Black Stars of Ghana Fail against Niger and Angola, Rodrygo's Ballon d'Or Snub | S8 EP 25

[Music] welcome to another episode of the after the whistle podcast my name is smiley and I'm joined by crack and Kawa himself the star boy CH three EP in the road now we get Ka CH what's up what CRA what's up Rec together actually that's true cuz all the recent episodes that we've had you know day inside let's just start right now because there's a lot to talk about so we are coming off the back of a very disappointing weekend for the black stars and speaking of the black stars let me just give quick shout outs to Anan SEO who won our first after the whistle player of the month danian player the month we were doing this for a few years ago we've decided to bring it back so so every month going forward select ghanian player of the month so yeah once again congratulations to antoan seor he had a very good month in the Premier League he scored two goals had one assist it's been an impressive month for him but yeah back to the black stars it's been a an extremely disappointing International break which has seen us first lose at home to Angola which was also our first defeat in Kumasi in almost 30 years and then we follow that up today with a draw against n and these two results have put us in a very precarious situation CRA in case you know the way look like it like you know no a withraw but here we drew with n so that's two drop points like we Dro points in our first two colle ifers for the 2025 afcon now this is putting is put us in a very tricky situation because in our next two games we are going to be facing Sudan the reason why this is very tricky is because Sudan is coached by our very own quizy air now qu AIA is somebody who is obviously going to be looking for some form of Revenge because according to many he's our best manager or at least our best Ghan manager of the 25 first century that's what many people have been saying so and he's been doing quite well with Sudan as well so at the moment qualification to the 2025 afcon is looking very very shaky now let me start with kawawa first of all how do you feel about the two results in these past two games bearing in mind that in the first game people were giving them sort of a pass because the pitch was terrible but in the year the pitch was very crisp everything cool so how do you feel about the results uh I think that initially um I just want to say that I didn't buy the the pitch excuse and I mean the pitch was bad whatever it was it was terrible it should have been better whatever but you don't lose at home against Angola they also played on the same pitch and the pitch was bad for both teams so why do they win we got better chances there was a really good chance for Jordan in the last five minutes he couldn't take take U there was another good chance that that fell to one of our players that they didn't take and so I felt like it was a game that they could have won um if they had taking their chances and I mean it was because Angola they were there for the take him for most part of the game um I think for about uh the second half uh for about 30 minutes into the second half it was it was all black stars until um the angolans decided to change bring on Fresh legs and then in the dying Embers of the game you know they um they were able to score but the thing is that the defending was really really poor for their goal and aliu I mean he he made up for it with a goal today but I think that that defending in that game against um Angola was unforgivable I mean you don't defend like that and it was a reason why he put Abdu m in a lot of stress when he had to clear the ball and then the the striker was on hand to to tap the ball in and so I don't buy the the pitch excuse fine the pitch was was bad whatever but you don't lose and especially when you are you are guarding um a record that has taken 24 years I don't think that um the pitch was much of an excuse to lose the game and today the thing is that I've not been shocked really about about how the black stars are playing today I was watching the game and there was no level of urgency even after we scored they they took it as if they had already won the game and so they were just relaxing and relaxing and then n took their chance and then they scored their goal and leveled things and and so um that is where we are as a country when it comes to our team and when it comes to the um the the black stars we we have we have not handled it properly and I think that instead of us to take it or take the problem head on we are just trying to circumvent it trying to find ways of making sure that oh um because we are would get past these things and then and then we but but I mentioned earlier I mentioned that um I think after the after the afcon when we beating the group stages again I mentioned that this is just Ghana that has gone back into um the period between 1998 to 2006 and in that period it just mirrors what happen what's happening in this period um in in 1998 I think the the black stars got into the uh semi-final of the afcon I can't really remember but we were we were somewhere around there in 2000 it didn't work out when we um you know it didn't work out against M um in 2002 in Mali it didn't work out as well and then in 2004 we didn't qualify so maybe the the afcon in 2025 will be the one that would mirror what happened in 2004 where we did not qualify um it won't be shocking though because that afcon was also in North Africa in Tunisia this afcon is also in Morocco and so it's looking increasingly likely that um it might not happen for us and I like that you've mentioned the Sudan Factor because those two games will be extremely difficult the thing about Quia is that he's trying to build a legacy for himself and building a legacy means that um taking a team like Sudan to the afcon I mean what kind of story would that be if Sudan a war torn country at this point qualify for the afcon with a ghanian coach who beats a ghanian team or who beats the ghanian national team um to go to the afcon at the expense of the ghanians and so I feel like we've just kind of like dug up ourselves into a grave and it's not looking too good for Ghana at this point because the next two games are against Sudan home and away away I mean if we get if we get three points that puts us in uh Four Points I think uh Sudan and Angola are playing now um whatever results that comes out of that game means that we are either in trouble or we are in a favorable place of qualifying but I mean forget all those calculations they have