Football Daily - 72+ EFL Pod: Norwich nosedive & Sheff Wed waiting game

Episode Date: October 22, 2025

Aaron Paul, Jobi McAnuff & Steve Evans talk Norwich with pressure on Liam Manning. Hear from football finance expert Kieran Maguire and BBC Radio Sheffield’s Rob Staton in what could be a big week for Sheffield Wednesday. Also Blackpool appoint Ian Evatt and Britt Assombalonga is back in the EFL! And will Wes Hoolahan make our 72+ Ultimate All-Time EFL XI? Send your suggestions to us on WhatsApp to 08000 289 369.00:20 Footballers getting in the ring 03:15 Steve nearly eight stone down 04:00 Has football become too comfortable for players? 10:05 Norwich drop into relegation zone 19:20 Sheff Wed set for winding-up petition 20:35 Explainer from football finance expert 29:10 Blackpool appoint Ian Evatt 33:20 Britt Assombalonga back in the EFL 34:45 Wes Hoolahan for our Ultimate EFL XI? 38:10 Goal of the season in 72PLUS 72MINUS?5 Live / BBC Sounds UEFA Champions League commentaries: Wed 2000 Chelsea v Ajax.

72 plus, the EFL podcast with Aaron Paul and Jobie McEnough. Welcome everybody to 72 plus, the home of the EFL from Five Live Sport, as ever with me. My right arm, my confidre, the vice skipper, Joby McEnough. How are you, mate? Well, how are you? I'm good, I'm good. Just really interesting watching ex-footballers enter a boxing ring. Now, I'm not sure if the listeners would have picked that up or whether you saw or anything.

of it, but Graham Stack, Old Arsenal and Reading, put on a charity night, and there were five bouts, Curtis Davis, who I worked with quite a lot, was in with Paddy Kenny, and I've got to say I didn't fancy his chances. Paddy's a big boy, very aggressive.

He's got form as well, Paddy. Well, I'll tell you what, I didn't see any of that form. Curtis absolutely knocked him Sparco in about 30 seconds. Came in like Mike Tyson, did the job, see you later. So I have a really good fight, though and just massive credit to the boys

for stepping in that ring because it's all well and good I've done a little bit of sparring a bit of padwork you get a whack on the face I think it changes the dynamics and you saw that so now a big shout out

to all the other boys David Noble Leroy Lita were a couple of others Anthony Gardner Jody Morris David Bentley might have missed one or two at Lee Trundle came out

looking like Ivan Drago from the Rocky films mate absolutely the thing about Lee Trundle is anything he does he doesn't mess around oh mate he looked a million dollars to be fair to him but gassed out didn't quite have the fitness but no brilliant brilliant effort from everyone involved

I believe a ton of money was raised for four different charities so yeah fair play to him I'm very very surprised I didn't see Steve Evans involved in the boxing because he's looking so sharp these days he's looking fit Gaffa your debut in the ring must be coming very very soon in fact. Well, I'm going to do what they're doing boxing, Joby. I'm going to call

Wolder. Come on, Wilder. Oh, I love it. You know, I'm going to Chris Wilder. Let's get the gloves. Me and Wander. Deontale, Chris. Oh, Chris. Not both. Neither. Do you know what I mean? But let's have Chris Wowder in Sheffield, any home city. Oh, come

up. Come on. Come on. You can be my trainer. We'll go up the other night before. We're prepared properly. Come on, Chrissy Wolder. Let's have it on. I'm all over this, sir. I think we need to get this going, mate. Some form of charity boxing. Yeah.

What other matchups could we get from some of our guys here on 72 plus? Let's get Moisey on. Come on, Davey. Come on, Moisey. Oh, he's going for the big dogs, isn't he? He's going for the big dogs. There was a weight category. I think that is important to be fair.

The winner gets Moise. Me versus World. The winner gets Moise. Why Moisey? Because I want to beat him. I can't beat him as a manager. Madless. Absolutely.

Gaffa, how are you being? Steve Evans with us? Yeah, I've been brilliant. Looking forward to the show, guys. Always listening, it's a great show. I had fun. Are you having fun? Obviously, still out of work,

but looking remarkably fit, you're looking well. Yeah, listen, you know, when you're, it's hard to see, you'll be probably don't weight. We're doing, but nearly it's done down. So the weight loss is, and the words of my big consultant

on Monday morning is stopped now, so it's a bit toning and conditioning and all the stuff. and that's great because I get to eat more and eat better things so so you're at your fighting weight Steve I'm ready if we're doing the boxing analogy

I'm still ready for Wona and he won't he'll win that snake so he'd be high he won't he'll be buzzing and I'm pleased for him but yeah come on Wajara sort of hiding behind your new teeth and your nice face and come on Chris you listen to it I love it I love it it's great to have you on with us

Steve as ever Thank you. A bit of talk this week about some football grounds and some training facilities being a bit too nice and a bit too comfortable for players. Tottenham with their poor home record and also the Norwich Boss Leigham Manning's hand, everything's too nice, nice facilities, nice food, nice training programme,

nice culture, nice group of lads, but if we want to win games we need an edge. We play nice football but there's nothing at the end of it. On the flip side, Steve, we saw Arsenal seemingly turn off the hot water for Atlago Madrid on Tuesday, on Monday night, I think it was they were training up at the Emirates.

