Walking The Dog with Emily Dean - Gary Lineker Returns!

Episode Date: October 3, 2022

This week Emily and Ray popped to South West London to take stroll with Gary Lineker and his new dog, Filbert. They chatted about Gary bringing Filbert into his life since losing his beloved Labrador, Snoop. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ray would be a great number nine. Because Ray just like stands in the box. Just standing like six sharpox, never leaves it. Just there, waiting. About to pound. He actually's going to take a corner, is it? No, he's going back. I wouldn't say...

You started a football analogy. This week on Walking the Dog, Raymond and I popped to South West London to take a stroll with England hero, Golden Boot winner, and much-love match at the day host, Mr Gary Linneker. and his adorable new dog, Philbert. Last time Gary appeared, we met his beautiful Labrador Snoop, who since then he's sadly lost, so he told me all about bringing Philbert into his life,

which was definitely the right decision, because Gary Linneker and Philbert are the dream team. It's basically like watching him with Peter Beardsley all over again. We had the loveliest walk, because Gary's just a very easy person to get along with. He's incredibly gentle and self-effacing, and really level-headed. Nothing seems to face him.

even the size of Philbert's poos and I have to say they're quite a lot to unpack. Also, I should say Gary's just written a book with Iber Bedeal. Yes, Brother of David, those boys get about. Called 50 times football change the world and it's full of really brilliant football anecdotes so do get involved.

I'll stop talking now so you can listen to the man himself. Here's Gary and Philbert and Raymond. Right, Gary, have you got everything? Yeah, I've got a dog. I've got some treats in my pocket. Oh, magic word. Oh, chicken and hide twisters, he'll like those. He already does.

Well, Phil like these? Feel like there's everything. Oh, Phil. Don't you Phil? Are you going to take a lead for Phil? Yes. You don't need to though. Well, I don't.

I do, because he'll bolt if you see the squirrel on the road. What I was going to ask is, you haven't got a spare lead, have you? He eats them, so I'll go through them quite quick. Stop it. Does Ray need a lead? Well, no. It'll be fine. I'll take him off the lead as soon as we get out anyway.

I'll just carry Ray. I'm only doing it just near the road because if he sees something he will go. Okay. So. I know the feeling, Gary. Yeah. As will I. Right, Gary, we've got the two dogs.

I think these, are you bringing sunglasses? It's quite sunny. Why, the Papp's outside. No. I'm wearing my normal glasses. Come on then. Let's go, boys. Come on.

Come on, Phil, come on Ray. Go? Yeah, of course you do. Come with Uncle Gary. Hey, Philbet. We're going for a walk. Another one. Right, where is?

Oh, they look really happy. Yeah, he tends to chew through leads. Does he? He just likes chewing. It's better than furniture. Come on, Phil. Right, let's go. Hang on.

You wait. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Wait, wait, wait, wait. Right, right. Okay. Orders. Come on. Come on, Ray. Come on, let's be having you.

Ray. Stay, Ray. Right, follow Gary and Phil. Follow Gary. Gary, it's going to be around this pace for Ray. Well, that's my pace now, so that's good. That suits me. He's pace for you.

Hey, come on, here. Where is Phil? He gives it a bit of wellie, doesn't he? He's got a suture. Hey, hey. He's too excited. Come on, Phil. Oh, Gary's let his lead off. He's fine off the lead.

He can't be on his own, so he's not going to be, he will disappear. Do you know he's got a lovely, elegant walk, Phil? Does he? Like his dad. How about he's peeing? That's quite elegant too, look. I don't say like his dad. He's only just started cocking his leg the last few weeks.

I was a bit, I didn't know whether he knew what he was before. Look, what do you think of Ray's? Oh, he's doing a poo. Good old Ray. Get the poo out early. He's gone for the early poo. Well that's always been your approach, hasn't it? Tushay. For anyone who doesn't realise, Google, Gary Lillingerker. It is quite big poos for a tiny dog.

And poohs. He does. Here we go. Mine wasn't that solid, sadly. I'm just going to say who I'm with in case for heaven's sake you hadn't realised. All the most recognisable faces, voices, and soon to be dogs in the country, because he's quite a legend this dog. What the hell is he eating, Gary?

Grass, just grass. Okay. Oh, I love that you still say grass. Well, come on. I do tend to slip occasionally now. And I really hate myself when I do it. If I say bath or grass, and it does come, and I go, ugh, don't forget your roots.

