CHELSEA RORY ON SARRI, THE KICK OFF & HOW THE TWITTER ABUSE HAS GONE TOO FAR | OFTW PODCAST 

RORY CHATTING CHELSEA STARTS AT 35:00 .... BUT THE WHOLE POD IS WELLLL GOOD SO WATCH IT ALL. CHEERS.

It’s so different being a fan abroad. As an Atlético fan who does not have the means to go to the stadium, I know what it’s like to be a fan because I wake up every weekend as early as 5am to watch games. But I celebrate far away from fellow fans like I was in the stadium, and cry at bitter defeats even though I’m a lone fan away from fellow supporters. If you can remain a fan like that after years, I don’t know how Rory can try to invalidate our emotions about the team. Though they might surely come from different places. I understand Rory’s romantic perspective about it though. But just imagine the day I’m finally at the Wanda cheering with my fellow supporters, knowing all the songs while never having been there.

You know, I’m from South Africa, I’ve been a Liverpool supporter all my life... unfortunately not everyone is privileged enough to travel across the world to see the team they love! There are a lot of under privilege people around the world who don’t have the money to do what you do every week... that doesn’t make you any more or less of a “Chelsea man”

- CFC fan TV Twitter account & Rory on his own Twitter account belittling foreign fans who don't/can't go to games every week. - Has berated Sarri for not using our youth players despite him using more youth that any of our previous 2 managers (never did the same with Conte or Mourinho) - Never gives Sarri credit, always puts him down & is negativity towards him - "Chelsea man" comment was silly too. Sarri has came in, is trying to go from defensive, pragmatic football to the football he played at Napoli which took him 2-3 years to get too, Sarri has used more youth than our previous managers & is never toxic in interviews like previous managers he always speaks well of the fans and the club. I disagree with the vile things said about you but you have also said very undermining & horrible things to fellow Chelsea fans on Twitter before all this started - which doesn't justify the hate but you have to also expect it.

Remember lads, if you haven't seen this podcast live, you can't be a fan of it.

Unfortunately by Rory’s logic the OFTW podcast has basically no supporters because we only watch on a screen and haven’t been to the studio...

#calmtakes Rory does say some wild football opinions (which I find entertaining) but end of the day he’s a decent bloke and doesn’t deserve the hate he gets, realistically just don’t tune into stuff with him on if you don’t want to hear him, no need for the abuse

Calm take, Flav is a good guest, but Rory is also

"It's slightly harsh to wish a terminal illness on me and my 11 year old daughter." Calm take of the year

Although the abuse is despicable, there is just too much irony and hypocrisy in Rory asking for people to respect his opinion after saying certain peoples are "irrelevant".

James: Sir, I forgot my kit. P.E. teacher: Grab something out of the lost and found box.

It doesn't matter what Rory thinks. The moment he slammed his own fellow fans for not being Chelsea fans he lost all credibility. Not all fans are middle class like you Rory. Not all fans live near Stamford Bridge either. As a fan channel representative you segregated your own fans.

You said your opinion doesn’t matter if you haven’t been to Stamford bridge...

刚入住 Just checking from my year out in China. Thanking my vpn for keeping me up to date with the best podcast nobody’s heard of.

Chelsea's main problem is that because they hire and fire managers so often, they're not going to have too many managers to choose from soon, because they've hired and fired too many. This is not a slight on Sarri, but if they hadn't already hired and fired say someone like Ancelotti, and he was available, they'd have probably gone for him over Sarri. No idea what's going on with Roman, but City have Chelsea'd Chelsea because their owners have more money to throw at it.

Not a chelsea fan, but i’ve always liked rory because he’s very straight forward with his opinions. But the idea that you can’t have a valid opinion about your club if you’ve never been to a match in person is as pretentious and elitist as you can possibly be. Less of that please

Firstly, alright lads just checking is, sorry for my past minor indiscretions. Get your bits out for the lads Phoning Flav - anybody who phones Flav, or anyone on the pod, during a podcast has to endure a 1 minute quick fire interview / questions and there should be a leaderboard for their score. Football or general knowledge maybe ask the community for questions etc. To keep it really juicy everyone’s phones must be turned on and not on silent or do not disturb, so literally anyone could become part of the pod. Keep up the good work lads have a great week as always.