not helped us in the last two afcons and I don't think that they're going to help us now will we beat Sudan I think that we will probably beat Sudan in one of the games but there other one it will be very difficult for us to beat Sudan then we have to face Angola away from home and then play n at home these games will not be really easy the thing also about about Quia coaching Sudan that I think that a lot of people need to know is that um Quia is a member of the executive committee at the Ghana Football Association and then this this same person is coach of Sudan how how is that possible yes and and and these were questions we raised earlier when he was elected into um uh the executive committee of the Ghana Football Association but then the fa made it look like oh nothing is going to happen and everything is under control but now it looks like nothing is under control really I mean if you're going to play a team like Sudan whose coach is part of your executive committee what are you going to do at executive committee meetings are you going to blank him out is is he not going to have information or Intel on what Ghana is doing before the games is he is he and and with him being a professional would he want Ghana to win at the expense of of of his job or would he beat Ghana no would he beat Ghana knowing that Ghana doesn't make it to the afcon these are so many things that I think that are shrouding what should be a really good game um against Sudan because I mean who would have written a script like this that Ghana would fail to win the first two games and have it all to do in a game against Sudan it is a must-win now those two Sudan games have become must wins for Ghana and where will we go if we do not win those two games those are some of the questions that I think that the fa should be asking themselves and I really want to know if the fa's executive committee is not going to allow chapia to sit in meetings uh going forward because we are going to face Sudan and so the questions we asked at the GFA Congress when he was elected are the questions that we are still asking now and we were not asking them because um we were we were just trying to be diabolic or we were just trying to um take the buzz out of what looked like a really good GFA Congress but we're asking because of some of these concerns because Quia is a coach and that was the first thing I asked he's a coach he could get a job anytime and so if he gets a job with with a team that we are supposed to play at an afcon whatever what will we do they didn't answer that question but now the question is is staring Us in the face so that that's where we are I mean is it possible that they never considered the possibility maybe there's been no precedent to a situation like this so they just assumed that he was never going to face this conflict of interest because I can't imagine this happening in any serious football in institution yeah yeah I think they didn't they didn't think about it um thoroughly or even if they thought about it they didn't think that it was going to happen but like I said this is how football works and and sometimes it throws up some of the most unlikeliest matchups that you would ever expect and that is where the black stars find themselves in at the moment so I really don't know what the fa is going to do going forward and you know is it that they going I mean whatever they are going to do they need to sort it out properly because those two Sudan games are M win so cra I know Kawa said he doesn't he's not going to attach too much importance to the quality of the pitch in bab era but some people say that the type of football OT is trying to play is a slick passing football so you also need a pitch to create that Home Advantage because you need the pitch to be good enough to play the style of play that you're trying to play so what do you think about that result against Angola would you also not blame the pitch do you think it's a coaching issue is it the I have a couple of questions to ask why is this the first time he's coaching Ghana maybe the excuses are giving him is a new coach that we've not seen in when knocked out of the group stage in the afon before last wasn't he the coach the before the work up wasn't he the coach or he wasn't the coach when wasn't he he just coached at the World Cup he was he was he was he was on the bench right yeah wait are the afcon yeah thaton Theon they knocked us out before the walk up was on the team uh wait do I remember because I think after the World Cup he went back to Dortmund after we he came back wasn't Milo the coach before the war Cup who was the coach before the yeah Mill was the coach at at the afcon yeah yes and who was on the bench yeah wasn't on I'm coming was and Derek what's his name what's his name the former is it the not D he's also called d right noge sorry yeah yeah George they were all with yeah yeah and then we it was on this podcast that we said that U is it wasn't going to do anything Miracle with his team we said it one year when he was appointed I I don't think anybody had anything positive to say because we saw it and after the walk up he left when he was being selected there was no due process done it was like it was done like a back door like bring my boy in nothing was there no due diligence nothing they just brought him in agreed a deal fast fast it's like you know that thing where you are asleep you wake up and a deal has been signed that's how it came everybody was shocked like what is this and me I believe finally as Ka said po management has caught up to us I'll always tell you that it is not lack of quality it is never lack of quality with a ghanian team you can't tell me you have anytime you have a crop of players performing outside and you can't bring them together to perform is never the players because you are talking about isaku is now in the Premier League SEO is playing well when was the last time we had a game changer it's been long you have someu you still don't know how to use you have party but they were using excuses party made blah blah blah you have him there what's the excuse now you have um this guy playing Elijah right Elijah was the one playing as the six Elijah was elishah sorry Elisha the defender that CA the goal that guy is good I don't blame him for the goal at all as I said as Kawa said the cross coming in the Box in the first place shouldn't have come when he cleared the ball too they were sleeping for the striker to pounce let me tell you why I don't even want to blame the pitch in 2008 we hosted the afcom did