The Liverpool Connection Podcast
Football and Music 1:1 with Legendary DJ and Producer Krafty Kuts
I am thrilled to bring you a conversation with Martin Reeves, better known as Krafty Kuts, a renowned DJ and Producer, and a passionate LFC Supporter. Martin delves into his lifelong love for Liverpool Football Club, discussing everything from the highs and challenging lows to his favorite players and games. His insights into the current team performance and potential player acquisitions provide a unique perspective on the legendary club's trajectory.
The Liverpool Connection is an LFC podcast that aims to bring the story of our wonderful club to as many fans as possible around the world. The history, the passion, the music, the people, the City – we want to share perspectives on and off the pitch. We're delighted to have you here with us, be sure to Like and Subscribe with Notifications on for our latest podcast.
🔊 Listen to The Liverpool Connection Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts: https://www.buzzsprout.com/785459
📲 Follow The Liverpool Connection on Social Media:
💻 Website: https://www.atxreds.com
🐤 Twitter: https://twitter.com/atxredspodcast
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📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atxredspodcast/
Daz O'Connor, Steve Wilson, Nik O'Connor, Glenn Kewley, Julian Lane
Aldrich at Mueller
The British Academy of Soccer
Central Texas
80s Casuals
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
I am thrilled to bring you a conversation with Martin Reeves, better known as Krafty Kuts, a renowned DJ and Producer, and a passionate LFC Supporter. Martin delves into his lifelong love for Liverpool Football Club, discussing everything from the highs and challenging lows to his favorite players and games. His insights into the current team performance and potential player acquisitions provide a unique perspective on the legendary club's trajectory.
The Liverpool Connection is an LFC podcast that aims to bring the story of our wonderful club to as many fans as possible around the world. The history, the passion, the music, the people, the City – we want to share perspectives on and off the pitch. We're delighted to have you here with us, be sure to Like and Subscribe with Notifications on for our latest podcast.
🔊 Listen to The Liverpool Connection Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts: https://www.buzzsprout.com/785459
📲 Follow The Liverpool Connection on Social Media:
💻 Website: https://www.atxreds.com
🐤 Twitter: https://twitter.com/atxredspodcast
📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/atxredspodcast/
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atxredspodcast/
Daz O'Connor, Steve Wilson, Nik O'Connor, Glenn Kewley, Julian Lane
Aldrich at Mueller
The British Academy of Soccer
Central Texas
80s Casuals
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Hi everyone and welcome to another edition of the Liverpool Connection podcast. This is a story podcast. It's kind of a brand new series I've been doing. I had Barry Ashworth, I've had Flinty Badmanthe and the Raga Twins and it's basically doing football and music and talking about Liverpool and their musical careers. And I'm really chuffed to have my next guest, a massive fan of his. As everyone knows, I've DJ and do some studio stuff as well, but it's always great to bring people on that I admire. He's got music out on finger licking against the grain and you name it. He's been there. He's got so many accolades smashed it all over the place. Martin Reeves, aka Crafty Cuts.
Speaker 2:Hi mate, thanks for that. It was a lovely introduction and.
Speaker 1:I mean all that, by the way.
Speaker 2:I appreciate that. It's one of the great jobs. It's like being a football or a racing driver you get to do something that's a lot of fun and you get to meet the public. You get to share in their experiences and their joy and their pain. Sometimes when the festivals are really muddy and everyone's like trading around and getting soaking wet, but still trying to have a good time. And yeah, absolutely mad passionate for Liverpool fan, literally I'm always on talk sport or BBC Five live, listening to the phone and follow tons of people on Twitter and Instagram maybe involved in Liverpool and stuff like that. Yeah, I'm quite lucky to be followed by some very influential footballers and other stuff. So, yeah, I'm just mad. I watch football all the time and the massive Liverpool fans.
Speaker 1:So where did this Liverpool journey start for you?
Speaker 2:It's a really funny one because it's not what you think it wouldn't be like. Your dad introduced you to the team because my dad resting piece he was a Chelsea fan and we used to live in London and I used to actually go to watch the Chelsea games when I was a kid and I used to live in Kingston upon terms and I don't know. I just wasn't into. I liked Chelsea and I liked, you know, teams, but it was when I watched the 1974 FA Cup finals or Kevin Keegan and I was a threat. I must have been about four and that was it.
Speaker 2:Then I was just, I loved football and I just played football. I played football at a good age. I still play football now, believe it or not, and so I've been through the good and the bad and the ugly and to where we are now and we've got a fantastic manager and I just hope that we can acquire a few new players just to get the balance right within the team to take us back to where we want to be, because I think every Liverpool fan will tell you that if we made a couple of key signings, we could really challenge man City, but we're just slightly behind because we don't have that strength and depth to test them all the way.
Speaker 1:So who was your favourite player back then? Was it Keegan?
Speaker 2:Yeah, kevin Keegan was, you know him and Toshak, toshak and Keegan. When they commented he was going Toshak, keegan 1-0. I was like my heads thinking about it now. It was amazing and I was just so passionate. And then Kenny Dalwish came in when Keegan left and I was like how is he going to replace Keegan? He was in battle, he was like an upgrade, he was unbelievable. And then Barnes and Moderna I mean for me the best game of all time that I've ever seen was Liverpool 7s first in it.
Speaker 2:I've never seen I mean, apart from the Barcelona game, I've never seen a team play so well. I mean that goal when McDermott crossed it and what's his name headed it in, it was just unbelievable. It was like I know, sorry it was, it was a highway cross step and it went from one end to the other in three passes and it was in the back of the net and I just think that's how football should be played. It was just beautiful to watch. So that was when I was like literally smitten with football and I started learning to play. I played football still, like I said, play football. I run a football team and I'm a 6-side team on Monday nights and we just won the league on Monday nights. So we're in the Premier League with some, you know. I mean we're playing County and some of them are semi-pro players. So it's amazing that I'm still playing at that sort of level and I've said that with my twin boys, which is brilliant. So I get to play with my kids and, yeah, I watch every single game.
Speaker 2:When I'm on my travels I'm down watching, you know, through various means and ways that I possibly can when I'm abroad, and I'm feeling positive about the season going forward and I think that if we can just sign a couple more players, we really could be there because, going forward, I've watched all the pre-season games. We've been phenomenal going forward, but out the back has been that dismal experience. Just one mistake after another and for me, we haven't got enough strength and depth. I don't think Robertson's the player that used to be at left back. I don't think Arnold is not a right back, he's a mid-builder. So we need a right back and we need a left back and I think we need a really good centre back to push Virgil and Canate.
Speaker 2:I can't understand why we've been by Gabbard here, because he's exactly what we need someone strong, tough, someone who's just probably going to go straight into the team. Do you know what I mean? Imagine if I'd have had Gabbard here, canate and Van Dijk at the back, because I think the 343 for me is the best way going forward. I mean, we have got Thiago to come in. He could play that six-roll and I think he could play it well. But he says, you know, he's injury prone. And, like we spoke earlier, it was Curtis Jones at number six. We're not quite sure because we haven't seen him playing that. He played for the under-21s in that position and he played well, but I don't know if he's that. And Bojetik, like he said, both agreed he's a kid and he's not ready for that that roll, as much as he's an autumn player.
