BroPod

Markus Fjortoft (@MarkusFjortoft) and Ciaran McKenna (@CiaranMcKenna8) talk to Colin Millar (@Millar_Colin) about Financial Fair Play, particularly the approach of La Liga and how this compares to the rest of Europe, as well as whether this hinders or spurs growth for La Liga. We also chat about Woke Capitalism, how clubs espouse liberal values while engaging in commercial deals and ownership models that directly contradict said values; how Sports Washing continues to operate; the inadequacy of Fit and Proper Tests, as well as the overlapping trends of inequality and accountability between UK sports and politics, and how fans, players, and the media are supposed to operate in this environment.  Follow BroPod on Twitter (@BroPod1) and Facebook. Feel free to subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and other outlets. #beother

In this episode, Miriam (@Miriam Walker-Khan) talks to Markus Fjortoft (@MarkusFjortoft) and Ciaran McKenna (@CiaranMcKenna8) about the legacy of the film “Bend it Like Beckham”, and what inspired her to make a short documentary about the film 20 years on from its release date. We discussed that despite the skepticism at the time about hiring an Indian female as the lead character & targeting the British Asian community as an audience; the film became the highest grossing football film ever, and not only resonated with the British Asian community, but became highly popular among all demographics of people. Furthermore, we spoke about both the progress made within football for British Asian females, and what more can still be done, the growth of England's Women's Super League, as well as about Miriam's own journey through sports journalism and what the future holds for her. Follow BroPod on Twitter (@BroPod1) and Facebook. Feel free to subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and other outlets. #beother

In this episode, Rob Harris (@RobHarris), along with Markus Fjortoft (@MarkusFjortoft) and Ciaran McKenna (@CiaranMcKenna8) , explore the intricacies and complexities of politics within sports. We discuss player activism on social issues, managers' complicity or non-complicity with their club's owners, the ethics surrounding the location of sporting events; including the Russia and Qatar World Cups, the Saudi Arabia F1 Grand Prix, and the Beijing Winter Olympics, as well as comparing the difference between politicians engaging with ‘unsavoury' states with sporting federations. We also discuss Manchester City's violations of FIFA's Financial Fair Play rules, the capability of sports regulatory bodies to hold them accountable, whether they are truly independent, and touching on the future of football club ownership and whether viable alternatives exist. Moreover, we ask Rob how he navigates his own political and moral beliefs while reporting on controversial matters and how he asks the hard questions while maintaining journalistic integrity and respect within the community. Rob Harris is a British sports journalist and Global Sports Correspondant for the Associated Press. Rob's reporting focuses on the intersection of politics and sports. Notable work includes his coverage of the 2015 FIFA arrests in Zurich, as well as his dogged reporting of what lies behind the success of Man City; from the FIFA FFP violations to the human rights abuses of the club's owner and deputy Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mansour. Rob regularly appears on MSNBC, BBC, and Sky News. Follow BroPod on Twitter (@BroPod1) and Facebook. Feel free to subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and other outlets. #beother

Episode DescriptionFrom Vancouver with Brian White (@_BrianWhite42) to Glasgow with Markus (@markusfjortoft) and Ciaran (CiaranMcKenna8), this episode follows up on the previous two episodes about pro academies, college, and taking a different approach towards a professional career. Brian candidly reflects on his path from a New Jersey hopeful, through the college experience at Duke University, all the way to the pros with New York Red Bulls and Vancouver Whitecaps. We discuss why it's gone so well at the Whitecaps and how he's dealt with the inevitable setbacks: not being signed to a pro contract after being the 14th pick in the draft, being traded by the Red Bulls, and not being called up to the USMNT. Further, we discuss the key to a good partnership, being a selfless striker, and the mental application to taking the next step. Lastly, we reflect on the rewards of the college system for his development and what he wants to do after his pro football career is over. Guest DescriptionBrian White is a striker for the Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS and a Duke Alumnus. He spent the beginning of his career with the Red Bulls. He had 15 goals in 47 MLS appearances with the club after signing an MLS deal in 2018, having excelled for RBNY's second team in the USL Championship. White was selected in the first round of the 2018 MLS SuperDraft after attending Duke University. Brian was traded to the Vancouver Whitecaps in June 2021 and became a revelation last season. The centre-forward had 12 goals and five assists in 27 appearances for the Canadian club, helping orchestrate a second-half surge under then-interim head coach Vanni Sartini, leading the club to the MLS Cup Playoffs. He agreed to a contract extension through 2025 with a club option for 2026 ahead of this season.Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Feel free to subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and other outlets. #beother

Mike Noonan (@CoachMikeNoonan) is Head Coach of Clemson Men's University soccer team and current NCAA Division 1 Champion, the national champion of college soccer. Following retirement from professional soccer, he has gone on to become one of the most well-respected college soccer coaches characterized by an impressive consistency and talent development. Episode DescriptionIn this talk with @markusfjortoft and @CiaranMcKenna8, he reflects on recruiting character instead of players, taking an educational approach to developing players, cultivating a “winning” culture across decades of coaching, where college fits in the larger American development system and the “software” it provides, and how MLS can do better in recognizing this.At Ivy League school Brown University, Mike enjoyed consistent success, reaching 8 NCAA appearances, and winning 8 Ivy League Championships. Following his 15 years at Brown, he became head coach at Clemson and has since won 4 ACC Regular Season Championships and 2 Tournament Championships. Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Feel free to subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and other outlets. #beother

