The Roar: Build-up to pre season
Sunderland Echo football writers James Copley and Phil Smith discuss more recent developments at SAFC.
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00:00In my 29 years, nearly 30 years on this planet,
00:02it's the best Sunderland kit that I can remember.
00:05I don't remember feeling this excited even when I was a kid.
00:08I suppose we'll see the proof in the pudding in terms of
00:12have they learned their lesson by it?
00:14Have they got it right with the briefs?
00:30Hello, welcome to the Raw Podcast.
00:31My name's James.
00:32I'm joined by my colleague, Phil.
00:34Does it feel like maybe Sunderland are just starting to turn that corner a little bit?
00:38I'm very reticent to say that they have
00:40because obviously we've got the transfer window to come.
00:43God knows what could happen.
00:44And then the start of the season under a new head coach
00:47who is a total unknown in English football.
00:50So I'm not saying we're there yet,
00:52but maybe we're just poking our head out and looking around the corner perhaps.
00:57Yeah, I think so.
00:58Well, listen, they have a manager.
01:01So that's good, which has not been the case for quite a while.
01:05So yeah, it's a good place to start.
01:06It's a nice thing.
01:07So I think getting the, and we should say as well,
01:10we now know that you do pronounce the S.
01:12So it's Labreece, not Labree.
01:15That is confirmed by the man himself.
01:18I think what that's allowed them to do, getting that confirmed,
01:22it's allowed them to get on the front foot a little bit, hasn't it?
01:25So we've seen that, you know, we've heard from,
01:27albeit pretty briefly, we've heard from Speakman yesterday.
01:30We saw Kirill at the club shop doing a little interview with the club, didn't we?
01:33You know, David Bruce has been out and about, you know, promoting the shirt.
01:37I think what it's allowed the club to do is to get a little bit on the front foot
01:41and to speak to supporters.
01:42And so, yeah, there's definitely been a huge shift in the mood.
01:45I think that it's very difficult though,
01:47because as you say, Labreece is just such a huge unknown.
01:51And I'm not going to sit here and say that's something to turn the corner or speak with.
01:55A huge amount of optimism until I've actually seen the team play, to be honest,
01:59because I still just think, you know, those performances,
02:02you know, that Shefford game the last day of the season is still sort of,
02:06it still feels very raw to me, actually, to be honest, how poor they were.
02:09So I think there's a lot to be done, but it definitely feels like,
02:14it definitely feels like the club's been able to get on the front foot a little bit.
02:17And I think to be fair, like, you know, there's a reason why, you know,
02:20Speakman dropped those hints about the contracts in that interview, isn't there?
02:23I think definitely there's a, I think what we can say is
02:28that Sunderland have turned the page a little bit.
02:30We've started a new chapter now.
02:32I think that's probably the best way to put it.
02:34We have sort of moved on.
02:37And I think the fact that there's probably a little bit more certainty within the squad,
02:41whereby we're now talking about players potentially signing new contracts
02:43and looking forward to next season.
02:45I think that reflects the fact that there's a little bit of clarity
02:47and there's probably a little bit of a feeling internally that,
02:50okay, we're back on track now.
02:51We're back sort of doing what we do and moving forward.
02:54So I'm not going to use the phrase turned corner,
02:58because I still think, you know,
02:59certainly in terms of the team from where they finished
03:01and Lebris being such an unknown,
03:04I still think there's a huge amount at sea before we can say that.
03:06But I definitely, it definitely feels like they've turned the page on,
03:09on last season and turned the page on.
03:12Yeah, the start of the summer very much felt like a continuation
03:15of where we were at the end of last season, I think,
03:17because of the uncertainty and the understandable disappointment and frustration.
03:21And this does feel like the start of a bit of a new chapter for some men.
03:24And that is, you know, there is, while I've definitely got a lot of scepticism,
03:28there is excitement in that, there definitely is.
03:31And I think we're all excited to see what Lebris is going to do as well.