Speaker 2:And the two new signings, mcallister and how do you say his name now Slobbertslain you know they looked good in pre-season but they're still a little bit rusty and they've still got a form going into the, into the mull. What I do like which is a really good positive, is his corners. They're brilliant and he's getting them right into that good position. And the goal that they have scored against Darmstadt was a beauty. But, like we said, you know they conceded after 2-0 and I thought we're going to win this back 4-5. But then you just have to slide down. You know, liverpool are at that moment in time where we're probably scoring more than you.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but I also, you know, I look at it like half empty-clasped though, because a lot of those goals weren't scored when Canutey and Virgil were playing. So I know some people like gauge pre-season as like what's going to happen during the season, which is wrong, because I remember when we won Champions League, I think, and we lost nearly every single pre-season game. So I think people I mean, yes, it needs to be strengthened, but I also think, like our first 11, I think is as tops I do, I think we can beat anyone If we're on our game, like if Robertson does a good game, because people don't realise how important he is.
Speaker 2:When he was in his prime he was setting up goals and he was the biggest most assist assist as a fullback in the history in one season and he was just crossing the ball beautifully. But him and Simacas have just not been at the races for the last year or so. And Arnold, I mean pre-season, he's looked a bit rusty. You know, he's had a few good moments but I just hope he can fit into that role. And Van Dyke has lost a little yard of place and he looks better as a captain now, I agree. But Canata, he gets caught out and he makes clumsy mistakes and errors. He's good, he's fast and placian strong, but you know you want, when you look at, say, ruben Diaz and La Porte and you just kind of think yeah are they as good as them too?
Speaker 2:More on that active audio. They're going to be as good as those, and that's the level that they should be at if you want to win. You know, because Arsenal, I think, have got a good team, but I don't think they're quite. I don't think Havats is a great signing and with Gabriel Jesus getting injured, I think they might struggle. And the same with Chelsea, and QQ has got injured, so he's going to miss the part of the season.
Speaker 2:And if you remember when Liverpool had a lot of players missing, that was when we struggled. We struggled, but when we had all our players available and Henderson was kicking on all cylinders, we were just amazing. And even when we lost players, like the Champions League semi-farmers, when Salah couldn't play, and that's about, you know, a bit of a makeshift team we still managed to. And I mean a prime example is when Liverpool won Champions League against AC Milan. I mean that team way up a player was nowhere near as good as Milan and yet and this is something that a lot of people don't understand it's how you get everyone playing together and that's what Liverpool did when they won the league. They all were on the same page, they were all, literally, we're going to win this game. And they were coming out of the traps at the beginning and banging, they were on fire. You know, everyone was 110% and it's like in lower league football. It's exactly the same. I mean, for example, on Monday night with Bayford team young kids, absolute muster, they were really good. And we had a makeshift team because half our players were missing. But I managed to pull in some players and I'd done the team talk and I said look, you know, let's keep tight at the back, let's blah, blah, blah, blah. And we did and we won seven ones and it was the confidence, it was the strength, it was the desire and the will to win.
Speaker 2:And Klopp is really good at motivating players who so, you know, I love the fact the way you put his arm around players and they're like his sons and he treats them all like that and it's a beautiful thing to watch because, you know, I do that with my kids and you know, even the players that I play with put my arm around and tell them how well they play and there's nothing like a good confidence boost.
Speaker 2:But when you're losing games, like we did in the period it's always bloody January you start, you know you get some doubt in their mind and their confidence low. That's what worries me is the strength and depth when we get to like January, february, october. If we start, if we've lost like seven or eight games, you know we're going to be pushing, struggling to get into the Champions League with the competition that, like man United are improving, city are always strong, chelsea are improving, tottenham made a few good signings, newcastle will probably make a few signings in January. So it's going to be. It's going to be a tough season ahead of the year.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think I mean even like Villa, like three years last season and they've bought really well again. So it's going to be tougher this season. It's. I just believe, like you know, a lot of the fan base will be like we need to buy. You know, superstars, that the whole Bellingham saga went on way too long.
Speaker 1:I think FSG should have been more transparent and gone. We're not in for him, but this whole PR spin was put on it and everybody starts believing what's on Twitter, what's coming from the ITKs on Twitter. Some JNOs who have nothing to do with Liverpool would just put it like yeah, you know, liverpool are in for Bellingham. There's a 250 million war chest which FSG, a clock, have never said, but people start believing it. And then that's the issue when it doesn't happen, people start to get really pissed off. I didn't believe there was a 250 million war chest because, just because of the way FSG have worked in the past 13, 14 years, they don't spend that kind of money on players without at least selling an asset. And there was really no asset to sell because, you know, salah had renegotiated his contract, so Alisson wasn't leaving, van Dyke wasn't leaving, so there wasn't really anyone to sell.
Speaker 1:But I think a lot of people just need to calm down a bit because you know, we've bought players from relegated teams like Genie and Robbo, and they've done really well. And my thing is like we've got McAllister for 35 million, which is an absolute steal. I think we owe Brighton an apology. Slavislai for 60m is brilliant as well, because I think he's going to be well classed. You know, I just think we need a couple more players and if we get somebody for 10-15m, you know, as long as Klopp wants that player and it's not somebody like we did last season where we got Arthur Mello in at the last minute, who was just not his fault, not the lad's fault, you know, that was, to me, klopp's fault. You know he said at the beginning of that season the midfield was okay and then all of a sudden, right at the end, he was like I made a mistake and then Mello came in and, slow and behold, he gets injured. You know, poor sod. Again, it's not his fault.
Speaker 2:Because we never got to see how good he could have been. For me, the biggest mistake was not signing Barriam, because he literally walked into the Madrid team and off the ground running literally first game. He was like that chip against Menonite, which was ridiculous, and he's a brilliant player. He would have fitted into our squad really well. He would have been a future captain and he could have been another Stevie G into Cassontor some great things. And this is the thing that frustrates me about Real Madrid and Barcelona They've literally stolen all the best players or got the best players that we've either had or we've been interested in. It's like right, let's watch Liverpool and see if they're gonna go for and then we'll grab him if he thinks he's good.
Speaker 2:Fabio Aurelio was one of my favourite left-back players and some of the goals he scored in the three dicks and passes he was just brilliant. He went, zabialonzo went, ascarano went, michael Owen went. Who's at the time was one of my favourite players. That goal against Arsenal was just unbelievable and all the two goals actually and you know, all of our best players just bit as far as that season he played in the 12-13 was just probably the best football in football you've ever seen played for Liverpool for one season. He was just untouchable. He's both-footed and we lost all of our great players to Real Madrid and I just don't know why. I mean, we don't know what went on behind the scenes, but you know, back in the day, liverpool used to get deals done when Martin Edwards was around and it was brilliant to watch. We've got really good players in and we signed and we can still sign, some really good players. You know, like you said, zabialonzo, but he looks like he could be a great talent and a good buy and the Calistra as well for 35 million.
Speaker 2:But Liverpool have lost so many great players and it's like taking a step back every time we get some good players and we lose them. You know, I'm very surprised that we've still managed to get Salah, and it's really weird. We're always like, oh and Bapay. Once come to Liverpool, it's just, it's just a. Basically Real Madrid have to get rid of someone big, so it's either Tushamani or Valverde. They have to get rid of one of those players to sign and Bapay. And so why don't Liverpool just turn around and say, right, let's get Tushamani or Valverde, because we know they're the sort of players that fit in our system? I mean, I don't really know if we need another type of midfielder like that at the moment, because obviously we've got Thiago to come back, we've got Pajettic, we've got Curtis Jones and the Calistra and I'm going to say his name. So keep going, big Dom. Yeah, exactly, and we have got.
