Player Ultimatums, Superstitions & Fantasy Football Standings

Summary

The Rest Is Football — Player Ultimatums, Superstitions & Fantasy Football Standings

Podcast: The Rest Is Football
Date: December 17, 2025
Hosts: Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, Micah Richards

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Episode Overview

This episode delivers a lively Q&A session as the legendary trio—Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer, and Micah Richards—tackle fan-submitted questions on topics ranging from Premier League fantasy football, dressing room dynamics, high-profile transfer drama, superstitions, VAR reform, and the power of football’s greatest moments. Their trademark chemistry shines as they blend deep insight, candid personal stories, and plenty of playful banter.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Fantasy Football Standings and Obsession

• Lineker gives an update on everyone's Fantasy Premier League performance:
  • Harry (producer) leads with 997 points.
  • Gary: 934 points, "comfortably clear" of the other two.
  • Micah: 870 points.
  • Alan: 861 points, nine behind Micah.
  • "Harry's very keen to hand them over because he's ranked first… I'm second comfortably clear of you two muppets." — Gary Lineker (03:17)
• The podcast’s combined team is performing admirably, 235th out of 40,000+ in their own league, and 29,000th globally out of 12 million players.
• Micah admits he’s obsessed: "I need to stop me, because it's taking over my life and I'm still..." (04:08)

What Is Erling Haaland Like Off the Pitch?

• Alan's praise: "He was so brilliant, so respectful, so professional. ... I loved his attitude. I loved his desire and his hunger to score goals." (05:57)
• Gary sums up: "Goal scorers are just good people, Micah." (06:28)
• Micah jests about not getting invited to the Haaland interview, setting up a running joke.

Rival Moves: Would They Have Played For Their Clubs’ Nemeses?

• All refuse—even the thought.
  • Alan: "There isn't enough money around for me to play for them." (07:10)
  • Micah: "No City through, mate. Nope. Not going to the red sides for no amount of money." (07:28)
  • Gary references turning down Nottingham Forest when Brian Clough was manager.

Away Fans: Who Decides Their Location?

• Generally decided by the host club, though Alan believes there are guidelines ensuring reasonable placement unless safety or logistics intervene.
  • Example: At Newcastle, away fans are “up in the gods”—which can give the home side an edge.
  • Alan: "You can hardly even hear them... which has to be of an advantage." (09:00)

The Messi Question: MLS Success at 38

• All praise Messi's continued impact—winning MVP, topping both goals and assists, and revitalizing Inter Miami.
• Alan notes the supporting cast (Busquets, Suarez), but all agree: still remarkable, even if “not as competitive” a league.

Player Ultimatums: Fallout When Transfer Pushes Fail

• Are players forgiven after failed transfer maneuvers?
  • Alan: "They're not just going to dump him and say, look, I'm not going to speak to you..." (11:17)
  • Micah shares the Carlos Tevez saga at Man City: When Tevez returned from his infamous "golf sabbatical," teammates welcomed him back as soon as he started delivering.

Special Segment: Sounds of the Game

A retrospective celebrating football’s most iconic moments, as captured through crowd roars and commentators.

• Gary’s favourite: Leicester clinching the title, celebrating the "roar" at Chelsea-Spurs when Leicester won the league (13:39).
• Alan highlights his top Newcastle goal vs. Everton: "It just sort of... I just did it and. Yeah, and as soon as I hit it, I just knew... definitely my best goal." (15:03)
• Micah relives the Aguerooooo moment for Man City’s 2012 title: “Not a chance it was fate. The sound, the atmosphere was electric.” (15:49)

Superstitions: How Strikers Cope with Goal Droughts

• Gary’s remedy? Haircuts for a run of bad form: "I used to get my hair cut. ... It's shifting your mindset. So. Right, I've done this now. Fresh. Here we go again." (20:50)
• Alan: Took it harder emotionally but didn't change routines: "I'd just lose hours of sleep at night... but I never did anything dramatically different." (21:54)

Dealing with Criticism from Pundits and Press

• Neither Alan nor Gary paid much heed, especially in lean periods. Gary: "If I hadn't scored. I wouldn't look at them. If I had scored, I'd buy every paper." (23:38)

VAR: What Would You Change?