03:34And so, yeah, there's definitely more optimism
03:38than we've had probably at any point over the last,
03:41I don't know, what would you say, five, six months, probably?
03:44Yeah, no, absolutely.
03:45And I thought Christian Speakman's interview, Phil, was good.
03:49He acknowledged past mistakes.
03:51He actually offered explanations to why there was a lack of comms
03:55regarding the head coach, Hunt, why that had sort of slowed down.
03:59You know, apologised to fans, acknowledged last season's mistakes.
04:02Kiril Luidreifus obviously acknowledged last season's mistakes as well.
04:08I thought both Luidreifus and Christian Speakman's sort of message to fans
04:13were very short to the point, very sort of sweet, didn't make too many promises.
04:17And I think that's sort of more of that would be nice
04:21in terms of Sunderland fans and sort of what they expect,
04:25just a little bit of a sort of update every now and again.
04:28Doesn't have to be sort of, you know, hugely long videos and paragraphs, etc.
04:34But I think that might go a little bit of a way
04:37to sort of bridging the gap to what we experienced earlier on in the summer.
04:41What did you make of it, Phil?
04:43Yeah, I agree with a certain,
04:44I definitely agree quite strongly with it,
04:46sort of an aspect of what you just said there,
04:48whereby it's something that you see a lot more on the continent,
04:51whereby because the sporting director model is a lot more well-established,
04:56the sporting director tends to speak very regularly.
04:59They speak most weeks.
05:00Now, Christian Speakman is definitely not going to speak every week,
05:03so I don't want to get people's hopes up there.
05:05But generally speaking, there is a lot more of a culture
05:07of the sporting director being more accessible
05:10or certainly communicating more often
05:12because everybody recognises the power that they have at clubs.
05:15And I think in the UK, because we've been slower in adapting that model,
05:21almost the comms has reflected that as well,
05:24where you still have this slightly surreal situation
05:26where the head coach is the one speaking all the time,
05:29even though actually they're not in control of some huge issues.
05:33And I actually think we've seen that at Sunderland a bit,
05:35where, you know, you've got Tony Mowbray,
05:38Michael Beale, whoever, answering questions about stuff
05:40that aren't really within their remit,
05:41but they have to be asked because they're the person that's there.
05:44So I actually think this would be a really positive thing moving forward,
05:47whereby it becomes less of an event.
05:49And Speakman, in particular, speaks more frequently,
05:53maybe not for as long.
05:54It becomes less of an event and it becomes less of a big deal,
05:57and it just helps keep people in the loop a little bit more,
05:59and it just stops those vacuums developing.
06:02Because I think that can be really damaging at a club of Sunderland size.
06:05The only one thing I would say is that, like,
06:07while I thought the interview was good and stuff,
06:09and it was good to hear an admission of some past mistakes,
06:13and I liked the little contract hint.
06:15I thought that was, like, good.
06:16It was, like, giving fans a bit of a bone, you know?
06:19Like, we know you've had a tough time,
06:21but here's some stuff to get excited about.
06:23I thought that was, you know, spot on.
06:25But, like, I do think...
06:26I hope that's not, like, all last season done.
06:30Never mind.
06:31Because, like, if you think of the scale of what went wrong
06:35in the second half of that season,
06:36the scale and the sequence of bad decisions,
06:39which ultimately happened on Louis-Dreyfus' watch,
06:41but also Speakman's,
06:43I hope that's not, like,
06:45oh, well, never mind.
06:46That's it. That's done.
06:48Because I think there's still a huge amount of questions
06:50about how, you know, a club that can be so...
06:55talk so much about being evidence-based and methodical,
06:58and how it can make the decision to get rid of Mowbray
07:00when they did without a successor,
07:02how they could make such a bad follow-up appointment.
07:05I think all these questions, you know,
07:08I think it's still there.
07:09And I hope that it's not just, like,
07:10oh, well, you know, that's done now.
07:12Never mind.