Liam's Football Focus mini-doc has nearly 200k views on @BBCSport YouTube - Football Focus presents Hidden Pressures. This short form documentary features  presenter and ex pro footballer @Liam_macdevitt, who explores the 97% of players who come through the Premier League academy system but do not play a minute of top flight football. In this chat with @markusfjortoft and @CiaranMcKenna8, Liam talks about the fickle and ruthless nature of football, the pitfall of solely identifying yourself as a footballer, creating improved systems for individuals to grow as people off the field as well as on it, and how far we have actually come.Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Feel free to subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and other outlets. #beother

Guest SummaryStåle Solbakken is currently the Norwegian Men's National team manager. He is also a former professional footballer, totaling 298 appearances and 87 goals. Other achievements include being named 1995 Norwegian midfielder of the year, and 2 Danish Superliga championships with Aalborg and Copenhagen in 1999 and 2000, respectively. He represented Norway 58 times, including appearances in the 1998 World Cup and the 2000 European Championship, and scored nine goals. He ended his playing career in 2001 following a heart attack. As a manager, Ståle was named 2004 Norwegian Manager of the Year, and he has won a remarkable 8 Danish Superliga championships with Copenhagen. In addition, he took charge of FC Köln during the 2011/12 season and had a 6-month spell as manager of English side Wolves in the 2012/13 season. Episode SummaryStåle Solbakken talks to Markus Fjørtoft (@markusfjortoft) and Ciaran McKenna (@ciaranmckenna8) about his incredible experiences in football from playing to managing; both domestically and internationally. We cover his unique relationship with the Norwegian club Ham-Kam, the dying art of a goal-scoring midfielder and what contributed to him being one, his success as a player at Lillestrøm and the best 18-months of his career at Aalborg in Denmark, life before and after his cardiac arrest, as well as depicting his 20-year management career covering: his coaching philosophy, the qualities which world-class managers inhabit, building a winning culture at FC Copenhagen, fighting with Pep Guardiola to drinking with him, and transitioning into international football as Norwegian National Team manager - the collective mentality within Norwegian culture and balancing that with encouraging individual talent, as well as the challenge of getting Norwegian talent development ‘right'.Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Feel free to subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes, Spotify, and other outlets. #beother

Uwe Rösler is a German former professional football player and current manager. Uwe grew up in East Germany, attending the renowned school of excellence for elite sports before starting his professional career at Lokomotive Leipzig. He went on to play with several German clubs, including; BSG Chemie Leipzig, FC Magdeburg, Dynamo Dresden, and FC Nurnberg - all before making the move to Man City where he enjoyed the most successful spell of his playing career, scoring a total of 64 goals in 176 games, which earned him a place in City's Hall of Fame in 2009. He later went on to end his playing career in Norway at Lillestrøm before starting his managerial career at the same club. Since then, he has managed several clubs over the past 17 years, including; Viking, Molde, Brentford, Wigan, Leeds, Fleetwood, Malmö, and most recently Fortuna Dusseldorf. Uwe shares with Markus and Ciaran his experiences growing up and living in East Germany, which consisted of a regimented yet innovative school of excellence program, threats from Stasi, the secret police force, and being in the middle of the uprisings that led to the fall of the Berlin Wall -  all of which had a profound effect on his playing and managerial career. Further, we go on to discuss his cult hero status at Manchester City and his desire to have retired there, and the cancer that forced him to retire in Norway while at Lillestrøm. Thanks for sharing Uwe. The latter part of the episode grapples with his managerial career, as we discuss him putting his stamp on a team in an increasingly shorter time-frame for managers,  and how he compares himself to when he first started in 2004 both tactically and "politically".Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Feel free to subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes, Spotify and all other outlets. #beother

Raymond Sparkes is UK's longest serving football agent, having been in the business since 1991. In running ProStar Management, he represented up to 70 clients at one point, including high-profile clients such as Celtic legends Tommy Burns, John Collins, and Artur Boruc. At one point he represented 8 of 11 players in the Celtic line-up. Further, he brokered the first two Bosman deals in the UK. He recently completed his Master of Sports Directorship. In this candid and in-depth conversation, Raymond talks to Ciaran and Markus about how the industry has changed since he had to put up a 100k bond to become an agent, the delicacy of managing clients and the main reason a career can break down, the all-importance of knowing "what good looks like", the type of players he looks for and why, transitioning to a different generation of players,  the accuracy of Jerry Maguire, and the art of strategic positioning from a network and commercial perspective with a certain David Beckham as an example + plenty of anecdotes!Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Feel free to subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes, Spotify and all other outlets. #beother

