Playing David James up front, David Moyes’ future & Big Sam’s Jim Ratcliffe meeting! | Stuart Pearce

Former Coventry, Nottingham Forest, Newcastle, West Ham & Manchester City player Stuart Pearce is our special guest on No Tippy Tappy Football.

Stuart Pearce sits down alongside Sam Allardyce & Natalie Pike to discuss his legendary football career from his playing days to his time as a manager & coach!

The former West Ham player discusses why the hammers fans need to be careful what they wish for with David Moyes and how the Scot has managed to build something special at the club.

Stuart also chats about his early career from playing alongside our very own Sam Allardyce at Coventry to then moving to Nottingham Forest and having to fix Brian Clough’s Wife’s Iron.

They then talk in depth about modern day football captains, The Premier League title race & relegation battle as well as convincing Gareth Southgate to do THAT Pizza Hut advert.

Finally Stuart & Sam discuss their early love of hedge diving through people’s gardens & playing knock-a-door run.

All of this and more in the latest episode of the No Tippy Tappy Football series, brought to you by William Hill.

Make sure you Like, Comment & Subscribe & turn on notifications so you know when a new episode drops.

Let us know in the comments who you want to see on a future episode of the Podcast! 👇

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0:00 Intro with Stuart Pearce & Big Sam The innovator.
7:03 Life After West Ham, Media Work & The Psycho Nickname.
11:15 Reasons For Leaving West Ham & David Moyes.
16:00 Big Sam Spotted with Sir Jim, The Art Of Defending & West Ham’s Season.
28:07 Ten Hag & Southgate’s Future, Life As A Manager & Relegation Battle.
35:15 Modern Day Leaders In Football, Unusual Captains & What Football Can Learn From Rugby.
41:32 Fixing Brian Clough’s Wife’s Iron, Appearing In A Music Video & THAT Pizza Hut Advert.
48:15 Who Wins The Premier League, Playing David James Up Front & Garden Hedge Jumping.

Stuart Pierce welcome Sam he was like
Bambi he had the worst 10 15 minutes of
football you’ve ever seen in your life I
really couldn’t call whether United are
on the up or on the down I really can’t
and he looked at me and went you’ve had
some crack brain ideas in your time this
is the most ridiculous I’ve ever heard I
don’t want anything to do with it the
following day he come into the dressing
room and said gentlemen our left backs
are
fraud
thank you for joining us for another
episode of no Tippy tappy football
brought to you by William Hill hey Sam
how are you I’m good thank you Natalie
and you You’ got a smile on your face
after last night’s Man City result I’m
happy so we’re filming this on the
Wednesday morning the night after City
and Arsenal both played in the champions
league three all yeah do you enjoy it oh
great great really really exciting game
obviously obviously disappointed they
conceded that one to make it 3-3 but I
mean away goals and stuff like that
should should see them through I go
anymore is it gone gone yeah all right
that shows you much I keep up with the
rules then well how long that’s been two
years years years wow it although I wish
he was still in now I’m slap I’ve got
more subs now by the
way yeah steady on when I start you
playing there were no subs no sub that’s
how long ago that was before one came in
well that is the voice of our special
guest today would you like to introduce
him yeah uh we go back a long long way
by the way because uh this this uh young
man at the time came to centry City
Football Club I only arrived um that
summer coming back from playing in the
states uh and I went straight in the
side and we were Bobby Gold was the
manager we were looking he was looking
for a left back and uh Stuart Pierce
arrived and uh we all looked and went
from Wilston non league and we all
thought well I wonder how long it’ll
take him to get in the game oh getting
in the team and sure enough made his
debut and uh never looked back from
there and obviously the career he carved
out has just been absolutely fantastic
like you mean I think he actually he
might I don’t know he might have a
better memory than me I think he
actually might have won man of the match
for his debut oh I think it probably did
yeah you know I don’t think there’s
anyone out there that can tell us you
didn’t so I’m going to say well no
that’s probably true it’s a pleasure
it’s a pleasure to see and a pleasure to
have you and obviously we got back a
long way and and and uh his career been
been fantastic Stuart Pierce welcome
thank you very much yeah it was uh I was
an electrician just qualified six weeks
and all of a sudden got the opportunity
to go and play with the likes of Sam at
centry Fantastic move for me that’s an
amazing story that really is then to go
on to have the career and to play for
England and to and just do everything
that you achieved it’s so incredible so
that is Sam so the first memory of you
both is playing together at Cent what’s
your relationship been like then how
many times do you pass Clon well we’ve
managed against each other obviously Sam
was at not County when I was at Forest
as well so I remember you know being on
golf day I remember sitting with you and
and chatting to you you probably won’t
remember it now but I remember it quite
well you know talking about uh D at the
time
gosh itself Derek pavis but there we go
coaching courses we you know we’ve been
on together so our paths are crossed a
hell of a lot but you know it’s quite a
history and quite a respect from me as
well cuz Sam’s had an incredible career
in management you know and uh probably
doesn’t get the credit that he deserves
in being forthright and some of the
ideas he embraced certainly Bolton as
well Stuart we hear that so much pretend
you’re not here for a minute Sam we hear
that so much on this podcast people that
come on with is like with the careers
like you’ve had that say exactly the
same thing about Sam that he was an
innovator and that he started things why
do you think that that’s not like no
talked about by like the general public
have you seen me sorry for
interrupt have you seen this figure have
you seen this Frame does it look like
cultured educated slick does it we you
know what I mean inside inside it’s all
there inside it’s all there but you know
I’m sorry for interrupting as I was
pretending you there on your own podcast
yeah it sometimes certain individuals
are just inv Vogue in regard to the
media and stuff like that but the bottom
line is Sam was doing stuff like ice
bars and cry barck Chambers and God
knows what else long before anyone else
was doing it you know and uh he was
sending his coaching staff to the states
I believe as well to look at other
sports all of those type of things
before it was even considered make no
mistake by any nationality on these
Shores that is for sure innovator Sam
we’ll keep reminding people well I think
I’ve said it in the past like I had I
was very fortunate enough um with the St
that we we built that had all these
ideas they weren’t all my ideas some of
them there was these these planning
methods these planning days where where
we had the War Room which I’ve talked
about before we all sat in there and
said um where are we where do we want to
go and how do we get there so it was all
about it was all about what is the next
level and what is what are we going to
use to enhance the ability of a player
to perform better like me so that was
that that was because a lack of it all
comes about because of lack of Finance
