Football Daily - 72+ EFL Pod: Fuchs fighting & Leicester’s ‘last chance’

Episode Date: April 15, 2026

Aaron Paul, Jobi McAnuff & Millwall midfielder Massimo Luongo chat Championship promotion race as Ipswich & Middlesbrough slip up. Hear from Leicester boss Gary Rowett ahead of their ‘last chance’ for Championship survival. Newport County manager Christian Fuchs joins the pod as his EFL survival quest nears its conclusion. And messages and voicenotes always welcome on WhatsApp to 08000 289 369. 01:25 Millwall get the weekend off 02:50 Massimo gets denied trip to Vegas 04:35 Ipswich dealt promotion blow by Portsmouth 12:20 Ipswich for 2nd or are Saints too hot? 16:05 Millwall group chat not biting on Ipswich loss 20:10 Can Southampton get automatics? 24:40 Gary Rowett on Leicester’s ‘last chance’ 30:00 Christian Fuchs talks Leicester & Newport 36:55 John Terry set to takeover at Colchester 39:15 Rotherham relegated 42:45 72PLUS 72MINUS 46:00 Is Justin Bieber a Swindon Town fan?5 Live / BBC Sounds commentaries: Sat 1500 Leeds v Wolves, Sat 1500 Newcastle v Bournemouth on Sports Extra, Sat 1730 Spurs v Brighton & Hove, Sat 1730 Iceland v England women in WCQ on Sports Extra, Sun 1400 Everton v Liverpool, Sun 1400 Aston Villa v Sunderland on Sports Extra, Sun 1400 Nottingham Forest v Burnley on Sports Extra 2, Sun 1630 Man City v Arsenal.

72 plus the EFL podcast with Aaron Paul and Joby McEnough. Hello everybody, welcome along to 72 plus the EFL pod from Five Livesport with time ticking down on another football league campaign alongside me to go through the nuts and bolts of everything. Joby McEnough back from Spain, rejuvenated, reinvigorated. You look absolutely gorgeous. Oh, thank you very much. Not often I get compliments from you. So the sun for a few days is obviously, yeah, it's gone down well. A little bit of a power up quite literally and ready for a massive, massive running. You're playing a lot of Paddle lately? Yeah, getting into it, I've got to say.

Is it Paddle or Paddle? I'm going to go paddle. Do you know what? Massimo-Lawongo, Mill midfielder, is with us right now. Mass. Do you know what it is with Job? You know, he is on holiday. He gets very influencer.

You have the old topless picture of him going to paddle. Or the topless video of him just batting a ball away. I wish, I wish, I'm not quite in the same paper. It was a topless picture, the topless video the other day of him in kickups. Oh yeah, nice, nice. Me on my own holiday. Little two touches, boy, mass, how are you? Yeah, good, very good.

How are you feeling? How's the leg? Feeling good, feeling strong, positive things. Good stuff. Yeah, it's a slow process, but it goes. Yeah, fantastic. Well, it's great to have you with us. Millwell played on Friday.

What's your weekend being like? What were you being up to? Enjoyed my weekend. We had weekend off because we got. big running now so Gaffa gave us the weekend off, injured boys included so we yeah just out in London a few drinks

did you get the invite as? No. No okay. Did I get the invite? Why would I get an invite? Well because you're tight with obviously mass a few of the millwall massive do you know what I mean? Yeah sorry lad no it was a spontaneous thing so it was a bit last minute well if you do have an advice I'll say I was now for a decent guy I was grafting mate

yeah true I got on a mid-season holiday like you you know floundering away my time I was out there grafting, mate. You were. I was in the white, hot heat of oxygenated. Yeah. It was cold, man. It was really cold.

I mean, I absolutely had a man. It was cold as well. You get to a ground, especially Oxford, and the wind's just whipping through it. Oh, yeah. Chop is an understanding. It's like, you know, in the Wall Street where they said, there's going to be chub. We can handle stuff. And bang the boat goes overboard. That's exactly what it was. Yeah. trophy winners at Wembley last weekend. So nice of Limb to give us some time on last week's episode of 72 plus after everything himself and his partner, Missy Bo Cairns, have been through in their personal life recently. You can find that episode on BBC Sounds.

We also spoke to Lincoln's promotion-winning captain Tende de Riqua. Apparently they're off to Vegas. It's a celebration. You have been, must? I had two opportunities to go and my visa didn't get accepted. No. No way. Because you have to get an Esther. You have to apply for an Esther. And obviously I'm not going to go do my homework and book it in advance and try to get the proper visa. Well, I don't want the first one. Did you not sort of think, right? Yeah, but I didn't want to jinx it.

Everyone said, why don't you get it done ages ago? I said, well, we only got promoted on the last day, so I didn't want to jinx at one. And two, because with the national team, I've been to countries like in the Middle East and stuff. You've got to declare everything. Okay. And they just declined it straight away. Oh, God. See, it missed two.

Two Vegas. It's a very touchy subject. Oh, my gosh. Mate, could you imagine that? Was that one with Ipswich? Both with Ipswich, yeah. Can you imagine that? Like everyone's coming back

and for, you know, someone who's been fortunate off to be on one or two of those and then group chat I wasn't like exactly group chat straight away. I don't want to hear anything. They talk about that

preseason. Oh man, do you remember this? And like, poor masses just sat there. Is it like, you know when you're at school and like you're the one kid who doesn't go on the school trip or the two kids and you're in the training ground

on your own? It's you, the chef who puts on like a special freezer dinner for you, you know, chicken. Don't worry, Matt, we'll put some chicken nuggets off you, just to make you feel a bit of special, Matt. You might make it any better. You and who else will be there?

I mean, the older lads, I think the few of the older lads sort of didn't go because we probably got kids and stuff like that. And that was my one opportunity. And I think my one pass that I could really go. Mrs said, yeah, go, do it. And I couldn't do it. Right. One question.

