Football Daily - MNC: Spurs’ bad habits & Arsenal bounce back

Episode Date: February 23, 2026

Mark Chapman, Chris Sutton, The Observer’s Rory Smith and Theo Walcott discuss the weekend’s football.How much trouble are Spurs in after defeat in the Igor Tudor’s first game in charge against Arsenal? Can Viktor Gyokeres spearhead Arsenal’s title challenge? What next for Crystal Palace and Oliver Glasner?The panel also pay tribute to the record-breaking James Milner and former Hearts captain Gary Locke joins the show to breakdown another dramatic weekend in the Scottish Premiership title race.TIMECODES – 00:34 - How does Igor Tudor fix Spurs’ bad habits? 13:48 - Gyokeres and Arsenal bounce back 22:46 - Glasner’s souring marriage with Crystal Palace 35:00 - Record-breaking James Milner 43:41 - Advantage Hearts in Scotland

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And all the bizarre ways people are using. the internet. Listen on BBC.com or wherever you get your podcasts. It's the Monday Nightclub with Mark Chapman on the Football Daily Podcast. Welcome to the Monday Night Club. Chris Sutton, Roy Smith and Theo Walcott are with us. I haven't seen you for ages, Theo. I've gone great, haven't I?

Yeah, yeah. I mean, you have a little. Just for why not, isn't it? Yeah, I've been a little bit busy, but yeah. But when I... It's all good. Do you miss me? You miss me?

Yeah. I mean, you haven't been completely busy, haven't you playing golf in that Thailand footballer thing? That's busy, isn't it? That's not busy. We're going to start tonight with Spurs. They're just four points above the relegation zone after being thrashed 4-1 by Arsenal. We'll hear from Eagle Tudor now and then we'll pick the bones out of it from a Spurs point of view. You show me that on Tuesday we need to start work hard but hard and seriously and change the habits.

and trying to resolve it without problems because now in this moment the team is full of the problems and the only key is work on the training day by day, be humble, stay down, see what you can do. We need to start to run more, we need to be more aggressive, we need to start to win the duels, we need to be more compacts, we need to be more concentration. These are the keys working on every day in the training

to change bad habits. You talk about the bad habits and problems. What are the bad habits and problems? Because you've only been here a week. So what have you seen? No, the habits you see today. Because you understand the gap between mental sharpness of one team, between physicality of one team and other team. So this is the thing we need to change. I saw the players available to do this, but we need more time for this. And just in terms of where this Toplin's team is, is that maybe a, maybe a lot of. wake-up call today to say that

you are in a relegation battle and you've really got to get out of it, you've got to work hard to get out of it? No, it's not the right question, no. The question that's coming became a really team. This is the question, that's the goal. You know, about

thinking the relegation, relegation, that don't bring you nothing to anybody. From what you saw at the game yesterday then, Theo, in the stadium, do you recognise what he is talking about? I do, but I look at it tactically as well because at no point did he feel I'm getting out played by

the man on man which was interesting because certain players are going to excel when you do man or man Eze is perfect for him when you have certain players that have once they got past that first man they know they have space it's music to the ears

Yocarez not at any point Devandavent fancier I'll go just mark it he basically identified the weakness in Tottenham which was Dragazin and Archie Gray and it was sorry it was Polini I think at first and he

He capitalised on that. So I think tactically he got it wrong. I think the fact that he talks about bad habits, that starts from when you turn up, even if it's not even saying good morning to the reception people. It's probably things like that, I think, are really key. And that's the difference when I've been to Arsenal. The first person you see is so happy.

Yes, Arsenal top of the league, I get this. But it's so important your first response to someone on day one. When you go in, security people happy, the reception is happy. Everyone's, you know, saying the right things and getting a positive outlet. and I just didn't think they were fit enough to do a man on man. That was the problem for me. I think they had probably past traumas

of playing that system, similar system, when they played that at the endos. So as players, you're thinking, oh, good, you'd probably thinking, oh, we had this experience last time

we played this formation and we got exposed. They got exposed by a very good team, and the only way they were going to get into it was Arsenal's mistakes. I felt watching the game, to be honest. That was the bit,

which struck me a slightly odd, Chris, which I know Igor Tudor likes three at the back. But everything, it felt like everything started to unravel for Thomas Frank in particular after the previous North London Derby, where Arsenal were basically set up as a 5, 541, to try and nick a nil-nil-nil. Everything unraveled after that. Now, I'm not saying they were set up completely as a 5-4-1 yesterday,

but the formation wasn't far different. So everything that unraveled for them were, where they struggled in the reverse fixture, they kind of repeated, albeit with a different manager, didn't they? But, you know, everything which I've read about Eagle Tudor, that was his preferred way of going. You're sort of crowbarring Pellinia into a position which...

But you as a group of players go, hang on a minute, I know you've only been here a week, but we got stuffed this way last time. You don't go against the manager. You can't? Well, can you put it more different? Can you put it more diplomatically than I did? Well, especially within his first week.

I mean, I thought what's astonishing, what is really astonishing with Igor Tudor is his first press conference, he was so positive, wasn't they? 100% certain they're going to stay up. And then it's taken him one game for the doom and gloom to really set in. And then, I mean, it's basically filtered Thomas Frank, hasn't he, after, you know, with something. of the things he said about bad habits and, you know, players not fit enough.

