TRIF Live: Tips For The Title, Fighting With The Manager & Christmas Parties
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Hello and welcome to the first ever The Rest Is Football live show presented by Guinness. And a huge thank you to the Audley Public House for hosting us. It's a beautiful venue and no better place to see the beautiful pint already being sipped by Alan Shearer. Meet our discussions about the beautiful game. You'll notice that unfortunately, Michael Richards has been unable to join us today. Rude, rude.

Rumour has it that he worked either yesterday or tomorrow. And as we know, Micah can't do two successive days. But there is still a third seat on stage to be taken. So please welcome our very special guest of the day, David Moyes. That made me a sub. It does. I think there's only one place to start, and that's with the tardiness of a certain Alan Shearer. A man that is a stickler.

for punctuality? Well, let me tell you what happened. I was actually booked on an earlier train. I was asked what time train I want to come down on. And I said the 8.30. And I was recommended. I'm not going to mention her name. I get a half hour later train because that still gets me in plenty of time.

The train I wanted to get on was on time and the train I was put on was late. That's my excuse. Anyway, we didn't start till one and I was on time. I'll take you marginally late, David. What would you do as a manager in these circumstances? I've got sure I'm a wee obi. I'm a wee obi at the moment.

they just come out training with the reserves in the morning David I think everyone will want to know what you've been up to since obviously finished at the end of last season you were with us during the Euros yeah I did I really enjoyed the Euros done a little bit of work for BBC and worked for UEFA at the moment doing

observer working with the games at the moment, the Champions League and I've really enjoyed it. Done a wee bit of telework but quite enjoying doing nothing, playing a bit of golf and relaxing. Tempted though to get back in? Is it like an addiction this morning? That's the problem. I'm hoping it's not an addiction. I hope I make all the right choices and look, there's been opportunities where I couldn't get back into work recently but

I've chosen to stay out just now and wait and see what happens. After what I saw with Leicester on Saturday against Newcastle, you made a wise decision not going that one. Oh, sh...

Half our team are missing out. Half our team are out injured. But it's a big challenge for Ruud van Nistelrooy, though. Massive, yeah. It certainly is. What's it like being a spectator? I mean, you've been involved so many years, haven't you, watching from the dugout? What's it like? I know you still go to football, but you've been to a lot of games. What's it like watching from the stand? What's the difference? Actually, I've been to a lot of games. Mainly, I've been to a lot of championship games recently. I found it quite difficult to watch, actually.

I've not hugely enjoyed the games I see a lot an awful lot of teams playing trying to play in a style which doesn't always suit them but in saying that my love is football and I love going to watch I love live football that's probably the thing I go for I like the feeling of going there and being at the games and

and seeing what's going on. But I can't say that I've turned around and said from the games I've watched in the Championship at the moment that I've seen N coming up to the Premier League in the future, which might make a difference. Do you think, Alan, it's become more difficult for the sides in the Championship when they come up?

to a day. It seems like last season, didn't it? All three promoted clubs got relegated. This season, all three promoted clubs are struggling. Two in the bottom three, Leicester just above that. Do you think it's more difficult with the rules than now? I think because of the parachute payments, then what will happen is that the teams, I think they'll come up

most of the time they'll go back down and there's this yo-yo effect because of the payments that they get but having said that it's not impossible we've seen teams that have come up and stayed up and doing a really good job of that but I think because of the money that's now involved in

at the elite level i.e. the Premier League then it's becoming more and more difficult for these teams that do come up to stay up yeah Is there a reason David that you're watching more Championship football than perhaps Premier League football? No not really just means it's I've got a few clubs around me where I just don't go to at the moment you know obviously there's I've got great relationships at Everton I'm looking forward to going back to Goodison before

They moved to the new stadium. I'm looking forward to that. Old Trafford's not so far away. I don't go to Anfield too often. I'm not that welcome there. But overall, you know, sometimes it's just a bit easier to go to some of the championship games. Yeah, when you go to a game, is there a part of you saying, if you go into a game where a manager's under pressure, do you think, I can't really go there because they'll probably...

associate me with the job. Do you think like that? Yeah, I do. And I'm a manager. I don't want to put any other managers under pressure because I know exactly what it feels like. So I try to avoid anywhere which might cause any noise, really. Because that does happen. I saw Oli got his social. Was he at Wolves at the weekend? You actually put it in the group chat, didn't you? You went, if Oli's got the job, that's a bad look. Yeah, well, I wouldn't. I mean, I only did it for eight games.

I mean, you've been over 1,000, haven't you, now, in games? And you realise that how much pressure and the stress and everything else that goes with it and how much these guys have been under. So, look, we all know what happens. If you go into the manager's job, eventually one day you're going to get the sack. Even if it's only eight games. Even if it's only eight games. I never got sacked, actually. I just signed a contract for eight games and that was it. All right.

It's certainly not a good look if you're in the stand and the manager gets sacked. Give me another drink. Let's talk about the state of the Premier League at the moment. Arne Schlott's come in at Liverpool. He's done an amazing job so far. Do you think, David, in some ways that is...

A good sign that Klopp left the club in a good position. I don't want to take anything away from Slott, but I mean, it's amazing how well they've performed. I think Jurgen Klopp left Liverpool in a great position. Really good players. A mixture of good ages and young ones as well coming through. But I have to say the new manager's done amazing. I mean, I think that

The history would tell you that when you take over from a legend or someone who had done that, that length of period, it becomes very difficult to... You're speaking from personal experience. It's very difficult to be successful. But I have to say that I think that Arnie Slott's handled it incredibly well. There seems a calmness about him. The team have worked incredibly well with him and performing great.

Yeah, I think it's very important how you leave a football club though. I think it's not for you to say, but I say to Sir Alex Ferguson, I think when he left,

there were a lot of the players at the end of their careers weren't there that had been there a long time at Manchester United they'd won the league obviously but it wasn't a strong league that season I think it was obviously a difficult job you wonder now don't you we were just talking before weren't we David about Manchester City now with Pep Guardiola suddenly you know they're struggling for form and they look like they've fallen off a cliff you were saying that

imagine if a new manager had come in, if he had packed it in in the summer and someone had came in now, everyone was saying, well, look how it's plummeted. But it just shows you even for the best, Alan, doesn't it, that it's not always easy. No, and I mean, I also think there's a time to get off the stage, you know. I always think that... Hang on, we've only just got on it. We've got...