On the whole "Chelsea man" going to Stamford Bridge topic, I completely agree with Rory and I say this as an American Spurs fan. I've been closely following Spurs since about '04 but don't consider myself whatever you wanna call it because I've never been to Tottenham. I'd even argue it's more than just going to a few matches but most likely need to be from the area or close ties. The reality is clubs are about the community they represent. I'd just feel like I'd be imposing on something that I'm an outsider to. I get it, the whole "I'm a bigger fan because..." is ingrained in fandom so people get defensive but I do feel that's where the talking about on the pitch point is important because this doesn't mean you know less. But no matter what you just can't relate to the actual ethos or anything of the club. Believe me, I'm a prick and think I know more than anybody when it comes to the game but to try and speak on what a club is truly about when you're an "outsider" like myself I think you can't have a real grasp on otherwise edit: also Roberto Carlos had the best thighs in the history of the game no contest

I’ve been to Stamford Bridge, and I’m not a Chelsea fan. So what opinion can I have, Rory?! Haha, people need to take things a bit less seriously.

Encouraging as many #Calmtakes on Rory as possible. If you disagree with him fine, but hear him out first and comment with class. (wishful thinking)🤞

That chat about ‘why won’t you engage with me?!?!’ is so fascinating. The sense of entitlement from so many social media users is baffling and makes me so uncomfortable, that they think they deserve your engagement and demand you answer them or you get horrific abuse- so weird and definitely made worse by the anonymity afforded by the platforms

Abuse ? I mean he’s brought that upon himself. Give Sarri at least one more season ffs. Lesser fans like him the better.

Alright lads, first time checking in and as per usual it's lady advice... Basically I'm in my final year at school and there's a girl I'm fairly keen on and it seems she isn't utterly repulsed by me which I can't help but feel is a good sign. Across the year at school there have been numerous parties and with exams on the horizon the last one is taking place before too long. Essentially this girl and I have danced with each other at every party this year but it's never gone further than that as a result of the two of us being relatively quiet apart from when we're absolutely shitfaced, and I'm not confident enough (sober at least) to close the deal with her. Slight concern is however that I'm not sure if she's texting another bloke or not (and if it's who I think it is, he may or may not be gay) yet I'm too terrified of approaching her due to the worry I could get shot down. I notice our eyes cross paths whenever we walk down the corridor or when we're sitting in a lesson but I'm not sure if this is enough to close the deal. I also notice that she laughs at most of my jokes to whenever she's in earshot... Keep up the class work and videos, love the podcast to bits and the community surrounding it! Any advice would be greatly appreciated #flamesadvice #justcheckingout

#Checkingin. Understand what Rory says about being apart of the fabric of the club if you’ve been to a match. Doesn’t mean you’re not a real fan if you haven’t gone but it just brings a certain understanding for the club and for the community around it. As an America fan of Tottenham, I’ve been very fortunate to go to a few matches at the old WHL and once I did, it really did make me love Spurs so much more than I had before. Don’t know how to define the feeling I got from it but going to a match, traveling to seven sisters station, walking down the highroad, meeting the locals, it made me understand the club on a level that I never would have if I hadn’t been able to go. I do understand that many people don’t have the means to make it to a match, doesn’t mean you’re any less of a fan or have the right to an opinion about the team you love but it is an eye opener when you physically go to the ground and experience the history of it all around you.

