue as well, but just the energy, young front unit, but full of enthusiasm and skill, and ability as well. And again, I think they probably came into the game almost with that, even though it was the start of the season, that nothing to lose. Mentally, whereas Southampton, all the pressure and think going on around the football club, they looked at the team that were a little bit inhibited, which I was really surprised about. They were the team I thought would hit the ground running this season despite all of that, because they've kept the squad together, same manager, know the league inside out. But again, Watford absolutely brilliant, big decision by the manager to leave out in Ran Looza, who apparently had gone in and made it clear that he wants to leave the club, but also then said he was available to play. And we've seen that happen at Watford time and time again, and sometimes the players are almost giving a priority over the manager. I'm really glad they backed the manager. It was his decision, and I think what we saw was something we haven't seen enough at Watford over the last few years, because of the culture and environment. It's a togetherness, a real team effort. And it was a fantastic way to start. I think it's very strange that that football club, obviously the way they deal with things, it feels as though players feel a lot of loan players, don't they? That is it in a nutshell, and it's almost like a part. It's become a passing through. Look at your own kind of. Just disappears out the trap door. Like no one, obviously people have talked about it. And the fans are a chana way about it, is Aaron Kunder leaving. And then the club just release some... Particularly for a tag game players. That's what it has become. You look at Ciao Petro, you look at Ishmaelasar, Shatfatad says, and everyone, he was a fantastic ability. And I think as an attacking player, you almost know, let me go there. And I hate to use the terms, he's a fantastic football club, but it's a stepping stone club at this moment. It's a trade in model for attacking players to then be going sold on for more money. What you have to try and do, and that's fine. If that's the club's model, that's how they're going to survive. You have to try and underpin that with a better environment in terms of the other players can prosper. The club can still keep going forward. Every time it looks as though they're about to do something in a season, and they've had good starts over the last few years, it just implodes in the second half of the season. So I'm really hoping this positive start can really be followed up, and the manager gets the support that any manager needs. We're going to talk Southampton, and I apologize, because I keep sort of, you know, heading off and going off on tangents. Stephen, if a player comes to you before kickoff, and says, I'm playing, I want to move. Well, you would like to have thought you could have had that conversation right before kickoff. It would have been done certainly in the way we were a couple of days before, and if a player's got that mindset where he doesn't want to be there, I think it's really difficult for a manager to try and, first of all, force him to play. But secondly, get the best out of him, because if his head is in it, you're probably better off keeping him in the stand because of not just the impact that him personally is he going to be able to perform to his level. But what's his body language like to the rest of the group? So, yeah, once it gets to that point and allows STM Manor City doesn't want to play, I don't think the manager's got any other option. You're probably just better time to move him on as I make as much profit out of him as quickly as possible. In terms of Southampton, though, Joby, it's going to be that siege mentality, and I've relayed this quote from Flynn Downs like for the past week, week and a half. He's talked about how we're going to win the league, but they can't afford to lose too much ground. There's so much in the air with that club right now. Tonda Ecke, is he going to be their head coach? Could they be looking for a new manager in the next three to four weeks? And again, how do they just get themselves off the mark and moving? Well, I think that was probably why it was so disappointing. If they are still talking about automatic, and I think that's going to be difficult with the four point that, actually, you look at Shepherd United a couple of years ago, got two and just missed out. I think with the strength of the league this year, is that going to be too much to overcome? If I was itself, I'd be looking at how quick can we get that four points wiped? Keep the gap between us and those top two, three, four teams that are going to be our realistic rivals, if it is automatic promotion, and obviously it's the worst possible start. In terms of the outside noise, that is just something. I'm sure everyone in that club knows it's just going to have to be dealt with. Their decision to stick by the manager has created even more noise. It's the reason we're still talking about it. And I want to say repeatedly, I've got so much simply for the fan base, for that group of players that were denied an opportunity, but it's no one else's fault, other than people at that football club, and then they then haven't acted. Let's have it right. There's only one person who's not working there that is involved in all this, and that's a little inter, as everyone else is still in position. That doesn't sit