I mean, that's a classic. But do you not think he's filleted, yeah, do you not think he's filleted Thomas Frank on stuff that doesn't really sound like it would happen under Thomas Frank? Beared in mind what we know about Thomas Frank. Yeah, no, exactly. And about the, you know, the team like mental sharpness, physicality, not there. You know, he's probably, he's taking the job. He's gone in and he's, you know, just.

just after one game, realized that they're in a real mess. I think, in fairness, I think yesterday's game, it's difficult to really judge Spurs. I'm not making excuses, because I always felt Arsenal off the back of what happened in the week against wolves

where they were unlucky. Don't care what anybody says. They were really unlucky against wolves. You know, there would have been this real steely determination to go and make sure that they won well against, the big rivals, and it was a mismatch. So I don't necessarily think we can judge Tottenham

on that particular game. But, you know, he's a guy who has a reputation as a short-term specialist. And I can't quite, I know what short-term specialist means, but I can't quite work out whether that means he's a good manager or not, because if you go through so many jobs as he has done in his managerial career,

is there something fundamentally wrong with him as a manager? 12 clubs and 11 years, whatever it is, as a manager, that's a lot. So, yeah, I mean, the early signs are, if you're a Tottenham fan, you'd be slightly worried about what he said. He seems to last not that long at teams, but I'm not sure that's always been the plan,

and he's maybe used that to say, okay, this is maybe my specialism. I'm a short, sharp shock. The fitness thing, whenever any manager says it, I just don't buy it. I never buy it. It's nonsense. that I can believe in Spurs' case

because they've got 11 senior players injured, which is also the problem that Thomas Frank had, that those players who were on the pitch yesterday were extremely tired, both mentally and physically. But this idea that Thomas Frank wouldn't have been, like Thomas Frank was sort of just letting them wander into training at 11 o'clock, sort of a bit like running out of a game, it's nonsense. They'll have been perfectly fit.

Well, they had a few days off before as well, I think, didn't it? I think Spurr, even going back to Igor Tudor, would it have been better off as a Tottenham fan group to maybe him be really simple with his answers and be really robotic and not to give anything away and then give the hair-dry treatment to the players behind closed doors because Arsum Venger's main strength for us at times

he'd go on a front, should we just call it, in front of the media, but it says real truth behind close doors because I always felt like that was his real self could he have done that in his first game? It's not like he's been there for years, I mean just in his first opportunity would that have been the right call? Well, also, you could even have been relatively positive

and obviously the score is horrendous for Tottenham. But I think for stretches of the game, they were okay. They competed. Arsenal are a lot better than Spurs. And certainly until three, spurs were kind of, they were in it.

Do you know what I mean? Well, they could have been level at two all, depending on how you, depending on how you view. There should have been level at two all. It was very soft to rule that out. But yeah, so you surely, would look at that as a manager and think, okay, that that would have been, what, 60, 70 minutes?

They matched the lead leaders for almost 70 minutes. Like that's something you accentuate and say, okay, that's something to build on rather than, yeah, that kind of typical talk of like bad habits, not fit enough, mental fatigue, where you're trying to pin everything on the former manager. It just seems a very kind of negative move to me. Jamie Rednapp said this alongside Theo Rory, that they are a team devoid of personality. they have to somehow show some character. And just to sort of back that up form-wise, they're five points worse off than West Ham and Forest over the last 12 games.

And they are bottom. They are bottom of the form table, of the Premier League form table over the last 12 games. They are below wolves, below, well, they're below everybody because they're bottom, obviously, but below wolves and Palace and Burnley. Yeah, and if you look at the things that you'd normally kind of point to as harbingers of why they might not go down.

They're not there. The home form is abysmal. You know, Leeds have got this, given their lead position, this incredible home record, especially at night at Eland Road, which you think, well, all right, as long as they keep playing Monday night games at Ellen Road,

then they'll be fine. That will keep leads up. No, but interestingly, they have City at 5.30 at Ellen Road on Saturday. Again, it will be under light. It makes a difference. Well, it's the... The count as a night game.

5.30. Yes, it counts as a night game. Yeah, the floodlights will be on. Yes. No, not in spring. It's an evening game, I think. Chapas, you started the show with Good Afternoons. I know I did.

I'm sure we can take your word. No, that's because Claire, the producer of Saturdays, is making a guest appearance producing tonight, and it doesn't take a lot to confuse me. Does it thrown you completely? It's completely thrown me. Anyhow. You looked at Spurs and I think they've won five home games since 2024,

which is not enough. They've got this huge list of injuries, And, you know, obviously if Kulis Estuary and Madison are able to play some part towards the end of the season, that will be a massive advantage. But you're reaching the stage now where they're very unlikely, unless they come back in the next couple of weeks, to be fully fit at any point this season. They've got so many players injured that the workload on the 13 who remain is excessive. They also have to think about the Champions League. They've got all this stuff that is kind of piling up against them. that I think they've got the points advantage on West Ham obviously

but their situation is really genuinely perilous now, Tottenham, because it's hard to see them getting the number of points they need to make it comfortable, and because of the size of Spurs as a club, the more, the closer they get without being safe, I think the more stressful, the more strained, the more kind of intense everything becomes, and that's when bad things can happen.

They've got some good games coming up. Let's get it right. Why are you... What's a good game? Have they? I think they've got some terrible games coming up. Have they? Well, Crystal Palace are in crisis.

The fans don't like the manager, do they anymore? They've got one winning 15. I mean, Fulham are a little bit flaky. Sunderland, the wheels are off at home for Sunderland. Nottingham Forest. Their chance are going down. Therefore are the next five games. If you think they're good, that's fine.

They've got Liverpool away in that period. Yeah. Well, we had a caller into 606, who still wanted on the sloth. hot out so yeah. No, I think, I mean, full of them away is tough. Palace to take your point, Chris, that you Spurs would look at that and think, okay, that's definitely one that you kind of have to win. Spurs Forest at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium will be a nightmare for Spurs if they're still in,

if their form hasn't changed considerably, it will be incredibly kind of hostile and tense. And if you're forest, you're probably looking at that and thinking there's an opportunity for us there. I cannot stress how bad Tottenham's home form is. Do you know as well? I always look at it as well. when you look at a group of players around you. You know, Chris, you've been in the dressing room

when you see an English companion there and there's a few English culture who understand the league a bit differently to other cultures and they want to really feed that energy onto them. I don't think those players have because even you look at the likes of your medicines who's an excellent player,

but he's going to have to focus on himself and away from the squad at times so he can't really affect the squad in that sense. I don't think they're on the same page. I always feel that there's a lot of pointing fingers. excuse, blame game and that's never a good sign when you're right down

and I've been down there in Samampton and it's essentially like that and the people hide away in their phones the younger crowd should we just say the younger generation because it's a it's escape isn't it if you go lost in your phone that happens after the games I'm pretty sure

truce won't be said I even remember Michael Artetta when I was playing with him he experienced the fact that we weren't going to make the top four which was the ultimate target and I spoke about this in numerous occasions and he said a few truce I don't think they've got the characters to say if you choose in a controlled, safe environment.