Speaker 2:You know, we're blessed in midfield and attack, but it's just defence. I mean what? You tell me what defenders we could get, what left back could we get at the moment, and what centre back could we get? And a right back? I mean, is Gomez going to play? There is someone. I personally. That's what we're going to have to do. I think it really should be Gomez van Dijk and Cannae Tate, because Gomez has got pace and he's good and strong and he can play right back and he plays all right there. His only problem is he just gets caught out a position sometimes, yeah, and I think he's a confidence player as well.
Speaker 1:Like a few seasons ago it was him and Virgil, like they were really good, and then he got that injury against Burnley like, and that messed his season up. But he was brilliant then. But he just seems to go missing too many times for me and same. You know, if we're going to play the system where Trent plays this like double pivot in the six, matip can't cover that side. Cannae Tate is pretty fast for the big fella. He can kind of cover that right side. When Trent moves forward, matip can't do that. He's like a dead giraffe.
Speaker 2:He really is. I mean, I used to love Matip when he was in his prime. He was really good, but he's him and Philip are just players that I don't really want to see play for them and in the pre-season games we conceded down that right side we conceded what? Eight, eleven goals in pre-season, which is a lot of goals, and I just feel like he should be focusing on that Going forward. I've got nothing to worry about in this field. We've got strength.
Speaker 2:Now I do like to get the lady a deal over the line, but in defence we're just not strong enough and our goalie has saved us on so many occasions so unreal. And we need to make some signings in the back line, because if you look at the teams when Liverpool seasons, when Liverpool won a lot, they had a really good defence and really good defence. You know they had three, four, five, six defenders that just must have Liverpool won the championship. You know a few years back that defence was at its prime and then, going into the next season, they should have looked at that instead of keep buying attackers all the time there's now a lot of bets, with so many attackers that we could sell one of the best in the Meneo.
Speaker 1:You know he was just pasty.
Speaker 2:Let's say you know he was pasty best when he came on against Arsenal. He just proved, didn't he, and scored that, gut that head up. You just knew that he was going to do it. You just knew that he was the man. He gets in the right place. Should have kept him for another season. He could have helped develop, like Nunes and maybe Gapgoe and Jota, into even better players. I'm liking the way Gapgoe is going and I think Jota is a natural goalscorer. I think he's got the foul issue about him. He gets in good positions and he takes his chances really well. I just hope Nunes can do the same, because I do love Nunes. I love that pace about him. I love the fact that he can score the really difficult goals. It's the easy ones that he seems to miss, the ones that Jota seems to score.
Speaker 1:Yeah well, I mean I think with Nunes it's still a learning curve for him. I would have more issues with Nunes if he wasn't getting in the positions he gets in. If he wasn't doing that then I'd be really worried about him. But he gets in the positions. I mean he Doke. You watched the other day the last one, but Doke had crossed it and Nunes should have put that in.
Speaker 1:It is frustrating because you know there's a player in there and you know he can be a world-beter, but it's just like I think he thinks too much. Just put the ball in the back of the net, don't dilly-dally about stuff, just get it in there. I do like that. He's a bit mental. I think we need players like that because, you know, swarovski was kind of the same. It seems South Americans they'll do anything to win. I mean, I don't want Nunes to bite people, but I do want him to, like you know, wrestle. I want him to do whatever it is to actually win a football game. I think I'm hoping this is his breakout season because I do see a player in there.
Speaker 2:Do you know who would have been a good player that you should have been? Is that Alisa as well, from Crystal Palace, who would have been a good player.
Speaker 2:Can you imagine him flying down the wings? I mean, he's a good player. But yeah, I know you're right about Nunes. The one thing that got my back up was last season when Crystal Palace player at the back didn't like him either. He agitated him and he just wound him up and then he just retaliated. That was a terrible start for Nunes because that really put him on the back foot and then he got injured. He didn't have that start that you dream of when a new player comes in.
Speaker 2:You want to score on the debut. You want to go on and have a good run and maybe bag a hat trick in the fifth or fourth game or something. Start setting up players and the whole team are like this guy we need in the team every week because he's good for goals and he's also good for assists. Nunes is not a sister, he's someone who just gets your goals, plain and simple. Do you know what I mean? And he needs to get his positioning better and he needs to take his chances better.
Speaker 2:Jota is the opposite. He takes his chances really well and he gets in really good positions and he's really good for running the ball. He's not a bad passer, jota, but I would say that the midfielder, where that's where we used to win a lot more games and score a lot more goals, in terms of that creativity in the midfield when Thiago was firing and the ball was being pinned in, because at the moment, sal is assisting a lot of goals, isn't he, rather than scoring a lot of goals, which is interesting. So there's obviously a change in formation and systems slightly, because Sal was at the end of most goals. Now you've got like D-Ed scoring, you've got Jota scoring, which is great because you want them all to score 15-20 goals in the season.
Speaker 2:But I just hope that Sal can get that 30 goals again this season, because if he does and Jota is firing and Nunes is firing, d-ed is firing and Gap comes well, we've got a bloody good chance to win the league, because that's a lot of goals. That is a lot of goals and you're not taking into consideration Curtis Jones. You'll probably get five or ten. Maybe Vigetta could get a couple and Bandai would grab a couple. Maybe Canata Arnold might get a few from free kicks. We could definitely look like a decent scoring team, that's for sure.
Speaker 1:Well, I think I'm hoping the midfield all out to it. You know, slavislai and McAllister who's going to take the penalties? I think it'll still be Mo, I do.
Speaker 2:Do you know what? I hope he doesn't, to be honest, Not because he's missed a few, but I just looking at the Hungarian and McAllister. They look better than they can take. I don't think they've and McAllister's missed a penalty, is he?
Speaker 1:No, I don't think so yeah.
Speaker 2:And he does look like he could put the ball with Ryan back in the net, whereas you look at Salah sometimes and you think I knew that last penalty. Yes, I was like I know you've missed this. I knew it and you just know who's a better penalty taker and it's like I don't know, maybe taking that away from him might dishearten him in a way, might put him off his game slightly. If they don't trust me to take the penalties, is this my team? Do they believe in me?
Speaker 1:Yeah, I just think with Mo. I mean, you know he was given a much wider role last season.
Speaker 1:He was I think by Klopp, and it just wasn't getting the best out of him. And then defenders seem to have got his number for a while Plus. I mean I think it's disgraceful like the referee and the linesman on Mo has been fouled many times. I mean Bernard Silva was it last season nearly Tories shirt off, and then Mo, I think with Davis from Spurs same thing, and then Davies got the free kick. Like I just I don't think he gets the recognition he deserves. I mean I see other wingers who go down and they get the free kick. Mo doesn't.
Speaker 2:Now he stays on his feet, doesn't he? He'd rather like score a goal or or not make the opponent look Right, that's a penalty and it's a soft tackle. He's, I Sal, is a very, very gifted player and, and when he again, it's all confidence. When he's confident, he's just ridiculously good. He's up there in the top five players in the world. But that's what we've got to get into, is, I mean, is he coming to the latter stages of his career as he, as he, he'd eat, or we still? Can we still see another one or two seasons of brilliant Mo Sala?