• Gary proposes an appeal system: “Two appeals a half... The team that makes the appeal have to say exactly what they're appealing against... That for me will transform it and that will happen. I tell you now, at some point it has to.” (25:42)
• Alan’s wish: return to “maximum benefit, minimum interference,” versus the current “nonsense.” (26:20)
• Micah agrees: "We have that in bowler's league, and it works a treat." (26:59)

Biscuit Debate, Arsenal Allegiance, and Home Furnishings

• Custard Creams vs. Bourbons: Alan is team Custard Cream, Gary picks Bourbons. Micah: "I'm on a diet. No drinking, no fatty foods." (24:26)
• Would Micah celebrate if Arsenal won the title? "Nope... Man City through and through." (25:12)
• Personal mementoes at home: Alan has letters from the late Queen, family photos; Micah keeps Man City trophies, England caps, and Lego sets for his son.

Monthly Fantasy Football Prize Winner

• November’s winner is “Johnny Duncan” (Gilda Gooners), earning a Mexican shirt signed by Higuita, Lineker, and Dunga.
  • Micah: “Why is Donga signed a Mexico shirt? We're talking about Brazilian Donga, right?” (30:37)
  • Gary explains it was done at the World Football Hall of Fame in Mexico City.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Gary, on the fantasy football team:
  "The rest is football. Team fantasy is 235th in our league and that's out of 40,000 plus people." (04:30)

• Alan, on footballing rivals:
  "There isn't enough money around for me to play for them." (07:10)

• Micah, on forgiving teammates after drama:
  "When he came back, we was all buzzing. Couldn't care less what happened with him and the manager... it's all about are we winning our next game?" (12:10)

• Gary, on VAR reform:
  "Mine is just change it to an appeal system... If your appeal is successful, you keep it—simple as that. Stops all this nonsense... That for me will transform it and that will happen. I tell you now, at some point it has to." (25:42)

• Alan, on his best-ever goal:
  "As soon as I hit it, I just knew where it was going... definitely our best goal, guys." (15:10)

• On confidence and the media:
  "If I hadn't scored. I wouldn't look at them. If I had scored, I'd buy every paper." — Gary (23:38)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Fantasy Football Standing Recap: 03:17
• Erling Haaland Character Discussion: 05:57
• Would They Play for Rivals?: 07:10
• Who Decides Away Fans' Seats?: 09:00
• Messi in MLS: 10:14
• Transfer Sagas: Dressing Room Reactions: 11:17
• Sounds of the Game segment: 13:36 – 17:00
• Goal Drought Superstitions: 20:50
• Handling Media Criticism: 23:38
• VAR Suggested Changes: 25:42
• Biscuit Debate: 24:06
• Fantasy League Prizes: 29:22
• Significance of Memorabilia at Home: 27:10, 28:28

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Tone and Chemistry

The episode is fast-paced, packed with warmth and wit. Gary leads with dry humour. Alan combines blunt honesty with self-deprecation, and Micah is full of energy—often the butt of running jokes, but always game for a laugh. They move quickly between deeply insightful footballing wisdom and the everyday realities—what it’s like to lose form, face critics, or confront the pull of club loyalties, all seasoned with competitive ribbing and affection.

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For New Listeners

Whether you’re a die-hard football fan or just catching up on the season’s noise, this episode delivers a perfect blend of expert analysis and entertainment. You’ll learn how pros handle the pressures on and off pitch, what really matters in dressing rooms, the logic behind VAR reforms, and—crucially—which biscuits fuel Britain’s top pundits.

Transcript

[Gary Lineker]

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[Micah Richards]

A new signing providing power and energy. That sounds like a bit of me back in the day guys.

[Alan Shearer]

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[Gary Lineker]

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[Micah Richards]

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[Alan Shearer]

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The season is long, but with Fuse, the Energy never drops. For more information about energy that hits the top corner every time, head to fuse energy.com football and if you fancy getting involved, sign up with the Code Football for the chance to get a shout out on the pod and throw your own question at us next time.

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[Gary Lineker]

Score.