I agree that sarri at the moment isn’t a Chelsea man but can become one but he needs to learn

I would describe James and also Rory as "Calming." but wen you hear Rory's hardcore views on Sarri ... #Ruthless :)

Rory makes sense but people just instantly disagree with him without listening to what he’s saying

Please Do not invite Rory to fill in for Flav. He is arrogant and dissed a whole set of fans who live too far off or do not have the means to attend football games in Europe. #calmtake

I am a Liverpool fan and love Rory; he’s funny and honest about what he believes👍

The Hudson Odoi thing is being overstated ; since his england debut which he didn’t watch much of it, he’s gonna start 3 league games in a row. Rory picking at the nitty stuff to stick with his point about Sarri. Abuse isn’t warranted at all to Rory but Rory should be more open minded to debate; anyone who politely disagrees, he blocks

Question for James, watched your The Process video with Holloway and really enjoyed it. Where did you get your notebook from? Been looking for something similar

No doubt, you can't understand in-stadium experience and the effect of high ticket prices and policing and a range of issues relating to on-site fan issues without going to Stamford Bridge. So local fans would probably feel differently than worldwide fans about, say, the cost and design of a new stadium. But nowadays, fandom and fan bases are much bigger than local attendance to matches.

#calmtake spurs fans wouldn't be so hyped about their new stadium if there wasn't the long wait. If Spurs had gone from WHL straight into the new stadium, there would have been less appreciation amongst the fans and they would have taken it for granted. Because it took six months longer than expected, the appreciation of "coming home" was a lot higher because they were just glad to finally be there.

Rory is a top bloke and I like his views on football, hope this bs hasn’t affected him because even though in a months time it’ll be forgotten but when you’re going through such heat from people on social media it can get to you. Hope you’re well

Calm take, saying Sarri isn't a 'Chelsea man' is no different to United fans complaining Mourinho didn't 'play the united way' before he was (rightly) sacked, even though he took us to two trophies a third final and our best placed league finish since Sir Alex. Fans of a club have different and more nuanced expectations and views of their club than other football fans and even though I think Sarri is doing a decent job more recently considering, I can understand what Rory is saying.

Just checking in...pretty late😭 personally I like Rory’s honesty and think he’s a lovely addition to the pod in flavs absence.

Calm take, although i dont agree with a word Rory says when it comes to football, i actually enjoy every moment of him being on.

Long time listener, first time commenting. I have been forced to change my lurking ways and bring up something very serious - THIS IS NOT A CALM TAKE. This is a plea on behalf of all those with even the minor OCD tendencies... please for the love of god can you cover that mark on the wall!! Whenever it cuts to a single shot of James there are a couple of marks on the wall over his right shoulder that perfectly gives the impression of a smudge on my screen. I have lost count of the amount of times I have tried to wipe it off my screen. I know it’s not a smudge on my screen.. but my brain makes me try and wipe it off relentlessly! It’s distracting me from enjoying footballers wangs as much as any normal human being should. I am anything but calm during calm takes. A lick of paint, hang a picture, even losing all single shots of James completely. I beg of you... #KillTheSmudge

The from 47 minutes on is James trying to say in a polite way someone who is too poor to travel to Stamford bridge for matchday may be offended

don’t understand the hate rory is getting at all for anything really. he is just voicing his opinion. completely understand where he is coming with sari and saying hes not a chelsea man. as a liverpool fan id feel the same way about jose mourinho type manager being at liverpool some people just dont fit the club or the culture. only thing rory.. your debate on having to have gone to stamford bridge, i dont think you quite understand that not every fan abroad has money or the means to go. you have fans abroad that will watch every single game, every press conference, everything to do with the club they support and they still feel ingrained in the teams culture. they may have hopes of going to their teams stadium one day but until then they can still understand the culture of the club and everything because they see it and hear about it from people like yourself. you help influence peoples perspective of their club as does other commentators on youtube like james, truegeordie etc love watching both of you guys btw think you both give great opinions so just keep going on and doing what you do

Just checking in; great podcast again lads. Keep up the good work¡

Clean the wall behind you James.

Calm take: The European Super League isn't a bad idea if used as an U18s football competition only. Wouldn't detract from the Premier League, would probably make U18s more interesting and should help bridge the gap between youth football and the first team

So Rory thinks standing in times sq, or running over bk bridge gives him understanding of N.Y.!

