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Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of Steven K. Talbot and may or may not be fully in character. No offence is intended to any individual, club, or organisation mentioned. Any resemblance to actual events, individuals, or situations is purely coincidental. The writer takes no responsibility for any hurt feelings, misunderstandings, or bruised egos that may arise from reading this article. Reader discretion is advised. Talbot’s words are his own, and the rest of us are just along for the ride.
No Filter with Talbot: Episode 1
Posh coffee, a decadent slice of cake, and a corner table at a trendy West London cafe. Steven K. Talbot flips through a stack of newspapers and magazines, a leer spreading across his face as he begins to lay out his latest diatribes. Known for his sharp tongue, zero tolerance for nonsense, and a love of mischief, Talbot’s got a habit of calling things a spade, whether they are or not. Sometimes he means it; other times, he’s just poking the bear to see what happens. Either way, he’s made a lot of enemies over the years. It's this reputation that’s gotten him in trouble with both his various employers and the FFO FA before, but it’s also why he’s carved out this unfiltered space in the media. Here, he can say whatever he wants, free from any reprimands, backed by the argument of protected free speech. Fuck the so called rules. No PR handlers, no formal press conferences. He’s got himself a grey area where his opinions fly under the radar, allowing him to hold the FA, his club and other FFO figures accountable, no strings attached.
"Let’s get one thing straight," Talbot starts, stirring his affogato with a little too much flair. "This is my space. No PR guys, no censorship, no fear of getting dragged into the boardroom or hauled before the FA for ‘bringing the game into disrepute.’ What you’re about to read is all me, unfiltered. If you’re not down for that, kiss my ass, do one and jog on."
Point One: Roma and Hamza Siddique
"First up, Roma. Or as I’ve started calling them, the Ghosts of Greatness. Remember when they were up there with Real Madrid and PSG as the ‘Big 3’? Derek Hughes had them looking like they could challenge for titles every year. Now? They're sitting in 18th, looking like they’re on their way down.
And who’s to blame? Hamza Siddique, of course. Let’s not sugarcoat it. His transfer strategy, if you can even call it that, is all over the place. Selling Kylian Mbappe in about 23 minutes flat? Seriously, Hamza, what was the rush? Couldn’t even be bothered to collect a few offers and drive up the price? That was the sale of an elite player, not a car boot sale. And don’t even get me started on his tactical setup, always playing that ‘P’ (passing) like it’s the only move he knows. Flexibility? Nonexistent. Team instructions? Never there when you need them. No wonder Roma’s falling apart. True enough, that Derek did leave them on the old side, but too fast, too soon, son. It’s honestly embarrasing. Both for him and those who appointed him.
Now, here’s the dilemma. Part of me thinks the FFO FA should just step in and sack him, because clearly, Roma’s board won’t. But then again, part of me loves it. A weak Roma means less competition in the Champions League for Chelsea. On the other hand, it means teams in EFL1 can just waltz their way to titles, titles I had to battle for when I was at Real Madrid when there was real competion. And don’t forget, with less top teams its more easy wins for the elite to rack up, and that skews things for everyone ability point wise in that division. Either way, Hamza’s reign is a mess, and anyone who watches football knows it."
Point Two: The FFO Academy. SHN a shortcut to success?
"Now let’s talk about the Academy feature. Everyone’s losing their mind over it, and yeah, it’s a solid idea. But let’s be real. it’s a little overpowered. Take these 17 year-old ‘super keepers.’ These kids are set to be better than some of the best goalkeepers in the world by the time they hit 22 years old if you have a 30 week training academy. That’s nuts. And next season’s intake is probably going to be even better than this one. Can you imagine?
I’ll be honest, I haven’t bothered with the Academy option at Chelsea. Why? Simple. The Spice Boys can’t afford it right now. We’ve got other stuff to prioritise, and it’s just not in the plan at the moment. But if I was still at Real Madrid? I’d have gone all in, just like PSG did. Easy decision.
Funny thing is, when I was caretaker at Dortmund, I turned them around from a relegated old mess and forever destined to be a yo yo up and down the leagues team, into the best Academy in the game, all in two days of business in the bonanza. Niall did start the process with the first coach, but he never had the vision I had. The blueprint. Brought in a bunch of players who could actually be sold for a decent amount to SHn with a little work, and set them up to dominate the game in the long run. Now, my Dark Arts ally Garysean Wilson has taken it to a whole new level. Dortmund’s got the best Academy talent, a great young keeper, the best academy striker, the most money, and a huge stadium for that level. Meanwhile, Millwall, the so called Academy kings and know it alls, are now playing second fiddle to Wilson and the Dark Arts crew. Bet they’re loving that.
But here’s the deal: The SHN prices have turned into a shortcut for teams going all-in on Academy development. Teams doing massive rebuilds or coming from lower tiers could offload average players for inflated prices and reinvest that money into young talent. Dortmund, Millwall, Frankfurt, Norwich - they’ve all made smart moves here. And with those SHN price changes possibly coming down the line, teams that got in early have the advantage. If that happens, they’re going to have a huge leg up.
Honestly, I wish I could have gotten in on that at Chelsea. But for now, I’ll just sit back, sip my affogato, and watch the usual chaos unfold in the Discord Disco and see what else I want to be unfiltered with next time."