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[Gary Lineker]

Hello and welcome to the Rest Is Football. We've got a little question and answer episode for you. We haven't had one of those for a little while, so we thought we would. Alan Shearer and Michael Richards are with me, Gary Lineke. So we've got a number of questions. Thank you once again for sending. Sending them in as always. Let's start with one that's very important from Matt Price. Lynx knows my old nickname, Alan. And Micah. As fantasy Premier League stress ramps up even more towards Christmas, please can you update us on how many points you all have? Also, the rest is football team as well. Okay, Matt, I've got the details here. Harry's very keen to hand them over because he's ranked first has with 997. He's had a very good week. I'm second comfortably clear of you two muppets. I've got 934 points, Micah has got 870. And Alan, you're nine points behind Micah. So I'm actually well behind me. I mean, I've put so much effort into my team, as you can imagine.

[Micah Richards]

I need to stop me, because it's taking over my life and I'm still.

[Alan Shearer]

What about the fantasy football? What about our team, the Trift team? How. Where is that our combined team?

[Gary Lineker]

Get this, chaps, this is quite impressive. The rest is football. Team fantasy is 235th in our league and that's out of 40,000 plus people.

[Alan Shearer]

That's all right.

[Gary Lineker]

So that's, you know, that's really, really good. Overall in the world it's around 29,000. Now. That doesn't sound great when you're in 29,000 place, but you're not doing relegation because there's actually well over 12 million people playing it. So that's pretty impressive. Yeah, I mean, Harry's personal team, I'll tell you this, but He's. He's about 5,000 in the world.

[Alan Shearer]

5,000 after nearly 13 million.

[Gary Lineker]

Where are you in the Resties Football League? Where are you in the resties Football League? 26. 26 in the rest.

[Alan Shearer]

Well done.

[Gary Lineker]

Which is pretty good. So we've got some great people in our league, so thank you for sticking with us. And we'll have another prize going at the end of the month. Whoever's top, as long as you've not been top in the last thing. Because we can't just keep giving the price to the same person every month. Should Someone run away with it. Okay, Chris Marshall, Gaz and Al really enjoyed the Harlem Pod. Thank you. What's he like as a bloke off screen? Seems like a top guy who just lives life to score goals. I think he summed it up nicely. I think we mentioned it in the podcast that went out on Monday, didn't we? What a good guy he was.

[Alan Shearer]

Honestly, I thought he was. He was so brilliant, so respectful, so professional. I loved everything about him. I loved his attitude. I loved his desire and his hunger to score goals. Yeah. And I just loved how. I want to say normal. He's not normal because of his desire to score goals, but he is, in terms of normal. How nice he was as a person. He was so great. I loved his time and I loved spending a couple of hours with him. I thought he was brilliant. Really, really nice guy.

[Gary Lineker]

Yeah. I echo your sentiments totally. There's. Yeah. And he's a goal scorer. Goal scorers are just good people, Micah.

[Micah Richards]

Yeah. No, Yeah. I won't know because I didn't get the invite. Moving on swiftly.

[Alan Shearer]

Yeah, because perhaps you were partying too much in Abu Dhabi.

[Gary Lineker]

Because we knew you were in Abu Dhabi.

[Alan Shearer]

Without a mere skeptic. That's who you're with.

[Gary Lineker]

Yes. Actually, we didn't get the invite for that either. Will Murray asks, how much per week would it have taken for each of you to play for your biggest rival? Sunderland, Manchester United. He mentions Madrid for me, but I might say Forest because I'm a. Leicester's my. My team, really.

[Alan Shearer]

So there isn't enough money around for me to play for them.

[Gary Lineker]

You'd never get in the team anyway. Now they're going so. Well.

[Micah Richards]

How much money would it take? No.

[Gary Lineker]

A bit more than you're on at man. City, probably.

[Micah Richards]

No City through, mate. Nope. Not going to the red sides for no amount of money.

[Gary Lineker]

Well, I did turn Forest down when Brian Clough was there, didn't I? So that, yeah, says everything, really. You can't be doing that. You can't be doing that. I mean, I. I mean, I've never been one of these people that. I mean. Yes, you have your rivals and your local rivals and those games mean more. More than any other match. But I don't have it in me to hate a football club. I. I just. I just seems a little bit.

[Alan Shearer]

You don't have to hear them. You just don't have to like them.