But all my, All my boys, they all speak with that southern bath and grass from Sondra. Do they? Yeah. That's where they grew up. Come on Ray. Robert? Bill. Be it obedient ears. Look. He'll come back. No worry. Come on.

Yay, Bill! He's very good at coming back. Sit. Who's he going to come to? He chose me. Your arms were out. Sit. He chose it. Poor. Other poor. Carrey Lilliput is so competitive that he couldn't even face the fact that my dog, his dog, chose me. I'm just saying your dog ran to me. You must have

had a bigger treat. So let me formally introduce this man. I'm with the very wonderful. This is his second appearance on this podcast. Am I the first person to have two appearances? Am I? No. No? Oh, I wouldn't have agreed then if I'd known that. I just thought that would be special. That's how you end up getting the golden boot ladies and gentlemen with that kind of attitude selfish it's true um i'm with the very wonderful gary winston linica and he's here because i wanted him to introduce us to his beautiful new dog phil filbert philbert philbert and because last time you were on gary we should say i don't want to make you cry within the first five minutes but you you will uh you came on with lovely snoop who you've lost didn't you yeah he died just not too long before

the first lockdown so about what is it now two and a half three years ago and and it was it was horrible it was devastating and he just and he seemed fine he's about 11 and um Harry one of my sons was was staying with me and he knocked on my door early in the morning before he went to work saying Dad Dad and Richard he never knock on my door I said what he said something wrong with Snoop I went down and he was there was blood and there was you know he'd messed himself and he was in a bit of a pickle

so we took him to the vet and it was a Tuesday it was a Champions League night and when I was doing it with BT and I was talking it with BT and I was talking him to the vet they said we'll do some tests and we'll we'll give you a call so they called me and they said well there's there's clearly some internal bleeding and this and they said you know we we could open him up and see if it's not too bad we can perhaps take his spleen out we perhaps get another year or so but if it's really bad then obviously it'd be you know so so I said well what would you do if it was

your dog and she said well if I could afford it I'd do the operational and see what's there so I said well do that and then and I was about to it was it was it was couldn't do it to the afternoon and then I was in I was just about to go into makeup for the BT for the for the for the we're about 630 we're on air at seven and I got the call and the call was bad news but they couldn't do anything and they said we you know we've got to let go can you can you do you want to come do you want to be here I said I'm about to go on TV I've got a show I couldn't get there before midnight said well we're 24 hours if you can

come then perhaps if anyone your sons want to come and so I was sat in makeup and I was crying my eyes out and Sally has always done my makeup she's going oh no no and I had to go I went on TV and it was like really really hard to keep you know the tears from going without nobody would have known what was going on but but it was horrible but then I went and I was with him when he when he when he when he past which was it was really how did you do that show you must have it was horrible it was really difficult you just you know you just go into some kind of doctor theatre doctor theatre mode or whatever it is but and then it was fine i mean it wasn't fine but it was when i got there um

it was actually quite calming seeing him go in the way because he went comfortably and calmly i don't know whether you've ever witnessed that but did you hold his poor i did i did i hold him and it was but it really beat me up. I mean, I was really, I mean, I felt a little bit sort of guilty because I'd lost my two parents as well in recent years just before the dog. And I felt a little bit guilty that I was, felt more beaten up by the dog than my parents.

Now, I love my parents, but, and then, when you think about it, though, the dog's there with you every, you know, every minute of every day that you're there. It's very different. Oh we found some friends. Found some friends to play with. Hello. Hello. Hello.

Right, Ray, come here please Gary. Can you call Ray? Ray! Let's see who he comes to, Gary. You try and I'll try. I don't think he looks like he wants to move. Is he asleep? Why doesn't he move, Gary? That was a good distraction there. It stopped me getting all welled up again.

And at the time I thought, I can't do this again. I mean, I'd had dogs before previously, but not. But I don't know. It was just really hard. And I was really bad and I was crying again the next morning. And then my personal trainer, he trained me for 20 odd years. He's always had dogs. He has a dog.