you see where the grass was when any time do you see how he was struggling to run with the ball look I have seen us play on West pitches I don't want to blame the pitchers well I don't want to blame the pitches but it's a it's a combination of everything right now we've said it your name is not going to win you games teams are getting better you don't have the Fear Factor they are learning they are taking time they investing in their football the this guy right bab bab AF was it 2006 right right before the W up right the one were knocked out of the group stage Zimbabwe that Zimbabwe match the white like King got the red card look that's the worst black stars I have seen like I have seen Ive watched them that was the worst black stars to the extent that going into the works I didn't have hope because I thought we going to do so like when you when you criticize this GF they think is because you don't like them it is not that to this is the first time I've watched black star that I can't say that this guy is not good enough to start this guy is not that this guy cu the quality the back me I always say we got this guy too late he came the time he has lost form the defender were begging him salisu salisu we should have never brought salisu back like it never goes see I always say that when you beg somebody and he doesn't come in a nation people say negative things about you when you come back and you do one mistake and there is all it will continue I have not been impressed with him ever since he he came back I like from the World Cup to now I have not personally have not been impressed I've even seen West Keepers but I still don't believe in aigi when I was coming when I was coming home from work I think there was traffic so we had to go somewhere before and Ghana scored 25th minute right in the N game yeah today's game I think it was around the 40th it was shortly before halftime short and then commentor was like and I like driver I was like hey why or maybe they watching something because way were 10 5 was like oh wow people believe in a team that can score so me I was expecting Ghana to win so that you were like we drew one one I was huh how are you watching a game and expecting us to win by 10 and we end up drawing one1 personally I'm not going to lie to you I don't care about black stars again the first game against Angola I watched only 30 minutes I watched from uh the 60th minute to the time they scor the go bro OT doesn't have anything to offer Ghana and as long as we have these corrupt guys we will suffer because they are not putting us in a better position to win they are not putting a good structure in place for us to win they are not employing the right people for us to do better you can't cut Corners we don't really have experience like we used to all these guys are young even part that we we rely on him as experience how many times has P performed in a Ghana J how many time has P look inspirational how many times has P taken a game by the scrap of the neck look the you overstate this welcomeing but there are many times that this guy show leadership quality right now this Blaster team I'm telling you we don't have any Bor leader there sometimes it's not just the coach sometimes you have have a coach on the pitch I don't see any of them CU they all do what they want isaku was the first game I was watching isak the guy was trying to do rabona at this time when he was0 are you stupid like and nobody you know and P was mute and whole Captain he was mute he wasn't saying anything like K who try to play some silly um um um One Touch passes like I said One Touch one two passes it doesn't work nobody is saying anything it's like everybody was doing what they want the most experienced player on the pitch is who Jordan are you do you think oh my god look we've seen leaders in the past we've seen Captain mat like I'm not going to lie if we even had amate in this team or on the bench something would have happened it's like most of these guys they've not really been through the fire in this black SES Kus is a star boy but kudus is not even a leader Kus needs to be put in his place as well we don't have that I watch the game and it's like they all doing what they want there's no coaching is that we are relying on individual Brilliance I'm telling you they talking about sleep passy there's no PN of play there's nothing zero so me I don't know what they are trying to make I mean the pitch there we've said it um a week before or so that's when you're putting money up on the pitch and you were using water tanker to spray it right that's how to manage a pitch that's how to manage a pitch that's how to manage the pitch I don't want to blame the pitch so much it's not because I've seen him play on W but it's it's everything so Charlie I I don't think Ghana right now people should really give their heart and mind to them like we always say it and we do it but this time around they will prevent us they will not make it so when they don't make it nobody will give them their heart that's it so speaking of doing what they want one of the biggest criticisms after the game and actually after the past few games is that kudus in particular it's like he's not given any instructions when he comes to play for the black stars so he just does what he wants if he gets the ball he won't dribble the whole pitch then the leave make it do what he wants do you think the criticism of kudus for the black stars is valid make I ask how this one um I think that I think think that when it comes to kudus um I don't I don't have any problem with him the the the main thing though is that because when you have a player like him who is like the engine room who is like the person who who has to do well for the team to take you allow him to um to do certain things on the pitch and and that's that's just how I see it that you know he needs to be um I think that every coach would give kudu um a bit more freedom when it comes to doing things on the pitch the way we want it and I'm saying this because um usually in um in West Ham when when he's playing because there's like a proper plan around how West Ham would play they they keep him on a certain side of the pitch and then they are Specific Instructions that are given to him now when he comes to Ghana you know is he is he a when he comes to Ghana we don't know is he a number 10 is he a false n you know these are things that we don't know and so he you know and a lot of the times when the black stars are losing he is the only one who has kind of like taken the initiative to make sure