Speaker 2:I mean, hopefully, if he bags 30 plus goals this season, then obviously People can be up there, because all the other players have been mentioned by Gatco, I think that I'll get 15. I think Joel get 15. I think Nunes will get 15 plus and Diaz Diaz Probably be at that 10 or 12 as well. I mean, the goalie scored, the other not as phenomenal. You know, if the Hungarian is putting balls in like that, formers, every week, then we're gonna score a lot of goals. We're gonna score a lot of goals.
Speaker 1:Well, it's nice to see somebody else than Robertson take a corner, because Robertson's corners, especially last season, were just absolutely Crap.
Speaker 2:They weren't even reaching terrible for a while, isn't it? And and? And there was a time when Simacus came in, when he first joined the club, and we was like, oh, this boy can cross the ball, look at those passes and he's getting a few assists. And it was like Robertson didn't see that. I think you know what I better up the game and I don't know, I don't know what's happened about Andy Robertson. I don't know whether he's been worrying about things off field or he's just the right. He's just not at the races. I mean, he's got legs, he can run up and down and you know he's passing. He just needs to work on those crosses and get those assists in, because it makes the difference, and he needs to work on his shooting as well, sorry, needs to work on his shooting, because how many times, how many times has he got gotten free down that left side and he's?
Speaker 1:he's about Seven yards out and he skies it every single time. That's why he's like I don't get excited, like what when somebody crosses to him and he's wide open, I'm just like this is going over the bar.
Speaker 2:It's like watching Lucas Lavia take a shot, a goal. You know what's gonna happen. You know it's gonna go wide or out for the bar and yeah, he. I Think that it's like the other teams. Know you, I mean, I don't know if you play football yourself, but when you, when you play against an opponent and you think right they're gonna cross the ball, and you've known, like, say, seven times out of ten, that always not gonna get where it needs to go. The defenders your own defenders probably gonna clear it, or it's gonna get deflection, or it's not. Gonna pin point straight into where it goes. Watch Tony Groves. He is one of the best passes in the world. I think he's even slightly better than Arnold.
Speaker 2:And I watched him and it's Corners, he's free kicks and passing. It's just so elegant, it's just. I hate it because I don't like it, but that is how to pass the ball and I would just sit down and say, look, this is how it's done, don't try and Overdo it, just get that ball to where it's got, because you've got the skills to do it. You know, you don't. You don't need to teach Arnold to do this, because he is one of the best Process of passes in the world. So if Robertson can, I don't know why Robertson and Arnold are not. You know, we're even off each other in that respect. So to get Robertson to see, to get those crosses that he should be doing, because when we were doing that we were just unstoppable- oh yeah, unplayable.
Speaker 1:Well, remember the Cross he did for Salah against City.
Speaker 2:Oh, and the one against? Yeah, and there was that. I was thinking of the one against Westam, but that was so. I'm not one of my favorite players to carry. That was a good cross. I saw a goal that he scored the other day. Actually, he's doing a right in that.
Speaker 1:Chicago, right? I think yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, he was a bit back now we have a, we have a MLS team here in Austin and he came and played and my mate, you know, took his little boy, said he was class, you know, he had time to, you know, sign the jerseys and stuff. So yeah, and yeah, I Was there. I went back home for when we beat man United 3-1 and Shaq scored twice and yeah, and I mean I I wanted him to do much better, but like injuries and stuff just Hampered his Liverpool career, as it has hampered Quite a number of players at Liverpool that's. That's another thing that I'm a bit worried about. Like We've been having these muscle injuries constantly. This last season was like it was Milner, than it was canota, then it's Jota, you know, then it was Hendo. Like you know, it just seems like what's going on in the medical department. We didn't have a doctor for six to seven months. It just seems like something's happening behind the scenes, that what we're not really knowing, what's going on, you know.
Speaker 2:I think I'll tell you what is an interesting theory. When a team's winning games consistently Now check this out, and this is exactly right when Arsenal, the top of the league last season, what happens? So leave a lot injured, and that was it then and then, soon as he went from back for they just started dipping and I think towards the end of the season they didn't pick up any points. Obviously they drew with us. That was a really interesting game as well and it just goes to prove a lot of people say, oh, no, one person can make a difference. But when you lose a key player in a key place, that affects the whole team, and he affected Arsenal's, you know position, and it's like when Liverpool, when they started losing you know Players, likes when Stevie G got injured, the team they do. There was no one to fill in that position and I think that it does make a difference, like you said, when you start getting injuries. Sorry, what I was going on to say was is if you, when you're winning a Lot of players, it's like they, it's like the prevent themselves from getting injured, it's like that, I can't afford to get injured. So they won't go into stupid tackles, won't go over the top and won't be too aggressive. They'll just play to their strengths and how good they are.
Speaker 2:And if you look at like, a good example is Bernardo Silva. As much as no one really likes him, he's an archivist 10% every game and he's not stopped running and he's passing his positional plays really good and it's like Kevin De Bruyne or as well he. He gets fouled and all that's why he gets injured. Because people know, take out the point in a man sitting, not be a strong cause. Holland's not going to get those passes there in games and and this is the, the key element is to keep your best players fit and strong Throughout the season and you should be hitting top four with those key players.
Speaker 2:And that, if you look at, say, man City, they really have their best players injured, apart from, I mean, de Bruyne does suffer with a few car from Five problems, didn't he? But man City generally they don't. You know Grealish never gets injured and you know, edison, you know he's a good player and he's a good player and you know, edison, you never see him getting really injured that much. And Stones was injury. But most of the best players in the City team, like Harlan for example. You know he played pretty much most of the season and every time he played he scored a bloody goal. I knew the moment that he stepped into that team that he was going to break that record.
Speaker 2:Yeah knew it. I was like you could just see it. If you know your football, you think that guy's going to get 40 goals this season. And he got bloody back 50 goals, didn't he? He was ridiculous and I just kind of think to myself. You know, it's like Mbappe when he goes to Real Madrid, he's just gonna back 50, 40 goals a season there.
Speaker 1:It's just gonna be a sex, doesn't it?
Speaker 2:Oh, when you look at Real Madrid's recruitment, they're building a team of Galacticos again. To Samani Valverde, bellingham, they're gonna get Mbappe. They've got one of the best goalies in the world, got the best defence in the world. They're gonna have the best strike force in the world.
Speaker 1:And what's crazy about Madrid as well is, you know they've brought Bellingham in and Valverde, who's been there?
Speaker 2:and Modric.
Speaker 1:But they can learn from Cruz and Modric. That's the thing. You know, I've played football before at a good level, and I Would tell anyone to watch videos of Modric and Cruz. They are absolutely unbelievable and I can't imagine. You know, bellingham is in the same locker room and he trains with them every single day. That lads only 19. He's only gonna get better and better. He's already mature for a 19 year old, so his head's already set and he's gonna be watching them every single day and he's gonna get better and better because his positional play.