10, 12, whatever years he gets. Then he gets another dog almost immediately. And I saw him there. I said, how can you do that? And he went, well, hang on a minute. He said if in a relationship in life, whether it's, you know, whether it's with a woman or a man or whatever, if you could guarantee 12 years of unconditional love that every time you came through the door, whether you've been out for two minutes, two hours, two weeks or two months,

they'd treat you like you're the greatest thing in the history of the world. Would you take that? And I went, yeah, probably would. So it took me a while, though. I'd just started thinking about getting another dog and then... How's going this one? Then I met Philbert. I really think that's something that's very common, just that real depth of feeling,

because not even a partner sees the stuff of dogs at each. No, it's true. Ray sees every emotion. And also, they're entirely dependent on you. Yeah. I mean, they really are. Even though he's a dog that was found on the streets. So talk me through, tell us about how Phil came into your life.

It's a little long story. I just started thinking maybe. time I had another dog and you know my boys they're all old enough to help a little bit because obviously I do travel they're all in their 20s well George's in his 30s now but so you know you have to think because it's a commitment to dog and so I'd started thinking about it a little bit but not overly and then I went to LA on holiday as I go a couple of times a year they've got a lot of friends there and Danielle my exes there and a few people so

So I arrived there on the first night and I stayed in this hotel with a nice little rooftop vibe. And two of my friends came Reese and Reggie for a drink. And Reggie had Philbert with him. He wasn't called Philbert then. Funny enough, I came up with that. Yeah, funny that. He was surprised. So he came in with him and he was like jumping all over me.

And I just thought it was me, but he actually does that to everyone. And I said, I love your dog, Reggie's great. And he went, well, it's not actually my. dog. He said, my dog's at home. He said, but I also foster dogs. He says, I foster, you know, the rescue dogs and I'd foster them until they find a permanent home. Anyway, about four ngronies later, I'll have him. And that's how it happened. So, and Reggie said, right, okay, I'll ask you again in the morning. And he did. They'd never had a particular dog charity where he came from, hadn't let one go abroad before.

But they were really, really helpful. Then it's a bit mad, but it's just kind of a moment. He came up every night to the hotel. He became my kind of buddy on the trip, really. And then there's got a bit of paperwork to go through, and you have to be neutered if you're going to be adopted in America. And he had to rave his jabs and all this. But I was also a little bit worried, well, it'd be all right on the plane.

I don't know what it's like. and then I got it talked through and it's actually, I didn't realize that there's kind of a pet thing behind the luggage where it's got the same conditions as it is in the cabin,

the same kind of lighting and all that sort of stuff. But he seemed all right full of beans when I, and then I met him at Heathrow and he came running up and jumped all over me in. Oh, there must have been

like a Richard Curtis movie. Except it was a dog. He was a dog. He was a dog. It was much better, probably. Dog actually. Yeah. We got it.

So he looks, is he sort of part-alcation, do you think? Well, he was found on the streets. I don't know that much about his past. Don't know exactly how old he is, but he's just, he's still a pop, clearly. We think around one now, somewhere around one. And, or just coming up to it. But he was found on the streets in L.A. with his sister. And his sister had already been adopted when I met Philbert.

but subsequently through Reggie who fostered him in the first place. They did the DNA thing. So, yeah, which was interesting. It came back something like most, just over 50% husky. I think it was 30% Aussie shepherd or cattle dog. And a bit of border collie and a bit of German shepherd. It's kind of what we expected. but it was nice to know.

He's got those beautiful husky eyes, isn't he? Yeah, he's got the husky eyes. Very unusual to have dogs with blue eyes. Yeah. Yeah, but I get stuck with him all the time. People go, oh, his eyes, the dog. Oh, these eyes, his eyes all the time. But here's a question.

Do you quite like that, Gary? Because in a way, that pulls a bit of focus off you. I think that's quite nice. Well, actually, I'd get a bit jealous. I just get more attention than me. I mean, let's ride. I would have thought it might be quite nice though. No, it is.

Yeah, it's nice. I quite like with Ray that people are so obsessed by him, they sort of go, oh my God, he's amazing. They put up with you. He'll come, he'll find it. Oh, do you think he will? I know he will because he can't be on his own. Can he not?

