The Big Interview With Graham Hunter

THE Big Interview with Neil Lennon was a wonderful evening and we gave those who attended a chance to get involved, holding a Q & A with the Hibs manager at the end. Remember that you can still play your part in this podcast by donating to Ardgowan Hospice - who we were helping to raise money for on the night.Neil held court brilliantly as he fielded questions from the floor, talking frankly about player development and giving his views about where clubs and coaches are going wrong.He was also asked about the most talented managers in football today and reveals which one he would most like to have worked under as a player.And there is a wonderful tribute to a coach from his past: the late Tommy Burns. Neil recalls how the former Celtic coach once “refereed” a training ground confrontation between Derek Riordan and Gary Caldwell.Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episod

We recorded our first live Big Interview just before Christmas when Neil Lennon joined us at Greenock Town Hall. It was a special event and we want to thank esteemed actor - and our good friend - Martin Compston for inviting us along to help raise funds for Ardgowan Hospice.As you are about to find out, this Big Interview was great fun. Neil can tell a story just as well as he used to retain possession, like when Martin O’Neill dragged his Leicester City players to Yorkshire Ripper murder scenes, or when Noel Gallagher told Neil off for misbehaving before an Oasis gig.We also talk about player development, with Neil explaining why he believes over-coaching is preventing the emergence of more free-thinking, creative players.And, of course, his encounters with Barcelona come up too, a team which Neil faced first as a player and later, famously, as a manager.This is Neil Lennon. Live.Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this wi

JUST about every guest I’ve spoken to on The Big Interview had a tale of transfers which went right, others that went spectacularly wrong and those which fell through at the last minute.During this clip show you’ll hear Charlie Nicholas talk about a move to Nice which went so far off track that he ended up at Aberdeen. And there is Peter Beardsley’s tale of how he ended up at Manchester United, which is one of the finest on any podcast I’ve done. Damien Duff, Gary McAllister and Alan Pardew also reveal the details behind the big transfer stories in their careers.Then there are the deals which didn’t happen. Jody Morris’ exit from Chelsea was a saga, while Darren Fletcher still regrets the collapse of a move to Spain and Michael O’ Neill looks back at how an early Bosman switch to Sturm Graz hit the buffers.David Moyes and Jamie Carragher will also talk about player recruitment, and there will even be time for a couple of tales about Eric Cantona before The Big Interview’s transfer window slams... Hosted on Ac

John Collins' career was shaped by his move from Celtic to Monaco in 1996, where he played alongside a couple of promising youngsters named Thierry Henry and David Trezeguet.Here, Collins tells us how the two French internationalists carried the hamper into the dressing ground at every away game in the season prior to winning the World Cup.During his time in France, Collins underwent a technical and tactical revolution, but his marginal gains approach to self-improvement started in his teens. How else would a skinny kid from Galashiels get the chance to line up alongside George Best in only his second professional game?He now has strong opinions about the development of young footballers. We talk Jean Tigana, rugby, John Stones, sweeper keepers and that cheeky wink to camera before Scotland–Brazil - the opening game of the 1998 World Cup in France.Football needs John Collins. I'm sure you'll agree after an hour in his company. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episo

As a born-and-bred Aberdonian, Sir Alex Ferguson had a huge influence on my life.He revolutionised my hometown team in the 1980s through strategic management and sheer force of will. He made things seem possible. And it would be impossible to do a football podcast without talking about the legendary Scot.The contributions from Jamie Carragher and Kevin Bridges reveal a different side of Fergie: his forensic memory, his humour, his deep love of the beautiful game. David Moyes and Gordon Strachan give an insight into the force of nature which was Ferguson in his younger days. To Strachan, the former Manchester United manager remains the best sports psychologist in the world.Then, Darren Fletcher’ s testimony takes us into the dressing room on a matchday. If you want to know what a Fergie teamtalk is like, listen to the end.Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit r

IN four years at FC Barcelona, Steve Archibald became one of the most successful British exports to Spanish football, a striker known affectionately as Archigoles.That was a fitting title for a player who struck in his first Clasico - in Madrid, on the first day of that debut season - and, later, scored the famous “goal with the ear”, even though Steve will explain why that is perhaps a misnomer.He will also lead you inside the supreme talent and unpredictable mind of Bernd Schuster, describe the world’s worst massage and explain how to avoid one of the most notorious hitmen in European football.Steve is in the process of writing his autobiography and this interview proves why that book will be worth waiting for.Enjoy!Graham Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com

