Graham's Blog

Here’s another chance to hear my interview with Emile Heskey from season five.

The title of Emile’s autobiography ‘Even Heskey Scored’ was a good-humoured swipe at the widespread fallacy that he wasn’t a prolific striker.

There’s great insight into why Leicester City’s players would run through walls for Martin O’Neill.

Emile’s big move to Liverpool required a major adaptation; he loved it and the Kop loved him, but eventually he wanted out of the Anfield pressure cooker.

Also: being a serial cup winner, how Steve Claridge was the worst trainer ever, and how the Golden Generation thrashed Germany.

When I asked Liam Henderson who the best opponent he has faced in Serie A is he didn’t miss a beat: Roma’s Lorenzo Pellegrini.

Also in part two, fascinating stuff about how you can’t sell a dummy to an Italian, Liam’s dream of playing for Steve Clarke’s Scotland and how his relentless practicing of corner-kicks set up Hibs’ historic Scottish Cup triumph of 2016.

I caught up with Liam Henderson in beautiful Florence, where the elegant midfielder plies his trade with Empoli.

The former Celtic man has spent four years in Italy, initially playing under Fabio Grosso at Bari and Verona, who Liam had watched winning the 2006 World Cup on television and felt he was fated to work under. Liam loves Italy – especially the cuisine, and feels his talents are more appreciated there than in his native Scotland.

In part two of my enlightening chat with Bruno Lage, the Wolves manager goes deep into how the power of the image can overcome the distractions of modern life when seeding his football philosophy into the minds of young players.

There’s great content about why a boss should be the coolest guy on the pitch. And I ask: how on earth do coaches of top clubs cope with a World Cup slap bang in the middle of the season?

Wolves manager Bruno Lage has imported the wisdom and techniques he garnered coaching at Benfica into the Black Country.

The Portuguese has also learned a lot from life in England: about the incredible football passion and, paradoxically, how not to dwell too much on a setback.

Also in part one, amazing insight into Benfica’s talent conveyor belt.