Are people thinking of going sort of old-school Wimbledon here going and making life difficult for people? No, I personally don't see it Aaron. I think maybe some people hide behind excuses when they say things are too nice. I think

Jovi would agree with me. I think that there's an expectation now as to how you're treated the facilities, the pitches, the food that you eat, the people that cook it, etc. I think there's a real expectation with the modern day player, whether that's young or old, the standards are kept

really high. So, you know, the only thing I would say, I'd be concentrating more on the grass and more on my team and more on the players than what I would be able to say it's too nice for people. I've been fortunate to be at Norwich at the training facilities. I've been fortunate to be up the road at Arsenal that, you know, players are treet and staff are treet

in an exemplary way, but the expectations that the demands are high, so I'm actually one of them that says leave the standards high and worry about the grass. Joby, are football clubs too nice these days? Are they building these sort of these environments now? I mean, they call them sort of high performance centres. They're not even training grounds anymore. It's an interesting one.

My view on it is probably, I think some academies, and for younger players, they are, for sure. You walk around, you know, the lights as, you know, you're talking top level, you know, spurs. But, I mean, Steve will know, and even Stevenage was top for a league two club at the time when I was there. But you do want good pitches. If you're a team that's going to want to play good football,

for first team absolute nonsense you know absolute nonsense again you've earned the right to be in that first team so you should have the best facilities to go out and be able to do your job you should have the best food to help you make sure your nutrition's on point and your recovery and the ice baths that is part of being

a top professional the nice side of things for me it's characters you know it's about the drive from the manager and the demand that he puts on that group but there is also players that have got that in them and there's players that haven't and when I look at a lot of these clubs now and I look at the recruitment

they're not recruiting these characters and then they expect it to just appear in a team you know Liam Manning's talking about having you know no leadership well that's part of recruitment if you identify that when you come in the door you've got to say to your director of football I'm going to need one or two

and in that case in particular I know we're going to come on to them a little bit more detail you know I think that's a part of the game that is we're losing you know because maybe there's no value in a senior pro that we might sell on from a financial perspective but what they can give you

in that dressing room at that nice training ground or that nice stadium is an understanding of how to win a game and sometimes you've got to win horrible and I just see so many clubs now that just don't have that running for them so for you who plied your trade on Richardson Evans

and for people who don't know where Richardson Evans is or was that was where Wimbledon Football Club trained it was on Wimbledon Common it was not the best in terms of facilities-wise It was a park and you know you have players you turn around and they'll tell stories

once upon the time that football club where you had to go and clean up the dog you know what before training. What club was it that you went to

where you walked into the training ground and you're like, whoa, this is good? It's probably the move from then and it's a really interesting point you make because again, through my academy we didn't have great facilities as youth team players

and yet everything was you had to earn it and even when you get into the first team like you say you're still at the same park and it was a part as we had people walking dogs while we were trained training, you know, and then I went from there to West Ham, and that was a step up in every single department, you know, stature of the football club, the stadium, the training ground at Chadwell Heath, obviously they're in a new one now. But yeah, that was a real kind of, oh, wow, okay, this is what a club should look like. That's probably been in the Premier League, whereas Wimbledon, although they had that history of being there, the infrastructure never moved with what they were doing in the top league. And it did breed a certain type of character and that hard work.

and, you know, an appreciation of when you did leave the football club. But as I say, you know, for me, if you're operating certainly top-level championship and, you know, even further down now, those facilities should be of a good standard. And it's no excuse to say that the team's too nice because of that. I think it's also like Jimmy just touched on it at start there. It's characters. I'm looking back in the summer and I see Dickling Rice

phoned up a non-league club and has to use the pitch because it's only place he can run other than the main roads and goes and does it because he's such a desire. to go into Arsenal in pre-season in a very good shape of it himself. That's desire, that's hunger. Declan Rice could probably pick any facilities he wants given his status, but to phone up

an unlead club and go and do it, it shows you it's a bit of desire and him get into that Arsenal environment, he'd be appreciative, but it'll also say that I'm going running train anywhere, but we really need to deliver on the pitch and these facilities back it up. Steve, is the training ground more important than the actual ground itself in the stadium?

Yeah, for me it is. I've always believed into infrastructure and facilities. It's probably the one thing that everyone accept, including the chairman, that at Rotherham United, the facilities behind the scenes, and you're Monday to Friday, don't back up what you're trying to achieve at the New York Stadium, which is incredible.

