Football Daily - 72+ EFL Pod: Luton's dramatic comeback & VAR in the Championship?

Episode Date: August 20, 2026

Aaron Paul and Jobi McAnuff are joined by Bolton manager Steven Schumacher to break down the opening weekend of league fixtures in the EFL - and we hear from Luton boss Jack Wilshere.Bolton won on their return to the Championship, but how can they compete with their big-spending rivals. The panel also discuss Will Lankshear's dream start at Middlesbrough, how Southampton will deal with being pantomime villains after Spygate and whether VAR is needed in the Championship after a blatant handball helped West Brom beat Norwich.Jack Wilshere joins the pod after his Luton side came from 3-1 down to beat Reading in their opener, and talks about his first pre-season as a first team manager.Aaron's EFL Fantasy skills haven't improved over the summer - the code to join our league if 72EFLPOD.And in 72PLUS 72MINUS, there's a moment to forget for an EFL legend and Welsh limbs after a late goal.This season we now have our very own 72+ feed on BBC Sounds - where you can listen to episodes every week. We'll continue to bring you all the same content you've been enjoying here, with the biggest stories from the EFL, exclusive guests and the moments everyone is talking about.TIMECODES: 01:21 - Jobi's summer with Roy Keane 03:35 - Bolton off to a winning start 11:45 - Lankshear elevates Boro 19:35 - Southampton lose at Watford in first match post-Spygate 26:23 - Do we need VAR in the Championship? 30:27 - Luton boss Jack Wilshere joins the show 45:27 - 72PLUS 72MINUS

72 plus the EFL podcast with Aaron Paul and Joby McEnough. Hello and welcome to the 72 plus podcast, the home of the EFL from Five Live Sport. Now, as of this season, we now have our very own feed on BBC Sounds. That's right. We are leveling up, everyone. Yeah, where you can listen to episodes, whenever you want every single week.

We won't be on the Football Daily feed for much longer, so all you need to do is search 72 plus on BBC Sounds and hit subscribe if you haven't already. We will continue to bring you all the same content being enjoying here. The biggest stories from the Football League, exclusive guests and the moments everyone is talking about. With me to break down the first weekend of League action, my right hand, Jobie McEnough, Jobes.

It's good to be back. Oh, we're so back, aren't we? And what a start to the weekend. Obviously, interesting one this one, because obviously we had the Carabarrow Cup, the week leading up to it, but it's nothing like the first game of the regular EFL season, and it kicked off

brilliantly up at Moly New, brilliant atmosphere, really good game, and just an indicator, I think, of what we've got to come across all of the league this season. I'll be honest, the whole weekend was great. Wicked goals, action, action, drama, that we'll come onto later. Loads of drama. Loads of drama from Saturday morning

all the way to Monday night. Oosh, the Football League is back. We've been doing with your Wednesday mornings because it's been a weird one for me. Well, obviously, I had a fairly busy summer, obviously, away. Brilliant time out at the World Cup. It was pretty cool, I've got to say. And then came back, nicked a couple of weeks away with the kids,

and then straight into it, as we have to do, lots of prep trying to get around who's gone, who's still there, transfers, trying to put together some one to 24s, which is always interesting. And the worst thing you can do is when you've got to do the bottom three. So I've had a fair bit of stick from some of the teams off with it. Are you friends in working now? We got on very well

Did you exchange numbers? We did, yes. Had a few nice breakfast together. Have you texted or? Right. Yeah, we've been in touch. So he's top man, right, to be fair. Nice.

Invited him to a Mac and I'll get together. Not quite yet. We're working on it. Let's see if he gets a card at Christmas. I don't, and we've worked together for years. No one's going to take your place. Please do not get jealous. You know, there's only one man that I want by myself.

I'd like to see Roy Keene schlepping it about Exeter City. Exeter City. We go to Saul for the fair bit. I had a good chat for him about that. That's no barometer. Anyway, also joining us, Bolandah's boss, Stephen Schumacher. Shooey lad off to the perfect start to life

in the championship, a 2-1 win over P&E. Great start, mate. How are you? I'm very good, thanks, lads, yeah. How are you? Hope you all enjoyed your summer and are ready to get back to work, doing what you do best. Before we get to it,

who's the biggest name in your phone book? Who's the biggest contact you've got? Who's the biggest football friend you've got? Wayne Rooney. I knew that was coming. He's told me that once or twice, mate. I was closely followed by Jobby McEnough. I am honoured to have the legend that is Jobby McEnough in my phone book

because I see more of Jobby McEnough than I see my wife. He's on the telly that often. He's ubiquitous. So, yeah, Job is definitely the most famous person in my contact list. But Wayne's the best player. I've got in my contact list, yeah. Well, I'm just hoping we can stay, you know, on the level that we are, shooy, because, you know, all these promotions,

you keep racking up now, mate. Do you know what I mean? It's just nice that you still answer the phone and answer a text message and manage to get him on this week. So what a way to kick off the season as well. I know. I know.

Great opening weekend win. Break it down for us, for us, Shui. I mean, going into it, it's always difficult, isn't it? You don't kind of know where you are. You don't know where they are. Preseason. I mean, everyone seems to actually hate it. Paul Heckingbot are more than others.