#Calmtakes Firstly I would like to say I always like it when Rory is on the pod as he has solid opinions on a club I hate. But I do disagree with him about knowing a club more by going to the games and the stadium. I am from North Wales but live in Canada having previously lived in Australia as well. Watching people plan their lives around watching games at all manner of times shows a level of commitment on a par with going to the games on the regular. Showing love for a football club is about how much you invest in them personally over anything else and not whether you are geographically close to the ground or have the financial means to go to all the games.

Even gedag zeggen. Een podcast voor de weekend.

#RoryTheTory

James, I'm an American fan and I enjoy watching you on OFTW and The Kickoff. Heard you mention it, so who is your favorite NFL team? btw, Flav's not bad either :P

The whole discussion about taking out the top 6 and it being more fair etc is the biggest amount of small team mentality I've ever heard

Rory's a great bloke

Couldn't agree more with rory. Im not a chelsea supporter(despise them) but in all honesty to be a "proper fan" is enjoying the little beauties e.g. walking down to the stadium, taking your kids to the ground etc. There are some things you can't put into stats like Lawrence and statman dave love to do. Just go back to the scene in good will hunting where they're talking about will never being out of boston yet read about so many places and building and the older guy talks about actually going there and experiencing them first hand and how its completely different from seeing it on a book or the tv. The only ones hating on rory are the one who probably barely even watch a game.

The problem with Rory in two of the Kick Off videos, and this Ball Street video, is that it's tough to relate to him as a person. He believes that success=trophies, regardless of context, so in his head, Pochettino and Klopp are failures. Success is defined in such narrow parameters in his head. He talks about being a 'Chelsea man', but still doesn't define what that is. I think John Terry is a scumbag of a human being, but according to Rory, he's a Chelsea man. He hasn't acknowledged that not all fans can afford to go to watch Chelsea too. Klopp had it right regarding teamwork and uniting a club. It's about common experiences. When Liverpool went to Australia, 95k fans turned out. Most of them before that game ,had probably never been to Anfield, but these common experiences are the games, and the players you like and enjoy, whether you're at the ground or not. Rory is unable to relate to the everyday man who may have never been to watch the team they support in person, and that's all about empathy as a person. Although we're talking about football terms, he lacks empathy, and his idea of success shows he's about quick fixes and solutions rather than building something sustainable, which requires patience, loyalty, and a long term vision. Wishing terminal illness on Rory and his family is disgusting. No one should be doing that. Counter his points properly.

#calmtake Rory is a very insightful man, who I enjoy whenever he comes on the podcast or the kick off.

I honestly don’t care for the situation. I like Rory and miss him on CFC fan tv. I, like Rory, don’t fancy Sarri long term at all but I’m not over keen on him generalising the foreign (or lesser off) fan base who can’t afford a trip to London. Congrats on the baby!

A super league doesn’t need to happen at all, all that needs to happen is you bring in salary caps and agent price limits, problem solve.

As a Celtic fan, for nothing other than money then yes, moving to England would be great. However, it destroys our identity and opens us up to the risk of being a billionaires cash cow. Celtic and Rangers leaving would also kill the commercial aspect of Scottish football, they already have the worst TV deals of all the major leagues in Europe by some distance. Killie would lose the ability to get in managers like Clarke, Aberdeen could win the league but it will cost more than it's worth. What would be best for football in Britain is a British league system that incorporates all not just two.