that we don't lose and so when you have a player like him who tries to do everything I in my opinion you allow him to do a lot of what he wants to do because the team in itself number one is not properly coached and so the coach doesn't particularly know what what he wants from everybody and that is how disjointed it looks like and so if kudus is the only person who has the ability to make things work for you you know you leave him and give him that freedom and I think that that's what he's done the only problem that I have with kudus though is is with the club backs and the fact that oh if someone says oh you're not good and then he comes on Twitter to say oh this this no it's very unnecessary Neary look it is very very unnecessary at the end of the day if we don't qualify for afcon it is a bigger dent on you than it is on any fan in this country because because look if you know kudus he is one of the players who really wants to hit the mark I think kudus is like one of the first players who has that Abid mentality in this modern era he kudus wants to be seen as the best he he wants to be that guy he wants to be the the person that you know everybody he's a legacy player he in 10 years kudus wants to hear his name among some of the best players who have ever played for the black stars and in Ghana and if you want to do that not qualifying for the afcon in your Peck years it's a bigger dent on yourself than any ghanian who would ever criticize you so I think that a lot of the focus should not be on the criticism and on the fact that oh um this guy says I hold on to the and I think that a lot of the criticism could gets they haven't even been that very hard-hitting criticism it's usually oh he holds on to the ball too much oh um you know he doesn't pass when he has when he has to and all of that and I think that sometimes you know um fans will talk you understand I think what game was it there was a game we won in Kumasi and then everybody was bashing him for holding on to the ball too much and what and I thought he had a good game in that game I thought that there were certain moments where he had to keep the ball a bit more so that the opposition would not attack us and stuff like that and I felt like he did some really good things and so in those instances you don't come out and and say you are responding to every tweet and oh H this guy says I hold on to the ball too much so if then you come and respond oh if you can play come and play like those things are not necessary at this point because look at the end of the day they are all just fans and the fans the fans are not ones who are playing for a career that will be remembered in 10 years a Fan's perspective is to support and criticize when things are not going well you the player need the afcon more than the fan because because you as a as a player who wants to make some name for yourself you need the World Cup you need the afcon and if you're not playing well in qualifiers that should take you there or if people are criticizing you for not playing well in qualifiers that should take you there I think that it is something that should be answered on the pitch you need to answer the fans on the pitch rather than coming on Twitter and saying because at the end of the day if you don't qualify for afcon they would insult you even more than they are insulting you now now that you not now that they think that you're not pushing the ball forward or whatever they would insult you more if you don't qualify for the half and at that time when you don't qualify for the afcon whatever clap back you you make to the fan it will not hold water because you didn't qualify so I don't I don't know why he expends so much energy in trying to answer fans and trying to put fans in their place or whatever so I think that is a no no for me but on the field of play I think that he does a lot as a footballer to make sure that they black stars te it is just that things are not really going well the coaching of this black star team has not been the best I think that OT started on a very good foot he beat he beat Mali in bamaku and then there were some games that and then I think there was another game that he also he also put up a really good performance but those games were were some form of like a paper that went over the cracks and now the cracks are beginning to show because if you lose to Angola at home and you draw to ner away from home then there are now we know that there are bigger problems and it's the reason why these things need to be solved the fa OT himself and everybody else around the black stars management committee should be able to work that out instead of the players trying to clap back and all of that like and then and then when people like kudus are clapping back then people like Ali and Sal and you what B you know how to play that you want to CL you know what it's okay in adding on to what Ka was saying right I totally agree when you play K's football you rely on individual bre and when you have a player talented enough to winning game on his own he will try and try and try some will work some will not work and that is Kus when you put a system around a good player they are going to shine I have seen buum play attacking Midfield I have seen in Inu or in or whatever his name is come and come and take go in afon when he plays right back in his team I have seen players come I've SE M Obi played M played attacking M went to Chelsea became one of the best DMS around comes to Nigeria and plays attacking Midfield when it comes to Africa those things where they go like oh you play as a left Winger at West Ham or as a right winger so come and play that position here no the quality is not the same it's totally different but you just have to maximize the team and the people you have around him adding on to what was saying you are not bigger than M there was a time where artine said they should because when he comes he can't do anything for them and he's not fit enough to carry maron's touch Messi goes to the final U and misses shorts they blame Messi Messi doesn't clap back Ronaldo loses with Argentina they blame me Ibrahimovic with Sweden and all those look even Nigeria they blame oim and all those things they blame them so you are not you're not above criticism so if you are on Twitter that they are saying that you hold on to the ball too much it's valid fans are always good to share their displeasure they're going to hear it so why are you replying them that's what I was saying like last time I said it like why are you replying fans cu the same