Football Daily - Euro Leagues: Champions League number 9s & someone likes to spy?

Episode Date: October 2, 2025

Steve Crossman is joined by Julien Laurens, Guillem Balague and James Horncastle to focus in on some of the top performing number 9s in the Champions League this week.Do the performances of Senny Mayulu and Goncalo Ramos in PSG’s win over Barcelona showcase the club’s continuing conveyor belt of talent? Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen scored to see his team beat Liverpool; why hasn’t he been the transfer target of other major European clubs? Mjallby Assistant Coach Karl Marius Aksum joins the pod as his team could win the title in Sweden for the first time in 86 years later this week. What makes their style of football a more fruitful version of Ruben Amorim’s tactics at Manchester United? Plus, Julien and James discuss their experiences of ‘spying’ when trying to figure out starting line-ups.TIME CODES: 1:41 PSG’s Senny Mayulu and Goncalo Ramos 9:42 Galatasaray’s win over Liverpool 16:03 Julien and James tell us about past spying escapades 22:50 Marseille’s Pierre Emerick Aubameyang 26:03 Mjallby Assistant Coach Karl Marius Aksum 39:15 What’s working for Rasmus Hojlund?

On the Football Daily podcast, the Euroleagues, with Steve Crosman. Welcome to the Euroleagues. We will be zoning in on the Champions League week through the prism of some of the high-performing number nines on the continent. So everything from a Parisian teenager to Pierre Emmerichabamian, still going at 36, and Rasmus Hoyland. Yes, really. We'll also be live in the tiny Swedish fishing village of Mialbi. We're going to talk to their assistant. coach because they can win the title this weekend for the first time in their 86-year

club history. With us, Julianne-Loron, James Horncastle, and a man, I believe, who has won the first silverware of the new season. Hello, Guillain Balagher. Good evening, everybody. How are you? Yes, all right, all right. I haven't recovered fully my voice, but yes, I think this will last, hopefully. We're off to a flyer. Is that because you gave a really long acceptance speech for an award that you've won. We're going to start by saying congratulations, aren't we? I prepared a very long speech. Right.

I didn't realize that once I got to stage, I had 10 seconds before the next award was given. So to put a two minute, I was told three minutes. So you were going to be thanked as well. But sorry, there wasn't mentioned. In 10 seconds, it just went like, cheers and took it away with me. What did you win?

Let me see. It says. Oh, you know. Don't pretend you. Let me say. What is this? thing that I've got here. Global contribution to suppose journalism.

Yes, kids, that's false modesty. Of course I knew what it was. Well, congratulations, Guillain. Thank you. Right, let's get into it then. We'll start with the big game of the week. So as I said before, we're going to channel the performances of the great

number nines over the course of this Champions League match week. So PSG beat Barcelona, two-one in Catalonia, 19-year-old Seni Mayulu, Goncalo Ramos, got the goals for PSG. I think Maulu Jules is an interesting one to talk about because he's basically the other guy who scored in the Champions League final and by the time he scored, if he'd scored the first

would be like oh my goodness, teenager, Champions League final, amazing but it sort of faded away in the midst of that massive story, didn't it? Yeah, I can hear you in that way although he had turned 19 two weeks before he had been kind of highlighted by the people at the club from the academy has potentially

the next big thing and we don't know how big and how high he could go but certainly there was a bit of hype around him already and Luis Enrique has always said these guys special he can play everywhere

as a nine as a fourth nine wide in midfield and Luis San Riquet loves those profiles who are super versatile so we we knew how good it was but you're right by the time

I guess the most the most striking thing about his goal in that championship final, not just the fight that it maybe gets a little bit forgotten his celebration

and his reaction because really when you're 19 just a 19 in a squad like this in a game like this you probably don't think you're going to come on

and then you come on because the game is run already and you can go and win it but surely you don't think that you can score more goals

than that you will be one of the goal scorer and it's a great goal as well that he's called with his left foot and he's a super talented kid at the club they said that his younger brother who's 14,

who's also at the PhD Academy, he's actually better than Senni himself, certainly that Sini was at the same age. So there might be more to come from the Mayolu family. Paris is born and bread. Of course, it has to be said. But yeah, it was a big call from, I think, from Rusen Riqui to start him. And he paid off massively.

