Ben Marshall - Under The Cosh Podcast #89

[EgyptianPete]

Hey guys if you havent seen this its a must, very interesting podcast with Chris Brown as well, Ben talks about his life and why he quit professional football, quite a bit about his time at rovers, Mentions Bowyer being very paranoid and Coyle as absolutely useless but a nice guy, its on you tube. two other guys doing the interviewing no idea who they are, seems the Legion (Ben and Co) were on the piss quite a lot during his/their time at rovers, makes me wonder why we never got to the playoffs with that team, anyway make your own mind up and leave comments. Its also quite funny. You get to know the characters Pearson and Pulis etc.

[oldjamfan1]

4 minutes ago, EgyptianPete said:

Hey guys if you havent seen this its a must, very interesting podcast with Chris Brown as well, Ben talks about his life and why he quit professional football, quite a bit about his time at rovers, Mentions Bowyer being very paranoid and Coyle as absolutely useless but a nice guy, its on you tube. two other guys doing the interviewing no idea who they are, seems the Legion (Ben and Co) were on the piss quite a lot during his/their time at rovers, makes me wonder why we never got to the playoffs with that team, anyway make your own mind up and leave comments. Its also quite funny. You get to know the characters Pearson and Pulis etc.

The big Yorkshire guy is Jon 'The Beast' Parkin, who had a better professional football career than Chris Brown and Ben Marshall put together. The third fella is a writer, coincidentally also called Chris Brown!

As I posted on another thread, Marshall just comes across as a thick cocky gobshyte from Salford who didn't realise how bloody lucky he was.

Edited December 18, 2020 by oldjamfan1

[EgyptianPete]

I agree, just though some fans may be interested in what seemed like Bowyers mentality of letting the players get pissed wasn't just Marshall. that team should have been much better.

[SBlue]

Particularly enjoyed the bit where he talks about selling knock off stuff to the other lads 🤣

They always handle mental health discussions well on Undr The Cosh, and this is no exception.

Still seems a troubled bloke underneath it all to me, despite his protestations. I really think he needs to knock the boozing on the head.

Highly recommended listening.

I wish him well.

 

 

[tomphil]

Football breeds what Marshall comes across as sadly. They really see no fault in earning all that money and not giving a toss.

Glad this has come out as he pretty much confirms what was said about him on here at the time.

A piss artist waster in football terms but there was deffo a drinking culture under Bowyer. He's just one of many not taking it seriously enough back then.

Got to give him credit for being brutally honest. He's no doubt a funny guy and he's at least been sensible with his money.

The football industry that allows this kind of thing is the real issue here.  

Edited December 18, 2020 by tomphil

[philipl]

How many of Lenihan's 7 missed games were due to suspension?

[Hoochie Bloochie Mama]

8 minutes ago, philipl said:

How many of Lenihan's 7 missed games were due to suspension?

I think you've gone off piste. 

[JacknOry]

I think some players realise they will never make it to the top. Their hunger disperses and they just settle for not being quite good enough. Happy to take the still very good money at this level and plod along doing just enough to get that next contract. Enjoying the money, small time celebrity status at a local level (women etc) and having a good time then becomes a larger part of their lives. Getting it all while they can I guess.

 

[tomphil]

Stokes, Watt, Marshall just 3 straight of the top of my head all similar good talent but happy to waste it.

Makes me sick to be honest but it's the manager that employ these guys and then have no control over them. Clubs throw the money at them then get little back and round and round we go. Sickening.

When i was listening to that it reminded me of a place i worked at briefly one summer when i needed some cash. Some real nutters, people ducking days turning up late etc.  Big Super Sunday sesh's that went into Monday morning, mid week night benders, total choas really.

That was for a demolition firm run by a local bloke who just took anybody and everybody on when he needed labourers. Mostly young guys from the pub and dole dossers earning cash on the side.  NOT a professional football club or players on ten grand a week !

Having a laugh and pushing boundaries is one thing but taking the piss and disrespecting the game, club and fans is another. Should be booted straight down the road with 2 weeks pay and black listed on references like any other young bloke would be in a normal job.

[Mattyblue]

The booze culture of Bowyer’s time is still prevalent at the club if the Danny Graham edition of the podcast is anything to go by.

And it’s why many a talented second tier player goes no further.

[tomphil]

Most gaffers will turn a blind eye to some it but to be fair i reckon Mowbray would reel them in quicker than Bowyer.

He had no control just a nice guy trying his best who the players liked but obviously knew they could take the piss. No wonder we went nowhere, i'd love to know how sober Hanley was in some of his appearances because he didn't look it at times.

[Tom]

Tried a few times but the ‘banter’ makes it hard to enjoy these podcasts, proper forced lad culture bollocks

Skipped through some bits and some interesting insight though, Danny Graham similarly recently talked about the drinking culture 

[Bigdoggsteel]

On 18/12/2020 at 22:23, philipl said:

How many of Lenihan's 7 missed games were due to suspension?