07:14I suppose we'll see the proof in the pudding
07:17in terms of have they learned their lesson by it?
07:19Have they got it right with the briefs?
07:21We'll obviously see it in what they're doing.
07:22The transfer window will be a sign
07:24of whether they've adapted from what happened last year.
07:27So it's obviously something we'll see in actions
07:29rather than words.
07:29But so while I did think it was a good interview,
07:33and I think hopefully it's a sign of something
07:35a bit more to come,
07:36where maybe more shorter, snappier appearances
07:39rather than, as you say, like longer gaps
07:42and then making a big event of a sit-down.
07:44I think that's potentially something
07:45that could work quite well.
07:46But I'm not sure.
07:48I have to say that I haven't seen
07:49a huge amount of accountability yet
07:52for what happened last season.
07:53That would be my one caveat to that.
07:56Yeah, and it's worth noting as well as that
07:59he hasn't...
08:00Christian's speaking to Louis-Dreyfus.
08:01They haven't really answered questions
08:02from fans or journalists on last season either.
08:05It's very much been stage-managed,
08:07which is good that they've appeared.
08:09But yeah, I see what you're saying.
08:11They haven't faced any real sort of scrutiny, have they?
08:14I mean, I know there's the red and white army meetings
08:16that come up every two, three, four months sometimes.
08:19But in terms of actual sort of sit-down with fans,
08:22they haven't really done that.
08:23Although they've met fans, to be fair to them.
08:25Yeah, well, they have just announced
08:26there's going to be an event
08:27with Lebris and Spiegel at the stadium next week.
08:30So that's really good because I assume
08:33there'll be a chance for fans to put questions forward.
08:35Which, yeah, is exactly what we're talking about.
08:37I think this is all good.
08:39But as you say, I don't think there's been
08:42the level of scrutiny and accountability
08:44that I think is probably deserved
08:45for what an absolute...
08:47I nearly swore that.
08:50For what a mess the second half of last season was on
08:53from the point of Tony Mowbray's sacking onwards.
08:57Let's talk about David Bruce and Sunderland's new kit.
08:59Obviously, the Hummel kit was revealed
09:02last week to much fanfare.
09:04It is absolutely sublime.
09:06I think in my 29 years, nearly 30 years on this planet,
09:09it's the best Sunderland kit that I can remember.
09:11I don't remember feeling this excited
09:14even when I was a kid about a Sunderland kit,
09:16to be honest.
09:16It is lovely.
09:17But the launch of the kit, Phil, under David Bruce,
09:20the deal with Hummel, the deal with Fanatics,
09:23the opening of the new club shop,
09:26even the little details like Kirilu Idreifas,
09:28Reggie Lebris being there,
09:29alongside Christian Speakman, talking to fans,
09:32handing out the pink slices.
09:34It's really helped turn the mood around a little bit,
09:38hasn't it?
09:38And in fairness to David Bruce,
09:40his handling of those two deals with Hummel and Fanatics
09:44and the launch of the club shop,
09:45it's been nothing short of superb.
09:47And hopefully that general competence in that area
09:50translates over to the footballing side of things as well.
09:53But it was lovely to see.
09:55And I think it's a little snapshot, isn't it?
09:58You give Sunderland fans a bone, as you say,
10:01and they will run with it.
10:03If it's a good bone, they will be all over it.
10:06The passion, the thirst for stuff from this football club,
10:10for positivity,
10:11hopefully that's a little bit of an eye-opener.
10:13It sort of came through in Kirilu Idreifas' interview
10:15that he did with the club.
10:16It was almost sort of like,
10:18right, okay, that makes sense now.
10:21Give Sunderland fans what they want
10:22and they'll repay you tenfold.
10:26It was good to see.
10:29It was, yeah.
10:29It is funny as well in terms of like,
10:31because especially from outside the city
10:33and outside the region,
10:35there was always this narrative of it being demanding,
10:38tough place,
10:40all these kind of cliches that get thrown.