Speaker 1:You know, while we've missed the boat and it does upset me, I'm just we should have been sorting this midfield out two, three seasons ago. I'm the first one to put my hand up at that. Last season, after the community shield, I was like it's on where we're gonna challenge again. Do we need any midfielders, does not? I think we're good because, because I was confident and Then and you know all all these injuries started happening and then there was a massive just Dropping form, you know, I think. I think it's down to a lot of things. Probably, playing 63 games, every match you could possibly play, coming so close to a quadruple, I mean, that's got to hit you emotionally and physically and then really having a full pre-season, having loads of injuries in the first couple of weeks, then the World Cup. So I mean, I know other teams probably had the same, but they didn't play 63 games.
Speaker 1:And you know to light that fire. I guess I always put it like you know, say you played the best gig ever, you know Wembley or something, in front of 100,000 people. How do you get yourself going again to? You know, play a 20,000 seater. That's how I picture with musicians. Or you know you put out an album. It sold millions and then you know next album isn't as good. You know, not in your team but just in sales, and then that's players as well. You've got to light that fire, and I think Klopp has to light that fire again in this team. I agree, do you know what?
Speaker 2:You just had a mid-bass. It's lighting that fire again because he's done it before and he's got to do it again with this new group of players that he's got. And if he can do that, I mean right, let's list, be optimistic. Let's think about the good that we've got. We've got one of the world's best strike forces and we're building a really good midfield and hopefully Arnold coming into midfield and Bojettik. And obviously, if Thiago can get fit, he's a wonderfully gifted footballer. I mean, every time I go on Twitter and something, you see a little reel of Thiago. You're just like those games against City and Chelsea was just majestic. So if we can get him back to being as half as good, even for just a bloody season do you know what I mean For one more season, it will be great.
Speaker 2:I mean, fabinho and Henderson loved them both as players. I thought they gave their heart for Liverpool and Fabinho. You know he's done some really good. He had some really good games. It was a great pair in that position, but he'd lost his legs. We all knew that in the same dependency. So the move to get 40 million for Fabinho was a really good deal. And you know Henderson, I'm happy for him because he's now made for life and he's, you know, next season he would have been on a free transfer. He probably would have been playing, you know, for a reasonably good team in the Premier League and then he would have fizzled out. Now he's just going to go on and make a living for the rest of his life and you know he'll come back and I know that there's a lot of talk about the Saudi stuff and what goes on out there, but they live their life the way they have done and we can't change that, as much as we'd like to try and do that.
Speaker 2:You know you can't tell people what to do. It's up to them to make those changes. We can help and we can and we can, like Henderson, done a lot for all that cause, but he had to think about his family and stuff like that. It's like, for example, if someone said to you right, we need you to move to Dubai, we're going to pay you a million pound a year to do your podcasts from Dubai, you'd be gone once tomorrow. You'd say you know, you obviously have to convince, maybe, your wife, if you're married, and your family, but for one year or two years it'd be a bloody good move. And if someone said the same to me, you know we want you to come to Dubai. We're going to pay you five million. You're just only going to be able to play your gigs in Dubai, but it's for a year. You want to do it? Or Saudi, whatever. I'd say yeah, because that's going to provide something special for my family. And it's not the money talks, but it's the future. Do you know what I mean? It is your future and it is, and you've got to think about what it has done.
Speaker 2:And Henderson gave it all for this club and I think the time was right for him to move on. I think Van Dyke is a great person to come in as captain. I know we've lost Milner, abinio and Henson. You know three really influential players there and for Meneo as well, we have lost a lot of a core, a really good, lovable characters of the football club that we all worship. You know Henson, that season in Covid when you heard him talking, that just gave you an insight to what the guy was actually all about.
Speaker 2:You realise, god, he does make a difference, because I've played with players where they weren't technically gifted, but they're talking on the field. If you push forward and suddenly you're saying mind, mind, get back, get back, you need to be. And I'm like, yeah, oh God, I've been caught out of position now. And if I didn't have someone saying that and that's what Henson would do to all of the players all on the pitch, and he'd also be saying, well done, son, well done, good ball, that was brilliant. And everyone's like, oh yeah, that was a good ball. And then their confidence starts going and imagine what that would have done for, let's say, munez and maybe Gatko, because Gatko, I think he's quite a religious person, isn't he? I think Gatko, and I think that he's quite humble and grounded and I like that, I like the fact that he's like that and he will go out and you can see the way he plays, that he's just so focused. He's a very focused player, gatko, isn't he? He's a very neat and tidy player as well.
Speaker 2:But a big part as well. He is a big tool, lad, isn't he? We need to get some more ball into the box and we'll head into the goal. I'm feeling optimistic about the season going forward. I think we've got a lot of really good, talented players. I just hope that we can sign a couple of defenders.
Speaker 1:I agree. I wanted to get into a bit of your musical journey. It's crazy to think how long you've been around. I mean it's pretty long. I'm a Depesh Mood fan as well and I think 1981 was their first single and they've been around for ages and I'm just like they're still kicking it. But in the dance scene you see lots of flavour of the month come and go. You've been around for a very long time. How did you? What were your earlier influences in music?
Speaker 2:So when I first started out, I had a friend that I used to live in Bogmerijas that's where I grew up as a teenager and he was into like electro and hip hop so African Bar, early electro, kitchen lover and all the Johnson crew and the early hip hop scene as well, with Grandmaster Flash and stuff like that and we used to sit at Breakdance Club and I was more of a dancer then and then the decks were left there for us. So we started playing music and I went on the decks and I started having a go and I thought, wow, this is really good fun. I actually prefer this because I wasn't brilliant with breakdancing. I used to hurt as well. I used to get kicked there. Planes broke, don't you think? So I started DJing and then one day I was like scratching a Beastie Boys record called Cheese Crafty and I was scratching Crafty, crafty, crafty, crafty. I was like, wow, that could be a name for a DJ. I'm a bit crafty. And everyone said, oh yeah, you're a bit crafty behind the decks. So I got that and then I thought, crafty, what could I do? Crafty arts, cuts and scratches. So that was when my DJ name come up.
Speaker 2:And then I entered a competition locally and I was about 16 and it was an under 18s club and I never had an opportunity to DJ on techniques turntables. So this was a chance because they had techniques behind it. So I worked my little, set up, set up, set to enter this competition at home on a little stack system and used to have a hold the button in with the deck, two tape as turntable and two tape players and then I could scratch by holding one button in over the tapes and make my own, you know, practice, my own mixes, mixed records over it. And then my mate had a couple of belt drive turntables and I entered this competition and I got to the final and I lost in the final. But the experience was just like if I have a bar. So I was like this is an addiction and I started collecting records down to car boot sales, building up my record collection and I bought a record store, started writing music.
Speaker 2:My early influences, like Jazzy Jeff, dj, kashmanu and they're both Kashmanu was a well DMC champion and these people I've now got to meet become friends Jazzy Jeff's friend, kashmanu's a friend. I've met Grandmaster Bashan, done loaded shows with him and I've met some of the best you know DJs on the planet. You know from all walks of life, from Tiesto to Karl Cox to Fatboy Slim, and obviously I've worked with a lot of these guys and I toured with the prodigy just before Keith passed away which was a great experience. But I first got into music through.