I mean, the buildup, the past couple weeks of Preston, then they've been wild. Ben Whiteman leaving, the interviews he's been given the fact that they're very, very late with their transfer business, but he felt they were so far behind everyone else. Could you lean on that? Could you

jump on that bandwagon and go, right, we've got momentum from winning the playoffs. Let's go and hit them hard. Yeah, a little bit. I think it helped us because we're so excited to step into this level. It's been a long time since Bortlanders are in the championship. So,

we use that as fuel and motivation. But also, we're in a very similar boat to Hecchke as well where our squad isn't finished yet. I think the other 22 managers in the championship will say exactly the same thing this weekend that we're not fully where we would like to be because of the World Cup and a slower market this year, it seems. But yeah, as I say, focusing on just that game on Saturday,

we were really excited for it. We've seen it as an opportunity for us to, go on there, try and be positive, try and get on the front foot and get a good result in the opening day. And no better way to do that in beating a local rival in a Derby game. So it was a great start. In terms of that belief, I suppose, for a team that's newly promoted, you've got a lot of players maybe stepping up to the level

that haven't got massive experience in the championship. And again, from my own experience, when you do get a promotion, you step up to a new league, how big is that belief going to be? And particularly in the manner, because that's the big thing I picked up on the performance, the positivity, you know, you really went and attacked the game. And as I've said across the weekend, I think you could say this about loads of games.

I mean, Wolves and Blackburn, who, again, you look at where people expect them to be. You wouldn't have been able to tell just watching the 90 minutes of the football. And obviously for you guys, going up against an established championship team and actually putting on the performance you did. How big was that for your belief of the squad? Yeah, it was massive job.

And, you know, you know, our big confidence is in football. think I've been stressing to a lot of the squad that are there over the summer months when I've had conversations with them about where I see them in the in the in the in the in squad this year and how I see their development. I genuinely believe that we've got a good few amounts of players that can step up to this level the lads who have not played in this league before and go and do really well. Now they'll only do really well if they have that confidence to go and express themselves like it's easy to go into the next level if you haven't been there before and go away from

what your normal game is. But we just felt that our best way to go about getting victories last season was to try and be positive, was to try and attack. And I feel as though that's going to be our best way this year. We know the standard in the championship is a lot higher. So for us to sit there trying to soak up pressure and not get beat is not going to be the best way for us to pick up points. So trying to convince the players to do that as being the challenge over the summer.

But when you get a performance and when you get a result like we did on Saturday, you just hope that that confidence and belief can continue to grow. Shui, I mean, I want to talk about the transfer market and where we are in terms of state of play right now. A lot of pundits are leaning on the fact that clubs aren't doing business yet or they've struggled to do business because of the World Cup, because the Premier League clubs aren't letting their younger players go out on loan. Firstly, how true is that?

Secondly, what was the plan with the owner, Sharon? How did you sit down? How did you decide everything? because you've brought 10 senior players in already. You've got three lonies in and seven pounds through the door. How many more do you want? Yeah, so we still feel as though we're probably three or four players short of where we really need to be.

You know, a lot of our success that we had last year, as was with lone players who did really well. You know, Mario did outstandingly well. Mason Birstow scored loads of goals for us. Corey Blacker-Taylor, Marcus Forst. They all played huge part in our success last year. and obviously they've all gone back to their pairing clubs and moved on since.

So we knew that we would have to strengthen. We knew that we would have to try and bring in some experience into the squad, people who knew what this league looks like. And also, from a club's point of view, we wanted to try and bring in some young players who have got potential to develop our own players or to develop them over the next couple of seasons that we can then start to make profits on players,

which I don't think we've done for a long time at Bolton. being in league one for so long, what's generally tended to happen is they've bought the better players in the league to get out of the division and not really focused too much on the development side of it. So we had to get that balance right. But what is obviously difficult is you're stepping up to a bigger level where everything else is amplified. The sense fair fees of everybody is ridiculous. The wage is that everybody gets paid. So we've had to be really patient and really diligent with the money that we've spent because we haven't got loads of it. and we can't afford to waste it.

On that, Shui, in terms of, without getting into probably the finer points, but budget and the club have been quite clear, and I've actually really liked their transparency, probably of where they are in the league, and it's going to be certainly bottom end of the table, budget-wise, maybe bottom four or five. How do you go about, I suppose, what's the messaging to the group in terms of trying to get them to the level

that you need them to, to go and have a really successful season? Because like you've just said, Bolton in League one are a massive. of football club coming up now to the championship, not just size of club, because they are still a fantastic size club, great history, great fan base, but really when you're going up against some of those big hit as week in week out, how do you pitch that to the squad and to the fans in terms of what the season realistically might look like? Yeah, so I think, as you said, Sharon came out and has done an interview and I've been open

in the press because I spoke to the owners when they told me what the budget was going to be and said, okay, well, look, we're going to be right up against it because it is, as you say, right down here towards the bottom end of the division. And we said, look, we have to just be open and honest with the fans because yet we have had expectation and pressure on us to get out of League 1, but there's still an expectation and the pressure for us to do really well in the championship

because of the history that this club has got and where it's been not long ago. Like, we see ourselves as a big football club, and we want to continue to do that. So when we're trying to attract players to come, we're not bringing them in here and saying, look, lads, you're going to be part of a relegation battle. What we're trying to explain to them is, look,

this club has been on a journey since 2019, when Sharon and the new ownership took over, it's got from League 2 into the championship. So it's not realistic for us then to go and try and compete with the top end of the championship teams, four players, four wages, because it's just not possible. Financially, we're not in that place right now. But what we want to try and do is get a team.