I think it comes out. I think it will just come out. And I think that's the problem. From the Narsal perspective, Theo, rather than going down title race and who has what and this, that and the other, is the biggest positive to come out of yesterday what Yocchrez did? Yeah, absolutely. I think I always give a bit of leeway for players that come from different leagues. I think they need to have that time.

and I think it's just the fact that he's had to adapt very quickly and the expectation to win the league and it's kind of all on him. I actually felt watching him from the start of season, he put too much pressure on himself and he kind of went away from what he's good at. And if you're going to type in Yokores and YouTube or wherever you want to see it, that's exactly his game.

Find him, recognising space, recognising the weakness and then putting it on them. And look, it's like any player, you give him time and space and you're going to sit off and they're going to make you look, not like a professional athlete. But I just think the confidence is there, the feel, the energy, I think that's what it was lacking. He was kind of making runs,

and then you could see him throwing his arms up, and he kind of gave up on those runs. He gave up doing it. But he was just tired. He just didn't, he looked fitter as well. So I think that's credit to him, getting up to the levels that Miguel Watson. Would it surprise you, Chris,

if I said that told you that no Premier League player has scored more goals this calendar year across all competitions than Yoccharest? Yeah, well, that has surprised me a little bit. You have to credit Michael Arteta for really, not sticking with him, but having the faith to keep putting him in game after game. And, you know, you've seen numerous press conferences

where basically the only subject has been the Arsenal Centre forward. Yockees, you know, why hasn't he sort of found form and hit the heights? I think that connection, that understanding that Theo has talked about, that comes with time. but I think that you look at his finishes yesterday they were finishes of a really confident strike of brilliant ball in from timber, first touch, bang, didn't even think about it.

And I love the second one as well because Archie Gray actually looked for a second like he was getting back and Yokor has just brushed him aside and muscled him and composed himself to finish. So when I saw him even back at Coventry and Lisbon, people sort of said he's a good channel runner, but his sort of spatial awareness and his brain about when to run in behind when there's

spacing behind and then when to come short and link up, I thought that was on point yesterday. So, I mean, it's really encouraging now that he is hitting the form, which he has done with this running now, because the running's fascinating and they'll need him to carry this on if they want to win the title. Chris, were you at your best when you weren't thinking about anything? because I felt like he's not overthinking it because that finish was just No, no one's ever accused of overthinking

his race. I'm often accused of underthinking. I didn't mean it in that sense. I mean the fact that I always felt if I had more time, this is coming on the Williams perspective, I would then make a rash decision or the decision,

I would just overthink it. But because he's been in that situation before, the first goal, particularly, because you see it a lot of times in warm-ups or after the end of train sessions, the players love to do. doing it. They do competitions. And I've seen Yokra's do this. And that's where he wins that competition all the time, by the way, because he knows what he's doing. I just feel like he's not

overthinking it now. What do you reckon? I think I always felt, you know, my game was always about building relationships with players understanding. And that was, what are you doing? He's still, Theo. I love a celebration. My son loves it, so I love it as well. Theo finished his answer and then as if he'd scored a goal, did a Yocchere's celebration with his hands over his face? But go on. Very weird. Very strange behaviour that was.

So my game was, you know, I always felt I was on top of my game when I had understanding when the ball was going to come. And that certainly comes with time. And I think that's what has happened with Yoccares. Yeah, I do along with that. There was a really interesting interview with Graham Lassau in the Times at the weekend who is now running

a computer machine football or something. Graham was working with Majorca for a long time and he's kind of gone into data and there's a little kind of heat map that my son looked at it and said to me so Daddy what's that

and there was a heat map of Yocchere's his touches at sporting and his touches at Arsenal and they've been completely different I think a part of that will be that he's coming to look for the ball because he wants to get involved with the play, he wants to contribute but ultimately he's a box player

That's where he wants the ball to be. That's what he wants to do. He wants to be spinning off defenders and running behind and picking out those channels. And to be honest, where he really wants to be is in that little kind of inside left channel to cut in and put it in the far corner and score the goal that was Arsenal's fourth.

And I wonder if what's changed as much as anything is that the other Arsenal players are now on his wavelength more and more. Arsenal's players are getting him the ball where he wants the ball. But also, Roria will come down to the makeup of those in and around him. So who is on the left of a three?

How are midfield changes if you sort of have as a more of a 10 as opposed to say Zubimendi, Rice and Erdogard as more of a three? I mean, there are all sorts of different elements that presumably play into it for him. He asked me that as my experience of playing in high level, but very deep swaths. I go back to the, yes, exactly. But I go back to kind of your point about Graham Lassau's data company and heat maps and stuff.

Sometimes your position is going to depend on, and this was Graham Lassau's point in that article. You know, sometimes the external stuff isn't taken into account as much. They will only look at the player rather than system, other players, how every little bit affects the performance. Yeah, the Yoceros thing kind of became a small. storyline. He had that big run of not scoring between Burnley and December, I think, Everton maybe in December where he didn't score. And it became

a thing of Arsenal's big money signing hasn't worked out and everything is then cast through that lens, but you're totally right that Arsenal's strength in depth is a massive advantage. It's the reason that they are top of the lead. It's the reason that they look best equipped to win the title. It's the reason that they are still in theory

capable of winning all four trophies. They won't, but they are in theory capable of it. But it presents the difficulty, which is that Artetta can change his components every single week to keep everybody fresh. And for someone like Yoccharez, who is, too, and a certain, I think, reliant on the team around him servicing what he wants to do as the kind of the end point of the play, that does make it more difficult. You're trying to learn other players' patterns, but those players around you keep changing. Why can't you not win four?