right with me. So in terms of the noise that comes off the back of it, that is what they have created and something they're going to have to deal with. There's no debate. It's a top, top championship team that should be at the top end of the table, but of course there's still doubts around the manager with everything that's hanging around to his head and the football club. I don't want to ask you for your opinion on the whole Spargett situation, because I think that's been a rinse, and rinse them, rinse, sherry. Do you care, though? Do you care about this noise surrounding the football club? Do you care about it when you face them this season, will it bother you, will it affect you? Can you use it for any form of competitive advantage? I don't think so, no, because you've just got to look at Southampton squad. And the ability that they've got and the runner they were on last year, I'm kind of glad, if I'm honest, that they lost the face game this season, and it takes out that unbelievable runner they were on because it just disrupts their momentum. So I won't be focusing on that when we're preparing against them because all you can kind of focus on and what you prepare for is what you see in Southampton's previous games and how you feel they're going to play against you. So the noise must be disrupting for them internally. Or from the outside, every other manager I think going up against them is just got to focus on the game because that's more, that's difficult enough. I mean, yeah, I think that what you've got to rely on is the fact that your crowd, when people come to your place will be, will be giving it. I mean, 26,000 in there on the opening day for a derby, but against Southampton, you know they'll be loud and those bottom fans are what they're doing. And can't really chat too much about Westam. I think Joe B, it's wise to chat about them next week because they are in the middle of chopping up their squad and there's ins and outs. Before we move on from the championship, Westampton Jarvey and Winning at Norwich, thanks to what may end up being the worst refereeing decision. We'll see the season on a Hegebo, punching the ball into the Norwich net to open up the scoring, Philip Clamort, naturally not a happy chat, Joe. No, and I know we're going to get into them. We have had the sort of VR chat, which by the way, from my perspective, don't want it anywhere near the championship or the EFL, you know, the way that we watch for all the way we enjoy it is so much better without that's my personal opinion. And actually that decision shouldn't even have needed VR. I think it was that obvious. And again, I think sometimes when officials what they don't pick up on is body language of one the player that did it and also the players that opposition, that that tells you a lot, but he should be seeing that, you know, it's a clear, clear handball. And obviously Norwich have got every right to be absolutely upset about that one. But we're going to get them. I could live with that as a player, as a coach, in a short time as a manager that there will be mistakes made and as long as they're honest, and there's a little bit of accountability and people hold their hands up. I am that believer in their sort of swings in roundabouts. You might not get one one week, you might get one the next week. Nothing more sinister to it other than that. And I think the game is so much better without the AR. And that's why I love covering it in the EFL. Shrivi, does it bring up that conversation and where do you stand on VR and the championship? Yeah, I agree with Joby. I think the product of the EFL is the best because the fans love it, because it's nonstop. The Premier League, I go and watch Everton regularly and it is frustrating. You know, I celebrate it to the goal against Liverpool, thinking I've got one like a madman. And I got this aloud, it is frustrating. So I don't want to see it. We can week out, I don't think it has a place in EFL that needs to be kept the way it is. We are then in system one, obviously. We benefited from VAR in the playoffs final. Now, when we got asked the clubs who were involved in the playoffs, we all got asked to vote whether we wanted VAR in the final or not, because obviously Wembley has the capacity to have it. And our initial reaction from 95% of the coaching staff was no, we don't want it, because we have an added all season. Why would we have it for the final? And then it was me assistant, Mark Hughes said, well, I'm going to minute sure, he said, in this game, we don't want to make it decided by the best team wins and not have to gain decided by a poor referee in decision, because he also said, we've had enough of them over the season goal against us. For this game, where it's so important, for all of our livelihoods, for the fans, for the football club, it's so important that to get the decisions right. So I said, well, what if one goes against us? You want one of the goals against us? We didn't desire to score the goal, but if it goes for us, and it was the correct call, then that's surely that comes into thinking. So when I went out afternoon and I had a think about it, and we all came back in unanimously the next morning, and once we'd settled down from our initial reaction and said, no, let's vote for VAR in if we can in the final. And obviously, in the final, we had two big calls that went for us through VAR. So fair play to Hughesy, for Stigma's Ando. 5 LIFE SPORTS So here's the first ball of it soon. All the cricket