fans that criticize you are the same fans that will praise you when you do well they the same fans that you are there they gave you the star boy name it wasn't West Ham that gave you the star boy name it wasn't it was Ghan fans that gave you star boy you get what I mean by that they picked up from Ghana Twitter and they picked it up there we gave you star boy so the same fans that criticize you today because nobody wants to lose so they also not happy they're also not happy so they fny if they talk he's also saying something because you but K I don't have any problem with the we as I said when you have to do a lot of things some don't go your way some happens some don't we've seen Kus come on and scor two goals for us when he missed the first match in the halfon he came in the second game he scored two goals we've seen Kudo in the World Cup shine when everybody was failing so it's not as if he's not capable of that moment of Brilliance game winning goal here and there or game winning pass here and there that's but he can't do it alone what's the coach doing what's our part of play what are we doing when we get ball what are we doing when you get ball look at it you know Charlie Charlie n that's all I have to say so moving on from the black stars earlier last week uh they released the top 30 list for the 2024 Balor now first of all this is the first time since 203 that's both Lono Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have not been nominated for the Balon door so it make like some end of an ER this shout outs to those two the the dominance has been for a very long time but it's enough make a new cop of players to come shine small but yeah there's been a little controver a little controversy over their list particularly from Rodrigo who came out to say that he deserved to be on the list now Ka make I start with you again do you think Rodrigo deserved to be on the Balor nomination list um I mean uh I I think I think he did enough I think he did enough but um I mean who who who does he think he deserves to be on the list at the expense of I think that that's what we need to we need to look at because then then we can maybe do a comparison and say oh this he had a better season than this person so he deserves to be there but I mean I've not I've not really looked at it the entirety of the list but I think that if if Rodrigo uh says that he deserves to be there you know he probably he probably has has a point um I think I think not necessarily like uh really really good points I mean he's one player that we can do away with because I think that what we've what um we've reduced the Balon door to has been um if your team wins and and everything then oh you you deserve a shout but I think that sometimes um your team doesn't necessarily even even if your team wins you don't necessarily have to be in there because because of whatever contribution that you you added to the the entire iy of the team success um an example would be um Morata was in the Spain team that won the Euro right will we say Morata was one of the best players at the Euro no you know so I think that that's that's where sometimes the the disparity should be drawn but I mean Rodrigo is is Brazilian he has a lot of confidence in himself and after winning the Champions League it's obvious that he would expect that his name would be on there but but I think that there were other people who who were much more desing I mean even is nicoo Williams on the list yeah he's on the list yeah of course he has to be there and and if niiko Williams is on the list I don't think that Rodrigo did enough you know to because look um usually what I like to do is that I like to put you know when I'm when I'm doing a comparison of players so for instance I say that if we put Rodrigo in niiko Williams's place at atletic Bal does Bal win the cup and then if we put if we put um nicoo Williams in Real Madrid does Real Madrid win the Champions League I think that I think that you know if if you if you if you do that kind of analysis you kind of like have your answer because because I don't think that Rodrigo does enough to win the obal cup but I think that if niiko Williams is at Real Madrid they will still win the Champions League anyway so that shows that not I don't want to use the word irrelevance but that shows that you know Rodrigo's push or Rodrigo's added um Quality might not have been that huge in terms of like Real Madrid going on to win the Champions League because they had venicius they had Bellingham and they had others who who did all the work in you how do you feel about Rodrigo's claim to being in the top 30 you have a list there um yeah so if you guys don't matter can just go through the list very quickly I'll try I want you to go through so I want I want to see something okay so Bingham Ruben Diaz Phil foodin Val emilano Martinez Ellen Holland niiko Williams Gran jaka ATM dock Tony Cruz venicius Danny omo Florian vet Martin odard mat homel rodri hurrian Dean rice vitina kopama Danny kajal linal Baka hakan kalanu William ala Kian mbapp Laro Martinez ad M lman Antonio rudiger and Alejandro galdo the the you see ask they talk you ask they talk I mean from from the the comparison Ka made that one is right but I don't think his frustration wasn't C ni William was there I'm telling you almost all the EPO boys that were there none of them almost I'm telling you almost all of them they they are not supposed to be there ahead of nio Williams odard Saka look they are not I'm telling you decl R why wait ahead of ahead of ahead of Rodrigo ahead of Rodrigo I'm telling you wait oh no no Saka ahead of rrio oh maybe agenda maybe agenda agenda agenda No Agenda are you serious how no no no no no no no I will not accept this so Rodrigo see ahead of Rodrigo see me okay I don't think odard is ahead of Rodrigo I don't think I don't think decl should be I think so I don't think decl right should be ahead of vodo okay no CL they CL R yes but and Saka theye of I don't think Ru even played enough games to be ahead of Rodrigo because we saw the number of rotations pep was doing and number of important games that ruin was on the bench there players that you mention their names that oh you mention some name like that you see like I understand his frustration in a sense that there are sometimes where like the quality it's on par that Rodrigo need like I understand his frustration where he feels disrespected because this is not one of those Bal list where charie you go like you can really get top 15 star boys so me the first time I saw the 30 I was like Char