at the club we couldn’t gr by the best
players but what we could do is try and
treat them better than they’d been
treated by the actions that we took and
uh and that was proven to be so success
successful at Bolton particularly
that the more and more top players that
came the more and more we were
attractive to come and play for and and
that’s where the the uh the success lay
sad the club couldn’t go with the the
success we’ created the club didn’t want
to go with it um which was a great shame
at the time but it was a great journey
at that particular time but we always
wanted to
be uh Mystique not like now everybody
shares everything we wanted to hold back
we didn’t want to go out in the world
and say this is what we do because we
don’t want everybody else to go out well
everybody does it now I mean people talk
about cryotherapy andits like
cryotherapy Changers like Stuart says
and we had it in
in
2003 first one in the country so you
know people go on about it now was going
on about ice baths again aren’t they
like you mean oh I’ve tried you do an
ice bath it’s painful isn’t it yeah but
the cryotherapy chamber is not and it’s
only two minutes oh so but it’s minus 15
it is yeah it is so those two minutes
are painful two minutes painful two
minutes you do dance up and down a bit
or I
do let’s go you know mean so yeah
had best like I said best time in my
management career then I love that I
love hearing those stories um for
yourself Stuart you were at West Ham you
left in 2012 under David Moyes 202 2012
2022 yes gosh yes just yes SK back a few
years there just a decade missed it
definitely does say 22 on my notes as
well um and you’re doing commentary
you’re doing a lot of punditry out there
now you were commentating on the city
last night how are you enjoying it I
love it to be fair I do a real spectrum
of stuff now uh and I’ve been fortunate
I left the fa in 2013 and I I’ve had
really good media links since I’ve
covered every major tournament for talk
Sport and various other media Outlet so
I’ve kept that going even when I’ve been
in the game working
full-time um and to be fair I do a lot
of leadership motivational speaking
going to companies and and you know lend
a message from my experiences in the
game and try to dovetail you know sit at
conferences and try and pick up the
information whoever I’m working for
Vitality or a supermarket chain or a
bank whoever it may be I really enjoy
that and a real spectrum of stuff I do
now which I really enjoy it’s amazing
how many people want to know that
shooting it outside you know outside the
outside business and all that so
intrigued by you know what we’ve learned
and what we’ve done in our period of
time right you mean so absolutely it’s
in great demand like I mean I listen to
a lot of different podcasts that are all
about like motivational and hearing
hearing people’s stories so everyone
wants to get better at what they do and
they’re individual companies you know i’
spent five brilliant days with a gerker
regiment in brunai I was asked to go
over there and deliver free leadership
speeches to to them um at varying levels
from from sort of you know the seniors
down to yeah we they took us out to to
view some jungle training with a girka
regiment which was incredible and
delivered a speech there in the jungle
itself you know it’s just incredible
when I I soak up I’m delivering and and
asked to do something for Learning and
I’m the one learning you know and if you
can go into all these companies and
learn and get something out of it that
that opens your eyes to deliver to the
next company and the next company that
you work for it’s fantastic and I’m I’m
fortunate that people of a certain age
know my footballing journey certainly
with England so you know when I walk in
a room some of them un know the stories
that you’re going to talk about but it’s
the relevance to them the stories is the
key for me yeah absolutely I I love the
idea you that you traveling the world
like the football has brought that and
people will listen to your story and
obviously you’re so well known for being
so passionate and so that’s so
interesting psycho was it I I wasn’t
going to say it but yes bet you don’t
like that really now do you
it was only ever theater at the time you
know what I mean it got me inspired it
got the crowd inspired so um it put the
fear of God up your Winger on occasion
so you use it to but you never got
washed away with it I you know it’s all
very well but when you go out for a meal
in the evening and a group of lads start
singing psycho psycho and you’re out
with your wife you know it loses its
shine a little bit
then oh um so in terms of getting back
into to management or to coaching is
does that still interest you or are you
are you done um I left a really good job
at West Ham and I absolutely love
working for for Dave when I was there
and and I knew at the time when I when I
left there it was a tough ask for me but
it was the right time in my life to do
so but I’ve never turned around and sort
of said I’m finished with football even
though I love what I do now and my
Diaries full up all the time um if if
the right job come along I would be
open-minded to it if I could help
someone I think the older you get and
probably Sam will probably Echo this as
well from wanting to drive yourself at a
young age you come to an age that I feel
I have now where I want to help others
and help you know that’s why I really
enjoyed supporting Dave I I’ve managed
before and you know the trials and
tribulations of that but working
underneath him to help him and help all
the staff at West Ham I really enjoyed
that so if a role like that come up I
would be open-minded to it we had mark
waron on the podcast not too long ago
absolutely fascinating conversation we
had with him and he talked about leaving
West Ham because he had different
footballing views to David Moyes but
that he loved and respected him and he
didn’t want to lose his friendship with
him so he wanted to leave due to that is
it simp did you have different football
views to David Moyes or what was your
reason for leaving um my reason for
leaving was was probably for quality of
life for a diversity of Life of you know
I I was getting up at 5:30 in the
morning driving to West Ham coming home
at 7 at night no days off Dave’s Dave’s
a Taskmaster he he wants you to be
alongside him all the time in all
meetings and everything um and to be
fair he he drives the club forward and
he’s changed the culture at West H
brilliantly that’s if someone said to me
what’s Dave done he’s delivered a trophy
I understand that he’s delivered
performances and results and League
finishes that have been very credible
but the one thing he’s done he’s changed
the culture of that football
Club drastically you know it it very is
very professional now and for me it was
the right time to leave I
always I went in there and and did have
a mentality of whatever my football
philosophy is compared to East we’ve all
got a slight different Nuance about how
we see the game or what we see every
manager has but I went in there with my
main driver was I need to support him
and make his
job better onest Saturday if humanly
possible and support him during the week
and maybe even say one or two things to
him that that would help him he’s quite
negative Dave you know what he’s like he
can be negative and sometimes you need
someone positive alongside him and say
look hey have you seen it from this
aspect you know and that type of thing I
love supporting a manager but also love
supporting the staff every time I got in