Join us in this chat as Samuel talks to Markus Fjørtoft (@markusfjortoft) about the inner-media workings at Manchester United. We start off by asking what we ask all journalists: finding the balance between forming relationships with a club and players while reporting the truth and the necessary criticism. Further, we discuss his relationships with the different managers, ranging from Van Gaal to Mourinho and Solskjær, as well as Sir Alex Ferguson's current influence and the weight of expectations tied to the Ferguson DNA, and most critically, the problematic advice players are currently receiving from so-called media experts and the reasons for this tone-deaf approach. Samuel Luckhurst (@samuelluckhurst) is the Chief Manchester United writer for the Manchester Evening News - the biggest regional football desk in the United Kingdom. He has represented the MEN on the BBC, CNN, TalkSport, Radio 5 Live, and various other media outlets worldwide and has close to 300k followers on Twitter. He also led the launch of the HuffPost UK site's successful sports section as Sports Editor. Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Feel free to subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes, Spotify and all other outlets. #beother

Christian Falk (@cfbayern) currently works as the head of football @sportbild and @BILD_sport, the sports section of Bild, the best-selling European newspaper with the sixteenth-largest circulation worldwide.  As THE Bayern Munich Insider, he has gained notoriety for his "True " or "Not True" reporting,  his weekly podcast, "Bayern Insider", and his two books on Bayern, aptly named "Inside FC Bayern" and "Bayern Insider".  He has been reporting on FC Bayern since 2000, and has accompanied the German national team to all tournaments since the 2004 European Championship, and currently acts as the team leader of the national team reporters. In this episode, we aim to get an inside look into the insider (see what we did there) - to get behind the man that is Christian Falk and gain insight as to how he has built the name, reputation, and network to get where he is today. Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Feel free to subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes and/or Spotify. #beother

Markus Fjørtoft (@markusfjortoft) and Ciaran McKenna (CiaranMcKenna8) talk to Derek Rae (@RaeComm), the legendary Scottish football commentator. His distinguishable voice has vividly guided millions through the bliss and torment of some of the most iconic football games the world has seen in the last three decades. In this special episode, Derek takes us through his love for football and linguistics, starting as a small kid in rural Aberdeen listening to German radio, his move to the US when the sport was only at its infancy, the making of a successful tournament and the players that wowed him, his notorious dedication to pronunciations, the key insight of becoming a FIFA commentator, and an incredible outro to top it all off. This is the legend that is Derek Rae...Derek Rae is a Scottish football commentator working for ESPN and the Bundesliga/DFL World Feed. Derek has had a distinguished career covering and commentating on football worldwide from the Scottish Premiership to MLS and, more recently, the Bundesliga, as well as in most major international tournaments from the 1990s onwards. In addition, he has been the lead commentator on the popular football video game FIFA for the past three years (having been involved since 2019). He was awarded the 1987 British Sports Broadcaster of the Year. Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Feel free to subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes and/or Spotify. #beother

Michael Stewart is a Scottish former footballer. He began his professional career at Manchester United, and played for both Edinburgh rivals, Hearts and Hibernian. He also had spells at Nottingham Forest and Charlton, and during his career he was capped four times for Scotland. Following retirement, Michael has worked as a pundit for BBC Scotland, BT Sport and The Scottish Sun. Furthermore, Michael has started to forge a career into politics, participating in broadcasted political debates and sharing political commentary with his over 100k followers on Twitter.Michael talks to Markus and Ciaran about how it was growing into an adult at Manchester United, the gradual process in finding the aspired for balance in succeeding both on and off the field, how his move to Manchester sparked his interest in politics, and the subsequent defiance of "sticking to football" which has led him on a path towards carving a role for himself in politics.Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Feel free to subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes and/or Spotify. #beother

Matt Rizzetta is currently the chairman of North Sixth Group, a family office holding company with a vision to invest in passion, purpose and progress. North Sixth Group has wholly owned and minority interests in various investments across multiple sectors, including real estate, media, technology, travel, and sports and entertainment. The company's notable assets are North 6th Agency, a leading brand communications firm Rizzetta founded in 2010 and served as CEO from 2010 to 2020. Under his leadership, the agency has been ranked as one of the 50 most powerful agencies in the United States. Another asset owned by North Sixth Group is SS Campobasso, a professional football club based in Italy's Serie C. Additionally, the group has recently purchased a 31% ownership stake in Italy's Serie B side Ascoli Calcio, with the option to purchase up to 51% by the end of the 21/22 season. Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Feel free to subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes and/or Spotify. #beother