I'm not saying they can't. I'm just saying it's very unlikely because he's never been done before. It would be an astonishing achievement to win all four. But with all their options they have that are suited for each game, you can pick individuals that are suited for that game. That's why he's got the best tools, isn't it? They are as well set as you could be, but I just think I'm really wary of it, because I think the more people talk about it,

the more if they don't, it will be used as a stick to beat them with, and it shouldn't be. But let me ask you then, Theo, how much do you think their chances of winning the league hinge on what happens in the league cup final? There we go. There it is.

That was what I was waiting for, chappas. go on that's that's the that's the game that's the one that essentially for me sets the tone for how this whole year

is going to look for Arsenal it really is I think Man City will drop points I think Arsenal will still drop points is that cup final in between

is the ultimate I think and what's great about this competition is plenty younger players before all these teams do it

as soon as it gets closer they know how important it is and they put the big guns they put all the big players out because they know when you can

Because how early this first trophy is, it sets the mark and presidents for the whole league. So, that's the one. Steve Bracknelly, are the assistant manager of Sunday League team, the Royal Oak FC. Are you sick of changes to our beautiful game? Five minute stoppages for VAR checks. VAR, the talking point again after a five minute plus delay. Cryotherapy ice chambers. Olls in back at socks.

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On the Football Daily podcast Let's move on to Crystal Palace The fans displayed a banner Against the board And Oliver Glasner During their won over wolves On Sunday I think it said the board was in NEP

Said that Oliver Glasner is finished, opportunities, missed, fans disrespected. Well, Glasner couldn't confirm last week whether he'd see out the rest of the season, so then he was asked whether it had changed over the weekend. For me, Oliver Glasner is not important. It's Crystal Palace that is important.

And for me, it was, maybe, I don't know how it was interpreted, but for me, if the club had thought they need a change, then I don't want to be in the way. That's what I meant. And this is, and I spoke to the board, to the chairman and to sporting director, they said, no, no, we think you are the right one. This is for me important, you know, that I say, hey, I will stay whatever, because I know, you know, it's, we were winning, we had the best two years in Crystal Palace history, yeah. And then it's not so easy also for a club to say, hey, I think it's better you leave. If you believe, it's better for Crystal Palace, then let's talk, sit together.

But they said, no, no, we believe in you. I talked to the players because that's for me important, you know. It's not that I have to live in London because otherwise I don't know what to do. No, it is the most important thing is Crystal Palace. And I'm here to give 100% to be successful for Crystal Palace. But therefore, I need the players. I can't do anything alone, nothing. Yeah, okay, I can go into my office, but that's it.

I need the players. That's why it's important that players are believing in what we are telling them. I end the stuff. It's important that the club is believing. in us that we can get this turnaround and the season successfully. And this is what I talked about. That's why I said, I don't know if the club has a different idea. I don't want to stay in the way and then we will find the solution.

Well, that was Oliver Glastner after the win over Wolves. Monday Nightclub regular Crystal Palace fan, Dan Cook from HLTCO, the Hopkins Lookin-Lukin to Curl One podcast joins us. I cannot imagine, actually, in some ways, Dan, the turmoil that most Crystal Palace fans must be in over this whole saga. You've got a man who delivered the FA Cup sounding, as you actually put in a long tweet over the weekend,

like he's in a marriage that's no longer working. Yep. I mean, it's obviously multifaceted. The banners at the weekend, I want to sort of say immediately that it could easily come across as if Crystal Palace fans are entitled. You know, you could easily say he's won you in FA Cup,

he's taking you to Europe. I agree with all of that and I will always be eternally grateful to him and his coaching staff and the players from last year for getting us there. I think my main grab

and I would like to think the majority of the palace fans that feel a similar way to me would say this is that he decided back in October that he wanted to move on he agreed with the club

that the best thing to do was not to make that information public because it would have rocked the boat it would have led to a situation like the one we find ourselves in now. He found out that Margué was being sold because as our captain, we chose to get 20 million pounds for him rather than letting him walk out for free

alongside our manager in the summer. And then on his own, against the wishes of the club, decided to announce that he was going to leave as well. And we still had 10 days to go in the window. You know, you've got a fan base and a group of players that didn't know before then that he was going to do that. I just don't see the logic of it. You know, if you want to leave, I understand.

I'm not suggesting you should necessarily stay and, you know, commit your life to Crystal Palace just because you've won us a trophy. But I didn't see the logic in announcing that he was going to leave. And ever since then, it's been a case of one week, he will say one thing, then he'll go back on it a little bit, then he'll say that he understands fans being frustrated. After the game on Thursday, he said that we needed to remain humble as a fan base.

I mean, obviously, I can't speak. You know, I am a palace fan, so maybe my perception of us is slightly warped. I wouldn't have Crystal Palace fans down as an arrogant fan base. I think we are genuinely humble. and if he was a manager who had signed a three or four-year contract, we would be saying, you know, we'll ride this out. He's won us in the FA Cup, he's got us into Europe, we want him to stay. Obviously, we wouldn't be calling for his head.

I think this is a case of him not wanting to be here, but wanting to be sacked rather than walk away without any compensation. I mean, my experience, Dan, and the others can come in, is that my experience of football, it has always been a humble fan base. And actually, what happened by winning the FA Cup, I don't think has changed that. But what I'm guessing you all want is kind of to feel respected. Well, yeah.