So from my point, have you, any chairman I've sat down with, whether it be Phil Wallace, I know myself and the chairman start after my week, one, week two, and there were certain monies you had available. Do we put them in short-term players, or did we put them into infrastructure? You and Jobby have been at this evening under my tenure, under Alex tenure,

is that it's a fantastic facility to go to. They give their players every chance. So what it's all about. Let's push on and talk about Liam Manning and Norwich. Four defeats in a row for the Canaries. Two points taken from the last 21 available. They've dropped into the relegation zone for the first time since 2009 when they were relegated down to League 1.

And so, Joby McEnough, it's a bit of an understatement, but the pressure is piling on Liam Manning. It is, and listen, it should be, but I don't think this is an example where the buck just stops with him. I think it's a club that has just lost its way a little bit. I think Ben Napa has to take responsibility, some of the decisions they've made.

And I go back to where we are as football fans or supporters or observers, whatever you want to call us. And you look at David Wagner, got that team into the playoffs. And there was a lot of moaning and groaning about style, the play and he made a conscious decision to go and get that experience in and yes they weren't brilliant on the eye and yes they ended up losing but they go away from that and go completely different you know they've lost key key players you bring in a young coach because you want to

be a forward thinking style of football and different philosophy you sell your best players you know you don't give him really i don't think enough time in johanna sturrett he goes out the door, then you make another decision with another young, forward-thinking coach. Again, for me, I look at that recruitment and I go, really, who's going to come in and be real championship pedigree to go and be? And they're talking as a club about if they don't get in the playoffs, it's a disappointing season. Now, what are you giving your manager to go and deliver that when I look at the recruitment, nowhere near enough?

So I think that there are bigger issues there than just who the manager is on the touchline. I think it's a club-wide problem at the moment. Of course, the expectation at Carver Road is if you're in the championship, you compete to be back in the Premier League. And if you're in the Premier League, you're competing to try and stay up. That's what Norwich City is all about. But I went to their game at Derby last night. I have to say they were outstanding in the first 45 minutes. They made a host of chances.

I wouldn't see always clear-cut chances, but they dominated Derby from the first minute to the halftime break. Should have been two or three goals ahead. It was as if there's a transformation at halftime. They came out in the second half. had a lot of spell. They get the goal. And then for the rest of the game, there was what happens with a team that's not winning games, a lack of belief. There seem

to be a lack of organisation, but that's just a lack of belief, I think, for me, a lack of confidence. Players not want to take the ball in tight areas when the first half they were prepared to do it. But again, echo with Jobi said, I think we all look at recruitment of different squads and different teams back in the summer. And I've never seen the recruitment at Carr Road and thought,

hmm, challenging. I never thought that. So it gives Liam a real difficult job because he's probably less involved in who comes in the building at Norwich than he was at Bristol City I know he worked quite closely with John Lansdown and they did it together and Brian and Tannian

and other people down at Bristol so it's a real fight for Leo Manning's his home city he wants to do incredibly well that's why he went but as we all know as managers and head coaches you can only go on the grass and coach who you've got you can't coach who you would like to have

I just wonder looking back at Stuart Webber tenure, you look at the team that Daniel Farka had, and the one point I always make is that they had two very good players for each position. They didn't win the championship. They smashed the championship up. It was every game you got a Norwich and go, right, how many they're going to score today, because they were so, so good in what they did. But they never really reinvested properly. When I say properly, they spent money on players, but they wasted a lot of money on players, especially in that first tenure in the Premier League they went in their wasted money

on players that were never going to fit the star but were there and they thought yeah could take the next step up and it kind of unravelled and now the squad is unidentifiable from what it was once upon a time was there always going to be pressure on Ben Napa to follow in the footsteps to someone like Stuart Weber

and is he to blame? Listen clubs are on slightly different journeys at different times and I don't think that that expectation level that was raised by everyone at that football club has been really helpful and my thing is if you are going to go a slightly different way

and you are going to get a younger coach and you're going to get players that are unproven which clearly for the most part particularly the last couple of years that has been the way the recruitment structure has gone then for me you have to give that manager time you have to give him an opportunity and you've got to be open and you've got to be transparent

and you've got to be able to take the flack when it comes and saying that this is a long-term project but you can't start the season going right we should be in the playoffs and then you get to this situation are in the bottom three and you're not any part responsible for it. Of course you are.