You've got to get off, I think, whilst people are shouting for more. And I think that's the right time. And I think in terms of what Jürgen did and what he achieved and how he left the club and everything else, I mean, it's in a great way. When you consider they didn't sign anyone, they wanted Zubermen, they didn't in the midfield, but the midfield has been one of their strong points this season. So he's done an unbelievable job. But in terms of Man City, it's more than a Rodri problem, isn't it? I mean, he's an incredible player, but to not have him in the midfield is a huge loss. But I think the issues

or the problems that they're having there now is certainly more than what Rodri could do. The lack of legs in midfield, particularly on the turnover. I mean, they've got Bernardo Silva, Gundogan, Kevin De Bruyne, three unbelievable players, all in their 30s and probably had their best years. Yet their recruitment hasn't been as good as it

perhaps has been over the years? I suppose it's really difficult. I mean, recruitment is probably just about the most important thing in football. And they've got it right for so long. But I suppose there comes a point where you're going to be a little bit unlucky. Not that I'm saying they're bad players that they've brought in, but they've not acclimatised to City in the way Pep wants to play. I agree. I think that

as a manager you know you rely on your recruitment if your recruitment is rubbish then you probably lose your job Man City's recruitment over the years have been great they've signed great great players and it's not to say I think maybe they've had great players in the positions and not having the need to go and maybe buy some more maybe the challenges they've got with the situation with what they've got meant that they couldn't go and buy maybe players they wanted to maybe

maybe they've had to keep those players a bit longer but to be fair they've tried to introduce Rico Lewis some of the younger ones into their team as well so I mean look Man City could change tomorrow they could go back to where they were Do you think so? No I don't really think so but I just think that they could I think it wouldn't be you know if they did then I don't think anyone would be surprised for them to hit form again Can I ask one? Are you just hosting it all? No I'm not hosting it I'll give my

Do you think that's one of the biggest changes in our... When you talk about recruitment, when you started a manager, you picked all the players, I guess. You brought in all the players who bought all the players. Over the years, you have to have a relationship now with the director of football or whoever's going to buy the players because...

it's your neck on the line ultimately isn't it yeah well I always feel that the manager will probably be asked do you want to sign this player and so ultimately you probably get the final decision but quite often then you've got to make sure that you've done enough work to give yourself a reason to say yes to that there is a lot of

people behind the scenes now who are doing the work for the clubs and a lot of some very, very good people who are doing it. But I think if you were going to lose your job, you would always want the last say. And I think all the managers are the ones who tend to lose their jobs because of it. So I think in the end, you do want to be the one who can say, no, I don't like him. Yes, I do like him and have the opportunity to get the right ones. Do you think that's a British thing though rather than a foreign thing? Because foreign managers, they're coaches, aren't they, basically? Because they're handed the players rather than

a British manager's feeling or way it should be done is that you want or need to see it in a player. Yeah, I agree with that as well because I think if you go to Spain or Italy, it will probably be done by the technical director, sporting director will make the signings. I think this country, we've always worked off a manager. We're not using the word as much now. We're using coach. There's other names for people in the jobs at the moment. But I have to say that

I think ultimately, lots of people don't want to make the final decision with it. Lots of times it needs the manager to make the final decision because they don't want to be the ones if you're spending 20 and 30 million as a manager, you're used to doing it. And quite often you get it wrong. You don't always get it right. I think it shows really what an amazing job Maresca's done.

because he's come into that football club and they've got so many players, haven't they? 30 players probably. They've bought players for enormous amounts of money, playing huge salaries over eight, nine-year contracts.

And all of us thought it was a bit nuts, didn't we? Really. And we all thought, how can this work? It's going to cause mayhem. But he seems to have got them together. He plays two separate sides, one in cup competitions, one in the Premier League, and they're playing really good football. And now the rest of the country is probably thinking,

maybe that's a good formula. I don't know. No, I'm not sure. I think, yeah, they're having a great season and they're probably ahead of where everyone thought they would be. But I think in the long term, I still think that given players that length of contract, how you get them out of the football club and the turnover of players is hugely important now because of the PSL rules that everyone has to adhere to. So,

It's flying at the minute, but I'm still not convinced that that's the right way to go. I suppose as well when you're earning enormous salaries like players do now, that might be a problem in terms of coaching. If you've got players that you think they're on a fortune, but they're not part of your plans...

that must be very difficult for a manager because what do you do with them? Because they don't want to leave because they're not going to get paid as well at another football club, but you don't necessarily want them around if they're bringing a bad atmosphere. Does that happen? And if you see what's happening in football as well is we've all got much bigger squads now. So, you know, you want a strong bench and there'll be, you might have 10 really talented players. You'll probably find,

four or five of them don't want to be a sub don't want to just be getting small minutes they want to be starting for another club so I think there is in football bigger movement in all the squads everybody's squads will be the same you'll probably see bigger numbers probably in our days clubs would sign in in my early days as a manager you'd try to sign maybe three players a year

maybe four depending on how it went now I think because of the squad size there's six unhappy you might have to sell one before you know it there's a bigger revolving door for players to go out and to come in again as well but it is a problem you know at many of the clubs you know you can have players on huge wages and it's

it's very difficult to get them other clubs if they're not being good enough for your own club. Looking at the title race overall, Alan, at present, I mean, between Mikey and myself, we went Man City and Arsenal like we did the previous season. I don't think any of us thought the top two would be Liverpool and Chelsea at Christmas.

No. I think that says how good a job that Arnaud Slott's done at Liverpool. Changed the playing style slightly, but they've been brilliant. I mean, they've got so many options, haven't they, in every position. But everyone said in the summer, didn't they? People were saying, why haven't they bought anybody? They're not really... But I think...

I mean, the big surprise, obviously, is Manchester City and what's happened to them. I'll tell you what happened to them. I tipped them to win the league. Yeah, that's it. That's what happened to them. You tipped for us to get relegated as well, so... So we're going tits up. Yeah, I still...

I don't think Liverpool are going away. I'm not convinced that Chelsea will be where they are at this moment at the end of the season. I may be wrong, probably am. If you had to pick now, you'd go Liverpool? Yeah. I would as well, I think. Yeah, I would as well. Yeah. It's...

They've got so many options, haven't they? When you look at the goalkeepers being out, another one comes in. I think he makes one mistake at Newcastle, that was it. Midfield, defensively and forwards have got so many options that he can rotate as well. So they're strong in every position. Got any Liverpool fans in the room?