I mean, to be honest, the respect thing, I would probably say instead of respect, it's more just valued. Because you look at, I mean, for example, this European situation we find ourselves in, it's one of my biggest gripes with Oliver Glasner's management of us this season. Because I don't believe, if we were in the Europa League, obviously we qualified for it, didn't get in,

because of the paperwork, etc. Or the Champions League, he wouldn't be phoning in the selections that he has. You know, you look at the situation. He was very, very clear that Mark Gaye was absolutely pivotal for us. And half-time, one-neill up away at Strasbourg, he took him off because he wanted to manage his minutes. He wasn't injured.

He just decided it was the best thing to do. We ended up losing that game 2-1. Against Coops at home, if we'd won that, we wouldn't have been needing this two-legged playoff with the Genie Mostar that we are in the midst of because we would have got the free points and we would have gone through. We're probably not going to get back to Europe

in the next five or ten years. We may never get back there. You only need to look at someone like Leicester City at a moment to realise how fast you can fall away from a position of supremacy. So I think every palace fan wanted us to grasp the nettle and I don't believe that his selections in this particular competition

have given us that opportunity so far. Do you wish the club had been more decisive when Oliver Glastner came out then, you say he came out? Nobody knew he was going to come out and talk about him leaving. Do you wish the club had been decisive in that moment and just moved on? Yeah, 100%. I mean, there was a situation.

So he announced that Mark Gaye was leaving on the Friday before Sunderland away. He was very, very clear then that he was unhappy, because that was him sort of throwing his stories out of the pram and deciding to tell everybody that he wasn't going to be resigning. And he'd made his mind up in October. He then came out after the game against Sunderland and said that he looked at his bench, and didn't see a single person worthy of bringing on. So from a man management perspective,

I felt that was terrible. You know, you've alienated six or seven people immediately. You've got a situation afterwards where he said that he couldn't trust the board and the only people that he could trust for the players. And at that point, I wanted him gone immediately. And I think the board probably were going to do it. They decided to row back on that call

and now I feel they've backed themselves into something of an impossible corner. Because if you weren't going to do it then, you're not going to do it now. But, I mean, on Thursday night we're playing Moistar at home. If we don't get through, I mean, it was toxic on Sunday. It will be even worse. I mean, significantly worse.

If we don't perform and we don't get through there, it would just be a complete wasted opportunity in terms of this maiden European campaign. It's quite a sad situation, Dan, isn't it? I mean, just, how do you think it's impossible to answer this, but I'll ask it anyway, how do you think he'll be viewed, say, five years down the line? I mean, look, it's such a obvious thing to say

he's our greatest ever manager. He is, you know, you can't, you could argue, for example, that Steve Cople is still above him because of longevity and the different spells. I think it's 442 matches, Steve Cople, man is. So it depends how you look at it. But in terms of tangible success,

you know, rocking up to a football club that have never won anything, taking us into Europe, winning the FA Cup, winning the Community Shield, it's beyond our wildest dreams. I never thought I would see it. So by definition, in many people's minds, he will go down as our greatest manager.

But in terms of his legacy, in terms of how he'd be viewed as an individual and personality-wise, he has definitely sullied it in its last six months. There's no doubt about it. Because as Mark said, you know, respect or value is a huge part of being a football fan. You want to feel like your manager

wants to be your manager, and clearly doesn't. But you worried that Glasner is kind of making the situation so toxic there might be a little bit of kind of contagion with players as well. does it, you know, that fieldwood factor has sort of diminished at Palace. And the other is, and this maybe isn't Palace specific.

Do you tell me that the vibe, because I do, that he's massively impacting his ability to get the job he wants when he leaves Palace? Because this is, the whole thing is a really bad look. Yeah, for sure. Just to answer your first question, I mean, I was at in Bosnia on Thursday. And obviously, it's such an intangible thing to say they're not playing for him anymore. And I'm not suggesting they're going out against a wolves or a Burnley or a, a MoStar and trying to not win the game.

But it certainly feels like, you know, you've got a boss, a manager that you know isn't going to be there in three months, so you're not going to necessarily want to run through a brick wall for him. Adam Walton got sent off against Chelsea a couple of weeks back. It was brainless. But if the manager's going to go in and, you know, roast him for it at full time,

there will, I mean, imagine, be a part of Alan Walton's brain where he's thinking, I don't really care. You know, you're not going to be here, so why would I, you know, run through a brick wall for you? He might not be an other. Well, no, I mean, this is the other thing. He also mentioned Oliver Glasner the other day that there are a couple of players

that are thinking about where they're going to be next season. So that in itself is like, have you cultivated that view? Have you led those players to feel that way? We don't know, obviously, but it just felt like a peculiar thing to say from a manager anyway. In terms of his prospects are getting another job, I honestly believe that a lot of his frustration and angle, which tends to boil over,

comes from the fact that he knows this run. I mean, it's now two wins in 17, I think, because we obviously beat wolves on Sunday, but prior to that, it was one winning 16. I think he knows that when you go on a run like that, top clubs are not going to take a punt. And then once you have had your Sunderland outburst, once you have thrown the entire bench under the bus,

once you have said that you can't trust the board, you can't act like that at top six club, because you'll be out before your feet touch the ground. So I think it's almost like a runaway train of him scrambling and realizing that that chance of getting a big job. is following by the wayside. And let's be honest, actually, Rory, if you followed that train of thought,

two of the so-called Big Six have already biffed their managers this year as soon as they spoke out against the hierarchy in Moreska and Amarim. I mean, they may be framed as mutual or whatever, you know, just for legal reasons. But let's just say they have part of company with two managers. I just talked with Bift if I were you I think legally Bift is absolutely right Excellent well

I'm not sure I want you to be my lawyer So I will I'll still Tread a fine line It's true I think Dan's completely right Like the run itself would have been a problem For Glastner If you're United or Tottenham

Which are the two that we know will be up Liverpool might come up You know there'll be other jobs Towards the top end of the Premier League That might be available Marco Silver's contracts up at Fulham Wouldn't necessarily say Fulham were a bigger club than Palace

but it's the sort of thing that Glasgow might be looking at as a kind of as a backup option, I don't know. But a lot of those will be looking at and thinking, well, the run is bad. But also the way that you've kind of sort of strafing everybody with your dissatisfaction, that is not what we need at all. You know, managers now, the pressure remains the same, the kind of the intensity, the responsibility, the fact that you're first in the firing line remains the same. But most clubs see them as cards in a wheel. They're not the all-powerful figures that they used to be.

you have to be able to kind of work within a hierarchy what Glasner's basically doing is advertising to everybody who might have hired him that he can't do that. Dan, appreciate your time this evening, good to see you. Thank you, Dan Cook, Crystal Palace, from HLTCO with us on the Monday Nightclub. Let's talk James Milna.