Everybody is. And I think that's one of the big issues around the football club, you know, for the fans. You look at the talent that they've left going and not reinvest in. Science obviously has gone Nunez this season. You know, some real top players

that have gone out the door over the last few years and they haven't replaced the quality and it's very difficult to keep competing at that top end if you don't bring in light for light players. So listen, I think their frustration and the anger from the fan base is justified but again I just feel you've got a given opportunity and listen I know

Norwich City fans will be probably listening to this screaming going well hang on a minute have you not seen us recently and you know I think what maybe gets their goat a little bit is he's coming out after saying we played really well in the first half and it's like fans don't want to hear that you've just lost to Derby who were terrible you know especially for the first half and have been so far this season you know you've lost the Derby to Whipswich for the first time in 16 years can't score a goal and your manager's coming out saying we've played well

and listen I get it you've got a job as a gaffer to try and put across the positive points but I do feel there's a time and a place for it and I can understand as I say the frustration but I believe

you know they've had injuries I'm not trying to make excuses for him you know I'm really not because he should be doing better even with the squad that he's got but I just feel you know for me they've got to give him a little bit more time

to try and turn things around I think the reality is though Joe but you don't get time do you I know I know I know You know, I'm hearing the best coaches in the road in the world end, you have to win football matches. I'm hearing no, no, West Ham. I have to find a way to get this squad, which is poor for West Ham

and poor for the Premier League. I think we'll accept that. But he has to find a way to go on the training ground, to produce a team and produce a system and a way to get points and win games. Because if you don't, you know, the thoughts of Norwich being in League 1 is hard to accept. And the thoughts of West Ham been in the championship,

it's really hard to accept. That's one of the criticisms, sorry to jump in then, maybe of these younger up-and-coming coaches where they are deemed and perceived to have one style of play. And I think that's something, again, that's been frustrating in Norwich fans. It's been very slow at times. It's very, you know, overly patient.

Well, it's for a manager to find a way of players, isn't it? Kenny McLean has come out and said that it's the player to it to blame. Listen, and again, great. By the way, club captain coming out, saying, look, we've got to hold our hands up and take some flack, which, again, absolutely, he's right. as well. And until you're in that dressing room, you know, you don't know exactly what those directions

are. But like Steve said, you've got to try and find a way of winning a game of football. And at the moment, it just seems a bit rinse and repeat when it comes to Norwich, some decent spells dominating the ball, but not being able to find a way to score a goal, you know, not getting shots on target. I know Kenny very, very well. Of course, it comes from the same little villager that I come from many moons ago. But he would have been getting into those boys, not only after games.

You wouldn't be doing it in a way that's causing this harmony in the dressing room. But when the gaffer leaves, when Liam goes out the door, he'd be saying, what's going on here? Look at the quality we got sitting here. But then they'll be looking around, Steve, like, fair enough. And I've had this situation where I've been maybe the only real leader in a dressing room or, you know, the one who's willing to talk. And you say, you know, it's week after week.

You're sort of saying the things that you need to see and, you know, what you're demanding from the players. But then I'd look around at times. And I'm like, right, someone's got to help me out here, you know, because it's only one man in there. And I look around that team now, and, you know, particularly in those forward areas, you know, apart from a Josh Sargent, again, who must be looking around going, hang on a minute, how am I still here, by the way? But, you know, young players, players that are not tested and tried at this level. And again, I think that's what it comes back to.

I really do. When I look through that squad and I look through that team, there's just not enough what I would call top level championship experience. And there's players that are learning on the job. And when you're getting beat every week, that is a tough, tough place for it. From the start of your day, to the moment you head home. Join Five Live for the latest news, the stories everyone's sharing, and the biggest debates. This is a really important moment. The days of sweeping this under the rug are over.

Let's just get up and chip away and make a difference. Whatever the day throws at you will help make sense of it. From the headlines to the details that matter. Wake up with Five Live breakfast from six and go home with Five Live Drive from four. weekdays on BBC Radio 5 live 72 plus the EFL podcast with Aaron Paul and Jobie McEnough Let's turn our attention to bottom of the championship, Sheffield Wednesday. They could this be served with a winding up petition over unpaid taxes.

Rob Staten is from BBC Radio Sheffield and is of course across this story. Rob, welcome to 72 plus. Tell us what's the latest. Latest is that there's going to be an extension of how much Sheffield Wednesday owe to HMRC, which is the source of the winding up petition in the first place. So P.A.Y.E is owed on the 22nd of every month. That's going to come in. So there's an extra tax bill that Wednesday are due. So it's a million pounds that they currently owed to HMRC. That is going to significantly grow, which is just going to increase the pressure on the house. I don't think they've got the money to pay that bill, which means that that winding up petition is imminent.

It could happen at any time. And when that happens, who knows what's going to be the next thing? or one of the creditors at Sheffield Wednesday forced the club into administration or the chairman, put them into administration himself as the main creditor. Will he find the money from somewhere or will he be more open-minded about a sale? So far, he's not changed his position

on how much he wants for the club or how he's going to negotiate a sale. So it appears that we're going into this drawn-out process where it's going to be wound up or administration. So all quite complicated. Let's try and break it down a bit more. Here's football finance expert, Kieran McIntyre. If Chancery turns up on the gates,

of the court and gives HMRC a check, then the problem is solved. But if he can't find the money, then the court could potentially sign that petition, which effectively allows the bailiffs to go in. What the football club could do is to try to negotiate a settlement with HMRC, or another alternative is to put the football club into administration, and that sort of acts a bit like a protective dome over the club. that would mean that the sort of the petition would bounce back and they wouldn't be able to send the bailiffs around.