No, that's the only downside I've got. It gets terrible separation anxiety. Philbert, this way. Sorry, I just shout in your ears. There is. Come on, Philbert. And he's called Philbert. After Philbert Street, of course,

which was Leicester's ground for well over 100 years. It's where I started to watch football, professional football. It's where I played my first eight years. It's also the name of Leicester's mascot, Philbert the Fox. It's also a type of nuts, which I'm sure you know.

a little bit like a hazel, part of the hazelnut family, which is very similar colouring to Philbert as well. And that's where we, you know, after a lot of two in and thrown with names and my boys, that's what we, that's what we went with. So he's bad, you were saying, he's quite clingy? Yeah, it's not so much the clinginess, he's getting better on that. But being left on his own, he gets, he gets into a terrible state, starts panting immediately. you know even if

even if I just shut the door behind him within seconds he'll start at the door and he gets in a mess and then he but I've kind of worked that out early on but you know he's by a bit of damage to various doors etc

but we had one mix up because I kind of try and make sure that someone's around if I possibly can I mean obviously you've got to leave a dog occasionally on his own but it's not nice because it's obviously a stressful experience for him, so I'm trying not to. So I've got enough sons that we have kind of a rotation thing, but we did have a mix-up about...

I love I've got enough sons. You sound like someone out of the Bible. I've got for. I have enough sons. So it was about, I don't know, a couple of months ago. I was in a beather, actually, and Danielle was over my ex-and-and-she was staying at mine, so she was actually watching him, but she told me she had to be out this afternoon, one afternoon, and then, so I texted the... texted the boys group chat saying go this way this way about 11 o'clock at night and I texted the boys I said can any of you watch the dog tomorrow afternoon because Danielle's not around then I went to sleep and then I woke up the next morning and

George had said I can do it it went great the froze break so so about seven o'clock that evening I called George I went everything okay with films and he went fuck I went What do you mean? Fuck. Sorry, she shouldn't swear. But it was a fuck moment. You're allowed to swear, Gary. And I went, what? He went, I thought you meant tomorrow. Because he'd woken up seeing, can you do it tomorrow in the morning after that I'd sent the text? So it was just a genuine, you know, one of those misunderstandings. He said, I can be there in 10 minutes. I'll go now and he dish round.

So how long had Phil been on his own? About four hours, four, five hours. Five sets of curtains. Five, five. Five cents. One in the front room, two in the bedroom, one in the main room downstairs and one in the guest bedroom. Yeah, so that was... Well, I tried to give you some advice.

Last time I saw you, I... What did I tell you would be a good thing to do? If you put on match of the day, Gary, then he can hear your voice and feel reassured. Have you tried that? Well, I have, but I really might not like the show. Or he might like how... Shearer more than me or something.

Can you imagine that? It'd be awful. Actually, Alan's met him anyway. Has he? What did Alan, Shira think, with him? Alan loves dogs, yeah. So he's got, he lost his dog not long ago. Oh.

Yeah, he's, yeah. It's a brutal experience. It really is. Well, I'm so thrilled that you came into each other's lives even, Phil. No, he's great. He's great. I mean, it's, you know, getting him looked after and make sure. But he's getting a bit better, you know, he's getting more secure,

and he's you know you can be distanced a little bit in the house now and I've had a behaviourist dog behaviourist to help me I mean basically they teach you to help them don't they so but don't you think you end up with the dog that's the right fit for you I think so I yeah he's very you Phil is he mm-hmm because he's got big ears pointy here's why I think he's very you because I think people would look at his breeding and get him wrong. Well, he's not, he's a, he's a rescues and he's a mixed bag from off the street. But you're gentle and you're quite calm, don't you think?

Well, yeah. He is calm, he is a very calm. I mean, I've only ever seen him, every now and again, he'll snap to like another dog for some reason because they're, I mean, they are animals, but he's very quiet. Oh, Ray's gets all the leaves stuck. He's like a dustbuster. He's like a Henry Hoover. He's a sweeper. He's a sweeper, Gary. There you did. No, I don't like sweepers. I used to hate playing against sweepers. You think you've beaten the line and then there's some guy 20, 30 yards behind.

He's really annoying me. That's football speak, by the way, Emily. But I know you know football because you've done TV shows about football. You haven't complimented me on my football knowledge. Yeah, you're very impressive. Well, I'll tell you what happened because we mentioned your ex-partner, Danielle, your ex-wife, Danielle. and she's obviously a friend of mine so that's why you're kind of stuck with me unfortunately but sit i love that you two are still friends i think it's so kind of you know it's

no we're genuinely close friends and we you know we speak most days we text a lot how do you think you managed it well it was it's only really about children that we it wasn't a fallout or anything like that it was just a sudden change in a body clock ticking and sudden urge to have children. And ultimately, you know, we'd kind of agree that that wasn't going to be a thing. And then it was a thing. And then I said, it's fine, it's fine, but she didn't want me to ultimately. She'd do something I hadn't really planned.