I wouldn't say Lenihan is a huge boozer, but I could be wrong. 

[RoverCanada]

Rolling my eyes and shaking my head through it, but admittedly a pretty entertaining listen! Marshall may be a prat, but he's got a sense of humour at least.

For those who can't be bothered (I agree the forced laddishness of that podcast can grate, and it's not a short listen!), here are the general bits re: Rovers:

- Bowyer was apparently very 'paranoid', but they don't really elaborate (I suppose fair to Bowyer as he tried to survive under Venky's)

- Evans allegedly has a video of Marshall and Marrow naked wrestling outside a pub (lads lads lads!)

- Marshall had a side hustle selling knock-off gear, like Yeezys, to players. Mentions selling them to Brown, Taylor, and Guthrie (who wraps it in new packing and gives it to his gf for Christmas - Marshall mocks him for doing so given his PL money haha)

- Again confirms everything we already know about Coyle. Funny stories, but that appointment still boggles my mind...

- Says Bowyer bought him for just over £1m, he promptly went on the lash with Marrow for 2 weeks before Bowyer had to plead for him to get his head in order. (Makes you again wonder wtf Bowyer was thinking bringing Marrow in)

- Liked Lambert, also suggesting he's pretty self-interested (and repeats that he was promised money to spend and then fucked off when Venky's pulled the plug)

- Coyle tried to convince him to stay. Was offered the same terms he eventually got at Wolves, but there was a 50% relegation clause and he was convinced Coyle was going to get Rovers relegated, so he refused. Coyle then kicked him off the first team and he went on a 3-week bender before being sold (which apparently showed in his physical at Wolves!)

- Says he was sold to Wolves for £2m. I recall there was a lot of debate on here scoffing at the idea of us getting anything more than £500k for him given his contract was running down, but it does sound like we got £1.5-2m in the end (LT reported £1.5m). Cairney and maybe Raya are exceptions, but we generally have gotten quite a good price for the players we have sold under Venky's... (and usually well-timed too. Probably got the best years of Marshall's career anyway)

Marshall at least doesn't come off as pretty honest and not a hypocrite... Can also give him some credit for not being one of those misfit players who also blew all their money and fair to him for realising his heart just wasn't in it anymore. Can definitely understand Norwich fans' ire, but it sounds like he voluntarily cancelled a lucrative 4-year contract after 1 year.

I was saying earlier how Graham maybe doesn't come off well in that other recent podcast, but there's a balance as he's probably also a great dressing room presence (and while he's floundering at Sunderland and looked past it last year too, he was quite an effective Championship striker a couple years ago at 33!). Sounds like Marshall was one step too far in that regard, particularly with other players being aware he was regularly blowing off training.

Edited December 21, 2020 by RoverCanada

[Mattyblue]

Some of those teammates of Marshall you mention... Christ we’ve had some serious shite pass through the club this past decade.

[RevidgeBlue]

Not listened to the podcast, but I said repeatedly at the time he was here Marshall stunk the place out with his attitude and this would seem to confirm it.

[SBlue]

On the “laddishness” of the podcast...

I listen to/watch them all and there was something different about this one...

They are usually guys pushing 40 or above, played at a lower level, who are a bit more worldly wise, been through some trouble and are now happy within themselves.

But some of the stuff that Marshall was coming out with seemed to be taking the hosts aback...

He’s only 29 and a far better, far more recent player than most that they get on - for him to be talking so candidly about how he has pissed it all away with no regrets was a bit jarring. 
 

The presenters seemed to be expecting some kind of the usual remorse, humility or self reflection that didn’t really come... so the “laughing along” got a bit wooden. The punchline never came. 

Like I say, think he’s still got some serious things to work out within himself.

Hope he does.

I’d like a follow up in ten years.

 

 

And to see the Marrow video.

Come on Corry, do something interesting for once.

Edited December 21, 2020 by S8 & Blue

[SoldierMo]

Corry will injure his fingers getting into the phone

[LeftWinger]

Has anyone seen the Michael Gray one of these? Really good watch. 

Apologises to Sunderland fans, but says playing for Rovers was the best time in his career. 

Said the team was fantastic when he came to Rovers - they felt they could beat anyone. 

He was gutted when he left Rovers, but Hughes didn't really speak to him when he left. 

Lists the best players he ever played with as Larsson, Phillips and Tugay.

He speaks really highly about his time at Rovers. 

[SuperBrfc]

12 hours ago, LeftWinger said:

Has anyone seen the Michael Gray one of these? Really good watch. 

Apologises to Sunderland fans, but says playing for Rovers was the best time in his career. 

Said the team was fantastic when he came to Rovers - they felt they could beat anyone. 