10:42And I'm not saying it's not highly pressurised
10:45and it can't be a difficult place at times,
10:47but I do think it's the biggest myth just ever.
10:53Like, literally,
10:55I think it just goes to show that actually,
10:58it does not take a lot to really get fans motivated,
11:02behind the club, positive,
11:06with you.
11:08I think the whole thing is just really underlined
11:10that it is not a demanding fan base.
11:12It's a fan base that asks for the club to have a go
11:15and to get the customer service
11:16and the little details and the interaction right.
11:19That's literally it.
11:21And I think that's maybe a bit of a lesson,
11:23you know, both inside and outside the club,
11:25to be honest, in terms of,
11:27you know, it actually doesn't take a great deal.
11:30I agree with you.
11:30I think Hummel and Fanatics,
11:33I think has been inspired so far,
11:35early days, obviously,
11:37but the quality and the feel of the kit
11:41and the little touches,
11:43I think, yeah, I think it's outstanding.
11:45I don't have the answer yet
11:46as to whether they're going to change approach
11:48and really push the ball out of the summit.
11:50I can only see them doing it for a loan deal.
11:52I still don't see them going out
11:53and handing out like a long-term contract
11:55for an older striker.
12:04I think it's the best kit probably of my lifetime.
12:08I have a nostalgia for the sort of
12:10Tommy Sorensen era kits,
12:13but I don't know how much of that is the kit
12:14and just the fact that the team was brilliant.
12:16You know what I mean?
12:17It's, no, the products and obviously,
12:20the launch was done really well.
12:21I was there.
12:23I think there's,
12:24I think what's obvious now with Bruce is,
12:28because he spent a lot of time in the MLS,
12:30I think he's got a really strong feel for Brandon.
12:34He's got a really strong feel, I think,
12:36for the importance of the little touches
12:38and that engagement.
12:40And I think he understands as well,
12:42being a Sunderland fan,
12:43that actually this is a huge revenue stream
12:46and absolutely huge untapped potential.
12:49And when we're talking about financial fair play,
12:51parachute payments, all these big themes,
12:54someone needs to extract every penny
12:57they possibly can from this huge fan base
12:59to invest in a team that can compete.
13:01And the nice thing is,
13:02fans are happy to do that.
13:03They are happy for the club
13:05to extract every drop of revenue
13:06as long as the product's good
13:08and it speaks to them and they feel proud of it.
13:09And I think that's probably the lesson
13:11we've learned from these kits.
13:12Fans want to be involved with the club.
13:14They want to put their money into the club.
13:16They want to feel connected to it
13:18in any way they can.
13:19And I think that's something
13:21that this launch has really shown.
13:24And I think it's just been nice
13:25to see people get excited.
13:27It's just something we literally
13:28have not had at all this year.
13:30I think people have felt really down.
13:32They felt really detached.
13:33And I think the excitement people have got
13:35and the stories, I think,
13:37that they've managed to tell
13:38through the kits and stuff,
13:40I think has been really good.
13:41So I think, obviously,
13:43it's still early days for David Bruce
13:45in terms of this is a huge job
13:47and it won't be until much further down the line
13:49we can judge how good he is
13:50on some of the bigger picture stuff
13:52because obviously there's way more goes
13:53into running a business of this size
13:55than kits when you think about the concerts
13:59and all these other huge
14:00and all the infrastructure projects and stuff.
14:03But definitely on this side of things,
14:05I think you can see that he looks
14:07to be a pretty savvy operator.
14:08So yeah, again, it's only, what is it?
14:13Seven months since Black Cats Bar.
14:15So as ever, as with the football stuff,
14:18we'll keep our feet firmly on the ground, I think.
14:20But hopefully, as you,
14:22I think you used the phrase there,
14:24hopefully this is an eye-opener
14:26for the club's ownership
14:27in a really positive sense.
14:28It's got to be.