Yeah. Have you got your rest assorted for this year, mate? No. No. No. Come on, mate. No, I'm not doing any of that. If I miss out and miss out, it would rather much go up than pre-planted a Vegas trip.

I might go by myself if I do. Let's talk championship and start with the race of the Premier League. Who saw this coming? Portsmouth upsetting Ipswich Tuesday night, 2-0 at Frant Park. The script was written for Ipswich. Portsmouth ripped it up. Ipswich's nine match unbeaten run, done. All the hype from the Derby win deflated.

I don't want to be that guy, but it's a tough place to go, Frant and Park. But it is. It is. Portsmouth were great. I loved them. I thought they were fantastic. Yeah, covered the game. And I've got a first and foremost. give them an enormous amount of credit,

you know, exactly what you need when you're in the situation, they're in a relegation scrap. Every single player, whether started or came on, giving absolutely 100% fought for everything. But that wasn't it. Real quality as well. Millie Alley was a fantastic outlet on the left-hand side. And, you know, I just felt the atmosphere,

the club is together. And that is such a powerful thing at this stage of the season. And I think ItSwitch just ran into that last night, didn't quite have the same drive and desire really at times, if I'm being really honest. And that's the thing I think would have really disappointed Kieran because regardless of, yes, Portsmouth in a relegation fight, you're in a promotion scrap.

You need to show the same fight and desire. And then the quality should come out. And I don't think they showed enough of that last night. And I think for Ripswich Town fans, it was a little bit of sum the season up. Yes, they've had a really good run, but they've still been inconsistent, you know, and I think that came out last.

night in the performance and ultimately they weren't good enough and when you look at the players at their disposal you know bringing on Mometti, Aqpom, Egelli you know it is just ridiculous but I'm not seeing what I should be given the quality they've got in the squad. Are there too many options? I mean Mass I always draw comparisons to the sud you involved in and for me that was one of the most joyous footballing teams to watch because you had players that were brought in to to level the squad from League One. You have players in there

that had fought in League One. I'm talking Wesley Burns. What a player, by the way. Wes is fantastic and it's such a shame that he keeps struggling with injuries. Wes, Connor Chaplin, Sam Morsi, ultimate leader, the whole back line as well.

I feel that whole identity's gone. That identity of the style of play, of the way we're going to do things, you know, it feels like it's kind of just become a bit sterile. And, you know, very methodical in what they do and very follow the process and that's it. Yeah, but they brought in so many individual talents like Villaging, Jack Clark.

They're like championship cheat codes and you're going to try and make them play in a structured way which they have to play in. But they're not going to do that. You know, they're too good to do that. So it's coming from our team, everyone just bought into it from League One and we did it religiously every day for almost two seasons. Matt, just on that, how important was it? Listen, obviously we know squads play a huge role and he would use substitutes to come out. But I would probably sit here today

and be able to name nine, ten, really, like regular week in, week out, players that are going to start. Now, listen, you've got to go out and perform. Of course you do. And I don't think at times some of those Zichristown players have performed at the level to maybe saying to Kieran,

I need to start week in week out. But how much do you think this season that's been a big difference and last season a little bit in terms of the, injection of players into that squad where you had that consistency because you're playing every week. I know McKenna well. And I know that squad and I know that squad and he values a good squad and good lads and keeping everyone happy.

So he's probably struggling with that at the moment. He wants to give people goes, give people 30 minutes, 60 minutes here and there. I hate comparing, but when we did it, there was a structured 9, 10 players that were starting every week. You know, Jack Taylor now would come in for me when I needed a rest in midweek. Wes Burns might miss a game. Colin Chappen might miss a game. ultimately there was a good night at the moment

yeah he's mixing it up I think he's probably under putting himself under a little bit of pressure to play certain players that he's fought to get in and if they're not performing he's giving them probably more of a chance on the boys that have been there before

I've been in that situation in the Prem season but yeah that's probably his battle at the moment and what clouds a little bit he's all their second and they're getting revolts so it's like it's not a crisis

but mass they haven't been great no they haven't They have been great, but they're so underwhelming. As a group, if I got promoted like that, I'll be like, oh, great. No, you wouldn't. If you get promoted, you don't care how you get promoted. No, mate, I mean, don't get me.

Obviously, I'm chumping and swimming pool and like all that. We're going to the Premier League. But not being funny, if I go out the Premier League and I got a bat five next year, and I'm Jaden Filagee and I'm like, what am I doing? Because that's what happened? It was weird. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Going to a five, what was it like for you?

At what point does Karen McKenna said you, by the way, by the way. You know this all action? high-octane, you know, edgy your seat football that we've been playing this year. And, you know, we've smashed up the division, yeah? Well, we're not going to do it next year. We're going to play back five. It wasn't like that at all.

It was almost, all right, now you're going to track your fullback all the way back. And suddenly we're defending in a back five. Yeah. And then we relied on them to get back up high. And it was a big job for that right winger. And, yeah, it may have hindered us in other areas. But it was almost, we didn't practice it. It wasn't like, oh, we're a back five here.

No, we're an aggressive team. It's a completely different game. Yeah. You're stepping up against the best players in the world and you can't play the same all the time. You just can't. No. But he wouldn't communicate like that.

He would almost give us that belief of like, no, we're going to play like this. Okay. And then maybe go to Wes Burns. No, you need a track all the way back. And when we're defending our box, you're in a back five. And that was his language. But his language changed game to game, but you sort of went, oh, are we playing a back five here?

And if you sort of questioned it, no, no, no. Right. I'm just asking our wide man to just chuck back all the way to the back home. Absolute dog. Is that the season of that and the prem. And it's tough. Yeah. Especially when we want to get on the ball transitions your way out of it.

