The Athletic Football Podcast
The Athletic Football Podcast is our flagship show, with Mark Chapman and Dan Bardell hosting Monday to Friday throughout the season. Featuring the likes of David Ornstein, Adam Crafton, Matt Slater and many others, it is the ultimate place to get the inside track on the biggest stories and news, insight and analysis from your club.
Episodes
March 30, 2023 • 36 min
Mark Chapman is joined by The Athletic's Tim Spiers & Oli Kay to debate how managers & head coaches in the Premier League should be assessed and rated when they are appointed.
Two managers widely regarded as the best face each other in The Premier League this weekend as Manchester City & Pep Guardiola play Liverpool led by Jurgen Klopp..
Who is the better manager? Or are they just the right fit for their respective clubs?
Meanwhil...
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Four big teams, three points separate them, but only one of them will lift the WSL trophy - and one of them won't be playing Champions League football next year either. This season's WSL is the most competitive it's been at the top for some time. Joining Mark Chapman to run the rule over where each team will be fantastic and fallible it's The Athletic's women's football editor Chloe Morgan, writer Charlotte Harpur, and host of The ...
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March 28, 2023 • 28 min
Host Mark Chapman is joined by The Athletic's Jack Pitt-Brooke and Adam Crafton to reflect on Steven Gerrard's recent comments about Harry Kane and the 'big decision' he is once again facing over his future at Spurs...
Has the lure of winning silverware elsewhere been softened by breaking both the England and Tottenham all-time scoring records and does the modern striker pride individual records over team success? Is Manchester Uni...
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March 27, 2023 • 35 min
Mark Chapman get's reaction from The Athletic's Jack Pitt Brooke to Antonio Conte leaving his role as manager at Tottenham.
Meanwhile Bayern Munich also made a managerial change as they sacked one of Europe's top young coaches, Julian Nagelsmann. The Athletic’s German football writer Raphael Hongistein & also former Premier League & Bundesliga striker Jan Åge Fjørtoft share their insight.
Would Julian Nagelsmann be a good fit at ...
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March 25, 2023 • 35 min
Hi guys. What you’re about to hear is a recent episode of The Athletic Football Tactics Podcast where the panel - consisting of Michael Cox, Mark Carey, Liam Tharme and Ali Maxwell - discuss whether we can truly measure the importance of a manager to a club’s fortunes.
They explore the evolution of a manager’s role, from basic admin roles to becoming the central figurehead of a club in the modern day. Will there be a time soon when...
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Dan Bardell is alongside George Elek, Steve Freeth and Nick Miller as they react to England beginning their Euro 2024 qualification campaign with a win over Italy.
Oli Kay sends his thoughts on Harry Kane becoming England's all-time leading scorer in Naples, Tim Spiers is in Stockholm ahead of a potential international return for Zlatan Ibrahimovic aged 41.
Plus, the panel take stock of what's happening in the Premier League ahead ...
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March 23, 2023 • 29 min
Ian Irving is joined by The Athletic’s Barcelona writers Pol Ballus & Laia Cervelló Herrero.
After victory against Real Madrid sent them 12 points clear, Barcelona might have La Liga all wrapped up.
But their problems are never far away, and now news that their young star Gavi could leave Camp Nou for free with a legal battle over his registration..
So what’s happened in this latest off the field issue & how will the club deal with...
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Following yesterday's foray into the big issues facing international football, host Mark Chapman and The Athletic's Matt Slater, Laura Williamson & Adam Crafton turn their attention to the club game...
Why FIFA President Gianni Infantino's plans for a new Club World Cup was an inevitable response to the Super League idea, how 'global' and 'match-going' Premier League supporters are on a collision course, why the Manchester United t...
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March 21, 2023 • 39 min
Mark Chapman is joined by The Athletic's Matt Slater, Adam Crafton, and Laura Williamson to discuss the biggest changes to international football.
In the week that FIFA announced an expanded 48 team World Cup, extended Gianni Infantino's reign as President, and dropped 'Visit Saudi' as a potential sponsor for the Women's World Cup, we ask what state international football is in, and whether FIFA are getting the big decisions right?...