the car to go to work in the morning I
thought to myself how can I help the kit
man the cleaning people how can I help
the play as everybody at the club and I
think it was just an age thing where you
want to help others but I didn’t leave
West Ham for for a negative reason I
think m m won um didn’t like that
position because he’s not the manager
anymore yeah there was some of that I
think there’s definitely that because
you know um and I found it quite a
surprise that David took him on board
like I mean for that for that reason
because I think he still wants to be a
manager and desperate to be a manager
and that’s
that’s his Destiny so I think that’s one
of the pr one of the reason irrespective
of of having a different
view why would I employ somebody that
has the same view as me yeah it’s a it’s
a bonance negative why would I do that
yeah you know what I mean I want people
who who challenge what I believe in to
make us better you want someone to
disagree with you and disagree with me
yeah and always speak out um and and
whether that’s on the bench or whether
that’s in in the meeting room or whether
that’s in our away days or whenever it
is so we can actually keep keep
believing and keep
developing on people’s opinions I
learned should I learned more and
everybody oh Sam’s what a great job and
all that but the staff particularly at
Bolton I learned off everybody’s staff
that I’ve been uh been under and and
just left a lot of the the old staff
when I’ve taken over and put the mind to
by saying I’m not changing you you’ll be
okay cuz they all crap themselves when
you go into or you’re going to get rid
of me if they’re doing the job properly
or they take on board where we want to
go and how we want to do it I’ll roll
with it so but but learning from
everybody
else you do an awful lot of that and
that’s what makes you actually a better
manager as time goes on and on and on
you keep getting all this information
that that you draw upon Time After Time
After Time to be fair I still go into
West Ham went in last Thursday I go in
put me kit on and just find me level
around the place I’ll be in in a couple
of weeks time my host of St George’s day
here in scones so I’ll be in that just
to get up Mo’s nose really because he’s
being a Kel you know irritates the life
out of him that the whole staff can sit
down for an hour not doing anything and
just uh eat scones and drink tea the
kitchen staff are brilliant they their
own thing and they do that I’ve done
that for the last couple of years even
when I haven’t been working there I come
in and host that and uh we’ll do that in
a couple of weeks you know have Jam Jam
cream clotted cream and jam yeah
strawberry jam jam and clot so if you’re
passing Chad Lea anytime just pop in on
on the 23rd since your day if you would
oh a lot of scun lot of scun now I have
to check in with Sam every now and again
Stuart we just need to check in see if
he’s going to be on the podcast the
following week um I am yes yeah well I
need to know what’s going on with you
because on Sunday you were at Man United
Liverpool and the camera’s panned on to
you and Sir Jim Radcliffe and Dave
brailsford having a good old chat in the
stands and me out went Sam I said to my
mate Jed Mason was there
with s Alex was down watching his son
win the trophy at Wembley like me so got
an invite and obviously I’ve known Dave
for a long time well what we were
talking about before was exactly why we
went to
cycling and see what see what they’ve
had to offer like I mean what they what
they were doing to become to become
Champions you know what I mean so I’ve
known him right back since those days
like I mean so we just having a chat
like I mean nothing nothing more than
that really you know but you know H it’s
like
you what was it last time I was in there
I got slaughtered for yawning didn’t I
if you remember you did I thought oh God
they you got told off by the mes like
you mean so put your hand over your
mouth next time when you know yeah
mum it’s the first time I met the
gim uh but obviously you know they’ve
got a a a mammoth task on their hands to
turn Manchester United around into you
know what everybody expects it should be
the comments on the TV and the um I
think was it Kelly katees that was
presenting I forget and um on social
media immediately were well there’s the
man to sort their defense how would you
sort could have sort the defense out no
problem well I think I do think that
it’s an ignored it won’t be ignored by
David Moyes I’m sure about that um but
everybody I’ve always said this and many
many times maybe all our subscribers
that keep listening to me saying Sam’s
on about it again like I mean but
defending is is just as important as
attacking you know and uh and those who
get the and everybody thinks getting
clean sheets is a negative but you’ll
see most managers at the end of however
well they’ve played great clean
sheet yeah and and it defending is an
art and and the Art of Defending is or
hasn’t been coached well enough and and
I’d say for everybody that watches the
Premier League this year that’s a good
thing because we we’re getting more
mistakes we’re getting more more goals
uh but most of the goals come from
errors from defending rather than being
created um still waiting for the stats
on playing out from the back because I
think more goals are conceded that way
than actually create from your own
goalkeeper and scored at the other
end but it does it does wind up the
entertainment by the number of goals
that are being scored which is probably
what every wants but when you’re in the
position I’m in the most important thing
is to defend and attack equally as good
to get where you want to go and if you
can’t do that you won’t get there so man
city have a bad defense they won’t win
the league no matter how many goals they
score so you know and at the other end
when you go into a football club that’s
in desperate need like M he’s been into
West Ham
twice you look at the situation and you
just go to the
players every you can hear everybody say
we got to get back to basics and you go
right Lads let’s go on with zero let’s
come off with zero and let’s see where
we go from
there and it can that that that that
philosophy any why noise is said outside
if you want to stay in a job or you want
to be successful you can’t go past that
but so looks like some people are and
and I get it particularly if you’re a
young coach because you’ll get
criticized if you talk about it or go on
about it I mean you know I don’t think
West Ham have played as well as they’re
playing and as creative as they are with
the creative players that they’ve got at
at at at West Ham for for a long time I
think they picked up some really
talented players stal maybe mirror that
a bit more like you mean there’s some
some some real quality like you mean but
they’re not quite defending as good as
they used
to you know so but look where they are
is it seventh seven and the
quarterfinals and the quarter finals and
then and and and the here’s the old
gripe from me it’s all about it’s all
about the journals again and the social
media followed the journals about oh mo
is this MO is that Moes yeah Moy is is
that but he’s building and created a
really really good side that West Ham uh
uh have developed but West Ham have have
the longest spell in the Premier League
they’ve ever had since got promoted in
2011 it’s 2011 it’s 2024 now they’ve
never ever experienced I think run like
that maybe back I don’t know maybe back
to the Bobby more days might have done
yeah which which is a long long time ago