this football catch now I what is this people do they look like they even see how many world class players are in this list think about it to Smiley how many you don't have 15 world class players on this list look what Real Madrid did there there is no way the three boys shouldn't be Hest list I'm telling you they all contributed dude Rodrigo and venicius these three should be honest no matter what Rodrigo being snap was bad this three should be on that list no matter you as you read the 30 list you see this no you see this this the thing I they talk about like basing the Balon door and just winning trophies because look the the the lusan players who are there the lusan players who are there they I mean like bro like this Grimaldo boy Grimaldo and and you people no you see no and and we are are you people are telling me that you people are telling me that in a in a Balon door list of like the best 30 players in the world and this is not about this not about me being a United fan or anything but you're telling me that Bruno Fernandez doesn't deserve to be in the top 30 do we do Fernandez against so but tell me like like how how isn't Fernandez one of the best players in the world how bro this is one of the weakest this one of the weakest list I've ever this Grimaldo Grimaldo this this Grimaldo oh please you see winning tropies you see that's the thing but I don't know but I just feel like maybe they need to have a real look at this Balon door thing because because trust me like some players they grimo is a is a left back right some players they we look the Louis Hall boy Newcastle they kind left play he go play him simple l play for you it's not better it's not better it's not better than the Portuguese left back me the PSG left back yeah yeah exactly Nuno Mendes he very good left back and and and you see they go overlook him because in team no go on beating fine you see the team can go on beating but they have gone on beating because they are a unit it doesn't mean that we yeah it doesn't mean that we you don't need more than more more than very dishonest it is very dishonest I think the only L player who deserved to get in was was maybe that's all yeah he's the only person who deserve yeah he's the only person who deserve to get in the I mean like is a team unit team efforts they've done it now Rodrigo for vex you for vex that why I I I see I really see the squad that why I talk say make make Smiley cuz I read I watch I say h where Rodrigo you know tell me say real mad get Rodrigo like the three front boys for there they not get but L are you serious it be true it be true it be true no this be true you see you don't say smiley right now right now I build you see the way last week I build my Highland case right now right now I did build I they build one for folding I'll be back see I I they build fing own I they ga the the documents don't worry I'll like build own case because it's f for England don't worry I'll be back good this season good and and you see Smiley how many City players are on there three right R rubenz filing yeah no four Holland four why is Ru there ahead of why City get four where Madrid get two no think about it Madrid gets Madrid get venicius kavaj and V Bellingham andham three but Bingham actually rud also hey hey hey no way ton Cruz ton Cruz today what is ton Cruz what is Cruz doing there you see this is what I'm saying that like there is no way Rodrigo shouldn't be on this list and and his gripe has been proven again the way Bellingham go post the top three way they not post the time he feels disrespected I and I understand it and I understand his frustration because bro like last season the guy was coming in clutch the guy was being anything he not get compl but he comes scores comes plays his pass you understand he those kind but you can't have Val what Val do for hero so media not get anything yeah yeah R was awesome but what could Tony Cruz do for there I agree I agree give him respect ton Cruz name is there out of respect I'm telling you like that's the only reason why he's there he didn't he wasn't better than Rodrigo last season for Real Madrid because how many 90 minutes game did Tony Cruz complete how many 90 minutes G think about it when he was getting tougher he was bed for then they bring this guy in R what be kaminga kaminga they'll take Cru bring kamava and bring modri in you understand or sometimes Cruz will come from so me Rodrigo he has every chance because he Rodrigo is better than 15 players on this list I'm telling you and he perform better than almost 15 players on this list Char but be no me I don't know but the Bal so the Bal what they watch like it be say then they watch quality of football or the number of go because me me if ielect Bal like inside fact because if if you don't know play how you how you how do you want to be selected one of the best footballers in the world because you are scoring goals I understand how pick you know maybe maybe Mah show I won't see this guy this big guy do big whatever to score the most goals yeah to score the most goals out of that that place be great but CH like what if it's a flash in the pan what if it's just it's just a one season thing like what happened to um lukovic and and and and and those players like that what's that guy's name pek what if one of those Seasons you know so I don't know I don't know but like me as I was saying this is the this is theoc list I've ever seen ever since they started doing B I'm not going to lie to you like ah see I see this list not get six world class players if you say world class world class how many world class players did this list you make stand to okay we get 10 10 out of 30 are you serious most of one hit wers and all those things like but lastas H's last season wasn't really anything to write home about think about it like haran's season last season he scored a lot of goals in a couple of matches and the big matches out injured for like two months and then when he came back some the big matches before going and since it wasn't really performing United wasn't a big match last season so yeah that has SM quick quick updates quick updates angula Sudan 1-1 at this moment 1-1 yeah so as things stand right now yeah we we still we could still qualify I mean if we beat Sudan if we beat Sudan that very big but it's just it's just 64 minutes and it's one1 so the if the if big pass the if big pass the big you lost so to's question about the balondo criteria me I think it be Messi then Ronaldo Way Then distorts the whole thing because previously it wasn't even about