[Gary Lineker]

No, that's. Yeah, that's it. That's my point. But, yeah, it's all right.

[Alan Shearer]

It's all right. Not Hating them just. Yeah.

[Gary Lineker]

Just like them. Yeah. No, I just. Yeah, but. But you know what it's like a lot of fans are hate.

[Micah Richards]

You hate Sunlanelle though honestly when you've got to do analysis. Absolutely hilarious.

[Alan Shearer]

You're not listening to me saying how much. How well they've done this season.

[Micah Richards]

Yeah.

[Alan Shearer]

Especially after the weekend.

[Micah Richards]

Yes.

[Gary Lineker]

Oh God. I wonder if any of you know the answer to this question Quentin Hillian asks. Who decides where the away fans sit in a stadium? For example at the Emirates away fans are in the corner lower tier but it's in James's. It's all the way at the top. I feel like it can sometimes be an advantage for the away team to be close to the pitch. Thank you. I guess the. The football club itself who's hosting the game decides where the way fans go. But I don't know.

[Alan Shearer]

Yeah but I think and I'm not sure on this but I think there's a rule I think that they have to be given a certain position in a ground unless that's not viable for some really important reason. And so when you look at Newcastle obviously the away fans are like open the gods and you can hardly. You can hardly even hear them pretty.

[Gary Lineker]

Much in Sunday which has to be.

[Alan Shearer]

Which has to be of an advantage. If you can't your away fans then that has to be an advantage for the home teams. But I think there's some sort of specific reason why at the minute or for. I don't know how long it'll last. But they can't be pitch side for safety reasons or whatever at Newcastle.

[Micah Richards]

Learn something new every day, don't you?

[Gary Lineker]

Yeah. Run. DMcK says. Where does Messi winning the MLS getting MVP and first in both goal scored and assists at the age of 38 with a team that was bottom of the league just two years ago ranking his career achievements probably doesn't quite get up there with the World cup and various champions leagues. But it still is actually remarkable that what he. I mean he has some of the stuff he still does.

[Alan Shearer]

They signed some other great players as well though, haven't they into to help them along with that? Yeah.

[Micah Richards]

Yeah. Busquets.

[Alan Shearer]

Suarez.

[Micah Richards]

Suarez.

[Alan Shearer]

Yeah yeah. But that's not taken away.

[Gary Lineker]

It's golden oldies, aren't they?

[Alan Shearer]

Golden oldies still he's still doing it albeit in. In the league that is not as. Not as competitive as others.

[Gary Lineker]

No, absolutely. Absolutely. I think that's right. Matthew, as teammates. How do you deal with players who do a Salah Isaac Whisa but are unsuccessful? Do you understand their point of view, make jokes and just get back to work. Or can it be awkward because they're effectively screwed the team over for their ego. I presume he's talking about when they perhaps want to leave. I'm quite sure we put Salah in there because we don't know that's exactly the case. But Isak and Whistle were the obvious examples but they actually did happen. But if it doesn't happen, I don't know. Players are forgiving bunch, aren't they? Generally just get on with it. Might be a bit of mickey taking. What do you think?

[Alan Shearer]

That's an isolated incident, the Salah one. You look at it and you think he's been there that long, he's been there that good, that he's going to have deep rooted friendships with a lot of those players in that dressing room and been through a lot. So they're not just going to dump him and say, look, I'm not going to speak to you or I can't be friends with you. It goes. It's deeper than that. They might, they may speak to him and say, look, I don't agree with what you're doing, but you're not, you're not going to lose the friendship over that.

[Gary Lineker]

I don't think this, this whole thing has been about Salah trying to engineer a move. I really don't know. I think it was a genuine emotion about being left out and particularly not getting on at Leeds. And I think he's just kind of exploded as we all can at some point. I don't think this was about engineering.

[Micah Richards]

A move so I think it depends on how good the player is.

[Gary Lineker]

Yeah.