but certainly Premier League years yeah
it’s been they’ve been up and down like
you mean so and like David Sullivan has
has been the bank roller for for for
years because he he’s he loves West Ham
whatever you say
orever difficulties you might have with
him sometime which we do with with any
any any discussion
he told The Grudge but his his passion
is West Ham United like I mean and uh
because because he’s a West Ham fan I
mean Sam makes a great point about how
well West Ham are do in seventh and in
the quarterfinals why Stuart I mean
we’ve talked about on this show with
different people why are people still
questioning David Moy um I I think West
Ham have got a little bit hang up about
style of play and they Hawk back to the
the 1970s team with rose tinted glasses
of you know Bobby Moore and Trevor Brook
in and and they think
with what it says above the door the
Academy of football and there’s it’s
it’s it’s something that I don’t think
probably ever existed but people think
it did yeah and I listen I I’m slightly
biased I’ve worked on the inside with
Dave I see the hard work he put in this
is their third European campaign they’ve
got a European trophy I stood on the
pitch we trained on the pitch one day
and we looked up and over the hund and
however many years history West Ham have
got I think they had three trophies
up on the on the awnings and I said it’d
be brilliant if you could put one up
there and he has you know so o over the
period West Ham have existed since being
the TS Iron Works back in 18 whatever um
they’ve only ever won four Trophies by
the way and David has been part of that
three European campaigns seventh and
sixth in the league they’re in the
quarterfinals as you say now they’ve had
a finals in the trophy lift they’ve had
a semi-finals it’s quite a housian
period and sometimes you care for what
you wish for cuz this fell has put his
life and soul into that football club
getting it to where it is look how white
he is he’s Scottish I mean there’s white
talk about he gets a bit of color when
he has a
SC he’s a gone
like I mean it’s it’s um it’s one player
away from uh and I think it’s a center
forward oh okay and I think it it’s the
neither neither really really there’
been such in for quite a while and all
the all the 40 million Pounders and the
I mean St will know better than me but
it seems like from AF far that all the
40 million Pounders or 35 or 45 million
Pounders it’s not enough he’s go 70 80
million for that one that one yeah the
trouble is you Michel Antonio is just
he’s just had a fantastic time at West
Ham does a fantastic job but it’s
getting I mean Bo wow
signing one of the best signings ever in
the Premier League from was it All City
yeah 12 million and goals Galore never
mind assists I mean just finding the
niche like I mean just you I mean so
quality players yeah Kudos and
petet yeah yeah they’ll be do well to be
holding on to him won’t they or them
two is somebody who
comes yeah on man city was the last time
like me whether they’ll come again yeah
but you can’t they can’t they can’t a
club like West Ham in the end like Dean
rice can’t resist the offer if it gets
gets to be 100 million no I’ll tell you
what was nice with deck um we saw how he
evolved as a footballer yeah and as a
person he worked under Mark Noble and I
think Mark influence as a captain rubbed
off on him but it was brilliant to see
him leave West Ham and all the West Ham
fans wished him well to go to a London
rival
but it was the right thing for deck
deck the right price for David
everything was right for both clubs and
de turned a lot of money down
contractually over a period to say no
I’m fine as I am we’ll just let things
take their course and I think his family
owe a lot of credit to that as well it’s
nice to see that happen you know I you
see players move and then there’s this
antagonism between the the fans and all
this game but I think with that there’s
a genuine respect from both lots of fans
say it’s not often a player moves up in
position he’s a center half and then
they moved yeah into send Midfield yeah
we often hear the ex players come on
talking about starting as Strikers they
starting there and then you move like
you mean so which is what you happen
when a goalkeeper in me and you yet we
keep going that
way yeah I don’t fancy getting them
gloves off I think we might be able to
sort that some sort of Charity game not
mad enough to do that job um so do you
think David will beat at West Ham next
season either by his own choice or the
clubs in all honesty I’m not sure um it
depends whether Dave wants the challenge
of next year whether the club think that
there’s a better manager out there um
what he achieves between now and the end
of the year I think if he retains a
European trophy I think it’s going to be
very difficult to turn around and I
think it will convince a lot of fans
look you need to hang on to this fell
I’m just Astound have they done his
contract yet not yet I don’t don’t
believe but start that again it should
have
been just get him signed up did did that
with me draged out yeah yeah yeah we we
I think to be fourth in the league in
December everybody were talking about me
contract which is a massive distraction
so yeah yeah and to be fair I just
decided I’m going to leave no matter
what at the end I just thought
well if there’s no contract negotiations
and you’ve done as well as you’ve done
just for me I’ve done my job I’ve done
me four years rang David up and said
thanks very much right um I’ve really
enjoyed my time like I mean and move on
together like I mean so
so it’s
it’s I I did my job did my time and then
I decided uh to move on which is Big
ask because then too many managers would
actually take that brave stance but for
me it’s the job’s done
you know uh thank you very much had a
great time had great
support um and then moved
away sad thing is somebody like I think
it probably leaked out by saying we’re
not offered him a new contract um
publicly look luckily for them I kept me
powder dry and just said well not really
I was always was leaving anyway but I
could have really gone much deeper than
that but so it wasn’t there Choice it
was my choice that I left West Dam at
that particular time and and wished them
well talking about managers leaving um
going back to Manchester United do you
do you think can is is there a way out
for tenh I mean a future for tenh at
Manchester United um it’s strange every
time you think he’s at a real bottom
point they have a kick and then you
think I turn the corner and then they go
back again then they turn the Cor cor
again I really couldn’t call whether
United are on the up or on the down I
really can’t because I’ve had so many
four STS for good and for bad so there’s
a lot of speculation there’s even been
speculation about Gareth going into that
job if he leaves England in the summer
it wouldn’t surprise me either way you
think you will leave England in the
summer put you on the spot there yeah
um I think he said do you think he’ll
leave if he wins it
I think if he wins he’ll stay really if
he doesn’t win it if I think if he wins
it he should leave yeah there is that as
well I really because I think he’s done
done I think he enjoys the jobs same if
he’s because the speculation of the last
World Cup about whether he’s going to
stay whether not came about that
wouldn’t have come about if it wasn’t a
thought in his mind yes yeah I mean if
you’re what better time to leave than
leave at the very very top I I can I can
concur with that before it goes yeah but
if you love your job and you love what