Jay Heaps is an American former professional soccer player who is currently the President and General Manager of Alabama-based USL Championship team Birmingham Legion FC. Following four years as a double-athlete at Duke University - he competed with both the Men's soccer team and Men's basketball team (under Coach K) and won the Hermann Trophy (best college soccer player) - Jay made the transition to professional soccer in the MLS beginning at Miami Fusion. After two seasons there, where he won MLS Rookie of the year, Jay moved to New England Revolution, where he spent the rest of his playing career making a total of 243 appearances. In addition, Jay earned 4 US men's national team caps, all coming in the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Since retiring from soccer in 2009, Jay wasted no time in pursuing careers off the field. He spent two years at Morgan Stanley as a private wealth manager before heading back to soccer as manager of the New England Revolution, where he remained until 2017. Jay Heaps (@JayHeaps722) talks to Markus Fjørtoft (@markusfjortoft) and Ciaran McKenna (@ciaranmckenna8) about an extraordinary career molded by both natural and applied excellence. Jay's innate talent coupled with an extreme competitiveness has allowed him to succeed as both a player, coach, wall street wealth manager, and now in the dual role as President and General Manager at newly-started USL Championship team Birmingham Legion. Impressive is an understatement, and we're thrilled to share this episode with you!Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Feel free to subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes and/or Spotify. #beother

Here We Go! Fabrizio Romano finds the time to talk to us amid all the transfer window chaos! We talk with him about: his background, creating and maintaining his network and how that has changed as he has gotten bigger, how he works a transfer (using the recent Varane transfer as an example), what is in it for the clubs and agents to give him information, and how he looks to develop and expand. Fabrizio Romano is an Italian journalist from Naples. He is best known for his knowledge and reporting of football transfers, to the extent where he is considered one of the most trusted transfer-related pundits in football. He began working for Sky Sports Italy at the early age of 19 and has since created an excellent network with clubs, agents, and intermediaries all over Europe. He is renowned for his famous tagline on Twitter, “here we go,” which he uses when announcing a new transfer deal. Romano also writes for The Guardian and has over 4 million followers on Twitter. Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Feel free to subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes and/or Spotify. #beother

Morten Thorsby is a Norwegian Professional Footballer who plays for Sampdoria in the Serie A and the Norway national team. He started playing football locally as a youngster in Oslo, first at IL Heming and then FK Lyn, before joining Stabæk in 2012. He worked his way into the first team at Stabæk, making 14 appearances before attracting the attention of Dutch side SC Heerenveen where he earned a 5-year contract which saw him play in the Eredivisie from 2014-2019. He signed a 4-year deal with Sampdoria in 2019, where he has made 57 appearances thus far. Equally as impressive, Morten is passionately committed to the fight against climate change. He established the foundation, We Play Green, to encourage and assist the football community in utilizing its role in society more positively by adopting environmentally friendly initiatives. Join us in this insightful chat with Morten, as we discuss mentality, purpose-driven performance, being more than a footballer, his foundation and what he aims to accomplish, and why Miralem Pjanić is the most impressive player he´s played against!Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Feel free to subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes and/or Spotify. #beother

Born and bred in Mallorca, Antoni (@Aordinas) grew up playing centre-back for a few local teams, including CD Llosetense. He embarked on his UEFA Pro License in his early 30s and coached at youth level for numerous clubs in the Balearic Islands. He made the move to Norway in 2013, where he began coaching at the Norwegian School of Elite Sport, alongside coaching for Norwegian Premiership side Stabæk. While gravitating towards youth football, as both Reserve Team Coach and Youth Technical Director, he became Stabæk Head Coach in 2016, where he remained until the summer of 2018. Highly respected and influential, Toni played a significant role in building up Stabæk´s academy to become one of the best, if not the best, academy in Norway. He then moved on from Stabæk at the beginning of 2019 to begin his new role as Football Academy Director at Lillestrøm SK, another Norwegian Premiership Club. LSK started five academy products in the latest league outing, the highest tally in the 2021 league season. Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Feel free to subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes and/or Spotify. #beother

Tom (@denty24) started his coaching journey studying Sports Science and Coaching at Brunel University in London, while simultaneously gaining experience working with the Fulham FC Foundation. Following University, he quickly headed to Norway where he started off at the lower league side Follo FK as GK coach for all age groups from the u14s to the first team and coupled with managing the Follo FK youth teams. This experience led him to become assistant manager at 2nd division side Stjørdals-Blink for 10 months before he moved on to become Head Coach of the u19s and reserve team at 2021 Premiership Champions Bodo Glimt, where he focused on player development. He has now recently returned to Stjørdals-Blink earning the 1st team Head Coach role.    Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Feel free to subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes and/or Spotify. #beother

Kevin is a former Scottish footballer who has been playing and coaching in Norway for the last 16 years. Clubs played for include Raith Rovers, Hibernian, Strømsgodset, and Haugesund.  He is now an assistant coach at Mjøndalen in the Norwegian Premiership (Eliteserien). Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Feel free to subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes and/or Spotify. #beother

For 40 years Bernie Ecclestone, the F1 supremo, ran the show and built it into a global sport. Then 4 years ago, Liberty Media, an American mass media company purchased a controlling interest in the Formula 1 group for around $4.5b. Ecclestone´s exit marked a significant shift, as Liberty Media, who see F1 more as an entertainment company rather than a sports organization, accelerated its bid to reach new audiences through the likes social media, a dedicated eSports platform, and an on-demand video service. As opposed to previously limited access to the sport, Liberty Media has sought to open it more up to the public, with moves such as the Netflix Drive to Survive series having an incredible impact on the overall engagement with the sports. Formula 1 is now the fastest-growing major sports property across all the major social platforms. Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Feel free to subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes and/or Spotify. #beother

