Brewing Football Ep 1 - Pilot (1)

The podcast "Brewing Football" aims to have uncut conversations about football and bring back a sense of purpose in people's lives. The host, Dom, shares his love for the sport and his favorite club, West Ham. He discusses the connection he feels to the club and why he supports them even though he is from Ohio, USA. Dom also talks about his dream of coaching in Europe and analyzes recent Champions League games, focusing on the struggles of Bayern Munich and player Joshua Kimmich. And we're live! Welcome to Brewing Football. I'm Dom, and this is going to be an uncut experience, this podcast, and it's really more so about having fun. You know, I think a major problem, maybe not just in the United States where I live, but in the world, is that people seem to have almost lost a sense of a purpose. And, you know, with all this crazy stuff going on in the world, I feel that, you know, it's important to talk to people and have real discussions, you know, not sitting on the phone or anything. So that's why this is going to be a true uncut experience, and some podcasts are going to be solos, some of them are going to be me bringing on guests. But overall, I just want to have a conversation with you, and, you know, I hope to have fun. Because for me, talking football really brings a sense of happiness to my life. You know, playing it, watching it, you know, to me this sport is so enthralling that, you know, I'm always playing FIFA or I'm always, you know, watching games, getting up at 6 a.m. because U.S. time zones. You know, I live and breathe it pretty much, and talking it, I think, makes me happier, and I hope it's going to make other people happier. And, you know, I just want to get back to that in our lives because, again, with all this technology and stuff, I feel that people have lost their sense of purpose, and I think having these discussions will maybe rekindle that. So join me as I sip on my morning coffee and discuss football. So getting into it, a little bit about me, I'm 19 years old. My favorite club is West Ham out of London. I've been a supporter a pretty long time now. First year was the year we got promoted when we beat Blackpool last day, scored the winner. And ever since then, we've been in the Prem, so, you know, hopefully that doesn't change anytime soon. But, yeah, you know, I mean, supporting a smaller club, it's definitely, I would say, more of a niche compared to other people, but at the end of the day, I picked a team on FIFA career mode when I was eight, and I feel like maybe that's what a lot of American kids see to happen, or maybe, like, I feel like Neymar had a large impact on that, where people would just pick teams because of a certain player, of course, or FIFA, and me, pick West Ham. I saw them on the TV, you know, the day of that I picked them on career mode, so I was like, you know, this is my team now. And so, supporting West Ham in the United States, you know, it's interesting because I always hear about this support your local argument that's made by, it seems to be mostly British people online, and to an extent, I do think that is an applicable, you know, theory, that you should support your local, you know. But I think for international fans, it's a bit different, especially in the United States, considering, you know, how far we are from cities, and the fact that, in my opinion, I think football is a main, it's culture, you know. So, I live in Ohio, but I do not live around Columbus, which is where the closest MLS team would be to me. And for me, culturally, I do not feel affiliated with Columbus or the crew at all, you know. I mean, I've tried to watch them, get into them, but I just can't. Now you could say, well, how do you support West Ham then? I genuinely feel after getting into another club, you know, that there is a connection to where I live, and East London, in the sense that it's a lot of, it's a lot of industrial workers, you know, blue collar, and a lot of them, I know, understand how to move out into Kent or Essex, and, you know, find new opportunity. And in my city, it's a similar feeling where a lot of people had to leave, you know, to go to other places, and so the city almost feels run down, you know, it's getting back up. But that sense of grit and toughness has almost further connected me with the club when I didn't even realize it was like that at first, you know. So, I think learning more about my city and where I'm from, it's truly, over the years, built up my love for this football club because I do feel a connection from where I live to East London, and, you know, I wouldn't fathom supporting any other club. I started playing football when I was around two, and I played up until pretty much last year, you know, I'm still playing in men's leagues, of course, you know, but, I mean, for a real club, it hasn't been a year, you know, because of university and whatnot. The, you know, I think football can be really cruel at times, you know, and my last year of high school, my last year of academics, from wherever you're listening, before going off to university or college, I had a respiratory illness hitting me for a month, and I really held it against the game, you know, I really wanted to quit because I didn't understand why this was happening to me when, you know, college scholarships and offers were coming in, but, you know, so, basically, I donned tools and didn't want to go to college, play, or any of that, you know, I wanted a certain new chapter in my life, and, you know, today, maybe a bit regretted a bit, but, you know, we got to move on with that, and, honestly, it would be my dream to coach someday for over in Europe, I think that would be the coolest experience. I really love diving into the game, tactics-wise, and seeing how different teams set up, you know, West Ham, for example, with Moyes, and I think that's a discussion to be had later in this episode, how we set up, and how I think that compares to other managers, such as DeZerby and Brighton, like, how do they play, and how does that affect the league, and whatnot, and I really do like, you know, really thinking about those, and pondering about, you know, what makes a football team better, you know, I go to my brother's games, I try to think about it, too, what could be done here, you know, so, coaching is something I would definitely love to do in the future, and, you know, maybe this podcast could be a gateway for that, so, that'd be pretty cool. All right, let's kind of change paths here, and go towards actual football, as, let's see, while I sip my coffee. All right, let's talk about the Champions League games from this past week, you know, we had Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, and, you know, this game was really interesting to me, because, obviously, Bayern opened up the game so strong, and, you know, seeing the lineups, I did think it was interesting how Masrari started over Davies, but then, yet again, I don't think Davies' league form has been, like, great, but then, it is interesting