whether you win right now it's like if you win Champions League then you win some International trophy but and is Ronaldo and Messi who spores the whole thing because it's like because the two of them were always performing at Optimum levels it became a case of just trying to find a small advantage that one has over the other so maybe the two of them score 50 goals 50 goals each then one of them win Champions League they just take so it became sort of the criteria that okay the person win champions league for the my inside we will take then if oneone of them win Champions League then we will take the person where he win the most trophies and that's what has distorted the whole thing because the time Owen win Bal he take Europa League and things win bro in this day nobody's going to be Balor out of Europa I don't think it's possible anymore but but it should but it should be possible it should be possible it should go back to how it was before because POS we shouldn't use them as a stand I mean it should be right now it should be possible that someone wins the conference league and and because of how well they did in the conference League they get a bonor sh but I don't know but the conference League the conference League leading was I you see but lukman because he scored a hatrick in the Europa fin why the conference League top scer I'm lie I don't even know be the conference Le maybe if be Watkins or [Music] something no no no he did te or something like this the team win the conference League olyp it was olymp olymp elab elab elab why is he not there why is he not there you know no like he he was scoring from The Knockout stages to the finals so such a performance we've seen like so why name not there what Ru what they do for no the because you're supposed to reward such people that are not known that do this they know out big teams you understand they played well nobody like nobody taped oos to win nobody said that but the guy the guy alone carry them scoring 98 minutes goal taking going to extra time and scoring winning goal scoring hat tricks back to back you understand that guy scor like 10 or 11 goals or something the confence so why is he not there yeah 11 goals yeah 11 in nine games why is he not there you understand why is he not there this this the things we they talk about like I mean why Char Char you know on this on this me I've always had the opinion that the Balor FIFA Player of the all of those things the best people to do the selection are the journalist you know previously the Bal was a journalist alone voting then they did the meas and became coaches and players and all those things and now I think it's now still split between the players and whatever but mean I think the players is more of a popularity contest for them because let's just go vote for who and that's why Messi won bondor last year after just uh what scoring six goals in Le yeah and people were saying it's because he won the World Cup in 2002 something happened two years ago that take long after that period criteria period that passed Ag and that's why me like I believe that the journalists are the best people to select because the journalist at least they are more well read they watch more games than the players the players don't they watch ball as much as people think they mean say nor like they don't they don't the journalist are the ones who do their research they watch plenty leagues they follow a lot of statistics and all that so yeah me that be something we have always supported that there are players that know about other players when they are only being briefed and when they are only facing them you know or when they are using them on FIFA I'm telling you like I watch enough interviews and to know that players don't even know about other players like that and another thing another thing to is that for instance look look at how um look at what Suarez did when he was at Liverpool if if you are expecting that players would vote for Suarez as balona it's not going to happen it's never because because they hate him they hate him like like nobody at United will vote for Suarez you know so so those are some of the things and I feel like a lot of the time the players in the players minds they are prejudice because look someone can have a fight with you on the pitch over something and then because of that they will not vote for you you know to become best player but maybe you deserve the best player but they will not like and and look it's like maybe Saka Saka they've named Saka as Balor you think that someone as SP who vote for Saka so these are some of the things you know and I feel like I think you know maybe maybe the the coaches should vote and then the journalist should vote but players now yeah players should I always players should be taken out I believe that players should be taken out they buyas who always show like I've seen Seasons where Messi or Ronaldo shouldn't have been world best but it was just PO said it was just them they to them season Ms they won the Champions League Messi didn't perform better than Neymar or Suarez I would say it every day but who want is Messi you get it like that MSS MSN season that um Enrique where they dominated and beat Juventus in the finals that that run there was there was a time where Messi was injured for two months or something like that it was like in NE Suarez is like they didn't skip a bit so why is he like so it's like me these people now they always find a way to ruin it they always find a way to ruin it these people I don't know like something is working now then it's like let's change it let's do this it's not everything that needs to be changed like there was a season when Suarez scored 8 he had 85 goals and assist the whole season and he didn't even finish in the top three finished like or something and and and that's crazy and that's crazy I mean I I am the biggest I'm the biggest SZ hater right but I but I felt like SES deserved more way more he got way he deserved more from football than he got and and also I feel like that's that's also another reason why if you are well behaved as a footballer things come to you and and that's another reason why I think that there's a possibility Bellingham might win more than Venus given the circumstances that that that we are seeing at the moment because look Bellingham is a good kid like what does Bellingham do for you to hate the pr venicios is always fighting with somebody oh this this player has kicked me oh this person you see and and those things just infuriate a lot of players and might not want to