Scott Sandalow has worked at the intersection of sport and digital marketing/brand development over the past 15 years now. He’s notably spent time working for Chicago Fire, New York Red Bulls, and Bayern Munich. Scott now heads Brand Development at AS Roma.Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Feel free to subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes and/or Spotify. #beother

We have former BroPod guest Liam MacDevitt(@Liam_macdevitt) on, who has a documentary on Marcus Rashford that is less than a week away from airing on BBC. #beother

Born and raised in Oslo, Caroline played for local club Lyn until the age of 15. She then moved to Stabaek, where she spent 3 seasons playing in Norway’s top division, helping Stabaek win 2 league titles and 3 Norwegian Women’s Cups. She then had a short spell at Sweden’s top-flight champions Tyreso, before returning to Stabaek again so she could complete her high school education. In 2014, she signed with German side Wolfsburg. While there, she won the Frauen Bundesliga (Women’s top flight) 3 times, as well as winning the DFB-Pokal (national cup competition) 5 times, and reached the Champions League final twice in 2016 and 2018, losing both times to Lyon. In 2019, she signed for Barcelona, where she has won the league, Super Cup, Copa Catalunya, and Copa de la Rena, as well as reaching the Champions League final in 2019, suffering defeat again to Lyon. Carolina has simultaneously represented the Norwegian Women’s national team from u15 right up to the first team, where she has made 85 appearances, scoring a total of 38 international goals. She has represented Norway at the 2013 and 2017 Women’s Euro Championships, as well as the 2019 Women’s World Cup. She was one of eleven players nominated in “The Best FIFA Women´s Player” in 2020.Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Feel free to subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes and/or Spotify. #beother

Mikkel Beck (@beckmikkel) is a former footballer and current agent. He played in Denmark, Germany, England, and France, and was part of the Middlesbrough team that reached the FA Cup and League Cup final during the 96/97 season. He's also played in two European Championships for Denmark, as well as scoring 3 goals for his country. He created his agency, Beckster SPRL back in 2003, shortly after retiring at the age of 30, and now has clients in 9 different countries. Clients include Lucas Digne at Everton, Simon Kjær at AC Milan, Rony Lopes at Nice, and Matty Ryan at Arsenal.Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Feel free to subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes and/or Spotify. #beother

Prior to getting involved in football Jordan Gardner (@mrjordangardner) was the Vice President of Investment and Business Strategy for the digital media company JUGOtv, as well as being the owner and CEO of an event ticketing and technology company based in San Francisco. He first transitioned into football with a minority investment in Swansea City FC, which was quickly followed with a co-ownership stake in Dundalk FC. He is now currently Chairman of the board, Managing Director & Co-Owner of FC Helsingør, who compete in Denmarks 1st Division (second tier). On top of all this he shares his experiences and knowledge regularly online with features in Forbes, ESPN, Sports Illustrated, The Athletic, SportBusiness, and The Guardian.Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Please subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes and/or Spotify. #beother

Cristian Nyari (@cynari) started his career as a writer for various publications including Goal.com, New York Times, and Bleacher Report, as well as being a data analyst at Perform Content. He also started his own blog, Bundesliga Fanatic, which proved very popular. This all propelled him to gain a job at Bayern Munich where he grew to be the Head of Media for the club in America; and succeeded in building the largest network of supporter groups in North America, as well as doubling their digital audience and signing multiple global and regional media partnerships. He is now currently the Head of Commercial Content at DAZN Group; the world’s fastest-growing global sports streaming service, focused on leading the change to give sports fans around the world affordable access to sport anytime, anywhere.Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Please subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes and/or Spotify. #beother

Grant Wahl is one of the most influential voices in US soccer journalism. Wahl has won numerous journalism awards, was a senior writer with Sports Illustrated for 23 years, and has written a couple of books too - the New York Times bestseller “The Beckham Experiment” - covering Beckham's first 16 months at the LA Galaxy, and “Masters of Modern Soccer: How the World’s Best Play the Twenty-First-Century Game.” You can listen to him twice a week on the “Futbol with Grant Wahl” podcast, as well as with the new “Freddy Adu: American Prodigy” series, found on all your podcast platforms. Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Please subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes and/or Spotify. #beother

Jason Kreis was part of the first MLS season and recorded 300 appearances over 12 years in the league. After his playing career he transitioned into coaching, taking charge of Real Salt Lake, New York City FC and Orlando City SC between 2007 and 2018. At RSL his philosophy turned a struggling franchise into one of the MLS powerhouses, led by the mantra of “the team is the star.” He became the youngest head-coach in MLS history to win the MLS Cup in 2009, and he led them to playoff appearances in all subsequent seasons through 2013. By then he had recorded a CONCACAF Champions League final appearance as the first MLS team to do so, and a lost MLS Cup final on penalties in 2013. In January 2019 he took the position of Senior Academy Director of Inter Miami and in March 2019 he was named U.S. Men’s National U-23 Head Coach.Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Please subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes and/or Spotify. #beother