to see why De Ligt didn't start over Kim and Jay, you know, I am really a big fan of Kim and Jay, him and Napoli, obviously, last year, Napoli were very impressive to watch, I try to watch them as much as I could, because I thought they were a really fun team to watch, and Kim and Jay and Rahmani, I thought that they were really enforcers of that team, and while Napoli did sort of tail off at the end of the season, you can check the form charts, you know, even losing in the UCL to a weakened Milan team, in my opinion, I think Kim and Jay and Rahmani were still the enforcers, you know, that backline, you know, you obviously had Dio Lorenzo, and Mario Uri, and Olivier, but, truly, I thought Kim and Jay was the warrior of that defense, and it's interesting how, you know, his ascension, you know, from Asia to Fenerbahce, to Napoli, and how, maybe it's a rise to fame too quickly, even though he's, it's not like he's, you know, a youngster, you know, he's in his mid-twenties, and I thought going to Bayern, you know, would actually be a smart move, because I don't think, you know, he was rumored for Man United, I don't think Bayern is, you know, people could say what they want, but it's not in as big of a spotlight as, you know, Man United, Liverpool, even a Chelsea, or Real Madrid, and Barcelona, I think those clubs have a brighter spotlight on them than Bayern because of Bayern's dominance in the Champions League, so, you know, even if he took a bit of a while to adjust, and I don't watch Bundesliga religiously, I think it would still help him, you know, figure it out better, and it just hasn't seemed that it's been that way, you know, I mean, Bayern have obviously struggled this year, you know, with Leverkusen now becoming champions of the Bundesliga, but there is a sense within that squad of maybe complacency, you know, and I think after a while, you know, this generation of Bayern players, you know, they're so used to winning, I think that they got a bit complacent, and, you know, the rise of Leverkusen almost kind of shocked them, you know, that was all the way at Leverkusen, the 3-0 loss was just, it's not, it definitely isn't a new era for me, because I think Bayern, I'd still tap Bayern to win the league next year, I think they're going to reinforce, you know, Tuchel's out, Rangnick, Rangnick was going to go, but they said not anymore, but Tuchel's out, so it'll be interesting to see, you know, who they get, you know, Hansi Flick is still available, I know Michael Westheim, we're talking to him, so we'll see, we'll see what happens, so we'll see what direction Bayern goes, but I think regardless of where they go, they'll be fine, but this brings me back to my point with Kimmich, that he, he has struggled ultimately this year, and it is very interesting to see with such a player who's had such great back-to-back years, you know, Fenerbahce and Napoli, it's so interesting to see, you know, him struggle as much as he did, because, you know, you look at this first goal with Vinny, you know, you can pull up the clip, the Vinny goal, it was, it was done such a good job, but yet seemed so amateur, like this would be something happening in my Sunday league game, so, you know, the forward just draws Kimmich out, you know, you would think that there'd be some communication there with Kimmich, with the midfielders, you know, the six, I know Gretzky and Leimer were in the area, I couldn't remember who was at that point, you know, really in the sixth area, it's almost like they were playing a double pivot, however, Kimmich just didn't pass him off, and then obviously when Vinny slipped behind, Kimmich didn't come over, pull over to help, you know, I think there is an argument to say that Kimmich should have pulled over there, and stepped in, because at the end of the day, I think, well, I mean, honestly, with Vinny Rodrigo, it's not very favorable any way you go, but if Kimmich is stepping to the ball there, maybe Vinny would have pulled it under pressure, but we will never know, however, I just thought it was such an amateur mistake from Kimmich, it almost showed a lack of experience for a guy who should be, I think, experienced enough at this level, so it will be interesting to see what happens with Kimmich at the end of the year, and I mean, I still think he's going to stay behind, but, you know, Eric Dyer is somebody who couldn't get a look in at Tottenham, you know, he's now pretty much, seems like number one to his center back, I mean, DeLake can't stay healthy, and Obamacare, I know, has had his ups and downs, you know, and then Kim and Jay too, so I just think when Eric Dyer hasn't played all year, comes in January and just almost immediately replaces you, I don't think it's the best look on you, and maybe your future at the club, so we'll see what happens, you know, I mean, look, if he ends up leaving Bayern, I could definitely see a world where he goes back to Napoli, you know, I think, you know, with how poor Napoli's season has been, you know, I think they really have to reinvest and rethink the way that they're going to play football, because, you know, they were scoring goals for fun last year, and this year just doesn't seem, that doesn't seem to be the case, you know, Ossie Mann has been injured, you know, about a sort of year off, poorly, I still think he's had an underrated season, as in, like, I think fans slagging him off as if he's put up a sinker, I mean, come on, let's not kid ourselves, he's still a great player, you know, you watch him play, and you're like, the defense is still double-marking him or triple-marking him, and I think that's indicative of a player who wouldn't run riot in a one-on-one situation, or is running riot, you know, so I think, in that sense, that if Napoli, I don't think they'll keep on the Cavada or Ossie Mann, you know, we'll see what happens, but if they are able to keep a hold of any of them, I think it'd be Cavada for sure, and I think that they could, if they sell to Ossie Mann, they can use those assets, maybe reinvest in the defense, because I think their defense needs help, so I honestly, I think everything needs help, you know, I don't even think Mane is the best goalie, but I really do think that they have to reinvest in a lot, because Anguissa and Lobato were not as good as they were last year, you know, I don't think Lindstrom has been the best signing for them, you know, they lost to Kylosano, at least Politano has been playing really well, I will say that, so maybe he can keep the squad for next year, but again, you look at the squad, it's a pretty aging squad, you know, Di Lorenzo's not young, Mairu is not young, you know, and those are pretty core players to their backline, I know Olivier has been playing more, and they have Pagiuse, and you know, they brought in young players too, Ngonde from Palazzo Verona, and you know, Traore from Bournemouth, but I think Napoli really need to, you know, there's a difference, because the Italian clubs, they just don't have any money for those who don't know, look at Inter's