Started in midfield and in doing so became the all-time Premier League record appearance holder on 654 after they won at Brentford. And then amongst all the night, notes that I have, you played in the under 21s with him. Yeah, I did. And he had a record there as well, I think.

He's the, I think he's the 46 times. He's a record there. And I just knew from the day one when I played with James Milner, I was 16 or 15, very long time ago. I should still be playing when he still play. Anyway, he was here for the long run because his attitude, the fact that I was with the 21s were only about 14 games, and he already made 40 games by the time I joined. and he was still there.

He wasn't one of those players was, I'm too good for the 21s, I'm too old, you know, I should be in the first team. That's his attitude. He essentially was never that, you know,

such a cliche, that big time Charlie, he was never that type. He was so professional off the field, which I learned so much from. He had so much time for anyone. That's why I took away from my younger days when I watched him

because he was not far from me. The time he had for people, away from the actual football, and I think that's his influence of Brighton's only going to excel them and I think when he's playing they're going to perform better because James Milner is that type who gets the best out of everyone he got the best out of me when I play with him but I mean it's a great achievement he's a great professional and I don't know when he will stop though

because the hunger for his game is his key so I don't know when he was what position was he when he was a right winger he was a right winger and I was right wing but then he went out to the left because he thought I'm not as quick as this guy you know, I'll stay out there, but he can, look, I could only play out on the right, to be fair. You know, I wasn't as quick as him. But he could play everywhere. But, yeah, he was right wing when I came in, but he adapted knowing that I was coming in as well

because he felt, look, I've got another good player around me now, I'll just move. He was that comfortable going anywhere on the field. So I think that's just credit to him. He wouldn't ask questions. He'd just get on with the job. When you look at, when you look at him, though, Theo, and knowing how we are told how he lives his life, you know, he played in the middle of midfield. for Brighton, at Brentford.

So as long as he has the desire to keep training, really, I suppose, that's the bit, isn't it? The dedication to the sort of less glamorous stuff. He's got more in him. Oh, I've seen him of his top-off, chappas. He's, uh... He's still got it?

He's still got it. He's always having it. But like, he's just, you know, speaks multiple languages. as well. So where he can affect, you know, players that come from different leagues is so key. He's such a role model in every available asset, honestly. He's to play in the field in the Premier League of that age, at that level, that consistency still. He's been very lucky with the injuries.

He's not had some major injury setbacks, but just shows how he lives his life. I think that's correct to him again. John, some other astonishing stats just from his career, which, you know, when you think about it, because of the longevity, they do make sense. But they're still mind-boggling, really. He scored a Premier League goal Rory against goalkeepers born in the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, and the 2000s. So he's the only player to do that.

And since John Murray won't like this stuff, but anyhow, since the Premier League was formed in 1992-93, there have been just over 5,000 players who have played in the Premier League. and almost half of those, 49% have played either alongside him or against him. He's the ultimate Premier League figure, James Milner. He really is.

He's been a fixture of kind of our imagination. I remember him coming through was a really exciting teenage winner at Leeds when he was 16. The baggie top, wasn't it? Yeah. Yeah, and you kind of look, that was when Leeds would,

I think, the start of the financial crisis and he was the sort of hot one off the production line. And I think I've said before, I went to school with my brother in London. Cricket James Milner very important. Important that

the Yorkshireman is representing in this way carrying the standard for Yorkshire and for Leeds specifically. I think he is

that rare thing that football's always been tribal obviously, it's become more and more kind of toxic that tribalness. I think most fans

respect James Milner. They might not necessarily like him particularly as he's played for the wrong clubs or whatever but I think very few fans

would look at James Milner with any real antipathy. I think he is is pretty universally admired and extraordinarily well-liked by the standards of football.

Chris? Yeah, I mean, just incredible to think that he's 40 and still playing Premier League football. I mean, the sacrifices he has had to make over the years to play at that level

are just incredible. And his mental strength must be up there with, you know, most top players who have played the game just to play that length. So many different positions as well. I remember playing right,

he's played right, played right back, I think. Played right back, he's played right, he's played left, played centrally. I mean, that's, you know, as a manager, that's, you know, your perfect player, someone who will come into the team, play a player position, not moan, get on with it, get his head down.

and just an unbelievable career. And the fact that Theo is right, he probably will want to play on for a year or two. I don't know how his body. I don't know how he can have a body which does that. I mean, he's not a goalkeeper, a goalkeeper can play forever. But to sort of carry on.

I mean, it's true, they can. I mean, but, you know, especially, I know Rory's big on sort of, you know, physicality in this era and what have you. But, I mean, he's an absolute machine. He was a brilliant cross-country runner, wasn't he? Well, Rory. He's like you, Chris.

He's just a very naturally gifted sportsman, I think. No, he was. He was, as I said, good cricketer, good cross-country run. I think he, I spoke to him about this once. I think he was a bit of a jack-of-all-trades in terms of sport. Like, he had that full-on, like, all-sports background, which is certainly healthier than kind of focusing relentlessly on football from the age of five. And I think it probably gives you certain advantages.

The thing I find that I find difficult to understand as a layman, when Milner talks about standards, he says that the secret has always been, that he set high standards early on and carried them through. What to you, what to you, is he referring to? Is it kind of attitude in training? Is it taking care of your body away from football? It's all of that.