[Micah Richards]

So we had an incident with Carlos Tevees. Do you remember the whole debacle at Bayern Munich away with Mancini and then he went uncannied golf. Did he? For a couple of months. Then he came back. It left us in the lurch. We had Yaya Torre as well, gone to African nations. We was, I won't say down to the bare bones because we had a great squad but when he come back we was all buzzing. We didn't care, couldn't care less what happened with him and the manager. He's about getting back, getting back playing and he helped us go win league. So all these people saying he's disrespected his teammates. Yes, I've been one of those. Said he disrespected his team in that moment. But then it's forgotten about the day later, it's finished, you know, and it's all about. Okay, Are we winning our next game?

[Gary Lineker]

Yeah, totally agree. And we'll come back with more of your questions very shortly. Before we go to the break, it's time for a special part of today's show. We're teaming up with Barclays to look at some iconic football moments. Actually, more like listen to them. Because in this new segment called the Sounds of the Game, it's all about the noise. That's right. From grassroots cheers to stadium roars, the sounds of football tell their own story. And we're hitting play on the moments that made history.

[Alan Shearer]

What is this?

[Micah Richards]

Chelsea Spurs.

[Gary Lineker]

My favorite moment, Micah. That's what this is. That's. That was when Leicester won the league the night of. Just listen to that roar of the Leicester fans as well as the Chelsea fans. I think there are a few Leicester fans in there that night.

[Alan Shearer]

Did you send him a thank you message? Eden Hazard, When I saw him, I.

[Gary Lineker]

Saw him at the Ballon d' Or a couple of years ago and I'd thanked him from the bottom of my heart. I bet.

[Micah Richards]

How good is Peter Jory on this? So these moments, he captures them so well. Seven minutes, Leicester City. I need to give that commentary a go, you know.

[Alan Shearer]

No, you don't.

[Gary Lineker]

That's the sound of the game. We don't want.

[Micah Richards]

Look at that for a goal.

[Alan Shearer]

What a finish.

[Micah Richards]

First time. No messing. We into the top corner. No, Chad.

[Gary Lineker]

We were all. We're all in our watch. We were watching it together with my lads, Leicester fans, obviously. And we just huddled and huddled and like cried and everything. I mean, it was. It was just brilliant. Such a beautiful moment. Unforgettable. The miracle. The miracle of our footballing lifetime. What's this one?

[Alan Shearer]

Oh, boys. Come on.

[Micah Richards]

Newcastle.

[Alan Shearer]

Everton. Yes. Everton maker.

[Micah Richards]

Oh, my God.

[Alan Shearer]

Talk us through that at the Gallagher end as well. I mean, I don't even know why I hit that shot. It just sort of.

[Gary Lineker]

Because she's greedy.

[Alan Shearer]

I just did it and. Yeah, and when I. As soon as I hit it, I just knew where it was, where it was going. I think that was. Well, yeah, it was definitely my best goal, I think. So technique wise, that is a great goal.

[Gary Lineker]

You can actually hear it in the net.

[Alan Shearer]

It's.

[Gary Lineker]

That's powerful.

[Alan Shearer]

Definitely our best goal, guys.

[Micah Richards]

Look at that. It's like.

[Gary Lineker]

And enjoy.

[Micah Richards]

He didn't put fade on it. He didn't put bend on it, but he did. It was like a place draw.

[Gary Lineker]

A little gentle draw.

[Alan Shearer]

Yeah. Oh, wow. Yeah, I enjoyed that one, boys. Probably my best one. Loved it.

[Micah Richards]

Oh, the proper game, the best, the last. Sergio. Look at that. You've never seen anything like this before. Manchester City title, Mancini saying I can't swear. F you, F you, F you. To all the players. 10 minutes before this moment. Everyone calls it the empty hand. Everybody. Not a chance. It was fay. The sound, the atmosphere was electric. What a moment.

[Gary Lineker]

Must have been incredible listening to that from the bench. Micah.

[Micah Richards]

I was closer to the F. So.

[Alan Shearer]

Yes, that probably is the most iconic moment in Premier League history, isn't it?

[Micah Richards]

Look at. You know what's so good about this? Look, it looks like he's going to shoot early. Looks like he's going to shoot there. The extra touch and to go near post. Oh, only Aguero could do that. If that fell to anyone else in a City team to take the shot first on. And that was the difference. Aguero.