And I didn't want to stop her from realising things. So we just made a grown-up decision and just be mates. Although, what about last time we saw her, Gary, Danielle was saying, oh, I know about football. No, she really doesn't know anything about football. Which is probably a good thing. Gary decided to test her and said, name three current Liverpool players.

And I got a little worried when her first offering was Juergen Klingzman. It was as well, wasn't it? She got an offer name, right? And Gary said, I wouldn't mind but he was sitting on the super last week. He came around. He did. Come on, Phil. I think a second effort was Ian Rush was it?

Boobbert! This way! Oh, he's seen a bird. Oh it's a squirrel. He goes nuts of squirrels. He's up the tree. You'll never get up a tree. I should tell him where we are as well. We're in South West London. Yeah. In the common. Commonland. Good boy. Good boy. See what you get when you come back.

Yeah. Hey, what about Ray? Does he get a treat? Yeah, Ray gets a treat. Do you want to treat, Ray? Yes, Ray. Go ahead, let's take a picture of them together. It's not for you.

It's Ray's treat. Do you want, Ray doesn't seem keen to take a treat. Would you take him off of you? No, do you know what it is? Yeah. Well, can you close please, go, sit down. I'll tell you what it is. Hey, this way.

We need to see your beautiful eyes. Not your ass, okay. Come on. Oh, we've got one. Sorry, we've got one. We'll get some more. I'll get some more. Come on.

Yeah, I know what I was going to say. Yeah. I think you seem quite, you're quite good at handling fame, I think. I hope so by now. Some people aren't, though. Well, it's, it's, yeah, it's, it's, they're pros and cons. I was trying to think of the advantages rather than the disadvantages. And there are more advantages than the disadvantage.

There's no question about that. Do you think there are more advantages to being famous? Yes, I think so. People are really nice to you, mostly. A vast majority of people, you know, is really kind, warm. You can, you know, opens doors for you, get a lovely lifestyle. And, yeah, there's a lot of good things. Yes, there's a bit of intense media coverage sometimes that you can do with that,

particularly when it involves your personal life and stuff like that. You know, it's not, you know, you don't choose, certainly as a football, you don't choose to be a celebrity or a famous person. You just want to play football and be really good at it. And then the other thing comes with it. So you really have to decide and try and learn to live with it. But Gary, you don't choose, and I think possibly that's why you're able to handle it. Because you were never invested in it. Do you know what I mean?

It was never your aim, was it? My aim must be good at football and play football. And then the rest of it comes along, if you're really successful, it comes alongside it. But it's not like, I think what helped me deal with it was it was really pretty gradual for me. You see, here's a quote I want to share with you, which I think you'll like. It's by F Scott Fitzgerald and he said, sign of a good parenting, the child has no desire to be famous. Now, you didn't have any desire to be famous. And I would say none of your kids really do either.

They're all just doing their own thing. They really don't. So what I'm saying is some good parenting going on in the linic. Well, I'm glad you think so. Thank you, Scott Fitzgerald. What was your black winger or did he play inside board? What I was going to say is I think in terms of dealing with fame is that it was gradual with me.

It wasn't an overnight thing because I wasn't a boy wonder. I wasn't like Michael Owen Owing or Wayne Rooney or any of these. It was, you know, I broke into Leicester's first team around 21 and then it was, you know, gradually started to make my name, got into the England team when I was about 24, 25. And then everything really, you know, I started when I went to Everton, I started scoring a lot of goals

and then obviously the World Cup thing. And then it really did change. But I think it, I was mature enough by then to deal with it. So I've been able to handle it. And also I've got a kind of calm nature. I don't really get down when things are not going well and I don't get too excited when they're going really well

unless I'm watching something excited, then I can get excited. But you know what I mean. So I think that's my temperament that helps, which my temperament was for me the most important thing in my. important thing in my success on the football pitch. Was it? I think so. I wasn't the most naturally gifted football in the world, but I was, I could deal with pressure and I liked it. And I was quick. And I worked out how to score goals. So, and so I think my, it wasn't about natural talent. That's why I didn't emerge quickly as a 16, 17 year old, like others.