As I said at the very start, that is brave, that tries to play the right way, plays in an attractive style of football, which will get good players to want to come and play for you. And then be able to kick on in the coming years. Now, the first key to that, obviously, is us to try and stay in the division. We need to be a championship team this time next season, so that was stronger from a recruitment point of view. And then we can improve hopefully on our league position. But as I said, I've been in a situation before, Joe, where Plymouth Argyle,

we had the lowest budget in the league. And when we left to go to Stoke, I think we were 16th or 17th, and not too far away from the top half at the table, points-wise. So it can be done if you have the right attitude from the players and all the staff and the fans stick together because we're going to have a couple of games

that you'd probably lose back-to-back games, which never happened once last year in League 1. So when you have a bit of a dip in form or a poor run, it's important that everyone just stays calm and focused and sticks together. Let's focus in on the championship and one of the latest additions. Middlesbrough, of course, have signed Will Lancashire. He started paying some of that big feedback with a brace to beat Lincoln on Saturday. Wow, three goals in two games from him.

Great start. A lot of pressure on his shoulders, though. There's so much expectation when you come in for a fee of 10 million pounds plus what could grow sizably if you get promoted. There's going to be expectation. and Kim Helberg side, they lacked goals last season. This could be different. I don't know.

This feels different. They lacked goals at key times in games, times where they were on top. They were dominating and that is when you have to get your goals and kill teams off. They just didn't do that enough last season. And maybe we're not clinical. They still created loads of opportunities. You know, I said when they signed him, you know, he's a proper, proper number nine in the sense that he leads the line

he's got a physicality about him but he sniffs out of those opportunities for him to have done what he did at Oxford a team that really struggled to create chances last year still get himself into double figures I've loved his enthusiasm his energy he seems infectious getting a goal so early on

in the Carabal Cup I think was massive and a really good goal at that as well I think that showed his quality from a technical perspective as well and then the two goals at the weekend if someone was to say to me, what did Middlesbrough missed last year? That was it in a snapshot. Somebody just in the right place, at the right time.

We know they're going to create and it just needs someone to finish him off. So what a dream start for him. And it's interesting because I was one that looked at the price tag. And you see different figures, you know, upwards of 20 million. I know that's probably unrealistic in terms of what he probably has to go and do. But even if you're talking 10, 12, 14 and his goals get that team up this season, it's going to be an absolute snip. Throwback to Anthony Morsiao

if he wins the ball and door. The fee goes like something exorbitant. I mean, if Will Langshire wins the ballon door, then fair place spurs will get quite a chunk of money. There's a dearf of proper number nine's in the game, mate. I don't know. What I want to know is Chui, in terms of the market right now, do you think that that cut of striker is a commodity?

Is it hard to shop around for someone who's a proper out and out forward? Yeah, it's really difficult because every team is looking for them. So, you know, we all highlight how important scoring goals are, as Jobby said, a key moments in the game. I think that's what you say, Will Langshir is all about.

So when you're in the market, the rest of the division, looking for that strike, looking for that number nine, it's very difficult to try and convince them to come and play for you. Now, I'm sure Will's agent and his family and himself have looked at the chances that Mills has been created last year,

the XG that they had. And they just missed out at the very last couple of games of the season, obviously, to go all of the way. And he's probably seen that and gone. They're not far away from getting into the Premier League. Now, for a player like him, it's difficult for him to play in the Premier League and break into the Spares as a team because of how young he is. But he might see it as an opportunity of another way to get into the top level of football. So, yeah, from our point of view, right now, unfortunately, we're just not in the market for that type of striker. You've got three, no?

Yeah, we've got two currently. We've got two number nine's currently. We've got Sam Dowerby and we've got Ryan Hardy currently. So we're looking for one more if we can. Of that cut? Yeah, of a goal scorer, somebody who knows who knows how to put the ball in the back of the net. Say it's the most important part. It's tough though, isn't it, Shui?

I mean, have you been blown away by, again, you know, now you're up at that level? Just some of the prices, some of the wages. Because you look down even, look at a Bristol. you know, city going and get two million, five million pounds of strikers from the two best strikers in Ligua. But the money involved in that, it is just for me, it is mind-blowing.

Certainly from my time, I know we're going back a little bit, but, you know, Steve, you've managed, you've played, you know, at that level. It just seems like it's gone absolutely crazy. It's great, it's tough, yeah. Sorry, sorry, where do you find these players? Where do you look, Shui, as Bolandre's manager,

when you've got Monchi, who's at Espaniel, turning around, going, well, the championship is an excellent place to go and find talent. Where are the championship clubs, if you haven't got the wedge to go and spend,

like the majority of the division, would you go and find these players? So sometimes you might have to look further at a field, which then brings its own risk. But as Jobi said, for us, the logical way to go about it will be, okay, who are the best players in?

your division last year, who did really well, and who do you think can go and strengthen your team? So Tolaijian Ballard would definitely be true that would have been on our radar. But as you say, when they go for $5 million each or $4 million each, whatever that is, we just can't afford that. So then the next alternative is, okay,

well, who are the best players in league two? And then you're always worried, can they take the step up? It's difficult enough to step up one division, but can they step up to go into two divisions, which sometimes, it's really hard and that's a big risk. So then you look further afield into Europe

and you try and see what the market looks like in there. Then you're running the risk of, well, how is the player who you're bringing in going to settle? Does he speak the language? Has he got a family? Is he going to be able to hit the ground running in the championship? So you've got to weigh up all these factors and it's really difficult.

That's why I went to somebody this season who we recruited in Ryan Hardy is somebody who I know, who I know he understands the level, he knows what the championship is like. the last two times he's played full seasons in the championship. He scored double figures. So he's a player that I feel as though we could afford on loan. Couldn't afford him all of his wage, but we could afford them on loan.