[Gary Lineker]

What a player. That's it for our special segment, the Sounds of the game. It really goes to show just how many incredible moments football has brought us over the last 25 years. And Barclays has been helping make them happen the whole time. They've helped the Premier League grow into the Goliath it is today. Made the biggest ever commercial investment in UK women's sport when they became the title sponsor of the Barclays Women's Super League and invested millions into grassroots programs to help the stars of the future get the opportunities they deserve today. Search Barclays Football to find out more. Time for us to take a quick break. We'll be back in a moment. This episode is brought to you by Hotels.com make your next trip work for you. Hotels.com just rolled out a game changing feature called Save your Way and it's as simple as it sounds. When you book a trip as a Hotels.com member, you decide how to use your savings. Choose to take the instant savings now or bank the savings as rewards for later. It's your call. Envision converting discounts on this week's stay into rewards for a luxurious beach getaway next year. No complicated math, no blackout dates, just you choosing how to make your travels work harder for you. [e-mail] Save Your Way is available to loyalty members in the US and UK on hotels with member prices. Other terms apply. See site for details.

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[Gary Lineker]

Welcome back to the Rest Is Football. Question and answer episode with Michael Richards, Alan Shearer, me, Gary Lineker. There's one here, Alan, for me. And you actually probably apply to Micah more than either of us too, but see what you think. For Gary and Alan. How do you bounce back after not scoring for five games in a row? You must have done that a lot, Michael. So. Yeah, that was long as it got. I used to do so. I mean, I do stupid things, you know, when you're in a bad run rather than worry about not scoring. Not scoring, not scoring. I used to do. I used to get my hair cut.

[Alan Shearer]

I used to get my hair cut as well. Not anymore.

[Gary Lineker]

I'm not gonna make any Bowie jokes. I can't do that anymore. No, no, genuinely. And I if went more than like maybe three games without a goal, I'd get a haircut. So if ever you saw me with long hair in my gold pitches, you'd know I was in a really good run of form because I would never get it hooked. Cut. If I was going. Well, you know, you could say that's a superstitious thing, but I think what it is, it's. It's shifting your mindset. So. Right, I've done this now. Fresh. Here we go again. It's something different. I know it sounds bonkers and it doesn't make any difference at all, but just do something a little bit different. Not in terms of your finishing and all that sort of stuff. I mean, I never really worried on the pitch and it was often it was just One of those things, the team weren't playing well or you'd have a bit of bad luck or, you know, and then you score a goal that might come off your ass and go in the corner and then you'd be on a goal scoring run again. But. Yeah. How did you deal with the odd bad run that you had?

[Alan Shearer]

And I'll just lose hours of sleep at night. That was it.

[Gary Lineker]

Did you. Did you.

[Alan Shearer]

I always sat up and thought, when's it going to happen? When's it going to change? But I never did anything dramatically different because then I knew eventually they're going to come back. Just a matter of when. I'm thinking the next game. Is it going to be now? Come on, please. If it didn't happen that one, then it was back to that. Come on. Went and practiced finishing maybe a little bit more. But it was only really with England and in my early days at Southampton that it was prolonged. England was nearly two years and Southampton was. Yeah, I don't know how long.

[Gary Lineker]

But the thing with England, two years sounds ridiculous, doesn't it? But that's actually, you know, if you've probably been injured, it's probably like it does attend 10, 12 games or something. But they're spread out, aren't they? So it's a, it's a weird.

[Alan Shearer]

Yeah, I didn't do any. I tried to do anything different. I just maybe finished a bit more thinking just to brush up on when I do get a chance. But no, not a lot.

[Micah Richards]

Does it affect you, though, emotional? Do you doubt yourself or do you just go into every game thinking, I'll, I'll score to get, you know, maybe.

[Alan Shearer]

Get a bit more stroppy, maybe get a bit moody.

[Gary Lineker]

It's not like you.

[Micah Richards]

But what about pundits? Sorry to, to keep the, the question going, but pundits. Did what pundits say matter?

[Alan Shearer]

Not a jot.

[Gary Lineker]

No.

[Alan Shearer]

In fact, I probably stopped listening to when I didn't score. It's great when you score and hearing all the praise and people saying how great you are and how well you've done, but when you haven't scored for two or three games, then probably didn't listen to them. But it didn't. It wouldn't have bothered me. No, not, not that much.