Do you think that football, you work to become a footballer or can a good footballer be made by hard work? Not without talent, no. I don't buy that 10,000 hours. I mean, you could have 10,000 years with someone who hasn't got any talent and I'll never be good enough. But talent's not enough. You've got to have the 10,000 hours alongside the talent, especially in the sport. like football which is so global and so competitive and so many kids want to be footballers and you know boys and girls now which is great so you've got to have both and and you've

and even that's not enough you've also got to be able to deal with the pressure and and that sort of thing that comes with it so there are so many things that have got come together to make a top player one thing is not enough one talent's not enough attitude is not enough working hard's not enough being really strong mentally is not enough but if you put all four together then you've got a chance hello hello hello I'll let him off you want to play come on come on you right this way then bye bye bye bye here's the thing though Gary because often when I have people on this podcast, people who perform at various high levels

in various different industries, you often find sports people say, oh well I can do that, you know, I can take a penalty but I could never stand on a stage, I could never, you know, and yet you are one of, and equally... I couldn't stand on a stage, you know, not to act, you have, you have stood on stages and this is what I find interesting. I only use me, I'm going on a stage and actually try and remember lines and all that. Yes, but I'm saying, would you say you were a natural, for example, at TV when you started? No, no, no, no, no, no.

What were you like when you started? Nervous, wouldn't. This way, go bit. Yeah, I was, yeah, obviously, I mean, there's no practice for television. Well, you have to learn to be yourself, don't you? Well, that's exactly what it is, and I think it took, I wasn't quite bad enough for them to, get rid of me. But obviously I got the opportunity because I scored a few goals for England. And then, and I worked really hard at it and I had, you know, training and this. But, you know,

my start, I started actually presenting. I'd done punditory, that's totally different. That's just you being you and giving you opinions. But presenting is a different thing. There's so many things you've got to deal with. And you can't set up a fake, well, you can't, it costs too much money and never do it. So it was in at the deep end. And mine at the deep end was I did the highlight shows for Euro 96. My second show was England, Scotland's highlights. 11 million viewers.

Not that I knew that. I wasn't counting them, but. And it was hard. It was really hard. It was because you've got to go to camera and then you've got to do the right questions and then you've got to hit a count and all this sort of stuff. I'd done a bit of radio which helped. I think that's the best training you can get

if anyone ever has ambitions to go into television is try and start with radio, local radio, hospital radio, that kind of thing. But it wasn't quite bad enough for them to dump me and then I kind of did work hard at it and I remember going to voice

voice training for the radio with Trevor Brookin. We went for an hour a week with this I can't remember in name, a former news reader. And she just,

she just killed us every, oh, every time. She got, you've got to have more enthusiasm in your voice. You've got to have light and shade. You've got to hit these words and not those words. And then I'd go in and I was standing there and I'm thinking like, I was giving it like this and da, and I'd come out and she'd going, you're just still so flat. I said, well, I don't.

I went, I'm not. I was really shouting. He went, come and listen. And then I'd listen. I'd go, oh, God, no, it's so. dull that voice. And she, that was invaluable though. I knew I was so much better at the end of it in terms of, you know, injecting a bit of life into my voice. So I worked at it. But then, then you're right. In a couple of years in, I started to do football focus every week. And there were lots of times I drove home from football focus and I thought, I'd never going to be able to do this. But then I did get used to the environment and how it worked. And then you become yourself and then people decide with it like you're not. Obviously, I know the football side of it. I know it really well. It's just a question of whether you can, where people connect with you at home. And do you, for those big occasions, obviously, do you get more nervous on those occasions?

I don't get nervous at all. Not either with foot, not, not, the first couple of shows, I felt that a little bit nervous. But, but no, I don't, I don't really do, I don't do that nervous thing. I can get, you know, I can, I get adrenaline rush. And I know when it's a big thing, but I just love that, though. It's more exciting. It's like when I play football, the big games were easy because you didn't have to motivate yourself. Pre-season friendlies and stuff like that.

It's like, oh, come on, get yourself going a bit, and it was quite hard. So that was the difference. But TV, no. And also, if you've played big-time football, if you've played in World Cops and been involved in penalty shootout. No, I haven't played in World Cups. You're not. Your time will come. You may come. But what I'm saying is if you mess up on a football pitch, that really affects people's moods. And it can affect you, say you miss a penalty in a penalty shootout or you miss a big chance for England or something,

then people get really angry about that and down. But if you fluff your lines on TV, no one cares but yourself. I know this is very different. but it's a bit like when you experience any sort of grief or something massive, it's sort of the worst pressure you can have. In terms of my pressure, representing your country for a penalty shootout, in terms of adrenaline and what's the worst that could happen. So, as you say, presumably getting something wrong on the auto queue feels like nothing compared to that.