He was gutted when he left Rovers, but Hughes didn't really speak to him when he left. 

Lists the best players he ever played with as Larsson, Phillips and Tugay.

He speaks really highly about his time at Rovers. 

I really enjoyed the Michael Gray one. He spoke very fondly about his time at Rovers. You could tell how much he enjoyed playing for us and how gutted he was to leave in that way. We had a squad full of captains back then, players who could take the game to anybody. Hughes going to Old Trafford, playing a 4-4-2 when everybody played 1 up top there, and beating them showed that.

Friedel recently said that his 8 years at Rovers were the best times of his life, not just his career.

Chris Samba has said his best time was at Rovers and that Rovers is his club. He mentioned that Drogba and Anelka would tell him how much they weren't looking forward to coming to Ewood as they knew they would have to fight for 90 minutes. He wanted to sign for us again in 2017 but a deal couldn't be done and Villa signed him instead. He left in 11/12 because he didn't like the direction the club was going in and that "all the best players and people were being taken out".

I've heard Ryan Nelsen on another platform say how much he loved his time at Rovers. He was baffled and shocked by how he was pushed out of the door at the end. He mentioned how somebody who had influence at the club (who he wouldn't name, but we can guess who) approached him at the training ground one day and said 'Tottenham want to sign you and we are cancelling your contract as we can't afford to keep you here'. He signed for Tottenham two days later. He was gutted at how he was ushered out and by the fact he didn't even get a chance to say goodbye to his teammates.

It's good to hear old players speak fondly about the club. We had some great times before those pillocks turned up in 2010.

 

[SamTheShrew]

10 hours ago, SuperBrfc said:

I really enjoyed the Michael Gray one. He spoke very fondly about his time at Rovers. You could tell how much he enjoyed playing for us and how gutted he was to leave in that way. We had a squad full of captains back then, players who could take the game to anybody. Hughes going to Old Trafford, playing a 4-4-2 when everybody played 1 up top there, and beating them showed that.

Friedel recently said that his 8 years at Rovers were the best times of his life, not just his career.

Chris Samba has said his best time was at Rovers and that Rovers is his club. He mentioned that Drogba and Anelka would tell him how much they weren't looking forward to coming to Ewood as they knew they would have to fight for 90 minutes. He wanted to sign for us again in 2017 but a deal couldn't be done and Villa signed him instead. He left in 11/12 because he didn't like the direction the club was going in and that "all the best players and people were being taken out".

I've heard Ryan Nelsen on another platform say how much he loved his time at Rovers. He was baffled and shocked by how he was pushed out of the door at the end. He mentioned how somebody who had influence at the club (who he wouldn't name, but we can guess who) approached him at the training ground one day and said 'Tottenham want to sign you and we are cancelling your contract as we can't afford to keep you here'. He signed for Tottenham two days later. He was gutted at how he was ushered out and by the fact he didn't even get a chance to say goodbye to his teammates.

It's good to hear old players speak fondly about the club. We had some great times before those pillocks turned up in 2010.

 

Oh to have a team full of these men again; one to be proud of. The Hughes years were golden. We could give anyone a run for their money.

[knobblybottom]

Deary me, he (Marshall) sounds like a teenager without responsibilities and who thinks everything's a lark

[speeeeeeedie]

I do enjoy these podcasts. Once you get over the identikit personality traits and the football specific diction of whatever player is being interviewed they offer a decent insight into the game.

I finally listened to the Ben Marshall one. I think that if someone with a bit more skill than Chris Brown(s) and Jon Parkin (not that they are bad, but they aren't Jeremy Paxman) was asking questions Marshall could have opened up a lot more. 

It's no shame that he decided to give it all up, but I wonder if he'd have sought out help earlier if he would still be playing. 

Whether you play professional or amateur sports it's often stated that not being in and a round team mates is a heavier loss than not playing any more. It was for me. It sounds like he really values that camaraderie. 

[LeftWinger]

2 hours ago, speeeeeeedie said:

I think that if someone with a bit more skill than Chris Brown(s) and Jon Parkin (not that they are bad, but they aren't Jeremy Paxman) was asking questions Marshall could have opened up a lot more. 

 

I wouldn't say Jon Parkin and Chris Brown x 2 offer a great deal at all, but I still enjoy them.

I watched the Marc Bircham one as well, there's a man who likes the sound of his own voice.

[tomphil]

And all the Hughes golden era started with being bully boys, Blackeye Rovers who the Southern media loved to hate, again.

You don't get anywhere without first starting at the back then and getting in players in key positions who knock over their granny to clear a ball.  Every manager we've had under this lot has gone about it front to back, totally wrong way to build a good solid team. And this 'nice lads' policy is ridiculous.

No manager seem the graft of controlling strong characters on the training ground and breaking up a few spats etc.  It's all high fives, back slapping and hugging each other. No wonder the art of tackles is disappearing.