The trouble is a million pounds worth of assets at a football ground is an awful lot. So that could be really awkward. You could be losing all your IT equipment. If the club's got any vehicles, they would go, what's going to happen? It could even be the groundsman's lawmower. So you don't want that.

So do you have the money, if so, and across the money to HMRC, and we've got a stay of execution? If you've not got the money, then administration is an option which you have to take into serious consideration, but that would trigger an automatic point seduction. And what the administrator does is, first of all, they take over the day-to-day running of the football club. So therefore, Dejon Chanceri would not be in charge of ticket prices, marketing initiatives or anything else. or player transactions, that would be transferred into the hands of the administrators, and the administrators would effectively write up a list of everything that Sheffield Wednesday

Football Club owns, and I think that's important because Sheffield 3 own the stadium, as we're aware. They would write to all the creditors to find out how much the creditors are owed, and then they'd market the club. They'd effectively become sort of a glorified estate agent in many regards, but at the same time they're running the football club on a day-to-day basis. And it's not good news because there's a high chance of job losses. If we're still in administration in January, they would be looking, because they've got to cover their own costs. They would be looking to sell players as well.

And it's sort of a distressed situation, so you're not getting market value for the players. That is Keirre McGuire from The Price of Football Podcast. What kind of are the next steps to Sheffer Wednesday in the next week, if things aren't sorted and look. I've got to say, with the track record of Dave von Chancery, I don't expect anything to be sorted. Well, it's going painfully slowly,

which is, you know, exactly how Chancery is kind of operated. There's been various times that he's spell at Sheffield Wednesday where he has been, you know, advised to do one thing and has done the total opposite. And the thing that is the total opposite action that he's taken has been completely detrimental to him and the club. You only have to look at the way that the situation with Danny Real over the summer as to an example of how to completely get a situation wrong

and lose money on a holding on to a manager who was always going to leave, and then he's kind of like let him walk out the door rather than getting anything for him. And it's the same with this. Like he will be presumably being advised what his best options are. And I'm pretty sure that he's been told that the worst option is to drag this out with HMRC and get a winding up petition. And yet that seems to be what he's doing. we thought the winding up petition was going to potentially come last week

and that things would be sort of moving along early last week. We're now sort of 10 days on from that. And I think perhaps this P-A-Y-E bill that is going to be added to the million pounds is partly the reason why it's been delayed so far. But once you kind of get past that and the debtor to HMRC grows, I think that's when we're presumably going to find some kind of next step of this situation. and then it's what happens then when the winding up petition comes in

how do Wednesday move from this or is there still another card to be played will Chan Siri somehow find some kind of an arrangement with HMRC I think that situation to some fans will be seen as the worst case scenario because it will just mean that this agony prolongs Rob do we actually know what the end game is here

for Chan Siri what he's you know sort of drawing this process out for what he wants I've got no idea what he wants He's an impossible person to work out. The feeling about a month ago was that his intention was just to cling on to the club, to just cling on to Sheffield Wednesday and not sell and try and find a way to get through this current issue with the cash flow as it is. But at the same time, you've got staff again wondering next week whether they're going to get paid on time. This is incredibly stressful for them.

They're not going to get any sort of serious money in until January. you get a bit more TV money, you can sell players. You've got all sorts of things that are going to come to your season tickets or presumably go on sale early like to do every year at Sheffield Wednesday, and you can get some money in. So how is he going to make ends meet until January? Which leads people to speculate is the reason he wants to cling on because he owes a quantity of money that he just can't make it back on a sale.

Therefore, the only thing to do is to keep hold of the asset, the club, rather than selling it on the cheap because if he does that, financially he's going to have some issues, but without being able to ask him, he never does any interviews with the BBC, without being able to ask him exactly what his goal is, what his end game is. It's very hard to say. Just in terms of the fans who have obviously done everything they can up to this point to really support the group of players and staff that are going out there, but I'm hearing rumours of a protest at Hillsborough. Can you ask a little bit more about that? The supporters trust have called for fans to boycott the Middlesbrough game. So they want

people to watch it on the TV or listen or just not attend to do something else rather than go to this game. Because it's been televised, their argument is there's still a means to actually see this game. Just don't go, don't give the club any money. This will increase the pressure on Chancery. Boycotting the League Cup games, for example, and the reduced attendances for the home game so far has had a serious issue with Wednesday and has impacted Chan series. Has that a big impact us to the situation we are now? And they think that increasing this pressure and not go into games is one of the ways to sort of move things along. You could also argue, though, that the fact that this is dragged out, for example,

let's say that if Chan Sirie had taken the decision to go into administration last week, the chances are that the administrators who would be running the football club now, would then be saying, look, there's a chance that Chancery's gone, we needed to come in, we needed to help us raise the money to run this football club, get yourself down to the Middlesbrough game, get yourself down to the Oxford game, and support the club again. And the fans would have done that in their droves. They don't need an excuse to go back into the club

and support their team. But because it hasn't happened, because there's still this kind of unknown as to what the next stage is, they are going to stay away. So what you're probably going to see is a pretty empty Hillsborough for the next couple of home games. Rob really appreciate the insight.