[Gary Lineker]

I can't ever remember any punditry in my day, Micah, Beyond World Cups and Euros.

[Micah Richards]

Okay. You must have the clip. The, the paper clippings with the, with the ratings.

[Gary Lineker]

It was the newspapers, but with newspapers, what I would do, I think under, if, if I hadn't scored. I wouldn't look at them. If I had scored, I'd buy every paper. Yeah, yeah, that is true. That is true. Look at me. I'm. Confidence. Confidence is key. Confidence is everything in football. Really, really significantly, massively important question here from Craig Fairly. Custard creams or bourbons?

[Alan Shearer]

Custard cream.

[Gary Lineker]

No, bourbon. I. Yeah, I like. I love chocolate.

[Alan Shearer]

Will you dunk your biscuits and your tea as well and have a little. Dunk them in there?

[Micah Richards]

Oh, yes, right.

[Gary Lineker]

I don't. I don't drink. Drink tune anymore. I used to dunk. I like to dunk, man.

[Alan Shearer]

Yeah, Custard creams. Yeah.

[Micah Richards]

Bite round the edges, just. Oh, lovely. I don't eat that no more. I'm on a diet. No drinking, no fatty foods.

[Gary Lineker]

Really. You do.

[Micah Richards]

I've lost a bit of timber, guys.

[Gary Lineker]

You're melting away. Melting away. If Arsenal go on to win the title, is Micah going to celebrate?

[Micah Richards]

Oh, my God.

[Alan Shearer]

Great question.

[Micah Richards]

What sort of nonsense is that?

[Alan Shearer]

What we're looking for is a yes or a no. Micah.

[Gary Lineker]

It means are you going to enjoy it and celebrate?

[Micah Richards]

My allegiances are with Manchester City.

[Alan Shearer]

That wasn't the question. The question was, if Arsenal win the League, are you going to celebrate?

[Micah Richards]

No, I'm not going to celebrate.

[Gary Lineker]

Are you secretly going to celebrate?

[Micah Richards]

Nope.

[Gary Lineker]

No. Will you have a couple of custard cream?

[Alan Shearer]

Are you lying to us, Micah?

[Micah Richards]

Nope. Man City through and through. You know these guys.

[Gary Lineker]

Andrew Jackson. One thing you would change in var, that could be implemented quickly and improve the game for me. He's offering his own solution here. A 10 second limit on full speed only. Can't decide on screen. Decision stays, 10 seconds. That's not time to look at a replay.

[Alan Shearer]

I don't mind that.

[Gary Lineker]

You know what mine is? Mine is just change it to an appeal system to two appeals a half or one appeal a half. And if you. If your appeal is successful, you keep it simple as that stops all this nonsense about whether it's enough of a foul, not enough of a foul, stops them looking to try and find something to disallow a goal. The team that makes the appeal have to say exactly what they're appealing against. So and so push so and so. So and so handballed it. Not not just find us a reason to disallow a goal. That for me will transform it and that will happen. I tell you now, at some point it has to.

[Alan Shearer]

Well, I would go back to what they told us. Maximum benefit, minimum interference. Not the nonsense we've got now.

[Gary Lineker]

But the trouble is with that Alan, it's. It remains the same. You're still going to have. Is it enough of a bad mistake to change it or is it not? And that will always. Will always have different opinions on that. There'll still be mistakes with an appeal system, but if you say that's it, it's either a foul or it's not a foul. It's not whether you've got a judge whether it's enough of the foul.

[Alan Shearer]

We're not going to re referee, they told us, remember that we're not going to re referee nonsense. So all they ever do is re referee.

[Micah Richards]

Yeah, I agree with yours, guys. I think he eloquently put it. That would be nice, actually. We have that bowlers league appeal system, don't we? And. And it works a treat.

[Gary Lineker]

So.

[Micah Richards]

Yeah, I'll go with Gus.

[Gary Lineker]

Good man. A question from Christina. Can Alan and Micah give us a tour on what's on the walls behind them? I know you're not at home, Micah, but you know what is at home when you are at home because currently you're in a hotel. And Gary, can you talk about the. That painting behind me? Yeah. I mean, that's a painting I bought a long time ago and only a previous house and I. I can't remember the artist's name, unfortunately. What's behind you, Micah? I mean, not now, but when you're. Nothing's behind you at the moment at home you keep a few trophy. Man of the match. The man of the match trophy.