You're the highest. You're asking a wide attacking player to be an outlet from a positive point of view. But you're having to come back again, I was playing in front of Ian Hart at the time who was unbelievable left foot and could do anything with a ball. But in terms of his athletic ability and his covering and pace was gone at that stage. You're trying to say you was doing his running? Absolutely. I mean, I had a game once where I don't know who it was a game.

it might have been Spurs, man. And I had Kyle Walker and Aaron Enum, right, on the right. And I'm like, oh my gosh, it's going to be a long, long 90 minutes. The gaffer pulls me in before the game. He's like, right, you've got to look after Hardy today. Like, you know, just do you. And obviously, I'm captain, I'm team player, whatever is needed to try and get a result. I'm going to do it.

And he went, don't worry too much about getting forward today. So it's a same kind of conversation. Like, you might as well just play me at left wing back. Yeah, yeah. You know what I mean? And it's like, when you go. up to that level, there is it. And I mean, Carl Walker was doing stuff that I had never

come across on a pitch before in terms of the types of runs, because he knew they could dominate us. He wasn't just doing an overlap, so naturally as a winger, you're going, right, I'll take him, don't worry, and, you know, and Hartie's then got a deal with Aaron Lennon, but he needed a 2V1 against him. Car Walker sees that, and then he just starts running inside of me right down the middle of the pitch. Like, I'm sad there, you see him in the mirror, you're like, what? Where's you going from? You know what? The midfielders

are all overloaded. Yeah, 100%. And then it is literally like, what is this? And if you haven't got a plan for it, and we took too long to adjust to those differences, then being in the championship and going, actually, we fancy ourselves against anyone. We're going to leave our forward a little bit higher,

that sort of cheating sort of role. And we'll beat you because we're better than you. You cannot just go and do that in the premise. It's a different story. And I just think they haven't quite adjusted to that coming back down and almost found that way of doing it like they did before. Do you think they go up automatically? Before last night, I would have said, yes, absolutely.

Same, yeah. Southampton's result, which I know will come on to, they are flying. And the fact they've got to play each other, the second last game of the season, oh my gosh, that could be it. I mean, you know, it's like... Showdown.

They should be. I think this is the thing with it, which, like, even at this point, they should be in a much better position, given the squad they've got. It's still in their hands, of course it is. I've gone for. them. I'm going to stick. I don't like

twist in now because one result or I just feel they've still got enough but they can't afford any more slip up. I just look at that. I just look at that squad and I'm like okay you go to the Premier League. You've loaded a squad full of really good championship players. Who are you removing from that squad and going right?

Yeah, you're not part of it. You've got all these players coming back from loans by the way. Like loads of players out on loan. How do you start balancing things up and actually get yourself a crux again? Because what it felt like is that the club had a core. There was a real, real stable core of a team that went from League 1, went to the championship. Yeah, went early. Went early. 100%. And then you're left with players who aren't good enough to the Premier League, good enough for the championship, mustered in League one.

Yeah. But how do you then decipher this score they got right now? I have no idea. I think he's got it in him, especially him and Mark Ashton to be absolutely ruthless because they've done it in the past. That's the word. Yeah. They will have to be. And they're happy to do it and they almost probably think oh we've given you this contract we've got you to Premier League we're giving this opportunity

you shouldn't feel too bad because we've done this for you so they can just go bang and then whether they spend another however much they spend again I don't know I think the fact they've tried that approach already and it clearly didn't work you know we looked at that at the time with a lot of the recruitment and it was almost like the championship dream team wasn't it right

who's been the best centre up at the championship who's the best forward right we'll go and get him actually we'll go and get another one yeah go on and and you think that would pay back coming back down to the championship. But we've seen it before with a loot and when they go up, you know, not with a squad full of Premier League players by any means and come back down and can't adjust back to the level, which I find absolutely crazy because you haven't been a Premier League player. You know, you've been in the championship.

You've got an opportunity to go to play. But Joby, you go to that division and you lose any form of identity you got. But you shouldn't know that. How many clubs go up, come back down and you can say, yeah, you know what, they're still who they are? Yeah, but that's, that is genuinely the bit I don't get. I really don't because, again, if you were a Premier League player, let's say Newcastlemen go back a long time ago when they came down,

they kept a big bulk of their squad who were Premier League players. I would get it in that scenario because they've been around the Premier League. Like a lot of these players that Ipswich bought have. Yeah, they have. So your mentality shouldn't be all of a sudden, because you've played a season and got relegated, by the way. So the bottom line is whatever anybody thinks, we weren't good enough. That's the facts when you get relegated, right?

So it's then a restart right. And what it should be is that I want to get, I'm desperate to get back there because I've had a taste and you should be better off the next time you go. But clearly not everyone can be taken with you. And I think from Mitswich Towns point of view, they can almost use that to say, listen, lads, we gave you an opportunity.

We weren't good enough collectively for whatever reason. We're going to have to change things up. We're going to have to go a different route with our recruitment if we are going to want to stay in the Premier League. You have to. You look at Sunderland, been brilliant, you know, in terms of leads. when you look at the profile of what they've gone out

and added to that group that was so good in the championship, you have to improve, you have to be different, and you have to be a bit better quality than even some of the good championship players. You can't take a whole squad of championship players. You can take a few that have got the ability to go up the level, but you do need a little bit extra,

a lot extra, as we've seen. Just on Mill, I mean, look, obviously, all eyes on that bumpy game yesterday, was the group chat going a bit? No, no, no. Come on, I'll promise you now. Everyone underestimates what goes on. that mill-witch engine.

We are a very laid-back group. I think the loss to Norwich, if you saw it at the end of the game, I don't like it, but a few boys are on the ground holding their heads, like, oh, we've messed it up,

you know what I mean? And then the realization of the draw against West Prom was like, all right, we're going to go through playoffs. Right, okay. And no one's really speaking about it. I think come Thursday,

everyone's going to go in and be like, wow, what a result. Still only two points after that. Oh, I feel you. I feel you. I would have been like a little bit more like, or again next time you're in, you know, actually. And that's why it's just an amazing time of the season because you can have those couple of results.