what you’re doing it’s a difficult move
managing inter an international team is
a fantastic thing to do I think I think
he’s done a brilliant job and he’s been
a great Ambassador in the job um it
wouldn’t he’s he’s like 10 AR really I
won’t be surprised if he’s in post or
out of post after the summer I think I
think that looking at yurgen kops
pointed out something that never gets
talked about is is he can’t
keep taking himself where he takes
himself at Liverpool yeah and and as a
manager uh my first time was it just
went on and on and on and on and
on cuz I had to get there from from the
bottom to the top when it
actually not that I want it to be when I
actually was out at
work
wow what a
relief what a relief like you in what
way to
recover to to think
to understand that you’ve just put
yourself through so much for so many
years that you are damaging your health
for one because of the pressures of the
job and and I think that if you look in
industry and CEOs rarely stay more than
four years and you are a CEO you are the
top man to make all the decisions and
you make that many decisions every every
day which what you miss about it when he
first stopped like you mean and you’re
under pressure so much particularly in
the Premier
League it’s right to have a break if you
think you can cope with it most people
could have a break because they’ll be so
desperate to jump out of a jump jump
back in another one that that’s what
happens so do you think but often often
a break well it’s a huge pressure I mean
I I wanted a lot more don’t get me wrong
I only had one
wow when when you consider different it
is different a manager said to me once
if you look at a Premier League season
you the average manager probably in the
Premier League average across the board
would probably have somewhere between
you would think 13 and 19 victories yeah
so that’s between 13 and 19 days that
you’re absolutely totally happy that
you’ve actually that night you’ve won a
game and that turns into utter relief
more than enjoyy yeah you enjoy
victories longer if you’re a player if
you’re a manager you don’t because you
come off the whistle goes at 90 minutes
You’ve Won it’s Euphoria you settle down
and within probably an hour you’re
looking at next weekend and that’s the
nature of it it’s a tough profession and
it’s got tougher oh yeah and it will get
tougher as time goes
on yeah when when you think about it
like that I suddenly was thinking about
Pep Guardiola and how he has done it for
seven new but it’s support system it
support system is so
good please excuse me I just want to
stop this episode quickly because big
Sam and I just want to say a huge thank
you to you for supporting no Tippy tappy
football whether you are listening or
watching or doing both Sam and I
absolutely love doing this podcast and
we couldn’t do it without you so take a
second please and subscribe or follow
wherever you are watching or listening
to us we’re also on Twitter No to be tap
football and we have our own YouTube
channel I know everybody says it but it
really would mean a lot to us and it
means that we can keep getting bigger
and better guests the more followers and
the more subscribers we have and then
you can go and tell all your mates that
you’ve done big s a favor so thank you
for listening I want to ask you who you
think which three teams you think are
going to go down but it feels like a
really hard prediction to do at the
minute but if no one gets any more
points deductions for me the three that
come up will be the three that go down
well I want Lon to stay up um and a lot
of people do because the way conduct
themselves the the fan basee the manager
everything to go with Lo and it’s a
brilliant brilliant story I can
understand that I I’ve looked at the
fixtures of all the teams and I think
Forest have got the likes of Everton
Sheffield they’ve got a decent run and I
think they’re the most you know Luton
and them are locked on level points at
the moment but I would still say that
the three up are the three down I mean I
mean if he had have thrown away a 3-0
lead at bombas he’d be nearly there
now in terms of trying to keep them in
the Premier League I mean that that
would one that’s one big criticism i’
throw at him like I mean 3 up in half
time and lose 4 three you can’t do that
when you you are where you are yeah so
you shut the shop like I mean and
obviously um obviously players have to
take responsibility but you as the you
as the coach protect the
position once you’ve once you’ve decided
how many times will Luton score three
away from home and certainly not score
three in 4 five minutes yeah but the one
thing in in their favor they’ve been in
every game they played Arsenal homec
it’s been the odd goal the odd late goal
as well and the character of the team
show Stadium means a lot don’t it yeah
it does you know you got to Luton we’ve
all been there yeah you know we’ve all
walked through the terrist house or seen
the terrist house to get to the turn
Styles like I mean and and you know when
the players go there for the first time
they’re like are we really playing in
the Premier League game here like you
mean I think that’s an advantage for
them yeah without a doubt and they’ve
got some good players don’t forget yeah
Ross
Barkley and Ross Townsen I’ve work with
there some some good experience as well
as as well as some talent and and energy
and
and fight commitment yeah so you think
one of your old clubs Forest will have
enough you think that they’ll battle and
they’ll they’ll have enough to stay up
your fingers crossed I hope I hope um I
think the fixtures are not bad as I say
I’ve looked at their fixtures and
there’s enough fixtures there if they do
their work properly and it goes to form
um they got enough Talent out Dr as well
sh don’t you yeah exactly yeah they have
I mean they’ve invested in the playing
Squad credit to them since they’ve been
promoted there’s another one stop
conceding goals you’ll stay up yeah with
the talent you have yeah are they
lacking leadership do you think because
the other day you had um Gibbs white and
Yates both went off the pitch get versus
SP and Williams was the captain
leadership’s changed in football
drastically over the years when I mean
let’s go back to the start of this
conversation when I walked in a dressing
room at centry senior Pros you know what
I mean that Captain happy to wear the
armband and you looked up to the senior
pros and that type of thing that’s
changed a lot and and over the season
sort of I’ve seen Connor Gallagher lead
Chelsea out and I like Connor as a
player but to suggest that he is the
Chelsea captain at his age he’s not John
Terry being a captain or or a Tony Adams
they they had the stature they they had
everything he’s still learning his trade
and all of those type of things and I
don’t want to be an old dinosaur in this
in respect to that statement but what
I’m saying is I think that type of
leader long gone now I really do and
whoever Captain’s A team out they’re a
different type of leader nowadays you
know and I I work with Jordan Henderson
I looked at him how he led Liverpool
when they went to to take the champions
league and he he wasn’t ready to be a
leader at the age of 20 2122 but I tell
you what he grew into it and I thought
he was a fantastic Captain by the time
he finished his time at Liverpool I had
the same with Kevin Nolan because I had
I had um what a player to follow by the
way Noby had a he had a tough old job
and had no problem taking it on
whatsoever and started leading his rest
room he was the first player I bought at