vote for you and that kind of thing you know yeah and the players and the players are the ones who vote you know and look we can have we can have a conversation about or you can go to Atletico Madrid and have a conversation with them and say um Venus Bellingham who are you voting for and I'm sure there will be a lot of Atletico Madrid players who who will say Bellingham you understand and and so sometimes I feel like you know maybe that the players idiosyncrasies the shenanigans that they pull on the pitch and just look at the football because if the football is good you can actually see it and that's and that's that's really what it is but venicius I mean it will be it'll be very tough for him the thing is that now that mbappe is also at Real Madrid if they win another Champions League he might not even be in the top three because because everybody say oh Bellingham and mbappe and you know so I feel like every time he he may have to outdo himself when it comes to the number of goals but venicius is not that kind of person who will score 40 goals in a season you know so those are some of the things that I don't know but we need to watch it because because another thing is that if Bellingham scores 15 goals in a season he's exceptional because he doesn't he's not a forward but but venicius is the forward so they expect that he will score way more than Bellingham will score and so those are some of the things but but I think that Char de Bal it is what it is I mean we are going to see a lot more uh comical Awards in the future but how you do speaking of this quick one who are you tipping to win the front sh then say be rodri Bingham and venicius I mean I mean if if I was Voting I would vote for Venus so yeah corre Venus yeah if I was if I was Voting I would vote for venicius I'm also dipping venicius yeah venicius venicius venicius rodri Bellingham that's how I would vote yeah I think Bingham maybe because of the Euros it's dampened his claim a bit if he had a very decent her was at least like but yeah yeah so anyway the heroes they didn't put him in a place to I always say it they didn't put him in a better place to shine that left wing they made him type play was nonsense nonsense because he's not a player that he's supposed to be facing right wing get one onone to try and take them that's not his Play He's supposed to be involved like that was stupid to put him on the left wing what is that no you see he he cares a lot more about the structure of his team and not conceding than making yeah he just cares about the structure he doesn't he doesn't care what what you have to do he just wants his team to win a one zero for fing everyone to play like he was forcing them when you realized it wasn't working it's now time for our Who Am my segment for those who haven't watched this segment this is our football trivia segments we give cles and then you guess who the player is and since we are in the international break we are going to be using international players since black stars to they come shake with SW we they come shake with some black stars play so I'm going to start with crack for this one so I am a former captain of the black stars who represented Ghana as two different World Cups I played in Italy France and England my last International cup was in 2012 who am I played in England [Laughter] correct I know mention the clubs cuz I mention the clubs I so this one is for you um I am one of the top 10 appearance makers for the black stars H I have played in Tunisia and in Ghana but I never played in Europe I have spent the last nine years in the US who am I played played in Tunisia and in the ghanian league spent the last N9 Years playing in the US where I'm still I'm still actively playing last 9 years playing in the US yes last 9 years playing in the US who's playing in the US then the last n years last nine years top 10 appearance makers for the black stars the top 10 top 10 D Jordan asaman uh [Music] jump he is a Defender Defender last 9 years in in because the Ghan players were are stayed abroad in the US League longest Jonathan M or ar no haris he never play Europe that's serious oh that's crazy so make I give one bonus question this one the first person to answer so I am the top I am the all-time top scorer in the UEFA Nations league with 15 goals I have played for under partisan Belgrade and Newcastle who am I alltime top scorer in the UFA Nations League who the hell U Nations League the league I watch pass bro Serbian he's a Serbian player Serbia and he played for Newcastle played for Newcastle Serbian who played for Newcastle he's also play for team in England but I'm not mention that one get [Laughter] Ser top crazy wow so another another thing doesn't have another thing doesn't have wor number two one please please please please please please it's not him it's not him be solid anyway final one this one but before you ask that question but this is serious that de team TR I the team actually be very solid team they don't get excuse like at the very least if Georgia go tell you excuse for give him the call so this one this one they go to the viewers so I am the Dutch player with the most appearances in the UEFA Nations League of all time I played for Ajax and I currently play for a team in Spain who am I so for the so for the listeners if you get if you know the answer just comment in the YouTube comments or you can reply to our Twitter page comment in the Instagram Tik Tok wherever so we've come to the end of this episode CH guys thank you for joining us for this one if you haven't done this already please follow us on our social media pages on Twitter Instagram it's atw podcast GCR on Tik Tok it's after The Whistle YouTube yeah the YouTube CH try and subscribe to the YouTube um like share comment whatever it is the YouTube is picking up small small so yeah we appreciate it keep on keep on subscribing keep on watching keep on sharing C Ka guys thank you we get some lucky streak for those who don't know earlier this last week Ka announced that he was leaving TV3 after 10 years years a lot of you 9 years 9 years yeah n years broken don't know what be the next move I you know give me hints too so we we just wait see where he go next all I just know the next we wait for that here we go hopefully we very [Music] soon whatever he end up for you we follow go there so tell guys thank you again for joining us on this one and as always atw dominates the conversation this has been a Gold Coast report production catch up on episodes and discover more shows from our Network on listen to gc.com