But you do think that's it done. If we switch win last night, you probably are. Yeah. And we were expecting it. But Sam Morsi texts me saying, why, are you guys doing right? But he said, what about your captain with his haircut? Juicy. Juicy. Jake.

Oh, what a man. And I said, Coops is epitomizes what and how our meal will change room is. like we are so laid back and, you know, we don't care to an extent. We really want to do a well for a thing, but we won't go too low and we won't go too high. And Coops is that man. And he was like, wow. What probably the most consistent championship player? He has done.

Amazing. Unbelievable. Yeah. It's so important, Aaron. It's such an important topic in terms of just the culture, particularly when you've had such a successful spell. That's it. Our culture is one of the best changes I've been in. But is that cause of the gaffer as well? I mean, any time you speak to Alex Neal,

like, he's a great man, but he's one of the most frustrating interviews you could do ever. You'll turn around and go, Alex, brilliant, blah, blah, blah, blah. He will not give me anything. Yeah, yeah, we'll just keep an ad on the ground. Blah, you know, we're fine. And I'm like, mate, give me something.

And there was a game, a few weeks ago I did, and it was a really good result. I was like, for a neutral, this is great. Because, mate, for neutral, it's great. because look at me, I'm losing my head. I've got none left to lose. Like, it's stressful for us. And I'm like, okay, interesting.

Like, he feels it. He knows what it's like to get out of this division. Yeah. He trusts, surprisingly, I've had Akira McKenna, who's really conscious of the change room and he wants to influence it from the outside, but really influence it where Alex Neal, and he said it to me,

because I let you guys deal with the change room. Right, okay. And he hopefully, I don't know what he's had in the past, but he trusts our change room that we can deal with it. And he's spoken to me about, Coops, Ryan Linnard, Joe Brian, the older players in there that are policing that change in, not even policing.

It's just something that I wish managers could look at more. It's gone out of the game. There's 100% and again, a lot of that comes with the age. So again, rather than looking at, right, what can Massimo give us, not just on the pitch and I'm not expecting to be

given, handed out contracts for no contribution whatsoever. But I just think value now is just seen as a transfer fee or what can we get for better money, rather than actually value in and around the dresser. All the things that people don't see. 100%.

You know, so I'll just say, Middlesbrough, at the moment, hit an absolute brick wall. It's not because they haven't got footballers or they're not dominating games. They're not able to get over the line. And what is that intangible? You know, the thing that we can't measure

with a stat or how much somebody's earning. You know, it's characters, it's leaders, it's group dynamics, you know, and you need people as a manager to be able to run that. You look around, you've got people that have been there and done it

and know how to get promoted and maybe on the pitch more that you will carry the team and go, yeah, I'll carry us clutch moments, you know, just things that you just need like, and you look around going, ah, well, no, we're not like we had Amari Hutchinson. Amari's going to win us this game, and you just knew it. And I would say it's probably we don't have enough of that at Millwall around the training ground, around the starting 11 and the subs coming on, and relying on maybe one or two players a little bit too much.

But in dressing, yeah, we've got loads of it, yeah. Do you know who else has got loads of it? Southampton. Absolutely motoring. I mean, very much in the mix for the top two. What have you made of what Tom the record's done there? It feels like, you know, that Arsenal game? I reckon that that sort of week, 10 days, absolutely. It was like the, sort of like a battery pack on them.

It's just fired up the engine and bang, their motoring. Flying. Like, I'm trying to sit here and think, and I was part of a really good run that were nowhere and ended up getting, I can't believe it was anywhere near as bad as where Southampton were. If they are to go and get into second place, this would be one of the stories ever in the EFL. Yes, they've got a great squad, but they were down and out, you know, and watching them, they were just gone as a group. They weren't even playing well.

And for him to come in and have the impact he's had. And I think that Arsenal game, what was really impressive with that, Aaron, we all know you can get up for a big game. F-A-Carp, you know, playing against one, you know, biggest teams in the country. It's what happens after that. And they can normally be a dip, whether it's emotionally, physically, goes and changes. I think it was five players. And then they go and absolutely put Wrexham to bed. Does it again last night off the back of a really good performance.

Comeback. He goes and changes four or five. You got the lights of Laring coming in. Sienza on the bench. I'm looking at that line up last night again. If there's anyone who needs to be in the team, it's Sienza. Even if you try and get yourself in the lead, then whip him. off for half an hour.

But he's got the confidence in that squad now. And when you're on that run, why they're so dangerous as is because they're going at it from where they were, not even expecting to get in the playoffs. Now they're in the playoffs and they're still an outsider really and rightfully so to get in the top two because of where they've come from. So they can just go and attack every single game with freedom. They're the freest team in those playoff places. Mill will have been up there, you know, don't want to fall out of it.

Middlesbrough can't get going at the moment. It Switch have got second now should get it. wrapped up, Hull have been in, Southampton are just coming out, forget all that, man. Weirder ones that are coming through

and that's what makes them so dangerous. Form is incredible. Their form is, I don't think, when was last time they lost? January, yeah. 17, 18 games.

Yeah, so let's say they don't go up. Automatic. Oh, to have a team like that playing the playoffs and you've got to play them twice. Let alone once. The playoffs are a unique thing, man.

But still coming into it in the form that they're in. The momentum. The momentum. The momentum. Oh, the momentum. And that's why now the tape. Momentum.

And they got the. quality in their team. Oh. Yeah. Where it looked so sewn up for so long in terms of who's going to be finishing where. Like, all right, fine. Six has always been the one that we feel somewhere. But now that's not even locked down.