units are safe, Robbie W. And lives on BBC Sounds. But straight back down the ground, this girl. A ball-by-ball coverage of the biggest competitions on the domestic and international circuits. It's a ball-pricot, and it's the huge one. Two sports, settle down, settle down, settle down. Cricket on 5 LIFE SPORTS. Listen on BBC Sounds. Welcome back to 72 plus the home of the EFL from 5 LIFE SPORTS. With me, Aaron Paul, him over there, Joby McEnough, and the Bolton Wondra's manager, Stephen Schumacher, great to have you on with us. We've also got to lead one manager with us. And this man, well, his side, were excellent in the game of the opening weekend. It came in the third tier Luton coming from 3-1 down to win 4-3. Red and Gideon could do a score in a 96 minute winner. And we can welcome Hatter's boss, Jack Wilshed, 72 plus now. How are you, Jack? I'm good. Thank you, guys. You're all right. Yeah, very well. Thank you. I mean, what a way to start a season. Pure drama. You said we were excellent. We were excellent in the second half. First half, not so excellent. And Stephen will tell you, you don't want too many games like that. But no, to be fair to the lads, like credit to them for the second half. I mean, I knew that we had, we've got it in us to go and score three or four goals in a half with the attacking quality we've got. But actually to then be as low as they were at half time and come back and show that spirit, credit to them. And I suppose if you want to do it in any game, it's the first game of the season to let everyone know that you've got that spirit and in front of 2,500 champion fans, which was excellent. Jack, great start, mate. Although I was a little bit disappointed because it was against my former club, really a good mate. The assistant manager there. And for how bad they collapse, it was a brilliant second half performance, as you've said. I just want to go into the half time team talks. I know some stuff's come out. And obviously when you're playing, you know, it's a completely different perspective, that frustration where you've done all your prep, you've told the players what the game's almost going to look like. And then as it's unfolding, you must have been pulling your hair out because when you look at the goals they scored, it's everything that you touched on at that half time. Is that the biggest, I suppose, challenge and frustration of management that almost helplessness at times when you're still on the sideline and not being able to do anything about it on the pitch until you get in there at a half time? Yeah, I think so. And I think that comes from really, like, having real belief in your players and that is something we spoke about and that I generally do have real belief in them and then the frustration comes when, probably because I felt in the first half, we lost a little bit of faith in it. The game was what we spoke about. The players, where you could see, were trying to do it. And to be fair to read in, they were really good at what they were trying to do as well. They were letting us have it, delaying us a little bit. We were trying to play inside too much, and we had to move the ball a little bit quicker, but then we lost a little bit of faith in it, and we tried to do different things. And we lost the ball, we got down on transition, which is probably where the frustration comes from. So, yeah, that half time is about probably getting the balance of, like, first of all, I love these players. So I don't want them to feel like, yeah, I'm challenging their personality, because that's something that I would never do that I felt since day one, that they were all in with me. And, yeah, if anything, that's only shrimp from over time. But I think when you've got that relationship, you can challenge a little bit, and you can put a little bit of pressure on them. We've got a really good group of that. We've got some young players in the group that are really ambitious. So they wanted to be pushed. They wanted to be experienced players that, to be fair, if I'm not doing it and pushing standards, they are. But yeah, sometimes I feel like they do need a little bit of that from the head coach. And, yeah, they responded, and I've only done it a couple of times with them. And every single time I've done it with them, I've got the response that the team needed. And yeah, we definitely got that on Saturday. Well, when you look back at the summer, and in fact, if you go further back to the back end of the last season, where you were excellent, and just narrowly, you know, at that disappointment with regards to the playoffs, how did you approach the window considering how Scatic Unletons recruitment has been over past couple of seasons? I mean, because it looks like you've made minor changes. It's about evolution rather than revolution. Yeah, I think that was a key. And to touch on what you said about losing recruitment, I think it's difficult because of the double relegation. You know, you have a real mix of players in, and then you have players that want to be here. Some players that don't want to be here. And I thought we'd done a really good job in January of fixing a lot of that. I made it really, really clear to the players. Like, if you want to come on this journey, then you have to be all in. And yeah, in the players that left in January, we felt like they won. And then we recruited some in January that were really important for us. And we worked really hard as well. We worked really hard at trying to