It's been a minute, but it's only because we want to give you guys and girls the very best. That's why we're delighted to present to you our latest guest: Ali Curtis.Similar to us, Ali spent the formative years of his life at Duke University from 1997 to 2000. To say his time with Duke soccer was a success would be an understatement. He is the all-time leading goal scorer in Duke history with 53 goals, as well as 28 assists. This resulted in him winning the Herman Trophy his junior year, as well as the MAC Award his senior year (both awards recognise college soccer’s best player). Following Duke he went on to make 65 appearances in the MLS over a span of 3 years with Tampa Bay Mutiny, D.C. United, and Dallas Burn. He left soccer briefly for JP Morgan investment bank, where he worked for 3 years, before returning to the MLS where he operated as the league’s Senior Director of Player Relations and Competition. In 2014, he was appointed as the Sporting Director at the New York Red Bulls. More recently, in 2019, he was named the General manager of Toronto FC.

Steve Nicol is a Liverpool legend. With 5 league titles, 3 FA Cups, and one European Cup title to his name, he was part of one of the most successful English teams in history. He's played with them all. He's been coached by them all. In this episode, Steve Nicol shares with Markus Fjørtoft and Ciaran McKenna insight into the ability to remain consistent and dominant over several years, the distinctions in what makes a great captain (i.e. Hansen vs. Souness), the one manager he was scared of, the tragedies that defined a city and club and attempting to put the pieces back together + moving to America and becoming one of the longest tenured managers in the MLS.Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Please subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes and/or Spotify. #beother

Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Please subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes and/or Spotify. #beother

In this episode, we have PART 2 of a 4-way chat between Markus Fjørtoft, Ciaran McKenna, Amir Lowery (@princelowery) and Liam MacDevitt (@Liam_macdevitt).Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Please subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes and/or Spotify. #beother

In this episode, we have PART 1 of a 4-way chat between Markus Fjørtoft, Ciaran McKenna, Amir Lowery (@princelowery) and Liam MacDevitt (@Liam_macdevitt).We collectively discuss the recent Black Lives Matter protests, the rising activism from athletes on both sides of the Atlantic, and the ability of football players to take on different roles in society as a result of the skills learned through football. Liam gives his perspective on racial bias within media and among commentators, as well as breaking down some of the perceptions attributed to people of colour and their occupation. Amir tells us about the Open Goal Project he founded 5 years ago; how it overcomes some of the structural racism prevalent within youth soccer in America, and the success its had in creating an environment which helps build the confidence of kids, as well as giving us a preview into why he’s running for Congress. Amir Lowery is a Wake Forest Alumnus. He was selected in the third round (45th overall) by the Colorado Rapids in the 2005 MLS SuperDraft. What followed was a 8-year-long career with various spells in the MLS, NASL and USL, most notably at the Carolina Railhawks (now known as North Carolina FC) where he enjoyed considerable success. Amir is now a Player Relations Manager for the MLSPA and Executive Director for Open Goal Project, a nonprofit dedicated to helping youth soccer players navigate the financial and logical challenges that persist in American Club Soccer. Earlier this year, Amir announced he will be running for District of Columbia’s Delegate to the United States House of Representatives.Liam MacDevitt is an English/Irish broadcast journalist & former professional footballer. Liam has played for Yeovil Town, Swindon Town, and Stoke City to name a few, and he shared the same team and flat with Markus in New Zealand (lucky him!) playing at Southern United and then followed by Tasman United. While playing he divided his time between football and studying a BA Honors in English Literature and Journalism at the University of East London. He’s now at BBC working on Match of the Day Kickabout as a great content curator and presenter, and also works for the PFA. Tune in for part 2 next week!Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Please subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes and/or Spotify. #beother

Ada Hegerberg breaks records. For fun. While making a name for herself as an invigorating force to be reckoned with in Norway and Germany, it was at her current club Lyon she became the superstar we know today. Since arriving in France in 2014, she has won the 5 straight league titles, the cup on 4 occasions, and the Champions League for 4 straight seasons (oh yea, she scored a 16-minute hat-trick in the last one), cementing Lyon as arguably one of the most dominant teams in football history. And then there’s the individual accolades: Ada was awarded UEFA Best Women’s Player in Europe Award in 2016, was named BBC Women’s Footballer of the Year in 2017 and 2019, and in 2018 became the first-ever recipient of the Ballon d’or Feminin. She also holds the record for most goals in a Champions League season, with 15 goals, and is the all-time topscorer in the Champions League. She's also on this year’s Forbes 30 under 30 Europe list. Due to her position as one of the best footballers in the world, she's inevitably become a big and and respected voice in the fight for equality of opportunity within the game. The respect and seriousness by which she treats that role is hard to look past, and the utilization of her platform through her record-breaking performances has in large part made the growth of the women's game inevitable. As she says herself, "it's impossible to be a women’s footballer and not be a feminist."