Because they've come from nowhere. You know, and then now Southampton, if they end up in third. So again, between you and Southampton where you finish because then who you're going to have to be playing, you know, and that's where this stage of the season, it's incredible. Who ever beat Southampton in the playoffs? If they stay in the playoffs, you're going to be suffering. If they do.

They've got to play Switch as well. Yeah. just going to say something quickly. I like things. I always say like things can be written sometimes and when I went up with Ipswich in league one we had a game in hand on the last week of the season. When we went up in the championship we had a game in hand to play in the last week of the season. Once again they got game in hand to play. They're saying good vibrations for it. I'm just saying it's happened but that game in hand is against yeah I know I know I know you couldn't right I mean I'm at the game on Ipswich Middlesbrough which again is just going to be so they're

run and you know it's switch away from i haven't been great this season and i'd have picked up a couple of results other than portsmouth of late but i mean what a game that's coming off the back of man city as well so is that going to have an impact on team selection and maybe yeah you know but that's where at the moment by keeping it fresh and being able to make those changes they're in in such a good position bbcdbcqqqqqqsie stumbling your way into saturday mornings with great guests good morning jimmy nesbitt good morning the party you're terrible Kids taking down commentators. You've wiped the floor with our commentator, Cain.

How does it feel? It feels nice. Football chants from the gods. Take me home. I get wrong. The less set about the host, the better. Patrick Kildzy. Saturday's from 9.

Listen on BBC Sounds. 72 plus, the EFL podcast with Aaron Paul and Joby McEnuff. Let's just touch on medication. I mean, it just gets worse for Leicester cities, hasn't it? Now, five points from safety, four games to go, both Pompey and Oxford picking up wings.

Lester lost 1-0 to Swansea at the weekend, with that ridiculous goal conceded from their own free kick. Let's hear from Gary Rowett. The 10 games I've had if has felt like 40, because of the way we've given goals away and given teams a lift in a time where they haven't really had to go and earn it. I mean, it's a ridiculous decision

to try and play a short free kick where the box is open. and we've got everybody loaded up in the box. For me, we just have to be more basic and put balls in the box and test the opposition that way. We kind of just fizzled out really. And I think we, you know, it was our reaction from that goal that I felt as though was the poorest thing.

And we seem to have a habit of giving away just elementary goals, you know, to go a whole season and only have, I think, three clean sheets. It's quite a sad indictment really on how we've defended as a team. So, yeah, I spoke to the lads in there. said, listen, the final few games of the season and have a massive impact on a lot of people. It might not be you.

It might not be some of the staff, but it might be a lot of people around the football club. And I think what we've got to do is we've got to show some sort of responsibility to go and fight. We've got to go to Portsmouth. We've got to win the game. Simple as that.

If we don't win the game, my belief is that that's our last chance. Do you know what? I mean, that's damning. Wow. Damning. Do you know what the difference between them and Portsmouth and Oxford is there? Is that Portsmouth are together,

the fans are together. I was there Saturday there together and Matt Bloomfield is about the culture and the club. Gary Out's gone in there. He's left Oxford and walked straight from the fire and pan right into the flames. I mean, my word, this is a baffling situation. But there's so much negativity around the place.

It kind of feels like they're doomed. Like the grim reaper's there. He might be the grim reaper. Well, judging by that interview, I mean, that would worry me. You know, as a Leicester City. fan as a player and listen I think there's one thing saying that inside

a dressing room that we need to win this game otherwise we are in deep deep trouble then to come out and say it because they are a team that haven't dealt with that pressure at all this season times where they've had to win games they haven't been able to do it you know goals they're conceding a lack of togetherness a lack of fight all the things that as a player

they would hurt me you know when you've ever been on a pitch and you've come off and you get it every now and again oh he doesn't care he doesn't and you know that should never ever be able to be leveled it I might have got to a point where I wasn't good enough on the day in terms of what I wanted to try and do that's what I can live with that because long as I've given everything on a football pitch

and that is what I see when I see Lester because they are not giving everything and I'm always reluctant to come and give players stick for that because I know that is the sort of worst thing you can almost say about someone but it looks like that I look at Portsmouth they care they care for their club they care for their teammates they care for the fans because you can see it

it's effort you know Oxford United exactly the same. West Brom, what they've done, Blackburn, I don't see that at Leicester City.

They might not be technically good teams. You look at Portsmouth. Colby Bishop, there's a mad stat. That's his second goal in like 40 games or something like that.

He has scored no goals of season. But you know what? They back him and they back him and he works hard and the fans don't get on his back. Oxford Saturday,

they had chance after chance, after chance they created, they're not great in terms of what they do, the ability, but you know what they stick with them. contrast that with the atmosphere inside Lester City.

Oh, mate. So as an opposing player, and that's the other thing, these are all the factors of staying up. So go into Fratton Park on a Tuesday night, as it's which town, that's a tough game because of the atmosphere, it's tight, you've got to get yourself in a different state of mind. You go into Lester now, and you're like, easy work, man. It's going to be a nice afternoon, a crowd are against them,

you know, go in there 10 minutes, the crowd to get on their back, they'll do something silly, then we can just take over. And that is what's going on at the moment. Of course, one to watch is West Brom, with a report in the Telegraph saying they could face a point deduction for an alleged breach of financial rules. The club say they have fully complied with those rules, but if found guilty, they face a points deduction, which would be applied this season and potentially mean they drop into the relegation zone. West Brom just two points above the bottom three as it stands. Do you know what? I just want to bring you one line from Matt Piper on the Leicester City podcast.