But what I always used to think with James Milne, if he's in a starting lineup, and he's playing the head of a certain player, it's always that unfair, it's unfair that he's always a seven. No, he's better than a seven. He was better than a seven. And he's kind of been trademarked that.

And I always felt like, if you're in James Milner's position you want to play in that position you've got to be a nine you got to be a nine you have to stand out because he does everything good everything's better than good sorry

you have to be excel what he's just poor at and his poor thing was an eight all the time so that's like how highly I rated him because of his standards he set on a match day on just a match day preparation

his preparation was just so focused and it was just nothing would affect him nothing and he's a crisp hitting down ahead about the sacrifices. He sacrificed so much. And I just think that was the point for me. That's seven, he was never a seven. He was better than a seven.

I never liked that from him. I thought that was a bit unfair when you always hear he's a standard. He's a seven every week. I'm just going to read some of the managers he's played under as well, just as a final thing. I mean, he played under Sir Bobby Robson.

I mean, you know, when you actually go back, Terry Venables was at Leeds and actually gave him his debut so he's played under Venables and Sir Bobby Aladice, Keegan Sewness Martin O'Neill

O'Leary Mancini Klop Deserby I mean Stuart Pearce Stuart Pearce Wands, yeah I mean goodness So he must have played under managers

Bobby Robson must have been born in what the 1930s I would guess Testing me now. And Fabian Herzlowe, who was born in the 2010s. That is remarkable. We're going to talk Scottish Premiership next. A win for Hart, a draw for Rangers and a defeat for Celtic over the weekend.

So Hart four points clear at the top. We'll bring former Hart's captain Gary Locke in in just a second. But honestly, Chris, every weekend, it just keeps delivering. It's brilliant. It is absolutely brilliant because, I mean, Gary will tell you when he comes on. When Hart's lost to Rangers, everybody was saying, well, that's Rangers. They're going to win it now. They've got the momentum and hearts, they'll fall away.

I mean, my thoughts, and I said this before on it, I think that all three, I mean, you could even include Motherwell in there at a push. There are any 10 points off it. Well, you want to include Motherwell, though. Well, I do just because they've been the best football team. I've seen this season North or South of the border honestly

they play an incredible brand of football they maybe will have too much to do but as I did expect didn't expect Rangers to drop points at Livingston the bottom team who have only won this season but they all have their sort of frailties what hearts have in their favour

is with every passing game four points at the moment their top and no Celtic have a game in hand I don't think Celtic can win it I really don't. I think Celtic will finish third the way things are going at this moment in time. But Lauren Shankland and Gary will probably have a better idea than me. Every passing week he's closer to returning and boy have they missed him. You know, he's a brilliant finisher. I know they've got Cammy Devlin, the midfielder, to come back as well.

But I look at Hart's fixtures and I think, I still think, and I said this, I think about a month ago on here, I still think Hart's will win it. I still think Hart's are favourites. but the beauty of it is, every weekend now, it'll be like this last weekend. And after the split, I mean, that could just be absolute carnage. I mean, it really could, because everybody is capable of beating anybody else.

Let's bring in former hearts, Captain Gary Locke, rather than just reading out, fix your list for the next 10 minutes. And do you think, Gary, that that felt like a pivotal weekend because after what happened the previous week at Ibrox, I think a lot of people, and maybe to use Chris's phrase from down south, thought, uh-oh, here we go. Maybe this is when the old firm starts to ratchet up and hearts go be under pressure. And the opposite has happened. Yeah, listen, I'm quite happy with everybody saying that.

You know, we've been written off most of the season. And as I say, I certainly didn't see Rangers dropping points at Livingston. I didn't see her biggest rivals. Hibs doing us a favour either. So it was a good weekend for us. Obviously we can only take care of ourselves. We won the day before, putting a wee bit pressure on them. And as I say, the other results, you know,

they went really well for us yesterday. So long way that continue, but as, you know, Chris touched on there, it's great for the Scottish game. We've now got ourselves challenging at the top end of the table. And it's just refreshing that it's no just Celtic that are running away with the league this year, which is great for everybody. Gary, were you a bit worried when they brought back?

Martin O'Neill, sorry, and just felt, oh, this is someone who's up, obviously, course, got the history and winning this and being in a situation before. Was that a worry for you when he came back to the club thinking, I think of Dom and Ate? I think it would have been a worry for both ourselves and Rangers, you know, Martin and Chris will be able to tell you better than me, but he's a fantastic manager, and he gets the best out of the players, you know, he's got that, like, a magic touch in terms of, you know, Celtic get a lot of last-minute winners,

and that's no a fluke for me. They keep going right to the very end. So it was a wee bit of a worry when he went back there because obviously he was undefeated when he went in earlier on in the season and I was very surprised that Celtic let him go I think they'd probably be in a far better position now if they had kept him as the manager for most of the season

but it was great for us the fact that there has so much unrest and so many bad results and it's maybe going to prove costly for them moving forward When you look at the team, when you look at Hart's how do you see them coping with the pressure of Does you imagine that the closer that they get to the end of the season still being top,

the more it becomes real that they might, you know, it's possible that they do this. Do you see them coping with that pressure? Do you think it's starting to take its toll? There's been quite a lot of one-nill wins. Yeah, I think there has been a bit of nervousness about the stadium. But I think we're in the same position. I think if you look at the Rangers squad, you know, there's no many of their players have won lead titles up in Scotland.

I think so we're all in the same boat. You know, it's new for us. It's obviously we're delighted to be up there because this time last year we were fighting relegation which we should never be in that position but we were so I think everybody's just enjoying it we're all on a bit of a roller coaster but I think we've got enough quality in the changing room

that'll be able to handle the running I think we've got a fantastic manager who I'll keep the boys very much grounded and you know I think we're all in good spirits at the moment and the boys are really looking forward to the running Gary, I mean, is there, I'm going to, I don't want this to sound bad, but is, you know, is there an element of sort of paranoia about hearts and this, and this people think you're going to fall away? Because I've not been one of those, really. And if you look at, mentioned, just before you came on, if you look at Celtic and Rangers, they'll drop points as well.