#calmtakes Rory, as well as all Chelsea fans, are fully within their rights to expect a revolving door of managers to bring them success as it has done so well in the past. Chelsea won the league seasons ago using this method so to say this wouldn't work in the future is not true. I believe the majority of fans saying Chelsea need a new rebuild are from clubs that a) haven't won the league in the last decade, or b) support clubs that have recently adopted this method to try and bring success. The Chelsea way works for Chelsea

As a Norwich fan about to win the championship (hopefully) it’s honestly an absolutely immense fun and I’m going to miss the championship as I know the premier league is going to be trying to not lose instead of the fun of the championship.

im not quite sure how calm takes work but #calmtake some offsides are not that bad, it's a rule to stop the attacking team having an advantage right? I just watched Jesus score vs crystal palace which may be offside but he has hardly gained an advantage from being a toe offside. offsides should become as subjective as handball just to keep football insane when VAR comes

Just checking in, I like Rory, but how can you not have Matt on with this opportunity that Flav's gone. Not happy James....not happy....but yeah, great listen, loved the pod!

#calmtake you're allowed to disagree with Rory, just please don't threaten him or his loved ones, and try not to insult him. I'm disappointed that this week's oftw has been deprived of its usual jovial atmosphere in both the pod itself and the comments because of this toxicity. Ultimately Flav wasn't available so Rory generously did us a solid by filling in. Be nice pls

Just checking in guys. Love the pod. And for what you said at 48:41 THANK YOU JAMES!

Eventhough I don’t agree with Rory, but abusing him for having a different opinion so wrong. He doesn’t represent every Chelsea fan. But what annoys me about Rory’s opinion is that he not being open minded enough for his opinion to change. Saying that if Chelsea wins every game till the end of the season, which means Chelsea getting 3rd and winning the EL , that Sarri is not the right man and his view wouldn’t change is just stubbornness. Regardless of whether ur not ur Sarri in or out u should be hoping that he proves u wrong for the love of ur club.

I think Rory and top 6 fans in general have a skewed look at football. I'm a Leeds fan and I think having James being a QPR fan makes this pod what it is, different outlook at football.

James, just Google 'Gini Wijnaldum thighs'... Delightful😍😍

Non match going fans can have an opinion but it obviously will mean more to someone who takes their time to travel and support their time and spend money watching them. That’s just obvious and no point in arguing.

You can't just say get rid of the top 6 to give others a chance. You would end up in the same situation with the remaining teams. Eventually there will be another top clutch of teams who dominate.

I love Rory he's great...he knows his stuff, ppl will regret there comments when Chelsea vstink the bed again. They got lucky today

Just checking in lads. I like Rory, seems like a decent bloke, and I dont condone the attack he got. But as a young bloke from Australia I believe I do understand my club (Liverpool). I cant afford to go to England while studying atm, and thus cant go to Anfield. Every game whether that be 9.30 pm to 5am I watch, regardless of what is on. I love the club and try to emerse myself in it the only way I can from here. I watch all the live interviews, prematch content, follow the players on Instagram, watch in stadium snapchats ect. Like I said the way people reacted to what Rory said is ridiculous but yeah I dont agree with his opinion.

Just checking in for the first time with a #calmtake The whole point of this European super league would be to make a league where the bottom 14 teams would have more of a chance of achieving something amazing. We are discussing it in a season when the likes of Wolves and Watford, championship teams not long ago, are battling it out for European qualification and we are discussing it three seasons after this so-called 'top 6' included Leicester who bloody won it (the exact thing James is saying will never happen) and Southampton in 6th whilst Chelsea and Liverpool lingered in 10th and 8th respectively. Three seasons ago! Nothing has changed that much, if at all. How can we say this so called 'gap' between the top 6 and the rest so big? Wolves' record agains the top 6 should tell you enough. Surely, the sheer difficulty to get into the top 6 or 7 of the Premier League is what makes it so fantastic and makes the fairytale underdog stories that more majestic, impressive and glorious when they happen.

I’d say instead of a super league, scrap the champions league and have a league with games played sporadically over 4 seasons, with the winning team crowned at the end of the 4th season and restarting the next season. (Similar to the nations league) Selfishly as a Liverpool fan, if we win the prem this year, I don’t want it then made easier for lower teams to win it after the struggle we’ve had over the last few decades

Nice one Ror 👏👏👏 good to set the record straight!!

great job lads.