West
from Newcastle so Noby dropped down a
league to come work with me and come to
be captain and be in the dressing room
and it and it took some sort in Out West
Ham I mean after that relegation I mean
wow what what a job that was in the
beginning but not being in the dressing
room made my my life so much easier
before that we had JJ a
kocher like you mean and JJ a kocher was
an unusual choice for me but it was just
a different way of looking at it um I
thought no a bit too young and I didn’t
see anybody else that could hand handle
that role so we did JJ on
performance level and standard that he
set himself to to show to everybody else
but when you actually give it to
him he did he did do the job so he did
he did call the players out he did say
let’s get on with this is what the
manager wants let’s get get let’s go out
and do it you know what I mean so so
sometimes you don’t know because
everybody says you shouldn’t pick a
goalkeeper or you shouldn’t pick your
Center forward or you’ve got to assess
the mentalities you like I mean you have
certain individuals just knit the group
together you know I’m I’m reading into
the fact that JJ probably knitted the
group you know you got some foreign
players in there you got some English
boys you got some British boys he
probably knitted the group together and
and Leadership as we see nowadays
leadership’s different nowadays not
about beating your chest and and all
that type of thing it’s subtlety it’s
looking after each other it’s it’s it
comes in different guises and I think I
I’m not sure what a typical captain or
leader looks like nowadays it’s it’s
changed drastically does
but everybody that you ask if you ask
going to most managers in the Premier
League and say if I could give you a
drop more leadership in your dressing
room would you take that they would say
bring it bring it all day long and
that’s what you want
leadership accountability and we we’ve
done this a couple of times Stuart it’s
we only do it if it kind of Falls
naturally but it’s a section that I’m
calling is it true so it’s things that
we’ve heard about you and we thought you
are just the best person to tell us is
it true so away from football we know
that you like horse racing we’ve seen
you with Sir Alex yes and is it true
that you’re a big Warrington wolves
rugby league fan it’s true yeah I’ve
been for the probably on and off for the
last 15 years I was at Leeds rhinos last
Friday I’ll be at St Ellen’s on Sunday
that’s I of a journey for you where you
live is it on a Friday night my wife
looks at me and say why are we doing
this again say it’s a five plus hours
going up so she goes with you then yeah
yeah she she loves the sport she likes
it all she likes she don’t like the
journey Sam she loves the sport like the
journey but you know all every game
whether it’s home or away it don’t
matter to us where we go you know
whether it’s home or away we can make it
we’ll go I’ve got to say the directors
look after us brilliantly I got to know
the coach 15 years ago presented on a
pro license Tony Smith we’ve become
friends over the years I’ve done
leadership talks for Warrington for the
rugby league for hkr for Hull this last
summer I went into Hull and done a
leadership chat with them and I just
love the sport it’s such a genuine sport
it’s incredible my my son plays League
um with a local Club I live near
Warrington it’s affiliated with
Warrington ws and they are great with if
he’s any good send him to warington or
right not you would I’m a wig Warriors
well I would be Lee I’m wig Warriors M
so Lee is my closest club yeah well last
year Lee they did they did my son’s
desperate to to go yeah we just need to
make it work what do you think football
could learn from rugby league uh respect
for the referees um the unity between
the fans there’s rivalry but there’s
Unity as well uh they sell tickets for
the Grand Final before they even know
who’s in the Grand Final so all fans go
um at the end of games all the players
irrelevant of the result walk around the
perimeter and have pitures with all the
family the south sea Islanders pray
together in the middle of the pitch as
well at the end of the game it’s just an
incredible if someone gets injured
there’s no figing injuries if someone
gets injured both teams stop and they
know straight away and I’ve seen that
many times you know so brutal it is it
literally that it’s that brutal but it’s
you have to be good with your hands you
have to be good with your feet you have
to be an athlete you have to be brave
the sport has everything do you want to
anything else what we learn from it I
love your passion for it biggest ad for
rugby league ever yes right so it is
true that you’re a Warrington wolves fan
is it true did Brian KF once to find out
that you’re an electrician and told you
to fix his wife’s iron or you wouldn’t
be
starting the last bit isn’t true I
wouldn’t be starting this was on the
first day that I met him for contract
when I left centry I walked into his
office agreed contract with him he said
to me are you an electrician son I said
yeah he said my Barbara’s Iron’s broke
Can You Mend it I said bring it in
tomorrow so he bought it in he give me
the iron I took it home the element had
gone I bought it back in the next day
and said the element’s gone it will cost
you more you’re better off buying a new
Iron the following day he come into the
dressing room and said gentlemen our
left back’s a
fraud that was he couldn’t pick the W
couldn’t fix the wi-fi yeah
yeah so there’s your and then from that
I that story goes down well on the
circuit what a story that I advertised
in the program I set up when I was at
centry and when I was at Forest I
advertised in night and Forest program
as electrician and traded in the
afternoon stop it yeah so Forest fans
could watch you play it weekend then
ring you up and get you around to do a
job for them during the week yeah that
is hard work shocking that is it it’s
hard work huh is that an electrical pun
I’ve got it but got overhead oh that
went so
over when you’re in the trade you get
all these bright spark you know come
no as I say sorry about that one I W
John silit Stables when I was at com
John John had a s Stables so he said
could you come put some electrics down
to it so run some armored cable down
there Coach Stevens put his lights up
wide Steve Sutton’s house and yeah I
just I love doing the work the work was
really good
and you had to do it for the money as
well at the time I took a cutting wages
to be a professional footballer from
electrician and part-time I took a 30
wage cup yeah I know that’s what I said
at the
time you sure Goldie I hope they gave
you a free adver I I come back from
America and I just took what they
offered straight away they was not
negotiating with me yeah I was coming
back from the states and Bobby G said
you going to come to C for you said yeah
said uh I’ll give you this and I me yeah
all right kep me signed up now yeah cuz
otherwise I could have got back because
it
was eight I don’t know eight 10 games
you came shortly after that did because
we could sign any player throughout the
season right up to the last Thursday in
March I think yeah that was it so you
know so it was it was ongoing the
transfer system then uh so I got I got
in
like I don’t know about eight six eight
games in loved it commentary loved it
shame it’s a shame uh how it
went after Christmas just just dropped
off didn’t dropped off well they having
a good season I fancy them to do
something against man united by the way
yeah he’s he a manager that should get