Speaker 2:I wrote a big, big record and I gave it to Fatboy Slim when I had my record shop in Brighton. He goes oh, this is really good and it was like a dub plate cut, a dub plate which cost like 70 quid at the time it's like 30 years ago. A lot of money then. And I was like, look, you have it normally. You know you're about you're going to get way more used than I am. And it was cool. Give me the phone. And he played it and he loved it. And ministry he charted it in a mix bag chart, a ministry sound called Windy this and they run a label for the FSU play at the time and it just started and they said we're looking for big beat tunes because big beat was massive at the time Renegade, master, bad at Bad, at Schwing, it was all the early, some early Fatboy Slim stuff.
Speaker 2:And the chemical brothers chemical brothers, john Carr, all the early big beat stuff, and it was huge. It was a huge movement at the time and I was like I made this music and then ministry called me in and I signed a deal with them and that was it. Then I made some music in the studio and then, literally because they had the platform to promote me, it was bang. I was China, australia I'm talking to China, australia, new Zealand, all over Asia, america playing huge festivals, playing the ball, you know Russia playing to 15,000 people with Tiesto, all these crazy gigs, and I just basically what I do is I just listen to what and see a lot of what other people are playing, and you let that inspire me to keep my music at the front, you know. So just keep not changing my style, but just keep making it better and improving it all the time, because it's like anything, you've got to have a hunger and as soon as you lose that hunger, you then start to your quality starts to dip because you're not concerned. You're not worried and it's like if you let yourself go, do you know what I mean In your appearance or whatever, people don't look up to you or think as highly of you If you look at some of the best actors and actresses in the world, you know they look amazing like Tom Cruise.
Speaker 2:I mean, good does the bloke there, you know? And he never fails to do a good movie for whatever. You know, you might be a Scientologist and you might think good or bad of him, but as an actor he's bloody amazing Mission impossible maybe. So they're incredible. And all the movies he's done and you know he looks after himself. Brad Pitt I mean the videos and pictures of him at Wimbledon. The guy's like maybe 60, he looks incredible and you kind of think to yourself you've got to look up to him. The guy's a good looking chap and he looks after himself. And it's like footballers, you know, if they look after themselves and they eat healthy and you know they play well, they can have a career that can last up to like 37, 38. Do you know what I mean? Tiago's a good example for Chelsea.
Speaker 2:You know, he's still playing well. Up until you know last season he had a few good games in the last season.
Speaker 2:You know, he might be teetering out now, but you can see he looks after himself and he plays well and I think that's an important aspect. If you look after yourself, I have a good diet. You know I'm not in the best shape. I still play football. And you know I listen to a lot of other DJs and I listen to a lot of other music.
Speaker 2:My life is constantly around music. You know, when I'm in my car, driving four hours to five hours to Manchester or Liverpool or wherever Cornwall, wherever I need to go to, I've always got music on. Or I'm listening to talk to people, like I said, but I'm getting inspiration. You know, feeling a buzz. You know I listen to a funk track and think you know what that's a good idea for my next track. You know, with Charlie Tune or Dynamite or whatever, and I sample that bit of music or it'll help me get vibe young the keyboards and get some good riffs going. And so, yeah, I'm always listening and paying attention to what's thought. Thinking is the name of the game, always updating your set, never playing the same set twice, making really good music that appeals to the younger audience and the older audience, so you're not like alienating your fans and just being a good person. You know, on Twitter and Instagram, you know I'm not opinionated and saying, oh, I don't agree with this and I don't agree with that. That's for the other people to look at. That. You know, I like watching something where, for example, you know some guy who's got a disability or something and he does something extremely well. That is inspiring.
Speaker 2:But I saw a picture today of a team from Newcastle a Down syndrome, and it was a picture of all of them together and it just brought a tear to my eye. You know what I mean. It just I just thought this is brilliant. You know these people and they look so happy and I just thought that's me as a person. I'm very like, motivated by inspirational things and I love seeing people achieve their goals and doing well. Those are the things that make me happy.
Speaker 2:I'm not one of these players persons that hates another opposition. Yeah, I don't particularly like man United and man City and, yeah, there's been times when I've hated them, when they beat me and I've been angry, but I don't let it. You know, eat me up and drive me crazy. Do you know what I mean? And when I see other DJs who are really bloody good. I don't think to myself I'm jealous. Yeah, why is he so good? Wow, that's guys so good. I'd rather talk about them and post about them and repost and be part of their journey as well, rather than be one. Oh, I don't like what Marshmallow or Deadmau5 or Tiesto or any of these guys are doing. Just because I don't like that music, so it's not for me. Don't like them, no, no, it's like respect it. Yeah, respect is a massive part.
Speaker 1:That's their thing. You know that, like, the main stage is like Tomorrowland, that's their thing, you know it's too. It's too like the Americans brought the word EDM up, you know, and it's more pop, electronic music, you know. Like when you see these DJs jumping on the stage and getting the microphone, to me it reminds me of a school disco. You know what they used to do, but that's their thing. And then you look in the crowd and people are loving it. So I can't hate on anybody that's there and listening to that music. It's not for me, you know.
Speaker 1:I grew up on electro, you know, and early hip hop as well. And you know the big beat for me was something different, because the bass lines were harder but still kept the funk and it brought in an indie crowd as well, which I'm really light. You know it didn't last long. I mean, I was a big fan of John Carter, the propeller heads. You know it was something different, different from the four, four house beat, the acid house that we all grew up with. So I, you know, went to the break side of things. And then, you know, break beat kind of went different. It went the new school breaks, you know, adam Freeland, marine Parade. It got very hard, very twisted, and you know I like the funk, the new school break scene took a little bit of the funk out.
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly, they lost the soul. They kind of lost the soul. For me it was more you could tell. It was like more I don't know how to really explain it but more like digital, like the sounds.
Speaker 2:I know exactly what you mean. Yeah, there's, it's like, you know, like drum and bass. You know there was a time when it got really hard and really gnarly and, like you know, like your pendulums and all that sort of stuff. But now, if music goes in cycles, it's like a big circle. What goes around comes around. It's like disco has come back in and gone back out and then come back in and like indie music. You know, if you look at like the festival scene, you see a lot of indie bands in there and you kind of think, yeah, I want to go and see those. And it's like Depeche Mode, for example. They're one of the most sought after live acts on the planet. I go and see Depeche Mode because I used to like Depeche Mode as well. And you know, I think the UK has got this unique festival. It's totally different, like you said, from America. You go and watch a video in America and you hear like boom and it's really loud and lairy, but that's their thing, that's what they like that's what they do.
Speaker 2:And you go to Tomorrowland and you see, like you know, say, for instance, tvoq would be top off and plans like 50,000, 60,000 people and he's playing some sort of like crazy record. But that's his thing and I'm not there to criticise that. And you know, I've met Steve Aoki. He's a really nice guy. He does a lot of good things for music and stuff like that. So you know what he plays and what all the other DJs play. If I'm not into it, it's not for me to judge. And that's why I'm so passionate about what I do, because I'm always taking inspiration and influences. You know, I might hear a prodigy record and think you know what I'm going to play that at this point in my set, but just put my own take on it. Or I might get like, for example, watch Guardians of the Galaxy and the music in there there's no like Aerosmith record or whatever you know what. I'll take that, remix it and put it in my set because that music everyone loves that song and I've got a dream on it in my set, you know, and it's one that's been used in tip top viral videos and stuff like that, and I've got a drum and bass version that I use of it and it absolutely goes off.