transfer policy, a lot of them have been free transfers, you know, Turam, free transfer, I mean Alexis Sanchez is cheap, I don't know if he was a free transfer, I know Arnautovic was a loan, you know, Cherubi was free I think, you know, they got a lot of summer, it was very cheap or free if I remember, you know, they got a lot of Salerno too, I mean, think of that, that's just five players off the top of my head that I know are cheap or free, and they were the core, pretty much at the core of helping this team just easily walk through Serie A, so I think it is possible, but again, with Napoli, their situation was terrible this year with Spalletti leaving, and oh my god, the disaster that was the Spanish guy, I can't remember his name, Garcia, yeah, Rudy Garcia, and then obviously Walter came in too, and he was just terrible, so we'll see what happens with Napoli, and how they go on this year, because, you know, I do pay attention a lot to Italian clubs, I have an Italian heritage, so I really do try to watch as much EPL and Serie A as possible, so it does pay me a bit to see Napoli struggling so much this year, when they were so good last year, and I think we know what they're capable of, you know, I really thought last year that they should have gone to the Champions League final, that team, I thought really could have made history, could have been almost the fairy tale of Europe for that year, same with this year, I mean, it's such a shame for Italian football, I do think it's back up on the rise though, you know, in the mid-2010s, I thought Italian football was at its lowest point, but I think now it seems to be rebounding, even if the clubs do not have as much money, you know, I mean, AC doesn't have as much, AC Milan doesn't have much money, Inter, with their owner being from China, with the whole COVID thing, doesn't have as much money, you know, UA is always in these scandals, Napoli doesn't have much money, Roma couldn't give Mourinho any money, the sign players, Lazio, you know, Lazio is Lazio, so again, I do think it's possible for Napoli to bounce back, but I really do think that if they want to have a chance at bouncing back next year, they got to reinforce their defense, and whether that is through Kim and Jay, you know, brings me back to my point with them, I think there could be a world where maybe that happens, or maybe even a loan deal, so we'll see what happens, and let's continue on with the game, so obviously, Mini loses Kim and Jay, and it's 1-0, and really, after, again, a dominant Bayern opening part of the game, you know, I thought Sané should have done better with the chances he had, I know Musiala, Sky won, I really thought it was interesting, actually, how Harry Kane was playing in this game, because, you know, he would, he's always searching for the ball, you know, he did that to Tottenham a lot, we'll see, however, I think at Bayern, he has the most, let's say, creative players that he's ever played with, I think Sané is more of a direct player, it's not as great, I mean, he's got a wonderful shot on them, Sané, I think he's really clinical, he's rapid, but I don't think he's as techy, per se, as like a Musiala, or can get out tight situations, like a Muller, Gnabry, or Sané, I think Gnabry, Sané, Muller, Musiala, you know, all these players are more, I wouldn't say Muller's a slayer, but again, they're more guys who are providers, whereas I thought Sané is more of a, you know, obviously, I think he does fit almost a striker role, you know, or a second striker, and I think, even though him and Kane made it work, I thought it's interesting how Bayern, you know, have all these players who I don't think are close to being strikers, and then you have Sané, so I could understand why Sané and Kane, you know, would alternate, almost in a sense of like, Kane would come deep for the ball, almost like a false nine, maybe Sané switches up, so I thought, you know, with Sané and Gnabry not necessarily holding that position, they're more like wingers per se, and Musiala and Muller as well, that I thought Kane would be more of an out-and-out striker, but again, he always tries to come into the pockets, find the ball, and you know, it's interesting to see how Bayern rotated in the game, I really had a lot of fun watching Musiala, and because that was the front three, I mean, Musiala would start off on the right, and then he'd creep in, Muller would switch out with him, Kimmich would overlap, you know, I thought it, again, it's really fun to watch, you know, these tactics, it's, you know, too cool, I think of him as more of the defensive manager, but I really thought his idea of putting Musiala on the right when, I think when Mendy is, when Mendy is Real's weakest player, and you know, just came back from injury too, so I thought it was, you know, really smart, because I think he can run with anyone, but I think you put a, you know, more technical player like Musiala on him, I thought he would give him problems, and you know what, game ended 2-2, so it's not like it was a mastermind plan, but again, it was a really fun experience to watch Musiala come in on the right, creep in, you know, float to the top of the box, and all this rotation that's going on with Bayern's front play, you know, obviously they haven't had that great of a year, but even then, watching that was enjoyable for me, and moving on to Real, you know, people are going to slap him off for, you know, essentially parking the bus against Man City, obviously, and then they did the same thing against Bayern, almost, to the point where they would sit back and counter, and I don't understand how you can hate Ancelotti for that, you know, people are like, oh, you're Real Madrid, you have to play, you know, more fluid, more fluid football, but again, that just doesn't really make any sense to me, you know, same thing is said about David Moyes at West Ham, this is a two-legged affair, you, who cares how well you play football, Real Madrid have the best players in the world, of course, so what, does that excuse them from playing maybe a boring style of football, obviously we want to see, and we did see goals, but I think people, you know, slagging off Real for not having a shot off against City within, what was it, like, the, ever since the 14th minute of the game, I think that's ridiculous, so what do you want them to do, attack and, you know, Manchester City are, I think, the best team in the world, so what, you just want to sit back against them and let them attack you free-willingly, free-willingly without as much numbers, it's ridiculous, and I think that Ancelotti got it right, I think he had the right idea, I think sitting back was the right idea against Bayern, because Bayern have struggled this year, I think, I think defensively that they're leaking goals, and again, you saw, it only took them one chance for Real to score, one chance, so if Ancelotti understands, okay, I have Vini and Rodrigo, two of the most clinical and most effective players in the Champions League knockout stages in