Stick to Football EP 18: The Highs & Lows Of European Football

https://youtu.be/nh4XBBDWKOc?si=1gfhg9XYaodzx0wx

Welcome back to Stick to Football with Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Ian Wright and Roy Keane – the original show from the award-winning The Overlap, brought to you by Sky Bet.

This week we are dedicating the episode to Club European Football and your Community Questions.

Gary tells who he thinks has the best atmosphere in Europe, Jamie recalls the night that kept Steven Gerrard at Liverpool, Ian talks about Arsenal’s UEFA Cup Winners Cup success and Roy is reminded of his famous performance against Juventus in Turin in 1999.

Also who do the lads think will win the Champions League this season and what was the single biggest factor in becoming a professional footballer?

Finally Roy reveals the latest on his managerial stance after links with a vacant role.

CHAPTERING
00:00 Promo
00:42 Behind the Scenes
02:37 Introduction
02:54 Best and Worst moments in Europe?
29:42 Who will win the Champions League this season?
43:02 What was the single biggest factor in becoming a professional footballer?
58:09 Which player dropped their form after success?
01:08:55 Will Roy be going back into management?

Did LoL at the Mick Hucknall bit. Keano has some comic timing.

Is this the one where they're saying the Italians were juicing and it was obvious to them?

It was interesting to see them talking so openly about it.

Originally Posted by Lok

Is this the one where they're saying the Italians were juicing and it was obvious to them?

It was interesting to see them talking so openly about it.

Yeah this is the one. Sounds like they were convinced at the time. Enjoyed this episode.

Discussion about missed opportunities in Europe was interesting. They brought up Ole missing the target with a chance late on at Leverkusen but if memory serves me right Forlan had an effort cleared off the line after that. Could have been a homecoming CL Final for Ferguson at Hampden.

One that wasn't brought up was AC Milan in 2007. The euphoria from the home leg was incredible but just didn't turn up at the away leg. I'm sure fixture congestion didn't help as we were fighting for the treble whereas that Milan team was miles off the top in Serie A. We never had a situation of putting all our eggs in the CL basket as some of these other sides who won it in that era did.

Originally Posted by Buck

Discussion about missed opportunities in Europe was interesting. They brought up Ole missing the target with a chance late on at Leverkusen but if memory serves me right Forlan had an effort cleared off the line after that. Could have been a homecoming CL Final for Ferguson at Hampden.

One that wasn't brought up was AC Milan in 2007. The euphoria from the home leg was incredible but just didn't turn up at the away leg. I'm sure fixture congestion didn't help as we were fighting for the treble whereas that Milan team was miles off the top in Serie A. We never had a situation of putting all our eggs in the CL basket as some of these other sides who won it in that era did.

Yep Forlan had one headed off the line but it was comfortable for the defender from memory, a lobbed effort. Ole had a rare snatch at a chance and sliced it high and wide. Barthez should have stopped Neuvilles equaliser though, right on half time - galling. We completely blew that tie.

Milan away was a complete disaster, Heinze had a bloody nightmare and Vidic had been rushed back for it and looked a shadow of himself. Had the defence stayed fit we’d have knocked them out imo. I can’t even imagine Utd v Liverpool in a CL final in Greece ffs. Would have been carnage. We’d have won easily too imo.

Originally Posted by Patty_b

Yeah this is the one. Sounds like they were convinced at the time. Enjoyed this episode.

The italian national team were juiced off their tits in the euros 3 years ago as well - nobody will convince me otherwise. 38 year olds playing extra time every single knockout round, running around like teenagers

Originally Posted by Buck

Discussion about missed opportunities in Europe was interesting. They brought up Ole missing the target with a chance late on at Leverkusen but if memory serves me right Forlan had an effort cleared off the line after that. Could have been a homecoming CL Final for Ferguson at Hampden.

One that wasn't brought up was AC Milan in 2007. The euphoria from the home leg was incredible but just didn't turn up at the away leg. I'm sure fixture congestion didn't help as we were fighting for the treble whereas that Milan team was miles off the top in Serie A. We never had a situation of putting all our eggs in the CL basket as some of these other sides who won it in that era did.

We'd have been turned over by Madrid in that Hampden final.

Originally Posted by Sparky***

We'd have been turned over by Madrid in that Hampden final.

I remember thinking the same at the time as we were so bad at the back with the Stam/Blanc change - then I watched the final and did wonder….

Leverkusen made a right game of it which I didn’t really expect.

Originally Posted by Stickman

I remember thinking the same at the time as we were so bad at the back with the Stam/Blanc change - then I watched the final and did wonder….

Leverkusen made a right game of it which I didn’t really expect.

nah.

Zidane, Figo, Roberto Carlos, Raul, Makalele...they'd have beaten us

Originally Posted by Sparky***

nah.

Zidane, Figo, Roberto Carlos, Raul, Makalele...they'd have beaten us

thanks for confirming
i won't wonder about it anymore

Originally Posted by Sparky***

We'd have been turned over by Madrid in that Hampden final.

On paper their starting XI would have made them favourites, but it would have been a helluva game.

Fergie managing a United side in a European Cup final in Glasgow would have been a big factor.

Shame we £#%&!ed it so royally against Leverkusen, as what an occasion that final would have been.

Dortmund was the one we should have won. Missed loads of chances at Old Trafford

Originally Posted by Sparky***

The italian national team were juiced off their tits in the euros 3 years ago as well - nobody will convince me otherwise. 38 year olds playing extra time every single knockout round, running around like teenagers
.

Yeah, was watching the Sky Documentary 'Dark Horses' about them winning the 2006 World Cup. 31 year old Del Piero making a 70 yard SPRINT in the last minute of extra time, in the Semi final, to secure the win. The Germans were absolutely out on their feet.

Originally Posted by magic_cantona

Yeah, was watching the Sky Documentary 'Dark Horses' about them winning the 2006 World Cup. 31 year old Del Piero making a 70 yard SPRINT in the last minute of extra time, in the Semi final, to secure the win. The Germans were absolutely out on their feet.

Don’t know about that game as an example….was a complete smash and grab.
31 is also no age to be making that run as an elite level footballer.

Another great episode.

Fair play to them talking so openly about suspicions of doping with the Italian teams, I know we all ‘knew’ it was happening(happening) but to hear them the likes of Nev and Keane openly accusing them of doing it is pretty crazy.

As for us and Europe, I think they were right that we were a little naive in how we approached certain games and also that bit of luck escaped us. 2007 we were pretty much dead on our feet and with a young team going up against that experienced Milan team.

Originally Posted by Gypsum Fantastic

Dortmund was the one we should have won. Missed loads of chances at Old Trafford

bingo, that was the one.

we were much better than them and missed a ton of chances over the two legs.

We'd have turned over that Juve team in the final as well.

https://x.com/billymeredithmu/status/1755581052280529362?s=46