John Kerr has had a storied career, paving the way for young Americans who at the time had few football stars to look up to. Beginning at Duke University, Kerr led the team to their first, and only, NCAA National Championship in 1986, while simultaneously winning the Hermann Trophy, establishing himself as the best player in American collegiate soccer that year. He then began his professional career in 1987, which spanned over 12 years, and saw him play for 16 clubs, spread across 5 countries. Along the way, Kerr became the first American to play in the English First Division, now known as the Premier League, while at Portsmouth, as well as playing in the first season of the MLS in 1996 with New England Revolution, He also managed to gain 16 caps for the USA Men’s National Team, scoring 2 goals in the process. Kerr gathered coaching experience through short spells as an assistant for the Duke Men’s team during his summer breaks in 1992 and 1993. He then gained some more experience in the final year of his playing career when he was named player/coach for the Boston Bulldogs, then competing in the A-League (a league which featured teams from Canada and the USA). Kerr was then named head coach for the Harvard Men’s Soccer team in 1999, and managed them until 2007, where he was then appointed head coach for the Duke Men’s Soccer team, and remains their head coach today. Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Please subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes and/or Spotify. #beother

Markus Fjørtoft rides solo for this episode as he talks to presenter, journalist, consultant and social media guru (not bad...) Aaron West (@oeste). An authenticity coupled with a deep-seated passion for football has helped Aaron build himself up through Twitter and further on within the digital media landscape. Aaron is a Davidson College alumnus, where he spent 4 years playing college soccer. Aaron started a blog about soccer, and progressed to writing for outer outlets working as a digital strategist and freelance writer (including Goal.com). He was an early adopter of Twitter and was eventually recognized and subsequently hired by Fox Sports. He went on to work for Copa90, a video-first soccer media outlet, and he's now host of Bleacher Report’s “Out here”, as well as being a pitch-side reporter for the Champions League games.We've also hit the double digits for number of episodes so that's pretty cool... thanks to everyone that's still listening!Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Please subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes and/or Spotify. #beother

Back with another episode to keep you good people entertained during this unprecedented social lockdown. This time we speak to Chris Sutton (@chris_sutton73), former EPL and SPL winner, and now notoriously known for his no-nonsense football punditry. Starting right at the beginning of an illustrious career, Chris spoke to us about his breakthrough at Norwich, going for a British record fee and winning the Premier League with Blackburn, the "Arsenal incident", playing for Dalglish and O'Neil, his regrets of not playing more for England, as well as his incredible 6 years at Celtic. Amongst this, Chris also reflects on his reputable strike partnerships with legends Henrik Larsson and Alan Shearer and their mental strength and relentlessness. Chris also discusses how his own self-critique was a huge driving force throughout his career.Chris Sutton, totalling 409 professional club appearances and 148 goals, spent 9 years playing in the English Premier League spread across 3 clubs, Norwich City, Blackburn Rovers, and Chelsea, before heading North of the border to spend 6 years with Celtic, and then ending his career back in England with brief spells at Birmingham City and Aston Villa. Chris remains in the spotlight through his tell-it-like-it-is punditry where he voices his opinion on BT Sport and BBC Radio 5, as well as through his columns at the Daily Mail and Daily Record. Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Please subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes and/or Spotify. #beother

Vidar Riseth (@RisethVidar) had one of those chats with his dad when he was 7. He wanted to play professional football and he asked his dad what a perfect career would look like. His dad said, "son, first you play for your local club and then you go on to play for Rosenborg, the best team in Norway. You can then play professionally in (one or two of) the four biggest leagues in the world (England, Spain, Germany, and Italy), and then represent your country in the World Cup. And lastly, you have to play in the Champions League. If you do all that, you'll have played in the same competitions as the best players in the world." And we'll just leave it at that for those that might not know what followed...Vidar Riseth has played for 8 professional clubs in 5 different countries, represented Norway 52 times and scored 4 goals, beat Brasil in the World Cup, and scored the winner in a Scottish cup final. He is now executive sponsor director of Rema 1000, a multinational grocery chain. We talked about selling potatoes and Christmas trees to get by at the start of his career, the culture shock that first met him abroad, the different pressures that followed throughout his career, Henrik Larsson's bet on him for the cup final, transitioning into life after football, a certain champagne deal + much more!Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1. Please subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes and/or Spotify. #beother

Jan Åge Fjørtoft (@JanAageFjortoft) shares his thoughts on the challenges football is faced with amid the coronavirus pandemic.Following UEFA's meeting yesterday in which logistics surrounding remaining fixtures in various competitions were accounted for, we discussed the financial, legal, and logistical complications that could arise, the football community's show of solidarity and how long it will last, getting to grips with a "new normal", football's ever-important role during these challenging times + much more!Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. #beother