Crikey, it's a lot, isn't it? Behind me. That's why I was nice about it. I wonder if they'd have put their hands up if they were about fifth. So, David? I find it hard to say, but I think Liverpool are the most strong at the moment, I've got to say. Yeah.

as we said, they look as if they've got enough people to score goals, different people. I know Sal is always going to be the one we talk about, but I think that they just look as if they've got different people scoring when Sal is not scoring, they're coming up with other goals as well. But I still feel they may yet have a, still have a, you know, a period of the season. We all know what the Premier League's like. It doesn't mean that it's a smooth journey all the way. So they still might have a period to come where it could be a bit uneasy for them. I think other than the relegation, I mean, a top bottom, maybe bottom four or five,

But the rest of the league is really strange this year. The gap between, I don't know, fifth and 12th or 13th is probably four or five points, something like that. So if you win two or three on the spin, then you'll find yourself in the top six. And I think that's why it's been so different this year. Newcastle are going to win a trophy, aren't they? Big game coming up. Big one tonight, yeah. This is our best chance of a trophy, I think. Are you going? If we finish on here on time and...

I don't have too many Guinnesses then, yeah, I'm on the train to go back to the game. you were always on time. Yeah. That's sort of changed today, didn't it? This might be Newcastle's best chance of winning a trophy this season, the Carabao. You say that every season. Oh, for the last 60 years, yeah.

let's turn our attention to the bottom of the table and before we get perhaps to the nitty gritty the bottom three Everton have been around there the last few seasons does that sadden you a bit I mean I'm sure there must be some of Everton blue blood in the side oh definitely Luke Everton were really important to me and I did

are living in a half years there very few people do that length of time at any club nowadays look it's been disappointing that Everton haven't competed I think they've got a bit more than some other teams in the Premier League and I think they'll be fine and I think moving to the new stadium next year it's really important that Everton stay in the Premier League It really is and it must have been important this day I mean obviously I was at the club as well but a lot less time than you just for a year but I mean it's a great football club

I think they'll have enough. I think they've got enough sort of experience they've been in and around it and they know how to navigate. And a manager that will grind out reserves. I watched them at Arsenal on Saturday because we were watching match of the day. I mean, it was a turgid watch. But...

And from the very get-go, he had 10 players all behind the ball and Arsenal couldn't find a way through. But he's must in those settings. Yeah, and they've got to keep up and make some really good saves, haven't they? Which helps. Good coaching.

against a better team. Yeah. Struggling to get points away from home. You know, you have to admire the manager, the coach, whatever you want to call them, for finding a way of taking points off the team who probably everybody's saying, hey, by the way, you're going to be challenging to win the league. So, yeah,

Great result for Daishi. Do you sometimes have to wrestle with yourself as a coach when you go to play a club that you know are massively superior in terms of individuals and you go there, do you feel almost a little bit guilty sometimes because football isn't entertainment? You've all had to do it. Absolutely. You know, all the years we've gone to Man City, I can remember, I've said, how am I going to get out here alive? How am I going to find a way of getting a result and trying to not be pulverised and beaten up

So you have to find a way. And actually, I see it as a bit of a weakness if you're a coach. You're not willing to understand and say, how can I get a result? I actually think Mikel Arteta last year and this year has gone to Man City and done a good job on them, tried to find a way of getting a result against Man City.

And I think it's the same. I think if you've not got the same level of players, it's really, really difficult to compete. Did you ever find a way of not getting pulled by us? No, no, very rarely. I tried all things, my marking, I tried, you know. And now they've completely lost the plot. You're not managing it as well. No, no, no.

There might be a very slightly better chance to get us up against them. You know what you take about changing and finding a way to get something out of the game. There's now like an obsession at most levels to play, I don't know, out from the back. Out from the back. What's perceived now is how the game should be played because...

I reckon if you're a young coach now and you haven't got that philosophy and you're going into an interview and you say that, well, I'm just going to do this. If you don't say you're playing a specific way, then I don't think you're even going to get a look and get in the job because there's that... Yeah, there is, yeah. There's that...

I would call it madness that some of the things that we're seeing now or teams coming up from the Championship Southampton for example the only way they could play was give it to the keeper and he won't kick it long it seems as if it was illegal to kick the ball long enough

Southampton team yet they kept on getting punished week after week after week but there has to come a time where you say we have to do something different here because okay I've got my principles but this is clearly not working but on the playing Devils Amber Cup if you're a coach that's had success that way and that's the way you play that's your ethos that's you know you think that is how football should be played but

I would imagine it's very difficult to then go, oh, right, we're just going to lump it or knock it long. Likewise, a manager that's played in a certain way all his career where they play quite directly and then to suddenly start playing out from the back, then would that not confuse players? I mean, you can make tweaks, obviously. No, there's no harm in making tweaks. You have to, I think as part of a...

You tell me if I'm wrong, but part of a coach or a manager's job is to go out and get results. Yes, you might have the way you want to play, but that doesn't have to be that way every single minute of that game. You are allowed to tweak and to change, to adjust and to get, to make sure you get a result here and there, no? Well, I think if you don't have the level and the quality of players, that's a big thing. Yeah.

because obviously if you've got a lesser level than many of the teams, it doesn't take you long to work out if they've got a better team than you do. It doesn't mean to say you have to change everything, but it still means that I think there's parts of your football you have to decide how to get a result. You know, maybe... Do you have to do that at times? Many times, yeah. Lots of times. And I think, I don't think you can have longevity in your career if you're not going to be flexible and you're not going to be willing to

to change when required. You know, there'll be games where you're winning one nil with 10 minutes to go and you say, what can I do? But shut up, shop. There'll be games where you're, you're losing one nil and you're saying, I'm going to have to try and throw the kitchen sink at them. How am I going to get results? So that's flexible. That's changing. That's adapting. And,

I think you just cannot be one way. But what Alan's saying is correct. I think a lot of the younger coaches now have to have a style, have to have a philosophy in what they do. And I think it's a good thing, but I still think within that, you've got to be able to say, look, how do you find a way of getting a result? Mm-hmm.