And hopefully he can come and do the business for us when he gets fully fit. It's a really interesting point you make. And I look at three players here. First is McCauley Langstaff who made the jump to go from Knox County to Millwall. Didn't work. He spurned a lot of chances. And then you question the quality of the finishing in the divisions. and you call that question,

does he quite have that clinical edge that you need in that division? The second player is Jessica Cabio, who's gone from Grimsby upper level to Leighton Orient, and you think that's a good little transition you got there because he scored a lot of goals. The third player, and this is where it gets difficult for a club like yours, is Zambor Potnik,

because he goes into Swansea City, seven goals in his first season. You're thinking, oh, okay, yeah, five, 25 goals last season. Yeah. The question is, does a club like bottom wanderers, have the time available to wait for those goals to come, to shepherd that player through his first year maybe,

because results are everything. Yeah, I think it has the time available if you can see good signs. So, like, if you can see, say, Vipotnik, you say he got seven in his first season, okay, it's not going to break any records, it's not going to catch the eye of a lot of people. But I'm sure the people within the Swansea set up understood that, okay, he's settling in.

It's going to take him a couple of months to get up to speed. Then he scored a few goals. And then the second season, I'm pretty sure he got picked every week. He probably started. Every game for Swansea, he was the main focal point, goes and get the goals. And now they're making a huge profit on him. So if you've got enough quality around it

and the fee to bring for Potnick. And he came from Bordeaux, didn't he? When they were having financial problems. So if they were able to go and get him and understand, okay, it's a small outlay, so it's minimal risk. and we're prepared to take that gamble on him then obviously sometimes it can pay off which it has this year for him.

Okay, let's talk Southampton now. I mean last week we chatted about how they'd approach a season after Spigate. They were beaten at Watford. St. First defeat in the championship since January. Watford started the game so aggressively. Joby, your former club. A lot of people have written them off this season.

Did you expect that Watford performance? that you witnessed. No, and it's one of the games I covered over the weekend and probably most surprising in terms of how well they played, along with Blackburn Rovers, who are excellent up at Molyneux, but just the energy, you know, young front unit, but full of enthusiasm and skill and ability as well. And again, I think they probably came into the game almost with that,

even though it was the start of the season, that nothing to lose mentality, whereas Southampton, the pressure, everything going on around in the football club. They looked at the team that were a little bit inhibited, which I was really surprised about. They were the team I thought would hit the ground run in this season, despite all of that, because they've kept the squad together, same manager, know the league inside out.

But again, Watford, absolutely brilliant, big decision by the manager to leave out in-run-loser, who apparently had gone in and made it clear that he wants to leave the club, but also then said he was available to play. And we've seen that happen at Watford time and time again, and sometimes the players, almost giving a priority over the manager. I'm really glad they backed the manager.

It was his decision. And I think what we saw was something we haven't seen enough at Watford over the last few years because of the culture and environment. It's a togetherness, a real team effort. It was a fantastic way to start. I think it's very strange that football club. Obviously, the way they deal with things,

it feels as though players feel like lone players, don't they? At the club. That is it in a nutshell, Aaron. It's become a passing through football club. Look at your own, don't know? just disappears out the trapdoor like no one obviously people have talked about it

and the fans are chatting away about Is there and Kundal leaving and then the club just release some particularly for attacking players that's what it has become you look at Zhao Pedro you look at Ishmael Sarr Shatford Tadze is another one

who's a fantastic ability and I think as an attacking player you almost know let me go there and I hate to use the turn because it's a fantastic football club but is a Steppingstone club at this moment it's a trading model for attacking players to then be going sold on for more money.

What you have to try and do, and that's fine, if that's the club's model, that's how they're going to survive. You have to try and underpin that with a better environment in terms of the other players can prosper. The club can still keep going forward. Every time it looks as though they're about to do something in a season and they've had good starts over the last few years, it just implodes in the second half of the season.

So I'm really hoping this positive start can really be followed up and the manager gets to support that any manager, needs. We're going to talk Southampton and I apologise because I keep sort of, you know, heading off and going off on tangents. Stephen, if a player comes to you before kickoff and says, I ain't playing, I want to move. What do you do? Well, you would like to have thought you could have had that conversation right before kickoff. It would have been done certainly in the way we were a couple of days before and if a player's got that mindset where he doesn't want to be there. I think it's really difficult for the manager to

try and first of all force them to play. But secondly, get the best out of him. Because if his head isn't in it, you're probably better off keeping him in the stand because of not just the impact that him personally is he going to be able to perform to his level. But what's his body language like to the rest of the group? So yeah, once it gets to that point and Louser, as Tim Manor said, he doesn't want to play, I don't think the manager's got any other option. You're probably just better trying to move him on us and make as much profit out of him as quickly as possible. In terms of Southampton, though, Joby, it's going to be that C.D.,

mentality and I've relayed this quote from Flynn Downs like for the past week, week and a half where he's talked about how we're going to win the league. But they can't afford to lose too much ground. There's so much in the air with that club right now. Tonda Ecker, is he going to be their head coach? Could they be looking for a new manager in the next three to four weeks? And again, how do they just get themselves off the mark and moving? Well, I think that was probably why it was so disappointing if they are still talking about

automatic. And I think that's going to be difficult with the four point deduction. you look at Sheffield United a couple of years ago, got two and just missed out. I think with the strength of the league this year, is that going to be too much to overcome? If I was at Southam's, I'd be looking at it. How quick can we get that four points wiped? Keep the gap between us and those top two, three, four teams that are going to be our realistic rivals, if it is automatic promotion.

And obviously it's the worst possible start. In terms of the outside noise, that is just something I'm sure everyone at that club knows it's just going to have to be dealt with. Their decision to stick by the manager has created even more. noise. It's the reason we're still talking about it. And I want to say repeatedly, I've got so much sympathy for the fan base, for that group of players that were denied an opportunity, but it's no one else's fault other than people at that football club. And then they then haven't acted.