Well, you know, I'm not, I'm not saying hearts will go and win the next 10 games. They just won't. That's not going to happen. But there's nothing really to suggest that this Celtic team are suddenly going to. going to flick a switch and go and win 10 games on the bounce. That absolutely is not going to happen. So that, you know, that must give

the hearts plenty of confidence as well. Yeah, I think you're absolutely spot on. I think there's still a lot of twists and terms to go. But I think, and you'll probably agree with me, I think it's the first time in a long, long time where you're looking at both the old firm and you're saying, you know, potentially they will get beat with a mother well or a St. Mirren,

which does not really happen. It's never really happened in the past. And you're right. I think there is a lot of points to be won and lost in the next six, seven games. So it's just really important for us that we win as many of these games before the split. And if we can do that, we're going to put ourselves in a great position when we go into the split. And I heard you talking earlier, you touched on that. I think the league's going to have a big problem because you know yourself.

because if we finish in the top six and it finishes like how it's finishing at the moment, I don't know how they're going to work the fixtures out because you might end up playing one team three times at home and only playing away from home once. So it's probably the first time in a long time where the home games are got to be crucial this year. Do you know what, Gary, we touched on that a few weeks ago

in the sense of, because of how it has panned out over recent years since they've done the split, they've never had to have, I'd have phrasing it. sort of never had to worry whether how fair it's been because whoever's winning the title has been miles clear so it hasn't made a massive difference

whereas now they've got a serious competitive three-way title race and they need to make it as fair as they possibly can but I don't know how you do that yeah well it's a huge problem because you know if it does go down to the wire and it finishes how the league is at the moment we would be due to go to Easter Road

would be due to go to Parkhead we'd also be due to go to Motherwell and I don't think the fixtures will work out like that. I think maybe Motherwell might have to come to Tincastle three times so it's a big problem for them because I think it will go down to the wire I think the three years and Motherwell as well

if they win their game in hand they're only seven points behind so we could have a big problem on their hands but lucky enough it's no me that has to make that decision but they're going to have to get their heads together because I think a lot of Cubs will be very unhappy if they didn't get the home games that they should be getting Gary, thank you very much for being on.

Talk to you, see. Gary, Lord with us on the Monday night club. Motherwell are at home to Dundee United on Saturday, and Harts are at home to Aberdeen. So they could both, Chris, either extend the lead or close the gap before the old firm on Sunday. Yeah, and who knows what's going to happen on Sunday. I mean, that's going to be absolute bedlam. The split thing is really interesting.

Are you there? Are you allowed in again? Yeah, we're all friends again. Maybe one more game. And then we'll say, but the split thing is, the split thing is brilliant. Because, you know, as Gary explained,

there'll be an imbalance somewhere. And there will be loads of conspiracy theories going around. Of course, they will. When those fixtures are announced, you know, somebody will be getting done in. That will be.

The last old. The firm of the season is fixed in already, though, surely. They'll know where the last old firm is. Well, you never know, Rory. Of course it is, yeah. That's presumably the only thing they really worry about with the split is making sure that they've got the old firms sort of set up. Two and two.

Chris, what is it you like so much about Motherwell? Well, I think when you look at them as a club, their budget, the way that they are coached, the way that they play. They are the best footballing team in Scotland. I mean, he has them playing. It's all about using the extra manner and picking that right pass.

And they are so good and so aware as players. And you look at their team and, you know, without being disrespectful, you know, they're sort of waifs and strays, a team who are sort of cobbled together. That is slightly disrespectful, actually. It is, yeah.

The way that they play and the confidence they have, and the way they have torn Celtic apart this season, 10 men against Rangers, they were the better team. They went to Ibrox and lost narrowly 1-0 when they were the better team at Ibrox. And it's just the purity of their football. And I think it's a brilliant story.

And it's a real testament to their manager, that he's gone and he coaches them so well, and he's got them playing in this particular style. At the weekend, they beat St. Mirren, who was struggling this season. They won the League Cup, though. They beat them 5-0 on their own patch. And some of the football is just scintillating. And in fairness, some of the pitches in Scotland at this moment in time,

because of the Weatherwitchievert are cutting up. But he insists that they play this way. And the players have brought into it. And it's a great, great story. The stats as well for Motherwell, Rory, they're unbeaten in eight in the league. They've only conceded three goals in their past 15, and they've lost once in 19.

If they were based in Sweden or Paraguay, you'd be straight there doing a... That sounds very dismissing. Doing one of your articles, wouldn't you? Our budgets don't stretch the Paraguay, Jack, I'm not sure you. Right. No, I was... No, don't work.

No, it's... Sweden or Bulgaria or... Yeah, 100%. What's wrong with Motherwell? Nothing at all, Chris. This is very self-indulgent. I think Hart's potentially are the best story in Europe this season. If they win the Scottish Premiership,

that is... I'm not sure there's another story that would have the same kind of historic... FCTune is quite a good story. FC tune is remarkable, because they only came up this year. But yeah, that is a great story. Hearts maybe has a little bit more resonance just because of the dominance of the Glasgow 2.

The problem Motherwell have got, from a journalistic point of view, as someone who goes out and loves a lovely romantic story, is that hearts are there. I think if hearts weren't top, Motherwell would have got more attention. But I've written all of this down, Chris, so give me a week or two, and I'll make sure that I can remedy that. Oh, great. You can get the train as well.

You get the train to Motherwell. you mowing about the price of train tickets before we came. Oh, don't have me started. That's to Chris, Theo and Rory. That's it for this week's Monday nightclub. Next episode of the Football Daily will be with Kelly and it's the Champions League Deep. I'm Rich Hall

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