14:29I mean, cues from five o'clock in the morning
14:32has got to be an eye-opener
14:33that we have to listen to this fan base.
14:36Hopefully.
14:37I mean, yeah, it has to be.
14:38And let's be cautiously optimistic.
14:43Yeah, it was nice.
14:45As you say, the devil was in the detail.
14:46I think what I took from it,
14:48speaking to people that fans were pleased,
14:51they'd been listened to,
14:52obviously, long sleeve shirt,
14:54the option for a short sleeve shirt,
14:56the option not to have a sponsor on the shirt,
14:58women's sizes, all of these little touches,
15:01the coordinates of the stadium,
15:02of the bespoke kits,
15:04the socks that bespoke to Sunderland,
15:06the kits that adorned with the shipyard badge.
15:10The second and third kits,
15:12we understand that they're going to have
15:14badges from Sunderland's passed on.
15:16So there's all those sort of little things
15:17that do make a difference to fans
15:19and make fans feel more connected with the club,
15:21which is certainly something
15:22that was lacking last season
15:23after you mentioned the Black Cats bar.
15:26We've got a question, Phil, from Jim Smith.
15:28We'll take it into transfers now.
15:30Jim joins us from YouTube.
15:32Thanks for joining us, Jim.
15:33He says, what sense do you get
15:34regarding the club's attitude towards a striker?
15:37Are they prepared to compete
15:39with other championship club spending
15:41or will they be looking at a young prospect?
15:44I mean, I guess they've got
15:45a couple of young prospects already.
15:46So it's a really interesting question, actually,
15:48that Jim, what do you think, Phil?
15:53Well, I think there's definitely a recognition
15:56that they would like a more experienced
16:00sort of inverted commas proven championship striker.
16:02I do genuinely believe that.
16:04The question on that is finances
16:06because Sunderland were prepared
16:09to go and get Kiefer Moore in January,
16:11in theory, as in they were very,
16:13very much on with that deal.
16:15They wanted to make it happen.
16:17I understand there are another couple
16:18of what we would describe
16:20as proven championship strikers
16:21who they were chasing,
16:23but Moore in particular,
16:24other clubs just went to a much higher level
16:26and ultimately Sunderland sort of held back.
16:29I don't have the answer yet
16:30as to whether they're going to change approach
16:32and really push the ball out this summer.
16:34I can only see them doing it for a loan deal.
16:36I still don't see them going out
16:38and handing out like a long-term contract
16:40for an older striker.
16:43But that's going to be really interesting
16:45because I think there's definitely
16:45been a shift in tone
16:47and a shift in policy behind the scenes,
16:49not in terms of sort of playing
16:51or signing young players.
16:52They're still going to do that.
16:53But there's definitely a recognition
16:55that they need some more experience
16:56in certain positions
16:58and that that will probably mean,
16:59you know, potentially a bit more
17:01of a commitment and wages.
17:03But I think that's a lot more manageable
17:05in central midfield, for example,
17:06or in goal or in centre half
17:08or other positions.
17:10The fact of the matter is
17:11that strikers still cost a premium
17:13and they'll be,
17:14if there's a proven championship striker going,
17:16half the championship will be in for them.
17:18So I do think there's a recognition
17:21that they could do with more proven quality.
17:24I still have my reservations
17:25as to whether we'll actually see them
17:26go out and get the deal done.
17:28But we'll wait and see on that one.
17:30I still think they'll look to try
17:32and invest in young strikers if they can,
17:34because I still think they feel
17:36that's the way to go
17:37is to get them in the building.
17:40And developing them in time
17:41rather than having to pay an absolute premium
17:42when they're already proven.
17:45What they haven't had last season
17:47was someone that is almost a stopgap
17:49who could take some of the burden
17:50off those young players
17:51while they're developing and adjusting.
17:53Whether they can,
17:54I think the ideal scenario
17:56will be to maybe get one of those in on loan
17:58if you can,
17:59and give those younger players
18:00a bit of room to breathe and develop.