THE Big Interview has been influenced by Steve Archibald on more than one occasion. It was his time at FC Barcelona and decision to settle in the city at the end of his career which helped me choose to move there myself in 2002, while Steve had impacted my life already, as a favourite striker at that other great footballing mecca: Aberdeen. In the first part of this interview, Steve talks about his Pittodrie career, his talented team-mates and, of course, the manager who would lead them all to the league title in 1980. It was inevitable that Fergie would get a mention . . . or Mr Ferguson, I should say, as Steve will explain. But he does not simply look back on those glory days, and it is fascinating to listen to Steve take a forensic view of the centre-forward position - breaking down the role of a goalscorer. Steve told the tale of his time in England, but that part of the interview was lost as a result of some technical problems during recording. I’m really sorry, especially to you Spurs... Hosted on Acast

MUSIC and football. What else is there? Like football, music makes the world a happier place. So it was inevitable – essential, even – that The Big Interview would touch on music.Karaoke is one of my passions in life and a number of my guests have joined in on The Big Interview, taking the mic to reveal their go-to anthems. We have learned that Eddie Howe likes to belt out A-ha; Hermann Hreidarsson has all the moves to be a convincing Elvis impersonator; and Chris Waddle counts Mr Brightside and Billy Idol’s Rebel Yell among his karaoke repertoire.And there’s more, more, more. Chris talked about performing on Top of the Pops alongside Spurs team-mate Glenn Hoddle, winning over everyone who saw them. Except Morrissey.Music is part of football culture. It always has been and, hopefully, always will be. According to Jamie Carragher, Ring of Fire was the soundtrack to Liverpool’s Champions League win in 2005.Not every team has had such good taste, of course, and thanks to Paul Clement we now know... Hosted on Aca

SIGNING FOR Real Madrid would change everything for Steve McManaman. The move turned him into a league champion and Champions League winner, but it also transformed the way he played the game. In part two, McManaman talks about reinventing himself as a holding midfielder to better serve a team which included the likes of Luis Figo and Fernando Redondo - a player McManaman still considers a great, even though injury crippled the Argentine’s career. There is also an appreciation of the roles performed by Ronnie Whelan at Liverpool during the 80s, and Sergio Busquets in the current Barcelona side; fine support acts to some of the biggest stars in the game. Zinedine Zidane gets a mention, too, although not as you might expect. Listen to how this World Cup winner often looked lost during the early days of his Madrid career - before finding himself emphatically with a certain goal at Hampden - and why Claude Makelele was regarded as the most important player at the Bernabeu. When Makelele left it was the... Hosted

The four years that Steve McManaman spent at Real Madrid can be summed up in two Champions League wins, two league titles, and one remark from none other than Johan Cruyff, who described the Merseyside Madridista as “el socio del todos” - a partner to everyone on the pitch.McManaman would have needed the help of an interpreter to translate such an endorsement during his early days in Spain, but the language barrier was to prove no impediment to the Englishman as he settled in immediately at the Bernabeu. He showed courage on the ball and in a social setting, mixing a cocktail of beers and crude hand gestures during a pre-season trip in Austria to ingratiate himself to his new team-mates.In part one, McManaman talks about his ambition to leave Liverpool and play abroad, the unexpected challenges of joining one of the biggest club teams in the world, and the second home he discovered in a dressing room which was supposed to be in turmoil. Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This

Don't be mis-sold by the picture, this is not a Big Interview with King Eric. But wouldn't that be wonderful? This is something new. The first in a series of clip shows where we look back over the first season of the podcast and find themes that a few of our guests talked about. This is about the mavericks. You'll hear Chris Waddle talk about what it takes to get fans out of their seats. Then several of our guests talk about two of the great icons of 90s football: Paul Gascoigne and Eric Cantona. There'll be another new guest on the podcast next week. But for now, I hope you enjoy this. There will be more coming soon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com

This second part of my interview with Stiliyan Petrov features a brilliant breakdown on the way Martin O’Neill has repeatedly made a team perform beyond the sum of its parts. At Aston Villa, Petrov felt both the warm sunlight and the shade cast by his old boss. He also talks brilliantly about his year-long campaign to win back the trust and affection of the Villa fans, and where that journey took him and the team he would eventually captain.Then we get on to Stiliyan’s battle with leukaemia. He regrets that having worked so hard to “be somebody” as he puts it, his children now see him represented more for his illness and recovery than for his achievements on the football pitch. However, he also knows his story can offer support to others, and that he is in a position to materially affect the fight against cancer in this country. I had never met Stiliyan before this interview and I found him an inspiration. His description of what he went through, and how it gave him a new perspective on life, is... Hosted on

