Does Bruno Make United’s All-Time XI? Rooney’s Rule Rage & Worst World Cup Ever? | Stick to Football EP 121

Mar 19, 2026

Raimond van der Gouw, former Manchester United backup goalkeeper and later Sunderland coach, recalls life as Schmeichel's understudy and his coaching stint with Roy Keane. Conversation jumps between the pride and readiness of a reserve keeper, debates on keepers playing with their feet, controversial rule changes, Bruno Fernandes' place in United history, and concerns about the upcoming World Cup.

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ANECDOTE

Saved Two Penalties Then Lost Starting Spot

Raimond recounted saving two penalties against Feyenoord yet being dropped for the next game, illustrating harsh selection realities.
He used this to show how quickly fortunes change for goalkeepers at top clubs.

ANECDOTE

Life As United's Backup Keeper

Raimond van der Gouw described accepting the No.2 goalkeeper role at Manchester United and embracing supporting duties while staying ready to step in.
He recalled training hard, winning respect from team and manager, and valuing being part of the trophy-winning squad around 1993–99.

INSIGHT

Goalkeeper Substitutions Carry Extra Cost

Subbing a goalkeeper early can destroy their confidence and has unique psychological implications different from outfield changes.
Panel discussed real examples (Romero, Kinski-style substitutions) and how managers face trade-offs under pressure.

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Welcome back to Stick to Football, brought to you by ARNE.

In this episode, Gary Neville, Wayne Rooney, Jill Scott, Roy Keane and Ian Wright take on some of your unpopular opinions on the game today.

First, the team is joined by former Manchester United goalkeeper Raimond van der Gouw, who reflects on his time at the club as a backup keeper and his later role working alongside Roy Keane on the coaching staff at Sunderland.

The focus then shifts to your unpopular opinions, and it doesn’t take long for the debate to split the table. From whether Bruno Fernandes makes an all-time Manchester United XI, to the question of whether Neymar would have been the Premier League’s greatest ever player in his prime, the panel do not hold back.

As always, strong opinions are shared and challenged.

What is your all-time Premier League XI? Let us know in the comments, and don’t forget to like and subscribe so you never miss an episode!

00:00 - Intro

18:36 - Neymar Versus Premier League all-time

23:05 - Premier League All-Time XI

34:20 - Slowing The Game Down

44:55 - Worst World Cup ever?

47:10 - Does Bruno Make United’s All-Time XI

1:03:00 - Roy on pundits

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This episode is sponsored by Microsoft Copilot as part of their partnership with the Premier League.

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