Speaker 2:And I remember years ago I'll tell you what I learned a really good lesson. There was an amazing club in London in Leicester Square called Heim. That was like riding in fabric at the time and I got asked to DJ there and this was about 20 years ago and I was so excited and I was like this is my opportunity to prove myself and this was just before I got a fabric best as well. And so I went there and I played on 3Dex for two hours solid. I didn't even get time to take a sip of the drink. I was in there like going amongst it, like bang, bang bang. Literally felt like I played the best set of my life.
Speaker 2:And then this Brazilian guy I've never heard of come on after me and he played Joss Screechy Walkin' Scancers, his first record, which is what SL2 song with that A, a, bade, bade, bade, bade, bade Bade him. And this was the time before everyone could find out what that was on the internet. They wouldn't be able to shazam it. You'd have to go out and dig and find out what that record was. And I didn't know that record. I didn't even think of finding the original from the SL2 record. This guy had done his own work and his first record. So basically, that two hours that I just played might have even been three hours.
Speaker 2:Everyone has forgotten about what I just played because that next DJ just got the most incredible reaction of his first record and he might not have been technically as good or any better than me, but he's fast record, done the business and that was a changing point in my life and I thought you know what? I cannot never let this happen again. So I've got to improve my sets from the start to the finish and every single record that I play I feel like it's got to be a winner, depending on where I'm playing and what I'm playing to 100 people and I've got three hours and I want to take them a little bit of a journey. So not every record is going to be a monster, but if I'm playing at a festival and I've got an hour to 20,000 people, it's there's no restraints, it's go, go, go from the get. And I've got to play winner after winner, chicken dinner all the way through and that's what I've always done and I'm so passionate and I play in four decks and I'm literally mixing, scratching, going for it, and if you come and see Crafticuts then I want you to be entertained, I want you to walk away and go. Wow, I've just had one of the best experiences of my life. I've just had so many good records. I've just seen a DJ that really has given it his all and that was fun. I just danced for an hour, two hours, literally. I didn't even get a chance to go to the toilet because I just didn't want to leave because I was having such a time.
Speaker 2:And I've had people saying oh, I've got married to your music, you inspired me. I've had, like I had a message the other day from some guy who was homeless and he said he managed to scrounge some money together to come and see me play and he turned his life around and a year later he was DJing, he had a girlfriend and he was very, very happy. He said if it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be in this position. And that's happened a couple of times. And then there's people who saw me through COVID when I'd done my streams. They said, oh, my God, you inspired me, you and your son.
Speaker 2:Just you know, because I feel like me personally I'm just talking about myself Really good taste of music because I had a record shop. I like funk, jazz, rave, disco, bit of electro, and when I play music within my streams people got to see another side of me because they heard me play some of my inspiration tracks and talk about them and other things. So they saw that. And then with my compilations that I've done and my mix CDs like Back to Mine, funky Side of Things- Back to Mine is one of my favorites from you.
Speaker 1:It's that, and more cheaper one.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, that's a brilliant one Class.
Speaker 2:That's a brilliant one and I wanted to show people how much good music there is out there. And if we had 10 hours, I literally could play you loads of music and you're like, oh God, that's really good. You know a rock record, a disco record, a punk record, and you'd be like, oh my God, I love that record. And I do it with my girlfriend, you know. We get in the car and I play her a tune and she's immediately shazamming it. And then the next day I'm hearing her like go around there and she's doing some cleaning, she's got it on in the background and she's happy, she's got a big smile on her face and she's like and that's what music can do, it can really motivate you. And it's like football. Football is exactly the same, and anyone who's passionate about their team will tell you right Come Monday morning, if your team is one the weekend, and regardless of whether it's a big game or not, it's always beneficial.
Speaker 2:If you've beaten man City, man United, chelsea or Arsenal or Tottenham or whatever you know, honestly, I'm absolutely over the moon. I'm ringing Barry from the dub pistols on Sunday afternoon, sunday evening, how good was that game? Oh, he was mustard Blah, blah, blah, blah. He played brilliant, and that's what football does, in the same way as music does, because we know we're so passionate. You know, I've been to a few games at Anfield and I've cried when I've heard you never walk alone.
Speaker 2:I'm getting teared up and I think about it. It's so like amazing when you hear the crowd singing those songs. That song, sorry, and that is what football does. It brings tears to your eyes. It's emotional. It's just like you know you're seeing people that you eyes of eyes, because I idolised all those Liverpool players, especially Stevie G when he was there, and Kenny Dalglish and all those great players over the past. I looked up to those and I met some of them on my journeys. I've met Phil Thompson, absolute legend.
Speaker 2:We sat on the plane together for an hour and all we'd done was talk about football. I met Glenn Hoddle. I met Pat Jennings. I've met Bruce Grobler. I've been up to the club, in the clubhouse and where you got drinks and food and stuff. I've met some of the famous players there. I was so nervous I was shaking. It was like I've met my idol, because all great Liverpool players, from like Phil Neal, alan Hansen, ray Clements, up until the present day, if they're wearing that Liverpool badge they've got to be a good player Jan Moldy, etc. Javier Lanzai oh God, the list is endless when they're wearing that Liverpool badge and you can see when they've left how much it meant to them Because they are on. You see them reporting on games or you see them talking how they love the club. Still, who is that left bat? He went to Seville and oh.
Speaker 1:Marine Alberto.
Speaker 2:Oh my God, he loves Liverpool and you can see how much it means to him Even after he's gone. He's playing for another club and yet he's just as passionate for Liverpool to win as he's acting. That he's playing for and that's what he does. It's like Simicast when he scored that penalty in the FA Cup against Chelsea. He's got to be honest, the pure joy on his face and he was just. The players loved it and they loved the fact that he scored that goal as well, because he was like, you know, they didn't agree to scounce, or it's brilliant. He's brilliant and that's what it does. And you can see when they go to training. You know fans will just watch Liverpool train because they love seeing the togetherness of that team and there's not many teams that have that. Do you know what I mean when I look at United?
Speaker 1:they're getting it a little bit.
Speaker 2:They are getting it and that manager is doing a really good job, as much as it's painful for me to admit. He is doing a good job. Ten-halve and he's getting rid of the dead wood. He's, you know, McGuire's going, isn't he? And Tom and A's going. They're not saying they're dead wood, but he's getting rid of players like that and bringing in better players. He's building something there. But when Klopp came in and started changing things around and started getting some really good players in and you know, it does frighten me that United are getting back there, but I don't see that togetherness with United.
Speaker 2:I see it at City. They have got togetherness because Pep is an incredible manager and I do see it slightly coming at Arsenal as well. You know Arteca is building something there with some of the players and Sackler is a phenomenal player. I'd hate being a defender with him running at me. I really would scale a lie for that. And you know I don't think Chelsea have got it togetherness.
Speaker 2:They've been so up in the air the last few years. They've bought too many players Newcastle. For the players that they've got, they're starting 11. I'll tell you what. Another interesting fact as soon as they bought. Now he's another player who should have bought. What's his name? Botman. We should have bought him. We should have bought him because it made the difference for Newcastle, because, as we know, newcastle conceded the least amount of goals last season and they literally had the same starting 11 from the beginning of the season to the end of the season and that was stemming from, obviously, the goalies.
