Graham's Blog

Hola!

You’re right on time for another special Big Interview clip show. You might recall that we dedicated a previous podcast to guests who had played abroad, and a couple more who have always wanted to.

Well, in Season Two this theme came up a lot, so this episode is all about guests who took the brave decision to move abroad as coaches.

This includes Phil Neville, who joined the staff at Valencia. He explains the lengths he would go to in order to learn Spanish, as well as the contrasts between working in Spain compared to England, while John Collins talks about his time in charge of Charleroi and the reason he had to leave.

Alex McLeish also spent time in Belgium with Genk and he talks about his experiences there, as well as explaining why he turned down an offer to take charge of the Gabon national team.

This special compilation episode is free, with this month’s Big Interview with Kevin Kilbane available exclusively at patreon.com/grahamhunter.

Become a Socio and you will unlock that interview as well as my chats with Rafael van der Vaart, Ledley King, Robbie Keane, Kevin Phillips, Jermain Defoe, Roberto Di Matteo and Sir Les Ferdinand, plus exclusive documentary specials and much more! Every month the deal gets sweeter.

Enjoy!

Graham

It’s time for round two with Paul Dickov in the Big Interview. Finally, Manchester City fans, finally, you’re going to hear about Maine Road, the playoff final, Oasis and what Paul finds most thrilling of this version of City.

If you’re not a Man City supporter, I think you’ll be interested in a glimpse of a point in that club’s history – not so long ago – when they were seconds away from another season in the third tier. If a certain Scottish striker doesn’t score, Gwyneth Paltrow never meets John Hannah and perhaps Pep Guardiola never finds Phil Foden, either.

Before you hear them, I also want to tell you what Paul is up to now. He’s mentoring children in the schools run by the Laurus Trust, in the Manchester area.

The Laurus Trust targets sporting as well as academic excellence and Paul talks to children and teachers, in groups and one-on-one, about managing sporting development, diet and nutrition and laying pathways that give the kids at these free schools the best possible chance of being all they can be.

Find out more at laurustrust.co.uk

Both parts of my conversation with Paul are free, with this month’s Big Interview with Kevin Kilbane available exclusively at patreon.com/grahamhunter.

Become a Socio and you will unlock that interview as well as my chats with Rafael van der Vaart, Ledley King, Robbie Keane, Kevin Phillips, Jermain Defoe, Roberto Di Matteo and Sir Les Ferdinand, plus exclusive documentary specials and much more! Every month the deal gets sweeter.

Enjoy!

Graham

Hello there! Here’s part one of a two-part interview with Paul Dickov, a striker probably best known for his time at Manchester City.

But today you’re going to hear him talk about starting off at Arsenal and this is the part of his career I was most interested in.

Paul will tell you the list of teams who wanted him as he approached his 16th birthday, and why his dad urged him to leave the family home in Livingston, Scotland and go to London.

Then it’s George Graham, Pat Rice, Tony Adams, Ian Wright. You’re going to love these stories.

Before you hear them, I also want to tell you what Paul is up to now. He’s mentoring children in the schools run by the Laurus Trust, in the Manchester area.

The Laurus Trust targets sporting as well as academic excellence and Paul talks to children and teachers, in groups and one-on-one, about managing sporting development, diet and nutrition and laying pathways that give the kids at these free schools the best possible chance of being all they can be. Find out more at laurustrust.co.uk

This was fun to record and, I’m sure, will be entertaining to listen to. My conversation with Paul is free, with this month’s Big Interview with Kevin Kilbane available exclusively at patreon.com/grahamhunter.

Become a Socio and you will unlock that interview as well as my chats with Rafael van der Vaart, Ledley King, Robbie Keane, Kevin Phillips, Jermain Defoe, Roberto Di Matteo and Sir Les Ferdinand, plus exclusive documentary specials and much more! Every month the deal gets sweeter.

Enjoy!

Graham

HELLO again Big Interview listeners! We’ve picked out a chunk of my Big Interview with Kevin Kilbane. In this extract, Kevin provides brilliant analysis of exactly how Roy Keane put Ireland on the front foot in matches by controlling the tempo.

Keane was a talisman for his country, no more so than in a 2002 World Cup qualifier in Dublin against Portugal. Kevin believes that match was the Man United midfielder’s best ever performance in an Ireland jersey.

It was not only Keane who stood out that night, of course, and Kevin also discusses two of Portugal’s biggest threats – Luis Figo and the elegant Rui Costa. The midfielder was so good that he was the talk of the Ireland dressing room after the game!

But this is only a little piece of the full, 90-minute podcast. The full 90-minute interview is available to Socios (there are over 650 of them now, and you can join the party by clicking here) and is just one of the podcasts we have been producing for them.

Subscribe now and you can listen to Big Interviews with Rafael van der Vaart, Ledley King, Robbie Keane, Jermain Defoe, Roberto Di Matteo and Les Ferdinand right away!

In February, our Socios received ad-free content and special episodes, including:

• Andy Robertson: When the Kop Sings Your Name
• BBC, PSG and the questions facing Zidane
• Jody Morris: Chelsea v Barca, the Origins Story

Every month, the deal gets sweeter. Join us.

Graham

HELLO again Big Interview listeners! We’ve picked out a chunk of my Big Interview with Les Ferdinand. In this extract, Les discusses racism in football and explains what measures he would take to eradicate this evil.

Did you know that he did not attend matches as a youngster because of the culture in English football at the time? It took black footballers like Cyrille Regis and Laurie Cunningham to show Les that, yes, he could aspire to a career in the game.

I promise you, this is essential listening for all of us. Les points out the lack of diversity among the coaching staff who helped guide England to victory in the Under-17 World Cup, and he has some stern words for those running the FA.

But this is only a little piece of the full, 90-minute podcast. The full interview is available to Socios (there are over 600 of them now, and you can join the party by clicking here) and is just one of the podcasts we have been producing for them.

Subscribe now and you can listen to Big Interviews with Rafael van der Vaart, Ledley King, Robbie Keane, Jermain Defoe and Roberto Di Matteo right away!

In January, our Socios received ad-free content and special episodes, including:

• Behind the scenes at Coutinho day at Barca
• Coutinho: The Heir to Iniesta’s Throne
• Zidane At The Crossroads
• Never Mind the Busquets… here’s Ivan Rakitic!

Plus

• The President’s Brain is Missing (or why Real Madrid need a director of football)
• Pep talk: with Jonathan Northcroft

Every month, the deal gets sweeter.

Graham