You know, let's have it right. There's only one person who's not working there that is involved in all this. And that's a little inter, as everyone else is still in position. That doesn't sit right with me. So in terms of the noise that comes off the back of it, that is what they have created and something they're going to have to deal with. There's no debate. It's top, top championship team that should be at the top end of the table. But, of course, there's still doubts around the manager with everything that's hanging around his head and the football club.

I don't want to ask you for your opinion on the whole Spiregette situation because I think that's been rinsed and rinsed and rinse, shirry. Do you care, though? Do you care about this noise surrounding the football club? Do you care about it when you face them this season? Will it bother you? Will it affect you? Can you use it for any form of competitive advantage?

I don't think so, no, because you've just got to look at Southampton squad and the ability that they've got and the run that they were on last year. I'm kind of glad, if I'm honest, that they lost the first game of the season and it takes out that incredible run that they were on because it just disrupts their momentum. So I won't be focusing on that when we're preparing against them because all you can kind of focus on on what you prepare for is what you see in Southampton's previous games

and how you feel they're going to play against you. So the noise must be disrupting for them internally. But from the outside, every other manager I think going up against them is just got to focus on the game because that's difficult enough. I mean, yeah, I think that what you've got to rely on is the fact that your crowd, when people come to your plays, will be given it. I mean, 26,000 in there on the opening day for a derby. But against Southampton, you know they'll be loud.

And those bottom fans are not what they're doing. Can't really chat too much about West Ham. I think, Joby, it's wise to chat about him next. week because they are in the middle of chopping up their squad and there's ins and out. Before we move on from the championship, West Bromajarabian winning at Norwich, thanks to what may end up being, the worst refereeing decision will see this season. Onahegaboh, punching the ball into the Norwich net to open up the scoring. Philippe Clomart, naturally, not a happy chap, Jobes.

No, and I know we're going to get into and we have had the sort of VAR chat, which, by the way, from my perspective, don't want it anywhere near the championship or the the way that we watch football, the way that we enjoy it, is so much better without. That's my personal opinion. And actually, that decision shouldn't even have needed VAR. I think it was that obvious. And again, I think sometimes with officials, what they don't pick up on is body language of, one, the player that did it and also the players that opposition, that that tells you a lot.

But he should be seeing that. You know, it's a clear, clear handball. And obviously, Norwich have got every right to be absolutely upset about that one. But we're going to get them. live with that as a player, as a coach, in a short time as a manager, that there will be mistakes made, and as long as they're honest, and there's a little bit of accountability and people hold their hands up. I am that believer in their sort of swings in roundabouts. You might not get one one week, you might get one the next week. Nothing more sinister to it

other than that. And I think the game is so much better without VAR, and that's why I love covering it in the EFO. Shirmy, does it bring up that conversation? And where do you stand on VAR and the championship. Yeah, I agree with Joby. I think the product of the EFL is the best because the fans love it because it's nonstop. The Premier League,

I go and watch Evanton regularly and it is frustrating. You know, I celebrated a goal against Liverpool thinking Evan and I got one like a madman and it got disallowed. It is frustrating. So I don't want to see it week in, week out. I don't think it has a place in the

EFL. I think it needs to be kept the way it is. But we had an incestine obviously we benefited from VAR in the in the playoff final now my when we got asked to be the clubs who were involved in the playoffs we all got in got asked to vote whether we wanted VAR in the final or not because obviously Wembley has the capacity to have it and our initial reaction from 95% of the coaching staff was no we don't want it because we haven't had it all season why do why would we have it for for the final and then it was me assistant. Mark Hughes said, well, I'm going to

minute to you. He said, in this game, don't you want to make it decided by the best team wins and not have the game decided by a poor referee decision? Because he also said, we've had enough of them over the season go against us. For this game where it's so important for all of our livelihoods,

for the fans, for the football club, it's so important that to get the decisions right. So I said, well, what if one goes against us? He went, well, if it goes against us, we didn't deserve to score the goal. But if it goes for us, and it was the correct call, then that's surely that that comes into your thinking. So I went away that afternoon and had to think about it.

And we all came back in unanimously the next morning. Once we'd settled down from our initial reaction and said, no, let's vote for VAR in if we can in the final. And obviously, in the final, we had two big calls that went for us through VAR. So fair play to Hughesy for them sticking his hand up. Five lights for... So here's the first ball of this series. All the cricket unit are.

Check for how we do. Lives on BBC Sounds. Smash straight back down the ground. This girl. Hear ball by ball coverage of the biggest competitions on the domestic and international circuits. It's a ball cricket and it's the huge one. Jeez, worse.

Settled out of us. Cricot on Five Live Sport. Oh, blibing every ball of this. Listen on BBC Sounds. 72 Plus, the EFL podcast with Aaron Paul and Joby McEnuff. Welcome back to 72 plus the home of the EFL from Fire of Life Sport with me, Aaron Paul, him over there, Joby McEnough, and the Bolton Wanderers manager, Stephen Schumacher. Great to have you on with us. We've also got a League 1 manager with us. And this man, well, his side were excellent in the game of the opening weekend. It came in the third tier Luton coming from 3-1 down to win 4-3 at Redding. Gideon could do us, scoring a 96-minute winner. And we can welcome Hatter's boss, Jack Wilsher, 72 plus. Now, how are you, Jack?

I'm good. Thank you, guys. You're right? Yeah, very well, thank you, man. I mean, what a way to start a season. Pure drama. You said we were excellent. We were excellent in the second half.