The bottom three, who do you think will go down? I mean, last season, obviously the teams that were promoted got relegated. I think it's becoming probably increasingly more difficult for the teams to survive in the Premier League when they're getting promoted. I

a lot down to the financial rules and that you restricted us to... I mean, Leicester came up and had to sell their best player to balance the books in Dewsbury Hall. So it makes it very, very difficult for teams coming up now. We've got Ipswich and Southampton in the bottom three, Leicester just above it. Are we at a stage now where...

When they go down, they'll come back up and just... Well, I think if you look at the percentages, more often than not, that sort of four or five, that'll happen, you know, because of the finance that they have in the championship. Yeah. Yeah, they're always going to find it very, very difficult to try and compete in the...

in the Premier League I mean it's ironic you say it don't you that to go and watch your team Leicester is far more enjoyable doing it in the Championship than it is in the Premier League I really enjoyed the Championship and three of my lads support Leicester as well and we'd sit down and we'd watch the odd game where we'd win yeah

It's amazing. I would think out of the three... Although we did win the league not long ago. I think out of the three that came up, I think Ipswich will have the best chance of staying up. Yeah. Do you think... You wouldn't have said that probably at the start of the season, would you? Yeah, I did say that, yeah. LAUGHTER

I'm getting old, my memory's not very good. I'm going to check that. I'm going to check for evidence. Who's going down? It's horrible. I always hate doing these predictions. I hope Everton have enough and I think they will have. I think Crystal Palace have got enough as well. I agree with you. They've found a bit of form as well. So it's not to say that a run of bad games couldn't drag them back into it, but

I think it'll be three from four, the sort of four we're talking about. But I think Ipswich, over the last two years, they came up from the first division, then the championship. I just wonder if they might have a bit of momentum which might keep them up. That's my feeling that they may have. Part of me is dreading the fact that I think Leicester are in trouble.

But Parton is looking forward to playing the championship again. I think he's taken a huge job on, hasn't he, Ruud van Nistelrooy? I think it's more difficult than he realised. It's a club that was very well run a few years ago. It's struggled in recent times. The recruitment's been nothing like as good. I think they've got themselves in... I saw a thing the other day about the percentage of wages against the overall club revenue.

And, you know, the really well-run clubs, you could see 50-odd percent, 60%. Some of them were up to 80-90. Leicester, 116%. And that's a little bit worrying for a side down in the bottom. But, yeah, I think it's going to be three from four. Wolves being the other one joining the three promoted clubs. But let's move on to something. Manchester United, David, have struggled... LAUGHTER

You've got another new manager in who's trying. It's been tough, obviously, since Alex Ferguson. We talked, didn't we? We said about how difficult it is and the fact that Slot had a club that was really well run and the Ferguson era kind of, at the end of it, all the players were a little bit old and it was a difficult time. We've talked about that before.

Is that for you to go? Before this question. So what do you think of the new guy? He's come in, I mean, he's already faced, you know, he's having to deal with issues off the pitch already with the Rashford and Garnaccio situation. I suppose it's a club that's massive in the microscope all the time. Yeah.

it's probably Manchester United you know and while they're not challenging at the top because of the football I think the media have always got stories on Manchester United I think it's the way it is and I think to become the Manchester United manager it won't take you long to understand the level of scrutiny which is given all around the world obviously the British media as well but I think the managers are a pretty good start I think he's impressed a lot of

people with the way he's gone about things I think our culture here is that we're very keen on discipline and we want things to be right years have been in dress rooms as well and if you play for great teams you want to have good discipline you want to be well drilled team know everybody fighting for the cause and that

And I just think that he'll be looking at it and trying to make his own mind up exactly what works for him. I think he's made a lot of changes. He's been brave and changed the team, probably in every game at the moment, probably giving all the players an opportunity to show what they can do. Meanwhile, he's making his mind up about the ones he wants in and the ones he probably wants out. What do you make of Marcus Rashford's situation at the minute? I mean, he came out, didn't he? He said, maybe I'm up for a time for a move.

The manager's come out this morning and we're doing this on Wednesday and he said that... Yeah, actually, I thought he spoke quite sensibly. No, I want Rashford to stay. He's a great player. We need great players saying the right things. But do you think his time is coming to an end at Manchester United? I think when you listen to managers after games, before games...

When you hear him this morning, he also realises he's got an asset of the football club he has to protect. So you have a player coming out yesterday, surprised, I'm pretty sure he surprises all of the coaching staff, the owners and everything else with what he's had to say. And then the manager has to sit in a press conference, yet he also...

has an asset within the football club. So he has to try and somehow protect him. So you're not quite sure whether he's actually meaning that. I guess I don't think he will be. I think what he's probably said this morning is because he wants to protect the football club rather than the individual. And with him leaving him out at the weekend suggests that things haven't been right in training, whether it's attitude, whether it's being late, whatever it is, that he hasn't liked what he's...

seen in the first few weeks with him. We saw similar things with Eric Tenhoog with Marcus. Yeah, he did. He left him out for disciplinary reasons, didn't he? He had a weekend away in Dublin, I think it was, or yeah, somewhere like that. We left him out for the cup game, didn't he? Yeah. What we did on the BBC. Something wrong with a weekend in Dublin, is there? Down a few parts of Guinness. What do you think of Hammering though? I think he's made a decent start. He's...

spoke as well as I think he could do in press conferences. He's got his message across, who he is, what he is, what he expects, what system he wants to play, but he's got a huge job on his hands because from where they are now to where they want to be, I think is a long way off and a lot of players off as well. I think he needs to do a lot of shopping. Yeah, I think he's got a nice manner though. He's charismatic, he's likeable, perhaps in a way that, I don't want to be rude, but that Ten Hag perhaps wasn't.

at all times and I understand the pressure gets to you but what have you made of Amarillo? I mean it's a great result to win at City which will be very helpful for him and it's very early days but he started really well I mean his record in Portugal has been impressive it's a different league doesn't it? Yeah a different league of course it is and obviously he'll be recognising it now coming to Manchester United as well but as we mentioned something a bit earlier recruitment seems to be the thing which will probably need to happen because he'll be weighing up just now

what he needs, what he would like to change. A lot he needs though, doesn't he? In lots. And maybe they can't maybe buy the players of the money of old when they used to be able to do that. So I think he'll be finding it a surprise to him as well. But for Manchester United, it'd be 13th or 14th, 12th, 13th at the moment. It's just not what they want. They've got to be much higher. It is one of those that, like you said, that patch in the table where you win two or three games and suddenly you fight for a European spot. I don't see them getting...

top four they may get six seven three something like that I don't expect them being a top four this season they need three or four really really top players to get to that level I think and a centre forward being one of them we're moving towards the Christmas period now which is always an interesting time for footballers because you tend to play more football around that period it's a world recompense they're okay they're not struggling did you enjoy playing it?