Exactly. It's still irritates me if I make a mistake, if I get a fact wrong or a fluffer worse. or something, which happens to everyone on occasions. It's still irritating to yourself, but it's not going to affect anyone else's life. So, you know, whereas football, even if it's only for a few days or weeks, you do really affect people's mood.

Yeah, oh, look, he's found a friend. Phil's found a friend. Oh, how lovely. What's your dog called? Buzzy. What's your dog called? Buzzy. Buzzy.

Good name. He's very buzzy, isn't he? He is very buzzy. What sort of dog is it a Spaniel? Yeah, Cocker Spaniel. He looks like a pure cocker, not a... You're going to see a lot of cockapoo's, but not the... There. Sorry, these dogs are so well suited. What's yours? What breed?

It's my friend's dog. He's a rescue actually. He's half husky, half Aussie Shepherd. He likes to play. Ray just likes to spot things and watch from afar, doesn't he? He's not one for joining in to the histrionics and the playfulness of these. He's got a lot of dignity. He is very, that's what I mean. He's more dignified.

You don't find him doing that. Yeah, I think he's actually more like, he's more of presenter and those two like Shearer and Michael Richards, those two train around. Don't you think? I think he's a class act. I agree. He's like Lenga's Invincibles. He's like... This is like the crazy gang.

Your dog, he's like Venger's Invincival. He's Tierra and Re. First thing I thought, when he came in, First thing I thought... Don't you think he's got? Ray Parlor. Who is? He is.

So Phil is playing with Buzzie. Yeah. A lovely Cocker Spaniel. And how old is your Cocker Spaniel? He's about two. He loves jumping, lucky jumping over him. They're really getting along. Oh, wow.

Philbeth he's about coming up to one I think he was Phil oh the whole world's going to call my dog Phil because of you didn't they've had it onward go on Philbert bye nice to meet you bye good boy oh what we're saying for that yeah I find that interesting that you don't but you're so calm though Gary yeah that I think that's that's my temperament that's not that's not something I've had to work at do you know what it's quite a superpower or dull It's quite a superpower, though, isn't it? I never thought of it like that, but I'm glad I am like that,

because it's, I feel fortunate. I don't, you know, I don't suffer from mental health issues or, you know, ups and downs. I, I'm quite happy this way. Yeah, you're not a sunshine and showers person. No, although I did get upset when Snoop went and stuff like that. But of course we get upset, but yeah, no, I'm, yeah. relatively bland maybe what's interesting is that I don't think you've got a typical number nine or number ten in your case I know yeah sort of I was a nine but

played ten I know you did yeah you know you wouldn't wear that nine shirt or eight paid him and they did I never scored I didn't you played a Everton a bit maybe no eight at Leicester I didn't get I didn't start wearing ten Except for England. But you were always 10 for England, aren't you? Temporingling, yeah. But here's the thing. You don't have a typical number 9 energy or number 10 energy.

What is a typical number 9, 10 energy? I would say, I would say Ronaldo, even though ironically, I know he wasn't wearing it, he's been a winger. I would say he, if you told me think of someone in that role... You mean someone you think, like driven to score and like, at Ronaldo, lived for it. And I was exactly that. No.

I'm telling you. I'm saying, you're, you are more moderate and controlled, and I don't see you as the kind of person that's, I suppose, a bit, look at me, a bit more, that's no criticism of those people in that role, in that position. Well, they're bigger superstars, no, everyone. Rinaldo, everyone's going to look at Rinaldo. And Rinaldo's, Christian.

He's a big, he loves a lot. He's got a poo. Oh, is he done a poo? He's done a linneka. He's done it on the grass. Grass. See? See how I slip up sometimes. Now I've got to find it. What is it about you Linneka boys and your poo's on the grass?

Don't tread on it. Where is it? I can smell it now. I'm getting close. But imagine not picking up a poo on a pod. Pick up a poo on a pod. The great thing is no one will know. Yeah, but that's, I mean, I'd like to pick them up. I don't, not, not. I mean, I was going to say, we'll talk about that. I don't think he did, I think it's just a wee.