the last couple of years or so, you know, I think that their performances in the Champions League, especially Rodrigo lately, I think he needs to be discussed more as one of the world's best players, because at the end of the day, this is the Champions League, you've got to perform on the highest stage, everyone is watching, and they consistently do it, Vini and Rodrigo, and they're not strikers, Vini has to play striker roles, you know, I'm really impressed with him, how he still can hold up the ball, you know, obviously it's not as, he'll have his back to goal, he'll receive the ball, but he's so quick that he can immediately turn, spin off, play it, and then that thing, you know, through, and that's really impressive to me as a guy that's, you know, very small, he's not going to win a 50-50 physical battle against a defender, yet what they still, Ancelotti still trusts him enough to the point where he'll have his back to goal, you know, receive the ball, spin off, find Rodrigo, or Belinem, or anyone, Valverde, Cruz, and that's how they, I mean, when you have that crop of players with that ability going forward, you know, of course you want to see them going forward more, but when you know that all it takes is a couple of chances, why not sit back against Bayern? A very hard place to go. So, yeah, I just thought Ancelotti got it right, you know, Real can still have the advantage at the end of the day, 2-2. I couldn't tell you, though, where the result's going to go, because I think that both clubs have European heritage, and I think that does play a big role into, you know, advancing in the Champions League, because in my opinion, I think that's why Arsenal got out. I don't think they were as experienced, you know, I don't think they're as mentally as tough as Bayern, even though Bayern, again, may have looked disinterested at times this year, but they understand how to play in the Champions League, because they've been there so many times before. They've beaten the hell out of Arsenal before, you know, and Tottenham, and there's still players there that were there for that. They understand how to go to these places and win, and Arsenal do not have that yet, in my opinion, at least in Europe. You know, I think Porto's a great example. You know, Porto obviously is not as good as Arsenal, and by the way, I didn't think a 1-0 loss for Arsenal was a terrible result at Porto, because I think it's a very hard place to go, but Porto has much more Champions League experience within the last five years, and they know how to create an atmosphere, and I don't think Arsenal were ready for that, and that, I mean, for me, sitting behind a microphone to say that, you know, might sound foolish, like, oh, well, you know, you don't play. You can see it. The players, they just didn't seem like they expected that out of the Porto fans and the Porto team. You know, obviously, it was a boring game, that one, but then Galeno just pulled something out of his ass, and, you know, that's European heritage for me. Understanding how to win games, no matter what, and obviously, Porto didn't go through, but I think Arsenal's triumph over Porto was actually pretty impressive, because again, I think that they got to get over the hump, and they got to win these European games and take them seriously. They lost, they crashed out the Sporting Lisbon last year. Sporting Lisbon, in the Europa League, at home, on penalties. You know, you'd be like, oh, well, they had a title race. It don't matter. You got to have European heritage. You got to understand how to win these European games, because they're different than the Premier League. They're much different, and I think that's why the Premier League teams have struggled this year. They're much different. I think Arsenal's better than Bayern. I think Man City is better than Real Madrid right now, but again, Bayern, in my opinion, beat Arsenal because they have the heritage and the experience that is needed to advance in the Champions League, and Real Madrid won because, well, they're the second best team in the world, and Ancelotti got it 100% right at City. He trusts his players. Nobody can go to City and defend that much and come out with a result, but Ancelotti did, and I still think that, you know, I consider Tuchel, I consider him a great cup coach. You know, say what you want about him in the league. He understands how to win cups, and I think, thinking about him in the Champions League, I think he's one of the greatest managers right now, so I think this matchup against Real, it's really, I don't know where it's going to go. I don't know how it's going to go. You know, we'll react to it back again, but they're at home. We'll see, but it's going to be really interesting, in my opinion, and I can't wait to watch this game next week, because I truly do think that this may have the potential to be, technically, one of the most interesting games out there. All right, let's move on to the Dortmund PSG. I don't know what it is, but I've never rated Dortmund this year, and I think that's largely because of last year and their league form. You know, I don't know how they choked last year, the Bundesliga, but in my opinion, I don't think that they are a winning team, as in, again, the heritage to have the winning mentality to go out, and no matter how bad you play or who you play, you can find ways to grind out results. They played a mid-table team at home last year and couldn't beat them to win the Bundesliga. A mid-table team in a Bundesliga that, in my opinion, a mid-table Bundesliga team, I see it's very weak. You know, I compare them to maybe the level of, you know, Not even forced, for example. A very weak team that they should be able to beat, and I still think PSG will go through, because at the end of the day, well, this game could have been 4-4, respectively, but PSG attackers or Dortmund attackers, who are you backing to score more on given chances? You're going to back PSG, especially with Mbappe. You know, obviously, maybe Dembele and Bakola aren't as clinical. However, I do think that they have engines in the midfield that can. You know, Fabio Rodriguez missed that chance. You know, I mean, it's a diving header. He should have scored, but I think players like him and Vitinha have the ability to provide goals as well, and I think, you know, Dortmund, you know, Brat and Savicer. I don't think that they're winners, and I don't think, and again, I don't think Dortmund's going to go through, because I don't think that they have this winning mentality that I think Luis Enrique has installed. PSG could win a quadruple this year, and it seems like nobody understands that. It's insane. I don't care that they play in the French League, and believe me, I think the French League is terrible. A quadruple with the Champions League is something, is a season to be remembered, and I've been saying this for a couple years now. They needed to invest in young Parisians or young Frenchmen, and that is exactly what they have done. They invested in, just to name a