Christmas? I loved it. I mean, I just loved... I wasn't a huge one for training. I loved just the games. At this time of year, absolutely, that's what I was just going to say. That, for me, was heaven. I was lucky enough that I could eat what I wanted around the Christmas period. I had managers that were fairly flexible in terms of...

not necessarily going in on Christmas Day, you know, trusting us to not to have too much to drink or eat on Christmas Day. Don't be looking at me. I'm going to move on today, David, because I've got a little bit of information here on you, David. I've done a bit of research about Christmas and David Morris. Yeah.

In 2013 at Manchester United, you cancelled the traditional pantomime at Christmas lunch and you did a speech instead. In 2016 at Sunderland, you cancelled the Christmas party and told players to go out with their wives instead. LAUGHTER

In 2017 at West Ham, you cancelled the Christmas party and said, and if they go out, then I'm sure my spies in London will find out. I've got a lot all around the city. I've got them well placed.

Scrooge! Scrooge, exactly. I'm sure he's that true. When you've been in it as long as me, sometimes you have to cancel the odd part of hearing that. I think, I mean, thinking back over them, there would have been reasons because obviously I...

You might not believe it, but I always enjoyed a party myself if I got the opportunity to. So, and I always built team spirit. I always felt that that was hugely, hugely important. In fact,

probably as important as ever. But there'll be times where I think Sunday when we were bottom of the league and I thought it was wrong that we'd go out. I think maybe at United we had lost and I thought this can't really happen. And probably around West Ham, I think the West Ham one was more to do with the amount of games we had and the amount of time we, at that time we were in Europe all the time and it was just too much. You can't, as a Premier League football club,

You can't be seen nowadays, particularly with the phones and how it is with social media. Thank heavens their phones weren't... I know. I mean, in our day, we were lucky. It was fine. You could walk into a pub like this with 20 guys and you could sit here all day and do whatever you wanted and it would be totally fine. But you just can't do it nowadays and you'd be daft to try it because you'd never get in the way with it. What did you do it?

- We, as in what? - No, generally, but I don't know, not everything. I don't want to know, you know, what stuff in you put where.

Yeah. No, what would be a typical thing? If you plan on Boxing Day, I mean, it was always the same, generally Christmas lunch. I've had both. I had Kenny Daglish's manager at Newcastle and Blackburn and he would, only because his wife insisted he was at home Christmas Day.

All the time he'd give us Christmas Day off and let us meet up either late evening, Christmas night, and then travel. Or if it was at home, we could just go meet up for pre-match meal on Boxing Day. Whereas I've had managers also that have had us in training in the morning or training...

late afternoon then travel to wherever the game was so I've sort of had it in both ways we used to enjoy playing on Boxing Day I've done a little bit of homework oh really and you scored 8 goals on Boxing Day I scored 5 but obviously I played way fewer years in the top flight than you did so my overall ratio is much better and

which is not bad in fact you're the third highest Premier League scorer not overall we know you're top on Boxing Day Alan on Boxing Day yeah so with eight goals I said it was five I got one I couldn't remember I didn't realise a 2-1 win at Anfield

No, really? Alan Smith scored another one. That didn't happen very often. You scored twice on two occasions, so eight goals. Who do you think are the two that are above you? Let's put it out there and if anyone, you're welcome to shout out any names that you think and I'll... Rooney?

No. Lampard? No. Domri? Domri, no. Kane? Who said Kane? Yes, Harry Kane. I think Lampard, no? No, not Frank Lampard. There's one more. Kane's leader on 10. He scored in all seven appearances on Boxing Day. He's never not scored on Boxing Day. Wow.

That's amazing, isn't it? Who's the other one? Who's second? No, no. No, not Vardy. No. You've got to go back a little bit. It's Premier League, but... Yes! Who said Robbie Fowler?

you got old you two together and you you've done your research before you came yeah Kane 10 Fowler 9 and then Robbie Keane's also got 8 I also remember a boxing day that I ruptured my cruciate ligament on yeah I played I'd scored 2 I think it was against Leeds at Blackburn

And then I came off five minutes later and then I did my knee as well. And then I was out for eight months after that. So good and bad memories of boxing do, yeah. That must be the worst Christmas kind of ever. That wasn't great Christmas after that, no. I've always wondered what it's like for a manager on Christmas because...

players can switch off a bit because we just, all we need to do is turn up for the next day. But Manu, you've got me thinking about everything on Christmas Day, haven't you? Is there ever a minute where you can switch off? No, you never switch off. But it was interesting what Alan says, as the manager, you're deciding...

Am I bringing the players in at nine o'clock on Christmas day to train so they can have their Christmas dinner in the afternoon with the family? Or are we away from home and I'm meeting them at half four, telling them to have your Christmas dinner early so that we can have a bit of light training and then go on the bus and travel wherever we've got to go. So as a manager, because of the games on Boxing Day, you're really trying to work out what's best.

And you'll have some players coming in the year and saying, oh, can we get it in the morning? Or some club saying, you know, whatever. You get it all the time. So they do, of course they do. The captain will be coming in telling you something. There'll be reasons for it. But it's a really difficult time. And what a lot of people don't understand is that

Christmas day in the evening there'll be half the team staying in a hotel somewhere waiting in the games which you know it's a horrible normally you'd be home with the family it's something which is just part of the job and what you have to do yeah that was the most enjoyable thing about being at Barcelona one of many important things you played for Barcelona did you? I don't mention it very often only three I knew that only three years only three years but they used to have

Christmas off. So you always used to come back? I used to come home, yeah. It's weird, isn't it? You live abroad, that's the only time you ever experience the whole Christmas thing. But actually, it's quite nice to escape on Boxing Day in a way, isn't it? Even if it's just to do Match of the Day. We always do it, don't we, Boxing Day? We always do. I don't mind it because I'm fed up with the in-laws by then anyway, so it's nice. LAUGHTER

I want to get out of the house. Let's take a quick break and you can top up your glasses of Guinness. And when we return, if you could think of some questions and we will try and provide the answers. But let's take a little breather for now. We have one more act for you this evening.

