Fitbaw Talk: The start of the Scottish Premiership

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The latest news and talking points from the world of Scottish football.

Transcript

00:00 (upbeat music)

00:02 - Hello and welcome to National World FIBA Talk,

00:08 your nan's favorite football podcast, Ken.

00:10 It's a show where we break down the latest news

00:12 and results from the Scottish Premiership

00:13 and around the SPFL.

00:15 I'm your host, Martin Simpson,

00:17 joined as always by regular guest, Lewis Anderson.

00:19 This week, the two of us are gonna be looking ahead

00:21 to the Scottish Premiership season,

00:23 which kicks off this weekend.

00:24 We're gonna be making our predictions for the league winner,

00:27 the team that we expect to go down,

00:29 who's gonna finish third, who could be a surprise package,

00:32 who might disappoint.

00:33 Then in the second half of the show,

00:35 we're gonna be joined by special guest, Will Rooney,

00:37 from Liverpool World.

00:38 He's gonna be telling us about exciting Scottish teenager,

00:41 Ben Doak, and how he's been getting on

00:42 with the Premier League during pre-season.

00:45 So Lewis, it only feels like yesterday

00:49 that the last season ended,

00:50 but here we are, the League Cup group stage is done.

00:53 The Premiership and the rest of the SPFL

00:55 kicks off this weekend.

00:57 We're gonna focus on the Premiership

00:59 and we're gonna take a look at the teams we expect

01:03 to sort of finish in the key positions, if you like.

01:06 So I suggest we start at the top.

01:08 I'm gonna go straight in with a big question.

01:11 Who are you tipping to win the league this year?

01:13 - I certainly think it will be a tight title race again

01:18 this season, Martin.

01:19 I think ranges have obviously strengthened hugely

01:23 over the summer, bringing in eight new additions.

01:26 That looks like it could soon become nine as well,

01:28 as Sifuentes is set to come in the door.

01:31 I think it'll be a lot closer.

01:32 I still think Celtic have a slight edge

01:36 going into the new season,

01:38 just on the back of obviously their incredible

01:41 record-breaking eighth domestic treble last year.

01:44 Brendan Rodgers back in the hot seat now.

01:47 Ange Postacoglu's moved on.

01:48 I know Celtic fans are a wee bit unsure

01:53 about what to expect from their new signings so far,

01:56 given the lack of game time the likes of Marco Tullio

02:00 and Odin Thiago-Holm have had

02:02 since they signed earlier in the window.

02:05 So still to kind of see where they're at

02:08 in terms of their overall fitness

02:10 and what they might have to offer.

02:12 But certainly I think if Celtic are able to retain

02:16 a number of key players,

02:18 it looks like they're gonna keep hold of Lee Labada,

02:21 which is a big coup in my opinion,

02:24 given that Jot has obviously moved on.

02:27 An exciting player.

02:28 Obviously he's had a lot of interest

02:30 from top European clubs this summer

02:34 that we're well aware of.

02:36 So I give Celtic the slight edge,

02:38 but I do not think they'll be winning a treble

02:40 this time around.

02:41 I think Rangers will win a trophy this season,

02:45 but it won't be the league.

02:46 - Yeah, I'm sort of along the same lines.

02:50 I'm thinking I would put my money on Celtic right now,

02:54 but obviously we just need to wait and see

02:56 with so many new sign-ins how that works.

02:59 'Cause we know how good Celtic are.

03:01 We don't yet know how good this new Rangers side are,

03:04 but given obviously how well Michael Beale did coming in,

03:08 sort of approaching the second half of the second season,

03:12 of last season, sorry, approaching the second half there,

03:15 obviously did really well.

03:16 And if he carries that form

03:20 over into this season,

03:21 then I think it's gonna be a lot closer

03:23 than it was last year in terms of just the points

03:26 that separate them come the end of the season.

03:28 Like I don't think the league's gonna be decided

03:31 sort of before the splits

03:34 or certainly mathematically a couple of games into it.

03:36 I think we could potentially see it go down

03:38 to the second, third, last game.

03:40 Maybe even the last game of the season

03:42 would be really exciting.

03:44 Get another helicopter Sunday,

03:46 which we haven't had in a while.

03:47 That'd be absolutely brilliant.

03:49 'Cause I think that's one of the best things

03:51 about Scottish football when it comes around,

03:53 the drama of that.

03:54 And it can be marketed so well.

03:57 It really is like a USP of our game.

04:00 (upbeat music)

04:03 (upbeat music)

04:05 (upbeat music)

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