When you're smiling on BBC sounds. not smiling at the moment but the players are not fit to wear the shirt I don't recognise this club at the minute I don't think most of the players want to be here and when they go it will be good riddance how many of those players are just thinking yeah I don't care I won't be the next season

that's the sad thing Aaron and it must be that because and again we've had a lot of similarities with the Tottenham situation and Leicester City players will be in that dressing room there will be some going if we get relegated I'll get a move

you know if you have to be sold if you're on a certain amount of wages or over whatever. You know that this club cannot keep me if we're going under League 1. So that gets in your head. You've got what your agent's saying like, don't worry, just, I hope he's not saying it,

but just try and play well, try and score some goals. You know, next year, you're out of there. Not get injured. Look after yourself. That's the worst shout in football. Look after yourself. Don't worry about anyone else. Desperate time, Celeste,

the city elsewhere. And we will talk League 1 in a moment, but in League 2, Bromley can still promotion if they beat Cambridge on Thursday night. Looking forward to watching that one. And what a win. for Christian Fuchs and Newport County against relegation rivals, Harrogate, Newport now outside the drop zone by a point.

And boss, Christian Fuchs is with us. Christian, how are you? Very well, thank you very much. I can't imagine what that was like listening to us, talk about your beloved Leicester City there, 10 years after winning the Premier League, I mean, on the verge of League 1, I don't know if you want to share some thoughts on what you're seeing.

Yeah, it obviously hurts you. I turned into a fan of Leicester City, to be very honest, and seeing the development over the last couple of years are really painful to see without honestly knowing too much of the ins and outs but obviously things are not right there at the moment and also with them now being in a drop zone and with four games to go, five points from safety

it doesn't look good at the moment. You're on your own quest for safety. Talk to us about life at Newport County. Listen, I really quite enjoyed. It's been, I do. I do. And the enjoyment simply comes from the player's attitude and how committed they are.

And I think they have done brilliantly, right? When I came in at the end of November, they were four points of drift, bottom of the table. And there were a lot of voices out there that already said that Newport has been already relegated. And I believed in them. I saw very quickly, you know, first of all, the attitude, which was the most important to me, right?

Also actually being a decent side, decent players. For me, it was all about establishing more confidence in them because I don't blame them. The start of the season was really not good for them, having lost too many games and it can really kill your confidence. And that was my approach, right, to show them actually how good they are. And what they have now done over the last four or five months has been incredible from being called number one team to relegate to having in your own hands and being out of the relegation. So not only since last weekend, but for the last four weeks. has been a tremendous effort. I would have been one of those voices that were saying Newport were doomed.

And actually, we had a conversation about you going in. And I thought you were absolutely crazy for that to be your first coaching job. Because I looked at the group of players. I looked at the situation the club was in. Maybe the recruitment over the last couple of years. And that was such a tough, tough gig. What was it about, I know you've spoken about what you've done since, but that decision to go and start that journey for you at Newport,

such a tough assignment to start with? Well, there's two things that are driving me, right? One is proving people wrong, which has been a topic for my whole personal career as well, right? I've never been the best player. I've just been a very hard worker, and I hope I can prove you wrong as well at the end of the season. You do it a good job of making me look very, very silly,

but you crack on with that. I completely understand where you're appointed. and where you're coming from. But again, I like a good challenge. And I think that came with how I was brought up and how I started my own journey, right? Always being told you cannot achieve things. But then this being the challenge, the driving force,

to get me going. And that defined my whole career. And that's something that maybe call me crazy. I really don't care because at the end of the day, you know, if I can make this happen and I 100% believe in that, and the boys give me all the confidence even more at the end of the day when we can achieve our goal then it's a very good story to tell.

When you went into the club, you spoke about wanting to dominate the ball, you know, high possession, lots of passes. Have you found that you've had to adjust and how quickly, if you have done, to maybe a different style to get results for what is needed right now in terms of the short term and survival?

Yeah, and of course you have your own. ideas of how you want to play and they're very much legitimate right but i think a big strength and i've learned to throughout my career from from many other managers a big strength from a coach is to be adaptable and to understand what you have available the players that you have available and also what the what the situation requires right and at times there's some weird games where we were dominant but we didn't get the result and history showed us then in fact when we had less possession and we were at times more direct. We were even more successful.

We got more points. So that was a lesson for me. And I'm happy to learn and I hold my hands up first when I make a mistake because that just means that now I've learned this and I can make my team even better. I had to adapt 100%. I had to adapt to the style of playing in league two. And like I said, it's been a great journey for me together with the team.

because they gave me so much joy and now it's three more games to go and obviously we are approaching every game as it would be the FA Cup final. Want to be a manager, you got any advice for me trying to get into the managing gigs or coaching role when the time it comes? That's not a new port would be mine. You know, you have to get yourself out there. Yeah. Right.

Don't assume that anything will happen by itself. I went through several interviews. until I finally got picked up by Newport. And it's just when you have an opportunity to take it, you know, even if it's in a lower division, you know, there's a lot of craft that you learn from the daily work and just appreciate it, right? Just embrace it. Because everything that you do now, even if it's on a lower level,

will help you then later to understand what actually the staff is doing and how everything works. So I'm very much hands-on. I like to understand every role, right? But also then once you build trust with coaches, right? Being able and to delegate. Otherwise, everything will just fall on your shoulders and it will feel like a big burden and you hardly find room to breathe.

But just jump in there. Just get in there. Get your feet wet and jump into a coaching role. Just jump in the deep end. Cheers, mate. Thank you. Exactly what you've done, Christian. We love it.

Thank you so much for joining us. Really appreciate your time. Thank you. Best of luck with the journey forward. Christian Fuchs of Newport County. His side just above the drop zone in league to 37 points in 22nd. The teams blow, Barron 36, Harrogat on 33. And you've got two others, Crawley and Tramere, who are above on goal difference only.

This is 72 plus, the home of the NFL from Five Live Sport. Just while we're in league two. What about these reports? John Terry set to take over at Colchester as part of a consortium. J.T. was at Colchester's game on Tuesday night. The Sun has reported that the group has submitted a £14 million off of the club. His nephew, Frankie, plays for Colchester. I don't know what that means or if it means anything.