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Hi, everyone. Welcome to the second half of the Restless Football. We've got another beautifully pulled Guinness by the side of us. Look at that. How beautiful. Right. We're going to do a Q&A for the next 25, 30 minutes or so. But first, I want to tell you that we have here a retro top shirt Guinness with a heart, the beautiful Guinness heart there as the as the badge.

And the best question asked, and it's not necessarily the best question, it's going to be the best question in my opinion, asked, we'll get this shirt at the end. So there you go. There's an incentive for you. Who's got the first question? We've got microphones that we're going to hand round. Two lads are at the bar. So if you want to get to the bar to ask your question, which is always a good place to be, feel free to move ahead. We've got one there. Introduce yourself first.

- Hi, my name's Chris. - Hello, Chris. Fire away. - Was there any player you played with or managed that regularly used to take it a bit too far and Chris was enjoying himself a bit too much? - Oh, definitely.

I played with a few at Leicester. I played, when I first broke into the Leicester team, was it an era when Jock Wallace was the manager? You'd know Jock. I know Jock. He's a great man. Yeah, he really was. And he was a big personality. But what he did, he basically signed about

10 Scottish players. I used to call it Leicester Muck City. And those days I was one of the few English players in the squad. And let's say they taught me a thing or two. As a manager, you do. And I've got to say, in my early days when I was a player at Preston and then I became the manager, so you knew the players even more. So the captain, and it's gone back a few years, there was Sean Gregan, who was a big midfield player, and there was a boy called Kurt Nogan, who was the centre forward. And I thought, oh no, the state of these boys are going to come in after it. So

So the Christmas time as a manager was always a really worrying time because it's not just going out with the players. You just don't know if they're going out with their pals and when they're going out with the family or where else. And you knew you were always under jeopardy. But I'm just going to tell you this story quickly. And it was with Charlie Nicholas. And I hope he doesn't say about it, but he'll know. I was at Celtic with Charlie at the time and I wasn't in the first team. Charlie was selected.

and he was playing, and I think it was New Year's Day actually, so it was in between, and we were going out, and Charlie was going out with his New Year's Eve, you know, with a few drinks, and we all came back together, and it was maybe two or three in the morning, and he went on to score a hat-trick against Kilmarnock the next day. You know what I mean? So sometimes you never know in football when it's going to work for you. You mentioned the fancy dress things earlier, but we, at Newcastle, it was traditional every year, it was a fancy dress all around town. Bear in mind, this was back in,

96, 97, I think it was. I dressed up as Terry McDermott once, had a big wig on with Scouser with a fashion Newcastle top on, Terry Mack on the back. And you're actually, as a group of 25 players, first team players, walking through the centre of Newcastle and we stopped in a shoe shop. We all went in the shoe shop and had a game of two-touch in the shoe shop, keeping the ball up. I mean, can you imagine if that was to happen now, 25 guys walking around in the town,

You could just claim it was like, look at us, we're so professional. Yeah, well, good old days. Fantastic. Another question. Don't be shy. Oh, there we go. Gary, how come you weren't doing Sports Personality of the Year? Why I wasn't doing Sports Personality of the Year? So much better last night, wasn't it? So much better.

I don't know. I didn't watch it. I didn't either. Well, people are starting to assume that it was part of my kind of termination or forthcoming termination with the BBC. But just to make it clear, what happened with Sports Personality of the Year is that it went to an independent production company and it was granted at the start of the year. Now, I saw that as an opportunity to get out of presenting. Yeah.

thoughts personally. It's a great show, but it's the one TV gig that I never really enjoyed. And I think I share that with Des Lynam who did it for many years as well. It's a very strange show to do. And also it's the one thing where every single word that you say on it has to be agreed by all parties at the BBC. Every single interview you do, you have to say what questions you're going to ask. I mean, I like to ad lib, I like to go off piste. I

you can't do it sports personality not in recent times every single i don't know what you call them nominee um had to have exactly the same time of interviewing so as to be impartial and fair and so it was it was purely that so it was about it was february and it's nothing to do with my recent announcement and there's already there were four presenters and four presenters too many for that show anyway um so so so there you have it but who won by the way

Keeley. Keeley was quite right. She deservedly so, I would say. Next question. What's the most ridiculous excuse a defender's ever given you after you've scored past them? I'm not sure they give you an excuse. I'm not sure an excuse is. I mean, I've had plenty of...

verbals verbals off them before I scored and then they just sort of give them a little wave on the way back but yeah I'm not sure excuses that I've had no I've used a few excuses when I've missed but not heard I mean it's not something you go up to the centre half and say what are you doing there and he goes well actually I slipped so yeah I'm not sure that actually happened I've had a few I'm a defender yeah it's a better question for you actually too windy laughter

I used to have a portable bobble you know what I mean so every time you don't want to get off you don't want to fit again so there's a clip actually that I saw recently of me missing a header at Blackpool it was Spurs in the FA Cup yeah we won it actually I think and it looks like I've missed an absolute sitter from about

three yards out but that day was genuine genuinely like a hurricane and in fact in the first half our keeper Eric Tussved kicked the ball and it was the first time I've ever seen kick you know big boot and it came back and went behind the goal into the stand it was that windy so that was a legitimate excuse if ever you see that clip you'll go how did he miss that you never missed any though did you oh no next question

Yeah, question for David, maybe Alan as well. How do you deal with players that knife you in the back when things aren't going so well? Maybe media interviews, maybe things... Has this gone out live? No, no, it's not. Come and tell you the true story at the bar in about 10 minutes when we come off here. It might feature Michael Odenjoy-Barton. You said that, didn't you? Yeah.