18:01So, yeah.
18:04Jim, I do think there's a shift
18:06and I do think they would like to do that.
18:08But I'm not getting too carried away
18:10because I think until that deal is done
18:12and they've really been able
18:13to actually push the ball out
18:14and get it over the line,
18:16I'm not going to get too excited.
18:17But I do think there has been a slight shift
18:20in the thinking.
18:22Would probably be the easiest way
18:23to answer that.
18:23Rajeesh Labreece,
18:24he did his first interview with the club.
18:27Phil, what were your first impressions
18:28on the Frenchman?
18:29His English seems pretty good, obviously.
18:31Hopefully that'll improve a little bit as well.
18:33But seems like a nice guy, I suppose.
18:36But again, with everything
18:37the proof is well and truly
18:39in the pudding, isn't it?
18:40Yeah, definitely.
18:41There's only so much you can claim
18:42from these things.
18:43I think there was a couple
18:44of important things.
18:44One was, as you mentioned,
18:46I mean, his English was exceptional, really.
18:49For someone who's never actually worked
18:50or lived in England,
18:51it was incredibly impressive.
18:53That's obviously reassuring
18:54because not only is it incredibly important
18:57that he can communicate
18:58with the dressing room,
18:59it's incredibly important
19:00he can communicate with the supporters.
19:01You know, we saw that
19:03even with Michael Bale, really.
19:04That was, and we've said
19:06on this podcast a few times,
19:07we felt that was something
19:07that the ownership of a football hierarchy
19:09you'd underestimate.
19:11How important it was that, yes,
19:12you get a great coach
19:13and a great player developer,
19:16but that you get someone
19:16who can communicate
19:17with the fans really well.
19:18And so I was incredibly reassured
19:20to see him speak so eloquently
19:22and so impressively.
19:24The only other things
19:25that I really gleaned from it was
19:26he came across as very studious,
19:28very calm, very measured.
19:30I think that's a positive
19:31because I think managing Sunderland
19:33is a real rollercoaster.
19:34I think we always say that
19:35the highs are kind of dizzying
19:37and the lows are pretty brutal.
19:39And he strikes me as someone
19:40who seems to have
19:41a pretty calm temperament
19:42and doesn't seem like
19:43he's going to get sort of
19:45derailed by that,
19:46which I think is encouraging.
19:48But beyond that,
19:48there's clearly very little
19:50that you can sort of draw from it.
19:52So I enjoyed listening to him.
19:53I was encouraged by it.
19:55But as you say,
19:56the proof will be
19:57very much in the pudding.
19:58Sunderland's first fixture
19:59is on the 13th of July.
20:00It feels like the summer's
20:01flown by already.
20:04Does it?
20:05It feels like it's gone
20:06for a long time to me
20:07with that week.
20:08See, I think it's flown by.
20:12It feels like it's been
20:14a long summer for me.
20:15But there we go.
20:16It'll be nice.
20:17Listen, it'll be nice.
20:18To be fair, I've had time off.
20:19So that's why it's good.
20:21Well, there's the difference then.
20:23Yeah.
20:24Yeah.
20:25No, it's always nice
20:26when the football comes back.
20:28It just brings,
20:29like the preseason fixes,
20:30it just brings a little bit
20:31of routine back to it,
20:32doesn't it really?
20:33And it's just exciting.
20:35Seeing new players,
20:36seeing what the new ideas
20:37for the team's going to be.
20:38It's always like,
20:40it's always a good time.
20:41So I think, as you say,
20:43we still have a lot of unanswered
20:44questions, I think, generally.
20:46But it does feel like
20:47we've turned the page
20:47a little bit.
20:48It feels like 24-25
20:49has started now, doesn't it?
20:51It feels like 23-24 is,
20:54you know, we're not
20:56necessarily over it,
20:57but it happened.
20:58And then now,
21:00and now it's 24-25.
21:02I love preseason.
21:04But I remember,
21:07sometimes you can't
21:07read too much into it.