With that, Talbot leans back in his chair, taking another bite of his pistachio opera cake. He doesn’t say much more, but the glint in his eye tells you he’s far from done. See you next time on No Filter with Talbot.
Words: 1,118
No Filter with Talbot: Episode 1
Posh coffee, a decadent slice of cake, and a corner table at a trendy West London cafe. Steven K. Talbot flips through a stack of newspapers and magazines, a leer spreading across his face as he begins to lay out his latest diatribes. Known for his sharp tongue, zero tolerance for nonsense, and a love of mischief, Talbot’s got a habit of calling things a spade, whether they are or not. Sometimes he means it; other times, he’s just poking the bear to see what happens. Either way, he’s made a lot of enemies over the years. It's this reputation that’s gotten him in trouble with both his various employers and the FFO FA before, but it’s also why he’s carved out this unfiltered space in the media. Here, he can say whatever he wants, free from any reprimands, backed by the argument of protected free speech. Fuck the so called rules. No PR handlers, no formal press conferences. He’s got himself a grey area where his opinions fly under the radar, allowing him to hold the FA, his club and other FFO figures accountable, no strings attached.
"Let’s get one thing straight," Talbot starts, stirring his affogato with a little too much flair. "This is my space. No PR guys, no censorship, no fear of getting dragged into the boardroom or hauled before the FA for ‘bringing the game into disrepute.’ What you’re about to read is all me, unfiltered. If you’re not down for that, kiss my ass, do one and jog on."
Point One: Roma and Hamza Siddique
"First up, Roma. Or as I’ve started calling them, the Ghosts of Greatness. Remember when they were up there with Real Madrid and PSG as the ‘Big 3’? Derek Hughes had them looking like they could challenge for titles every year. Now? They're sitting in 18th, looking like they’re on their way down.
And who’s to blame? Hamza Siddique, of course. Let’s not sugarcoat it. His transfer strategy, if you can even call it that, is all over the place. Selling Kylian Mbappe in about 23 minutes flat? Seriously, Hamza, what was the rush? Couldn’t even be bothered to collect a few offers and drive up the price? That was the sale of an elite player, not a car boot sale. And don’t even get me started on his tactical setup, always playing that ‘P’ (passing) like it’s the only move he knows. Flexibility? Nonexistent. Team instructions? Never there when you need them. No wonder Roma’s falling apart. True enough, that Derek did leave them on the old side, but too fast, too soon, son. It’s honestly embarrasing. Both for him and those who appointed him.
Now, here’s the dilemma. Part of me thinks the FFO FA should just step in and sack him, because clearly, Roma’s board won’t. But then again, part of me loves it. A weak Roma means less competition in the Champions League for Chelsea. On the other hand, it means teams in EFL1 can just waltz their way to titles, titles I had to battle for when I was at Real Madrid when there was real competion. And don’t forget, with less top teams its more easy wins for the elite to rack up, and that skews things for everyone ability point wise in that division. Either way, Hamza’s reign is a mess, and anyone who watches football knows it."
Point Two: The FFO Academy. SHN a shortcut to success?
"Now let’s talk about the Academy feature. Everyone’s losing their mind over it, and yeah, it’s a solid idea. But let’s be real. it’s a little overpowered. Take these 17 year-old ‘super keepers.’ These kids are set to be better than some of the best goalkeepers in the world by the time they hit 22 years old if you have a 30 week training academy. That’s nuts. And next season’s intake is probably going to be even better than this one. Can you imagine?
I’ll be honest, I haven’t bothered with the Academy option at Chelsea. Why? Simple. The Spice Boys can’t afford it right now. We’ve got other stuff to prioritise, and it’s just not in the plan at the moment. But if I was still at Real Madrid? I’d have gone all in, just like PSG did. Easy decision.
Funny thing is, when I was caretaker at Dortmund, I turned them around from a relegated old mess and forever destined to be a yo yo up and down the leagues team, into the best Academy in the game, all in two days of business in the bonanza. Niall did start the process with the first coach, but he never had the vision I had. The blueprint. Brought in a bunch of players who could actually be sold for a decent amount to SHn with a little work, and set them up to dominate the game in the long run. Now, my Dark Arts ally Garysean Wilson has taken it to a whole new level. Dortmund’s got the best Academy talent, a great young keeper, the best academy striker, the most money, and a huge stadium for that level. Meanwhile, Millwall, the so called Academy kings and know it alls, are now playing second fiddle to Wilson and the Dark Arts crew. Bet they’re loving that.
But here’s the deal: The SHN prices have turned into a shortcut for teams going all-in on Academy development. Teams doing massive rebuilds or coming from lower tiers could offload average players for inflated prices and reinvest that money into young talent. Dortmund, Millwall, Frankfurt, Norwich - they’ve all made smart moves here. And with those SHN price changes possibly coming down the line, teams that got in early have the advantage. If that happens, they’re going to have a huge leg up.
Honestly, I wish I could have gotten in on that at Chelsea. But for now, I’ll just sit back, sip my affogato, and watch the usual chaos unfold in the Discord Disco and see what else I want to be unfiltered with next time."
With that, Talbot leans back in his chair, taking another bite of his pistachio opera cake. He doesn’t say much more, but the glint in his eye tells you he’s far from done. See you next time on No Filter with Talbot.
Words: 1,118