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March 20, 2023 • 35 min
Ian Irving is joined by The Athletic's Jack Pitt Brook & James Horncastle to reflect on Antonio Conte verbal attack on his Tottenham players and the entire culture and direction of the football club after his side let a two goal lead slip at Southampton.
In an astonishing outburst he branded his players “selfish”, said that they only play “for themselves”, and suggested that there was a culture of underachievement at the club.
So w...
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Dan Bardell is joined by George Elek, Dan Barnes and bet365's Steve Freeth for a relegation special, ahead of this weekend's Premier League action.
With Patrick Vieira sacked by Crystal Palace, ahead of a visit to Arsenal, the panel give their reaction as well as speculating over who could take the reigns at Selhurst Park.
Jacob Tanswell shares the tale of Southampton's sorry season, prior to taking on Tottenham - and Paddy Boyland...
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March 16, 2023 • 32 min
Ian Irving is joined by The Athletic's Dom Fifield on Matt Woosnam to discuss what has gone wrong for Patrick Vieira as manager of Crystal Palace.
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March 15, 2023 • 39 min
Joining Mark Chapman to look at the career of Paul Pogba as he turns 30 it's James Horncastle and Carl Anka.
Here they discuss whether the France and Juventus midfielder is overrated, why he has such a bad reputation in England, and whether Eric Ten Hag is actually the Manchester United manager that Pogba has been crying out for.
And with his return to Serie A not going to plan, it begs the question 'where next'? But why is the obv...
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March 14, 2023 • 28 min
21-year-old Josko Gvardiol is a man in high demand. So, which European giant will win the race for his signature? Will Guardiola need to sell a defender first, can Todd Boehly's Chelsea keep spending and does Real Madrid's Champions League lure still trump the Premier League's riches? Host Mark Chapman is joined by The Athletic's Pol Ballus and Simon Johnson to discuss...
Plus, Rapha Honigstein explains Gvardiol's current contract ...
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March 13, 2023 • 35 min
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Dan Bardell is joined by Tim Spiers, George Elek and bet365's Steve Freeth as Liverpool look to push on from their 7-0 thrashing of Man Utd, while Erik Ten Hag's side look for a response.
In the title race, Man City once again play ahead of Arsenal with Pep Guardiola's side taking on Crystal Palace followed by Arsenal travelling to Fulham on Sunday.
Down at the bottom Bournemouth welcome Liverpool, having already conceded nine to t...
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March 9, 2023 • 37 min
Joining Mark Chapman to talk through yet another Paris Saint-Germain Champions League exit is The Athletic's Peter Rutzler and french football expert Tom Williams.
After the French giants limped out of Europe's top club competition there will be plenty of sneering and sniggering towards them, but why is that? And is it fair to do so?
It's a result that forms more questions now than answers - what does the future of Mbappe, Messi, a...
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March 8, 2023 • 33 min
Ian Irving is joined by two writers from The Athletic’s who were at Stamford Bridge to see Chelsea knock Borussia Dortmund out of the Champions League - Liam Twomey & Simon Johnson.
Is this the start of something for Graham Potter at Chelsea ?
Or is it merely a stay of execution with the next defeat pushing him back to the brink of the sack with question marks over where the club is heading?
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March 7, 2023 • 37 min
Enzo Fernandez, Bernardo Silva, Joao Felix, Ruben Dias, the list goes on... Boasting an academy record which is the envy of most clubs in world football, The Athletic's Stuart James was granted special access behind-the-scenes at Benfica's famed academy to find out what makes it so special...
Alongside host Mark Chapman and Portuguese football expert Jack Lang, the panel examine Benfica's unique approach to talent ID, academy ethos...
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March 6, 2023 • 35 min
Mark Chapman is joined from The Athletic by Adam Crafton also two of our writers who were at Anfield yesterday Oli Kay & our Liverpool writer James Pearce..
Does it show United are still playing catch up with Liverpool or was it a freak result?
What were the reasons behind Liverpool's performance and how should Man United manager Erik ten Hag respond?
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