more credibility by the way what about
Robbins I mean I mean unbelievable job
unbelievable way he’s got comry to where
they are both both in recruitment terms
and buying the players that they bought
to make them better to get them through
the leagues like bit like luten
situation and uh and likee I don’t hear
him mention for any job that that might
be better than cry I agree probably
really happy about that I think he he
should be recognized for how brilliant a
job he’s done I just love when a club
has two forwards and they’re both
scoring yeah you got Sims and you’ve got
um they’re both scoring Nick team from
Everton by the way I think you know
Everton’s dilemma in terms of scoring
goals letting him go Sims I thought
might they might have made a mistake
there they’re gonna score they’re gonna
score against United they’re defensely
they are right well well I’ve watched
United against Liverpool like again and
I thought it was a great result for him
even though they were in a position to
win and should have won it irrespective
about what went on before but I’ve never
seen Liverpool Miss as many
chances yeah in the first half was a lot
for them you know and and it was Salah
and you know well I was dead happy I was
dead happy Sam we dead happy
um is it true you once appeared in a
music video yes for the stranglers three
years ago Sam saw it this morning and
was suitably
impressed I tell you what give us a
description uh it was on the lines of
The Verve bit of sweet sympathy Symphony
as he walks down the street was on those
lines it was a more of a Punky tune
though and yeah I had a call from the
band I know them quite well and they
said look would you appear in the in the
video I said yeah no problem uh got a
bit nervous when the time come that I
would would be all right doing it but
absolutely love doing it you know and I
was at a Music Fair in in
Wakefield year and a half ago and some
bloke says I know you and I went yeah
I’m not sure from where mate he said I
know you you ought to bloking that music
video he didn’t have a clue I wasil but
he just knew me from the music video and
that day I was delighted I was so
good by way yeah yeah honestly yeah you
left to see it I was more than more than
impressed I thought wow very nice so do
you think that maybe did you miss a
career there because obviously Vinnie
Jones had a very successful acting very
very successful acting career and you
had an still doing it still doing it the
very famous Pizza H advert of course yes
yeah that was wasn’t as good as the
stranglers one admittedly Strang I think
Gareth got a ba for that but you
know what was that like at the time like
can you and can you believe we’re still
talking about it um at the time it was
96 and Gareth had just missed the
penalty and pizzat contacted me Chrissy
W and said look we won all three of you
unless we got all three of you we’re not
going to do the advert so I rang the
gate and said look I said come you need
to do the advert he said no it’s too raw
it’s too raw I said gate I said don’t
worry about it like it’s old hat now me
and Chrissy missed ours and it you know
it’ll be fine it’ll be fine see said are
you sure you know would you do it I said
yeah of course we would so we done it
and right at the end after doing it he
looked at us and said would you have
really done it I said would we F you
know what I mean I said absolutely no
chance I’d have done it straight after
missing a penalty for England and he
looks at me like you bastard you know I
mean but to be fair I thought it was
good fun doing it I got to say you know
seeing the gate there with a paper bag
on his head was was just brilliant um La
couple of last ones that I’ve got for
for you in a sentence for both of you
who wins the title this season and why
only only because I want to is Man City
why I’ve always been a lover of
Pep so that’s for me and the and the and
the quality of the squad and the
football they play okay last summer I
said uh not too sure who would win it
but Manchester City won’t oh on the
grounds that you know when you’ve
reached your Everest of you know
Champions League last year there’s going
to be a drop off of some description
we’re in mid April at the moment what
are they third in the league so if
someone would have said that to you You’
have said no chance of Man City being
third in April not a
chance if I had a pick a team now I’d
say arsenal I think Arsenal got a tough
running they’ve got to go I think to
United and Tottenham um but I don’t
think they’re conceding goal and I think
they’ve learned from last year
see best defense to win the league see
yeah but I think that there’s the real
um situation with these three is great
is it like I mean because the motivation
because jurgen’s leaving is an extra
motivation to try and win it for him and
the club before he leaves yeah so
there’s there’s a there’s an
extra I think throughout the old
football club and particularly the
players like come on yeah they’ve got
cuz I don’t think they’re quite as
strong as Arsenal and Man City but but
based on experience and knowledge and
Squad
size uh Man City only have to show the
defense up a little bit more to do it
but pep says this um we can only win the
league if we win every game between now
and the end of the season M and I think
he’s right yeah completely and then
again see what a do by trip does for you
ask
haven’t lost since we went since he went
I mean since we did you go with them no
I didn’t go with him I was there though
he was a
travel no it’s you know I was promoted
like cuz I started that start that about
giving the players a bit of relief a bit
four five days off like just chilling in
the sun in February wherever it was for
certainly work for them best part of the
job being a footballer getting a trip
away we used to go four times a year
with cluffy yeah he called me in in
September and said the boys look jaded I
think we need to go away so I said I
agree with you boss so we went we caught
the end of the summer season in in myor
yeah unbelievable did you had a magal no
he had a calore oh he had a place the
other side of the island we used to go
there three times a year really amazing
right I’ve got two questions left for
you um I would like to ask you I was a
season ticket holder at the time about
David James Master stroke I put David
James up front last game of the season
uh Middlesboro was seventh in the league
we were eighth it was my
first I was caretaker manager on a
Friday night I sat at home and thought
what can I do to get the city of
Manchester really buzzing if the games
are draw and I thought I come up with
the idea we’ll put J Mo up front and we
hit everything to him and the fans will
go what the hell’s going on here and the
Euphoria or whatever so com in the next
day I said to my assistant Steve wiggley
I said uh I got a brilliant idea he said
what is it I said if we’re chasing a
game it’s a draw I’m going to put J Mo
up front and he looked at me and went
you’ve had some crack brain ideas in
your time this is the most ridiculous
I’ve ever heard I don’t want anything to
do with it they re exact words my
assistant right you know when Sam said
sometimes you need someone to disagree
with you he did so Jimmy Floyd AEL bank
for if we we had to beat them to get
into a European place you know a draw
wasn’t good enough for
Jimmy Floyd hle bank for Middlesboro
scored 35 minutes he hit this free kick
right in the roof of the net with one n
down we equalize it’s 1 one I’m looking
down the bench at weeks and saying what
do you think and he turns away from me