build an identity on the pitch, but also off the pitch and how we wanted the environment to look. And the type of players we want within that environment. So yeah, that was, that was the main focus. This window, it was keeping that together. You know, the team that finished at Bolton on the last day of the season, trying to keep as much as that of that together. And I'm really grateful to the club that we did. Casey came back during parts under new contract, Liam Walsh under new contract, Emilio came back. We obviously added George Johnson from Bolton. So first of all, we wanted to keep it together. And then we started looking at, I always believe in us, the players to look in there and mirror first. So then we started as coaches to look at what we coached, how we coached, what we given the players the right stuff, where we practiced in the right stuff. And then the last thing was a recruitment gap. We felt like we needed to strengthen in certain areas. We wanted to add a couple. And that's still, that's still ongoing. But yeah, it was, it was a good process because of the planning that went into it. And I always feel like that's the case in football clubs. As much planning, as much alignment as you can get with everyone, you get good results from it. And yeah, we've had a good window now. It's down to me, down to us, the players to deliver good results. How important is it now, Jack, that you first of all, trying to calm the players down after such a, you forgot to win the weekend in such drama to try and calm them down and focus on what a huge game now on Saturday for you to can't wait. Against the newly promoted team. How important is it for you to get that back to back win and try and build that momentum, as Aaron said before, keep that momentum going, that you have finished with the back end of the last season? Yeah, and you noticed, you know, that was the goal for Monday, like every Monday, or whenever the next day we're in after a game, we review it. And that was, you know, I sat down on Sunday night for hours trying to think about the right balance because we wanted to capture the spirit and the personality and the characters to come back in a game and highlight that and praise the players, rightly so, they were excellent with that. Also getting the balance right of not making it so hard for ourselves to win. We've done that too many times with our season where we gave away cheap goals, we got caught, or we didn't control men up the pitch enough and transition, they hurt us. So yeah, it was about getting that balance right, but while praising the players as well, because, you know, you want the players to believe in that and you want the players to feel, they're in a game if they're two, one down, three, one down. And there's a way back and there's a, we've got the quality to do that. So that was getting the balance right. And then the last few days were, you know, we spoke about doing the simple things really well, the basics, if you want, like pushing that, driving that. And yeah, I feel like the players were left from my point of view, the players were left on Saturday, really, really high and rightly so, but then you have to bring them back down to earth. And in the right way, because you don't want to, you don't even, even when we were free one down in the first half, we've done some good things. So yeah, the balance is really important. And yeah, it's going to be a good, you know, this leagues, even though the next game is completely different, it's going to look different. We're at home, it's against the team has been promoted. They'll play a different way to red in. So I don't know it's about Thursday Friday, really, given the players a carry going into that game. Jack, just wanted to touch on you personally now, sort of growing into the role as manager. You've had a little bit of time there, choppy waters to say the least in a difficult situation, walking into the football club, but you definitely more than studied the ship. How are you finding it yourself? Do you feel like you are in a much better position now? You've had a preseason, which you didn't have last year as well. And the familiarity with the group to really kick on on a personal level, but also get that club back to where I know they feel that's the very least they belong. Yeah, my overriding feeling towards the club is really grateful, because your right job, you know, I came in. It was a difficult situation. It could have been easy for the club not to give me that chance in my first job, a young manager. So yeah, I'm grateful for them. And I think when you have that feeling about people and the club, you feel like you're constantly trying, not trying to prove yourself, but in a way, trying to prove yourself and trying to pay that faith back. Yeah, in terms of the squad and the group and where everything's out and down to that, I said it before, and I really, really want the players to know how much I'm grateful for them as well. And it generally is that because, again, when I come in and I stand in front of a group, you know, it would be easy, you've been a player up in a player, your job as a manager is to convince players. And the best way to convince them is by winning games. However, we didn't necessarily start that way. So for the players to be all in the way they were right from the start, I'm really grateful to them. And that's what I wanted to keep that together, to keep that group together, add a little bit of quality as we said, but to keep