Tony Pulis & Mick McCarthy: “The Game’s Gone” — Old School Gaffers vs The Modern Game
On this week’s episode of That Peter Crouch Podcast, Pete, Chris, and Steve are joined by two of football’s most iconic gaffers — Tony Pulis and Mick McCarthy. Between them, they’ve seen it all: Premier League survival battles, international tournaments, and the changing face of English football. The lads dig deep into what it really means to be a manager — from adapting your tactics to your players, to dealing with the press, to that gut-wrenching moment when you know “the game’s gone.”Tony opens up about his no-nonsense days at Stoke, why long grass was a tactical weapon, and the dark art of winning ugly. Mick recalls his highs with Ireland, his time at Wolves, and the unforgettable press conference moment that went viral for all the wrong reasons. Together, they share hilarious behind-the-scenes stories, harsh truths about modern football, and surprisingly tender reflections on what they miss — and don’t miss — about life in the dugout.It’s a masterclass in management, packed with wisdom, wit, and a few classic gaffer blow-ups. Strap in for old-school honesty and some brilliant football nostalgia — and let us know in the comments… has the game really gone?Chumbawamba 00:00 – Intro chaos: Zoom setup and the “reverse Planet Earth” start00:12 – Chris’s story from the Wicked premiere with Ariana Grande00:07:50 – The lads debrief Sids’ FA Cup draw00:12:59 – Mick & Tony join the show — “Two legendary managers in the room”00:15:20 – Respect between rival managers and the old-school pos match wine00:17:00 – McCarthy tells the story of losing a Sids to Fulham — “I told him to f*** off!”00:20:00 – Growing up in South Wales and fighting to make it in football00:23:00 – Tony’s tactical evolution: from Stoke’s long throws to Palace’s flair00:30:00 – The philosophy debate: tactics vs adapting to players00:33:00 – Managing upwards and the modern football hierarchy00:36:00 – Sids asks: “When did the game go?” (VAR, grass length, overprotection)00:43:00 – Mick & Tony on VAR killing the emotion of football00:49:00 – Viral fame: Mick McCarthy’s “it can!” meme00:53:00 – “Never slate your players”: The golden rule of press conferences00:55:00 – Would they ever return to management?01:00:00 - GW12 predictionsFollow our Clips page https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLNBLB3xr3LyiyAkhZEtiAA For more Peter Crouch: Twitter - https://twitter.com/petercrouch Therapy Crouch - https://www.youtube.com/@thetherapycrouch For more Chris Stark Twitter - https://twitter.com/Chris_StarkInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/chrisstark/For more Steve Sidwell Twitter - https://twitter.com/sjsidwell Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/stevesidwell14 #PeterCrouch #ThatPeterCrouchPodcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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