V2 Football Podcast Episode 2

Starting with discussion about all the new managers, how United will cope without Ferguson? Will City and Chelsea challenge for the title? Will Everton push on towards the top 4 or fall to a relegation dogfight? Will Stoke stay a solid midtable side?

Then you'll talk about Failure of the Under 21's and How kids are coached to play
 
We want your top 3 summer transfers that are bound to happen, is Torres going to Barca? is Baines defo joining Utd? Benteke to replace Saurez?
 
 
Also Fingers crossed, we're also interviewing Newcastle Jets Striker Michael Bridges (Sunderland/Leeds) on Saturday! If you have any questions, please let us know!
 
 
 
If you have any other thoughts and questions
 
Please leave a comment, tweet @v2football or e-mail football@v2journal.com 

I think United will be fine, the foundations have been left and they're not going to just drop down suddenly from the table. I do think there's still a good chance Moyes will win the title, but do think the title will be harder to win this year than it was last. City and Chelsea will certainly be up there with the money City have spent, the money Chelsea are supposed to be spending and maybe honeymoon periods for both new managers as well. I think Martinez should be happy with a top 8 position for Everton, it's hard to judge as although Moyes has kept Everton around the top 6-7 places, there has always been a feeling that they're punching above their weight, so if they do drop down to say 10th-12th, would that constitute a failure? I'm not sure. Stoke will probably stay in the mid-table, Hughes will be good for consolidating their position as long as he doesn't have a lot of money and a lot of control over transfers.

I think the failure of the U21s is a very complicated issue, it obviously has roots in the long-term grass roots level, but I don't think that is necessarily the case, the U21s got far in the competition in 2007 and 2009, and grassroots football has only got better since then, and the U17 team won the U17 World Cup in 2010. I think it's just a matter of the players didn't turn up, the manager didn't get his selections or tactics right and there was a severe lack of motivation. 

I honestly can't think of 3 transfers that are bound to happen, the transfer market has already been very unpredictable and I expect it to stay that way. I expect the likes of Cavani, Gomez and Lewandowski all to be on the move though.

United will be ok. I think with Moyes they have someone who is very shrew in the transfer market and I think as well as his ability to build sides who can play above their level he won't waste millions in the transfer market. The money will be there for him to spend, but I don't think he will be wasteful.

I think City will face a lot of problems. They don't want to start to become like Chelsea in sacking managers because of a barren spell. Mancini for all his faults did well with so many big personalities in the dressing room. Looking at Pellegrini and his failed spell at Madrid would cause me concern. I think they should've approached Klopp given how eccentric his personality is and I think he could reach out to the players. I can't see them finishing above 3rd.

Chelsea? Well the Happy One is back. You have to wonder why he came back given the cloud he left under and how strained things became. I can't see Abramovich has changed much in his approach. It has been Chelsea's downfall since Mourinho left in 2007. If Madrid weren't so keen to part with Mourinho, I doubt Abramovich would've paid the compensation to bring him back. If Abramovich is willing to give Mourinho time, we could see them start challenging for all honours across the board. How much will Jose have to spend in the market and will he look to give the younger players at the club a chance too.

It shall be interesting to see how Everton's players respond to Martinez. The guy won the FA Cup but couldn't save Wigan from relegation. He built foundations at Swansea and also had Wigan playing some attractive football at times and had it not been for such a pants defence might have finished mid table. I hope Everton give him time and not panic if they suffer a loss in form.

Stoke, I have always rated Mark Hughes. As a Blackburn fan he was brilliant with us and I think the jump to Man City was too soon for him and I think it took him longer than anticipated to recover from it. Going to Fulham and then QPR who both have chairmen not willing to stick their neck out for manager if the team under-perform or not meet the standard in the league. I think Stoke and Hughes are a good fit for each other.

The Under-21's. In a sense I sympathise for Pearce. The issue at hand is that any bright player from 18-21 get's fast tracked to the senior team and it is frowned upon if they go back into the youth set up to develop experience and improve the player. I do wonder however is Pearce cut out for managing/coaching? I think in all honesty he is much better as a number 2 somewhere. Yes their is a lack of talent coming through in the Premier League that can support the national youth teams. It is down to the Premier League and FA to thrash out a deal that sees teams commit to investing in and developing more homegrown players.

I would love to see Ronaldo come back to the PL and also love to see Arsenal finally spend big.

Email Sent 

Although of course Sir Alex Ferguson was an amazing manager I think that Manchester United will be able to cope without him. I think Moyes will do a great job at Manchester United and I think Manchester United will finish 2nd or 3rd this season. I think that Chelsea will win the Premier League (I would love for this to happen as I am a Chelsea fan) I also think that Manchester City will also be challenging for the title aswell. I think Everton will finish in the top 6 too. I think Mark Hughes will do an okay job at Stoke and I think that they will finish around 10th place this season.


I am aware that the England U21s perhaps didn't play too well but I'm not sure what the reason for it is really. I think that the players we have are promising and talented players, maybe it just wasn't to be, i don't know. 


I think Cavani will go to Chelsea.
I think Benteke will transfer but I'm not sure what club he will go to.
I think Suarez will go to Real Madrid.

As for a Michael Bridges question:

As somebody who made 11 appearances for the England U21s but never graduated to the senior side, does he think the U21s are important? 

Have you found moving abroad has made you a better player? Would you recommend it to English players now? And would you have made the move earlier in hindsight?

Can you see Australian football challenging the European leagues in the next ten years? We've seen the American league start becoming increasingly popular with good performances from the national team and big names moving there, with the likes of Del Piero moving to Australia, can the same happen there?

My top 3 summer transfers;

Ronaldo to Utd
Benteke to Spurs
Higuain to Arsenal

Pellegrini will do the best of the new managers. City will make the Champions League Final next season...

Good listen again guys, but can I just say one thing..

Would English fans stop f****n' moaning, it's not that bad, by listening to most english fans they wouldn't last a week supporting Scotland.

It's the football-ing equivenlant of first world problems.

Sorry that's really been getting up my nose recently, probably my fault for listening to, too much talksport.

That said great show again.

Dr Gregory House MD wrote:Good listen again guys, but can I just say one thing..

Would English fans stop f****n' moaning, it's not that bad, by listening to most english fans they wouldn't last a week supporting Scotland.

It's the football-ing equivenlant of first world problems.

Sorry that's really been getting up my nose recently, probably my fault for listening to, too much talksport.

That said great show again.

A lot of my problems seem far less of a big deal when I consider some people are Scottish. Poor blighters.

Question for Michael Bridges:
At Carlisle you and Karl Hawley appeared to form a good forward partnership you left for Hull and ended up on loan back at Carlisle in hindsight should you have stayed at Carlisle or was Hull the right move?

Thanks for all the really positive feedback so far.

Don't forget to subscribe on iTunes as well so the newest episode will automatically download for you.

Fantastic podcast again lads 

Loved the mention!