And I ask that question because there's a knife behind David's back. It must happen. When you're the manager, you can't be everybody's friend when you're the manager. There's a saying about being honest to players is to be disliked. So if you want to be generally honest with people, which I would always try to be, it means that you're going to be disliked. Players didn't want to be told, you're not playing well enough, you're not in my plans, whatever.

you know I don't want to keep you I don't want to give you a contract whatever it may be that's when you that's when you felt the heat but I think if you go into the job that's the bit you have to accept and it was it's never good as a manager to be like that because you want a relationship with the players but ultimately you know somewhere along the line you're going to say hey I'm leaving you out today and that's when all the other parts come in. I think that yes the coaching is important but I think the man management side of things particularly nowadays with

egos, salaries, contracts, agents, everything else. The man-management side of things is probably, maybe possibly more important than the coaching side of things because if you're falling out with two or three players, then ultimately those two or three players have got friends in the dressing rooms

they've got families and what have you, and it can spread hugely. So to keep everyone onside is very, very difficult, but so important. Do you think it's probably changed now? You have to be a bit kinder to players? It was very much, you know, I come from the same era as you, and, you know, the managers used to...

run right verbally abuse you at times and that was how it was whereas I don't think you probably get away with that sort of behavior the difference now is is communication which in probably in a lot of walks of life so the players are looking for much more communication whether they want their clips whether they want to know what you're doing you know what your training is the players certainly want more information in my day when I was a player I

avoided the manager like the plague. Here's the manager coming. Get out of the way. Don't make sure that you weren't seen. You had no reason where you really wanted to see the coach. And I have to say, I come from a Scottish background and Scottish coaches and managers, you know, Jock Wallace from early days who was mad and strong-nosed. And if you look like Sir Alex when he first came down from Aberdeen and Jim McLean were big managers in Scotland and Scottish managers were tough and

That was the way they put themselves over. And actually, it's interesting, there's no Scottish managers now left in the league, you know, because there is a change in what's going on. So we're all going to have to adapt and partly being longevity as to... But I think that in general, that's life as well, though, isn't it? Yeah, in all walks of life. Yeah, it's not just football, is it? It's life. Let me tell you the Jock Wallace story. When I was 18, Jock Wallace had just signed...

as the new manager of Leicester. And he was a big guy, like six foot four, wide as a door, barking Scottish voice that I couldn't really understand. And he came down and the first time I ever came across him, just a couple of days after he'd signed, was I was playing for the reserves. I was 18, just turned 18, playing for the reserves at a game at Filbert Street. And we came in at halftime and sat down. The door slams open, Jock Wallace walks in. He's going, yeah, yeah.

fucking you and I thought Christ and he's looking at me and like you said David you avoid you don't want to avoid the eyes look at the floor yeah look at the floor everything and he came over and he's going you English shite

You lazy fucking shit. And he's come up and he's got me by the scruff of the neck and he just pinned me up against the wall like that. I wouldn't have minded, but we were 2-0 up and I'd scored both goals. But he's going, you've got to get run in, you're lazy. So second half, I go, I'm a gibbering wreck. I was completely useless in the second half. So end of the game, he comes in again and he goes, laddie, my office, nine o'clock in the morning. I went,

it's all over I honestly thought I was out I thought I was getting the sack I thought I was gone so I got there early unlike Alan get there early and I'm like the naughtiest boy outside the headmaster's office waiting for him so I'm sitting there waiting for him to tell me the end of the career so eventually he goes in you come laddie so I walk in I sit dude so I just sit there he goes

I just want to say one thing. You were magnificent last night. I said, I beg your pardon? He said, I just want to make sure you keep your feet on the ground. I said, you could have told me last night. I didn't. I didn't have the courage to say that. But that's a true story. And I love Jock, actually. I was so terrified with him. You talk about going out drinking and stuff like that.

I was so terrified about upsetting him that I was incredibly professional when I was a young player and it was probably a good thing and served me well. Could have been worse so instead of him getting a buy a throw he could have got one of the ears. His hands weren't big enough. Next question.

David, we've actually got one, not from myself, but from one of your former players who I've just spotted in the audience. You've got a former player? Yeah, a former player, Mr. Andy Johnson of England. David, what was your most challenging period as a manager and what was the hardest group of players you've ever had to manage? Be careful of your answer. Yeah, no. Well, I have to say, AJ scored a hard check against Liverpool. Sure.

So, yeah, I've got that right, haven't I? So that was one of the big moments. So I remember that well. The most challenging period was obviously Manchester United because I was taken over from probably the greatest manager. It was a thrill that I was taken over the champions of England. I saw it as, wow, this is giving me a bigger opportunity. And I left a really good club and I left a brilliant set of players at Everton behind. But I felt that it was going to give me a chance of winning trophies at the time. Unfortunately, it didn't.

I didn't find the players challenging. I found the players absolutely inspiring because of the mentality to win. But they were all disappointed with how things were going at the time. So it was a really disappointing period for me. And I wish I could get it back again. Would you do things differently? Yeah, some things. But, you know, you can only go and do what you think you do. You know, it's, yeah, I could have maybe done things slightly different with my staff and one or two things when you look back.

But, you know, age gives you a bit more maturity. And when looking back at it, I think maybe I was still a bit young at the time to get the job at Manga. And I know the managers coming in are very young at the moment. But I exclude myself here. Manchester United have probably had two of the best managers in the world, knowing Louis van Gaal and Jose Mourinho. And it's been very difficult for them as well. But Andy, that was probably the most difficult period in my career. Yeah. Next question.

How's it going lads? Nice to meet you. My name's John Ellis, I'm a YouTuber. So we're making a big video at the minute. Are we? Yes, hoping to involve some of the biggest footballers on the planet and you're the lucky three that I'm hoping to involve. Hang on, that's not my good side, can I just... You look handsome, don't worry. So you were kind enough to invite us down and next year I have the biggest day of my life. I'm getting married on the 20th of June. I'm inviting 100 footballers to my wedding to see who shows up.

28th of June? Where is it? Belfast. Just outside Belfast. Great golf. What could go wrong? Great golf, a few pints of Guinness, a bit of Trab music. 20th of June next year. Sounds good, sounds good, but I'm busy that day. Oh, OK. 1.2 to go, boys. What are they saying? I'm at Portrush for the open. Do you know what? Just extend the trip. Yeah.

I'll get your accommodation. We'll be in touch. If I was you, I wouldn't get married. Boys, thanks a million. Thank you so much. All the very best. Thank you.

It's a good try. Question. What is the craziest thing that either yourself or a different player that you have seen has done to get away from being in trouble by the manager for going out? I did get in trouble with Terry Venables once. We didn't get out of it. There was me and Mark Hughes and we'd just signed for Barcelona. I play for Barcelona. I don't know how I can mention it. And we'd done pre-season everything.