Guillaume, I honestly, I'm already bored by the amazing talent that comes out of Paris Saint-German. And the fact that not only have we got another one here, but he might not even be the best in his family is just frightening. Yes, but let me take it to one of the themes of the season for me. What do we people that think that in a structured football you cannot get talent, that talent will be eaten alive because they're now robots. And all of a sudden, where you see talent like this exploiting their talent and their qualities,

it means that the thinking is wrong from those that feel that the style that we saw yesterday from both sides is a style that only fits certain games. or certain teams and certain obsessed managers is the future. And in that structure, talent can be respected. So I'm taking the game to the style of both games. It was absolutely fantastic football. It was entertaining of the highest level. It was two teams that wanted to take risks.

And if you don't defend high when you can, space will open up. And if you don't defend psychoracently, space open up. And they're doing it because defending high means less wrong. running, and when you steal the ball, you attack a disorganized team, same as when Bittina lost the goal, lost the ball for the first goal of Barcelona. If you beat the press, that is room to attack, it's absolutely fantastic. I admit it, perhaps only the fans of the teams that win this style are now truly embracing it.

But we see in the future, when we see the likes of PSG and Barcelona, that's how football is going to be played. James? Yeah, I mean, I think it's remarkable. to see what we've kind of seen in the Premier League as well in terms of late finishes to games we've just spoken about

Mayulu as well Gonzalo Ramos coming on and scoring the winner in the 90th minute and Ramos in some respects has been forgotten about because of the impact that those young players have made coming off the bench

in these big games in the Champions League final I mean we kind of I remember being at the championship final with Jules Jules celebrating at half time

practically. Yeah, I remember it as well. And already filing a report on Desire Dewee. And yet, you know, you look at the kind of how exciting that lineup last night.

I think Barcola had lost his place in that championship final. And, but to go back to this trend that we've seen in the Premier League where teams throwing caution to the wind, really, taking risks, as Guillem has said.

and yeah Gonzalo the guy who how much did they pay for him Jules when people forget 60 or 70 60 or 70 to be a guy who's who was kind of a backup striker when he came or someone who they thought would succeed Columwani or something like that

and yet he's been superseded by these young players and yet still has his moment away at Barcelona the other thing Jules which I think is quite frightening about PSG is I've kind of gone in on my Oulu here because of the a number nine's chat and what have you

in the Champions League final goal but actually without wanting to put words in your mouth on Paris Saint-German I suspect he's not the one that there is the most excitement about at the moment no maybe not

although he's done really well I think he's Rusenrique's favourite of all those youngsters that Rusenrique is kind of preparing to come into this team and we talk about my Yulu and there's obviously by him M Bai who started

on the left hand side or on the right-hand side first and then switch to the left. The first goal is doing the one-two with Nuno-Mendez on that left-hand side, who started for PhD when he was 16. He was really the jewel of the academy, even more than maybe Mayulu was or Zaire Remri was or others before and maybe some in the future too.

But he was a little bit too shy in a way in his first games. But yesterday it was outstanding. And what Rusen-Ricke always says to those kids especially, but to everybody else as well, We've got principles of play, we've got a style, we've got a system, although there's a lot of fluidity within the structure. We've kept repeating that all through last season. But he also said, I trust anybody who comes into the system to do well.

Okay, if you're Mayolu, you know, probably not going to be as good as Dembele because he's my man, Dembele, but you still have your part to play in the same way than the belly plays is part. You make runs on purpose that are not going to get to see the ball, but help your midfielder, help your winger, help your team in something. everything that those PhD players do is for a reason. Even when you think they just run for no reason and make a run and the bull doesn't come to them,

it's for a reason. So within that system, and Russein and Ricky explained it very well after the game on Wednesday night, saying this is what we are and everybody who comes in or out can have a very good impact on it. And those kids,

and the youngest one that came on was Conta and John two yesterday for the last 10 minutes. He's the one of who I thought you might jump straight on to actually. And there's a great story there. I mean, again, Paris Born and Breed, which is very special again when you come through the academy of your own city. But when he was 10, he was playing for Paris FC before making the switch to PhD. And when he was 10, they had a tool in Spain with Paris FC.

They had an amazing team. Paris FC is known for having those incredible grassroots teams and a love place like with Braymer-Conate. Liverpool, for example, came from Paris FC grassroots teams. And John 2 and his team played Barcelona under 10 with Laminia Mal in that team. And they got beaten on that day eight years ago. And last night, for the second time in their lives, they faced each other again. This time it was not like a friendly, nine-asides in somewhere in Catalonia.