Thank you so much for joining us on 72 Plus, the home of the NFL from Fire of Live Sport. Rob Staten of BBC Radio Sheffield following that story. It really is a huge footballing institution. Lucian Boys, Sheffield Wednesday, it's a massive, massive football club, and they just, those fans just want to go and watch football jobs? Yeah, they do, and the ones that are going, again,

particularly probably because of the away games, and I completely understand their logic about not wanting to put money into his pocket. What they are seeing when they do turn up is players that are given absolutely everything, and unfortunately for that group of players, because it's so stretched, there are limits to what they can do, but, you know, no lack of effort or desire to want to go and play for that shirt. It's just a real sad state of affairs. And what I don't get with these situations

is if you are an owner that has a valuation of the club, all right, whatever he thinks it's worth now, it's clearly not what people are willing to pay. But clearly that value's going to go down if you get relegated and you're in the league below. So would you not want to just maximise, cut your losses? Clearly there's no other way that this is going to get resolved

in terms of him suddenly finding funding to kick on again. At that point's done. So why would you not just say, right, whatever I can get, whatever the maximum is, get it done, get it sold, and move it on to someone who wants to come and invest it. Honestly, it blows my mind every time we get in these situations. Let's drop into league one.

Bottom of the third tier, Blackpool have appointed the former Bolton boss Ian Everett to replace Steve Bruce. Evo spent seven years with the tangeries during his playing career, including a spelling in the Premier League, 254 games for the Seasiders. He's had a bit of time out, left Baldwin in January. Joby, this looks like a really good appointment on paper.

Yeah, it makes a lot of sense to me. Obviously, knows the club inside out. It's got a great reputation there from the fan base. So you're already walking in with that credit in the bank. And it's not as if it's a player who has never managed before. Clearly, he had a fantastic track record, you know, at Barrow, first of all. And then the job he did at Bolton, taking them up from League 2. And, you know, the only failure really was not then getting promotion.

I think things just went a bit stale in the end and a bit of a fall in. out with some of that fan base that maybe had overlooked the great job he did on the whole. And I think that just can happen after a certain amount of time. But yeah, clearly really good pedigree, you know, great affinity for the club. And I think it just makes sense on a lot of level. I just wanted to ask Steve, do you think sometimes, you know, after you've done so well, which clearly he did at Bolton, and you've left the job, you remembered a bit too much for things how they ended rather than actually the job in total, which I think has been the problem,

really for Ian Evert and probably his reputation really. Yeah, I think 100% you do. People remember your last six, eight weeks, don't then? They forget about the previous years you've had there like ever had it at Bolton before that barrel. But I was involved in this process at Blackpool

the recruitment process for a new boss. So talking to Simon and David Downs, they will give Evo every opportunity, every chance, every bit of funding, every player that he's not every player, but he'll go and ask for certain players and certain things in January.

He'll get that support. So he was ready to come back in. I spoke to him last night. He was ready to come back in. And I think it's a really good appointment. He's remembered fondly from his playing time at Blackpool, of course. The one thing that Blackpool have, they have a top squad. Now, look at it compared to we just discussed Norwich,

who we thought didn't have the score to make it happen. Any manager or coach who we acknowledge a league one job, and you and I really know very well about League One is that you'd be happy walking into that Blackpool dressing room this morning looking at a squad of players because that is, that is for sure and I did tell Simon this

that is for sure a playoff squad the same a score that's not capable of that and I said it to whoever last night and more important he agreed I think it's a good marriage Simon Sadler David Downs and Ian Ever wish them well when you say you're involved in

the recruitment and the sort of the process of Blackpool what does that involve is that sort of just a few conversations Is that sitting around the table and going through CVs or being part of interviews and is there sandwiches involved? There's certainly no sandwiches for... My body's a tempo, Aaron.

That's how I'm going to have, I'm going to have a little bit here. No, I had several chats with Simon and David and they were coming up with a preferred manager. That's what they were coming up with. So they were giving Stephen Dobby the opportunity. I think Simon came out and said it. we're going to give him three or four games. I think in that period they thought

Stephen is a good young coach, he's got a future, but it's not now. And therefore, they were looking at a select small group, and I was fortunate enough to be one of them. But the chats I had were all positive. It was all about how we can support, how we can help. And I know that I've just got the feeling they'll do real well. And it's not impossible to have that season.