Speaker 2:Really good, as much as I don't like me and the manager is a good manager. He does play some strange ways of football, like a lot of time wasting going on and a lot of like. You know he's a shrewd manager, but he saw it out the back and they were so solid at the back and they conceded hardly any goals. And I would say, as much as I'm an attacking minded player and coach myself, I do think that success starts at the back, the spine going from the back to the front. You've got to have, you know, you sent about the centre midfield in the strikeout and the goalie. That spine has got to be where it starts and that's where City have got it. That's when Liverpool had it back in the day and then we won the league. We had it. Real Madrid and Barcelona and man United were now winning things. It was just that defence and goalkeeper Schmeichel, when he was in goal and that backport had. You know he was going to beat him now and it was going to be just ridiculous.
Speaker 1:Well, Martin, I've got two last questions for you. I always like to ask musicians what is your ideal festival line-up A Friday, Saturday, Sunday, headliner alive or dead, and then predictions for the season.
Speaker 2:Good questions. James Brown, trident no, he would be the end, wouldn't he? He'd got to finish off for James Brown and the master at the end. So your Friday night would be your dance night, I think I don't know, would that be the best thing, because your energy levels would peak too soon. No, I think Friday night would be some good bands. So I'd have like Sheik, sister, sledge, parliament, paul and the Gang and their Prime and their 70s Earth In the Fire, stevie Wonder, and then Saturday would be all your dance, your dance acts like Jazzy Jeff as a DJ from Canada, which is just literally one of the best DJs on the planet. Andy C, from a base I'd have a good disco house DJ, because I do like my house disco. Roger Sanchez, probably. And then Sunday night would be obviously Prince James Brown, to just finish it off around with some good DJs like Norman Jays, and just good funk, disco, hip hop and drum and bass would be the spine of the whole weekend and it would just be. Everyone would just go back with the best memories.
Speaker 1:That's all about, isn't it?
Speaker 2:And going into predictions, realistically, I can't see anyone in the city because they just bought Gavadio. I know they've sold Gündoan and Mares. Gündoan is going to be a huge miss for them, but if Harland doesn't hit the road running, then we might be in, for could be Liverpool, arsenal and United getting in there. But realistically, I think we all know that man City are going to be the team to be. So if I was a betting man and I was to put my own money onto that, which I'd done I'd say City, liverpool, arsenal, united. My heart would be Liverpool, city, arsenal, united. That's where I think, oh, I want one. My heart I'd say Liverpool, tottenham, newcastle, and another team would be like that. That's what my heart would want. But realistically, we all know that City are and trends show to us that when teams get it right, they have a long period of time where they win a lot of trophies, like Liverpool did in the late 70s and the 80s, and then man United took over in the 90s, and then Chelsea took over a little bit, and then United were pushing them as well, and then over the last five years, city have just been at that level. I mean just quickly, before we go.
Speaker 2:The one thing that has upset me and frustrates me is the FSG situation, because, listen, you don't have to be a magician to work out what Liverpool need to be a better team. We all know that. We all know that last season we needed midfielders. They didn't do it. They didn't recruit the right midfielders. We had the opportunity to play two Shimane. They should have just gone in there and got him. Now he might be late to waste at Real Madrid because they've got so many other good players, but we could have got him, but we didn't. Real Madrid came in and got him, put the money down, said thank you very much. He hardly played any games. It's such a shame. And again, we didn't get belling him Another waste. And Gabbardio, another wasted player that we should have got. And we have bought some expensive players and Alisson and Bandai over the years and Nunes as well, but it's not consistent enough.
Speaker 2:And the thing with FSG is, I do feel like right, let's be honest, if they bought the best players, just one or two top, top players, like your Bellingham's, etc. Or your Mbappé's shirt sales would go through the roof because we're such a well supported club, everyone would be talking about Liverpool. The confidence would rise through the club and, just like when we signed Bandai Alisson, he was like, yes, we've got a team. Now We've got a team because these are real players. And yeah, mcallister's a good player. And so tell me again. He says his name, the Hungarian Schlobberslach. Schlobberslach, he's a great player, but it's not 100% guaranteed. These are world-class players at this moment in time.
Speaker 2:But if you look at the players that City brought in and United over the years and some of the players that Liverpool have brought in, when you brought in those world-class players, it makes the difference. When we had Suarez, he made the difference and had we had a defence back then, we would have won the league hands down easy. If it wasn't for that bloody Crystal Palace game and Chelsea game, if we'd have won that Crystal Palace game, the Chelsea game would have made no difference. We would have won the league by a point. So if we won that Crystal Palace game, when we were 3-0 up at half-time and they came back to draw 3-0, those two points, I think, would have made the difference, even though we lost to Chelsea. So there are certain times when you need to buy players and they haven't.
Speaker 2:And that's what's let us down as a team, and I love my club to the end of the world and I just want to see us do well. But we all know that certain decisions have not been made to recruit and we really needed to, and that is the most frustrating thing that I've ever thought about, because we are a massive club. We're in the top five clubs in the world and I know Barcelona, man United, real Madrid, liverpool and, let's say, man City at the moment Top five teams in the world and I know Bayern Munich are up there as well, but Liverpool are there, so they should be. I mean, imagine if you owned Liverpool. You think to yourself and you had enough money. You think to yourself, right, if I invested this a little bit more, we're going to make you even more money because we're going to be challenging for all the top trophies, like we did season before, and the shirt sales, the revenue from the games. If you want to watch a game, liverpool's going to be one of the first teams you would pick to watch.
Speaker 2:You name all those games over the years Dortmund game, the Barcelona game, the FA Cup against Arsenal, the FA Cup against West Amn, when Liverpool just turned it around in the last minutes, liverpool have done some crazy things. I mean, I've played a Leves game. I never forget that game. I never forget that game. I've watched games where Liverpool played in the Newcastle game and you just like I can't believe what I'm seeing. Is this for real? I mean, when Liverpool beat Barcelona 4-0, there's no way on earth I thought that would happen. We like to believe, and isn't that the beauty with our club? We still think, yeah, there's a chance, we'll do it.
Speaker 1:And they bloody do it.
Speaker 2:sometimes it is incredible. Sorry, I could talk about Liverpool. I've been there all day long. I'm just a passionate supporter and I'm looking forward to this season. I think we've brought a couple of good players. Fingers crossed, we'll buy a couple more players. Let's go for it this season. Let's go for it.
Speaker 1:And see where we're at in May. So I know I made a booboo there. Anyway, I really appreciate your comment on Martin. If you want to check out Martin CraftyCuts, go to CraftyCutscom. He's also on SoundCloud. You've got your music on Spotify, amazon, apple, all the good stuff, but you have your YouTube channel as well, right?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I don't do too much on YouTube. I do streams as well on Twitch and Facebook and, yeah, I'm just keeping myself busy as ever and looking forward to another season and then definitely will take my son to go and see the Reds. It doesn't matter what game it is, as long as I can get to see him play. This season I sometimes go over to the Brighton Games and I do usually go and see him at some point in the season, but it's really difficult because I'm always travelling. I watch all the games, I see the highlights or I watch it live wherever I am in the world. I'll get up at 2 in the morning, sorry, like 4 in the morning if I haven't slept to watch a game.
Speaker 1:It's like here you know it's 6am and getting 8am, because it's crazy. I appreciate you coming on. Thanks everyone for listening. Please like and subscribe and we'll see you later. Bye, Bye.