He was at Montgueric, but in Barcelona, in the Champions League. And yeah, of course, Lamin is much better runner than Jontu, and Jantu might never catch up anyway. But at least yesterday, and Jantu said that he beat Lamin this time. Let's move on, shall we, to Galatasaray then, shall we? Because we've talked about the big game on paper, if you like. It was always going to be Barcer PSG. but I think arguably the biggest result for one of the continental clubs

was that victory for Gala Tassaray over Liverpool. 1-0 on Tuesday night, and again, number 9 is the theme. Victor Rossiman, player of the match, scored the winning penalty for Gala. Obviously Liverpool fans will be very, very frustrated with the result. But actually, Guillem, when it comes to the stadiums that people want to be in, yeah, you might have people from other countries wanting to go to stadiums like the city ground, etc. in Villa Park.

I think for a lot of British people, bucket list stations. and bucket list games include going to Galatasaray. Yeah, the cauldrum of fire of hell and a visit to a place that's noisy. Interestingly enough, I don't know if you agree with me, Marseille is a place I'm scared of going. You still get a really good atmosphere. While Galatasaray, I'm kind of looking forward to. Why are you scared to go to Marseille? Yeah, because I work there and I've been to three games.

and the three of them, I felt fear. And then enjoyment, once I felt safe. That's what it felt to me. I went to the Galatasaray and it's 90 minutes of constant noise and flares. And, of course, if you lose, it's the worst thing. And there's no by chance that got such a good record at home. But I don't feel that edge. I feel the noise and it's intimidating.

That's as far as it goes for me. Let's talk Victor Rossaman then, shall we, James? He scored the goal that won the game. It's one of those nights where people are reminded of the fact that Victor Osseman has ended up at Galatasaray and not where a lot of people thought he would end up, which is one of the top European leagues. Yeah, I mean, this time last year he was on loan to Galatasaray. I didn't think many people thought at the time that it would be a deal that would be made permanent.

It was almost the kind of Napoli have held out for too much money. Oziman's held out for too much money he hasn't got in the move he wanted and so when the European transfer window closed he's like well he's not going to play for Napoli again Galatasaray is a short fix and I think

it is pretty telling that he's still there Galatasarai are a massive club with an incredible fan base and as Guillaume and yourself Steve were talking big players Wesley Snyder they go there and they're like

wow this is unbelievable, you know, this is just as good as playing for Real Madrid, just as good as playing for Inter. So I think there's an element of that to it. But in terms of like another team not really coming in for him from the Premier League, a rival of Naples in Sediah or a Spanish team, I think it speaks to two things. His injury record, you know, he had one very good season at Napoli when they won the league for the first time in 33 years.

But his other seasons at Napoli, you know, he wears the mask because, you know, he broke his cheekbone and now wears it out of superstition. But, yeah, his body is broken down on other occasions. And then the other concern, I think, certainly for Premier League clubs, is AFCON. Afcon comes in January. And that is the part of the season which is most congested, it's most attritional, you need players. and for the money that sort of Victor Osman expects after being top scorer in Italy and Napoli's first title winning season since Maradona

you know you're kind of like okay what's he going to be away for a month no that's that just that that doesn't work for us and so I think that is ultimately the reason why he was at Galatasarai and yes he was player the match but I think he came off injured so there you go

Jules, is a bit short-sighted for teams to not go for an Ossiman because of the Cup of Nations? I know it takes him out for a proportion of time. It's still a heck of a player. Yeah, no, I think James was right, though. It's not just Afcon. It's everything else that comes with it plus Afcon because it's no idea. I mean, I won't name them, but there were managers in France who didn't want to sign players who would go to Afcon. Just like, I can't lose you between mid-December and.

potentially the end of January. This is too long. You know, if I sign you and you're one of my key players, what do I do without you for six weeks at the busiest time? You know, one of the busiest time, because there's a winter break in France, for example. But so in a way, I think it's not helping maybe. I think there are bigger issues for Ozeman and people around him than just Afghan.

You think of the greatest African player of his generation, Mo Salah. It's not really an issue, I think, for Salah to go to Afghorn. because Sala, when he comes back, Sala barely gets injured. Even at this stage in his career, Sala plays all the time, with the exception of the Galatasariga. But he's always there. That is the one outstanding attribute about Mosella among several outstanding attributes.

Julian always says, availability is a talent. Yeah, the best ability is availability. There you go. And Mo Sala has that. Victor Osama has that. Victor Osman does not have that. You know, Victor Osamon has spent a lot of time injured in the last five years. And, yeah, so if you're going to allocate that amount of money in a transfer fee,

which is 75 million that Galatasaray paid. And by the way, Napoli said, we have to see 40 of it up front because you have to pay as Galatasaray. You know, this isn't just a figure you tell us today and change later. Like, if you're going to commit that amount of money, and the wages. And then, let's say you're Man United, build your attack around that player,

build winning games around that player. And that player's not around, either because he's away an international duty or he's in the treatment room. That is a massive thing for clubs to think about. Jules, I think you're going to struggle with one story on the Euroleaks this season and it's going to come up a few times, I think.