You know, I can remember Lee Johnson, at Barnsley, been, I think it's bottom of the, bottom of the league when boxing day came and all of a sudden they end up in the playoffs I'll win the playoffs so they're capable of special things with the squad they've got and a good guy getting in a good manager a knowledgeable manager

I think you do very well I'm looking forward to it I'm going to his first game away at Peterborough on Saturday to say it's going to be a big one do you know what Gaffa I'll pop over and see how about that Evans Tours you're welcome someone else back in the

EFL is Britta Sombolonga He's joined League 2 Barnett having spent the last two seasons in Turkey trial with a couple of clubs in the summer but Asombalonga will be plying his trade at the hive A goal and assist in the trophy on Tuesday against Cambridge Good to see him back, he's a good player Steve I'm not aware of what condition Brits in But we all see that cheek of smell when he's got last night

We're watching on the television, you see the goal, you see the smile If he's half right, if he's hard right he's a major asset to Dean Brennan and Barnett Football Club he's a goal scorer, he's strong, he's physical if he's half right he's a major asset for them in the season ahead 32, nothing, he's just getting started

I know, it's actually really interesting to hear that because I'd certainly have him down as a little bit older which again, as a pro who played to 39 I used to hate when people say, oh actually I thought you're older than that so probably not the best thing to do but listen one thing that never changes for a goal scorer is that knack of people

being in the right place at the right time and the ability to finish when you get there and looking at his goal certainly hasn't lost that. I think it's a brilliant pickup for Barnett. I really, really do. And obviously, a team that's having a really good season in the league. So, yeah, that experience, that know-how, I think's going to be absolutely huge for them. I'm sure from his perspective, we want to get a good run of games, get his fitness. And I think they could have a real top, top signing on their hand.

Let's push on. Our ultimate EFL 11 is all racked up. Joe, but you mentioned him last week. We've had a lot of shouts of Wes Hulahan to be added into our starting and line up. Tom in Norwich has messaging saying, I can't believe Wes Hulahan, AK, the Irish Messi is being slept on. Three

FL promotions, 56 goals, 82 assists across the NFL, and he also contributed in the Premier League. Textor 299, Wes Hulahan is the centre mid instead of Lulana for me, more longevity. I think we need to pose a question to Steve. What do you reckon?

Well, I'm saying no, because I've tried to sign him at the back end of his noise table he turned me down at one somewhere else so why is if you're listening to this you know, you've got no chance of getting any bad, Steve, because you didn't come and play for the boy with the seven. Is that how you used to go? If the player turned you down

once, that is it, you never go back for him or a lot. Yeah, Jobby, I tried to say new three teams. You taught me there. It's not coming two three days, didn't it? But I've never had enough big share because of Joeby Macenoff, Harry. Ah, behave yourself. I never got that message. All them norts on the end of it, Steve.

There's only zeros, as Alex Ferguson once told me, it's only difference in COVID-10 of Manchester Night is zeros on the end of everything. He was a pricey player to have. Joby, what about you? What do you reckon? It's a tough one, isn't it? Because I think Lelada was excellent, and he probably played a little bit more than I thought he did

when I sort of looked at some of the amount of games that he played in the Football League. Obviously, went on and had a fantastic career in the Premier League. So it's a real, real tough one. I mean, I know we kind of tried to to get Johnny Housson, didn't we, for Ian Ashby last week.

So I think that's a good shout. Listen, I think it's a flip of a way. If you've got me, Wares them in, he was a special player. Right, we'll go, Wes. Go on, and Adam Lulana, out. Special, special talent. I like that.

I like that. A decision has been made. Wes Hulahan goes into Ultimate EFL 11. Get your suggestions in. Message or VoiceNet, us on WhatsApp, 08,000, 289, 3,69. Anything else you want to throw Jobies way as well is welcome on that.

that line. Our line up is Casper Schmichael and goal. Graham Alexander, Solbamber, Wes Morgan and George Friend, Johnny House and Wes Huland and Peter Whittingham is the midfield three. Jamie Vardy, Alexander Mitrovich and Ricky Lambert up top. I think that's coming

together, as, I think that's really starting for me to feel like a proper EFL 11. I'll take them into battle, Jubby. I mean you'll take them into battle. If you had to your chances with them, would you, Steve? Oh, let's go to all big soul. bless them, God rest them.

He used to see it in me every week. Let's go to war, Gaffa. Let's go to war. See, this is the thing. I think our next one should be EFL players' term managers 11. Oh, good shout. What do you reckon?

I don't mind that one. Yeah, I'd have that. I think that should be our next one. We need to put this into concrete. Cast it properly now. The one season wonders, I think,'s got to be a great shout. Oh, absolutely. That would be the amount of memories that will revoke,

yeah, like just outstanding. and that might give us a bit more wiggle room because I still look at the strikers and go Mitrovich and I go Billy Sharp's not in there how can we have a EFO level without Sharping? That's for another week Steve, we'll get on to that next week.

All the listeners out there, Billy Sharp in, crew, let us know, please. 0-8,000, 289, 369 is the number. Get your WhatsApp into us. Let's finish with this. 72 plus, 72 minus. Yeah, it's time for Joby's best and worst moments of the week. From across the EFL, Joby over to you.