few, just to name a few, because there's an entire list. I go off the French players, Kolomwani. You know, they brought up Zaire Emery through the academy. I know Lucas Hernandez was, he's Marseille, he's Marseille at, he's Marseille. I know he was, but another French player, PSG is the pride of France now, whether people like it or not, you know, you could say, oh Marseille, historically, but PSG is the heart of France now, and for French football to advance, I think it's vital for them to have European success, because I think it will attract other players to teams like Monaco, Lyon, Marseille. So, let me get back to my point. You have Barcola, Zaire Emery, Dembélé, Lucas Hernandez, all of these players, French, Randa Kolomwani, all these players, French, and even though some of them may not be from Paris, they still have the French pride, in my opinion, that previous PSG teams did not. They understand what the expectations are for this club. They understand what the fans want out of this club. I think PSG have some of the best fans in Europe, because I think it is vital for fans themselves to criticize the players, to expect more, especially PSG. I would understand it most definitely if these fans are fed up with getting these foreign players don't really give a fuck, come in, like, I mean, Neymar at first, I thought, you know, that's debated, but Messi, he didn't really give a fuck that he was there, and I think, if I were a PSG fan, I would be fed up with it if we're getting all these players from abroad who don't give a shit about the club, and that's why they kept pressing in the Champions League. Of course, 2020, they went to the, you know, Champions League final, but let's look at the PSG starting XI here against Dortmund. Let's see, we got Donnarumma, you know, he can be a bit shaky at times, in my opinion, however, you know, he was almost thrown out by his club Milan, and pretty much, yeah, the fans hate him now, I mean, Donnarumma. So, I think, you know, PSG taking him in, I think, has helped him, you know, I mean, I think maybe he feels maybe a new sense of allegiance to the club because of how they've taken him in from a club that didn't want him anymore. Nuno Mendes, young player, you know, flare up the pitch, I think he has some defensive issues at times, but again, he's a young player willing to fight for the badge. Lucas Hernandez, French guy, I mean, towards ACL, that's terrible, but Lucas Ferraro comes up, he's from Sao Paulo, he's a great player, I really wanted West Ham to sign him, and I was begging that we sign him in the summer because I thought he was a great player, and now he's obviously flourishing at PSG and starting for Brazil. Marquinhos, he loves PSG, he's the captain, he believes, you know, in my opinion, I think he's, him and Thiago Silva, I think, they, if PSG were ever going to win the Champions League, it's going to be because of them leading young French players, I mean, obviously, it didn't pan out, but Marquinhos. Hakimi, you know, I don't think, I think his form the last couple, like, last two years has maybe dipped a bit, but he's still a very quality footballer at the end of the day, you know, so to win, he's at Inter, you know, I don't think, I don't think he's going to win, but Inter, you know, he's been at Dortmund too, and Real Madrid, he's been surrounded by winners, and I think he knows what it takes to win. Zaya Emre, very good young player, Parisian, loves the club. Vitinha, young player, hungry. Fabian Ruiz, you know, he's the engine of the team, the heart of the team, he runs more than anyone else. Ousmane Dembélé, French, knows what it is to play for Paris and knows what the expectations are. Mbappé, of course he's leaving, of course, and everybody knows, but he loves the club, he loves it. Mbakola, young player, and then even some of the bench options. Ugarte, you know, Mukele, another French player. Codomuani, you know, Danilo Pereira has been there long. Kang and Lee, young player, hungry. So, Goncalo Ramos, all these young players, Codomuani, even on the bench, Codomuani, Kang and Lee, and Goncalo Ramos, who should be hungry to get in that team and replace Mbappé. Hungry to be that new number nine for PSG next year. I mean, of course, Codomuani has not panned out, you know, for 90 million. I thought he was a really good player at Eintracht. But, again, I think that the passion is there from these PSG players, and I think that that is what's going to take them to the Champions League final. And even if they may not win it, I think if they reinvest Mbappé money smartly next year and get some French players, you know, Parisians, I think that they're going to do special things, and I could definitely see them winning a couple of Champions Leagues over the next five years, if Lucho Enrique stays there, because he knows how to win too. I thought their performance against Barcelona was one of the most impressive performances I've seen this year. You know, they go down early to Afinia from Le Mans, and, of course, it's different than playing, it's different playing at the Olympic Stadium than the company. But the Barcelona, it's arguably the biggest club in the world, you know, the aura that they have. And PSG found a way to go in there and steal that victory, which I thought youth yet experienced at the same time. Like, it's almost like they've done that before. Like, it's almost like they've done that before. And I thought it was so impressive how they did that, that that's why I tapped them to go through versus Dortmund. You know, I thought they played terrible outside of 20 minutes in that game. Yet, in Signal and Dunoparc, it's a very hard place to go in terms of when you see the yellow wall, I think people could get inventory from that, and especially Champions League semi-final. You know, they had the chance to play Bayern in the Champions League final, for Marco Reus' final send-off. Think of that. It must mean a lot to them. And yet, I think a 1-0 loss, coming home, it's halftime. Think about it, it's halftime. They're going to be in Paris, and I think that the fans are going to show up, and I think that they will win. Kylian will show his magic. You know, again, they played terrible, and yet still could have had three goals. So, you know, they hit the post two times in that one sequence, and nearly scored again after that. Fabio Nuri missed chances. So, all these, despite playing so poorly, they still could have scored a lot. And I think at home, they will prove the better, and I think that they will come through. So, yeah, I got PSG, and in the Real-Bayern game, I'm going to say Real, but I really do think it's going to be tougher for them than maybe some people think. I think it's going to extra time, and I think Bayern will run out of gas, and I think they'll score two goals in extra time, almost like they did with Ronaldo back in the years against the Ribery and Robben-Bayern team. So I got Real and PSG, and that's half of my prediction. I thought Inter was really going to go to the final this year. I