Marseille are good. Marseille are good. It's good for me and for French football if Marseille are good. Trust me, I would rather Marseille being good and being bad. No, it's true, because they still not as good to beat my team anyway. But they are good. You get paid the same amount to talk about Marseille as you do PSG. That's what it's all about.

And I've never been scared to go to the Velodrome and I'm a PSG fan. But they were good on Tuesday Night against Hayaxe with a destroyed. The best thing about that game. It's four nil, wasn't it? Yeah, Phornilene. is why it's so stay with me but this is why it's important you remember i think i've told you many times about um with the national team with france especially for many many years when i was working at the parisian newspaper uh me and a guy from le keep newspaper used to hide and spy on the

last training behind closed doors the day before games right to be able to report because you could tell who was going to play the next day you know what the dynamic so we did all sort of things right hold on I've never heard this before. No, you have never told that story on the Urali. This is important journalism on the continent. I'm not sure whether Guillaume's done it, but I've been with Italians where you, again, there'll be one of us, the spotter,

and then the other is like listing the name down of what the 11 is. Surely you know, I'm surely I've told you this story. No, okay, so you spied on Marseille then, I'm guessing. No, no, no, but they... Is this where Bieland? also learned it, learned it from you. Not for me, but when Dominic was with the national team

and us at the Parisian at the time, everybody had plenty of issues with him and he had issues with us. One of the things I used to say, to the point that even my granddad, when he was still with us, and he used to, like, follow everything I was doing and all of that.

And Dominique, one day, said, those French journalists to spy on us and reveal, reveal the training behind closed door to the opposition. That was his big thing. He's like, why are you telling him? us our secret who's going to play and we say listen we just inform our

readership this is what we do we don't inform the coach of the team that you're going to play tomorrow but even my grandad aunt to be fair my mother-in-law when she was still with us because he also made the Guardian newspaper here I remember the argument we had with Dominic accusing his own

media to play in favour of the opposition basically that was it so why are you doing that? But people want to know who's going to play the next day basically so to go back to my story when the Zerby learned who Ajax were going to play and more importantly who was injured for Ajax

it changed all his plans on the day of the game and this is the Zerby is a great coach and this is not surprising in a way because this is how good he is but he had a plan with a midfield and a front three that became a very different midfield and a very different phone three when on the day of the game

he realized that Ayaks were with Dolberg and Vue Verveghos for example and he was very honest after the game to say once I saw that Verghos was not going to play, I knew that Iax would change the way they played. They would not be able to lump the ball forward to him because he's such a big guy

to hold it up. So we could put them under massive pressure and a high price could be very effective. Hence why he didn't play Hoyberg, for example, who was supposed to start in midfield, the former Spurs midfielder. Instead, Vermearin, the young Belgian guy, plus O'Reilly that Guillem mentioned earlier, because of their intensity and energy and mobility,

We're going to close Ajax down so well and guess what? Marcel scored three goals in the first 20 minutes two of them with high recoveries. Okay, it was poor passing for Classen and Burgos but still that was because of the pressure and that's simply on the Zerbi being aware of the qualities

or more in this case, the flows of Ajax and changing his team literally hours before kickoff to make this Marse team very efficient against Ajax and he deserves a lot of credit for it. Okay, I'm really, really keen. curious now about your spying missions. Because you said there's a spotter.

So what that makes me think is, do you start out as the spotter if you're there for the first time? Do you then grow into it to be one of the real spies? How does it work? No, I mean, I did this during the Euros in the summer where we would go and watch Italy train in Isalone. And you do this whole thing. When the players come out of the clubhouse,

someone names them, someone writes down the name, And then by process of elimination, you realize, right, who's in the treatment room? Yeah. Who's injured? And that sort of thing. And then again, I mean, this is why I remember the perimeter in Isolone, they had security. You have people walking around with dogs, you know, protecting. They put fences up and everything.