First half, not so excellent. And Stephen will tell you, you don't want too many games like that. But, no, to be fair to the lads, like credit to them for the second half. I knew that we had, we've got it in us to go and score three or four goals in a half with the attacking quality. we've got, but actually to then be as low as they were at half time and come back and show that spirit, credit to them. And I suppose if you want to do it in any game, it's the first game in the season to let everyone know that you've got that spirit and in front of

of 2,500 travelling fans, which was excellent. Jack, great start, mate, although I was a little bit disappointed because it was against my former club, a good mate, the assistant manager there. For how bad they collapsed, it was a brilliant second half performance, as you've said. I just want to go into the halftime team talks. I know some stuff's come out. And obviously when you're playing, you know, it's a completely different perspective. That frustration where you've done all your prep, you've told the players what the game's almost going to look like. And then as it's unfolding, you must have been pulling your hair out.

Because when you look at the goals they scored, it's everything that you touched on at that half time. Is that the biggest, I suppose, challenge and frustration of management, that almost helplessness at times when you're stood on the sideline and not being able to do anything about it? on the pitch until you get in there at a half-time. Yeah, I think so. And I think that comes from really, like having real belief in your players. And that is something we spoke about. And I generally do have real belief in them.

And then the frustration comes when probably because I felt in the first half, we lost a little bit of faith in it. The game was what we spoke about. The players where you could see were trying to do it. And to be fair, to Redding, they were really good at what they were trying to do as well. They were letting us have it, delaying us a little bit. We were trying to play inside too much. and we had to move the ball a little bit quicker.

But then we lost a little bit of faith in it and we tried to do different things. And we lost the ball and we got done on transition, which that's probably where the frustration comes from. So, yeah, at half time, it's about probably getting the balance of, that first of all, I love these players. So I don't want to, I don't want them to feel like, yeah, I'm challenging their personality

because that's something that I would never do. I've felt since day one that they were all in with me. And, yeah, if anything, that's only strengthened over the time. So, but I think when you got that relationship, you can challenge a little bit and you can put a little bit of pressure on them. We've got a really good group with that. We've got some young players in the group that are really ambitious. So they want to be pushed.

We've got some experienced players that, to be fair, if I'm not doing it and pushing standards, they are. But yeah, sometimes I feel like they do need a little bit of that from the head coach. And yeah, they responded, and I've only done it a couple of times with them. And every single time I've done it with them, I've got the response that the team needed. And yeah, we definitely got that on Saturday. When you look back at the summer, and in fact, if you go further back to the back end of the last season where you were excellent and just narrowly, you know, had that disappointment with regards to the playoffs, how did you approach the window considering how Scattergun Luton's recruitment has been over the past couple of seasons?

I mean, because it looks like you've made minor changes. It's about evolution rather than revolution. Yeah, I think that was the key. And to touch on what you said about Luton's recruitment, I think it's difficult because because of the double relegation, you know, you have a real mix of players then, and you have players that want to be here, some players that don't want to be here.

And I thought we done a really good job in January of fixing a lot of that. I made it really, really clear to the players. Like, if you want to come on this journey, then you have to be all in. And, yeah, the players that left in January, we felt like they weren't. And then we recruited some in January that were really important for us. And we worked really hard as well. We worked really hard at trying to build an identity on the pitch, but also off the pitch and how we want the environment to look

and the type of players we want within that environment. So, yeah, that was the main focus. This window, it was keeping that together. You know, the team that finished at Bolton on the last day of the season, trying to keep as much of that together. And I'm really grateful to the club that we did. Casey came back, Jordan Clark signed a new contract. Leon Walsh, under new contract.

Emilio came back. We obviously added George Johnson from Bolton. And so first of all, we wanted to keep it together. And then we started looking at, I always believe, and I asked the players to look in their mirror at first. So then we started as coaches to look at what we coached, how we coached, where we're giving the players the right stuff, where we're practicing the right stuff.

And then the last thing was a recruitment gap. We felt like we needed to strengthen in certain areas. We wanted to add a couple. And that's still ongoing. But yeah, it was a good process because of the planning that went into it. And I always feel like that's the case in football clubs. as much planning, as much alignment as you can get with everyone, you get good results from it.

And yeah, we've had a good window now. It's down to me, down to us, the players, to deliver good results. How important is it now, Jack, that you first of all try and calm the players down after such a euphoric win the weekend and such drama to try and calm them down and focus on what's a huge game now on Saturday for you, the Kenilworth, against the newly promoted team. How important is here for you to get to? that back-to-back-back win and try and build that momentum, as Aaron said before,

keep that momentum going that you finished with the back end of the last season. Yeah, and you know, Stephen, that was the goal for Monday, like every Monday, or whenever the next day we're in after a game, we review it. And that was, you know, I sat there on Sunday night for hours trying to think about the right balance because we wanted to capture the spirit and the personality and the character to come back in the game. and highlight that and praise the players. Rightly so, they were excellent with that.

But also getting the balance right of not making it so hard for ourselves to win. We've done that too many times last season where we gave away cheap goals, we got caught, or we didn't control men up with the pitch enough and transition, they hurt us. So, yeah, it was about getting that balance right, but while praising the players as well, because you know, you want the players to believe in that and you want the players to feel whenever they're in a game,

if they're two one down, three one down, that there's a way back. we got the quality to do that. So that was getting the balance right. And then the last few days were, you know, we spoke about doing the simple things really well, the basics, if you want, pushing that, driving that. And, yeah, I feel like the players would have left,

from my point of view, the players would have left on Saturday really, really high. And rightly so, but then you have to bring them back down to Earth. And in the right way, because you don't want to, you don't, like, even when we were three one down in the first half, we've done some good thing. So, yeah, the balance is really important. And yeah, it's going to be a good, you know this, even like the next game is completely different. It's going to look different.

