September 15, 2011

#35: Il Principito

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Episode 35 finds Leeds on an unbeaten run since the last podcast — a fact noted with appropriate relief. Dan Moylan, Michael Normanton, Daniel Chapman (Moscowhite) and Paul O’Dowd (Oddy) review the Crystal Palace match, the aftermath of the transfer window, and settle into an extended discussion on Leeds United and music.

Issue two of the Square Ball magazine is celebrated at the top — Kaiser Chiefs on the cover, an interview by Oddy with Simon Rix, a column from a fictional Ken Bates, a piece from Anthony Clavane on Don Revie, and a photograph of Tom Lees as a puppy that generates extended amusement before recording begins.

The Crystal Palace match is dissected with more detail than the result strictly warrants. Ross McCormack is outstanding — heading in from Charlie Taylor’s cross and beginning to look like the focal point the attack needed. Luciano Becchio’s return from injury is greeted warmly; he scores from a free kick and celebrates with the physio staff, which the panel read as appropriate given the club’s handling of his summer injury. Charlie Taylor, 17 years old on his debut, gets through an hour before understandably fading, with Jonny Howson’s guidance visible from the stands whenever Taylor received the ball in tight spots. Patrick Kisnorbo and Michael Brown are both below par — Kisnorbo visibly struggling for pace and engaging in an extended argument with Howson about who was to blame for the second goal, Brown described as moving through the game as if he had not trained for three and a half weeks, which turns out to be accurate. Howson himself was ill on the pitch — spectacularly, in Michael’s account — requiring a wash-down from the referee.

Ramon Nunez is the most talked-about player from the game. His long walk off the pitch after being substituted — refusing to shake Simon Grayson’s hand, sitting on the bench with arms folded — earns him the nickname Il Principito, the Little Prince, and the Ken Bates Villain of the Fortnight award at the episode’s close.

The transfer window aftermath is covered. Gradel’s fee — approximately two million euros — is now public. Mikael Forssell has joined on loan. Finnish international Mika Väyrynen, without a club, is apparently training with the squad. Billy Paynter stays, having turned down Brighton. Danny Pugh is linked as a left back option. Jason Puncheon was close to signing on deadline day before QPR moved faster.

The episode’s centrepiece is a long section on football and music. March on Together — properly titled Leeds Leeds Leeds, written by Les Reed and Barry Mason — is declared an unimpeachable anthem, with Ronnie Hilton nevertheless praised for his own substantial Leeds United catalogue. The panel sing fragments of various songs, discuss the 1992 remix, debate the earliest Leeds records, and share mild confessions about other football singles owned over the years. The section ends with a definitive verdict against goal music at football grounds.

Bristol City, Manchester United and Brighton are previewed. The panel are relatively confident about Bristol, philosophical about Manchester United — “one-nil defeat, get out with some respect” — and Dan alone backs a win at Brighton.