The Insider's Lounge

In this episode of The Insider’s Lounge, Edson Braafheid sits down for an unfiltered conversation about his journey from Suriname to the highest levels of world football. He shares the early experiences that shaped him, how he broke into the Eredivisie, and how Louis van Gaal swooped in to sign him for Bayern Munich just as Ajax were closing in.

Edson takes us inside the reality of playing for clubs like Bayern Munich, Cel...

Brazil’s football ecosystem is shifting fast, and for the first time, it’s truly open for investment. In this episode, Andre Da Costa breaks down what’s changing and why it matters.

The conversation begins with the cultural and economic forces that shape Brazil’s identity, setting the stage for a comparison with football systems in Europe and North America. That leads into the SAF model - a legal transformation that has re...

In this episode of The Insider’s Lounge, Charlie Methven shares the unconventional journey that led him from journalism and publishing to becoming one of football’s most talked-about executives. From the newsroom of The Daily Telegraph to the boardrooms of Sunderland AFC and Charlton Athletic, Methven has built a reputation for turning struggling clubs around and bringing fresh energy to fan engagement, commercial growth, and club ...

This week, Iker Nacenta joins The Insider's Lounge to break down some of the biggest stories in soccer business, from MLS valuations and FIFA governance to player career transitions and lower-league ownership moves.

We start with Sportico’s 2025 list of the 50 most valuable soccer clubs. Leading the list are global giants like Real Madrid, Manchester United, and FC Barcelona, but the sharp rise of MLS clubs raises que...

On this week’s episode, we are joined by Ethan Reilly, breaking down the key topics and stories at the intersection of soccer and business in the last week.

We kick off with Wrexham’s remarkable rise, now three promotions deep under Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. With a valuation topping $100 million, we explore whether this is a sustainable model or a one-of-one media machine and what lessons other lower-league clubs c...

In this episode of The Insider’s Lounge, we sit down with Chris Gunn, Co-Founder and Managing Director of LoveGunn, the creative agency behind some of football’s most memorable branding and marketing projects.

Chris shares his early journey coaching at Chelsea FC, his transition into the creative industry, and the founding story behind LoveGunn. He talks about the leap of faith it took to start his own agency, the ups and ...

Man City’s dominance on the field is no secret — but their rise off the pitch is one of the most underrated stories in world football.

In this episode, Rob Gevertz walks us through his journey from sports media into one of the most commercially advanced clubs in the world. He shares how he broke into the industry, his childhood obsession with soccer brands, and what he learned during his time at Sky Sports and talkSPORT.

On this episode of The Insider’s Lounge, Chad McArthur sits down with Daniel Hall, Chairman of Dagenham & Redbridge and CEO of Club Underdog, to unpack the business, emotion, and strategy behind modern club ownership.

Daniel begins by sharing his personal journey — from a career in law to discovering Dagenham & Redbridge and navigating the complex acquisition process. He explains what you actually get when you buy ...

In this episode, Devin Amoo-Mensah shares his remarkable and unconventional journey to becoming a professional soccer player — without an agent, a network, or a clear roadmap.

We kick off with how Devin negotiated his first pro contract entirely on his own, before rewinding to his early years and Division 2 college career. From there, we follow his grind into the professional ranks, including an unfiltered look at life in ...

In this episode of The Football Talent Show, hosts Adam Lenges and Jacek Kulig are joined by Irish football expert Bill to dive deep into the past, present, and future of football in Ireland.

They explore the rise of Irish football, the true level of the League of Ireland, and how COVID and Brexit have shaped the development landscape. The conversation covers infrastructure challenges, the country’s top talent producers, a...

In this episode of The Insider’s Lounge, host Chad McArthur sits down with Iker Nacenta to explore the current and future state of Mexican football through the lens of one of its most shocking recent events — the Club León disqualification from the FIFA Club World Cup.

They start by breaking down how multi-club ownership played a role in León’s ban and what it reveals about the structural challenges within Liga MX. Iker un...

In this episode of The Insider’s Lounge, we sit down with Taito Kojima, who shares his remarkable journey to becoming Japan’s youngest licensed FIFA agent and the CEO of Mundo Rico.

Taito reflects on his early soccer memories growing up in a football-driven household, guided by the influence of his father—a former professional player. By the age of 12, he was already working in the soccer industry, laying the groundwork fo...

In this episode of The Insider’s Lounge, Jassem Osseiran breaks down Saudi Arabia’s football revolution—from its rapid transformation to the rise of the Saudi Pro League and the country’s 2034 FIFA World Cup ambitions.

We start with Jassem’s personal connection to Saudi Arabia, reflecting on how the country has evolved since his childhood. He discusses the massive shifts in culture, economy, and sports, and how global inve...

We kick things off with Georgia reflecting on her younger self’s career expectations vs. reality—how she envisioned her path and the pivotal moments that changed everything. She then takes us through her decision to break into football, what led her to becoming a licensed agent, and the pros and cons of having a background in PR and marketing when working in the industry.

From there, we dive into ADD Management, her agency...

In this episode, we dive into It's Competence Not Confidence (ICNC) with co-founders Sabrina Carrozza and Gabbie Garbe, a movement redefining how young professionals—particularly women—approach success in their careers. They share the story behind ICNC, why competence should be valued over confidence, and how this mindset shift can create real opportunities in the professional world.

We break down the ICNC blueprint, ...

In this episode of The Insider’s Lounge, Johann Farhat takes us on a remarkable journey marked by resilience, obsession, and persistence. Growing up in Lebanon after moving back from France, Johann faced early challenges as his family struggled to afford private education. Feeling like an outsider among wealthier classmates, it wasn’t until he found soccer that everything began to change. The sport became his great equalizer—helpin...

In this episode of The Insider’s Lounge, we sit down with Ethan Reilly, Senior Account Executive at Octagon, one of the world's top sports and entertainment agencies. Beyond his role, Ethan creates sports business content, helping others navigate the process of breaking into the industry and excelling. He has built his career by combining strategic networking, content creation, and hands-on experience, and today, he shares the...

In this episode of The Football Talent Show, hosts Adam Lenges, and Jacek Kulig, are joined by Japanese football expert & data scientist Ryo Nakagawara to talk about all things Japanese football.

They discuss the fascinating youth development being done in the country, the upcoming J1-J3 seasons, & some of the biggest domestic talents to look out for in the year ahead!

Ryo's X: https://x.com/R_by_Ryo<...

In this episode of The Insider’s Lounge, Chad McArthur sits down with Giulio Tedeschi, a Licensed FIFA Agent and CEO & Founder of Tedeschi & Partners, to break down UEFA’s €1 billion investment in women’s soccer, the realities of contracts, and the economic models shaping the game.

Giulio shares how he found a niche in women’s soccer, explaining its rapid growth and the key moments that have shaped the European wom...