The Big Interview

In part two with Conor Coady we continue chatting about Wolves in Europe. Losing late on to serial winners Seville – who featured talents such as Jules Koundé and Éver Banega – in this year’s Europa quarter-final was agony. All their hard work felt in vain.

There’s great stuff about the culture of recovery in place at Molineux thanks to their excellent sports science staff. This even features ice baths and, I kid you not, inflatable trousers. Then there’s Wolves’ secret weapon… a card game called Werewolf which brings unity to the squad.

And we touch on Conor’s recent post-match interview after scoring for England against Wales… even a Scotsman can love that level of passion.

Thanks Conor

Graham

Chatting to a guy like Conor Coady reminds me why I do these big interviews. The Wolves’ centre-back’s enthusiasm for football is infectious and engaging.

Brought up a Liverpool fan, he lived the dream for a while playing under youth coaches like Steve Highway, Steve Cooper and Rodolfo Borrell, men who made him a better person as well as a better, problem-solving player. Conor loved playing top clubs in the NextGen European tournament for under-19 footballers. A visit to Dortmund and a painful 6-0 lesson from Ajax stick in the mind. Being released from Anfield broke Conor’s heart, but his dad encouraged him to take his time and wait for his body to fill out, and he has flourished at Wolves.

We chat about Wolves’ recent Europa adventures. Manager Nuno Espírito Santo is a hard taskmaster who hates losing. Even after the delicious victory at Beşiktaş he said he wanted more.

Thanks Conor

Graham

When asked who his toughest opponent in football was, Robert Huth doesn’t hesitate: Didier Drogba. Not just a beast, but also an immensely clever player. So was N’Golo Kanté, who Robert played behind at Leicester.

In part two of this brilliant Big Interview, we also hear about Jurgen Klinsmann’s revolution at Germany which a young Robert was the beneficiary of. Despite resistance to his methods, Jurgen was an innovator who cut through the stuffy old ways which had placed the German national team in a rut. Robert’s surprise debut was against a magnificent Brazil side, and he describes watching from the bench one of the greatest Italy performances ever, in the 2006 World Cup. The defeat put Germany in despair, but Jurgen laid the foundations for 2014 glory.

Thanks Robert.

Graham

Robert Huth will forever be remembered by Chelsea fans for driving a groundsman’s buggy swarming with jubilant players during title celebration day in 2005.

During Jose Mourinho’s Blues revolution not a second of training was wasted. Jose was a totemic figure and there was an intensity and an attention to detail that fired the players’ imaginations.

It was all a far cry from the tough East Berlin neighbourhood where former centre-half Robert had been brought up, where you honed your skills on a gravel surface (just like in Scotland). His dad had been imprisoned for speaking out against the Communist regime. Judo taught Robert self-defence and confidence, but also humility and problem solving skills. He is a critic of the rigidity of modern coaching methods which don’t sufficiently account for what to do when things go wrong. I’m with him on that.

Enjoy this brilliant Big Interview guest.

Graham

Last season, our Socios at patreon.com/grahamhunter got an exclusive interview with Eni Aluko. For the first time, here’s the full episode.

In part two we’ve got more about the progress of the women’s game and how outspoken stars like Eni and Norway’s Ada Hegerberg took stances against mediocrity, poor coaching and bad treatment of players. Eni had a particularly painful experience with the culture at England. She forgives her antagonists now but she was mystified that she wasn’t selected for France ’19.

There’s great stuff about the ruthless attitude that made the US dominate the women’s game, and about Eni’s long-term interest in developing talent and growing a winning culture at a club. Since our interview she has hung up her boots and become sporting director of Aston Villa Women. I’m sure she will be a great success.

Graham.