mean, obviously, they would have collided with PSG, but I said that before the Round of 16, like when the Round of 16 was drawn. And obviously, Inter crashed out to Atleti, but I really do think that Inter and PSG, if PSG can find a way to retain the goals from Mbappe next year, I think that they will win multiple Champions Leagues within the coming years. So let's move on to Europa League really quick. Atalanta and Marseille tie 1-1. Again, I couldn't watch the Europa League games. I had to do something yesterday during them, which is a real shame because I thought I really couldn't tell how both games were going to go either. Atalanta get the 1-1 draw, and I think they'll go home and win because Marseille have been poor recently. And again, I look at their team. I'm not very impressed with what I see, talent-wise. I mean, I don't think Benfica is that great either. And who did they play in the Round of 16 this year? Let's see. They played... Oh yeah, Villarreal, who have also struggled this year. So again, I don't think that their path has been necessarily tough. They play in a league that's not very tough as well. I think Atalanta... I think Gasperini is one of the most underrated managers in Europe. What he's done to that football club should be more appreciated. And I think Atalanta will pull through and get to the final, and I really hope they win because obviously the Italian pride in me. And also again, I think they deserve it. They're a really fun team to watch. You know, they struggled a bit in the league earlier this year, but they're bouncing back and I think that they will get Champions League. I think that either through winning it or they'll jump Roma. One or the other. We'll see what happens, but... Yeah. Let's move on to the other game, Roma and Leverkusen. I'm not the biggest fan of Roma, you know, but I think them and Lazio I think are... Not disgraces, but I think they're disappointments in terms of European performances. You could say Roma won the Conference League and then just lost in the Europa League, but I think historically-wise, people think of Roma as this huge club. When you look at the Serie A titles, they really haven't won that much. And then I think... Sorry, I didn't see the end. But with how well they played and obviously Leverkusen too, both teams are in great form going into it. I think losing 2-0 at home, you know, the tie's over. It's put to bed. If Roma win, I mean, like, I wouldn't even know what to say. I just think they have enough firepower going forward, first of all, and second of all, again, it's a 2-0 deficit. But... I think with Leverkusen, it's almost destiny at this point. Regardless, they beat Roma and they should get their flowers, because I think in the Europa League, Roma is a hard place to go and win and get to a final. I think that they are... I think of echelons of Italian teams, I think that they would be very high performers in the Europa League. They got to the semi-final of the Champions League a couple of years ago after they beat Barcelona, my bad. But I think overall that they're a club because of, I think, their poor management from the higher up that I don't perceive them really getting that far. And so I think that them, their level is at semi-final Europa League type level. So I think it is a hard place to go. So I do applaud Leverkusen for that. But think about the only team that has a shot against Leverkusen at Atalanta. They're the only team that could threaten them going forward, you know, with their attacking players, possibly Miranchuk, Skamaka, Mololucuman, Di Catellara, all these players, you know. I really think... I think Skamaka is so talented and I really hope he finds his form, because as a West Ham fan I really pained him in the same league, but it just never worked out here. But that's besides the point. I think they have the firepower going forward in a one-off game to unhinge Leverkusen and beat them. And I don't think the other two clubs come even close. If Roma were going to do anything, it was going to be like what they've done against Milan, where get an early goal, fluster them, and then maybe try to build on that. But I do think the first game, being at the Olimpico and not at the Bayern, it also hurt Roma, so we'll see what happens, but it is a shame, you know, another Italian team out. And just to touch on the Conference League really quick, La Fiola, Fiorentina, won at the death against Club Brugia. I think Fiorentina, in terms of their level, I think that they're a very great team in terms of finding ways to win against these Conference League-type teams, because I think that they do have the quality and the experience within the competition the last couple years. You know, obviously they lost to my club West Ham last year in the final, but against a club, no disrespect to Brugia, but I think that they obviously have the quality to unhinge them, and that's what they did. I expect them to go to the final, and I expect them to win the final, actually. And moving on to the other game, Olympiacos, Aston Villa. I think this game is a perfect example as to why David Moyes has been underappreciated so much. Of course Aston Villa are better than Olympiacos. Of course, there's no debate in that. But you've seen this many times with Villa this year. They've struggled against these European oppositions. I mean, they almost lost to Zrinski at home. Zrinski. Team from Bosnia. Croatian team from Bosnia. Oh my, um, Croatian friends don't understand. That's the point of it. Um, I don't know what I'm talking about. That's good. Um, and I think, again, they got unhinged by Olympiacos too, and, you know, I think look, West Ham lost to Olympiacos this year, but, um, you know, that was a group stage game in Europa League when we were already through. And I think in the Conference League too, there should be less pressure on these bigger teams to perform well anyway, in terms of bigger, I say bigger teams as in money value, because I think Olympiacos is a very big club historically, but obviously talent-wise not at the level of Aston Villa or West Ham. But again, they have European authority as well, and they understand how to win, and Villa, you know, losing 4-2 at home I think is, I mean, it's terrible for them. I still think they have a shot in the tie, but going to, going to Piraeus is going to be very hard, because those fans are, they have great fans over there in Piraeus, Olympiacos. And that place is a really challenging place to play, especially when it'll give them a chance to go to the final. And as a result, I think Olympiacos is going to get to the final. I think Villa, their chance of winning the Conference League, I think that they'll regret the years coming down that they didn't win this game at home, because I really did think if they got it, they had a real shot. And I think if they won the Conference League, that would have been great for Villa. I think the Conference League is such a great tournament for teams like West Ham, Aston Villa, you know, even Fiorentina. All these teams