[Micah Richards]

You want in man of the Match trophy. There's a Premier League title, there's a FA cup trophy, there's a League cup trophy. Just the, the, you know, the stuff that I've won. I also have my England caps as well. Not just full, it's under. I think it's like on the 16s Victory Shield days I've got there. What else do I have? And a few Legos that I do with my son.

[Gary Lineker]

Yeah, and a big ass. Alan. Well, talk us through your pictures and your photos there.

[Alan Shearer]

You got right as the two girls when they were mascot in Newcastle with me, I walked out as captain.

[Micah Richards]

You think what you think. What do you mean you think it was a two girls?

[Alan Shearer]

Well, yeah, it's when I walked out as a captain.

[Gary Lineker]

Double check. I'll have a little look. This one straight behind me is a.

[Alan Shearer]

Lovely letter off the Queen Elizabeth and Philip for my cbe. Cbe. Cbe. And other ones are just tops. Yeah.

[Micah Richards]

What's that one behind you in the. England. In the England.

[Alan Shearer]

The one in the. In the England one is. That was Micah. That's actually one of my favorite photographs. It was when I was just about to take a Penalty in the 98 World Cup Argentina and I was absolutely myself and I, I looked over and saw all the family and that's trying to pretend that I'm brave and like shrugging my shoulders, but I'm actually breaking it. Really.

[Gary Lineker]

That's one of my, one of my favorite pictures is in an England kit where I am actually literally shitting myself. But anyway, Right before we go, I mean we mentioned it at the top of the show. It's actually, we've got the results for the end of November. Fantasy football, you know, to give a shirt away. We've got a Mexican shirt that is signed by Rennie Aguita, me and Dunga. And the winner is. The winner is. With a total points of 295 in the month of November. We're doing it like that now, remember, because otherwise it's going to be the same person every month. Many congratulations to Gilda Gooners. His name is Johnny Duncan. So well done, Johnny. Obviously an Arsenal fan, I, I would imagine. And he was seven points clear of it. Can name of the team? Max Edwards. Strajewski. So bad luck to. Bad luck to Max. But maybe next, next month. Keep going. So we'll, we'll find a way to get that prize to you.

[Micah Richards]

Can I ask you, why is Donga signed a Mexico shirt? We're talking about Brazilian Donga, right?

[Gary Lineker]

Because I was in Mexico when we got the signatures and it was at the World Football hall of Fame and they were also inducted. So we, we didn't know what shirt to get. Do we get a Brazilian shirt? Do we? But we thought as it's Mexico City, we'll get brilliant. So that is the reason. And yeah, so we've got photographic evidence of, of it as well. But I know you'd take my word for it, you wouldn't. Yeah. So, okay. Thank you very much once again for your questions. That's it for this episode. Goodbye from me.

[Micah Richards]

Goodbye from me.

[Alan Shearer]

Goodbye from me.

[Hannah Fry]

Hello, I'm Professor Hannah Fry.

[Michael Stevens]

And I'm Michael Stevens, creator of Vsauce. We thought we would join you for a moment completely uninvited.

[Hannah Fry]

We are not gonna stay too long. Unless you want us to. Of course.

[Michael Stevens]

We're here to tell you about our brand new show. The rest is science.

[Hannah Fry]

Every episode is gonna start with something that feels initially familiar. And then we're gonna unpick it and tear it apart until you no longer recognize recognize it at all. You know, banana flavor doesn't taste like bananas.

[Michael Stevens]

Yeah, what is that about?

[Hannah Fry]

So it is supposed to taste like an old species of banana that was wiped out in a bananapocalypse, and now you will only find it in botanical collections in the gardens of billionaires.

[Gary Lineker]

Wow.

[Michael Stevens]

Banana candy is actually the ghost of a long extinct banana.

[Hannah Fry]

So if you like scratching the surface.

[Michael Stevens]

Thinking a little bit deeper or weirder.

[Hannah Fry]

Yes, definitely. That too. You can join Michael and I every Tuesday and Thursday wherever you get your podcasts.