This is a football club that is in dire need of a takeover. Real, real, dire need of a takeover. Our Governor at Five Live is a massive Colu fan, and I know it's giving him grey hairs, Toby. He's not quite at your level yet. Oh, come on, that's a low blow, in it. Hey, I get mine cut out. I get mine cut out, so it's what it is.

What do you make of it? I'm always a little bit nervous about prospective owners rolling into clubs before it's done. That's my first sort of gut feeling. Maybe he was there to watch his nephew. After all the noise that's coming out, I would just be a little bit more, have a tendency to just sit back. Let's get it all done and then roll up. That are just my first feeling. In terms of actually John Terry being involved in a prospective takeover, if it all goes through, great.

I mean, profile, someone who is a winner who's been. been there, done it. I see so many of these consortiums rolling into town and owners who have no idea about football, about the day-to-day reality, about actually what does a winning dressing room look like? What does a competitive budget look like in

that league? You know, whereas obviously John Terry and everything, not just what he's done, but his contacts in the game. You know, he's been coaching recently. You know, I just think he can have a real positive impact on, I say, a club that needs the lift financially. Obviously, the owner's been trying to keep things

ticking over as best as he can. It's obviously been up for sale. So if it does all get done, hopefully some real positive times ahead for Colchester United. Did Ed Shearren have a positive impact on the Ipswich? Absolutely. Absolutely. Everyone talks about Ipswich when Ed Shearin was around. Just like everyone talks about

Wrexham. Now everyone, hopefully, we'll talk about Colchester and put John Terry's name to it. Yeah, fingers crossed. Our manager, Dan O'Callie said, it felt like such a big night for the players, first and foremost, but also the club. We genuinely believe the club has such high potential. We just need a spring board to push on from and that is what we hope is on its way.

I believe there are really exciting times. Chairman Robbie Cowling has confirmed that detailed discussions are ongoing but said he was not in a position to comment on any specific individuals or companies involved in League One. Rotherham United are relegated after a miserable season. Port Vell and Northampton set to follow two. I mean Matt Hanshaw, given far too long, the recruitment hasn't been great. Nothing's really been great. How do you think?

Yeah, it's just capped off a really disappointing few years, isn't it? I think we look at sometimes a relegation might be a result of one season or one window or a bad managerial appointment. This is the accumulation over a good few years now of some strange decisions, I think, you know, in terms of they were the archetypal yo-yo team, weren't they from League One Up, you know, the poor worn era. And then obviously he goes and then haven't really, I think they stayed up the first year actually, didn't they? Matt Taylor did a great job. Then he loses his job. And again, it's one of those of the expectations, I think, of a football club.

just because you survive one year, but you haven't invested necessarily to the level to compete and stay up. He loses his job. And then it's Liam Richardson goes in there for a bit. That doesn't quite work. I forgot about that era. It's crazy. And then Steve Evans,

who was the one I did think could get things going again. You know, you look what he's doing at Bristol Rovers. So actually... Chuck some dirt Johnson Clark Harris, didn't they? Yeah, which again, I think you look at maybe the recruitment there where they did have a bit of a bash, which you know Steve Evans is only going in

if he's going to have a good opportunity to get some play. and obviously that didn't work. They've posted some worrying financial losses. So, yeah, all in all, it's a really tough situation for everyone at the club. And it's a shame because it was one that was always there or thereabouts. I hate bringing up quotes like this, but I've got to. And there's a reason why. Chairman Tony Stewart in 2016 said,

I've no doubt that Rother, in the next few years, three years or five, will be in the Premier League. I assure you of that. They will play in the fourth tier next season for the first time since 2013. And it's interesting because this morning I interviewed KSI who's taken over at Dagenham Redbridge and I asked him what his plan was

and I was hoping he'd say oh yeah well you know get into the football league No Premier League and I was like One step of a time fella Yeah Again I think everyone just sees the wrecks and thing Yeah goes right that's it

But there's so much more that goes Behind the scenes of that And a little bit of caution Yes optimism excitement I think fans want to hear that But that didn't age very well Did it as in terms of where they are now they're clearly not anywhere near the Premier League.

Do you think at that level, if you just chuck money at it, that's enough? No. I think you have to be strategic with it. And I think that's one thing. I speak a lot about Rex Zimmer. There'd be a load of people. And they've brought their way up the leagues. Of course.

They've had unbelievable insane investment. But then you have to get the right types. You have to get the right characters. There's so many clubs. Again, I'll go back to my time at Leight and Orient that, you know, guy comes in. I've got a budget that we can go and get some championship caliber proper players. If they're not the right types,

If the dynamic isn't right in that dressing room, it isn't going to work no matter how much you throw at it. So you look at Lincoln on the flip side of that in a monster of a league with some of the teams around them and they can do it because they've got good people, they've got a plan, their whole clubs aligned and a strategy that can be successful. So I don't think money is the be all and end all.

You've still got to get that recruitment. I agree the higher you go. But at the lower levels, you're attracting plays are far better. Again, I played in the National League for a couple of years and some of the figures you hear banded about at that level for Outrangers. And that was a long time ago. To know? It didn't.

Yeah. And it didn't always equate to a team getting promoted. Okay. You know, so again, you have to be sensible with who you're getting in and make sure they're the right type, not just a good player. Okay. Let's finish with this. 72 plus, 72 minus on the football daily. Yeah, time for Joe B to give us his best and worst moment.

into the week from across the EFL. Cairn, Jobes. Well, I've got to start with the beleaguered Leicester City, and you will not see a worse goal to concede than this. They've got an attacking free kick. All you have to do, the box is loaded, deliver it with a bit of quality. Note they try and play a short one,

gets intercepted. Q Swansea City and Ian running the length of the pitch to set up a winning goal. Fox's fans, this clip is 18 seconds. Stick your fingers in your ears now. Poor free kick from Leicester City as the set piece coach. Eddie Hughes just walks away. Luke Thomas can't catch him. He's still driving forward.