that are, you know, around seventh, eighth in the league that are trying to bump up and get closer to the bigger competition. I think that's what is the thing about the Conference League. It's a gateway for these clubs, you know, obviously it's a gateway for these clubs in smaller countries, you know, Bruges and even Olympiacos, in terms of football and quality in the leagues. It's a great way for those clubs to have European success. However, I think that in terms of, you know, propelling clubs like Fiorentina, West Ham, and Aston Villa, just to name a few off the top of my head, it's really great in getting them closer to the rich, which is, I think, what football needs. It's, you know, there's obviously a gap in terms of, like, football that I think the gap keeps getting bigger from the top clubs to, you know, even the top clubs in smaller countries. I think the Conference League is a way to, you know, close that gap, so I really like the addition of this league tournament. And, yeah, I mean, I was over the moon when West Ham won. That was still one of the happiest days of my life. And, you know, to anyone that doesn't agree with it or doesn't think it's major, I just don't know what you're on about. I mean, of course, Man United winning it wouldn't mean much to them, but I don't think it's meant for that. I think it's meant for clubs like West Ham, Aston Villa, Fiorentina, to get themselves forward, to get themselves closer to the big dogs in their league. So, yeah, that's my thoughts on the lower European tournaments, and let's really quick pivot before we end this pilot episode to EPL and my club West Ham. I saw Chelsea won yesterday, do you know? Against Tottenham. And I think Tottenham have a real problem next year because I think that they have the talent to really go forward. I think that they can have a really good season next year. I know my brother's out there. Maybe he'll listen to this. I think that they, I really do think, you know, Liverpool's in a transition year, Man United in shambles. I also think Chelsea could be really good next year, too. I thought that they would get top four this year, and I think that injuries might have played that a bit, but I think Chelsea can be so good on their day. Same with Tottenham. I don't think Tottenham have enough firepower going forward. I think, you know, Werner, he's a good player. Again, great at Leipzig. But, at the end of the day, he's not going to get you, at this point in his career, he's not going to get you from, at a good level, to greatness. Buddy Charleston, I think, could do that. I think he can get there. But Kulishevsky is not going to get you there. Braylon Johnson will get you there. Kieran Some will get you there. You know, they had the young guy, Alejo Veliz, from Argentina. Great young player. I think he could get there, too. But I think that they really got to splash out in the summer. They really have to splash out in the summer on a forward that's going to take them to the next level. And I think if they would somehow get Lloris, I think that would be amazing for Tottenham. And, because I think, again, they get stuck sometimes. They, I think, Ange has the right ideas and the right philosophy for Tottenham. I think Ange has the great ideas and the right philosophy for how Tottenham want to play and how they want to attack. You know, when I see Poro and Udoge get up, I despise Tottenham, but that excites me, seeing this attack in football. Because, again, they have a bunch of young, tenacious players. Just, let's name their core. Braylon Johnson, Udoge, Hatman Tansar, Pedro Poro, Miki. All these young players, the Leafs even. You could even throw them in there if it gets more game time next year. These young players, I think, are hungry and fearless. And I think if you pair that club with a striker who understands how to win, Jokers is going to win the league this year with Sporting. Props to them, by the way, Ruben. I think they could really surprise some people next year. And I think that they really are just lacking the goals and maybe a bit more experience in the back. But I think that this year will help them build on that and what to do forward. And just one second. Sorry about that. I know I said this is going to be uncut. It still is. Just had to bring my cat in outside. Currently raining. And she wouldn't stop talking to me. So yeah, that's what I think about Tottenham. And as for Chelsea, Jackson, you know, new ball sack Jackson. I still think he could be a great player. And I was kidding. I think he's just a player with lack of confidence. And I think a lot of these players these days are confidence players. You know, they need people to keep believing in them. You know, maybe that's a bit weak mentally, but with the talent they have, why wouldn't you, in my opinion? I think, I mean, I know it's preseason. And yeah, I really do think that Chelsea next year, again, with Tottenham could really, I think what a Tottenham or Chelsea is really are really going to do well next year. And I think Benny Knight in two years will show the same thing. I think they're going to pop up. People aren't, you know, they really, they're not going to do well or whatever. If Tottenham get Europa League, I'd tap them to win the Europa League. I really think Ajax would take that seriously. And I think that they will win the competition. And as for Chelsea, no competition next year. I would expect them to maybe finally pull through when they take up and get third or fourth. I think they have the talent. They get Nkuku healthy, especially because I'm so high on them. And I thought he didn't play PSG, so he signed back. But we shall see. And as for the race for Europe, you know, I think you look at that clutter of teams down there for a conference league. I know some may not be interested, but I think it really is interesting. You have West Ham, Bournemouth, Wolves, Brighton, Newcastle as those, you know, maybe lower teams trying to get into those European competitions. And West Ham, as for me personally, I mean, Moyes is going to go at the end of the year. And I do understand it. But however, I still feel for him, because I think you look at the performances by Villa, Newcastle and Brighton, and you say to yourself, wow, maybe we had it a bit better than we thought, maybe because I think he's such a great manager in Europe. And again, in my opinion, we're eight minutes away from beating Leverkusen. Eight minutes away from drawing a nil-nil at the Bayern Arena, going on to the London Stadium. We had them unhinged. We had them unhinged. And I think if you watch that West Ham-Leverkusen game at Leverkusen, obviously Leverkusen, I mean, it looked like Leverkusen were playing a U12 team in terms of like how they were defending for their lives, West Ham. But again, you have to play like that in the Cups. You have to. Why would you ever go to Leverkusen and try to attack? It makes no sense. Same thing with Ancelotti at Bayern. Why would you go there? Makes no fucking sense, man. Makes no sense. And West Ham doing