Bill. Oh, Phil, you're so beautiful, aren't you? Ray would be, Ray would be a great number nine. Because Ray just like stands in the box. Just stand it like six Charvox, never leaves it. Just there. about to pounds. He's going to take a corner, is he?

No, he's going back. I wouldn't say... You started a football analogy. I wouldn't say he's a fan of pressing. No, who is. You certainly have. I did a bit of that way. Who's going to win the league?

City, Manchester City, not Leicester City. How do you think my team will do? Arsenal. I think they'll do right. I think they'll be top four. I think Artetta's onto something. I think they've got a really good group of young players. Really exciting. So I think they're making progress. Gary, this is the cutest thing I've ever seen. Oh my God, we have to picture this. It's the cutest picture. So, oh my God. With our shadows. Oh, Gary. Look at this. How cute. Oh my God. I'm obsessed by them. walking together. Oh, Gary, come on.

It's the cutest thing. It's so cute. It is very cute. I'm very proud of him. He's been very good with Ray. He likes Ray. It's really gentle, isn't he? You've been very good. Gary?

Yeah. I want to just find out what's happening next in Linneka World. Yeah. Not a podcast. Yeah, you're doing that. Well, have you got your podcast business? Yeah, you like. It's doing really well.

You're liking your podcast now. I've got a book coming out. Oh. with Iva Badele, who I'm sure you know, called 50 Times Football Changed the World, which is aimed at a younger audience, children. So hopefully that will do well. And more football, obviously lots of.

Is that just a, and is that a sort of compendium of, it's just like your memories or just standout moments kind of thing? It's kind of standout moments in the history of the game. You know, lots of great stories in there. So I think it will be very popular. There's nothing you can't do, Linneka. There are lots of things I can't do. Go on then.

I want to wrap this up with three things Linneka, can't be. Three, only three. God, Ray, that's a sprint. That is a sprint from Ray there, wasn't it? Look at him. Do you like Gary? Yeah. Ooh, hoohoohoo.

Sure does. Three things I can't do. Dance. useless, sing, useless, draw, paint, useless, I could go on. Would you ever do strictly come up? Handyman stuff? Useless.

I like handyman. Would I do strictly? No. Would you not? No, I'd spend the entire three months searching for my comfort zone. You'd be like that joke contestant. contestant. Oh, that'd be terrible.

Honestly, I'd do something like Love Island? No. What do you think? It's a bit late for me. I think that train's left the station. Imagine if you came on in your Leicester shorts. My girls, my name's Gary. Oh, no.

Love Island. No, no, all the jungle, or any of those things. If you ever see me on something like that, you know things have come terribly wrong. You seem very happy and content at this. I think you are, aren't you? Yeah, I am. I am. I'm happy. I've been very lucky in life. And Phil?

Phil's happy. Of course he's happy. When we talk about lucking out? From the streets. All right, come on Gary. Let's go in. Can we have a quick cup of tea, please before I go? Have some cottage pie if you want. Come on, Ray.

Come on, Ray. Can you do these steps? Is that like a mini mountain for him, isn't it? It's like them layers if he gets on five steps. Come on, Ray. Let's do this. You can do it. I think he enjoyed that chat.

Do you think so? Look, you're saying that was really good. You see? What, your inspirational team talk? Yeah, that's the one. I know what I want to ask you. Before we finish, we're going in now. I've got to ask you to.

With them, because I never spoke to you about those penalties, what would you have said? You know, I would like Bikai Osaka and then what would you, what would you think? say to someone if they miss a penalty like that? After they've missed it? Yeah. What would make them feel better?

Nothing. No, you can't, what can you say? Oh, bad luck mate. You should do not at the other side. I've lived that experience with Stuart Pierce and Chris Rottelm. No. What did you say? You put an arm around their shoulder and you say nothing.

Because there's nothing that can make that situation any better. Ray agrees. That was actually fair. Was that full of it? Did she just bark? That's very new. I should say before we end the podcast, I want to clarify guy, Gary's dog is called

this he'll get cross if I don't. Philbert. I keep calling him Phil but he's actually called Phil but. Right, have you had a lovely time? Gary, would you call Ray? Ray's hiding behind the stairs. He's still on that six yard box. I like that.

You're in your football. I really hope you enjoyed listening to that and do remember to rate, review and subscribe on iTunes.