he knows what I’m asking about J 75
minutes Sam I’ve said to Les Chapman the
kit man get me a David James number one
shirt printed don’t tell anyone
especially J cuz J will be looking at me
from minute one get get me up get me on
yeah put me on there so 75 minutes I
look at wigs he looks away and I’m sat
there and I’m going over in me mind and
the game’s gone a bit stagnant we don’t
look as though we can get a goal so I
thought s i certain Nick he we go and
get warmed up he looks at me as so what
are you putting me on
for we take cladio rer off David James
looks over and sees Nikki Weaver coming
on he’s walking over to me as I wants to
rip my head off what are you taking me
off for when we need a go I say give him
the Outfield CH say go and play out
front I forgot to tell him how to play
up front he played as a number 10 he
dropped off he was like Sam he was like
Bambi he was G Southgate anog with the
two Center hours they they spent the
last 15 minutes laughing at everything
he done he was cing people down he had
the worst 10 15 minutes of football
you’ve ever seen in your life but on 82
minutes we get a penalty Robbie Fowler’s
taking a for us it had nothing to do
with J I was behind the goal yeah right
behind the go we get a penalty I’m sat
there the smuggest man in the world I’m
looking at Steve wiggley again hey the
new Mourinho I said to him and schwarzer
saves it no so on the way home I’m on I
turn the radio on on the way last game
of the season we finish eighth in the
league turn the right Radio 5 on Man
City fans ringing in our manager is an
idiot he play J Mar FR if we’ have won
the game they’ have said I was an
absolute yeah that’s them big decisions
all that exactly that it was a good
laugh and it was a great story
eventually there ones that like
everybody thinks you’re mad yeah like I
mean I’m got one quite as crazy as that
like you mean but you know you
do was me you do stuff don’t you you
know Center half Chris sber right get up
front we fighting against relegation at
blackb when I went in there and uh Rocky
Santa Cruz and Benny McCarthy were
struggling injury wise and I said with
plenty of Center half so said Chris will
he play up front him yeah the problems
he caused Center half just just couldn’t
they couldn’t cope with him big six foot
three like
six CH chiseled out like you mean let’s
play off him Lance yeah and all the
center rounds are
going see I wouldn’t be surprised if
sometime in the future if you’ve got a
team like Manchester City that so good
and the opposition when they play at
home have a player sent off so which has
happened you know so the opposition are
down to 10 men Manchester City chasing
the game I take the goalkeeper off and
bring an outfield player on cuz chances
are Manchester City keep the ball so
well that they probably don’t need to
play with a goalkeeper because they
probably wouldn’t face a shot no in the
time everyone’s camped in so much and
especially if you’re down to 10 men
you’d never see the ball would you no
that’s true they could afford to put de
bruyne in goal and just be Rush goalie
yeah get away with it is not that mad
though hiset he’s not I’m ding see day
it’s Brave what you do what you have to
do what you think about like I mean
that’s see is actually making them
decisions on the pitch under the
pressure are really ones that you’ve
done something sometimes and you just
pray pays off yeah yeah right last
question I’m a bit nervous to ask you
because I don’t know what it means right
I should explain it’s been sent in by
our listeners so our listeners our
subscribers you can always send in
questions for our guests and this was
this was question was sent in by both
Russell and Bruce now I Googled it to
try and find out what Russell and Bruce
were talking about and I couldn’t find
anything so here’s the question from
Russell and Bruce with such a big week
of sport ahead the Masters the Grand
National the Champions League the
Premier League they want to know have
you retired from hedge diving right now
the Russell and Bruce in question uh
Bruce Foxon used to be in the jam if I
don’t know if you’ve heard of the jam or
you’re too young so and Russell’s the
the front man from the jam now the
hybrid of I was talking Russell was a
friend of mine and I was talking to him
once and I said to I happened to mention
to him when I was a kid living in
Kingsbury in London I used to be in the
Kingsbury branch of the Hedge divers and
he said you used to hedge dive I went
yeah he knew that he used to do it
himself oh wow what is it come on tell
us literally as kids you used to play
run outs oh as kids and literally diving
through Hedges either you dive over you
dive through whatever was as a kid we
used to do that and I read Peter
Crouch’s book and he used he was elen
Branch hedge diver it’s a fact I read
his book and and and when it it jumped
out of the page he used to say when I
was a kid I used to dive through Hedges
and I thought I did as well and I think
there’s a whole network of us around the
world that we just don’t know about each
other and what is the point to see how
many you can do or can you get through
it can you get over it well if you were
playing run outs let’s say so someone
sort of would cover their eyes you’d
play in a street so in a street and they
had to sort of tag you let’s say so to
get away from them you would dive
through Hedges so you’d run through
everyone’s Hedges or dive over the
fences to get away from them hence the
Hedge diving yeah youve done any hedge
diving yeah won’t call that though oh
gosh Garden jumping we were yeah it’s a
s could you get like CU I lived in a
Terrace House my Ash Green in Dudley and
it was like there be there’ be 10 or 12
and then you You’ get to know that you’d
have to move on to a new
one farther up the road like you mean
because you know because once you got
used to this one You’ know where the
dogs
are it’s like the Grand National so you
got to go how far can you get jumping
over the fences and up to the other end
before somebody KN get my bloody Gard
like you know I mean all the dog goes w
w w w and you go quick get out with that
one like me see this is what play St
killed all yeah so we were out all the
time it’s called self entertainment we
used to do knock door run yeah yeah
that’s right of it as well yeah so you
us to dive over the edges to get away
there done yeah yeah but did you ever go
with a piece of cotton no tie it on the
knock and string it out like that go
like that and pull it and snap it off so
they’ll never catch you that way cuz you
were around the corner out the
way knockdown Ginger it was called in
London that was the name of KN down
Ginger knock down I don’t know why was
called that it’s only a London Centric
what did you call it knock a door on
yeah yeah wow I’m so excited that
Russell and Bruce sent us that question
unbelievable you know like that was
brilliant Russ is so excited that
there’s another hedge diver in the world
that he’s met yeah it’s exactly the same
what did but just the name is I didn’t
heard of the name obviously right if
you’re watching this now on YouTube we
want to know if you are a branch of the
Hedge divers Association we’d like to
try and get some other BR definitely is
I’ve read it in his book so so we’ve got
three we’d like some Northern branches
perhaps that’d be great it would be yes
let us know thank you Stuart Pier thank
you so much pleas thank you very much
enjoyed it thank you thank you as always
see you next week see you next week
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