Clubs these days put big fences up with tarpaulin to basically stop. Yeah. This, yeah, the likes of Jules and Jules, Jule Jim, basically. spying on them but I enjoyed when Jill said when Deserby saw that Valt Veghorst

wasn't playing clearly he saw from the bushes whilst he was watching a training session or but yeah this is this is knowing the team

the night before being able to confidently say in the newspaper this is the team is I would say the most important thing and the thing that journalists on the

continent and maybe France feel the most pressure about and it's why if you're in a press conference with journalists there are questions about is this player

going to play? Is this player going to play? And there's a game that goes on between the coach and the journalists where I've been there with Max Allegory where I've given you two names

you try and figure out the rest whereas for us it's not like that and I remember when Carlo Ancelotti came and coached Chelsea Carlo was like God press conferences here are easy you just asked me

whether it's like, wow, it's Carlo against Marino, it's Carlo against Venga. He's like, well, yeah, I can just, I can indulge that and say, oh, I've got a lot of respect for us. And whereas in the past, you know, in Italy, it would be just like, you know, oh, we saw Igor Tudor wasn't training today, Carlo. Is he going to play in the week?

Are you going to play 4, 2, 3,1? Much easier for coaches from abroad to come over here and deal with the media who aren't spying on them. Well, I don't live that far from Carrington. So it's good to know that I can just dig three tunnels. I'll call them James, Jules, and Guillem. And one of them will lead me to find out the team news ahead of their next Premier League game.

I almost forgot that we were meant to be talking about Pierre Emmerich Obamiyang. What, is he 36 now, Jules? I think one of the really interesting things about him is. So for those that don't know, he was at Marseille. He had a season, two seasons ago, when he scored 30 goals for club and country. Then he went to Saudi, but he's come back.

I think when he went, people probably thought that was that for him, top level European football. Yeah, I think that's fair. And he didn't want to leave Marseille. He had a two-year contract. He was very happy there.

It's just you could not turn down the offer from Saudi and Al-Qat-Sia at his age, not that he needed the money, but just it's there on the table for you. It's a massive paycheck. It's the you take it. He could last a year, two, probably after that. If you're Obama-Young, you can still find a decent club and decent project in Europe anyway.

So I think he always had that in the back of his head. And then when Marseille were looking for another striker on top of, I mean, Guiri, who they already have and who's very good, they thought, let's try Obama-Young, and he was so happy to come back. I mean, so happy in a very Obama-Young kind of thing, because he took him a bit of time to come back and for everything to be agreed for him to come back to France, to Marseille, to sign the contract. It just took a bit long because he was waiting for his Ferrari, Furosange, to be actually

delivered. Sorry. Yes. So he could arrive at the same time as the Ferrari. And not just before, not just after. I mean, this is pure Bamayang. He's an incredible guy, really. But clearly the car was very important in the process of signing this contract.

And if, I mean, this Ferrari is incredible, by the way. There are not many in the world. I remember coming out of doing the Euroleagues, where we were. we are now in BBC Broadcasting House or whatever Jules and I and Obama Yang drove past

in one of his supercasts. Yeah, that's very true. Yeah, so he came back and it was amazing on Tuesday night at 36 to still have the energy

and the pace. He's not as quick as he used to be obviously but to have the experience now his flick on the first goal for Hugo Paco is amazing. He's finishing.

He's great. he pressed and he can't probably play 19 minutes with a high intensity but he's such a great guy to have in the dressing room and for all the great number nine that we're going to talk about on the show throughout the show he's not at the level of course

of Killian or Harland or guys like that I get that but for the last 15 years he's been an amazing reliable striker everywhere he's been pretty much and that again deserves a lot of clothes

Welcome to the team behind the team. A new podcast series in partnership with the Open University where we'll be showcasing the people, the tools and the techniques to help athletes and teams reach elite level. Like all elite sports, it's a pyramid and everybody's trying to get to the top. It's not just my vision. It's a shared vision amongst the team. What is this? This is not the way I see the game.

The team behind the team. Katie Smith. In partnership with the Open University. Listen on BBC Sounds. On the Football Daily podcast, the Euroleaks with Steve Crossman. We're going to Sweden to discuss what I think might be the big underdog story in European football right now. We're talking about Mialbi, a club from a fishing village of around 800 people who are on the verge of winning their first ever major trophy. founded in 1939, one result away from winning the Al-Svenskan,

the top division in Sweden, for the very first time. And actually, it's probably not even going to be close because they're 11 points clear with five games to go. We are delighted to say that their assistant coach, Dr Karl Marius Axum, has joined us live on the Euroleagues. Please tell us what is going on in Yalby. How are you doing this? Good question.

I came in two years ago, so two seasons ago. I was asked to change the attacking game model of the club together with the other coaching staff. We started playing a different kind of football where we wanted to control the games, press higher, have more possession. And we have worked with the same group now for almost two years. Yeah, we're starting to see the fruits of that work now. Last season was good, but of course this season has been. Incredible. Is it kind of odd in the, like, you're not going to say that you're going to win the league, obviously, because you don't want to jinx it.