We are back with another episode, and this time it’s a special edition in honour of the beginning of the 25th season of the MLS, where we spend the first half speaking to Henry Hewitt (@Henry_Hewitt), producer of @TotalAccessShow and presenter of podcast @MLSUKShow. In the second half we speak to Brian White (@_BrianWhite42), former Duke Soccer Alum and current NY Red Bulls forward. We discussed all things football with both guests. Henry gave his insight on the progress of the MLS as a league, its potential, and how we should view it, as well as what teams and players to look out for this season, and the challenges of creating a successful soccer franchise. Brian candidly spoke with us about college soccer in America with its pros and cons compared to the European academy system, the pathway from college soccer to the MLS, his experiences establishing himself as a player in the MLS, and where he wants to see the league in the future. Brian has played soccer at virtually every level in America. Beginning with academy football for PDA before playing college soccer for 4 years at Duke University. During his summers at college Brian played with the NY Red Bulls u23 team in the PDL. Following graduation, Brian was drafted number 16 overall in the MLS 2018 draft by NY Red Bulls, where he then played for their 2nd team in the USL for 1 season, scoring 11 goals, before earning a contract with the first team. His debut season in the MLS with the Red Bulls saw him score 9 goals. He was recently rewarded with a long term contract extension with the Red Bulls. Henry Hewitt is currently co-presenting the MLS UK Show, a podcast focused on providing all content MLS related for followers on either side of the Atlantic. He is also the producer for Total Access Radio.Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1 and Facebook. Please subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes and/or Spotify. #beother

Adrian Bevington (@ABevington11) has built himself from the ground up, gradually establishing himself as one of sport’s governing bodies’ longest serving and respectable executives. His extensive career in football, media, and communications has gained him an invaluable perspective and knowledge of the industry, and one that we were fortunate enough to pick his brains about.He talked to @markusfjortoft and @CiaranMcKenna8 about the deliberate strategy put in place in articulating the new-found DNA of the English national set-up, the "Golden Generation", dealing with "Brand Beckham", whether the state of football is at a vital crossroads, the values/principles that guide him, adapting to an ever-changing industry, advice for the next generation + much more!Adrian worked for the FA for 17 years in various roles, such as: Head of Media, Director of Communications, Club England Managing Director, and been at his boyhood club Middlesbrough for two spells, first as a Senior Publications and Press Officer and then part of the Executive Management Team. He’s now an independent director at North Riding FA and also has established his own Sports & Communications Consultancy Company, consulting various prominent clients. Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1. Please subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes and/or Spotify. #beother

We are back with another episode, and we had none other than Henry Winter (@henrywinter) with us, Chief Football Writer of The Times.We discussed football’s greatest challenges in an age of increasing commercialization, overcoming the stereotype of “thick” footballers and the empowered generation of players coming forth, the cultural and societal shifts and its implications on the type of players, managers and journalists in the industry, and much more!Henry Winter is chief football writer of The Times. He’s a five-times winner at the Sports Journalists’ Association awards. He’s previously been at The Independent, and football correspondent for the Daily Telegraph. He’s also ghost-wrote the autobiographies of former Liverpool players Kenny Daglish, John Barnes, and Steven Gerrard, as well as Michael Carrick, and written “Fifty Years of Hurt: The Story of England Football in 2017”. He’s also the third English vote for the Ballon d’Or along with the Head Coach Gareth Southgate and captain Harry Kane.We thoroughly enjoyed this chat and hope you do too!Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1. Please subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes and/or Spotify. #beother

So far, Mark Noonan (@MDNOONAN) has led a pretty intriguing life, predicated on a relentless curiosity, an extraordinary adaptability, and business know-how. In this third episode, Mark talks about the great challenge it was in building the US Soccer and MLS brand in its early stages, founding his own sports agency, transitioning into unfamiliar surfing territory, taking a leap of faith and moving to Ghana, and much more!Mark has been a strategic consultant at Octagon, Director of Integrated Marketing at Gatorade, Chief Marketing Officer at the US Soccer Federation, Executive VP of Marketing at the MLS, Chief Commercial Officer at the World Surf League, CEO of one of Africa’s most historical football clubs, and founder of his own Sports Agency, FocalSport. And more importantly... he's a Duke Soccer Alum. #GoDuke Follow BroPod on Twitter @BroPod1. Please subscribe and review our podcast on iTunes and/or Spotify. #beother

In this second episode, Stuart James (@stujames75) honestly and eloquently talks about chasing his footballing dream to then having to let it go, transitioning into journalism, what drives him, forming trust with people under difficult circumstances, the shifting media landscape, regrets, and much more...

Portland Timbers star Jeremy Ebobisse (@kingjebo) has established himself as one of the most promising young forwards in the MLS, and has earned himself a USMNT cap in the process. However, the 23-year-old refuses to be defined as merely a footballer. He's outspoken and unapologetic in his approach as he grapples with issues surrounding race, immigration, education, and criminal justice. Recent protests, collective action, and the extensive reach of social media platforms has allowed "Ebo" and other athletes the opportunity to incite social change. We discuss how he sees his own role in all this, how he arrived there, strategy going forward, and much more...