Ging-sung-on still has it, lays it up inside the area. Vipotnik! In off the bar! And from one end to another, that is a devastating counterattack from Swansea City. If you are a set-piece coach, and that happens, you do what a politician does. You tender your resignation. But did you not hear Gary Rowett actually spoke about? He said, I don't know why the players did that. And that is the bit for me around going, man, if you've got a set piece coach, he's clearly got a way of doing this set piece, and the player's just making up their own thing off the cuff. Set piece coach is trying to get the clipboard out, or the phylofactor or whatever.

He's going to do. That's what I told him to do. He had the wrong slide-up. This is the problem. We're trying to be too complicated. Stick it in the mixer, mate. Exactly. That's that simple. Right in there. Bang.

Joby, your 72 plus. A bit of positivity and a real nice, good news story for Luton Town and the EFL trophy final against Stockport. Naki Wells, who hasn't had the easiest times at the football club, comes up Trump, shows his quality with an absolutely sublime touch and finish that turn the game on its head. Here it is. Good spell of pressure from Luton, ball whacked up. Wells in with a chance.

Wells is going to score. He brought it down brilliantly. Looked across the linesman. There's no flag. And Nucky Wells has scored for Jack Wilshire's side. You know he started his create the Dandy Town Hornets. Love that. Bermuda.

The Dandy Town, then the Bermuda Hogs, then Eccles Hill United, Carlow United, Bradford City, Huddersfield Town. Mass, what was yours? Let's go on. Give us a name, started out, playing. Oh, me? Yeah. Oh, you wouldn't know it.

Go on. No, that's why I want to hear it. Arpia Lycaut Tigers. What? Arpia Lycaut Tigers in Sydney. Little shout out to them, mate. Here we go. You did start out of Spurs?

Yeah, yeah, yeah. What are your thoughts? So I was actually a Tottenham, well, technically I'm a Tottenham supporter from Australia. So I come over, sign for the club that I was supporting as a scholar. And, yeah, when you're there, you're gunning for the first team player's spot. So you're kind of wanting them to not do so well. What era was that who would have been in first? Harry Rednapp.

Okay. The show would brought me through. I meant, how are you feeling about him this season? Oh, they've been, they're not great to watch. I've always liked to put spurs on because you get an entertaining game. But, yeah, it is a hard watch with them. Are they going down? And you kind of...

Are they going down? Ask them again. Intimidating. Go on. Go on. Just a yes or no. I don't want, oh,

I can't see Spurts. That's my normal stock answer. Yes. Okay. And one more thing before we go, just seen a picture of Justin Bieber on social media preparing for his Coachella performance wearing a 2007 Swindon Town third shirt.

I mean, Retro. Where do you reckon they get them? Do you reckon they just see them? Like, yeah, that looks cool. Yeah. There's got to be a link.

Oh, that is top. That is great. And there's a Maple Leaf as a sponsor. I'm telling you is NAM was from Swindon. Got a lovely chip shop around there right by. the ground as well. Bieber's fish and chips, yeah. Bieber.

Where's everyone this weekend, Job? I am big one this weekend, actually. Blackburn, so Coventry City will be hoping that they can get the point, although they're pretty much, they're done on there, this will be honest, but just to confirm it all. I'm back down the road for a bit of co-coms, actually, Five Live on Saturday, Brentford. And then back on the road, Sunday, Ipswich, massive game against Middlesbrough. And then Sunday nighters.

Oh, the F.L. Award. Yeah, well, I mean, I've got the old Dicky Bo ready and everything on that. You're good, James Bond time. That'd be good. Job's a turn up looking like a million dollars, mate. I'll be there like, you know, just running around the gaffer doing some work. They're always good nights, though, weren't they? No, we are working, so we're on best behavior, aren't we?

You're never on best behavior. Oh, come on, come on. We're going to grab some hopeful winners, maybe some people still in relegation and promotion battles and get some good content. Jobie, go down to the posh seats. You'll go down there. Joby, come back in 10 minutes. Yeah, fine. Half an hour late.

I'm running around. Joby, come on, let's go. I've got a wolf down my starters and main and thingy to make sure I've got enough time to do it. We're a reunion for you, isn't it? But we've got a QPR this weekend. That's split allegiances, though. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Got a soft spot for QPR. Always will. It's at the Den, which will be a big game, massive game. That's it for this episode of Football Daily. Thank you very much. Massimo Longo. Thanks having me. Absolute joy.

Joby. See you Sunday. Yes, mate. I'll have a special episode of the pod. Coming to you from the EFL awards. We'll be chatting to the great and the good of the football league world. hopefully go and just grab people along the way. Richie Wellings tell him how handsome he looks.

Uncle Barry Frye as well. Barry's always valued. Yeah, we'll go and see old Barrington. And just, yeah, go and enjoy it. It will be good. Remember, you can listen to the latest news and views from every EFL club on the BBC Sounds app. Just search your club's name and make sure tips subscribe so you get notified whenever something new dropped. As for us here on 72 Plus, the home of the EFL from Five Live Sport. We'll be back next week. Catch you then. You know what he does? He quoffs.

what he does. He quoss champagne. Just quaffes. I'm not liking this description of me yet. I'm Rich Hall, and this is Sports Strangest Crimes Presents Confessions of a Super Bowl Streaker. When people ask me what I do, I say to them, well, by day or by night. The story of one man's mission to conquer the holy grail of streaking the Super Bowl. Mark Roberts is too lively for his body.

He's just like the entertainer. Mark pushes the boundaries of what is socially acceptable. No chance. Texas. It's really strict. But then the moral thoughts about it. No, I thought, I'm going. What are you about?

Sports Strangers Crimes presents Confessions of a Super Bowl streaker. Listen on BBC Sounds.