21:08Well, a lot of the time
21:09you can't read too much into it,
21:10can you?
21:10I remember being really excited
21:11with Hemiya last season,
21:13like throwing it back
21:14to last preseason.
21:14Hemiya, I think,
21:15scored three or four goals,
21:16but that didn't necessarily
21:18translate into success
21:20during Sunderland's
21:21regular championship season.
21:22So it's worth noting
21:24that preseason isn't everything
21:26if Sunderland lose a couple of games
21:27under a new head coach.
21:31Yeah, and yeah,
21:32I mean, every season,
21:33I mean, they're not actually
21:34playing that Hartlepool
21:35fixture this year, are they?
21:36But every year
21:37we go to Hartlepool
21:38for that last
21:40fixture of the preseason,
21:42scheduled a few days
21:42before the end of the season.
21:43Every year, Sunderland are terrible.
21:46We're all sort of...
21:47It was 5-2 last season, wasn't it?
21:49Yeah, and then in general
21:51it tends not to have
21:51actually that much of an impact
21:53on the season.
21:53So you're absolutely right.
21:55It's really important
21:56not to get too sucked into
21:58performances.
22:00I remember drawing with
22:01Dortmund under David Moyes
22:03and thinking,
22:03ah, this will be great.
22:05There you go then.
22:06Yeah, that sums it up.
22:07So, yeah, important
22:08not to read too much into it.
22:09But at the same time,
22:10I think like...
22:12I don't think it's not important
22:13in terms of...
22:15I do think it's a really
22:16important time to build
22:17like a bit of unity
22:18and a bit of stability.
22:19And actually,
22:20we probably didn't
22:21fully appreciate it at the time,
22:23even though we had a sense of it
22:24like last preseason.
22:25You could definitely feel,
22:26although you mentioned
22:27the positive there,
22:28which was Hamia scoring.
22:29I think you could definitely feel
22:30a little bit of the lingering
22:32and friction
22:33from what had happened
22:34with Mowbray
22:34and the Farioli stuff
22:36and all that.
22:37I actually don't think Mowbray
22:38was ever quite the same
22:40as he had been
22:40sort of around that
22:41West Brom game.
22:43And I think that
22:44you could definitely sense
22:46a little bit of
22:46sort of tension
22:47and a little bit of friction.
22:49And though ultimately,
22:50you know, someone didn't start...
22:51Well, they started the season
22:52with two defeats,
22:53but they didn't actually
22:53play that badly.
22:54But I do feel like the mood
22:55never really lifted fully.
22:57And we definitely never
22:58recaptured that
23:00feel-good factor
23:01that you sort of ended
23:02the season with
23:02or certainly that
23:04sort of spring period.
23:05So I do think it's important.
23:06And like,
23:07well, as you say,
23:08it's incredibly important
23:09we don't get too caught up
23:10if the results aren't good
23:11or whatever.
23:12It's probably an important
23:13time in terms of
23:14trying to build
23:15a bit of a relationship
23:16between the briefs
23:17and the supporters,
23:18trying to rebuild
23:19that relationship
23:19between the team
23:20and the supporters
23:20a little bit as well.
23:22So that, you know,
23:23you're really ready
23:23to attack the season
23:26because definitely
23:26we probably didn't
23:27fully appreciate the time,
23:28but it definitely wasn't
23:29quite right last summer.
23:31Go Reds! Go Reds! Go Reds!
23:34Go Reds! Go Reds! Go Reds!
23:37Go Reds! Go Reds! Go Reds!
23:39Go Reds! Go Reds! Go Reds!
23:42Go Reds!
23:43Go Reds!
23:44Yeah!
23:46Go Reds!
23:48Go Reds!
23:49Go Reds!
23:50Go Reds!
23:52Go Reds!
23:53Go Reds!
23:55Go Reds!
23:56Go Reds!
23:57Go Reds!
23:58Go Reds!
23:58Go Reds!