But you must be in such a weird position now whereby everybody knows you are so, so close. So how are you all managing to kind of keep a lid on it, so to speak, because the level of excitement and expectation must be through the roof? Yes, but I think for everyone around us, this is like the biggest thing in their lives, the community. community. For us, it's the normal work every day, the training, preparing for the next opponent. We want the best performance possible. I can honestly say we'll never discuss where we're going to end up and we never thought about it and we are all about performances. So Carl, you must have gone for the first time. There was always a first time to get to the fishing village of 800 people as Steve described it. You drive through it. And

stadium is like the last thing left in the village, apparently. And you think, yeah, we can do this here. I'm just saying, because we spent 20 minutes talking about the effect of stadiums and the energy that comes from the fans into the team positively and negatively. And I don't know if you thought, it's going to be hard. Because perhaps we're not going to be able to create that, or the support is not as skewages in other places.

But did that have any effect whatsoever on your decision? No, for me, it was moving from, I was under 19. team head coach. I wanted to take the step. I got this opportunity. And I was told by the club, you have to know that you're coming to a small club. You're coming to a club who is every year the goal is to avoid relegation. But I trust my game model 100% and I knew it would work at this level. And the players responded very, very well. And I can honestly say that a fully packed strontval with 6,500

it's like playing for 25,000. It's a fantastic atmosphere. Just tell us a bit about Miyalbi, the town, the village because you were just saying like 6,000 there can feel like 60,000 somewhere else. So as a community, what is it like when it

comes to the role of the football club within it? I think the stadium is at a place called Helivik with 7,800 inhabitants. Mielby is 5 meters, drive away, 1500 is living there. Myself and the players are living in the bigger town with 15,000, but it's so small compared to the Stockholm clubs.

Everybody knows everyone. And if you go to the supermarket, you see someone with Mielbi clothes, and they know who you are. So it's really like a farmer's village. It's like you're driving through farms. and on the coast and it's yeah you don't think

it will be played top football in this area now Carl you mentioned already a little bit your game model and especially the press player could you maybe

explain a little bit more what is about what is the idea that you want how you transmitted it to the players that will be like really nerding

into the football part of it but I could say for me it starts by controlling the game from the back so I always start can we

create superiority from the back. Against the man-man, that's difficult, but we use the goalkeeper, but often in Sweden, we're still facing sole defenses, so we create a plus two. And we are the team who plays the most passes in our own third of the pitch. We want to control every game. We don't want chaos games. We want control. So in the last two seasons, we increased possession by 10%.

So now we went from this team was always a low block, counter-attacking set-piece. team. Now we have the fourth highest possession and we really want to control every game. We play in a three, two, four one system. So it's the same system as Manchester United, but we do it much, much better. Honestly, I'm a Manchester United fan. I'm really, really mad when I see Manchester United play. Why? You could fix them, Carl, I'm sure. Yeah, 100%. what makes you mad about them for me it's you have you you start with a three two four one but you need tactical variation you need you need the wingbacks higher you need the tens to be

dropping out in pockets you need to be able to go from one six to three tens maybe play a diamond in the midfield as chelsea does sometimes go three one six as PSG you have to have much more variation according to to the opponent you are facing um so I really don't like the way Manchester United has developed the game. Okay, well, Dr. Carl, I mean, maybe when this international break comes and maybe United part ways, we'll send this clip to Sir Jim Ratcliffe. And maybe you can get the job. You talked about Miaoby driving through being a bit of a farmer's town.

I mean, Champions League, Champions League coming if you get this over the line. I mean, obviously, you'll have preliminary rounds, but I mean, what would that be like? The really sad thing here is that we will not be able to play Champions League qualifications at Strunval because UEFA has really strict guidelines regarding VIP boxes and everything. So we cannot play, I think we can play the qualifying round two, but not the qualifying round three and four,

and certainly not the group stage in the Conference League or Europa League. So that is the sad thing. We will have to borrow a stadium from Malmere or Kalmar or... Old Trafford isn't in use for the chance. Yeah. No, but for the community, that would be like the biggest thing. I know this club has dreamt of playing in Europe for so long time. Now we are qualified for at least the conference league qualification.