the main leaders, the characters, bring back Casey, bring back Amelia, because we also won something last year as well. And I think when you win something as a group, to keep that together, in my opinion, when you win something, you have a big advantage over other squads in terms of mentality, in terms of togetherness and all of that stuff. So, yeah, it's been a journey, a real journey, and I'm constantly, constantly learning different challenges every single day, and dealing with players, dealing with squads, is my first proper win though, really, and how we dealt with that. But yeah, really grateful to the club. And the people, like the coaches and the people around me, because again, it's important that the players are in, but it's also important that the club, the staff, the people, the physios, every single person is buying into it, and we've done a really good job at that, and now we need to keep going with it. You've got a familiar face, managing in League 1 at Oxford. Have you been in touch with Ramsey over the summer? I actually haven't. I thought about sending him a message, but the next day when I went to send him a message, it was announced that they were in Barca. So, I thought, no, I'm not sending him a message, because I don't know that feeling, and yeah, listen, I wrote on it someone who I shared the pitch with, I shared some great times with. And yeah, he was always a natural leader. Obviously, a really good football brain top player, and has got experience of top coaches in different leagues as well. So, he will be a good coach, I have no doubt about it, and yeah, I wish him good luck, just not against us. Of course. League Cup game at Chelsea next Thursday, big test, obviously. Javier Lanzar going in there, and they're going to be very, very well-rested considering they're going to be playing sort of one game a week on average. It's live and five live sport as well. We can't wait to watch your side. How exciting for that test. Well, when you put it like that, yeah, let's get it right. And it's also Javier Lanzar's first time in the game. Yeah. Yeah. Look, I know from a player's perspective and I can hear them in the environment talking about that game already. So, they'll be really excited, and it's my job is to prepare the team in the way that I see, give us the best chance to get a result. We know it's going to be really, really difficult, but it's also a good test to see what other players are at, to see how far we think they've come against the top top level in the top stadium. The stadium will be full. We'll have, I think, we sold four thousand tickets. So, it's going to be a great day for the fans in the club. And yeah, hopefully we can put on a performance and try and get something out of the game which we know will be really difficult. Well, it's interesting. You're not giving us any form of insight. Apparently, our producers will be scrambling your tactics bought behind before you come on. Fair, you've got to protect what you've got. Always on jacket management. Jack, really appreciate you coming on. Thank you for joining us on 72 plus. Love to have you again this season. Jack will share the Lutentown head coach with us on 5572 plus podcasts. Also, Nigue 1. Big shout out. Bromley and Andy Woodrun. Their first ever match in the third tier. And they beat Bansley by Goldson. It was an interesting goal, but you need a bit of Lutentown time, jokes. Well, you won't expect anything different. And this is one thing I love about Andy Woodman and his Bromley sides. You know, they have an identity. They have a way of doing things. They stick to it. They're well drilled, well coached. And again, how else is a goal going to come? Their first one, as you say, at the level long. Set piece from the goalkeeper in his own half. Managed to keep the ball alive. A little ricochet, but then there to turn the ball into the back and then there. And had to get through some moments of pressure up against it, as you would expect. But dug in massive team effort from everybody there. And what a start. What a story that has been, you know, they're raised through the EFL and going up and ruffling a few feathers, which I'm sure they're going to do all season longs, the best of luck to Andy and everyone at Bromley. It's cosy, happy to go lucky as well. You just got to love him. Congratulations to York City as well. Back in the football league after 10 years away. And they beat one of the promotion favorites. Bristol Rovers in a five goal thriller. So well done to them. A new season of EFL football. Also means a new season of fantasy EFL. The cone to join our league. 72 EFL pod. 72 EFL pod. And Joby is off to a flyer. Sixth in the table. 74 points. Captain Will Lancashire. And Bradford Defendham. McCauley Gillespie for his goal and clean sheet. Just three points behind our leader. You toxeter ram. Shout out. You toxeter ram. As for me. Show us a song. Stephanie Maveride. Not make it. You know what? I think there's going to be people worrying about us. Because I mean, Sar was never going to start. Was he? Come on. Hasn't played all preseason. Apparently wants to leave. Yeah. I did see him up there though. If that's any, like, consolation for you. He was around Mollynew. Yeah. Obviously just nowhere near starting the game. He was in the calf. Next door. Yes. And Maveride. Hmm. Again. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. 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Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