And we had an away game in Mallorca, second game of the season. And we won the first game 2-0, scored both out. And our second game was away in Mallorca and we ended up drawing 0-0. But obviously we thought night out, we were flying back the next morning and flight was about eight o'clock. So Mark and myself, we thought, what the hell happened?

of a couple and the couple went to moor and in the end we came back to the hotel just in time to go straight onto the team bus in the morning and we walked on and Terry sat in the front row and he's just gone fack sake fack sake I'd signed two facking England players and they'd been facking out all night facking let me down we just went sorry Terry sorry Terry it's good

One of the craziest things, maybe not related, but when I was a 17 or 18-year-old kid in the Southampton dressing room, it was on my first year. So actually, I was on my YTS still. And there's a manager called Chris Nicholl, sadly no longer with us. He died of dementia a few months ago. And he was the hardest manager I'd ever played under. But I also played with a left-back who was probably the hardest player I've ever played with as well, called Mark Dennis.

Mark Dennis. And two unbelievable personalities. And Chris Nickle came in the dressing room after one game and accused him of basically cheating the team and whatever. Chris went round the whole team, shit, shit, shit, shit. And he got to Mark Dennis and he went, wanker. So Mark Dennis came in the next day, which when you think about it, he came in with his dad and his brother to beat the manager up. LAUGHTER

I'm cleaning the showers as a YTS guy in Hoover in the dressing room when he comes in with his brother and his dad to have a fight with the manager. How times change. You caught me once, didn't you? I caught you sneaking out. John Barnes. Yeah. That was just before the 1992... Yeah.

European Championships in Sweden, wasn't it? We played Brazil on the Sunday, was it? And there was a squad announcement on the Monday and Graham Taylor said, I don't want anyone going out. And I don't know, I was sat up in...

at three or four o'clock in the morning and I seen these little bit of steps coming down the drive and it was Lineker and Barnes sneaking back in John Barnes was such a good player I just want to make sure he was okay keep him let's move on Alan yes how did you really really feel when Kane moved to Germany absolutely delighted

I think he should stay over there another three or four years. He's doing an amazing job. He loves Germany. The Germans love him because he would have had a real chance of breaking it. Absolutely, yeah. So, yeah, I mean, I don't really want the record to be broken, but I'm sure it'll go one day. But, yeah, I was delighted because he's a good player.

Yeah, this is for everyone. I know it's the World Darts Championships in full flow at the moment. What I want to know is, what is your walk-on songs? And also, if you could pick one opponent each, who are you picking? Well, it's got to be Luke Littler, hasn't it? It would be over quickly. Poor music. Match of the Day theme tune. There you go. LAUGHTER

One last time, one last time. I'm not a lover of the dark art, I'm not a lover of darts. Do you know what, I wasn't until last year, I've got into it now. Really? Because I'll tell you what's good about darts, the jeopardy's high right from the start. It's like all sport, you need to care who's going to win. If you actually want someone to win, it makes sport better, whether it's a team or...

or whether it's an individual sport. But I think once you really care about the result, it makes it interesting. And I watched this kid come through, Luke Littler, and it was like, wow. And he just got me into it. And now, even from the first throw, because of the way they do the small sets and the thing, it's tennis, for example. I mean, guys, you've got to wait three sets before it gets really exciting. But with darts, it's immediate. And they're so athletic. LAUGHTER

Walk on would have to be Eye of the Tiger, I think. Do you want to sing it? No. He's got a good voice, though. He's not bad. There.

David? Well, the way you've treated our Scottish darts players recently. What happened? You know, I see the Scottish darts player crying. All you English were booing him and giving us a lot of sticks. You bunch of softies. Absolutely. Absolutely. Flower of Scotland would have to be next year. I have to say, Flower of Scotland, when the Scottish fans sang it in the Euros, my goodness, that was...

that was incredible I think our Scottish darts players are taking quite a bit of abuse at the moment yeah really that's shocking one final question hi guys so I'm a Brentford fan and this season we've been fantastic at home but just one point away obviously tonight we should be getting a result in Newcastle to break that

But generally speaking, across the board, teams perform a lot better at home. And as players and managers yourselves, why do you think that is? You know, a football pitch, as a fan can see, is a football pitch. So what is it that makes a difference in your time? And have you felt more comfortable at home? Why do you think there's a discrepancy? It's a good question. It's one that I suppose it's familiarity more than anything else, because you basically play on the same size pitch. And all the pitches are the same now as well, aren't they? They're all pretty much the same.

much they're all beautiful surfaces that's one thing I'm really envious of nowadays with the players but I think it's probably something that has baffled people for a long time I think it's interesting though sometimes there comes a point where you get better results away from home because the pressure at home sometimes from your own fans can make a difference I've found like for example I've always hated playing at Anfield because

because the crowd makes such a difference. I think there can be some stadiums. I actually think Newcastle's another one. I think Newcastle have got an incredible atmosphere there. It's never helped them much. But I do think that the crowd can play a huge difference. But that might go against the sort of...

With respect, Brentford at home have been fantastic. Thomas Frank has been fantastic. But they've maybe not got the loudest place. But I actually think that the crowds can make a huge difference. I think the stadium as well, you know, it's sort of close. Goodison for many years was always intimidating, we know, for people to come. And we try to make it that way. But I have to say, Brentford have been doing a great job at home. It's just a wee a little bit there. They've been struggling. Yeah, brilliant home for Brentford. Incredible. Don't hope they get smashed tonight, though, eh? Yeah.

In fact, Thomas Frank and yourself, David, you were sat in the back of the podcast during the Euros, weren't you? Drinking cheap red wine. That's all we got offered. It wasn't that cheap. I don't know what he used to. They were basically heckling in the background. Tony Morty, he wasn't cheap. LAUGHTER

That's it really. We've all got time for it. I suppose we've got to decide the best question because someone's going to win this shirt. So the best question, what do you think? I'm trying to think of any questions I've got. The one about the craziest thing, the manager, what are the players or whatever. Who's that? Thank you. There you go. Thank you.

There you go. Congratulations. That's all we've got time for, for our first ever Restless Football live event. Hope you enjoyed it. A big thank you to Alan and David. Great to see you. Also a huge thank you, of course, to Guinness, the presenting partners of the show. And of course, the Audley for letting us use such a beautiful venue. A final treat for you all, seeing as we're in such a beautiful pub. Alan, David and myself, I don't know if you're aware of this, chaps,

are going to go behind the bar and see who can pour the best pint of Guinness. What could possibly go wrong? Thank you, everyone. Cheers, all. Goodbye from me. Goodbye from me. Thanks, all.