Rory doesn't like sarri cuz he just doesnt he has no reason not to he just doesnt there is no such thing like chelsea man sarri hasnt been bad to the fans at all what hes a quite guy so hes bad????

Checking in lads

How can you big up John Terry then blame Sarri for not speaking to Hudson-Odoi after he was racially abused??? Chelsea fans looool

I love Rory even if he is a bit of a madman at times he's an absolute sweetheart

#calmtake I disagree with a lot of Rory's opinions, particularly on Sarri. However, he seems like a very nice guy and the hate he is receiving is nasty and unnecessary. Also, he has done well when he's been on OFTW and seems to get the vibe of the pod. (could never replace Flav though)

#calmtake Rory is a rather adequate temporary replacement for Flav; sort of like having a squad player who can come on when needed and get the job done. OFTW's version of Erik Lamela/Henrikh Mkhitaryan

Good sub but no one can replace flav!

tylko sprawdzam - Checking in from Polska

Picking the player who got done for racist abuse as an example of a "Chelsea man" probably wasn't the best idea given your lot's reputation

Ashley Cole is the best left back the league has ever seen but his peak was in the previous decade. If he makes it in as the best left back of this decade this is nothing but a farce.

Fantastic piece of irony that Rory says he’s a “Calvinist” but supports Chelsea 😂😂😂😂😂

This whole anti-Rory conversation is pointless because the source of frustration was never about him saying "Sarri isn't a Chelsea man". It was him saying Chelsea fans who are "Sarri in" aren't Chelsea men and have probably never set foot at the Bridge and their opinions are therefore irrelevant. This follows on from an opinion piece he wrote in the Daily Mail where he said something similar. That - and I'm paraphrasing here - anybody who uses the word "sarriball" is probably a foreigner who has never watched a game at the Bridge and what does such a person really know about football. On top of that, his tweets via CFCFANTV's account has been downright antagonistic and xenophobic towards non-brits, a lot of which he has now gone back and deleted. So the anger you're asking about James, has very little to do with what Rory thinks of Sarri himself, it's more about what Rory thinks and says about foreigners. Apologies for the lengthy post, but I just wanted to point that out because I feel the whole premise on which on you based these "anti-Rory" questions was incorrect and thus the conversation that followed was rather pointless.

I kinda resent the idea that a players worth is defined by trophies. More so at a national level (the whole need to win a world cup to be the greatest of all time). If you are the best player in the world you are so regardless of squad achievements (in the mindset of winning the big trophies and so on).

Guess it's RIP In Peace to Flav

I like the idea of the super league but it wouldn’t make any money without the top 6. They bring the big bucks. Plus what about the fa cup when lower leagues get a big club come to them? That cash from that and the cup can literally save those smaller clubs. We would get a crapper league without the top players that are great to watch if you love football in general.

What arrogance from Chelski. Is it worth winning without Man City & Man U. As a Liverpool fan the prem has ruined English footie. Before that anyone could build a side and win.

Hi James, just checking in. I can love Flav and Rory, can't I?

Just checking in

James I disagree with u about removing the top 6 teams if u do that u take away special moments for the smaller teams for example huddersfield getting a point at Stamford bridge last year to keep them up or crystal palace beating Arsenal 3 nil. U can't say on one hand I love the Fa cup and the magic of it because of the upsets and on the other remove the possibility of upsets. Also removing the top 6 teams creates a losers mentality that this country already has, because it is too hard to beat these teams let's kick them out THATS WRONG. Get good at football by running ur clubs properly

I'm just checking in now.

Let's be honest, the Paris result was amazing, but when looking at how they played... Was an absolute fluke. Not like they forced it

Love a bitta Rory in my life

Rory is a good listen, bit intense & serious but alright, I get where he's coming from but lighten up fella...

Just fyi James, the female version of a 'hard on' is a 'wide on'.

Just Checkin in

Just checking in. Samo provjeravam. Cheers lads, good pod!

like you on the kick off fella - even though I disagree with your opinions