Of course, if we win the league, we will get Champions League qualification. And that would be... fantastic. Do you think, let me take you back a little bit of what we were discussing about Manchester United, have jokerly, but do you think your system and the way you want the team to play can be transformed, moved into a bigger club? And is that where football is going? More structured football, where fans are going to have to accept it and players are going to have to work through it, really, to have regular spaces in these teams? I think for the first, yes, 100% the principles we use can

can work at the top level. I know the Swedish league is now ranked much lower, but the principles will work the same. My PhD is in scanning. I know how important scanning is. We've had some number sixes in Manchester United who was really not good at scanning. Hang on, Carl.

You're a legend. But everybody should know this. Cosamiro is really bad at scanning. I'm not commonly with scat scanning. We do. Hang on, hang on. First, a PhD on scanning, as in like players can, that's what you mean, scanning as in not scanning people.

Not scanning things into a printer. Yeah, that's not what you mean, right? Oh, head movements to gather information in the game. And my PhD was named visual perception in elite football. And one of the studies was I did in Premier League with Premier League players. So I counted every scan for an entire season of a Premier League team. And so you see the best, you see the best teams today. They have incredible scanners centrally.

You see Vittina in PSK. You see Martin Eur de Gaure and Declan Rice in Arsenal. You see Roderie in Manchester City. These are the top, top level scanners in world football today. When it comes to the tactics, the question I was asked. I would say you need a fluidity. You have your, you need fluidity based on your opponent. And you see today, especially in Premier League, the top leagues,

it's a lot of man-to-man defenses. And you have to drag players out in uncomfortable positions. You have to have a lot of fluidity in attack in order to break that down. You just talk about Virginia. Just quickly. No, you're right. I think I might be wrong, Carl, but I think in the Champions League final, I'm a PhD fan as well.

love that you mentioned Vitina. I think he is. I think Vitini has scanned 550 times in the 90 minutes of that final

or something, like an incredible number like that. Remember Steve, we talked about this. We talked about Kevin DeBron. I think he was

a few months ago on the Champions League night and how many times he'd scan in the previous game that he played with City.

And this is a you know what Carl, just to finish on scanning because this is not what we have you here. He's Doctor Carl. Because his PhDs in scanning. Yeah, absolutely.

Dr. Carl. you know I'm amazed and some of my children have been to academies here in England and they still play high level football and all of that that scanning is not more taught in clubs even top clubs not just in England

but anywhere in Europe it's almost not considering serious enough you tell the kids you should scan you should see the game before you receive the ball all of that I get it but it's not actually properly taught if you see what I mean yeah I think it's becoming more and more popular and you have in England you have Frank

Lampart talking about his dad always asked him to take pictures, pictures, pictures. So Frank Lampart and Stephen Gerard became very good scanners. So in the first study we did, we saw that they were the best in Premier League in 2012, 13 or 2010 around there. So, but I know I talk to a lot of big clubs and scanning is super important for scouts around the world when they're looking for young players. do they have this skill when they are 12, 13 years old? What I like about this skill is that we can become so much better in the age of 30 and 35.

I can honestly say that our captain, Jesper Gustafson, before I came to the club, he didn't scan at all. He never scanned in the last pass. Now, he almost always scanned in the last pass before he receives the ball. And he has become so much better attacking. player because of this. So you can develop this in the early teens and in your 30s, and that's what I love to work with it. Just want to ask you before we let you go, Carl, because you've given us loads of your time

and you've been brilliant. I know it isn't done yet. If it were to happen this weekend, what would the celebrations look like? I have no idea. Come on, you do. You must. I have no idea. This would be the first celebration.

in this area for all times. I believe these local guys on the team from this area, they know how to party. So if that should happen, I just have to get on board and just follow the crowd. Listen, Carl, it's been brilliant having you on. Congratulations on your success. I won't say the title because it isn't done yet,

but it's clearly an amazing achievement what you've done already. And thank you so much for speaking to us. Honestly, it's been fascinating. Thank you, guys. It's been a pleasure. Dr. Carl Marius Axum, assistant coach at Mielby, who were on course to win their first ever league title in their 89 year history. Big theme for us has been number nines. Napoli beat sporting 2-1 in the Champions League.

Thanks to two goals from Rasmus Hoyland, who of course is on loan from Manchester United, with an obligation to buy if they qualify for the Champions League, which they almost certainly will, both created by Kevin de Brunerner. So James, I know nine's has been. the theme, but if you think it's more newsworthy to go in on De Bruner

then I'm cool with that. Well, it was newsworthy because at the weekend Napoli lost for the first time. It was the top of the table clash against D'C. Milan. They went behind early. A couple of goals from Christian Pulisic. Then Milan go down to ten men.

