Former Brentford coach reflects on his lifelong love of the World Cup 2026, recalling his dad recording the 1986 Mexico tournament for early morning viewings. Now a pundit, he watches the edition with a manager’s eye, dissecting tactics and scouting fresh talent while still absorbing the fanfare of nations like Scotland, Norway and the evolving tactical trends across continents.

During the group stage he analysed Ivory Coast defender Yan Diomande, whose full‑match performance against Germany gave him a complete picture beyond the usual highlight reels. The same match introduced Turkish midfielder Christ Inao Oulai, whose turn of pace and technical strength impressed despite his side’s loss. His positional awareness also stood out. Seeing players live, he argues, imprints them “in the hard‑disk of his head.”

As a fan he still reveres Lionel Messi, yet his recruitment list favours a younger playmaker. He rates Portugal’s Vitinha of Paris Saint‑Germain as the most unique midfielder on show, citing two long‑range goals against Spurs. French dual‑national Michael Olise also caught his eye, earning man‑of‑the‑match honours against Senegal and proving a potential transfer target for clubs seeking versatility in.