We're at home. It's against the team that's been promoted. They'll play a different way to Redding. So then it's about Thursday, Friday, really giving the players of clarity going into that game. Jack, just wanted to touch on you personally now, sort of growing into the role as manager. You've had a little bit of time there.

Choppy waters, to say the least, in a difficult situation walking into the football club, but he definitely more than steadied the ship. How are you finding it yourself? Do you feel like you are in a much better position now? pre-season, which you didn't have last year as well, and the familiarity with the group to really kick on a personal level, but also get that club back to where I know they feel that's the very least they belong. Yeah, my, my overriding feeling towards the club is really

grateful because you're right, Jabi, like I came in, it was a difficult situation. It could have been easy for the club not to give me that chance as my first job, a young manager. So yeah, I'm grateful for them. And I think when you have that feeling about people and the club, you feel like you're constantly trying to, not trying to prove yourself, but in a way trying to approve yourself and trying to pay that faith back. Yeah, in terms of the squad and the group and where everything's at in terms of that, I said it before and I really, really want the players to know how much I'm grateful for them as well. And it generally is that because, again, when I come in and I stand in front of a group, you know, it would be easy, you've been a

player, I've been a player, your job as a manager is to convince players. And the best way to convince them is by winning games. However, it didn't necessarily start that way. So for the players to be all in the way they were right from the start, I'm really grateful to them. And that's why I wanted to keep that together, to keep that group together, add a little bit of quality, as we said, but to keep the main leaders, the characters, bring back Casey, bring back Emilio, because we also won something last year as well.

And I think when you win something as a group, to keep that together, like, we'll, my opinion when you win something, you have a big advantage over other squads in terms of mentality, in terms of togetherness and all of that stuff. So yeah, it's been a journey, a real journey, and I'm constantly, constantly learning different challenges every single, every single day in dealing with players, dealing with squad. This is my first proper window, really and how we dealt with that. But yeah, really grateful to the club and the people, like the coaches and the people around me, because, again, it's important. It's important. that the players are in, but it's also important that the club, the staff, the people,

the physios, every single person is buying into it. And we've done a really good job at that, and now we need to keep going with it. You've got a familiar face managing in League One at Oxford. Have you been in touch with Aaron Ramsey over the summer? I actually haven't. I thought about sending him a message, but the next day when I went to send him a message, it was announced that they were in Barca, so I thought, no, I'm not. I'm not sending a message because I don't know that feeling.

And, yeah, listen, Aaron is someone who I shared the pitch with. I shared some great times with. And yeah, he was always a natural leader, obviously a really good football brain, top player and has got experience of top coaches in different leagues as well. So, yeah, he will be a good coach. I have no doubt about it. And, yeah, I wish him good luck, just not against us. Of course.

League Cup game at Chelsea next Thursday, big test, obviously. Jabby Alonzo going in there and they're going to be very, very well rested considering they're going to be playing one game a week on average. It's live on 5 live sport as well. We can't wait to watch your side. How excited you for that test? Well, when you put it like that,

yeah, it's scary as well. And it's also Jabby Alonzo's first time game. Yeah. Yeah, like look, I know from a player's perspective and I can hear them in the environment talking about that game already. So they'll be really excited and it's my job is to sort of yeah prepare the team in the way that

I see and give us the best chance to get a result we know we know it's going to be really really difficult but it's also a good test to see where the players are at and see how how far we think they've come against the top top level in the top stadium the stadium will be full we'll have I think we've sold 4,000 tickets so it's going to be a great day for the fans and the club and yeah hopefully we can put on a performance and Yeah, try and get something out of the game, which we know will be really difficult. Well, it's interesting. You're not giving us any form of insight.

Apparently, our producer saw you scrambling your tactics pulled behind before you come on. Hey, fair, you've got to protect what you got. Always on Jacko in management. No, no switching off, mate. Jack, really appreciate you coming on. Thank you for joining us in 72 Plus. No, all right. Thanks for having me. Love to have you again this season.

Jack Wilshire, the Luton Town head coach with us on 5-5-7. plus podcast. Also, league one. Big shout out. Bromley and Andy Woodman. Their first ever match in the third tier and they beat Barnsley by Gold to Nell. It was an interesting goal but you need a bit of luck sometimes, Jobes.

Well, you wouldn't expect anything different and this is one thing I love about Andy Woodman and his Bromley sides. You know, they have an identity, they have a way of doing things, they stick to it, they're well drilled, well coached and again, how else is a goal going to come? their first one, as you say, at the level.

Long set piece from the goalkeeper in his own half, managed to keep the ball alive, a little ricochet, but then there to turn the ball into the back and the net and had to get through some moments of pressure, up against it, as you would expect, but dug in massive team effort from everybody there, and what a start, what a story that has been, you know, their rise through the EFL and going up

and ruffling a few feathers, which I'm sure they're going to do all season long, so best of luck to Andy and everyone at Bromley. It's because he's happy to go lucky. as well. You just got to love him. Congratulations to York City as well. Back in the Football League after 10 years away. And they beat one of the promotion favourites, Bristol Rovers,

in a five-goll thriller. So well done to them. A new season of EFL football also means a new season of Fantasy EFL. The cone to join our league. 72 EFL pod. 7.2 EFL pod. And Joby is off to a flyer. Six in the table,

74 points. Captain Will Langshire. And had Bradford defender, McCauley Gillespie for his goal and clean sheet. just three points behind our leader. Utoxata Rams. Shout out Utox to Rams. As for me, Jose Sa and Steffi Maviddi not make up. You know what?