DeBroner scores a penalty. They've still got half an hour to play. And what does Antonio Conte do? He takes off Kevin D'Broner. And DeBroner was not happy about that. And so this was a story for the day leading up to that sporting game and DeBroner starts against sporting and puts in the best display

that we've seen from him so far in a Napoli shirt his driving run assist for Hoyland sets up the first goal and then the second goal the winner is a cross from DeBrona for Hoyland and I mean we haven't mentioned Harland but we haven't really focused on on Harland and what he was doing in Monaco

maybe because of the result but Harland left a comment, I think, on Kevin DeBroni's post. And DeBron posted, I think, on Instagram about this partnership between him and Hoyland. And Harland just said, feed him. And, you know,

I think that shows the kind of almost kinship and friendship between sort of rivals. I don't know whether Harland and Hoyland were close when they were both living in Manchester, but you know, clearly he's been supportive there. And it was really interesting listening to

the post-match interviews on Sky Italia last night because one of the journalist Paulo Condor asked Kevin DeBreiner he said that first goal where you're running at the defence and you've got a striker running beyond the defence and into the space behind

and you play the ball to him he was like that is reminiscent of the sort of the way he used to feed Erling Harland and DeBreiner appreciated that observation he was like yeah actually there are two guys who love to run behind left-footed striker

obviously Erling different in size physicality but there are some similarities there and certainly Hoyland three goals in five games since escaping the black hole that is man United where Dr Karl will go in one day and be the only person who sorts

Man United out but again goes to show that man United players are not bad players they're just in a bad place yeah context is everything isn't it Anthony cried and was, in his own words, depressed when he was there. MacTominee was just another player and all of a sudden he's an icon.

Rashford, who's been involved in six out of the last 11 goals that Barthornaf has scored, is shining. Context is absolutely everything, but context also goes to DeBroyne. And this is a question for James. So I recently heard Tehran-Reed talking about De Bruyne and his experience with the Belgium national side. And he talked about a special brain. That is somebody that needs the right context, the right treatment to actually get the best out of him. I think we with Christoph Thore also mentioned that few times.

So is Contor the kind of manager that will have that in consideration, instead of clashing or saying to DeBriene, if you're upset, you know, for being replaced? sorry, but that's what I do, or would it just be a little bit more sensitive about that kind of thing? I mean, DeBroner, after giving that answer about the commonalities between Harland and Hoyland, he did say, you've all blown this out proportion. My reaction to being substituted at San Ciro on Sunday night

was purely because I'm a winner, you know, and I believe that I could make the difference in that game. The manager saw it differently, thought if we had a couple of fresh wingers on, dribblers they could be that low block that Milan found themselves in he disagreed but it isn't the end of a relationship quite the opposite

Conte has been on his own learning experience over the last year I wrote about this for the athletic a couple of weeks ago where he's most associated with playing a system that Dr Karl likes 3421 or 352 and yet in the last year he's moved away from that

because when he had Cavadatskelia he was like I can't have this winger playing as a 10. I can't have this wing of playing as a wingback. I need to adapt. So started playing 433, 442. And, you know, certainly this year with Kevin, he's looked at it and said, okay, the guys who won as the league last year are the three midfield players in that, in that Scudetta winning team. I'm not going to leave out Angisala Bokka or Scott McTominee. But I'm going to find a way of making this all fit together with Kevin. And again, DeBronin was speaking about the role that he's been playing so far this season

and sometimes it's work, sometimes it's not, he's still learning from his new teammate, still learning from his new manager, but he did say it's quite like when he first came to city and had to play with David Silver, where David Silver was the guy who was playing further forward as the 10, and DeBroner would have to sometimes be a six or sometimes move out wide. And he's having to do that now again with Napoli. And it, obviously worked really well on Wednesday night against sporting. But, you know, Conte is very respectful in, again, changing in order to accommodate Kevin.

And, you know, the week before he substituted him against Dacey Milan, he did say he's a little genius. All right, that's it for the Euroleagues. Big thank you to Jules, Guillem and James. And as always, thank you so much for listening. He scored goals, lifted trophies and broken records along the way. There it is. It's a day to remember for Wayne Rooney.

And now he's got a podcast. Welcome to The Wayne Rooney Show. Twice a week, Wayne Rooney, Kay Kerrude and me, Kelly Summers, break down the biggest stories in the Premier League and beyond. As much as you'd like to say it, loyalty in football now is there's no existence, whether that's fun players or managers. Plus, we'll hear the funniest, wildest and most outrageous stories from Wayne's Korea.

The Wayne Rooney Show. Everybody's talking about it. Listen on BBC Sounds.