Part one of this interview with Stiliyan Petrov – which is one of my favourites in this entire series – covers a lot of ground, from picking up rifle shell cases from the snow, to the dangers of not being close enough to Henrik Larsson when he wins a header. Not all of you may know that Stiliyan took an enforced break in the early years of his career as a pro to serve the Bulgarian army for 18 months. He tells it here, and connects the lessons he learned during that time with the footballer and the man he would become.At Celtic, he had to adapt to a new country and a new language. How he improved his English is a story matched by very few of the guests we have had on the podcast. So grab yourself a burger, and enjoy the first part of a fascinating interview with a remarkable man. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com

I FIRST interviewed Pablo Zabaleta at his tiny flat in the Manchester suburb of Didsbury years ago. A lot has happened since then. The Argentine has now made over 300 appearances for the club which he joined just before Sheikh Mansoor’s takeover in 2008. He also scored the forgotten goal of English football. 2012. Final game of the season. Edin Dzeko equalises against QPR in the 93rd minute. Then, “Aguerooooo” seals the title with the famous last minute strike. Pablo opened the scoring that day and told me that at half-time, with the score 1-0, he thought he’d be the “hero of the day, the hero of the city!”He is fascinating on those final few moments of the 2012 season, revealing how the injury-time news that QPR were safe changed everything in City’s favour and helped Aguero to claim his place in history. We cover a lot in this conversation, starting in 2005 at the Under-20 World Cup, which Argentina won. Zabaleta was captain and a little Argentinean kid called Leo Messi had joined up with the squad... Hoste

Pablo Zabaleta recalls the touchline shout from a member of the QPR coaching staff that defused Manchester City's dogged opponents on the final day of the 2011/2012 season, setting the table for Sergio Aguero's iconic title-winning goal. Listen to the full interview on iTunes, Acast, or at grahamhunter.tv. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com

Matt Le Tissier and Glenn Hoddle were both footballers of extraordinary technique but, in part two of this interview, Matt tells us how Glenn was the only manager he ever swore at during in his career. We hear about the intoxicating effects of relegation battles and the huge responsibility Matt felt for keeping the club in the top league. Ronnie Ekelund, Mauricio Pocchetino and Gareth Bale also pop up.EnjoyGraham Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com

Matt Le Tissier was the ultimate Local Hero (great film, btw). He signed for Southampton at 16 and stayed for his whole career. His exquisite talents would have allowed him to grace a higher stage, but trophies and money were never his motivation. In part one, Matt talks about his End Blyton-esque childhood on Guernsey, his passion for cricket, the art of penalty-taking and scoring the last-ever goal at the Dell. Guys like Matt are a reminder of why we all love football so much. And I hope you enjoy this conversation with a legend of the British game as much as I did. GrahamThis episode was made possible by Nordoff Robins. We met Matt before Nordoff Robins’ annual football fundraising dinner in London. It’ s a charity we’ d like you to think about. Nordoff Robins offer music therapy to help children with a wide range of acute difficulties. As always, this podcast is free, but if you think this chat is worth £1 or more, please go to www.nordoff-robins.org.uk and hit ‘ donate’ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/p

As president of Real Madrid – and as an influencer while out of that office – Ramon Calderon was inside some historic deals: Cristiano Ronaldo to Madrid being chief amongst them. In this, the second part of my interview with him, you’ll hear the story of that transfer, and also a whole bunch of other decisions, made by him and by Florentino Perez, the man he succeeded and who would return to power at the Bernabeu, with Ramon Calderon as a frequent critic. You’re going to hear very nice things said about David Beckham. You’re going to hear about Predrag Mijatovic and the need to delegate. You’re going to hear about how two goals in the last 20 minutes of a football match can restore one’s faith in a higher power. I hope you like it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com

In his pristine legal office in downtown Madrid, Ramon Calderon comes off as a perfectly-mannered, spritely and talkative elder Real Madrid fan. Reason enough to mine the stories you are about to hear. But his status as not only a lifelong supporter, but also a board member and former president of that great club make him the perfect guide into the legend of Madrid. This is a guy that saw Alfredo Di Stefano play and later got to know him as a man. And for this, part one of the interview, we’re going to focus more or less on his time as a supporter in the 1960s and 70s. There is a glimpse of what’s to come in the way he breaks down the model Madrid use to turn superstar players into vast reservoirs of cash, but even that is rooted in the incredible vision of Santiago Bernabeu, the man behind Madrid. Enjoy! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was born in Surinam, learned football in Holland and spent most of his career in England, with a short stay in Spain at Atleti.Few are better placed to discuss the differences in football cultures... and Jimmy doesn't hold back. He has a strong take on the issues within English football, but it is his home nation of Holland that he singles out for the most criticism. Why do the Dutch keep coming up short?Jimmy also talks Chelsea, Middlesbrough, Gudjohnsen and Valeron.Enjoy Graham Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com