Oh, I've got to start with Jack Robinson, brought in for his experience and leadership, something we spoke about so much on the pod today, but does the complete opposite when your team's in trouble. What you don't need is an own goal and then a red card ending up losing the game 3-2 versus Holt. Let's have it. Corner is in. It's cleared away to the edge of the penalty area. Leonard, chest it down and then left foot in.

Fires it wide. He was chasing it, feeling it was a corner. The referee, is he going to change his mind here? No. Oh, and he's giving two yellow cards to Jack Robinson, who's going to be sent off here, and blues are behind and now down to 10 men as well. Dishing them out like Christmas, aren't they?

Joby, your 72 plus for this week, please. Well, there's only one contender this week. Maybe the goal of the season. Should we just listen to the clip? Let's do it. Patterson runs into the... challenge of Connell. He's done well there. And Barnsley now can go for a long shot. Sam Walker on his goal line. It's an amazing goal. That is an incredible goal. Scoring from your own

half. I can't quite believe that has gone into the back of the net. Sam Walker off his goal line. Clearly he went for it and you just have to congratulate the execution of utter brilliance. absolutely Joby it was class wasn't it well you see some of these goals and we do get a few of them where it's sort of halfway this wasn't just a halfway line he was well within his own half I mean the centre circle he was behind that and just to strike the accuracy I mean it just drops in under the crossbar keepers scrambling and always makes it better when they start going tumbling into the back of the net

so yeah absolutely outstanding finish from Ray is cleary I think from a golf perspective, Joe, but he's not an 8 iron. It's a 4 iron, isn't it? It's that far? It's that far. Yeah, to even kick it that far is some effort, I've got to say. So, yeah, brilliant. If you haven't seen it yet, go and check it out.

I'm disappointed for the goalkeeper. Sam Walker. He could have got in 72 minus. Don't worry about that. He's a big boy as well, Sam Walker. He's not sure. He's six at six. Yeah, I'm not sure about that, Gaffer.

I bet he's getting a better ribbon this week in training off the lads. Everyone will be trying it now That's the problem Yeah, he'll be Pellin balls at him Into fantasy Joby one Canobie's Inside our top 15 and 72 plus me

Captain Brandon Thomas Asante For his three goals across the game week I went for Hadji Wright Who of course drew a blank Sloppy mate I was actually in the same boat as you Obviously commentary absolutely flying But what you've got to do

Is just read between the lines As he was away with America Long trip Comes back Is he quite going to be as sharp as he was Thomas Asante has been top, top draw. Captain Dim, 52 points from the boy. What a guy for me this week.

I'm actually right up there, I think 126 points, which I believe this week is fourth. And I've still got Richard Kone to go, so it could be a little bit more to come. Do you know what it is, Steve? I mean, I just think that the atmosphere and the environment I'm producing for these players, it's just too nice. It's too nice.

You've got to give him a rocket. every now and again, mate. You take them, you buy them drinks, you buy them food. I'm only speaking from personal experience. That's it. It's just too nice. It is too nice. Shout out, Shalberti, FC. With the highest score, the game week ahead of Wednesday night's fixtures 154 points.

Captain Brandon Thomas Asante, a mega week for you. Our 72 plus lead code is 72 EFL pod. That's the number seven, the number two EFL pod. Shout out, by the way, Joby. to Bristol City. Didn't go there on Tuesday. They beat Southampton 3-1. And I've had a message on the press team saying,

stay away. You've never got it back, though, anyway. I've got it banned for there. Where's everyone this weekend? Are you watching where you going? I am, Sheffield Wednesday, Borough, tonight, and then Friday, Shefford United, and their revival,

when I last couple of games, that should be an interesting one. I'm going to be walking out Saturday morning for this world of fight, so I'm getting ready for that. I've got a choice. I'm thinking, Alex has been on the phone from Alex Herville from Stephenies.

Do I want to go down and watch them against Bradford, proper game? Or I could be 10 minutes up the road for Blackpool coming to Peter Rayne and to be Fergie. So both games, magnitude is massive at both ends of the table. All right, get the kettle on. I'll see you Saturday morning. Thank you, Joby. Thank you, Steve. Remember, send us your all-time ultimate EFL at 11 suggestions on WhatsApp. It's 0-8,289-369.

That is it for this episode of the Football Daily. and the next one will have reaction to Chelsea Iax in the UEFA Champions League. And as for us, on the 72 plus EFL pod, we'll be back next week. Catch you then. Welcome to the brand new podcast series Rugby League Top 10 with me, Mark Chapman. It's where John Wilkins, Brian Noble and Jamie Peacock will discuss, debate and argue over lists at the best players, games, finals, iconic moments and plenty of other categories that will no doubt leave you screaming at your device.

The most entertaining parts of our sport are these, the jeopardy, the moments. He made rugby league look cool. Yeah, I mean, that's a difficult thing to do, I think. It is really, is. Yeah, no. Well, I think we've all managed to carry that bathroom. Rugby League top ten. Listen on BBC Sounds.