I think there's going to be people worried about us, As because, I mean, Sa was never going to start, was he? Come on. Hasn't played all preseason. Apparently wants to leave. I did see him up there, though, if that's any consolation for you. He was around Molineau, obviously, just nowhere near starting the game. He was in the calf next door.

Yes. And Maviddi. the, um, again. Yeah, you just stick to being a, and I'm a nice presenter on these short jazz

and leave the margin. Shui, are you involved in this league? Yeah? No, I'm not. No, I missed out. See yourself out, mate. Yeah.

You can see where the football brain is on this desk, aren't you, Shui? Yeah, definitely, mate, yeah. But off to a flyer and a great start by a few others, just not Aaron. Look, it's a long season.

It's a marathon, not a sprint. 28 points, no problem. I'll be back next week. Don't worry about it. 72 EFL pod. It is the coach. Can you get sacked in fantasy football? Can you sack the management?

If you could, I'll be, I'd have been gone. Start a last season. Long gone. Yeah, long, long gone. That's what I'll be doing. Right, for the first time this season, it's time to finish with this. 72 plus, 72 minus.

Yeah, it's back for the new season. Joe Bree's analytical view of all the goings on across the football league, and he picks out one of the best and one of the worst. Here he is. But I'm be honest, I can't believe I'm actually sitting here on my 72 minus and picking the magician that is Barry Bannon. But even he, I think, will not want to see this miss of the season contender ever again. It's a real mix-up in the late in Orient defence.

Headward back to the goalkeeper way too short. Barry Bannon latches onto it, touch round the keeper. He's no more than eight yards out, empty net on that one of the left foot and somehow manages it to squirm it wide. And it is cleared over halfway. Not the best backheader and Barry Bannon could be in here. He's taking it past the goalkeeper. A big moment for Bannon. Oh, he's scored.

He's not scored. He's hitting wide. It's an unbelievable miss from Barry Bannon. The goal was gaping. He scores that goal 999 times out of 1,000. And this is the one time he doesn't score. That is a remarkable miss from such a talented footballer. Barrington Bannon.

I can't believe you missed that. I mean, some of the goals he scored in his career that I wish I got anywhere near one of them and to see him do that. But listen, it just goes to show, just like your fantasy, happens to the best of us, mate. It does. It's a marathon, not a sprint. Keep your chin up, Bazar.

Let's have you 72 plus. Well, what a moment to finish off what was a brilliant opening weekend in the EFL and in the championship in particular. Cardiff City, who had had loads of possession, couldn't find a way to get an equalizer, then up steps Ruben Cole will with a moment of magic, free kick, edge of the box, bang. Let's have it.

Well, Colwell standing over it. Colvo, Rubber Coler hits it! I believe the phrase you're looking for is Limbs. Oh, absolutely incredible scenes. And again, a former club of mine, I'm so happy to see just the positivity around the football club. Big season and a tough season ahead, unfortunately I feel in terms of what they have been able to do in the transfer market.

but top young coach and some top young talent that again was on display. Shui, every club we mention is like one of his former club. It gets exhausting. Every week. Former club of mine. Former club of mine. I wasn't. It was a bit too far north for me.

Too cold up here for Joe. That's what it was. There you go. Where are you going this weekend, James? I am doing a big game actually, but actually Sheffer Wednesday. So hopefully Barry Bannon's not listening to this because I'm doing them against Bradford, which I can't wait for. was up at Bradford in the playoffs last year actually

and assert that Mr Stephen Schumack had got the better of them but that was a brilliant atmosphere expect them to go well this year and then Saturday back in the studio for the lunchtime EFL games on the road this week should we down at the Capitol

yep QPR good game for us as I think they had a really good result themselves away at Portsmouth at the weekend obviously a team when they're at it are really good especially at home tough place to go off this road but exciting one for us

and our fans will we go down there full of confidence and try and cause another upset. You must have played there. Have you ever managed there? I have, yeah. I played there for Oldham.

I think I was on the bench for Oldham many, many, many moons ago and I have managed there yeah, for Plymouth Argyle. Ryan Hardy should have scored we got a man sent off after 20 minutes and we finished nil-nil-nil

so it was a good result for us. You don't forget that the striker misses, do you? I like to remind him as well every time we're seeing. that chance you missed. But hopefully that can spare him on this weekend and he can go and get one in for us.

Proper old school ground. Enjoy it. Best of luck. And hopefully come back this season. It'd be good to have you again with us. Shui, you've been an absolute joy. Great to have you. Back on 72 plus with us.

Yeah, in the bag. There you go. It can only get better from here, can you? Mate, that's what I'm going to be playing D-Ream to my fantasy team this weekend. Things can only get better. Thank you to Stephen Chumacher, the bottom wondrous mantra chopes. Thank you as well.

One in the can. Happy days. Pleasure. Great to be back. Thanks for everyone listening and make sure you keep following us in our new location. Yes, 72 plus has its very own podcast feed on BBC Sounds this season. If you haven't already subscribed, all you need to do is search 72 plus on BBC Sounds and hit subscribe. So you get the latest episode straight to your device, wherever you get your podcast from, the moment it's released.

We'll catch you next week. This goes beyond what the KGB did back in the days. Conspiracy theories and the Football World Cup is there ever one without the other? Well, I've been digging into one of the very best back in 1994. Guy from Iraq gets a red card for a, you know, a dubious tackle. I'm James Montague and from BBC 5 Live, this is Sports Strangers Crimes Presents, Shadows on the pitch.

Listen on BBC. pounds.