Fitbaw Talk: The start of the Scottish Premiership
The latest news and talking points from the world of Scottish football.
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00:00 (upbeat music)
00:02 - Hello and welcome to National World FIBA Talk,
00:08 your nan's favorite football podcast, Ken.
00:10 It's a show where we break down the latest news
00:12 and results from the Scottish Premiership
00:13 and around the SPFL.
00:15 I'm your host, Martin Simpson,
00:17 joined as always by regular guest, Lewis Anderson.
00:19 This week, the two of us are gonna be looking ahead
00:21 to the Scottish Premiership season,
00:23 which kicks off this weekend.
00:24 We're gonna be making our predictions for the league winner,
00:27 the team that we expect to go down,
00:29 who's gonna finish third, who could be a surprise package,
00:32 who might disappoint.
00:33 Then in the second half of the show,
00:35 we're gonna be joined by special guest, Will Rooney,
00:37 from Liverpool World.
00:38 He's gonna be telling us about exciting Scottish teenager,
00:41 Ben Doak, and how he's been getting on
00:42 with the Premier League during pre-season.
00:45 So Lewis, it only feels like yesterday
00:49 that the last season ended,
00:50 but here we are, the League Cup group stage is done.
00:53 The Premiership and the rest of the SPFL
00:55 kicks off this weekend.
00:57 We're gonna focus on the Premiership
00:59 and we're gonna take a look at the teams we expect
01:03 to sort of finish in the key positions, if you like.
01:06 So I suggest we start at the top.
01:08 I'm gonna go straight in with a big question.
01:11 Who are you tipping to win the league this year?
01:13 - I certainly think it will be a tight title race again
01:18 this season, Martin.
01:19 I think ranges have obviously strengthened hugely
01:23 over the summer, bringing in eight new additions.
01:26 That looks like it could soon become nine as well,
01:28 as Sifuentes is set to come in the door.
01:31 I think it'll be a lot closer.
01:32 I still think Celtic have a slight edge
01:36 going into the new season,
01:38 just on the back of obviously their incredible
01:41 record-breaking eighth domestic treble last year.
01:44 Brendan Rodgers back in the hot seat now.
01:47 Ange Postacoglu's moved on.
01:48 I know Celtic fans are a wee bit unsure
01:53 about what to expect from their new signings so far,
01:56 given the lack of game time the likes of Marco Tullio
02:00 and Odin Thiago-Holm have had
02:02 since they signed earlier in the window.
02:05 So still to kind of see where they're at
02:08 in terms of their overall fitness
02:10 and what they might have to offer.
02:12 But certainly I think if Celtic are able to retain
02:16 a number of key players,
02:18 it looks like they're gonna keep hold of Lee Labada,
02:21 which is a big coup in my opinion,
02:24 given that Jot has obviously moved on.
02:27 An exciting player.
02:28 Obviously he's had a lot of interest
02:30 from top European clubs this summer
02:34 that we're well aware of.
02:36 So I give Celtic the slight edge,
02:38 but I do not think they'll be winning a treble
02:40 this time around.
02:41 I think Rangers will win a trophy this season,
02:45 but it won't be the league.
02:46 - Yeah, I'm sort of along the same lines.
02:50 I'm thinking I would put my money on Celtic right now,
02:54 but obviously we just need to wait and see
02:56 with so many new sign-ins how that works.
02:59 'Cause we know how good Celtic are.
03:01 We don't yet know how good this new Rangers side are,
03:04 but given obviously how well Michael Beale did coming in,
03:08 sort of approaching the second half of the second season,
03:12 of last season, sorry, approaching the second half there,
03:15 obviously did really well.
03:16 And if he carries that form
03:20 over into this season,
03:21 then I think it's gonna be a lot closer
03:23 than it was last year in terms of just the points
03:26 that separate them come the end of the season.
03:28 Like I don't think the league's gonna be decided
03:31 sort of before the splits
03:34 or certainly mathematically a couple of games into it.
03:36 I think we could potentially see it go down
03:38 to the second, third, last game.
03:40 Maybe even the last game of the season
03:42 would be really exciting.
03:44 Get another helicopter Sunday,
03:46 which we haven't had in a while.
03:47 That'd be absolutely brilliant.
03:49 'Cause I think that's one of the best things
03:51 about Scottish football when it comes around,
03:53 the drama of that.
03:54 And it can be marketed so well.
03:57 It really is like a USP of our game.
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