that, you know, they were eight minutes away, you know, they got a goal through five people and then a Boniface corner. I think that was just tired legs. You know, you can say excuses all you want. It's who you say. But I think we were eight minutes away from going to a Europa League semi-final against Roma, which I tap us to go on, and then Europa League final against Atalanta. Who knows? So I think winning the Europa League, especially this year, would have been insane. I think the quality of the Europa League this year was out of this world. There's way too many Champions League teams in there for me. In terms of quality and how tough it would be for a team like West Ham to win. And then just Liverpool, I think Atalanta are on that border of Champions League quality. And obviously Leverkusen, they are a top five club in Europe. And again, we gave them a really good game. And I don't know what other manager out there could do that. Now, that could be ignorance. Because, I mean, but also we just haven't seen it because, I mean, nobody has come in. And I don't think we'll see it for a bit of a time. I don't think we'll know. So before I get more into West Ham, let's just discuss about these other teams around them and their managers really quick. I think the Zerbe is overrated, personally. I think, yes, do Brighton play. Just check this out. Football, yeah. But look at their league form since January. OK, you could say injuries all you want. But I think you have to adjust to injuries in terms of like, you know, how you play. I don't think that they know how to play defensively. I think that's why you'll see them get sped up multiple times this year. And that's why they crashed at the Europa League. They lost to Ajax at home. You know, Brighton, a team that plays so well, should surely be able to beat them, right? No. Not at all. And Newcastle, too. I mean, obviously, they're in the Champions League, but again, they had it in their hands and they choked as well. Villa seemed to be choking. So all of these teams that have been in Europe, that are around the level of West Ham, have struggled. Whereas West Ham, I think, again, Moyes is a victim of his own success. But I also do understand that we have to move on, I think, without him with the crop of players we have. I understand that maybe we have to play a different style. And it really is sad, because him and Steiten, our technical director, have fallen out. Steiten went behind his back, looking for new managers. Brought Ruben Almerim from Sporting Lisbon to West Ham to interview for the job. Lopetegui is rumored to be the favorite now to get the job. So we'll see what happens. But I really do feel for David Moyes. I really do feel. Because he's been a great servant to this football club. I really wish he would stay, but there's no way in hell he's staying after his fall out with Steiten. And it really does pain me, because this is like watching West Ham. Of course we played terrible, but I don't care how poor we play against Everton at home. We're playing Fiorentina in the final. We played Eintracht Frankfurt away in the semi-final. I had a chance to go to the final against the Rangers. We could have played Barcelona. Barcelona beat Eintracht Frankfurt. West Ham United would have played in the Camp Nou. We had the night in Alkmaar last year. We had this year against Leverkusen. Yes. Did we draw the game? Yes. That was, other than the final, is the most proud I've ever been of the West Ham side. The amount of fight that they showed. I think that the players do love Moyes. But again, I do understand they get a bit interested sometimes because of the way we play. And it is a bit hard to push on, you know, we won the conference, like, where do we go from here? Do we keep Moyes and defense's tactics and, you know, try to move up there? I mean, we play one way, one way only, and everybody knows the way we're going to play now. Be a different manager, maybe changes a bit in terms of like what teams expect from us. So we'll see. I think Lopetegui is going to come in and, you know, who knows? Who knows who will come in? Because I think another thing about Moyes that was great is that he brought a good mix of players from England, used, you know, experienced players from England and then players abroad with flair. No. First, you know, he was using Benrahma and Fornals. I mean, obviously, I don't, Fornals at least wasn't his signing. But still, there's still players from abroad, a bit of flair to them. You know, now you have like Paquita and Kudos. And it's a good mix of grit in the team to that flair. And I really do thank him because he gave me some of the best years of my life supporting this football club so far. The best years of my life. We'll see what happens in the future. I think we're going to get Lopetegui. And again, I think the main problem with the fan base is it's so divided over the Moyes thing right now. I really do feel for Lopetegui if he comes in and starts poor because people are immediately going to harp on him and say, oh, he should have kept Moyes. Which is unfortunate, but, you know, move on. You got to move on. And I think that's the main thing with West Ham. We got to move on. As much as it pains me to say because Moyes gave me the best years of my life, I think to progress as a football club with the way the fan base is right now. If the fan base wasn't as divided, I think we should keep him. The fan base is so divided now, I don't think there's any point in keeping him. Which sucks because, again, I don't think that's fair that that's the reason why he's leaving. But with the fans flagging out, it's just not a healthy environment for players to succeed in and get in a new fresh face. And I think it's essential sometimes. With Liverpool, I think Slott is going to be a great manager there, whether or not they do well next year. I think it's good to refresh every now and then. Because I think there comes complacency with keeping things the same. You need something new every now and then, you know, to give a bit of a stimulant. So that's where we'll end it. You know, this has been a great podcast. I mean, we've been going now for... How long now? Let's see. Over an hour. And I had so much fun. I mean, really, this is just something for me to have fun. I really have fun discussing football. I really hope, you know, I come across to viewers. I hope that you dispute with some of the things I say, but I also hope that you agree with some of the things I say. I hope we can have conversations in the future because I really do enjoy discussing this, and it really brings happiness to my life, you know. And I think some people, they just need to talk, no matter what it's about. And I hope discussing football and talking about football can help people's lives, as it helps mine, you know. So that's where we'll end it. Thank you for joining me on Bruin Football, you know, this morning experience. Let's hope it becomes a new tradition, and we'll see how far this goes, but let's enjoy the ride. Thank you, everybody.